#and I have to present a training tomorrow morning so I’ve gotta be better by then

[karlyboyyy]

Help it’s a migraine day 😖

[fific7]

Dangerous and Divine - Part 16

Billy Russo x Reader

Summary: Billy Russo is an itch you don’t want to scratch. But he’s all over you like a rash.

A/N: This does not follow canon, it’s mainly fluff & lemon zest 🍋 The GIF is from Exposed, unreleased pilot show in case you’re wondering 😌... Billy vibes.

Warnings: 18+ NSFW due to mentions of sex. Some drinking & swearing.

(My GIF)

So... after your heart-rate slowed back down to normal, you realised that, no matter how much you possibly empathised about Billy dropping her, there was no way you were going to sit back and let Madani keep coming after your man. She’d have a fight on her hands, that you could promise her.

You were trying to concentrate on your paperwork, you really were. But your mind kept circling back to Madani. Coming to a decision, you stood up and grabbed your things. Making your way downstairs, you walked through the café, stopping to let your team know that you’d be out for a while.

Getting on the subway, you made your way to Homeland HQ and asked the receptionist if you could speak to Agent Madani, specifying that you’d meet her there in Reception. You weren’t going to meet her in private, that was for damn sure. The receptionist made a call, then asked you to take a seat.

After a fifteen-minute wait, Madani and her heels came clicking their way over to you. Her eyebrows were presently in a permanently raised position. Standing up, you nodded to her and forced yourself to say civilly, “Good morning, Agent Madani.”

She nodded back at you, lips pursed. “You realise that approaching me while you have an active complaint against me is not correct procedure.”

Shrugging, you replied, “About as correct as you approaching Billy and asking him to meet you.” She flinched back, and you realised she didn’t think he would’ve told you. You carried on, “Agent Madani, this has got to stop. I feel you’re just going to keep on contacting him regardless, and you’re just going to keep getting rejected.” She opened her mouth to reply, but you held up your hand, “Hear me out, please. Look, I get it, I really do - you thought you might have something going for you with Billy. Then you find out he’s met someone else and he drops you. And I’m sorry about that. I wouldn’t be happy about that if it happened to me.”

She glanced round quickly to check there was no-one within earshot, before glaring back at you, but you carried on nevertheless, “I know you don’t believe this, but Billy and I do have a relationship, a real relationship - and yes, it’s all happened very quickly but sometimes that’s just how things do happen.” Folding her arms across herself, she huffed and said, “You’re right I don’t believe it. Billy Russo is the biggest damn player in New York City and if you think you’ve tied him down, you’re more of a fool than I thought. A damn naive, stupid, oblivious little fool.”

You nodded, “Uhuh... well, I thought a woman-to-woman talk about it might help, but I guess it’s obvious where you stand, and you’re not budging.” You started moving away, “Well, if I’m a fool then fine! - I’m a fool. That’ll be my problem to sort out. Bye, Agent Madani.” Turning, you made your way out of the building without a backward glance.

»»————————————-———-　⚜　———————————-————-««

Billy was slowly swinging from one side to the other in his chair. His head was lying back against the headrest and his eyes gazed up at the ceiling. He was daydreaming about his girl, something he found himself doing more and more often these days. Thinking back to his visit to her office that morning, a slight smile curved over his lips. He loved it when she initiated sex. Not only did it give a big boost to his male ego - that he couldn’t deny - but it made him go all soft inside. To him, it meant that she wanted him as much as he wanted her, meant it wasn’t him starting things all the time. That’s what he was used to, after all. He’d always been the one in control.

He chuckled to himself, what in the fuck was happening to him? He was turning into a big gooey mess of a man. Shaking his head, he stood up and wandered over to the glass wall, looking down onto the training area below. He’d better get a grip of himself or one of the newbies would get one over on him, and he couldn’t have that.

»»—————————��——-———-　⚜　———————————-————-««

You made it back to Chelsea shortly after your unproductive meeting with Madani. Slamming your office door behind you and flouncing over to your desk, you plopped down into your chair, dropping your bag down beside you.

That obtuse bloody woman!!! And she called you a fool! Pot and kettle, love, you thought, pot and bloody kettle. Now you were going to have to admit to Billy that you’d also met up with her, and all for nothing - a complete and utter waste of time. Oh well, at least you’d tried. Not your fault she couldn’t see the wood for the trees.

But if she chased after Billy just once more, you wouldn’t be responsible for your actions - Homeland agent or not.

»»————————————-———-　⚜　———————————-————-««

Madani was quietly stewing back in her office. How dare she try to do the sister act thing, ‘I get it, I really do’ .....just who does she think she is?! Miss Bloody Perfect.

She would just bide her time. There was no way on god’s green earth that Billy Russo would stay faithful to her, it just wasn’t happening.

He’d damn well admitted he’d been attracted to her. That was enough for her, to grasp onto that small sliver of hope and hold onto it tight.

And when he did fall off the Faithful Wagon, she’d make sure she was there to see it. And to catch him as he fell.

»»————————————-———-　⚜　———————————-————-««

After texting Billy to say you quite fancied a Vietnamese takeaway this evening, you went down into the café a little later on and had a long chat with Jake, catching him up on the Scorned Woman Situation. He started making you a macchiato, commenting, “She just really doesn’t get it, does she?” You leant closer to him, saying in a low voice, “The thing is, she’s succeeded in planting a seed of doubt in my head.” “What... about Billy?” You nodded, looking down. “He did have quite the reputation before he met me you know, Jake.”

He nodded, “You said. Are you thinking a leopard can’t change its spots?” You sighed, taking the small cup and saucer from him, “Well, yeah. She keeps saying he won’t stay faithful to me, hell - she even said it to his face! And... it is making me worry, I’d be lying if I said it wasn’t. Everything’s fine now, but what if he gets bored? Sees a pretty face out and about somewhere, feels what he says he feels about me for them?”

Jake shrugged, “But that’s the test any relationship faces. You can’t play it out on ‘maybes’ and ‘what ifs’. Just gotta go with ‘the here and now’. Don’t you?” Nodding, you sipped your coffee before laughing, “What you say is true, oh Yoda.” He laughed, “I am wise beyond my years, little one!” You heard the café door opening behind you, and Jake chuckled, “And talk of the devil...!” Turning your head, you saw Billy homing in on you, big smile on his face and eyes glued to you. Jake whispered, “That looks like a pretty faithful doggy to me!”

You subtly elbowed him, before fully turning to Billy and smiling back. “Hello, handsome,” you greeted him, and you were surprised to see Billy’s face go a slight shade of pink. “Hi, beautiful,” he said back, before leaning down and kissing you shyly. His hand slid down your side and took hold of your fingers, lacing his with yours, eyes gazing into yours. Okay, you thought, I know I’ve been ribbing him about being a big sap but this is a whole new level of sappiness.

You drained the last of your coffee, and said to Jake, “I’m taking off now, Jakey boy, you OK to close up?” He mock-bowed, “But of course, my Princess.” You caught an irritated look on Billy’s face and smiled to yourself, he really was a jealous ass. With or without good reason.

You nipped back upstairs to get your things and when you came back down, you saw Jake and Billy almost facing off against each other, eyes glaring. What the....? You walked quickly over to them, “Hey, guys?” They broke eye contact, Jake looking embarrassed as he met your eyes, “Uhh... have a nice evening.” You swung round to Billy, who was studying his shoes with great interest. “Okay, Jake - thanks, I’ll see you tomorrow.” Billy’s head came up, “No! She won’t be in tomorrow.”

“What? Now, Billy, you know I’m always in the cafés on Saturday mornings,” you said with a hint of warning in your voice. He looked back at Jake, “I’ve got plans for tomorrow. You can cope, can’t you?” Jake bristled, “Of course I can!” Billy looked back at you, “See? All under control. Just for once, have a Saturday off, please sweetheart.” You looked at Jake, who just smiled at you, so you nodded, “OK, just this once, Russo.” Billy smirked in triumph and took your hand, pulling you along with him towards the door as you waved at Jake.

»»————————————-———-　⚜　———————————-————-««

Billy almost dragged his girl out of the café, before that bastard Jake could say anything else. Who did that cheeky little shit think he was, trying to give him the “don’t hurt her or you’ll answer to me for it” speech! Her fuckin’ father or something?!

He was seething, but trying to hide it. Once they were both in the car and pulling out into the traffic, she turned slightly towards him, and he could feel her eyes boring into him, “Okay, Russo - spill.”

Sighing, he looked in his rear view mirror as he changed lanes and replied, “Your little pal back there started coming on like your Dad or big brother or sumthin’. Givin’ me the whole “if you mess her around I’ll come after you” spiel.”

Oh Jake, you thought, you numbskull. He meant well but.... obviously Billy hadn’t been impressed. You heaved a sigh and Billy glanced over at you, before making a right turn and swinging the car into his building’s underground parking lot.

“Look, that was my fault,” you said, as he parked up in his space and turned off the engine. He glanced over at you, “What d’ya mean, angel?” he asked as he unbuckled his seat belt, before opening his door and walking round to open yours. “Well... uhh, I went to see Madani this morning.” He was in the process of taking your hand as you got out of the car, but stopped and looked at you, mouth open. “You did what?” You slammed the car door. “Billy! I’m sick of her chasing after you!” He raised the remote and bleeped the car locked.

“Angel, you gotta be careful with her, she’s looking for ammo to fire back at us!” You nodded, “I know that. I met her in Reception so it was in public. I thought I’d try the woman-to-woman chat.” He took your hand in his as you both started walking to the lift doors. “Did it work?” he asked. “No it didn’t! She’s the most obtuse, stubborn woman I’ve come across in a long time.” “Uh-huh, that she definitely is. Tell me what you said to her?” The lift arrived and the doors opened, you and Billy walking into it. “Well, I told her that I got it. She thought she was gonna get somewhere with you, and you dropped her. I said I wouldn’t have been happy either. But that it had to stop, as she was just going to keep getting rejected.”

Billy chuckled, “Oh my, that must’ve gone down well.” You laughed, “She doesn’t believe we have an actual relationship, she said you were the biggest player in NYC and you’d never stay faithful to me. I get the feeling she’s gonna hang around just willing it to happen.” Billy tightened his grip on your hand, stroking your hair with his other hand, then your cheek. Before he could speak, you jumped in with, “And I might’ve admitted to Jake that she’d managed to plant that seed of doubt in my mind.” He closed his eyes, putting his head back against the lift wall. “Angel, please don’t be listenin’ to her bullshit!”

The lift doors opened, and you both began walking along to his apartment door. He suddenly stopped, wrapping his arms around you and kissing you hard. He pulled back, his dark eyes looking pained as he gazed at you, “You know she’s just tryin’ to stir things up between us, don’t you? That’s what she wants, for you to question me and my behaviour, to be suspicious of me, for us to argue.” He kissed you again, before burying his face in your hair, “Well, I ain’t gonna let that happen, sweetheart,” you heard, “....she ain’t gonna come between us. I will be faithful to you, I promise. Don’t want anyone else.”

»»————————————-———-　⚜　———————————-————-««

After a very tasty and spicy Vietnamese meal which Billy had ordered in, you both lazed on the sofa nursing your beers. He was looking at you anxiously every so often, and eventually he burst out, “I swear to you on all that’s holy, I’ll keep it in my pants!” He was gazing at you, eyes wide and deep and dark and full of fear. Yes, fear. You reached over and laid your hand along his bristly cheek, “It’s okay, Billy! I believe you, poppet.” The smirk was back, “Uh, not with the poppet thing again!”

You laughed, “Yes! You’re my big sexy poppet.” Eyebrow wiggle, “Well, when you put it like that,” and your hand was lifted up and then placed under his sweatshirt, onto his lower abdomen, where you could stroke the treasure trail of hairs leading ever downwards to his ‘crown jewels’. “Mmmm,” he smiled, eyes closing, “....you gonna keep going, sweetheart?” You didn’t bother replying, just slid your hand further down and under the waistband of his briefs. You still marvelled at how big and hard Billy got, and you very happily took hold of what was clearly marked as ‘your property’ as far as you were concerned.

You relished the feel of his velvety skin and gave him a couple of very firm strokes, before cupping his balls in the palm of your other hand and squeezing. You were pleased to hear a long, low groan from Billy and looked up at him, seeing that his eyes were tight shut in pleasure.

“So, Billy,” you asked, “...what’re these plans you’ve got that are so important I had to take Saturday off?” He opened his eyes and grinned at you, “Can’t possibly tell ya, it’s a surprise.” You took a much firmer grip of him and his hips jerked forward, “Are you sure about that, Billy?” He laughed nervously, but replied, “Very sure, sweetheart.”

»»————————————-———-　⚜　———————————-————-««

@blackbirddaredevil23 @galaxyjane @omgrachwrites @behindmyeyes-insidemyhead @ourloveisforthelovely @swthxrry

[dimitrescus-bitch]

Not Like That (Rhea Ripley x Reader)

Smut.

You clawed at Rhea’s back as she held you up against the wall. Most of your clothes were still on and they’d stay on for at least another 40 minutes. However, that didn’t mean that you couldn’t try to have a bit of fun. You moaned as Rhea’s hand rubbed against the inseam of your leggings. The two of you easily could have gone a lot further, but then you were interrupted. 

Luckily it was just Tegan and Shotzi, who already knew about your “relationship” with Rhea. Adam, your older brother, did not know, nor would he ever if it was up to you. He had allowed you to come live with him, got you a good training program before your WWE tryout, and then had backed you whenever some of the coaches were on the fence. You could let other people down, but not Adam, never Adam. Whatever it was that you were doing with Rhea was not something that your brother would approve of, especially because you knew that it wasn’t going anywhere. Rhea wasn’t like that, she had told you she didn’t want seriousness. 

“Can we talk?” Rhea pulled you aside before you could give an answer to her question. “We need to talk.” 

“Adam is on,” you told her. Rhea nodded and took a deep breath. “Everything okay?” 

“Totally didn’t just get my ass chewed out back there,” Rhea chuckled. “I think that I gave you the wrong impression earlier.” 

“When?” You crossed your arms over your chest. Rhea had given you a lot of impressions and none of them were overly great. She had presented herself as a fuckboy on multiple occasions and if it wasn’t for this gut feeling telling you to stick with her, you’d have been out the door. “When could you possibly have done that?” 

“I get it, but it’s not like that. Not really Y/n. You deserve better than how I’ve been treating you, so I’m not gonna do that anymore,” Rhea promised you. “I’ll start with being honest with you. I like you and I’d like to spend my time with you. I act like I could be other places, but I swear that I wouldn’t want to. I wanna be with you and only you.” 

“Why tell me now?” you asked and Rhea shrugged. “You’re an asshole.” 

“An asshole that has feelings for you.” Rhea nudged you. 

“An asshole I have feelings for. Fuck, okay, I’ll give you a chance, but you gotta do something for me,” you told her and she nodded. “I want you to meet Adam.” 

“I’ve met Adam, we know each other,” Rhea said and you gave her a look. “Oh, you mean, like meet him as your lady friend.” 

“Girlfriend Ripley, and if he asks, you were too chicken shit to ask me,” you told her and she nodded. “Good, after his match, he’ll be in a good mood.” 

“So, the six months of fucking around is between us right?” Rhea asked and you nodded. “Cool, now that you’re my girlfriend, do you want a drawer?” 

“A drawer?” you asked her curiously. “I’ve got a dresser full of them at Adam’s. 

“No, like a drawer in my dresser for when you stay over.” Rhea wrapped her arms around your waist and kissed your neck. 

“If we can finish what you started back there, then I’ll gladly accept your drawer,” you teased her. You were elated that she wanted you to have that little space at her place, especially since you had stayed over quite a few times already. 

“Of course,” Rhea agreed. The two of you waited until after Adam’s match to tell him about your relationship, but then you didn’t have a chance to then. He had rushed out to meet Britt somewhere and you went straight to Rhea’s. “Sorry you didn’t get to tell him.” 

“Breakfast tomorrow, Britt’s coming and so are you,” you told Rhea. She nodded and the two of you went up to her room. The drawer was already cleared out and sitting on her bed, which made you smile. “You’ve thought about this, haven’t you?” 

“When I told you earlier that it wasn’t like that, I meant it. I’ve had this cleared out since you got your contract,” Rhea told you. You thought it was sweet, so you moved towards her and kissed her softly. Rhea kissed you back and then moved the drawer off of the bed. You sat back on the bed and she crawled over you. Rhea kissed you again and there was something a bit more secure about it now. You were certain that she felt it too because she softened up more now. 

Rhea’s fingers fumbled a little as she unbuttoned your jeans. You rested your hands on the back of Rhea’s neck and tried to keep kissing her for as long as your lungs would let you. If air wasn’t an issue, you easily could have stayed there forever and ever kissing Rhea. 

The kissing was interrupted when Rhea sat up. You looked at her quizzically and she pulled her shirt off. You smiled at her and reached out to touch her skin. It was soft and there was an almost electric buzz on your fingers when you touched her. She smiled softly at you and you let her speed up your undressing process. Rhea stopped for a moment to appreciate the way that your skin flushed when she touched you and how your chest moved when she made your breath quicken. 

“Are you ready? Do I need to do more?” Rhea asked and you shook your head. 

“I’m ready,” you assured her. Rhea smiled, gave you a quick peck on the lips, and then settled in between your legs. She pushed your knees apart and ran her hands down your thighs to rest on your hips. She started with a gentle and explorative lick with her tongue. You gasped when she went back in for more, but with more purpose. As she added her fingers, you grabbed the sheets in an attempt to hold onto something as she made you lose your mind. “Fuck!” 

You were being so loud, but you didn’t care. There was not going to be any need for secrecy anymore. Things weren’t going to be how they were between the two of you and it was truly a relief. Your body began to move on its own volition in an attempt to get more from Rhea in any way. You kept searching for more until finally, your body had been overloaded and you fell back against the mattress, a panting and sweaty mess. You laid on the bed with Rhea, staring at her with a look on contentment and peace. 

“What are you thinking about?” Rhea shifted onto her side. 

“I was thinking about what things are gonna be like now,” you answered her. Rhea smiled and leaned in to kiss you. “We get to do that in public now.” 

“Yeah, we do. We get to do a lot of things now,” Rhea told you. “Get some sleep, we have that breakfast in the morning.” 

“Yeah, we do,” you repeated happily.

[tamakiamajikistentacles]

Disappearance 1: The Beginning {Katsuki Bakugo}

A/N: Please be sure to reblog, comment, review, and like if you enjoy! Feedback is what keeps me motivated! Been working on this one for a while so I’m eager to know what everyone thinks!

Disappearance Masterlist

Slinging a towel around the back of his neck he looked out at the group of men in front of him beginning to pack up their gym bags. Some had their soaked hair held back with sweatbands while others dabbed at their faces with their own towels, the sign of a class well spent.

“You all did well,” he said loudly, catching their attention. “We’ll meet back here on Wednesday to work on more escape techniques for violent physical attacks. That’s our focus from here on out since this is your last full week of this course and next Monday will be our last meeting. Get home safe and get some rest, the work ain’t done yet.”

He smirked at the excited affirmatives shouted back as they continued to pack up—“You got it, Bakugo sensei!” and “See you Wednesday, sir!”

When everyone was gone he made his way into the small men’s locker room of the community center and pulled his civilian clothes out of his locker to change into. He also grabbed his work bag and hefted it over his shoulder as he closed the tiny locker, spinning the combination lock haphazardly.

The cool breeze felt amazing on his flushed skin as he exited the building and began his walk to the train station, the need to keep his quirk under control lifting slightly now that he was in open air; he let out a few small pops as he walked, the discharge soothing. It made him antsy to build up so much sweat and not be able to burn it off.

Most of what he’d built up during class had been taken care of by the time he reached the station and boarded his train, the stops scrolling on an LED board. It wasn’t a long journey with only six stops passing before he was stepping onto another platform, the still present breeze ruffling his hair as he set out for his building.

He wished that opening the door and stepping into the darkened apartment brought some sort of relief to him. The only positive he had was the silent appearance of the brown tabby cat at the end of the genkan, green eyes shining in the shadows as he toed off his shoes.

Flipping on the light he approached her and have her head an affectionate pat, smiling softly at the tiny mewl he received in return. “Hi, Miki.”

Setting his bag aside he made sure the door was locked behind him before checking over all the windows and the balcony doors. Miki watched him move around the room and then followed him into the bathroom as he started the shower, jumping up onto the counter and curling up in the sink.

The warmth of the water felt amazing on his sore muscles, a full day of patrol and both of his classes back to back having worn him out. In reality he should’ve been used to it since it was his schedule every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday to teach self-defense for the 5:30 women’s class and the 7:30 men’s class at the community center. It had been his schedule for over three years yet his body simply wouldn’t adjust.

Lacking adjustment seemed to be a reoccurring theme in his life over the past few years if he was honest with himself. He hadn’t adjusted to living alone, at least not fully. He wasn’t surprised when the apartment was empty at the end of the day but there were times he still got down two plates for the extra portion he’d long ago become accustomed to making. He started the night in the middle of the bed but inevitably drifted to the right side as he slept, as if making room for a body to lie beside him that never took their place.

It’s just how his life went now.

His fellow heroes were very good at keeping villains in check. They were also very good at pushing his buttons. Deku in particular (to the surprise of no one) fit these facts better than anyone else he’d ever known.

They had been out on a team up assignment for a small-time villain group that had recently been formed under a similar doctrine as the Paranormal Liberation Front, something commonplace since the original organization had folded years ago. The hero players from Deku’s agency included him, Shoto, and Uravity while his own were himself, Red Riot, and Chargebolt.

It was a simple mission that took thirty-six hours to complete and when they all entered Deku’s agency all twenty-two members of the villain group were on their way to a maximum-security prison.

As the heads of the two agencies involved, he and Deku were holed up in his office discussing the reports they would need to provide for the raid and arrests when the bullshit started with flushed cheeks and a slight stutter.

“Kacchan… you’re not yourself,” he began hesitantly.

Katsuki’s eyes snapped up to meet his and his face went bright red.

“I just—you’re too clinical about all this! What happened to the Dynamight that finished one raid and would rather blast off to the next instead of sit down and do a report? You used to take hours to calm down after a fight but now? You drop your shoulders, throw your gauntlets, and start the boring part. Then it’s onto the next like you’re checking off a list!”

“You’re criticizing me for growing up and dealing with all aspects of my damn job? You do the same fucking thing!”

“I always have!”

He clicked his tongue and stood from the chair, grabbing his notes for the report and jamming them into his hero bag as he turned to the door. “I’m not listening to this bullshit.”

“Kacchan, it’s not bullshit!”

He made his way down the short hallway and into the lobby area where he could see the lavender haired secretary keeping an eye on the camera flashes beyond the front door. He braced himself to face the vultures, a long sigh heaving his shoulders.

Deku had followed him, though, and tried continuing the conversation, “You’ve been getting worse and we can all see it!”

“I ain’t getting worse at my job you fuckin’ nerd,” he ground out, patience rapidly thinning.

“You’re not worse, you’re detached,” he argued. “You’re letting your personal life affect your hero life and when you’re detached you’re more likely to make a mistake!”

“I don’t have a damn personal life, there’s nothing to affect my being Dynamight!” he hissed, mindful of the secretary’s probable interest in hero gossip.

"Exactly! Kacchan, you can't keep hurting yourself like this. I liked Chiasa as much as anyone and I thought she was good for you, but you're in pain. It's been four years and you've barely faced the fact that she's gone."

"Do you know what I've faced?" he asked quietly, the low tone more frightening than any threat he’d ever bellowed. "The hurt. The hurt to hope that one day she's going to come back to that apartment when every statistic out there says that's essentially impossible. Do you know what's painful? Watching you and Uraraka get married without having Chiasa beside me so I can tell her that it'll be us next. I'm very fucking aware that she's gone and I've tried to deal with that but I can't have closure when the entire thing doesn't make any sense in the first place. I stay in that apartment because I hope every day that I'll find the missing piece of the puzzle for how or why she disappeared.”

Deku’s jaw dropped, his lips twitching uselessly as they tried to form a response to the raw pain in the admission. It was enough to make him scoff—leave it to the nerd who still cried at the drop of a hat to not be able to handle someone else’s emotions.

“Send your report to my people by tomorrow morning. Hikari will take care of it,” he said dismissively, turning to exit the small agency lobby. He didn’t have the time or the patience to wait for some bumbling attempt at a discussion about feelings.

“Hik—but—wha—Kacchan!” came the sputter behind him but he continued walking until the double doors closed behind him and the sunshine was warming his skin. He wasn’t going to have that conversation go any farther today, especially not with Deku.

Outside the building both Kirishima and Kaminari were taking press questions alongside Uravity, their personalities best for the public and hellbent on fielding everything they could to make his life easier as the microphones and camera’s rounded on him.

“THANK YOU ALL FOR THE SUPPORT!” Kirishima all but bellowed, catching all of the media attention as he parted them with his larger stature as the three men made their way to the waiting company car. “Those will be all the questions for today!”

Katsuki was so fucking thankful for the redhead.

The three heroes slid into the car and began their journey across town to his agency, the plush seats welcoming after the tiring past two days they’d had. It seemed like this had also caused both Kirishima and Kaminari to, for once, forego conversation and the ride was silent. He was actually able to attempt to relax but the ghost of his conversation with Deku lingered uncomfortably in his mind.

When they pulled up to the agency building it seemed that the media had either beaten them there or sent out their cohorts to intercept them. Regardless of who or how they got there, he cursed them internally from behind the tinted window.

“I don’t wanna talk to them again,” Kaminari whined as he scrubbed his hands across his face.

“It’ll be easy, man, all we gotta do is say we’ve already given our statements to the press,” Kirishima assured with a tired smile. “I’ll handle ‘em.”

Thankful wasn’t a strong enough word when it came to him.

They exited the car and true to his word Kirishima shot down the inquiries politely and with a smile as he paved the way towards the large set of doors. Inside the lobby was so much quieter. A silent nod of greeting from his secretary Hikari welcomed them and he returned it, informing her that reports for the mission would be coming over from Deku’s agency by the morning.

Kaminari headed straight for the locker room to change and get his phone, surely ready to break out in hives since he hadn’t spoken to Jiro in over a day. Kirishima surprisingly didn’t follow, instead choosing to walk with him to his office where he planned to finish his half of the paperwork.

The redhead all but collapsed into one of the chairs opposite the desk as he rounded it and sat in his ageing office chair. The cracked leather was a comfort after a long few days.

But it was too quiet.

“Spit it out.”

Kirishima wasn’t surprised by the gruff order. “You and Midoriya went over that report pretty quick.”

“Wasn’t hard.”

“And you looked pissed when you came outside. Like, more than usual after talking to him.”

“He had some shit to say.”

He fixed him with one of his concerned puppy-eyed looks. “Some shit we’ve all been thinking, Bakugo. Some shit that needs addressed before things get bad. We’re worried about you.”

His lip curled up in a sneer. Maybe he wasn’t as thankful for him as he originally thought.

“I know it’s not what you want to hear, man, but you don’t see how much you’ve changed in the last few years. Between throwing yourself into work and extra cases and the community service stuff, you’ve practically lost yourself.”

“I’m still exactly who I’m supposed to be,” he snapped. “I’m Dynamight, the last number one hero and the best fuckin’ thing to happen to this damn hero system since All Might in his prime!”

“Yes you are,” he agreed. “But we’re worried that you’re doing too much and losing focus, and you lose focus in a fight against a villain for one second and you’re done!”

“I don’t lose focus,” he ground out, eyes narrowed.

“And we don’t want you to!”

He stared at his longtime friend for a long moment before simply advising, “Get out.”

“Bak—”

“I said. Get. Out,” he repeated. “Deku’s one thing but you? Get the fuck out.”

Kirishima sighed in defeat as he stood and made his way to the door of the office. “We’re just worried about you, you know?”

He stayed silent as he began working on the report once again, the lead weight on his chest getting just a bit heavier when he heard another sigh and retreating footsteps.

Of course they cared and of course they worried but what the hell was the use? He was getting his work done, saving people and fighting villains, and he was doing well in the eyes of the public. Less surly than in his earlier hero career he was still far from the talk show host’s dream guest, but he did the rounds when necessary. He was good professionally.

Personally… well, he didn’t exactly have a personal life anymore, did he? It was a bitter musing to consider but a true one nonetheless.

Another night coming home to a dark apartment, another mewled greeting from Miki, and another feeling of hollow sadness awaited him. It felt even worse after the two emotional ambushes he’d endured during the day. He didn’t need more reminders that she was gone and that he was alone now—that was ever-present.

As if to make him feel worse, he found Miki curled up in the linen basket next to the sofa, head low and morose as she laid atop the green blanket that haunted them both.

“I know,” he sighed when he saw her, “I miss her too.”

It had been a bad fucking day on patrol.

Normally any day he got to blast a villain straight into quirk cancelling cuffs was a good one but not when they had a quirk like Phantom Hands. The bitch had been able to create a dozen ghostly grey hands that followed her every direction; it hadn’t been a problem until they were around his neck and squeezing hard enough to cut off his air supply, but even before the pressure was applied he had panicked enough to lose his breath on his own.

The feel of anyone or anything foreign around his neck had been a problem for almost a decade by then but it just wasn’t something he could shake. He’d tried his own exposure therapy and at one point even consulted a therapist about the issue, but the trauma of his teenage years persisted.

Red Riot was the one to take the villain down and allow him to breathe which, of course he was—wasn’t exactly manly to let your best friend suffer. His complaints and insults aside, he was grateful for the air that filled his lungs as soon as he had her in the cuffs.

But it was still a shit day.

He only wanted to be home and in the kitchen starting the ginger pork recipe his girlfriend had requested they try making sometime that week. “They” really meant he cooked and she stirred what he directed, but he enjoyed it regardless. His schedule didn’t often give them extended time together and when it did she possibly could be in the middle of a project that she couldn’t walk away from. So he cherished the domestic moments they had when he could and always looked forward to them.

Relief flooded him as soon as he had the apartment door open and a tiny brown kitten trotted up to him, putting her paws on his shin and batting at his knee.

“Ease up on the claws, Miki,” he said, gently guiding her down on all fours. She chirped and butted her head against his hand, purring happily when he scratched under her chin.

He half expected his girlfriend to pop around the corner from the bedroom and start teasing him like usual, baby talking about how much of a daddy’s girl the kitten was despite him being reluctant to get her in the first place. But instead, it was quiet.

Noting that the lights were off, he caught sight of her blanket pooled in the corner of the couch and absently started folding it, dropping it into the small basket with the others before heading into their bedroom. Normally when he came home to a dark apartment it was because she was sleeping off a headache; for someone who worked on a computer almost every day, it wasn’t an uncommon occurrence.

Except that the bedroom was empty. And so was the bathroom, and the kitchen, and the office.

Coming back into the living area his eyes swept across the room. He took in what he hadn’t noticed before: the half full mug of green tea on the kotatsu with one of her novels next to it, her reading glasses perched on the arm of the couch, her cellphone facedown and dipping between the cushions.

A pit began to form in his stomach as he glanced back at the genkan where her shoes still sat untouched. He thought back to her wallet on the bedside table where it had been since they went out the weekend before and the open closet door from when he had gotten dressed that morning, not a single thing different than when left.

He did another lap around the apartment checking all three windows and the balcony doors to find that they were all locked. Their front door was keycard access only and he knew they were the only two who had them, his in the pocket of his work bag and hers sitting on their dresser. The apartment was essentially a fortress accessible only to them.

So why the hell did it look like she’d vanished into thin air?

A/N: Please be sure to reblog, comment, review, and like if you enjoy! Feedback is what keeps me motivated!

Disappearance Masterlist

[tarithenurse]

Nightingale - 21

Fandom: Naruto Pairing: Hatake Kakashi &/x Fem!OC Contents: Some...niceness? Oh, that’s gotta be a mistake! Curious Naruto (that’s a warning all on its own). A/N: Work is fucked (not so noticeable during night shifts, though, and I (+ many colleagues) feel horrible about it all (we’re supposed to do rehabilitation but it’s bare basic care)...and so I’ve got a job interview tomorrow and I’m freaking OUT because I didn’t expect to be taken into consideration! ARGH! As usual, ASK or REBLOG for tag!

Ch. 21

Kakashi had refused to leave the woman behind at first. It wasn’t until the Hokage had stepped over and threatened with constant missions abroad that the blue nightingale finally snapped out of her stupor, glared at her protector, and told him not to be a bloody idiot that he accepted leaving her behind – and even then, his thoughts constantly sought her out.

He had not had the motivation to think of something for Team 7 to do as training, but he also knew he needed the distraction.

“Perhaps,” he had contemplated, “you could do better in the bell-test this time?”

Of course, Naruto had complained: “Why’s it always you get the easy part of holding on to things? It’s not fair!”

“You rather be the one defending the bells?” An idea had formed then. “Fine, you three will have to protect three bells from me...if you succeed saving just one, then there might be a prize -”

“Yipeee!”

“...if you fail twice, though...” he had let the threat hang in the air, knowing that would be plenty of motivation.

...

Dirty, tired, but happy. The three students’ chatter surrounds Kakashi, bringing an unseen smile to his face. Naruto’s recount of his apparently more amazing moves than anyone had witnessed is a high-speed noise compared to the more dignified analysis of the other two. Gotta remember this exercise, the sensei promises himself as he picks a stick from his unruly hair.

“Must admit...the first round was over so quickly, I thought you hadn’t even learned anything from it,” he teases, earning groans and contradictions in return.

“But we did it! I never give up!”

Sakura sighs. “We know, Naruto, now quit yelling!”

“Butbutbut! What do we win?!”

That stops all three students who look to their leader.

“Ah, right. I did promise something, didn’t I?” Oops, shouldn’t have let my attention slip at the end. “Well then, how does a stop at Ichiraku’s sound?”

Apparently, that sounds good to more than just Naruto who always can eat, and they set off towards the best ramen-bar in town.

He hears the angry voice before the student do, and though the distance still is too great to pick out the individual words it's clear from the tone that most must be threats of sorts. As a jōnin, it may not be his explicit task to investigate the matter – there's the local police corps for civilian crimes and misdemeanours – but the presence of a shinobi such as him tends to have a calming effect on any hotheads.

Skidding around the corner with the kids hot on his heels, the scenery in front of a bakery unfolds with theatrical clarity: the matron, standing on the stoop to her shop with a broom in hand and both arms and hair flying wild on the rage she's spewing; the crowd, a mix of customers from the bakery and passers by, simultaneously intrigued and appalled as they take in the drama; and finally the demure figure with the hands clasped before her and the cascade of blue hair obscuring the face that's lowered towards the sandy ground. No one, to stop the verbal abuse from the shop owner – although Kakashi doubts the newcomer has been allowed to walk around the Village without a shadow.

"Hai, what seems to be the issue here?" he interrupts gently, placing himself between the two women.

The baker smiles coldly. "About time," she fumes, "this...this girl has the audacity of asking for continuous employment even after the ANBU came this morning to ransack the room she was renting!"

"I believe there has been a verbal agreement between the two of you that part of the rent was payed in labour?" Glancing at Uguisu, it worries the jōnin that she's not raising her voice to speak up for herself.

"If I'd known she was a criminal then I'd ne-"

Kakashi fully turns to the woman. "Criminal?" His disapproval is palpable in the air. "If she was a criminal, then she wouldn’t be allowed to walk around freely anymore."

Tugging away a few of the errand strands which leaves white flour smeared across black hair, the baker glances at the surrounding people who do nothing to help her out. "Well...she's been lying to me about her identity...even disguising herself! If I'd had any idea then I wouldn't have rented the room to her!"

"Not everyone has the luxury to freely announce their presence wherever they go." He ignores the halfhearted attempt at a protest from behind him. "Now, for the rent...I believe you are owed?"

"Yes."

"Perhaps we can reach an arrangement...I'll be willing to supervise until the remainder of the debt has been payed off in the form of cleaning. Would that be acceptable?" Hesitantly, sure, but Kakashi wins the acceptance and only a slight huff when the baker finally returns to her business. "Alright. Nothing left to see here, people!"

The onlookers scatter slowly, muttering as they go but not daring to be too obvious in their curiosity while there still is a ninja present.

"You didn't have to do that," Uguisu points out softly.

Maybe not. "Where will you be staying now?" he deflects.

"A room at the dorms."

The trio of kids have edged closer, one of them cowering under a death glare from Sakura, proving that she at least has some tact and managed to stop the usual flow of obnoxious questions. Sasuke has stuffed the fists deep into his pockets and pretends a pebble is much more interesting, but their teacher is well aware that the kid is soaking up any and all information.

"We were headed to Ichiraku’s for a celebratory ramen dinner...want to come along?" Regret is plastered across her face, a shrug growing into a shake of the head, but Kakashi has made a decision. "My treat, of course, can't expect you to stick it out with the number one knucklehead there otherwise."

Her crooked smile alone would be enough for the man to live for.

Introductions are quickly managed on the way to Ichiraku, and though Uguisu dishes out an impressive amount of non-answers the kids stop pushing for information as soon as they get their food. Blue hair pushed to one side, the former mystery has laid claim to a seat at the end, allowing her to sit at an angle that grants a better view while her back is protected and Kakashi sits as a buffer between her and the kids.

"Celebration?" Mr. Ichiraku, the patron of the eatery, looks between the guests.

"Hai!" Somehow, Naruto manages to be talk and eat at the same time. "We beat Kakashi at his own game!"

It earns a smile from the chef who gladly engages with the kid.

The teacher glances to the added guest only to find her attention glued on Sakura. "Haruno-sama," Uguisu begins, "would it be possible for me to borrow your Academy books from before the Genin exam?"

The question silences everyone, underlining the sudden hectic stuttering from the girl in answer.

"Why do you need them, hey, lady?" Naruto demands, voicing the question everyone else is thinking.

Before satisfying their curiosity, the woman takes a sip of water, her brows wrinkling slightly as if she’s thinking of the best way to say whatever is on her mind. “Sarutobi Hokage has decided the best way to ensure my past training is by having me sit in with the Academy Recruits -”

“Whaaat?!”

“Shut up, Naruto!”

“- meanwhile my warden will plan an alternate chunin exam.” She bites softly into the bottom lip, momentarily lost in thought. “I suppose that’s for the best.”

To Naruto’s credit, he really has been trying to hold back for several seconds, but now the scratchy laughter escapes him in a sputter that makes his comrades cringe visibly. “Hahaaa! You’re gonna be learning with the kiddies! Eheheheeee-”

He’s efficiently silenced by Sakura once more. This time probably for longer as he’ll have to nurse an oncoming lump on his head.

Looking past Kakashi, the girl attempts a placating smile. “Hai, you can borrow them. And please excuse Naruto who’s a moron.”

“Thank you very much.”

“Let me get them right away!” The rose-haired girl rushes off before Uguisu can stop her, leaving three guests and a cook behind with a dazed boy.

[imaginingsoftly]

Baseball Trivia Pt. 2 - Josh Anderson

Type: Y/N insert shorts, strangers to enemies-ish to lovers, series

Requested: No

Warnings: standard swearing

There was no fucking way. Y/N stared at Thatcher as he talked, but the words he was saying weren’t computing. No fucking way was Josh Anderson on his way to Vancouver. It was like fate had heard her think that they would never meet again and laughed as she sent Josh in Y/N’s direction. “Earth to Y/N, where the fuck did you just go?” She snapped back to the present, shaking her head and smiling at the mountain of a man in front of her instead of responding. Thatcher gave her another weird look before continuing. “We’re gonna have the end-of-summer barbeque at my place after the last day of training camp, and I expect you to be there. Someone’s gotta help me man the grill.” 

It was tradition. End-of-summer barbeques had become a thing beginning their sophomore year at BC, after the pair had become close during their freshman year. Almost eight years later it was still a yearly tradition, though now the barbeque was extended to the entirety of the training-camp team rather than just a few friends. “Took you long enough to pick a date,” Y/N retorted, slapping the bill of Thatcher’s baseball hat. “ I thought I was gonna have to have a barbeque all by myself.” Thatcher slapped the bill of her hat in response, and it turned into an all-out war. As an only child, Thatcher had become the closest thing she had to a brother, shenanigans included. It was refreshing to have someone to mess with who wouldn’t get upset when she roughhoused a little. 

Even while trying not to let Thatcher and his professional athlete muscles overpower her much smaller frame Y/N found her mind wandering back to Josh. There was really no reason for her to be freaking out as much as she was. It was one hook up. There were no strings implied, no numbers exchanged, it’s not like she ghosted the guy, not really. Thatcher had never really expressed any distaste towards her dating other NHLers, but it was different when it came to his teammates. They were like his brothers, and were therefore her brothers by extension. In other words, off limits. 

She really just needed to relax. He wasn’t even on the team when they got together. Everything would be fine. Josh was part of the family now, and she would follow his lead. If he wanted people to know they hooked up then fine, but if he wanted to act like a stranger that was even better. Thatcher was a little bit too protective of Y/N at times, and she religiously avoided getting into it with his teammates just to make sure she didn’t mess with team chemistry. Honestly, there was a chance Josh wouldn’t even remember her. It’s not like the guy had a glowing reputation anyway, and they had been drinking. It would be fine. Maybe if Y/N repeated it to herself often enough, she would start to believe it. 

Y/N sighed heavily, giving in as Thatcher managed to wrestle her into a headlock. “Seriously, Y/N, are you okay?” Thatcher released his arm and turned her so they were facing each other. Crap. Here comes the interrogation. “You’ve been on another planet since we started talking. What gives?” She shrugged. There was no way she was going there right now. 

“I guess I’m just tired, bro,” she said with a shrug, “conference play just started. I’ve got a lot on my plate.” Thatcher reached up to squeeze her shoulders, and Y/N struggled not to cringe at how easily he ate up her lie. It sucked to lie to him, but there was no way she was going to tell him about Josh, not without talking to Josh first. Her response seemed to placate Thatcher, and he gave up on that line of questioning after making Y/N promise to take care of herself. 

Keeping things from Thatcher was tough; he was there for her after her boyfriend of three years broke up with her halfway through their junior year of college, he drove her down to UConn the summer after graduation so she could begin her first internship as a college grad, and he’d been the one to welcome her to Vancouver with open arms after the completion of said internship. He was there for every important part of her adult life, and now the one thing she hadn’t told him was going to bite her in the ass. The universe was out to get her. 

Training camp would begin tomorrow, and in a couple of weeks Y/N would have to face Josh in the same backyard she was sitting in at the moment. There went any sleep she had planned to get before basketball was added to her workload. 

---Josh POV--------------------------------------------------

“So there’s no one in your life? No girl at all? Not even a hookup?” The questions were getting annoying, to say the least. It wasn’t the guys’ fault; they just wanted to get to know him. The problem was that he shouldn’t be doing this. He was supposed to stay in Columbus, live his life there until he retired and then move back to Canada. 

Josh shook his head. “No hookup. Although there was this one girl,” he said with a small smile, “she was something else. We talked for hours at the bar, and she knew so much about baseball and hockey history. We hooked up, and then she was gone when I woke up the next morning. No note, no number, nothing. And she was from out of town, so I couldn’t even try running into her at the same bar again.” All of the guys groaned sympathetically, and they finally let that line of questioning go. Truthfully, he hadn’t thought about that girl in months. She had been fun to talk to, and tough enough to dish back everything Boone and Seth had thrown at her, but it wasn’t like he wanted to fucking marry the girl or anything. Mostly, it was the fact that she had left that stuck with him. He was always the one leaving. The girls usually tried to hang around, maybe try to get more than one night. It was an asshole thing to think, he knew that, but damn it sucked to be on the other end of it. He didn’t even know where she lived. In all of their time talking he only learned she worked at a university. He didn’t even know if it was in the States or Canada. 

A tape ball connected with the side of his head, and Josh shot a glare at Bo from across the locker room. A middle finger almost followed, until he noticed video cameras catching the exchange. Josh waved at the intern behind the camera sheepishly. They would have had to cut that for their welcome back video if he hadn’t caught himself. Another tape ball came flying at his head, courtesy of Stecher, and Josh whipped that one back at his teammate with a grin. The guys were alright, even if some of them could be pretty childish. Even Hughes acted older than some of the guys, and he was the team baby. A body slumped down into the stall next to Josh’s, and he looked over to find Thatcher watching him. “‘Sup, Dems?” 

Thatcher smiled up at Josh, a shock considering the choice words he’d thrown in Josh’s direction after a particularly nasty dangle he’d put past the goalie at the end of practice. “Barbeque at my place this afternoon.” Shit. He’d planned on exploring the city, maybe finding a hookup tonight. “Non-negotiable, everyone comes,” Thatcher interrupted, almost like he knew Josh was about to refuse. “It’s a tradition. One of my college friends and I get together and man the grill. We’ve been doing it for almost eight years now. Bring yourself and your booze of choice if it isn’t beer or wine.” Josh nodded. Your goalie says you come to some end-of-summer party, you go to the party. Don’t mess with a goalie’s traditions or superstitions. Thatcher stood, punching Josh’s shoulder. “Everybody starts showing up around 4. See you then.” 

Thatcher made his way around the locker room repeating the same announcement, and it was met with shouts of excitement and reminiscing on barbecues of year’s past. Clearly it was a hit. Brock and Petey somehow roped Josh into riding to the party with them, promising that Josh would be happy he’d taken an Uber with them instead of driving himself. “The drinking is legendary,” Brock had promised, a solemn nod of agreement coming from both Petey and Stecher, who flanked Brock. Legendary parties were his thing. This would be even ground, and he could keep up. Bring on the drinking.

--Y/N POV----------------------------------------------------

Y/N woke up the day of the barbeque feeling sick as the Dropkick Murphys blasted on her alarm. It didn’t matter how many times she told herself it would be fine, running into the guy she had ghosted was going to suck. Hopefully he was as interested in revealing their hookup as she was, and it would never get mentioned again. 

She groaned as her alarm continued to scream the lyrics to Rose Tattoo, reaching up to swipe the alarm off her phone. Thatcher was expecting her at his place before he left for camp in an hour with a list of groceries for him to pick up on the way home. The desserts Y/N had prepared the night before were sitting on the counter when she stumbled into the kitchen for coffee, mocking her with their chocolatey stare. It was going to be one of those days. She caved, shoving one of the cupcakes into her mouth with a groan. If she didn’t get a handle on herself before she made it to Thatcher’s he was going to get suspicious. The last time she acted this strangely some poor kid from the Comets almost got punched for flirting with her. The guys had good intentions, but sometimes they took the caveman shit too far. 

With her coffee brewed and cupcake eaten, Y/N shuffled into the bathroom to get ready for the day. She washed her face and brushed her teeth on autopilot, debating if mascara were really necessary. The guys had seen her at her worst, and she didn’t really care what they thought about the sprinkling of acne on her jawline that just wouldn’t go away. It’s not like she was interested in any of those idiots. Well, any of the idiots that had been with the team before a couple of weeks ago, anyway.

A hat would be necessary, even if she was just going to be in Thatcher’s house until it was time to grill. Her nose would burn something awful if she didn’t wear something with a bit of protection, and the soccer games she was working that week would just add to the burn. Hat protection for sure. She slapped on an old BC Hockey hat, one she’d stolen from Thatcher, and looked into her closet with a sigh. The decision on what to wear took far too long. The guys loved to throw her in the pool, especially Brock when he got drunk, so her bathing suit needed to be reliable. The problem was that they also loved to take photos for their social media pages, and her most reliable swimsuits were also the least flattering. The black and white striped bikini was the most durable, but Y/N really wanted to wear the strappy midnight blue one-piece she’d gotten on a whim during a day trip to Seattle. Durability won out in the end, and the bikini was stuffed into her bag beside the pajamas that would inevitably find use when she didn’t want to go all the way home at the end of the night. 

Y/N’s drive to Thatcher’s was relaxing. She lived in the middle of the city, fond of the ability to walk down the street to the grocery store or the bars, but Thatcher’s place was right outside the city, on a quiet sidestreet that better resembled a neighborhood in her hometown. She stopped at their favorite coffee shop on her way out of the city, picking up another coffee for her and a breakfast sandwich for Thatcher. It didn’t matter how many times the nutritionist told him to knock it off, Y/N knew he relied on those sandwiches to get him through morning skates. In no way was Thatcher a happy camper in the morning. His attitude rivaled even hers. Thatcher was waiting outside when she arrived, sitting on his front stoop like she had missed curfew or something. 

“You’re late,” Thatcher called as she opened her door, “and you’re gonna make me late for camp if you don’t hurry it the fuck up.” Y/N raised her middle finger in response, leaning back into the car for the desserts. Thatcher appeared behind her to help carry things, and Y/N had to slap his hand away from the trays when he tried to reach for a cookie. If he ate one now, he’d eat them all by the time the actual party started. She’d learned that lesson the hard way. Y/N placed the breakfast sandwich on top of the tray of cookies Thatcher was carrying, and he leaned down quickly to kiss her cheek. “You’re the bomb, bro, my saviour.” Y/N rolled her eyes. He was so dramatic about his breakfast sandwiches. 

Y/N finally managed to get Thatcher out the door and off to camp with a promise to get the backyard ready for that night, so long as he grabbed the necessary groceries on the way home. It was their agreement since they’d both settled in Vancouver; she brought dessert and got the house ready for guests, Thatcher bought all the food and alcohol. Everything was ready for the night, really, with the exception of the grill. It looked like it hadn’t been cleaned since she cleaned it last summer, so Y/N grabbed all of her cleaning supplies with a sigh. She needed a clean grill if they were going to make burgers tonight. That was non-negotiable. 

---Josh POV--------------------------------------------------

Brock and Stecher were far too loud when they were tipsy. Petey was fine, if anything even more quiet than normal, but the other two were borderline obnoxious. The pregame had begun the moment everyone rolled up to Brock’s place, and Josh had to admit he hadn’t expected it. Pregaming a team party was a little weird, but hey, he was with a bunch of fellow hockey players. They didn’t always do things that made sense. Herding them into the Uber waiting on the street outside Petey’s apartment was no easy feat, and Josh felt himself sweating a little bit as the responsible one of the party. This never happened. He was always the one being herded.

The ride was long, as apparently Thatcher lived outside the city, and Brock kept Josh entertained with stories of barbecues past. “I think the worst, though, was that time Jake almost drowned.” Stecher started laughing, and Josh stared at him uncomfortably. A teammate almost drowning was funny? Brock must have caught his expression, because he hurriedly continued. “He wasn’t actually drowning, he was just so drunk that he sat in the shallow end and yelled for help. It came up to like his chest.” Stecher roared with laughter again, and Josh joined in a little bit. That must’ve been a sight.

Thatcher’s house was far too nice for a bachelor, a moderately large home that was built for a small family and not a single hockey player who basically lived on the road. It was homey-looking, covered in gray wooden shingles and boasting a wrap-around porch Josh envied. It was perfect for sitting with a small group of friends. He could only imagine the inside, if the outside was any indication. The landscaping and yard decorations gave away that Thatcher hadn’t decorated the place himself. The inside probably looked like a design catalogue vomited on it.

Cars lined the long driveway and the street in front of it, all Range Rovers and fancy sports cars guys who didn’t know how to spend their money splurged for. Josh caught himself as the wave of negative thoughts continually rolled over him. These were his teammates, not the enemy. Those thoughts weren’t helpful. 

Josh was pulled out of his line of thinking by the stopping of the Uber, and he was the only one to thank the older guy driving as they all piled out of the car. Petey led the way into the house, though Stecher made his presence known with a shouted hello as he brought them through a hallway that indeed looked like a design catalogue and into a bright and airy kitchen. The cabinets were white, as were the countertops, though most of the walls were covered in some kind of dark teal tile. 

Thatcher was slumped on a countertop, flicking the bill of the baseball cap on the girl in front of him. He laughed when she raised a middle finger at him, flicking the hat again. The girl mumbled something under her breath that sounded suspiciously like a threat, in a voice that sounded vaguely familiar. She reached up and smacked Thatcher’s hand when he went to flick her hat again, and Thatcher laughed harder as he swept three beers off the counter and walked back outside through the accordion doors to his left. The girl shook her head after him, though the moment was broken when Brock stumbled into the room behind Josh. 

“Y/N!” Brock yelled enthusiastically. He threw his arms around the girl from behind, and the laugh she let out made Josh freeze. It couldn’t be. “Babe,” Brock continued, “you’ve gotta meet our new teammate. He’s your kind of player. Likes to hit things.” Brock began to turn the girl around by the arm still slung over her shoulders, and Josh almost shouted at him to stop. He knew that laugh, and the girl attached couldn’t be here. Their eyes met, and Josh saw the panic he felt reflected in her eyes.

He was so fucked. 

[lideria]

Sugar Rush Love. | Haechan

Request: Hi hi can I request a fluff for Haechan or Mark? Thank you. Sorry I’m not super specific but I don’t have any ideas right now lol

Author’s Note: This was super fun to write! I really hope everyone who reads it enjoys it quite as much as I did while writing. Plus, just a heads-up, it is pretty dialogue-heavy, so I’m sorry if that’s not your type of thing :)

Warnings: One or a couple of curse words, brief mention of body form, comments on eating/mentions of stress eating, brief mention of injury, mentions of non-Ramadan-friendly content, and I think that should be it! Plus, English is my second language so there might be errors. Please let me know if there is anything else!

Word Count: 2493

Genre: Fluff, Angst if you squint, college!au, baseball!au, crushtolover!au

I hope you all enjoy!

“Sorry for waking you up and all but would you wanna have a picnic? Like some snacks, I guess?”

It had been maybe 2 hours since you had fallen asleep when Donghyuck calls. His voice makes it clear that he is wide awake at who-knows-what on a weekday. It somewhat worries you, but at the same time, he is always like this. Energetic. At unnecessary times as well. However, it still did kind of annoy you how he fancied the idea of a picnic at— you check your phone— “At 4 in the morning?”

“Why not? I’m craving a lot of stuff and it’d be sad if I went out to get a bunch of snacks just to eat them by myself. You like what I eat, no?” That was true. You both had likings for similar foods in general. Though, he was not the type to have snacks around this time. Especially around this time of the year, if you recall right. Maybe something was wrong with his mood?

His voice sounds just fine, though. So it cannot be that.

You sigh to yourself, defeat settling in, and turn on the light beside your bed. “Fine. Where do we meet?” A hand goes up to rub at your eye, triggering a yawn almost immediately. He takes a while to answer, sounds of shuffling in the background. “The field.” There comes a creak from his side. Possibly a door as it is followed by a loud slam. “It’s open at this hour?”

He chuckles. “It’s always open. The amount of freaks that go out on a jog at 2:30 in the morning.. you wouldn’t believe it.”

You grin knowingly. “For you to say it… Don’t you have to be one of them to know?” Silence.

Then, a dramatic sigh of annoyance. “Shut up. Wear something thick.”

You end up wearing an oversized hoodie over your pajama shirt and some much more presentable sweatpants before washing your face, brushing your teeth and rushing out to not keep him waiting. It is chilly outside, almost cold as the breeze hits your newly washed face. Lights are off for the most part. Silence calming yet bizarre.

There is something about living in a heavily populated area and going out at weird hours. Because as you stroll your way down to the field through the campus, the city outside the campus still as well, it feels like walking through a deserted city. As if the whole city is for you and you only. You could do whatever you want to do.

Some part wants to scream and pierce through the silence, but it is too perfect to ruin. It would be a shame.

The campus is big, but definitely cramped. Very cluttered and populous to the point that it feels small. It is only at times like these and when you are down with some kind of sickness when you realize just how much distance there is between the on-campus apartment complex and the fields. But it feels nice— the clutter. Almost makes it feel homey.

When you are a little more than halfway done with your walking you feel your phone buzz in your pocket. You do not bother checking, because you know it must be Donghyuck texting you to hurry up or whatever. Then you look up.

And it dawns on you why he must have felt the need to go outside instead of hanging out in the dorm lobby.

The sky is incredibly clear— too good to be true in an area with high light pollution. A bunch of stars are visible, more stars than usual for sure. No clouds whatsoever. But also, no Milky Way. Yet it is still better than good enough, because the moon is full and is shining with all its glory and scars, and stars are twinkling in a rhythm what feels like a melody.

You continue to walk mostly with your eyes fixed on the sky, and if anyone asks you it is truly a miracle that you make it to the field without falling. Severely tripping, yes, but not falling.

It almost feels like he is not there when you push the doors and walk into the track circling the diamond because of how quiet it is. But there is a faint amount of light almost in the middle of the giant patch of grass with a body hunched over it, so you make your way over.

He does not get up to greet you. He does not have to. You sit on the grass that is definitely colder than the weather itself and throw your arm around his shoulders to give him a brief hug. He hugs you back, but you know. You know for a fact Donghyuck is annoyed. “Why don’t you look at your phone ever when I text you? I actually asked for something,” He laughs out a huff of annoyance and points a finger at the bag of snacks. “I forgot to get tissues. I’d send you back to go get some but I won’t because I’m a good friend.”

Friend. Funny. A friend who has a crush on you and does not bother to hide it, and a friend whom you have a crush on and do not quite bother to hide it from. Just a couple of crushing friends who will not take action. “It’s fine, we’ll just lick our fingers.” You say as he makes a move to pull out the snacks, interested in what he has brought.

There is a bunch of sweets, with definitely way too much sugar at this hour. Considering Donghyuck is already energetic and seemingly not sleepy, the oncoming sugar rush that awaits both of you is scary.

He breaks a chocolate bar in half. You cannot help the question that blurts itself out. “Isn’t season starting soon? Don’t you have to not be eating these?”

The half chocolate bar gets pushed onto your lips, as if to tell you to shut up, please. “Yeah. If coach doesn’t know it’s fine.”

You give him the look. He gives in under the pressure. “I’ve been eating lots of carbs and proteins for training season and oh my god, my diet is filled with bland foods. I want to taste something, and I’d much rather prefer it to be sweet.” He takes a bite which is almost all of the half he has in his hand. It makes sense he is frustrated. “I’ll just have to run harder tomorrow— today.” He places his arms on his knees that he has pulled to his chest, his arm clenching a bit. His words struck you harder than they should, and you frown. “One night won’t break your form.”

“I know. I just want to be at my best so I have a chance at getting picked up this season.” With that, he takes the other bite, and his half of the bar is gone. You lean back on your hand and look at him. What he said makes sense, but also does not. “There is no reason you wouldn’t get picked, you know? You’re so good at running, and your aim with the bat is sharp enough.”

Donghyuck leans forward to pull another snack— moon pies, and you laugh. “You sure you’re not stress eating?” He takes a look at you for a split second, hands you the pie even though you are not done eating the bar, and takes one out for himself. “If only you ate what I’ve been eating for the last several weeks, then you’d get me. Plus, my game is top notch when it comes to stress management.”

That brings a mixture of snorting and giggling out of you as you turn to look at his profile. “Sure. As if you weren’t screaming when Jungwoo told you—“

He turns to you in an instance, and the moon pie’s crumbs go everywhere when he speaks. “Not completing the track on time for like more than twenty times after you come back from an injury makes you panic. Rightfully so.” The crumbs stick to your face, even, and it is gross even if he is your crush. “Jesus, okay, ew. And also, of course it’d make you panic, but it was only a whole two seconds longer than your personal best. You did not need to scream that much.”

He shrugs and lets himself fall onto the field. It is then that you realize he is only in a t-shirt and a sad excuse of a cardigan. Which is very hypocritical of him if you do say so yourself. “It’s just… Baseball is what I do, you know? It keeps me on a scholarship, I’m actually somewhat good at it which is great because I for certain suck at my degree, and it’s what I want to do for the rest of my life. So it’s important for me to get picked up this season. Of course it’s okay if I don’t, because I’ll have the chance for another 2 years unlike Jungwoo, but the earlier the better.” The level of frustration grows with each sentence, and he keeps doing these hand gestures that cause his hands to flail around a little.

You also let yourself fall when he stops, but forwards on your stomach instead of backwards on your back. Your face is above Donghyuck’s as you lean your head on your propped up hands. “You wanna drop out once you get picked up?” It would make sense, really. He was not the one to keep good attention on his academics. Not because he does not want to, but because he just cannot do it.

He clicks his tongue and meets your eyes. When he speaks up, his voice is quieter. “Not really. If I get injured again it’s probably over for me, so,” The breath he exhales hits your face. “Gotta have a plan B.”

Both of you sit in the quiet breeze for a bit after that. Still snacking on a variety of his favorite snacks, you try to bicker with him. But instead, he asks you how school is going for you. You tell him the quizzes and the assignments and the group projects, and how nobody shows up for the group project meetings, and about your club life which is equally as exciting for you as baseball is for him, but the pace is definitely much more different.  

“Are you even aware of the sky tonight? Look at all the stars— the moon, too.” You do it to direct the conversation anywhere else, because frankly, you both knew you did not want to talk about school at 4-something AM. He does look up, and smiles. “I was here before you came, so of course I’ve seen it.” Deep breath. “Really pretty, like you.”

You cannot even try to contain the smile. The blood rushes to your cheeks and hands. “Stop. I’m dressed in presentable pajamas and I’m every shade of ugly tired.”

“I’m here for it, personally.” He elites up his voice and places his hand on his chest a little before proceeding with his speech. “In my humblest of opinions, the pajama look is far better than the looks of whoever’s dating my upperclassmen.” Then, he goes serious again as you start to laugh at what you suspect to be the beginning of his sugar rush. “No seriously, some of the people they’re dating are actually intimidating. More than coach, even.”

“Oh so I’m not intimidating?” You ask, hand posted at your chest. He laughs slightly, almost uncomfortably. “Uh, no, you’re scary when you get angry.” Lucky for him he understands he is only making matters worse, and you laugh out loud more when he starts rambling. “Of course that’s not to say it’s bad, yours is a cool kind of intimidating. But they are there to support them, and after the games end it’s like they will take them home and punish them even if they’ve done good.”

“Some people are into that kinda stuff though.”

Donghyuck looks at you, genuinely disgusted. “No.”

The sheer horror and disgust on his face finally makes you burst into the sleepy-sugar rush laughter you had been holding back, and he starts laughing his fairly dumb sounding laugh along with you. “I’m not shaming whoever likes it but damn, let them celebrate, I don’t know—“

“The thing is, that’s their way of celebrating.” You manage out, holding your stomach as you laugh still, and even though both your stomach and your lungs were begging you to stop the laughter kept coming on stronger as his face dropped further with confusion. “That’s not what I meant— So what, if people look pissed at their significant others, that might be PDA too? That makes everything so complicated though.”

You are crying. At the dumbness of the conversation, and the 5-year-old energy of what you both find to be funny. He laughs as well, especially when your hands under your head give out and you fall on top of somewhere between his chest and shoulder. It takes a while for both of you to stop and come to your senses, and when you do, he asks you something with a smile audible through the words. “Would you come to my games for good luck?”

Wiping at your eyes, you answer with a shrug. “Maybe. But you need to answer something first.”

“Hm?” Your finger points at the sky within an instant. “What do you prefer, the stars or the moon?” He must be dumbfounded, because he does not answer for some time. “The stars, I guess?”

Faking an overreaction, you also fake your voice to sound harsh. “Wrong! There was a line, and you crossed it. I’m not coming to the games, hope you have fun.” You giggle again, the sugar really hitting you now, and maybe the lack of sleep since the moon has started to shift down a little. Donghyuck looks at you and frowns. “Don’t use that tone with me, or I’ll kiss you.”

The laughter is still not over, and your eyes hurt with the continuous laughter. You did not even know if that was possible. “No you won’t— you never do!”

But then he does.

Chocolate infused into his lips, hovering on top of you, he kisses you on the field. His lips are soft, the kiss not so much, but he is kissing you and oh god it is going on. He actually means to kiss you.

So you place a hand on his neck to just enjoy the feeling and to feel in the moment. Put a bit more of yourself on your part into the kiss as well. He smiles. When he is not smiling, you smile— and you just do that. Take turns smiling, silently celebrating the kiss because finally.

This was a pretty nice way of sobering up.

[ahtohallan-calling]

chapter 13 of it’s always ourselves we find is here!

1 / 2 / 3 / 4 / 5 / 6 / 7 / 8 / 9 / 10 / 11 / 12

[kristanna / m / modern au / coworkers & enemies to lovers ;) ]

“Kristoff.”

No reply.

“Kris.”

This time, a grunt of acknowledgement.

“Kris, honey…”

She’d had a feeling that would work. He shifted against her, nuzzling his nose against the top of her head. “What?”

“You gotta let me go.”

His arms only tightened around her waist. “Why?”

“Because I have to get up and shower.”

A heavy sigh escaped him; he pressed a soft, stubbly kiss to her temple and lifted his arm from where it had been draped over her. “Have fun,” he mumbled, turning over and burying his face in the pillow.

Fighting the urge to giggle, Anna tiptoed into the bathroom, not wanting him to miss out on any precious minutes of sleep he could get after he’d been up so late the night before. It was strange, she reflected, as she stepped into the shower, how one conversation had suddenly made so much of the last fourteen months make sense; why he always said no to going to any sort of after-work cocktail hour, even on his own birthday, and why he had been the only person not to sign up for the white elephant gift exchange-- and more than that, why he was so quiet, so reluctant to open up at all.

Except with me , she thought, a shiver rolling down her spine that had nothing to do with the pounding water; even before this week, she’d been the only one he talked to, and even if it was usually just bickering, that was a hell of a lot more than anyone else in the office got. And sometimes they had talked about real things; he knew about her parents and the car crash, and he knew about how much she’d worried over her cat when she’d first adopted him, and he’d listened and offered comfort, gruff though it was, every time she’d thought she’d finally fucked up enough to get fired.

And the M&Ms-- god, it was the most romantic thing that had ever happened to her, by far. How many packets had she gotten over the last year and a bit? And she’d shared them with him every time, and he’d never even let on that he’d liked her enough to do such a thing, let alone that he’d actually done it.

By the time she was done in the shower, she was itching to wrap her arms around him and kiss him as thoroughly as she could. She yanked on her underwear and dress as quickly as possible and, without even bothering to finish towel drying her hair, burst back into the main part of the room, only to come face to face with Kristoff sitting on the edge of the bed, wearing only his sweatpants and stretching his bare arms skyward. Her pace only stuttered for a moment at the sight, and then she was on him, laughing and climbing onto his lap as he let out a surprised cry and fell back against the bed.

“Good morning,” she said in between pressing sloppy kisses all over his face, still creased slightly from the pillowcase.

“You, too,” he said breathlessly, trying and failing to catch her lips with his own. “What’s this for?”

He set his hands on her waist, and the feel of his broad fingers pressing against her was finally enough to give her pause, long enough that he finally managed to lean up and steal a kiss. “Just because,” she said with a grin.

“Because what?” he teased, his eyes sparkling.

“Because I have a crush on you.”

That earned her another kiss, but one that came to an untimely end when he instinctively reached to slide a hand into her hair, and they both were reminded that it was still sopping wet. “Sorry,” Anna giggled, giving him one more peck on the cheek as he wrinkled his nose and shook his hand exaggeratedly. “Let me go take care of that.”

She blow-dried her hair quickly in the bathroom and swiped on a minimal layer of makeup before returning. She spared only a glance at her lipstick before smirking and setting it back down; she’d just wait and put that on after breakfast.

Kristoff was standing now, just shrugging into a gray and white striped button down. “Let me help,” Anna said as she crossed over to him.

“Believe it or not, I can dress myself,” he said drily, but when she took hold of his collar and tugged him down to kiss his cheek, a dazed smile appeared on his face.

“Think you’re ready for today?” Anna asked as she began working her way down the line of buttons, her hands lingering for a moment when they brushed against his broad chest.

“Not at all.”

“Why not?” He shrugged, and she playfully swatted at him. “Hold still!”

“Sorry. Just-- you know. Me. Talking. Other people. Bad combination.”

She had just reached the tail of his shirt; she paused for a moment before choosing the boldest of the options laid before her and unzipping his pants to tuck it in. A huff of surprise escaped him, but he made no move to stop her.

“Well,” she said, feeling her cheeks warm as she fastened his pants back and kept her eyes trained on his chest, making a show of brushing away invisible flaws, “I’m other people, and I like talking to you just fine, so see? Nothing to worry about.”

He caught her chin with a finger and tilted her face upwards until he could meet her gaze. Though his forehead was furrowed, his eyes were soft when he said, “It’s different when it’s you. You know that.”

“Hurry up and kiss me again so we can put our shoes on,” she breathed.

He didn’t, instead shifting his hand to press against her cheek, letting his thumb slide slowly back and forth over her freckled cheekbone. “You’re bossy as hell, you know that?”

“And you’re a tease,” she said, pouting, and he laughed before conceding to her wishes.

“It’ll be okay, Kris,” she murmured between soft, languid kisses. “Like I said last night, I’m gonna make sure this is the best presentation ever. You just stand there and look pretty.”

“I feel like I should be offended by that.”

“Fine. Stand there and say the stuff we practiced yesterday with Harry and look all ruggedly handsome.”

“ Ruggedly handsome ?”

She nipped playfully at his bottom lip. “Here I am, trying to be sweet to you for once, and you’re--”

He cut her off with another kiss, and this time when they pulled away, they were both too breathless for words.

---

The reassurances Anna had whispered to him that morning worked pretty well until the room started filling up enough that people were standing along the walls. Kristoff turned then to face her as she set up her laptop on the podium. “Anna,” he said as quietly as possible, “this is a fuckton of people.”

“Mhm. This is the only bit with mandatory attendance for everyone,” she said, not looking up from the screen.

“ Shit .”

“It’ll be fine, Kris. You did this yesterday for Harry, remember? And his opinion is the only one that really matters.”

“But if I fuck this up, then someone’ll tell him, and--”

She glanced up at him, her eyes soft. “You won’t fuck up. It’ll be fine, really. What was it that made yesterday so much easier? Can’t you just try that again?”

“Um,” he stammered, his face reddening. “Not exactly.”

“Why not?”

“It-- ah-- it was better yesterday because-- because it was just a video call. So I could...you know.”

“No, I don’t know. That’s why I asked.”

He sighed and went to run a hand through his hair before remembering how long they’d spent that morning on slicking it back. “It helped that I could...touch you. Just if I needed to steady myself and stuff, but today everyone will see.”

“Kristoff Bjorgman, you are the absolute sweetest man alive, you know that?” Anna said, and by the look in her eyes he knew she was wishing they could touch each other now, too.

“Yeah, well, don’t go around telling everybody. I’ve worked too hard on building my reputation around here.”

“Reputation as what? A grumpy bastard? Letting people know you have a softer side might have some benefits, you know,” she pointed out.

“I think those benefits are invalidated if I fuck up so bad today I get fired and never see them again,” he replied as the man introducing them tapped on the microphone.

In response, she darted a hand out and brushed her fingers over his where they rested against the podium, out of view of the crowd. “I’ve got you, Kris,” she promised. “I won’t let you down.”

And damn, if that didn’t make him feel a hell of a lot better.

He turned around to face the audience, not even trying to mimic Anna’s showstopper of a smile as she accepted the microphone and introduced their presentation to the crowd. Within moments, she had them eating out of the palm of her hand, laughing at her warm-up jokes about all the buzzwords the company had been introducing at the conference and hanging on to her every word even when she got into the statistics. She did such a good job that even when Kristoff stumbled over his explanation of how the new networking systems he’d put in place over the last year they still paid attention; he even saw Greg, sitting in the back row, raise his digital camera to take a picture of the screen-- flash on, of course.

And then, before he knew it, Anna was asking if there were any questions, and she answered most of them and gave him the rest, and then she was thanking the crowd and he was giving a terse nod and people were actually fucking clapping as if this was something they hadn’t been forced to sit through.

“Holy shit,” he whispered, and beside him, Anna stifled a laugh.

She gave him a quick wink. “Told you.”

---

quick note: i miscounted earlier in this fic and wrote that this was a 5 night thing, it is not it's 4 nights and so the coming night is the last and they come home tomorrow

also, two more chapters to go after this and we're done :)

[cozyteez]

prince!yunho, I.

prince yunho of narameth; he's intelligent, he's handsome, he's stoic. outside of the castle walls his suit is always well pressed, his hair is always neatly slicked back, and his chin is always tilted upwards 10 degrees. always put together, always well mannered, all his ducks in a neat little row.

at least, that's the prince yunho the people of narameth know and love.

inside the castle walls, things were a little bit different

-

"a speech!?" pieces of his breakfast spewed from his mouth while some of it lodged itself uncomfortably down his throat

"why?"

"love, it's impolite to speak while you're eating"

his mother, the queen, gently motioned towards the cloth napkin at his left hand

yunho used it to cover his mouth as he coughed some more

"the speech is to be delivered the day before your 21st birthday. the kingdom will be officially recognizing you as an adult, and therefore old enough to be king"

yunho groaned as the king continued

"because of this, you must officially inform the people of your intentions as king for when the time comes - "

"for when the - huh? father, are you unwell? why do i need to talk about what will happen when i become king right now?"

"i'm perfectly fine, i assure you. this is simply a rite of passage. i had to do it, as did your grandfather, and his father, and so on."

his mother chimed in as she noticed yunho getting more and more nervous the longer the king spoke

"yunho, love, listen: this is just a formality. you won't be king for a long, long time..." she took her husband's hand and passed him a loving glance "so just make your speech short and sweet, remember to smile, and i'm sure that everything will be perfectly alright. okay?"

yunho closed his eyes and took a deep breath just as the king's right hand man walked into the breakfast room

"good morning your majesties." he bowed slightly at the waist "i have today's schedule whenever you're ready to hear it"

"we're ready, go ahead"

"there's a meeting with architecture at 10:30, then lunch with all of the department heads at 12:30. the afternoon is free for the king and the queen. as for the prince, you are expected in the medical wing for training after lunch until dinner, which will be served at 6pm."

"thank you" the queen smiled sweetly to him "you're dismissed"

"yunho, finish getting ready and we'll see you in the meeting with architecture"

"yes father"

yunho pushed his chair back before standing up to go to his room, tripping a little bit over his own feet in the process

"remember to be 10 minutes early love"

he turned around and nodded at his mother, who was still holding his father's hand with the slight smile on her face that never seemed to go away

as soon as yunho got to his room he flopped onto his bed and rubbed his hands over his face with a sigh. he laid there staring up at the ceiling for probably too long, because before he knew it the castle clocks struck 10 and he was reminded of the meeting he was expected at in 30, no, 20 minutes. he quickly sat up at the realization before a wave of calmness washed over him. the meeting was with architecture, which meant xenia would be there. she'll know what to do, he thought. she always does.

he quickly got on a casual suit and haphazardly slicked his hair out of his face before speed walking down to the business floor into the meeting room.

by the time he walked in not only were his parents there, but xenia and some members of the architecture team were setting up their presentation

"nia!"

"yunho!"

she quickly snapped her head up from some blue prints she was looking over and smiled warmly at him as he began to walk over to her

"hey are you free this afternoon? my father just told me something at breakfast and i really need to talk to you about it"

her smile faded and so did his, knowing what that meant

"i'm sorry, i'm absolutely swamped today with the proposal of the new corridor and everything, but i think i'm free tomorrow?"

"so you become a board member of architecture and suddenly you're too busy for me, hm?" he smiled as he ran his fingers over the blueprints, pretending he understood them

"yunho...."

"i know, i know. just please tell me as soon as you're free, okay?"

"of course, your highness"

she dramatically curtsied as yunho rolled his eyes and went to take his seat

soon enough, the rest of the architecture board and the king's advising panel shuffled in and took their seats as well

the meeting went by quickly, everyone was on board with the new corridor and there were little modifications to be made

everybody was impressed, especially since this was xenia's first time presenting as a board member at only 20 years old

but yunho wasn't at all surprised, xenia's always been crazy smart. she came to the castle after she had just turned 5, a month after yunho's 5th birthday. her parents were hired onto the castle staff simultaneously, her mother as a maid and her father as a cook. at the time, xenia and yunho were the only people under 20 years old living in the castle, so naturally they became inseparable. you could never find one without the other far behind.

the nickname "nia" was actually coined by yunho the day they met. back then, he had a hard time pronouncing certain sounds, including the "z" sound, so it was just easier for him to call her nia. to this day yunho is the only one who calls her that.

when they were growing up, yunho and xenia did quite literally everything together. their teacher would come on weekdays to give them their daily lessons, and in the evenings they'd run around the castle grounds together and get into all sorts if trouble

when they were about 14, a new 16 year old boy moved in and a couple months later some sisters who were 12 and 13 moved in as well. by the time they were 18 there were around eight kids in the castle in total, but they remained by far the closest of all of them

in the past couple of years though it's gotten a little bit more difficult to spend as much time together as they used to. in narameth, once you turn 18 you must pick a specialty and begin your training in that field, and in the castle it was no different.

yunho and xenia were both naturally very intelligent people, but due to the competitive nature of their friendship they grew up to be extremely knowledgable, well-rounded young adults and therefore had their pick of whatever specialty they wanted to go into.

xenia was good at everything, but she absolutely loved and accelerated in mathematics. so with her additional infatuation with art and design, it was only natural for her to go into architecture.

yunho on the other hand was better at natural sciences. besides the fact that he's always been fascinated with "gross stuff" as xenia always says, he genuinely enjoys helping people. maybe it's because of his benevolent mother, his expectations as a royal, or a combination of the two, but helping and caring for people is so natural to him that it felt wrong to even consider any other specialty

so, while both yunho and xenia are thriving in their careers, the lack of downtime was beginning to weigh on them a little bit. not only were they dedicated to their training, but xenia ended up being so good that they ended her training early to make her a board member and yunho was still expected to complete his tasks as a medical trainee and prince

needless to say, xenia was excited to spend some time with yunho tomorrow. as the meeting began to wrap up, she quickly checked her schedule and scribbled something down on a note before handing it to yunho on her way out

"i've gotta run, but i'll see you tomorrow?"

"yep."

'library tomorrow at 3'

he smiled and shoved the note into his folder as he was being ushered out by his father to the next meeting.

-

yunho bounced his legs up and down as he waited for xenia at their usual spot in the library

'2:52'

he rolled his eyes and kept bouncing

finally, she walked in at 3:06 out of breath with her hair everywhere

"i'm sorry the meeting ran late and then someone stopped me in the hallway and-"

"it's okay, just sit. here."

he passed a lemon cake wrapped in a napkin across the table towards her, which she immediately unwrapped and began to stuff into her mouth. the scene was borderline animalistic, causing yunho to look a little bit disgusted

"what?" her cheeks were so full that he could barely understand her, and yet she managed to fit more of it into her mouth "i didn't eat lunch"

"...anyways, as i'm sure you know my birthday is in exactly two weeks"

"right" some crumbs spewed from her mouth

"well yesterday, my father told me that the day before my birthday i must deliver a speech written by me to the whole kingdom about my intentions for when i become king"

"yeah, and?"

"and? wha - nia, are you kidding me? this is kind of a big deal...."

she swallowed the rest of the cake and wiped her mouth with the napkin, looking far too unbothered for yunho's liking

"you saw this coming though, right? don't you remember when our teacher told us about the coming of age speech when we were like eight?"

"she did??"

"yes, because your face went white and your eyes went wide and i laughed so hard at you"

"well clearly it slipped my mind nia, i've been a little bit busy since then"

"sorry...." she threw her hands up in defense and looked away to not upset him further

"anyways, i need your help"

"mine? why??"

"because you're so put together and you always know what to do! and i'm so..."

he began to make vague hand gestures towards himself

"...you know, like this."

xenia scoffed and rolled her eyes. on one hand, she knew yunho really did need help. he'd sort of always been a mess. but on the other hand she was already so busy and wasn't exactly jumping at the opportunity to have more responsibilities

"fine."

"wait, really?"

yunho's eyes went wide and he couldn't help but smile, causing xenia to smile back

"yes, i'll help you. but if you still end up blowing it up there i'm going to pretend like i've never met you"

"thank you! thank you a thousand times! i'm ignoring that last part!" he jumped out of his chair and knocked it over in the process on his way out of the door. he turned around and started walking backwards "see you tonight then?"

"yeah yeah" xenia waved him off "hey! watch out for that -"

it was too late. he ran straight into a bookshelf and hit his head

"... bookshelf"

he gave her a weak smile and a thumbs up before leaving, this time facing the direction he was walking

it's going to be a long two weeks.

[be-ready-when-i-say-go]

In Sorrow and In Joy- Part 10: Adventures Awaits

Luke learns the hard way what it means to be a dad and how to keep his family safe and together. Dad!Luke with a South Asian Reader. This is a collaborative experience with A Family of Five.

CW: Over the course of this series, themes of racism and prejudice on the basis of religion are present. Please read or skip as necessary.

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No one has my permission to repost my work of fiction. This includes translations as well. 

_____________________________

Luke reclines back into the cushion of the seat. In hand, a glass of lemonade. The dry heat melts the ice, the glass coated in small droplets of water. They run down the clear glass, in races that go unnoticed by Luke or anyone for that matter. But Luke’s the only one close enough to see them if he cared to look. Behind his sunglasses, his eyes are closed, body welcoming the warmth. He was lathered by you in sunscreen nearly first thing this morning. He managed to get breakfast first for you and the kids. 

The four of you are still inside the room, looking over things to do, how far away places are. But the door creaks open, the chill and hum of the AC unit hitting Luke’s ear. “I want to explore the city.”

It’s Noor, standing in the cracked door, leaning into the frame. He sits up, and turns, feet hitting the warm concrete and looks over to his daughter. How she looks so much like him but distinctly different–distinctly other. He remembers the time in the grocery store when she was about five, the man shouting to send them back, calling them terrorists. He’s not sure why the memory comes flooding back to him. He’s not sure why when she says that his heart race. 

Maybe because it’s not home–he’s not on his own turf. When the ugliness is at home one knows how to play the game. He feels partly insane for the moment’s panic. He’s traveled with them before, they’ve been with him, city to city sometimes during the summer when they’re on tour. They’ve traveled to some pretty cool places, like the time they explored parts of Japan with him. They’ve been fine. 

Though the news tells a different story. He scrolled through the channels this morning before he got breakfast. The news always frightens him now. That is not the call he wants, that one of his kids is hurt or worse. It terrifies him that they go out into the world without him. He can’t protect them from everything. But he can’t hold them back either. Noor’s request isn’t terrifying. Her want to wander, to see is something she’s always had. He cannot squander it because of his own fears. 

“With you,” she adds. Hoping, praying he says yes. It’s not like she thinks he’ll say no. But she wants him to know that is a distinct and thought out choice. That she wants to spend time with him.

She overheard Luke talking to you. How he felt so useless. That was years ago. But the thought of it haunts her a little as she prepares to leave for college. This is partly her graduation present. She wanted one last big family vacation together. It took a lot of planning, shifting schedules but it worked. They are here. In Spain. Together.

Luke nods, pushing the glasses up into his hair, holding back the mid-length curls. “Might want to grab yourself a map and mark the places you want to go.”

She smiles, revealing her hands, a map already littered with red ink. “Beat you to it.”

“Put on your walking shoes then.”

Noor turns back inside. As Luke and she get their shoes tied and he packs waters, and some snacks in his backpack, Noor looks over the map of Bilbao, pointing out the first stop of their journey. 

“Meet us back here, so we can head to Guggenhiem together,” you note, rattling off a time towards the evening to reconvene. Noor nods with a tiny salute and hurries to the door. There be not a second to waste. 

Luke slides the tinted glasses back down. “Lead the way, little adventurer,” he says with a smile. 

 Her gaze is locked on the map before gathering her surroundings, locating the street name. Luke stands behind her, looking at all her markings. “Do you remember your first time to Japan?” he asks quietly. 

She hums with a nod. “It’s where it all started,” she jokes, before decisively turning on her heel and starting down southbound. 

“I’ve kept all the maps.” This is their tradition–Luke and Noor. Whenever they got somewhere, she grabs a map and marks all the places she wants to visit and the two of them venture out, usually on foot or if need be on the bus. It started in Japan when Noor was 10. Luke sat her in his lap and the looked over the map. He has a printed list of the things she said she wanted to do and they marked the map of all the places. 

It was as they were getting ready to get onto the bullet train that she asked how it worked. Luke didn’t know, he did his best to research it later after their trip. But all during their exploring, she pointed out all the different architecture and statues. She was lit with an awe, eyes bright and excitedly pulling Luke in all different directions. She went into a bookshop and got as many books as she could on the art and culture. 

And here, 8 years later, Luke knows for certain a bookstore will be on their list. Here eight years later, with a red pen tucked into her low bun, she navigates through the streets. Occasionally she points out a landmark, a building and rattles off the type of window or what year it was erected. “You know, a window’s sometimes just a window,” Luke jokes. 

Noor rolls her eyes. “A window’s never a window. A window is a story.”

“So are you my little adventurer or are you a tour guide?”

“Both. You’d be lost here without me.”

With a gasp of fake offense, Luke pauses for a moment. “That is no way to talk to your father.”

Noor turns to see him, holding a hand over his mouth. She can envision behind the glasses the widen eyes. “Love you!”

“Hm, you have to say that because I’m guarding the snacks.”

She huffs, crosses back to him and wraps his torso up in a hug. She’s careful not to crush the map. Luke kisses the top of her head, arms encasing her as well. “I do love you, Dad. Why do you think I choose to hang out with you?”

With soft tufts of laughter, Luke nudges her. “How close are we?”

“Four more blocks.”

They continue on, his arm slung over her shoulder. It takes longer than anticipated to finish the rest of the walk, with stops to take pictures of buildings. The streets are busy, but the fullness is welcoming. They can just continue down in the sea of people as nothing but two specs. As they venture through, Luke makes a pit stop at one of the shops. It’s no bookstore, but the storefront is inviting, much like most of the reds that decorate the city. 

“Should’ve brought Zeek. His Spanish is better,” Noor laughs when the owner rapidly greets the pair. Noor is able to navigate most of the conversations and can’t turn down the woman’s high praise about a scarf. She grabs one for you, Zahra and herself. Luke passes over the bills with a smile and a quiet, “Gracias.” 

With the scarfs tucked safely into the backpack

More check marks start to replace the red stars Noor made. Before evening dawns, they head back to the hotel, gathering you, Zahra and Zeek. The excitement bounces off Noor as they approach Zubizuri. She rushes ahead of them, unable to contain the burst of energy. She’s dreamed of seeing this in person, of how it feels to be right in the middle, glass brick under her feet and the river rushing below her. 

Luke watches her, her small pouch bouncing against her hip as she jogs. Zeek tries to catch her arm, to pull her back so he can get their first. He fails at restraining her, “Shit,” he mutters. “Wait up!”

A quick, “Rook sha,” falls from Noors lips along with her laughter. “You’re a cheater!

You shout at Noor. “Language!” 

Zahra snickers from next to you. “Oh, Ma, let ‘em live a little,” she interjects. 

“Sorry!” they chorus, not the least bit sorry caught cursing at each other. 

“Be careful,” Luke calls out before the panic hits his chest. Are people staring at them? Something in him dares someone to say something to his children. It would be the last time they do something like it again. They are young, carefree in some ways. He wants them to stay that way. To race to the center of a bridge because that’s what they do. 

He knows he can’t keep them young and he can’t save them from everything. But he’ll be damned if he doesn’t try. And he won’t have any powers when Noor and Zeek leave. Noor going to study art history and Zeek going for art and graphic design. He was more than happy to let Noor pick the destination for the trip, giving a genuine comment that she would have better taste than he would. Just as long as the place had a beach. That comment earned him a tap on the back of the head.

That’s what terrifies Luke, he realizes as he watches the two of them breathing hard waiting for the rest of them to catch up. He’s protected them for so long, taught them all he can teach them. He’s been there when the bullies were extra mean that day, he was there when they excelled. But now they are going to be flying out from underneath his wings. 

He jogs to catch up to them, catching Noor and Zeek each in one arm. He can hold them close for just one more moment. They laugh before Noor pulls away. “C’mon. There’s this amazing statue. You gotta see it. And just the building itself, stunning.” 

This is just the first museum during their trip, knowing tomorrow will be another run of them. This is one of the two she was most excited to see. “Okay, baby girl, the statue. Let’s wait for the rest of them.”

Noor tucks herself into Luke’s side. “I’d never dream of designing something like that.”

“You could,” Luke squeezes her shoulders. 

“You know, I want to curate shows for museums like this,” she confesses silently. “I want to see kids be just as excited as me.”

He likes her talking like this, thinking of her future, dreaming her dreams. As they enter the museum, Noor takes a map to look over the exhibits. Zeek taps her shoulder pointing up. She hands him the map, gasping at the way light moves across the rounded walls. The metal beams crossing and supporting each other. She’s sure she’s ascended in the lobby of this museum. 

___

It’s not sad when they pack up their luggage. Though Noor lingers behind as they travel through the airport to their gate. Zahra settles in next to Noor, grinning at her younger sister. They both wear the scarves bought earlier in the trip. “You totally beat Zeek on that bridge.”

“I can you hear you,” he huffs, pencil stilling in the sketchbook. 

“I didn’t whisper it,” she retorts before turning back to Noor. “You picked a pretty cool place.”

“Thanks,” Noor nods with a smile. Zahra’s away now and they don’t see each other super often, mostly during her breaks. But she calls every week, sometimes multiple times just to chat and see how they are. 

Digging into her bag, Zahra unearths a small little book, Building Art. Noor grins. She eyed the book in the shop, but settled on getting some earrings and the Frida pin the shop had. But Ra knows her sister, knows she was eying the book but had no space in her bags for it. Luke was offering to get it for her, even though Noor insisted on not getting. But Ra told him she would get it. 

“I bet Dad bought it,” Noor teases, taking the book. 

“I’ll have you know I bought it myself,” Ra laughs. Luke watches them, laughing at each other, before returning to their respective phones, but leaning into each other.  Ra’s doing well in school and hasn’t had too many issues. He worries though, the way she likes to be strong all the time. But then there’s Noor, almost been a bit softer in the world and he’s proud that she’s remained that way too. It’s easier to turn hard when the world is cold, but she’s remained warm and soft and kind.

Three weeks after returning up, Luke returns home from helping some friends in the studio to music playing from upstairs. Zeek’s car isn’t in the driveway and Ra’s not staying home for the summer, having an internship.

“Who goes there?” Luke shouts into the house. 

“Stay downstairs,” Noor returns. “Please.”

“Yeah, sure, I’ll just not roam around my own house freely.” He drops his keys into the bowl, shedding his jacket. He pours himself a glass of water. A few minutes pass before she climbs down the stairs. Luke looks up from the TV. She holds a scrapbook close to her chest, grinning. In two more weeks, they’ll be taking her for move in. Luke will be helping Noor move in and you’ll be helping Zeek move. They move in on the same day, but thankfully it all works out. 

“What’s that?”

“It’s for you.” She holds it out, watching his face. Luke takes it with both hands, looking over the glossy black cover. Our Adventures is written in white cursive. He flips it open and is greeted with a picture of Luke and Noor in Japan. Next to it is a piece of the map that he saved. Written in dark red is Japan at the top. He continues through, more and more photos of them, next to the piece of the map with the red start covered in a check mark. 

It ends with their trip to Spain. Her posed on the footbridge and on the streets of  Las Siete Calles, in front of the cathedral. More pages in the back are blank. “For more adventures,” Noor says softly. 

Luke can feel his tears stinging. His chest squeezes for a moment and he sniffles, wiping at tears slipping down his cheeks. “I love it.” He pulls her into a hug. It’s tight and Noor tries hard not to cry herself. But her cheeks grow hot and the tears fall. Truth is, she’s a little scared. She’s been away from home. But she knew she’d always be coming back. 

This is completely new. Going and in some ways staying gone, finding new roots somewhere else. “I love you, Dad. So much.”

He can hear the croak in her voice and pulls away, cupping her face. “No, no, no, don’t cry. It’s okay.” She inhales, trying to stop the tears. It feels stupid to be crying. But change is hard. So hard sometimes. 

“We’ll have plenty of adventures. And you’ll have new friends and more adventures will await you there,” he encourages. 

She nods, cheeks still smushed back his hold. “You’re right. You’re right.”

He grins. “It’s why I’m the dad.” The two giggle and look through the photos, reminiscing about the trips. Luke hopes her future adventures are even better than these trips. He hopes and prays her future is brighter than he can ever imagine. 

[ubernoxa]

The Groupie: A Guns N’ Roses FanFic

Chapter 2: Treason

There were three simple rules about being a groupie:

1. The sex means nothing. It’s all physical.

2. The longer you are with the band the more power you get. It’s like high school, but instead of books, there are drugs. Lots and lots of drugs.

3. Never fuck a guy from another band. It’s treason if anyone finds out.

Celi dried her hair with the towel that was laid out on the small sink. She wondered if he had placed it there for her. Her heart fluttered a little at the thought of him thinking about her. None of the guys in the last band gave two shits about her when they didn’t want to have sex. She made sure to shut down any of those thoughts. She was a groupie. This wasn’t just some guy she met, this was Izzy Stradlin of Guns N’ Roses. He was a rockstar, and she was nothing.

She took a deep breath and the warm air filled her lungs. To say that the warm shower was a god send was an understatement.

“Nah man she probably left by now,” that was Izzy’s voice. She recognized it immediately.

Fuck.

Part of her was hoping that she would be able to sneak out before he came back.

“Wanna bet,” she heard a cocky voice ask.

Fuck.

She spun around the room looking for her bag.

Fuck.

“Axl, that’s not your shit. Stop going through it,” as the unrecognizable voice spoke Celi know exactly where her bag was.

She took a deep breath and looked in the mirror. Her hair was flat and soaked. Her face was naked of any makeup. Presentable was probably the last work she would use to describe herself.

“Why do chick’s need so much shit?” That’s when she heard her can of hairspray hit the concrete floor she sighed in frustration.

She took a deep breath and looked in the mirror, what would Morgi do?

She tightened the towel that was wrapped around her and walked into the small room.

“Didn’t your mothers teach you to not touch other people’s shit,” she said as she glared at the red head, Axl, and a man with huge curl hair, Slash. She had seen them on magazines countless times, and it was weird seeing them in person.

“Didn’t your mom teach you to not leave your shit out in the open?” Axl quickly rebutted.

Celi looked at her bag, or at least what was left in it. Her eyeshadow pallets, foundation, eyeliner and lipstick were scatter across the ground. She frowned as she saw a pink powder spilled all over the floor, that was her favorite blush.

“The door was locked,” Celi held her towel tightly as she spoke.

“And yet here we are. It’s called an all access backstage pass. They will unlock any door for us,” Slash joked. Celi side eyed him as he spoke.

“To answer your first question, the reason chicks have so much shit is because the painted faces y’all see every day isn’t real,” Celi sarcastically stated.

She kneeled down, being careful to collect her things that fell out of her bag, no thanks to Axl and Slash.

“I’ll clean up my the blush later,” Celi then slowly stood up and then tried to pick up her bag. She cursed under her breath as her towel slipped a little.

“Here,” Izzy stood above her and held her bag.

Celi offered him a small smile receiving one in return.

As he followed her to the bathroom she wondered why he originally invited her here. Was it because he was being generous or did he want more. He knew she was a groupie, the question was when would he make his move.

“Thanks for helping me. I almost dropped my towel on accident,” she would have yelled at him for dropping her bag, but she was silenced when he pushed her towards the bathroom wall and began to kiss her. She felt the towel fall as she dug her hands into his hair.

She let out a little moan just for him, but they were quickly interrupted by commotion in the other room.

“Izzy time to get the fuck on stage. You can fuck your groupie later,” Axl’s voice shot through the bathroom.

Deli’s heart sank as he pulled away and left the bathroom.

She didn’t just fuck up she majorly fucked up.

If any of the other Hemper’s groupies found out they would immediately tell the band. Even though she didn’t have sex, it is pretty easy to read between the lines. Why would they rat her out? Because they want to look loyal to the band or impress the bitch that hated her guts. She could already hear them kicking her out. She could hear them calling her a whore and telling her to never come back. There was no way Morgi could help her now.

Celi was pulled from her thoughts when she saw the bathroom door open again. Oh great, it was probably security ready to throw her naked ass out.

Instead of security, Izzy popped out from behind the window and tossed a purple button down with a deep V her way.

“Wait for me after the show, and I recommend grabbing all your shit. You’re staying with us a while,” She looked at the purple button down that reeked of alcohol.

“What, so you think that since you gave me a cold shower and your dirty shirt that I’m just your groupie now?”

Izzy caught Celi off guard by laughing. “You’re hot I’ll give you that. I’ve never fucked a girl with red hair before, but if you want to go back to your dying band with freezing cold showers be my guest. I won’t give a shit,” Celi was baffled at how simple he spoke.

She tried to find a reply, but couldn’t. There was nothing she could say, and she wasn’t going to admit to him that he was right. The Hempers weren’t going anywhere from here on out, and unless she wanted to start all over with an unknown band again, this was her only option.

“That’s what I thought. Guitar lessons start tomorrow if you’re still around and not a fucking idiot,” he yelled as he was leaving.

—————-

Celi sat on a rest stop bench chatting with another girl, who Celi believe was a groupie as well, named Kim. She was only a couple years older than her but had thousands of stories about what bands she had been with and all of the stories that came with her many adventures.

Kim remembered seeing Celi for the first time the night before. Celi had two very noticeable features, the first was her fiery mane that made Axl’s hair look more blonde than red, and the second was her ability to know when to shut up.

When Izzy saw Celi walk into the room, his eyes went immediately to her. It took Kim a couple seconds but she recognized the shirt Celi wore tied up kinda creating a crop top. It was his. The whole night she didn’t cause any trouble, laughed when appropriate and made sure his drink was never empty. It was like she went to some 1800s wife training class, but instead of wifey lessons, she was taught how to be a groupie.

“So who taught you how to do this? There is no one is this good when they are as young as you. You’re what? 20?

“19, and I leaned from a friend. She had been a groupie for a couple more years than me, and when I first joined the groupie scene we clicked. She took me under her wing and never asked for anything in return,” Kim quickly changed topics as she noticed Celi her sad. Celi’s heart sunk at the thought of Morgi. She abandoned her.

If felt good to sit on a bench outside and not in the tight, boiling hot van. The breeze was very much a welcomed friend.

“Don’t look, but Izzy is staring at you again,” Kim said before pulling out a pack of smokes, and offering one to Celi who quickly took one.

“You ready for your lessons?” Izzy mindlessly played with Celi’s hair as she spoke once he made it over to the pair.

“Yeah,” Celi quickly put out her cigarette and walked followed him.

“So I gotta ask, how hot is the van?” His voice was almost monotone when he spoke.

“Let’s just say, I was probably a little too excited when we stopped for a pit stop,” Celi offered a warm smile to Izzy who offered a soft chuckle.

“Hey, laugh all you want, but you get this tour bus while I was stuck between Terise and an AMP that was a much better pillow than I expected it to be,” Celi admitted to herself before following Izzy onto the bus.

“I’m just saying that if you bring a chick back to the van and fuck her on one of the seats, you should have to fucking clean up after yourself,” Celi was met with yelling as she followed Izzy into the tour bus.

“Axl clean it up, no one cares if you are the damn frontman or not,” Izzy added time the yelling.

“Wait here, I’ll grab some guitars,” he said to Celi as she sat down on a seat that was not full of Axl’s mess.

“Hey, who are you,” Celi perked her head up as two blondes walked onto the buss, Duff and Steven. For some reason she expected Steven to be taller.

“Celi,” she simply answered leaning back into her seat.

A flash of recognition shot across their faces, “Ohh ok, now I remember. Your the shower chick right?” Steven asked sitting down across from Celi as Duff went to the back of the bus.

“Well...yeah....I guess there are worst things to be know for,” Celi let out a chuckle as she spoke. She quickly remembered one of Morgi’s stories about a guy who known to have poor performance in bed. His name was Richard and used to go by Rick. Once word spread, everyone called him slippery dick.

“Like what?” Steven leaned forward almost whispering.

“Hmm..I don’t know...how about that guy who goes through people’s bags and spills everything all over the floor,” Celi couldn’t hide the smirk that formed on her face. Last night she made sure to be on her best behavior to get Izzy to like her. This morning though, was an entirely different story. Half the band was already shitting on Axl, so she thought why not join in on the fun.

“Have you heard of this philosophy of keeping your shit on you so no one goes through it?” Axl stoped his cleaning and glared at Celi as he spoke.

“Aren’t you supposed to be cleaning?” She asked Axl who immediately cussed under his breath. If she was in here with anyone else, he would have kicked her out. The problem was that she wasn’t here with anyone else’s, she was here with Izzy.

“Hey Izzy, I like this girl,” Steven shouted across the bus as he saw Izzy coming back with two guitars.

“You play guitar?” Celi wasn’t sure if it was a question or a statement that came out of Steven’s mouth.

“I’m teaching her,” Izzy replied before Celi had a chance to say anything.

“White or black,” he showed Celi the two guitars and she pointed at the white one.

Izzy watched as she placed the guitar strap around her and gazed down it. That is when she realized that this was most likely the nicest guitar she had ever held. Also, the most expensive guitar.

“Looks good,” Izzy commented earning a smile from Celi.

“Shall we pick off from where we were?” Izzy asked earning a nod from Celi.

Celi quickly lost time as he went through and taught her his part. He was an amazing teacher, she thought to herself. He was incredibly patient with her fingers getting tongue tied and unable to hit the right notes.

“Try this,” he showed Celi a quick true I to hit the notes, but she just couldn’t get it.

“Sorry,” she muttered. God that was embarrassing, she felt humiliated as the entire band heard her mess up over and over and over again.

“No need to appologize to me, it’s my band you need to worry about,” he sent her a soft smile and motioned for her to sit in front of him.

She sat in front of him and felt him move all of her hair over to her right side, so her hair was no longer in his face.

“So what you’re going to want to do is,” She couldn’t move as she watched him play. She was trapped, but that wasn’t a bad thing.

“Alright boy we’re heading out, all good to go?” An older man said as he hopped on their bus.

“Yup, the sooner we leave the better,” Izzy said before going back to showing Celi again. She couldn’t hid the smile that grew on her face. He wanted her to stay on the bus with him. How sweet, or he felt bad that she sucked. Her mind immediately shot back.

“Okay now you try, at quarter speed,” Celi placed here fingers on the strings and began to slowly play.

After a couple tries she felt him guiding her fingers. Soon enough she played the part and let out a cheer when she did. Izzy cheered with her unable to hide the large smile planted on his face.

“Good job babydoll,” he said before beginning to kiss her neck earning a soft moan.

“Keep it in your pants Stradlin,” Axl threw a towel across the buss that nailed Izzy. Laughter immediately followed suit, filling the entire buss.

[revisionaryhistory]

Three Days ~ 34

Catch up on AO3

~*~Sebastian~*~

 Dog and pony show it is. There were more and varied people at the party, but it felt the same. I felt like I was on a leash being paraded around the room. I was introduced, explained about, talked at, and I acted well enough to win an Oscar. There were some people and some stories which were interesting. Sometimes not. Advertising campaigns are usually less interesting than movie things. Corporate people and I don't have much in common. I have a rudimentary knowledge of corporate executive speak from previous functions, but most of the conversation is them asking me about projects and people. It was really bad after Civil War because everyone wanted information. Information I didn't actually have. Hell, we didn’t know it was a funeral when we filmed the damn thing.

Almost two hours in I escaped to the bar. Wait staff had been delivering me drinks, but this was a moment of escape. I leaned against the bar and asked for tequila. They had the one Emma had said was her favorite. I took a sip and smiled.

 A voice beside me said, "The tequila that good or the party that bad."

 I looked at my glass then the man squeezed in the corner. He was my age, dressed more casual in jeans and a nice shirt, and swirling a healthy two fingers of bourbon around a glass. I opted for truth, "More about the woman who told me this was her favorite."

 "That's better than either." He held out his hand, "I'm Sam."

 I shook his hand, "Sebastian. Nice to meet you." I nodded toward the people. "How do you fit in here?"

 "My wife." He pointed to an attractive redhead. "I’m the arm candy."

 Funny.

 "Good for you."

Sam smirked and took a long drink. "Where is your tequila connoisseur?"

I looked at my watch, "Eighteen hours and a ninety-minute train ride north."

He hissed in a breath, "Sorry."

"No, nothing bad." I was shaking my head. "She's new. It's new." I smiled, "It's good, just new."

"New is good." He cringed, "Too good to expose her to this horse shirt."

We continued talking until I finished my second drink. Sam walked with me over to his wife and my night had taken a definite good turn.

My head hated me in the morning. My stomach wasn't my biggest fan either. I downed a bottle of alkaline water and some Advil before heading to the gym. I grabbed a hangover smoothie on the way. By the time the workout was over I was feeling human. I took a degree of shit for being hungover and a little extra for my weekend plans. Specifically, my hangover would have a negative effect on my weekend. I called bullshit. They were just trying to get into my head.

 For this weekend I packed better. I guess that means I packed better for tonight’s dinner. Tomorrow was a shorts and t-shirt sort of day. I wonder if her team has a uniform? Now I have to pack several different colors of shirts to make sure I'm not walking around in rival colors. Alternatively, I could ask.

 Sebastian ~ What are your team's colors?

 Emma ~ Blue and orange.

 Sebastian ~ I can do blue.

 Emma ~ Got something against orange?

 Sebastian ~ Don't like orange.

 Emma ~ Me either. How was last night?

 Sebastian ~ Tequila!

 There were pictures from the party on the companies Instagram. I took a screenshot and sent one to Emma.

 Emma ~ Your face! Look at your face.

 I'd shaved before dinner. I ran my hand over the stubble that had already grown back.

 Sebastian ~ No beard for this ad.

 Emma ~ Can’t wait to get my hands on your face.

 Sebastian ~ I'm done for the day. Can you pick me up at 3:30? If not, I’ll go visit mom.

 Emma ~ I can. I'll still be in work clothes.

 Sebastian ~ Teacher is hot.

 Emma ~ We'll see...

 Since my meeting canceled and I’m not leaving for a few hours I decided to stretch out on the couch and read. That lasted about fifteen minutes. I'm distracted. Distracted by a woman. It’s been a long time since I've been distracted by a woman. A very long time to this degree. I keep replaying conversations. I can hear her voice, the words she uses, and her laughter. I can see her smile and the way she holds her body. Her beautiful body. Her strength and her confidence, the way she carries herself is sexy. There’s a compilation of clips running through my mind. Thoughts and memories distract me from my day and make me smile. All the damn time.

 On the train, I started working on a playlist. More than one. A bigger one with songs that had me thinking of Emma. Fast, slow, sexy, whatever songs. I included things I wanted her to hear. I shoved everything into the big playlist. From there I narrowed it down for a smaller one. A soundtrack. Songs I want to dance, sing, make out, and have sex too. I moved things in and out several times. Making a playlist for us is much harder. I don't want songs that don't reflect what I’m feeling, what I want. That's tough because I'm changing every hour. I’m jumping in with both feet, then stepping back to ease in, then running forward again. Back and forth and up and down. Never going backward from where we are. The back and forth is more trying to find what's next. What's too far? And is it too far for me or am I concerned it’s too far for her?

 Time went fast. My project was nowhere near done. Luckily, I had another train ride to work on it come Monday. Outside on the sidewalk was a long line of cars. The traffic was steady, even rushed, to get out of the lot. Just the pickup was delaying the process. It reminded me of a roller coaster where you get in and barely have time to buckle up before the ride is off. I could see a red CRV back almost a dozen vehicles. I walked toward until I was close enough to see Emma in the driver’s seat. She saw me and waved. I heard the door lock disengage as I reached for the handle.

 First things first, a kiss. Slow enough to feel it and quick enough to not get the wrath of the other drivers. Emma reached for my hand, "I'm glad you’re here."

"Me too." I took a moment to check out teacher clothes and started laughing. "What the hell are you wearing?

 Emma smiled, "It's Fantasy Friday."

 "Pull the damn car over!" I point to the right. "Over there." She did as I asked and pulled across two spots. I moved my hand to shift the CRV into Park. "I need to check this out."

 Emma wore a purple gauzy dress with a halter top, a skirt halfway to her knees, and long strands of cloth hanging in different lengths. She had a pair of black tights on under the dress. In her hair, she had a crown of flowers and behind her were white wings.

 After checking out the whole costume I met her eyes with a smile, "Fantasy Friday."

 "I'm a fairy."

 "I can see that." She looked cute and silly. The thought of her teaching class dressed like a fairy made my heart beat faster. I don't have to see her teach to know she’s a good teacher. She's gone all-in. She looked confused by my facial expression. I shook it off, it didn't matter and she’d understood in a second. I reached under her hair, mindful of her wings, and cupped her neck. "Is there a curse or anything for kissing a fairy."

 "Only if you do it badly."

 "I'm safe then."

 I leaned across the console to press my lips to hers. My intention was a relatively chaste but long kiss ending with a hint of tongue. Emma wanted a long, deep, wet, kiss. I was easily convinced. Very easily. I'm pretty sure the only reason we had a mini make-out session in a parking lot was that it was too light and too busy to have sex. We have some kind of incendiary chemistry going on.

 I moved away from the kiss and buried my face against her neck. I laid a wet kiss where she liked best before moving my mouth to her ear and whispering. "I gotta tell you. You look very cute, but this isn't my fantasy."

 Emma ran her hand down my arm, "You'll have to fill me in on your fantasy, so I can make that happen for you." She kissed me and held tight to my bicep.

 The hours of distraction and attempts to pull together a playlist were paying off for me. I was already worked up and excited to see her. Actually being with her, her dressed to read to her students, and our flirting kisses had me on edge. I’m calculating the appropriate time between arrival and having sex. I had a basic idea of continued flirting through dinner, ramping up to sexual flirting before we got to dessert, then cutting loose when we got back home. But I'm telling you, I feel like Emma has other plans. Plans for me. I like being the subject of nefarious plans. I'm feeling kinda stalked. The good kind of stalked. Not the someone tracking my movements through my friends’ Instagram type of stalking. I won’t be going far enough for her to lose me, so she won’t have far to stalk. It's conceivable I could tie myself to her bed and wait for her to show up. Ok, maybe not right now, but it’s an option.

 She told me about Fantasy Friday as she drove. "We have theme days through the months. Like Manic Monday where we incorporate movement and dance into our lessons. More than usual and have a dance party in the afternoon. Naughty or Nice Tuesdays where they earn cards to get them out of things or trade with peers. Camping Thursday is big popular. But Fantasy Fridays are the best. They all get into it and I have boxes of costumes so no one feels left out."

 Emma’s attention to make sure no one would feel left out was one more thing on the list of things that make her an amazing teacher. "What happens on Fantasy Friday?"

 “Today they had to present their character story. Where they're from, what skills they have, what their lives are like."

 I could tell by the tone of her voice she had fun with her backstory. "Tell me yours."

 Emma smiled at me, "I am the lost fairy of Central Park. There was a war with the bridge trolls and I was sent away for my safety. Soon an agreement will be reached and I will return to my home. I enjoy pollinating, singing to flowers, and providing mediation between arguing animals."

 "Is this lesson recorded?" I was most interested in the pollinating.

 "It is."

 "Can I watch?"

 "If I can watch something of yours."

 I squeezed her hand. "Deal."

 At her condo I followed her in, watching the fabric swish and admiring her ass. Like I said, worked up. Worked the fuck up.

 Emma opened the door and walked in, holding the door. She smiled as I walked in and spoke, "Bine-ai revenit, Sebasti-an."

 I stopped dead in my tracks. Emma had said, "Welcome back, Sebastian" in a not too bad Romanian. The accent was off, but her pronunciation of my name was beautiful. To me anyway.

 My mouth hung open in surprise, a slight smile curving the sides. "Mulţumesc. (thank you) Did you learn words to be able to say my name?" Last weekend we’d discovered I prefer the Romanian pronunciation of my name, but it didn’t sound right in connection with English sentences.

 Her smile answered, "Da." (Yes)

 I walked to her, pressing her back to the wall, with my hands on either side of her shoulders. I was affected more than I would have expected. "How much do you know?"

 She grimaced, "Not a lot. Pronunciation is hard."

"I know someone who can teach you."

 "Gotta be phrases so I can say your name."

“Sărută-mă. Repeat." My eyes stayed on hers.

"What am I saying?"

"Try it and see." This was fun. And hot, really fucking hot.

"Sărută-mă, Sebasti-an." She may not know what she’s saying, but her tone was perfect.  Fucking hell. I can't believe her.

 "Fericit, iubito." I dipped down and sucked her bottom lip between mine. Emma licked along my lips urging me to open to her. It didn’t take much urging.

 Emma kissed my collar bone, "What did you have me say."

 "Kiss me." I went for her neck, "And I said “Happily, baby".”

 I continued kissing her neck, loving the way she sighed and the feel of her hands on me. I stepped closer to press the length of my body against hers. My cock was hard and the pressure against her stomach felt amazing. I pulled my head back to breathe, looking up and closing my eyes. I felt her hands cup my face and tilt my face back to hers.

 "Do you want me like I want you? Right now." She licked her lips.

 I groaned before I spoke, "I really fucking do."

 We crashed together. Emma rubbed against my cock and I kissed her like it had been forever. I dug underneath the fairy fabric and hooked my thumbs in her tights, taking those and her panties down to the floor. I reached for my bag and found a condom. I held the corner between my teeth as I stood. I needed my hands to run up her legs and one to slide into her. The way she curled her hips against my hand made me smile around the condom.

 Emma plucked the condom from between my teeth and tucked it into her bra, "Give me that." She was kissing me before the words died in the air. Her hands went for my jeans. A slow stroke of my cock preceded the sweet sound of my zipper. Her hand wrapped around me as soon as she had my jeans over my ass.

 I pushed my jeans down farther and nuzzled between her breasts. I grabbed the condom with my teeth and mumbled, "I need this back." I worked quickly, covering myself and bending my knees to push up into her.

 Emma cried out and I moaned loudly. I put my hands on her ass to lift her, using the wall to help support her. She wrapped her legs and arms around me, holding on while I thrust into her. There was nothing but the sounds of sex. No words, just sound. God, it felt good. All lust and need. I wanted the sex. I wanted the contact. I wanted the closeness. She fucking learned Romanian to use my name. That’s the thought that sent me over the edge. I buried myself deep and came hard.

Emma's fingers ran through my hair as her legs went back to the ground. My face was buried against her neck, "I think I smashed your wings."

She laughed, "They detach. Snaps."

"Oh, good." I pulled us away from the wall, feeling around for the snaps as she hugged me, her hands caressing my back. I undid the snaps and dropped the wings on my bag. "Come with me."

I took her hand, leading her to the couch. I led her to sit across my lap, her fingers ran over my chin. "I don't know if I like the gray patch or dimple more."

I didn’t care as long as she kept touching me, "I don't always have control of any hair on my body."

She kissed me lightly, "I saw I,Tonya."

I cringed, "Bad look all around."

"Everything grows back or can be shaved off."

I trailed my finger along her shins, over her knees, then back to her feet, "I lost a section of pubic hair for the Bronze." Her eyes widened with amusement. "Character had a tattoo. An Olympic medal."

 Emma laughed, "Narcissist."

I said the line, "I am the fucking god of gymnastics."

"We should watch that later tonight."

 "No, we shouldn't." I kissed her before she could voice any other shitty ideas. I moved my caress under her legs and when I got to the back of her knees her legs fell open, which was what I was going for. I kissed over to her ear, "That's what I wanted."

I slid two fingers inside her, rubbing the wall of her vagina to find her g-spot. I massaged internally and

barely used my thumb on her clit just enough to get amp things up.

Emma took a shuddering breath, "Talk to me."

I kept up the stimulation and moved my mouth close to her ear. The words came out in long sentences. Long Romanian sentences. When her nails started to dig into my arm I moved back where I could see her face. "You gonna come for me, baby?"

"I am."

I used more pressure inside and out.

 Emma gasped and arched her back, "Oh fuck, Bastian. Your fingers...”

[sweets-fanfics]

Honeymoon [RE] 3

Title: Party time

Wordcount: 2413

warnings: meh

Tags: *cricket sounds*

________________

7 Years ago

“Go on a date with me Rogers.” You smiled at him across the kitchen counter. He was doing the dishes which were actually really fun to watch because he kept spraying himself with the backsplash whenever he tried to rinse the spoons off. Also, a muscled guy with a towel on his shoulder and his sleeves rolled up was funny too.

Steve chuckled, “I think I’m a bit old for you don’t you think?”

“Oh come on.” You pouted.

“What about your brother?” Steve looked up at you and turned the water off.

“What about him?”

“Is he going to be okay with it?” 

You perked up and smiled, “Are you saying yes?”

He took a long sigh and smiled. “It looks like I am.”

Present

“Y/N.” Wade bumped your shoulder and made you look up. He had placed a small glass of champagne in your hand. When? You didn’t remember you had just kept spacing out since you two had arrived at the party. You hadn’t seen Tony yet which was a good sign and bad sign. “Aren’t you here to give me moral support not the other way around?”

“I apologize. I’m not feeling a hundred percent.”

“Well get drunk and feel better. Unless you are underage and I was right the entire time.”

“I’m over 21.” You said sipping your champagne. 

“Okay, okay. I’ll figure out your secret one day.” You rolled your eyes and turned around coming face to face with Rohdey from across the room. 

The two of you locked eyes with each other silently. You shook your head no. He nodded yes. You shook your head no again and put a finger up to your lips.

“You see someone you know?” Wade asked as he ate some shrimp snack thing.

“Huh?” You looked at him. “No, I thought I did.” You looked back to Rhodey only to see he was no missing. Shit. “I’m going to find a bathroom.”

Wade started to say something but people came up and started talking to him so you used that as your cue to walk off. You tried to pretend you didn’t know where the bathroom was. That was very difficult.

You didn’t even get to the bathroom because two strong arms grabbed you on each side and led you to another room. As the door shut behind you the two guys grips didn’t loosen even when you saw Tony’s back to you. 

“Hey, Y/N. I’ve been looking for you.” Tony turned and smiled. 

You smiled back sweetly and shocked the two hands holding you. You looked back at Rhodey and Vision, “Hi Tony. How are you?”

“Let’s keep the powers to a minimum,” Tony said sitting down at his desk.

“I won’t do anything. I would appreciate it if you didn’t blow my cover. I’m on a mission.”

“Still working I see.” 

“Gotta pay off the wedding I had.”

“Married?” Tony nodded. “Rogers I take it.”

“Y/N Rogers.” You said proudly.

“Congrats. Get out of my tower.”

“I’m on a miss-” Your phone went off making you look down at it. “Sorry, give me a second.” You pressed the answer. “Honey, What’s wrong?”

“Honey?” A voice said.

“Uh, who’s this?” You asked.

“Depends on who this is?” The voice asked.

“This is Y/N, his wife.”

“You married him?” The voice was now more recognizable.

“Bruce?” Tony shot up in his chair. “Where have you been? Why do you have Steve’s phone?”

“Can you pick me up and then we can talk?”

You peaked over your shoulder at Tony as Bruce told you where he was. “I’ll be right there.” You hung up and froze Tony’s feet to the floor. “Stay here.” 

4 years ago

Steve placed the bowl of ice cream in front of me. He smiled at you and sat next to you on the couch. “Enjoy.”

“Thanks for walking to the store for me.” He rubbed your leg, “I could have gone.”

“No. A twisted ankle needs to stay elevated.”

There was a knock at your apartment door. “It’s unlocked come in.”

Bruce opened the door and Steve’s hand instantly left your leg. “Oh shit. Tony wasn’t lying.” He placed his stuff down and walked up to you. “What happened?”

You looked at Steve. “She tripped.” Steve answered.

“On what?”

“The Shield.” 

Bruce looked at you. “How?”

“I tried to throw it and when I went to look for it I tripped on it.” You smiled. 

Bruce sighed and put his hand on your head. “Well at least you weren’t actually training to fight.” He looked at you and Steve and saw you two grinning like you were hiding something. “I have told both of you multiple times…” 

“I know.” You sighed.

“No more training.” 

Present

You pulled up to an old run-down gas station somewhere outside of New York. You had told Wade there was a family emergency which wasn't a lie, you just left out the part that your older brother has serious anger issues and turns green. 

You looked at the anxious-looking scientist sitting on the bus seat. He looked scared and tired. 

You rolled the window down and honked the horn. Bruce jumped a bit but then got up and got in the car. 

He looked at you silently as you sat in your chair fiddling with the radio until you found the fifties channel. “I sent you an invite. The first one actually. But it just got sent back every time I tried another address.” 

Bruce sighed and looked at you. “It's a long story. But I was in Asgard.”

“With Thor?” 

“As I said, it's a long story for another time. I'm sorry I missed your wedding. Let me guess you played oldies.”

“It is my favorite type of music, and mainly the only music Steve likes. My dress was white with soft lavender accents.” 

“Sounds very pretty.”

You both smiled at each other. “So, why do you have Steve’s phone?”

“I stayed at a motel last night and when I went to check out the receptionist said someone dropped it off for me.” While he spoke you turned the ignition back on and started for your apartment. 

“Then why doesn't my husband have his phone?” 

“I have to talk to all of you about something important.” Bruce said looking around worried, “It’s a matter of life and death.”

You sigh, still not really understanding, “Everything is now days.”

---

You almost couldn't unlock the door because you were so nervous. Once you finally got it open you ran inside. “Steve!” You could hear the shower going which made you relax a little bit but you still wanted to be sure. 

You slowly crept into the bathroom being sure that if it wasn't Steve you would take them down. Once in front of the shower, you pulled back the curtain quickly And made a ball of fire ready to throw. 

“Jesus! Y/N!” Steve jumped.

“Oh, thank god. You're okay.” You took a long breath completely forgetting he was naked. 

“Uh Y/N..?” Steve tried to say. 

“Steve, why didn't you have your phone?”

“I misplaced it. You know how I am with all that tech stuff. But Y/N…”

“What?”

“We can talk after… but can I finish my shower?”

Your face turned bright red as you peaked down and realized what was going on. “Shit! I'm sorry!” You pulled the curtain shut. “Hurry up and finish we have company.”

You sat on the couch next to your brother. “Does he walk in on you like that?”

“N-no…. not yet.” You could feel your brother eyeing you. “We are married.”

“I take it by how red your face is, the two of you haven't….”

“Bruce!” 

“Sorry.”

“I mean. We have but only once. I got called on assignment during our honeymoon.”

“Oh, ew I didn't actually want you to tell me.”

“Don't ask then.” 

You heard your bedroom door open. “Bruce?” Steve asked, walking into the room. 

“Rogers. Good to see you. Sorry I've been a little MIA.” The two shook hands.

You pulled Steve’s phone from your bag and handed it to him. “Bruce had this. Said someone dropped it off at the motel he was at.”

Steve looked at it confused and looked at you. “You look nice. I take it you weren't able to change?” You looked down at your form-fitting black dress that went to your knees. 

“No. I got the call while I was getting interrogated by Tony.”

“He interrogated you?” Both asked.

“Yeah, had Vision and Rhodes literally drag me away. So embarrassing. I hope Wade didn't see.”

“I think I missed something important,” Bruce mumbled to himself.

“Did he hurt you?” Steve asked as he looked you over quickly. 

“No, I'm fine.” You looked at your older brother. “You see, there was a bit of a disagreement and we no longer work with Tony, Rhodes, vision, and Nat is taking some leave time.”

Bruce looked at you, “Nat?”

“I'm not sure where she is. She helped Steve and Bucky escape. So I think she's hiding right now.”

“Bucky?” Bruce asked even more confused.

“Steve's childhood friend.”

“He's not the Winter Soldier anymore?”

“It's a really long story.” You and Steve said in unison.

Steve looked at the phone in his hand. “Where did you lose it?” You asked him.

“I placed it on the kitchen table yesterday and when I went back to grab it, it was gone.”

“Someone broke into our house? Just to take a phone?” Steve was scrolling through the phone when he stopped suddenly and he looked very angry.  “What's wrong?” You peaked over his arm and saw a picture of you sleeping on the screen. “Well... that's... creepy.” 

“Y/N, I didn't take this.”

Bruce looked at the photo. “Whoever this is,” you could see him trying to keep his temper under control, “They wanted to show that they can do whatever they want.”

“That's terrifying.” You whispered.

“That's disgusting,” Steve said angrily. “I'm going to call Sam I'll be back.” Steve walked out huffing and puffing. 

You looked at your phone at the time. Three am… “I should call Wanda, maybe she can find something. I still don't really understand all she can do.” 

You could still feel Bruce becoming angrier next to you. You grabbed his hand and smiled at him. “Hey, if I'm not too worried you shouldn't be either.”

“But they were able to get that close to you while you were completely defenseless.” You squeezed your grip on him.

“It's all good.” You sighed, “I'll text her tomorrow. I should get to sleep. I have work in the morning.” You pointed to the couch, “It folds out. I want you to stay here tonight.”

“I don't have a choice do I?” He smiled at you. 

“Nope.” You smirked and kissed his cheek. “Goodnight.”

-----

You were completely happy the next morning. Steve was snuggled up behind you holding you close to him. You completely forgot your brother was there. Heck, you forgot some creepy stalker type person took a sleeping shot of you. It wasn’t until your phone wouldn’t stop vibrating that you knew it was time to get up. 

Still, in the safety of Steve’s arms, you slowly reached for your phone. As you grabbed it Steve pulled you back to him putting you in a bit of an uncomfortable spot but you didn’t really mind. You hit the answer as you moved around so you were facing Steve. “Hello?”

“Y/N.” Wade groaned. 

“Hungover?” You asked poking Steve on the tip of his nose softly. 

“What happened to you last night? You just disappeared. Like magic…”

“Are you still drunk?” Steve, half asleep still, tried to take the phone and hang up. He was not a morning person like everyone thinks Captain America would be.

“A bit, but I’m mostly hungover. But we have work to do?”

“Starting fights with Al or those two X-men is not really considered work.”

“It’s not that kinda work.” He stopped and let out an ugly blech, “It’s like, I’m going to need your sniper thingy, work.”

That woke you up a bit more. “What happened?”

“That group you were telling me about. They sent me this creepy borderline stalker photo of you and some other chicks.” 

You smacked Steve’s chest waking him up, “What other chicks?”

“Uh… I dunno. Chick with short red hair and one looks like that Avenger lady. The one that wears red.”

“Wanda?”

“Sure?”

“Okay, Wade. Suit up I’m going to be there soon just be ready.” You hung up and started dialing another number. You jumped out of bed and went straight for your Avenger outfit slipping it on as the phone rang.

“What?” Clint yelled still asleep. 

“Where’s Wanda? Is she still at your family's farm?”

“Uh duh, Want to talk to her?”

“Just make sure she’s okay.”

You could hear him shuffling down the hall and knocking on her door calling for her. “Uh... She’s not here.” Clint said, sounding worried.

“That’s what I thought. Contact everyone and the director. Then go check on Nat since I know you know where she is.”

“What’s going on?”

“I think Hydra is trying to take us.” You said so Steve wouldn’t hear. “Let’s not freak Steve out. He’s about to have more than enough to worry about.” You walked into the living room to grab your keys. Bruce was sitting on the couch sipping tea. “By the way, tell the team; I’m bringing in the big guy.”

“Good. Good to have him back. We could have used him, back then. Make sure he knows.”

You hung up and started going for the door. “Where are you going?” Bruce asked.

You turned to him and smiled. “Work. I’ll be back around lunch to pick you and Steve up.”

----

You probably only got a couple of blocks when the car stopped. “Damn it. I told Steve we need a new car.”

You got out so you could jump-start the engine. That’s when you were knocked out.

-----

You sat up slowly rubbing the back of your head. “Ow. That’ll leave a bump.”

“Y/N?” Wanda asked softly, “You okay?”

You looked up and saw three other giant clear containers. Inside each of them was one person. One with Wanda, the other with Nat who was still knocked out and the last one shocked you the most. “Bucky?”

[shinjukuspiritcommittee]

Health and Sports Team Building 1

Fan Event 1

Location: ???

Oh, you’re back. Why? Because you wanted to…? Or maybe… because you felt you had to? You really didn’t get much of a say in it I’m guessing. I’m in the same boat I guess. A lot of the things I know just get decided for me and I don’t ever have any control in what I do. It’s why I asked. I’m just curious if you ever felt that way, that’s all…

~~~

Location: Shinjuku Academy

After another long day of classes, it seemed a well deserved respite was in order for you and your friends. You let loose a rather loud yawn which your friends took notice to. “Finally gettin’ tired of classes?” Kengo teased. You explained that wasn’t quite the case, but rather just exhausted altogether from the lack of sleep.

This seems to have alarmed Shiro. “Oh really? I wonder what could have kept you up.” Shiro’s cold gaze pierced through your sleepiness. You panicked a bit while you responded that students from Yoyogi Academy had kept you out a bit later than normal on your way back. “Hmm, well you are quite popular so it’s no surprise.” You tried to deny you were that popular…

“I agree with Shiro.” Moritaka added. “You are quite known after all that’s happened this past year.” The comments made you a bit sheepish and you wondered aloud if they really thought so.

Ryota laughed. “Yep! There’s just something about you that draws in all sorts of folks. You’ve made a lot of friends too and get involved with all these crazy schemes.” Ryota had a point all things considered. Especially since your sports academy friends did give you a personal invitation to go to their school for their Health and Sports day event. This surprised your friends. “Are they allowed to do that?” Ryota asked with a bit of concern.

“Most cases, no.” Shiro replied. “But since we all celebrate Health and Sports day differently…”

“Whaddya mean? Don’t we all just get the day off?” Kengo asked.

“We do, but Yoyogi Academy is still one of the few prominent schools in Tokyo that still celebrate Health and Sports day. Schools all across Japan used to celebrate it but over the years it’s importance has dwindled quite a bit. At the very least Yoyogi Academy tends to draw out a bit of a crowd every year given the number of athletes that participate so it makes for a nice excuse to watch them compete.” You commented that sounded like a fun day and get a bit excited at what sort of events they might compete in. “All sorts of things like a relay race and tug of war.”

“I once heard they did a Cavalry Battle. Is it true!?” Ryota asked with an equal amount of excitement.

“It’s one of the more uncommon ones but I believe there was…” Shiro pondered. Those didn’t quite sound like normal games. Now you were more excited to see such events play out. You even suggested all your friends should go. “Well, I’m not against going to watch.”

“Lame.” Kengo replied. “If you’re gonna go to a sports school the least you could do is not act like a total bookworm!”

“And maybe you might learn a thing or two about better health habits.” Shiro quipped right back.

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

“Nothing, really. Just all those sweets are gonna catch up to you one of these days.”

“...You little-”

Ryota couldn’t help but laugh at the two’s bickering as it was commonplace for the two to act like that while Moritaka sighed. Ryota continued on through his laughter “While I’m not the biggest sports fan, I’d love to go watch and cheer too.”

“Hmm, perhaps I could hone my skills with their sports clubs.” Moritaka added. “Do you think they have Kendo students?” That actually reminded you that they do. In fact, you met one yesterday…

One day earlier

Location: Shinjuku Park

“Don’t I know you from somewhere?” A girl with her brunette hair tied up in a pony tail asked you as you were on your way back while on your guild patrol. You took a mental note of her uniform and how her hair was quite unkempt. However familiar she was not a girl you’ve interacted with before. “You sure?” You suggested she might just be mistaking you for someone else. “Hmm… not really. I couldn’t forget a face as cute as yours~.” Well- Wait, hold up. Cute? “Yep.” She chuckled as she took a comical step forward, getting close but not quite touching you. Just who was she?

“That’s enough Yui.” Durga said as a small group of three Yoyogi students jogged up to you; Kyuma, Gunzo, and Durga. “Tatsuya was right, you’re gonna scare people just running up like that.”

The girl who was apparently named Yui backed away from you laughing to herself. “C’mon, can’t I have a bit of fun? They’re totally someone who definitely looks like they need a date~.” You interjected what that was supposed to mean. “That you’re cute. You think so too, right Durga?”

“W-What does that have to do with me!?” Dura stammered out while blushing from embarrassment. “Besides, this one’s a pal of ours!”

“What a funny coincidence!” Gunzo laughed. “Guess we took our jog a bit too far up. So what brings you the way out here?” You didn’t want to burden them with your responsibilities too much so you simply said you were out for a stroll since it was Shinjuku Park. While everyone else was convinced, Yui took notice something of you. You noticed but neither of you said anything.

“Well, whatever the case it’s good to see you again!” Kyuma said. “David’s pretty happy to see you again too.” You were glad David and Kyuma were doing well. “We’d love to stay and chat but we should probably head back soon. We’ve gotta make sure everything is ready for tomorrow.” What was happening tomorrow?

“You haven’t heard? Sports Day is coming up.” Gunzo answered. “Its basically a day when we all take the time to learn more about healthy living. Well all of us in the Academy at least.”

“Yeah, it’s mandatory for us…” Durga sighed. You pointed out she didn’t sound very excited. “Yeah, well… the work’s kinda boring and we had to waste a bunch of good days for training to set up for some boring lectures! It’s definitely dreadful!”

Yui then cut in. “That’s no way to talk! We get to do as much outside as we do inside, remember? Can’t have fun without a little torture!”

“Oh, right! I almost forgot about those since I didn’t do any of that work…” She admitted bashfully.

“It’s too bad you can’t play with us.” Gunzo said to you. “It’d be great to be on the same team again!” You actually brought up your school was giving you the day off and you didn’t have much planned so a day outside sounded like a bunch of fun. “Wait, seriously!? Some people get all the luck…” He grumbled while Legion murmured to him you were still there. “Uh, I mean-! That’s great! Totally!”

Kyuma then got on board with the idea. “That sounds like a lot of fun! I hope we get to play against each other!” You told Kyuma you looked forward to it. “Alright! I’m getting pumped just thinking about it!”

“Whoa, hold up a sec!” Yui jumped in. “You can’t just invite anyone to play in these events with us… can you?”

“Well, I’m sure Mr. Arima or Mr. Avarga could get you approved.”  Kyuma suggested.

“Hmm, actually… Tatsuya’s been at the infirmary a lot lately… maybe he can help.” Yui brought up.

“Ever the reliable Den Mother.” Gunzo said. “I’m sure he’s able to convince Mr. Arima. The two are also doing that seminar together, right?”

“Yeah, I think…” You were confused by who they meant. “Oh, right. Tatsuya is a classmate of ours and a member of the Kendo club like me.” Yui explained. “I’ve known him for quite a while… hmm, maybe you two should meet sometime.” He sounds pretty nice. “Yeah…” She said that with a bit of concern in her voice.

“He really is! He’s always helping us around campus and all sorts of smaller things.” Gunzo said.

“Though his lectures…” Durga sighed. “He’s almost as bad as the coaches about studies…”

“Well, maybe if you did study a bit more and got your grades up he wouldn’t be so hard on you.” Kyuma chided.

“Let’s not talk about that! We gotta get back before curfew anyway! See ya!” Durga then bolted off without her other three friends.

“Hey wait a sec- You can’t just ditch us like that!” Gunzo cried out as he and Kyuma charged after her.

Yui looked back at you a bit nervously. “Y-You know… you really should come. I know it’ll our friend happy!” You said you would but what made her so sure Tatsuya would be happy. “He just… would, okay? I can just tell by looking at you! Anyway gotta go bye!” She then charged off after her friends too leaving you by yourself to ponder what to do.

Present Day

Location: Shinjuku Academy

Everyone remained silent as you recounted your story the whole way through. They all took a minute to process what was said until Kengo finally spoke up. “Some just have all the luck.” You asked what that meant since it didn’t seem out of the ordinary for you. “You always get invited to all the fun stuff!” I-It’s not always… was it? You were just the one who had the free time to do so. Besides there wasn’t any harm in extending your invitation out to your friends.

“Yeah, that sounds good at least!” Ryota said. “It’s too bad Toji is gonna be busy tomorrow. I’m sure he would have enjoyed that lecture they were talking about.”

“I know I’m curious.” Your advisor stated. “It’ll be nice to get a change of pace for a change too.”

“Now you’re talkin’!” Kengo whooped.

“I’ll be accompanying you as well then. I would love to test my skill against athletes of that caliber.” You were confident Moritaka could stand his ground and even beat them. “I’m not trying to be THAT impressive. But… it does sound nice.” The canine therian went on sheepishly.

Meanwhile…

Location: Yoyogi Academy Dorms

Tatsuya had wrapped up his work for the day and was ready to turn in early to get a head start on tomorrow’s preparations since he had to do that lecture on mental health with Mineaki and an upperclassmen pretty early in the morning. As he was nearing his room someone called out for him. “Tatsuyaaaa~!” You called out as she jogged over. When she reached him she panted and took a sip of her sports drink. “Man, you shoulda came on that run with us~.”

“Well I was busy.” Tatsuya pointed out while motioning to his bag.

“Oh, right uh…” Yui hesitated at her misspeaking. “Anyway, about Sports Day tomorrow I realized we hadn’t talked much about our plans after that lecture.”

“We haven’t talked much, but I’ve been making plans.”

“What kinda plans?” Yui asked. Tatsuya wordlessly pulled out a paper from his bag and before presenting it to Yui he made her promise to not tell anyone about it. Once she agreed he showed the contents to her and it was all of his approved sports for Sports Day. Yui was taken aback by how many rejections there were. “There’s no way this is real? Can Mr. Arima really pull you from this many activities!?” Tatsuya nodded. However before he could explain Yui continued speaking. “There has to be a mistake. I’m sure I can persuade Mr. Arima to give you a chance. It’s probably your grades or something right? Don’t worry we’ll get this fixed.”

“Wait a sec-” Tatsuya tried to stop her but she took off again for the main building with his paper still in her hands. He took a picture of it so he remembers what sports he was approved for but his main concern was that paper getting lost and getting loose. Tatsuya sighed to himself. “You can’t just fix things because you want to…”

Location: Yoyogi Academy

Yui raced down the halls hoping Mr. Arima hadn’t turned in for the day so she could talk about Tatsuya’s case. While she made it to the office only a student was standing there. “What’s wrong?” He asked as she came up.

“Uh… I was looking for Mr. Arima…” Yui breathed. “Is he not in?”

“You just missed him. He made his way back to the dorms.”

“Dang it, I musta just missed him…” She sighed. “Thanks anyway, er…”

The canine therian replied with “Yasuyori, third year.”

“Ah okay… Uh, you can just call me Yui! I’m a second year. Anyway, thanks again!”

“No problem.” He told her as she ran off to go find him. “Yui, huh? She seemed nice. It’s too bad she missed him…” For some reason he was rather melancholic as he spoke to himself about her.

[coneygoil]

Walking Wounded, part 4

Caryl AU. The waitress at a diner Daryl decides to start frequenting catches his eye, but things are complicated. Now, Daryl is the only thing standing between her and her abusive husband.

Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3

Daryl had assumed most of his life that he was a loner. Merle was company enough. The guys he sometimes hung out with were just drinking buddies, and they caused more trouble in his life than what they were worth. He tended to keep to himself. He concluded that this was how the universe planned for him to be and he accepted that.

Daryl enjoyed talking with Carol. Their conversations came naturally. He found he also enjoyed her quiet company. They didn’t need to fill in the quiet space around them with unnecessary words.

Sophia worried him though. She hadn’t spoken a word out loud in front of him. When she talked to her Mama in his presence, she’d pull her mother down and whisper in her ear. Daryl did hear her speak a few lines that night when Carol and Sophia – adorn in their secondhand pajamas – had retired to the bedroom. He stood in the hallway and listened to the little girl speak – softly like her Mama. He reckoned it’d take a while for her to trust him. Her father had shattered any trust the poor kid had in men or maybe anybody.

Daryl didn’t know how long his guests would be there. This was only the second night, and emotions were still ramped up from the encounter at the diner. As he sat in the living room, gazing around at the clean kitchen and the blanket folded neatly on the couch and all the little touches Carol already left in her short time there, he hoped they’d stay for a long time.

***

“Do you work?”

Daryl had held down odd jobs from the moment he was legally able to work. Merle didn’t know how to keep a job more than a few weeks, so Daryl had taken it upon himself to keep what little income he could flowing in. He rather liked his latest job and the fact that it was the longest job he’d ever held down.

“I work at a garage as a mechanic,” he answered Carol as they ate breakfast the next morning. “Mostly work on bikes, but I dabble with trucks and all. I go in when I get called.” He shrugged a shoulder. “Don’t pay much, but it’s enough to get by.”

Carol rolled the deer sausage absently around on her plate. Something was on her mind. “I-I don’t know if I’ll be able to work anytime soon. I have nowhere for Sophia to go even if I could. I can’t go back to the diner.”

“I should make enough. You and Sophia already got a week’s worth-a clothes that we paid like $15 bucks for and all the bare necessities you need. I can bring home more meat when I hunt. If you don’t mind eating things like squirrel or rabbit or raccoon. The landlord keeps a vegetable garden. We can talk to him about tradin’ or somethin’. We should be okay.”

Carol didn’t look appeased. “I want to earn my keep for staying here. I can clean and cook and do laundry. I’ll mow grass if I have to.”

“Naw, don’t worry about the grass. That’s what the neighbor’s goat is for. Don’t have to pay her. The grass is all she asks for in return.”

Carol laughed – a true laugh. Daryl couldn’t help the smile that crossed his face at the lovely sound. He looked forward to hearing it again. A moment passed and her frown returned.

“Sooner or later, we’ll need to look for a place for me and Sophia to live. We can’t live here forever.”

Daryl’s stomach churned at the reality. She couldn’t stay at his place forever. Carol wasn’t his wife. She wasn’t even his woman and probably never would be. There was the matter that Ed was out there and that she was very much married to him by law. Legalities would have to come into play. Daryl wasn’t sure if she’d wish to press charges against her husband. She’d need a lawyer to divorce him…if that’s the direction she wished to proceed. It was the only route Daryl could fathom that would help move Carol and her daughter into a better future. But, all this depended on what Carol wanted.

Daryl stared at the bottom of his coffee cup as if it held the answers he sought. “Not saying you have to make up your mind today or this week, for that matter, but you gotta decide what you wanna do. Press charges against your old man. Be legally separated. Figure out what you’re gonna do with your life after all of it.”

Without prompting, Carol grabbed the coffee carafe and filled Daryl’s cup three-fourths to the rim. He now knew why she was such a diligent waitress. Her husband trained her to serve his needs well. Daryl thanked her for the refill.

Carol slipped back into her chair. She stared straight ahead, lost in thought. He heard her swallow a lump in her throat. “I can just…be for a little while. Give me some time to collect my thoughts. I’ve been under Ed’s thumb so long I don’t know how to function without him over my shoulder. I feel like I need to relearn how to live again.”

“I understand. I want you to have time for that. But you can’t wait too long. If there’s anything I know about men like Ed, he’ll be on the lookout for you.”

Her next words spent a chill down Daryl’s spine. “Wouldn’t expect anything less from him.”

***

Daryl couldn’t stay cooped up in the trailer all day. He wasn’t sure what Carol and her daughter did at home when Ed was at work, but he had a hunch they didn’t get out much. He was thankful there was land between his trailer and a fair amount of space between next door neighbors. Him and Merle were tucked away in the farthest corner of the trailer park with woods surrounding them, the way they preferred. The landlord was one of those Christian men who’d offered help to his brother multiple times to break his addictions. The landlord had dealt with his own addiction a long time ago from what Daryl gathered. The landlord didn’t so much as blink when Merle cursed him from his offers to better himself. As long as Merle didn’t cause disruption or damage within the community, they wouldn’t be evicted.

Daryl led the way to the trail he’d pounded out when they’d moved in, Carol and Sophia in tow. Sophia stuck close to her mother’s side. She kept her gaze straight ahead and squeezed Carol’s hand with an iron grip. Daryl pointed out various trees and bushes just to keep conversation going, including Sophia into his dialogue hoping to continue to show her he was an okay guy. The trail eventually opened up into a meadow. Dark orange flowers dipped with yellow tips blanketed the knee-high grass.

Daryl stole a glance at Sophia and it was in that moment he caught the wonder spreading across her face. Her grip lessened on Carol’s hand. She reached out to touch the petals of one of the flowers. Her amazement was so great, Daryl wondered if she’d ever touched a flower in her life.

“These’re called Indian Blankets,” he informed, “but sometimes they’re called Firewheels.”

Sophia tilted her face up at Carol and a shock shot up in Daryl at her murmured inquiry, “Can I, Mama?”

Carol glanced at Daryl in question, and he nodded. She shook Sophia’s hand, playfully. “Sure you can, baby.”

Sophia released her mother’s hand and trotted off into the blanket of wildflowers. Daryl watched her then looked at Carol. The most radiant smile graced her lips, as if this was the happiest moment of her entire life.

Daryl didn’t know what over came him. He barely registered his actions before he’d plucked up a flower and extended it to Carol. She stared at the flower offering, bewildered. He raised his eyebrows and gave a little nod as if to say for you. She smiled warmly at him in thanks, taking the flower delicately in the tips of her fingers. He’d never given a woman a flower before, never had the desire or the woman to do so. But if it made Carol happy, he’d give her a flower every day for the rest of his life.

***

Carol couldn’t remember the last time she felt joy. She’d nearly forgotten the emotion existed. Today reminded her of its presence.

Daryl had taken her and Sophia for a walk in the nearby woods. She hadn’t traversed that close to nature in years. Daryl seemed to be at home among the trees. His knowledge of the woods astounded her. He told them what every tree and bush were named. He showed them how he tracked wildlife and pointed out deer tracks that would have been completely lost to the naked eye.

When he brought them to the meadow, Carol’s breath caught. Dozens upon dozens of flowers blanketed the grass. The sight left her in awe. Her throat tightened when Sophia quietly asked her if she could wander through the flowers. The sunlight gleaned on Sophia’s blonde head, the flowers surrounding her, creating a beautiful memory that Carol would cherish.

Then, Daryl presented to her a single flower. Their silent exchange spoke more than any words ever could. Ed had given her flowers before. He’d come traipsing in with whatever bouquet he could snag at the store. He’d shove it at her, slide his palms roughly up and down her arms, and grunt out a ‘didn’t mean to’ for whatever atrocity he’d laid upon her the night before. It’d been 5 years since he’d made an effort to even do that.

Here was Daryl. A man she’d met two months ago. A man that saved her and promised to take care of her, though it was the farthest from being his responsibility. Here he was, shyly giving her a flower in the spur of the moment. She was practically a stranger to him, but he’d given her more in a few days than Ed had in their 10 years of marriage.

Carol gazed at the two Indian Blanket flowers extending from the neck of the beer bottle on the nightstand. Sophia had picked a flower, proudly presenting it to her after she’d seen Daryl give her mother one. Seeing her daughter smile was the greatest gift she’d received. Daryl helped make that possible.

With one last gaze at the flowers to etch into her memory, Carol switched off the lamplight and snuggled close to her daughter. For the first time in years, Carol could believe in a brighter tomorrow.

[petri808]

Request NaLu Natsu cheated on lucy and now he is trying to win her back but she refuses and leaves him and 5 years layer they meet again and get together

Here you go, I hope you like it :)  it worked well for the Day 5 Nalu Week prompt too.  

PS, If anyone is waiting on an Ask request from me, I’m working through them as soon as I can :)     

Pilot Episode, Take Two

@nalu-week Day 5 Trial prompt.  

“Are you fucking kidding me!”  

“L-Lucy, I can explain!”

“We’re done Natsu…”

When she opens her eyes again, the professor was still rambling on about expository writing. She rolls her eyes and stretches her legs under the desk.  This class was such a bore, but it was a requirement for the Journalism degree. Lucy sighs, and props her head up. Why had she been day dreaming about him again?  It’s been almost five years since they’d broken up and while he’d tried to win her back during their remaining months of high school, once they graduated, she’d moved on to college in Crocus and never looked back.  Heck, the only commonality was senior year, shewas now in her senior year of college that is.  

The droning voice of the teacher made it easy for her mind to wander away, back to that final year of school.  First, Natsu had tried the ‘it wasn’t my fault, she kissed me excuse.’  Yeah, she didn’t believe him considering his hand was… let’s just say underthe fabric of the girl’s top.  Then it became the ‘you’re the only girl I’ve loved’line.  Mmhmm, if he loved her so much, he wouldn’t be making out with another girl.  He tried sweet talking, sending her gifts, phone calls and text messages… oh god, the text messages.  She had to hand it to him, Natsu tried really hard to get a second chance, but Lucy hadn’t been ready to forgive and forget.      

There were moments that she almost caved into his pleas because the truth was…  She loved him.  But maybe that’s what hurt her the most and why she just couldn’t open her heart back up to him so soon.  Oh, well, it was ancient history and in less than two months she would be graduating with her degree and moving onto the next stage of her journey.

‘Congratulations Lucy! I knew you could do it <3’

Her cell had been blowing up all afternoon with calls or messages from friends and family wishing her well about graduating, but as she stared at this message, Lucy was dumbfounded. She didn’t recognize the number except that it had a Magnolia area code.  

‘Thanks!  UwU.  Who is this btw?’

‘Just an old friend from hs.’

Well that didn’t narrow anything down.  Lucy had been fairly popular in high school, so the culprit of the cryptic message came from a long list of suspects.  She nibbles at her bottom lip, should she push for an answer or just let it go?  

‘What ur name?’

But no answer ever came. Oh, Well.  With all the parties, packing, and moving from the dorms, Lucy forgets all about the encounter, the message being pushed lower and lower as other’s come through.  Thanks to an internship position her junior year, she’d even landed a job at Sorcerer’s Weekly here in Crocus, effective immediately.  It was a great opportunity and place to start her career.

“Welcome, welcome, welcome!” Lucy’s editor shakes her hand.  “It’s so cool I get to work with you again!”

“Thank you,” she blushes. “I’m very excited to learn all I can from you Jason.”

“Oh, I don’t know, seems you’ve already got the inside track down,” he points to her desk.  “Someone is happy you’re here.  Wish I got flowers,” he chuckles.

Lucy looks at the cubicle and sees a large bouquet of red roses sitting on it.  “Who sent that?”  Jason just shrugs his shoulders.  She walks over with him in tow and finds the card, but all it says is ‘congrats on the new job Lucy’ with no sender given.  

“You’ve also been requested. It’s a really cool one too!!  We’ve been trying to line up an interview with them for months and they’ve told us no until now.  The lead singer asked for you by name.”

“Huh?”  Lucy is confused.  “But I don’t even know any singers.”

“Well he knows you,” Jason winks.

“W-Wait, who is he??”

“As part of the deal for the interview, we’re not supposed to tell you.  He wants to surprise you.  Oooh!”  Jason bounces from foot to foot in excitement.  “I wish I could be there to see it!”

“You’re not coming, I-I have to do my first interview alone?”

“You’ll be fine,” he claps her on the back, “and besides, you did good as an intern, so I know you’ll know what to do.  They’re out of town till next month, the date is written on your calendar.  Get settled in today and we’ll start tomorrow on your training.”

After Jason leaves, Lucy plops onto her chair.  Wow, that had been a rollercoaster!  Monday morning, first day on the job, flowers on her desk, and an interview already lined up. Had she won the lottery?  The date for the interview was three weeks away. Normally, Lucy wanted to know who she will be talking to, get some research in, and that way she’s prepared. She groans, this could turn out really good, or really bad.

Lucy picks up the card again to analyze it and the strangest feeling washes over her.  It reminded her of that text message she received two weeks ago.  She sits back, tapping the card on her chin.  Could it be the same person?  She pulls out her phone and scrolls down to look at it.  The verbiage wasn’t exactlythe same, but the creepy feeling had settled over her, that blaring alarm bell ringing and pointing towards a relationship.

‘Did you send me flowers?’  

‘Yes, did you like it?’

‘It’s very sweet of you, but it’s a little weird not knowing who you are.’

‘…… just think of it as me making amends.  Gotta run now.’

“Oh, no you don’t!”  She’s about to respond when one more message comes through.

‘I’m really glad you made your childhood dream come true Lucy.’

‘Please tell me who you are?!’

And just like the last time, the responses end.  “Ugh!” She drops her phone on the desk.  It was really irritating not knowing who the hell this secret benefactor was, but at least there were clues this time.  They knew about her goal from a young age and ‘Make amends…’  But who needed to make amends?  One blaring choice popped into her mind, but she hadn’t heard from himin years and didn’t think he even knew where she was.  Hopefully she’ll learn who this mystery person is some day.  

Over the next weeks, Lucy trains each day with Jason on the ins and outs of working for a magazine.  Their primary job was doing the interviews, but they worked closely with each of the different departments that puts the whole thing together from the photographers, writers, to the layout designer.  It was tiresome trying to learn so much, but she was having a blast doing it.  

Her anonymous benefactor hadn’t disappeared either.  At first Lucy was annoyed with this person’s seemingly intimate knowledge of her life, but as time progressed, she had to admit each act or gesture was endearing even when she didn’t completely understand what it meant.  From quotes or poems, she once loved to be being sent cute clothes in styles and colors she favored.  The things this person sent her never missed the mark!  They were spoiling her in such a charming manner, and it was driving her heart crazy.  

A knock at her door nearing 10pm, startles Lucy out of the zone she was in late one Saturday evening. “Pizza delivery.”  She hears from the other side.

She didn’t order any pizza. Cautiously, and leaving the chain on, she cracks opens the door, “That can’t be mine…”

“Internet order for Lucy Heartfilia, one medium pineapple pepperoni pizza and a bottle of diet Coke.”  The boy chuckles, “gotta say it’s an odd combo but well it’s already paid for ma’am so you might as well take it.”

Lucy blinks, it’s exactly what she would order, had she been the one who’d placed it.  “Alright.”  She accepts the delivery and puts it on her coffee table with an exasperated sigh. Oh, this had to be the myserious person.

‘Pizza at 10pm?!’

‘Guessed you still write late at night.  You tend to forget to eat when you do.’

She balks and stares at the response.  It was true and all but, ‘look thank you, I appreciate it but you are driving me crazy with this whole secrecy thing!’

‘I promise to reveal myself soon.  Sweet dreams Lucy <3’

On the morning of the interview, she’d shown up to work and to another ‘gift’ waiting on her desk.  Delivered directly by the jewelry store, it was a small gift box containing a charm bracelet.  Of all the presents, this was by far the most expensive to date.  Jason was freaking out just as much as Lucy was over her luck.  Each charm represented something truly special to her.  Ballet slippers from her youth, star is a love she shared with her mother, white dog marked her first pet, pen for a dream of writing, pink heart was her favorite color, but the sixth charm made her heart stop.  A flame.

“No…” she breathes out. “It can’t be.”

“What is it?!”  Jason bounces next to her unable to contain his excitement. “Spill it!”

“M-My ex…. I-I think it’s from my high school boyfriend.”

Jason’s eyes widen.  “Cool!!!  You should wear that to your interview, it’ll look good on you!”

“N-No, I-I can’t,” Lucy shuts the box and slips it into her purse.  She gathers her recorder, pad and pen, “I better get going, the car is waiting to take me to the interview now.”  Then takes off out of the office before Jason could say anything more.

During the whole car ride to the recording studio where the interview would take place, Lucy couldn’t get her heartrate to slow down.  Over and over she replayed all the anonymous contacts they’d had since graduation night.  The clues had all been there, but she’d never let herself believe it.  Five years…. Five years!  Why was he back now?!  And why was she so flustered?!  Ugh! She couldn’t go into this interview with her mind racing like this!  

“We’re here,” the driver breaks her out of her inner rant.  

“Oh,” Lucy looks up at the building.  “Thank you.”

She gets out of the car and a studio personnel takes her straight to a conference type room, explaining along the way that she’ll be interviewing the lead singer of an up and coming band.  The employee asks her to please wait there in the room, he’ll be there shortly.  Lucy fidgets in her seat.  ‘Calm down, calm down,’she chants with her eyes closed, ‘get through the interview, go home and scream…’

The door opens.  Lucy looks up and the person that greets her was the one person she didn’t know if she wanted to see.  

“Natsu…”  She jumps up from her seat as he comes closer.

“Hey Lucy,” he nervously cups the back of his neck.  “Sorry for the…”      

“It was you!” she punches his chest.  “All this time!  All this time…” she hits him over and over as all of the pent-up emotions she’d been feeling erupts, and tears stream down her cheeks.  “Why?!” Lucy finally stops and slumps against his chest sobbing hysterically.

Natsu had expected a harsh reaction, knowing Lucy’d received the bracelet that morning and it gave too pointed of a clue for her not to realize its sender.  He says nothing and simply wraps his arms around her, just letting the woman release everything she’s been holding in for probably the last five years. As her sobs slow, he cradles her head gently against his chest, rubbing small circles along her back.  He buries his nose in her hair, oh, how he’s missed her scent, and kisses her crown.

“I’ve missed you so much Lucy.”  When her only response is a sniffle, Natsu continues.  “I was an idiot in high school to have lost you and these last five years have been empty because of it.  So, I had my manager help me track you down and that’s how I knew about graduation, your new job, and stuff.”

Her voice is soft, and the anger had dissipated from her tone.  “Why didn’t you just tell me it was you?”

“I didn’t know if you would answer if you knew it was me.  I gave up winning you back once when I was too dumb to realize…” he lifts her chin, “so this time I wanted to show you how much I still love you.”

“You do?”

He nods his head, eyes crinkling when he smiles and gazes back at her.  Natsu smooths a thumb over her cheek, “you are still so beautiful Lucy…”

She averts her eyes. It was all so much to take at once. Not only was her ex the anonymous person but finding out he’s a singer in a band that was growing in popularity. How would she know that this was real and that one day some groupie wouldn’t come along, and she’d catch him cheating again?  

Lucy sucks in the corner of her lip as she processes the situation, but Natsu knows that tell instantly. “Lucy, I swear on my mother I will never hurt you like that again.”

“You can’t make a promise like that.”

“Why can’t I?  The fact I haven’t had a girlfriend since you left me should tell you something.  I know now, I don’t want anyone else but you.  And if you still don’t believe me, just ask Gray yourself, he’s still my best friend and knows everything I’ve done this whole this time.”  Natsu takes her hand, “please just give me a second chance Lucy.”

She was so torn.  A part of her still loved him too, and she wanted to believe this could work…

“Okay.”

“Really,” his eyes brighten, “you’ll be my girlfriend again?!”

Damn it his grin was still irresistible!  “Yes,” she exhales and squeezes his hand back, “I’ll be your girlfriend again. But so, help me Natsu if you screw around this time, I will cut something off!”

“Oof,” that sent a phantom pain to his groin, but he couldn’t blame her for the comment.  “You won’t regret it, I swear it.”

Lucy nods and stands up straight, recollecting her thoughts.  “Now that that’s settled, am I still doing an interview or was that just to set up this meeting?”

“Oh!  Right!” Natsu chuckles, “that’s real.”  He grabs her hand and pulls her towards the door, “I’ll introduce you to the rest of the band first…”