#but seriously she’s so goddamn cute I think I’m gonna explode

[murdleandmarot]

@charliesinfern0 THEY’RE FINALLY HAVING THEIR PLAYDATE RAHHH!!!

[hunt4tlow]

HUNTLOW IN WATCHING AND DREAMING WHAT DO YOU THINK?

I don’t think we’re gonna get any more flashy huntlow moments (especially not a kiss… sorry I’m not that optimistic) BUT a cute little moment in like. a flash forward montage could be cute.

We finally see willow using glyphs in the trailer, maybe she’s finally ready to branch out beyond plant magic and obviously has a wild magic enthusiast boyfriend to guide her. Perhaps we’ll get a moment where hunter shows her some glyph combos and what they do!

(And maybe willow, like amity, realises how goddamn hard it is to draw a perfect circle, like seriously, what the hell luz??? so hunter holds her hand and helps guide it across the paper, pressing down once it’s finished and creating a plethora of flowers. Willow, amazed, plucks one out of the ground, offering it to hunter in thanks. He’s blushing so hard he might explode)

[kiridarling]

𝐎𝐔𝐑 𝐋𝐈𝐓𝐓𝐋𝐄 𝐆𝐑𝐎𝐔𝐏𝐈𝐄

d.kaminari and h.sero | f!reader + corruption + weed/shotguning + praise + threesome + more! minors dni!

— 3.6k words

"I knew I wanted you the second I saw you."

Denki’s addicted to the pre-concert high.

His veins hum with a song that has yet to start, fingers drumming some mixed beat on the body of his electric guitar as he assumes his place on the dark stage. The theater’s dead silent, the room suspended in a titilating anticipation—and the steady rhythm Denki's heart dissapates into chaos when the faint crack of Eijirou's drumsticks bounce off the walls, and the click in his earpiece begins.

Eijirou hits the kick drum once. Twice. Then his hands fly across the set in a flurry, the rolling beat echoing into the packed arena and spurring the crowd to explode, fans flying to their feet to render their vocal cords for the night.

As the other instruments fill the blank space, Denki's hand grips the back of his guitar's neck, on hold for his solo, and by the time the electric blond steps up to the mic, pavlov's theory has already kicked in overdrive.

"Who’s ready to feel good tonight?”

“Dude, I’m on fucking fire!” Denki vibrates, nearly glowing in comparison to his bandmates as they sift through a flurry of fans at a meet and greet. It always seems like Denki and Eijirou are the only ones with energy after a good show—but what can he say? Being on stage lights him up like a live wire.

"You said that last concert, buddy," Hanta snorts, before his a fan ran sacks his attention by shoving a tiara into his hairline.

"And? My point still stan—" Denki cuts himself off with a gasp as a bra slings across his face, followed by a burst of pain when the metal hits him in the cheek. He peels the lacy thing off with an eye on the audience and an eyebrow raised in question, unsure of what to do with the undergarment (other than put it on) until someone screams:

“Sign it!”

Denki shrugs and pops the Sharpie cap with his teeth to sign the crest of both cups before flinging it back into the audience—he can only pray it pinpoints its rightful owner before the meet and greet ends.

Katsuki clicks his tongue (because he hates these events) and as the next round of fans lineup in front of their table, Eijirou stretches like this is a sport, saying, “Guess it’s go-time.”

"Go-time is when we perform," Katsuki grumbles in the seat to Denki’s right. "Go-time is when we're in the studio makin' a goddamn album, not meeting crazy fuckin' fans—no, I’m not gonna marry you, you obsessed fuckin—“

“Oh, you're just salty you're not popular with the ladies~“ Denki gushes, wiggling his eyebrows, and a fan hands him a canvas the size of his upper body. “Un—oh wow, did you make this for me—Unlike me, of course.”

"Okay, pretty boy." Hanta rolls his eyes, before signing a phone case and returning it to an overzealous fan. With a hand covering his mouth, he whispers, “Can you believe this guy? So full of himself, I swear.”

The fan giggles and Hanta meets the blushing cheeks with a satisfied smirk. Denki huffs from the disrespect, crossing both arms over his chest. “Full of myself? It’s not my fault I’m sexy—*an autograph? Of course!"

Katsuki chuckles, scratching under his chin with ink blue fingertips, "Call yourself sexy one more fuckin’ time and I'm projectile vomiti—no, I'm not signing your tits, give me a goddamn paper or somethin—"

"What?” Denki scoffs, chest collapsing with the disbelief that one could make such a lie. “I'm literally the definition of I'm sexy and I kno—"

"Um, excuse me?"

His gesticulations freeze at the passive voice, arms stretched wide and to the sky, and Denki knows he has to look absolutely ridiculous as he blinks down at the next person in-line; who's stood with bambi eyes and such a sweet smile the electric blond thinks it might make him sick.

"I-I'm your biggest fan! Could you—um, please sign this for me?"

She comes alive, shoving a poster into his chest with pink cheeks and shifty irises. Out of all the bras, all the breasts he's been asked to sign today, and here you are, with your pocket-sized poster and your lamb countenance. Denki beams.

"Of course, Sweetness! What's your name?"

"[Y/N]!" you say, giggling, and it's so. Cute. Denki opens the Sharpie and struggles to focus on signing instead of your gorgeous fucking face.

"Anything specific you'd like me to say?"

And he knows there's a rule—there always are when it comes to these things, and it's simple: don't fuck the fans. As tempting as it is, don't invite them back to your hotel room because there are too many uncertainties, and if something leaks to the press that’s possibly career ending, that’s it. So, Denki holds his tongue. For the future of himself and the band.

"Uhm, just write what you want! I...I think I'd like it best if it was authentic and came straight from you, so."

Fuck. Of course she does.

And maybe Denki just can't help it when he leans down to speak, perhaps a little lower, "You want something more authentic, cutie?"

You light up like a kid on Christmas, gasping, "Yes please Mr. Kaminari!"

So eager, too.

"Awe, you can call me Denki if you'd like," he coos, and you nod so quickly he starts to worry about whiplash. "Meet me out back, in the alley behind the venue if you wanna get to know me better. Sound like a deal?”

"O-Okay!" You nod, and when he returns your sign you grip it tight between both hands. "I'll um, see you soon Mr. Kami—I mean, D-Denki!"

You flush from the mix up and bow in apology, and Denki knows he's made the right choice when you light up, indicating you have no idea what he meant at all.

"Row row row your boat, gently down the stream," you hum, sniffling. You’re unsure if your nose is running, it's too frozen to tell, and it has you patting to confirm it’s presence. With your hands stuffed in your pockets and a jacket wrapped tight around your body, you'd think you'd be warm, but no.

The alley is dark. It's dank enough that you can smell it and you're positive what you're dancing in is vomit, but none the matter—today, you met your favorite band. Literally the people you'd die for.

"Merrily, merrily," kicking the loose rocks in the gravel every which way, you enjoy the sound of them scattering against the surrounding brick walls. "Merrily, merrily..."

"Life is but a dream," a voice finishes, a yelp rips from your throat and you jump twenty feet in alarm. But you’d know that voice anywhere; Denki chuckles at your reaction and it has you recoiling with timidity, unprepared for the surprised audience. "You have a lovely voice, Cutie. You should use it more often."

"I..." but you're not exactly sure what to say to that, knowing Denki's heard so many professional voices in his career to last a lifetime, and yet yours is lovely. "T-Thank you."

Denki watches your reaction with a hum and a smile, his visible breath escaping between the slit of his lips and into the cool air.

"Of course, Cutie."

Another voice sighs, shattering the friction that fills your gut when Denki gives you that look. You're not sure what to call it, but it makes you shiver, and that's enough to make you to run and hide.

"...Denki, who's this?"

"Um," the blond places his frozen hands in his pockets and swivels his head around to Hanta, guilty written all over his face. "A fan?"

Hanta sighs again, head tilting to the right in exhausperation, “Denki—"

"I know, I know," the electric blond sighs, waving him off. "But it's fine as long as we don't get caught, right?"

Hanta's black hair threatens to fall into his face so he combs through it, and you try not to drool at the sight of his bicep flexing. "Yeah, until we get caught."

A honk blares and it has you shrieking, to reveal a parked tour bus in the alley once the lights flicker on. Denki points the car keys at the vehicle and the doors swing open. "Awe c'mon, don't be a sour puss. It's a one-time thing, alright?"

Hanta's eyes narrow into slits.

"Seriously, dude! I'm a man of my word! On God."

The noirette's shoulders sag, but he waltzes around both of you to get on the bus. Over his shoulder, he warns, "Denki I swear to fucking god—"

"I'll be careful, I'll be careful~" he singsongs, hopping onto the stairs after the pianist. When Denki notices not you're not moving, he stills at the top step. "You coming, [Y/N]?"

"O-Oh, am I um, am I allowed?" You ask, biting your cheek at the thought of what Hanta just said as you peer around the electric blond’s body. Denki snorts, rolling his eyes.

"Yes, you're allowed," he exits the bus, only to tug you on via your collar. "Now c'mon! Let's have some fun, yeah?"

"Okay!"

Denki steers you through the bus and into a space that looks a bit like a living room, with a couch, tv, and a makeshift kitchen in the corner. Following Denki to the kitchen, you look around.

"Where are Kirishima and Bakugou?"

"Out drinking," Denki tosses, flicking open a RedBull. You wonder if this is always the post-concert routine. Hanta fiddles in with something on the couch, but he still has yet to look you in the eyes tonight, even when you ask him:

"What are you doing?"

It seems he didn't realize you’ve relocated from the kitchen to the couch next to him from the noirette nearly jumps. The green stuff in his fingers crumbles, and you scrunch your nose at the smell.

"It stinks," you add. Denki snorts, jumping onto the cushion to your right. There isn’t a whole lot of room and his addition causes your shoulders to slush between the two of them, but it’s strangely comfortable.

"It's weed," he explains like it's obvious. "You smoke, Cutie?"

"Obviously not," you and Hanta say at the same time. You turn his way, and for the first time that night, Hanta looks you in the eyes—and it's a smile, with his eyes crinkling in the corners, but there's...something else. Something else hidden behind the thinnest veil that makes you cower, if ever so slightly.

Something feral.

Denki, unaware of the crushing grip your hand has around your thigh, huffs, and tosses the energy drink down his gullet, "It was a genuine question! Geez."

"What are you doing?" You ask again, and the electric blond whimpers from being ignored.

"Rolling a joint," he utters, lifting the paper to his lips to lick the length. You watch, semi-disgusted, as Hanta finally folds over the last bit of paper around the crest of the joint, gluing it together.

"Know what a joint is?" The noirette implores.

"Yeah," you breathe, shifting at the new closeness Denki provides when you feel his chest against your back. "My roommate smokes, so."

Hanta taps it on a tray, or what Denki describes as "packing it down," before twisting the tip and tossing it back onto the tray in conclusion. Denki cheers.

"Aha! The joint-rolling master has blessed us! Everyone say thank you, joint-rolling master."

"Thank you, joint-rolling master!" You giggle when Hanta's face turns a ruddy red. He reaches over to pop Denki upside the head. Denki gasps, before lunging to return the favor, and you squeal from being jostled between two men.

"Okay," when Denki returns to his seat he's panting and so is the noirette. He picks the joint off the tray and though there isn't much room, turns so he's facing you, your legs smushed against his body indian style. "You ready, Cutie?"

"As ready as I'll ever be," you huff, swinging your arms in preparation despite the lack of space. Just in case.

Hanta snorts, holding the joint to your lips, and Denki raises the lighter and raises it to the end until it's hot enough to burn on its own.

“Now suck."

You do, cheeks puffing, and you blow the smoke straight in Denki's face. It's...a lot.

"Not quite," Hanta chuckles, and flips you via the waist so you're facing him. Denki whines from the change but finds solace in hooking his chin over your shoulder. "Suck, and then inhale. Act like it's a big breath—you gotta hold it in your lungs for a sec."

"Okay," you assert with a nod, eyes burning with a new determination. When Hanta holds it to your lips, you suck and inhale, and start coughing your throat raw, in a flurry of smoke and tears, eyes watering and nose burning. You scramble for water, but by the time you get some, the only thing that's left to soothe is a sore throat.

"Here," Denki offers, grabbing the joint before flipping you his way again. "Take smaller hits, like this."

Denki's mouth wraps around the tip and smoke pours from his lips so smoothly you're determined to do the same. With a raised eyebrow, he passes it back to you, and though it takes a moment, you try again.

The back of your throat tingles but the glide is much smoother, and you find that it doesn't burn on your next exhale. So you do it again. And again. And agai—

"Okay," Hanta picks the joint from your fingers with a click of his tongue, before taking a hit himself. You frown, making grabby hands.

"Hey, wai—"

"Nu-uh," he tuts, pushing you down by your forehead. "You'll feel it soon enough, trust me."

You whine, crossing your arms over your chest. Hanta gives you nothing but a raised eyebrow as he takes another hit, and you're convinced it's to taunt you. "I'm not eve—"

But then the world blurs, a bit, and your legs hum in a way they haven't before; it's warm and it's nice, and it has you blinking down at your hands in bewilderment. Whoa.

"And there she goes," Denki announces, and somehow seized the joint from the noirette when you weren't looking. Your mouth drops to say something, but all you can produce is a light giggle before it melts into a guffaw that only comes straight from the gut, your hands trying to soothe your cramping belly. Tears come to your eyes fairly easily, and when Hanta asks if you're okay he sounds like he's underwater, and that's enough to send you flying through another fit of laughs.

"I—y-yeah, I'm just—just fine," you snort behind a hand, chest spasming as you finally gather yourself enough to calm down. "I'm good. Mhm."

"Yep. Totally fine," Hanta says, but something in his tone suggests he doesn't believe you at all.

You nod, biting your bottom lip to avoid another laugh attack with your hands bunching the bottom of your shirt for extra purchase. Hanta narrows his eyes while taking another hit, so you sock him in the shoulder with a huff. "Stop looking at me like that."

The noirette snorts, "Like what?"

"Like..." you start strong, but falter under his eyes. "Like you want to eat me."

Hanta hums at the comment but says nothing, and you're not sure if your mind fabricated the quick look he gives the electric blond sat behind you. Denki speaks first.

"Do you know what shotgunning is, [Y/N]?"

You frown, "Like a shotgun?"

"So no," Hanta answers for you.

"Here," Denki offers, turning you again. Plucking the nub of a joint from the noirette, he takes a big hit before picking your face up by the jaw and hovering your lips over yours. You're not sure what to do, but once your lips connect, smoke fills your lungs, and you don't exhale until Denki pulls away. You blink, a little dazed.

You just kissed Denki Kaminari.

"Feel good?" He asks, never leaving your personal space. You nod, and he grins. "Wanna do it again?"

Your hands fist his shirt, teeth tearing the inside of your cheek due to the amount of embarrassment this question encourages. "I wan—can we do it again but without the um...without the smoke?"

Denki's hands find your hips and it's hard for him to contain a sly smirk, biting his lips to move in on his prey.

"I knew I waned you the second I saw you."

Denki's lips feel much better when he puts a little weight into the kiss, pinning you between him and the noirette. You're not exactly sure what you're doing but he takes the lead, titling his head and kissing harder, rougher, so your lips are pink and swollen by the time he pulls away.

"A-Another," you whimper, tightening your grip around his tee.

Denki hums in contemplation, picking your head up by your chin. "Ask nicely, Cutie."

Flushing deeper, your eyes dart to the coffee table.

“Another, please."

"Good girl," Denki coos, and he's propping you up against Hanta's chest. You shiver at the comment, finding purchase on Hanta's thighs as Denki kisses you on the lips again. "Wanna feel even better?"

"Yes," you nod vehemently. "Yes please."

Denki hums at that, climbing down your body as his hands glide from your waist to the band of your pants. You frown, "What—What are you doing?"

"Eating you out, Cutie," the electric blond says, hands freezing once his thumbs dip under your waistband. "That okay?"

"Oh okay," you breathe, relaxing against Hanta's chest. "Y-Yeah, that's fine."

Denki rips your pants off at that, tossing them towards the corner of the room and ultimately, to a place you'll probably never find them. Pushing your panties to the side, he licks his lips at the sight of your pussy, and flicks your clit with a smirk. You jump.

"H-Hey, that's not—"

He flattens his tongue against your slit and chuckles when you shudder, and after tossing both of your legs over his shoulders. You're not sure what he does after that though, because Hanta picks your face up by the chin and presses his lips to yours.

Denki slides a finger inside and you squeal against Hanta's chapped lips. You hear the electric blond moan, readjusting himself between your thighs, before you finally peel your lips off the noirette's, chest having from lack of oxygen.

"Such a pretty pussy, Baby," Denki gushes before his warm lips fold around your clit and he sucks, humming in surprise when you buck against his mouth. Hanta hooks his chin around your shoulder with a second joint dangling between his lips—and where it came from is beyond you.

Once he exhales, the joint finds its way between your lips and he instructs you to inhale, and the head rush afterwards has you digging your head into his chest.

"You're so wet, holy shit," Denki pulls away, lips strawberry pink and glossed with slick as he trades his both for his thumb and inserting another finger. It crooks just right and that's enough to make your hips buck, nails carving crescents in Hanta's thighs.

“T-There,” you whimper, wiggling your hips again, and Denki grins, thumb pressing into your clit. Your thighs quiver with the strain it takes to hold them back and Hanta’s calloused hands skip to your waist after dropping the burning joint off in the tray.

“Pull his hair,” the noirette commands, but you hesitate, hands glued to his thighs. Hanta sighs, reaching over you to tug for himself.

“Mph—fuck!” Denki’s eyelids flutter as he moans into your pussy with a new passion, his hands wrapping around your thighs to hold you in place. You gasp at his reaction, fingers scrambling under Hanta’s own to thread through his electric blond hair.

“Move your hips—grind against his face, c’mon,” Hanta’s grip tightens around your waist as he offers the suggestion, and you whimper with a nod before your bucking into Denki’s mouth without abandon. As the noirette trails butterfly kisses up the column of your neck, the coil in your gut snaps, and you barely have time to squeak out a warning before you’re flooding Denki’s mouth.

“Good girl...ride it out—there you go,” Hanta coos, biting your ear. You shiver as Denki pulls away with a final (and obscene) slurp, grinning like he didn’t just shatter you to pieces with nothing but his tongue and fingers.

Denki’s lips are on yours in a blink—you moan, legs still buzzing from the afterglow as you weakly grope for the small hairs on the back of his neck.

“Taste good, don’t ya?” He says with a click of a tongue after pulling away.

“I guess so,” you flush, the humiliation from so shamelessly digging your heels into Denki’s back finally settling in. Hanta reaches under your arm for Denki’s chin.

“What? Want a taste too?” The electric blond giggles, wiggling his eyebrows. Hanta snorts.

“If you could be so kind.”

Denki hums at that, placing a hand on your inner thigh for balance as he slams his lips on the noirette’s for the first time that night. He dives straight for the kill, tongue and teeth and everything, and Denki moas when Hanta’s teeth sink into his bottom lip; you find that you like it a lot.

Though eventually you tired of watching, and press the heel of your hand on Hanta’s hard cock through the fabric of his jeans. The pianist hisses, and you grin—you’ve got their attention now.

“Whoa Sweetheart, what are y—“

“I...I want more,” you assert despite the tremor in your voice. Hanta raises an eyebrow in question which has you pressing harder in hopes he’ll cave just as easily as before. Just in case, you add, “Please.”

Denki redirects your attention by squishing your cheeks until you’re looking him in the eyes. With dark eyes, he says, “You sure you want more, Cutie?”

You nod despite the restriction, “Wanna...wanna get to know you better.”

You watch Denki’s pupils dialate at that, and he can’t even hold back a groan when he says:

“Gods, Baby. We’re going to ruin you.”

unpopular opinion: bakugou's the bassist and kirishima's the drummer. fight me.

not me projecting 12yo sun's fantasy of getting railed in the tour bus by 5sos um—

[that-sarcastic-writer]

Overprotective- Spencer Reid X Reader

Fandom: Criminal Minds

Pairing: Spencer Reid X Young!Reader

Request by @ghostofmags : can we get a spencer imagine where the reader is younger and he likes to think he has to protect her because she also is very smol :) thanks

Warnings: cursing, like lots of it, angst, relationship problems, specified female reader, fluff at the end

WC: 1.7k

Tag list

A/N: little note here, so when I read younger I thought ten or so years younger. So Spencer is let's say 38 or 39 (pretty much his actual age) and reader is about 28. Also, I might mention the fact that reader is shorter than Spencer, because that's what it says on the request, it's not a big deal, but I'm saying anyways in case someone doesn't like that. But honestly idrk if this is what you wanted? But, here it is, I'm so sorry if this isn't what you wanted

You hadn't exchanged a word since you landed. There was so much tension radiating between you and Spencer you could cut it slick with a knife. And it wasn't because you didn't have anything to say. God no. You had so much to say you felt like you were going to explode. But you were professional and you didn't want to make a scene in front of the team. So you waited until you were at the privacy of your shared apartment to make a scene. And the moment you heard Spencer shut the front door behind him, you started yelling.

"I can't fucking believe you, Spencer!" You yelled at the Doctor, your voice just echoing on the walls.

Needless to say, Spencer was not in the mood, nor had the energy to deal with you right now. The case the team had been working on was a particularly long and difficult one and he was exhausted. He let out a long and exasperated sigh, running a hand through his brown curls, mentally preparing himself to deal with you, "can we not do this right now? I'm exhausted, I really don't want to fight." He pretty much begged, sounding exhausted beyond relief. In a different situation, you would've been more reasonable, more understanding and you would've let it go. But this time, it just became too much, you were too angry and too frustrated with him to let it go.

"Oh no, we're doing this right now. You're gonna listen to everything I have to say." You said almost sternly, crossing your arms over your chest. You were just trying not to snap, you really were trying. But the response he gave you wasn't helping, at all.

He sighed again and closed his eyes, rubbing his forehead before speaking, "look, you can yell at me all you want. Tomorrow. I'm really not in the mood to deal with this right now." He half rolled his eyes and sighed, starting to walk away. Probably not the wisest choice.

You watched him out of the corner of your eye as he started to walk away, your lips pursing together irritatingly, "Spencer, don't walk away or I swear to God." You pretty much growled, your words coming out harsher than you intended to and a hand came to grab his forearm, making him stop dead on his tracks. You could've sworn you heard him mutter under his breath as he took a few steps back until you let his arm go.

"What." Was his only response, his tone absolutely stripped of emotion and care, and he held an equally blank face expression. It took all of your will power not to strangle him right there and then.

"Don't fucking what me, Spencer. I'm fucking tired of you treating me like a goddamn child!" You shouted at him, hands coming up in the air as you shouted angry words at the tall brunette. Who's only response was an unamused expression and a roll of eyes. "See what I mean? You're always undermining me and you never take me seriously. You always talk for me, you refuse to let me talk to unsubs alone, I always have to be on the field with you. And that's if I even get to go out on the field in the first place, because you make sure to make me stay back every chance you get!" You continued to shout, letting out every frustration you've bottled up for the past two years you've been dating Spencer.

All the while, Spencer stood there silently, taking all your screams quietly. He was usually rather calm and collected during your part of a fight, and he'd listen, quietly. And that was just worse than screaming at you from the get go, because that meant you were going to get a mouthful when you were done. He was like the calm before the storm. And you definitely didn't want to be around when that storm finally came by.

"Spencer, you can't just keep me out of the field like that whenever you fucking please. I may be younger than you, but that doesn't mean I'm less capable of doing my job than you are. And I just wish you would stop treating me like a child, who needs to be under your protection twenty-four-seven because I don't." You finally finished your rant, your voice lowering down by the end of it. But you were still just as agitated and frustrated. You were basically all up in his face by the time you were done. Well, all up in his chest, because you barely made it to his chin. Meaning, you had to tilt your head up as much as you could to look at him, and even then, you stood short.

The entire time you spoke, Spencer kept his gaze forward, way past your head, not even bothering you to look down at you. Until he decided to speak. "You done?" He finally looked down at you, his lips pursed into an irritated expression. You crossed your arms over your chest and shrugged as a response. "Great. Now that you're done unnecessarily screaming at my face, we can talk like the adult you claim to be." He started, already pushing at your buttons even more. "You see, I would treat you like an adult, I really would, I would if you acted like one. Maybe if you weren't so short fused, or if you actually showed me you can handle things on your own I wouldn't feel the need to have to protect you all the time."

You chewed on the inside of your cheek as you listened to him continue to undermine you. Maybe having this conversation after a week long case and a five hour flight wasn't exactly ideal. Spencer can be more harsh and— with a lack of a better word— more of an ass during arguments when tired and annoyed. And you figured, you were getting nowhere screaming at him. He didn't respond well to that.

"I'm an adult, Spencer, I'm damn near thirty years old, I don't need your protection." You defended, puffing out a small breath through your nose, "and I get that I still may be younger than you but I'm not your daughter, I don't need you watching over my shoulder all the time, shielding me from the dangers of the world. And I just wish you stopped treating like some helpless child that needs your protection." You said, your tone changing from angry to tired and hurt. Because as much as you hated to admit it, every time Spencer treated you like you weren't capable of taking care of yourself, it made you feel just as such.

Spencer stayed silent for a good minute, his previously cold and hard expression of annoyance starting to slowly soften. He let out an exasperated sigh, running a hand into his curls but still said nothing.

You sighed, shaking your head before turning around to walk away, knowing this conversation was going nowhere. Spencer took that as his cue to do something. "Hey, no, come here." He sighed, reaching to grab a hold of your arm like you did his earlier. And you stopped when you felt his grip of your arm, half turning your body to face him and simply let him slowly drag you back, not fighting but not welcoming him either. You looked up at him with a deep frown and pursed lips, your arms folded over your chest, letting him know you weren't letting your walls down so easily.

"I know you're not my daughter. I never said you were." He starts to say, carefully grabbing your face into his significantly larger hands and looked down at you with his usually soft amber eyes, "but you're my girlfriend, and I love you. And I don't know if I could ever live with the idea of losing the love of my life again. That's why I'm so protective of you all the time."

You let out a small breath, your demeanor starting to change into a more calm and relaxed one the moment he grabbed your face. You slowly relaxed your body, eventually dropping your arms to your sides and your expression half softened.

You always knew Spencer was scared of losing the people he loved, god knows he has, but something about hearing him say that broke your heart and it made you want to understand him, "Spencer, I know. And I get it, I really do. But you can't just keep me from doing my job just because you want to protect me. I'm not any less capable at taking care of myself than you are just because I'm younger and it really hurts that you think I can't take of myself."

"I know and I'm sorry. But can you blame? You're just so—" he lightly squeezed your face in his hands, finding amusement in how small you looked from his perspective, having to tilt his head down to look at him and even tower over you sometimes. "I could easily pin you down or throw you over my shoulder. I mean, look how small and cute you are, you really blame for trying to protect you all the time?" He laughed softly, going back to his cute and more playful demeanor you loved so much, wanting apologize for his previous words and behavior in a way he knew would work better on you than an apology.

Though you still laughed at his words, they still earned him a glare and a hard smack on the chest, "I may be small and short but I can still kick your ass faster than you can name kidnapping statistics so don't even test me." You said matter of factly, narrowing your eyes at him and playfully poked his chest.

Spencer chuckled, raising his arms up in defense and nodded, taking a step back playfully, "yeah, I've seen you train, and shoot. I'd rather not your aim." He laughed softly, stepping forward and wrapped his arms around your waist, pulling your body to his, "but seriously, you're the strongest, bravest and most capable woman I've ever met, and I'm sorry if I've made you feel like you aren't. I just, I could never live with the fact that I let you get hurt or couldn't protect you if something ever happened to you. But I promise I'll work on my protectiveness."

"That's all I wanted to hear."

~~~~~~~~~

So this is my first Spencer Reid work. Honestly I'm not too happy with the end result of it. But we all start somewhere right? I'm trying to get back to writing so if you have any Reid request please send them my way. And if you'd like to be added to my Spencer Reid tag list also let me know. So yeah, thanks for reading this garbage and I'm out for now. Buh bye!

[thepancakeboi]

38. “Wow, you’re hot.”

When we had learned that one of the games in Sae’s Palace was a battle arena, I never would have guessed that I wouldn’t be participating. Unfortunately, the rules state that only one person can participate, and, as much as I hate to admit it, Joker’s versatility with his Personas makes him the best candidate. I can’t reveal my secrets now, can I? It would certainly be interesting to see how far I could go massacring my opponents alongside my Persona. That will have to wait for another day.

Instead, I find myself among a cognitive crowd of people and the rest of the Phantom Thieves. The room encircles a central area that likely serves as the battleground for these three fights. I’ve distanced myself from the others, preferring to watch this fight alone. This is the best chance I am going to have to truly watch Joker fight without any distractions. I don’t need the Thieves’ prattling to get in my way.

The simulated crowd erupts into cheering. It’s obvious why. Joker waltzes into the arena like he owns the place. He’s playing the part up for all it’s worth.

“Now then, our gripping battle is finally here! The idiot leader of the adult-defying thieves has come!” an announcer’s voice calls out from over the loudspeakers. Oh, this commentary is going to be good. “Odds are 1.1 to the house, 23.0 to the Phantom Thieves! Wow, the Phantom Thieves are surprisingly popular! It’s rare to see odds in the double digits! Now, let us begin our serious one-on-one battle! Bring out the first contestant!”

The first opponent, or should I say, opponents, appear in the form of two human-sized bipedal elephants. These are the same as the one we fought to get a member’s card in the first place. Joker had called it Ganesha. “Uhhhh, what the hell!?” Skull yells loudly enough for even me to hear him. “There’s two of ‘em!”

Clearly, they weren’t planning on giving Joker a fair fight from the start. That’s not surprising. I had anticipated this happening. I just hope my faith in his skills isn’t misguided. You better not lose, Joker. I did bet a lot of coins on you.

“Now then, it’s time for this hellish trio of battles to begin!” the announcer continues. “Ready...”

Joker’s eyes unerringly find me in the crowd.

“Set...”

He grins, mouthing “watch this” before turning his attention back to the two Shadows he has to face.

“Go!”

The Ganeshas waste no time rushing at Joker, swords at the ready. He just...stands there, looking around the room. What is he thinking!?

He waits...and waits...

Only when they’re nearly on top of him does he take action. He spins in a clockwise rotation, a thin, nearly invisible line shooting away from his extended left hand and latching onto a beam on the ceiling. I recognize what he’s doing just as he’s lifted into the air by the grappling hook. The Ganeshas end up swiping at empty air, their inertia causing them to nearly trip over their own feet. Joker releases the grappling hook well before he reaches the ceiling, doing a couple of front flips as he lands. He’s already showing off an awful lot. That’s saying something when it comes to Joker, who constantly does a backflip before going into what the Phantom Thieves call an “All-Out Attack”. Not that I can say anything, considering I’ve taken to doing the same. Turning his head to look at me, Joker has the audacity to wave at me during this fight. Is he even taking this seriously?

One of the Ganeshas rushes recklessly again, likely hoping to catch Joker off-guard. It’s too bad that Joker sees it coming and backflips into the air, sailing high over its head. He cocks his gun mid-flip, firing bullet after bullet into the Shadow’s back. I can feel a murderous intent from the two Shadows. Joker deploys his grappling hook and flies clear out of the way of the other Shadow trying to avenge its injured comrade.

It’s impossible not to laugh at the pathetic Shadows stumbling around, making fools of themselves as they try to land a single hit. Using his trusty grappling hook and acrobatic skills, Joker moves all over the arena, confusing them tremendously. It’s almost a show. The thief flips and spins as he goes like he has to show off at every possible moment. I for one can’t take my eyes off him. His movements flow one into another, captivating the cognitive audience as well. These weaklings are no match for him. So why doesn’t he just finish them off quickly as he should? He’s wasting time.

As if hearing my thoughts, Joker’s hand reaches for his mask. Playtime’s over. He summons the paperlike Persona Shiki-Ouji. “Ravage them!” he yells as a myriad of pink and cyan blobs assault his opponents. The two Shadows collapse under the barrage, one of them being taken out by the attack. The other one struggles to get back up, but it’s no use. This Ganesha is as good as dead. Joker uses his grappling hook to swing around the Shadow, his dagger cleaving right through its neck. He lands right where the Shadow is as it explodes into black dust. Joker stands right in the middle of it, looking cool as ever.

I know that I’m staring right now. I don’t care. He made that fight look simple, and he looked good doing it. “Wow, you’re hot,” I whisper to myself, hoping the announcer’s derisive voice echoing through the room will drown out my musings.

Oracle walks up to me a few seconds later. Thank goodness I- “Mwehehe! I’m gonna tell him.”

“What-” I start to ask, only to realize she had heard me after all, despite my precautions. “No.”

“I’m gonna tell him,” she repeats with a mischievous grin.

“Please don’t tell him.” The last thing I need is for Joker to think I find him attractive. Granted, he is quite attractive, but that’s beside the point.

“He’ll find it cute after you guys were holding hands!”

“What are you talking about?” I can hear my voice pitch higher. There’s only one event she can be referencing, and if she saw that...god, I hate how worried I sound.

“In the House of Darkness!”

She had noticed after all. Joker had sensed my...unease upon first entering the maze and had grabbed my hand to calm me down. That was all it was. It meant nothing, even if he had continued to hold my hand through the entire thing except in the rare instances we had to crawl through the vents. Not that trying to convince Oracle of this will help. “Don’t tell him or else,” I say, trying to sound confident once again.

“You can’t stop me. If you try, I’ll tell everyone you’re so scared of the dark you held Ren’s hand!”

“Are you...blackmailing me?”

She laughs. “Maybe.”

“Damnit,” I hiss.

Seeing no way out of this predicament, I turn my attention back to the fight just as Joker slaughters three Rangdas all at once with a well-timed Makouga from Isis. They certainly didn’t last long. He laughs jovially as he remarks, “Now that’s comedy!” He sounds slightly surprised as if he himself hadn’t expected them to be destroyed so easily.

“Bullshit! Why the hell aren’t you dying, you goddamn Phantom Dweeb!?” the announcer yells, clearly annoyed that Joker simply refuses to lay down and die. Wait, when did the announcer start calling him a ‘Phantom Dweeb’? What even is a dweeb? Never mind; that’s not important. “I have a bet on this too! Grr, there’s no way in hell you’re getting away with this! Time for our final contestant!”

What an inane fool the announcer has to be to think the cocky, rebellious boy that is Joker is going to accept defeat. He’s been defying the odds stacked against him since April, and that isn’t changing now. He’ll keep fighting.

Even if the enemy that materializes in front of him is a hulking humanoid at least three times his size.

“Yowza... That’s a big one,” Oracle says in shock. At least Joker’s final foe takes her focus off of me. Hopefully, she’ll forget my little comment from earlier.

“Go, grind his bones to dust! Let the extreme third battle begin!”

Thor looks down at its foe. “Let’s get this over with,” the Shadow says. To it, Joker must look like a puny opponent. It’ll learn soon enough not to underestimate him.

Joker looks like he’s still chuckling despite his opponent’s size. He takes off his mask, but the Persona he summons isn’t Shiki-Ouji. “Magatsu-Izanagi Picaro!” he calls. Something about this Persona’s appearance feels...familiar, somehow. Perhaps...? “You need proper punishment.”

I raise an eyebrow because, even though he’s looking at Thor, the way he’s positioned makes it seem like he’s directing it at me instead. Does he not understand proper phrasing?

A black and red mandala appears on the floor right under Thor’s feet. The Shadow is surrounded by red symbols swirling faster and faster around it. The symbols are impossible to make out from this distance. Whitish-red streaks of light build up in intensity from all sides before a large beam shoots down on Thor in an explosion of energy. “What a powerful attack,” I remark idly to myself.

In a completely unnecessary move, Joker uses his grappling hook to move in my direction and away from Thor. The Shadow is preparing for an attack. He once again does nothing to stop the Shadow charging head-long at him. I soon see why. Shiki-Ouji suddenly materializes in front of Joker and grabs Thor mid-rush, holding the Shadow back before Joker commands his Persona to use Dormina.

Thor falls asleep almost immediately while standing up. It still amazes me how Shadows can be so dumb as to fall asleep in the middle of a fight. I nearly start as Joker walks right up to me and leans against the glass separating the two of us. “Hi, Akeppi.”

“What are you doing, Joker?” I respond.

“Nothing yet.” He hums in thought. Like the shameless flirt he is, he asks, “Enjoying the show?”

“Perhaps you should save your questions until after the battle is won. You’ll have plenty of time to ask for my opinion later.”

“Fine,” he says, whining a little as he turns around. Just in time too, for Thor is starting to stir from its forced slumber. He casually takes his mask off, resummoning Shiki-Ouji to attack with Mapsi before his opponent fully wakes up. It doesn’t bring Thor down as it did previously with the Ganeshas, but it still must have hurt. Just as it gains lucidity, Joker has Shiki-Ouji use Dormina again. He doesn’t waste time talking to me again. Instead, a bunch of circular pink, yellow, and cyan beams surround Thor before striking all at once and send the Shadow reeling onto the ground. With a cocky grin on his face, he uses Psio again for good measure.

“Yeah, keep smiling, buddy,” Thor growls as it pushes itself to its feet. It swipes its electrified hammer at Joker, who deftly backflips away. However, the electricity shoots forward and hits him head-on.

Joker, you fucking idiot. Sure, other than looking a little disheveled, he’s no worse for wear. He’ll be okay, but he shouldn’t have let such an obvious attack hit him.

Something inside Joker seems to snap. The glare on his face is fiercer than I’ve ever seen from him. He looks utterly enraged...and somehow even hotter at the same time. His Persona disappears, but even with the mask, I can sense the fiery rage in his eyes. Pulling out his gun, he jumps to his right, twirling in mid-air as he shoots a couple of bullets. He somersaults as gravity brings him back to the ground. However, he isn’t done. He leaps straight into the air from his crouched position. It’s almost impossible to perceive what happens, but he seems to combine the twist from earlier with a front flip, followed by another spin in the air as he proceeds to fire bullet after bullet in mid-air while upside down. He uses his feet and left hand to take the brunt of his fall. Thor collapses to its knees shortly after, the continuous gunfire too much for it to handle.

Joker stands up and looks contemplatively at his left hand. Is he seriously thinking of using the grappling hook now? With a shrug, he looks back at Thor and does a running leap into the air. He performs a couple of front flips before his momentum brings him to Thor’s head. With a level of dexterity only Joker could pull off, he straddles Thor from below, his legs wrapped around the Shadow’s neck. His left hand grabs a hold of one of the horns on Thor’s helmet while he points the gun right at Thor’s face. “You’re done!” Joker yells as he shoots at point-blank range.

The Shadow crumbles into black dust, but not before Joker pushes himself off its body, twirling in the air and backflipping so he lands crouched on the ground facing me. He grins as he hops to his feet, pirouetting before he poses, right arm outstretched and left hand resting on his chest.

I blink, startled. I know exactly where that maneuver came from. I’ve done that exact same thing once or twice in those All-Out Attacks. How did he manage to figure out how to copy it so quickly...?

The announcer groans in disappointment, having no comment on the fact that Joker just won their rigged game in style. I can’t help but grin as I give my own snide remark.

“Once again, justice prevails.”

Prompt list

[shinsorokiri]

UA Idol | Chapter Three

Hitoshi Shinsou x Reader

Word Count: 2,204

Warnings: Language, big anxiety

A/N: Chapter Three is up because my dumbass forgot to upload last week! So here’s some more. The “original song” is “Pantaloon” by Twenty One Pilots, so if you would like to listen to it, go ahead! I hope you enjoy and I promise I’ll stop forgetting to upload lmao.

UA Idol Masterlist

���──────────────────────────────────

You two are pulled aside and interviewed, in which Mina gives a short little excited burst of personality, and you’re there to make sure she doesn’t start shrieking again. It’s pretty endearing, it’s very obvious you two are best friends. After all of that is over with, the two of you are able to wander around, so Mina obviously drags you over to where Denki and purple boy were. They’re still there, and Mina makes it a point to shake the ticket in front of her friend’s face.

“No fucking way! You did it!” he yells, engulfing her in a hug. You don’t realize, but you and lilac man both cringe at their volume, but nevertheless you smile for your best friend. After all, this is a dream come true for her. You’re still in shock from your audition, so all you can think about is the pride and happiness you have for Mina in this moment. “Oh! My best friend and roomie made it to!” Mina squeals, grabbing your wrist and shaking your hand that’s holding the ticket for you. “Denki Kaminari, (Y/f/n), (Y/f/n), Denki Kaminari,” she says, motioning from him to you then you to him. “Hi there, cutie,” he says with a slight smirk and you raise an eyebrow at him. “Call me that again and it’ll be the last word you ever speak,” you say, and to your surprise, he laughs. “Damn, Mina, it’s like I’m looking at another Shinsou,” he says, and that’s when the lavender dude sighs. Ah. So, he’s-

“Mina Ashido, Hitoshi Shinsou. Hitoshi Shinsou, Mina Ashido. (Y/f/n), Hitoshi Shinsou, Hitoshi-”

“I got it,” you and Shinsou say simultaneously, with the same inflection in your voice and deadpan facial expression. That’s when you look at each other. And by that, I mean really look at each other, not just look at the other person when their eyes are focused on something else. And that’s when everything just kinda… stops for a few seconds. The only thing you can even focus on is him, and you can’t tear your eyes away from his, no matter how much you want to. Do you even want to? You don’t even know the man, and yet butterflies are erupting in your stomach and all feelings of unease leave your body. Of course, Mina and Denki don’t notice the cease in time or the feelings exploding in your body. You’re only forced back into reality when your best friend’s voice interrupts you. “Holy shit, they’re like clones of each other,” Mina mumbles, staring back and forth between you two. “The only difference is-”

“Contestants 14799 and 14800? Follow me, you’re on deck,” the same producer who grabbed you two away from them earlier comes and snatches them away from you. “Don’t go anywhere, Mina. If you’re cool with it, I kind of want to go to dinner to catch up after this, it’s been too long,” Denki says, and Shinsou raises his eyebrow at him. “What about me and (Y/n)? Are we supposed to tag along on your date?”

“Oh, honey, I’m gay as fuck. But Denki, I’m so down to catch up! I can’t believe we went a whole month without linking up. And I’m sure (Y/n) would be happy to come with. Especially if we go to her favorite restaurant which I just so happen to have a coupon for because I was gonna take her there to celebrate or mourn after the audition.”

“Awesome! You two stay right here, we’ll be back out!” Denki screams over his shoulder as Shinsou drags him away. “Seriously, Denki?”

“What? I want to talk to Mina again! She and I were literally the best pranksters of our little group in high school and it’s been like a month since we last caught up with each other,” Denki whines and Hitoshi sighs. “But why did you need to drag me into it?” he groans, and Denki smirks at him. “Oh please. Don’t pretend like I didn’t notice you eyeing up Mina’s friend.” “Choose your next words wisely.”

“Shin. Come on. You at least think she’s pretty since your eyes literally didn’t leave her the entire time she was by us. Give her a chance at least, maybe she’s the one,” Denki says, his joking demeanor gone away. Shinsou hesitates before speaking again, saying the thing he’s said to his overexcited blonde friend multiple times before. But this time, he doesn’t believe it as much. “I don’t have time for love, Denki. It’s time consuming and I need to spend my time on more important matters.”

“But she was really cute, right?”

“If you call her cute again, I will beat you up.”

“Why?”

“Because she was cute. And I don’t need you to make me think about it every five seconds because my brain is already doing that on its own,” Hitoshi mumbles, looking away from his friend who has a smug grin on his face. You were cute, so what? You were so cute that the world around him stopped functioning for a bit when you two made eye contact and all he could focus on was your eyes and how you made him feel like he was okay despite the fact that his anxiety was through the roof right now because of the situation he is in and all the people surrounding him at all sides because that’s normal. That’s normal, right? Please, assure him that it’s normal. “Hm. Have you thought about buying her dinner? That’ll send off the right message.”

“Shut. Up.”

“What’s up guys!” Shinsou and Denki’s conversation was cut short by Present Mic literally screaming at them. “Just getting pumped to do this!” Denki responds immediately, hopping up and down in place. “Alright! That’s what I like to hear! Now, who are you guys?”

“I’m Denki Kaminari and this beautiful bastard next to me is Hitoshi Shinsou,” Denki responds, finger-gunning over to Shinsou. Shinsou sighs but gives a genuine smile to Present Mic as he waves. “COOL! So, are you guys a duo?”

“No, we’re just here to support the other! My family doesn’t live around here and Shin’s… couldn’t make it!” Kaminari covers up for Shinsou, knowing that he just told the entire story of why his family couldn’t support him right now to the producers maybe thirty minutes ago. Shinsou silently thanks him for that, knowing he’d probably have to tell at least some of it again to the actual judges. “I love seeing y’all supporting each other like this! Makes me think of when I supported Aizawa the first time he ever actually performed instead of just sat on the sidelines watching someone else sing his song! Kaminari, you’re first, you ready?” “I was born ready.”

“HELL YEAH! Go on in!”

Hitoshi watches his best friend enter the room, his own nerves starting to kick in. Regardless of how he’s feeling, he listens as Denki belts out Kiwi. For someone who has the personality of a corroded triple AAA battery, his voice is really pleasing to the ear. Especially when he lays on the distortion but still somehow manages to hit high notes in his belting range. Honestly if anyone was born to be a rockstar, it was Denki Kaminari. Unsurprisingly, he comes out with a ticket, waving it around like the excited Pikachu he is. “I did it, I did it, I did it, I did it, I did it, I did it-”

“Okay I get it! You did it!” Hitoshi says, waving his fists in a little celebratory motion. He is genuinely smiling though. He’s happy for Denki. And then he realizes it’s his turn. “You got this, man! If I can do it, you definitely can!” Hitoshi gives him a small smile of appreciation before walking through the doors himself. This was... a lot. It was a lot. He stopped in the middle of the performing area and looked at the judges. “Hello, handsome.”

“Midnight. Please.”

“Never, Aizawa.”

“I’m sorry for her lack of professionalism. Hello, what’s your name, where are you from, and why are you here?” Aizawa completely ignores Midnight and Hitoshi clears his throat. “Hi, I’m Hitoshi Shinsou, I’m 22 years old, and I’m from Tokyo. I’m here because my roommate convinced me to audition with him, but I also just really love music and it would be pretty nice to have my mom see me performing.”

“Aw, a family man. How sweet,” Midnight says and Hitoshi shrugs. “It would just be nice for her to see it before she... you know.”

“Is she sick?” Hawks asks, a small frown on his face. Hitoshi nods. “Yeah, she is,” he says, and there’s a sympathetic look on all the judge’s faces. Goddamn empaths. “Well, hopefully she gets to see this! I’m sure you’ll do great,” Toshinori says, giving him a reassuring smile and thumbs up. “What will you be singing today?”

“Um, I was actually planning on singing an original? If that’s okay?”

“That’s more than okay! Go for it,” Midnight says, and Hitoshi makes his way over to the piano. “If you wouldn’t mind, could you tell us what it’s called?” Aizawa asks. “It’s called The Pantaloon,” Shinsou responds, placing his hands on the keys. He starts playing away, hoping that what he sings for them is good enough. He had to shorten the song a bit, but it’s still pretty wordy, so he’s worried they won’t like it that much. He also knows that his style and voice in general is a little different, so he hopes they don’t hate it.

“Your grandpa died when you were nine. They said he had lost his mind. You have learned way too soon You should never trust the pantaloon.

Now it's your turn to be alone. Find a wife and build yourself a home. You have learned way too soon That your dad is now the pantaloon.

You are tired, you are hurt. A moth ate through your favorite shirt. And all your friends fertilize The ground you walk, Lose your mind.

You like to sleep alone, It's colder than you know, 'Cause your skin is so Used to colder bones. It's warmer in the morning, Than what it is at night. Your bones are held together by your nightmare and your frights.

You are tired, you are hurt. A moth ate through your favorite shirt. And all your friends, they fertilize The ground you walk. So lose your mind.

You are tired, you are hurt. A moth ate through your favorite shirt. And all your friends, they fertilize The ground you walk. Lose your mind.”

It’s funny how when you do something well, you forget how it went. Hitoshi finishes out the song, playing the last chord, hoping it went well but not really knowing since he kinda... blacked out...? Not really, but he doesn’t remember how it all went, so he hopes it went well. “Wow,” Midnight’s voice pulls him out of his head, and he looks over at the judges. “Literally what the hell, he’s the second person who auditioned who is better than me!” Hawks basically yells, throwing his hands up, the pen he had resting in them flying up and then coming back down to hit him on the head. Hitoshi can’t even pay attention to the fact that Hawks just assaulted himself because I’m sorry, did he say better than him?? He has 10 Grammy’s what the fuck does he mean better than him??

“What are the odds two kids like them would audition not just in the same season but on the same day not even forty minutes after each other?” Toshinori says, awe evident on his face. “It’s certainly rare, I can tell you that. Especially when it comes to actual songwriting ability, which it’s evident they have,” Aizawa says, and Shinsou’s breathing literally stops. Aizawa Shouta is his literal idol. And he just complimented his songwriting skills? What? “Well, Shinsou. I think I can say with confidence this isn’t the last time your mom is going to see you perform,” Midnight says, and Shinsou smiles. This is crazy. “You’ve got a future in the business kid, even if you don’t win, I see you in the top two with the other singer-songwriter we saw today. Easily,” Aizawa says, and Shinsou literally cannot believe what he is hearing. “Really?” he asks, disbelief in his voice. “Yes! Of course, after a performance like that in a room like this with a song like that, of course you’ll make it far in the competition! I’d bet you even make it to the top two with it!” Toshinori basically yells, and Shinsou scratches the back of his neck, letting out a flattered chuckle. “Thanks… thank you,” he says, and Aizawa picks up one of the tickets. “I’m just going to give this to you. I think we all agree that you’re a yes.”

Hitoshi goes and takes the ticket, thanking them again and again before walking back out the doors. He shows Kaminari the ticket, and Kaminari literally screams in his face. Full on shouts. “I FUCKING KNEW YOU COULD DO IT BRO!”

“Could you please be quiet? For once in your life? Just shh?”

[ichayalovesyou]

Broken Bow parts 1 & 2 (Live Reaction):

Ah, so we’re kicking off with smarting up Archer’s prejudice against Vulcans that I know from all my Vulcantology research he grows out of. Neat.

Oh shit Klingon on earth?? Look at those glorious locks! Who are these weird squishy bendy dudes?? Oh that shiz EXPLODED. I’ve got my yeehaw phaser rifle and I kills a Klingon- fuck is THAT how the war started?! Whether or not that’s stupid remains to be seen.

Wowwwww this theme song... is... a lot. Star Trek, bruh, since when??? No. Just... no. Oh hey it’s Archer & Trip a lil’ light fantastic! Ngl Trip’s actually cute. Oh wow they really don’t know Klingons. Oh hey Phlox is here! I get where Archer is coming from about the plug pulling thing, even if Klingon culture is very “HONOR!!” and stuff. Even then, wouldn’t it be detrimental even to a warrior race for them to die when they can be healed?

Vulcans just love acting like everyone else is stupid don’t they? Wow everyone is racist at like, everybody (aliens wise) this definetly has established itself as pre-Federation. Ope! More new characters! Baby ensign dude (Travis!) and British ship’s engineer(?) oh hey it’s Hoshi Sato!! Oh look they’re acknowledging that aliens speak more than one language on their workds finally!! Behold T’Pol! She doesn’t sound like I thought she would? (Idk what that means lol but yeh)

Ohhhh man Trip, Vulcans don’t do haaands my dude, didn’t you get debriefed? But also would it have killed her to explain? Communicate damnit! Give us a speech elderly white boy! Yeehaw warp engines!! Cool speech call back or really it’s Kirk (& Picard and prob Pike soon) Doing the callback to Cochrane!

Oooh shady time travel aliens are back!! Phlox is here! I always got good/fun vibes from him, like, a lil’ creepy but in an entertaining way! Travis is adorable and I love him already, space station boyyyyy. THREE, THREE WHAT?? Travis’s generation are called Boomers?? LOL it makes sense that we’d have a baby boom after planetary colonization became possible but that’s practically a derogatory term now 😂

Time for a dinner chock full of microaggressions! Yup I was right, wowwwwwww everyone is being secret awful (T’Pol not so secret awful) but yeah I can see where all that VHS racism stuff comes from. Lol, oooooo Hoshi & T’Pol having a lil’ cat fight, Archer is such a dad lol. Poor Sato is so fucking stressed it’s okay gf! The ship is just not working and you’re learning Klingon and there’s an invisible alien aboard its FINE!! OH SHIT THAT KLINGON GOT KIDNAPPED!!!!!

Oh so the engineer’s name is Reed okay, oh this is the one with the Suliban. Wow T’Pol is kind of a bitch! She is just belittlement after belittlement, she’s like Spock but WORSE. Like, I’m definitely starting to understand Archer’s resentment toward them is coming from, not that it’s right, but it is understandable. Especially Vulcans have been having this sort of attitude toward humans (and other species) this whole time. Both races clearly have a LOT to learn.

Oh so this Suliban dude is a GMO, I actually freaking love Phlox. Good job Trip tryna bridge the gap between T’Pol and Archer but ooof still too salty. Oh wow! We’re going to Rigel for the first time okay?! Neat! Oof our Klingon boy out here getting interrogated oh shit! It wouldn’t be an earth 2000s scifi without a skanky bar and funky alien strippers. Uh oh Trip is about to make a mistake, oh thank god T’Pol stopped him *big exhale* everything is so new to us! It’s so interesting!

Ew creepy lady why u kiss him??? Oh it’s the “alien woman has to do (explicit/romantic action) to do (thing)” trope 🙄. Oh so there’s time travel shit going on??? Okay!!! What?! Okay! Man the GMO Suliban can do some seriously freaky shit! Okay I love Travis & Reed they’re cool, Reed is suave and Trav is adorable! OOp ARCHER GOT SHOT THE LEG! Close call close call!! Oh ffs T’Pol don’t take command, everything you’ve shown us so far is that you think humans are shit, hey maybe she’ll surprise me.

Ugh this is about to be- aaaaand it’s unnecessarily sexualizong T’Pol 🙄🙄🙄🤮🤮🤮. Trip can you please not call T’Pol out and be racist in the same sentence, I’d rather you just do the former please. OH YAY! T’Pol did surprise me! Good job T’Pol (and Trip... kinda... I guess). “One good turn deserves another” good line, but “doesn’t sound very Vulcan” is proof Archer really doesn’t understand Vulcans! Or at least not what they aspire to. Ohhhh Kay NOW we’re working together! Good! Good!!

I wonder who creepy time lord dude is. Sato THANK YOU why, WHY don’t starships have seat belts?!?! Makes no goddamn sense. Oh I was wrong earlier! Reed’s a pilot and Tucker’s the engineer, okay! I wonder what happened between this episode and Discovery (being the next closest in the timeline) that makes us enemies with the Klingons? Travis out here teaching Tucker how to drive I’m sure this will end well. I’m low key starting to get Bones-Spock energy from T’Pol & Archer. FURST PISTOLS WITH A STUN SETTINH HELL YEAH!

Alright alright, T’Pol is growing on me, awww Archer is soft! “U okay?” I can vibe with that! Hell yeah! I kinda wish I knew Klingon so I knew what this dude wa saying (but I’ve already got my hands full with Vulkansu). Archer why in the fuck are you wandering around?! Do you want to get caught/not found!??! Stay put dummy! Aaaand there’s the BBEG, oh, and he’s Suliban! Oh good thing that laser pistol is set to stun (oh and he dodged). Oooh scary transporter lmao.

Uh oh, was it al for nothing are these dudes gonna kill him anyway? Oh, no! Good so they just cussed Archer out lmfao. Thus the saga begins! Abandon yo grudges and pride Archer my dude, vouch for T’Pol hell yeah! Alright! I hope these two become friends hell yeah hell yeah! Time to boldly go say hi and introduce yourself to all these new aliens! Heck yeah!!

God I’m sure there were plenty of annoying ass Trekkies who were like “iT’s nOt rEaL sTaR tReK” like, how?? Because the costumes look different and they’re exploring a new time period and themes?? 🙄🙄🙄 gimme a BREAK with that shit, honestly. So far it’s been pretty interesting! Every Star Trek is Star Trek!

[zankivich]

The Arrangement: CEO’s Son/Dom!Shawn x Black Sub Reader Chapter 15

a/n: I don’t have much to say. This chapter is short, but necessary. The world is dying. The fandom is gone. I’m not sure if there’s much of a point anymore, but y’all said you wanted it so...here it is.

*y/n’s point of view*

“Why are you here Shawn!”

“Because! I need you to be my manager!”

“Excuse me? Did you stop to smoke crack while you were running from the subway?!” You screeched.

He rolled his eyes up at you. “No ma’am, I did not. Just let me explain okay?”

“Shawn this is completely illogical! You cannot just run pounding on my door at any odd hour of the night with some half baked ass scheme--”

“Y/N!” He screamed silencing you quickly. “Stop yelling. Sit down. I’m going to explain it to you and then we can have a conversation like normal human beings, okay?”

No man, let alone a white one, had ever had the audacity to speak to you in such a manner. It had only been Shawn who seemed to lack an evolutionary response to fear the wrath of a black woman. If only it didn’t cause your back to straighten and your mouth to part. If only you didn’t like it just the slightest little bit. Asshole.

“Fine. But I’m not happy about it.” You huffed marching over to the couch.

He snorted as he got up off the floor.

“Yes, because god forbid you do something you’re not happy about without letting the entire world know, darling.”

You rolled your eyes down at the ground and tried to hide the fact that his pet names still made your heart ache. Sheesh.

He stood in front of you, towering over you for a second in a way that simply had no right to make your mouth water. But it’d been months and you were lonely and you missed him in more ways than one. Then he dropped down to his knees before you and reached for your hands, and the lust immediately melted to a gooey center. Cause beyond everything he was still the softest, kindest human you’d ever met. He still made you calm, made you happy, made you infinitely better than you ever were without him.

“I quit.” He started.

You immediately frowned. “Huh?”

“I quit my job. I walked out on all of it, y/n.”

“....Are you out of your goddamn mind?!”

You went to pull away from his hands, only for him to squeeze tighter and move closer. The fact that he could remain calm in this moment baffled you beyond belief.

“No. In fact I don’t think I’ve ever been clearer.”

“Shawn...The whole entire point was that he was going to give you your masters and your contract. Why in the entire world would you walk out on that opportunity? It’s everything you ever wanted.”

He nodded and his hands tightened around yours.

“Because it wasn’t worth it.” He murmured. “I had something that mattered to me more.”

You immediately shook your head. Your heart was pounding in your chest, and it felt like the walls were closing in. EVerything that you had gone through. All the emotional hoops you had to jump through to let him go. The pain and the heartache and the loss. All for him to squander the bigger picture. Why?

“No. No, you don’t get to do that. You don’t get to choose me over the very thing you’ve wanted since you were fourteen years old, Shawn. I’m not gonna let you.”

You tried to pull away once again but he only held you closer, only looked up at you more directly so that you couldn’t get out of being in that moment with him.

He smiled. “I know. I know now that that’s why you did it. Though I do wish you would’ve just talked to me instead.”

“I knew you’d never do it if I didn’t make you.” You whispered.

“Of course I wouldn’t...What would ever make you think that fame could mean more to me than you?”

“But...But it’s what you always wanted.” You stared in utter confusion. “Music, it’s your pulse. It’s what makes you, you.”

He let go of your hand and reached instead for your cheek, palm warm and large and all consuming.

“All I ever wanted was to be able to create music, and sing, and perform.” He explained. “And you gave that to me y/n. You. You restored anything he ever took from me. I didn’t need more. All I wanted was you.”

You didn’t mean to cry. You really didn’t. But there’s something about him choosing you that shakes you to your very core. It matters. It’s one thing to know your own worth and know what you deserve. It’s another thing entirely to have someone affirm that so fully and so empathetically. Not only had you thought you were making the right decision, you thought it would ultimately be what you wanted. You couldn’t have prepared to be so wrong. You couldn't prepare for him to love you in a way that was more meaningful than music. Because that had to mean that you meant more to him than maybe anything in the world.

“Well….shit.” You sniffled blinking away tears.

He chuckled and reached to press a kiss against your forehead. You closed your eyes and let yourself drink him in. The smell of his cologne. The feel of his curls against your forehead His warmth. He pulled back and looked you in the eye and you felt more at home than you had in weeks. Then he peered down at his watch and was immediately up off the floor.

“Shit, we’re late. Let’s go.” He muttered.

“What?”

“I’ll explain in the car. Let’s go!”

***

*Shawn’s point of view*

His leg won’t stop shaking. He keeps bouncing with his fingers interwined and crossed in front of his face so that they can’t see how fucking teriified he is. It’s a room evenly split down the middle. To one side was him, y/n, and Teddy. The otherside was all music execs at Atlantic. Every song that played seemed to cause a visceral reaction for y/n. Mostly because it couldn’t have been more for her. He kept peering over at her and watching the way she sat in her seat. She couldn’t sit still at certain moments. He knew that ninety percent of all of her expressions came from her hands, and so she sat on them mid-way through. It was a lot to ask of her, and at one point he thought maybe it was too much. Maybe he shouldn’t have gone for the shock and awe and maybe he should have just left her out of it. But then, Fallin’ All In You comes on and her face lights up and he knows that he wouldn’t have it any other way. It was for her. And therefore she needed to be in that room if it was going to be the moment that changed his whole entire life.

The final song comes to a close and there’s a beat of silence where it feels like his heart might explode out of his chest. All these weeks with these songs in his head and his heart, when all he could think, breathe, eat, was about her in someway. All of it now was on a record that might seal his fate, might completely lead him to a new world outside of his dad’s control. Enter Andrew.

“So that is...without a doubt one of the best albums of the year.” He stated.

His eyes widened, heart plummeting into his stomach.

“Seriously?”

He nodded. “Absolutely. So here’s what I’m gonna do for you. I will happily sign you, Mendes Industries be damned. It’s burning a bridge, but the impact that you’re gonna have on the music industry will cover that tenfold. Atlantic is in. We want you. We want this record. Tell me what you need to make that happen.”

His lips parted in shock and he looked to none other than y/n as his brain completely stalled. In his moment of weakness she sprang up like a fucking gazelle and launched straight into a type of professionalism that made him both weak in the knees and frankly hard in the pants.

“I will be representing him in all legal proceedings until a permanent manager has been vetted by both me and the client. I will need the contract with all monetary gains to the record company highlighted and dotted. Either you can do that now or be rest assured that I will. We will not be doing a three-sixty deal. We are only interested in a one year contract contingent on the sales of the album, which you and I both know will come through based off the strategic marketing plan for a face like that. He will retain all final say on singles, album track lists, and production rights on this album as well as future albums though that can be negotiated at a later date with another contract. We will require a minimum of seventy-two hours to review and consult counsel before any negotiations continue. So would you like to email me, or do you have a physical copy ready for me?”

Andrew looked at y/n and then looked at Shawn. And then back to y/n. And then back to Shawn. He just shrugged and nodded back in her direction. His girlfriend had always been a complete and total badass afterall. He was kind of just there to look pretty and sing.

“I will...get that drafted for you right now. One moment.”

Andrew leaves the room and it’s like he can breathe for the first time. And the second enough oxygen gets to his brain he can’t help but remember that the sole reason for this moment is her. The only logical conclusion was to jump into her chair and smother her with love and affection the way that she deserved.

“You are literally a human golden retriever!” She gasped as he crawled into her lap.

His legs spilled out the arm of the chair as he wrapped her arms around her and squeezed. For added measure he licked her cheek to prove her point. She glared at him. Apparently she didn’t like it very much.

“Never. Again.” She wagged her finger at him.

“So this is what true love looks like huh?” Teddy asked from her seat.

Shawn simply looked at y/n and beamed happily.

“Yea.”

She rolled her eyes at him but nodded as well.

“Apparently. Now get off me honkey, I need to remain professional.”

“Yes dear!” He sing-sang climbing out of her seat.

Teddy simply continued to stare at the two of them in utter confusion.

“Oh she means in with love. A love rooted in the reality of a white supremacist country that will always prioritize my life and my worth over hers simply because I’m pale and have a dick. It works to off-set the power imbalance between us.” He explained. “And she’s just incredibly cute.”

Y/n looked over at him and grinned happily.

“That’s my guy.”

***

“So...You’re not signing with your father?” She asked him.

He nodded his head.

“And you quit your job?”

He nodded.

“And he cut you off entirely?”

Another nod.

“But you’re gonna sign with Atlantic who...according to this contract is going to pay you a premium of a hundred thousand dollars for your album, all to be paid back upon royalties of course. And you’re going to do an optional clause of two additional singles after that album?”

He nodded. “That’s what I hear.”

“And you’re not gonna go after your dad for your masters?”

“Nope. I’ve realized that I’d rather put energy into the now and into my future than to dwell on the past. Also I have a feeling if the album is successful that Atlantic might take him to court once I accidentally let it slip that there’s two hundred songs of material hiding somewhere.”

“And you made this decision...when?”

“Well...My girlfriend left me despite being just as in love with me as I was her.” He paused for dramatic effect and to take in the roll of her eyes that he’d missed so much. “And at first I was just gonna quit entirely. Music. The industry. All of it. But then I realized how much I really did care about it. And I thought that...If I was gonna say fuck it, I might as well go for it ya know? Just so there were no ifs. I’m cut off and my dad will probably never give me another dime so, might as well give the whole singer thing a try, right?”

Y/n stared at him, eyes wide and tired and maybe still a little soft.

“Of all the people in the world.” She sighed to herself. “Let’s get a few things straight. I won’t manage you. I will simply identify the correct path for you to be on and then move you there. I will pay myself a generous fee for this aid, but once we find you a manager I will do no work with you professionally.”

He smiled dumbly up at her. “And why is that, y/n? What could possibly stop you from doing any professional work with me?”

There was a fly on the wall. A building sized elephant in the room if you will. She had followed him into the fire, had held tightly to his hand in the flames, all without admitting that such a notion could only be rooted in love. But he knew. He knew more than anyone the way she’d opened up her heart to him. The way she let him make himself comfortable inside her being and her spirit. He knew that she loved him endlessly in the exact way that he loved her. The only thing left to do was to get her to admit it.

“Don’t make me say it.” She mumbled .

“I’ll say it for you then...You love me my darling. And I love you. And apparently nothing can tear us apart. Not even my dad who is like the cheesiest villain of all time.”

“I mean...Yes. Obviously.”

He chuckled. “Come here.”

She moved slowly into his lap. And for a moment he just held her. Wrapped his arms around her back and hugged her fiercely. He didn’t think that the world hugged enough, and he had this thought that if she let him he’d hug her every day for the rest of forever. Her head rested against his shoulder and her fingers danced in his hair. He was complete in every sense of the word.

“Why is it so scary to admit that you love me?” He asked her honestly. “Would it really be such a terrible thing?”

Her fingers tightened in his hair and she pressed a little closer against him.

“No. No it wouldn’t. It’s just scary to admit that I almost gave up on us for no reason. I can’t believe how naive and how dumb I must have been to believe I could ever be without you.”

He pulled back just enough to look into her eyes with that soft kind of fondness that made his bones feel like jelly.

“Really?”

She nodded. “You have to know that I only did it out of love. I knew you were it for me, and I knew that it would be the most painful thing I’d ever experienced, but I still had to do it. I knew that you loved music more than anything in the world and I just wanted you to have that.”

“Hey, I know. And I’m not angry at you.” He assured her, casually squeezing at her waist. “Just know that...music was the most important thing that’s happened to me in my whole entire life. But that was before I met you. And you don’t get to tell me that I can’t choose you, alright? No one does. You’re it. I’d pick you any second of any day, and I’d be more than happy with that decision. You don’t get to tell me not to love you.”

She bit her lip and stared at him with those big ole’ eyes of hers looking more like a scorned puppy than anyone had the right to.

“You know no one has ever spoken to me like that in all of my days right?”

“Yep. Looks like you were just waiting for me to come around. I promise I’ll make it worth it though.”

“Yea?” She grinned leaning close so that their lips hovered over one another’s.

“Yea. Let me show you.”

And he closed the distance between their lips.

Permanent taglist 

@simpledomain @liliane106 @thecurlsofgod @lifeoftheparty74 @xeuphorically-moonstruck @euphoric05 @daijanicole @bruhh-whateven @learning-howto-be-myselfx3 @decewill @goldiean @bitchacho25 @bruhh-whateven @justbeingoceana @loveylangdon @iloveshawnieboi @justbeingoceana @september-lace @valedictorian65 @disaster-rose @dimestorebieber22 @MixerMani @qcoachcartier   @justbeingoceana @kamahriii @sinplisticshawn @disaster-rose

Arrangement Taglist: 

@moonlightmendes22  @cottoncandyshawn @iloveshawnieboi @shawnsblue

@claredolphinbear24 @peterbrokenparker @blackharry @shawnwyr @speakingofmari @moniehp @softmendesss @ydolansss  @chonmnds @MixerMani @kitykatnumber  @lanallaa @palhacomendes @mendesficsxbombay

[disappearinginq]

I'm so mad right now! We had to deal with a million episodes of her trying to decide to she was gonna go back and work for MI6. Now we have to put up with the same storyline only reversed with a marriage proposal instead of a job offer. And, after her turning her back when Paulie asked for help, she's all 'okay fine' to a fake marriage. I get that the shippers are vocal and that ratings are important but do the writers have to be so obvious with the shipper bait? Seriously? What the fuck?! (Vix)

Captain Hypocrisy of the USS MIGGY reporting for duty. I even went poking through comments and sure enough, everyone was like ‘oh look, this is a good way to show how hard it is to become a citizen and still make it fun!’ - and I have to bite my tongue from being like you racist, classist twat waffles - you fucking exploded over the story line where the kid was on the run from a terrorist organization who would be killed if he was returned to Afghanistan, but now that poor baby Higgins might have to go back to ENGLAND you’re going be like ‘awwww, that’s so unfair’?! DO YOU EVEN LISTEN TO YOURSELVES? AND FOR BEING SUCH A STICKLER FOR EVERY RULE UNDER THE SUN, SHE’S PRETTY WILLING TO COMMIT A FEDERAL CRIME WITH LESS THAN THREE MINUTES OF PERSUASION FROM MAGNUM, WHO AGAIN, SHE SPENDS HALF THE EPISODE DERIDING? I hate pretty much everything about this set up, and fuck the shipper aspect, I’m mad as hell that no one seems to see the absolute hypocrisy of it. But, I already went on a page long rant about that ::twitch::. This is also one of my least favorite tropes. Hands down. But what’s really getting to me is that there were like...three episodes where ‘the streams crossed’ and Moto, Higgins, Magnum AND RICK and TC got to be on screen together in a shared plot line. I’m getting sick of this horse shit where romance means your other relationships take the back seat or are edged out entirely. Higgy and Moto playing poker with the guys? Fine. Pool? I’m cool with this. Literally three seconds of shared screen time if we’re lucky? ARE YOU FOR FUCKING REAL. THIS FRIENDSHIP WAS THE BASIS FOR THE ENTIRE ORIGINAL SERIES THAT LET IT RUN FOR EIGHT GODDAMN YEARS. And it’s not like people don’t know how to do it - even Lenkov’s shows - Mac had Jack (until Eads got tired of them trying to write a former Delta guy who was a father figure to the group as an idiot and pushed back), Danny and Steve had a BroTP for the entire 10 year run of Hawaii 5-0, but somehow Magnum, where the original had this epic friendship that we had in at least half of season one, but got ripped off with a total of two episodes this season but we have to have fake dating, fake romance, fake marriage - fuck it, why not have Thomas and Rick pretend to be married? GET WITH THE TIMES. 

AND because I saw someone protesting that well MAGNUM can fake relationships and MAGNUM can have one night stands, but HIGGINS can’t fake romance even for an afternoon during a case...sit the fuck back down. We’re supposed to believe that Higgins is the crown jewel of MI6, but she can’t fucking slap a smile on her face for an hour? She’s a spy. Her entire job is to lie. It is to wheel and deal, and make shit up, and never let anyone know that she isn’t exactly who she pretends to be. And I could fucking scream at them for writing in a white person having to explain to a Mexican-American (which, since I think you said you’re in Wales/England area, you may not know but we basically have a race war going on here in the US where cops are allowed to stop you for being too brown and citizens have to keep their paperwork with them to prove that they live here when they get stopped but they still wind up going to jail) about what immigration process is like. 

Are. 

You. 

Fucking. 

Serious. 

This is like Chloe having to explain adultery to the Devil. 

Also, fun point about ratings - the more romance is featured, the fewer people turn in. Blood Brothers had the highest rating, followed by the one where Ivan shows up. And half the comments are “Are Rick and TC even on this anymore? Did they have a falling out? DID WE MISS SOMETHING?” Way to go, shippers. You’re gonna get your show cancelled. 

And, really, I mean the shippers who came on here unprovoked last time to fucking start shit and tell me to quit writing and to die because I disliked Higgins. I don’t mean the people (of any fandom) who go “Aww, they would be cute together”. write their fics, and live in their happy little bubbles like the one I live in occupied by Found Family/Whump/Hurt/Comfort. I mean the ones who are like Trumpettes and can take no wrong from their character of choice and get aggressive about it. Like, I’m ace on every spectrum, and I get absolutely no shows that aren’t ruined by fandom shippers, and I was reeeeeally hoping I could have this show with the guys and maybe, MAYBE have something I could relate to on network tv, BUT NO. I GET THIS FUCKING HORSESHIT. 

Thank you for coming to my TED talk. 

[hermankopusortizorsumshite]

WARNINGS!

PART 2 OF 3

His best friend, lying on the side of the road in a heap.

“Clay! Can I borrow your phone?” He shouts as he runs into the main room. Clay tosses his cell and Kozik calls.

“Ask her if she’s home!” He hands the phone to Gemma.

“Hey darlin’ you make it home?” She asks, eyeing the blonde who stood so close she could hear him breathing.

“Is Kozik asking?” She snips.

“I am. I was worried about you. One of the guards said you got a taxi. You make it home?” There’s a long pause.

“Yeah.” She sighs. “I’m fine. Tell Kozik sorry. I didn’t mean to scare him.”

“It’s okay! I’m sorry for yelling at you!” He shouts, stuffing his hands in his pockets.

“Just tell him sorry. I’m home fine. The girls are coming over. Tell him it’s best if he doesn’t come around so much.” Kozik stumbles away, heading out to the garage. Not come around so much? His best friend all of a sudden hates him? Of course he messed it up. He always does.

“I’m sorry!” He cries to no one.

“Kozik?” Tig asks.

“Yeah?”

“You okay man?”

“No. She doesn’t wanna to see me. I don’t know what I did. I mean. This was supposed to be a fun time for us. The two amigos hanging out. But no! I had to ruin it. I always do. I’ve never yelled at her like that before. But, she OD’d on ecstasy. She found it in my bag. She took too many. She could have died, man! And it was on me!” He cries, jabbing his fingertips into his own chest.

“Dude. It’s okay. You messed up. We all do. She just needs a chance to cool off. It’s a little unresolved sexual tension. You probably made her too horny with that stripper act.” He chuckles.

“Man, I just don’t get it. It’s almost like she was jealous of that crow eater and she was so mad about the lap dance. Like, we were just having a good time, ya know?”

“Kid, you ever think that just maybe she likes you more than a best friend?” Tig asks as he walks away. He takes a moment, breathing deeply and heaving it out, thinking about it for a moment.

“Koz! Let’s load up and go!” He hopped on his bike and went to work without another thought.

“Girl, you gotta tell him!” Teagan coos, handing her a mixed drink.

“No! I mean, he obviously doesn’t feel the same way. For Christ’s sake, he gave me a lap dance and ten seconds later was dragging some chick back to our room and banging her.” She groans, taking a drink.

“I mean, yeah. But he still thinks you’re just his friend. He doesn’t realize that you’re in love with him.girl, but how was the lap dance?” She wiggles her eyebrows at her friend.

“Girl. I literally thought I was going to explode. It was so hot. He was literally some kind of—I don’t know. I wish he was naked.” She bites her bottom lip and grins.

“Girl! Yes! You two would be so damn cute together!”

A year passes, and she finishes packing her last box and climbs into her car. She was moving out of Tacoma and into Charming, a job had lined up and she was ready to move. As she pulled in she noticed a Dyna parked next door. Chuckling to herself, she started unloading her car. Four boxes down, she found the heaviest box that she fought into the car the first time. Groaning and starting to drag the box towards the house, up the sidewalk, she hears talking but keeps pulling.

“Aw shit, babe?” Calls a voice across the yard. The rough voice was familiar and when she looked up her eyes met Herman Jack Kozik’s. Turning, she looks behind her.

“I’m sorry?” She asks, furrowing her brows as she gets closer.

“Hey baby! Your stuff goes over here. You make it down here okay?” He asks, greeting her with a discreetly warm hug and kiss to the forehead.

“What the fuck is going on?” She whispers, looking up at him so confused.

“Just grab a bag, come over here. I’ll explain once we’re in the house outta earshot.” He whispers, taking her box from her and smacking her butt. She sneaks in her own house, grabbing a suitcase and heading over to Kozik’s. How had she managed to get a house next to him? The black car parked down the street watching her as she headed into the biker’s house.

“Hey Birdie. There’s some crazy motherfucker out there kidnapping women that look just like you. They think he’s from Tacoma and that he’s doing it on purpose. And I heard the realtors this morning chatting loudly about you buying that house. Just, can you stay with me until we catch this sick bastard? He’s raping and torturing these girls and dumping them in Charming. San Joaquin Sheriff’s took over and they think it’s us doing it to scare some business outta town so they won’t take it seriously.” He chats, resting his hand on her shoulder.

“You’re not making any bets on a lap dance?” She snorts, side-eyeing him with a twinkle in her eyes. With a grin, he grabs her up, squeezing tightly as he spins her around and around.

“I missed you so much Birdie. Christ. I’m so sorry about that shit. It’s been a rough year without you, I won’t lie. I’ve been into some shit that I probably shouldn’t, but then again, you were my voice of reason so.” He shrugs, grabbing his wallet off the table. “You wanna get dinner?” He asks.

“Koz, this is all some crazy shit, and you’re hungry? You definitely haven’t changed one bit.” She huffs, shaking her head. “Can we take the bike?” She asks, looking up at him with a smile.

“Abso-fuckin’-lutely.” He laughs, grabbing her hand leading her to his bike.

“Wait!” She sprints to her car, grabbing a little box from her front seat and running back. Popping it open, she pulls the adhesive cat ears out of the box and sticks them to her helmet. He chuckles, trying to not to laugh. Looking up at him, helmet on, his hands caress her face for a moment before he climbs on the bike and kicks it to life.

“That’s some kinky shit.” He nips over the roar of his bike as she climbs on, hugging him as they head to find some dinner. Pulling into a small burger shop in town, Kozik parks the bike, chuckling at her helmet with cat ears as she gets off. He grabs her hand and tows her inside. Tig was sitting in a corner booth with Happy and Chibs, mowing over some big ass burgers when their eyes meet Kozik towing her in. Tig is the first to jump up, gripping her in a hug.

“Thank christ, man. His moping was getting a little out of control.” He smiles, patting Kozik on the shoulder. “Koz, can we talk over here?”

“She knows man. It’s okay. I got her.” He assures, his hand gripping her hip and pulling her against him.

“We’re gonna catch this son-of-a-bitch, Birdie. Don’t you worry.” He assures, gripping her shoulder before sitting back down. Kozik finds them a booth, letting her inside before sliding in next to her.

As they arrived back at Kozik’s she slips inside and changes in the bathroom. As she reappears, he’s standing in the kitchen, beer in hand, shoulders tense and a look of despair hung on his tired features.

“Kozzie?” She hushes, afraid she might scare him. Opening his eyes, he smiles weakly at her.

“Hey, I’m good don’t worry.” He pushes himself off the counter and finds himself standing in front of her, his arms wrapping themselves around her shoulders and holding her against his warm, bare chest. Leading her to the couch, he bustles about to lock all the doors and windows, closing all the shades and blinds. Finding his place on the couch next to her, he slings an arm around her shoulders. Her eyes drifted around the room, taking in the bare walls and the empty room, all but a tv on the other side.

“Kozzie?” She asks, eyes looking at the table. A little white dust was in the groove of the table in front of them. Pulling out the drawer, she. Finds a card, a small baggy of cocaine, a dollar rolled up, and an old picture of them laughing tucked against the drawer. “Koz-“

“Don’t. Don’t even start this.” He begs.

“Koz, I just-“

“Yeah, I know. Shame on me, I’m a shitty human being. Just, don’t fuckin’ say anything. Okay? I don’t want fight with you right now. It’s the first night I’ve seen you in a year.” He murmurs, pulling his arm away from her.

“But—Herman Jack! You listen to me, you’re my best friend. That won’t change. Okay? But come on, cocaine?” He huffs and gives a dry laugh.

“You can’t just leave it alone. You gotta keep going. You gotta-“ He stands and stalks into the kitchen. She hears a slam and heads into the kitchen.

“I do! Ya know why? Because heroin was a bitch but I didn’t give up on you then did I?” She shouts, standing in the doorway. He slowly turns, head down. “And I’ll be goddamned if nights of no sleep and screaming is gonna stop you now. You got me? If you want my help, you know where to find me.” She misses, grabbing the door handle. His boot stops the door from opening.

“You can’t go. I’m sorry. I’m so sorry, I’m so fucked up. Christ, I’m sorry.” He whispers, grabbing her and holding her against him.

“It’s okay, Kozzie. I didn’t mean to yell at you. I just-“

“I love you. I love you, Birdie.” He coos, his eyes meeting hers.

“I love you too, big lug.” She chuckles, pulling him back towards the couch.

“No, Birdie. I mean it. I mean it seriously.” He pulls her back to him. His blue eyes looking down at her.

“Koz-“

“I know. I know. Shit, I’m—I’m just gonna go to bed. I’ll take the couch, feel free to take the bed.”

“Why do you keep our picture in there?” She asks, eyes flicking to the drawer.

“Because I try to put it down when I look at it. I tell myself it’s a choice. I keep thinking your face will be enough to stop, but it normally just makes me remember how bad I fucked up.” He whispers, eyes flicking form his boots to her face.

“What do you mean fucked up?”

“What? You left without saying anything. Told me you didn’t want to see me again. Told Gemma you didn’t want me coming around as often. I left ecstasy unattended, you almost died. You almost died. I used you for money, for a stupid fuckin’ bet. I was showing off that crow eater in the room we shared. I literally asked you if you were stupid. It was my fault that you left like you did. I was drunk the first two weeks. I won’t lie. I was always drunk. I hated myself more than anyone could hate me. I fought a lot of people. I was a mess. I can’t take back what I said, but I realized something after that few days together. I’m the worst fuckin’ person. I’d kill for you. Your safety is my number one concern. And that when that crow eater was—I imagined you. You know how sick that is? I hate myself.” He groans, tears filling his eyes. Leading her to his room, he hands her a blanket and waves good night. She stood in shock, heart hurting. He was a sweetheart, of course, she loved him. Taking a moment, she steps out to find him perched in front fo the table, a line in front of him.

“Don’t you dare.” She bites, making him jump.

[bionicdragonguardian1]

Ranma 2/4

Part  Two: Chapter 13 - 25

Unless someone comes up with a better name I’m sticking with this one

HOW tf is the principal crazier than before?!

Yup, spreading out the Kuno-Principal thing

Is Sasuke seriously an anime-only?!?

Like I said Ryoga needs to chill a little first

Main reason I don’t like Ukyo That scene where she blatantly states she’s fine with turning Ranma into something he’s not rather than helping him

(Ignoring the near constant amount of undermining his abilities)

“I’m gonna cheer him up” as she holds a sword! Why?!

 Ranma you dummy, hug Akane!

I hate this demon/ghost cat

Shampoo, you manipulative bitch

Akane learns to swim like a normal person

The lifeguard in me can’t do it

 The principal is background shenanigans

Totally forgot about the kid who wants to play video games and is “weak” bc of it

Definitely need to find a different reason tho

 Lazy little shits are a pain

Also his mom is crap

 Akane… why you be dumb?

 Weird Happosai is Santa plot…

What is with the Excalibur meets lucky 1000 meets fairy godmother?

Good news is, with what I’ve done to Kuno’s understanding of Ranma’s curse Ranma knows Kuno wouldn’t give him that wish and calls it quits sooner

Someone just needs to explain Ranma’s really confusing sense of morality to me

 Cuz it’s either on 110% or it’s nonexistent, now normally nonexistent is for Kuno but still

 Look Ranma’s got ego problems but he ain’t stupid

No betting the Tendo Dojo at five!

 On what planet is that a legal document?!?

Some1 tell me why Shampoo using Ranma as a stop ramp bugs me so bad

That mo when you can’t remember if the Hot Spring Challenge is when Ukyo met Shampoo in the anime…

I don’t think so…

Akane you made me need to google a word

That like never happens Ranma you idiot

So close but so far

So much more logic, thanks

I mean more insanity, but it explains why Ranma swapped clothes

Finally! Ranma apologizes

Jesus Christ someone would think I won the goddamn lotto with how loud I cheered when this happened

600% approve of this over what happened in the anime

Oof poor Ranma

Hahahaha in your face Shampoo, but I also think I know why Ranma chose it

Poor Ryoga

I KNEW this guy was coming I still hate it

YEET you can’t PAY ME to  do this arc

Look, is it the fact that I had etiquette and dance classes as a child and everyone assumed this is what it was like? Probably.

It wasn’t so I won’t.

Any1 else notice how Nabiki is one of the few ppl that uses she/her when Ranma is in his cursed form no matter what?

Why does this bug me?

Akane, stop beating Ranma up, honestly

This is closer to abuse rather than teasing

*sighs*

 Gotta work that out of the narrative, intentional or not

Every1 sayin she’s violent isn’t helping

Like I said really fucking morally GREY Nabiki

How grey can you go before you get black? 

 Let’s find out together

Can everyone PLEASE stop treating Ranma like an object?!

 I literally can’t tell if Nabiki is fucking Aro or not…

STRESS

Why is this so hard?!

I hate seeing Akane cry

I know she’s playing Ranma like a kazoo, but the point still stands

WHY ARE YOU TWO SO DUMB?!

Nope, nevermind it’s just Ranma that’s a fuckin idiot I blame Genma

No, I’m not kidding

*sighs* I don’t condone Nabiki doing this in any way just for the record THAT’S not an apology Ranma!

This mess is totally your fault Nabiki

STRESS

am I intentionally pointing out where this work of fiction is stressing me out since I’m now online schooling and suffering for it? Yes, fuck off.

 Actually, don’t.

But Fuck Covid19

Aww his hat’s back!

Why do I love his hat so much?

No, seriously Akane’s so cute!

Oooww tree

y’know the sec she realized what Ranma was doing Nabiki should’ve TOLD him!

Congrats Ranma ya got the wrong sis- I mean the right- but wrong- dammit y’know what I mean

Some1 give me a logical explanation for why Ranma goes on a date with a panda doodle, PLEASE

I do appreciate the epic battle background fight for the anime

Further proof that Happosai sucks

Manga name’s somehow less believable I think it’s the use of “snowman” rather than “yeti”

Did Soun just find out that Pchan is Ryoga, and say nothing?

Ooo, Imma commit arson

Remember when I said obey Physics and Medical, I meant it

Arson is wrong and I know this but “transgender bitch” crosses the line

I will do it

Shampoo is a fucking yandere psycho

Just sayin “we’ll see who can get him first” 

honestly, any other group and I’d be annoyed, but these four can’t work together for shit I

’m still pissed at Taro, but he can kill Happosai, please

I can’t tell if Shampoo, Mousse and Ryoga are being purposefully obtuse or not

I just reread their names I know the answer to at least two of them

Idk how I feel about Kuno-amnesia we’ll see

yep, Kuno gives me the creeps w or w/out his memories

kinda wish this was anime

jesus christ, poor Ranma

press f to pay respects for Ranma’s stomach

InstaRegret

 Also Ukyo’s assumption that some1 can make Ranma doing anythin he doesn’t want to is crap

Like HELLO! Wake up moron!

Nabiki, I mean this in the nicest way possible, shut the fuck up

You’re making it worse

Also TALK to each other you ding dongs!

OH RIGHT! I almost forgot about the biggest fucking insult that Ukyo said of her own freewill!

It also proves that she doesn’t know Ranma as a person AT ALL!

It’s not a pick one or the other kind of thing

The fact that she thinks Ranma would accept that is insulting

The fact that she thinks that is insulting and makes me hate the patriarchy

Again, treating him like a prize than a person

*tries not scream, sighs*

Nabiki, you’re the cause of at least 30% of the stress I get from this

You having feelings ain’t the fucking problem here Ukyo, you not acknowledging Ranma’s is

 I hate fake criers, anyone who does this I hate you

Always let others in on your plans, kids

When’s every1 gonna realize Ranma’s “wishy-washy” cuz no one’s ever committed to HIM before?

This episode confused me, I’m prepared to be MORE confused

Less confused, I’m surprised

 Gonsunkugi, you creep

There is SO much wrong with this

*shudders*

WHAT?!

Y’know I didn’t think Gosunkugi could surprise me, I was wrong

Happosai still sucks unfortunately for all of us he’s now weird on top of it

I love how much Ranma needs to be kicked in the teeth to get any character development out of him

Ryoga is my #1 choice for it, always

Ranma… why are you like this?

Genma, emotional range of a goddamn wall

I am jealous of Ranma’s brain

I could be SO mean with the Shishihokodan

Also, are they implying that Ryoga has depression?

Gimme Ranma’s brain

I won’t ask for his confidence cuz that’s impossible but I want his brain

In Akane’s defense, given what she knows she couldn’t’ve known how badly that would affect Ryoga

 I ain’t gonna say “leave Shampoo” cuz that’s cruel

I like the “turn into a Cat” rather than the “Can’t Cross” & the use of New Year’s rather than random but this still brings around the fact that she doesn’t LISTEN to him

Mousse you’re NOT helping in fact you’re actively making it worse did you miss when he said blatantly “I don’t wanna”

oh, sure, NOW you’re ok with it

ugh Mousse, you have a brain, I’ve SEEN you use it. Do so now.

This entire episode weirded me out

IDK if it’s the age-dff or the fact that he was makin it up and somehow everyone thought this was okay … 

I won’t YEET it but MASSIVELY change

heheheh

Light bulb

NOPE I’m keeping this surprise to myself

it was a rather sweet end tho

Oh, this episode is a mess and a half, honestly

Also Nabiki, congrats you’ve literally enabled a stalker S

o many laws are broken here

okay, so Kodachi not being in on Ranma’s secret after so long makes sense purely because she doesn’t go to their school

however, with what i’ve done to make Kuno marginally less dumb it makes a little bit less sense…

I literally hate Kuno with what I’ve done to his logic of Ranma’s transformation, but that’s the point Kodachi… how do I handle you… oh, duh!

Ok, so Kodachi is now also terrible

 I’m trying to figure out where this is in the plot since there is ZERO

Ok, there’s a LINE, Nabiki

This one would be touching, if it didn’t end the way it does

TALK gentlemen! 

It won’t kill you

Fuck a parent that says they’re not your parent for no reason, EVER

I am going to make this hurt

 Also gonna take out Genma’s fail at stealth

 Remember I said Akane’s going to learn to cook

heheheh

sorry, I just love this idea

Oh this is SO against the rules it’s not even funny

 tiny adjustment so they actually have quasi-competent referees

Crazy wants crazy?I won’t stop ‘em

I reiterate: CHEATING!

I am aware that the “ending” apparently sets them back to the start in terms of their relationship but I swear to God if they pretend shit like this didn’t happen I will scream

 Someone ships something other than Akane x Ranma PLEASE explain why/how

don’t ship bash but I would insight when you explain 

STICK TO CANON

please trust me, I’m a multi/poly/crack shipper

(for frame of reference to a bnha I ship DabiHawks)

I understand the appeal of Fanon

however, I would like to stick to Canon here

so no Fanon

Canon Only

Fully love that high kick

Genma shows Ranma’s secret here, but they already know… so… I shall find out

Ooo, you’re not getting out of this Ranma

Do you know how tempting it is for Akane to at least tell Ranma she’s a girl- oh wait gendered sports… right…

Ranma… 

if you didn’t realize it was Akane when she hit you for calling her klutzy I can’t help you

I want to commit arson at some of the comments…

but can confirm that these are HS boys

 Doesn’t mean I gotta like it

I was wondering how long I was going to have to wait before tearing into Nodoka

FINALLY

Took me WAY too long to remember that Nodoka calling Ranko tomboyish is due to how he speaks in Japanese

I’ll need to figure that out since… English

Can I explode on Genma’s choice to take Ranma at TWO?!

Can I further explode on both of them for making a TWO YEAR OLD “sign” a Seppuku Pledge?!

I hate both of them, honest

ALSO communication! 

Genma! Just fucking TELL HIM!

Making her transphobic is SO tempting

I don’t mean in a “i hate you” way I mean in a “I sheltered my whole life” way

 It’s still bad, and painful, but she can easily learn from that

Or be worse, this could go 2 ways

I feel so bad for Akane for this entire conversation

Also poor Ranma like ouch… 

 Awkward

I’m going to make this hurt something fierce

Slight change since I’m hoping Ranma isn’t as “peak fight or flight” by this point

Genma don’t be an asshole for FIVE MINUTES

Please, that’s all I want

If she doesn’t learn the truth before the end I will make a bad decision

Really, I will

Don’t kill Genma, you can’t

 Akane, don’t say like you wouldn’t… honestly

Don’t look a gift horse in the mouth, honestly, just look the other way Ranma

*sigh* 

Ranma…

See, this kind of crap here is why I really don’t like Cologne

any other day Akane’d be right

oof, that means he self aware that girls flock to him

I’m quite frustrated by that if I’m honest

Ranma is clueless about all the wrong things

I love him but God I wanna punch him sometimes

Why is there a swing from the ceiling?!

I had a jolt from the way they set that panel up, thanks

Are you trying to kill me?!

Thank you Cologne, now fuck off

Oh thank God, at least he learned

This is nonanime stuff so I have no clue what’s happening but anything to make Happosai miserable

I’m enjoying this immensely

 ugh, “think of it as a compliment” ghost

Eat me

 okay, yeah, as much as I want him dead, that’s worse

I’m glad he’s not a one-and-done character

I will forever ONLY call him Taro when it is NonDialogue

Wait Saffron as in big-bad Saffron?

I literally only know pieces of the end so I’m just pulling from what I know

Lol, wait… was that soldier Anime only too?

I almost liked you there for a sec Taro

Now I’m pissed again

bravo

Oh, YIKES

… if Ranma falls into the Spring of Drowned Twins would he split?

 I’m not going to DO IT, obviously!

I’m just curious okay… 

that answers that… and kills anyone other than Ranma’s plan to turn back to normal I hope everyone is aware of that

oof

Since when is there a castle on an island in Japan

tis just a scratch, I’ll admit that was funny

Ranma… your stomach gets you in so many problems

ok, that was wholesome

I approve

Okay, so my understanding is that Mrs. Tendo got sick, so I can understand the reactions to Kasumi

BUT I still find it odd because… well… anyone in my house gets sick and you mostly can’t even tell I mean, minus a worse attitude and a mask, other than that though, nope we keep ‘er movin’

 I’m moving this section sooner EVEN IF IT KILLS ME!

I like her mom’s cookbook tho

I could make a Ranma x Ryoga joke here, but I won’t

I also won’t make a Ranma x Ryoga joke chapter cuz I’m nice like that

Actually I might have no choice

I’m FINE just dying

 Help

my multishipper heart is dying here

 I love this

InstaRegret for THREE people

If nothing else, I’m impressed

(well three once Ranma’s back to normal)

I need help

Fangirling/Fanboying/Fanpeopling is dangerous folks, remember that

Poor Ryoga

Though I too feel that right now like where do I look because everything coming in at mach 6

I’m changing that one scene tho cuz I can’t justify the aftermath without it

This… is… weird to say the least

I feel like I should just expect anything with Gosunkugi remotely involved to be weird at this point

okay, not as weird as I expected

glad it was short tho

I think I am officially out of anime terf

YAY, new content!

This is why I ask about any ship that isn’t Ranma x Akane

Also, names?

That- that- that can’t... 

I DIDN’T NEED TO KNOW THAT!

EWWW

gross

WHY?!?!!

also, biology, that’s not how that works!!

You two ARE idiots

Ryoga you die I’ll kill you

Well… that hurt to see so quick…

Ranma, get up!

I officially hate this Herb guy

ok, so if you put HOT water in the ladle do you stay that way forever?

Alright! Way to go Ryoga!

I need to stop shipping Rivals it’s bad for my health

fucking eat it you dick!

 Poor Akane

nevermind, Ranma you idiot

awwwww

ok, so that whole no more Anime-content… I was wrong, and I admit that, but still

I’m just thinking of my bff when they realize she’s an adult cuz, yeah, she’s like that too

 except like physically an adult unlike tiny-Hinako

 oh MY GOD Ukyo you’re driving me up the goddamn wall I swear!

THANK YOU AKANE!

 “You’re all Ranma’s fiancées” when only one of them actually is 

GIANT SIGH OF ANNOYANCE

Ranma, learn to communicate, PLEASE!

Okay… so is this where they figured it out or are some ppl still in the dark?

TIMELINE!!

Honestly, mood Ranma, mood

This entire plot line confuses me if I’m being totally honest

I mean I live for the Akane focus, but there are so many better ways to do this

[secretyellowday]

Drabble

For Bisha-san ❤❤❤ Thanks for your hardwork everyday ❤❤❤

***

"Gin-san is so popular with the girls." Gintoki turned to look at (Y/N) confusedly while the (H/C) girl smiled brightly at him. They were on the way back to the Shinsengumi, where (Y/N) worked and lived there. That night there was a celebration party at the Yorozuya. Everyone was invited and there was so much delicious food. (Y/N) had fun but ultimately, she wanted to head back early and the Yorozuya's boss offered to walk her home. 

"What do you mean?" Gintoki ruffled his hair, making it even more wavy than normal. "Your girlfriends..." (Y/N) giggled and counting with her hands "Otae-san, Sarutobi-san, Tsukuyo-san...They love you a lot. Did you notice that?" "Whoa there! They are not MY girlfriends!!!" Gintoki stopped in his track "If your definition of love is hitting me, pervertly stalking me and throwing kunai at me, you seriously need to check your dictionary again." He turned to the side, mumbling "And you don't know them long enough..." (Y/N) tilted her head wondering. Her (H/C) hair flew in the wind as the moon illuminated it. She was friends with the Yorozuya for a few months and did not know the said girls on a personal level. "They have this look in their eyes when they look at you Gin-san..." She gestured with her hand "I think they only act like that because they are nervous and shy in front of someone they love..." (Y/N) covered her smile with her sleeves. "And you are so popular you always rank 1st in the popularity poll." Gintoki blushed slightly. He looked ahead and thought for a while, then he calmly asked: "Then how's about you?" "Eh...?" Now it was (Y/N) that stopped in her track. The white hair boy leaned closer to her, staring into her eyes: "Do you love Gin-san?" Now using the sleeves to cover half of her face, (Y/N) stuttered. She could feel her face redden and her heart beat quickly: "Er...uhm...." Glancing to the side to avoid his stare, (Y/N) walked up nervously "I voted for you in the popularity poll haha...Let...let's go...It's getting late and you have to get back to the party..." "Don't think that will be the case." The Yorozuya's boss blocked her way with his hand placing on the opposite wall. They were so closed to each other like in a typical shoujo situation "I'm gonna pry the answer out of you. So yes or no?" (Y/N)'s heart jumped like crazy and she was beet red while fidgeting her fingers. She certainly did not expect this turn of event and now her brain decided to stop functioning. Gintoki observed her, his face was also growing redder. (Y/N) would have noticed it if she was not a big puddle of mess like now. Gintoki sighed: "Seriously..." He lifted her chin "You have this look in your eyes. You are acting shyly. You are so goddamn nervous now." Gintoki smirked "Per your dictionary, you are definitely in love with..." "Whoooaaa...!!!" (Y/N) slumped down, covering her faces with both hands "Don't...don't use my words against me Gin-san...." Gintoki sweat, crouching down to her level. He wondered why she couldn't be more honest about her feelings. "Ok...ok..." Gintoki patted her head and couldn't help but notice her hair was so smooth. "Silly girl...Can't handle a little teasing yet you want to lecture me about love..." He held her hands and moved it to show her face. "...Read other people's feeling but decide to ignore mine..." Gintoki stared at her helplessly cute expression and felt his heart skipping a beat. (Y/N) was a smart girl but could be so dense and oblivious sometimes. "..." "(Y/N), I love you..." Gintoki leaned in and kissed her forehead. The girl flinched slightly, closing her eyes. Gosh, her heart was exploding out of her chest now. (Y/N) felt his hand caressing her cheeks as he placed another kiss on it. "Gi...Gin-san..." She stuttered as he withdrew. The infamous Shiroyasha ruffled his hair again, shyly and nervously. "That's how to do it. Hammer it into your pretty head and confess to me next time." Gintoki took her arms and helped her to get up. Their faces were as red as tomatoes as they walked in silence with the moon lighting their path. Gintoki held her hand and (Y/N) let him. After a while, she clung to his arm lovingly, feeling less shy now. "Silly girl. Don't get so clingy to Gin-san until you confess properly..." Both of them were now big puddle of mess in love. ***Bonus***

"Girls are so complicated. Why couldn't you say it to Gin-san?" The white hair boy mumbled, not intending to let (Y/N) hear it.

"Um...Sougo told me not to..."

"What the...?!" Gintoki flinched, looking at the blushing girl.

"He said you never shown any interest in women and you will definitely reject me..." (Y/N) answered hesitantly. Multiple angry mark appeared on his forehead as Gintoki clenched his fist:

"That sadist bastard!!!"

[makeste]

BnHA Chapter 202: Rival Break and the 3rd Set

Previously on BnHA: Momo made a giant cannon and used it to fire a bag of emergency supplies over the onomatopoeia wall back to her pals. The bag contained some fungicide which Tokoyami and Hagakure doused themselves with to ward off Toadette’s horrific quirk. It also contained a pair of night vision goggles which Toko used to track down Toadette and Kuroiro. For a moment it looked like he had them both contained, but then Toadette sprouted some mushrooms in Toko’s fucking windpipe, cutting off his air supply and causing him to release them. Meanwhile Kendou showed up to rescue Manga from Hagakure’s flurry of invisible attacks. She’d managed to knock Momo out, but not before Momo sprouted a bunch of steel cables from her left side to tie Kendou up and attach herself to her while she herself was still attached to the giant cannon. So basically she slowed her way down, and tbh they would have had this if Hagakure and Tokoyami (and Aoyama, who got captured before any of them) hadn’t dropped the ball. That’s my story and I’m sticking to it. But anyway, so the round went to B Team, and now the classes are tied and we’re about to move into the third round.

Today on BnHA: Since Momo and Kendou’s teams absolutely trashed the battlefield, Aizawa and Vlad announce a short break before the start of round 3. All Might takes Deku aside and asks him if things are all right with his quirk. Deku says he’s fine, only to be interrupted by Kacchan who’s all THE FUCK ARE Y’ALL DOING HAVING THIS WEIRD CONVERSATION SO CONSPICUOUSLY and he makes them fill him in. Kacchan’s response to the whole OFA situation is to basically egg Deku on to become stronger already, and it fucking works is the thing, so y’all know this one-page conversation is easily the most “!!!!” I’ve been about this series in fucking ages omg. But anyways, so then round 3 starts up with Team TetsuPonyHoneSen VS Team TodoIidaShoujiRo. Shouto briefly thinks back to when he was like six fucking years old and Endeavor was trying to teach him a new fire technique by being an abusive dick. Shockingly this method didn’t pan out, but Shouto’s been thinking about it again recently since watching his dad battle the Noumu at Fukuoka. Meanwhile Iida is hyped to win since he’s representing his brother as the successor to the Ingenium name. And Tetsu is also hyped because he’s always fucking hyped! So basically everyone is getting ready to do their best and this should be good!

(As always, all comments not marked with an ETA are my mostly-unspoiled reactions from my first readthrough of this chapter. I’m caught up with the manga now at chapter 223, so any ETAs will reflect that.)

oh wow Toadette is actually offering Tokoyami a throat lozenge like I was joking about earlier. haha. only the reason it was a joke on my part is because I thought it was fairly obvious that a fucking lozenge wasn’t exactly going to do much to help after you sprouted fucking mushrooms all along the inside of his goddamn windpipe! these kids are fucking savages I swear to god. they’re out for blood

anyways he’s still coughing and hacking and she’s telling him to go see Recovery Girl before this turns into one of those hanahaki fics

meanwhile Momo also appears to be ill after using her quirk as much as she did, and she’s shaking and doesn’t seem to be able to stand, so two sarcastic asshole robots are wheeling her off to RG as well

yeah I’m gonna need you two to shut up. were they specifically programmed to be douches? this is someone’s idea of a joke isn’t it

anyways I hope my girl Momo is gonna be okay. Kendou go with her please!

Shinsou’s all “wow everyone got really fucked up” and Aizawa’s just like “yeah that’s just how it goes with hero training” as though this is in any way acceptable lol. well I guess it’s been a little while since U.A. did anything outrageously irresponsible though, so maybe we can cut them some slack this time around. plus ultra?

(ETA: nope I take it back. within three chapters all four teachers will be idly standing by shrugging their shoulders and hoping none of the kids fucking burn to death by accident. lesson learned, never ever cut the U.A. faculty any slack whatsoever.)

btw I almost forgot to mention it but it’s super cute that Shinsou is hanging out next to Aizawa. they have clearly built up some kind of bond by this point, and as usual I’m delighted by any and all instances of Aizawa being a dad

looool

did I mention that Manga’s quirk is seriously unbelievably strong though?? is there an onomatopoeia for “All for One-destroying weapon” that I don’t know about that he could speak into existence perhaps? hmm?

also smh at these teachers being more concerned with the property damage than with the attempted murder. Tokoyami’s fine by the way. but sure let’s scold them for doing some mild damage to your industrial training site which you specifically created for this very purpose

so apparently they’re going to change the stage? or “move the stage” at any rate? does this mean they’re cleaning up the training ground, or are they moving to one of the other areas? I’m not quite clear here

but at any rate, Vlad says they’re going to take a short break which I’m all for because it means more chances for the kids to interact!

look at them interacting!!

so I’m just going to assume the two speech bubbles on the right are Kirishima and Tetsutetsu, yes?

also, Manga, I’m gonna need you to stop whining about how your ultra-powerful and crazy broken quirk gives you a sore throat. fuck outta here with that nonsense son. I assume the only reason no one gave OFA to you is because the series would already be over

Deku is happily taking notes on everyone’s growth while Ochako watches, and it’s super fucking cute. I am shipping this more these days now that she’s not losing her damn mind any time she thinks about him and he’s not on the verge of passing out whenever she gets within two feet of him

and now All Might’s coming to say hi to his apprentice!

are y’all gonna talk some more about the Avatar State. because if you are then I’m the one who’s gonna start taking notes omg

so he’s beckoning Deku over so they can have a quick private chat in the corner

Mina’s all “well aren’t they close~” and I know she’s just making a mild observation, but once again I’m reminded of how these two are just the absolute worst at hiding their secret. like for real though

so All Might’s asking Deku if anything has felt off since their last conversation

and Deku says “nothing in particular”, which is a bit of a curious answer since he could have just gone with a straight “no”

All Might says he’s planning to ask Gran whether or not Shimura ever mentioned anything. I doubt it though, otherwise you’d think he’d have brought it up before now. not everyone is as cagey as you when it comes to passing on vital information

anyways, he says for the time being Deku should take care since he’ll be facing off with Shinsou

and interestingly, he says Shinsou is a piece of the puzzle as far as the Vestiges/Traces are concerned

really? I mean it’s true that Deku first saw them during his initial fight with Shinsou, and now he just so happens to be fighting Shinsou again on the same day that he had that crazy dream. but is that not just a coincidence? how could Shinsou actually be involved with this?

OH MY GOD

(ETA: speaking of onomatopoeia, Kacchan has his very own complete with exclamation point lol. what happens if Manga uses this. do the letters explode)

KEEP KACCHAN IN THE LOOP 2K19!!!! OH MY GOD YES PLEASE THANK YOU MANGA GODS

holy shit I was wondering if he was gonna get annoyed since he could hardly fail to notice them sneaking off to chat while he was right fucking there

AHHHHHHHHHHHHHH

OH MY GOD YOU GUYSSSSSS

IT DID!!!! AND NOW THEY’RE FINALLY GONNA TELL HIM WHEEEEE

oh my god. Kacchan/Deku rivalry. it has been so fucking long you guys. it’s been 80 fucking chapters!!

things I love:

DON’T KEEP ANY MORE SECRETS FROM KACCHAN ABOUT ONE FOR ALL, HE OFFICIALLY GETS ANNOYED ABOUT IT. HE WANTS TO KNOW SO MAKE SURE YOU KEEP HIM POSTED

for reals though, he’s making sure they remember that he’s part of the OFA squad now. that wasn’t just a one-time thing, he wants to actively be involved. I don’t know if they actually realized this before, but now they’re aware so I hope Deku tells him the next time without having to be asked

also him yelling at them to be more fucking secretive for christ’s sake lol. RIGHT?

and him immediately getting competitive and reminding Deku of what his goals are. they always do this with each other, and it’s honestly so important. the shounen rival relationship is, at its core, one of constant growth. if done right, the two rivals will each be the one person who can always unfailingly push the other when they think they can’t go any further, and nudge the other back on track whenever they start to go astray. and that is so, so important, and it’s especially important for them to keep establishing this relationship now, when for once things are actually calm and there aren’t any villain plots or other angsty things going down for the time being. because this quiet period is not going to last. and there will come a time when Izuku will need this type of push again, when the fate of the world might even depend on it. they help each other to focus and they keep each other grounded, and this shit right here is why it’s my favorite relationship, and I can’t say enough good things about it

lastly, this is fairly subtle, but you can see that this is Katsuki’s way of reassuring him. like, he realized Izuku was... not unsettled, exactly, but certainly confused and still trying to figure out what the hell is going on. so he immediately sets onto distracting him. and I’ve gotten completely distracted by my own excited ramblings and I haven’t even finished the damn conversation yet, but I bet you anything that it worked, too. because that’s the power of rivals, dammit

yeppppp

I fucking love it you guys. every damn time. this is what keeps sucking me back in. this is why I’m reading. give me some good old fashioned shounen rivals showing their concern for one another in the most indirect way possible and it fucking works

PREACH IT ALL MIGHT!

NO, HE DEFINITELY IS. THIS IS EXACTLY WHAT I’M SAYING. SEE, ALL MIGHT GETS IT

like, I don’t really have much more to add other than what I already said, lol. although I will say I’m fairly sure that not only is he not actually pissed off, but he’s actually relieved that Deku did smile, and it was the exact effect he was going for, which is why he called attention to it before immediately trying to play it off like h was mad

anyway, so that was everything to me you guys, but the show must go on, and we are now all set to begin round 3! and it looks like we will be staying in Ground Gamma and that they’ve just relocated to a different part of the stage, or something. idk

so Sen is the only guy in this round who we haven’t already met, although I don’t think we actually know Pony’s quirk. Honenuki’s quirk is of course the quicksand quirk of cavalry battle fame, and I’m looking forward to seeing that in action again

meanwhile they’re up against these legends!

once again I can’t for the life of me figure out how they can possibly screw this up. but we know they will somehow! guess they’ll just have to get creative

and now a quick flashback of Tokoyami, who you can tell is feeling better because he’s coming up to Todoroki and just rambling on and on for no real reason

no you don’t you boob. calm the fuck down man. go eat some ice cream and lie down

well what have we here

friendly reminder that I ship these two. by this point I think I ship Todoroki with almost as many people as Bakugou and I’m not quite sure how that happened. this boy is more social than I give him credit for

so now Shouto’s thinking back to his dad’s battle against High N’ Tight Noumu

and what’s this?

the prominence burn thing? or the flying thing? I personally think he ought to learn the flying thing first

and now some flashbacks to Endeavor being abusive

jesus christ. please tell me Shouto is smoking from his own quirk. please tell me you didn’t actually set your child on fire you utter trashpile of a man

and what the hell is with the shinai? because the fire wasn’t fucking enough??

props to Horikoshi though for showing this. it’s not pleasant to see, but the fact that he doesn’t shy away from it even after starting Endeavor’s redemption arc is really important. none of his past deeds have been erased. he’s not pretending it didn’t happen or that it’s okay now because things are finally starting to get better. it’s such a fucking mess, and I really, really appreciate that we’re being confronted with it even now and nothing is being swept under any proverbial rugs

correct me if I’m wrong, but I feel like this is pretty rare for redemption arcs, both in Eastern and Western media. usually once the former bad guy starts down the right path, the story stops addressing those past sins, presumably in the hope that audiences will eventually forget about them. but not only is Horikoshi not doing that, he’s actively showing us the bad shit again in vivid detail, the resulting effect being something like “hey, just in case you forgot...”

anyway, so here’s more confirmation that Todoroki Touya is in fact Dabi

just fucking confirm it already you cowards. it’s not like you’re trying to hide it; you purposely alluded to it so overtly at the end of the Endeavorhawks arc that no one could possibly fail to miss it. so I really don’t know why you’re playing games with it at this juncture. he must have some sort of plan here but idk

anyway, he says that Shouto is the one, and that he can pass this technique on to him and only him

I wonder if Touya accidentally immolated himself with a failed prominence burn. god I want to know what happened so bad uggghhhh

ahhhhhhh

they’re so cute omg

Ojiro says he had no idea anything was wrong because Todoroki’s expression “never really changes that much”, and he’s impressed Iida could tell

it’s because they’re lovers, Ojiro! but not really, but do you agree with me that they should be? because if not then I really don’t know why you’re wasting my time here tail boy

Iida’s all “but of course!” and says he’s the class president and is always there to lend a hand to a classmate in need. and sure. but also, lovers

AHHHHHH

SUDDEN TENSEI MENTION MY HEART WASN’T READYYYY

(ETA: his face is so cute here too oh my god. fucking adorable.)

so now he’s putting on his helmet, and he says he’s also representing Ingenium’s good name

is this in reference to what Tokoyami said earlier about him and Todo representing the #1 and #2 heroes? did your feelings get hurt bud lol

and he’s reminding everyone that he placed third in the sports festival, “so allow me to show you all!”

damn, somebody sure is fired up

you better watch it son, this enthused 40-year-old nerd is stealing your boyfriend before our very eyes

now we’re cutting to class B!

and Tetsutetsu is also all fired up!

no one thinks you’re dumb, Tetsu! just passionate!

lol but he is acknowledging that this is one of the less strategically balanced class B teams

but he has a plan to address that!

kick some ass!!

yessssssss

and stfu Sen. he has exactly one specialty so of course he’s gonna lean into it. nothing wrong with that

now I’m honestly starting to wonder how he would fare against Todoroki. he might be the only one who could actually stand up to the Prominence Burn attack if it turns out Shouto does have it

...or he might melt. but surely Shouto wouldn’t actually fire a potentially lethal blow during a training exercise... right?

(ETA: ...)

so now Vlad is grumbling about how THEY JUST SAID not to destroy the whole fucking stage, and here Tetsu is, destroying the stage

nice hero name! but it definitely is a misspelling! I’m sure it’ll be corrected at some point later on though

lol this group is something else

this is definitely my favorite class B team to date lol. and Honenuki’s personality is in such stark contrast to his somewhat terrifying appearance, who knew

also props to my boy Sen for having the appropriate reaction to being pitted against Todoroki freaking Shouto. though you could have had it worse, bud! it could have been Bakugou or Deku. at least you guys are somehow going to win which I still can’t get over

lol because it’s literally their only choice given the makeup of their team

well, bring it on!

[kpoprambles00-blog]

MAMAMOO (마마무) - White Wind (9th Mini Album) [COMEBACK REVIEW]

[NOTE: I couldn’t fit in all the videos due to the video limit, so click/press the name of each song to go to YouTube and listen to it!]

There's a very well known saying that we often save the best for last. And yeah, that might not always be true, and I'm not trying to spoil my opinion right away, but... MAMAMOO took that saying to heart. HARD. I've loved the vast majority of what they've given us with the '4 seasons, 4 concepts' thing they've been doing for the last year or so - with their last album, Blue;S, admittedly being my least favourite, and Red Moon being my favourite. Yellow Flower was alright, with a few great songs here and there.

But White Wind? White Wind is THAT BITCH. AND I MEAN IT.

At this point this blog is basically composed of hyperbole and nothing else, but... holy fuck, this album. THIS FUCKING ALBUM. These sorts of releases are the reason I started this blog and these comeback reviews - every now and again we'll get to see something really special get released, and White Wind is one of those occasions. It's... the best thing MAMAMOO have ever done, period. And it absolutely shows why these girls are so damn popular. This is one of those albums that's making me proud to be a Moomoo since "Mr. Ambiguous". This is THEIR album. This is MAMAMOO's evolution if you ask me - this is where they go from a great group to a downright phenomenal one.

So I could wax on all day about how phenomenal this project is, or I could actually SHOW you why. And hey, that's what this blog is for, so buckle the fuckle up and get ready to have your wig fly to Mars.

I mean it. Get some glue for that shit, you're gonna need it.

1. WHERE R U

Any time I'm listening to a MAMAMOO song, and I hear Solar say this at the beginning:

🌟🌙✨C O S M I C ✨🌙🌟

I IMMEDIATELY LOSE MY SHIT. 'CAUSE THEN YOU KNOW THE SONG IS GONNA BE GOOD.

Cosmic Girl (formerly Lucy from RaNia) and Cosmic Sound have worked with MAMAMOO as composers and lyricists for quite a while now. But I'm now at the point where I'm convinced - CONVINCED, I TELL YA - that they cannot make a bad song for the girls. And "Where R U" serves to continue that trend!

It honestly fits the title of the album really well; there's some plucked strings and marimba-like notes in the instrumental that feel so damn breezy and relaxing. As well as this, the song's tempo is slow, but not slow enough that you're bored with it. "Where R U" is a very bright, smile-inducing song if I'm being honest. I was grinning like the Cheshire Cat the first time I listened to it, it's just damn delightful. It also helps that all four members sound like honest-to-god angels here. And hey, any song where Moonbyul sings more is a good song in my book!

The lyrics carry this very light-hearted feel to them, as well - they match the song perfectly. They're very sweet and heartfelt, but with emphasis on a lot of minute details that are super charming. It's not often that MAMAMOO actually do a lovey-dovey song like this, but when it's done right, it's very effective. And yeah, that's absolutely the case here! I like the lyrics a lot.

Do you want to eat and watch a movie? Just the two of us? The corners of my lips are curling up just thinking about it

All in all, I don't have a single bad thing to say about this song. It serves as a great introduction to the album, since it's slow and breezy yet pleasant at the same time. It's the perfect sort of song for a really summery day, to be honest - not the sort of sound I thought MAMAMOO would nail like they did here, but damn! I'm impressed. And that's just the start of this album. Oh boy.

2. GOGOBEBE (고고베베) [TITLE]

Not gonna lie, leading up to this song's release, I actually listened to all of the teasers - which is something I very rarely do - and I got hyped. It all sounded a bit more hip-hop inspired than most of MAMAMOO's title tracks, and the vocals sounded out of this world (as per normal). So when the song actually came out, and it was THIS good? Yeah, I was floored from the word "go".

I remember reading an interview where the girls themselves said "Gogobebe" is "a term that means everyone should just play, go, and enjoy themselves". And yeah, that certainly comes across here! There's playful acoustic guitars scattered around the instrumental, some really bouncy synths, a STRONG bassline, and choruses that just fucking explode towards the end of the song. Seriously, this is the sort of song you'd blast at a party at 2am, and the entire room would start singing along - think "Mr. Brightside", but not on the same level of recognition, obviously. That shouty "뻔뻔하게 놀아 미친 듯이 즐겨" section in the choruses is AWESOME.

I feel like this is the first title track we've had where MAMAMOO get to show off their personalities a bit more, too? Like, we all know how upbeat and playful these lovable idiots are, but that's mainly shown off in their side tracks - like "Taller Than You" or "Sleep in the Car". But here, their personalities are on clear display. This is a song they can have fun with, and that absolutely comes across in both the MV and the live stages. And when the song is this contagious, it catches on fast - just listening to "Gogobebe" puts me in a really good mood!

The playful/party theme of the song is carried over really well into the lyrics, which are also about just enjoying yourself and not caring about what comes tomorrow. There are a few stellar lines in there though, especially in Wheein's introduction and Moonbyul's second rap - apparently Solar and Moonbyul both helped write the lyrics, and if that's the case, consider me very impressed! They're a really fun and uplifting. (Also "너와 나의 mix and match" is A DAMN GREAT LINE. Thank you very much.)

The people who talk too much Always die first in the movies So raise up your self-love

So the song and lyrics are great, but what about the choreography? Honestly, I feel like MAMAMOO haven't had that many stellar choreographies; they're more focused on their songs and performances. Which is completely fine, that's just their style - but I'll be damned if they didn't knock it out of the park for "Gogobebe".

NOTE: The choreography in the video below is mirrored, so it's actually the wrong way around! There isn't an official dance practice for this song, so this is the best I could find.

That's mainly because they got Mina Myoung from 1MILLION dance studio to do the choreography here; and her skill in choreographing shows massively. There's a lot of pretty complex footwork and fast movements here, and yet the girls look flawless doing it! My favourite part is honestly the "9 slash 6" section after that second chorus - MAMAMOO go OFF and I am living for it. There's just a lot of complex details and touches here that make the routine so fun and pleasing to watch - they all make it look so easy, too, which, hoo boi that's not the case once you learn it. It's tough, but in the way that I love!

And hey, the girls even visited the studio to perform it with Mina when she taught it for a class. That's adorable. 😄 (Also HOLY SHIT WHEEIN. GO OFF GIRL. MAIN DANCER COMING THROUGH.)

Yeah, "Gogobebe" was fucking amazing. It's definitely up there with MAMAMOO's best title tracks, if you ask me - it's got the right blend of charm and charisma yet some silliness as well, and if that doesn't sum up the girls I don't know what will. I really hope they keep this momentum going, cause goddamn, I'll be a proud Moomoo if they do. :,)

3. WAGGY (쟤가 걔야)

Not gonna lie, when I saw the title of this song for the first time, I immediately thought "CHOO CHOO JOKE SONG TERRITORY HERE WE COME". And while that isn't completely false, it's definitely not completely true either. The jokiness of this song comes across more in the live stages than the actual song itself, since "Waggy" is actually an adorable little love song! And when I say adorable, I mean ADORABLE. This shit nearly gave me a goddamn cavity.

Let me be clear when I say that cutesy songs like this normally aren't my thing - I often find that unless they do something unique with their cuteness, I'll be bored with them veeeeeery quickly. But thankfully, describing your crush like a little puppy who follows you everywhere is JUST the sort of unique charm I look for in these sorts of songs. It's a memorable metaphor, and IT'S JUST TOO DAMN CUTE, MAN.

There's also the fact that the song itself is infernally catchy; the drum beat matches how my head was bopping along when I listened to it for the first time! It's honestly very reminiscent of Animal Crossing for me, since the soundtrack in those games is very similar to "Waggy"; full of acoustic guitars, simple rhythms and nice little songs you hum the melody to every now and again. I'm... honestly quite disappointed that this didn't blow up amongst young kids like iKON's "Love Scenario" did - it's adorable, and not that complicated either! There's also the fact that when the girls try to be cute, it either works, or ends up being hilarious (for example: Solar's little animal impressions in that bridge. I was ROLLING).

The lyrics are certainly another one of this song's assets, if you ask me. This is already "Puppy Love: The Song", and the lyrics definitely fit that theme! I'd love to know if the girls were able to keep straight faces whilst recording this, because I feel like there would've been a few laughter fits here and there... But like I mentioned before, that comparison of your crush to a puppy is the best part of this song. Hands down. My heart has melted and I'm surprisingly okay with it. ALSO HWASA SINGING IN FRENCH HOLY FUCK.

Woof woof woof, follow me upstairs, puppy When you follow me around You're seriously so cute

Y'know what the cherry on top for this song is, though? The live performances. Go watch them and then try to tell me that MAMAMOO are a deadly serious group. Hwasa looks like the friend that got dragged into everything because she lost a bet, and it's hilarious. 😂

But I don't think there's much else I can say about "Waggy"! It's got the perfect mix of jokiness and cuteness to be memorable, and it's irresistibly fun to boot. And catchy. Seriously, I've had this stuck in my head for weeks. Help.

4. 25 (WHEEIN SOLO)

All I can say is: IT'S ABOUT DAMN TIME.

A lot of Moomoos caught on quite quickly that each member would get one solo per album; Hwasa had a solo on Yellow Flower, Moonbyul had hers on Red Moon, and Solar had hers on Blue;S. BUT NOW IT'S WHEEIN'S TURN. If you ask me she's the most underappreciated member in MAMAMOO! And yet, while this doesn't live up to "Moderato", her other solo - but let's be real, what can - it's still a pretty solid track that acts as a nice interval to the album itself. And hey, Hash Swan isn't in this, so that already makes me happy! (Seriously, that guy's voice is insufferable... couldn't RBW have picked someone else???)

Similarly to "Where R U", "25" has a very chill, relaxed vibe going for it, with some atmospheric guitars and echoing vocals in the instrumental. I really like the triplet/sped-up rhythm of the lyrics in the verses, too - they give the song a nice bit of flavour where it's needed most. And obviously, the star here is Wheein; her vocals are no joke, she's the best vocalist in MAMAMOO in my opinion. But I do unfortunately feel like the song runs a bit short? It feels like she was hampered a bit, and I don't like that very much. She deserves her time to shine, too. But either way, she's still got a gorgeous voice, and she does get her chance to at least show that.

But aside from Wheein's voice, the lyrics to this song are my favourite thing about it. I never expected Wheein to take such a mature angle! And yes, she helped write the lyrics for this, go figure. Wheein actually talks about the topic of growing up, and trying not to lose your innocence and curiosity as you become an adult. She fully admits that growing up is, at times, not something she wants to do - she just wants to curl into a ball and not have to face adulthood. But eventually you get used to it - you adjust, you adapt, and you become more comfortable with the person you are (as well as who you'll be in the future). It's... surprisingly deep? Yet really, REALLY beautiful at the same time. They really changed my opinion on the song, actually! I went from being lukewarm on it to really, really liking it.

At times, I don't want to grow up Like the natural days I want to talk about it myself, but it's hard

"25" ultimately ended up being a song I really enjoyed - and yes, that's largely because of both Wheein's vocals and those amazing lyrics. The song itself does run a bit short, and I do still think it had a lot more room to develop, but what we got in the end is of an insane quality. Wheein should really try her hand at songwriting more, because if this is the sort of thing she's going to write, I'd love to hear what else she can come up with. 👌

5. BAD BYE

Ohhhhhh man, now we're getting into the part of this review where I just start to gush.

Everything we've had so far is either insanely high-quality, or memorable enough to become one of my favourite MAMAMOO songs - but now we're going into ballad territory. And THAT is where MAMAMOO apparently decided to step things up a notch, and turn this album from a good one into a great one.

All I can really say about "Bad Bye" is this: if you haven't done so already, listen to it. Just... listen. Sit there, listen to it in its entirety with no interruptions and preferrably a good pair of headphones, and just take it in. I can 100% GUARANTEE you that you will cry. Even if you've never been through a breakup, even if you can't understand the lyrics - that doesn't matter. I promise you, this song will leave you bawling. If you're not crying by the end, you'll certainly be close to it. And yes, that's largely because of the song itself and its execution, but what really put me over the edge was THE MOTHERFUCKING VOCALS.

People always categorise MAMAMOO as a "vocal group", right? Because of their power and technique, and the fact that pretty much all of the members can sing? I've always felt that title was fitting - but holy SHIT, this is taking it to a new level. Not only are Moonbyul's raps full of anger and raw emotion, Hwasa, Solar and Wheein fucking nail it vocally - THOSE ADLIBS, MAN. THOSE ADLIBS. They legitimately left me in tears here.

I cannot wait to see clips of this from their upcoming concerts, because if they sing this live? ...I may just collapse to be honest. "Bad bye" is so beautifully done, and so emotionally performed on the girls' part that it's breathtaking. And really, really damn heartbreaking, too. It's one hell of a sincere ballad. The instrumental has a part to play there too, because even though there are very skittery trap snares throughout, they never overpower the really emotional piano line - they never feel like a distraction, and they actually end up giving the song a good rhythmic base. But yeah, they're nothing but background to the girls' vocals, which are honestly some of the best in the industry. Fight me.

But if your heart wasn't broken from just listening to the song, don't worry! There's lyrics to help with that! Moonbyul once again helped on the writing here, and the lyrics end up being just as emotionally charged as the song and vocals. It's like the icing on top of a really depressing cake - but in a good way. There isn't a dull moment in them, they're as descriptive and heart-wrenching at the end as they were at the start.

Stop trying to comfort me now, I'm holding back tears I'm afraid of it being the end if I turn my back I can't go, I can't do it - tell me this isn't it

I could go on forever about "Bad bye", honestly. It's just... perfect in the saddest way possible. THIS is the sort of magic I look for in ballads; this has so much legitimate feeling and so many emotions to it that it makes you emotional regardless of whether or not you understand the words. I really didn't think they'd blow me away this much late into the album, but... man, was I wrong. As I'm typing this, their concert is taking place tonight (April 19th) - and I know I said it earlier, but I'm saying it again. I DESPERATELY need to see a live performance of this song. Please. 😭

Y'know what else I need a live performance of, though?

6. MY STAR

BITCH, YOU'RE ASKING ME TO PUT MY FEELINGS FOR THIS SONG INTO WORDS?

Hooooooooo man.

This song made me FEEL things, y'all. IT STILL DOES.

Again, once we were blessed with that "Cosmic" namecall at the beginning, I was excited. Really, really excited. I know Cosmic Girl & Sound make phenomenal MAMAMOO songs, so this was going to be great, right?

BITCH, WRONG. IT WAS GOING TO CHANGE YA DAMN LIFE.

We're only four months into the year. FOUR. MONTHS. And I may have found my side track of the year. Because "My star" is fucking insane. It, once again, left me in tears - but not because the song was emotional. I was in tears from how fucking shook I was whilst listening to this. This song goes haaaaaaaaaard. The bass and drumline in this song is SO damn powerful, the really creepy synths are right up my alley, the hand claps are hype as fuck, and THEM VOCALS. LET ME FUCKING TALK ABOUT THEM VOCALS. Because the girls all sound jaw-droppingly good, but... I need to call someone out real quick.

SOLAR.

MOTHERFUCKING KIM YONGSUN.

BITCH?!?!? WHERE WERE THESE VOCALS HIDING????

Did y'all even HEAR that fucking F6?! LIKE. FOR REAL?! KE$HA IS (majestically, like the queen she is) QUAKING.

Those adlibs... that was a fucking spiritual experience. My soul has left this plane of existence because of those high notes. Looks like she heard that I thought Wheein was the best vocalist in MAMAMOO and decided to fucking change my mind, good LORD.

Another huge thing for me is that this song has sustained my hype for it SO DAMN MUCH. Often, I'll love a song to death once I first hear it, but then it'll wear off over time. But "My star" is so good that that hasn't happened!! It is not only one of the best Cosmic tracks the girls have, but THE BEST B-side MAMAMOO have done. Period. It rivals "Midnight Summer Dream" from Red Moon for me.

And hey, speaking of "Midnight Summer Dream", this song also carries a creepy vibe! Now, unlike "Midnight Summer Dream", I don't think that creepy vibe is intended on "My star". But goddammit, read this song's lyrics and listen to those distorted/reversed synths during Solar's first verse, and tell me you don't immediately think 'stalker girlfriend'. This is a yandere anthem and y'all can't change my mind. IT'S CREEPY AND I LOVE IT. I really want to see a yandere MV for this. PLEASE, RBW. MAKE MY DREAMS COME TRUE.

But every time I breathe, [and] my heart is beating I can't feel it through you I wanna be your love

So don't mind me. I'm just going to go listen to this song for the millionth time and cry over how good it is. And also Solar's falsetto.

UPDATE [21/04/2019]:

THEY ACTUALLY FUCKING WENT AND PERFORMED IT LIVE.

The best video I can find of it right now is this Wheein fancam but I DON'T CARE. THEY ACTUALLY DID IT.

QUEEEEEEEEEEEEEENS.

7. 4SEASON (OUTRO)

...you know an outro is good when I want it to be a full song.

And that NEVER happens with me. I very rarely listen to intros/outros and go "huh, this would be nice as a full song". But that happened with "4season"! It's so nice and chill, literally perfect for listening to in a coffee shop of some sort. It's very short, of course, but the blaring synths and the trap snares actually make a really cool, atmospheric outro. And, as always, all four girls sound phenomenal. It's MAMAMOO, is that really surprising to you at this point?

Since the song is so short, the lyrics are going to be quite minimal as well. But the lyrics here remind me a lot of "Daydream" from Dreamcatcher's recent album - they seem to be a thank-you of sorts to the Moomoos. And I love stuff like that - it's super heartwarming when an idol/group does it, to be honest. If you're a Moomoo, you know how much MAMAMOO really do care for their fans, and that just makes this all the sweeter. :,)

One by one, build up [the] good memories and walk Walk together You and me

"4season" ultimately serves as both a great outro to "White Wind" as an album, and the '4 seasons, 4 colours" project as a whole! And godDAMN, what a way to end it. I wasn't kidding when I said this album is the best of the 4. It's skyrocketed its way to my list of favourite MAMAMOO albums, and I can't wait to own this physically. It's 100% worth it. 😊

ALL THE SOURCES FOR THE ENGLISH LYRICS I USED IN THIS REVIEW: Where R U Gogobebe (고고베베) Waggy (쟤가 걔야) 25 (Wheein Solo) Bad bye My star 4season (Outro)

COVER IMAGE CREDITS: Wind transparent background by KissPNG

[livingthroughchoices-blog]

The Marshmallow Chronicles (Ch. 15: The Brothers Beaumont)

Prev | Next

Author’s notes: Sorry this took so long! This is such an important chapter I was pretty nervous about writing it. I really hope it lives up to everyone’s expectations!

Thanks to everyone who likes, reblogs and/or comments. It truly means a lot! And especially to @starstruckzonkoperatorbat, @notoriouscs, @simplyaiden-blog, @snyggflicka, @asprankle, @speedyoperarascalparty, @mirivalencia, @mymandrake, @asobigokoro2018, @krisnicjack and @fabi-en-ciel for asking me to tag them! Please let me know if you want to be tagged or untagged (:

I love y'all!

Rating: T

Pairing: Drake x MC

Words: 6,903

Although he’d intended to stay up all night, Drake eventually fell into a fitful sleep from which he awoke with a start. He’d slept for longer than he would’ve thought; judging by how tired he felt, he would’ve guessed he’d slept maybe 4 hours, yet it had been more than twice that long.

Despite the fact that he could barely open his bleary eyes, he was glad for the late hour, as he was sure to avoid Riley. She had undoubtedly been woken up by Maxwell at an ungodly hour, and had possibly even made it to the Beaumonts’ estate by now. 

He, along with Liam and Bastien, would not be making their way there until the next day. He was glad for one more day at the manor, knowing he would not be seeing Riley. Or worse, Riley and Liam together.

He tried to rub the sleep out of his eyes, but in closing them only succeeded in making himself sleepier. 

Cold shower it is, then. 

He hopped in and let out a gasp full of regret as soon as the freezing water hit his back, not just because of how unpleasant it was, but also because being more awake only meant more inner turmoil.

What the hell happened last night? Addams, she... the things she said... Could she actually feel the same way?

The arguing little voice was back.

Don’t be ridiculous. We’ve been through this. Her other choice is Liam. It’s cute that the thought even crossed your mind. Or maybe just pathetic.

He shook his head, washing his body at a furious speed, eager to be out of the shower and drown his thoughts out somehow.

One thing is clear, he thought as he wrapped a towel around his waist, I can’t trust myself around her. I have to avoid her until this crush goes away or until... she’s engaged to Liam, then I’ll have no choice but to accept it. 

Seems like half the court’s gonna be heartbroken. 

He gave a wry smile at that. 

Hell, even Tariq! 

He was grateful when that train of thought led him back to Riley’s odd door. He thought it was probably nothing, but he’d rather be safe than sorry. Moreover, reporting it to Bastien gave him something to do, other than agonizing over a crush like a dumb teenager.

He found Bastien at the manor’s small archery range, practicing. As he came into view, he loosed an arrow, which flew wildly over the target. Bastien threw his bow down to the dirt in frustration and kicked at it.

“Whoa, what’s that poor bow done to you? It’s not its fault you suck.”

Bastien wheeled around with a glare so fierce, Drake put his hands up and backtracked, “Hey, hey, you know I’m kidding! Besides, who would I be to say that? I’m the worst at archery.”

“That you are,” replied Bastien drily, turning around to pick his bow up. 

“Bastien, I have to tell you something.”

The man only grunted in response, already nocking another arrow.

Someone’s cooperative.

 Drake cleared his throat and moved closer, determined to make himself heard.

“Right. So last night, I was in Addam’s room–”

He cut himself off as Bastien let the arrow go, hitting the target square in the middle. He whistled, impressed.

“That was one hell of a shot. I definitely take back what I said earlier.”

A tense silence followed and somehow, although Bastien still had his back to him, he could tell he’d arched a judgmental eyebrow.

“What?” Drake said defensively. “I had a good reason to be there, okay? I’m not gonna get into it but I did...”

The silence continued until he could no longer bear it.

“Look! Whatever, okay?! Nothing happened so you can stop with the third degree!”

Bastien scoffed softly at that and finally turned to look at him, a small smile on his face. 

“All right, I’ll stop. You were saying? You were in Lady Riley’s room and then what happened?”

“Nothing happened!” he exploded. Bastien looked strangely at him and Drake felt his neck grow hot. “Oh, uh, you meant what did I want to tell you,” he said in a smaller voice.

Bastien nodded.

“There was no lock on her door.”

There was another silence and then Bastien shrugged.

“What’s that supposed to mean?” Drake asked, incensed at not being taken seriously.

“It means I’m sure it’s nothing.”

Drake had reached the same conclusion on his own from the start, but he was so irritated by Bastien’s nonchalance about the whole thing that he was suddenly arguing passionately; it was almost involuntary.

“How the hell do you figure? Hers was the only door without a lock, okay? Don’t you think that’s weird?!”

Bastien shrugged again and Drake resisted the urge to shove him.

“Evidently, that is not how it should be and I’ll bring it to the staff’s attention, but I’m certain it’s not important. Come to think of it, they remodeled the manor recently, they might have simply forgotten to change that door handle.”

Bastien’s reasonable tone penetrated Drake’s layers of annoyance and calmed him. But he wasn’t going down without a fight.

“I still think you should check on it.”

“Drake, you know I will,” said Bastien, picking up his bow and arrow. Once again, his shot missed by a wide margin.

Drake snorted.

“Well, then, I’ll let you get back to practice. You clearly need it.”

He narrowly avoided being whacked by the bow Bastien swung at him and, still chuckling, he strolled back to the manor. A whole Riley-free and thus, jealousy-free day stretched ahead of him and he didn’t yet know what to do with it. He felt a twinge of sadness at the prospect of not seeing her today and mentally smacked himself.

So you’re upset if your see her, upset if you don’t? Stop whining, idiot. Maybe you could find Lady Kiara and pick up where you left off...

With more of a destination in mind – even if it was a person rather than a place – he strode towards the manor. Almost at the threshold, his phone went off in his pocket. He picked it out and saw “Maxwell” on the screen. He groaned.

“Dude. I get one day to rest from you. One. D–”

“Drake! Shut up for a second!”

He was so shocked that Maxwell had told him to shut up, that he did.

“Didn’t you get my texts? I need you, it’s an emergency!”

Drake pinched his forehead. “Maxwell, if this is in any way party related–”

“It’s not! I mean, it is, but it’s important, I promise!” 

“Well, spit it out!”

He heard Maxwell sigh on the other end. “The... the caterers quit on us. The whole staff, in fact.”

Drake gaped at his phone. “Shit. Is it, um, because of the money thing?”

Maxwell took a second to answer, “Yes.”

“Damn, Maxwell, I’m sorry. So how many people have you recruited?”

His question was met with more silence.

“I’m the only one, huh?”

“Yeah, I asked Tariq and a couple of other guys but...”

Maxwell sounded sick with worry and Drake felt hot anger rise in his throat. 

Those fucking nobles. Won’t move a finger to help even one of their own.

Perhaps sensing what Drake’s reaction would be, Maxwell hurried to say, “It’s okay, though, don’t worry! I’m confident we’ll get this done between you, Riley and I! We’ll be unstoppable! We just need a team name and–”

“If you say secret identities I won’t go.”

“Right. I’ll see you here then? There’s a whiskey with your name on it!”

He hadn’t really needed the whiskey to convince him – his friend needed help and that was enough for him – but it was a nice bonus. 

“Yeah, be there in like 2 hours.”

“Thank youuuu! Thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you!”

“I’m gonna hang up now.”

He did so and raced up the stairs. Halfway to his room, a realization stopped him short. 

Just me, Maxwell and Addams. Shit. Goddamn it. If nobles weren’t the fucking worst I wouldn’t have to go, but I can’t leave Maxwell hanging. 

He threw all his stuff into his bag and hurried to one of the Jeeps that were always available for the royal family and its inner circle. 

Before backing out of the manor, he quickly texted Liam, “Heading down today. Tell Bastien”

He knew Liam would be too busy to reply any time soon, so he put his phone down and sped to House Beaumont. He blasted music all the way there, hoping to quiet his conflicting thoughts, torn between excitement and dread.

He parked outside the magnificent estate and was going to text Maxwell that he had arrived, when the doors swung open. Bertrand stood there with his arms crossed and beckoned him with a move of his head.

At your service, he thought, rolling his eyes. He slammed the door of the Jeep and sauntered over to Bertrand, taking his time once he noticed the noble tapping his foot impatiently.

“Drake,” he said curtly, making a decent attempt at hiding his irritation.

Drake had been about to answer with a short, “Bertrand,” until he noticed the dark shadows under Bertrand’s eyes. His face looked pale and drawn; it was obvious he was under a lot of stress. 

Okay, okay, I’ll throw him a bone.

“Duke Ramsford,” he bowed his head. He thought he caught a glimpse of Bertrand looking pleasantly surprised before he rearranged his features into a neutral – if exhausted – expression. 

“Thank you for coming. Truly. I hope we can trust you to be discreet.”

Drake’s nostrils flared. 

Who does he think I am? A noble?

He answered, “Of course,” and pushed his way into the house before he lost his temper.

He went straight into the kitchen, the setting for many a drunken midnight snack with Liam and Maxwell during the latter’s legendary parties. He pushed the door open calling, “Hello? Anyone in here?”

Riley looked up from the counter, where she’d been arranging ingredients and exclaimed, “Drake!” her eyes shining.

Drake’s heart leapt to his throat. 

Holy shit, she still looks happy to see me. 

The fact was, after last night’s events he hadn’t been sure how she would react. Would she regret everything? Was it just a moment of temporary vulnerability?

Maxwell, meanwhile, and to no one’s surprise, was chanting, “Drake! Drake! Drake! You came!”

Warmth swelled in his chest but he played it down, “Yeah, yeah. Calm down, it’s not that big of a deal.”

“Yes, it is! We are friends!” Maxwell bounded up to him and crushed him in hug.

Cheek to cheek, Drake groaned, “You promised me whiskey.”

“Friendship whiskey!”

Maxwell finally let him go and got him a glass of whiskey, which Drake waved away for the moment.

From the counter, Riley said, “Drake, you made it!”

I wish she’d stop sounding so excited. It’s almost enough to make me think...  

He raised his eyebrows, “Yeah, yeah, behold your knight in shining armor. Alright, I’m here now. What needs to be done?”

“Riley and I are plating some fancy appetizers,” explained Maxwell, gesturing to a row of neatly plated hors d’oeuvres. “Come join us...”

Avoiding Riley’s gaze, he went to stand next to Maxwell, who quickly demonstrated the steps to prepare their invention. After making a few, Drake went into autopilot. Knowing his mind would drift to places he’d rather not visit, he resorted to something he normally despised: small talk.

“So how was the jamboree yesterday?”

“So fun!” provided Maxwell. 

Thank God you can always count on good ol’ Maxwell for a distraction.

Not needing much prompting at all, Maxwell had launched into a full and detailed account of his previous day. 

“–so close to winning! But then Liam was called away because of the reporter, so I went with him. Still, my apple-bobbing skills are unrivaled.”

Drake whipped around to look at Maxwell. “What did you say?”

“Oh, come on, Drake, you know you could never beat me! I’m amazing at bobbing–”

“No, before that.”

“Oh, a guard came looking for Liam to tell him about the reporter who snuck in.”

“That’s impossible. No one ever sneaks in!”

“I know! It would have been more impressive if she hadn’t been caught and thrown out though...”

Drake’s mind was reeling. How had a reporter snuck in? Even more importantly, why hadn’t Bastien told him when he’d talked to him this morning? He always informed him of these things.

His thoughts were interrupted by Maxwell’s delighted, “Oooh, these are shaping up! I think we need a good name for these though. Maybe ‘Jewels of the Sea’...”

He looked at their creations lovingly.

“Why not name it the Charade of the Season?” jumped in Riley.

"Heh,” Drake couldn’t help chuckling at that. 

Such a dork.

"Oh, snarky. I like it.” Maxwell nodded his approval and took their full trays to the fridge.

He dusted off his hands. “There, that should be enough to get us started. Now then, on to the main course!”

Drake raised a skeptical eyebrow, “Do you even know how to cook from scratch?”

“Well...” Maxwell stalled. His hand suddenly went to his pocket and he checked his phone. He let out a sigh of relief.

“Oh, thank heavens. Bertrand found another company to handle the main courses. Let me tell you, nobody would’ve wanted the science experiments I was about to produce.”

Drake wiped imaginary sweat from his forehead, “Dodged a bullet there.”

“What’s next on the ‘We’re in Panic Mode’ list?” asked Riley, hands on her hips.

Maxwell scratched his chin, “Hmm... I should stay here and clean the kitchen, but Bertrand might need help in the main hall. Last I saw of him, he was looking for cleaning supplies...”

“Oh boy.” Riley tried to make eye contact with Drake, presumably so they could make fun of Bertrand’s helplessness together, but he refused. In fact, this was the perfect opportunity to make sure they didn’t spend more time together than was strictly necessary.

“I’ll stay here and help Maxwell. We’ll come find you once we finish down here.”

Riley’s shoulders slumped, but she nodded and left the kitchen.

Drake and Maxwell got to work in – I can’t believe this! – silence. He couldn’t remember the last time Maxwell had been quiet for this long... not counting chewing time, and even then, not always.

He looked at his friend more closely and saw shadows under his eyes deeper even than his high-strung brother’s. His brow furrowed.

“Hey, man, you okay?”

“Of course! Why do you ask?”

“Well, for one thing, you look like shit.” Maxwell glared daggers at him. Drake shrugged and carried on, “For another, you’ve been wiping that spotless cabinet for the last 5 minutes.”

Maxwell looked down at his circling hand, only now becoming aware of it. He stopped, put the rag over his shoulder and sighed. 

“Don’t worry about me, I’ll be fine. It’s funny; we really are in a tight spot money-wise, but I’m more worried about Bertrand.”

“I can see why; he looks like shit, too.”

Maxwell snapped his rag at him, barely brushing his back just enough to sting.

“Ow! You dick! What was that for?”

“Beaumonts never look like shit.”

“Oh, I’m sorry, you’re right! Us commoners look like shit; you nobles look like feces. Is that better?”

Judging by Maxwell chasing him around trying to hit him again, it wasn’t. Drake was embarrassed by how much he enjoyed just being a guy, doing stupid guy things with his friend. Of course, it took them twice as long as it should have to clean the kitchen, between fits of laughter and rag snapping battles, but they eventually got it done.

"Bertrand just texted me to go help Riley dust a few things. He says you should go to the ballroom and start setting the tables.”

“Aye, aye, captain,” grumbled Drake. 

As before, the work was not distracting enough and he was dangerously close to thinking about a certain someone, wearing a certain undergarment. He didn’t think he’d ever been thankful for Bertrand’s presence before. As soon as he stepped into the ballroom, he inspected his work, nitpicked a few things here and there, and chided him for not going fast enough. It was just was Drake needed.

For the next 20 minutes, he worked diligently under Bertrand’s watchful eyes; he couldn’t have spared a moment to think about Riley if he’d wanted to. 

That is, until, “It’s looking great!”

The doors opened and in stepped Riley and Maxwell. Drake felt his face muscles twitch and fought the stupid smile that seemed to accompany her into every room she entered. 

Dammit, it’s like I forget how beautiful she is and then every time it hits me like sucker punch.

He busied himself with the floral arrangement he was working on when they’d arrived and distantly heard Bertrand assigning activities.

“Lady Riley, if you could assist Drake?”

No!

“Sure!” Riley said brightly and headed over to his table.

She admired his arrangement and teased, “Why, Drake, I never knew you had such flair with peonies...”

Drake shook his head “The things I do for you people...”

He thought of Maxwell’s tired face and decided to voice his concern. 

Well, since we’re stuck together, I might as well ask her opinion. Plus it gives us something harmless to talk about.

He lowered his voice. “Hey... anything about any of this seem off to you?”

“Huh?”

From across the ballroom, they heard the brothers arguing.

“What I don’t get is that the money was in our account yesterday!” Bertrand was whisper-shouting.

“I... I don’t know anything about our finances, Bertrand! You know that!” 

Maxwell’s eyes were glued to his feet as Bertrand continued to rail on him, “You might not know anything, but you’re still causing me problems! You’re the only other person with access to that account!”

“I...” Maxwell stammered.

“This better not be to pay off one of your idiotic credit card purchases. Last month you said you spent three thousand on a jet ski. What is it this time?”

“I told you, I don’t know what you’re talking about.” Maxwell looked like he was barely holding it together. 

You have to feel for the guy.

“You’re lucky I don’t have time to deal with you right now,” huffed Bertrand, then turned on his heel and left. Maxwell stood, dazed and alone for a second, before following Bertrand out.

Drake raised an eyebrow at Riley. “Well? Doesn’t it seem like something weird is going on?”

She pursed her lips. “It seemed like there’s something suspicious going on in House Beaumont.”

“Exactly.”

“I wonder what’s actually going on with their money issues...” Her lips were still pursed and her brow furrowed. He’d never seen her look so pensive.

Thank God! Something to focus on! 

“I’m going to find out what it is. Besides, it sounds like Maxwell might be in over his head this time. I think he really needs my help... But knowing him, he’d never ask.”

Riley stared, confused, “I didn’t realize you and Maxwell were that close.”

“After all the time I’ve spent with him in the past weeks, I’m starting to find him less annoying,” he smiled.

“High praise,” she replied sarcastically.

“Besides, we scrubbed the kitchen cabinets together. I think I’m invested now.”

Okay, this is fine. We can have silly, meaningless conversations like this. Yes. It’s gonna be fine.

Riley chuckled, “Sure...” Her face abruptly sobered and he noticed she was wringing her hands. She licked her lips and mumbled, “Actually, Drake... there’s something else we should talk about. About last night...”

Nope. No no no, we’re not doing this. I mean, come on, she has to realize how wrong this is, right? I have to give her an out.

He chose to play dumb, “Last night?”

Riley licked her lips once again and spoke so softly, Drake had to strain to hear what she said, “What you said... about how you feel...”

“Riley,” he cut her off, using her first name so she’d know he was serious, “I don’t think we should talk about this here.”

“Then somewhere private?” She looked at him, crushing hope in her eyes.

He swallowed, shaking his head frantically, “I’m not sure that’s a good idea.”

“Why not?” she looked so hurt, self-hatred rose up like lava inside him.

He ran a hand down his face. “The way you look at me sometimes, Addams...” His voice caught. 

It’s now or never. Tell the truth for once, if only so you won’t hurt her. 

“If we’re alone again together, I’m not sure I’ll be able to stop myself from doing something stupid.”

And I would never forgive myself. Liam deserves better.

“Drake...” 

She moved her hand towards his on the table when, “Drake! Riley!”

She was so startled, when she put her hand down she knocked her fingers against the table.

“Eep! Er, I mean, yes?”

“Why are you two standing around chatting like ladies at an afternoon tea?” barked Bertrand. “You both said you’d help, so help!”

Drake was torn between relief at having been interrupted and wanting to bite Bertrand’s pompous head off. 

What a prick.

“Right away, Duke Ramsford,” said Drake with disdain.

“Yeah. Of course.”

Okay, that’s it. I didn’t come here to be cornered by Addams or to be ordered around by Bertrand. I’m gonna find out what the hell is going on.

He waited for Bertrand to leave the room and the slinked off to where he knew the study was. 

He had just started rummaging through a drawer when Riley crept in and asked, “Drake, what are you doing back here?”

He managed to refrain from jumping, but he did shut the drawer closed immediately, scared it might be one of the brothers.

He turned to her. “Addams! So, you followed me, huh?” At this point Drake felt like maybe he was literally turning into two people, as he hadn’t been able to have only one feeling at a time all day. Right now, he was pleased she had followed him and worried about the conversation that might ensue.

He gestured around the room. “This is the Beaumont study.”

“How’d you even know this was here?”

“I used to come to this house a lot, back in the day. We ran in the same circles, being friends with Liam and all that...” explained Drake. 

“My sister, Savannah,” goddamn, it’s hard to talk about her, “used to think the Beaumont brothers were the epitome of courtly life. She practically worshipped them.” He rolled his eyes.

“And you didn’t,” said Riley knowingly, moving closer.

Drake allowed himself a small smile. “I found them to be more of an acquired taste.”

“You mean they both annoyed the hell out of you,” laughed Riley.

“Yup. Pretty much,” he chuckled. “Whenever I got tired of their antics, I’d sneak off and come here to their study.”

“So you were the life of the party even back then?” she elbowed him.

“Ha ha. Whenever Savannah found me here, she would try to get me to join in on the fun.” He smiled more, reminiscing about the girl his little sister had been, always eager to see the best in people, to get along with everyone; the exact opposite of him, basically. He sighed. “I don’t even know where she is now.”

“You don’t have any way of finding her?” Riley’s voice was thick with concern.

He shook his head. “She stopped answering my calls and deleted all of her social media. Wherever she is... all I know is that she doesn’t want to be found. Even by me. And you know what?” 

He swallowed against the knot in his throat and spoke what he knew to be true, “I don’t blame her. I failed her. I don’t even know how, but I know that I failed her. I didn’t protect her from... from whatever it was that made her leave.”

He gripped the back of a chair until his knuckles were white, willing himself to get it together. He felt a hand rubbing soothing circles on his back. He didn’t think it would make him feel as much better as it did.

Riley murmured, “Drake, maybe she just needs to deal with this on her own.”

“Maybe. But she’s my little sister...” His voice cracked, “I helped her learn how to tie her shoes. It kills me to think there’s something she didn’t think she could trust me with.”

“Do you have any idea what it was about?”

Again, he shook his head. 

There’s so much I don’t know. 

“She was so happy... and then one day, after one of these Beaumont parties, she wasn’t. She locked herself in her room, and I could hear her crying. A couple days later, all of her things were packed, and she was just... gone.” His eyes felt dangerously wet, so he decided that was plenty of soul-baring for today. “But... that’s enough about that...”

He unclenched his hands and straightened up. Riley dropped her hand. There was an uncomfortable silence. The first time he hadn’t enjoyed a quiet moment with her. There was too much unspoken on his side; trying to make small talk with her would be like swimming through molasses.

Luckily, Riley didn’t seem to feel that way. “So, this is the Beaumont study...” She looked around. “I expected more party hats. I mean, Maxwell lives here, so I figured...” she trailed off.

Drake knew his best bet was to follow this innocent lane of conversation. “It is more on the serious side, isn’t it? I don’t think they changed it after their father passed away. The former Duke Ramsford made it a point to decorate it with the family’s accomplishments.” 

He pointed at the walls, covered as they were in first place ribbons and photos of beaming teams holding trophies; and the shelves, which could not have borne the weight of another trophy or medal.

“As you can see, the Beaumont family has a lot to brag about.” He nodded to a prominent picture of Maxwell and Bertrand on horseback.

“I guess Bertrand and Maxwell had a habit of winning.”

“A family tradition.”

Riley grimaced, “I can see why Bertrand is always so worried about upholding the Beaumont name.”

“Their house goes back a long way. I could never pity a rich kid like Bertrand, but I come very close to it sometimes,” Drake agreed. “He’s got a lot of pressure on him. I think his parents gave him a lot of talks about his heritage and Cordonia... And it’s not like Maxwell’s much help with anything.”

“Maxwell tries,” Riley defended him. “Sometimes.”

“Heh. Maxwell’s always been more interested in having fun. He couldn’t care less about prestige and honor. That’s one of the things I like about him, actually.” He smiled at that and forgot about his resolve to avoid eye contact.

Once he made that fatal mistake, he couldn’t tear his eyes from her. 

Oh God, I missed the fucking sight of her! I’ve reached peak pathetic.

He was so busy berating himself, he hadn’t registered that her gaze was lingering just as much. When he did, he found it was more than he could bear and he looked down.

She stretched out her hand and touched his arm. He kept his eyes fixed on the hardwood floor.

“Drake, we need to talk about ‘us,’” she said, nervous but firm.

Still staring down, Drake answered in monotone, “There is no ‘us.’”

It felt like someone was squeezing his heart. He knew that, but saying it out loud somehow made it more real... and final.

“I don’t think you mean that,” she near-whispered.

Drake finally looked at her and steeled himself to say everything that had been churning in his head for months. All his guilt, his resentment, his jealousy, his love, all of it. 

“The truth is that my best friend is head over heels for you. So it doesn’t really matter how I feel. Because that’s where it has to end. Liam is the only one who’s ever looked out for me. The only one who gave a damn about me after my dad... After he was gone,” his voice trembled embarrassingly. 

He took a deep breath and held on to his anger instead, “The rest of the court was ready to cast us out, never mind that he died protecting the royal family.”

Riley’s hand was still on his arm. When he paused she caressed him soothingly, “Drake... I’m sorry. That’s terrible.”

“I didn’t care much,” he shrugged, “but my mom and Savannah... it would’ve devastated them. Liam made sure we had a place at the palace as long as we wanted one. I could never betray him by falling for his girl.” 

A little late for that. But I could never do something about it.

“So that’s what it all comes down to, Addams.” He moved away from her and her warm touch. “Whatever I feel... it doesn’t matter.” 

The corners of his mouth pulled down and he rubbed his hand against it, hoping to at least get through this with his dignity.

Riley stepped close to him once more. 

Damn, she’s stubborn. 

“Drake, what about how I feel?”

Drake inhaled so sharply it was almost a gasp. 

How she–? Can she mean–?

He couldn’t form coherent thoughts so he wasn’t sure why he decided speaking would be any better. “How you feel... of course I care how you feel. I just didn’t think... I mean... what are you saying, Addams?”

She looked him straight in the eyes and with merely hint of her previous nervousness, said, “I’m saying, I want you.”

Drake’s heart had already been beating faster than usual, but at those words it positively hammered in his chest.

What the fuck do I do? How do I resist that?

He balled his fists and clamped his jaw, trying to force himself to become ice.

“Oh, Addams...” he groaned through his clenched jaw, “you shouldn’t have said that.”

Her eyes were so intense that his jaw went slack. His fists still closed, he took in a ragged breath; every fiber of his being in contradiction between not moving a muscle, or closing the short distance between them now. 

“Drake...”

As it turned out, his internal battle was useless; he’d forgotten to take one very important thing into account: Riley did whatever she wanted. Before he could so much as take a breath, she was standing closer than she’d ever been.

And then she was even closer, impossibly so. He could have counted her eyelashes. It took him an instant to understand she was standing on her tiptoes. Then she pressed her lips to his softly and he knew he was lost.

He was too startled to kiss her back, so she withdrew and searched his face, obviously worried that he hadn’t wanted to kiss her. Looking back, Drake would find that absolutely hilarious.

He raised his hand – his fists seemed to have loosened of their own accord – and traced her jawline with his thumb. 

He uttered the only word he could possibly think of, “Addams...”

“Yes?” she smiled up at him and the tiny part of his defense that was still up, crumbled then and there.

He let himself want her the way his whole being had been urging him to since practically the day they met.

“I’ve wanted this for so long...” He could barely get the words out through the surge of desire that rushed through him. 

She was still standing close, but now that she’d kissed him, he didn’t think anything would be close enough. He pulled her to him tightly and kissed her hungrily, blessedly not thinking for the first time in months. 

Her mouth opened and then her tongue was on his and he was so far gone. His hands roamed her back before settling on her hips, which he gripped hard. She’d been running her hands through his hair but now she moved them to his chest. She grabbed and bunched up the fabric of his shirt, trying to get him closer than physics would allow.

Drake broke the kiss, feeling like he had to come up for air. He was breathing as heavily as if he’d just run a marathon.

Riley touched his cheek tenderly. “Drake...”

He had never loved his name more than when he heard it coming out of her swollen lips. Swollen from kissing him.

He leaned down, his lips brushing her ear – he noted with pleasure that she shivered – and whispered, “I didn’t think this would ever be more than a fantasy...”

She looked up again and their lips were almost brushing. With a smile, she asked, “Are you saying that you’ve thought about this before?”

If it hadn’t been for fear of ruining the moment, Drake would have laughed, “More than I’d like to admit.”

He kissed her again, only by now, his thoughts had had time to catch up to him. 

This is the last time you ever do this, asshole, so make it count.

He kissed her with the desperate certainty that comes with wanting something you definitely cannot and should not have. He gripped the back of her head tightly, crashing their mouths together. Then he pulled back and held her at arm’s length.

Her eyebrows knitted together. “What’s wrong?”

Where do I start?

“Someone could come in here... One of them might come looking for us... We shouldn’t just...”

It was clear his thoughts hadn’t completely come back to him.

He shook his head. “Even without a drop of whiskey, why do I feel drunk when I’m around you, Addams?”

The kind of drunk you get addicted to. You are fucking intoxicating.

A slow smile spread on her face and there was so much affection in her eyes as she said, “Drake...” and started stepping forward again.

Drake stopped her and then dropped his arms. “Don’t smile at me like that. I don’t deserve it. We shouldn’t be doing this. I don’t know what I was thinking.”

He rubbed his face roughly, as if that could wipe out what he’d done. His mind, in the meantime, was chanting, You’re a piece of shit, you’re a piece of shit, over and over again.

Riley chewed on her cheek, her eyes downcast. “Should we leave?”

He stared at her, only this time she was the one who would not meet his eye. 

Can you blame her? You blew her off seconds after betraying your best friend. Why wouldn’t she want to leave?

Fuck. I have to tell Liam.

Perhaps wanting to delay that moment, he remembered the reason why he’d originally come into the study. “Soon... but we came in here with a mission, didn’t we?”

She raised her eyes, still avoiding his and gave a hesitant smile. “Something about searching for clues to the Beaumont mystery, I think?”

“Right.”

She turned to the drawers Drake had been inspecting when she’d arrived, while Drake searched through the papers on a smaller desk. He felt it before he saw it: a thick envelope. 

“Whoa!” he let out once he’d thumbed through the contents.

“What is it?”

“If I’m not mistaken, this is a fat envelope full of cash!”

He showed it to Riley, whose eyes widened as she saw the stack of bills inside it.

“That’s... that’s what that is, all right. But why is it just here in the study?”

Drake turned it over. “There’s an address on the back... a French address! It looks like someone was going to mail this today.”

She grabbed his arm with urgency. He tried to suppress his body’s ridiculous reactions to her touch. “Drake... This has got to be the missing money that Bertrand was talking about! We’ve got to take it to Maxwell.”

He turned to her, surprised. “Really? You want to trust Maxwell Beaumont with an envelope of cash?”

“Let’s just say I trust him more than I trust Bertrand right now. I’ll text him to meet us here.”

It only took Maxwell a few seconds to burst into the room; he must have been nearby. His face was full of unease.

“What’s up? Your text sounded serious.”

“This is serious,” Riley said. “Drake and I were in here, and we found this envelope full of cash!”

Maxwell’s mouth fell open. “Oh, uh, wow! That... that must be the money that Bertrand was looking for. Thank you. You guys saved my life. Bertrand was ready to kill me over this.”

“No problem.”

Riley shoved the envelope into Maxwell’s hands, which were trembling.

“I think it’s too late to get the staff back, but at least we found it!” His voice sounded more high-pitched than usual.

Riley frowned. “But... how do you think the money ended up here?”

Maxwell gave an elaborate shrug. “Oh, you know, it’s been so crazy lately... Bertrand probably put it here to give to the staff and then forgot about it or something.”

Bullshit. What the hell.

“I don’t think that Bertrand would forget something like that...” He narrowed his eyes at Maxwell who was studiously ignoring his stare.

“Yeah, I’ll have to talk to him about it.”

Drake reached out and put a hand on his shoulder.

“You know, you can always tell us if you’re in some kind of trouble.”

“Oh, no more than usual.” He started backing out of the room. “Anyway, thanks for finding it! I owe you guys! But now we better get back to work before Bertrand realizes we’ve stopped cleaning!”

He pocketed the envelope and hurried out of the room.

Drake immediately turned to Riley- “Something is off. You getting that feeling too?”

She had that thoughtful look on her face again, the one that made him want to kiss her. 

Well, to be fair, that’s just her face in general. 

“Yeah... It seems like Maxwell might be hiding something.”

“And I want to know what it is.”

“Maybe we’ll find more clues while we’re prepping the house?”

“We’ll see. Keep an eye out, but try not to be obvious about it.” He was already going to the door as he said this. He couldn’t be alone with her again.

He heard a faint, “Right,” as he left.

He found Bertrand polishing the banisters. He assigned Drake to one of dining room’s – never mind that they wouldn’t be using it tomorrow. He was glad for the distraction anyway. For the next couple of hours, all he was focused on was getting everything to look immaculate.

He was occasionally interrupted by thoughts of Liam; how he would react when he told him what he did tomorrow, whether it was their end of their friendship...

Every time that happened he threw himself into the work even more vehemently so that by the time he was done, the two rooms he’d tackled looked new.

He thought he’d earned himself a rest – though in his current state it was unlikely to be restful – so he headed to his room.

He’d only just begun his downward spiral with despairing thoughts about himself and his loyalty as he walked down the hallway, when he heard two male voices in Maxwell’s room.

He stopped, trying to decide if the second voice belonged to whom he thought it did. He knocked and opened the door to find Liam talking to Maxwell.

“Liam? What the–?”

“Drake! I got your text, I’m sorry I forgot to respond to it.”

Drake waved his apology off. “S’okay. What are you doing here?” Before Liam could answer, he continued, “Actually, can I speak to you in private?”

“Of course. I was just arranging for Maxwell’s help, but I believe we’re all set?”

“Yep! I will be your waiter for this evening, Your Majesty.” Maxwell gave Liam a sweeping bow.

“Wait, what? Waiter? What do you mean?” Drake looked from one man to the other, totally nonplussed.

Liam gave him a radiant smile and explained, “Oh, Maxwell is being kind enough to help me on my date with Riley tonight. He’ll be our waiter.”

“On your... date?” Drake choked.

“Yes. I realized we’d skipped that part of courting, so I came here early to ask her and she said yes!” Liam’s smile was only getting bigger.

“You already asked her and everything. Cool. Very cool, so fun! Well, I’m gonna go to my room now.”

Liam tilted his head. “Didn’t you want to talk about something Drake?”

“Right. Er, no, not anymore. As it turns out, it’s not as important as I thought it was.”

He hastened off to his room and slammed the door. He threw himself down on his bed.

You coward. 

I’m not a coward!

Yeah, right. You know you should have told Liam.

What for?! He’d only be hurt and it’s not worth it! It’s clear Addams is choosing him anyway; why else would she be going on dates? Maybe she was bored and she didn’t think she’d be seeing Liam until tomorrow. Whatever it was, let’s face it: it was only a kiss to her. I’m not going to ruin my friendship with Liam and their relationship just ‘cause it meant more to me.

Fuck this.

[bxcketbarnes]

Spades and Pick-up Lines

Pairing: Ashton Irwin x Reader

Author: @ninja-stiles

Words: 2041

Request: 4, 15, 16, with Ashton??? <3 by nonnie!

Author’s Note: Here’s my second 5sos fic with the lovely Ash. I hope you enjoy it and don’t forget you guys can send in requests! :)

I sat on the tour bus as the guys were in the venue, doing their thing that they do every night. I would have usually been on the sidelines, watching my four best friends achieve their dream, but I wasn’t feeling very well ever since this morning. I had laid in Ashton’s bunk for about an hour, tossing and turning as I tried to sleep the terrible feeling away, but it didn’t work. So now, I’m sitting at the table in the kitchen/living room area, playing with a set of cards.

Soft quiet music played on my phone, resting my head against my arm as I turned another card over, sighing slightly as it wasn’t the one I needed. I heard a bunch of screams, quickly sitting up straight as the door to the tour bus opened, four sweaty boys walking inside as they were laughing and waving at fans. A smile immediately came to my lips, always loving how they adored the fans, leaning my chin against the palm of my hand as Calum turned around, noticing me at the table.

“Hey, where were you?” The bassist asked and I was about to speak when Ashton cut him off.

“She wasn’t feeling well. She told me she would be resting,” Ash answered, raising his eyebrows at me as I bit my lip softly, giving him a small smile.

“I tried, but I couldn’t get to sleep,” I explained as Luke and Ashton sat across from me, the blonde sitting right in front of me. Luke leaned over, pressing the back of his hand against my forehead, checking my temperature as I smiled sheepishly at the young teen.

“You feel a bit warm, but not warm enough where you have a fever,” Luke frowned, sitting back down in his spot as Ashton looked over at me, an indescribable look on his face as I gave both boys another small smile, letting them know I was alright… well kinda.

“Guys, I’m fine. How about we play some cards?” I asked and Michael immediately declined, heading towards the back. I laughed a bit at how quickly he answered, looking to the other boys as they shrugged.

“Yeah, I’m down. Let me just shower real quick,” Ash mumbled, getting up from his seat as he walked towards his bunk, getting off my seat to follow as well.

“Hey, you okay?” I asked, leaning against the bunks next to him as he dug through his bag, finding some clothes to put on after his shower.

“Hm? Yeah, I’m fine,” he muttered, running a hand through his sweaty hair and I could tell he was lying.

“Ash…” I trailed off, laying a hand on his arm as his hazel eyes glanced towards me. “You know we’ve been friends for almost a decade, I can tell when something’s bothering you.” Ashton frowned, nodding his head as he pulled me into his chest, softly rubbing my back.

“I’m just… I’m not gonna lie to you, Y/N/N. You’re like my good luck charm at concerts and tonight I felt like I messed something up while drumming. It’s been bugging me ever since,” Ashton sighed, resting his chin on the top of my head.

I slipped out from his grip, raising my hand to run my fingers through his sweaty locks, giving him a grin. “Ash, let me be honest with you now. You’re the best goddamn drummer I know. I’m sure you did great without me being there. Even if you did mess up, who cares? Your fans still adore you so fucking much,” I told him, the hand that ran through his hair resting at the base of his neck. The drummer’s eyes widened a bit, lips parted as he was surprised those words came out of my lips.

“You’re amazing, you know that?” Ashton asked, his large hand wrapping around my dainty wrist as I smirked, shrugging my shoulders.

“I’ve been told that yeah.”

“Well, you are. I’m reminding you again. I’m gonna take a quick shower then we can play cards. Spades, right?” He asked and I nodded excitingly.

“Of course! You’re gonna be my partner right?” I asked, grinning up at the cute Australian. Ashton nodded his head, leaning down to place his lips on my cheek before grabbing a towel, heading towards the bathroom.

“You bet your sweet ass I am.”

“Alright,” I spoke, sitting down in front of Luke as Calum slid into the spot next to me, both boys looking at me. “You guys know how to play spades, yes?” I asked, taking the two of hearts and diamonds out of the deck, replacing them with the big joker and the little joker.

“Yeah, I take it Calum and I are partners by the way we’re all seated?” Luke questioned and I grinned at the blonde boy.

“Yup, that would be a true fact,” I laughed, shuffling the cards together before dealing them out to the boys.

“First-hand bids themselves, gentlemen and lady,” Ash smirked, looking towards me as I could feel my cheeks heat up. I sorted my cards, my eyes looking towards Luke as he placed down the first card. Ace of hearts.

“Startin’ off big aren’t we, Lukey?” I giggled, watching as everyone threw a low card, throwing down a low card as well. Luke just smirked at me, picking up his and Calum’s book, placing it next to him.

“Well, might as well get as many as we can. You guys are way too good at this damn game,” he laughed, throwing down a low club. My eyes looked over at Ash as he were already on me. He gave me a cheeky wink before throwing down the ace of clubs.

Calum groaned from beside me as he threw down a king of clubs, knowing that it’s his lowest card. I threw down a shit club, having Ashton collect our books as he gave me a high five.

Luke and Calum were ahead of us in points, but only by like thirty. I nibbled on my bottom lip, looking towards Ash as he was counting his bids. “Are you a magician? Because whenever I look at you everyone else disappears.” Ashton grinned at me, causing me to furrow my eyebrows together in confusion, looking at Cal and Luke who just shook their heads.

“U-Uh, what?” I stuttered, my cheeks blushing as Ashton chuckled, holding up three of his fingers. I gulped, nodding my head as my stomach churned, wondering why he just used a pickup line on me. “O-Okay, we’re going six.”

“Flustered, Y/N?” Calum asked and I glanced up at the Kiwi boy, seeing the smirk on his lips as I turned my head away from him, shaking my head in reply. Lie.

“I think she is Cal,” Luke grinned, holding his cards close to his face as I narrowed my eyes at the two boys.

“Shut up,” I muttered, my cheeks red as a tomato as I looked towards Ashton who had a silly grin on his lips.

“Y/N, you’re absolutely adorable when you blush,” the drummer pointed out and I hid my face in my hands, getting way too embarrassed, needing air.

“Cal, Luke, you guys win,” I mumbled, maneuvering around Calum before going into the back of the tour bus where Michael was, letting out a breath. Holy shit. What’s going on with Ash?

“Y/N?” I heard Michael’s voice as he looked up at me from the couch he was sitting on. “You okay?” He asked and I ran my fingers through my hair, shrugging my shoulders as I sat down beside him.

“I-I don’t know. A-Ashton, he uh, he told me this pickup line and I’m just very confused,” I mumbled, looking towards the red-haired boy. Michael’s eyes widened, looking back out towards where the guys are, seeing Ashton himself walking back here.

“I’ll leave you guys alone,” Mikey mumbled, leaving the room. I licked my lips, standing up in front of Ashton as he looked to be a bit nervous.

“Your lips look so lonely…Would they like to meet mine?” Ashton asked, my eyes widening, lips moving to form some sort of answer when he spoke again. “You must be a hell of a thief because you stole my heart from across the room.”

My heart clenched, swallowing thickly as he smiled down at me. “What’s with the cheesy pickup lines?” I asked, not wanting to get my hopes up about him having feelings for me.

Ashton grabbed my hand, lacing our fingers together as my breath hitches in my throat. He stepped closer to me, our bodies inches apart as his index finger lifted my chin up. “You mean everything to me…” he whispered, leaning his forehead against mine as my eyes slowly fluttered shut, gripping his shirt in my hand.

“A-Ashton,” I stuttered quietly, feeling my heart pounding against my chest. “This isn’t some sick joke is it?” I asked in a whisper, opening my eyes to glance up at him through my lashes.

He shook his head immediately. “No, no, of course not,” Ashton muttered, resting his free hand on my cheek, his thumb softly rubbing my cheekbone. “I’ve liked you for so long. Hell, I’m probably in love with you.”

My breath hitches again, staring up at the hazel-eyed boy, both his hands moving to my hips as my grip on his shirt loosened, trailing my hands up bid chest and around his neck. “I-I love you,” I mumbled, butterflies flying around in my stomach as he grinned down at me.

“Can I… can I kiss you?” He asked and I nodded my head, my fingers dipping into his hair. Ashton tilted his head to the side, leaning down to close the gap between us. My eyes fluttered shut, feeling his lips press against mine. It felt like my heart was going to explode as I moved my lips against his, our chests were pressed against each other’s as one of his large hands dipped under my shirt.

I pulled away from him, needing to breathe as I was panting slightly. His lips connected with my forehead, a large grin appearing on my lips. “Can I sleep with you tonight?” I asked, biting my lip softly as his eyes widened, his Adam's apple bobbing in his throat as he nodded.

“Y-Yeah, come on,” Ashton muttered, taking my hand in his before leading me towards his bunk, allowing me to get in first. Once we got situated, my back was facing Ash as his arms wrapped around my waist.

I could feel his breath but the back of my neck, his fingers drawing shapes on the bare skin of my side. I pushed my ass back against him, getting more comfortable as I heard him groan, tightening his grip on my side. My eyes widened as I felt his semi-hard member pressed against me. “Are you seriously horny right now?” I asked, looking back at him as I noticed his cheeks dusted pink, clearing his throat.

“How can I not be when your ass is pressed up against me!?” He asked, feeling the back of his hand against my behind as he adjusted himself in his sweats. I bit my lip, turning around so I was facing him, laying my head on his chest.

“Sorry. I didn’t know I had that kind of effect on you,” I mumbled, pressing my lips together in a thin line. Ashton’s hand rubbed my back gently, sending shivers down my spine. “But, I’m glad I do.”

“Yeah, yeah. Hush, gorgeous,” Ashton chuckled, pressing a kiss to the top of my head. I nuzzled my face into his neck, nice to actually be able to cuddle with someone I’ve been in love with for seven years.

“I love you,” I mumbled tiredly, feeling my eyes slowly droop shut.

“I love you too, Y/N,” Ashton whispers, pulling me closer to his body.