#but he missed his chance as soon as he tried to date him with intentions of spying on him

[fairy-lights-and-blobs]

I had a certain need to write SOMETHING fo this prompt, with the sheer potential for angst, and mild ragging on Bruce for his paranoia:

"AND DONT YOU DARE COME BACK, YOU UTTER SCUMBAG!!!!!" This was, perhaps, a solid 8/10 in the scale of "what could possibly go wrong?", Batman silently mused to himself as his patrol route had him stumbling across his oldest son, as Dick Grayson, rather than Nightwing, be kicked out of Daniel Crowne's door, leaving a solid footprint in his nice suit pants that he'd chosen to wear tonight for his meeting with Danny, as part of Operation "Honey Pot" (Bruce would like to leave it on the record that he vehemently denied that name, but Jason had taken it upon himself to ridicule each and every step of his and Dick's carefully crafted information extraction mission)

The latest string of Crime Alley children going missing, coinciding with suspicious business deals that seemed to benefit entirely the Crowne family and no one else, had set off Batman's paranoia alarms quite severely.

They needed someone who could get in close, investigate, and recover any files pertaining to any child trafficking and other suspicious dealings. With the company being run mostly by their adopted son, Danny, someone close in age, and of a similar background would be the best choice.

Thus Dick and Bruce ended up having to set aside their differences and work together, since Dick himself having been adopted into the Wayne family was a near perfect choice.

And considering Danny had never been ashamed to admit to himself being bisexual, Local Sweerheart Richard Grayson tried to put the moves on Danny.

Things appeared to be going well.

Until now. Dick had gotten caught looking through Danny's office. And faced with the anger of his "boyfriend" (sometimes, Dick would find himself awake late at night, thinking if what he was truly doing the right thing here) he had let slip his suspicions of Danny being involved in illegal dealings, chief among them child trafficking.

Needless to say, the Crowne Heir hadn't taken that news well. Suddenly, months of working hard to build trust between them, came crashing down with loud screaming, calls for Security, and Dick Grayson being thrown out, literally kicked out the door by the Crowne Estate Head of Security, with Danny hot on their heels, face marred with tears.

"RICHARD GRAYSON, YOU NO-GOOD, LYING SCUMBAG, PICK YOURSELF UP OFF MY DRIVEWAY AND WALK BACK TO YOUR DADDY WITH YOUR TAIL BETWEEM YOUR LEGS LIKE THE DOG YOU ARE!!!!!" Naturally, the screaming drew in people, Gothamites in general being too curious for their own good.

This might be turning out to be a huge mistake...however, Daniel Crowne had no care for whatever opinions Batman might hold, as he seamlessly went from wailing with anger and betrayal to a heartbreaking tone as he proceeded to dig Dick's social grave even deeper, walking out the door with a metal bat painted bright neon green slung over his shoulder. "Tell me, Mr Concerned Citizen, what have you done for Gotham? You claim I've been plucking children off the street, and selling them to the highest bidder, but did you ever bother trying to visit the charity I set up in Crime Alley? Because if you did, you would have realized your "missing children" were, in fact, adopted by loving families who will give them all the love they could ever need. I know your type, you only became worried about the Alley kids once the place started turning for the better. You saw chance at climbing the ladder and took it with both hands, no matter who you trample upon, right?"

Dick went to respond to that, probably try to defend himself and properly justify his concerns, but he had the aforementioned metal bat shoved in his face. "If what's about to come out of your mouth is how you had 'plausible suspicions' or 'it's all way too suspiciously timed' then I'm sad to disappoint, but the adoptions have been going on since the very start. All perfectly legal. But of course, no one notices Crime Alley until it's too late to do anything meaningful." And here, Danny took a deep breath, glared hard at Dick, and walked back into his home, leaving behind angry Gothamites, press circling like vultures, and a heartbroken Dick Grayson. "But I guess I shouldn't be surprised. Your love for me was as fake as that sunshine personality you put on for the cameras. You only ever wanted to discredit me in everyone's eyes. Be prepared to face a lawsuit, Mr. Grayson. I hope Daddy Dearest can bail you out. Because you'll get no mercy from me. Now take the sad puppy act out of here, and go find someone else to warm your bed and listen to your grievances. I'm done with you and your family. And, for Little Jason's sake, I'm praying your father wasn't involved in this."

The slamming of the front door rang with an air of finality, and missed opportunities.

And as Dick turned around to face the consequences of what he'd done to the guy that had quickly become known as Gotham's Sweetheart, Batman had a clear angle of Daniel falling to his knees and wailing, clutching at the Head of Security's uniform as the brick house of a man picked him up as if he was the most precious thing in the world and carried the boy upstairs.

Moments later, a light turned on in what appeared to be Danny's bedroom considering the stars glued to the ceiling and walls, and the boy's well-known love for astronomy, along with the bed, bookshelf and computer desk that had been installed in what had previously been a guest bedroom.

The disappointed frown that Alfred greeted him with made Bruce want to cry like he hasn't felt the need to do since he first went out as Batman. His dad was disappointed in him and Dick, and had no qualms making it know. And so was Jason, which made it even worse. Bruce never wanted to see his son look at him with such a betrayed look on his face.

DC x DP: The Adoptive Son

Danny Fenton gets lost in the Infinite Releams and without the Infinite Map, he has no hope finding his way home.

After wandering for weeks, he quickly realizes his human side is dying from lack of food and stress. With a heavy heart, he crashes lands in a new world, desperate for rest.

A new world that was seemed to behind in terms of technology. But he's not afraid of helping the world catch up if it means finding a way home.

He crashed in the middle of nowhere forest and after three days of walking by foot- too worn out to fly- he comes across Gotham.

Taking a page out of Vlad's book- as much as it makes him feel sick- he possesses people to get himself set up in the new world. He needs to find somewhere with enough money that he can build a S.O.S for his friends to find him.

And he needs resources to survive.

He finds a wealthy family who is so invested in breaking each other apart they didn't notice their sudden ease in wanting to adopt Danny.

Seemingly overnight, the Crowne family went from slowly collapsing to once more being at the top due to their adopted son Danny Crowne's genius mind. Despite his young age, his adoptive father allowed him to turn the family business from fashion design to medical and technical advances.

At age fourteen he sat within the board meetings slowly but surely taking over and raising the company's stocks and power.

They developed the first heart pumps, made leaps and bounds in cancer treatment, and created software and computer programs that and their prosthetics were the most advanced in the world.

There were rumors that the head design for all engineering projects- including the prosthetics- were all done by Danny Crowne. They were never confirmed.

Even business deals done by the Crownes were suspiciously so far in their favor many believed they were making deals with the multiple families of Gotham's underbelly.

That was also never proven.

Despite all the whispers about him, Danny Crowne was considered one of the brightest minds in Gotham. Everyone who spoke to him claimed he was a soft-spoken gentleman and was even compared to royalty from his regal composition.

Personally, Bruce has always had a bad feeling about Danny Crowne. He knows the boy is off in some way, all his Instincts scream danger when he's around.

At first, he was ecstatic to hear the Crownes had also adopted an orphan from a poor background. It had been a few years after he had gotten his ward, Dick. Despite it being five years since he first accepted Dick into his home, his ward had not made any friends besides Barbara Gordon. None of the elite children gave Dick the time of day pass making passive aggressive comments about him.

Then the news of Danny Crowne broke, and everyone knew he had practically been picked off the streets after the CPS had forced him into the juvenile hall as the only place that had space for him.

Just like Dick.

He had hoped that a similar past would help the two boys bond. He had tried pushing Dick into speaking to Danny, and had gone out of his way to personally invite the young man to a party he threw for all of Dicks classmates.

The first thing Danny Crowne did upon arriving at his house was step away from the crowd and study Bruce's home wiring. Dick later told him Danny made him feel strange, like the other boy would be one the loons they stopped during the night.

Bruce, stop pushing for their friendship.

Time moved on, but Crownes only grew in power, and by the time he took in Jason, Danny Crowne inherited his family assets after his adoptive parents mysterious deaths.

They began to look into Danny after Nightwing had discovered a trail of dangerous experiments from shell companies that all led back to Crowne Co. Jason also mentioned that a lot of street kids disappeared after Danny Crowne had turn his sights on them with a new charity program his company ran.

No one knew what happened to the kids and no one in the legal system seemed to care.

Bruce thought about the Crownes rise to wealth and felt sick. Had Danny been running a trafficking ring since his adoption? Had that escaped Batman's notice for four years?

Despite the fact they were still at eachother throats, both Bruce and Dick agreed to work togther to bring Danny Crowne down. How?

Simple.

Danny Crowne was openly bisexual and, according to Jason, who was half-raised by working girls, his eyes always followed Dick around the room.

Operation Honey Pot was a go.

(Danny didn't mean to stay here for four years but had built himself a home, and no natural portals were opening. He figured he could secretly construct his while helping abused kids find safe ways out of the city and start new lives. Technically illegal, no one had batted an eye when the kids vanished, so he figured getting them somewhere safe was more important. Indeed Batman had better things to do than track down kids in better foster homes. He test-ran the homes himself before placing the children. Yes, overshadowing made him feel bad, but he rather experienced the house before overshadowing the social workers into legalizing the stay under new names. He was sick of them sticking kids in juvenile halls just cause other foster homes were "out of jurisdiction".

At least his charities helped the age out kids succeed in life.

Now why was handsome Dick Grayson winking at him??? Gosh, that made him more nervous than all the lessons Clockwork forced him to take back when he was training to take the Ghost Throne. The classes helped him become one of the best CEO in the world, but they were also the reason he got into this whole mess to begin with. At least he looked regal when he spoke. )

[valsverse]

— general dating hc's

pairing: percy jackson, annabeth chase, leo valdez, piper mclean, hazel levesque, jason grace, frank zhang (respectively) x gn!reader

word count: 3.0k part two

percy jackson

• underwater kisses!! all the time!! being a son of poseidon has its benefits. the whole experience is just magical fr. it's like being in a whole different world, where nothing else matters except for the two of you. the sensation of your lips touching, your bodies intertwined, and the sound of your breathing mixing with the water is simply unforgettable. the way your hands hold onto each other, the way your eyes lock, and the way your heart beats as one, it's a feeling that can't be replicated anywhere else.

• percy 100% teaches you how to skate. the first chance he gets, he'll lead you onto the smooth, concrete surface of the skate park with the intent of teaching you!!

he patiently guides you, holding your hands and rolling you along while walking beside you. he teaches you how to shift your weight, how to balance, and how to stop. and every time you stumble, he makes a huge show of catching you in his arms LMAO. like, it's not that serious, percy.

whenever he's skating alone, he can't help but think of you. :(( the way your hair sways in the wind, the sound of your laughter, and the warmth of your hand in his. he would often skate in circles, lost in thought, imagining you by his side. <33 (all the other skaters think he looks like a fool, but he doesn't care.)

• now don't tell me you two do not have matching jewelry, because you DO. he learns a lot about your style and preferences, (he knows if you look better in gold or silver) and the pretty necklaces and stuff are just a bonus!!

he wears a necklace with several charms all the time, since it was a gift from you! some of the charms include an ocean charm and a tiny silver skateboard that dangles from the delicate chain. whenever he misses you, he would reach up and touch the necklace, feeling the smooth metal under his fingers, and smile. <33

• whenever you explain things to percy, he nods his head in agreement, but you notice his gaze flickering towards your lips ever so often. you don't know what he's thinking, but his expression provides a pretty obvious hint as to what may be on his mind.

• growing up as a child of one of the big three can certainly take its toll on anyone, even percy. after a long day of training and preventing new campers from capsizing the canoes while racing with the naiads, all he wants is to melt into your embrace.

he sneaks into your cabin with you as soon as possible, laying down on your bed, a deep sigh escaping his lips and he stretches his neck from side to side, relishing in the brief moment of peace. his arms are outstretched, inviting you to join him, as he longs for the comfort and safety of your embrace.

it's clear that being in your presence has a calming effect on him, reassuring him that everything is going to be alright. <33

annabeth chase

• annabeth has a penchant for discovering new things to learn and become deeply invested in, and she talks to you about her newest interests all the time. when you take the time to listen to her ramblings about her current passions, she gets so excited!!

sometimes, you spend hours in the library researching the concepts and terminology she speaks of, just so that you can engage in a meaningful conversation with her instead of just nodding along. the effort is well worth it to see her reaction; the way her face lights up as she smiles, leaning in to give you a big kiss on the cheek as a reward!!

• but sometimes annabeth rambles way too much. like, wayyyy too much. i'm talking hours on end. while her voice is soothing and you enjoy lying in her arms while she speaks, it can be a lot at times.

and annabeth only stops talking when she's finished gushing. unless you kiss her first.

although she tries to act like your affection doesn't work on her, complaining with phrases like, "why did you do that," or "you didn't let me finish." but her tone clearly softens. her eyes crinkling at the corners, and soon enough her facade breaks and she can no longer hold back a smile. <33

• you guys still use pinky promises. it doesn't matter if she personally thinks it's trivial, she does it for your sake because she values your belief in it. and if anyone dares to make fun of it, she'd be glaring daggers at them the entire day. if looks could kill, they'd be dead.

(and after you two interlock pinkies she kisses the palm of your hand to seal the deal.)

• annabeth isn't big on PDA, but she definitely steals kisses when people aren't looking.

• annabeth love, love, LOVES reading to you!! especially when there's nobody around and it's just the two of you, your head on her lap as she reads aloud about the wonders of Richardsonian Romanesque style architecture... whatever that is. (but she makes it sound interesting so you don't care.)

• overall 10/10, what a queen.

leo valdez

• he's your portable heater fr. leo keeps you warm by holding you close. it's particularly convenient when you're nestled on his lap or resting against his chest.

• this man can COOK. he mainly cooks food from his heritage because it's a way for him to connect to his roots, but if you ask him to make a particular dish for you, he'll do it, no questions asked. it's a common sight to catch a glimpse of him in the kitchen, diligently chopping ingredients and following the recipe to your favorite dish, getting himself completely covered in smoke and steam by the end of the process, but the result is always delicious so neither of you care.

he'll often call you into the kitchen to taste-test his newest recipe, shoving the dish in your face and urging you to try it like, "here babe, taste it!!" with the brightest smile as he eagerly waits for your feedback. he values your opinions a lot!

• him calling you petnames in spanish >>> omg. among his favorites are "mi amor" (my love), "cariño" (darling), and "corazón" (sweetheart). he usually rotates between those three and it never fails to bring a blush to your cheeks because like, hello??? how could it not??? he's always quick to notice your reaction and can't resist teasing you, playful remarks leaving his lips like, "a little flustered now are we, mi amor?" 🙏🙏🙏

• no matter how long you've been together, leo still flirts with you like it's the first time he's seen you. he'll brace himself against the nearest doorframe and unleash the cheesiest pick-up line known to mankind. despite their predictability, you play along. the game ends when he asks you on a "first date."

• leo spends a lot of time tinkering in his workshop, so whenever boredom sets in, (or if he's just thinking of you) he likes to put his creativity to use by making various small creations with you on his mind. these items range from keychains, to mini jewelry boxes, and even small flowers carved out of metal scraps. (you now have enough to make a bouquet.) your nightstand and shelves are absolutely littered with his handiwork, and you take pride in owning each one of them. <33

• leo's the type of guy that twirls you around while hugging. there's something incredibly spontaneous and thrilling about the experience — just when you think he's only reaching for your hand, he suddenly lifts you off the ground and spins you around, generating a moment of pure joy before gently setting you down once again, and leaning back in for a normal hug.

• he's so whipped for you it's not even funny.

piper mclean

• piper hates being categorized as a typical child of aphrodite due to the expectations and assumptions that come with the title, especially given the reputation of some of her siblings. she's always quick to reassure you that she won't break your heart and that her love for you is truly genuine.

• piper has a soft spot for when you play with her hair; running your fingers through her choppy locks and especially when you braid it. when you gently scratch her scalp while brushing your nails through her hair, she gets lost in her own little world.

• piper isn't afraid to show you off if you're okay with it. like she's in a beautiful, loving relationship, why wouldn't she?? also she's a hand swinger FR. 🙏🙏🙏

• you guys have matching bracelets!! nothing fancy, just a bunch of multi-colored beads on a string, but she loves them so much. sometimes you dedicate dates to making these bracelets just because it's one of her favorite pastimes.

she has one with your name written on the beads, a couple with the titles of the albums you listen to together, as well as ones with your preferred color schemes. just anything to remind her of you. <33

her collection is so big that they now stack up to her arms. maybe it's becoming a problem.

• while piper doesn't like flaunting her wealth, if she sees that you have your eye on something she'll immediately buy it for you. no questions asked. you don't even need to say anything.

maybe you'll bring it up ONCE, not even asking her to buy it, just mentioning you were saving up for a particular item, and the next day it's on your bed with a note from her. when you ask her she'll just be like, "weren't you talking about it?"

• while piper is pretty self-conscious about her singing, she'll do it if you ask her to because she trusts you. if you're having trouble sleeping, she'll lay your head in her lap and sing a short melody, and it works every time. once you drift off, she’ll place a tender kiss on your forehead, (or multiple) and express how much you mean to her, because she can't be this sentimental when you're awake.

she's so in love omg.

hazel levesque

• she's the absolute sweetest girlfriend you could ever ask for! her sweet and loving nature is simply amazing and her love for you knows no bounds. she goes above and beyond to make you feel appreciated and loved in every way possible.

• she definitely loves to go horse-back riding with you. the sensation of the wind blowing through your hair, the warm sun kissing your skin, and the gentle sound of the horse's hooves rhythmically hitting the ground beneath you — it all feels like pure magic, especially since hazel is sharing the moment with you!

• over time, hazel got more comfortable with kisses. the first time you two shared a kiss, she timidly brushed her lips against yours before rapidly withdrawing, her hands instinctively covering her face in embarrassment.

but as time went by and your relationship progressed, she soon began to relax and gain confidence, especially with you relaxing and guiding her through every step of the way. <33

PDA isn't really her thing, but when the two of you are in private, she WILL shower you with kisses on various parts of your body, including your forehead, cheeks, neck, lips, and anywhere else she can reach. i feel like she'd especially love kissing your nose. it's quite endearing to watch her stand on her toes to give you a sweet smooch if you're tall, or simply grab your face and plant a gentle kiss on your nose if you're shorter.

• hazel is doing her best to learn about your interests, but like many things in the today's world, it's a learning process for her. but your help makes her feel more at ease in this modern world. there is still a lot that hazel doesn't fully comprehend, so she values the historical insights you share with her.

• hazel's love languages are acts of service and gift giving. she loves the way your eyes light up when she pampers you. she's also so patient when she helps you with your sword-fighting!! she goes the extra mile to help you master any technique, training with you for hours on end just to see your smile. she patiently guides you through each step, offering advice and encouragement along the way. her joy comes from your progress and happiness.

• okay this is a small thing but she always lets you have the last bite!! whether you're dining out or sharing popcorn at the movies, hazel is always mindful of ensuring that you get the last bite/handful. <33

she's so cute omg.

jason grace

• i think most of us know how touch starved this man is, but he slowly eases into romantic gestures. after a long day of praetor duties, all he wants to do is melt in your arms as you whisper sweet nothings to him.

jason loovvees resting his forehead against yours. it just brings him a sense of comfort and solace, really just your presence itself makes him feel safe. <33

• jason grows to love hand-holding! it starts off with just linking pinkies, but progresses when you take his calloused palms into yours. from the second you two intertwine hands, he's hooked.

he doesn't really know how to initiate hand-holding, so he often makes excuses like, "here, let's compare hand sizes." or "aren't you cold? let me warm up your hands for you." and proceeds to take both of your hands in his without waiting for a response because he just can't ask upfront. :(( (don't worry, he gets over it as the relationship progresses.) his GRIP on your hand is so noticeable LMAO. it's like he's afraid you'll disappear if he lets go.

he most definitely places kisses on your hand. 🙏🙏🙏 i'm talking regency era jane austen style kisses to your fingertips or palm, looking away with a visible blush. <33

• hear me out, considering his expertise in combat, this man has gotta have some beefy arms okayyy?? like, it's hard not to stare at them. and once he rolls up his sleeves, it's all over FR.

he does it without thinking at first, whether it's tidying up his cabin, strategizing battle plans, or sometimes just mindlessly sighing and rolling up his sleeves when something's on his mind. but he starts to notice how your gaze lingers on his forearms a little too long to be considered "normal", and once he figures it all out, he's having a whole field day with it.

basically, he makes a point to show off his arms around you whenever he could. it drives you crazy, and guess what? he's well aware of it. you know this given that he'll occasionally flash one of his rare jason grace smiles, which later transitions into a grin with a slightly raised lip. 🙏🙏🙏

• he's such a gentleman fr. even little things like holding open doors for you even if it means waiting a few extra moments, offering his sweater when you're cold without hesitation, or fixing up a plate for you during dinner, he's always trying to make life a little easier for you. <33

frank zhang

• frank gives the best bear hugs! (both literally and figuratively.) in the early stages of a relationship, he may come across as a bit awkward. not because he doesn't want to initiate anything, but rather because he's a bit unsure of himself. he takes his time to get to know you and build trust before stepping up his game and expressing his love in more obvious ways. as time passes, he becomes more comfortable and eases into the relationship at a sweet and slow pace, making sure to respect your boundaries and wishes. :((

he loves holding you and making you feel loved, so cuddles aren't uncommon. he takes care to express his affection in a way that makes you feels comfortable and appreciated!! he's always asking you, "do you feel alright?" or "is this fine?" because what may be okay one day might not be okay the next.

typically, he prefers to be the big spoon, but he's is also happy being the little spoon, because he believes that vulnerability and intimacy go both ways in a relationship!!

• frank has the ability to shapeshift into tons of different animals, and he uses this to his advantage while cuddling with you!! imagine waking up to find a cuddly koala bear clinging onto you protectively one day, and then the next day, holding a sweet and adorable tea-cup sized labrador puppy in your hands. the cuddling possibilities are endless!!

• your decision to date frank despite any challenges along the way has had such an impact on his self-esteem. like, seriously!! every word of praise you offer him is treasured, and he adores being around you; in fact, he flourishes in your presence. your encouragement has really made a difference in his life. <33

• he love, love, LOVES holding your hand!! he seems to find every opportunity to intertwine his fingers with yours, and in moments of stress or anxiety, he'll often tap or lightly pull on your hand as if seeking reassurance because your touch brings him a sense of comfort and safety.

• considering that frank's height ranges from 6'3-6'6, you're probably shorter than him. and yeah, he definitely utilizes his height advantage around you.

he loves by approaching you from behind and embracing you, regardless of your own height, and another plus is that he can easily lean down for a kiss!!

his height is particularly convenient around high shelves or objects that may be out of your reach. his height also provides a sense of protection and security for you because he can easily shield you from any harm that may come your way!

overall, 10/10 would date again.

a/n

WHY DO MY FICS KEEP GETTING LONGER AND LONGER LMFAOO.

i wanted to keep this fic relatively short but omg i could not fit everything i wanted in one post. part 2 maybe??

i love writing hc's because they're a lot more casual but my next post will probably be a regular oneshot. :))

xx, val.

[effetsecndaires]

— 𝐭𝐨𝐤𝐲𝐨 𝐫𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐧𝐠𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐛𝐨𝐲𝐬 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐨 𝐬𝐞𝐜𝐫𝐞𝐭𝐥𝐲 𝐝𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐨𝐧𝐥𝐲 𝐠𝐢𝐫𝐥 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐢𝐫 𝐠𝐚𝐧𝐠. (𝐡𝐜𝐬)

INCLUDES | keisuke baji, kazutora hanemiya, manjiro sano, shuji hanma

NOTE | This is really short, I'm sorry! I'm not sure how I feel about it either, but I hope it's not too bad.

— BAJI.

Pretty much everyone in Toman knows Baji has a soft spot for you. They never miss an opportunity to tease him about it, telling him to make the first move, to stop staring like a creep and just ask you out already.

...What they don't know is that you and Baji have been secretly dating for months now.

Though you decided to keep your relationship a secret mainly to keep each other safe and avoid being exposed to unnecessary danger, you both find amusement in keeping your friends in the dark about your relationship. It became like a fun little game between you and Baji, sharing playful glances and knowing smiles whenever the others would tease him about his supposed crush.

You're pretty sure Chifuyu knows the truth, though. There's always a knowing smirk on his face that suggests he might be onto your secret, but he plays along, giving you both a nod of approval whenever he catches the subtle displays of affection between the two of you.

If you eventually decide to make your relationship public, Baji will have a field day teasing his friends for not noticing sooner that you were dating. He won't miss the chance to brag about being the one who won the 'prettiest Toman member's heart, even poking fun at those who once had a crush on you.

— KAZUTORA

In the middle of all those men, it wasn't easy for you to find your place in Valhalla.

You often kept to yourself, feeling like you didn't really belong here. You had effortlessly managed to prove your strength and loyalty to the gang so everyone respected you and treated you as an equal — but it still felt weird to be surrounded with so many men, each more violent and intimidating than the other.

But with Kazutora, there was an instant connection that set him apart from the others.

Before you knew it, you were having secret meetings away from the prying eyes of the gang, and what began as just a friendship soon turned into something more.

Kazutora's affection towards you in public is subtle yet genuine. The two of you always make sure to stand away from each other during meetings and gatherings so as to not awake suspicions, but Kazutora quietly keeps an eye on you from a distance, checking up on you without drawing attention to your connection.

During fights, this protectiveness manifests in small yet meaningful gestures. Even though he trusts in your ability to handle yourself, he'll gladly position himself as a shield between you and any potential threats. He's always ready to divert attention away from you or take the hit in your place —which you often scold him for.

While it goes mainly unnoticed by others you can always tell when he does things for you, just to protect you. Sometimes, you manage to steal a quick kiss from him when nobody's looking, leaving a flustered Kazutora behind you.

— MIKEY.

Mikey is incredibly protective of you, which quickly makes people wonder if there's something going on between you. You both deny it every time, but you're not sure how much longer you'll manage to hide it — you're pretty sure Mikey has already told Draken anyway. (or Sanzu — depends if we're talking about Toman or Bonten Mikey)

It really doesn't help his case that he's always turning down his friend's invitations to hang out in favor of spending time with you. He doesn't explicitly tell them that — and he tries to cover up the fact that he's going out with you by using the excuse of wanting to stay at home and rest— but it doesn't take a genius to figure out his real intentions. It's no coincidence that you and Mikey are always unavailable at the same time.

The gang playfully teases him about his 'resting' time when they see him the next day, not realizing that these moments with you go beyond him simply sneaking away to see his girlfriend.

Your meetings are what keeps Mikey grounded, the very last anchor in his life that prevents him from completely losing himself.

When the weight of the world gets too overwhelming for him to bear, you become Mikey's refuge — the only person capable of providing the comfort he seeks and calming his racing thoughts.

— HANMA.

Hanma is a master at this whole secret relationship thing.

He effortlessly hides his feelings and shows no sign of concern for you, even when you get hurt during a fight or are facing threats from others. To the outside world, he treats you just like any other guy in Valhalla, pushing you to get up and keep fighting —fully aware that you can handle yourself and need no savior.

While he may not shower you with affection in public, there's another side of Hanma behind closed doors that only you gets to see;

As soon as the two of you are alone, he's all over you, always holding you close and kissing you like there's no tomorrow, getting all cocky over the fact that he's the only one allowed to kiss you and touch you like he does.

Of course, don't think he'll let the men who hurt you get away with it.

The next day, Hanma will take the matter into his own hands and seek out whoever hurt or threatened you. He doesn't give any explanation as to why he beats them up, simply brushing it off and telling everyone that he "just felt like it."

[excalibur-gone-missing]

Paring: seungcheol x fem!reader

Requested: no

Release date: 24-04-24

Genre: mafia au, reverse of getting kidnaped by the mafia boss, fluff, e2l, crack, assistant au

Warning(s): mention of abduction, guns?, cheol is a menace, brief mentions of drugs (do tell me if i missed anything)

summary: It was not supposed to be like this, it was a meticulous plan perfectly curated by you, Jun and Seokmin. You were supposed to go get the man who was the future heir of the Kim Corps named Mingyu, you ever had a pic of his. Most importantly it was definitely not supposed to be the man who now sits in your basement claiming that he is the leader of the mafia organisation you three work for.

Word count: 5.8k

Other works

Beta reader(s): @wonuwrites-main and @anonmonty (sweet sweet angles helped me with proof reading, or else im fucking incompetent)

disclaimer: this is not the exact representation of the subjects in real life. I just use them for my inspiration.

a/n: I request each and every one of you to comment on this fic don't be a silent reader it helps me as an author to understand my readers and i would love to communicate with all of you. Constructive criticism is always welcomed by me so do talk about this fic or send me an ask.

[permanent taglist] [only for those interested, don’t fill the form otherwise]

It is a beautiful day, and like they always say: beautiful things happen on beautiful days, and you were damn ready for the said beautiful thing to happen!

The plan is simple—you and Jun have gone over it at least fifty times, and Seokmin has been standing there listening to you both intently throughout the whole ordeal. 

“So, let’s go over it once again,” you say, pointing at the white board with the picture of a man, Mingyu to be exact, the heir to the Kim Corp. and your target. 

“He leaves his office to have coffee every afternoon exactly at 3pm at the nearest café named ‘Carvery’, am I right?” Jun and Seokmin nod with a concentrated look on their faces. 

“Next he goes to the park, sits there for fifteen minutes, on most days, and then takes the path that leads them straight back to the building, correct?” The two men again nod, and then Jun takes over the talking. 

“More often than not, he hates company during his afternoon runs, so the best chance we have of abducting the man is when he is between the café and the park. This will give us at least a twenty-minute head start before the police and his family start looking for him.” 

Now you and Seokmin nod at the man, and Seokmin takes the podium to present the next part. 

“Jun and I will be on the streets while y/n waits in the car, and from the background check we ran last month, we know the man is well trained in martial arts, so we will try and attack him with the anesthetic as soon as possible.” 

“And after the guy is unconscious, we will flee with his ass~,” adds Jun. 

“Sounds like a solid plan,” you laugh as you high five the two men. 

Indeed, it was a solid plan. You three had considered every possibility and chosen this day to execute your plan. It’s perfect and thorough, so what can go wrong? 

-- 

A lot apparently. 

You reached the destination ten minutes early to give Seokmin and Jun ample amount of time to prepare for the attack. 

As you parked your car near the pavement where the abduction would take place, you see a man walk past the car wearing a beige trench coat with some sort of concoction from the coffee shop. 

Now if you were a seasoned abductor, you would have known not to mess with the person as the timing was not right. But that was not the case, and seeing a person who vaguely matched the physical descriptions of the man you were actually supposed to abduct gave you enough reason to jump the gun and take this man hostage. 

Before you could process anything, Seokmin jumped on the guy, trying to tackle him while Jun tried to find a way to inject the drug into his system. After another minute of struggle, taking at least five punches in their abdomen and faces, both the men were successful in sedating the man.  

They hurriedly carried him to the car and you three sped off to the base to ask his family for ransom. 

-- 

You have been back at the base for three hours now. As you look at the unconscious man tied to the chair in front, you realize the grave mistake you made by not seeing his face the minute you were actually kidnapping him. 

“I mean if you look at his eyes, they look very similar to the real target, you know. Maybe he ate too much last night and is a bit swollen now,” Jun says in a wise tone. Now if you were stupid like Seokmin, you would have accepted this analogy of his just like the hundred others he had spewed in the past two hours, but you are not. So, you hit the guy’s head while calmly saying. 

“Will you keep quiet for a minute? You know as well as I that this is the wrong man. We don’t even know who he actually is. So, we wait for him to gain consciousness and then interrogate him.”  

You have figured that screaming and crying will get you nowhere. All it will do is trigger Seokmin’s panic attack, and you do not think he can manage another one after the one hour long one he just resurfaced from.  

“Our best bet is that we abducted a pretty important dude, or else we know the boss will have our meat served to his dogs for their nightly feasts,” you continued. 

“I can see he is wearing pretty costly brands all over. My guts say he is rich,” Seokmin pipes up. 

“Seok, your gut told you to scream for the past hour. I don’t trust it a lot now,” you complain. 

“I think it’s your fault, too. You should have stopped us from abducting the guy instead of just staring from the car, you know,” Jun says. 

Now, you will consider yourself to be a level-headed person, but one thing that gets to you more than anything else is a false accusation. On top of that, the bitch has the gal to accuse you of being careless when they were the ones showing literally no care about their work, owing to the fact you were not even supposed to abduct the untouchable Kim Mingyu in the first place. The leader of your clan, although you three had never seen him, mostly operated through Jeonghan, his right-hand man. The guy you agreed to kidnap was apparently remarkably close to your boss. But when faced with the tough choice of loyalty towards one gang and the lump sum of three million, you three had to face the situation and betray your gang. You know you should not, but the small jobs with the gang were not enough to even pay your rent!  

So, who does Jun think he is to shift the blame towards you when you have done nothing but try to make a secure living for all three of you. Therefore, you do the thing that your sane brain advises you to. 

Go off at Jun. 

“So, if I fail to babysit two grown men while on an extremely important mission that included them, the blame is shifted towards me?!” 

“You were both supposed to wait for my instructions before confronting the poor bloke. Now, if things go wrong, it will be your faults, and I will be dragged into it because I was the main brain behind the planning.”  

“Guys, I think we should focus on the guy more; I think he is stirring.” 

This statement from Seokmin caught both of your attention, causing you to cease the argument immediately to take a look at the man in front of you. 

Without hesitation, you put your gun on his head and ask, “who are you, tell us about yourself.” 

The man albeit good looking with his doe eyes and plump lips, gave you three a mean stare before speaking sassily. 

“Shouldn’t you know the identity of the person you kidnap?” 

“If we knew, I don’t think I would have asked about you,” you reply. 

The man scoffs before informing you the most gut-wrenching piece of information you have ever heard. 

“I’m Choi Seungcheol leader of Choi Clan.” 

-- 

When Seungcheol met Mingyu today, he was feeling particularly drained and sought the comfort of a familiar face, longing for a brief respite from the relentless demands of his job. Mingyu, sensing his friend's exhaustion, proposed they take a detour to unwind, considering Seungcheol's grueling schedule. Gratefully accepting the suggestion, Seungcheol had embarked on what he thought would be a much-needed moment of relaxation. 

Oh, how wrong he was. 

As he leisurely sipped his coffee, enjoying a fleeting moment of calm, the tranquility was shattered by the sudden onslaught of a group of thugs. Seungcheol had braced himself for a possible mugging, but the idea of being abducted never crossed his mind. He curses himself for sending Soonyoung away earlier, now regretting not having company in this unforeseen predicament. 

To make matters worse, Seungcheol felt a wave of embarrassment wash over him. A mafia boss getting abducted! 

How humiliating.  

Now, do not get him wrong, he was, in reality, as far from incompetent as the Sahara was from water, as Seungkwan was from being calm, as Jihoon was from showing affection—you get the point. 

In fact, he had been the first in three generations to successfully reclaim the southeastern part of the city for his clan from the Yoon family, a testament to his capabilities. 

Now bound and surrounded by three hapless captors whose incompetence was glaringly evident, judging by the one who he suspects was crying prior to their conversation with him. He suspected they had targeted Mingyu, but mistakenly seized him instead. Seungcheol could not help but shake his head at their sheer incompetence. 

Now, again, he is not that scared. He knows he has a trusted pack of workers who would join heaven and earth in search of him. No, he is least bothered about himself. 

What he is actually bothered about is who planned to abduct Mingyu, because he is strictly off limits for his clan members. He knows this as much as anyone that they respect the young heir a lot, not only due to his kind nature, but also because of the relationship he has with their leader. 

So, when he informs his three kidnappers his name, he gets the weirdest of responses ever—a chorus of ‘shits’ and ‘fucks.’ Moreover, he sees all three of his kidnappers suddenly fall down at his feet and grumbling out the most nonsensical bullshit ever. The only words he vaguely captures are ‘it was supposed to be someone else’ and ‘sirs’. 

This confuses the man even more. But then he suddenly sees all three of them take their masks off, revealing two men and, dare he say, a very gorgeous woman. Now in any other situation,

Seungcheol would have laughed, but now that he is in it himself, the only reaction he can provide is a confused head nod as the woman immediately goes to untie his hands. 

-- 

“So, you are telling me that you were paid to abduct my friend who you know is off limits, but still went ahead with the idea, even though you are the members of my gang?!”  

He says as he looks at your group standing in front of him with their heads bowed down looking like kids getting scolded.  

“But sir, we barely make any money from doing the jobs assigned to us. The only way for us to pay our rent was for taking up jobs from outside, and this one paid us a huge sum. We never wanted you to be the one getting abducted instead, we swear!” you suddenly exclaim with the extreme need to explain yourself. 

Your two partners beside you do their dutiful job by nodding their heads with your rant. 

“You three fucked up really bad, didn’t you?” He says, looking a tad bit amused. 

“We are really sorry!” Seokmin chokes out, visibly scared by the whole ordeal. 

“Well, it’s time I go back, so take me back to the office.” 

Right after that statement comes out of his mouth, you three are escorting him out of the door to the car parked outside to take him back. 

-- 

“So, you are telling me these three, these newbies who literally didn’t have any good job for them to gain experience, drugged your ass and took you to god knows where, and you couldn’t even put up a good fight?!” 

Jeonghan exclaims, looking at the seated, nervous, and scared faces of the three of you from Seungcheol’s office’s glass. 

“Apparently not,” the older man sighs. 

“My friend, are you sure you are a real mafia? Because in light of the current happenings, I am starting to question your integrity a lot.” Jeonghan says as he barks out a laugh, taking immense pleasure at his friend’s humiliation. 

“Or maybe you were too caught up staring at the pretty lady to notice that you were getting kidnapped.” 

The bitch continues to make fun of the older man. 

“I just thought I was getting mugged, so I didn’t fight hard enough. Who knew I would be kidnapped instead.” Seungcheol grumbles, pouting a bit. 

“Which is even worse, because you are telling me you would have let people just mug you for no reason when you are one of the most influential people underground!” Jeonghan said while looking pretty concerned about the statement his superior just spewed, and he does indeed have a hard time accepting it. 

“Ahh! Just get over with it and let me go. Plus make sure the three of them face the appropriate consequences for not only abducting me, but also trying to abduct my friend,” Seungcheol barks out while walking out, thoroughly humiliated, and annoyed that his junior was having fun at his expense. 

So Jeonghan does the very thing at which he is extremely good. 

Create chaos. 

 Right after his superior leaves, he strides towards the group and says, “so because the boss has instructed me to do something with you three which will stop you guys from going off the hook, I’m going to assign you some jobs in the organization because I can.” 

Now, anyone even vaguely familiar with Jeonghan would recognize the expression he wore just before chaos ensued, but contrary to popular belief, Jeonghan is actually quite amiable—at least, that is what he believes, and that is what matters, right? 

He continues, “Junhui, you will be overseeing the artillery division. Our deputy head Chan will ensure you are well informed about your job. You will meet him tomorrow. As for Seokmin,” he paused, a sly smile crossing his face, which made Seokmin visibly nervous, “You, my friend, will be our esteemed boss's driver. Lastly, y/n, you will be his assistant. You shall be meeting Chan tomorrow, too; he will explain the workings of your new role.” 

Normally, in any ordinary conversation, you would not dare ask inappropriate questions, but the circumstances were far from normal, so you proceeded with the most audacious question you could muster: “Why did Chan leave his previous post?” 

Jeonghan politely responded, “He left because the job didn’t suit him, so we shifted him to the artillery department as a deputy head.” 

Unspoken was the fact that Chan had been worn down by the boss's relentless bullying, quietly requesting a transfer for at least three years before Jeonghan finally relented. Since then, the turnover of assistants had been alarmingly high. Jeonghan desperately hoped you would stick around. Moreover, if either you or Seungcheol objected to this arrangement, he had enough leverage to ensure you both comply. Enough dirt to keep both of you in line. 

-- 

Your meeting with Chan the next day went well. He explained to you the workings, gave you tips and tricks on how to make sure all the work gets done. Overall, a 10/10 experience, except the small hiccup at the end where he cryptically said something along the lines of “Best of all fucking luck with this job because you will need it.” 

Now a small best of luck is never a bad gesture, but that statement! 

That shit was a bit too hostile, even for you. But you are fine, happy even. Anything that saves you from getting your life cut short by a mafia leader is always welcomed. 

-- 

“What are you doing here?”  

“Where is Jeonghan?” 

The first two sentences to ever leave The Choi Seungcheol’s mouth the minute he sees your face when he comes into his office that afternoon. Indeed, so delightful! 

"Sir, I've been assigned as your work assistant for the time being," you reply, your eyes downcast. It is a surreal turn of events considering just yesterday this man was tied up in your basement. After that ordeal, everything seemed to take on a different hue, almost as if you were hearing the bells of heaven. So, that reaction seems pretty appropriate to you given the circumstances. 

Now you see our oh so beloved Mr. Choi was not just an underground mob because what is the fun in that, right! He mostly did international business under the guise of his company named The ChoiTech, solely based on providing technological change using sustainable means. Pretty cleaver tactic, although overused, but still gets the job done, so who are you to judge. 

The man looking extremely shocked at your statement immediately rushed inside his office, you presume, to call Jeonghan. And sure enough, within five minutes of him disappearing from your sight, you could hear him loudly complaining to his secretary on the phone. “But Jeonghan I can’t be collaborating with her, after what she did to me yesterday!” 

The man whined and then suddenly you could hear hushed whispers, so being the curious cat you were, slowly crept near the door to hear the conversation better. 

“But man, it’s humiliating. She kidnapped me for fucks sake”, the oh so powerful man, who people assumed will one day rule the underworld, whined like a kid who has been denied to go on a playdate with their best friend. 

By this time, you were almost pressed onto the door when suddenly the sound of someone clearing their throat made you jump away from it and look about for the person who stopped you from consuming you daily dose of gossip. 

The culprit, Joshua, stood right in front of your desk with an amused look on his face. 

Now Joshua is someone you were extremely familiar with, being the man who took care of assigning roles to the lower members of the group, you have had a lot of angry conversations with him. 

“I would ask you if Seungcheol is busy, but the way you were trying so hard to eavesdrop, makes me think otherwise,” he says, making you roll your eyes. 

“Just give me a minute to tell him you are here, then you can go in.” 

The man nodded still looking thoroughly amused at how sad you looked due to missing out on whatever conversation you were listening to. 

After a minute, the man was inside, now looking even happier that he has seen his next victim to torment. 

-- 

“So Jeonghan was indeed right,” he said, looking like he was having a tough time controlling his laugh. 

“Not you, too,” the pouty man whined from behind the desk. “But really, can you tell him to not put that woman as my assistant? I get war flashbacks every time I see her face,” he continued whining. 

“I mean, I could do that, but where is the fun there, right!” Joshua, thoroughly enjoying his boss’s misery, replied. “But in all seriousness, you could just treat her like Chan. The boy is still traumatized by the amount of work you made him do,” he thoughtfully added. 

The older replies, “I liked Chan, he was nice, would do anything you ask him to!” 

“And so will she. Her life is at stake here, give her some benefit of the doubt.” 

This statement made the older think like never before. Plans of tormenting you to quit your job rushing past his brain at high speed. Suddenly everything made sense. 

“I can take my revenge! That is exactly why Jeonghan made her my assistant. Oh, my friend is such a genius!” Seungcheol said, looking a bit too enthusiastic. 

“Ok, I am sure it was done to decrease his workload, but whatever you say, man,” the younger said skeptically after seeing the diabolical look on the elder’s face. 

-- 

It has already been three weeks and suddenly you understand what Chan meant all those days back when he wished you good luck. To put it quite plainly, your boss is crazy. 

The man was a combination of workaholic and perfectionist, which resulted in him getting swamped by work and by default the same fate befalls you every day, too. For the past three weeks, you have had a challenging time at the office to even take a break to eat food. 

The men you called your enemies once, aka Jeonghan and Joshua, are the ones now saving you from dying out of malnutrition. You are eternally thankful to them. But more than anything now, you regret trying to kidnap Kim Mingyu—the name makes you want to cry in a corner and throw rocks at people, if you had any time to do so. 

“Sir, you scheduled two appointments at the same time: the new project for the Orin Community Park and another one with Mr. Xu for the narcotic deal.” 

You informed the man who had his face shoved in some papers, reading something diligently.  

“Why did you not stop me from doing so then, you were right beside me when I was going through the plan.” 

Now, it is your job to curate the perfect schedule for the man to follow, but Seungcheol being the guy born only to cause you inconvenience made his schedule for the week himself this time. 

Why you might ask?

Purely because the man is a chronic insomniac and whenever he has trouble sleeping, instead of taking measures to have a peaceful sleep, he tries his hands in different works because he can, and this time his victim was the poor, poor schedule of his. 

“Because you had already sent them both emails, sir,” you say, thoroughly exasperated. 

“Ok maybe I did, so now I obviously can’t cancel on both so you figure out something so that I can attend both the meetings, because I ain’t missing any.” 

The man just turns his chair around and keeps reading whatever he was reading in the first place.

With an extremely calm voice, you say, “sir I need you to stop trying to do something to pass time when you can’t sleep. I need you to actually go to a doctor.”  “Can’t,” comes his response, making you sigh more. 

Sometimes it feels like you are working as a babysitter to a grown man instead of an assistant to a CEO. 

Seeing the conversation would be going nowhere if you keep talking to him, you go out and do the second-best thing in your books. 

Call Chan. 

“Lemme guess, the boss is giving you a hard time!” The first sentence he says right after picking up the phone. 

Sighing, you tell him all of Seungcheol’s various administrative behaviors throughout this week. When you got to the part where he had so bravely and meticulously made the perfect schedule, Chan started laughing. The gall of that boy! 

“Wait, he still does that!” He exclaimed between his laughs, making you feel even more annoyed. 

After calming down he says, “just make Jeonghan or Jihoon go for the community meeting and let him manage the narc. I know you are thankful, so do not mention it, but maybe buy me a meal when you are free, as a repayment.” 

Chuckling at the younger boy, you agreed to get him whatever he asks for purely because he is a literal angel, and he deserves the world. Ok, maybe it is a bit too dramatic, but the boy was indeed your angel in disguise. 

Planning on following through with the advice Chan gave you, you called both Jeonghan and Jihoon simultaneously. As Jeonghan was busy, Jihoon accepted the work of going to the community welfare meeting instead of Seungcheol. 

After that, the whole day was smooth sailing. But the main root of all your problems was happy, maybe not healthy, but the look of pure happiness and the twinkling eyes when he passed by your desk was hard to miss.  

This man was slowly but surely making sure to strip you of your patience bit by bit. 

--  

The last straw to eradicating your already depleting patience came when Seungcheol in all his glory, during one of his nightly ‘Imma take away other’s jobs because sleep refuses to befriend me’ escapades, deleted all your assistant notes for the server by mistake. 

You still are baffled as to how he did that. Truth be told so is he. He was scrolling away on his phone when he saw this reel about ‘how to increase your Wi-Fi speed.’ Extremely intrigued by it, he had actually tried to increase the internet speed in his house, and he swears on every god on planet earth it worked. So, he tried doing so with the one in his office, which weirdly enough resulted in removal of all the information that you had stored in your laptop. 

Now if this would have happened to his computer, too, you would not have gotten as angry as you were, but the motherfucker’s computer was all well and good and if you actually pay attention, it seems that his internet speed has increased, too! 

How this man become a CEO is beyond you. What is not so beyond is your pure hatred for him and his technologically challenged ass. 

So that night when Seungcheol, stayed back as usual to do work, you took your chances, entered his office, and slammed a ball of yarn and two knitting needles on his table while scaring the life out of the, not so, poor man. 

“Start knitting!” you calmly said. 

“But I don’t know how to though!” he replies, thoroughly confused. 

“Then learn, Seungcheol! I don’t care what you want to do, I need you to learn and pick up a hobby, start gaming, try knitting anything! Just make sure you are not trying to turn the office upside down.” 

Anyone who knows Seungcheol also knows never to question his nightly routines, but more than that, they also know the pride of the man is too high to ever accept his mistake. So, when you commit the grave crime of pointing out his mishap with the Wi-Fi router that morning, you hit the nail on the head and pissed him to the fucking moon. 

“So, you think I’m bad at what I do?!” 

“No, I think you are technically inept. And you should leave it to people who are good at it.” 

This pisses off Seungcheol more than anything, but you don’t let him intervene as you keep speaking. 

“On top of that you are constantly making changes in your schedule without informing me. You’re your assistant. Maybe have you ever considered the fact that your schedule was made so that your day is smooth sailing, and no two activities overlap!” 

“Just because you refuse to go to a doctor and try and find a way to manage your stress does not mean you make the workplace hell for us.” 

By the end of your rant, you were fuming and Seungcheol was stunned. 

Clearing his throat, he says awkwardly, “I’m sorry you feel so, I will try and fix my schedule.” 

Now, although this statement made you feel better, it also confused you, as you were fully prepared to have a full-blown fight with the man. Him backing down was never an option. But now that it has happened, you muttered a small, “I shall be going then”, to which your boss meekly nodded. 

After you were outside, you ended up feeling better due to unloading all your anger on the man. It was refreshing. Now you just needed to see what changes tomorrow will bring for Seungcheol. 

-- 

It had been two months since you had the argument with Seungcheol, more like your single woman shouting spree. But things have been better. He has tried to keep his need for new experiences down and this has made your life exponentially easier.  

Did you now have time to eat. Absolutely not! 

But the office was not a nightmare anymore.  

If someone would have told you five months ago that this is what your future held for you, you would have straight up laughed at their face and told them to get themselves checked. But life has weird ways of throwing you in situations you don’t expect yourself to be in, and you have no other ways of getting out but learn to go with the flow. 

You sometimes talk to Jun and Seokmin, and you have realized you got the hardest of all the jobs.

You asked Jeonghan about it once and his answer was, “because I can and its fun!” 

So here you are sitting on the couch with Seokmin while enjoying your sandwich when you see Seungcheol come outside carrying a bag, Jeonghan trailing behind him sporting this devilish look on his face. 

The big man walks towards you and hands you the bag. Opening it you notice a green scarf sitting at the bottom. 

“Seungcheol’s first knitting creation, and he says thank you for forcing him to learn knitting. It helps him sleep now.” Jeonghan says while pointing at the bag even before the older man could open his mouth. 

Seokmin tries to make himself as invisible as possible while looking extremely interested in the whole situation unfolding in front of him. 

Seungcheol waves his hands at Jeonghan trying to hush him down and whines, “let me speak!” 

“I made this cause you told me it would help me sleep! I didn’t think it could actually help me, but it looks like it did, so I’m extremely thankful for your suggestion.”

“Good job!” Jeonghan says, patting Seungcheol’s head like he was a child, making you laugh a bit. 

“Thank you for listening to me, sir!” 

“Oh, no, call him by his name, or else he will become weird with you again!” Jeonghan says, making you laugh again. Seungcheol pouts at both of you and storms back to his office, with Jeonghan at his tail making fun of him yet again. 

After that, you kept the bag in your desk and went to bid your friend goodbye. 

“He looked like he was confessing to his crush, you know”, Seokmin muses. 

“Maybe he has a crush on you!” He exclaimed after pausing for a moment. 

“I don’t, he is a weird person,” you had replied thoughtfully. 

Realizing he has been chatting with you for a long time, Seokmin quickly rushes outside while loudly screaming a ‘goodbye’ for the whole building to hear. 

When you came back to your desk, Jeonghan was waiting for you there. The man just looked at you with a smirk and said, “see you later y/n, and make sure to wear the scarf!” 

Jeonghan is a weird person. You more often than not don’t listen to what he tells you to do. He forces you to do them anyways. 

“Seriously, lady, do wear the scarf. Plus, it’s cold outside—you won’t get a heatstroke if you do so.” 

With that he was outside of the office, too. Slowly work caught up with you and you forgot about the scarf altogether. 

-- 

That evening, as you were finishing up at work and preparing to leave, you grabbed the scarf that had been gifted to you and wrapped it around your neck before stepping out of the office. 

Unbeknownst to you, the man who had given you the scarf felt a rush of joy upon seeing you wear it. Concealing his flushed cheeks, he quietly followed you out and spontaneously invited you to join him for dinner, explaining that he had given Seokmin the night off and now was in extreme need of a dinner companion, as Seokmin would fill in that position on most nights. It was unusual for him to make such a request, but you were both hungry and couldn't resist the offer of a free meal, even if it was from someone as harmless as him. 

"So, what do you think?" Seungcheol asked as the two of you sat at the ramen shop waiting for your orders. 

"About what?" You replied, genuinely puzzled by his question. 

"Didn't you read the letter?" He asked, his face turning even redder as he mentioned it. 

"What letter?" You responded, glancing around until Seungcheol nodded towards the bag in which he gave you the scarf, looking inside you noticed an envelope that matched the interior perfectly sitting at the bottom. 

"Oh! I can read it now," you exclaimed. 

"Don't worry about it right now," he interjected as the waiter arrived with your bowls of ramen. 

Despite his reluctance to discuss the letter further, your curiosity only grew stronger after he dropped you off at your doorstep. Once inside your home, you wasted no time in retrieving the letter from your bag. Its contents filled you with excitement like never before. 

The following day at the office, you placed another letter on Seungcheol's desk before getting on with your usual tasks, eager to see his reaction. 

-- 

"So, let me get this straight—you've been dating our boss for the past month?" Exclaimed Jun, eyes wide with disbelief. 

"Why didn't you tell us sooner? How did this even happen?!" Chimed in Seokmin, equally stunned by the news. 

As soon as you revealed your relationship with Seungcheol, you found yourself bombarded with a flurry of questions from your friends. It was amusing to witness their sheer astonishment, and yet, deep down, it felt incredibly rewarding to share this surprising news with them.

What started as a casual hangout quickly transformed into a lively interrogation session, with your friends firing off all sorts of curious inquiries. Most pressing among them was the question: 

“How and when did all of this happen?!” 

You couldn't blame them for their curiosity. It seemed like just yesterday that you had kidnapped Seungcheol off the street instead of his friend Mingyu, which resulted in Jeonghan gaining the perfect opportunity to bully you both half to death. And let's not forget the hell and back experience you were subjected to from Seungcheol himself, the man who had once resorted to extreme tactics to get you to quit as he was reminded of the oh so humiliating experience he went through every time he saw your face. But somehow, it all worked out in the end, and you couldn't be happier about how it turned out. 

Near the end of your gathering, you couldn't resist the urge to pull out your phone and reveal the most treasured image in your gallery: a photograph capturing two pieces of paper resting on a desk. One paper bore a lengthy paragraph, while the other simply displayed a single, bold sentence: 

"Take me out on a proper date first!" 

The photo encapsulated perfectly how you both worked so well with each other. It was a sweet reminder of how unexpectedly love can bloom in the most unconventional of circumstances. 

As your friends marveled at the photo, you couldn't help but reflect on how far you and Seungcheol had come in such a short time. Despite the initial hurdles and challenges you faced with the man, you were grateful for the bond you now shared—a relationship built on laughter, friendship, and, of course, a bit of unexpected romance. 

The end hope you like it !!

[grlsinterrupted]

the right side of my neck still smells like you 𖦹˙—.

holding onto the memories of soda | sodapop curtis x gn ! reader ⋆⭒˚. -

no matter how many sheep you count or how many melatonin pills you take, the memory of sodapop still lingers on your mind with no intent of escaping soon. you’ve tried everything in the book— from burning the pile of polaroids you took on your first date with him to drinking at the expense of your liver, you were still constantly reminded of what once was. sodapop was everywhere. even if he wasn’t physically there, every single inanimate object you encountered and every inch of town brought back the memory of your relationship with him.

you let out sigh, turning yourself to the other side of your bed as you desperately try to get yourself at least a wink of sleep tonight. right at the bottom corner of your bed was soda’s favorite flannel, the sleeves stained with your tear marks. the color of the plaid reminded you of the lipstick shade he always managed to kiss off. to him, it was one of his most prized possessions— he loved the way the color went with everything he wore, but he especially loved the way the sleeves practically drooped over your hands when you wore it. to you, it was just another item you needed to return the next time you passed by the curtis residence.

you sit up, wiping your sleepless eyes with one hand, the other reaching for the flannel. it felt as though even slightly brushing your hand against the flannel sent a rush of nostalgia through your body. the sound of his laugh, the way his eyelashes fluttered against his icy blue eyes, the way he held you after a nightmare— all of it came back to you like greased lightning. even his scent was sewn into the fabric: cigarettes, sandalwood, and amber.

your arms slip through the sleeves of his flannel for one last time, longing to re-live the way soda would wrap his arms around you and lift your feet up in the air. you run a hand through your locks, sliding off the edge of your bed and grabbing your house keys. maybe this was your chance to fix everything, to rewrite your history with soda. he was the only person that could fill the void in you that opened up once the two of you ended things.

here you were, standing in front of the curtis household’s door with your pajamas on, your hair pulled back into a tousled updo, and soda’s flannel being the only thing providing you at least a bit of warmth in the frigid dusk. your hands trembled as you knocked on the door with too many thoughts running through your mind with so little time between your knock and someone actually answering the door.

darrell answers the door with a stern expression.

“y/n, didn’t expect you to be here,” he clears his throat, shoving his hand in his pocket. “soda’s in his room, but pony’s asleep, so don’t wake him.”

you nod, heading inside and making your way towards soda’s room.

“soda?” you called his name out.

soda opens the door to his room, his eyes just as restless as your’s were. the dark circles under his eyes had gotten progressively more and more prominent, the puffiness of his eyes presumably from all of the tears he’s poured out of him. his heart sinks at the sight of you.

“it’s late, what’re you doing here?”

you slip off his flannel, handing it over to him. “i came to, uhm, give you this.”

he takes the flannel, pursing his lips into an almost forced-like smile. “been looking for this for a few weeks, y’know,” he lets out a humorless chuckle. you inhale, and before you know it, all of the words come out like word vomit.

“i can’t do this anymore. i just- i just can’t. everything reminds me of you, and no matter how hard i try, i can never let go of you. i miss your touch, i miss how you would comfort me, i miss the way you remember all the little things about me that even i can’t remember, and i just miss you. i miss you so bad that it physically hurts, and whenever i think about you i just-“

soda interrupts you, firmly planting his lips onto yours. he slowly pulls away from you, rubbing your jaw with his thumb as he stares into your eyes. this time, his smile is far from forced— it’s the kind of smile that holds all of the love in the world, and all the love in his world is for you.

‘you looked back at me once, and i looked back 2 times..’ .ᐟ ₊˚⊹♡

-

[no1likejoongie]

✩₊˚.⋆☾⋆⁺₊✧ 최 종호 JONGHO ✩₊˚.⋆☾⋆⁺₊✧

Angst

When I was your man

(Ateez)

·:*¨༺ ♱✮♱ ༻¨*:··:*¨༺ ♱✮♱ ༻¨*:··:*¨༺ ♱✮♱ ༻¨*:·

Being with Jongho was probably the best decision you made. He made you happy. He's the man you had dreamt of. Ever since you said yes when he was courting you for almost two years, he was so happy that he had tears of joy rolling down his eyes.

Ever since that day, he gave you flowers, chocolates, cuddles, love. Anything you could ever with for in a man. He was the standard. He was the only one. He was your man.

Not until he had enlisted to be a trainee under KQ Entertainment to pursue his love for singing. You being the supportive girlfriend you are, you were happy that he got the chance to audition.

After the audition, his team was decided after months. They were called Ateez, including of eight members. He was happy that when he heard that he was in the team, he ran to you and told you that he got in with a big smile on the face that you admire so much.

He was so happy that he never missed a day into coming into the company. Months after months, his team continued to grow and tours were starting to sell. Many fans had bought tickets from all around the world. From Seoul, to Morocco, to the US, to Philippines...

He had a busy schedule that at times, he couldn't answer your calls. He had already passed out in his bed. That behavior continued... He was away for a long time that you started to lose your feelings from how little attention he was able to give you.

Of course, at the start, you forgave him and gave him chances but those chances were taken for granted. Every chance he had, he wasted it. All his excuses were that the team needed him or he needs to practice.

You couldn't handle the fact that he was slowly losing closeness with you. Slowly, you lost feelings. You couldn't help it. The lack of attention and with you trying to understand him every single day was... not for you.

He finally got home from his world tour, all happy and excited to tell you everything that had happened while he was at the tour. You weren't happy though. He wanted to meet at your usual park.

"Baby?" He called out to catch your attention. You had been spacing out again... "What's wrong? This is the third time I had to call you for spacing out."

You shook your head, saying that it was nothing but he insisted. He wanted to know what was bothering you. You took a deep breath, "I want to talk."

That serious tone from you worried Jongho. He stayed quiet, letting you speak up. "Jongho, I know you're busy with your schedules and I'm trying to understand that but... I can't help it. It's just that the lack of attention from you is... not for me." You spoke lowly.

He listened intently, nodding as you spoke. "What are you saying, baby? Where's the endearment? Why- why are you being like this?" He stuttered out.

"Jongho, what I'm trying to say is I wanna break up with you... I can't handle your lack of attention and schedules... Don't get me wrong please, I tried to understand you and your schedules but I just can't."

He shook his head, no. He wasn't just gonna let you leave. "We can fix this-"

"No, we can't. Jongho, I gave too many chances, you wasted them. I don't wanna do this anymore."

Soon enough, those were your final words to him before you left him alone at the park.

Years after, you had found yourself another suiter. His name is Seungmin. The guy who had been in the same competition with Jongho's group at Kingdom. He was the same but much more soft than Jongho.

He gave you flowers, chocolates, took you to dates, gave you what you wanted. He managed his time with work just so he could spend time with you. A very different situation from Jongho.

Jongho, from afar had saw you two and seeing you smile with another guy had made his heart ache so much, knowing that he wasted the chance with you. He had planned on staying with you 'til you both got married and had grey hairs.

Now, all he can do is just respect you and watch you from afar. He promised himself that if Seungmin ever hurts you, you can always come back to him if he even crosses your mind.

"I just wish that I gave you the attention you needed... I'm so sorry, my love. I hope he treats you better than I ever did."

[topguncortez]

What to Expect | Chapter 10

previous part | masterlist | next part

synopsis: Jake thinks about his future in the Navy as your due date draws closer. What was supposed to be a joyous last day of school, ends up with a call you never wanted to get.

word count: 2.8k

warnings: pregnancy, cursing, topgun shit, missions, end of the school year sadness, Jake's PTSD,

Jake had missed being in the middle of the ocean and being on the carrier. He sat on one of the decks, looking out at the waves crashing against the carrier, and feeling the salty breeze against his skin. He wondered if his little girl would like the ocean and the beach as much as he did. Jake smiled to himself as he looked down at his boots. He never realized how much he could miss home. Of course he always missed you while he was gone on deployments or detachments, but he filled the time with flying and hanging with his friends. But now, the only thing he wanted to do was curl up with you and nuzzle his face into your bump. 

“There you are,” Payback said, snapping Jake out of his thoughts, “Been searching the whole damn place for you. Mav wants to go over flight stuff.” 

“Yeah, sorry, lost track of time,” Jake said, pushing himself up from the ground. Payback held his hand out and helped pull him up, “Thanks, man.” 

“No problem. How’s the lady?” 

“Good, tired of being pregnant.” 

Payback chuckled, “Man, I remember those days. When Nina was pregnant with Jay, I thought she was going to kill me by the eighth month.” 

“How do you do it?” Jake asked, “Being away from them. I mean, my daughter isn’t even born yet and I’m half tempted to take a jet and fly home. Does it get easier?” 

“No,” Payback said honestly, “It doesn’t. And when you see your little girl for the first time, you’ll be all too prepared to retire as soon as possible. But, the longing makes you love coming home even more.” 

“Aren’t you sad about what you miss?” 

“Of course, that’s part of being a parent. But it makes the moments when you are there even more special.” 

“Thank you,” Jake said and Payback clapped him on the back. 

“No problem. I gotta welcome you to the Dagger Squad Dad’s club. I’ve been the only one for too long,” Payback joked and Jake chuckled. 

“I’m guessing my welcome gift is a pair of new balances and a barbecue set.” 

“Oh for sure.” 

Maverick was less than impressed when Jake and Rueben walked into the briefing room late. He got right to work on explaining what their next task at hand was. The whole point of the detachment was for security and training opportunities. The last time they really had a chance to be on a carrier like this was during the Uranium Mission. This time, there was no immediate threat or enemy that they had to be weary of. It made Jake somewhat less worried and nervous about being away from you. 

“Hangman, Rooster, Fanboy and Payback,” Maverick called out the pilots’ callsigns, “I want you all on deck ready to go for flight plan B. Two singles and a team flier.” 

Jake looked over at Rooster who clenched his jaw. The two of them had hardly spoken unless it had something to do with the mission. Everyone could feel the tension between them, it was a bit awkward and heated. Jake had tried to make amends with Rooster for the sake of the mission, and for your sake too, but Rooster had no intention of making nice with Jake. 

The pilots agreed and were dismissed from the briefing room. Jake went right to the computer lab, going to check his email for what was probably the tenth time today. It was the only form of communication he had with you back home. You had promised to send him pictures and updates as much as you could. Though, things weren’t really changing as you entered the 32nd week of your pregnancy. Jake’s green eyes watched the loading bar cautiously waiting for the screen to pop up. A smile came across his face as he saw a brand new email notification from you. Attached as a picture of the newest ultrasound and your growing belly. 

— — — 

“Are your boobs leaking?” Your sister Stephanie asked. You looked down at your light blue shirt and groaned, “Is that normal?” 

“Apparently,” You grabbed a paper towel and dabbed at your breast. It had only been a week since the Daggers left for detachment. Your sisters Stephanie and Gia decided to come back and visit while your dad was away on this detachment. Even though your mother had been well versed in the life of being married to a pilot, it was still hard to be alone. Gia hadn’t seen you since you moved back to San Diego, and you had been dreading the moment. 

Gia wasn’t always the nicest sister, being the middle sister out of the three girls (her and Dylan were the official middle children). Gia always strived to be the star of the family, wanting to be the one that carried on the Kazansky namesake in the army. She wanted people to think of her when they thought of ‘Kazansky’ not Stephanie or Dylan or even you (before you said you weren’t going to join). To her, you were the angel of the family, the sibling who could never do wrong. You got what you wanted, you had Ice’s attention constantly, you were the true star of the family. And Gia hated it. She always had a way of making you feel less than everyone else. Even now, as fully grown adults.

“Have you talked to Jake?” Stephanie asked. 

“No, I haven’t,” You sighed, pulling your jacket over your body the best you could. You thought weeks ago you couldn’t get any bigger, but you were quickly proven wrong. 

“He’s probably busy,” Stephanie shrugged, giving you a warm smile. 

“Or banging a shipman,” Gia said as she walked into the kitchen. You sucked in a breath and Stephanie glared at her, “Is that why you two broke up?” 

“Gia, really?” Stephanie scolded, “Enough of that shit.” 

“What? Just pointing out the fact that he’s a cheater and you’re having a child out of wedlock,” Gia grabbed a grape off the kitchen counter, “How is the rugrat?” 

“Busy,” You mumbled as Baby girl moved around inside you, “Still breech, but they said that’s normal.” 

“Hope you don’t have to have a c-section. The scar will ruin your perfect skin complexion.” 

“Can you say anything nice today? Or do you have to be such a bitch all the time, Gia?” Stephanie crossed her arms over her chest and glared at her sibling, “Seriously? What’s the deal?” 

“Nothing,” Gia shrugged, “Just nice to see the perfect princess’s plans finally getting put off track.” Gia winked at you before walking out of the kitchen like nothing had happened. 

You tried hard not to cry, but you couldn’t help letting a few tears slip down your cheeks. Everyone knew damn well that a baby before marriage was not in your plans. You had always talked about your fairytale wedding since you were a child. A dress like Princess Di’s, a big cathedral decorated with beautiful flowers, a beautiful ring placed on your finger. After marriage you wanted to spend at least two years doing just married couple things like traveling the world and settling in a new house, getting a couple of animals before kids. 

You almost had that with Jake. You had the house, the animals, the plans in the works of getting married, but it all halted when Jake came home from the Uranium Mission and told you the lie of his infidelity. You had suddenly found yourself having to rebuild a dream that had been destroyed. You wondered if that was even going to be possible, you didn’t think that you could ever find a man like Jake. And then, you got a second chance at the dream life you wanted to have, just in a different order. 

“Hey, don’t listen to her,” Stephanie said, frowning at the tears on your cheeks, “She’s bitter cause Steven is being sneaky again, even though she kind of deserves it.” 

“She doesn’t deserve that shit,” You sighed, “I know how it feels and it’s horrible. Even though she’s a bitch, she doesn’t deserve to be cheated on.” 

“And this is why you’re everyone's favorite,” Stephanie said and booped your nose. You rolled your eyes and stood up from your chair. 

“Oh, um. . . the teachers at school want to throw me a small little baby shower. It’s just like cake and ice cream, kinda more of an end of the school year thing,” You said, “Jake won’t be there so-” 

“Of course I will be there!” Stephanie yelled and threw her arms around you in a hug. Stephanie was always the hugger of the family, something she clearly got from your mother. You tried to not tell her about certain events or awards you got because she would always pull you in for a bone crushing hug. You were suddenly very thankful that your belly was in the way of her crushing you. 

“Oh my god, I should bake cookies!” 

“Yeah, you do that,” You said and walked out of the kitchen before you could get sucked into baking way too many chocolate chip cookies. 

— — — 

The end of the school year always made you a bit sad. Spending nine months getting to know students, watching them grow and learn over the year. You loved summer and the time off, but you missed seeing the smiling faces of your students every day. Usually, what kept you going through the summer and the end of the school year was the fact that you would still see your old students when August would roll back around. Except, this year was different. You wouldn’t be coming back to school in August. You weren’t quite sure if you were going to come back at all. 

The idea to be a stay-at-home used to never be something that you liked. You didn’t understand how your mom could stand being home all day with four kids. You had even asked her if she would do something differently if she had the chance, and she told you that she was happy with the way her life was. Jake had never pushed the idea of that on you, either. He viewed raising children as an equal thing between mother and father. In fact, he even thought about staying home and raising kids just so you could still go teach and do what you loved. But you both knew, with his job, it would be nearly impossible. 

So you contemplated just staying home for the whole year. Knowing that Jake could possibly be deployed at a drop of a hat, you wanted to be prepared for that to happen. You knew that it would be nearly impossible for you to come back to work after spending five months home with your little one. Jake knew that he was probably going to cry on his first day going back to work after his paternity leave was up. 

“Miss K?” You looked up from your desk to see Owen standing in front of it, “We have a card for you.” 

“You do?” You asked. You had put on a movie for the kids to watch in the last part of the day before early dismissal. What you didn’t realize while you were trying not to cry about having to take down the decorations in your room was that your kids had made a card and were passing it around the room for each of them to sign. Owen nodded and you paused the movie, standing up and walking to the front of your classroom. 

“Miss Ortega helped us write it,” Joy, one of your second graders said. You made a mental note to give Alyssa a hug later. 

“You told us we might not see you next year, and it made some of us sad,” Owen said, “And then we saw you get sad about it so we decided to make you a going away card for you and the baby.” 

You took the card from his outstretched hands, “To our favorite second grade teacher,” You blinked back tears as you opened the card, “This year you have taught us a lot; how to read chapter books, the regions of the United States, standard multiplication, and how to build the perfect paper airplane,” You chuckled and wiped a tear away, “We will miss you next year, and wish we could have you in third grade. We wish you and Baby K the best. Love, your second graders. And every single one of you signed it.” 

You took a deep breath and held the card to your chest, “You guys are awesome. I hope that one day this little one will be as awesome as you.” 

“Can we give you a hug!?” Amelia shouted. 

“Of course. Very gently, group hug,” You said and 30 some second graders came speed walking up to hug you. You laughed and hugged them all tightly. It really did break your heart to have to say goodbye to this class, probably more than years passed. 

When the school bell rang, you stood by your door, giving each kiddo a hug and a small goody bag on their way out the door for the summer. 

“Miss K,” Owen said. He was the last one in the line, “Can you give something to Mister Jake for me?” 

“For sure,” You said and Owen handed you a piece of yellow paper that had been cut like the wings Jake had given him earlier in the year. You smiled, and Owen wrapped his arms tightly around your waist. 

“I’m going to miss you,” Owen said. 

“I am going to miss you too,” You said, and then kneeled down to Owen’s height, “Don’t let anyone tell you that you aren’t special, okay? You are a very special kid, Owen.” 

“Thank you, Miss K,” Owen said and you nodded, “Bye Miss K and Baby K.” 

“Goodbye Owen, have a happy summer.”

You stood up as Owen ran down the hallway towards the front doors of the school. You sighed, and turned around, looking at your now empty classroom. All the kids had put their chairs on their desks and taken their name tags off. You had given them anything in the class that had their name on it, which left it looking pretty bare.  Your lip quivered and you bit back a sob. Shaking your head, you shut the door, you weren’t able to look at the room anymore without crying. Jake had already agreed to help you clean everything out when he got back. 

“Hey,” Alyssa said, stepping out of her room down the hall, “You okay?” 

“No,” You sniffled, “I’m seven months pregnant, my baby daddy is in the middle of the pacific ocean, and your card made me fucking sob.” 

Alyssa giggled and put her arm around your shoulders, “I’m going to miss coming to bother you during lunch.” 

“Oh don’t you start,” You pushed her arm off of your playfully, “Let’s go. I want cookies. Stephanie has been perfecting her recipe since last week.” 

The staff break room was decorated with balloons and streamers, not only for you but to celebrate the end of the year. Your colleagues were all sad to see you go. Even though you had only been there a year, you had quickly become one of everyone's favorite teachers. Your kindness was infectious, and even teachers from other grades were coming by your room for a quick chat. You were thankful for having such a good team by your side. 

A couple of the other teacher moms gave you some gifts. You got a couple of books, onesies and diapers. It made you sort of realize that you hadn’t started really buying anything for the baby, and time was running out. Alyssa could see the look of panic on your face, and made sure to add things to the registry she and Phoenix had started for you. Stephanie was getting along greatly with some of the teachers, which surprised no one. She was always the social butterfly, and get along with anyone and everyone.  

“Are you ready for the baby to be here?” One of the fourth grade teachers, Mrs. Donohughe asked. 

“Can you ever be ready for a baby?” You asked and she chuckled, “I feel somewhat ready. I’ve had things like the crib and dresser and rocker delivered. But besides that. . . I think this is my first package of diapers I’ve gotten.” 

“You have time to get all that. Might not seem like it, but you will,” She assured you. 

You sucked in a breath as your phone went off. You smiled seeing Jake’s name and contact photo flash across your phone. You excused yourself from the group, and waddled out into the hallway. You swiped to answer it, and let out a sigh. 

“Hey, I’ve been waiting to-” 

“Sweetheart,” Your eyebrows furrowed at the sound of your dad’s voice. You pulled your phone away and double checked that it was in fact Jake’s phone number. 

“Dad? What-Why do you have Jake’s phone?” 

“Sweetheart,” Ice sighed, “There’s been an accident.”

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Pick Baby Seresin's name!

[pandorasword]

Chaeri as the 8th and youngest member of BTS.

CHAERI'S MASTERLIST

A love interests' timeline

Lets take a closer look at each of these points

❐ Cha Eun-Woo

჻ They met by chance on a small forum whose members were trainees and emerging idols of the time.

჻ He left a comment under a meme posted by her

჻ They first started talking to each other in the forum's private chat and then exchanged numbers

჻ Their conversations were almost entirely an endless sending of memes to each other

჻ The first time they had a conversation on the phone Chaeri had to hide in Taehyung, Jimin and Hobi's room, as she was sharing a room with Namjoon and Jungkook ჻ If Namjoon knew she was on the phone with a boy he would have asked her questions immediately afterwards

჻ In any case, she couldn't hide it from him for too long because a few months later Eunwoo asked her out on a date and she was forced to ask permission to hyung line

჻ Generally, when she was a teenager, the hardest approval to get was Namjoon's.

჻ In fact, he told her that she was too young to go out with guys she met online.

჻ Oh, she sulked at him for a whole week.

჻ Of course, as time went by, the messages between the two became less and less.

჻ To this day, they are good friends who fans often see interacting with each other at public events

჻ Chaeri refers to him, in private conversations, jokingly, as "the missed husband"

❐ Hoshi (Seventeen)

჻ Not much to say about them

჻ Chaeri became very familiar with the members of SEVENTEEN during the ISAC days

჻ Especially, she was impressed by Mingyu, The8 and Vernon who, to this day, are some of her closest friends

჻ Hoshi, noticing how well they got along with the youngest of the BTS, tried to approach them in any way he could

჻ He was always very kind and respectful towards her

჻ After ISAC ended, he waited a full year before getting up the courage to confess

჻ He told her just before the end of the last athletic activity day

჻ Chaeri told him he was very cute but that she wasn't interested

❐ Dean

჻ Dean noticed Chaeri walking behind Taehyung's back during one of their video calls

჻ It's a ritual for them - he and Tae - to call each other at least once a month to chat and congratulate mutually on their successes.

჻ Seeing the girl, however, made him want to promise his friend that he would visit him as soon as possible.

჻ And so he did

჻ His relaxed nature and ability to feel at ease with everyone did not make him feel the slightest shame in making his intentions clear right away

჻ "You don't even know me and you want to ask me out?" "Ever heard of love at first sight?"

჻ Chaeri told him not to take it the wrong way but he was too old for her, besides the fact that she had no intention of dating him

჻ Taehyung teases him about it as often as he sees him, he also call him 'old' at every good opportunity

❐ Jungkook

჻ Actually, their first kiss was not just before they became a couple, nor was it during that time

჻ Chaeri asked Jungkook to kiss her when she was 17.

჻ There were several factors that led her to that request (she should have known it was only the first of a very long series of times she would ask him to kiss her)

჻ The first reason was her love for one of the most watched kdramas of the time: Oh my Ghostess

჻ To put it in a nutshell, a ghost returns to earth to have at least one love experience before going to the afterlife for good

჻ The second was that all the girls she met spent time opening up about their relationships/love affairs.

჻ For them, girl-only groups, it was definitely easier to interact with a love interest

჻ She, instead, always so busy and surrounded by seven wonderful and protective boys, had never been able to have any relevant experience.

჻ She felt she was lagging behind the others but having to admit made her feel terribly shy about it

჻ Which says a lot because Chaeri is NEVER shy

჻ One day in the small living room of their dorms Chaeri was sitting on the floor in front of the TV watching the kdrama mentioned earlier. Behind her Jungkook and Taehyung on the sofa

჻ "Even ghosts have a better love life than me!"

჻ "It's not such a big deal you know"

჻ The girl turned around and sent him a glare "You say that because no one has ever denied you a date"

჻ The two boys barely held back their laughter "Would you've kissed that friend of yours on the first date? Because otherwise nothing would've changed from the way it is now"

჻ "Yes" "Yes?" "Yes, totally" "You can't kiss someone you don't actually know"

჻ "Then why don't you kiss me since we've lived together for years"

჻ The first proper kiss, however, was not preceded by any requests

჻ It is very common for the boys to make clips in which they dance to choreographies created by Chaeri, along with her

჻ Many of these are even uploaded to the company's official channels

჻ One in particular was never uploaded, fortunately I might add

჻ The footage was promptly taken away by the two guys who still jealously treasure the camera card

჻ That month it was Jungkook's turn. Chaeri had chosen him to dance with her

჻ It took them very little to learn the choreography. A single minute of dance that would surely guarantee millions of views.

჻ Plus, they always loved dancing together

჻ Many choreographers have them interact during dances because, according to them, the two are very compatible physically

჻ Anyway, Chaeri expressly asked for them to be left alone with the camera, which, no matter what, it could be placed on a tripod without requiring movement

჻ If the choreography could be explained in one word that would be Intense

჻ And it definitely shouldn't have ended with Chaeri between his legs and her lips pressed to his, but that variance was clearly enjoyed more by them both

჻ That something in them had slowly changed over time was evident to all

჻ The eyes in constant search of each other, the casual but not so much touches, the chatting late into the night despite the fact that they would have to work the next morning..

჻ It was all a natural and gradual process that led Chaeri to kiss him that day

჻ And it was even more natural to become a couple, as if they were meant to be from the first moment they met

- the choreo ⬊

❐ Jinwoo Yoon

჻ It may sound strange to hear for a star as famous as Chaeri but, between the two of them, she is definitely more of a fan of his than vice versa.

჻ Having a passion for dance, she finds it absolutely inspiring to seek out new talent on platforms such as YouTube

჻ Jinwoo Yoon, even with an already well-established career, was not easy to track down

჻ Back then, Big Hit was looking to hire new people to fill the roles of choreographers and she was desperate for him to apply for the job

჻ So, with all the scandal that such exposure could create if he didn't keep their interactions confidential, she decided to personally text him to congratulate and make him aware of the job position in her company

჻ Jinwoo Yoon certainly didn't ask for it twice

჻ At the casting, she, Hobi and Namjoon were also present (as almost every time their team had to expand and the dance department was involved. Namjoon, instead, was there as leader of course)

჻ Jinwoo Yoon, reserved, talented and extremely humble felt honoured from the first moment he heard that Chaeri had considered him

჻ It was not too difficult to join the crew, unexpectedly

჻ The two immediately seemed to understand each other very well

჻ So well that, unfortunately, not too long after, the choreographer started to have feelings for her

჻ You could see it from the way he looked at her every time he saw her moving according to his directions in the room

჻ He wasn't great at hiding it, all the members were aware of it

჻ To avoid misunderstandings he decided to speak to her clearly at the cafeteria of the building one morning

჻ It often happened that they had breakfast together, always the first ones to arrive in the practice room

჻ Chaeri's eyes were so sorry when she had to tell him that she was not interested but that she hoped it would not affect their professional partnership

჻ Luckily, to this day, Jinwoo Yoon is happily engaged and the professional ties with the boys and Chaeri continue to flow peacefully

❐ Hongjoong

჻ First met at MAMAs 2019, where ATEEZ appeared for the first time at the awards event

჻ In their performance they also included a tribute to the very famous BTS song, Blood sweat and tears

჻ This was so unexpected for Chaeri, who until then had been distracted greeting fans, that her reaction was broadcast on the big screen

჻ Pleasantly surprised at how much they were honouring the iconic song, she didn't take her eyes off them until the end of their performance

჻ Her first thought about ATEEZ was that they were talented and captivating to watch

჻ Only when they returned to their seats Chaeri realised that they were actually only a little further ahead than where she and her group had been positioned

჻ And everyone knows Chaeri and her 'act before you think' philosophy of life, do you think she missed the opportunity to go and congratulate them in person?

჻ So in theory there should be nothing wrong with that. But the fact that they were live and everyone could see her actions could, surely, lead to speculation about favouritism on their part for the neo-group. Add to that the fact that local newspapers would have taken the opportunity to add the words 'Chaeri' and 'Love at first sight' to the headlines of their articles.

჻ Precisely to alleviate all this, Jimin ran after her in order to make it seem as if the idea of approaching the boys came from both of them

჻ All ATEEZ members bowed gratefully, honoured to receive attention from their seniors at work

჻ Chaeri, more than Jimin, said she was impressed by their performance and would certainly look them up on the net

჻ Hongioong, as the leader/captain of the group, took the floor to thank them

჻ He, himself, believes he fell in love at that very moment. The moment she stood in front of them and, with great humility, congratulated them enthusiastically

჻ That the only BTS girl was a very nice person he already knew. As the fan he was, this detail had not escaped him but, in person, she was even more so.

჻ The conversation seemed to go on far too long for Namjoon's eyes, who was always observant of everything his members were doing

჻ Chaeri was so caught up in it that she was even about to sit next to the group of young men except that Jimin, after receiving a warning glare from his leader, gently told her it was time to return to their seats

჻ They didn't see each other for a long time but, shortly after the mentioned event, Hongioong wrote on his social profile that he was particularly excited about the new single Chaeri had released

჻ In response, the girl thanked him privately but the interactions between them stopped at that, for a long time

჻ The great thing about being an idol is that, most of the time, people were convinced they could follow their every move but actually had no idea how many ways they could cover their tracks and look like they were each in a different place when together, instead

჻ And stunt doubles spotted in passing, pre-recorded videos aired at the time, hints on their social networks, allowed EVERY YEAR all the 98' line idols to have a party in one of the most beautiful, exclusive and private hotels in Seoul.

჻ Chaeri has no memory of a year when she was not there. In fact she was one of the main host of the event

჻ Nor does she have any memory of a year where at least half the members of her group asked her to bring them along

჻ "You are too old to be at this party. I don't sneak into yours... well, most of the time."

჻ "And also, I have a date there"

჻ It wasn't true, she just wanted to make Jungkook pay (irrationally, of course) for making her jealous after something he did (not that she could blame him for it, they were forced not to be together but still her personality kept her from acting otherwise)

჻ What she didn't imagine was finding Jk and V at the party, after a matter of time

჻ To say she was angry would be understating it 

჻ "Pretend to be my date" Was what she said to Hongjoong when she approached him, without even waving at him first

჻ "What?" "Pretend to be my date" "Sure, I can... I can do that. But why?" " Does it matter?"

჻ Everything began that way

[JK and V's iconic appearance at the 98' line party ↴ ]

credits to medias owners

[kaizenkhaos]

You're Imagining It...(Oh Really?)

So I saw a post a while back (I tried to find out and honestly struggled so will link if I ever come across it again), about Steve telling Robin that Billy was coming into Family Video to flirt with him. Yet no one would believe him. So this is my take on how things went down ^^

"You're imagining it."

Steve looked over at Robin, arms full of videos before putting them down carefully on the counter. It wouldn't be the first time they'd fallen all over the place. And speaking of not being the first time… The conversation Steve and Robin were having at that moment was a broken record. For the past week, a certain blond haired someone had been visiting the store every single night. Sometimes for and with his sister, scanning the aisles for the latest action or adventure movie. Other times alone, picking up stuff for Max but also at times himself. It had been an interesting insight into both Max's and Hargrove's tastes but that wasn't the thing that had gotten Steve's attention. It's that Hargrove's attention, when he'd not been scavenging for films and snacks, had been solely on Steve. It hadn't mattered who else was serving or had been on shift; every single time Hargrove had come sauntering up to him. Beelining across the store as soon as he laid eyes on him like the god damn Halloween party. If there'd been toilet paper around, he swore the guy would have brought that over too.

Robin wasn't sure how many times she would have to say it for it to finally sink in but Steve certainly wasn't getting the message she was telling him. He'd gotten it when she'd come out to him and told her about her crush but with this? It's like his delusions were full fledged and had no intentions of flying the nest. And it was sad. There were so many girls making eyes at Steve which Robin would love to stand a chance with, yet here he was, fawning over possibly the worst guy for him. Hargrove was brash, abrasive and not the type of guy Robin wanted her best friend to date, but apparently Steve either couldn't see that or had a real thing for bad boys. Robin personally had never seen the appeal.

Steve was mere seconds away from saying exactly what was on his mind to Robin, his eyes veering her direction, when yet another customer came through the door. A welcoming smile plastered itself on his face as he welcomed the young mom and girl in the store, watching as said mom was dragged off to the kid's section. The whining about wanting the latest Princess movie making him chuckle. He was ashamed to admit it but…the new one was actually kinda good. Animation wasn't the best in places, a little bit janky and the dialogue was definitely better in the last one. Holly had been obsessed with the series when he'd been with Nancy a couple of year back; knew every word to every song, or as near as damnit. The way she'd said some of the words made him smile, even after everything that had happened since. He did miss that, though not the looks Mr Wheeler used to give him when he'd caught Steve singing along.

"No, Robin…Listen. It's always one movie, return for next day. Always said in that voice and with that god darn smile. And the gum smacking! Come on Robin, you know what that means when they do that. It's attention grabbing, like that girl the other day…"

"Yeah but she was making you goo-goo eyes and even hitched her skirt up at one point. Steve, I just…." Robin sighed, knowing it wouldn't be the last time. Steve wasn't going to get it out of his head; this idea that Billy Hargrove, Number One Pain in the Ass of Hawkins, has the hots for him and that everything he now did was suggestive in some fashion. Not that it was school yard pig tail pulling to piss him off.

As if summoned by them talking about him, along came the man of the hour. Again alone and this time kitted out in his classic denim jacket, white top and tight denim jeans, he sauntered in like the guy he was. One with the air of no care in the world, cigarette hanging out of his mouth, white top tight to his chest. Steve tried not to stare as Robin sighed, finding something else to do other than watch Steve act the fool and Hargrove scanned the store. Like he'd never been in here before and didn't know the floor plan like the back of his head by now. Steve knew Billy wasn't stupid and the way he slammed his car around the town…yeah this guy had maps in his head, all planned out. And it's not long before their eyes met, over the aisles like some cheesy rom-com, and here he came. Shark like grin, glint in eyes, hands in pockets. Strolling over with long strides and then draping himself over the counter. Elbow out, hand on cheek and the tape appearing like magic.

"Not bad man. Not the best of your recommendations but passable. A 5 out of ten, just because I'm feeling generous."

"Well aren't I honoured?" Steve huffed, opening the cassette case to make sure it was rewound before slipping it back into its case and adding it to the pile. Ignoring Robin's side eye as she swiftly whisked it away. "So what you on the market for tonight? More babies in bikinis or is it cops and robbers on steroids?"

"Careful Harrington, there's children present," Hargrove sniggered, nodding at the young mom and girl who had been heading to the counter and were now diverting towards the snacks. Talk about worst case timing.

"Nah not on the market for either. Maxine is after that Ferris Bueller film? Something like Day Out. I told Maxine I don't want her and her dumb ass friends getting ideas. It's meant to be about skipping school from what she's told me."

"Yep and sticking it to the man."

"Dad'll have my hide if she starts with that." A mutter aimed at the counter but Steve picked up on enough to raise a slight brow before he schooled his face again. Hargrove's ocean like eyes latched on his like a heat seeking missile.

"Got anything else that might be a fitting substitute?"

Where he'd gotten the gum from, Steve wasn't sure, but now Harrington was leaning across the counter. Gum swirling around his finger…geez was Robin really not seeing this?! How was this any different to the girl who'd been chasing him two nights ago? "Well I mean…." He really needed to concentrate and so chose a spot just between Hargrove's eyes instead. "Could always go with Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventure? School vibe but has some awesome music in it and some history to boot. Could always pass it off as an educational film."

"Smart move Harrington," Hargrove winked, looking over his shoulder to gauge which shelf he'd need to look for it on before turning back to him. "I'll do that. Guess Hagan was right on more than one thing about you. Way more than just a pretty boy."

What the hell had Tommy been saying to him….oh off he went, to get the video and giving Steve just enough time to get his wits about him….

"And what might those….be.." Steve just shook his head as Hargrove sauntered off. Video in hand, ass in those tight jeans which made Steve's eyes go down before he pulled them back up again.

The next day Nancy was trying to convince him, just like Robin, that he was just imagining things. That his dreams were merely that and that… "He's just winding you up Steve. You know what he's like and he's probably put there with Tommy, laughing about it."

"Yeah sure," Steve muttered, his eyes going from Robin to Nancy before he turned his back on the pair to go and use one of the computers. There were records to be updated and he couldn't stand to be around the conversation for any longer. He wasn't imagining it. He knew when someone was flirting with him and Hargrove was flirting. The whole nine yards. He kept coming back. Trying to get close to him, being suggestive. His eyes on Steve as soon as he spotted him. He was acting like a girl with a crush but everyone was saying he was the one like that.

"Harrington!" The girls look over at him as he strides in. Today he's decked out in his life guard gear, clearly having dropped in on the way to work. What with him being on early shift and Hargrove usually came in before work. Afternoon shifts at the weekends, morning shifts in the week so he'd be around to get Max. "Great film recommendation man. Didn't realise you had such refined taste."

"Yeah yeah, what you after today?" Steve tried to play it smooth, watching as Hargrove did the whole leaning on the counter gig he did. His eyes firmly on Steve as he tilted his head from side to side. As if trying to weigh him up. Wondering if he'd gotten under Steve's skin. Nope. He was just acting nonchalant so Robin and Nancy might take him more seriously in the 'he is hitting on me' case.

"What's with the attitude all of a sudden? I've been a really loyal customer recently Harrington." Yeah a real royal pain in the ass. Seeing Steve's raised eyebrow, Hargrove decided to just cut to the chase instead, rising slightly up from the counter but elbows still firmly planted on it. "So Maxine wants something to watch with St….Lucas. Somethin' not too mushy or soppy but you know…."

"Somethin' like Grease maybe?"

"What's that about? Sounds like a kitchen drama."

He smirks as if he's being funny but Steve just ignores him. "It's a high school musical about kids falling in love and all that jazz. I mean…it's a little mushy but has some neat tunes in it, plus some nice cars." "Huh. Okay. Not sure if I wanna listen to some kids whining for two hours but we'll give it a shot. Better not let me down Harrington. Those good looks may save your ass for some but not me amigo. If this movie sucks, you owe me dinner." A pause before that shit eating grin came back and Steve could feel the guy's eyes on the back of his head as he went to find a copy. If they dared say anything about him being delusional now, he was gonna scream...

[winters8child]

It´s been a long, long time

Chapter 71

Whenever Nat managed to find a spare moment, she would drop by in the weeks that followed. Each visit brought bits and pieces of her latest missions and updates about Steve. Her reports were always mixed with an undercurrent of concern. Steve had become a shell of his former self, barely speaking to anyone, including her, and retreating into what used to be our shared room. The weight of his isolation was evident in her tone.

They had assigned a new agent to Steve—someone codenamed Agent 13. Nat was unusually vague about her as if she was carefully navigating around a topic she didn’t want to fully address. I couldn't help but suspect that her reticence had something to do with the way Agent 13 was growing closer to Steve. Nat’s evasive answers and the way she changed the subject suggested she was trying to spare me from uncomfortable truths about the new agent’s presence.

We hadn’t really discussed the specifics of this break. Was Steve thinking about dating anyone else? I knew I had no intention of doing so, but perhaps he did. Nat had mentioned that Steve was isolating himself, which didn’t exactly suggest he was keen on pursuing new relationships.

I had so many questions swirling in my mind, but the thought of talking to Steve directly to get answers was more daunting than reassuring. Amidst all this chaos, my thoughts kept drifting to Bucky. I found myself wondering if he had already left for Romania and if our paths would ever cross again. The uncertainty gnawed at me, a constant undercurrent in the sea of my daily distractions.

During this turmoil, I found myself contemplating returning to nursing. Even though I was still receiving payments for being part of the Avengers I kept sending the checks back. There was a sense of purpose in nursing that I missed, a chance to connect with people and help them heal, even as my own heart felt so fractured.

A job seemed like it might offer a much-needed distraction, I thought because living like this felt like a nightmare. No matter how much I tried to rearrange things or hide Steve’s belongings, this place was saturated with our past. Every corner, every object seemed to echo memories of him.

I spent my days waiting for Nat’s visits, clinging to the rare moments of connection. The rest of the time, I was confined to my bed, unable to find any solace in sleep.

My plans to return to a semblance of normalcy were abruptly shattered the day Nat’s call came through, her voice tight with tension. "You need to come to the Compound," she said, each word weighted with urgency. "General Ross wants to talk to us... all of us."

A wave of anxiety surged through me. The idea of going back to the Compound filled me with dread. It wasn’t just the thought of seeing Steve again that unsettled me—it was the crushing realization that I might be drawn back into this life I’d hoped to leave behind forever. The prospect of facing not only him but the entire tangled web of Avengers’ affairs was almost too much to bear.

I made a concerted effort to look human again, even going so far as to apply makeup and slip into a pretty dress. I recalled my mother’s advice: no matter how sad I felt, making myself look good would somehow help lift my spirits. Yet, as I stared at my reflection, meticulously dressed and dolled up, I found myself disagreeing with her. The effort seemed futile; my reflection only highlighted the chasm between the image I projected and the turmoil I felt inside.

I took a cab to the Compound, my heart racing the entire drive as the driver made futile attempts at casual conversation. I barely responded, lost in my own anxious thoughts, and he soon gave up, focusing on the road ahead.

When I stepped into the meeting room, I found everyone already assembled. Nat immediately sprang from her seat and wrapped me in a warm hug, and I clung to the comforting embrace, grateful for her unwavering support.

Sam greeted me next, offering a reassuring pat on the back. "It’s good to have you back," he said with a genuine smile, though his eyes briefly flicked toward Steve. Steve, meanwhile, was engrossed in the pen he was twisting between his fingers, deliberately avoiding eye contact. The atmosphere was heavy with unspoken tension, and Steve’s detachment was palpable, casting a shadow over the room’s otherwise welcoming gestures.

"I'm not really back, Sam, but thanks," I replied with a faint smile as I took a seat in the empty chair next to Nat.

"Ross should be here any minute," Tony said from his spot in the corner, where he was leaning casually, his tone betraying none of the tension that crackled in the room. Everyone else was seated around the table, a silent testament to the gravity of the meeting. Even Wanda was present; Nat had informed me that she was now part of the Avengers. It was hard to push aside the unsettling memories Wanda had once stirred in me, but I reminded myself that it was no longer my concern about who was on the team or why. For now, I had to focus on what was about to unfold.

I dared to glance at Steve for just a second, only to find him already looking at me. He appeared exhausted, with dark circles under his red-rimmed eyes. The sight was jarring, and I raised my eyebrows in surprise at the intensity of his gaze. As he seemed poised to say something, Ross’s abrupt entrance cut through the moment. “Thank you for coming,” he announced with a commanding tone, immediately shifting the room's focus and severing the brief, unspoken connection between Steve and me.

Ross launched into his prepared speech with an authoritative tone. "Five years ago, I had a heart attack. I dropped right in the middle of my backswing. Turned out it was the best round of my life, because after 13 hours of surgery and a triple bypass... I found something 40 years in the Army had never taught me: Perspective. The world owes the Avengers an unpayable debt. You have fought for us, protected us, risked your lives..."

He paused, his gaze sweeping over the room, his expression serious. "But while many people see you as heroes, there are others who would prefer to call you 'vigilantes.'" His words hung in the air, heavy with the weight of unspoken implications, setting the stage for whatever came next.

Natasha locked eyes with Ross, her confidence unwavering. "And what word would you use, Mr. Secretary?" she asked, her voice steady and challenging.

Ross didn’t hesitate, his tone turning stern and accusatory. "How about dangerous?" he replied, letting the word linger in the air like a warning.

Ross continued, his voice growing more pointed. "What would you call a group of U.S.-based, enhanced individuals who routinely ignore sovereign borders, inflict their will wherever they choose, and, frankly, seem unconcerned about what they leave behind?"

The rhetorical question hung in the air, dripping with accusation. He was no longer just addressing the room; he was laying out a case, his words carefully chosen to provoke and challenge the very foundation of what the Avengers stood for.

Ross activated the screen behind him, and it flickered to life, displaying footage of the devastation from New York, Washington D.C., Sokovia, and the most recent incident in Lagos. The scenes were brutal—cities in ruins, people fleeing in terror. The sheer scale of the destruction was horrifying, a stark reminder of the collateral damage left in the wake of these battles.

As the footage shifted, my heart sank. The screen flickered again, and there I was, my face contorted in fury as I shot a Hydra scientist. The image was haunting, capturing a side of me I wished I could forget. I could feel the weight of everyone’s eyes on me, but I was unable to tear my gaze away from the screen as it flickered again, showing another moment—this time, me in an elevator, slamming my gun into a man's face before driving my knee into his stomach. The violent images were a harsh reminder of the lengths I had gone to, and seeing them displayed so starkly made my skin crawl.

The screen shifted one final time, and there I was again—this time on the helicarrier, guns in hand, with the Winter Soldier by my side. The cold, determined expression on my face was unmistakable as I fired at every S.H.I.E.L.D. agent who crossed my path. The relentless, unflinching violence on display felt like a punch to the gut.

Steve finally broke the tense silence, his voice firm but tinged with something close to disbelief. "Okay. That's enough." His eyes were locked on me, and the shock in them was unmistakable. The images had clearly shaken him—images of me doing things he hadn’t known about, things I had never wanted him to see.

The final nail in our broken relationship.

Next Chapter

[onceuponastory]

twisted fantasy - max burnett x reader

“Your biggest fear has just come true, This maniac’s in love with you.” - This Maniac’s in Love With You by Alice Cooper

Plot: Looking for love, Y/N takes a chance on a date with Max...and instead finds herself in his twisted fantasy. Pairing: Max Burnett (Sharper!Max) x Female!Reader Warnings: 18+ Please, this is a dark fic. No minors. Mentions of kidnapping, drugging/drink spiking, stalking/obsessive behaviour, Stockholm Syndrome, dubious consent, force feeding, violence, injuries and nausea. As always, if I miss any triggers please let me know! Notes: Happy Sharper Day! This fic doesn’t contain any spoilers for the movie, I just wanted to make him dark and give my own interpretation on why he started hustling.

Thank you so much to @lunarbuck for both helping me with this idea and for beta reading it for me!

Pulling her jacket around her body for warmth, Y/N scrolls through her phone to keep herself occupied. Hopefully, her date shows up soon, and that it goes well… especially since it’s her first one in god knows how long.

At first, Y/N was fine with being on her own, not seeing the appeal of finding romance. Yet, as more and more time went on, her thoughts changed, and she craved the thought of having someone to call hers, and to share the rest of her life with. After all, being alone for such a long time whilst also being bombarded with your friends getting married, images of true love and talks of ‘Mr. Right’ can drive you crazy after a while. So, she braved the world of dating apps. Each day, she would scroll through endless pictures of men, not finding a spark or the person she wants to spend the rest of her life with. After a few months with no luck, she lost hope, deciding her true love didn’t exist. Or at least, not there.

But then, she saw Max. The second she saw his icy blue eyes staring back at her through her phone screen, Y/N fell head over heels for him, messaging him right away. Thankfully, he seemed to feel the same about her, given how quickly he messaged her back. And now, here she is, waiting outside a fancy restaurant for Max to show up for their date. A very fancy and expensive restaurant. Of course, Y/N is still willing to pay for her half of the meal, but the fact that this was the first place Max suggested already tells her he’s well off. Not that it matters too much to her, but she won’t deny that it’s definitely appealing.

When Max pulls up in a sleek BMW, Y/N’s suspicions are confirmed. “Hey, I’m sorry I’m late,” he sighs, running a hand through his dark hair. When she reassures him it’s fine, he shakes his head. “No. I hate to leave a pretty lady like you waiting.” Y/N giggles at his words, feeling heat settling on her cheeks and her heart rate picking up. What a charmer. And he’s even cuter in person. “Shall we head inside?” Max asks, opening the door for her.

Yet, as they sit down to eat, something strikes her as off. Despite Max’s pleasant conversation, and how he orders a bottle of her favourite wine for them to share, Y/N feels on edge. Even though she’s having fun, there’s a strange sensation in the pit of her stomach. Almost as if it’s being twisted. Like something is wrong. The entire meal, she keeps her gaze on Max, studying him intently as she tries to figure out what the issue is. And each time, her mind turns up blank. “Is something the matter?” Max asks, pouring her another glass of wine.

“Not at all.” She lies, taking a drink in the hopes it pushes away her feelings of unease. Hopefully, it’s just first-date jitters.

Yet, as the bitter drink flows down her throat, Y/N’s stomach twinges again.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~

After dinner, Max helps Y/N out to his car. The world seems to spin, and she stumbles a few times as she walks. Despite her clearly drunken state, her stomach still twists, and her mind knows that something still doesn’t feel right. She didn’t drink that much. There’s no way she could be this drunk. Something’s very wrong here.

“It’s okay. I’m here.” Max whispers, tightening his hold on her arm. He leads her to his car, helping her inside and strapping her in. Y/N leans back against the headrest, moaning softly. “Don’t worry, Y/N. I’ll take you home.” As she mumbles something in reply, he smirks, chuckling. “You’re really out of it, aren’t you?” Y/N glances up at Max. And then, something finally clicks in her mind.

“Wait. I got it. Don’t… don’t I know you from somewhere?” She asks, mumbling her words slightly. Max chuckles, leaning in closer.

“Well, we met on a dating app, remember?” The way he stares at her chills her blood. Like there’s something she doesn’t know, something sick hiding behind his smile. It’s as if he’s eyeing her up like she’s a piece of meat.

“No. Before that.” Y/N insists. “I knew you already, didn’t I?” The words tumble out of her mouth with little thought, and once they’re out in the open, the realisation slowly seeps through. Yes, she’s definitely met him before. She just can’t think where or when.

“Did you?” He smirks. Y/N’s brow furrows. She tries to push through the haze in her mind, but she’s just too drunk to even think straight. Y/N nods, her head suddenly feeling like it weighs a hundred pounds. “Clever girl.” He whispers. As her eyes begin to close and her head lulls to the side, Max grins. “I have big plans for you. Don’t worry. You’ll find out soon.”

And that’s the last thing Y/N hears.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~

As she slowly comes to, Y/N murmurs. Her head is pounding, and her ears are ringing. She opens her eyes, wincing at the sudden bright light in the room.

“You’re finally awake.” Max’s voice sounds. Y/N registers him running his finger down her jawline. Reflexively, she shudders at his touch. “Oh, it’s okay, Y/N. I won’t hurt you. Come on, open your eyes for me.” Slowly, Y/N’s eyes open. Max stares down at her, smirking. Y/N’s stomach twists again. “There you are.”

“What happened?” She tries to get up, but can’t. It’s only then that she realises she’s strapped to a chair. Gasping, she tries to move again, hoping this is some kind of sick joke, or her still-drunk brain causing her to hallucinate. When it doesn’t work, she begins to shake and cry as her mind and body go into panic stations. “Max, what’s going on?”

“Just calm down, Y/N. It’ll be okay.” He replies, scarily calm. Y/N feels her heart pounding against her chest, so quick and strong it could break through her skin.

“Max. Tell me what’s going on.” She repeats. Again, another scarily calm reply telling her to be calm follows. As the horrible reality sinks in, Y/N whimpers. “Oh god, I don’t want to die.”

“Hey, hey, shhh….” Max soothes. Y/N tries to ignore him, until: “Look at me.” He commands, his voice mesmerising. Y/N looks up, into his eyes. So blue and calm. Like the sea after a storm, the complete opposite of how he is now. Y/N almost laughs. After all, that was what originally attracted her to Max. His eyes. And now, she’s staring into them and begging for her life. “Nobody said anything about dying.”

“So why am I here, then?” Max stares at her once more. Then, he smirks.

“You really don’t remember me, do you?” Before she can even reply, Max continues. “I remember you, though. Everything about you.” Y/N runs through her memories, trying to piece them together. However, her confusion, combined with the drug and alcohol in her system, means that her mind continuously draws a blank.

“Y/N Y/L/N. Popular, a cheerleader… and a spoiled bitch.” Y/N gasps, fury flowing through her veins.

“How dare you say that about me?! You have no idea who I am.”

“Oh, but I do.” He snarks, coming closer, kneeling in front of her. “I’m Max. Max Burnett. Remember me?” There’s some familiarity to his name, yet she still can’t figure out just who he’s meant to be. Seeing he’s getting nowhere, Max frowns, rolling his eyes. “I used to sit behind you in all our English classes… and you still don’t remember me?”

And then it clicks. That Max. He’s definitely changed since the last time she saw him. In all honesty, he’s barely recognisable now. His arms and body are more toned, and he looks older, more mature. In all honesty, he looks better now, far more attractive for a start. But as she looks him over, there are little things that she notices that are still the same. A freckle here, a scar there. Is it really so hard to notice that it’s him?

Then again, though, it’s not like they were close friends, or friends at all back in high school. Y/N would be the first to admit that they were both part of different social circles back then. She stayed with the popular girls and cheerleaders, and Max was near the bottom of the social ladder with a few close friends compared to her many. Aside from the occasional glance at each other’s way in the hallways or discussion during classes, the pair barely interacted. Yet, she always greeted him with a smile and a hello, and never intentionally ignored him. He liked to keep himself to himself, whilst she didn’t. That’s all. So she has no idea where the hell he’s getting the idea that she’s a spoiled bitch from.

“Hi, Max. Yeah, I remember you.” She nods. Y/N wiggles her wrists, hoping that her recognition of Max is enough for her to be set free. Yet when he doesn’t move and just keeps staring at her, she frowns. “Max? What’s going on?” She asks, her voice quiet. “Why am I here? I said I remembered you, a-and I do, so can you take these off please?” Max simply scoffs.

“I can’t do that.”

“But why? I haven’t done anything to you!”

“Quiet.”

“Max, please just-”

“Quiet!” He shouts, the sudden change in volume making her jump. Y/N bites her lip hard to stop herself from yelling out in fear. As her entire body shakes, Max smiles. “Good girl.” Within an instant, he’s back to the eerily calm person he was before. Now, though, she knows the level of anger that he’s capable of. And seeing him standing there, staring down at her without another word, shakes her to the core. “Now, let me explain.” He speaks, finally. “I fell in love with you from the moment you first sat in front of me in class. You were so pretty and popular, especially in that little cheerleading skirt.” He bites his lip at that, and Y/N closes her mouth, trying to suppress her growing nausea. “And you always had a kind word to say to me, despite how different we were. You were everything I wanted, Y/N.” It’s then that Y/N notices something odd. Whenever Max talks about back then, about how much he loved her, there’s a small smile on his face. And his smile causes something inside her stomach to flutter.

“Our little chats in class each week meant the world to me, and I fell more and more in love with you as the years went by. I wanted to tell you how I felt right away, but I was too scared. So instead, I gradually worked up the courage to ask if you had a date to prom, and if you wanted to go with me, remember?” Immediately, Max’s smile falls, and his eyes narrow. “But you turned me down.” Y/N frowns.

“Because I was going with Owen.” She answers. Max rolls his eyes, groaning.

“Oh yes, Owen. The star quarterback of the football team. Mister Perfect.” He hisses. “He was an asshole who didn’t deserve someone like you. You deserved someone like me! Someone who wouldn’t demean you by talking to other girls like he would! I loved you! And I was willing to give you the world! More than he ever could!” He insists, his voice getting louder and angrier with each sentence. Y/N flinches away from him, not wanting to attract his ire. “But no. I wasn’t good enough, was I? Not popular, rich, or handsome enough for spoiled little Miss Y/N.”

“It’s not that Max, it was just I didn’t see you-” Y/N tries to explain, but Max cuts her off.

“What? Say it. Say it was because I wasn’t good enough for you. I wasn’t rich enough, or popular enough.” He spits, bitterness lacing his words.

“Because I didn’t like you in that way back then! I only saw you as a friend!” She argues. “Max, please just let me go. I promise I won’t say anything about this.” She whimpers, a few more tears slipping out.

“I can’t do that, Y/N. It’s okay though, I’m not mad at you. I was at first, but that was before I realised what you needed.” Smiling, he leans in closer. “I’ve been working hard on something for you. For us. And it’s going to make you want to stay.” Y/N furrows her brow, and Max begins to explain. “Since we graduated, I’ve become a bit of a hustler. Or maybe Robin Hood is a better term for it. I took money from those rich assholes who don’t deserve it. People who hurt those like me, at the bottom of the food chain, with no remorse. People who hurt good, caring souls like you, and don’t stick around to pick up the pieces. Now, I have more money than all of those assholes put together.” He grins proudly. And it’s all for you, my darling. I took it for you.” He bends down to her eye level.

Seeing she’s still crying, Max cups her cheek, using his thumb to wipe away her tears. His touch against her skin makes Y/N shiver, especially since she can’t back away from him. She’s powerless against him. “At first, I was just going to look for you on the streets of New York, so when I found you on that dating app, it was like a dream come true.” As he explains his sick obsession, and how he planned to stalk her, Y/N’s blood chills, and her stomach churns. In high school, she had no idea Max was so dangerous. Especially towards her. “We can finally be together, and I can give you anything you want. Everything you deserve will be yours. You can finally be happy. With me.” Y/N frowns, her blood beginning to boil.

“What, you think that kidnapping me and showing me all your money is going to change that and make me fall in love with you?!” she snaps. “I don’t want your money, Max! I never cared about anyone’s money! I’m not a fucking spoiled bitch. I just want to go home!” Max chuckles, shaking his head.

“I told you already. I can’t do that. You belong here with me. This is your home.”

“No, I don’t.” When Max still refuses to let her go, Y/N huffs angrily. “You know what, Max? Is it any wonder why I didn’t go out with you in high school? You’re a fucking depraved freak if you need to kidnap girls to get them to fall for you.”

“Stop it. Stop calling me that.” Max hisses. His fist noticeably twitches at her words, but Y/N continues. After seeing just how scary Max can be when he’s angry, she knows she’s playing with fire, but she doesn’t care. She’s just too scared and angry to even think about that right now. All she wants to do is to make him hurt.

“How dare you think that kidnapping me and flaunting your wealth at me will make me fall in love with you? I’m not yours to own!”

“Y/N….” Max warns, seething with rage. He stands up straighter, towering over her as if to show her just how out-powered she is, and to stop before she gets hurt.

And yet, Y/N still keeps going.

“Now, let me go.” Her demand is the final trigger. Suddenly, Max snaps, yelling out and slamming the table beside him angrily. The sound reverberates across the room, infiltrating every fibre of her body. Y/N yelps in fear, the sound causing her to jump in her seat.

“Look what you made me do. I hate getting so angry, especially at you.” Max huffs. He watches as Y/N shakes in fear, whimpering. “Being here will be good for you. You’ll learn soon enough.” He states, turning on his heel and leaving the room.

From that moment, Y/N is stuck with Max, trapped in his twisted fantasy. Some time after he storms off, he returns to untie her… whilst also making sure she knows to stay in her room. As he removes the ropes, his fingertips lightly brushing against her skin, Y/N’s heart rate picks up. The sensation confuses her, especially considering how easily he can switch back to the terrifying, angry state that she saw only hours ago. Warily, she watches him, waiting for him to snap or attack her.

Yet… she won’t deny that the sensation feels nice all the same. After all, there’s a reason she was so attracted to him in the first place.

“What are you looking at?” He chuckles, raising a brow.

“Nothing.” She states, moving her gaze away from him. Max sighs, getting up and running a hand through his dark strands.

“Y/N. Please trust me when I say that the last thing I want is to hurt you.” When he realises no reply from Y/N is coming, and just how frightened she is of him, his face falls. “I’ll bring you some food. You must be hungry.” He mutters.

Once he’s gone, Y/N looks around the room. It’s a lot bigger than she expected, with a big double bed, and closets filled to the brim with shoes, expensive clothes and makeup, worth more than she could ever afford. When Max said he wanted her to be comfortable, he wasn’t lying. And the room is actually really nice, considering the alternative. Yet, even a prisoner in a gilded cell is still a prisoner. And despite how nice the clothes are, the way she got here and why he’s holding her here still makes her stomach churn.

Y/N’s life soon fades into a routine, one limited to the confines of her bedroom, with Max coming in a few times a day to bring her food and water. At first, she tried to defy him, refusing to eat to fight back against the control he has over her life and its routine. That defiance worked a few times… until Max threatened to force the food down her throat so he could be sure she’s okay. As he keeps reminding her, the whole reason he brought her here was to protect and care for her in all aspects of her life. Since that threat, Y/N started eating again.

Max has joined her meal times since then, too. Yet, he never eats. He just watches, making sure she’s doing as she’s told. Sometimes, he tells stories about his various conquests as she eats, making sure she knows how lucky she is to be there, and how many gifts and riches he can give her. He does that a lot, acting like her anger and unease around him will fade, and that she’ll come around to him if given enough time. Yet, as time goes on, Y/N finds herself looking forward to Max’s visits. Being stuck in one place for god knows how long, unaware of what day or even what time it is, unable to do anything but read and sleep is so isolating. She feels like she’s losing her mind.

At least with Max, there’s routine, and a human connection, something she grows to crave. And so, slowly but surely, she starts to lower her guard around him, no longer reacting to his words with anger or fear. Because despite everything he’s done to her… she appreciates his company more than she’d like to admit.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~

One night, one that feels like years away from when she first got here, Max tells her to join him for dinner. The tone of his voice tells her it’s best for her to attend.

“But I’ve never done that. We always eat separately.” She murmurs. Seeing her frown, Max chuckles.

“Well, I thought it’d be nice to have a change. Especially since you’ve been good recently. Consider it a treat.” He smiles. “Pick something nice to wear, and I’ll see you soon.” And then he’s gone.

So, Y/N does as he asks, not wanting to cause any further problems. She picks out an outfit, slipping into it with ease. The material is comfortable against her skin, and a welcome change. Catching sight of herself in the mirror, Y/N turns, looking over every inch of her body. She looks good. Max clearly has good taste. Or at least, knows her taste. For a moment, the thought makes her smile. How someone knows so much about her, and wants to make sure she has things she looks and feels good in.

“Yeah, it’s because he’s obsessed with you, and has been stalking you since high school.” The voice in her head cuts through the happy thought and Y/N shudders, all positive thoughts about this moment gone. Hopefully, this is over soon. Although… she can’t help but twirl once more in the mirror and apply a little bit of makeup.

If she has to dine with the devil, at least she’ll look good doing it.

Max arrives at her door some time later, dressed in a fancy suit. The first time she sees him, Y/N’s breath hitches a little in her throat. Max looks good. Handsome even. “You look incredible.” He grins, offering his arm to her like a true gentleman. Or at least, like the one he’s pretending to be. Slowly, she links her arm with his, suddenly very aware of the warmth of Max’s body. Being this close to Max whilst knowing what he’s capable of still causes an eerie feeling to settle in her stomach.

As he leads her down towards the dining room, Y/N looks around the house, at the castle holding her prisoner. It’s huge, filled with expensive paintings and furniture. She doesn’t even realise how much her eyes have widened or how her mouth has dropped open until Max chuckles from beside her. “You like it? I told you, the life of a hustler pays well.” He watches as she looks from room to room, gazing at her with a smile on his face. And the same thing in Y/N’s stomach flutters again, this time even more than before. But before she can dwell too much on it, they reach the dining room. Max leads her to her seat, and for a moment she waits for him to tie down her wrists. When he doesn’t, she frowns. “I told you. You’ve been good.” Max shrugs, pouring her a glass of wine.

When she stares at it warily, remembering what happened the last time she drank wine in front of him, he simply smiles once more. “Don’t worry. It’s perfectly safe.” She takes a few incredulous sips, waiting for the familiar bitter aftertaste that seemingly never comes. The wine is lovely actually, clearly from an expensive bottle. A steaming hot plate of food is soon placed in front of her, the smell making her moan happily. Quickly, she takes a bite, savouring the flavour as it dances across her tongue. This tastes better than any other meal he gave her, and it’s a welcome relief.

“Did you cook this?”

“Well… no. I thought that since tonight was an important night, I should hire a private chef to take care of us.” He answers, taking a bite and grinning back at her. His revelation surprises her, yet she likes it all the same. Nobody has ever done something like this for her before.He’s really pulling out all the stops to make her feel happy and comfortable.

As the meal continues, Y/N feels her worries around Max lessening and even finds herself smiling and laughing along with him. This dinner is nice, it’s safe. For a moment, she’s transported back to their first date, the one she thought would go so well, but turned into a nightmare. Now, though, it’s like they’re getting another chance. She watches Max as he speaks Italian with the Chef, laughing along with him and grinning widely. And Y/N realises she enjoys having another chance with him.

After dinner, Max walks her back to her room, still arm in arm. “You know, I had a great night tonight.”

“Me too. It was nice to get out of my room for a while.” Y/N agrees. Max seems surprised at her admission, yet grateful, happy that she’s finally feeling slightly comfortable around him.

“I do feel bad about leaving you in here again.” Max sighs, taking her hand and running his fingers along her knuckles.

“I don’t like it there, Max. I mean, the bed is comfortable and all, and I’m grateful for everything you’ve given me, but I feel like I’m going crazy being trapped in there. It’s just all been too much for me.” Her words make Max’s face fall, and guilt overtakes his features.

“I know, and I’m sorry. But I need you to stay there just a little longer. I want to make sure you’re okay and comfortable enough around me first.” Even though she appreciates his insistence of making sure she’s okay above all else, his refusal to just let her be free, just this once, causes her stomach to twist. Max notices the look on her face, and he sighs. “I’m sorry Y/N. This is how it has to be.” Before she can protest further, Max steps out, locking the door.

And then, Y/N is alone again.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Later that night, Y/N lies in her bed, tossing and turning. Her brain shows her horrible images, ones of her trying to run, of doors that lead nowhere. When Max catches her, he stands over her with a knife, carving his name into her skin so she’d be his forever. She awakens with a jolt, crying out in fear. Panting, she grips her bedding, trying to ground herself. Yet it doesn’t work, and her heart continues to pound. She cuddles into herself, shaking as she begins to cry.

Within an instant, the door bursts open. Max stands in the doorway, illuminated by the minimal light in the doorway. “What happened?” He asks, coming closer to her. As he reaches out to her, Y/N flinches away from him. Max’s face falls. “Sweetheart, I need you to tell me what happened so I can help you. Did you have a nightmare?” She nods, sniffling.

“You scared me. Y-You hurt me in it.” She murmurs, her voice hoarse from all the screaming. Max sighs.

“Y/N, it was just a nightmare. I would never hurt you.” He promises. Noticing she’s still shaking, he takes her hand. At first, she flinches away once more, but when she realises that Max really doesn’t mean any harm, she lets him intertwine his fingers with her. “Just match my breathing, okay?” As she slowly calms her breathing, Max raises his free hand, pressing it against her forehead. “You’re all sweaty and burning up.” He sighs. “Come on, let’s get you cleaned up. I’ll run you a bath.” She nods, and Max helps her up and out of the room.

As she leans into him, Y/N picks up on his heartbeat, the pounding rhythm soothing her and almost lulling her back to sleep. When they reach the bathroom, Max runs the water, filling the tub with bubbles. Y/N watches him, her body still shaking. Then he turns his attention back to her.

“Let’s get these pyjamas off. They’re drenched in sweat.” He sighs. As he peels them off of her body, Y/N stands there, her head bowed in shame.

“I’m sorry.” She murmurs, embarrassed to have made him frustrated.

“No, no sweetheart, it’s okay. I’m not mad.” He soothes, cupping her cheek. Y/N flinches at his touch once more, and Max sighs. “You got a big fright, didn’t you?” She nods. He presses a kiss to her forehead, and Y/N smiles slightly. “Let me fix it. Let me take care of you.” He whispers. When she’s fully undressed, the cold air chills her skin, and she can feel her nipples hardening. Yet, being so bare in front of Max, letting him see every inch of her naked, exposed body makes her feel like she’s on fire. Max’s eyes move lower, and Y/N feels the heat rising. Gently, he takes her hand, helping into the bath. The bubbles brush against her skin, and she leans back into the warm water.

Max rubs soap and lotion into her skin, delicately running his fingers along her skin as he does so. The sensation sends a shockwave throughout her body… but she likes it all the same. It’s nice to finally feel more comfortable around Max, to feel loved by him. He peppers kisses along her skin, and this time, Y/N doesn’t flinch away from him.

He’s here to take care of her.

To give her what she needs.

What she’s always needed.

Once the bath is over, Max hands her one of his shirts to put on. The material drapes over her body, almost like a dress. Although, it’s comforting, and the material feels good against her skin. “You look good.” He smirks. “Now it’s time for bed.”

“No. Please don’t make me go back there. I don’t want to be alone.” She begs, whimpering slightly.

“Shhh, shh. You’re not going back there.” He promises. He leads her out of the room, taking her down the hallway. As they walk, Y/N finds solace in his heartbeat once more. She inhales his scent, letting it permeate her entire being. She never noticed how nice he smells. So inviting, so alluring. She’s so consumed by Max’s scent that she doesn’t even notice that they’re in another room. Almost immediately, she can tell where she is.

Max’s room.

She climbs onto the bed, sinking into his mattress, feeling better almost immediately. As Max goes towards the door, she speaks once more:

“Please don’t go. I don’t want to be alone.” Max peers down at her.

“You want me to stay with you?” He asks. Y/N nods, and he chuckles, grinning like the cat that got the cream. “Of course I can.” He climbs in beside her, finding her hand in the darkness and intertwining his fingers with hers. As he looks down at her, his eyes tracing over her jawline, Y/N registers her heart beating ever so slightly faster, and she finds herself suddenly struck with a desire to reach out and touch Max. To run her fingers along his chest and through his hair. To pull him closer, wrap her arms around him, and kiss him deeply.

“No. This is wrong.” A voice in her head sounds.

But yet, something about it feels so right.

“You’re so beautiful.” He whispers. “I’m so lucky to have you here with me.”

~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Y/N awakens in Max’s bed sometime later, already feeling much more rested than she ever had before. She rolls over, expecting Max to be there, yet only finding empty space. Her heart sinks with disappointment, and she sighs. For a moment, she sinks her nose into his pillow, inhaling the scent that makes her heart feel like it’s beating a million miles a minute. She stretches out, grabbing his bed sheets, intertwining the material through her fingers. She feels better, more comfortable, even sleeping through the night without having another nightmare.

And it’s all because Max was there beside her. Maybe he’s better for her than she thought. As that thought dawns on her, she registers her heart rate beating ever so slightly faster. But this time, she realises she loves being taken care of by Max. After so long being locked away like a prisoner, this brief glimpse of freedom, of care and of love, means so much to her. Hopefully, all her mornings from now on start like this.

Before she can think too much about it however, the door opens and Max appears, the sight making her smile.

“Afternoon, sleepyhead. I have something for you.” He grins, holding out a box. When she sees the lettering on the box in his hands, Y/N gasps. The box is from her favourite bakery. She only mentioned it in passing to Max one day in class, talking about how much she loved their desserts. Max passes the box over, and she opens it, seeing two eclairs.

“Max… you remembered.” She whispers.

“Y/N, I remember everything about you. And besides, I feel awful after the nightmare you had last night. You deserve something nice.” Quickly, she grabs one, taking a huge bite. As the sugar rushes through her blood, Y/N can’t stop a smile from spreading across her cheeks, one so wide it almost takes over her entire face. After spending so long locked away with no form of happiness, being given something like this is just what she needed. And the fact that Max gave it to her, that he cared enough to get her something that he remembered makes her happy after such a horrible night… makes her heart flutter once more. “That was incredible. Thank you.” At the sight of her smile, Max grins.

“You’re welcome. By the way, you have some….” Without another word, he reaches out, brushing some chocolate off her cheek. The sensation of his thumb brushing against her skin feels like her skin is on fire.

“Oh.”she murmurs, as all the blood in her body rushes to her cheeks. As Max looks down at her, his eyes tracing over her jawline…Y/N registers her heart beating ever so slightly faster. Without another word, Max leans in, pressing a kiss to her lips. His kiss sends another shockwave through her body. Hungrily, Y/N pulls Max closer to her, deepening the kiss as he slips his tongue inside her mouth. A moan escapes Y/N’s lips and Max chuckles, his laugh reverberating through her entire body. They fall backwards, Y/N sinking into the plush sheets of Max’s bed once more as he climbs on top of her.

“You’re beautiful.” He murmurs, removing his lips from hers. As he does, Y/N’s gaze moves upwards, and soon she’s staring into his icy blue eyes once more. The same pair of eyes she fell in love with so long ago. Her heart pounds, and she gasps for air.

She’s never felt more alive.

Her hands fly out, grabbing Max’s shirt and pulling him closer to her once more.

Maybe being here won’t be so bad after all.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~ Please follow @onceuponastory-library​ and turn notifications on to be notified when I next post.

[come-away-with-me87]

Love & Angst Chapter 6

Chapter 5 here

Warning: Forgive me on this one if there are typos or whatevs. I had a big 'ol glass of wine after a looong work week while writing this chapter, hehe. We're still in the fluffy stage of this budding romance, but I promise there will be some angst in later chapters. As always, thank you for reading and sharing my love of Aizawa!

******

About an hour after you got home, you picked up your phone where you left it on the kitchen counter. You had a huge smile on your face as you read the missed text from Shouta. You texted him back as soon as you read it, "so did I, Shouta. I look forward to seeing you again too :)" After sending that text, you called Naomi. Without hesitation, without any greetings, she practically yelled when she picked up the phone, "WELL! HOW DID IT GO?!" You laughed, and proceeded to tell her about it, ending it with saying how you had a very nice evening with him.

You couldn't miss this opportunity to ask Naomi about her and Present Mic while you had her on the phone. "HAHA, 'ol scruffy tired eyes said that?! It was just a little harmless flirting, nothing to write home about!" You let it go at that, but did decide to dig a little deeper next time you worked together. You two talked on the phone for a little while longer, eventually hanging up with your usual, "love you!" After hanging up with Naomi, you went on to call Shoto with the intention of asking him how the gala went. He didn't pick up, so you just left him a voicemail asking him to call you whenever he had some free time. Surely he was hanging out with his friends in the dorm at the school, and would rather be doing that than talking to his aunt on the phone. You then went to your bedroom, set your alarm on your phone for the next, and fell into a peaceful sleep, dreaming about a "scruffy, tired eyed, ebony-colored hair" man.

The next few days were pretty uneventful. You weren't scheduled for any shifts at the restaurant, so you just had your job at the city hall. The only thing that concerned you was...you hadn't heard from Shouta since your date. Over the course of those few days, you talked with Naomi some more, and even Shoto called you back to talk about how the gala went and how school was going. But not a peep from Shouta. You truly were not sure what the protocol was when it came to texting. He didn't respond to your text on Sunday evening after your date, but there was really no reason to; it was a reply to what he said first. Should you have texted him again at some point, or should he have texted you? You tried your best to not overthink it; you knew he was busy being a teacher during the day, and an underground hero at night.

Nevertheless, you thought about him...a lot. Even though your encounters with him have been relatively brief, thus far, he all but consumed your thoughts. No person, especially a man, has ever had this kind of effect on you; not even any of the men you previously dated. You couldn't stop thinking about his beautiful dark hair and dark eyes; his scruffy facial hair, and his mysterious aura. He intrigued you like no one else ever had in your lifetime. Oh boy.

It was Friday afternoon, you just got off from your shift at city hall, and you were just sitting on your couch decompressing from the day and week. As if he was reading your obsessive mind from before, you suddenly received a text from him: "Hi Y/N. I'm sorry I haven't had a chance to reach out you, but I've been thinking of you. Hizashi and some of the others are dragging me out tonight to the bar. It really would be nice to see you again. Would you like to join us?" You read the text and felt your heart pounding in your chest. While you would much prefer to spend some time with just the two of you, you were still excited at his proposition. You took a minute to think about it, and instead of responding to him right away, you instantly texted Naomi: "let's go out tonight." If you were going to do this, you wanted there to someone you also knew. You knew she was off from the bar that night, and quickly replied back, "sure?" She knew you were more of a homebody, so you could understand her hesitancy.

You went on to explain about Shouta texted you asking you to join him and his friends at the bar, and she had a much better understanding of the situation, and told you she'd be happy to accompany you. You were forever in her debt, she was such an amazing friend. You finally texted Shouta back, "I'd love to. Would you guys mind if I brought Naomi with?" He replied back saying that wouldn't be a problem at all, and everyone agreed upon 8pm as the meeting time.

You started getting ready for the night, and went to your closet to decide what to wear. Since you were going to a bar as opposed to a cat cafe, you decided to switch things up a bit for that night. You decided to keep your hair down again, using your curling iron to add a few waves. You opted for a nice black dress that went right to your knees, but still accentuated your curves. You still didn't want to go overboard with your makeup, so once again, you just opted for a bit of mascara. This time, though, you also decided to wear a tinted lip gloss. Finally, you picked out a pair of red kitten heels to wear with your dress. You looked in the mirror and decided you looked acceptable. No one was harder on you than you, so that was the best compliment you would ever be able to give yourself.

Around 7:30pm, you left your house to go pick up Naomi. Since she was gracious enough to come with you tonight, the least you could do was drive so she could drink and have some fun. When you pulled up, she was standing outside waiting for you. Once she got in your car, she eyed you up and down and exclaimed, "you look HOT, mama!" You blushed at the compliment, and quietly thanked her; besides the fact that you could barely compliment yourself, taking compliments from others was even worse. She looked amazing, too. She was wearing a tight mini-dress with stiletto heels, and her makeup and hair looked beautiful. She was a complete knockout, and you wished you had her self-confidence. You two took the car ride to gab about the drama at the restaurant, when you suddenly arrived to the bar right a little after 8:00pm.

You and Naomi found a spot in the busy parking lot and walked inside. It took about two minutes, but after looking around the busy bar to find your group, you finally spotted Hizashi's mohawk sticking out from one of the booths. You guys walked over the booth and said hello to everyone, which included the same group that was at the restaurant last weekend; Shouta, Hizashi, Toshinori, and Nemuri. You all exchanged your hellos, and you and Naomi each took a seat at either side at the end of the booth; you were next to Toshinori, and she was next to Nemuri. Right next to Toshinori sat Shouta, and next to Nemuri sat Hizashi. "Hey, Y/N," exclaimed Toshinori, "do you mind if we actually switch seats? I don't plan on staying late since I can't drink, so I'd like to be able to easily slip out once I'm ready to leave." You could've kissed him on the cheek right then and there; you knew what he said was true, but there was also an underlying meaning; he wanted you to sit next to Shouta. Sly dog.

You two switched seats, and suddenly, you found yourself sitting next to Shouta. He was dressed very similarly to the way he was at the cat cafe last weekend, and he looked delectable. He gave you a small smile as you and Toshinori switched seats and whispered in your ear, "you look incredible." It was such an small statement, but it made you blush very hard and made your whole body feel like jello; you were very grateful you were sitting down. You shyly whispered back to him, "thank you, so do you." Before you felt even more like jello, the server then suddenly came over and to get the drink orders of the newcomers. You ordered a white wine, and Naomi ordered some sort of girly, fruity drink. It was weird for both of you to be on this side of things, since you two were used to being the ones serving others. It was a nice feeling.

The conversation flowed very easily between the six of you for the next hour or so, involving a lot of laughing and talking about the antics of the students at the U.A.. Toshinori took his leave around 9:15pm; you gave him a big hug and whispered a thank you into his ear as he was getting up. He just smiled knowingly at you, and took the opportunity to say his goodbyes to everyone. The drinks kept flowing at this point, and the others, mainly Naomi, Hizashi and Nemuri, took the opportunity to go get down on the dance floor, leaving you and Shouta at the booth alone. He grinned, "I guess you could tell who the extroverts are versus the introverts at this table." You audibly laughed at his statement; he had no idea.

You and Shouta sat in a comfortable silence while watching the others dance. As expected, Naomi and Hizashi seemed to be really hitting it off, often found dancing with each other. Nemuri seemed to be off in her own little world; you could tell the alcohol was taking its effect on the three of them, while you were still nursing your first and only glass of wine. Shouta was still on his first drink, as well; a whiskey on the rocks. He suddenly stated, "do you want to go outside and get some fresh air? It's getting a little stuffy in here." You readily agreed, and as you got up, you two let the others know you were going to step outside for a bit. They couldn't care less; they were off in their own worlds dancing.

You two stepped outside into the chilly evening air; it felt so nice. As if he was reading your mind, he exclaimed "this is much better." You smiled up at him and replied, "agreed." Instead of talking, you two instead found yourselves just staring into each other's eyes. And you didn't feel uncomfortable in the slightest. All of a sudden, you felt his warm hand caressing your cheek, and instinctively, you leaned into it. As you two were still looking into each other's eyes, he leaned down and captured your mouth in a kiss. It was just a simple kiss, but you felt like you were on top of the word. You lifted up your arms and wrapped them around his shoulders, and kissed him back, to which he responded by placing his arms around your waist.

******

To be continued!

[specialinterestshows]

When you get a chance 👀👀 do you think you could write a Dom Bronson smut? I’m okay with any kink, but uhhhh him eating out reader 👀 o love you 🥰🩵

Happy one-year anniversary, mi vida 💜

The following is a Dom!Bronson Reed x transmasc!reader oneshot.

Warnings: Daddy kink, praise, blood

-

Tsunami

“Here?” you asked, heart pounding, “Now?”

Bronson Reed smiled at you, having pulled you into a supply closet as soon as he saw you backstage. You’d flown out to watch his match tonight as a surprise. The two of you hadn’t been dating for more than a few months, but the way you made each other feel was undeniable - you couldn’t get enough of each other.

Though your intent had been to show up to support your boyfriend during his match tonight (and see the soft smile he tried not to show anyone else), you were currently sitting on the one section of a table that didn’t have a stack of chairs sitting on it, being touched in just the right ways to make you melt.

“What happened to “I’ll do whatever you want, Daddy”?” Bronson asked, chuckling as you bit your lip at the light mocking. It was, word for word, what you’d said the last time he had looked at you the way he was now.

“What if someone sees?” you asked, already hard and gasping softly as your boyfriend groped you, “Or-or you miss your cue?”

“Cue isn’t for another hour,” he muttered, pulling down your pants and boxers, “And if someone sees, well, lucky them” - he knelt down in front of you, chuckling at how visibly you wanted him - “Now be a good boy for Daddy and keep quiet.”

The moment Bronson’s mouth wrapped around your dick, tongue reaching out to lick your wetness, you arched your back and clasped a hand over your mouth to stifle your moan. His arms wrapped around your thighs, hands gripping to keep your legs apart as he began to flick his tongue faster. He hums against you with satisfaction as you fruitlessly try to grind against his mouth.

“You taste even better than I remember,” your boyfriend tells you, a hungry growl in his voice.

“Daddy-“ you start, but Bronson has you in his mouth again.

You bite your lip hard enough to bleed trying to stay quiet as the suction he creates gets you closer and closer to the edge. Not knowing what else to gag yourself with, you lift your forearm to your face and bite down just a moment before you come.

Bronson teases a finger at your entrance as soon as you start dripping down the side of the table, coaxing another powerful orgasm out of you. The end of a moan escapes as you realized you were no longer paying attention to keeping quiet. Suddenly, voices begin to approach and your boyfriend moves quickly and silently, putting a hand over your mouth as the two of you listen:

“…where he is?”

“No clue.”

“You check the locker room, I’ll…”

The voices and footsteps receded, but Bronson’s hand remained over your mouth.

“What happened to being quiet?” he whispered, moving you so your back was on the table and legs in the air, “Dirty boy. Looks like Daddy is going to have to teach you a lesson.”

Your own underwear was roughly stuffed into your mouth before Bronson pinned you in place, the space between your legs clearly in your vision as your boyfriend put his mouth on you again. Watching him go down on you, eyes gleaming with an intense passion as he held your gaze, made you even more sensitive to every small tongue movement. It wasn’t long before your muffled whines became more frantic, drool soaking your makeshift gag.

Bronson could see how close you were and the slight smirk on his face was the last thing you saw before he sped up and your eyes rolled into the back of your head. This time, when you came, it was all over your own neck and face thanks to the position you were being held in. It only made you come harder, your boyfriend growling his approval between your legs.

He kept going until you raised a hand to stroke his dark hair, now gleaming with sweat. As he lifted his mouth away, his smirk softened into a loving smile. Bronson gingerly pulled your underwear out of your mouth before kissing you.

“Most fun I’ve ever had before a match,” he admitted before licking your face, making you giggle.

As you adjusted to a more comfortable position, wiping your face off with your shirt, your boyfriend crouched down and plucked your phone out of your pants pocket, checking the hour.

“Still got time for another round,” he announced, “What do you say?”

[end fic]

[freshcir]

oc. simay barlas. cis woman. she/her. ― i saw MAVI BADEM on the streets, you know? the 25 years old WITCH, i think they been around beacon hills for 2 YEARS, but i can be wrong… not like they can leave now, anyway. i heard a rumor that they DON’T KNOW ABOUT breaking the seals of lucifer’s cage. they make me think of a moon over calm waters, the smell of lavender, a journal filled with information on other supernatural creatures and hum helmet by steve lacy, you know?

basics

full name : mavi badeem

nicknames : maves, mave

age : 25 (25 physically )

birthday/zodiac : august 19th / leo

gender/pronouns : cis female / she/her

sexual orientation : bisexual

species : witch

occupation : lead receptionist/office worker for the local police station

family : tbd

languages : english, asl, turkish

personality

bad habits … . self-blaming, holing herself up from others

hobbies … . reckless enjoyment (sometimes), working

fears … . facing her killer, not being able to become a mother again

alignment : chaotic good

behind the mask

face claim … . simay barlas

height … . 5'5"

hair color … . brown

eye color … . brown

scars … . one on her left side where she was stabbed

about

Born as the middle child, it didn’t take much to see that she was going to be a problem child. Middle child syndrome hit her and it hit her hard. She was kind and respectful but as she got older she found herself looking for trouble - anything to be seen or heard by her family, even if it meant disdainful looks

Around the time she hit puberty she had already done 2 stints in juvi where she had met a few people who later go on to be her best friends. And maybe it was her being such a problem child but by the time she was 18 and legally an adult her parents essentially kicked her out - forcing her to live her own life without their backing

Having found the determination to start anew, she still lacked in many ways but tried her hardest to embrace this new life, getting her GED and starting college classes. Hell, she even got a decent job working as a part time receptionist for a vet and also a server for a local cafe

Things seemed great by the time she was 23 - she had been dating a good man for some time, she was making a decent income, and she genuinely enjoyed life. The only thing missing was her family, but she found herself too scared to open herself up and get back in touch with them

Before she had a chance to actually try, though, she found her and her boyfriend being mugged. It seemed different though, he didn’t seem to want money or anything, but he had a look in his eyes with the intent to hurt or kill someone. Seeing him go for her boyfriend, she pushed him out of the way and took a knife to the side

Thinking it was the end, she resolved herself to moving on to the other side - hoping that life would be okay for those she had come to love. But, as soon as she closed her eyes she opened to find herself in the hospital - surrounded by those who she knew would be there for her.

Now, with this second chance, she’s finally mustered the courage to return and remake her connections and live a decent life. She wants to try and put herself out there, to actually settle down and get her life together.

[cardierreh15]

The Secret Life of August Walker

Hey guys! This is a 5 part series about what came of our beloved, August Walker. A lot of us question if he truly died or not. But in this tale, he is alive and well. But Nathan Hunt & his Team, hadn’t had a single clue.

I do not give anyone permission to copy or repost my work!!

Warnings 18+: Mentions of Death , Funeral , Cursing , Angst , Grieving .

Description: Mya tries to figure out life without the love of her life.

Pairings: August Walker & Mya (Black!Plus Size Female) (Mentions Nathan, Luther, Benji & Erika (Mother) )

Word Count: 1.4K

Song: A Song For You by Donny Hathaway

Part 1

You never know pain until you’ve had to watch someone you love die. It’s torturing; your brain plays it over and over again until it’s ready to stop. And as soon as you’d think you would have a break… something triggers the memory of the one you’ve lost. Then it starts all over again.

She’d remember that day like it was yesterday. Nathan insisted that she stayed home, that this part of the mission was way too dangerous for her to tag along. At this point, she had already found out about his malicious intents. And she wanted to talk him out of it, she knew the record Nathan had and his targets never get away. She just needed him alive.

Mya and August met 3 years before that mission. He’d been working under Erika Sloane for quite sometime and you were Erika’s daughter. Erika for years talked about August, boasting about how intelligent and talented he was at his job but Mya never wanted to hear it. And it stayed that way until August had to come pick Erika up for work on Friday morning. Boy, how he’d change her life.

‘Hey, you must be—‘

‘Mya. Erika’s daughter.’ She was taken aback by his dashing good looks. His perfectly in place his hair was, his deep blue eyes, and most of all… his incredibly height over her. She was more than impressed.

‘It’s a pleasure. I’ve heard a lot about you.’ As he did. Just as much as Erika was trying with Mya, she was trying with him too.

‘Same.’

Life with August was precious. His mind was like a never ending puzzle piece! He was always researching, learning things on his own accord! It was almost as if she was dating the smartest man alive! She was completely and utterly in love with him. As he was, with her.

Now here she was, hugging his black shiny casket as the organ played away in that church. Everyone kept coming behind her, to console but she wouldn’t dare turn away from him. Even her own mother couldn’t get her away. She just wanted to feel his warmth again. Feel his mustache tickle her full lips as they kissed. Hear his heart beat… but he was gone. And their unborn baby would be without their father.

Mya placed a kiss on his casket, feeling her heart twist and squeeze in her chest. ‘I love you… I miss you so much, babe. How could they take you away from me like this?!’ She asked herself this question every day. Perhaps it was her guiltiness. She knew if she was there, she could’ve stopped all of this. Honestly, she would’ve taken him being a maximum prison for the rest of his life over this shit.

Suddenly, the murmurs in the room grew quiet. Yet the organ just kept playing. She felt her mother grab her arm and squeezed it lightly, ‘Mya.’ She said softly, yet in a feared tone, ‘look.’

Mya stood up straight, concerned about her mother’s torment. Her eyebrows tugged into one before she looked over her shoulder to find Nathan Hunt and his team approaching them. She felt a rush of rage shroud her body. ‘Why are you here?!’

‘Mya,’ Nathan said your name confidently at first but it seem like afterwards he didn’t have much to say. What could he say? “Sorry I killed your lover? It’ll never happen again?” As if he would ever get that chance. ‘I-We’ve come pay our respects. If you’ll have us.’

She so desperately wanted to tell him no, to leave and never come around her family again. But… they were friends at one point… all of them. Her bottom lip quivered once more before you give them a single nod. The poor girl was just too cried out, dried out like a prune.

Once at the graveyard, she sat in the chair in front of casket. She thought she was prepared for this moment but the closer it became, the more it hurt. Once they prayed over his casket one more time, she stood up and walked forward. So sleek and shiny it was. She definitely went all out with it.

Carefully, she wrapped the casket in a big hug one more time. ‘I love you… I love you, August. I love you.’ She just couldn’t stop. And as soon as she thought she had it all together, the twig snapped and she began to sob all over again. ‘I Love you My Baby!’

Erika took Mya away and they dropped the casket in the ground. This had to be one of the worst days of her life.

***

Many months passed and Mya had finally given birth to their healthy baby girl. She was everything Mya could have imagined! So beautiful, a miniature twin of her father. To look into her little baby’s blue eyes pained her, but it also encouraged her to keep going… better days were ahead. And if her father was around, he’d be happy and proud of the both of them.

One particular night, Ava was a bit fussier than usual. Mya got up moaning in exhaustion, ‘Oh not again baby.’ She whined as she crawled out of bed and wandered to the nursery in the next room.

She rubbed her eyes and stood at the doorway of her child’s room where she got a peak of a dark shadow, looming over Ava’s crib. Mya’s mouth fell slightly; fear possessed her body and her feet were glued to the floor. And finally, ‘oh my god.’ She had never experienced an intruder in her home and right now she was more concerned about them harming her child.

The shadow’s head lifted at her small outburst and that movement alone, ‘GET OUT! Get out of my house! I’ll call the police!’ She didn’t have time to run and get her gun. She had to conjure a plan quickly!

The being seem to pay her protest no mind yet, it reached down and touch the baby’s cute little face.

‘DON’T TOUCH HER!’ She exclaimed, ‘This is your last warning! Leave! Or I will call the police!’ She was frustrated, her voice strained.

‘There is no reason for that. Would you label me as an intruder because I didn’t knock Mya?’

That voice. That voice that enchanted her the very first time they had met. A voice she would never forget. She felt like she was dreaming. There’s no way he could be—

So she rushed over to the light switch and flickered it on. He barely moved; only kept his eyes on the baby that laid awake before him. She would recognize his curly hair from a far. But she noticed how he would comb them back if they were uncontrollable. That crooked, broken nose. ‘August?’ She shuddered out in fear.

He’s finally reached down and carefully lifted the baby girl in his arms. ‘Oh my god, .. oh my god, I’m seeing things.’ She placed a hand on her belly as she felt sick to her stomach. August had looked up from Ava to Mya, ‘You’re not. I’m here baby.’

Mya stood there with her eyes damn near popped out of her skull. They were glossed over with tears and even without blinking, they flowed from her brown orbs like waterfalls.

She was shaking. Absolutely terrified.

He held their little baby in his arms; whispering little cute words down at her. He then pressed the tip of his nose against their baby’s curly head of hair, and placed a kiss there. ‘Mommy has gone mad.’ He chuckled as the baby cooed at him.

‘August…’ she called out to him.

He finally looked up at her and gave her a soft smile. ‘Mya,’ he sized her. Studying her body language. She was fucking terrified. With good reason!

She swore she saw him dead in a box. This has to be a sick fucking dream.

‘I know this is a lot to process… but if you give me the chance… I can explain everything. But first— come here.’

Mya stood there for a second longer before she finally took small steps towards him.

He held his hand out for her to grab.

She reached out… hesitated for a second before finally placing her hand in his.

‘I’m real.’

The woman squeezed his hand a little harder before a broken sob ripped from her chest. ‘August.’

He brought her into a hug with his free arm as he held their daughter with the other. ‘I know. It’s alright.’ He said softly, gently placing his chin on top of her head.

[donaidk]

INQUISITIONE - PIERRE GASLY Part I

This was the first ever fic I posted here on Tumblr or anywhere else as a present for @x-lipstickstain-x. Always was one of my faves even if I abandoned it once I got myself way too deep into other fics as well. Now it's time to give it a makeover, rewriting every part and adding a few bits and bobs cause my style got better since and I'm not scared to admit it was rushed at a few bits. Hope you guys will enjoy it 🧡

Now reading: Part I (- | Part II)

Masterlist

Travelling to Monaco wasn’t exactly part of my plans, right until my invitation for the Laureus Sports Awards Ceremony. It wasn’t exactly unexpected as there has been chatter going around about a possible nomination for my performance in the last year. However, from the moment I had to miss out on a few dates in the championship calendar thanks to injuries and precautions it seemed like my chance faded away slowly but surely. Even after getting the invite the idea of getting to take the award home never crossed my mind, mostly thanks to my own brother. Julien being a well known name in the same sport on a lower level and loving to act like my manager meant our work was almost the only topic we seemed to discuss. He was always a strict person, more with keeping me in top shape than anything else in his own life, which often unfolded in using missed opportunities as a crude type of motivation. In this exact setting, he never let me forget that I would be missing out on a prestigious award because I just wouldn’t push through setbacks hard enough. His words for ‘you will get there next time around, don’t worry’ as I like to imagine.

That said, the invite was almost swept under the rug as I suspected it would just be a night of heartache and longing right until Julien caught a whiff of it. I could partially agree with him that not attending was a sore loser type of choice, but I wasn’t embarrassed to accept that it’s exactly how I was feeling. Like a sore loser. Even as I was getting ready for the evening my brain was struggling to understand how Julien managed to change my mind about attending. He tried using Charles being a guest of the event, someone who he was great friends with since they met a few years ago and who I tolerated but only considered as an acquaintance. It somehow worked in a way that we decided to accept the invite just for him to be my plus one, giving him a chance to spend some time with Charles who according to Julien was happy about the news during their next phone call.

My only relief was that Julien agreed to get a hotel room instead of staying with Charles, being crammed into a typical small Monaco flat being a nightmare of mine. Having our own rooms gave me the breathing space I sometimes needed from him and meant we could have our usual very different routines without them clashing and causing arguments like usual. It was almost a mystery how people could even guess we were siblings, with all the differences from our personality and mindset to how we looked. Patience levels being one of our biggest differences.

“ Are you finally ready? ” I heard Julien from the living room of the hotel room. He showed up half an hour ago, stating that we’re gonna be late even though we still had an hour to get into a car as we previously planned with the intention of arriving early.

“ You were the one who was too early. ” I rolled my eyes while clasping my earrings and standing up from the little desk that had all of my makeup and hair stuff on it. “ Does your patience really not exist or is it just me who doesn’t deserve any of it? ” I asked him as I stepped out of the bedroom only to get one of the bags that had my heels in them.

“ Don’t start it. Today should be a calm evening. ” He stood up, just missing my eye roll, stepping to the door while I slid my feet into the shoes and followed him outside as soon as I had my jacket in my hands. I wasn’t planning on catching a cold, even though Monaco was usually warm. It was February, and we were lucky enough to be met with quite cold weather for the weekend of the event. “ You look good. ” He added as I made sure the door was closed but then walked past him, without taking a look at him.

’ You’re not saving it with that. ’ I shook my head at my thoughts, rather just looking forward and calling the elevator as we got to it. Sometimes I hated how cold we could be to each other while just a second later we could joke around with grins on our faces. The rarer exchange between us. It was truly a strange siblingship we managed to build up. I couldn’t even call it a usual brother-sister situation. Even if on most days he truly acted like an older brother, looking out for me and making sure I wasn’t hurt by anything or anyone. There just should have been more of that than anything else he decided to add to our lives. “ Charles meeting us at the venue? ” I asked once the silence in the elevator took a toll on me.

„ I think so. ” He shrugged a little, stepping outside as we arrived and went to get us the car that was promised. “ He said he’s gonna text me if he arrives or decides to get a car with us. Which he didn’t do yet, so I’m guessing he will meet us there. ” He checked his phone again, letting me leave the building first after he opened the door. I got my jacket on my shoulders, as my dress was quite open, and followed Julien to the car that was parked next to the building.

He and Charles met at a sports event two years ago, becoming friends instantly. Since then they have spent quite some time together, visiting each other in Monaco or France, and even going on vacations when they had a break at the same time. It was quite rare, as the F1 winter break was the main part of our season, leaving only the summer break for them to travel together. Somehow I never really got close to Charles, even though I did spend time with them when they had a plan together or were spending time at our apartment while I still lived with Julien in France. I never had a problem with him, he was a great guy. We just never really connected and needed each other's company when we had the chance to be together.

Ten minutes later we were already at the venue, the opening of the car door yanking me back from my memories immediately. We managed to enter the building without any hold up, showing our passes at the entrance and deciding to walk around a bit so we could check out everything before we would have to sit down at our table. It wasn’t long before we both got a glass of champagne and found some skiing friends we stopped to talk to. Julien was in the middle of one of his interesting stories, that we probably already heard from him like four times when I spotted Charles coming our way from the other side of the room. I poked my brother on his shoulder to get his attention, almost getting a glare from him in exchange before he spotted his friend and a grin crept onto his face. He still quickly finished his story, before excusing us out of the conversation and leading both of us to Charles. I didn’t really plan on following him but he made it visible that he wanted me to be by his side so I won’t get lost in the crowd.

“ Welcome to Monaco, guys! How have you been? ” Charles grinned at us as we finally stood in front of him, greeting both of us with a short hug. He wasn’t alone though, a stranger standing next to him, with a glass in his hand. Although his face was familiar, I couldn’t really connect it to a name in my head. However, they didn’t really pay any attention to him as they started talking immediately. It was quite awkward to stand there looking at either each other or my brother and Charles. Luckily one of the hosts saved the moment, by requesting everyone to take their seat at a table, making us walk towards the sitting area. We walked next to each other, following Julien and Charles, not really knowing how to handle the situation, before getting brave enough to finally open my mouth.

“ I don’t think we’ve met before. I’m Fleur, Julien’s sister. ” I turned to him when we had to wait for the queue to move. If it would have been on the two idiots in front of us, we would have ended the night not even knowing each other's names.

“ Pierre, Charles’s childhood friend. Although you wouldn’t be able to tell. ” He let out a laugh looking at his friend who was so deep in the conversation with my brother that he almost tripped on his own foot. The scene made me shake my head with a smile as we followed them through the crowd to an empty table with six chairs next to it in a half-circle shape.

The two of them straight away sat down on the farthest two of the chairs next to each other, not leaving space for Pierre who in the end chose the chair on my left as I got next to Julien. I was trying to get my jacket behind me, somehow getting it stuck every time I tried, when he took it from me and in a swift motion smoothed it onto the back of my chair. I thanked him with a quick smile, looking back forward as the hosts appeared on the stage to start the whole event.

“ I never thought I would feel such a third wheel in my life again. ” Pierre whispered to me almost ten minutes into it, as Charles and Julien were still talking between them, not even caring about us.

“ You haven't spent enough time with my brother yet. He can make you feel like that even if you are alone with him. ” I sighed, looking at him as it wasn’t even that interesting on the stage. “ I don’t really like spending time with the two of them if there isn’t someone else with us. ” I shrugged my shoulders, as I took a sip from my drink.

“ He sounds like great company. ” He chuckled, making me smile too, although it was actually sad how little he cared about anything outside of his own feelings. But that’s Julien. You either deal with it or just leave him behind. “ I think Charles already mentioned you once. You compete in skiing, right? ” His question left me stunned for just a second, his interest surprising from someone who didn't exactly plan on meeting new people tonight.

“ Yeah. Some might call me a professional adrenaline junkie though. ” I was relaxed enough to let out a chuckle at my own joke and he seemed to be on board, a smile taking over his face.

“ Think I might know a thing or two about how that feels. ” He added with a huff of air, making me finally remember where I have seen him before. His face finally connected to a few pictures I have seen of Charles and him, as well as his name was in almost every story I have heard from the other F1 driver from our few meetings.

I suspected his interest would quite soon fade as the night went on but he seemed to be an active partner, both of us falling into an easy conversation about our sports and the lives we were in a way subjected to outside of it. It was evident he was subjected to the downsides of fame as F1 took up an ever growing part of the entertainment business but he didn’t seem to be affected by it as much as I had imagined at first. It was captivating how he talked about racing and driving those cars, making me actually excited to maybe watch some races in the upcoming season. It wasn’t something I never did, as I already watched some of the races, but it was never something I paid much attention to, mostly just turning it on as background noise. It took us a moment to finally connect the dots, but once he mentioned the team he was driving for I couldn’t hold back my smile as I mentioned I just got sponsored by Red Bull at the start of my season. It was a coincidence we had a good laugh about, confused how we haven’t heard more about each other before tonight.

“ You should come out to a race if you have time. It’s a lot better in person. ” He offered with a little smile and I was about to respond when Julien chose the exact moment to finally remember they weren’t alone and started talking to me.

“ You know, you should be up there. ” He bumped my shoulder with his, making me look up and realise they were just talking about my category. Someone who didn’t know him would have thought it was sweet of him, but I just knew he wasn’t finished. “ Maybe if you would have actually pushed yourself, you know. ” He added, with a smirk on his face as my smile faded.

“ Says someone, who still didn’t get any awards either. ” I bit back at him, trying to hide how uncomfortable it made me feel that he’s doing this in front of other people. My head started to boil although I got myself together in seconds.

„ Well, the male categories are a lot harder. But getting into yours should be effortless. ” He shrugged, making my jaw visibly drop, as I couldn’t believe that my own blood would make a comment like this. I saw the surprise on Charles' face too, but he didn’t dare speak up and I just wanted to get out of this conversation before I would regret my next action. I only saw him act like this when he was tipsy, but even his champagne glass was sitting more than half full in front of him.

„ Talk to me if you come to your senses. ” I told him, standing up and leaving the table as soon as I could, choosing to sit at the bar alone rather than stay next to him. “ Calm evening my ass. ” I muttered as his words from before we left the hotel immediately came back to me.

Drinking wasn’t exactly on my list of activities tonight, as I liked to keep it light during the season, but I rather ordered a light cocktail just to give the bartender something else to do than stand and stare after hearing our exchanged words just seconds ago. With him walking to the other side of the bar to prepare the colourful drink I could finally let out the breath stuck in my lungs, holding myself back from turning on the bar chair. I knew Julien would be content enough to stay put and leave me be, inside feeling like he once again won an argument. It was easier to deal with emotions without each other. Sometimes I really didn’t know what I was waiting for when I knew quite well how he can be, and how much he doesn’t know the limits that shouldn’t be touched. These moments made me understand why I moved away from and why I wasn’t on the same team as him anymore.

“ You okay? ” Pierre wasn’t trying to sneak up on me, but still managed, my heart jumping when he appeared next to me, already occupying another chair.

“ Yeah, just the usual. I’ll just leave him to it. You can’t be next to him when he’s in that mindset. ” I swirled my drink as soon as it was placed in front of me, looking at how it went around the wall of the glass. “ Or at least I can’t. ” I huffed out, putting the glass down before I would accidentally break it.

„ He will probably realise what he said was wrong. ” Pierre sent a calming smile towards me, making me smile too although it still felt sour inside. With a little nod, I tried changing the topic back to where we left off, hoping it would make me forget the last two minutes of my life.

It actually helped, talking to him calmed me down and just minutes later I felt like nothing bad happened today, and everything was perfect since I woke up. Pierre did have this effect, probably on every person on this Earth and also on me, that you just focused on talking to him and forgot where you were and what happened before you started the conversation with him. We went over how I started ski jumping and my journey until now, but we also touched on his career and what he did since he started. I never knew people who were racing cars as a job, so it was the first time for me to learn about how their lives actually look like. It wasn’t at all as glamorous as one would think in quite a few aspects. The event was slowly approaching its end when I started feeling how tired I actually was. The only thing I was dreading was me having to travel back to the hotel in the same car as Julien. I really wasn’t looking forward to it.

“ Think I’m gonna run before it really ends. I don’t really care about sitting in the same car as him. ” I sighed, not even naming Julien as I knew he would know who I’m talking about. “ A nice walk to clear my head further. ” I sighed once I realised we came here in the same car and it would be contracted to take both of us, subjecting me to either walk to the hotel as a cab won't even be worth it.

“ I can take you back. I don’t mind leaving a little early and Charles has his own car here, so he won’t mind me leaving either. ” Pierre stood up after me, making me look up at him. I didn’t really react to him at first and I could see in his eyes that he was about to take back his offer, thinking he did bad.

„ I wouldn’t say no to that. ” I smiled at him gladly, taking my purse from the bar so we could go. “ Only if you truly don’t mind driving me and then getting yourself home. ” I added as I really didn’t want to be a burden on him.

“ I’m a driver, it won’t strain me. ” He let out a laugh, making me join in as we walked outside. It was a lot colder and even windier than when we arrived here. “ Oh, my jacket… ” I looked back as soon as it hit me that I left it inside. I was just about to go back, even though I hated the thought of having to talk to Julien as I had to take it from next to him, when my shoulders got covered with comfortable warmth and looking back forward I saw as Pierre let go of his own coat that was now on me.

“ Stay here, I’m gonna get my car and pick you up from here. ” He said before I could even react to him giving me his jacket, and the only thing I could do was wait while I watched him walk away, towards the parking lot. My surprise would have been evident for any onlooker, as I stood there clutching his jacket around myself and thinking about what was actually happening.

It wasn’t even five minutes later when he parked down in front of me and I got into the sportscar. I wasn’t really surprised that he had one but still, it took me off guard for a second before I shook myself out of it. He was a smooth driver, I didn’t have any problems with his style and he did get me to the hotel in one piece. I was actually sad when it was time for me to get out and say goodbye to him, but I really hoped we would meet sometime again, but couldn’t muster up the courage to ask for his number or offer mine to him. I would have gladly had a chat with him once in a while about anything though. He was a perfect conversation partner, next to whom you can easily mention anything without fearing his response.