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justbelievinginmagic · 29 days ago

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MIRAGE - part 1: paradigm shift.

pairing(s): ot8 ateez x reader, focus on hongjoong x reader & wooyoung x reader series summary: Your life aboard the airship, the Illusion, with the Ateez Crew wasn't any fantasy. As rebels against the Android Guardians, as no-good pirates to society, life was full of running, lying, and fighting. It wasn't the dream life you had imagined when you had met the charming young Kim Hongjoong in the port of Aurora years ago. When an enemy unexplainably caught up to the airship, you made a choice that shattered the universe, sending you hurtling back to a time before the Android Guardians, before the Illusion, and even before Ateez. warnings/tags: for mature audiences!, inspired by Illusion MV, inspired by Ateez's lore, inspired by the Treasure Albums, Pirate AU, Sci-Fi / Technopunk vibes, Dystopian AU, Time Travel AU, 3rd person POV, fem!reader, use of YN, polyteez, too much sci fi universe lore, violence, gore, mature topics, angst, fluff, weaponry (they're pirates), death, blood, canon divergent Cromer, canon divergent Android Guardians, distant love, strained love, obsession, magic, very lightly edited lol, let me know if there are more tags needed. word count: 8.6 k -> next chapter series masterlist

Somewhere high above the smog-covered, tech-invested cities, a floating ship soared through the clouds. Pastel-blue and soft-purple skies encompassed it as it sailed under, around, and above cotton-candy clouds. Wind rustled the large white sails, tickling over YN’s arms as she walked across the deck of the ship. A shadow cast over the main deck, shielding them from the bright star of a sun. A damp chill clung as the cloud dispersed lightly through the sails.

It felt like a perfect day. It had been a long time since they sailed throughout the clouds rather than above them. Too often than not, Hongjoong ordered them to sail above the clouds, away from sight. But when they sailed through soft cotton-candy clouds like this, it threw her back to the beginning of it all.

Memories of the mischievous then-sailor Hongjoong, a younger and more naïve man with his soft-feathered brown mullet, flickered to the surface. The way he had met her on the stacked upon stacked docks of Aurora. Aurora was once a beautiful port with its sherbert pebbled shores. But even when he and her met, those shores had become faded with pollution. The skies were still pastel soft despite the layer of smog that grew from the air-ships and few remaining water-ships that found their home there. But that day… his face could’ve rivaled the sparkling sun; it was so bright. He smiled so sweetly as he introduced himself boldly, stepping into her way on the busy docks.

“I’m Kim Hongjoong.”

And she had been so wary, despite his good looks, despite his near-glowing smile. She hadnt shaken the hand outstretched to her, instead glanced at it and back at his coy smile. Her arms crossed. His smile grew.

“No need to be careful. I can tell we are going to be good friends.” He proclaimed, hand dropping. “Will you be my friend?” he added, stepping forward, as if he knew the answer.

It was an arrogant statement, and it had her pushing past him to fall into the crowds once more.

She had seen him day after day. Each day he’d chime out a different nickname.

“Hello, Star.”

“Hi again, my Horizon.”

“How’s your day going, Starlight?”

“Have a moment, twilight?”

It was funny that each nickname only made her brow raise until finally she turned on her heel and faced the young man perched on a barrel. He leaned his cheek against his curled knee as he smiled his charming grin her way.

“What does ‘twilight’ even mean as a nickname?” she half-laughed incredulously.

He bit his lower lip as he shifted his head to look at her straight on.

“Have you ever seen twilight from an air-ship?” Hongjoong prompted; he leaned back on the barrel casual.

YN shook her head. She didn’t specialize in ships – despite coming from the port of Aurora. She’d come and go to the traveler ships – the last few oceanliners and the more common air-cruises that docked. And she’d draw for them. Little caricatures or pictures of the shores of Aurora in its prime. Tourist things they could pay a few spare credits for with the hover of their phones and cards. Yet she had never flown in an air-ship and it had been a long time since she sailed on a water-freight.

He smiled. “It’s the most magical time.” He admitted. “There is an energy at twilight. Purple, blue, orange, and pink. That’s how I feel about you. Twilight.”

She laughed a bit.

“Poetic,” she commented.

“Maybe,” his stare hadn’t shifted from her as he smiled, tilting his head. Hongjoong pushed off the barrel to stand in front of her. “But it caught you, didn’t it?”

The smile that came to her lips was like a wild-fire, uncontrollable and bright. His grin grew at its spark.

“I’m Hongjoong,” he reminded, hand outstretched.

“YN.” She finally introduced.

“YN,” he breathed out like he was starstruck. Her hand in his felt electric.

Only a week later, he had taken her by the hand, that same spark going through her bones, as he tugged her along.

“Hold my hand,” he encouraged, excited. “I got to show you something.”

Running between the crowd felt freeing, winding through the multi-leveled docks, they climbed higher and higher until they were at the base of an air-ship. The thing looked new, shiny, and pristine. Its carved name, the Illusion, was freshly shaped on its rear. It reeked of new wood and new linens and new everything.

“An air-ship,” she stated. Her brow raised as she looked up at him.

“Mine,” he insisted. “Ours.”

She had learned in this short time that Hongjoong had dreams of grandeur that accompanied his arrogance. If he wasn’t so charming, it’d be a negative trait. But instead, it filled her with hope.

“Ours?” she repeated, doubtful.

He turned to her with stars in his eyes.

“It will be,” he chimed. “Once you step foot aboard my ship, you’ll never want to leave me.”

“Leave you?” she noted with a raised brow, a chuckle in her voice.

“I said what I said,” he replied coyly. “Let me ask you… will you join me?”

And something in her said to take the leap, to see if he was right. The way the sparkling sunlight up here haloed him made him seem magical, something special. Was she just going to stay here forever in the slums of a slowly polluting city?

She could live with him. Explore the world.

“Aye, captain,” it had been a joke as she took the first step up the gangplank, but it had led to where she was now.

And he was right. She hadn’t wanted to ever leave Hongjoong or the Illusion or the seven other men that had slowly joined them and made a home in her heart… at least not ‘til recently. Her gaze flickered from across the skies to the very man she was remembering. But, in front of her stood a very different Hongjoong. No longer was he a sailor, what stood before her was a pirate king.

Instead of a mullet of natural fluffy brown hair, he had taken to dying it and keeping it short. Between ink black to navy blue to vibrant blondes, he’s tried everything in effort to remain hidden. He sported a ruby-red color now – the shade had been fading like a sunset over the past few weeks until it was a soft honey-pink. His face was obscured by a dark mask, chains interlacing over its front as he leaned across the banister in front of the helm. He looked off onto the horizon, eyes piercing. His fingers, chipped in black paint, tapped out a beat as he stared off. His eyes were tired. When was the last time he slept? She couldn’t remember – and she shared a living quarters with him.

They were hiding once more. It had been weeks since they evaded their attackers, but still he insisted on wearing the mask. He had once ordered them all to do so, but pirates didn’t do well with commands. One by one, they tossed the mask aside in their cabins. He frowned, at least she thought he did (it was hidden by his mask) as he looked over his most-trusted members of his crew. Disappointed.

It wasn’t as if they were in the heavily-monitored cities again. Their ship was thousands of miles up in the sky away from the Android Guardians, away from the Initiative. But he was growing paranoid, she knew it. He was worried about something.

His gaze shifted from the open skies to her, looking her over with his cutlass-sharp brown eyes. Before they flashed away. Almost like if he stared too long, he’d fall into thoughts he didn’t want to think.

He was avoiding her. It was plain and simple. She used to think this was the ultimate freedom. She wasn’t sure what it was anymore. Did he even love her? Did he tire of her? He held a distant sense of responsibility, but he was their captain wasn’t that his role. Is that all he felt for her? He made sure she was safe, made sure she slept, but when was the last time there was affection? YN couldn’t remember.

When it had been just them in this large ship, he had said to her, “Just be my companion, and that’ll be enough.” It didn’t feel that way anymore. Countless nights she had tried to tell him. But he shrugged her off, turning his shoulder as he looked over a pirate map. You have the others, YN. I need to figure this out. Even if the puzzle pieces of her heart were made up of eight, missing one piece still distorted the puzzle’s picture.

Shifting in her chair, one of the many mismatched kitchen chairs that Yeosang or San had hauled up from the galley and placed around a large crate, she let out a sigh. Things had been so different on the ship as of late. Reality was a sour taste to the few years of honeyed fantasy together. Her woe came out in her art. A sketch-book rested on the make-shift table; her own drawings decorated the page. It used to be full of her loves – side profiles of Seonghwa while he cooked, full body sketches of San while he tightened the riggings, shirtless, in the mornings, doodles of Wooyoung posing for her dramatically as they laid in bed. Happy smiles on their faces. It had become more and more full of restless scribbles instead.

Her heart ached. Alone despite the bustling crew around her. Men and women that they had picked up in order to outrun their hunters. It used to be different. It used to be a group decision around a shared dinner as they discussed how they felt about adding a new crew member. The Illusion used to just need the nine members of Ateez.

“You alright, my baby?” The voice that interrupted her thoughts was a gentle one, deep but kind.

The dark-haired man’s plump lips were in a deep pout as he looked down at her. And while he had sharp features, sharp jaw, sharp brows, even a sharp swoop of hair, he was so soft. Mingi had always been a gentle creature – though he was the sharpest long-range shooter that ever flew the skies. Even better than Seonghwa.

With one hand, he pushed his bulky headphones off his ears, so that they rested slung around his neck. Something funky with a lo-fi beat hummed heavily through them. It just fit Mingi so much. He smiled down at her soothingly, a calloused hand raising to caress over her cheek.

This was what made her heart so sad. Because despite her melancholy, her depression Jongho had told her once while they laid alone in his hammock, she did love them. Even now.

She loved the ones she called the true crew of Ateez.

Mingi, her gentle sharpshooter who was shy around the ones he loved and yet confident and deadly around those who threatened them.

Jongho, their brilliant Quartermaster who worked to make sure all parts of the ship were ready for attack, but also taught the crew all he knew so that they would be safe if he wasn’t there to protect them.

Yunho, their hardworking navigator who wouldn’t rest until they were set on a proper course and wouldn’t sleep until all of eight of the Ateez upper-crew were asleep and safe.

Yeosang, her sweet Bosun who oversaw the crew by his spot in the crow’s nest ensuring their freedom was never compromised but also would keep their spirits high with his gentle jokes.

Wooyoung, her rebellious wild Gunner who found a game in anything and loved to tease and sweet-talk each of his lovers until they flushed and fluttered.

Seonghwa, their mother-hen of a First Mate, loyal to a fault but would rather die than see his freedom or his loves stolen from him.

San, their strong Helmsman who could easily control the wheel no matter the weather but would cry if she ever mentioned how she was feeling – ever a sweetheart.

And, of course, Hongjoong, her Captain. Their Captain. Who found them, took them in, and loved them she knew. But he loved one thing even more – treasure.

Mingi’s ringed thumb brushed over her cheek once more, pulling her from her thoughts. “You are day-dreamy, baby,” he rumbled, frowning.

She flashed an apologetic smile.

“Sorry, princess,” she hummed out, nuzzling into his palm.

He pulled away with an embarrassed flush, glancing around. As if the opinions of the faceless crew meant more than her affections. It hadnt been like that before.

“Baby,” he whined lowly.

He used to love being called all sorts of nicknames before they hired their first non-Ateez member. Because that’s what this was – Ateez and crew. Not just the crew, Ateez. She laughed softly, going to grab his hand once more to bring it back to her cheek. His bracelets clanked, and his rings felt cool against her skin. Mingi had always been one to love the reaping of their conquests. A main reason why he’d never fight out against Hongjoong’s crusades. His outfit was modern, sleek on his form; his headphones the newest brand stolen from a billionaire’s mansion they looted.

“Can Yunho only call you that?” she teased. “Princess?”

“You—how – How do you know that?” he whispered close.

“I hear all, babe,” she replied with a chuckle. That was her skill after all. Seeing things from a different perspective; she was often the one to figure out a way of attack. Her plans and observations weren’t what the others thought of in discussions. Observe, analyze, interpret. “I know everything about my loves,” she teased once again, squeezing his hand.

A yawn broke through her – making her shudder. He frowned, the humor of their conversation leaving when it came to their well-being. Mingi loved knowing things, too – or more so, loved eavesdropping. Sometimes she assumed his headphones played no music, and it was just so he could listen into other people’s conversations without them thinking he was paying attention.

“Are you not sleeping well?” he asked.

She offered a sleepy look his way. “Hongjoong’s been up-and-down most nights. He’s paranoid,” she admitted, glancing towards the red head.

Last night, he kept reading a notebook she had never seen, pacing this way and that as his eyes flickered to his Treasure. Not her, of course. He’d bite his lip and go back to his research. A chalkboard behind him – that one held their next destination mapping – now held scribbles of notes she couldn’t decipher. A fanatic’s raving about the Treasure.

Mingi’s brows raised curiously, following her gaze. His Captain showed no emotion; with his steely eyes locked on the horizon and the rest of his face blocked by the dark mask.

“He’s convinced something will happen,” she mumbled, her head shifting to rest against Mingi’s toned stomach. His hand automatically rose to stroke over her head. “With his Treasure.”

Mingi scoffed. Treasure. He didn’t know what was so special about a stupid hourglass. Wooyoung and Yeosang agreed with him, and he bet others did too but… they all knew how Hongjoong acted when it came to the Treasure.

It had taken priority over the last year.

“Go sleep in my cabin; you’re always welcome there,” he told her, scratching her head softly.

“I can nap out here,” she insisted.

They used to do that often, falling asleep on the deck while staring up at the clouds. When was the last time they did just that? She couldn’t remember.

“Seonghwa would hate if you got stepped on,” he commented.

“And you wouldn’t?” she joked.

Mingi shrugged teasingly. She jabbed his stomach. He dodged. Her head lulled to the side as she lost her makeshift standing pillow.

“Go on, pirate princess,” he insisted, gesturing towards the latch towards the lower decks. “I’ll let Captain and Seonghwa know where you are if they ask.”

She nodded slowly. Sleepiness ate at her. Maybe it was just the lack of something in her life. Maybe it was the weather. Maybe it was depression like Jongho thought. Maybe it was just her. She wasn’t sure – all she knew was she had felt wrong for days, weeks, months. Restless, exhausted, unenthusiastic. Unignited.

Maybe sleep was all she needed. So, when she curled up next to Yunho in Mingi’s small cabin covered in any and all music memorabilia he could find, it felt right. He wrapped her up in his long limbs and, while she didn’t feel better, she felt safe. Wasn’t that enough?

The ship rocked violently; the sounds of gunfire and ricochet thundering into the cabin. Jolting from sleep, she sat up in a panic. There was another explosion shuddering the wood of the Illusion. Without much thought, she hoisted herself out of Yunho’s bed; he was gone, bedsheets rumpled. There were records and music tapes scattered on the ground from the rocking and rolling of the fast-sailing ship.

Running throughout the lower decks, all she saw was destruction and chaos. Crew running this way and that. Yelling. Running. Smoke. Climbing higher and higher, she pushed open the main deck’s latch to be hit with pandemonium.

Explosions rang out all about her. Half-awake in her pajamas, the world she knew and loved looked less like a daydream and more like a waking nightmare. Yells cried out; screams of pain pierced the air. Small fires licked at the well-loved, graffitied hull, burning away drawings and memories etched into the yellow-heart and blue mahoe wood. Riggings were hanging limply from the masts; ropes decorated the floor like guts. A few lower crew members laid unresponsive, bloodied. Large chunks of the ship laid scattered about, making the large deck look more like an obstacle course than her home.

Her eyes darted from every unresponsive man she could spot. Not him. Not him. Where were they? Were they okay? Wood shards were flung into the air as she ran across the deck of the air-ship. Ducking behind a large wooden box, one they used often as a makeshift table but now she used as protection against the crash of chaos. Glancing around, she searched for a weapon, something in case the attack came onboard. But there was little weaponry lying about. They’d been alone for two weeks – the threat had been gone. Gunfire rang out, and cannons flashed. Her eyes shut tight as the bright bang blinded her for a moment.

The threat was here.

It could only be one entity.

Coughing through smoke, she tried to spot the highest members of the crew. She finally spotted one among the pandemonium. Ash blond hair was plastered back from his forehead, mussed and sweatied, as he pushed ahead. A cannon ram looked more like a scepter with how he wielded it. Commanding the gunners on how to reload and aim at their enemy. Rushing past the long-line of gunners, Jongho was a vision of strength; fury etched into his brow as he strode past, staring down the enemy ship.

“Fire! Now!” Jongho’s voice cried out. “Fire starboard!”

She stood then, aiming to run to his side before the piercing sound of their cannons went off. Senses burnt like a live-wire; her ears rang and her eyes felt blurred before there was a thud of sneakers beside her, a muscular arm going to press her down against the ground as something whittled through the air above their heads and slammed into the mast beside them. Wood debris rained down over them. YN huffed and puffed, trying to catch the breath that had gotten knocked from her lungs. His arm kept them pressed into the floor.

“YN. There you are – fuck, watch out.”

His breath was hot against her neck, sweat and cinders dripped down his face. Familiar orange blossom and light green apple wafted over her, giving a momentary comfort in the gun-smoke and destruction. Yunho’s hands shifted her against him, tugging her half-underneath him. Protecting her with his form as another cannon-ball whistled overhead. Their gazes met. Panic crossed over his face, ash coating his blue hair and colorful clothes making them look ghastly.

“Who’s attacking?” she asked, trying to shift from her lover’s protective embrace to peer over the hull at the other air-ship. Yunho yanked her back down as another crash of cannon fire rang out. The nearby cannon a fellow crew member utilized throttled back heavily on its wheels as it fired out its deadly weapon. His hand covered her head, over her ears and curling her into his chest. Cursing beneath his breath, he held her closer, wishing he could keep her safe in between his ribs. Beside his hummingbird heart.

“It’s the Guardians!” he told her closely, his voice as breathless as she felt. “Same frigate from Paradise.”

They could hear Seonghwa’s war cry from somewhere across the ship and the always-familiar bang of his rifle. Far from their ship, there was a scream.

“We can’t outfight them,” she told Yunho.

She knew better than anyone – except perhaps Jongho – about their stocks. They were low on ammunition; they hadn’t stopped long enough to restock.

“We need to get out of here. Before they hit the mainsail.”

Glancing upwards, she took in their large white-sailed masts. Three of them stood tall and proud, billowing with air as they guided them in their sail through the skies. Squinting, she could see Yeosang in his sunny-yellow sweater that he loved, high in the crow’s nest. There was a splatter of red across his face as he pulled binoculars away, pointing and yelling down to the crew below.

“Land! Portside!”

“He’s okay,” Yunho reassured. He had just come from climbing between the sails like a spider monkey.

Wreckage showered down over them as a cannon ball struck the mainsail mast with a shattering of wood, but it remained steady. Thankfully, it was a thick sturdy pole. But, before relief could flush through her and Yunho, the ship heaved to the side with a lurch. Yunho scrambled to keep them down against the floorboards. A cry tumbled out of the remaining crew as their shoes slid and their canons followed suit heavily rolling against them. Some sickening crunches were heard. Yunho dug his sneakers into the wood as his hand rose to cup the back of her head, ducking them down to take the brute of the slide – in case anything hit them. His back pushed into the side of the hull while she was cradled into his arms and lanky legs. Their head snapped at the sound of their Captain’s yelling.

“San!” Hongjoong’s sharp voice bit out from somewhere.

“Working on it, Captain,” San grunted out.

She could see between fire and smoke San at the helm; his muscles rippling as he tried to control their ship. He pulled at the wheel, trying to take control of their ship. His teeth gritted as he finally righted their ship and snarled something beneath his breath as he looked back at the attacking air-ship.

Yunho stood quickly, hoisting her forward. His hands lifted her onto her feet easily.

“Get to Hongjoong’s quarters,” he breathed to her, hand on her cheek as he urged her to understand his intent. “Hide!”

As if that’d be any safer, she thought. But Yunho’s rough hands were already onto their next goal – moving from her face to encouraged her to go, go, go, pushing her towards the Captain’s Quarters. There was no room for discussion right now.

“Run,” Yunho said as he reached for a discarded sword, the metal shlinging as it was unsheathed. “Now, YN.”

So, she did. Running around figures and broken riggings, past Jongho who’s gaze flickered to her fearfully until he saw her path ahead. She was going towards the others; she’d be safe there. Stomping up the stairs, she finally caught sight of the large airship attacking them. The frigate overpowered their smaller ship, but it gave her some relief to see flames billowing out of its keel. There was hope that they could outrun them. They were smaller.

Racing up the last few steps up to the quarterdeck, she felt an explosion burst beside her, sending her stumbling. Her ears rung as she was flung into the thick railings of the deck painfully. Her waist ached and she felt like she’s was going to lose her dinner. Dazed, she felt faint for a moment. The ringing and blurred smoke of the ship all she could process. Canon fire rung out again. She blindly crouched, her hand wrapping around the banister of the railing to keep herself steady.

“YN!” she heard San cry out distantly.

Everything felt far away. She tried to shake her head, tried to steady herself. Her face stung and burned uncomfortably, but all she had on her mind was to get to Hongjoong’s quarters. Someone hoisted her back to standing. Large hands held onto her shoulders as they peered into her face. He called her name again, a hand going to cup her face. A grimace graced his face as he came into a non-double vision view.

Wooyoung’s face was covered in smears of soot, hands a dark color from the gun powder he had helped a crew member load into a cannon moments ago. His squid-ink black hair looked grey with ash. Fingers went to the side of her face, prying bits of wood away from her new wound. A large collection of splinters dug into her cheek to her temple in a long gash.

“Are you ok?” he asked fast. His eyes were wide and fearful. “Baby!”

She nodded slowly, dazed, before shaking away her bewilderment. In her adrenaline rush, she truly didn’t feel much pain. It was all so fleeting – hard to distinguish amongst the chaos. Like when you can’t tell if something is burning cold or freezing hot to the touch. Her own hand went to feel the damage, coming away red. Wooyoung flinched at the sight.

“I’ll live; I’m fine. Go,” she encouraged, moving to push him with her hand.

Wooyoung was their best gunner with his accuracy. Her palm had left a bloody hand print on his colorful red-white-blue-yellow graphic tee as she curled her fingers into his fabric near pleading. He hadnt shifted an inch, his face drenched in agony at the sight of her pain.

“Woo, aim for their rudder; slow them down. So, we all can make it out alive.”

His face was stoney, a type of seriousness Wooyoung rarely got. He nodded firmly as he turned to observe their attacker. His hands firmly kept her in place – keeping her grounded. The Guardian’s grand white-painted frigate towered above them, not overtaking them yet. It seemed it wanted to cause more damage than board them as of now. They’d take that blessing.

“Captain,” Wooyoung crowed out instead. “Any orders?”

Their Captain stood on the platform above his quarters. With his honey-red hair, he was easy to spot – even more so with his attire. He wore a vibrant red fur coat that barely stayed on his shoulders as he paced in battle, a white graphic tee, skinny jeans, and black Doc Martins. He wasn’t a picture of a sea-salted, wobbly old pirate. But his face surely held the power of one. His glare could strike someone down as he growled out.

“Prevent them from boarding!” Hongjoong bit out, reaching for his pistol on his hip. He raised it into the air, shooting at the opposing ship’s crew. “Protect the Treasure at all costs.”

The treasure, the treasure, the treasure. That was all he cared for now it felt. Even in the heat of battle, he was one-track minded. Wooyoung hissed through his teeth as he turned back. Wooyoung had been someone she had shared this feeling with before. Hongjoong and his obsession for his treasure. It was like a parasite sucking at his soul. But Wooyoung’s concern only grew as he surveyed the deck. Her head turned to look back at the ship soaring so close by. It was bad.

“Of course, he’d say that,” Wooyoung muttered before he moved away from her.

His hands leaving her arms left her wobbly, and he quickly tried to make up for his failure. He steadied her with both hands.

“You aren’t okay,” he muttered out, pressing her into her spot firmly. His hands went to her jaw, cupping it and directing her gaze.

“We don’t have time to not be okay; we are in a battle!” she replied.

Her head turned to glanced back at Hongjoong, at San. Yeosang was swinging down from the crow’s nest, a dangerous attempt, as Mingi cried up at him to watch out for this and that. They all were not okay – they all were in danger.

And all Hongjoong could think about was treasure.

“Go hide,” Wooyoung warned. “Somewhere, anywhere. Stay alive – this will all be over soon.”

She nodded firmly; Wooyoung returning it. He squeezed her shoulder, risking a kiss to her forehead, before running off. He’d hit their rudder; he had to. He was their best shot.

“Be safe,” she yelled to him, to them, as she continued her journey towards the Captain’s Quarters.

Flinging the stain-glassed French doors open, she ran inside Hongjoong’s room. Turning, she quickly locked them behind her with a flick of a golden lock. The familiar sight of Hongjoong’s sanctuary would be reassuring if there weren’t shattered glass from the exterior windows blown out across the cabin. The drapery around his space used to give it a soft look, now with torn fabrics and destruction, it looked like a mummy of itself. A cannon ball was embedded on the map-covered desk, a large splintering gash through the wooden desk.

Their safe space was half-destroyed; the ship was in ruins; and it sent a wave of fear crippling through her. That this was the end. But no, she couldn’t think of that now. She looked around. Could she hide in the wardrobe? Or the chest by the door? What if something hit it? No, she needed a weapon first.

She rushed further into the space, going towards his king-sized bed alcoved into the wall of the hull. It sheets were still rumpled from last night. Tossing Hongjoong’s pillow aside, she grabbed the pistol he kept hidden there and checked to make sure it was loaded.

Feeling better with the heavy weapon in her palm, she turned back to survey the room only for something to blind her. A light flare flashed over her face, making her flinch back. Her hand rose to cover her eyes.

Follow me. It pulled.

Shining from within Hongjoong’ desk, something caught her eye like a lit-flame, like a burning guiding star. Through a crack in the wood, the thing glimmered and shimmered and she swore it called to her.

Into the light. Into that light. Beyond the light.

The temptation dragged her towards it. Her brows pursed as she felt something burn in her chest. Like a live-wire. Rounding the desk, she crouched down, pulling each drawer open. Some tumbled off of their tracks and onto the messy floor, others hung open lazily. Pearls, music CDs, credit cards. Empty snack bags, glass bottles, wires for computers and gadgets. A laptop covered in stickers, love letters, condoms, keys to the brig. No. No. No.

Find me.

Where was it? Where did he put it?

There was a loud lurch of the ship like a dog yanking on its leach and a horrible tearing sound. Like splintering wood and broken metal. The entire ship trembled and sagged at an angle. Glass, knick-knacks, and maps clattered and rolled towards the door. The desk was screwed into the planks (at the request of Seonghwa, she remembered) and didn’t move an inch. Her hands gripped the desk top. A commotion exploded outside and slowly but surely the ship righted. They weren’t leaning anymore, but they weren’t sailing. But YN couldn’t focus on that.

All she could focus on was that light. Where was it?

Find me.

The light gleamed from within the desk but after tearing out the drawers’ there was nothing within. Her fingers slide over the wood of the desk, carefully searching for a divot, a secret compartment, something. Hongjoong trusted them, obvious by the lack of locks on his drawers. But maybe he had thought ahead. Her Captain often did.

Her nails stuck into a fine line, a thin crevice finally found, on the wall of the desk. With effort, she pulled and tugged at the plank until it popped open to reveal the sparkling artefact. It was almost holy; the way the light sighed at her and hummed. Almost like it was saying hello.

Now, this wasn’t the first time she had seen the Cromer. They all had seen it before, but never before had it shimmered and gleamed like it held glowing stardust. Like something magical was happening.

It wasn’t large, no, it was just large enough to be the size of a small water-bottle. The Cromer was intricate and yet simple in its design. Gold-wrought wire framing held a delicate glass-blown hourglass. Sand forever trickled, not downwards but upwards, as if gravity didn’t exist in its plane. Something magical. Something precious. Something they had still yet to understand beyond it was a treasure that they needed to protect from falling into the wrong hands. That’s what Hongjoong had always said and she never understood why… til now.

There was a clash of blades from the deck, making her jump and look up. A shadow had covered the desk… The sunlight that had poured into the quarters from the blasted windows was gone. No, no… they were being boarded. That was the only reason there would be blades crossed.

She pried the Cromer out of its velveteen holding space. Even touching it felt strange. Like there was an electric hum running up through her veins where it touched her skin. She shoved the hidden compartment closed with a thud, pushing at the drawers to shut as many as could. Already shifting from her crouched position, YN glanced around the room.

She had to hide.

Running towards the large oaken closet, she swung open the doors and shoved herself inside. Pushing jackets and fur coats aside, she nestled herself as far as she could wiggled herself into the closet, cradling the Cromer in her lap and reaching to slam the closet doors shut. One hand wrapped around the glass of the hourglass and the other around Hongjoong’s pistol.

YN shut her eyes, listening closely. Heavy footsteps, clash of swords, gunfire. She heard it all, and it made her stomach curdle.

How did the Android Guardians take them by storm? Everything had been calm waters recently. Itd been weeks since their last port. Yeosang kept careful watch. They were careful of their trails. How did they find them?

There was a loud thud on the doors to the Captain’s Quarters.

“Again!” there was a command muddled by an electronic-processor.

It was the Guardians. Her breath caught in her throat as she twisted further into the closet. From the smallest crack in between the closet doors, she peered into the room, waiting and praying that the doors held up as another BANG made her flinch.

Please, please, please, she repeated silently.

Don’t let them in; keep them safe. Don’t let this happen.

Please, please, please.

Bang, bang, bang.

There was a shatter of glass. A scatter of sea-foam and sunset-pink glass tumbled across the quarter’s floor. The carefully-cared-for colored glass was now nothing but shards of dust.

“Finally,” a voice barked; a strange mixture of robotic and animalistic tones made up his shout.

A clatter of locks chilled her. The clanking of doors shoved open.

She held her breath.

“Get in there,” the sound of flesh hitting flesh made her shut her eyes tightly.

The grunt was one she had heard before. Her eyes flashed open; fear flooded her body. Wooyoung huffed out; there was a jingle. Was he locked up? From her small crack, she couldn’t see much. YN didn’t move a muscle.

“Where is it? Hm?” The nearly inhuman voice croaked.

“Go fuck yourself,” Wooyoung exclaimed out.

A loud thud and low groan made her heart lurch. Wooyoung’s laugh was wet as he heaved and groaned from the floor. He spat blood and saliva out onto the leader’s shoes, the remaining of the spittle staining into the floorboards. He let out a low laugh and, despite him not being in her line of sight, she knew he’d been smiling cruelly. His laugh wasn’t a smidge humorous. He was heaved back onto his knees by the Android Guardian’s followers.

The doors to the Captain’s Quarters were shoved shut with a loud clatter, keeping all noise from the deck out and all noise in the room inside.

“Your emotions don’t suit you,” the invader commented. “Don’t worry that will all be solved soon.”

“I don’t know why you expected me of all people to be obedient,” Wooyoung bit back; his voice sounded strange, gurgled. There was a cracking sound, familiar to her only because Wooyoung loved to crack his neck.

Why did the Guardians drag him to the Quarters and not all of them – or at the very least the Captain or First Mate? Where was Hongjoong? Where was Seonghwa? Was Wooyoung being used as a bargaining chip? They had been caught – that much was clear, but was everyone okay?

Her own injured face stung against one of Seonghwa’s fur jackets; the hairs sticking into her flesh painfully as her wound dried in the air. She’d have to apologize to Seonghwa for ruining one of his favorites. Later. Because there had to be a later… there had to be. She stayed silent, trying to catch a glimpse of Wooyoung without moving. Was he okay?

She instead gained a glance of the Android Guardian leading this attack. He was unnaturally tall, covered in an all-white leathered ensemble. Its overlapping belts and straps felt like they kept his posture too straight. Ever frightening with its entirely covered face, a muzzle-like chainwork wounded over around its mouth. The slight give and take of the fabric indicated his breathing, but she wasn’t sure how he could breathe, let alone see through the thick fabric. No face, no humanity. No emotion. That was the way of the Initiative.

That’s what they wanted from the remains of the world. Why couldn’t they just leave them alone? She missed yesterday so suddenly.

“These games are juvenile, Jung Wooyoung,” the leader spoke once more. “Tell me the location of the device or else the bargain is off.”

There was a deal happening. Hongjoong struck a deal. He always had a plan – even if they couldn’t see all the moving piece of it. She shifted her arms around the Cromer, almost as if it was a comfort object – a long-lost teddy bear to soothe her as she was forced to witness Wooyoung and the Guardians.

Wooyoung snorted. “Order your men to let me go and I’ll gladly help,” he said with vigor. There was a rattling of chains after his words.

The Guardian looked down at him – or she assumed he did as he tilted his head slowly. The all-white figure glanced aside before giving a solid nod. Wooyoung’s body slammed to the floor once more.

“Godda—gently,” he scolded, muffled. There was a grunt in his words as he must’ve pushed himself up and stood. She could see the outline of his form now, standing tall. He spat to the side again; blood splattered.

“Better,” Wooyoung replied, raising a brow at the Android Guardian. “It’s in here.”

He smiled a bloody smile at their attacker before walking around him, towards the closet. She could see him in his full glory. Blood stained his shirt, not just his from his rubied mouth but her own blood remained in a handprint across the joyful red-white-blue-and-yellow of his shirt. It didn’t look like it fit in in this scenario. Too joyful and colorful for the destruction and smoke that tumbled in from the creaking fires rattling the ship.

His hair was mussed and sweatied strewn across his forehead like ink spilt across a piece of parchment. She pushed herself closer to the crack, hoping that he’d see her while blocking her from view. In the perfect world, like an old movie scene, he’d see her and smile his boyish smile that made her feel safe. But all that greeted her was furrowed dark brows as he kicked aside rubble.

He hadn’t seen her. He hadn’t! Her stomach turned in worry. Her fingers brushed over the Cromer, fidgeting restlessly. The smooth glass was cold to the touch and clanked just lightly from her fingers. She froze.

The Android Leader twitched. She held her breath, held every cell in her body, held every atom at bay as she waited.

“Fuck, you destroyed this room,” Wooyoung whistled out.

She heard the cannon ball that had been embedded into the desk get pushed off with a heavy thud. YN watched it roll slowly towards the closet; the air-ship was tilting just slightly. It thudded against the closet, rattling the wooden doors. Trapping her inside.

“You gave us no other logical choice,” the Guardian informed.

Wooyoung rolled his eyes. He shifted through the drawers she had half destroyed in her own search. Haphazardly, Wooyoung tossed aside thoughtful gifts that they had given Hongjoong, half-eaten snack bags, Hongjoong’s vape that he had placed deep in his desk after swearing he’d give it up.

“What if you had hit our rudder? Or mainsail? Or what if we had struck your weak spot and you had crushed us?” Wooyoung argued back, pausing to stare at the leader with a condescending tilt of his head. “You wouldn’t have been able to raid us if we had crashed.”

“Good thing that didn’t happen,” the Guardian replied, almost like a parent replying to a child’s outlandish comments. Estranged and detached. “These illogical scenarios are fanciful. No wonder you had a delusion of grandeur.”

Wooyoung’s face twitched and he glared at the figure once more.

“Keep searching.” The Guardian commanded, head nodding to the desk.

Wooyoung obeyed. He tossed aside a polaroid camera with a clank; some stray polaroids were strewn across the deck. There were coins that were pocketed by Wooyoung. He was methodical, taking his time to explore the drawers inside and out, more than she had done.

Was he stalling? She tried to listen to anything happening on the main deck, but it was loudly quiet. The only sounds she heard was the deep breaths in and out the Guardians made to breathe through their thick face-masks, the occasional bellowing of the ship’s wood as it heaved against something, and the very quiet sound of the Cromer’s sand reversing through its hourglass.

Finally, after digging through all of the drawers, slow and methodical, he began to do what she did. Fingers pressed into the wood to find a compartment of sorts.

“This is taking too long,” the Guardian growled out.

Maybe that was the point, she hoped. The more time Wooyoung bought, the more time her loves would fight and hopefully find them.

“Relax, bud,” Wooyoung crowed out, too casual for the situation – but of course he always liked the upper-hand. Loved teasing. Some would say he was arrogant but YN believed him to just be bold.

That boldness grew when there was a clicking sound, the Cromer’s compartment ticking open with a satisfying pop. His grin, bloodied and gruesome, looked like a wolf after a kill. Before he opened the door.

“It’s gone,” Wooyoung breathed, his eyes blinking in disbelief. He licked over his reddened lips and swallowed.

The Cromer warmed close to her chest, and she saw its glow grow. No, no, stop. YN worried the glow would be seen through the cracks in the wardrobe. She hugged it closer, tucking it into her chest.

“Enough of these games,” the leader bit out; there was a flick of his hand and one of the Guardian hooligans rushed forwards seizing Wooyoung by the arms. Hoisting him up with a struggle as a loud shling of his blade made YN’s blood turn cold.

She could see Wooyoung’s head raise just in time for the blade to rest under his chin, sharp and unforgivingly.

“Tell me where the Cromer is now,” the Guardian commanded from aside. She could see red drip from the blade and a grunt leave Wooyoung’s lips.

“Go to hell.” There was a low hum as the Guardian leader’s hand flick once more, signaling something to his captor. A signal he didn’t get to follow through with.

“Don’t hurt him!” she exclaimed out, unable to watch as the blade sliced into Wooyoung’s throat more. She pushed herself out of the closet, firing the pistol at the Guardian that had him. The villain plunked to the floor, freeing Wooyoung who stared at her with wide eyes and a bloodied throat.

“Seize her,” the Android Guardian’s leader commanded. The remaining Guardians rushed forward, their strong hands gripping and groping at her until she was caught beneath their strong hold. She held on tight to the Cromer, refusing to let them pry it from her hand. It hummed and buzzed erratically as if upset. She continued to squabble with her captors, her pistol falling from her hand as she grasped the artefact tightly.

Over their struggle, she could hear Wooyoung crying out, trying to get her to stop or for the Guardians to stop. It wasn’t until the leader unempathetically stated.

“That’s enough.”

Her two captors held her by her arms, simply but strongly. She still struggled, writhing this way and that as she glared up at the Guardian who slowly approached her. He towered over her, leaning down with the blank mask of a face.

“We have another defector aboard. I knew we hadnt collected all of the crew,” the robotic-man commented. His large latex-gloved hand reached out to grasp her chin.

There was a strange noise from his masked face almost like an electronic chirp.

“YN LN.” he hummed. “Yes. We know all about you.”

“Don’t touch her,” Wooyoung snarled out.

He nearly jumped over the desk; his hand grasped the Android Guardian’s bicep firmly. Tugging him away from YN, she had never seen Wooyoung’s face look so dark. His brows shadowed his dark brown eyes, a snarl void of humor or temptation crossing his mouth.

“She’s not part of the bargain. Let her go.”

There was a laugh, too robotic, too unemotional, to feel genuine from the all-white Guardian. The figures, holding her arms, didn’t even shift a smidge, didn’t look at one another for clarity. Just stared ahead – pawns to the Grand Guardian’s command.

“We let you keep the helmsman, the look-out,” the Guardian recalled. “And now her?”

It sounded condescending. Her eyes flashed from the emotionless face to Wooyoung. His eyes flickered from her to the Grand Guardian. There was uncertainty there. He licked his lips.

“This is the problem with you defectors.” The Guardian’s voice rasped out with a metallic edge. “You think you’re always in control. Even when you aren’t.”

In a flash, the leader thrusted his arm into Wooyoung’s torso sending him tumbling to his knees, his hands going to his punched stomach. Wheezing, Wooyoung bared his teeth and watched as the Android Guardian tugged his arm away. The frightening figure approached her, too quick and mechanical to feel unthreatening.

“Give us the Cromer,” he demanded. His fingers curled and uncurled, outstretched.

Protect the Treasure at all costs. Hongjoong’s voice echoed in her head. He had drilled it into her mind, all of their minds. But, at the cost of Wooyoung’s life? At hers?

She glared at their enemy. Her fingers curled around the metal wire around the hourglass of the Cromer.

I know you're afraid. Follow your gut.

The way the metal buzzed and silently hummed in her ear was strange. Familiar and yet foreign as it spoke to only her. The burst of warmth in its metal was reassuring, like holding onto someone’s hand. Reassuring her that this was the right thing to do. The sand trickling inside the Cromer was the only sound in the Captain’s Quarters. Somehow something so gentle and soothing could be loud – even after the chaos that enraptured them moments ago.

“No.” she bit out.

The ship creaked ominously. She grasped the artefact closer to her chest.

Follow your gut.

Hongjoong had told her once long ago that the Cromer was what brought them together; that he had let it guide him to them. The look in his eyes felt distant as he stared at the hourglass. His index finger would stroke the glass like it was their cheek. His friends. His family.

It brought them together and he had to keep it safe to keep them safe. A paranoid take she always thought. He believed if the Cromer was taken away from them – well, it’d be like the sea with no moon. Chaotic, untethered, unnatural. YN had always believed they found one another, not some hourglass.

“How did you use it?” She had asked him one night, wrapped in his arms as he continued to stare off. With his head lost in the clouds, he was loose-lipped. A sigh of fruity-smelling, blue smoke left his lips as he tugged his vape away from his mouth before he replied: “You’re the only one besides me that will know if I tell you. Not even Seonghwa knows… Alright, precious?”

She held it horizontally like had shown her, shifting it so the sand couldn’t flow up or down – freezing the hourglass’s sand. Her eyes shut as she murmured the words he hadn’t dare recite aloud and instead wrote down on an old receipt they had found in his jeans. She didn’t see as recognition flashed over Wooyoung’s bloodied face, eyes widening and his heart dropping.

“YN, don’t—” Wooyoung was barely able to get out as he lunged forward.

“Stop, child!” the Guardian growled out. “Grab it!”

Treasure.

But it was too late. With the spell cast, the artefact had begun to whirl, the metal loops surrounding the hourglass undulating. The glow grew and grew.

It can complete us…

They pushed and shoved and tried to take it from her still, fingers all digging into her skin until… she hoisted the Cromer up into the air and sent it shattering to the ground.

…Or it can destroy us.

There was no Treasure to steal. No artefact to worship. She dove to try to grab the pistol once more, to fire at the Guardians so they could escape, but she was unable to move. Like gravity refused to let her. The shattered remains of the Cromer glinted in a non-existent light; sending a flare out over the figures, blinding them. A wild hurricane wind burst forth around them, blooming from the pile of sand. A tornado of golden sand growing and growing until it consumed her, the Guardians, and Wooyoung.

She couldn’t even yell out for him. Her mouth was full of sand. Her nose, her eyes. It was sharp and burning and hot.

There was a woosh around her, her hair tumbling into the air, her clothes rustling in the hot-blast.

The sound of wind blowing from the horizon.

The warmth of the sun.

The sand vibrating against her skin.

Open your eyes.

The Cromer whispered in her ear, warm and in a voice that nearly sounded like Hongjoong’s.

No, she didn’t want to. It hurt. It burned.

Open your eyes.

When she flickered her eyes open tentative and slow, her breath was stolen. She was no longer in her Captain’s quarters. No longer on the Illusion. No longer was she with her Ateez.

YN was in the shadows of the stacked-upon-stacked docks of Aurora.

We're at the starting point of this long journey.

Will you join us?

#ateez x reader #atz x reader #hongjoong x reader #seonghwa x reader #yunho x reader #yeosang x reader #san x reader #wooyoung x reader #mingi x reader #jongho x reader #ateez scenarios #ateez angst #ateez fanfic #ateez fic #ateez fanfiction #ateez lore au

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analtyranny · 2 years ago

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let’s play gore screaming show, part 6: glass bones and paper skin

i DO have a cute girl around but she's BLUE (that lost us a point with kiika, naturally)

yamiko really likes cute girls huh 😳

aw 😔

OOOH? i bet this means we're on our way to the aoi city where the hair is blue and the girls are pretty

ah, another beautiful day. not a clown in the sky i mean cloud

kyoji's hesitant to go in the classroom because. y'know. the brawl

hey, this isn't so bad. that solves the "nobody wants to talk to kyoji" problem

so now a bunch of students are ALSO saying "he deserved it"

is that dekubaku

so has he changed or hasn't he...? anyway even kyoji's weirded out (in a good way?) that people suddenly like him again okay wait so he HAS changed, at least in appearance and general vibe. i guess he just grew up...a lot

see, if it was keisk, he'd just use the dog shit he always keeps in his pocket for emergencies

oooooh boy, i was wondering when that was gonna come back. here we go

right, we saw the little girl saying bye to someone before getting Clowned On

..........it does, admittedly

god DAMMIT

........................... hm.

they get their own theme names too

she doesn’t say it in this cap but pink one keeps saying -myu after every sentence. like a precure mascot

.....................................can i be literally anywhere else now please so there's a whole lot of "youre just JEALOUS of our POOR LITTLE MEOW MEOW because he's so TALL and HANDSOME and RICH and (etc)"

oh thank fucking god

yeah, THAT'S the problem here

kiika finally shuts everyone up so she can listen to the PA announcement um... kyoji is being called to the principal's... oh dear

OH? HELLO

oh no. sadashima's parents are here to yell at us

YAMIKO HAS A NORMIE MODE?!

🙄

look, we're gonna fuck our cousin EVENTUALLY

...this pisses kyoji the fuck off though. bro really hates sexist dudes

"no, shut up, i've got this" oh right. bit late for this, but...

here's our protag. that's dangerously close to a mullet but not quite there yet. ...well, it's what's on the inside that counts

🙄

fumiya-chan's a pussy-ass bitch

"i said i got this bruh...relax"

GOD

GODDDD

being fucking awesome runs in the family i guess

oh right his family owns a big ol' hospital the only hospital in town. maybe this is important. or maybe not! SURELY nobody in this game will ever require medical attention

18-year-old children, mind you-- oh they're trying to sue lol

so whatever's on that card REALLY freaks the dad out

...then as soon as she doesn't have to be a normie anymore she collapses and starts whining lol never change, yamiko-san...

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automatismoateo · 1 year ago

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Shocking two older women the other day. via /r/atheism

Shocking two older women the other day. I live in Middle Tennessee, there are crosses everywhere, I'm in the bible belt. It's fine. I live on a dead end road, roughly 20 minutes from anything resembling a town. I am a large man with a braided mullet covered in tattoos. Honestly, everybody here has been super nice and no major incidents, this one was just funny. Two elderly women knocked on my back door, my bull mastiff began his ritual of losing his mind, and I got out the sliding glass back door to see how I could help. I quickly noticed the bibles clutched to their chest, and asked how I could help them today. "Oh we were just going around to make sure that the word of the lord reached you out here, do you have a minute to hear about the word today?" Me: "Oh, thank you, but I'm not religious. I hope you have a great day spreading the word, it's going to beautiful." I turn to go back inside. Her: "Oh well, if you're not religious may I ask why?" Me: "Well, I used to be, and grew up going to church twice a week, but had a falling out with the church and god. Hope you have a great day!" Turn again to go inside. Her: "Well why? What happened?" Me: "Well, my longtime girlfriends stepfather molested her and 13 other girls, and he was always telling me I needed to be more godly, and was always a driving force for religion in my life. So, I figure god was either powerless to prevent it, or not good enough to care, but I moved on." They actually started to leave before I could turn around to go inside. The looks were priceless. We'll see if they ever come back lol. Submitted October 18, 2023 at 07:52PM by Buschlightwins (From Reddit https://ift.tt/GmyhPkQ)

#reddit

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neonponders · 4 years ago

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This isn’t what @memes-saved-me had in mind for this post but lol (read their tags, they’re delightful)

Thinking about a younger Billy and an older Steve today ✨

✨ ✨ ✨ ✨ ✨ ✨ ✨

Billy scratched at the hair on his nape. He wanted to grow it out; really had always wanted long hair. And now, as he peered at the other sophomores trying to fluff themselves bigger to match the juniors and seniors, he just might.

Long hair was in. Mullets, rock star manes, extensions - even the opposite. Women with buzz cuts and pixie faux hawks. Pleasant little surprises in Hawkins, Indiana, and Billy might finally indulge in that.

Plenty in this town was backwards as all hell. Girls wearing white stockings like it was the fifties. Boys and girls alike clearly letting having learned hair styling from their out-of-date parents. Two girls with beehives sat in his English class.

But it was fine, because there was plenty of present-day styling, and Billy wouldn’t get any shit at home for matching his peers.

Cherry Lane. The most backwards spot in Indiana.

But that’s okay, too, because small town people need occupations. Parties.

A cool senior with teased, black hair walked right up to him and handed him a neon orange sheet of paper. He saw others holding similar invitations all day.

Party on Friday night. Address, dress code, and everything.

Caught him by surprise, that a dress code would be needed for one of these things, but the invitation just said ~casual attire~ and someone in his Advanced Biology class told him that Tina hosts the best shin digs, often with costume themes.

So he went. The late summer evening was still humid as all hell, making the party split between the massive house and the matching yard a convenient way to start a weekend.

He’d had alcohol before. Enough to know he preferred tequila drinks over vodka and gin, but the safest way to wake up the next day was to just stick to beer. No matter how bitter or sharply carbonated some of it was made.

Maybe that’s why he heard people hollering about King Steve.

Keg stands weren’t original to Hawkins, but Billy preferred them next to a bonfire on a beach. But people were really yelling for this king to do the damn thing -

“Steve, why are you even here? You graduated in May,” Tina’s voice cut through the din.

“I live down the street! You really think you’re making this much noise without me noticing? And all of you shut the hell up! I’ll do a keg stand the day one of you dip shits can actually beat my record.”

Another surprise:

Steve Harrington.

Billy’s dumb luck had him three years behind, so he couldn’t look at that face in the hallways. Sit behind that head of glossy, bouncy hair in European History. He still lived in town, apparently. Right down the street. Billy asked around and discovered he worked at the mall and attended the community college -

“Heard you been asking about me.”

Billy stared wide-eyed over his beer. He recovered quickly, but not before Steve bounced on the balls of his feet, smug. That hair was really distracting.

These people really gossip about everything.

“I didn’t think anybody actually went by a title like that.”

“I didn’t put it on my resume, that’s for sure.” Steve’s smirk grew into a smile. Christ, the guy really had that Indiana, home town handsome thing to his face.

That was dangerous. Billy’s gut told him so, the way it bruised like someone had poked it. And wanted to be poked again.

“Let’s do this properly. Steve.” He held his hand out.

It wasn’t queer to accept a handshake. “Billy,” he replied.

“Hargrove?”

“Jesus,” he scoffed involuntarily, releasing Steve’s large hand. His weight shifted over his feet. “Everybody knows everything here.”

“Not everything,” Steve said. His voice sounded...reassuring? But the way his eyes blinked...and a darkness slipped behind his eyes like a curtain. Adults liked to call it maturity. Wisdom beyond years. Billy called it ghosts. Everyone had ghosts behind their eyes. But...he had a hard time imagining what ghosts this pretty senior in suburban America would already have.

Then again, Billy knew better.

Except, as the party progressed and the weekend flowed into a new week, Billy really couldn’t imagine what made Steve slouch a little, and what made his eyes fade out of a conversation. Billy probably should have put more attention into how much he’d begun seeking the guy out.

He worked in the ice cream parlor at the mall. The uniform was equal measures ridiculous and hilarious, but his coworker was cool as hell. Robin. Not Steve’s girlfriend, even though they carpooled to work and community college.

Steve’s house proved just as luxurious as Tina’s, with a pool to boot. A house which supposedly stayed empty more often than it hosted its own family. Steve notoriously didn’t host parties, which....seemed uniquely odd.

Apart from Billy visiting the ice cream shop, it seemed Steve’s only other visitors were high school freshman. Which was weird. That’s weird, right? Then again, Billy was ball and chained to eight hours a day, five days a week to high school. There was plenty of time for Steve to be with friends his own age.

Except he showed up at the next party on Halloween.

Tina’s house boasted a surprising number of Hawkins graduated seniors, forcing the party all the way out onto the street.

Just like before, Steve manifested beside Billy, announcing himself with fingertips brushing his slowly growing, weak little mullet. “Growing that out?”

Steve’s already heavy eyelids were heavier with alcohol. Billy had his customary cup of beer, but his cheeks flushed for a different reason. He had to rub the back of his neck to make the tickle stop.

“Yeah. Maybe it’ll touch my shoulders next year.”

“Have you trimmed it?”

Billy frowned at him. He’d heard some things come out of Steve’s mouth that were endearing in a ‘bless his heart’ kind of way, and this was among them. “No, that defeats the point of making it longer.”

Steve shook his head and waved for him to follow. “Come here. I’ll trim it.”

“You’re not cutting my hair,” Billy scoffed. And followed.

Upstairs.

Billy did his best not to look around the living room; to see any eyes apart from the ones he imagined on his backside. He followed at a leisurely pace. Not eager to be with King Harrington anywhere...

The guy walked right into the closed master bedroom. Billy stood outside of it, stunned at his audacity and the fact that no one was inside it already -

“You coming?”

Billy’s not a coward -

Actually he is. But he’s an overeager sophomore with a dangerous crush even more.

Steve dug through the master bathroom’s drawers until he found a pair of scissors in their own case. “Sit on the tub.”

By tub, he meant jacuzzi edge. Billy perched. Steve gripped his shoulder to step into the tub with a comb that smelled of foreign hair product and aftershave. Billy’s nose wrinkled. “Wash that first.”

Then he jumped at the tub faucet turning on right beside his ass. Steve laughed. “Chill out. I’m washing it.”

Billy settled with a disgruntled shake of his head. “My hair is curly. You’re not supposed to brush it at all.”

“You’re in the hands of The Hair Harrington, sweetheart. Just relax.”

His shoulders sagged right underneath the weight of sweetheart.

I’m so screwed -

Of all people to show up in the doorway, Robin from Scoops showed up with an energy that insinuated more sobriety than the guy wielding scissors.

Her mouth hung open like she had come with something to say, but then she sputtered through laughter. “Oh shit. Are you consenting to this?”

Billy rolled his eyes. “If he cuts my ear, I’m beating his ass.”

“I’d appreciate more faith from you, Buckley. I cut your bangs for you.”

Billy chirped, “Really?” admittedly feeling a bit better.

Steve intercepted with the order, “Are you gonna play music or what? I’m so tired of Tina’s music.”

That’s how Billy wound up in a bathroom with college freshmen trimming his ends and styling his hair while Steve and Robin shout-sang to Whitney Houston.

It was great.

Steve curled the top of his hair so he had ringlets falling over his bold brows. Steve, who had his hands all over Billy’s head until he washed the hair down the drain and filled the tub for a bubble bath. Billy scrutinized himself with a handheld mirror until Steve wrapped his arms around him and they tumbled backward into the wet landing.

Tina was hardly pleased to find the three of them making a mess of the jacuzzi, but she sassed a quick thank you for warding off people trying to fuck in her parents’ bed. Billy didn’t have words; only laughter at Robin putting her hair into a wet mohawk and Steve piling bubbles onto his head.

Steve insisted they go back to his house afterward. “It’s November and we’re soaked. Your car will be fine. I can come back and park it in my driveway if you’re that worried.”

That wasn’t the problem.

“It’s fine that your parents are never home, but mine will only recently lifted my curfew for good behavior.”

Somehow, he convinced Steve and Robin to drive him back to his house, at the expense of letting them change at Steve’s first. Billy had his eyes on a beautiful Camaro and was just a few more months of allowance and part time jobs away from having her.

It was his first time in Steve’s house. He had to admit, he preferred Tina’s layout and decor, but he got to wander around. He saw Robin use one of the guest rooms. He saw Steve’s....incredibly boring room. And said as much.

“A prison cell has more personality.”

Steve laughed. “Yeah, you’re right. Are you ready to go?”

It wasn’t until Billy lay in his own bed that those words tumbled through his brain. His fingertips moved through his still-styled hair. It felt better with those dead ends gone. Steve did a good job. Steve liked Whitney Houston and Blondie and a little of everything, really. Steve cared about his appearance enough to be a self-taught stylist.

Steve didn’t have a lot of furniture in his room. Clutter on the dresser and desk, sure, but all of it monochrome or neutral colors. Steve who had an old BMW, house, and surely a bank account to match, but didn’t buy anything in excess. Like he wasn’t allowed to, or something. Billy indulged every scent he got on things he wanted, but Steve didn’t.

Steve had a nailed bat in his trunk. Billy heard it rolling around on their way back to his house, and finally bent over to look under the seats and saw it.

Steve was a walking contradiction. A contradiction who smelled good but didn’t say much when Billy and Robin talked about history. Who started giving Billy free ice cream but never asked about Billy’s stepsister. Who gave Billy rides and gave him the hookup to the high-paying neighbors of Loch Nora for mowed lawns and dogs walked.

Steve helped him get his car sooner than he would’ve otherwise but didn’t ask for anything in return.

Steve, who was always available for a good time, but looked sad when left with his thoughts.

Billy didn’t take well to not being the center of attention. He’d grown up with an interrogation lamp over his head, and sought positive interaction everywhere else. He got so much of it from Steve, that the occasions where Steve bumped against him...refused him, or ignored him, or reminded Billy that he was a rinky dink sophomore lit a match in his belly. And he’d swallowed gasoline for too much of his life.

“That’s something a virgin says.”

Billy couldn’t even remember what he’d just said. He was already, instantly, seeing the glow of embers on the fringe of his vision. “Excuse me?”

Steve shrugged as he got up from his couch. “It’s whatever. It’s fine. Just showing your hand, is all.”

Billy couldn’t believe it. Steve was either the biggest idiot in Hawkins - which he knew wasn’t true considering there was a real cesspool that smoked underneath the bleachers - or he was so far in denial that Billy had a whole new reason to be pissed.

An involuntary sound left Steve when Billy came up behind him and pushed him against the wall underneath the stairs.

“You don’t know anything about me.”

Billy wasn’t some cute sophomore. He stood toe to toe with Steve, barely an inch shorter. If this is what it took for Steve to realize that, fine.

To realize that Billy wasn’t some teenager scared shitless of a girls’ bra -

Steve regained his footing, and closed the distance between their mouths. It was small, soft, and brief. Rationality should have made Billy step away. Punch him, maybe. But Billy wasn’t rational. His shock held him statuesque, barely breathing while Steve moved a hand to cradle the side of his head and neck -

A sound left Billy this time, as Steve angled his mouth over Billy’s. Where he learned Billy was scared, so scared of Steve. His body dashed rationality against the wall and kissed him back tentatively, and then earnestly, just trying to keep up until Steve’s other hand framed him in. As Steve pushed against him until Billy walked backwards to have himself pressed against the wall.

He felt drunk as his hands let go of Steve’s shirt to hold onto the curvature of his ribs. He panted while Steve kissed his throat and washed Billy’s senses with his warm, sweet fragrance; his hair brushing Billy’s face and inspiring him to turn his face into Steve’s scalp. Inhale him into his lungs.

Billy didn’t know what game they were playing. But Steve outplayed him.

#are we in the present day or the 80s? who knows #harringrove #younger billy with s3+ steve #ficlet #neonponders #memes-saved-me #pondermoniums #a sprinkling of #virgin!billy #this got long lol #i wanted to write more but i like this ending #for now?#i have things I need to do lol #i'm sorry for the abrupt ending

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vldkeith · 3 years ago

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Dolphin Kisses

a/n: This fic is based/inspired from my experience at this boat ride thing I went on some time ago and I just klance-ified it lol. Anyways this whole fic is just some super cheesy stuff my brain barfed up and yeah, I have nothing else to say besides enjoy <33 -Klance Day

☆°☆°☆° ☆

Lance wanted to go on a date with Keith; but not just any date. The perfect date. So Lance finds himself in front of the wheel, driving Keith to the oceanfront. It was a really pleasant day outside. The scent of the salty sea grew stronger as the scenery changed from suburban family homes to tourist attraction stops and stores. Radio songs hummed in the background and filtered out from the open car windows. Lance peeks at his right to Keith, just to make sure that he was having a good time. “‘You excited to be on a boat, mullet?” he asks cheerfully. “For the last time, Lance, I don’t know. It’s my first time.” “I know, I know. You’re worried about getting seasick,” Lance nonchalantly waves off. “But not to worry, babe. If you feel the slightest weakness, don’t be hesitant to fall into my arms.“ Keith scoffs at his dramatics. “Sure.” ☆°☆°☆° They finally reach The White Lion boat ride dock, and Lance parks the car on the old, cracking concrete below it. The two walk out and start heading towards the ticket and tour center, but to be honest, the “center” was more of a big shack with dull yellow and pink paint peeling right off of it. Lance pulls out his phone and shows the lady at the front desk his reservation time. She nods wordlessly and hands him two white tickets. Lance smiles and runs back to Keith, waving the paper slips in the air. “Let’s go!” He points towards the line on the dock to the boats. A few boats line the edge of the water. Lance motions his hand to the purple one with waves. “That’s the boat we’re getting on." Keith grins and scoots a little closer to Lance as more people fill up the wooden platform. Lance plants a light kiss on his head. A few minutes later, a bulky man walks by the clustered line. "The 4:30PM White Lion’s Roar boat tour has been canceled due to an engine malfunction,” he starts. Lance’s heart drops to his shoes and frowns. He glances at Keith, who wears a similar expression. “You can get refunds at the ticket center and come back another day, or book for a another boat at a later time,” the man finishes. “We are sorry for any inconvenience this may have caused. Have a good evening.” As soon as the man walks away, dissapointed murmers ripple throughout the crowd. They all start to disperse and head towards the ticket desk. “I’m sorry,” Lance sighs. So much for a perfect date, he thinks. “It’s okay,” Keith comforts. “We can just go on another boat.” He grabs Lance’s arm and tugs as they walk back to get new tickets. This time, Keith is at the desk, and Lance stays back. He blows out a puff of air, slightly smiling at his boyfriend. Sometimes, he still can’t believe that they’ve been dating for almost four months now. Keith reaches back to Lance to show off their new tickets. He starts to explain, “I got another boat tour for five o'clock. Don’t worry it’s the same price and we got refunded from the first tickets. It’s a slower boat, but it goes farther, and it garuntees dolphin sightings.” Lance smirks. “That’s my Keith,” he responds. ☆°☆°☆° Twenty minutes later, a new line has fully formed for the new, bigger boat. Two kids and a grandma are chattering beside Lance and Keith. “Look, there’s a Poké-Spot on the boat!” one of the kids cheers. “Quit your Pokémon Go-ing,” the grandma snaps. Lance chuckles and turns his attention back to Keith. Soon, people began boarding. Right before they stepped on the boat, a young lady with a White Lion t-shirt stops the two boys. “Excuse me sirs,” she raises her camera. “But we are offering pictures for the boat ride that you can purchase at the end of the ride. Would you like to take a picture?” “Sure,” Lance replies as he wraps his arm around Keith and makes a peace sign with his free hand. “Smile!” The lady clicks her camera. “Thank you for choosing The White Lion boat tours,” she welcomes. ☆°☆°☆° Lance and Keith both decided beforehand that they wanted to go to the second floor of the boat, so they scurry quickly up the stairs in hopes to get a good spot. Thankfully, they manage to grab spots at the front. Lance sits down on the bench and Keith plops right beside him. As soon as the boat starts humming, a voice comes to the speakers. “Hello, and welcome to The White Lion’s Pounce boat tour,” a supposedly Australian man cheers. “My name is Coran, and I will be your guide on this trip. Firstly, let’s go over some safety rules.” The man goes on to explain where the life jackets are, what to do if you feel seasick, and other various things to know when on a boat. Lance can tell the Keith’s attention has already wandered from the peppy voice’s informative talks. Right now, Keith is staring out onto the long stretch of water before them, and Lance couldn’t help but smile. “But Lance! I don’t even like the beach!” He could still hear Keith’s complaints from a couple days ago. “It will be fun, babe! New experiences and all,” Lance persuaded. “Besides, I already bought the tickets, so we have to go.” Lance’s pleading worked, of course. It’s just his natural charming boyfriend skills. ☆°☆°☆° The boat finally made its way out of the dock and through the mouth of the small river into the ocean. People fishing on the edge of the big rocks and stones waved as the boat went by. Eventually, Lance stands up to the railing, and looks out. The boat was gently gliding on the water, rocking slightly with the dips and peaks of the waves. Keith joins him in a little bit, placing his hand over Lance’s, which was already on the rail. Now, the scene was different. The boat is gliding at a steady pace parallel to the boardwalk. From the distance, the people, umbrellas, towels, and small tents looked like blended spots dotting the long stretch of beach. Behind them stood hotels and restaurants varying in size, color, and shape. Lance spots a Marriot, a Hilton, and a Holiday Inn as they pass by. The Marriot looked the newest with its glassy, black exterior. Soon, the long and busy boardwalk mellowed down to the more open, lesser used beach. Hotels turned into private rental houses, and the crowds faded. Lance pointed to a small lilac house. “'You wanna stay there someday for a vacation?” he jokingly asks Keith. The other boy scoffs in response. “As if. More than a day at this sandy giver of salt and sunburns and I will actually die.” Lance giggles. “Okay, you vampire.” Keith glances away as his mouth turns upwards in a slight grin. ☆°☆°☆° A few more minutes pass when the boat halts to an even slower turtle’s pace. The speakers crackle as Coran begins to speak. “We are approaching our dolphin sight-seeing spot, folks!” he says with almost too much enthusiasm. “While you keep your eyes peeled for them, take a moment to look again in front of you to our very own Seagull’s Peak Lighthouse! Originally built in…” Lance’s ears blocks out the rest because his eyes are busy darting around for any signs of dolphins. Finally, a gray fin popped up from the water. “Dolphin!” Lance yells. Keith turns his head around to where Lance’s eyes were staring. “'Looks like we spotted our first dolphins! Ladies and gentlemen, look out for more.” The crowd oohed and ahhed as more and more dolphins appear splash around the boat. Coran continues, talking more about the dolphins. Lance spots Keith grinning excitedly at the intermittent dolphins. He smiles to himself, content with the fact that his boyfriend was enjoying this too. ☆°☆°☆° Eventually, the boat turned around and they were heading back the way they came. Keith had prompted that both of them go downstairs for a change, and Lance happily agreed. The boat was shaking and rocking back and forth as it made its way through the water, so it was hard to balance when walking. Fortunately, Keith and Lance had each other’ hands to hold on to, so they walk to and down the stairs and towards the front much easier. “Woah,” Keith gasps when he sees rests his hands on the railing, looking on to the ocean from a much closer view. “Yeah. This thing’s going pretty fast, isn’t it?” Keith opens his mouth to respond, but was cut off by a random child squealing. “Mommy! Look it’s a rainbow!” Keith and Lance look up to see a faded, but visible arch of colors that the girl was pointing too. Other families took notice and began to stare in awe. “That’s kinda gay,” Lance jokes, lightheartedly jabbing Keith’s side with his elbow. Keith snickers along. He smirks, arching an eyebrow. “You think?” ☆°☆°☆° “And that concludes our boat ride! Thank you, ladies and gentlemen, for choosing the White Lion! Photos are available for purchase at the docking point of the boat. Have a wonderful evening.” The speakers crackle again after the announcement before playing random pop songs as it did at the beginning of the tour. Soon, the air fills with sounds chatting and talking as the passengers filed out of the boat onto the dock. Lance and Keith were among one of the last people to go out, so it was less crowded when they finally step onto the platform. The lady from before handed them their photo from the start of the trip, and soon, the two were back in the car. This time, Keith was in the driver’s seat. “So,” Lance starts. “How did you like it?” he asks in a sing song voice. “It was good,” Keith responds, putting on his seat belt. He should have been happy, but Lance deflates from how monotone Keith sounded. “That’s all?" Keith must have taken notice of Lance’s grimace because he quickly rushed to add a supposedly forced, "It was great! The dolphins and rainbow were very cool!” “I thought you were enjoying it,” Lance reprimands, his lips pursed and brows tight. “I guess not.” “No, Lance, it’s not like that,” Keith trails. “I had a really good time.” “You don’t have to lie about it.” Keith pouts in response, but doesn’t press any further. He plugs the key into the car, and they leave the parking lot in silence. ☆°☆°☆° Lance stares out the window, taking in the busy streets of the oceanfront. He expects that in a few minutes, the sight would be gone as they leave the area, but as more time passes, it seems that they were going deeper in. “Hey, are you sure we’re going the right way?” Lance asks, not even moving his head to face Keith. “Yes.” He hears in response. “But it looks like we’re heading towards the beach,” Lance counters, finally turning his attention to his boyfriend. “It almost seems like that’s the point,” Keith replies, voice sarcastically high. “Are you taking us…?” Lance doesn’t finish his sentence, and Keith doesn’t bother to fill it in. ☆°☆°☆° The car comes to a halt on a sandy parking lot. A couple of children chase and run around eachother as adults pop open their trunks to take out various beach toys and towels. Keith’s seat belt clicks open, and opens the door to come out. He motions his hands for Lance to come out as well, but Lance was still trying to process what they might even be doing here. “Come on,” Keith drags. “We don’t have all day.” “Okay..” Lance tags the word with suspicion. He steps out and joins Keith. The two walk down the sandy ramp to the actually beach. They walk wordlessly, until finally, they reach the water. Keith plops down on the semi wet sand, and pats down next to him for Lance to follow. He sits down. Now, Lance was throughly confused. “What are we doing here?” He finally asks. “You, like, hate the beach.” “Yeah, but you love it.” Lance’s face flushes when he sees Keith give a small smile. “I thought that I could make it up to you if I brought you here. I’m sorry for not being enthusiastic enough,” Keith mumbles. Lance perks up, and he waves his arms. “No, Keith! I’m sorry. I should have trusted you when you said you were having a good time,” he huffs. “I was just expecting a little more response than a ‘It was good.’ But it’s okay, I know you meant well.” He slowly wraps an arm around Keith and pulls him closer. “Thanks for bringing us here,” Lance whispers into Keith’s hair. “I appreciate it.” The Sun dips behind them, creating a soft blend of blues, oranges, and pinks all around the beach. Waves peacefully crash up and down, creating one of the only noises on the lesser crowded beach. Lance pretends nobody else is there but him and Keith as he leans forward to kiss him. One kiss turned to two, to three, to more than he could keep track of. Soon enough, they were both smiling so hard, none of them could continue. The giggle and hug; Lance only occasionally pressing his lips against Keith’s forehead. “Hey, you,” Lance sighs contently. “Hey.” “'Wanna know a secret?” The other boy smirks. “Yeah.” Lance leans to Keith’s ear before whispering, “I love you.” Keith stifles a laugh. “That wasn’t a secret, idiot.” “But it still made your heart race, didn’t it?” Lance light heartedly retorts. Instead of giving a proper response, Keith pulls Lance in for another kiss. “'Love you too,” he finally says with a barely audible voice. Sometimes Lance wonders what he did to deserve someone as wonderful as Keith. He doesn’t know, and probably never will. That doesn’t stop him from loving Keith, though. He’ll never stop loving Keith.

#voltron #klance #klance fanfiction #lance mcclain #keith kogane #I LOVE IT KLANCE DAY...SO CUTE 🥺🥺🥺#makes me want to go to a beacha sdkjghfdsjkghfjdsk #txt

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g0thth3mb0 · 4 years ago

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DIY Hair ♥ ✂

Anyone else love DIY hair? I got into DIY hair about seven (7) years ago, the summer before my sophomore year of high school. I had asked my mom to give me an undercut, so I could cosplay Levi Ackerman from Attack on Titan. The cosplay never ended up happening but I enjoyed the hair anyway lol

I had fell out of it for a bit because my dad had a stylist friend that I would go to, I was also too afraid cut my hair myself for a bit. Senior year I had a friend of mine cut my undercut again, reigniting the DIY.

Freshman year of college I cut my hair into a bobbed undercut.

I had that haircut, grown out, for about a year and a half. Then right before Valentine's 2019 I gave myself a Chelsea! It was by far my favorite haircut to date, and the grow out was so cute!! As it grew it essentially became a long fronted pixie, the easiest grow out of any haircut I've had!

If I ever go short again, the chelsea is what I'm going to! After a little over a year I was back to bob length when my then girlfriend helped me bleach it. It stayed that way for about two (2) months before I cut it into a mullet in February 2020. I also started shaving half of my eyebrows around this time.

The rest of 2020 was growing out that bad boy, in September I had dyed it back to my natural dark brown instead of dealing with my roots lmao and about a month later I bleached my bangs and dyed them green. Unfortunately all the pics I have from then are faded.

That brings us to my current hair that I did 2-3 weeks ago! Re-dyed my bangs and a new mullet, still trying to make up my mind on if I should layer the back better or if I'll just power through lmao

#diy hair #diy haircut #alternative #alt hair #punk hair #what hair have you done?#goth #punk #queerpunk #nonbinary #they/them #bleached hair #dyed bangs #green hair #diy or die

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thedappleddragon · 4 years ago

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happy birthday to my favorite rat girl <3

Toni is my teenage Were-Rat sorcerer from a semi-modern dnd campaign, and I love her a lot. I have a lot to say about her but no Idea where to start!

She’s kind but a bit of a punk, big >:) energy. Loud and high energy, with humor that can often come off as rude, but she means well. Very ambitious; she works at her “uncle’s” pizza shop, Papa Pastrolli’s, in New Ork, raising money to try and make ends meet and hopefully go to college someday.

He’s not a blood related uncle, he's more of an adopted guardian that took Toni under his wing after she left home. While her parents did love her, they were awfully distant, which lead Toni to spend more and more time out on the house and one the streets, spending less and less time at home until she eventually never came back. She made the sewers her new home and the rats her new family. The people of New Ork dont take kindly to were-rats, which only made Toni louder and cockier, sometimes flashing a half-transformed rat face at catcallers and other dickheads on the street.

Toni was not born a were rat, however. She was a nerdy preppy kid that hung out at anime club in middle school. One of her peers said they knew a guy who could turn them into vampires, which sounded like the coolest shit ever to Toni, so something something oh whoops she got rat, not bat. (EXACTLY how she got turned im still not sure.) Having to hide this mistake from her parents was a factor of her eventually leaving.

In early high school, when she was part of the punk clique, she and some of her edgier friends went to get piercings (probably from one of their older brothers who recently bought a tattoo gun lmao). Toni chose a helix in her right ear. Unknown to her, the jewelry was silver-plated, and silver is famously one of the most painful and deadly substances for lycanthropes. It instantly started burning her, and out of sheer panic and pain, she ripped the jewelry out, leaving a sizable chunk missing that never grew back. She hid the scar under her hair until it healed enough to look cool instead of gross and painful, and now she thinks it looks cool but probably wouldn’t tell you the story unless you asked.

She joined an adventuring party as a chance to practice her sorcery, as she’s fallen out of practice aside from basic self defense. (TBH I dont remember why I made her a sorcerer, she has way more potential as a physical fighter with pact tactics and race traits but whatever. she knows shocking grasp as a cantrip and I like to pretend its a little keychain taser lmao)

I rolled really damn good on her stats (and the way I did it actually may make these illegal but whatever who cares) so currently she’s level 2 with 14 strength, 15 dex, 20 con, 13 intelligence, 12 wisdom, and 20 charisma. I can't fuckin WAIT to play again so we can get into combat and she can release rats from her backpack to utilize pact tactics and kick SO MUCH ASS

PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE send an ask with questions or comments or even birthday wishes. this is the first time I've been able to celebrate the anniversary of a character’s creation and I love her a lot

more artwork under the cut!!

(blood warning tho)

older “bad timeline” Toni with a mullet ^ and with blood v

an post-adventure Toni design by @painofredemption1, who DMs the campaign Toni’s from and technically designed her design’s first iteration! So thank you a bunch friend :) I APPRECIATE YOU A LOT

concept of Toni using the silver chain on her hip as a weapon against fae or other lycanthropes at the cost of burning her hands

aaaaaaaaaand a big fat compilation of slecthes from my sketchbook when I was still figuring out how the FUCK to draw her lol

#thanks for coming to my ted talk #also she may or may not be trans I havent decided #she IS however either bi or pan #Toni #dnd oc #oc birthday #birthday #dnd #dungeons and dragons #oc #wererat #lycanthrope oc #digital art #my art #friend art #what else can I tag this with to MAKE people see it

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lilaclovestowrite · 5 years ago

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F l o o f || Keith x Reader

" Can you do more Keith fluff? I don’t have anything specific in mind, just fluffy Keith UwU "

Type: Request from Quotev

Words: 1168

Fandom: Voltron: Legendary Defender

Pairing: Keith x Reader

Genre: Fluff, typical love story starring a dog lol

Summary: You and Keith go for a walk with Kosmo, only for you to confess your feelings to him...

Warnings: F l o o f

✦ ✦ ✦

You were worn out from all the work you had to do today on the Castle. You had the job of an informer for the Paladins—which meant you exchanged information with them throughout battles and travels. Your role was very important, but it was also very tiring. Still, you were thankful to even be there.

Right now, you were transferring new data into your computer for the next mission Voltron went on. With a yawn, you closed your eyes and waited. I barely got any sleep last night—maybe I could catch a few minutes while I’m waiting.

But of course, someone interrupted it.

“Hey—”

“Ergh, can I get any slee—” When you turned around, you saw that it was Keith. Honestly, you had a bit of a crush on him. But he was so busy with being a guardian of the galaxy, you never wanted to bring it up. “UH—KEITH! I’m sorry! I didn’t know it was y—”

“That’s fine,” he excused, letting out a rare chuckle. When he saw how sleepy you looked, he grew slightly concerned. “You look tired—are you okay? I thought you got more sleep last night than usual. . .”

“Oh! Well, uh—actually. . .”

“(Y/N), you said you’d be getting more rest! It’s not healthy to do work when you can barely even function.”

“SLEEP IS FOR THE WEAAAAKKKK!!!” screeched Pidge from the other room. She was thirty feet away yet the dark circles under her eyes were perfectly visible.

Keith crossed his arms. “Yeah, okay.”

You laughed. “Keith, I’m fine! I just got one less hour of sleep than usual. It’s nothing!”

The truth was, you only ever got about three hours of sleep, so that’d make it two. But Keith didn’t have to know that.

“Alright, then. Well—I wanted to ask you something,” he started, his voice becoming a bit quiet.

“Whut?”

“I was gonna take Kosmo for a walk on the next planet we’re stopping by. Would you uh. . .care to join us?”

HEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEECCCCKKKKK YESSSSSSSS, you screamed internally.

But your real words were, “Well, I suppose.”

The next planet you all landed on was quite beautiful. The leaves on the trees were similar to the ones of a sakura, and the lakes shimmered from the brilliance of the pastel blue sky.

“Wow, it’s certainly a step up from that Balmera planet,” Lance commented.

Shiro slapped him upside the head. “Be nice, ungrateful child.”

Keith kneeled down and rubbed Kosmo’s head. “Alright, are you ready for your walk?”

The way Keith spoke to animals was so adorable. Your heart melted every time you saw it. He was just so gentle and caring with them. That’s when he turned to you with that soft smile of his. It was weird, since he never looked at anyone else with that expression.

“Well, let’s go then.”

You shook with excitement before following by his side. The others watched as you two headed down the grassy trail, away from them.

“Wow, I wonder when they’ll finally start dating,” Pidge smirked.

“WhY WouLd ShE dATe that eMo MullEt wHEn sHE caN have mE And mY uTTeR aWEsoMEneSS?” Lance replied, flexing his stick arms.

“Lance, do you need me to call your therapist again?”

During the walk, Kosmo rolled around in a bed of flowers. You giggled at the sight, while Keith smiled ever-so-slightly.

“Here, Kosmo. Have something a treat!” You bent down and sat on your knees, handing an apple slice to the wolf. Kosmo sniffed at it before accepting it. You looked back at Keith and said, “Don’t worry. Apples are healthy for wolfs, since they include Vitamin A and C~”

Keith looked away to hide his blush. You never knew that he developed feelings for you as well. The reason for that is—you were just so kind and compassionate. You never judged anyone for what they looked like, or who they were. When you found out that he was half-Galra, you never once showed any hint of prejudice. In fact, you helped him realize it was nothing to be ashamed of.

“You’re so nice.”

His words took you by surprise. “Huh?”

He seated himself on a nearby bench, letting Kosmo rest by his side. “You’re so nice. . .to everyone. I just wish you took care of yourself more. I know you didn’t get enough sleep last night—all because you were too busy helping out with Voltron.”

Your heart began to skip. The warmth of blush flooded your face, which made you look down in attempt to conceal it. Some part of you wanted to confess your feelings to him—but it was too much of a risk. “. . .Thank you, Keith.”

He had the same feeling, but he was simply to shy to reveal the truth. But he knew he needed to gather the courage at some point, especially since Shiro bugged him about it nonstop.

You sat yourself down beside him. The decision whether you should confess to him or not, skipped through your mind. Finally, you decided something. “Keith. . .”

“Yeah?”

“We’ve been friends since forever. But lately, I’ve been thinking. . .”

Kosmo plopped his head on your lap, which caused you to stress-pet him. He now regretted ever moving.

“What if we could be more. . .?”

Keith’s eyes widened. “Wait, you mean—more than best friends? You mean like, super mega best friends?”

Kosmo, a wolf, face-palmed.

You quickly backed out. “Er, sure!”

That’s when Pidge screamed, “NO, DIMWIT, SHE MEANS SHE WANTS YOU TO BE HER BOYFRIEND—”

But Shiro immediately pulled her back into the bush they were hiding in. You and Keith only went stiff.

“Wait, boyfriend?” gasped Keith.

You nodded. “YEaH—”

Out of all the years you’ve known him, you’ve never seen him smile as big as he was right now. “YES—I mean, uh, sure.”

You couldn’t believe this was happening. Keith Kogane, your longtime crush, exchanged your feelings. It made you want to squeal, but you didn’t want to scare him away too fast. Instead, you threw your arms around him and gave him a fond hug. He slightly retracted because he wasn’t used to physical contact, but since it was you, he returned it.

Kosmo slid underneath you two and got in the middle of the embrace, which made you both laugh and pet him.

“Aw, just cuz we’re dating now, doesn’t mean you won’t get any less attention~” you told the seventy-pounds of angry floof.

Kosmo had the expression of Doge, which was concerning.

So, you leaned your head on Keith’s shoulder, and let Kosmo snuggle in your lap. Keith placed his jacket around you and rested his eyes. You did the same. It was almost like the world was irrelevant when you were together, like the only thing that mattered was you and Keith. It was so peaceful, which was a change.

Don’t worry, Pidge will send you the pictures of it later.

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chaeryybomb · 5 years ago

Text

𝐌𝐚𝐫𝐜𝐡 𝐂𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐛𝐚𝐜𝐤𝐬 𝐑𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐞𝐰

ITZY: IT’z ME

TITLE SONG: WANNABE

it is really really catchy!! i immediately liked it after my first listen. it reminded me a lot of “dalla dalla”, like it has the same arrangement as “dalla dalla”. i really like the beginning of the song where it has the turning sound.

my favorite part is ryujin+chaeryeong rap part and lia’s “it’s none of your business, i do my own business”

MUSIC VIDEO

it’s probably my favorite mv they have produced so far. the scenes were all very pleasing to watch and love the solo scenes of the girls. my favorite scene would be lia’s and ryujin’s scenes. like, w o w

CHOREOGRAPHY

the choreography is amazing!!! ryujin has the entire world at her feet because of the shoulder move, which by the way I still cannot understand how it works

the point choreography of it is also really nice, the one there they circle their face with their hand and where they slide their hand across their chest when they sing “i wanna be me me me”

i absolutely love the dance break! it is definitely my favorite part of the dance

STAGE PRESENCE / STAGE OUTFITS

bro ryujin is literally killing this era. p e r i o d

also I can see that the girls have improved so much! especially lia! she’s gaining more and more confidence and it looks amazing on her. as usual, yeji’s stage presence is a m a z i n g. yuna has definitely improved as well. and so has chaeryeong!

my favorite outfits of them is the mv solo scenes outfits. i just think it really suits them. and i love love love how they’re trying new hairstyles this era, unlike “dalla dalla” and “icy”s era when everyone had almost the same hairstyle for every stage.

i love how they actually let yeji perform with her hair down instead of the usual ponytail and that they gave it to yuna lmao. seriously, the hairstyles for this era is really diverse. and of course ryujin’s iconic blue hair. and I really like chaeryeong’s hair this era idk why but I do

also I love the fact that their outfits are mostly pants, they look so much more comfortable performing in them + yeji with a jacket is pretty dangerous

also, has anyone noticed that Lia has gained some weight?? which is a good thing! halfway through “icy” era, lia lost a lot of weight and I’m really glad she had gained some weight this era!

ALBUM SONGS

i know ITZY’s concept is about self confidence and the songs are more upbeat but personally I’m not a fan of it all

the album itself is catchy and nice but for me, the songs aren’t the type of songs that I’ll play on repeat

out of all of the songs, i don’t really like “ting ting ting”. i just can’t seem to like, vibe(?) with it

but my favorites of the album is “nobody like you” and “you make me”

+ lia’s iconic “you make me... speechless!”

OVERALL

overall, i felt that this comeback was definitely an improvement for itzy in dance and vocal wise. I’ve watched a few of their mr removed ( by the channel “lyma” bc it’s the only one I trust ) and their all quite stable, I’m surprised how stable ryujin can be she does the shoulder move. like I said before, lia has improved a lot in this comeback, she’s like jihyo where their voices doesn’t fit their groups initial concept, but with time, lia can improve like how jihyo did. yeji is really stable and i can understand why she gets most lines. yuna has improved and chaeryeong has been quite stable since debut, so i think she could get more lines. my only complain is that I wished that chaeryeong was the center during the dance break, considering the fact that she’s the main dancer

NCT 127: NCT #127 NEO ZONE

TITLE SONG: 英雄；Kick It

fun fact! the Chinese word “英雄” in the title means “hero” which i think is quite fitting for this comeback’s concept.

i immediately for hooked on after the first listen, yes it's that catchy

lemme introduce you to some new thangs

as someone who learns taekwando, this is the song that u can work out to lmao. it's the fuel to ur flame and makes u wanna fight someone

also jungwoo baby!! he's back!! and bitch did he gREW I THINK HE'S ALMOST JOHNNY'S HEIGHT

the highlights: taeil's high note!!! yuta+haechan "baby we go wild, 127 squad"

also johnny!!! with lines!!

MUSIC VIDEO

I just really love the entire music video okay

it's martial arts!!! it's like my hobby!!

and bruce lee!! who doesn't love bruce lee?? i absolutely love this concept in general and the music video does justice

like all the martial arts reference and bruce lee reference!!

my favorite part is when they were all dancing in the rain lol and when like behind the doors u can see silhouettes of someone fighting

CHOREOGRAPHY

hnnnnnnnngggggggg

i cannot stress e n o u g h how much I love this choreography, especially the dance break!!! it's so satisfying to watch!!!

and mark's "fight" scene in it!! bro!!

this has definitely became one of my favourite nct dances along with "black on black" and "cherry bomb"

also the part where taeyong does his "enter the dragon", the kick he does is called a side kick and lemme tell u how much I hate doing that shit so props to taeyong for doing not only, but two of it in the dance

++ center!! haechan!! the way he just smoothly slides into the center lmao

STAGE PRESENCE / STAGE OUTFITS

despite taeyong, yuta and johnny's really rude outfits from the mv, those are one of my favourites actually. they look like fighter outfits that came out from a bruce lee movie

and the bomber jackets outfits!! please I want one so badly!!! bc I'm a sucker for bomber jackets lol

bro yuta's hair colour + belly piercing

that's *chef's kiss*

and haechan's mullet!! it looks good on him!! he better start growing an actual mullet or so help me-

stage presence *inhales* were so so so so amazing

nct just has amazing stage presence in general tbh

also, johnny lowkey looks scary in this comeback besides the fact that he's also a giANT

ALBUM SONGS

you know despite the scary album cover, 70% of the songs are soft af

and yes I like it

my favourites are "sit down!" and "boom"

johnny's "don't get up, don't stand up, please don't put your hand up, and don't make me tell you again. sit down!"

bro the difference between nct dream's "boom" and nct 127's "boom" tho

johnny's rap in "dreams come true" tho

and jaehyun's high note in "day dream"

OVERALL

overall, I'm really happy to stan nct and be enjoy the comeback lmao

but yeah I really like this comeback as u can tell lol

i wonder if they're gonna release a "kick it" english version

but to be honest, this era would've fit winwin so well like, winwin himself can do flips and shit and it would've fit him so well

ELRIS: JACKPOT

TITLE SONG: JACKPOT

okay I know that their comeback was in february but it was during late february and they promoted in march

and I finally know all of their names so u can write a proper review on them now lmao

so from what I understand, elris basically went m.i.a and came back with 2 new members

the song is definitely catchy and like I said, this is really solid group. they have a really good rap line and vocal line, plus they could all be main dancers and there's no visual hole

ej and chaejeong is a great addition to the group

plus hyeseong and sohee's vocals are!! really good!!

and bella's basically a triple threat y'all

MUSIC VIDEO

the music video is really aesthetic

i like it a lot lol

the gambling concept they have on is really nice to see

CHOREOGRAPHY

ah yes the choreography

the choreography is really fun tbh

i like the chorus part the best and yukyung's bow and arrow move in between the chorus

STAGE PRESENCE / STAGE OUTFITS

ej and bella has really strong stage presence and I've watched bella on mixnine a few times

and chaejeong's purple hair stood out as well.

the one who caught my eyes is yukyung

and for the vocals, I'm quite surprised to see that karin is only 17 years old, I thought she would've been older

i really like their outfits despite coming from a smaller company, it's all bling bling and classy

ALBUM SONGS

i just wanna say chaejeong has a good set of lungs lmao, her vocals in the b-sides is really good especially in "this is me"

the entire album gave me a bit of a video game vibe like cherry bullet's "Q&A"

maybe it's because the soundtrack is like, upbeat and strong at the same time

my favourite is "this is me" and "like I do"

"this is me" reminds me of blackpink's "forever young" bc they almost have the same arrangement

both of the songs are like upbeat girl crush kind of song with a strong beat drop for the dancebreak

OVERALL

overall, elris is definitely underrated but I have a feeling they will rise to fame like everglow, if only they debuted this year, they could've been like monster rookies.

AleXa: Do Or Die

TITLE SONG: Do Or Die

okay so i feel like a lot of the english lyrics felt a bit out of place,,, idk maybe it’s just me. i think the song is quite nice, like for a sci-fi concept, i thought it’d have more heavier edm/beat drop but it actually feels light and nice to listen to it. i really like the chorus of the song and when she said “I’m a one girl army”

MUSIC VIDEO

okay ngl, I zoned out from the song bc I was so immersed into the mv. like, it reminded me a lot of the movie “alita: the battle angel”.

also the cgi?? that’s some rlly good cgi lemme tell u that, the villain of the mv was rlly scary lmao

also I really like her fight scenes with the the bad guy

CHOREOGRAPHY

the choreography looks rlly complicated, and personally I feel like it doesn’t suit alexa?? like, I know she’s talented but she almost looked out of breath during her performance stages. the choreography looks like it suited a group song better cause alexa was constantly moving. she’s a solo artist and I feel like solo artists shouldn’t do such complicated choreography unless they have a really good control over their breathing and vocals

STAGE PRESENCE / STAGE OUTFITS

I really like her outfits, it suits her a lot, though I want to see alexa perform with her hair down

my favorite outfit of hers is the white outfit that she wore in the beginning of the mv

as for stage presence, she has good stage presence but I can see that there’s room for improvement. alexa is still quite new to the solo artist game, in time she can definitely improve on everything

OVERALL

overall, i feel like this is quite a powerful comeback. like I said, alexa needs to get a better control of her breathing. but other than that, i can see that she will be quite popular in the future.

SEJEONG: Plant

TITLE SONG: Plant

the song itself is so calming?? like, it’s the perfect song to listen if you want relieve stress or something. and her vocals are so beautiful and emotional. these type of songs fit her voice so much!!

MUSIC VIDEO

the mv is literally the definition of “plant aesthetic”

literally

it’s such a pleasing sight to watch and the mv itself is truly aesthetic

CHOREOGRAPHY

okay I know “plant” doesn’t have a choreography as expected but “swim away” does so

the choreography is so simple and it honestly fits the song. i also think that with the lack of an intense choreography, sejeong’s voice can be more clearly heard since “swim away” requires her to use falsetto a lot

so with a simple choreography, she can sing in falsetto without trouble

STAGE PRESENCE / STAGE OUTFITS

sejeong literally radiates emotions when she sings, when she performs “swim away”, there’s a playful and mischievous aura around her

when she sings “plant”, you can literally feel her raw emotion through her vocals

sejeong has the potential to be a really successful solo artist!! her voice basically suits almost any style, ranging from “semina” to “not that type”

her outfits for this is so cute, i love the white dresses she wears when she performs “plant” and her outfits for “swim away” is so so so so c u t e

ALBUM SONGS

feel stress? listen to the album

need to calm down? listen to the album

the entire album itself is calming and soft, like i have a playlist for soft/emotional songs and the entire album is in there

my favorite song of the album is “hopes for tomorrow”

if y’all have seen my post about songs where the music momentarily stops and just plays the idol’s vocals, yeah that song is exactly like that

it sent shivers down my spine when I first listened to it, seriously listen to it when you have the time cause it’ll be worth it

OVERALL

overall, this is a really nice comeback and one of my favorites for this month. sejeong really has potential to be a solo artist as big as chungha. and tbh, she should’ve went solo in the first place. she really reminds me taeyeon bc both artist produce very emotional songs. i don’t know gugudan is currently doing besides the fact that mina is still an mc, but sejeong really could blow up as a solo artist.

𝐇𝐨𝐧𝐨𝐫𝐚𝐛𝐥𝐞 𝐌𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬

KANG DANIEL: 2U

this song is so playful and mischievous lmao. the entire mv gave me a scooby-doo kinda vibe idk why, maybe it’s bc the guard was chasing them. the song itself is really catchy, like, the entire album is catchy. also I’m really glad that daniel can now perform his songs bc apparently he was almost banned from doing so(?)

ONG SEUNG WU: Gravity

bro I feel like ex produce members are making a comeback SKSKSK

this song is like, a parallel of sejeong’s song. it gave me the same vibe okay. it’s really sad okay, I like sad songs

the mv reminded me of that BTS webtoon, you guys should go read it btw, basically in the webtoon jin has to save all the members in a day to change the future but whenever a member dies, the day resets itself. in the mv, it looks like ong was trying to save the girl from drowning and whenever he failed, the day resets itself, which I found rlly cool btw

STRAY KIDS: Mixtape: On Track

my dudes, my only theory is that jeongin has a crush on hyunjin okay

bro changbin has a nice set of vocals, I stg the rap line is out to put the vocal line out of business lmao. the song gave me the same vibe as their ost from “extraordinary you”, both written by changbin, so basically, changbin is a romantic guy-

MCND: ICE AGE

okay ngl, I have mistakenly read the group’s name as McDonald’s way too many times

but nonetheless, I like the song

a lot

my favorite part is when the rap mentions the group members names, like yo that’s so cool wtf

also the group members are really young??? Win, the blue hair dude, is LITERALLY the same age as me wtf

FAVORITE: 또 LIE

( I can’t find a proper gif sksks )

these girls dropped “loca” and went missing since then lmao

“loca” is a bop tho

“lie” kinda has the same arrangement as “loca” and the same vibe with it

+ gaeul(?) the blonde, she’s really a full package, she can rap, sing, dance AND she’s the leader??? damn

also I love go ahra

WINNER: HOLD

hHHHHHH IM GONNA MISS JINWOO

I love love love love the song and the mv, their so funny wtf sksks literal crackheads. I’m also really happy that AKMU’s Suhyun was in the mv, it makes me feel happy knowing we get YG Artists interactions okay

jinu’s voice is usually really soft and stuff but his voice in this song made me went like: tHAT’S JINU???

anyways stan winner y’all

ONEUS: A Song Written Easily

tbh, I stanned ONEWE bc “regulus” is a fucking bop and now I might need to stand ONEUS. all I know is that I really like Hwanwoong’s voice and Leedo’s voice. and the rappers can sing too??? like nice that’s some Han Jisung kinda shit there. I really like the chorus of the song and someone said if “starry night” had a little brother, it would be “a song written easily”. which I 100% agree, and it’s also really suitable considering the fact oneus and mamamoo are from the same company. It also reminds me of a song that I can’t put my finger on???

SUHO: Let’s Love

I feel when your ascend to heaven, Suho’s voice is what you hear at the gates. My dude has been underrated for too long. Remember when I said I have an entire playlist for emotional/soft songs? Yeah Suho’s album is in there. My favorites are “O2” and “Starry Night”.

#march comebacks review #comeback #kpop review #kpop #itzy #stray kids #suho #exo #mcnd #nct 127 #ong seung wu #kang daniel #sejeong #favorite #winner #alexa #elris #meg.reviews

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quinzzelx · 6 years ago

Text

Bruises // Billy Hargrove

Request : “ Hi! I saw your post about requesting Billy imagines so, if you're able to and if you have the time, could you maybe do a fic where Billy finds out that the reader is being abused and kind of helps her out because he went through this but like the reader is very fragile and weak and Billy really loves her and maybe the tiniest bit of angst with a fluffy ending. And if you will do it, could you tag me in it? Thank you so much :)) “

A/N : Hey, so I hope you'll enjoy this - I personally feel like the first half is good and after that, it just turns out to be shitty? lol, so not one of the things I’ve written that I’m too proud of. But still- I had fun writing it and am still so hyped about Billy. (My heart still hurts) I really really hope you’ll enjoy it and feedback is appreciated!

Warnings: VIOLENCE / BLOOD & SWEARING

Wordcount: 2.122

Summer in Hawkins, unfortunately, turned out to be one of the hottest since years. As the days got longer and clothes got shorter (Y/N) grew more and more uncomfortable. She hated canceling plans with her friends and even though she’d love to go swim with them or go to the mall, she wasn’t able to. The long sleeves she wore to hide the dark blue and purple secret lying beneath, made the radiating heat even more unbearable.

(Y/N) decided to spend another day studying in the comfortable silence in the library of Hawkins High. Due to having off from school ‘on account of excessively hot weather’ like Mr. Mundy had said, not a single soul was even near the school. Everyone was lingering either at the Pool, the mall or at home. Immediately after the teachers announced that there won’t be any classes, (Y/N) rushed out of the classroom. While trying to kindly avoid her friends' invitations to join them, she wasn’t really paying too much attention to her surroundings. As she rounded one of the corners, she bumped headfirst into a half-covered and sweaty chest.

“Oh god, I’m so sorry!” she said, looking up and into none other than Billy Hargrove’s eyes. Before he could answer her though, she brushed past him and out of school. Back when they moved to Hawkins, (Y/N) was the first person he saw in this shithole of a town. They arrived early in the morning around 5 am. Billy was unloading the truck and placed some of the boxes in front of their new ‘home’. After unloading five more boxes he leaned against his 79’ Camaro and fumbled around in one of his pockets looking for his lighter. With a loud groan, he accepted the fact that he probably tossed it in one of the moving boxes. But faith seemed to be on his good side when he spotted a girl sitting on the front porch of the house opposite from him.

“Hey!” he had called out and jogged over to where the girl was sitting. (Y/N) inhaled the deathly smoke sharply into her burning lungs as she saw the boy approaching. With a shaking hand, she pressed the remaining cigarette butt into the ashtray she had placed on her thighs. As the boy stopped right in front of her she shifted a bit, covering the forming bruise on her arm. She wasn’t expecting someone so early, so she didn’t bother to change into something that provided more coverage. “Can I help you?” She said, barely audible. He didn’t question the dark circles under her eyes back then, the signs of missing sleep clearly visible on her face. All he wanted was to light his cigarette anyways. From that day on he was intrigued.

(Y/N) was home in no time. Her parents were still at work so she was able to relax a bit when she entered her house. Since no one would be at the library, she stuffed one of her dresses in her bag and rushed back out. She was sweating like crazy on her way back to school, deciding to pick up her pace she suddenly winced, totally having forgotten her sprained ankle. It was healing well and she barely felt anything anymore, but she decided against straining it too much and slowed down again. As soon as she entered Hawkins High the air around her felt at least a little bit cooler.

Slowly walking towards the girls' locker room, she took in her surroundings to assure that no one else was there. She quickly got rid of her clothes and slipped her dress back on even quicker. Glancing at her reflection she checked the faint, nearly healed and barely visible bruises on her arm and thigh. Give it another three days and the bruises would probably be gone completely and if her father won’t give her new ones by then, she could actually meet up with her friends again. A small smile spread over her lips as soon as she entered the library. The air was a bit chilly and the complete opposite of the burning heat outside. Grabbing one of the books she sat on one of the chairs and started reading.

“(Y/N).. ” she groaned, shifting a bit in her position. A second soft shake on her arm “(Y/N) we are closing up the school now, you should go home” the words hit her hard as she realized what exactly they meant. “Thank you! I’m sorry, I’ll be on my way now!” the girl said under her breath while grabbing her bag and hurrying to the door. She felt cold sweat run down her neck as she walked home as fast as she could. (Y/N) stopped dead in her tracks when she saw her father's car pulling up in the driveway. Shit. Ducking behind the fence she climbed over it, hitting her knee while doing so and quietly limping towards her window. As fast as she could she hauled herself in her room and scrambled to her feet just in time. Her door swung open not even a second after, hitting the wall with a loud thud. Taking a swig of the already opened bottle of beer the man entered her room. As soon as he laid eyes on his daughter his eyes narrowed. “What the fuck are you wearing?”

Billy was currently working out with his dumbbells when he saw (Y/N) clumsily crawling through her window while her father came back from work. He chuckled loudly and put his weights back down, closely watching her. “You’re a creep Billy” with narrowed eyes he whipped his head around. “What do you want Max?” he said, walking towards her. “Can you drive me to Mike’s ?” Groaning he sat down on his bed and rolled his eyes. “Wheeler? It’s 10 pm, Max, what the fuck?” Standing up he clicked his tongue, letting one of his hands slick back his hair. Sensing his father's presence he nodded towards the redhead and grabbed his car keys.

She was afraid, frozen in place. When she hurried home, she totally forgot to change. “Didn’t I tell you to cover up the bruises and not walk around like a slut?!” He raised his voice, stepping closer. “Dad, I’m sorry, It was just at home, I promise!” (Y/N) whimpered, backing away slowly. “I don’t fucking care! No more excuses” With that, he grabbed her wrist squeezing tightly and tugging on it. “No Dad, please” she begged, tears forming at the brim of her eyes, threatening to spill over and running down her cheeks like a wild river. “I beg you, please don’t-” She was interrupted by the sharp pain in her cheek, spreading like a wildfire from the place where her father's hand had collided with her face. The impact had her gasping and stumbling a bit backward. “Shut the fuck up” He snarled, the stench of alcohol burning her nostrils. Harshly he tugged her out of the room and into the floor, pressing her into the wall with his left arm and pulling at her hair with his right hand. “I’m gonna teach you how to obey and pay respect to your father!” The enraged man spat in her reddened face. “And if you don’t listen, I’m gonna do it over and over again!” a cruel smile spread over his face. She sobbed loudly when she put all her strength in her arms and shoved her father off her body. Quickly she stumbled towards the front door. “You fucking Bitch!” He yelled, his voice filled with anger as he tossed the still half-filled bottle after her, hitting her shoulder while doing so. The bottle bursts into hundreds of sharp shards, some of them cutting deeply into her skin and breaking it. The crimson liquid spilling down her back and soaking the baby blue dress. She let out a loud scream, falling into one of the drawers and knocking over several framed pictures and a vase.

A loud ear-piercing scream could be heard followed by a loud crash. Billy was about to start the engine when he looked out of the window over to the house. “Billy, go it’s okay,” Max said, her eyes wide and filled with worry. The mullet-wearing boy quickly got out of his car and over to her house. “(Y/N) !” He called over his harsh knocks. When he heard shifting and a loud thud, Billy forced the door open with his shoulder. What he saw sparked a burning fire of rage and hatred within him. He strode toward her father brutally pushing him to the ground before he could even notice him. Raising his fist and clenching them in anger he let it forcefully collide with the man's face. There was a gut-wrenching cracking sound as soon as his fist met his nose. Another crack when he punched him for the second time. Blood gushed out of the cranky man's nose. There was a deep cut along his cheekbone and his lip was split open. Right as he was about to punch him again, he felt a soft small hand on his shoulder. “Billy…?”

He let go of the knocked out man's collar immediately and turned to look at her beat-up face. “Oh doll, what did he do to your pretty face?” Billy said softly, flinching slightly when she whimpered as soon as he cupped her face. “Come on, we’ll take care of you” Helping her and lifting her up, Billy walked back to his car with (Y/N) in his arms. She felt dizzy, closing her eyes softly and leaning her head against Billy's chest. “Max I need your help. Get the first aid” Max gasped when she saw you and what state you were in. Grabbing the first aid kit she fumbled with the bandages and gave them to her brother. (Y/N) was completely out of it. She passed out halfway through Billy’s and his sister's treatment. The last time Billy felt this enraged and hurt for another person was back then with his mom. Max had helped him sneak (Y/N) in his room and after that time just didn’t seem to pass. He watched her the whole time, looking for any signs of her being in pain. She didn’t seem to have any serious injuries. With that in mind, Billy soon fell asleep on his chair.

The next morning came fast. Sun kissing her skin and waking her up. She groaned a little when she opened her eyes. Her body hurt all over. A blush crept over her cheeks when she saw Billy sleeping on his chair next to her. He looked so peaceful. “Billy?” (Y/N) softly whispered. The boy slowly opened his eyes, rubbing them with his left hand and stretching a little. “Thank you” She spoke quietly fumbling with the blanked. His eyes softened upon hearing her shy barely audible voice. “Princess, is that the reason you cover up all the time?” He asked, pointing to the fresh bruises on her skin. (Y/N) nodded slowly letting a deep sigh escaped her bruised lips. With slow steps Billy made his way towards his bed and sat beside her, lifting one of his hands up to her none injured cheek. “Listen, I know how that feels and you’re not alone princess.” Tears formed in her (Y/E/C) eyes as he spoke. “Billy I don’t deserve this.” (Y/N) sobbed, shaking her head but was abruptly stopped by his hand. “Don’t say that ever again!” He said sternly, inching closer to her and lifting his other hand to softly cup her bruised cheek as well. “I’m not letting that piece of shit near you ever again” Pulling her closer, she hugged him and sniffled slightly. “I promise (Y/N)” Billy whispered while pulling back again. “Billy?” (Y/N) said, her heart beating faster in her chest. “Yes princess?” the boy muttered leaning a bit closer so that their noses were touching. “Kiss me”

A smirk tugged at his lips as he leaned forward, both of their lips colliding in a soft wet kiss. Both of them moving in unison, lips moving in sync as he pulled her closer to his chest. He would never let anyone hurt her ever again. Every emotion was flowing and put into that kiss by both of them. Her hand wandering to his hair, letting it slip through his soft curls. Their bodies were moving together, her fragile body fitting perfectly into his strong arms. Sharing these experiences tightened their bond. Parting to get some air and breathe they looked at each other, (Y/N)’s breathing heavy and a genuine smile on her flushed lips. “Billy Hargrove just kissed me?” a small chuckle crawled up Billy's throat. “And another thousand times if you want me to”

tagging: @ just-some-imagines

#billy x reader #Billy Hargrove #billy hargove x reader #stranger things #stranger things season 3 #billy #dacre montgomery #x reader #stranger things imagine #11 #mike wheeler #jim hopper #reader insert

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kz-i-co · 5 years ago

Text

Start Over

»Request: "A bully💕 but with a sweet intention inside💕."

»Pairing: June/ Reader

»Genre: fluff

»Words: 2.6k

»A/N: sorry if this sucks, I couldn't really think of anything lol :(

»m.list ╫ ikon masterlist

"Why are we doing this?" Sehyoon asked June as they booby trapped your office.

"Because it's funny." He said with a devious expression. "She'll be fine."

"I don't know. She's very organized. She'll probably be pissed."

"How long has she been working here?" June asked.

"2 years? Why?"

"To make sure they won't fire her."

"Okay just about done. There." He put the last of the mess. "It's perfect."

"She's going to know it was you." Sehyoon said rolling his eyes.

"How do you know that? She works in a school. Best decoy ever."

"I don't think elementary school kids are capable." He laughed.

"I guess I can leave her this then." He taped a small note to the door.

"Let's go before we get caught." Sehyoon spoke breaking his concentration.

They snuck out of the office and through the window and successfully past the night guard. They done it again. Or more or less June. Trying to make your life more difficult. That's how it was since you met him years ago. Your stupid brother knew how to pick them.

"Good morning Yeji." You smiled at the little girl. "Your hairs pretty."

"Thank you my mommy did it." She yawned as you smiled at her mother.

You continued down the hall and unlocked the door to the nurses office. You saw a bouquet of flowers sitting on the counter with a balloon attached to it.

Happy Birthday (Y/N), I love you. I hope your schedule is clear tonight because I already have plans for a big fancy dinner. See ya later -Sehyoon

You smiled reading your brothers card. He always celebrated your birthday like it was the most important holiday.

"When did he do this?" You asked yourself. You were in this office all day for the full 8 hours of school. There was no way he could of snuck in without you noticing. You shook your head and smiled as you smelled the beautiful flowers. You walked over to your office, about to unlock the door until you saw a small note attached to the door.

Hey Mullet, Happy Birthday. How old are you again? Just wanted to say I went all out for your birthday this year and I hope it's the best one yet. Can't wait to see you later.

You felt anger just reading the letter. You couldn't stand your brothers friend. Once upon a time you had a crush on him followed them everywhere but once you reached middle school, it went all downhill.

He was the biggest jerk you have ever met. All he did was make fun of you for every little thing. He was trying to ruin your life.

The worst memory of all was your seventh grade school pictures. You wanted to change your look and begged your mother for a haircut right before picture day. For obvious reasons of not being a professional hair dresser, she gave you the worst Brady bunch looking mullet haircut ever. You cried for weeks from how horrendous your pictures came out and better yet, gotten them framed. It was bad enough you had to tie your hair up everyday until it grew out but ever since June saw those pictures, he has called you mullet. You even wondered if he remembered your real name.

By this point you just wanted him to leave you alone for good.

You crumbled up the note before stepping into your office. You grew confused as you accidentally kicked over something causing you to turn on the light quickly. Your eyes grew petrified followed by with intense anger of the mess that was right before you.

Your office had post it notes all over the place and silly string everywhere. Like walking into a nest of spiderwebs. It was followed by stupid cups of water all over the room, making it hard to even step inside. You growled from how angry you were trying to hold back every curse word that came to mind.

You tried to calm down, just from how shaky you were.

>>To June: [8:36 A.M] Can't wait to see you tonight. I have so much I want to say to you. ;))

You tried to keep it simple and not give it away how pissed you were. You wanted him out of your life and for good.

You decided to close your office since you couldn't handle taking care of it at the moment. Better yet, you wanted him to clean it up. Once and for all.

....

You dressed up nicely and headed to the address your brother sent you, but already knew it was Rene's; your favorite restaurant. Sehyoon knew you well and always wanted to make your special day something to remember.

You were standing outside the restaurant calling your brother. "Hey."

"Heyyy." Sehyoon answered.

"You better not be pulling some kind of surprise or I'll will kill you."

"No worries."

You said opening the door and stepping inside. "I mean it Sehyoon. I'm not in the mood for-"

"SURPRISE!!!!"

You knew it was coming but you happened to jump anyway. "I said no." Your brother came up and hugged you. "You're not allowed to be grumpy on your birthday."

"Well I got a surprised this morning that I'm not happy with."

"Oh about that....I'm so sorry." He looked at you timely as he confessed. "It was June's idea."

"You helped him?!?" You raised your voice.

"Only with the post it notes, he did the rest."

You looked around and you were surprised you didn't see him. "You didn't invite him?"

"Well-"

"Sehyoon."

"It's not like that. He's just trying to make you laugh."

"No, he's a bully. Always has been."

"He likes you though." You looked at him confused. "He's always asking how you are or if you're busy."

"Yeah right."

"No seriously. He just likes to pull pranks on everyone. It's just how he is." You rolled your eyes at his answer. "I know he's a jerk. I'm sorry, I'll tell him to cool it."

"Been there done that. I'll tell him." You walked past him and sat down at the table greeting other family and friends.

....

You enjoyed your birthday party for the most part, laughed enjoyed your gifts and the cake was your absolute favorite. Your anger was actually worn off, until the door open revealing a tardy June, who you prayed wasn't coming.

"Hey birthday girl." He smiled and handed you a bag. You were surprised he even went forward getting you a gift at all. You opened the card and it was actually very pretty and well put together that you swore it wasn't even his. But the handwriting in the card gave it away.

Dear (Y/N), Happy birthday. I hope you enjoy it well and get everything you want. I hope your day is as beautiful as your smile. XOXO -June

You couldn't believe how sweet the card was. He had nothing mean or obnoxious written and you couldn't help but smile in the process. Maybe your brother was write.

You took out the tissue paper and began to dig into your gift. You felt like it was more then one thing and decided to go with the biggest item. You pulled out a picture frame and turned it around revealing your traumatizing seventh year school picture. You threw it back in the bag and looked at June with hatred.

"That's not it." He laughed.

"I can't believe you-" You began to shout but notice you were causing attention. "Why are you such a jerk." You lowered your voice as you felt your eyes water. You got up and grabbed your things making your way out of the building.

Sehyoon was looking at all the gifts in the bag seeing the picture frame, a mug, and even a T-shirt, with all your mullet nightmare. "How could you?" He looked at his friend.

"Come on it was a joke."

"I better go check on her." Sehyoon started but June stopped him.

"No I will." Sehyoon gave him a warning look. "No I need to apologize." He said with sincerity.

You threw your stuff in your car, not even wanting to go back in there for the rest of your gifts. You just wanted to go, as far away as this place.

"(Y/N) Wait." You saw June running towards you.

"Get the fuck away from me." You said opening your car door.

"Wait I'm sorry. It was just a joke."

"Your face is a joke." You shut the door behind you and he knocked on your window.

"Please." You heard his muffled voice from outside the window. You started your car and opened the window. "I'm really sorry. I didn't know that photo hurt you so bad."

"Are you kidding me. That was the worst moment of my life." You spat.

"I'm sorry. I'll get you something else."

"Don't bother. It's not just the photo. It's the pranks, you making fun of me, calling me mullet. I just want it all to end......My office? Really? I want you to clean it up and that's the last time I ever want to see you." You closed your window and took off.

The next day was pretty quiet. You told your brother the greatest birthday gift was to have some peace and quiet for the weekend. You were still a mess over your whole birthday. June just had to ruin your day. You were sulking on your couch as you tried to watch some dumb comedy to cheer you up.

You heard a knock on your door and you groaned just getting up to retrieve the mysterious headache. You opened the door and sighed as you saw June once again trying to make amends.

"I'm really sorry."

"You said that." You said not changing your emotion.

"Come on, I bought your favorite meal." He said holding up a container of different containers.

"What don't you get? I don't want you here." You said.

"Please. Aren't you hungry." You didn't change your mind.

"At least take the food and I'll leave." He insisted not giving you a choice. "I'll make it up to you, I promise." He said before leaving your apartment.

When you got to work Monday, everything was normal. You got your couple hellos from students and teachers as you made your way to the nurses office.

You sighed unlocking your door, ready to see the mess you were about to walk into. You yelled at June to clean so you weren't expecting when that could happen, if it would at all.

You opened the door slowly ready to feel the silly string in the air but your door swung opened fine like nothing was wrong and grew confused. You quickly turned on the light and saw that everything was back to normal or even better then you had it before.

When did he even do this?

You noticed another bag on your desk with a bouquet of your favorite flowers. Sehyoon always got you flowers every year but he never managed to figure out your favorite. You took the note from the clip and began to read the note.

Dear (Y/N) I can't begin to tell you how sorry I am for ruining your birthday. I know I'm a jerk and I wish I can take it back. You probably wouldn't believe me but I really don't try to hurt you, I guess it's just easier then to show my true feelings. I promise it won't ever happen again and hopefully some day you will forgive me. -June P.s. I know you hated the gift I gave you but sometimes the best things are worth hiding.

"What does that even mean?" You asked yourself putting the card down. You dug through the bag and saw the mullet photo once again and you never realized that it wasn't inside the frame but simply taped on the outside.

"Such a jerk." You tore off the horrible photo and crumbled it up but you glanced at the real photo underneath with surprise as you felt the tears flood your eyes. The photo was with you and your dad sitting on his fire truck back when you were only 8 years old. You haven't seen this photo in years since the station was closed down. It was your last photo ever taken with him before he was gone and you thought you would never seen it again.

You felt your hand shake just from the memory. Your dad took you to work that morning and showed you all the cool equipment and how it worked.

You lost him a few weeks later to an emergency in the middle of the night.

"How did he even get this?" You asked yourself.

You couldn't believe you were outside his apartment about to face him. On one hand you were fine of never seeing his face again but then you couldn't stop thinking of what he meant about having feelings for you.

As you were about to knock on the door, it came flying open with him ready to leave. "I'm leaving now." His face went blank as he noticed you.

"Actually, go on without me. Something just came up." He hung up. "Hey (Y/N)."

"Hey. I came to talk to you, but if you're busy-"

"No, it's not that important." He said opening the door once again. "Come in."

You stepped inside taking a deep breath, you just wanted to get it over with. "Look I'm just gonna come right out and say it." You took another deep breath. "Thank you, for the picture. I'm sure it wasn't easy to get and I really appreciate you doing that..."

He knew it was coming from the look of disappointment. "But....I can't just forgive you for all the years of torment and teasing. It's gonna take some time-"

"(Y/N) I'm really sorry. I wish I can take it all back." Then he looked up at you getting a sudden idea. "Actually, can we just start over?"

"What?" You looked at him confused.

He came closer and held out his hand like he was introducing himself. "My name is June and I'm your brothers best friend who has had a crush on you since we were 15."

You looked at him with confusion yet oblivious. "Are you making that up?"

"No (Y/N), it's true. I really had a crush on you and I was too scared for you to know so I just started acting like a jerk and it was wrong and stupid and I wish I could take everything back. In fact maybe if I told you sooner, we could of been something."

"June, look-"

He held out his hand once again since you haven't shaken it yet. "We really doing this?"

He nodded and you took his hand and he pulled you forward, colliding with his chest. He was staring into your eyes causing you to blush. "I know you can't forgive me but maybe you can at least tolerate me."

"I don't know."

"Well at least so I can do this-" he leaned down bringing his lips towards yours. He was really trying which you couldn't help but respect but you just couldn't get over it that easy.

You responded for the kiss a little longer until you pulled away. "I probably should go."

"(Y/N), can we maybe go out to dinner some time or something. I really do want to make it up to you." He had sadness in his eyes.

"Okay." You smiled. He was really sorry so maybe it was time to ease a little. "I'm free tomorrow."

"Great." He smiled and you walked out the door. He may have made fun of you all these years but maybe he was different. Should you forget?

#junhoe scenarios #junhoe fanfic #ikon imagines #ikon scenarios #ikon fanfic #ikon smut #junhoe fluff

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ysalamiri-queen · 5 years ago

Text

2019 Fic in Review

Inspired by @myevilmouse I’m going to sum up all the writing I’ve been up to the past year. I’m really proud of what I’ve accomplished, and thanks to you all for the encouragement to put my ideas out into the world! This has been a year of trying new things, and really growing as an author I feel… And wow according to AO3 I’ve written about 400k words in the past 12 months, damn. So let’s get to the list, going from the beginning of the year to the end, and as always please heed the tags on these before reading.

Note: As I go back, I’m realizing a lot of the links were messed up or are just straight missing. I am on the Mobile App so things can get messy. Please visit my works page on AO3 HERE to see all of these on my page under JessKo and my other pseuds.

1 Late Night at the Slab

Idea: Filling a prompt for the Thryce server in which some, uh, unique Chiss anatomy was assigned.

Result: A 3-way with Thrawn, Arihnda, and Eli and my first foray into the more Xeno side of things in a Modern AU setting. Yeehaw!

2 The Trouble With Free-Roaming Ysalamiri

Idea: Based on some adorable ysalamiri cuddles art by @strength-through-order I wanted to write some Thranto fluff.

Result: Ysalamiri-filled Thranto fluff X’D

3 Inquisitor’s Debt

Idea: What if the Grand Inquisitor changed sides at the end of Rebels season 1?

Result: Some fun throwbacks with Obi-Wan and Caleb Dume leading up to Quizzy defecting with Ezra.

4 Ancient Stems

Idea: Eli Week drabbles based on the Vanto Week prompts.

Result: A silly buzz droid narrative with Thrawn and some cute slice of life Eli backstory/Ascendancy days bits.

5 Charnsuka

Idea: Kinky stuff with Lord Garmadon when he’s an Anacondrai.

Result: Kinky stuff with Lord Garmadon when he’s an Anacondrai. Sorry Zane!

6 Caged Like Prized Birds

Idea: Again inspired by the awesome Chiss anatomy and Thrux drawings by @strength-through-order , I wanted to craft a narrative around Armitage, as a young man, stumbling upon a clone of Thrawn.

Result: Man, this might just be one of my favorite things I’ve ever written, had so much fun plotting it out and the smut is mmm! Tentacles everywhere~ I’ve gone back to re-read this a lot, I’ll admit it. I hope you all enjoyed it too.

7 Quiet On Set

Idea: Must. Write. Talos.

Result: A cute little platonic x-reader with everyone’s favorite Skrull. This was my first MCU fic too.

8 Diagnostic

Idea: Wanted to apologize to Zane for the damages done in Charnsuka with some Glacier shipping fluff.

Result: A silly glacier thing leading to a bit of foolery. I’m happy with it!

9 Heron Soaring

Idea: A continuation of the plot line from Heron Rising with Kanan and Thrawn.

Result: Too many feels… but some great sex to soften the blow, Kanera too!

10 Patron

Idea: Responding to a tumblr prompt from @wukeskywalker regarding Thrawn commissioning LOADS of artworks of Eli.

Result: More Thranto fluff! I see a trend here…

11 Black Heron

Idea: Kanan x Pryce for @myevilmouse , I think this was our first ‘collaboration’ on something!

Result: Juahir hires a special someone to show Arihnda a good time!

12 Red Heron

Idea: @star-wars-rebels-4 is always an amazing wealth of ideas for Grand Inquisitor, and encouraged a work featuring him and Kanan.

Result: Delicious back alley smut when an undercover Jedi is caught!

13 Warm Homecoming

Idea: Give my and a friend's OCs some cute fluff.

Result: OC fluff and a vacation to Hoth!

14 sowing the seeds

Idea: Add something cute to the spank war project.

Result: Another contender for my ‘favorite thing I’ve ever written’ rank. Two chapters of pining, cooking lessons, and sweet slick smut.

15 Red Frost

Idea: After watching “The Evil of Frankenstein” with @sneakybunyip ‘s amazing movie night group, I wanted to do something fun with Victor and Hans.

Result: A fun little adventure fic with some huddling for warmth to boot. Victor and Hans are the hammer-horror-verse Thranto send tweet.

16 a setting sun to hide the ruins

Idea: What if I tortured Kanan to the point he turned evil and joined the Inquisitors (and went a little insane in the process)

Result: Instead of torture, let’s just use some serum that drives him mad. Perfect. Smut ahoy, pretty much a dead dove type fic.

17 Pinktown

Idea: When browsing abandoned towns in Florida, I came across Flamingo… what if Thrawn had been exiled here instead.

Result: An alternate history of Thrawn’s exile and eventual discovery by the Empire. Huge thanks for @badgerandk on this one for the perfect epilogue and beta.

18 the sun rises to only illuminate the stranger i have become

Idea: Setting sun… part 2! But it’s actually what happens before sun?

Result: How Kanan ended up where he is for ‘a setting sun’... lots of imp smut and again, it's sort of a dead dove style fic.

19 Frozen Over

Idea: Ar’alani x Eli Vanto

Result: Somehow me and my writing partner ended up at sensory deprivation focus on this one.

20 Shape of Honor

Idea: Well, this one started in 2018 but ‘finished’ in 2019. Still working on the epilogue. Lots of tweaks… If you are not familiar, this is my AU in which it explores how the Thrawn novel and Rebels show would be altered if Palpatine distrusted Thrawn from their first meeting and accused him of being a Chiss spy. Vaguely inspired by the film The Shape of Water.

Result: Well it's nearly a novel now, isn’t it. This was a great adventure in learning how to create compelling story arcs. I’m extremely satisfied with how it is shaping (lol) up.

21 Datura Stamonium

Idea: Thrawnbine ovi smut.

Result: Oops it has plot now, a whole backstory with Eli and such and so fourth. Will need further stories told…

22 Desert Entropy

Idea: Luke/Wedge modern AU shenanigans.

Result: Also pulled Nath/Wyl and the Rogue Squad/Alphabet Squad peeps into this. Set in Vegas, Luke and Wedge meet and have a cute little romance, but some legal troubles set them back (Palpatine, as always, is That Bitch™) Very happy ending!

23 The Great Eli and Thrawn Prank War

Idea: See Chapter 1: Mullet Thrawn

Result: This thing really grew up, and thanks to all the contributors for allowing me to join in! My contributions were: 7-Bombs Away! In which a bit of drama brews and Thrawn makes a paint bomb that forces him and Eli back into being roomates. 11-Tooka Troube 2: Electric Boogaloo in which Eli finds his quarters slowly filling up with Tooka plush toys, and then something huge goes off in supply. 17-The Bitch is Back In which who knew Thrawn could sing?!

24 Clipped Wings to Keep Us from Flying

Idea: Continuing the story line from Caged Like Prized Birds

Result: Dragging Eli and the OG Thrawn into this, seeing that their stories were left untold in the first work. Also Armitage and the clone are up to all sorts of cool things. Still a WIP, on the list to keep working on this year!

25 I’ll do what I can.

Idea: Some Ronan/Krennic feels post Treason

Result: A Ronan character study that I really needed to get out of my system and finally a stable alliance between Krennic and Thrawn!

26 Purple Heron

Idea: @punk--kenobi and I concocted some fun Kanan/Zeb/Hera smut featuring Lasat heat cycles.

Result: Ah this came out so cool, full of emotion and wonderful imagery. Massive kudos to @punk--kenobi for beta-ing my portion and contributing some of the best smut one can find!

27 Ninjago Angst Week 2019

Idea: Do some 1-shots for Ninjago Angst Week

Result: ow right in the feels. Each character got a highlight in their own ‘dark retelling of a canon or canon adjacent event’ chapter.

28 Vertigo

Idea: Thing’s don’t go right planetside for Eli, Pik, and Waffle in Treason.

Result: Big oof. I hope Eli can one day forgive me… I even put strain on the end game Thranto! Bittersweet ending and lots of angst.

29 More Than Just a Treat

Idea: What is Obi Wan up to in the desert…

Result: Aunt Beau and baby Luke baked him cookies obviously!

30 Datura Metel

Idea: Continuing the Datura cycle…

Result: Just how Eli ended up where he did in the first installation.

31 Here & Now

Idea: Some Thranto Fluff! For @jewelliffer

Result: A camping trip for shore leave! And a marriage proposal for extra sugar.

32 Monster Under the Bed

Idea: Benevolent Boogeyman Chiss

Result: Modern AU Thranto spooky sillies. Bit of an intense climax but they talk it out!

33 Haunted by Sentiment

Idea: Nath is in denial of being the Squad Dad for @glassprowlers

Result: Nath’s very bad no good oh so terrible day! It's very silly and I really like how it ended up, the title is way more serious than the story itself XD

34 Pulse

Idea: Werewolf AU Lavashipping

Result: Oops Kai is a werewolf! Good thing Cole is here to help him figure out how to press on.

35 Stories from Area 51

Idea: remember the raid Area 51 meme? I do! Gotta clap them alien cheeks!

Result: Oh no it got PLOTTY! Pretty much all of my favorite characters and ships cherry-picked and plopped down into a Men In Black style facility in the middle of the desert. I really have a thing for the desert huh…

36 Good Day

Idea: The “truth” behind the “Good day, Lieutenant Vanto” from Thrawn in Treason.

Result: Oh stars the FEELS! Thrawn is in deep water and he KNOWS IT! GAH!

37 Fur Ball

Idea: Chiss are mogwai/gremlins…

Result: Silly Thranto fluff. Thrass shows up too! Feeding them after midnight is actually a good idea here… Grow your own ideal man!

38 Came Back Haunted

Idea: A mission fic centered around the @peters-pumpkin-day prompts.

Result: Ice planet survival with Tarkin, Krennic, Galen, and Ronan.

39 Sewn Together

Idea: This drawing actually is what lead to the fic-

Result: A fairly unique reuniting of Thrawn and Eli after both return to the Ascendancy.

40 Spiked Heron

Idea: Oh no… Kanan gets himself in deep poodoo this time.

Result: Devaronians really like humans huh? The next chapter is half way written I swear it is coming soon!

41 A Colder Embrace

Idea: Thrawn/Purrgil/Ezra and Luke/Wampa for SW Rare Pairs.

Result: It's very cold on Hoth… and even colder in space.

42 Surround

Idea: Luke/Wedge for SW Rare Pairs

Result: Luke has to confront Wedge post ESB regarding what is, essentially, his deserting the Rebels.

43 What Happens Planetside…

Idea: Eli/Pik/Waffle for SW Rare Pairs

Result: heheh a scrumptious Eli sandwich! And surprise tentacles because, well, why not?

44 Hesperidium

Idea: Fluffy Kylux for the Kylux Secret Santa event

Result: Ah its so sweet you might get a cavity

45 Reanimator

Idea: Lovecraftian eldritch horror Thranto

Result: This is the sort of project that it takes 2 months to fine tune each chapter, so bear with me, but I can promise a wonderful, creepy ride is ahead!

46 Floral

Idea: Luke/Faro for SW Rare Pairs. Enjoy the Jedi lovin’, @myevilmouse

Result: Sex pollen and accidentally defecting from the Empire. Whoops!

47 The Harch

Idea: Bouncing off of THIS art by @mamidlo , we worked together to create this plot. Very much inspired by the Hammer Horror films, such as Dracula and Frankenstein.

Result: A fun and spooky romp of Kallus and Zeb getting trapped in a creepy castle featuring mind controlled drones and a species-obsessed Harch. This was my first time posting the entire story at once, too!

Wow, I can not believe how much has been written this year. Thank you all again for reading and kudos-ing and your amazing comments. I’d not be here without the support and love <3 Cheers to 2020 and much more fic ahead!

#ysalamiri-queen writes #year in review #too many tags XD so im not even goign to try

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tbh-entp · 5 years ago

Note

Hi, Can you make a list of different Entps types that there are or at least that you’ve met? Thanks!

lOL yes. I’m just going to go through my people then. So here I present: The ENTPs I know as types of ENTPS as told by an ENTP:

I’m putting it under the cut because it’s long

Grandma

The ENTP who has been through literally everything--made a ton of mistakes but came out ultimately on top because she learns fabulously quick and is smarter than every single person

Long story short--this woman was given away from her fam in the 30s because she was too black (loorrrd help me), grew up unwanted, followed an older brother across the US to this place where she met her (meh) husband, had a ton of kids, got a degree in her 50s, got her 9 kids through pOVERTY, wellfare, racism, kicked that husband out, married again, managed to buy a house and get it done

She’s the type of person to look at someone and be like... give me a second. I’m about to charm them, I’ll be back ;)

Kept her money in her bra

My pops

The ENTP who is cutthroat in business but a cinnamon role as soon as he’s out of the tie

like a mullet kinda

Son of Grandma ENTP

Has the slim cut pants and tailored shirts and fires many people (but genuinely hates it because they have a fam, yo). If it’s cut and dry, if the person can’t do the job, they shouldn’t be paid

Wears those bucket hats on vacation and does not give a fuck that he looks, sounds, and acts like an American tourist

Does not sleep

Thinks most people are idiots, but will not say this out loud

Should hire people to do the fixer-upper stuff around the house because will not be able to finish (or do it well tbh)

cLINGY to INTJ wife, god he’s so loyal and in love it’s gross

poor mom

Myself ;)

The ENTP who has gotten too far in life for how lazy she is. she’s like an empty vessel that made it all the way across the ocean and then someone opens it and they’re like damn... maybe another bottle deserved this

Daughter of my pops and granddaughter of grandma (obviously)

Can lie right through her teeth if it’s for the greater good or if it harms no one

comes back and bites her often

Thinks most people are idiots and will say this out loud

Somehow managed to make her insults sound nice and friendly--normally is nice and friendly though

boyfriend had to tell her to shush when she said “I like my officemate, but not very much” on a group bus ride-

Really good at art for some reason, has been in many art shows and has sold art and whenever someone comes up with an interpretation of her work she just agrees with it because she was just drawing a picture..

depressingly manipulative

Has no vision and no urge to stick to anything, but thankfully can see opportunity, so is casually living a great life although she’s not emotionally attached to it at all

how did she get here

The hippest summer school gal who’s name I cannot remember for the life of me but let’s call her Gab

The ENTP who is the best person to be around because she is genuinely a mESS -- but probably not good to be around forever

Only person to put tacks on a teacher’s chair

Farts in class and blames it on others

Smart talks teachers and they like her anyway

Will be the good friend to tell you that you have food in your teeth or that you look like a traffic cone in your running outfit

Cut class, when she got in trouble, she told the lady in charge that she hadn’t been in trouble in this way before and was nervous because she was just acting out so that her divorced parents would focus on her for once-- also complimented the woman’s skirt

bud got off the hook...

also her parents were married

Once stole sodas from another summer camp, came back to our course, when the teacher was like, where did you get those from.. you’re not supposed to have those, Gab was like, oh the kids gave them to us! I didn’t know they were not allowed, we can take them back, or give them to you. I’m so sorry, I should’ve known it wasn’t allowed.

And the teacher fell for it

The type of ENTP who one shouldn’t hang around probably

But geesh she was fun

Norwegian study abroad friend, or NSAF

The developed and balanced ENTP male who is for sure mistaken for an INTP by a young, untrained American eye because he’s quieter and relatively mature enough to experience his emotions

The walking definition of loyal. He took his best friend everywhere on his bike handles

Though emotional, he expressed them much like a calculator expresses numbers

he fell for another friend of mine and she was like... man he’s straightforward (she was a rollercoaster though, so compared to that)

Clever, quick, smart, sharp as a tack

He was a quiet version of me--which was fun at first, but then we realized that we bored each other when we were around each other for too long, so we had our own sets of friends, and met up for special occasions to annoy people with witty talk and jokes that only the rationals, INFJs, INFPs, and ENFPs caught

Awkward hugger

Chilean Man

The immature and unbalanced ENTP male who is also 30

who I get along with very well anyway because we think alike but who I cannot support most of the time

Offensive jokes to those who can be affected

All races, nationalities, genders, heights, blahs are not safe if they so much as make an annoyed face to anything he says

I’d managed to be exempt from this for a while until he discovered that I’m annoyed by these non american people making fun of my accent and calling it Texan (it is not Texan). I know not to respond but he found my button

Sex jokes

Easily one of the smartest in the lab

knows this

he’s not wrong though

Gets away with spending more money because the boss loves him with reason, he gets results

Where the ego in the lab is far too large, his insecurities bleed into his personality

He eats poorly, is very single and objectifies women when I’m not around

I called him insecure the one time he did it while I was around, and that ended that

Respects people who he thinks are as smart as he is

Only talks about things he wants to talk about. Gets annoyed by conversations on the peripheral of his interests

Mr. Tesla the Technician

The gadget obsessed ENTP who is the literal jack of all trades

Probably had a Harley and a leather jacket as a youth tbh

Also looks far too young to have a daughter that is my age, like only to grey streaks

Can fix anything and is in charge of other technicians

enjoys saying, i’ll call up my guys

Generally loves telling people what to do, but hates being in charge of too many people--which he has to do every year when he has to teach the labs

Enjoys some light insulting to those who he know can take it

You look tired today

You’re not fired yet?

I told Karen to take the trash out but you’re still here

Sunshine in the lab because he gets stuff done and he’s totally hilarious

#entp #mbti #answered #Anonymous

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izzy-b-hands · 5 years ago

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Trigger

Day One of 1000 Words of Summer

A little snapshot of a fic, again exploring the relationship between my latest Boss Ellis and Johnny. I tried to keep it right around 1000 words, but of course I went over lol. I’m just happy I managed to get it done before the day was over, with just barely time to spare!

Title refers to a few things in this fic that I think should be fairly easy to pick out. I figured it was better a title than what I had before at least.

My love to all who read/like/reblog!

“I don’t think you have the guts.”

The hand holding the gun at Ellis’ forehead shook, as much from Ellis as from the thunder and lightening outside it seemed.

“You don’t, do you? Where on Earth did Maero find you anyway? You’re what, sixteen?”

The hand wavered, but didn’t drop. “Eighteen. Old enough to get all this ink.”

“Old enough legally to be tattooed with whatever Maero would demand you have put on you. You’ve got a brother in it, don’t you?”

“We’re all brothers!”

Ellis pushed away the gun to look down and pull his cigarettes and lighter from his pocket. “Yeah, no I get that. The Brotherhood, and all that jazz.”

He lit the cigarette and slipped it between his lips, talking carefully around it. “But I mean you have like an actual blood brother in the gang, don’t you? Otherwise you wouldn’t even be here.”

“You can’t know that.”

Ellis shrugged and puffed on the cigarette, taking it back out of his mouth, letting it cradle in between two of his fingers. “Lots of things I shouldn’t know that I do. That’s what makes me such a boogeyman, if you believe everything on the street. Or maybe, I just have good sources of intel.”

He smiled at the boy, because even at eighteen, this was a boy. Too soon exposed to violence and blood and death, like so many of them. “I’d believe the latter, if I were you. There’s only so much power in fairy tales, especially out here.”

Tears glistened in the boy’s eyes, but the gun popped back up to Ellis’ head. “Enough.”

“Of what? Me waiting for you to pull the trigger? Because I certainly agree there. I’m late for my date.”

“Date?”

“Yeah,” Ellis shrugged. “Shocking, I know. The big scary gang leader goes on dates like any other jack-off. But I was really hoping not to be late to this one, or he will come looking for me...”

The screech of tires in the parking lot of the abandoned factory made him shake his head. “Never mind. He’s here.”

At that, the boy’s eyes grew wide. “No.”

“Oh yes. Exactly who you think. But I’ll make sure he lets you go,” Ellis said. “All you have to do is exactly what I say, and tell me exactly what I ask you. Can you do that?”

The boy nodded, as the encroaching shadow of a wet and angry Johnny Gat came into the open garage of the factory.

“Good. What’s your name?”

“Kevin.”

“Kevin,” Ellis popped his cigarette back in his mouth, and held out his hand. “Charmed.”

Kevin shook, but looked ready to piss himself.

“Hello darling,” Ellis sighed as Johnny charged over, reaching for Kevin. “Now, hang on.”

“Why? I get here, this prick has a gun to your head-”

“Johnny,” Ellis tried to interrupt gently.

“I’m not hanging fuckin’ on for anything. I have two hands, and the ability and desire to toss this jackass into the river, what the hell should I wait for?”

“Because Kevin was about to tell me about his brother,” Ellis said matter-of-factly. “Go on, Kevin.”

Kevin audibly gulped. “He’s in the Brotherhood.”

“No shit,” Johnny spat. “So are you, with that fuckin’ ugly ass mullet.”

“Johnny,” Ellis hissed. “I know you’re just mad I’m smoking, don’t take it out on him.”

“He prefers I smoke a blunt if anything,” he said to Kevin. “Hates the scent of tobacco, but I just can’t give them up it seems. And when I want to stay clear-headed, what else am I to smoke?”

“Don’t answer that,” Johnny commanded.

“Kevin, don’t worry about it,” Ellis said softly. “What’s your brother’s name?”

“What is this, exactly?” Johnny shouted. “Let me kill him! Why are you stopping me?”

“Kevin, the name,” Ellis said, but his eyes were locked with Johnny’s. His cigarette was again in his hand, ash falling from it to the concrete floor of the garage.

Johnny pushed Kevin aside, the gun in the boy’s hand clattering to the floor from the force.

Ellis heard Kevin bolt, his heavy work boots thundering on the concrete floor and out into the parking lot. “You scared him.”

There was anger in Johnny’s eyes, but it was replaced by tears as he dropped to his knees. His arms wrapped around Ellis’ legs, his face pressed into the rough black skinny jeans.

“He wasn’t going to kill me,” Ellis said, and set his cigarette on the empty metal shelving unit near him. He let a hand rest on Johnny’s head; he’d have played with his hair if they were at home, but out and about Johnny’s frosted tips were well gelled and damn near glued in place as a result.

“He could have.”

Ellis shook his head. “He couldn’t. You know, when they can or not. It’s in the eyes. It won’t matter who it is, me or anyone else. He’ll never be able to pull the trigger, and that might just be what saves him. Maybe their parents will get one son back home safely.”

“You can’t keep getting yourself into situations like this,” Johnny mumbled, his face still crushed against Ellis’ legs.

Ellis loosened Johnny’s grip on his legs so he could kneel down to meet his gaze. “And how precisely should I manage that, while still running the Saints?”

The tears had fallen now, faster than Johnny could brush them brashly away. “I don’t know. But I can’t take another-”

His breath caught in his throat, and Ellis hugged him close. He didn’t need to say it. Another funeral. Another loss. Another lover gone and in the ground years before they should have been. Aisha had been enough, a sharp enough wound in Johnny that would likely never heal completely.

“I know,” Ellis murmured, and groaned slightly at lifting Johnny to his feet. They weren’t horribly mismatched in size, but he was shorter even in his heeled boots and less muscle compared to Johnny. “But I can’t stop things like this either. Not all of them, at least.”

“Then I’ll come find you every time,” Johnny said, and kissed him hard enough Ellis was sure his lips might bruise.

He welcomed the bruise though, and every little sign like that, a beating like their hearts, we’re still alive, somehow impossibly we’re still alive.

“And I’ll look forward to stopping you like I did tonight,” Ellis replied. “Or helping you drop a body in the river, depending on who has me held hostage for the night.”

“You say it that way and make it sound like you need a calendar for it,” Johnny grumbled, but smiled.

“We’ll make that Pierce’s responsibility,” Ellis said. “He’ll hate it.”

He hoped the joke (only half of one really, he actually did need to start keeping a calendar, and he hoped Pierce would take that task on and help him keep it properly updated) might make Johnny smile like he used to, a bit bolder and brighter and cocky in a way that was almost irritating.

But the smile was small, and sad, and made him pick up his cigarette off the shelf only to drop it on the ground and put it out. After all this, the last thing he wanted to do was to torture Johnny with more tobacco.

He let Johnny lean on him as he led them back out towards Johnny’s car, the rain falling even harder than before.

“Let’s go home.”

#text post #LeeH writes #Saints Row fic #Gat/Boss #1000wordsofsummer

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classyklancey · 6 years ago

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For Me?

Pairing: Keith Kogane x Lance McClain Genre: Action, a hint of romance Warnings: Car chase with shooting, gangs?, sad Keith Summary: Keith grew up as a lonely loner until he met Lance. Lance becomes his only friend and it's almost too good to be true. It's proven to be too good to be true when Lance leads him away from their school's pep rally and brings him on a dangerous journey. Turns out Lance isn't who he says he is. And Keith, he's not who he thought he was. A/N: This is somewhat based off of The Thing. You don’t have to read it but if you want to, go for it lol. Also, I was VERY torn when writing this. I wanted to make Keith Lance’s character and vice versa but in order for this to work, they had to be the characters they are now. So, that means they are a bit out of character

A couple of hours ago, I didn’t think I’d be here. Lance driving me to a safe house, my head throbbing, speeding down a road while being shot at, broken glass everywhere. This was definitely not just my average Friday.

People around me scream, jumping up and down while waving their arms widely in the air. I roll my eyes while letting out a huff, clenching my jaw when someone shoves into me. How did you bump into me when I’m literally sitting down? I take a deep breath and rub my temples, my head pounding with the beat of the band’s drums.

Why is the entire school even in here again? What plausible explanation could be given to elucidate why everyone from the high school was smushed together in the small gym.

That’s when I heard it.

“Good afternoon, ladies and gentlemen! Let’s get on with today’s pep rally!” The principal then continues to drone on for who knows how long, his loud voice booming louder than usual thanks to the microphone held right before his mouth. He probably wouldn’t even need a microphone for everyone to hear him.

I look out one of the grand windows, seeing birds flying around in the warm sunshine. It almost made me mad that they were able to fly around with their family, going from place to place with little to no worries. All I had was my dad. That was it. No other family, no siblings to play with. None of our family cared to reach out to us for any reason. The why was never answered for me but it seemed my mom knew why.

“Mullet!” I look up when I hear that stupid name over the other voices, already knowing who it is since no one else would be calling me by that name.

“Don’t call me that.”

“Yeah, whatever. Why are you sitting in the junior section? Come sit with me in the senior section!”

“But I’m not a senior,” I didn’t even get to finish my explanation before he was dragging me up from my seat and hauling me towards the other seniors.

Lance’s the only friend I actually have. Yeah, I have people I say hello to when I see them in the hallway or people come to me to cheat on work but I wasn't actually friends with any of them. Lance wasn’t like the others though for numerous reasons. For one, he is probably the most popular senior in the entire school. Well, according to the yearbook he is. It’s strange that he wants to be my friend. I’m just a dumb junior who wore all black and refused to talk to anyone unless it was in a negative way. Why does he like me so much? I couldn’t answer that.

Suddenly, I realized we were heading for the exit of the gymnasium. “Wait, I thought we were going to the senior section?” I didn’t bother raising my voice to talk over the screaming student body. Since I talked so lowly, Lance was forced closer to me to be able to even remotely hear what I said. I tried to force away my blush, hoping if he saw it, he’d think it was from the heat in the gym.

Either Lance didn’t actually hear me or he pretended not to because he kept leading me out of the gymnasium. He waits until the teachers weren't paying attention before slipping us through the doors that led outside. That’s when I noticed the sunshine was gone and dark clouds loomed over the sky. Where did that warm sun go? A cold breeze flew through us, my bare arms growing goosebumps from the frigid air.

“Where are you taking me?” I ask, trying to piece together where he could even think about taking me. I look over at him when I don’t get a response and see his usual playful, teasing self is gone and was instead replaced by a worried, scared boy. My brows scrunch as I stare at him, coming to a stop which causes him to stop.

“Why are you stopping? We have to go.” I stare at him as if he grew a second head, my mouth making a small, round shape.

“Where are you taking me and why? You look worried or something.” I wanted to say more but I didn’t know what else I’d say. You don’t look as happy as usual. I frown at the thought, watching his eyes shift around to different places.

“I’ll explain later. Will you just come with me, please?” I stare at him as I think, uncertainty clear in my eyes. He sighs and tugs on my hand, wanting me to follow him. “Just trust me.” I let out a hefty sigh before starting to walk, letting him drag me to his car.

“So, an explanation would be nice. Are we ditching?”

“No--wait, crap. That would’ve been a good excuse,” he replies quickly, mumbling the last part but I could still hear him thanks to his silent car.

“So, what are we doing then?” I ask as he starts his blue car up.

He stays silent for a bit, driving silently as his shifty eyes scan everything we drive past. “I-” he starts, trailing off as he tries to gather his words. I don’t say anything, letting him take his time to find the right words to say.

“I’ve been lying to you,” he says softly, trailing off again and not saying more.

I let out a sigh as I lean my head against the car window. “I should’ve known. So, what is then? Do you secretly hate me? You’re only my friend to win a bet?” Before I can make any more guesses, he suddenly swerves. My head leans off the window before he’s jerking his wheel again, causing my head to slam back against the window.

I cry out in pain and cradle my head, trying to look around and see what he could possibly be swerving around. When I don’t see anything on the road, meaning that he’s possibly either trying to kill me or he’s gone mad, I begin to worry; I couldn’t even ask him if he’s lost his mind since I saw a car pull up beside ours out of nowhere. The windows were black so I couldn’t see who was inside. Well, that was until the passenger window rolled down and a gun was stuck out of it.

“Duck! Duck!” Lance frantically shouts. He shoves my head down and then leans over me. The car swerves since he can’t see what he was doing, making me yelp when the tires go over something and make the car bounce.

I flinch and cry out from shock when I hear glass suddenly shatter, looking up to see the once smooth glass falling to pieces on top of Lance and me. I squint my eyes at it as I think they fired the gun? It took me longer than I’d like to admit what the explanation was but it eventually pieced together in my mind.

They have silencers. That’s why he was swerving. He saw the gun and was dodging the shots.

We go over the sidewalk, making me gasp and hold onto anything my hands could get ahold of. “Watch where you’re driving!” I shout at Lance.

“You want me to get shot? Why don’t you drive?” he shouts back. I knew he wasn’t serious but the adrenaline rushing through my blood wasn’t letting me think straight.

“Fine!”

I sit up and reach over Lance to grab the wheel, swerving into the car beside us. The driver of the car puts up a fight, hitting us back and adding more damage to our car. My head ducks a bit as they fire their gun again, the window completely shattering. I let out some sort of inhuman sound as I jerk the wheel towards them again, hitting the car as we round a corner. The car ends up going straight at the curve, hitting a parked eight-wheeler and getting their hood stuck underneath it. I gape at it as we pass, tugging Lance back up into a sitting position. “There. Drive,” I say lowly, hating the shake in my voice.

“You got rid of them so easily. How was it that easy?” Lance mumbles with a pout as he takes ahold of the wheel.

I give a dry chuckle as I shake my head, trying to calm my racing heart and shaking body. “That looked easy to you?”

He hums and gives me a shrug in response before speaking. “Well, easier than usual. Normally, one of us would be shot.” My face hardens at his words, my heart clenching in my chest at just the thought of it. One of us could’ve been shot. The thought keeps repeating through my head, my body taking forever to stop shaking.

Just then, it started to rain; the dark clouds seeming to grow darker by the minute. I wondered where those birds went, imagining them cuddled together to keep warm in their nest.

After hours of driving, we finally stop to get something to eat. For most of the drive, we were quiet and only really listened to the radio. It was really unlike Lance to be so quiet; he normally always had something to say. He takes the keys out of the ignition and then looks over at me.

“Don’t get out of the car. Don’t look at anyone. Just keep your head down, okay?” I nod my head silently in understanding, not wanting to argue with him since he seemed to know what he was doing. Seeing me nod, he gives me a nod back and then leaves.

I watch him go with a slight pout, letting out a sigh. Once he was inside the gas station, I turn my head down as he had said to do. He took my phone a while back and disposed of it so I couldn’t be tracked or anything like that. I rummage through the glove box and find an old candy wrapper. I started to read that, amazed at how bored I was.

When Lance gets back, the first thing I say is, “Did you know there are thirty-five grams of sugar in these things? That’s wild.” When I don’t get a response, I look up to see Lance smiling down at me.

“You really read the nutrient facts for a Milky Way? I was gone like five minutes,” he says while chuckling.

“Five minutes too long,” I grumble, shoving the wrapper back where I found it. Lance gives me food and then pulls out of the gas station, beginning to talk.

“Okay. I’m guessing you want to know what the heck is going on.” I nod my head with a small grunt, knowing I didn’t even need to answer since my answer was obvious. “Right. Well, I guess I should start off by saying I’m not eighteen. I’m actually twenty-one.” My jaw instantly drops at his words, silently gaping at him as I waited for him to continue. “So, yeah. I’ve been sent by your mother to protect you.” My jaw drops even further, if even possible. “What? She’s dead. She died before I was even born.” My brows scrunch in confusion, wondering why he’d lie like that. He knew my past and how devastating it was for my family.

As if mother nature could feel my shock and pain, it started raining harder, pounding against the roof of the car. I wished the sun would warn the clouds off, to give my cold form some warmth.

“I’m not lying. Your mom never died. Your dad told you that to protect you. He found out she was a dangerous drug lord. He was so in love with her though, he was willing to look past it. She was not though. She knew that, since he knew, he would be put into danger. So, she left, not knowing she was pregnant with you. She, of course, kept tabs on him since she still loved him and all, you know. That’s when she found out about you. She went back home to your father once she had you and left you with him, saying goodbye to you both for a final goodbye. She was heartbroken to leave you both behind but she made a promise to protect you and your father from afar, wishing she could quit living the way she does to be with you both but, as I’m sure you know, you can’t exactly put in a two-week notice for that job.”

Lance stops and looks over at me once we reach a red light, seeing me staring at him as if he’d grown a second head. “I would say you aren’t funny and this is a terrible joke, and that you shouldn’t joke like that, but I know you aren’t joking. I mean, we were just shot at, so I have no reason not to believe you.” Lance hums and gives a single nod, facing the road again just as the light turns green.

“Continuing on, somehow her rivals found out about her having a son. How? I have no idea, but, either way, some of them know it’s you and they’re after you. That’s why I came to your school in the middle of the year. That’s when we found out that they were trying to figure out who you were. I got a message a few hours ago that they found you and I needed to bring you with me to either a safe house or to HQ. Your mom decided on a safe house, so that’s where I’m taking you now.”

I stay silent for a long moment, letting that all sink in. My brain just couldn’t wrap itself around the fact that my mom was still alive, she’s a drug lord, bad guys are after me, and the list goes on. Just yesterday the most interesting thing in my life would’ve been getting a new video game or something.

After a couple of moments of silence, I finally speak. “Guess I should thank you then,” I say softly. Lance glances at me before looking back to the road, a soft smile on his face.

“Don’t mention it. I’m just glad you aren’t a douchebag or something. I was able to gain a friend, one of my only friends.” I smile in return until I hear the last part, scoffing as I shake my head.

“You joking? Everyone at school loves you! I don’t get how you do it! I mean, you got here only a couple of months ago! I’ve been going here for like ever and yet you’re the only friend I have!” I say with a smile, showing him I didn’t mean any harm by it.

He chuckles as he responds to me. “I don’t know. I’ve always been good at talking to people and making friends. I wouldn’t call any of those people my actual friends, especially since, you know, I’m not actually eighteen.” I lick my lips and press them together as I think over what he said.

“Then what about me? I’m seventeen.” I trailed off after that, not really knowing how to continue.

“Hey, I already told you, you’re one of the only friends I have. It’s hard having friends with my kind of work,” he responds, his voice softening a bit.

“What about Paige and Hank? You’re always with those two,” I say as I remember the two Lance can always be found hanging out with.

Lance chuckles at the mention of his friends, shaking his head. “There names are Pidge and Hunk. And, yes. Those two are my actual friends. They’re working for your mother too though.” I hum and nod my head, taking that new information in.

“Anyway, now that you know about my secret life, we are going to have to become best friends. No backing out now,” he says playfully and glimpses at me with his usual grin. I try not to think about how much more handsome he is when he smiles.

“You got yourself a deal,” I respond quickly, kind of excited to have a best friend.

“Great. Now, let’s get you to safety.”

When we get to the safe house, I wasn’t really surprised at the sight of the small cabin. What I was shocked about was the woman standing on the stairs leading up to the door. I look at Lance wearily, wondering if Lance lied and he was actually a bad guy who set me up.

Yeah, turns out the woman is my mother. Her name is Krolia. I was able to meet her and I was able to ask all of the questions I’ve always wanted to ask my mother. She told me she misses dad every day and she counts how many sunsets she’s not with him. It was somewhere around 6,205. She told me she’s been trying to stop being a drug lord for years but has never been able to. It broke my heart that she’s been trying to get back to our family for a long time and has never been able to. I promised her that I’d get her back to dad and we’d be a happy family.

Hopefully, I’d be able to keep that promise.

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