#also rip to that hand of hers hanging mid-air it makes me feel the direct opposite of

[michyeosseo]

That vulgar girl. She's such a vulgar girl...

Yoon Hae Young and Choi Myung Gil as JANG SE-MI & BAEK DO-YI LADY DURIAN (2023) 1.04

[shes-a-gryffindor]

Hypothetically

Just a feel good one-shot, with a bit of Jily fluff and lots of Marauder banter.

As the air grew steadily warmer and the stress of exams seemed to melt away, the end of their schooling loomed ever nearer; until, as if all at once, the weeks had come and gone and they were sat in The Three Broomsticks, having a final drink as students of Hogwarts.

From a table in the middle of the crowded haze of the pub, Sirius Black’s voice could be heard over the raucous laughter of his friends… “No really, hear me out,“ he said, “she’s the type you can tell used to be sort of fit in her day.”

Lily choked on her drink mid-sip, Remus shook his head in amused exasperation and Peter was doubled over the table in a fit of giggles.

“I suppose McGonagall does fit the bill,” said James through his own laughter.

“Ah Prongs, a man after my own heart!” Exclaimed Sirius, clapping James’s back, “see... he gets it,” he added, looking smugly at the rest of them before taking a sip of his beer.

“Yeah, I get it,” said James, nodding earnestly, “Pads doesn’t mind ‘em stern and a little scary, do you Pads?” Then looking pointedly at the other three added, “ mummy issues,” causing Peter, who’d only just recovered from his last bout of giggles, to dribble a mouthful of Butterbeer down his chin, sending them all into a fresh fit of laughter.

“Gits,” said Sirius, scowling half-heartedly at them before laughing in spite of himself and downing the last of his beer; setting his empty glass back down with a thud, Sirius smacked his lips. “Right,” he said, “anyone up for a stretch of the legs?”

“Yeah, let’s go,” said Lily, downing the last of her drink as well, “… looks like Slughorn’s requested another song from the band and I don’t fancy another round of karaoke, d’you?”

“Absolutely not,” agreed Remus, so with the scraping of chairs against stone and the clattering of sickles and knuts being left on the table, they weaved their way through the crowd of tables and out into the village of Hogsmeade.

Filing out one after another onto the cobbled street, they began walking aimlessly along the path towards the far end of the village. It was a gloriously warm day, the sky was scattered with only faint wisps of cloud and the sun beamed happily down onto the thatched cottages and bustling shops, picturesque as ever.

Sirius and Peter made a game of trying to step on the each other’s heels, dancing around one another and occasionally running ahead, Remus strolled casually behind them, hands in his pockets and Lily and James trailed along last, James with an arm hanging loosely around Lily’s shoulders, talking and laughing as they went.

“I’m going to miss it here you know,” mused Lily, as they passed by a group of younger students excitedly rummaging through their shopping.

“You won’t get a chance to miss it too much, we’ll still come here all the time,” James responded, smiling down at her.”

“Oh will we ?”

“Well, you didn’t think we’d be spending all our time at the Cokeworth pub, did you?” He teased.

“Hey!” Laughed Lily, elbowing him playfully, “Cokeworth has… it’s charm,” she said, sounding rather like she didn’t much believe it herself.

“The only charm Cokeworth has, is you love,” he responded.

“James,” she groaned through more laughter, “you got me, I’m dating you, please enough with the awful pickup lines.”

“Never.” He said, grinning that lone-dimpled grin she loved, before pulling her closer to swiftly kiss her through her smile.

“Keep up lovebirds!” Sirius yelled out to them.

The bustle of the village was now behind them and a wide, beaten grass track replaced the cobbled stone of the street. The cottages that lined either side of the track were becoming fewer and farther between and they seemed to be walking steadily downhill.

“Where are we actually going?” Asked Lily.

“We’re going, Evans, to a rather special little spot,” Sirius told her, a smirk playing at his lips.

“Special?” She said questioningly; James’s lips were now also tugging at the corners.

“Here we go,” sighed Remus.

“Well, if you must know,” Sirius began, “I happened upon this particular spot whilst looking for a bit of… privacy,” an insolent grin now spread across his face, “brought many a sexual conquest here in our day, eh Prongs?” He finished, winking at Lily.

“Right… so just each-other then,” she responded before James could interject.

Sirius pushed her playfully into James, his bark-like laughter drowning out the others.

They continued much in the same fashion until finally, they reached a low, cobbled wall lined with coarse, unkempt grass; walking along it until they came to a very old, very splintered stile. Sirius stepped over the first few rungs before leaping over to the other side and the others followed suit.

It was easy to see why privacy had been the main selling point of this particular spot; the wall was alarmingly eroded, with chunks of stone jutting out it looked on the verge of collapse. The thick, thorny brambles that flanked either side of them created somewhat of an alley, opening up to a desolate clearing that stretched out of their line of sight, eventually turning up into hilly mountains.

“Charming,” said Lily, her cheery tone dripping with sarcasm.

Sirius, obviously unaffected by her assessment, simply winked at her. “Make yourselves at home,” he said before slumping down onto the grass to lean against the decrepit wall.

Peter sat on the lowest rung of the stile while the others slumped down next to him, joining Sirius on the grass. Lily sat with her legs crossed over James’s and Remus on her other side sat next to Sirius, who was wrestling a pack of cigarettes out of his pocket.

“Should we be worried? You’re not planning on snogging us all are you?” Asked Remus with mock concern.

“This,” Sirius began, flipping open the packet, “is why we’re here,” and he pulled out what looked like a cigarette with its top twisted off.

“Where’d you get that!?” Asked Peter.

“You know I have a certain talent for sniffing these things out Wormy,” he responded.

Peter and James chortled, “Wow,” said Lily, “that is some James tier humour, Black,” making Remus laugh now too. James looked at her with feigned offence.

“Put it away before it’s confiscated Padfoot,” he told Sirius, smirking and nodding in Lily’s direction.

“Pfft” scoffed Lily, and with a mischievous grin, snatched the joint from between Sirius’s fingers.

“Lighter, Black,” she demanded, holding out her hand.

Sirius obliged, tossing it to her.

Pressing the joint between her lips before lighting it, she took an exaggeratedly long drag. All four boys stared at her incredulously. Removing it from her lips, she held her breath momentarily, winking at Sirius before turning to blow the smoke at James.

Sirius whooped and snatched the joint back from her, before taking a drag himself.

James was still staring, a little dumbstruck, at Lily, “Merlin you’re sexy,” he told her.

“Oh please don’t ruin smoking for me” groaned Sirius, handing the joint to Remus.

“You’ve already ruined it for me,” mumbled Remus with the joint now between his lips, “for all I know you’ve shagged some poor bird in this exact spot,” he said, gesturing to the patch of grass on which he was sitting.

“Nah, not there,” responded Sirius in earnest, waving a hand dismissively, “I have there though,” he added, gesturing with his thumb to where Peter was sitting.

“Ergh!” Peter jumped away from where he was sitting to slump against the wall next to a laughing James.

“Don’t be such a prude Wormy,” said Sirius, grinning lazily.

“Can we talk about anything else,” said Lily, trying to stifle her own laughter.

“Please,” agreed Remus.

“All right then… I’ve got a hypothetical question,” said James, blowing smoke out the corner of his mouth, “say, hypothetically, there’s no war… you have your pick of anything after Hogwarts, and, hypothetically, Auror is off the table… what are you doing?”

There was a moment of silence before Lily asked, “is this hypothetical?” The boys hooted with laughter. The effects of the smoke having kicked in, everything was much funnier in their bleary state.

“Go on then,” chuckled James, taking another drag and passing the joint to Peter.

There was another moment of silence as they all considered it; then, with a stony look on his face Remus spoke first, “pretty sure... war or not, I’d have about as many options as I do now,” he said despondently, absentmindedly ripping clumps of grass from the ground.

Sirius and James exchanged a grimace, Lily however, smiled ruefully at Remus; squeezing his hand in her own, she rested her head on his shoulder, “come on Moony… hypothetically,” she said, pouting comically up at him in her best impression of James. James thought his heart might explode with love for her.

Remus smiled stoically back down at her, “well…” he sighed, allowing himself a moment of self-indulgence, more to appease the group than anything else “… I suppose I’ve always found my dad’s job interesting, Boggarts at least are fascinating…perhaps something like that.”

“You’re braver than I am Moony,” said Sirius, clapping him on the back, “couldn’t pay me enough to go looking for one of them fucking things,” he added with an exaggerated shudder.

“Can’t face a Boggart, but you’ll go running ‘round with a Werewolf once a month,” he responded sarcastically.

Sirius rolled his eyes, “you fold your underwear and you won’t eat a meal without tucking a little napkin into your collar…yeah Moony, you’re a real monster,” he jeered, before continuing, “I reckon I’d fancy something like The Three Broomsticks, like old Rosmerta… y’know a pub, open my own...”

“I can see that,” said Lily, picturing in her mind’s eye a too-charismatic-for-his-own-good Sirius getting into all sorts of trouble in his own pub, “you’d be a right menace to society behind a bar though, with all that free alcohol,” she added.

“As opposed to the perfect angel he usually is,” sniggered James.

“Fair point,” she agreed, laughing.

Sirius appeared to still be musing over the idea, staring hazily into the distance he mumbled, “could call it Hair of The Dog or something…”

They roared with laughter, “that’s actually not bad,” spluttered James between coughs.

“And you Prongs? What are your hypothetical post-Hogwarts aspirations,” Remus asked.

“I’ll venture a wild guess… something quidditch related?” Said Lily, grinning at him.

“Reckon I’d be a shoo-in for the Cannons,” he answered, grinning cockily, “… or England for the cup,” he added.

“At least he’s modest,” said Lily, ruffling his hair the way he usually did himself.

“All right Head Girl, Slug Club protégée, potions extraordinaire… what’s life after Hogwarts look like for you then?” He teased, wrapping an arm around her shoulders.

She weaved a hand through his at her shoulder and thought for a moment before answering, “a Healer perhaps, or a Mediwitch… think I’d be good at that,” she said conclusively.

“Very fitting” said James, smiling down at her, “although to be fair, you’d be good at anything you decided on,” he added.

Lily smiled warmly back at him before turning to Peter, who hadn’t yet given his answer. “What about you, Wormy?” She asked brightly.

Staring distractedly off into the distance, his eyes glassy and unfocused, Peter appeared to be deep in thought, “… We’re never coming back to school,” he said slowly, as if only just comprehending this fact.

They burst out laughing, jolting Peter back to the present, “caught on, have you?” said James, coherently as he could through his own hysteric laughter. Sirius was now howling, sprawled across the grass on his side, clutching his stomach.

When they’d finally managed to compose themselves, Peter was still looking ahead, his brow slightly furrowed, “I genuinely have no idea what I’d be doing…” he said quietly, more to himself than in response to the question, his eyes darting side to side as if he was beginning to panic a little.

“I think we’ve broken Wormtail,” laughed James.

“Blimey mate,” said Sirius, laughter edging back into his now voice too, “just as well a bunch of lunatics are trying to kill everyone then, or you’d have ended up polishing Prongs’s broom or something.”

Peter laughed half-heartedly along with them.

“Don’t listen to him Wormy,” said Lily, “he’s just jealous he doesn’t actually get to polish James’s broom …” she finished, using two fingers of each hand to draw imaginary quotation marks around the word 'broom', sending them into another bout of laughter.

They continued like this for a while, making jokes at each other’s expense and laughing much too hard at things they ordinarily wouldn’t find nearly as funny; the minutes ticking on until there was no reprieve from the very bright sun that had sunken a little lower in the sky, blaring down on them.

Groaning and grumbling about how hungry they were, they began the trek back to the castle. Lily and James trailing behind again, hand in hand.

“Many a sexual conquest, eh?” Said Lily, grinning lazily.

“I’d hardly call them conquests… Sirius was just winding you up,” responded James, pinching her nose playfully.

“hmm... Personally I’ve always found the spot near the shrieking shack to be much better,” she said, “much more privacy.”

James laughed, pulling her closer again, “is that where all that howling's coming from? Merlin Lily, what have I been doing wrong?”

“Not funny!” Remus yelled over his shoulder.

Lily threw her head back in laughter and let go of James’s hand, skipping ahead to link arms with Remus, “oh, come on Moony!” She said playfully.

Watching her for a moment, stumble and laugh, arm in arm with his friends... James thought he very much knew exactly what he’d like to do after school. With or without a war.

[hansolmates]

g.p.s - god, parents suck | m

summary; seokjin just wants to enjoy the disney treatment and you are more than happy to deliver pairing; dilf!jin x hotelier!reader genre/warnings; crack, humor, gets a lil emotional, teenage daughter issues, one very minor allusion to a daddy kink LOL, a very vaguely implied sex scene, so CHEESY  w.c; est. 5.1k a/n; wee my first jin fic! this is for @btsghostiewritersnet​ #DynamiteDads event! I was supposed to go to disney this year but sadly miss rona had to cancel our plans so this is just pure self indulgence. as always thank u to @eerieedits​/ @chillingtae​ for the disney dream fic banner!

if you like it give it a bippity-boppity-boop on the like and share buttons! ✨✨✨

“Left, left!” Seokjin cries, holding onto the emergency break for dear life, “not my left, your left!” 

“We’re facing the same way! We have the same lefts!” 

“Clearly not if we’re going right, Sweetheart.” 

“But the GPS says to go right!” 

“In four-hundred feet, keep left at the fork,” Google Maps interrupts pleasantly.  

“That’s it. Kim Yeji, pull over!” 

“But Daaaaaaaaad,” yet his daughter complies, sadly pulling over at the edge of the road. She doesn’t even have to step on the gas, just turns the wheel slightly so she can land slowly, pathetically on the gravel. 

“Angel,” Seokjin says levelly, reaching over to unclick the seatbelt. “I will drive the rest of the way, I gave you time to practice for you have to drive to college but we can’t get on the highway like this.” 

“You never let me do anything.” 

“What, I do! Who let you go to prom in that sequined excuse for a dress?” 

“Uncle Namjoon!” 

“Fine, I’ll give him that! Who let you dye your hair to a crisp—” 

“Uncle Hoseok!” 

“Uncle–” Seokjin is affronted, jabbing the seatbelt in it’s locked position when he gets in the front seat. “Forget it, let’s just have a peaceful drive for the next few hours until we get to the hotel,” he removes Yeji’s phone from the holder, placing it in her lap. 

“Dad,” she waves her phone around, pointing to Google Maps, “you need the GPS to get there.” 

He scoffs, “No, I don’t. We’ve been to Disney plenty of times. I know where we’re going.” 

“Oh yeah? When’s the last time we went to Disney?” 

“When you were two? Three?” 

Yeji relaxes in her seat, not ready to argue with her dad once more. “Alright, lead the way,” she gestures vaguely to the empty parkway, devoid of life for miles. 

Seokjin is undeterred, reaching over the console to pat Yeji’s blonde hair. He turns on the radio, only to be met with the sound of crunchy static and terrible country music. Cutting the radio, he immediately switches to an old Disney CD, telling Yeji to let it go as he pulls into the open road. Reddish dust clouds around the car briefly, ripping against the tires as they drive off to their hotel. 

“Is this the Princess Hotel?” 

“Nope, this is the Prince S Hotel.” 

You can’t help but grin at the way your current customer’s face falls. He’s a handsome thing, all plush and pillowy in the cheeks and lips. Despite his daughter hanging off his arm like a limp noodle—after all it’s past 2AM and they’ve probably been driving for hours—he still manages to look somewhat put-together despite you telling him they’ve got the wrong place. 

“Told you, use the GPS,” her daughter chastises weakly, tucking her cheek in his shoulder. 

His kid’s a pretty girl, kind of reminds you of when you were a teenager. “The Princess Hotel is about an hour away on the other side of the Disney resorts,” you say slowly, noting from the way the girl is swaying on her feet that her father must be equally as tired, “although, I would suggest staying here for the night. Your daughter’s about to fall asleep on my counter.” 

At the pointed look you’re giving the teen, Seokjin puts a protective hand on her slim shoulders. “Yeji-bear, why don’t you lie down for a bit,” he leads her over to a spare couch. “We’ll call our booked hotel,” he says shortly, looking over his shoulder to give you a forced smile. 

Ah, you’ve seen this scene one or two times in your days working at Prince S. A father too prideful to admit he may have messed up just a little with the directions, and a child that probably argued or simmered so hard on the way they’re passed into a stupor on your lobby couch. Tonight, or your early morning is a little special though, you’ve never seen a father as handsome as the one in front of you, exasperatedly calling up their real hotel reservations. 

“What? My reservation has been revoked?” her daughter groans when he jostles around his lap, knocking her head, “how can you do that? Past the time? I thought this was Disney!” 

You drum your nails against the counter, using your other hand to pull up your guest list for the night on the computer. The father, now furrowed in the face, walks up to you and leaves his daughter on the plush couch. 

“One double bedroom for the weekend, please,” the father pulls his cards out, flicking it to your side of the counter. He places down his car keys in the available holder, “I parked out front, you do valet right?” 

With a nod, you get to work. “Take it they weren’t very accommodating?” 

“They gave our hotel room to some Make-A-Wish Foundation kid!” he cries exasperatedly, hands in the air as you patiently book the room. Your eyes linger longer than usual on his driver’s license and ID: Kim Seokjin. Even his driver’s license mugshot looks handsome. He rests his arms against your counter, despondent. “Is it terrible for me to hate on some kid with a terminal illness?” 

“A little,”  you shrug, slipping his keycard under his elbow, “but I mean according to your, Yeji-bear,” you can’t help but giggle at the nickname, “if you used the GPS you’d be at the correct hotel.” 

“Don’t remind me,” Seokjin glares, hauling his and Yeji’s luggage in one hand, “baby, let’s go upstairs c’mon.” 

You watch the small family trudge to the elevators,  sleepily walking forward like zombies. No one spares you a second glance, they never do, so it gives you ample courage to take a look at Kim Seokjin’s toned body. Broad shoulders, a Dorito-trimmed waistline, and long legs that you want to climb up on.

Oh, daddy. 

“Hey,” Yeji pops up on your counter, looking much perkier than she did hours before, “do you have my dad’s car keys?” 

Trying not to raise your brows at your young guest, you give her a smirk, leaning over the counter. A spunky thing, with sharp eyes with a pretty cat-tipped eyeliner shape that has her looking well put-together. You wish you had your shit together as a teenager, you barely have it together now. 

“I do,” you quip, “why?” 

“I wanna get Starbucks,” she says simply, “the pineapple matcha is to die for, and I want to drink as many summer specials as I can before it’s over.” 

“Valid,” you reply, going into your master key to retrieve all the guests’ keys. Taking Seokjin’s from its holder, you note the expensive make. Peering up from your desk, you look at Yeji’s innocent features. Before you place the key in her waiting palm, you snatch it away, “Why do I have the feeling you’re doing something that you’re not supposed to be doing?” 

Yeji tilts her head, “I don’t think it’s any of your business,” 

Sassy. You like it. “Get me a grande matcha frappe and your secret’s safe with me.” 

“Deal.” 

Watching Yeji drive off in the large Hyundai Palisade gives you a little twinge of worry, but you quickly tamp it down to motherly instinct. If you were Yeji’s mom—which you’re definitely not, you’d be worried. Naturally, you feel similarly. 

The hotel phone rings, the red light from 921 blinking on your switchboard. Flipping down the room number you pick up the receiver, “Prince S Hotel, how can I help you?” 

“You do booking, valet, and housekeeping?” Seokjin’s exasperated voice says in your ears, “who would I call if I want breakfast?” 

“That would also be me,” you reply wryly, twisting the curly wire between your fingers, “we advertise ourselves as a hotel for the quality, although we are much smaller with only thirty rooms. Sort of like a bed n’breakfast, getting the true royal treatment.” 

“Would the royal treatment consist of some extra towels and a continental breakfast?” 

“You got it.” 

A little cliché of you to do the whole “whistle while you work” segment—a lacy apron to make sure your uniform doesn’t get dirty, a spot of coffee to keep you peppy and setting everything up on a gold trimmed cart. You didn’t think you’d see Seokjin again, especially after how upset he was about his room. 

With a little rap on his door, Seokjin invites you inside to set up. Their room overlooks the valley as opposed to the busy roads, so it’s a perfect way to rise with the sun. He immediately reaches for the coffee as you drag your little cart in, completely ignoring the cream and sugar on the side. After a long sip, he moans in pleasure. 

“Ah,” he exhales, a sound that has you teeming. You grip the handlebars a little tighter than usual, “Maybe it was fate that we ended up here.” 

“Maybe,” you fight the urge to bite your lip, because Seokjin has no idea how cliché of a line that is. He isn’t even speaking directly at you, talking in front of the sun like it’s his morning routine. “Say, have you seen Yeji around?” 

“Ah,” you shug, pretending to be oblivious, “I think she went out for a walk.” 

He turns to you, giving you a quivering brow, “She hates walking. Probably calling her friends in Korea or something.” 

Of course she doesn’t like walking, you think, that’s why she took your car for some overpriced drinks. 

Instead, you place the fresh pancakes and sides on the guest table, making sure everything is organized and in order. You place the towels atop the haphazardly made bed, making sure to put two mints on top. It isn’t customary to include mints, but you think the mints your hotel has taste great and deserve to be shared around more often than not. 

“So, it looks like you’re ready for Disney,” you remark, taking note of his outfit. He has on blush mid-thigh shorts, stretchy and made from a canvas fabric that looks airy and comfortable. Around his neck is a little portable fan, and on his head is an old Mickey baseball cap. 

“Ah, just for today and tomorrow! Sunday is my ‘me’ day,” Seokjin says, dashing across the room at the sight of fresh food, “Yeji is meeting with some cousins and will be spending the rest of the weekend with them.” 

“Sounds like a fun weekend,” you remark, turning to leave. 

“Will you be working the rest of the weekend?” 

This is supposed to be small talk. You try to convince yourself that Seokjin is just being polite, wondering if his service is going to be impacted by you being around or not. There must be nothing sexual, or just mere attraction, going on between the two of you. Well, maybe on your side of things. The pink shorts and the baseball cap are doing things to your body that you barely understand. Unfortunately, the eager apples of his cheeks and the innocent upturn of his lips lets you know that any possibility of returned affections is virtually nonexistent. 

“It’s my weekend off,” you fight the twinge of excitement when you see Seokjin pout, “but Park Jimin relieves me, and he’s definitely a much better host than I am. He’ll make sure everything’s taken care of.” 

“Does he make better pancakes than you?” Seokjin asks, swirling a bite in a ribbon of maple syrup.  

“I’m afraid not,” you smile, “he makes a mean breakfast burrito though.” 

He shrugs listlessly, eating slower. He takes his time to make sure every pancake is cut in equal two-centimeter pieces, taking his time as if he’s savoring the last of your home-cooked meal. “Not sure if I’ll be completely satisfied then.” 

With a firm smile, you wheel your cart out as fast as you can. You can’t keep up the facade now, not with your trashy mind and your dampening panties ruining your sense of self. Quietly slamming the door behind you, you’re met with Seokjin’s spitting image. 

Yeji tilts her head at you, eating you alive with her dead-on stare. She places the keys and your matcha beverage on your cart. 

“Did my dad confuse you or something?” 

“Is it that obvious?” 

“He’s like that,” Yeji shrugs, taking a long sip of her drink, “don’t worry, I’ll put in a good word for you.” 

A good word? With an uneasy smile you wheel away, ignoring the burn in your cheeks.

“Can I have the keys?” Yeji asks the next morning, minutes before your shift ends.

You fight the urge to roll your eyes. You’re sure Yeji is a wonderful kid and has a good heart, but she’s seriously putting your five-star Yelp review on the line. Cocking one eyebrow you say, “What, need your Starbucks fix?” 

“Do you know how to parallel park?” 

“Why, need a teacher?” 

“It’d be better to have someone nearby to make sure I don’t park into a guard rail.” 

“Does Seokjin approve?” 

“You obviously know the answer to that,” Yeji replies, “and you and my dad are on a first-name basis, huh?” 

Fighting the heat in your cheeks, you busy yourself by locking up the money box and key tin, but not before grabbing the keys to the Palisades. “I’m doing this for you because I have impeccable customer service skills,” you feign haughtiness, leaving your front desk and scanning your ID to clock out. 

“Not because you think my dad is hot?” she follows you out the door. 

“Do you always talk about your dad like that?” 

Yeji is silent as she takes the keys from your grip, and you follow her in the passenger seat. A scent that’s fruity yet musky fills your nostrils, and you hug your arms for comfort. This is painfully awkward, at least in your point of view, but Yeji pays no mind as she connects to her Spotify playlist and turns on the air conditioner. 

“I’m not one of those prissy daughters that try their damn hardest to make sure their dad doesn’t date,” Yeji murmurs, adjusting the mirrors, “anyone my dad dates will be better than Hyehwa. He deserves to be happy for all that he’s done for me.” 

“Hyehwa?” 

“The biological carrier for nine months,” Yeji replies dryly. 

Your heart pinches, squeezing against your ribcage as you put two and two together. Hyewha, who you’re assuming is, or was Yeji’s mother, is definitely out of the picture. Yet seeing how confident Yeji is with herself, and how much he loves her father and wants him to be happy, is clear in your eyes. 

“You are one cool kid,” is the only thing you can say, hoping you don’t have that silly heartened look in your gaze. 

It seems that you do, because all she does is roll her eyes and put the car in drive. 

It’s nearly one in the morning when you get the call. 

You’re off the clock, but it’s graveyard hours and you and Jimin are craving pizza. So while Jimin tends to the last minute guests, you pick up a cheesy pie and hide behind the desk while Jimin does his job. 

You’ve polished off half the pie when the main phone rings, and Jimin sighs heavily. Late night and early morning calls are the absolute worst. 

“Get the hospital on speed dial,” Jimin jokes, but not really because the last time someone called at one, you really did wish you had an ambulance on-site. 

“Prince S hotel,” Jimin spins the cord between his fingers, looking like a dreamy teen heartthrob as he leans against the counter. He immediately swings the phone over to your greasy fingers, “it’s a personal call.” 

Wiping your hands on the box, you raise a brow. “Hello?” you ask, wholly confused. 

“Mm, it’s Yeji,” the voice slurs on the other line, “I need help.” 

“A-are you drunk?” you say, incredulous.

“Yeah, me and my cousin snuck a bottle downtown,” Yeji sounds nervous, and you unconsciously grip the phone tighter, “can you pick us up? I can drop you my location if you give me your number, please. My dad trusted me with the Palisade this weekend, I can’t let him know what happened. I know I’m always trying to get under my dad’s skin and whatever but I don’t want him to lose my trust, what we did is a dumb mistake.” 

A part of you feels for Yeji, you’ve done dumb shit like this when you were young. All those fond memories are nothing but memories, and definitely not reflective of your current life now. 

The rational, intelligent part of you knows that you should probably call Seokjin right now and tell him what’s going on. You don’t really want to get involved in their family matters, especially when as of late you’ve been inserting yourself in Yeji’s antics. 

With a sigh, you pull up your Lyft app, already knowing whose side you’re on. 

It takes no more than fifteen minutes for you to arrive at the scene, Yeji and what you assume is her older cousin sitting on the curb of a dilapidated Krispy Kreme, sadly polishing off a whole box of glazed donuts, Well, her cousin is polishing off the box, Yeji is taking nibbles at her proffered donut. 

You sigh, pulling Yeji up. You see tear-streaks, her previously perfect cat-eye smudged off and running down her cheeks. “I’m sorry,” she whispers, sounding not as inhiberated as she did before, “I bothered you.” 

“Not at all,” you soothe, running a hand down her braids. You try not to melt when Yeji nearly leans into your warmth, but backs up at the last second, “I’m happy that you called. Would rather know that you’re safe now than later, yeah? I’m not mad at you,” you assure, pulling a crumpled brown napkin from the pizzeria to dab at her ruddied cheeks. 

“Hi, I’m Jungkook,” you turn your head dangerously slowly towards the cute muscle pig who’s still sitting on the curb, “Ya deserve a five-star Yelp review for this service—” 

“But I’m mad at you,” you pointedly ignore his drunken charm. He looks old enough to drink, which only further annoys you because he should be the one taking care of Yeji, “get in the damn car, Youngkook.” 

“It’s Jungkook—”

“Get in.” 

He swallows his tongue, and you notice Yeji stifling a giggle at your attitude. She wordlessly hands you the keys, clamoring in the front seat while Jungkook takes the whole back row. Yeji tiredly informs you the address to her cousin’s hotel, and you drive off into the night. 

“Did I ruin my dad’s chances with you?” you think that Yeji has no clue what she’s saying, but there’s a little sliver of heart in her tone. Her face is pressed against the window, the cold glass on the verge of keeping her awake as she stumbles in and out of consciousness. 

“You could never do that,” you mumble, and you smile when her eyes willingly flutter shut. 

“Hey, babe,” you practically hear desperation in Jimin’s voice.

“Jimin, no,” you already know that his request is sitting prettily on the tip of his tongue, “it’s my weekend off. I’m not getting out.” 

“But someone requested your pancakes,” he whines, and you can practically feel his pout on the other line, “and he said and I quote ‘I’ll be able to tell that you made them.’ I feel threatened!” 

“Did they offer to pay in diamonds?” 

“N-no. But he said it’s his daughter’s special weekend and he’d be really thankful if you’d come by and make your breakfast for him.” 

Daughter? Yeji. You sigh, rubbing a hand over your face. You have your own room separate from the hotel, a deal that has you living rent free in exchange for your hard labor five days a week. “Heat up the stove for me and crisp the bacon,” you mutter, hanging up and throwing the phone under the covers. 

Tugging your hair back and throwing on a large hoodie, you put on your slippers and pad down the little sidewalk that leads to the hotel. The sun beats down on you immediately, willing you to go back to your air-conditioned room to fall back asleep. Swimming through the soup that is the Californian air, you shuffle inside Prince S and make a beeline for the kitchens. You brush through busy employees, flashing a quick smile and “good morning” as you get to your station.

Jimin is already there, sitting at your workspace. All your ingredients are sitting out: flour, eggs, butter, vanilla, baking powder, baking soda, buttermilk, and fresh berries. However, Jimin makes  no moves to attempt cooking, instead looking at you with pursed lips and waiting for you to get a move on. 

“Get your butt off my counter,” you slap his thigh disapprovingly, pulling your sleeves up to start mixing the ingredients, “you’re dirty.” 

“I embrace being dirty,” Jimin replies majestically, kicking his legs back and forth. His Doc Marten creepers wave in your vision, “thank you for swinging by. He said that it was really really important that you come in and make them. Daughter’s request.” 

“They’re lucky they’re a cute family,” you mutter under your breath, although the words aren’t laced with malice. 

The batter is fluffy and puffy, rising with the scent of melted butter and caramelized sugar. You take careful fingers towards the berries, creating a smiley face in the uncooked pancakes. 

“Is your maternal side kicking in?” Jimin says in your ear, and you swing at him with your spatula. 

“Leave me alone, art is being made.” 

“Sure,” Jimin hops off the table, patting your shoulder, “I got a date with room 69,” you roll your eyes, there is no such thing as room 69. “So please continue to be awesome and finish off this favor by delivering it to Mr. Kim’s room.” 

“Jimin, no!” you don’t care that half the staff is staring at you amusedly, the other half uncaring because they’re so used to the two co-managers. “I’m not wearing—I’m not wearing pants.” 

You gesture to the obscene amount of bare legs out in the open. California’s hot as hell, you try to wear as little layers as possible. However, in the workplace you like to keep a modicum of decency. Even though Kim Seokjin is fine fine fine, you have decorum. 

But Jimin’s already off to visit the guest in room 69 and you’re stuck with a pile of fresh hotcakes and none of the workers want to get involved in your shenanigans. Typical. Begrudgingly, you force your Hallmark-esque smile and arrange the gold trimmed cart, taking care to put extra berries in the fruit dish. 

It’s a simple transaction. Get in, drop off the food, accept the tip if Seokjin feels generous, and get out. The door to room 921 looks larger than life, intimidating like the gates to heaven. You knock firmly, but gingerly. “Room service?” the voice that escapes your lips is your sugary professional voice, one that makes you wince immediately. 

A muffled “coming!” has you bristling at the door. You curse yourself, looking at your bunny-clad feet and your legs disappearing under your hoodie. 

As soon as Seokjin pops his head open you blurt, “I swear, I’m wearing shorts underneath this.” 

“Uh,” and that forces him to look at your legs. Dammit, it was a good intention but the wrong way to go. “Good to know,” he coughs, opening his door wider. 

The room is much messier on Seokjin’s side of the room, now filled with Eeyore and Baymax memorabilia. A large, white Baymax plush sits innocently at one side of his untouched bed. You crack a smile at that. 

“Where’s Yeji?” you ask lightly, putting both stacks of pancakes down on the available table. You absently wipe the crumbs off, leading the little pile of food-crust to the garbage can. 

“Yeji?” Seokjin asks, “why would Yeji be here?”

The way you put the cutlery down instantly slows, “You called Jimin this morning saying you needed pancakes specifically made by me to give to Yeji.” 

“Who?” 

“Jimin?” you raise a brow, losing your high-pitched commercial tone. “Tiny, annoying blond guy?” 

Seokjin stares.

You stare back.

“Yeji’s at her cousin’s townhouse,” Seokjin states plainly. 

“No, you called and said Yeji wanted pancakes—” No. 

Yeji, or Jimin, or both called you and set it up. 

“Oh, Jimin’s an idiot,” you tap your head lightly, wanting to bop out any potential embarrassing memory that has burned in your brain, “must’ve misheard. Or is hearing ghosts! Honestly he isn’t the right mind I’m so sorry I reallygottaneedto—” 

You can’t even breathe let alone exhale the rest of your sentence, so you instead do the only thing you can do—run away. You don’t bother to exude grace as you plop any trash on the cart from yesterday’s room service, whipping the cart around so fast that the side wheels fly off and pop a wheelie. 

“We don’t have to let the food go to waste,” Seokjin says pointedly, probably watching you like he’s watching a comic show as you try to bolt out of the room. 

The door is closed, and the little hallway is too small for you to put your body and the cart between the walls. You’ve trapped yourself. Maybe you could just leave the cart and dip? You’re sure there’s at least two extras downstairs. 

“It won’t,” you reply dumbly, “I can eat it in the breakroom or something, I haven’t made breakfast for myself yet. I mean, I was kinda craving an avo-toast this morning, but pancakes are always a classic.” 

Seokjin snorts at your incessant rambling, carding a hand through his chocolate locks, “I’m trying to ask you to stay for breakfast.” 

“You’re trying to—oh,” you mirror his expression, running a hand over your hair so it pulls out of its already messy style. You haven’t done much physical activity this morning, but you feel absolutely breathless as you’re glued to the cheap carpet, taking in Seokjin’s wide glassy eyes

“And if you stay for dessert, I’d like to thank you properly,” 

“I didn’t bake dessert,” you hide the shudder in your throat when he steps closer, pinning you against the cart. Your knuckles must be transparent by now due to how hard you’re gripping the cart. 

“You didn’t,” Seokjin agrees, “but you definitely brought it.” 

You yelp, actually, a whole little dolphin-squeal escapes your lips as Seokjin puts his hand against the wall. You’re actually living a Disney-esque scenario that you do not want to be in. Seokjin’s either trying to give you the Eugene-Signature-Smoulder, or the Prince Naveen charm that isn’t very charming. 

“You’re a cheeseball,” you try to snap back, but it only comes out as a small reply, fitting of your cramped situation. 

His buttery brown eyes are clear and warm, and his sweet scent envelopes your form. You feel impossibly small, sinking deeper and deeper into your hoodie until you feel the heat of his voice sinking deep into your skin. 

It’s then that he leans in and whispers in your ear, his voice a simple request, “Please tell me that you’re interested in me too.” 

Something clutches softly in your heart, tethering you to Seokjin’s gaze. You wonder how many times Seokjin goes through this scenario. You wonder if he’s happy being a bachelor. You figure that many partners must have doubts being tethered by a teenage daughter, or if Seokjin is used to fleeting hook-ups.

“Have been since check-in,” you reply smoothly, finding your breath and looking up from your eyelashes.

Seokjin’s lips find yours, and you swear you’re lip-locking with Cloud Nine. They’re soft and supple and taste a little like maple syrup as they mingle with yours, and you can’t help but weave your hands through his equally silky strands, tugging him closer as he hooks his arms under your bare thighs. 

He gives your bottom an experimental squeeze, leading you to the unmade bed.

Needless to say, breakfast has to wait. 

“So, I’m going to throw a cliché.” 

“Sure, we’re in Disney.” 

“Why me?” you slap his bare chest when Seokjin laughs, pouting, “I mean it! All I did was look cute and give you pancakes!” 

“So you admit you’re cute,” Seokjin smirks. 

“C’mon don’t change the subject, tell me!” 

Even though this hotel is partially yours, you’re still amazed at the softness of the Egyptian cotton as it engulfs both your bodies. Maybe it’s because you’re warm and bathing in the noon afterglow, maybe it’s your bed partner. Still, it feels divine as you lounge in bed, sipping champagne (left by the door, courtesy of Jimin.)

“Mm, caught you driving around with Yeji in my car.” 

You sit up straighter, clutching the sheets to your chest, “You saw us last night?” 

“You were also out last night?” Seokjin tilts his head, “I meant when you taught her how to parallel park.” 

“Oh fuck—I mean,” you slap your forehead, knowing you can’t get away with this one, “Let’s just say I helped her out of a sticky situation. Don’t blame Yeji, blame Yeji’s bunny-headed cousin.” 

“Noted,” Seokjin throws an arm around you, snuggling closer. You relax into his hold, melting between the sheets and his soft skin, “Knowing you’re pulling through for her. Let’s just say I’m a little soft for my daughter, no matter how old.” 

“She’s wonderful,” you say genuinely, taking slow sips of your bubbly drink. 

“Wanna go visit her for lunch? I’m supposed to be meeting her in an hour.” 

You don’t feel deterred or nervous to see Yeji, or even the possibility of meeting Seokjin’s extended family. So you agree, run back to your room quickly to throw on a reasonable summer outfit that doesn’t consist of hooded sweatshirts and booty shorts. 

Seokjin offers to drive your sedan, and since you feel a little princess-ish today you decide to let him take the wheel. After a few minutes attempting to drive in the direction of the townhouse however, you lower the volume on the radio. 

“Jin? I think you’re going the wrong way,” not only do you live here, but you went to the townhouse last night and you’re sure it’s in the opposite fork, “do you want me to plug it in the G.P.S?” 

“I know my way, hon,” Seokjin waves you off, confidently streaming through the oncoming traffic. You smile nervously, you have a feeling this situation has happened once or twice. 

“Oh, is that why you ended up in my hotel?” you tease, “because you’re so good at directions?” 

“Duh,” Seokjin reaches for your hand atop the console, “after all, my intuition led me to you.” 

[straightlikewetspaghetti]

Demons of the Past

Pairings: Poppy x MC (Bea Hughes)

Warnings: Mature language

Word count: 3074

Ch.1 Stranger Danger

Poppy Min Sinclair had to arch her slender neck to see her reflection from over the shoulder of Chloe, who had been testing her new artistic vision on her for a good few minutes. For some time now, Poppy had become a canvas for Chloe's magical hands as she tried her luck at running a beauty salon, along with Veronica, who was doing her best advertising.

"What do you think V?"

Veronica tore her gaze away from her phone and looked towards Poppy wrinkling her nose slightly. She usually did that when she was seriously considering something. "As far as I'm concerned she could use some plastic surgery."

"Asshole," Poppy laughed hurling a pillow at her friend, which missed and knocked over a decorative vase standing nearby. Three girls looked in that direction and soon the three of them burst out laughing loudly, curling up on the floor.

"Enough, enough!", Chloe began to shout when she noticed that Poppy wanted to wipe her eyes from crying, and she caught her hands, looking at her with a chastising gaze. She wouldn't let her hard work be destroyed so easily. Poppy rolled her eyes, but the smile on her face remained constant as she silently teased the shorter girl along with Veronica. "Why am I hanging out with you guys..."

"You love us," whined Veronica hugging a reddened Chloe with one arm, who lowered her gaze quickly to her hands nervously playing with the hem of her skirt.

Poppy made the sound of displeasure she made whenever the two girls started acting too cute. She was glad for their happiness, but deep down she felt an incredible jealousy, because she herself would like to share her life with someone too.

The couple sort of understood the blonde, pulled away from each other and looked at her docilely.

"Don't worry Poppy, I'm sure you'll meet someone at the party tonight. From what I heard Zoey invited some cutie from the old days...", Chloe smiled as she tried to convey positive energy with her words. "Besides, you're wearing my makeup, no one will be able to resist you!"

"Cutie you say..."

Ch.2 Party Fever

She was the most beautiful girl in the whole room.

No.

She was the most beautiful girl in the entire world.

Bea watched from a dark corner of the room as Poppy twirled effortlessly to the beat of the music, attracting the stares of drooling people with her movements. Her tiny skirt didn't leave much to the imagination either, but that was Poppy Min Sinclair's style; if she wasn't the main attraction, what was the point of her presence?

"You're acting like a creep," she was snapped out of her observation by Zoey who magically appeared next to her, making her almost gasp.

"You should have some kind of bell around your neck, Wade," Bea rolled her eyes at her friend's laughter.

"Wow, she has nice ass... Ets, yeah, nice assets," Zoey smiled innocently seeing her friend's murderous gaze. "You'd better come over to her eventually,"

Her gaze went back to the dancing blonde. "It's been five years, what should I say to her?"

"Maybe something like; Heya Pops I already have money, maybe you want to come with me for a little Macarena?", the black-haired squirmed as Bea's fist landed right in her stomach, almost knocking the air out of her lungs. The slight pain she felt didn't stop her from laughing at the tomato-like look that appeared on her friend's face. "Come on babe, she's at the bar now, this is your opportunity."

Bea nodded and straightened up, ready to attack. "You finally said something with sense."

Ch.3 Deja-vu

"One Old Fashioned and Sex On The Beach."

Poppy turned behind her with a ready biting remark, but her voice froze in her throat when she saw the person standing behind her. And it was none other than Bea Hughes herself, her first drink, crush, kiss, sex, love, but also her first heartbreak. She stood before her as casually as if those five years of separation between them had never existed. Her short brown hair, now shoulder-length, was whiter than snow itself. Her childlike facial features had sharpened and she could see tiny wrinkles appearing from the overworked late nights. Her style had also changed, from boyishly sporty and bad girl to formal and important. She looked like a millionaire ripped straight from the cover of Forbes. She no longer resembled the person she once was.

"You remembered what I drink," the blonde choked out as the first wave of shock left her and the lump in her throat loosened. Talking to her seemed so unreal that she felt like she had lost consciousness and was now dreaming.

Bea smiled in response, though it was more of a tired smile than the beaming howl with which she had greeted Poppy daily in their school years. "There are some things that are hard to forget Pops," the white-haired girl shrugged her shoulders sheepishly as she slid the hundred across the counter towards the bartender, who with renewed vigor reached over and ran to prepare the drinks, nearly tipping over his own feet.

"Feeling generous tonight?", Poppy chuckled as she watched Bea tuck a rather thick bundle of bills into her pocket. In their teenage years, the white-haired girl had barely been able to make ends meet, but Poppy had always admired her ability to live from day to day and enjoy herself, even when an eviction order from her home hung over her head.

Bea laughed a throaty laugh that sounded almost like a cough. She nodded and tilted her head to one side, the way she did every time she got into a thoughtful mood. "There's nothing wrong with supporting the littles." Poppy's insides tightened to ask where she'd gotten all that money, but by some miracle her strong will managed to curb the urge and nip it in the bud. That would be tactless, and lack of tact is a trait that should not be associated with Min Sinclair.

"You can ask me anything you want," Bea looked her straight in the eye, making Poppy stop seeing anyone else but her. It was as if she had cast a spell on her and moved them far away, enclosing them in a safe bubble illusion. Even the music became just a distant rumble as the white-haired woman looked at her that way. The same way she had looked at her five years ago.

"I don't understand," the blonde cursed herself when she heard her own words, which sounded more idiotic than some of Chloe's wisdom. Bea seemed unmoved, by her clumsy attempt at pretending, in fact, a cocky grin appeared on her lips that she, oh so much, felt like tearing off now.

" Don't play games Poppy, we're not kids anymore," Bea reached for the drinks that had finally been brought in and handed one to Poppy, completely casually, fingertips brushing against the skin of her palm. "Drink up, it'll help you relax, and I know you have a lot of questions."

The blonde lowered her gaze to the drink and took a moment to look at the colors that danced on the surface of her liquor. How was Bea able to read her like an open book after all these years. Everyone said she had changed, but could it be that the change wasn't so great after all? And why was she always questioning herself in her company?

She was pulled out of her reverie by Bea, who unnoticeably slipped her finger under her chin and lifted her face so that they were looking at each other again. This time, however, she was closer, much, much closer. Poppy could without much difficulty smell the expensive perfume that didn't match the Bea of her memories, but did match the woman who sat before her. Just as in years past, Bea's thumb involuntarily stroked her cheek.

For a brief moment, the blonde let her selfish thoughts consume her and savor the touch, but it didn't last as long as she wanted it to. "N-no," she whispered and using all of her strong willpower she moved a safe distance away from the white-haired woman, who didn't object to her reaction. "I can't do it like this," she said as she walked away, escaping as quickly as possible from this cursed place, from this cursed past.

Ch.4 When It Rains, It Pours

When she left the building, it was already dark and chilly outside, and a light rain was drizzling from the heavy clouds hanging in the sky. At this point, however, she didn't care about ruining her expensive and designer clothes and makeup that Chloe had sat on for dozens of minutes. She needed to get some fresh air, cool down, and let her thoughts flow.

Why had she come back just now? Now that Poppy had put her life back together, without her and without thoughts of her.

"Sinclair!"

"You've got to be kidding me," she snorted under her breath hearing Bea's loud voice behind her, who as usual wasn't giving up. At least that hadn't changed. "What do you want Farmsville?"

Bea squirmed at that old nickname, but quickly imposed a stoic expression on her face and shoved her hands into her pockets. Even in this gentle rain and illuminated only by the slightly penetrating moonlight, she continued to look like a goddess, which annoyed Poppy immensely.

"You ran out so suddenly, I thought something happened and I thought..."

"Oooh now you thought?" snapped the blonde, who nervously shifted from foot to foot, almost ready to throw herself at the white-haired woman's throat. Years of pent up rage bubbled through her veins, making her skin almost burn with living fire. "Forgive my surprise, but I would never judge Bea Hughes for her ability to think!"

The white-haired woman watched her in silent contemplation, answering nothing. Her silence irritated the blonde a hundred times more than anything she could say. The atmosphere between them was becoming strained to the limit and all it took was one wrong move, one misspoken word, and the catastrophe was certain. The rain intensifying around them wasn't helping either.

"I don't understand what happened. We were talking calmly like we used to, and suddenly you run out and do one of your tantrums..."

"Ha! Like we used to...," she interrupted her again in mid-sentence, mimicking her and almost bursting into maniacal laughter, but her mood had nothing to do with amusement. "I guess you've already forgotten that you left me for five whole years and now you're back and you expect us to talk like old friends?", her voice wavered between anger and tears. "Someone paid you to come back here? That's where you got the money from, right? You were hired to get revenge on me..."

"What," the astonishment in Bea's voice was almost palpable as she stared at the blonde shaking with anger with her eyes wide open. It was Poppy's nature to explode and make arguments for any reason, but what she was saying now sounded irrational, even for her. "I'm the CEO of my uncle's company, that's where I get my money from," she corrected.

"What," this time it was Poppy's turn to be surprised and her face even softened. "What do you mean, what about your dreams of becoming a music star?"

Bea scratched the back of her neck nervously and lifted her face up, letting the raindrops wash her face of any negativity that had accumulated. When she felt ready enough not to explode, she looked back at the blonde and sighed, her face looking more tired than before. "Those were childhood daydreams. A music career would never make me the kind of money an accounting firm would."

"Childish daydreams? You spent your first earned money on a guitar and an amplifier, how can you call that childish daydreams...", the concern in Poppy's voice was sincere, probably one of the more sincere feelings she had felt in recent times.

"I needed real options and real money," Bea replied dryly, ignoring any emotion from the blonde, who was looking at her with a worried expression on her face.

"What for? Why did you need the money?" she asked, not yet knowing that she would light the fuse from the bomb with that question.

"What for? Is that really what you're asking?", Bea's so far calm expression bent into unnatural anger, her eyes misting over from the emotions gripping her. "And isn't that what you wanted? A girl who can fulfill your every whim, with a stable life, a job and a mountain of money?", a realization and simultaneous remorse appeared on Poppy's face, but it did not satisfy Bea. "Yes Poppy, I heard your conversation with Veronica the other night when you thought I was sleeping."

Poppy blinked several times, unable to formulate a response. She replayed that conversation in her mind, all the words she'd said then that she hadn't really meant, but under the onslaught of people around her, her perception was distorted. "It's not like that..."

Bea raised a hand to silence any explanation from the blonde. She didn't want to hear it. "No Pops" she shook her head, her hair wet from the downpour sticking to her face, masking any tears falling. "It at least gave me the motivation to change my life, for that I will be grateful."

Ch.5 Irreplaceable

"You understand that she still had the nerve to be mad at me? Like it's my fault for changing for her," Bea had been lamenting to Zoey for about an hour, who, like any patient friend, silently let her rant.

"And she's telling me that she changed for me... After all, I didn't ask her to!", Poppy nervously walked around the living room almost already trampling a path in the tiles. A worried Veronica and Chloe watched her in silence, letting her get all the negative emotions out.

"I know she didn't ask me to do this, but I wanted to finally be worthy of her, you know? I wanted to give her the future she deserved, and she wouldn't have it with me if I continued to follow my dreams," the white-haired girl slumped helplessly on the couch next to her friend, dipping her face into her hands. "After all, to a gorgeous girl like Poppy, it wouldn't be enough that I...”

"After all, she knew full well that she suited me the way she was, why did she take away the one person I..."

"Love."

"I wish I could be mad at her...", Bea muttered lifting her face and looking straight at Zoey who seemed to be in deep thought.

"But I can't," groaned Poppy leaning against Veronica's shoulder, who reflexively began to stroke the blonde's back, which slowly began to twitch from her silent crying. Chloe moved to the other side and snuggled into Poppy to give her her full support, knowing that no words could heal these wounds.

Zoey nodded and patted the white-haired girl's shoulder giving her silent support. Bea relaxed from her friend's touch. "Haven't you thought maybe it's about time..."

"To move on and find someone new? It's been five years," Veronica felt Poppy's whole body tense up and prepared for a burst of anger, from the blonde, but the blonde only raised her head and furrowed her eyebrows."

"No. She's irreplaceable."

Ch.6 Where Something Ends, Something Begins

It had been a week since the memorable meeting.

Since then, Poppy hadn't seen or heard from Bea who had sunk like a stone into water. Such disappearing without a word wasn't her style, but the blonde wasn't sure what her style was anymore. The days she lived as she always did, and the nights she sat curled up on the couch with a glass of wine and reminisced about old times while talking to herself.

"Thank you for coming Poppy."

Poppy slipped her sunglasses off her nose and looked over at Zoey who was warming her hands with a mug of hot coffee. "Believe it, I was surprised myself that I agreed," she lied. She agreed without hesitation because she knew it was about Bea, and inside she was dying to know what was happening to her.

Zoey giggled at the blonde's nudge and shook her head. Although her words were biting, there wasn't an ounce of incivility in them. Such a habit between them. "You can probably guess why I met with you."

"Is it about Bea?", Poppy tried to sound as formal as possible and not show that she was thinking about it day in and day out, almost unable to focus on anything else. How pathetic it would be if someone found out she couldn't control her feelings.

The black-haired woman sighed grimly and nodded her head. For a moment she began to search through her backpack and pulled out a strange little bundle. Poppy tilted her head and looked at the colorful paper that only her Bea could choose. She smiled at the surge of positive memories.

"The day she left, she told me to give this to her. I honestly thought about it for a long time, against all odds I wouldn't want you to suffer any more than you already have," Zoey's gaze drifted somewhere behind Poppy's back as she couldn't stand the pain in the blonde's eyes that grew with every word she said. "But I think this will help both you and her close a chapter in your life" Zoey pulled money out of her pocket and placed it next to the empty cup. Without a word, she placed a hand on the blonde's shoulder, who stared at the package as if mesmerized. She squeezed it tightly and walked away, leaving her alone with her thoughts.

With trembling hands, she reached for the bundle and prepared to open it. Somewhere deep inside she knew exactly what she would find, but she hoped that it was only an illusion and that it would not really contain what she had in mind. Unfortunately, hope is the mother of fools and when she opened the package, a velvet box appeared before her eyes.

She opened it with tears in her eyes.

"Maybe in another life and another time we would have had a chance, but I will love you always."

[recurring-polynya]

Hey an AU request for you:

During Renruki separation what if the roles were reversed. Like if Renji gets adopted (in some rival noble clan) and Rukia is left behind. Or else if Renji is going to be executed instead of Rukia. Want to feel the angst from Rukia's POV.

Let me know if these scenarios are good enough.

Thanks as always ☺️❤️

Hello, yes, I realize this was not precisely what you were asking for, but here is a scene that has been charging me rent in my own head since at least 2019, and it’s close enough and I am using this as an excuse to get it out. Thank you for your indulgence.

The actual role swap in this scenario is what if Renji had gotten Sode no Shirayuki, a zanpakutou who embodies patience and planning and thoughtfulness, and Rukia ended up with Zabimaru, a zanpakutou who just wants to fuck shit up.

Read on ao3 or ff.net (this one felt substantial enough that I made it a standalone and also I finally had an excuse to name a fic after one of my favorite Oh Hellos songs.)

🗡️     💔     💀

The air is heavy and thick in the World of the Living. It is oppressive, as if this very plane has its own reiatsu, as if it intends to oppose their mission. It’s just a thunderstorm gathering, though, a combination of atmospheric pressure and electrical potential.

Kuchiki Renji, Lieutenant of the Sixth Division and Heir to the great and noble Kuchiki Clan would like to finish this up before they are drenched, but he isn’t optimistic.

He stands on the roof of a human house, looking down at a nearly identical residence across the street, although this one bears signage indicating that it is also a neighborhood medical clinic.

Renji cannot feel her, but he doesn’t expect to. When Rukia doesn’t want to be found, she doesn’t get found, end of story. Renji can feel the human though, the human whom Rukia has given her powers. He can’t fathom why, but all of Rukia’s ways are inscrutable, they always have been. From the morning she saved his life from an enraged water vendor to the evening she walked away from the adopted family that gave them both names and a place in the world, Renji has never understood a single thought that entered her thick skull. Even if he can’t understand her, though, she is transparent to him, predictable.

He just needs to draw her out. And that part is easy.

Byakuya says nothing. Renji has explained his logic, and Byakuya is giving him the six feet of rope he needs to hang himself. Byakuya is also inscrutable, yet predictable. Sometimes, Renji wonders how the man managed to live in the same house as Rukia for as long as he did.

“Nii-sama,” Renji says softly. Byakuya does not like being asked for reassurances, but on this point, Renji requires it. “The orders said capture or kill.”

Byakuya waits.

“Shall I strive for the first?”

Byakuya makes a tiny throat-clearing noise. “I have fulfilled my obligation to that girl. I owe her nothing. Do what is necessary.”

Byakuya would never come out and tell Renji to kill Rukia, but the message is clear enough. Despite separating herself from the family thirty years ago, a trial, a jail sentence will be an embarrassment to the Kuchiki, an exhumation of old mistakes. Rukia will always be an inkblot on Byakuya’s conscience. Byakuya has never held this against Renji, which is probably the only sign of affection his adoptive brother has ever shown him.

Renji has done nearly everything Byakuya has ever asked of him. He is an obedient brother, hardworking and respectful. He practices the family sword form, he studies the history of Soul Society, he respects his elders. He has risen in the ranks of the Gotei, he has gained his bankai, he wears the kenseikan, even though they bite into his scalp. But Renji was only adopted into the family for one reason: to ensure Rukia’s compliance, and in that, he failed.

It is time to make up for that.

Renji jumps lightly from one rooftop to the other and over the ridge of the roof. The boy’s window is on the rear side of the house. He drops down onto the windowsill. His Hell Butterfly hovers at shoulder height. “Go on,” he urges it forward, to create a passage through the wall of the house. He hopes his hunch is correct. He does not relish the idea of murdering a young human in his bed.

It is not an issue. A dark shape rips itself from the shadows, but Renji has his zanpakutou from her sheath in an instant. Instead of Zabimaru’s wicked serrations, however, he finds himself blocking the worst shakkahou he’s seen since Byakuya sent him down to Shin’ou to scout out next year’s crop of students. It’s enough to momentarily blind him, though, and he leaps down to the ground to find steadier footing.

This isn’t right. Although Rukia prefers to rely on her sword, it’s not out of her M.O. to use kidou for a sneak attack. But why bother with a distraction when she could have just blown his head off? Rukia’s kidou are rarely elegant and Renji isn’t sure she even knows the chants, but what she has is power. Or rather, what she had.

Renji scans the backyard slowly. The grass at his feet is freezing over in a slowly widening circle. Careful, careful! Sode no Shirayuki sings in his mind.

Suddenly, he feels the crackle of hainawa and he leaps out of the way just in time, flinging an avalanche of ice in the direction of his attacker. Rukia’s kick catches him in mid-air, but he blocks it with a forearm. It doesn’t ring through his bones the way it should, though.

Renji lands on his heels and skids a few feet. Rukia’s toes hit the dirt just a second after. For a moment, their eyes meet. The air is so humid, it’s thick enough to swim in.

“Abarai,” Rukia snarls, baring a sharp canine. “Of course, they would send you.” She snorts. “Scratch that, I bet you volunteered.”

Renji sneers at her, but ignores the dig at his name. “I’m impressed, Rukia. I don’t think I’ve ever seen anyone botch a patrol mission so thoroughly.” He sheaths his sword.

Rukia barks out a laugh. “What’s this? Your sense of fairness? Gonna try to kill me with your bare hands, then?”

He’d rather not kill her at all. Byakuya will be peeved, but Renji doesn’t like the idea of running through an unarmed woman. “What is this, Rukia? You’ve given a human your full powers, haven’t you? Why?”

“It was an accident,” Rukia mumbles, her eyes darting to the side.

Renji narrows his eyes. “Where did you get that gigai?”

“A friend.”

“There was an intelligence report from the Stealth Force. A Menos showed up, just for a few minutes before it was driven back to Hueco Mundo with a sword wound. I assumed that was your doing, but you don’t seem to have a sword at the moment. Unless the Menos took that rusty piece of--”

“Fuck, Renji, don’t you ever get sick of listening to your own stupid voice?” Rukia spits, and in a second, she is on him, a blur of fists and feet.

Renji didn’t put his sword away because he thought he wouldn’t need it. He put it away because he knew that he would need two hands to deal with Rukia in hand-to-hand, even at 2% of her power, or whatever dregs she has left.

“I’m trying--” he backpedals furious, blocking blow after blow, “--to help you! I realize that your brain has probably atrophied down to the size of a walnut-- ouch! -- but doesn’t any of this seem fishy to you?”

“The only thing fishy is you questioning an order!” Rukia snaps, as Renji narrowly avoids getting his feet swept from under him. “We may not have much for brains in Eleven, but unlike the Sixth, at least we use what we’ve got!”

Suddenly, Renji manages to loop one of his arms under hers and spin her into a half-nelson. Her feet pedal furiously in mid-air. His spare hand presses her wrist against her rib cage to keep her from clawing the skin off his arm, and also to try and support her weight. “Can you breathe?” he makes sure, as he tries to figure out a way he can hold her still with one hand long enough to get a binding on her.

“Yes,” she grunts angrily. “Why are you doing this? Don’t you know you’re gonna be in trouble with Nii-sama if you bring me back alive?” She spits the honorific like venom.

“You’re wrong,” Renji mutters. He hates this. He hates how stupid this is. He hates that after all this time, her stupid arrows still find their mark, every single time. “You’re wrong if you think he’s spent even a second thinking about you since you threw away everything he gave you. You’re trash to him.”

“Is that what I am to you, too?” Rukia asks archly.

“You’re--” Renji starts to say, and then hits the deck as a sword whistles through the air where his neck had been a moment before. He loses his grip on Rukia, and she rolls away, but Renji’s got more immediate problems. He shifts to a crouch, his hand loose on Sode no Shirayuki’s hilt as he scans the shadows for his assailant.

As it happens, said assailant isn’t exactly subtle. “Hey, Rukia, this guy wears the same pajamas as you. Friend of yours?”

It is the boy, the one who buzzes with reiatsu that both is and isn’t Rukia’s. He is a gangling puppy of a human being, all elbows and ears. His hair is an unnatural orange and sticks out from his head as though he has just rolled out of bed. Given the hour, perhaps he has.

“Get out of here, Ichigo, this guy isn’t a joke!” Rukia screams, and Renji realizes that she is genuinely frightened.

“He sure looks like one,” the kid, Ichigo declares, hefting his sword up onto his shoulder. It is clearly a zanpakutou, but it is absurdly large. He can barely lift the thing. “And people say my hair is a dumb color.”

“My name is Kuchiki Renji,” Renji informs him. “Assistant Captain of the Sixth Division of the Thirteen Court Guard Squads. I am here to take Kuchiki Rukia, Sixth Seat of the Eleventh into custody for the crime of transferring her shinigami powers to a human. I do not wish to kill you, human, but if you interfere, I will not hesitate.”

“Wait, what?” Ichigo sputters. “Rukia, I thought your name was Inuzuri? Is this guy your brother? If so, he sure got all the height genes. I am so, so confused.”

Rukia rises to her feet. Her face is pale in the moonlight. A line of blood shines on her forehead, glassy against the black of her tattoos. “He’s my fiance.”

“Your what now?”

Renji snorts. “Former fiance.”

“I don’t recall breaking up with you!” Rukia barks.

Renji wants to laugh. He doesn’t know which is more typical Rukia-- the idea that rejecting his family and not speaking to him for thirty years would somehow not count as a break-up, or that now is somehow an appropriate time to talk about this.

There are a lot of feelings pumping through Renji’s heart, but he freezes them to ice and pushes them away. There is no room for feelings on a battlefield. “I am taking Rukia back to Soul Society. If you do not resist me, I swear to it that no harm will come to her before her trial.” Byakuya wanting Rukia dead is just a feeling, too. The Kuchiki must stand for justice, right? This is a good compromise, Renji rationalizes. I cannot kill her in cold blood in front of a witness, but if they force my hand, things happen. Surely even Byakuya would agree with this line of logic.

Ichigo’s eyes dart to Rukia. “What about after the trial? Is this, like, a thing where you pay a fine, or…?”

“I’ll be executed, most likely,” Rukia replies dryly.

Ichigo’s jaw clenches.

“You’re a valuable asset to the Gotei,” Renji corrects. “Central may be lenient.”

The two strongest young shinigami in their generation, people used to say, when Rukia and Renji entered the Sixth together. His iron nerves tempering her volatility, her fiery passion igniting his cold aloofness. The next Kyouraku and Ukitake. No wonder the Kuchiki plucked them from obscurity.

Renji doesn’t know what people say about them now. Now that he is the sole Heir to the Kuchiki. Now that she fights among the animals of the Eleventh. People’s voices go quiet at his approach. Byakuya says it isn’t wise to listen to gossip in any case.

“Hmmm,” Ichigo shifts his sword to an attack stance. “I don’t like the sounds of those odds. I think maybe I’ll just beat your ass instead.”

“Ichigo, move!” Rukia starts, but Renji has heard the words he needs to hear.

Renji’s favorite parts of the Kuchiki sword form are the quick draw techniques. He is not as fast as Byakuya, but he is very, very fast, and his reach is better. In an instant, he has closed the distance between himself and the boy. Maybe it was a lucky reflex or maybe it was Rukia’s warning, but Ichigo manages to get that huge sword up just in time to avoid having his chest sliced open. Renji’s assault is merciless. If it weren’t for the stupid power limiter, which Renji isn’t used to, he’s sure he would have cracked the boy’s zanpakutou clear in half. Despite her appearance, Sode no Shirayuki is not a delicate sword and Renji swings her with the inevitability of a glacier.

As Ichigo backpedals, his foot catches on a loose paver, and he stumbles. Renji raises his arm, preparing to deliver the killing blow, when suddenly, a knee in his back punches the air from his lungs, and his elbow is jerked forcibly backwards.

“NOW!” Rukia’s voice bellows in Renji’s ear.

The stumble was a feint, because Ichigo is Rukia’s student, and of course she has taught him all her dirty tricks. Renji realizes he has made the mistake of thinking he could beat Rukia, just because she has no powers and no zanpakutou. She still knows him better than anyone, though. She knows his moves and she knows what a rank fool he is. As Ichigo’s sword plunges towards his stomach, Renji flares his reiatsu as best as he can, and hopes Rukia’s pet human isn’t strong enough to pierce it.

But before the blow lands, Ichigo’s eyes widen. He lets out a gurgle and falls sideways.

“Renji,” says Captain Kuchiki. “What is taking so long?”

It seems as though time is standing still, except that the pool of blood surrounding Ichigo’s prone form is growing, growing.

“No,” Rukia murmurs. “No, no, no.” Suddenly, her feet scrabble up Renji’s back, and she launches herself off of his shoulders. “You!!” she screams.

There is nothing she can do to Byakuya. Her hands glow with raw kidou, but she is weak. It is the desperate, useless move of a cornered animal.

Renji knows that animal instincts are useless, which is why he has trained every day to eradicate them. To ignore his fear, to replace his body’s natural reflexes with the kata of his sword form. So even though he knows Rukia’s attack is hopeless, he cannot help but react to an attack against his Clan Head.

Rukia hits the ground next to Ichigo with a dull thump.

Her body is wrapped in the glowing chains of hainawa.

Renji’s hand shakes, his breathing is heavy.

Rukia is screaming filthy obscenities at both of them.

Byakuya regards Renji silently. His eyes linger on Renji's sword, naked in his hand. A different reflex, and there would be two corpses on the ground.

“She should face trial, Nii-sama,” Renji says softly. “If we do not uphold justice, who shall?”

“The law, Renji,” Byakuya corrects him. “We uphold the law.” He jerks his head at the screaming woman on the ground. “Pick her up. Others are coming and you will only become more sentimental if I am forced to kill additional humans.”

Renji kneels and gathers Rukia in his arms. She does not make it easy, probably in hopes that he will toss her over his shoulder instead of this humiliation, but she is the brute, not him. He will not give her the satisfaction.

As Renji narrowly avoids a headbutt, though, he realizes that this is not merely a display of defiance. It is a distraction. “Nii-sama,” he says as he straightens up, “I do not think the human is dead.”

“It doesn’t matter,” Byakuya sighs. “I have severed his hakusui and saketsu. Even if he survives the wound, he will be powerless, and Rukia’s power should return to her.”

Byakuya considers his lieutenant’s full arms for a moment, makes a disgusted face, and then draws his sword to open the senkaimon home himself.

While Byakuya’s attention is turned, Rukia leans into Renji’s, her breath hot on his jaw. “I will kill him for this,” she spits in his ear. “And if you get in my way, I will kill you too.”

“Then we are enemies,” Renji replies quietly, “since I am sworn to protect him.”

The first fat drops of rain begin to fall from the sky.

[elladescent449-artspace]

It Started with the Milk: Chapter 4 - Out of

Leo screamed into his pillow. It was noon and he hadn’t gotten a minute of rest. He had zoned out once or twice, but nothing worthy of the name ‘sleep’ occurred in the 8 hours he had laid there. He had tried everything. Turning, tossing, blanket, no blanket, a trip to the bathroom, sit ups, boring reading, warm milk (he didn’t need anymore tea). Nothing had worked. 

He flipped back over onto his shell and stared at the bottom of the shelves above his bed. Then sighed and pulled his pillow over his face, maybe if he suffocated himself he could catch an hour or two. Maybe he could suffocate himself, and listen to music at the same time, that way he could blink out of consciousness to the sound of Enya. With one hand he started patting around for his phone, when he couldn’t find it blindly he sat up and scanned the room. He checked under his blanket and pillow, and then checked the shelving above his bed. Nothing. Forget music, how was he supposed to get his social media fix if he didn’t have his phone? He considered just leaving his room for a moment but bypassed the thought by selecting a random magazine from his book shelf. With a quick flip he opened it to a random page and started reading an article about the physics associated with throwing ‘the perfect basket’. He was bored within two sentences.

Leo opened the curtain to his room, “Hey! Has anyone seen my phone?” The common space was dim, only the christmas lights above the vert ramp provided any sort of lighting. Leo stepped into the center of the room. He scanned briefly, listening for any indication that his brothers were home. “Raph, Mikey? Dad?” No response. He yawned and stretched, trying to rub some of the irritation out of his eyes. 

Leo checked the living room first, Dad’s projector was off, and his seat was empty (both of these being very rare occurrences.) The only remnants of someone being in the kitchen was the stack of dirty dishes in the sink, the turtle tank was still in the garage, but nobody was in it, and the gaming room was untouched. Leo even mustered up the courage to check the bedrooms. All empty. Leo reentered the common room and dragged his hand across the vert-ramp as he passed it, placing himself back into the center of the room as the disturbing feeling of anxiety crept in. He spoke quietly to himself, “where is everybody?”

“They went to the store.” Leo jumped and whipped around. Donnie was sitting on the ledge of the second floor idly swinging his legs as he watched Leo from above. “They won’t be back for a while.”

Leo’s throat was dry, making his reply sound choked. “Oh.” He looked towards his bedroom, wondering why he even left it in the first place. “They left in the middle of the day?”

“Yeah,” Donnie leaned back in his seat, stretching his back until there was a pop. “Dad said something about this being the best time of the day to shop.”

Leo grimaced at the thought, Dad probably shaved himself again and now Mikey and Raph were stuck with him and his “cool-kid” outfit. There was an awkward beat of silence and Leo looked back to his room. The thought of being alone in the house with Donnie was making him feel a sense of dread in his guts, maybe he could slip out for the day and go skating again, just until Dad and his other two brothers got home, or maybe he could meet up with them? Leo could also just be on the topside long enough for this feeling to go away, ‘nothing like some fresh air,’ he thought. He could always visit Albearto land. They were pretty crowd-free during the mid-day, especially considering the dreary weather,  and they didn’t mind the “costumes”. Leo took a deep breath in and clapped his hands together.  “Well… good to know,” he took a side step back in the direction of his room, he’d just grab his hoodie and his board, he’d forget about the phone for now (god forgive him), and he’d be back before in an hour or two when everybody else was home, “catch ya’ later!”

“Now, hold on,” Donnie jumped down from the second floor, “what particular activities do you have scheduled for today, oh, brother of mine?”

“Ha ha, well…” come on, think of something, “I was gonna hit up Albearto Land for a couple of hours, y’know... just hang out, grab some funnel cake-”

Donnie interjected with an arm around Leo’s shoulder. “I absolutely love funnel cake! Let’s go together. We can take the tank.”

“Aw, you don’t have to do that…” Donnie’s face was too close and not cheery enough to ease the ball that formed in Leo’s intestines, “I know you're super busy, with the surprise and everything.”

“For you, and funnel cake?” Donnie looked away thoughtfully, “it can wait.”

A shudder ripped through him, Leo tried slipping out from under Donnie’s arm, there was a moment where Donnie tightened his grip before letting him go. Leo pushed off and looked back towards his room, he didn’t mean for his eyes to fall on his sword, but they did. Why did he want it in his hands so badly right now? He tore away his gaze and focussed back on Donnie. “No thanks.”

Donnie gave a confused chuckle. “No thanks to what?”

Leo was blunt now, “I don’t really feel like hanging out with you today,” he turned away as he began walking again.

“Why not?” Donnie gave an aggravated huff, “we haven’t hung out enough, just us two.” He put his hands up defensively and circled Leo to get closer. “How did you put it? The “Cool Colors?””

Leo twitched at that. He tried closing the curtain behind him but Donnie ripped it back open,he was in his space now and the discomfort was making Leo’s skin crawl.

“C’mon Leo,” he whined, “we could hit up ‘Run of the Mill’ on our way there, I know you love their pizza.”

Leonardo ignored the quiet grumble in his stomach at the mention of Hueso’s, “I’m not hungry right now,” he pulled his board from the wall and looked back at his sword. Should he take it with him? “Plus, I love all pizza… Donnie.” The name didn’t feel right on his tongue. Leo clipped his belt on and attached his sword, he immediately felt a wash of relief ease his senses when he felt the pressure of it against his shell. Now he just needed to get out of here.

“You’re passing up Run of the Mill?” Donnie chuckled again, “you must really not be feeling good.” Donnie leaned against the door of Leo’s room and tilted his head with concern. “Been getting enough sleep?” There was something smug in his voice and Leonardo fought a scowl.

Leo only grumbled as he finished slipping on his hoodie. “Bye.”

“Wait, what was that about your phone earlier? I could help you find it.”

“I don’t need it.” He bumped shoulders with Donnie on his way out of his room.

“No, no, here,” Donatello whipped out his own phone and quickly typed, “I’ll just call it right now.”

“It’s on vibrate,” Leo growled, “and I said I don’t need it!” It wasn’t about the phone, he just didn’t want to be in the house with Donnie any longer.

Purple grabbed his shoulder and pulled him back. “It’s ringing, just hang out for a minute,” he cooed.

Leo wanted to growl, to push him off, or just shout, but then he heard the loud vibration of his cell coming from inside his room.

“Well, whaddya know!” Donnie smiled and let go of Leo. “It’s right there in your room!”

Donnie looked to Leo expectantly. Leo felt the tension rise as neither of them said anything. The sound of Leo’s phone repeated itself and Leonardo glanced towards his room, and then back to Donnie who stood behind him looking coy. ‘Just leave, now.’ The small voice inside of him chastised him for still being here, at home, with Donnie. But… If it was right there… why not just grab it and go? The vibrations stopped and Donnie’s expression faltered for a moment.

“Here.” Donnie stretched his phone out to Leo, “find your phone and we’ll head to Albearto’s together, I bet I can beat more of their games than you.” Donatello’s teasing sounded softly sincere, but Blue still frowned. Leo wanted to argue. He did not want to go anywhere with him. He didn’t want to go to Albearto’s with him, he didn’t want to go to Hueso’s with him, he didn’t want to be in the tank with him, and he didn’t want to be home with him! Leo’s whole body was screaming for him to leave, just ditch the phone, leave it, you don’t need it, just leave it! He took the phone from Donnie’s hand and quickly typed in his own number.

The vibrations started again and Leo tentatively re-entered his room. Leo paused in the doorway. The noise was coming from under his bed. That’s right! He suddenly remembered last night, he remembered tossing his phone across the sheets and hearing it hit the floor. He looked towards Donnie again, who turned away when Leo looked at him, before getting down on his hands and knees. Leo could see that it was near the foot of the bed, vibrating with Donnie’s picture illuminating on the screen. Leo hung up Donnie’s phone and reached, quickly feeling the cool case of his own phone under his finger pads. Leo grasped it and pulled it out, sighing with relief as he slipped it in his hoodie pocket.

Leo jolted when Donnie’s phone went off. A quick check of the screen told him it was April.

He slid the green phone button to the left, “Why hello-”

“Donnie!” April shouted from across the speaker, causing Leo to flinch and pull the receiver away from his ear. “Where are you?”

“Uh, sorry April,” he hesitated as he stumbled up to his feet. “This is Leo.”

“Where. Is. Donnie!” She was obviously furious. Behind her Leo could hear something animal. “I told him about this a week ago!”

Leo stood up in confusion. “What do you mean, April… where are you?”

“I’m in the mystic city,” the sound of something similar to a crowing rooster sounded behind the call, “Mayhem needed to go to the vet and Donnie was supposed to pick me up an hour ago!”

“What?” Leo was confused, “What’s wrong with Mayhem?”

April continued, “Donnie shouldn’t have taken my bike if he was gonna take two weeks to “improve” it! I get it, a simple bike is a little old fashioned but two weeks?!”

“Where are you in the city?” He heard April muffle the call as she asked someone the exact address, Leo turned to see Donnie standing on the threshold of his room. The center room was dim, but Leo’s room was dimmer. The light behind Donatello painted him into a hauntingly solemn figure as he stood motionless in Leo’s doorway. Leo heard April on the other end but didn’t look away from Donnie. “Sorry, what was that?

She sighed into the receiver, “I said, I’m under Central Park zoo.”

That was a good six miles away from where Leo was now, he suppressed a yawn as he spoke softly into the receiver, “is Sunita available, she’s closer.”

“No!” April shouted across the phone again, “Sunita is the one that got me here and she can’t pick me up because she’s at an event with her Dad, Donnie was supposed to be here! He promised!”

‘Well, that settles it then,’ Leo thought. He replied quickly as he moved to exit his room, “I’ll come get you.”  Donnie’s fists clenched tightly and he stared at the phone in Leo’s hand as he passed. Leo ignored it but quickened his pace.

April sighed audibly. “Fine, but please get here quickly. For a city that’s underground they sure do get a lot of rainfall.”

“K, I’ll be there in a ‘sec.” He heard the line cut and the phone was pulled out of his hand. Leo turned to see Donnie smiling again, motioning towards the garage.

“Ready to go?”

Leo paused, confused. “Go…?”

“Albearto Land, remember?” Donnie laughed and grabbed Leo by the wrist. Leo felt a shiver crawl up his arm as Donnie bagan to pull him.

“Didn’t you hear me on the phone?” Leo shrugged Donnie’s hand off and backed up a step, rubbing the skin where Donnie had touched him trying to get rid of the feeling.“That was April.”

“So?”

So. So? “So… she said that you were supposed to pick her up today?”

Donnie hummed as he positioned his hands on his hips, “y’know… now that you mention it, she did say something about, um…” He hummed again with a smile, “sorry, I don’t remember.”

Leo stood stupefied before turning around. “I’ll see you later Donnie, I’m going to go get April.” “Wait,” he heard Donnie walk after him, “she’ll be fine, let’s just head out and she can just get a cab or something.” Purple’s voice was getting more impatient the more Leo walked.

“She’ll be fine, Leo, come on.”

Leo’s fists clenched and he felt a heat in his stomach as he walked faster. Flipping his hood on, he growled, “Donnie… shut up.”

Donatello paused and stopped, but only for a moment before he caught back up with Blue to put a hand on his shoulder, “What is wrong with you?”

“What’s wrong with me?” Leo scoffed under his breath before he raised into a roar, “what’s wrong with you?!”

“What-”

“You all of a sudden want to spend time with me?” Leo spun around, facing Donnie and quickly closing the distance to point a finger in his chest. “And you ditched April?! That’s not the Donnie I know! So what’s your game?” He kept going, the weight in his tummy was fuel for the aggression that started pouring out of him, “i’ll admit it, the coffee was no big deal, but the back-wash, the staring, Shelldon? So what is it Donnie!” He screamed, flattening his hand against Purples chest but resisted pushing him. “What is wrong with you?!”

“Excuse me?” Donnie’s face darkened and Leo shivered under the icy stare. Leo moved to take a step back but Donnie grabbed him by the collar of his hoodie, pulling him back in close. “We’re brothers, right?”

Leo clasped onto Donnie’s wrist but it was set to an iron grip. Leo’s heart rate began to elevate and he could feel his own pulse through his throat. Donnie smiled.

“Brothers spend time together, right?”

“Donnie-” Leo’s hoodie squeezed around his throat as Donnie’s grip tightened.

“I just wanted to spend some time with you, Leo.” Donnie took a step back and Leo stumbled after him, trapped in this oddly strong grip that his twin held him in. “I’m always just shoving you off, and I’m sorry about that. I’m just trying to make it up to you.” He sounded sympathetic but his face was jeered into something menacing and mischievous.

“Let go, Don,” Leo gripped tighter on Donnie’s wrist, desperately trying to back up and pull away. The fire that was in his stomach was just petrified nausea now, screaming at him for not leaving when he had the chance.

Donatello continued, “is that so much to ask for?” Donnie tilted his head as he observed Leo. Leo was panting now, feeling a shake in his whole body as he desperately wanted to get away. Donnie’s expression flatlined, switching over to an expression of exhausted irritation and he sighed. “Ah, who am I kidding... you are the skeptical one of the family.” Donnie reached behind himself with his free hand and Leo’s vision shook as the hand on his Hoodie switched to his neck. “Let’s get this over with.”

Leo’s fist slammed into Donnie’s throat.

Donnie’s grip immediately released and he doubled over, clutching his airway as he backed away. Two black beads clattered to the floor but Leo ignored them for now.

Despite the chills, Leo immediately regretted his action, taking Donie by the shoulders as he began a coughing fit. “Donnie, I’m so sorry-” Donnie began retching. Leo moved behind Donnie, grasping him by the waist as he attempted to drag him to the edge of the common room so he could puke in the exposed water behind the vert ramp. Donnie grasped Leo by the sleeves, digging his heels into the concrete as he puked up liquid the color of tar. 

Donnie slowly looked over his shoulder at Leo, and a long black mass slivered from his mouth over his shoulder.

Leo wasn’t able to process the elbow in his face until after he had staggered backwards. He brought his hands up to his face but  didn’t cover his eyes, watching Donnie as he stood up straight. It was like a snake, or a tentacle, black and dripping with whatever was pooled on the floor. It slowly retracted itself, tracing over Donnie’s cheek as it slid through his teeth. Donatello shut his mouth with an audible ‘click’ and cracked his neck as he turned towards Leo. Donnie hummed, no, It hummed, and Leo finally remembered to breathe. Donnie’s bo expanded in Its hand and It took a step forward, spinning the tool theatrically as It took balanced steps around Leo.

Leo’s hands shook as he unsheathed his sword from under his hoodie, gripping the handle so tight his knuckles cramped. He took a step back for every step that It took towards him. Leo’s voice was shaky, almost as shaky as the pulse that he felt in his head and his heart, “what are you?”

It wasn't painting faces anymore. It’s expression was fixed into something both dark and dreamy as it stared Leo down. With a click of it’s tongue, It gave it’s answer with a wicked smile. “I’m Donnie.” Then It lunged.

[euphoric-melancholyy]

Manual Override

A/N: Written for the wonderful @blondsak for the irondad fic exchange!! She actually gave me this idea and I like to think I twisted it and made it my own. Angst and fluff ahead friends.

Also on Ao3

“FRIDAY has already scanned the area. There’s no civilians. Give me the mission rundown.” Tony says. He’s hovering above a rooftop with Peter, surrounded by dusty warehouses that look like they haven’t been visited in at least two decades. It’s a low grade mission for Iron Man, but he’s been trying to train Peter more. He’d been tipped off that more of Toomes weapons were being sold here, and Peter has seemed to make it his personal responsibility to keep them off the streets since The Vulture fiasco.

“Okay I swing in while you stand guard out here. The tracker said the computer that we want to hack into is somewhere in the middle of the building. We just have to get to it first. So, we take out the guys, or girls - girls can be super villains too! - guarding it, and then have FRIDAY or Karen download all the info. And then, get out and bust the bad guys. Easy peasy.” Peter smiles, fingers drumming against his leg in anticipation. 

“I think you’ve got it. Let’s go. You’re gonna do great, kid,” he says, trying to encourage Peter in a way he never was as a child. Or even an adult. He really doesn’t want to mess this up, whatever this is. 

Pepper had immediately coined it as co-parenting over dinner one night, much to Tony's denial. 

("So you're co-parenting the kid now?" she’d quipped, her brow raising as she suppressed a laugh. 

"No. I'm not a parent. A co-parent or a co--"

"You spent dinner last night telling me about his chemistry project and academic decathlon meets. The only other person you talk about more is yourself."

"Not true."

Her amused smile turned smug as she cast her gaze to the ceiling. "FRIDAY?"

There was a pause as the A.I. gathered her data. "In the past 5 months, you have talked about Peter 40% more than anyone else. Most of your conversations with Happy Hogan revolve around Peter Parker as well."

"That doesn't prove anything."

"You picked him up from school, Tony. Because he was sick."

"I was being a responsible mentor. "

"Parent."

"Mentor."

"Fine, live in denial. Tell May I said hi at your monthly dinner where you talk about your kid.") 

Tony smiles at the memory. And yes, maybe he had bought back the tower on impulse after Karen called him while Spider-Man was half out of his mind with pain and a knife wedged six inches into his leg. And if he thought the sight of blood seeping profusely from the wound was awful, it was nothing compared to his mentee's muffled cries as he held him against his chest during the flight over. After that, Tony had upped his training. Which brings them here. He’s brought out of his reverie with the sound of said kid quietly singing “Private Eyes” to himself. Under his mask, Tony smiles as he sighs. 

“How stealthy of you, Spider-Man.” 

Peter mutters an apology, but continues to hum the song at a lower volume. A few minutes pass before he speaks up. “I found it! It’s not even guarded. Okay, Karen, just do your thing.” A beat. “Okay, Mr. Stark. It’s downloading. I’ll just...wait here.” 

"Boss. I think -" FRIDAY stops mid sentence, her constant, faint humming silencing completely. He calls out for her, and nothing happens. He calls for Peter and Spider-Man. Nothing. His stomach drops, a panic coiling it’s way up his throat, constricting his airwaves and he has to get out, has to help Peter, Peter --

"Confused, Stark?" A voice taunts into his comm. It’s an older, male voice, raspy and definitely not the voice he was wanting to hear. "Just consider me an old friend.” 

“You’re not FRIDAY,” Tony bites. It’s not, and as he says it he realizes shit, FRIDAY is gone. He racks his brain for anything, any sort of recognition or plan. This voice, it’s not entirely foreign. He’s heard it before somewhere, he knows. He’s had to. He’s --

“I always knew arrogance would be your downfall, Anthony. Thinking no one could ever replicate or hack your tech. Though I gotta admit, this suit is incredibly impressive. Who knew I’d have this much fun watching your vitals? The way your panic is increasing every time I speak, it’s just pure joy. I mean, I didn’t plan to take you out via heart attack, but can you imagine the headlines? Scaring Iron Man to death. Now that’s a feat.” 

“How the fuck did you even hack my suit?” 

“It was easy as soon as you hacked into my system. Getting you here was laughably easy, too. I can’t believe you fell for that whole Toomes weapon bullshit. And now, I own you.”

“Like hell you do,” Tony spits. But as soon as he says it, he realizes he can’t leave the suit. He’s trapped, a powerlessness seeping in that he hasn’t felt since Obie ripped his arc reactor out or since he watched Pepper fall into a fiery explosion. He swallows past the lump in his throat, breathing in and out twice, praying to whatever god or gods that Peter stays hidden. As if mocking him, the voice says.

“It's a pity that Spider nuisance has to suffer too. Seems smart, young. Is that how you like them, Stark?"

Dread pools in his gut, burning hot and wrathful. He tries to move, but the suit remains still. Stuck. Trapped in his own creation.

"You touch him and I'll gut you from the inside out," Tony spits.

"Oh I wouldn't dare. You will though." 

Tony's blood runs cold. Against his will, he flies through the window, shattering it. Spider-Man is a few rooms over. Tony stares, terrified, as his screen outlines his figure in neon red, underlined with the word TARGET.

The Iron Man suit fires, and Spider-Man dodges, the eyes of the mask widening. 

“Woah, Mr. Stark! I know -”

The gauntlet fires again, this time grazing Peter’s arm. Tony can see angry red blisters that rival the color of his suit. The younger hero stumbles and falls back, shooting a web at Iron Man’s extended arm. 

“I’m so sorry I can’t control it!” Tony pleads. He was wrong, and in this moment he knows it more fiercely than he has ever known anything. He cares for Peter, feels it deep in his bones as the metal around his hand makes contact with Peter’s mask. He hears a crack and a curse muffled by red spandex.

Tony’s own nerves are fraying, the earlier panic threatening to spill over into a full blown attack. 

He, the suit he tells himself, not me, the hacker, yanks Peter up, repulsors burning angry through the suit and into his skin. Tony thinks of all the times he’s picked him up to protect and rescue him. He thinks he might puke as he throws him across the room, denting the wall.

It was only a month ago that he gave Peter the-worlds-most-awkward-talk on panic attacks in existence. 

("Pete - you know," he stops, running a hand down his face and pinching the bridge of his nose. "I'm the world's worst example of how to handle emotions and um," he swallows down the urge to divert the conversation. "Trauma. But it unfortunately comes with the job. The wormhole might have looked cool, but it really fucked with my head - sorry I shouldn't say fucked, but - dammit." He sighs, finally directing his gaze to Peter. He's curious, face reddened with embarrassment, but he's hanging on Tony's every word. So he barrels on. "My therapist tells me it's good, to you know, talk about this shit. And it is - I've learned. I was having panic attacks nearly every day, but the last straw was when I nearly killed Pep after waking up from a nightmare. After that, I knew I needed help. Anyway, it's actually been really good and I can set you up with a therapist, which I think you should see because panic attacks suck. You can also talk to me, if you want. You aren't alone and I care about you and all that jazz." Tony claps his hands together before placing one on Peter's shoulder. "Okay, great talk." He pats his shoulder, looking away from the sheen in Peter's eyes.)

A hysterical laugh bubbles to the surface at the memory. Some fucking mentor he is. Parent, he clarifies, Pepper’s accusation ringing more true with each second. Peter’s finally defending himself against Tony’s advances. Still not fighting back, even as he screams at him to. 

Peter himself has been uncharacteristically quiet as he fights, and Tony feels a rush of guilt. He can’t do anything, trapped. Peter, Tony realizes with horrifying clarity, is probably afraid of hurting him.

“I swear to god, kid, if you don’t start fighting back I’m going to-”

The fist to his stomach has him seeing white. It’s the most welcomed pain he’s ever felt in his life. His head falls against the concrete, and Tony smiles, tasting metal. Spider-Man looms over him, head tilted to the side in worry. “I’m so so sorry, Mr. Stark. Are you okay?” 

Tony grunts. The voice comes back. 

“I wonder what electrocution will do to your heart,” it teases. He thinks this is already the worst thing that could happen to his heart, but he protests against the suggestion anyway. 

“Now wait a second!” He hears the suit charge up. 

Everything goes dark. 

Peter watches, as the suit jerks, and then slumps, an unfamiliar voice speaking. “Tony Stark isn’t here anymore.” 

-/-/-/-

“Mr. Stark!” Peter screams. It’s guttural, the crack of his voice echoing off the empty walls. He drops to his knees in front of his mentor, hands and lips trembling. “No, no, no. Mr. Stark. I’m so sorry, please be okay. Please be okay, sir. You’ve gotta - Mr. Stark,”

The air around him tastes stale and his breaths come in short, shallows gasps. There’s a deep, piercing throbbing in his head, like fingernails engraving their crescents into his scalp. He focuses on the pain, on the taste of salt and blood on his lips. His fingers tremble as he reaches for the suit, gently at first. The red metal is smooth and warm from battle. He caresses it, whispering a prayer. 

Please don’t be dead. Please don’t be dead. Tony I need you. -

Mr. Stark had told him he was strong once, but he can feel himself crumbling now. He shuts his eyes tight, scrunching his face as the memory resurfaces. 

(Peter sits on the kitchen island at the penthouse, legs dangling back in forth, a bowl of Frosted Flakes in his hands. “So who do you think is the strongest Avenger?” he asked. “And you can’t say Iron Man. That’s cheating.” Tony raises a brow. 

“Well that’s just no fun. But just between you and me? Bruce. If you tell him I said so, I’m stealing your baby pictures from May and sending them to the team.” 

Peter drops his spoon. “You wouldn’t.”

“Is that a bet you wanna take? You know what, actually. There is someone who gives him a run for his money.”

“Thor. Obviously Thor.”

“What is it with you and Point Break, kid? No. It’s you. You - savor this moment Pete. I will deny if asked, but kid? Saving Toomes after he repeatedly tried to kill you? After everything he did...I...That’s strength. Not to mention the whole lifting a building that collapsed on top of you too. In your underoos suit.”

Peter ignores the last bit, lets disbelief and pride mingle together as he considers his response. “Thank you,” he whispers just loud enough for him to hear.)

Peter swallows down the lump in his throat, opens his eyes and looks at the unresponsive suit in front of him. The eyes of the Iron Man mask are black. Peter grips the metal around the suits abdomen and pulls. It rips, pulls crimson from the skin of his finger. Underneath the metal, he sees one of Tony’s workout shirts stretched over his stomach, slightly torn. He pulls more. Again

The offbeat thump thump of Tony’s heartbeat and gasp for air as Peter carefully removes the mask, sends relief flooding Peter so fast he practically falls into Tony. 

“I thought you were -” Peter stops on a sob. “You weren’t responding. Mr. Stark and the voice--” Peter buries his still masked head in Tony’s neck. 

“I’m okay, kid.” Tony’s hand cradles Peter’s head and he melts into the touch. They sit like that for a minute, relishing in the others aliveness. “Hey, Peter? Can you look at me for a sec?"  Reluctantly, Peter sits up, pulls away just enough for Tony to reach out and remove Peter's mask. Tony curses at the sight of his face, blotchy red rimmed eyes. Blood trickles down his temple, cheekbone a mixture of purple and yellow. His nose is crooked, broken.  “Peter, I’m so so sorry--”

“You’re sorry? No, I’m sorry. I had, I had this feeling but I just thought, I don’t know what I thought. I should have known something was wrong sooner-”

“Nope. No we aren’t playing this game. In no universe was this your fault.”

“Well then it wasn’t yours either.”

“Kid…”

“I heard him, the dude who Pod personed you. I know you’d never try to hurt me like that. Besides, I’ve had worse face planting into a brick building while swinging and making a tik tok. It’s fine, Mr. Stark.” They both know the latter part is a lie, but Tony’s lips quirk into an almost smile at the memory. 

“But I-”

“No. Can we just...go home?” Peter’s thumb circles on the pulse point at Tony’s wrist, and he exhales on a deep breath. His whole body aches. 

“Yeah, Pete. I just gotta do something real quick.” 

Tony calls Rhodey, has him track the hacker down. They later find it was a former SI employee, William Riva, whom Obie had fired over not being able to replicate the arc reactor. It only intensifies Tony’s guilt, but he stirs in it quietly. Peter’s enhancement leaves no scars for Tony to ruminate over. And though Tony had expected Peter to distance himself, quite the opposite happens.

A week later, after spending every other afternoon at the Tower, Peter finds himself with a real, official internship with SI. He’s more of Tony’s personal assistant than any of the other interns, but it gives him a chance to work in the labs with Tony. To Doomsday plan suits and run codes to prevent any sort of future hacking. Briefly thinking his mentor might have died, had solidified a scary thought, but when Tony wraps Peter in a hug like it’s the most natural thing in the world, he accepts it. Mr. Stark is a friend and a teammate and a mentor. But more than that, Peter sees him as the closest thing he’s had to a father figure since Ben. He’s pretty sure Tony feels the same, with all of his mother-henning and safety protocols, but he’s not going to be the one to bring it up. When it comes down to it, Peter will do anything to protect that, no matter where it takes him. 

[xxpadfootxx]

🐾Since When Do Heroes Have Paws? Part 6/6 (The Dog with the Fire in Her Fur - IzuOcha)🐾

Summary: Ochako & Izuku hang out for an uneventful evening at a coffee shop together.

~~~

Ochako panted happily from where she was laying beside Izuku’s chair. Her eyes were halfway shut, remaining open enough to take in the thriving main square of the city while also allowing her to relax. She felt content despite her situation as a dog, her tongue lolling as the sunshine soaked into her fur and warmed her up deliciously. Izuku glanced down at the large collie laying beside him and smiled, reaching down with one scarred hand to rub her head lovingly. His other hand brought a small pastry up to his mouth, the delicious treat making him shudder in delight. Ochako and Izuku had originally planned on going for a walk just like most of their friends were doing but eventually decided against it due to Ochako’s leg. Her small sprain had been instantly healed by Recovery Girl the morning after the initial incident that turned Ochako into a dog in the first place and so no remnants of pain remained but the healing process had slightly drained Ochako’s stamina. This had led to Izuku’s perfect suggestion of a cafe for some coffee and treats in the main city square. They had taken the train to get there and then had walked down the beautiful streets of Japan, ogling at the captivating shops and stands before finally settling on a pet-friendly coffee shop with outdoor seating. Everyone at the shop was kind and happy to be out in the warm weather, the staff even bringing Ochako some water and a small cup of whipped cream for free even without knowing she was actually a person.

Ochako’s tongue darted out from between her lips to lap at the sweet treat, her tail thumping on the concrete patio as the flavor bathed her tongue. Izuku continued to pat her head as he took another bite of his treat, savoring the relaxed atmosphere with his best friend. Although the situation was very strange, Izuku was almost happy for the fact that Ochako had been turned into a dog. If not, they would probably be hanging out with their friends in a large group somewhere. But with Ochako being assigned to his care in her canine state, he was finally able to get the balls to take her somewhere one on one. Izuku blushed as he thought about it. He knew it wasn’t a date, but he liked to pretend it was, even with Ochako as a dog he loved spending time with her and was glad he could do that without seeming too suspicious. A few people knew about his crush on Ochako and unfortunately, they teased him about it constantly and tried desperately to get him to ask her out but Ochako herself didn’t know and for now, that was what he wanted. More than anything he wanted the chance to ask her out on a date, but the fear of rejection was too great for Izuku, his insecurities creating a wall in his mind and surrounding his heart, convincing him that he was in no way good enough for the strong, talented, beautiful girl beside him. Ochako seemed to notice the slight melancholy shift in Izuku’s mood as she raised her eyes to gaze at him in concern before leaning forward and pressing her nose comfortingly into his palm. Izuku jolted in his seat when he unexpectedly felt her wet nose touch his skin but once he saw it was her, his face broke out into a smile.

“What’s up, Ochako? Everything okay?”

Ochako nodded but didn’t break eye contact with her friend. She knew something was wrong, she could hear it in his voice, read it in his eyes, and noticed that his smile wasn’t entirely genuine but she couldn’t figure out what could be wrong.

“What?” Izuku asked softly, his eyes darting to the side when she didn’t look away from him.

Ochako leaned forward and gently nipped his fingers, trying to prompt him into talking with her. Izuku yelped slightly in surprise, his eyes flying back to meet her gaze.

“What are you trying to tell me?” Izuku asked.

Ochako wanted to roll her eyes in annoyance, damn her inability to speak. Taking a deep breath, she managed to calm her frustrations and sat up so she could get a better look at her friend. Nuzzling his hand with her muzzle again, she waited for him to spill. Finally, Izuku sighed.

“Are you trying to ask me what’s wrong?”

Ochako nodded and wagged her tail, happy he had finally gotten the message.

“So perceptive,” Izuku mumbled quietly under his breath. He paused, unsure of how to phrase what he was going to say. Ochako growled playfully, her tail wagging as she impatiently waited for him to open up to her.

“The truth is, Uraraka… I… I just feel a bit sad b-because I want to-”

An explosively loud bang cut Izuku off mid-sentence as the sound cracked and rippled through the air like a rocket, causing everyone to whip around and even for some to scream. Ochako shot to her feet, Izuku standing up so fast his chair toppled over behind him. In the distance, not too far from where they were eating, was a large building that had very suddenly and inexplicably been engulfed in flames. People began to panic as they too caught sight of the huge fire, running in different directions and screaming for family members and friends. The once serene atmosphere changed into one of chaos as people grabbed the people they love and ran from the flames. Some ran because of the fire, others ran out of the fear that a villain would pop up with some sort of destructive explosion quirk.

Izuku’s mind flashed to an image of Bakugo for a moment and Izuku would’ve chuckled to himself if the situation wasn’t so terrifying. Izuku was about to run towards the fire when he looked down and noticed Ochako. She was still a dog. She would especially be in danger if they went any closer to the building. He had no idea how her quirk would work in this form or if she would even be able to use it in a situation like this without killing herself. Dejectedly, Izuku decided to leave the fire to the professionals even though the nearest fire station was several miles away. A water-based hero would show up soon if the fire station didn’t arrive first, he coached himself, shoving down the instinct to rush into the fire to make sure everyone got out alright. He reached out with his hand to touch Ochako’s side, to let her know they should head back when she took off in the direction of the fire. Izuku’s eyes widened and it took him a moment to realize his hand was hovering over nothing but thin air. As soon as he got his thoughts organized, Izuku’s head snapped up and he charged after the streak of reddish-brown and gold he knew to be Ochako.

“OCHAKO! WAIT!” Izuku called out as he ran after her, anxiety clawing at his heart at the sight of her getting closer and closer to the unstable building. He didn’t know if he was going to make it to her, her speed enhanced by her dog form until she suddenly skidded to a stop at the entrance of the building. Izuku was panting when he finally made it to her, his eyes wide and his mouth open as he fought for breath.

“O-Ochako, what the hell are you doing!?” Izuku huffed once he reached her, completely disregarding the fact he had reverted to using her first name. Izuku raised his hand up to his face as the heat from the fire rolled off the building in front of them, sweat sliding down his arms even from this distance.

Ochako glanced back at him and whined, pacing in front of the building. Izuku felt tears build in his eyes as he noted the desperation in her whine and posture. There were people still in the building. He knew it and she knew it too. He also wanted to help out just as much as she did but he knew it was too dangerous, especially for her. Looking up, Izuku watched as some debris crumbled from the upper levels of the building and landed near Ochako, forcing her to jump to the side to avoid them. Her surprised yelp, although it was devoid of pain, stabbed at his heart leading him to his decision. Glancing around almost feverishly, Izuku finally spotted what he was looking for. Running over to a hotdog stand, Izuku grabbed a long length of rope that hung from the front in a decorative display and dashed back to Ochako. Before she could protest, Izuku looped the rope around her neck and tied the other end to a bike rack on the edge of the sidewalk, making sure she was far enough away from the building to avoid being pummeled to death by debris. Ochako’s eyes widened in surprise but she had no time to react, only giving out a shocked whine as he tied the final knot. Facing her and placing both of his hands on her shoulders, Izuku’s gaze burned into hers, staring right into her soul.

“Stay,” he said.

Without another word, Izuku stood and sprinted to the building, activating his quirk along the way. Ochako yanked at the rope as she tried desperately to leap after him only to be ripped back by the thick line of rope. She still couldn’t believe he had tied her up but she refused to dwell on it as she fought against the material, trying her hardest to get free.

__________________________

Izuku pictured Ochako’s beautiful face one last time as he was entering the building before forcing her out of his mind, focusing on the task at hand. Using his quirk, he managed to jump through the rubble blocking the entrance and land in what he assumed was the lobby area of whatever establishment this had been before it had gone up in flames. Izuku wasn’t wearing his hero costume but thanked whatever gods were out there that he had brought a jacket, the clothing tied around his waist. Lifting the jacket to his face and tying it around his mouth, Izuku tried to ignore the feeling of his sweat running down his back in buckets or the smoke that caused him to gag as it wormed its way into his throat.

Suddenly, a loud bang was heard from above him followed by a scream. Forcing all doubts from his mind, Izuku leaped forward and bounded up the staircase that wound its way up from his left. Using his quirk to blaze past the harsher parts of the fire and make it through the flames without giving them time to burn him, Izuku searched as quickly as he could for the source of the scream. Kicking down the first door he found after checking the handle to make sure he wasn’t going to walk into an inferno, Izuku realized the building was an office space. Scanning the area, Izuku found several of the desks to be collapsed, destroyed by pieces of the ceiling falling on them. Parts of the floor were also broken apart, furniture sliding into the holes to either land on the floor below them or get caught at odd angles.

A quiet whimper caught Izuku’s ears and he rushed forward, pushing the office supplies aside until he found a middle-aged man laying on the floor, his foot twisted at an odd angle.

“Sir! Are you awake, sir?” Izuku said, placing his hand against the man’s throat to check for a pulse. To his immense relief, the man coughed and waved him off.

“Yes, I’m awake, but my ankle’s busted.”

“Alright, don’t worry sir, I’ll get you out of here!” Izuku said as he leaned down and allowed the man to rest his weight on his shoulders.

The pair moved carefully through the raging fire, avoiding the worst of it and attempting to move through the weaker parts with the least amount of damage possible. It was a lot more difficult without Izuku being able to use his quirk but he managed to make it work until they reached the entrance. More people had gathered to help and Izuku noticed a large fire truck screech to a halt in front of the building, it’s lights flashing and its sirens wailing. Instantly, as Izuku helped the man outside, the pro hero Backdraft appeared in front of them, spraying the building down with water with one hand while reaching for the injured man with his other.

“That was incredibly dangerous, kid, but good work. Now get to safety, the pros are here,” Backdraft said. Izuku bowed to him quickly and was about to jog back to Ochako when a loud squeal sounded out through the air. It was the squeal of a young child. Without even thinking, Izuku rushed back into the building, his arms pumping and his eyes watering as he rushed back into the chaos.

“Wait! Kid! Get back here!” Backdraft yelled out but the command fell on deaf ears. Moving to follow Izuku, the pro hero was about to enter the building himself when a large burst of fire popped in front of him, blowing both him and the other firefighters back into the street.

“Shit!” Backdraft cried out as he landed harshly on his back. “Someone get us some backup! And someone go follow that damn kid before he gets himself killed!”

Izuku had heard Backdraft calling him but it sounded as if he was being called from miles away. The voice was so distant it was almost fuzzy in Izuku’s mind as he focused all of his energy on finding the small child. Sprinting back up the stairs, Izuku searched for them, his eyes roving all over the area.

“HEY! I’M HERE TO HELP, WHERE ARE YOU?” Izuku called as he continued his hunt, pushing over furniture and ripping apart desks as he looked for them. He knew he was running out of time but he also didn’t want to scare the child and delay their rescue even longer by risking having the child stay silent out of fear of him.

“W-We’re over h-here,” a weak voice coughed to his right. Sprinting to the spot, Izuku found a woman huddled in the corner, clutching her small baby girl to her chest. “The stairs behind us c-collapsed,” she said when Izuku reached them. “I was too scared to take the other stairs, they seemed much too hot. My husband was supposed to come for us but he’s on another floor,” the woman choked out a sob as she spoke. Holding out his hands in the gentlest way possible, Izuku offered his assistance to her.

“Come with me, I found a way out.”

She hesitated but eventually reached for his hand. It was then that he heard it, a low groaning sound. Looking up, Izuku had just enough time to yell out Ochako’s name before a large wooden beam became dislodged from its place on the ceiling and landed on top of him, knocking him out instantly.

_____________________

Ochako ripped at the rope with her teeth, causing them to bleed a little as she feverishly tried to get loose. From the moment Izuku had left, she had been straining against the rope, panting to the point where her saliva dripped down her jaw and coated the long fur on her chest. She was disgusted by it but she was also way too worried about her friend to care, only relaxing when she saw him come out of the building and pass off an injured man into Backdraft’s care, who had shown up no too long after the fire started. She had allowed herself to relax her tensed muscles and breathe at the sight of her friend but prepared to rip into him the moment he came back for running into danger without her. Her eyes had widened and she had jumped repeatedly at the end of the rope when she saw her friend stand ramrod straight and charge right back in. She had eventually given up on that plan and turned around to rip at the material with her sharp fangs, hoping to loosen its hold on the bike rack enough to set her free. She barked angrily and whimpered as the rope held fast, her concern for her friend driving her to the edge of insanity.

“Hey whoa, easy girl,” a voice said suddenly, causing her to whip around to face an older teenage boy. “Ya scared? I don’t know who tied you here but you’re gonna break your jaw at this rate. Here, let me fix ya up,” the boy said, leaning down to untie the rope from the bike rack. As soon as she was free, she bolted, ignoring the boy’s calls and darting out from under the hands that reached for the rope that trailed out behind her. Leaping over the flames at the entrance of the building, Ochako galloped into the main area of the building and whipped her head around, her eyes darting to every corner of the lobby in search of her friend.

‘Okay okay okay, calm down,’ Ochako thought to herself, pausing and temporarily ignoring the hungry flames and dizzying heat around her to stabilize herself. Raising her snout into the air, Ochako inhaled as much as she could without choking on the smoke and the sparks, sifting through the various scents that washed over her to look for the one she was familiar with. Her ears swiveled on her head as she listened past the creaking of the building and the crashing of debris for the sound of Izuku’s footsteps. She closed her eyes as she allowed her senses to heighten as much as possible. She yelped when a piece of the ceiling landed right next to her, making her jump out of her skin, but she managed to shake off her fear and focus. She was just about to give up and just start searching when her ears jerked to the side.

“OCHAKO!”

She leaped forward without hesitation, bolting up the stairs and leaping over the smaller fires as she made her way towards where she heard his voice. Raising her muzzle she barked loudly but there was no response. Shoving down the wave of pure blinding fear that rose in her chest at his lack of response, Ochako continued running, barking as she moved along, hoping he merely hadn’t heard her. She had no idea why he was calling out for her in the first place, not when he thought she was still tied up on the sidewalk, but she refused to think too much into it as she ran faster. Ochako began to cough and wheeze as she galloped, the smoke coiling in her lungs like an infectious worm. She could feel the flames singing her fur as she ran but she ignored everything, the only thing blazing hotter than the fire around her was her desire to find her best friend.

She barked again as she burst through the partially torn down entryway of an office area, her eyes watering as the metal from the door cut her sides and legs. A soft whimper was heard from the far back right corner and her ears flicked to face that direction, her eyes widening as she saw that that whole end of the room was slightly sagging.

“Who goes there!?” A strained voice called.

Ochako tilted her head as she recognized it to be a female voice but didn’t dwell on it as she leaped over some rubble and streaked over to that corner. Upon rounding the corner, Ochako spotted a woman with burns on her arms and face, clutching a small girl to her chest. The small child had her face buried in her mother’s shirt, her eyes closed and her fingers fisted in the soft collar of the shirt. The mother cringed when she saw Ochako, her hopes dwindling as she saw a dog instead of a rescuer like she had been hoping.

“Do you have an owner? Someone who is coming to get us?” The mother asked softly as her tear-streaked gaze met Ochako’s.

That question jolted Ochako back to reality as she whipped her head around, looking for the person she had come for.

“Oh, are you with that boy?” the woman asked, her face falling and her tone losing any last remnants of hope it had left. “He tried to help us but didn’t notice the ceiling was falling apart,” the woman said, choking on a sob as she jerked her head slightly to her right.

Ochako whirled around and felt her jaw drop as she caught sight of Izuku’s limp form, crushed by a large wooden beam. Ochako howled in anguish when she saw him, scrambling to reach him. Without even thinking of using her quirk, Ochako rushed at the beam and leaned down to hit it with her shoulder with a surprising amount of pure strength. The beam moved slightly, giving Ochako pause. She had expected it to remain sturdy, but as soon as it moved, Ochako felt a tiny bit of hope bleed into her veins. Ramming the beam two more times, she was finally able to move it off of Izuku. She felt her shoulder dislocate when she hit the beam for the final time and clenched her teeth against the yelp that bubbled in her throat but managed to get herself together enough to assess the situation. He had definitely broken several things but he was alive, she could tell by the barely noticeable rise and fall of his chest. She was going to look over him more but decided against it when a loud crack resounded throughout the room, making the little girl squeal and her mother whimper slightly. Looking between the three of them, Ochako formulated a plan. Grabbing a hold of the loose end of the rope that still dragged behind her, Ochako ran over to the mother and gave it to her, dropping it in her lap.

“What the hell is this?” The mother asked, panic making her voice sound harsher. “What am I supposed to do with this?”

Ochako grabbed the end of the rope again and lopped it loosely around her wrist, trying to show her what she wanted.

“You want me to tie it..?”

Ochako nodded frantically and watched as the woman hesitatingly tied it securely around her wrist. Once Ochako was satisfied that the rope wouldn’t come undone, she raced back to Izuku. Lowering herself to the ground, she ignored the feeling of the floor burning her paw pads and singing her chin fur as she pressed her muzzle into Izuku’s side. She wiggled her body and pushed even more until she was able to roll Izuku over her face and onto her back. Once he was securely sprawled over her back, Ochako bounced back over to the woman and her daughter and placed her two front paws on the mother. The woman gasped as the gravity was removed from her form and even screamed as she began to float towards the floating ceiling. Ochako barked and grabbed the rope in her sore teeth, tugging on it a bit to show the woman that she had a hold of her. The woman looked shocked and skeptical, unsure of what to think about this over intelligent dog, but didn’t have time to do much more than gasp as Ochako set off at a brisk pace, carrying all three of them.

Weaving through the damage, Ochako made her way back through the fire, this time, fighting for consciousness as the smoke in her lungs started to clog up her throat, her body growing weaker and weaker as the smoke and the flames roiled over her. But she kept going, she had to, not just for herself but for the three other lives she carried with her. Her ears pricked forward when she heard a sudden popping sound which led her to leap backward just as the wall in front of the exploded, more flames billowing out of the melting wall like something from a horror movie. Ochako had instinctively raised an arm, her paw stuck out as the flames reared up. She felt the fire ravage her arm and she howled in pain but managed to yank it away before the fire could spread any further up her body. Gritting her teeth, Ochako forced herself to put one paw in front of the other, dragging Izuku and the two girls along with her. She was heavily limping now as she made her way down the stairs. Her ears pricked when she saw the main doors to the building, their escape. Her tail wagged weakly but she forced herself to shove down the feeling of elation. The building was still crumbling down, if she didn’t focus, they could still die very painful deaths.

“Was anyone else inside?”

“No I don’t think so, we searched as much of the building as we could.”

“Alright, we need to close this place up while we put out the fires so that this inferno doesn’t take to the streets.”

Ochako’s eyes widened as she heard the voices. No. No they were so close! They couldn’t lock them in here! Ochako could feel her vision starting to blur but she forced all of her energy to her lips anyway, barking like mad.

“Hey! There’s a dog in there!”

“We don’t have time to get a dog, we have to close this up before more people die!”

“But what would a dog be doing in a regular-ass office building? What if they found survivors?”

Ochako barked again, the throaty noise starting to sound faint, even to her. Still, she pushed harder, barking over and over again as she moved slowly down the last few steps. She placed her right paw down, the injured one on the last step, and felt herself collapse. She panted, her tongue laying flat on the ground in front of her as her mouth lay agape. A small, weak whine escaped her throat as she lay there, so close and yet so far to their escape. She felt the flames getting closer and closer, its hungry mouth opened wide to reveal fangs of heat that pierced her flesh and soaked into her whole body. She was shaking but no matter how much her mind screamed at her to move, she couldn’t bring herself to stand. She felt her eyes closing and was about to lose consciousness completely when a noise above her forced her to remain awake for just a moment longer.

“H-Help!” the woman floating above her, still attached the rope around Ochako’s neck, coughed out, her own throat close to being useless as the smoke coated her mouth and filled her lungs. “Please… please we are here…!” The woman had not originally heard the voices since her position in the air had put her closer to the flames, the dull roaring filling her ears, but when she had noticed that the dog below her was barking constantly, she decided it was worth a shot to see if the exhausted canine was onto something.

“Hey! I heard a voice! Someone is still in there!”

Ochako managed one last feeble whine just as the main doors were shattered, several large figures filing into the burning building.

“Shit! Hurry! Get these four outta here!”

Ochako sighed as she felt a weight jostle her around. She felt herself being lifted into the air and heard a soft voice whispering incomprehensible nonsense into her ear as the final scraps of her remaining vision faded away but her last thought was a flash of Deku’s injured body, along with the jolt of pain in her heart at the image before her mind and body succumbed to the shrouding darkness.

______________________

Izuku woke up with a loud groan. He felt sore everywhere and he wasn’t entirely sure if he was still alive for a moment. He blinked at the bright light that stabbed at his eyes when he first came to but eventually felt himself get used to it enough to take in his surroundings. He was in a white room in a small bed, something he instantly recognized to be Recovery Girl’s office. As if she had been reading his thoughts, the door opened to reveal the nurse herself. She waddled in and smiled when she saw his opened eyes.

“You’re awake, that’s good!” She said. “Feel any pain?”

“I’m sore but otherwise fine,” Izuku said. “Why am I here?”

“Do you not remember?”

“Not at the moment, no.”

“You rushed into a burning building and got pinned by a large wooden beam. You had several broken bones including several damaged ribs. I was initially worried you had internal bleeding but you were lucky and managed to avoid that. I was able to heal you back to your normal state, although you will be pretty sore and tired for the next few days,” Recovery Girl said, shuffling around to gather some supplies.

All of the memories came flooding back then. The huge burning building, the man with the injured ankle, the woman and her child, the beam creaking above him before falling down to crush him.

“You really were lucky, young Midoriya, not only did you survive that incident, but you also escaped being charged with inference since the fire was not caused by a villain but instead, a gas leak.”

“How did I survive? I was out of it after the beam landed on me.”

“No wonder you haven’t asked about her yet,” Recovery Girl mumbled quietly to the point where Izuku only caught the first part.

“No wonder I haven’t asked about what?”

“No wonder you haven’t asked about Uraraka yet,” Recovery Girl said with a sigh, turning to face him.

Izuku ducked his head down and rubbed the back of his neck.

“Yeah, I need to go find her and apologize for tying her up. I just didn’t want her to get hurt. I know she’s probably pissed at me, especially since I got hurt.”

“Midoriya, you don’t understand, son,” Recovery Girl said.

“What do you mean?” Fear started to creep into his heart at her tone.

“She was the reason you survived. She saved your life.”

“What!? She was tied up! I found an old rope and used it to tie her to a bike rack across the street so she wouldn’t follow me in and get hurt.”

“Well judging from the state of her teeth, which I had to fix last night, she either chewed through the rope or chewed through it enough to escape, unless someone just untied her, because she got off of that post and ran in after you. According to the woman and the little girl you attempted to save before the beam landed on you, that dog searched for you all over the place. When she found you, she dislocated her shoulder getting that beam off of you. She then shimmied you onto her back, tied the rope to the woman’s wrist, and then used her quirk on her to bring all three of you to safety. Some firefighters heard her barking up a storm when she got to the entrance and they rushed in to save you, finding all three of you quickly dying of smoke inhalation.”

Izuku wasted no time. He shot up like a rocket and threw himself out of bed. He was just about to rush out the door when Recovery Girl caught his arm. He looked back, his expression frantic.

“She’s completely fine, son. I healed her up and she is in good condition now. She’s in the room next door, just don’t freak out when you see her, alright?”

Izuku gulped and nodded, forcing himself to calm down as she released his arm. Flinging open the door, Izuku darted into the hallway and swung around to enter her infirmary room.

“Ochako!”

Izuku paused at the doorway as she looked over at him. She was sitting up, her body covered in bandages but otherwise unharmed. She was human again and was wearing a hospital gown similar to his. When her eyes met his, her face broke out into a glowing smile that made his heart melt. Snapping out of his trance, Izuku rushed to her side. He expected her to remain sitting in bed but to his surprise, she swung her legs over the side and met him in a hug halfway, her face burying itself into his neck. Izuku forced the flames to die down in his cheeks as her sweet scent washed over him and hugged her tighter to him.

“Recovery Girl told me what happened, I thought I lost you,” Izuku choked out.

“Yeah, well that’s what you get for tying me up, I felt so panicked that I was going to lose you too, I’ve never felt that much fear in my life.”

Izuku hugged her impossibly tighter as tears spilled down his cheeks.

“I know it was wrong, I just didn’t want you to get hurt.”

“What? And have you die all by yourself? We’re a team, Deku and that means for better or for worse, you and I stick together.”

Izuku pulled back to look into her face. He had never heard so much conviction in her voice before, even when talking about how she was going to become a hero. Her eyes were filled with a determined fire as if she were rivaling the inferno she had just barely managed to survive. Izuku swallowed thickly and nodded.

“Yeah, we’re a team. And that goes for you too, don’t you go charging into danger without me either, alright?” Izuku asked carefully.

Ochako nodded and smiled, her eyes shining with unshed tears. She then leaned forward and embraced Izuku again, leaning her head against his chest.

“When I saw you all broken and crushed beneath that beam, I thought for sure I’d never see you again. All I could think about was how I didn’t even have the chance to speak with you or laugh with you again. I was stuck as a dog and even though it felt amazing to finally get to spend some time with you, I couldn’t actually do much to be a part of it. At that moment, when I thought you were gone, I just…” Ochako cleared her throat, the lump that was forming there making it difficult for her to get her words out.

“I know,” Izuku said, relieving her from having to finish her sentence as she struggled to get past the tears that ran down her cheeks. “I felt it too. In that final moment, before I blacked out, I didn’t even know you were there, I thought you were still tied up outside, but I called your name because you were the only thing on my mind when I thought I was going to die.”

Ochako snuggled even deeper into his chest, savoring the warmth of his strong arms looped around her.

“I heard,” she whispered against him.

A burst of warmth spread in Izuku’s heart, making even more tears spill over his lids. A shaky smile broke out across his face, brightening the whole room as he held the one he loves close to him.

“When you two are done, you’re free to go.”

The pair sprung away from each other, their cheeks rivaling that of a tomato as Recovery Girl’s voice floated over to them from where she had walked into the room unnoticed. She was smiling at them and her eyes were sparkling mischievously.

“T-Thank you,” Izuku said.

“Yeah! Thank you so much!” Ochako said.

Both teens bowed before scurrying out the door followed by Recovery Girl’s warm chuckle. As they made their way down the empty hall of the infirmary building to head back to the dorms, Izuku kept sneaking glances at Ochako. She was fiddling with the bandages on her arm and her eyes had a faraway look to them.

“Hey,” Izuku said gently.

“Yeah?”

“You said you wanted to talk to me but you couldn’t as a dog. We’re alone again now, anything you want to talk about?”

Ochako smiled at him before placing a finger to her chin, similarly to what Tsuyu would do when she was thinking deeply, racking her brain for anything she wanted to ask him about. The scene from the coffee shop came to mind, and Ochako brightened as she remembered something.

“Okay, how about this, when we were at the coffee shop before the fire started, I asked you what was wrong and you were trying to tell me something. What was it?” Ochako asked, turning slightly to peer at her friend.

“Oh!” Izuku exclaimed, the blush bleeding back into his cheeks as his hand rose to rub the back of his neck nervously. “Oh, that. Um, well… what I was too nervous to say when we were back at the coffee shop is probably something I should’ve said a long time ago, but I’ve never had the guts to express it.”

Izuku stopped walking and Ochako did the same and turned to him, giving him her full attention with a small smile, encouraging him to continue. Izuku sighed heavily as he looked into her eyes.

“I was sad at the coffee shop earlier because I’m… kinda… self-conscious.”

“Self-conscious? About what? You’re so amazing, Deku! What could you have to be self-conscious about?” Ochako asked genuinely.

“I’m self-conscious about a few things, not many, but a few. It’s not even a big deal but I guess you deserve an explanation since I was kind of tampering with our outing by souring the mood a bit. At the same time, after almost losing you, there is no way I can’t say this because if I don’t do this now, I’ll end up kicking myself later. It’ll be the biggest mistake of my life.”

“What is it Deku?” Ochako asked, her brow furrowing as she took in his expression of confusion and determination.

“I love you,” Izuku said.

Ochako’s jaw dropped.

“W-What?”

“I love you,” Izuku said again, digging the toe of his shoe into the ground nervously but maintaining eye contact with her, showing her with his firm gaze that he was completely serious. “I was nervous and self-conscious because I know you are way out of my league. You are so strong and amazingly kind. You are so loyal to those you care about but you remain ambitious, not letting either of those traits interfere with one another. You are so brave and determined no matter what happens and you’ve been with me ever since I started this crazy journey, picking me up from the very beginning and dusting me off so I didn’t fall flat on my face both metaphorically and literally. I can’t live without you, Ochako, and I needed to say this because I almost lost the chance to say this to you. You don’t have to feel the same way, in fact, I don’t expect you to, I just needed to tell you how I feel so you can get an understanding for why I act the way that I do around you.”

Ochako was stunned into silence. Ever since the stuttering, clumsy, nervous little boy had saved her from being crushed by that giant robot during the entrance exam, she had had a strong infatuation with him. She hadn’t acknowledged her feelings until after the Sports Festival, and when she did, the feelings only got stronger and stronger, her love of him eventually taking up a personal residence in her heart. She had tried to push it aside, claiming he had no time for relationships, his mind filled only with the desire to become a hero, to fulfill his lifelong dream. She hadn’t wanted to get in the way of that, and so no matter how many times she wanted to snuggle up close to him, kiss him, hold him, confess to him. No matter how many times her friends begged and pushed her to confess, she never did. She had her own goals anyway, there was no point in involving herself with unrequited love, not when she would have a much higher rate of success chasing her dreams rather than her best friend. She hadn’t wanted to damage their friendship anyway, worried that her confession would make things awkward between them. But here he was, her now strong, amazing, selfless, proud crush who she believed to be way too good for her, standing in front of her, confessing his love to her. She was tempted to pinch herself, to make sure this wasn’t a dream, that she wasn’t still in the hospital bed with injuries that were making her delusional but she held off. She knew this was no dream.

Izuku started to shuffle in place a little, his eyes shifting down to stare nervously at the floor. His hand reached up to run through his hair as he anxiously waited on pins and needles for her response. She hadn’t said anything yet and now doubt was starting to worm its way into his mind. He had just ruined their friendship, he had just made everything awkward between them. Of course she didn’t love him back, she was so amazing, she had saved him and two other people from a burning building while stuck as a dog for god's sake! He was only to save one person before he got himself got up in a huge mess that could’ve killed both the woman and girl he found along with himself. She was so strong and beautiful, maybe he should’ve just kept his mouth shut. The ramblings of his inner demons came to a sudden screeching halt when he felt her soft hand reach up to caress his cheek. His eyes widened and focused on the love shining in her own gaze, wondering idly if he was imagining things. He knew he wasn’t when she boldly leaned forward and closed the gap between them, her hands reaching back to run her fingers through the hair at the base of his neck.

Izuku didn’t think, shoving all of his final self-doubts out of his heart and his mind as he eagerly reciprocated the kiss, his hands wandering down to her hips to rub her hip bones with the pads of his thumbs. The kiss was clumsy and inexperienced but it felt right, both teens feeling like they could conquer the world. When they broke apart, they were both panting slightly, their faces flushed and their eyes sparkling with love.

“Never think you aren’t good enough,” Ochako said firmly but gently, reaching down to grasp his hand as they started walking again.

“The same goes for you, you’re too perfect to find anything to criticize yourself on anyway,” Izuku said, mumbling the last part softly.

Ochako blushed and squeezed his hand, the pair making their way back to the dorms, together.

_____________________

“Come on guys! What was it like!? You guys were a whole other species! Something interesting had to have happened!” Mina whined as she laid draped over the back of the couch, her legs kicking slightly as she peered at the ten classmates situated around the main living room of the dorms in various spots. The rest of Class 1-A had immediately noticed a shift between the ten classmates that had been involved with the whole canine debacle, their moods towards one another changing exponentially.

“Shut up, Raccoon Eyes,” Bakugo snapped from one of the armchairs, Kirishima sitting on the floor with his back leaning comfortably against Bakugo’s legs.

“Hey! You guys always get to do the fun stuff and never tell us anything about it! I only want to know what it was like!”

“Yeah, even I have to admit I’m a bit curious,” Sero interjected.

“I too would like to know what happened. I mean, Midoriya and Uraraka even came back injured! They told us you two got caught up in a fire but they didn’t say anything else,” Iida said from the small connected kitchenette, stirring a mug of tea with a spoon as he spoke.

Ochako squeezed Izuku’s hand slightly when Iida brought up their injuries. Izuku had come back mostly unscathed, just a few scars on his back and sides that Recovery Girl was unable to heal. Unfortunately for Ochako on the other hand, was completely healed except for the burn injury on her right arm. The pain was gone and the swelling from the initial burn was gone, but a long scar stretched out across the back of her hand and zigzagged up her arm. When the bandages had come off, Ochako had been pretty self-conscious about the mark, but Izuku had helped to raise her spirits, claiming that not only were they twins now and showing her his own marked up hand but that he also thought she looked really badass. Their scarred hands now held each other now as they sat on the couch, Ochako leaning into Izuku as her boyfriend rested with his warm arm thrown over her shoulders, his other hand brushing softly against her waist.

“It was quite uneventful,” Tsuyu said suddenly, causing all ten students to snicker. Even Bakugo’s lips curved upward in a slight smile.

“Yeah, nothing happened the entire time. It was really boring actually,” Kirishima chuckled from his place on the floor.

“Yeah, it was just like being a person except you get more food and more pets. Honestly, it probably would’ve been more fun if something interesting had happened like if I had been picked up by the pound. Then maybe it would’ve been more worthwhile,” Kaminari said from where he was lying sprawled out on the other armchair, Jirou laying on his lap with her back pressed up against his chest. She choked a little when he spoke, her attempt to hide her chuckle failing.

“Come on Kaminari, if you were picked up by the pound I think that’d be kinda sad. I tried to have some fun as a dog by going on a walk but it was so boring. Todoroki came with me and even he agrees that it was nothing but monotonous and stupid. I think it would’ve been fun if I had to act all heroic and save someone from an oncoming car. That would’ve maybe given me something to take away from the experience,” Yaoyorozu said from her place in a bean bag with Todoroki.

“Yeah I can see your point,” Ochako said. “All I did was save some people from a burning building. It was so uneventful I think I almost fell asleep.”

Silence followed their words until all of the students who had been involved in the canine incident broke out into laughter. The rest of their classmates glanced at each other and laughed nervously, unsure of whether their friends were joking or not.

“Did you guys really do all that stuff?” Shoji asked in quiet awe from the corner of the room.

“Yeah did you guys seriously go on all these adventures while we were stuck here!?” Hagakure squeaked in awed annoyance. “You guys are so lucky!”

Making eye contact with each other, their gazes full of understanding and love for one another, Ochako was the first to respond.

“Yeah, I guess you could say we were really lucky.”

[elopez7228]

Scenic Route 34/47

Read on AO3 : https://archiveofourown.org/works/18268208/chapters/43229774 

Start over : https://elopez7228.tumblr.com/post/620919089893933056/scenic-route-0147

***

Rey sat in the grass, contemplating the decision she had to make. The car was ready. BB8 was chasing crickets around.  Right now, almost no one knew her location on the remote campground. But she couldn’t stay there forever. She was furious at Ben...but somehow she couldn’t forget about the night they had spent together. Just thinking about it sent shivers down her spine.  

No, she had to act rationally.

It was a mistake to let Leia and Ben take advantage of her. She had been too rash, too trusting for her own good. She didn’t doubt Syed’s intentions; she had also seen Skylar’s brutality with her own eyes. And something told her they wouldn’t be fooled by bear spray twice. She wished she had been even firmer with Ben that it was his responsibility to reign in the lunatics on his team...

But the doubts crept in. What if he couldn’t do it? Or, what if he didn’t actually want to? Worse yet, what if he never really loved her at all? It was hard to wrap her head around his actions. His kisses were ardent, by all accounts he was even more earnest than he had been that night in Jackson Hole.

Sleeping with him hadn’t felt like a trophy fuck or a one night stand, she had felt like an empress. He’d been so focused on her pleasure, on unraveling her with a gentleness that almost seemed out of character. Still as driven as ever, but sweeter, somehow. No one had made love to her like that in ages.

Was that all in order to get his hands on the microchip? Beneath all her righteous anger she’d hoped that it had been a misunderstanding. Maybe then it would’ve been less painful.

Maybe it was time to embrace the obvious: Cupid had it out for her. Just like with Finn, when things were finally looking up, everything came crashing down.

What now?

She thumbed through her contacts mindlessly. She ought to check in on Poe, but she hardly felt like it. Calling Jessica seemed even worse.

It rang just then, startling her.

Ben Solo.

Was he about to tell her that Syed had been put in the naughty corner? Probably not.

“Yes, Ben?” She sighed.

“Please don’t hang up.”

She wasn’t going to, but it was nice of him to insist. She relented.

“What is it this time?”

“Syed and Skylar are looking for the Falcon. You can’t hope to get away in that car.”

“I see you haven’t been successful in convincing them to leave me alone. Also, this is escalating rather quickly, isn’t it?”

“Look, I’m sorry I put you in this situation, I—“

“Yeah, I suppose you should be,” Rey tried to cut  him off, but Ben was determined.

“Whatever I did before, I regret it, and I’m trying to protect you now. So let me finish. You need to change cars.”

She snorted derisively. “Do you think I have that kind of money? Besides, your mother trusted me with the Falcon, am I really just suppose to let it rot somewhere?”

“No, no, don’t worry. I’m sending Kelsi Ren your way. Switch with her, and try to gain a few hours on Syed and Skylar.”

“And if I refuse?”

“You won’t make it past ten miles. Syed’s out for blood.”

“Is that a threat?”

Ben hesitated to respond. Rey could hear his uneven breathing on the other side.

“Rey, I know I fucked up,” he said hoarsely. “You don’t have to forgive me, but you have to trust me.”

“Trust is a big ask. As for forgiveness, we’ll see. I guess I don’t have a choice about the car...”

“I’m not trying to force you, but it’s your best option. I mean it.”

Rey rolled her eyes. Really, what alternative did she have? She sighed again.

“When will Kelsi be here?”

“Ten minutes, she’s on the way. When she gets there, switch the registration papers too. Don’t talk to her, don’t answer any questions.”

“It’s not like I’ll invite her to tea,” she grumbled as she hung up.

Ben wasn’t kidding: a large Lincoln Nautilus pulled up next to the Millenium Falcon in a matter of minutes. To Rey’s chagrin, it wasn’t quite large enough to fit her mattress, so they were back to sleeping in the car. At least this one had air conditioning. That would be a welcome change.

She supposed she should call Leia about the Falcon soon. She had promised to deliver both the car and the dog, but perhaps Leia would be receptive to the “looming killers” argument. Desperate times called for desperate measures...

Kelsi emerged from the car. Rey had seen her on stage before, but she was different out of costume, in broad daylight. She looked good in her ripped jeans and hiking boots, though she appeared younger now. Short platinum blonde hair framed her face, which was well-hidden beneath a combination of dark sunglasses and a tattered shawl that wrapped around her shoulders.

“Are you Rey?” She asked casually as she approached.

“Yeah. Here’s my car,” she replied, gesturing to the aging Oldmobile Cruiser.

The blonde grimaced, muttering something about a shitty last minute plan under her breath.

“Here’s the keys and the papers. The tank is loaded. Where’re you headed?”

Ben’s voice echoed in Rey’s head: don’t answer any questions. She realized it was time to play the clueless tourist again, since everyone seemed to think she excelled at the role.

"I don’t know,” she said, giving Kelsi her blankest smile. “I’ll just hit the road I guess. Go wherever life takes me.”

“Whatever,” Kelsi grumbled, mostly to herself. In an almost mechanical gesture, she handed Rey the keys and the registration document.

Now it was time to move the contents of the Falcon. Rey cleared out the glovebox, suddenly noticing that the toy car was gone. She panicked when she realized that Luke’s address was still there. Had Ben found it the other night? If that was the case, he now knew her location and her destination. And that meant he knew his uncle’s address. But he never once said anything. Another day, another game of hide and seek.

“Ugh, this piece of crap reeks of dog!” Kelsi complained. Behind her, Rey snorted. Good luck with that, princess.

Finally, Rey moved BB8’s toys and food bowl to the back seat of the Lincoln before getting behind the wheel. The engine revved up smoothly, and she instantly knew this was a major upgrade compared to the Falcon. It also came with a leather interior, GPS, and Bluetooth. Score! The rest of this trip was going to be so much fun.

She put her sunglasses on and adjusted her seat. Time to hit the road again!

For a little while she basked in the feeling of relief, forgetting that she was currently a crazy old woman’s pawn with no other plans in life, on the run from a pair of assassins and leagues away from her dying ex-husband.

She drove carefully out of Bozeman on Highway 89. She connected her phone to the Bluetooth system, finally deciding to give Poe a call. The conversation was brief as Finn was stable and nothing had changed. Rey neglected to mention her own circumstances because she didn’t want her friends in England to worry more than they already did.

Now that she thought about it, she wasn’t as scared as before. Was this her new normal—travelling alone, confronting bears, flirting with rockstars, and outrunning gangs? Despite the risks, she had never felt more alive.  

She slowed the car as she approached what looked like a police barricade. Rey was about to pull the window down when the officer standing there motioned for her to keep going.

But by now her good humor had suddenly disappeared. Ben had said that she wouldn’t make it ten miles in the Falcon. Was this barricade the proof? Did FORCE really have the means to intercept her like that? The idea was so terrifying that she pushed it away.

She was headed even further west, in the direction of Idaho. It was 8 AM now. If she drove for another twelve hours, she could spend the night in Reno, Nevada. From there, San Francisco would only be four hours away. Rey would find Luke Skywalker, give him his dog and the microchip, and live the rest of her average life in peace.

Eventually, she would have to call Leia Skywalker, but right now she needed some dial-in advice from her Fairy Godmother.

“Rey, good morning! How was the concert?”

Concert? Maz’s question was brimming with so much enthusiasm that it took Rey’s brain scrambled to catch up. Ah yes, that concert. Before...before everything. The old woman listened patiently as Rey explained the events of that night, and the unexpected consequences.

“Rey. Rey! Listen to me, I don’t quite get the story behind this micro-SD thing, but it sounds important. So as far as I understand, group A hid this thing on you without your knowledge, and group B, the gang, is looking for it. And you’re angry at group A but you forgive them, while also being in love with the leader of group B, who you’re in a spat with right now. Is that it?”

“I am not in love with—“ her voice broke off mid-sentence.

Who was she kidding? She couldn’t even lie to herself anymore.

Maz was silent, allowing Rey to internalize her revelation.

“What about him?” She asked Rey gently, “Is he not in love either?”

“I don’t know, Maz. He’s been chasing  me for a week with his smoldering looks and his  but-I’m-a-sentimental-beast  love songs. And last night he was—“

Rey sighed.

“Last night he was so genuine. Or so I thought. I believed his affections, and I believed his words too. But this morning he was sending me mixed signals. On one hand he was rummaging through my stuff while I slept, but on the other he just gave me a new car.”

“Rey, I’ve met Syed. She didn’t seem like a very nice woman. I’m willing to believe that she will hurt you, especially now that she has a bone to pick. So why is Kylo Ren risking himself to protect you, after he put you in danger?”

“Ben Solo. It’s Ben Solo who’s trying to protect me, not Kylo Ren.”

“What’s the difference?”

As Rey mulled the question over in her head, it dawned on her that she had always seen a clear distinction between Kylo Ren and Ben Solo. Why?

“Kylo Ren is just a persona. He’s a spy who operates the gears and collects the debts for FORCE. Ben Solo has a more complicated backstory involving his parents, and he doesn’t stand a chance against real villains like Syed Ren. He was the one who kissed me last night.”

“And the man who was looking for the microchip as you slept, who was he?”

“Definitely not the same guy who offered me a car so that I could escape.”

“It looks to me like this boy has a lot of soul-searching to do. I don’t know if you can help with his problems. Take the car for now and get as far away from them as you can! Go find yourself some shelter and let the boy figure out his own life. He’ll come back to you if he really means to.”

Rey contemplated this in silence. It was simple enough to worry about herself for now and let Ben come back when he was ready. It seemed reasonable, doable.

When their conversation came to an end, Rey stopped at Three Forks to get breakfast and buy a few more supplies for the journey. Ideally, she would make as few stops as possible to really stay ahead. Feeling a renewed sense of determination, she was ready to face the world again.

This part of the Rockies was different than the area east of the Teton, which she had passed on arrival. In Wyoming she had driven past dry mountain prairies that were almost desert-like. The other side of the mountain chain was much hillier, reminiscent of the Alpine countryside. She spotted grassy knolls, valleys, and snowy mountain peaks set against the flowery plains.

She followed the valley south, feeling lighter and lighter with each passing kilometer. There was no one behind her. No menacing SUV, no Syed in sight. Could it be that all her worries were immaterial?

Well, there was one person she still had to worry about contacting: Leia Skywalker.

[shhh-no-ones-home]

puppy love ted “theodore” logan x reader

+++++++++ Request from @ringa-starr "...The song being 'Sk8er Boi' by Avril Lavigne with either Bill or Ted and the reader."

This is not exactly how I expected it to be but I think it goes with the timeline pretty well, either way I hope you like it! sorry it took so long.

Song: sk8er boi by avril Lavigne +++++++++

I laughed at what my friend had said and closed my locker. Both of us pushed against it though as some kid came zooming down the hallway on his skateboard.

"Ted Logan slow down!"

Mrs Fletcher yelled but he kept moving.

"Who is that?"

I turned to my friend and she rolled her eyes.

"He's no body."

I smirked and looked at him as he continued rolling to his class.

"He's kinda cute."

She laughed.

"No y/n, a dog is cute, that is not."

She pointed behind her before hugging her books to her chest.

"Whatever Kelly, let's get to class."

We walked down the hall, pinkies intertwined. when we got into the classroom he was stood there with his skateboard in his hand talking to some blonde kid. i sent kelly a look before walking to him and tapping him on the shoulder.

"hey, that was some sick riding."

he seemed nervous but gave me a smile anyways.

"uh thanks, im ted."

he offered his hand to me and i shook it.

"y/n."

i looked him up and down.

"do you think you could show me how to do that?"

he looked down at the board and then back at me.

"i could try."

i twisted my body a few times.

"great, my place after school?"

he nodded quickly but then the other one hit his arm.

"dude we've got practice."

"oh right, uh wanna do it after our band practice?"

i smirked at him.

"sure, when and where?"

he turned around and started writing something down before handing me the paper. i looked over it.

"ill see you then."

°°°°°°°°°

i shoved my hands deep in my pockets and looked down at the address again. by now it had been more than an hour after school so i had time to change out of my 'preppy' clothes and be me. it was like flipping a switch, i could still be as swave as i needed to be but i could be comfortable too. when i came up to the house the garage was open and i could hear heavy guitar coming from the large speakers. i stepped up the driveway and looked around for a second. bill and ted were jumping around wailing on their guitars. then ted froze when he saw me. it took bill a second but he stopped and looked at me too.

"hey guys."

i waved to them and they waved back hesitantly.

"you look different."

i looked down at my outfit, it was a black t-shirt layered over a white long sleeve shirt with the sleeves pushed up to my elbows. i also had on ripped acid wash jeans and knee high purple and black striped socks you could see through the rips, with my black chuck taylor's.

"bad different?"

ted swallowed hard before shaking his head.

"not at all dude. i mean y/n."

i smiled at him and held my hands together in front of me.

"im sorry for being a little early, i kinda wanted to see you guys play, you sound really good by the way."

they both blushed

"thanks, im glad you like it. we've actually got one more song and then i can show you how to skate if you want."

i nodded quickly.

"yeah id love that."

i sat at the picnic table in bills garage and watched as they checked their amps before shredding again. i bobbed my head along with the song as they sang loudly against the speakers. when it was done they put their guitars on the stands and high fived.

"that was most excellent ted dude!"

"Yeah!"

Ted yelled back. Then bill came and sat by me.

"Ted is a most excellent skater dude. He surfs too."

Ted scratched the back of his head.

"Only because of my dad but it gets me around."

I smiled between the two of them.

"Well I think it's pretty rad, and I'm excited to learn."

Ted came over and sat on the other side of me.

"Your friends don't mind that you're doing this?"

Bill sent him a look and I shrugged.

"I don't know, why should I care what they think? Half of them have cars their dads bought them to get their love. I couldn't care less."

I laughed a little and they both smiled and nodded.

"Awesome!"

Bill said turning to Ted. Then they did that air guitar thing.

"Excellent!"

They both said excitedly and I laughed at them again.

"So, is it really like surfing?"

Ted nodded quickly.

"Okay, cause I've done that a few times before but I'm not very good at it."

I blushed a little.

"That's okay dudette, we'll go slow."

I smiled at him.

"Thanks Ted, that means a lot."

He stood up and picked his board up.

"Wanna get started?"

I nodded and followed him out to bills driveway. Thank God it was relatively flat cause I was scared to death. He set the board on the ground and offered his hand for me to take.

"Uh, I think we should start with balance, and then we'll work up to moving on your own."

I nodded and took his hand, stepping onto the board. I wobbled for a second and held his hand a little tighter. He placed his other hand on the small of my back.

"It's okay, I've got you."

I nodded and breathed deeply.

"Right."

"Okay, try moving your feet back and forth with the board, it's designed to move with you."

I looked down and did as told, rocking back and forth. I looked up at Ted and smiled.

"That's good, now try spacing your feet a little bit more, one in the middle of the board and one at the back."

We both looked down and I did as told. I looked back at him.

"That's good, do you feel more secure now?"

I nodded.

"Yeah actually I do."

He smiled widely at me.

"Okay great, now I'm gonna push you."

I held onto him, fear in my eyes.

"You're gonna what?"

He laughed a little.

"It's okay, I'm not gonna let go of you, we're just gonna move a little bit."

I nodded slowly.

"Okay."

He moved his hand a little bit on my back and started leading me forward.

"Good, bend your knees a little bit and lean in the direction you wanna go."

I looked down for a second and did as told, then we started turning. I laughed in disbelief.

"I'm actually doing it."

He kept moving with me, smile on his face.

"Yeah you are dude!"

Then he started slowing me down and stopping us.

"Wanna try pushing off yourself?"

I nodded slowly.

"Uh sure."

He let go of my back but still had my hand.

"Okay so you're gonna balance your one foot in the middle of the board. You're gonna push off with the other and when you're going as fast as you want you're gonna shift your feet so you're standing on the board like before."

I nodded.

"I think I can do that."

I stood down off the board before placing one foot on. He still had my hand and I looked at him to make sure that was right. He nodded at me. Then I pushed once with my other foot and he moved along with me as the board started rolling. I placed that foot on the board too and was actually doing it by myself, balance and everything. It really was like surfing, you were just using your legs to move forward instead of your arms. When the board slowed and came to a stop. Ted smiled widely at me.

"You did it!"

°°°°°°°°° After about an hour of practicing I was really starting to get the hang of things. I wasn't as afraid any more and Ted didn't have to hold my hand as I moved in straight lines down bills driveway.

"You're doing great dudette!"

Bill called as he tried to do kick flips on the other side of the driveway.

"Thanks Bill."

I called as I tried to keep focus on the board. Ted was still walking beside me as I moved, jogging a little as I gained more confidence to move faster. I decided to start again, going back up to the garage door and skating down to the street.

"You wanna try to take it all the way down this time?"

He asked and I nodded.

"I think so yeah."

He smiled at me.

"Okay dude, I'm right here. Let's do this."

I placed my foot on the board and pushed off, facing Ted as I started rolling down the driveway. I looked up long enough to see Kelly driving her convertible in front of bills house.

"Y/n?!"

She yelled and my eyes got wide. I wobbled forward for a second, tripping off the board. Ted caught me mid fall around the waist and spun me around in a circle before placing me on the ground and steadying me. I breathed deeply and leaned forward, resting my hands on my thighs.

"Dude are you okay?!"

Bill yelled as he ran over to us, board in hand. I watched my board roll forward and hit her front tire. Then she got out of her car and walked around it, looking disgusted at the board before walking to me. I stood upright.

"Y/n, what do you think you're doing?"

I looked to bill and Ted.

"Learning how to skateboard?"

She stomped and crossed her arms over her chest.

"He tried to kill us with one of those this morning and now your trying to ride one?!"

She said in disbelief. I shrugged.

"Yeah actually, it's super fun."

She looked like she couldn't believe what she was hearing.

"You're just doing this cause you have a crush on Ted."

I raised a brow.

"Why would that be the reason for doing this?"

She frowned.

"I don't know! But you still thinks he's cute either way!"

I shrugged again.

"So what, like you said this morning, a dog is cute,"

I looked back at him.

"And if I like him then he must be the cutest damn dog I've ever seen."

She looked mad now, holding her arms tighter to her chest. Ted just barked at her and we all laughed except her.

"How could you do this to me y/n?"

I laughed a little.

"Do what? It's not like I'm hurting you."

She pouted.

"But your hanging out with normies. They aren't special, or cool, or popular. And we are."

I shrugged again.

"Maybe getting some normal friends would do you some good Kell."

Her mouth hung open.

"Poppycock!"

I laughed.

"No Kell's, puppy love."

I corrected her and turned to Ted, scratching his head behind his ear. he started pannting like a dog, kicking his leg. We all laughed again as he stopped and I turned back to her.

"You should really try it sometime Kell's. Skateboarding is fun and so is making new friends."

She just shook her head.

"Whatever y/n, I'm not hanging out with them at school so you'd better get as much time with them as you can afterwards."

I laughed a little.

"Yeah okay."

I said sarcastically. She turned around to walk to her car.

"I mean it y/n I'm not sitting with them at lunch. I won't do it."

She got back in her car and looked at me.

"I'll see you tomorrow."

I waved at her.

"See ya."

Then she drove off, the skateboard rolling a little further into the street. I ran and picked it up and brought it back to bill and Ted. They looked between each other before looking back at me.

"So, puppy love?"

Ted asked. I laughed a little and blushed.

"Maybe."

Ted smiled widely.

"Come on, let's keep practicing."

[hoodie-lover]

A Friend Like Me Ink Edition

“Looks like such a beat-up worthless piece of junk.” Maxie said as she inspected the old wooden paint brush.

“Hey, I think there’s still some use out of it, but it’s hard to paint with.” Beatrice said as she dipped it in dark paint and put it on a canvas. But it glowed a bright light, and burned her hand. 

It shot sparks of all colors, exploding into fireworks. 

“WHAT THE HELL?!” Zack screamed as he ducked under a table in their small art studio. 

It spun as a dark smoke emerged from the brush, revealing a brown clothed skeleton floating in mid air. He wore a shirt shirt with a yellow stripe and brown top. He also had a brown artist's glove with mint-green fingers. Though he did have brown overalls, the top part fell over him and wasn’t secured. Rainbow paint vials with heart-shaped tops were secured to a black sash. 

“Aaaaahhhhh!” He screamed, his eyes glowing and a sinister grin on his face. 

“Oy! 10,000 years will give you such a crick in the neck.” He said, cracking his neck, however that worked and his mouth didn’t move as he spoke. He got up close to the trio, giving them a quick look over as he got excited. 

“Hang on a second.” He said as the three friends were placed onto invisible wall hooks.

“Whoa! Whoa! Does it feel good to be outta there!” He said spinning his head and stretching.

He had a long scarf that trailed into a puff of smoke, it also was a dark brown and transitioned into a pale brown. He then turned the end of the smoke trail into a microphone and held it to his mouth. 

“I’m telling you, nice to be back, ladies and gentlemen.” He said, waving to a crowd that wasn’t there. 

“Hi. Where y’all from? What’re your names?” He said, bringing the mic to them and waiting for the stunned trio to speak. 

“Uh… Uh, Maxie.”

“Zack.”

“Beatrice.”

They were all hopelessly confused at this stranger. 

“Maxie, Zack, and Beatrice. Hello Maxie, Zack and Beatrice. Nice to have you on the show.” He said, making a billboard with their names and glowing in rainbow colors. 

“Can we call you Max? Or maybe just Xie?” He said, fiddling with his scarf as he spelled the nicknames in the air with sparkles. 

“How about Trixie?” Sounds like ‘Heya Trixie!’” He said, making himself look like a traditional high school prep girl as he laughed. 

“We must have hit our heads harder than we thought.” Zack said, he was rubbing his head as he looked at the girls, they nodded as well. 

“Do any of you smoke? Mind if I do?” The skeleton said as he poofed and returned to his normal self. 

“Oh sorry guys. Hope I didn’t singe the canvases.” He said, looking at the run down shed he was in as he surveyed the sketches. 

“Yo, Broomy. Haven’t seen you in a few millennia.” Ink said as he waved to the brush which came to life and grew to his height, which was four feet. 

“Give me some bristles. Yeah. Yo, yo.” Ink bumped hips with the brush and high-fived the brush.

“Say, I’ve never had more than one master.” He said, counting them off.

“Either that or I’m seeing triple.” He said, sprouting two more heads before quickly dissipating them. 

“Hold on one moment, how many rocks do you see?” he said, pointing to the three rocks Maxie brought in for a diorama she needed to make for a school project. 

“Wait a minute. We’re your masters?” Zack said, even more confused. 

“That’s right. They can be taught.” Ink said, snapping his fingers as graduation caps and diplomas appeared in their hands before disappearing in a puff of smoke. 

“What would you wish of me?” Ink asked, gearing up for a few tricks.

“The ever impressive,” He made large muscles for himself as he flexed. 

“the long contained,” Getting smaller as he was in a glass box.

“the often imitated,” He ventriloquist doll was in his lap as it said the words in a high pitched voice. 

“but never duplicated...” Duplicates of Ink said the word duplicated in a weird echo effect. 

“Guardian of the Brush! Name’s Ink.” He said, summoning sunglasses that he slid down as he winked. 

“Right here direct from the brush, right here for your very much needed artistic assistance.” He said, bowing. 

“Thank you.” Ink waved at an imaginary crowd. 

“Wait. Artistic assistance?” Maxie said, and Ink nodded. 

“As much as you need, to be exact. Per master so that’s infinity times three.” Ink said, question marks in his eyes as he contemplated what he had just said. 

“No substitutions, exchanges, or refunds.” He said as he had three beaten wooden signs appear in front of the three. 

“Now we know we’re dreaming.” Zack said, and everyone nodded. 

“Masters, I don’t think you quite realize what you’ve got here.” He said, gasping as he held his hands to his face.

“So why don’t you ruminate whilst I illuminate the possibilities.” He sat them down on the floor and began to glow. 

“Well Avatar had them three seasons. Gravity Falls had a thousand mysteries.” Ink said, duplicating himself three times before they surrounded the tiro, holding brushes dripping with paint and pointing at them. 

“But masters you’re in luck 'cause up your sleeves, you got a brand of magic that never fails!” Ink said as he snapped his fingers and the duplicates vanished. 

“You got some power in your corner now. Some heavy ammunition in your camp. You got some punch, pizzazz, yahoo and how.” Fireworks and rockets went off inside the shack as it seemed to get bigger, the things in it fading to black. Ink himself was a firework as he exploded and pulled up his living brush. 

“See all you gotta do is use that brush!” Ink cried out making the three shake hands with Broomy. 

“And I'll say ‘Mister Creators, sirs, what will your pleasures be?” Ink said, appearing in a puff of smoke as his voice boomed. 

“Let me take your orders. Jot it down,” Ink was now a french waiter who had them sat down at a table. 

“You ain't never had a friend like me!!” Ink cried out, winking at nobody.

“Life is your restaurant. And I'm your maitre d'!” Ink cried out, placing a turkey on the table, but his head became the main part of the chicken before they could eat it. 

“C'mon whisper what it is you want.” Ink grew an ear that grew bigger.

“You ain't never had a friend like me!” Ink said, once again making more duplicates as they surrounded the trio. 

“Yes sirs, we pride ourselves on service.” Now the three friends were in a spa and being cared for by the Ink clones. 

“What the hell is going on?!” Zack cried out as he tried to kick one. 

“You're the bosses!” Ink said, propping them on large fancy chairs made of gold and velvet.

“The kings, the gods!” Ink once again said, duplicates fanning them with large palm leaves. 

“Say what you wish, it's yours, true dish.” Ink said, making more food appear before them. 

��“How about a little more buttsctoth pie?” And the dish in question flooded the room. 

“Have some of column A,” They found themselves on top of a large pillar, about to fall off any second. 

“Try all of column B!” Which they did into a pile of art supplies as they continued to fall. 

“You bastard!” Maxie cried out, she hated heights. 

“I'm in the mood to help you dudes.” Ink said, catching them on a pillow as he opened his mouth. 

“You ain't never had a friend like me!” A smaller but more dapper version of himself came out and began to dance. 

“Can your friends do this?” Ink took off his head and began to juggle it along with more copies of it.

“Do your friends do that?” He threw the heads at them, and miraculously they could also juggle them, before Beatrice screamed and threw them at the headless body. And Ink’d was right where it was supposed to be. 

“Do your friends pull this out their little hat?” He turned into a hat and popped out as a big pink rabbit. 

“Can your friends go poof?” The pink rabbit became a dragon which spewed a large stream of flames. 

“Well, looky here~!” Ink said as the flames took vaguely humanoid shapes and began to dance very suggestively. 

“Can your friends go, Abracadabra, let 'er rip!” Ink ripped himself in half.

“And then make the sucker disappear?” Right after he literally split the flames poofed out. 

“So don't cha sit there slack-jawed, buggy-eyed.” Ink’s jaw fell off and he grew organic looking eyes when he said the corresponding phrase. 

“I'm here to answer your all nighter prayers.” Ink said as he summoned a desk with a drawing tablet and gave himself disheveled clothes and large bags under his eyes. 

“You got me bona fide, certified.” Ink was now a certification sheet and wrapped them up in the paper. 

“You got a helper for your struggling affairs.” Ink unrolled and the three were released as they tried to get their footing. 

“I got a powerful urge to help you out.” Ink was still large and used a finger to steady them. 

“So what-cha want?” Ink leaned in as if he were trying to hear better. 

“I really want to know!” He leaned in closer. 

“You got a list that's three miles long, no doubt.” Ink pulled a piece of paper from Zack’s ear and used it as a jump rope before he popped it on the ground. 

“Well, all you gotta do is use like so - and oh!” Sparks flew from the ground and the trio were transported to a new place. 

“Mister Creators, sirs, I have a master, two and three.” Ink counted them off, each turning a different color as he did so. Maxie was blue, Beatrice was yellow, and Zack was red. 

“I'm on the job, you big heartthrob.” Ink said as he did the equivalent of a kiss on Zack’s cheek, causing Zack to slap Ink. 

“You ain't never had a friend, never had a friend. You ain't never had a friend, never had a friend.” Ink said as he summoned a circus and had dancers and dancing animals. 

“You ain't never had a friend like me!” Golden buildings and music filled the area as more and more dancers came up and fireworks went off.

“You ain't never had a friend like me! Hah!” All of it vanished in a flash and Ink was floating on air, with an applause sign above him as he grinned smugly. 

Broomy clapped enthusiastically, which earned him a slap from Zack.

[klydcs]

                                        𝖎. ·   * ⟨ 𝔰𝔬𝔪𝔢𝔡𝔞𝔶 ɪ'ʟʟ ɢᴇᴛ 𝓮𝓿𝓮𝓷.

t h o s e hands of klyde’s were currently focused on readjusting the book bag hanging off of his shoulder. while his hands found themselves occupied, his legs were also busy. those limbs began making their way to an unfamiliar room. “alright, i’m going to need you to pick the lock and then be a lookout for me, brai,” those words found their way sliding into the air surrounding him. unlike his usual loud volume, the words were low. however, they were just loud enough for the individual beside him. as a response to his instructions, jai merely gave him a quick ‘sounds good’ before looking down at his phone. the fact that this was all coming together set a grin high upon klyde’s features. the brightness of those pearly whites contrasted with the black that adorned every inch of his body. subtlety was never his strong suit. so, even as he had been trying to be discreet, his attire was suspicious. the all-black wasn’t usually his style. however, he was on a mission. the molly overtaking his entire system caressed his physique, his mission the only thing on his mind. the lightness of the drug made him feel elated. the confidence that had dropped into his system was overwhelming compared to the usual amount of confidence he already had. so, the two combined convinced the tall golden-haired boy, that this plan of his was the best idea he ever had.

s o, he continued on his journey. those two feet preoccupied themselves with taking their owner to the room he sought. best case scenario, no one would be in there. worst case scenario, she would be in there and deter this whole plan. however, the male wasted no time to find out which scenario it would be. he immediately found himself knocking on the door. his knuckles knocked along to the melody of an old post malone song. “oh val,” he loudly stated mid his knocks. then, after a few seconds, the lack of response drew his curiosity. so, he put down his book bag. then, he found himself looking through the items until he found the plastic gloves that were brought. there were a plethora of necessities within the bag. after all, jai had been the one to pack it. so, of course, everything was brought along. “you’re up but be quick before someone sees us,” the male took a step back and his eyes were focused on looking around to see if anyone would appear. the other male had been working on picking the lock. before he knew it, it was done. “you’re the man,” a grin was sent the other’s way before he high-fived him lightly as to not make too much noise. then, he grabbed his book bag and put it over his shoulder yet again. “be my lookout brethren. knock two times if you see anyone. knock three times quickly if it’s val or her roommate,” he explained. then, he went into the room. the first thing he did was set his book bag down. those eyes latched onto pictures and familiar clothing items to determine which side belonged to the reason he was currently standing there.

t h e chaos that ensued after he set his book bag down was unparalleled. within a matter of twenty minutes, a numerous amount of things occurred. the male had first took out a cherry lollipop and put it in between his lips, allowing the flavor to envelop his taste buds. then, those cerulean hues latched onto photos. a head tilt accompanied the intrigue slowly dripping into his system. so, he got closer to her bedside table. a slew of pictures were permanently residing there. and without any rhyme or reasoning, his hand reached out. a fake pout formed on his features as he saw a picture of valencia with a woman who looked just like her but older. the same woman that was prevalent in a majority of the photos surrounding the room. and without a thought, he reacted. the male grabbed a framed photo and dropped it on the floor. then, he took another and did the same. each framed photo sat upon the floor, completely unharmed. those photos could’ve remained completely unharmed. yet, his impulsivity ran as deep as his spite. due to the combination, he forcefully dug his heel into each of the photos, repeating the motion until the sound of glass crunching accompanied each hit. then, he moved onto the photos taped to her wall. a few were ripped down the middle, thrown on the floor completely discarded. the others were left stuck to the wall. then, there were other miscellaneous items on her bedside. a lamp had been tossed forcefully on the floor, the slight sound of cracking following. then, the other items on her bedside were tossed aside as well. the items consisted of a tube of red lipstick and a few other miscellaneous items. the items fell somewhere among the shards of glass. the only thing left on her bedside was her phone and a wallet. it wouldn’t have been klyde if he didn’t look inside the wallet. so, he did just that. the lack of money astounded him. if he had a dollar, he would’ve slid it in there. however, the male never walked around with small bills. so, the next best thing was a fifty dollar bill. he ended up sliding it in her wallet to make it less pathetic. after he was done with it, klyde dropped the wallet on the floor. next, his attention was drawn to her phone. in order to unlock the phone, he had to think. klyde had to somehow use what little brain cells he currently had in order to figure it out. the first attempt was clep’s birthday. when that had failed, he found himself wondering if the day he broke up with clep was the date. eventually, that attempt turned out to be a failed one. so, he put in the last combination of numbers he could think might be meaningful. it was a shot in the dark -- no hope had been riding on the decision. however, the combination seemed to work. max’s birthday seemed to do the trick. he got into her phone and took a photo of himself. then, made a post on her instagram. had it been any other circumstance the male would’ve snooped. those nosy tendencies would’ve taken over full force. but not that day -- he couldn’t. there was a timed schedule and he couldn’t spend too much time lurking on her phone. so, he tossed it to the side and continued on.

t h e n, his oceanic hues made contact with a few folders sitting upon her bed. no care flew through his system as he picked them one by one and began dumping her papers all around the floor. after, he took a slight pause. the male knew he didn’t have that much time so he had to be quick. so, he ceaselessly kept looking around for things to destroy. eventually, his attention was drawn to a dresser that was clearly standing on its last leg. without a single moment of consideration, he walked over, pulling out a drawer at a time and dumping their contents on the floor. for good measure, he used all of his strength and the shot of adrenaline provided by his drug of choice to push over the small dresser on its side. afterwards, his idiocy seemed to make a grand appearance because for some reason he thought he could break the dresser. so, he lifted his hand and then attempted to karate chop the wooden dresser. the notion merely resulted in him groaning and rubbing his own hand. however, he was still too hopped up on narcotics to feel the vast amount of pain spreading throughout his hand. all he could focus on was getting his revenge.

s o, he took the red spray paint that jai had placed in the bag and began to spray along her walls. the photos he had left on the wall were spray-painted over. a quick cartoon-ish image of her face with devil horns and a menacing grin was sprayed along her walls. a slew of middle fingers and the word “satan’s unlovable” in thick red lettering had been put beneath his quick, sloppy portrait. for a moment, the male had to halt his antics. fumes dipped into his system and nothing but coughs consumed him. searching -- those eyes rampantly began searching for a window in the vicinity to open. once he found one, his chaotic tendencies appeared yet again. the male grabbed a chair that had been sat within the room and used it to break the window open. once more, the sound of glass shattering became his soundtrack. sounds of glass breaking was the only sound he could identify. the sounds were sure to elicit attention so he had to be quick. once he set the chair down, the lollipop between his lips had been removed and he moved over to the window. as best as he could, he avoided the shards of glass messily fallen around. klyde was reduced to heavy breaths and the loud sounds of him inhaling. yet, once it ceased, he occupied himself with spray painting her dressers, a small closet, her bed, her sheets, her clothes on the floor, and any surface he could find. everything spray painted ranged from the words “fuck you” to horribly quick and rough drawings of middle fingers to “alone forever” all throughout. his creativity was stunted from the copious narcotics. rather than aiding it, it halted his ability to get creative. yet, he still went for it. once the spray paint had found itself on every plausible surface, the boy paused. two hands occupied themselves with grabbing his book bag and placing his spray paint in it. then, he put one strap over his shoulder. two cerulean hues observed the room. one hand removed the lollipop from his mouth. while the other was brought up to his lips for him to do a chef’s kiss. cherry once again infiltrated his taste buds as he put the lollipop back in his mouth. following that action, he emptied the clothes from valencia’s closet. the items were thrown behind, in front, and to the side of him. klyde was aiming to hit the entire room. anything that was standing, had been thrown across the room. however, for his final act of revenge, he grabbed an armful of the remaining clothes in her room and began leaving a trail to the door. one article of clothing was dropped with every step. once he opened the door, a small, “let’s go,” was directed at jai. then, he continued on his journey out of the building. with each step, lingerie, t-shirts, shorts, jeans, leggings, and more had all been dropped one by one. 

[billyhargroveinaponytail]

“Good Ole Dacre Montgomery”

Chapter 5: 'Heaven help a fool who falls in love'

All of this story is located on my wattpad please go check it out! :)

https://my.w.tt/W8SZdPa4H5

Thank you guys for all the love! :)

@dreamin-of-dacre

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Thursday morning, everyone was up and hustling around. A lot was going on today, they were filming some scenes and the rest of the cast was getting ready for the red carpet event on Friday. Myra wasn't needed on set until 2pm which was perfect, for the previous night her and Paisley finished off two bottles of wine. She was worn out and avoiding leaving bed at all cost. Myra sat up noticing Paisley still passed out on the pull out couch, snoring as usual.

Jane was out busy helping people get their outfits together for the event so Mary offered Myra the position to help her do the make up and effects needed for Dacre today. Her excitement was getting the worst of her, she rolled back and forth a few times before giving up and deciding to scroll through her phone. Facebook was the first thing she pulled up, she scrolled through the 19 notifications she had. Most of them being her grandmother tagging her in funny pictures, as she clicked through the different apps a text notification popped up on her phone.

Dacre: 'Mornin' :)  Getting an outfit for this event tomorrow and then I am all free if you wanna grab a bite to eat before we shoot!'

Myra: 'Morning! Paisley has been bugging me about seeing Joe again so you think they could tag along?'

Dacre: 'Of course, Joe did mention she was cute so maybe they'll hit it off! ;) Also this dress you got the other day, do I get a preview of it?'

Myra: 'No way you have to wait until tomorrow! :p'

Dacre: 'Just so you know I am rolling my eyes right now! I planned on leaving some shirt buttons undone for you! See you later! ;) '

Myra instantly started breathing heavily, accompanied by a racing pulse, she saw Paisley rise from her bed with a big smile. "How you feeling MJ?"

"Tired. How in the world did you convince me to drink two complete bottles of wine with you?" She groaned, rubbing her palm against her forehead. "You can never back down from a bet! It'll be the death of you someday!" Myra shook her head throwing a pillow threw her door way towards Paisley,  before flopping back in her bed in exhaustion. "Dacre wants us to get food with them later if you wanna go!"

"Them?" Paisley raised an eyebrow with curiosity. "Dacre and Joe, a little birdy might've told me he said you were cute!" Paisley stood frozen, "Joe-Joe Keery said I was cute.."

"Maybe." Myra shrugged, standing from her bed and walking to the fridge searching around for her iced coffee. "I need to find something cute to wear then, I had just planned on some leggings but this is serious jean stuff!" Paisley dug through the contents of her suit case searching for an outfit, while Myra poured the two of them a glass of ice coffee, dropping two ice cubes in each cup. Paisley always wore leggings no matter dress up or comfy clothes, so for her to want to wear jeans you knew it was serious.

"What about your closet? Anything in there I can steal?" Paisley sprinted to her bedroom pushing back the doors and diving in. "Go for it, just leave my outfit hung on the handle alone, that's my dress up outfit for set today!" Paisley pulled a long red sleeved baseball shirt, laughing. "I knew you brought this with you." She was talking about a shirt she had bought Myra right after season 2 came out and it instantly became Myra's go to bed shirt it was a large and very soft with the words 'Steve in the streets, Billy in the sheets' written across the front.  

"Please let me show Dacre this, he'll love it!" Myra swiftly took the T-shirt from her hand and threw it beside her bed. "No way in hell! Never!" She reached for her work attire hanging on the hanger and her small makeup bag setting beside her headboard. "I am going to get dressed you can raid my closet all you want and look for an outfit we just need to be leaving soon!" Paisley nodded in reply, continuing to search through her suitcase.

Myra was never one to wear such a professional outfit but this moment was important to her, she would be helping on set this time. Not just another person sitting behind the camera, she would be helping decide the make up and set up for this scene along side Mary.

Her dark red pants stopped right above her ankles the high waist of it meeting her black, cropped, wide strapped tank top, and a pair of matte black heels to match. Myra's curling iron put perfect small curls into the ends of her hair, she quickly sprayed them in place before joining Paisley in the living room. "Wow look at you, my best friend looks so fancy!" Myra struck a pose, laughing. "I feel so powerful in this!" She placed her hands on her hips, shaking them a little.

"You should, you look great! Also you ok if I wear your white lace top?" Paisley held up the top from the side of her closet. "Go for it, it'll look great on you!" Paisley instantly ripped off her bed shirt and replaced it with the new one. "Let me fix my hair and we can go!" She rushed into the bathroom closing the door behind her. Myra sat on the couch, taking out her phone to message Dacre.

Myra: 'Almost ready to go, waiting on Pais!'

Dacre: 'We are here waiting, see you soon ;)'

Paisley exited the bathroom buttoning her jeans, "I'm ready!" She reached for her phone and purse setting on the dining table. "Great, they're already there waiting for us!" Paisley swung the trailer door open with a bright smile, even though the air around her was gloomy and clouds above them grew dark.

The walk to the dinning area was filled with Myra telling Paisley her plans for this scene but her talking was cut short when Paisley mentioned the dreaded bed shirt again. "What are you going to do if you take this guy to your trailer and you two go to bed and he sees that shirt?" She bursted out into a gut wrenching laugh. "Well hopefully if that ever happens we aren't wearing clothes!" She interjected, mocking her voice. They both laugh harder, Paisley almost to the point of tears, when they approached the boys sitting at the table with questionable looks.

"Something funny?" Joe spoke, standing from his seat to greet Paisley. Myra shook her head covering her mouth to hide back anymore laughs. "Nothing it was just something funny we saw!" Paisley took in a deep breath, taking a seat next to Joe.

"Hi there, how's your morning going?" Dacre hung up his phone and smiled up to Myra, he patted the spot next to him and Myra obliged to his request. She noticed he looked a little off today and not his normal self. "It's good! How about you?" She adjusted her top hoping to receive a reaction from him. "Better now!" A forced smile grew across his face. "How was drinking last night?" Joe spoke to Myra and Paisley.

"Drinking? How did you-" Myra looked between the two boys with confusion. Dacre raised his phone to show her 6 different selfies of her and Paisley. "I assumed these selfies are the product of you two drinking!" Myra snatched his phone and looked through them. "Paisley, I don't remember this.." Paisley glanced over her shoulder laughing along. "I remember taking selfies I just didn't know you'd send them out!" Myra's stomach twisted in embarrassment, it had been awhile since she had drank that much so the entire night was just one big blur to her.

"I am sorry I sent those!" She handed the phone back over to Dacre, avoiding eye contact. "Don't be sorry they're cute!" He placed a hand on her leg, comforting her. Joe and Paisley were now off in their own little conversation when Dacre asked Myra. "Are you excited for this sauna scene?" Myra nodded, adjusting her posture. "I am, I've spent a lot of time thinking things over and I have some really good ideas!" She took a drink, curing the dryness that has occurred in her mouth. "I can't wait to see them!" He ran a hand across her back, tracing small patterns around her hips. Joe glanced over in a confused look mid-conversation before turning back to face Paisley.

An alarm Myra had set on her phone was going off alerting her it was time for her to head to set. She stood from the table they had been seated at thanking Dacre and Joe for inviting them. "I have got to get changed and I will meet you on set!" Dacre waved to Myra heading in the opposite direction. Joe gave Paisley a hug before thanking her for coming, "I have a couple scenes I am filming tonight, maybe if you find the time you two could stop by and watch?" Paisley glanced over towards Myra directing the question to her, she nodded. "Yeah we can stop by after I am done working on this scene! It would be nice to see the other story lines going on!"

"Great!," Joe spoke with excitement. "I will see you then,Pais!" He followed behind Dacre,quickly catching up to him. "Pais?," Myra raised a brow at her. "That's my nickname for you, he can't steal that!" Paisley pushed her in the direction of the studio. "It's a shortened version of my name, not sure that's really a nickname." She snickered.

They arrived on set, this time they would be filming at the same pool as before just inside the locker rooms. "I have never been in the guy's locker room before.." Paisley said walking around the bland looking area. "Nothing really special huh?" Myra shook her head, when Mary appeared through the doors. "No, nothing special except the faint smell of pee!" They all joined in laughing. "So M, you got any ideas for me?" Myra quickly takes out her notebook, flipping through a few notes she had scribbled down. "I'm thinking Billy is in the shower maybe after his shift, that could be how they lure him into the sauna with their CPR dummy." Mary nodded following along with her. "So a naked Billy?" She raised an eyebrow,smirking. Myra briskly shook her head. "No, no maybe he steps out and is getting dressed? The shirtless-ness will give the viewers a better look at his 'flayed' body and it will appeal to the Billy fans." She laughed glancing at Paisley shooting her a thumbs up. "I like it! Then we could do a complete flayed look head to toe on him." Myra's excitement grew knowing Mary liked her idea. "I will tell the special effects team and the director and let them know, when Dacre gets here you can inform him!"

Myra walked back to her seat next to Paisley, her smile still yet to have left her face. "That was great MJ, she loved it!" Paisley shook Myra's hand in excitement. The locker room door slammed behind someone coming inside. "Dacre!" Mary said, handing him over a pair of jeans. "Myra has a great idea so we are going to skip the lifeguard outfit and go right to you in the shower!" Dacre chuckled glancing in Myra's direction. "Your idea, huh?" He winked, taking the jeans from Mary's hand. "So Ms. Director explain to me what I am doing!" Myra rolled her eyes walking over to the shower stalls. "We can start here and the kids could start taunting, you head to your locker and start changing, then in nothing but jeans you go to find the kids that'll give us the ability to give you a full 'flayed' look once you get trapped inside the room..what do you think?" She stopped at the sauna door and turned to face him. "Well I think you're just trying to get me shirtless but I like it!" He glanced through the small sauna door then back to Myra.

"Maybe.." She smirked, before being interrupted by the filming crew filing in through the locker room doors. Dacre was taken to the side to discuss things with the director, the group of kids now joining them to be informed about the changes as well. "The director loved your idea, I think it's going to go great!" Mary gave her a confident smile. "Now we just need to get this boy to his boxers and into that shower so we can start filming!" Mary placed her fingers into her mouth, blowing out a high pitched whistle catching everyone's attention. "Dacre, let's go shower time!"

Myra laid her notes down in her empty chair next to Paisley, ignoring her adolescent faces. She turned, to be caught off guard by Dacre removing his shirt and jeans leaving him in a tan pair of fit boxers. "Get yourself in there let's go!" She joked, pushing him from behind into the small stall. Dacre turned the knob as the water quickly shot out onto the floor. "Get the wig soaked and we will fix your hair down in front of your face." Mary took out a small comb from her bag waiting for Dacre to follow her commands. "geez!" He quivered stepping into the cold water. "Mind flayer likes it cold, sorry!" Myra laughed,turning the warm water off completely.

Mary bushed down a few hairs in front of his face and laid his hair around his shoulders. "Ah perfect!" She stepped back looking at her finish project. "Ready whenever you guys are!" She spoke over to the director. He gave a thumbs up, moving the wheeled camera to face the shower. "Everyone in place!" He spoke, echoing through the small compacted area. Myra took her seat along with Mary and Paisley,holding onto the small tablet from before.

"Action!" He demanded from behind the camera. The camera slowly made it's way down the shower stalls, stopping at the end, turning in to see a soaking wet Dacre. The palms of his hands were placed against the shower wall, facing the water's cold stream. The water came to stop as Dacre turned to face the camera now peering in at him. The pieces of hair Mary had  fixed laid perfectly down his face. Myra sat up in her chair, feeling herself flush she couldn't look away her eyes were drawn to him, she fought to ignore how attractive it was.

The white towel was ripped off of the rack and Dacre walked to his locker, pushing the towel through his wet locks.  The camera now stood to his left side showing off his glistening body and the perfectly placed tattoo Mary had done this morning. The locker door was swung open while Dacre took out his jeans pulling them over his still damp legs.

He jumped a few times tugging them on, when a sudden clang caught his attention. "Pool is closed." He spoke lowly in the quiet room. More noises came from the other room,only louder this time. "Hey," He slammed the locker door closed racing around the set of lockers. "Do you hear me? The pool is closed!" He rapidly approached the locker room main door, slamming his hands against it. He shook at it a few more time, causing the lock that had now been placed on the other side, to jingle back and forth.

"Billy!" Mike's voice rang from the distance. Dacre quickly adverted his attention to the young boy. "Who's there?"

"Billy!" Mike spoke louder in a taunting voice. "Who's there?" Dacre asked in the same sing-song voice. Mike continued on, Dacre now charging through the locker room, ripping back shower curtains searching for the children. "You think this is funny,huh?" Dacre was on the prowl now, determined to find them. Mike's laughter now echoed throughout. "Billy come and find me!"

"I find you, it is your funeral." Dacre paced,slowly turning every corner. A teal door slowly closed while Mike spoke up again. "Come and get me. Come on!" Dacre came to face the sauna door and the figure of a boy stood in the small window, Mike's laughter continuing through out. "Got you!" Dacre says, just above a whisper. A loud cackle left him as he stepped towards the door, clapping his hands in success. "Come and get me, you piece of shit!" The voice spoke from the other side of the door.

A red CPR dummy, to Dacre's surprise, was placed on the other side of the sauna door. He stomped forward scooping it up by it's neck and slamming it to the ceiling of the small room. "Hey, behind you." A voice came from the small walkie-talkie attached with duct tape around the torso of the dummy. Dacre released the dummy from his grip,slamming it to the ground and turned to face, Millie who now stood behind him. "Hi!"

"Cut!" The director yelled. "Let's get Billy strapped up for the throwing!" Two men raced to Dacre's side putting a clear strap around his chest and hooking it to the back wall. "What's that for?" Paisley glanced across Myra over to Mary. "It's a device that will make him slam against the wall with Eleven's telekinesis, it attaches to the wall and it will pull him backwards at quick speeds. The wall behind him has quick break tile so as soon as he touches it they will shatter like he was thrown against them." Myra sat at the edge of her chair eager to see the contraption at work. "Everyone ready?" The director glanced around,everyone in a waiting position.  "Action!" Millie repeated her line, while the two men who had rushed on set, now stood to the side yanking on a device that pulled Dacre backwards against the sauna walls and then dropping him to the floor. Broken pieces of tile scattered all around him, Mike,Max,Lucas, and Will all rushed around the corner slamming the sauna door closed and putting a large lock around it.

Dacre continuously slammed his body against the door trying to get free. "Come one!" Mike spoke, hurrying Lucas to close the final lock. "Got it!" Lucas yelled as the two of them stepped away joining the others a few feet from the door. Dacre had a look of desperation on his face when he looked at the group of kids. "Max."

Max intensely starred back at him, before turning to Will. "Do it!" Will turned the dial all the way over to the hottest setting. "Max let me out of here!" Dacre slammed his fist against the small panel window. "Let me out!" He panted as the fog collected on the glass near his mouth. "You kids," Dacre looked over each of them. "You think this is funny? You kids think this is some kind of sick prank,huh?" He spat on the glass, out of rage. "You little shits think this is funny?" Max looked to Will with worry. "What is this? Open the door!" His voice deepened as the temperature around him raised. "Open the door!" He screamed with a powerful slam against the frame. "Open the door, open the goddamn door!" He now had his face smashed against the glass.

A loud thud came from the sauna as Dacre dropped to the ground. "We're at 220." Will turned to face the group after checking the thermometer at the side of the door. Dacre grunted more, before beginning to sob. "it's not my fault. It's not my fault,Max. I promise you it's not my fault." Max peered in through the glass seeing her step brother curled up on the floor, pleading. "What's not your fault, Billy?" She questioned him. Dacre had a look of fear, real genuine fear. "I've done things,Max. Really...bad things. I didn't mean to!" His lower lip trembles as he cries out. "He made me do it!"

"Who made you do it?" Max's concern grows for him. "I don't know, it's like a shadow." At this point Dacre's entire body was drenched in sweat, actual real sweat this time. Mary had informed Myra and Paisley that the sauna was actually on, not at that exact temperature but warm enough to make him sweat. "Like a giant shadow. Please,Max." Dacre cried harder now. "What did he make you do?"

"It's not my fault,okay? Max,please." Dacre laid his head on the wooden bench, begging and pleading. Max took a few deep blinks as tears rolled down her cheeks. "Please,believe me,Max, it's not my fault. I tried to stop him,okay? I did! Please believe me Max." Myra even felt herself tearing up, Dacre's acting was pulling on all of her heart strings. "Billy it's going to be okay."

Max placed a hand on the glass trying to comfort her brother. "Max, please!" The camera slowly moved in on Dacre's right hand reaching for a broken piece of tile that had been thrown under the bench.

"It's going to be ok. We want to help you! You just have to talk to us, okay?" The camera moved close up on the back of Will's neck, he ran his hand across it,he shuddered. "I feel him!" Will mumbled. "He's activated." Max still stood at the sauna door comforting Dacre. "Max, get away from the door." Mike yelled, becoming worried for his friend.

"What?" Max kept her eyes on her distraught brother lying on the floor. "Get away from the door!" Mike screamed from the top of his lungs. At that exact moment,Dacre lunged forward shattering the small glass window that stood between them. "Let me out you bitch, let me out!" Max ran from him fighting back the tears.

"I'll fucking gut you!" The rage in his voice, frightened the entire crew. Dacre pulled away the metal pole that had been shoved into the door handle and tugged on the chains trying to free himself.

"Let me out!" he roared as Lucas pulled back his slingshot aiming it in Dacre's direction. Dacre grunted as a make believe object slammed against forehead causing him to dramatically drop to the ground. "Max come on!" Lucas yelled, motioning her to join the rest of them. The lights flickered sporadically, the groups of kids looked around in absolute fear. Another camera moved to Dacre who was still lying on the tile ground, Dacre coughed up a small amount of water, staggering to get up off the floor.

"Cut! Make up get in there and touch up his face! Special effects get in there and touch up the green screen dots!" Mary took Myra's hand and rushed over to Dacre's side. "Hi there having fun?" She smiled down at him. "Oh a blast, you ready to do this?" Myra nodded reaching out for Mary's make up bag beginning to apply the stenciled make up to his cheeks and forehead. "You're doing a great job! Almost had me crying earlier!" Dacre shook his head laughing.

"It gets worse, trust me." He laid a hand on her thigh while she helped Mary cover his neck and chest with the stencils as well. Myra's entire body tensed up, trying to ignore his warm touch. Dacre brings his eyes up to meet hers, keeping a sweet smile. "After we are done here you have any plans,aside from taking Paisley to see Joe?" She shook her head, nothing came to mind.

"No plans, what did you have in mind?" Mary huffed a deep breath continuing to lay down the 'flayed' make up. "Well I was thinking a movie night?" Myra gave him a bright smile. "Sounds like a plan!" Myra patted his shoulder since they were now done with him. "Keep up the good work, Montgomery!" She strutted away joining Paisley back at their seats. "Dang, someone's cocky!" Paisley squealed.

"Here we go again guys!" The familiar voice spoke over everyone. "Action!" The camera moved up on Dacre pulling himself to his feet, grunting in agony the entire time. He fumbled around the room, reaching for the walls around him. A loud roar left his mouth as the camera came to face him,showing off the work Myra and Mary had just done.

Dacre charged at the door, slamming his shoulder into it. The chain jerked reaching it's breaking point, Dacre backed up slamming himself against it again. Eleven stood guarding her friends behind her arms. "He can't get out,can he?" Dacre repeatedly hit the door,screaming louder every time. "No way." Lucas shook his head in disbelief. "No way!" He repeated. One final charge at the door sent it flying off it's hinges, Dacre rolled to the ground, quickly coming to his feet to face Eleven.

A piece of equipment hung from a near by dumbbell, the equipment would help the dumbbell raise similar to Dacre being raised,Eleven raised her hand at the same time causing the weight to rise and pushed it against Dacre's chest slamming him against the brick walls. The metal bar was placed against Dacre's neck as he yelled out,successfully pushing it away from him. It was then thrown across the room, while Dacre snatched a hold of Eleven's hair pulling it back. Dacre looked over to the other terrified children, Max huddling behind Lucas, as he took Eleven's throat into his grip.

Eleven swung her arms gasping for air, another piece of equipment was strapped to Eleven now hoisting her up into the air as Dacre kept his grip around her throat. "No!" She repeatedly forced out, smacking his arm and kicking at him. Mike appeared out of nowhere with a foam fake piece of pipe he had been handed, swinging it into the back of Dacre's head. "Go to hell, you piece of shit!" Dacre dropped to his stomach, as Mike swung again he quickly spun around catching the bar before he could be struck by it again. He then threw the bar across the room, charging himself at Mike.

The equipment that had raised him up in the sauna was now raising him up again. Eleven held both her arms out, tears streaming down her face. Spit shot from Dacre's mouth as Eleven turned to face him and threw her arms in the opposite direction, the machine now pulling Dacre that same way. A green screened cushion had caught him, as Eleven clung to Mike, the two of them sliding down the wall to the cold concrete ground.

"Cut!" He shouted,catching everyone off guard. "That was incredible guys! Let's do a little touch ups and we will be finished with it!" Dacre was released from the machine and stood on the ground, examining the wounds he had received. "You doing ok?" Myra walked up, Paisley by her side. "Yeah just a couple little bumps and bruises, no where as bad as someone slamming my fingers in a door!" He raised a brow at Myra,laughing. "Are you going to hold that against me forever?" Myra flicked the small scratch on his forearm. "Probably! You two heading over to see Joe now?"

"Yes, yes,yes!" Paisley says eagerly under her breath. "We are heading there now! Just wanted to say good job and I will see you later!" Dacre waved as the two walked off the set and made their way to where Joe and the others would be filming.

Myra assumed it would be the ice cream shop, but they were actually filming in a small warehouse. Robin,Dustin, and Erica were all standing around waiting for their next directions, when Myra and Paisley walked up. "Hey!" Joe waved from inside the small area filled with boxes. Paisley waved back,as the two of them searched for empty sets. "Don't get too nervous, you did so good earlier don't screw up now!" Myra comforted Paisley, who was shaking with nervousness.

Joe was wearing his ice cream uniform from earlier, a little more messy but the shorts were still hiked up past his knees. While conversing with Robin, Joe pointed in Paisley's direction as if he was telling her about Paisley. "Let's get in places everyone so we can get started!" Joe moved to the corner of the room,sliding down to the floor and moving a box onto his lap. "Everyone ready? And action!" The camera moved in on the four of them.

"It fell on my groin!" Joe yelled trying to push the box away. "Dustin!" He strained,trying to get the curly haired boy's attention. "Get this off of me!" Dustin joined his side helping to lift off the box. "I can't move." Joe spoke out of breath.

"Is everyone ok?" Robin asked,rubbing a sore spot on the back of her head. "Yeah I am great, now that I know that Russians can't design elevators!" Joe shouted waving his arms around, he moved Dustin away from the front of a small panel on the wall,beginning to push buttons rapidly. "I think we have established that those buttons don't work."

"They're buttons. They have to do something!" Paisley giggled a little noticing the tuff of hair sticking out from under Joe's uniform top. Myra raised her hand to cover her mouth. "Shh!"

"Yeah if we had a keycard!" Robin pointed to the side of the panel, trying to explain to Joe. "A what?" He looked back in confusion.

"It's an electronic lock! Same as the loading dock door. If we don't have a keycard,- it won't operate,meaning-"

"We are stuck in here!" Dustin finished her sentence, Robin nodded in agreeance. "Just so you nerds are aware, I'm suppose to be spending the night at Tina's, and Tina always covers for me. But if I'm not home for Uncle Jack's party tomorrow and my mom finds out you three are responsible she's gonna hunt you down, one by one, and slit your throat!" Erica spoke in a meaningful tone.

"I don't care about Tina! Or Uncle Jack's party! Your mom isn't going to be able to find us if we're dead in a Russian elevator!" Joe said enraged, his hair moving around wildly as he talked. "Hey," Dustin cut him off, pointing to the ceiling. "What if we climbed out?" The camera panned to an air vent on the ceiling. The camera then moved rooms as they entered the air vent,putting them now on top of the elevator. "What were you saying about climbing?" They looked up to a large green screen above them.

Joe crawled back into the hole to start another scene while the camera moved positions. Paisley's eyes were glued to him and every move he made.

"Code red, I repeat,a code red! Does anyone copy? This is a code red,I repeat,a code red. This is a code red, I repeat, a code red. Does anyone copy? We are innocent children and we are trapped under Starcourt Mall." Dustin paced back and forth. "The Red Army has infiltrated Hawkins, and if we are found, they will torture and kill us."

"Hey," Joe popped his head up from the inside of the elevator. "Gotta take it easy on that thing. Gonna drain the battery!" He pulled himself up to join Dustin on top again. "The mall just opened." "So?" Joe shrugged. "So someone could be in range."

"What do you think, Petey the Mall Cop is gonna rappel down here?" Joe says in a dry reply. "All right, why are you such a cranky pants after getting to spend the night with Robin?" Dustin spoke in soft, barley audible tone. "Shh! Jesus Christ! Will you just give up on your creepy dream already?" Joe continues speaking in the same tone. "I heard you guys talking all night." Dustin responds.

"Yeah, we were trying to figure out a way to open up the door, while you children were asleep!" Joe now stepped out of the hole joining Dustin on top of the elevator shaft. "After eight hours,we're still exactly nowhere, which is, you know, probably just a little bit of the reason why I'm feeling just a tad cranky." Joe moved to the side of the room being handed a small water bottle under the camera, he unzipped his pants holding the water bottle in place.

Paisley and Myra shared an amused expression, trying not to laugh before looking back at the scene. "What are you doing?" Dustin stood behind him, in confusion. "What does it look like I'm doing? I'm taking a leak. Look away." Joe pointed for Dustin to stare in another direction. "Look away!" He repeated again before squeezing the bottle pretending to 'relieve himself'

The stream of water was now pouring down the wall inside the elevator where Robin and Erica still sat. "Can you redirect your stream,please?" Robin yelled up at Joe. The stream now trailed over the wall to the opposite corner.

A loud clang from Erica echoed throughout the confined area. "Hey,hey! Be careful,careful,careful!" Robin rushed to her side taking the green canister from her grip. "We don't even know what that is."

"Exactly it could be useful." Erica reached out for it, Robin moving it away from her again. "Useful how?"

"We can survive down here a long time without food,but if the human body doesn't get water, it will die."

"I hate to break it to you, but this is not water."

"No, but it's a liquid,and if it comes down to me drinking that shit or dying of thirst, I drink." Erica quickly snapped the tube back from Robin. While a mechanical noise caught Robin's attention, she moved to the door pressing her ear against it.

"We have got company!"  Robin pushed her head through the small door, where Joe had just recently crawled through. "Cut!" A new voice yelled this time, the assistant director helping the Duffer brothers. "Great job! That's a wrap for today we will finish out the rest tomorrow!" Paisley checked the time on her phone it was almost 9pm. "Any news from Dacre?"

"No, but I am sure they either running scenes or he's getting out of that wig." Myra explains. The sound of squeaking sneakers approached the two of them,those sneakers belonging to Joe Keery. "Hiya!" Paisley smiled at him.

"I'm glad you two made it! How did the sauna scene go?" Paisley fumbled around on her words a little before pointing to Myra. "She did great, she had so many good ideas for them!" Joe gave a quick chuckle at her uneasy expression. "There's no need to be nervous, I'm just me!" He gave a wide grin, attempting to comfort her but only doing the complete opposite. "You wanna walk to the wardrobe trailer with me?" He smiled sweetly, taking a drink.  Paisley looks to Myra for an answer.

"Yes, of course go ahead! I'm going to head to Dacre's trailer and see if he's there!" Paisley hugs Myra goodbye before turning to face Joe. "Lead the way!" She smiles, taking his out reached hand. Myra watches the two of them walk away from her, she turns on her heels heading in the direction of Dacre's trailer.

Myra: 'Heading to your trailer, are you done yet? If not I can wait! :)'

A hour went by and still no reply from Dacre, she sat on the steps of his trailer eagerly waiting.

Myra: 'Waiting for you! Hope everything is ok! :)'

Maybe Dacre was still busy on set or he came home and instantly fell asleep, it was getting later and Paisley would be headed back to the trailer soon so she decided to make her way back as well. Myra scrolled through social media on her walk back noticing Dacre's instagram story post, it was a photo of his back after the Sauna incident, it had bruises and scratch marks all over. "He must still be in make up then getting cleaned up." Myra quietly mumbled to herself,opening up her trailer door to see Paisley laid out on the touch flipping through the channels on the small tv that sat on the counter.

Myra: 'It's getting late, I'm back at my trailer. I will see you tomorrow! :)'

"Anything good on?" Myra flopped down beside her on the couch. "Hey what happened to visiting Dacre? I assumed you would have stayed the night.." Myra shrugged laying her head on Paisley's shoulder. "Not sure..maybe he just got busy." Paisley patted her head,with a smile trying to lighten the mood. "Yeah,maybe he did. You wanna watch a movie?"

"No," Myra sits up crossing her legs. "I wanna know how things went with Joe!" She rocked back and forth a little waiting in anticipation.

"It went great!" Paisley bursts out. "He was so sweet and we had so much to talk about, plus his hands are so soft!" They burst out into laughter together. "I'm glad you two had great night!"

[shipmistress9]

Could you do #19. “How are you feeling today?” for Hiccstrid, please? I loved your other one!

Okay, I’m not sure this is what you expected… But when do prompts ever behave? Anyway, this is what my mind came up with for that prompt, so I hope someone will like it. ^^”

HTTYD – Hiccstrid – canonverse/post HTTYD3 – T-rated – Angst/Fluff

A New Wind

Her screams were horrible.

With every single one, Hiccup felt as if his heart got ripped to shreds, and the worst part was that there was nothing he could do about it. All he could do was wait, hope, and, if he dared, hold her hand.

“You can do this,” he said encouragingly, repeating the same mantra he’d said so many times before already. It felt bleak and foul by now, not as if it helped at all. And judging by Astrid’s reaction, it didn’t.

“Stop- uh! Stop saying that!” she pressed out, groaning in pain and clutching at his hand. Her words were followed by another pained outcry that nearly tore him apart.

“Then tell me what else I can do,” he begged, desperate to do something to help her. This was a nightmare, all of it. And there seemed to be no end.

Astrid shook her head with a mixture of sobbing and hysterical laughter. “You can’t do anything. I-ngg… I’ve got to–”

“You could open the window, Chief,” Astrid’s aunt Helka, who also was the village’s midwife, ordered. “Not for long, we want to keep it warm and cosy in here, but some fresh air would help us all, I think.”

Hiccup nodded, carefully pried his hands loose from Astrid’s iron grip, and hurried to do as he was told. He took a deep breath of the cool and fresh breeze, only now noticing how stuffy it was inside. Outside, the sun was already setting. How strange… hadn’t it just been mid-morning? He hadn’t even noticed how much time had passed; no wonder Astrid was so exhausted. He turned to look at her again where she lay on the bench by the fire, her swollen body trembling and covered in sweat.

“Mmh, yes,” she whispered as he crouched back by her side. “I like the wind. It feels nice.”

Hiccup almost chuckled. The wind. It was something of a codeword between the two of them. The wind was the memory of soaring through the sky, of cool air tearing at their clothes.

The memory of their best friends.

But before those thoughts and memories could linger, Astrid asked out of the blue, “Ha-have you… already decided on… on a name?” Her voice was weak, eyes closed where her head was resting against his shoulder.

Torn between the urge to pull her closer and the fear of causing her even more pain, Hiccup just turned his head and buried his face in her entangled hair. “No, I haven’t,” he murmured. “I want us to do that together. We’ll wait and see whether it’s a boy or a girl, and then–”

Weak laughter shook her body, making her wince almost immediately. It didn’t sound reassuring at all. “Oh, Hiccup…” It seemed as if she wanted to say more but held back, and Hiccup was grateful for it. He didn’t want to hear it. That she might not be around to pick a name.

Instead, she just reached for his hand, her fingers shaking. “You’ll pick a good one. I trust you. I just hope it’s a boy…”

“Doesn’t matter,” Hiccup replied, even though he wasn’t sure whether Astrid had heard it.

For a while, everything was quiet safe for Astrid’s occasional cries or whimpering at a contraction, her body stiffening, and pain contorting her face.

“You can do this,” he murmured again, almost despite himself. Giving birth was never easy, he’d learned that much by now. But if there was one woman strong enough then it was Astrid… right?

. o O o .

Time was a tricky thing. The hours seemed to stretch endlessly, dusk turning into night and into dawn again. But when it was over, Hiccup barely remembered how it had happened. Awestruck, he kneeled at Astrid’s side, staring down at the tiny body in her arm. The girl was wrapped in a woollen blanket, only her head with the patch of dark hair visible.

“You did it,” he breathed, stunned. “You really did it. And she’s beautiful!”

Astrid was weeping, from exhaustion probably, or from how overwhelming everything was. For a short moment, she pulled the tiny girl closer to her chest, then let her head roll to the side. She was looking in his general direction, but her eyes seemed unable to focus on anything.

“Take her,” she whispered, so low that he almost didn’t hear her. “Take… I…”

Hiccup jumped as Astrid suddenly fell limp. One hand shot up to steady her body as it threatened to topple off the bench, the other toward the bundle in her arms. But as it was, at least the baby was still safe and secure in her mother’s arms.

“Astrid? Astrid, wake up.” Hiccup shook her shoulder, gently but firmly, but got no answer. “Astrid!”

“Let her sleep,” Helka’s voice sounded from behind him. Hiccup threw her a quick glance where she was washing bloodied sheets and towels. “She is exhausted…” She bit her lip, then shook her head and continued. “There’s nothing you can do for her right now. Let her rest. All we can do is… is hope that that will be enough.”

“W-what are you saying?” He didn’t want to know the answer, didn’t want to hear it. But he had to.

“Astrid, she… she lost a lot of blood. Like, really a lot. I–” The elderly woman licked her lips, then her sad eyes met his directly. “I don’t know whether she’ll make it. This was one of the hardest births I ever witnessed. Astrid is strong, but… well, only time will show whether she’s strong enough.”

Hiccup felt as if the rug got pulled out from under his feet. “What?” he stammered. “No… No! This… this can’t be happening. I need her!”

“And that little girl needs her father,” Helka reminded him gently. “There’s nothing you can do for Astrid right now, but that doesn’t mean you can’t do anything.”

Hiccup felt hollow inside, but nodded. His eyes darted back to the little girl still lying in Astrid’s limp arms. Helka was right, his daughter needed him. Ever so carefully, he lifted the tiny body and took her into his arm. With his free hand, he reached for Astrid’s once more, but Helka motioned him out. “Leave her to me. I’ll move her to the bed, stay here to check on her, maybe see if I can feed her some soup. I’ll take care of her,” she promised.

For a while, Hiccup just sat on the steps in front of their new house on New Berk, his newborn daughter asleep in his arms. It was early morning, nobody awake yet, and Hiccup tried not to go crazy with worrying over Astrid. Helka was right, there was nothing he could do for her right now. But Gods, if he were to lose her now… then he wasn’t sure whether he’d be able to cope.

The bundle in his arms stirred, and, pushing all those troubling thoughts aside, he focused all his attention on the nameless girl.

“Hey there, little one,” he murmured as he lightly caressed her rosy cheek. Almost despite himself, a smile tugged at his lips as the girl yawned, her tiny pink lips forming a perfect O. Then she opened her eyes, somehow directly looking up at him, and Hiccup’s breath caught in his throat.

She had the same blue eyes as her mother.

. o O o .

When Astrid woke, she had trouble remembering where she was. This wasn’t her room in her parent’s house… was it? Her mind was dazed, her thoughts heavy. She tried to move, but everything hurt. What had happened? Had she been injured? Wounded in a fight?

For a minute or three, she just lay still, gathering strength and trying to get order into her head. She knew this room. Right… it was her and Hiccup’s bedroom in their new house. There were the trunks with their clothes, a shelve with a few of Hiccup’s books, and her beloved axe hanging from its hook on the wall. And there was the crib that Hiccup had build for–

From one moment to the other, Astrid’s mind became crystal clear. Her baby! Groaning, she lifted her head, trying to look around. But before she could move for real, there was shifting on the large bed next to her and a wonderfully familiar voice calling her name.

“Astrid?”

He sounded sleepy, but only for the fraction of a second. Then his head appeared above her, his pale features lighting up with a relieved smile. “Oh Gods, Astrid, you’re awake!”

“Uh, yeah, I think so?” she mumbled, already feeling her strength dwindling again. “What… where is she?” It was all that really mattered. Her little baby girl. She hadn’t imagined it all, hadn’t she? No, certainly not. Feeling her warm weight in her arms, that had to have been real.

“She’s here, don’t worry,” Hiccup reassured her. He reached to the side, and a moment later carefully placed their sleeping daughter onto her chest.

Astrid couldn’t help but stare at her, hard pressed to wrap her head around the fact that this wasn’t a dream. She wasn’t just an idea anymore, not their faceless child growing inside her, but real!

With trembling fingers, Astrid reached for her, caressing her back, her head, her face. “She’s beautiful,” she sobbed, overwhelmed.

“She really is,” Hiccup agreed. “Just like you.”

Astrid laughed. She wanted to swat his arm, but didn’t feel as if she had the strength for it. Instead, she looked back at her daughter, at the tiny nose, the patch of reddish brown hair. She really was beautiful. And yet…

“I’m sorry,” she whispered. She didn’t dare to meet Hiccup’s eyes, didn’t want to see the possible disappointment there. “I’m sorry that it’s not a boy. But we–”

“What?” Hiccup interrupted her.

Astrid pressed her lips together, but didn’t fight him when he turned her head to look at him. “Astrid, I don’t care whether it’s a boy or a girl!”

“But you need an heir! We can try again, and I’m sure… I mean…”

“No!”

The tone in Hiccup’s voice surprised her and made her look at him after all. There was determination in his eyes, in an intensity she’d barely ever seen before. “But…” she began, but Hiccup cut her off right away.

“I don’t care whether my heir is a boy or a girl. I meant what I said, it doesn’t matter. We both know that women can lead just as well as men. She is my firstborn, and my heir. I…” He gulped, and averted his eyes after all.

Touched, Astrid relaxed a little, hummed with her hand on her daughter’s back. She wasn’t surprised by his decision, not really. But it was good to have it settled nonetheless. “Will she make it though?” she mused, absentmindedly. “She’s so tiny, so small…”

At that, Hiccup chuckled, if reluctantly. “Don’t worry. She’s perfectly healthy. And one day, she’ll be the strongest of them all.”

Astrid joined in on the chuckling, giggling weakly, and almost missed Hiccup turning serious again.

“How are you feeling today?” he asked, weirdly earnest.

She could feel that the question meant more to Hiccup than just polite conversation, so she took the time to listen into her body. “A little weak?” she eventually replied. “Not yet ready to chase after a flock of sheep, at least.” She chuckled. “And everything kinda hurts. All my muscles are sore, as if I’ve worked out for far too long. But all in all… I feel okay?”

Hiccup nodded, sighing. She gave him a confused look, which he returned with a pained one. He seemed reluctant to say more, but in the end, gave in to the silent question in her eyes.

“Astrid… I meant what I said. We don’t need to get more children, or not actively aim for more at least.”

“Well, that’s not really in our hands,” Astrid replied, bemused. “Unless you want to refrain from ever having sex again? Or was that you telling me you don’t find me attractive anymore?” It was meant as a joke, and judging by Hiccup’s brief snort and rolling of his eyes, he took it as such as well. But then, he turned serious again.

“Astrid,” he murmured, reaching for her free hand and idly playing with her finger. “I’m not sure how much you remember… But you almost died giving birth to her. You were unconscious for over two days, and I… I can’t stand the thought of losing you. I love you, more than ever, and… Well, I can’t imagine a world without you in it.”

Smiling at the quote, Astrid gave her husband a loving look. “You won’t lose me,” she promised. She tugged at his arm until he lay down beside her and let her cuddle into his arms. She knew that this wouldn’t be the last word exchanged about that topic, but she didn’t want to argue with him, not now. Instead, she just focused on the moment, on them all three cuddling together, she, Hiccup, and their little baby daughter. Whose name she still didn’t know.

“What did you name her?” she asked, shuffling to encourage him to lay his arm around them both.

“I…” he began, and Astrid could feel how he turned a little self-conscious.

“What, is it that bad?” she teased. She knew that he was prone to ridiculous names, but she’d also meant what she’d told him before. She trusted him not to pick an awful name for their child. That was a tradition, New Berk didn’t need anymore.

“I… don’t think so?” he said, laughing a little nervously. “It’s… Well, it comes from a faraway language originated somewhere deep in the South. Fishlegs found that book in a trader’s vault a while back, and, well… I thought it fits.”

She turned, to give him a curious look. But instead of directly replying, Hiccup reached for the girl’s miniscule hand and carefully placed it against Astrid’s cheek. Closing her eyes, she hummed. That felt good.

“Her name is Zephyr,” Hiccup murmured. “It means light wind or breeze. A little odd, I guess, but I thought–”

“No, it’s good,” Astrid interrupted him, smiling up at him. Then she glanced back at her little girl, at Zephyr, and couldn’t help grinning. The old stronger winds might be gone. But certainly, this new lighter wind would be enough to keep them occupied. “It’s perfect.” 

. o O o .

In here, a trope comes up, something large parts of the fandom seem fond of, but I’m not. So bear with me that I have my own opinion on the part of how Hiccup picks names and whether Astrid agrees with them or not…

[angelofthequeers]

Ladybug and Reine Nuit: Chapter 2

Origins II

Disclaimer: I don’t own ML.

If you don’t take the chance to spruce up Ladybug’s outfit, then what are you doing with your life?

Part 1 | Part 3 | AO3 link

For a moment, Alya is frozen, unable to do so much as breathe. The little cat yawns and stretches, then blinks, revealing brilliant green cat eyes.

“Uh –” Alya clears her throat and tries again. “Uh – what – guh?”

“Better than my last holder’s reaction,” the tiny cat drawls in a scratchy voice, then darts over to Alya’s computer. “Ooh, shiny! Can you eat this? No, you can’t,” he gags when he tries to bite a corner off the monitor.

“Um, hello!” Alya says in a high-pitched voice. “Less eating, more talking! What are you?”

This is all just a dream. It has to be. What other explanation is there for a talking cat appearing in her room?

“My name’s Plagg. I’m a kwami,” the little cat says. “I grant powers. Yours is the power of destruction. Got it?”

“Wait…” Something click’s in Alya’s brain and she shrieks and bounces on the spot. “You – powers – am I a superhero now?”

“Uh huh,” Plagg says. Alya squeals and snatches up the silver ring to slide it onto her right middle finger. “And no one can know I exist, you should have a partner to help out, yadda yadda, you know the drill. Seriously, you got anything to eat? I’m starving.”

“Omgomgomg yayayayayayay!” Alya throws herself into her blue beanbag chair, kicking and flailing. “I’m a superhero now! I get to go out and fight crime and save people and be badass and – and – wait.” She freezes and points out the window in the general direction of the giant stone monster. “Does that mean I have to fight that thing?”

“Uh huh,” Plagg says.

“How do I transform? Is there a magic word? Do I like – I dunno – do a dance or something?”

“You just gotta say claws out. Now, first thing you gotta know is –”

“Plagg, claws out!”

“Wait, I haven’t finished explainiiiiiing –!”

The ring on Alya’s finger pulses as Plagg is sucked into it, and she’s enveloped by bright green magic, cold and forceful and powerful. Although she’s not entirely sure why, she runs her fingers across her eyes from the bridge of her nose, then brushes a hand over her hair, then holds her other arm up in the air and does a twirl until the green sparkles fade away.

“Oh. My. God.” Looking down at herself, all Alya can see is shiny black leather. She rushes for her mirror, tripping over herself in her haste, and she lets out a high-pitched squeal of excitement when she catches sight of her reflection – her superhero reflection!

Her hazel eyes are now cat-like and bright green, with the whites of her eyes a paler green colour. Her features are concealed behind a black mask with two points above her eyes and one down her nose, like a cat nose and miniscule ears, and with a thin outline of neon green. She has fake black and green cat ears on her head, while her brown hair is pulled back into a bushy ponytail tied with a green ribbon, and she’s wearing a tight black suit with a high split neck and green trim, elbow-length bright green gloves, and thigh-high black boots with green around the tops. She’s also got a thin black belt around her waist that hangs behind her like a cat’s tail and a bright green cat’s paw on her chest, along with neon green cat paw pads on her black palms and fingers. A quick look at one of her boot soles confirms that her feet have the inverse: green soles and black paw pads.

No. Way. What. The. Heck. She looks just like a comic book superhero!

“This is the greatest day ever!” Alya grabs the baton resting at the small of her back and rushes over to her glass door to burst out on her balcony. She climbs onto the railing, takes a deep breath, then leaps.

“Wahooooo!” Alya shrieks before realising that she’s about two seconds from splatting on the road below. Acting purely on instinct, she shakes her baton to extend it into a staff and holds it above her head so that it catches on a street lamp, then grabs the other end with her other hand. The lamp acts as a hook, leaving her dangling, her vision blurring from the jarring force in her arms that should have dislocated her arms but strangely didn’t.

“Okay,” Alya groans, letting herself drop to the ground. “Lesson one: don’t go jumping off balconies two seconds after getting superpowers.”

She eyes up a nearby building, then looks at her staff, and then gives a rather shark-like grin. Using her staff as a vaulting pole and with the aid of what she can only assume are enhanced physical abilities, she manages to leap from the road to the roof of the building, letting out a hysterical laugh as the wind whooshes in her ears but the locks of hair hanging around her face magically stay put and don’t fall in her eyes.

“What else can this thing do?” she says. She frowns at a building across the street in the next block over, then throws her staff like a javelin and whistles when it nestles neatly against the other building, laid between that one and the one she’s on like a tightrope. “Should I? I mean…I can’t die if I fall, can I?”

There’s no response from Plagg. With a sigh, Alya gingerly places one foot on the staff, then the other, then thrusts her arms out on either side and ever so carefully inches across. Don’t look down, don’t look down…

“Hey, I think I’m getting it!” Alya says. Almost as if in response, there’s a shrill scream that steadily grows louder and louder, and Alya looks up just in time to catch sight of a red figure hurtling through the air before crashing into her. Thankfully, the figure has some sort of string-rope-thing that catches their fall and leaves them dangling in mid-air from Alya’s staff, bound front-to-front, although Alya’s currently too busy trying to coax her stomach out of her throat to really pay attention to what it is.

When they finally stop swinging from side to side and Alya manages to regain a few of her brain cells, she realises that it’s a yo-yo. And the wielder of the yo-yo is a girl who looks absolutely terrified.

“Uh…hi!” Alya grins. “Your first day too?”

“How could you tell?” the other girl says with a faint laugh, finally managing to untangle them. Alya nimbly lands on her feet, but the other girl is a lot clumsier and nearly crashes on her face. “Sorry, I didn’t do it on purpose!”

“No sweat, girl,” Alya says. “At least you didn’t nearly rip your arms out of your sockets.” She finally gets a good look at the other girl, who’s wearing a tight suit that’s red with black spots over her chest and upper arms, with a black abdomen, ladybug-patterned legs, and black elbow-length gloves and knee-length boots. Her jet-black hair is red-tipped and in pigtails, tied with red ribbons, and the eyes behind her ladybug-patterned mask are a brilliant shade of blue.

“Ouch,” the girl winces. “That sounds painful.”

“Oh, you bet.” Alya nudges the girl. “Anyway, you must be the partner my kwami told me about! I’m…hmm, okay, hold up. I gotta think of the perfect name!”

“I take it you’re a fan of superheroes?” the girl says.

“Am I ever! How about…Chatte Noire! Nah, too simple. I’m literally just calling myself ‘black cat’ in French.”

“Well, I’m Ma – er – Mar – uh…” The girl pulls her yo-yo free of Alya’s staff. Alya winces and groans when the end of it slams her on the head, but it also brings her staff down with it, so she bends down to grab it. “Madly clumsy! I’m so clumsy. And sorry. So sorry.”

“All good, clumsy girl,” Alya says. “I don’t have any more of an idea what I’m doing. Hmm…Patte d’Ébène? Ugh, no, that so doesn’t sound heroic. That sounds like some fancy rich meal.”

The ground beneath them suddenly rumbles, causing Alya to nearly trip over her own feet despite her enhanced reflexes. A tall building crumbles to the ground nearby, and Alya immediately starts running in that direction, using her staff to propel her to a nearby rooftop.

“Hey! Where are you going?” ladybug girl cries.

“Uh, to save Paris, right?” Alya calls back, then takes off again. “Dame Lune? Eh, that doesn’t feel right. Ugh, how does Majestia even do this?”

.

The stone monster turns out to be at the stadium, cornering one of Alya’s new classmates – Kim, judging by the monster’s cries.

“Hey!” Alya nimbly lands in front of Kim, shielding him from the monster. “Pick on someone your own size! Oh my god, that’s the actual cheesiest line. Can I have a do-over intro?”

“Huh?” the monster says. Rolling her eyes, Alya lets out a war cry and charges to slam her staff into the monster…and promptly gets her ass handed to her when it just grows bigger after she hits it and then flicks her away.

“Ow,” Alya moans. She untangles herself from the soccer net and runs at the monster again, but it lets out a rumbling, almost bored sigh and throws her into a row of seats around the stadium. Thank god for kwami superpowers, because otherwise Alya’s spine would totally be smashed to pieces right about now. On the other side of the stadium, at the very top, Alya spots the ladybug girl covering her mouth, making no attempt to jump in and help.

Okay, if Alya has to pull both their weights, she’s gonna be super pissed.

“You can do it, red bug hero!” calls a voice from nearby. Once she’s managed to extract herself, Alya pinpoints the source as the Adrien kid, who’s crouching near the entrance to the inside of the stadium, recording the fight on his phone with wonder in his eyes. Why is he even here? He hadn’t come along to P.E.; Alya distinctly remembers him asking to talk to Marinette back in the library.

Apparently, Adrien seems to have no sense of self-preservation, because he doesn’t move when the stone monster growls and rips up a soccer net, then hurls it in his direction. It’s purely instinct – adrenaline surges through her – Alya bounds across the stadium and throws her staff to catch the net above Adrien’s head. At the same time, a yo-yo comes hurtling out of nowhere, wraps itself around Adrien’s waist, and yanks him out of harm’s way so that Alya can retrieve her baton and let the net fall to the ground harmlessly.

“About time!” Alya says to ladybug girl.

“Sorry!” ladybug girl says. “I’m just…really not up to this.”

“You think I’ve had any experience before today either?” Alya says. “Let’s turn this guy into dust!”

“Kick his butt, awesome superhero girls!” Adrien calls from a safe distance.

“Excuse me, but the name’s…uh…Reine…Nuit…Reine Nuit! Yeah, Reine Nuit!” Alya – Reine Nuit – snaps her fingers. “Perfect!”

“Have you noticed now he grows bigger and stronger with every attack?” ladybug girl says. “We have to do something different.”

“Any ideas?” Reine Nuit says. Ladybug girl frowns.

“What’s your superpower?” she says.

“Uh…my superpower?” Reine Nuit says. “I mean, I’ve got super senses, this awesome staff –”

“No, no, you should have a special power!”

Reine Nuit blinks. “Shit. Maybe I should’ve let my kwami explain everything before I transformed.”

Ladybug girl snorts. “You think? I guess it’s up to me. Lucky Charm!” She tosses her yo-yo into the air and catches a ladybug-patterned wetsuit.

“Umm…handy?” Reine Nuit says. “So, uh, what’s the plan?”

“My kwami told me I have to break the object where the whatchamacallit – er, the akuma is hidden.”

“He’s literally made of stone,” Reine Nuit deadpans. “Unless you can figure out which rock –”

“His right hand!” Ladybug girl points. “It’s still closed! He never opens it. It’s like the Russian dolls – the object isn’t on him, it’s hidden in his fist!”

“Huh. Smart and cute.” Reine Nuit winks. “I reckon we’ll get along just fine. What’s your plan, red bug hero?”

“Hmm…”

Okay, Reine Nuit is eternally grateful that she didn’t end up with the Ladybug Miraculous. Ladybug girl’s plan involves sticking a hose into the Lucky Charm suit, yeeting Reine Nuit and then herself at the stone monster to make it drop the akuma, then getting Adrien to turn the hose on to inflate the suit and force the monster to let ladybug girl go. Once she’s free, ladybug girl smashes the dark object to bits, releasing a purple-veined butterfly that goes flapping off into the distance.

“Yeowch!” Reine Nuit cries when the stone monster dissolves into another classmate of hers and sends her crashing to the ground. “That. Was. So. Cool!”

“What’s going on?” the burly boy groans, rubbing his head, “What am I doing here?”

“You were incredible, red bug hero!” Reine Nuit gushes, jumping to her feet. “You did it!”

“Ladybug. Call me Ladybug. And we both did it,” ladybug girl – Ladybug – corrects. Purely by instinct, they punch at each other in a fist-bump, declaring, “Pound it!”

“Uh, what’s that?” Reine Nuit says when Ladybug’s earrings give off a loud beep.

“We’ve only got five minutes after we use our power before we transform back,” Ladybug says. “You should go. Our identities must remain a secret!”

“Yeah, yeah, first rule of superheroing,” Reine Nuit says. She bounds away, calling, “Until next time!” over her shoulder.

In the high of defeating a real live supervillain, Reine Nuit doesn’t realise that she’s forgotten to get one crucial detail from Plagg: how to turn back into herself. It’s not until she’s in her room that it hits her.

“Crud,” she says. “Uh…claws out? Detransform? Back to Alya?”

Nothing happens.

“I can’t be like this forever!” Reine Nuit cries. “I mean, not that I’d hate being a superhero forever, but I have a life and a family, and everyone will know who I am if I don’t turn back and –” She groans and facepalms. “That’ll teach me to rush ahead without listening to the magic black cat.”

Pouting, she slumps on her bed, fiddling with her ring, which is now black with a tiny green cat’s paw. She wriggles it off her finger, then gasps when she’s enveloped in bright green light that devours her suit and leaves her as just plain Alya again.

“Oh,” Alya says. “Uh…that should’ve been obvious.”

“Next time, you might wanna try not rudely interrupting me,” Plagg says when he’s zipped out of the ring and sprawled across Alya’s bed. “Claws in to detransform, by the way.”

“Right. Sorry.” Alya sits down on the bed next to the tiny kwami. “So, uh…what’s my superpower? If Ladybug’s is Lucky Charm –”

“Cataclysm.” Plagg says. “Destroys anything you touch. One-time use before you turn back. I’m so hungry!”

Alya blinks at him.

“What?” he says sullenly. “I gotta keep my strength up somehow. No food for moi, no more superhero for toi.”

“Ugh, fine,” Alya says. “Wait, what do you even eat, anyway?”

Plagg’s eyes light up. “Camembert! Beautiful, rich, stinky Camembert!”

“…Great.” Alya facepalms. “Now I’m gonna stink of cheese. Well…small price to pay for being a superhero, I suppose.” The words send a thrill through her.  

“Damn right,” Plagg says. “Where’s my Camembert?”

“Alright, cat face,” Alya sighs, pushing herself back to her feet. “Wait here. I’ll get your icky cheese.”

Plagg’s cheers follow her out of the room. She pauses outside her door, shakes her head, then smiles and heads for the kitchen. Alya Césaire is now a superhero! Who would’ve ever dreamt that this would happen to her?

[waltzofthewifi]

Kota Chapter 19: Family Feud

Beginning | ToC | Next

Jagged raised an arm, aiming for Anarka.

Marinette moved quicker.

She slammed into Anarka, knocking her onto the ground. Whatever Jagged had shot at her soared over their heads.

Luka darted over to Marinette, helping her and his mom up.

"Back inside, now!" He shouted.

Jagged rapid-fired at the class. Nino jumped in front Rose and Juleka, and Ivan shielded Mylene. Both vanished. Sabrina also disappeared.

"Desperada powers?" Luka questioned.

"Looks like it," Marinette confirmed.

"Hey Jagged!" Alix called, lobbing a piece of paper at him. "You really should stick to Marinette as your designer!"

"The name is Rocker!" He raised an arm to fire again. He blinked, looking down at his arm, and then the rest of the outfit - as if he was just now seeing the black tights, platform boots, and bright yellow shirt with shoulder pads. "Hawkmoth, what are you doing? I don't look good in yellow. And where's my leather? I have an image to uphold!"

Luka ushered Anarka and Marinette towards the door. He motioned for the rest of the students to head back inside, and they all crowded in.

Marinette made it into the hallway, turning just in time to see Max hit. Kim blocked the doorway as Rocker fires, being hit in the chest but shielding the other students.

Pegasus, Carapace, and Roi Singe are down, Marinette noted. Rena Rouge is babysitting - and leaving those twins alone was more dangerous than any akuma - and Ryuko was busy with a fencing match. That left Kota and Viperion -

Marinette needed to keep Luka safe. With powers like Rocker's, Viperion's second chance would be critical.

Marinette tugged Luka into a bathroom as the rest of the class continued on.

"Stay here," Marinette said.

Luka watched her for a moment, face unreadable.

Once the rest of the class had moved out of the hallways, Marinette slipped back out into the hallway.

She needed to get off of the ship, grab the snake Miraculous and maybe the rooster Miraculous, and slip back in and get her allies without revealing she or them were already on the ship. Easy, right?

What she needed was to find a window, transform there, and then slip out and come around.

"Marinette?" Luka asked, cracking open the door behind her. "Are you still there?"

Marinette glanced behind her, noticing the window in the bathroom.

"Actually, this is a little embarrassing, but I really need to pee. Can I have the bathroom to myself?"

"... alright?"

Marinette darted into the bathroom, shutting the door behind her and locking it.

"Tikki, spots on!"

.

The door behind Luka banged open, and Ladybug stepped out, looking frazzled.

"You're friend told me you'd be here," Ladybug said. "Awake enough for another round?"

Luka nodded. "What's the plan?"

Ladybug handed him his miraculous, and Luka opened the box. With a burst of light, Sass spun out.

"Nice to see you again," Sass greeted, bowing his head.

"No plan yet," Ladybug admitted. "But Rocker has that one hit capture power we need you for. Hang back, do not get hit, and do your thing."

Luka nodded. "Sounds good. Sass, scales slither!"

The transformation washed over him, cold and familiar.

"Let's do this," Ladybug said. "Chat Noir is on the deck distracting him, so we'll sneak up behind him."

"Let's go."

The two ran back up the hallway, stopping at the door.

Ladybug gave Viperion a nod.

"Second chance!"

Ladybug and Viperion burst out, distracting Rocker mid-aim. He swung his arm around at Ladybug.

Ladybug wrapped her yo-yo around his arm and tugged, pulling herself closer to him and under his legs.

"Ladybug!" Chat Noir called. "Watch out for his-"

Rocker yelled, creating a sonic blast much like Guitar Villain, knocking Ladybug against the boat. He shot again, hitting Ladybug.

She disappeared with a melody much like Viperion always heard around her.

"Sonic blasts," Chat Noir finished.

"Second chance!"

.

"Watch out for his sonic blasts," Viperion warned. "Like he had as Guitar Villain. Happens when he yells."

Ladybug hmmd. "If he can summon it with his voice, it will be difficult to stop."

"And it goes out in every direction," Viperion added. "So no way to dodge."

"We'll have to shut him up," Ladybug decided. "Lucky charm!" She caught the charm with one hand. "Skittles?"

She frowned at the bag for a second. Then her eyes glittered.

"Alright, let's go."

Ladybug and Viperion burst out, distracting Rocker mid-aim.

Before he could switch his aim, Ladybug wrapped her yo-yo around his legs and pulled, knocking him flat against the concrete.

Ladybug darted. Rocker yelled, the sonic boom bursting up from him. Ladybug hit the blast with her foot, using her momentum to shoot up instead of away. Flipping mid-air, she landed on top of Rocker.

Rocker opened his mouth, and Ladybug poured her skittles into it.

"Chat Noir, I need your claws!" Ladybug called.

"On it!"

Rocker kicked Ladybug, sending her off to the side. She rolled onto her feet, but Rocker was already up and aiming.

With a melody, she vanished.

"Second Chance!"

.

"I wonder if..." Ladybug prodded her yo-yo several times. "No, not yet."

Viperion watched as her brows knitted together.

"Maybe I can rip it without anything sharp?" Ladybug reasoned.

"What you need is to trap his legs better," Viperion answered.

"Legs. Right." Ladybug readied her yo-yo and candy. "Let's go."

Ladybug and Viperion burst out, distracting Rocker mid-aim. Before he could switch his aim, Ladybug wrapped her yo-yo around his legs and pulled, knocking him flat against the concrete.

Ladybug darted. Rocker yelled, the sonic boom bursting up from him. Ladybug hit the blast with her foot, using her momentum to shoot up instead of away. Flipping mid-air, she landed with one foot on Rocker's chest, and one on his knees.

Rocker opened his mouth, and Ladybug poured her skittles into it.

"His hand is still free!" Chat Noir warned.

Before Ladybug could respond, Rocker aimed and fired.

"Second chance!"

.

"Arm and legs," Ladybug amended. "I can do that. Let's go!"

Ladybug and Viperion burst out, distracting Rocker mid-aim. Before he could switch his aim, Ladybug wrapped her yo-yo around his legs and pulled, knocking him flat against the concrete.

Ladybug darted. Rocker yelled, the sonic boom bursting up from him. Ladybug hit the blast with her foot, using her momentum to shoot up instead of away. Flipping mid-air, she landed with one foot on his arm, and her other lower leg across his torso, with the ball of her foot pressing down against his legs.

Rocker opened his mouth, and Ladybug readied her skittles. Rocker swung with his other arm, knocking the skittles across the deck.

He yelled, knocking Ladybug away and back towards Viperion.

Rocker aimed.

"Second chance!"

.

"Watch out for his sonic blasts," Viperion warned. "Like he had as Guitar Villain. Yells when he happens."

"Happens when he yells?" Ladybug corrected. "Luka, are you feeling alright?"

Viperion wanted to argue that he was fine, but a yawn cut him off.

"Alright, you need a rest," Ladybug decided. "Five minutes, then we restart."

Viperion knew better than to argue. He leaned against the wall and sunk to the floor. Ladybug sat down across from him.

"Lucky charm!" She called, catching the bag of skittles with easy. "Want one?"

Viperion shrugged, and Ladybug handed him one.

"How many rounds is this?" Ladybug asked.

"Only four," Viperion replied. "Look, this skittle is pink - like you."

Ladybug watched him for a moment with a frown. "I'm red."

Oh. Oops.

"Right. I was thinking about someone else."

Ladybug didn't look convinced. She continued to watch him as she popped another skittle into her mouth.

She swallowed. "You would tell me if you knew, right? Knew who I am?"

Redo redo redo redo

Viperion reaches for his bracelet, but Ladybug slapped his hand away.

"Luka!"

"I don't," Viperion lied, weakly.

"Luka."

"Ok, ok," Viperion replied. "I just didn't want to say anything."

"Why not?" Ladybug demanded, standing up. "Do you know how lonely it is having a secret?"

Viperion looked up at her. "I know. And I've wished I could be there for you, but - I thought if I didn't acknowledge it, it wouldn't stick in my brain. And if I was akumatized -"

"So you were trying to protect me?" Ladybug still looked furious, but she relented and sat down again. "I take it ignoring it didn't work?"

"It's a memory, not an idea," Viperion explained. "Multiple memories, at this point."

Ladybug looked confused.

"I saw you detransform a few times," Viperion continued. "Those times you used your power before me, so timed out before the loop was over. Like I said, I tried to forget about it - but that never works, does it?" Luka chuckled, briefly thinking about the other things he tried forgetting.

Ladybug popped another skittle into her mouth, and handed Viperion one.

"Okay, fine, I forgive you," Ladybug decided.

Viperion's bracelet beeped, and he powered down.

"Food, please?" Sass asked.

Ladybug rolled her eyes. "I have some chocolate eggs in my school bag down the hall."

Sass nodded and flew off.

Ladybug sighed and opened her yo-yo. "Chat Noir, we're going to need a little longer. Retreat for now."

"Understood."

Ladybug shut the yo-yo. "I know being the snake is tiring, for you too. I appreciate how much energy and strength you put into it."

Luka nodded. "It can be wearing. But being able to keep my family safe makes it worth it."

Ladybug blushed. "Th-thanks." She gave Luka a warm smile. "I know I've turned you down in terms of romance, but I do care about you to. You're a good friend, and that means more to me than any poetic confession of love."

Luka felt himself blush. "Thanks, Marinette. Even if you don't return my feelings, I'm happy we're friends." Luka frowned. "Speaking of friends, where's Rena? Shouldn't Alya be free?"

Ladybug shook her head. "She's babysitting. And her sisters can not be left alone unsupervised." Ladybug popped another skittle into her mouth. "Do you know all the heroes identities?"

"Except the new one - Kota," Luka said.

"And Chat Noir," Ladybug added.

Luka didn't deny it.

"To be fair, Max is pretty obvious, and once you've figured out Rena you know who Carapace is," Luka said instead.

"Kota's Lacy," Ladybug said.

"Lacy?" Luka questioned. He didn't know her too well, only having met her a few times. She hung out with Alix and Nathaniel more than Luka or his sister. "Wait, I thought she got out safe? Can't you grab her?"

Ladybug shook her head, showing him the other black box in her yo-yo. "I was going to, but just as I arrived Rocker got to her. It's a shame - the rooster miraculous grants the wielder an extra boost of energy, and we could all use that."

"Can't you use it then?" Luka questioned.

"No." Ladybug sighed. "Combining Miraculous is dangerous."

Ladybug offered him a handful of skittles, and Luka stuffed them all in his mouth. Ladybug giggled.

"You know who loves skittles?" Ladybug asked. "Mullo."

Luka took a second to swallow the candy before speaking. "Who's Mullo?"

"The mouse kwami," Ladybug explained.

Luka saw the realization in her eyes the second he had his own.

"That's it!"

.

Ladybug landed on the rooftop, looking back at the battle below.

I'll be back, she promised. With another ally.

As she watched, Rocker was cornering several policeman and shouting. He hit Officer Raincomprix, who vanished in a whistle blow.

Someone threw a rock at him. "That's my dad!"

Rocker turned, aiming for Sabrina. Sabrina didn't waver, instead throwing another rock (and missing).

Rocker fired, but before the blast hit Sabrina Mylene jumped in with a trash can lid, deflecting the blow.

And I know exactly who it will be.