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01solarsmiles · 4 years ago

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synopsis: you’ve been at jaehyun’s “secret” flat for a while now. you’re not quite sure how long, he says time passes differently here. not that you mind. you’re healing and there’s nothing you have wrong with that. having been away form everything that was bad for you, you’re coming to realise that things really were better with jaehyun. and no matter how many times he tries to tell you, he knows you have to come to that conclusion yourself.

tl;dr: you heal under jaehyun’s caring gaze.

genre: fantasy!au, kind of domestic!au, magic!jaehyun, fluff, smut, fem!reader

warnings: smut in the forms of kissing, titplay, basically motorboats oc, brief nipple play, heavy petting/fondling, grinding (?), oral (male recieving), jaehyun can’t hold his load oops, unprotected sex (wrap it b4 u tap it), creampie, brief cumplay lmao jaehyun is the teeniest bit kinky

other: jaehyun is my soft boi, wanna smooch and cuddle in his pastel coloured sweats, i’m british so he lives in a flat, soft smut… almost r*mantic,,, jaehyun is a boob man; do what you will with that B), jaehyun uses pet names bc i think it would be sickly sweet leaving his lips, time is relevant so i can do what i want with this thanks xox

wordcount: 8.5k

a/n: this is a continuation from the last chapter. i split it bc i needed inspo lmao so once again, not happy with how it ended previously so i had to write more. admittedly, it was origianlly one long piece but i realised i wanted to add more depth to when they’re living together (basically) so i split it therefore enabling me to write what i wanted about them being cute and stuff. yeah.

You had been given a wheelchair by the hospital but had refused to use it, wanting to prove that you were okay, to yourself and Jaehyun. He had convinced you to stay in it as you left the hospital to please the staff on your way out but you had point-blank refused when you made it to the small block of flats he said he lived in. After walking two steps from the car you let out a whimper and gave in to his incessant pleas to get you to sit in the wheelchair.

Oddly, there had been no one in the foyer and you hadn’t bumped into anyone in the hallway in front of the lift. He had helped you when you made it into the flat, moving you over to the sofa where you melted into the plush cushions of the seat.

On the way here, the two of you had already argued about where you were going to stay, him insisting on not leaving you alone and you insisting that you’d be okay at a friends place. In the end, he promised to contact your friends and family to tell them you were spending a little time away (you wouldn’t let him tell them you had been to the hospital). After all, he had saved you when you needed it most.

Your cracked lips remained tightly sealed as he folded the wheelchair away and tucked it behind a cupboard where it wasn’t in your direct line of sight.

You decide to look around, wanting to take up some time and to avoid looking him directly in the eye.

The flat was… cosy. It looked lived in, all the trinkets and small collages stuck up on the walls drawing your attention away from the shelves stacked with potted plants. Everything about the room seemed to tie together with another aspect of the flat. You couldn’t help but wonder why he had a place like this.

He notices your inquisitive look, “It’s supposed to be a secret. Though almost everyone important knows this is where they’ll find me if I disappear without an explanation.” Jaehyun moves towards the small kitchenette, fetching a glass of water befoer placing it on a coaster on the glass coffee table by your legs.

You wait for a second, acknolwedging the glass of iced water, then look up, meeting his hesitant gaze, “Everything’s green.”

It wasn’t a deep green either, more like a soft earthy green. Maybe a sage colour, but you were mostly going off of the presence of the plants and the colour of the sofa. Some of the counters in his one-person kitchen were a soft green, accented with wood countertops and a pastel fridge. It was soothing on your eyes, you had to admit.

He nods, unsure what you’re getting at, “Yeah…?”

“The first and second time I met you, you exclusively wore red. And it was glittery,” you point out, one wordlessly eyebrow raised.

He tilts his head, dimples appearing in his cheeks as he stuffs his hands in his jogging bottom pockets, rattling his keys in his pockets, “Just because I wear red doesn’t mean my whole life revolves around that primary colour.”

You roll your eyes and lean back into the sofa cushion, tenderly crossing your arms, “Well, no. I guess not,” you let your headrest on a pillow he slips behind your neck discreetly, “I suppose… I just assumed that you did,” you shrug your shoulders, “wasn’t something I gave much thought to.”

Jaehyun kicks off his trainers and throws his keys into a bowl on the kitchen counter. You could probably stick your arm over the back of the sofa and touch the pillar that separated the two areas if you tried hard enough adn weren’t brusied all over. He’s got a small smile on his face that brings his dimples out as he makes his way over to sit on the sofa with you, letting himself fall haphazardly onto the cushions. “So you thought about me, even a little.”

Ignoring his comment, you take in his flat to its fullest. You weren’t wrong, this man lived in a green, cottagecore aesthetic in his off-time. Admittedly you were a big fan of the wall of shelves stacked with different plants, mostly succulents and cactus -- the odd spine of a book eeking through -- and you even enjoyed the small desk that was home to a few depictions of watercolour flowers. Your eyes fall on the black figure, slinking under the legs of the glass coffee table pitched in front of you, making you flinch as you suppressed your reflex to jump; it was only a cat.

A cat man. Of course, he was.

Jaehyun’s eyes follow yours, “That’s Prim. She likes to keep to herself. Occasionally she curls up with me.”

“You made it sound like you rarely come here.”

“Mhm.”

“You have a cat.”

“I have a cat,” he affirms.

Prim disappears around the pillar into the kitchen. Jaehyun must’ve put down some food for her because you can hear her softly eating followed briefly by the sound of her lapping at a bowl of water.

“And plants.”

“Those too.” He’s not sure where you’re going with this, neither were you, but he was humouring it, seeing it through to the end if he got ot be in your presence longer.

Your eyes go back to wandering around the room, watching how the sun dips in between the curtains and cascades through the room. You had sat in the seat closest to the entrance, meaning Jaehyun’s back was to the window as he faced you while you were talking. He was still dressed in the outfit you assumed he slept in at the hospital. You were dressed in the same clothes you had gone in with, having had to change out of the gown they had provided when you left.

He looked so effortlessly pretty. It made you want to cry.

You suck in a breath and say, “I’m a little tired. Can I sleep… anywhere?”

He nods and jumpts to his feet before helping you to yours. Slowly, you make your way down the hall, almost all of your weight is beared on Jaehyun. He’s practically carrying you but neither of you mention it. It was only a small flat, something you couldn’t wrap your head around when he could probably have anything he liked, and so it only had one bedroom.

Initially, you had put up a fight but he simply said he wasn’t tired and there was a box room he could get a bed into if the sofa wasn’t comfortable enough (it was but you weren’t okay with the fact that he was giving up his bed). You lay on your side, a body pillow supporting your small frame. You were so tense, worried about Soobin and Dan-ah and Mina and your Mum and Dad and Hyejin as she was probably the only friend of yours who regularly checked in. There was so much running through your mind and you almost don’t notice Jaehyun’s soft palm gripping yours, his thumb rubbing over the back of your hand. Unbeknownst to you, he had seen the anxious look on your face and had guessed that you were psychoanalysing everything in your head, cogs turning. He wanted to subtly draw you out from your thoughts... so he let a little of his power surge through his fingertips and into your palm, hoping it was enough to make you woozy.

Without much thought to it, you rested your head on his pillow and fell asleep.

Jaehyun stays, for a minute or two, holding your hand until your grip weakens, your breathing becomes heavier and your chest goes into a steady rise and fall. He watches, as you lay, unbothered by the world outside. You looked at peace. At home.

Was this the first time you had been able to wind down like this?

He sighs, wriggling his hand from under yours and gets up to leave before he pulls a brown monochrome blanket over your frame. A slight frown etches itself on your forehead as your fingers twitch, looking for the hand Jaehyun had slipped away, before you subconsciously grip the blanket and curl into it instead, the frown erasing itself from your face, leaving you looking at peace once again.

You wake up to the sun going down outside, a blanket covering your body and pillows squished underneath to support your body.

You’re tender. That’s safe to say.

The room was airy; Jaehyun had left the window on the latch and the door cracked open so as to not make it stuffy. Glancing around, you notice the simplicity of it. Bed, side table, lamp and wardrobe. It differed massively from the rest of his flat. Maybe he hadn’t gotten around to decorating substantially in here.

You get up, perching yourself on the edge of the bed before making your way out of the room. Shuffling along, you cling to the wall as you know full well you shouldn’t be venturing around by yourself and make your way to the living room, “Jaehyun?” you call. The calling stops when you spot Jaehyun with an open book lying in his lap while he snores lightly, passed out on the sofa. The corners of your mouth twitch, curling into a smile at the sight of him so peaceful.

You hold out your arm, inspecting the bandage on it. You sigh, “I need a shower.”

You turn back, headed towards what you assumed was the bathroom. The door creaks open; thankfully, you were correct. There are fresh towels hanging on the rack and a laundry basket sits tucked into the corner. Stripping from your clothes gingerly, you turn on the shower. While it warms up you unwrap your bandages and softly poke the back of your head. You’re probably not supposed to submerge it yet so you work with what you can. The shower itself was a standalone that had frosted glass wrapped around it, hiding what was on the inside if anyone were to look in.

The whole ordeal was a show in itself, you carefully moving things about, trying not to knock anything all while trying to do your best with what you’ve got. It wasn’t the best situation in the world but it was the best out of the hand you were dealt. Having not been back to your flat to get anything, you didn’t have any of your usual hair products so you used the products that were already there and a lemon body wash that had been sitting patiently.

Eventually, you finish up with half-washed hair and a mostly clean body. Your fingers had pruned long ago and you took that as a sign to get out of the shower to stop using all the hot water.

You stepped out, and grabbed the towel off of the rack, wrapping yourself in them. They were so soft against your skin. Holding it tightly against your skin you move to stand in the middle of the bathroom. It wasn’t big but it had an oval mirror hanging above the sink. Staring at your reflection for a little, you internally pick apart everything you don’t like.

Staring with the obvious bruises. “I’ll heal,” you tell your reflection, “I won’t degrade myself like that again.” Your fingers brush against your towel-covered ribs, making you flinch. “He won’t do this to me again; I won’t let him,” you pause before whispering, “I’m not going back to him.”

By now, your eyes are watering a little so you sniffle and wipe the forming tears away before they’re given the chance to fall. You deserve better. You know this. “I deserve better. I am worth better.”

In the middle of this, Prim slinks through the crack of the door, making you jump a little. With your hand on your heart, you take deep breaths, watching as she jumps onto the closed toilet seat and sits down on a pile of clothes. A pile of clothes you don’t remember putting there. Your eyes widen at the thought of Jaehyun seeing you naked but then you whip your head to the shower walls, reminding yourself that they’re frosted and he would’ve only been able to see an outline at the most.

Prim purrs, drawing your attention back to her.

She blinks at you. She’s so calm. You reach the backside of your hand out so she can sniff it. After a quick sniff, she turns her head and rubs it into the palm of your hand. You gratefully accept her and let her continue to rub herself on you as you alternate between scratching the underside of her chin and the back of her head. She purrs in content and you let out a quiet giggle.

Jaehyun had been awake for the past ten minutes or so. He’d dug through his drawers, pulling out an old pair of jogging bottoms that he’d bulked out of but never gotten around to throwing out, a pair of clean underwear and a jumper that was currently his size but probably oversized on you. He’d slipped them onto the toilet seat (thank god it was so close to the door) without peeping past the sink and must’ve forgotten to pull the door up all the way on his way out.

He listens to Prim purring and you giggling softly from the safety of his sofa in the living room, a smile making its way onto his face. He had flicked on the table lamp on the end table by the sofa, continuing to read his book – A natural history of Dragons. Not as accurate as he remembers but a little light reading never did anyone any harm.

When you stepped out of the bathroom, you looked fresh. Swamped in his jumper and bare feet padding across the panelled flooring. He looks up from his book, noticing you gradually making your way over to him, he jumps up, trying to help you. You looked cute with your sweater paw leaned up against the wall.

He tucks a hand under your armpit for leverage, you turn, a little surprised and open your mouth to say something but can’t bring yourself to when you realise how close your faces are. Jaehyun either doesn’t notice or pretends to not know, making you feel more embarrassed than you thought possible. His musk engulfs you, overriding your senses and you hesitate in your step.

“Oh,” you say, face hot to which you can only pray he doesn’t sense how he caught you off-guard, “you don’t have to–”

“It’s okay,” he whispers softly, hands pulling you into him so he can use his body strength to help too. You feel goosebumps from his caring touch and you wonder about the last time someone treated you like this.

Since when did he become so domestic?

You brush it off and he helps lower you down to the sofa and Prim follows suit, helping herself to your lap as she curls into a ball, letting you run your fingers down her back in a soothing motion.

You could feel the heat rising up your neck at how close the two of you had been, your mind running to months before when you had been close to him. Before, you had been embarrassed about yourself as he was helping you out of the hospital but he had reassured you that you had nothing to worry about – the gentleman that he was – he didn’t want you to feel ashamed. So, you let yourself relax on his plush sofa cushions while he went about making something to eat for the both of you with a grin on his face, knowing all too well what he had inflicted upon you moments ago.

That’s how the next month or so went by. You pushed yourself to your limits, all of your minor injuries healed (somehow), and followed Jaehyun around while Prim followed you. As promised, Jaehyun brought home a bed for the box room to which you insisted on sleeping in since you were the one who was the guest but he had none of it. In the end, he dressed the room up nicely and it ended up looking like it had been there all along.

At first, Jaehyun hadn’t let you do any of the things you offered to do, especially the cooking. He had a large repertoire of recipes up his sleeve and wasn’t letting you do anything to strain yourself.

Your phone had briefly glitched the first time you turned it on, which was odd on a good day.

“Time passes differently here,” he had explained, “Einstein was right about that one; time is relevant. He almost caught us out one time with his research into it but Yuta turned him around and set him back on track again.”

To which he then had to explain to you who Yuta was. He sounded nice, harmless but what got you was the fact that there were more people like Jaehyun. You had yet to meet more than the man who stood in front of you as he explained that to you.

Weeks into your stay, he took you round to your place, helped you pick up your things and also helped you leave a thick layer of red glitter all over your now ex-boyfriend’s penthouse. He deserved it. According to Jaehyun, your ex was in the process of moving out, as per Jaehyun’s convincing argumentative skills.

You rang some of your family and friends, asking after them and telling them you were okay after it was established between you that you and Soobin were no longer together but the most heartbreaking one was between you and your niece. She had been there, she knew now, even if you didn’t want her too, she knew. You could only pray that it slowly faded from her memory, for her sake more than yours, as she grew older.

According to Hyejin (when she rambled to you on the phone as she bawled, bless her), Soobin had been given the sack and lost most of what he owned. He’d also been sporting a black eye for two weeks after you got out of the hospital. She had been the first person you rang but the small detail had slipped your mind until later that night. You tried not to outright weep tears of joy, knowing that he’d had even the tiniest bit of his own medicine fed back to him, followed suit by you quizzing Jaehyun to which he hid his knuckles behind his back as he walked in with a tray of sushi that had been delivered tonight as a treat before your anime marathon.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about, I haven’t seen him,” he throws his keys into the bowl on the kitchen counter after toeing off his shoes in the entrance of his flat.

Having had time to heal, you pull yourself to tuck your legs underneath you as you look over the back of the sofa. “Jaehyun,” you warn. Prim materialises from the depths of Jaehyun’s bedsheets, where you had left her earlier, to greet her beloved owner. She purrs against his leg and he leans down to scratch behind her ear.

“Y/n,” he says back, trying his best to match your tone.

Your eyes follow Prim, closely watching as she jumps onto the kitchen counter and paws at the key-bowl. Tucking your bottom lip between your teeth you nibble until you can form a sentence that wouldn’t betray you when it left the corners of your mind.

Thinking about it, you decide against arguing with him on it. If he was lying it wasn’t something that was going to stop you from hanging around him, so why push it? Because you wanted to know why. “You were out a while after you texted me you’d finished food shopping the other day, where’d you go?”

Jaehyun glances at you, his hair stood slightly on end as if he’d been running his hand through it, possibly one too many times. It was shorter than when you had first come into his care – you’d helped him one day to trim it. You’d also insisted that he let you do it because you used to cut your hair in the bathroom mirror. ‘Not the same,’ he had said but he had handed you the scissors all the same. He was still dressing for comfort, something that you appreciated when the evening came and the tv turned on. It was a small flat which meant a small-ish sofa. He wasn’t against wrapping an arm around you and the two of you had been known to fall asleep to a movie or two in recent weeks.

“Went to work, briefly. Gotta make sure everything’s on schedule; they’d practically die without me to ditto everything they’re already sure of,” he flashes you a grin that his dimples can’t escape, “it’s nice to be home.”

You murmur a response.

Scattering away, Jaehyun has a shower after being out and gets dressed quickly to return to you. He walks over to the kitchen, deciding to grab some things for the evening.

His back is turned to you now, he’s grabbing a couple of drinks from the fridge, the glow of the light illuminating his face.

“I missed you.”

You… what?

The pounding of your heart against your ribcage was deafening. Had you just said that out loud? He turns to meet your frantic gaze, waiting for your response. He can barely breathe out the response, “I missed you too.”

He grins, sinking himself into the space next to you and slings his arm over the back, his hand resting close to your neck. “Awh, did you really?”

Your body practically recoils, turning back on itself, “No. I just wanted you to bring ice cream; I’ve been craving it all week.”

Instantly you regret your choice as he frowns slightly and turns away.

You’re forced to think about the countless nights you’d spent curled up in his bed, some of them the result of you weeping into one of his many pastel sweatshirts you adorned about your failed relationship with Soobin, others about how you had neglected to tell your family and friends about the situation you had been in for almost a year by the time Jaehyun had pulled you away from it. Most nights, Jaehyun heard you, upset and alone in the dark. In the beginning, he wasn’t sure what to do about it, part of him knowing that he should leave you to heal but the other part of him screaming that he shouldn’t let you suffer alone – shouldn’t let you think you’re in this alone when you’re most certainly not where he’s concerned.

The first time he had left you, not sure he had heard correct when he came back from work, groggy from the use of his powers and feeling like he needed to faceplant his pillow from the exhaustion. You had stopped, little sniffles being masked by the vibrations of Prim’s purring against your body where she had hopped up on the bed to comfort you, when you thought Jaehyun was listening, hoping that he would leave you to hurt for a short while longer.

He had sensed your hesitation and made his way to the shower, deciding he needed to be fresh for the next morning.

He was oddly caring. Not that it was odd for someone to care but it was odd for someone to care this much and for the person to be Jaehyun was the cherry on top.

Turning back to face you, he grins, “Wanna watch that anime you were telling me about? I googled it last night and read some forums; apparently it’s good.”

Your eyes light up, “Sword Art Online? Yes please.”

Jaehyun shakes his head, chuckling to himself at how eager you are. He loved when you showed interest in things like this. His auburn hair falls into his eyes as he skims through whatever application he had pulled up (Netflix; no chill) while you weren’t looking and he breathes softly through his nose, concentrating on the screen in front of him.

Once again, you were studying him. It had been a long time since you had arrived. Time is relevant, true, but how much time is too much time?

The sun had set an hour or so ago now and you had already eaten some of the takeaway earlier as neither of you had been interested in cooking. You wondered if he knew how the table lamp accentuated his face, the soft hue acting like his usual haze when he was in his suit – which you learned was the reason he practical glowed as he had since told you there was magic twined into the thread it was sewed together with – and made him look angelic. You wondered if he knew the camel sweats he was wearing made you want to cuddle him and nuzzle your nose into his side, somewhere that you felt more than safe to be. You wondered if he knew how much you liked it here and how you were apprehensive about going back to the real world full time.

You’d been out, of course, he couldn’t confine you to his flat even if he wanted to but he always made sure that there were the correct precautions in place. He was always here, anyway, choosing you over everything else so there was rarely a time where you could go out without him. Smiling to yourself, you remind yourself that you don’t think you’d want to go by yourself when there’s a perfectly good Jaehyun waiting for you.

His hair fell in soft waves on his forehead, and his brow furrowed as he tried to figure out why he couldn’t find Sword Art Online for you two to watch. The two of you had fallen into a routine, he pats his leg, signalling for you to lay your head down on his lap as he pulls a pillow from behind him for you to rest your head on.

Shifting your body, careful of your ribs still, you lay down and wrap a hand under his leg for leverage, being sure to keep it closer to the back of his knee than his thigh as it was easier to curl your hand. He didn’t mind because when you sat and watched horror movies you would squeeze his leg in anticipation for a jump scare of sorts. He thought it was cute.

Eventually, he finds it, “Here we go,” he mumbles, clicking on the first episode. You settle in, pushing your face further into the cushion as Jaehyun lets his hand rest on your shoulder, somewhere safe for him to touch. His other hand plays with your hair absentmindedly as the episode begins, showing the people who had been waiting for the game to come out so that they could play it.

It remains like this, you making comments here and there, ooh’s and ah’s coming form both of you as you talk about the episode before it rolls over to the next one. At one point, he says something that makes you sit up completely, throwing him off as your warmth leaves his body.

“Did you just suggest that Kirito could be –”

His eyes widen, “I merely suggested that he –”

You scowl, pout and cross your arms, your cardigan falling off your shoulder at an angle, “No! You said what you said. It’s out there now, in the cosmos, for all to judge. You can’t take it back.”

He’s looking at you, first with shock but then with an expectant look. All you were doing was arguing over anime. You’re not sure you remember seeing him like this, eyes filled with something you cannot describe. Is this what being loved feels like? The flying thought catches you off guard and you hold your breath. He wonders if you know that’s how he’s feeling, how he’s seeing you. The rose-tinted filter settled in and he was determined to keep it that way for a long time.

Jaehyun had got dressed after his shower into a sweatshirt and sweatpants, and joined you on the sofa while you were watching the back end of a drama you had been meaning to watch for months before you had switched over to anime. It was your thing; watching anime together.

His hand reaches to rest on the side of your face, thumb brushing your cheek and fingers splaying down to reach your neck and brings his face closer to yours, making your breath hitch. The last time you had been like this neither of you were thinking in coherent thoughts. At this point, you’d spent months with him, hiding from your family and friends – only partially as you had wanted to gain your confidence back again and go back with a real job.

His hair was still drying on the ends where he hadn’t bothered to towel dry it. It brushed against your forehead as he brought his forehead to rest on yours, savouring the moment.

Breathily, you manage to say his name.

He hums in response, eyes trained diligently on your lips, waiting for your response. He doesn’t notice how you watch him watching you, he’s enamoured. He loved when you looked like this. So carefree. So pure. So… pretty.

“Kiss me.”

He doesn’t wait any longer.

Lips centimetres form yours, he gives you the opportunity to change your mind but you bring your lips to his, not wanting to drag this out any longer. His fingers stay on your face while your hands have yet to find somewhere to be placed – something that Jaehyun notices – so he picks up your hand and curls it around the back of his neck before wrapping his own around the small of your back, a smirk finding its home on his face.

Feeling more confident, you bring your free hand to splay across his cheek, thumb mindlessly rubbing the dip where his dimple becomes prominent. His hair stands on end on the back of his neck, the sensation of your fingers brushing his face so calmly as he pulls your lower lip between his having caused goosebumps to form down his arms.

Secretly, he was glad he was wearing his sweatshirt so that you couldn’t see how sensitive he was to you.

Jaehyun leans gradually away and you chase his lips, not wanting to forget the feeling any time soon. All of the time you had spent with Soobin and yet none of the moments you had shared felt like this. It made your heart pound and the butterflies were making their way up, tickling your diaphragm as you struggle to breathe.

“Y/n,” he begins, lids heavy and forehead pressed to yours. He’s not really sure what he wants to say… how does one express the euphoria they feel from finally doing the right thing and knowing it’s the right thing? Because that’s how Jaehyun felt. You knew he wanted to say something so you lightly prompt him.

“Jae… what are you thinking?”

His lids close and he bumps his nose with yours, lips parted, “I want to kiss you like that more often.”

You giggle, which throws him off, “Do you?” He looks up to meet your wandering gaze through his lashes, “because I want to kiss you like that more often, too.”

He grins, tightening his grip around your waist, pulling you in until you’re straddling his lap. “Oh yeah? How about I do just that, then.” His lips return to yours. You noticed that Jaehyun’s lips tasted of cherry chapstick, and you loved that, deciding to part the seal of his mouth with your tongue to devour the taste further.

The subtle curve of his lips was something you didn’t want to forget – that was for sure. You work on memorising this feature and lightly tug at the tufts of hair at the back of his head, making him moan into your mouth ever so slightly.

“That was adorable,” you mumble against his lips, lowering yourself so your bum is resting on the heels of your feet either side of his thighs.

His face flushes but he pretends to not notice and instead lets his hands roam until they’re palming the globes of your ass.

This shocks you into action a little, the squeezing fingers forcing you to lift and lean on your knees, breasts pushed up against his chin as you continue to kiss him.

As you slipped your tongue to mingle with his, you decided then and there that you were absolutely in love with kissing him. Possibly smitten, just a tiny bit.

You had worn a tank top and a light cardigan for comfort around the flat, not wanting to pull jeans on and a blouse every morning and instead opting for leggings and light-tees regularly. You weren’t sure what kind of man Jaehyun was, an ass or boob man but something igniting inside you and hardening in his sweatpants told you that you were going to find out pretty damn soon.

Pulling away you offer a small smile at him, he grins, like he knows he’s about to get a present he’s been waiting for ages for. Ironic, considering his job profession.

You bite your lip and let your hands fall down to his arms, running your palms up and down his biceps. By now the episode had rolled over and was about 10 minutes into the next but you and Jaehyun were far too distracted, you figured it would have to wait. It would still be there tomorrow when you could rewatch it and continue your marathon.

His own hands rest below the curve or your breasts, thumbing at the swell.

You dip your head, pressing a kiss to the corner of his mouth before letting your tongue peak out and swirl its way down to his neck. Peppering kisses against his tan skin you pick a spot where he makes the most fuss when you reach it and bruise it with your lips. He groans at the feeling of your lips tainting his skin so skillfully and thinks about how you went to waste on someone like your ex before him. His breathing grows heavy and his fingers run up and down your back in a soothing manner, toying with the hem of your tank top every time his fingers brush the bottom.

“Oh my God,” he breathes out when you’re finished.

You giggle, “What?”

You had slipped your cardigan off, letting it fall in a heap on the floor and hooked your fingers under your shirt before throwing it across the room.

Gazing up at you, you can practically see the hearts spinning around his head. You knew that if this was a Looney Toon cartoon, his eyes would’ve been pounding hearts right about now.

“You’re so beautiful,” he sighs as you press a closed mouth kiss to his jaw, “…pretty girl.”

You were left in a dark pair of leggings and your t-shirt bra. It wasn’t anything fancy (you were here for comfort, for god’s sake) but Jaehyun looked at you like you had put all the stars in the sky yourself, something you were unfamiliar with. Pride swells in your chest and lust swells in your core.

“Are you going to keep staring or are you going to do something?” You tease. He merely smirks, enjoying what he hasn’t even done yet, and buries his head between your breasts.

You let out a small “Oof” noise and steady yourself on his shoulders. Leaning on your feet normally would’ve been enough but when he stuck his head between your boobs it had knocked you slightly off balance. Your fingers dig into his shoulder blades, pressing crescetn moons into his skin, but Jaehyun takes no notice as he noses his way to a fleshy spot and attaches his lips.

“Smell so good,” he’s referring to the perfume you had brought with you when you cleaned out your apartment. “Wanna taste,” he mumbles into your boobs. Your panties dampen at the confession, not knowing completely how to respond without crying out a moan.

Unshockingly so, this was one of the few tinmes you had felt like the only girl in the world, not to quote Rihanna, but it was truly a moment you had no desire to forget any time soon.

Instinctively, your hands retire to the back of his head, pulling him closer whilst he goes to town on a hickey he’s suckling into your skin.

Pulling back, he grins, “Perfect.” He’s admiring his handiwork but it still sends the stupid butterflies contained in your abdomemn stir crazy when his gaze meets yours, filled with lust, love, adoration – whatever you want to call it, his eyes contained it. Lids low and mind focused, his hand snakes behind your body to unhook your bra but you stop him.

In fear of pushing you too far he drops his hand and waits, eyes wide for what had stopped you.

“I-I haven’t – no – I don’t…” you struggle to find the correct words in front of Jaehyun, the cool breeze making you shiver in the slightest.

“What is it, angel?” He brings his hands to your waist, rubbing slow circles to calm you.

“Soobin,” you exhale. It was all Jaehyun needed to know so he took a deep breath.

He’s watching you as he says, “I don’t care. That was then… this is now.”

You nod. His features twist into a smile, images of that night coming back to him, “Plus I already fucked you against the –”

Your hand finds itself pressed across his mouth in the blink of an eye, praying he doesn’t finish that sentence, “I know,” you squeak before emphasising, “I was there.”

He tilts his head and offers a mischievous glint, “I thought you didn’t think I was real, simply a figment of your imagination, if I do remember correctly.”

Groaning, you roll your eyes, “Stop with that! You showed up, dressed in red and in the middle of the night after I’d written a letter that only I could know the contents of. Who’s to say you weren’t an incubus, huh?”

A single eyebrow is raised on his part.

“And you were gone before I woke up,” you mumble against his neck, now enticed by his scent again, “I never told anyone because it sounds wild, right? You have to admit that part at the very least.”

That made him take a second to process, “I never thought of it like that,” he mumbles, pressing feather-light kisses up your arm.

“It was something I thought about for a while,” you meekly replied to his unasked question.

“Well,” he begins, “you don’t have to worry any longer,” and presses his lips to your clavicle, fingers unclasping your bra behind you, this time you let him, sighing into his golden touch, boobs pressed against his chest. He groans at the feeling or your unclothed, hardened nipples cutting in on his pecs. You sling your bra across the room, not giving much thought or care towards where it ended up as there were more pressing matters you cared about.

Your neck is tipped back as his tongue dips to the valley of your breasts, he places an endearing kiss to your sternum and sets his sights onto your nipples.

Hand resting on the nape of his neck, you arch into the feeling of his wet mouth latching onto your nipple, peak caught between his tongue and teeth as he teases you, and tug on his hair.

He savours this, moaning before switching to your other nipple, not wanting to leave one without the same amount of attention. At this point, your panties are embarrassingly soaked from all of the stimulation.

“You’re so good to me,” you whine, not talking about just this very moment. You’re reminiscing about the past couple of months you’ve spent in his care too and something tells you that he knows that too.

He releases your nipple from his lips and glances up at you, “Is that so, angel?”

“Mhm,” you mumble, not sure what he wants you to say or what you should say to keep the mood going, “all the time. Miss you so much because of it,” you pout slightly, not wanting to draw too much from the conversation in case things went sideways.

You bring your hands to his cheeks, resting either side and pinch lightly, toying with him. “Keep me happy,” you state before leaning down to kiss him again. His eyes flutter close and you trail your hands down his abdomen, pressing harder with your nails as you slide them down to the hem of his jumper.

“Off,” you mutter against his lips. He gladly complies, you were topless and it was only fair he comes level with your nakedness. When you part momentarily to lift it over his head, your hungry eyes zone in on how constricted his hardened dick was within the confines of his sweatpants.

Jaehyun notices this, ruffled hair askew and mind now clear from the fog you had bestowed upon him when you had kissed him. He knew what he wanted, did you want it too?

Without hesitation, you palm the outline of his dick over the sweatpants, wanting to see his reaction. You were best pleased when he fights the urge to roll his eyes but bites his lip to stop himself from thrusting into your silky touch. Not that he’d felt that today, just yet.

You stifle a giggle, “Eager, pretty boy.”

One kiss is placed to his lips before you slip off of his lap, knees thudding as they land on the floor. You hook your index fingers around the waistband of his sweats and underpants, the tell-tale Tommy band staring back at you, knowing he would comply but you only pull them down just enough to free his weeping cock.

It springs up, slapping against his abdomen, veins prominent from the grining you had been doing earlier. Your mouth waters at the sight and you lick your lips, praying that it lives up to your expectations.

You give him a few slow strokes of your nails up him and one of his hands reaching up to push a few stray strands of hair form your face.

He groans when you finally wrap your slender fingers around his shaft, thumb wiping the leaking tip of his swollen mushroom head. It throbbed a pretty shade of pink, much like his lips, after you pressed a delicate kiss to the top.

“So, so good to me, angel,” are the words that leave his lips when you lick your own before dipping your head to lick up the underside. You offered a devilish smile and lowered your hot mouth onto his throbbing length slowly, wanting to savour every second and push Jaehyun to his limit.

You hum in agreeance to his statement, sending a shiver up his spine and eliciting a moan from him, his hands quickly tangling themselves in your loose hair as he makes a make-shift ponytail to keep your hair out of your face.

Once your jaw has adjusted to the burn of his girth, he helps you bob your head up and down, curling the ponytail around one hand and using that as leverage. Flattening your tongue, you press it to the underneath of his length. You experiment with seeing how much you can take as it’s been a long time since you’ve been intimate with someone like this. One of your manicured hands reaches down to tickle his balls – a trick Hyejin had taught you the last time you were having one of those conversations – and he all but thrusts up into your throat, making you clench your legs and rub them together for some friction as your eyes close tight, forcing tears to run down your face.

“Oh fuck, I don’t think I can ah-” he lifts you off of his dick and brings your mouth to his, pressing hard against your own.

You’re flushed from his abrupt actions but that doesn’t stop you from stripping yourself of your leggings when he practically begs you to. Unsure what he wants next, you fiddle until he instructs you, “Those too,” he gestures to your panties. They weren’t grand but, had you not been about to get it on with possibly the hottest and most caring man you’ve come across, you would’ve been embarrassed about him seeing them in any normal situation.

Once they’re discarded, he stands, shimmys out of his sweats and pants and brings you close to him and guides a leg to wrap around his waist, rock hard dick pressed between your two sweaty bodies.

He kisses you hard, a clash on tongue and teeth; it’s one of the messiest kisses you had ever been on the receiving end of but ultimately still one of the best you’ve been able to experience, and lowers the two of you onto the sofa.

Again, you’re perched on your heels. He breaks the kiss, looking between your bodies to align himself with your entrance. “I’m sorry, angel,” he mutters against the column of your throat.

“Wha-”

He waits no longer before slipping himself into your core impossibly easily, as he sets a killer pace.

Squealing, you let your head fall onto his shoulder as you try your best to thrust down as much as he thrusts up into you but it was proving difficult as he suckled sweetly on the juncture where your neck and shoulder met – sending your senses into overdrive.

“S-so tight,” he breathes out, trickles of sweat forming in his hairline. One of the few brain cells you have working tells you the clench on his next thrust, only making him moan louder than before. In response, he ups the pace, setting his sights on destroying your sweet pussy.

Knowing full-well that he hadn’t tasted your arousal like he had originally intended, he brings his finger to dance across your clit, stimulating the bundle of nerves until you were whining, hips stuttering as your vision hazes, unsure of how to control yourself. Still unable to match his deadly pace, you settle on tensing your legs and hovering above him where he pounds upwards, the sound of skin hitting skin echoing around the room.

You knew that by the time he was going to be finished, your ass was going to be tainted red from where his balls were slapping your underside as he pounds into you.

“Jaehyun,” you barely manage to breathe out, “fu… fuck.” Not what you were going for so you give it another try, “Jae… kiss.”

His eyes linger on your disheveled features. You open your eyes and look down at him, worried that he hadn’t heard you. His eyes meet yours; you pout, “Kiss me, p-ah–” one particularly strong thrust ignites inside you, the tell-tale sign of your orgasm about to snap through you; halts your half-hearted attempt at riding him.

He captures your lips with his, nibbling on your lip before licking it as if to heal it. His fingers are still rubbing tiny circles in your clit that send you over the edge and into complete euphoria, spine arching.

Within milliseconds, your vision is blurring and eyes unfocus, switching for white dots across your line of sight to pair with the white hot pleasure ripping through your core. “Ah,” you whine, “oh... Jae-Jaehyun,” your voice breaks, not being able to comprehend the possibility of more thanone thing happening at once.

As you clamp down on him unintentionally, he groans, unable to hold back any longer and empties his load inside your trembling pussy, cursing as he does.

Moments pass before he can bring himself to say anything, “You’re so perfect, angel. So pretty and perfect.”

You lift your head to look at him. At his fucked-out face you melt into him, swety bodies gradually becoming one and sliding off of his softening cock so you can wrap your arms around his neck and nuzzle closer to him. He brings his arms around your waist, pressing his face into the crook of your neck and breathing sharply through his nose.

“You’re so good to me. Can’t remember the last time someone fucked me that good,” you whisper against the shell of his ear. You have one hand raking your fingers through his hair. You breathe out a laugh as he shivers at the feeling.

Knowing that was probably an ego boost enough, you press a languid kiss to the side of his mouth, not really paying much attention to where your lips landed. Continuing to pepper him with kisses, he stirs slightly, not wanting all of this attention to go to waste.

“Hey, c’mere,” he says, holding you from your waist before slowly lowering you onto the sofa beside him so your back is flat.

You’re barely holding it together, Jaehyun’s cum trickling down the side of your leg from your sore hole. He pushes your legs apart, one falls haphazardly off of the sofa and the other is pressed between his side and the back of the sofa. He doesn’t care, though, bringing two fingers up to meet your quivering core.

“What are you doi – ah!”

A lazy grin spreads across Jaehyun’s face, his fingers now covered in yours and his essence as he stuffs it back into you. The overstimulation makes you quiver but he was determined about making you suffer. “So pretty with my cum stuffed inside you, angel, so pretty.”

By now, you’re convinced he’s drunk but you don’t put it past yourself to consider yourself just as drunk on him as he is on you. You squirm, not wanting him to continue as his fingers repeat their actions. “O-oh, too much,” you whimper, “sore, so fucking sore baby.”

You knew you probably could’ve handled a little more but he obliges, not wanting to scare you away (as if that was even possible) and finishes by pushing his fingers past your lips, coaxing you to lick them clean.

Gladly, you do as he was silently suggesting.

He groans, his dick twitching but he ignores it, knowing you’re still healing and by the state of you currently, you probably weren’t up for another round. Instead, he picks you up bridal style and takes you to the bathroom, feet wobbling a few times on the way before getting to the bathroom.

“Gotta clean up, angel.”

You mumble, putting your legs to use and absently moving to switch the shower head on, soaking both of you in the stall. The water is freezing but you make no complaints, wanting to settle the heat radiating from your body. Jaehyun says nothing too. He just helps you clean yourself as you’re making a half-hearted effort – this makes him chuckle.

Twenty minutes later, the both of you are laying on his bed (the one he gave up for you), snuggled into each other.

For the first time in a long time, you slept in the crook on an arm where you felt safe, possibly loved (that would have to be addressed another time).

While you lay, breathing slowly as you listen to his heartbeat, Jaehyun has his head propped up with one arm and his other arm rests on your side, t-shirt that he had lent you riding up on the side, fingers running up and down as he takes in the feel of your smooth skin under his fingertips.

Jaehyun was smitten.

a/n: hi hello. how, uh, how was it? feel free to leave me some feedback or pop in my ask box. you’re all my angels. i just like posting to post sometimes but interaction is p darn cool too. lyl <3

i follow from @00solarsmiles

net: @neowritingsnet

#neowritingsnet #nct #nct jaehyun #jaehyun fic #jaehyun smut #jeong jaehyun #jung jaehyun #jung jaehyun x reader #jung jaehyun x y/n #jung jaehyun x you #jung jaehyun fic #jung jaehyun fluff #jung jaehyun fanfic #jung jaehyun fantasy #jung jaehyun imagines #nct jaehyun fic #nct fic #mine

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shadowsinger11 · 4 years ago

Text

You, The Stars And I

Pairing: Fred Weasley x Reader

Word Count: 3.8k (oops)

Requested by @amira3113: Can I request a fic abt the reader seeing Fred and George comforting a kid after Umbridge punished him and the reader helps them and Fred thinks it's so cute what she is doing and she does the same and extra mega fluff, pls?🥺 you don't gotta do it if u don't want to btw.. so no pressure ;)

Warnings: A bit more angst than intended, Fred being a soft boi™️

A/N: I don't know how to feel, I just roasted myself hardcore with this and I'm feeling even more single. I'm sorry for not being able to use a 'keep reading' tab

Masterlist

The sun fell asleep behind the endless hills, enveloped by dense, opaque darkness. Its golden rays no longer shone through the wide windows of the castle and instead let shadows creep into the long, empty hallways, revealing the ugly truth about what the school had turned into over the past few months.

The naked walls stood tall, towering over you and inching closer with every step you took, and you hung your head low, aiming to block out the singular buzzing thought in your head.

Hogwarts was no longer home.

Your heart ached at the memory of hundreds of students chattering and laughing all day long, freely walking around the school grounds and simply being children. You so terribly missed being careless and having fun without the fear of potentially facing a life-threatening punishment.

But now there was no laughter, only your footsteps echoed in the hallway.

You were headed straight to your common room, determined to go to sleep early. The curfew and the dozens of new restrictions prevented you from meeting your friends, and you hoped that sleep would at least somehow distract you from your worries for a couple of hours.

The deafening silence nearly caused you to miss the muffled sobs and quiet whispering, coming from a turn not far away. It seemed as though there were more than one voice speaking, and your chest clenched with dread.

You hurried your pace until you reached the source of the noise, and peeked from behind the wall.

The sight most definitely surprised you, but the pain in your chest only sharpened.

There, on a bench, Fred and George were sitting, hunched over a small boy, probably no older than a second year. You could tell by his green robes which house he was in, but his red, tear-stained face was what alarmed you.

You immediately approached him and fell to your knees. George was on his left, rubbing slow, soothing circles on his back, while Fred was on the other side, holding his small hand in his, on the back of which a few words glistened with fresh crimson blood.

I must not ask questions.

You sent the twins a questioning look, but Fred dismissed it by shaking his head; clearly that was not the time for an explanation, nor was one necessary to begin with.

You placed a hand on the boy's knee to make your presence known.

"Hey. How are you feeling?"

This only caused the child to sob harder and you internally cursed for having to go through this routine.

"It hurts…" he whimpered, "I thought Hogwarts was fun. I met friends last year and it was great. But now… Now I really want to go home."

Your jaw clenched and you swallowed hard, furious about seeing innocent children slowly losing faith and joy in life, turning into hollow shells of the amazing people they could have grown to become.

The horrifying experience would inevitably have a massive impact on them and unexplainable guilt twisted your stomach. And even though the long-term damage had already been done, you could at least take care of the temporary pain.

"It's not going to hurt for long, I promise," Fred whispered, tenderly playing with the boy's trembling fingers. "Ours are already fading."

"That's true, see?" George showed the back of his hand on which you could make out the faint, bloody words 'I must not cause trouble.', and you felt sick. "Soon you won't even remember it was there."

Tears stung in your eyes, but before you gave them a chance to fall, you turned to the redheads.

"I can heal the wound. Well, to an extent. If anything, I can lessen the pain," you began. "But I need to grab something from the Charms classroom."

Fred frowned, confused, "Wouldn't you need a potion for that? Why Charms?"

"Snape isn't the only one armored with potions for just in case things go wrong. And we can't risk going to the dungeons at this hour. It's not wise to tell Madam Pomfrey yet either."

The twins nodded. George said.

"It's not a good idea for all of us to go at once. I suggest one of us returns and covers the others up if necessary."

"I'll go with her," Fred stated without a second thought. "I can get them safely where they need to be, let her do her thing and bring them back."

Fred's eagerness to help filled you with warmth and for once that night you had the strength to smile, even for just a second.

"That sounds like plan then. But you should really take the map," George added, already pulling out the neatly folded Marauder's Map from his backpack. "Don't wanna risk getting caught by the ugly toad, you know."

"As if she'd be strolling down the hallways late at night. Doesn't she have hobbies?"

"Does hanging creepy pictures of cats on pink walls count as such?" you commented and the second year giggled, which made you feel slightly better as well.

Fred took the map from George and you grabbed the boy's hand.

"Good luck, guys. And, like, don't die."

"Woah, greatly encouraging, Georgie," you replied sarcastically, but appreciated it nonetheless. "You sure you'll be fine?"

"Absolutely. I got the route memorized like the back of my hand. I'll be careful."

And with that, George headed towards the Gryffindor Tower while you, Fred and the boy went in the opposite direction - the East Towers.

The night was eerily quiet, only the footsteps and shuddering breaths of the three of you keeping you sane. The soft light, gleaming at the tip of your wands, didn't do much to brighten the empty hallways which now seemed like endless voids of darkness.

Occasionally Fred would warn you about Filch's cat approaching, or Peeves causing trouble nearby, but fortunately, you reached the classroom sooner than expected.

"Alohomora," you whispered, but the door didn't bulge when you tried to open it.

Fred grinned, "Surely a Charms professor wouldn't let such a cliché unlock his own classroom."

"Shut up," you grumbled. "Aberto!"

The door opened. Fred's eyes widened in amusement and you flashed him a charming smile on your way in.

You placed the boy to sit on a desk as you and your friend rushed to look through drawers and chests for something useful. Most of them were full of basic items such as old books and quills, half-full jars of salamander blood, pearl dust and gillyweed, and after long fifteen minutes of not having found anything, you slid your back down against the wall, sighing in frustration.

Sleep-deprivation was kicking in, but your anxiety was getting stronger.

You needed to do something. Fast.

"What about this chest right here?" Fred asked from the other side of the classroom, pointing at something under Flitwick's desk.

You shook your head, "Doesn't open, already tried. Even if the cure is there, we can't get it."

"I take it your brilliant spells don't work anymore?" the redhead teased and you so badly wished to slap away the cocky smirk on his face. Or kiss it. There was something oddly attractive about the way he'd set your nerves on fire, and you hated yourself for enjoying it. Fred seemed to love it too.

"If you're only here to be annoying, just leave."

"I'm here to help too. I can multitask."

You nearly jumped from the ground to strangle him, and he clearly saw through your intentions because his toothy grin almost split his face in two. That bastard.

That super annoying, devilishly handsome bastard.

"Are you gonna keep staring at me, or are you coming? Not that I mind the attention," he shrugged.

You rose to your feet and made your way over to where he was standing, not granting him the pleasure of facing him, "Don't flatter yourself, Weasley. Your stupidity is simply impossible to be unnoticed."

Fred laughed, "Oh, so I was annoying and now I'm stupid too? Make up your mind, woman."

You pulled out your wand and smirked at him over your shoulder.

"You said it yourself that you can multitask. Aberto!"

Nothing.

Fred squinted his eyes as he stared at the wooden chest. What spell could the professor have possibly used? Could you have even heard of it? The chances of ever finding the precious item were becoming grimmer with each passing second and the inevitable sense of dread had started to settle in.

After a minute Fred finally spoke.

"I think your problem is that you're using spells that only work on doors. You need a charm which unlocks containers."

"You might be right. What would that be then?" you enquired, glancing at the redhead. He took his own wand out of his robes.

"I know a spell that's come in handy before. Hopefully it will work now," he wettened his lips and said. "Cistem Aperio!"

Blinding light caused you to cover you eyes, and the chest opened with a loud thud which could have easily alerted the entire floor of your presence if it wasn't for the silencing charm you were lucky to have used when you first entered the classroom.

You finally dared to open your eyes and kneeled on the ground, carefully rummaging through fancy-looking boxes and vials sparking with liquids that seemed to be quite important.

"What are we looking for?" Fred asked as he crouched next to you.

"Wound-Cleaning Potion. Purple."

It was weird having Fred stand this close to you; sparks of electricity would pierce your heart every time his shoulder brushed against yours, or his fingers would accidentally graze yours. And when they did, they had you longing more and more for their touch, for their warmth.

But this warmth did not belong to you.

You swallowed down the disappointment and instead attempted to focus on the task at hand.

Just as you had expected, the precious crystal bottle was carefully wrapped in sparkling cloth and placed inside a box that was hidden deep in the corner of the chest. You breathed a sigh of relief and got on your feet, determined to stay away from Fred. For his sake and yours.

"Here it is," you smiled at the boy as you walked over to him. "Fred, can you get me some bandages from the drawer in the back?" you asked, pointing right behind him, and he did as he was told.

You took the hand of the young Slytherin and examined it closely - the wound was sure to leave a nasty scar, one that would never heal.

"Can you make it disappear?" he asked, fearfully.

Your heart dropped. But you replied with all the courage you could muster.

"I can try."

Fred was soon by your side and placed the medical items on the desk; a half-full packet of cotton, some bandages and a small box of bandaids. You muttered a 'thanks', not even looking at him, and opened the middle-sized bottle. It spread a characteristic smell of ashes, mint and lemon when you lifted it towards your nose - it was ready to use.

"So what now?" Fred asked.

Not granting him a reply, you simply took a small piece of the cotton and dipped the opening of the bottle into it, soaking it with a generous amount of the purple, dense liquid. The smell grew stronger.

Fred could only watch as you yet again gently grabbed the boy's hand and carefully dabbed the back of it; a thin steam of smoke soared from the contact of wet cotton and wounded flesh, purple mixing with red, and the kid hissed in pain. You worked attentively but quickly, with measured gestures and a straight face, and you missed the way Fred's eyes seemed to soften at the sight of you helping a small kid.

But one thing baffled him - why did you suddenly start acting so emotionless? Even towards the youngling who didn't know a thing. And though your expression seemed calm and collected, the Gryffindor noticed your tensed jaw.

What he wasn't aware of, however, was the racing speed of you heart, increasing each second. He wasn't aware of the short, shallow breaths you were taking because if you had allowed yourself to breathe freely, you'd certainly let out tears along with the deeps sighs.

Every move was calculated, every word and breath.

You pressed a fresh piece of cotton against the now cleaned wound and kept it there as you began to roll the bandage over it, securing it in place. When you were done, you placed a gentle, lingering kiss on the hand.

"There. It should do the trick."

The boy's face lit up and he hugged you, not giving you another choice but to wrap your arms around his small body. At least you had managed to bring him back some of the lost warmth.

"We should get him to his dorm," you told Fred and despite not facing him, he knew the words were directed towards him. That still didn't prevent the stinging pain in his chest from being so effortlessly avoided by you, and he frowned, bewildered by your unexpected coldness towards him.

Had he accidentally done anything to upset you? Were you mad at him? What for?

The boy jumped to his feet, visibly less burdened despite the present tear stains on his puffy cheeks. You hoped he'd be able to get some sleep that night regardless of the circumstances.

The three of you left the classroom as quietly as you had entered it and went in the direction of the dungeons. Fred, as usual, did his job at looking at the map and keeping track of the names, moving on the yellow-ish piece to old parchment.

Fortunately, you reached the Slytherin common room without any disturbances along the way, and the boy went inside, eager to crawl into bed and not think about the ugly lady who had punished him so unfairly just a few hours ago.

The door closed without a sound, leaving you and Fred on your own.

His soft voice broke the burdening silence.

"Are you going to bed?"

If you were being honest, you hadn't even thought about sleep during your secret adventure and though your body was on the verge of giving out, your restless mind was sure to wander all night. And the idea of being alone with your thoughts scared you.

"Actually… I don't think so," you began, fiddling with your fingers in hopes to not let Fred see how much they were trembling. "I doubt I'd be able to get any sleep now."

"Me too, I admit," Fred scratched the back of his neck, uncertain as to how to make the situation less awkward than it was. Trying to get you to talk was hard enough as it was, but your sudden avoidance wasn't helping either. All Fred wished for was to witness the hopeful spark in your eyes, the spark that he had noticed diminish on the first day of school when the unsettling news was announced.

Fred was determined to bring the light back and see your joyous smile again.

Without skipping a beat he said.

"Come with me."

Your eyes shot up in surprise, meeting Fred's for the first time that night. You expected to see the ever-present playful mischief in them, but instead they glistened with something you could not quite recognize. The corners of his mouth had formed a smile, one that didn't intend to mock or provoke in any way, but still contained his usual boyish charm. It was humble and sincere, and along with the anticipating look in his eyes it read.

Trust me.

Your mouth went dry, any and all reasoning to stay vanishing in thin air as you tried to make sense out of your inner conflict. Fred surely wouldn't care if you said no, would he? It's not like he'd be offended that someone like you refused to go with him; why would he even be interested in you in the first place?

But the idea of spending some time alone with him did sound very tempting - you desperately needed some positivity in that moment, feeling exceptionally drained of all your energy after having to witness the emotional and psychological impact of Umbridge's dictatorship. And if there was someone who could lift your spirit even in such dark times, that would be Fred.

Screw the idea of a potential relationship, you needed a friend right now.

"Where to, Weasley?"

Fred grinned at the nickname and shoved hands into his pockets.

"The Astronomy Tower. Are you coming?"

You smiled at him.

"Sure."

It was indeed a brilliant idea to spend the night at the place where anyone rarely ever set a foot. Regardless of it being crowded during classes all day, the Tower wasn't a common choice for students to meet, them much preferring locations like the common rooms, the Great Hall, the school grounds or even the Black Lake. But the Tower did possess a magnetic, obscure charm which many people failed to comprehend and appreciate; charm only meant to lure the wandering souls seeking peace under the stars.

Fred approached the iron railing, breathing in the cold, early spring air, and sat cross-legged on the ground. As he saw you standing a few feet away from him, he patted the empty spot next to him.

"Come on now, don't leave me sitting on my own like that," he joked and his face lit up when he noticed the ghost of a smile on your lips for a brief moment. You joined Fred on the ground, settling on a polite distance from him, and though he was slightly disappointed by the gesture, he was grateful to be in your presence nonetheless.

Silence fell over both of you like soft velvet while you stared off into the horizon; the view reached the Forbidden Forest, the outlines of which had melted into the pitch black sky like ink, the lines between the two practically nonexistent in the dead hours of the night as they blurred into one endless void.

"I don't remember the last time I saw stars on the sky," Fred addressed your ever-listening companions above in a low, hushed voice that caused warmth to blossom within you regardless of the cold surrounding you.

"Me neither," you agreed, nostalgia creeping into you, but you decided you'd welcome it this time. "Such a shame we can't see the moon though."

Your friend nodded, lips pursed into a thin line, "That's because it's currently new moon. We'll need to wait for awhile until it's visible again."

You turned to Fred and the air was knocked out of your lungs. All you could do was silently admire the way the starlight was softening his sharp features and giving his usually flaming red hair a calming shade of copper. His eyes seemed to glow in the dark, and you found yourself coming to the conclusion you had realised long ago.

He was such a beautiful man.

Those glowing eyes landed on yours and you felt your face heat up.

"How are you?" he asked abruptly and you choked out in bafflement.

"Y-You mean, right now? Or in general?..."

"How are you coping?" he rephrased. "You know, with everything going on. I noticed Umbridge bothering you recently."

A shuddering breath.

"I like to think that I'm doing better than others," you nodded hesitantly, finding it hard to sort out your emotions. "I'm more worried about the most vulnerable among us, the youngest students. They're just children. They're the ones that are most terrified. I really hope Dumbledore will be able to do something about it… no matter where he might be right now."

Fred was watching you intently; he did not miss your expression, darkened with concern, nor did he miss your slumped figure, slightly hunched over for a reason he believed was other than exhaustion. Your friend moved closer and nudged your foot with his.

"I don't want you to talk to me about the rest. I want to hear about you. I can clearly see you're being tormented by her."

"As if you're not."

"That's not the point," he insisted and placed a hand on your knee, causing you to face him. His smile was gone. "I need to know how this madness is affecting you."

"I couldn't care less about what that toad puts me through," you shook your head dismissively and shrugged. Why was he getting so worked up about it? "It doesn't matter."

"Of course it does! It matters to me!" Fred hissed in frustration. "Do you think it doesn't hurt me every time I see Umbridge picking at you or calling you for detention? Because it bloody does and you have no idea how horrible it feels to not be able to help you."

He gave your knee a squeeze.

"For once, just for one time, please. Please, stop trying to be the hero of everybody. Believe me, we see- I see how hard you're trying to keep your chin up despite all the shit you're facing, and that's admirable, but right now it's not necessary. Let go. It's just me."

A way too familiar lump formed in your throat and your chest constricted painfully before it harshly dilated, letting out choked breaths. Fred was quick to envelope you in his long arms before your tears even rolled down your cheeks, and when they did, they met his shoulder. Your hands flew around his neck, body falling into his and soaking up his warmth. Fred pressed his soft lips to your temple, calming the racing pulse as you cried freely and unapologetically. Darling, you feel too much.

It's just me.

Your friend didn't let you out of his hold even when your heart-wrenching whimpers were reduced to weak sobs. He continued cradling your exhausted body which was on the verge of completely giving out. But Fred didn't mind, finding astonishing strength in your vulnerability.

After what seemed like hours, you forced yourself to timidly whisper, lip quivering, "I'm scared... And confused."

"Me too, sweetheart," Fred hummed into your ear. "Me too."

You wiped away the trails of dried tears lingering on your face.

"There's just too much going on. Too much that I'm not ready for."

Realization flashed in Fred's brown eyes and they looked down at you with so much longing, sincerity, but also sympathy and understanding.

You weren't angry at him. You were afraid.

And that was alright.

There was enough time, not need for a rush.

Fred had been waiting for years to find out whether his burning feelings for you were reciprocated, constantly suppressing them in fear of scaring you away and losing you. And now that he knew your heart belonged to him like his did to you, all the stars above couldn't contain his untamed happiness, pure and hopeful.

Surely he could wait a little more for you to grow comfortable with your own emotions.

Fred tightened his hold around you and pecked your cheek tenderly, the subtle touch sending a shock throughout your body and subsiding your need for sleep.

"That's alright," he whispered. "Rest now."

@self-ship-love @susceptible-but-siriusexual @hufflexpuff @neovannii

Message me if you want to be tagged~

Reblog my work if you enjoyed it!

Masterlist

#fred weasley x reader #fred weasley x reader angst #fred weasley x reader fluff #fred weasley imagines #fred weasley fanfiction #fred weasley #james phelps #george weasley #oliver phelps #fred and george weasley #weasley twins #harry potter imagines

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twisted-crumpets · 4 years ago

Note

The soft Vil and kissing headcanons I'm- 😭😭😭😭😭 Could I have headcanons for NRC having a ball and MC just walks up to Riddle, Azul, Vil, Idia and Malleus (seperately ofc) being like "I've decided that you're gonna be my date for the ball 😊". I know I picked like, the 5 worst characters for this, imagine the audacity and guts you gotta have to pull that on Vil and Malleus 😂

Pff MC strolling up with guts of steel

I- Imagine like slamming down a corsage or smth and being like “you, me dance a lil, get to know each other, maybe smooch idk” to Vil 😂😂

Also, thank you very much for liking my Vil headcanons, it made me smile.

━━ Riddle Rosehearts ━━

To say that Riddle wasn’t stressed out of his mind would be a complete and utter lie.

After spending a good chunk of his time dedicated to scolding Ace and chasing Floyd the poor crimson leader was staring at his watch, panicking as the seconds tick by.

Hearing soft footsteps, he whipped his head ready to berate whoever was dawdling in the dorms and not laying out the table for the upcoming unbirthday party, but froze upon the sight of his darling.

“Oh! Love, I’m sorry you have caught me at a bit of a bad time. What is the reason for your visit?”

He was not at all prepared for his darling to demand his presence at the school ball and couldn’t help but splutter as his face slowly began to turn into a shade that could rival his hair.

“I- you... do you have any sense of decorum or poise?”

Ignoring the blush smeared across his cheeks, Riddle began to criticise the “invitation” and how it did not comply with the rules of the queen of hearts.

However, he soon quietened down when his love teasingly asked if that meant he was rejecting them, reducing the strict dorm leader into a flustered mess.

“That most certainly was not a no!... I just, I believed that we were automatically going to arrive together... I didn’t expect to be asked so abruptly.... I... let me try this again.”

Clearing his throat, Riddle knelt onto the ground, surprising the dorm members who were slowly filing into the room, sweetly holding onto his dearest’s hand.

“Darling, it would be the upmost honour of the highest degree to accompany you to the ball.”

Laying a kiss onto the back of their hand, he couldn’t hide the smirk beginning to grow onto his face as he amusedly watched their face grow as brightly as his own.

━━ Azul Ashengrotto ━━

Due to the rise in contracts during the exam season, Azul’s paperwork began to increase as well and the poor octopus could already feel every part of his back creak in protest everytime he leant down.

Opening the heavy door to his study, his darling was not surprised that he barely even looked their way before pressing his nose against his documents, scanning their contents tiredly.

Attempting to gain his focus, his darling decided to demand that he join them at the ball.

His response was lacklustre at best, not even taking his eyes off his his work to reply.

“Hm? Ah yes, of course my treasure.”

Suddenly, his quill paused in its journey across his contracts and he froze, dropping it against the pristine desk.

At first, his response was “hmmm? Ah yes of course, my treasure.”

That was until, the demand finally processed in his mind, then he just stood wide eyed and froze, dropping his quill.

He gasped at his darling, his azure eyes getting increasingly smaller in shock.

After a few minutes, his darling was finally able to call his name through their giggles, and he snapped back to life.

“Oh my angelfish~ what a tempting command. But, I can only make wishes come true if they are a request.”

Smiling coyly, he observed his darling floundering for the proper words to ask him.

Crooking a gloved finger, he beckoned them closer, mischief practically glowing in his eyes, and gently pulled them into a slow kiss.

“That is a deal I could simply not turn down. Alright, I will gladly join you, my pearl.”

━━ Vil Shoenheit ━━

As a deep lover of all things intricate and organised, this was nothing short of messy.

Fabrics ranging in colour, texture and pattern covered every inch of his room, and Vil was extremely critical of which would be worthy to be used to decorate the dorm room.

He revelled the peaceful silence that lingered in the room, which demanded complete and utter focus, until his darling came barrelling into the room.

“Ah! Fairest no! You could’ve sullied the fabrics... whatever possessed you to come stumbling in like an elephant better be of high importance.”

Returning to his work, he did not expect shaky warm hands to cup his face, and he slowly moved his gaze to their face, observing the rosey flush due to their exercise prior.

In a shocked trance, Vil watched as his darling bolted from the room, after loudly proclaiming that he was coming with her to the ball.

Snapping his manicured fingers, his poor love was dragged like a sack of potatoes over the shoulder of his loyal huntsman, who overheard the events that unfolded with a wide grin.

“My dear, whilst your confession was executed rather... uniquely, I believe I must be the one to give an answer on whether or not I shall attend with you.”

With a cat-like smile, he basked in the nervous gaze of his darling which bounced around the room, whilst he pretended to find his nails exceedingly interesting, before finally accepting with sophisticated air.

Striding up to his darling briskly to tenderly cradle their face, peppering sweet kisses and giggling at the look of bewilderment and shock that graced their face.

━━ Idia Shroud ━━

Finding Idia furiously slamming his fingers into his keyboard, fully enamoured with the happenings on his computer, was not new.

Observing his hunched and focused figure, his darling decided that it was due time for him to take a break and attempted to tear his eyes away from the harsh glare of the screen.

“Oh pixel, I promise I will stop right after this round don’t worry.”

Unfortunately, he couldn’t even press a single key when he heard his lover announce that he would be attended the ball alongside them.

Turning a blind eye to the blatant ‘game over’ on his monitor, Idia’s hair began to burn a vibrant assortment of deep reds and he muttered incomprehensible half sentences, his current state akin to a phone after being dropped into a pool.

“You... me... public... together... d..dancing..”

Like a mouse, he burrowed his way inside the cozy depths of his hoodie, squeaking out his agreement, before flinging his arms around their middle and smooshing his face into their stomach in an attempt to distract them from his vermillion hair and face.

“.. I would love that very much thank you.”

━━ Malleus Draconia ━━

For Malleus, midnight strolls are the highlight of his day.

From exploring the picturesque ruins of castles he might’ve known once upon a time, to marvelling at the loyal gargoyles that remain standing guard at the entrance, that frequently remind him of the two guards of his back at his dorm.

Although, he couldn’t deny that, the main reason for his enjoyment in his nightly activities was when doing so with his truest love.

On this day, instead of the usual lighthearted air between them, a nervous yet determined one replaced it, filling the horned boy with curiousity, which grew as he gazed deeply into the eyes of his love, who appeared to be summoning every ounce of courage to look back into his.

“Truest, what is ailing you?”

Nothing could quite prepare him for the explosive torrent of words that spilled from their lips that took his brain a whole series of seconds to decipher.

When it finally clicked that he had received that invitation, no one could’ve possibly smiled brighter or laughed merrier than he, as he whisked his beloved into his arms, pressing his lips against theirs passionately.

Pulling away, his chest rumbling with laughter, he cheekily beamed at the dumbfounded expression that graced his love’s features.

“My my, inviting me so suddenly, and with such a demanding tone too. Why this is an interesting declaration, and I would be a fool to not accept. Very well my truest, I accept. You best do well to not be late, I am looking forward to this.”

I’m so sorry this took so long, school said no❤️

I hope you enjoyed your meal!

#brain frying #twisted wonderland #twst #riddle rosehearts #riddle rosehearts x reader #azul ashengrotto #azul ashengrotto x reader #vil shoenheit #vil shoenheit x reader #idia shroud #idia shroud x reader #malleus draconia #malleus draconia x reader #g/n reader

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lemons3ason · 4 years ago

Text

The Asakura Twins Loving the Same Person Headcannons

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

-You grew up with Yoh, you come from a powerful line of Shamans and since you were both the same age your families thought it would be good for you to be his protector from Hao.

-That plan was a failure since both of you were equally lazy and only enjoyed the simple things in life like music and food.

-You were the two little kids that made the promise to marry each other when you were older and his parents openly called you a couple until Yoh met Anna.

-With Anna’s strict training you both became surprisingly strong Shamans but you left about three years before the official Shaman tournament.

-While you were traveling and enhancing your powers you met Hao. Though the whole meeting left you heartbroken and alone something about you made him want you more. The tearless enraged (e/c) orbs that complimented your blood stained face made him fall head over heels for you.

-Though with what little energy you had left you escaped him easily but he never could find you again.

-Neither of them see you again until during the Shaman Fights and Yoh absolutely tackles the hell out of you.

-“(Y/n)! You’re here I can’t believe it! Well of course I can believe it this is you we’re talking about but (Y/n)!”, Yoh screams hugging you tight.

-You’re both babbling away at each other like Nala and Simba were when they reunited and everyone is quick to notice the huge smile that drew over Yoh’s face as you spoke to him and embraced him.

-When you all have your encounter with Hao in Patch Village, Yoh is immediately protective of you stepping between you and Hao since he dared to walk up to you.

-That’s when everyone finds out you already know who Hao is since you’ve shared a fight with him.

-He killed your Mother and in return your left him a noticeable scar against the side of his neck, He’s been tracking you down ever since.

-Hao loves you because you’re strong, you don’t fear him, you hate him. He wants to keep you all to himself and since he’s surprisingly good at flirting your forced to blush on several occasions.

-Hao changes when you’re around, he’s almost so convincingly calm and gentle that you wouldn’t be able to tell that he was a mass murderer.

-Hao becomes a constant bother to you until you start getting used to his presence but you’d never tell him you enjoy having him around since he is still evil.

-“Such a pretty shade of red, did I make your heart race?”, Hao will ask cupping your cheek tenderly as he admires your red glow.

-You’ll slap his hand away and scoot closer to Yoh who will grin and stick his tongue out at his older brother.

-Each fight they’ll hope to hear or see you in the stands rooting for them, showing off just to impress you.

-Likewise they both do the same for you, Hao watches from afar but when you win he’ll make his Spirit of Fire create small heart shaped flames in front of you to show that he was watching. Yoh jumps from his spot in the stands and raced to hug you and congratulate you on a job well done.

-One night just before the pre-finals start both brothers find you and have something important to ask of you. Hao is much more calm and collected a soft smile on his face as he nervously plays with the ends of his hair. Yoh on the other hand, is a blushing mess nervously playing with his fingers as he calls out your name.

-“(Y-y/n)...I-I...”

-“(Y/n), we love you but we understand you can only love one of us back. Please choose who you want to care for your heart.”, Hao spoke with so much confidence on the matter.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

*Yoh’s Route*

-You smiled at their sudden confession but since childhood you knew that Yoh was the only one for you.

-“Hao I’m sorry but I don’t love you. I’ve loved Yoh for so long now but he had Anna so I never tried confessing to him.”, you admitted softly watching Yoh’s face explode into a blush.

-Hao was deeply upset by your decision, but he respected you enough to leave it as it was. Now he could focus on destroying you and becoming shaman king without hesitation.

-Yoh was so excited that you had accepted his feelings that he lunged into your arms and placed a sweet kiss to your lips

-“Heehee I’m so glad you feel the same. I love you (Y/n).”, Yoh cheers in a soft voice pecking your lips again just to be sure it wasn’t a dream.

-Somehow you snuck into Yoh’s room with the boys and everyone woke up the next day to see you balled up at Yoh’s side, the goofiest grin plastered over his face.

-Horohoro was quick to notice the small love bite on the side of his neck neck and snickered, seems like you were the dominant and possessive one in the relationship.

-Anna is a bit heartbroken at first but you promised to still let her whip you and Yoh into shape if you ever slacked off to much.

-She accepted and in the end she got her dream of becoming Wife of the Shaman king since Hao had confessed his adoration for her about a month later, he won the shaman fights in the end so he did become king.

-You and Yoh were happy, a peaceful couple in a wild world surrounded by the people you loved.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

*Hao’s Route*

-You were left speechless by Hao’s blunt confession and it made you sad knowing that you had already made your choice.

-You flashed a sad smile to Yoh and hugged him much to his heart break but with a few simple words of encouragement he seemed okay being friend zoned, in the end it would be the best for both of you. He was happy with Anna by his side and you didn’t want to get between them when you knew they were meant for each other.

-Once you had pulled away from Yoh, Hao scooped you up in his arms and you both vanished. Having returned to his camp you stared at him in wonder to what he was going to do next.

-“To think that you would have actually grown to love me. I still can’t believe you actually do but I’m happy... absolutely happy. My little star.”, he hummed embracing tenderly as if you’d break if he held you to hard.

-You were nervous about your decision, thoughts overfilled your mind about how crazy you were for falling for your mother’s murderer, Hao could sense it so he washed away your insecurities with a soft peck to the cheek.

-“I’ll make sure you never regret your choice, even if I have to start from square one. I love you (Y/n), you don’t have to worry about anything by my side.”, He’ll whisper in your ears hugging you tight.

-Unsurprisingly he’s very touched starve so he’s always seeking you out for physical affection, be it a kiss or just holding your hand.

-Super romantic, you do have to keep him under control since he’s a bit protective and possessive but with a good scold you’re able to get him to respect your personal space and consider your feelings towards his behavior.

-Openly marks you with love bites and hickies even if you complain about them being to dark or to visible to others.

-You become his Shaman Queen *but only after making him promise to bring back everyone that he killed during the Shaman Fights since his new powers granted him that ability* and he loves you deeply with each passing day.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

*Self Route*

-You were shocked having been confessed to by the twins, you did love them but not like they loved you.

-You smiled at both of them and hugged them tight before stepping back and explaining that to them.

-It hurt, it was obvious by their expressions but you didn’t need a partner by your side at least not now.

-Yoh respected that much about you, Hao was a bit petty about your decision but he just left you alone after that night.

-You fought alongside Yoh for the rest of the shaman fights and helped defeat Hao even though he took the crown of Shaman King.

-Life made sense due to your decision. With Hao being a god it was rare to see him but as years went by you and Yoh and quickly outgrown him and you made fun of him for it every time you saw him.

-You own an orange cat and named him Hao Jr.

-You’re the first to hold little Hana Asakura once he’s born since Yoh had fainted during the birthing process, Anna literally only trusts you with her baby.

-Your the crazy aunt that carries little Hana around in a baby chest carrier, both of you wearing black shades as you walk around flexing that you are the proud aunt of a handsome little orange boy!

-Yoh is super happy to find out that you end up engaged to Horohoro but does give him the talk about cherishing you and killing you if he hurts you.

-Yoh and Hao become your honorary brothers and they don’t let anyone mess with you even if you’re old enough to protect yourself.

#shaman king head cannons #shaman king x reader #yoh asakura #hao asakura #shaman king #Yoh Asakura x reader #hao Asakura x reader #x reader

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fiddlepickdouglas · 4 years ago

Text

Viva Las Vegas, Pt. 4 - Favors

Summary: Sunset Curve Alive AU, Willex, will he make it?, 2.5k

@trevor-wilson-covington is the bestie who makes me these lovely edits, we stan supportive friends

Part 1, Part 2, Part 3

Willie’s hands were red and wrinkly from all the dishwashing. The industrial washer was hot and the smell was gag-inducing but somehow after some time he could manage not to notice it. Glancing at the clock, he sighed heavily. It was 7:40. Alex was going to be on stage soon and he wasn’t even off his shift. He’d had a feeling that was going to happen though. Even if it was foolish to hope, he’d been the fool anyway.

Business had sure picked up from the lull that morning, but thankfully he wasn’t bussing tables. He rarely had to be a waiter, and the main reason he’d gone out there earlier was because there were four attractive boys and no one else and he wasn’t missing a chance to pick up on one of them. Willie hadn’t imagined Alex to be so disarming, not to mention that the chances of seeing him again had seemed impossible.

Finally, the next shift came into the kitchen and he could set his last load on a drying rack. His apron was off and hung and he was headed out the door so quickly that he didn’t see Caleb coming into the kitchen.

“In a rush, William?” the man said in his usual austere manner.

Willie paused in his tracks and looked back at him like a deer in the headlights.

“Ah...yeah, I just....have some errands to run,” he tried to smile casually, but he was no good at lying. It seemed silly that he felt he had to make an excuse, but he was never sure if Caleb was going to demand something more out of him.

“Well, they seem pretty important,” Caleb said, patting his shoulder and peering down at him. Willie could sense the height difference between them. “Better get them done.”

Before he could seize up completely from the intimidation, Willie grabbed his board and helmet and stuffed the cash from his tips into his back pocket. He never adhered to the curfew Caleb gave him, no matter how he got punished for it later. Stepping into the night air and kicking off on his board, a monolithic weight floated away from his shoulders. The breeze was life flowing across his face and through his clothing, hair whipping around behind him.

“Whooooo!” he cried, echoing through the street.

This was what he lived for - the simplicity of him against everything else. His hands were getting the brunt of the wind chill, since he hadn’t let them dry completely before heading out, but it was refreshing.

Willie had learned a lot of shortcuts in the city and if he moved fast enough he would just barely get himself to the show on time. Skating through alleyways and low-traffic streets, he weaved through the Las Vegas nightlife with almost no effort. The lights at this angle were nothing but blurs. His ears still burned to know what Alex had been about to say when he’d mentioned showing him a better view. The thought of them perched above the rest of the city, watching the lights flash and twinkle below -

A car honked loudly at him as it screeched to a stop, narrowly missing him as he crossed the street. Willie tripped over his board and only just managed to stay on his feet as he held his hands up defensively.

“Sorry!” He called to the driver.

“Use the crosswalk!” they yelled without even rolling down their window.

He collected his board and ran to the opposite side before he could see their angry mug flipping him off. Once he was safe, he checked over his shoulder and his hands went to feel his helmet. It was on, thank goodness.

“Use the crosswalk…” he muttered in a mocking manner, laughing it off. Huffing as he mounted his board again, he continued on his way to Alex’s concert.

Just a few blocks later he was at the entrance to the Pearl and looked on at the closed doors. His heart sank slowly as he approached them, pulling on the handles and finding them locked. It couldn’t be too long after eight, right? He peeked inside the windows, hoping to find anyone near the entrance. Nobody was visible. Banging the door a couple times, he waited to see if anyone came.

“Hello?” he shouted, getting no better view through the windows than before. “Heeyyy!”

He saw a security guard round a corner and ditched immediately into the side alley. Willie didn’t own a watch so he had no idea how late he was. He leaned against the wall and sighed deeply, wishing his heartbeat would settle. The taunting thought came that oh well, it wasn’t meant to work out, he’s just some guy in a band. Feeling his fist clench the moment those words crossed his mind, he hit it against the wall and grunted in frustration.

That feeling was wrong, and he knew it was because he had felt something bigger than that. He’d seen Alex’s face and the calm adoration that reflected in his eyes. Willie couldn’t recall feeling more alive and more at home than in those moments. He sat against the wall, leaning his elbows on his knees and placing his head in his hands. There had to be a way to get into the show. Alex had to know that he’d tried, at the very least.

He didn’t know how long he sat there, but the more time passed the more he knew he was just missing the best night of his life. Nothing helpful was coming to him either and he had half a mind to just go back to the bodega and cuddle Sheldon. His finger ran over the sore on his hand that Alex had so tenderly bandaged. He’d had to remove the band-aids while he was washing dishes - the sting was another thing he’d tuned out while working. A door at the side of the building opened and the alley was momentarily flooded with yellow light.

“Jules!” he heard a girl with long braids saying to another girl in an edgy, glamorous dress who was extremely upset.

“Flynn, I’m trying so hard, but I don’t know if I can be my best on stage tonight. I should be there with her!” The other girl said. Willie shrank into the shadows, not wanting to invade on privacy but also not wanting to be caught.

“She knows you would be there if you could! There’s still time and I know that she would be proud of you for killing it up there. Just hear me out, Julie.”

Julie. Willie was trying to remember why that name was significant.

She sighed and crossed her arms. “Say it, because I know I can’t stop you.”

“Okay,” Flynn started. “Your mom got you into music. She gave you a gift! She shared what she loved with you and she didn’t do it so you could drop it when things got tough.”

“Let me guess,” Julie said with a hint of skepticism. “She would want me to keep sharing it?”

“Look at my smart girl,” Flynn said with warm pride. She held out her arms to give her friend a hug.

Julie. Julie. It finally clicked in Willie’s mind. He stood up and stepped into their view, causing them to break apart from their touching moment. Flynn moved protectively in front of her friend.

“Who are you?” she asked, a fierce expression aimed in his direction. Willie raised his hands and slowly approached.

“I don’t mean to butt in,” he said carefully.

“Oh, really? Cuz you just did and we’re kind of in the middle of something personal.” Flynn clearly was down to fight. He moved closer and she blocked him. “You’re gonna have to get through me, skater boy.”

He looked over her shoulder to see the other girl.

“Are you Julie Molina?”

Flynn continued to step between him and Julie, and folded her arms.

“Who’s asking?” she said defiantly.

“I’m Willie,” he said, stopping so Flynn would quit blocking him. He looked at Julie. “First, I’m sorry you can’t be with your mom. It sounds like she isn’t okay and that really sucks.” The girls shared a glance full of pity. “Also, sorry for asking, but do you know Alex?”

Julie came forward and put a hand on Flynn’s shoulder, giving her a look that made her friend drop the mama bear attitude.

“Yeah, I do,” she said hesitantly.

“Uh…” Willie started awkwardly. “Well, he told me to come tonight and it looks like I missed my chance. I just wanted him to know I didn’t forget.”

Flynn raised an eyebrow but Julie shrugged at it.

“You know he’s playing right now,” she told him.

Willie nodded, looking down at the ground. That wasn’t a reminder he really needed. Flynn studied him for a few seconds and then raised a finger, furrowing her brow.

“Are you the guy Alex was talking about earlier?”

He looked slightly flabbergasted.

“Who was he talking about earlier?”

“Oh, just some skater with a cat in a sandwich shop,” she said, heavy on the sarcasm. “We got him to confess.” She gave Julie a smug look.

Willie couldn’t help smiling.

“Yep, it’s him.” Flynn smirked.

Julie looked at him thoughtfully for a minute.

“You know what?” she began. “I don’t usually do this, but I’m gonna do this.” She went to the door again.

“Does this mean you’re good about going on tonight?” Flynn asked.

“Yeah,” Julie said. “You were right. My mom would want me there. And she would also want me to do favors once in a while.” She gave a pointed look at Willie as she pulled the door open. Flynn got an excited look on her face, grabbed Willie’s wrist, and started pulling him inside.

“Sorry about coming off the wrong way,” she said back to him. “Are we good?”

“You bet we’re good,” he replied, not sure how he’d gotten this far, but happy nonetheless. They moved through storage rooms full of props and costumes from other theatrical shows being held at the venue. Faint rock music echoed from above.

“Okay people, Julie and Flynn plus one coming through!” Flynn called as they passed various members of the tech crew. She let go of Willie’s wrist so he could properly hold his board as he followed them. First, they met a man with short gray hair who approached Julie with concern.

“Estás bien mija?” he asked, holding his arms out slightly to invite a hug if she needed one. Julie accepted it, but it was only a quick one.

“I’ll be okay, dad,” she said reassuringly. “At least for tonight, I will.”

Her dad patted her on the back as he nodded toward Willie.

“Who’s this?”

Julie raised her eyebrows awkwardly.

“Uhhhhhh this is my new friend! My new friend....” she eyed him to provide his name, having clearly forgotten.

“Willie,” he followed, holding out a hand to shake.

“Nice to meet you, Willie, I’m Ray,” her dad said, taking his hand. He didn’t seem to question that Julie had picked up a new friend for a moment. “Well, I’m going to head to my seat with Carlos. You’re gonna do great out there, mija.” He blew her a kiss as he walked off.

They could all hear the crowd screaming. Sunset Curve had finished their set and by the sound of footsteps, were all headed backstage. Willie had a mix of disappointment that he didn’t actually get to see them play, but it paled next to his excitement to see Alex.

Flynn grabbed Willie’s wrist again, leading him to one of the dressing rooms. She knocked lightly, and a voice was heard saying “come in”. She simply opened the door and pushed Willie inside.

“This belongs to you!” she said, giving Willie a double thumbs up before dashing off with a devilish smile on her face. As Willie stumbled forward, Alex turned around from wiping his face in the mirror. His eyes went wide in surprise as he dropped the towel he was holding.

“How did you - how…?” Alex was lost for words, but his smile grew.

Willie shrugged charismatically and jutted his thumb back toward where Flynn had been, clicking his teeth.

“I have my ways,” he said smoothly, dropping his board on the floor and making his way over to Alex.

“Sorry I’m all sweaty,” Alex said sheepishly, pulling his chair up, sitting on it backwards and facing Willie.

“Don’t worry about it,” Willie said, sitting cross-legged on the end of an ottoman, aware that if he moved too close their knees would touch. “I’m sorry I just missed seeing you guys play.”

“Oh, well,” Alex flailed his hands awkwardly. “I mean, that is a bummer, but I’m not mad about it.”

Willie just looked on fondly. Alex was so uncomplicated compared to everything else, and it made him all but go dizzy.

“Julie’s going to be on pretty soon,” Alex was saying. “You could join me and the guys to watch her. We won’t be doing anything fun after, though, because her mom isn’t doing well and we have a long drive home tomorrow.” He stopped there, and they both sat not thinking about how tomorrow would come and put a distance between them. Willie hadn’t even known him for twenty-four hours and that inevitable separation felt...wrong.

“Before we go up, then, I have a question,” Wille said.

Alex looked at him with expecting eyes. Willie looked back into them, smiling.

“What were you going to say this morning, about the lights in the city?”

Blinking, Alex took a minute to recollect what Willie was referring to. He gave a big nod when it finally came to him.

“Right. You were saying that I needed to see them at the right angle and that you would show me if I weren’t already busy.” He paused and stared at the floor for a few seconds. When he looked up he asked, “Was that an invitation?”

“It is now,” Willie responded.

Reggie poked his head in the door.

“Alex, we’re heading up to watch Julie, you coming?” he said. Then he pointed at Willie with a goofy smile. “Hey, buddy! Good to see you!” Bobby was peeking in over his shoulder, and the smug look on his face made Alex turn red.

“Yep,” Alex said matter-of-factly, a goofy expression on his face. “We - ” He glanced over at Willie, surprised to refer to the two of them as ‘we’. “We’re coming.”

Reggie and Bobby disappeared as Alex glanced at the clock on the wall. Willie put a hand on his back and rubbed slightly, feeling his nerves extending into the entire room. Taking in a deep breath, Alex simply gave him an appreciative look and stood up.

“Come on, let’s get up there,” he said in a breathy tone.

Willie smiled wide. Leaving his board and his helmet behind, he followed Alex out to their seats, ready to watch the girl who’d helped him get to this point put on a stunning performance.

#julie and the phantoms #jatp #fanfic #jatp fanfic #willex #alive au #alex mercer #willie #luke patterson #reggie peters #bobby wilson #julie molina #flynn #ray molina #carlos molina #viva las vegas #favors #fiddlepickdouglas

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hautecompress · 4 years ago

Text

Perfume

The largeness of the room threatens to swallow Erwin whole. Lying on his side in bed, he can see the outline of familiar shapes in the dark--a sleek, white desk, a large computer, long black curtains over two equally long windows. A minimalist chair. Two overstuffed bookshelves. There is a closet on the far wall, a small room in its own right. The white doors are slightly ajar, a mound of dirty laundry spilling out from within.

The windows are open, and he can smell rain, hear it even, tapping against the glass. The earth smells different here, he thinks. Deeper, older. Less complicated. He can smell the woods beyond the house, the maple and elm and pine with their leaves that change from green to gold and red. He wonders what it will look like in the winter, when all the leaves have gone and only the long tangled branches remain, clasping at one another like lover’s hands. He wonders if he will be able to see the horizon through them--the sun setting behind the mountains far in the west, its rays reaching out towards him like warm arms. He wonders if the sky will turn a thousand splendid colors, splintered into shards like light off the surface of a diamond.

He lights a cigarette, rolls onto his back.

The ceiling seems to drift away, even as he remains still on the flimsy IKEA mattress that his father managed to drag up the stairs while he was at school. Could it be growing? Floating upwards? Lifting away?

This will be a new beginning for us, Erwin, I swear.

He thinks about the brownstone in the city, with its steep stairways and small closets and narrow rooms. He thinks about his body pressed into stranger’s bodies on the train, the cats in bodegas who wrapped like twine around his ankles. He thinks about his mother, holding him tightly to her chest as they slipped into a crowd, her hand cupped over the back of his skull. He thinks about protection. Being protected.

Life is smaller without her hands on his shoulders. Miniscule, like walls closing in or doors slamming shut. His father says the woods will do them good. All of the space will encourage them to change, to move on, to grow up.

It’s like with fish, Erv. Bigger the tank, bigger the fish. We need a bigger tank-- that’s all.

Erwin frowns, soft blonde hair spilling across his pillow like milk. He wants to believe that that’s true, but in his heart of hearts he knows he’s simply not a fish. Even with all this room to grow all he wants to do is curl in, shrivel up, and disappear.

At school the classrooms seem empty. Twenty vacant desks to ten filled ones. He wonders why people stay, why they don’t move to the cities and let nature take back what belongs to it. What is the point in passing through the world like a ghost, so far removed from other people that you hardly know what’s real? That morning he’d heard an old song on the new hits radio station. He wonders if they ever play the songs he knows intimately, the ones that blare out of open car windows and through the swinging doors of clubs you have to know somebody to get into. He wonders if he’ll ever hear those songs again, or if they’ll fade away like the fall, like the sun in the west, like the smoke from a cigarette.

“Can I sit here?”

Erwin is surprised, so he doesn’t answer. The boy is small and pale, fingernails picked so clean that he can see the skin underneath. He has black hair, inky and soft. It falls in waves over his forehead, the rest of it shaved to the scalp. He has very full lips, like two petals blooming from the stem of his sharp chin.

“Yeah, sure. Of course,” Erwin says. He sits up a little straighter.

When the boy sits down, his hair falls over one eye, Erwin notices, and the smell of it wafts across the table. The boy smells uncomplicated, like smoke and leaves and something fresh. Laundry detergent.

“What are you drawing?” the boy asks, rusty, rough--but still so quiet.

Erwin looks down at the table, to the notebook he has cupped between his hands. He’s sketched something crude there, a scribble of a skyline that is etched like a tattoo on his memory. He pushes it across to the boy, an offering.

“Home,” he says, simply.

The boy looks at the drawing for a long time.

There is a box in the front room that neither Erwin nor his father will touch. They have adapted their lives around it, have grown so used to it being there that he hardly notices it anymore.

It is three in the afternoon, and he is crawling on the floor, looking for the dropped back of an earring he’s been wearing since middle school. His shoulder snags the corner of the box, and he sits back on his heels, looking at it properly for the first time in months. He knows what they’ve packed in there, of course. He knows why they don’t unpack it now, and knows that he won’t ever do it alone, even if it feels irrational. Still, it seems important, all of a sudden, to at least look inside.

He crawls forward, kneeling in front of it, a boy at the altar.

Inside, things are just as he expected. He runs his fingers over a silk scarf, wound up tenderly and placed neatly on top. When he pulls them away, they smell like perfume. He closes the box, and goes upstairs to wash his hands.

The boy with dark hair is called Levi.

Levi is allergic to peanut butter and doesn’t like to be talked to. He talks a lot to Erwin, though. Mostly about books he reads, or things he sees on the internet. At times it seems that all Erwin does anymore is sit and listen to Levi talk, busy fingers working at something on a blank piece of paper. A memory, perhaps, or a want. A forest of tall green trees. Feathers, falling. The faces of monsters.

It always becomes a blur before the end.

Erwin doesn’t mind when Levi talks. In fact, he has started to feel as though he needs Levi to talk. It makes him feel special, unique. Relevant. When Levi talks, he leans closer, their cheeks nearly brushing as Levi mumbles thoughts against his ear. He doesn’t always follow their meaning, doesn’t always have to.

It’s enough just to feel the vibrations against his skin. To be told a secret.

When winter comes, Erwin cannot see the mountains. He is walking past his window one afternoon and sees only the tangles of trees, thick silver arms twisting up towards the sky. They have fingers, but not faces.

He feels strangely relieved.

“What’s in there?”

Erwin looks up, following the direction of Levi’s eyes. They are in his living room, curled side by side under a soft blanket. At first, he doesn’t see what Levi means. His eyes scan the large room, finding nothing but familiar shapes. Large, leather sofa. Broad oak table. Wide brick fireplace. There is a circular rug in the center, a simple design. There is a pile of magazines on the side table, old copies of Outdoor Life that his father won’t throw away.

When he sees it, his fists clench.

“Nothing, just some old shit we haven’t put away.”

Levi looks at him, gray eyes searching his for something. It makes Erwin feel distinctly uncomfortable and he looks away, folding his arms across his chest. He feels defensive, though he isn’t sure why.

“It’s always there. Since we met.”

Erwin frowns, padding in his shirt pocket for a pack of cigarettes. He pulls one out, lighting it. The silver smoke fills up the space between them, makes the room feel smaller.

“I don’t want to talk about it,” he says.

“You never want to talk,” Levi replies.

“How could I get a word in edgewise?”

It comes off harsher than he means it, and he worries that Levi will leave. He looks up, face tight with anxiety. He needs Levi to stay, to talk. If Levi goes the world will expand. If Levi goes he’ll drift away, like a ship without an anchor. Like he’s made of nothing but air.

Levi’s eyes are soft when he catches them. It startles him, how much he sees there. Gentleness swims in those gray eyes, a fish kept small by the size of his irises. Erwin wonders how big that fish might grow if only it could escape, if Levi’s eyes became the size of the sun, or the moon, or even something small, primitive--a fist.

Warm fingers brush against Erwin’s cheek, smoothing a line beneath the bone.

When Levi kisses him, Erwin is not startled. Instead, he is heavy, so weighed down by their physical bodies that he is sure that he can feel the ceilings lowering, the room shrinking. He fits, here, against Levi. In this room.

It’s snowing when Levi goes home that night. Erwin watches it fall through the living room window, kneeling in front of the open box. He holds the scarf in his hands, tight.

It’s cold out, but Erwin walks to school. The sky is white, so thick that he can hardly tell where it ends, where the earth begins. He feels small, comfortable. His hair is growing longer, white threads along his pale cheeks. He’s nearly as tall as his father, now, has to wear socks under his jeans to hide his peeping ankles.

As he walks, he listens to an old song, one he knows the words to. One he knows the feeling of.

“Can I see it?”

Levi is perched like a cat on his knee, curled around his body like twine. Erwin looks up, smiling his crooked smile. The one that is like his mother’s.

The page is full. There is the city there, it’s skyline crisp against a blue sky. In the center, a woman in a silk scarf looks back, bag hanging off her shoulder. He can nearly smell her perfume.

“She was really beautiful, Erwin.”

“Yeah, she was.”

Levi’s arms close around him protectively, a hand cupping the back of his skull.

In the spring, Erwin carries the box up the stairs. He takes out the things that are practical--the photos, the pieces of art, the journals. He puts those things away, in places where he can get to them. He hangs some of the photos in the living room, some paintings in the hallway. He leaves her clothes, folding them neatly and storing them in the back of the coat closet.

The scarf he keeps. He folds it into thirds and tucks it beneath his pillow.

When Erwin wakes up, her perfume is everywhere.

He slips out of bed, smooth as a fish in cold water. He dresses slowly, eyes fixed on the woods outside the window. The trees are budding. Their leaves will blossom soon, he thinks, green and uncomplicated. Infinite.

As he stoops to catch his reflection in his mirror, he wonders when his room got to be so small. He wonders at how much he’s grown.

Outside, Levi is waiting on the porch. His mouth is full of words, the kind that Erwin bends to hear.

The silver smoke from his cigarette disappears from between his fingers, drifting up into the endless blue sky.

#erwin smith #levi ackerman #eruri #eruri fic #attack on titan #snk #aot #my writing #my original work #fic repost

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autistic-singer515 · 4 years ago

Text

The Brain’s Love Confession.

Here’s my fan comic sketch version of my previous fan art of Pinky and the Brain where the Brain thinks Pinky is dead and FINALLY confessed his love for him as well as blaming himself for his actions, including abusing his friend and forcefully controlling Julia.

The Brain: “Pinky! Pinky! Wake up! Oh, please..... “

The Brain tried and tried desperately to wake Pinky up by shaking him. But it didn’t seem to be working. He didn’t seem to be breathing. His pulse appeared to have stopped. The Brain felt his stomach drop. His sad eyes remained very open and still. Losing Pinky was like the world stopped turning for the Brain. His eyes filled with warm tears. He hyperventilated that it was almost difficult for him to breath. He knew he couldn’t avoid the fact that he was responsible for his friends apparent death. There was no way he was going to back it up or take it back. It was too late to save Pinky.

Where did he go wrong?

Pinky was always the lucky one when it comes to injuries compared to the Brain. Why did he have to get killed now?

It doesn’t make sense.....

The Brain never wanted Pinky to die or leave him alone. He had been his friend ever since after he was experimented on by scientists all alone and abused.

The Brain: “no, no, no, no, no! That should’ve been me who got killed!...... I made nothing but terrible mistakes!..... Pinky, how could have been so stupid!..... I didn’t want this!.... You were always getting in the way!.....”

But the Brain stopped himself and slapped himself in the face. He knew he should be grateful for his friends rescue and his devotion for him.

The Brain: “no! Snap out of it, Brain! No more insults!....”

The Brain looked down at the unconscious Pinky tearfully. He never seen his funny friend so lifeless in his entire life. He had bruises in his body too. He never thought it would happen.

The Brain finally clutched Pinky’s hand tenderly. He rubbed it with his other hand.

Even behind the Brain’s stoic appearance, he secretly loved hearing Pinky laugh, he’s even starting to miss him saying oblivious things like “I think so Brain and replies about stupid things like replacing the P of his name with an O and if I eat myself, would I disappear?”, say nonsensical words like Narf and Poit! and do idiotic stuff like squirt whipped cream into his ears to his mouth and dance to that stupid Schmeerskahoven song. Now Pinky the only mouse who loved the Brain dearly no matter how abusive he is and stuck with him through thick and thin was gone. He’ll never see him do silly things again. The Brain’s heart stung as he looked at Pinky. He grabbed his chest so tightly.

This depressing feeling of losing Pinky really hurts the Brain. He haven’t felt that way ever since he went to hell to save Pinky 24 years ago. But this was way worse.

“What kind of friend am I?” thought the Brain tearfully. “I gambled with his love for me..... And look what I’ve done to him....”

The Brain picked his friend up and let his head settle in his arms. He took a deep breath and then exhaled, trying not to hide his feelings this time even though it wasn’t easy. But Pinky is apparently gone, so he wouldn’t be able to hear him confess to him. But the Brain felt like doing it anyway. He couldn’t bare to hold it in much longer. It got him nowhere before and it would do it again. How the Brain regretted it.

The Brain: “Thanks for saving me, Pinky...... I’ve always said mean things to you, treated you like you were inferior to me and abused you.... You always were a good friend.... I never got to tell you how I really feel.... I was too obsessed with being tough and intelligent.... I was afraid I would once again be hurt and betrayed if I tell you my true feelings..... I couldn’t be the helpless and weak little mouse I once was....”

The Brain’s tears kept running down his cheeks profusely. He angrily shook his fist. He was so angry at himself for letting his obsession get to him. He could just kick himself for that. If only he could take all of it back.

The Brain: “It’s all because of my stupid childhood trauma and my stupid obsession with world domination!....... I haven’t realized it until now that every time I bottled up my emotions, it just gradually makes me worse!..... It just frustrates me to no end!.....”

The Brain touched Pinky’s lifeless face tenderly and began to rub his cheek. He began to smile bittersweetly, thankful to have Pinky as a friend. Without him, the Brain wouldn’t learn to love again, just pure anger and hate. He wouldn’t have wanted friends after he was taken away from his family to be experimented on and then his former best friend Snowball betrayed him. He never would’ve read his Christmas list for Santa. He never would’ve saved Pinky in the jungle after he gave him the courage to brave the unknown. He never would’ve sacrificed the world for Pinky at Halloween. He never would have quit smoking or stop encouraging children to smoke. He never would’ve fight his future self just to save him from him. And most importantly, he never would’ve changed his ways after Pinky felt his and Julia’s pain. Pinky might’ve ruined his plans for world domination, but the Brain couldn’t care less. He realized that Pinky was more important to him. If only he realized it sooner, even though he did save him a bunch of times.

The Brain: “But you showed me that it’s okay to be weak sometimes.... You didn’t treat me like the world’s greatest dictator.... But a normal individual who has inner compassion..... I knew it in my heart that you would never hurt me.....”

But the Brain’s smile dropped down. He sniffled. Saying those words made his depression grow. He rubbed his cheeks to dry off his tears.

The Brain: “But I learned those lessons too late.... I’m the one who hurt and betrayed you..... I’ve become the electric cheese platter.....”

The Brain sniffled again. If only he was a better friend for Pinky. If only he hadn’t abused him. If only he hadn’t abused Julia. That got the Brain’s friend killed. If only he was aware of his surroundings before he could go that far. But it was too late to take it all back. He didn’t even deserve Pinky in the first place. The Brain finally knew that he was a bad mouse.

The Brain: “I’m so sorry for everything I’ve put you through, Pinky..... I don’t deserve to have a friend like you.... Lately I was more selfish, cruel, bitter, angry, pathetic and even...... EVIL!......”

The Brain thought about his old friend who turned against him and the world, Snowball. He was once hurt and betrayed by him after they’ve turned intelligent, just like the cheese platter hurt him. He never thought he would sunk this low like Snowball.

The Brain: “I’ve become more like Snowball..... My jealousy towards Julia has got you killed......”

Julia feels guilty for her own actions as she watched the Brain cradling Pinky tenderly. She unfondly remembered the Brain as a heartless and abusive dictator who seemed to be deprived of any emotions and love. But boy, was she wrong. The Brain just hid his inner struggles and love inside him just so he could take over the world. He does loves Pinky. He does have emotions after all. The Brain’s empathy is what saved her from her monsterous form and the obedience chip in her ear in the first place. But Julia’s eyes filled with tears. She thought her life was going to be so perfect when she was elected senator. She never thought this would happen.

How could she have sunk much lower than the Brain?

She killed Pinky all because of her unhealthy obsession with getting rid of the Brain after he controlled her forcefully.

She sadly thought about the times she had with Pinky when she kidnapped him. She abused him the same way the Brain did all because of the obedience chip changed her mentality. But Pinky was still so nice to her despite it all. Julia knew how much Pinky saw some good in people despite his faith in them could be blind at times.

Her lips shook intensely as she thought about Pinky.

Julia: “What have I done?.... Brain, I’m so sorry.... it’s all my fault.....”

The Brain felt just as guilty as Julia as she apologized to him. He pouted and bowed his head.

The Brain: “No!... You were right, Julia!...... I’m not a genius!..... I’m a monster!..... I made you suffer the same way I have suffered long ago.... if I haven’t controlled you with my obedience chip..... Maybe none of this would’ve happened!...... I would’ve let you make your own choices!.... I would’ve swallowed my pride!.... Pinky wouldn’t have sacrificed himself to save me from you!....”

The Brain sobbed really hard uncontrollably.

Even if the Brain admitted he was wrong, Julia still felt awful for her own actions. She was just the same as the Brain. A real senator would never do those things. If only she realized it sooner before it was too late. If only she listened to her conscious constantly telling her that her actions were just as wrong as Brain’s. She sobbed uncontrollably as well. She thought of herself as a vengeful monster too.

The Brain hugged Pinky tightly as he continued sobbing gushers of tears. His tears formed a puddle on the ground. He thought about the times he had with Pinky while trying to take over the world for over 20 years like dressing up as super heroes to save the world, traveling to the North Pole, reading Pinky’s Christmas list to Santa after rejecting multiple times, saving Pinky from Snowball a few times, getting lost in the jungle, saving Pinky from being trapped in hell instead of taking over the world alone, dancing in the beach together, saving the world together to stop people from being stupid from that stupid dance from the evil intelligent cat, Pinky carrying him when his robotic son exploded, saving Pinky from his future self and being trapped in a car machine. The Brain sang a dark depressing reprise of “Bonding” to Pinky.

The Brain: “I don’t deserve to have you back!..... It’s all my fault!....”

The Brain decided to really say the big one. He never said it to anyone in his life, not even Pinky.

The Brain: “I....... I.... I.....I......”

Why was the electric shock still making him nervous to say it?

Being weak sometimes isn’t that bad.....

It’s just new for him to say it to anyone, right?....

Come on! Spit it out!

Stop trying to hide it!

The Brain let his tear fell off his eye and dropped on Pinky’s nose. The tear on Pinky’s nose reflected the Brain’s tearful face. The Brain continued to cradle Pinky.

But then Pinky’s nose wiggled, feeling the tear. His heart began to beat again. His closed his squinted, unaware of his surroundings and the unexpected cradling back and forth. He weakly opened his eyes and looked at the glistening teardrop rolling down his nose. It felt wet.

Is it raining outside?

But the dew on his nose felt very warm.

It couldn’t be rain. Rain is usually cold.

But the dew rolled down into Pinky’s mouth. He tasted it. It was salty.

Tears?

But from who?

Then Pinky felt a very warm and fuzzy embrace around his head. He also noticed that his back head was also settled onto a round belly like a pillow. His right ear felt a heart beat at the Brain’s chest. Then the hug tightened. Pinky’s eyes popped out as he was being squeezed. He also recognized that tight grip.

Could that be?.....

Pinky slowly looked up and saw that the Brain was crying for him as well as hugging and cradling him.

That is so unlike Brain to do this for him. He was usually stoic and grumpy.

The Brain couldn’t take it anymore. He couldn’t waste it any longer. He exhaled.

The Brain: “I LOVE YOU, PINKY!!!!.... I LOVE YOU MORE THAN WORLD DOMINATION!...... THERE!.... I’VE SAID IT!......”

But Pinky did hear the Brain confess his love for him. His heart began to jump with glee. Finally! The Brain finally confessed his love for him!

How is that possible?

But Pinky didn’t bother about the logic surrounding it. He just smiled at the Brain.

He was loved. He was loved by Brain after all.

Pinky weakly pulled up his right arm. His hand touched the Brain’s cheek to rub off his tears.

Pinky: “I love you too, Brain...... Narf!.....”

The Brain heard his friends voice.

Could it be?

Is he alive?

Or was it his imagination?

The Brain suddenly grabbed his friends wrist.

The Brain: “Pinky?....”

The Brain looked down at Pinky. Pinky was smiling at him lovingly. He realized that he did heard him confess. The Brain touched his friends hand and clutched it tenderly again. He gasped happily. Happy tears were streaming down his face.

The Brain: “Pinky! You’re alive! Oh, thank goodness!”

Julia uncovered her face as she heard the Brain’s excited yells. She saw Pinky alive and well. Her heart sighed with relief. She didn’t kill Pinky after all. Happy tears streamed down her face too.

Julia: “Pinky! You’re okay!.... Bless my heart!...”

The Brain and Julia never felt this relieved in their lives.

The Brain hugged Pinky really tightly as he laughed and cried. He twirled him around. He didn’t even shy away from hugging him or denying it this time. As Pinky looked at the happy Brain, he sees him returning to his nicer self in the 90’s. And rather than speaking in an a more angry and slightly higher worn out voice, his voice became a lot calmer and deeper once again too. But Pinky had a feeling that it’s gonna be permanent this time. Their relationship is going to change for the better. Realizing this, Pinky happily hugged the Brain back.

The Brain: “For a while I thought you were a goner!... You scared me!.....”

Pinky hushed him calmly.

Pinky: “It’s okay now, Brain.... I’m here... I’m fine now....”

The Brain: “Oh, Pinky.... Oh, Pinky..... I can’t hold it back much longer..... I’m not that strong of a dictator.....”

Then the Brain finally bawls his eyes out, letting out years of repressed emotions. He cried more puddles of tears.

The Brain sobbed “I....I....I’m so sorry!...... I didn’t really m....m...mean to hurt both of you!..... I didn’t really mean to h....h...hurt anyone!..... I was such a repressed jerk!.....”

Pinky hushed him gently again.

“It’s going to be okay now, Brain.....” said Pinky reassuringly.

Julia herself wasn’t sure she should join in the hug after what she did to Pinky.

But Pinky gestures for Julia to join in the hug. So Julia joined in and cried remorsefully too.

Maybe the happy ending was all thought up by Dot who was infuriated by the overly moralistic and realistic tv executives who wanted the episode to be a sad cautionary story of Pinky and the Brain.

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atinybitofau · 5 years ago

Text

[ateez] J O N G H O ⤑ couple au

THE “UNLIKELY” COUPLE

aka he’s not your friend but his friends are friends with yours and you know how that goes

• no you haven’t met the infamous Choi Jongho.

• but you have met Jung Wooyoung.

• who was childhood best friends with Kang Yeosang,

• that inevitably knew your college lab partner Jeong Yunho,

• to which, back to Wooyoung, IS your best friend.

• and that’s how your friend circle began.

• Jongho was a little more skeptical when it came to making friends.

• because he was known to be this young masculine overall HOT piece of meat everyone just pined over.

• being somehow hand in hand with amateur model Park Seonghwa,

• street race buddies with hot topic Choi San and even hotter chaebol Song Mingi.

• oh yeah,

• those four were THE epitome of millennial upper class.

• and who just so happened to be the beautiful mediator in all this?

• a man who knew ALL boys without even needing you technically,

• your lovely neighbor of 10 years Kim Hongjoong who just loved to knock on your door every night looking for food.

• which in terms of this moment sort of looks like,

• “So I saw your door was open and brought some friends for your famous chicken parm!”

• you turn over your shoulder in complete and utter stupefaction,

• wrapping your half naked body with your lazily draped robe.

• “KIM HONGJOONG IM BASICALLY NAKED YOU IDIOT!”

• so maybe the mediator gets too comfortable sometimes..

• being able to drag 8 hormonal men into your house unannounced being the definition of too comfortable.

• “OH MY GOD, PLEASE GET OUT!”

• they don’t by the way,

• Hongjoong smiling smug with a cold cup of water and 7 flustered faces around your kitchen counter.

• and here YOU come approaching from your bedroom calm and not surprised at the least anymore that they’re still here.

• not when Hongjoong has caught you walking around your house naked almost once a week.

• but this was your love story with Choi Jongho right?

• and he just so happened to be the only one blatantly lovestruck staring at you.

• your eyes move to Hongjoong in spite of your own fluster greeting them all with a bow.

• “I’m sorry you had to see that..” your comment’s broad but your glare is narrowed at Wooyoung and Hongjoong who can’t smiling. “You two.. I swear, I’ll have your heads.”

• “When and where?”

• you snark a strong growl at Wooyoung before he kisses you on the cheek. “Now can someone please tell me why 8 very tall and handsome men are crowded in my house at 6 in the afternoon?”

• your eyes catch Jongho’s yet again,

• like instinct almost, animalistic.

• he’s as beautiful as everyone says he is.

• charm oozing right off his face and body.

• you don’t know why the way he looks at you seems different from everyone else.

• maybe it’s all in your head.

• that a look like that wouldn’t be dawned on you in a million years.

• “Well Seonghwa stopped by my place.” Hongjoong nods towards Wooyoung. “Then this idiot and now the whole squad’s here. Who, to my knowledge, you haven’t been well acquainted with just yet.”

• you chuckle at that sitting comfortably at a seat beside him. “Well considering the circumstances, I think we can all agree that we’ve been acquainted. Albeit not so visually at ease.”

• “Oh no your boobs are great!”

• you can’t help but laugh at the defense mechanism a new man you recognize as Mingi uses.

• the boys you already know ready to cut his tongue off.

• “Um thanks?”

• you don’t want to.

• god you don’t mean to—

• but your eyes do it again.

• in a room full of 8 men,

• 4 of which you don’t know in general,

• somehow gravitating towards one in particular.

• “I’m sorry.” Seonghwa notices first the way your eyes find a center on his best friend. “I don’t think we’ve all met. I’m Seonghwa. That’s Jongho.”

• then there’s two men you don’t know left.

• but the one you’re thinking of has already past.

• “I’m San. And Mr. boob fanatic here is Song Mingi. It’s really nice to meet you, y/n.”

• you’re obviously gonna look at the four.

• and it’s only right that you properly introduce yourself.

• but the moment your body gets engulfed in Choi Jongho’s warmth?

• he’s a “friend of a friend” you feel will be of way more importance in terms of..

• comfort.

• “Jongho?” you reappear from your bedroom half asleep noticing the rest of the boys had left. “What are you still doing here?”

• “O-oh, well I didn’t want to leave without thanking you. And apologizing on everyone’s behalf.” he subtly rubs his eyes setting down a book he was reading before smiling at you.

• you sleepily smile back sitting a safe distance away. “That’s sweet of you. But you do know it’s almost 1 in the morning, right?”

• “Right..”

• you lay your head against your couch smiling at him still. “Are you sleepy? Do you have to drive home?”

• he chuckles awkwardly rubbing at the nape of his neck. “Honestly I lost track of time and I don’t think I’ll be able to drive home in this condition.”

• “Oh well my guest room’s empty.” you unknowingly offer. “If you want you can sleep over? If you’re too tired to drive, I’d rather have you sleep over than get into an accident..”

• he smiles at you tenderly.

• and it’s almost like you’re two star crossed lovers.

• but maybe it’s all in your head.

• that the world wouldn’t be taking your side this easily.

• “Jongho, is this okay?” you come into your guest room, back facing first trying to lift a big comforter. “I couldn’t find my other blanket so—“

• you gasp,

• hands flailing in the air when you’re suddenly face to chest with something very bare.

• and very hot.

• “Is this your way of getting back at me for seeing you earlier?” he sultry taunts.

• your eyes lock again with his and it’s definitely not just in your head.

• the way his eyes gaze into yours.

• how he’s undeniably caught love at first sight.

• “W-well unintentionally I think.” you mumble.

• he holds you balancing your hips. “I think you’re visibly at ease with the situation regardless if it’s intentional or not.”

• “Choi Jongho, how much has Hongjoong told you about me?” your lips quirk when his does.

• “Enough.”

• “And what exactly is enough?”

• he gets impossibly closer.

• and it’s clear being friends with who he’s friends with, makes his age almost unseeable.

• “He said you’re very predictable. And that you’ve asked about me too.”

• you hum back softly. “Has he told you exactly what I’ve asked?”

• “If he’d ever introduce me? If I’m busy most of the time. Or if the rumors about me are true.” he clears with a cloudy mind. “But I was more interested in the things you say about me rather than what you ask.”

• you grin half heartedly hand on his chest. “Flattery only gets you half of what you want.”

• “And if it gets me all of what you want?”

• “What is it you could possibly want with someone you just met today?” you study his expression when he gets even closer.

• “Call me crazy but I think I want you.”

• two weeks later and you two think you’re able to hide the relationship that somehow formed so fast.

• between two star crossed lovers.

• two close strangers.

• curiosity killed the cat, would be good to describe the both of you.

• having spent too many nights at his house because yours was too vulnerable to infiltration.

• falling in love with him in less than .2 seconds.

• crossing the line of “just friends” before getting-to-know each other passed.

• and it’s not that you didn’t want his friends to know,

• your friends too.

• it’s that if they did,

• meeting your new boyfriend who was a friend of a friend might be a little too convenient..

• “So where were you last night?” Wooyoung questions you first with Yunho and Yeosang eerily following with eyes. “Hongjoong said you haven’t been home for the past couple of weeks. Care to explain?”

• you poke at your food. “I’ve been picking up some extra hours at work.. why the sudden curiosity?”

• “Because Jongho’s been incognito for the past few weeks too.” Yunho teases. “That’s a little too much of a coincidence, don’t you think y/n?”

• “I have no idea what you’re talking about.”

• Wooyoung cackles. “I knew it. I fucking knew you had a crush on that man child!”

• “Man child— Wooyoung. That man child has 5 championship belts around his waist and nearly 10 million bucks hiding in a bank account somewhere. I’d have a crush on any man with those kind credentials.” you attempt to brush it off.

• but Wooyoung knows you better.

• Yeosang and Yunho too.

• so what more with Jongho’s group of friends who know him just as much as these three know you.

• “You’re dating y/n aren’t you?” Seonghwa smirks at the younger who blushes at the mention of your name.

• “W-why do you say that, hyung?”

• “Because why else would you reach for your phone and answer someone else’s text?”

• Jongho snatches his cell from Mingi’s curious hands that sends San in a fit of laughter.

• and you two eventually come to realize Hongjoong is next.

• and you were definitely not gonna wait for his wrath.

• being the reason this friend of a friend relationship even happened.

• Hongjoong always trying to spoil you and protect Jongho.

• “Jongie~” you wrap your arms around your boyfriend who should’ve expected your warm welcome.

• how you’re always eager to get a kiss from him any chance you get.

• except he’s a little stiff this time around.

• 6 other men, unbeknownst to you, following behind him feigning obnoxious gags.

• “Ew oh my god.” Wooyoung playfully shoved the both of you out of the way. “Try to keep it pg for the kids, man.”

• you roll your eyes still smiling up at your flustered boyfriend. “You told them?”

• “More like they told theirselves. I didn’t admit to anything.” he chuckles waiting till the coast is clear to steal a kiss from your pouty lips. “But I’ll admit to feeling better knowing these fuckers found out.”

• you hold your hand to his chest before leading him into the crowd in your kitchen. “Where’s Hongjoong?”

• they face you in a disgusted manner as if not waiting to be fed by YOU in YOUR house.

• “On his way.”

• Wooyoung smirks. “Good luck.”

• Jongho hides you behind him as soon as he feels it.

• because everyone can.

• how shaky and rumbled the room got.

• by just one loud,

• “WHERE’S THAT LITTLE SNAKE AND WHO GAVE HER THE RIGHT TO TOUCH MY BABY?!”

• and of course.

• even though you’re the one precious girl in between two groups of unlikely friends,

• Choi Jongho was still the notorious baby.

• “yours” truly.

@atinybitofau

#ateez #ateez jongho #choi jongho #jongho #ateez preferences #ateez au #ateez scenarios #ateez imagines #ateez reactions #ateez one shot #jongho imagines #jongho oneshot #jongho reactions #jongho scenarios #boyfriend jongho #ateez boyfriend #jongho couple au #ateez couple au #everyone’s friends helloooo

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desanctii · 3 years ago

Note

"i can’t follow in your footsteps." ( :) )

Bold, to speak so plainly on a matter of such importance. But Amadeo had always been bold. Santino sat among his shades, his many church candles, holding court with rats and wraiths, thin columns of dust raining down onto him where overhead the world kept turning, ignorant of the rot that infested its root. And out of these many grim parts from which dark romanticism could be spun, the pale, sculptured face of the Coven Master peered back at his defiant child.

He had a way of staring, Santino. He stared with eyes so large and inquisitive, they might absorb all the light in a room, gather it at the center of his stare and abolish it there. For eyes like his, that could melt and weep at the slightest twinge of pain, there was an eerie soullessness to them. All that feeling, all the tears, they were ripples upon the surface, but the black water remained untroubled. And beneath the water, who knew what lurked there, what slowly coiling winding serpents measured the circumference of a mind like his? Nothing, possibly. But that would be all the more terrifying, then.

As it stood, as Amadeo stood, steadfast despite his trembling fingertips, Santino gazed back at him like an animal peering out of a forest that was on fire. The boy was, then, strangely cut out of the landscape, a hole stabbed into the pergament to erase him. Santino's purpose was to stitch the page make together, keep the illustration in one piece. There was no time now, for dissidents.

"You can and you will." The master's voice slunk closer to the boy, rubbing against him like a big black cat, purring in his ear, purring so loud the small, faulty heart in Amadeo's chest surely felt him there. Santino was both the man sitting in front of him and the looming shadow at his back, the ghostly arms wrapped around him from behind, shackles and embrace in one. He spoke to him so tenderly, as if he meant to encourage a doubter. But what he said was no comfort, it was a command. They both knew it then.

"I know you would never disappoint me. Already you have proven more efficient a killer than all my other children,your hapless brothers and sisters who adore you so. Already you have surpassed them in beauty and power, surpassed them in evil. Your youthfulness shall guide you but do not rely upon it as a crutch. You do not owe me, my sweet one, but you do owe our Dark Lord and I would despair to see you fail him. So you will do as you are told." A smile, a sweet, cheerful smile, the smile of a proud father, a loving father with a dark mouth.

"I know you do not want to displease me so you won't."

#santino vc: did i ask : )#;;v. carry the scythe ( coven.)#burnwraith #;;meme

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captainjimothycarter · 4 years ago

Note

Steve & Peggy tell their kid (or kids) that they’re having another baby

Steve was the worst had kept secrets. He barely kept his proposal to Peggy hidden and in the end, she’d been knowing for weeks because she saw the ring he kept hidden in the false bottom of his bedside table. He was the worst at lying too, the tips of his ears turned red or he found himself looking everywhere but at the person, he was talking to. All the signs were there, Steve would make a terrible spy.

Now Peggy? Peggy, his beautiful, amazing wife, and father of his child, of their beautiful daughter Sarah Elizabeth, was a spy through and through. That was her job after all, but Steve? It wasn’t his job at all. He was a stay at home father and still could never bring it in himself to lie to his daughter, even if it was just a little white lie.

“Daaaaad,” six-year-old Sarah sighed in the overdramatic way she mirrored from her mother. Eyes rolled back and even stomping her foot along the gravel of their driveway. “Where are we going? And don’t lie! Mummy says it’s bad to lie!”

“Of course she does,” Steve chuckled, picking little Sarah up and strapping her into her car seat. “We’re going to meet Mummy at the park for lunch.”

Sarah’s head cocked to the side, head full of Steve’s blonde curls but Peggy’s beautiful eyes and smiles. He saw so much of her and so little of him, not that it mattered. “But Mummy went to work.”

“And now she’s off. She’s spending the whole day with us.”

Peggy had found a beautiful spot in the local park, Steve noted. Right in the warm sunshine, the trees offering plenty of shade. A large blanket was spread out to offer comfort on the ground and a beautiful array of carefully packed food and drinks awaited them.

And she looked like a goddess herself, laying on the blankets, book in the hand. Her one hand unconsciously cradled her stomach, not even too much showing yet and she was already tenderly touching it, like how she did when Sarah was there.

Sarah squealed when she saw her mum, running straight across the park and sliding and tumbling into the blanket so she could fall into her arms. Their laughter carried over the park as he eventually joined them, setting down the wrapped present beside the basket.

The shiny, silver paper immediately caught Sarah’s attention, her mouth turning into a perfect ‘o’.

“But it’s not my birthday,” she noticed, the curious note in her eyes making Steve grin as he bent down to kiss his wife in greeting. “Or Mummy’s or yours, Daddy. Why is there a present?”

“No, it’s not,” Peggy agreed, stroking those unruly curls from Sarah’s face. “It’s no one’s birthday, not yet. There doesn’t have to be a birthday to get a present.”

The little girl’s face turned completely serious as she thought this over, mouth now pressed into a firm line that was all Peggy right there. Steve tried not to laugh as he carefully opened the basket to pull out the already made plate.

“Okay,” Sarah eventually said, taking the plate and leaning into her mummy’s chest after Steve helped her sit up. “Is it mine? Can I have it? What is it?”

“Darling,” Peggy laughed, shaking her head as she took the cover off of Sarah’s food and handed her a fork. “Eat first, okay? We don’t want the nice food daddy made us go to waste, do we? Look, we have your favorite! Even chocolate cake for dessert.”

“But mummy that’s your favorite.”

“Yeah, mummy,” Steve snickered. “That’s yours. It’s yours too, Sarah.”

“Uh-huh. Cause it’s yummy and cause Mr. Jarvis makes a better cake than you, daddy.” She paused to consider her words, mouth stuffed full of rice. “Sorry.”

Peggy snorted into her hand a Steve feigned hurt, rolling her eyes. “Now, now, darling it’s okay. Let’s eat. I’m starving. And daddy insists on dinner before dessert.”

“If you had it your way, it be dessert all the time,” Steve pointed out, pointing his fork at his wife’s face.

“You say that like it’s a bad thing. Of course, I would. Dessert is amazing.”

“You would make yourself sick! Regular food is amazing too.”

“Only when you don’t burn it.” She childishly stuck her tongue out at Steve, her husband just smirking around his fork. “And I would not. In a perfect world, dessert would be for every meal. All the cake and ice cream one could want.”

“Am I not in your perfect world?”

“Oh, darling, you always are. You and Sarah both make my world perfect every day.”

“You giant sap,” Steve sighed as he leaned into his wife and pulled her into his side, kissing her cheek softly.

Their little girl was none the wiser to her parents above them, refusing to take eyes off one another while Steve insistingly fed his wife bites of food. Sarah’s eyes were on the prize of the present waiting for her.

“Can I open it now?” she sighed, once the meal had been handled and Steve was cutting up the cake.

He saw her eyes were locked onto the cake, bright and wide when he pulled out large slices for them. Sarah would be hyper but screw it they were celebrating. The cake only distracted her for point two seconds, long enough for everyone to finish off a slice.

“Daaaaaddy,” she sighed when Steve was taking far too long to clean up their mess. “Can we open the present now?”

“There she goes with your patience,” Peggy chuckled, hugging Sarah to her chest before slipping her to the blanket and taking the present.

“My patience? That’s your patience, shoot first, ask questions later,” Steve snorted, rolling his eyes as he sat back down beside his little girl. “Alright, Sarah, I know you’re curious about what this is but...it’s important mommy and daddy explain something to you.”

Now there was her mother when she tilted her head up to look at her parents, a pout on those pink lips. “What’s important?” She was quiet for a moment, taking hold of the box but not removing the paper. She had patience, that kid, just when she wanted to use it.

“You’re pregnant,” Sarah said, looking at her mom.

Peggy’s eyes widened, sharing a look with Steve. “How did you know?” She wasn’t upset, if anything she looked amused while holding her stomach. Very amused.

Sarah’s little shoulders shrugged. “Daddy. He can’t lie. And I saw Daddy painting the bedroom I’m not allowed in and saw the names painted on the wall like mine are.”

“Names,” Steve sighed, shaking his head. “I shoulda locked the door.”

“You really should’ve,” Peggy mused, kissing her husband’s cheek. “Well, that cats out of the bag now. Go ahead and open it, darling.”

That’s the sign Sarah was waiting for, tearing the package open and grinning ear to ear when she saw what laid inside. Two fuzzy, brown teddybears with baby blue ribbons around their necks laid in the box. Each ribbon had one name printed on it, James and Michael.

“You’re having two?!” She looked so puzzled, down to her belly, and back up to her mama.

“Twins,” Peggy confirmed, taking one bear out to show her the sonogram photo that was encased in the bear’s plastic stomach to protect it. “You’re gonna be a big sister!”

They weren’t sure how Sarah would react, honestly. Given the fact, Steve was a single child and Peggy was the youngest in the family, they had nothing to compare their reactions too. Yet, Steve prepared for the worst. He prepared for a fight, a tantrum, demanding to stay the single kid and crying, but instead, Sarah’s eyes lit up and she hugged one bear, then the other before crushing them against her and her mama’s belly.

“Hi, James and Mikey!” She breathed, touching her belly. “I was inside mummy too! But now you are and I’m gonna be your big sister! I can’t wait to meet you!”

Steve smiled at the sight that welcomed him when he stepped out of the bathroom, steam pouring out behind him. Sarah laid on her mama’s side, asleep, one hand laid on her belly, the other with her thumb in her mouth. A habit that never seemed to break.

“She fell asleep talking to the boys,” Peggy laughed as Steve slowly climbed into the bed. “We shouldn’t let her sleep with us.”

They were going to anyway, not when Sarah wanted to be with her brothers. What’s one night?

“She already loves them so much,” he sighed, turning the lights off and getting under the covers. “You’re not mad that I accidentally spoiled the surprise?”

“Darling,” Peggy laughed. “She’s our child. She has my wits and your smarts and everything in between. She’s going to find out what she wants to find out. I know one thing…” She kissed him while her hand rubbed at Sarah’s back. “She’s going to be an amazing big sister, I just know it.”

#Steggy #StevePeggy #SteggyPrompts #Steggy Prompts #Steggy kids #Fluff #pregnant Peggy

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firewoodfigs · 5 years ago

Text

amendes honorables

Summary: Riza Hawkeye is appalled to discover that her fifteen-year-old daughter has indicated interest in a boy. Her husband thinks she’s being a little bit of a hypocrite.

(thank you @waddiwasiwitch for hosting @moms-made-fullmetal-2020 ! ^_^)

read on ao3

~x~

Roy Mustang was having a very hard time trying to contain his laughter while lazing on the bed with his morning coffee in hand. He was trying, really - his absolute, darnedest best - palms over mouth, holding his breath, distracting himself with boring, draggy books about legal positivism. But try as he might, it was very, very entertaining to see his stoic Captain, now beloved wife, getting so riled up over their daughter’s predicament.

Between the two, everyone always assumed that he would be the overprotective parent, but Roy knew better. He knew his wife like the back of his hand and had correctly predicted that she would be the paranoid parent who would impose a stringent “no-dating-until-you’re-an-adult” rule. Of course, every rule came with loopholes, and the definition of an “adult” was left up to her (legally, it should have been eighteen or twenty-one, but Roy believed that in Riza’s mind it probably ranged between thirty to forty, or more).

“Stop laughing, Roy. This is serious!” Riza exclaimed, thoroughly flustered by the fact that their daughter had been the recipient of so many confessions, letters, chocolates and whatever frivolities teenage boys thought girls their age enjoyed receiving on Valentine’s Day.

Given how attractive her parents were it was no surprise that Rae Mustang was the apple of many young boys’ eyes at the juvenile age of fifteen. With thick, raven black hair like her father’s, her mother’s sharp features, and eyes like wood smoke in autumn - a lovely blend of her parents’ - it was hardly surprising that boys were attracted to her like moths to light, and while some girls were envious of her for winning the genetic lottery others had graciously accepted defeat.

Her mother was of course, acutely aware of this curse, or blessing, whatever one might choose to call it, and had taken it upon herself to confiscate gifts and letters she had received on that wretched holiday, on the excuse that it was hardly inappropriate for a girl her age to receive such things, and really, what did boys know about love at that age?

Riza had declared over dinner that night that professions of undying, profound love at that age were nothing but intricate lies designed by deceitful young boys, and Rae shouldn’t bother herself with it.

(Roy wanted to call her out for being a hypocrite there and then, but she shut him up with a threatening glare before the first syllable even left his mouth.)

In response, she’d nodded dutifully before returning to the steak and frites on her plate - courtesy of her father, who had taken it upon himself to “whip up a fantastic dinner for my lovely girls on this holiday about love” and “blessed it with a chef’s kiss” afterwards, but alas.

Alas. Her little girl had inherited their talents in covert operations and somehow managed to hide a very important gift and letter from her mother’s prying hands, and it didn’t take a genius to guess that it was gifted by someone she was interested in.

Riza had been utterly mortified when she found the traitorous piece of evidence sandwiched in between her chemistry textbooks (Rae had attempted to use some kind of alchemy she’d learnt from her Uncle Ed a few weeks prior to seal it, but there was something faulty with the array that foiled her plans in the end), which therefore led to the current situation of her pacing frantically around their room as she rambled on and on to her husband.

(She still didn’t know whether to be disappointed or proud of her daughter for possessing such a natural penchant at hiding things, but it was probably the former.)

Finally, she stopped pacing and turned to glower sullenly at her husband, who was hiding his laughter behind a book that he was pretending to be engrossed in. “I think she should be grounded, Roy. We can never know for sure if she’s been secretly planning dates behind our backs with this - this boy - mmph -” her words were muffled by a passionate kiss and a suffocating embrace.

“Relax, Riza,” he chuckled as he held her close in his arms to soothe her frazzled nerves. “We don’t even know what the boy is like. What if he was like me when we were younger?” He lifted his index finger and thumb to his chin, as if stroking an imaginary beard (Riza and Rae had conspired together to shave that blasphemous mustache off his face in his sleep) and pretended to be deep in thought.

Riza balked. “I didn’t like you when I was fifteen, Roy.”

He put a hand up to his heart in mock hurt. “Don’t be cruel, Riza. I know you did -”

“You did, I didn’t. Back to the topic at hand. I believe the appropriate punishment would be to ground her, and she most certainly owes us an apology for lying and hiding such scandalous affairs behind our backs.”

“Alright, alright,” he raised his hands in surrender, hoping it would ease the scowl on her face. It did somewhat, and so he decided to help his daughter with a little… negotiation. “You can ground her if you think that’s proportionate and necessary, but let’s give the boy a chance. We could have him over for dinner,” her frown was returning, and he hastened to add, “which would give us the perfect chance to interrogate him and analyse their rela - friendship, of course.”

The thought of being able to question him excited Riza just the slightest. She did love a good cross-examination, after all, and no one would touch her daughter without first crossing her. “Fine,” she relented. “I’ll talk to her tonight.”

Roy grimaced at that thought. His wife could be the living personification of the Spanish Inquisition when she put her mind down to it, and he hoped that it wouldn’t be a bad mix with the notorious teenage hormones that plagued everyone at fifteen. “Be nice, Riza.”

~x~

“You can come in, mom,” came her daughter’s trembling voice from behind the door.

Well. It seemed like they were already off to a bad start. As she opened the door slowly she could see her daughter’s quivering frame hunched over her literature homework, the likes of Austen and Bronte all strewn across her table messily as she tried very bravely to hold in her tears.

She groaned internally. Already, Riza felt her resolve weakening, and it was difficult to remain angry at such a sweet child (she often wondered what she and Roy did to deserve such a lovely daughter, but her husband deemed it necessary to discuss, in great detail, how Rae was made, so she never vocalised that thought ever again). She sat on the corner of her bed and beckoned for Rae to come sit with her, and as soon as she sank into the duvet as she placed a comforting hand over her shoulder.

So much for being strict.

Before she could even say anything, though, Rae started apologising frantically, words tumbling out of her mouth like a gushing stream. “I’m so sorry, mom, I know I shouldn’t have lied to you and I know I’ve disappointed you and I know I shouldn’t have and I’m just, I’m so sorry,” she stuttered, choking over her sobs. “I just… I know it would’ve upset you, but he’s… he’s a really nice boy, but I know what I did was wrong, and I’ve let you down, and I’m so -”

“Rae,” Riza called, her tone stern but gentle. “Okay, one thing at a time. I’m not going to lie, I am disappointed that you hid this from me, and there will be consequences, but I forgive you. I always will,” and she pulled her in for a hug, stroking her soft tresses tenderly as Rae sobbed into her shoulder and threw herself into the embrace.

… It truly was a challenge trying to pull a stern hand on her daughter. Her colleagues would’ve found this incredulous, and she never thought austerity was something she would ever struggle with, but Rae had proved her wrong. While she was supposed to be at the age of rebellion - Riza supposed this was it, the defining act - her daughter was quite the little darling, full of sunshine and joy, and it made it very hard to remain angry with her for long. In some ways, she reminded her a bit of Alphonse, although Rae had been adamant that her Uncle Al was wrong - dogs were better than cats.

Another point to Rae.

And though it was equally difficult to swallow her pride and admit that she had overreacted a little, just the slightest, over the gifts that had swarmed her table, she supposed it would only cause Rae to feel like she couldn’t trust her. “You… you can tell me these things, Rae.” Riza wanted to say she wouldn’t get mad, but that would just be an outright, blatant lie. “It’s better than hiding, or lying.”

“Really, mom?” her eyes glistened with hope, and really, it was hard to say no to a face like that. Riza would give her the stars and a mountain made of gold and diamonds if she just asked for it.

“Yes, really. In fact…” she remembered her previous discussion with Roy. Compromise, Riza. “You can invite him over for dinner one of these days.”

A watery smile crossed her daughter’s face, and it was so hopeful that Riza couldn’t resist chuckling a little. “But you, young lady, are still grounded, and will continue to be so for two weeks.”

She nodded glumly, as any other fifteen-year-old would be at the prospect of having to come home immediately after school, but otherwise relented and gave her mother another hug. “I understand, mom. I’m sorry.”

“It’s okay, I forgive you.” She grinned at the thought of being able to grill this young man, both literally and figuratively. “So, when’s a good time for dinner?”

~x~

Riza had been… surprised, to say the least, when she opened the door to come face to face with a tanned-skin boy with white hair and distinctly red eyes that shone like a dreadful mix of rubies and garnets.

An Ishvalan.

Her immediate response had been to apologise to Rae instead - for how could he bear to look at her and Roy in the eye and seriously say that he was alright with who they were? If he’d bolted there and then, or threw the bag of cookies that he’d painstakingly prepared as a present in her face out of anger or animosity, Riza would have honestly accepted it and forgiven him regardless.

But instead the boy - who introduced himself as Elyas - had proceeded to remove his shoes before asking politely if it would be alright to come in, holding out the dessert he’d prepared with such a delightful eagerness and enthusiasm, and really, it was impossible to reject him.

“Of course, come on in,” she said invitingly, swallowing the bile rising in her throat as she observed Roy’s equally shocked expression. But he said nothing, only smiled welcomingly as he set up the dinner table and thanked him for the wonderful gift.

She’d almost lost her composure when he mentioned that he was an orphan, when Roy asked about his family, but as if reading her mind Elyas immediately sought to qualify his statement with “I’m very sure you two had nothing to do with it, Mr and Mrs Mustang. They died in an accident not too long ago, not because of the Ishvalan War. I’m sorry I brought it up.”

“You have nothing to be sorry for. If anything, we should be the ones apologising. I understand if… if you are uncomfortable being here,” Riza whispered quietly, suddenly feeling like an incorrigible mother.

Underneath the table, Roy stretched out his hand to rest a palm on her thigh, rubbing soothing circles with a padded thumb. She responded in kind, knowing that the same sentiments, though unsaid, were on his mind as well.

Elyas, though, amazed them all by thanking them. Them, a pair of cold-blooded war criminals.

“Ah, well,” he rubbed the back of his head awkwardly with an open palm. “I’m alright. If anything, I’d like to thank the both of you for rebuilding Ishval. My parents often emphasised that it was General Mustang’s office that improved the lives of many Ishvalans because of the trade relations with Xing, and we’ve all benefited greatly from that.”

He flashed them a sunny smile, and his eyes conveyed everything they needed to know - that’s in the past now. “Thank you, Mr. and Mrs. Mustang, and thank you for having me over for dinner.”

“Not at all, we’re more than happy to have you here, Elyas.” Riza was unequivocally sure that she owed Rae an apology instead, and vowed to speak with her again tonight.

Her husband had offered to do the same as they stood at the sink together to wash the dishes, but after what happened she thought it best to speak with Rae separately herself first, and so his only response was a reassuring, understanding kiss to her forehead.

“We’ll work it out together, Riza.”

~x~

“Can I come in, Rae?” Riza knocked hesitantly, the nausea and guilt that had settled in her gut previously making an unwelcome resurgence.

“Of course, mom!” Rae skipped happily to where her mother was as soon as the door was open and gave her a tight hug. “Thank you so much for tonight.”

“Not at all,” she smiled weakly. “I think I owe you an apology, Rae. I… I wasn’t expecting him to be an Ishvalan.” Her daughter was not ignorant to the sins that they had committed decades ago, because she’d made it her personal duty, alongside Roy, to explain history accurately to her - for both of them had agreed that it would be worse if she found the truth out by herself.

And Rae, kind, innocent Rae - bless her heart - had accepted the harsh reality of who her parents were with a grim nod, but after a few hours of introspection she’d knocked on their door to tell them that she still loved them regardless, and that she was proud to have parents who were working so hard to rectify the injustices they’d committed.

But this… this was quite a different story. She wasn’t sure if Elyas was just being courteous earlier, or if he was genuinely alright with who they were, with the wrongs they’d done against him and his hometown and entire culture. How could he? “I do apologise, Rae, if I’ve ruined anything.”

“What? No, mom, you didn’t! When I sent him off at the porch just now, he said that he really enjoyed dinner - said that you and dad are great cooks - and that it was an honor getting to know the both of you personally.” She grinned giddily, like a young girl happily in love. “I… I know why you feel that way, mom. But believe me, you can believe whatever he said. He’s the most genuine person I’ve ever met, and…” her feet shifted in embarrassment as she confessed quietly, “that’s one of the reasons why I…”

“Why you like him?” Rae nodded shyly, pink mottling her pale cheeks flatteringly.

“I see. Well, I can understand that, Rae.” She bent down to whisper a secret in her ear, one that only she could hear - just in case her ridiculous father was snooping around somewhere trying to eavesdrop on their conversation. “I liked your father when I was fifteen, too.”

Rae giggled and smiled brightly at her mother when she heard her admission. Then, looking up at her mother curiously with her best set of puppy eyes, she asked, “Does that mean I’m not grounded anymore?”

“No, you still have a week more to go, Rae,” and while her daughter responded with a petulant, disappointed sulk she could still see the happiness sparkling in her eyes. “But feel free to ask him over for dinner anytime.”

#moms-made-fullmetal-2020 #fma #royai #Royai fic #royai fanfic #fma fic #senseless fluff #the fluffiest thing I've written all month methinks lmao #rae mustang #Elyas #Elric uncles LOL

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2manyfandoms2count · 5 years ago

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#MarichatMay Day 6

Wasn’t very inspired by the first few days, but this one spoke to me to me for some reason. Not sure it came out as good as what I imagined, but I tried!

Small warning, I know it’s supposed to be Marichat May, but I’m a sucker for all the square ships and I don’t really know how to separate them so this is Marichat with a splash of Adrienette.

Hope you enjoy! And thanks @marichatmay for hosting this!

---

Day 6: Hold my baton

Marinette had waited all day for science class. Not that she particularly favoured Mrs. Mendeleiev’s class, but because today was the beginning of an important project that would carry through to the end of the year. A project in pairs.

She hadn’t really thought about it until that morning, assuming that as per usual, she’d be teamed up with Alya, but her best friend had had an agenda. Tired of Marinette’s constant procrastination when it came to confessing her feelings to Adrien, the young girl had decided to be the catalyst of the love reaction 95% of the class was dying to see happen.

“Nuh-uh Mari, not pairing up with you this time. Nino and I have been brainstorming how to sequence DNA from akumas to expose Hawkmoth for months, I’m not abandoning this project. It’s a win-win situation, you’ll have to work with Adrien since everybody’s keeping their usual pair, this is your chance girl! Just imagine, two months of working closely with Adrien, that’s more than enough time for things to happen if you know what I mean.” She’d waggled her eyebrows suggestively while Marinette weighed her options. It was a foolproof plan. Just a pair switch. Another opportunity to spend this much time with Adrien might not even present itself again.

She’d agreed seemingly reluctantly -she didn’t want to give Alya the impression that she could do this all the time- but inside she’d been jumping around with joy. It was going to be perfect.

That was without counting on Lila spreading chaotic evilness as she always did, of course. Marinette had almost forgotten about her, she hadn’t been in class for so long. But the girl had made yet another appearance in her life, and with another one of her well-weaved lies she’d captured Adrien in her web, leaving Marinette to work with Chloe and Sabrina, of all people.

She dragged her feet home, internally screaming about how much of a disaster this whole situation had turned out to be.

Her sudden change of mood, from bubbly stammering adorableness to slumped damsel is depressed, had not gone unnoticed by a certain green-eyed boy, however. He had helplessly observed the light leave her eyes as words flew out of Lila’s mouth. He hadn’t even been able to express his own opinion on the pairing choice; had it been up to him, he’d definitely have picked his good friend Marinette to be his pair. She’d left so fast after class that he hadn’t even been able to talk to her.And even if he had, he wasn’t sure he would have been able to make her feel better. But he had a feline someone else could...

Marinette was lying on her bed when she heard a soft rasping sound coming from her terrasse trap door.

“Hey there purr-incess,” Chat Noir winked as she let him in. He was slightly taken aback by the strong hug he was suddenly engulfed in, but promptly hugged her back just as tight.

“You wouldn’t believe how happy I am to see you, kitty.” Marinette whispered. She could have cried, that’s how happy she was to see her favourite partner in crime-solving. “How do you always know when I need someone to talk to?” She gazed into his green cat eyes.

He was half tempted to reveal his real identity to her in that moment, but he doubted Ladybug would approve, even if Marinette was the most trust-worthy person he knew. “Oh, umm...” He stammered, releasing himself from her embrace. “Ladybug and I have been fitted with new powers that allow us to sense negative emotions so we’re ahead of Hawkmoth for akumatisations.” That sounded plausible.

“Is that so?” Marinette replied, a slight twinkle returning in her eye.

“Yes, and I felt a very negative aura coming out of you, so I thought I’d check everything was alright.”

“That’s very kind Chat, but I’m afraid there isn’t much you can do. It’s just my usual bad luck.” She sighed.

Chat Noir narrowed his eyes. “Who hurt you purr-incess? Is it that boy you like? Who is he? Who does he think he is? Nobody hurts my Marinette and gets to live with it. I’ll fight him for you, you’ll see. Here, hold my baton.” He shoved his weapon in Marinette’s hands and got into a fighting stance, throwing a couple punches in the air. Then on Marinette’s mannequin, which collapsed on him, the hat it was carrying falling on his face. “Actually forget it, that’s a terrible idea. I’m a much better fighter with it.” He straightened the mess he’d made and snatched his rod back from Marinette’s grasp, twirling it like a circus baton. He sneaked a look at her facial expression; she looked amused so he continued clowning around. “Or maybe you could fight him, who knows, it could be cat-thartic.” He winked.

She burst out lauging. “Chat, you do know your puns get worse by the day, right?”

“You sound like Ladybug.” He pouted, crossing his arms and turning away from her. He had a giddy feeling in his stomach from making her laugh though.

“I never said I didn’t like it.” She smiled, touching his arm lightly. She was slightly flushed. “Thanks kitty, but it’s not Ad-... I mean, the boy I like. I mean, I was supposed to work with him on a project but this girl... You know her, Lila, she ruined it...”

As she was ranting about the day’s events, Chat half-listened, half tried to figure out who the boy might be. Could it be she finally reciprocated Nathanael’s feelings? Was it someone else? Whoever it was, he didn’t deserve her. He crossed eyes with a particularly bad photo of himself -well, of Adrien-, making what he liked to call his “boy, ya dumb” face. It was front and center on a panel of other modelling “grotographs” of him, because he was wearing her hat.

“... Anyway, I’d rather you didn’t go after her, she’s too much of a wild card. No need to give her an excuse to be akumatised again. She could seriously harm you. And Ladybug. I’ll definitely hold your baton if you decide to fight her.”

“Fine, I’ll step down, if that’s what you wish.” He bowed.

There was a big explosion outside, which had them both running to the window to see what was going on. The Eiffel Tower had collapsed. Again.

“They really should have called it the Eistand Tower, maybe then people would be less inclined to making it explode,” Chat muttered, earning himself an amused glance from Marinette.

“Seems like your new power doesn’t work very well if you couldn’t detect whatever caused that to happen,” she teased him, basically pushing him up the stairs towards her trap door. “You should really go, kitty, you don’t want to leave poor Ladybug fighting alone. Don’t worry about me, I’ll be safe in this sturdy building.” She grinned, knocking on her wall.

“I’m sure you will,” he chuckled, opening the latch. He turned back before taking off. “Hey Marinette?”

“Yes?” She asked absentmindedly, eyeing the damage on the horizon.

“Whoever it is, I’m sure your man would have much preferred working with you than with Lila.” He knew he would have. Despite his benevolence, he himself was starting to think Lila was beyond help.

“Thanks, Chat.” She smiled tenderly and kissed him on the cheek. “Now go save Paris!”

Chat leapt away before she could hear the purr that emerged from his chest, making a “so long” gesture as he departed. “I have a feline we’ll see each other soon, my purr-incess!” He yelled.

“Sooner than you think, chaton,” she whispered as she waved at him. She got back inside her room. Was it normal her heart fluttered so much when he came to visit? What had gotten over her, to kiss him? He was going to get the wrong idea again. But would that be so bad?... She decided to answer those questions later. She had a city to save, after all.

“Tikki, spots on!”

#marichat #marichatmay2020 #mlb #miraculoustalesofladybugandcatnoir #miraculous les aventures de ladybug et chat noir #miraculous ladybug #marinette dupain cheng #adrien agreste #adrienette #ladybug #chat noir #fanfiction #miraculous fanfic #elle writes

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gustafsnightangel · 4 years ago

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Shattered Lives Ch 18 Pt 1

He woke with a start as Sildie’s alarm screeched on the nightstand. Watched as her arm reached out, a hand hitting it hard to shut it up, Lily’s faint cry as it had woken her too.

“It’s ok Lily.” He murmured pulling Sildie closer to him.

“Morning love.” He said sleepily and kissed the nape of her neck as he nuzzled her awake.

“Morning.” She sighed and stretched out like a cat ready to curl up in the sun for a nap. She turned in his arms to face him and smiled at Lily’s dad dad as she kissed him sweetly. She loved waking up to him.

“I’ll get Lily.” He said softly and kissed her deeply. “You hop in the shower and lawyer up.” He grinned and kissed her with all the love he couldn’t put into those three little words.

“Are you sure?” She asked softly, a finger tracing the line of his jaw.

“All part of the package deal.” He kissed her again. “It’s why I’m here after all, to help out. Get in the shower.” He kissed her tenderly and pulled the covers back dragging her out of bed with him.

“Bubble had to burst sometime.” She mumbled as he picked Lily up and held her close. Kissing the tiny child on the cheek she made her way to a hot shower. His hand caught her gently and tugged her to him.

“It did, but I’ll be here when you get home tonight.” He said toying with her hair and chuckled at Lily’s chattering at both of them. “At least I can get your Monday off to a good start.”

She kissed him longingly. “Thank you. For being you, for being here.”

“Wouldn’t be anywhere else love.” He kissed her brow and she squeezed his hand before dropping it and heading to the bathroom.

Gustaf was sitting with the boys all showered and partly dressed by the time Sildie was lawyered up and out of the bedroom. She didn’t have to rush today as he was taking care of Lily and it was amazing how that alone made the morning easier. They sat as a family for breakfast and life seemed more settled today she thought as she watched them, still hectic but settled. Maybe having him here all the time would keep that streak going. Gustaf wasn’t though she noticed, he was still on edge about something. Talk to me love she said silently, at some point please talk to me.

He helped get Lily and the boys ready and soon they were standing on her threshold. The morning was so normal he grinned, he wanted this as a permanent thing so badly. He had his own grief and baggage to take care of first though.

“I’ll see you guys tonight ok?” He said to the boys and the twins hugged him tightly.

“Bye love.” He murmured and kissed her sweetly, that glacier blue looking back. “I’ll probably be next door when you get back, send a messenger if I’m still over there ok?” He smiled.

“Will do.” She kissed him and lingered. She sighed, she had to get her ass in the elevator even though she wanted to stay with him. It was going to be a long day and she groaned as he closed her door. The weekend was just too damn short.

He didn’t bother taking a shower yet, he had work to do, physical and emotional. Collecting his clothes he dumped them by the door ready to take home, tidied up from breakfast, and set the dishwasher to run. Padding home in bare feet he threw a load of laundry on and stood facing the bag ready to work.

Sildies words from the weekend stuck with him. You are enough, you are everything to me.

“How can I be enough when I can’t tell you I love you?” He whispered and wrapped his hands. “When I can’t get past it, past her.” He pulled the gloves on with an anger and frustration that was ready to explode out of him. “How do I get past her?” He spat and slammed his fist into the bag. “I’m not what she tried to make me.” He voiced with authority and started to pound out his frustration.

Chest heaving, arms and legs lethargic he sank to his knees and rested his head against the bag a good hour and a half later. The answers weren’t coming, he was just angry and bitter pounding nothing but self loathing and regret into a bag full of sand. He ripped the gloves off and threw them into the corner of the room, disgusted with himself. “Can’t even answer my own fucking questions.” He roared, sweat pouring off him.

He stomped out of his home gym and took a shower, it didn’t ease his smoldering temper or internal frustration. He angrily made tea, the teapot and cup taking a beating and had it not been a favorite of his bought in Ireland it would have been smashed against the wall.

He sat in sweats and a t shirt with his tea and pulled his notebook out of his messenger bag. There was too much to process, too much crowding his mind to think clearly, and he needed to clear all the crap out and analyze it a piece at a time. His relationship with Sildie and the kids far too important for him not to fix himself, not to find those answers.

He started by listing everything Ana put him through. The manipulation, the way she twisted every truth from his lips into something that only benefited her own cause. Used lies to push everyone he loved away from him, alienated him until he was begging for her to give him something. The negativity, the emotional blackmail, the vindictiveness.

His pen paused and he took a shuddered breath as all those emotions started flooding into him, memories and anger he’d much rather bury and ignore, much rather forget. Let’s face it, he thought, that’s what I have been doing for the past year, ignoring it in the hopes it would just go away. He let the tears come as he continued to write, with no one there to see him crumble it was easier to let it go. No one to be judgemental, no one to see how weak she’d made him. He would get it out of his head, out of his soul and he would deal with it. Head on, no excuses, no holding back. Enough was enough.

The way she’d chipped away at his self worth eventually making him feel as if he was worthless, useless. Destroying him until he was a shadow of himself. Nothing but a husk of his former self staring back at him in the mirror. That line of thinking had to stop, it had to end.

He kept writing through it all, the tears, the anger, the pain, the regret, his own shitty choices. He let it well up, the soul destroying pain of self doubt, trust, or rather, lack there of, he didn’t trust himself. Pages and pages flowed from him until he dropped his pen and stretched his hand hours later.

He pushed the notebook across the table away from him as if it was poison and let out a careful breath. He sat there staring at it as he reached out a hand to pick up his cold tea and it shook. Snatching it back he swore and breathed. “Just breathe.” He whispered, it was more a shudder than anything. “Breathe.” He let himself settle enough to take a mouthful of cold tea to wash away the bitter taste of the memories he was plowing through before he looked at the notebook again.

He slapped a palm down on it and pulled it to him, bracing to release more of her venom, to deal with the toxic waste of what she left behind. Opening it he grabbed the pen and continued. He wasn’t fucking done with her shit, and had to keep going. He was going to lance this wound and dig it out of himself if it took all fucking day, all week.

“You are not what you made me Ana. I’m so much more than that.” He mumbled as he scratched those words deep into the paper.

“I’m done with your lies and how they still make me feel. I’m done with your doubt in me, you don’t matter anymore.” He choked on the last four words and scratched them down.

“You don’t matter anymore because I’m worth more than what you turned me into.” He let the tears come again freely and continued, words his only antidote, facing his fears head on the only way to say those three words he longed to say to Sildie. She deserved them.

He stared at his phone as it vibrated and ignored it for the moment. Getting this out was priority.

“You’re not going to make me feel worthless because I’m not. I’m not going to let you fucking win. You destroyed me once, you’re not taking me down a second time.” The rage seeped in now, the mind numbing all consuming rage at what he’d let her do to him, what he’d let happen to himself. “You’re not coming between what me and Sildie have.”

He channeled it into his words. Words that he’d say to Ana if she was sitting across from him. Pushing the grief and guilt outward toward the person it needed to be aimed at instead of inward at himself.

Sure, he fucked up, plenty of times he was human after all, but he didn’t deserve it to be thrown back at him time and time again until she got her own way. Every minor thing, every conversation, every word, every action. And he’d let it happen, he’d let her scream at him, throw shit, chip away at his resolve, his self worth, his self respect. In the end it was easier than fighting her and eventually turned into self loathing. He hated himself, he started to hate his job, hated what he was becoming but unable to get her claws out of his skin.

The way she’d bitched and complained about his job, him being away for long periods of time. It was his career, he was good at it and he loved it and she’d made it unbearable for him. The way she manipulated him, came between him and Alex nearly destroying their bond, hurting his sister Eija. He’d never forgive her for that. Her and her boyfriend at the time were happy until Ana had got him drunk, lied to him, and slept with him. Their relationship didn’t last after that and Eija was heartbroken, she didn’t speak to Gustaf for months. Alex had brushed it off with his usual bravado but under it he knew he’d hurt him too.

Tears streamed down his face and he let them fall, the memories painful and deep, shattering him all over again. He’d hurt his baby sister, indirectly, but hurt her all the same. The cheating hadn’t stopped there either. He knew there were more but couldn’t prove it. He tried to be understanding, tried to make it work, be better for her.

He scrubbed a hand over his face and kept at it, pulling memory after memory from his mind and tattooing it onto the page. The emotions he felt, the anger he felt, the necessary steps to make it right with the people he loved. He’d already apologized to his brother and sister but he felt he needed them to hear him out, work through it again.

He flipped to a new page, rested the pen in the spine and pushed it forward. He knew he wasn’t done but he needed food and a break. Remembering his phone vibrating earlier he picked it up to see a message from Sildie.

To me you are enough.

She knew, the woman just knew he was struggling, knew just what he needed. He sat there sobbing until he cursed himself and pulled it together. He was a fucking wreck.

“I’m so in love with you.” He murmured, the words didn’t come easy as he poured the boiling water over the tea leaves. “I’m working on being able to say that to you love.” He breathed out looking to the heavens. His statement went unanswered as he sat and ate. “Even if it tears me apart to get to it.”

He thought about Sildie, how different she was from Ana. He wasn’t comparing the two but he needed to take note of their differences for his own sanity not all women were like Ana and he needed to get that straight in his head. He pulled the notebook toward him and hesitated.

“No, no stopping, no going back.” He growled, shaking his head, and put pen to paper. “All of it.”

He found writing about Sildie made him feel lighter. His true feelings why he loved her. Her kindness of putting those kids before herself. Not just occasionally, every second of every day. The way she’d drop everything for him if he called her right now and said he needed her. How she listened to him, listening not judging, cared about what he was saying, how he was feeling. The little things like flowers to lift his spirits in a hotel room when he was freaking out. He smiled at that memory.

He flipped to the back of the notebook and found the daisy he’d pressed between the pages from her gift in his hotel room. He placed it gently on the table and went in search for another notebook, he found this current book to be suddenly too toxic for something so heartfelt. Opening the new leather bound book he slipped the flower into the back cover pocket, the boudoir shots in the front and smiled.

“Much better.” He muttered closing the new book and placing it in his messenger bag. A new book for happier thoughts. He wrote about how Sildie made him feel, how he wanted to say those words to her. His dreams for them. His pen jerked to a stop as his mind went to a future with her. Would he ask her to marry him, have children, move in with him? Did he want kids with her, a life with her? Was she his forever?

“Yes.” He breathed out and sat there stunned. “Shit.” He choked. “Fucking shit.” He’d never thought it would be possible after Ana to even contemplate marriage and family. She had turned him off the whole ideology of it.

His hand hesitated on the page before he wrote it down. Seeing those words staring back at him suddenly flooded him with emotion. For him to even think about a real future with Sildie he had to get Ana out of his life for good. There was no room for both and be damned if he was giving up Sildie without a fight even when that fight was with his own fucking mind.

And there it was, the crux of the problem. Ana. Ana and all her shit, all her baggage, all her memories had to go. He’d learned from the lessons she had been put in his path for, the hard unyielding lessons she taught. Holding onto them now was pointless and toxic. Sildie was right, Ana was winning all over again if he let this continue.

Maybe if he told Sildie everything? Not that he wanted to, he didn’t want to relive that shit and force it into her head. Having it in his was bad enough, writing it out was reliving it, but maybe it was his way of moving forward? He left that to simmer in his mind as he looked at the time, she’d be home soon and he needed to pull it together. He’d spent the entire day on this but felt marginally better, even though he had more work to do, and it was exhausting, physically exhausting and mentally draining. He was an emotional wreck.

He tidied up, both the mess on the table and in his mind, he had to put it away now and go next door for the kids, for Sildie. He wouldn’t drag this amount of baggage through her front door. He had to cull it first section it into manageable pieces.

“Until tomorrow.” He murmured at the notebook on the table and headed out the door.

She was tired, he could tell just by the slump of her shoulders as she walked through the door. Whether from the emotional upheaval last week, this past weekend or her work, probably all three he decided. The twins wrapped themselves around his thighs in hello as he took Lily from Sildie so she could get in the door with her bag.

“Hi.” He said softly and kissed her with tenderness.

“Hi back.” Her smile, although tired, was one of relief. He was here she thought, he’d come back and she was happy he was here. “I could get used to this.” She smiled. “Having you to come home to.”

“Me too.” His grin was wide as he carried Lily and removed her bag from her shoulder.

He snuggled Lily against him and talked and laughed with the kids while Sildie kicked off her shoes, shucked her jacket, and went to the kitchen to make a pot of tea. Knowing about their day was just as important as knowing about Sildie’s. She was tired but not overly stressed by last week which was a welcome relief, her grief had settled slightly for the moment. He knew it would surface again soon for her birthday and Christmas.

“Thank you for your text.” He murmured and slipped a hand around her hip pulling her close to him as she stood waiting for the kettle to boil.

She turned to face him kissing those lips she’d craved all day. “You’re not alone love.” She smiled at him and kissed him again. She’d remind him every day what he meant to her to get him through whatever demon he was facing. Let me in she silently pleaded.

“I know.” But he was, he thought. He was so alone facing it because he never wanted it to touch her, inflict all that toxic shit on her, he just wouldn’t allow it. “Your day go ok?” He asked wanting to change the topic.

“It was fine, I have a lighter caseload at the moment but that’s about to change. Big case coming up. High profile company, lots of long nights ahead.”

“Good thing I’m staying over then.” He smiled.

“Yeah, I could use your help with the kids on this when it hits in a few weeks.” He stroked a finger down his jaw.

“Late nights?”

“There’ll be a few I’m sure and some weekends at the office.” She didn’t want to lay it all on him but she’d need to lean on him for this. “I know it’ll be a lot but I...”

He kissed her softly and leaned his forehead against hers. “Together remember.” Her slight smile the brightest thing in his world. “We’ll figure it out. We’ll make it work.” He kissed her and heard the ewww from Brendan as he passed which made him grin.

“You know B the more you do that the more I’m gonna do this.” He quipped grinning, cupping a hand behind her neck he kissed her so her toes curled. His throaty chuckle against her lips only made Sildie’s pussy tingle, damn the man knew how to kiss a girl.

“Gross.” Brendan grinned.

“Yeah well, wait until your hormones kick in kid, you’re going to feel the same way about a special girl and want to kiss her just like that.” Gustaf was having a ball ribbing the kid in good fun. “So you may want to pay attention instead of gagging.”

Sildie laughed at them while she poured the water over the tea leaves. It was a guy thing and she was so happy that Brendan had a guy he could talk to and joke with even though the spike of guilt still hit her sharply. She watched Gustaf as the two continued their banter.

He was trying to hide the pain, she could see the edges of it in the way his body slumped like it was carrying a tremendous weight. Talk to me love, she pleaded silently, let me in, let me help. It hurt that he’d already started shielding her from it.

She cupped his face in her hand and ran a thumb along the crows feet at his eye. She loved it when he smiled like that, pure joy. He turned to look at her and those ocean eyes, she drowned in them, such love in him she thought, such kindness. She kissed him tenderly and felt his grip tighten.

“You’re so good for him.” She said quietly and kissed him again as she could see the blush at the fact he’d let it show. They talked and sipped tea while Sildie got dinner started. Back to routine, normality, although she wanted to stay in the bubble with him it just wasn’t practical. They ate as a family unit, joking, laughing, talking about what happened in their day, what they liked and disliked, plans for the weekend. If every night was going to be like this she hoped he’d stay but knew there would be bad days mixed in with the good at some stage. It couldn’t be roses all the time.

With Lily and the boys to bed she settled down to read. Her case load was light but she was brushing up on certain laws for the case that would soon land in her lap. She’d be living, breathing, sleeping it. It excited her but at the same time she doubted herself. That doubt of whether she could juggle it all, work, kids, boyfriend, life, grief, Ana. She could handle the kids and work, and Gustaf, but Ana, and life was certain to test her.

He watched her from the kitchen and smiled, he was happy with her, the kids. Things seemed lighter when he was with her, less stress, less anxiety. All the more reason to sort out your shit, he cursed silently, you can’t be in her life completely dragging your Ana baggage into it with you. There isn’t enough room and it’s not fair on them, they have enough grief and guilt of their own to live with.

He poured her a tea and sat it beside her, pen furiously taking notes. He sat and brushed a finger along the back of her hand. The pen stuttered before she continued and then stop once she reached the end of her thought. He knew her well enough now to wait. Her mind was an enigma to him.

She took off her reading glasses and scrubbed a hand over her face.

“Come up for air love.” He said and kissed her temple. “Sip your tea.”

“Thanks. Sorry, went down a rabbit hole there.” She chuckled as she leaned back to rest against the back of the chair pulling her glasses off.

“What are you working on?” His fingers grazed hers as she took hold of the teacup.

“Brushing up on certain laws. I know them I just need to refresh them in my head.” She leaned into him and kissed him tenderly. “Back to the grind. I’m sorry.”

“What for?” His brow crinkled at her apology.

“I get caught up with it all sometimes. I don’t mean to ignore you.” She hooked her finger around his. “I zone out into lawyer land.” That had become his favorite term for her when her mind was super focused.

“You’re not. I’m here with you. We’ll find a rhythm love, it’ll just take a bit.” He kissed her tenderly.

“Well just know when I zone out like that it’s not because I’m ignoring you.” She kissed him again sweetly.

“Noted.” He said and nodded. He hesitated and she knew there was more he wanted to say. “I’m not shutting you out.” He said softly and her look had him continue. “Yes it’s about Ana. It’s always about Ana and I’m working on it. Working on not letting her get between us.” He managed to get that out without bursting into flames and it made him feel a little better. “I just need time to work through it, process it. I started doing that today.”

Her kiss was pure love he thought. That deep love that she gave so freely. “She haunts you.” She murmured and he dropped his head into his hands and scrubbed the emotion away. “Will you talk to me? Before it gets too much and pulls you under? I know you’re working through it, processing, but would you talk to me about it all? What eats away at you?”

“I will but I can’t right now.” He choked. “It’s all too raw.” His voice was strangled.

“You’ve buried it for so long love and now it’s wanting to flood out of you stronger than before.” Her words hit him hard and he couldn’t stop the silent tears. “You’re not alone this time love. I’m here and I’ll fight her alongside you if you’ll let me.” She wiped the tears from his cheek with her thumb and kissed his temple lingering, willing her love to heal him. “Don’t go where I can’t follow.”

“I’m stronger than what she made me.” He whispered and her heart broke. She closed her eyes and breathed. She wanted to ask so many questions from that statement alone but held off. It wasn’t the right time and there was only so far she could push.

“Much stronger love.” She looked at him and cupped his face in her hands. “Work through it but don’t shut me out ok? Tell me when it’s getting too much, talk to me. I’m here for you, just as you’re here for me.”

He kissed her tenderly. “I’ll try to remember.” He kissed her again sweetly. “I’m sorry, I never wanted any of this to touch you Sildie.”

“Together remember. You’re everything to me Gustaf. Remember that when thoughts of her try to pull you under.” She kissed him with that deep love that always made him feel warm and wanted.

“When is your case done? This big one coming up?” He asked and swiped the tears away annoyed that they fell in the first place. He felt stupid falling apart like this all over again like he’d just kicked Ana out this morning. Well in a way he had, mentally he was reliving it all over again.

“It starts in a few weeks in court for pretrial but it could go on for years it just depends. Why?” She asked softly.

“I’d like to take you away for a long weekend. Just you and me, away and somewhere different.” He said and kissed her.

“Romancing me?” She smiled.

“Trying.” His huffed chuckle made her smile. “I’d like to.”

“Maybe the first or second week of December or something. Let all this calm down with us and the kids and routine?” Normally she’d fight him on it as it would be costly but considering what he was trying to process in his mind, she’d let it go. He probably needed it as much as she did from the last week of pouring her own heart out. They were both a little raw still.

“Sounds good. I’ll start planning. You ok with Alice looking after the kids for that long?” It was also something he could plan, take his mind off Ana after dealing with it all day.

“That’s fine and I’ll pay half.” She said.

“Nope. I asked, I pay. Not only that you just paid for this last weekend so it’s my turn.” He grinned, she wasn’t lawyering him on this one. “That was the deal.” He said holding up his hand as if to say save your breath I don’t want to hear it. All she could do was glare at him, he was right damn it she thought.

His fingers toyed with her hair until it found her clip and he growled. Her chuckle was one of amusement.

“You really don’t like that clip do you?” She smirked.

“No. I don’t.” He whispered and he gently removed it so her hair tumbled down. “I like the feel of it. Sinking my fingers into it before I kiss you.” He whispered and kissed her tenderly doing exactly that. “How much more do you have to do tonight?” He asked and ghosted his lips over hers.

“I can be done, it’s late anyway, and I need sleep.” She kissed him softly. “You wore me out.” She chuckled and he smiled against her lips.

“You had a very busy weekend.” He murmured and slipped a finger down her cleavage to undo a few buttons.

“I love it when you touch me.” She whispered, that soft sigh as his touch sent her body into goo mode.

“Then tidy up and come to bed so I can touch you some more.” He murmured, that low tone making her suddenly warm with pleasure.

“I need to sleep Gustaf.” She chuckled as those fingers deftly aroused her as he undid the buttons of her blouse. “I mean I’d like to fool around but I’m beat and I have the rest of the week to get through.”

“I’ll see that you get it.” He promised. “Go take a shower, relax, get your makeup off and sleep.” He kissed her softly. “I’ll be there in a bit.” He stood and took their cups and the teapot to the kitchen.

She tidied ready for breakfast and he noted again that she needed an office, it suddenly dawned on him and he grinned. He had a spare office, she needed one, problem solved and Christmas or her birthday would be perfect timing. Something else for him to dive into in the coming weeks.

He found her a little while later curled up soft and naked in bed. That halo of copper in a molten pool across the pillow. She was so beautiful, inside and out. That thought stopped him cold. Sildie had said the same thing this past weekend about him, though he felt anything but beautiful. His heart fluttered and ached, she was trying to lead him out of the darkness.

He stripped and crawled in beside her pressing himself against her spine, fingers trailing over her hip to soothe more than arouse. The words still wouldn’t come. Give it time he said to himself, you’ve got to take the trash out first.

She turned to him half asleep and pressed herself against him, warm and soft. She kissed him sweetly as his arm cradled her to him, hand flexing out between her shoulder blades.

“Sleep love.” He murmured as her head relaxed and she breathed him in.

He lay there with her in his arms thinking. Thinking of what it would be like to be married to her, have kids with her, to lose her. He would if he didn’t get his shit in order. He kissed her brow and lingered as he held her tighter, the scent of her calming his mind. He couldn’t lose her, he couldn’t let Ana ruin this.

The following few weeks went much the same. Routine and life kicked in, Sildie was slammed at work, kids soccer and hockey games, reading scripts, interviews, guest appearances, and furiously trying to dig out every last toxic thought and memory of Ana. Sildie was neck deep in her case and it was beginning to wear on her. He could see the stress taking its toll, her tiredness before she finally gave up reading for the night, her slightly on edge tone with him and the kids, his own stress wearing him thin too.

Since their weekend together things had started to spiral downward. It was a slow descent but he knew it was his fault. He was spread too thin focusing his entire emotional efforts on getting Ana out of their lives, but what else could he do? Sildie had tried to get him to open up and he’d wanted to, but he’d also wanted to protect her from it. She had enough on her plate without him adding to it.

He was due to fly out tomorrow and he found the thought of being away from Sildie and the kids daunting, even for the overnight stay. “It’s just the anxiety and self doubt creeping back in and it won’t win this time.” He said sternly as he pounded a fist into the bag. “It’s just overnight and she’s only a phone call away. Just like last time. I am better than that.”

He worked the bag hard and took a shower once his muscles were screaming at him. He read through scripts and poured his heart out onto the pages of his notebook. This had become his routine while Sildie was at work. His hand stopped when Sildie’s text tone chimed quietly. He tapped the pen on the book and hesitated looking at it as he was neck deep in the toxic waste of his mind. When it chimed again he caved and looked.

You are stronger than your demons love.

He choked a sob, how did she know what he needed when they hadn’t even spoken of it he wondered? Because she loves you the little voice in his head muttered. He let the tears come, they needed out of him too. A cleansing of a different sort. Purge and heal had become his mantra over the past weeks, and in all honesty he should have done this long ago.

She was beat to hell by the time she got home. This was much easier when she didn’t have kids and a boyfriend that was spiraling she thought bitterly and then felt the guilt rise at such a thought. She was just tired and cranky and that wasn’t fair.

She watched as he played with Lily and smiled, the highlight of her day. Those crinkles around his eyes showing the love and joy he had for the toddler even though it was another mans child. There was still that soul destroying pain in his eyes though and he wouldn’t talk to her about it.

She understood he needed space and time to sort through it but he’d shut her out. Every time she brought it up or hinted at the subject he shut it down. Let me in she pleaded silently, please love let me in. Each day that passed he seemed a little less bright and drifted further away from her, soon he’d be out of reach and consumed by it all. How did she stop that she wondered? How did she stop the spiral without hurting him further, without throwing it in his face or making that wound deeper?

#gustaf skarsgard #gustaf skarsgard fanfiction #shattered lives

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luckyjak · 5 years ago

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Why I Don’t Ship Widojest: A Master Post

An anon sent me an ask about this topic, and I debated for quite a bit about how to answer it. Then I decided the best way was to do a long post like this. I put a lot of thought into why I don’t like it, and I thought to share it.

A few things: 1) I am not telling you not to ship it. The goal of this is not to say “Don’t ship Widojest! It is a bad ship and you are a bad person for shipping it!” That is not my goal, okay? The internet and fandom in particular is meant for fun, and if you enjoy Widojest then more power to you! Don’t let me or anyone else stop your fun! Lord knows I have shipped significantly more problematic things. All I ask is that you tag shit more but that’s beside the point.

2) I am not particularly interested in argument. You are not likely to change my mind. I am not trying to be hostile, but if you know reading this is going to piss you off, then don’t read it. A question was asked of me, and so I thought to share my opinion. Unfortunately for everyone involved I am a high school English teacher, and so I cannot think about anything without completely overthinking it.

About my shipping preferences: generally, I like all the ships! I was particularly fond of Widomauk before Molly died, and I now I really enjoy Shadowgast, but I also like Fjorclay, Fjester, Beaujester, Beauyasha, Widofjord, Clayleb, Lavorclay, and, as the only person on earth, Yasha/Caleb. Hell, if Astrid gets a good redemption arc? Caleb/Astrid or even Caleb/Astrid/Edowulf. Any of those ships could become canon and I’d be tickled pink! You can even throw Nott into the mix, even though I mostly ship her with her husband. Nott/Fjord? Delightful. Nott/Caleb? Weird flex but why not? Nott/Jester? Absolutely! They are the best detectives!

I just don’t like Widojest and I don’t want it to be canon, and here’s why:

Doyalist Reasons First:

1) Laura and Liam played twins for years, still act like siblings even though they aren’t related by blood, and it squicks me to think of them together romantically.

Laura and Liam are fantastic actors. If they were hired to play a romantic couple, I have no doubt in my mind they could knock it out of the park.

But why on earth would they want to pretend to be a romantic couple, in a game they both play for fun?

It would be weird. I play D&D with several guys I consider my brothers, and I can’t imagine pretending to romance either of them in d&d for that same reason. It would be weird.

Maybe it wouldn’t be weird for Liam and Laura. Maybe they are more dedicated to their RP, and they’d be able to push that aside for the sake of fictional romance. But for me, that would be the last thing I’d want to play, and I suppose I project that onto Laura/Liam.

2) A lot of “evidence” for the ship is the way Liam looks at Laura.

To which I say...did you watch Vox Machina?

That’s how Liam looks at Laura all the time. He’s the president of her fanclub. He’s her twinsie. He always looks at her with hearteyes. I have a hard time seeing that as “evidence” for him having feelings for her when...that’s just what his face looks like.

Now, for Watsion reasons:

3) It has all the benefits for Caleb, and none for Jester

Seriously. What does Jester get out of a relationship with Caleb?

Don’t say someone who understands her, because Caleb certainly doesn’t. In fact, the only person who routinely “gets” Jester is Beau. (see: their conversation on the ship.)

Lots of people accuse Widojest as being a Manic Pixie Dream Girl ship because...let’s be realistic, it has all the makings of one. Tortured, broody man meets young, innocent girl who teaches him to enjoy life once again? Wikipedia’s definition is “[girl with] eccentric personality quirks and are unabashedly girlish. They invariably serve as the romantic interest for a (most often brooding or depressed) male protagonist.” Guys, that is textbook Manic Pixie Dream Girl! It gets even worse because Jester’s character is a healer! You want her to heal him? That is squicky!

And yeah, I trust Liam and Laura to be more nuanced than that, but do you know who I absolutely do not trust to be more nuanced?

The fandom. The fandom that is already producing mass amounts of Manic Pixie Dream Girl fanfic. And as that’s where I spend a lot of my free time...egads. I do not want that.

The few Widojest fics I have read (which, admittedly, are not a lot, because again, I don’t like the ship. The few I have read have been tagged as gen and then come to find out, weren’t.) have the distinct problem of woobie-fying Caleb so that Jester can take care of him, and gosh, I do not want that to become a trend.

4) Age Gap

Yes, thirteen years is not that major of an age gap. Yes, Fjord/Jester also have a large age gap.

However, there is a world of difference between “20 year old girl displays romantic interest in a 30 year old man, who decides he likes her back after getting to know her for months” vs “33 year old man decides to pursue a 20 year old woman after they danced one time when he was drunk and held hands and she showed general concern for his well-being.” One is decidedly more creepy.

(And would Jester be the one to pursue a relationship with Caleb? I almost think she’d have to, but again, why would Jester ever pursue Caleb when Fjord/Beau are right there.)

(Also, side note that I thought about making it’s own point but then decided it was petty: if Jester’s type is Fjord--tall, broad-shouldered, dark haired, muscled, then Caleb--skinny, red-head, shorter than Fjord--decidedly isn’t her type.

You know who is tall, dark, and handsome though? Beau.)

And do not say Jester is mature for her age, because she absolutely isn’t! In fact, the whole point of her character is that she’s not mature, she’s very immature and childish on account of her being locked away and being incredibly sheltered most of her life!

Also not a good excuse: Caleb spent 11 years in the asylum and therefore he’s only mentally in his 20s. Uh, no he’s not. He was in an asylum: he was not brain dead. He lived those years. He might’ve been crazy, but he was alive then. Nothing Liam’s done suggests that Caleb is mentally in his 20′s.

5) What would they even talk about?

This is probably actually the one that bothers me the most out of all these reasons, but uh....what would Caleb and Jester talk about, if they were in a relationship together?

Seriously.

They could talk about books? But Jester only ever reads terrible romance and smut. We saw when she tried to pay attention to the dunamancy lessons that she struggles to be interested in that academic stuff that is Caleb’s bread and butter. They could talk about their childhoods? That will go over well. Jester was locked away from society and Caleb straight up murdered his beloved parents. If they manage to avoid that, I’m sure they could fight again over income, what with Jester being a rich kid and Caleb being a poor farm boy. Pranking? Caleb enjoys a good prank now and again, but I can only imagine he’d tolerate getting banned from so many libraries.

They are a cat and a dog, literally. Caleb is an introvert and his idea of a good time is a quiet night at home with a good book. Jester’s idea of a good time is a party with lots of people! Yet I’m supposed to believe they’d have a happy and fulfilling relationship? Don’t get me wrong, many introverts and extroverts do get married in real life, but like...I have a hard time seeing this one working out. How many dicks do you think Jester draws in his spellbooks--which are expensive and time-consuming and require precise work--before that becomes a point of contention?

6) He doesn’t trust her enough to tell her his secrets

Hey quick poll! Who in the Mighty Nein doesn’t know that Caleb murdered his parents?

Fjord. Caduceus. And look, Jester.

I have a hard time buying that he sees her romantically when he can’t even tell her one of the biggest things about him. And he’s known her for months at this point.

If I liked a guy, and I found out he had this big secret, and he had told Beau but not me this secret? I would think he didn’t trust me.

I suppose you could argue that he’s trying to protect her. But then that just goes back into the whole “he doesn’t trust her” argument. He even had the opportunity to and he didn’t during their whole hand-holding thing a few episodes ago!

7) What does their ending look like?

Listen, my ideal ending for Caleb at the moment is “maybe after ten years of friendship he lets Essek tenderly hold his hand for just a moment but no longer” but that’s just me. I see a lot of people who seem to think Caleb’s going to settle down and marry Jester and they are going to have kids, and I just--

Caleb? Having children? Caleb, who murdered his parents and has severe PTSD surrounding that? Caleb, who was abused by his mentor daily for many years? You want to give that Caleb children??? Children who he would constantly worry may grow up to kill him, like he did his own parents, or worse, that he’d do something to accidentally hurt them in a fit of madness?

I could see Caleb maybe adopting a kid if one was forced onto him, but I cannot see him going “ah yes we should procreate!”

Jester, meanwhile, needs like approximately fifteen kids ten years from now, I think. She’d love them. She’d just adopt an orphanage and let the kids run wild and be the best at playing games with them.

Also, character arcs are important. Because Caleb’s ideal ending is stability and Jester’s is exploration.

Caleb, traumatized child soldier who has spent the past 15 years in an asylum and also fighting for his life, and before that spent time traveling between the Zemni Fields, Ikithon’s home in the country, and the Empire’s Capitol, who then escaped the asylum and spent all of his time running, trying to avoid being caught by Ikithon. The best ending for Caleb is to find peace; peace that involves not having to move around anymore, and having a home again, something he hasn’t had in almost twenty years. Maybe that home is a tower in Nicodranas. Maybe it’s a house in Xhoras with six other people. Maybe it’s a quiet bookstore in Zadash, or a little cabin in the Zemni Fields. A garden/graveyard in the woods. Either way, it doesn’t involve a lot of travel from place to place.

Meanwhile, Jester, who was trapped in exactly one place for her entire life, deserves a chance to explore the world. Even when the Mighty Nein disband, I can’t see Jester being happy to just go back to Nicodranas and stay there for the rest of her life. She may settle down eventually, but uhhh, not for several decades, I don’t think. Part of why my two big ships for her are Fjord and Beau: Fjord wants to be a sailor again, I think, which involves travelling the world, so I could see Jester going out with him. Beau, likewise, is an Expositor whose job is to seek out corruption, which again, means travelling, which Jester would be happy to do with her. Hell, the three of them could go together, sailing and punching evil for all of time! It would be great!

(Also: her god is called the TRAVELER why would you want her to settle down and be a mom??? What part of her story makes you think she needs to stay in one place?)

Lastly

I apologize if this post offends anyone. I’ve just been thinking about it for a while, and while Widojest as a ship has surged in popularity, I suppose I wanted to make a counterpoint about my feelings towards the ship. This isn’t meant as an attack on anyone, again, and please, if you like the ship then don’t look at this as a reason to stop liking it! Fandom is for fun! Keep liking what you like!

And I can’t promise I’m always going to feel this way about the ship--hell, the VOD of Thursday’s episode may come out on Monday, and I may watch it and be converted myself. Who knows! I didn’t like Vax/Keyleth at first either, but it grew on me and now it’s one of my favorites from Vox Machina.

(ALTHOUGH Mr. O’brien I swear to God if you romance Jester while flirting with Essek in a direct parallel to Keyleth/Vax/Gilmore I’m going to fly to LA just to punch you.)

Part of me wonders too if it just comes down to character interpretation, if there is something about their characters that is clicking for some people but isn’t for me. Admittedly, I love Caleb and Jester’s friendship, and I see them more as growing like siblings that romantically, but I’ve been wrong before and who knows, I may be wrong again. But if it is a character interpretation, I just wonder what they are seeing about the characters that squicks me but appeals to them.

#critical role #cr discourse #anti-ship #anti-w*dojest

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