#bin being everyone’s little brother >>>>

[saebyeoksleftfoot]

I Miss You, But I Hate You.

Pairing: Sae Byeok x F! Reader

Genre: Angst

Warnings: Mention of murder, grief, emotional trauma, blood, doomedromance, break-up, heartbreak

Trigger Warning: Death, violence

A/N: Heyy!! This is my first ever fanfic:) Advice is appreciated ♡ The bolded texts are flashbacks. + One mention of reader being a care taker in Cheol's orphanage (there might be some spelling mistakes aswell...)

+++ Bro idk if the plot is understandable but yeah 😓

Creds To A Friend Of Mine Who Helped Me With A Few Parts! ^^

𓂃˖˳·˖ ִֶָ ⋆ ⋆ ִֶָ˖·˳˖𓂃 ִֶָ 𓂃˖˳·˖ ִֶָ ⋆ ⋆ ִֶָ˖·˳˖𓂃 ִֶָ

It’s been five days since the breakup between you and Sae Byeok.

Everything feels heavy. You feel numb.

Every time you think of her your heart aches.

But… at least you still have your older brother. He would always be there for you. Even in the middle of the night when he was half asleep — patting your back as you cried your eyes out.

Yet still, you missed her.

Badly.

But you couldn’t go back to her

Not after what you saw.

𓂃˖˳·˖ ִֶָ ⋆ ⋆ ִֶָ˖·˳˖𓂃 ִֶָ 𓂃˖˳·˖ ִֶָ ⋆ ⋆ ִֶָ˖·˳˖𓂃 ִֶָ

She said she was going out to pickpocket.

She knew how much you hated it.

So why did she tell you?

You followed her. Quietly. Cautiously. After she left your apartment, you tailed her through the streets.

Eventually, she stopped in an alleyway. You ducked behind a large garbage bin. You watched her speak with someone in the shadows — a person in a black hoodie, a mask, completely disguised.

“I told you to stay away from her. Are you trying to hurt her after what I’ve done, huh? That was the past, Byeok. I'm not with them anymore."

"I told you to never involve her between us. She’s not a part of this. Ever."

Sae Byeok’s tone was cold. — sharp. Her fists clenched tightly at her sides.

“Oh yeah? Then why the hell did you pick her? Out of everyone — you chose her. Is this some type of shitty joke?”

You crept closer.

Suddenly, Sae Byeok pulled out a pocketknife.

And before you could process it — she lunged, stabbing the man directly in the stomach.

You gasped.

The sound — flesh tearing open, the squelch of the blade, the muffled scream — it rang in your ears. Your stomach turned.

Your foot accidentally kicked over a glass bottle.

Clink.Clink.Clink..

Her head snapped in your direction. Her blood-stained knife still in hand.

You bolted.

She was faster.

She caught your wrist.

“Y/n—what are you—”

“What the heck was that, Sae?!”

you cried.

“Did I just see you kill someone? What the fu—”

“Y/n, calm down. I won’t hurt you—”

“Shut the fuck up, Sae. That’s… that’s insane.”

You stared at the red dripping from her blade. Your breath hitched.

“Baby, please. Let me expla—”

“There’s nothing to explain. You… you killed someone.”

You backed away. Her hand reached out — but you shrugged it off.

“Sweetheart—”

You ran.

Ran away from her.

𓂃˖˳·˖ ִֶָ ⋆ ⋆ ִֶָ˖·˳˖𓂃 ִֶָ 𓂃˖˳·˖ ִֶָ ⋆ ⋆ ִֶָ˖·˳˖𓂃 ִֶָ

You blocked her.

Everywhere.

But you didn’t tell the police.

Even though she killed someone.

Even though you should have.

Because you still loved her.

And that made it worse.

Today , you texted your older brother. Wanting some comfort. Just a little.

He didn’t reply. Last text was him saying he was gonna be busy for work.

You sank deeper into grief. You barely left your room, only moved when the ache became unbearable. But today , you finally decided to go for a walk — anything to escape your thoughts. Literally anything.

You wore a hoodie.

.......It might have been hers.

You put on your shared earbuds.

Listened to the playlist you made together.

Let yourself just walk. To release tension from your shoulders.

Now, you were out.

Walking on the sidewalk.

Listening to a playlist that calms you down whenever you felt overwhelmed.

You were just walking…

With no real direction, you walked aimlessly — just to move, to breathe, trying to ease the tension in your shoulders.

You tugged Sae Byeok’s hoodie tighter around your shoulders, the air brushing cold against your skin.

The streets were quiet.

Only a few cars passed by in the distance, and maybe one or two people walking their dogs.

You were still in the neighborhood, just a little further down from your place.

You walked past the corner shop, the one you and Sae Byeok would always stop by after late-night walks.

You shouldn’t think of her.

Everything around you felt quiet — too quiet.

You reached into your hoodie pocket and pulled out your phone.

Not because you wanted to talk to anyone.

You didn’t feel like it.

You took it out because it’s just… out of habit.

You stared at your lock screen for a second.

Your thumb hovered, hesitating, before finally unlocking it.

You opened Facebook.

Just to scroll.

Just to distract your brain from the ache sitting in your chest.

Normal posts.

Some posts about people’s pets…

Or families having hangouts.

Then you saw it.

“Man Found Dead in Seongbuk Alley — Still Unidentified.”

You stopped walking.

Your blood went cold.

Seongbuk. Three days ago.

You did the math.

That night. That scream. That man.

Your breath hitched. You could hear the echo of that scream all over again. The glass bottle. The blood. The look on Sae Byeok’s face. The knife.

No name in the article. Just “young man in his 20s,” “black hoodie,” “stab wound to the stomach.” Found by a delivery driver in the early morning.

You swallowed hard, your thumb trembling as you scrolled back up the post.

You hadn’t even opened your phone properly since that night. You only did today just to text your older brother. You never wanted to open your phone

You scrolled further. The photo was blurred — the body, blood.

But there.

On his wrist.

A tattoo.

A small faded tiger.

Your brother used to joke about it.

Your breath hitched.

Your phone shook in your hands.

No.

No.

No no no no—

You opened your messages.

All your texts to him were still marked as delivered.

Unread.

You called him.

Straight to voicemail.

Again.

Again.

Your knees felt weak. You blinked fast, looking away. Just to see a random ass alleyway at the side, a reminder of something tragic. You tried to keep the tears from falling — but they came anyway. Wet and hot, slipping down your cheeks before you could even catch them.

Your phone slipped from one of your hands. But the other catched— shaking. The phone was still on.

Still glowing.

Still showing that headline.

You felt like you couldn’t breathe.

It said the family was out of reach. But you were there.. You were never out of reach, ever. The person who was there to help you wipe this tears as you talked about the break up. The man who would always say—

“You deserve someone who protects you, not scares you.”

He was gone.

Your head spun. Everything blurred — the street, the sidewalk, the dull buzz of your music still playing in one ear. Sae Byeok’s hoodie suddenly felt heavy on your shoulders. Like it weighed a hundred pounds.

You didn’t move.

You couldn't.

Your hands shook, you attempted to steady your breathing, but failed miserably. Not only did you not have anyone anymore, but the person you missed had killed the only person you could trust.

“What the fuck…”

“What the fuck.”

Then—

A hand grabbed you.

Pulled you into the alley.

Warm. Familiar.

She covered your mouth. But she didn’t need to. You were already too broken to scream.

Sae Byeok.

“Baby, I know what you saw was tough—”

“That’s my damn brother, Sae Byeok! And you don’t have any right to call me that!”

“I have an explanation—”

“There’s no explanation! You’re lucky I didn’t turn you in! You’re disgusting…”

“Don’t say that, Y/n… C’mon.”

“Everyone was right about you!"

The silence between you both thickened. She flinched.

“Let me talk. Please. I know what I did was disgusting. But hear me out, okay?”

You stayed still. Barely breathing.

“In the past… there was a gang.”

“What gang?”

“Let me finish.”

Her voice was soft. Hesitant.

“Your brother… was part of it.

They took everything from me.

And when I finally escaped—

I thought I could have peace.”

She looked up, eyes red, lips trembling.

“Then I met you. At Cheol’s orphanage.”

“…You were everything I ever wanted. You were one that was kind to him. And when we started dating—”

She paused. Her voice cracked.

“I was the happiest woman alive.”

“Until I came to your apartment. And he was there.”

𓂃˖˳·˖ ִֶָ ⋆ ⋆ ִֶָ˖·˳˖𓂃 ִֶָ 𓂃˖˳·˖ ִֶָ ⋆ ⋆ ִֶָ˖·˳˖𓂃 ִֶָ

“Y/n.”

“Hm?”

“That girl you’re dating… stay away from her.”

“Why? She’s my girlfriend. I love her.”

“…Just be careful.”

“I will…But, she’d never hurt me.”

𓂃˖˳·˖ ִֶָ ⋆ ⋆ ִֶָ˖·˳˖𓂃 ִֶָ 𓂃˖˳·˖ ִֶָ ⋆ ⋆ ִֶָ˖·˳˖𓂃 ִֶָ

Back to the alley. Your heart was shattering.

“He recognized me. Told me to leave you. Thought I was playing with you. We met up ever since...constantly — always threats. Always ultimatums.”

“And the night you followed me…

That was the night I couldn't take it anymore.."

She looked away. Tears finally fell.

“Sae…”

“He tried to take you away from me. I didn’t mean for it to go that far. I just—I couldn’t…”

You pulled back.

“What if this was all just revenge, Sae?”

“What?”

“What if you were using me from the start?”

“Y/n—no—”

“Even if it wasn’t revenge—you killed my brother!"

Your voice cracked.

She reached out, but didn’t touch you.

You stepped away.

“Just… go away, Sae Byeok.

I don’t want to deal with this anymore.”

Her lips parted, but no words came.

“Never contact me.”

“Ever.”

And you left her there.

Standing in the alley.

Alone.

𓂃˖˳·˖ ִֶָ ⋆ ⋆ ִֶָ˖·˳˖𓂃 ִֶָ 𓂃˖˳·˖ ִֶָ ⋆ ⋆ ִֶָ˖·˳˖𓂃 ִֶָ

TIME SKIP TO ONE MONTH LATER ༺

You visited your brother’s grave every day.

Wearing the necklace Sae Byeok bought you with stolen money.

You still missed her.

Two weeks after your final conversation, she turned herself in. Confessed to everything: pickpocketing, murder, and more.

She let you go.

And now?

You hated her.

You missed her.

And you hated yourself even more for missing her.

You told her to stay away.

She finally did.

But the ache?

It never did..

[ovcrzelos]

MOST POPULAR RELATIONSHIPS WITHIN #ZELOS.

juho and seongbin (father and son).

juho and seongbin originally had a VERY strained relationship. juho, being one of the oldest felt a sense of resentment and jealousy seeing how the staff would treat seongbin because he was younger and “more attractive”.

after juho found out exactly what was going on with seongbin, he got EXTREMELY protective over him. he rarely lets the boy out of his sight. in videos they’re always sitting beside each other and juho’s probably playing with bin’s hair or holding his hand. that’s his son.

seonghan, chase, and seongbin (maknaez in crime)

they were naturally very close because they were close in age, and were often grouped together during GODS and other promotions because of their dynamic. originally it was mostly the 97z, but eventually they started involving bin more.

they’re like dumb, dumber and dumbest. they’re always getting into trouble with each other, it almost always starts with chase, who ends up persuading han, and they just drag bin along with them because bin will listen to them.

saebom and sian (tom and jerry)

they love each other, they really do. but if you were a new fan, you’d probably have no idea. they’re constantly jokingly making fun of each other. sian’s wearing something ugly? saebom’s gonna be the first one to let him know, to be playful but also because he cares.

they are the old married couple of ZELOS. they make fun of each other but they are really close, always side by side. even saebom’s own girlfriend felt threatened from how close the boys are.

jaemin and saebom (parents of ZELOS)

despite neither members being the leader, they’re both basically the protectors and parents of ZELOS. perhaps it is because they were in the industry/trained so long, but they have a lot more common sense in terms of the industry stuff. ngl, sian probably would’ve gotten himself lost on so many occasions if they weren’t watching him.

while juho does the main leader stuff, they’re the ones who take care of things like cooking, and the members when sick or injured.

[thetimelordbatgirl]

Ngl youtube videos suddenly got me slowly turning into a Justin Russo hater.

[emiqip]

Pt.2 Apocalyptic Ponyo AU ft. Shockwave and his menaces @keferon

If there was something you learned while living in the ugly, rotten and forgotten parts of the city your whole life, it was that trust was to be given away scarcely and returned fiercely. 

Damus learned this lesson fast. Abandoned beside a squalid garbage bin after his guardian couldn't afford to take care of him anymore- not that they tried in the first place anyway. Life got only more complicated from there: food and shelter were always scarce and had to be fought for, especially if you were a scrawny kid like him and had to tussle and shove middle-aged junkies daily, to be able to scavenge inside the most recent load of trash from the local shitty restaurant in hopes for some lukewarm scraps. 

And then years passed and he became less and less alone. Other kids joined him and life became just a tad bit more bearable. He slowly warmed up to them, feeling for maybe the first time the warmth of what could resemble a family, even if his was little and a bit broken. They looked out for each other: yes the older kids obviously held the most authority and weight out of all of them, but it wasn't unusual to see the twins putting on their best intimidating appearances and stand tall in front of any adult after they dared pick on one of their older siblings- he had seen the scratches and bite marks covering the poor soul who tried to steal Windcharger's lunch...

It had always been left unsaid, but it was clear they loved and cared deeply for each other- that sort of care that looked rough and jagged from an outsider perspective, but it was their kind of love and nobody- adult or whatever could ever have a say in this. 

But it was when you cared so intensely that even at the mere prospect of losing something so dear, your body and soul started betraying you.

He felt it when the apocalypse hit and now... as he watched Blue- young, naive and kind Blue, caged behind a massive wall of sharp teeth and even sharper claws, smiling happily, without a care in the world.

The beast followed the gaze of its small prisoner and finally locked eyes with the new arrivals. Sharp cat-like blue eyes curiously took in the presence of the remaining kids, with its mouth slightly open in surprise, the monster tilted its head and from its throat came forward a small melody of clicks and trills. 

Damus felt his heart sink. God, what did he do in a previous life to deserve this? When he caught himself moving forward on shaky legs, it was already too late. His brain was in overdrive. He had to get the kid out of this situation now. 

"...Blue, buddy, I want you to listen to me very carefully." His throat felt dry and the hands that were clutching his weapon were clammy with sweat. 

"Uh? O-okay." The younger kid briefly looked at his captor before returning his focus on his brother. 

"...walk slowly towards me and hide behind us." 

"What?! Dee I'm not in danger yeah I know Sir. Pancake can be a bit intimidating at first even I was scared but he patched up my knee with some sea moss I don't know how he knew how to do that but-" 

"Buddy please- just- sigh come here Blue!" He hated interrupting his littlest brother during one of his spiels, but now was not the right time. Stress and frustration began eating up at him from inside: why couldn't he see how dangerous this thing really was?! 

"No." 

Wait. 

"WHAT?" 

"I said. No."

Bluestreak huffed, crossing his arms in a pure show of defiance. "I'm perfectly safe where I am, you're being a jerk." To everyone's absolute horror the child lifted his right hand and patted one of the beast clawed fingers to prove his point- in return he got a quiet happy trill. 

"If he really wanted to hurt me he would've done so already and I'm not letting you shoot him." 

He hated to admit he kinda had a point. When the twins left the scene they left the two alone, leaving the youngest completely unprotected against a beast several times bigger than himself. If that thing really wanted to see them all dead, he wouldn't even be here to ponder the possibility. 

Oh for fuck sake, he knew where this was going. They were NOT going to adopt a random fish person. 

Were they?

 \\\

Well wasn't this quite the situation he found himself in? 

Honestly, he had been only searching for a place to finally experience some peace and quiet, away from the grubby hands of the Senate and, consequently, his very dear colleagues. If he had to speak with esteemed senator Tyrest again and entertain him as he blabbed away about 'Rectitude' and 'Order', while an impressive persistent piece of algae clinged on his front teeth- he was going to lose it and offer himself as lunch to the first frenzied monster he found. 

As he reached the surface he began to notice the utter and total destruction around him. Apparently a massive cataclysm had hit a few days prior, leaving the city in utter squalor- he wondered how many lost their lives in the wreckage. Wondering the landscape now engulfed by water. He passed what were once streets, houses and parks- ordinary places where people like his spent their time just... living. 

He wasn't unfamiliar with humans, of course: little hardy creatures, with a knack for destroying everything they came across, even themselves. But he would be lying if he didn't admit he came to favor them- oh, yes! Their utter lack of self preservation had wholly endeared them to him. How depressing things turned out to be. 

He let his train of thoughts race aimlessly as he finally let himself breach the water and slowly heave himself on a random slab of abandoned concrete, perfectly warmed up by the midday sun and he prepared himself to doze off to the calming lull of the waves around him...

A voice- oh no, a couple whispering voices reached his audial fins. They sounded young, very young, but he could not discern the meaning of their words. Too entranced by the new language he didn't notice that one of the speakers was getting quite close to his face, until he felt a sharp poke on his cheek that abruptly made him open his eyes and stand on alert. 

What came after happened too quickly for his still foggy brain to follow entirely: three small humans, most likely guppies, scrambled away from him. The two he presumed were the oldest sprinted as far as possible, while the runt of the bunch got his tiny final caught on a stray rock and fell miserably on the hard ground. 

The other screeched once more as they hurried away to who-knows-where, leaving him and their tiny companion alone. Surely not the best wake-up call he ever had but it can only go better from here, can it? 

A tiny whimper woke him up from his stupor as he once again focused on the small pile of human still plastered on the floor before him. Poor dear must have hurt himself, well that won't do. Slowly, gently he caressed the back of the little darling as he kept softly hiccuping- it was a shame humans skin wasn't as tough as his, it would prevent such inconveniences to happen, not that he blamed the little thing for his own poor biology, of course. 

"Oh sweetheart, it's going to be okay I promise. You're a very tough small fry, I've got you." He let himself coo softly like he heard parents do to their own off-spring. Still minding his own size and sharp points, he dared to nudge the guppy over and inspect the damage himself- turns out the little one had only grazed his right limb, nothing a small dab of sea moss cannot fix. 

As he tended to the guppy's injury, he witnessed the little thing's mood change completely: from an inconsolable heap on the floor to a lively chatterbox- even if the meaning still escaped from him, the constant stream of sound made for a pleasant background as he continued his ministrations. And anyway, the guppy was happy just talking his audials away, who was he to stop his fun? 

Once he deemed his work acceptable enough, he gently prodded the little one to stand beside him, close enough to cover him with one of his fins as a make-shift blanket, and keep him cozy and warm against the evening ocean breeze. Sleep crept closer to him once more, as he listened to his new small ward rant about this and that, while the last rays of the sun warmed his back. Content and at ease he felt his body betray him as he recognized a familiar pleased rumble start in his throat. 

He let himself relax further, knowing this far out nothing would dare attack him and his little guppy. However, he was pleasantly surprised when from the rubble emerged three more small humans. 

Well, he counted six unattended little ones so far- this was getting quite awkward really, who was leaving all these children lying around? They were clearly sporting some sort of weapons, he guessed- although he felt that was reasonably natural, considering humans didn't have any claws or sharp fangs to defend themselves with. 

He watched as the two parties shared a fairly animated conversation. These were most likely his guppy's little friends or... siblings? No matter really since they were all way too young to be wandering around alone in a place like this. 

It was final then! He ought to protect and care for these little ones, until they wouldn't need him anymore.

pt.3 !!

[redbird-tf]

Chamomile tea 

Dean winchester x (hunter ) sister reader

Summary: being alone for so long you’ve gotten used to only relying on yourself, a mindset that Dean starts to chip away at. 

Word count: 740

Notes: being creative is hard

Warnings: none

You sniffled, reaching across the table for a new tissue. You blew hard before discarding it in the bin with the dozen others.“Fever not letting up?” You jumped at Dean's voice, You weren't quite accustomed to having company around yet. The three of you were still navigating this new dynamic, which was proving easier for some than others. Just a few months ago Sam and Dean were the dynamic hunter duo, while you still navigated the world solo. You could still vividly recall the moment when John had announced the secret he had buried for years, the secret forced out because of a hunt.

——————

You remembered the look of shock that overtook everyone’s face and the screaming match that ensued between Sam and John. You could recall standing silently in the corner, feeling Dean gaze upon you from ten feet away. Once the job was done and John disappeared again you expected life to go back to normal, you couldn’t have anticipated the brothers to take you under their wing. “Family looks out for each other” Sam had stated to you, a mentality that you would come to learn.

What you hadn’t seen that night was the quiet devastation Dean had unleashed. He couldn’t pick a fight with John like Sam could, but that didn’t mean he wasn’t just as angry. His entire life he’d been forced into the role of a guardian for his little brother, and now to find out he had a sister—who had been alone in this life—turned that protective instinct into a fierce storm of emotions. The guilt of failing as brother was sallowing him whole and the rage towards John for keeping the truth from him boiled over. Least to say When they checked out, the motel room bore the scars of his turmoil.

——————-

“I'm fine” you stated blankly in response, your attention turning back to the lore book in your lap. You weren’t purposely being stubborn, to you it was true. You had gotten sick before and you'd get over it, no big deal. Dean didn't respond and carried on with his business in the kitchen. The sound of pouring liquid reached your ears, but it didn’t smell like his usual coffee so you assumed he was having a drink. Hearing what sounded like a spoon hitting the side of a ceramic mug you raised your head in confusion. Unfortunately, his back was turned to you, blocking your view of what he was conjuring up.

When he started to turn around, your eyes darted back to your book only looking up when hearing the soft clink of a mug being placed in front of you. You watched the steam rise, a sweet and sour aroma filling the air. “Is that chamomile tea?” A softer voice chimed in as Sam entered the room. “Not for you,” Dean stated firmly, taking a seat across from you. You stared at the drink “What is it?” You asked raising an eyebrow. “Tea, honey for a sore throat, and some lemon for the headaches” Dean explained leaning back in his chair. “Thats pure witchcraft right there, can fix anything!” Sam exclaimed pointing at the mug. “Drink up sis” sam encouraged, brushing his hand over your shoulder on his way to the door.

“You didn't have to do that,” you said softly to Dean. “I used to make them all the time for Sam, it's no big deal,” Dean reassured you. You fidgetedwith the edge of a page. “I'm not dying Dean.” Your tone came off defensive causing Dean to sit up straight. “You don't have to be dying, for someone to make you a cup of tea kiddo” his words prompted you to lift your head to meet his gaze. “I didn't mean…” your words trailed off, unable to defend your previous statement. “I'm your big brother, it's my job to look out for you.” He said with a stern tone. You could only stare at him in silence trying to comprehend his words. “I know it hasn't always been like that, but it is now. I've been a big brother for a long time and Sam’s still learning. i know you are too—just…” he took a deep breath “Let me do this for you, ok?” You nodded silently, noticing how his softened eyes contrasted with the weight of his words.

Without knowing what to say, you lifted the mug to your lips. The warmth of the citrus tea seeped into your chest, and you felt your tense muscles start to relax much like the protective wall you’ve built beginning to chip away. You gently placed the mug down, catching a glimpse of the small smile on Dean's face. “Thank you, Dean” you responded with a smile of your own. He didn’t respond with words instead, he stood up from the table, patting you on the shoulder as he passed by. You couldn’t help but smile to yourself when looking down at the mug in front of you.

———————-

[kikiwie]

“just friends”

————————— 𐔌⋆🍊 ̟ ˚ !! 𐦯 —————————

in which haikyuu boys have been your friend for the longest time and so happen to be crushing. <3

h. shoyo ₊˚ෆ

is this too much? he just didn't know, to be honest. he was afraid that he would soon run out of paper because his garbage bin was so full of balled-up paper. his head hit his desk.

then he noticed the matching plush toy on his table he shared with you. he sighed into his arm after blushing.

for as long as he can remember, you have been best friends. it should be a terrible idea to confess to a longtime friend this way. he did have habit of having bad ideas, and he just had no idea how long he had left before passing away from heart failure given the flutters his heart had been experiencing while he was with you.

he felt a chill go down his spine at the thought.

i mean, shouldn't this be simpler? like the palm of his hand, he knows you. yet, he now feels completely lost. all he knows is that he feels the same joy and excitement when he spikes a ball when he is with you.

shoyo works for what he wants, and he wants you.

k. tetsurou ₊˚ෆ

we’re talking about a really intelligent guy here. but when it came to you, he simply wasn't that sharp for some reason. everyone knew he was in love with you except him.

it hit him one night like a ton of bricks.

he was unaware of how close his teammates were to you. he was in a bad mood the entire time, becoming snarkier than normal. he would scowl at them as they approached you. lev, of course, is the most clueless to these looks. even kenma spoke to you! what on earth was happening?

he walked you home as usual. of course he couldn't take it out on you. how could he? he felt so possessive that he felt the need to give you a goodnight hug.

you were taken aback because he only gives you hugs after his games, but you still gave him one in return.

when he finally made it to his bed, he couldn't stop rolling around and realized that he didn't consider you to be just a friend.

(the team did all of that on purpose cause they were tired of his stupidity)

m. atsumu ₊˚ෆ

he knew that his attitude made him disliked. but that's what he found charming about you. he understood how to handle you, and you just knew how to handle him.

he was competing with osamu to be your bestest friend even as a child (more like a one-sided rivalry.)

oh? osamu prepares you meals? atsumu will learn how to prepare your favorite dish. even though it ends horribly, your goofy smile at his failed attempt made his heart race and made him fall a little in love with you. (i mean a lot when I say a little.)

how pitiful. osamu knew about his brother's feelings for you, but atsumu refused to acknowledge it directly.

"guys, i’m crushing on her. bad.” he scratched the back of his neck and turned his head away, his face flushed.

"woah, that was totally shocking." his team, who had been aware of these feelings, agreed to osamus sarcasm. being his twin brother, he had to be the first to make him look stupid for having such an obvious crush.

“shut it samu!”

————————— 𐔌⋆🍊 ̟ ˚ !! 𐦯 —————————

[johnwickb1tsch]

Everyone is sending GIF requests, so, here is mine. Hint: Jealous John? (Though I doubt this man can ever be jealous but...whatever comes to your genius brain)

Thanks!

@sweetwolfcupcake SWEEETS!!!!! I loved this prompt SO MUCH!!! You're such a genius. *kisses your head* I hope you like this! 💗💗💗

Bodyguard!John Wick x Shy!Curvy!Fem!Student!Reader

⚠warnings: threat of noncon (not John), mention of parental death

For the record, you didn’t mean to fall in love with John Wick. But he was nothing like the other goons your father had tasked with guarding you before.  Wick was tall, and handsome, and had the soulful eyes of a poet. You know he’s dangerous; he can kill a man 30 ways with a pencil (the men of your father’s Bratva will not shut up about it) but he seems so…gentle. And the thing that really proved your undoing?

That good looking bastard was bookish, and it did something inconceivable to your lit major brain. Ever your dark shadow, you spent countless late nights in the library together, and so many Saturday afternoons browsing the used bookshops, combing for treasures. He would rescue the books that looked better fit for the waste bin, taking them to repair. Maybe he was there to protect you, for your father had many unsavory enemies, but it was easy to forget when John discussed with you the finer points of the Bloomsbury Set or the themes of Anna Karenina.  

Maybe your father assigned John to you because he was one of the few gangsters around in his brigata one could trust to guard a relatively innocent young lady–that didn’t mean John was safe from you. You just couldn’t help yourself; you’d like to plead insanity, your honor, the night you finally broke and tried to kiss him, while he was helping you with your homework for Russian Lit 301. 

How stupid you felt, how utterly pathetic, when he’d very kindly dislodged you from his so soft mouth, looking at you with pity in his sad dark eyes. “You know…we can’t do this,” he told you.

Mortified, you’d fled to your room and cried, knowing you are the most ridiculous human being on the face of the earth.

What were you thinking?

You are nothing like the tall, ethereal creatures that populate the clubs where Wick frequents with your father. You are shy, and curvy, and frankly…a nerd. An old soul, your father would say fondly, but you know he is just being kind.

You’re not sure how you got it into your head, that you were going to make Wick sorry. You’ve never been one for going out, but you decide to give it a whirl, wanting to be anyone but yourself. You decide to go to the Red Circle, to hang out with the other Bratva brats who care way more about clubbing and clothes and who’s fucking who, than classes at NYU. 

At first you really hate it–but after a few shots of vodka, it’s not so bad. John has to hang back, keeping an eye on you but not interacting with your friends. He’s scary good at lurking in the shadows, but you know he’s keeping an eye on every move you make. Maybe that’s why you let Alexsei kiss you, the son of a semi-friendly loan shark who works in proximity with your father. You don’t really like him, if you’re being honest. But he’s not totally hideous–and he’s there–and John will have to watch it all. 

You and Alex start to have a thing. It’s no big deal. Something to do, on the summer break from your studies. You invite him over to watch a movie, knowing you’ll have the house to yourself. Your father is always at his office doing business, your idiotic brother is always out getting into trouble with his khuligan friends, and your mother…is dead, God rest her poor soul. 

You can tell Alex is a little drunk, when he shows up at your door. He’s very handsy, when you settle in on the couch to watch the latest mindless action flick, his pick. It’s ok, until he tries to unbutton your pants.

You have a secret. 

You’re 21, nearly graduated from university–and you’re still a virgin. 

This is not a thing you intend to give to Alexsei Plushenko. You don’t even really like the way he touches you.

“Stop, Alex.”

“Don’t be scared,” he tries to coax you. “This will be fun.”

“No,” you say. “Let’s just…”

He covers your mouth with his, shutting you up, his heavy body pinning you on the couch. “Don’t be such a stuck up bitch.” His groping fingers squeeze your breast clumsily, painfully, before fumbling with your jeans again. You try to push him off, but he’s heavy, and strong.

Suddenly, he is yanked from you like he weighs nothing at all. You hardly recognize what is happening at first, until you hear the sound of flesh striking flesh. John is on him, his iron fist meeting the younger man’s face. 

“John! Stop!” 

Wick looks up at you, meeting your eyes in a primal lock of stares–your heart drops and soars again, as you feel as though you’ve stumbled on a wolf over his kill, and the wildest thing?

You get the inkling that wolf is jealous. 

“Don’t hurt him anymore,” you say, your voice barely above a whisper. A beating will make some complications for your father. A death? Could mean war.

Wick punches the handsy young man one more time, his eyes never leaving yours, before hauling Alex up by the collar and frog marching him out the front door, tossing him down the concrete steps of your home.

John finds you waiting for him in the marble foyer, his eyes wild, his knuckles torn. You don’t even know what to say. 

“What did you even see in him?” he finally demands, clearly annoyed.

“He wasn’t you,” you answer without thinking.

Wick steps up to you, toe to toe, so that you have to crane your neck to meet his eyes. His hair has broken free from its slicked back style, tendrils in his eyes.

He’s never looked more beautiful, your savage savior.

“You’re trying to get me killed.”

You shake your head, the very thought anathema to you. You are transfixed, unable to look away, unable to think. “You’re too precious to me,” you admit, and screw your eyes shut the moment you admit it, a spear of mortification piercing you from your heart to your stupid, aching, cunt.

“Milaya…” 

It’s the sweetest thing he’s ever said to you.

Your eyes drop to his knuckles, torn open in his defense of you. “You’re hurt.”

“It’s nothing.”

“Not to me.” You don’t know where you get the courage, to take his hand, and lead him up to your room. You can hardly believe it, that he actually follows you. In your ensuite bathroom you dab at his knuckles with a washcloth, slather him with ointment and plaster him with bandaids. You run out of sober flesh colored ones, so the last cut gets a Disney bandage, Ariel and sea-flowers decorating this severe man’s knuckles. 

He lets you do all this, watching you intensely with those dark eyes you’re certain can see into your soul. You stand too close–and he lets you, this haunted man who watches over you day and night. Your whole life you have never wanted for anything, your father’s money buying you all your heart could possibly desire.

Until now.

You find it hard to meet his eyes, zeroing in on a spot of blood on his stark white dress shirt. 

“Y/n.” With a gentle knuckle under your chin he turns your gaze up to his again. “You are too smart, and too beautiful, to be wasting your time with a fuckboy like Alexsei Plushenko.”

The first part you already knew. The second, from this man’s lips? Your knees nearly collapse out from under you, a flood of excitement and dread coursing through your system. You almost can’t stand it–it’s like being burned alive, and your native shyness rears with a vengeance. 

You try to flee, back to the safety of your room, and your books, your imaginary lives that can’t really hurt you–but he catches your hand. His grip is not hard, but it is enough to stop you dead in your tracks. 

“Y/n…” He’s pleading with you, but you don’t understand what he’s asking you. 

“You said you don’t want me, John…” you say, still unable to meet his eyes. “So let me go.” 

He answers by pulling you against him, the solid line of his torso a brick wall beneath the hand you raise to catch yourself. But bricks are not warm, like the flesh beneath his designer clothes. You can feel the wires in your brain sizzling, the synapses simply melting down. Your heart is Chernoble waiting to happen. 

“I didn’t say that.” 

“You said–”

“I said, ‘We can’t.’ Not, that ‘I don’t want you.’”

You almost cannot breathe, your heart attempting to beat out of your chest, a ringing in your ears that drowns out all else. There is nothing, nothing, in this world you’ve wanted more, than to hear those words from this man. But now that he’s standing before you, against you, holding you–you cannot move. You do not know what to do. 

He solves this problem by cupping your cheek in his big hand–God, how you’ve noticed those hands–and then he is pressing his mouth to yours, gentle at first, but then…hungry. As though John Wick has been starving, for you, and it’s all you can do just to stand there and take it without melting into a puddle on the floor. His arms wrap around your back, holding you, lifting you to your tiptoes as he devours you. When at last he pulls back you are left seeing stars, struck utterly speechless with your hands on his broad shoulders. 

“Tell me to stop,” he raggedly demands, his eyes boring down into yours. 

Finally, you find your courage, meeting his stare. “I don’t want you to stop,” you whisper. 

“Good. Because I don’t think I can.” He kisses you again, just as hungrily as the first time, his arm an iron band around your waist and his fingers sneaking up into your hair. That’s your kryptonite: your hair, and blithely you know he can do anything and everything he wants to you now.  

Your father is a bad man, but you have not had a bad life. You have never known hunger, or true physical pain. He has protected you from the violence of his world. He has played things smart enough that not even the FBI can touch you, even though they absolutely know what he is and where your family gets its money. Despite all this, you have been dying inside, a slow, withering demise, until John Wick’s lips touched yours. He is the life-giving rain over the desert; your heart is a field of wildflowers erupting in a superbloom. 

This time, he leads you, in between kissing you, to the loveseat at the foot of your bed. He sits, and only when he tries to pull you into his lap do you resist. “John…I’m too…much,” you insist, conscious of your generous flesh and what it would be like to set that on top of him, afraid he’ll be horrified. 

However, he just scoffs at you, grabbing you up anyway and guiding you down. For a moment you are weightless–he knows how to upset a person’s balance, how to use their weight against them to put them on the floor. This time he uses it to put you on him. You’re not exactly proud of it, but the ease with which he utterly manhandles you makes your long-neglected lady parts sing with desire. 

“You are perfect, dietka,” he insists, pulling you closer with hands on your round behind, “And I am very strong.” For the first time in you can’t remember how long–he smiles at you. That beautiful half smile with a sparkle in his dark eyes that takes your breath away–you love him so much it hurts. 

This time you don’t feel so shy, about kissing him. You feel like your bones are filled with butterflies, and you both moan and giggle as you do your best to devour each other from the mouth down. Aside from an appreciative squeeze of your thighs bracketing his hips, he doesn’t try to seduce you, even though you know you absolutely would have given him anything he asked you for. He is content, just to kiss you, for this night at least, and oh. He’s good at it too. 

You decide you would burn down the world, for one more kiss from John Wick.  

Later you find yourself snuggled in your bed with John, fully clothed, your head on his shoulder as he toys with the fine hairs at the back of your neck. His touch is heaven, and with your legs twined with his it’s hard not to squirm and writhe against his muscled thigh like a horny little gremlin. 

Later, you tell yourself. It can wait for later. 

Like maybe, tomorrow. 

“We’ll have to be careful,” he warns you. “If your father…” 

If your father found out, the best thing that could happen to John is getting fired. 

“I won’t let you get hurt,” you promise, kissing his bearded cheek, praying you’re telling the truth.

He chuckles at this; a deep sound you feel more than hear. “I thought that was my job?”

“You know what I mean.” 

“I know.” He looks down at you with a tenderness that curls your toes. “It would be worth it, for you.” 

Your heart has suddenly decided it would like to take up residence in your throat–permanently.

“Oh, John…”  

He kisses you again, a soft brush of lips that renders you weightless. This is how you die: it’s almost too much to stand, this impossibly full feeling in your chest. Then he narrows his eyes at you playfully. “You have been driving me mad, you little minx. I wanted to kill everyone who so much as looked at you in the Circle.” 

You snort at the thought–you do not understand, really, that he could absolutely do it too. 

“Not to worry. I think the library is more my speed.” He rests his head against yours with a small, contented sigh. “Mine too,” he admits. The smell of old books around you is a soothing balm to you both. 

You know small bits of his past. Morsels he has sprinkled, here and there in the conversations you have had. You know he did not have an easy childhood. You know that this life was not really his choice. Even less so than most, who move and work in the Underworld. 

“If you could live anywhere in the world, where would it be?” you ask. 

He lifts an eyebrow at you. “I’m liking New York, at the moment,” he tells you with an affectionate squeeze. 

“Oh come on.” 

“Fine. I like Paris a lot.” 

“Hmm,” you answer, but what you think, is: Done.  You will have the opportunity to arrange to study abroad soon, and you think a trip away from the Tarasov territory might do you both some good.

Surely Papachka wouldn’t deprive you of your most trusted bodyguard?

[untilwefind]

By Stick or by Sword

Prompt credits @sleepy-hyperfixations

Will: I am asking for your permission to date Mack.

Aiden: What is this? The dark ages?

Aiden: You know what, since you asked, no, you can’t. Beat me in a duel first.

The party was loud in that specific, collegiate way. Half Top 40, half house music, all of it too much. The BU boys had showed up first, Mack, Aiden, Lane, and a few others still in their red and white gear, and BC followed not long after, not to be outdone.

Will found Mack across the kitchen, radiant and smug in his BU jacket, talking to some junior who looked like she didn’t know he had a boyfriend. Not that it mattered. Will knew. And Mack knew Will knew. That was the whole fun of it.

Will had had just enough to drink to start feeling generous. Romantic, even. Stupid.

He clutched his Solo cup like a man on a mission and stumbled his way toward the group. He clapped Aiden on the back, way harder than he meant to.

“Hey,” Will said, teeth shiny behind a lazy grin. “I’ve been meaning to talk to you.”

Aiden, mid-sip of something irresponsibly red, blinked at him. “Okay?”

Will turned to the others. “Everyone, clear out. This is a family meeting.” He made a vague shooing motion with his cup.

“Oh my God,” Mack muttered under his breath, already burying his face in his hands.

“I am asking,” Will said solemnly, turning to face Aiden fully, “For your permission to date your brother.”

Aiden stared at him. Then at Mack, who looked like he was praying to be struck by lightning in real time. Then back to Will.

“What is this?” Aiden asked. “The dark ages?”

Will nodded. “Yes. Chivalry is alive and well in Chestnut Hill.”

"We're literally already dating?" Mack huffs with embarrassment.

Aiden raised an eyebrow, eyes bouncing between Will and Mack. “You know what? Since you asked…” He dragged it out, smirking. “No. You can’t. Beat me in a duel first.”

There was a long pause. Mack groaned into both palms.

“I accept,” Will said, raising his Solo cup like it was a gauntlet. “Choose your weapon.”

Aiden grinned like a shark. “Mini sticks. Back porch. Ten minutes.”

Will blinked. “Wait, seriously?”

“You challenged me,” Aiden said, already turning to walk out of the kitchen. “Hope BC teaches you how to kneel in defeat.”

Mack caught Will’s arm before he followed. “Don’t do this,” he hissed. “You're both being ridiculous.”

Will turned to him, a little wobbly but sincere. “Macklin,” he said solemnly. “This is about honor.”

Mack blinked at him. “You are such an idiot.”

Will grinned and kissed him quickly. “See you on the other side, fair maiden.”

“I’m going to throw up,” Mack muttered.

The backyard was already full of undergrads by the time Will stumbled out, someone having shouted about a “blood feud” over the music. The makeshift mini stick arena (two overturned bins, a tennis ball, and a roll of duct tape) was lit softly by twinkling fairy lights that hung around the porch.

Aiden was already there, stick in hand.

Will grabbed the other one.

“First to three?” Aiden offered.

“Prepare to lose,” Will said dramatically.

They were both terrible, to be honest. Too tall, too proud, too drunk to crouch properly. But Will played dirty. He blocked with his leg, spun with flair, yelled things like 'For the crown!' and somehow, by divine chaos alone, scored three goals to Aiden’s two.

The yard erupted like it was overtime.

Aiden dropped his stick. “I rescind my denial.”

Will, panting, bowed low. “I humbly accept your blessing, kind sir.”

Mack leaned against the frame of the back door, arms crossed and fighting a smile. “You’re both idiots.”

Will made his way over and collapsed half against him, laughing breathlessly. “Yeah, but I won your hand in battle. That’s romantic as hell.”

Mack rolled his eyes. “You didn’t need his permission, you know.”

“I know,” Will said, grinning as he tucked his face into Mack’s shoulder. “But it was more fun this way.”

Mack let out a long-suffering sigh and kissed the top of Will’s head. “My boyfriends a fool”

“You love it,” Will murmured.

Unfortunately, he was right.

[justastraymoa]

Something to be Soft for

Chapter 4

Masterlist

Warnings for STBSF: mentions of injuries, blood, gore, broken bones, depression, general sadness, swearing, fear, wolf bites. This is a ABO fic with full wolf shifts.

Nothing within reflects anyone or anything irl. Pics off pinterest. Do not repost.

To say Minnie was against this idea was an understatement. He refused to shift out of his wolf skin and kept up a steady grumble the entire walk to Linos pack house. Well, it was Alpha BangChans actually, since this was his pack, but still.

Lino gently carried Innie on his back, the younger in and out of a restless sleep – exhausted from his ordeal and still weak from infection. You stuck close, making sure Innie could easily always see you so he didn’t get scared. Felix stayed close to Minnie, hiding a fond smile at the constant wolfy grumbling.

The other members of Lino/BangChans pack were walking in front of you, keeping a fair distance to make you feel better. They glanced back at all of you often, sometimes at Lino, sometimes at you or one of your brothers, a strange look on their face. They talked amongst themselves, never about you or your brothers, except in passing. You had a feeling this was on purpose. To make sure none of you felt trapped or that things were being decided without your consent or input. You appreciated the thought and consideration.

The group had been walking for a long time and at a faster pace than you or your brothers were used to. Even stubborn Minnie was starting to visibly flag. And Lix spent more time stumbling over his own feet than actually walking at this point. You bite your lips, wondering how to get them to let you take a break without the pack getting annoyed with you. Innie needed this packs help right now. He couldn’t afford any of them falling out of grace with Alpha BangChan or any of his pack members.

Luckily Lino seemed to be tired from carrying Innies extra weight and paused. “Hey, guys, let’s stop for a while.” He called to the others as he gently let Innie slide from his back near a small creek. You automatically help steady Innie and get him comfortable leaning against a tree.

“Tired already? Someone needs to work out more.” The Beta with the sweet smile and bigger build teased.

“You’re not carrying a whole extra person, pabo.” Lino returned splashing water towards the other.

Changbin. That what he said his name was when he stepped out of his hiding spot earlier. He had given them an awkward smile and a tiny, cute finger wiggling wave, hunched in on himself so his big frame would hopefully scare them less. You had found it very cute and returned his wave and smile without hesitation.

Changbin looked over at Innies small form and scoffed. “What extra person? He is practically as light as a feather by the looks of him.”

“Enough, Bin. Everyone get a drink and rest. We will move again in ten.” Alpha BangChan ordered ending his Betas little tit for tat.

The Beta who introduced himself as Han slowly approached you, holding a large leaf cupped to hold water from the creek. “This should make it easier for Innie to drink.” He spoke gently and offered out the makeshift leaf bowl. You nod in approval, allowing the good-natured Beta to help Innie drink awkwardly from the leaf.

When Innie had his fill, he seemed to be more alert than before. He looked around until his eyes finally found you. Your heart broke as his eyes immediately welled up and over. “Mom.” He sobbed reaching for you.

“It’s okay, Innie baby. I’m here.” You soothe reaching for and pulling Innie to you. You couldn’t imagine how disoriented and scared he was right now. Dropping in and out of consciousness, surrounded by people he didn’t know and in a different place every time. Being in pain and held down and not understanding why. It would understandably be terrifying for anyone.

You felt more than heard the Alpha slowly approach from the side. You stroked Innies arm to try and keep him calm as the powerful scent surrounded them. The scent of an Alpha could easily send any of them into a defensive panic – and it has before. One where friend nor foe is recognized and fight or flight is to the death or submission. Whichever came first.

The Alpha crouched, still several feel away. “Is he okay?”

You nod and give the Alpha a tight smile. “Just confused. And scared.”

He nods in understanding. “We are almost to the pack house.” The Alpha informs. “We have a room with a door that leads right outside so you don’t feel trapped. We can set you all up in there while he heals.”

“Thank you. We appreciate your help.” In your arms, Innie had exhausted himself and was now asleep again, fingers clutching loosely at your shirt. “We will find a way to repay you.” You promised.

Alpha BangChans eyes went wide in shock, and he waved his hands. “No! No need! It’s what any decent person should do!” He rambled. “Honesty. You don’t owe us anything.” He spoke seriously, catching your eye to make sure you understood.

At a loss at how to respond you just nod.

~

True to his earlier announcement, exactly ten minutes later, by some command or signal that you missed, the pack seemed to move on as one. Lino swung Innie onto his back easily, being gentle as he did so.

This time you hung back with Lixie and Minnie, wanting to give them a chance to say something if they wanted to. It was important to you that everyone got a say in every decision. You weren’t an Alpha – and you didn’t want to act like one.

“You can’t communicate in snarls and growls forever, Min. You are gunna have to turn.” You inform the sulking wolf beside you.

In response Min only grumbled wolfishly and shook his head. You tsked at him. Childish.

“Are you sure about this Y/n? About them?” Lix almost breathed out, not wanting to be overheard. “I mean, they are Betas. And Alpha. We know what their kind think of us. Of Omegas.”

You look ahead of you at the group. At BangChan laughing at something Han said while Hyunjin shook his head and smiled. At Lino diligently and oh so carefully carrying an injured Innie on his back. Not complaining about the blood, drool, and snot staining his clothes and soaking into his skin.

You thought about how careful they all were to make sure you were okay with what they were doing. Risking and not even defending themselves when Minnie or you attacked them. They made sure none of you felt overpowered or overwhelmed.

Everything they’ve done. Every move they made. It was with all your comfort and safety in mind. It was all made with your peace of mind a priority. They had treated you as equals.

“I don’t think they are like the others, Lix. I think they are good.”

Minnie made a disbelieving snort.

“So, you are just going to trust them?”

You roll your eyes. “Of course not. I’m keeping my guard up. As should we all.” You weren’t dumb after all. “The other shoe will drop eventually.” Until then, this was your only option if you wanted Innie to heal properly.

Before long a large manor came into view. Brown and green to match the environment around it, but beautiful. There were gardens and potted flowers, a gazebo, and even an outdoor fireplace with comfy looking places to sit. You could see curtains blowing in open windows as the easy breeze tunneled through the house.

The only thing that didn’t quite match the nature around it were 4 cars parked off to the side by what appeared to be the driveway. They stuck out like shiny sore thumbs. Sore thumbs that had bird poop and leaves speckled along them, but sore thumbs all the same.

As promised, they led you to a room near the back, close to the tree line. You had your own bathroom and a sliding glass door that locked from the inside only. The door that opened to the rest of the house only locked from the inside as well, and none of the windows were barred or sealed shut. It was the first thing you checked when you entered the room. Your brothers stayed outside of the room until you had given the all clear.

From all impressions you were all truly able to come or leave as you pleased.

“Minnie, Lix, go shower and clean up first.” You ordered as everyone settled in as much as you dared. Innie was still sleeping and would need help bathing anyways. His leg would need to stay dry, and he was still weak with fever and infection.

Before Lix and Minnie were even done with their showers, an amazing smell wafted into the room from the open windows. You breathed in – bringing the mouthwatering scent deep into your lungs and savoring it. It’s been a long time since you smelled seasoned meat being cooked. If you or your brothers even bothered to risk cooking your small kills, it was quick and dirty over a small fire you had all struggled to make.

A knock on the door startled you from the amazing scent and you moved to open it. Lino stood with a large pile of clothing, biting his lips awkwardly.

“These are the smallest clothes we have. They will be too big, but they are clean and warm.” He shrugged as he held them out to you. “We can go get you proper fitting clothes tomorrow.”

“Thank you.” You murmur accepting the clothing gratefully.

“Make sure you tell them about dinner!” Alpha BangChan called from somewhere in the house.

Lino rolled his eyes in fond exasperation. “They can hear you just fine, Chan!” He called back much quieter than his Alpha. “Because the others are so loud all the time he forgets we have advanced hearing.” You smile slightly. Their interactions were confusing, but cute. You just couldn’t understand how anyone could get away with talking to their Alpha like that.

“I heard that!”

“You’re proving my point!”

You laughed quietly now at their fond quarrelling. It was a great family feeling. A bond you could feel and see and name, but you don’t remember ever being a part of before.

“But seriously, you are all welcome to join us for dinner. If you want. It’s steak. Or we can bring you some if that’s more comfortable.”

You smiled at him. “Thank you, Beta Lino. I’ll tell the others.” You promise.

Lino just nods and spins to leave.

“Clean clothes are on the bed.” You call to Lix and Minnie as you start to sift through the pile for some items for yourself and Innie.

It looked like they were mostly sweatpants that could be tightened. Old T-shirts and sweatshirts that have faded prints. Clothes that people would have had forever, and they don’t fit right anymore, either faded, sprung elastic, thinning fabric, or stretched out. But they had sentimental value and comfort, so people kept them. Wore them when they just wanted to be lazy and comfortable. When it was laundry day or they didn’t care in the least what they looked like with too short t shirts on or the hoodie whose sleeves were frayed and went halfway up their forearms. When they didn’t mind the sweatpants that were now floods or even capris with the elastic ankles all stretched with no hope of ever returning to their original shape.

And you were incredibly touched by their sacrifice. You hadn’t even considered asking for clothing, so used to the ratty jeans and sweatshirts you had stolen from a laundromat some time ago, when you had dared to go into town. They served all of you well. Protecting your skin from thorns and stray branches and keeping you and your brothers warm on cooler nights. You were almost sad to replace them. A sentimentality that would do you and your brothers more harm than good.

Minnie did not have such sentimentality. A thunder of running steps announced his excitement as he ran from the bathroom and almost body checked you to get to the clothing pile you were still standing in front of.

He had finally been forced to shift human in order to properly bathe. Soap and warm water were not something any of you could get so you all took full advantage when you could.

“The risk was worth it just for the shower and the clothes.” Minnie decided before pausing and turning to you. “But I still don’t trust them.” He declared firmly. You just held your hands up in surrender and nodded, not arguing with him and not disagreeing with his statement.

“Should I say you don’t want the clothes then?” You ask.

Minnie froze, eyes wandering to the clothing in his hand and spread out on the bed. “Well…no.” He answered, visibly swallowing.

You repressed a smile. “We better. They could be a trap!” You tease lightly.

Minnie, being the gullible puppy he is, looks concerned for half a second before you crack and he catches your smirk.

He scoffs and whips a shirt at you in retaliation. “You’re such a jerk!”

“But you still love me!” You poke at his forehead with a chuckle, and he smacks your hand away irritably.

🎀🎀🎀🎀🎀🎀🎀🎀🎀🎀🎀🎀🎀🎀🎀🎀🎀🎀

STBSF Taglist: @skz-haikyuu-epic-girl @vietjeb @sophiesanders12 @nicoleveno14 @xanhnax @pasteldusks @im-sinking-in-mud @vampkitten82 @lil-bear08 @f1ln4dr3cl16mv33 @estella-novella @tiana-maxivar @babygirlskz98 @pixie0627 @thatgirlangelb

General Taglist @stellasays45 @beebee18 @weird-bookworm @velvetmoonlght

[starsluver]

One of your girls| Theo Nott

Warnings: making out, smoking, curse words, toxic relationship kinda, both people being HELLA bipolar

Summary: Theo decides to start hooking up with Mattheo's sister until she asks to be public..

Being in love with your brother's best friend is the most complicated thing. Mattheo's already told Selena and Theo separately that nothing could happen between you two.

But did either of you listen? Fuck, no. Selena's been hooking up with Theo for the past two months. And fuck did it feel amazing, sure they weren't able to hang out publicly but that didn't stop them from going to amusement parks and malls together.

As soon as the sun went down they were able to have the moments they couldn't during the day, but how long did they have to do this for until they could be official? How long did Selena have to lie to the only person who knows her best?

Selena is by the window in her bedroom, smoking a cigarette that she stole from Mattheo's room until she hears a knock on her door. She quickly puts it on the floor and smashes it with her kitten heel slipper. "Come in!" Theo opens the door and steps inside, smiling.

He sees the cigarette on the floor, he chuckles a little. "you couldn't have just thrown it in the bin?" He remarks jokingly, shutting the door behind him. "I thought you were Mattheo," Selena says as Theo sits beside her on the bed. "Nope. Though I was wondering why he'd bother to knock in his own house." Theo leans on his arm, looking at Selena with eyes of lust and desire. Selena was always really hard to read but that didn't stop Theo, she said nothing back to him. He let out a frustrated sigh, "What's wrong?" "I don't know, you tell me" Selena says sarcastically, Theo rolls his eyes. "Okay, smartass..." He pushes himself off the bed and picks up another cigarette from off the floor. "I thought you said you didn't like smoking,"

"What are you gonna do? Tell my brother? He wouldn't do anything unless I tell him that his best mate is hooking up with his sister" Theo raises an eyebrow at her again like he doesn't believe what she's saying. "You seriously think he wouldn't care? He'd kill me if he knew."

"But seriously, what's wrong baby?" Baby. The one word that could make Selena completely break down. "Us! I don't know how long I can keep our relationship or whatever the fuck we are from everyone! I want to be with you! You make me feel all special and loved but the next day you're with my brother like nothing happened!" Theo runs a hand through his hair and bites his lip.

"Look," he says in a serious tone. "We've talked about this. We both know it wouldn't work. Mattheo's my best friend and it would just cause a conflict between us all if we-" "I saw you with Astoria" Selena cuts him off as another tear stains her cheek, Theo's jaw clenches. Looking away and then lets out a long sigh. "That's different...." he mutters

"How the fuck is that different, Theo?! She was all over you but when I talk to Cedric for a damn project, you punch him!" "Well- it's just- look, y'know you're different." He pauses, not knowing how to put it into words. "You'll never be just an option to me. She's just an option. I can switch from girl to girl but nothing can make me switch from you." Theo puts his hand on her cheek as the other runs through her hair. "but there's always gonna be other girls, right?"

"yeah..." Theo looks away. This wasn't the best time time to tell her but he couldn't lie to her anymore. "But there's no girl who can make me feel the way you do." "y'know that, Sel" Theo says as he grabs her chin and lifts her face to meet his eyes. "I mean why do you think I don't want to be with you? I don't wanna hook up with a bunch of random girls. I want you. I always have"

"then why am I a secret?" Selena says as her mascara runs down her face. "Selena....." Theo sighs "I just......." He pauses, thinking back to the conversation with Mattheo. Then, he wipes the tears off of her face. "I know that things are just a little complicated right now...."

“Can I ask you something?” he suddenly says, his tone now very soft and gentle. “why are you still trying to go on about us when we both know where this is going? you’re only going to end up hurting yourself.”

"but I want you, Theo. I want us to be the same even when the door isn't closed" Theo takes Selena into his arms as she curls into his lap." me too, Selena," he says in a sincere tone, taking her hands in his. “believe me, if there was a way for us to be together I’d do it.” he pauses, running his thumb along the back of one of her hands. “and do you think I haven't felt this way about you? I want you but I just can't ruin what I have with Mattheo..”

"you won't, he'll be way more mad that I'm hurting myself over you than being with you" Selena tries to convince Theo, He takes a deep breath as he rubs her shoulder gently. "Selena, you're gonna be okay," he says in a soft tone. "you're gonna meet some other handsome guy. and he'll fall in love with you and everything will work out. just not me."

"I don't want anyone else, don't leave. Theo, I want you" Selena panics as she begins to tear up again "…I want you too. but—“ he pauses, struggling to find the words to explain to her why he couldn’t be with her.

“I can't.” he takes a deep breath and starts to pull away. “I’m sorry Sel.” "Theo, please" Selena says as she hugs Theo tighter. he tenses up a little, not expecting the hug. But he hugs her back, wrapping his arms tightly around her waist. “we can’t do this,” He whispers into her ear, trying really hard to not feel anything.

"I don't care," Selena sobs, Theo lets out a heavy sigh and his muscles loosen. “Selena, stop…” He says gently, running his hand through her hair and pulling her face up to meet his eyes. “We talked about this. this isn't going to work."

"I wanna be one of your girls, Theo" Theo swallows hard, biting his lip. “I know you do…” he looks away, his eyes dropping down to her mouth. It hurt to hear her talk about herself like that but she wasn’t wrong.

a silence hangs between them, the only noise being their breaths. "then let me," “Selena…” Theo says almost pleadingly, pulling her closer to him. He wants to. More than anything he wants this. but.. “don't you see this is just gonna end badly?”

"I don't care if it ends badly, I just don't want to end now"Theo frowns, feeling his heart aching for her. If only he could be selfish right now. He closes his eyes and rubs his thumb across her cheek, pulling her closer to him again. “are you sure..?” Theo whispers into her neck. Selena nods,

"I love you, Theo" Theo shivers as Selena's words sink in. This wasn’t good. He could still back out of this. But he didn’t want to.

“I love you too.” Theo leans in, pressing his hands against her waist as he kisses her softly. Her lips tasted like strawberries, Theo slowly pulled her closer. His hands moved up Selena's back and held onto her waist. Every few seconds he pulls away to look into the depths of her brown eyes, Selena runs her fingers through Theo's hair.

He groans softly as he leans in to kiss her neck, pulling her closer by her hips until they both hear Selena's door creak open

[b0ng05]

Velcro Shoes - Sam Carpenter

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Word Count: 1607

Prompt: Sam Carpenter and Y/n are having dinner over at Tara and Chad's house with their niece when the little girl accidentally mixes up her words.

Masterlist

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It was a typical Saturday night, Sam and Y/n had gone over to Tara and Chad’s for their weekly game night and dinner. After a night of eating takeout, having learned their lesson long ago in letting Chad cook, and a game night of Mindy shit-talking everyone in Uno and then her losing, it had grown late into the night. Mindy and her girlfriend had already bid their goodbyes and left, preventing Mindy from tackling Chad after he dropped four Draw 4 cards on her. But before Sam and Y/n could take their cue to leave as well, their 3 year old niece was quick to affirm they couldn’t go just yet. Sam and Tara had snuck off to the kitchen for some wine, knowing Tara’s daughter had a habit of demanding her mom share every snack or beverage she had. Y/n and Chad were left to attend the young child.

Y/n and Ruby were sitting on the carpeted floor of the living room, the little girl showing off her favorite stuffed animals from her toy bin in the corner, it was next to a tiny kid’s kitchen that Mindy had gotten her, having claimed she wanted her niece to at least be a better cook than her brother. After a few minutes of looking through her stuffed animals, the girl let out a big yawn and rubbed her eyes before they drifted down to the floor, a flash of bright colors catching her attention. “Auntie Y/n, I like your shoes,” Ruby smiled, her dimples showing as she looked at the colorful dinosaurs on Y/n’s shoes. “Yeah?” Y/n smiled back, glancing down at her shoes.

“Uh huh, they’re just like mine,” Ruby nods, going to grab one of her shoes from the shoerack. The small shoe was bright pink and sparkly with unicorns and velcro straps. The girl giggled happily as she pointed at the velcro on her shoes and the velcro on Y/n’s. Y/n’s shoes having been a gift from her eldest sister who had bought them for her years before Ruby was even born. “Yeah they are, yours are so pretty!” Y/n gushes, causing a big grin to spread across the little girl’s face as she let out a little giggle. Her nose scrunching in a way similar to her mother's. “We both have strap on shoes!” The little girl cheers innocently, excited at the thought of matching shoes with her soon-to-be aunt.

Y/n’s eyes go wide, and a look of horror crosses her face as her head whips over in Chad’s direction, her eyebrows practically reaching her hairline. The dumbfounded look on Chad’s face and her own dirty mind makes her burst out in laughter, trying to turn away from Ruby, not wanting the young girl to think she was being laughed at for the matching shoes part. As Y/n laughs, her mind takes the words “strap on shoes” and runs with it, both mortified and incredibly amused with the images her brain created. “That’s not what they’re called, sweetie!” Y/n wheezes out as tears brim her eyes.

Y/n layed sprawled out on the floor of the living room, wheezing in laughter. Her face bright red and tears streaming down her cheeks as she clutches her stomach in pain, but the words that left the little girl’s mouth left her in a torturous state of giggles. Ruby had her father’s eyes and her mother’s smile. But the words that had left her mouth minutes prior had definitely proved Chad’s paternity more than her uncanny features. Chad covered his mouth with his fist as his wife and sister-in-law entered in from the kitchen, hiding his laugh with a fake cough. “What’s so funny in here?” Sam asks, a grin poking at the corner of her lips upon the sight on her fiancee dying in laughter on the floor. “I dunno,” Ruby shrugs, lifting her tiny hands in the air with a confused look on her face, and tired eyes that had begun to droop. “Chad?” Tara inquires, a small smile on her face as she takes a seat next to him on the couch.

Ruby made her way into Tara’s lap as Chad gave a shrug mocking an overdramatic confused face. Tara narrows her eyes at him playfully as she coddles her daughter. His reaction proving to her enough that there was some sort of dirty joke involved. “Y/n/n? Care to fill us in?” Sam teases, moving to sit next to her fiancee who had just started calming down until she heard Sam’s words before wheezing out in laughter again, dirty jokes consuming her brain. Tara and Sam look at each other with amusement and confusion, Chad’s eyes gandering everywhere around the room except his wife, sister-in-law and Y/n’s eyes trying to avoid the topic and busting into laughter.

“Seriously, you guys are giving me fomo, in my own home. Tell me,” Tara playfully scoffed, her hand rubbing her daughter’s back as she was swaying the girl in her arms, who was falling asleep, having been awake longer than her usual bedtime. “I’ll take her to bed and uh- Y/n, you’re it-” Chad starts off calmly as he picked up Ruby from Tara’s arms, before whisper-shouting the end and speedwalking to put his daughter to bed. As Y/n wiped the tears off her face with the sleeves of her sweater, Sam and Tara looked at her with expecting yet amused looks. “Your daughter was trying to say we had matching velcro shoes, and-” Y/n paused as she tried to compose herself, “She goes, ‘We both have strap on shoes!’,” Y/n says, trying to reinact the excitement in the girl’s voice. Sam bites back a smile as she looks over at Tara who let out a sigh, pinching the bridge of her nose and she tried to hold back a small laugh.

“And then like- it got me thinking,” Y/n tries to stifle a giggle, “How would that work? Like- is the strapon on the bottom of the shoes? Because that would bring a whoolee new meaning to kicking someone’s ass. Or is it more of a door stopper situation?-” Before Y/n can toss out the few last jokes Sam cuts her off, playfully slapping her shoulder as she chuckled. Tara’s giggles brought Sam and Y/n from their small moment. Tara was covering her face with her hands as the strange imagery crossed her mind. Cringing at the idea of someone being kicked in the ass with the hypothetical shoes. “I think we should end the night off on that note,” Tara laughs as she gets up from the couch, shaking her head in amusement as she walked down the hall towards her daughter’s room to check on her husband and child. After Tara left the room, Y/n glances over at Sam with a cheeky grin. Sam laughs and stands up from the floor, holding her hands out to help her fiancee up from her spot. “I think scientists might need to study your brain.” Sam chuckles, pulling the woman up with ease. “Why? Cause I’m so funny?” Y/n jokes, smiling as Sam kisses her forehead.

“Uh- sure. We’ll go with that.” Sam teases, pretending to be thrown off by the statement. “Hey! I’m funny!” Y/n playfully pouts, looking up at Sam, her eyes riddled with mischief. “If that helps you sleep at night, baby,” Sam teases as they walk over to the coathooks near the door, passing the shorter woman her coat. “Back to the shoes though- how do you think a roundhouse kick would-” Sam cuts her fiancee off by shaking her head laughing as she walks out the front door, leaving Y/n behind to hastily put on her coat, speedwalking to catch up to her soon-to-be wife. “Y’know, I’m still your fiancee, being mean to me could result in a demotion,” Y/n playfully teases as she huffs to catch her breath, having to take more steps to get in speed with the taller woman’s stride.

“You wouldn’t dare,” Sam pauses, smirking as she glances over at Y/n, taking her hand in her own, “You love me too much, and you’re too excited to call yourself my wife to demote me.” She states as they get on the elevator, Sam smiling lovingly as she moves out of the way to let Y/n press the button, something that always gave the woman a dorky sense of excitement. Some thought it was childish, but Sam thought it was cute to see her get excited over something so small. “First floor or second, madame?” Y/n mocks a professional tone and she elegantly holds her pointer finger out, spinning it around the air playfully anticipating the number. “First, dork.” Sam rolls her eyes adoringly as she watches her press the button overdramatically.

Y/n grins as she steps over to Sam’s side, wrapping her arm around Sam’s waist as they wait for the elevator to take them down. Sam wraps her arm around the shorter woman’s shoulders, pulling her in closer and kissing her forehead. “I love you nerd.” Sam sighs playfully. “I love you too, baby,” Y/n giggles, leaning up to kiss Sam’s cheek. “But do you think-” Before Y/n can finish her sentence, Sam cuts her off. “Baby, I really don’t want to think about you roundhouse kicking someone in the ass with a strapon shoe.” Sam sighs. “Don’t you mean dicking someone in the ass-” Sam groans loudly at the pun.

[maisnamedmoon]

Batfam Headcanon #3

No one and mean no one, but Dick could figure out that Jason was the Red Hood

You may ask yourselves why?

Let me explain.

The Red Hood, 190-195, either way almost 2 meters tall, broad shoulders. Towering over everyone, even Batman himself, while being just as broad, he is an unmovable force, a wall of muscle, armour and weapons.

And then he fights with Nightwing. Nightwing, the only one who, besides Batman, to ever train with Jason, the one who showed him cool tricks on his bike, how to twirl knives between his fingers, how to do a backflip, how to leap off a building, while striking poses.

Dick Grayson taught Jason Todd all those things and many more as brotherly bonding, it was his way of showing love for his little brother, the first one he ever had, after he had to leave the other kids at the circus.

And then the Red Hood materialises behind them, twirling a knife between his fingers, looking unbothered, almost like he didn't even notice he was doing it.

The next instance was, when they were chasing him over the roofs of buildings and he jumped off. Simply letting himself fall forward, twisting midair and doing a salute to Nightwing and Red Robin following him.

And then there was the time Nightwing knew the new crime lord in Gotham was his, apparently not as dead anymore, little brother. It was while they were chasing Hood again, this time, flying around the street corners of Gotham on their motorcycles and Red Hood does the thing, the one thing young heroes always beg Nightwing to teach them. The motherfucking Akira slide, which he spent, hours, days, weeks, months teaching himself and then teaching it to Jason. The empty parking lot they used all those years ago, still has the smashed plastic bin in it, in which Dick slid into with the bike.

Nightwing just managed to stand there, mouth hanging open: "Jason?"

Because even after his resurrection, Jason was only about 1.75 and still a bit gangly. He was no where near the force that was Red Hood. Jason Todd could just be picked up by about any of his brother's (-Damien, he was too short) and simply put back down a meter to the left, because he stood in the way. Jason Todd, was no unmovable force like the Red Hood.

And that proved to be true, when after the confession, he took off his leather jacket and it revealed to have shoulder pads sown into it. Or when he took off his combat boots and shrunk 15cm, because of the platforms on them. Which as it turns out needed a lot of practice to fight in, since not even Steph could walk in them.

This is why I believe no one but Dick Grayson could have known who Red Hood was.

[kurinhimenezu]

Daily Bread - Abel HH

A/N: They're adults! Everyone is of age! Before people go crazy on me.

I had a dream that Abel is a baker boy. Baking bread and selling them in an old fashioned brick building with brick stone ovens with his family. So here it is! Enjoy!

CW: implied age gap, no beta read, mutual pining

There he is again, on the dot!

You smiled to yourself as you jogged by the bakery, trying to look nonchalant. It’s all routine by now, run every morning then circle back to go inside for a ’quick snack’ so you can chat up the cute guy who always opens the bakery.

It doesn’t help that the pastries are literally heavenly. Soft and flakey and the cakes are to die for, it feels like you’re at the pearly gates every time you get a mouthful of their danishes with the jelly on top. You always make sure to buy at least a pack of their pastry of the day.

At this point, the jogging was necessary.

The bell jingled as you entered the bakery, inhaling the scent of freshly baked bread.

“Hi Abel! What do you have for me this morning?”

Abel smiles, popping up from the counter with a grin, “Hey you! You’re just in time! I just made this”

You watched with rapt attention as he pulls out a steaming tray of what looks like a rolled bun pastry but with meat in the middle.

“Oooohh..looks good!” And it does! Buttery roll buns and the steam rolling off of it in waves looks mouthwatering.

Abel smiled softly at your compliment, carefully wrapping the meat bun and handing it to you over the counter.

You kept your squealing inside as you felt his fingers brush against yours. Calming down, you blew on the meat bun to cool it off before taking a bite.

The lamb meat is filled with flavour you couldn’t describe; the bread is soft and buttery that compliments the meat making you take another bite. And another. And another bite.

A light chuckle beside you jolts you out of your daydreaming.

Abel walked around the counter to watch you eat his creation with a grin on his face. “How is it?”

You quickly swallowed and wipe off the leftover crumbs from your face. “Eh..you know…it’s not so bad”

You feel a blush creep up your neck to your face at seeing Abel’s grin morph into a smirk.

You could feel your heart hammering against your chest as he leaned close. Damn, you never realized how tall Abel was until right this minute. He always looked so soft and inviting with that adorable chipped grin on his face.

Now or never.

“A-Abel..? I uhm…D-Do you-?”

The both of you jumped when a metal tray slammed itself on the counter.

“Move it, Abel! We have other customers other than your little girlfriend” Cain, Abel’s older and rougher brother.

Cain was taller than Abel, leaner, shaggy hair and piercing eyes that's glaring daggers at his younger brother.

Though, he didn’t look too intimidating with flowery printed oven mitts on.

“R-right! Sorry!” Abel quickly reverted back to his squishy self, hopping over the counter to quickly restock the buns.

You smiled, finding a table to continue eating the meat bun as you watch Abel ring up the early morning customers.

Abel sighs as he walked back to your table, a little embarrassed at being called out by his brother in front of you. If his dad finds out he’ll probably laugh hard enough to cough up a rib.

“Sorry about that…so uhm…do you want the bag of meat buns today? Or something else?”

Laughing a bit, you threw away the wrapper at a nearby bin before pulling out your wallet. “It’s okay! I’ll take the meat buns…they’re really good and I’d like some for a snack later”

Abel waved goodbye as you left the bakery with the bag of goods. Once the door closed, he sighs, rummaging through the bin to find the wrap you threw away. The crumpled paper with his phone number mocking him with how close yet so far he got.

Cain chuckled, patting his back hard.

“Maybe next time loser”

Abel groaned, crumpling the wrapper and slamming it into the trash.

Adam watched from the back as his eldest's smirk fell into a sneer when he turned his back to the ovens. He knew both his boys like that girl. Only a matter of time till one of them gets to her.

He grinned, looking back at his laptop. Numbers and sales on the screen reflecting in his glasses.  

Not unless he gets to the her first.

Sleazy Adam my beloved <3 I couldn't resist not including him

[c-e-d-dreamer]

'Tis The Damn Season — Part Four

A/N: it's lover day of @nestaarcheronweek and what better way to celebrate than with the penultimate chapter of this fic! I hope everyone enjoys, and this is your warning: smut ahead 😉

Read on AO3 // Previous Part // Next Part

Cassian throws his arm forward, his knuckles colliding with leather. The bag in front of him sways slightly with the force of the blow, but it’s not enough. He throws a punch again and again and again. Until he can feel every hit reverberate up his arm. Until he can feel the familiar burn in his muscles. Until it feels like his knuckles are going to split even through the wrappings around them.

It had been stupid.

It had been stupid to invite Nesta into his bed the other night. He should have known better. He should have known that despite his words and promises of it being totally platonic, he’d wake up wrapped around Nesta like he needed her to breathe. He's been pulled into her gravity since the moment he met her. Since she and her friends walked into one of his classes at his gym. Since she rolled those pretty blue eyes at his cheeky jokes to get the class started. He’s been chasing that eye roll, chasing her smile and laugh, chasing her orbit ever since.

So was it really that surprising that when the sun had crept across the floorboards of the bedroom, Cassian’s arms were curled securely around Nesta’s waist, his nose buried in the golden brown strands of her hair, his heart beating in time with hers where his chest was pressed along her spine?

Stupid.

It had been even more stupid to invite Nesta back into his bed last night even after how they woke up that morning, after they dared to dance so close to that line but still never cross it while playing cards. It had been stupid to play that silly little game of truth or dare, to think it was a good idea to answer and ask so honestly. To think it was a good idea to lay his heart so bare, still bloodied and bruised and yet so wholly hers.

He works his fists harder and faster against the punching bag in front of him, the smack of leather echoing around him, thumping in time to the cracked heart beating in his chest, to the blood rushing in his ears. Over and over again, he punches. Stupid stupid stupid.

“Well, this is just sad to watch.”

Cassian huffs, not even bothering to stop his assault despite the familiar, drawling voice. “Fuck off.”

Rhys chuckles softly, stepping enough around the punching bag that he comes fully into view. He has a pair of silk pajama pants hanging low on his hips, his hands shoved casually into the pockets of them. His dark hair is sleep mussed and sleep still clings to the corners of his violet eyes even as he watches Cassian take a few more reps against the punching bag.

“I know you own a gym,” Rhys comments, raising an eyebrow. “But 6am workouts on vacation might be a new low even for you.”

“I just need to move my body,” Cassian argues with a shrug, resetting his stance.

Rhys catches the punching bag to stop it from swinging, his eyes sweeping over Cassian’s frame. “Did you even sleep last night?”

“It’s not my fault the pull-out is so lumpy.”

“You have a proper bed.” At Cassian’s answering silence, Rhys sighs. “Don't tell me you can't even be across the hall from her so you switched with Az.”

Cassian huffs, turning away from the punching bag and his brother completely, tugging at the wrappings around his hands. What is he meant to say? How can he answer that? How can he possibly explain to Rhys everything that’s transpired over the past two nights?

“Honestly, Cass, it’s been a year now,” Rhys continues, something that Cassian is sure is meant to be sympathy coloring his voice. “I know it’s hard seeing her again, but don’t you think it’s time to finally move on?”

“You don’t get it,” Cassian grumbles, throwing his hand wrappings in the bin with more force than he probably needs to.

“Clearly. This is Nesta we’re talking about.”

Cassian growls, whirling back around on his brother. “Did you want to sub your face in for the punching bag?”

Rhys holds his hands up in surrender, taking a pointed step away from the punching bag. “Feyre will be upset if you bruise my pretty face again. It is her birthday after all.”

“You deserved it last year.”

“I never said I didn’t.” Rhys sighs again, letting his hands drop back down to his sides. “Look. I’m sorry. I don’t want to have this fight with you again.”

Cassian sighs as well, moving to where he left his water, taking a deep gulp of it. He closes his eyes and tries to breathe, tries to center himself, but this whole weekend has simply been a mess. No point making things worse by rehashing old arguments with Rhys.

He can still remember the sneering comments made after that fateful night, after all the truths were revealed and Nesta had left. He can still remember the rage that had boiled through his veins, the feeling that thrummed to life and writhed in his chest, the demand to defend and to avenge. He can still remember the distinct crunch as his knuckles met Rhys’ face, the black eye his brother sported for weeks.

“I think I’m going to head out, after gifts,” Cassian finally says, turning to face Rhys fully again.

“Come on, Cass. Don’t be like this. There’s more snow blowing in this afternoon. You really want to be driving the mountain roads in that? One more night isn’t going to kill you.”

“That’s where you’re wrong. It’s already killing me,” Cassian tells him, pushing a hand up and through his hair roughly at the crack he can hear in his own voice, at the emotions he can feel clawing up the back of his throat and stinging behind his eyes. “I can't… I'm never going to love anyone else the way I love her. She's always going to be it for me. Always going to be the best damned thing that ever happened to me, and I was an idiot and blew it. And now, I have to be here, get to have her so close, but… but she's still not mine.”

~ * * * ~

Nesta slides her fingers across the paper, across the penguins on skis there, before she carefully pulls it apart, revealing a spiral journal wrapped inside. She pulls it out completely, flipping through the different pages.

"It's a reading journal," Feyre explains, watching Nesta with bright eyes. "When I saw it, I knew it would be perfect for you. And I included a bookstore gift card in there for you too."

"Thanks, Feyre. This is perfect."

Feyre smiles at the response, turning her attention to her own gift in her lap. She tugs free the tissue paper and tosses it aside with abandon, the birthday pom-pom antlers adorned on her head shaking with the movement. She pulls out a crew-neck sweatshirt of some kind, and when she unfolds it properly, she laughs loudly at what she finds.

"Cassian, I cannot believe you!"

Feyre turns her gift around so everyone can see, and Nesta snorts softly at the embroidered words in the fabric: Painter? I hardly know her!

"Only the best for you, Fey," Cassian offers, pressing a smacking kiss to Feyre's cheek as he walks past her to hand another gift to Azriel.

Nesta can't help but track him across the room. She feels like she's been doing it all morning. Their conversation from yesterday, their silly little game of truth or dare, it all still weighs heavy on her mind, still weighs heavy on her chest, like a pressure expanding between her ribs and digging into her lungs. She barely slept after Cassian all but fled the room. Every time she closed her eyes, it was his face haunting her dreams, those hazel eyes clouded with emotions and marred with cracks of pain.

She'd considered, briefly, chasing after him, considered running through the hallway and begging him to stop. But she had no idea what she would possibly say to him if she did. She'd even dared to imagine a scenario where Cassian came bursting back into the room, where he made some grand declaration and the two of them really went back to how things were before, just like a scene out of one of her favorite romance novels.

But she'd long learned that was merely a fantasy, that reality was nothing like the stories weaved between ink on pages.

And besides, it's not like she's even had a moment to speak with Cassian, or even get him alone, since last night, between the boisterous spread of breakfast to now opening gifts. The only thing Nesta has truly been left alone with is her own swirling thoughts, with the words that sit heavy on her tongue. In fact, all she really has to show for the previous night, for the whole weekend really, is the crystallized claws wrapped tight around her heart and opening old wounds until they fester.

Cassian hands over the gift in his hands to Azriel, and Nesta watches as he dares to glance over his shoulder, dares to meet her gaze, but then he's quickly looking away again and moving across the room. Moving away and putting as much space as possible between him and her. Nesta has to swallow down a sigh, toying aimlessly at the corner of her new reading journal.

She tries to focus on the gifts being handed out and opened, tries to focus on Feyre's excitement as she's deservedly showered in Solstice and birthday gifts alike. It, at least, gets easier once the cake is brought out. She can focus on nibbling on the slice she's given, on the sweet, chocolate taste that blooms across her tongue with every bite.

But the taste quickly turns sour when she notices Cassian slip from the room completely and head for the stairs. She counts in her head, waiting for an acceptable amount of time to have passed before she quietly excuses herself. When she reaches the end of the hallway upstairs, she finds the door to Cassian's guest room already closed, and she pauses in front of it, hand raised to knock, but…

She still doesn't know what to say. Still doesn't know how to untangle the mess of old feelings and current feelings, of old wounds and scars. Still doesn't know how to sort through the way her heart still stutters at the sight of those hazel eyes and soft smile, the sound of that warm laughter. Still doesn't know how to put into words the yearning that twines between and around her ribs as surely as a golden thread she swears draws them together.

With a quiet huff to herself, Nesta shakes her head, spinning on her heel and instead retreating to her own guest bedroom. She's sure that a few minutes to clear her head, to sort through her thoughts will do the trick. But everything eddies out of her mind when she notices there's a gift placed neatly on the center of the guest bed.

She steps toward the bed slowly, frowning curiously at the simple brown paper wrapping. It looks so inconspicuous, carefully placed in the center of the bed, but the handwriting spelling out her name is unmistakable. She picks up the gift and unwraps it, and there's no stopping Nesta's gasp at what's inside. Before she can stop herself or even think twice, she storms out of the bedroom and across the hallway.

"Where did you get this?" Nesta demands, holding the book in her hand aloft.

Cassian pauses what he was doing, looking toward Nesta and raising an eyebrow. "… a bookstore?"

Nesta rolls her eyes, opening the book in her hands to the title page. "It's personalized and signed. And you and I both know that Sellyn Drake rarely does book signings."

"A lucky bookstore?"

"Cassian."

Cassian sighs softly, straightening and pushing a hand up and through his hair. "It wasn't that far. Besides, you know I like to drive, that the open road always helps clear my head."

Nesta blinks a few times, trying to wrap her mind around what he's saying. "You drove all the way to Athelwood to get me a book?"

"What else was I supposed to get you for Solstice? I wasn't exactly going to be able to fit bookcases in the back of your car for you to take home." Nesta's heart skips over itself at his words, the memory threatening to crash forward at them, but Cassian's almost self deprecating chuckle draws her right back to the present. "Don't give me that look. I know you, Nes. I know you still have those shitty Ikea shelves. They're going to start sagging under the weight of all your books. You need proper wooden ones."

Nesta swallows hard around the lump pressing against her throat. It's what he always promised her. Cassian was good with his hands, in more ways than one, and he swore that he was going to build her bookcases. Swore that he'd help bring her dream library to life.

It's too much that he still remembers that. Too much that he went out of his way to get her a signed book of her favorite author. It burns too bright in her veins and threatens to claw right out of her skin. She needs a distraction and fast, and when she glances around the room, she notices what had Cassian's attention before: his duffel bag.

"Are you leaving?"

"Yeah," Cassian sighs softly, turning back to the duffel bag as well, zipping it up. "Got to get back to the gym."

Nesta scoffs at that. She knows running when she sees it. She used to be damn good at running from her problems, pushing everyone away and shoving everything down deep where she'd never have to address it again.

"Bullshit."

Cassian lets out a sound somewhere between a huff and a humorless laugh, practically shoving at his duffel bag before he whirls on her. "What do you want me to say, Nesta? I can't do this. I can't…" Cassian swallows, shoving a hand up and through his hair. "I know I crossed a line last night, and I'm sorry. I'm sorry if I made you uncomfortable. But you're it for me. You're always going to be it for me, and if it were up to me, we'd—" Whatever words were going to finish that thought, Cassian chokes them back. He shakes his head and turns back to his duffel bag, settling the strap over his shoulder. "It's better for me to just go."

He moves for the bedroom door, but Nesta is quick to step right into his path, blocking his way. "You should stay."

Cassian closes his eyes, and Nesta can see every emotion written so clearly across his face, every etch of pain that's echoed in the cracks through her own chest and heart. They're broken is so many of the same places, in the same way, and Nesta is tired. Tired of fighting. Tired of pretending she doesn't miss the way things used to be.

Pretending that she doesn't miss him.

So she sets the book in her hand aside and steps closer into Cassian's space, settling her hand on his chest, where she can feel his heart fluttering just beneath her palm. "I'm asking you to stay."

The sound of Cassian's duffel bag dropping to their feet is overly loud in the quiet of the room. His hand reaches up to curl around her own, his touch warm, grounding, where his fingers squeeze her wrist. His gaze dances over her face, searching, and Nesta just prays that he finds what he's looking for in her expression.

"Just for the weekend?" Cassian asks, his voice quiet and rough. "Or…?"

"You always were a big idiot."

Nesta's own fingers twist into the fabric of Cassian's shirt. She uses the grip to tug him down, tug him further into her, at the same moment she presses up onto her toes. It's like coming back home, slotting her lips against Cassian's. The press of his mouth, the taste of him, it sends a comforting familiarity twining warmly up her spine. Cassian sighs into her mouth, his hands sliding up to cradle her jaw, and Nesta practically melts into the kiss. Melts into him.

"I missed this," Cassian tells her, his lips skating across her jaw, down her throat. "Missed you."

His teeth scrape teasingly across her pulse point, and Nesta whines high in the back of her throat. "Cassian."

"Definitely missed you saying my name like that."

He draws his mouth back to hers, kissing her slow and deep. Nesta's pulse starts to flutter, and she swears Cassian must be able to feel where it pounds beneath his palm, where his large hand still spans across her jaw. She feels dizzy with the way Cassian kisses her, the sensuality of it, the way his tongue presses into her mouth and curls around her own.

When he pulls back again, his hands reach for her hair. Nesta can't decide if she should be surprised or touched that he still knows exactly where to find every pin buried amongst the golden brown strands. He tugs each one free until her hair tumbles down her shoulders and along her spine, the strands whispers against her cheek as they fall.

"Still so predictable," Nesta teases him, her voice quiet.

"And you're still so beautiful with your hair down."

Despite their time apart, it's almost practiced ease that Cassian walks them back toward the bed, that he sends Nesta tumbling back against the blankets. He kneels up onto the bed as well, caging her in with his large frame. As he kisses her again, Nesta's hands reach up beneath the hem of Cassian's shirt, dragging across his warm skin, dragging up the fabric. He pulls back enough that he can fist the back of his shirt, tugging it off completely and tossing it aside. Nesta practically moans appreciatively at the sight, daring to curl her nails against Cassian's shoulder, to bury her other hand amongst the dark curly strands of his hair.

"Your turn, sweetheart."

His hands make quick work of removing Nesta's sweater, her bra, and even her pants. It feels unfair, their comparative states of undress, but it's hard to focus on that when Cassian is looking at her the way he is. With his lips parted and his eyes dark, it's almost as if he's never seen her naked before.

"Fuck me," Cassian whispers, seemingly more to himself than anything.

He leans back down, latching his mouth to her throat. His lips drag across her skin, down over her collarbones until he reaches her breast. The hot press of his mouth against her skin only stokes the fire in her veins higher, like an echoing heat being brought to life. She arches up against him, burying a hand in his hair and dragging her nails against his scalp.

"Always flushed so pretty for me."

He switches his mouth's attention to her other breast, his hand finding home and continuing his previous ministrations, and Nesta is putty beneath him. She's always been so sensitive there, and the way his tongue swirls over her nipple, the way the stubble along his jaw scrapes against her skin, the way his fingers knead at the flesh, it all goes straight between her legs.

Nesta whines when Cassian pulls back, but he merely continues his path downwards, sliding down the bed until his shoulders are cradled between her thighs, until he can hook his thumbs into the waistband of her panties. He drags them down her legs slowly and tosses them aside before his fingers dig into the skin of her thighs, spreading her wider still.

It's unfair that one man can look so good between her thighs, with his hair already unruly from her own fingers, with his eyes dark and pinned directly on her, with that cocksure smirk of his beginning to peek through. It's unfair that she missed the sight of this so much.

"Fuck, look how wet this pretty cunt already is," Cassian groans, one of his thumbs skating over her teasingly.

"Cassian, please," Nesta whines, trying to buck her hips against his hold.

"That's a good girl. Listen to how you beg."

Just the words have Nesta's toes curling, but even more so when Cassian rewards her begging. He sweeps the flat of his tongue over her, tracing a line all the way to her clit. He repeats the motion again and again, his lips closing around and teasing her clit with each pass. Nesta's fingers scrabble for purchase in the dark strands of his hair, her ankles slipping against his shoulders.

Cassian groans against her, the vibrations only adding to the pleasure he draws out of her. She swears there's nothing like this, the way he works his mouth and devours her, the way he makes her absolutely dizzy with it. Nesta tries to rock her hips, tries to ride his face, but Cassian's grip on her thighs is too firm. He keeps his eyes on her the whole time, as he builds her higher and higher.

He's like a man starved, a man on a mission, and Nesta certainly isn't complaining, not when her entire body feels like a live-wire from the way he continues to eat her out. That all too familiar pressure builds low in her gut, and Nesta whines, Cassian's name bubbling up at the back of her throat, but she's unable to press it forward, unable to warn him before the dam breaks and her release tears through her. Her thighs squeeze around Cassian's head, pleasure burning though her veins like a wildfire.

But Cassian doesn't stop his ministrations. His mouth continues to slide against her, his tongue pressing into her cunt where it still clenches and flutters with the aftershocks of her orgasm. Nesta whimpers at the over stimulation, trying to squirm away, but Cassian merely tugs her right back toward his mouth.

"Cassian… fuck…"

Cassian finally pulls his mouth away, that cocksure smirk of his still firmly in place. "I almost forgot how gorgeous you are when you come."

He turns his head to press sweet, soothing kisses along her inner thigh, and Nesta melts back against the mattress and the blankets. But her reprieve is short lived when Cassian buries two fingers in her cunt. Nesta gasps at the sudden intrusion, at the way the thick line of his fingers drag against the walls of her cunt.

"That's it, sweetheart."

Nesta has to bite her lip hard to keep her sounds in when Cassian starts to move his fingers, scissoring and spreading them. All their time apart and he still knows exactly how to play her body, how to thrust and curl his fingers until she's keening and moaning.

"Taking my fingers so well," he tells her, squeezing in a third finger beside the first two and curling them.

The praise goes right to Nesta's head, the motion of his fingers flaring straight through her veins. Her hand snaps down to curl around Cassian's wrist, nails biting against his skin as she holds him, keeps him right there with his fingers buried deep. He groans at her response, his forehead dropping against her hip bone.

"Are you going to squeeze my cock as tight as you're squeezing my fingers?"

"Take your pants off and find out."

Cassian chuckles softly, his hazel eyes flaring when he tilts his head to meet Nesta's gaze properly again. "Still so bratty. Don't you want to be a good girl for me, Nes?"

He curls his fingers again as he said the words, but Nesta swallows down her gasping moan, refusing to back down. "Don't you want to fuck me?"

Cassian slides back up Nesta's body, his fingers never ceasing their brutal pace. He drags his nose over her collarbones, up her throat, until he can press a kiss to that spot behind her ear that always has Nesta shuddering, until he can sink his teeth into her earlobe.

"If our whole family wasn't just downstairs, I'd punish you for that," he whispers right against her ear, hot breath curling against her skin. "Have you screaming and crying until you're absolutely begging for my cock. But we'll just have to save that for when we're back home."

Pleasure is a flame twining all the way down Nesta's spine, and she turns her head enough that her nose bumps against his. "Promise?"

Cassian's smirk and the spark that flares through his hazel eyes feels like answer enough. He shifts enough that he can pull his fingers free, and Nesta whines at the loss, at the emptiness, but then he's clambering off the bed. Those fingers of his make deft work of his belt and pant button, and he shoves his jeans down his legs, kicking them aside. But then his hands pause in the waistband of his boxers, his expression slackening.

"I don't have anything."

The words have Nesta frowning in confusion, and she pushes up onto her elbows, watching him. "What?"

"I don't… I mean I didn't exactly expect this to be how the weekend went. Well, I'd hoped." Cassian sighs softly, tilting his head up toward the ceiling. "But I mean it felt a bit like putting the chicken before the egg if I packed—"

"Oh."

Silence falls between them and in the room. If Nesta listens hard enough, she can just hear the sounds of everyone still downstairs drinking and laughing and celebrating Feyre and the holiday. She doesn't have much to offer Cassian. She certainly didn't pack any condoms in her bag for this weekend.

"Wait."

It's all Cassian says before he turns on his heel, practically sprinting out of the bedroom door. He doesn't even bother closing the door behind him, and Nesta hisses out his name after him, scrambling to cover herself with a blanket. At least the open door gives her the perfect view of exactly what Cassian is doing, to watch him dart into the room across the hall and root around in what Nesta presumes must be Azriel's bag. When he finally returns to the room, he has a condom poised between his fingers, his smile wide and triumphant as he closes the door behind him.

"Who knew Az and Eris fucking like rabbits all weekend could be beneficial to us too?"

Nesta snorts softly. "Won't your brother notice you've stolen from him?"

"I doubt he's keeping count enough to notice," Cassian offers, kneeing up onto the bed again. "Besides, I thought you wanted me to fuck you."

"Just shut up and kiss me."

Cassian shakes his head fondly, but he obliges to her request, leaning down and connecting their lips again. Nesta buries her hands in his hair, kicking the blankets off her body so that she can wrap her legs around his hips and pull him into her. Cassian groans into her mouth, teeth teasing her bottom lip.

He pulls back enough that he can finally shimmy out of his boxers, quickly tossing them aside. His lips are back on hers as soon as he's slipped the condom on, tongue pressing into her mouth and drawing a moan from Nesta's throat with every flick and curl against her own. The calluses of his hands slide across her skin, down her thighs, until they hook beneath her knees, hiking her legs higher around his waist.

He moves his lips along her jaw, her throat. The head of his cock drags against Nesta's cunt, and her whole body shudders in anticipation, but he doesn't press forward. He does the same motion again, teasing her, and Nesta tightens her grip on Cassian's hair with a huff.

"Cass, please," Nesta whines, trying to buck her hips up against him.

"There's that pretty begging."

He lines up his cock, and with a snap of his hips, he buries himself in her cunt, both of them moaning. Every nerve ending in Nesta's body zeroes in on where they're joined, where his cock stretches her and presses deep.

"Gods, I almost forgot how good it feels to have you wrapped around me."

He pulls his hips back just to rock them back forward again, building up a hard pace of thrusts. Nesta moans with every drag of his cock against the walls of her cunt, the way he fills her so completely. It has her clenching down hard around him, has her tilting her own hips up to meet every snap of his.

"That's a good girl," Cassian groans against her throat. "Squeezing me."

The praise only adds to the haze taking over Nesta's mind, the constant loop of pleasure and Cassian. She's little more than a mess of moans and whimpers and his name, little more than a puddle melting into the blankets beneath the press of his body above her. She barely even registers the pleas tumbling past her lips until Cassian's low voice cuts through again.

"Don't worry, sweetheart. I'll give you what you need. Keep you stretched and full."

His hand reaches down between their bodies, finding her clit with practiced each. Each tight circle he traces with his fingertips, each snap of his hips as he continues to fuck her, it only drives Nesta higher, her whole body on pins and needles and primed to fall head first over that ledge.

"Now be my good girl and come for me."

Nesta can do nothing but give in to the command. Spots dance behind her eyelids, and she clenches down hard as she barrels through her release, Cassian continuing to move his hips and elongating it as he chases his own. Even in her blissed-out state, Nesta makes sure to reach a hand up and into Cassian's hair, to tug just the way she knows he likes. Just the way to have his hips stuttering, his whole body shuddering as he comes with a groan.

When Cassian pulls out and shifts off of her, Nesta takes a moment to catch her breath. She pushes herself off the bed, picking up Cassian's discarded shirt off the floor and tugging it on. The large size keeps her mostly covered, the hem falling halfway down her thighs, but Nesta still pokes her head out the door, making sure the coast is truly clear before slipping down the hallway to the bathroom.

She takes the time to clean herself up, to splash water on her face and fix her hair in the bathroom mirror. When she steps back into the bedroom, Cassian has shifted to lay completely beneath the blankets, his hand tucked casually behind his head. There's no stopping the way her heart trips and stumbles between her ribs when his eyes meet hers, when that slow, soft smile she knows is just for her tugs across his face.

"Shouldn't we get dressed and go back downstairs?"

"Nap first, family time later," Cassian tells her, folding down the blankets in clear invitation.

Nesta rolls her eyes, but they both know it's fond, both know she was never going to do anything other than climb back into the bed. She's barely settled beneath the blankets before Cassian is shifting into his favorite position, arms tight and secure around her waist, his head pillowed on her chest.

"I almost forgot how cuddly you get after sex."

With how they're pressed so surely together, Nesta feels more than she hears the low rumble of Cassian's answering chuckle. Feels the soft puff of air as he sighs contently. Feels the way his arms squeeze.

"Better get used to it, sweetheart, because you're never getting rid of me now."

The words are barely more than a mumble against her chest, but Nesta still has to bite her lip around a smile. Wrapped up here in this bed, with him, she feels truly at peace. Feels warm and safe and happy. She raises her hand enough that she can card her fingers through the dark strands of his hair, dragging her nails just enough that she has Cassian all but purring, both their hearts slow and steady and whole.

"Good."

—

2025 tag list (let me know if you want to be added or removed; bolded names mean Tumblr won’t let me tag you 🥲): @moodymelanist @sv0430 @bookstantrash @hiimheresworld @sweet-pea1 @emeriethevalkyriegirl @pyxxie @dustjacketmusings @hallway5 @glowing-stick-generation @goddess-aelin @melphss @a-trifling-matter @blueunoias @wolfnesta @jmoonjones @burningsnowleopard @whyisaravenlike-awritingdesk @that-little-red-head @kale-theteaqueen @superflurry @lady-winter-sunrise @freakingata @susanbanarchy @jsmelodies @unhealthyfanobsession @presskmewleroux @nativeswfl @livinforthetea @dying-of-wanderlust @berkskc @the-new-ribbon @underneath-the-sidras @deadandsane

[toasttt11]

boston

August 25, 2023

Allison shook her head at the disgusted but playfully looks Luke and Quinn had as they all got out of the car at Boston College.

Luke, Quinn and Jack still had some time left before they were heading to New Jersey and Vancouver so they got to come with Allison and their parents to Boston to move Allison into school.

They had gotten in to Boston yesterday afternoon and they got the afternoon to explore a little bit around the city, even if they all have been there many times before it was a bit different as this is where Allison is going to be living.

“You’rere not betraying your loyalty being here.” Jack immediately teased seeing his two brother’s expressions.

“Ha ha ha.” Luke mocked in his silly voice making Allison laugh to herself.

“Feels like it.” Quinn joked with a mischievous grin.

Ellen and Jim shared a fond look shaking their heads.

Jim grabbed a bing and Ellen started handing things to places in the bin and once that was fully she gave everyone some things and they managed to her evening out of the car on one trip.

They headed up to the dorm room and Allison was glad she was a few floors up and would get a good view and she a corner room with more windows.

Allison unlocked her door of her dorm room for the first time and she walked in first, she got lucky and managed to secure a single room and she had a corner room making her room bigger.

“How the hell did you get a room to your self.” Luke scoffed playfully he thought she was joking when she said she got a single dorm.

Allison just gave him a secretive grin shrugging softly as she set the bags in her hands on the floor by the bed.

Allison loved how big of windows she had with the corner room, it had a great view from the window.

They all began unpacking the bin and Quinn and Jim started building the few things she brought that needed to built, Jack started doing organizing as he is the best at it, Luke hung up all of her clothes and Allison and Ellen started emptying all the bags and putting things where they need to go.

“Awww she loves us.” Jack cooed with a big smug smile as he pulled out a framed photo of the four siblings all beaming at the camera from a recent summer.

Luke and Quinn both grinned giving her teasing looks.

Allison gently took the picture frame out of Jack’s hands setting it on the bookcase with the other picture frames, “Don’t let it go to your head.” Allison quipped back and glanced at the rest of the photos.

One of Luke and Allison hugging beaming and holding their medals together, One of Allison, Will, Gabe and Zeev at prom, One from the U-18 gold medal, One of Allison and Jack where she was seven on her birthday sitting on Jack blowing out her candles, One of Allison and Quinn after his first Umich game.

“She loves us.” Jack said in a pretend whisper making Allison fondly roll her eyes as she turned around from the book case seeing Jack’s mischievous smile and Luke and Quinn’s quiet laugh.

Allison smiled a bit shaking her head and just nudged Jack as she walked by him and headed over to her bed.

Allison and Ellen made her bed, which of course was all pink. Jack was unpacking the pillows and throw blankets for her bed and paused seeing her take something out of her own suit case and he realized he was seeing Mr. Goose, “Mr. Goose!” Jack called in surprise he hasn’t seen her Goose in over two years.

Jack didn’t even realized she still brought it will all the time, he thought maybe it was out away in a safe spot.

Allison paused and softly nodded looking down at her stuff animal in her hands as Jack walked over and held out his hand looking at her gently.

Allison set her goose in his hands and watched him softly hold hit it looking at the goose softly, “He had the red hat.” Jack mumbled touched that she had kept the first hat he made her on her goose still.

Allison softly nodded and went wide eyed as he pulled her into a tight hug squeezing her tightly before pulling back and sitting her goose on her bed.

Allison looked around the room, it was simple but with small decor pieces mostly all pink things. It didn’t feel like home and she doubt it ever will but she felt comfortable and that was good enough.

She knew only a floor down the rest of her boys were all staying in their dorms and knew it would be chaos being so close but she was secretly a bit glad she won’t be alone to often.

Allison looked around the dorm room after she got back inside with her family, she went out to eat with her family after they finished her room and now they were heading back to the hotel. It was also goodbye for now as they were leaving back to Michigan tomorrow.

Allison sighed as she looked at them and Jim hugged her first holding her firmly and pressing a long soft kiss to her cheek and they shared a look.

Ellen was quickly pulling her into a hug next, “You call me everyday okay.” Ellen demanded through her tears, it was different letting go of her youngest and her only daughter.

Ellen and Allison spend so much time together and Ellen is the one who goes most to Allison’s things.

“I’ll miss you mom.” Allison whispered softly, it will be weird not have her Mom at almost every game, weird to come home and not talk with her all night, weird to not have anything cooked by her Mom often anymore.

Ellen pressed a kiss to the side of her head and sniffled as she pulled away and leaned into Jim’s side.

Ellen and Jim couldn’t believe it they wouldn’t have any of their kids in the house during the season anymore and that is just a sad thought.

Quinn hugged her next and Allison rested her cheek on the side of his head closing her eyes as she got one of her favorite hugs. Allison leaving to Boston was the least amount of change for Allison and Quinn.

Quinn kissed her forehead before they spilt.

Jack squeezed her tightly next, “Whenever you want to make the drive you can.” Jack mumbled now that they are only three hours away.

“When i get a car.” Allison mumbled as she had to get a car soon in Boston as she has been using the old family car that would not last the twelve out drive from Michigan.

“Soon.” Jack grumbled a bit not liking her not having a car, “Have fun and enjoy this.” Jack mumbled softly he was glad she missed the last draft because of her birthday and that it let her experience at least a year at College, something he sometimes regretted not doing.

Allison squeezed him once more before pulling away.

Allison and Luke shared a sad hug before hugging each other tightly, clinging to each other, “It’s not too far.” Allison voice cracked trying to convince her self.

Allison and Luke have rarely ever been apart even when he was at College they saw each other a couple times a week and only a few minutes away.

It was a really big change for them to be living so far from each other for the first time.

“I’ll visit whenever i can.” Luke promised his own voice wavering, “I’m proud of you Goose.” For everything but especially because she is making her own path.

Allison smiled watery as he kissed her forehead and they slowly pulled away.

Allison smiled sadly as she watched them slowly walk out of her room.

She rushed to her window and waited to see them leave, Luke glanced up and they shared a sad smile and was.

She was officially all alone.

[wsancho]

Figaro Twins’ Coulda, Woulda, Shouldas

On a previous post I wondered if the twins could have maintained communication during their 10-year separation. My guess is that they didn’t, given that the High Priestess doesn’t know what Sabin’s been up to; Edgar doesn’t seem to know either, and he’s surprised to find out where he’s been living and who he’s been hanging out with.

But Sabin’s initial reaction to seeing Edgar felt off. Too casual and carefree for someone who sees his beloved big brother for the first time in a decade. Even if they had maintained communication, this still feels off, impersonal and unaffected.

The brothers shoulda hugged and celebrated seeing each other but they didn’t. With the characters being who they are and without putting blame on the devs, how could this make sense for these boys? Like, WHY WOULDN’T THEY HUG, GODDAMNIT?! 😖🥺

When Sabin first saw Gerad he didn’t react much either. We can blame it on the good ol’ “platform limitations” and “time restrictions”, but I like to take canon as is and figure out how it could work in service of my personal, self-indulgent narrative that makes me happy 🧐

So my theory is that, as much as Sabin looks up to Edgar emotionally and intellectually, he doesn’t really expect Edgar’s diplomatic approach to work.

Before leaving Figaro, Sabin wanted to avenge his dad, but his rage completely deflates when Edgar puts the focus on politics, like everyone else in the castle. Sabin may have convinced himself that he’d have to do this alone, even against Edgar’s established diplomacy. Not only does Sabin know Figaro’s situation before Kefka’s attack, he knows of the Returners hideout (some gamers interpret this as “the Returners not being great at hiding”, but one can know, for example, that Edward Snowden is in Russia or that Osama Bin Laden was in Afghanistan; but finding them requires slightly more knowledge than that. Sabin knows exactly where the Returners hide). I don’t think he had direct contact with them, but seems he had been actively looking for the information, not just learning whatever came his way.

Sabin loves his big brother and wouldn’t go against him, which is why he waited for diplomatic efforts to fall apart, as they did. But until then, Edgar’s decisions are very much the same of those who let his father perish. Sabin might have mixed feelings about Edgar because they had been on opposite ideological sides (imagine if Edgar had replied “We're climbing this mountain to meet up with my guest Kefka and escort him to the castle” Yuck! 😒).

Edgar had been reacting a little more to hearing about Sabin and to seeing him again, but I believe he prevents himself from showing too much and tries to keep his cool at all times. Also, after seeing so little reaction from Sabin, he might have gotten the impression that Sabin isn’t as comfortable with him as he used to be, so Edgar keeps his distance and accepts whatever Sabin chooses to express; after all, he set Sabin free in all possible ways. He’s not conflicted about Sabin and is not trying to maintain the distance, he’s just respectfully passive.

Of course Sabin trusts Edgar’s intentions. I think he’s having a bit of “emotional jet lag” (like he just learned that his surrogate dad got murdered by his surrogate brother and then tried to kill him too, or something 🤔), but as soon as Edgar tells him that diplomacy went to shit and they’re getting ready to strike back, Sabin is onboard, driven and even excited; if there were any doubts, all dispel once he finds himself on the same team as his bro.

Then there’s the part where Sabin jumps into the river to fight Ultros. It rubs me the wrong way that he pushes Edgar aside and jumps anyway. Sabin is not listening to reason and he’s not really a team player here. He’s trying to protect Terra from Ultros, but it’s very much an overreaction and I think it has to do with his need to prove himself and his disfavor for Edgar’s more passive methods (and with Sabin not having been part of a team ever before).

Sabin coulda listened and stay put, but I think his detour helps build his character. Sure, he meets and brings along new people and new information about what’s going on in the world, and all those are very important things for the plot; but I see a subtle mellowing down of his temper. He’s separated from the group and can’t help to constantly wonder if his brother is safe (the English translation makes it about the group, but in the original he’s worried about Edgar). I think he knows he kinda fucked up. Things worked out fine, but he seems less impulsive afterwards and more willing to listen.

Knowing that Edgar cares and worries about Sabin as much as he always did, I can see why it’s a little jarring when Edgar doesn’t try to save him after the encounter with Ultros, especially because recently the FF6 Rom Hack, Divergent Paths, was brought to my attention (thanks @monk-of-figaro ❤️) and it had me thinking whether Edgar woulda jumped in like “any sane brother would”, to quote the mod. And well… I don’t think Edgar is a “sane brother”. He’s a righteous king and there’s nothing sane about that 🤷🏻‍♀️

Seeing Sabin float away hurts my feelings way more than the devs intended to, and I’m sure Edgar would fear for his little bro, like he probably feared for him for an entire decade (Sabin was a sickly and overly emotional teenager leaving home for the first time to go who knows where). But if there’s one thing that distinguishes Edgar’s way of ruling is that he makes the hard choices:

Observes his father’s poor health knowing that he’ll soon die an untimely and unnatural death. Edgar makes the hard choice of seeing his own powerlessness for what it is and accepting that all he can do is witness his dad’s decay. Someone sane would have been in denial of this and focused on finding the culprit and avenging his father. Instead, he went through the same emotional turmoil as Sabin, but quietly, alone, and in the course of weeks or months as his father’s death came closer. And this is how Figaro was spared from becoming another Doma.

Witnesses Sabin’s meltdown after the king’s death and makes the hard choice of giving him the freedom to remove himself from the toxic environment. Someone sane would have escaped with him or tried to talk him into staying, and Sabin would have probably agreed to it if Edgar guilt-tripped him or simply told him “I want you by my side”. But Edgar wouldn’t sway Sabin in any way, no matter how badly he wanted him around. Sabin was too attached to Edgar and could never define his individuality if he kept doing whatever Edgar did or told him to do.

And when Sabin gets his ass beat by Ultros and is at risk of getting drowned or found by the Empire and killed, Edgar chooses to stick with the program. A sane brother would have gone after him, but the mission was to keep Banon alive and getting him to Narshe for negotiations. It’s not only “game over” because you fail the minigame, it’s game over because Edgar has been a double agent for a decade and the resistance can’t fully trust him like they do Banon. For the rebels to be on his side, Edgar depends on having Banon’s trust (this isn’t stated anywhere, but it’s only logical). Terra was not a Returner then, she was still doubtful and Edgar never wanted to force his ideas on her (like Banon), so leaving this to her was not an option either. Losing Banon is losing all chances of saving Figaro, while losing Sabin would cause Edgar to lose his mind, an entire nation would still survive. The right choice is the hardest of choices and Edgar’s judgment is on point; as it has been since his adolescence.

Hell, even when Edgar proposes his idea to Banon and gets rejected, it happens to be exactly what they end up doing (in the English translation he proposes “to make magical weapons” but in the original he talks only about “acquiring magic of their own”). Who knows what Banon’s plan was before meeting Terra. After meeting her, I believe his plan goes something like this:

Phase 1: Collect underpants. Talk to Espers.

Phase 2: ❓

Phase 3: Profit. Peace.

Anyway, I’ve always wanted to see more interaction between the FF6 cast (still do 🥲). Fanworks do a great job filling in the blanks, as I’m sure the devs intended, but self-indulgence is a tradeoff that prevents from discovering character traits that are easy to overlook and can be difficult to make sense of, especially for characters who operate in a state of maturity or conditioning or emotional strain that is difficult for us to access or even begin to understand.

I love that Sabin is such a lively, honest and self-motivated dude, that he grows and learns exclusively by doing. He does, he fucks up, he learns. And he laughs out loud while at it 😁❤️ Ultimately that’s how true wisdom is acquired, only by experience (there’s no such thing as acquiring wisdom from others’ experiences, you only remember the wisdom your soul already possesses by learning about how others articulate and express theirs).

On the other extreme it’s heartbreaking that Edgar is so freaking talented that he can see where the system fails, and having both talent and power, it’s up to him and him alone to come up with real solutions. No other character in this entire cast could pull off any of this shit as smoothly. To paraphrase La Femme Nikita: “[...] because when you lead, we survive.” And Edgar knows this 😕

This is unfathomable for most of us. I’m nobody, so I get to sit on my ass and talk about what the politicians should do, and what the sports coaches should do, and what the movie directors should do. I also get to make mistakes and fuck up my health and my finances and my career and my relationships and my home, but no one else’s. And because I’ve got this luxury it’s easy for me to say what would have been. If the FF6 devs did things my way it would have been not the masterpiece that it is. Heartbreaking as it is, it tells the stories of these (fictional) people organically and faithfully.