#completely oblivious to the fact that I had already missed it for that year

[avelera]

I'm wondering what you think about how much Viktor knew about his disease and his limited life expectancy before that scene in the hospital?

Because Viktor draws that conclusion before Jayce even says anything. Jayce is clearly very upset about whatever the doctor says, but he never spells out that it's terminal, and Viktor immediately concludes that, so that might make it seem like he already suspected beforehand.

On one hand, he is obviously hiding his symptoms from Jayce, and at this point he might either be in denial, or already suspecting it. I do get the sense his disease is common in the undercity and always fatal, the documents Caitlyn goes through about the grey show pictures of lungs which imply a lung disease the grey causes, which I think is the same disease Viktor has. It wouldn't be a leap for him to conclude that coughing up blood means he has this disease and will probably die.

On the other hand, he does get increasingly desperate to save his own life after he gets the diagnosis, and even has that talk with Heimerdinger about his legacy, which does kind of imply that the truth hadn't truly settled in before then or it was really the first time he found out. Though in regards to the hexcore, he really stumbled into its potential healing properties by accident and it makes sense he'd fall into that obsession when he first gets a sliver of hope

I do agree if Viktor suspected, he wouldn't tell Jayce. He's already quite ashamed of all his medical issues, and Jayce's comment about his disappearing is probably about that.

Anyway, curious what your thoughts are

Oh, I have a VERY specific headcanon that's going to make an appearance the Distinguished Innovators sequel that I'm actively working on but I'm happy to spell it out here too.

Ok, so, I don't think it's possible for Viktor to have fully hidden his degenerative illness from Jayce. Jayce is too loving and attentive and the illness progression over the course of the time skip between 1.03 and 1.04 is too dire for even the most oblivious person to miss.

And no, I don't buy the "cooking a frog" excuse that Jayce would miss it because the progression is gradual. It's not gradual. It's extreme. Viktor goes from a cane he can occasionally set aside to a crutch, leg brace, back brace, dark circles under his eyes, sunken skin, a hunched posture and regular coughing fits that sometimes spit up blood. I mean look at this:

You simply cannot tell me that Jayce hasn't been aware of this progression.

Not to mention, that when Viktor coughs up blood at the Hexgates, he does not hide the blood from Jayce and Jayce does not react to the blood! That means Jayce has known that Viktor's coughing fits regularly bring up blood at this point.

But what did Jayce believe up to this point? I want to explore that and offer my own rather exhaustive headcanon:

So, there is simply no way in my mind that Jayce could be kept in the dark about the fact that Viktor has his leg and another health issue bearing down on him and sapping his strength.

However, I do believe that Viktor knows that he has a degenerative illness that will likely end his life within the next few years and that he has lied to or obfuscated from Jayce just how dire his prognosis is.

I think Jayce expected Viktor to have decades left while Viktor hoped to have a few more good years left, and both were shocked and pained to learn it might be months. However, Jayce in particular seems completely blindsided, which is why I suspect Viktor allowed him to continue to believe he had decades to live when Viktor knew he did not.

I think Viktor would have rather died on that floor than let Jayce know he's dying.

I also think both Viktor and Jayce held out hope that Hextech would lead to a miracle cure for Viktor, but both knew it would take years to achieve. After all, most of their active innovations were around industry, transportation, mining, etc. It makes sense given the spell they had to work from was a weightlessness and teleportation spell Jayce saw the Mage do. Biology and healing was probably possible, and on their radar, Hextech is magic after all, but I truly believe they thought it was going to take years of innovation and a lot of leaps, not to mention luck, before they'd stumble upon runes that would let them pivot to healing. It's not a natural progression based on what they know of magic.

This is part of why I think Jayce believed Viktor still had decades left. Because I think, if Jayce knew it was only a few years, he would have tossed everything out to just work on healing Viktor with Hextech.

And this is where I'm going to make the full leap to headcanon territory. I don't think this is canonical to the text, it's just my interpretation of the text that I use for fic writing. H'ok, let's go:

I think Viktor knew specifically what fissure illness he had and he knew most people who have it do not live past 30. I think he's known most of his life. I think that's why he's so driven to achieve everything he can while young.

Hence Viktor's, "Don't ask permission," attitude. He's always known he's got about ~30 years to live and he's going to make the most of it, hence his meteoric rise, but also why he's willing to take a dramatic lateral leap to be Jayce's partner at the first sight of a potentially world-changing innovation to work on with his remaining years. He's less worried about losing what he's achieved than he is about missing out on the next great scientific leap, possibly because he knows he's only got a few years left anyway.

I think Viktor (and possibly his parents!) believed that if he moved to Piltover where the air was cleaner, he'd have longer to live. This adds to his parents' motivation to make the desperate, possibly criminal move to sneak Viktor into the Academy.

I think getting to Piltover made Viktor relatively optimistic about his prognosis. With better air, nutrition, and sunlight access, he might have a chance to beat the "Dead by 30" inevitability of his disease. And to some extent, he did! He's about 32 when he collapses in Arcane S1 but still, it's not as much time as he or anyone in his position might have hoped for. This explains his weary resignation to the fact he doesn't have much time left. He's known this is coming for a while.

I also think, and this is pure headcanon, that coughing blood signals the beginning of the end for this particular disease. That's why pre-time skip Viktor is motivated but not desperate yet. He's not coughing blood yet. He still has time. But once he starts coughing blood, post-time skip, he goes from motivated to desperate. I think coughing blood means you've only got a few months to maybe a few years left, and Viktor knows this.

I think Viktor knew his prognosis meant "Dead by 30" but he only told this vaguely to Jayce. Like "Yes, this cough is a symptom of a disease that will shorten my lifespan, but we still have time for a Hextech miracle if we work hard."

Jayce, coming from a background of relative privilege compared to the undercity, took "a shorter lifespan" to mean Viktor would live to like... 60 instead of 80. Plenty of time to find a way to pivot Hextech to healing if they crank it and push everything they have into accelerating the use, application, and innovation of Hextech as quickly as possible. The more resources they have, the more widely Hextech is adopted, the better the chance they'll have the time, assistance, resources, and frankly the power to stumble into something that will cure Viktor in the next few decades.

Viktor is more of a realistic about the progression of science. Note his, "It's a leap," about Jinx's potential to crack Hextech. Jayce believes in miracles because he was rescued by one. But I think Viktor knows intrinsically that it would take a very unlikely miracle to pivot from industry to healing uses of Hextech. He humors Jayce, and he's optimistic, but more than he wants to waste time looking for an impossible cure, he wants to leave a legacy and help others while he's alive, rather than chasing the rabbit of a healing application just for himself that they are realistically decades away from.

I think one reason Viktor didn't tell Jayce how short his prognosis ir OR how unrealistic it is for them to pivot Hextech to healing with what they have is that he didn't want Jayce to waste time on healing him with nothing to show for it when they inevitably failed. Even if they did nothing but try to apply Hextech to curing him, they probably wouldn't have time to beat his Dead by 30 prognosis (as of age ~26 when they partnered up) and Viktor wanted to contribute to problems they could actually solve in his lifetime instead of chasing a fairytale.

The Hexcore changes everything there, of course. It embodies the miraculous leap they'd need to skip over decades of incremental innovation in Hextech and it's what causes the pivot in Viktor's motivations from help the undercity to "help the undercity (but actually I just want to help myself and I'm actually such a good and selfless person I can't even admit this very human desire to live even to myself)"

Just to circle back briefly, I think learning Viktor's prognosis was a horrible shock for Jayce. Like I said, he really believed he had more time with Viktor. All his actions point to this. Yes he knew the Council was a bit of a distraction, but it was serving their overarching goal of pushing Hextech as quickly and as far as possible to cure Viktor in the next decade or so. He would never have stolen months away from working beside Viktor if he didn't think Viktor had many years more to live, even with his illness as it was.

Ok, I think that about covers it! If you do want to read the fic where I'm going to include all this, you should subscribe to this series.

[callie-the-creator]

the boy from second period

nsfw. mdni. warnings: yandere behavior, stalking, emo oc being delulu, mentions of self harm, brief smut but you’ll most likely miss it if you blink lol, you get the picture.

author’s note: the yandere in this is just an oc i whipped up for the sake of writing some yandere!emo boy hcs— 😭✋🏻 but if i’m being honest, this is more chronological hc stuff. from where he first met you to now.

• elijah was never much of a romantic. in fact, he cursed the name of love…frequently. it was becoming more of a hobby as of late. he was exhausted tired of spending valentine’s day alone, having no one to spend time with during the holidays, or spending so much money on promposals or simply ask someone to a dance only to have them reject him…

— he swore that he wouldn’t lose himself and not develop some crush to save himself from the embarrassment of his affections getting denied. lord knows that he can’t handle rejection well, as he tries to open a vein every time he does…things were better this way.

…

…

…

• that was until a few weeks into his senior year when you suddenly moved from (your school name) to his: willowbrook high.

• he only knew you were new because in the middle of his second period, you came in with a schedule in hand, asking if this was english 11 with mrs. hadley…it was. of course it was.

— at first, elijah paid you no mind. he mentally sorted you into a category with how he saw the rest of his classmates. a waste of his time.

• it didn’t help that mrs. hadley decided it was a great idea to sit you with elijah, given that he sits at a table by himself in the corner of the room. he felt almost embarrassed when he was called out and it wasn’t like he could just say ‘no,’ especially not in front of all these people…so, he endured it.

• for now

⨯ . ⁺ ✦ ⊹ ꙳ ⁺ ‧ ⨯. ⁺ ✦ ⊹ . * ꙳ ✦ ⊹ ⨯ . ⁺ ✦ ⊹ ꙳ ⁺ ‧ ⨯. ⁺ ✦

• what followed were two excruciatingly long weeks for poor elijah. the only times you two talked were brief. i mean it. 🥲

“hey!”

“…hello.”

“how are you doing?”

“fine. you?”

“i’m good. thanks for asking.”

• …and then fate had a funny way of twisting things! aka mrs. hadley assigned a partner project to the class, but the catch was that she already picked who people were going to be paired with and shockingly (yet he could see it coming from a mile away), you and elijah were picked to be each other’s partners.

— it flipped his world upside down, completely blindsiding him because this could only mean one thing: elijah was going have to step out of his comfort zone and to be forced to spend more time with you, primarily outside of school. yikes!

⨯ . ⁺ ✦ ⊹ ꙳ ⁺ ‧ ⨯. ⁺ ✦ ⊹ . * ꙳ ✦ ⊹ ⨯ . ⁺ ✦ ⊹ ꙳ ⁺ ‧ ⨯. ⁺ ✦

• even though it took a little time, you and elijah started talking more, both outside and inside of school. it even got to the point where he feared that he had grown attached to you, but that’s just crazy talk!…right?

• he would even find himself stalking your socials to learn more about you as a person, so he knows what to not do casually bring up the next time he sees you

• he hated to pat himself on the back, but elijah has deemed himself as the first official friend that you’ve made ever since you came to willowbrook

— but this didn’t mean that he didn’t get jealous.

• you always had ideas on how you two could spend more time together such as giving each other playlists for song recommendations, going to the movies, things like that…but elijah didn’t like whenever you suggested doing something that concerned more than just each other’s company. crowds.

— he fucking hated crowds, mainly the school’s football games because it meant that your undivided attention wouldn’t constantly be on him.

— and it doesn’t help that you are oblivious to his blossoming crush on you and start to swoon over the cute band geeks or football players. elijah felt like a sore thumb, someone not worthy of your time…even though he knows deep down in his heart that you and him are meant to be together.

• if there is a point where he catches you talking with another guy, elijah will give him the nastiest look in all of existence.

— there are a few times where elijah has just flat-out lies to a few of your classmates and told them that you and him were dating just so they would back off. there have been lots of close calls.

• he’s one clingy bastard. he’ll admit that outright.

• after dropping you off at home, elijah will return to his house feeling pent up, and if that happens, he’ll l do one of two things:

use a sharp kitchen knife to carve your name into the thick of his pasty thigh. he will even make sure to cut a giant heart around it for extra gusto. and, yes…he does take photos of his beautiful work. he wants to send them all to you, desperately, but knows that they’ll only scare you off.

wank one off to some photos of you that you either posted or took himself, or into one of your undergarments that he was able to steal. still…his hand and your underwear pales in comparison to what pleasure you could give him. elijah wants to feel your warmth. cuddle you closely and whisper sweet nothings into your ear as he presses his naked body against yours.

• he wants you so bad…

⨯ . ⁺ ✦ ⊹ ꙳ ⁺ ‧ ⨯. ⁺ ✦ ⊹ . * ꙳ ✦ ⊹ ⨯ . ⁺ ✦ ⊹ ꙳ ⁺ ‧ ⨯. ⁺ ✦

• unfortunately, all good things can’t last forever. the time for the project ended and as expected, you two passed with flying colors, but this didn’t mean that you and elijah stopped contacting each other completely, but it was…different. different from what it was.

— elijah didn’t like that. not one bit.

— he wants to be your boyfriend. he wants to be your boyfriend. he wants to be your boyfriend. he WANTS to be YOUR boyfriend!

• he has even taken up photoshopping as a hobby, so he can edit him into every single photo you have posted. oh, he can’t wait for the day where nothing but your beautiful face fills his camera roll.

— well…more than it does now anyway.

• that’s when he had an epiphany. there is a school dance coming up. as much as elijah didn’t want to blow through his money, he knew that you were worth it. all those lovely conversations you shared with him couldn’t be for nothing, right? you MUST like him back.

• and that’s how he spent the next few nights, thinking of ideas for the board and when he finally had an idea of what he could do, he wasted no time in making it for you.

• when elijah got to school, he made sure to ask you in the morning since he didn’t want to be holding the board the entire day.

• but…

• you immediately shook your head when he popped the magic question.

• he instinctively laughed at this, but not in a condescending way. he just didn’t understand why you were doing this to him. all eyes were on him, not you. you like him back, don’t you, so why are you toying with him?

• seeing that elijah clearly wasn’t getting the hint, you verbally say that you don’t want to go to the dance with him which causes him to freeze up like a scared goat.

• you’re shitting him, right? RIGHT?!

you. bitch.

you’re going to regret saying no to him.

[ineedtherapydesperately]

desperately wanna write a childhood friends to lovers au w chloe and red in the timeline where bridget never goes evil and is still besties w ella

like imagine all the hangouts and sleepovers they have, crying and whining when they have to be separated because red, dear, we really must return home or chloe, love, we've been in wonderland for a week already

imagine little chloe bursting into her parents' bedroom declaring that she'll always be red's knight in shining armour, because every princess, especially a crown princess, needs a knight to protect her and ella and christopher just KNOWING that chloe is gonna stay by red's side forever and ever

so they start planning the wedding with bridget, thrilled to have the opportunity to bring their families even closer together. they're gonna be in laws! a family, just like they've always dreamed.

imagine little red telling her mum that chloe has a really pretty smile and really pretty eyes, and it makes her happy to see chloe happy, and that chloe is the bestest friend in the whole wide world and bridget has to stop herself from squealing and pinching red's adorably flushed cheeks, because her daughter was so in love already, even if it was just puppy love. that doesn't stop her from screaming gleefully into her pillow later that night tho

imagine them growing up together, attached at the hip, never straying from the other's side. imagine them going to auradon together, everyone already knowing that red and chloe, chloe and red, are a package deal. you can't get one without the other, a known fact since the duo were old enough to travel through the rabbit hole on their own

imagine chad walking in on them cuddling, watching a movie and cooing at them, snapping pictures on his phone before they notice him, yelling at him to leave them alone. alright, alright, I'll leave you lovebirds alone and red flushes in mortification and shut the fuck up chad, we're completely platonic and you know this because little miss goody-goody would definitely be rougher around the edges, growing up with red, and she'd definitely cuss up a storm at chad, but she loves him, she swears, just maybe not as much as she loves red

imagine them going through all the motions of a romantic relationship, cuddles, cheek kisses, hand holding, cute dates and all that, but insisting that it's just platonic, and that's how they've always been because they're best friends and their parents are so very done with them, just praying for them to get together, and chad has even started a betting pool for when they'll realise they love each other. he thinks it'll take them until at least their second year at auradon prep - at least, it'll take chloe that long

imagine chloe and red having matching lock screens, and having each other set as their home screens as well. imagine red baking chloe anything she asks for, like peppermint cookies and flamingo feather cupcakes and blueberry muffins, because chloe, her princess, her knight, has a raging sweet tooth that red can't help but indulge every time. imagine chloe taking red on ice cream dates, because red LOVES ice cream, and refusing to let her pay for it because red was a princess and deserved only the best treatment, thank you very much and red has to point out that chloe, you're a princess too. but, red, you're the crown princess and im your loyal knight <3

imagine red finally realising her feelings and ranting at the council of parents because holy shit aunt ella, your daughter is so dense?? and christopher can't help but cringe because he knows exactly who chloe got that trait from and he's like I'm sorry but while we charmings are quite, charming, we're also quite oblivious, especially to matters of the heart and bridget can't stop laughing because darling, you may need to hit her with glass shoes for her to figure it out, which makes ella blush because that's exactly what she had to do that night at castlecoming

god I have so many feels about this I am totally normal about glassheart. final part absolutely inspired by @strugglingsapphic's recent post bc I love the idea of oblivious chloe not knowing shit

[ginevrapng]

𝐈'𝐌 𝐍𝐎𝐓 𝐈𝐍𝐓𝐄𝐑𝐄𝐒𝐓𝐄𝐃

pairing: fwb!james x reader

word count: 1.5k words

warnings and contents: for my friends with benefits james there is no smut asdfghjkl, hurt, jealousy, FLUFF

you're sitting in the great hall eating breakfast and you spot james across the hall with all the other gryffindors. you're unable to stop your lip quirk upwards as you hear his boisterous laugh, which you guess is due to some joke or prank he's retelling.

your small smile drops as you see lily evans walk up the marauders. you've never had a problem with her, she is a popular gryffindor that is friendly and works well to get top marks but the way she's walking up to the marauders, looking at james determined and with a mission, fills you with slight dread. if you were completely honest you felt she spent more time with james then necessary, especially considering how they've got their own friends and how many times she turned him down in the past.

the hall is already pretty quiet due to everyone already have eaten and a lot of people stop their conversations or lower their voices as they see lily go up to james. everyone in every house knows that's irregular. for the previous years of hogwarts james followed lily everywhere like a lost puppy always asking her out and coming up to her but he had stopped. no one knew why. it was because of you.

because the hall became so silent you heard what evans asked james and you wished the hall was louder, you wished you didn't hear, you wish you were somewhere else, anywhere else, you started to become sick as she asked james if he's free this weekend to go to hogsmeade. "i don't know, i think remus has to study but i know sirius and peter are free too. are all the other girls going?" at that moment it's hard to tell if he's actually oblivious or if he knows exactly what she's asking him but he's choosing not to answer. he has a smile on his face but even from a distance it looks a bit forced to you.

if you were anyone else you would lean to the fact he's being oblivious but you're not anyone, people always underestimate james and you have a feeling james knows exactly what she's actually asking but for some reason he's pretending that he has no clue what she means but you don't know why he'd do that. james is kind and wouldn't want to embarrass someone so publicly but at the same time you're unsure of why he'd be so sure of turning her down but the fact that he is does makes you incredibly happy, you won't tell him that though.

"oh, i don't actually know what the girls are doing. i meant just us two. like on a date?" lily asks him, not wavering at all even with what james has previously said.

james sighs under his breath. "i've got things to do, you should go with someone else."

"what about another weekend?" lily asks, hopeful and you don't blame her for that, anyone would be hopeful asking out someone who in the past asked them out every other day.

"lily, i'm sorry if i'm hurting your feelings but i don't want to go on a date with you," he tells her and you can see that he's trying to be as nice as he can be in a situation like this. no one caught on to the fact that james said that he's only sorry that he's hurt her feelings, he's not sorry for not wanting to date her though, like it's not even an option on my mind, he's not entertaining the thought about going on a date with her, you don't catch on, lily doesn't, the marauders don't, no one does.

everyone is stunned, they thought for sure he'd say yes, he has been pining after her for so long and most people just thought he started playing hard to get, giving her some distance until she recognises how much she misses him but that wasn't true at all. lily never crosses his mind anymore, why would she? he has you. you're all he thinks about. yeah at one point he fancied lily but he loves you.

after a couple beats lily replies with an, "oh, alright then. i guess i'll see you in the common room." this time it's lily that forces a smile. james doesn't respond. she has just been rejected and it's making her feel dejected, not only does james not want to go on a date with her but he doesn't want to hang out with her either. the whole time she thought this was some ploy from james to get her attention but she realised she was wrong. he has no interest in her at all.

as soon as lily's out of earshot and going out of the great hall you hear the loud voices of james' friends. "WHAT THE HELL WAS THAT PRONGS? DON'T YOU WANT LILY ANYMORE?"

"that was mean james, you didn't have to reject her in front of everyone."

"YOU DON'T WANT EVANS? I CAN'T BELIEVE IT. I NEVER THOUGHT THIS DAY WOULD COME. CAN I GO FOR HER?"

"i've got to say i'm surprised to prongs, i never thought you'd shut lily down like that. she really does like you and if this is some trick to get her to like you more, don't do it. she talks about you a lot."

james interrupts his friends knowing this could go on all morning and knowing that you're definitely hearing all this, worried you might be getting the wrong idea. "you can go for her pads, it's none of my business." they all look even more shocked as they hear this but he carries on, "i have no interest in lily whatsoever, yes i used to but i moved on from that. i didn't try to be mean peter but she wasn't taking a hint, i kept trying to tell her no and to let her down gently and moony honestly you shouldn't be surprised if anything it's more surprising that this hasn't happened sooner, me and lily have absolutely nothing in common and we can barely hold a conversation together that last more than ten minutes."

they're all rendered speechless at james as they realise he is 100 percent serious about this. no matter if lily chases james just like he chased her his answer will always be the same, no.

in james' eyes lily doesn't hold a candle to you.

he flicks his eye to where you're sitting and you briefly make eye contact. james was feeling in a bit of a negative mood after what happened but that immediately changed when he glances at you to see that you're already looking at him. you see a stupid grin appear on his face, uncontrolled and automatic, you quickly look down knowing that you've been caught watching him. as you're looking down you smile at the whole situation. james told lily no, and he said it so certain like nothing could change his mind. that absolutely stopped the sicky feeling you had. no one would notice you smiling as you're looking away from everyone but james knew that's what you'd be doing.

james wants to grab your face and lift it up so you're looking at each other again, he already misses your face and the colours of your eyes and it's only been a second since you've looked away from him. he wants to see your bashful smile as you try to look away from him again but he'll just place hundreds of kisses all over your face instead. he wants to desperately tell you that lily doesn't mean anything to him, you have gotten jealous on occasion due to lily even if you deny it, hopefully this might help. he wants to tell you that there's nothing to be jealous about. although you both know that he'll likely tease you about how you was "staring" at him the whole time when he turned down lily.

"what the fuck are you grinning about james?" remus asks, he seems the most annoyed with james about how he handled the situation, remus and lily are study buddies so they are actually good friends and he's known for awhile how lily has felt about james he's just always thought james still feels the same way, he thought it was mutual.

james snaps out off his thoughts of you, not wanting the marauders to question him about you. "nothing important," james replies, not looking back at you.

he hopes that he'll have the chance to talk to you today, even if it's for five minutes. maybe you'll talk about your plans for the weekend and you can try and find time to get together, maybe you'll tease him and say lily invited you to hogsmeade while you were at dinner.

[halfvalid]

kitten

ABOUT

alternate title: the pet name 'kitten' is gross when used by men but it's cute when a woman nami says it

rating: general audiences

characters: live action!nami | fem!reader | live action!roronoa zoro

pairing: live action!nami x fem!reader

word count: 4.4k

description: nami is aware you've got a crush on one of the straw hats, and she's determined to find out who—but she's completely oblivious to the fact that you actually like her.

tags: strawhat!reader, female reader, fluff, kissing, confessions, no use of “y/n”, pet name "kitten", banter, absolutely tooth rotting amounts of fluff, a little bit of (affectionate) zoro slander

author’s note: i interrupt your regularly scheduled zoro fic posts to provide you with a sapphic nami oneshot instead because she is my wife and i love her dearly.

zoro accidentally popped up a bit too much in this because he's always on my mind. my apologies <3

You’d always liked astronomy. The current-world navigation had nothing to do with the stars, really; at least not when it came to the Grand Line. Unnatural magnetic fields and the odd weather was reason enough for that—but celestial navigation wasn’t even often used in any of the four quadrants. Too finicky, people would say; you know the practice had stopped being in use in the Marines years ago. 

Nami knew it all, though. She was the only one of the Straw Hats who could read the stars, the sky spreading out as a map that only her eyes could read. 

Your interest in it had always been more… artistic. While Nami babbled on about angles and reference points and sextants, you liked to talk about the planets and heavenly bodies blanketing the sky. It was dusk, and the sun was kissing the horizon good night, dull hues of pink and orange spreading alongside the sea with a golden shimmer as it tucked safely away. 

You’d been lying out on the main deck for a good few hours, stretched like a cat along a hammock you’d strung up forever ago, when you heard footsteps. 

“There you are, kitten,” Nami said with a laugh, and you sat up to appraise her. The evening glow cast fire to her orange hair, a blazing halo surrounding her head and painting her skin over in gold dust. “I’ve been looking all over for you.” 

“Hi,” you said with a soft smile. “What for?” 

“Well, for one, you missed supper.” Nami gingerly took a seat on the side of your hammock, the canvas cloth rocking from side to side with the motion. “Avoiding your crush again?” 

You let out a sigh, half-exasperated as your bottom lip sucked in between your teeth. You nibbled at the flesh there, not responding. Nami had figured out a few weeks ago that you had a crush on one of the other Straw Hats, and she brought it up every so often, although all it did was cause a crease in your brow bone and a flicker of annoyance on your face. 

“What, am I not supposed to bring that up?” Nami teased. The light shone in her crystal blue eyes, clear like the sky during midday, not a cloud in sight. “You still haven’t told me who it is.” 

“Because you’ll pull something if I do!” you protested. “Don’t try to deny it, you conniving little witch.” 

Nami gasped in mock-offense, a hand plastered to her chest. “And destroy your dignity like that? I would never.” 

“I don’t trust you,” you answered, and Nami clicked her tongue. “What did Sanji make?” 

“Fish. Soup. Rice.” 

“You’re so undescriptive,” you said with a wrinkle of your nose. Nami just laughed. 

“Not everyone can be as artistic as you, kitten. Come on, everyone left the kitchen already. You don’t have to worry about running into your mystery man.” She winked at the last sentence, and your breath caught. Nami seemed to notice, because she laughed, stepping up from the hammock and grabbing your hand to help you off. “You’re hilarious.” 

“I didn’t say anything!” you protested. Nami just gave you a look, and you rolled your eyes, but let her drag you along the ship until you reached the kitchen. “You’re so mean to me,” you said, slumping into the nearest chair available. 

“Mhm. Here.” Nami started serving up a plate, loading it full of food before passing it over to you. It was quickly joined by a bowl of soup. “Eat. We’re docking tomorrow, so you should get your energy up. We’re going shopping.” 

“Shopping for what?” you asked, bringing the bowl of soup to your lips. Seaweed. “If you say rope and boat parts I’m going to scream.” As much as you liked the pirate life, there was only so much of the technicalities you could take. You weren’t very much a practical soul, lumped in very much with Luffy when it came to your general attitude of your job description. Pirating consisted of adventure and art, in your opinion. 

“Rope and boat parts,” Nami said with a straight face. She’d always been the exact opposite, all focused on maps and making sure everything was running smoothly. “Well, only partly. I’ve been sent to go clothes shopping too. And to pick up a few other supplies.” Her eyes sparkled. “You’re coming with me, right? Well, unless you want to join your…” 

“Shut up,” you said, making a face at her as you set your bowl down. Nami just laughed. 

“Just putting it out there, kitten. I’m sure you might be more interested in going with Usopp to talk to the stevedores. Or Zoro to the local tavern. Or Sanji for the—” 

“Nope, nope, and nope. I’m going with you,” you said firmly. There was a whisper of a smile at your lips, but Nami didn’t seem to notice it. “And I still don’t get why I’m a kitten.” 

“Because,” Nami answered, propping her elbows on the table as she gazed over at you. “I’m the cat burglar. You’re the kitten.”

“Why isn’t Luffy the kitten?” 

“Luffy’s the captain, and I don’t like him as much.” Nami straightened, starting to clean up around the kitchen and load the abandoned dishes from when everyone else had eaten into the sink. You smiled at that. “You don’t like him, do you? I feel like you could do so much better.” 

“My lips are sealed,” you answered. Nami gave you a sidelong look.

“That better not be a yes.” 

You just shrugged, raising the bowl of soup again and finishing the rest of it before turning to the rice and fish. “Let’s not talk about it. What about you? Any romantic prospects—” 

Nami turned so abruptly you almost choked while eating. “I just barely started learning how to make friends. Maybe we wait a few months before we get to that,” she said. You coughed, palm pressed to your lips as you cleared out your airways.

“Okay. Aggressive.”

Nami scowled. “That was not aggressive.” 

You pulled a face. “Kinda sounds like you have something to hide, Nami,” you teased, and although you didn’t actually expect her to react, she did. To your surprise, Nami turned away again, the very edges of her face pinkening. You stared at her, heartbeat slowing to a steady thud in your chest. There was a faint taste of panic at the back of your throat, slightly sour and acidic like blood or rust. “Um, what was that?” 

“What was what?” Nami asked evenly. Too evenly. You gaped at her back, organs wobbling precariously inside of your chest. 

“That—thing.” 

“Kitten, if you want me to understand what you’re talking about, you’re going to have to be a little clearer than that,” Nami said smoothly. “Now it’s getting dark. You should get to bed. Last chance to shove yourself with your crewmate of choice.” 

“I’m still going with you,” you said stubbornly, shoveling the last of your rice in your mouth before slipping off your chair. You moved around the table, setting your bowl and chopsticks into the sink. “You want me to do them?” you asked, nodding at the dirty dishes that’d piled up. Nami shook her head.

“Go sleep,” she said gently. “I’ll get you in the morning.” 

You watched her for a moment, lips twisting before you finally relented. “Night, Nami,” you said, and she turned away. You were safe there for a moment, admiring how the soft backlit glow from the windows etched shadows along her face. She really was beautiful, and your heart thudded fast in your chest. 

Nami was the strongest person you knew. The smartest person you knew. The Straw Hats wouldn’t be the same without her, and sometimes you found it funny how she seemed so convinced you had a crush on one of the other members of the crew when it was so obvious that she was your north star. 

Ah, well. She’d just have to keep on guessing. 

Nami woke you at the crack of dawn, where the hazy rays of the sun just started rising up from the sea shore. You’d traveled to shore while asleep, and everyone was already up and running. 

“Luffy left already,” Nami was saying, tying a bandana around her head as you gathered up the rest of the supplies you needed. “And we’ll probably spend the whole day out, so we can get lunch in the village.” She eyed you. “I packed breakfast. Come on.” 

You followed her off the ship, savoring the early morning wind along the harbor. The dock men were all already hard at work, milling around the dozens of boats with tools and equipment propped on their shoulders. “Where to first?” you asked. 

“Boat parts,” she said, casting you a sympathetic smile. “Some rope, extra sails, some other stuff. After that I’m thinking groceries—I put Sanji in charge of bulk stock this time, so just stuff like soap and necessities—and then clothes.” She grinned. “And some fun stuff.” 

“Sounds good to me,” you said. Nami did most of the talking, but you were content to watch her barter, leaning back on your heels as she argued with sellers and eventually left with a satisfied smirk on your face. She hired some of the dock men to carry the ropes and items to the Going Merry, looking her arm in yours and going off to your next stop. 

“You know, you’re basically stealing from them like this,” you told her, a smile evident in your voice. “Forty-five thousand berry to thirty thousand. That’s actually terrifying.” 

“I said take it or leave it and he took it.” Nami shrugged, but you could see a beam of pride shine through her face. “But enough of that. The market’s up ahead.” 

The entire village seemed to have been brought out, because true to Nami’s words, there was a fair going on. Stalls boasting all kinds of wares lined the streets, and you peeked through all of them, even at Nami’s urges to hurry up and focus only on your shopping list. She watched you with a soft smile on her lips, the expressions interlaced with ones of exasperation. 

“I should’ve just picked a random man and carted you off with him,” she said with a click of her tongue as you spent far too much time glancing through a stand of knick-knacks and jewelry. “Currently either Zoro or Sanji are my top contenders.” 

You barely suppressed a snort, fingers carefully combing through a bowl of baubles. There were various items inside, from earrings missing a sister to pins and little statuettes. “How come?” 

“Usopp has Kaya, so I would hope you don’t like him,” Nami said. You raised an eyebrow, glancing up to meet her gaze. 

“Kaya’s all the way back in Syrup Village, Nami. She can’t do anything, and who knows when we’ll return there?”

Nami gave you a horrified look. “Kitten, that’s a terrible thing to say.” 

You just laughed, dropping your gaze again and picking at the bowl. There was a dull gleam of something at the bottom; it wasn’t gold or brass like anything else there, and was instead a shining, milky white. You dug through the pile, trying to get to it. “You’re such a romantic.” 

“Does that mean it is Usopp?” 

“I do not confirm nor deny a thing,” you said, finally plucking out what had captured your attention. It was a necklace, the pendant a glittering star on a gold chain. “And I want reasoning.”  

“You’re not buying that,” Nami said, gaze flickering down to it before meeting your eyes again. “Zoro because he’s conventionally attractive and Sanji because he can cook.” 

You scoffed, studying the necklace. “Those are terrible reasons.” 

“I can’t think of any good ones,” Nami protested. “The only thing I can think of are reasons you wouldn’t like any of them. Because they’re all kind of losers and you could do much, much better.” She tilted her head imperceptibly upwards, and you saw a little glimmer in her eye, a reaction that bore uncanny similarity to the one she’d worn the day before. You swallowed, throat suddenly dry. 

“You think Zoro’s conventionally attractive?” You turned towards the stand seller, motioning at the necklace. “How much?”

“You’re not buying that,” Nami repeated, shooting you a look. “It’s a waste of perfectly good berry.” 

“It’s five hundred at most,” you scoffed, fishing a wad of bills out from your pocket. Nami sighed, but she didn’t argue. “Barely anything. Do you think Zoro’s conventionally attractive?”

Nami looked distracted. “Hm?” 

“You said Zoro was conventionally attractive,” you repeated, voice firmer this time. You tried to suppress the little tremble in your cadence as you passed the money to the seller. He counted it and gave you a firm nod. Carefully, you dropped the necklace in your pocket. “Do you think he is?” 

“Well—from an objective standpoint—” 

You pushed past the swarm of patrons milling around the stands, Nami having to quicken her pace to keep up with you. “Attraction isn’t objective.” 

“Kitten.” Nami grabbed your wrist, forcing you to slow down, and you flinched. She tugged you in the direction of another stand, probably something off her list. “Why do you care so much? Am I right? Is he the one you like?” 

You wiggled your wrist out of Nami’s grip. “I don’t care, I’m just curious. Because you’ve been blushing for the past half hour and you mentioned Zoro was conventionally attractive. And if you say he’s conventionally attractive that means you think he’s conventionally attractive. So assumedly you are blushing because of—” 

It clearly took Nami a moment to unscramble your honestly entirely nonsensical words. “Kitten, I’m trying to figure out whether or not you have a crush on Zoro. You’re not supposed to be trying to figure out if I do. And I have not been blushing.” 

You relented, but still couldn’t suppress the pout that threatened your mouth. Your teeth pressed against the flesh of your lower lip, running alongside the skin but not fully biting. “You said Zoro was conven—” 

“If I have to hear you say the words conventionally attractive one more time, I swear I will lock you in the hold,” Nami said sharply, and you had to choke back your laugh. “And the reason I said that is because every single time we go out, at least five people turn to stare at his stupid face. Do you not remember that time on Mirror Ball Island? We practically had to fight women off of him.”

“Okay, fine,” you said, a glimpse at her features seemed to support her words. She was as guarded as ever, and clearly irritated, though her vexation didn’t seem as bad as the annoyances she’d hold over the rest of the crew. They never did, really; Luffy always liked to say that you were Nami’s favorite. “I’m hungry. Can we eat?” 

“You didn’t answer my question.” 

“I neither confirm nor deny anything,” you repeated for what seemed like the thousandth time in the past week. “Restaurant. Please.” 

Nami didn’t look away from you, but relented, and the two of you went to the nearest restaurant to have lunch. You were mainly silent during the meal, replaying the conversation from before over and over again in your head. There was a buzz of uncertainty in the pit of your stomach, one that you entirely disliked. 

Before you’d been fine with keeping quiet about your crush—you never felt too threatened or upset, under the impression that your feelings wouldn’t be reciprocated and that Nami wouldn’t fall for anyone in the near future anyway. And you didn’t mind her guessing between your four male comrades to find the one who’d stolen your heart. 

But the reactions and the blushes were a development. And you were starting to think that Nami herself had a mystery beau. 

Nami talked about work during the meal, going down her grocery list and checking off the things she’d gotten. You watched her as she glared down at her notebook, pencil caught between two fingers as she scribbled down notes to herself. “You’re not eating,” you said gently. 

“Sorry. Distracted,” Nami answered. She shot you a smile, but it quickly fell as she turned back to her notebook. “What about Sanji?” 

You suppressed a sigh. “Are you still on about this?” 

“Yes,” Nami insisted. She finally shut her notebook, slipping it into the bag hanging off her waist and picking up her chopsticks to return to her soup noodles. “You’d never go hungry with him around, at least.” 

“I think you need to raise your standards. I already don’t go hungry with him around, I don’t need to date him for that.” 

Nami clicked her tongue, but it was good-natured. “You’re making this so hard for me.” 

“I don’t want to talk about myself anymore,” you insisted, setting down your chopsticks. You’d basically finished your bowl already; there were only the final remnants of broth and rice noodles at the bottom, the soup seasoning darker in color; more pungent. 

You fiddled with your hands, trying to ignore the sinking feeling in your stomach that persisted even as you thought back to what Nami had said about Zoro. Her reasoning had been sound enough, but you still felt vaguely sick, that bitter taste of sour iron at the back of your throat again. 

“Are you okay?” Nami’s eyes met yours, and you flinched away. “You’re acting weird.” 

“I’m fine,” you muttered. “I think I’m going to head back to the ship and take a nap. I’m kind of tired.” Before Nami could say anything, you got up, chair scraping along the restaurant floor. “See you later?” 

“What? Kitten, wait—” Nami called, but you just swallowed, glancing over your shoulder to shoot her an apologetic look. 

The Going Merry was a breath of fresh air as you stepped foot back onto her deck. There were some dockmen milling about, setting material along the deck as Usopp directed them as to where everything went. 

You brushed past them to veer towards your hammock, slipping onto it and kicking your legs up along the cloth without pause. Your eyes closed, and you let the sun melt down on your face, the tension in your chest easing as you embraced the beam of the sky. 

You stayed there for a while, knowing you were safe as Nami wouldn’t come find you until she’d finished with all her actual tasks. Although this was occasionally irritating if you were in real desire for attention, you appreciated the responsible side of her now. You didn’t have to confront her for a few hours yet, so you spent the time on your hammock, watching the clouds drifting in the sky and picking out the dull stars that shimmered as the sky got darker. 

It was just before suppertime when you remembered the necklace you’d bought. Stars were just beginning to materialize, dark blues and purples replacing the cerulean hues that previously blanketed the Earth. You fished the star necklace out of your pocket, peering at the pendant again. It was made of some sort of shimmering stone you didn’t recognize—perhaps opal—that made it glow like an actual star, iridescent when light hit it. 

“Hey, kitten.” 

You looked up, watching as Nami made her way across the ship deck to where you lay. She looked tired, but still bore a soft smile on her face as she met your gaze. “Hi,” you said, tucking the necklace back into your pocket. Behind her you could see the last of the hired work carrying barrels down to the hold. “Get everything done?” 

“Mhm,” Nami said. “Wanna talk about earlier?” 

“Not really,” you muttered, the sharp tang of rust dancing at the back of your tongue again. “Sorry about storming out. I felt unwell.” 

Nami studied you carefully, arms folding unconsciously over her chest. “I can stop bothering you about your crush, if you want,” she said finally, a gust of a sigh leaving her lips. “I didn’t want to make you uncomfortable.” 

“No, it’s okay,” you said, getting up and climbing your legs over the edge so you were sitting on the hammock. “You didn’t make me uncomfortable, Nami, I swear.” 

“You walked out in the middle of a meal, kitten,” Nami said, and you could hear her voice starting to get upset, even as she tried to level her tone. “Clearly I did. Was it because I kept trying to figure it out? Was I right with Zoro? What—”

“It’s not because of that,” you interrupted, trying to keep your voice gentle even as your chest squeezed inward. You were powerless to your muscles; to your heart as it did a pathetic little thump-thump thing inside of you. 

“Then why?” Nami leaned forward on her heels, and the setting sun caught her eyes, kaleidoscope blue glittering a thousand different shades like the opal of your necklace. “Just tell me, kitten. So I won’t do it again.” 

“It was because of you,” you mumbled, shying away from her gaze. Nami sighed. 

“Yes, we established that I did something to upset you already. I’m trying to find out what—”

“You called Zoro attractive and I was jealous,” you blurted, before you could even think to stop the words from falling out of your mouth. Nami froze, and you lifted your eyes up hesitantly to see her reaction. 

Her shoulders were all tense, face guarded, eyes blank from their usual expression. “Oh,” she said evenly. There was an ugly purse tightening at her lips, and she fought to keep them in an even line. “So it is Zoro, then. Thank you for telling me.”  

She turned away then, her movements abrupt as she started walking. A pulse of panic captured your heart, and you called desperately out to her, volume far too loud in the late hour. You didn’t find yourself caring. “I wasn’t jealous of you!” you cried, and Nami’s entire body went still. 

She turned back towards you, so slowly that you found yourself capturing your breath in your throat waiting for her. 

“I wasn’t jealous of you,” you repeated once her eyes met yours. “I was jealous of Zoro. Of you thinking he was attractive.” Your fingers fumbled together, trying to find something to occupy themselves with as you choked out the final sentence. “My mystery man is you, Nami. I like you.” 

It took a long while for Nami to respond, and the Going Merry rocked as you waited, a soft sway of delay and building panic. There was a shimmer of something in Nami’s eyes, and her lips tugged downwards. 

Her voice was hollow when she spoke. “What?” 

“I don’t like Zoro or Usopp or Sanji or Luffy, Nami,” you said, hands tightening around each other with every word spilt out from between your lips. “I like you. I like you when you call me kitten. I like you when you complain about me buying things but let me do it anyway. I like you even when you’re teasing me about my crush.” Your voice dropped to a low mumble. “And I was jealous because you thought Zoro was attractive.” 

“Oh, kitten,” Nami said, and you glanced up to see her right in front of you, bent over to meet your level sitting down. She reached for your hands, and you let her take them, exhaling as her tender grasp clasped around your palms.

“Nami,” you whispered, horrified to hear how wet your voice sounded. You blinked rapidly, trying to keep the tears at bay. “Nami, you may be the ship’s navigator, but you’re my north star. I like you.” 

Kitten, I do not think Zoro is attractive,” Nami said, and you had to choke back startled laughter at that being what she was focusing on. “That is the least of your worries.” 

“But—you seemed so annoyed when you thought it was Zoro—don’t you like—” 

“You’ve got it all wrong,” Nami said, a soft laugh leaving her lips. They were trembling. Her entire body was trembling, even her hands as she cocooned yours in them. “I was annoyed because I thought you liked Zoro. Because—I like you too.” 

You swallowed, surprise forcing your jaw to fall slack as you met her gaze. “Really?” you whispered. Nami nodded; she coaxed soft circles into the skin of your hands, a supportive smile edging up her lips. 

“I really thought you liked someone else, kitten, I would’ve said something before if—” Nami let out another gentle laugh. “If I knew. It wasn’t until you told me about the crush did I realize. I got a little… too overprotective, and then… well, it wasn’t very platonic at that point.” She ducked her head, hiding her smile, but you slipped one of your hands out of her grasp to push it back up. “God, you’re too good for any of them.” 

“I don’t want to talk about how the rest of them suck,” you murmured. “I want to talk about how amazing you are. Oh—and—” You dug your hand in your pocket, pulling out the necklace. “This reminded me of you. I got it for you.” 

“Kitten,” Nami breathed, as you unclasped the necklace and carefully put it on her. It swung around her neck before you adjusted it, golden yellow bright against the white of her pale skin. The opal glittered, catching the moonlight that’d steadily glowed brighter from behind you. “Thank you. It’s still a waste of money though.” 

“Not for you,” you said, grabbing her hands to squeeze her fingers. “Never for you.” You took in a nervous breath, your chest tightening inside—but it wasn’t all bitter and sour, nothing like the taste of panic. 

Nami met you in the middle when you finally leaned up to kiss her, your hand slipping up the side of her face, fingers curling in her orange hair. She smiled when she kissed, soft and carefree for once, that serious facade she always took on melting away in the moment. She kissed softly; tenderly; like the moon shining gentle waves on the East Blue below or the sun in the hazy morning sky casting light across the world. 

There were footsteps approaching from behind Nami. You opened your eyes, tilting your gaze up to see Zoro staring down at you both. Nami broke apart from you, glancing over her shoulder. None of you said anything. 

“Okay,” Zoro decided, and then walked off. You barely managed to stifle your giggles until he was out of earshot. 

“God, he’s such a loser,” Nami said, and then kissed you again. 

© halfvalid 2023

[rayshippouuchiha]

Hi! I feel bad for having messaged twice in kinda quick succession, but I have a Bleach AU idea and don’t really have anyone to tell about it, but i hope you’d like to hear about it!

So I’ve only recently been trying to finish reading Bleach (I’ve read earlier chapters multiple times, but never managed to read past the Xcution arc). I’ve still got about 100 odd chapters to go, but I’m in the thousand year war arc finally, (and I’ve read the last few chapters, so I know how it ends, just not all of the details in between).

Anyway, I’ve recently read the bit where Kyoraku (is that his name? Shunsui, the head captain guy) actually goes to the land of the living and visits Ichigo’s friends to warn them that depending on how powerful he is once he’s sorted his issues with his Zanpakuto, he might not be able to come back home and it’s just GOT ME THINKING, because so far it’s not been mentioned again, and it isn’t in the last few chapters either, I don’t think. BUT!! What if it is that Ichigo is so powerful now that going back to the human world on a permanent basis would completely mess with the human world, so he’s forced to stay in the soul society.

So much potential for angst, with him missing his sisters and friends (and Kisuke), BUT also so much potential for absolute highjinks in the SS.

I think this could potentially be a little similar to your Turn Back the Clock AU, but I’m just imagining all of the remaining captains/lieutenants all absolutely beside themselves trying to convince Ichigo to join their teams, Shunsui is already eyeing him up for a captain position in the near future, Kenpachi (who’s still a little lost without his little sidekick (whose name I’ve forgotten, god I feel so bad because I love her)) just itching to get Ichigo to join his squad so that he can have daily fights without the trouble of having to go looking for the guy. Shinji (who without a shadow of a doubt has a soft spot for Ichigo, no matter how much he might enjoy irritating him) who wants to have him in his squad as some kind of “visords-stick-together” kinda deal (and because he knows it’d piss all the others off). Rukia laying claim because HELLO, she’s the one that stabbed him and gave him the powers in the first place, she calls dibs! Hell, I think even Byakuya would want him in his squad, because as much as he might deny it if asked, he’s actually rather fond of the guy, so long as he learns to call him Captain rather than his first name.

And as things are want to do in the SS, where the more power the shinigami, the more insane they seem to be, things get a little out of hand. During one heated discussion, where they’re all giving their updates on how well each of them think they’re doing in convincing Ichigo to join them, someone (I’m thinking a shit-stirrer like Yumichika maybe) gives the idea that hey, this competition seems almost as if you’re trying to court the guy! And so it turns into this weird ass Shinigami-courting situation, with a “whoever manages to (woo) CONVINCE Ichigo to join their squad is OBVIOUSLY the one that Ichigo likes best, so that means that he’s OBVIOUSLY also open to (after)life long commitment in the form of marriage to whichever captain wins” kinda thing going on.

Cue Ichigo not getting a single moments peace, when all he really wants is to be left alone to just PROCESS the fact that he 1) has had to leave everyone and everything he’s ever known in the human world to live with these absolutely crazy people, and 2) just fought in a very big battle and helped kill a thousands-year old crazy Quincy guy.

He’s more than happy spending his time helping clean up and rebuild the SS for now, and he’s happy to worry about what comes next once the SS is back on its feet. (And he’s more than a little oblivious to the weird fighting/flirting/coercing that seems to happen whenever he comes across any familiar face whenever he’s out and about).

It all comes to a head when his friends from home come for a visit to the soul society with those handy dandy tokens that Shunsui gave them, and instantly see what’s happening and have to sit Ichigo down and explain to him that he may or may not (but definitely does) have twenty or so extremely powerful shinigami captains and lieutenants all after his ass(ets), which, know that Ichigo thinks about it, definitely explains a few things that’ve been happening to him lately.

And shortly after his friends go back home, all three realms feel a shift in reiatsu and hear a distant screech from Kisuke, who’s suddenly realised that hey, maybe the human world sucks actually and he should relocate back to the soul society for no reason in particular! None at all! Definitely not jealousy because that would be ridiculous.

If I had the time or energy (and a better track record of finishing fics that I start 😬) I’d love to write this, but I fear it’ll be stuck in my notes forever, lol, so thought I’d share!

No I love this so much!! Especially if it's endgame UraIchi and like all this courting, all this drama, all the shenanigans from all these different high-powered shinigami all trying to get Ichigo's attention and Kisuke just rocks up and gets him within a solid 10 minutes and 5 of those were spent with Ichigo purposefully ignoring him while Kisuke apologized for some dumb petty shit he did before Ichigo ended up in SS

[ineedhaikyu]

Chapter Five

Summary: Day 3 of Nationals was unknown territory for Karasuno as the top 16 teams continue to climb their way to the top. As Karasuno’s ace, Asahi, could feel the weight of everyone’s expectations on his shoulders and while he knows he’s not completely alone to carry the burden, Asahi found comfort in the memories of the person who became his solace.

Word Count: 5.2K

Warnings: Some spoilers from manga series. Major fluff. Slow burn. I don’t own anything. Haikyu belongs to Furudate Haruichi!

A/N: I’m so sorry for not posting a new chapter in these last five months. But it has been a difficult time for me. I’ve been promoted at my job where it requires so much supervision and paperwork. Obviously the pay is okay, but it takes a toll on my mental state. It’s a constant state of anxiety each day, and I feel like no one takes me seriously. Each day I try to write this series but it’s like all my motivation is just gone. Again, I’m so sorry for disappointing you guys.

(Y/N) didn’t realize how cold she actually was until she felt the hotel’s heated air enveloped her like a brand new blanket. But the cold didn’t bother her in the slightest. Not when she had a great time spending with Asahi that made her all warm and fuzzy inside. They talked, laughed, and even made promises for the future. 

Azumane Asahi made her feel all sorts of feelings. Excitement, nervousness, flustered and everything in between. He may be over six feet tall and may look intimidating but he was the  sweetest guy she has ever met in her life. 

If there was ever a time to believe in all the love stories and love songs, it would definitely be now. It was ironic because she always believed it was an exaggeration whenever the female protagonist would talk about her feelings for her love interest. The same thing could be said when she listened to a popular love song. In fact, she thought her friends were crazy whenever a specific song sung by a well-known American singer came on the radio. She didn’t see what the big deal was but she’ll admit it was a catchy song.

(Y/N) chuckled at the irony of it all. Maybe those books and songs about love were on to something… 

“Miss? Are you feeling alright?” The hotel concierge asked from behind her desk.

The manager snapped out of her thoughts and managed a convincing smile. “Oh, sorry! Yes, I’m fine.”

The older woman relaxed and smiled in return. “That’s good. If you don’t mind me asking, was that your boyfriend you were speaking to outside?”

(Y/N) felt her cheeks warm up under her scarf at the question. Asahi wasn’t her boyfriend but she wasn’t against the idea. “He’s a friend.”

“Oh, I see.” The lady smiled warmly when she recalled the time she met the love of her life when they were young. She can tell that this young girl is going through the same ocean of emotions she went through at one time. She looked down at the ring around her finger, a symbol of love she shared with her husband of twenty years. “Well, he seems to have a kind soul.”

“He does.” (Y/N) confirmed. “He’s a gentle giant with a glass heart. He’s the ace of his team but he keeps doubting himself a lot. I just wish there was a way I can help him… Help him see that he’s already amazing even with his flaws.” She mumbled the last phrase to herself. “At least to me…”

The hotel concierge mentally cooed at how adorable this high school student was being. If she was her grandchild, she would make her march right back out there and confess her feelings to that boy. Instead, she cleared her throat and gave the young girl what she thought was wise advice, “Dearie, this is just a thought, but perhaps instead of using your words, you should use action. Actions speak louder than words. After all, boys can be oblivious at times, especially high school boys.”

(Y/N) perked up, her eyes seemed to glimmer with hope. “Use action, huh? Hmm. I guess that could work.” She looked back at the older woman and bowed down in respect. “Arigato!”

She turned around and made her way to the elevator. Luckily, there was one still available but it seemed the universe decided she had enough luck for today as the metal door began to slide closed. 

Or maybe there was still hope because her eyes caught a person wearing a bright red track jacket inside the elevator.

“Please hold the elevator!” (Y/N) called out to the person as she sprinted her way in. Once inside, she sighed in relief before turning to the person. “Thanks for that. I owe you one.”

“I-It’s n-nothing.” The guy squeaked out a reply. He cleared his throat, hoping it was enough to get rid of the stutter in his voice. Though it only made his voice squeak at a higher octave as he asked, “W-What f-floor?”

“Fifteen- Oh, you too, huh? That’s cool.” She mentally kicked herself for saying that last part but she didn’t show it. 

“U-Um, y-yeah, so c-cool.”

They rode the elevator in silence for the first five floors. (Y/N) decided to pass the time by texting Kita and Aran that she was on her way back. She smiled to herself when Aran began to send a barrage of questions, one after another. She shifted from one foot to the other and the simple motion was enough to cause a strand of hair to fall in front of her face. Annoyed, (Y/N) tucked the strand behind her ear and continued on with her texts.

But in the corner of her eye, the guy right next to her kept stealing glances at her. He was fidgety as if he was scared of her. His hands acted like they couldn’t be still for five seconds. They were either fidgeting by his side, squirming inside his track jacket, or running his fingers through his dyed mohawk. 

‘Oh well. Maybe he’s just socially awkward. He looks like a high schooler like me, albeit a bit younger than me. Perhaps a second-year?’

Lost in her own thoughts, (Y/N) didn’t realize the effect she was having on Nekoma’s ace. 

Yamamoto didn’t know how to act. He felt as if he was breathing funny right next to the very pretty girl. He could feel his heart beating in his ears and it was getting louder and louder with each minute that passed by. The soft glow from her phone illuminated her facial features and he had to swallow the hot ball of nerves in his throat. This was exactly how he felt when he saw Karasuno’s beautiful manager for the first time.

‘Does she realize how beautiful she looks?’ Yamamoto asked himself, stealing another glance at the girl right next to him. ‘I wonder what’s her name? What school does she belong to? She has to be here for the Spring Tournament, right? Or maybe she’s here to cheer on her boyfriend? Because there’s no way a girl as pretty as her could be single. Lucky bastard!’

Apparently the last thought was enough to let out a small gruff escape his lips and the noise caught her attention.

“I’m sorry. Did you say something?” She asked kindly, turning off her phone giving Yamamoto her full attention.

“Er, n-no?” 

“Oh, okay then.” (Y/N) gave him a sympathetic smile. “My bad.”

“W-WAIT!” Nekoma’s ace all but shouted at her, causing her to jump. “A-Are you here for the tournament?”

(Y/N) smiled. “I was. I’m the manager for my team. We just lost today’s match though. My name’s (L/N) (Y/N). I’m from Inarizaki.”

“Yamamoto Taketora.” He tried to subtly puff out chest as he pointed to himself and confidently said, “I’m Nekoma’s one-and-only ace.”

He hoped his title of ace would impress her. Maybe give him a compliment or two. Or maybe even admire him for having such an important role. 

“Nekoma? Oh! From Tokyo, right?”

Yamamoto felt like he was on cloud nine, ten, heck maybe even twenty because the pretty girl knew about his school which means she must know how much of a powerhouse his school is. 

(Y/N) continued. “That means you’re up against Karasuno!”

“Um yeah?” Yamamoto was taken aback at how excited her voice became, especially when Karasuno made its way into the conversation. He had a sinking feeling that she already had a favorite team. “Wait? You said you were from Inarizaki? Didn’t Karasuno- Well, um, beat your team today?”

“Yeah. It was a close match but they won fair and square. Plus, they’re great people. I hope they make it far in this tournament.” (Y/N) then winced and offered an apologetic look. “Not that your team isn’t good, Yamamoto. I’m sure your team is cool too.”

“Thanks but we’ll show you how cool we are tomorrow. Maybe you’ll change your mind on who to cheer for.”

(Y/N) smiled at how confident Yamamoto became in such a short amount of time. He was the complete opposite with his Karasuno counterpart. And while she might sound biased, she thought Asahi was the better ace. 

Still, she didn’t want to crush this guy’s confidence especially when his match is tomorrow. Luckily, the elevator came to a slow stop on the fifteenth floor. 

“Well, good luck tomorrow, Yamamoto. I think you’re going to need it.” 

And with that, the Inarizaki manager made her way down the corridor and entered her hotel room. She didn’t realize how her words seemed to cast a spell on the wing spiker. Yamamoto stood there, almost rooted to the spot. Soft elevator music filled the air but the only thing that held his attention was the Inarizaki beauty that wished him luck, minus the part where she was obviously a fan of Karasuno.

Yamamoto sighed, clearly frustrated. “Man! Why does Karasuno get all the cute girls?!”

With a raging fire burning inside of him, he didn’t notice the elevator doors closing on his floor until it was too late.

~

Asahi sneezed the moment he entered his room and for a split moment he felt his stomach drop. Was he getting sick? He hoped that wasn’t the case. He was just about to brush it off as a simple sneeze when he remembered a common superstition about sneezing and how it meant someone was talking about you.

A shiver of mixed emotions traveled up his spine when he thought of her. 

(L/N) (Y/N). The Inarizaki volleyball manager. The girl he fell for since day one. One of the few people who didn’t flinch or run away from him because of the way he looked. Instead, she took the time to get to know him, listened to his worried ramblings, and even gave him meaningful advice that helped him through his anxiety.

It might be wishful thinking but Asahi hoped she was thinking of him just as he was with her. And while it’s only been a few minutes since his conversation with (Y/N), he longed to see her again. A pang of disappointment made its way to his heart. By tomorrow morning, she’ll be gone, returning back home with the rest of her team.

‘At least, I can still text her. (Y/N) did say she would visit Miyagi one day. And I can pay a visit to Hyōgo too.’

The small ray of hope shined a bit brighter on the future as it was enough for Asahi to smile. 

“Oh? You’re back, I see.” The familiar voice of the innkeeper brought him back to reality. The woman gave him a brief smile before asking, “The girl you were speaking to must have been your girlfriend, wasn’t it? You two looked adorable together. I must admit, I didn’t peg you to be a romantic when I first saw you but you certainly proved me wrong.”

Asahi’s mind went into a frenzy upon hearing the woman’s words. He couldn’t help but feel uncomfortably warm and stutter out. “W-What?”

The female innkeeper chuckled at how obvious the high school boy was being. If he wasn’t the epitome of a boy in love, then she didn't know what else could be. 

“Oh, don’t be so modest!” She told him. “Girls love nothing more when their boyfriends make the effort to be romantic. I say you did well. Dare I say, confident even. Your friends were trying to peek and listen in but I sent them back to their rooms. I’m sure a couple like yourselves wanted privacy.”

Asahi opened his mouth to correct her whole perception of him and (Y/N) but for some reason he didn’t. Instead, he thanked the woman with a bow.

The innkeeper smiled at him. “Keep it up, young man! And good luck on tomorrow’s match! Make your girlfriend proud of you!”

Stuttering out another thank you, Asahi left the small lobby and made his way to his room.

“Hey guys! I’m back-” 

“ASAHI’S BACK!” 

The volleyball ace could feel the metaphorical spotlight shine on him when he was surrounded by his friends, each of them asking all sorts of questions.

“What did you guys talk about?”

“How was it?”

“Hinata said you guys were holding hands, is that true?”

“Did you kiss her?”

“Asked her to be your girlfriend?”

“When’s the first date?”

Overwhelmed, Asahi was grateful when Suga and Daichi put an end to the interrogation. They led him to the outdoor balcony where they had a good view of several illuminated skyscrapers. His eyes automatically looked at the sky, hoping to see a single constellation or at the very least the North Star. But he was greeted once again by the cloud-filled sky. 

The disappointment didn’t stay too long when he let his eyes wander to the exact spot where he and (Y/N) had their conversation. He smiled to himself when he saw the outdoor string lights that helped serve a warm atmosphere; he didn’t blame the innkeeper for thinking they were a couple. 

He just wished it was true.

Like clockwork, he felt Daichi and Suga flank on either side of him. He didn’t have to look at them to know they wore identical knowing looks. Instead, he placed his arms against the balcony and waited for the questions to start.

“Sooo?” Suga began, grinning up at his friend. 

“How did it go?” Daichi asked. 

“It went okay.” Asahi said as he rested his chin on his arms. “We talked about today’s match. I wanted to make sure (Y/N) was actually okay.”

“And was she?” Suga asked, genuinely curious since he knew Asahi was worried about it earlier today.

Asahi nodded. “You were right all along, Suga.”

“See? You had nothing to worry about! That just goes to show you should count on me for relationship advice! What else? I need more details.”

“Calm down, Suga.” Daichi laughed at his friend’s barely contained excitement. “Didn’t you learn anything when the innkeeper scolded us earlier?”

“That was you guys?” Asahi asked them with a chuckle. “I thought Nishinoya and Tanaka would pull that stunt. But you guys?”

“Hey! In our defense, we… Well, we… Daichi, tell him our defense. You’re good at defense.”

Daichi rolled his eyes at Suga’s poor excuse. “We were nosy. There. That’s our defense. But someone just had to be extra extra nosy-” He gave the vice captain a quick glare. “-That the innkeeper caught up on what we were doing and sent us back.”

Asahi laughed at his friends as he could only imagine that moment. He replayed his conversation with (Y/N) once more and a soft smile played on his lips. “She wished us luck for tomorrow.”

“Really? That’s nice of her. Is she coming to watch our match? I bet you would want her to cheer you on from the stands.”

It was a nice thought but Asahi knew better.

With a heavy sigh and an equally heavy heart, he told them how (Y/N) and her team were leaving tomorrow morning. He waited for his friends to say something that would cheer him up but was greeted with silence. Until, Daichi spoke what was on everyone’s mind.

“Well, that sucks.”

“Yeah.” Asahi couldn’t agree more with his situation. “Am I a bad person for not wanting (Y/N) to go back home?”

“Course not!” Suga exclaimed loudly. “I think it’s normal. I mean it’s not like you have no support. You have us, the team, the coaches, and the fans.”

“But it’s different when it comes to (Y/N),” Daichi suggested, catching on to what Suga was doing. “She already means a lot to you, huh?”

Asahi felt his ears turn red and he wished that his hair was in a low bun to hide the obvious giveaway. Still, what they were saying was the truth. He would have liked nothing more for (Y/N) to be there tomorrow, cheering him on. He wanted her to see that their agreement still stands. A promise where he’ll do everything he can to help his team win. 

It’s hard to explain it but he always had trouble seeing himself as the team’s ace. Obviously, he can see why he’s the ace as he dealt with persistent blocks, less-than-ideal sets, or nasty serves most of the time. But sometimes, when his anxiety was too much, he had doubts about his abilities. He couldn’t voice this to Daichi and Suga or to anyone on the team, he hated being an inconvenience.

He was- No. He is grateful that he met (Y/N). Someone who understood him and his problems. Someone who sees more than the title of ace on his shoulders. Someone who took the time and effort to get to know him.

“Yeah. She does… More than she actually knows.”

Asahi didn’t notice the way his fellow third-years shared a knowing look behind his back but if he did he wouldn’t care. He was a storm of emotions on the inside. It was almost funny how this new year was treating him and it hasn’t been a full week yet. Whatever the case, he counted his lucky stars to have made it to Nationals. 

~ The Next Morning ~

The sun’s morning rays were the first thing that greeted him when Asahi opened his eyes. It took him a moment to realize he wasn’t back in Miyagi, sleeping in his own room and yet it hit him all at once of all the events that happened in the last 48 hours. 

Asahi sighed, swinging his arm over his eyes and letting himself smile when he thought about her. (L/N) (Y/N), the third-year manager of the Inarizaki volleyball team. In the few encounters they’ve had, she never failed to bring a new perspective, which he found refreshing compared to his usual anxiety-inducing outlook on life. 

His heart began to beat a bit faster when he remembered every little detail from last night. How she tugged her scarf a bit tighter each time a breeze blew by. How the snowflakes danced around her, while a few of them were caught in her hair. In his eyes, the snowflakes looked like mini diamonds in her hair, sparkling each time they caught the light of the outdoor winter illuminations. Or how she would tuck her hair behind her ear whenever she got excited- Wait… Now that he remembered that detail, Asahi recalled (Y/N) did that a lot during their conversation last night. She smiled a lot too… And the hug she gave him, wishing him luck on today’s match…

Feeling the tips of his ears begin to warm up, Asahi sat up on his futon. His hair tickled the back of his neck, a few strands made their way in front of his face. He let out a yawn before running his hand through his long hair. And by that simple action, Asahi was reminded how sore his body actually was. Especially his shoulder. Despite his body begging for more rest, the ace slowly but surely got up and headed to the bathroom. 

He was greeted by his own reflection in the mirror. His long brown hair was definitely giving him a wild look. He’ll have to make sure his hair looks decent today. After all, he didn’t want to look savage wild. More like cool wild… If that made any sense…

Asahi let out a quiet groan when he removed his shirt, the very shirt (Y/N) bought him when they first met. After carefully folding his treasured shirt with great care, Asahi looked at himself in the mirror where his eyes immediately found a three-inch bruise on his shoulder, a reminder how intense Ojiro Aran’s spike was. He gently pressed his fingers to the injury and grimaced at how sensitive it was. The ice pack he used yesterday did its job but it looks like he might have to ask Kiyoko for another one. He looked at the rest of his toned body, hoping there weren’t any other major bruises like the one on his shoulder. To his relief, there wasn’t any except for the minor bruises on his forearms and biceps. Bending his arm back and forth a few times, Asahi noticed how large his biceps were. Have they always been this big? They weren’t obscenely large but it was enough to compliment the rest of his body. He looked… Strong. 

‘Does (Y/N) think I look good? I mean, she did call me cute last night. So that’s a good thing. But what if she was being nice. What if she likes guys with huge muscles?’ Asahi frowned, before shaking the thought away. ‘Maybe I should work out more...’

Asahi began his morning routine and while his body moved in automatic motion, his mind kept replaying what (Y/N) told him last night.

‘First, you can stop feeling bad. I’m okay, really. And second, if you really want to make me feel better then take the win. Take it and do the same thing tomorrow. Play each set and win some more. I promise if you do that, I’ll be more than okay because I’ll be rooting for you.’

‘Win the next match for us.’

‘Think positive! Remember you’re not alone. You have your friends and the rest of your team that you can rely on. And if it helps, you have me too.’

‘I might not be there in person but I’ll be cheering for you.’

‘You got this Asahi. I know you do.’

Asahi closed his eyes and took a deep breath, replaying (Y/N)’s words on loop while also imagining the warmth of her hug, the sincerity in her eyes, and genuine kindness in her smile. After a minute, the ace opened his eyes. He made eye contact with the mirror’s reflection of himself.

“You can do this, Asahi.” 

~

When he returned to his room, he was surprised to see most of his team already up. Maybe he wasn’t the only one with nerves. It was the third day of the Spring Tournament and if what Coach Ukai told them was true then today was going to be hell because both the third round and the quarterfinals are to be played today. 

So if they win against Nekoma, an already great team, then they will have to compete with another powerhouse school who most likely have been to Nationals each year. 

“Morning, Asahi.” Suga greeted as he was making his way to the bathroom. 

“Morning, Suga. Are you ready for today?”

“Give me half an hour. Nishinoya kept me up with his snoring and I think Tanaka was talking in his sleep. I think he was dreaming of being in a match because he kept saying ‘nice receive’. I still slept okay but I woke up again at around 5 A.M.”

“Why?” Asahi asked. 

“So you know how my futon is close to the outlet where we all charge our phones?” Suga asked, a yawn quickly following afterward.

“Yeah.”

“Well, someone’s phone went off, waking me up way too early! And you know how I am, when someone wakes me up before I actually have to.”

“Oh, yeah. You’re not really a morning person.”

“Exactly!” Suga mumbled as he tried to rub away the sleep from his eyes. “I didn’t even care whose phone it was, I just grabbed it and put it on silent mode. No one should be calling anyone that early in the morning.”

‘Well, there goes my plan to call (Y/N) right now.’

Suga made his way to the bathroom, leaving Asahi to wonder what his next should be. Perhaps he could just check his phone for any messages he may have missed… Maybe… Just maybe he might be lucky to find a text from her.

The moment his phone lit up was when he felt like the luckiest guy on the planet because it was there on his phone’s screen that he, in fact, did receive a text from (Y/N). He quickly tapped on the message and waited with a rapidly beating heart and bated breath to see what she had to say.

New Message from (Y/N) (5:20 AM)

Asahi! I’m so sorry for texting you so early in the morning. I tried to call you but I guess you disconnected or something? Again, sorry about that. I probably woke you up and you need all the sleep you can get for today’s matches. I just wanted to talk to you but I guess this message will have to do. 

First of all, I really wanted to be there and wish you luck. But I’m sure you and your team will give your opponents a hard time. 

Right now, I’m sitting on our team’s bus, getting ready to go back to Hyōgo. The coaches are taking their sweet time though but for some reason I’m okay with that. I don’t want to leave Tokyo… Not yet at least. 

Anyways, this message is getting too long even though I have so much more to say to you, but I’m sure you need to focus. Just remember that it’s okay to be nervous. You’re not carrying the burden alone, okay? You have your team. 

P.S. Is it weird that I’m still looking at the sky for stars? Obviously, I’m not an expert like yourself but I think little-kid-you would be proud of me. Good luck. I believe in you.

Asahi couldn’t help but smile widely when he read the last part of (Y/N)’s message. He felt like his whole body was glowing with positive energy. Maybe he can do this- No. He will do this. For himself. For the team. And for her.

He checked the time and realized that it had been almost two hours since (Y/N) had sent her message. Not wanting to waste anymore time, Asahi clicked her contact number and waited to hear her voice. He counted each second that passed by as his phone dialed her number. Ten seconds have passed when his phone connected the call. There was a brief shuffle and Asahi wondered if he woke her up. 

“Hello?”

This was definitely not (Y/N). In fact, it sounded familiar. Asahi wracked his brain to try to match the voice with a face. It had to be one of the Miya twins. But which one?

“Uh, hi? Um, is… Is (Y/N)-san there?” 

“Yeah, she’s here. Who’s askin’?” 

“Err. This is Azumane Asahi. I’m trying to return her call-”

“Azumane? Why does that name sound so familiar? Oh! Wait! Karasuno’s samurai, right?”

Asahi let out a nervous chuckle. “Yeah, that’s me. And you’re one of the Miya twins, right?”

“Guess which one, samurai. If you answer right, I’ll wake up sleeping beauty-”

“You’re Osamu.” Asahi wasn’t sure in the beginning but he was absolutely sure that this was the calmer twin. “I think your brother would have ended the call after knowing it was me.”

“Atsumu can be an ass sometimes but he means well. It’s just that… (Y/N) is more than just our manager to us. She’s our friend. We want her to be happy and from what I’ve seen you’ve been doing a good job at that. Especially what she did last night after you guys had your little talk.”

Asahi furrowed his brow. “What do you mean-”

“‘Samu? Who are you talking to with my phone?”

“In my defense-”

“You have no defense.” Asahi smirked at (Y/N)’s quick retort. He can only imagine what kind of expression she was wearing. He wondered if (Y/N) was the kind of person that loved her sleep. Was she an early bird or a night owl? “Hello? Asahi, is that you?”

Her voice sounded soft-spoken yet rushed, as if some cosmic misfortune might happen to prevent them from talking. Which to be fair wasn’t so far-fetched but hearing her voice once more made it all worth it.

“(Y/N)! Hey!” He cleared his throat, trying to sound somewhat calm. “I saw that I missed your call but I was asleep and-”

“That’s completely my bad, Asahi. I should have known better than to call you, especially on a day like today but I couldn’t help it.”

“No, no. It’s okay. I’m actually glad you called and thanks for the message you sent. It helped a lot.”

There was a sigh of relief before she spoke again. “I hoped it did. So how are you feeling?”

“Better than yesterday.” He confessed. “I don’t feel like I need stomach medicine before the match.” 

(Y/N) giggled and Asahi swore his heart stirred around his chest. “Well, that’s a good start. How is everyone else? Is everyone ready to play two matches today?”

His brain short-circuited. He couldn’t find the ability to talk till he heard (Y/N) call out his name. “Two matches? Isn’t it just one match?”

There was silence on the other end of the line and Asahi hoped he heard her wrong. He already had a small pit in his stomach going against Nekoma today but if what (Y/N) says is true then…

“I… I thought you already knew.”

“So today…”

“Sorry to be the bearer of bad news but that’s why they call day three of Nationals, Hell Day. The third round and the quarterfinals are going to be played today.”

“... I think I’m going to need that stomach medicine.”

“You can do this, Asahi. Believe in yourself.”

Asahi smiled to himself at her words. He hoped when the moment comes, he can share her confidence. He just hoped that moment was soon.

“I wish you were still here.” He admitted, wanting to let her know how he felt (at least somewhat). “You guys must be halfway back to Hyōgo.”

“Well… About that-”

“Everybody! Downstairs! We need to be there early to practice!” Coach Ukai’s authoritative voice filled the room before he left.

“Sounds like your coach is getting antsy.” 

Asahi laughed. “Tell me about it. I think he was up all night watching old Nekoma matches.”

“He’s not the only one. Nekoma’s libero is very skilled. So be careful with him even if you spike the ball past the blockers. Oh! Nekoma’s captain is going to be so annoying with his blocks but don’t get discouraged when you get blocked. Try to do some wipes or rebounds if you can. Wait! I have my notes in my other bag. Don’t hang up!”

Asahi had his mouth open the whole time (Y/N) started giving out pointers. Did she do research on Nekoma prior to Nationals? She had to, right? Just in case Inarizaki played against Nekoma, right? Because there was no way she went through the effort of researching-

“She did it for you.” It was Osamu again. “Stayed up late last night. Watching Nekoma’s matches over and over again. Said she wanted to help your team but I think we both know she did it mainly for you.”

“I-I don’t… I swear I didn’t make her do that.” Asahi said earnestly.

“Course not. You’ll see soon enough (Y/N) is the type of person you’d want in your life. Shit, she’s coming back. See you later, samurai.”

“Later?” Asahi didn’t have time to question the twin’s words when he heard the phone being picked up.

“Hey, Asahi, are you still there?” (Y/N) asked.

“Yeah, I’m still here.”

‘With you.’

[itendtothinkalot]

page.soobin (classic enemies to lovers)

Summary: reader just opened a cute little bookstore cafe and soobin is a loud pretentious asshole that talks loudly on his phone lol

Genre: fluffy

Characters: soobin x f!reader

Words: 3k?? i think

Completed (oneshot)

tw: soobin's an asshole but like the good kind so does it really matter

a/n: i hope this makes up for the soobin in my last story sorry lol

It had barely been a year since ‘Pages’ had opened. You had worked hard to save up enough money to open your dream bookstore/cafe. A quaint little rustic-looking bookshop right next to the hustle and bustle of Seoul. Shelves lined with your favourite books, lights dimly lit to accentuate the atmosphere, the scent of freshly brewed coffee taking up space in your lovely quiet bookstore. Pages had been your haven. A getaway from the corporate world that sucked your energy. Having a previously well-paid job, however, did you justice. 

Though Pages was still new, you had already gained a few regulars who would occasionally pop in to read the latest editions of the mangas you’d specially acquired.

“Here. Especially for you, I even tabbed the best parts. Don’t skip ahead though.” You chuckled, smiling at one of your favourite customers who you befriended. 

“Thanks! I’ll have the usual, by the way.” Kai said, as his eyes scanned the manga you had just passed him. 

“It’s just you today? Where’s…uh…what’s his name again?” You enquired.

“Beomgyu?”

“No, the one who talks less.” You joked.

“Ah, Taehyun? He has work. C'mon now, I'm not good enough for you?”

You rolled your eyes, "I was just wondering. Taehyun was asking for a book and I finally found it!"

"I'll tell him about it. Thanks. You really are our favourite bookstore owner." Kai grinned.

"You're not getting another free drink from flattery." You rolled your eyes.

"Aw man."

"I'm kidding. The drink's on the house. The manga however is not."

"Deal!"

You nodded, turning to prepare Kai’s order when you heard the door chime once more.

Your heart sank a little as you saw Soobin walk in, his usual confident grin plastered on his face.

Soobin, the travel writer who had recently moved to town, had a knack for disrupting the peace of your beloved bookstore. He strolled up to the counter, oblivious to your internal groan.

Sure, he was good-looking. Sure, you've thought about how it would be like to be next to him calling him your boyfriend and showing him off to everyone but...dear God, did he also grind your gears.

“Morning! The usual, please,” Soobin said, leaning casually against the counter.

You forced a polite smile. “Good morning, Soobin. One iced Americano, coming right up.”

As you prepared his coffee, you couldn’t help but feel a mix of irritation and curiosity. Soobin’s presence always managed to throw your day off balance, yet there was something undeniably intriguing about him. It could’ve been his good looks or just the fact he was always talking about these wondrous travels that you’d never been on. You couldn’t decide.

Plus, he was just really hot.

“So, how’s the book coming along?” you asked, attempting small talk as you handed him his drink.

“Slowly,” he admitted with a sigh. “But this place helps. It’s got a charm that’s hard to find anywhere else.”

You raised an eyebrow, surprised by his sincerity. “Well, I’m glad you like it here.”

He took a sip of his iced Americano, his eyes meeting yours with a teasing glint. “I do. Even if the owner is a bit of a tyrant.”

Your smile turned frosty. “Maybe if certain customers respected the rules, the owner wouldn’t have to be.”

His grin widened, unfazed. “Rules are meant to be bent a little. Keeps life interesting.”

“Interesting for you, maybe. A headache for me,” you retorted, your patience wearing thin.

“Come on, admit it. You’d miss me if I stopped coming,” Soobin said with a smirk, clearly enjoying the verbal sparring.

“Like a toothache,” you shot back, rolling your eyes. “Just try not to scare off my customers with your loud phone calls.”

“Sure,” he said with a wink, turning to find his usual spot by the window.

As you watched him settle in, your irritation simmered. Soobin had a way of getting under your skin like no one else. It was infuriating, yet there was something about his confident, carefree attitude that you couldn’t entirely dismiss. Maybe, just maybe, there was more to Soobin than met the eye—but you weren’t ready to admit that just yet.

It was peaceful for the first 30 minutes of his presence. Then you heard Soobin’s atrocious ringtone blaring, shattering the calm like a sledgehammer through glass. That usually meant it was the end of your peace.

“Hello?” Soobin answered loudly, his voice carrying across the bookstore.

You clenched your fists, trying to maintain your composure. Customers glanced up from their books, their expressions mirroring your annoyance. You marched over to Soobin, who was obliviously engaged in his conversation.

“Soobin,” you hissed, trying to keep your voice low yet firm. “Can you please take your call outside?”

He looked up at you, seemingly surprised by your irritation. “Just a minute, I’m almost done,” he mouthed, holding up a finger, pressing them against your lips.

You crossed your arms, glaring at him until he reluctantly stood up and moved toward the door, still talking animatedly. As he stepped outside, you let out a frustrated sigh, hoping the rest of his call would be brief.

When he finally returned, he had the audacity to smile at you as if nothing had happened. “Sorry about that. Important call.”

You gave him a tight-lipped smile. “Next time, please take it outside from the start.”

He chuckled. “You really do enjoy being a tyrant, don’t you?”

“And you really enjoy pushing my buttons,” you shot back, turning on your heel to walk away.

“Clearly.” He teased, following you further into your bookstore. 

As you continued to walk away, you felt Soobin's presence lingering behind you. Despite your attempts to ignore him, his persistence was impossible to overlook. You sighed inwardly, reminding yourself that he was just a customer, albeit a particularly annoying one.

"So, what’s the special today?" Soobin asked, trying to keep up with your pace.

You stopped and turned to face him, your patience wearing thinner by the second. "It’s written on the board, Soobin. Right where it always is."

He glanced over at the board, a mischievous grin forming on his lips. "Ah, right. Guess I didn’t see it. Too busy looking at the pretty owner."

You rolled your eyes, suppressing the small smile that threatened to break through. "Flattery won’t get you free coffee, Soobin."

He laughed, the sound oddly infectious. "Worth a shot. Anyway, I wanted to ask you something."

You raised an eyebrow, genuinely curious despite your irritation. "What is it?"

"I’m planning a feature on hidden gems in Seoul for my next piece," he explained, his tone more serious now. "I was hoping to include Pages. Maybe do a little interview with you about the place?"

You blinked, taken aback by his request. "You want to feature Pages in your article? What’s your motive?"

He nodded. "No hidden agenda, I promise. This place has something special, and I think more people should know about it. Plus, it might bring in more customers."

The idea was tempting. Any publicity was good publicity, and if it brought more people to Pages, it would be worth it. But you couldn't shake off the feeling that Soobin had ulterior motives.

"I’ll think about it," you replied cautiously. "I’m not sure I’m comfortable with the spotlight."

He shrugged, unfazed. "No pressure. Just let me know. It could be fun."

You watched as he returned to his seat, wondering if agreeing to his proposal would be a mistake or an opportunity. Soobin was unpredictable, but maybe there was more to his offer than just another way to get under your skin.

The rest of the day passed in a blur of coffee orders, book recommendations, and the occasional chat with regulars. Kai left with a satisfied grin, promising to return with his friends. As the sun began to set, casting a warm glow over the bookstore, you found yourself thinking about Soobin’s offer again.

Before you knew it, the day had ended, and you were locking up the store. The streets outside were quiet, a stark contrast to the busy day you’d had. As you turned to leave, you noticed a small note taped to the door.

"Think about the article. It could be great for Pages. - Soobin."

You sighed, pocketing the note. Maybe he was right. Maybe this was an opportunity to show Seoul what Pages had to offer. You decided to sleep on it, hoping a good night’s rest would bring clarity.

The next day, you woke up at the crack of dawn. A yawn escaped your lips as you rummaged through your bags for the keys to Pages. 

Sighing, you entered your beloved bookstore. Humming your favorite song, you unlocked the door, inhaling the aroma of the coffee beans you had meticulously selected.

“Am I your first customer today?” You spun around to see Soobin grinning. His tall stature loomed over you, and the strong smell of his cologne filled the air. The toothy grin plastered across his face was unmistakable. He wore a large sweater that hid the muscles you remembered seeing the day the A/C broke, and he had to take off his hoodie. That had been a good day.

“We’re barely open,” you answered, your voice barely a whisper from the sudden surprise of his presence.

“Well…I just couldn’t wait to hear your answer.”

You took a deep breath, trying to steady yourself. "Soobin, it's way too early for this kind of enthusiasm."

He laughed, the sound echoing pleasantly through the empty bookstore. "Come on, just give me a hint. Are you going to let me do the interview?"

You crossed your arms, pretending to ponder. "I still need my morning coffee to think straight."

Soobin raised an eyebrow, looking at you expectantly. "I'll make a deal with you. If you say yes, I'll buy the first ten customers their coffee today."

You couldn't help but laugh at his persistence. "Bribery now, huh?"

"Call it incentive," he replied with a wink.

You sighed, feeling your resolve waver. "Alright, fine. We can do the interview. But if you turn this place into a circus, I'll never forgive you."

Soobin's grin widened, and he pumped his fist in victory. "Deal! I promise it'll be great."

You shook your head, amused by his excitement. "Okay, okay. Let's get started before I change my mind."

As you prepared Soobin’s usual iced Americano, you couldn’t help but feel a mixture of anticipation and nervousness.

"So, where do you want to start?" you asked, handing him his drink.

Soobin took a sip, his expression thoughtful. "How about we start with you? What inspired you to open Pages?"

"Well, it was always a dream of mine. I wanted a place where people could escape, find comfort in books, and enjoy a good cup of coffee. Leaving the corporate world was scary, but this... this feels right."

He nodded, his eyes genuinely interested. "And it shows. This place has a soul, and that’s rare."

You blushed slightly, not used to such earnest compliments from him. "Thanks?"

“Not used to compliments, I see?” Soobin teased.

“Not from you.”

You shook your head, a small smile tugging at your lips. "Don't get used to it. You're still on thin ice for all those loud phone calls."

"Fair enough," he conceded, still grinning.

"You know, you're not that annoying when you're serious," you blurted out. "Sorry, that was supposed to be a thought."

"We're getting passive-aggressive," Soobin teased.

"It was supposed to be a thought," you repeated, trying to defend yourself.

"It's quite freeing to know I've had such an effect on your life," Soobin chuckled.

"Shut up," you said, rolling your eyes.

"I'm kidding. I guess I can be quite an asshole at times, but it's only because I don't know how to act around a pretty girl."

"Stop messing around," you said, feigning annoyance, though your heartbeat was telling you otherwise. "Is any part of this even in your interview notes?" you asked, gesturing to his laptop.

"Oh, no. None of it," Soobin admitted, still grinning. "Just getting to know my favorite bookstore-slash-cafe owner. Is that a crime?"

"Of course not. What's supposed to be a crime is your lack of social etiquette." You joked.

Soobin laughed, the sound warm and genuine. "Guilty as charged," he said, raising his hands in mock surrender. "But I'm willing to learn if you've got some pointers."

"Maybe walk out of the store when you have a call?" You said, raising an eyebrow.

"Right." Soobin chuckled.

"So, besides the loud phone calls and my general presence, what's your biggest pet peeve about running Pages?" Soobin asked, leaning in with genuine curiosity.

You thought for a moment, considering how honest you wanted to be. "I guess it would be dealing with the occasional rude customer who doesn't respect the space or the books. But honestly, most people who come in are wonderful. They get what this place is about."

Soobin nodded thoughtfully. "I can see that. This place has a certain... aura. It’s like a sanctuary."

"That's exactly what I wanted it to be," you said, smiling. "A place where people can escape and just... breathe."

"So about the...'wonderful people' you're talking about, does any of those include a travel writer?" Soobin peered.

You paused, meeting Soobin's gaze. There was a playful glint in his eyes, but you could sense a genuine curiosity beneath it. "Well," you began slowly, "there's this one travel writer who likes to test my patience."

"Is he hot?" Soobin asked.

"If you consider an ogre hot, sure." You joked.

Soobin chuckled, feigning hurt, clutching his chest. "Ouch. In my defense, testing one's patience is one of my specialties. But seriously, I hope I’m not always a nuisance."

"You have your moments," you admitted, a small smile tugging at your lips. "But you also bring a certain... energy to this place."

"So, is that a compliment?" he asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Don't get too used to it," you replied, trying to hide your amusement.

As the day progressed, you and Soobin delved into the story of Pages. You talked about the challenges you faced, the joy of seeing regulars like Kai and his friends, and the special moments that made all the hard work worth it. Soobin took notes, his demeanor professional yet warm, making you feel surprisingly at ease.

You weren't going to lie, the interview made you see Soobin in a different light. He was surprisingly sexy when he was being serious. His eyebrows would furrow when trying to get information across and his posture forward almost leaning towards you.

The way he listened so intently, his focus entirely on you, made your heart flutter more than you'd like to admit. You tried to keep your composure, but it was becoming increasingly difficult to ignore the growing attraction you felt towards him.

It wasn't your fault. You had always found him incredibly attractive albeit the loud phone calls.

By the time the first customers arrived, the interview was wrapping up. Soobin stood up, a satisfied look on his face. "I think we’ve got everything we need. Thanks for trusting me with this."

You nodded, feeling a sense of accomplishment. "Just make sure you do justice to the store."

"Don’t worry," he said, flashing that familiar grin. "I’ll make sure it's perfect."

As he retreated to his seat, you felt a renewed sense of friendship. Maybe, just maybe, Soobin wasn’t as bad as you’d initially thought. Only time would tell, but for now, you were content with the decision you’d made.

It had been a few hours since the interview. Soobin was still in his usual corner, typing away, God knows what, with a serious look on his face. Holding a cup of juice in your hands, you walked toward him and placed the glass on his table.

“I didn’t order anything,” Soobin said, looking up at you.

“It’s on the house. Too much caffeine can't be good for you,” you replied, smiling awkwardly before making your way back to the counter.

As you reached the counter, you glanced back at Soobin, who had paused his typing to take a sip of the juice. He gave you a nod of appreciation, and for a moment, you felt a sense of camaraderie that was rare with him.

The rest of the afternoon passed in a blur of regular customers and new faces, each interaction reinforcing why you loved this place so much. As closing time approached, Soobin finally packed up his things and walked over to you.

"Thanks for the juice," he said, his tone softer than usual. "I really needed that break."

It was a moment of peace before his annoying ringtone went off. He looked up at you sheepishly.

“I’ll take it outside this time,” he chuckled, walking off.

You laughed, shaking your head, and turned your attention back to your work. Glancing to your left, you noticed the large pile of rubbish that hadn’t been thrown away. You groaned at the thought of lugging it into the alley. Pulling the large bag of rubbish out from behind the counter, you made your way to the back alley.

“Yeah. I’ve done the interview.” You heard Soobin’s voice echo from the back of the alley.

“Yeah. I think it’ll do great. The article. She’s got some solid work ethic and the cafe itself is a really good idea. Her thoughts are well articulated. The article's gonna be great.”

You smiled at the compliments, assuming he was talking about you. Your cheeks heated up from listening into the conversation. You felt bad for eavesdropping but this was precious information you could use to your advantage.

“Oh? What? The owner? Nah, she’s a little bit pretentious. What? Pretty? She's okay, I guess. She… she’s not that pretty in real life. The picture was doing her justice.”

Your smile faded instantly, your heart sinking at his words. You quickly turned back, dragging the bag of rubbish with a renewed sense of determination, refusing to let his words affect you.

As you heaved the bag into the dumpster, you couldn't help but replay Soobin's words in your mind. Anger and hurt mingled, forming a bitter taste in your mouth. You had always suspected he enjoyed pushing your buttons, but hearing such harsh comments felt like a betrayal especially after the interview where you felt like you had bonded with him.

Returning to the store, you busied yourself with closing duties, trying to shake off the sting of his remarks. You were scrubbing the counter with more force than necessary when you heard the door chime. You looked up to see Soobin, who had finished his call, walking back in.

"Everything okay?" he asked, noticing the change in your demeanor.

"Yeah, just finishing up," you replied curtly, not wanting to engage further.

Soobin frowned, sensing something was off. "Did something happen?"

“No and even if it did, what makes you think I’d confide into a loud pompous asshole?” You gritted your teeth, turning away from him, your ponytail smacking him in his face.

“Fucking he- Ouch!" He rubbed his cheeks from where your ponytail had smacked him. "What? What’s going on with you? I thought we were cool?”

"Cool?" you repeated, your voice rising in pitch. "You think we're cool after everything you've said and done?"

Soobin looked genuinely confused. "What are you talking about?"

“Nothing. You’re right. I’m pretentious. And maybe I’m not that attractive to you but to hear you say that to another person? Wow.” 

Soobin's eyes widened as the realization hit him. "Wait, you heard that?" he said, taking a step back. "It's not what you think."

"Then what is it, Soobin?" you demanded, crossing your arms tightly across your chest. "Because it sounded pretty clear to me."

“You don’t understand,” Soobin said, his frustration evident.

“What don’t I understand?”

“That was my editor.”

“Okay?”

“His name’s Yeonjun. He’s a good-looking and decent guy.” He explained, even thought you were still clearly ever so clueless.

“What does that have to do with me?”

“He was asking for your number. He saw the picture I took of you for the article and thought you looked cute.”

“And?” You looked at him dumbfounded.

Soobin rubbed the back of his neck, looking flustered. “Je- I- Fuck. I didn’t want him to know how cool you were.”

“What?”

“Look, you’re cute. You’re my type. You’re all kinds of pretty. But you’re also someone I kind of want to gatekeep.”

“What?”

“I can’t make this clearer even if I tried,” Soobin said, his voice softer now. “I like you, okay? I didn’t want him to get to know you because I’m selfish. I wanted you all to myself.”

Soobin's admission left you momentarily speechless. "Oh," you managed to say, your mind racing to process his words.

"Yeah, oh," Soobin echoed, a small, nervous smile tugging at his lips. "I didn't mean to hurt you. I was just... I don't know, being stupid and jealous."

"If it makes you feel any better, I, too, find you..." You paused, "Cute."

Soobin's eyes lit up with a mischievous glint. "Really?" he said, a slow grin spreading across his face. "I always knew you had good taste."

You rolled your eyes, trying to hide your smile. "Don't get too full of yourself, Soobin."

He took a step closer, his confidence unwavering. "Oh, come on. Admit it. You find my charm irresistible. It’s okay, most people do."

You laughed, shaking your head. "You’re impossible."

"So, how about we start over?" Soobin suggested, his tone playful yet sincere. "As friends, or maybe something more. I promise I'll only annoy you half as much."

"Only half?" you teased, feeling a blush creep up your cheeks.

"Alright, a quarter," he conceded with a wink. "And I’ll take my phone calls outside. Most of the time."

You couldn’t help but smile at his persistence. Despite everything, there was something undeniably magnetic about Soobin. "Deal. But if you ever call me pretentious again, I won’t hesitate to throw you out of my store."

He laughed, the sound warm and infectious. "Fair enough. But just so you know, I’ve been told my obnoxiousness is part of my charm."

"By whom?" you asked, raising an eyebrow.

"By people with excellent taste," he said with a smirk.

You took a deep breath, feeling a mix of joy and mischief. "So, you like me?"

"Yeah," he said, his voice steady now. "I like you a lot. And I'm sorry if what I said made you think otherwise."

You bit your lip, contemplating his confession. "Well, you could have just told me."

"I know," he admitted, looking down at his feet. "I guess I was scared you'd reject me or think I was just messing with you."

“Well…can you blame me? You're quite the comedian sometimes.” You chuckled.

"Y'know what I don't blame you if you did doubt me."

"Really now?"

“Yeah. I get it. I'm kind of an asshole. But it's only because I like your reactions. They're pretty, um," Soobin stopped. "Charming, I'd say."

"So you think I'm charming?" You teased.

Soobin looked up, catching the playful glint in your eyes. "Yeah, well, when you spend as much time together as we do, you pick up on things. Like how your eyes light up when the new books arrive or when Kai tells you a stupid joke, and you tilt your head back to laugh, then get self-conscious and cover your mouth as if half the cafe hasn't heard your snort."

You laughed softly, feeling the remaining tension dissipate. “Okay, maybe you do know me better than I thought. You're quite the observer, aren't you, Soobin?"

"When you're a writer like me, you tend to observe things that are...more enchanting."

"Enchanting, huh. Big pretty words don't impress me, Soobin." You teased.

"I love a challenge," Soobin replied, his eyes gleaming with arrogance. "And let's be honest, how hard can it be to impress you?"

You rolled your eyes, half-amused, half-irritated. "Don't get too cocky, Soobin. Just because you can string a few sentences together doesn’t mean you can charm everyone."

"Is that so?" Soobin leaned in closer, his confidence palpable. "I seem to remember you admitting you find me attractive. Sounds like I've already charmed you."

"Attractive, maybe," you shot back. "But charm? That's a stretch."

"If only you were as nice as you are an asshole," You rolled your eyes.

Soobin laughed, the sound rich and unapologetically self-assured. "Nice guys finish last, don't they?" he retorted, a smirk playing on his lips.

You crossed your arms, meeting his gaze head-on. "We'll see if arrogance gets you anywhere."

He shrugged, unbothered by your challenge. "It got me this far. Why change a winning strategy?"

"Winning?" you scoffed. "The game hasn't even started."

Soobin’s eyes sparkled with mischief. "Then consider tonight the first round. I'll pick you up at seven."

"Still assuming I’m free?" you countered, trying to maintain your composure.

"Aren't you?" Soobin's confidence faltered for a split second, a shadow of doubt crossing his face. There it was. Though, Soobin, was trying his best to look like a go-getter, the most confident man alive, he felt like he was still just a shy little boy in front of his crush.

"Actually," you said, your tone softening slightly, "I might be."

He looked at you, a bit more serious now. "Look, if you're not interested, just say so. I can handle it."

"I didn't say anything. I was just waiting for an apology. Y'know from the time you lied to your friend? Calling me pretentious? Ugly?"

"I never used the word ugly."

You raised an eyebrow. "That's what you’re focusing on? Really?"

Soobin sighed, running a hand through his hair. "Okay, I admit it. I might have said some things that weren't exactly fair. It was on impulse. You do stupid shit when you like someone. I'm stupid. I'm an idiot. I don't...I've never liked someone before or asked someone out. Cut me some slack." You see his confidence being brought down by a peg every second he further explains himself. “I’m sorry.”

You chuckled, "Gosh, you really do like me, huh?"

"Fuck off. You're just as pompous as I am."

"It's a part of the charm, isn't it?"

“Sure,” Soobin said, a hint of a smile playing on his lips, “so, are we good now?”

You nodded, the warmth in his eyes melting the last of your anger. “Yeah, we’re good.”

He let out a breath he seemed to have been holding, seeming much more serious than he had been just a minute ago. “Good. Look despite, all the jokes I'm cracking, despite, how much of an asshole I've been, I actually really like you. I don’t want to lose you. Not as a friend, and not as something more."

Your heart fluttered at his words. “Something more, huh? We’ll see about that.”

Soobin grinned, the mischievous spark you were used to back in his eyes. “I’ll take that as a challenge.”

You rolled your eyes but couldn’t suppress your smile. “Okay, Mr. Talks-too-loud. Let’s finish up here and see if you can impress me over dinner.”

“Challenge accepted.”

[strongheartneteyam]

Realize where you belong.

Chapter 9

Pairing: neteyam sully x female!dreamwalker!reader/female!human!reader

CW: wholesome fluff, a good amount of angst, lo'ak being nosy lol jk he's genuinely trying to look after neteyam, descriptions of masturbation, TRIGGER WARNING for mentions of depressive symptoms, reader meeting neteyam in her avatar body, neteyam and reader vent to each other about their struggles, sensitive themes, hurt/comfort, cuddling, sexual tension, kissing, sexual content, mentions of sexual fluids, neteyam slightly begging to mate with reader, foreplay (i don't know if it counts but it definitely is teasing in a sexual way). Tell me if I missed something ♡

Hello, my cute little readers! I got a little better in terms of my fibro flare up and have been feeling a little better emotionally/mentally these days, so, I was able to write again. There's a slight chance that some paragraphs are a bit confusing. I didn't fully proofread it. I'm sorry, my babies, I'm really tired right now, really achy, still. And I'm extremely hungry and there's some delicious homemade orange cake in front of me waiting to be eaten 😍 I've already eaten two pieces of it and drank a full cup of coffee with milk but I NEED to eat more bc I'm still starving and I love cake and coffee 🤤 idk about other countries but it's a tradition that we have here in Brazil to eat cake and drink coffee, together 🤍 anyways I gotta shut up now lol Hope you enjoy this chapter! I'd love to read your lovely comments down below 👉🏻👈🏻 I love y'all SO MUUUCH 😘 

Slightly proofread.

Chapter 8

ˏˋ°•*⁀➷

No way out of your quicksand

But I can breathe underneath

Take your love, cover me

Pull me down, pull me down

You are wonderful

You've taken all of my heart

It was so worth the fall

Don't let go

Quicksand (Bridgit Mendler)

ˏˋ°•*⁀➷

Today you felt anxious but excited. It was your first day off in a week. You were gonna Dreamwalk in your Avatar today. But you were not gonna be on a solo mission this time. Neteyam would be by your side. You two had planned to meet each other next to the river you always loved to play in. You had always loved running water.

Having Neteyam around felt like a breath of fresh air to you since you never truly felt at home amidst other human beings and, after so many years, it started to feel like a joke to you to insist on trying to fit into a society that seemed to not even want you there, in the first place. Most people behaved towards you like you were weird in some way. Neteyam never made you feel that way. You did not know if it was in view of the fact that he was na'vi or if it was just because he was in love with you.

You had always preferred to live among plants, insects, songs, books, animals… on your own little world, since you were a little girl. Everybody used to call you a daydreamer, saying you had your head on the clouds. When you were a child, you did not let that get under your skin. That's the beauty of childhood wonder, it has a lot of wisdom in it that we seem to forget, once we start growing up. Your little self never cared about those "demonstrations of care and concern" (that were nothing but condescending criticism and you never understood why people tried to conceal that fact if it was so obvious) because you knew you were not crazy or completely oblivious to reality like they used to say. Your fun and whimsical inner world was what felt like home to you, not the everyday mundane routine, the protocols that seemed ridiculously stupid to you, the shallow conversations and gossip… the over-all human society. It fucking sucked, if you were going to be totally honest. 

It's not that you hated your own kind. No. It's just that you hated the way they built their empires, throughout history, the tainted legacy the ancestors left for the ones to come in the future - like a dying Planet, for example -, because of their own stupidity and recklessness.

You knew you were not harming anyone - yourself included - despite always engaging in daydreaming, all alone, with your earbuds on or just staring at a beautiful landscape and your grip on reality was still in check. Your grip on reality was actually so tight, your fingers would get hurt and start to bleed sometimes, because reality is a double bladed sword. It keeps you safe and stable, it is needed for you to not go bonkers, but it also cuts you deep with its sharp edges.

༊⁀➷

Neteyam prepared to go out today to meet you during the day for the first time after the both of you became mates. It was just like Eywa had blessed him as he was able to finish all his duties to the clan and his training a little earlier than the usual today. Or maybe the Great Mother had nothing to do with it and it was all Neteyam making the greatest effort ever just to be able to spend some time with you in the daylight and finally see you in your na'vi body again. He missed seeing you like that. He missed the way your tail would wag softly showing you were feeling happy, he missed looking at your stripes and thinking they were the most beautiful stripes he had ever seen and most of all, he missed admiring the way you loved his planet, the way you respected and appreciated Eywa instead of hurting her.

When Neteyam was taking his bow and arrows and putting them on his back, ready to go into the woods to meet you, Lo'ak approached him, suspicious.

"Where are you going, bro?"

"To the forest. Maybe I can hunt for some food and if I'm lucky I'll bring us some good meat for dinner." Neteyam smiled and gave his younger brother a head pat, rapidly walking out of the Sully's hut door

Lo'ak wanted to yell something to his older brother, something like "I know there's something you're not telling me" but he did not. If Neteyam was hiding something, it would probably not be something that would harm him - Neteyam. Everybody knew how responsible - to the point of being annoying, sometimes - Neteyam was. Lo'ak used to get Neteyam into trouble all the time back when they were just teenagers and he was trying not to do that as much as he used to, even though he was not exactly doing a great job - he was doing a terrible job, actually - but he was still trying. He would still keep an eye on his older brother - "It seems like the tables have turned, huh?" Lo'ak thought - but he would leave him alone to do whatever he was going to do in the forest. He knew Neteyam did not have much free time for himself and he sometimes felt sorry for him, seeing him so tired and even stressed out really often because of his Olo'eyktan to be training and his responsibilities as the older brother. Lo'ak used to hold some grudges on his older brother when he was younger but now he understood that Neteyam actually struggled a lot too.

Neteyam pretended to not notice anything when he was leaving home but he did not fail to see the mistrust on Lo'ak's face. That was something he would have to deal with sooner than he wanted to, he acknowledged. He also thought about how his mother would react when she eventually finds out that her son, the future Olo'eyktan of their tribe, was in a relationship with a human girl. Neteyam did not want to disappoint his mother. He knew how proud she was of him and it hurt to think that she could start to think badly of him. He tried his hardest to whoosh those thoughts away.

༊⁀➷

The Pandoran sun shone bright up in the sky, its rays reflecting on your bioluminescent freckles, making them a little more evident on your skin. The soothing sound of the leaves dancing with the pleasant wind and the water running in the nearby river filled the atmosphere around you. You walked slowly towards Neteyam, adrenaline dancing around in your belly in a bittersweet motion.

When Neteyam looked at you, it was like lightning had struck him. Not a destructive kind of lightning but a good one, sweet in its intensity, falling strongly all over him. Neteyam was seeing you in your Avatar for the first time after you had become his mate.

Your mouth was somewhat open, revealing your upper teeth and your na'vi (Avatar?) fangs. Your gaze revealed how much you had anticipated that moment, how much you stayed up when you should be sleeping, thinking about finally being able to see the look in Neteyam's face when he saw you in your Avatar. You knew he had watched you while you were Dreamwalking too many times before but you never got to see the admiration in his eyes when he did so as he had been stalking you, not letting you know he was around. You had wished to see his beautiful golden eyes captivated by you for so long. You wanted to feel pretty and desired like that. And now you were finally experiencing it as Neteyam looked almost dumb with enchantment while he stared at you. But cute dumb, you know? So damn cute…

You stared back at him as you took the last steps towards the place where he stood, as if he was frozen.

Neteyam felt like he was not able to move as he took in how beautiful you looked. He had never seen your na'vi body so close to his own body and it felt overwhelmingly good to do so. His sweet yawne finally belonged to him and he could now touch you and hold you in the physical form he found you most beautiful in. It's not like he did not think you were madly beautiful and hot in your human body, he always wanted to pin you down and make love to you while he was close to your human form, but nothing compared to seeing you in your na'vi form, the form where you smiled the most, where you seemed so much more alive and full of lust for experiencing the world around you. That made you even prettier. Happiness looked pretty on you.

Neteyam was na'vi and his people did not have as many severe mental struggles like humans did but there were rare cases where some na'vi who went through terrible trauma in their lives did become uninterested in fighting their dark thoughts and they did become extremely depressed, though they could be cured from that illness through rituals that healed the spirit, performed by their clan's Tsahìk.

Neteyam was not blind or oblivious to things that were obvious to the naked eye. He knew that nobody would break down and cry as often as you did, only minutes after waking up in the morning, while getting ready for work etc if this person was not in an enormous amount of pain, the kind of pain that made them wish to disappear and never be found again. Thinking about his mate feeling that kind of sorrow made him feel like his heart was being torn into pieces, blood spilling from it like water spills from a fountain.

The reason why Neteyam was so determined to convince you to transfer your consciousness to your na'vi body forever was not some selfish wish, it was not just because he wanted to take you to his tribe and have you be his mate, be able to bond with you through tsaheylu every night and get to love your body, sharing his affection and sexual pleasure with you as well as feeling your own through the bond - even though that thought did wake up a raw, intense desire and need inside of him and he just could not stop himself from fantasizing about that while stroking his cock when he could be all by himself without any chance of disturbance. Neteyam also wanted to give you the opportunity to live a blissful and fulfilling life, a life where you would laugh way more often than cry. If he knew someone that deserved nothing less than that, that person was you.

If in the worst case scenario, you still felt so bad after you had your consciousness transferred to your na'vi body, Neteyam planned to ask his mother to perform a ritual that heals the spirit on you. Thinking about that, he suddenly felt anxious and he felt his heart tightening inside his chest. Neteyam had been trying not to worry about the fact that it would be extremely hard to convince his mother to accept you as his mate and perform the ritual of transference of consciousness on you but that thought had been eating him alive constantly, ever since he talked to you for the first time, outside of the laboratory’s kitchen window.

"Hi, muntxatan." (male mate) Neteyam's heart started beating quickly and it almost came out of his throat when he heard you calling him your mate in his people's language as you stopped in front of him and smiled widely, your eyes narrowing slightly. Those torturing thoughts about his mother trying to tear the both of you apart quickly were washed away from his mind by your presence. It was hypnotizing to him.

"Yawntu… You're just so beautiful. So insanely beautiful." Neteyam smiled, his eyes shining, still bewitched by you, and pushed you roughly against his body. He hugged you tighter than he ever did before since he knew he wouldn't hurt you by doing so when you're Dreamwalking. The size difference between the both of you was not that substantial anymore. His chin rested on the top of your head as he held you strongly against his body.

His roughness did not hurt you, on the contrary, it made you feel safe and protected to have his big - currently not huge, just big - arms around you, keeping your body close as your head was against his chest, your eyes shut and you could hear his heart beating fast. It made you indescribably happy to know that you were the reason for that quick heartbeat. You curled your lips up, smiling peacefully.

Peace. You spent so much time without feeling that but, after you accepted becoming Neteyam's mate, finally defeating your cruel fears, you started to feel peaceful way more often than you had ever felt in your life, even more often than you did when you were little.

Neteyam distanced your bodies a bit, still putting his hands on the sides of your arms, right below your shoulders and announced:

"Come! There's a place I wanna take you to." He took your hand and started walking in front of you, excitedly leading you somewhere 

"Where are you taking me?" You smiled and chuckled softly, curious

"You'll see." It was all he said

Neteyam made you feel excited about little things, like you were just a child again, a feeling you hadn't felt in so, so long. After Neteyam came to your life, it was like he painted vivid colors on your once all too white and dull canvas. You almost shivered at the reminder that you nearly ruined your chance to have a love so pure and true such as this one because of fear of the unknown and refusal of getting out of your comfort zone.

After walking through the rainforest with you for a little while, Neteyam stopped in front of a tall, large tree and you soon recognized it. Its branches had clusters that were full of some beautiful fruits that reminded you of blueberries that used to exist on Earth, before they went extinct.

"Here. Do you recognize this tree? I've seen you look at it so many times. Were you wondering if the yovo fruits are safe to eat?"

"Yeah." You smiled bashfully "They look delicious."

"And they are. They're safe to eat, yawne. We can eat some now, if you want to." Neteyam smiled kindly at you. The fact that he remembered small details about you made your heart melt. 

"I'd love that, Teyam."

Neteyam smiled, unbelieving.

"What did you call me?"

"Teyam…?" You furrowed your eyebrows "It's just a nickname I came up with for you… Do you hate it?" You contorted your features in a way that showed him you were feeling slightly insecure and embarrassed 

"No! I love it, yawntutsyìp! I love it." He smiled and chuckled "I just wasn't expecting it. I love that my muntxate is calling me by a special nickname. Feels intimate." Neteyam came closer to you and held your face with both his beautiful strong blue hands

You looked up at his face with doe eyes and waited as you knew what was coming. You could feel it. The sneaky butterflies started flying inside your belly again.

Neteyam kissed you slowly, crushing his soft wet lips against yours. He pressed his lips on your mouth again and again for a short amount of time but it was enough to make your legs feel weak.

"Come, oeyä muntxate. I'll help you climb the tree."

Neteyam did as he said and soon enough you both were sitting on the wooden "floor" of the tree, sharing yovo fruits and eating them.

You two started to chill and talk about everyday life. It felt so good. It felt familiar, just like any relationship you had had before with a human guy, but better. So much better. Your alien boyfriend - mate? It felt so weird to say it like that… - made you feel things that none of your ex human boyfriends could ever dream to do. Neteyam made you feel understood. He did not judge you. He made you feel at home. Neteyam was becoming home for you.

You started to tell him how sad and done with everything you sometimes felt. Well, not sometimes… It happened all the time, even though it got better now that Neteyam was in your life. But you did not want to make him worry about you.

"You know, sometimes I feel like that too."

"What do you mean?" You questioned

"Like there's so much chaos inside that I just wanna talk to someone and vent. But I'm always so busy. There never seems to be time to find someone to do that with."

You were slightly surprised. 

"Yeah, me too. Always too busy." You sighed "And exhausted, to be honest. Both physically and mentally."

"Well, I do have way more stamina than humans do" You laughed at Neteyam's teasing "But some nights I come home from training and after taking care of my siblings, really, really tired too. And I don't mean only physically."

"We have some stuff in common, don't we?" You pointed out, smiling

"We certainly do." He smiled back

You felt good knowing that.

Neteyam laid on the floor, right by your side.

"I'm full" He let out a laugh that sounded lovely in your ears while stroking his stomach.

"Me too." You laid on the floor too, just like Neteyam had just done. Your belly felt pleasantly filled up "But these fruits are so good I'd still eat a dozen of them." You playfully said, laughing

"Do you want more? I can get you some more." Neteyam gently offered

"No, it's okay, Teyam. I'm good for now." You smiled at him

Neteyam smiled back, showing no teeth, a soft, enamored look in his feline amber eyes.

You two spent some time together in comfortable silence.

"Oeyä muntxate?"

"Yeah?" You looked at him and let out a relaxed sigh, smiling softly

"Oel ngati kameie." He said, with vulnerable sincerity in his eyes

It seemed like he was gazing inside your very soul. Like his golden eyes could see something in you nobody else could. Like he saw who you truly were. Like Neteyam saw the good and bad and the ugly and the greatness and the doubts and the fears and the uniqueness and the ordinary parts of you, like he saw all of you, and it did not scare him off to see your dark side. You could feel he was staying for both your virtues and your vices. And maybe that's what "Oel ngati kameie" meant, when said to the one you're choosing to be your mate. Means connecting to someone in a raw, deep way, a way that nobody else is able to. A way that allows you to see the other person's flaws but not be afraid of them and try to find a way out. A way that allows you to see the grace in every little detail that that other soul has, to see the beauty in them that they themselves could never see.

"Oel ngati kameie…" You finally said, smiling, still not believing he had said those words to you

Neteyam smiled brightly while gazing into your eyes. He always looked deep inside your eyes… It felt almost too much but it still had just the right amount of intensity for it to be deliciously alluring instead of overwhelming.

Neteyam took your hand and intertwined your fingers on his. You felt the touch of his warm hand burning your skin in a pleasant way. After a few seconds, he kissed the back of your hand tenderly. You kept staring at both your hands glued together for a while.

"I wanna cuddle with you, oeyä muntxate." His voice brought your attention back to his face.

You could hear nervousness and need in his tone.

"Sure, yawne."

You were starting to really like calling Neteyam by na'vi pet names. The na'vi language was incredibly pleasing to the ears, in your opinion.

Neteyam started moving your body carefully, so you could lay on your side and when you obeyed, laying in said position, he himself laid on his side and pulled you in, making your body be as close to his as he could, your ass against his clothed member. 

Your lungs started to do a poor job at helping you breathe now that the both of you were so close. You got nervous as you two had, yes, cuddled before, when you were in your human body, but he was never behind you like that, his body glued to yours. You knew he could feel your ass on his cock. Your heart was beating at the speed of light.

It did not take long for you to start to feel Neteyam was now fully erect, his cock pressed against your ass. You felt the inner walls of your pussy start to twitch and you got all wet, your juices spreading over your panties. Neteyam was so big and thick and your body responded like crazy to him.

It was a violent, invincible desire that made Neteyam cling so much to you, all the time. It would burn his insides, making him yearn for you, for your touch, for your warmth. There was no rational explanation inside his head for it. Neteyam could not understand it, he could only feel it covering all his being, exuding from his eyes whenever he looked at you, touched you, kissed you… He knew you could tell how much he was thirsty for you almost all the time. But Neteyam did not care about being so vulnerable. He wanted you to know what you did to him. Maybe like that you would surrender sooner and give yourself to him completely already. He felt so impatient. Everyday it was getting harder and harder for him to not take you in his arms and mate with you. This wait was killing him, day by day. It was like a slow and agonizing death. And now that he could smell your sweet juices so vividly, he felt like he could no longer hold back.

Neteyam pushed you even closer to him. You whimpered softly, the feeling of his huge, girthy cock pressed against your butt was divine.

Neteyam got you crazily wet just so quickly that it never failed to surprise you. He was like quicksand to you; you could try and run as much as you wanted but you would always end up being swallowed by his love.

"I need you so much, muntxate…" He cried out softly in your ear while rubbing his hard cock on your ass. "You're all wet for me. You smell so good, it's intoxicating." He sniffed the air, savoring your natural scent just like it was the most mouthwatering thing he had ever felt filling his sensitive nostrils "Please, lemme make you mine completely, my sweet yawne. Please…"

༊⁀➷

Taglist:

@kitsunefirewail

@tumblingdevils

@a-blog-name-2003

@xylobee

@nerdybouquetofkittens-blog

@henhouse-horrors

@lala-1516

@xylianasblog

@samistars

@crazy4books1

@explosiongamora

@lik0

@your-girl-mj

@darktyrantwinner

@sereisstuff

@yeosxxx

@die4niyahhh

@iman-lu

@manumanulau

@im-in-a-pansexual-panik

@hana-yuri

@thehoneymushroomhealer

@melllinaa

@annaibansworld

@siriuslysmoking

@avatar4eva

@ellabellabus07

@badbishsblog

@neteyamsmate4life

@c-h-i-l

@criticallybella

@celi-xxmoon

[allywritesmanythings]

Home for the Holidays (X. Riorson) Part 1

Summary: You return home for Christmas with Xaden who is pretending to be your date.

Words: 1.2K

Fandom: Fourth Wing, Xaden Riorson

Warings or A\N: Not yet 😜 Just throwing this out here. If yall have an request for any Fourth Wing male characters let me know. (Not the professors or the commanders\generals)

Tags: @daisydark @ablev92 @luxsky @graciereads

Art Credit here

As your mom continued her endless rambling on the phone, you couldn't help but let out a  sigh. She had an uncanny ability to stretch a conversation for an eternity before finally turning her attention on you. "So, are you finally coming home this year? You know, last year you promised but ended up disappointing us," She questioned, her disappointment still lingering from the previous year.

        You remembered the frustration of not being able to go home due to work commitments, and your mom never let you forget it. It wasn't as if you had a choice in the matter; your boss had denied your request for time off, leaving you with no other option. However, this time around, you were determined to make things right. "Mom, I assure you, I'll be home for the holidays. In fact, I'm leaving on Saturday," You reassured her, hoping to alleviate any lingering doubts.      

     As your mom casually mentioned the idea of inviting Dain, your ex, to the holiday gathering, you couldn't help but feel a surge of frustration. "Mom, don't even think about it," you interjected, hoping to put an end to the idea before it gained any traction.

       Her response was dismissive, "Why not? He used to come every year."

      You couldn't believe she was even considering it. "Yeah, that was before we broke up. It's not appropriate to invite your daughter's ex-boyfriend to a family event," you firmly stated, trying to make her understand.

     But your mom seemed oblivious to your reasoning. "But everyone else will have a date or someone with them. You'll be the only one without a partner," she persisted, seemingly determined to play matchmaker.

     Rolling your eyes, you couldn't help but feel annoyed at the reminder of your single status. "Mom, I'm perfectly fine being single," you asserted, hoping she would finally hear you.

      However, your mom continued on, completely disregarding your words. "Yes, I think I will invite Dain. Maybe you two can work things out and fix whatever caused the breakup," she mused, completely missing the point.

       Realizing that reasoning with her was futile, you decided to bring the conversation to an end. "Hey Mom, I've got to go. I'll see you on Saturday night," you announced, hoping to escape the mounting frustration.

      "Okay, love you sweetheart," your mom replied, seemingly unaware of the tension.

      "Love you too," you responded, quickly ending the call. 

       Overwhelmed with frustration, you let out a scream, releasing the pent-up emotions that had been building throughout the conversation.

       "Tough call,"

Startled by the unexpected voice, you turned around to find your hot neighbor, Xaden, standing there. "Oh, you scared me. Yeah, you could say that," You replied, still feeling the lingering frustration from the conversation with your mom.

       “I've got a bottle of white wine and was planning to cook some steak, if you wanna come over,”

        Xaden's offer caught you off guard. "I couldn't impose like that," you hesitated, not wanting to intrude on his plans.

       He shrugged, a charming smile playing on his lips. "It's not imposing if I invited you," He replied.

      His confidence and the thought of a relaxing evening with him was tempting. 

      "Great. See you at seven," he said, already assuming your acceptance as he walked away, leaving you with a mix of curiosity and anticipation for the evening ahead.

     —

      As Xaden poured the wine into your glass, he posed a question that struck a chord. "Why didn't you tell your mom the real reason why you two broke up?" he inquired, his voice filled with genuine curiosity.

      You took a sip of the wine, contemplating his question. "Everyone loves him. My parents. My siblings. Hell, even my grandparents do. If I were to tell them that he cheated on me, they wouldn't believe me because 'he's a good guy'. It's frustrating. And honestly, I never even wanted to date him in the first place," You confessed, the weight of the situation evident in your voice.

      Xaden's expression turned sympathetic as he listened to your words. "Then why are you going back there? It sounds like they're super toxic and don't deserve you," He remarked, his concern evident.

      A smile tugged at the corners of your lips at his comment. "They're the type of people who see the good in everyone. It's just how they are," you explained, understanding the complexity of the situation.

      Xaden beckoned you to join him on the couch, asking, "Once you're down there, what's your plan?" You followed his gesture, clutching your wine glass as you settled beside him.      

      Contemplating his question, you replied, "Honestly, I'm not entirely sure. I'll try to maintain a civil demeanor. However, deep down, I know that once him and I are both there, everyone will gaslight me into rekindling our relationship,”

      Xaden leaned in, a mischievous glint in his eyes. "Ask me," he urged, leaving you puzzled.   

      "Ask you what?" you inquired, trying to make sense of his cryptic statement.

      A sly smile played on his lips as he revealed his proposition. "Ask me to accompany you as your pretend date," He suggested. 

      Your heart skipped a beat, and a rush of excitement coursed through your veins. The thought of Xaden joining you at your family's gathering sent shivers down your spine. Not only would it silence your family's nagging, but Xaden's undeniable attractiveness added an extra allure. "I couldn't possibly ask you to do that. It's a two-week affair, and don't you have work?" you hesitated, concerned about inconveniencing him.  

      Dismissing your worries, he shook his head. "Don't worry about work. Just ask me," he insisted

     You remained silent, unsure of how to respond. 

      "Ask. Me," He repeated. 

      Succumbing to defeat, you let out a sigh. "Will you join me at my family's holiday gathering?" You finally asked, your voice laced with vulnerability. 

      A wide grin spread across Xaden's face as he replied, "I would love to, Buttercup. I thought you'd never ask.”

     —

      Xaden parked the car in front of your parents' house, he prepared to step out, but you gently placed a hand on his, halting his movement. "Just give me a moment," you requested, your voice filled with a mix of nerves and determination.   

      Xaden settled back into his seat, his gaze fixed on you. "Hey, look at me," he said softly, capturing your attention.

      Turning to face him, you met his reassuring gaze. "If at any point you feel the need to leave, for any reason, big or small, I promise I'll get you out of there," He assured you, his words offering a sense of comfort. 

      You nodded, acknowledging his support, and withdrew your hand from his. A warm smile graced Xaden's face. "Don't open your door just yet," He advised, causing you to raise an eyebrow in curiosity. 

      He chuckled, breaking the tension. "I know we're pretending, but I still want to make a good impression on them," he explained.

      With that, Xaden exited the car and made his way to your side, opening the door for you. Extending his hand, he offered his assistance, ready to help you step out of the car.

      Inhaling deeply, you gratefully accepted Xaden's assistance. He retrieved the luggage from the trunk, and together, you approached the front door. As you reached out to knock, Xaden's arm gently encircled your waist, providing both comfort and an unexpected surge of warmth that ignited your senses. After a few moments, your mother opened the door, her smile widening as she laid eyes on you. However, her expression quickly shifted to one of surprise as she turned her gaze towards Xaden. "Oh, whoa," she exclaimed, clearly taken aback.

[the-blossica-fan]

Jiu is, by herself, very unlucky; I mean, look at her ult 😭

By this logic, when Centurion passes her the coin, even Desert Flannel, Ulu, Yeni and Spatho witness the luck.

Only difference, is that Jiu's good luck is stupidly good.

I can imagine, Jiu Niangzi is one of the biggest girl failures and well, a lil bit of luck is not that bad.

"Ooo, Sharpodontry!"

"JIU NIANGZI LOOK-"

And as Jiu Niangzi bends down to pick the Sharpodontry, a flying glove passes right above her, missing her entirely.

"out?"

"Spathodea, look what I just got!!"

Today, she won the lottery for a ticket she found in one of Lilya's bottles that just so happens to have fallen into her arms from above a tree. The many, many coincidences were so weird but Jiu was completely oblivious to it. Yenisei had to triple check that it didn't fall on her face, that the ticket was real and that it was actually the winning one. Twice.

The critters that usually pestered her during her wine making appeared with a bunch of herbs and fruits she needed and didn't take anything. How fortunate! She now has a new kind of wine.

Serving went on pretty easily, in fact, there was even wine left to spare for herself when it usually would run out or end up on the floor.

And then, she always ended up finding something she didn't know she needed by accident or by being in the right place right time.

"Don't ya think this little lady over here has had a weirdly lucky day?"

"I am happy that poor girl is getting one, but even an old soul like me can see something has changed her luck"

"Ugh, yeahh. I too want to have a winning lottery ticket just handed off to me by some random tree!"

"Well Desert Flannel, when you reach my age-"

"You're like a thousand years old, how the heck am I gonna reach ya age?"

And it wasn't just them who quickly noticed how weirdly lucky she had been, well, extremely lucky. Almost a bit too lucky.

"Oh, look! Ms. Sotheby gave me the rest of her uh, Rainbow... Rainbow sparkles chocolate... Chips? Well, she gave me what was left after the party!!"

"Huh? Oh, she went to give them to you?"

"Nope! I was just walking by at the right time!!"

"...Right."

Yenisei suspiciously eyed her before looking back at her work, meanwhile Spathodea tried to use her brain to form a coherent answer. Bad idea, last time she used her brain was back at the Uluru Games.

"Jiu, don't ya think you've been a liiittle too lucky today? A LOT too lucky!!"

"Well, I did notice I didn't fumble when serving, but isn't that a good thing?"

"Uh, well, I guess?"

They didn't really ask anymore since she does seem pretty happy. When Centurion got her coin back, the girls already had been sleeping the best they ever had in their entire lives surrounded by a bunch of stuff Jiu Niangzi randomly got.

And then she tripped and made a mess out of it the next morning.

[moonshynecybin]

Your takes on Marc always feel so accurate so I’d like to hear more of what you think in reference to that ask

i thinkkkkk this ask was about the pre argentina post sepang period where marc is like. attempting to mend his relationship to valentino by pure force of will and also being very sweet but vale is a lil reticent if sometimes polite... estranged but still hanging on to that lethal chemistry. death would be kinder if your name is marc marquez. but im going to take a HARD turn into omegaverse land here so sorry to god and his motorcycle racers

SO i think marc obviously like. doesnt really want to believe its over. hes soooo in love here (and as a canonical late bloomer i dont think hes EVER had a heat without vale?? and he is discovering that he is in fact quite bad at dealing with them by himself?) and i really do think that, as hurt as he was by the sepang fallout, he really thinks vale will get over it with time ! and that eventually theyll be able to be as close as they were previously! as soon as he unblocks me the wedding is back on ! truly cannot imagine doing a heat with anyone else he feels literally cold down to his bones thinking about it. and its not even just the dynamic stuff... he misses the grabby hands on cooldown laps and the hugs in parc ferme and the way vale used to put his long fingers in marc's hair to put him where he wants him when they were fucking and the soft skin of his neck and how when vale would touch him everything in marc's brain could just go quiet. truly he feels it in his TEETH like the longing is LETHAL the longing is PHYSICAL the longing has marc IGNORING HIS BODY'S BASIC NEEDS and refusing to go out and find someone to spend a heat with that would actual resolve the hormonal part of his biology reaching for vale (and break that mf bond). so the heat never quite fully resolves! and he feels antsy and feverish and smells literally crazy for weeks at a time. every alpha in the paddock bristling when the wind changes direction... vale staring at the sky with his nails digging into his palms

so marc's already shaky self control is pushed to the limit by his body's insane hormonal situation (motogp doctor is like. technically he can ride !) and so for a few years he decides to kind of. wage this tentative little campaign to see if he can get vale to smile at him or literally touch him at all and relieve a little of the tension swimming around in his body. ANY relief. so he says hi to him every day. goes up to him in parc ferme. small little touches on the podium. just making vale smell like him a little bit. hind brain rejecting the reality where they havent really touched skin on skin in months. waiting for vale to take off his glove before he shakes his hand. BUT because this is omegaverse and i love DRAMA, what marc doesnt realize is that he is sort of. fortifying the beginning stages of a bond that they had started to form when they were fucking. a bond that WOULD have just died if he left it alone or found someone else, but he canttttt because hes oblivious and in love... AND THEN he gets another heat, and its SO much worse... like the effects are compounding, and he can barely see straight and he's feverish and shaking with big eye bags all pale and sad... and eventually alex notices and pulls the plug. says you will NOT get on a bike like this and marc gets permission to stop and basically COLLAPSES

but meanwhile vale is being driven INSANE this entire time because the bond wont DIE but its also not COMPLETED, and marc keeps TOUCHING HIMMMM and smelling insaneeee like hes in heat literally constantly and vale doesnt know what the ISSUE is.... and hes caught up in soooo much resentment but theres literally a base part of his body that cannot physically ignore marc whatsoever. so its an escalating arms race of horny frustration until marc suddenly pulls out of the race one weekend (the official line is for "dynamic reasons" which vale stares at for full minute wondering. is anyone taking care of marc like he would. caught between wanting him to be okay and feeling SICK thinking about another alpha helping him through any of it...) and then theres a knock at his motorhome door. and its alex marquez, looking tired and a little nervous. and he just says. i need your help. its marc.

[corybiit]

laughed at the ask about childhood friends that are super close that everyone just assumed were dating because i just thought of coryo, for the first time, telling someone he and sejanus are together and it's in the beginning stages where he's stuck with this giddy feeling that sejanus isn't just his best friend anymore but that's his partner, his boyfriend. and then most reactions are "we know? why are you telling us this you remind us every time without even him being here basically". i feel like sejanus would thrive at the idea people thought they were a couple, like someone trying to flirt with coryo is a little shock to him at they're still just friends and coryo could end up dating someone that isn't him and he'd rather die than that being true.

It would be hilarious, like, Coryo telling someone or his friends in general during lunch or when they're hanging out together without Sejanus there, and everyone would be either not even paying attention or just being like, "Yeah, yeah, we know." And Coryo would be totally aghast, like "Excuse me, what do you mean you know?" And whoever took pity on him would be like "Coryo. We know, we've known for years. Everyone in the Academy knows, you're practically up for couple of the class, could you stop reminding us now please?" And either he would be battling the mortification off or would get sulky or dazed at the fact that everyone around them had already predicted or drawn their own conclusions about their relationship while he had been oblivious for the longest time.

When he tells what happened to Sejanus. The other would be happy, like, his face would lift and he would smile all giddy, saying "Really?" And in some way, he would totally feel accomplished and proud about the fact everyone had decided they belonged together. Coryo would definitely swat him or roll his eyes like "Stop making that face you look stupid." But it's the mortification talking bc he doesn't like that his feelings were so obvious and he still missed them completely.

Sejanus would probably just huh him, or tease him, or try to kiss him playfully, knowing Coryo doesn't like kissing in public so he really is just teasing.

[feverishly-kpop]

Yunho & Ateez - Feverish & Disoriented - Part 1

Yunho had seemed fine that morning. He was up and out of bed without Yeosang having to intervene, he had eaten breakfast, downed a couple cups of coffee, and was out the door with no problem. Which is why everyone was confused by this new version of Yunho that was fumbling his way through their dance practice.

They had all learned the new choreography together the day before. Typically that would mean that Yunho had already mastered it and was helping the others which, to be fair, had seemed the case for the first few hours of their day, but now Yunho was in his own world, taking the time between run throughs to sit quietly by himself, his unfocused eyes staring blankly into the middle distance while Mingi and Wooyoung answered questions about the choreography and demonstrated the parts that they were having trouble with.

“Yuyu, does Jongho move on three or four?” Mingi asked, glancing at Yunho through the mirror during a brief lull. Yunho was always the first to master the choreography, both his parts was well as everybody else’s. They could always count on him to know where each member was supposed to be and when, but this time he responded to Mingi’s inquiry with a nod and a vacant stare at nothing in particular.

Mingi turned around to ask again but Wooyoung stepped in to help before he could, pulling up the choreography video and confirming that Jongho started moving on three but had both beats to get to the other side of the formation.

Leaving Jongho to work on his part, Wooyoung pulled Mingi to the side, murmuring in a low voice that only the two of them could hear.

“I don’t know what’s going on with him” Wooyoung started, glancing toward Yunho who was now staring at his water bottle as if he was seriously contemplating whether or not he was thirsty. “But he’s gonna hurt himself if he keeps practicing like this. Clearly his mind is elsewhere. He’s not paying attention and…the last time…”

Wooyoung didn’t have to elaborate any further, both he and Mingi instantly remembering how Yunho had been goofing around a few years prior, more focused on going home shortly than on his dancing, when he had fallen during the final run and sprained his knee so badly that he was laid up for three days, high out of his mind from the pain meds that the hospital gave him, and on crutches for the next two weeks. Yunho had been strongly admonished by Hongjoong following that incident but he had certainly leaned his lesson, until today it seemed. But even so, his lack of focus wasn’t coming from him being silly and unprofessional today. Yunho was just being…weird. And very un-Yunho like.

Mingi nodded at Wooyoung’s comment as they both turned to look at the subject of their conversation who seemed completely oblivious to their eyes on him. Mingi excused himself from Wooyoung’s side, feeling compelled to take a shot at figuring out what was going on with his best friend.

“Hey, what’s on your mind?” Mingi’s voice was tentative and he couldn’t help but catch the irony in his question. From the looks on Yunho’s face there was absolutely nothing on his mind, which was the root of the problem at hand. Yunho didn’t respond immediately, almost as if he hadn’t heard the question, before turning to Mingi and replying.

“Yeah, I’m good too” he said a little overeagerly. Mingi feigned a smile and nodded at Yunho as he stood up, but his smile quickly faded as he made eye contact with Wooyoung, shaking his head before wandering over to Hongjoong.

“What’s going on with him?” Hongjoong asked quietly once Mingi was in earshot. “He’s a mess today.”

Mingi shrugged, honestly having no idea what had Yunho so unfocused today. Hongjoong had been hoping Mingi would know what was wrong so that he could figure out what to say to him. He sighed, resigned to the fact that he’d be going in blind.

“Yunho” Hongjoong said softly as he took a seat next to his dongsaeng on the floor. He couldn’t miss six pairs of eyes flitting toward them before looking away. Clearly everybody had noticed how off Yunho had been for the better part of the day. Yunho, however, didn’t seem to register his presence at his side and flinched when Hongjoong placed a hand on his shoulder, doing his best to center him enough to have a conversation.

“Hey, you seem a little off today” Hongjoong said. “Is everything okay?” His heart sank when Yunho’s face fell, his eyes filling with the realization that he had disappointed his members.

“I’m fine…” Yunho replied, his eyes cast down. “…I think?”

Hongjoong couldn’t put a finger on what was going on but he knew he didn’t like it. And he knew that he wouldn’t be allowing Yunho to start practice again that afternoon until he could focus.

“Should we step outside to get some air?” Hongjoong persisted but Yunho shook his head, getting back on his feet in a way that seemed a bit unstable to Hongjoong, causing him to spring to his feet as well in order to catch Yunho if he lost his footing.

“No, thanks hyung. Sorry I guess I’m a little tired today. Would it be okay if I went to the washroom?” Yunho’s response could have been convincing to somebody that hasn’t known him for years but it only made Hongjoong even more concerned.

“Of course, taken your time. We aren’t in a rush today so no need to hurry back” Hongjoong replied as Yunho nodded back before turning to head for the door.

*~*~*~*~*~

“You told him not to rush, Joong. And something clearly is on his mind today.” Seonghwa reassured Hongjoong. “Give him a few more minutes. If he’s not back soon I’ll go get him. But you said yourself that you don’t want him dancing until he’s more focused again. Which is fair so let’s give him some space to gather himself.”

Hongjoong nodded before wandering over to Wooyoung who was working with Jongho on some footwork that he knew he needed to work on as well. Realistically at this point Hongjoong would do just about anything to get his mind off Yunho and the blank look that had been in his eyes all afternoon. But after another fifteen minutes with no sign of Yunho Hongjoong glanced at Seonghwa pointedly, who finally relented, excusing himself from the conversation he was in with Yeosang and San and heading toward the door.

Mingi immediately noticed him leaving and jogged to follow him. Even without a single word exchanged Seonghwa knew that Yunho’s unusual behavior had Mingi on edge so he let Mingi tag along.

Seonghwa and Mingi quickened their pace a bit when they found the nearest washroom vacant, genuinely unsure where else Yunho would have wandered off to.

Relief washed over both of them when they found Yunho in the lounge, sitting cross-legged on the couch. That is until they noticed the tears silently running down his cheeks.

“Sorry…” Yunho mumbled, his hands quickly flying up to his face to wipe his tears away. “I couldn’t remember what studio we were in. I was looking around…I don’t know… I just got turned around I guess.”

After shaking the immediate shock of finding Yunho in such a state, Seonghwa and Mingi were at either side of him on the couch. Mingi immediately felt Yunho shaking and glanced at Seonghwa, grabbing his attention.

“Hyung, he’s trembling” Mingi said softly as he stood up from the couch to grab a blanket from the closet. Seonghwa placed a hand on Yunho’s bare bicep, instantly confirming that Mingi was correct.

“Hey, what’s going on in there?” Seonghwa asked kindly as he cupped Yunho’s cheeks between his hand and looked into his eyes, suddenly realizing how warm Yunho was feeling to his touch. He quickly moved a hand to his forehead and then to the side of his neck. Yunho was undoubtedly running a fever, and, from the feel of it, an uncomfortably high one at that.

“Oh love,” Seonghwa whispered, pushing Yunho’s hair back from his face. “Are you not feeling well?” Mingi’s head whipped around at that, noticing the way that Seonghwa’s hands were moving deftly in the way that they always did when he was checking a member for a fever as his eyes scanned Yunho up and down, trying to discern if there was anything else that was visibly the matter.

“I felt okay this morning. But then I started feeling woozy while we were dancing” Yunho replied. Seonghwa nodded as he rested a cool hand on the nape of Yunho’s neck. Mingi grabbed their med kit from the closet as well before returning to Yunho’s side.

Mingi draped the blanket over Yunho’s lap before carefully grabbing one of Yunho’s wrists and starting the stopwatch on his phone, counting the beats of Yunho’s pulse for thirty seconds.

“Can you take a few deep breaths for me, Yunho?” Mingi asked, his brow furrowed as he focused on the thrum beneath his fingers. “Your pulse is racing.”

Yunho nodded and took a few labored breaths, earning himself soft affirmations from Seonghwa as Mingi continued to monitor him, his hand not leaving Yunho’s wrist for another couple of minutes until he was satisfied that Yunho’s pulse had slowed enough for the time being. Seonghwa noticed Mingi set Yunho’s hand back in his lap and took the opportunity to reach into their med box, pulling out a thermometer and flipping it on.

“That’s it” Seonghwa said softly as Yunho allowed him to place the thermometer between his lips before grabbing a wrist to check his pulse himself. “You’re doing just fine. It’ll be over soon.” Seonghwa cooed mindlessly as he felt Yunho’s pulse picking up again, letting go of the thermometer for Yunho to hold under his tongue himself and using his free hand to rub circles across his shoulder blades in an attempt to get him to relax. Mingi sat silently with his hand on Yunho’s knee, watching the reading on the thermometer like a hawk as it gradually increased, first surpassing 37°, then 38° while still ticking upward before landing on 39.1° with a quick beep.

Seonghwa set Yunho’s wrist down and grabbed the thermometer before handing it to Mingi to clean and return to the box until the next time a member needed, which he hoped wouldn’t be for a long time.

“How about we get you home?” Seonghwa asked in the warm, kind voice that he always used when a member was exhausted, hurt, or sick. Yunho only nodded, confirming to both Seonghwa and Mingi that he was truly feeling absolutely miserably as, any other time, Yunho would never agree to leave work, especially dance practice, without putting up a fight. Mingi quickly grabbed the shoes that Yunho had haphazardly kicked to the side before sitting on the couch and slid them back on Yunho’s feet one by one.

“Hyung, will we have practice again tomorrow?” Yunho asked, his voice laced with confusion. It was no wonder that Yunho had been so unfocused all afternoon with the temperature that he was sporting but his tone made Seonghwa and Mingi frown.

“I don’t think you’ll have practice tomorrow, jagi” Seonghwa replied as he grabbed both of Yunho’s hands to pull him to his feet. “Not until we get this temp of yours back to where it needs to be.”

*~*~*~*~*~

The remaining five members stopped dead in their tracks when Mingi opened the studio door and stepped inside to grab Yunho and Seonghwa’s bags. They had agreed that Seonghwa would take Yunho home and put him to bed while Mingi stayed behind to make up for the fact that their main dancer had was going home sick. Jongho stepped forward to turn off the music when he saw Yunho, still wrapped in the blanket that Mingi had given him in the lounge, tucked into Seonghwa’s side. Nobody needed any further explanation as to what was going on.

San stepped forward, grabbing his own zip-up before quietly approaching Yunho and pulling the blanket off his shoulders. “This will keep you nice and warm until you get home” San said with a comforting smile as he and Seonghwa helped Yunho get his arms into the sleeves. “Comfy?” San asked, pulling the zipper up and placing a hand over Yunho’s warm cheek. Yunho nodded absently, a subconscious response to San’s question despite his eyes’ hundred meter stare.

Yeosang was the next to step in, pulling the beanie he had worn to work that morning over Yunho’s ears, not wanting Yunho to feel chilled on the way home. “Get some sleep and do whatever hyung tells you to do, okay? I’ll make you some of my mom’s soup when I get home. Last time Wooyoung was sick his fever broke right away after he ate it.”

“It wasn’t right away, pabo,” Wooyoung called from within the studio. “And I don’t think it had anything to do with the soup. Although it was delicious!”

Everybody erupted in laughter at that, and even Yunho cracked a tired smile.

“Feel better, Yunho-hyung” Jongho said as he directed Yeosang, San, and Mingi back into the studio to resume rehearsal. “Have a good rest.”

[cloveroctobers]

OCTOBER PROMPTS 🎃 — 9. Guero

A/N: im trying my best to complete my list for this fall season. In MY brain winter doesn’t start until December hits and winter isn’t officially until late December which blows my mind every time I look it up lol but don’t come at me X-mas lovers because I get it! just don’t bring that Holly jolly bs my way just yet 😉!!! Anyways missed my man so he’s next up for this short thing.

PROMPT is from HERE + I’m using: “Please, I’m begging you. don’t make me watch the nightmare before Christmas again.”

WARNINGS: language, family drama, mentions of violence, + slightly sexual content towards the bottom.

⛓𓌹*♰*𓌺⛓ ⛓𓌹*♰*𓌺⛓ ⛓𓌹*♰*𓌺⛓ ⛓𓌹*♰*𓌺⛓

“Fucking bitch makes me sick!” You huff as you flail the bed sheet up into the air for what should have been the fifth time.

Guero is smirking to himself, fresh out of the shower in his lounge wear, leaning against the doorframe that leads back into the bathroom.

You just got back from your outing with your sister-in-law and niece maybe twenty minutes ago but Guero figured things must have gone left when he heard you mumbling to yourself while he was drying off. He even called out to you through the crack of the door as he got dressed asking who you were talking to, since he didn’t see you on the phone and you didn’t hesitate to continue your rants.

“What she do this time?” Guero questions, knowing this tangent was aimed at your sister-in-law, since you only tolerated her and adored your niece.

Throwing the sheet against the mattress in frustration you whip around to face your boyfriend, “what doesn’t she do?! You know how she is.”

Guero nodded his head. He did in fact know how your sister-in-law was and he also didn’t care for her either—not just because you didn’t fuck with her but they got into a debate about guns that left a sour taste in Guero’s mouth. He didn’t have to engage with her much like you did but he definitely listened every time you vented that she annoyed the shit out of you…so in a sense she was still around him too.

He waited for you to continue as you began pacing now, “was I not tasked a week ago to get Ely her dress for the fall dance because her mother’s dumbass was too busy partying with her best friend of a mayor—who’s she’s probably screwing and my brother’s oblivious ass was too tied up with work?”

Eloise, or as you both called her, “Ely,” was your twelve year old niece that was just getting into fragrances and dresses—which was a complete contrast to her mother. It was no shock to you that her mother, Reagan put that off on you since she wasn’t the most stylish and didn’t really connect to her daughter in that way.

“Hell yeah you were,“ Guero said, “you were almost as excited as Ely was. What went down?”

You turned to work at the sheets again, straightening them out in the air and failing to get them to fit on the corners, “I go to this lunch date with them just to find out Reagan returned the dress! Said it was too inappropriate to wear to a middle school dance. And that I was trying to make Ely to look like a hoe since she’s already top heavy.”

Guero frowned, “the one you showed me a pic of? That little burgundy shit with the puff sleeves and flows at the bottom? I don’t get what was wrong with it? Ely looked pretty and happy in it.”

“Yes! Nothing was wrong with it! It wasn’t too tight or short. Reagan was all smiles when I dropped Ely off that night too, almost thankful that I got something done that her ass should have been doing.” You hissed and balled up the sheets out of frustration.

Guero stepped in then, gently prying the sheets from your hands to put the sheet on the bed correctly. It was something you mentioned on your first date that you were always criticized for not making your bed right as a kid so your potential significant other had to be down with at least putting the sheets on.

Childhood trauma was a true bitch…much like sister-in-law’s apparently.

Guero repeated, “So Reagan went and returned it?”

“Yeah and I think she truly did it out of spite because you won’t believe the dress she got Ely,” you informed with your arms crossed, watching as Guero put the sheets on with ease, “she’s gonna make my niece look like a pilgrim at that dance.”

Guero glanced at you, “that bad?”

“And I told her straight to her face when she showed me a video, that the dress Ely originally picked out was much more fitting than that floor length dress. I wasn’t rude about it or anything.”

“Floor-length? Nah, that’s crazy. What she say after that?”

“That I wouldn’t know the first thing about appropriate wear considering what I wore when I first met you.”

Guero furrowed his brows, “fuck is she getting at with that? We met at the damn fair in hot ass Arizona!”

“Exactly,” you agreed, “the fact that she even remembered that back then let’s me know that she’s been keeping tabs on me just to talk shit and probably about me to Ely too but I don’t care! She can run her mouth all she wants but don’t try to take your insecurities out on Ely. That’s when it becomes a problem for me.”

Regan was a jealous person, you peeped that from the first day you met her unwillingly at your seventeenth birthday party. She barely let your brother mingle alone without interjecting herself into their conversations and this was after she was already introduced to family and friends. You knew she wasn’t the person for your older brother, Kelvin but he insisted on settling for her after getting his heartbroken by an ex who cheated on him and fell in love with his (then) best friend during their college years. He didn’t give himself enough time to heal right before he was back into another relationship with the very set in her ways Reagan. There was a five year age gap between you and your brother and sure you didn’t understand it all back then but you were always aware that your brother tended to love long.

As siblings you didn’t always see eye to eye and when he did bring his serious significant others around you were open to them opposed to him who gave yours the third degree. Just because you were his little sister didn’t mean you wouldn’t look out for him either. The moment you expressed your doubts of Reagan being the woman of his dreams, he decides he’s going to propose to her despite their heavy arguments of not being trusting of each other or really in love.

Eloise wasn’t far behind after the wedding if you connect the dots.

It was odd to you that you always got scolded for voicing your opinions on your brother’s well-being by your parents, that you were always expected to keep your mouth shut and just follow along but that same energy was not reciprocated when it came to Kelvin. He was the older brother, he was “supposed,” to set the standard for you but at the same time you would always be different people.

Funny how that turned out now with your parents not wanting to be bothered with Reagan but preferred your four year going strong relationship with Javier “Guero,” Bardales.

“She’s the fucken worse,” Guero says fixing his side of the bed after you retrieved the duvet from the bay window seat, “was the kid messed up about it?”

“Oh absolutely, it was written all over her face and you know how she shields her true personality away when her mom’s around,” you say then clench your jaw which would probably trigger your TMJ later but you continue, “I’m so pissed with Reagan. Of course kids can’t always get their way but you don’t have to shit all over their enjoyment because of your own personal problems!”

“Did you tell Kel about it?” Guero smacks the pillow against the headboard, already sensing that was a lost cause.

He was just waiting for the day that Kel kicked Reagan to the curb. Now listen, Guero wasn’t down with divorce, given that his own parents went through it and it resulted in lost time Guero got to spend with his own dad but…Guero actually liked Kel, although he gave him shit from the very beginning he walked into your life but they grew to actually like each other. Guero had his own fun and deep conversations with Kel, noticing that he was also most like himself whenever Reagan wasn’t around. And one thing about Guero, if he saw someone he cared about being held back by someone else? he was always ready to do something about it; especially if the person was capable but taking too long to go through with some action.

Guero was a actions kinda guy.

“For what? That’s like talking to a brick wall and I’d rather save my breath.” You responded placing your hands on your hips before a smile spread over your lips.

Guero stared at the wicked expression on your face, “…what’d you do? We gotta hide the body?”

You snickered and then let out a sigh, “That time hasn’t come yet but my breaking point is among the Horizon I fear.”

Here you go with the dramatic stare off into the distance for a moment that it has Guero jumping onto the bed to get to you. The anticipation was bugging him and you were well aware as you kept smiling at him.

Resting your hands on his shoulders you said, “I went back and repurchased the dress and snipped the tags off. Reagan’s going away that same day as the dance to some conference in D.C. so obviously Ely’s gonna get ready here instead with her little girlies and non-binary friends.”

Guero wasn’t thrilled about some pre-teens being at his shared spot with you but the expression on your face made him ignore that.

“That’s what I’m talking’ about baby! Fuck what Bride of Chucky has to say, you’re more of a mother to Ely anyways.” Guero hyped you up as he gripped the sides of your neck to place a kiss right in between your brows.

You brushed your shoulders off, “and if she finds out and decides to get buck with me, I got something for that ass. She just doesn’t know that I’ve been counting on the day.”

Guero knew you meant that too and that made him smile. He was never above violence, it was always fuck around and find out in his mind. He’s been by your side for four years now and knew it took a lot to drive you to that point but he always encouraged you to speak up for yourself too since it was always conditioned for you to keep it all locked in.

Not when it came to Reagan though and he knew you had it in you, hearing of the fights you got into in your teenage years (one story consisted of: aged sixteen banging some girl’s face into the pavement, a story your father told him about—and another : aged thirteen with you jumping in to fight some older guys that tried to jump your brother at his high school graduation party—just to name two of Guero’s favorite stories) and a recent road rage incident that happened two years ago which almost sent Guero into cardiac arrest.

So his girl was never no pussy, don’t let the face fool you.

Guero instigated, “I dunno…ain’t she on a softball team?”

“She was until she fucked up her rotator cuff.” You gave the man a dark stare, “you think beer muscles scare me?”

Guero snickered and put his hands up in surrender, “relax baby, I’m just fucking with you. No need to go assassin on me.”

“You want me to be one so bad.” You rolled your eyes as Guero reaches out to slip his hands over your hips.

He has no shame in his game as he nods his heads at you, “oh yeah, listen it’ll be the dream costume, huh?”

“You just want to see me in more leather.”

“Yeah I do.” Guero laughs before nipping your bottom lip.

You flick your French curls over your shoulder as you drape your wrists behind Guero’s head, leaning to brush your lips against his ear you state, “that’s just too bad, daddy.”

Guero let out a groan as you untangle yourself from him, hand going right to his chest, almost as if you just stabbed him while he flops back onto the bed. “Such a tease and these are the things I get when I just made the damn bed?”

“Oh the horror! Oh the bare minimum!” You joke as you plop on the edge of the king sized bed after locating the remote for the mounted flat screen, “that’s what you get for not being my bone daddy last year.”

Guero sits up on his elbows, “you’re still pressed about that? Baby I got enough art on my skin already, now why would you want to decorate this handsome face? Which is my best art piece.” He winks at you as you scoff at him from over your shoulder.

Shushing the man, you don’t grant him with a response as the movie begins to roll the credits and you start to bounce from side to side at the music.

Guero glares at the tv, “please, I’m begging you. Don’t make me watch the nightmare before Christmas again.”

Ever since late September hit, you started off with the light hearted fall themed movies first. This was your third time now watching the nightmare before Christmas and Halloween wasn’t even near! Now if Guero suggested watching something like, “Terrifier,” then you’d be ready to kick him out the house or go sleep at a friend’s instead.

“This is my comfort movie, let me vibe.”

Guero sighs, sitting up to sit beside you to glance at the screen before settling his eyes back on you. It had to be a good solid two minutes of Guero just watching you that even when you tried to grip his chin to face the tv again, he wouldn’t budge.

Stubborn ass.

“You know, I could be your comfort too.” He places his hand right on your thigh.

“Don’t worry you already are,” you say eyes still locked on the screen with your fingers holding onto his jaw, “if you weren’t, I would have been dropped your ass.”

Guero breathed out a laugh as he quickly gets to his feet and yanks you up, “Oh so like this?”

Before you can even process what’s happening, you’re being lifted over Guero’s shoulder just to be slammed right back onto the bed. “You’ll never be my Roman reigns.” You puffed out.

Guero kisses his biceps before turning his expression serious, “and he’ll never get to touch this belt, which will always be mine just so you know.”

You smirk up at Guero as he gets to work unfastening the belt on your low-rise jeans.

And when you’re bare, exposed to the fall chilliness in the air of your bedroom, you keep your eyes on Guero as he places open-mouthed kisses with his incredibly soft lips against your lower belly. He trails a feather-like touch against the side of your ass as he knocked your right thigh to the side so he can get better adjusted.

“Whatchu looking at me for? Eyes on the movie, remember babe?” Guero says with his lips right above your throbbing center.

His reaches a hand right between the valley of your pale pink sweater covered breasts to grip your jaw to tilt upwards instead.

You weren’t sure how this man thought you were supposed to be focused on the iconic film when there were so many sensations going on. From the light scratches of the copper leaves against the bedroom window, the softness of the moss colored duvet, the theatrics of the soundtrack playing from the classic animation film, and the firm but solace grip of a loved one’s touch…it was all just what you needed to get by.

⛓𓌹*♰*𓌺⛓ ⛓𓌹*♰*𓌺⛓ ⛓𓌹*♰*𓌺⛓ ⛓𓌹*♰*𓌺⛓

Continue with my fall anthology prompts here.

[blushweddinggowns]

The night before his first day of his second senior year Eddie was sincerely considering just dropping out. And if he could just figure out how to forge a High School Diploma he would have by now. Because the thought of going to that hellhole without Steve was making him feel sick, for more reasons than one. 

Obviously, he was just going to miss being around him, as fucked up as that was. He was still going to be the first thing he saw every morning and the last thing when he woke up. 

He would still get to monopolize his time outside of classes and it had already been agreed upon that the weekends were now solely for them, other friends and responsibilities be damned. That one had been Steve’s idea, even going as far as demanding that Eddie come bother him at work for at least half his shift on the days he couldn’t get out of it. That still didn’t feel like enough. Even if it would have to be. 

It’s just… Steve’s presence was so damn comforting. The thought of having to go through the mundanity of high school all over again without him made him feel sick. Though, Eddie would be lying if it wasn’t good practice for when they were out on their own. It wasn’t like they could be glued to each other’s sides when they both had jobs to worry about. 

But that didn’t mean he had to like it. 

That wasn’t even mentioning the bigger, more obvious issue was that Eddie wouldn’t be around to make sure Steve didn’t accidentally kill himself. For six hours out of the day, he’d be completely out of the loop, utterly oblivious to any of the dangers his angel had a knack for putting himself in. 

Part of him understood that no, it wasn’t reasonable to expect to know where your boyfriend was every hour of the day. The average person would definitely think he was insane for that. But the average person didn’t live above a literal hellscape. They didn’t have nightmares of monsters tearing their future husband apart. He had earned the right to be paranoid, even if it could potentially get in the way of the whole graduating thing. 

It wasn’t helping that he had already skipped the first official day, a fact that he was currently paying for. 

“Syllabus day doesn’t count,” Eddie argued for the tenth time, trying and failing to avoid Steve’s glare, “Don’t look at me like that, it doesn’t!”

He had his head against Steve’s stomach, both of them sprawled out on his bed. Steve was running his hands through Eddie’s hair, comforting despite the fact that he was in the middle of a lecture. 

Steve rolled his eyes, “Have you ever heard the phrase ‘Nobody got fired for kissing ass?’ That’s the mentality you should have right now.”

Eddie hated that he was right. He hated how actually trying this time was unavoidable. Not when both Wayne and Steve believed that he could graduate. The sincerity of that belief was powerful enough to have him actually doing this shit all over again. 

Why were the two people he loved the most like this?

He had been pouting about it all night, and there was only so much coddling Steve could do to make him feel better. Because now he had to do this shit without him, which was a whole new brand of hell that Eddie wasn’t sure he was ready for. 

The cuddling was helping a little bit though. 

“It’s only nine months,” Steve said for probably the third time, leaning down to kiss the top of his head, “And then we’re out of here. I know you can do it.”

“I’m only doing it for you two,” Eddie mumbled like he hadn’t already said that a million times “If I fail again I’m just going for the GED. I’m not doing this shit three fucking times.”

“I wouldn’t ask you to,” Steve reassured, “When July hits we’re out of here, no matter what.”

“How am I supposed to keep an eye on you when I’m gone six hours a day?” Eddie whined, some of that sincere fear that he had creeping into his voice, “Because I swear to god, if you get into some supernatural shit while I’m at school I’m going to freak the fuck out.”

Steve rolled his eyes, like Eddie was the crazy one here. Never mind the flesh spider monsters and Russian torture, “Well… if you keep an eye on Dustin it’s basically the same thing right? He’s the one that keeps getting me involved.”

Eddie sighed, pushing away his hands to clamor into Steve’s lap with a frown, “I’m serious Steve.”

But Steve wasn’t taking him seriously. He was just cooing at him, sitting up so he could wrap his arms around Eddie’s waist, “I’d be able to take you a lot more seriously if you weren’t so cute when you pout.”

Eddie knew that he was trying to make him smile, but Eddie refused to crack. It wasn’t funny. He didn’t get it, how terrifying it was to realize how close the love of his life had come to dying without him. Eddie hoped he never would, he hoped nothing ever bad happened to him again. Or at the least, nothing fucking life-threatening. Was that so much to ask for?

That didn’t stop Steve from continuing to keep things light. “Baby come on. The Upside Down shit is over. How will I get myself into trouble? I go to like four, five places. I’m too boring to get murdered nowadays.”

Eddie frowned, deciding to hold his tongue. Though in all honesty… he wasn’t so sure that all of that Upside Down shit was over.  He didn’t like thinking about it much, but so far every fucking time they had thought they had won, something else happened. Once a year for three years didn’t make him feel that hopeful for the fourth, despite how many governmental reassurances they got. It was kind of horrifying when you got right down to it, and acknowledging the possibility of it at all was almost enough to send him into a panic attack. 

He shoved the thoughts back down, grumbling instead, “Well you seem to keep finding a way.”

Steve, the little shit, had the audacity to roll his damn eyes at him. He put a hand to his chest, dramatically making the sign of the cross, “I swear to God, I won’t do anything dangerous without you again. Scout’s honor.”

The sentiment was cute enough to finally force Eddie to smile. Even though that wasn’t even close to good enough for him, “How about you never do anything dangerous, ever?”

At least Steve had the good grace not to lie to him. Steve sighed, batting his eyelashes at him like being cute could magically fix all of his worries, “Not if given the choice?”

“It’s not funny, Steve,” Eddie said, completely unimpressed at his attempts to appease him, “If something happens to you while I’m fucking around in chemistry class… it’s gonna kill me.”

He wasn’t… trying to make Steve’s fucked up experiences about him. But his angel was too much of a self-sacrificing idiot to get it unless he did. To his credit, it did seem to work. Steve was instantly softening, a tiny frown on his face as he hugged Eddie to him a little tighter with one arm. 

“Eddie, look at me,” Steve softly demanded, gently putting two fingers on his chin to turn his face up, turning his face up, “I’m going to be fine, okay? Trust me, I wouldn’t do that to you again. No more near-death experiences. I promise. You trust me don’t you?”

That was a trick question, but that didn’t mean Eddie didn’t fall for it, “Of course I do! But-”

“No buts,” Steve interrupted, leaning in to press a light kiss to his mouth, “I’ll be fine. And so will you. Then we’ll be out of this town once and for all.” 

That would have to be enough. He was right anyway, there was nothing Eddie could do about it but trust him. Though that didn’t mean he couldn’t pout about it. 

Eddie sighed, deciding the best course of action was to hide his face into Steve’s neck, “I’m going to do it. Really. I just don’t want to.”

Steve was quiet for a moment, gnawing on his bottom lip before finally nodding to himself. He tangled his hand into Eddie’s hair, gently forcing him away from his hiding spot to look at him. He looked a little nervous, which was kind of odd. Maybe even suspicious. 

Eddie was already on horny alert by the time Steve opened his mouth, “Maybe you just need a little incentive?”

Eddie cocked his head at him, confused, “What do you mean?”

“I’ll show you,” Steve said as he carefully pushed Eddie off of him, “Wait here.” 

Eddie watched him go, still confused but also a little excited. If Steve had something up his sleeve that would make this shit slightly more motivating, Eddie was happy to hear about it. 

Though… it sure was taking him a while. A solid ten minutes went by without a peep.  Eddie sighed as he fiddled with his rings, naturally impatient for Steve to just come back already. 

“Bored already?” Steve softly laughed from the doorway. 

Eddie rolled his eyes, a bitchy comment on the tip of his tongue as he looked up. A comment that instantly withered when he took the image of him fully in. 

What the fuck, what the fuck, what the fuck. 

From the newest (updated!) Chapter of this fic