#again. yeah youre not gonna postpone your trip for a cold i get it | Explore Tumblr posts and blogs

vintagedolan · 5 years ago

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sweet creature (egd)

ethan hates when he has to leave you for even a few days, so when he gets back, he has a little surprise planned

word count: 4.3k

warnings/tags: fluff, and then some smut to round it out WOO we goin through it today ladies and gents, harry styles (music) is involved :)

dedicated to my bruna bby ( @ethanhes ) who is so strong and the sweetest girly I know. I love you!!

feel free to send in requests! and check out my masterlist if you wanna :)

Like hell you were gonna make another trip - you slid the last grocery bag onto your arm, ignoring how they were digging into your skin as you started your walk into the house. If anyone had watched you try to navigate your way in the door, it probably would have been quite the sight. But you succeeded, emerging into an empty kitchen, heaving the heavy bags up onto the counter.

Usually, you’d yell down the hall, summon the boys to help you unpack. But it would be futile - no one was home. Not even Sterling was around - the three of them were off on Wakeheart business, at the factory in Arizona where everything was actually produced so they could approve all the candle production.

You’d gotten a few pictures from the trip - bright colorful sunsets, Grayson and Sterling smiling from across the table at breakfast. But your favorites were the stupid little selfies he kept sending. Your phone buzzed in your pocket as if on cue.

Another snapchat from Ethan, this time of him with a metal straw trapped between his teeth and big smile on his face. Adorable, as always.

cold brew mood. miss you x was the caption that flitted across the screen. You screenshotted it just in time. The next buzz was a text from him.

why you screenshot

cause you looked cute

send me one back, I miss you

You rolled your eyes at that, deciding to make him wait for a minute while you started to put the groceries away. You’d only unpacked two bags before your phone buzzed again.

hey

show me ur face

omg gimme a minute 😂

im putting away the obscene amount of oat milk I just bought

DID THEY HAVE THE GOOD KIND

yep. bought three cartons

holy shit I love you

gray says he loves you too

but I love you more

You sent him a quick snapchat to appease him, unsurprised when you got the notification that he’d screenshotted it. He always got like this when he was away - even more clingy than usual, constantly wanting to communicate with you somehow. You had to admit, you loved the idea that you were always on his mind when he wasn’t with you, even if it did mean you felt like you were constantly on your phone.

what else are you doing today?

idk might lay out by the pool for a while

without me? 😔

you should go shopping

You frowned at your phone, looking at the few boxes of pasta you had left to put away before you typed back with a huff.

I literally just got back from the grocery what do u mean

not that kind of shopping

fun shopping. like for clothes

The thought was tempting - with everything going on, you hadn’t gotten anything new in months. To be fair though, you hadn’t really needed anything new - you were just hanging around the house anyways.

do you want me to go so I’ll stop wearing all your clothes

yes

kidding baby you know I don’t care. but you should get some new stuff, you deserve it! just use my card

I hate using your card

It wasn’t a lie. Ethan had gotten you a credit card linked to his personal account for emergencies almost six months ago, and you’d only used it a handful of times when he insisted. You never wanted him to ever think that you cared about him for his money.

I’d be buying whatever you find if I was there, it’s the same thing

You grinned to yourself, plan already hatching. He didn’t say what you had to buy. You’d just get something small - a pack of socks, or a basic tee - with his card, and pay for the rest of it yourself.

alright alright, fine

But his next text had you rolling your eyes. He knew you too well.

and you have buy real clothes. like at least one dress

Even though he wasn’t there to see it, your eyes squinted in accusation.

why a dress?

you’re being sus what’s this about

you’re so stubborn holy shit. I was gonna buy you dresses for the harry concert so I want you to pick some out for yourself

Damn. You’d almost forgotten that the concert was supposed to be that night. Ethan had bought the two of you tickets back when they went on presale, using his connections to get the two of you amazing seats. E had been almost as bummed as you when it got postponed, disappointed that the night he’d had planned for you had fallen through.

it got rescheduled to august baby, we can go shopping then!

i’m impatient

omg really? I had no idea

just go buy some dresses and send me pictures. we’re back at the factory, gotta go. I love you!

love you too!

Knowing that if you sat down you probably wouldn’t get back up, you turned back to the door with a sigh, grabbing your keys and wallet from where you’d just stowed them, heading back out to the car.

You climbed into Ethan’s Tesla, hitting your preset button on the door so the seat moved forward to where you could reach the pedals. He always insisted you take his car if he couldn’t drive you, always wanting you to be the safest you could be. It was still a bit intimidating to drive something so expensive, but you did it anyways, heading to the mall that housed most of your favorite stores with your mask on.

It turned out to be one of those days where nothing caught your eye. You really looked, scoured through the racks, hoping to find anything that looked remotely appealing or like your style. You even tried on a few that you had hopes for, but they were a bust.

Feeling defeated you stopped for a while and got some coffee, sitting and people watching as everyone passed in their masks. Your eyes wandered to another store, one you rarely went into - it catered to your style perfectly, but everything was far out of your price range.

But looking couldn’t hurt. Right?

That backfired as soon as you walked in, smelled that perfect fragrance that seemed to dust all the soft fabrics in the place.

Before you knew what you’d done, you had so many options thrown over your arm that it was starting to ache.

You stopped looking, headed to a dressing room to try and narrow down your search. Some of them were automatic no’s, the cut not flattering or the color clashing with the undertones in your skin.

But there were three winners - a tight green one that hugged your curves, a casual denim overall number that would look adorable with the right shirt, and a blue sundress that tied into a bow at the back, the fabric brushing your upper thighs.

You snapped pictures in each one, knowing Ethan would help you decide. Your bet was on the green one - he was a man, after all. But his response just made you roll your eyes.

you look hot as fuck

buy all three

yes

they’re expensive

I didn’t ask how much they cost. You like them all. therefore, you buy them all

it’s simple really

ethan

y/n

just tell me which one is your favorite please

if you don’t buy all three i’m just gonna go back and buy them for you later

or I’ll order them and have them shipped to the house

stop

getting online now 😌

stop it

placing an order 😌 😌

ethan grant

last chance

fine

im sticking my tongue out at you. you can’t see it but I am

ouch, im hurt

are you headed home after you buy them?

well I’m sure as hell not spending anymore money, so yeah. why?

just wondering where my girl’s gonna be. drive safe. you took the tesla right?

of course I did.

good. hurry home. but don’t hurry too much. safety first

You quirked an eyebrow at the last text - he was being so odd. He’d only been gone for two days, usually it wasn’t this bad for him. Who knew what he’d be like tomorrow before he got home.

Changing back into your clothes in a hurry, you put your rejects out on the return rack and carried your three choices to the register, trying not to listen to the total before you put Ethan’s card in the reader.

You left the mall swiftly after that, trying to ignore the eyes on you. In reality, no one was probably looking at you, but you felt like everyone was staring as you carried your expensive bag and got in a fucking tesla. You never understood how Gray and E could walk around with such expensive things and not be fazed in the slightest.

The drive home took longer than you would have liked considering the traffic you got caught in, but you just turned your music up, humming along as you crawled down the road towards your exit. When you finally got there you let the tesla take over, pulling you off the interstate and starting down the smaller roads that led to the house.

Your first clue was when the song changed. At first you didn’t think much of it - you had every Harry song saved to your library, it wasn’t unusual for one to come up.

But then, one verse into Fine Line, it skipped, the intro of Two Ghosts starting. 30 seconds later? Falling started to play through the car.

“What the fuck?” You muttered, quickly switching off autopilot, afraid that the car may be glitching. It was only a few more minutes until you got to the house, and in that time the song switched again twice, all Harry songs.

When you pulled into the driveway and put the car in park, your phone buzzed with your second clue.

welcome home baby

omg are you watching the cameras? that’s creepy as fuck

also the tesla just got super weird but I swear I didn’t fuck up your car

just come inside

You obliged, grabbing your bag and heading into the house.

Clue number three was that the pasta boxes you’d left on the counter were gone, put away no doubt on the shelf that you couldn’t reach. You froze.

Someone was in the house.

You only had a moment to be scared before Ethan appeared around the corner, your favorite grin adorning his face.

“Boo.”

You dropped the bag, running the few steps it took to get to him before you threw your arms around him, breathing him in as he hugged you to him tightly.

“You guys weren’t supposed to be home until tomorrow!”

“Caught an early flight so I could surprise my girl. Gray and Ster are still in Arizona.” He leaned back so you could look at him, shrugging as if it was no big deal that he’d cut his trip short just to come home to see you.

“Didn’t you have stuff you needed to do?”

“No, we knocked it out today.”

“Then why didn’t Grayson come ba-”

His lips were on yours then, catching your words as he kissed you hard, a hand coming up to your cheek, thumb running over your cheekbone. “Are you gonna keep asking me questions, or are you gonna let me actually surprise you.”

“There’s more?” The butterflies that only he could bring fluttered in your stomach, and you bit your lip, looking up at him. He leaned down past you, reaching for the bag you’d dropped, placing it back in your hands.

“Maybe. Go put on one of your new dresses, then come out back.” He pressed a quick kiss to your lips before he let go. “Hurry.”

“Okay!” You were practically giddy as you hurried back to Ethan’s room, laying the dresses out on the comforter and trying to decide on one. It took a few minutes, a few switches of holding them up to you in the mirror before you settled on the blue sundress, situating the big sewed bow in the middle of your back. It had a built in bra that was surprisingly comfortable, making it the easiest choice.

Shoving your dresses back in the bag, you didn’t even bother with shoes. You just headed straight for the backyard - but you froze in the living room, taking in the sight through the doors.

The sun was setting on the horizon, painting the sky a baby purple, the clouds a pop of pink as they floated, scattered around. The city was starting to light up below you, and the moon hung high above it. But your eyes were on something - someone - entirely different.

Ethan was standing in the grass, wearing one of his nice pairs of shorts and a short sleeve patterned button down - you hadn’t even noticed his outfit earlier, you’d been too excited to see him. He was holding a bouquet of sunflowers in his hands, the petals bright yellow even in the dim light.

He caught sight of you through the glass and immediately hid the flowers behind his back as he stood up straight and smiled like a guy coming to the front door to pick you up for prom.

You pulled the door open, stepping out into the cool California air. It felt almost cold against your flushed cheeks as Ethan looked you up and down, letting out a low whistle.

You just laughed, stopping a few steps in front of him and waiting for whatever he had planned.

He whipped the flowers around with a grin, holding them out for you with one hand, leaving his other arm tucked behind him. “Happy concert night!”

What you didn’t see was the remote in his other hand. He clicked it with his thumb, and the whole back yard lit up. There were twinkling christmas lights lining the roof and wrapping around the tree to the side of the house. He’d brought out Grayson’s projector and pointed it at a white sheet he’d hung up - you watched it for a moment, laughing when you realized it was projecting a slideshow of the pictures you two had taken together over the last year. And finally, you noticed the speakers had turned on, starting to play one of your favorite songs. Sweet Creature.

“E-”

“I know it got rescheduled, and we’ll have so much fun when we go. But, I still wanted to make tonight special. So, it’s kinda just date night, but... Harry Styles edition?”

Closing the gap with a few steps you threw your arms around his neck, flowers and all, so you could kiss him.

“I love you so much,” were the only words you could find, and you hoped he knew how much you truly meant them.

“Love me enough to dance with me?”

You froze at that - you weren’t much of a slow dancer, and Ethan had even less experience than you did. But the thought of staying so close to him made your heart flutter, so you nodded, letting go for a moment so you could sit the flowers down safely in the grass.

He pulled you back into his arms, hands settling on your waist as yours went around his neck. His fingertips ghosted over the bare skin on your back below the bow, sending shivers up your spine.

It didn’t matter that Sweet Creature was a tiny bit fast for a slow dance - the two of you weren’t doing more than swaying back and forth anyways, foreheads touching, totally lost in each other.

He spun you a few times, even throwing in a little dip that made you both laugh before he kissed you, leaving you a bit breathless when he pulled you back up to standing.

“You bring me home,” he sang, slightly off pitch and so quiet you could barely hear, but it was so sweet that it even brought a few tears to your eyes. You blinked them away so you could see his face as you both smiled.

The energy picked up a bit as the songs continued to shuffle, Carolina coming on next. You both jumped around hand in hand, looking like total idiots you were sure, stomachs sore from laughing at and with each other by the end. You paused a few times throughout the next songs to watch the slideshow, laughing at some of the pictures he’d chosen, remembering the stories behind them.

When Sunflower came on, Ethan opened his arms again for a dance and you quirked an eyebrow.

“You know, Mr. Styles doesn’t have as many romantic songs as I thought he did. This one’s not bad though,” Ethan mumbled as the two of you swayed back and forth quickly, spinning around and around.

“This song isn’t even romantic, it’s about him missing his ex,” you explained.

“You analyzed those lyrics hard huh.”

“Oh don’t act like you haven’t dissected every Cudi song five times over.” You squinted your eyes at him in accusation and he just laughed.

“Touché, touché. Maybe the sunflowers weren’t the best Harry related gesture then huh.”

“I still think they’re beautiful,” you reassured him.

“Thought it would kinda be weird to give you a watermelon. Though, I guess that would have sent a much clearer message.”

The mischief in his eyes told you he knew exactly what that song was about.

“A little on the nose, don’t yah think?” You scrunched up your nose at him as if to prove your point. He reached out for your hand and you laced your fingers with his.

“Never.”

And then he was walking, half pulling half guiding you back into the house, through the glass doors, down the hallway, into the bedroom. Your skin was hot, partially from the change in temperature, partially from the hands that were wandering over your skin as soon as the door was closed.

Ethan’s hands traced down your arms, fingertips over skin, then over fabric when he got to your waist, further down to your thighs and then you were gasping as he found his way under your skirt. His hands spread out, large and commanding over your ass, resting there for a moment, squeezing before he moved north, fingers hooking into your panties, guiding them down until they fell off and you could step out of them.

Your fingers found the buttons of his shirt, blindly undoing them as he kissed you. You found yourself pausing, hands tracing over the new yet familiar skin that revealed itself with each one you managed to loosen until finally, finally it was open and you could push it off his shoulders.

His hand found the bow, roughly starting to tug until you reached back and caught him.

“Baby don’t pull. It’s sewed, it doesn’t come undone,” you cautioned, barely pulling back, unwilling to put any space between the two of you.

“Stupid,” he grumbled, pouting a bit until he realized that he could pull the fabric off your shoulders, freeing your chest. He hummed a bit in satisfaction, hands moving to squeeze your tits, and then he was kissing them, sinking lower, lower until his knees hit the floor.

“Oh fuck,” you squeaked, knowing exactly what was about to happen.

Ethan looked up at you from his knees with a teasing grin and a quirked eyebrow, waiting for your permission. You nodded, trying to breathe as his hands ghosted up your thighs, up to your hips.

And then he ducked his head so he could get under the fabric of your skirt, ready to get to work.

Your knees buckled as soon as you felt him, tongue warm and flat against you. One of his hands came down, tracing over your skin until he got to your calf, lifting it just barely and pushing it out to widen your stance.

You whimpered as he sped up, his satisfied hums adding to the sensation in a way that had your legs starting to shake already. Your hands dropped to his head, and you pushed the fabric off the top of it so you could get to his hair, tugging. It just made him go harder, burying himself deeper. You folded forward, bracing on his shoulders, overwhelmed as you alternated holding you breathe and gasping for air, squirming.

“E, Ethan stop, my legs are gonna give out, wait,” you gasped, pulling on his hair.

He paused, ducking out from under your dress and smiling up at you, lips swollen and pride booming.

“That’s the best compliment you’ve ever given me I think. But I’m not done yet, lay down.”

You did as he said, turning around and climbing onto the middle of the bed before collapsing onto your back, rolling over and looking for him. Ethan was one second behind you, crawling above you to hover over you then duck down to kiss you hard yet somehow sweet at the same time.

It was instinct to reach down to his waist, let your fingers ghost over his waistband, tuck underneath it in a blind search. He sucked in a breath through his teeth when you wrapped your fingers around the tip. He shook his head at you, making you pout.

“Tonights about you, not me.”

“But I want to.”

“Raincheck. Best fucking raincheck ever, but raincheck. Just lemme take care of you.”

He kisses you until you forget your argument - you’re putty in his hands as his lips trail back down. He pushes all the fabric of your dress together so it’s just a band around your tummy and then he picked up where he left off.

“Fuck E, just like that, oh god.” You were squirming again in a matter of moments, his stubble rough against your thighs as he worked you over. He felt your body tense up under his hold, smiling as he gave it all he had, giving that extra little push that sent you tumbling, clenching, writhing over the edge.

He peppered kisses to your thighs as you caught your breath, and then he reached up, fists closing around all the fabric of your dress.

“Lift your hips up,” he instructed, waiting for you to bridge up so he could wiggle the dress off over your hips. He tossed it towards the closet, moving back up towards your face, bed dipping down with his weight.

“No fair,” you pouted, reaching down to tug at his shorts and boxers.

“And I’m the impatient one.”

He stood back up off the bed, quickly shoving down the clothing he had left and stepping out of it.

“Much better.” You grinned wide when you saw he was blushing at your words. “C’mere.”

He happily listened, crawling back above you and dropping a bit of his weight down as he sunk to his forearms.

“So missionary is the way to your heart huh? So vanilla.” He bumped his nose against yours.

“You have a pretty face, sue me,” you laughed, bringing your hands up to his neck and pulling him down for a kiss as he dropped his hips, searching for just a moment before he pushed inside.

You’d lost count of how many times the two of you had been just like this, intertwined and enthralled with each other, but you knew you’d never get tired of it as long as you lived.

“I love you.” It came out as a breath when he bottomed out, his lips resting on your shoulder, back curled up at an angle that let you feel every muscle, every ridge of his body.

“I love you. You’re my dream, you know that?” He started to rock his hips, unwilling to go too far from you as you clung to his back, relishing in the feeling of him on you, in you, all around you.

This would always be your favorite way to be with him - sweet and soft, just your bodies together, nothing else. You couldn’t think of anything better.

He shifted just barely, thrusting in at a different angle. You knew he was searching, and you gasped when he brushed against your g spot, your whole body shuddering.

“There she is,” he whispered, a prideful grin on his face as he hit it over and over. Watching you come undone below him would always be one of his favorite views. “Look at me baby, I wanna see you.”

You did your best in your blissed out state to listen to him, turning your head from where it had fallen against the pillow to look at him while he picked up pace. Your legs curled around his back, holding him to you, urging him as deep as he could go as you chased the orgasm that was building in your gut.

He stared at you for a few moments, and then as if he couldn’t help it he ducked down to kiss you, open mouthed and rough as he pulled his hips back, thrusting forward with more force than he’d used yet.

“Oh fuck Ethan, fuck,” you moaned, holding onto him for dear life. When he snaked one hand between the two of you to find your clit, you were done for.

His breath caught in his throat as you clenched around him and you heard the whimpers through your cloudy haze, mixtures of pleasure and your name as he came undone, hip stuttering and then stopping when he finally hit his high.

Once he’s caught his breath he rolls the both of you over so you’re resting on his chest, listening to his heart rate settle back down under your ear.

“I’m so glad you came home early,” you sighed, hugging his bare torso as he chuckled.

“Me too baby. Me too.”

#BRUNA DIS IS FOR YOU #I wrote this assuming everyone loves harry styles cause if you don't wyd haha #HOPE YOU ALL LIKE IT PLS TELL ME WHAT YOU THINK #ethan imagines #lynds writes #ethan dolan #dolan twins #ethan dolan imagine #ethan dolan fanfiction

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drawlfoy · 5 years ago

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Mirror, Mirror P.5

masterlist (<- to read parts 1-4) request guidelines want to be tagged?

pairing: draco x ravenclaw!reader

request: nope!

summary: y/n has admired draco from afar for a hot minute. what will happen when they’re finally paired up to do rounds together and run into the mirror of erised?

warnings: language, mentions of being very very ill, my terrible editing skills, way too much dialogue

a/n: here it is :) it’s been a bit. the finale will hopefully be posted this tues! i hope all of you guys have been continuing to social distance and i hope everyone reading this is healthy! also, important update: the first part of just a call away has been postponed until this monday (i originally expected it to be posted tomorrow but i’ve hardly been able to work on it at all). enjoy!

word count: 2.3k ;)

music recs:

permanent tags: @gruffle1 @missmulti @cleopatera @hahaboop @accio-rogers @geeksareunique @eltanin-malfoy @war-sword @cams-lynn

tags for mirror, mirror: @theres-a-dog-outside-omg @mey-rapp @kaibie @blackpinkdolan @sugarbby99

“Rena, I am going to kill you!”

Y/N’s roommate looked up, the fear of Merlin struck into her eyes. The Transfiguration study guide in front of her lay entirely forgotten as she watched her friend slam the door and flop on the bed. “Oh?”

Y/N flung off her robe and tossed it on the floor. “When were you gonna tell me that you talked to Malfoy about me?”

Her roommate narrowed her eyes, leaning forward in her chair and propping her chin up on her hand. “What are you talking about? He approached me and asked if you knew what the mirror was. I said you did. That was it.”

The venom seeped out of Y/N’s expression as the realization crept in.

“Oh. Oh, Rena, I’m sorry. I had no idea. He told me that you told him ‘everything’.”

“And you took a Slytherin’s word? Malfoy’s word? Honestly, Y/N, you give me a headache.” Rena sent a gentle smile her way. “What happened? Did you tell him?”

A sour feeling crept into Y/N’s chest as the memory she had suppressed on the walk to her dorm surfaced like bile in her throat. The rest of their shift was tense at best and downright agonizing at worst. Malfoy was uncharacteristically quiet, wringing his hands over and over again and scratching the back of his neck when he exhausted his wrists. Y/N knew that she was bright red by the time that they said their goodbyes--which really wasn’t much of a goodbye, just an uncomfortable nod before they parted ways to their respective dormitories--and cursed the fact that their ending spot was right under a torch.

She would much rather prefer him to just straight up tell her he wasn’t into her; however, she supposed he technically did, that week or so ago in the Great Hall when he had told her he wasn’t into Ravenclaws.

Maybe I’m the one that needs to pull back. Maybe I’m actually the git in this situation and I’m making Malfoy feel uncomfortable.

“Yeah. I did.”

“And?”

“That’s it. He doesn’t feel the same way.” The words left her mouth feeling like heavy lead, weighing her breath down.

Rena stood up from her chair, her face softening. “He said that?”

“He didn’t say anything, really.”

“Well that doesn’t mean he doesn’t feel the same way,” said her roommate. Her voice was painfully cheerful for Y/N. “Maybe he’s just nervous.”

Y/N offered a weak smile as she pulled her hair out of her ponytail and got up to rifle through her drawers to find something to sleep in. “It’s over, Rena. I don’t know why I’ve entertained this for so long. It wasn’t even a thing to begin with. I just want to go to bed.”

“All I’m saying is that he’s Malfoy, Y/N. I’ve literally never seen him flirt before in his life. I don’t think he knows how. Maybe he’s just being mean because he doesn’t know any other way?”

“I think I just want to stop thinking about it.” Y/N began changing into her nightclothes quickly with her back to Rena. “I want to go to bed and forgot about it and get my O on the Transfiguration exam tomorrow and just never think about rich daddy’s boys again. No matter how cute they look!”

Y/N tossed her old robes in her hamper, turning to Rena one more time with a blazing expression on her face that said I dare you to disagree.

“All I’m saying,” Rena said slowly, “Is that Malfoy didn’t seem like a total rat when he came up and asked me about you. It just seems strange that he would do that if he had no interest in you.”

“The only interest he has is in antagonizing me,” Y/N snapped. “He’s a class A git and I hate him.”

Rena raised an eyebrow, her expression slightly amused. “Whatever you say, Y/N. We can talk tomorrow morning. I think you need some sleep.”

oOo

Y/N’s dreams were torturous--just a loop, replaying over and over again, of her interactions with a certain Slytherin. She was dragged through her memories against her will, feeling the initial admiration of seeing him read in the courtyard for the first time, crumbling under the anxiety of their shift assignments, suffocating through the tension of their final meeting, reeling at the way his hair looked under the torch lights…

It was too much. She awoke with a pounding headache and a throat so sore that she may as well have swallowed a healthy spoonful of fire over the night. Her eyes hurt to open, like the edges of her eyelids had been lined with Dittany.

“Merlin, Y/N, you look like shit.” A voice that sounded suspiciously like her roommate wafted from her right side, but she couldn’t be sure. “I’ve gotta get you to Madame Pomfrey.”

“Rena?”

“Y/N?”

If she hadn’t felt like she was toeing the line between the dead and the living she would’ve been sure that the tone in her roommate’s voice was tinged with amusement. She tried to croak something more out.

“Don’t worry, Y/N,” Rena cut in before she could try any harder. “I’ll be back in just a minute. Don’t try and get up, alright? You need your strength.”

Y/N nodded--or at least, she tried--and turned back into her pillow to sleep. A part of her mind registered that she had a Transfiguration exam today and then rounds that night with Malfoy, but as a cold bead of sweat ran down her spine, the thoughts were pushed to the back of her mind. He could wait. He’d already taken up her entire night by filling her dreams and she was not eager to see him again any time soon.

“Y/N?” The door creaked open and her roommate’s voice dragged her back to lucidity. “Hi girly. Can you walk?”

Y/N forced her eyes open and winced at the light filtering through the curtains. It was hardly light out, but the weak morning light sent pangs through her head. The heavy quilt that she had been burrowed under was lifted up off of her...and the shivers started.

Her entire body began shaking, her teeth clattering together so hard that she was afraid she would break them. She wondered if anyone had ever chipped their teeth from fever chills.

“Just swing your legs around the edge...yes, just like that…”

Rena’s hands held her shoulders with a firm grip as she shakily made her way to her feet, swaying slightly.

“Fuck, Y/N, you’re absolutely shaking…”

“Mmmhmmm” was all Y/N had the sense to use as a reply.

“All you need to do is make it down the stairs. I can put you in a wheelchair and push you the rest of the way.”

“Love you,” Y/N mumbled as her friend guided her down the stairs. Even though she’d been walking up the stairs to her dorm for years, everything felt oddly foreign to her through her feverish haze.

“Love you t--whoa! Easy.” Rena caught Y/N from near demise as she almost missed a stair. “You’re almost there, doll. Just hold on a bit more.”

“I need you to....” find someone to cover my rounds tonight she tried to say, but the words caught on what felt like daggers in her throat as she felt the wall.

“Focus on getting down the stairs,” Rena interrupted. “You can tell me once we’re on the way to Pomfrey’s.”

Finally, she made it down onto the last step and allowed herself to be guided into a seat. Exhausted from her trip, she slumped back in the chair and forgot about her request as she drifted back off into her feverish dreams.

This time, they were different. Instead of interactions that had actually happened, her brain took her through a different whirlwind of events. A flurry of sensations met her--a thumb dragging across her slightly parted lips, a chaste kiss placed on her neck, a hand softly squeezing hers, a warm breath fanning across her cheek, a pair of just barely blue eyes staring down at her with so much affection that her heart skipped, a rough hand shaking her shoulder, the sting of something pressing into her wrist (a wand, she thought absently), voices around her calling her name…

Her eyes shot open as she recoiled from a burst of unbearable cold across her chest. The ceiling of the infirmary wing greeted her. Her torso was wet, and once she cast her eyes down to the end of her bed, she could see why.

Madame Pomfrey stood next to Professor Trelawny and Headmaster Dumbledore, brandishing an empty bucket in her hand.

“Thank goodness! She’s awake!”

Pomfrey sent Trelawny an irritated look as she rushed forth, muttering incantations and running diagnostic tests on Y/N’s body.

“What...what happened?” she managed, trying to sit up.

“Stay down,” Pomfry commanded, turning to her nightstand to mix a concoction of various potion ingredients.

“I just had the flu.”

Trelawny moved to the side of the bed to clasp her hand firmly in hers, a kind look in her loony eyes. “Miss Y/L/N, I’m afraid that wasn’t the case. You had an acute case of Dream Sickness. We’re lucky that you were able to wake up when you did. You’re even luckier that your roommate noticed and brought you down here.”

Y/N knitted her eyebrows together. “I’m sorry. Dream...what?”

“Dream Sickness,” the headmaster finished. “A very rare affliction that primarily affects the overthinkers in the wizarding community. Naturally, you Ravenclaws are at a higher risk than other students.”

“So who gave it to me?”

“No, dear,” said Trelawny. “It’s not contagious. It can happen to anyone, but it’s more common if you spent time around powerful magical artifacts. Have you?”

Y/N cringed at the thought.

“Er...yes, I guess I have. I ran into the Mirror of Erised on one of my prefect rounds. I never lingered, though.”

“That would do it,” Dumbledore mused. “The mirror has a tendency of...inflaming emotions. I ought to locate it and put it in a safer place.”

“So I’m okay? I can go back to classes? I have a Transfiguration exam today, and I’d really like it if I could make it.”

“McGonagall’s Transfiguration exam, I presume?” he asked.

“Yes. It’s later in the afternoon. I promise I’ll be careful!”

The adults beside her shared uncomfortable glances.

“Dear,” Trelawny began, “You’ve been here for two days.”

The air was sucked out of her lungs as the realization kicked in. “But that’s impossible! I was only sleeping for a little bit. And I had rounds! How did I miss my rounds?”

Pomfrey seemed mildly sympathetic as she emptied the mixture she had been stirring into a crystal goblet and offered it to her. “It’s normal to be disoriented after a bout of Dream Sickness. Professor Flitwick is sure to understand the situation, and if he does not, I am willing to vouch for you. Now drink. You have some recovering to do.”

oOo

Rena Severjyn was always the confrontational type. It had been a shock to her as well as her family when she’d been sorted into Ravenclaw (with all the bookworms and the teachers’ pets, as her older brothers said to her) instead of Gryffindor, but she’d grown to love her house. Studying came more naturally than cliff-jumping, or whatever it was that Gryffindors did, but when it came down to it, she had no problem with telling someone off.

So when she ran across a deliciously alone Draco Malfoy reading in the courtyard, she had no trouble walking right up to him.

“Hey, arsehat.” She plopped down next to him as he started, nearly dropping the book on the gravel walkway. “We need to talk.”

“Severjyn,” he greeted, his tone even but his eyes flickering nervously. “Do you know where your roommate is? I had to do my rounds alone last night.”

“She’s in the hospital wing. But no matter. I want to know why you’re being such an intolerable prat to her.”

His mouth opened and closed a few times, clearly trying to cope with the fact that he was at a loss for words.

“Spit it out, Malfoy. I don’t have all day.”

“Is she okay? Did something happen to her?”

Rena rolled her eyes. “No, she just decided to spend more of her time around Pomfrey. Yes, something happened to her. She’ll be fine. You’re not answering my question.”

“I don’t understand.” The crease between his brow deepened with worry.

“She said she told you how she felt and you didn’t say anything about it!”

“I’m sorry. I just got nervous.”

“Are you dense?” Rena’s voice became shriller. “You told me yourself you fancied her, and you can’t even manage a measly ‘me too’? Even though you had the whole of fucking two hours to do it?”

A blush spread across his fair cheeks as he slammed his book closed and stood up. “It’s not that easy. You know it isn’t.”

“It’s never that easy. But she was able to do it, and you even told her that you weren’t into her! Honestly, I cannot believe you.”

“Please just…” Draco evaded eye contact, dropping his eyes to the floor and grinding his toes into the gravel. “Just leave me be. I promise I’ll talk to her once she’s better. Just don’t tell her, okay? I want to do this myself.”

Rena rolled her eyes. “You better.”

final a/n: finale is coming out soon! let me know what you thought :)

#draco x reader #draco imagine #draco malfoy x reader #draco malfoy imagine #draco x oc #draco malfoy x oc #draco #draco malfoy #draco x y/n #draco malfoy x y/n #draco malfoy x you #draco x you

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ninacarstairss · 1 year ago

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same here 😭😭😭 my little life update is that i’m literally dead because we are understaffed at work so i’m basically spending more time there than at home or anywhere else. i don’t know what kind of absolute shit luck we have in there but all the people we’ve hired have lasted for about a week or decided to not even come in the first day. so yeah, work will be our death. yay. it’s so unfair 😭😭 i need to reblog posts and talk to people and post nonsense too. i need to lay in my bed surrounded by scented candles and simba and be on tumblr. i miss you and it’s so unfair that adulthood is keeping us apart

okay i’m gonna need to see some of those bereals 😂 i need to see the amazing bookshelf!!! you know i’m the first fan of your amazing bookshelf!! i have good news tho!!! casey mcquiston got me out of the reading slump again!!!! i finally read i kissed shara wheeler and oh my fucking god!!!! i loved it so much!!! honestly, i was a little afraid because it was YA and i was so used to something different from them so i postponed the reading until now, and i’m so mad at myself that i did!! god i love how you can recognise their writing, some lines and ways of saying, it’s so casey and it’s amazing!! also chloe, shara, rory and smith are my babies and i love them with my whole soul. i ended up in tears once again. have you read it??

oh god i really miss fanfics 🥺 i haven’t read one in so long. and honestly i hate it when i want to read but i can’t and i end up spending hours dumbscrolling on ig or tiktok. it feels like wasted time i could have spent reading, but my brain just can’t work.

oh i love the description of “my first alice oseman” it’s such a comfy idea. i will read it soon and let you know <3

yayy!!! how long are you staying abroad then?? when would the semester start?? god i can’t wait to hear all about that!!! (are you excited for the cold part or for the birthday part?? 😂 i think i know the answer but still)

OH MY GOD!!!! NERO I AM SCREAMING!!! THAT IS PERFECT AND AMAZING!!! oh my god i cannot wait to see how it turns out!!! i love the idea of the hands like that and the chain with the key and ring— that’s always been my biggest weakness, the way alex slides the ring next to the key and thinks about two homes side by side 😭😭😭 it will be such a perfect tattoo!!! also :))) a little idea for henry’s tattoo?? :)))))

yeah :,( i always forget that it actually takes time to get a tattoo done, so i can’t get like fifteen in one day 😂😂 i was planning six past time i went, and four of them were writings, but two of them were pictures that needed shading and a lot of work so like, it makes sense i couldn’t make it 😂 but still i finally got to have my radio silence quote and my green carnation!!! i’ve been waiting so long to get them 🥺

WHAT???? okay what uni is this?? can i join?? when do we start?? nero this class is gonna be amazing. and a big hug to whoever the teacher is because they chose heartstopper so i love them unconditionally. i’m so happy you found this class!!! i know you’re gonna love it so much and i can’t wait to hear all about it!!! i hate it when they have these mind numbingly boring lit classes because lit can be so amazing, but if you’re just stuck in the past and in the same interpretation of the same text it’s just pointless. glad you dropped it for your own sake

i have something to share on that front!! i finally got a permanent contract!!! i mean i’m not staying in that shop forever (obviously, you’ve heard all of my complaints lol) but still this is gonna mean a steady income for a little longer and a way of saving up!!! but also, i had to celebrate, so i got myself a trip to paris!!! i’m gonna go have my heartstopper vacation and i mean that literally. i am planning to visit the exact same places and get an ice cream on the steps of the sacre coeur, i am planning to see that bust of dalida tara and darcy get pics with, i am even planning to take the stairs up to the eiffel tower. i know, i am gonna die but i’m committed 😂 i’ve seen paris a few times already but i’m gonna see it in a whole new light now. last time i went i was with my high school so i have some horrible memories of that trip. also, we’re doing disneyland and versailles!!! because i just had to do disneyland, i’m 5 years old inside

yes you definitely should :D

oh heartstopper colouring books <3 another thing to heal our inner child. i don’t know about you but this was right next to my sticker anxiety, i could never colour a book because it felt like ruining it 😂 anyways i’m making us some biscoff cheesecake (yes i tried a recipe, it’s perfect) and biscoff latte in perfect autumn style <333

hello nero my beloved soulmate!!!

i have pride stories!!! i went to pride this saturday and it was so much fun i need to tell you all about it!!!

well first of all i really hate that i had to work in the morning because it made me so tired and it was the first weekend of sales so yea, not fun. but anyway, my friend picked me up at 3pm and we got to florence. we had to park pretty far from the meeting point and then take a bus, and it was amazing because we were totally lost looking for that bus and at some point we see a bus full of people with rainbow flags, glitter, signs, flower crowns, rainbow stickers and temporary tattoos and all of that. and we just went in, no questions asked. we just figured we’d follow them out of the bus too 😂 i love our people honestly. we were so colorful

anyway we got to the meeting point and it was deadly hot. i swear there were like 45 degrees. but it was so amazing to be around all of those people dressed in all colors and wearing all sorts of things we’d usually be judged for, it felt so safe. except that there was a religious protestor so we got to give him the finger like the heartstopper cast did :)

also my sister came with me. she’s always so supportive and it meant the world that she came with me. anyway the parade started and there were some amazing floats. there were rainbow families, drag queens, all the lgbtqia+ associations from our territory and we started walking behind this float that had amazing music, so we started dancing and singing and it was so much fun!!! we got to talking with some people, there were some amazing signs that were just perfect and i had to go there and tell them how much i loved them :) it was just so fun, i loved meeting random people and it was just the perfect environment. at night there was also a dj set and a band singing to keep the show going!!

then when we were walking back to the bus stop at night we got the whiplash of not being surrounded by queer people anymore. we got catcalled like fifteen times in the span of three minutes. i kinda wanted to punch everyone because we had such a perfect day and i hated that we had to go back to the real world where people are shit 🥲

but still i got so many amazing memories and now all i want to do is book a flight to london for next year and have you come with me so we can celebrate together and see the heartstopper cast!!!!

also, i got a new tattoo yesterday!! and i actually had red white and royal blue with me to distract me so i almost finished the book again and cried in from of my tattoo artist lol it took me the whole day again and it was so painful but so worth it!!! i got medusa on my leg 😻

also, as to our previous letter i just wanted to say that of course i believed in you!!!! i knew you could do it!! but i can definitely believe you had to close your eyes to open that message 😂 getting grades back is always so stressful!! now manifesting a spot for the exchange 🕯️🕯️🕯️ i really hope you get it!!! it’s an amazing experience, you’d definitely love it!!!

and i’m really glad you found someone who specialises in what you need. it can take a while to find the right therapist but i hope this one works out!!

(i’m also writing down sydney and melbourne for when i’m rich enough to visit 😂 i literally booked a flight for august and my bank account kinda yelled at me to stop spending money i don’t have lol)

anyways i’m really sorry i’ve been away for so long, i had a crazy week between the beginning of seasonal sales, pride and the tattoo appointment. i kinda didn’t have time to do anything 🥲

i’m giving you a hug and some homemade chocolate chip cookies with biscoff cream on top <33

hello cece my beloved soulmate!!!!

oh my god i've been so excited to hear about this!!!

that sucks you had to go to work, boo!!! but at least you were off early enough to still go to pride!!!! and how cool that you got to share the experience of going on the bus with all the queer people!! i bet there was no straight and/or cis people on that bus 😂😂😂 just follow the rainbow!!

hot days are the worst, but pride would have made it so much better. i would not be focused on how sweaty i was or the temperature with the amount of queer joy happening around me! it's so wonderful that in a parade full of people and colour that you were able to feel so incredibly safe, and it would have been such an intimate moment for you! and fuck that religious protestor, i'm so glad you gave him the finger. the heartstopper cast would be so proud of you :')

oh that warms my heart that your sister came!!! that was so nice of her to come with you!! the floats sound amazing, and the singing and dancing!!! i am feeling some of the joy through my screen!! seriously, cece, this sounds like the most incredible time. i want to cry just thinking about you having so much fun with your friend and your sister, celebrating your queerness and talking to new people and singing and dancing like there's no one else around 🥲🥲🥲

the trip home must have been so dull in comparison! and how dare those people catcall you, i hope you gave them the same treatment as that religious protestor because seriously what the fuck.

the only thing that matters now is that you had a safe and wonderful time at pride and you can cherish those memories for the rest of your life! and yes, we must do it!! i will literally stay for an extra month just to go to pride in london with you <3

oh my god yay!!! i bet the medusa tattoo looks so cool! and yes reading rwrb while getting tattooed is properly not your best idea, but i'm already rereading rwrb any chance i get to annotate it fully before the movie so i can't say much 😂

okay, cece, i must let you know, because i said to myself i would let you know as soon as i could. but this morning, i woke up (quite late actually). i checked my watch for my notifications. i see an email waiting for me. i die a little inside realising it is from the exchange team at my university. i run out to grab my phone from where i charge it. i speed past my mum. i unlock my phone. i open my email and click on the newest one. and.... I GOT A SPOT EARLY!!! AT MY FIRST UNIVERSITY TOO!!!! CAN YOU BELIEVE IT??? i'm still in so much shock and i thank you for your manifesting and belief in me!!! oh my god i have so much to do before then (mostly saving money ngl 😂) but oh my god cece, i'm going to england for exchange!!!!!!

me too!! i just need to find the time to get a referral, so i can go and see them!!

(literally sydney and melbourne are lowkey expensive, but it is totally worth it!! and i would be more than happy to tell you where to go and where to stay! <3)

do not apologise!!! we are all busy! i am literally working the equivalent of a full time job over the next two weeks and i'm also dogsitting over the weekend :') pray for my poor soul.

i'm giving you the biggest hug i hope contains the same warmth as pride and i'm fighting off your customers so you can have a few moments to breathe <3333

#i miss you so so much lately #life should be kinder to us #we deserve more time to chat and be silly together 😭😭#<3333

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echoes-of-the-clockwork · 4 years ago

Text

Book Three: Pestilence (Ignis x Reader) Chapter Fifteen

A/n: I leave a small inkling as to who War was in her past life at the end of this chapter. Her whole backstory will be revealed in the next book. Love you all!!! ••••••••••••••••••••

"Hand over the orb, Ignis," (Y/n) ordered, her form looming over the advisor's as she remained on the stone railing. "I would abhor in reclaiming it by force."

Ignis shook his head, rejecting her strict command. "Enough of this!" He shouted angrily, shocking the Horseman. He lunged forward, grabbed her wrist, and yanked her off the railing. She tumbled from the force, but she was able to keep from falling. Before she could break free and push him away, he released his hold on her wrist and both of his gloved hands grabbed her face.

Shocked to the core, Pestilence took a few steps back and her lower back came in contact with the railing. His hands remained on her cheeks as he followed her movement. Feeling his gentle touch and seeing the turmoil in his jade eyes made all plans of escaping annul. She placed her hands on the railing behind her to keep from tipping over it. The only things she could hear were her thunderous heart and the heavy rain. She bit her bottom lip, rolling it between her teeth before releasing it and finally shattering the suffocating silence. "Why're you so stubborn?"

"You are the obdurate one," Ignis responded.

Without another word, their lips were connected. The kiss felt like it last for hours, but it only lasted a few seconds. (Y/n) was the one to break the exchange, pulling away from Ignis. "A kiss will not mend my past or change my mind. It would be for your good as well as the others to go our separate ways." She placed her hands on his chest and gently pushed him away from her.

"Your unforeseen arrival allowed us to accomplish strenuous feats we would have failed on our lonesome," Ignis stated matter-of-factly, refusing to let go of her in fear of her vanishing out of his life for good. "The annihilation of Silas and his men was necessary and unavoidable. You simply performed the burdensome task of eliminating a threat to us and innocent civilians."

(Y/n) closed her eyes once Ignis' hands fell from her cheeks. She slumped forward, her head resting against his chest. "Answer me truthfully, Ignis. My hands are tainted with the blood of men and will continue to keep killing. Am I a monster?"

"Far from one," Ignis answers without even having to think. "Edric was a hellion. Raiden's blood is on his hands, not yours."

(Y/n) seemed relieved at hearing his answer. She didn't doubt his response and felt the catalyst of her sorrows be quelled. She knew this was her second breakdown and felt ashamed of her behavior. But once again, Ignis was the one who picked the pieces up and put them back together. She was thankful for his patience with her and was overjoyed to know a person like him loves her.

They were startled when the Regalia's horn blared. The couple stepped away from each other and glanced toward the vehicle. Knowing from the horn, they knew the others were growing restless and were desperately wanting to return to Cape Caem.

Without wasting another minute, Ignis and (Y/n) headed to the car. The Horseman ended up sitting in the front seat, both her and the tactician soaked to the bone. The boys in the backseat were grinning as they eyed the two. None of them said a word as they departed from Taelpar Crag.

<------<<<<<

Arriving at Cape Caem, the rain had ceased, but the stormy clouds above remained. While Noctis, Prompto, and Gladio checked in with Cid and Cindy, Ignis and (Y/n) headed to the house to dry off and warm up.

Pestilence's outfit wasn't difficult to dry. It only took a few minutes thanks to her magic to dry her clothes. Afterward, she decided to wander to the room next to hers, which is currently being occupied by Ignis. She, without announcing her presence, pushed the door open and stepped into the room. His back was turned to her as he was now adorned in a striped dress shirt with his hair in the normal spiky style. Her bare feet padded against the hardwood floor gently, the small sound being enough for the strategist to detect.

Ignis turned around at hearing the faint sound. "(Y/n), what are-?" His eyes widen as she suddenly pushed him down onto the bed. He stared up at the ceiling, bewildered and paralyzed at her action. His body began tensing up as he felt her mount the bed and straddle his waist.

Looming above Ignis, (Y/n) placed her hands on his chest as she leant down slightly to stare into his emerald eyes. She searched them for any indication if he wanted her to move, but she found nothing but confusion and shock. She wondered if he was going to say something, but he didn't even mutter a word. Seeing this, she bent her elbows and lowered herself more. When their faces were only a few inches apart, she stopped. "Of all the people you could possibly have, you chose a reanimated corpse. Why would you choose a woman who's past is tainted by the blood of others?"

Ignis reached up, placing a hand against her cheek. "You've displayed no ill intent toward myself or the others. Must I also remind you of when you saved my life?"

(Y/n) leaned into his touch, smiling down at him. "Is that when your infatuation began? You'd only known me for nearly a day."

"No," he confesses. "But I am truly grateful and indebted to you for your brazen action. Our early morning chats were truly the origin of my fixation for you."

The Horseman huffed out a small giggle. "You truly are an honest man, Ignis. I must confess-I'm bewildered no woman has won your heart except for me." She leant down to steal a kiss but froze when she heard the door opening. Looking to her right, she saw Gladio standing in the doorway with a smirk plastered on his face.

"Am I interrupting somethin'?" He asked, eyeing the couple.

"We were just talking," (Y/n) responds casually, still straddling Ignis' waist.

"In that position?" The shield asked with an arched brow.

The ivory-haired girl tossed a grin in Gladio's direction. "Yes," she replies before changing the subject. "Was there something you needed, Gladio?"

He chuckled at her smooth transition. "We're ready to depart for Altissia. The only people missing are you two."

(Y/n) removed herself from Ignis' body and climbed off the bed. "You four were recently captured by a madman. I suggest you postpone the trip to Altissia for a day in order to get some proper rest. The boat will still be there in the morning."

"I must also insist our departure be delayed," Ignis said.

Gladio has no qualms, feeling the exhaustion overtake his body. "Alright. I'll tell the kids," he teased before closing the door and leaving the couple to themselves.

<------<<<<<

The next morning, the boys went on ahead down the elevator while (Y/n) checked on Erra. Once she saw he wasn't in need of anything, she headed to the docking bay below the lighthouse. Before she could step foot onto the lift, she heard a familiar voice from behind her. "You seem to be cozying up next to that fellow with the glasses."

Pestilence spun on her heels and faced War with a stoic expression. "Well, a "hello" to you, too, dear sister."

"What do you plan on doing the moment you defeat the draugr? You have to return to the Inner Sanctum. Death, Famine, and I can't keep all the monsters in line," War stated. "What if those damned things break the seal again? If you're here on Eos, then we won't be able to repair the seal."

"I know where my duties lie, War," the white-haired Horseman sighed. "The draugr is all that remains. Hopefully by the time I slay the creature, my resolve to return to the Inner Sanctum won't be shaken."

"The closer you get to him, the harder it will be to leave," War scoffed, crossing her arms. "Y'know, I expected this from Famine, but not you. Break your ties with him and the others before it's too late."

(Y/n) looked down at the ground between the crimson-haired girl's feet. "You speak as if I know not of the consequences of my ties to these men. All of us deserve a slither of joy even if it is fleeting. When have you ever been truly happy since your resurrection as the Horseman of crusade?"

War fell silent. She already knew the answer to the question, but she didn't want to admit there was truth in her sister's words. In the end, she feigned annoyance and rolled her eyes, crossing her arms across her chest. "Do as you wish. I'm not gonna try and stop you. I know you know what you're doing, but be careful, Pestilence." With that, she vanished into a puff of scarlet smoke.

With a heavy sigh, (Y/n) stared at the spot her sister once stood for a few seconds before heading to the lift. As she stepped off the elevator once it reaches the docking bay, she heard an unfamiliar voice. "Something I gotta get off my chest."

"What's that?" She heard Noctis question.

"I'm sorry," the unfamiliar voice replied. "Sorry I wasn't there for your father. I swore an oath to protect the king, but I wasn't strong enough to uphold it."

"Ain't nothin' nobody could've done to stop what happened," another unrecognizable person said.

"Yeah, I realize that," the ravenette responded.

(Y/n) silenced her bare feet, feeling the cold metal as she walked down the stairs. No one noticed her quiet approach, glancing toward the older gentleman as he spoke up with a southern drawl. "But you need to realize just what you mean to the boys by your side."

Noctis was silent for a few seconds before nodding. "I do."

"Even if they can't solve your problems, you can't hide what's goin' on from 'em. It hurts like hell. Remember-those ain't your bodyguards, they're your brothers. Trust in 'em. Always."

The Horseman clasped her hands together with a smile as she was reminded of her sisters. They may not have been blood-related, but they were her family and she wouldn't trade them for anyone else on Eos.

The younger man of the two strangers turned around and spotted her smiling at them. He bowed his head politely, knowing exactly who she is. "It's an honor to meet you, Pestilence."

"Wait," Noctis spoke up after the marshal's formal greeting. "You know (Y/n)?"

"His late Majesty held the Four Horsemen in high regards," the man responded as he lifted his head. "I never expected you four to be traveling with one of the Horsemen, but I must confess it is an excellent decision. Our king will be needing all the protection he can get."

"They would be perfectly fine without me shadowing them," (Y/n) stated.

"No," the man denied. "I feel even more at ease knowing you are standing beside His Majesty. Who knows what the empire has planned next."

The snowy-haired girl was eased when hearing the man's approval. She peered at him as she thought back to all the times Death had visited Insomnia and mentioned only a few people by name. "Are you Cor, perchance?"

The marshal nodded. "Yes. It seems Death has mentioned me once or twice."

"As her role as liaison between Insomnia and the Inner Sanctum, she has mentioned you on occasion. A pleasure to finally put a face to the name, Marshal."

Cor couldn't help but smirk at her formality. "You truly are the prim and proper one out of the bunch."

"Someone has to be," she grinned in amusement.

After her chat with Cor, (Y/n) headed over to the boat while the boys chatted with the older man, which she learned his name was Cid. Her thoughts wandered to her conversation with War, knowing she would have to severe her bond with the boys sooner or later. She detested the thought of breaking Ignis' heart and cutting loose the others since they were her friends. Her hand slowly moved up, coming to rest over her heart as it ached.

"Waitin' for an invitation? Get your asses on board!" Cid proclaimed, shocking the Horseman out of her thoughts.

She blinked a few times at his sudden proclamation and didn't realize the others were aboard the ship, waiting for her.

"Hey, (Y/n), you comin'?" Noctis asked the Horseman as he peered over the side of the ship and down at her.

The young girl looked up at him with a forced smile. "Oh, my apologies, Noctis. I was lost in thought."

Gladio pokes his head over the side of the boat, smirking down at her. "You better get on before we leave you behind."

She climbed aboard just as Cid started the boat's engine. She walked over to the side, placing her hands on the metal railing that aligned the sides of the vessel. She stared down at the water as the boat slowly pulls away from the dock.

"Hey! Your Majesty!" The boys and girl heard Talcott shout. They glanced toward the small boy as he stood beside Iris.

"What's up?" Noctis asked as the boat began to pick up speed.

"Please come back soon! We need our king!"

Noctis smiled with a nod. "Yeah. Count on it."

Talcott and Iris wave goodbye. Noctis waves back as (Y/n) smiles at the two, standing beside the azure-eyed boy.

"You truly are loved by your kingdom, Noctis," Pestilence comments in a hushed whisper, reminiscing in the time War shared her past with her. The redhead and raven-haired boy were complete opposites, but their positions were nearly the same. She couldn't even imagine supporting an entire nation on her shoulders like her sister once did.

What (Y/n) didn't know was Noctis had heard her. Before he could say a word, she was headed toward the others. Deciding to ignore her seemingly sad words, he followed after her.

The Horseman sat on the plush, leather seat beside Ignis as the boat sped across the surface of the gleaming ocean. She stared out in the direction of Altissia, wondering how much the city has changed since her time on Eos. She placed a hand over her heart. "I pray not too much..."

#ffxv x reader #ffxv #final fantasy xv x reader #final fantasy xv #ignis x reader #ignis scientia #prompto argentum #gladiolus amicitia #Noctis Lucis Caelum

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weartirondad · 6 years ago

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Let In Light (At Christmas Time) 2/12

FF.net I ao3

Friday, December 14th: blanket forts

Tony is elbow deep in rewiring one of his older suits when F.R.I.D.A.Y. announces Peter’s arrival and for the fraction of a second he just stops.

He’s tired. The I’m-insomnia’s-bitch kind of tired. The tired where he hasn’t had more than three hours of sleep a night for almost four days in a row and the few hours he did get were laced with different version of the same old stories over and over and over again.

Dark caves, people shouting in foreign languages. Fear, pain, cold.

Bunkers in the middle of nowhere, a tiny screen in a dark room. Screams, blood, death.

Pepper falling. Rhodey falling. A shield shoved into his sternum. Darkness, cold – so much cold.

A sassy teenager, in over his head, fighting fights he shouldn’t be fighting. He’s falling, drowning, suffocating and Tony can’t –

“Hey Mister Stark!”

The billionaire blinks down at his hands that are still stuck in his armor, clenched around one of its powering units, and with a very deliberate exhale he forces his body to relax and his fists to open. It’s hard but he does it and through sheer will power alone manages to crack a smile along the way. It’s not a good one. Peter can see right through it but he’s trying, that’s what counts, right?

“Hey kid,” he greets him, making a conscious effort to keep his voice just a little more cheerful than he actually feels without sounding over the top. “How’s school?”

Of course it’s not working. The kid’s a genius and aside from being very empathetic to his surroundings he also knows Tony. He knows Tony’s moods and he knows what it looks like when he’s pretending to be okay. And Tony hates it. He hates that Peter knows how messed up he is and he hates how he sees him using Tony’s own coping mechanisms and he just can’t have that, he won’t allow it.

What he hates most, though, is that Peter just won’t turn away like everyone else did. Peter refuses to give up on him and while it’s nice to have someone around, sometimes the trust the kid puts in him makes him feel lightheaded and trapped and lost and oh-so-scared. The thought of disappointing him is too much to bear on a good day and today is not a good day. Today is two days away from the worst day and he doesn’t know if he can handle the pressure.

He doesn’t want to flip and have Peter suffer from the consequences. Maybe he should tell him to go home, maybe he should call raincheck and postpone to – sometime after Christmas, when he’s got some strength back because right now? Right now he’s a mess and Peter deserves so much more – a mentally stable mentor, a nice fun evening with his friends, lightness.

Ultimately, Peter deserves light and Tony’s soul has been in the shadows so long he has forgotten what it looks like. Sometimes just looking at it makes him feel like he’s going blind.

When he focuses on his breathing to keep himself from spiraling, he realizes that Peter has already flung his backpack into the corner next to his desk and himself on the spinning chair and is now talking animatedly about his day. Tony makes a mental note to listen to F.R.I.D.A.Y.’s recording later on in case he missed something important but right now, despite the gloomy knot in his chest, he feels the corner of his lips twist upwards at the sight of the teenager gracelessly hanging from the chair.

With the next inhale something warm fills his chest, gentling pulling on the untethered strings until the tangle loosens and suddenly breathing isn’t as hard anymore.

It’s still not easy, there’s still too much baggage for the breaths to come out effortlessly. Too many scars, too many memories, too much loss. But it’s easier. As if Peter’s presence in itself widens his bronchia and helps the air pave a way.

“Got homework?” he finds himself asking, the tiny smile still on his lips when the teenager dutifully bobs his head up and down. “When’s May gonna be home? Are you staying for dinner?”

Just like that the offer stands in the room, without a second thought, and he realizes that he doesn’t regret making it. It’s been lonely in the Tower without Pepper and Peter – Peter is Peter and taking care of him, making sure that he eats, sleeps and drinks enough has become an integral part of his DNA at this point.

“May’s working night,” Peter tells him with a pout, fidgeting until he’s sitting cross- legged on the chair, “But she’s not working all weekend and we’re having brunch tomorrow when she’s up again.”

“So, that means you want to stay the night and catch breakfast here, too?”

“I mean –“ For a second Tony thinks the kid is too polite to invite himself over but then a shit-eating grin spreads on his face as he turns on his swivel chair. “Yep. That was pretty much the plan. Hope I’m not keeping you from important – you know – stuff.”

Just from another lonely night spent staring at the alcohol cabinet. He doesn’t say, though, because he doesn’t drink and he hasn’t for months, still, the reflex never really left.

Instead he scoffs, “Me? Doing something important? In your dreams.” Peter giggles.

It’s still fake and he’s still not fine but when he turns back to the armor again as Peter starts taking out his books to work on his homework, he feels a lot lighter than he has in days.

They work on their own for a while after that and it doesn’t take long for Tony to get immersed in the inner workings of the suit once more. But while his mind is running difficult algorithms, trying to figure out how to best deweaponize it for a presentation without giving up too much of its soul, he’s always acutely aware of Peter’s movements behind him, like a sixth sense that comes to him easier than breathing most days.

“Pete,” he turns around with a frown after giving the boy another ten minutes of fidgeting, “what’s up? Do you need help?”

“Wha –?” The kid looks startled but shakes his head. “No. I was just,” he points to a pile at the foot of the couch in the far corner of the room, “I was wondering what that is.”

Tony can see the books that lay untouched on the desk with his pencil case emptied out and its content scattered all over the place and he sees the hole Peter is currently poking in the sleeve of his hoodie and he understands the restlessness behind it.

It’s a curse. One he has had to deal with all his life and one he wish he could take from the kid but as it is he can only try to get that genius mind of his to focus on something or else the jiggling would get worse and he’d probably end up hurting himself.

“What’s it look like?” he asks, feeling his whole demeanor change now that he is needed. Now that his purpose is making Peter feel better. Superficially cleaning his oil stained hands on a more-black-than-not towel he wanders over to the teen and settles on the couch, inviting him to inspect the pile with a nod of his head.

Peter, god bless him, jumps at the opportunity and almost trips from his chair with his limbs flailing in the air for a second before he manages to catch himself with a splutter, diving headfirst into the soft pile.

Normally, Peter would dissect any abnormality, anything new, with immaculate care but now he’s tearing through all blankets and pillows and comforters like a mad man on a mission. Only when he’s gone through them all he stops. Sitting in the middle of the mess he created he cocks his head to the side, leaning back on his arms with his legs stretched out in front of him.

He’s wearing his thinking frown and Tony watches as his mind works with new information, needing just a little bit longer than usual to figure it out. “They’re blankets,” he summarizes then, with a smile so warm Tony swears it could singlehandedly cause global warming and melt all remaining ice on the planet, even the one stuck in his heart. “You got blankets ‘cause I get cold easily, didn’t you?”

Of course he did. Of fucking course he got his kid blankets so he wouldn’t be cold in winter. It cost him one voice command and the boy is looking up at him as if he has just hung the moon in the sky specifically for him.

The look made him feel fuzzy. A good kind of fuzzy that he never got from alcohol anymore, and probably never really had.

“Of course I did,” he tells him when his emotions come too close to surfacing and he has to swallow past the growing lump in his throat. “Wanna cuddle up until I’m done working?”

Just like that, it looks as if Peter’s strings have been cut and he sags in on himself a little. “Um – yeah, sure,” he mumbles, hands running over the fabric of a dark blue blanket and clenching around it, “I mean, I could maybe work on my homework a little bit ya know. So, uh, so I get something done.” He trails off, shoulders and head hanging low as he attempts to get to his feet again.

Tony frowns. “No, why would you-?“ Oh.

My dad never really gave me a lot of support. I’m trying to break the cycle of shame.

“Or,” he tries a different approach, not missing how Peter is perching up just that tiny little bit at his softer tone of voice, “Or we could both take a break and relax a little. What do you say?”

He can see that it’s on the tip of his tongue to decline but apparently all their talking the past few months about accepting what Tony offers has gotten them somewhere and in the end Peter simply nods, a happy grin spreading on his face once more as if he just flipped a switch.

“Can we build a blanket fort?”

And – what?

“I have never once in my life built a blanket fort.”

And, yeah, maybe he should’ve seen it coming but he hasn’t and it might just cost him his hearing.

“WHAT THE –“

“Do not finish that sentence.”

As always his words fall on deaf ears.

“- HECK, MISTER STARK!” Peter all but shouts from two feet away, staring at him with wide, accusing eyes. “You can’t be serious! No way, you’ve never built a blanket fort!”

“Yes way,” he gives back, swallowing the biting bile as he tries to be supportive and nice and all that shit good mentors apparently do. How on earth where there people having and raising kids full time out of their own free will? “And I am not going to start now.”

“Oh come on, please!”

Ah, yeah, that answers is questions. It’s definitely the disarming puppy eyes. And possible the shear endless amount of full body hugs.

“Fine,” he relents contritely, “But if we’re gonna do this we’re gonna do this right, understand? The full ten yards and then some.”

“Aye, sir!”

Peter is jumping up and down and he looks so much more at ease than just ten minutes ago and that’s worth all the back pain Tony is going to get from that experience. Damn kids.

It ends up taking them two hours to finish but by the time they do the ceiling of their fort is fitted with two chains of light, giving the arrangement a somewhat mystical touch to it.

They’re both lying on their backs, heads resting on their respective pillows while a fortress of other pillows is stacked around them, effectively shielding them from the outside world (the lab) and keeping them in their very own cocoon except for the small opening they made for food supply and such.

Dum-E has done a great job providing them with snacks and drinks albeit Tony vetoed the kid’s wishes for hot chocolate.

Peter has already forgotten he was sulking, though, and just stares up at the lights in wonder and, as Tony notes in satisfaction, otherwise perfectly still.

“This is what I’ve always imagined stargazing must be like,” he whispers, voice so quiet and in awe that Tony barely catches it.

It hits him again how different their upbringings have been and how he’s going to make sure that he only ever passes on the good things if he can help it.

“I’ll take you stargazing one of these days,” he promises, voice soft as to not startle the peaceful boy.

The teenager turns his head to meet his eyes, unruly curls falling over his left eye that Tony itches to push them back. “Promise?”

“I promise,” he says, reaching out to brush the curl away gently.

He promises him a lot more in his head but he doesn’t know how to form the words to let him know, yet. He hopes Peter understands anyway.

#irondad #irondad fic #iron dad fic #12fluffydaysofchristmas2018 #peter parker #tony stark #josis fic #let in light (at christmas time)

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asras-eyelashes · 5 years ago

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Book 0: The Fool

Full AO3 Fic // Previous || Next

Chapter 5: Slumber Party

The Masquerade had been a blast. After the fireworks signaled the official beginning of the Masquerade, the two of you had quickly descended back into the crowd and continued your fun. You and Asra had scrambled some coins together for a couple games, and had even joined in on the dancing in the square. You had discovered that Asra is a fantastic dancer; you feel like you’re tripping over your feet every other beat in comparison. But he had never said anything, never laughed, just continued to give his encouraging smile.

It had only been until you felt like you were going to collapse that you said it may be time to call it a night. Asra’s expression had fallen a bit, but it followed with a rather wide yawn. You had giggled in response.

“Yeah, I guess it might be time to head home. Will you be ok?”

The question throws you off. “Ok? The shop is just a stone’s throw that way.”

“Yeah, but your aunt, I mean. She won’t yell at you, will she?” You can’t help but feel a flutter in your chest when he gives you a concerned look.

“I should be fine. Before we met up, she was headed to the Rowdy Raven. She probably got drunk there and is dead asleep now.”

Satisfied with your answer, he nods. “Alright. I’m going to head back to the hut in the forest.”

“Ok.” As much as you are tired, you wish the night didn’t have to end so early.

As if he was feeling the same way, Asra gives a smile. “I’ll see you tomorrow?”

Returning the warm smile, you answer, “Yeah, see you tomorrow.”

That had been a while ago. The festivities of the Masquerade had since died down, and now it’s pretty much back to your regular days.

Well, almost regular.

Your aunt has been increasingly out of the shop more, making more personal deliveries since the Masquerade. You’ve had more interaction with customers than you could remember ever having, and these days, your time is spent in the front just as much as in the back.

“Oi, I’m gonna be making a trip outside of Vesuvia,” your aunt suddenly says.

“What?” you say before you think.

“We’re runnin’ low on newt’s tongues and salmonberries. I’ll be goin’ to harvest so’ more. It’ll be a bit o’ a trip, so you better take customers’ orders well while I’m gone. On the day after the next new moon, I’ll return.”

You feel panic grip you. You, alone, working the shop? The lunar cycle had just started.

“A-are you sure?”

Your aunt just gives an exasperated sigh, annoyed. “Just take basic orders. If a customer asks for somethin’ that needs my attention, just say that it’ll have to be postponed until I return.”

Thinking briefly back, there had been a few charms or potions that you would have second guessed yourself on if you had made them, but the majority of the products had been more or less basic. Mostly cooling potions, some for light…

“Alright…hope the trip is fruitful,” you stammer as your aunt opens the door to leave. With one curt nod, the door slams behind her, ringing in your ears.

The shop is quiet, with the exception of the stove salamander, but your mind is buzzing. Alone? You’ve never been by yourself for that long, mostly because your aunt didn’t trust you to be alone in the shop. You’ve been alone at home, but that was many moons ago, barely within your memories.

But the jingle of the front doorbell brings your attention to the customer who just entered. Trying not to trip over yourself, you hastily greet the customer, ready to take their order.

~~~

Thankfully there hadn’t been a really a big rush of customers before lunch. All the requests you had promised by tomorrow. If you’re lucky, maybe the afternoon’s orders would be simple as well.

Grabbing some coins for lunch, you put out the lantern and draw the curtains. Oberon hops onto your shoulder and into his pouch, knowing it’s time for food. Feeling the confidence of running the shop successfully this morning, you smile as you jog out the back door. Your head immediately turns towards Asra’s spot.

“Asra!” you call as you trot over. “Do you have time to get lunch?”

“Hey!” Asra greets, perking up from laying on the ground. “Yeah, I’d love to, I’m starving." Even Faust bobs her head, happy to see us. It only takes a moment for Asra to gather his things.

“What are you in the mood for?” you ask.

“Let’s get something cold, I’ve been dying in the heat all morning.”

Agreeing, you both head to a shop that sells cold noodles and cucumbers. On the way over, you tell Asra about your aunt’s trip. Asra lights up when you say you have the shop to yourself.

“Wow, it’s like you own the place. I’m kinda jealous.”

“It’s only while she’s gone! I’m sure she’ll be back to her crabby self once she’s back. And what are you jealous for? It’s not like you have anyone bossing you around.”

“Yeah, but you live right above the shop. Muriel’s hut is in the forest, way out of here. It takes me so long to travel back and forth. I’ve honestly thought about just sleeping on my rug a couple of times…”

You hummed, arriving at the shop and getting in line for food. You take a brief moment to think before a thought pops up in your head.

“Asra, why don’t you stay with me?”

The question seems to shock the magician. “Really?”

“Yeah, my aunt’s away, and it’s not like she has eyes in the shop. As long as you leave before the new moon, you should be fine. Besides, it’s only going to get hotter from here on out. And I’d hate if you tried to sleep on the streets again…”

Asra gives you a compassionate smile. “That sounds amazing…I’ll talk to Muriel about it!”

You light up as you order your food.

~~~

As the Vesuvian sun trailed down under the horizon, you say a final farewell to your last customer of the day. You take a chance to breathe in the cooler air, thankful that the sun took the heat with it, leaving the nights as cool as a frog’s back.

Taking off your apron, you put out the lamp in the front of the shop and go to clean up the front counter. Oberon lays contently on the windowsill.

You hear a familiar voice call your name before the front door opens with a jingle. Looking up, you smile as you greet the curly haired boy.

“Hey, Asra!”

Closing the door behind him, he practically skipped over to the counter. “So I left early today to chat with Muriel - he’s fine if I stay here!”

Beaming, you respond. “That’s great! Is Muriel not joining too?”

Wilting a bit, Asra shakes his head. “No. He rarely, if ever, comes this deep into town. And now that the Masquerade is over, there’s not much he’s going to be making to sell, not for a while anyway. He much prefers the forest.”

You hum as you resume cleaning up the rest of the counter. Asra’s told you a bit about his quiet friend, but you’ve never actually met him. You had been hoping this would be your chance to, but you guess it’ll have to wait for another time.

“Do you need any help?” Asra offers as Faust slithers onto the counter.

“Oh, no no, don’t worry about it. I’m almost done anyway.” You didn’t want Asra to have to worry himself over your responsibilities.

“Alright,” you hear Asra giggle, finding him being groomed by Oberon.

You quickly count the money you made for the day and jot it down in the records. Giving the front space one last cursory glance, you hop over to the two.

“All done?”

“Yeah, let me show you where I sleep.” You turn to the staircase up to the second floor.

“Does your stove salamander just sleep under the cauldron?” Asra asks as the both of you climb up the steps.

“Usually, yeah. Sometimes he gets clever and slips into the wood pile. That happened once and the shop almost caught fire. My aunt wasn’t very happy.” You chuckle, glad you’re able to laugh at the memory now. In the moment, you thought your aunt was going to decapitate you.

Asra laughs with you. “I wonder if he and Faust would get along. She loves warmth.”

“Maybe. But he’s still made of flames, so she has to be careful. Anyway,” you say, opening the door to your room. “Here’s where I sleep.”

You open the door to what looks like a closet, but is actually your room. A small bed of pillows and a couple of blankets take up some of the floor space, with a little room for your modest belongings. Miscellaneous items that couldn’t be stored on the first floor are crammed into the remaining space. Despite it, there isn’t too much dust, and is rather clean.

“Wow, it’s cool you get your own room,” Asra remarks. He glances over to the adjacent bedroom door that’s ajar. “Is...that where your aunt sleeps?”

“Yeah. I was…never really supposed to be here for long...but after my parents dropped me off here the first time, I guess they decided that this was the most convenient option…” You can hear your voice fall as you explain your unfortunate circumstances.

Asra’s face drops as well. “I’m sorry...at least you know that they’ll return. I...I don’t know where my parents went…”

You look up into his face. Not once had you heard Asra mention his parents. You had figured that since Asra had always been at his booth that he had been just practicing his magic. But thinking properly, you had never seen anyone pick him up, or drop him off anything. Plus, he said he lived with Muriel in a cottage in the woods. You had just never put two and two together.

Setting a comforting hand on his shoulder, you murmur an apology. You feel his warm hand on yours, and the two of you share a short moment before he seems to perk up again.

“Are you hungry? Faust and I didn’t really get a chance to eat on the way back from the forest,” he says, wanting to break the rather heavy mood.

“O-oh!” you stutter, trying to bring yourself out of the downcast moment. “Yeah, there were customers coming in and out today, so I didn’t really eat after lunch.”

Asra set his things against a wall. “Great, let’s go! I passed by the baker and he said that he has more recipes ready for us to try.”

You light up at the mention of bread. “I like the sound of that!”

~ ~ ~

Biting down on the warm bread, you make sure to grab a chunk and give it to Oberon. You two had been lucky to catch the baker closing up shop, and bargained the day’s last bit of bread. Faust had found dinner behind the bakery, lending a hand in controlling the rodent population.

“Do you think your aunt would be mad if we slept in her bed?” Asra asks through a mouthful of bread.

The innocuous question didn’t stop a shiver from trickling down your spine. “No, no no no,” you repeat. “We can’t - she’d definitely find out, somehow. I don’t know how, but she would.”

Seeing that he spooked you a bit, Asra gives an apologetic look.

Opening up the back door, you let the magician sidle in first before locking up behind you. Making sure the front door is locked, and the stove salamander safe from getting into the wood pile, you follow Asra up the stairs.

“Um, I know there isn’t much space, I can go grab some more pillows from downstairs--ah, I should have thought of that sooner--” you stutter, half mumbling under your breath.

But Asra simply falls gracefully onto your makeshift bed. “What do you mean? There should be enough here.”

You feel warmth fill your cheeks. He wasn’t thinking...what you think you’re thinking.

“S-sleep together?” You couldn’t even form a full sentence, you think to yourself, wanting to smack yourself.

“Yeah…?” Asra confirms, raising an eyebrow, as if what you suggested was weird. “It gets cold at night. Besides, Muriel and I share a bed in the hut we found. It’s not like we can afford another bed…”

It does tend to get chilly at night, you think. Do friends normally share a bed? You really didn’t know, since a lot of the time you’re either alone at home or in the shop with your aunt.

Stuck in your thoughts, you watched absentmindedly as Asra stripped to his underclothes, getting comfortable. Coming back to your senses, you register what’s happening in front of you, and feel your entire face on fire.

Trying to act natural, you also get comfortable, praying you aren’t making a fool of yourself. Why are you so nervous? You two are just going to share a bed...yeah…

Almost tripping on your own feet, you sit on your side of the bed and fluff up the pillows. Out of the corner of your eye, you can see Oberon getting comfy in your clothes, and Faust coiling up in the warmest corner she could find.

Asra tiredly stretches before sinking into the pillows, looking very comfortable. Glancing up at you, he invites you to lay beside him, despite it being your bed.

The day’s fatigue slowly washes over you. Sinking your head into your pillow sends a wave of relief through your body. You give Asra a smile before closing your eyes.

“Good night, Asra,” you say before yawning.

He chuckles and returns the wish good night. You swear you hear him mumble a “sweet dreams”, but sleep had already shut off your senses.

#book 0 #the fool #asra x mc #asra alnazar #asra the magician #the arcana #asra #asra x apprentice #fan apprentice #fanfic #the arcana game

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brightly-painted-canvas · 6 years ago

Note

Can you write something where Joe and Rami celebrate their tenth anniversary?

YES I CAN MY SWEET, PATIENT ANON. YES I CAN!Sorry it took me so long to write this, but stuff happened (and it’s still happening) irl that’s taking me away from writing and drawing. The hiatus is over, tho! No need for that anymore, I’ll just be slower to update than before (haha like I’ve ever been fast!).Here’s a fic for you, hope you like it!

(also on AO3!)

Ten years of special - mazlek

The first time ever Joe completely realises his and Rami’s 10th anniversary is approaching happens six month before the actual date, while he’s having a Facetime call with Martin.

Martin’s face is tired and badly illuminated in the dim light of his Dublin apartment, as is fully nighttime in Ireland while still midday in New York. Joe’s been back home from London for about a week and is getting ready for the whole BoRhap promotion tour ordeal, starting in about two weeks. He’s pretty excited about it, of course.

He has just asked when Martin is planning his next trip to the other side of the Pond when Martin replies: “Dunno? Maybe if you’re doing something to celebrate in March and plan for friends and families to be involved I can come around.” with a casual wave of his hand.

“About what?” Joe asks dumbly, confused.

Martin blinks twice before stating: “Your anniversary?”

“Of what?” asks again Joe, completely out of the loop. Something to do with ‘The Pacific’ maybe?

“You and Rami? Being together?” tries Martin, almost exasperated.

Joe gasps and covers his mouth, looking shocked: “Fuck!” he exclaims.

“It’s been ten years Joe, I thought you knew by now you two have been dating.” says Martin, amused by the reaction.

“That’s not it! Fuck, I haven’t got anything planned!” cries out Joe, frantically looking for his phone to check the anniversary date.

“There’s still time,” says Martin, trying to calm him down: “I’m sure Rami doesn’t even care for big celebrations anyway, he likes quiet things. Which is why it’s a wonder how you’re still together after this long…” he comments, but the joke is lost to Joe’s panicking mind.

“I mean, ten years, Martin!” he’s whining: “It’s big! It’s a whole decade!”“Yeah, Joe. That’s what ‘decade’ means.” says Martin, tone flat and completely unimpressed.

“What should I do?” Joe asks, looking desperate.

Martin shrugs, shaking his head: “You’ve got six months to figure it out? Just let me know in time if you need me there as a moral support, okay? There are plane tickets to be bought.” he warned.

After that the conversation just move toward something else.

Time flies by and Joe’s (and of course Rami’s) life gets extremely busy with the BoRhap promotion tour and award season that he starts postponing their anniversary celebration plans until he all but forgets about it.

Suddenly is March and both him and Rami are back in NYC.

Rami is an Academy Award Winner with a schedule so full it would be stressful even if it was split between two people. Joe is been spending his days and nights sick in bed for an obstinate flu he’s caught right at the end of award season which is taking too long to cure.

On the very day of their 10th anniversary, Rami has to leave home before dawn for Mr. Robot shootings and doesn’t come back until after the sun has set.

Meanwhile, Joe has been trying to sleep his sickness off for the whole day, though to no avail.

He has been waking up periodically to get his medicines and try to eat something that he then promptly vomits shortly after. He’s feeling miserable, too hot and too cold at the same time, feverish, tired and weak.

When Rami finally steps back into their house, he finds Joe knelt down over the toilet bowl, shaking like a leaf, looking greyish and completely fed up of being sick.

“Let me ask Yasy if she can suggest something stronger to get you.” says Rami, flushing the toilet before kneeling down beside him on the bathroom floor to gently rub his back: “Maybe you’ve been taking the wrong medicine.”

Joe sigh loudly and shrugs, his body suddenly tense and resting heavily on Rami’s support.

“I’m dying, Rami.” he declares, shaking his head.

“Haha, nice quote.” says the other, tone flat and humorless: “But no, you ain’t dying.” he clarifies: “I won’t allow that. Ever.”

“Thank you, baby.” Joe whisper again, weakly: “‘s nice to know I can count on you to keep me alive.”

“Well, it’s been true for ten years. I have no problems keeping it like that.” smiles Rami, more like a passing thought.

There’s a pause after that, one Rami thinks is due to the fact that Joe needs to puke again, but then he’s quietly asking: “What day is today?” and Rami has to reply: “The 6th.”

“Fuck.” is Joe’s hissed comment: “Fuck, Rams. I’m so fucking sorry.”

“It’s really not your fault that you got sick.” reasons Rami.

“It’s not that, it’s…” whines Joe, suddenly turning around to look Rami in the eyes and taking his hand in his sweaty one. He feels extra disgusting and miserable. “I wanted to do something special. For you and for us. I really wanted this to be… special.” he sighs, defeated.

“Joe, I really don’t care about special, at the moment.” says calmly Rami, tugging Joe close to have him rest against his chest, chin on his partner’s messy-haired head. They are hugging on the tiled bathroom floor and the moment feel somehow cathartic, relevant: “We just had a shitload of special happening to us, it think it’s enough for now.” he almost laughs: “And anyway, you’ve been the one special thing in my life since I’ve met you, so… really, no need for anything else.” he says, starting to softly cradle Joe, rocking back and forth.

“God, that’s very romantic.” commented Joe, voice muffled by the fabric of Rami’s sweater against his mouth: “I’d kiss you if I hadn’t been puking all day.”

“Ew.” says Rami, laughing softly and shifting so he can place a kiss on Joe’s forehead.

“But you’re the special one for me too, Rams. That’s why I wanted to celebrate.” sigh Joe, straightening his back to look into Rami’s eyes, suddenly very serious: “Ten years. It’s a lot.”

“Yeah, but I thought the plan was to stick around each other for a little longer than that? So the ten years milestone really doesn’t bother me. It’s just there to tell us we’re doing it well, somehow.” explains Rami, smiling with easiness as he caresses Joe’s face: “Are you getting tired of me?” he asks, already knowing the answer.

Joe’s panicked expression says everything: “No, of course not. Never. You’re doomed with the responsibility of taking care of me for the rest of your life. Or mine, which isn’t gonna be long if things get worse than this.” he states and coughs for good measure.

Rami laughs again and kisses him on the cheek: “I guess it’s a deal.”

They look at each other again and then look around the bathroom, as they are suddenly figuring out where they are having such conversations.

“Do you think you’re good for now?” asks Rami eyeing the toilet and Joe grimaces, considering it for a moment, then nods.

“Then how about this for a plan: if you feel like it you can take a shower while I aerate the bedroom and call my sister.” proposes Rami, getting up from the floor and then helping Joe stand up: “After that, once you’re clean and properly treated, we can have celebratory cuddles in bed.”

“If I get you sick, Sam’s gonna kill me. I mean, probably a lot of other people would be mad at me and want me dead, but he won’t hesitate to kill me for real.” says Joe, standing there in the middle of the bathroom looking concerned.

Rami shakes his head and pushes him a little to guide him toward the shower: “I won’t get sick. And I’d deal with Sam anyway. I’d probably just need to bargain your life with a contract for a new tv show…” he comments.

“That’s how much my life is worth right now.” whines Joe as Rami forces him out of his sweated t-shirt.

Rami huffs and leaves him to deal with the shower, moving to the bedroom to open the windows and changing the sheets before heading to the kitchen to call Yasmine.

When he gets his phone out of his pocket he finds a lot of unread texts from friends and family, all congratulating him and Joe. The one which catches his eyes the most is from Martin, who wrote: “Miss you boys. Hope Joe found something special for you to do today.” to which Rami just smiles and sends back a “Special is the right word. Miss you too.”

#fanfiction #anon request #mazlek #joe mazzello #rami malek #martin mccann #(special guest!)#I'm back!

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canyousevmyheavydirtysoul · 6 years ago

Text

Bodyguard II: Brendon’s P.O.V Part I - Chapter 9

“I told you,” I growled, my rage level at peak as I stared at my scumbug of a brother, “you lost the right to call me your brother.”

I started backtracking, heading for the door. I knew that if I didn’t leave right then, I would snap completely, and I didn’t want that, because I couldn’t afford to kill Mason before I got what I needed – regardless of how much I wanted to unleash my wrath upon him.

“Our father might’ve been a virus, Mason,” I called to him as I reached for the door handle, preparing to deliver one more verbal blow, “But just know that in my eyes, you’re worse than he could’ve ever been.”

Sure, some people would disagree with my statement, but who gives a fuck about them, anyway. I believed it. I believed the words I said. Because as much of a sick fuck my father was, he wasn’t the one who broke me.

My brother did that.

The moment I set foot in the hallway and shut the door to the cell behind me, The Hounds tumbled out of the viewing room, rushing to join me in my stampede down the overly lit hallway.

“So what now?” Ambrose asked, jogging forward to meet my strides.

I was breathing so harshly, the sound bounced off of the concrete walls as I continued walking, and I worked on regulating my breaths before speaking.

“Stay here and watch him, make sure he doesn’t find a way to get out,” I ordered, “And kick his ass if you feel like it.”

I barely paid attention to their reactions to my instructions, but I didn’t have to look at them to know that Ambrose was overly hyped at the prospect of beating someone up, and that the other two were silently, nonverbally shutting him down.

“Where are you going?” Rollins inquired, furrowing his eyebrows.

To go out and look for the only thing that could possibly keep me sane right now.

We reached the end of the hallway, and I called for the elevator before turning to glance at Rollins.

“If I don’t blow off some steam, I’m gonna commit a murder,” I answered.

And it was mostly true, anyway. I probably was still gonna commit a murder, but my little field trip would hopefully postpone the event for at least a little while.

“I’ll be back before morning,” I added, stepping into the elevator and pressing the button for the garage level, “Don’t let Ambrose do anything I wouldn’t do.”

“You are aware that this is borderline stalker behaviour, right?” Dallon’s voice, full of disapproval, sounded over the speaker system in the SUV, “Actually, it’s not even borderline. It is stalker behaviour.”

“Right. Would you rather I exhibit murderous behaviour, then? ‘Cause that’s the only other option.”

Dallon breathed out a sigh so loud it sent vibrations throughout the vehicle. I knew he was right, but he knew that I was right, too. So he proceeded to help me without anymore hassle.

“I calibrated the GPS system in the SUV to track the signal on her cellphone, but it’s only programmed for five hours,” he informed me; I could hear the faint clicks of his fingers against the keyboard.

A digital map materialised on the left side of the windscreen, showing me that I was about 50 miles out from New Mexico.

“That’s all the time I need,” I responded, glancing between the map and the desolate road ahead of me, “Thanks, Weekes.”

“Anything for romance, bro.”

With a roll of my eyes, I tapped the touch pad and hung up. I inhaled deeply and flexed my fingers, then curled them back around the steering wheel and cracked my neck.

My body was stiff, my muscles aching from lack of sleep and constant use; it made the long drive uncomfortable, but it was a small price to pay for the bliss of a stable state of mind.

That is, assuming that this’ll actually work.

If it doesn’t… well, then I’ll be a dead man.

✧ ✧ ✧

A bar. Twenty-five minutes outside of the New Mexico desert.

Definitely not the first place I would’ve guessed her to be, but alright. Things have changed. It’s understandable.

I parked the SUV a little way down the street, in the shadow between two streetlights. I sat for a moment, watching as the door to her car opened. The second I laid eyes on her, my heart stopped.

Pictures truly didn’t do her justice; nothing could compare to seeing her, right there in front of me. I swallowed harshly, staring intently as he shuffled into the bar. Once she was out of sight, I got out of the car and followed in her path.

Fuck, Dallon was right. This is weird. And creepy. So fucking creepy. I’m actually disgusted with myself.

I stepped inside and my eyes were immediately drawn to her, sitting at the bar and raising a glass to her lips.

Yeah, scratch that. I don’t give a shit. I can live with the stigmatism if it meant that-

“Fuck,” I cursed under my breath, quickly stepping behind a group of people, shielding myself from her line of sight as she turned around.

Apparently, my unreliable-as-fuck consciousness had forgotten that people have the ability to sense when they’re being watched, and that that sense is heightened tremendously if said people are S.H.I.E.L.D agents.

Fortunately, with the way I was positioned, I was able to see her, but she couldn’t see me. That didn’t mean that she didn’t try, though. Her eyes swept over the room with a penetrating gaze, her brow creased as she tried to determine whether she’d imagined the feeling or not.

If I didn’t feel like a stalker before, I definitely did now.

I hadn’t realised that I had been holding my breath until she turned back around and I exhaled loudly. The group I’d been hiding behind all looked at me suspiciously, and I mumbled something resembling an apology before rushing for the back door.

Bursting out of the exit, I felt the sting of the cold night air against my flushed cheeks and let out another large exhale.

What the fuck are you doing, you fucking idiot?

I squeezed my eyes shut tightly and ran my hand through my hair. My heart was pounding, and I wasn’t sure if it was from seeing her, or from her almost seeing me.

An unhealthy combination of both, I suppose.

Even so, I still felt unbelievably better than I had felt during the ride here. It was amazing what just the sight of her could do to me. Seeing her – and more importantly, knowing that she was okay – was enough to straighten my jumbled mind and help me think clearly again.

She was all I needed.

And I was a fucking idiot to leave her.

_______________________________

Thank you for reading x

Taglist:

@arosebyname @avengertrash21 @tiffisnotnormal @darknessdancing @raversam @theieroenthusiast @the-ghost-of-hemingway @laerkers @peters-vlogs @hockeyswag-boll @username-number-01834 @untilyouburnallofthewitches @underscoredarcy @aminasmells @becausebands @converseskyline @vinyloider @attractiveugly @twentzyonepirates @tegan-eva @i-only-date-flower-boys @jishwatylrandtop @blueskiesbleakeyes @robinruns @hi-ho-and-hello @svintsandghosts @iamafishandigosplish @sunshineandapplepie @kealohilani-tepise @bookworm104 @sheridans-dynamos @justawriterinprogress @anotherwriterinprogress

Note: Wow wow wow I hate this. I hate it so much. And literally the only reason I’m posting it is because I already set it up in the book and I wasn’t gonna leave it as a plot hole.

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diamondchoices · 6 years ago

Text

Of Accusations and Apologies

[MC deserved an apology from Ajay at the very least, but since PB wasn’t gonna give it to us, I did. Click here if you’d rather read on Ao3.

m!MC: Dylan Hart

Word Count: 2496]

I always liked how clever you are, Dylan. But that also means that I know you’re clever enough to pull it off.

Ajay’s words from Friday’s rehearsal kept floating through Dylan’s mind, resurfacing any time he felt his mind start to drift from the issue. His eyes stung as he thought about Ajay’s face as he’d said those words—he didn’t want to believe it, Dylan reminds himself, he didn’t want to. The young director had looked upset, disappointed, angry, and a little disbelieving. Dylan wanted to believe that Ajay didn’t really believe that he would break Thea’s leg on purpose. He wished on as many stars as he could that Ajay didn’t really believe it.

I always liked how clever you are—

“Stop it,” Dylan croaks to his pillow. It’s the middle of the night, and he’s having a hard time falling asleep. His nose is running and there’s a wet spot on his pillow from crying.

—I know you’re clever enough—

He doesn’t get any sleep that night.

—//—

Dylan was surprised that Thea invited him to her party, but he was glad she did. He was in desperate need of a distraction from…well, everything. And being thrilled and terrified was a pretty good distraction from feeling miserable.

He was the only freshman in the room but none of them treated him like he was a little kid like some other upperclassmen had when talking to freshmen. He also noticed that there were a couple people at the party who didn’t go to Berry so at least if he embarrassed himself, he was less likely to see them—a small comfort, but a comfort nonetheless. Then Thea had explained Friday’s rehearsal and Dylan was surprised and elated to hear that no one in the room believed he would have harmed Thea purposefully.

When the guy in the green jacket—Michael, if Dylan remembered correctly—had said that they’d found themselves in similar situations last year.

“Really?” Dylan asked.

Thea and the person from the art gallery, Cameron, looked at each other and chuckled.

“Oh yeah,” Thea told him. “During spring quarter last year, while Hearst students had to attend Berry, I was accused of sabotaging Cameron’s audition for the sax solo. They’d gotten an email saying that the audition was postponed when it hadn’t been.”

Dylan’s eyes widened.

“That’s awful!”

“Yeah, it is,” Thea smiled. “But we got to the bottom of it in the end and my name was cleared. I have no doubt yours will be too.”

Dylan smiled and gave her a small nod.

Yeah, he thought, it was an accident. Mr. Olson will look into it and everyone will realize I’m innocent.

“So,” Myra smirked, a gleam in her eyes. “Dylan. Crushing on anyone yet?”

Dylan flushed as he started to stutter, one hand going to the back of his neck while the other fiddled with the hem of his shirt. His ears felt like they were on fire as Myra began to laugh a little and Aiden leaned towards him worriedly.

“I’ll take that as a yes!” Myra cheered. “Who is it? Are they in the play? Ooo, is it the other lead—you know, that sophomore, Rory?”

“N-no! It’s not Rory,” Dylan said just as quickly as the rising temperature of his face. “And, I mean, they’re in—he’s part of the play, yeah, he’s just—just not on the stage.”

Myra looked like she was about to continue her interrogation, but Emma interrupted while Caleb clapped a hand on Dylan’s shoulder.

“Aw, leave him alone, Myra,” she said, voice sweet and teasing. “Look at him! He’s embarrassed enough.”

“Fine,” Myra huffed. She pointed a finger at Dylan, eyes narrowed. “But I will figure it out.”

Dylan covered his face in his hands as the rest of the people laughed and Caleb quietly explained Myra’s obsession with setting up her friends. Apparently, she and Thea were quite the matchmaking duo—they had helped Caleb with Jade and Luis with Emma, and Caleb was pretty sure that Myra was pulling some strings to help Aiden and Thea too. Dylan couldn’t tell if the athlete was trying to encourage him to let Myra meddle or just trying to explain that this behavior is normal.

He decided he didn’t really care either way. These people were so cheerful and welcoming and nice.

Dylan liked them.

—//—

The party had been winding down and Dylan hadn’t thought about the accusations once since it had been brought up when he had arrived. Then the other shoe dropped.

It had started with a game of charades. Dylan’s team was winning, and it was his turn to do the charades instead of guess. He had looked at his slip of paper that he’d pulled out of someone’s hat and only thought for a few seconds before an idea took hold. According to the timer, it took his team four minutes and thirteen seconds to figure out what he was miming.

“Wow, I never would have thought of doing that if I’d drawn it,” Emma smiled. “You’re really clever, Dylan.”

I always liked how clever you were, Dylan.

He drew in a sharp breath and gave a shaky smile as he excused himself to the bathroom, Ajay’s words bouncing around in his head again. And just like that, it was like the floodgates had opened.

—liked how clever—that means I know you’re clever enough to—I always—Dylan—Dylan—Dyl—

“—an? Dylan, hey,” there were fingers being snapped in front of his face, “are you feeling alright?”

Dylan looked up at Thea’s concerned face. He noticed that he hadn’t quite made it to the bathroom and that he was leaning against the wall of the hallway, just far enough away that no one would see him unless they were standing at the mouth of the hallway. He was on the floor, back to the wall, and his fingers had pressed into his palms hard enough to leave little crescent moons in the skin.

Thea snapped her fingers again and Dylan managed to refocus some.

“Uh, no, yeah, I’m…I’m fine,” Dylan said, forcing a smile on his face even though it was the least convincing thing he could do. He wouldn’t have believed himself, that’s for sure.

An eyebrow rose ever so slightly and that was all it took. He caved, too tired to hold it in any more.

“No, I-I guess I’m not…fine,” he sighed. “It’s just…it’s something that, that Ajay said…on Friday.”

Thea moved to sit down next to him, plopping herself down with little grace.

“And what did Ajay say?”

“He—He said that…that he always liked how clever I was, but…” Dylan’s voice cracked as his eyes started to burn. “But that it just meant he knew—meant he knew that I was, was clever enough to p-pull it off.”

He closed his eyes tight, trying desperately to keep his tears to himself. He felt arms wrap around his shoulders, pulling him sideways, as Thea made a sympathetic sound. She guided his head to her shoulder, and as she started to run her fingers soothingly through his hair, the tears slipped past his eyelids. His breathing grew shaky as he tried to rein in his emotions.

“It re-really hurt,” he whispered. “Be-because we’d been—we’d been hanging out and we were…we are friends, and I—I really—”

“Shhh, it’s okay,” Thea hushed, beginning to rock very slightly. “It’s okay. I know it hurts. And I know it doesn’t seem like it, but it is going to be okay, I promise. I may not know Ajay as well as I know the people here at this party, but from what I do know about him, he and Aiden are a bit alike—when they’re upset, they don’t always say the right things or what they mean, and they always feel terrible about it afterwards.”

The tears had slowed, and Dylan was only sniffling now, but he didn’t dare lift his head from Thea’s shoulder. Her fingers still threaded through his hair, nails scratching dully against his scalp. That combined with the exhaustion that follows crying, he was slowly being lulled into a state of sleepy calm. They both just sat there in the calm, not daring to break the silence between them as laughter erupted from the living room.

It was another couple of minutes before either of them said anything.

“Thanks,” Dylan muttered, voice still in a state of post-cry scratchiness. He lifted his head and leaned forward off the wall a bit. Thea’s hand moved from his hair to rub his back with a friendly smile. “Sorry for crying all over you. That’s…really not what I was planning on doing tonight.”

“Don’t mention it,” Thea dismissed. “I couldn’t let a friend be on their own when they kind of looked like they might have a panic attack.”

Dylan blinked at her, brain hung up on one word.

“F-Friend? Are we…friends?” He asked, quiet and hesitant and maybe just a bit hopeful.

“Yeah,” Thea chuckled, smile bright. “Yeah, we’re friends. In fact, if by lunch at school tomorrow you’re feeling overwhelmed or anxious, you should come sit with us. It’s supposed to be a nice day tomorrow, so we’ll probably eat in the courtyard.”

“Alright, if—if you’re sure it’s okay,” Dylan told her, unable to stop his small grin from growing into a large smile of relief and gratitude. “Man, I really should go to the bathroom now, huh? I’d rather not walk back in there looking like…well, this.”

Dylan gestured to his face and Thea laughed.

“It’s not too bad, but I totally get it. I always feel like I look like a wreck after crying. Just come back out when you’re feeling up to it, okay?”

He nodded and they both stood up from the floor, Dylan offering a helping hand when he reached his feet before she did. Dylan swiped a hand across his cheek quickly and smiled, promptly tripping over his own feet once he took a step towards the second door on the right. Thea chuckled but otherwise didn’t say anything as she turned the corner and walked back into the living room.

Embarrassed but pleased, Dylan made quick work of his (actual) bathroom visit, splashing cold water on his face until the red in his face died down and his eyes weren’t red and puffy. He rejoined the party with a smile, and no one said anything about his fairly lengthy bathroom break.

When he returned home and had gone to bed, Dylan found that sleep came much easier that night.

—//—

Dylan ended up eating lunch outside with Thea. Skye and Erin joined them a few minutes after Dylan had sat down with Thea, Aiden, Emma, and Luis.

He hadn’t planned on eating outside. He’d wanted to try and talk to Rory, but he’d been harshly shut down by Danielle, Natalie, and Clint and told to sit somewhere else. Ajay hadn’t even been able to look him in the eye, despite Dylan’s attempts to catch his gaze before giving up and stalking off. He’d been grateful that he at least had a backup plan for lunch.

“He couldn’t even look at me,” Dylan moped, head in one hand as he ate.

Erin put a sympathetic hand on his shoulder as Skye glared and stabbed at her food.

“It’s total bullshit! I doubt you could even bring yourself to hurt a fly,” Skye griped. “I told Trevor as much over and over after practice but he’s being a complete ass about it.”

“Look, I really doubt that Ajay actually believes you brought out the wrong box on purpose,” Erin says, expression a mix of anger, defeat, and exhaustion. “He just thinks it’s his job as the director to be impartial.”

“Hmm,” Thea hummed. “From what I’m hearing, it sounds like he feels pretty guilty about this fiasco at least.”

Emma nodded vigorously.

“It really does! I’m sure if you’re able to get him alone and talk to him, you’d be able to smooth some of this over until everyone else realizes that you’re innocent,” she said, smile optimistic. Aiden, on the other hand, looked less convinced.

“I’m not so sure that’d be a good idea, Emma,” Aiden sighed. “If Dylan did that, he’d have just as good a chance at making things worse. Ajay’s already confused and conflicted; cornering him would probably just make him lash out or make a rash decision.”

Dylan pursed his lips, pushing his food around on his tray.

“Well,” Skye looked up, leveling him with a determined look. “Today’s rehearsal will settle everything, one way or another.”

Not long after, the bell rang and everyone started clearing out to get back to class.

—//—

Danielle confessed. She had been the one to make sure Dylan grabbed the box with wheels. She had been the one accuse him first. She had been the one to scheme for a particular part.

All that trouble because of a crush.

Maybe Ajay is right, Dylan thought. Relationships between actors are dangerous.

Aside from the rocky start, that day’s rehearsal had gone well overall. Dylan and Trevor avoided each other, awkwardly working around the other when they occupied the same space. Neither Natalie nor Clint apologized but they had gone back to their normal obnoxious selves which was a relief. Dylan was particularly happy about the air of smugness that Erin had, relentlessly telling everyone that she’d told them so.

Rehearsal had ended on a positive note, everyone optimistic for the performance.

Dylan was grabbing his backpack from the audience seat he had left it in when someone behind him cleared their throat. He jumped and turned with wide eyes to find Ajay standing behind him with his hands in his pockets.

“Dylan, I…” Ajay sighed, shoulders losing tension as he finally met Dylan’s eyes. “I owe you an apology. I know that—I know I said I knew you would be clever enough to pull off such a trick, but I—I should have also known that you aren’t the type of person who would even though you could. And I should have said something on Friday because Erin was right. You’re my friend, and I should have said or done something.”

His arms were wrapped around Ajay before he could finish his sentence. He pressed his face into the older boy’s shoulder and breathed a sigh of relief.

“I accept your apology,” Dylan said quietly. “But if you want my forgiveness, you have to buy me a milkshake.”

Ajay snorted and Dylan felt a laugh building in his chest.

“Heh, cute. Alright then, grab your stuff and we’ll go.”

“Right now?” Dylan asked, surprised. Ajay smiled at him, a soft barely-there redness in his cheeks.

“Well, I’d rather have your forgiveness as soon as possible, but I guess if you don’t—”

“No, don’t be mean! I’m coming!”

#high school story #high school story class act #hss #hss class act #hss class act mc #hss mc #hss mc: thea mcclain #hssca mc: Dylan hart #mc x ajay #mc x ajay fic #mc x aiden #choices #choices fic #fanfic #fanfiction #choices stories you play #choices hss #choices hssca

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spider-boi · 7 years ago

Text

I Love You

Summary: How Tom tells you he loves you.

AN: i’ve been writing this for so long akndnsma also wow i’m back from a writing drought hey how u guys doing lmao

Tom Holland x Reader

// Masterlist //

I tapped my foot impatiently against the tiled floor. Tom was set to return from the press tour today and I, being a good best friend, offered to drive him home. His plane landed about 30 minutes ago and I was just waiting for him to get out of baggage claim.

A few more minutes passed and I saw the familiar head of brown hair. A huge smile spread on my face and I raised my hand in a wave. Tom spotted me and almost ran over to me. Once he reached me, he wrapped his arms around my waist and hugged me tight. My feet raised off the floor with how tight he was embracing me. I nuzzled my face into the crook of his neck.

“I missed you.” Tom mumbled, pressing a small kiss on my cheek.

“I missed you too, Tommy.” Tom set me back down on the ground and we pulled away from each other with huge grins on both of our faces. ‘Let’s go?” I cocked my head towards the exit.

“Let’s.” Tom grabbed his luggage with one hand and put his arm around me, keeping me as close to him as possible. I felt my cheeks flush at his touch. We chatted a bit about how the press tour went as we walked towards my car. When we entered the car, Tom turned to me excitedly. “Close your eyes and hold out your hands.”

“What?” I looked at him, confused.

“Close your eyes and hold out your hands.” He gestured for me to do it. I scrunched my eyebrows at him but did it anyways. I heard the zips of his bag being opened and his fumbling around. When I felt a weight on my hands I opened my eyes and saw a box. I looked over at Tom in question and he just gave me a cheesy smile. “Open it.”

Taking off the lid, I pulled out a smaller box, different from the first. I lifted the lid of the smaller box and out came a small doll perched on top of a stick. Tom took the box from me and wound a gear at the bottom of the box. Music began to play and the doll spun around. A music box.

“Tom, it’s beautiful.” I mumbled.

“It reminded me of you and your obsession with music boxes. I just had to get it.”

I reached over to Tom and engulfed him in a tight hug. “I love it. Thank you.”

“Anything for my favorite girl.” He said quietly. I kissed his cheek and returned to my seat. “Now, let’s go home so I can go see my second favorite girl.” He sent me a wink that had me flustered. I rolled my eyes and tried to contain my smile.

“For being part of the biggest movie of all time. Let’s all raise our glasses to that idiot over there. I’m proud of you, mate! To Tom!” Harrison stood on a chair in the bar and shouted.

“To Tom!” I shouted along with the rest of our friends. I sipped my drink and looked over at Tom who was laughing across me. His eyes crinkled and his nose scrunched up when he laughed. I felt a smile tug on the corners of my lips. Tom spotted me looking at him and smiled. Excusing himself from his friend, he walked over to where I was standing.

“Hey, pretty girl.” He smirked.

“Hey.”

“What are you doing just standing there? Let’s dance.” Tom took my hand and tugged on it. I placed my drink down on the table and let him drag me to the dance floor. The music was loud and I felt it in my bones. Jumping around and laughing with my best friend. There was nothing better than that.

Tom pulled me to him and held onto waist tightly. I put my arms around his neck. We sang along to the song loudly and laughing at each other when we messed up the lyrics. Our eyes locked and it was like time stood still. It was just Tom and I in our own little world. Tom’s eyes flickered towards my lips for a split second and I felt my heartbeat quicken. Tom leaned in a little bit closer and -

“Hey, you two!” Harrison placed his arms around both of us, interrupting our moment.

“Hey Haz.” I smiled. Tom and I awkwardly separated from each other.

“So, you two seem awfully cozy.” Harrison squeezed us. I stole a glance at Tom and saw him glaring at his best friend.

“And you seem awfully drunk, mate. Might wanna have some water.” Tom said through his teeth.

“No, I don’t.” Harrison argued. I felt him stumble a little, making me trip over my feet. Tom grabbed hold of my hand and righted me. He squeezed my hand and pulled me to his side.

“Yes, you do. Come on.” Tom grabbed Harrison’s arm and kept his hand in mine. He pulled us to the bar and sat Harrison down on one of the chairs. “Make sure he sobers up.” He told the bartender.

“You’re a good friend, Holland.” Harrison murmured.

“I know.” Tom steadied Harrison again when he lost his balance. He turned to me. “You wanna get out of here?” I nodded.

“Get home safe, Haz.” I patted Harrison’s back. He mumbled incoherent words and I giggled. Tom said his goodbyes and pulled us out of the crowds of people. When we reached the door, he stopped us. “What’s wrong? Did you forget something?”

“No.” He took off his jacket and placed it over my shoulders. “It’s cold outside.”

“Thanks.” I looked down and put my arms through the sleeves. They fell down past my hands.

“It looks good on you.” Tom held my hand and we walked out into the cold night.

I can’t do this.

My hair was a mess from running my fingers through it. Books and papers were scattered all over the floor. I had a final the next day and I was really stressing out. I felt frustrated tears forming in my eyes and my breathing was getting faster.

Ok, calm down, Y/N. Breathe. Breathe.

The tears started flowing down my face and I let out a loud sob. My breaths were coming out in short bursts and I felt myself getting light-headed. My hands clenched into tight fists and I was tense, trying to keep myself together.

I heard a knock on the door and a call of my name but I made no move to answer it. The person knocked again and I heard a key being inserted into the doorknob.

“Y/N?” Tom. “Y/N, you here?” He closed the door behind him. His footsteps got closer to me. “Y/N, darling.”

Tom cupped my cheek and made me look up at him. I looked at him with teary eyes before letting out yet another loud sob. Tom pulled me close. I buried my face in his chest and clutched onto his shirt. He rubbed my back gently while he tried to calm me down.

“Shh, darling. It’s okay. It’s okay. Breathe for me, Y/N. Can you breathe for me, pretty girl?” Tom cooed. I took in deep breaths, trying to mimic normal breathing. Tom pressed soft kisses on the crown of my head, giving me words of encouragement. “You’re doing so well, love.”

After a few more minutes of trying to calm my breathing, I sighed and wrapped my arms around Tom’s waist. I rested my head on his shoulder and hiccupped.

“I’m sorry.” I whispered, my voice a little hoarse.

“You have nothing to be sorry about.” Tom wiped a stray tear that fell down my face. “Will you tell me what happened?” He combed his fingers through my hair.

“I have my final tomorrow and I’m just so stressed.” I mumbled against his shoulder, turning my head so that I was facing him.

“Oh, darling. You’re gonna be fine. You’ve been studying for this right?”

“Yeah but-”

“No buts. You can do this.” Tom cut me off. “I believe in you.”

I felt tears begin to form again at his reassuring words. Nodding slowly, I nuzzled my face into the crook of his neck and let myself relax. Tom didn’t let me study the rest of the night.

“TOM!” I yelled as the rain around us started to pour down.

We were in the park walking Tessa when the rain started to come. I told him that maybe we should postpone walking her because of the dark clouds forming but Tom insisted that we still went. Tessa ran around trying to drink the rain as it fell from the sky. Tom tugged on her leash and grabbed my hand, leading us to a shaded area.

“We have no choice but to run back to my place.” Tom stated. His hair was matted on his forehead and I couldn’t help but take a moment to appreciate how good he looked right now. I sighed.

“Okay. This is your fault by the way.”

Tom chuckled and brought my hand to his lips, kissing the back of it softly. He really has to stop doing that or else I’m gonna fall in love with him. As if I haven’t already. “I’ll make it up to you. Ready?”

“Yeah.” With that we ran out into the rain and made our way back to Tom’s house. It wasn’t that far away but we still got thoroughly drenched. Tom opened the door and we just stared at each other for a moment before laughing loudly. Tessa barked and ran around our feet.

“I’ll go get you clothes to change into.” Tom disappeared into his bedroom.

I bent down and rubbed the backs of Tessa’s ears. She licked my face and I giggled at her. “Your owner’s going to be the death of me.” I whispered. Tom came back into the living room, all dried up and changed.

“Here. Change into these. I can put your wet clothes in the dryer.” He handed me his shirt and shorts. I quickly changed in his bathroom and went back out with a wad of wet clothes in hand. I found Tom in the kitchen, making tea.

“Hey, where’s your dryer? I’ll put my clothes in.” I called out to him. He stared at me for a few seconds with an awestruck look on his face. “Tom?”

“Uh, yeah, sorry. I’ll take them.” Tom walked over to me and grabbed the clothes from my hands. “I made you tea and we can watch a few movies until the rain calms down?”

“Sounds like a plan.”

A few hours passed of us talking and watching movies but the rain still hadn’t stopped. It was pouring just as hard as it had started and it was getting dark. Tom had his arm around me and we had an episode of Brooklyn Nine-Nine playing in the background. Empty plates of food sat on the coffee table in front of us. I watched the rain continuously pour down.

“It really isn’t stopping.” Tom noted about the rain.

“I know.” I snuggled closer to Tom when a loud crack of thunder roared.

“Stay over.” Tom whispered.

“Hmm?”

“I mean the rain’s not gonna stop anytime soon and I don’t think it’s safe for you to go home right now. So…” He trailed on.

“You have a point. You sure you’re okay with me staying?”

“Of course.”

And that’s how we both ended up in Tom’s bed. After much protest from Tom about how I should sleep in his bed and that he would sleep on the couch, I told him that there was no way I was letting him sleep on the couch in his own home when there was enough space on the bed for both of us.

“Is this okay?” Tom asked for the tenth time.

“For the last time, Tom. I don’t mind you sleeping here.” I assured him. To prove my point, I moved closer to him and threw my arm around his waist. He instantly responded by pulling me as close to him as possible. Our faces were inches apart from each other and I could see all the little freckles around his nose. The little crinkles in the corners of his eyes. The small scar across the bridge of his nose from when he broke it.

Tom cupped my cheek and gently brushed my cheek. He was looking at me so intensely that I had to close my eyes and rest my forehead against his. I could feel his breath fanning over my face.. Moving my hand up to rest on his chest, I felt how fast his heart was beating.

“Y/N?” I opened my eyes and met Tom’s. He looked at me almost pleadingly. He took a long glance at my lips and licked his own. “Can I kiss you?”

Not trusting my voice, I simply nodded. Tom gripped my cheek a little harder and closed the small gap between us. He pressed his lips gently against mine and everything felt right in the world. Months of flirting and pining finally led up to this one perfect moment. We eagerly kissed each other, pouring every emotion we’ve been feeling for each other.

Tom groaned and pulled me under him so he was hovering above me. My hands roamed across his shoulders and Tom carded his fingers through my hair. God, why didn’t we do this before? Eventually we had to pull apart and take a deep breath, processing what just happened. We both breathed heavily and just stared at each other. Tom’s hair was a mess and his lips were swollen.

I couldn’t help myself as I pushed myself up and gave Tom yet another soft kiss. We both sat up and Tom gripped my waist tightly. This kiss was much shorter than the first and we just sat there in each other’s arms. Tom was rubbing small circles on my back and began placing small kisses on my neck.

“I love you.” He whispered in my ear. In surprise, I pulled away. Tom looked like he was shocked he said that out loud and opened his mouth to say something but I cut him off with a peck.

“I love you too.”

Tom smiled widely at me and we spent the rest of the night sharing kisses and exchanging words of love as the sound of rain pattered on the roof, making us forget everything except each other.

#tom holland imagine #tom holland x reader #tom holland #peter parker imagine #peter parker x reader #peter parker #spiderman imagine #spiderman x reader #spiderman

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cannedapricot · 7 years ago

Text

Christmas Shopping with! Yoon Jisung

another installment of the chirstmas collab with @alliwannado-w1 and @jihoonslattee ft. toy store worker! yoon jisung!!

jisung works at a toy store in a mall on the second floor

and he loves it

he loves seeing children’s faces glowing in happiness after entering the store

he loves helping children find the perfect toy

jiSUNG’S JUST FULL OF LOVE FOR WHAT HE DOES

when children start throwing tantrums, jisung’s the first person to rush over

the child stops crying after 5 seconds because thE FACES JISUNG MAKES TO CHEER THEM UP ARE LEDGENDARY

co-worker! sungwoon swears that jisung would marry his job if he could

everyone who’s ever visited this specific mall knows of yoon jisung

i mean, he’s the resident sunshine who glows so brightly whenever he smiles that everyone in the mall stops to wear sunglasses

he’s also the reason why every kid ever wants to go to that one toy shop lol

the boss wanted to make jisung the mascot at one point but jisung was like,

“oh no!! i’m probably going to scare people away from the shop haha!”

and that’s how sungwoon was forced into being the mascot because he was “smol and fluffy”

jisung never lets sungwoon live because of it

“oh look!!! sungwoon’s on our poster again!!11!111″

“...TEAR IT DOWN”

chirstmas is jisung’s favorite holiday

part of it was because of the snow and quality family time

but mostly it was because mORE SMILEY KIDS WOULD WALK INTO THE SHOP

CHEEKS RED WITH COLD

AND EYES GLEAMING WITH EXCITEMENT

the shop has this thing where the staff can wrap your presents for you

and everyone h a t e s being put on gift wrapping duty

because its??? so??? boring???

they’d much rather do something else

aka find a corner where the boss can’t see you and go on your phone smh

so when the boss calls a meeting and announces that the gift wrapping duty is back!!!

all he gets are groans in response

except from jisung though

he puts his arm straight up and with sparkling eyes, he says

“I VOLUNTEER”

“uh ok i guess jisung’s on gift duty for the fourth year in a row”

but daniel and jaehwan are also selected for different shifts

jisung nearly has a heart attack when he hears that jaehwan’s also on gift duty

beCAUSE THAT BOY CAN’T WRAP GIFTS FOR SHIT

so jisung spends his lunch break teaching jaehwan how to wrap a gift properly and prettily :’)

jaehwan tries to learn because he doesn’t want to deal with screaming kids if he wraps their gift shittily

it doesn’t turn out as perfect as jisung’s but it’ll have to do :’’’)

jisung’s also the only person who happily wears the santa hat uniform addition

jiSUNG’S WILL HAPPILY DO ANYTHING FOR THIS SHOP

HE LOVES THE SHOP WITH HIS WHOLE HEART SIDVBIS

even if the pay isn’t as high as other jobs, jisung’s content :’)

he’s such an angel i love him

you worked at a local kindergarten!

you’ve only been working for a couple of months but the kids there absolutely adore you!!

you’d step in the classroom and everyone would rush over to hug you

the kindergarten once had a popularity vote among the teachers and you ranked first even though you were new :””)

everyone wanted to be in your class

and the other teachers are lowkey offended

it was a tradition every year to bring the kids on a trip to the mall for them to write small wish lists to send to santa :’’’’’)

the kids were thrilled obviously

“sCHOOL TRIP TIME WHEEEEEEEE”

it took a while for them to calm down

but they eventually did

you’ve never been to the mall in this area,,, so you’re kinda scared that you’re gonna get lost or lose one of the kids etc

you tried getting out of it

“hey uh cough cough minhyun? cough”

“yeah?”

“sneeze i think i’m down with a cold”

“oh no!!!111!!1!1 would you like to take a few days off???”

“yes-”

“is what you think i’d say right? too bad we’re already low on staff as it is we don’t need another ‘sick’ one”

THERE GOES THAT PLAN OUT THE WINDOW

you knew that there was no point in arguing anymore :’)

on the day you were a nervous wreck

you had planned to go around the mall yesterday but that didn’t happen

thanks to your close friend suddenly dropping by

yoU WERE SWEATING AND YOUR EYES WERE DARTING EVERYWHERE

EVEN THE KIDS THOUGHT SOMETHING WAS OFF

“miss y/n? are you okay?”

“o-OH YEAH I’M FINE TOMMY”

WIPES SWEAT

after herding the kids into the bus, you tried to make a run for it

but minhyun catches you with his signature “where do you think you’re going” smile on his face

then proceeds to fling you onto the bus

upon reaching the mall, the kids immediately screamed to go visit the toy store

having no choice but to do so, you bring your little group of kids towards the toy shop on the second floor

while looking at the map you have on your phone lmao

you let out a sigh in relief when you reach the store without anything happening

you tell the kids not to wander off by their own and stick close together

entering the shop, you catch a certain worker’s eye 👀👀

i mean you would catch my eye as well

it’s not everyday someone walks into a shop with 10 kids around them

but of course the shop expected your kindergarten to visit this time of year

and that particular worker slides up to your party while in the lego section

“hi! i’m jisung! is there anything you’re looking for?”

you were about to respond but the kids responded before you could

“wHERE ARE THE BARBIES???”

“BRING ME A STUFFED BEAR PLEASE”

p a ni c s

“i’m so sorry- n O EMILY STOP CLINGING ON THE WORKER’S LEG”

jisung lets out a hearty laugh,

“don’t worry! i’m used to it”

anD BOY WAS HIS LAUGH ATTRACTIVE

is it getting hot in here or is it just jisung? 👀👀

jisung squats down to the little girl’s height and talks to her in the s o f t e s t tone

and you think that’s he’s possibly the cutest man you’ve ever m e t

“miss y/n!!!! stop staring at him!!”

buoVOUVODUV???????

jisung’s draws his attention from the little girl to look at you

yOU GLOW BRIGHT RED

“I WASN’T- UH- I WAS LOOKING AT THAT STUFFED RABBIT BEHIND YOU YEAH”

AND JISUNG CHUCKLES AT YOUR OBVIOUSLY FLUSTERED FACE

deciding not to make you glow any more red, he says,

“hey, i’ll help you deal with the kids today yeah?”

“OHMYGOSH THANK YOU SO MUCH”

BECAUSE

FINALLY

SOMEONE WHO KNOWS THE MALL WELL

“i’ll go tell my boss!”

he doesn’t

he tells sungwoon to cover for him

“heY YOU TOLD ME TO POSTPONE MY DATE TO WORK HOW COME YOU GET TO-”

covERS SUNGWOON’S MOUTH

“it’s not a da t e”

sungwoon rolls his eyes

“sure ok”

and so jisung joins your party!!

y’all look like a cute family with 10 kids :’)

throughout the day, jisung’s interaction with the kids and his funny personality made you feel like melting

was it possible for a man to be this adorable??

you didn’t know but,,

jisung was also melting for you too :’)))

so when minhyun calls you and says that it’s time to leave

jisung doesn’t want to let you go

neither did you tbh

so as you herd the kids into the bus once again, jisung pulls you back for a moment

“hey,,,, uh,,,, have you done your christmas shopping yet?”

“not yet!! i’m planning to do so this sunday”

“oh!! great!! um,,, i was wondering if you wanted to do it together? sunday’s my day off too,,,”

hE WAS AVOIDING EYE CONTACT AS HE ASKED YOU AND YOU WERE SQUEALING INSIDE

“yES! I MEAN-- sure!”

and then jisung looks at you with the whole galaxy in his eyes

his cheeks were flushed but you had no idea whether it was because of the weather or because he was flustered

“REALLY???”

you reply with a smile and a nod of your head

he then digs through his pockets for a pen

and asks you to write your number on his hand

the pen was in the shape of a giraffe

minhyun screams for you as soon as you finished writing the last digit

“i’ll text you!!”

jisung yells as you run towards the bus, waving at him with a huge smile

he does

and you two don’t stop texting until sunday

“y/n! over here!!”

you rush over to the waiting jisung

“i’m sorry did you have to wait for a long time?”

he smiles and claims that he just got here

and you two head into the mall

as soon as you two step in, you guys were surrounded by couples who were also christmas shopping

and it felt awkward for the first time since you’ve known jisung

clEARS THROAT

“so,,, y/n, where do you want to go first?”

you randomly point at a stationary store

and you two exit a few minutes later

with a bunch of bags in hand

“i knEW WE SHOULDN’T HAVE GONE INTO THAT STORE”

hOLD IN YOUR TEARS Y/N, YOUR WALLET WILL BE O K

jisung laughs

“THIS ISN’T SOMETHING TO LAUGH OVER”

“sorRY”

HUFFS

and you two continue your raid of the mall

exiting a new shop with more bags each time :”)

at one point y’all entered a furniture shop and accidentally walked into the beds section

the worker there mistakes you for a couple and smirks at you two 👀👀

yOU TWO SUDDENLY REALIZE WHAT THE SMIRK MEANT

AND HURRIED OUT OF THE STORE

y’all also entered the toy store jisung works at

and jisung’s co-workers are all staring at you two

especially sungwoon and jaehwan who followed you two around the shop talking loudly about how jisung was boyfriend material

“DID YOU KNOW JISUNG IS GREAT AT COOKING RAMEN???”

“OH REALLY???”

“YEAH WHOEVER MARRIES HIM WOULD BE LUCKY”

JISUNG WAS SWEATIN G

WHY ARE HIS FRIENDS SO EMBARRASSING

“y/N LETS LEAVE THE SHOP”

“what- i haven’t finished-”

PUSHES YOU OUT

but doesn’t forget to buy you a gift from the shop

after wandering around the mall more, you two end up in front of the giant christmas tree

the lights casted shadows around

and you turn to face jisung, finding him looking up at the tree with those stars in his eyes

then he turns to face you with that huge smile of his

and bOY HIS FACE ILLUMINATED BY THE LIGHT WHILE HE SMILES HNNNNG

then he suddenly pulls out a rabbit soft toy

“merry christmas y/n! here’s your present!!”

this was the same rabbit you had claimed to be staring at while you were actually staring at jisung

“you were staring at this the other day right?”

yOU BURST INTO LAUGHTER

jisung thought you were laughing at his gift :(

“IM NOT LAUGHING AT THE GIFT, I’M JUST LAUGHING BECAUSE,,”

“because??”

“I WASN’T ACTUALLY STARING AT THE RABBIT, I WAS STARING AT YOU,,,,, THANK YOU ANYWAYS THOUGH”

and yOU SNATCH THE RABBIT FROM HIS HANDS

TO HIDE YOUR REDDENING FACE

jisung’s face lights up at this

“y/n?”

“yes?”

“what do you think about today being our first day?”

“??first day??”

“yeah, as a couple”

STATIONARY SHOPS MAKE ME GO BROKE OSFDGBOSB

also this was lowkey kinda shit,,,,, jisung’s actually a ray of sunshine in human form and i love him so much anyone who says he’s ugly can come fight me

#im serious about yoon jisung being the light of life #i love him so much #wanna one #yoon jisung #produce 101 #christmas shopping with! yoon jisung #broduce 101 #wanna one scenarios #kpop #kpop scenarios #mmo #mmo yoon jisung #yoon jisung scenarios #wanna one imagines #wanna one aus #yoon jisung imagines #yoon jisung au

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danfanciesphil · 7 years ago

Text

L’Histoire Française (New Chapter)

Teacher AU (Part 10)

(Part One)

(Part Two)

(Part Three)

(Part Four)

(Part Five)

(Part Six)

(Part Seven)

(Part Eight)

(Part Nine)

(Now Available on Ao3!)

“Sir, can you tell me how to conjugate verbs?”

“Hm?” Dan says, distracted.

He’s crouched beside a Year Eight student named Anna, a sweet young girl with a few learning disabilities. This period, he’s helping out in the Rainbow Rooms - a section of the school reserved for providing extra support to students that might need it. Anna suffers from Down Syndrome, and has dyslexia, so she’s somewhat of a regular here. Usually, aside from Phil’s classes, Dan’s absolute favourite lessons to assist in are these.

The kids here are all at different levels of progress, so their teacher is more of a supervisor than anything else. The students are told to get on with the work provided by teachers from their actual classes, and Dan and the other TA’s are asked to wander around the class and help with whatever they might need.

Soft, classical music is played to help concentration, and the classroom is decorated in soothing pastel colours, making it very aesthetically pleasing. Usually, these lessons pass by in a calm, tranquil breeze. Today however, Dan does not feel particularly relaxed. The Chopin playing is weaving under his skin, the sharp violin creeping beneath his fingernails, putting him on edge.

There’s a coloured-glass windchime rattling beside the open window, and the sound of the tinkling is making him cringe. He turns his attention to Anna’s workbook, trying to force himself to concentrate.

“I thought I’d remembered how to do it, but it’s confusing,” Anna says, sighing.

“Oh, right,” Dan says, refocusing. “Don’t worry, we’ll figure it out.”

He reads over the page, not taking anything in, and then reads it again, tutting at himself.

“Right, so verbs - that’s just the term we use for ‘doing words’.”

Anna scoffs at him. “I know that. I’m not stupid, Mr Howell.”

Dan laughs, glancing at her annoyed expression. “I know, Anna, I’m sorry. I’m the nonce here, not you. I just need to spell it out for myself sometimes.”

“We’re gonna be here all day at this rate,” Anna says.

Dan laughs again. “Hopefully not. So, um, conjugating… well, I bet you’re doing it without even realising. Think of a verb.”

“Break,” Anna says, unexpectedly.

Dan blinks at her. “Break?”

“Yeah,” she giggles. “It’s break-time soon. It’s the first thing I thought of.”

“Well, break-time is a noun…” Dan says, mind already slipping back into a panic as he considers how close break-time really is, and all that it might entail.

“Yes,” Anna says, exasperated. “But break is a verb, too. To break a glass. To break into dance. To break a heart.”

Dan swallows. “Yep, um… okay. You’re right. As usual.”

Anna beams proudly. “It’s like I’m teaching you today, sir.”

“So, how would you conjugate the verb ‘break’ if you put the pronoun ‘he’ in front of it?”

“He breaks,” Anna says at once. “Ohhh, I get it.”

Dan nods, smiling weakly. “Try and put it in a sentence.”

“He breaks your heart.”

It’s like a slap to the face.

“Great,” Dan grits out. “Try and write a few sentences down.”

Dan thinks about getting coffee again, but he knows he’d just be stalling for time. He doesn’t need to be any more caffeinated for this, anyway. He walks slowly through the halls, urging a teacher to spot him and force him to do some menial task for the next twenty minutes.

He doesn’t even know what it is that he’s wanting to avoid, but his gut is telling him it’s nothing good.

As if fate specifically told everyone to leave Dan alone today, no teachers even spare him a glance. He’s left with the full twenty minutes of free time, which has not happened in days.

He finds himself outside of Phil’s classroom door far too soon.

He knocks out of politeness, and hears a familiar voice call, “Come in!”

He pushes open the door. Phil is sat at his desk, frowning at his sticker-covered laptop, open before him. There are no cat whiskers on his face, today. There’s nothing zany on the whiteboard. The classroom is actually rather mess-free, unusually.

“Hey,” Dan says. His voice is smaller than he means it to be.

Phil looks up at him, closing the lid of his laptop. “Hey.”

Dan shifts from foot to foot, feeling awkward. How is it that just yesterday he strolled in here full of pep and happiness, and let Phil kiss him against the closed classroom door?

“You wanted to talk-”

“How are you today?” Phil interrupts, voice strained. “I didn’t get to ask, earlier.”

“Um,” Dan says, thrown. “Fine. Well, I’m a bit…” Dan flaps his hand in the air, a demonstration of his inner turmoil. “Can you just tell me what John said to you this morning? Before I came in.”

Phil’s eyes are pained, as if he’s begging Dan not to ask. Dan kind of wants to listen to those eyes, to just stall for time and exchange pleasantries until the bell rings again and they have to postpone this talk until lunch.

But he can’t live with the anxiety, so he stares Phil down.

Phil sighs, relenting.

“Can you… sit down?”

Dan takes a deep breath, and closes the door behind him. He takes one of the student chairs and pulls it up to the desk, opposite Phil. It feels strange, to sit this way. It reminds him, weirdly, that Phil is technically his boss, which is a bizarre thought, considering he’s never really acted as superior to Dan.

Dan sits straight and tense, waiting for Phil to speak. He doesn’t, so Dan jumps in for him.

“We’re not going out tonight, are we?”

Phil reaches up and removes his glasses, rubbing his eyes. He slides them back on, and clears his throat, looking very much like he doesn’t want to reply.

He drags his eyes back up to Dan, tortured. It’s unexpected, when Phil reaches across the desk for his hand, but he slips his own into it anyway, helpless to refuse.

“We can’t,” Phil says at last. “I-I’m so sorry, Dan. This is all my fault.”

He trails off, eyes fixed on their joined hands.

“What did John say?” Dan asks again, though he thinks, deep down, he already knows.

Phil sighs, shoulders slumping in defeat. “He said… apparently there’s a rumour going around amongst the students. Specifically the ones that were on the Paris trip.”

“Lemme guess, one student in particular?” Dan says, bitterness infiltrating his words.

He really will have to kill Jonah Frank at this rate.

“He didn’t say,” Phil says. “I don’t think it’s fair to blame any of them, though. They’re just kids.”

“So what’s the rumour?” Dan asks, tilting his chin up in defiance.

Phil looks at him, one eyebrow raised. “You know what it is, Dan.”

Dan just holds his gaze, needing this spelled out if he’s expected to accept it.

Phil sighs. “The rumour is that two of the teachers on that trip were… fraternising, let’s say.”

“Okay,” Dan says, brows knitting. “But why does it even matter? It wouldn’t affect anything. And we didn’t even-”

“It’s against school policy,” Phil interrupts, his cheeks a little pink. “That’s what John came to tell me this morning.”

Dan just stares at him, speechless. “It’s…”

“Yeah,” Phil says. He releases his hold on Dan’s hand, leaning back in his chair. He combs a hand through his hair. Dan flexes his fingers, feeling the absence of Phil’s at once. “There’s a rule about it. No romantic relationships between faculty members.”

“But I’m… I’m just a TA, I mean-”

“Doesn’t matter,” Phil cuts in. “John made it clear. It could affect our performance, and the kids’ safety, apparently, if it were true.”

Dan swallows hard, tears of frustration leaping into his ducts. He feels helpless, like a child being disciplined for something he hasn’t even done wrong. How can it be fair that the Universe gave him Phil on a beautiful, gilded platter… and then snatched him back again, before they’d even gotten a chance to be together, properly?

“What do you mean, ‘if it were true’?”

“That’s the thing,” Phil says. “At the moment it’s just a rumour. Student claims can’t be substantiated without evidence. If they could, we wouldn’t have jobs anymore.”

“What?!” Dan exclaims. “We’d be fired over this? But… that’s not fair! We didn’t even know-”

“I knew.”

There’s a pause as Dan tries to comprehend this.

“You knew,” he repeats.

Phil puts his head in his hands. He peers at Dan through his fingers. “Yes.”

Dan scrapes his chair backwards, feeling claustrophobic all of a sudden. He wants to run out of here, to find some fresh air and gulp down lungfuls of it, but at the same time he doesn’t want to be away from Phil.

“Dan, please understand,” Phil begs, leaning across the desk towards him. “I knew about the rule, but I didn’t think… at first I just thought it was harmless flirting, and that I wouldn’t let it go any further, but then you came to my house, and you kept being so sweet… and then you said all that stuff to me on the boat, and I just… I snapped. I couldn’t take it, I had to kiss you, to show you that it wasn’t just you, y’know?”

Dan stares at him, shell-shocked. How can something as simple as an unrequited crush have suddenly become so horribly complicated?

“You could’ve told me,” Dan says after a minute, his mind whirling. “At the very least, you could have told me the risk. Maybe then we’d have hidden it better.”

“It’s no use, Dan,” Phil says, his voice desperately sad. He’s probably been over this in his mind a hundred times already. “By the time we… y’know… it was already too late. The kids had already made up their minds about what they wanted to think. After that night on the boat, I woke up in your bed, and you were still sleeping next to me. You had this sweet little smile on your face. And I just lay next to you and tried and tried to think of how we could make it work. I thought maybe John might overlook it because we’re friends, or that you being a TA rather than a teacher might change things, but it didn’t.”

“So that’s it, then,” Dan surmises, nodding blankly. A numbness is spreading across his skin, ice cold. “There are no options for us. Apart from one.”

“I’ve been racking my brain ever since we got home,” Phil confesses. “I thought maybe I could….” he sighs, shaking his head. “John isn’t sure of anything yet. He’s just suspicious because of what the kids are saying. We can still keep our jobs, as long as we…”

His sentence trails off, but it’s all too clear what he means.

As long as we end it now.

Whatever it was.

“I’ll quit my job,” Dan declares, eyes shining with defiance. “I never wanted it anyway, I only applied here as a last resort-”

Phil is already shaking his head. “You can’t do that, Dan. You don’t have anywhere else to go. It’s the middle of the school year, no other schools will take you. And you need the money. Not to mention, the kids need you.”

Dan scoffs at this last objection, but slumps in his chair, knowing the rest to be true. If he quit this job, he’d be penniless and jobless. His rent is due soon, and he’s only just going to be able to scrape by as it is. Paris, whilst free on travel and accommodation, was not cheap.

“This isn’t fair,” Dan whispers, looking up at the ceiling to try and prevent the tears from coming. “I just got you.”

Phil presses his lips together. “If I could do something to change it, I would.” He draws his hands to his lap. “Anything. I’d do anything.”

“I almost wish you’d never kissed me at all,” Dan says.

Phil looks at him like he’s been punched, and Dan wants to hoover the words back up.

“Almost,” Dan reiterates, his voice weak.

For once, Dan is glad he doesn’t have any classes with Phil on Wednesdays. He spends the rest of his day in a daze, barely able to function, let alone assist classes particularly well. In his fourth period he has Jonah for IT, but he avoids him, sticking by a student struggling with Excel on the other side of the class.

As the class files out, Jonah approaches him.

“Are you pissed at me or somethin’, sir?”

“Don’t be silly, Jonah,” Dan says, not looking him in the eye.

I don’t think it’s fair to blame any of them, Phil had said. They’re just kids.

“You usually say hello to me,” Jonah points out. “Did I do something wrong, sir?”

“I have to go, actually,” Dan says. It probably isn’t the best way to handle the situation, but he can’t think of anything to say that wouldn’t make him break down in tears. “See you next class.”

He can feel Jonah staring after him as he hurries out of the classroom.

There is one staff bathroom in the school, located just off the staffroom itself. It’s unisex, with three cubicles and three sinks. There is hardly ever anyone in it, and Dan doesn’t really know why. He thinks it might be because the caretakers only restock the soap and toilet paper infrequently. More likely though, it’s just because the staff tend to forget it’s there. The school has four other sets of student toilets, two on each floor. Most of them are probably a lot nearer to teachers’ classrooms, so they don’t need to trek down to the staffroom to relieve themselves.

Dan has a lot of time to think about all this, huddled in the farthest stall of the empty staffroom toilet for a full hour at lunch time. Nobody comes in for the entire time he’s there, and he’s incredibly thankful, because if they did, he’d have to explain why he’s been curled up in here all this time, not to mention his red, splotchy face.

He just needed to let it out, he’d told himself when he first snuck in here, one hour ago. Just a quick cry, and then back to work.

As it turns out, this was a foolish decision on his part. As soon as the cubicle door shut, Dan had burst into noisy sobs. His knees jellified beneath him, and he’d slipped to the ground.

The thoughts attacked him in their thousands. Every single naive little fantasy he’d conjured up over the past couple of days wormed its way into Dan’s head, only to be smashed to pieces by the reverberating gong-noise of Phil’s voice saying: ‘We can’t do this.’

He and Phil, walking Buffy through the park on a summer afternoon, holding hands as she skipped around their feet.

He and Phil, snuggled on his sofa, watching old anime classics and kissing in the bits they’ve seen a thousand times.

He and Phil, hot and feverish, tangled in the sheets of Dan’s bed, trying to be quiet and failing miserably.

He and Phil, sending each other silly texts during their work days, sappy messages about how much they miss each other, even though they’re right down the hall.

All of these scenarios, the thousands that Dan has created in his head since he met Phil - they’re all gone. Shattered into a million shards by a stupid rumour, an even stupider rule, and then blown away in a gust of wind.

It’s crazy, Dan thinks, wiping his nose with his sleeve. He’s reacting as if they’d been together for years. In reality, Phil was never even his to start with.

What did they have, that’s lost, really? A stolen kiss on a riverboat, fumbling and cold. A gropey make out session on a hard single bed. Some flirting and blushing, acting like the schoolkids they were supposed to be looking after. Another kiss, pressed against a closed classroom door.

Fragments of something that turned into nothing. A fleeting romance, killed by the bureaucratic system within which they both found one another. It’s nonsensical, to be so upset by something that never even was.

Not bothered with sense in the slightest, his heart aches.

The worst part is that Dan is going to have to find a way to carry on. He will have to walk the same halls as Phil, every day. He’ll have to help Phil in class twice a week, and let the cheeky comments the students make slide off his back like it doesn’t affect him. He’ll see Phil making coffee in the staffroom, or buying secret cookies at lunch.

Even thinking of Phil is enough to make Dan’s heart pang. It’s enough to bring more tears to his eyes. How can he be expected to cope, seeing him so often, for real, in the weeks, months ahead?

It occurs to Dan, as the bell rings, that one lunch hour is simply not enough time to deal with the emotions rampaging in his poor, stricken head.

“Dan, do you want in on the Dominos order?”

Teddy’s voice is muffled through the closed door of Dan’s bedroom, and even more so by the covers pulled over Dan’s head. He lifts them off briefly, pausing his episode of Buffy the Vampire Slayer.

“No, thanks.”

There’s silence then, so Dan turns back to his laptop, un-pausing it.

“Are you alright in there?” Teddy calls, forcing Dan to pause Buffy again. “You’re not sick are you?”

“I’m fine, Teddy.”

“I could bring you some soup, or-”

“I said I’m fine,” Dan shouts, hurling a pillow at the door.

“Alright, jeez.” Teddy says. “And I thought Ty was the drama queen in this house.”

He hears footsteps retreating, and he sighs. Buffy stares at him out of the screen, fearsome and beautiful. Her wooden stake is raised at shoulder height, ready to strike and kill.

“Must be nice to have something to stab whenever you need it,” Dan mutters to himself, and presses the space-bar.

He’s watched seven episodes already since he got in. That must be some kind of record. It’s been an okay distraction, as things go, but he can’t help being reminded of Phil, just because it’s his favourite.

He hasn’t eaten anything since this morning, but the thought of food is making him queasy, so he’s ignoring the fact he probably should. Even Dominos isn’t enough to tempt him.

Just as Buffy drives her stake into the heart of the third vampire this episode, Dan’s phone buzzes, lost somewhere in his duvet cocoon. He roots around for it, and brings it up to his face to see.

Phil *video file*

Dan frowns at his screen, his heart skipping when he reads the name. He opens his messages.

The video Phil has sent him is a link to a Vine, uploaded onto YouTube. He clicks it, curious, and watches a six second clip of a corgi twerking to Snoop Dogg’s ‘Wiggle’. He snorts with laughter, not expecting it, and clicks back onto his messages with Phil.

Dan r u looking at dog vines when u should be lesson planning again

Just before he hits send, his thumb hovers above the screen, his mind catching him. Exchanging witty banter with Phil over text is not going to make this situation any easier. Perhaps the best thing to do is just ignore it and move on.

He hits send.

“I have no self control,” Dan says aloud, groaning.

Phil ...no

Phil *video file*

This time it’s a baby sloth falling out of a tree. It lands in a pile of moss, unhurt, blinking in surprise. Dan giggles to himself beneath the darkness of his duvet.

Dan Stop texting me and get back to work

Phil but i miss you

The smile slips off Dan’s face.

Dan u cant say that to me

Phil sorry

Not knowing how to respond, Dan just locks his phone, placing it to one side as Willow and Xander flip through some ancient lore. The phone whispers to him, begging him to text again, but he stays strong, though it kills him a little.

Phil what are you doing? o.o

Dan srsly phil if u wanna break this off u cant send me cute texts

Dan its too hard as it is

Dan im already gonna have to see you every day and pretend like im not miserable

Phil you’re miserable?

Dan of course i am

Phil me too.

Phil *video file*

Phil that might be the actual reason im looking at cute animal vines

Dan is it working?

Phil no :(

Dan clicks the link Phil sent him with a sigh. It’s a video of a Pomeranian in a party hat, scoffing a cake with the words ‘Happy Birthday Pom Pom’ written on the top. Its cute little face is covered in white frosting.

Dan tht dog looks a bit like Buffy

Dan mayb u should turn her into a vine star

Phil vine is dead dan

Phil and buffy says she’s too good for vine anyway

Dan hahaha. tell buffy i miss her

Phil buffy misses you too.

There’s a stinging sensation in Dan’s left eye. He can feel a lump positioning itself in the middle of his throat. Dan rolls onto his back then, his right hand coming up to ghost over the bruise at the base of his neck.

It’s all he has left of Phil now. In a few weeks, it’ll have faded, and then what will he have to remind himself that this was real? A few half-faded memories? A couple of texts?

It’s not enough, he thinks, a tear leaking out of his duct. It slides down his temple, splashing onto the pillow behind his skull.

His phone buzzes again.

Phil *picture message*

Dan opens it warily. As the image flashes up, he lets out a pained little noise.

The photo is of Phil, in his muppet pyjama trousers and a black Pink Floyd t-shirt. He’s got Buffy under one arm, and she’s licking his face, making him laugh. His other hand is taking the photo.

He looks so soft, so homely. He looks just as Dan dreamed he would, in the fantasies where he and Phil lounge around his pretty, colourful house together, in casual clothes or pyjamas, Buffy clambering over their laps.

Dan a low blow phil

Phil Buffy insisted on sending u a selfie

Phil i just helped her

Dan buffy is such a tease

Dan she looks very cute in that photo

Dan i really really wish she was here

Phil she wishes that too.

On Thursday morning, Dan is sitting at his own kitchen table, sipping coffee and debating whether to call in sick to work. He’s got around fifteen minutes still, before he has to walk to catch his bus. It’s not very often that he isn’t rushing to get out of the door, but he woke up early and his anxious mind wouldn’t let him get back to sleep.

He takes another sip of coffee, staring at his phone.

Perhaps it wouldn’t be that suspicious, if he were ‘sick’ suddenly. John might be a little annoyed, as he didn’t work Monday either, because they were coming back from Paris.

At that moment, Tyler strolls into the room, immaculate and pristine in his navy suit. He looks at Dan in surprise, walking to the fruit bowl to grab an apple.

“Dan!” He says brightly. “You’re up early.”

Dan just nods slowly, still thinking.

Tyler takes a bite of the apple, leaning against the counter. “Everything okay?”

“Fine,” Dan says distractedly.

“It’s just, usually you’re tearing around the house at this time, looking for your other sock, or a tie, screaming at me that you’re gonna miss your-”

“Look, I’m up on time for once, okay?” Dan snaps. “No need to alert the media, I’m not always a total fucking mess, you know.”

Tyler stops chewing, eyes wide. He lets out a low whistle. “Fucking hell, no need to bite my head off.”

Dan shuts his eyes, breathing out slowly. He can feel the irritation sitting beneath his skin, but he shoves it down as best he can.

“Sorry,” he grits out, scraping his chair backwards. “We can’t all be morning people.”

He throws the remainder of his coffee down the sink, splashing it everywhere. Tyler jumps back from the spray, looking at his suit jacket in alarm.

“What’s up with you, Dan?” Tyler asks, sounding a little annoyed. “I thought you were on cloud fucking nine at the moment. Why are you being such a twat to us?”

Dan just grabs a cloth, wiping up the coffee he just splashed everywhere, his teeth clamped shut.

“Dan, if you don’t tell me what’s up your ass, I’ll-”

“What?” Dan asks, spinning round to glare at him. “You’ll annoy me to death? You do that just fine anyway.”

Tyler looks momentarily angry, but it passes quickly. He places the apple to one side, his expression melting into one of sympathy.

“It’s hot teacher, isn’t it,” he surmises, his voice filled with pity. “Did something happen?”

Dan wants to shout at him. He wants to yell that it’s none of his fucking business, and that he should butt his big head out of it. Instead, he opens his mouth to scream, and instead starts to cry.

He takes one step and falls straight into Tyler’s chest, sniffling. Tyler holds him readily, not hesitating for a moment, his arms coming round Dan’s back.

“Aw, Dan, love,” Tyler says softly. “You’re gonna get my suit all damp.”

“You can stand one day of looking not-perfect, Ty,” Dan says, sniffling.

“What happened?”

“It doesn’t matter,” Dan sighs, leaning away from him. Tyler’s arm stays on his back, rubbing lightly. “It’s over, that’s all.”

“I don’t understand,” Tyler says. “I thought you were so into one another?”

Dan shrugs, checking his watch. “Things got in the way.”

“Things?” Tyler asks, confused. “I don’t-”

“Look, Ty, thanks for being nice, but I have to go.”

“Sweetie, if you need to talk about this-”

“Yeah, um, later,” Dan says vaguely. “I’ve got to catch my bus.”

“Wait,” Tyler calls, just as Dan is about to bolt out of the door. He pauses, turning back, despite really wanting to flee this conversation. “Don’t you have a class with him today?”

Dan nods dejectedly. “Third period.”

“Shit,” Tyler says, pitying. “Good luck.”

“Thanks.”

The one time Dan wants his lessons to stretch on, they go double speed. Mercifully, he’s given a load of copying to do for Mr Richstein during break-time, so he doesn’t see Phil all morning. But all too soon, it’s 10:55am, and he has nothing to do except make his way down the corridors to Classroom Nine.

He drags his feet and dawdles, but it doesn’t make any difference. He ends up there in no time, hovering outside the partly open door. This time, he doesn’t even bother knocking.

Phil is, for some reason, rolling out an enormous sheet of white paper across the length of the floor. It reaches from wall to wall, covering the entire classroom. He’s pushed all the tables and chairs to the edges of the room, leaving a huge gap in the middle for it.

As Dan edges inside, Phil looks up, his glasses slipped a little way down his nose. “Oh,” he says. “Hi.”

“I’m scheduled to be here,” Dan blurts out. “Today. At eleven. To assist.”

Phil smiles at him. “I know.”

Dan swallows, nodding. “Cool.”

Phil stands up then, stepping on tiptoes to the edge of the paper. “Um, maybe we should take our shoes off.”

“Right,” Dan says, obeying immediately. It’s only as he’s untying his second pair of laces, one hand braced against the wall, that he thinks to ask why. “Uh, any reason I’m getting my feet out?”

Phil chuckles at him, pulling off his own shoes. “So we don’t make any marks on the paper.”

“Right,” Dan says again. “God forbid.”

Phil laughs again. “I’d tell you what we’re doing today, but-”

“But you want it to be a surprise.”

“Oh no,” Phil says, standing up in just his socks. “I’m becoming predictable.”

“Never,” Dan replies, honestly.

There’s an awkward pause, and Dan uses it to find somewhere to stow his shoes for the next hour.

“By the way,” Phil tells him conversationally. “The timetable’s changed a little. We’ve got the Year Nine’s today.”

Dan looks up in shock. “What?”

“Yeah,” Phil shrugs, like it’s no big deal. “Because they missed their History class on Monday due to the trip. So I switched with Mr Hawkins. He’s taking the Year Eight’s for Religious Studies, and I’m getting the Year Nine lot for this period. Just for this week, obviously.”

“But… but why?” Dan asks, a swell of panic rising in his chest as he considers the idea that they students from the Paris trip - the very students that blew up a very promising budding relationship with their cruel gossip - are going to be here in less than two minutes.

“Well, we just thought it was more important that they have the lesson today,” Phil shrugs, eyeing Dan confusedly. “They’ve got their mock GCSE’s coming up after all… and… Dan, are you okay?”

Dan is not okay. He’s struggling to remain calm.

“I just… didn’t realise.”

Phil watches him carefully, then steps onto the paper on the floor, as if he’s about to walk over.

“They won’t say anything, Dan,” Phil says quietly, dithering in the middle of the paper. “It will be okay.”

Dan meets his gaze, badly wanting to believe that. “How do you know?”

Before Phil can reply, three girls - Savannah, Caoibhe, and Gaeul all walk in, giggling about something. They stop short at the sight of the paper across the floor, looking at Phil for guidance.

“Shoes off, girls!” Phil cries, all seriousness wiped from his expression. “We’re having a socks-only lesson today.”

The girls laugh, slipping off their ankle boots and ballet pumps, then walking carefully across the paper to place them neatly at the side of the room with their bags. As the others file through the door, they follow suit, each bringing another bubble of excitement to the atmosphere.

Dan, perched up on one of the tables at the side of the class, just watches anxiously, waving and smiling as best he can at the familiar faces.

“Hi, sir!” They call brightly, sensing nothing amiss.

“Hey, Mr Howell, how’re you?”

“Bonjour, Mr Howell!”

Finally, Jonah bowls through, grinning and calling his greeting to Mr Lester, like nothing is wrong, like he hasn’t destroyed everything with his carelessness.

Dan hides a scowl, and tries to tell himself to remain professional.

Once everyone is inside, their shoes removed, they sit cross-legged on the large blank canvas beneath them, and Phil introduces the class. They’re going to be creating a mural, based around the Paris trip. Everyone will draw their favourite memory, and relate it to a piece of Parisian history from the time period they’ve been focusing on. They can draw anything, as long as it’s relevant and appropriate.

Penises, Phil reminds the class, are not permitted.

The class get to work at once, grabbing the coloured pencils, chalks, and pens Phil hands out in big tubs. They talk amongst themselves, busy creating their masterpieces, so Dan hops down to wander through them all, peering at their drawings.

“Sir, you’ll smudge my design!” Katie complains, batting at Dan’s socked foot as he walks by her.

“Oops, sorry,” he says, stepping backwards.

“Sir, you’re walking on my Eiffel Tower!” Matthew cries.

Dan apologises profusely, and makes his way quickly to the edge of the class, where Phil’s desk is, trying to avoid any more disasters. Phil giggles at him, perched on the edge of his desk like a deity overlooking his Kingdom.

“Perhaps you should design something for the mural too, Mr Howell,” Phil suggests, holding out an array of pencils to him.

Dan gives him a withering look. “I knew this was all a ploy to get me to draw again.”

Phil chuckles. “Told you I’m becoming predictable.”

Dan sighs, rolling his eyes, and takes a few of the pencils from his hand, trying not to focus on the way his fingers drag over Phil’s.

“What do I draw, then?”

“What’s your favourite memory from the trip?” Phil asks.

Seconds after the question leaves his mouth, he seems to realise how loaded it is, and blushes, looking away.

Dan doesn’t look at him either, trying to focus on coming up with literally anything remotely appropriate to draw.

“As if you need to ask him that, sir,” Jonah calls to Phil, smirking.

Dan fixes him with a glare. “That’s enough, Jonah.”

“Aw, lay off, sir,” Jonah replies, glaring right back at him. “I’m only sayin’ what everyone already knows. Your favourite memory of Paris isn’t gonna be the fuckin’ Champs-Elysee is it?”

“I mean it, Jonah,” Dan says, standing up straighter. “Pipe down.”

“How exactly are you gonna draw you and Lester suckin’ face, anyway?” Jonah asks, chin jutting out defiantly. “Chalk and charcoal?”

“I said that’s enough!” Dan shouts.

“Dan,” Phil says softly, his voice a warning. Dan ignores him.

“For God’s sake, Jonah, it’s not appropriate for you to make those kind of comments!”

A slow smirk spreads over Jonah’s face. “Struck a nerve did I, sir?”

“Jonah, I am warning you-”

“Oh go blub to your boyfriend about it,” Jonah says, rolling his eyes.

The rest of the class have stopped drawing now. They’ve stopped their chattering too, nineteen pairs of eyes fixed on Dan and Jonah, their mouths open in shock.

Dan grits his teeth. He can already feel the anger rushing through his bloodstream, churned up by Jonah’s insolent behaviour. He’s not going to be able to choke it down this time.

“Get out,” he snarls. Jonah stares in surprise.

“What?”

“I said get out of this classroom, Jonah Frank.”

“Dan,” Phil hisses at him, one hand on Dan’s arm. Dan pulls free of him, furious. “Dan, you can’t just-”

Dan stalks over to the door then, stamping over several students’ drawings as he goes, though nobody says a word. He pulls open the door, fixes Jonah with a hard stare, and gestures to the hall outside.

“I’m not going to ask again.”

“Sir, can he do this?” Jonah asks, turning his attention to Phil.

Phil swallows, turning to Jonah. “Mr Howell is just as much of a superior to you as I am, Jonah. If he feels you are misbehaving, he can discipline you however he sees fit.”

“So, you agree wiv’im?” Jonah asks, cross now. He gets to his feet, throwing a piece of chalk down in anger.

“Yes,” Phil says, though he doesn’t seem happy about it. “Do as he says, Jonah.”

“This is bullshit, an’ all,” Jonah growls, but stalks through the open door into the hallway, pulling it closed behind him.

“Wait out there, Jonah!” Dan calls.

“Alright everyone,” Phil says weakly. “Back to work.”

Reluctantly, the kids return to their drawings, whispering quietly. Dan doesn’t need to wonder what they’re all saying. He passes a hand over his face, wondering what the fuck he’s doing.

As Dan looks up, he notices Phil starting to pick his way through the kids towards him, and swallows, sensing the incoming storm. Phil is calm, aiming strained smiles and encouraging comments at the students, but as soon as he gets close enough, he takes Dan by the arm. Dan just lets it happen, allowing himself to be led without a struggle to the very edge of the classroom, as far from the students’ earshot as possible.

He tries to brace himself for a telling off, and has a quiet word with his own body that no matter how stern and teacher-y Phil gets with him, he is by no means allowed to get aroused by it.

“Look, Phil, he was being disrespectful,” Dan says immediately, wanting to try to get his word in first. “He’s been saying that shit for way too long, it’s not appropriate-”

“Dan, do not even try to tell me that this wasn’t a personal vendetta against one individual.”

Dan shuts up, sighing. “He had it coming.”

Phil groans in exasperation. “Dan, you have to see how bad this is. You can’t just send students out of my class without telling me.”

“You said you agreed!”

“What else was I supposed to do?” Phil asks, his voice low so the others won’t hear. “Say you were wrong? Undermine you in front of the whole class?”

“But I’m not wrong!” Dan fires back, frustrated. “You know his behaviour is inappropriate, I’m only doing what you should have done weeks ago-”

“Do not tell me how to do my job, Dan.”

Dan blinks at him, taken aback by the harshness of his tone. Phil has never spoken to him so sternly before. His serious expression is gone in a flash, but it doesn’t matter. It will stick in Dan’s mind forever, probably.

“Fine, whatever, I’ll go and get him back in.”

Phil sighs, catching Dan’s wrist as he starts to head for the door. He drops it quickly, remembering where they are. Dan feels the fingers slip over his skin, and winces.

“No, look,” Phil starts. “It’s fine. It’s done now. I’ll go and speak to him, tell him not to say that stuff anymore.” Phil looks heavenward. “Not that I have any idea how to begin that conversation…”

“I’ll do it,” Dan says softly. “This is my mess. I’ll clear it up.”

Phil pauses, considering. He chews his lip. “Okay. But… can you do me a favour?”

“Anything,” Dan says, too quickly. He curses himself for saying it, eyes slipping shut.

“Just… don’t be too harsh on him,” Phil says, his voice a little croaky again. “He’s not a bad kid. He just teases people. But it’s a sign of affection.”

Dan looks at Phil, a realisation dawning over him. “I screwed up the rapport you’ve built with the most troubled kid in school, didn’t I?”

Phil shrugs, tiredly. “I hope not.”

(Part 11!)

#phan #l'histoire française #teacher au #phan teacher au #my fics #sorry for the sadness!

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arrowsshootyouforwards · 7 years ago

Text

Moving In

You nervously paced your home awaiting their arrival. Today, after three years of dating and seven months of being engaged you and your husband-to-be were moving in together. It wasn’t that neither of you had wanted to, but both of you had good jobs in different cities and each waited patiently for a transfer. His came just under a month ago. Leonard McCoy was one of the country’s top Paediatric Surgeons and the hospital in San Francisco had offered him a job. A good job. Though work was not the only thing keeping you both from moving straight in with each other.

Leonard had a daughter from his previous marriage who was just a week off her tenth birthday. The move had been postponed with a trip to Georgia for you so Joanna could have her party with her friends from school. Pouring yourself a coffee you heard the truck pull up outside and took down a second mug for Leonard who was accompanying the truck with his car. You opened the door as Joanna climbed out of the back seat with her pillow and her bear. She looked up at the house, she hadn’t seen the new house yet, the last time she had visited with her dad had been Spring Break a couple of months before. “Y/N!” She called running up and hugging your waist. You bent and kissed her hair.

“Hey Jo,” you smiled, careful not to spill her dad’s coffee. “You like the new house? It’s bigger than the last one, hey,” you greeted Leonard as he climbed the stairs.

“Hey,” he smiled and kissed you, taking the coffee from your outstretched hand.

“Welcome home,” you said softly.

The movers had their lunch in the truck while Joanna explored the house. You and Leonard picked out the house a while ago. “Which room is mine?” Jo asked as you climbed the stairs with her.

“End of the hall,” you smiled, decorating her room had been your last renovation. She’d picked out the colours and you and your friends had decorated it last weekend. Her room was a pale blue with heat sensitive paint that would change colour when she touched it. Joanna wasted no time standing with her back flat to the wall and waiting for it to change around her. She excitedly ran around the room pressing her hands to the wall making images.

“I love it! I love it! I love it! Thank you!” She called wrapping her arms around your middle once more.

“You’re very welcome,” you told her.

“OK Jo come’n get your stuff from the truck and you can unpack,” Leonard told her draining his remaining coffee before it became cold. You helped Jo carry the heavier boxes to her room and started helping her put things away while Leonard unpacked his things, Jo trailing hand prints over her wall as you did.

You and Leonard were in the kitchen unpacking the last plates and mugs from his old place in Georgia when he wrapped his arms around you, kissing your neck and cheek. You hummed appreciatively, turning in his arms to kiss his lips. “Hey” you said softly. His lips descended on yours once more, kissing you deeper than before. His hands trailed over your sides, cupping your ass he lifted you onto the counter. You melted into his embrace, wrapping your arms around his shoulders.

“And this is the hall, and these are the stairs and here’s the- eww! My eyes!” Jo cried throwing her forearm in front of her face. You chuckled as Jo caught the pair of you kissing while giving her grandma a facetime tour of the house. “Is it safe to look?” She asked peeking under her arm.

“Yeah, it’s safe” you assured her, chuckling once more as Leonard moved across the room to the almost empty box sitting on the counter, plucking out the last three plates and stacking them in the cupboard.

Jo said “goodbye” to her grandma and climbed on one of the bar stools. The three of you discussed dinner options when Leonard’s beeper interrupted.

“I gotta go,” he said with a sigh, he hadn’t wanted to go in for at least another day to settle in but it was an emergency. “Don’t wait up for me, I’ll be late,” he kissed the both of you and took his coat and keys from the hooks as he left. You looked back to Jo who looked a little deflated.

“Hey, how about we order a pizza and watch a movie, any movie you like?” Her eyes got back that little sparkle and she nodded as you unpinned the pizza place menu from the corkboard. Joanna chose her pizza toppings and sprinted upstairs to pick a movie as you called the pizza place. She changed into her onesie while upstairs and put on the movie, Tangled, leaning into your side to watch and eat her food.

Joanna fell asleep near the end of the movie and you carried her upstairs and tucked her in before returning to clean up downstairs.

Three days later saw Joanna’s first day at her new school. Leonard had asked specifically for the morning off so he could see her off and be there for the parent’s orientation. You had put her hair up in two pigtails and she was wearing the uniform: tartan pinafore, white blouse and black tights with flat sensible shoes. On her back she carried her Supergirl backpack. The three of you arrived in front of a large red brick building and parked. Joanna held her dad’s hand tightly as you walked up the stairs. The principle, a soft-spoken woman smiled as she shook all three of your hands. Joanna hid behind Leonard as much as she could as the woman spoke. Jo had never been great with strangers. It took 2 months before she stopped following her dad out of the room when they stayed with you or you visited them. Of course, then she had been five. After a tour of the school Joanna was shown to her classroom and said her goodbyes. You and Leonard joined the principle in her office to fill in forms and discuss the ‘parental code of conduct’ agreement.

Leonard’s beeper went off as you were being shown out of the school. He dropped you at work as it was on the way to the hospital and kissed you goodbye. You arrived at work and clocked in, “so how’d it go?” Your boss asked appearing from nowhere, turning pages on a clipboard.

“She went into the classroom without any resistance so I’m gonna say good,” you told him taking the clipboard from him. “No,” you told him reading where he had you for the day, “Scotty please don’t put me with the newbies, they’re hopeless.” You said.

“An’ that’s why I need my best engineer on the job,” he replied and you shot him daggers.

“Look, Evans’ out sick, when he’s back I’ll unleash them on him.”

“Deal.”

That afternoon you stood near the entrance to Jo’s school and waited for her to be ushered out to you. She joined you and clasped your hand as the crowds of pupils and parents grew around you. Smiling you stroked the back of her hand with your thumb and got her away from the mass of people. Twenty minutes later you arrived back at the house and she ran straight upstairs. You decided to give her some space, Joanna didn’t like being around too many people and you didn’t want to push her. “Dinner at six,” you called then added, “let me know if you need help with your homework,” giving her the option to reach out. She didn’t reply, just shut her door.

Leonard got home at half five as you were starting dinner. “Hey everything OK? Jo upstairs?”

“Yeah, how was your day?”

“It was good, she have a good day?”

“I think so, she went right upstairs.”

“OK, I’m gonna shower then I’ll come give you a hand,” he said kissing your cheek.

“So, Jo, how was school?” You asked over dinner.

“It was OK,” she said pushing her food around.

“Just OK?”

“I don’t know anybody,” she said.

“Well I’m sure you’ll make some friends quickly, you’re a great kid.”

The week followed in a similar fashion. You dropped Jo off at school and went to work, picked her up, went home and she would run upstairs not to be seen again until dinner where she was quieter than you had ever seen her. Leonard was frequently on call so he was gone more than either of you had hoped but you knew his job would require that of him and you didn’t mind so much knowing he was saving lives. The weekend saw just you and Joanna alone in the house. You were working through some paperwork when you heard the stairs creek under her feet in the morning. “Morning Jo,” you called finishing your notes before looking up. Seeing her you frowned, she didn’t look good.

“Is my daddy here?”

“No sorry honey, what’s wrong?”

“I don’t feel good,” she said softly, her lower lip trembling. You walked over to her and put the back of your hand to her forehead. She was warm but not to an alarming rate. “I want my daddy,” she said.

“I know baby, let me give him a call and you can talk to him.” You dialled your phone and handed it to her as he picked up, sitting on the step beside her she allowed you to sit her in your lap, resting her head against your shoulder.

“Daddy,” she said, “I don’t feel good,” she listened as he spoke and she relayed her symptoms back to him. “He wants to talk to you,” she whispered.

“Hello?” You asked stroking her hair as she leaned against you.

“Hey (Y/N) sounds like she has ‘adjustment flu.’ Basically, her body is reacting to all the new germs from the school and area. She’ll have flu-like symptoms but nothing serious. She needs rest and fluids and I’ll try to get home early if I can.” Leonard explained.

“OK, we’ll see you soon, you wanna say bye to daddy?” You asked her, she nodded and you handed her back the phone, holding her until she hung up. Jo wrapped her arms around you, tucking herself under your chin. “How about we make a little nest on the couch and watch some movies?” Jo nodded but not nearly with the enthusiasm she normally would.

Dragging her duvet behind her Jo made herself comfortable and searched through her Netflix settings for a movie while you finished your paperwork and made drinks. Later that day Leonard arrived home. You were working, laptop perched on the arm of the couch, Jo asleep with her head in your lap.

“Hey, how is she?” He asked pressing a kiss to your cheek.

“Hey, she’s been improving but says her glands still feel swollen.” Jo stirred and moved to her father’s lap as he checked her over.

“Mmm, they’re swollen alright, you’re a little flushed, how do you feel sweetheart?”

“Lousy,” she replied pouting.

A couple of weeks later you started to notice things about Joanna. She was quieter than before, which was rather unnerving. She didn’t seem herself, normally she was full of joy, but now she rarely looked away from the floor or left her room. The real clencher was when you picked her up from school one evening. All the other kids were hugging and calling their farewells, but not Joanna. She looked around, would start to say something and then not or speak to someone and be ignored. It broke your heart, but you thought you understood. Returning home Jo shut herself in her room once more.

Softly you knocked on the door and waited to be called in, you didn’t get an answer so you peeked around the door, Jo was laying on her bed, holding her bear and looking at a photo in her hand. You moved slowly and sat on the bed beside her. The picture was her birthday just gone, she and her best friend hugging each other with matching party hats and silly faces. As you sat beside her she fell against you bursting into tears as you wrapped an arm around her.

She turned into you, and sobbed, you pulled her into your lap. “I wanna go home,” she cried against you.

“Oh, Jo,” you said softly.

“I want, my school and my friends,” she sobbed, “everyone here laughs at my voice, and- and makes fun of me,” she cried harder and it took all you had in you not to cry with her. “Please, please don’t make me go back tomorrow,” she begged, which was the final straw as a lone tear spilled over your own cheek.

“How about I go in and talk to the principle?”

“No,” she sighed, “that’ll just make it worse,” she said.

“Well I can’t let it keep happening Jo, it isn’t right.” You wiped her tears away, “let’s give it a try, if it doesn’t help we’ll figure something else out.” She nodded against you.

“Are you gonna tell my dad?”

“Jo I’ll have to,” you told her. “Why?”

“He was so happy and excited to move here, I don’t want him to think I’m unhappy,” she told you.

“Oh sweetheart, your dad would hate it if he thought you weren’t happy here,” you told her. “Let me talk to the school and we’ll see how it goes, alright?” Joanna nodded. “Your dad’s working late tonight, how about you and me get some take-out?” She smiled and nodded again, hugging you tighter.

The next day you spoke to the principle, receiving a less than impressive response that Joanna should grow up and deal with it. You went to see Leonard during his lunch. “Hey,” you said poking your head around the door of his office. “I brought lunch?”

“Come on in,” he smiled standing to greet you. “How’s your day?”

“Not bad, we need to talk about Jo.”

“What about her?” He frowned.

“She’s not happy, last night she told me she’s been bullied at school, I went in this morning and the principle was less than helpful.”

“Why didn’t she say anything?”

“She didn’t want you think she was unhappy, I hope you don’t mind but I couldn’t leave her there, I pulled her out of school, she’s outside.”

“Jo, come on in sweetie,” Leonard called, Jo ran around his desk and into his arms, “it’s OK sweetheart, you should’ve told me. Your happiness means everything to me Jo.” He told her as she started to cry again. “I guess we’re gonna have to find a new school. Y/N you grew up around here, are we in any good schools around?”

“There are a few, we’ll find something,” you assured her.

That evening when Jo was in bed Leonard sat on the couch with his laptop to start researching schools with you. “I can’t believe I didn’t notice she was so upset.” He muttered.

“Leonard, you have a demanding job, it isn’t your fault, the school didn’t protect her, it’s their fault.” You said rubbing his shoulders, “not yours.”

“I know but I still feel responsible, I can’t let her down again.”

“You won’t. We won’t.”

“I know,” he smiled. After a while and several schools later he turned to you, “you said you loved your old school, think we’re in the catchment area for it?”

“We might be, but it’ll be close. We’ll have to check in the morning, I know one of the teachers, we went there together,” you yawned.

The next day you set Joanna some school work based on a home schooling website and called your friend at what should have been morning break. He answered. “Y/N hey, how’re you, look can’t talk long, class is in 5 minutes,” he said.

“OK, um, I was just wondering if this address was in your catchment area,” you told him the address and explained your predicament.

“Yeah, I think we have kids from further out than there, you should be fine, should I let the head know to expect your visit?”

“We’ll be there after lunch. Thanks Hikaru,” you said hanging up and calling Leonard.

You, Leonard and Joanna arrived at the school after lunch, it was just like you remembered. Hikaru met you at the reception and showed you around, he would be Jo’s teacher so he’d volunteered himself to greet you. Jo held tightly to her father’s hand and tried to hide from him, but his gentle nature seemed to make her feel comfortable enough to whisper ‘hello’ back at him. On the way to the principal’s office you pointed out some of your favourite places and your old locker. After discussing how the school worked she took you on a tour.

“Well Jo, what do you think?” Leonard asked her as you sat in the peace garden area.

“It looks OK,” she said.

“Wanna give it a try?” He asked. She looked around at the buildings and the other children in their uniforms and nodded.

“I will.”

You picked her up a uniform from the school store and arranged to bring her back the next day.

The next morning Hikaru met you and Jo at the front door to take you in. He showed you her locker and classroom. You sat with him and discussed the classroom conduct. You were surprised that not many things had really changed since you had been a student. One thing that had was that the students called teachers by their first names, rather than their surname. Apparently, the school had trialled it a few years back and it seemed to help the kids feel comfortable and have more respect for their teachers. Before you left you snapped a picture of her in her uniform to send to Leonard as he had been called in for emergency surgery at five that morning.

“Have a nice day OK?” She nodded against you as you hugged her goodbye at the school doors. You watched her run back in with Hikaru and let out a deep breath. She would be OK. You hoped she would be. You knew she would be.

During work Scotty put you on paperwork since you were way too distracted to use machinery. You drove to the school for pick up and stood with the other parents, waiting nervously. When she came out of the doors you barely recognised her, she was walking with three other kids, talking and laughing together. You let out a sigh of relief waving to her, she brought over her friends, who were followed by people you assumed were their parents.

Jo hugged you and introduced you to her friends and their parents stepped forward to introduce themselves. On the spot, you found you had invites to playdates and a party the upcoming weekend. “Sounds great, we’ll be there, her dad should have the day off too if you don’t mind.”

“Sounds great, see you all then,” the host dad said.

“Looks like you had a good day,” you said getting the car.

“Yeah, we were assigned to work together in Science and turns out we like some of the same things. We played at recess, ate together and lunch and…” You listened to Jo tell you about her day smiling. You couldn’t wait to tell Leonard that his little girl would be OK.

@medicatemedrmccoy @outside-the-government

#star trek #bones x reader #Leonard McCoy #joanna mccoy #star trek au

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blazardragon · 7 years ago

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Korotan D: English Translation of Chapter 1

Plus page 1 of Korotan D (pictured above) as a bonus since there’s no original art for this chapter. If you’re curious what Korosensei is saying, its:

“If you master the exercises in this book, your chances to pass your entrance exams will sharply rise!”

This chapter heavily features Karma and Nagisa. We also get a little bit of Kayano, Nakamura, and Isogai, and also a line or two from Kurahashi, Yada, Okajima, Takebayashi, Yoshida, Itona, and Terasaka.

I’ve added the images that are interspersed throughout this chapter at the same points they were located in the book in order to mirror the experience of reading from the actual book as closely as possible. You’ll see what I mean as you read!

“Due to heavy snowfall, various transportation facilities are experiencing delays. Because of this, entrance exams to the country’s public universities that were scheduled to take place today have had their starting times postponed……”

The news on TV relayed information about the heavy snowfall. Nagisa watched the news at home with an anxious look as he ate his lunch.

Today was the day that some of his friends from Class E were supposed to take their entrance exams. Nagisa, who was already slated to go straight to Keisetsu University from his high school, ardently prayed for his struggling comrades.

Was everyone able to make it to the exam halls on time?

While he was thinking about everyone, he received a LINE* message on his phone.

Karma: Are u free right now?**

Nagisa reflexively looked at the TV again. Karma was supposed to be in the middle of taking the entrance exam for Togyo University. He immediately replied:

Nagisa: Today’s your exam, right?

Karma: Of course. Right now, I’m on lunch break

Karma: It’ll be over in three hours, so let’s meet up after this

Nagisa smiled wryly at Karma’s invitation.

Nagisa: You’re rather composed

Karma: I guess you could say that. So, does the usual family restaurant at 4:00 sound good to you?

Nagisa: It’s snowing hard outside, though?

Karma: It’s snowing hard over here, too, but I’m still doing this exam, you know

Karma: Don’t stay all snug and cozy in your room and get over here

In the end, Nagisa gave in and headed off to the meeting place Karma had specified, treading on the new snow underfoot. On the way to the station, he saw some elementary schoolers having a snowball fight. While taking care not to get hit by a stray snowball, he traversed through the difficult terrain and arrived first of the two at their usual family restaurant. His body had become thoroughly chilled, so although he had entered a warm room, the core of his body remained cold. His body shivered as he waited, until Karma came at the exact time he had specified.

“Yo.”

He was so tall that he immediately captured the attention of those around him. He had grown 10 centimeters since middle school, making him 185 centimeters tall.

It was really unfair……

Nagisa, who still hasn’t even reached 160 centimeters, believes that his own growth spurt will happen any moment now……. It will be several years before he realizes that it’s never going to happen.

Karma smirked once he noticed Nagisa staring at him enviously.

“What’s wrong Nagisa? Is my face too high for you to see?”

“…Just be quiet.”

This year, Nagisa made sure not to meet with Karma because he was worried about Karma’s exams. When Karma would invite Nagisa to hang out with him in spite of his upcoming exams, Nagisa would end up giving him the cold shoulder.

“How did your exam go today?”

“It was no big deal. None of the problems were beyond what I had expected.”

Even though he had just finished a grueling exam, Karma didn’t look worn out in the slightest. In fact, he was just as nonchalant as ever.

“Who cares about the exam? I called you out here because I wanted to discuss something with you. Let’s all go on a graduation trip.”

“…A graduation trip!?”

“We’re all going to become college students or inherit the family business, so we’re going to have less chances to go on trips together. Everyone should be able to make it if it’s Mid-March, right?”

“……Mid-March? Entrance exams will still be going on. If anybody fails their midyear exams, then……”

“I’m telling you, it’s going to be fine. We’re Class E, after all.” Karma smirked.

“Takebayashi made sure not to repeat the mistakes he made when he had taken his high-school entrance exams and squeezed his way into a private university commensurate with his abilities. I passed by Isogai at the exam hall earlier, and it didn’t look like he had any problems, either. Even Terasaka passed the exam for one of his backup universities, so even that cheeky bastard is gonna be a college student. As far as I know, everyone should be able to make it.”

“Is that……so?”

Then, Nagisa suddenly remembered:

“Kayano won’t be able to make it! She said that she had a film shoot overseas around that time!”

“Seriously!? I see. That’s too bad… She sure is a popular actress.”

“She said it was for an Action-Adventure film called Gold City.”

This surprised Karma so much he halfway stood up from his chair.

“Eh!? You’re kidding!? That movie is directed by the same guy that did Sonic Ninja!”

“Really?”

“Yes, really! I’m sooo jealous! So, she’s already an international star. Kayano-chan’s amazing!”

When Nagisa was in Class E, he and Karma had Korosensei take them to Hawaii, where the three of them watched Sonic Ninja. It’s a movie Nagisa holds a lot of deep memories for. Recalling the gap between Karma, who only watched it because he liked the director and coolly conveyed that he thought the movie was “cliché”, and Korosensei, who was crying out loud over that “cliché” story, Nagisa felt a wave of nostalgia.

“Do you still regularly keep in touch with Kayano-chan?”

“Yeah, although, all we do is exchange text messages. She’s extremely busy, so we shouldn’t let our goofing around snatch away her precious time.”

Karma was shocked at Nagisa, who said this with a smile.

“Nagisa, you’re way too reserved. For us, she isn’t ‘Mase Haruna’, she’s Kayano-chan, a member of Class E just like us. Sometimes you should just try being pushy and invite her out. She’s our dear friend, right?”

“Maybe you’re right, but……”

“Although, I guess it’d be impossible to invite her to a graduation trip if she’s doing a film shoot overseas. Did you hear where she was going?”

“Yeah, she said she was going to the country of Phnon in Southeast Asia. They’re doing a film shoot at a group of temples designated as a World Heritage Site.”

Karma struck his hands together. His face showed that he just thought of some kind of plan.

“I know where we should go for our graduation trip. Let’s go see Phnon’s World Heritage temples!”

“Ehh!?”

“This is perfect! I was thinking that we should go somewhere overseas, so let’s go where Kayano’s going!”

“But that’s absurd! If we go there, we’ll just bother her!”

“It’s okay if we’re just going there to take pictures. It’s not like we’re going there specifically to bother her. It’ll just be coincidence that we meet her there. Just coincidence.”

Karma smiled a smile fit for a demon. When he becomes like this, there’s no stopping him.

“It’s decided.”

Karma immediately pulled out his smartphone and sent a message to the rest of Class E. Shortly thereafter, replies started pouring in one by one.

Kurahashi: Graduation trip, let’s goo~

Yada: We haven’t had many chances to gather together since graduating from Class E, so I’m really happy-

Okajima: A southern country is a great idea! I can forget about all this snow

Takebayashi: I was thinking that I wanted to go somewhere before we get busy

Yoshida: Let’s go on that graduation trip!

Itona: Since Terasaka got into his backup university, everyone else should be fine. Let’s go

Terasaka: Don’t just place me on the bottom of the pack!

“See, everyone looks like they wanna go. It’s decided.”

Karma showed Nagisa the screen of his smartphone. Nagisa could also see how excited the rest of Class E got the instant they heard the plan.

“I guess there’s no choice. Geez.”

But then, another message appeared. Karma clicked his tongue once he saw it.

Isogai: I really want to go on that graduation trip

Isogai: But I don’t know the results of my entrance exam yet, so I’m not really sure what to do

“That Isogai. What’s he acting so timid for…? If he used his full strength, then he definitely passed, and yet…”

“Well…probably, but… Isogai-kun seems worried about the trip itself, too.”

“Ah, I get it. It’s because he’s as poor as usual…And he didn’t accept any more prize money than we did, too.”

Karma’s smartphone vibrated. It was a message from Nakamura.

Nakamura: Leave it to me to get discounted airfare and lodging! I have an acquaintance overseas that can help us, so I can arrange something cheap

Nakamura: It’s even okay if we cancel our plans at the last minute, so it’s alright if someone needs to apply for one of the public university exams

Nakamura successfully inferred his circumstances and made a suburb assist.

“That’s Nakamura for you. She made quick work of that. Now Isogai can come, too. You have no complaints either, right, Nagisa?”

“…..It’s because I was blabbing about Kayano’s schedule that everyone’s going to go bother her. This is all my fault,” Nagisa replied with a depressed look on his face.

“Don’t worry about that. After all, I just got the details from Kayano herself.”

“Eh!?”

Karma showed Nagisa Kayano’s reply

Kayano: I’m going to be doing a photoshoot outside of Japan around that time. Sorry.

Kayano: I really want to go with all of you! I’m so bummed-

Karma: It’s for Gold City, right? I saw an announcement for its production on the news. You’re totally an international star now, huh

Kayano: No no, far from it!

Karma: It’s located in Southeast Asia, right? Where exactly are you shooting the film?

Kayano: We’re doing it at Phnon’s World Heritage Site

Karma: My parents have also gone to those temples, but they said it’s near a lot of water, which was terrible. Make sure you take care~

Kayano: I will, thanks. Say hi to everyone for me!

“See? With this, I was able to confirm the location and time of the film shoot from Kayano herself. This whole plan of mine has nothing to do with you spilling the location, so you can sit back and enjoy the trip.” Karma stood up with a broad grin.

Nagisa was tongue-tied at Karma’s ability to put his scheme in order in less than half an hour.

“I’m grateful that you took my feelings into consideration, but will Kayano really be happy about having such a large number of people intrude on her……?”

“Of course! Now, go ask her what her film schedule will be and where she’s lodging.”

“I can’t do that!”

“A ha ha, guess not. Even I wouldn’t be so shameless to ask her something like that~ We’re gonna surprise Kayano with everyone, so keep it a secret, ‘kay?”

With his devilish smile remaining on his face, Karma left the restaurant.

---He’s the same as ever, but will we really not be a hindrance to Kayano, I wonder……?

Nagisa, fraught with unease, remained in the restaurant for quite some time.

Translation notes:

*LINE is an extremely popular social networking app in Japan. If you smash Facebook and Skype together into one free app, you basically get LINE.

** In this particular sentence, Karma abbreviates his message in the Japanese text (even though it’s already short to begin with, gosh), so I had him write in “text speak” in my translation

Also, I included honorifics whenever they were included in the text, but it seems there aren’t that many. Just the -kun Nagisa added to Isogai’s name and the -chan Karma added to Kayano’s. I guess everyone in Class E has gotten closer since last time we saw them ^_^

It seems Karma and Nagisa go to this family restaurant often. I wonder what kind of food is served?

#assassination classroom #Ansatsu Kyoushitsu #Korotan D #Nagisa Shiota #Karma Akabane #Kayano Kaede #AssClass #Translations

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