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hey-there-love · 4 years ago

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Apologize

Summary: Friday nights don’t have to be lame when Katsuki Bakugo is involved.

Content Warnings: Aged up, NSFW, 18+, Fem oral receiving, penetration, slight anal play, slight dacryphilia, slight spit play, choking, AU, Adult Language, Enter at your own risk.

WC: 3.1K

It was a boring Friday night alone. You were lost in one of your many textbooks studying for a big test on Monday when your phone notified that you had a snapchat. Assuming it was from your roommate Mina, who should have been busy with work, you grabbed your phone.

It was from Katsuki Bakugo. You rolled your eyes and threw your phone onto the pillow. Bakugo was your on and off again friend with benefits. On and off meaning you saw him when it was convenient to Bakugo and Bakugo only. Sadly, you came back each time because you genuinely liked the guy...

Plus it was the best sex of your life.

It was an unfortunate situation to say the least. In the moment when you were with him you were satisfied, but as you got back home you craved more. You were both alike in many ways. Rough around the edges, but soft once you opened up. Goal oriented, focused on your schooling and your futures. A fucked up sense of humor that matched toe to toe. You both came to a mutual agreement that you were meant to be friends early on, but lately you longed for more.

The thing about your situationship with Bakugo was on the rocks since he canceled on you a few nights ago to go out with his friends. Granted you didn’t owe each other anything, but canceling last minute really pissed you off.

After a few minutes of pondering about the Snapchat, you went against your better judgement and opened it.

Bakugo: What are you doing?

You sucked your teeth and debated on messaging him back. Tentatively you set your phone down, deciding to give him a taste of his own medicine and leaving him on read. You stuck your nose back in your textbook. About 10 minutes of note taking had passed and your phone had went off again. You glared and looked at the message.

Bakugo: Don’t ignore me shitty woman.

Your body fluttered. The part of your body that did was undetermined though. You scraped your brain of something wity to say back.

Y/N: What do you need? You’re interrupting my hot date.

He responded instantly, almost as if he was awaiting your response.

Bakugo: An actual date or your hand because you know I’m better than both.

You swallowed the lump that had formed in the back of your throat. He wasn’t exactly wrong. Bakugo was far more experienced in the handiwork than you were, but that’s exactly what a vibrator was for. You snapped a picture of the textbook in your lap and captioned it.

Y/N: His name is Pearson’s Guide to Anatomy and we’re madly in love.

At this point you gave up on studying because you were clearly distracted and laid down. Your message sat on delivered for a few minutes before he finally opened it. This time it was a picture. You looked at instantly. He snapped a picture of his roommate Kirishima grinning in front of the stove with a spatula in his hand.

Bakugo: Come eat and before you say no it wasn’t a question.

You fought the battle inside your brain. You were still pretty upset with him, but you hadn’t ate since breakfast so you were hungry. Plus...sex of course. You opted to send him a short message.

Y/N : Gimme 30 minutes asshole.

Bakugo replied with the thumbs up emoji and sent you into action. You had just taken a shower and thankfully something told you to shave your legs. You brushed your teeth quickly and brushed your hair back into a tight pony tail. Everything you needed was already in your purse. A toothbrush, a pair of underwear, deodorant, a few condoms, a charger, and body spray. ( AN: I always recommend keeping a mini spendanight bag in your purse just in case :) )

You spent a few minutes deciding what to wear before putting on a black lace bra and matching underwear. You opted for a pair of black sweats and long sleeve shirt. It was a little chilly out so you threw on a hoodie. Deciding you were finally ready you sent a message to Mina, alerting her of your absence.

Mina: Wear protection! ;) I get off at 2 if you need a ride home.

You laughed at your best friend’s response and began the short walk to Bakugo’s. There was a little bit of day light left so it was easy to navigate through his neighborhood.

Pretty soon you were standing in front of his building. You pressed the buzzer. Kirishima’s sing song voice sounded through the speaker. “Whooooo is it?” Clearly he knew it was you.

“Kiri let me in! I’m freaking freezing.” You whinned.

“That’s not the passworddddd.” He chided, laughing.

“Let her in dumbass.” You heard Bakugo growling in the background.

“Hey!” Kirishima cried and the door buzzed. You rode the elevator up to the third floor. You rasped on the front door. It was opened abruptly by Kirishima who rubbed the back of his head cautiously.

“Let me guess, he smacked you didn’t he?” You pondered and gave him a side hug.

“Yeah and it wasn’t very manly of him either.” He sighed and hugged you back.

“Keep it up and I’ll do it again, Shitty Hair.” Bakugo called from the kitchen. You shook your head and ruffled his hair.

Kirishima grinned and whispered in your ear, “I’m glad your here, he’s been in a mood all day.” You blushed majorly and looked down as he trailed off into the kitchen. It wasn’t a secret to your friend group what you and Bakugo were. Kirishima and Mina had walked in on you two multiple times, but it still wasn’t embarrassing.

You removed your shoes and padded into the kitchen. The aroma of deliciousness hit your nose instantly. Your stomach grumbled. “See I knew you were hungry.” Bakugo said finishing up the stir fry.

Your wrapped your arms around his waist tightly and laid your head on his back. “Shut up and feed me.” You mumbled.

“You want dinner or desert first?” He replied and rubbed your arm as he mixed up the food in the pan.

“Who said you were getting desert?”

“Please guys! Not infront of the stir fry! It’s innocent!” Kirishima groaned and shoved you two out of the way deciding it was done.

You both shot him a glare as he happily loaded his plate up with food. Bakugo fixed your plate and handed it to you. The three of you sat down on the couch in front of the tv. Kirishima put on a series he just started. You began to chatter about the show in between bites. Pretty soon you were done eating and he gave you a synopsis. Bakugo took your plates to the kitchen.

“Hold on wait, so wait. If he’s an international criminal why did he just turn himself in like that to help the agent?” You questioned, clearly enthralled by the show.

“That’s what I’m trying to figure out! There’s literally 7 seasons of this! I need answers.” Kirishima agreed.

“Bro what if that’s his like secretly his daughter? Like it makes sense why he’s so connected to her and protects her.” You said excitedly, slapping his leg.

“Dude. That actually makes hella sense.” He replied. Bakugo quietly sat down next to you and began to stroke your lower back, signaling it was time to retreat to his bedroom. You looked up at him with pleading eyes to finish the episode. He rolled his eyes and moved his hand to the back of the couch.

Pretty soon the credits rolled at the end of the episode. “I’m going to bed.” Bakugo announced and stood up.

“Ugh, lame.” Kirishima huffed. Bakugo walked into his bedroom without a word, leaving you two on the couch. You both looked at each other and shrugged.

“I’m definitely going to start watching whenever I get home. Text me about it tomorrow yeah?” You asked making your way to the room.

“For sure!” He called after you as you shut the door. You set your bag down next to the bed and sat down to check your phone. You heard the sink running and then the bathroom door opened revealing a shirtless Bakugo. Grey sweatpants hung off of his hips.

You licked your lips slightly as he turned off the lights and slinked to the bed. A candle faintly flicked in the corner, giving a slight orange glow to the room. “Damn that was like pulling teeth, Y/N” he said and laid down next to you.

“What? You weren’t interested in the show? It was good.” You replied, feeling your pulse quicken as he looked up at you through his lashes.

“I’ve been interested in something else for the past hour.” Bakugo sighed and wrapped his strong arm around your waist, pulling you towards him.

“And what would that be exactly?” You questioned and leaned back into the pillows. He quickly moved ontop of you and hovered over your lips.

“Getting inbetween your thighs.” He whispered. You sucked in a breath before his lips landed on yours. It was slow at first. Sweet closed mouth kisses turned into a passionate tongues mingling together. One of your hands began to run its way through his hair while the other traced the expanse of his bare back.

He groaned into your mouth and you pulled his hair lightly. His hand caressed up your neck until it grabbed your jaw holding you in place. Bakugo began to slowly grind against your sweet spot. Causing you to grow wetter than you already were. His freehand began to explore your body, running along your stomach and up to your bra.

Moans escaped as he began to stroke your nipple through the fabric. He lifted you up from the bed and removed your hoodie and shirt in a swift motion, throwing it somewhere off the bed. You weren’t too concerned at the moment of the location. The hand that gripped your jaw made its way down to your neck as he delicately squeezed the side of your throat.

He kissed down your neck until he made it to the area were your breast pooled ontop of your bra. He began to suck on the revealed flesh before pulling it down to free them. “You’ve got such nice tits, babygirl.” Bakugo growled and took a nipple into his mouth.

You mewled at the praise. He began to nip and suck at it, making sure to tweak and pinch the other in the same fashion. You bucked your hips to meet his, adding more friction to the equation. A few moments passed before he began trail down to the hem of your sweatpants.

Bakugo worked diligently sliding them down your legs before laying in between your thighs. You locked eyes as he started to speak, completely in a trance. “Allow me to formally apologize for canceling on you before.” You nodded slowly. He smiled devilishly and kissed your inner thighs.

The teasing was unreal. It made you so hot that you knew your panties were soaked. He planted a light kiss to your clothed clit. Using his index finger he stroked your pussy vertically with the tip. “You smell so good, Y/N. I can’t wait to taste you.” Bakugo growled. He pulled your panties to the side and slipped the finger in. You instantly clenched around him as he began to pump the tip teasingly.

You were a mess. The strokes were torchous, your mind swirled. “Look at you, grabbing my fucking finger and it’s barely even there.” You loved how vocal he was. He slowly pulled his digit out before entering it again, this time deeper inside you. Your juices cascaded down his hand.

“Shit.” Bakugo cursed and tore your underwear off. You were much too distracted to even worry about your thong being shredded. He added a second finger into the mix. He curled them up inside you, finding the spongy spot that sent you crazy.

Removing his fingers he held them up to the light, entranced by the stringy substance that coated them. “Open your mouth.” He demanded. You did as you were told, no questions asked. Bakugo inserted the two into your mouth. You swirled your tongue around and inbetween then, collecting your slick. He groaned as you sucked and bit down.

His mouth attacked your clit promptly. It was a relief you craved. There was no kitten licks about it. His tongue did figure 8’s around your cunt. You were a moaning mess, saying his name without a care in the world that Kirishima could hear you. Then he did something foreign that you never experienced before. His tongue trailed down your pussy until it found your tight, puckered hole.

You weren’t quite sure what was going on, but in the moment it didn’t matter. Bakugo had your trust completely and he knew it. He didn’t go too far though, just kissing and licking it slightly before focusing his attention back on your throbbing pussy. He plunged the two fingers into your hole again, but this time he fucked it.

The lewd sounds that came from your cunt were enough to make you blush. His free hand flew up to your pelvis and began to gently press down causing pressure. “You hear how loud your cunt is babygirl? You sound like your enjoying it.” Bakugo called. He bit down harshly on your thigh.

“Please Bakugo, please fuck me.” You begged, wrapping your leg around his shoulder.

“That’s not what you should call me Y/N. What’s my name?” He slowed down his pumps, but kept the pressure, making the pleasure the same level of intensity as before.

“Katsuki please!” You cried out. He grinned as you.

“I’m sorry Y/N, but I’m not done apologizing yet.” You threw your head back against the pillows as his mouth attacked you once more. His pace began to speed up again. You felt his fingers scissoring inside of you. Your release barreled towards you.

“I’m about to cum.” You whimpered, pushing his head closer to your cunt. His fingers pumped faster than before, hitting your g-spot every time. Your orgasm washed over you promptly as you moaned his name. Your once rigid body melted against the bed. You felt Bakugo climb up your body.

He grabbed your face and made you open your mouth. He spit the saliva and cum mixed fluid into your mouth before running his hand over your breasts again. You were putty and under his mercy.

“Still want me to fuck your brains out?” Bakugo questioned as he stroked himself through his sweats.

“Please.” You breathed out. He chuckled and stood up, removing his pants. His dick sprang free and slapped against his stomach. Precum pooled around the tip. He pulled a condom out of the drawer on the bed side table.

He noticed you staring at him, “See something you like?” Bakugo questioned as he rolled the condom onto his cock. You nodded sheepishly and spread your legs. He shook his head and then nestled inbetween your legs again as he kissed your lips sweetly. He began to rub the tip against your sensitivity, making you jump at the sensation.

“I’ll go slow this time, I promise.” Bakugo kissed your forehead and gently pressed into you, giving you inch by inch. You both hissed until he sank himself fully in your heat. “Shit, you’re always so tight for me baby.” He moaned rested his head on yours.

He began to thrust slowly allowing you to adjust to the pain. Bakugo was not small in the slightest, so you were grateful at the pace he set. He buried his head into your shoulder as profanities escaped his lips. “Fuck, Katsuki. You fill me up so good.” You moaned, scratching his back lightly.

This encouraged him to increase his speed, grinding his hips into yours until he filled you to the hilt. “You are mine. You’ll always fucking be mine Y/N.” He growled, nipping at your collarbone. The declaration made your heart soar, but it also gave you a sinking feeling in the back of your mind.

Bakugo threw your legs over his shoulders as he drilled deep into you. You felt tears prick in your eyes at the sensation as another orgasm began to build. He grasped your face, “Look me in the eyes when you cum because I know you’re close.” You nodded quickly. Tears flowed freely as your mouth hung open. The next orgasm hit you like a brick wall. You were pretty sure you screamed his name that time, but you couldn’t be too sure.

Once your body calmed down Bakugo pulled out, flipped you over onto your stomach and pulled your ass into the air. He slammed back into you. You attempted to jerk forward, but he gripped your hips tight. A loud smack landing against your ass for trying to run away.

You felt his warm saliva drip down to your puckered hole before he used his thumb to swirl it around. Unintentionally, you jerked again. He paused his actions. “You trust me right?” Bakugo panted and rubbed your cheek delicately.

“Yes, of course.” You whinned at the loss of rhythm. Another slap landed on you cheek.

“Okay, run away again,” he stated, “I’m fucking your ass.” That caused you to remain absolutely still. Granted after the experience before you didn’t mind the thought of it, but you we’re too spent for that tonight and you knew Katsuki Bakugo would make good on his promise. He began fucking you again, this time not as rough. He repeated his actions from earlier and teased your ass again before gently pressing his thumb in your tight rear.

You were grateful that you could shove your head into the pillow because the noises that came from you would have woken up the whole building. You mentally reminded yourself to apologize to Kirishima tomorrow. “Shit, I’m really fucking close babygirl.”

“Please Katsuki, please come inside of me.” You moaned, egging him on. That was all it took. His once steady, prominent strokes turned into sloppy thrusts as he filled the condom. Once he steadied, he removed himself as you collapsed. Bakugo rolled the condom off and threw it into the trash before falling in next to you.

You were both panting messes. Once you caught your breath you glanced over at him. “Apology accepted.”

“Shut up, shitty woman.” Bakugo laughed and kissed you cheek.

#bakugo x reader #bnha x reader #bnha #bakugou x y/n #bakugou katsuki #katsuki bakugo x reader #bakugou smut #bakugou x reader

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rowansparrow · 3 years ago

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Juke Box Hero: A Rose Story

This is SO STUPID LMAO But I hope you guys like it anyway. I’m back on my bullshit and I am here to provide you with a little story based off THIS POST. Anon, thank you for your service, because this was very, very fun.

This snippet takes place during Chapter Seven of BAON, during the flashback when Reader is meeting Rex for the first time and Rose and Co. are stuck cleaning up the barracks. You don’t necessarily have to have read it for this to make sense, but the right context might be neat.

Also, for timeline purposes/in BAON, Tup and Dogma technically never met Rose, as they weren’t part of the 501st before he died, but I’m including them in this because I make the rules and I wanted to.

Also Denal’s here because I think he’s a funky dude and deserves more content.

The clones deserve to dance and have fun and who’s gonna write them doing that if it ain’t me?

Rating: Mature-ish? There are some dirty jokes and swearing but mostly it’s Just fun shenanigans with Rose and Bros.

(Also I spent a TON of time picking everyone’s songs so pls tell me what you think of my selections lmao).

I’m tagging everyone from the BAON tag list in case you’re interested. Enjoy!

In retrospect, perhaps Rose should have put a stop to the loth cat situation – or as Hardcase called it, Operation: P.U.S.S.Y. He claimed it was an abbreviation for “Petting Unusually Sweet Strays, Yeah!”

“You have to call it something else.” Rose had said at the time, staring at the loth cat cradled protectively in Hardcase’s arms.

“But you’re not saying no?” Hardcase prompted eagerly, already bouncing lightly on his heels.

“Just…” Rose pinched the bridge of his nose. “Just… clean up after it? And if it breaks anything, it’s on you, and for the love of Force, don’t get caught.”

Now, as the Lieutenant surveyed the disarray that had befallen the barracks, and the company of very disgruntled subordinates, he was reconsidering his earlier leniency.

“I feel as the acting SIC, you’re the one who should be taking the flak for this, not the entire company.” Jesse grumbled, glaring at Lieutenant Rose over his shoulder as he scrubbed at the floor of the barracks.

“Don’t look at me. I’m not the one who brought a pregnant loth-cat into the barracks in the first place.” Rose replied, straightening up for a moment where he’d been hunched over, his back cracking as he moved.

“Well, you didn’t fight me very hard on it!” Hardcase protested. “And I didn’t know Beans was pregnant at the time! I didn’t even know she was a girl!”

His explanation only earned him several slugs to the arm from nearby vode.

“And just because I’m second-in-command does not make me exempt from the Captain’s wrath.” Rose added. “You didn’t get the dressing-down, you just have to carry out the punishment with me.”

“Hang on, I thought we agreed the cat’s name was going to be Road Rash?” Coric asked.

“That’s unladylike.” Said Denal. “And rude. She can’t help her scars.”

“And Beans is ladylike?” Jesse raised an eyebrow.

“She likes it! And her kits looked like beans when they came out too!”

Rose shook his head fondly at his men as they bickered. At least they weren’t complaining anymore.

In truth, he was surprised the situation had been managed as long as it had been. They’d lasted almost a full three weeks without anyone figuring out they were hiding a cat in the barracks. Of course, the kittens made it much harder, and they could only hide them in overturned helmets during inspections for so many days before the helmets started to mewl.

And once Beans threw a tantrum over not having her kits with her, it was game over. She’d knocked over an entire can of armor paint in her wrath, and blue pawprints and large paint puddles coated the durasteel of the barracks, and a few of the bunks had claw and bite marks in the fabric.

“It’ll take us an hour, maybe more, to clean this whole mess up.” Fives complained, looking around the barracks forlornly. He had a nasty scratch just under his eye from finally snatching Beans up in her rampage. “Kriff. I was excited to go out tonight.”

“Not to mention after we finish here the Captain said we had to go take over latrine and canteen detail from other battalions.”

“Then I guess you better get scrubbing.” Kix said absently, thumbing through medical requisition forms on his datapad and sitting cross-legged on one of the few bunks that didn’t have blue paw prints streaked across it.

“Why aren’t you helping? You’re part of the company too.” Echo said. “Fives and I are ARC troopers, if anyone here should be exempt from company-wide punishments, it’s us.”

“I’m not helping because I didn’t participate.” Kix replied, not looking up from his ‘pad.

“The kark you didn’t, you delivered the kits!” Fives snapped.

“Well, Captain Rex didn’t catch me, so.”

“That’s because you went and hid in the medbay and didn’t warn the rest of us he was coming.” Tup muttered under his breath.

“Not true. I sent Jesse a comm.” Kix said, finally looking up only to shrug and return to his work. “Which he didn’t check, and that’s not my fault.”

“It doesn’t matter who was involved and who wasn’t involved.” Dogma piped up. “Clearly, because if it did, I wouldn’t be here either.”

“We know.” Said Jesse and Fives in unison.

Rose sighed, his eyes drifting forlornly to his bunk. He spotted his footlocker sticking halfway out from underneath the durasteel, and he lit up. He opened it quickly, pulling out a beat-up radio he’d gotten at a market stall during one of his first deployments. He’d had to trade a droid popper and half his rations for it – Rex had not been pleased about it when he found out – but it was worth the two-day latrine rotation he’d gotten as punishment.

He’d already downloaded several songs off the HoloNet, along with a few channel recordings of past BoloBall games. Even if he knew who won them, it was still something to listen to on long stints on cruisers.

“What’cha doing, Lieutenant?” Tup asked, peeking around the corner as Rose straightened back up, fumbling with the little radio for a moment and propping it up on one of the bunks so the music could fill the whole room.

“No. NO! No.” Jesse jabbed a finger at the Lieutenant as he saw him set up the radio. “No. Absolutely not. I have had enough of your osik-brained, Force-forsaken, whack-ass music to last me a lifetime.”

Kix chuckled, rolling his eyes at the other trooper. “You listen exclusively to electronic dance music. Even when we aren’t at 79s. You have no room to talk.”

“This is better than that.” Rose promised, dialing up the volume. “This is the kind of stuff you’d find on the jukebox at Dex’s Diner.” He grinned. Dex was personal friends with General Kenobi, and was one of the few Coruscant establishments that was friendly to clones, as long as they behaved themselves. Rose had gone there with his brothers a handful of times, and even Anakin had dragged his Padawan Ahsoka, Rose, and Rex along once.

“You have a radio?” Dogma frowned. “Isn’t that contraband, sir?”

“Relax, it’s an old prewar-era radio, it’s not hurting anything.” Fives drawled, knocking Dogma lightly on the shoulder. “What’re you gonna play, sir?”

“Let’s see…” Rose filtered through his downloads, and grinned wider, pressing play.

Immediately, soft music rang through the barracks, and Jesse smacked his head against the bunk, groaning loudly.

“I’m begging you, Lieutenant.” Jesse said. “I’m begging.”

Rose was already swaying his hips, bending over to grab Jesse by the chin.

“On a dark desert highway, cool wind in my hair, warm smell of colitas, rising up through the air.” Rose serenaded him.

Jesse swatted Rose’s hand away, and Rose turned, swinging around on the side of the bunk and pointing to Fives this time. “Up ahead in the distance, I saw a shimmering light. My head grew heavy and my sight grew dim, I had to stop for the night.”

Fives grinned, joining in even as he stumbled slightly over the words.

“There she stood in the doorway. I heard the mission bell and I was thinking to myself, this could be Heaven or this could be Hell.”

Kix was drumming his fingers on his datapad, nodding along and singing under his breath.

“Then she lit up a candle and she showed me the way. There were voices down the corridor, I thought I heard them say…”

“This is too slow.” Echo griped, rising to his feet and stepping over Dogma, who was still stubbornly scrubbing away at the barrack floors and refusing to engage even as the rest of the clones began quietly singing along with the chorus.

The ARC Trooper fiddled with the dial for a moment, scrolling through Rose’s music and selecting another song, already grinning as the chanting started through the speakers and eventually rippled through the ranks of the 501st.

“STOP.” Jesse barked, trying to kick Fives as the other ARC trooper hopped to his feet, stomping his feet and chanting along. “STOP, I HATE THIS ONE!”

Rose and Hardcase were chanting too, and Coric had started clapping his hands on an overturned bucket, a few shinies clapping their hands together as Echo shook his ass, kama swaying as he climbed up onto a nearby table. He scooped up a mop, pulling the handle to his mouth.

“I can’t stop this feeling, deep inside of me.” He pointed to Kix, grinding against the handle. “Girl, you just don’t realize what you do to me.”

Kix gave him the finger, and Echo pointed to Fives, who was still chanting with the others but was now holding up his helmet, recording the whole thing. Echo amped up his performance.

“When you hold me in your arms so tight, you let me know everything’s alright. I’m hooked on a feeling!”

Tup whooped from where he’d moved to sit on one of the bunks. Dogma shot him a nasty look, which he ignored in favor of watching Echo strut on the table.

“I’m high on believing that you’re in love with me. Lips as sweet as candy, its taste is on my mind. Girl you got me thirsty for another cup of wine.”

“Wait, wait, wait, I have a good one.” Fives shoved his helmet at Hardcase, letting him take over recording as he scrambled to the radio, quickly turning the dial once again and elbowing Echo off the table as fast, loud, angry guitars shredded through the barracks.

Jesse seemed to perk up just slightly, and any of the 501st troopers who were still trying to actually clean – save for Dogma – had abandoned their supplies and had elected to dance instead, crowding the table and forming a makeshift mosh pit.

Fives was nothing if not a showman, and when he snatched the mop from Echo, he performed.

“When I get high, I get high on speed. Top fuel funny car’s a drug for me, my heart! My heart! Kickstart my heart!”

He stomped his foot hard on the table, flipping his head back and running one hand messily through his hair.

“Always got the cops coming after me, custom-built bike doing 103, my heart! My heart! Kickstart my heart!”

Rose laughed, watching as Fives looked at the helmet Hardcase was hoisting up over the crowd, singing into the camera and rolling his shoulders back.

“Ooh, are ya ready, girls? Ooh, are you ready now? Woah, yeah! Kickstart my heart, baby give it a start. Woah, yeah! Baby! Kickstart my heart, hope it never stops. Woah, yeah, baby yeah!”

The clones joined him for the chorus, and then Fives dropped to his knees like he’d seen rockers do on the HoloNet, high fiving the nearest vode. Dogma was still stubbornly trying to clean up the barracks, but had moved on to one of the far corners, only giving the rest of his battalion the occasional side-eye.

“Skydive naked from an aeroplane, or a lady with a body from outer space, my heart. My heart! Kickstart my heart.” He wiggled his hips as he straightened back up, biting his lip through a grin and dropping his hand to his hips and shaking his fist obscenely, as though he was jerking himself off.

“Say I got trouble, trouble in my eyes, I’m just looking for another good time, my heart. My heart! Kickstart my heart!”

Before Fives could do something else profane – or possibly attempt to crowd-surf and give Rose a handful of incident reports to fill out, the music suddenly shifted, and all heads turned to the radio.

Kix was smirking. He’d divested himself of the top half of his armor, instead electing to shimmy his way up onto the table in just the upper half of his blacks and lower armor plates. Fives exited, rejoining the crowd as Kix leveled a sultry look at the camera for just a moment before turning his back on the crowd.

“Clean shirt, new shoes, and I don’t know where I am goin’ to. Silk suit, black tie, I don’t need a reason why.”

He spun quickly, switching his grip on the mop handle as though he was holding a woman in his arms, dipping it low towards the crowd as he sang.

“They come a runnin’ just as fast as they can, ‘cos every girl’s crazy ‘bout a sharp dressed man.”

Fives and Echo were howling with laughter, and Hardcase wolf-whistled loud enough that Rose’s ears rang. Even Jesse had finally joined in, nodding his head along to the music and trying to bite back a grin. Tup had left the crowd to instead attempt to pull Dogma in, and Denal had rounded up a few newer members and was trying to push them closer to the front.

Kix unzipped the top half of his blacks, doing a slow strip-tease in time with the music.

“Gold watch, diamond ring, I ain’t missin’, not a single thing. And cufflinks, stickpin, when I step out I’mma do you in.” Kix shrugged out of his blacks and rolled his hips along the mop handle, dropping his ass low and slowly dragging himself back up, grinding against the handle.

“They come a runnin’ just as fast as they can, ‘cos every girl’s crazy ‘bout a sharp dressed man.”

Fives actually pretended to faint, falling backwards into Echo, who was laughing so hard that he fell over with him.

“ALRIGHT!” Dogma shouted over the music, elbowing his way through the crowd with Tup following anxiously behind him. Dogma firmly stopped the music, hands on his hips as he turned to face the rest of his brothers, who’d begun to boo.

“We have orders,” Dogma reminded them. “This is a punishment, not a party. When we finish here, we’re supposed to clean the shower block, and then we’re supposed to report to the mess hall and take over the canteen cleanup shifts.”

“We know the orders, Dogma.” Rose said, putting a hand on the younger trooper’s shoulder. “There’s no harm in having fun while you work.”

“I’m the only one still working.” Dogma grumbled.

“Alright, alright, we’ll turn it low for now, and we’ll finish up in here, then we can bring the radio with us when we move to the refreshers and canteen. Fair?” He asked, turning to the rest of the men. There were a few muttered responses, and Rose raised an eyebrow.

“Sorry, I couldn’t quite make that out.” He said. “We are cleaning this mess up, correct gentlemen?”

“Sir yes sir!” They all answered quickly, hurrying back to work.

Rose chuckled, shifting the music to something a little calmer, the gentle piano wafting through the barracks as they continued to clean up.

Denal’s head perked up as soon as he heard the piano start, and while he didn’t climb up onto the table like his brothers had, he smiled to himself, turning back towards the spot he was scrubbing and singing to the durasteel floor.

“I'm sailing away. Set an open course for the Virgin Sea.”

Echo hummed, closing his eyes and rocking back on his heels for a moment, listening to his older vod croon.

“'Cause I've got to be free. Free to face the life that's ahead of me.” Denal continued, his voice soft but steady. “On board I'm the captain, so climb aboard. We'll search for tomorrow on every shore and I'll try, oh Lord I'll try… to carry on.”

Somebody whistled, a few scattered claps ringing through the barracks. Coric picked up where Denal left off.

“I look to the sea, reflections in the waves spark my memory. Some happy some sad.” He sang. “I think of childhood friends, and the dreams we had.”

Tup glanced to Dogma, who was practically seething as he scrubbed at the same spot on the floor that he’d been working on for the past several minutes. “You like this song, don’t you, Dogma?”

“No I don’t. Shut up.”

“Join in. They won’t mind.” Tup encouraged.

“No.”

“We live happily forever, so the story goes. But somehow we missed out on that pot of gold.” Sang Coric. “But we'll try best that we can to carry on!”

The music picked up, and Jesse shot Rose a look.

“This is a deceptively fast song.” He said.

“It sneaks up on ya.” Rose chuckled.

The barracks devolved into chaos once again, the clones all screaming along to the lyrics, even the ones who didn’t know the words picked it up quickly, encouraged by their brothers.

Despite the distractions, they finally finished cleaning the barracks, and Rose plucked the radio from where he’d stashed it, leading the way down the hallway towards the refreshers. The 501st were especially rowdy in the quiet halls – most of the barracks were empty, the clones who weren’t being punished for loth-cat related shenanigans were taking advantage of the shore leave.

When they opened the door to the shower block, they encountered a few members of the 212th already in there, cleaning up.

“Pack it in, lads.” Rose announced. “We’re taking over for you.”

“What? Why?” Boil asked, leaning on a mop and raising an eyebrow. “Did you get in trouble?”

“Yes.” Hardcase replied sheepishly, rubbing the back of his neck.

“All of you?” Waxer poked his head out from inside one of the refresher stalls, Crys and Wooley pausing from where they were wiping down countertops.

“Yeah, it’s Hardcase’s fault. As usual.” Jesse said, strolling over to Boil and plucking the mop from his hands. “We’re supposed to take over your shifts.”

“Good, I was hoping to get to 79’s tonight before last call. I hear they’ve got purple spotchka.” Boil said excitedly, glancing at Waxer over his shoulder.

“We can help you finish.” Waxer said, immediately raining on his brother’s parade. “There isn’t much left to do anyway.”

“You sure?” Rose asked. “It’s technically a punishment -.”

“Nah, it’s fine, there really isn’t much left, aside from the toilets.” He grinned. “But you boys can handle those.”

“Fair enough.” Rose chuckled, nodding over his shoulder to his men. Fives, Echo, Jesse, and Hardcase were in a heated four-way battle of rock, flimsi, cutters in order to determine who had to clean the toilets first.

“What’s that?” One trooper Rose didn’t recognize asked, pointing to his hand.

“It’s a radio!” Rose said cheerfully. “I’m err… technically not supposed to have it. But we’ve been listening to music while we worked.” He set it up on the countertop. “Do you have a favorite song��?”

“Spitter.” The 212th trooper supplied helpfully.

“Spitter.” Rose repeated, chuckling to himself and wondering how the hell he’d earned that name. “Do you have a favorite song?”

“I don’t know the name of it.” The trooper admitted shyly. “But – but it’s the one they play on the hits channel all the time. I hear it playing in the admiral’s quarters on the Negotiator all the time.”

“I know that one!” Waxer said excitedly, nodding to Rose. “It’s the one Commander Cody likes. You were playing it in the hangar a few weeks ago when our flight detail overlapped.”

“I remember.” Rose smiled, and turned the song on.

Immediately, every head, including Dogma’s, perked up at the familiar tune. Fives clapped his hands together, getting them started.

“When I wake up, well I know I’m gonna be, I’m gonna be the man who wakes up next to you.”

The younger trooper, Spitter, lit up and followed it up.

“When I go out, yeah I know I’m gonna be, I’m gonna be the man who goes along with you.”

Waxer elbowed Boil, trying to get him to join in, but the other trooper shook his head and crossed his arms, rolling his eyes even as Waxer sang.

“If I get drunk, well I know I’m gonna be, I’m gonna be the man who gets drunk next to you.”

Their voices carried through the refresher’s tiled walls, and Jesse picked up where Waxer left off.

“And if I haver, yeah I know I’m gonna be, I’m gonna be the man who’s havering to you.”

When the chorus rolled around, everyone joined in, their voices bouncing off the walls around them.

“But I would walk five hundred miles, and I would walk five hundred more, just to be the man who walked a thousand miles to fall down at your door.”

“When I’m working,” Kix began, offering a hand to Wooley and giving him a playful spin. “Yes I know I’m gonna be, I’m gonna be the man who’s working hard for you.”

“And when the money comes in for the work I do, I’ll pass almost every penny on to you.” Wooley laughed, shoving Kix away with a grin.

“When I come home,” Tup piped up quickly, before someone else could. “Oh, I know I’m gonna be, I’m gonna be the man who comes back home to you.”

“And if I grow old,” Crys smirked, shaking his shoulders at Fives, who punched him playfully in the arms and joined in, singing the line in unison. “Well, I know I’m gonna be, I’m gonna be the man who’s growing old with you.”

The chorus returned, and they sang with even more feeling than before, dancing and tossing their heads back, shouting along to the words and nearly drowning out the music itself as they sang.

As the final verse approached, Waxer sidled up next to Boil, giving him a hopeful look. His brother sighed, scrubbing a hand bitterly over his face and reluctantly joined in.

“When I’m lonely, well I know I’m gonna be, I’m gonna be the man who’s lonely without you.” He sang.

“And when I’m dreaming,” Echo called. “Well I know I’m gonna dream, I’m gonna dream about the time when I’m with you.”

“And when I go out, well I know I’m gonna be, I’m gonna be the man who goes along with you.” Fives followed.

“And when I come home, yes I know I’m gonna be, I’m gonna be the man who comes back home with you.” Denal said.

Tup took a deep breath, preparing to finish off the verse, but he was cut off.

“I’m gonna be the man who’s coming home,” Dogma’s voice was shaky as all eyes turned to him, and he finished in a squeak. “With you.”

The room erupted in cheers, Fives catching Dogma under his arm and giving him a noogie as the chorus rang out once again, everyone shouting along to the lyrics together.

When the song ended, and the cleanup was done, the 212th parted ways with the 501st, the brothers patting one another on the back and jeering affectionately at one another now that the song and dance was done.

“If you finish with everything before final call, catch up with us at 79’s.” Boil called over his shoulder. “We can give the vode there a run for their money with our rendition of that song.”

“Count on it.” Rose chuckled, giving the other company a little salute before leading his men on towards the canteen.

The canteen, blessedly, was empty, and most of it was already clean. All they really had to do was wipe everything down, mop, and then make sure the kitchen was well-prepped for the next day.

“I didn’t know you had it in ya, Dogma.” Echo said affectionately, knocking his younger vod playfully in the shoulder as they walked.

“Let’s just get this over with.” Dogma muttered, his ears burning as he pushed into the canteen, grabbing the cleaning supplies from the nearby supply closet.

“Who’s turn was it for a solo?” Fives asked, watching as Rose started to set up the radio above one of the food windows so it could project into the entire cafeteria.

“I think Dogma should go.” Kix grinned. “Now that we know he’s got some pipes.”

“Absolutely not.” Dogma said immediately, not looking up from where he was wiping down tables.

“I can go first?” Tup offered, raising his hand sheepishly. Dogma shot him another stern look, but Tup was already wandering over to the radio, moving the dial and tentatively pressing play.

Upbeat music filled the canteen, and the other troopers cheered as Fives ushered Tup over to the nearest table, boosting him up on top of it and then thrusting a mop into his hands. Hardcase was already fumbling with the helmet again, trying to get a recording as Tup tapped his foot along with the beat, nodding his head as he found his rhythm.

“I get up in the evening, and I ain’t got nothing to say. I come home in the morning, I go to bed feeling the same way.”

Fives was leading other troopers in pounding the surrounding tables in time with the drumbeats while Echo was leading another group to clap in time.

“I ain’t nothing but tired! Man, I’m just tired and bored with myself.” Tup flashed the camera a grin, reaching up and pulling his hair tie out, shaking his wild curls loose around his head. “Hey there baby, I could use just a little help.”

Jesse whistled, and Dogma had stopped cleaning and was watching his brother, the slightest smile pulling at his lips.

“You can’t start a fire, can’t start a fire without a spark. This gun’s for hire, even if we’re just dancing in the dark.”

Tup shook his hair out of his eyes, tossing his head back and jerking his hips.

“Messages keep getting clearer, radio’s on and I’m moving ‘round my place. I check my look in the mirror, wanna change my clothes, my hair, my face!”

He swayed his hips again, and Hardcase shoved the camera at Kix instead so he could join in the clapping.

“Man, I ain’t getting nowhere, I’m just living in a dump like this. There’s something happening somewhere, baby I just know that there is.”

He hopped off the table, instead taking Dogma’s hand and dragging him towards the makeshift stage.

“You can’t start a fire, you can’t start a fire without a spark. This gun’s for hire, even if we’re just dancing in the dark.”

He pushed the mop into Dogma’s hands instead, beaming at him as he scurried off the table, sprinting over to the radio and quickly changing the song.

Immediately, slow guitar started but quickly escalated into heavy drums and fast riffs. Dogma’s cheeks turned a darker shade, and he looked frantically to Tup, trying to climb back down off the stage.

“No, no, come on!” Fives shouted, trying to body block Dogma from getting down. “Come on, you got this!”

The lyrics began, and Dogma sang along, his mouth barely moving, voice almost imperceptible.

“Another head hangs lowly, child is slowly taken… and the violence caused such silence, who are we mistaken?”

“Come on!” Tup called to him. “You LOVE this song! Let ‘em hear it!”

Dogma grit his teeth, his voice gaining strength. “But you see, it’s not me, it’s not my family, in your head, in your head they are fighting.”

He stomped his foot on the table, practically snarling out the words. “With their tanks, and their bombs, and their bombs, and their guns, in your head, in your head they are crying.”

He threw his head back, and for not the first time that night, the radio was drowned out by cheers.

“In your head! In your head! Zombie, Zombie, Zombie. What’s in your head? In your head? Zombie, Zombie, Zombie!”

Dogma climbed off the table quickly, his ears and cheeks burning but a small smile was on his face, even as he was smothered by Hardcase, Fives, Tup, and Echo swarming him with hugs and rubbing his head affectionately.

Jesse climbed up onto the table next, picking up the discarded mop and clearing his throat.

“I would just like to dedicate this song to the gorgeous woman I picked up at 79s last week.” He drawled, nodding once to Kix, who was hovering knowingly by the radio. He nodded once to the helmet, which was now stationed on a nearby table, still recording. “Darling, you had the best pair of tits I have ever seen in my entire life, and you had the mouth of an angel and the coochie of a devil.”

Fives whistled, and Coric snickered. Rose rolled his eyes.

“So, babygirl, this one is for you.”

Kix turned on the radio, and Jesse grinned.

“Shot through the heart, and you’re to blame. Darling, you give love a bad name.”

Guitar rang out through the mess hall, and Jesse bit his lip, rolling his hips as he leaned slightly off the edge of the table.

“An angel’s smile is what you sell, you promised me heaven then put me through hell. Chains of love got a hold on me, when passion’s a prison, you can’t break free.”

He dropped into a crouch, singing directly into the camera.

“Whoa, you’re a loaded gun, whoa, there’s nowhere to run, no one can save me, the damage is done!”

He jumped to his feet, the table shaking under him as he landed.

“Shot through the heart, and you’re to blame. You give love a bad name. I play my part and you play your game, you give love a bad name!” He turned his back on the crowd, dropping low again and slowly rising, shaking his ass. “Yeah you give love…”

He looked over his shoulder, tossing the camera a wink. “…a bad name.”

The music changed abruptly, and for a moment Jesse looked pissed. “What the hell, ‘Case?”

But his expression shifted as Hardcase rushed to the table, pushing his brother out of the way and taking the mop from him. The crowd cheered all over again as Jesse climbed down, brothers slapping him on the shoulders as Hardcase’s song started up.

“We finish strong, right vode?” He asked cheekily.

“We still have to finish cleaning!” Dogma called back.

Hardcase only smirked in response, and sang quickly to keep up with the lightning fast lyrics.

“Backstroking lover always hiding ‘neath the cover, can I talk to you, my daddy say. He said, you ain’t seen nothing ‘til you’re down on a muff and then you’re sure to be a-changin’ your ways.”

He cupped his codpiece, bucking his hips forward into his own hand.

“I met a cheerleader, was a real young bleeder, all the times I can reminisce. ‘Cos the best things of lovin’ with her sister and her cousin only started with a little kiss, like this!”

He swung his arms wide, shaking his ass in time with the music and stuck his tongue out, having the time of his life.

“See-saw swingin’ with the boys in the school and your feet flyin’ up in the air. Singin’ hey diddle diddle with your kitty in the middle of the swing like you didn’t care.”

He walked backwards along the table, rolling his shoulders back as he moved.

“So I took a big chance at the high school dance with a missy who was ready to play. Wasn’t me she was foolin’ ‘cos she knew what she was doin’, and I know love is here to stay when she told me to walk this way!”

The rest of the 501st joined in with him, repeating the chorus of “Walk this way! Walk this way! Walk this way!” over and over again, Hardcase taking over again as the next verse began.

“School girl sweetie was the sassy kinda classy, little skirt’s climbing way up her knees. There was three young ladies in the school gym locker when I noticed they was lookin’ at me.”

He ran his hands along his thigh, mimicking raising a skirt.

“I was a high school loser, never made it with a lady ‘til the boys told me something I missed. Then my next-door neighbor with a daughter had a favor so I gave her just a little kiss, like this!”

“Do you think he has any idea what he’s singing about?” Kix asked Rose, leaning back against the counter and chuckling.

He watched as Hardcase went back to grabbing his own crotch, dry-humping the air and hummed.

“I’d say most likely.”

“See-saw swingin’ with the boys in the school and your feet flyin’ up in the air. Singin’ hey diddle diddle with your kitty in the middle of the swing like you didn’t care.”

Hardcase grinned, and to both Kix and Rose’s utter chagrin, Hardcase actually did dive off the makeshift stage and attempt to crowd surf.

“I’m not patching you up!” Kix shouted over the roar of the music. Rose chuckled, turning the volume nod down as the rest of the 501st shouted in protest.

“Alright, that’s enough for now.” The Lieutenant said, taking control once more. “We can listen to it quietly in the background, but we really do need to wrap up cleaning.”

“Why? Got a date tonight?” Jesse asked with a raised eyebrow. Rose punched him lightly in the arm, and they got back to work once again.

They worked in relative silence, the occasional voice humming or singing along to the music, but they remained productive right up until one of the final songs Rose had downloaded cut through the speaker. The piano wasn’t as rich-sounding as it was through a regular speaker, but even through the tinny cadence of the beat-up radio, every single trooper in the canteen bolted upright, eyebrows raised. Rose smiled knowingly, and turned up the volume once again.

Fives beamed, sitting down on top of one of the tables and laying back, one leg bent and the other stretched flat, a hand behind his head as he sang up at the ceiling.

“Just a small-town girl, living in a lonely world. She took the midnight train going anywhere.”

Jesse leaned back against the wall on the other side of the canteen, closing his eyes as he joined in.

“Just a city boy, born and raised in south Detroit. He took the midnight train going anywhere.”

Echo kept mopping, but was grinning as he picked up the next line. “A singer in a smoky room, the smell of wine and cheap perfume.”

Kix grinned. “For a smile, they can share the night, it goes on, and on, and on, and on.”

The rest of the 501st joined in together, their voices carrying in perfect harmony.

“Strangers, waiting. Up and down the boulevard, their shadows searching in the night. Streetlight people, living just to find emotion, hiding somewhere in the -.”

“Night!” Hardcase shouted, straining every muscle in his chest and neck as he struggled to reach the high note.

Tup picked up the next verse, climbing onto one of the tables and dragging Dogma up with him once again.

“Working hard to get my fill, everybody wants the thrill. Paying anything to roll the dice just one more time.”

Dogma smiled, nodding his head along to the music. “Some will win, some will lose.”

Tup threw his arm around his brother, and the two of them sang together. “Some were born to sing the blues!”

Rose’s voice carried from over by the radio. “Oh the movie never ends, it goes on and on, and on and on!”

“Strangers waiting, up and down the boulevard, their shadows searching in the night. Streetlight people, living just to find emotion, hiding somewhere in the -.”

“NIGHT!” This time, it was Dogma, of all people, who rang out with the high note, and the explosion of shouts and cheers was deafening. They were screaming along to the lyrics, dancing and jumping and shouting and swaying in time with the song.

“Don’t stop believin’! Hold on to that feeling. Streetlight people! Don’t stop believin’, hold on-”

“WHAT IS GOING ON IN HERE?!”

The booming voice was so powerful, it could be heard even over the shouts of all the clones. Echo was closest to the radio, and quickly shut it off as the song and dance stopped immediately, every clone scrambling to stand at attention.

The Jedi that filled the doorway was massive, an imposing shadow in the entrance to the canteen. He zeroed in on Tup and Dogma, who had been standing closest to the entrance, and stormed towards them.

“Who is your commanding officer?!”

“Me, sir.”

The Besalisk Jedi turned, spinning on Rose immediately. He stalked over to the Lieutenant, jabbing a meaty finger into his chest, hard enough to send him stumbling backwards.

“What is the meaning of this?” He snarled.

“Sir, we were assigned cleaning detail.” He explained. “We were just finishing up.”

The Jedi bared his teeth. “Doesn’t look like much cleaning was taking place to me.”

He surveyed the rest of the troopers, but turned his head back to Rose.

“What is your designation?”

“CT-7673.” Rose recited immediately, keeping his back ramrod straight at attention, even though the Jedi was deep in his personal space. He knew this man. General Krell had quite the reputation through the GAR, and Rose had no clue what he was doing outside of the Jedi Temple this late at night.

“Who is your commanding officer?”

“Captain Rex, sir.”

“Not a clone! Is there a malfunction in your design?!” The Jedi bellowed. A few feet behind him, Hardcase flinched at the sudden loud sound, but Rose held still. “Your general, CT-7673! Who is your Commanding Officer!?”

“General Skywalker, sir.” Rose said instead. The canteen was so quiet, you could hear a pin drop.

He turned his head, noticing the little radio on the table and picked it up, the device small in his massive hands, raising an eyebrow at Rose. “Contraband, disturbance of the peace, behavior unbecoming of an officer, insubordination.” He hissed. “That’s plenty of grounds for a court martial, Lieutenant.”

“Sir.” Fives spoke up, taking a step towards them. “Proper chain of command designates General Skywalker as the one to hand down a court martial order, sir.”

He narrowed his eyes, his voice dripping with contempt. “With all due respect, sir, you do not command this battalion, and cannot order a court martial on the Lieutenant.”

“Fives.” Rose snapped, whipping his head around to face Fives. “Stand down. Now.”

The ARC Trooper shrank back, his hands curled into fists at his sides, and the General turned back to Rose.

“Be that as it may,” he began icily. “You can rest assured this breach of conduct will not go unreported.”

“Yes sir.” Rose replied stiffly.

General Krell pulled back at last, surveying the battalion. “I want this canteen spotless, and not a word out of you in the meantime!” He ordered. “And I don’t think you’ll be needing this anymore.”

With one quick motion, he smashed the radio in his hands. Rose heard a soft, hurt sound somewhere behind him, but ignored it. He didn’t look away from the General.

“Dismissed.” Krell growled, turning and stalking towards the doors. “And as for you,” He turned, jabbing one large finger at Fives. “I’ll be mentioning you in my report as well. Pray our paths do not cross again, clone.”

And with those words, he left the canteen.

Rose relaxed, but only minimally so. The silence hung heavy over the 501st, and everyone quietly shuffled back to work.

Rose gripped the mop handle tightly as he worked, his knuckles turning white. His chest burned, a tight, constricting feeling wrapped around his insides. It was a feeling he’d never felt before – anger, sadness, humiliation, resignation – all rolled into one hateful ball, coiled in his gut.

“Finished with the kitchen, sir.” Came Tup’s small voice. He’d put his hair back up, the tight bun back to regulation standards. Dogma was standing stiff beside him, still not entirely relaxed yet. “And the um – the canteen area’s just about wrapped up as well.”

“Very good.” Rose said with a small nod. “I’ll report back to Captain Rex, let him know we’ve finished for the night.”

“Sorry about your radio, sir.” Hardcase murmured, rubbing the back of his neck.

“It’s alright, ‘Case.” Rose smiled, but his eyes were sad. “It was – it was old, anyway. Just a silly thing.”

Fives bristled, his jaw setting as he tossed the bucket he’d been holding back into the supply closet with far more force than necessary.

“We aren’t supposed to leave base for the rest of the night, right?” Denal asked, arms folded across his chest as they finished the last of the cleanup. “Guess we could play Sabacc or something back in the barracks?”

There were a few murmured agreements, and the 501st shuffled back towards the barracks. Rose was still thinking about the General, and had a bitter taste in his mouth. They hadn’t been doing anything wrong, really.

Was it such a crime to enjoy oneself? To simply exist?

Fives and Echo fell into step on either side of Rose, the ARC Troopers bracketing their Lieutenant. “I bet Echo and I could rebuild the radio.” Fives offered. “Might take a little bit, but even if we can’t, Kix is real good at bartering stuff down in the markets. Remember when he got us those HoloDisc movies for just a tube of bacta?”

“We could find another radio for you?” Echo suggested hopefully. “Or maybe,” he lowered his voice slightly. “Maybe Y/N could find you one?”

“Let it go.” Rose said, picking up the pace and pulling away from the ARC Troopers. They reentered the now far tidier barracks, and Rose gravitated back to his footlocker, starting to close it up and push it back under his bed. The metal clacked slightly against the edge of the bunk, and he paused, the tinny sound echoing in his ears.

He knocked the footlocker against the bunk again, listening to the little noise again.

Kark it. He was more than just a mindless flesh-droid. He was a person. A human being. And he liked music.

And he wasn’t about to let anybody take that away from him.

“I never got to do a song.” He announced, straightening up and putting his hands on his hips.

“You can’t be serious, sir.” Dogma said, shaking his head at him. “Haven’t we gotten in enough trouble?”

“I’m sure the General’s slithered back to the Temple by now, where he belongs.” Jesse replied, turning back to the Lieutenant. “We don’t have a radio anymore, sir.”

“We don’t need one.” Rose said, pulling his footlocker back out and propping up one leg on it. He tapped his foot against the metal, the rhythm settling, nodding his head along. He took a deep breath.

“Standing in the rain, with his head hung low. Couldn't get a ticket, it was a sold out show.”

Fives recognized the song, and started tapping his foot along, drumming his hands on an overturned weapons crate.

“Heard the roar of the crowd, he could picture the scene. Put his ear to the wall, then like a distant scream.” Rose climbed up onto the table. “He heard one guitar!”

Jesse slammed a bucket from earlier down against the supports of a bunk, the loud clang mimicking the strum of a guitar.

“Just blew him away. He saw stars in his eyes, and the very next day, bought a beat up six string in a secondhand store. Didn’t know how to play it, but he knew for sure, that one guitar!”

Another clang, this time from Kix repeating Jesse’s motion, and Echo, Denal, Coric and Fives were all drumming on overturned buckets and crates.

“Felt good in his hands! Didn’t take long to understand, just one guitar, slung way down low, was a one way ticket, only one way to go.”

Tup and Hardcase had picked up a brush – typically used for scrubbing their blasters and armor down – and were knocking it against the durasteel wall. Dogma had rounded up the others, a look of sheer determination on his face as they clamored around the bunks and tables, smacking their fists in rhythm with anything they could get their hands on.

“So he started rockin', ain't never gonna stop. Gotta keep on rockin', someday gonna make it to the top!”

Rose stomped his feet, and the rest of the 501st joined him for the chorus.

“And be a juke box hero, got stars in his eyes. He's a juke box hero!”

“He took one guitar,” Rose sang, while the rest of the battalion echoed “juke box hero, stars in his eyes” around him. “Juke box hero, he’ll come alive tonight.”

The singing quieted down, listening for a moment to see if anyone was coming, and Rose grinned, starting again and pitching his voice low.

“In a town without a name, in a heavy downpour, thought he passed his own shadow, by the backstage door.”

The clones took position, preparing to resume their makeshift instruments as Rose picked up in volume.

“Like a trip through the past, to that day in the rain. And that one guitar, made his whole life change! Now he needs to keep on rockin', he just can't stop! Gotta keep on rockin', that boy has got to stay on top!”

Once again, shouts rang out as his brothers joined him for the chorus, their voices louder and more determined than ever, refusing to be silenced.

“And be a juke box hero, got stars in his eyes. He's a juke box hero, got stars in his eyes. Yeah, juke box hero, stars in his eyes. With that one guitar, he'll come alive, come alive tonight.”

As they finished the song, Rose panted softly, glancing down at his commlink again. He decided he was going to go off base after all. He wanted to see you, and nobody, not his Captain’s orders, and definitely not some karking General like Krell, was going to stop him.

“Dismissed.” He said curtly, and took off out the door without another word.

SONGS USED (because they’re all bangers and you should listen to them):

The 501st (introduction): Hotel California Echo: Hooked on a Feeling Fives: Kickstart My Heart Kix: Sharp Dressed Man Jesse: You Give Love a Bad Name Coric and Denal: Come Sail Away Dogma: Zombie Tup: Dancing in the Dark Hardcase: Walk This Way The 212th and 501st: I’m Gonna Be (500 Miles) The 501st (Canteen finale): Don’t Stop Believin’ Rose and the 501st: Juke Box Hero

TAG LIST (Aka everyone on the tag list for BAON): @fat-zygerrian @ladydiomede @pro-fangirls-unsocial-life @threevie @cheesemachine44 @bubblyacey @fivedicksinatrenchcoat @loverofclones @starwarsgarbage @hockeyjedi13 @crazygirlwithasword @dar-manda-rjct @gotomarvelgal @baba-fett @whore4rex @bubblegumcat229 @generalcannoli @hellothere501stlover @in-the-crosshairs @vaderthepotater @for-the-love-of-clones @babyhowzer @imrealatedtothe501st @chewychewyque @bobafettuccini @baba-fett-writes @chromia7567 @coffeeandtodd @thedomesticatednerd @kirinpl @djarrex @a-c-lee @embarrassedauthornerd @kaorikoizumi @the-girl-of-rain-and-shadows @sammi9498 @theroguesully @salaminus

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crimsonwolfie · 4 years ago

Text

Best Mistake — Hamish Duke x Reader (x Knights)

Requested by @mysticalcrownbear

Prompt: The Knights accidently summon you, (the reader) a succubus when trying to summon Zecchia. You have a strong liking towards Hamish Duke, and he’s very much into you too.

Word count: 2,095

Hope you guys like this!! Sorry if it’s crap - requests are open!!

Masterlist

Best Mistake Part 2

“It’s not that they have all our stuff...they stole it. So - let’s steal it all back” Jack whispers as he leans forward, straightening his posture in seriousness.

“Are you suggesting a magic heist?!” Randall says, stalking towards Jack

“Yes. A magic heist” Jack replies as he steps up from the couch. Both boys shine a ray of mischief in their eyes and madness in their energy

“MAGIC HEIST! MAGIC HEIST!” They both chant, as Hamish and Lilith begin joining in synchronisation

“MAGIC HEIST MAGIC HEIST MAGIC HEIST!” The Knights chant like toddlers demanding candy.

—

“Well you didn’t think to warn us about that?!” Lilith hissed, eyes dark with fear and damage after the images she’d experienced. Hamish, Jack and Randall all sat with Lilith in the Blade and Chalice collectively recovering from their fear corners. Lilith rocked slightly from side to side whilst Jack was holding a pack of ice on the side of his head. They were tired, scared, drained...but desperate. They couldn’t get into the vault without being stuck in the “fear corridor”. Hamish chugged a swig of his whiskey, slamming the glass down onto the table with force, trying his best to forget what he went through -

“Stupid Ricky Simarco and his stupid fifth birthday party” he groaned, eyes fixed into a trance like state

“What did you see?” Randall asked Lilith, who replies with a simple “nothing”.

“Nothing?” He asks again, confused to why she didn’t see anything

“Nothing.” She confirms, although her shaken state says otherwise.

“Okay, since we can’t get through to the vault, i found the perfect solution” Jack enthusiastically gushes. “We summon a demon! There’s loads of different types to summon and i think i found the perfect one!”

The fellow knights all look around at each other in suspicion...could this actually work? Or is Jack literally insane?

“It’s name is a Zecchia” Jack points towards a yellow dusted page in an old, crippled book “it’s a baron demon, meaning it steals anything that the summoner desires it to”

“Won’t we have to do something for it? You know, a catch?” Lilith questions, her big brown eyes looking up to Jack

“No! You see that’s the beauty of it. We call it, they show up, we pay the toll and they’ll do our bidding!” He replies almost as if it was complete rocket science. “You just gotta follow the protocol perfectly”

“I’m in-“

“-Me too!” Hamish and Lilith both declare with their whole chests, meanwhile Randall starts struggling with the decision...

“Nope.” He announces. “No thanks. No way. Nope. Not a demon. Not ever.” Adamant as ever, he puts his hand on the table as a way to stand against the debate. He gets up and walks away before the others can stop him.

“We’re still doing this.”

“Yeah totally”

“He’ll get over it”

Hamish, Lilith and Jack all stand around the summoning circle, ready to summon Zecchia, the thief demon.

“Zecchia, appear before us so that we may negotiate the fee for your service to empty the vault of the Hermetic Order of the Blue Rose and remand those goods into the possession of the Knights of Saint Christopher” they all chant in synchronisation. Below their feet is a demon trap, purposed to trap the summoned demon in order to negotiate wisely. As soon as they finish the chant, a sound of wind brushes past them...but shorty followed by silence.

“Zecchiaaa?” Jack quietly echos into the distance of the house, uncertain if the summoning ritual worked or not. The 3/4 knights walk around the hallway wondering where they went wrong.

“Maybe we messed up the incantation?” says Lilith

“We did everything right?” Hamish replies

Suddenly, the door bursts open as Randall rushes in, slightly out of breath

“- guys STOP don’t do this-” He shouts as he blows out the candles nearest to him on the floor “-Alyssa and i were discussing demon summonings and-“

“-and you suck at it” you pipe up.

Emerging from the shadows of the staircase, you quietly and elegantly walk down, eyes never leaving the people below you...but one in specific - the man dressed in the waistcoat. You’re wearing a red, laced spaghetti strap bodysuit that’s tucked under a pair of tight fitted sheer black leggings (clearly i’m not going to have you wear only underwear and a bra like every other succubus - *que that not on MY WATCH vine* we are more PG here y’all - also may i add, your body size does not matter here. All body types are beautiful and you should love your body, don’t fall for these skinny stereotypes! Curvy girls are breathtaking too!!! <3 okay back to the story lmao). With midnight black wings as beautiful as can be and horns impeccable in sight, you stare with your big Y/E/C eyes as your long Y/H/C, silky locks fall past your shoulders. The sound of your black stiletto heels click and clack on the wooden floorboards, as further silence echos in the walls. The Knights are struck by your beauty, chocked for words at what they’re seeing in front of them. You swiftly bring your wings to your side, stroking your arms as you approach the people below you.

“You’re not what...we...expected” Randall slurs- i mean drools ;)

“That’s because i’m not” you sigh, bringing your arms across your body. “You summoned me, a succubus. Not Zecchia. But hey, you’re not the first...you’re meant to use alcohol as a summoning ingredient. She’s a sucker for it...senses it from many realms away” you continue, shaking your head and rolling your eyes playfully. Looking around the room, you can’t help but keep looking back to the tall man who has a perfect complexion and long, dirty blonde hair with blue crystal eyes. With lips so succulent...you want to kiss all over them and run your hands through his locks, as he uses his large, soft hands to roam around your body-

“So who did we summon?” Your thoughts are interrupted by the small, gorgeous lady to your right. She has blue streaks in her black hair, and a cute little button nose that you want to just *boop*!

“I’m Y/N, a succubus” you smile delicately at the woman in front of you, glancing back to the man who caught your eye before.

“And you are?” You question, turning your attention to the male on your right

“I’m Lili-“

“Not you! This handsome gentleman in front of me” you point with your long, ‘black as night’ painted fingertip towards the tallest man.

“I-i’m Hamish. Hamish Duke” he replies, cheeks blushing a gentle shade of crimson.

“You’re really hot” you tease, biting your lower lip in hot anticipation at your dirty thoughts. Hamish’s eyes widen at this, bringing his hands towards his front slightly.

“I could say the same for you, love” He gulps. He doesn’t know this, but you can actually read his thoughts; images of him pushing you up against the wall, his hands on your ass as your legs wrap around his middle, lips working sweet magic as you’re caressing his face and hair...leaving small, wet pecks on his neck as he moans your name out loud, thrusti-

“Hey, i’m Randall” the tall, pretty brunette calls out, stepping towards you. He brings his hand out to shake, to which you accept. A huge grin is painted across his face as his hand touches your dainty one, Lilith just rolls her eyes and huffs.

“Okay okay let’s wrap this up here” she remarks, pulling Randall away from you. You turn to see a shorter male, who sports platinum blonde hair that falls to the side of his face. His eyes are wide, mouth slightly parted and eyebrows furrowed.

“Are you alright, pretty boy?” You ask, genuine concern across your face. Randall giggles like a school boy at your words, repeating (and i quote) “hehe pretty boy heheee” quietly in the sidelines whilst pointing at Jack.

“I....uh....hi” Jack replies, fixing his hair after noticing you were looking at him

You lightly laugh “hi, cutie”

You look back over to Hamish, as his filthy visions are still happening

“I can read your thoughts, you know” you laugh as he blushes bright red and covers his front completely now

“It’s okay, i liked them” you continue in a husky tone, stepping closer towards him with your hands in front of you, gasping to be touching him.

He reaches his hand out towards your stretched hand, gently touching your fingers and delicately wrapping his large ones round them. You both intertwine fingers, as gazes are locked onto you both. He pulls you towards him, his head tilting slightly in awe at your appearance.

“Uhhh...okayyyy?” Lilith gawked as the rest of the Knights share glances of pure confusion and slight panic.

You chuckle lightly at Hamish’s actions, as

he wraps his arms around your lower back, swaying from side to side.

“You’re beautiful” he whispers into your ear which sends excited chills down your spine. He smiles looking down at you.

“What is happening right now?” Jack asks the others, who shrug their shoulders watching like hawks. Lightly, you plant a small kiss on his lips...which Hamish returns, only with more passion and lust. The kiss deepens as his hands grip tighter and your thrusting into him for more becomes intolerable, until you both need to release for air.

“Uhh Hamish? Y/N? Hello?” Randall waves his hands in the air trying to signal Hamish, but proves useless. As you’re heavily gasping in air, you notice Hamish’s mouth - your red lipstick has smudged all over his mouth

“BRO you look like a clown!!” Randall cracks up, laughing hysterically. Jack and Lilith snort upon seeing Hamish’s state, but he doesn’t care. He quickly and forcefully grabs you again and drops you bridal-style whilst passionately making out with you once again. Jack, Lilith and Randall all look back up from their laughter fits to see you two basically eating each other’s faces. Suddenly, it’s not that funny anymore - just disturbing.

“Okay that’s enough, Ham-burger” Randall shouts. Nothing.

“Yo Hamish dude stop” Jack sings, which again does nothing to Hamish and you.

“Yeah this is now how i thought my Tuesday was going to go” Lilith says as she gestures towards you two. “Is he enchanted or something?!”

“I uh...maybe?” Jack mutters

“Maybe i am too” Randall eyeballs you and Hamish “wait...i said that out loud didn’t i?” he quickly looks down and plants his face with his hands. Yeah...he was totally thinking of a threesome at that time.

Begrudgingly you break the contact between yours and Hamish’s soft lips and lift yourself up from his arms, yet he continues leaving sweet, soft kisses on your neck.

“I know what you’re thinking, cutie” you look up to Randall, who squeals in embarrassment and mouths ‘don’t tell them’ towards you, making you laugh.

“What were you thinking about?” Jack asks

“Basically he was thinkin-“ you begin

“NO no NO DON’T say anything” Randall barks out, breaking Hamish from his trail of leaving kisses down your neck

“You know what nevermind” Jack grunts as he scrunches his eyebrows up in discomfort.

“Okay this is getting too weird now. Hey, Y/N can we get Zecchia please” Lilith asks, seemingly annoyed

You sigh loudly, clearly annoyed that your fun was about to be wrapped up “fine. But i want to see you again” you say, stroking Hamish’s hair out of his face.

“Why does she have to go? Can’t she stay for a little longer?” Hamish pleads, but is shut down by Lilith giving him a death stare whilst growing towards him.

“It’s okay, she’s right. Okay well this was amazing. Call me again” you say as you wink towards Hamish, who’s knees buckle slightly. You walk towards the middle of the room and straighten yourself up, lifting the strap of your top back onto your shoulder.

“Nice to see you, lovelies” you give a little wave with your hand, then click your fingers and disappear. The Knights all glare round to Hamish, who straightens himself up and buttons his waistcoat back up.

“Have fun there buddie?” Randall quips, smirking slightly at his friend

Hamish doesn’t say anything, he just looks down in embarrassment

“Oh, and you might wanna-“ Randall gestures for him to wipe his lips, as Jack and Lilith silently chuckle from the other side of the room.

It’s safe to say, you left your imprint on Hamish Duke...and he won’t be forgetting that any time soon.

Let me know what you guys thought, and of you want any more fanfic :)

#hamish duke imagine #hamish duke #hamish duke x reader #the order season 2 #the order imagine #the order #the order netflix #randall carpio #randall carpio x reader #the knights of saint christopher #lilith bathory #jack morton #alyssa drake #lilith bathory x reader #jack morton x reader

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virtual-luvr · 4 years ago

Text

Late night love

Pairing: Asami x Reader

Pronouns: gender neutral; no use of pronouns for reader

Warnings: TOOTH ROTTING FLUFF

Description: Nights like these where you could just spend it cuddling and kissing are the best

Note: i haven't watched LoK so im sorry if Asami is ooc? But this was requested by my friend and its asami so i had to do it, ty bro

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

You wake up from your nap to an empty bed.

Pouting at the lack of warmth you look around the candle lighted room noticing a figure on the balcony

You slip out of your comfy bed and silky sheets to walk to the balcony and see who the figure is, guessing it was who you thought it was

You open the doors to the balcony and you're hit with a fresh breeze and the smell of herbal tea, yeah, its defenetly who you think it is.

The figure turns their head and you're met with Asami's mesmerizing eyes, a small smile etches onto her face when she notices you've come to see her

The book in her hand closes shut and she stands up to greet you, putting her book and tea down so she's able to hug you with both arms

You swiftly move over to her figure and hold her tight, not wanting to let go anytime soon

She mumbles a, 'hi honey', her voice sounding like music to your ears and when you grab her face delicately to look at her, her smile is even better and makes your day

You give out a small, 'hey', giving a short answer and then burying your face in her neck

Breathing in deeply you try to get as close to her as possible, both of you smiling like lovestruck idiots even though you're now engaged

Swaying from side to side the only things you heard were the sounds of the wind and the occasional car passing by

You pull away just to kiss her

The kiss is soft and loving, she grabs your face and breathes out a sigh

You pull away just to leave a few more kisses on her lips; then forehead, then cheeks, nose, eyelids, and finnaly one final kiss on her lips again

She tries to pull you even closer but you're guys are already as close as can be

You both laugh and giggle in between kisses

A soft purr from behind you makes you both seperate and look for the culprit.

Both of your guys's cat is purring and rubbing their head on your legs

Asami ducks down and grabs your cute kitty

Their purrs even more loud now as you both pet them and give them kisses

Your experience with your cat is short lived though as they see a cat toy on the ground.

They hop out of asami's arms and runs over to catch the toy in their little paws.

You chuckle at the sight and Asami grabs her tea and books, heading inside she keeps on drinking her tea and goes to the kitchen

You follow her, grabbing the book in her hands and putting it on a table that was right next to you.

As she finishes her tea and is looking out the window you cuddle up to her once again and lay kisses on whatever patch of skin you could reach

Her laugh echoes just a tiny bit through the room and you smile

She really is the love of your life

She turns around in your arms after placing the now empty cup in the sink

You take this opportunity to look at her facial feautures and you notice her hair which was just a bit messed up but she still looked as beautiful as ever

You cant help but ruffle her hair even more

She yelps and gives you a playful glare, it makes you laugh loudly but she shushes you up with another kiss

This time you're the one sighing into the kiss and even though she tried to shush you up your tease her even more by grabbing at her hair and messing it up even more, still while kissing her

She pulls away and grumbles, crossing her arms she turns away from you and stomps off to your shared bedroom

You snicker and walk behind her

You enter the room right on her tail and when you see her figure oh so close to the bed you take your chance and swiftly tackle her onto the bed

She yells out a 'hey' but you pay no mind to it and wrap both of your bodies in a thick blanket, securely making sure she cant get out of the situation and when you are a hundred percent sure she cant get out

You cuddle her again

Your head rests right on top of where her heart is and she gives out a deep sigh

And even though you know shes huffing and puffing, you know she loves your cuddles and affection

Soft and nimble fingers rake through your hair, you would have fallen asleep if it werent for Asami's lips leaving small but ticklish pecks all over your face

You giggle and try to push her away but your efforts are futile, she only brings you closer to her and gives you more kisses making you flustered and red

You hadn't even notice that your cat had joined you both too

They softly meow again and start purring while kneeding the sheets looking for a good spot to sleep

You look around the room and notice the candles all around you are still lit. You get up from the bed, Asami making a noise close to a grumble when you do, and blow out all the candles.

You go back into bed and wrap your arms around Asami once again, her face nuzzling into your shoulder. You noticed she was falling asleep so you lightly poke her shoulder.

She takes the hint and looks up at you, noticing the only light illuminating both of your guys's face is the light from the crescent moon and it makes you smile

Spending nights like this was your favorite, and being able to spend them with the person you love most is even better

You kiss her nose and she smiles once again.

You both talk some more, more you then her, before you decide its time to go to sleep

You give her forehead one more kiss and you exchange 'goodnight's before drifting off into a dreamless sleep in each others arms.

[1097 words; august/4/2020]

#virtual luvr is typing #x reader #x male reader #x gender neutral reader #imagine #oneshot #Lok #legend of korra #lok imagine #lok oneshot #asami x reader #asami oneshot #asami imagine #asami x male reader #asami x female reader #asami x gn reader #asami x gender neutral reader

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moonguilt · 4 years ago

Note

Klance 🍁

hey hello!! maple leaf hmm im a sucker for autumn and falling leaves so i must submit to my calling! please indulge me as i unload some pre-kl angsty keith unrequited (or so he thinks) pining. this kind of just turned into a full-on fic so uhhh sorry about that heh:

Allura has, obviously, never been to Earth before. She has never had the quintessential American autumn experience: leaf-peeping, hay rides, pumpkin-picking, apple cider, corn mazes, candle huffing, haunted houses—that type of thing, from what Keith knows of the subject. Which is admittedly kind of limited.

Lance is absolutely thrilled at the notion that he gets to introduce her to all of it. He clearly loves the idea of being the cool guy who gets to show an alien space princess an important facet of his lived experience here on Earth. As soon as the notion strikes him, one day while the team is scattered about their shared common room at the Garrison, he makes plans to take her on a tour. She is fascinated by the suggestion and immediately agrees—even expresses a particular excitement at the idea of getting to try out trendy fall Earth fashion.

Surprising absolutely no one, least of all Keith, Lance avidly encourages this and pulls out a phone to start making plans to wear matching outfits. (Allura seems to like the “dark academia” look, and Lance is more than happy to take her out shopping and also get some use out of his own turtlenecks.)

Keith, meanwhile, finds himself sitting across the table from them, watching this all go down, feeling bitter and sorry for himself. He’s a big gay idiot—he knows that—and, well. Sue him. He has to watch the man he loves make date plans with his crush. It’s hard. And for some reason, for some big gay idiot reason, because he must be a masochist or something, because he’s feeling so unreasonably grumpy and petulant about the whole thing, because he should be happy that Lance is happy and he hates that he’s just upset instead because what kind of dickish friend is he—

He says, “I’ve never seen any of that before either.”

And he wants to kick himself for saying it as soon as the words are out of his mouth, because he’s intruding on something that is not meant for him, and he’s such an asshole for trying to insinuate himself where he clearly doesn’t belong, and he’s also a liar because unlike Allura he has at least seen all of this stuff in movies and books and pictures so it’s not really a novelty for him the way it is for her, and now it’s like he’s trying to take something precious from her and from Lance, and he’s such an asshole and also so obvious and unsubtle.

It’s painful. He is in pain. Pain is in him.

He expects Lance to quip something snarky back at him, or to tell him to butt out, or to give him the “not cool bro” signal or—or something.

But Lance just lights up like a damned Christmas tree and leans over the table and says, “Really?! Dude, you’ve gotta come with!”

And the next thing Keith knows he’s being dragged by both his crush and an alien princess into Lance’s closet so that they can figure out his own matching ensemble for their weekend getaway to New England. He and Lance are basically the same size at this point, with a bit of variation in the details, so it’s an ordeal but not an unsuccessful one. The shirts are a little too loose around the shoulders—God, Lance and his smooth, wide shoulders—and a little too tight around the waist and arms, but they make it work.

Besides, Keith can’t help but feel a flicker of pride—misplaced, probably, but who cares—at the way Lance’s face goes a bit red at the sight of him. It’s probably nothing. But Keith is a fool and so he allows himself to entertain the frankly ridiculous fantasy that perhaps Lance likes the look of him in these clothes.

When the time comes, it’s a whole lot more complicated than Keith was anticipating—this is Lance, of course, so there’s a whole detailed itinerary of all the things they absolutely must do at every hour of each day of their weekend mini-vacation. Keith doesn’t know what the hell is in store for him and doesn’t really care; he trusts Lance to lead the way. And also he would much rather dig a hand into the roadtrip potato chip bag and lose himself in carbs than stress over a schedule that he knows is probably going to get messed up anyway because both Lance and Allura will be immediately distracted every time they set eyes on something fun or interesting or pretty. (But who is he to criticize when he himself is so often distracted by Lance.)

Anyway, he’s not really sure why Lance insisted on roadtrip snacks. It takes like a minute to get to Massachusetts in the Black Lion. But whatever; he knows better than to ask questions when Lance gets focused like this.

The trip ends up being remarkably enjoyable, actually. Keith expects it to be agonizing—he thinks he’s going to have to watch Lance drool over Allura the whole time while he third-wheels and follows them around carrying all their stuff—but the reality is a pleasant surprise. Keith hadn’t really noticed it until now, but there is something different about the way Lance and Allura interact these days. It’s less uncomfortable than Keith remembers. It feels more—natural, he supposes. And most astonishingly, it includes him as an equal and welcome part of the dynamic. Strange.

He notices it in the way Lance throws an arm around both him and Allura as they walk up a winding cobblestone street; in the way Allura says, “Boys, come here! Smell this candle! It’s called ‘pumpuh-kin spihsee’!” and beckons them both in close; in the way Lance asks a stranger to take their picture in front of a quaint old churchyard and, when Keith lingers awkwardly out of frame, calls him over and tucks him tightly in between himself and Allura.

It’s... fun. It’s so much fun. Keith is having so. Much. Fun.

He loves being able to share cider donuts with them. Instead of fighting over who gets the last one, like he thinks he would have been inclined to do once upon a time, they each keep biting it in half, smaller and smaller, and force the next person to do the same until they’re all nibbling tiny bites off of a pathetic little crumb. (Keith loses this game when he swallows the final piece because Lance leans in too close and brushes a sprinkle of sugar from his cheek. Not his proudest moment. He ends up having to pay for dinner.)

He loves being able to make fun of the silly ghost tour guide with them, mocking the dramatic affectation of his voice as he tells a story so obviously fake that it nearly brings them to tears. At least until the wind blows a door open so fast that Lance shrieks and jumps into Allura’s arms, at which point they really are overcome by tears—with the exception of Lance, of course, who just pouts at them both for a solid minute while he waits for them to recover from their laughter.

He really loves them. Not both in the same way, or with the same intentions—but he does. He loves them. And he loves this. And he is so glad he gets to experience it. So glad he didn’t submit to his urge to sulk and pine and grouse over his feelings for Lance. Because this is something precious, and he would be a fool to compromise it.

And no, it certainly isn’t the worst thing in the world, when they’re sitting on a pile of hay getting towed along by a rusty red tractor through the woodsy outskirts of a small farm, the way Lance curls his fingers through Keith’s and pulls their joined hands onto his lap, or the way Allura’s head droops to rest on Keith’s shoulder, while the three of them lounge together in the fading evening light.

“I love you both,” Allura mumbles drowsily into Keith’s borrowed sweater as he loops his arm around her back. “Very much so.”

Lance’s thumb rubs along the back of Keith’s hand. “Me too,” he says, turning to look at Keith with a gaze that could only be described as buttery soft.

Keith holds it for a moment, willing it to melt into his mind forever, then feels himself smile, slow and gentle, as he leans his head back against the hay and looks up. The first stars of the night have emerged to kiss the sky above. He tugs his friends just a little closer.

oh man i had fun with that, ty for reading and ty for the ask!!

#i feel so wholesome rn dfgkds #is this kallurance?? i think so #im gonna tag both!!#klance #kallurance #but its rly mostly queerplatonic #the romantic parts r kl parts #fanfic #moonguilt content #autumn #ask #fallensil3nce

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homestuck-headcanonymous · 4 years ago

Text

dinosaurs eating people (they didn’t get to say goodbye)

a/n: this is a whole lot of angst. tw for suicide.

the moment of silence after you die, dave strider thinks, must be the loneliest moment in the world. dread has always been woven into his bones, his blood, polluting every second he had- but not like this. nothing was like this.

he remembers the day they pulled apart from the alpha timeline like it was yesterday- maybe it was. he does not know when or where or what he is in this strange too-dark-to-be-darkness, and maybe he is nothing at all. It was the littlest thing- a gear was fixed from where it had broken, something to do with a door mechanism nobody ever used- and then it was gone. shattered. like a dead butterfly’s wings in the palm of a child’s hand grasping too tight. it *hurt*, almost, the knowledge of it- like a recoil from the shotgun bro had tried to teach him to use, the one that was stuffed inside of the hall closet in the apartment he hadn’t seen in years. terezi and rose felt it too, he could tell. he’d never seen grief-and-guilt-and-pain and pure, exhausted, aching resignation mix on his sister’s face like that, and it almost made his chest tighten and sting all over again as he saw her feel the string holding them to a future draw taut and snap back on her, like the lash of a too-tight violin string breaking.

it was so quiet that day. it felt wrong, but what could he do? it was grief, in a way, but it never felt like it. it felt like the second after you drop something important on the ground and it shatters. the moment you realize that you have done something irreparable. karkat came into his room that night while he stared at the ceiling. the scent of sopor was thick around him, and he didn’t have to say why. dave knew. he understood. after all, if you’re doomed, why not try and do whatever you can to ease that pain? karkat’s shoulders were shaking, and his expression was softened and blurred with tears as red as the stained glass window of the cathedral he saw once on a bus ride. it was a portrait of jesus on the cross, bloodied and red but still resolute, still willing to die for the future of those around him. dave held karkat that night, but neither of them slept very much. karkat still smelled like home to dave, underneath the saccharine-sticky scent of slime, and when he dozed off in the irregular moments of what he thought would have been almost dawn, he thought christ was a fitting metaphor for karkat. born to die, in a way, but to save others. who was this saving? in a moment of bravery, he left the lightest of feather-soft kisses on karkat’s forehead. the troll didn’t stir from his fitful slumber. he could never understand, dave thought, what karkat was going through, but it could have never been easy.

it was so easy to fall in love like that- the space when there is nothing but you and those you care about. karkat woke late the next morning, messy-haired and sleepy-eyed in the soft light of the alchemized fairy lights, and dave strider wished that he could take a million photos, just to see the scene forever, because karkat vantas was the most beautiful sight in all of time and space like that.

“thank you, dave. for letting me stay. you know. last night. i...i think i just needed to not be alone for a little bit.”

his voice is bleary and soft, and it feels like soft rain during a houston summer. dave could listen forever.

“and i know that you’ll just say that it wasn’t a big deal, or that it was nothing, or that it didn’t matter, but it did. it meant a lot to me. so...thanks. i’m.. glad you’re here.”

karkat’s hand is cupping his cheek now, soft and gentle and so warm that he wants to lean into it like a cat being pet, and it is the kindest way anyone had ever touched him. he realizes that his shades are off, set aside to sleep. he realizes that he doesn’t care.

when dave strider kisses karkat vantas for the first time, it is knowing that the world has ended, and seeing the wild, bright unknown of whatever comes after. neither of them quite knows how, and it is awkward and new, and utterly, wonderfully, perfect.

dave’s never considered himself a romantic, but maybe, he thinks, one day, that could be changing. he knows karkat loves that stuff, and when he tries to set up a picnic for the two of them in a room without much in it, the alternian fruit salad bites him, and the candles are smoky and burn stutteringly, but seeing the way karkat’s eyes light up the room and his quiet laugh of gentle disbelief makes his heart melt in relieved affection.

dave strider is completely, utterly, head over heels in love, and he knows it.

here, now, in this space of nothing he is becoming, he wished that he had said it a million times.

they never talked about it, that much. the world ending. everything ending. *them* ending. dave wishes that they would have. it just hurt too much, in the late nights when he thought of it, karkat’s head rested on his chest and neither of them sleeping. it burned too much, to gaze into the blazing sun and face it. he knew that they were out of time, but somehow, he always thought they’d get just a little longer.

the day he died was a little like that. rose stayed in her room alone, that morning. he heard kanaya knocking at her door softly, and he saw the wine-red blood and the blood-red wine spilling across the metal floor when kanaya entered, soaking into the rug that rose had spent weeks crocheting, the colours of lavenders and sunshine and stormy skies in soft woolen doily-patterns. he heard quiet whispers of “no no no no please no” filling his ears and it was only as he fell to his knees, his sister’s blood smudging his face, that he realized that they were coming from him. kanaya was curling into herself shaking like a leaf in the breeze, and dave wanted to too. it was like a gnawing hollowness, the denial of something right in front of you, of watching a chunk of your sliced-off heart bleed to empty on the ground. it was the beginning of the end. or maybe it was the end of it. when he saw karkat coming out of the winding hall where terezi’s room was, teal soaking his skin up to the elbows, he knew too. the instant dave touched karkat’s shoulder, all the comfort he could think to give, it was like the troll shattered, falling to the ground.

“’rezi...i..i tried so hard to save her....but i was too late....the blood....there was so much blood...”

dave doesn’t know what to say, really. what to do. how do you comfort someone when the world is ending? he drops to his knees and wraps his arms around karkat’s shoulders, as though he can hold him tight enough to turn back time. he wishes he could. just to stay like this for a few more moments.

they hold each other like that for a while. neither of them have the energy to spare for tears, but they grieve together. it is quiet. and for a moment, it feels like someday, everything will be okay. when dave looks out the window, he sees the collision course they follow. cleanup for heroes doomed to die. he knows that there will not be a someday. not for them. when he goes back up to rose’s room to invite kanaya down for coffee of a late breakfast, or anything to not make her stay alone, the door is just ajar, and her sewing kit- the one she always kept in her pocket, the one she loved so much- with the ivy-patterned canvas and the vintage scissors and the tiny little star sketchbook for design ideas- is strewn across the hall, pins and needles and spools of thread scattered and thrown everywhere. the scissors are gone- he remembers, distantly, how they had been a present to her from rose- how he’d walk out of his room in the middle of the night and find her still trying to alchemize what she wanted. how relieved rose had looked behind her tired eyes on kanaya’s wriggling day party, when her eyes lit up at the delicate embroidery scissors, with their little brass handles carved like lace with tiny roses. it had been a happy day. a few months before the split. he does not need to look, now, to know where the scissors have gone. he notices the jade-green blood, half-iridescent, soaking into his shoe far too late, and it makes him feel sick to his stomach.

dave goes back to his room. he grabs one of the jugs of bleach from the cleaning supplies cabinet they never really ended up using. idly, he wonders what they could have used all the time they wasted on them for. how many days could he have spent with the people he loved? what could have happened in those days falling from the timeline? he wants to hit something with the injustice of it all, punch and kick and scream and cry, because how could he have been so stupid? to have wasted the hours he doesn’t get anymore because he lost them?

it’s his turn, now. he knows it.

karkat is waiting inside his room, the quilt kanaya made for him as a christmas present reddened and damp where his tears have fallen. in a moment, karkat wraps his arms around dave’s neck, clinging onto him. dave wraps his arms around him too, and buries his head in karkat’s shoulder. he still smells like home to dave, and it makes dave feel like his chest is collapsing in on itself, concaved to less than a hollow space. the jug of bleach is set on the ground for a moment. it is not forgotten.

karkat sees it when he lets go. dave knows he knows in a split second.

“dave, you...this is some sick joke, right? some sick fucking joke? you can’t be..not you too, right?”

karkat sounds desperate, devastated- and dave strider has never hated himself for doing something more in his life.

but he still cannot stay.

he steels himself with the same determination, the same icy chill he was raised to have. a strider man hurts people for their own good, a million times those words were blazed into his ears while he lay bloody on a rooftop ringing again.

“go away, vantas. i need to do this. it doesn’t concern you.”

he sounds like *him*- like bro- and it almost makes dave flinch back on instinct- reach for a sword and glance around and brace for the impact of a sword against his skin.

karkat’s eyes are filling with tears again, and the impact of it hurts more than any strife ever could have.

“doesn’t *concern* me? dave, what the fuck are you talking about? i *love* you! you don’t need to do this. please,- god, just....*please*, don’t leave me alone here. please, don’t leave me *alone*.”

dave freezes for a second. karkat stares back. the last card has been played. it is a second too long.

“god, y’know what! *fine*!! i guess i *can’t* fucking stop you! because *apparently* wanting the guy you thought was your fucking *soulmate* to not spend his last fucking moments alive with you chugging off-brand human clorox is an unreasonable fucking request! maybe....maybe you just didn’t give as much of a shit about me as i did about you! maybe i was a braindead fucking dumbass to think that you ever even loved me enough to give a shit about what i think!!”

karkat slams the door behind him when he leaves. dave slides to the ground, his back against it. he can hear karkat crying, now- his momentary desperate anger flickered out to nothing but loss and loneliness. dave’s guilt feels almost physical, now- like hot wax melted onto his skin that won’t let go. his hands are shaking. he realizes that his shades have fallen off, and that he must have stepped on them without noticing. one lens is cracked, the other shattered- the frame is twisted beyond repair. the jug is heavy- but not too much. his arms shaking, he slowly lifts it to his mouth. time is running out.

in the end, dave strider doesn’t need to kill himself. in the moment the bleach touches his tongue, searing it, the meteor crashes into another, shattering apart. the impact kills them all. there are no survivors. there is nobody left to remember them.

and now, dave strider is here. there is nothing. it is dark. *he* is nothing. the last thought he has before all he was is no more is that he just wishes that the people he loved did not die thinking that they were alone. that karkat did not die thinking he was alone. that he could have gotten just one last chance to say goodbye. it is what he has been thinking all along. it never comes true.

#angst #davekat #dave strider #karkat vantas #rosemary #rose lalonde #kanaya maryam #terezi pyrope #suicide tw #death tw

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minniepetals · 5 years ago

Text

drabble: when october ends

— summary: you had to savor every moment before October ends.

— pairing: ghost!jungkook x reader (implied ghost!bts x reader)

— genre: angst / ghost!au / implied poly!au

— word count: 1.6k

— warnings: implied breakup/end of a relationship, angst bro

"Isn't autumn so beautiful?" You said so mindlessly, sighing in content while sat in between Jungkook's legs, wrapped in a warm blanket with a cup of coffee in your hand. "The colors are so pretty and it just makes my heart tingle."

Your boyfriend laughed at the excitement pouring out as you took a sip of your coffee. "You know what's even more beautiful and what makes my heart tingle all year round?" He prompted and you grimaced, a clear unamused expression replacing your face.

"Stop being cheesy, no one asked you to be cheesy."

"Oh come on," he rolled his eyes, jerking his thigh so that it came in contact with your elbow and causing you to spill some of the coffee upon your hand.

"Guk!" You pouted, brows furrowed as you looked at the little mess he purposely caused you to make. "It's hot." You let out a whiny cry, showing him your hand despite the fact that he had already clearly seen it but still, Jungkook laughed as he shook his head, grabbing your hand to bring it forth his lips, kissing the slight burn away.

"I'm sorry, baby."

Clearly he wasn't. Not with those mischievous bunny eyes.

"You're not forgiven," you concluded, tilting your head away from him like a little child getting upset.

Rather than asking for forgiveness, Jungkook took your mug out of your hand and placed it upon the coffee table so that he could bring you back into his arms while leaning back against the couch to cuddle you. "Hey Y/N?" He called, whispering against your ear.

"What do you want?" You grunted.

He was warm. So warm.

Reminded you of the same pairs of warm arms that wrapped around you from years before.

"Why do you like this season so much?" He asked you and you allowed yourself to lean against him, not wanting to have any second pass by with you staying upset at him for long. So that you could feel his warmth and love for the rest of your life. "Is it because of the pretty colors? Or the chilly weather? Or is it because I'm a solid at this time of the year and it's the only time you can hold me?"

You frowned at his question, deciding to look up at him. You stared into his eyes for a moment before leaning up to place a kiss on his lips. "Fall never really caught my attention back then," you told him truthfully, "It was kind of like that one season that just slips by everyone's minds. Summer is amazing because of vacation times, Winter gives us Christmas and a New year, and Spring blossoms with pretty flowers and April showers. But Fall..." you trailed off, thinking for a moment, "Fall brings back school days and everything starts to wilt away, everything starts to die. The only thing people really wants out of Fall is Halloween, that's the only thing Fall is really known for."

"What changed that?"

You thought back on the memories, on the first day you met him, on the first day you met them. And the nostalgic feeling came rushing down your body, leaving goosebumps behind.

They sat in your apartment building, surprised a girl had suddenly moved in because rumors circulated around, stating of the haunted apartment building no one wished to move into. They did that on purpose so that no one could invade their personal space and you were the only one brave enough to check it out.

The first day wasn't all good. You got into bickers, deciding who needed to leave because you both needed the building, and ended up rooming altogether because you were too stubborn to move out on your first day (and because you had nowhere else to go and that was the only place cheap enough since no one wanted it.)

But then the bickers turned into friendly banters, the friendly banters turning into flirting, and before long, you joined their polyamorous relationship.

"Fall allows me to touch you," you told him. "Fall allowed me to touch them," you emphasized. "Do you know how hard it was to walk around the house always feeling deprived of human contact? Because I had no friends or family that lived close by? Or whenever I see you guys freely holding each other whenever possible while I stand there pretending I could touch you through your ghost bodies?" You hadn't noticed you had tears running along your cheeks until Jungkook cupped your face and brushed them away. "It was so hard," your voice cracked, "I began loving Fall so much I never wanted the seasons to change. Ever."

"Y/N..."

"But then I started hating Fall." The images of them distancing themselves all of a sudden, refusing to entertain you, pretending they were mere ghosts that you, a human, weren't supposed to see, came rushing back and your heart started clenching tight against your chest.

"I wish I had more time with Jin." You couldn't hold yourself up, your whole weight laying upon Jungkook as you cried into the crook of his neck.

You could remember that day so clearly. The day he left when the 31st of October came and you were grasping onto him so tightly, spilling out your feelings as he apologized for being distant, thinking that'd help you on forgetting them easier, so that you wouldn't have to suffer for a long time once the time came for all of them to leave. You told him that you loved him, that you'd always love him, and that you'd take care of the others in his stead because he was the mother hen to you all.

But the moments couldn't be savored for long because the second midnight struck, his body began returning into his ghost form and bit by bit, little by little, slowly dissolved into thin air.

The next year, Yoongi left the six of you, and then Hoseok, then Namjoon, Jimin, and Taehyung.

"It's been two years since Tae and Jimin left us, it's been just us living alone in each other's comforts."

Now, it was Jungkook's turn.

"I don't want October to come, Jungkook, I don't want you to leave me. Stay, please stay, you're the only one left and I can't lose you either. I can't."

October 31st, the night of Halloween, the last night you got to spend your time with him, the final year for the final member to leave.

When October begins, you know you'd start hurting and you'd never leave Jungkook's side for even a minute. When October comes, you'd sleep in every morning, lay in each other's comforts, savor the lazy mornings together with smiles and morning coffees. When October comes, so would the rain. Despite the chilly air, you'd run around under the showering water, jumping into puddles like a little kid, and dance under the rain. Just the two of you.

You'd celebrate Jimin's birthday on the thirteenth, making a cake together, and singing him a birthday song, pretending everyone else was in the room celebrating with the two of you, and you'd blow against the lit candles, pretending Jimin had done that in your steads. You'd celebrate Thanksgiving early because November didn't exist in your worlds, and the two of you would go shopping and stuff yourself until your stomachs could no longer take in the food.

Jungkook would dress you up in your warm clothes because you couldn't care much about your health while he worried, and the two of you would bicker because he wouldn't be wearing anything warm, and he'd tell you "that's because I'm not a weak human like you so I'll never get sick." You know that eventually he'd win and you'd walk out with a coat and scarf on your body, looking both warm and fashionable because Jungkook "can't have you walking around with me looking out of style."

Halloween would be around the corner and the two of you would be a little less happy and less energetic but nonetheless, go shopping for some halloween candies and play around with your own versions of scary costumes.

And then, eleven eleven would fall upon the two of you and you'd kiss each other under the stars, on the rooftop of your apartment, wishing that moment would never end, with tears running down your cheeks because you both know that that wish would never come true, and you'd reminisce on the years before where things were happier with everyone and you didn't have to worry about them disappearing when midnight struck.

Jungkook would help you back into your shared room because he worried you'd catch a cold, and you'd hold onto him, whispering sweet words into his ears and he'd whisper them back to let you know that you would always be loved, that he'd reunite with the other members, and that he'd be able to watch over you with them. You'd cry and tell him you'd rather him be there with you in person than in spirit, and he'd apologize with tearful eyes because he can't bare the thought of you alone, crying and grieving because he'd leave you with no one by your side unlike his members.

And then, 11:59 would alarm the two of you and the tears would flow even more and you'd kiss him one last time, never letting go of each other and he'd disappear as your foreheads meets, and your body would lurch forward when he's no longer there to hold onto you, and you'd cry even more because he'd be gone. Forever.

When October ends, you'd be left all alone, and Jungkook would be gone.

When October ends, the tears would arrive.

But for now, Jungkook was still there. It was still September, and you could still hold onto him, and he could still hold onto you, and you could still laugh and cry and kiss and sing and dance. September was here, and soon, October would come and the two of you would await for the dreadful day to come when October ends.

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feferipeixes · 5 years ago

Note

Even though their parents have made it clear that they will not be going back to gravity falls, Mabel makes deals with Dipper to tesser them there whenever their parents aren't around. This leads to a lot of midnight visits that can last until 4 or 5 am, since Stan's sleep schedule hasn't recovered from thirty years spending most of the night in a basement and their parents usually fall asleep around 11

At one end of the hall, a door clicked shut. At the other, a door quietly glided open, and a 13-year old girl’s head peeked out.

“Okay Dippler Effect, Mom and Dad went to sleep!” Mabel hissed excitedly. “Let’s ride!”

“That’s a new one,” Dipper replied in a whisper. The idea of sneaking out in the middle of the night still gave him anxiety, even though he’d done it a million times, even though no one but Mabel could hear him, even though the concept of him getting caught and punished was long dead. “Do you even know what the Doppler Effect is?”

“Sure do! It’s that thing when, like, if someone’s standing in one place listening to you, the sound of your brother’s protests get whinier as he blips away with you to go hang out with your friends!”

Dipper snorted into his hand. “Okay, that was pretty good.” He grabbed his sister’s hand. “Ready?”

Mabel put on a serious face, gripped her Dream Boy High backpack, and nodded. “Ready!”

There was a quick jerk as the air twisted around them – flashing colors filling Mabel’s vision and an awful nausea filling her stomach – and then it stopped. Mabel’s bedroom in Piedmont was gone, replaced by the kitchen of the Mystery Shack, complete with the sounds of a romcom floating in from the TV in the other room, a few empty cans of Pitt Cola sitting on the counter, and a sleeping Grunkle Stan slumped over the table.

Dipper floated over to his Grunkle and poked him in the head. His finger, unsurprisingly, went right through. “I thought he said he’d be awake,” he said, pouting. “Should I visit him in his dream and tell him to wake up, or -”

Mabel clapped giddily – cutting her brother off – threw her backpack to the ground, and unleashed the glee that had been building up within her since they’d planned this trip a couple of days earlier. She screamed at the top of her lungs, causing Dipper to clap his hands over his ears and recoil (which resulted in him clipping halfway through the refrigerator).

Stan jolted upright in his seat. “SOOS, THE COPS ARE HERE, HIDE THE VIOLINS!” he shouted. He blinked sleepily a few times, and then his eyes settled on Mabel bouncing up and down in front of him with a face-splitting smile on her face. “Oh, it’s just you kids. Geez, you’re gonna scare me into an early pension doing that.”

Mabel jumped at her Grunkle and hugged him tight. “Well, someone said he’d be awake at 11 so we could come by right after our parents went to sleep! Did someone forget it was our -”

There was the pounding of boots on stairs, and the door burst open to reveal Ford in a lab coat with ash on his face and in his hair. “Stanley! I heard screaming, what’s going on? Did the man-eating toaster come back? You swore you’d let me be the one to kill it if it did!”

“Calm down poindexter,” Stan started, “it’s just -“

“GREAT UNCLE FORD!” Mabel screeched, peeling herself off of Stan and running over to hug him instead. “You made it! I thought you were still having an awesome boat adventure!”

Ford flinched, but then ruffled Mabel’s hair. “Of course I made it, Mabel. Wouldn’t miss it.” A tuft of his hair spontaneously caught on fire, and he patted it out. “You’ll have to excuse me, I brought some of my research home with me. I must warn you, I may be slightly radioactive right now, so… watch out for that.”

“Haha, YES!” Mabel pumped her fist. “Soon I’ll have magic glitter dandruff!”

“Ask him about the boat trip, ask him about the boat trip!” Dipper whispered in Mabel’s ear. She waved him off.

“So nice of you to show up,” Stan said, getting up and punching his brother on the shoulder. “Did you finish cleaning all of your science crap out of the parlor?”

“Yes, yes, of course,” Ford countered, and then paused. “Mostly. Almost. There’s too many people in there right now anyway. But hold on – I only see Mabel. Where’s my former apprentice?”

“MABEL HE’S TALKING ABOUT ME,” Dipper hissed. “Tell him I want to know about his trip and the sea monsters and the cursed gold doubloons he’s hiding from Stan and -”

“Dipper’s right here!” Mabel chirped. “He’s just invisible right now! Speaking of, Grunkle Stan, did you get a sacrifice for him?”

“You know I did, sweetie.” Stan picked up his eight-ball cane and gestured down the hall. “But today’s an important day. He’s not getting none of that rodent’s blood hootenanny we usually get him. We got something special.”

Mabel started hopping up and down so violently that the walls shook and everyone had to cover their ears. “What does that mean!!!!!!!!”

Stan hoisted Mabel up onto his shoulders. “How about you come and look for yourself before you blow the whole house down?”

Mabel cackled. “Onwards, Stan-oshima!”

Dipper eyed his sister jealously, and then floated over to Ford and pretended to sit on his shoulders. He and Mabel stuck their tongues out at each other playfully, forgetting to pay attention to where they were being carried, until -

“SURPRISE!”

Dipper and Mabel both flinched at the chorus of voices, and Mabel almost toppled off of Stan’s shoulders. It was a moment before they could take in the sight in front of them, but by then, Stan had placed Mabel on the floor and people were already coming up to her and hugging her.

“Dude, so good to see you!” Wendy said. “Where’s your bro at?”

Soos pushed up next to Wendy. “Mabel! You made it! Is Dipper here too?”

“Hey, it’s my turn to talk to her,” Pacifica drawled. “You’re lucky I’m even here – my parents would never allow it. Good thing they’re in Venice right now. Why can’t I see Dipper?”

Mabel screamed in joy again. “I can’t believe it, all of our friends are here! Wendy and Soos and Pacifica and Candy and Grenda and Robbie and Thompson and that weird guy who likes America! You all made it! And bro-bro’s right here,” she added, grabbing her incorporeal brother and squeezing him close. “We just haven’t summoned him yet!”

“Sixer. That’s our cue,” Stan said from behind them.

Dipper and Mabel turned around to see Stan and Ford each holding a cake with the number “14″ written in the center. Stan placed his cake on the table, while Ford carried his over to an empty space of the floor where a summoning circle had been drawn out. He placed the cake in the middle, and pulled out a vial of blue liquid from his lab coat. He uncorked it, dropped the liquid into the circle, and then paused.

“Uhh, remind me what the incantation is?” he asked.

“It’s stella splendidum, te invoco -” Dipper started.

Mabel cut him off by grabbing his sides, effortlessly lifting him up, and throwing him at the circle. He squealed in surprise, his little wings flapping frantically as he toppled through the air. He came to a stop a few feet above the circle, at which point Mabel shouted, “COME ON OUT, DIPDOPS!”

Another yelp, and Dipper was yanked out of the Mindscape and into the real world. The cake they sacrificed to him disappeared, replaced by a very nervous looking demon. Even though Dipper trusted his friends in Gravity Falls to be more supportive than his parents, it had been a long time since he’d seen some of these people, and, well, things sure had changed even since the Transcendence. He felt every eye in the room fall on him, examining his fancy attire, his sharp teeth, his pointed ears and gold-on-black eyes.

And then they began to cheer.

“Good to see you little man!” Old Man McGucket yodeled.

The Multibear growled softly. “Such a lovely gathering now that you’re here.”

“The Mystery Twins are back!” Candy joined in.

An incredible sense of relief washed over Dipper. Mabel pushed her way through her friends and pulled him into a tight hug again.

“Can you believe it, bro-bro?” she said, giggling as the rest of the crowd rushed in to join her. “Everyone made it!”

“Yeah, this is incredible!” Dipper wiped a golden tear away from his eye. “Everyone’s still here. Everything’s still okay.”

“Hope you like it, kiddos,” Stan said, ruffling his hair just as Ford did Mabel’s. “Happy birthday.”

The twins grinned. The remaining cake was passed through the crowd until it was resting in front of them.

“Don’t forget to make a wish!” Grenda shouted.

Dipper laughed. “I don’t know about you, Mabes, but I’ve already got my wish.”

“Me too, bro-bro,” Mabel replied. “Although I wouldn’t say no to backstage passes to the Boyz 4 Now concert, or maybe a jetpack, or…”

“Just blow out the candles, dummy,” he retorted.

The crowd of their friends and family started chanting “Blow! Out! The candles! Blow! Out! The candles!” The birthday twins nodded and grabbed each other’s hands. They both drew in a large breath. They blew as hard as they could.

Applause rippled through the room, and Mabel and Dipper were happy.

—

At 5am, there was a soft blip, and two teenagers appeared in a bedroom in Piedmont, California. A newly 14-year old girl’s head peeked out the door, looked toward the other end of the hall, and then pulled back into the room.

“Looks like we got away with it, bro-bro!” Mabel whispered. “That was the best sneak out to Gravity Falls to date!”

“It sure was,” he replied, and a warbling note of gratitude filled his voice. “It sure was.”

(AO3 link)

#gravity falls #transcendence au #dipper pines #alcor the dreambender #mabel pines #stanley pines #stanford pines #fic #fluff #long post #my stuff #asks #anonymous #i went a little off script from this prompt but i hope you enjoy it anyway!

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chocojjk · 4 years ago

Note

sicheng and a cheesy candle dinner?? bro that concept has me s o f t,, he’s like super shy too hhhhh

thank you for the request anon! hopefully this reaches your expectations ♡

you’ve had a long day

you couldnt wait to just get home in your cozy apartment and snuggle up into your blankets

however as soon as you stepped into said apartment, you noticed that there was a faint light coming from inside

scary thoughts occupied your brain as scenes from horror movies suddenly flashed in mind

no one else had access to your home

well, no one else but you and your bf, winwin

but due to his crazy schedule, there was no way he’d be here

plus he had already informed you that he was back at the wayv dorms, ready to get some rest

clutching onto the umbrella that was by your door, you enter your apartment as carefully as possible

fight or flight mode activated

you get ready to aim and swing at the figure that was hunched over your oven

sensing your presence, winwin quickly turns to you, his eyes wide in shock, staring at the umbrella that was held tightly between your fingers before bursting out into soft chuckles as he slowly took the umbrella out of your hold

“what are you doing here?”

“you weren’t supposed to be home for another hour,” he smiles sheepishly

“im sorry did i scare you? i wanted to surprise you” your boyfriend said ever so sweetly, worry evident in his eyes

and thats when it hits you, he was right there in front of you

after not seeing him for 2 weeks

you wrap your arms around his neck, pulling him down for a tight hug, taking in the scent of the cologne you badly missed

“no, its okay, i just didnt expect you’d be here is all”

soflty placing a chaste kiss upon your forehead he tells you to take your time on putting on something more comfortable as he continues making the dinner he had planned out for the two of you

winwin moved around your apartment like a mad man as soon as you were out of the picture

he had the perfect romantic dinner planned for you and he didnt want that to just go down the drain

coming back out from your room, you notice the lights are dimmer now

and you were greeted with rose petals, making a path to your destination

something winwin saw in a movie and wanted to do for you

your apartment were lit up with candles all over the place

the small dining table made for two was filled with your favorite foods and a bottle of wine

and there, standing by it, was your boyfriend

your favorite bouquet of flowers in his hand as he gives you a shy smile

you slowly walk over to him, trying to hide your smile that was begging to be shown

“whats all this for?”

“i just...really missed you” he lets out a small smile, his eyes sparkling in adoration for you

wrapping his arms around your waist, he kisses you slowly and passionately

the action enough to say all the words that were left unsaid

breaking the kiss, you guys stare at each other lovingly before you finally payed attention to the dinner that he prepared

you guys spent the rest of the night catching up with each other, laughing over your guys’ inside jokes, and sharing hush i love you’s

send any stray kids, wayv, or nct member + your ideal date for a scenario!

#wayv scenarios #wayv imagines #winwin #winwin scenarios #winwin x reader #winwin imagines #wayv x reader #wayv x you #stray kids #stray kids blurbs #nct scenarios #nct 127 #nct imagines #sicheng scenarios #sicheng blurbs #sicheng imagines

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isakvaltersmut · 5 years ago

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I love the idea that Chris had isaks back at nissen. Like, before Issy came/met even, Chris accidentally walks in on him getting a guy off at a party and Issy is so scared & embarrassed but Chris doesn't tell anyone. He learns Issy has stuff going on at home so Issy crashes with Chris a lot and Chris notices he has a bit of an anxiety problem, doesn't make a big deal of it, but keeps an eye on him and calms him down when he gets a bit panicky. Defs gave Even the 'hurt him I'll hurt you' talk😍🤗

Anything to do with Chris secretly having a soft spot for Issy is a fave tbh

Like even before they start talking Chris sees him around and sees the way his face kind of changes sometimes and he remembers, he doesn’t know what it is about the kid, all he knows is that he wants to make sure he’s okay.

Then one day he goes to a party with his friends, it’s not a Nissen party so when he walks into a random room and sees Isak sitting on the bed with a guy next to him as they kiss slowly, the guys high up on Isak’s thigh, Chris is shocked to say the least. Even more shocked when Isak gasps and turns towards him with wide eyes, and the second he sees it’s Chris the third year sees the way his shock turns into pure fear. But Chris just apologizes and leaves the room.

A few minutes later, as Chris is standing in the living room and taking one final sip of his beer, about to leave to go get another one, he sees Isak practically running up the stairs, the boy pulling the sleeves of his sweater over his hands as he frantically looks around the room. And then he sees Chris and his eyes stop on him, and straight away Chris knows what it’s about so he nods his head towards the back door and heads towards it. He only waits outside for a few seconds before Isak comes out and Chris can’t help but feel bad for the kid. He sees the way he’s shaking, how he’s wrapping his arms around himself and looking at anything but Chris, so he decides to spare him the misery.

“I won’t tell anyone, don’t worry about it.” He leans back against the railing on the back porch and crosses his arms as Isak looks up at him through his lashes, still nervous and still tense.

Chris decides not to fuck with him, not to mock or tease him for what had happened cause just like the first time he saw him, he still feels like he needs to protect him.

“Promise. I’ll keep my mouth shut.”

After that Chris kind of makes sure to keep an eye out for him, makes sure he’s doing good and that nothing’s going on, always smiling at him when he sees him. And then one day, after the first time they had started planning for the fight, Chris offers Isak to give him a ride home and Isak goes tense straight away, stuttering out excuses and telling him he’ll just crash some place else, and Chris gets it, Isak doesn’t have to say anything about it cause he knows something’s going on. So he just suggests they go back to his place and get some food, after that he just says that it’s too late, Isak can just stay over at his place. Chris leaves the room at some point, Isak laying back on the bed, and when Chris comes back he finds Isak asleep, so he just covers him up and lays down on the couch in his room and goes to sleep.

It becomes a regular occurrence after that, Isak comes over, Isak crashes at his place. And Chris knows when Isak needs it, he sees the dark circles under his eyes and straight away texts him asking him to come over, says he’s bored, makes something up just to get Isak to come to his place in hopes that he’ll fall asleep cause apparently Isak just does that around him. Just falls asleep if things are quiet for a while and Chris can’t help but feel touched that Isak feels safe enough and comfortable enough at his place to just fall asleep in his bed (after a few times it happens Isak tells him to stop being an idiot and stop sleeping on the couch ‘You’re stupid Chris, just sleep in the bed, I’m not gonna touch you, I have some sort of standards.’ ‘What the fuck, bro? Fuck you.’) Soon enough though, Isak tells him what’s going on, what his home life is like, and after that Chris doesn’t have to make excuses, Isak just comes over to his place, one time even coming when Chris had a hook up over, and Chris will never admit that he made the girl leave just so that Isak could get some sleep.

Eventually (doesn’t take that long) Chris realizes how anxious Isak gets so he always makes sure that he feels comfortable, sometimes he even walks up to him in public and drags him away when he sees Isak getting too fidgety, and no one gets it. No one has any idea why the fuck Chris, one of the most popular guys in school, is suddenly babying this first year, but no one dares to say anything cause the one time someone was bothering Isak at a party Chris stormed over and pushed them away straight away, earning himself a punch in the face but also a hug from a shaking Isak, and after that no one bothers him. But still, Isak is anxious, so Chris makes sure to give him hugs, to tell him it’s okay, he even goes out of his way to google calming scents and buys some candles with that scent so that he can light them when Isak comes over.

The day of the fight is the first time Chris realized how much Isak means to him, how much he feels the need to protect him cause the second some big guy started to walk towards Isak, ready to punch the kid, Chris practically jumped on him, pushing him away and punching him just to take his attention away from Isak, and right before the guy punched him back, Chris used a hand to push Isak away from the fight, to make sure he’s at a safe distance.

Later that night, when Chris is at home, Isak comes over, and Chris practically melts when the boy grabs his chin and moves his head to the side so he can look at the bruises covering him before he drags him to the bathroom and grabs the first aid kit, making sure to put cream on him. But then Isak looks at him for a second before wrapping his arms around Chris’ neck, hugging him as tight as he could before whispering a soft ‘thank you’ into his ear, and Chris couldn’t help but hug him back, wrap his arms around Isak’s waist and press a kiss onto the top of his head.

When Chris graduates they still keep in touch. Chris still lets him sleep in his bed, Chris still ruffles his hair and hugs him when he needs it, and Isak soaks it all in, he just nuzzles closer to Chris whenever he hugs him. Chris messages him whenever he can, just making sure he’s okay and that he’s safe.

When Even breaks up with him after the locker room scene Isak comes to Chris and Chris ignores the fact that Isak has tear tracks on his cheeks, he ignores the fact that Isak holds him tightly when they lay down in bed, he just pulls him in and makes sure he sleeps, that he gets some rest.

And then, when they actually get together, Chris finally meets Even at the Christmas party. He keeps an eye on him during the whole thing, carefully observing his interactions with Isak cause no matter what Isak says this guy still broke up with him once, he still hurt him, and to Chris that’s just unacceptable, he can’t take that.

At some point during the party Isak walks up to him, Chris can sense Even watching them but he doesn’t care, he smiles softly at the boy and just spreads his arms and Isak hugs him tightly before moving away. They talk for a little while, Chris ruffling his hair and going to the kitchen to get a drink, but when he walks in Even is already there, leaning against the counter and typing on his phone.

They say hi to each other and Chris can sense that Even wants to say something, but he has something to say as well, and he needs to get it out.

“You know, I’ve been looking out for him since his first year at Nissen,” He can see the surprise on Even’s face, but he ignores it, “I’m the one that made sure nothing happened to him and that he had a place to stay. You have no idea how many nights he slept at my place when he needed to get away from home.”

He then sees the way Even raises his eyebrows in shock, and he knows what he thinks happened. He rolls his eyes as he crosses his arms against his chest.

“Did you two ever-”

“God, no, we never did anything, he’s like a little brother to me, you don’t have to worry about that.”

He watches the relief in Even’s eyes and holds back from rolling his eyes that time, there’s only so much kindness and patience he has in him and it’s all reserved for one person only.

“Basically, what I’m saying is that I’ve protected him for a long time. I’ve made sure he’s safe no matter what and now I want him to be happy, he doesn’t deserve to hurt any more than he already has.”

Even tilts his head to the side, about to say something when Chris keeps going.

“So, if you hurt him you’ll have me to deal with. I’ve fought for that kid before, I’ve taken punches for him before and I’ll gladly do it again. Don’t fuck with him.”

Even stares at him for a few seconds before nodding.

“I won’t.”

“Good.”

Chris walks over to the fridge, grabbing some beer and opening the bottle, tilting it towards Even in a salute before he leaves the kitchen.

A few minutes later he sees Even enter the living room, he watches the way Isak’s face lights up, the way Even smiles softly at him before walking over to him and bending over to place a kiss on his forehead as Isak closes his eyes and smiles up at him. And Chris can’t help but smile at the sight.

#anon #hc's #chrisak #skam #i looove chrisak a LOT

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toothpastecanyon · 5 years ago

Text

Noie’s Brother, Chapter 17

Thank you so much to @feferipeixes for betaing this story!!

Fate sometimes rhymed, but Alcor felt like this one was a little on the nose. A newborn Mizar fading away in the hospital and a loving father pleading to him from behind a circle of candles.

Fate sometimes rhymed, but Naomi Argenta just wants this stupid vampire to stop harassing her brother. It’s making him go… weird.

See most updated version on Archive of Our Own.

______________________________________________________________

Out of the door.

The door.

The door. He reached for it, but his skin was on fire.

His vision. It flitted in and out of focus as vitreous humours dribbled onto the carpet, and he watched the blurry smudge of her leave.

Leave? No, be led away. There was quiet talking behind the door, and what his melting ears heard…

“Dad?”

“Stay here just a moment, okay?”

“But Dad! Dipper, he-”

“Just stay here, please. Play with your toys.”

Anger. They made him angry. They made him angry, and he lunged for the door-

“R̶̯̞̣̥̗̤͙̮͉̖͇̭͕̼̭͓͘ͅŖ̴̻̙̝̼̯͇̪̰̤̗̦͖̠͈̖̺͕͟͝͠ͅR̴̸̴͔̞̜̱̦̱̯͈̥͢͠R͏̷͓̥̦͕͔̼̳͈̭̫͉̹̫̟̦̣̦͓̘R̴̨̛̞̤̫͈̙̠̲̱̥A̫̙̠̹̱̦̗̲̤̖̖̜̬̣͎͖͘͞Ą̡̫͉͔̙̙̯͉̞̠͙̥̗͉͍͟A̴̢҉̷̛͈̝̜̮̙U̶̖̻̣͈͎̮͉̯͈̬̰̙͜G̳͎̟̫͎̪͝G̨̨͎̹̻̗̰͡Ģ̵̫͈̮͈̳H̴̠̺̲̯͎͔̻̗̣̗̘͇̻̬͘ͅḨ̹̣̬̪̦̩̼̝͈͉͓̙͖̠̝̮̫ͅH̨̟̼̬̕͡H͍̙̗̫͔͘̕͞!”

Pain. Not every part of him followed. And the knowledge leaking into his mind rushed through the fissures, and the carpet burned beneath his claws, and two feet came to stand before him.

“Dipper?”

Knowledge. Knowledge. He snarled.

“Alcor.”

That name. That was what he was, wasn’t it? And that was all he’d ever be.

With a roar he turned and ripped at the sofa, disemboweled its stuffing. His claws - they were too sharp, and his teeth were too big, and his mind was too clear because that was all he’d ever fucking be!

WHY WASN’T THIS WORKING?!

______________________________________________________________

“You don’t want your fries?”

Noie watched Dipper look up at her, like he was surprised. She stretched a smile.

“Hello? Earth to bro bro?”

A slow blink. “Do I want… oh, fries!” He nudged them towards her. “You can have them, it’s okay.”

Noie frowned at him.

“What? I said you could have-”

“You haven’t eaten anything all day.”

She tried not to sound accusing, but the hours of watching him space out in class clearly bled through. Dipper sighed at that, and opened his mouth to explain-

“You need to eat things, you know. You need to.”

“Noie…” He took one look at her expression, and begrudgingly picked out a fry. “Okay, I’ll eat this one.”

Then he put it in his mouth, and chewed it. Noie let out a little breath at that, and grabbed a few fries. She tried for a smile.

“They’re pretty good, huh?”

“Uh, yeah, sure.”

“Better than the peanut butter sandwich days. Wayyyy better, right Dipper?”

“Yeah, sure, I guess?”

“I dunno, are you sure?” She rattled the fries at him. “C’mon, eat some more!”

He frowned. “Noie-”

“Come onnnnn!”

“I don’t want to. I’m not hungry.”

“Of course you are! You can’t live off one measly fry, Dipper-”

“I can, though!” Dipper snapped, and there was a flash of yellow in his eyes that made her shoot out of her seat. His expression immediately turned to horror. “Oh, I’m sorry! A-are you okay?”

Those eyes… Noie was gulping down a scream. She put a hand on the table, and realised it was shaking.

“Noie?”

“I’m. fine.”

She could feel Dipper looking her up and down. His arm was half-stretched across the table, like he wanted to touch her.

…She didn’t want to touch him. She looked at his fingers, and realised that.

“You sure?” Dipper’s frown was out of concern now. “Y-you know, Noie, this is kinda why I wanted to talk to you. I know it’s, um, weird, with me being a-”

“Nothing’s weird!”

“Noie-”

“Nothing’s weird! Everything’s normal!” Noie finally managed to look at him again. “Didn’t we say we were gonna talk about this later?”

“When is later?”

“I don’t know, after school or something?” She gave him a shrug. “Whenever, I don’t care! I don’t mind talking-”

“So, after school then?”

“...I don’t care when! I-I just said I didn’t care, I-” She gritted her teeth. “Look, can we just have a nice lunch? Or are you gonna interrogate me this whole time?”

She met his gaze with a scowl, and he sighed. “Okay. Sorry. I just thought-”

“Oh, that’s your first mistake. Too much thinking, not enough eating!” She nudged the fries towards him. “C’mon, chill out, eat some fries! We’re having a good time!”

And they were. They were.

Noie sat with her brother for the whole lunch hour. At an empty table in a busy cafeteria, she talked the silence away.

______________________________________________________________

“Noie, don’t freak out.”

Given that Dipper had suddenly grabbed her while they were going home on the bus, that was not a reassuring statement.

“Dipper?” Noie looked at him; he’d gone pale, and was staring off into the middle distance with a rapidly deepening frown. “What’s going on? Are you okay?”

“I’m-” he gripped the seat with his free hand. “Getting a summons, I-”

“A summons?”

“I think I can stay here. It’s strong, but I think I can… argh, shoot.” Dipper glanced her way and managed a nervous smile. “Be right back, okay?”

Then he disappeared into thin air. Noie sat there for a second, stunned.

“Dipper?” Her voice sounded small. There was no reply but for the rumble of the bus. She touched his seat, then his bag, and panic fluttered in her chest.

Where the fuck did he go?!

He was gone, and the bus sped along, and the floor seemed to fall out from under her feet and- she pulled the stop signal.

The bus swerved over. Ground to a halt. Heart thumping in her chest, Noie grabbed both bags and stepped off onto solid ground.

Her knees wobbled. Her eyes stung. She stared at the bench for some time, then stumbled over to it and sat down.

Where was he? Where was he?

She hugged his backpack to her chest…

What had happened to her brother?

And frowned. Her slow, shaky breathing counted out the minutes she spent sitting there, trying not to dwell on questions she didn’t want answers to. The sun slumped lower in the sky, and by the time Dipper finally decided to drop back into her life again, that frown had deepened to a scowl. She didn’t look at him when he put a hand on her shoulder.

“Hey, Noie. Sorry about that-”

“Have you got that sorted out?” She didn’t watch him flinch. “Is everything back to normal? Are you gonna stop leaving me every five minutes?”

There was a sigh. “Noie-”

“Well? Are you?”

Dipper just stared at her; she could feel his eyes on her back. He didn’t say a word, and Noie played with the strap of his backpack. She looped it around her finger, and tried not to think about things.

Closed her eyes, and tried not to think about that morning for just a second, just a goddamn second…

“Noie, we need to talk.”

And his voice was not helping. She shot him a look, then stood up.

“Noie, where are you going?”

“We’re going home, Dipper.” She stretched out a hand. “Unless you’ve got somewhere better to be.”

Dipper frowned at her. “Noie…” he started, but she took his hand and squeezed it tight. He let her do that, let her lead him down the street. Almost like old times.

Almost, but for all the ways it had gone terribly wrong.

“Hey, kids.”

David was in the living room again when they came home. Dipper stopped abruptly at the sight of him; with a tug, Noie dragged him inside.

“Hi, Grandpa!” She waved with the hand holding her brother. “Dipper says hi, too!”

“Does he.” David looked at him. “How’re you feeling, kid? How’s those headaches?”

Dipper just stared back, completely white-faced. Noie laughed for him.

“They’re aaall better, aren’t they, bro?” She shook his hand. “Aren’t they?”

He blinked. “Wh-what? Oh, yeah. Yeah!”

David cocked an eyebrow. “You sure?”

“Yeah, don’t worry about me!” He backed into the hallway, taking Noie with him. “Don’t- sorry. Sorry, I… sorry.”

Once they were in the bedroom, Dipper near-slammed the door closed. Noie snorted.

“What was that all about?” She saw him open his mouth and quickly added: “I mean… so, homework! Man, I can’t wait to get started on math - Dipper, can you help me out with a-”

“Noie.”

She started rifling through her bag. “One sec, I gotta find it-”

“Noie, please.”

“Puh-lease, haha. Oh, found it!” She whipped out the sheet and grinned at him. “Let’s do this… Dipper?”

Dipper was not smiling back. Dipper had covered his face with trembling hands, and as she watched he pressed himself into the doorway, shaking his head when Noie reached out.

“Dipper? What’s wrong?”

“I… I can’t.” He got out. “I’m sorry, I’m so sorry Noie, b-but I can’t keep this up any longer, I can’t…”

Her hand hovered over his shoulder. “What do you mean? Are you okay?”

“I know you don’t want me to talk about it, b-but I did so many terrible things- I can’t just, just stand here like nothing’s wrong! I need to tell you, and you’re gonna hate me, but-”

“Whoa, whoa, Dipper! I’d never hate you!”

“You can’t be sure about that!”

“What? Of course I’m sure! I know you, Dipper, I-”

“No you don’t!” Dipper snapped. “I’m sorry, but you don’t know me as well as you think you do and you need to let me tell you!”

At that, Noie staggered back. Her throat closed up; she couldn’t breathe. She watched Dipper sigh, and look away for a moment. He turned back, and locked eyes on her, and despite the blotchy face, despite the human eyes she thought she knew so well, despite everything…

He looked so terribly ancient.

“Noie?”

Noie backed away.

“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to shout at you.”

“Shout at me? I don’t care if you shout at me, I…” Noie’s chest was heaving; she couldn’t look him in the eyes. “What am I supposed to do if I end up hating you?”

It was silent for a moment. Noie stared down at the floor, and tried not to see how her brother slowly drew back his arm and stood still. He had no words to say to that, no reassurances to give to her, nothing.

He had nothing, and it was unbearable. Noie turned abruptly away and picked up a sheet of paper that had fallen to the floor. Awkwardly, almost mechanically, she held it out to him.

“I have some, um, homework,” she said, and before he could interject she added, “I know, I know, but… Can we not, for a little while longer? Like just for tonight?”

Dipper didn’t say anything; he just stared at her with that tired, ancient gaze. Her face crumpled into a smile.

“Please? We can just have a good time, then you can tell me whatever you wanna tell me, and…” She gulped. “Well, let’s just have a good time now, okay? Okay?”

After a long pause, Dipper finally took the paper. He read it. Noie watched him read it. She watched as he sighed, opened his mouth, and then:

“Since when did you start calling homework ‘a good time’?”

The tension finally eased a little, and Noie let out a laugh. She laughed harder when she saw Dipper look up at her, a weak but teasing grin tugging at his cheeks.

“Alright, he said, and shuffled over to the desk. “I guess we’re, uh, doing homework, then.”

She hopped on his bed. “Hell yeah we are! Take us away, bro!”

At that, he grinned and started to explain, but she couldn’t miss the wariness in his eyes, the tremble in the hands he held the page with.

She couldn’t miss how he almost put his elbow on the desk, but saw the USB and flinched away.

______________________________________________________________

Despite everything, it was a good afternoon. Dipper was Dipper, and Noie was Noie, and everything was right with the world.

(Right enough anyway, if you didn’t count the USB that sat between them like an omen.)

That was until there was a knock at the door. Dipper’s grin, which had been wide as he explained something about derivatives that was definitely a little above their grade level, suddenly dropped; he shrank back as David poked his head in.

“Hey, kids. Me and Allie, we got dinner going.” He jabbed a thumb at the kitchen. “Pasta. It’ll be ready in a minute, so wrap up whatever you’re doing, and… are you two doing homework?”

Noie glanced at her brother, then forced out a laugh. “Yyyep! What, are you surprised?”

“I gotta say a little, yeah.” He grinned at her. “Good for you, kid. Wrap it up for now and come back after dinner, okay?”

“Yeah, yeah, thanks or whatever, Grandpa.” Noie watched him close the door, then immediately rolled her eyes at Dipper. “Well, that was patronising. I do my homework! Sometimes. He’s seen me do it before, he doesn’t immediately have to be like ‘ohhhh, goooood joooob Noie, you stupid idiot, you’re actually doing your…’ uh… Dipper?”

Dipper didn’t move from his seat, didn’t even look at her. He had that same deer-in-the-headlights expression from the last time he’d seen David, and Noie couldn’t help but wonder what was scaring him so badly about his own grandfather.

Her eyes flitted to the USB, and she put that out of mind. She touched his leg.

“Dipper?” When he jumped, she jumped back. “Dipper, did you hear that? We’re going to dinner.”

He finally turned that expression on her. “Dinner? With David?”

“With Grandpa, yeah-”

“I’m not-” He shook his head. “No. I’m not, I-I won’t-”

“Won’t what?”

“Won’t… j-just say I have a headache, okay?”

Noie frowned. “Why?”

“Not- I’m not going to sit a-across from them, I can’t- I won’t be able to hold it together!”

“What do you mean?”

Dipper’s eyes flitted to the USB, and her breath caught in her throat. She shot up.

“Okay!” Noie spoke loudly. “I’ll do that! Noooo problem bro, haha!”

He just looked at her, panic fading to that ancient sadness that made her want to shrivel up. She opened her mouth, then closed it and awkwardly shot finger guns at him as she backed into the door.

“Alright, uh, don’t have too much fun without me!” With one hand, she scrabbled for the handle and pushed it down. “Seeya, uh… seeya! Love you, Dipper.”

“I love you too, Naomi.”

Noie’s smile stretched at that. She tried to keep her eyes on him, but as she closed the door, they couldn’t help but gravitate to the USB on the desk.

The USB.

It shut with a click, and she hurried down the hallway to get away from it all.

“Allie, what are you- don’t touch that!” She rounded the corner, and saw David pulling his wife away from the stove.

“Hey!”

“You gotta watch yourself! I don’t want you getting hurt.” David noticed Noie and waved her over. “Hey, kid, could you drain the pasta for me? I’m gonna get Allie sat down.”

“I can help!”

“You can not give me a heart attack, that’s how you’ll be helping.”

Noie saw Allie’s frown, and opened the cutlery drawer. “Why don't you set the table, Granny? We need four knives and four forks.”

She let her grandmother wander over, then got out a colander. David grunted.

“Four, eh? Dipper not coming?”

“He has a headache.” She said, and nothing more. She took the lid off the pasta, and the steam rose up in a puff.

(Rose up like the void, far above her head, and suddenly why was she suppressing a shudder?)

“Another headache… we really gotta get that sorted out.” He scratched his chin. “When’s his next appointment with the neurologist?”

“Next Monday.” She said, and lifted the pot. Walked it to the sink. “You guys are free that time, right?”

“Monday?” Allie made a face. “I’ll have to check my shedule-”

“We’re free, Allie.” David waved his hand. “We’ll be free.”

Noie poured the pasta through the colander. Steam rose thick and high from the water, and she could feel her heart thudding in her throat. The pasta slid down, little bowties splattering into the sieve with a slimy sound that drilled into her brain; it sounded like his brain, his skull splitting apart and his bloody spaghetti slopping onto the tile...

She felt sick. She felt sick, and she tried very hard not to let it show in her smile as she scraped it into a bowl.

“Dinner’s, uh, up.”

“You’re not done yet.” He pointed at the cold glass jar sitting out on the counter. “You still gotta put on the red sauce.”

Noie unscrewed the cap, and got blood on her hands. They trembled as she took what she’d done to the table.

“And there we are!” David grinned at her. “Thanks, kid.”

She just nodded.

“Alright, bon appetit everybody, why don’t we dig in? Here’s the serving spoon, Allie, help yourself… Allie?”

“Are you alright?”

Noie looked up at that, and saw her grandmother staring at her with a look of concern. She opened her mouth, but no words came out.

“Huh?” David frowned at her. “Wait, is something the matter, Naomi?”

She shook her head, vigourously, but her throat was betraying her. Dammit, fuck, don’t cry, don’t cry, don’t cry-

Too late. David shot up from his seat and had his arm around her in seconds. Allie rose with a little difficulty, but she was there just after him.

“Whoa, hey, what’s the matter, kid?” David’s bewildered expression filled her vision, and she shook her head. “What’s wrong? You gotta tell us what’s wrong.”

“It’s-” Noie managed. “It’s fine, I’m f-fine, I-”

“You’re not fine - look at yourself! What’s gotten you so worked up? Something at school?”

She shook her head. “No, i-it’s fine-”

“Something at home? Uh, homework? Homework’s hard? Is that it?”

“No, no, it’s fine-”

“Then what is it? Naomi, we can’t fix it if you don’t tell us. Naomi. Naomi-”

“David!”

That voice was Allie. David and Noie jumped a little at the sound, and turned to her.

She was glaring at David. “You need to give her some space,” she said, and he backed off sharply.

“O-oh, sorry. Sorry, kid.”

Noie wiped her face. “It’s okay, Grandpa. Look, I am okay, i-it’s just…”

She stared down at her hands, cringing at the silence that followed, at Allie’s hand squeezing her shoulder. A new wave of stupid crying was building up in her throat, and she swallowed.

“I j-just…” She clenched her fists, shut her eyes. “Am I… Am I a b-bad-d-pers-son?”

“A bad person? What?”

Noie didn’t have an answer to him. She just didn’t, and when she felt Allie hold her a little tighter she just shook her head.

“Bad person?” David sounded like he was in disbelief. “Is this because we had a little spat?”

She gave a helpless shrug. “I-I d-don’t know, k-kind of?”

“Oh, Naomi… I told you, you’re at that kind of age, it’s fine. It’s healthy, even! You’re not a bad person for getting into arguments…”

She stared down at her hands, her bloody hands. It was so much more than this…

“You’re growing up! You’re getting older, and, y’know, testing your limits?” He made an uncomfortable sound. “Does that, uh, make you feel better? How’re we doing, kiddo?”

When Noie didn’t respond, Allie spoke in an undertone. “I’m going to call her fah- her Leo, okay?”

“What?” David watched her walk over to the kitchen and start looking around for her phone. He took a half-step forwards to stop her, then glanced back at Noie, sighed, and turned back to her.

She just stared into her hands. Leon… when she closed her eyes, the video seemed to scream in her head. The watery shine in Leon’s smile, the hoarseness in his voice, and the words he spoke - they stabbed at her.

They dug deep into the pit in her stomach, and stars she couldn’t take this anymore, she couldn’t, she couldn’t-

Noie clenched her trembling jaw, and finally looked up at David. “Grandpa?” She started.

“Yeah, kiddo?”

“Can I ask you… something weird?”

Something like panic flashed in his eyes, but he managed a smile. “Uh, sure? What’s up now?”

She looked at Allie, opening the cutlery drawer, and leaned in close. “Um… about Leon?”

David froze. She cringed at his expression, and forced out the last bit.

“How did he… um, how exactly… did he…” - and David’s face had already blanched - “...d-die?”

There was silence, broken only by Allie looking for the phone. Noie watched him gulp, hard, and she was already regretting this.

That was when the air seemed to drop ten degrees. The shadows in the room seemed to starken. A sudden, undeniable presence had turned its full attention to her, and she couldn’t help but look.

Look past David, to the boy standing in the hallway.

Clenching his fists.

Staring right at her.

They locked eyes, and though Dipper didn’t have claws, or glowing eyes, or wings… there was something immutably ancient, there. Something… disappointed.

He gazed at her like a god watching the folly of mortals, and Noie knew in an instant that this creature’s name was not Dipper Argenta.

Was it Pines? Was it Alcor?

Whatever it was, it wasn’t the brother she knew. Maybe it would never be again, and David was talking now.

“I thought…” She heard his voice come in thick, halting. “I-I-thought… you kids were told the story, right?”

Noie couldn’t take her eyes off the creature in the shadows. “I… I want to know what happened.”

The creature’s eyes had a strange gleam to it now. David’s breath caught, and he cleared his throat.

“Well, uh… I-I mean, there’s… there’s not much to know, you know?” He squeezed her shoulder. “Just, it was the night after Allie spoke a-at a park. You were with us, ‘cause Dipper had that magic emergency and had to go to the hospital…”

His voice got very tight. The creature looked on, unnaturally still.

“W-w-we got a c-call.” He gestured with a shaking arm. “The entire… the entire street block, it was… incinerated, th-there was just a b-black c-crater where all the houses were supposed to be and…” He gulped. “Stars, i-it was all gone, and L-Leon - your father, y-your house… that was… you know.”

The creature finally looked away. David took a shuddering breath.

“You know.”

Noie gritted her teeth. “Who caused the explosion?”

“Huh? It was… some sort of demon attack, kid. A really awful, terrible… demon attack.”

“Which demon?”

“What?”

“Which demon did it?”

At that, David sighed. “Sorry, I wish I knew, kid. They never could figure that one out, it was just a demon attack.” And then a frown. “They said it was Leo, just ‘cause he married a demonologist and his house was in the centre of the blast. But he wasn’t a demonologist!” He gripped Noie’s shoulder tighter. “I don’t know what they think he was doing there, besides looking after his sick kid, but he wasn’t responsible for that! He didn’t get twenty six people killed! He didn’t!”

“David?”

“He-” David glanced over to Allie, and his mouth clamped shut.

At that moment, Noie flinched as the creature stepped out of the shadows. It strode across the room, and though it was in plain sight, David and Allie didn’t react to it at all.

Maybe they were just preoccupied, Noie thought. She watched it reach for her hand, then step back and motion her forwards when she didn’t move.

She didn’t want to go. She didn’t want to see where this was going to take her. But her grandfather was saying hoarse words, and Allie had gone back to searching through the pots and pans for a phone to call her dead father with, and she didn’t know what she was supposed to do other than follow.

Maybe she said goodbye. Maybe she said she needed to go lie down. Maybe she said nothing at all, and was led to her room like a prisoner led to her cell. Either way, she was in here now, and the creature she could believe was Dipper shut the door.

The USB. It was on the table. She stared at it, and not him.

“Noie.”

Was she still crying? She touched her face.

“Noie. We need to talk.”

Yes, she was.

“I’ve tried to put it off for you, but I can’t. Not any longer. So can you just, please, let me explain?”

Oh, stars. Oh stars. Oh stars oh starsohstarsoh-

“N̨͖̤̼̱̘̗̰̭̞͜o̶̱̲̞̜̻͘͞ḭ̬̳̺̕e̪̘̘̤.̢̟̤͎̖͕͘͝ͅ”

The reverb rattled her chest, and she glanced up just in time to see the demon shed his human form. The air crackled as Alcor unfurled wings of pure void; reality itself seemed to twist and fold up, fold out, as he suddenly became twice his size, as his clothes burned away to a charcoal-black suit, as his glowing, deeply inhuman eyes opened and fixed on her with a glare that stopped her heart.

His feet lifted off the ground and he floated forwards. Noie shrieked. She staggered back, pressing herself into the corner of the room like she wanted to force her way through it… and suddenly Alcor was holding his hands out.

“It’s okay, it’s okay!” He was saying, and oh my stars those were claws on his fingers- “It’s still me, Noie.”

She was shaking her head. She kept shaking her head. No. No. No.

“It’s still me. This is still… me.”

No it isn’t. No. No, it isn’t.

“It is, though.” He looked at her with a gaze so ancient, so tired of this. “Noie. We can’t keep this up. I can’t keep this up.You can’t keep this up - look at you.”

She couldn’t look at herself. She couldn’t tear herself free from those terrible, terrible eyes…

She watched them dim. She watched them look down, then flicker back up again.

“Okay.” He said. Flatly. “You don’t have to hear me tell you.”

A hand. A clawed hand, glinting and outstretched. She couldn’t move. She couldn’t breathe. He spoke again.

“But let me show you.”

The world seemed to ripple, seemed to shimmer, seemed to narrow and fall away until it was just him, and his hand, and the terrible truth that shone through his eyes.

“Let me show you who I am.”

#transcendence au #Noie #Noie's Brother #toothwrites

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unfortunate-stranger-losers · 5 years ago

Photo

All Those Things They Couldn’t Say - A Runaway Baudelaires AU

{ao3} {tumblr} {masterlist}

Chapter Twenty-Eight - Duncan and Isadora’s first Robbery

“That city,” Klaus said carefully, as Duncan pointed to the map, “Is where our parents got kidnapped.”

They were standing outside a general store, which happened to have a map of the general area tacked into the window. Duncan and Isadora glanced nervously at each other, and then Duncan said, “Well, um, that’s where we’ve been headed.”

“The Squalors live on Dark Avenue. Is that near where…?” Isadora asked.

Violet shook her head. “No, but it’s still… though, I guess, Olaf would never expect us to head back there.”

“Pri!” Sunny said, from her position in Klaus’s arms, as she messed with his hair. “Nobody would expect us to go there.”

“It’s at least a good place to hide until we figure out what to do.” Klaus muttered, though he still looked uncomfortable.

“And Mother and Father know the city really well.” Violet said. “So… so they’d be able to find us, probably.”

“Probably?” Klaus asked.

There was a tense silence, and then Violet said, “Well, let’s just… get our supplies and hit the road again. We should be able to make it there by early morning tomorrow if Klaus and I take turns driving, and we get our food here.”

Duncan glanced back at the general store, and then checked his pockets. “Okay, how much money do you have.”

Violet burst out laughing, and Klaus patted him on the shoulder. “Oh, bro, we’re not paying for this shit.”

“What- oh. Oh, yeah.”

“You take Sunny and distract the cashier.” Violet said. “I’ll show the new kids the ropes.”

“Do we have to?” Duncan asked. “I mean… we’re gonna be at Dark Avenue soon-”

“And Klaus and I are gonna live in a closet. We need food that nobody will notice is going missing.” Violet said. “And we’re getting you decent clothes. Come on.”

“Um-” Duncan began.

“Sure.” Isadora shrugged. “Let’s go.”

“Make sure Duncan doesn’t look too guilty.” Violet instructed, before turning on her heel and marching off to the door.

Isadora held Duncan’s hand as they entered, swinging it a little to make them look casual. Violet went ahead, scanning a shelf of tampon boxes, while Klaus went up to the counter, grabbing a random product to ask about. Once he got there, he held up Sunny and started talking, enough that the cashier’s eyes instantly diverted to the baby, and the cooing and aahing started pretty fast.

“Great, so what-” Isadora then did a double-take, as in the split second she’d glanced away from Violet, two boxes from the tampon shelf had gone missing. Violet smiled and walked behind them, and Isadora felt her bag flip open as Violet dropped the boxes in from her own bag.

“Just stay quiet.” Violet muttered. “Too much talking will distract. Follow me, lemme show you how it’s done.”

Isadora and Duncan, though, were not sure what they were learning, as Violet moved between aisles, as she grabbed things so quickly and stuffed them into someone’s bag that it seemed almost unreal. They eventually just opted to follow at her heels, pretending to look at snacks and porcelain kittens while Violet piled shit into their bags. Violet didn’t seem to mind, instead humming and bouncing on her feet as they moved from aisle to aisle.

After what felt like an hour but was really just about ten minutes, Violet whispered, “You two head out. I’m going to get Klaus.”

“I… don’t want to go out alone.” Duncan muttered.

Violet’s gaze softened, and then she nodded. “Of course. Just stand in this aisle and wait for me, I’ll be three feet away. Don’t look at me, though, so nobody knows we’re together.”

They nodded and fixed their eyes on some brochures on the shelves, while Violet skipped over to her brother.

“Hey, buddy, we gotta go. Mom’s in the car and she’s impatient.” Violet said in a rather high-pitched voice, flopping onto Klaus’s shoulder.

“Oh.” Klaus nodded. “Yeah, I’ll go put this back, and then we can go.” He turned back to the cashier, smiling. “It was nice talking to you. Say goodbye, Kara.”

Sunny waved and giggled, and Klaus followed Violet back down the aisle. As they passed the Quagmires, Violet tapped their shoulders, and though it took them a second to realize the cue, they quickly raced after them.

Once they got outside, Violet said, “Good job, kids. Didn’t look too suspicious. Great for your first try. You should have all your shit in your bags now.”

Duncan slung his bag around and flipped it open, his eyes widening. “I didn’t even notice us pass a clothing aisle.”

“Because you don’t pay attention, Duncan.” Violet giggled. “You can change later. We’ll get driving now before anyone realizes we shoplifted the shit outta everything in there.”

Klaus nodded. “You take a nap, you’ve been driving since Prufrock. If you’re sure we’re going to the city-”

“I think we’ll be fine.” Violet hugged herself, smiling slightly. “And if not… we all know how to throw knives now.”

“Yeah.” Klaus smiled. He handed Sunny to Isadora and said, “You guys stay in the back, I feel like Violet will fall asleep in the shotgun seat.”

“You got that right, brobro.” Violet giggled.

She skipped over to the car door, swinging it open and tossing her bag to the floor. Duncan and Isadora edged their way into the backseat, and as they sat, Duncan mumbled, “Is the cashier going to get in trouble?”

“Naw.” Violet shrugged, buckling herself in as Klaus slid into the driver's seat, starting the car. “As the woman who taught us how to swipe from the cash register said, ‘that stuff is insured, we’re only stealing from the war criminal billionaires who own the place.’”

Sunny giggled and gnawed on the strap of Isadora’s bag, muttering “Guillotine,” which nobody bothered to translate.

“Oh, make sure you’re all buckled real tight.” Violet said.

“Yeah, I’m a shit driver.” Klaus said.

Duncan slowly picked up Sunny and placed her on his lap, while Isadora nodded and pulled the seatbelt over her.

When they reached the city, the sun had just risen. Violet had taken over driving by then, thank God, while everyone else was asleep. Duncan’s head lolled on his sister’s shoulder, while Sunny snoozed on his lap, using his blazer as a blanket. Violet smiled a little as she glanced back at them, sitting at a stoplight, and then she looked towards Klaus, who had shoved his glasses in a cupholder and was hugging himself as he slept against the window. She was glad he was able to doze off, he usually had trouble sleeping during trips, she knew. She was glad that he looked like he was actually getting some rest; even when she’d fallen asleep, she’d had some… pretty bad dreams, ones that even though she’d promised to tell her family all her fears, she knew she couldn’t burden Klaus with, and God forbid she bring them up to Sunny. At least Klaus had some escape from their present circumstances; everyone else seemed to, and that was enough for her.

The stoplight turned green, and Violet maneuvered her way through the streets. Though she knew, deep down, that it was highly unlikely that Olaf was here, that he probably wouldn’t look for them in the place they’d been fleeing from forever, it was still… unnerving. Even being in a part of the City they hadn’t been in on that day, just knowing that if she turned the wrong bend… she really didn’t want to go to that part of the town, not without her parents back with her. Not without them safe.

She knew when she reached Dark Avenue, as it was very aptly named; trees blocked the streetlights, making it hard for her to find a parking space. She finally did, a street or two away from that huge-ass penthouse, so that if anyone found the stolen car they wouldn’t look at 667. She sat a moment as she turned the car off, just breathing slowly and letting herself calm down. Then she turned, pushing Klaus gently until he awoke.

“Hey, get the Quags, I’ll get Sunny. We’ll head in, okay?”

Klaus nodded, yawning, and then grabbed his glasses and slid out of his seat, moving around to the backdoor, which he flung open. While he gently prodded Isadora, Violet opened the other car door, reaching over Duncan to take Sunny from his lap. She didn’t have the heart to wake her up, instead just holding her gently against her shoulder, bouncing slightly so that Sunny would be a little soothed. Once Duncan was awake, he woke Isadora, and they got all their bags together, abandoning the car. Klaus waved it goodbye before grabbing onto Duncan’s arm, letting Violet and Isadora lead them back to 667 Dark Avenue.

When they reached the penthouse, Isadora gestured to the others. “Elevators are out right now, so we’re gonna have to go up a fuckton of stairs.”

“We’ll put Sunny in the Sunnybag.” Klaus nodded. “So we don’t tire of carrying her.”

“And stay behind us, in case one of the Squalors comes down the stairs.” Isadora said.

They made their way into the lobby, and they indeed saw that the elevator had a large OUT sign decorating it, along with some starfish; the area seemed to be ocean themed. Nobody else was there, so Isadora just led them to the stairs. She took Duncan’s hand while Klaus took Sunny from Violet, strapping the sleeping baby to his chest before heading up, holding his sister’s hand.

They were silent for most of the climb, mostly too tired to move and talk at the same time. Klaus hummed a little, and once in a while Isadora muttered a poem, but other than that they were very quiet.

The stairwell was dark as hell, lit by only a few candles on the edge of the steps, which Violet felt was a hell of a fire hazard. It didn’t really bother the Baudelaires, though, they could quickly adjust their eyes to the dark. Every now and again Duncan stumbled, though, and Klaus would throw out his arms to catch in case he fell, but Isadora always helped him regain his balance as they went up. Sunny remained asleep, snoozing against Klaus’s chest, her tiny fingers balled into loose fists, sometimes running over each other or moving to stroke the fabric of the straps binding her to Klaus’s bag. Once in a while she kicked a small foot, and Klaus would smile a little and stroke her arm to calm her down a bit.

When Duncan finally announced that they were almost there, leaning against his heavily-breathing sister, Violet said, “Should we know anything about the Squalors?”

“We don’t even know much, we were only here for a day.” Isadora muttered. “But Mr Squalor is pretty nice and- and he seems to be easy to trick. We’ll hope he answers the door, you hide behind it when it swings open. I’ll distract him with something and Duncan will let you in. Then you just need to quietly follow us.”

“Sounds like a plan.” Violet nodded. “We’ll swipe some shit from the kitchen if we pass, too.”

“I’ll wake Sunny so she doesn’t wake up and cry while we’re trying to hide.” Klaus said. He shook Sunny’s arm a little, and when the toddler finally blinked open her eyes, he said, “Hey, Sun. We’re almost there, it’s quiet time, okay?”

Sunny nodded and shut her eyes again, trying to fall asleep again, just as they finally reached the top floor. Isadora and Duncan waved them behind the door, before Isadora knocked. She waited, bouncing on the balls of her feet, while Duncan yawned and tried to catch his breath.

The door finally swung open, almost hitting the Baudelaires. They heard a man gasp. “Quagmires! Why, I didn’t expect to see you here back so soon! Is everything going okay at school?”

“It’s going great, Mr Squalor.” Isadora said, plastering a smile on her face that she’d picked up from Violet at Prufrock. “We’re on break, though, and we weren’t sure where else to go. Can we-?”

“Of course, of course! Come in, I’ll prepare you an aqueous martini!”

“I can’t have alcohol.” Duncan said, as the Quagmires walked into the penthouse. “Not after the Incident.”

The door swung shut, and Klaus stepped out, glancing around at the walls around them.

“Klaus? We should probably stay put, in case he opens the door again.” Violet whispered.

Klaus, though, stepped out farther, and then said, “Violet, Sunny, I have a weird question.”

“Yeah?”

“How many elevators were there in the lobby?”

Violet shut her eyes, pulling out her ribbon and wrapping back her hair as she remembered. “Just the one.”

“Unus.” Sunny nodded in agreement.

“Okay,” Klaus said, “But there’s one elevator door there,” he pointed to the right wall, “And one there.” and then he pointed to the left.

Violet narrowed her eyes, and then stepped out beside him. “Well,” she said, “Considering where the elevator doors were in the lobby, it’d be those.” she gestured to one pair. “Maybe the second one only goes down halfway?”

“Why would they only have an elevator that goes halfway?” Violet said.

“Gud,” Sunny said, which meant, “And why is there a button pointing up? Aren’t we on the top floor?”

Her siblings jumped, and then looked to the panel beside the elevator doors. Indeed, there was an arrow pointing up.

“Only one way to find out.” Klaus shrugged.

He moved to the panel, and then Sunny squealed, “Elisha!” which meant something like, “Can I press the button? Please!”

Klaus giggled. “Okay. Press with your knuckles to avoid germs.”

Sunny did so, laughing as the button pressed under her tiny hand.

The doors opened, and Violet and Klaus moved to the doors, glancing down into a pitch-black darkness, darker than the stairs. As soon as their eyes adjusted, Violet said, “There’s no elevator here. No ropes, no looped belt, push-button console, electromagnetic braking system- not even an enclosed platform.”

“So it’s ersatz.” Klaus said.

“Why would you need an ersatz elevator?” Violet asked.

“Secret passage.” Klaus answered immediately.

“And why would you need a secret passage?”

“Secret organization.”

“Would explain how the Quagmires ended up at Prufrock.”

“So we’re gonna live off some VFD idiots without their knowledge, huh?”

Violet and Klaus shared a look, and as Sunny pressed the button to close the door again, they smiled. “This is gonna be so fun.” Violet giggled.

After a moment, the penthouse door opened, and Duncan ushered them in.

#asoue #asoue au #asoue netflix #a series of unfortunate events #runaway baudelaires au #the ersatz elevator #asoue fanfiction #mine #my fanfic

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