#but then quickly realizing- Oh no. This dude is just royally awful at socializing and REALLY likes talking about pre-war tech.

[bbrandy2002]

Fool’s Rush In

Part 15

Book: The Royal Romance

Pairing: Liam x MC

Warnings: mild violence

Series Premise: With two weeks until Liam is to marry Madeleine – his pick during the social season – the guys throw him a bachelor party in Vegas. After a drunken night, he finds himself with more than he bargained for.

Thanks @burnsoslow​ for the beta read.

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

Supposedly, the more a person suffered in the name of love, the more it showed they really cared. 

At least, that's what Riley thought. 

After nightfall of this particular evening -- when she least expected it -- she never realized how much truth that belief held. 

Or how much it would hurt to sacrifice the one person who made her believe she was worthy of love and saw who she really was on the inside.

Her dainty arm -- a delicate bronze in color, sleek, with a glittering red strap across one shoulder -- linked through the arm of the man she had grown to love more than life itself as they entered the palace ballroom. Working tirelessly over the last week to ensure everything went off without a hitch had taken its toll on her. All she could think about, as she shook hands and charmed dignitaries with a sparkle in those twinkling brown eyes, was how much sleep she planned to make up for after the ball ended.

This ball was to introduce the King and his new bride to the Cordonian court for the first time. A show of solidarity and, hopefully, strength. A way to establish that what happened in a tiny chapel 10,000 miles away weeks ago between two strangers wasn't a careless mistake, and that she could handle the duties bestowed on her as a common American woman. 

Or at least pretend she could for now.

However, for the King and the "Jewel of His Heart" whom he escorted through the curious crowd of pretentious naysayers in extravagant gowns and tuxes, with their fake smiles and tedious posturing ...

It was nothing less than fate. 

Riley was the key that unlocked that safe space deep inside Liam's heart that had been sheltered for so long, waiting for the perfect person to come along and open it. This was the place where he kept his most sacred feelings: a genuine love, never-ending laughter, joy, romance, ecstasy, and every dream he ever held for the future -- one he presumed would never exist in any form he longed for. 

But she didn't just unlock it. Riley shattered it wide open, where everything came flooding out at once and consumed him like a raging wildfire. 

And it was the most remarkable, intoxicating experience of his life. 

Liam showed her off all evening as they mingled during their rounds, danced, and conversed with the variance of nobility. She was the sexiest woman in that room, and he'd dare say the looks of envy shot in his direction from high-class men as he proudly cavorted her around didn't bother him in the least. Not that that was her only quality -- far from it. There were so many things about Riley that were special. But he couldn't help feeling a sense of pride that she was all his.

And without question, he was all hers.

Seated at the head table, Riley swallowed a morsel of the veal medallion she wanted to be served for this occasion. When given a choice between fish and lamb, the fish never stood a chance. The memory of that smelly, god-awful lunch with Regina three weeks ago was not something her palate had forgiven her for yet. As wonderful and savory as this extravagant meal, covered in a light brown mushroom sauce and served with a side of broccoli rabe, was, it couldn't hold a candle to what she craved the most: a slice of white pizza from Carmine's back in Brooklyn.

Or a slab or two of the New Yorker.

With maybe some cheesecake.

Covered in chocolate.

And a sausage rice ball. A Frito pie smothered with sour cream. Definitely a rainbow bagel from The Bagel Store. Barbecue ribs and beans from the mom-and-pop diner hidden just off the strip in Vegas. 

Of course, her grandma’s country fried steak with white gravy sounded delicious too.

For sure, a fried Twinkie like the one she ate at the New York State Fair in 2013. 

"You've outdone yourself, sweetheart," Liam marveled while wiping at the corner of his mouth with a napkin. "The meal was delicious, and our guests appear to be enjoying themselves." The others seated at the table looked up, adding their compliments.

Still dreaming about a fat slice of New York-style pizza, Riley smiled graciously back at him, until she noticed the server refilling Liam’s glass with merlot, causing her to do a double-take. 

Hot tears pooled in her eyes, and a heavy feeling of sadness swelled in her chest as she panicked. "I asked for the Pinot Noir. Not the merlot,” she rasped meekly. “You don't like merlot, Liam. And the Pinot Noir was from the 'C' place where Duke Hakim lives. He'll be so disappointed and think I'm slighting his duchy. They’ll all hate me forever and ... wait a minute." She trailed off as a realization hit her, and Riley quickly glanced down at her plate before scanning each of the dishes from those seated around her.

The anxiety intensified; she could no longer suppress the heartbroken sob that wailed out of her. "Where are all the potatoes? We were supposed to have the potatoes, Liam. They didn’t serve the potatoes. Now the whole night is completely ruined, and it’s all my fault. I'm such a failure as a queen, and you should just send me to the dungeon now and throw away the key. I apologize to all of you for my incompetence and the lack of potatoes with your meal." Riley’s red-hot face, full of tears, plunged into the palms of her hands, then quickly sprung back up as Liam hesitantly tried to place a hand on her shoulder. A strong urge to use the restroom ended her crying spell as if it never happened. “Oh, oh. I gotta pee so bad. I’ll be right back.” She gave a warm smile and excused herself as she pushed her chair back and scurried merrily toward the nearest restroom.

Liam, Regina, Leo, Maxwell, and Olivia watched with confusion as she happily took off, not knowing what to say or what to make of the sudden shift in her moods.

“What the hell was that?” Olivia scowled, her eyes fixed on Liam.

“Is she all right, dear?” a concerned Regina asked.

Liam scratched the back of his head, nearly at a loss for words. “I ... I don’t know. I’ve never seen her that upset … especially over potatoes.” He paused in thought. “She was a little on edge this morning. Still, she’s been working a lot on the preparations and everything else going on. It must have gotten to her.”

Maxwell shrugged. “Maybe she just finally snapped.” 

Leo shook his head, swallowing a forkful of beef. “Or maybe she has the premenstrual syndrome.”

“Leo!” The group admonished.

“What?” Leo bit back, taking in each of their disappointed glares. “Don’t act like it’s not true. Trust me, when I have cramps and bloating, I can go from a happy little Leo to a Bertrand, just like that.” He snapped his fingers, following it up with a frown. “It ain’t pretty, you all.”

Maxwell looked across the table at Liam and agreed, “He has a point.”

Wanting to shed his skin and slither away, Liam pinched the bridge of his nose. “Can we not discuss something so personal and private, especially while several hundred people are dining around us?”

“I’m just saying, little brother, that you need to be understanding and gentle during this special time of your wife’s 'lady business.' You should speak softly and slowly to her because Shark Week messes with a girl's mind, man. Their brains short-circuit, and there’s nothing left up there but a couple of crickets and man-eating rattlesnakes. One second, you think she’s fine, but if you’re not careful, in the next second, you’ll find yourself with two venomous fangs rattling from your nut sack, dude. She will tear you apart and spit you out like a rabid dog. You can make it through these next few days, but only if you take my advice.”

“That is the single dumbest thing I’ve ever heard you say,” Olivia spat, boring her eyes into him. “And you’ve said a lot.” She turned to Liam, whose face was slightly pale and void of expression. “Don’t listen to his sexist drivel. Why you haven’t declared him insane yet is beyond me. You should have sent him away with that filthy hairball to Valtoria you had caged earlier.”

“IT WAS MONGO!” Leo erupted, causing the dishes on the table to clatter as he jumped to his feet and hovered over the redhead. Every head in the ballroom whipped around to see what was happening, and a deafening silence filled throughout. Even the orchestra stopped playing their classical tune.

A wide-eyed Regina smiled sheepishly as she glanced out at the quiet audience who were waiting to see what all the fuss was about. She thought fast before calling out, “We were just playing a little game of … 'It was Mongo.'” The former queen snatched Maxwell’s Sunset Rum punch from his hand, thrusting the drink up at her stepson, towering beside her, and instructed in a grandmotherly tone, “Be a good lad, Leo. You lost this round. It's time to chug-a-lug, my boy.” With his face burning, Liam slid down in his seat.

“Ooooo, I wanna go next.” Maxwell bounced excitedly while the guests resumed the festivities. "How do we play?"

“I think I want to go, too,” Liam replied, straightening back up before hurling his napkin on the table. “I’m going to go find Riley.”

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

Riley exited the ladies' room, clutch in hand and a fresh dab of clear gloss gleaming on her pink lips. She stopped walking just as the door closed behind her and smiled with a look of surprise at seeing Liam leaning against the opposite wall. "What are you doing out here?"

He pushed himself off the wall, closing the distance between them and meeting her in the middle of the empty corridor. They wrapped their arms around each other, indulging in the warmth of their lovers' embrace. "Would you believe me if I told you I just missed you?" he answered, placing a tender kiss on her lips that skimmed lower to her jawline. 

"I missed you, too," she moaned with each gentle pressure of his seductive lips, suckling and nibbling along the spot that trailed behind her ear that he knew drove her crazy. "But something tells me that's not the only reason you left the ballroom."

Their gazes met simultaneously. "Leo."

Riley chuckled softly. "Do I even want to know?"

Liam sighed, smoothing back a loose hair behind her ear. "You know my brother and his wonderful words of wisdom." There was no way in hell he would tell her what they really discussed after she left; he could only imagine her embarrassment. "Everyone was just a little worried about you, that's all."

"I didn't mean to scare everyone. I just wanted tonight to be perfect. Instead, so many things went wrong. I can only assume what the court thinks about me now." She lowered her gaze to the red carpeting where they stood. "I let you down."

"I don't want to ever hear you say that again. Riley, sweetheart, you can never let me down. Do you understand that?" Liam lifted her chin; her tentative eyes stared back at him for a moment before nodding. "Good. And just so you know, our guest are used to bombings, stabbings, kidnappings, shootings, and terror plots at most of my palace events --"

"Wait. What?"

" -- I assure you, just the fact alone, that none of that took place tonight, and they're all going to leave here soon -- alive -- will be huge for them. Not having potatoes with the meal or the right wine was the least of their worries. They will consider this night a success. And a testament to their new queen. You should, too. I'm so very proud of you."

"I have so many questions about everything you just said."

Liam smiled, caressing Riley's petal-soft cheeks and lowering his head to kiss her again. "All in due time, my love.”

Riley let out a deep, drawn-out yawn she lightly covered with her palm before stretching and rolling her neck. A couple of weeks' worth of planning and endless decisions had left heavy tension in her shoulders and overwhelming exhaustion like nothing she'd felt before. None of it went unnoticed by Liam, who placed his hands on her shoulders and gingerly kneaded the taut muscles. 

"What do you say about heading back to our quarters, taking off all of your clothes, and I'll be up soon to massage this gorgeous body from head to toe? And hopefully, when I'm through, you'll massage parts of me, too … with any part of your body that you'd like." His lips curved into an inviting smile.

"Mmm, that's tempting," she purred, rubbing her hands over his ample chest. "But I can't just leave. It's the Queen's Ball. Without me, it's just ... The Ball." She chuckled, despite herself.

“Don’t you worry your pretty little panties over the ball. Just go upstairs and take them off. I’ll handle everything down here. Then … “ He squatted down to her eye level. “ … I’ll handle you.”

Her heart fluttered every time Liam spoke to her that way. The way he desired only her. She bit the corner of her lip teasingly. “I love you so much.”

Liam smiled. “You better. You’ve got one hell of a husband. I’d even venture to say you’re the luckiest woman on the whole damn planet right now.” Before Riley could respond to his jest, he put both of his hands on her cheeks to hold her head still and began placing playful, wet smooches all over her face, causing her to laugh riotously. After a few seconds of her squirming around and cackling at his antics, he paused to look at her. “You know I love you, too. Now go on up. I’ll be right behind you soon.” 

With a pat to her backside, they went their separate ways.

---------

Liam returned to the ballroom, having offered to finish what little time was left without her. He would offer his apologies for her absence, but in reality, the King couldn’t have cared less what anyone there thought. Since his bachelor party weeks ago, he had grown from a man who had no choices to one who made his own. His marriage and relationship with Riley came first. Her wellbeing was the main priority -- to hell with anyone who had a problem with that.

As Riley placed a hand on the elegant wooden handrail of the grand staircase and took the first step up, her thoughts meandered to where she had been in her life one month ago and how vastly it had changed in such a short time. For the first time in years, she was happy, and it felt so good to be in that place where she could finally let go of the past and move on. Liam was a game-changer, and she was thoroughly convinced he was the only person on the planet who could have gotten her out of her own head and to this level of blissful existence.

Rounding the corner at the top of the stairs, she reached into her clutch to pull out the key card to her quarters, exhaustion slowing her strides. Shuffling past a row of closed office doors and framed artwork, she made her way to the residential wing. 

The squeak of a door behind her and the click of heels drew her attention, causing her to stop and turn to see who was there. 

The color drained from her face as Madeleine casually stepped out, her hands behind her back and a devious, unsettling grin cemented on her face. 

It wasn't the fear that made Riley's heart pound with a sickening thud, but more shock than anything. No one had seen or spoken to the Countess since the confrontation in Las Vegas when she showed up unexpectedly after finding out Liam had married Riley the night prior. 

Now, suddenly, there she was, as if out of nowhere, a gleam in her eye, looking all too pleased to have this run-in with Riley.

"A little dramatic, don't you think?" Riley scoffed, taking one step back the closer Madeleine approached. "What are you even doing here?"

"I'm not going to hurt you, if that's what you're worried about," she answered contemptuously. Her green eyes drifted to one of the cameras mantled at each end of the hallway. Riley placed a shaky hand over her stomach, letting out a low, relieved breath, hoping that was the truth. "Not physically, anyway."

"Well, that sounds promising," Riley replied sardonically. "Now, if you don't mind ..." She turned away, wanting nothing more than to escape this conversation and make it back to her quarters. 

Madeleine reached out and grabbed the Queen by her elbow, pulling her back and harshly twisting her around so they were now face-to-face. "You're not going anywhere until I'm through with you," she hissed with an icy glare. "I told you I would make you regret what you've done."

Riley jerked her arm, trying to free herself. "Let go of my arm, Madeleine!" 

"Not until you hear what I have to say."

"I'm not interested in anything you have to say! Now LET ME GO!" Riley hoped someone heard her yell or at least witnessed what was happening on the camera. Where the hell is security?

While continuing to struggle to free herself, she reached up with her free hand in an attempt to pry off Madeleine's bony fingers that were squeezing tight grooves around her elbow, her manicured nails digging deeper into Riley's skin. "You're hurting me. I said to let me go."

"Very well, then." The woman, who had twice lost her chance at the crown, released her firm grasp, knowing that the momentum would cause Riley to stumble back as soon as she let go. 

Just as predicted, Riley planted a foot behind her for leverage before drawing her arm back as hard as she could, one last time. Her eyes grew wide, and she let out a sharp gasp that sounded well down the corridor. Riley sailed backward, tripping over herself and toppling to the ground. She finally landed with a hard blow on her backside, the rear of her head just inches from slamming to the floor.

A shockwave of pain coursed up Riley's spine from hitting so abruptly. Before she had a chance to respond or process what happened, Madeleine crouched down beside her, holding a DVD up and gaining Riley's attention. 

The pain had morphed into a throbbing ache that was soon forgotten as the Queen stared quizzically at the object displayed in front of her like a grand prize. 

"What is that?" her voice trembled.

"It's my ace in the hole," Madeleine stated, then wagged a finger. "Someone used to be a very naughty girl." 

Furrowing her brows, Riley responded. "I don't know what you mean."

"You know precisely what I mean, but just in case, please allow me to refresh your memory," Madeleine smirked before rising to her feet and prancing around as if she were having the time of her life. "I did a little digging after my brief visit to Las Vegas and came across a man who knew you very, very well at one time. I made some calls. We exchanged e-mails, a transfer of money or two. And he was all too eager to accept my offer of payment for any dirt he could give me on you."

There was no point in asking "who" -- she already knew; the thought made her nauseous. Riley closed her eyes and muttered. "Tyler?"

"Yes," Madeleine beamed, " Your ex-husband. He had a lot to say about you."

"I'm sure he did. Does it even matter to you that he's a liar and a cheat -- not to mention greedy? He would make up anything if he thought he could profit off of it."

"Oh, it matters. Personally, I don't believe a damn thing he had to say. Honestly, Riley ... even someone like you could have done better than that slime."

Riley cringed in pain as she pushed herself off the floor and turned to her oppressor. "Just get to the point, Madeleine. Clearly, he gave you something you thought was valuable enough to use against me, so just spit it already."

Madeleine smiled, "How very astute of you. You're correct. He did." She held up the disc as Riley regarded it suspiciously. "On this disk are several hours of the two of you ... together. Very graphic, if I do say so myself." Riley's jaw dropped upon hearing those words as Madeleine continued, "Now don't worry. I only watched it long enough to make sure the video was legit --"

"Give me that!" Riley reached out to snatch the DVD, but Madeleine pulled it away just out of her grasp. A burning sensation filled inside her chest and spread across her face. "You're lying. I never made videos like that."

"Oh, I think you did," the blonde countered with a mirthful tone. "You just didn't know about it. Your ex admitted as much to me ... an asshole move, for sure. But nonetheless, I purchased the copy from him for a hefty sum. And ... well ... here we are now. You're more than welcome to take this disc and see for yourself; I have it downloaded as a backup, knowing you'd want proof."

At that moment, all Riley wanted was for Liam to walk down that corridor where she now stood, pick her up in his arms, whisk her away to safety, and tell her it was all a bad dream. Not that she did anything wrong -- she was married at one time to the man, presumably on the video, and would have been a consenting adult. 

No, it was the fact that Tyler Brooks had taken intimate videos with her during their marriage, without her knowledge. Now Madeleine had possession of them.

God only knew what she planned to do with them, but Riley had a pretty good idea. "What do you want?" she whispered in defeat, afraid to hear the answer.

Madeleine grinned from ear-to-ear. "For you to leave Cordonia tonight and never return, or I release everything to the press."

Riley shook her head. "No. As much as I don't want anyone to see that video, I did nothing wrong, and I won't be blackmailed or intimidated by you so that you can get your grubby little paws on the crown."

"Is that so?" It wasn't a question so much as a remark meant to convey who was in control. 

Maintaining her position, Riley raised a brow, refusing to give in.

Madeleine was far from giving up, though; she had manipulation in her blood. "Very well, then. I'll release the video in the morning. It should be interesting to see how the world reacts to yet another scandal by this monarchy. Their Queen plastered all over the internet again, except this time, uploaded on every porn site on the web. 

"The news will run the story with your blurred-out silhouette in the background. Your father will see it, and his business will become a target.: Your friends. Family. Students. They'll all be inundated with your sexual proclivities. But the worst part will be the tribunal. The council will have no choice but to question Liam's decision-making abilities after not only squandering his pick of queen on some American nobody, but now one whose ass will be featured on the desktops of teenage boys across the world. It's a shame that he'll lose his reign, all because of you. Would you really do that to Liam? Do you genuinely believe you're worth all the trouble it will cause him?"

Riley froze. She knew Madeleine was taunting her with the people she cared about the most. The last thing she wanted was to embarrass each of them. But to possibly cause Liam to lose his legacy, his birthright, and the rulership of a country he loved so much? It was something she couldn't shake. 

Staring blankly, twisting the bands of gold that belonged to Liam's mother, she couldn't get the question Madeleine just asked out of her mind: Did Riley believe she was worth the trouble it would cost him? 

Nothing was damning on that video, aside from the fact that she never knew it existed. But she already had so much to prove; another video in the press' hand would tarnish Liam. Maybe the Countess of Fydelia was right: He would lose it all.

"Time is ticking," Madeleine reminded Riley as she tapped her watch. "What's it going to be?"

----------

@burnsoslow​ @dcbbw​ @ao719​ @hopefulmoonobject​ @jessiembruno​ @texaskitten30​ @janezillow​ @merridithsmiscellany-blog​ @mskaneko @callmeellabella​ @queenjilian @sirbeepsalot @drakexwillow @caroldxnvxrs​ @jovialyouthmusic​ @forthebrokenheartedthings​ @bebepac​ @kingliam2019​ @lovablegranny​ @cordoniaqueensworld​ @amandablink​ @liamxs-world​ @choiceskatie @iaminlovewithtrr @hopelessromanticmonie @charlotteg234 @annekebbphotography​ @txemrn​ @thecordoniandiaries @alyssalauren​ @cordonianroyalty @monsoonbloom12 @mom2000aggie​ @theroyalheirshadowhunter​ @princessleac1​ @kimmiedoo5​ @graceful-leah​ @iam-the-kind-and-thoughtful @thegreentwin​ @gkittylove99​ @cinnamonspongecake @lifeaskim @neotericthemis​ @pink-diamond13​ @walker7519 @natureblooms24​ @yourmajesty09​ @gabesmommie1130​ @sweatyrysconnoisour @kat-tia801​ @debmcg1106

Liam x MC: Cordonia-gothqueen

FRI Series Tags:   @narrytheworld​​  @queenwalton​  @cordonianprincess​        @zaffrenotes​ @zilch3​  @drrookie​ @sfb123​​

[powerdragonmoon]

Claws and Effect

Chapter 2 - I Angy

Kacchakoweek2020 - Day 2: Royal AU

The angry cat boy saga continues... Bakugou Cat-suki AU

Day 2 - Kacchako week: Royal AU (blink and you'll miss it!)

<<Chapter 1

(ao3 link)

That morning, Bakugou felt like his skin was on fire. 

It was like his whole body was alight in pain. As if an acid was burning through each layer to his bone. He scratched at his scalp, at his arms, and chest. It did nothing. 

He rushed to the washrooms blindly and stood under the cold shower hoping to extinguish the fire on his skin. He stood there until he was shivering. It did nothing. 

Nothing. 

Nothing. 

Fucking nothing. 

By the time he arrived to class he was well past seething. His scowl rivaled the one that plastered on every news station last year after he had won the Sports Tournament. He was basically simmering in his seat. Even Kirishima had the good sense to not bother him. His hands shook. Instead of pops of explosions, wisps of smoke emitted from his palms as his sweat glands were still recovering from his cold shower. 

When Uraraka walked into the classroom, Bakugou made a point to avoid looking at her, although he couldn’t help but notice the bandage on her palm as she waved and greeted her classmates. The sight left him with a weird burning in his stomach and he grimaced, glaring daggers into his desk. His fist flexed, clenching and unclenching, trying to suppress the smoke. 

Even out of the corner of his eye, she grabbed his attention and fuck him for not being able to not notice her. As she settled into her desk, she leaned forward in her seat to talk to Rock Face and Four-Eyes. Whatever she had said seemed to quickly grab the attention of the rest of the class. Pinkie practically leapt from her seat to tackle Uraraka. 

Oh for fucks sake, they had better not be talking about what he knew they were probably talking about.

Thankfully their homeroom teacher finally emerged from his yellow cocoon of a sleeping bag and brought the class to order. 

Before he could stop himself, Bakugou once again glanced over his shoulder. He felt like a fucking creep watching as Uraraka looked forward, listening intently to whatever the hell Aizawa was droning on about. His eyes narrowed, remembering Rock Face’s quirk … Talking to animals or some shit? What the fuck was she planning? 

As if she heard his thoughts, her large, brown eyes flickered towards him. She tilted her head to one side as if she was asking if he needed something. What he needed was her to fucking stop is what he needed. Instead, her round cheeks lifted with her smile and she raised her bandaged hand in a gentle wave. 

“Tch.” 

He turned back towards the front of the class. Discreetly he raised his own hand up to his shoulder presenting her his middle finger. He smiled when he heard her snort from the other side of class. 

“Something to share, Uraraka?” came Aizawa’s monotone and bored voice. 

“Eep! No sir!” 

Unphased, Bakugou leaned back lazily in his chair, bringing his hands up behind his head to rest upon as Aizawa continued on with his announcements. 

Feeling the effects of a sleepless night, Bakugou tilted his face towards the sun streaming through the window, closing his eyes against the light. The gentle heat felt like a balm against the ache in his bones and he used it as a way to distract himself from the incessant itching on his skin. 

But it still wasn’t enough. The day moved at a snail’s pace and with each passing minute Bakugou’s discomfort seemed to be at war with his anger. Each rose in intensity only for the other to rise even further than before. All this coupled with his exhaustion left him irritable, or more irritable than his usual self. 

After lunch, when Bakugou thought it couldn’t get any worse, Midnight began their Art History class with a slideshow about fucking capes of all things and in the process she reached for something on her desk. A pen? She twirled it in her hand for a moment before pushing the top of it. The next slide came up. 

Oh duh, it was a clicker for the presentation. 

And then suddenly a red dot popped on the screen, tracing the outline of some hero. It danced around, immediately catching Bakugou’s attention as he zoned out everything around him but that damn dot. 

He felt a shiver run up his back. Pins and needles ghosted against his limbs and unconsciously he was reminded of the feeling of a tail swishing behind him. He crouched, eyes on the target as he readied himself to—

“Yes, Bakugou?” 

He flinched. 

With great effort, Bakugou tore his eyes from the red dot, meeting his teacher’s questioning stare. Blinking wildly, he tried to refocus his mind, suddenly realizing he was standing from his chair. The entire class was looking at him with varying levels of concern, shock, and confusion. His hands were gripping the sides of his desk and smoking. 

“I-I uh…”

He glanced around the room, trying to shake himself back to reality. What happened? Oh shit he was in class. He turned back to Midnight at the front of the class, her arms crossed over her chest and she clicked her pointer. 

The red dot vanished. 

“Did you have something to share with the class, Bakugou?” his teacher asked, raising a brow, an echo of earlier that morning when Aizawa had asked Uraraka the same question. 

Uraraka who at the back of the class was also staring up at him, her lips pursed into a small pout and her big eyes were wide with worry. 

Fuck, fuck, fuck. 

“I fuckin’ need to piss!” 

And he bolted, shoving his hands into his pockets and refusing to look up as he walked out of the classroom. Behind him he could hear Midnight calling out to him but fuck it, he needed to get out of there.

He all but ran to the washroom, immediately going to the row of sinks and turning on the water to wash the sweat from his hands. The water ran cold, distracting him from the goddamn clawing pain in his body. It was like having a muscle cramp or an itch that he couldn’t scratch. 

He splashed water against his face, making a mess of his uniform but not even caring. He had a hunch his body was trying to tell him something—that he needed to transform or some shit or suffer the pain. He wouldn’t be told what to do, even if it was his own body. Plus, even when he had transformed last night he was still haunted by the pain. Nothing was helping. 

Fuck this quirk. 

He stared at himself in the mirror before him, glaring at himself for being so weak and pathetic. When his explosion quirk manifested, all those years ago, he was one of the first kids his age. His teachers, his doctor, his parents, everyone was impressed with him and not only the power of his quirk but the ease at which he was able to control it. Sure there had been a few mistakes made along the way, his parent’s framed a singed part of the wall in their house, but he was always pushing himself to the limit and with that determination came mastery of his quirk. 

No way in fuck was he going to do the same thing with this shitty cat power. 

The pain was fine, he kept telling himself. He could get used to it. Use it as a way to train. No pain, no gain. 

When he finally returned to class, he wasn’t surprised to be informed that he had detention after class. 

Fuck. 

——————————————————-

After the huge waste of time that detention was, Bakugou hit the gym to release the pent up aggression that was already rolling off of his entire being in waves. He ran until his legs ached. He did so many push-ups that he lost count and when his muscles spasmed for relief he ignored them. 

Eventually he began his cool down, stretching out and hitting the showers before making his way back to the dorms, thinking about a post workout meal. 

When he arrived to Alliance Heights, he was unpleasantly surprised to find some of his classmates outside on the green grass. They were grouped together talking excitedly as Dunce Face seemed to be explaining something to everyone. Everyone erupted into laughter at something the idiot Pikachu said and Bakugou glowered. He just wanted to get inside, eat, and get to his room with as little social interaction as possible. 

“Yo! Bakugou!” 

Of fucking course. 

Bakugou paused, head tipping up to the sky as he ran a hand down his face. 

“I’m busy, Shitty Hair,” he replied before continuing towards the building, hands back in pockets. 

He seethed as he felt Kirishima’s presence join him by his side, slamming a hand on Bakugou’s shoulder that he quickly slapped away. 

“Dude, what is up with you today?” Kirishima asked. 

“Fucking nothing.” 

“Well, come on then. Let’s hang! Kaminari was just telling us about this game and—”

Raccoon Eyes jumped out of nowhere from behind Kirishima. “Come play, Bakugou!” she yelled as if he were a fucking dog. 

“Tch. I ain’t going to play shit. I’m fucking hungry” 

Bakugou glanced back to the group around Pikachu. Soy Sauce, Earplugs, Bird Face, Tail, that Half-and-Half Bastard, and fucking Deku looked towards him expectantly. 

Fucking nope. 

No way in hell was Bakugou going to even entertain the idea of playing some dumbass, kid’s  game with fucking Deku of all people. 

And then, the cherry on top of the shit sundae of it all, Deku moved, laughing at something Icy Hot had said and from behind him a small figure was revealed. She was so fucking small Bakugou didn’t even see her there until Deku got out of the way.Brown hair and brown eyes, Uraraka giggled indelicately, those stupid pink cheeks of her’s where flushed even more than normal and Bakugou glared wondering what the fuck that bastard could have said to garner such a reaction. 

No way was he staying.  

“Aw come on, dude!” Pikachu all but pleaded. “It’s more fun with more people!” 

“Pffffttt,” Soy Sauce laughed. “You mean more violent!” 

Violent? 

Bakugou stopped. Curiosity getting the better of him as he turned to the group. 

Only for Deku to immediately make him regret his decision of even considering staying. 

“Hmmm … the game, while simple, can actually have some practical uses,” the damn green haired, idiot spoke, mostly to himself. “This would be good training exercise. I’m sure as heroes we will likely find ourselves in this kind of a situation. Having to take into account those around you and reacting as fast as possible …” The dumb nerd brought his hand to his chin, continuing to mutter to himself about the stupidest fucking shit. 

Bakugou moved to leave again, only for Kirishima to block him. The damn fool was already hardening his face as Bakugou lifted his hand, firing off a small explosion at him. 

Unfazed, Sparky spoke over Deku, “Alright, Bakugou, I’ll reexplain rules for y—” 

Bakugou scowled, deciding the faster they got this over with, the faster he could get the hell out of here. “Fucking whatever, I’m sure whatever stupid game you would want to play is easy enough to get immediately, idiot.” He raised his sparking hand up threateningly. “Let’s go.” 

Soy Sauce smirked elbowing Sparky. “Alright then,” he said with a shrug. “But you brought this on yourself, dude.” 

The group gathered, making an odd, uneven circle. Bakugou tried to not look at Uraraka who stood across from him. She was still smiling and it was pissing him off. Her hand was playing with a piece of her hair and she pressed a finger to her ear. Her brown eyes darted around, giggling as she looked around the circle. 

Fucking weirdo. 

His eyes continued to watch everyone, waiting impatiently for any sign of what was to come. His shoulders tensed and eyes flashed around, ready to attack. The exhaustion from a sleepless night, shitty school day, tough workout, and that damn itch were fast forgotten. 

But as the seconds ticked by, nothing happened. They all just stood there. Bakugou straightened up slightly from his battle stance. 

“Well this is fucking lame.” 

Kirishima grinned at him, picking at something in his ear. Sparky and Soy Sauce were doing the same thing and Bakugou scoffed, not getting what the hell these idiot extras were up to. 

Although, looking around, he suddenly realized that everyone seemed to be poking their ears, almost as if they were all wearing communicators like they wore in their field courses. 

And then everyone’s eyes zeroed in on him. 

“GET DOWN YOUR HIGHNESS!” They all shouted, moving towards him.  

“What the FU—”

It all happened so suddenly.

Tape flew out towards him. Bakugou had the fastest reaction in the class, but as he moved to  step back, he realized his boots were frozen to the ground. Fucking Half and Half. Bakugou aimed his hands to his feet, firing off a small explosion in an attempt to free himself. However in that time, Soy Sauce’s tape wrapped around his torso, binding his arms to his side. 

Kirishima and Deku burst forward. Deku did a stupid little leap into the air to come at him from above, while Kirishima came at him him from the side. They tackled him with such force that he broke free from the ice immobilizing him, only to land in a heap on the ground. He grunted as he felt the added weight of more people piling on top of them, a tangle of limbs and Bakugou’s berserker rage. 

“WHAT THE FUCK!” he yelled. 

Uraraka’s laugh sounded much too close to his ears for his comfort. He wiggled, trying to angle his hands to blast away the tape restricting him. 

“You were right Kaminari,” stupid Icy Hot’s monotone voice said. “This is fun.” 

Bakugou looked up. The damn bastard was standing up staring down at them all. His mouth twisted into the smallest of smiles. He wanted to punch it right off his stupid face. 

“I think this is the closest Bakugou’s ever gotten to a group hug ever guys!” Kirishima smiled as if they had just solved world peace. That optimistic fucker.  

“I’ll kill you,” his voice came out bluntly. Bakugou felt the slightest give on the tape and using his brute strength he was able to finally rip it from his body, elbowing a few people along the way. 

“You goddamn extras,” Bakugou fumed, “BETTER GET THE FUCK OFF ME.” 

He burst, pushing against the bodies piled on top of him. Raising his hands, he aimed them directly at Deku and—

A hand ran through his hair, pressing into his scalp. 

He melted. 

And then suddenly he was weightless. 

“Oh FUCKING SHIT!” 

“Run!” 

Bakugou felt himself rise into the air as all the idiots jumped off him. Although now he wished something kept him tethered to the ground. 

He didn’t want to admit it but the thought ran through his head unbidden as he rose higher and higher. He could've easily avoided this goddamn dogpile if he had been quick enough to transform into his other form. 

But that would never happen. 

“Don’t release him until we’re out of the kill zone, Uraraka!” he heard Pikachu shout from below. 

These fuckers. Bakugou tried not to panic as he felt his stomach heave. He just needed to get himself orientated, feeling like a gymnast on a balance beam—if the balance beam was just air, there was fucking nothing to balance on, just his own fucking will power. 

Glancing back at the ground, he tried to figure out the amount of force needed to get back down. He raised his hands up, pointing them to the sky before ditching the physics equations in his head and just deciding to take out as many of those damn extras as he could. 

The added weightlessness from Uraraka’s quirk made him move faster through the air with his explosions. Just catching the looks on those extras faces as he raced back down to the earth was worth getting roped into this stupid game. Sparky’s eyes blew wide as Bakugou flew towards him, watching as the idiot flashed electric, charging up his quirk; as if he would have time to get a hit on him. Bakugou’s smirk grew and a maniacal laugh burst from him. 

And then just as suddenly as he had been tackled and flown up into the sky, his weight returned and his explosions ceased. Bakugou face planted into the ground. 

“FUCK!” 

“Detention, detention, detention,” came Aizawa's voice as Bakugou punched the ground. “Tomorrow morning, before class at the P.E. Grounds, dress accordingly. All of you.” 

“Aweehhh,” Pikachu walked around with his thumbs-up. 

Kirishima, ever the idiot, apologized to their teacher, joined by Deku, the kiss ass. 

“Next time,” Kirishima said, “no quirks.” 

The rest of the group nodded in agreement. Bakugou grit his teeth, there wouldn’t be a next time if he could help it. 

Detention two days in a row. Bakugou was going to murder Kirishima and Sparky. He stood up glaring at Aizawa and feeling his quirk return, realizing for just those few moments that Aizawa’s Erasure quirk had momentarily rid him of that stupid itch on his bones. Fuck he hadn’t realized how bad it was until it came rushing back. His knees buckled, but he refused to fall, even as his stomach churned from his Zero-G trip through the sky. 

Come to think of it, the stupid pain had vanished the second Uraraka’s hand had touched him. Perhaps it was the adrenaline? Or his surprise? Bakugou wasn’t sure but fuck if that short moment of reprieve didn’t all but save his sanity. 

Plus, being a human rocketship was kinda awesome.

[waywardnerd67]

The Prom

Summary: The Winchesters hear of mysterious deaths that were classmates from Truman High School. Sam and Dean go back to Fairfax, Indiana to investigate what is going on. When they get there, it is filled with alumni for the Class of 1998’s twenty-year reunion and Dean gets to experience one high school event he never thought he would. Characters: Dean Winchester, Sam Winchester, Peyton Harris (OFC) Pairing: Dean x Peyton (OFC) Warnings: Fluff Word Count: 1980 (With Lyrics) Louden Swain Song: “Prom” – Able-Legged Heroes A/N: My second entry for @mrswhozeewhatsis 2018 Louden Swain Fan Project. This time I went with my favorite Swain song, “Prom”. I love how upbeat it is and can’t help but bounce along to it whenever I hear it. Lyrics are bold. As always this is unbeta so all mistakes are mine. Likes, comments and reblogs are splendid and I will love you doubly for them! Enjoy!

Dean Winchester sighed heavily as he had east out of Lebanon, Kansas. “Sam, are you absolutely, one hundred percent sure that this is our kind of thing?” He asked as Sam was looking over the few articles he had found online. “Two mysterious deaths in Fairfax, Indiana. Oh, and get this, demon omens for the last two weeks. So yeah, I would say this is our kind of thing. I know the last time we were here was no cake walk but we should at least check this out.” Dean nodded, “Alright. At least we’re not going back to that god-awful school again.” Dean shivered as Sam chuckled. Dean stopped in Jefferson City, Missouri to grab some food and stretch his legs. While they were sitting in the little roadside diner, Sam’s phone buzzed on the table. “What is it?” Dean asked as Sam looked down at his phone his worried look on his face.

“There’s been another death in Fairfax.” Sam looked up at his face going from worried to sympathetic. “Okay, so who is this victim?” Sam handed over his phone as Dean looked down to a woman who looked familiar to him. As he read her name his eyes snapped back up to Sam, “You’re kidding? Once again this has to deal with Truman High School?” Dean began reading the article on the death of Amanda Heckerling, one of the many girls Dean had a fling with during their month stay at Truman High. Dean looked up seeing Sam pulling out his laptop and he glanced back down to Amanda’s picture. She was beautiful and she had the perfect family with a husband, kids and even a dog. Dean was once again reminded of what he could not give any one, the perfect life.

“Why didn’t I catch this before?” Sam muttered looking at his computer screen. He turned the screen towards Dean showing a connection between victims. “You’re kidding?” He asked in disbelief as Sam shook his head, “They all graduated the same year you were supposed to. It’s almost like something is…” Dean looked up, “Trying to call me out, let I’m getting that message loud and clear.” He sighed turning the computer back around looking down at his food suddenly not feeling hungry. Quickly, they got back on the road driving six hours to Fairfax. After arriving, they changed into the Fed suits so they could interview Amanda’s family. Dean was sitting outside in the Impala waiting for Sam to finish talking with her husband. People were coming and going from their house that all looked familiar to him making his stomach churning.

He watched as Sam walked out with a girl that took Dean’s breath away. She had long light brown hair, fair skin and hourglass figure. Sam laughed at something she said and then gave her his card as they parted ways. “Who was that?” Dean asked as soon as Sam was in the car. “The woman I was talking too?” Dean gave him a pointed look, “No the tree that was next to you and the woman. Yes, the woman!” Sam chuckled as Dean started to drive towards their motel. “Of course, you wouldn’t remember the nerds from school. That was Peyton Harris. She wore thick glasses, had braces, on the heavier side and always wore a mustard yellow sweater.”

Flashes of her came to Dean’s mind as he remembered that ugly sweater, “Right. Some of Amanda’s friends would make fun of her because she looked weird. I guess it was just a phase.” He glanced over to Sam who rolled his eyes. “Peyton told me that everyone who has died was involved in the twenty-year reunion that is happening this weekend. Amanda was organizing it all so I figured it would be a good idea for us to go. Peyton said she would put us down to be there so we could talk to more classmates.” Dean groaned, “Great. Exactly what I don’t want to do.” Sam snickered holding up a flyer he got from Amanda’s husband, “It gets better. The theme is Prom Night, so we’ll have to dress accordingly. Suits or tuxes are a must.” Sam started laughing as Dean growl. “Oh, this just keeps getting better and better.”

Jenny said she don't wanna be depressed 'Cause she looks so good in her satin dress And we're playin' the prom

Trevor's sad, he don't wanna be mad But his tux got dirty that he borrowed from his dad, And we're playin' the prom Yeah we're playin the prom

Dean grumbled as he and Sam walked into the school gymnasium that was decorated with balloons in the Truman High colors and pictures from the senior class. “Dean, is that you? Wearing an apron?” Sam asked trying not to laugh as Dean felt his cheeks burning. “Dude, I hate this.” He said ripping down the picture and placing it in his coat jacket. “I’d appreciate it if you gave me my picture back.” Dean slowly turned towards the lovely voice behind him seeing Peyton in a gorgeous royal blue dress that matched her eyes. “Th-This is your picture?” He asked as he handed it back to her. She pinned it back up on the board and then Dean saw that right next to him she stood with an apron on as well. “Yes, I remembered I had this picture of you from Home Ec class. Our pie one first place our of all the classes mainly because you were an expert on how pies should taste.” He chuckled nervously shrugging, “I do love pie.” She giggled and someone called out her name as she excused herself.

The jock's all cleaned up, we're all impressed But who's that girl, and why's she wearing my dress? And we're playing the prom

The gymnasium never looked so good We're the best fuckin' school in the neighborhood And we're playin' the prom Yeah we're playin' the prom

Sam walked away to talk with some of the alumni there about Amanda and the other victims. After listening to a girl complain about someone wearing the same dress she was and one guy admitting he had to borrow a suit from his dad he decided he needed a drink. Dean walked over seeing a guy spiking the punch who was wearing his old football letterman jacket. “Smart man.” He mumbled as he grabbed a glass for himself. “Trust me, you don’t want to drink that.” He glanced over to Peyton who was walking up to talk with the caterer. “Could you please empty this bowl and refill it with the hurricane mix.” Dean looked surprised at her, “You already pre-spiked the punch.” She smiled at him making him weak in the knees, “No one should have to suffer a high school reunion without alcohol.” Dean nodded smiling back at her, “My kind of girl.” Peyton scoffed and then started laughing, “Not really. I mean I was the loser freak of our class. What was it everyone called me, Mustard Ball because of my sweater and weight.” Dean looked down at his glass knowing he had probably called her that back then.

So grab a girl or grab a guy You better be drunk, 'cause we're already high And we're playin' the prom Yeah we're playin' the prom

“I’m sorry, kids are jerks and I certainly know I was.” A slow song came on and Peyton set down her drink. “Well, you can make it up to me by dancing with me.” She said grabbing his drink and setting it next to hers then pulling him onto the dance floor. “Peyton, I’m not really… I mean I’ve never…” She giggled placing his hands on her hips as she wrapped hers around his neck. “You just sway back and forth. Just try not to step on my feet.” He chuckled, “I make no promises.” He looked down to Peyton who was looking around to the other couples dancing. 

For the first time, in a long time, he felt like a normal guy dancing with a beautiful girl. “It’s funny, most of our classmates haven’t changed. The popular girls are still snotty and tow-faced. The jocks are still dumb. I’m still the social outcast who finally got the courage to dance with her high school crush.” Peyton looked up at him through her thick lashes as he swallowed the lump in his throat. “Me? Trust me, I’m not worthy of having any feelings for. I’m much more of an outcast than you realize.”

She was about to say something when Sam ran up to them. “Sorry, Dean I need to speak with you. Now.” Peyton let go of him, “It’s fine. Thanks for the dance Dean.” As she walked away, Dean groaned following Sam out to the hallway. “What is it?” He asked and then saw a woman walking into the girls’ bathroom coughing violently. “I spiked the punch with holy water and she just ran out with smoke coming from her.” They ran into the bathroom seeing the woman whose black eyes were shining in the mirror. “Winchesters, don’t drink the punch it’s got a nasty afterburn.” Dean pulled out his angel blade as Sam had out the demon knife. Dean then recognized the woman the demon was possessing.

“The woman you’re possessing is one of Amanda’s friends, why? Why do all of this to draw me out?” She started laughing, “Our new leader wanted to show you what is to come for you and Sam. We are going to take out everyone you love, everyone you met, everyone who has ever spoken to you Winchesters. This is personal boys and my leader isn’t the forgiving type for messing with hell so much. Next on my list is loser turned hottie, Peyton. I don’t know when, but I will get to her don’t you worry. For now, I’ll let you have your fun with her at the Prom.” 

Black smoke came from the woman’s mouth as her body dropped to the floor. Sam rushed to her making sure she had no wounds, “She’s just unconscious. He picked her up and carried her out just as Peyton was coming out of the gym. “Rosalie?! What happened?” she asked frantically. “She’s okay, just a little too much to drink is all. Sam is going to take her into the nurse’s office so she can rest.” Peyton took a deep breath as Dean gently rubbed her back. “Are you sure she’s okay?” He nodded as he led her back into the gym.

Someone was up on stage talking about their class, remembering Amanda as their prom queen and the other alumni that had died. “Now, we are going to crown our reunion prom king and queen who are…” Dean looked down to Peyton thinking she would look great with a crown on her head. “Dean Winchester and Peyton Harris!” A spotlight shined down on them as they both stood their shocked. “Come on up guys!” Someone behind them pushed them towards the stage and once they walked up crowns were placed on their heads. 

“Congratulations! Dean we all remember what kind of music you loved so this one is for you.” The beginning of AC/DC’s ‘You Shook Me All Night Long’ started to play as people filled the dance floor again. Dean and Peyton walked back down where Sam was waiting for them. “Wow, king of the prom.” Dean pointed a finger at him, “Not a word.” Peyton started laughing as she grabbed Dean’s hand. “Come on, Dean.” She tilted his crown slightly pulling him onto the dance floor. Dean looked back panicked as Sam started laughing.

We're gonna play all the songs from your favorite groups Rush, AC/DC, Motley Crue! And we're playin' the prom Yeah we're playin' the prom Yeah we're playin' the prom Yeah we're playin' the prom

My Nerd Herd: @waywardbaby @waywardrose13 @carryonmywaywardcaptain @anotherwaywardsister @ladywinchester1967 @dwgrl1903 @akshi8278 @ericaprice2008 @mirandaaustin93 @spnbaby-67 @time-travel-bouqet @1967-essentialghoul @weirdoblogger69

[baesketballers]

Romeo and Juliet AU with Akashi please, don't worry about not doing it as exactly as the original one, I won't ask for that, only the general story line. About their family, can you put in some canon extras (GOM, or other minor charas that are not frequently requested here), and for the ending, rather than both Akashi and reader dying, can you make them run away together instead? Thanks and hopefully this is okay. ^^

Long overdue, I’m so sorry if this doesn’t turn out satisfying since I took a really different, more lighthearted route with slight comedy (and a vague ending, sorry anon)! 

This is a modern day Romeo and Juliet AU, where Reader and Akashi are both adults in a family of rich people. The companies that their parents own are rivals. I hope everybody enjoys it!

Female!Reader ahead

Business parties are an absolute bore, as you’d rather stay home and spend time doing your hobbies instead of faking interest for hours on end—until six months ago, when you started attending these events without a single peep of complaint or any specific signs of enthusiasm. Your parents didn’t question why the sudden change, perhaps due to the fear of having you retract back into your shell again.

Family appearance is important to them, which is why attending these parties are absolutely necessary: to show every important people that you are a happy family that get along together very well, all smiles and warm words, but it’s all for show. Your parents aren’t that bad, but regrettably a lot of the things that they do or expect you to do are to impress and maintain their social status.

“Being rich isn’t easy,” you start, sipping your drink as Momoi observes from across your seat, “everybody’s nice to you just to get on your good side or to use you to their advantage.” You pause, only to send a skeptic look at your pink-haired friend while she innocently drinks her latte from a straw. “You’re not doing that, are you?”

She laughs hard. You’re clearly joking, because you’re smiling at your own joke—Momoi’s family has been working in your family’s company for four generations, and relations are still tight today. She calms herself down after a mere few seconds of laughter because she’s got something in mind that she’s been dying to ask about.

“But no seriously,” she begins, leaning forward with both hands clasped like a journalist ready for her scoop of the year, “Mom told me she saw you at the partnership party last week and I was like, no way, again? What’s gotten into you?”

You groan quietly, cheeks involuntarily flushing at the answer you haven’t said out loud. Momoi takes this as a sign of major happenings behind her back that she didn’t know before, and is very eager to find out now.

“Come on, __________!”

“Can I trust you not to tell this to anybody?”

“Of course, who do you think I am?”

“Not even to your mom, okay?”

“…’kay.”

“Satsuki!!”

“Alright, alright, I won’t, I swear to anything that can be sworn to.” She says, offering you a handshake. It’s a sign of a deal she can’t break. “Now shoot.”

It takes you a full five seconds before you open your mouth to answer.

“It’s a guy.”

“I knew it!!” She shrieks, and at that moment all the innocent café customers turn their head to your table with faces that are either shocked or highly irritated. Momoi sends them an apologetic look before quickly looking at you, eyebrows scrunched. 

“Tell me more.”

“The thing is,” you sigh, cupping your forehead tiredly, “he’s… he’s the heir of a rival company, and if anyone ever finds out I am royally screwed.”

You don’t think Momoi remembers that her latte exists anymore upon her knowledge of this piece of scandalous news—the poor drink sits at the edge of the table, near the window, forgotten and cold. 

“Wait a second. Are you talking about the Akashi family?” Your companion replies, lowering her voice down to a whisper at the mention of the surname. You can only nod, looking at her with your palm propping your chin up. The next second is basically her jaw dropping.

Momoi mouthes oh my god and you form a silent I know with your lips, enough for her to read. She grips your other hand on top of the table with both of hers, purposely shaking it lightly in… excitement? Is that what you see in her eyes? 

Well, you can’t blame her—the thought of Akashi is also enough to put you into a level of excitement like Momoi’s right now. The only difference is that you’re good at covering up. More like you have to. It’s the kind of secret that will hurt a lot if anyone, especially your parents, finds out.

“How did it happen?” Momoi asks breathlessly.

“Evening.”

You turn upon hearing a male voice behind you, breaking the spell that had you staring at the bubbles in your drink in hand for minutes. It’s dim out in the balcony, and a little bit cold too, especially with you in your dress, but the lighting is just enough to let you see the visitor. That red hair captures attention even in the darkest of rooms, you think, because it also lets you know who he is.

“Evening,” you reply, sipping your drink as he walks until he’s standing next to you. “You know, I know who you are. Might not be a good idea for you to be seen with me.” The sentence is uttered with zero hostility, and Akashi, obviously, takes note. You smile, something that’s sad and cynical but at the same time uncaring and somehow undeniably attractive. He smiles back.

“Well, I know who you are, too,” he says, “and I know what you’re going to say.”

There’s a slightest raise in your eyebrows though you keep quiet.

“‘Fuck what people think’, right?”

Your lips fall open and you let out a small surprised laugh at the fact that Akashi Seijuurou, heir of the Akashi Group, your family’s biggest business rival, just used a cuss word. He chuckles, eyes crinkling charmingly at your baffled expression—you shake your head when you recover, leaning against the balcony.

“I take it that I’m more or less correct.”

“I didn’t know the Akashi family have telepathic abilities. No wonder they’re so successful.”

“I could say the same to yours,” he replies smoothly, “nobody can resist a deal with that kind of charm walking around.”

You look at him in the eye, feeling your cheeks heat up slightly and praying that he can’t see before shifting your gaze towards the golf course that stretched beyond the building, drink still in hand.

“Straightforward, aren’t we?”

He sighs a bit, turning to mimic you, scanning the stretch of green below, his hands laced together as he looks at you from his place by your side. It takes great courage for you to make eye contact.

“Why?” You ask.

“I don’t know, to be honest,” he answers casually, something you’re surprised (and is that delight brewing in your stomach?) an Akashi man could do, “I feel like I wanted to get to know you better.”

You give him a skeptical, cautionary glare, one that you’ve learned to do since you were young and learning the true nature of people. 

“This is not something along the lines of I’m-flirting-with-you-and-getting-you-drunk-to-get-some-company-secrets, right? Because that’s gonna turn out awful.”

Akashi makes a face as he stifles a laugh, which kind of makes you want to laugh too, but then you realize by the sound of it that he might actually be more similar to you than you think. A young man from a rich, well-known family… adding his excellent looks and charisma to that, how many girls have gotten in line just to satisfy their desires? He must have trust issues to a certain degree as well.

“No it’s not, though I don’t judge you for asking.” He answers. Did he just step in closer to you, or is it too much champagne already in your circulation?

“I suppose it’d be nice to have a friend that understands. My friends are nice, but I envy them from having a normal life,” you say, looking down at the golf course. There’s a rowdy cheer in the banquet hall and in the back of your mind you note that the party’s not going to end soon—something you never thought you would be grateful for.

Akashi rests his face on a palm, surveying your face with great interest and somehow managing not to look like a creepy dude. Maybe it’s just thanks to how good-looking he is? The earlier thought of how many girls have chased after him creeps back, and you take a wild guess in your head, distracting you from the conversation. Twenty wouldn’t be an exaggeration. He can certainly take twenty girls to bed: at the same time or one by one, doesn’t matter.

“Tell me.”

“What?”

“Tell me what you talk to your friends about.”

It takes only three seconds of silence until you tell him. About things: about the sad rich life, about trust, about boys and girls that love and hate you. About you. As the night turns darker, your connection to his becomes stronger, what with him telling you about him: about his family, about youth, about the fact that he rarely talks about everything he’s talked about to anyone except you. About how he sees a friend in you.

So you exchanged numbers.

“And then?” Momoi demands, like a child unsatisfied with her bedtime story.

“And then,” you fall into a pause, trying to find the right words. “We started texting each other. Occasional turned frequent. We met secretly during parties, making sure no one saw or noticed us.”

“And then??”

“And then what?” You ask back. “It’s been like that for six months.”

“Yeah but like you’ve kissed him, right??”

Instead of answering, you bury your face into your palms, and Momoi instantly knows the answer is affirmative. Why does she have to be so perceptive?

“That guy used to be my friend in middle school!” She says and you have to let out a small gasp. “Back then he was so much like a prince charming too, I tell you, but then he turned cold,” she pauses, “like you.” 

You pout.

“I guess that’s the defense system of the rich,” she jokes. You swat her hand but laugh along anyway. “I know that he’s a good person underneath, but I never thought he’d open up so fast to you. Dare I say he loves you, __________!”

“I’m in love with __________,” Akashi Seijuurou declares several miles away. His adviser, Midorima, does a double-take from his notebook to the heir’s face with an expression that only says one phrase: are you crazy?

“Are you crazy??” The green-haired male exclaims, snapping his small thin notebook shut so hard that it’s audible. “__________, the daughter of the group you are trying so hard to beat within the past couple of years??”

“Is there any other __________ you know of?” Akashi asks, ignoring his companion by attending to his necktie. A glance through the mirror tells him that Midorima is both dumbfounded and… just dumbfounded. 

“Why tell me.”

“I figure you need to know.”

“You made that clear, but why.”

Akashi stands up, grabbing his suit jacket and wears it, putting an arm in one sleeve.

“I’ve been secretly meeting her during parties for six long months. It’s a given that one of these days I want to sneak out.”

Midorima’s mind is spinning, he’s lightheaded, he’s dizzy, maybe he’s going to die from a heart attack in a few seconds, but he’s rational enough to acknowledge that these are merely effects of several secret breaking news revealed to him within such a short period of time. Not even years of his advisory training can help him solve this situation.

“Oh, and Midorima? Don’t tell a soul.”

Midorima’s eyes narrow at Akashi.

“I mean it.”

And with that, the redhead is gone, leaving Midorima alone in the hotel room as he slowly makes his way towards a chair to sit on. He needs to breathe.

The kiss that Akashi leaves on your lips makes you want more in its tenderness. He has you in public, exposed to the eyes of anyone who wants to look, arm around your shoulder as you sit side by side on a secluded couch in a bar at the edge of town. The two of you agreed for the first time to meet up outside of those ridiculous parties (he honestly doesn’t know how he could last half a year), each offering some sort of excuse to your parents as you’ll be out late. Yours was a sleepover at Momoi’s place, and she is more than happy to cover for you, especially since she doesn’t live with her parents anymore. Akashi’s was simply a gathering with friends.

Which is not entirely untrue, but the way he’s kissing you and putting his hand on your knee is more than just friendly.

If journalists were to be around, tomorrow’s headline will be all about two big companies’ children, one heir and the other a daughter, caught making out with each other and obviously can’t keep their hands to themselves. Which is also not entirely untrue—you’d like to think the two of do not act like you’re so sex depraved.

“God, I want you,” Akashi growls, begging you to think otherwise. Somehow you’re on his lap, a comfortable position for you to go on and pull him into another searing kiss, but there’s something in the back of your mind that’s been bothering you. Being the perceptive person he is, Akashi notes your silence and peers into your eyes questioningly.

“How long are we going to keep this a secret?”

The redhead senses this coming from you. He admits that he also has been asking the same question himself, but he supposes that you might as well talk about it sooner than later. With that, he helps you shuffle back to the seat next to him, his arm still around your shoulder and playing with your hair.

“Do you see a probability of your parents accepting our relationship?”

“To be honest… I don’t really know,” you reply, leaning into his touch for comfort. “But by the looks of how they’re working hard to, you know, outdo the Akashi Group, it’s sort of logical to assume they won’t. I mean, my mom’s been worrying about my dad overworking”

He hums.

“Right?”

“I see where you’re coming from.”

“What do you think they’ll do if they find out?” You ask, voice nothing above a whisper. Akashi’s eyes are half-lidded, an expression of thinking. 

“I fail to see how this escapes my logic,” he begins, his tone a little bit more serious and suddenly you’re focusing everything into what he is saying, “but from a business point of view, our relationship, especially if taken to the next level,” at the mention of that your heart flutters—

“…is like a merger.”

Akashi can see the realization seeping into your expression.

“Of course it would have to be a horizontal or market extension merger to be fair, but what I mean to say is that it’s definitely a good possibility.”

“M-hmm.” You nod, dazed.

“Do you think so, too?”

“M-hmm.”

Akashi looks at you like he expects you to say something.

“How do you think they would feel about a merger, though? There are chances that one of us might be at a disadvantage, and I don’t know if our parents are willing to take that risk.”

“Risk is the basis of progress in business, sweetheart,” he says, going back to stroking your hair, “like investing and developing new products. Those are risks. You need to take it to reap the harvest.”

“But how do we convince them to take it?”

Akashi smiles, lifting you up by the waist to situate you on his lap again, pressing his lips to your forehead. You can only hide your face in his neck, and he chuckles.

“It’s simple—we build a business proposal.”

You might not entirely understand his vague answer, though the rough ideas floating in your head (including another kind of proposal) are quickly thrown out the window at the sensation of his lips meeting yours for the umpteenth time that night. You don’t know if Akashi really has the solution to get you out of this secret relationship without doing any harm, but the way his tongue asks for entrance is too sweet to ignore.

You tell yourself you can think about it tomorrow.  

[survivor-idol-island-blog]

BEE’S RITES OF PASSAGE

20th: Austin M. (4-2-2-1-1) (Tadjoura) (Day 3)

We were trying to work together - you, me and Bryan but when you started throwing out a plan to take out the super idol, Bryan had my back and we booted you. Lesson learned: Never go against a woman with a super idol.

I am sorry though dude, I think you would have played a good game.

19th: Madison (3-1-1-0(4)-0(1) (Dagouein) (Day 6)

Since all I know of you is Nick's sock puppet, it sucks we never got to talk!

18th: Autumn (Medically Evacuated) (Tadjoura) (Day 9)

AUTUMNNN! I tried to get something going with you, but you weren't around as much. Too bad. Stay strong chika. From what I've heard of your past ORG performances you're pretty dynamite.

17th: Jacob (4-1) (Dagouein/Yaguer) (Day 12) You were the first one I was so sad about! We could have torn it up in this game, but Jonathan wanted your idol out and so that is why we did you first. I trusted you 100 percent though, and I know if I hadn't been throwing challenges to save my earth sandwich (and Bryan) I could have kept you around. But unfortunately we only had two days to bond.

16th: Akito (4-1) (Dagouein/Dagouein) (Day 12) I agree with you about social media. It really is the worst! Keep doing you, bud!

15th: Glen (3-1-0(1) (Dagouein/Yaguer) (Day 15) Oh Glen. You got swap bleep-ed. You were without an idol and I know you'd given up from the moment you'd seen the tribe results. Still, we had good chats and I think we were on the same page at times. Our chats helped me be firmly anti-Zach and crew. So you definitely influenced my part in the game. For that I thank you.

14th: Jayden (2-1-0(1) (Tadjoura/Yaguer) (Day 18) I am soooo sorry yet again! I shouldn't have thrown SO many challenges. That was my move to make and you got caught in the crosshairs. I was closer to Jonathan and Isaiah. So while you thought I was the only one with you, I had to make a tough choice. The game sucks that way. You're a great guy though. <3

13th: Jonathan (4-3-0(2)-0(1)-0(1)-0(1)-0(1)) (Tadjoura/Yaguer/Glenkito) (Day 20) MY BOYYY! You know I will forever like your videos and send you memes. This was the first time that I was really blindsided by a vote because I'd been in control for so long. The merge took my whole game out of control when you went. You should have played that idol! Earth sandwich forever. <3

12th: Trevino (8-4) (Dagouein/Dagouein/Glenkito) (Day 22) I've told AJ and I'll say it again. I tried to make sure Zach was the target and not you, but you blew up your game by talking to SO many people! So many contradicting stories! You're freaking hilarious though. We only chatted on the phone thing once, but you had me laughing so much I was crying. I did really wish you didn't go creating so much doubt though. It could have been a game changer if we'd really worked together.

11th: Spencer (4-3-0(2) (Tadjoura/Tadjoura/Glenkito) (Day 24) My second painful blindside. It hurt when they took you out... I cried like a baby! I didn't see it coming. But then again, I did. Because I kept trying to get you to play nicer with og tadjoura but you aligned with Zach and his crew too quickly and that caused doubts. But you were my guy! Even though people said you were shifty, I knew that we were loyal to each other and that our plans were legit. You're funny, smart and a great Survivor player. I hope you get to play again sometime because next time you'll be unstoppable.

10th: Tracy (6-4) (Dagouein /Tadjoura/Glenkito) (Day 26) Okay. I KNOW you kind of despise me, but hear me out. It wasn't fake. I wanted to work with you, and then you took out Spencer. You, Zach and Nick G were at the top of a very powerful alliance. Everybody knew it. And after hearing stories from Glen and Jacob that you guys were a clique that didn't really include people, I got high school flashbacks and wanted to take you guys out. I get it, that's not an excuse. But I've always been for the underdog and you guys appeared like top dogs to me. I did talk to each of you and felt at the time that I connected well with you. The game could have been different if we were on the same tribe at some point, but that's the way it works. I like you though, and I wish we could be friends. :(

9th: Nick G. (5-4) (Dagouein/Tadjoura/Glenkito) (Day 28) We only really chatted personally once, but you actually seemed like a great guy. I, of course, had to get over my idea of you being a top dog in your alliance and see you as a person. Once I did though, I was sorry that I hadn't gotten to really get to know you. I hear good stories all the time. Anyway, I kind of booted you when I told Bryan about the plans on AJ. It went exactly how I wanted it because I knew we'd never really work together since we didn't really talk. Still though... I think I missed out on a lot by not getting to know you.

8th: Nic (2-0(2)-0(4) (Dagouein/Dagouein/Glenkito) (Day 30) Nic!!! I helped to organize the blindside on you! I'm so sorry! But once I realized that you, AJ and Isaiah were doing a lot of moves together I knew that I had to do something to break you three up. But your boys are still in the game, so that's something! You are such a nice guy. I'd love to hear more of your stories another time.

7th: Wallis (3-2-1-0(1) (Tadjoura/Tadjoura/Glenkito) (Day 32) My bae. My love. My Ryan. <3 Seriously, you were it for me for almost the whole game and I feel responsible for you being out. I should have given you the super idol (again)! I mean I would have done almost ANYTHING to keep you in the game, even if you would have kicked my ass royally in FTC. -- When the tribe swap happened we were connecting so well we were almost hiveminded! And then we were separated and not speaking to you sucked so much! It was agony! When merge happened and we got together again I was suddenly so happy that I decided to throw those challenges or it might have been you gone before making merge. It made it all worth it. -- I was playing both sides though and sometimes that made you look bad, and I think that's why the others targeted you. Instead of owning moves we made, I put all the blame on you like "Wallis wants to do this and I don't know what to do" even though you know we were a team. I know it's the game but I feel awful because hurting you is like hurting myself. <3 -- I've promised to fight AJ to the death for you by the way. So that should be exciting. Either way, I know we'll still have a connection after the game.

6th: Zach (2-2-2/3-1) (Dagouein/Tadjoura/Glenkito) (Day 34) Oh Zach. What can I say about Zach? So, so many things.

You know I love to hate you. I remember when I first saw your intro video and I was like "Okay. This guy is so weird. Like who makes a video for something like this?" And then when there was the scavenger hunt and I saw your video doing the ice bucket challenge and I was like "Yeahhhh.... this dude is SERIOUS. I wonder what's wrong with him? He'd better not make merge or I'm gunning for him." Haha!

And then when we swapped tribes and Jacob and Glen told me how you were running things back on og dag, I instantly disliked you. Just because it seemed like you were top of your little clique and you were victimising whoever you wanted from your old tribe. I even blamed you for the name Glenkito! I was like "Where does that guy get off?" (And then I was told it was Trevino and I had to sink back into my hole).

So yes. I was foreordained to dislike you from the get-go. And then we started talking. And I had yet ANOTHER reason to hate you because you were so charming and friendly and funny and I couldn't help but open up to you... in spite of myself since you were my nemesis and all.

But as I told you, we still couldn't work together. You had your crew and I had my crew and I wasn't going to be bottom of your alliance and you weren't going to be bottom of mine.

But then everything changed. My people got voted out. Your people got voted out (guilty as charged). And even though, I'd written your name at least a couple of times, we found ourselves working together. By the end of it, that last vote.... I just couldn't write your name down. I knew Alex had flipped but I was sticking by you as long as I could. --- We went to snake town together and survived.

I still hate you by the way, for being virtually impossible to dislike. <3 And I'm still invested in your life, so don't cut me out. (Although I bear no responsibility for getting any more attached to you than I am already).

5th: Bryan (3-2) (Tadjoura/Dagouein/Glenkito) (Day 36) Let's see if I can write this without crying. Nope! I'm crying! Boo! That sucks. You were my day one guy. My first alliance. My Toronto alliance. And you kept taking out the guys gunning for my super idol (until you joined with them to get it out at the end), so that made me feel incredibly safe with you. I told you like, everything, even though sometimes it blew up in my face and sometimes you mocked me for it. You're like the bro I never had! Because my brothers irl don't talk to me much and don't have anything in common with me. I mean that. Seriously. I feel like we made fun of each other in such a brotherly-sisterly way and that was so, so special to me. We had each other's backs as simple as that.

I was trying to get you to read between the lines that last vote when I kept telling you how awful I was feeling about the vote, but I knew if I told you outright that it could have been me going so easily. And although I told people I would vote you, I meant what I said and I kept to my promise that I'd never write your name down. I was just hoping someone else felt the same and you'd still be in the game. But they didn't and that sucks.

Anyway, you're amazing and I totally forgive you for being a Calvinist. Kidding! Chat soon and we'll have a real debate!