#and this bitch comes at me saying there's high demand for the study group rooms

[mas-que-loucura-menina]

Me: Hi, I'll have a Google meet reunion about my article and the individual rooms are all full, can I use de study group room alone for less than 10 minutes minutes, please?

Librarian: Sorry, we have a group only policy. You can sit in that corner where literally everyone passes by talking loudly though. Oh and there's echo too. And I'll yell something to my coworkers every two minutes.

[peachbear88]

The Greatest Love Story

A/N: Inspired by this lovely image I saw. I'm making this into a high school angst AU that takes place in like the 1900's. For the record, I know Steve isn't a bad person but this is an AU and I need one of those... You know, guys for this story so.... Yeah! Sorry! BTW, the second poem is not written by me, it's written by Elizabeth Barrett Browning and I stole some quotes from Shakespeare.

Warnings: Angst, homophobia, swearing, character death.

Word Count: 3.2k

Pairing: Yelena Belova x Reader

----------

You scale the ancient wooden stairs of your small school. avoiding eye contact with anyone. The stares you receive from others are painfully obvious as you speed walk towards the library, seeking shelter from the judgmental glances from your peers.

"Hello dear," the kind librarian greets you as you walk past her towards your corner of the library.

You don't respond, quickly ducking behind the massive shelves, hoping to spend as much time as possible in your safe space before the classes start. Placing back your old books, you scan the shelves, until a particular title catches your eye.

"Love Poems by Women?" You murmur, flipping through the worn pages.

----------

A giant dusty book lands on the librarian's desk, making her look up.

"May I take this out?" You ask, your tone emotionless, cold yet tentative. The librarian smiles gently at you handing you back the book.

"Of course dear. Happy reading." You give her a small, thankful smile before dashing out of the library door. The halls are partially empty, save for the kids that skip class, hanging around in the hallways and dark alleys after school.

You duck your head, avoiding eye contact as you pass the group leaning against the lockers, most importantly, the hazel eyed beauty that could snap your neck in half, Yelena Belova.

"Hey!" Your head snaps up. Big mistake. You lock eyes with the famed blonde and you drop your head immediately, a faint blush creeping up your cheeks.

"Y-Yes?"

"Look at me when I'm talking to you." She snaps. You peek at her from the corner of your eye, her sleek dress pants catching your eye.

"Interesting outfit choice," you note before you can stop yourself.

"What did you say?" She demands and you gulp, backing away.

"N-nothing." She slowly steps towards you, backing you into the lockers.

"Get to class. And don't ever let me see you again идиот (idiot)." You hurry down the hall towards your classroom, tripping in the process as you repeatedly look over your shoulder, watching as Yelena turns back to her friend group.

---------

"She was cute," Natasha points out as Yelena reclaims her spot leaning against the lockers. "Why do you feel the need to tease her so relentlessly?" Yelena rolls her eyes, grabbing the flask of vodka back from her sister.

"She's annoying. I don't like her." Natasha smirks.

"Sure. Whatever you say."

---------

You let out a sigh of relief when the bell rings.

Your classmates flood out of the classroom, jostling each other aside in their rush to get home. You quickly sprint out the door, eager to get home, safe and sound when a hand grabs you by the arm and pulls you into a dark alley behind the school.

"Hello there girly..." A deep voice says. You gulp. The boy steps into the light to reveal Steve Rogers. One of those people that take pride in hurting others, a bully, your tormenter.

"W-what do you want?" He smirks, stepping closer to you.

"Well, a little birdie told me that someone had an encounter with a specific blonde this morning." You flinch when he grabs you by the throat, pinning you to the wall. "You wouldn't happen to be... I don't know, one of those dykes would you?" Your eyes widen and you shake your head vigorously as he laughs. "Oh man," he sputters, choking through his laughter. "Wait till the school gets ahold of this-"

He doesn't get to finish his sentence because a fist connects with his face, sending him reeling backwards.

"What the-" A strong hand wraps around his throat, pushing him backwards till his back connects with the wall.

"Listen to me you маленькое дерьмо (little shit), if you ever even think about coming near her again, I will sneak into your house at night, gut you like the fish you are and paint the school with them." Yelena warns in a surprisingly calm voice. Steve's eyes widen and he nods his head frantically until she lets go.

"Crazy bitch!" He spits, backing away quickly. You shuffle your feet, looking down at the ground as she watches him run.

"T-thank you." You mutter, not daring to look her in the eye. She sighs.

"This better not become a daily thing Y/L/N." You nod feebly. "Get out of here." You quickly pick your bag back up and sprint out of the alley, leaving Yelena by herself,

---------

"I'm home mom!"

"Welcome home sweetie!" Your mom pokes her head out of the living room.

"How's your book going?"

"As great as a woman writing a book can be." She chuckles forcibly. There's an awkward silence before she continues. "Your father came by today." She pauses as you swallow, feeling like something lodged itself in your throat.

"And what did he want?" She frowns at your tone.

"Sweetie, I know you don't like him but he's still your fa-"

"I don't have a dad," you growl, picking up your bag. "My dad died when he chose to abandon us." She watches as you climb up the stairs, sighing and rubbing her temple.

---------

You flop onto your bed, dropping the thick dusty buck onto the bed. You spend the rest of the afternoon reading through the poems until your mom calls you down for dinner.

It's an awkward dinner, quiet, only the sounds of dishes, chewing and utensils filling the room.

"I'm going to bed." You say after washing the dishes, not bothering to wait for a response.

That night, you lay in bed, staring at the ceiling of your room.

"Love poems by women." You mutter, an idea popping into your head. You quickly sit up, flicking on your lamp and pulling out the book and a pen.

----------

"Good morning dear," the librarian greets you like she does every morning.

"I'd like to return this book." You reply coldly, passing her the book once again. She smiles gently at you.

"I hope you enjoyed your reading." She says while passing you, returning the book to its original shelf.

-----------

"Hello hon, can I help you with anything?" The librarian asks the dirty-blonde haired girl.

"No, thank you." The girl sends the librarian a tight lipped smile before returning her attention to the shelves. A ripped leather cover catches her attention. Love Poems by Women. She smiles, pulling the book from the shelf. Flipping open to the title page, a neat cursive catches her eyes.

Love flows between beings Gift from the gods Curse from the demons The missing part of every person Destined to be opposites Love is flexible Yet some seek to objectify love Love is not for the weak willed. - Aristophanes

The blonde haired girl hums, pulling a pen from her jacket's pocket and discreetly writing in the book, right next to the poem.

------------

Terrible.

That's the only way to describe your day. You received your essay back, ecstatic to see that you had received an A. Steve on the other hand had absolutely flunked. Instead of dedicating his time to studying, he decided to beat you up as a way of taking out his frustration.

You ended up limping out of the women's toilet, your leg flaring up whenever you moved, tears threatening to fall from your eyes.

"Hi sweetcheeks," the librarian murmurs, her eyes trailing down your injured leg.

"'Ello." You quickly duck behind the shelves, pulling out the book you were looking for. Your brows scrunch together in confusion as you see a messier scrawl next to your handwriting.

Reality hits hard

How do I love thee? Let me count the ways. I love thee to the depth and breadth and height My soul can reach, when feeling out of sight For the ends of being and ideal grace. I love thee to the level of every day's Most quiet need, by sun and candle-light. I love thee freely, as men strive for right. I love thee purely, as they turn from praise. I love thee with the passion put to use In my old griefs, and with my childhood's faith. I love thee with a love I seemed to lose With my lost saints. I love thee with the breath, Smiles, tears, of all my life; and, if God choose, I shall but love thee better after death.

- Orpheus

You smile letting a light laugh slip from your lips. A sweet titter revealing the little girl underneath your cold, traumatized exterior.

Quickly, you grab your pen from your pocket and begin scribbling.

-----------

The air is knocked from your body as your back makes contact with the floor.

"Listen here dyke. I don't like you alright," Steve growls into your ear as Tony cracks his knuckles. "So here's what's going to happen: Everyday you're going to meet us here and," he pauses, cracking his neck. "Help us relive some stress." He smiles wickedly before punching you in the stomach, making you double over in pain.

Your eyes flutter shut as they deliver blow after blow 'till they finally stop. You tentatively open your eyes to see Yelena tackling Steve to the ground as Tony stares at them, eyes wide.

"I. Told. You. To. Leave. Her. Alone!" She screams, pummeling Steve with her fists. He groans, unmoving. You watch in terror as Tony picks up a trash can lid, sneaking up behind her as she punches Steve in the face.

"Watch out!" You scream, taking Tony as well yourself by surprise. She looks up to see you slamming into Tony sending him flying into the nearby wall of the alley.

He crumples, unconscious.

"Are you okay?" You mumble, limping towards Yelena, who's clutching a blood gash on her arm.

"'M fine,' she grits out. You shake your head, grabbing her wrist. She flinches but doesn't push you away.

"You're not okay. Let me help you." You plead. She stays silent and you quickly take her silence as a yes, leading her to the front steps of your home. You rummage through your back pack, finding a large wrap of bandages that you kept after your daily beating from Rogers and his friends.

She winces as you wrap her wound swiftly.

"Gentle!" She growls and you stare back at her defiantly.

"Well maybe if you would stop moving, it'd hurt less!" You retort and she shuts up, staring off into the distance. You dab the cut with a small bit of alcohol before wrapping the bandage all around her arm.

"Thank you." She whispers, giving you a small smile. Reaching out, she gently tucks a strand of hair behind your ear as you flinch back. You quickly, shovel the bandages and medicinal alcohol back into your pack, not noticing the hurt look on her face.

"No problem. The least I could do since you saved me." You reply bluntly, swinging the bag over your shoulder and slipping through the door.

"Wait-" She sighs as the door slams shut in front of her.

You exhale, leaning against the door as you try to catch your breath.

-----------

Yelena sighs exasperatedly, tugging at the collar of her dress shirt.

"What's wrong little sis?" Natasha smirks, plopping down next to her.

"I got hurt and Y/N patched me up." Natasha jumps up, eyes wide.

"You stained your new shirt?" She groans shaking Yelena violently. "God I'm going to kill you!" Yelena grabs her sister, stopping her.

"You're missing the point!"

"Oh yeah? And what's that?" Nat challenges, flopping back down on to the couch.

"She patched me up!" Nat's eyes widen.

"Oh. Oh." She inches closer to her sister, nudging her playfully, much to Yelena's dislike. "So are y'all like," she winks at her sister insinuatingly. "A thing?" Yelena scrunches her brows in confusion.

"A thing?" Nat rolls her eyes, sidling closer to her.

"Yes. A thing. An item? Lovers?" She shrugs, missing the way Yelena blushes.

"In her dreams," Yelena snorts, leaning back into the couch.

"If you say so..."

-----------

"Morning pumpkin!" The librarian chirps.

The blonde girl ignores her, breezing past her towards the the shelves at the very back, peeking over her shoulder quickly before pulling an old, leather bound book from the shelf.

She flips the leather cover aside to reveal the title page. Next to her messy, distorted scrawl was a neat, distinctive cursive once again.

Speak low if you speak love

- Aristophanes

She smiles gently, chuckling as she shakes her head.

"Shakespeare of all people," she whispers, her accent thickening. Pulling a forgotten pen from the shelves, she begins writing,

-----------

The highlight of your day became going to the library and reading the little messages scrawled in between the margins of the book by Orpheus. Like:

If music be the food of love, play on

Or

Her passions are made of nothing but the finest part of pure love.

They made you smile on a daily basis, sometimes even eliciting a rare light laugh.

"Good morning sweetpea." The librarian greets you, not expecting a response. To her surprise and yours, you muster a small smile and a wave.

"Hello." You can feel the librarians shocked eyes following you as you round the bookshelf corner to find Steve, eyes wide, mouth open in shock as he stares down at something in his hands.

Your heart plummets. A book with a soft leather cover, yellowed pages. The book of poems.

You lunge for it but he step sides you swiftly, raising the book above his head.

"Speak low if you speak of love huh? I'm not surprised you know Shakespeare, you're such a nerd." He sneers, waving the book above his head.

"I-I don't know what you're talking about." You stutter, backing up. He grabs you by the collar of your shirt, lifting you into the air.

"Don't fuck with me!" He growls, dropping the book and kicking it to the side. "Who's Orpheus?"

"G-Greek hero. Musician." You stutter and he slaps you, hard. You can feel your cheek swelling under his fiery gaze.

"Don't even try me. Who. Is. Orpheus?"

"I don't know, I swear!" You mutter, wincing when you accidentally bite your cheek.

He drops you, watching as you scramble to your feet, backing away.

"This isn't over you little shit. I'll be back for you," he warns, giving your book one last kick for good measure before storming out of the library with Tony and Bucky on his heels.

You fall to your knees, silently sobbing as you crawl over too the book, dusting it off and hugging it to your chest.

Yelena sighs, her heart breaking as she watches you curl around the book protectively, lying on the floor.

-----------

"Where are you going?"

Yelena turns to find Nat, leaning against the school stairwell doorway, watching her.

"Just up to the roof. Need some fresh air," she lies, avoiding Nat's gaze. Nat lifts Yelena's chin up, staring into her eyes, boring into her very soul. Yelena squirms under her gaze until she finally lets go.

"Okay."

"Okay?"

"Okay." She smiles sadly at her little sister. "Just-" Her voice cracks as she pats her sister's shoulder. "Don't do anything stupid."

"Don't worry. I won't." She gives Nat a brief hug before hiking her pants up and starting up the stairs.

-----------

"Ah, well look who decided to join the party!" You look up from the ground to see Yelena, your eyes clouded with pain.

"No..." You croak but Steve pays no attention to you.

"Come to save your love Yelena?" He sneers, dropping you to the ground. "Or should I say... Orpheus?" Your eyes widen as you watch him advance towards her, pushing her closer to the edge of the roof.

"I don't know what you're talking about." She deadpans and Steve chuckles.

"Sure. If you won't admit, I'll just have to settle for destroying you from the inside out instead." He grabs her by the arm. "I haven't forgotten what you did to me." He points at a long thin scar along his jawline.

You watch as Tony sneaks up from behind Yelena, striking her with a metal bar. She crumples, falling to her knees.

"Hold her." Steve directs and Bucky dutifully grabs you by the arms. He holds Yelena's chin in between his thumb and forefinger, forcing her to look at him. "Now you watch as I destroy the one thing you love the most." Tony tosses his the metal bar and Steve prepares himself before swinging it like a baseball bat.

There's a sickening crunch followed by your scream as the bar makes contact with your ribs.

"Stop!" She struggles, her eyes never leaving your broken body as he hits you over and over again. "Please! Leave her alone!"

Steve smiles evilly, locking eyes with her before swinging the bat again. Another scream. Blood trickles down your face from your nose.

"Is that right? Did the famous Yelena Belova just beg me?" He smiles cruelly before pushing you down on your back, his foot on your chest. You scream as he increases the pressure, your broken ribs digging into your lungs.

Yelena screams, kicking Tony's legs out from under him before punching Steve in the jaw. She grabs the iron bar before it hits the ground, clobbering Bucky in the stomach before kicking Steve in the stomach.

"ты сука (you bitch)!" She steps on his face swiftly, taking satisfaction in the groan of pain he emits before turning to you, gently cradling your face.

"Wow... That was pretty badass," you mumble and she laughs, tearing up. You reach out, wiping the tears from her eyes. "Don't cry." She frowns.

"I'm not crying."

"You are too." You smile, wincing in pain. "I didn't know you knew Shakespeare."

"I'm sorry. I shouldn't have let this happen." You frown, caressing her face, forcing her to look at you.

"Hey, hey. It's fine. Don't worry. I'll be fine." You attempt to smile reassuringly but it comes out as more of a grimace. "Listen, if I don't make it-"

"Don't say that! You can't leave me!"

"Shush, listen you thickheaded poet. If I don't make it, go back to the book." You instruct her. She frowns but you can her off. "Promise me."

"But-"

"Promise me."

"I promise..."

"Good." You smile at her, pressing a gentle kiss to her forehead, your eyesight blurring. "Wait for me okay?" Your eyes flutter shut.

"No! No Y/N! Come back!" She shakes you roughly, sobbing when you don't respond.

----------

Yelena watches as your body is carted off under a white sheet. Nat stands to the side, watching as her sister stares off into the distance, all life drained from her body.

Go back to the book.

She stands, slowly trailing towards the library, her eyes bloodshot, cheeks caked with dry tears.

"Hi dear," the librarian greets her, discreetly wiping her eyes with a handkerchief. "What a shame. She was a lovely girl."

"She really was the best." Yelena agrees quietly, giving the librarian a small, comforting pat on the back before moving to the back of the library where she finds the book, lying on the floor.

Yelena,

I believe that we are the greatest love poem ever written. I love you always,

Y/N

A choked sob escapes her lips as she stares at the page. You knew. You knew the whole time and you didn't even say anything. A pair of soft arms wrap around Yelena's stomach as she lets go of the dam, her cries echoing throughout the library.

"I'm sorry..."

I'm sorry...

----------

Taglist: @username23345 @musicinourlips @gingerbreadcookieforlife @xxxtwilightaxelxxx @trikruismybitch @ima-gi--na-tion @nicole-rayleigh-hot @olsensnpm @peabrain112

[hogwarts--imagines]

Wool Gloves

GIF NOT MINE

Suna Rintarō x !F!Reader

High SchoolAU! to  CollegeAU!

Warning: Fluff, bullying, a bit of angst.

Summary:  Suna Rintarō had a soft spot for one person and one person only. 

I didn’t proof read this before posting but I wrote this as soon as it came to mind LOL I hope you enjoy!!! 

First Year

“You must be cold.” A voice spoke from behind Suna, causing him to whip his head around quickly.

“Huh?” Suna raised an eyebrow at the girl who was now moving to stand next to him. 

“It’s cold, and you’re out here wearing your volleyball jacket, it’s not going to keep you warm.” She then reached inside her bag, pulling out a pair of gray wool gloves, “Here.” 

“Uh” Suna slowly took the gloves from her hand, “What about you? I don't see you wearing gloves.” 

“I’m fine, thanks though” She shoved her hands in her pockets and walked away from him. 

Y/n L/n, Suna knew her only because she was his table partner in their classes. She never really spoke and he didn’t mind. They usually in silence and would casually share snack with each other during class. She kept to herself, especially during lunch. 

So when y/n gave him her wool gloves, he was shocked. That was the most she ever spoke to him. Suna watched as she disappeared, she was walking home and he wished he could be the one walking her home if he was being honest. 

--

Second Year

“Hey y/n!” A random girl called from the doorway to Suna and y/n’s classroom. Suna was talking with his teammates in the back of the room. Y/n had made her way inside the room right before the girl called to her. Turning around y/n looked at the girl. 

“Give this to Suna for me.” She demanded quietly to y/n. Suna could read lips and he watched as the girl shoved an envelope towards her. 

“Ok” Y/n took the envelope and turned around, she slowly started to walk away, examining the envelope more she saw a heart on it and rolled her eyes at how silly this was. 

Both Suna and the girl watched as y/n passed the teachers desk, tossing the envelope in the trash before making her way to her seat. 

“HEY WHAT THE HELL!” The girl yelled, once she noticed everyone in the room was looking at her, the girl left the room. 

Suna couldn’t help but smirk at what he saw. He knew some of the girls in the school liked him, how could he not? They made it obvious. What he didn’t know was they went to y/n to give him the confession letters. Now he was wondering why she never gave them to him. 

“Hey” Suna sat down next to her, “Have a good weekend?”

“Mhm” She nodded putting one earbud in as she started her music, “You?” 

“I did” He nodded, “I have a question though.”

“Hm?” She took her earbud out to give him her attention. 

“Why did you throw away the envelope?” Suna asked raising an eyebrow, “I saw she said to give it to me?” 

“It was a confession letter” She shrugged, “If she wanted you to have it she should’ve given it to you herself.” 

“I agree.” He smiled, “Another question.”

“Ok” 

“How many times have girls given you the letters?” 

“I lost count last year” She turned her head away from him and put an earbud back in. She stayed silent for a while but then looked back at him.

“What?” Suna leaned forward, resting his head on his hand while looking at her.

“Wanna listen?” She held out her other earbud, “It’s LoFi, helps me study and focus.”

Suna took it happily, this was the first time she offered to listen to music with him. Since the day she gave him the gloves, he wanted to do more with her. he wanted to know her more. 

After school, Suna stood outside and wrapped his scarf around his neck, practice was cancelled because of the incoming snowstorm. He noticed y/n was making her way down the stairs, shoving her hands in her pockets. 

“You must be cold” Suna walked over to her. 

“Huh?” This all seemed to familiar to the both of them. 

“It’s cold out” Suna Smiled as he took his scarf off, “Put this one or you’ll get sick”

“What about you?” She protested

“I have these.” Suna held out the gloves she had given him last year. He wore them everyday during winter, yet they always looked brand new. 

Y/n wouldn’t tell him that she noticed he never wore gloves, he always tucked his hands in his pockets. So she went home that day and made him the gloves. She casually gave them to him like it was nothing but she was secretly freaking out as she did so. 

Suna watched as her eyes went wide as she examined the gloves. If the scarf wasn’t covering half of her face, he was sure he would have seen her blushing. 

Y/n waved to Suna as she started to walk home. The smell of Suna lingered on the scarf and it gave her a sense of comfort. 

“Wait”  Suna called out to her, “Did you think you were walking home alone? In this weather? Can’t have that.” 

“Huh?” She turned to face him again.

“I'm walking you home, come on.” Suna began to walk ahead of her.

“You don’t even know the way!” She called out to him and walked faster to catch up with him. 

“Then Show me”

---

Third Year

Suna was panicking, he waited outside after his volleyball practice for y/n. Since the first time Suna walked her home, they walked together since. Their friendship grew even more. She wasn’t talkative as usual but she did talk to him more often. 

She was supposed to be here already. Why wasn’t she? it was already getting late and he knew she wouldn’t go walk home this late alone. 

“Kita, I’m gonna go find y/n. She’s still not here.” Suna  called out before walking off.

“We’re coming with!”  Atsumu called back, dragging his brother and half the team along, “Y/n didn’t say hello to me yet!” 

Suna ignored his friends as he walked around the schoolyard. Only stopping when he heard someone say y/n’s name.

“Say y/n.” A girl shoved her against the wall. She sounded familiar to Suna, “You think you can keep Suna to yourself?” 

“What?”  Y/n asked, her voice was quiet. 

“You think you’re good enough for Suna? He can do better than you.” The girl continued to talk down on her. Suna peeked his head  around the corner to see the girl was the same girl from second year that tried to get y/n to give him the letter. She had a group of girls behind her. 

“That’s cool.” Y/n shrugged, she just wanted to get away. She didn’t want to make Suna worry. 

“That’s it! Who do you think you are you bitch?!!” The girl grabbed y/n by her shirt collar. 

“My girlfriend.” Suna made his presence known. Y/n turned her head towards him, her eyes were wide. 

“S-suna” the girls around y/n froze in place.

“Let go of her.” Suna  yanked the girl’s hand away from y/n and pulled y/n in to him.

“There is no way you’re dating.. that.” The girl snarled at them, giving y/n a death glare. 

Suna didn’t say anything, he just leaned in towards y/n, pulling her in for a kiss. This wasn’t how he wanted their first kiss to go but he didn’t care at this point. It was long overdue. 

The kiss was deep, and it took y/n’s breath away. She had to pull away from him a bit just so she could breathe. 

“Suna” She whispered, her cheeks were bright red.

“Lets go babe, I gotta get you home now.” Suna spoke casually as he wrapped an arm around her and began to walk away from the group of girls. 

“Holy shit Suna!”  Atsumu stood there with a shocked expression on his face. The team had witnessed this as well and all of them were shocked to see this side of him. 

Y/n and Suna left the school in silence. Y/n had to calm down over what had just happened. Suna wasn’t sure what to say because he wasn’t expecting to do this today. 

“I’m sorry” Suna was the first to break the silence between them, “I didn’t ask if you were okay with me kissing you before I did it. It just made me mad seeing them bully you like that. They talked down on you and it pissed me off.” 

“They said that I’m not good enough for you.” Y/n looked at the ground, “But I’m not mad at you for kissing me Suna.” 

“They were wrong. To be honest I wanted to kiss you for so long now, I just wish I did it properly.” Suna looked over at her. His scarf was hanging around her neck, it wasn’t winter, but the fall breeze was enough to make her want to wear it. 

“Then I think you should do it properly.” Y/n stated, not realizing she said it out loud. 

“That's pretty bold of you y/n” Suna smirked, he stopped walking when y/n froze. She realized he had heard her.

Suna didn’t waste any time. He grabbed both ends of the scarf and pulled y/n into him. Y/n collided into Suna, her lips met Suna’s. He ran his tongue across her lips as if he was asking permission to deepen the kiss. Y/n allowed him access and rand her hand through his hair while her other hand held onto his arm for dear life. 

“Holy” Y/n pulled away to  breathe, “Shit. Suna.” 

Suna let out a breathy laugh, “You have no idea how long I waited to do that.”

“Why did you wait?” Y/n looked up at him, she couldn’t help the blush that took over her cheeks.

“I wanted to wait for you.” Suna gave her a peck on the cheek.

“So uh, now what?”

“Wanna go out?”

----

Collage 4 years later

“Congrats Y/N!” Suna jumped up from his chair, as his girlfriend approached him. She looked so beautiful with her cap and gown. Suna had graduated a year earlier than she did and today was her big day. 

“Rin!” She smiled brightly as she pulled him in for a hug, “I finally did it!” 

“I'm proud of you babe!” Suna couldn’t help but smile, he loved the nickname she had given him back in their third year, “Let’s go, I have a surprise for you back at home.”

Y/n nodded as they made their way out. Suna and y/n didn’t live to far from the college and they decided to walk. Even though it was cold outside, they made it a habit to walk instead of drive. 

“It’s pretty cold out” Y/n hummed as she zipped up her jacket. She wrapped the scarf around her neck.

“Your hands must be cold then.” Suna pulled out the gray wool gloves that she gave to him and handed them to her. 

“What about you?” Y/n looked at him with a look of concern.

“I’m not cold, thanks though.” He smiled softly at her. 

She reluctantly put the gloves on. Suna watched her closely. She stopped walking and was looking at the glove that was on her left hand.

“Hold on there is something in the gloves.” She took the gloves off carefully and pulled out the mysterious item. 

“What is it?” Suna asked, a huge smile on his face.

“ S-suna Rintarō~” She trailed off, it was like her breath was knocked out of her. 

She stared at a ring in her hand. It was a silver ring with a small diamond. It was perfect. The realization of what the ring was hit her and she started to tear up. 

“I have loved you since the day we first met y/n. When you first spoke to me, you gave me those gloves and I knew that I wanted to know you more. As the years went on, I realized you made those gloves for me. I don’t know when but I fell for you even more. I wake up everyday falling in love with you over and over again. I want to be with you for the rest of our lives.” 

“Rin” y/n had begun crying at this point.

“I love you Y/n L/n, will you Marry me?” Suna was tearing up too

“Yes!” Y/n cried out and Suna put the ring on he finger. 

Y/n pulled him in for a kiss and then hugged him tightly.

“I love you”

[livsoulsecrets]

Deanoru Fic: It's a love story, baby, just say, "Yes"

Summary: The one where the Runaways have to fight an unexpected criminal attack in L.A. during their night out and Nico ends up taking big risks to protect Karolina, which prompts her to ask Karolina the most important question of their lives.

§ - §

 What was supposed to be a quiet Sunday night for the Runaways quickly turned into a mess in a matter of seconds.

 Thinking in retrospect, Nico assumed she should have known they were bound to stumble upon a disaster every time they stepped outside.

 Still, it had been the first time in a while they had managed to get the whole group together at the same place. With Alex off to MIT, Gert and Chase finishing off college and Molly about to graduate high school all while Nico and Kare adapted to moving in together last year, they had been too busy for a reunion. At the same time, Nico was pursuing her own career in journalism (which had been quite a surprise to her, once she realized writing about the things that angered her was a better coping mechanism than trying to solve everything with spells) and Karolina started working towards her Sociology Masters (which did not come as surprise at all, because this girl was amazing and capable of anything).

 Because of the crazy times they had been going through, Nico had planned to have a peaceful night out with her friends at the amusement park downtown, followed by a sleepover at their old hideout, the Hostel, to blow off some steam. Of course, that didn’t go as planned thanks to some lunatic that had decided to attack LA and kidnap a bunch of kids in the middle of their night off. 

 Now, Nico was following the crazy man’s track to some abandoned warehouse (because he was a cliche like that, apparently), alongside Karolina, Molly and Chase. They had left Gert and Alex at the park, to make sure the civilians got home safe and nobody was hurt. When they finally reached the place Nico’s localization spell had pointed out, she stopped her friends in their tracks.

— Look, we don’t know much about this dude, other than the fact he’s insane enough to kidnap a bunch of kids without thinking twice. What we do know is that he seemed to know exactly what he was doing, so he may be a professional. — Nico explained, keeping her voice low while the four of them hid behind a bus stop. The sight was quite ridiculous, but the dark street provided a very welcome hideout.

— So, you think he is part of a gang or something? — Molly asked, appearing to be excited at the prospect of kicking some gangster’s ass, which did not appeal to Chase at all, considering his furrowed brow in Molly’s direction.

— He could be. Anyway, he had a whole crew and lots of guns. Be careful and don’t do anything dumb. And, yes, I’m talking to you, Chase, in case there is any doubt. — Nico reinforced, receiving a scowl from him.

— Oh, there wasn’t, baby. — Kare commented, earning a small smile from her girlfriend, despite the tense situation they were in. Chase just threw his arms up in frustration as a response.

— Just remember our main goal is to get the children back to their families before anything bad happens. Let’s go inside by the backdoor and, please, don’t forget to- 

— Stick together. — Molly interrupted. — We know it, Nico. You give away too many speeches for somebody that hates motivational stuff. — With that, she turns and leads the way to the back exit.

— Ow, I was just disrespected by a fetus. — Nico sighed, but still followed said fetus’ steps.

— Now you know how I feel. — Chase replied, shaking his shoulders.

 Their banter died down as Molly forced the door open and the four of them walked inside in complete silence. The place was pitch dark, so Karolina instinctively lightened up her hand, leading the way through an infinite amount of hallways that seemed to lead nowhere.

— Wait, I’m hearing something. — Kare whispers just when Nico was starting to lose hope of finding any clues in that place. Kare very quickly diminishes her light. — I think someone is coming, get ready. 

 Some moments after her warning, Nico manages to catch sight of a dim lantern light in the end of the hallway. Shortly after that, six men appeared, guns in hand. 

 Despite their muscles and armament, they had no time to react as energy blasts from Chase’s Fistgons hit the first two men right in their chests. Without missing a beat, Karolina flew over the fallen thugs to bring the next two to the ground as Nico attacked one of the remaining men with a restraining spell. Molly hit the last one of the men hard against the wall, leaving him momentarily unconscious. 

— Tell us where the kids are. Now. — Nico demanded the man she was holding against the wall. 

— Fuck you, bitch-

 A burst of light hit a spot near the guy’s head, leaving a massive hole in the wall. Molly let out a surprised squeal, but Nico didn’t even flinch, knowing exactly where it came from.

— You will tell her what we want to know or the next one is going right into your head. — Karolina bluffed, rainbow couloured beams of light coming out of her hand.

 Anyone who knew her could see right through her act, as Nico did, but, right there, in a dark creepy hallway with her exhilarating power consuming the whole place, it was no surprise the man was terrified of her.

 With blonde hair falling into her face, an anger-filled look on her dreamy blue eyes and incredible power radiating from every part of her body, Nico thought she looked like an avenging angel.

 Nico also thought several other things right after that, but she had to push those ideas away in favor of focusing on their mission.

— East side of the building. They are keeping the kids in the basement over there. You have to turn right in the next hallway and keep walking straight down. — The guy grunted out, visibly shaken up.

— How many people are guarding them? — Chase questioned, stiffening up.

— About twelve, but I guess you will have no problem with that. — He growled.

— Why did you take the kids? Is it to make a statement to a rival gang? — Molly seriously questioned, talking for the first time in a while, which earned a raising eyebrow from Chase. — What? I study gangs quite a lot, you never know when you will have to fight one.

— You terrify me sometimes, kid. — Chase said, deeply disturbed.

— She’s not wrong. — Their hostage said, once the hold Nico had on him tightened up. — I don’t know much, I was just paid to guard the place. All I know is the boss has some crazy guns and is trying to show off his firepower, the kids are just to attract attention. 

— As usual, kids are the ones getting caught up in the middle of adults’ bullshit. — Nico murmured, anger burning inside of her. — That’s all we need to know, let’s go. — Nico dropped the thug to the ground and whispered a spell to make him fall asleep.

— Alright, guys, let’s find them. — Karolina pleaded, holding out her hand for Nico to grab. Without thinking twice, Nico took it and guided her girlfriend and friends to the basement. They successfully avoided being seen by any other guards, managing to reach the place rather quickly, now they knew what to look for.

 Once they got to the spot where they were hiding the kids, Nico caught sight of plenty of guards gathered in front of the door. Nico signaled for the group to stop and listen attentively. They all waited together, trying to listen to the conversation being held near them.

— Is the gun ready? — One of the men questioned.

— The Boss says so. He brags it can take out any of those super powered freaks out there, anything that isn’t human. — Answered another.

— Do you believe it?

— I don’t need to believe it. Every other gang in town is going to be terrified. We are in for some good money. 

 Nico reached for Karolina without thinking twice, fear washing over her at the thought of some despicable guy harming Kare. The next thing in her mind was Molly, fearing the weapon could hurt her too due to her powers. Chase’s panic was also written all over his face when she looked up to him.

— So, what do we do? — Molly whispers, voice trembling. 

— We save the kids and get out of here. That’s the plan. — Nico answers, fearing Molly and Karolina would cross ways with a potential threat.

— We can’t let this guy keep the weapon. It could hurt people. People like me. Like Molly. — Karolina disagrees, nervously.

— This is exactly why we need to leave. We can’t put you and Molly in danger. — Chase pondered.

— Also, we don’t even know if this gun is real, the dude might just be making it up. — Nico argued back, trying not to raise her voice.

— We can’t take risks with this, Nico. — Karolina insists. There is a moment of silence where Karolina just holds Nico’s eyes on hers, letting her know she is not letting this go.

 Well, Nico realizes she isn’t either. 

— I don’t want to get in the middle of this staring contest you guys are having, but I think the guard is walking toward us, so maybe we can argue later and fight now? — Chase suggests, speaking fast as he prepared his Fistgons to shoot lasers at the upcoming target.

— Say no more. — Molly complies, eyes glowing in the dark.

 After that mutual agreement, everything becomes a blur of punches, light and loud noises as the four of them fight through the wave of thugs. 

 Once they finally reach the door, Chase blows the lock up, sweat covering his face and his breathing heavy. 

— Man, I don’t see you in this bad of a shape ever since you lost the Junior league championship. — Nico commented, earning an offended scowl from him.

— That’s low, Minoru, you know that’s the thing I’m sensitive about. 

 As Chase catches his breath, Molly screams a warning before kicking the door down. It’s all a bit dramatic and not that necessary, but Nico lets her have it. It has been a long night, after all.

 They find about fifteen very terrified kids grouped together in the dark, loud sounds of crying and screaming reverberating through the room.

— Hey, it’s okay. — Karolina softly announces, lighting up the place. — We’re here to help. — The kids amusedly stare at Kare as she shines, momentarily forgetting their current situation.

— Yes, we will get you out. Just make a line and I’ll make sure you get back to your families. — Nico asks, turning to prepare for her next speel. With a deep breath, she pictures the amusement park with clarity in her mind as she tightens her hold on the Staff. — Open the portal. — She murmurs, focusing on keeping it safe for the kids. — It’s stable now, but it’s not safe for them to cross alone. Molly, you and Chase go with them.

 The girl opened her mouth to protest at the same time Chase let out a breath of relief.

— Please, Mols. Those kids need protection, we have no idea if there’s something waiting for them at the park. They will need to be kept safe until finding their families. I’m trusting you with this. — Nico pleaded, hoping she would listen to her. Molly still looked unhappy about it, but nodded and accepted the request. 

— Hey, y’all, just stay together and follow me. — Molly said, walking through the portal right after. Chase spoke softly to the kids as they crossed it as well, only stopping when the last one was gone, following them as well. Despite that, Nico kept the portal open, fortifying it.

— Kare… You should go with them. — Despite her request, Karolina sighed, unbothered.

— I’m not going anywhere. 

— This guy is dangerous, okay? His weapon especially targets super powered people, you heard it.

— That is why I can’t let you go alone. If he can really hurt superheroes, I’m sure he can hurt witches with staffes too! — She argued back, hands crossed in front of her body.

— The Staff doesn’t count! Your power is engraved into your blood, Kare. It is too dangerous for you to stay. Also, I can handle him, believe me.

— I’m not saying I don’t believe you, but if you get hurt, we will be lost without you... I will be lost, Nico. — Karolina’s voice is shaking, which breaks Nico’s heart even more. 

— I won’t let that happen. But, even if it does, the team needs you to go and keep everyone else safe. You need to make sure these kids get back to their families and meet me back at the Hostel. I added an additional protection to the portal. It doesn’t let those who cross it come back here, keeping everyone safe. Please, just go. — Nico insisted, holding onto Karolina’s arms, trying to get her to listen. They are standing right in front of the portal right now, its purple energy beaming so strongly Nico needs to put a lot of effort into properly seeing Karolina’s face.

— Nico, no! I’m not leaving you behind, especially with no way of getting back to you. — Karolina firmly denied, sounding terrified with the idea.

— Karie, that’s not leaving me, that’s following a plan. Trust me, I would never not come back to you. 

— I do trust you. I just can’t-

 Nico stops her mid-sentence, hands gripping around her shoulders as she presses their lips together, hard and sharp. It’s not like their usual kisses, it’s not soft or slow or loving, it’s desperate and rough, just Nico sealing them together one more time before she does what has to be done.

— I love you, Karolina. Don’t forget that.

— I love-

— Also, I’m sorry. — Nico whispers, before using her tight grip on Karie’s shoulders to push her through the portal. 

— Nico! No, don’t you dare! I swear-

 Karolina’s furious scream is cut out by the portal closing.

— Please, don’t go too hard on me for this, Karie. — Nico begged the empty space her girlfriend was in until a moment ago, before turning on her heels to face her target.

§ - § 

 When Nico makes her way back to the Hostel almost an hour later, Molly is the first person to throw herself at her. Soon enough, she’s being passed around, from Alex to Gert to Chase and, finally, to receive a friendly tap from Old Lace’s tail.

 Karolina is the last one in her arms, holding her so tight Nico loses sense of everything around them for a moment. 

— Are you okay? Are you hurt, what happened? — Karolina fired the questions quickly, hands scanning her body, looking for any injuries.

— I’m fine, really. Not hurt, just really tired. — Nico assures her, trying to sound light.

— Did you catch the guy? — Chase asked next, curious.

— Yes, I did. He had a weapon that was quite powerful, but it wasn’t capable of all the things that he was told about. Someone tricked him, apparently. It could cause a lot of damage, but not to the point of harming superpowered people. I mean, at least that’s what I understood from the cops’ talks after they took him away. — Nico explained, hand rushing through her hair, trying to keep it off her face. 

— So I left for nothing? Damn it, I could have kicked his ass. — Molly complained, disappointed.

— It wasn’t for nothing! Nico made the right call. If this guy had the gun he claimed to, you could be dead right now just for crossing his way. — Gert refuted, arms around her sister in a tight embrace. Nico nodded softly to her as a way of thanking the support and Gert smiled back.

— Better to be safe than sorry. — Alex added, to Molly’s further disappointment.

— Whatever, I guess. — She muttered, arms crossed.

— Still, it took all of my energy to get him and his thugs to step down. I’m really drained. — Nico explained, breathing still irregular even now.

 As their friends discussed the night’s unexpected turn of events and planned a brunch for the next day to make up for tonight’s disaster, Karolina took the chance to lock Nico in another hug, still not saying much, appearing to be just taking in her presence.

— We will… Huh, leave you to it? — Chase suggests, his voice nothing but background noise to Nico as she buries her head in Kare’s shoulder, relief washing over her. In a moment, all her friends have dispersed through the Hostel and Karolina is taking a step away from her, cleaning her throat.

— Kare, I-

— Let’s not do this here. — Kare asks, indicating the stairs with her head. 

— Okay. Sure. — Nico complies, not sure of what to do, but still quietly following Karolina as she took them to their old bedroom. 

 Once they get there, Karolina closes the door and walks to the center of the room, nervously standing there. Karolina seems to gather herself for what she’s about to say. When she talks again, her tone is so sharp Nico feels as if her heart is being split in half.

— You’re unbelievable, Nico. What you did- I don’t even know what the hell to tell you. I was so scared for you, even more than I was mad. I don’t know what I would do if something happened to you!

 Nico knows Karolina needs to get her anger out, knows she has every right to be pissed at her, but she’s too tired, too broken to do anything other than let her body take over.

 Her feet move before she even takes notice of them, arms enlacing Karolina’s waist, head fitting right under her chin.

 She listens to Karolina’s heartbeat, furiously beating because of what she did.

 Somehow, Nico is just really glad it’s even beating at all. Nico knows she put herself in danger more than anyone else in the team today, but she finds herself realizing the thing that terrified her the most was Karolina getting hurt. She didn’t think twice, didn’t hesitate, before throwing herself in the unknown, if that meant getting Karie to a safe place.

 Nico would rather do it a thousand times again if that meant Karolina would be waiting for her on the other side of it. Even if they fought, argued and screamed. 

 Karolina was all there was, as usual.

— I love you, Karolina Dean. — Nico whispers.

 Karie sighed, hands coming to tangle among the heavy locks of Nico’s hair. 

— I love you too. — Kare says it back. — I’m still mad though.

— I know. I’m sorry-

 Nico stops, breathes one time. Then, another. She runs what she’s about to say through her mind again and again. 

 Karolina waits for her, as she always does, even through Nico’s worst moments.

— I’m sorry I pushed you away. — Nico apologizes, taking enough distance for Karolina just to take a better look at her face. — I’m sorry I made you feel so worried for me, but I’m not sorry for what I did.

 Karolina is clearly confused, but still pays attention to Nico. Now, she is looking down to face her as well, which would annoy Nico if it came from anyone else, since she hates feeling so small, but it’s always quite endearing when Karie does it. The difference is that Karolina does it to make sure she never misses a single movement Nico makes, she stares at her as if Nico is something precious… Something marvelous. When Kare bows down to touch her face, when she pulls Nico towards her, it’s never patronizing… Quite the opposite actually: Every time Karolina touches Nico, she feels unchained.

 That is the one thing that prompts Nico to be truly honest about the reasoning behind her actions tonight.

— I'm not sorry for doing something stupid to keep you safe. I’m not sorry for putting you first. I’m only sorry for not letting you in. I just need you to understand that I will never stop trying to get you home safe. No matter what it takes. I promise to include you in that, though. It was shitty of me to just push you through the portal. I panicked and didn’t take the time to talk with you or respect your choice, and that’s all on me. I shouldn’t have been so reckless and stupid. — Nico was out of breath when she finished talking and Karolina was still surprisingly quiet. — Kare? Do you need some time to think? I can leave, I know you sometimes like being alone after stuff like this.

 Nico moves to leave, but Kare’s hand clasps around her wrist. She feels more than sees her body being snatched against the other woman. Karolina kisses her the way Nico has been dying to be kissed throughout this whole nightmare of a night. 

 This time, there’s no threats, fears or risks. This time, it’s just the two of them.

 When Karolina clutches Nico’s jacket and throws it across their room, she knows that means Kare was craving the same comfort from her. In a matter of seconds, Nico has gripped onto Karolina’s shirt and pulled it over her girlfriend’s head. 

 Kare knows Nico’s body as much as her own at this point, so it doesn’t take much time for her to get Nico’s shirt off and clash the two of them against their bed. Karolina’s hair is falling in a cascade, tingling Nico’s neck, but she is too busy kissing every inch of skin Kare has exposed to care. 

 Karolina is over her, but she’s also everywhere around Nico, light consuming their surroundings. Nico could watch her for the rest of her life without ever getting tired. More than that, she wants to spend forever getting to see Karolina like this, no walls up, just hopelessly opening up to Nico.

 It never fails to amaze Nico that she’s the one doing this to Karolina. That it is all her, darkness and brokenness and all, making Kare lose all control, disclosing herself in the most breathtaking way possible.

 Karolina desperately reaches for her, as if she will die if Nico isn’t closer. There’s nothing else in Nico’s mind once Kare touches her like that. 

 All there is in the world is Kare’s warmth washing over her, erasing every bit of pain and despair this night had caused.

§ - § 

 It’s pitch dark when Nico talks again, her head laying in Karolina’s chest, the two of them laying together in bed, Kare’s arms around her.

— I’m not one to repeat myself, but I really felt awful for shutting you out like that.

— I know.. I could tell it as soon as you did it. 

— I’m predictable, after all.

— Only to me. — Karolina scoffs, making Nico laugh. 

— I still feel like an idiot, though. — Nico confesses, causing Karolina to answer in a rather frenetic manner.

— You are not an idiot- Damn it, Nico. You’re everything, don’t you see? — Her voice is nothing but a whisper, but Nico still listens to it perfectly, years of secretive talkings like those preparing her to understand Karolina in any situation possible. — I can’t function without you, I can’t think, I can’t live if you’re not there. The worst part is that I’m so mad at you for doing something this crazy to protect me, but I would have done the same. I did before. Hell, I will probably do it again. 

— I get it, Kare, trust me, I do.

— I'm not sure you do, babe. — Karolina disagrees, fingers coming to trace the curve of Nico’s neck. — I was raised to obey, to comply. I was taught that to love someone meant to be loyal beyond reason. With you, though, it is the opposite of that. I don’t follow your lead because I’m forced to do it. I do so because I trust you. I put myself in risk every time you’re in danger because I can’t imagine not having you there, even though I know you would never ask that from me. I think I love you even more because I know you wouldn’t.

 Nico is not one to be left speechless, yet every single time Karolina tells her things like that, as if they’re a matter of fact, as if Nico is even deserving of that type of love, she takes a moment to convince herself this is real: that Nico is the one she loves, the only one she wants.

 So, she figures she might as well try to make Karie feel that same way.

— Marry me, Karolina. — Nico tells her, eyes locking into hers as Kare’s breath catches, shock written all over her face. — Marry me and stay with me. Fight me and love me and never leave. You’re my light, Karie. You’re my heart. I don’t want to wait any longer to ask you this. So… Will you marry me?

 As Karolina takes in the unexpected words, Nico’s heart desperately beats, terrified of what is about to come.

— Do you know that, when I fly, I can’t always see what’s ahead of me? — Karolina questions, confusing Nico, that doesn’t understand where she is going with this. Still, she’s smiling adorably, which warms Nico’s heart despite how nervous she feels.— The clouds blur my vision and I need to trust my instincts to make sure I’m not going to hit anything. I was terrified of getting hurt or falling at the beginning, but, over time, I realized that flying was part of me, that my body knew exactly what to do, even if my mind couldn’t quite understand it. My body can take over every sharp turn, every last minute deviant, before any thought crosses my mind. It's my nature.

 She stops and the look she gives Nico is so full of love that she can’t find it in herself to panic over the fact she just proposed to Karolina out of the blue. Nico listens attentively as she continues, heart pondering in her chest with every word out of Kare’s mouth.

— That’s how I feel about you. You’re my nature. I have always known you, every part of my body did, even when my mind hadn’t caught up just yet. I always knew you, Nico, more than that, I always loved you, for all the things that terrified you and amazed me. So, yes, I will marry you. I will stay with you and I will never leave because being apart from you is denying my own nature and I won’t ever do this to myself again.

 Kare is crying now and Nico notices she is too. Karolina’s hands are shaking when she holds onto Nico's face. She kisses her, her lips, her cheeks, her nose, her chin. Somehow, through the tears, Nico is also laughing, never getting tired of the soft feeling of Kare’s lips on her. 

— You’re all I have ever wanted my whole life. Sometimes I still can’t believe I have you. — Kare utters, one last kiss being laid at Nico’s forehead.

— You do. Kare, you always had me. — Nico moves fast to lay a leg on each side of Kare’s body. She holds Karolina’s delicate face in her hands, the look of awe in her eyes almost burning through her heart. — It’s just official now.

 — You really are everything, Nico. You really are. — That’s the last thing Karolina says before leaning forward to capture her lips again. 

 Just like that, Kare manages to surround Nico with her presence once more. 

 There she is again: Nico’s light in the dark, now and for the rest of their lives.

[writingsfromhome]

Bad Timing I(.5)

A/N: This is the sort of backstory to Harry and you, I think it can be read on its own if you want, or before you read the first part too. It’s angsty af, but it has some death and sensitive topics jsyk. I tried to keep it concise but it got a little wordy as angst does. xx

Part 1

-------------------------------------------------

About 12 Years Ago:

“So are you coming to that party or not?” My roommate asks. She was one of the first people I’d met last year when we started uni and even though we came from different backgrounds we remained friends over the last year, even choosing to room together again. She got me to open up and find the extroverted part of me that was able to enjoy uni outside of academics.

“Ugh, I’m volunteering for the voting booths for the rest of the week. Maybe if I can make it?”

“You’re actually doing that?” She scrunches her nose. “I don’t get it. You’re just way too nerdy to be my friend.”

“And yet you loove me,” I squeeze her against me and she laughs. “It’s my mom, she said I had to do at least one extracurricular so I could meet friends this year.”

“You already have friends,” she points to herself, and with her came her group of friends that’d quickly taken me in last year.

And my mom doesn’t like that I hang out with you, I think. She thought we partied too much even though my grades stayed decent. “She wants me to have nerdy friends too, I dunno. They’re helping me pay my tuition until I get a job so I kinda have to play nice.”

“Parents suck,” my roommate flicks through her closet. I agreed, this was just something I would get through to get through. Then they would leave me alone for the rest of the year.

Little did I know the person they’d partner me with at my polling station was someone who would be in my life for the next decade.

“I’m Harry by the way,” he’d said after we received our orientation and assigned the building we were going to babysit the votes in. “Second year.”

“Me too! I’m Y/N. What’s your major? I’ve never seen you around.”

“Law--well I haven’t decided if it’s law but that’s what I’m in right now.”

“Really? Law?” I was openly judging, he just didn’t seem the law type.

“Well what are you in?” He demands.

“Business,” I cringe.

“Really? Business?” He has a cheeky smile on, one that would become familiar to me.

“Well, you just don’t seem like the law type. They’re usually more uptight, dress way too smart for me.”

“I know, it’s like, we’re not even in the courtroom yet,” he joins in and it makes me laugh--how he could poke fun at his own people. That’s when I knew we would get along fine, and I actually looked forward to the next few days getting to know him better.

“I’m definitely telling my mum about you, she’s been begging me to make friends outside of my circle. I’ll tell her I’m friends with a law student.”

“So we’re friends already?” We’d reached our booth and began setting up the partitions. He takes over when I set it up wrong.

“Obviously,” I say. “I actually like you which means you’ll have a hard time getting rid of me.”

“I’m alright with that,” he grins and I notice the laugh lines that are brought to life as he does. It somehow made him seem more genuinely.

We spend the rest of the time swapping stories, classes, rants. We check student IDs and hand out voting cards in between but it doesn’t feel like a drag anymore. At the end of the day, I invite him to the party my roommate was going to with our friends. If he was going, maybe I would too. He seemed like he might be fun at a party.

“Er,” he suddenly seems nervous. “I’ll have to ask my girlfriend, she wanted to hang out tonight.”

“Well bring her too!” I say excitedly. “Is she law as well?”

“No, she’s in the arts.”

“I like her already,” I push. “Bring her, my friends are fun you’ll learn how to have a good time.”

“I know how to have a good time,” there was the flash of his dimples again. “Text me the address.”

And thus began a friendship for the next four years, partying together, studying together (trying to), and hanging out in each other’s rooms. We would set each other up with other friends, double dated, went out for sunrise-hikes, and took long drives at night when we had to blow some steam off from being over-stressed, over-studied uni students. Our friend circles overlapped, the fabric of our lives eventually bleeding together. We were made of the same fibers, sticking together even after uni, when our friends got more serious about their careers. When they moved out of the country or to another city, we made sure to rent places close enough that we could still see each other often. And somehow, in the new chapter of our lives, without the partying and our other friends to buffer, we became closer than before.

We cared for each other--we didn’t deny that ever. And somehow that platonic love turned romantic as we depended on each other while we navigated adulthood. I can’t exactly pinpoint where things changed, but one evening our relationship was changed forever.

7 years ago:

“She literally wants me to stay until 7, and she was offended when I said no! I’m not even getting paid for that!” I was bitching to Harry about my shitty job.

“That’s bollocks” Harry shrugs. “Just say you’ve got family obligations or something.”

“I said that the one time she wanted us to come in on a weekend and she gave me shite work the following week! I just...I can’t afford to lose this job Harry.”

“That’s shitty, I’m sorry.” He takes the last swig of his beer. “Want another one?”

“I haven’t even finished this one,” I moan at my now warm beer that I’d been nursing for the last hour, too busy ranting to drink it. “It’s getting late though I should head home before it’s dark. Don’t want that nutter that hangs around my building to harass me again.”

“I’ll walk you home,” Harry suggests. He lived a 15 minute walk from me.

“No no,” I get up and take our dirty dishes to the sink. “I didn’t even ask about you, how was your day?”

“Same old,” he sighs against the counter. “I feel like I don’t fit in, everyone my age is finishing their law degree but I don’t think I want to.”

“I knew from the day I met you, you weren’t destined for the courtroom.” I pull him into a comforting hug. “Do what makes you happy, or what doesn’t make you want to say fuck it and quit your job to hibernate.”

“You really know the perfect thing to say,” Harry chuckles but he pulls me tighter against him. I stroke his back, reassuring him he’d be alright in the end.

“Y/N-” he pulls away to say something but freezes mid sentence. I raise an eyebrow but he’s still, staring at my face.

“Harry?” I ask, but he continues staring. “Hello? You alright?”

“Yeah,” he breaks into a sudden smile. That was weird--I make sure he’s okay before letting go.

Before I leave, I kiss Harry’s cheek goodbye--I was never shy in the affection I gave my friends and Harry’s bummed mood needed extra affection tonight. But what I don’t expect is for him to catch me before I pull away, staring intently into my eyes. The lighthearted energy between us disappears instantly as it dawns on me, how close we were, the unspoken feelings in his eyes, the hesitation before he presses his lips to mine.

I kissed him back then, barely understanding what was happening, before pulling away. I give him a smile but that’s just what he sees at the tip of the iceberg, underneath my mixed feelings churn away. My best friend just kissed me, and I wasn’t totally mad about it.

“It’s getting dark I-” I say as Harry says, “Sorry was that okay?”

We laugh awkwardly, neither of us sure what to do at this point. We decide to ignore it instead.

“I’ll talk to you later,” Harry lets me go and opens the door for me. “Watch out for the neighbourhood nutter yea?”

I stand in place, feeling the fibers of our friendship unraveling but feeling hopeless in mending the tear. “Take care Harry.”

I high tail it out, my thoughts going at an impossible rate as I sort out what happened. And we try to ignore it the next couple weeks,

We hadn’t made it official then, too nervous to face what this meant about our friendships. It was only at my sister’s wedding, that I realised what was wrong between us. I’d been mourning our old friendship, and avoiding him in the weeks since the kiss. But what I didn’t realise was that our friendship had been changing over the last year anyway, and getting drunk on champagne and dancing with Harry, while my sister celebrated the happiest day of her life, made me realise there was a cause for celebration here: a new chapter in our lives.

A couple days later, after a stressful day at work, I’d taken the tube to his flat and waited for him outside. He was surprised to see me there, not saying much except to open the door and let me in. As soon as he’d closed it, my lips were attached to his and we’d let our bags drop, coats, and any piece of clothing between us. After that night, we didn’t even try to deny how we felt about each other.

“I didn’t think I could ever be this happy,” he’s whispered to me after. I thought he’d fallen asleep but his whisper in the dark made me grin to myself. “Are you awake.”

“I am. Awake and happy.” I turn to face him, giggling. “Who knew this could feel so right.”

“Our first kiss was quite wrong though wasn’t it?” Harry says and it makes me laugh.

“That’s why I needed to do a redo,” I tease. “Can’t leave you to plan anything.”

“It wasn’t planned I swear, I was trying to be spontaneous.”

“Let’s not try ‘spontaneous’ again then,” I kiss him in the dark. He pulls me snug against him, I never knew how safe it felt. The safest I would ever feel, wrapped in the warmth with my best friend and now something else.

It was a good few months, testing the waters as our relationship underwent a transformation. All of our friends were supportive, but we never missed the glances between them. Apparently, they were waiting for this to happen. But as sweet as those first few months had been, finding out my mum was sick with a timeline was devastating. I came apart at the seams but Harry stayed through it all, holding me together. He’d proposed then, wanting my mum to be part of the ceremony. We had a small wedding, intimate but still magical. It was bittersweet, the amount of love and happiness I felt towards Harry and our loved ones around us as he said I do and as he took my arm and swept me across the dancefloor. But the amount of sadness crushing my chest kept me from being the weightless bride I always thought I would be.

Through it all, Harry stayed by my side. While we were hopeful, the day our hopes were dashed, the days and weeks I mourned. When my sister and her husband came to stay with their crazy toddlers and Harry kept them entertained giving my sister and I time together. I thought he was perfect, that I’d lucked out.

That lasted a few years, 3 and a half to be exact. There were months leading up to our split and we could point to a bunch of things that could’ve led to it. a) him wanting kids, and me wanting to wait or b) long hours we worked as we changed careers and tried to make our way up or c) how hard getting pregnant actually was. Maybe I pushed him away, or he didn’t love me enough to try and make it work.

I think I lied to myself, avoiding the tension creeping into the relationship. The tired excuses and time spent apart, the lack of usual affection, or casual conversations. I was an idiot, I realise every time I think about the end in retrospect. Maybe if I caught on earlier I could have fixed us before we fell apart. Maybe I could have saved us.

“There’s someone coming in Tuesday morning to fix the broken washer, will you be home?” I ask, still in bed and scrolling through my phone. I hadn’t meant to be up this early but Harry woke me as he got up and I couldn’t fall back asleep.

“No,” Harry responds, his back to me as he ruffles through the dresser. “I’ve got a thing that morning.”

“Well I’ve got to go in early Tuesday-I thought you might be home.” I say. I hear an edge to Harry’s voice but I try not to focus on it. He’d been a little cold all weekend and I was scared to think what it meant.

“You couldn’t be bothered to check in when you confirmed the date?” Harry asks harshly.

“I...guess not.” I put my phone down and wait for Harry to turn, maybe I could read his expression. Maybe he was stressed. “Harry?”

“What?” He turns, but he looks at me with no emotion. No stress, no frustration, not even anger. It’s the lack of emotion in his face that cause my eyes to prick with tears. Harry raises his eyebrows and I shake my head, untangling myself from the sheets so he doesn’t see any tears. I rush to the bathroom but forget to close the door out of habit.

“Y/N,” a kinder Harry appears by the doorway. His face has smoothed out the harsh lines, his eyes hesitant and cautious.

“What’s happened with us?” I blurt out. “Why are you so cold all the time? Am I doing something wrong?”

Harry’s face falls and he walks towards me but doesn’t touch me. “It’s nothing like that. It’s...I don’t know. We should talk.”

He reaches his hand out but I flinch away. “Did you meet somebody new or something? What are we talking about?”

“Let’s not do this here. Right now.”

“Why not!” I finally had enough. “I’ve been walking on eggshells for months Harry! I don’t know what’s wrong and I keep waiting for you to bloody tell me!”

“This isn’t working!” Harry raises his voice to compensate for mine. I’m immediately silenced by the volume, and then the words sink in.

“Is there someone else?” I ask.

He doesn’t answer, his gaze on the hanging vines by the window. My heart drops into my stomach like a boulder, and I find it hard to breathe. I clutch the porcelain sink and ask in a surprisingly even tone, “Harry. Answer me.”

“What we have, Y/N...it’s dysfunctional.” He says quietly, meeting my eyes. “It doesn’t matter if there’s someone else, we’ve been fighting for months. Things aren’t the same between us-”

“Who is she?” I ask. I needed to know.

“That’s not relevant,” he shuts my question down quickly. “I’m sorry Y/N, I...I don’t want to hurt you. I care about you, I don’t want to hurt you.”

“Then don’t,” I’d pleaded. “We can go to counseling, talk it through-”

“I can’t Y/N.”

“Because of her.”

“No, because this isn’t good for either of us.” He’d walked up to me, cradled my face. “We’re not good for each other, not like this.”

“Who is she?” I yank his hands away.

“She’s...it doesn’t matter, I swear nothing happened between us Y/N. Knowing who she is isn’t going to help this situation--”

“It is! If it weren’t for her, you’d be willing to work on us--to see a future. You...Harry how could you do this to me? To us?” The tears come with no control. “You’re moving on before we’re even over. How are you giving up on us like that?”

“I’m not!” his voice booms in the tiled bathroom. “I’m not bloody giving up on us! I tried Y/N, so many times. I tried! You just keep pushing at me to be someone I’m not and-”

“I can say the same thing about you!” I throw the brush in my hands into the sink. “We were good! And you got it in your head you wanted a baby even though we’re young, oh my god Harry you kept pestering me to change my mind even though I told you I needed time!”

“It’s not like we could have a fucking baby anyway,” Harry says bitterly before realising what he’d said. “Shit-”

“There you go,” I mock. “I knew it. I knew you were holding that against me. And that,” I jab my finger into his chest. “Is what’s made you so moody, so mean and why we’re always fighting. You held it against me.”.

There was absolute truth to what I said. Last year, Harry had brought the baby topic up. I’d told him we were only in our mid-20s, we had a lot of time, and we still had a career to establish. But he would bring up the topic often enough that I’d given in.To make him happy. And months went by, trying for a baby. Went we finally went to our doctor, she’d told us why it was so hard, it could take us years she’d said.

Harry came home that day dejected, and left me feeling like a failure. I think it tore us up.

“You wanted a baby so fucking bad and when I couldn’t, it made me feel like a complete failure. And I told you that! And you did absolutely nothing to make me feel better. You held it against me, Harry! You didn’t even try to tell me it was okay.”

“It’s not so fucking simple,” he says, his cheeks flushed pink. Maybe it was anger, or maybe it was embarrassment from being confronted with an ugly truth.

“It is. And now you’ve upgraded to a newer model, maybe her version comes with a fertile womb.” I take the cheap shot.

He doesn’t say anything though. And I don’t know why that hurts more than knowing he’d fallen for another woman while he was still married to me. My best friend in the whole world had just broken my heart into a million irrevocable pieces.

“It’s a bunch of things Y/N,” he finally says. “That’s just part of it. We’re not...we’re just not working!”

“Did you even try to make it work?” I ask, swiping my sleeve across my face. “Did you ever think how I felt? How you made me feel Harry? You’ve been slipping away from me without talking to me-” I break off. I couldn’t speak through the heartbreak, the thunderstorm of grief threatens to consume me and my sobs are the only thing that manages to come out.

“I never wanted to hurt you,” Harry tries to place a hand on my shoulder but I jerk away, moving to sit on the edge of the bathtub. “Y/N...”

“Just go,” I say through the tears.

“We can talk more about this later-”

"Just go,” I say louder.

Harry’s phone rings again from the bedroom and he sighs. But he leaves me, crying on the bathroom floor. The sadness that was always in my peripheral consumes me. I’d carried this sadness for a long time--ever since I found out my mum was sick, the sadness plagued me. I’d neatly packed it up once I decided to move forward with my life like my mum would want me to, but now it comes back tenfold, marrying the grief of losing Harry like this. And I stay on the floor crying my grief away for hours, eventually crawling into bed and sleeping the daylight away.

When I wake, it’s 6 and Harry isn’t home. I take that as a sign and get up to pack up a few things. I call my sister who still lived in London then, and crash on her couch, staying there for a few weeks and ignoring any call or text from Harry. When I need to go back, for my things, I find him sleeping on the couch with the TV on, something I always found endearing. But I can’t afford to dwell on how much it hurt seeing him like that.

He must have woken from the noise because when he finds me, he tries to stop me and tell me that we still needed to talk.

“About what?” I ask, just tired now. Too many tears shed and too many hours laying awake thinking about the exact moment we went wrong.

“Us,” Harry looked tired too. He was probably throwing himself into his work with nothing like me to hold him back, I think bitterly. His girlfriend had probably already been to our house--his house.

“What about us?” I barely look at him as I begin folding away all my clothes.

“I don’t know,” Harry sits on the bed. “Don’t you want to talk?”

“I’ve got nothing to say, do you?”

Harry sighs, “I don’t know.”

“Nice talk then,” I say, shoving the rest of my things in just so I could get out.

“I just want you to know I care about you Y/N, I don’t want to hurt you.” He says as I pack.

“It doesn’t matter anymore. If you cared about me, and you didn’t want to hurt me you wouldn’t have done this to us.”

“I wasn’t trying to--I didn’t mean to go and fall for someone else-”

“Just stop,” I cut him off. I couldn’t hear it, how the man I loved fell for someone else. I couldn’t break down here. Again.

He said he cared but it didn’t feel that way. It hurt more than I wished to admit. He knew what I’d been through and he still betrayed me, tossed my heart like it was replaceable. The cut he left in me ran deep.

As I leave he tries to talk to me, but I barrel past him. He still reaches for me and pulls me into a hug, I struggle against him but he’s too strong. He wraps me in his arms until I go still but it’s too much. A sob escapes me, and this time he lets me push him off and leave, my bag banging into my hips every time I take a step. As soon as I got into my Uber, I can’t stop crying. There was an infinite pool of tears where Harry was involved.

3 years ago:

My trust and my heart had been been lost in the war between Harry and I. It only took him a month to mail my divorce papers which sat collecting dust on my dining table until he showed up at work one day and demanded I sign them by the end of that week. I’d taken the day off the day I mailed those in, mourning the end of something that was once so safe and beautiful.

When a close friend calls me on a warm July afternoon, I don’t consider her warning that I shouldn’t check Instagram. That I still had Harry’s friends on my list. I open Instagram before she can tell me why, and see it. Harry was getting married, again. To the woman he gave up on us for. I try to zoom in on a picture without liking it, she was pretty...and blonde. She looked familiar--probably from his office. It didn’t take him long.

It was like someone had taken a retractor to the wound I thought had finally scabbed over. The physical proof that Harry had moved on is just the salt on the wound.

I cry myself to sleep that night.

2 Years ago;

The guy in front of me drones on about his job, mansplaining to me how a mortgage worked as if I wasn’t in finance myself. I excuse myself to use the restroom, checking my phone to see a text from my sister. She’d moved to Scotland this year, to where her husband was from, and I’d missed her terribly in the last year.

A little birdie told me your demon-ex just got divorced 🥂

I stare at the screen, chest feeling tight. I felt vindicated somehow, but I also felt a small bit of sadness. What a fuck-up.

Good for him I had texted back. A part of me wanted him to hurt the way he hurt me.

I went back to my date with a renewed enthusiasm. I’d ordered more wine and got so drunk he was actually interesting enough to take home.

About 1 year ago

“Y/N,” a voice from my past says, one that haunted me some nights. I turn as I exit the shop I was just in. I blink at the sight before me, Harry in a vest and hat. He realises what I’m staring at and laughs awkwardly. “I’m in uniform.”

“You’re...police?” I look up to his face finally. He hadn’t aged a day, although the hat he wears makes him look a little silly.

“Yeah I joined the force uhm...almost 4 years ago now...law didn’t really suit me.”

I know what he was doing, trying to find a baseline to have a conversation. But he was dead to me, and I didn’t want to invite him back in when I was finally forgetting about him.

"Seems like you dropped a lot of dead-weight four years ago.”

I watch his face fall as he realises I wasn’t going to pretend to be friendly.

“Seems that way to you,” he says cautiously. “But that’s not how it happened.”

I shrug. “So. I heard about the divorce. Must’ve been hard being put through that.”

I knew I was being petty, obviously I never got the closure I want (according to my therapist) and I wasn’t over him hurting me the way he did (also according to my therapist). This was how I got my peace, and it wasn’t the best version of me but it was the only one I knew how to be right now.

“Yep,” he crosses his arms over his chest. “So, are you seeing anyone?”

He knew I wasn’t, I don’t know how but the way he stoops to my level I know he knows I hadn’t had a long term relationship since him.

“Not at the moment,” I say awkwardly. “Just focusing on my job...trying to get this promotion.”

“Sorry,” he seems to shake off whatever had come over him. “That was...nosy, I shouldn’t have asked.”

Having him be the bigger person sets something off in me, like there was an anger-bomb inside my mind where he lived and knowing that he was doing okay enough to be able to be the bigger person disrupts this calm I was trying to keep.

“Maybe you shoudn’t have stopped me to ask anything at all. We don’t have anything to talk about anyway.”

I turn around and start to walk away but he catches up, “I wasn’t trying to upset you-”

“Well you have a way of doing that. Please just leave me alone Harry.”

He huffs beside me, “After all this time, can’t we just bloody talk like two adults?”

I freeze and turn to him slowly. He seems to sense this was the wrong thing to say because he takes a step back. “After all this time? Are you serious? I was the one you left behind Harry when you went off to lives your best lift Harry. We’re not living the same life, and we’re not coming from the same bloody place. Don’t fucking patronize me and ask me to talk to you like an adult when you bring out the worst part of me. I meant what I said: I want you to leave me alone. And you know what, if we ever run into each other again, just don’t even talk to me. Pretend you don’t know me. I want nothing to do with you.”

He opens his mouth but his partner calls him from the shop’s entrance. He stays silent, letting me go. As soon as I turn the street corner I rush the rest of the way to the tube, collapsing into a seat and trying to sort out my breathing. It was a shitty feeling, knowing someone was going to be in your life forever because you shared so much history that even when that part of your life ended they were still there. There was so much apart of me, around me, that reminded me of him. And it felt so lonely carrying that around. I wanted to be done with him, I wanted my heart to purge him out. But it couldn’t stop carrying him around everywhere I go.

[just-another-ficwriter]

Tattoos Together - Part Two

Pairings: Sweet Pea x Reader

Words: 3200ish

Warnings: Violence, mentions of blood, mentions of cheating, underage drinking

Summary: When one of Veronica’s old friends moves to town, Sweet Pea can’t help but take a liking to her much to his annoyance. Who would have thought a drunk game of truth or dare would end up at the Wyrm with a tattoo gun?

Notes: Requested by the lovely @p-marie-sp sp! I had so much fun writing this, thank you so much for requesting it! I hope you like it!

Riverdale High was everything but what you’d expected.

You’d been the new girl before, you knew the role that came with the title but Veronica’s close circle had accepted you like you were already their own including Jughead and his gang of Serpents, despite the vicious rumours that floated around about them.

Even a certain dark haired Serpent who wore a permanent scowl that scared many, had been more than welcoming.

Sweet Pea had captured your attention that first weekend in La Bonne Nuit and continued to hold it for weeks later. Even when your friends were practically crying out for you to stop the flirtatious banter back and fore, it only seemed to egg him on more and you were never one to back down.

You couldn’t help but smile at him when you found him leaning against his locker, watching as you, Betty and Ronnie walked down the other end of the hallway. 

“Chuck get out of my way.” Veronica’s words had your gaze falling back on her as she clicked her tongue in annoyance, her arms already folded tightly over her chest as she stared the bulldog down.

“Feisty, I like it.” Chucks lips twisted into a smirk that had you feeling uneasy.

“Just move.” Betty demanded, but her stance wasn’t as confident as Ronnie’s and he seemed to use that to his advantage.

“You know Betts.” He twist his body so his face was inches from hers, his voice dropping as he whispered to her even though it was loud enough for everyone else to hear. “If you ever get bored of Jughead you could break out that black wig again and come around to mine, maybe without trying to drown me this time.”

“Knock it off Chuck.” Veronica’s voice was calm but her eyes darted around the hallway hoping no one else was listening as Betty started to pale, her fingernails secretly digging into her palms at the mention of what must be a past story you knew nothing of.

“Or you could just take a page from Veronica’s book and fuck your way through the football team.” He pushed himself off the locker, stepping around Betty to look down at Veronica, his glare almost frightening. “First Archie, then Reggie, now Archie again. Who’s next V?”

“What did you just say?” Your sudden input had all three of them turning to you, Betty’s mouth hung slightly open, Veronica looked impressed but it was Chuck who seemed the most amused.

“You wanna be careful who you hang around with new girl, associating with psychopaths and sluts never ends well.” He pointed towards Betty and Veronica in turn with each accusing name and you could feel the anger building within you, every word spoken adding another spark to the flame.

You barely had time to think before you clenched your hand, your fist flying up to hit him straight in the face. You weren’t sure whether the punch hurt him more or you as you fought back a string of curse words brought on from the pain throbbing in your knuckles, but the look on his face made it all more than worth it.

Betty gasped behind you, Ronnie shouted your name but the blood was pounding too loud in your ears as adrenaline coursed through you to even hear them now. “You want to say that again?”

“You bitch.” He spat his words, a hand clutching his bloody nose as he straighten up and took a step towards you. “I’m gonna make you pay for that.”

“You’ll have to get through me first.” Before you couldn’t even register what was going on Sweet Pea was in front of you, a solid shield in human form as he blocked Chuck’s path. “And I don’t think that’s gonna end well, do you?”

“Whatever.” Chuck huffed, his eyes momentarily widening before his composer hardened again and he turned to you. “This isn’t finished.”

Sweet Pea waited until Chuck had disappeared from their view, nodding his head towards Veronica and Betty in his own way of making sure they were okay before he lightly grabbed your wrist and dragged you into the nearest women’s restroom.

He didn’t seem to care much about the trouble he’s get in if he got caught as he flicked the tap on, silently holding your knuckles under the cool water, his hand never leaving yours.

You studied his face as he studied your hand, eyes narrowing in concentration as he twisted it gently side to side to assess the damage.

“You didn’t have to do that.” You voice was a whisper, the first words uttered between you making a small smile ghost over his lips, not a sight many were used to seeing.

“Does it hurt?” Every inch of his face, every word that he spoke was laced with pure concern that had your heart racing. Your ex had you sworn off boys and relationships but there was something about Sweet Pea that had you forgetting.

“A little.” You shrugged sheepishly, your cheeks turning a light shade of pink as they heated in embarrassment.

“It’ll definitely bruise, it might swell up.” His tone was serious at first, a hint of anger flashing in his eyes and you couldn’t help but flinch, unsure whether it was directed at your own stupidity or if he was simply annoyed at Chuck. But then his gaze soften, one corner of his lips turning up into a lopsided smile. “Not too much damage though, can’t say the same for Chuck’s face.”

“He deserved it.” You straightened up a little with each word, even if it hadn’t have been the best idea to punch Chuck in a crowded hallway, you didn’t regret sticking up for your friends.

“Do you make a habit of punching guys?” There was a hint of amusement in his tone, an underlying suggestion he was impressed.

“Only the ones who piss me off.” You wink at him, holding his eye contact as his finger tips still brushed over yours, the cold water making them go numb.

“Remind me to never get on your bad side.” He chuckled, and you laughed unexpectedly with him.

“I doubt you ever could Pea.” You felt as if the whole room grew silent as his stare intensified at your confession.

“That’s good to know.” His voice was a whisper now, the two of you deadly still, the only sound was the running tap.

“Are you doing anything tonight?” You broke away from his gaze, clearing your throat and startling him in the process. “A few of us are meeting at the speakeasy if you wanted to come?”

A disappointment ran through Sweet Pea, a silent hope that you were asking him to spend time with you, and only you, but it disappeared as he smiled again. “I’ll be there.”

-

The anticipation of the night ahead almost had Sweet Pea backing out.

He wasn’t sure what it was about you that had him wracked with nerves but the way you smirked at him had him wanting to find out.

When he first got to the speak easy he’d tried to avoid you, play it cool by keeping his distance. But Toni had ditched him the minute Cheryl had walked in and the more Fangs drunk the more he drifted to Kevin, so Sweet Pea found himself alone, tipsy and inevitably drawn to you.

You’d all been together for exactly 1 hour and 36 minutes before Cheryl suggested a game of truth or dare, and despite some initial protest, mainly from Jughead who claimed it was child’s play, everyone eventually gave in.

When you sat next to him, he felt his heart rate pick up, the sound pounding in his ears and he looked around the table wondering if anyone else could hear it as he desperately tried to ignore the way your hand kept brushing against his leg.

Suddenly, he felt like truth or dare wasn’t the best idea after all.

“Okay, who’s first?” Cheryl eyed them all one by one, making them agonise over who might be her first victim. It wasn’t long until she had Fangs doing laps of the bar completely naked, Betty taking a body shot from Jug and Kevin revealing his darkest secrets.

“Okay, Sweet Pea’s turn.” Toni’s voice slurred a little as she shared a knowing glance with Fangs before turning back to the taller serpent. “I dare you to kiss Y/N.”

“What are we, five?” He scoffed, taking a sip from his glass as he adjusted the collar of his jacket, secretly hoping no one would notice the blush crawling up his neck. “I didn’t even get to pick truth or dare.”

“If you don’t want to kiss me Pea then that’s fine.” You couldn’t help but smirk as your eyes trailed over his face carefully, pausing briefly on his lips before you shrugged.

“I never said I didn’t want to kiss you.” He hadn’t meant for the words to sound the way they did but he watched as your smile grew wider, ignoring the way the others laughed as he puffed his chest out.

“Then pucker up Big Boy.” You winked at him, an action that caught him by surprise earning another round of laughter as you leaned in. Sweet Pea instantly finds himself forgetting that anyone else is there as your lips brush against his. He’s hesitant at first, his body frozen from both fear and excitement but then he notices your breath is just as shaky as his and he can’t contain himself anymore. He pulls you in this time, the kiss no longer innocent but passionate and demanding and it takes everything in him to stop himself from grabbing your hips and pulling you on to his lap.

“Okay I think we’ve seen enough.” Veronica’s tone is a mixture of surprise, distaste and humour as she hits you on the shoulder, a curious glance thrown your way when you turn to her.

“My turn.” You ignore the way everyone’s eyes now seem to be fixed on you as you straightened yourself up, a thumb trailing over your lower lip.

“Truth or dare Sweetheart?” You couldn’t help but notice the way Sweet Pea’s body tensed up at the nickname Reggie used for you, but he soon relaxed when you squeezed his thigh.

“Dare.” Your voice is determine, the grin on your face showing the group you were ready for whatever they were about to throw at you. “Make it a good one.”

You could practically see their minds working in overdrive, searching for the perfect dare. It was a while before anyone spoke out, but you could tell by the smirk on Cheryl’s cherry red lips that she’d thought of something good. Or bad depending how you looked at it. “I dare you to get matching tattoos with Sweet Pea.”

“Hey!” Sweet Pea rolled his eyes at the mere thought, his outburst making a few of you jump. “This isn’t my dare, keep me out of it-“

“Deal.” You cut him off with one simple word and he whipped his head around so fast you were surprised he didn’t get whip lash as he started at you with wide eyes.

“What?” His voice was an octave higher as he waited for you to tell him you were just kidding.

“Oh c’mon we’re not talking about getting our names tattooed on each other, we can make it fun.” You smiled sweetly at him despite the dangerous glint in your eyes. “Unless you’re too afraid?”

“Fine.” Your words had sparked something within Sweet Pea, a silent challenge now between the two of you and he was curious to see if you’d back out. “I’m in.”

“How about we move this party to the Wyrm?” Jughead suggested, ignoring the horror in Betty’s eyes as he smirked, his opinion on the game totally different now from when it started. “I’m sure we could find a serpent or two to help us out.”

-

“I hope you’re not planning your escape over here?” The teasing smirk you held on your lips dropped slightly in concern as you noticed the way his cheeks had lost all colour, even his knuckles had turned white as his hand clenched around his beer.

“Who me?” Despite his attempt to laugh, the sound came out strangled, his eyes giving him away instantly. “Never.”

“You know we don’t have to do this right?” Sweet Pea tried to ignore how calming your touch felt as you hand landed on his arm, your skin warm against his as all playfulness between you melted away. “We can just say that I back out.”

“It’s just...” He sighed loudly as he internally debated whether to hide his embarrassment or face it. “I hate needles.”

“You hate needles, but-“ You press your lips together to fight the laughter bubbling in your throat as your eyes roamed over the serpent tattoo on his neck, the action finishing the sentence for you.

“I was drunk.” A red tinge strikes his cheeks at the confession, a hand running through his already disheveled hair. “Like really drunk.”

“Then the answers simple.” You’re smiling again now, grabbing his hand in triumph as you pull him across the room. He can’t help but match it as you leaned over the bar with a giggle, his hands now holding you steady, waiting as you pull out a bottle of liquor and two shot glasses. “Tequila!”

“Tequila?” He raises an eyebrow while his hands still linger on your hips, his fingertips grazing against your bare skin.

“A shot or two to calm your nerves.” He watches in silence as you pour two shots, thanking Toni for passing the salt and lemon. You take his hand in yours, shaking a line of salt along his thumb, your eyes never breaking contract with his as you lick it off, knock back the shot and suck on the lemon. He tries desperately not to groan as your tongue roams over his skin. “Your turn.”

“Okay.” He absentmindedly follows your lead, twisting your hand in his so he could copy everything you did before. Maybe he’s too drunk to care now, or maybe he see’s no point in hiding his attraction anymore but his eyes never waver from your locked gaze.

Kevin can’t help but watch the scene unfold from across the room, giddy at the thought. “Is it just me or was that insanely hot?”

“$10 say they go home together tonight.” Fangs bumps his shoulder against his, a knowing smirk on his lips as he refills Kevin’s glass. He’s all too aware of his friends growing feelings.

“Duh.” Cheryl cuts in, nestling her way in between them. “You can cut the sexual tension with a knife.”

“And at this point, I’m pretty sure Sweet Pea would follow Y/N anywhere she went.” The rest of the group nod in agreement with Veronica’s words as the two of you seem to be totally oblivious to the way they’re all watching you now.

Toni smiles at the way you laugh at something Sweet Pea says while Betty confesses the two of you actually look kind of cute together. But you’re too busy flicking through designs to even care what they’re saying, pointing out all your favourites to a still reluctant Sweet Pea. It takes a while but you finally settle on two matching geometric deers that work well together and apart.

When it comes time to sit down on the chairs, you barely listen to FP and some other Serpent, whose name you’d already forgotten, mumbling about how they can’t believe their actually doing this and warning Jughead that this better not be a regular occurrence.

You leaned back into your chair, surprising relaxed, Sweet Pea on the other hand was anything but. His jaw was clenched, his eyes squeezed shut. FP was on his right, holding his arm down with a slight force while the other was tensed up, his bicep bulging under his T-shirt and you did the only thing you could think of.

You reached over, grabbing his hand with yours, linking your fingers together as you gave him a soft squeeze. He opened his eyes for one brief second to look at you before they were shut again, only his teeth were no longer grinding together. Instead his lips turned up into a smile, his thumb running along yours and he sunk a little further back.

-

“I guess it wasn’t that bad.” Sweet Pea mumbled, his arm wrapped loosely around your shoulders as you follow the others back into the cold night air.

He’s too busy staring at his new ink to notice the way you twist underneath him. “Pea?”

The way you say his name grabs his undivided attention as he stares at you so intensely you’re scared your legs might crumbled beneath you. You can’t bring yourself to say another word, your ability to speak lost somewhere in your chest.

So instead you cup his face, your warm palm flush against his cheek making him blush. You stretch up until you’re on your top toes, his hand falling to the back of your head as you bring his face downwards to close the gap.

He knew what was coming but it still surprises him. Your lips mould together like they were made for each other, his hands now on your lower back anchoring your body impossibly closer to him as if he’s scared you might disappear.

It’s different from your first kiss, this time Sweet Pea knows it’s real, that you want to kiss him as much as he wants to kiss you.

He feels cold when you pull away, and it takes everything in him not to pull you back into him. “What was that for?”

“For being so brave.” You shrugs like it was obvious, but the way you sink your teeth into your lower lips tells him more than your next words ever could. “Plus I really liked the first one.”

“You know-“ His voice is low now, deep and gravelly as he whispers in your ear. “I don’t need to be dared to kiss you.”

He starts to lean in again, your lips inches apart when the others start to shout from a few feet ahead. “Are you guys coming?”

“Change of plans.” You lace your fingers with his again for a second time that night, smiling up to him as you yell back at the others. “You guys go ahead, we’ll see you tomorrow.”

“Someone owes me $10!” Fangs voice is drowned out as the others erupt in drunken cheers.

Sweet Pea Masterlist

Tattoos Together Taglist: @t-a-i-l-o-r-m-a-d-e @acceptingtheunacceptable @omgitstreeloo @shenbonzi

Sweet Pea Taglist: @80sand90simagine @wildberryyyy @hopelesslylosttheway

Forever Taglist: @p-marie-sp

[icyharrington]

Fever Dream- Part 2 (Michael Langdon X Reader)

as per popular demand, here is part 2 of fever dream! i tried to include a few headcanons that u guys shared with me, so hopefully u like it!

plot: if michael wants to get under your skin, you decide two can play at that game.

warnings: fem!Reader, school uniform michael, slightly dom!Reader, teasing, jealousy, overstimulation, cunnilingus, fingering 

word count: 3.4k

CLICK HERE FOR PART ONE 

i.

Ever since you and Michael’s little interaction, you’d tried your very best to avoid him at all costs. Somehow, though, he managed to appear at all the wrong times, watching you from afar with his devilish stare. Every time you’d see him you’d tense up, and he had no qualms about approaching you for casual small talk, enjoying the fact that he was making you squirm. You couldn’t believe you’d fucked him! Whatever had come over you, you had no idea, but all you knew was that it couldn’t happen again, under any circumstances.

It didn’t help, either, that it was starting to affect your studies. You couldn’t get him off your mind, replaying the events of that day in your head over and over, pressing your thighs together hard as you remembered the way he felt inside you.

Even worse, you’d find your jaw clenching with jealousy whenever you’d see him talking to one of his many admirers, confident and cool as he’d lean up against a doorframe, arms crossed, as some witch talked to him with stars in her eyes. You’d feel compelled to go over to her, remind her he was yours, and then all at once you’d feel very silly for thinking such things at all. Michael could talk to whoever he wanted, you knew this, and yet...

It was after a particularly boring class when a warlock approached you at the door as you were preparing to leave. He was cute, nothing remarkable, but cute, and you realized that this was the perfect opportunity to get Michael back.

Michael himself was gathering his bag, talking to a couple girls, and you grit your teeth. Turning back to the warlock, you gave your cutest smile, and he smiled back.

“Hi, (y/n). I just wanted to say I’ve seen you, and what you can do, and it’s really amazing,” he said. His voice cracked slightly, and you could tell he was nervous. You felt bad that he seemed to know your name, but you didn’t have the foggiest clue of his, but that didn’t matter much to you as you saw Michael approach the door with his admirers in tow. Before you could think any further, you threw your head back and laughed an unnecessarily loud laugh, hand resting on the boy’s forearm.

“Oh my god, you are so funny,” you said, smiling up at the boy brightly.

From the corner of your eye, you saw Michael stop in his tracks, and it took all your self control not to smirk.

“Um, thanks, I guess,” said the warlock, looking a bit confused, hand rubbing the back of his neck awkwardly. “I’m being serious, though. You’re very talented. Maybe one day we could, like, hang out?”

“Oh my god, I would love to hang out with you,” you said loudly, hoping your voice was traveling over to Michael. You pretended to turn over your shoulder to look at the clock, instead stealing a glimpse of Michael’s face, and from his expression you could tell that he had, in fact, heard what you’d said. His mouth was pressed tightly into a thin line, eyebrows shadowing his almond shaped eyes as he looked stoically in your direction. He’d given up on engaging with the girls, ignoring them completely now, and you almost giggled. Your little act had worked.

If he wanted to get under your skin so bad, two could play at that game.

The warlock’s face lit up, and you momentarily felt a bit guilty for stringing him along. He reached into his back pocket, retrieving a cell phone, and handed it to you. “Here. Put your number in my phone and we can make plans.”

Before you could even accept the phone, Michael appeared before the two of you, an obvious snarl on his face as he looked the warlock up and down. “There’s a stain on your shirt.”

The warlock looked down, and Michael turned to you with a superficial smile pulled across his lips.

“What are you doing with him, (y/n)?” he said, unphased by the fact that the warlock could obviously hear him.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” you snapped, turning back to the boy. “Sorry about that. What were we talking about?”

The warlock’s eyes went from Michael, to you, and then back again, and all at once he looked very frightened. For a second, Michael’s eyes blackened, and the warlock’s face turned sheet-white. “I-I have to go,” he stuttered, ducking his head down and scurrying out of the room.

“What the fuck did you just do?” you demanded, but Michael just looked at you with a half-smile.

“(Y/n), do you really want to run around with little boys like that? I think a woman like you needs a real man.”

“You’re a fucking narcissist,” you said, and you could feel your blood pressure rising steadily. “You can just go around talking to whoever you want, but you throw a bitch fit the minute I decide to talk to a guy?”

“So you’ve noticed? Me talking to other girls?” A sly grin crossed his face, and you scoffed. He could probably smell the jealousy radiating from your pores, but you weren’t going to let him win that easy.

“There’s like thirty people who go to this school. I’m obviously going to notice who you’re talking to. Besides, you’re allowed to talk to anyone you want. I don’t give a shit.”

“(Y/n), let’s not play stupid here. You and I both know who you belong to,” he said, stepping closer to you, and you glanced around to see if anybody was witnessing this. “And you and I both know the way it makes you feel when you imagine me fucking anybody but you.”

“In case you haven’t noticed, Michael, we’re in public,” you said, embarrassment rising in your throat, but it appeared that nobody was paying attention to your angsty conversation. “And I don’t belong to anyone but myself, so you can wipe that smug look right off your face. Oh, and if anybody is jealous, it’s clearly you, Michael. Using your freaky powers to drive off some guy the minute you feel threatened.”

This was so fucking petty. You were growing tired of this conversation, and you wanted it to end. The look on Michael’s face was so still, so unmoving, that it almost scared you. “Just- don’t fucking talk to me. Okay? Just fuck off.”

With that, you left, refusing to look back.

ii.

It wasn’t long before you realized that Michael wasn’t quite as strong as he let on. He had weaknesses, and you were determined to find them. You wanted to break him down, see him desperate. After all the shit he’d put you through, he deserved to be forced to swallow his pride if not only for a moment.

It was one particularly hot day that you’d chosen a pair of black shorts to wear, high waisted and just long enough to cover your ass cheeks and nothing more. Zoe had asked for a volunteer to write a spell out on the chalkboard, and you had happily obliged.

You made your way up to the board, taking your time to write, making sure your cursive was as even as possible. When you were finished, you turned around, pleased with yourself.

At the very end of the table sat Michael, but he seemed distressed. There was an overlay of pink crossing his cheeks and nose, and he focused his eyes on his book, forbidding himself from looking up.

Your eyes wandered downwards, and you noticed he’d bunched up his expensive blazer and placed it across his lap.

Oh shit, you thought, and now it was your turn to be smug, the discovery dawning on you all at once. He was using that blazer to cover his boner, you were sure of it.

An evil idea crossed your mind, and you decided to go for it. Turning around, you feigned putting the chalk back in its holder, instead letting it slip from your fingers and drop onto the floor with a soft clack.

“Oops,” you said innocently, bending forward to pick it up. Your ass was just feet away from Michael’s face, nearly exposed in those skimpy shorts. You heard a few whispers throughout the class, but the only reaction you really cared about was Michael’s. When you turned around, Michael’s face had gone from slightly flushed to completely red, and his grip on the blazer had tightened to the point where his knuckles had turned white.

“Are you okay?” you asked him, voice syrupy sweet. You turned to Zoe, eyes wide. “Maybe we should open a few windows in here. Michael looks like he’s burning up.”

You sauntered back to your seat, hips swaying from side to side as you felt his eyes on you.

You’d gotten under his skin, and god did it feel good.

iii.

After that day, you made it a point to dress as revealingly as possible. Low-cut tops, bralettes, and short skirts made up your new wardrobe, and you had to admit your confidence had increased a great deal. You couldn’t believe the amount of sexual power your body held, turning the usually confident young warlock into nothing more than a flustered mess just by taking a mere glimpse at your bare thighs.

You could hear the whispers about you, rampant around every corner. It hadn’t been in your character in the past to dress so daringly, and now that you were, everybody noticed.

You passed the living room where a group of warlocks were sitting on the couches, Michael sitting off to the side quietly, tucking a strand of his styled blond hair behind his ear. Despite his popularity amongst the girls, he hadn’t gotten himself involved in the social aspect of the school, and it was very seldom that you ever saw him speak. You doubted he even really wanted to talk to the girls, either, instead doing it so he could bother you.

You stopped in your tracks when you heard your name, spoken in a hushed tone, and crept back behind the wall so nobody would see you as you eavesdropped.

“Have you seen that one witch? (Y/n)? Man, she’s got an ass on her,” said one voice, and you laughed quietly to yourself. The group of boys chattered in agreement, and you peeked around the corner to watch the scene unfold.

Michael looked displeased, and you were somewhat surprised when he spoke up. “Don’t talk about her like that.”

“Who? (Y/n)? Come on, dude, I’m just spitting facts here. Plus, she obviously wants us to see if she’s going around dressed like a slut.”

You had no time to get offended as Michael stood up abruptly, towering above the boy as he grabbed him by the collar of his shirt, yanking him up to face him. Michael still had several inches on the boy, who was visibly trembling, and you put your hand to your mouth to stifle your gasp.

“Say one more word about her and I’ll tear your fucking tongue out of your skull so you can never talk again.”

He released the warlock, tossing him into a heap on the ground, and the whole group of boys looked at Michael in disbelief.

“You have some serious problems, man,” muttered the boy, composing himself before rejoining his friends.

You turned on your heel, running back up the stairs to your bedroom before someone figured out that you’d seen everything that just happened.

Back in your room, your back pressed against the door, you found yourself with a stupid smile on your face and a racing heart. He’d defended you, which meant he cared about more than just your body. You didn’t know why this made you so happy, but it did, and it occurred to you that maybe you cared a little more about the blond-haired boy than you thought.

Maybe.

iv.

It was half past midnight when you decided to pay Michael a visit, but you had a feeling that he was as much of an insomniac as you were. In front of your floor-length mirror, you surveyed your reflection, a silk black slip draped over your curves. You’d never found the right occasion to wear something so sexy, leaving the lingerie to collect dust in your closet for months, but now you had one.

You passed through the silent hallways, scanning for Michael’s room, and licked your lips when you saw the light spilling from under his door. Perfect.

You entered without knocking, slightly surprised that he hadn’t locked the door, and found Michael hunched over his desk, his back to you, as he scribbled something down. He was still dressed in his uniform, and you assumed he’d been working for hours and hadn’t had the chance to get changed yet.

“You know, I don’t need you to defend my honor like you did,” you said playfully, startling him. “But thanks, I guess.”

He turned over his shoulder to look at you, and you could see him waver for a split second when he saw what you were wearing. “I’m busy,” he said simply, and you frowned.

“Too busy for this?” you said, letting a strap slide down your shoulder to expose more of your shoulders. You approached him slowly, seeing him tense up in his seat, still turned around to look at you. “I don’t think you have it in you to resist me.”

“Enough, (y/n),” he said, but he was breathless, and you knew he was close to his breaking point. “I have absolutely no interest in entertaining your little games.”

You reached his chair just as he turned back around, and you ran your hands along his broad, sturdy shoulders. Just feeling the way he reacted, flinching slightly at your touch, caused a tingling sensation to creep up between your legs. “Wanna know what I think?” You leaned forward, brushing away a strand of his soft hair to whisper into his ear. You swore you could see the goosebumps traveling across the back of his neck. “I think that I own you, just as much as you own me.”

You kissed him below his earlobe, then moved to his neck, and then his jaw. He turned his head slightly, allowing your lips to meet his, and you gave him a slow, teasing kiss, your tongue barely brushing against his. You tugged his chair back just by a few inches, him helping you by scooting the chair backwards, and you stepped over his legs to straddle him. His hands dug into your sides without hesitation, and you rocked your hips forward, pushing down against his growing bulge. He winced, a delicate moan spilling from his lips as he felt you against his crotch, his mouth attaching to your throat. He sucked slightly, sliding his velvet tongue across your skin, and you allowed your eyes to flutter shut. 

“So beautiful,” he said, more to himself than to you, voice raspy with lust. 

You focused on applying more pressure onto his dick, which you could feel poking at you through the stiff material of his pants, moaning yourself at the friction between your legs. He wrapped his hands around you to grope your ass, his lips connected with the skin beneath your collarbone as he began to give you a hickey.

After a particularly intense thrust, he grunted, his fingers digging into your flesh as he pulled away. “S-stop.”

You raised an eyebrow at him, enjoying the power you felt coursing through you. “Wouldn’t want you making a mess of those expensive pants, now would we?”

He said nothing, instead reaching up between your thighs and pushing aside your lacy thong. Sliding a finger inside you, he used his other hand to maneuver the strap of your slip all the way down in order to expose your left breast. You whined softly as he ran his tongue over your erect nipple and pushed his finger further inside, allowing you to rut your hips against his hand.

“You’re such a tease,” he mumbled, the vibrations of his words stimulating your breast even further. He was skilled with his hands, using his thumb to circle your clit, a second finger sliding past your inner lips. You tucked your head into the crook of his neck, your arms wrapped around him as you pushed yourself down against him.

“Fuck, Michael,” you said as he pulled your other strap down, leaving your entire chest exposed. He began to suck on your right nipple, fingers still working expertly inside you, and soon you bit down on your lip, hard, as you felt your orgasm start to build up from the pit of your stomach.

You let go, crying out softly as your senses were overcome with pleasure, and he pulled out his hand from between your thighs to suck your juices off his fingers. Then he wrapped his hands underneath your thighs and hoisted you up onto his desk. You pushed his books to the side and he pulled off your underwear, tossing them to the side without a second thought.

You were already sensitive from your first orgasm, but he didn’t care; he pulled your legs apart and held them firmly, his tongue making its way to your swollen outer lips. He dipped his tongue inside you, quickly flicking it up to meet your swollen clit, and you tried hard to suppress a loud, desperate moan. Directing his full attention to your clit, he smiled against you as you bucked yourself towards him, panting noisily and grabbing frantically at his beautiful hair.

It didn’t take much more for you to come a second time; he kept going, though, and you realized quickly that he was doing this to get you back for so ruthlessly teasing him. He looked up from between your legs, a cocky glint in his pale eyes, and your legs trembled as your juices trickled down your ass. He held you tighter as you writhed under his grasp, moving his mouth downwards and pushing his tongue inside you roughly. Your whole body twitched uncontrollably and you came for a third time, jaw unhinged and eyes rolled back into your head.

He moved his head back, giving you a chance to catch your breath as he wiped his mouth discretely with the back of his hand. “Oh my god,” was all you could manage, back propped up against the wall and legs dangling limply off the side of his desk.

“You’re so pretty when you cum,” he said, standing up and taking your hand to help you off the desk. You could barely stand up on your own, your legs like jelly underneath you. “Come on. Lie down with me.”

He guided you to his bed and you laid down, resting your head on the cool pillow as you watched him undress. He was shameless in this, clearly self-assured with his body as he stripped off his pants and blazer, neatly folding them putting them off to the side. Your eyes wandered over his body, not too muscular but not too slender, as he bent down to his bottom drawer to retrieve a t-shirt. Then, pulling it over his head, he climbed into bed next to you and held you close to him.

“You know I couldn’t care less about any of the girls at this school besides you, right?” he said softly, stroking your hair affectionately. “A lot of them have tried, but I haven’t done anything with any of them. Just so you know.”

“I know,” you chuckled. “It’s pretty obvious that I have you whipped by the way you threw that kid on the ground to defend me.”

“You’re special,” he said. “I knew it from the first minute I met you.”

You curled up closer to him, feeling safe and content in his arms. Then, matter-of-factly, you said, “I want you to fuck me later. After I recover from the fucking marathon of orgasms you gave me.”

He laughed. “That was payback for all the teasing.”

“I could tell,” you said, laughing too, and he pulled the thin bedsheets over the both of you. It took only a matter of minutes for you to fall asleep, serene under his touch, and for the first night in what felt like an eternity, you didn’t dream.

[katedoesfics]

Shadows of Hyrule | Chapter 78

Link quite literally slept through the next two days, only getting up when his stomach demanded that he eat. When his phone alerted him to a call or text, he lifted his head enough to check to see who it was from. Unless it was Mipha, he mostly ignored these alerts. He would have slept through the rest of the summer if he had the chance, but there was still one last thing he needed to; return the Master Sword. The Triforce on hand was a reminder of that. It was dim, but it had been pulsing softly ever since he and Zelda sealed Ganondorf away. He knew he couldn’t waste any more time, but a part of him was sad to part with the sword. It wouldn’t be there waiting for him, leaning against the wall in the corner of his room. As anxious as he was to get back to his normal life, normal life seemed rather dull.

Still, Link finally pulled himself out of his bed, and without a word to his father or his friends, he left the house with the sword and made his way back to the forest where he had found it. If it were still there. The last time they tried to close the portal, the forest seemed to have mysteriously disappeared with no explanation at all. This time, however, the forest was there, just as he had remembered it, seemingly waiting for the return of the Master Sword.

There was no voice to call to him, but he didn’t need it to guide him like he had the first time he wandered through. It was as if he had navigated his way through the bizarre forest time and time again; he knew the path like the back of his hand, picking his way over the brush, weaving in and out between the trees. He was unfazed when a fog crept in around him, but just as quickly as it appeared, it disappeared, and soon the forest opened up into the meadow. In the center, in the light of the sun, was the pedestal that homed the Master Sword.

Link looked down at the ancient pedestal, covered in dirt and moss. There was a deep slit in the center where he had pulled the sword six months ago. And now, it was time to return it, though it felt as if he were saying goodbye forever to a very close friend. He turned his gaze to the sword in his hand and let his fingers run over the blade. He turned back to the pedestal and before he changed his mind, he placed the sword back into its hold, pushing it in until it would not go any further. He kept his hand on the hilt for a moment, then pulled upwards, but the sword did not budge. He let a light sigh escape his lips, then worked off the string of the charm his father had given him and slid it into his pocket.

“ Goodbye, Master... Thank you...”

Link looked down at the sword and smiled. He saluted it casually before turning his back on it and making his way out of the forest. Once he was passed the treeline, he looked over his shoulder, expecting the forest to disappear. Though it remained, he was sure it would be gone soon enough, protecting the precious weapon that now slept within.

*****

When Link returned, Daruk, Revali, and Teba were waiting for him.

“Where the hell have you been?” Daruk asked.

“Yeah, way to ignore our texts,” Revali said. “Now that you got a girlfriend you’re too good to respond to us?”

“Yeah,” Link said. “Because those group messages were so important.”

“I don’t know how I got dragged into that,” Teba said. He sneered at Revali. “Why the hell did you add me to that?”

“But if you weren’t in it,” Link started, “you would have missed all those gems like.” He paused and fished his phone out of his pocket, scrolling through the messages. He grinned and pointed at the screen, reading the text out loud. “When someone says ‘hold your horses’ they are telling you to be stable.”

“It’s true!” Revali said. “I just realized that!”

“Were you high?” Daruk asked.

“Yeah, probably,” Revali said with a grin.

“What do you want?”

“We are here to discuss the official disbanding of Hyrule’s Champions,” Revali announced.

“Excellent,” Link said. “Just in time. I just dumped the sword.”

“Aw,” Revali said. “Now you’re not cool like the rest of us.”

Link rolled his eyes.

“Do you think you can handle the city this year while we’re off being awesome?”

“Don’t be like that,” Teba said. “You know he’s gonna miss us terribly.”

“We are the only friends he’s got,” Revali said with a frown. “Poor Link.”

Link shrugged. “I’m sure I’ll survive.”

“He’s got a girlfriend now,” Daruk said. “He’s already doing better than you.”

“But does he get laid?” Revali said. “At least I got laid.”

Teba snorted. “When was the last time that happened?”

“Hey,” Revali snapped. “I’ve been a little busy saving the world.” He turned back to link. “Speaking of the Yiga Clan.”

“No one was talking about the Yiga Clan,” Teba said.

“Look,” Link started. “I talked to him, alright?”

“And?” Daruk asked.

“And,” he said slowly. “He told me not to worry about it.”

“That’s exactly what they say when we should be worried about it.”

“He has it under control,” Link said. “We don’t need to be involved.”

“Maybe he’s the one with the Yiga Clan,” Revali said.

“Shut it,” Link growled. “I’m staying out of it. I trust him.”

Revali nodded. “Alright. Fine. If Mr. Hero says it’s fine, then it’s fine.” He wiped his hands together. “Won’t be our problem, anyway. Just remember, you’ll be missing half your crew. Don’t get into trouble. Or killed.”

Link smiled. “You take the fun out of everything.”

“I’m going to miss this,” Revali said, then shrugged. “I’m sure I’ll find someone in college to pick on.”

Link frowned. “You’re replacing me? I thought we had something special.”

Revali winked and threw him two finger guns. “Come on, men” he said, turning away. “I still got some partying to do before I gotta ditch this city.” He turned to Link over his shoulder. “Not you.”

“It’s fine,” Link said. “I’m gonna go get laid.”

Revali threw his hand up in the air, half of a high-five. “Nice!”

Teba shook his head and lowered Revali’s hand for him. “Come on, Idiot,” he said. “Or I’m ditching you to get laid, too.”

Daruk followed them out of the driveway. “I can’t believe everyone’s getting laid except me.”

*****

The rest of the summer went just as Hyrule’s Champions hoped it would go. They stayed out late and slept through the mornings, more often than not in each other’s company in one way or another, and usually with three extra tagalongs; Aryll, Riju, and Teba. They spent their days roaming the city or keeping the local restaurants open with their bottomless pits. And from time to time, they dropped by their favorite arcade, only to be chased out by the owner an hour later after an unruly game of laser tag.

And everywhere they went, they were recognized. Children ran up to the for autographs. Teens asked for selfies. Even the older crowd seemed to regard them with a respectful nod, despite the varying degrees of gossip and arguments that had ensued following the first media outbreak. And when it got to be too much for them, they escaped the city to the countryside, returning to their favorite lake with a case of beer.

But the summer quickly came to a close, and before they knew it, Urbosa, Daruk, Revali, and Teba parted ways with their friends to begin their first year in college. Urbosa moved south to the Gerudo region to study law at a prestigious college. Daruk went to Akkala to a school known for their boxing and wrestling teams, which he decided to get into, proudly stating to his friends that he would have to hold back, otherwise there would be no challenge for him.

And despite his father’s refusal to help get into college, Revali managed to follow Teba to a school in Hebra, stating that he would have a babe on each arm and a suit made of ‘hundos’ when he graduated. As far as the group knew, he simply went in with the intent to get a degree in business, but whether he would actually graduate was an entirely different story, considering the college was known to be one of the biggest party schools in the kingdom. “Well, there’s nothing else to do up there,” was Revali’s defense.

The city - and their lives - were much quieter once their friends left for college. But senior year was quickly approaching for Link, Mipha, and Zelda, with promise of heavy work loads and one final push for college applications. It would be enough to occupy their minds and give them a normal life once more, but still, they couldn’t help but to miss the way things were a year ago when the group was whole.

But the night before their first day of senior year, they were all dragged into another group text message, courtesy of Urbosa.

My little babies are seniors tomorrow. Pack a healthy lunch and study hard! I’m looking at you, Link!

Revali didn’t hesitate to jump at the opportunity to tease Link. Let’s be real here. He’s not going to college. He’s gonna milk the hero thing for the rest of his life.

Teba’s response was next. Why am I a part of this…

Because youre our cheerleader, bitch, texted Revali.

Revali we’re sitting next to each other. There was a lull in the chat for a moment until Teba texted again. Revali punched me.

Urbosa responded with an emoji shaking its head.

You bitches are coming to my first fight, Daruk texted.

Link doesn’t condone violence, Revali said. Make love not war guys.

Dude, Link replied. Youre like a 3 days drive away.

Its a 4 hour drive, loser. Dont you miss me?

Link replied with a heart emoji. So much.

Why dont you stick it in his butt, came Revali’s mature reply.

Don’t be jealous of our relationship, Link said.

Does Mipha know?   Teba asked.

We have an open relationship, Mipha finally chimed in.

Does that mean youre open for business? Revali said.

Eat shit, Link quickly replied.

Link and Mipha sitting in a tree, Revali texted.

Oh shit, Link said.

Revali finished the song with a series of kissing emojis and various other symbols that suggested more than kissing.

Omg dont tell her that Link said.

Link, we’re dating.

He responded with two blushing emoji faces.

Where the fuck is Zelda, Urbosa texted.

After a moment, Zelda’s text came through. Hylia, why have you put me into this insufferable group of people.

You love us, Revali said.

Destiny,  Daruk said. Isn’t that kinda her thing?

We belong together, Revali texted.

Revali is singing, now, Teba said. I cannot believe I’m stuck with him for the next four years.

Welcome to my hell, Link said.

I’m muting you all, Zelda said. Some of us have school in the morning.

Suckas, Revali said.

Revali, you do, too, Teba said.

I didn’t come here to go to school.

Good night idiots, Zelda said.

Good night my precious lil babies, Urbosa texted. I love you all and i hope you have a good first day of school! Send mama pictures! And BEHAVE!!

What happens if we don’t behave? Revali asked, following that with a series of winking faces. Are you going to spank me?

Zelda left the chat.

Mipha left the chat.

Link left the chat.

Urbosa left the chat.

Ha.

Daruk left the chat.

FUCKERS.

Teba left the chat.

[freebooter4ever]

my dad group texted my brother and i, highly unusual, and i think jordan was weirded out too cause his response was equally short and confused. on the list of things my little brother and i have never discussed, our dad’s relative interest or lack there of in our lives is pretty high. dad’s been messaging me since october, asking about stuff like where my next living plans are (which he has never done since i first moved out age eighteen), and i’ve only been vaguely responding to the point blank questions cause its just. so. weird. i think my grandpa’s death has shaken dad’s worldview a bit more than he’s been letting on.

he alienated my brother and i pretty much immediately after his secretive marriage to the bottle blonde rich bitch when i was 22. he kicked my brother out as soon as jordan turned 18, and when i discovered this by coming home one summer and seeing jordan wasnt in the house, i got so fucking mad that it was the first time i ever had a full out screaming match at my dad. and apparently this display of anger was when rich bitch decided she didn’t like me (probably valid, but also ironic because pretty much from birth it was known in my entire extended family that dad and i were almost identical personality wise, and both of us have tempers where we will not get mad at anything but frustration will build up and up until on the rare blue moon it boils over, and oh boy. watch out. those moments were the only times i was ever scared of my dad as a kid and i think it only happened twice in my entire life)(if she thinks im crazy when im angry, she should see my dad)

but i was crazy mad because while i was lucky enough to be put in therapy due to attempting to starve myself into non existence at age 13 (many many sessions of ‘family’ therapy with me in the center of a long couch silently trying to pretend i was invisible and my mom two feet away at one end and dad on the opposite end of the couch, and my mom doing all the talking, ranting and raving about how im starving myself to punish her. and then the therapist kicking both my parents out and trying to convince me to say a few words, and her finally getting me to realize that how my mom treated me was not normal and not something i needed to put up with if it made me sad and scared, and then the therapist realizing that i was still too sad and scared to confront it, and her and i coming up with a compromise where we would tell my mom that i was just ‘really attached’ to dad’s house and it wasnt that i was terrified of living with my mom or liked my dad better, it was that i just really liked living in one place instead of out of a suitcase and moving every week), and so had both the therapist and my dad supporting me when at fourteen i finally said enough was enough and demanded that my dad get full custody so i didnt have to spend every other week with my abusive mother anymore - while i got out of that situation, my brother didnt. i tried, he knew that it was my decision to live full time with dad and i made it clear he could do the same, but just as it was a given that i was identical to dad’s personality, my brother was identical to mom’s so i think he was more attached to her than i was. either way, he always refused and insisted on continuing to live between both of them. after i hit driving age, my dad transferred responsibility to me for shuttling my brother to and from my dad’s house to my mom’s apartment. dad’d lock himself in his room, or go to the gym, and i’d turn on an endless rotation of star wars movies for jordan and i to watch before i had to take him to his next week’s place (phantom menace was our favorite cause darth maul was just cool ok, dont judge).

anyway, the last day i ever stayed at my moms house, my brother was there. and i must have been twenty or twenty one because he would have only been around seventeen. but even at seventeen he was well over six foot five cause he got all the height in the family which was totally not fair but thats besides the point. so while i was there my mom flew into one of her alcohol induced rages, and took it all out on my brother. i had intellectually figured that all the anger my mom used to take out on me had then transferred to my brother once i stopped living there every other week, but up until that point i hadn’t actually seen it. she started shoving him, and punching him, and not enough so it would hurt much, because as i said he was well over six feet and she was barely five six, so he could pretty well block any thing she dished out. but he was cornered, and he looked scared. and i was hiding useless on the stairwell, crying, and begging mom to stop. and it only stopped cause jordan managed to slip out the front door and once he escaped mom went back into the kitchen, still yelling and angry. and i took the chance to grab my school bag and leave in solidarity. and my brother and i stood there awkwardly on the porch, me still crying, and him smoking and trying to look cool and not like he just got chased out of the apartment by a woman half his size. and i promised him we wouldnt go back until she calmed down, and that she was being unreasonable and he didnt deserve any of it, and id figure out somewhere to go. and we started walking down the sidewalk, but not together because we were never that close. he wandered off somewhere to smoke. and that’s as far as i remember.

this day came up in conversation with my grandma in the months after grandpa’s death, during one of our many three am can’t sleep conversations in grandma’s kitchen (grandma would wake up, i’d hear her get out of bed and wake up too. she’d make herself tea and eat some graham crackers and we’d sit together at the table feeling the third empty chair like an ache). grandma brought it up, because apparently, even though i cant remember this at all, i had my no/kia brick phone in my school bag (a minor miracle because i hated carrying around cell phones for the longest time), and i actually called grandma. and grandpa and her came to pick me up, and they found me sitting on a wall a block away from my mom’s apartment, and then we drove around till we found jordan, and then we all went back to my grandparent’s house. after bringing this up, grandma then, completely unprompted, told me something that child me thought about regularly - she said that even though her mom died when she was 8, leaving her to help raise her two younger siblings, grandma thought in some ways it was easier than what my brother and i went through with the divorce and my mom leaving. i used to regularly - not wish my mom dead, exactly - but wish i could pretend she was dead, rather than her just not being there anymore. especially since, when i was suddenly thrown into being her sole emotional and physical punching bag now that dad wasn’t filling the role anymore, a lot of the times being around her post divorce was not a good thing. (I cut off all contact with my mom finally at age 25 and haven’t looked back)

so yeah, i was fucking pissed that i had worked so hard to try to mitigate the damage i caused by leaving jordan alone with my mom for pretty much the entirety of my high school years...only to have my dad kick him out barely a few years after i left for college and thus putting my brother at my mom’s mercy. ostensibly my dad kicked my brother out because of his drug addictions, but my brother was the most mild mannered addict i’ve ever known. the worst thing he ever did was steal a couple hundred dollars from me, but he never got violent, he never got angry. other people got angry at him. my aunt once tried to fight him in a hospital elevator because he sold my cousin heroin or meth or some shit and my cousin ended up impaling a knife in his chest in front of my grandma, which is a whole nother story. but jordan was only nineteen when that happened. my cousin? thirty six. and a long time violent and angry drug addict with a record (he threw a book at his professor’s head and got kicked out of grad school while on cocaine once, which is how he ended up back in washington state and needing a new drug dealer - hence my brother suddenly getting involved) (same cousin later flew into a drug fueled rage in his forties and almost beat his girlfriend to death) (my brother was long since clean by then and had nothing to do with our cousin getting drugs at that point)

all this to say my dad’s rich bitch new wife didn’t think a drug addict and mentally ill artist fit into her picture perfect family, so dad started making it clear we were not welcome at family functions unless we complied with very strict rules. ironically, jordan was let back into the fold first partially because i can hold a grudge for a very long time and i was very very terrified of my mom and dad was the sane stable one and i had trusted him to take care of everything even without me there and dad had failed pretty spectacularly at that. im still bitter at my dad for his secret marriage and subsequent moving into her million dollar mansion and throwing my brother out. but also partially because jordan started following all of dad’s rules, got himself cleaned up (he moved in with his girlfriend, and i think being out of mom’s house had a lot to do with getting over his addictions), started studying computer science, found a really good software engineering job, suddenly dad approved of him. i also partially antagonized rich bitch wife by doing silly things like wearing black leather pants and the most provocative clothes i owned whenever i went over to their house. rich bitch was a very simple narrow minded person with a lot of prejudices. i imagine i was not seen as a good influence on her two younger daughters. and eventually they stopped seeing me altogether. even when i was living in washington for all of 2017 - the only time i ever saw dad was when he’d come visit my grandparents alone. the day before i took grandma on the train to move to ohio, we were supposed to all have dinner together at our family’s favorite place to eat out - crossroads mall - and the rich bitch refused to show up. that’s how petty she is. she also is so dumb she’s under the delusion that kids get into drugs if they don’t have dogs (????) so that’s why she forced my dad to get a dog for her spoiled brat youngest when the girl went into high school. my dad dislikes animals, so i will say one of the highlights of this marriage is seeing my dad become a dog person. the rich bitch and her daughters mostly ignore the dog, but my dad is so attached to max that he even lets the little puppy sit in his lap while driving. anyway, anyone who thinks dogs are the sole answer to preventing drug addictions can go to hell.

yeah, blah blah blah, to sum up its WEIRD for my dad to suddenly be texting my brother and i unprompted, and asking me about my life and my plans. i dont really know how to deal. i miss him. he was always the closest person in my life to the point where even when i moved away for college, i still assumed after i graduated i’d just move back in with dad so it was only four years being gone, cause why would i ever want to live anywhere else?. i kept thinking if i could hit some level of success that he would approve of, that maybe eventually i could become somebody his rich bitch wife would associate with. but that never happened, obviously. 

[brittanythescrivener]

Behind Trinity Lines - Chapter Four: Apocalypse How

Tags: @embracetranquilityson, @eintausendschoen, @roxlovescommanderourke4ever​

Two Weeks Later Cozumel, Mexico   Rourke was pissed. No, he wasn’t pissed. He was fucking irate. He clenched his fist tightly as he held his phone to his ear with his other hand.

“You’re telling me that a hundred grand in equipment and two weeks’ worth of supplies just disappeared into thin air?” he demanded.

“No, sir. A small group splintered off the main camp with supplies in tow.”

Rourke clenched his jaw. “You’re in charge out there, fix it! Do what you have to do, Mendoza.”

There was hesitation on the other end of the line. “Once they were discovered, we were able to catch up with them and recovered the stolen gear.  We sent in a clean-up crew, but it was a total bloodbath.  We have attracted attention in the village.”

Rourke fought the urge to smash his phone against the nearest tree. “What’s the status of the other two sites?” he asked with an impatient sigh as he smoothed his hair back out of his face.

“Site A at Itixi Mitari was a dead end, sir. There’s nothing there. Site B at Trincheira Bacaja could be promising. Investigation is still ongoing.”

Rourke let out a sigh.  “I am getting on a chopper to Brazil in one hour, and if I have to clean up your goddamn mess when I get there, it won’t be pretty. That clear?”

"But sir--."

“Is that clear?” he demanded.

“Yes, sir.”

Rourke ended the call without another word and clipped the phone back onto his belt.  He stomped back to the tent where his right-hand man was lounging in a lawn chair with his shirt off.

“Problems?” Winters asked.  

“Yeah,” the Commander said with irritation. “Apparently we lost a squad. A bunch of incompetent bastards is what they are. Where do we find these fucking people?”

He remembered his first days with Trinity when everything ran like a well-oiled machine. Before everyone was at odds with each other, fighting over conflicting ideologies. The best of his soldiers had been picked off by Croft, and he was scraping the bottom of the barrel. His teams consisted of a handful of loyal men—military veterans like himself—and an overwhelming number of lazy millennials just looking for a paycheck and a story to tell their friends. Even his Deacon teams, whom he had personally trained since Day One, weren’t up to par.

Beau Winters was one of the few good men he had left. He had served in the Special Forces with Winters, and he was one of his first Trinity recruits. He considered him to be one of his closest allies,  Winters was a cocky son-of-a-bitch if there ever was one, and Rourke believed that’s why they got along so well.

"I’m heading out to Brazil at 20:00. So that means you’re in charge until I get back.”

“Sure thing, Chief,” Winters said.

"I'm gonna go find Jo and see if she's speaking to me today," Rourke said.

Rourke was worried about her. They’d been in Mexico for two weeks, and she had been distancing herself from everyone, which was highly unusual for her. She’d always been an outgoing person and most of the guys saw her as just one of them. Jo had always had an innate, maternal instinct that the guys picked up on, so the nickname she’d earned over the years—Ma—was fitting. Everyone knew she’d take care of them and they could confide in her about anything. But as of late, she stayed near her quarters and didn’t talk to anyone.  He knew she wasn’t sleeping at night. There’d been several nights he found her sitting by the campfire alone after everyone else was in bed for the night.  Nights when she refused to talk to him about what was going on in her head.

 Rourke found her at the edge of camp, lounging against a rock, staring up at the stars.

“I’ve been looking everywhere for you,” Rourke said. He sat down next to her with a tired groan, leaning back against the rock beside her. Feeling her shoulder pressed against him was a small comfort at that very moment.

Jo gave him a sad smile. “Maybe I didn’t want to be found.”

Rourke rubbed his beard and said, “I’m flying out to Brazil in just a couple hours. I wanted you to know.”

“Okay.”

“You gonna be okay?” Rourke asked protectively.

Jo chuckled. “I’m a big girl. I think I can handle myself. I’ll be just fine.”

“I don’t want you to think I brought you here and then bailed.”

“I’ll be fine, Jamie,” Jo said again.  She patted him on the thigh.  "I promise."

“I’m leaving Winters in charge while I’m gone.  You need anything--and I mean anything--you tell him.  You got that?"

“You’re leaving Winters in charge?” Jo asked incredulously.

“Yeah, why?”

“That’s like using a croissant as a fucking dildo. It doesn’t do the job, and it makes a fucking mess.”

Rourke smirked. “Why do you hate him so much?”

Jo rolled her eyes.  “Because he’s an asshole.”

“I’m an asshole," Rourke said with a grin.  "Do you hate me too?”

“Sometimes.”

Rourke swatted away an insect flying around his face.  “Really, though. Why do you hate him?”

“He always talks down to me.  And he's an idiot.”

“You know why he does that, right?”

“To be an asshole.”

“He likes you. He’s just roasting you because he knows he can get a rise out of you.”

"Anyway," Jo said, signaling to Rourke that she was done talking about Winters.  "How long do you think we’re going to be here?”

“I don’t know,” Rourke said. “Why?”

Jo shrugged her shoulders. “There just doesn’t seem to be much going on. I don’t think I even know what we’re looking for.”

Rourke climbed to his feet and held his hand out. “Come with me.”

“Where’re we going?” she asked cautiously.

“There’s something I wanna show you.”

 Rourke led her to a small structure at the heart of the camp. It was a brightly-lit space packed with books, maps, charts, and different pieces of technology he sure as hell couldn’t identify.  Dr. Dominguez was seated at the desk in the corner of the small office and immediately looked up when he heard the door shut behind them.

“Good evening, Commander,” he said. He pulled off his glasses and said, “Dr. Wilkens, good to see you again.”

“Evening, sir,” she said.

“To what do I owe the pleasure of this visit?” he asked, folding his hands neatly on the table in front of him.

Rourke placed his hand on the small of Jo's back, directing her to move forward.  “I wanted to show Wilkens what we’re doing here."

“Please, make yourself at home,” Dominguez said, gesturing with his hands.

Jo’s attention was drawn to the various maps strewn on the table in front of her.  She rested her hands on a sketch of one of the dig sites.  "How do you know where to dig when the island is covered with jungle?  Drones?”

“Come, let me show you,” Dominguez said. He motioned for her to follow him and led her to the computer at the far end of the room.

“LIDAR,” Dominguez said proudly.

“What’s LIDAR?”

“Light Detection and Ranging,” Dominguez said. “We scanned the island with aerial lasers and were able to make 3D maps of all the remote areas that would’ve otherwise been inaccessible to us.”

Dominguez pulled up a photo that looked like a topographical map in varying shades of green, yellow, and red. “With LIDAR we are able to see through the jungle to see what’s beneath it. It’s like an x-ray of the human body but on a much bigger scale.”

“This is fascinating!” Jo cried. “There’s an entire complex hidden here in the jungle!”

“Yes, untouched for centuries,” Dominguez mused.

Rourke noticed the glimmer in her eyes as she studied the images on the screen.  Since she had arrived in Mexico, he noticed that she seemed to have lost her spark.  A small smile formed on his lips when he realized that she seemed to be excited about something again.

“There are dozens of structures here,” Jo said. “How do you know where to start?”

Rourke pointed to a structure on the map and said, “The key to our next phase is here. At the cliffside dig site. We just have to find a way in.”

“This is incredible!  I had no idea archeology was so high tech,” Jo said.  She turned her attention back to Dr. Dominguez.  "So why all the time and expense?  What are you looking for so desperately?”

Dominguez studied Jo for a brief moment. He caught Rourke’s eye, and it wasn’t until the younger man gave him a nod of approval that he spoke again. “I am researching a Maya myth. Two artifacts, the Key of Chak Chel and the Silver Box of Ix Chel, when united will yield the power to remake the world.”

"What?" Jo asked with disbelief.

"The artifacts--."

Rourke waved Dominguez off.  “When the Lord gave His covenant to Noah, saying never again will He destroy this world, it can be interpreted as He has decided humanity has learned their lesson.  There is also a different interpretation to be made, and that is that He has given the agency of destruction to mankind itself.  We are responsible for every living soul.  It has been four thousand years since the world saw purity, and we aim to end that.  We will be the architects of the new world.  We will pave the street to heaven for all.  We will usher an end to this sinful, reprehensible world.”

“Commander,” Dominguez said thoughtfully, “are the contingency plans in place for when we breach the entrance to the temple?”

“Yes, sir,” Rourke said. “Before we enter the site, I will initiate Operation Blackout. Evacuation plans are in place and will be implemented before the dagger is touched.”

Jo laughed nervously. “So what are you saying? That these artifacts can destroy the world?”

Dominguez’s gaze fell onto the LIDAR images still up on the computer. “Yes . . . should they fall into the wrong hands.”

 *                    *                    *

  We know for sure it’s here. At the cliffside dig.

Konstantin stood just outside the door of the office building, hidden in the shadows. He could clearly hear the voices of Dr. Dominguez and Rourke inside.

So Trinity was looking for another way to reshape the world. He remembered the days when he was as devout as Rourke, when he was willing to do their bidding without question. Rourke was still young and had much to learn. Konstantin had seen Trinity rear its ugly head, and his blind devotion ultimately cost him his wife and the majority of his adult life.  When Ana fell ill, he took no issue with using Trinity as a means to an end. He knew that, through Trinity, he would be successful in finding the Divine Source to save Ana’s life.  His thoughts momentarily shifted to his sister.  He wondered if she could still be hanging on.

The door to the office opened, and Jo flew out of the building. Rourke jogged after her at a brisk pace. Konstantin shrunk back against the side of the building, holding his breath and standing as still as possible.

“Wait up!” Rourke called. “What’s wrong?”

Jo stopped walking and turned around.  “I’m creeped the fuck out, that’s what’s wrong.”

“Why?”

“Did you hear yourself in there? When you were reciting that manifesto about the destruction of mankind, you sounded like a crazed cult member or something. Is that what Trinity is now, a cult? You’re looking for more supernatural shit, aren’t you? After what happened in Siberia, you had the balls to get me here on false pretenses?”

“Technically I didn’t go into detail about the assignment,” Rourke said, his tone condescending. “I didn’t lie to you about anything.”

Jo cursed under her breath.

“Remember your Oath, Jo,” Rourke said sternly.

Jo scowled at him.

Silence fell between them, interrupted only by the sound of insects in the trees around them.

“So what’s Operation Blackout?” Jo asked. “Please don’t tell me it’s going to be like fucking Jonestown out here.”

“It’s our insurance policy,” Rourke said. He wanted to keep the explanation as simple as possible, but he knew Jo would push him for more details.

She frowned. “What do you mean ‘insurance policy’?”

“When we find the entrance to the temple, none of the local workers will leave the site alive. It’s our way of making sure nobody knows about us, what we found, or that we were ever at the site.”

Jo’s face fell.  “So you’re killing innocent people?”

Rourke frowned. “It is a necessary evil.”

“Why is it necessary? So you're luring desperate people with the promise of good-paying jobs only to dispose of them when you’re finished? What if those people have families? Children? And why do we need to be evacuated before this dagger is even touched?” Jo demanded.

“Dominguez says that when the dagger is removed, the Cleansing will begin with a tsunami.”

Jo laughed scornfully. “So this village will be wiped off the map? Why even bother with Operation Blackout then?”

“You know, Jo, I’m having trouble remembering why you even joined this organization in the first place,” Rourke blurted. He glanced at his watch. “I gotta go.”

 Konstantin watched Rourke walk away, leaving Jo behind seething with anger. So many things were running through his mind he couldn’t make sense of them. Key. Dagger. Silver box. Cliffside dig. Cleansing. Tsunami.

He knew what he needed to do.

 *                    *                    *

 Jo stared up at the roof of her tent, willing herself to sleep. She’d been tossing and turning for hours, as she did most nights. She raised her arm, and the face of her smartwatch lit up, blinding her momentarily. It was 02:23.

“Fuck my life,” she muttered as she threw the blanket aside and sat up. She pulled on her boots and emerged from her tent, planning to warm herself in front of the fire and collect her thoughts. As usual, she had to stoke the fire since the last of the men had abandoned it hours before.

She was sick to her stomach with anxiety. She hated fighting with Rourke. They were both equally stubborn, and they’d had their share of fights over the years. But nothing like this. The look of utter disappointment on his face when she questioned him was ingrained in her memory.  He had long since left for Brazil, and she desperately felt the need to talk to him. She considered calling him for a moment, but he had enough to deal with. He didn’t care about her or their fight when he was on a mission.

A branch snapped sharply directly behind her. Jo whipped around, putting her back to the fire. Her pulse quickened as her eyes adjusted to the pitch black. She could only just make out the profile of a person walking along the edge of the treeline toward the entrance to the dig.

Croft? She’d heard gossip that she’d been spotted in town. What if she’d snuck her way into the dig on the very night that Rourke had gone off to Brazil? Jo scrambled to her feet and crept behind the person walking briskly away from the camp. She stayed in the shadows until she had nearly arrived at the guard shack that would remain empty until daylight.

Jo’s fingertips dropped to the AB .45 holstered at her hip. She ducked behind a tree as the figure passed beneath a spot light.

It was Konstantin.

What was he doing sneaking around in the middle of the night, and where the hell was he going?

  Few things:  1. Some of the details in this chapter are tied to Trinity documents found throughout the game. 2. I am not an archeologist. 3. If Shadow of the Tomb Raider is ever made into a movie, Keanu Reeves must be cast as Rourke. 4. Croissant line is courtesy of Veep.

[reluctantwrites]

Subject 027 (part 2)

The sequel precisely one (1) person asked for, so naturally I indulged. 

In which merman!Hanin is rescued by an unlikely bunch of misfits (a.k.a. The Dawn Squad).

How many days had it been? Weeks? Hanin couldn’t say. He had lost track of time, somewhere between the sedation and the containment protocols. In fact, he had nearly lost his life when they drained the tank and observed him for hours as he flagged on the cold metal floor. He’d never been out of the water for so long before. It was worse, not knowing what to expect as his muscles began to cramp and sweat formed on his brow for the first time in his life.

It was torture, not knowing if – or perhaps when – he was going to die.

The tank had been refilled, and while still weak, Hanin was no longer in such a dire state. He swam as much as he could in the restricted space, trying to keep his muscles from growing as frail and tired as his mind. It was something he only did at night, now that whoever was observing him had ceased their constant monitoring. They left after the red numbers on the far wall reached 2330. They must have decided he didn’t have the strength to free himself.

They were right.

It was while Hanin was performing his makeshift laps that he heard it. A strange, sharp click. It reminded him of the sound of snapping coral and he turned towards the source, squinting into the dark. In a world of black and white, it was difficult to discern machinery from walls and doors. But he saw something open, and something else make its way inside. Some part of Hanin screamed that he should be wary. Some old instinct, he supposed, that had yet to be burned away.

But at the end of the day, what more could they possibly do to him?

Another figure slipped through the door, then a third. Then a forth. Heart hammering, Hanin watched as they moved about, pressing their faces to the array of tanks, attempting to peer at their contents through the darkness. They would find nothing in those vessels. Hanin, as far as he knew, was the only one in the facility. Perhaps that was why his captors had started getting so… creative.

“Fucking hell - anyone got a light?”

“Um, but d-don’t we have to be careful? The cameras…”

“Are disconnected, kiddo. Connors took ‘em offline, remember? They should be looping for another hour or so.”

“Exactly. So stop freaking the fuck out and get the torch, Darren.”

Hanin had no idea who was speaking or what they were talking about, but the harsh whispers shared between them gave the distinct air of something secretive and urgent. They were over the other side of the large observation room; Hanin watched them as they moved about, their forms dark shadows staining far wall.

Suddenly, he cried out in shock when a bright light – he swore it was as bright as the sun – blazed directly at him. Reeling, he threw his arms up and turned away, his back rebounding off the back of the tank.

“Shit! Fuck – point that thing away from him!”

“S-Sorry! I didn’t know he was there!”

Hanin’s hands were covering his eyes, and for a few terrified moments he thought he was blind. But through the haze of panic, his vision slowly returned. He shuddered in relief, blinking in an attempt to banish the circle burned into his retinas by the sudden blaze. By the time it finally dissipated, four faces were starting at him through the glass of his tank. Three young men and a young woman.

What was this? Some kind of trick? Another test?

“Do you think he can understand us?” one of them asked, his brown hair pulled back into a high tail, brows knitted in concern as he studied Hanin. He nearly jumped a foot in the air when Hanin immediately nodded his head. “Whoa, okay. Well, uh... hey there.”

“Gods, can all of you stop gawking and help me with this?” The blonde woman had circled the tank and paused at the side, where a metal scaffold gave her direct access to its top. “Ralon, Darren, hold this steady. I’m gonna check out the lock.”

The man who had spoken, Ralon, and a young blond boy who had to be Darren moved to do as instructed, while the last member of the group followed and immediately started climbing the scaffold after the woman. She paused halfway up, firing a glare down at him.  “Cyrus, what the hell are you doing?” she demanded sharply, but he man ignored her, rolling his pale blue eyes.

“Figured you might need an extra set of hands. So stop bitching at me and get that tank open.”

“The only bitch up here is y—”

— “Lyrene, Cyrus, stop fucking around,” said the brow-haired man in a sing-song voice. It seemed he was quite used to the bickering. “C’mon, Darren looks like he’s about to cry. Let’s wrap this up.”

“I am not,” the boy protested as he helped hold the scaffolding in place. “I-I mean… Ralon’s right, though. We should hurry.”

The pair at the top of the scaffolding muttered something but Hanin didn’t quite catch it. He watched them warily as they inspected the top of the tank, the woman snorting in amusement as she reached out and ran her fingers over the lock. “Child’s play,” she murmured. “Cyrus, get me my bag and hold it open.”

“Knew you’d need another set of hands,” Cyrus muttered, but did as instructed as Lyrene got to work. The sound of metal scraping on metal set Hanin’s teeth on edge, but he ignored it, still not entirely sure what to make of it all. What was this? Who were they?

“Um… excuse me? Sir?”

Hanin’s gaze snapped across to Darren, who flinched as though his stare had been a slap. He was clearly terrified, although Hanin could not imagine it was because of him. No, he doubted there was anything about his current condiiton that would make him seem even remotely threatening. How far he had fallen, since the days of protecting his clan.

“I-I was just, ah, wondering if you’re okay,” the blond continued, stammering his way through the sentence. “They, um, haven’t hurt you or anything, have they?”

How to answer that? The truth would take too long, so Hanin just shook his head. “I… am fine,” he said carefully. Even so, the boy gasped at the sound of his voice. 

What had he been expecting?

“Oh Maker, you can talk,” he squeaked, then swallowed and flushed red. “S-Sorry. I just… wasn’t sure how it would work, with you being underwater and all.”

“Kid, you need to relax before you rupture something.” Ralon sighed, then turned his attention to Hanin. “Okay, so this is probably all sorts of confusing, but for now all you need to know is that we’re getting you out of this place. You okay with that?”

Am I okay with that? The question was almost enough to make Hanin laugh, if he had the energy left for humour. He nodded, that jolted in shock as something thudded sharply above him.

“Yes! Got it.” The woman hung over the side, grinning, a metal device clutched triumphantly in her hand. “Creators, I’m brilliant. Aren’t you lucky you have me?”

“Yeah, yeah, pat yourself on the back once we’re out of here.” Cyrus had his hands on the top of the tank, fingers curled beneath the shallow lip. “F-Fuck… it’s heavy. I can barely get a grip. Stop celebrating and help.”

Lyrene made an exasperated noise but joined him. Between the two of them the top of the tank started to creak upwards, the metal shrieking in protest of the movement. But they were struggling, sweating and swearing, their grip occasionally slipping, causing it to thud back into place. Despite his exhaustion, Hanin couldn’t just sit by and watch his strange rescue take place without him. He had to do something.

Swimming up, he breached the surface of the water. There was less than a foot of space between the surface and the top of the tank, so he beat his tail and rose up, pressing the back of his shoulders to the cold metal. With the two humans pulling and him pushing, the lid began to slowly rise. As soon as Cyrus and Lyrene could get a proper grip on it, they threw it up and over, the metal crashing against the side of the tank, the glass shuddering but remaining intact.

The exertion had exhausted Hanin. Breathing hard, he reached up, trying to catch the side of the tank, but his fingers slipped off the slick glass. Luckily, the two humans grabbed his arms before he had a chance to sink back beneath the surface, and between them they managed to haul him up and out onto the scaffolding.

“Fuck me, you’re heavy,” Cyrus panted, groaning. Lyrene swatted him scoldingly, but didn’t necessarily argue as they struggled to get him over to the side of the scaffold. From there, Hanin used what little strength he had to hold onto the metal and climb down, grateful for the waiting arms of the two other humans on the ground as they caught him and helped bear his weight. Before he knew what was happening, he was held between Darren and Ralon, his arms draped around their shoulders, the pair supporting him without a word of complaint.

“Alright, let’s go. Connors is waiting out back.” Ralon glanced across and flashed Hanin a brilliant grin. “One premium rescue, coming right up!”

As they started moving, Hanin struggled to think of what to say to that. “Who… are you?” he asked, his voice raw and rough from days spent screaming. It sounded like… well, someone else entirely. Perhaps that was fitting. He felt nothing like himself.

Puffing, Darren looked at him and smiled. The boy was surprisingly strong, despite his size and age. “Friends,” he breathed, boots squeaking on the smooth metal floor as they struggled through the corridor. “F-Friends who don’t like seeing folks get hurt.”

It was so… simple. But right then, in that moment, it was enough. It was enough that Hanin was free of that tank. Free of the pain and the fear, even if only for a moment. Even if it only lasted for a few more minutes and they were all caught, it would be enough. Enough to keep him going. It was enough to know that there was some kind of hope out there, however slim.

“Thank you,” was all he managed to say, the adrenaline rushing from him as they burst out onto the street. The cold night air crashed into him like a hammer and he gasped, muscles tightening, teeth gritted against the strange sensation.

“Quick, get him in the van and covered up,” the dark haired man – Cyrus – instructed, running ahead to throw the doors open. The vehicle was rumbling, ready to move. Hanin vaguely made out the shape of a woman in the driver’s seat before he was ushered into the back and deposited on a soft mattress. His rescuers climbed in with him and slammed the doors shut. Immediately, the van took off, tires squealing as they swung out onto the street.

Breathing hard, they all collapsed in exhaustion. Lyrene let out a dazed, almost delirious laugh as she tipped her head back against the side of the van and raked her fingers through her hair. “Fuck me… I can’t believe we pulled that off.”

“Told you they’ve gotten lazy,” Ralon replied with a lopsided grin. “It’s been too long since our last raid. We let them get comfortable. Worked in our favour.”

Cyrus snorted. “Yeah, just as fucking well, or we might all be limping our sorry asses back to base like last time.”

Struggling to think, Hanin let himself sink down onto the mattress, head spinning. “You… have done this before?”

There was a beat of silence, as though they had all momentarily forgotten he was there.

“Oh shit, right!” Ralon crawled through the back of the van, cursing as the driver made a hard right, nearly sending him sprawling ass-over-ankles. He grabbed a bundle in the corner then moved back, tossing it over Hanin. It was thick and warm and… damp. It wasn’t the same as being it water, but Hanin had to admit, it helped. “Here,” Ralon continued, settling beside Hanin once more, helping tug the soaked blanket over him. “That should keep you going until we get you to base and into the pool. Sorry, but with the way Connors drives,” he raised his voice pointedly, angling his head towards the driver’s seat, “we couldn’t risk having any glass on board.”

As if in reply, the van made another hard turn, this time to the left, rattling them all like stones in a cup. But Hanin only vaguely registered the noises of complaint and indignation from his rescuers. His head was throbbing now, and he groaned softly, reaching up to press a hand to his brow. It was in that moment that he realised he was shaking. 

“You need rest.” The woman, Lyrene, had a kind face when she wasn’t directing insults at her teammates. Gently, the reached out, placing a hand behind Hanin’s neck and coaxing him to lie down. “Just close your eyes, yeah? You’ll be fine.”

“Yeah.” Cyrus shifted, speaking to Hanin directly for the first time, his pale blue eyes flicking across to meet his for only the barest of moments before darting away. “You’re safe. Don’t worry about it.”

Don’t worry about it. Funnily enough, all Hanin had ever done for most of his life was worry. Worry about his clan. His clanmates. The reef. The creatures that lived in it. 

But this time, he just sighed out a weary breath, closed his eyes, and let himself sleep.

[geminimoonbeamx]

Space Cadet: Part One

A/N: Chris Beck has to be one of my favorite of Seb’s characters. I cant wait to play with him. Be ready for a healthy dose of Beck sass next chapter.

Word Count: 1k+

Warnings: Crude vocabulary. Lot’s of cursing. Mentions of underage drinking.

Summary: Y/N, a plus size English major, has had full possession of Chris Beck’s heart since freshman year when he caught her doodling constellation’s on her notes. Of course, he’s been too chicken-shit to do anything about it over the years. When a dorm party and a handful of eclectic friends bring them together, what’s the worst that could happen? They don’t say you discover your self in college for nothing!

✨✨✨✨✨✨✨

The semester had only begun weeks ago and the university was buzzing with the energy that came with the starting of a new school year. The golden rays of summer we’re fading fast- lost to the dozens of syllabus’ and class reading lists. You had already found yourself immersed in your classes, deciding to take them on head first. You we’re going to finish out your senior year strong, you’d decided. That way when you started grad school next year you’d have a one up. If you wanted to be a serious journalist, and fuck that was all you wanted, you we’re going to have to commit. Hard.

You we’re still waitressing at one of the cafe’s on campus, like you had been since sophomore year. Yeah, it could be a drag but most days going to work was the high light of your day. Because no where else could you spend hours upon hours bullshitting with your co-workers.

Who just so happened to be your best friends.

“You cant be serious”

You look up from the table your wiping down, chuckling at Adrienne’s incredulous tone. The tall blond had her cropped hair tied back in a half knot and her thinly manicured eye brows were knitted together as she glared at you.

Adrienne

“I’m tired” You whine before beginning to walk away from her, back towards the bar “I had an eight o’ clock class today! And I’m opening tomorrow”

“Okay, I told you that taking morning classes was a dumb ass idea-”

“They’re the only one’s Professor Vreeland has!” You needed them, Vreeland was renound for his Political Science classes, for delving into real world subjects in a way that no one else at the school did. You’d been on the waiting list for a fucking year! No way you were going to blow it…even if you did have to wake up at the ass crack of dawn every Tuesday and Thursday to attend them.

“C'mon, Y/N. It’s our Senior year! It’s literally our last year where were going to be able to party, next year I’m going to be balls deep in law school and youre going to be- I don’t know. Like in Uganda or Syria or some other really fucked up war torn country getting the latest scoop-” You cant help but shoot her a look at her crass words. She really was going to make a hell of a lawyer some day “It’s one little dorm party. With the med’s- you know they know how to get down”

Your still not convinced, puckering your lips as you begin to dry a set of cups behind the bar. Med students really did throw some of the best parties- Eh, you still remembered the burning that had come with puking vodka through your nose a few years back.

“Okay, why the stank face?” Rafa says as he comes up from behind you, giving your cheek a quick poke. He’d been working back in the kitchen, his curly mane was contained by a hair net and you had a fleeting suspicion that the gloss he had on his lips was yours. Huh, so there’s where your NARS Turkish Delight had gone!

Rafa

“She’s trying to figure out if she’s going to be a total fun sponge and ditch us tonight or not” Adrienne explains as she refills Ketchup bottles, and the two of them share a look.

“Uh uh, Bitch. You have to come” Rafa demands sassily “You can not be sitting up in that apartment of yours watching re runs of Scandal every night of your life. It’s not healthy. When’s the last time you actually went out?”

“When’s the last time you actually got laid?” Adrienne teases, chuckling to her self and you throw a straw at her.

“Not that long ago, you rude cunt!” You snap, but you know they’re right. Jesus, how long had it been since you’d had sex? Eight months? A year?…

“I can see you doing timetables in your head, baby girl. And you haven’t gotten any since that one guy, what did we call him, again?” He wracks his brain and Adrienne let out a peel of laughter “Asian persuasion?”

“He was one fine ass motherfucker. Total jock tool, but hot as hell” Adrienne adds on and you put your hand over your face for a moment. They really were awful people. Who we’re your closest confidants…so what did that say about you?

“Oh my god, stop”

“I know you want to go so stop being annoying and just agree already”

You sigh, knowing you were fighting a losing battle. Once your friends got something in their heads, there was no stopping them. You’d learned that first hand over the years.

“We’re going to get dr-uuuu-nk” Adrienne sings as she goes to greet a few customers that had just taken one of the tables in her area.

“Yay” Rafa does a happy little jig, making his way back to the kitchen, after one of the other cooks cusses at about how running his trap wasn’t going to get him paid, with a roll of his eyes and a string of curses in broken Spanglish. “Text me what your going to wear!”

“Come over after and help me choose? I’ll let you raid my jewelry bin” You cajole pleadingly. He had one of the best senses of style you’d ever encountered and he always managed to find shit in the back of your closet that you would never think to wear and make them look like they’d been pulled off the cat walk.

“And your makeup collection?”

“Of course!”

“Done. See you later, baby cakes. You better put your big girl panties on cause were getting lit tonight”

You cant deny that through the rest of the duration of work, your excited for the night to come. Even if you would be dead tired in the morning. You should get to go have some fun, shouldn’t you? Even if it did come in the form of a sloppy dorm party. ————————————–

And a sloppy dorm party it was.

Honestly, if you’ve been to one, you’ve been to them all because the scene that unfolds infront of you is familiar and your nose scrunches in unamusement. You must be getting old because you just weren’t…impressed. By the crowds of people who smelled like they were drinking lighter fluid. The dim, poor, lighting of the room their causes their shadows to dance in a way that seemed almost ritualistic. The group of freshman doing beer stands in the corner-

“You want a shot, Y/N?” You snap back to reality, your attention focusing on the scene at hand. The one where Adrienne and Rafa are throwing down shots with a familiar face.

“Eh” You throw a face and your head tilts as Gregg thrusts a bottle of- “I’m not really into gin”

Gregg

While your friends insist that your the lamest person in the world, Gregg good naturedly tells you that it’s “All cool”, like the genuinely decent golden boy he was. Him with his high cheekbones and his gorgeous deep complexion, and the harem of girls that seemed to trail after him. You’d never joined the fan club, but you could and did appreciate beauty. He was a fine son of a bitch.

A little too JFK for you, but still.

He could honestly run for congress- be the next sec of state or something. But he was going into Neurosurgery, which you guess was fitting enough. He couldn’t give Field of Dream’s esque speeches to patients who were under heavy anesthesia with their domes split down the middle though, could he?

You carry a conversation with him easily, the laughter and drinks flowing. He even gets you to take a shot of the Bombay that tastes like how your grandpa’s closet smells. Of course Adrienne flirts with him shamelessly(don’t hold it against her, guys. That’s her natural disposition: she could charm the pants off of just about anyone, could make Hugh Heffner blush) and you start to stray away, not wanting to be a third wheel because where the fuck had Rafa gone? He always ghosted at parties. You knew you’d probably find him where you found a bong.

“You should go find Beck” Gregg advises and you cant help but perk up a little at the mention. You liked Chris- liked his reclusive nature. His sarcastic bite. He’d been your honorary study buddy all of freshman year. You’d spend hours cramming with him, tucked away in the library… but you hadn’t talked to him in months.

“Chris is here?”

Gregg chuckles knowingly. Knowing of what…you don’t know.

“Yeah. He’s around here somewhere. Go convince him to come drink with us!”

You pretend your not seeking out Chris Beck as you navigate your way through the party, but you search for a head of curly brown locks and a deep, dimpled half grin.

—————————————

@alex15williams @sebbystanlover-vk @dr-vengence

Okay, this is just an intro, my Astro babies. I wanted to give you all a little tester taste. How do you like it? Yas? No? Maybe so? Leave me some feedback and expect another chapter soon! Oh and please let me know if you’d like to be tagged in this one!

[evelynrina]

Where there is Darkness, there is Light Chapter 1

Hey, everyone. So I sort of got some inspiration to start a new fic. This is sort of a Final Fantasy XIV/Skies of Arcadia crossover here. I hope you all enjoy! I’ll try to make a habit of writing every monday, but I really don’t want to make heavy promises. Where there is Darkness, there is Light

by Allison Lawrence

Chapter 1

“Oh my gods...he's coming to the classroom today!” Squealed a female teenager. “Eeeeee!! Oh, I can't wait...he's soooo dreamy!” Cooed another. “Oh...if Ramirez looks straight at me...I won't know what to do. I just might die!” another teenager of the trio dramatically exclaimed. The group consisted of a trio of teenage girls ranging from fourteen to sixteen years old. One tall and blond, the typical cheerleader type with her bright blue eyes, another small and petite with dark hair, and the last remaining member of the trio being a medium height red head, twirling her hair with her finger. A red haired miquote sitting behind them rolled her green eyes and inwardly sighed, having the misfortune of being sat behind them and listening to their daily shenanigans involving, shopping, boys, more shopping and more boys. The “Ditzy Trio” as she called them. The blonde of the Ditzy Trio scrunched up her nose in disgust at the miquote. “Yeah, what's your problem, savage?” The brunette member of the Ditzy Trio giggled shrilly. “Oh come off her, Clarissa...she's probably just jealous because Ramirez wouldn't even look twice at her when there are three of us here! Clarissa chuckled, quite cruelly. “Yeah, you got that right, Melissa” The red head Ditzy Trio member rolled her eyes, still twirling her hair rolled her eyes. “As if..he would even take the time of the day for her.” she said, the word “her” sounding like she was spitting acid. The miquote was too focused on working on her school work to really pay much mind. “Whatever...if it makes you sleep at night...just watch out that your head doesn't lay too hard on the pillow. Would hate for you to break something.” the miquote shot back. The red head put her hands on her hips and glares at her. “You always were such a bitch, Ashi...ever since your little sister left. Now I can see why. She probably didn't want to end up like a low life, little savage, bitch like you!” The miquote snaps her book shut and stands straight up, looking at the red head. “You want to see a bitch, Chelsea?! Lets go then!” she spat, starting to raise her fists. “Alright, that's enough! Cut the chatter and sit down, NOW! The Disciplinary Committee has arrived, so you all will act accordingly...any misconduct during their visit is an automatic F for the day!” “Yes, Miss Crawford!” the Ditzy Trio sweetly called as they curtsied and taking their seat, giving Ashi a very fake and jeering smirk. Ashi rolled her eyes and sat back down in her seat, crossing her arms. In came the Disciplinary Committee, consisting of a few very rough and buff looking highlander males, a Roegadyn female, and much to the delight of the majority of the female members of the class room, a midlander hyur male; a tall and very trim young man of about nineteen to twenty years of age but with his soft features he appeared a few years younger than that with pale blonde hair that looked silver in certain light and deep emerald green eyes. “RAMIREZ!!!” the Ditzy trio squealed at him. “QUIET!” Miss Crawford shrieked. The young man named Ramirez was unfazed by the commotion, not even giving the Ditzy Trio a second glance, maintaining a very posed and professional stance, acting more like a military officer than a member of the school's Disciplinary Committee. He looked to be the leader of the group as he took a sheet of paper and walked up to the podium of the classroom. His green eyes following the classroom in general, for a brief moment his gaze stopped, looking straight at Ashi. Oh, crap...Ashi thought. He probably noticed I was late by a mere thirty seconds today... The Ditzy Trio gave Ashi a very sneering glare in jealousy. They didn't care what the reason was for Ramirez to lock his gaze on Ashi. All that mattered was that his gaze wasn't on them. “Clarissa, Melissa, and Chelsea, eyes up here, please.” the young man Ramirez instructed, his voice was deep but not too deep. It was a voice that demanded attention when being spoken to, if his intense stare from his green eyes weren't demanding enough. The Ditzy Trio giggled and sighed dreamily. “Yes, Ramirez!” they sing songly cooed at him. Ramirez did a small, nearly unrecognizable sigh, shifting his attention to his papers. He cleared his throat as he began his address to the classroom. “Good afternoon, Students of the Imperial Academy of Ala Mhingo.” He started very professional and very much like the leader he is. “For those who do not know me, I am Ramirez, Head of the Disciplinary Committee of this Academy. As I am sure you are all well informed, we expect a high standard within our students...therefore lateness will be deemed highly unacceptable. Over the past several weeks we have noticed a small cluster of continuous tardiness. Effective immediately...those who are on their last warning of tardiness who are tardy one last time will be forced to join in on a training exercise. Lord Gaius van Baelser will assign you to which one of our teams.” All the students moaned and groaned in protest. “This may seem harsh..but this academy prides itself in having the best of the best. If you cannot achieve that, then you've no right to be here. Thank you, that shall be all. Please proceed to your scheduled curriculum.” Ramirez finished in a no nonsense manner, picking up his papers and turning to leave with his group. As he was turning to leave, his gazed looked back to Ashi for another brief moment. Ashi didn't meant to look back at him but for that brief moment their eyes locked and Ashi had a very uneasy feeling, knowing she is on her last warning for tardiness. Not out of sheer willfulness, those moments were merely circumstantial. “Ashi Halfangel...I would like to speak to you after class. You will head to my office promptly after your studies...understood?” Ramirez instructed, looking at her with those eyes that demanded she doesn't say the opposite if what he asked. Ashi sighed, not daring to break eye contact with him and ignoring the little sneers and glares from the Ditzy Trio. “Yes, Ramirez.”

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Ashi stood before Ramirez's office in the Disciplinary Committee's room. She sighed and hesitated for a moment, a part of her just wanting to turn tail and flee, but knowing it would put her in more trouble doing so. She knocked on the door.

“Enter.” the voice of Ramirez instructed. Ashi entered into the office. Ramirez was sitting at his desk, going through some paperwork and entering some data into a computer when he looked up at Ashi. “Yes, Ashi. Please, sit down.” he said very calmly. Ashi sat down at the leather chair in front of his desk. Ramirez finished the last of his paper work and logged out of his computer, folding his hands on his desk and looking at Ashi. “I think you have an idea of why I called you here.” He said. Ashi lowered her head and nodded. “Then you know that you are on your last warning for tardiness...if you're late again you will have to join in on a training exercise.” Ashi nodded. “Yes...I know...” Ramirez sighed and running a hand through his hair. “Look, I know things haven't been easy for you those three years...after your sister disappeared--” “Please, don't!” Ashi interrupted, trying to fight back tears. “Forgive me...I understand...I do. You're a good student, one of the best. Your grades are....outstanding. I see so much potential in you, Ashi... so much and more. It's just...your tardiness...and...your temper needs to be in check.” Ashi sighed. “It's not like I try to be late...and...I just...I can't help it. I just get so...angry...especially when they bring her up.” “Try to ignore the Ditzy Trio.” Ashi looked up at him in confusion. Ramirez smiled at her. “I heard you muttering about them under your breath one day as you were leaving from school...don't worry...it's our little secret. It does sum them up, don't you think?” Ramirez said with a wink. “Now, then...you best head straight home. I know your mother will worry should you fail to return on time, but do come back into school tomorrow early on time, understood?” Ashi nodded. “Yes, sir.” she said, standing up and leaving his office.

Thankfully, the Ditzy Trio had already left for home, leaving Ashi to finally go home in peace where she was greeted by her mother who looked a bit worried that she was a little late coming home from school. “Where those girls bothering you again?” her mother asked, concerned. Ashi shook her head. “No, Mama...I just had to....ask a classmate about homework.” Ashi fibbed slightly. “Well...dinner is all ready...so wash your hands, come to dinner then homework, bath and straight to bed.” she instructed. “Yes, ma'am...” Ashi replied. After washing her hands, having dinner, a bath and settling down for her studies, Ashi couldn't help but to think about some of the things Ramirez said to her. He really saw potential in her. Ashi always thought Ramirez was a bit scary because he was always so quiet and stern looking, only talking when he meant business about things. However; when he spoke to her in his office he didn't speak to her like a Disciplinary Committee Instructor. He spoke more to her like a fellow classmate, like a friend. I see so much potential in you, Ashi... so much and more.

Ashi sighed and shook her head. Whatever potential he sees in me...he's wrong...I'm not special. I'm not special at all... She fell asleep on her bed pondering everything, her school work scattered around her. The day awaiting for her. A new day where everything, her whole life will change.

[neanicnamii]

so perachel

little fic for ya and for me coz there's not enough fics out there. Pretend couple au babyyyy.

She was so tired, Rachel haven't had a decent sleep in two days and a bath. She really needs a bath or sleep, whichever is available. She's still wearing her maroon sweater and black leggings she wore two days ago. Her clothes, shoes and her body has paint blotches. If not because of the upcoming school exhibit she would not rush her paintings like this. Rachel might like procrastinating with other things but not her art. Her art needs focus and concentration, all her attention, done slowly with heart. But not this time and she's frustrated with it. Good thing her phone buzzed. A distraction from a tragic painting. 'This piece is going south.'

When she looked who it was that messaged her, her mood was lifted. It was her 'water prince' friend. His name flashing on her screen 'FishTank'. It was a breakthrough when a Hephestus kid discovered how to make simcards not be a beam to monsters and an app where Ancient Greek is translated into English. Now she can freely text Percy any demigod.

From: FishTank

Come over.

'So demanding.' Rachel thought. She feels giddy anyway. Even if she's with two more artists inside the room (all of them needs sleep and bath badly), they barely spoke. They're too concentrated in their works, Rachel doesn't want to interrupt.

To:FishTank

Why?

From: FishTank

Just coz.

"Someone's in a good mood." Rachel's co-artist suddenly said. "Who's that?" asked the other. Their smiles' teasing, ready for something fun after being faced with oils and brushes. "Percy." The redhead absentmindedly answered, still focused on debating with her friend on the phone as to why she has to go.

"PERCY?! LIKE THE HOT SWIMMER PERCY? THE GUY WHO JUST CAME BACK TO STUDYING BECAUSE HE WAS MISSING?" The two were astonished to hear that. Perseus Jackson became famous in two weeks after he came back to Goode High. Rumors said that he ran away from home. Nothing was really confirmed.

Because of the high pitched reactions of Ana and Dina, Rachel's painting squad for this exhibit, she had to look up with a confused face. "Yeah, him. Why?" Squealing ensued with a dash of "You're so lucky!", "You have his number?!".

"Ah...yeah. Anyways, I gotta go. He's asking me to come over, his homeroom not house by the way. Take care of my piece. It's still drying."

---

Rachel realized she's really not fit to go out of the confines of the painting room. He hair is in a messy bun and glasses (which she only wears when she wants to lay low.) made her look like a hobo. When she got into Percy's room, a guy came out and stared at her like she's a lunatic (she probably look like that though). She just smiled and asked, "Is Percy in there?"

The redhead thought he was about to laugh but didn't on her face. He still went back in to call Percy so that's okay she guess.

The son of Poseidon in all his uniform glory came out the room. 'I could practically hear the awe and coos of people around me. Gosh.'

"Hey." He greeted. "What did you want?" Rachel countered. Her friend only rolled his eyes then leaned on the door. He actually looked like a model. Wtf?

Percy smiled, "Nothing. Just wanted to see you. You've been MIA." Cheesy s.o.b. Rachel just scoffed. "I don't have time for your cheesiness P, I'm running on cafeine." He just laughed at her demise.

"Well then, sleep. I'll get you home. And you know what, I can't believe you're still wearing that. The last time I saw a glimpse of you in the hallway, you were wearing that."

"I can't believe myself too!"

Percy laughed and went back inside to gather his things. He has to get his redhead girl home and maybe watch her sleep.

But before he could get back out, he heard shrieks. "Cat fight yeah!" One of his classmates yelled.

Outside there were women ganging up on Rachel. They were pulling her hair, pushing her, shouting at her. Rachel, not having enough sleep is not strong enough to fight manicured pink nails scratching at her.

Percy immediately ran to her and get between the fight. "STOP!" It didn't really take, he had to untangle them and hug Rachel close to her. "What are you doing?!" he bellowed.

A girl stepped forward, she seemed to be the leader of the group. "Look at her! She doesn't deserve to be in your presence! She's haughty about it too!"

"Well she does! 'Cause she's my girlfriend! So don't mess with her ever again!"

Rachel's eyes bugged out. Her mind screeched into halt, just as the same as the girls who ganged up on her.

---

"What was that?!" Rachel shouted. "Sorry." Percy beamed his best puppy dog eyes. "I'm so sorry!"

Rachel paced in her room. This is absolute madness! How can Percy just announce things like that! Things that are not even true!

"But you know, think of it this way, they'll stop bothering you, and I'll get less attention. Win win right?"

Rachel turned around to see her friend, now pretend boyfriend sitting on her bed with a hopeful expression. "You have a girlfriend. An amazon-like girlfriend that don't like me Percy. Annabeth will kill me!"

"She won't if she wouldn't know."

Insane. Fvck.

"Please Rachel? Please? I just don't want people to hurt you, and I don't want the attention either. So let's do this?"

What can Rachel say? She's a sucker for his glimmering sea green eyes. And she has a weakness to rubbing salt to wounds on bitches like the girls earlier.

"Ugh. Fine. But we're breaking up after two weeks."

She heard Percy's cheer as she plop down beside him, already half asleep. Good luck to them tomorrow.

This feels too short, anyone can continue this? Lol.

[awhaaaale-blog]

Oh 🤔 that gives me an idea! Can you make a scenario where the Diaboys have a s/o who has sass, like can say the most funny come back like back handed compliments

OHOHOHOooo

Shu: He was snoring lazily next to you as you binge-watched your favorite tv show. The two of you had been watching it together, but it didn’t take long until he fell right asleep. You leaned forward as some interesting turn of events just unfolded on the screen, but you were abruptly snapped out of your focus when Shu turned over on his stomach with a light groan. His large hand had found its way to your boob somehow. He pretended to sleep soundly, but you could see the faintest hint of a smile on his features. “Shu,” you started, knowing full well he could hear you just fine. “Do yourself a favor and ignore anyone who tells you to be yourself. Bad idea in your case, you pervert.”

Reiji: Your chemistry class was having a lab day where you were assigned a partner and you had to examine chemical reactions. Both you and Reiji were in the same class, but were inevitably put in separate groups. You inwardly sighed because you knew even if you weren’t in the same group, Reiji would find a way to come pester you. This turned out to be true when the glasses man came up behind you, practically breathing down your neck as he watched you pour some chemical in a glass beaker. “You’re doing it all wrong,” he told you. “If you pour it that way, it’s not going to give you the results you want. Pour it after you put this in.” Reiji said as he held up another bottle. You glared needles at him. “Remember when I asked for your opinion? Me neither.”

Laito: Laito sat with you at the long dinner table eating supper, though it was only the two of you this night. Everyone else apparantly had better things to do. Laito smirked as he nudged a bowl of grapes off the table and onto the plush carpet with his elbow. “Oops, I dropped the grapes. Bitch-chan, do me a favor and get it for me?” You didn’t know what he was up to this time, but he was up to something. Nevertheless, you bent over to pick up the grapes because this would end up being a bigger mess if you didn’t. That’s when you felt his hand feeling up your butt and you gasped out. “Laito!!” He tried to make an innocent face, “What did I do, Bitch-chan? I was just trying to eat my dinner.” “You couldn’t help but laugh because that was the dumbest way he’s tried yet. “Sometimes it’s better to keep your mouth shut and give the impression that you’re stupid,” you jeered. “than open it and remove all the doubt.”

Kanato: Kanato and Ayato were fighting over who gets the last piece of cake at the dinner table. Reiji only sighed and everyone else just looked on with clear irritation. “It’s MINE, KANATO. YOU’VE ALREADY HAD LIKE 5 SLICES,” Ayato yelled.

“SHUT UP STUPID AYATO. GET YOUR DISGUSTING HANDS OFF MY CAKE OR-or-” Kanato paused, perplexed, thinking of an insult.”OR I’LL BREAK YOU.”

You snickered at Kanato, “I could eat a bowl of alphabet soup and shit out a better insult than that.” 

Ayato: It was a normal day, you and Ayato sat on his bed as he talked ceaselessly. In gym class at school today, there had been a physical exam which was done every year to see who was in peak physical condition. Everyone was forced to perform things like the sit and reach, pull ups, sit ups, the pacer test, and the worse was the mile run. Ayato had enjoyed it at least. “…and that is why I’m better than all my brothers,” he proudly declared, holding up a piece of paper with the results of the physical exam on it. “look here at my score, I’m better than all of them combined!!”

You were tired of his boasting and snatched at the paper distastefully. After pretending to study the paper for a few seconds, you looked up at your boyfriend. “Your ass must be jealous of all the shit that comes out of your mouth,” you held the paper up to him. “You got second place in the sit and reach.”

Subaru: You were in the living room surrounded by the Sakamakis and they all stared at you like hawks would at their prey. You came to live with them not too long ago after being betrayed by your priest father. Currently, you sat shivering in your frame after discovering they’re vampires. Just then someone snatched your phone out of your hand and crushed it with his own (and with uncanny ease). You looked up at Subaru, the one who’s claimed you as his and he stared back with hard malevolence. After this, he took your hand and pulled you away from the others. You stumbled behind him. “Your family tree must be a cactus,” you huffed out as he continued to pull violently, but then stopping, looking at you with queer wonder. “cause you’re all a bunch of pricks.”

Ruki: You sat in his lap as he sucked blood from your neck with a little too much aggression. Ruki was pissed at you because he walked into the kitchen this morning and you were there laughing at something with Yuma. He dragged you to his room and demanded you give him your blood in repayment. You shifted in his tight hold and he growled back, holding you tighter. “Stay still, Livestock or I’ll make it feel worse.” Oh. You’ve been holding back your commentary for a while now, but this one just slipped out, “I don’t know what you’re problem is, but I’m guessing it’s hard to pronounce.”

Kou: Kou had somehow convinced you to go to one of his concerts. You stood in the crowd as he sung and swung his hips in the pop idol sort of way. You didn’t exactly care for this kind of thing, especially not the screaming girls that tried to suffocate you with their enthusiasm, but it was kind of fun to watch. After the performance was over you went back stage to see your boyfriend. He was there in the dressing room. “____-chan! How are you?” Kou greeted cheerfully, then winked. “Jealous of all the girls who want me so badly they’d throw their underwear at me?” You remembered seeing that happen, some girls were literally throwing their clothes at the stage while screaming and crying. Kou snickered, “You’re pretty lucky to have me all to yourself, despite the fact I could pick up any girl I please.” You scoffed at this. “I’m trying my absolute hardest to see from your perspective, but I just can’t get my head that far up my ass.”

Yuma: Yuma smirked down at you as you tried to reach a box that was obviously too high for you to reach. “Too bad you’re such a shorty, I guess you’ll never be able to get that box,” Yuma said coolly, then raised his widened his eyes in mock wonder. “If I were you, I just don’t know how i’d feel,” He leaned his frame against the shelf, putting his hand to his head at an angle that clearly showed he could reach the box just fine. 

You sighed. “I’d tell you how I really feel, but I wasn’t born with enough middle fingers to express it.”

Azusa: no I can’t

Carla: Carla was lecturing you and Shin about something or the other that you did to displease him. “With both of you ransacking our castle like this and messing things up, how am I supposed to keep our reputation in check. ____, I ought to just suck you dry right here and now, but no I’ll give you just one more chance-” 

“Carla, nice story, but in what chapter do you shut the fuck up?”R.I.P. you

Shin: Shin and you were at the pool with the Sakamakis and Kino. Shu was telling Shin and Ayato that if they jumped off the roof into the pool, the impact of the fall would be canceled because it was high up. Then he added it only worked if you did a bellyflop. They both went to the roof to try this. Shin was about to jump off and called your name to make you sure you were witnessing his epic jump. Then he jumped… and bellyflopped into the water. Even Shin, with his royal vampire bloodline, came up screaming in pain. Everyone laughed their asses off and you spent the rest of the time by his side as he sat rigid and hurting in a beach chair. You turned to look at him, amused. “Are you always such an idiot, or do you just show off when I’m around?”

Kino: Kino and you walked down the street, side by side. It was late in the night and the city was silent as everyone slept. The two of you were taking your normal nightly stroll. Apparantly, it was his duty to patrol the area so that none of the Sakamaki or Mukami brats could do anything annoying. But right now Kino was more interested in spray painting obscenities on a stop sign than any vampires. You looked at your s/o with outright disapproval. “You have your entire life to be a jerk. Why not take tonight off?”

[aleatoryalarmalligator]

Life Story  - Part 24

 - 

Ava joined our group of friends in the winter of 02′ and for some part of my life, she became my best friend. She had spent the last year since she had moved from Moscow being a part of the popular group of girls in our class and i had never said anything to her at all. She was bored of those girls I think, or had gone through them all one at a time till they were done with her. She never fit in with them, since she was heavy. We were all amused as she told us all about how strange and insecure the popular girls actually were when they were home. It made me feel normal. Ava was incredibly funny and energetic, almost too much. She was an addictive character you don’t meet everyday and could really throw you off course – in a good way most of the time, but if you were around her too long, your identity would begin to disappear. She could break people's resolve very easily, which is why I became friends with her so quickly, when ordinarily I am the sort of person who takes a lot of time to make new friends. She would give you that feeling you might get when you have been laughing hysterically for hours with people, and everything seems funny to you and you have kind of lost grip of yourself and something feels wrong but your brain is filled with happy dope. 

It had it's pros and cons. We ended up getting along great since we were both very strange. I would come up with some insane comedy routine and ideas - i would make up characters and scenarios, and Ava would just pull out this insane impromptu reactions and additions i would never think of or would not imagine being acted out in such a way to what I had said, and people legitimately thought we were both completely insane. Something was always greedy and gleeful in her eyes - a little crazy. She had a way of demanding attention. I remember I was quite nervous to reach out and try to befriend her, but I called her and she instantly took well to it. I don’t think i had ever gotten so close to another person that fast.

Ava lived in the hills above Kendrick, miles away from civilization, close enough to where she could have gone to the Moscow high school instead. For whatever reason she decided to attend Kendrick's school. Her father was a well known geologist. He worked at the University of Idaho, and the other half the time he was down in Brazil or Argentina or someplace doing rock stuff. The house they owned was pretty nice. It was old like my house was. But it was in the middle of a field that stretched as far as the eye could see. Going off the highway. You would drive onto one gravel road, that was really more of a farmer's road. You would drive for ten miles out into this field, and then you would take yet another more gravelly gravel road and drive another two miles, and you would be at her place. The surroundings were bleak. The home was well furnished. She had one older sister named Ana, but she was in college. A few dogs. 

Her mom was kind of distant and moody. I never really did understand that lady. She never seemed to leave the house, instead she would sit outside and look out at the fields listening to NPR until the sun went down. She was a retired social worker and she was unprofessional in that she told people her client’s secrets because she was kind of judgy that way.. In her youth, she had partied with Janis Joplin and Jimi Hendrix. Then she had moved to England for ten years, and eventually came back and settled in Moscow, before retiring to look out over the barren wheat fields. It didn't seem like she had any visitors. Once every couple of years she would travel to France or Italy. And maybe once every three months, she would attend another rich person's party. Ava always bragged that her mom was friends with Steve Miller. Yet, as much as I don't understand why she was here of all places, I suppose it really was a good thing elite liberal families to move to rural places like this. It fights back the culture of red solo cups, conservative values, and Kid Rock and the like.

Their home had two living rooms, and a sitting room. And all these other rooms. It was really a nice place. Ava had a lot of Italian and Greek in her blood, and their kitchen had a lot of Toulouse-Lautrec paintings and the like. There was also a smaller home off the property, a barn for her two horses, and this other little building that looked like a tattered barn, but inside it was actually an opulent mini mansion that was her father's study. It had bookshelves up to the ceiling, classy lighting. Years later I was watching the television show Hannibal, and it looked a little like Hannibal's office. And past that, there was this pond that was actually slimy and disgusting but I ended up swimming in it anyway that summer. It was filled to the brim with bold catfish who would try to eat you if you stayed still for too long. One of Ava's horses was named Molly. She was old, and pretty nice. The other one was this Arabian horse named Chimo. Chimo was the fucking devil. When Ava was showing me her barn one time, he galloped up to me, and he tried to bite my face with his big awful teeth. Ava always had to shove him away roughly for him to not try to hurt people. And then she would always tell you that he didn't mean it, and he would never hurt anyone – but yes, yes he would. He was the devil.

Despite Ava's nice house, I always grew bored and weary up there. For one thing, it was far out of the way of anything remotely fun. The store was twenty five miles back into Kendrick. There were no trees. The nearest neighbors were three miles away, and they were old farmers. Ava and her mom had a strange relationship. I didn't get it at all. Ava's mom might come up and ask Ava if she wanted some ice cream, in a very calm voice. Ava would fly off the handle FUCK YOU MOM! And then her mom would calmly walk away and say Okay Avaaaaah. She always said Ava's name really long. Then, Ava would make a small mistake like accidentally rip a page in a book, and her mom would freak out at   her, call her a fat cow and fly into this rage over something that seemed to me as incredibly petty. But then, if Ava accidentally burned down a barn – she didn't do this, but she was very unruly and did a lot of things like this – her mom would just sigh and would not reprimand her in any way. I didn't get it. I think it made Ava a little crazy. On one hand, she was spoiled rotten, and on the other, her mom was at random intervals, verbally abusive.

Ava's dad was nice when he was around – which was infrequently, but very loopy to me. I had heard that he had some kind of mental disorder that had made him dangerous, but was now treated so long as he took his medication. He always seemed a bit off, but I understand it's the price you pay when you have a mental illness sometimes. He had had a rough life. He had been disowned by his family. They had made all their money on illegal cheating on horse racing back in the early 20th century, and had sided with Hitler in Nazi Germany, and were a part of the Nazi party themselves when WW2 happened. His mother had been a Nazi youth who had met Hitler. And they still agreed with the Nazis to this day. Ava's dad had tried to become a painter, and they had scoffed at him and took his funding away. He hated his family, understandably and never spoke to them again. I think he probably had Bipolar. I can't say for certain, but he seemed to be that way. Ava was larger like him, she had his dark hair, and his thicker build.

I would get uncomfortable at Ava's house because she would ask you what you wanted to do, and then when you said something she didn't want to hear she started getting aggravated and upset and before you know it she would start calling herself a stupid bitch over and over. So, you would feel nervous, stuck up in the hills, not being able to casually go home, with Ava, her mother and father all in their strange modes. Ava was also OBSESSED with Orlando Bloom. Ava jumped from crush to crush pretty frequently, but Orlando Bloom was god to her. She had posters of him all over her wall, some as Legolas and others not, as well as one of Heath Ledger in A Knight's Tale. She went to see Lord of the Rings herself probably forty times. And she wrote Orlando Bloom about three times a week. He never wrote her back. Over the course of that winter, she was becoming more and more depressed, as though he were her husband and he was willfully ignoring her. In her mind, she was meant to be with Orlando Bloom. There could be no other way. When Ava didn't get her way, or felt bad about herself at all, this dark cloud would descend and she would begin accusing everyone of hating her. It was strange to be accused of hating her because Orlando Bloom was not writing her back.

As it happened, there was this senior in the school named Brandon who looked like Orlando Bloom in the vaguest of ways. He was probably the coolest kid to have gone to Kendrick high school. He ended up meeting an Irish girl and moving to Ireland. Ava liked him also, but it was really just a surrogate kind of deal. His mother had a party one time, and she and her mother had been invited. At this party, she met this guy who knew some of the people who had worked on set with the LOTR cast, and he himself had auditioned for the role of Legolas. He had seen Orlando come on set. She was absolutely crazy about this connection and was dearly hoping it would bring her closer to Orlando Bloom.

She ate a lot. She actually ate more than me. She would eat three bowls of cereal, an omelet, two sandwiches, a wheel of cheese, three large cups of milk, ten cookies, and a gallon of ice cream in one go. I felt awkward and tried to eat all this with her but despite the fact that I had a large appetite myself, I was floored at the end of the omelet. But if you stopped eating, she would start calling herself fat and being really awkward and start saying you were calling her fat, so you had to eat. And sometimes at school, she would get really upset about how heavy she was. She would throw tantrums at Sarah and Katie because they were tiny and didn't understand what it meant to be fat. Eventually, I remember in an attempt to even things out, I was like 'Ava, I am fat too. I think if I was going to lose weight I would probably need to go on a diet. We aren't born with the same bodies'. This was the first time I had ever suggested to myself that I needed a diet, and it also made Ava furious at me for a short time.

She also had a few ingrown hairs (often happens to girls with course dark hair) on her legs, and she would pick at these ingrown hairs till they were scabs. Any blemish that was on her body, besides her face she would pick at till they bled. So for a time, she was covered in scabs. And she thought she had a disease. But we all watched her pick at them. I think Ava was suffering from a personality disorder at the time. And she would call herself ugly, and she wasn't ugly in the least. She had a gorgeous face, and in a certain angle she could look like Gwen Stephani a little bit. It really was hard to be her friend sometimes. I really liked her because she was very fun, and dynamic and interesting. She was probably the most likeable person I had ever met up to that point. Adults hated her because she was unruly and she would always accidentally break things. She got complained about for yelling. But it was so funny you really could not tell her to stop.

Ava first befriended Katie, and this was the beginning of the eventual undoing of Katie. Katie was gullible. Ava and Katie hung out a bunch together. There was one time where Katie chewed Ava out, when Ava foolishly grabbed Katie's rifle and began pointing it at everyone. Katie took the rifle away and was very angry. To Katie's credit, she was and probably still is as responsible as a person can be with a deadly weapon. But other than that, she sort of singled Katie out, and befriended her for about a month. They ran around learning Middle Earth language. When she got Katie alone and in a trusting situation, she started telling Katie that Samantha and Sarah were against her, and probably me too, but honestly nobody ever went against me because perhaps I was too small a fish. Nothing was actually going on of course. Nobody hated Katie. Ava was taking small things and making them huge and embellishing on them to turn Katie against us and make her act out. Ava was in her own way, intentionally wrecking the group so she could dominate it. Katie was a gullible trusting person and she believed every word of this nonsense. So there was this bizarre weekend where Katie and Ava were together and sending angry emails to Sarah and Samantha. I sat drawing at the table, not really sure what the hell everyone was so mad about.

When Ava had Katie good and upset, she then turned on Katie and came back to Sarah's side. I really didn't see it like this then. It took me a few years later to track all of Ava's moves and fully realize the game. This left Katie feeling mistrustful and permanently alone. Poor Katie stopped smiling and would sometimes walk away from us upset. I tried to talk to her, but she would just say she was depressed. I don't think she even understood what had happened, or ever questioned Ava's intent or that she might have been lying.

Katie also started getting mad because she felt that Ava and Sarah had both at times drawn realistic art, and Katie felt that realism was hers. This only made her seem more ridiculous to Sarah, who wasn't really interested in realistic art at the time. We couldn't help but make jokes when we turned on Public Television and Bob Ross would be painting something realistic. 'Oh look, he's stealing from Katie. He can't do that!' Katie's mom also didn't want me to come over to visit ever again when I accidentally tracked mud on their carpet. So it was hard for me at least, to get Katie alone so I could ask what was wrong. Ava in the mean time was now going to befriend Sarah. Samantha wasn't really buying any of this. She didn't think Ava was as funny as we thought she was, and Sam at this time was starting to care more about boys (will get into this later). So now Ava was kind of the dominant leader of Sarah and me. Not completely, but kind of.

Honestly, sometimes I just kind of wanted it to just be Sarah and I again. Neither one of us really started problems that bad. Since Sarah had stopped insulting me, we got along great. We would spend hours playing Final Fantasy 9 or Zelda for 64, eating popcorn and chocolate covered raisins or draw and talk about our comics. We would stay up late and ask each other questions about the boys we liked. There was never any conflict. It wasn't easy, but I would generally try to tell her if I was upset with her. And we both pondered about life just a little more thoughtfully, and had the same strange experiences. One time, Sarah and I were talking on the phone and someone in her basement picked up the basement phone and said something to us. It was a man's voice. We could tell it was her phone because there was this certain way that it clicked when it came on that was distinct. But there was nobody downstairs. The doors were all locked, and you could look and see the doors from the upstairs. Things like that always happened to Sarah and I.

Samantha had become very infatuated with some guy named Samuel who lived in Texas. She had met him on a chatroom. She was intent on marrying him. Andy no longer meant much to her. Around this same time, there was an assembly, because we had this guest theater group from Lewiston come to do a show. Basically, it was like, three stories of twenty-odd year old actors and actresses acting like they were teenagers in 'teen' situations. One took drugs, one drove drunk and the other got pregnant. They were these highly emotional, highly charged scenes of fighting and internal dialogue until the worst of the worst was upon them. And the actors would scream and cry. In the end, the druggy one overdosed and almost died, the drunk driving teen accidentally got into an accident and killed someone, and the pregnant teenager was all well, pregnant. And in the end, the actors/actresses would cry out THIS IS REAL! This Is Real Life, and they would convince you for a few moments that they were just acting out what had actually happened. We were all blown away at the time, but it was actually rather corny.

Anyway, after this, they basically said at one point that teenagers were not capable of being in love. Which is bullshit. But that was their argument for abstinence. So, Samantha did something I did not expect. She stood up and boldly argued that they were wrong before the whole school. It really became a debate that the actors and actresses lost. Sam really broke it down. At first, I had just kind of assumed the actors were right, and then she addressed it by breaking it down to what they meant, and in a way that made me realize that I had been wrong. It was really an interesting moment for me, and I really admired her bravery. So I called Sam after school to tell her what a great job I had thought she had done, and also that I really believed in her relationship with this Samuel fellow. We got to talking, and we had not been that close since kindergarten, honestly. She started complaining about Sarah though. And once she started, she could not stop. It was really strange. All these years, Sam had disliked me, and liked Sarah. Now, she was fond of me and she hated Sarah secretly. It was all very strange to me. She complained about some really small stuff. There was one time where Sarah's breath had smelled, and she had told Sarah, and Sarah had said she had eaten garlic that morning. Sam was adamant that Sarah had been lying, and had in fact, not brushed her teeth. She was REALLY mad because she felt that Sarah had scratched her Eminem Show cd. After awhile, she was starting to sound obsessed with bashing on Sarah. And of course, I was told not to tell anyone

I kind of broke down and told Sarah. I felt like it was only fair for Sarah to address herself to Samantha. It didn't seem healthy for Sam to vent at me, and I didn't want to hate Sarah. So I told Sarah, who would talk to Sam about it, and I knew that Sam would be furious at me for having told Sarah what she had said (that might be the most 8th gradery sentence I have written in awhile). And so for that very brief time, Sam and I were friends again, but it was over before it ever really began, and we went back to mild tolerance for the rest of the time I knew her. I probably did the right thing, but heck, it doesn't matter anymore. And who but I would hold onto such pointless information?

School dragged along. There was a Drug Free after school club that was started for the seventh, eighth, and ninth grade. Kyle joined, my friends did, and so I did too. We had to take a pee test to prove we were drug free. The class was mostly an excuse for all of us to get together and cook up fried Twinkies and snicker bars every two weeks. Mrs. Kerrick had started it. I liked Mrs. Kerrick, though we were never really all that close. She taught both my math and earth science classes. She was pretty competent when it came to teaching. But people laughed at her because she was very heavy, and she dressed somewhat provocatively. I never really cared, but she also flirted with the teenage boys. It got to be pretty carried away. She would insinuate things. Anyway, I eventually got kicked out of the Drug Free thing.

The reason for that was, that in earth science we were all supposed to group up with the person sitting nearest to us and take chemicals and make them crystallize. It had something to do with learning about the earths molten rocks that dried. Everyone was kind of rowdy. I ended up with Karlie (as you will remember her as the unwell girl from 7th who used to talk to me). Karlie and I paired up, and Mrs. Kerrick told us all very seriously that we were not for any reason at all, to drink or eat any of the chemicals in the box. But as we all worked on making our crystal things, I looked over, and there was Zack, taking spoonfuls of this stuff and drinking it in the hopes I imagine of getting high. I thought that was pretty funny, so for shock value, I pretended to Karlie that I had drank the poison as well. Obviously it wasn't poisonous else Zack would have keeled over, and I just was making a joke. I hadn't taken any of it in, I just moved the spoon away from my mouth to make it seem as though I had taken a bite.

Karlie said OH MY GOD! YOU DRANK IT! And I hadn't. I assured her I was joking, but she ran up to the desk and pointed at me and told Mrs. Kerrick something, and then Mrs. Kerrick looked fatigued and panicked and she ran me into the hallway and said we were going to have to call some poison control people and take me to the emergency room. It took everything I had just to convince her that I had been joking. She barely believed me, but gave in due to it being her worst nightmare. It really gave her a fright, and I felt very embarrassed. She gave me a detention anyway – which I took, because it would at least be a new packet other than Ten O'clock Tim or whatever, and told me not to come to the next Drug Free party. I suppose I could have gone anyway, and she would not have kicked me out. I could have gone to the one after that, but I just decided to quit. I wasn't mad at her at all. She was just honestly panicked, quite understandably. The joke was harmless, but it was dumb. And as far as I know, Zack never died, despite eating the stuff like pudding. I never knew if he got high off it though.

I asked Karlie why she hadn't told on Zack. She didn't say much. I think it was probably because she had a crush on him. Rumor has it, she had written this twelve page fan fiction of Zack having bizarre standing up sex on the beach with her. Someone had stolen it from Karlie and gave it to Zack. I could tell that she was sort of crazy about him by the way that she looked at him all the time.

If you would like to read my whole life story so far, here are all the parts i have written 

PART 23 - http://tinyurl.com/yac6sk3g

PART 22 -  http://tinyurl.com/yat6cfnw

PART 21 -  http://tinyurl.com/y783egno

PART 20 - http://tinyurl.com/y8jskymt

PART 19 - http://tinyurl.com/rfhbms8

PART 18 - http://tinyurl.com/ycrznrwk

PART 17 - http://tinyurl.com/y77unlng

PART 16 - http://tinyurl.com/yadpsv8c

PART 15 - http://tinyurl.com/yb3lt6k5

PART 14 - http://tinyurl.com/yb4cfedq

PART 13 - http://tinyurl.com/yalanq9s

PART 12 - http://tinyurl.com/yc79mw94

PART 11 - http://tinyurl.com/yc9qhj84

PART 10 - http://tinyurl.com/yb734w24

PART 9 - http://tinyurl.com/yc2t6vfw  

PART 8 - http://tinyurl.com/ybl37utq

PART 7 - http://tinyurl.com/ybvo283g

PART 6 - http://tinyurl.com/kbc9dwu

PART 5 - http://tinyurl.com/msnz4am

PART 4 - http://tinyurl.com/k9x8esg

PART 3 - http://tinyurl.com/mwp9atx

PART 2 - http://tinyurl.com/lbt6xq2

PART 1 - http://tinyurl.com/l8xbvg8