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askthechronoverse · 8 months ago

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Kit was awoken by the sound of boots above her head. Blinking sleep out of her eyes, she floated toward the sound. Just beyond her bedroom door, a trapdoor was open in the ceiling with a ladder that led up to an attic. She climbed the ladder silently, the scene that revealed itself at the top keeping her to the spot.

"... 'll go with you on the whole 'change my appearance when I die' thing. But how is he back? I thought you sealed him away in a pocket dimension?" The only person Kit could see was Lucy, but it was clear the boots wouldn't have come from her. A woman's voice clumsily followed up on the question, though it did sound very confident and draped with an accent Kit had never heard before.

"Well, I wouldn't say he's back, exactly. This doesn't quite feel like what happened last time. All I know is that I've been getting multiple signals from multiple universes crying for help because they were attacked by someone with a big glowy stick. Now, I know many people with big glowy sticks but everything else seems to add up to deja vu all over again." The woman's voice was highly energetic now and going at a speed Kit could barely follow. "I tried to get the rest of the gang back together, but Batman is having issues with the Joker that he can't stray away from and a Gandalf with a far brighter looking outfit needs to ensure that Middle Earth is safe and refuses to leave. What about you, WyldStyle? Shall we team up one last time for a multiversal adventure?"

"Normally, I'd jump at the chance to go kick some butt, especially now that we've been at peace here for decades now. It's just… You came at a really bad time. One of my closest friends is probably going to prison and if what you're saying is true, I need to stay here to make sure that everything I've built doesn't come crashing down. I'm sorry. You need to find someone else." There was a longing hidden among those words like a neon light in a dark room.

"You don't sound terribly certain. But I do understand your reasoning. I do. I see you have my number right there. That number hasn't changed, even though I have. If you do feel the need to reach me, just call that number and Bob's your uncle, I will be right by your side with my TARDIS, ready to whisk you away to adventure." The boots thudded energetically against the floor, but the sound left the air far too quickly for her to have left by normal means. The sound that came next hurt her ears, like a machine ripping through something unrippable. Kit slid down the ladder and headed back to bed.

Lucy was already out the door by the time Kit had woken up the next morning. She floated to the kitchen and saw her name written on a note on the refrigerator. She read it without taking it off of the fridge:

Charmy,

I had to leave early for work because of an emergency. Please make sure you keep Kit, Vito, and Bellamy out of trouble.

Mom

Kit looked around for some toaster waffles and, after successfully finding some, threw them in the toaster. The voice from last night echoed in her mind. Something was happening. Was it the same something that scared her father?

Her mind didn't register the transition between going to the kitchen and heading up the ladder to the attic. She also couldn't register Vito's cries to climb down and his calls for his sister. The attic was full of all kinds of weapons and wanted posters for various criminals that were perforated with holes. At the center of everything was a corkboard. At the center of that was a note with a phone number and "The Doctor" written in Lucy's handwriting. She took a picture of the note with the camera of her father's phone.

"What are you do… Huh? What is all this?" Charmy picked up a shield made out of an ancient stop sign.

"I don't know. But I think Aunt Lucy knows something. Also, this … doctor." Kit pointed to the note. "You know what ? I think I'm going to give the doctor a call."

"No. Whatever… this… is has to do with Mom. I say you talk to her before you call random doctors." Charmy stated pointedly, though it wasn't clear to Kit how much of this was an act or a serious suggestion.

"No. If this doctor has answers-!" Kit's voice was more urgent now, but Charmy cut her off.

"What are you gonna tell them, Kit? 'Hi, I found your number in my aunt's secret weapon storage'? No. Talk to Mom. She wouldn't keep something big from us." Charmy kept her cool, not seeing the flash of pain behind Kit's eyes when she mentioned secrets.

"I think she is. It sounds like she knows something that she thinks she needs to protect us from. Charmy, I'm not sure she's going to tell us."

"Come on. She told me she'll be home soon. Wait for her, OK? If she says nothing useful… then we can call this doctor." Kit seemed to slump, knowing she had lost this argument, though a glint in Charmy's eyes cast doubt on the older teen's intentions. "Now, let's get out of the forbidden attic arsenal." She practically pushed Kit out of the attic and to the living room, where the others waited for Kit and Charmy to return.

“Let’s go outside, Char.” Vito gestured to the door. “I don’t wanna waste our summer vacation in the house.”

“Sounds good to me!” Charmy clapped her hands together. “There's no sense waiting here for Mom! Let's go to the park!” At least part of this was aimed at Kit, who gripped her bag with understanding.

The four friends left the house and began heading for the local park. Kit and Bellamy were floored with how same feeling all of the streets and buildings they passed were. The occasional billboard showed advertisements for doctor's offices and other boring businesses. Some did slow their stride to watch Kit, most of the people around town seemed to keep to themselves as they moved around on their way. At an intersection, Bellamy tried to cross the street but had to tumble quickly to avoid a line of cars rushing past with no regard for pedestrian welfare. Vito cleared his throat and jabbed a knit covered finger up at the crosswalk light, which had only just signaled that they could walk across the street.

The group eventually found themselves walking through the iron threshold of a small park. The sign above the gate proclaimed that the park was called Sunrise Park from in front of an ornate iron made sun. Kit scanned her surroundings and shook her head in absolute disbelief. The park was pretty, she had to concede. But it wasn't as beautiful as Flowery Park. Instead of being a sea of flowers, this park was mostly grass with the occasional shrub, tree, and flower combination. Before them was a statue of an angel spilling a jar of water into a pool surrounding her. Benches surrounded this water fixture and a few older minidolls and minifigures fed the pigeons around them. Charmy trotted a few yards behind the statue where some other kids were playing kickball. After talking to the oldest in the group, she gestured for the other three to come over and join the game. She introduced Kit and Bellamy to each kid and the four split up into opposing teams. Some of the minidoll and minifigure kids did eye Kit’s cowlick and her floating with curiosity, but they ultimately didn't pass judgment on her as they played. Kit found that her worries about her dad vanished as the game progressed.

The kids played until around noon, when the neighborhood kids began to filter out to get lunch. Some of the parents who noticed Kit ushered their children out of the park quickly. She could hear these parents whisper, debating among themselves, wondering how close this child looked to her infamous father. Some of the more brazen minifigures and mini dolls pulled out their phones and compared what they saw on the screen to her face. She threw the hood of her hoodie over her head, using the drawstring to pull it tight.

The four friends walked back home, talking more animatedly about what summer vacation was going to look like now that the two Unikingdomers were there. Once they got home, Vito turned the TV on to the local news.

After a weather report that forecasted the rest of the week to be damp and misty, the news spoke of a parade happening over the weekend to honor the career of General Sweet Mayhem, which the impossibly pretty newscaster hoped wouldn't be postponed because of the rain. It quickly moved on to other topics that seemed to interest the hosts more.

“And now we turn to the main story. Rex Dangervest’s trial has been set to start in just a few hours and will be the first one held at the Awntawp Correctional Center by Unitron's top brass and the Queen's appointed judge. Since it's being held out there, we probably aren't going to see the trial live, though Chief Starhawk does want to make this trial an example for other space criminals who think they can get away from the law.” Her cohost chuckled in a way that made Kit’s stomach churn.

“I wonder if Queen Unikitty is going to be taken in as well. You heard the chief yesterday: she was harboring that evil man for decades! Can you believe how-!” Kit quickly snatched the remote and turned the TV off, face turning red.

As if the TV had sent a special signal crying for help, Lucy came through the front door with a loud thud. Charmy ran to her mother, stopping just short of a foot or so when she noticed how the light in her mother's eyes was dim.

"Are you okay?" The question tumbled from the young adult's lips as she moved aside to let her mother flop down on the couch's lower level.

"I'm just tired. Sometimes, I wonder why the Assembly is full of so many stubborn men. Can you do me a favor and make something for lunch for everybody?" Charmy gave her mother a quick nod and rushed into the kitchen to see what ingredients they had left in the pantry. Lucy looked over to Kit, who was staring at her expectantly. "Is there something you need, kiddo?" The nickname made Kit waver for just a moment. While she took a second to gather her thoughts again, Lucy turned on the TV and, when Rex’s name was mentioned, changed the channel to a cooking show. While the chef, a tan skinned creature with thick light brown eyebrows and a similarly thick mustache speaking with an accent that was barely understandable, danced around his kitchen to poppy electronic music, Kit found her voice.

"Who is the doctor?" The question made Lucy almost choke.

"Where did you hear that name?” Lucy’s reaction came strong and explosive, punctuated with a long, rough sigh. “They are a very mysterious person that you really shouldn't know anything about." She stretched her arms behind her back before continuing. "Why do you ask?"

"I just heard Dad mention the name once.” Kit paused, choosing what she wanted to reveal carefully. “He was talking to Uncle Emmet about somebody attacking his raptors before we left. He said he saw portals on security camera footage." Kit surprised herself at how well she was able to hide how she was feeling as she spoke.

"Portals?" Lucy was also keeping a decent poker face. If she knew anything, Kit couldn't see it on her face. "That could be anything. Your father has a lot of enemies, enemies with super advanced technology."

"Does that include this doctor?"

"That I don't know. What I do know is that you probably should go find your cousin and your friend and tell them both that lunch should be ready soon." Lucy turned back to the TV, finalizing the end of the conversation. Kit turned the TV off and Lucy gave her a stern look.

"My dad was scared, Aunt Lucy. I need to know what's going on." Kit was firm.

"You are just like him. Definitely your father's daughter. If he wanted to tell you more, he would have."

"He didn't know! He had to call Uncle Emmet about it!" Her voice was raised in exasperation.

"Neither of them would know! Emmet was barely involved! It's something only me and MetalBeard know anything about!" The words were in the air before Lucy realized what she said and hung for a while, thick and heavy. She quickly recovered from the shock and turned the TV back on. "Go find Vito and Bellamy. I'm sure your fathers give me full permission to ground you if you keep this up." Kit started her search in the kitchen with an angry aura.

"I heard Mom yelling. I assume that didn't go well?" Charmy stirred a pot full of mac and cheese as Kit shook her head. "Guess you have to give it up." She winked. "If you have to make a call, use your dad's phone outside. Bellamy is out there meditating anyway." Kit nodded wordlessly and headed for the backyard. She sat on the double decker porch swing and pulled her dad’s phone out of her bag, punching in what she thought was the passcode. After trying Richard's birthday and failing, she was able to get in with hers. She found the photo of the mysterious phone number and dialed it carefully. The women's voice from the previous night answered after several impossibly long rings.

"It's about time I heard back from you. Do you know how hard it is to find another type 40 to swap with the one you stole behind my back? Now I know you're not calling me to apologize… Unless… What year is it for you? Have you settled down in the Unikingdom yet? I'm fairly certain that is the timeline I'm currently in. It has to be if you're calling me. You can't exactly call me from non-existence." The voice didn't seem to take a single breath. “Congratulations on the whole settling down thing, by the way! You made a good move doing that instead of -!”

"Are you a doctor?" The woman paused when the voice she heard didn't match the voice she was expecting. Kit could almost hear the gears whirling in the woman's head.

"OH! I know what part of the timeline you're in! I was always expecting this number to call me, but I was hoping it would be from someone else. Is he still in possession of that type 40?" This voice talked so fast, it was hard for the teenager to interject. "I suppose it doesn't matter at this point. The poor girl served a purpose and I have heard he's been doing some good things with the gift he was given. A shame he had to play the part he played before he could do that, but we all have our roles to play at the end of the day. Oh right! You asked me a very good question. The answer is yes, sort of. I am The Doctor. The definitive article, you might say.”

"How do you know so much about my dad?" Kit scratched her head. She looked over to Bellamy, who was deep within meditation.

"He had a child as well! Brilliant! Responsibility. I am a little curious how you got this number. Don't think this would be something Mr. No One I Can Trust But Me would have programmed in his phone."

"I found it when I was exploring my aunt's house. I took a picture with my dad's phone." The poor girl was surprised to be able to get a word in edgewise.

"For a man who chooses the most convoluted way to solve his problems, he knows how to raise a very clever girl! I know you know your father's a time traveler, so this question won't seem strange: what year is this? What important things are going on around you?"

"It’s… the 25th year of the Unikittiean Era. My dad's in jail, about to stand trial. Something attacked his raptors and tore apart his office, something that came in a portal."

"I see. That is very helpful. I believe I know fully what part of the timeline we're in now, and it's good that you called. Because I know I'm going to need some help and I have a feeling the daughter of a time traveler would be just the sort of companion I need for this adventure. Can you meet me at the old brickyard in a place called Morph's Landing? You can bring your friends if you'd like. The more the merrier I say! But I would like you to meet me after dark. If you can't come, just give me another call. I'm hoping I can convince you to come, but maybe you take after your other parent a little bit more than you take after your rebellious father." And with that, the line went silent and disconnected.

"Who were ya talkin' to, Kit?" Bellamy got up from their seat on the grass. It wasn't clear to Kit how long her self-proclaimed bodyguard was listening.

"I'll talk about it later. I'm supposed to tell you that we have lunch ready. I need to make another call, though." When Bellamy left, she looked through the contacts. She didn't have to go far to find what she needed. After half a ring, someone picked up.

"Hello?" The familiar monotone was comforting. "Is this Catherine?"

“Hey, Papa! How is Dad holding up?" Kit's voice shook, barely able to control or contain her emotions.

"Your father is doing as well as can be expected under the circumstances. They currently have him held in a holding cell on Awntawp. Unfortunately, that's where I am as well. Not in the holding cell, mind you. On this miserable little planet. Unitron needs a better decorator." Kit chuckled. It was good to see that her father was able to make a joke despite how stressed out he sounded. "I needed to hear you laugh more than you would know. Your father is constantly thinking about you. As am I."

"Is Dad coming home anytime soon?"

"I doubt it. It seems like Unitron wants a long and messy trial, judging by how they speak to us. There are a lot of people on your father's side that are willing to stake their reputation on defending him, so I don't believe-" his words are cut off by something Kit couldn't hear. The response to this interruption was muffled, but Kit could make out "Catherine" and "my Beloved". After a little while, Richard returned fully to the phone line. "Your father says hello and not to worry about him. He loves you very much. It's against the rules of the prison for me to give the phone to him." Kit could hear a muffled version of her father's voice shout "I love you, Kitten!"

"Tell Dad I love him too. I'm still going to worry though. The way things have been sounding on the news, they want to…" Kit took a breath to hold back tears.

"I know. Your father isn't popular around here. It's made a lot worse by how antagonistic people have been around him. Maybe this is why he never took us to Syspocalypstar." Richard sighed, though the sound could only just be heard. "I'm going to be here for a while as part of your father's legal defense. Lucy already knows this. Please be good. I know this is going to sound unfair, but you are your father's best foot forward right now. Maybe if they see that he did a good job raising you, people will be kinder."

"I'll try, Papa. Love you." Kit tried not to let her heartbreak show her voice, but the way her hand held her bag and the tears forming in the corners of her eyes called her bluff.

"I love you too, my lucky charm. I'll call when I'm able. I am so glad your father had the foresight to give you his phone. Goodbye." When the phone disconnected this time, Kit was left staring at the home screen, the wallpaper now another photo of her riding a carousel at a carnival when she was practically a baby. She pushed the phone into her bag and walked inside where everyone in the house was sitting at the kitchen table with bowls of steaming hot mac and cheese.

"Who were you talking to?" Lucy asked, patting the seat next to her. Her face was unreadable as Kit sat down and grabbed a ketchup bottle to slather the contents over the top of the noodles.

"Papa. I miss them, Aunt Lucy." Kit began to pick at her food.

"I'm sure your father was happy to hear from you. Did he say anything about…" Lucy let herself trail off.

"Yeah. He said that Dad missed me."

"Of course he does. He loves you so much." Lucy ate a heaping spoonful of food before glancing back at Kit. "Sorry for yelling at you earlier. I'm under a lot of stress. I know you are too. None of this is easy for anyone here." Kit nodded.

"It's OK, Aunt Lucy." The five ate in relative silence for a while. After what felt like a lifetime, Lucy spoke up again.

"I have to leave after this to do some work. Charmy, I'm going to be super late. Please don't wait for me to put everyone to bed.” The oldest of the children nodded a short nod. Conversation turned to something a bit less pressing after this. Almost immediately after the empty bowls were taken away and put in the sink, Lucy took her leave and left for parts unknown. Bellamy waited for the sound of Lucy's car to leave the driveway before speaking.

"You weren't just talkin' to Regent B, Kit. Who was that?" Bellamy got up first and started to do the dishes. "Come on. Help me dry." Kit grabbed a towel and stood next to her friend. Vito and Charmy remained in their seats, but turned to the two with focused interest.

"I found an armory Aunt Lucy has in the attic last night. She was talking to a lady, this Doctor. The Doctor knows Dad and asked me to meet her at a brickyard at some place called Morph's Landing." Kit opened her mouth to continue, but Charmy replied to her cousin with a sparkle in her eyes.

"Morph's Landing is the historical district. Some of the buildings there are dated from all the way back when the Realms were separate." Charmy tapped her chin. "What could be all the way out there in an old brickyard?"

"That's what I want to find out. I'm going to do it. She said my friends could come too, so I guess she's expecting all of us?"

"No way are we going." Vito waved a hand in horizontal cutting motion. "Mom's going to wonder where we snuck off to. Charmy, remember when you tried to sneak into that Fifth Harmeowny concert?"

"Yeah… but come on! Staying here would be like Dad reporting Mom when they first met: the boring option! This could be a call to adventure! The quest I've been waiting all my life for!" Her eyes were still shining, still gleaming with a light that was hard to look at head on.

"If Kit is going, I need to as well. I have my orders and those orders are to guard her body." Bellamy finished the last bowl and passed it to Kit. “I don't care what the rest of you do.”

"Looks like you're outnumbered, little bro." Charmy sang out. "Come on! Mom's gonna be gone a while and I have enough money for a taxi!" Charmy ran upstairs.

"How is she older than me?" Vito got up from his chair. He walked to the fridge and flipped the long irrelevant note over, writing a note of his own.

Mom

Went to show Kit around Morph's Landing.

We might be late. Love you

Charmy.

"It amazes me how you can do that." Kit glanced at the note and whistled.

"Yeah. Charmy's handwriting isn't hard to copy." He shrugged and dug through some cabinets. His search was successful, as he came back with granola bars. He shoved them in Kit's bag as Charmy passed.

"Alright, gang! Let's get to Morph's Landing!" She was out the front door before the sentence was finished. A taxi was waiting for them on the side of the road, possibly having been called in Charmy's frantic state. The four piled into the back and the taxi sped away.

The taxi pulled in front of a large iron gate in almost no time at all. Kit honestly wondered if it would have been cheaper to walk for how fast the ride was, but figured something in Charmy's head was prioritizing their safety over the quickly darkening world around them. When they got out, Kit surveyed the gate in full. On the top in the middle of an iron arch was a faded and rusting sign that had a fluffy and blue cat in a construction hat giving a wave in one paw and holding a sledgehammer over his shoulder in the other. She could barely make out the words 'Morph's Landing Construction and Supply. Octan's only approved construction contractor'. The iron arch made Kit feel like she could get tetanus just by looking at it wrong, but there was something intricate and beautiful about its construction despite this.

"Alright. Let's do this." Kit took a mitten out of her bag, put it on, and pushed the ironwork door. She headed for a nondescript gray brick building, walls covered in English ivy and its dingy windows miraculously managing to bathe the wild, weed infested grass under them in a blue light.

#⌈the ashes of disaster drift to you⌋ ⋆❈⋆ ⌈days of oblivion⌋#⌈the newspaper isn't antiquated⌋ ⋆❈⋆ ⌈writings⌋

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lowercases-and-capitals-blog · 2 years ago

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eeaao

Yesterday I tried to watch your favorite movie and I couldn’t make it through five minutes of it. I sobbed and I missed you, I still do. You and I started watching it on your couch and Tyson snuggled with us and I was petting his chin and he looked like he was smiling and he was relaxing and it was so cute. I was laying on your lap and you had just made us a bunch of pancakes. I don’t even like pancakes but I like you so I was grateful to eat them with you. You had to get up for a moment and I paused the movie and you told me that it was okay, and not to- because you had seen it several times before but I wanted to watch it WITH you fully. Even now I don’t think I’ll ever be able to get through that film without you. I will likely never watch it unless we meet again but I did buy you a really awesome True Romance poster. It is from a company called Deadly Prey Gallery. All of the artists who are featured by this gallery are from Ghana and most of, if not all of the proceeds go to supporting their art program and progressive and comprehensive art programs in Africa. I also got you a cool hat that I was very excited to give to you but I never saw you again. The day I got you the hat we had a very bad argument on the phone and I don’t remember how it started but I know I regret it more than most anything I have in a very long time. I miss you, so terribly. You didn’t like when I touched your face, and you didn’t like when I called you a goofball, and you didn’t like when I bit your lip when I kissed you and it was a bad habit, and I was too loud and annoying for you, and I called and texted too much, but I really did care and I still do care so much about you. It’s difficult for me to think about the hat because it reminds me of the rain hat your dad got you, not because they are similar, but because when I crashed your birthday party you showed everyone your fun new hat and even put it on my head for a minute and I couldn’t stop smiling. I so badly wanted to know you more and as fate would have it, I got to be closer than ever before to you that evening. That was almost two months ago, you didn’t invite me to the birthday party you actually threw for yourself, but I guess I don’t blame you. I didn’t really know you well. I think I drove to my mom’s house that night but I thought of you the whole time. I went to New York the next day and ice skated, but again I couldn’t get you out of my head.

I even went to the movies tonight and saw something very thought provoking and all it did was make me sob, in the movie theater. I haven’t seen you in exactly one month... which feels very bitter to me. One month ago at this very moment I was laying in your bed next to you and I was so very lucky to hold you. ALSO because this is a real life blog and I think it’s a sign to just move on from you and leave you alone, I want you to know that as I was writing this, of all of the places in my house the most GIGANTIC SCARY FREAKY SPIDER I THINK I HAVE EVER SEEN just descended down directly into my lap and it made me a little less sad for a minute but still there are very few things I can do right now to subside the misery that comes along with losing someone you believe that you love. You are a monument of beauty and humility. I was so lucky to experience your vulnerability and to share moments with you where I could hold you closely. When I felt you in my arms, the only thought that ran through my head was, “I never want to let you go”.

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m1kedefendr · 2 years ago

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im just letting you all know that s1 literally established that Mike’s feelings for Will went beyond friendship. That they had a special bond. Mike and Joyce were the two people that cared THE MOST about finding Will. Mike literally convinced Dustin and Lucas to look for Will. Mike let a random girl he found in the woods STAY AT HIS HOUSE INSTEAD OF SENDING HER AWAY (like he said he would) JUST BECAUSE SHE SAID SHE COULD HELP FIND WILL.

s2 further pushed this because yeah maybe Mike spent 353 days trying to call El on the walkie talkie, but he literally NOTICED EVERY SMALL THING ABOUT WILL ACTING DIFFERENT. FUCKING CRAZY TOGETHER HAPPENED? HE WENT TO WILLS HOUSE AND BEGGED JOYCE TO LET HIM IN. HE STAYED BY WILLS SIDE AT HIS HOUSE, SLEEPING ON HIS FLOOR. HE LITERALLY TOLD WILL HE WAS A SUPER SPY AND HELD HIS FUCKING HAND. HE STAYED IN THE HOSPITAL/LAB WITH WILL EVEN THOUGH HE WAS FUCKING POSSESSED AND TRYING TO MURDER EVERYONE. HE WATCHED THEM TRY TO EXORCISE IT OUT OF WILL WITH HEAT. HE TOLD WILL THAT ASKING HIM TO BE HIS FRIEND WAS THE BEST THING THAT EVER HAPPENED WITH NO BACKGROUND NOISE OR MUSIC AND NO ONE ELSE EVER IN THE SHOT. HE LOOKED JEALOUS WHEN WILL DANCED WITH THAT GIRL AT THE SNOWBALL, LOOK AT THE SCENE. HIM AND DUSTIN ARE MAKING THE SAME FACE. ALSO ITS BASICALLY HIM AND JOYCE WORKING TOGETHER TO HELP WILL??

s3 looks like a shit show but IT HAS HINTS. The mall and movie scene with Lumax? Lucas said he was spending romantic time with Max… with Byler? The way Mike KNOWS Will is feeling something in the theater. the way Mike uses his Will voice. THE WAY THEY BOTH BLUSH? Also we can see Mike and El not being very into each other outside of just kissing (which El takes the lead in, ironically). The way Mike is with Will (and lucas) the entire time after lying to El and after she broke up with him. The way Mike looked at El confused when she broke up with him, but made his way across town in the rain to find Will and apologize. The best hint in s3? “Not Possible” and “I love you, too” scenes. Mike’s SMILE when Will says “not possible” to joining another party?? Come ON. Then right after that, his entire awkward demeanor with El. from the rambling about Christmas, to when she asks him if he remembers what he said in the cabin. Then when she says she loves him and kisses him, he stands there with his eyes wide open and he looks shocked. he looks confused, and even after she leaves he looks lost. When the moving truck is pulling away he looks absolutely devastated, but he still looks a bit confused and extremely lost. When he’s hugging his mom, he looks like his whole world crashed down on him. As if he hasn’t been fighting off monsters for the past two years, it looks like Will leaving crushed his entire spirit.

s4 was just so gay it’s not even funny. I’ve talked about Mike in s4 before so I’ll try to keep this short, but my guy’s room. One Way sign pointing to his closet. Buff men on posters. Cmon. The way he dresses fits him a lot, and he seems comfortable and happy in it, but the moment he’s in california he’s wearing the most heinous thing i’ve EVER seen in my life. Bro really said “fuck i gotta play the straight boyfriend roll!!” and threw together an outfit blindfolded bc he clearly can’t pretend very well. He is barely paying attention to El once he notices Will, but then acts all “hey dude broooo can’t hug that’s gay” with him?? As if he didn’t hold this mf so tight and sobbed before he moved away?? Rink-O-Mania was basically Mike staring at Will but never talking to him, then getting mad at Will for not telling him his girlfriend lied to him and being all sad the whole day (after his gf got publicly humiliated in front of the entire rink, even the DJ was in on it) Then got mad at his GF for rightfully sticking up for herself? Cant even WRITE his GF that he loves her. Fights her on THAT and calls her ridiculous, but apologizes to Will for their argument. Tells him he didn’t deserve any of it. Tells him HAWKINS ISNT THE SAME WITHOUT HIM (which basically confirms that Mike was so devastated at the end of s3 because of Will leaving, not El). Then the rest of it is mainly two gay boys pining after each other up until the junk yard (idk there were lots of cars, maybe grave digging scene is better, but i’m thinking of after digging when they’re sitting on a car) scene, where Mike literally says he should’ve just said the words she wanted to hear cuz maybe he’d be with her. He doesn’t love her, he just wants to make sure she’s safe. as he does with all the people he cares about. Then the van scene, the boy is literally staring at Will with heart eyes. He smiles so wide when he unrolls the painting, and he looks disappointed when Will talks ab El. Back in Hawkins when Will is talking about Vecna, Mike literally stares at Will like he did in s2 when Will was talking about the Mind Flayer and being a spy. He grips his Shoulder and says “we will.”, mmm parallels “he won’t”. the shoulder grab parallels the hand hold.

Added bonus: Notice how in every single season after s1, somehow El is separated from Mike, and he spends the majority of his time with Will?

In conclusion, Mike Wheeler is a boy kisser and he’s been head over heels for Will since he asked him to be his friend!!

#byler #mike wheeler #will byers #mike wheeler i know what you are #byler is endgame

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ticklish-n-stuff · 2 years ago

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HELLO THE GIGGLIEST LEE OF THEM ALL

I MUST request for Hiiro Amagi from Enstars to be wrecked, if not him do Mayoi OR someone you are comfortable with, ANY LER, ANY SCENE, ANYTHING, WE NEED TO BUILD A ENSTARS WALL

Tickly punishment

Just gonna pretend I didn't see that first sentence

Anyways, I got so happy when you requested lee Hiiro, he's one of my faves~! (I have a lot of faves in this game KDJAKSJAJSJS). I'm still in awe from that scene where he said he likes physical touch (ofc that must include tickles LOLOL). For the ler I went with Aira as I find their friendship to be quite cute and funny.

We really need more enstars content🥺

Hope you enjoy~!

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Hiiro x Aira (interpret as you wish)

Lee: Hiiro

Ler: Aira

Warnings: Tickles!

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After a long day of idol work, Hiiro decided to spend his free time over at Aira's room. They were both good friends and friends go and raid each other's rooms... yeah that's what friends do (atleast according to Hiiro). Anyways, Aira was a bit taken aback when Hiiro suddenly showed up, but he didn't mind the company so he allowed him to stick around. Although his patience started running thin once Hiiro started to poke around at his idol merch.

"Wow, you have so much of this stuff! You must really like idols" mused out the redhead.

"Yeah well I've always admired idols- WAIT HIIRO DON'T TOUCH THAT!!" suddenly screeched out the blonde when he saw Hiiro try to touch at a signed poster. Without thinking, Aira tackled Hiiro onto the floor. A big 'oof' escaped both of them as they came crashing down, with Aira on top of Hiiro.

"Ahh! Hiiro are you okay?! I'm so sorry!" cried out the blonde as he sat on top of the taller's hips.

"Y-yeah I'm alright, just wasn't expecting thaHAt-?!" the redhead let out a startled giggle when he felt the shorter one's hands resting on his sides.

"Hm? I'm sorry, am I hurting you?" asked Aira with a look of concern as he gently massaged Hiiro's sides.

"N-nohoho..! It juhust tickles!!" he giggled out as he brought his arms down his sides out of reflexe. A dorky smile starting to make it's way onto his face.

Suddenly, Aira could feel a mischevious idea starting to form in his head. "It tickles, huh? Well consider this your punishment for almost ruining my poster!" yelled out the shorter one as he started squeezing at the redhead's sides with vigor.

"GYAH! Wahait Aira dohoahahan't!" Hiiro bursted out in cute laughter as he threw his head back. All while trying to grab at Aira's hands.

"Sorry but you must endure your punishment~" teased out Aira, a goofy grin of his own forming across his lips. He had to admit, it was pretty fun to mess with the redhead. He then moved his hands up his ribcage and softly dug into the ticklish bones.

"EEK! Ahahahahaha! N-nahat thehehere!" poor Hiiro tried to curl up on himself as he wrapped his arms around his torso, but with Aira on top of him it was impossible.

"Not there? Then what about here~?" he asked with a teasy smirk as he started to gently scratch at the taller boy's belly.

"AAH! HAHAHAHA! NAHAHAHAHA!" Hiiro screeched in laughter as his face started to match the color of his hair.

"Ooh did I hit a good spot~?" Aira softly chuckled as he skittered his fingers along the middle of his tummy.

"Y-YEHEHEAH! AHAHAHAHA!" the silly redhead responded in all honesty through his hysterics. Not like he minded it, he found tickling to be pretty fun!

Hiiro squealed and cackled as his friend kept tickling that dreaded spot. Once his eyes started to get a bit watery did Aira stop his tickly torment. He gently patted at the redhead's tummy as Hiiro took in deep breaths, still giggling himself silly from the ghost tingles.

"Are you okay?? Sorry if I took it too far..." sighed out the blonde looking a bit dejected.

"Ahahaha..! Dohon't be, it was fuhuhun..!" giggled out the redhead, a cute smile on his face as a soft pink blush adorned his cheeks. Aira couldn't help but smile fondly down at him. Maybe it wasn't so bad having Hiiro stick around.

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I'm still feeling unwell from my surgery, so this was a nice distraction. I hope it ended up well.

#enstars #ensemble stars #tickle #enstars tickle #ensemble stars tickle #fic #tickle fic #enstars tickle fic #ensemble stars tickle fic #hiiro amagi #aira shiratori #lee!hiiro #ler!aira #asksksksks #fic request

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omnitf · 4 years ago

Photo

Credit for this image goes to @dissolving-time. Story is mature for some language. This is another story from the Coach Stone universe. I hope you all enjoy it. :D If you’d like to see more of these stories, please join my Patreon.

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Stone Cold

“Coach said you have to get your shot, bro.”

I gazed at the meathead that had once been my fellow prisoner. He’d already donned the dog tags that were locked in his footlocker. Muscle rippled over his body as he gazed at me holding one of the biggest rifles I have ever seen in my life.

“Chapman, do you know what that is?” I asked as I eyed the gun warily. The caliber alone would be enough to splatter my brains all over the wall.

“The name’s Champ, bro.” He said it so casually, so matter-of-factly. Had they really brainwashed him so thoroughly?

“Your name is Lance Chapman, from Enfield, North Carolina. You specialize in computer programming, like me. We were brought here against our wills, remember?”

“Nah, bro.” “Champ” let out a deep vapid chuckle. His camouflage draped over his legs, but I could see the hints of growing muscle bunching, just waiting for a good pump to press them tightly against the confines of the cloth. “Coach wants my bod first, my brains second. Huhuh.” He grinned at me, revealing perfectly white and straightened teeth.

I’d hoped to reason with him, but it was clear he was beyond that. I brandished my own pair of dog tags. Like I said, computers were my thing, both programming and the hardware. It took me a while, but I managed to get my lockbox to open, too. And without reducing myself to a wannabe army poster boy. “I have my tags, Champ. You can’t keep me here. You know once I get my tags, I’m supposed to leave. I’m supposed to report to Coach, remember?”

“But you’re not gonna, are you, bro?” he asked seriously as his brow furrowed. “You just wanna get out.”

“I have to get out to see Coach, now don’t I?” The exit was right there in bold black lettering. The lock had already disengaged on cue when I seized my tags. I just needed to get past him. If I could distract him somehow or incapacitate him, I could run.

Chapman spread his legs in a broader stance as he planted himself firmly in front of the door. “You’re not ready to see Coach yet, little bro. And Coach hasn’t called you.”

“I am ready.”

“Prove it.”

I knew a few basics from martial arts training in my youth. I’d been fortunate enough to keep up the practice in my free hours. The meathead in front of me may have had a weapon, but we were in tight quarters. It would be difficult to get that barrel pointing at me if I could stay close. And while he may have had raw strength, I had experience. I also still had my wits about me. I sighed and let my shoulders droop as I approached him. “Look, Champ, just ... let me go, okay? You and I both know this is wrong. It’s against the law to kidnap someone.”

“No can do, little bro. Coach says we need more training. Coach says we have a project to help with. Coach says muscle CHAMPs like me need to train and obey. I listen to Coach. I obey. This Champ o—”

The mantra was what I was waiting for. It doesn’t matter how big you get if you haven’t got the trained reflexes to deal with a sudden change yet. And Chapman’s mind had been either short circuited or rewired to reinforce his thuggery. I’d heard it enough times through the door. It wasn’t soundproofed. I think that was deliberate on the part of this “Coach” to give us a taste of what’s in store. Demoralizing a captive is a large part of ensuring that he or she remains compliant, after all. And I’d heard enough, “This meathead obeys,” to know this was a fulltime operation made heavy on the brainwashing. It had to be to change someone so drastically. This wasn’t just a sign of subtle change. This was downright breaking them and building them back up again into the equivalent of obedient machines.

In this case, it played in my favor, and I hate to think of it this way, but I’d be lying if I didn’t say I was grateful for it. The mantra made him vulnerable. I laid a hand gently on his shoulder, being sure to get close enough that he couldn’t put the barrel against me. His eyes were glassy and unseeing as he uttered the mantra that he and everyone else like him had been conditioned to speak.

Then I took him down. It was simple to sweep his feet out from under him, and the move flowed like water. Bruce Li would be proud. I followed up with a heavy blow to the side of his head with my boot. Part of our imprisonment had included removing our personal affects, so I had no idea where my street clothes were. I didn’t give the blow enough force for any serious damage, but it would be enough to daze him, maybe even knock him out if I was lucky.

I threw the door open while he groaned on the floor. I managed all of maybe two steps before my arms was seized and I was slammed against the wall. I swear, my bones vibrated from the impact. I saw a helmet with a reflective visor and the broadest chest I had ever seen in my life. This man was huge. And unfortunately for me, he was also very skilled. My arm was yanked behind my back faster than I had time to process. He pulled, and I felt my socket strain to send stabs of pain through my arm and neck. Another faceless mook strode forward. But unlike Chapman, this one was decked in full body armor.

“Well done, recruit. You’ve passed Coach’s test. You will serve in Coach Stone’s cyber unit and in Research and Development. You will obey.”

“Like hell, I will,” I swore. That rewarded me with another painful jerk of my arm while a targeted blow forced me to my knees.

“Meathead recruit will comply.” The man withdrew a syringe from a side pocket and tapped the chamber to dislodge any air bubbles, then pulled off the protective cap with a deliberate casual air of the well-practiced. The substance was green, and the soldier had no qualms over pulling my sleeve up. I squirmed, but a yank of my other arm followed by a crushing iron grip on my free arm left me tense as he stabbed the needle into my arm and depressed the syringe. He removed the needle casually and replaced the cap, then inserted the syringe into another pouch.

The two visored faces stared at one another for the briefest of moments in a silent exchange. Then they nodded as the one who injected me rose, turned and entered the room where I had been held prisoner. A low groan emanated from the space, followed by a series of loud cracks.

“Rise, meathead. Follow.”

The voice that emanated in reply was deeper than I remembered. “This meathead obeys...” An even greater shock greeted me when the lumbering brute emerged. Chapman’s muscle mass had increased dramatically, and the man’s skull had completely reformed. Sharp, angular, square features blunted his face now, and his eyes were a vivid shade of green. The oversized gun didn’t look so ridiculous for him anymore.

“What the hell...?” I murmured.

“Meathead Champ will listen to orders. Meathead Champ will obey. Meathead Champ will fire on his roommate on command. Meathead Champ will prepare to fire now.”

“What?” I balked. I wanted to squirm again, but once more, my captor brought me to heel. I tried to shift out of his grip, but the hold was too strong. Even if I went limp, he’d still be able to haul me back up again. That didn’t stop me from trying, however.

I heard a whine not unlike the sound you hear in a sci-fi movie when a blaster is being charged or a bomb is being primed. The barrel was soon directed at my face. My heart hammered as Chapman uttered his mindless acknowledgement.

“Meathead Champ obeys. This meathead is ready to fire.”

“Fire.”

There was light, a strange tingling that bordered on the pleasant, and then blackness. I came to in an empty barracks. When I rose, everything felt ... heavy, awkward. The sight of the muscles bulging against the fabric of my shirt was more than enough to unsettle me as my throat clenched and my mouth went dry. I wanted to scream, but at the same time I knew better. I journeyed over my torso, my arms, everything. All of it felt in order, albeit significantly enhanced. It was my face I dreaded the most. And true to my fears, I could feel each sharply defined contour from my own transformation that was doubtless facilitated by the rifle. As a test, I ran through pi to see just how far in the infinite decimal sequence I could get. Then I searched through the other parts of my brain. I felt no compulsion, no absentmindedness, no blank emptiness or cotton or wool. I was clear, surprisingly so, given how quickly my mind seemed to jump from place to place.

“Comfortable?”

The question came out of nowhere, and I balked and bawled as my body sent me crashing into another bunk with the increased force of my new mass.

“Well, clearly not anymore,” the voice replied urbanely. I rounded on the figure only to see a man standing at least a head taller than I. His manner was relaxed and composed. His blond hair flickered like silver in the light. And though he was completely relaxed, his body oozed that smug command and intimidation that subconsciously demanded respect from those around him. “Please, take a moment to acclimate yourself. I find a blow to the shins is never pleasant.”

I decided to stick with sitting, rather than rick another launch with a body I had absolutely no experience with. “Who ... are you?” I winced at the depth of my voice. Logic only dictated it would have changed with the rest of my physique, but I had hoped it wouldn’t.

“A scientist of sorts. Biochemistry is my specialty, though I’ve branched out into many other fields.” He chuckled. “Why don’t you just stay there and we’ll have a nice chat between the two of us?” He lowered his broad frame onto the bed I had just launched myself from and gazed at me with vivid blue eyes. “My name is Stone. And you doubtless have many questions and expletives you want to voice, most likely not in that order.”

I felt like a broken record as curse after curse and swear after swear flowed out of me in an invective tirade. Denunciations and questions boomed from me like the retort of a cannon, emphasized by a number of curses and swears until that was all I heard winding down ... and down ... and down....

“Are you finished?”

A plaintive, almost defeated, “Fuck,” hissed from me as I rested my head in two massive hands.

“Glad you could get that out of your system. Now, do you have any real questions you wanted to ask me?”

“Why?” I finally managed to ask.

“You’re a programmer. You should understand. If a program doesn’t work the way it’s intended, you go into the code, find the bug, and fix it. Sometimes it’s messy work, but the end result is worth it. I’m doing that on a global scale, or at least I will in time. Getting rid of bigotry, erasing the divide between the strong and the weak to produce a better world for everyone.”

“You broke Chapman.”

“Champ is happy where he is. He chose it. He wanted it. You two had virtually the same IQ scores and talents, at least when it came to computer engineering and programming. Unlike you, though, Champ was fighting conditions that would make it so that he could never enjoy the same level of fitness and activity that you do. Such a lack eventually results in fantasies, a longing to experience what one never has had. Chapman threw it all away because he reveled in the chance to grow and swell. And, I admit, I fed that desire while he tried to hack the mainframe. I let him see where he would ultimately end up. And I gave him a simple choice. He accepted my offer to obey. He lied to you, pretended to fail, and complied with everything I told him whenever he signed in. He is living his fantasy now, and is deliriously happy to be receiving training as a part of my Meatheads.

Rage curled my lip, but I couldn’t do a thing. I wanted to lunge at the man, strangle him, but my body wouldn’t comply. All I could do was sit and watch.

“You may have noticed by now, but my meatheads can’t do anything against me. I’m their authority figure, their alpha. Or as they like to call me, Coach. You can’t attack me because I told you to stay there. And though you may want to deny it, I know that deep down, you’re enjoying the sensation of your new body just as much as Champ is.”

“How?”

“My formula.” He shrugged his massive shoulders. “It’s not perfect yet, but the iterations I’ve produced from my original notes have been very useful in extending my control. I don’t want to be a dictator, but I’m not about to let the world stay as it is either. Shadow politics, assassinations, pointless bombings and wars, genocides, suicides. This world is a mess. I have the tools to fix that mess once and for all. And I intend to do just that. To sum it up for you, I’m my original test subject. And the formula worked wonders for me as a result, but it also rendered me ... incapacitated for a time. As a result, much of my research was lost, and I’ve had to rebuild using different iterations of my creation until I can find that special mix. On the plus side, as derivatives of my original formula, it seems that anyone exposed automatically becomes subservient to me. It makes things much simpler when dealing with intruders and espionage. It also helps with recruiting.”

“Then why didn’t you just ask me?”

“Because I wanted you to sample the goods. That, and because there are still those who can resist the full effects of my injections and other sources of integration for a certain period of time. As I said, the formula still needs work. But I like to use the less effective iterations for special cases like you. Your specialty in coding and computer engineering is something I need right now. And I want you to keep your mind focused on the task at hand, rather than on weights and muscle. That’s why I’m assigning you to our MEAT department.”

“And if I refuse?”

“I think we both know you can’t.” Stone smirked. “For the record, MEAT stands for Muscle Enhancement and Accelerated Transformation. You’ll be helping us to design and improve a number of methods and technologies to help smooth subject transitions into becoming Meatheads. And more importantly, on how to preserve their skills and knowledge while still incorporating them into the collective. In other words, research and development. Your specialty, if I recall correctly.”

“I don’t want to.”

Stone chuckled. “On the contrary. I think you do.”

“I do—” My tongue stuck. My jaw locked. I tried again. “I do—” Again, I had the same problem. Again, I couldn’t finish. “I ... do....”

Stone’s smirk widened into a sneer. “Glad we got that settled. Oh, and for the safer ones, I want you to experiment on yourself. I’m intrigued to see just what a smart obedient Meathead will look and act like.

I groaned another curse, which only further emphasized my captor’s glee. “Spoken like a true Meathead.”

“Whatever....”

“That’s right. Whatever I say, Meathead.” The cocky arrogance was gone, leaving behind a chilling glare that could cut through diamond. “And you will address me with respect as either Coach Stone, Coach, or Sir. Do I make myself clear?”

I clenched my mouth shut.

“Answer me,” Stone demanded.

“Yes, ... Sir.”

“Good.” His eyes flashed as he rose from his position. “Now follow me. I’ll guide you to your lab. You have a lot of work ahead of you, don’t you, Meathead?”

I couldn’t stop myself as I rose to follow him. “Yes, Sir, Coach.”

“That’s right.” He chuckled. “On second thought, let’s get you dressed first. Then we can visit the lab.”

“Whatever you say, Coach.”

“Good boy,” he purred. I shuddered in revulsion, both at his cold dominance and ... at the jolt of pleasure that surged with that acknowledgement. If that was how it felt now, how would I feel after a few months or years of working under him? Would I be able to resist?

...

Would I even want to?

I shuddered again. Hopefully, I would be able to find a solution before Coach made me a permanent team member. Or worse yet, before I did.

#coach stone #meathead #transformation #muscle #bro #dumber #dumb #musclehead #programming #computers #science #sci-fi #fiction

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nobodyfamousposts · 4 years ago

Text

Miracle Queen Aftermath

Because there is a disappointing lack of focus or depth for the aftermath of Miracle Queen in canon, I have made my own.

Be warned of: Chloe salt. A lot of it. Chloe faces consequences for things.

Some Bustier salt. Some Adrien being called out on things (but he gets better).

Enjoy!

In the weeks following the Miracle Queen incident, a lot had happened.

Hawk Moth had increased his power, and was now able to summon akumas and amoks at the same time.

Master Fu was gone and now Ladybug found herself the official Guardian of the Miraculous—along with the Miracle Box, kwamis, and duties that entails.

Marinette had resolved to let go of her crush on Adrien, and to support him and Kagami in their new relationship together.

And Chloe had been arrested and would now be going on trial for assisting a terrorist.

It was that last bit of news that had caused the most commotion in Paris and the world at large. What people would have dismissed as simply another akuma attack turned into a much greater matter when accusations started to be made about Chloe helping the super villain intentionally. This was soon backed by multiple eyewitness accounts and further proven by leaked video evidence showing Chloe not only attempting to grab a butterfly for herself after she was de-akumatized but even negotiating with the terrorist before the incident in which she betrayed the heroes of Paris and revealed the identities of most of the team.

To say that the people of Paris were outraged was putting it mildly. People were akumatized over it. Chloe was in a secured facility where she had armed guards around to watch her just as much as they were there to protect her. New legislation was being considered to specifically address willingly aiding supervillains. The backlash was so severe that many were calling the mayor’s own position into question.

After all, if his daughter could do all of that, who was to say that he wasn’t also in Hawk Moth’s pocket?

For Mayor Andre, his hands were tied. While he had covered for his daughter and her selfishness in the past, this was one thing he couldn’t overlook. Not when it brought his position as mayor under scrutiny. And certainly not when it opened a probe into his own dealings.

None of this was helped either by the multitude of witnesses of Chloe‘s past behavior. In particular, her many victims over the years.

And there were a lot.

Now that Chloe was actually being held accountable for something, it seemed to have opened a floodgate of outcries as the many people she tormented finally felt able to air their grievances. They came out on TV, on social media, on radio. Stories littered the air and internet of the horrors of dealing with this single teenage girl.

“She tried to cheat during this designing competition. She apparently stole some other girl’s hat design and tried to pass it off as her own.”

“She was the reason the mayor tried to shut down my ice skating rink! To build another gym! Paris has enough gyms! Why couldn’t she just go to one of those?”

“She had her dad shut down Clara Nightingale’s music video and got her akumatized just because she didn’t get to play Ladybug. We waited in that line for HOURS and didn’t get chosen either, but no one else threw a fit over it.”

“She shoved a giant signed poster of Adrien Agreste professing his love to her in my friend’s face just to make her cry! I found out after the fact that he didn’t even know about it!”

“Our entire school was punished for someone pulling the fire alarm except for her because she threatened our principal. So while the rest of us were having to clean up the school, she spent the entire time insulting and making fun of us.“

“Knowing her, she probably pulled the fire alarm in the first place.”

“She tried to crash a train! I don’t think I can emphasize that enough: she tried to crash a train!“

“Chloe Bourgeois joined up with Hawk Moth? Can’t say it’s a shock.”

“Yeah, given how many akumas she caused, I’d been wondering if she hadn’t been working with him all along.”

It wasn’t that unbelievable to the populous. Nor did anyone feel particularly sympathetic towards her for her current situation. Some might have for lack of knowing her, but Chloe had carved herself a special place in the memories and hearts of nearly every Parisian. There was nobody who didn’t know of her or have some experience with her by this point. So when it came out that she was arrested and facing criminal charges, the response was…rather telling.

Practically everyone was calling loved ones as soon as they heard, resulting in high phone and internet traffic. The Ladyblog crashed after making the announcement. Several people threw parties. People over the internet started coming up with a list of “Things We Will Be Allowed To Do Once Chloe Is In Prison”, with a count that currently rested at 139 and was rising quickly. One guy bought 500 cupcakes and just started passing them out to people on the street singing a jaunty little tune from some late 1930’s cult classic American movie. The school had closed down for a couple of days due to several teachers calling out sick—possibly with hangovers from celebrating a bit too hard. Various Queen-related hashtags and memes were trending with each seeming to fight for the top spot of most used. #let her eat cake was currently in the lead. And Mr. Ramier somehow orchestrated a 21 pigeon salute. On Chloe’s rooftop.

As it was, nobody expressed surprise when it came out that she worked with a supervillain. Many were disappointed, shaking their heads and saying “if only something had been done sooner” or blaming the parents and teachers and other adults in her life. Most were angry, mainly that things had been allowed to get this far and that they hadn’t been acted on earlier—particularly after the train incident.

But no. Nobody was surprised.

Except, perhaps, Marinette herself.

Still reeling from the events of Miracle Queen and the aftermath of…well…everything involved, Marinette had been questioning herself. Constantly. Incessantly. Going over and over in her mind all the things she could have done differently. Blaming herself for all the major blows to their team.

She lost her mentor. Her allies have been compromised. Chloe, one of her former allies, chose to betray them all. Hawk Moth had the grimoire now. Marinette didn’t have a grimoire. Fu had no memories.

And it was all because of her mistakes.

Last time, the prospect of never having to deal with Chloe again had been a relief.

Now…it was background static to her.

She could barely hear the announcements and cheers over the endless cycle of her own thoughts.

I should have tried harder. I should have been more aware. I failed them all. This is because of me.

So while everyone else in Paris was celebrating, de-stressing, or just outright reveling in the news, Marinette was grieving. With the help of the kwamis and Chat Noir, she had been trying to come to terms with what happened and figure out the next plan of action.

Hawk Moth had changed the game, so she needed to step up hers.

The days seemed to have passed in a blur. Between working with the kwamis, trying to recreate and retranslate the grimoire, and simply trying to deal with the remnants of Fu’s life that he had left to her, Marinette had barely even kept up with the current state of things in Paris. Or in particular, Chloe.

Not until the day came when Bustier made an announcement.

Chloe‘s trial date was finally decided. And though she didn’t say as such, it was clear that the case against her was pretty solid. There was video evidence. Eye witness accounts. And Chloe’s own words and actions working against her.

The odds were not in her favor on this. Even if her parents did try to help her, she wasn’t going to get off this time. Aside from getting the best lawyers money by, there really wasn’t much they could do.

Maybe that was why Bustier had tried to step in?

“Now class, I have received word that they are moving to the next step with Chloe’s hearing. Right now, they are looking for character witnesses for Chloe’s defense.” The kind teacher explained, causing Marinette to snap to awareness and realize just what was going on. Partly because of the mention of Chloe and her court case.

But mostly because of the sudden dead silence in the class…

To be fair, she wasn’t sure she could say anything either. Marinette felt her throat go dry and her muscles tense. There was a sudden tightness in her lungs that while she could breathe, it felt like she was suffocating. Why was Bustier bringing this up now?

The teacher smiled, seemingly unaware of the sudden tension and Marinette’s slow drowning. “I know this has been a difficult experience knowing that one of your classmates is facing such a trial. And Chloe will certainly need support. So I thought it would be kind if everyone wrote a letter supporting her for the hearing coming up, so the courts can hear about Chloe and understand more about who she is.”

Silence. Dead silence.

Maybe Bustier herself picked up on the growing tension, as she proceeded to move to passing out papers to the class. “I thought it would make for a nice project, so I will give you all the forms explaining the requirements. Take some time to think over what positive things you want to say about Chloe. If you have any questions, please feel free to come talk to me.”

After that, she quickly left the room, citing the desire to let them have this free time to work on the letters.

The class remained silent for a good minute after she left. Almost as if they were questioning if she would return. Or perhaps if she was listening.

Then—

“‘Think about what positive things we want to say about Chloe?’ Well that’s easy!” Alix spoke blithely, curling the paper she received into a ball. “Nothing!” She shouted and tossed it over her shoulder. “Assignment done!”

Murmurs filled the classroom. Some sounded uncertain, but most seemed to be in agreement. Or at least expressing distaste for the assignment.

“Is she serious?”

“Does she really expect us to?”

“Of all the worst ideas...”

Marinette could hear them, but couldn’t seem to acknowledge anything around her. And furthermore, she couldn’t make herself respond.

Chloe‘s trial was set for a point in the next few weeks, and at this point there was no denying just what type of person she was. If anything, this was probably the first time that anyone was allowed to actually speak their mind about the girl, and they were all reveling in it. Her classmates in particular.

Marinette couldn’t quite bring herself to.

Sure, Chloe has tried to blackmail her more than once.

And damaged her gift to their teacher.

And attempted to frame her a few times.

And stolen her hat design.

And her diary.

And a Miraculous.

And all of the other Miraculous.

But...she had been doing better for a while there, hadn’t she?

Didn’t she only betray them all in the end because Marinette had chosen Kagami over her for her own selfish reasons? Didn’t Hawk Moth only capture Fu because of her own mistake? Hadn’t Chloe only revealed everyone else because she felt betrayed? Couldn’t Marinette have done more to prevent Chloe turning?

Wasn’t a simple letter on Chloe’s virtues the least she could do?

So why...

Why couldn’t she seem to bring herself to?

Kim frowned, looking at his paper in worry. “We’re not going to get graded on this, are we?”

Nathaniel huffed. “I’ll willingly take the failing grade any day.”

“Hear hear!”

“But if it’s a grade…” Max murmured to himself. Out of everyone in the class, he took his grades the most seriously, so this was no doubt a difficult choice for him. He looked at his paper with a rather conflicted expression for a minute before sighing and turning it face-down on the desk. “No. It’s an impossible task in the first place.”

Kim rested a hand on Max’s shoulder in sympathy. It wasn’t that he cared as much about grades as Max did, but it was clear that the fallout of refusing could be more troubling for the genius who took his academic performance so seriously. If Bustier did make it a mandatory assignment with a grade, it’d be horribly unfair of her.

“What was it Chloe said before?” Ivan asked, looking over his page with a glare. “Once a monster, always a monster? I guess she’d know more than anyone.”

Mylene hugged him. “You’re not a monster. You never chose to be.”

“None of us did.” Nino agreed.

“Nobody did except her.” Alix bit out.

Mumbles of agreement came from the rest of the class. It was clear that none of them were on board with having anything to do with Chloe, much less try to help her with her current legal woes.

There was a large part of Marinette that agreed with them. But even so, there was also a large part of her that insisted she had to do the right thing and help.

She knew she should say something. She was supposed to say something here. Because it was her fault, after all. She was Ladybug. She had to be the better person. Shouldn’t she?

“Marinette? Girl, are you okay?” Alya asked, drawing her attention. “You look a bit pale.”

It was too much. It was suffocating.

“I think I need some air. Excuse me.”

She didn’t know if anyone watched her leave the classroom. She hadn’t even noticed if anyone had chosen to follow her.

Not until…

“Marinette, are you all right?”

She spun around in surprise.

“Oh! Adrien! Hey! Hi! Hello!” She blabbered. Why was he here? Did he come out after her? Why? She didn’t need this right now! She struggled enough with him under normal circumstances, she wasn’t sure she could handle being alone with him now. Her stress over everything was bad enough, but having him approach her set her anxiety skyrocketing.

“Hey,” he replied, smiling at her—and oh, what a beautiful smile. On any other day, it would ease her worries and make her want to swoon, but right now, it just made her more nervous.

“Are you all right?” He asked again. “You didn’t look so well in class.”

“Y-yeah. Just…” she sighed. “I just have a lot on my mind. With…you know…everything.”

He nodded in understanding. “I know what you mean.”

She smiled. She could always count on Adrien to be a calming supportive friend. He was always so sweet and reliable. If anyone could understand or relate to the chaotic mix of emotions she was feeling, he could.

He sighed in sympathy. “Poor Chloe.”

She froze.

“Chloe?”

“Well, yeah.” He replied, like it was obvious. “I mean, she did a bad thing, but now she’s going through the worst experience of her life. One that could ruin her future. And people are glad about it!” He shook his head. “It’s just too cruel.”

Marinette just stared.

He wasn’t wrong. But…that was what he was worried about?

She couldn’t fault him of course, because Adrien was always so kind and considerate and of course he’d feel for Chloe but…something about this just…pulled at something inside of her and was choking it.

“Chloe is already suffering enough and it feels like no one wants to help her. You heard them.” He gestured back to the classroom. “We’re being given an opportunity to make a difference for her and they’re all just saying she deserves it. Chloe is alone and hurting and they want her to hurt more.”

She felt a denial on her lips but couldn’t give voice to it.

“Everyone is so great with each other. It’s always just Chloe who is kind of on the outside. I know you’ve seen it.”

She hadn’t, actually. Because it was never Chloe on the outside looking in, it was Chloe looking down on them. Whether it was because she genuinely thought she was better or because it made her feel better to do so.

He hesitated for a moment before looking at her. And there was something in his expression that told her he was about to ask something. A gut feeling told her that it was going to be something she wouldn’t like.

“Do you think you could talk to them?” He asked her, looking so sad and despondent that she just wanted to hug him and agree to anything to make that look go away.

“M-me?”

He wanted her to convince her classmates to help Chloe?

“I know you and Chloe have had your differences, but you’ve been able to see past her front. And you’ve done a lot to help her before.” He smiled. “Like the party you threw for her after she became Queen Bee.”

A traitorous voice asked if giving her a second chance with the Miraculous she had previously stolen wasn’t enough? Why did she have to feel bad for her leaving and throw her a party to make her feel special?

“Chloe really needs the help right now. And you’re always so good about that sort of thing.” He looked to her imploringly. “Do you think you could try to get them to at least give Chloe a hand? I don’t know what impact it’ll have in her hearing, but any little bit helps, right?”

Go back in there? With the tension and the suffocation to try and convince her classmates to help when she was questioning whether to herself?

But she had to, right? After all, couldn’t she have prevented this if she had acted sooner? Couldn’t she have helped sooner instead of being focused on her own petty problems? Isn’t that what Ladybug should do?

“Please, Marinette? They listen to you. If you asked them to, I’m sure they’d be willing to at least try.”

Her vision started to dim, seeming to tunnel in on Adrien and his sad and hopeful expression. Her thoughts crying about CHLOE and poor CHLOE and how hurt CHLOE was and how it was her fault for CHLOE��

“I—”

“Oh no! No, you do NOT.”

Marinette suddenly found herself torn away from Adrien by a sudden grab of her arm and pulling sensation. She felt as if she was pushed out of the way by a fierce gale. Like a raging whirlwind had spun her around and behind it.

That whirlwind’s name was Alya.

“How dare you? How dare you try to make my girl be responsible for this!”

Marinette floundered because she had not expected this and oh no now her best friend looked ready to tear her crush’s head off!

“Alya, we don’t have to do this!” She pleaded, trying to calm the other girl down.

“Oh, we most certainly do.” Came another voice. And sure enough, the rest of the class had stepped out as well. All of them looked in varying ranges of frustrated and that frustration was clearly directed at her and Adrien.

Or rather just Adrien, as Marinette discovered when Rose and Juleka pulled her aside and out of their direct line of sight. They were all looking at Adrien, and those were not nice or understanding expressions.

Oh no! This was a disaster! Now everyone was upset and she should have just agreed or said something sooner!

Completely unaware of Marinette’s inner turmoil, Alya stepped forward and jabbed at Adrien in the chest. “You are not going to make my girl feel bad and try to help someone who has never done a single nice thing for her or anyone.” She spat out, forcing him to back away.

Adrien held his hands up in a placating gesture. “Come on, Chloe is not that bad.“

“Not that bad?” Nino exclaimed, shaking his head in disbelief at his friend’s words. “Adrien, Chloe betrayed us!“

“She took over Paris!”

“She turned us into her servants!“

“Not to mention the other things…”

“Do we really have to name each time?” Alya started to count on her fingers. “Chloe CHOSE to take the Miraculous for herself instead of returning it. She CHOSE to transform in front of everyone and reveal her identity to the world. She CHOSE to try and crash a train, risking the lives of EVERYONE on board just to show off. She CHOSE to run off with it when Ladybug tried to take it back.”

“She also chose to continue being horrible to everyone even after Ladybug gave her a second chance.” Nathaniel added, bitterly. “She didn’t get better after becoming Queen Bee. It just became another thing for her to lord over people.”

Alya nodded. “And when Ladybug made it clear to her that she wasn’t going to be Queen Bee again, she felt ENTITLED to something that was never hers in the first place. And because of that, she made the active, knowing, and willful choice to work with Hawk Moth.”

“And out all of us while she was at it.” Kim added. “Turning us into her personal ‘guard’. Making us fight our heroes against our will.” He shuddered. “I don’t know if you were hit by those things, Adrien, but it was NOT a pleasant experience having your body turned into a puppet.”

Adrien wanted to argue that he understood full well, but that was only as Chat. He couldn’t say that here.

Unaware of his inner turmoil, Alya continued. “So no, we are not going to forgive Chloe. We are not going to try and ‘get along’ with her because her own poor choices have led her to have a ‘rough time’.”

Adrien grew nervous at the way the others drew closer to Alya as she spoke, clearly backing her statements as she continued.

“We are not going to defend her or speak up on her behalf to the entirety of Paris she ALSO betrayed. Whatever consequences Chloe has to face—quite possibly the first ones she will EVER have faced in her LIFE—are nothing less than what she deserves.”

“Yeah!” Came the exclamations from the rest of the crowd.

“She didn’t know what she was doing!” Adrien argued.

“Not know what she was doing?! Adrien, she willingly accepted an akuma! She used it to take control of us and revealed us to Hawk Moth!” Alya exclaimed. “That’s just—how can you even justify that?”

With as angry as Alya was, any lesser or wiser man would have backed off.

Adrien…well, she certainly would never call him unwise, so it had to be because he was more strong-willed than that to be willing to stand his ground here.

“Hawk Moth was the one who manipulated Chloe!” He insisted. “And he’s the one who got away scott free and left Chloe to take the fall.”

“And whose fault was that?” Alya countered. “Chloe HELPED him. He only got as far as he did because of her and he only got away because she helped him!”

“Don’t you think this is cruel?” He argued back. “Yes, Chloe was wrong, but she was already called out for what she did by Ladybug and Chat Noir. The entire city hates her. Isn’t that enough?”

“NO!” Alya shouted. “No, it isn’t! Because Chloe has always gotten away with her antics in the past but you’re actually trying to get us to let Chloe off for a legitimate crime here! If Chloe is going to prison, it’s only because she deserves it!”

Around them, several of the others in the class nodded in agreement.

“How can you say that?” Adrien demanded. “Chloe made a mistake and she’s suffering for it! All this time, she’s felt left out and cut off and this only further emphasizes that for her! She’s been alone all this time and now she’s alone and miserable!”

“Then why should that be OUR problem?” Alya questioned, raising her hands in exasperation. “Why are you trying to MAKE it our problem?!”

Adrien drew back, looking genuinely hurt.

"But treating someone badly never made them become a good person."

"Yeah, because letting Chloe have her way all this time has totally made strides in her path to becoming a good person." Alix called out sarcastically.

"If anything, it's made her worse." Max added. "She's gone from simply causing akumas to intentionally becoming one."

“But—”

Alya cut him off. “But nothing, Adrien! You have to have some gall to be trying to get us to make nice with Chloe after she betrayed us all! And here I thought your little lecture to Marinette to make her feel bad for being relieved that Chloe was leaving Paris was pretty hard to beat.”

Nino blanched at that. “You did what?” He turned on Adrien. “Dude! You know that happened after Chloe tried to crash that train!”

“She was just trying to prove herself.” Adrien weakly argued.

“PEOPLE were on there!” Nino bit out. “They could have DIED because Chloe was showing off! And you got on to MARINETTE? Where was this attitude with Chloe?”

“I’ve called her out!”

“Yeah, one time.” Alya groused. “AFTER the rest of us had spent the better part of the day cleaning up after HER mess. Which she never apologized for or admitted to doing, by the way.”

“And in response, she threw a party.” Juleka muttered.

“It was a nice party, sure.” Rose added quickly.

Alya though shook her head. “But being a good hostess is nowhere near the same thing as being a good person. And before the night was over, you rolled over for her and she went RIGHT back to acting as she always had.”

“She made Mylene cry.” Ivan glared. “She made Mylene cry and you just laughed.”

“I didn’t mean—”

“You said it yourself: ‘she’ll never change’. Except you said that like it was a good thing.”

Marinette looked back and forth between the two, everything inside her screaming at her to help. But she was completely lost on which one she was supposed to help. Because Adrien had a point about what Chloe’s going through but Alya was right about what Chloe did and she needed to do the “right thing” and help Chloe but why did everything Alya say resonate so strongly with her and bring such a feeling of vindication—

No. She was getting distracted. She needed to help. And right now, it was Adrien against the rest of the class.

But Alya was worked up. And Adrien was looking past her to Marinette, eyes begging for help and still so hopeful that she would step in. And Chloe was still in prison and Marinette could fix everything if she just tried so why can’t she try?

“Alya,” Marinette tried. “You told me to give Chloe a chance before after the fire alarm incident, remember? You said we were a lot alike.”

“That was to get you to go to a party!” Alya shouted, making Marinette step back in surprise. “I never meant it like this!”

She stepped forward and took Marinette by the shoulders, holding her sternly.

“Marinette, you are nothing like Chloe! Not where it counts! Yeah, you both can be short sighted when it comes to trying for what you want, but you at least notice and CARE how other people feel! And when you make a mistake, you at least TRY to make it right!”

She shook her head.

“Chloe…doesn’t.”

“She doesn’t try to.” Alix cut in. “If Chloe was feeling sad and lonely, that was pretty much her own fault.”

Adrien looked like he wanted to argue, but Alix didn’t even give him a chance.

“It wasn’t like we left her out. We went well out of our way to try and befriend her. We invited her to things. We tried to help her. Hell, you said it yourself—Marinette has tried to help her more than anybody! And each and every time, Chloe only took what we offered like it was something we owed her but that she was also too good for. I mean, I certainly can’t recall a time she ever thanked me. Can you?” She asked, turning to the other classmates.

All around them, there were murmurs of agreement. Maybe a couple hesitated as they tried to recall a time—one single moment of kindness on Chloe’s part only to come up empty.

“Chloe’s had a hard time.” Adrien insisted. “You know how her parents are—”

“Oh yes, her ‘Daddy the Mayor’.” Alix rolled her eyes. “Like we don’t hear enough about him every time it comes to something Chloe wants. She only threatens us or anyone with him every other day.”

Adrien shook his head and tried to explain. “It’s only because her parents aren’t there for her emotionally.”

“Again, not seeing how this is our problem? Or justification for anything she’s done to us? Or how this excuses her willingly helping a supervillain?”

“Because we’re her classmates!” He argued back, gesturing to all of them. “Out of everyone, we’ve all had the most interactions with her.”

“All of which were negative.” Came a cutting remark, followed by grumbling.

“There were good times, too!” Adrien insisted with a frown. His eyes spanned over the assembled classmates before they came to rest on one in particular. “Kim, you have to have seen Chloe’s good side. You liked her before.”

“Before.” Kim replied, emphasizing the word and the timeframe it referred to. “But being humiliated and her sending out that pic to everyone in school kind of crushed that crush.”

“How did she even have our numbers?” Ivan asked.

“But there had to be something that made you like her in the first place.” Adrien encouraged.

The taller boy shrugged, uncertain and uncaring. “Maybe so, but was it something that was really there? Or something I just wanted to see? Because I’m looking back and quite frankly, I don’t know what past me was thinking.”

“Wow, that’s deep, man.” Nathaniel whispered.

“Thanks!”

Seeing Nathaniel gave Adrien an idea. “Wait, Nathaniel! Didn’t Chloe let you put her in your comic?”

“Forced us to, more like.” The artist bit back. “And even when we tried to fit her, we got nothing but complaints from her. It was no wonder we never got past the initial concept art for her character.”

Adrien winced. “It was an attempt, at least?”

Nathaniel wasn’t buying it. “A poor one.”

“She’s been trying to be better.” Adrien was getting increasingly frustrated. This was not how he was expecting this argument to go. “Rose? What about you? You’ve seen it, haven’t you?”

After all, Rose was sweet and caring, always willing to see the good in anyone. Surely she would have something nice about Chloe!

Juleka frowned at him over his focus on her girlfriend and moved to stand beside her. “Don’t push her.”

Still he tried.

“Rose?”

“I’m sorry, Adrien.” Rose said, hugging herself. “But Chloe has done nothing but hurt people. And going out of our way to protect her has only ended up biting us.”

That wasn’t true. Not...all the time at least. There had to have been at least one instance where she did the right thing!

Adrien brightened in realization. “Didn’t she catch you when you fell after being deakumatized during Heroes Day?”

The blonde girl frowned. “Well, yes…but she wasn’t very nice about it. Even though I did the same for her before.”

“Rose, come on…”

She shook her head. “I put myself at risk to help Chloe when she was being chased by zombies, and only got turned into one for my efforts. Chloe never appreciated it. She never thanked me. She didn’t even do anything to help when we were trying to keep her safe!”

“We all ended up kissing zombies because of her.” Alix accused, crossing her arms and looking particularly annoyed. “And not just because she caused the akuma in the first place.”

“Why are you pushing this?” Mylene asked. “We’ve been asked. We said no. Isn’t that enough?”

“But—”

“Adrien, you’ve got a good heart.” Ivan started.

“Easy for him when he’s not the one who has to be on the receiving end of Chloe’s tantrums.” Alix cut in, clearly sounding bitter.

“You’ve got a good heart.” Ivan repeated, sending Alix a look that asked her to back off. “But Chloe…doesn’t.”

Adrien shook his head, remaining insistent. “That’s why she needs help.”

“If she needs help,” Mylene spoke, “It should come from her parents. Her teachers. Any of the adults in her life. She has plenty of adults who are fully capable of helping her. It should not be expected to come from the kids she’s spent years tormenting.”

She gestured to herself and the others around her. “And that’s what she’s been doing: tormenting us.”

“To great joy, might I add.” Max droned.

“She hasn’t been cruel to everyone.” Adrien muttered.

That brought out a backlash of outrage.

“She outted my crush!”

“She insulted Mylene’s cooking and made her cry!”

“She got Aurore akumatized and nearly caused Paris to be incinerated in a volcano!”

“She tried to push Mylene out of the lead role of our movie!”

“She locked Juleka in the restroom!”

Wait...

But that hadn’t been Chloe. She had stayed with the class at the time. The one who did do it was...

He glanced around until he saw her—a redhead in the background behind the rest of the class. She looked anxious and uncomfortable, and almost seemed to be trying to edge around the class to get to the stairs.

Adrien did seem aware. Or rather, he was focused on the fact she was there.

“Sabrina? What about you? Chloe was your friend!”

Of course she would help! Because who better than her own best friend to speak on her behalf?

The rest of the class broke into mutters as they realized the same.

But Sabrina...bit her lip and looked away. Refusing to even meet Adrien’s gaze.

“Sabrina?” Marinette tried, concerned about this reaction. Sabrina had been Chloe’s best friend—or at least the closest thing she could have to a friend. “Minion” or “Servant” would be more accurate. “Slave” would be more honest.

The girl had been Chloe’s only real fan and follower, and had assisted Chloe in some of her worst plots.

Marinette had briefly seen another side to her. A girl who was so desperate for friendship that she latched onto even the slightest bit of kindness and went to the greatest of extremes to appease the “friend” so they wouldn’t leave her. It was no wonder she had fallen in with Chloe—someone like that was perfect for the spoiled girl. Compared to her, Marinette’s anxieties and need to please were nothing.

And Chloe had pretty much been her world for years.

What must she be feeling now?

“Should we really be getting her opinion?” Ivan whispered. “You know how she and Chloe were…”

“Well, if anyone would have anything positive to tell the courts about Chloe, it would be her.” Mylene whispered back.

Sabrina took a breath and spoke quickly—almost shouting in her rush.

“I’m sorry but my therapist said I shouldn’t!”

That got a surprise. The rest of the classmates glanced to each other before looking back to the girl. Adrien in particular looked shell-shocked. Marinette couldn’t blame him. She felt the same.

Sabrina for her part seemed to tense up, as if ready to defend herself from the rest of the class.

Marinette stepped forward. “Sabrina? Are…you okay?”

The other girl shook her head, looking close to tears.

“After word got out what Chloe did, the police had to question me about Chloe. They were able to see that I wasn’t involved, but they…didn’t like what I told them about our relationship. Afterwards, my dad decided to have me see a counselor and she…has been telling me things that I hadn’t really considered.” She curled in on herself. “They all think I should stay away from Chloe and anything directly related to her…for my own health.”

Adrien frowned at that. “But don’t you want to help Chloe?”

Sabrina jumped. “Of course, I do!”

“Hold up, Adrien!” Nino stepped in. “She just said police took her in because of Chloe!”

“But they let her go…”

“It still happened!” Mylene argued. “It doesn’t matter how nice they are, how innocent you know you are, or if you’re released in the end, it’s still terrifying when it happens!”

"And it only happened to her because of Chloe." Alya added.

Rose, in her infinite sweetness, reached out to take Sabrina’s hand in support. “I’m sorry that happened to you.”

Sabrina sobbed and covered her face. Aside from Rose, no one else really attempted to comfort her. Most of them simply watched her, pitying her current state. But they also remembered how complicit she had been in Chloe’s schemes, so they were conflicted. While they did feel bad for her current situation, there was a part of most of them that noted how she had brought it upon herself by being Chloe‘s lackey for so long, so their sympathy was limited.

Perhaps it was out of awkwardness, or maybe an attempt to give some respect for Sabrina’s privacy that the classmates turned away from her and instead focused on the heart of the argument.

“Man...” Nino tried. “Maybe you should let it go?” Though it was clear from his tone that he knew it wasn’t likely.

Because Adrien had still not given up, it seemed.

He looked around between of the classmates, growing more desperate. But those that remained either looked at him straight on as if daring him to call on them or looked away. A few of them even closed ranks as if to block his view of certain others. It was clear none of them were willing to help him on this.

None of them except…

“Marinette.” He called out, drawing her gaze to him instantly. “You understand, don’t you?”

She bit her lip. “I…”

“Back off, Adrien.” Kim said, giving the other boy an angry frown as he stood in front of her to shield her from his gaze. “It’s not on Marinette to help Chloe.”

“Yeah! She suffered more than any of us!“ Ivan shouted.

“She has been Chloe’s main target for years.” Nathaniel agreed. “She is the last person who is obligated to help Chloe now.“

Adrien winced at the harshness of their words and in their tone. “I just thought that Marinette could help. Like before.”

“Just because she could doesn’t mean she should have had to.” Alya countered. “She’s a teenager. Dealing with Chloe should have been the job of adults. Her parents. Bustier. Damocles. Any one of them should have done something—and if they can’t, the courts will. It’s their job. Not ours.”

“And getting her to help you wouldn’t make a difference anyway even if you had convinced us.” Max said, shifting his glasses. “Chloe helped Hawk Moth. There is nothing we could say that could undo that. And even if we did try, we would either be guilty of committing perjury or aiding in a conspiracy.”

“What?” Adrien jerked in surprise.

“The best we can do is be character witnesses.” Mylene explained. “But this is a court and we can’t claim something that isn’t true! We can’t say anything nice about Chloe when she hasn’t done anything nice!”

Max nodded and shifted his glasses. “Furthermore, our testimonies—even if they were positive—would only serve to create a narrative about Chloe and the type of person she is. They can’t explain away the current evidence against her.”

He rubbed the back of his head. He knew there were issues, but he also knew Chloe. He knew what she could be like. He knew she was a good person deep down. “I know she’s made some mistakes—”

“No.” Alya stated sharply. “Calling them ‘Mistakes’ implies that her actions were unintentional. ‘Mistakes’ implies that people were harmed by accident. ‘Mistakes’ implies that she would have any point learned from them. They weren’t mistakes, Adrien. They were willful acts of cruelty every single time.”

Ivan shook his head, pityingly. “We can’t save Chloe from this. We have nothing to say in her defense. The kindest thing we can do for her is stay silent.”

“She’s better than you think she is. She threw that party once for everyone, remember? You all went.” Adrien reminded them.

“That only proved that she could throw a party and be a good host, not that she could be a good person. There is a difference.” Nathaniel pointed out.

“Not that Chloe could tell.“ Alix sniped.

Adrien ignored the barb. He had given up on getting any of them to listen and now only had eyes for her. His last hope.

“Marinette….come on…please.”

She hesitated.

Everything in her that was Ladybug and her crush on Adrien and her desire to make people happy and take the high road and give second-third-fourth chances wanted nothing more than to give it to him.

Except...

There was a long pause. No one spoke.

The other classmates have had their say. They were letting Marinette have hers. And she knew in that moment that if she spoke up…if she did as Adrien wished and tried to help Chloe…she knew they would go along with her. It may be more out of respect for Marinette than it would be out of any sort of forgiveness for anything Chloe had done, but it would still help Chloe and it would still make Adrien happy.

…and hadn’t Marinette already done that enough?

“Did you know?” Marinette started, not looking at anyone. “I would have been well within my rights to press charges against Chloe?”

Adrien balked at that.

“She’s stolen from me at least three times now.” She shrugged. “I mean, sure, I wouldn’t have been able to do anything about my diary since she had Sabrina steal it for her, but she did steal my hat design for a competition and I had proof. I could have pressed charges against Chloe and let her face some consequences…but I didn’t.”

She looked up at Adrien. “I also could have pressed charges for what she did to my gift for Madame Bustier. Since she did break into my locker and vandalize my property while it was still technically mine…but I didn’t.

“Adrien.” She spoke almost in monotone, the only sign of her emotions being how she clenched her fists. “Did you know that after the fashion show, my parents and I took a train to get home?”

He furrowed his brows in confusion. What did that have to do with anything?

“It was the same train Chloe took control of and nearly caused to crash.”

Several gasps resounded around them. Apparently this had not been common knowledge.

“Even if Chloe could have bought her way out of any consequence for the other things, we all could certainly have had her face some major trouble for that one…” Marinette took a shuddering breath. “But we didn’t.”

Adrien frowned. “I…I see that—”

“No, I don’t think you do.” She cut him off. “Because instead of any of that…rather than hold Chloe accountable at any point, I catered to her. I tried to understand Chloe. I tried to make things nicer for Chloe. I tried to excuse Chloe. Time and again. Just like everyone else. Just like you wanted me to. Just like you’re asking me to now. And what did that get us?”

The more she talked, the more words filled out and she was unable to stop the torrent.

“I defended her from Alya after Madame Bustier was akumatized, and Chloe stole a Miraculous and nearly got my family killed. I helped Chloe bond with her Mom—costing myself any chance at a once in a lifetime opportunity in the process—and Chloe tried to get me banished from Paris just for saying she wasn’t a superhero. I threw Chloe a party to show her some appreciation, and she willingly worked with a supervillain to take over Paris. Just to fuel her ego and because she felt she was owed something that wasn’t hers.”

She tilted her head, considering.

“What is that American saying? Three strikes and you’re out?” Her eyes narrowed. “I have given Chloe more than three chances. I have done nothing BUT give her chances. And clean up after her. And just…try to help her. At no point has she been grateful. At no point did she ever apologize. Or show the slightest bit of remorse for anyone she hurt. Or just…try to do better.”

She stepped forward. Past her classmates. Past Alya, who looked ready to tear into Adrien herself.

“So tell me, Adrien. How much more am I supposed to do? What miracle am I supposed to achieve to help Chloe to be a better person that I haven’t already done?”

“You can just try.” Adrien begged. “Chloe’s alone. She has no one in her corner. You’ve given her chances before! Can’t you find it in your heart to give her another chance this time?”

“Why haven’t you?” Alya demanded.

Adrien drew back in surprise at that.

But the girl wasn’t letting him off. “If you’re so certain Chloe is the victim in all this, then why aren’t you stepping up to help her? Why are you pushing Marinette and the rest of us to do it?”

Alya wrapped an arm around Marinette in support. “If you truly believe Chloe has some sort of inner goodness that only needs the right person to bring it out, then it’s pretty clear Marinette is just not that person. She’s tried enough.”

Alix nodded. “I’m pretty sure she could’ve demolished a brick wall with how many time she’s banged her head against it by this point trying to drag a decent person out of Chloe.”

Others in the class also nodded and gave sounds of agreement to that.

Adrien frowned, lowering his head despondently. “I’m just one person. There’s only so much weight my word will have. I just...I just want to give her the best chance.”

“That’s nice for Chloe, I guess.” Kim muttered. “But not much for us.”

Adrien looked up in surprise. “What do you mean?”

Alya stepped forward, releasing Marinette in the process. “Adrien, why should we as Chloe’s victims have to help protect her? That’s the thing we’re not getting here. WE are the ones she hurt. WE are the ones she betrayed to Hawk Moth. So why are WE supposed to try and save her from her own consequences? Why are you wanting us to?”

Adrien hesitated.

“Can you even imagine what it was like? Being frozen in time. Unable to move or speak? Only able to hear her voice in your head? Feeling your body respond as she’s calling you and being unable to stop?” She clutched her arms, as if trying to hug herself. “Do you have any idea how terrified I was knowing what she was doing to us but being completely unable to stop it? How humiliating it was when she had us bowing to her and calling her our Queen? And then…” She took a breath. “She made us fight our heroes. Ladybug and Chat Noir trusted us to help them and we used the Miraculous they entrusted to us to try and kill them.”

“We were just lucky that they were able to turn the tables on us.” Kim muttered. “I don’t even want to know what would have happened if we had won.”

“Luka still has nightmares.” Juleka whispered. “He won’t talk about it, but he hasn’t had a good night’s sleep in weeks.”

Marinette winced. She hadn’t even considered that everyone else could be suffering ramifications of Miracle Queen as well.

“We could have killed them.” Max stated. “Given the nature of the Snake Miraculous’s power, we very well could have more than once for all we know.”

“Maybe you wouldn’t have killed them?” Rose suggested, trying to be positive. “I mean, Chloe wanted all of the Miraculous, right? She probably wanted them as her servants as well.”

Max glared. “I’m pretty sure I attempted to send Chat Noir into space. Even a Miraculous can’t protect someone from that.”

Adrien tried not to wince at the memory. How he managed to even move enough to activate the Miraculous, he still wasn’t sure.

“We fought against them. We never wanted to, but we did.” Alya bit out. “Not even because of Hawk Moth this time, but because of Chloe. And now you are wanting us to just…overlook the trauma of the whole thing to help Chloe after what she did. For something she hasn’t shown even the slightest remorse for.”

She shook her head.

“I know you’re nice, Adrien. But this level of kindness is a cruelty.”

He winced. And it looked like he wanted to argue. But he just…wilted.

“I just…it feels harsh. What’s happening to her. The amount of hate she’s getting. That her entire life could be over.”

That was true. While they felt her current status was well deserved, it was a harsh sentence for anyone. Especially a teenager.

Nathaniel sighed. “Adrien, it is harsh. Maybe cruel. But fact is that she still brought on herself.”

“Isn’t that just victim-blaming though?” Adrien countered, frustrated now. “I mean, Hawk Moth manipulated her! How was that her fault? He’s the one who did it. She was…” He clenched his fists in anger. “Chloe is a victim.”

“No, we are the victims.” Alya insisted, gesturing to herself and the other revealed former heroes. “We were the ones used to fight our heroes. We were the ones who had our identities revealed to the world against our will. And now we are the ones having to live with the results of Chloe‘s choices, just like we always are.“

Adrien looked ready to argue. And maybe he would have, except...

Nino rested a hand on Adrien’s shoulder.

“Adrien. Dude. Just stop. We have enough to deal with and this…this isn’t helping.”

Adrien frowned at that, concerned by his friend’s attitude. “Nino?”

Nino lowered his head. “I wasn’t going to say anything. Really, I was trying not to think about it. But my parents are currently talking with police about their options. Now that I’ve been exposed as one of the temporary heroes, they’re questioning if it’s not safe for us at home anymore. There is a chance of us having to go into protective custody.”

Alya winced at that, drawing attention to her. “My parents have been talking as well. My mom quit her job. She said she doesn’t want to work for someone who would let their daughter do such a thing and put me in danger. She’s looking at drawing me out of school since it was pretty much Chloe‘s base of operations. And since Chloe is the Mayor’s daughter…and Hawk Moth…and just…everything?” She looked away, clearly anxious.

“There’s a chance we may have to move out of Paris altogether.”

Marinette gasped.

Alya looked to the other girl, sad and guilty all in one. “I’m sorry, girl. I guess I’ve been hoping it wouldn’t be an issue. I’ve been trying to talk them out of it, but it’s hard given everything that happened. Currently, the only reason they’re willing to stay is to see through to the end of the trial. But after that…” She shrugged, shaking her head uncertainly. “Who can say?”

“No…” Adrien whispered in shock.

The others in class came closer around her, trying to offer some comfort and reassurances—what little they could give, at least. This was a situation that was clearly beyond them. Marinette herself hugged Alya tightly for all she was worth, and the other girl held her back just as much, neither wanting to be parted.

Adrien, however, remained on the outside looking in. Watching the people Chloe had tormented even before Miracle Queen and realizing just how badly they’ve been hurt by this. It hit him then—for what was perhaps the first time just how much pain Chloe had caused his friends. And how unfair he had been to expect them to simply deal with it.

He stayed the lone person outside of the circle. By this point, did he really deserve to join in the comfort? To try to be the one to give comfort? After what he had tried to push on them all?

After minutes passed, they were finally able to draw away from each other.

“I’m sorry for not saying anything sooner.” Alya told Marinette. “I guess I was just hoping…y’know…that it wasn’t real. Or that it would go away and things would work out on their own.”

Marinette smiled. “No, I understand.”

And she did. That’s exactly what she herself had been doing for the past few weeks as well. Trying to deal with things without really dealing with them. Working without acknowledging just what it all meant because she was scared she would break down and that would be just one more thing Hawk Moth would have won because of this whole mess.

“I was kind of the same way.” She admitted, and it felt like a slight relief to be able to say aloud to someone. “I’m sorry I couldn’t talk to you about it.”

She still couldn’t, unfortunately. Not about Ladybug and the kwamis and the Miracle Box.

But…she could talk about Fu. How she lost him. How she feels. She could help support Alya and her classmates and be there for them in the meantime.

She…hadn’t lost everything.

Not yet.

And that was the scary thing…

Adrien gaped at the group. He had thought the trauma was bad enough, and that at least could be worked through. But this...

“I’m sorry. I...I didn’t even realize...”

“Adrien, what Chloe did put a major target on our backs.” Alya explained. “Nobody knows how we became heroes, or that Ladybug was the one to specifically choose us and give us the miraculous to use. Nobody knows WHY we were chosen. It’s not just Hawk Moth, any regular criminal can come after us now in an attempt to get a hold of that power. And we can’t exactly protect ourselves.”

She shrugged helplessly.

“We kind of have enough to worry about with the fallout of Chloe‘s actions. And now you want us to try and protect Chloe on top of that?“

Seeing it now, in this light...it was cruel. It was cruel and unfair and hurtful, and Marinette felt horrible for considering letting herself be talked into it.

Adrien himself felt horrible for even suggesting it.

“We all have to live with the consequences of Chloe’s choices.” Alya stated. “So why shouldn’t she?”

Silence followed. It practically echoed throughout the entire hallway.

He said nothing in response. What could he possibly say? He’d known that Chloe was…difficult with other people, to say the least. He’d known the type of person she was. But she was his friend and friends forgive and support each other, right?

But they were right as well. It wasn’t fair to expect them to help Chloe after what she did. Especially once he knew of the level of harm she’d caused them. He felt the horror trickle in. The trauma everyone felt. The knowledge of what they’d been forced to do. The fact that…

He suddenly found it harder to breathe.

Nino could leave.

Adrien could lose his best friend because of this.

And who knew how many of the others would be forced to leave as well. Aside from Nino; Kim, Max, Alya, and Luka were other heroes as well. Juleka was Luka’s sister. And how many of the other classmates might be pulled out of this class and school because it’s unsafe? And Kagami—oh god, she was outted as well. He hadn’t heard from her in a while. Her mother is probably furious. She could move back to Japan because of this. And Marinette…she had been lucky to not be caught up in that fight since she was a hero only the one time, but that could have been just one more thing Chloe ruined for her…

…what about himself?

He paled.

He was longtime friends with Chloe. Went to school with Chloe. Was in class with Chloe. Chloe, who was currently getting a lot of heat from all of Paris. How was his Father going to react to that? The man was always focused on the company and appearances…what would he do now that Chloe had fallen from grace in such a way? Would he forbid Adrien from talking to Chloe again? Would he pull Adrien from school?

…would he ban Adrien from leaving the house altogether?

How was he only just now considering the impact? For himself or anyone else? Of course people would be hurt. Of course they would be upset. Of course people would respond. Somehow, he knew that, and yet he had only been focused on Chloe that it hadn’t actually hit home until now…

And in that light…

It had been selfish to ask. Honestly, he’d known that when he first tried to approach Marinette. But he felt he had to try. Honestly, part of him had known better than to ask in the first place. But at the same time…there was a part of him that still believed things could just go back to “normal”.

…how foolish. That was a “normal” that nobody else wanted. And even more, it was one that was now impossible…all because of Chloe herself.

“I just wanted to help.”

He deflated, losing all remaining fight.

“I’m sorry.”

The classmates glanced between each other. There was much they could have said, but really, anything they could have said already had been. And with him seeming resigned, it appeared there was no longer a need to defend themselves.

Marinette—ever the mediator, stepped up and hugged Adrien.

“Adrien, this isn’t something you can help with. None of us can. What happens in the trial is up to the courts. And what happens to Chloe is up to her.”

Slowly, he reached up and hugged her as well. The warmth and comfort brought some limited solace in this situation. He felt lost. Out of control. Like the world was moving around him and he didn’t know where he was standing much less where he was supposed to be.

They weren’t ready to forgive Chloe. And he couldn’t force them to be. Given the circumstances, he couldn’t blame them. And it was really unfair of him to try. Especially…

“I’m sorry, Marinette.” He whispered to her.

He had tried to use her. Looking back, he had a bit of a tendency to rely on Marinette to fix things when she shouldn’t have had to. Especially when it was for Chloe’s sake. He knew plenty of times Chloe had done things…but he always seemed to overlook how hurt Marinette was because of it, simply due to how well she always appeared afterwards. She was strong and confident, but also a good listener and willing to forgive. It was like nothing really brought her down.

It was due to this that Marinette was often the one he turned to whenever things happened. Because she would listen. She would understand. And she would always try to help, regardless of her position.

In this light…he may have over relied on her too much.

“I wasn’t fair to you.” He admitted. “I just saw Chloe hurting and only thought about how to fix things for her. I didn’t consider your feelings.” He hugged her more strongly. “I’m sorry.”

She didn’t speak. But she squeezed him back.

He felt another body press against him. A quick glance showed it to be Nino.

“I’m still super mad with her. And I don’t like how you tried to push us to defend her after what she did. But I get that she’s your friend and you care about her. I’d do the same if it were you in her place.” He gave a small laugh. “Not that I think you ever would, of course.”

Adrien smiled back. “Thanks.”

This…this felt much better.

Things weren’t okay right now. He still wanted to help Chloe. His classmates were still hurt. People were still angry. Hawk Moth was still out there.

But whatever happened...in this moment, he felt they could make it.

#ml fic #chloe salt #miracle queen #marinette dupain cheng #marinette defense squad #adrien agreste #alya cesaire #nino lahiffe #adrien salt

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johnsamericano · 3 years ago

Text

“ƁҽɑմեíƒմƖ Տեɾɑղցҽɾs.” ղ.ყ.ե.

Part of the Rockct! Collab I'm holding. Click here to check out the works of other amazing authors.

warnings: sex, drinking, cursing.

“You played so well tonight!” A horde of people, not older than 30, approached Yuta as soon as he jumped off the stage, red guitar still hanging from his shoulders. “Can I get an autograph?”

Getting asked for things like that was a sign that they were getting bigger, nonetheless, he wasn't a big fan of signing boobs or asses.

It's all for the greater good, Jaehyun would always say.

“Alright, guys. That's enough for the night.” He left behind a round of sighs as he approached the bar, asking the woman serving the drinks for a whiskey, straight.

“Right away, boss.” They already knew each other from previous gigs, even had shared some drinks outside of the stinky bar. He would've made a move on her if she hadn’t clarified she wasn't interested in him, or in any men for that matter.

His hand straightened the short hairs of the shaved side of his head. It was a new style the hairdresser suggested, and the audience seemed to like it almost as much as him.

“Can I have another beer, please?” The person sitting beside him asked in a funny accent that had his head turning to the side before he even realized.

“You’re not from around here, are you?”

“What gave me away?” Your tone had a certain humor to it that your face couldn't quite match. Your lips were as straight as a ruler, as if they'd never curved into a smile. “Are you going to keep staring?”

“Sorry.” He smiled with his mouth wide open, revealing all of his pearly, straight teeth. “I’m a foreigner as well.”

“Well, a toast to the foreigners.” You raised the bottle of beer, proceeding to chug down the remaining of the amber-colored liquid.

Both of your drinks arrived, the barwoman sliding them your way and spilling some of it while doing so.

“Did you like the show?”

“I don't know, I wasn't really paying attention.”

“Ouch.” His face was plastered on posters all over the place, so naturally, you were aware he was part of the band that was playing only a few minutes before your encounter.

“Is that guitar part of the whole rocker fit?”

“Is that attitude part of the whole beautiful stranger concept?”

“Touché.” You dragged the bottle over your lips, letting the glass caress the delicate skin. “So you think I'm beautiful?”

“If I said yes, would that give me points?” His elbow was supported uncomfortably on the counter, showing off the muscle of his naked bicep.

“Perhaps.”

Interrupting at the worst timing, his band members walked up to ask him if he needed a ride home. Your flirty eyes almost looked as if they were challenging him to leave.

“I think I'll stay for a while longer.”

“Oh, will you, now?”

“Guess we’ll see you tomorrow...” They shrugged before leaving with their belongings in hands.

People started leaving quickly after that, the mood now dead with the absence of live music. But Yuta was far from wanting to leave, mesmerized with the aura that surrounded the stranger beneath him.

“What’s your name?”

“Let’s not do that.” Your bottle of beer was once again empty. “It’d ruin the vibe.”

“And what exactly is the vibe?” He asked, amused by your bizarre antics.

“Two strangers that pretend to be interested in each other so that they can have a good fuck.” Your sincerity took him aback, yet, he couldn't deny that the idea had crossed his mind once or twice.

“What makes you think I'm pretending?” Your face inched closer to his, lips ready to crash at his signal.

“Cause that's what they all do.” You whispered, the light breeze coming from your mouth crashing with his soft pillows.

“Let me prove you wrong.” He replied in the same tone. Your hands grabbed the nape of his neck, closing the distance between your lips.

“Go ahead. My hotel room is just across the street.”

“Lead the way.”

The bartender had insisted your drinks were on the house, allowing you to reach your hotel room faster. Even while the elevator ascended, he couldn't take his hands off you, admiring your body from behind through the mirror.

“Needy, much.” You snickered, hiding your face in his neck to pepper kisses all over the silky skin.

The elevator doors to your floor opened, forcing you to let go of each other while you walked to your room. You hurried to take out the card from your purse, quickly sliding it over the sensor to open the wooden door.

It was a small room, which is why it didn't take you long to find the soft comforter of your bed. Yuta was under you, your legs straddling his torso as you took off his sleeveless, denim jacket. There was a strange tattoo on his forearm, a detail you hadn't noticed before.

“Still not gonna tell me your name?” You smiled for the first time in the night, and Yuta could've sworn the room seemed more illuminated.

“We gotta keep the whole mysterious stranger concept, remember?” His hands rested just above the curve of your ass, too shy to move them any lower.

“You’re so annoying.” His lips curved into a smile, mimicking your own.

Your hands had already busied themselves lifting his shirt above his arms, his naked chest, now in display, lit by the dim moonlight coming in from your window.

“You seem to be the only one having fun here.” With a swift movement of his hips, the positions had changed. The new angle allowed him to see your face better, every single twitch of your eyebrows, he noticed. “What a beautiful stranger you are.”

As much as you wanted to deny it, a pleasant, warm feeling started bubbling up at the pit of your stomach. Without wasting another second, you threw your shirt somewhere in the bedroom. Your breasts were naked. How come he hadn't noticed you weren't wearing a bra?

“Don’t tell me you're having second thoughts.” He snapped out of it, hands quickly sliding up your torso, all the way to the small mountains that rose in your chest.

“No, just admiring the view.”

It was curious how comfortable you were around each other, almost as if you hadn't met only a couple of hours ago. The way his hands worked tortuously slow through your clothes had you squirming in desperation more than once.

“Don’t rush me.” He kept saying throughout the night, working his magic to find every sensitive spot in your body.

By the time you were both done, your bodies were hugging tightly to each other, fluids combining as your breaths slowly calmed down. He was the first to speak.

“I should be the one to leave tomorrow morning, right?” You hummed, not a single hint of sadness in your tone. “What if I don't want to?”

“Then I'll have to leave, though it would be weird since it's my room.”

“Then I'll have to hug you tightly so you can't escape.” You slapped his arm softly, hiding your face between his chiseled pecs.

“You’re ruining the concept.”

Sleepiness was washing over both of you, and before you knew it, you were into a deep slumber. Yuta kept his promise, holding you tightly from dusk till dawn. But not tightly enough, since you were gone once he opened his eyes.

With a bruised heart, he stood up from the bed, not bothering to cover his noble parts since there was no one to look. His mind ran through the possibility of waiting for you to come back, but the note left on the small nightstand made it clear you didn't want that.

-See you next time, Yuta.

There was something odd about the note, but he couldn't quite figure it out. It wasn't until he was walking back home, his hands tucked inside the front pockets of his jeans, he realized something. He pulled out the note, examining it to confirm his suspicions. You knew his name.

“Fuck you.” He muttered, grinning at your cleverness. Of course, you knew his name. Everyone at the club did. But you were careful enough not to show it, for it would mean you'd have to tell him your own.

He folded the note carefully and saved it back in his pocket. It was the only proof none of it was a product of his imagination, a mere dream caused by the drinks he'd had.

But he could do nothing about it, only wait until you decided to find him again.

“Until the next time, stranger.”

#nct au #nct imagines #nct ot21 #nct smut #nct x reader #nct #nct scenarios #nct 127 #nct angst #nct yuta

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aliteama · 4 years ago

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You're one of my favorite writers here!!! I don't know if you do request but I just thought you'll be the perfect author to write this scene up.

So you know in Japan there are these gacha sushi rings and I can't help to imagine Inumaki giving his s/o one, or vice versa. Hngggg sorry if its random but yeah hehehe hope you're having a great day! ♡

✧Fic✧

Arcade Memorabilia's

✧ A/N: F-favorite?? Me? ₍ᐢ ›̥̥̥ ༝ ‹̥̥̥ ᐢ₎ im flustered

✧ Pulling two coins from your pocket you inserted them into the machine. Watching the colorful lights flicker on and come to life, loud rumbling emitting from the screen as pixelated zombies awaited. Picking up the rather large plastic blaster you playfully aimed it at the boy next to you, “Hands up Toge!” with narrowed eyes he snatched up a blaster of his own and knocked yours away.

“Spiced cod roe!” whipping around he started up the game with crescent eyes, Inumaki was a sucker for first person shooters.

Rushing to toss your blaster over the machine and onto its hook you clicked away at the trigger, “Stop starting the games without me!”

Shoving each other left and right and focusing more on distracting one another than actually playing your characters died to the hoard of animated zombies, the ‘insert coin to continue’ emerging on screen to convince you to play again.

“Salmon! Tuna”

“It wasn’t my fault we lost!”

Looking around the colorful arcade you eyed all the machines, racing, dancing, claw games, and more aligned neatly for you to choose from. Multicolored lights shone from the celling and luminated the dark area, loud pop music blaring from the speakers had your foot tapping to the beat. Urging Inumaki along to search for something eye-catching you perked up at the sight of heavy vests and neon guns.

“Laser tag?”

“Chopped katsuobushi” grumbling at his bold statement you walked to the bright red line while Inumaki stood across from you on the blue side.

“I didn’t want to be on a team with you anyway”

With uneven teams filled with people you’ve never met, you slipped on the weighted vest and collected your scoped gun that made siren sound effects with every pull of the trigger. Making your way out into the obstacle course that was painted with glow in the dark greens and oranges you stepped cautiously in fear your sly boyfriend would backstab you.

Loud hollers and cheers filled the dimly lit space as the repetitive buzzing sounded, bursts of red and blue lighting up as teams shot at each other and raced around the room. Spinning on your heels you held the surprisingly heavy gun up and fired at the random person creeping up behind you, blue invading your vision to signify your hit landed.

“Oh Toge! I know your here~” tauntingly swinging the gun around you went tumbling to the ground as Inumakis body crashed into yours after trying to jump off barrels to ambush you.

In a heap of limbs you shot blindly trying to get points for your team, another explosion of blue had a grin pulling at your lips “That’s my point!”

“Tuna tuna” standing up and pulling you along he guided you to the exit and helped remove the large vest that left your shoulders aching, “Bonito flakes”

“Bathroom?”

“Salmon”

Wandering off towards the restrooms while you leaned against the wall and fished out the remaining tokens from your pocket, enough for a photo booth and dance dance revolution at most. The cranking sound of a handle turning had your eyes squinting to see the abundance of capsule machines in the distance, bounding off the wall you made your way to the toy area and gazed over all the little animated characters and animals the vending machines offered.

A painted rice ball poster had you slotting tokens and spinning the knob with eager hands, rolling down the machine you snatched up the plastic ball and peeled the lid off to reveal a sushi ring hidden away in the rice holder. Turning to look for any sign of Inumaki you threw more tokens into the machine and spun again to get your hands on another ring.

With warm cheeks you shoved the rice ball containers into your pockets and rushed back to the restrooms to see Inumaki walking out with a curious gaze meetung your flustered expression, “Mustard leaf?”

“Me? I’m fine! Let’s go use up the tokens on the photo booths!” with rushed words you bounced towards the decorative booths.

Shimming into the tight space your thighs pressed against Inumakis as you tapped at the screen, three photos. Sliding the curtain shut he watched you selected decorated photo trims and filters with a giddy smile on your lips.

The robotic voice signified a count down, brushing your hair down and leaning your head on Inumakis shoulder he unzipped his collar and smiled at the camera with red cheeks. The loud snap had you rushing to pick the rings out of your pockets.

With another countdown starting up you popped open the container and put the sushi ring on full display. Inumakis wide smile and your nervous face caught on camera as another snap sounded.

“Do you like it? It reminded me of you” slipping the band on he opened the other capsule and held your hand up to slide the similar ring onto your finger, “Salmon!”

Pressing your foreheads together his lips met yours in a delicate kiss, hands cupping each others cheeks to show off your matching rings to the camera.

Stepping out of the booth with fuzzy hearts and interlocked hands Inumaki pulled the photos out of the printer and stored them in his pocket for safe keeping.

“Hey! Let me see them”

“Katsuobushi!” sticking his hand out to look at the ring with a wide grin he glanced at the one adorning your finger and pulled it to his sealed lips.

“Stop being cute and show me the photos!”

#requests #fics #inumaki to/ge x reader #inumaki #inumaki x reader #inumaki to/ge #jjk inumaki #jujutsu kaisen fluff #jujutsu kaisen x reader #jujutsu kaisen x you #jjk x reader #jjk x you

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carnationcreation · 4 years ago

Note

do you think that maybe you could do some soft luke content?🥺 i love your writing🥺❤️

TITLE: Pick me? (Luke Patterson x reader)

✌🏻Masterlist Taglist, Requests, and Works in progress!

Request: do you think that maybe you could do some soft luke content?🥺 i love your writing🥺❤️

(wattpad @pandabalena) could there be a prom where girls invite boys and y/n asks Luke to come with her but he refuses because is embarassed but Plot twist, when they both are at the prom, Luke sees her with another and decides to sing for her to fix things and boom kiss lol

Prompt/summary: Reader tries to ask Luke to homecoming!

Word Count: 984

Authors note: I changed it to homecoming so I hope that’s okay! And sorry this is kinda short I had to get to work lol

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Today was the big day. My hands shook as I walked to the garage, the poster I had made this morning tucked under my arm. I had waited all week to do this, my anxiety was getting the best of me every time so I kept putting it off. Today was my chance though. The boys would be practicing in the garage today and I could get Luke's attention to ask him during their break. I let Reggie and Alex in on the plan beforehand, Alex tried to convince me to let him record with one of my cameras but I said no. Just in case I got embarrassed.

The boys finally put their instruments down and Reggie and Alex took up all the space on the couch to make sure Luke was standing in the center of the garage. "Come on guys give me some room to sit," Luke sighed. "Just wait!" Alex grinned. "Wait for what?" Luke asked, Alex then pointed behind him to where I stood at the door of the garage with my poster in front of me. Guitar picks were glued around the center which read, "Pick me for homecoming?" Luke's jaw dropped as I stood there with a nervous smile on my face. Alex and Reggie giggled, "Gonna say something Luke?" "I-" Luke started before clamping his mouth shut, swallowing hard, "I can't go with you. I don't want a date. I'm sorry." With that he ran past me and out the doors of the garage. I looked back at Alex and Reggie with tears streaming down my face. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Alex slung his arm around me as we walked out of the ice cream shop. To lift my spirits he took me there to get my favorite treat and let me cry a little on the walk there. "Let's just go together," Alex said, "While we're performing you can sit with Morgan at the table." "I rather not sit with Reggie's date," I sighed. "Just for a little while, once I'm done performing we can have a good time. Even ditch the dance afterwards. Come on it'll be so fun!" I sighed again and threw the wrapper for my ice cream cone away, "I guess." "Yay!" Alex cheered, pulling me into a hug, "You better show me your dress so I can make sure I match my tie perfectly!" ~~~~~~~~~~~~~ The dance turned out to be pretty fun. Alex escorted me in, we danced and laughed through a few songs before he had to head backstage for their performance. I was so proud of the boys for getting to play the school dance, maybe now everyone will hear how good they are. "We're Sunset Curve! Tell your friends," Reggie announced and winked at the group of girls that had gathered near the stage. The band opened with their first song. "Hey," I turned and saw Dylan, the star basketball player, standing just behind my chair, "I uh- saw your date leave to go on stage. Do you wanna dance with me for a little bit?" I thought about it before smiling, "I'd love to." Dylan grabbed my hand and lead me to the dance floor. The band played a few covers as well as originals, finally as a slow song came up I finally looked up at the stage to see Luke staring at us with a different look on his face. Dylan placed his hands on my waist as we swayed to the music. "I thought you would've came with Patterson?" I looked at him confused. "Everyone knows he has a thing for you. I figured he would've asked." "Oh," I said, "No, he didn't want a date." Dylan shrugged and quickly changed the topic. As the song ended everyone clapped for the band, I looked at the stage trying to find Alex but saw the band had already left the stage. "Mind if I cut in?" Dylan and I both turned to see Luke with an outstretched hand towards me. Dylan smirked, "Of course." Luke pulled me close to him as Dylan walked off. My heart was hammering in my chest as I felt Luke's hand go to the small of my back. "I'm sorry," he mumbled. "For what?" "For being so stupid." I looked at him confused. "I should've said yes to you." "I thought you didn't want a date?" Luke sighed, "I did want a date. I wanted you. I guess I just wanted to be the one that asked you." I smiled, "Well, at least we have the rest of the night." "Yeah," Luke smiled, pulling me even closer to him, "When I saw you dancing with him, I don't know I guess I just-" "Got jealous?" Luke laughed nervously, "Yeah." I smiled, "You have me to yourself now. So what are you going to do?" Luke smirked, "This." His lips crashed into mine and I couldn't help but smile.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

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dreamescapeswriting · 4 years ago

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Going The Distance ~ MYG [Request]

↬↬↬Word Count: 3.4K

↬↬↬Genre: Soulmate AU, angst, happy ending

↬↬↬Pairing: Yoongi x Gender Neutral Reader

↬↬↬A/N: I hope you enjoy this my love!!! Hope this is okay for you and it meets your dreams expectations

Staring down at the small counter on your wrist you smiled as the distance between you and your soulmate seemed to grow shorter instead of further away. Instead of being thousands of miles apart from one another at least now, you were in walking distance of one another but it still didn't tell you who your soulmate was. That you were still left in the dark about since it would be far too easy for the universe to give you to one another, there had to be struggles along the way.

"That's the last one, and here are your keys." You smiled at the landlord who handed you some keys to the dorm building and your dorm room key. You'd moved to Korea for the year to study abroad, it was part of your studies and you were glad since South Korea had been one of your dream places to visit growing up.

"Thank you so much for everything." Once he was gone and you were left alone you looked around at the apartment deciding that now was a better time than any to unpack, you had weeks until your studies started back up again.

Yoongi stared at the counter throughout the last two days watching as it slowly decreased as whoever his soulmate was coming closer to being with him, going down from the thousands to mere hundreds.

"You've done nothing but stare at it all day, what could they possibly be doing to make you stare-" Namjoon stopped himself as Yoongi turned his wrist to show his friend that you were finally closer than ever before. At least now you were in the same country as one another and you could finally progress to being with one another.

"Have you spoken to them today yet?" It was something that Yoongi had started doing the moment the distance counter appeared on his wrist at the age of sixteen, he began talking out to anyone he didn't know how it was supposed to work so he would talk to the moon believing that you were on the other side talking back to him and you were. From the age of 16 when your timer appeared you felt someone was with you everywhere you went, trying to talk to you so you would talk to the moon at night - an old tale your grandmother told you that soulmates used to do to keep in contact with one another even if they weren't sure on who they were yet.

"Just like every morning and every night," He lowered his wrist and looked down at the paper he was writing on, he was trying to work on a new song but the thought of you being so close was distracting him.

"It's getting late, you heading home soon?" Namjoon questioned as he watched Yoongi closely he knew he wasn't going to leave until later into the night but it was worth a shot.

"I'll head home soon, save me some food." He laughed looking down at the paper once again and putting the top of his pen in his mouth trying to focus on something other than the timer.

It was 3 in the morning and your jetlag was starting to hit you like a brick wall, you couldn't sleep and you had a hankering for your favourite flavoured ice cream so you took the map from the top of your kitchen counter - the landlord had supplied you with everything you could need to get around Seoul.

"Perfect." You whispered seeing a 24-hour supermarket just down the road from you so you grabbed your purse and phone and headed out onto the streets to see if you could put the map reading skill you had to good use.

"Where are you going? It's 3 am." Yoongi whispered watching his wrist as he walked, you were getting closer to him. He was on his way home from the BigHit building but was going to stop off at the supermarket to get him and the boys something for breakfast but he noticed how close to one another you were. He put his hands into his pocket trying to ignore the thought of crashing into you but the thought alone was making his heart pound, the thought of finally meeting you after all these years of being apart it was making it hard for him to keep a straight face as he walked into the supermarket.

The whole time he was inside he avoided looking at his wrist, it was saying he was 0 miles away from you which meant you were right inside of the building but it was impossible, no one else inside was an Idol, like him. He was so focused on trying to figure out who you were that he hadn't even noticed you walking right into him and almost stumbling back onto the floor.

"Sorry!" You bowed to Yoongi as you bumped into him you were about to explain yourself that you hadn't been looking when the counter on both of your wrists made a ding to signal that you had found one another. You frowned looking at your wrist and up to Yoongi who was glaring at you trying to figure out who you were, he'd never seen you anywhere before so you couldn't have been famous like him.

"Oh...Hi," Your voice came out shakey as he stared you down, his eyes were making you nervous as he continued to stare at you without saying a word it was unnerving.

"But you're not special." You felt your heart take a hit as he said that right to your face before shaking his head and laughing loudly, you could already tell he was laughing at you as he looked you up and down.

"You don't have to be so mean about it," Selfconsciousness took over your entire body the longer he stared at you, then he began to look at what you were holding and you felt even worse. You had an entire basket full of ice cream - all your favourites you were planning on stocking the freezers for when you went back to classes and wouldn't have the time to come out anymore.

"You're nothing, are you? You're just someone ordinary and boring." Every word he used made it feel like someone was getting a tighter squeeze on your heart so you looked around hoping no one could hear the way he was speaking to you. You couldn't even find the words to talk back to him you just put the basket down and headed for the door but he wasn't over this yet. He followed behind you to see where you were going.

"You're a student?!" He called out when he watched you walking towards the student accommodation he shook his head at you everything he'd been dreaming about for all these years was washed away within seconds. You were nothing he wanted. You were supposed to be special and different to everyone else and yet here you were just another gold digger that was out for him and his money.

"This is stalking you know." It was all you could come up with right now, you were too busy trying to focus on not crying in front of whoever this guy was. You'd never seen him before in your life and he had the nerve to yell at you like this, hurl insults as if he'd known you your entire life. Opening the door to your building you hoped he would get the hint and leave you but he followed you inside until you got to your apartment door.

"Leave me alone you creep!" You tried to yell but he clapped his hand over your mouth making your eyes widen in fear that you had no idea who he was and that he could just kill you if he really wanted to.

"If you let anyone know I'm here I'll end you." You nodded your head reaching behind you with your shakey hands to open the apartment door, he headed inside after you and scoffed looking around.

"Can't even afford a decent place? Just what I thought, gold digger." He spat at you knocking one of the boxes over - it was an accident, he'd been trying to walk further into the room but knocked it over with his bag breaking whatever it was inside.

"What are you even doing in Korea? Huh? Did you follow me here!? You just want to the fame don't you?!" He questioned looking around, he was trying to find any signs that you had any idea who he was but there was nothing. No posters, no magazines and no albums displayed anywhere just some books and clothes you were still in the middle of putting away.

"I had to get stuck with someone normal didn't I?!" He yelled finally losing his temper, he didn't know if he was mad at you of if it was just the entire universe he was mad at for pitting him with you.

"W-We don't even have to be together-"

"You're so fucking dumb!" He screamed throwing something he'd picked up from your kitchen counter and threw it behind him, how could the universe had fucked it up this badly?! Give him his dream life and yet he was stuck with you for his soulmate.

"P-Please stop," You begged him but it only seemed to irritate him more as he threw one of your books at the glass cupboard above your sink smashing it into tiny pieces. He walked over to you getting in your face so you would see that he meant every word he was saying to you.

"I never want to see you again, as far as I'm concerned you are nothing to me, the universe got it wrong." He spat at you your breathing hitched as he stared into your eyes, the longer he stared at you with those hate-filled eyes the more you grew weaker, your legs buckling as soon as he slammed your front door. You dropped onto your knees sobbing into your hands as the timer on your wrist vanished and left nothing but a faint unfilled love heart tattoo - if your soulmate and you were together and in love, it would be filled in with red ink but yours was so faded the ink that outlined it was almost pink. You whimpered into your hands as you tried to ignore the pain in your chest, it felt as though someone had ripped your heart right from it and left you with a giant hole where it used to be.

Three days passed until your landlord had you admitted into the hospital, he'd heard the screaming that night and had just made it into your apartment to find you crying on the floor almost sitting in the broken glass. He'd come by every day to check on you until he finally got sick of seeing you so ill and admitted you to the hospital himself. You felt awful, your chest felt empty but as though someone had laid a weight right on top of you to restrict your breathing.

"When can I leave?" You whispered to the nurse who was holding your wrist, she was applying the blood pressure machine to you when she saw the heart on your wrist. Her eyes landed on yours and filled with tears as she realised what was happening to you.

"I need to speak to the doctor first." She whispered to you filling pity for you as she walked away trying not to look back at you. Everyone knew what the hearts meant and everyone knew what happened when a soulmate rejected you.

"Yoongi! How you feeling?!" You groaned hearing yelling coming from the room across from yours, whoever it was inside of there was always having super loud visitors at inappropriate times. One snuck in at 4 am that morning with food for him since they knew how much he hated the hospital food.

"Awful, like something inside of me has been ripped out." One of the men with him laughed and you turned over to face the window wanting nothing more than to just go back to your dorm room but you still felt sick.

"Who's that?" Namjoon asked looking away from Yoongi, Yoongi had been staring into the room across from him since the boys walked inside the hospital.

"I'll go." Jungkook laughed getting up from the chair and walking towards your room before Yoongi could even beg him not to - not that he had the energy to anyway. Yoongi knew it was you inside of there, he'd begged the nurses to move his room so you wouldn't see him but you'd been too busy staring out of the window or drawing in a sketch pad to even notice he was in the same hospital as you.

"Hi, I'm Jungkook." Your eyes looked the boy up and down, he was dressed in a hoodie and some jeans holding out his hand for you to shake but you just smiled at him not wanting to pass on what you thought you had. You had no idea that the soulmate rejection was a thing.

"I'm Y/n, w-what are you doing in my room?" You stuttered out sitting up in the bed and looking at him, he pulled the chair out and sat down crossed legged.

"You didn't look like you had any visitors so I thought I would keep you company, you're already much more interesting than my friend in there." He pointed over to Yoongi who then hid his head so you couldn't see it was him,

"Seems shy," You laughed softly and Jungkook shook his head,

"He would be, he's done nothing but stare at you since he got admitted two nights ago." He watched as you reached out for the glass of water in front of you and that was when he saw it, the faint heart that you had it was the exact same one on Yoongi in the place where his counter had been.

"Excuse me a moment." His voice broke as he got up to leave and rushed over to Yoongi demanding answers from him.

"Here," You looked behind you as someone walked into the room and placed something down onto the bedside table,

"What...What are you doing here?" You stuttered out as the boy who had been your soulmate sat down on the chair beside your bed where Jungkook had sat earlier,

"We're here for the same reason," He showed you the wrist and you frowned clearly not following along with it and he sighed.

"When a soulmate rejects you...When I rejected you I made us both sick. Clearly the universe wants us to be together." You scoffed at him pushing the food away that he'd brought you, you weren't going to take food from someone you barely knew and didn't want to get to know either.

"You trashed my apartment-"

"I had a short temper." You nodded along with him but scoffed once again,

"If you're going to scoff at everything I say we're going to be here for a long time." You shut your mouth and he smiled softly at him looking down at your wrist again his heart sank as he realised he'd been the one to hurt you this much that you were stuck in a hospital.

"I need to explain myself," He looked away from your wrist and up at you, you were already staring at him wondering why the universe had given you someone like him.

"I'm...It's going to sound bigheaded no matter how I say this, I'm famous...I'm a big deal here and almost...everywhere I think, that's why I reacted the way I did."

"It doesn't give you a right to treat people the way you did to me-"

"I know I'm sorry," He cut you off, he knew how right you were about it but he'd built his dream life on the thought of his soulmate being someone famous like him. Someone who he would be able to relate to in ways he couldn't with other people,

"I had my expectations high-"

"Sorry I couldn't meet them." You snapped at him and he sighed, he could see he was getting nowhere with the way he was trying to explain it to you and it was frustrating for him.

"Please let me explain myself...Then you can decide if you hate me or not I promise." You slowly nodded at him and he smiled softly looking at you as you allowed him to speak even though you shouldn't have. If it was him he wouldn't have even given him the time of day to speak about it, to even be in the same room as himself.

"I was a cunt-"

"Correct," He laughed softly as you agreed with him but you waited for him to keep going and let him try to explain his way out of this.

"People use me for my money and fame all of the time...I just assumed you would too." He whispered looking down at his hands as he opened up to someone that wasn't in his life, someone he didn't know who didn't get it.

"I'm sorry you had to go through that." You whispered to him watching as he wiped his eyes, he was crying over it so you could that it seriously hurt him somewhere inside and that it was coming out in ways he didn't want it to, like lashing out on someone he didn't know and smashing up their dorm room.

As time passed in the hospital you and Yoongi grew closer to one another, no one knew he was here except for the paparazzi but they were all locked downstairs in the main entrance with no idea what was happening upstairs. The nurses were sworn to secrecy as to what was happening with patients so Yoongi had nothing to worry about,

"What are you thinking about?" You questioned as you walked into your room to see him sitting on the window and looking down at everyone on the ground floor, you were so high up that everyone looked like tiny dots you could just make out the colours of their clothing. Over the last couple of days together you'd moved past Yoongi being an arrogant asshole when you first met him and you began to get to know one another on a personal level.

"How I have to go back soon," You glanced down at your wrist you were both starting to feel better and the hearts on your wrists were beginning to fill with every moment you spent together.

"Is it a bad thing?" You questioned sitting opposite to him on the window ledge handing him a bottle of water that you'd gotten from the vending machine. He leant his head on the window and then looked at you, you were so filled with hope that this could work despite what he'd done to you that it pained him a little.

"It won't be easy." He whispered watching as you shook your head at him,

"We'll make it work...We made this work." You whispered to him as you pulled your knees into your chest and put your chin onto them to rest, he smiled softly at you at how sweet you were about everything. Willing to give anything a shot even with everything he'd told you about his life and what it would mean for you if you started dating.

"We'll make it work." He promised reaching out to take your hand in his and smiling as you locked your fingers with one another.

"I promise I'll replace everything I broke," He said as you looked up at the nurse, she was coming into the room with your discharge papers and smiled at you both happy you were both doing better than you were when you first arrived in her care.

"I know," You smiled kissing his cheek, you weren't going to let him get away with smashing everything up and not replacing it and he liked that you weren't just going to let him move away from this like he'd done nothing at all.

"Call me." You whispered to him as you walked over to your bed, picking up the bag you'd brought along with you to the hospital.

"I will." He promised, sliding off the window ledge and walking with you towards the door so he could give you a real kiss goodbye when the nurse left you alone.

"I'll see you soon." He whispered tilting your chin up to him and leaving a small kiss on your lips.

Tagline:

@snowy-meowl @jooniesdarlingdimples @lyoongx @fan-ati--c @mitzwinchester @rjsmochii @callingmyangel @kneel-begyourpardon @taestannie @innersooya

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peterxwade24 · 4 years ago

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"Little brother?"

For Maribat March 2021 day 17 Prompt Court of Owls.

For Maribat March 2021 day 18 Prompt Protect.

I hope you all like this monstrosity of a fic.

Ever since their parents died, Morjianna knew the Court of Owls would be after her little brother, because he is who they call the Gray Son. So, what does she do? Obviously she, with the help of Alfred Pennyworth and a street kid (that she ended up bringing back to Bruce's with her) named Jason Todd, faked not only her own death but also her little brother's in order to keep him safe. While she had been her father’s only daughter, Dick was her parents’ only child together and as such meant more to the Court of Owls and she had promised her Tata and her Ama that she would keep him safe even if it meant her own life was forfeited in the process.

Alfred Pennyworth had had new identities drawn up for them both, making sure to keep their relationship as siblings intact. Jason Todd supplied the names of a dead couple, Omar and Nadia Bitar, who were about the right age to have two children and had no living relations in the states. The two had lived a quiet life and had kept out of the public eye, meaning no one knew anything about them.

Morjianna and Richard became Harriet Marie and Dexter John Bitar, with their dark complexions and dark hair they could pass as Egyptian. She began wearing her hair in very tight braids to achieve whimsically wavy hair to help her fit into the role she was playing now. She spent the night researching all she could in Mr. Wayne’s library, enlisting the help of Jason Todd while her baby brother was preoccupied with helping Alfred Pennyworth in the kitchen.

Morjianna had taken to calling her baby brother Dex, while he called her Marie, and had asked Jason to call her Harriet or Harri. Richard had taken to being called Dexter like a fish to water, and had taken to calling his big sister Marie because Harriet was just too weird for him to call her. The siblings had quickly accepted Jason into their circle, knowing that they owed him more than they could ever repay him.

Alfred had taken to helping the three, giving them advice when they needed it. He had adopted the role of guardian and grandfather in a single breath when he saw the three looking at him with love in their eyes.

---

Harriet Marie, which is how she signed all of her assignments, sat in the Bat Cave idly watching the cameras when a flash of yellow eyes appeared in one of the cameras between Robinson Park and the Iceberg Lounge.

“Little Blue, Little Red. Parliament incoming. Between Toxicodendron and the Polar Ice Caps. You’re located closer to Toxicodendron than the Polar Ice Caps, please get there and alert me when you’ve arrived.”

Harriet Marie pulled on her domino mask before standing up. She pressed a kiss to Alfred’s cheek before going over to her locker and pulling out her suit. She muted her comm to let Alfred know what she was planning. “I’ve got to go and intercept some owls. Keep an eye on Dad, Dex and Jay for me.”

Harriet Marie pulled on her suit, a black suit with a blue bird across her chest with red finger stripes on either arm and a purple section where the blue and red mixed, before grabbing a pair of escrima sticks and their sheath. She slid the sheath on and shimmied until it was comfortable before sliding the escrima sticks into place. She quickly braided her hair back to keep it out of her face before unmuting her comm. “Kingfisher is heading out for the night.”

“Be careful.” The Bat’s tone was gruff but full of concern.

“Always.” Kingfisher chirped back with a smile on her face. She walked over to the rest of the vehicles stored in the Cave and threw her leg over a blacked out Dodge Tomahawk affectionately named Black Beauty. She threw a smile at Agent A before turning on the bike and zipping out of the Cave.

---

Marnie Kanté woke up one day and knew only that she had a little brother. She had woken up in a hospital in Nice, France with no memories of her life before that moment but she had a hand held in her hand. The hand was rough in the way that a programmer’s is but still soft in all of the ways that mattered, and it reminded her so much of her little brother’s (or was it brothers’) that those were the first words she spoke in that hospital room. “Little brother?”

She heard a gasp before a voice shouted for someone, she wasn’t sure who, and suddenly there was a swarm of people around her.

Marnie was grateful for the boy who held her hand, and for the boy’s parents. They had taken her in after she’d been released from the hospital with no memories of before she woke up. The Kantés had given her a family when she couldn’t remember her own and had treated her like their own. However, shortly after Marnie had officially been welcomed into the family, Mr. and Mrs. Kanté started fighting every night, and not too long after that they got a divorce and their family of four was a family of three again.

Marnie currently attended a middle school, they called it collège in France, in the same class as her little brother Max. Their main teacher was kind but she looked down on Marnie because Marnie wouldn’t bow down to the resident Queen Bee.

Marnie and Max were so focused on their work that they barely noticed when Mlle. Bustier handed out permission slips. The siblings exchanged a look before Max leaned over their desk to nudge Kim to ask him what it was about. “Hey, Kim, what’s this about?”

“We need parental permission to go on a field trip. Chloé’s Dad’s footing the bill because Chloé wants to go so we’re going.” Kim responded while stuffing the sheet into his bag.

“Where are we going?” Max asked, confused as to why they needed permission to go on a fieldtrip. All of their previous field trips they’d just stuck around France.

“Somewhere in America. I think it’s on the East Coast.” Kim shrugged dismissively and looked back to the front of the room, signalling the end of the conversation.

---

Marnie clutched Max’s hand tightly in her own, her bag in her other hand, as they followed the rest of their class to the hotel they’d be staying in while they were in Gotham. Marnie was glancing around anxiously, although some part of her deep inside was vibrating with happiness, as they walked across the parking lot.

“We’re okay Mar.” Max whispered as he squeezed her hand. “I’m right here next to you.”

Marnie nodded and let out a deep breath. “Thanks, Little Brother.”

The two walked into the hotel lobby and saw missing child posters. Plastered on the wall behind the reception desk were missing child posters, some new and some old although there was one that drew their attention. It was of a girl, named Harriet Marie Bitar, and the photo looked like it could be of Marnie, but the Kanté siblings knew that there were seven other people walking around with their faces at any given moment in time. Besides, Marnie had three horizontal scars across her throat and three nearly identical scars hiding within her mess of hair and the girl in the picture didn’t have them.

It totally didn’t mean anything, did it?

---

The Kanté siblings were standing in the middle of their class in the lobby of Wayne Enterprises when their tour guides appeared out of seemingly nowhere. Their tour guides were a pair of boys who couldn’t have been any older than thirteen and eleven with black hair and blue eyes. However, the older boy had darker tan skin and something in Marnie longed to wrap her arms around the boy.

While Marnie was looking at the boys and taking them in, they were taking her in in return. She just looked so similar to their big sister but they knew that the chances that she was Harriet Marie were slim.

Max could tell something was going to happen in Gotham but he wasn’t sure he wanted it to happen.

---

The tour guides had just led the class into the cafeteria and they had all just sat down to lunch when Marnie was suddenly back on her feet. She put herself between her little brother and the danger. Without Marnie knowing how, she caught a bolt which had shattered a nearby window and had alerted the rest of the staff to the danger. Her brown eyes hardened into an expression that Marnie had never worn before.

Their tour guides, brothers named Dexter and Jason, had disappeared the instant the bolt shattered the window, presumably to go and alert Mr. Wayne.

Masked vigilantes crashed through the window moments after two individuals with yellow eyes crashed through.

Marnie dropped the bolt she was still holding and fell to her knees at the sight of them although all she could say was “those dumb owls.” Marnie turned to look at Max, at her Little Brother, and smiled. “You wanna do me a favour and not tell Mom what I’m about to do?”

“Anything for you Mar.” Max had always looked up to his big sister and knew that what she was about to do was important.

Marnie nodded and turned back to the quartet fighting. She grinned a steely grin and let out a whistle. “Little Blue. Little Red. Go get the Bat. Those two are mine.” Marnie seemed to shake out of her skin and the two masked vigilantes knew they were looking at their big sister as she stood up. The two vigilantes nodded and distracted the Owls long enough for their big sister, their Marie, to sneak up behind them and take over.

Bluebird sent Robin to fetch the Bat, his eyes stuck on his sister. He had never stopped searching for her, not since she hadn’t responded after he’d gotten Jason and himself safely into the park. Bluebird kept his eyes on the fight, watching his big sister as she efficiently knocked out the Owls. He could barely stop the snarl from appearing on his face as he watched another boy wrap his big sister in his arms.

---

Harriet Marie looked up at the man who’d taken her in after her parents were killed, at the man who was her dad, and felt the tears well up in her eyes. “Dad.”

“Harri.” Bruce looked at his daughter and opened his arms.

Harriet Marie rushed into his arms and wrapped her arms around him. “I’m so sorry that I didn’t listen to you.”

“I’m sorry that I couldn’t protect you.” Bruce whispered it into his daughter’s hair.

Max looked at his big sister and was happy that she had found her family but was also sad because now she wouldn’t need him any more.

“Dad,” Harriet Marie pulled away from his chest and smiled at him, “you need to meet someone.” Harriet Marie looked at Max and motioned him over. “Dad. You need to marry his, our Mom, so that I don’t lose another little brother.”

Bruce laughed and shook his head. “You won’t lose him. I promise.”

---

Harriet Marnie, Dexter John, Jason, and Max watched as their parents got married. Harriet Marnie and Max stood in as their mom’s Maids of Honour while Dexter John and Jason stood in as their dad’s Best Men. They were overjoyed because instead of destroying one family to build another back up, they were creating something entirely new.

Harriet Marnie would always be thankful for her training coming in to protect her little brothers, but she would never forgive the Court of Owls for what they did, and the moment Max had the proper training under his belt she would do what had to be done to protect not only her little brothers but also her family.

#Maribat March #maribat #ml crossover #mlb crossover #ml x dc #mlb x dc #prompt: court of owls #prompt: protect #sibling dickinette #sibling jasonette #sibling maxinette

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kalimagik · 4 years ago

Text

Not Truly Gone

Fred Weasley x reader

Word Count: ~3,500

A/N: soooo this was supposed to be a fluff piece for Lena’s ( @angelinathebook ) writing challenge and the prompts are under fluff, but it turned into angst...I am very very sorry. But, I hope you like it anyways? Feedback is always appreciated! Happy reading guys <3 (also, I’m taking a page out of @obsessedwithrandomthings ‘s book. the flashbacks are in italics)

Prompts: (bolded in the text)

6. “I never want to be without you”

7. “I just want you to hold me”

Not my GIF - credits to the owner

She was numb. The world seemed to move around her in blurs. It had been this way for 6 months now. No one existed around her at the funeral except for George and he was just as distant as she was. Nothing seemed to matter as she packed up their apartment. Work was the furthest thing from her mind when she was there. All senses had left her body.

Her family rarely left her alone and Molly made sure to keep Y/N as close to the family as possible, but she had dug herself in this hole that she didn’t know how to escape. Instead of building a ladder to get out, the hole seemed to be getting deeper.

Without Fred Weasley in the world anymore, without him being her whole world, life seemed pointless. Thunder crashed outside of her office window and the sound threw her back to those many nights in Hogwarts when everything seemed simpler.

Rain battered against the glass window panes. The noise had been so soothing that it was impossible for any Hogwarts student to avoid the relaxing sense that lulled them to sleep. Most students were under the rain’s spell the moment their heads hit their pillows. However, Fred Weasley wasn’t most students.

“Psssst! Love!” Fred whispered through the curtains of her four poster bed. “Move over. I can’t sleep?”

Y/N may have been half asleep, but she still moved over. “You couldn’t sleep so you decided to somehow sneak into my dorm?” She whispered with her eyes still closed. “I don’t even want to know how you got in here.”

“Nothing, not even magic could keep me from you, love.” Fred kissed the side of her head before snuggling up to her. “I’d like to love you forever if you would let me.”

“I’d like that very much,” Y/N breathed out after inhaling Fred’s scent – gunpowder and caramel, an odd combination, but one that Y/N melted into every time.

Y/N snapped out of the happy memory when someone walked up to her desk, door slamming behind them. She realized that she had pulled Fred’s sweater from her desk and was trying to get every last bit of the fading gunpowder and caramel that rested on the sleeve.

“Are you busy?” George’s soft voice asked. Y/N lifted her head immediately to take in the state of her fiancé’s twin. His eyes were sunken in and he looked as if he hadn’t slept in weeks.

“I’m never too busy for you, Georgie.” Y/N put on the biggest smile she could muster and threw the sweater back into the drawer, hoping that George hadn’t seen her with it. She’d done a pretty good job of convincing everyone else that she was feeling better, even if she wasn’t.

“Want to go get some dinner? Your boss said that you’ve been holed up in here for hours. Yes, your boss sent me a message, so you can’t turn down my offer. I know you haven’t been eating well.” George explained with eyes that bore into her skull. She couldn’t avoid his gaze.

“You don’t have to worry about me George. I’m fine.”

“You’re as fine as our owl Errol after delivering a letter to Charlie in Romania. You’re not fine. Common, let’s go get some food. I could use the company too if that makes you feel any better.” George turned towards the door. “Oh, you should wear his sweater by the way. That was his favorite one to see one you,” he smirked before leaving her office.

Y/N smiled her first real smile in weeks.

“Y/N? Love? Have you seen my maroon sweater anywhere? The one I like to wear with my gray shirt?” Fred called out to her, searching every drawer that held his clothes. “Y/N? I’m going to be late to meet George!”

Fred could hear shuffling in the kitchen and digging through the utensil drawer. He left their bedroom to go search the sitting room where he found her sitting on the couch, pint of ice cream in hand and a maroon sweater hanging over her shoulders.

Fred chuckled as he leaned against the doorframe just watching her. “Oh, you meant this sweater?” she asked, mouth full of ice cream.

“Yes, that sweater.”

“And you want it now?” Her eyebrows raised in disappointment. She placed her ice cream on the arm of the couch, sliding the sweater off her arms.

“Actually, I think I can find something else to wear.” Fred made his way over to her, sliding the oversized sweater back into place.

“ORRRR…” Y/N elongated with a mischievous smile, “you could let George go do whatever by himself and wear less,” she finished with a wink before stuffing another spoonful of ice cream into her mouth.

“You do make a convincing argument,” Fred replied with a hungry look in his eye.

“I think it’s a good idea for George to learn how to get on by himself anyways,” Y/N giggled as Fred started towards her, jumping on top of her with the ice cream forgotten about.

“What have you been up to?” Y/N asked George once they finally ducked out of the rain.

“I’ve been in the shop a bit more recently. I’ve started picking up all of the products that Fred had started to design and have had the motivation to finish them. You know how he always would start something and just never finish.” George chuckled at the memory.

“He was like that with everything,” Y/N laughed. “Remember how he only painted half of our apartment. He claimed he wanted to do it without magic and then I found him asleep with paint all over him when I got home. I had to stay up all night finishing!”

“How’s this restaurant?” George asked, stepping in front of a café on Diagon Alley.

Y/N paused and looked up the sign. She’d barely walked this street since she lost him and had been avoiding this restaurant at all costs. George must’ve seen the look in her eyes before he looked up at the name of the restaurant again. “Oh merlin. Y/N, I am so sorry. We can go somewhere else. There are a lot of new restaurants opening up on Diagon Alley recently, we can try one of them!”

Y/N inhaled deeply as she shook her head. “No. This is one of my favorite cafés. Let’s go in. I have to at some point, right?” Y/N led the way through the doors and the soft delicate coloring was just as it was all those months ago.

The hostess led her and George to a table near the front window. She sat down timidly, taking in the ambiance of the restaurant that meant so much to her.

“Good evening!” the waiter smiled as he placed menus in front of the silent pair. “Can I offer you any drinks this evening?”

“I’ll just take a water,” Y/N told him quickly as she felt her brain open the floodgates to the memories.

“Same for me,” George said before turning to Y/N as the waiter walked away. “Are you okay?”

Her breaths quickened as she thought about what day it was. “George, did you know?” she could barely look out. “Did you know that today was the day that we came here…and- and he proposed to me?”

“I love this restaurant!” Y/N smiled as Fred opened the door for her. She was in her favorite little sundress and even Fred had dressed up for the occasion. “But, it sure is empty in here tonight. Don’t they usually have a long wait?”

“I may have rented out the whole place…” Fred admitted, taking Y/N’s hand and leading her to the backroom. “I need you to close your eyes though.”

Laughing and shaking her head, Y/N shut her eyes on command. Fred’s strong hands guided her. “Can I open them yet, Freddie?”

“Just give me a second.” His hands let go over hers and Y/N heard him moving around and a little bit of shuffling. Y/N felt her smile grow when she felt the tall boy standing in front of her again. “Okay,” he whispered, “Open your eyes.”

Y/N’s eyes didn’t know where to look first. There were candles and roses and sunflowers all around the room. There was even a magical shimmer that seemed to make all of the lights glitter.

“Fred? What is this?” Y/N gasped, still trying to take everything in.

“Well, I wanted to do something special for you.” Fred had not stopped looking into her eyes the entire time, even though she was looking around the room.

“It’s so unexpected.” Her smile grew bigger and bigger every second they stood there. “Why did you do all of this?”

“Do I need a reason to do something for my beautiful girlfriend?”

Y/N shook her head as she looked towards the floor.

“There is a reason though,” Fred said, pulling her attention back to his face. “Y/N, love. I wanted to ask you something.” Fred slowly sunk to one knee, not taking his eyes off of the girl in front of her.

Y/N felt her breath hitch in her chest. “Are you doing what I think you’re doing, Freddie?” she whispered.

“Y/N? I could tell you all of the things about you that amaze me and make me fall in love with you every day, but I would rather show you for the rest of our lives. Love, would you marry me? Nothing would make me happier in the world!”

Y/N’s head just started nodding instinctively. She didn’t even need to think about it. Of course she wanted to marry Fred.

“Is that a yes?”

“Yes, Freddie. Of course I want to marry you!” Y/N got out.

Fred pulled her close to him and kissed her like he never wanted to lose you. “I had a feeling that tonight would be the best night of my life. I never want to be without you and now I don’t have too.”

“Y/N? Y/N? Are you okay?” Y/N opened her eyes to see George standing over her.

“What? What happened?” she asked sitting up.

“I think you were having a panic attack and then passed out. I’m so sorry. I didn’t know that happened today. I never would have brought you here if I did.” George tried to explain as he helped Y/N into a chair.

“It’s not your fault. I thought I was ready for this. Could we maybe just go home?” Y/N asked softly.

“You still haven’t eaten anything yet though.” George pointed out.

“I’m not hungry.”

“No! No, Y/N.” George put his foot down. “I’m trying to get better as much as you are. I’ve noticed each time at family dinners where you fade off to the background after making small talk for a quarter of the evening. I’ve noticed how you push the food around your plate. You never come around with Lee and I anymore. You’re holed up in your office even though I know you’re barely getting any work done. Fred would hate me if I didn’t worry about you right now. And I want to worry about you!” George raised his voice.

Y/N just looked at him, stunned. Everyone had been so careful around her for months, careful not to hit a nerve. But, perhaps they had been doing that with George too and she just hadn’t noticed.

“I’m sorry, Y/N/N. But you were so full of life and just one of my best friends. I feel like I’ve lost you. I’m not asking you to forget him.” George’s voice dropped to a whisper. “But, I am asking you to keep living your life. He would have wanted you too.”

Y/N nodded, understanding how he felt and knowing that he was right about Fred.

“Will you just talk to me? Get some of what you’re feeling out? We don’t have to stay here. We can go to the apartment above the store and get some takeout. How does that sound?”

Not having any response, Y/N just stood up to follow the red head out of the restaurant.

Once in George and Fred’s old flat, George made Y/N get comfortable on the sofa. He handed her blankets, jumpers, really anything that Fred had touched. He couldn’t bring himself to clean the stuff out yet, so it was all where Fred had left it. He was only there on nights when he worked late because he and Y/N moved in together.

“You didn’t have to do all of this, George.”

“Yes I do. You were supposed to be my sister-in-law, meaning that you will always be my sister-in-law, so it’s now my job.”

Y/N couldn’t stop from chuckling at George’s attempts to cheer her up. “Thank you,” she whispered as she opened the take-out food George sat on her lap.

“Anytime, sis. Want to tell me where your head has been?”

“It’s so hard to think about,” Y/N stuttered. She could feel the tears swelling in her eyes at the thought.

“I know it is, but you’ve listened to me and it really does help. Y/N/N, I know that you were right there. You can’t hold it in.”

“I still have nightmares about it. It plagues my every thought. I’m trapped by the memory and every happy memory takes me right back to it, Georgie.” Her words were barely audible over the sounds coming from Diagon Alley.

“Tell me what happened…” George pushed.

Y/N breathed in deeply. The smell of Fred encased her. The scent made her feel a little stronger and more comfortable. “Fine…” she paused before telling her story.

Green flashes were going off left and right. Spells could be heard from every direction. More bodies hit the ground each moment, but Y/N couldn’t stop to tend to the fallen. She had to get to Fred.

“Fred? FREDDIE!” she called even though her yells could bring unwanted attention from Death Eaters.

“Over here, love!” he called, a smile still etched on his lips even though he was in the middle of a battle. “This is good fun, isn’t it? Mum would never let us dual properly when we were younger,” he laughed, turning his attention back to the Death Eater in front of him.

“Can we finish this up and get out of here?” Y/N asked as Fred blasted the Death Eater, rendering him unconscious.

“Once I get to blast a few more of You-know-who’s followers. We may never get this chance again!”

Y/N shook her head at how playful her fiancé could be in the midst of a war. Only he could be having fun right now.

“Please come with me now, Freddie?” she pleaded. “We could go elope or something. That would be more fun!” she bargained.

“That sounds bloody brilliant!” Fred responded, shooting a spell past Y/N’s head and hitting a snatcher behind her.

“Thanks for that,” she grinned.

“Anytime, love,” Fred bantered, now close enough to kiss her forehead. “Shall we?”

“Fred! Y/N! Look out!” Percy’s voice came from nowhere. Suddenly a blast so loud shook the whole corridor where the couple was standing. Y/N tried to hold Fred close to her, but he pushed her out of the way, out of the way of the wall that fell where they had been standing.

Y/N’s head shot up the moment she hit the ground. Smoke and rubble was all around her. “Fred? Fred?!” Each time she said his name, there was more and more urgency. Y/N scrambled to pull rocks off of where she had last seen Fred. “No, no, no, no!” she said with each breath.

That’s when she saw his body. She mustered every bit of strength she had to pull him out of the stone. His breaths were shallow and Y/N could see the pain spread across his face. “Don’t worry, Freddie,” she sighed. “You’re going to be okay. I’ve got you, you’re going to be okay. HELP! OVER HERE! SOMEONE HELP ME!” Y/N called to whoever would listen.

“No, no, Y/N. It’s okay. It’s my time apparently.”

“No, Fred! I won’t allow it. We have the rest of our lives, remember?” Fred could see the tears push through the grime that covered her face. How could she still be so beautiful like this?

“I just want you to hold me. Can you just hold me, Y/N/N?” he asked as he shut his eyes. His hands had enough strength to stroke her cheek and hair one more time.

Her sobs took over. She couldn’t hear anything around her. She couldn’t see the protective shields being put up as Ron, Percy, Hermione, and Harry entered the scene. Her whole world was right in front of her. Her whole world shattered the moment Fred took his last breath.

“I won’t let go, I won’t let go of you,” Y/N spoke each word in between her sobs. Ron had to pull her away from Fred’s body as Harry and Percy moved him behind the suite of armor. All of this happened around her and she couldn’t feel any of it.

“That- that’s horrible. I didn’t know that all happened,” George broke the silence when she finished speaking.

She couldn’t sob, but the tears streaked down her face uncontrollably. She looked up from the cup of water that somehow wound up in her hands to meet George’s sad eyes. The eyes that looked so much like Fred’s.

“I haven’t told anyone else before,” Y/N sniffled. George moved from the chair to next to her on the couch, putting a protective arm around her shoulders.

“Why didn’t you say anything?”

“As sad as it was and still is, it was my moment with him. My last moment. I wasn’t ready to share it with anyone. I could just remember him smiling up at me and asking me to hold him like I had asked him so many times before.”

George sat there in silence, just holding his twin’s fiancé. She didn’t know how much she hadn’t needed someone to know what she was going through until her story was heard by George. A weight seemed to be lifted off of her shoulders. She was still sad, but it didn’t feel as heavy anymore.

“I still love him so much, George,” she whispered.

“I know you do. I can still see it in your eyes whenever someone brings him up.”

“I just don’t know how to live without him…”

“Me either, but we will figure it out. He’s not truly gone. We’ll see him again. Mum says this all the time, but it never quite stuck until right now. She always says, ‘we see him in the things that he loved and the things that he used to do, you just have to be willing to look for him.’ That’s why I started working on his inventions again. It makes me closer to him.”

“But, I’m not a prankster like the two of you. Fred and I were always opposites. I don’t have anything like that.”

“Yes, you do,” George assured her. “He loved everything about you. He loved when you picked flowers and arranged them in the kitchen even though he complained about it. He loved when you got in baking moods and made him all sorts of sweets. He purposely half-finished things so that you would help him. I bet if you finished anything that isn’t done yet, you would feel him chuckling behind you.”

Y/N looked to George. “How do you know all of that?” she asked. “I didn’t even know that.”

“He would never shut up about you, but trust me, if you just go back to being you, you’ll feel him because he loved you so much.”

“Thank you, George.”

“Anytime. I’m always here to remind you, just like how you’ve been here for my family. Don’t forget that we all love you nearly as much as he did, so don’t let us lose you too.”

“I won’t.” Y/N actually returned his worried stare with a soft smile and she wasn’t faking it. “He’s still here…” she said more for herself than George. The sadness she felt over Fred’s loss would never go away, but now she could start healing and moving forward with all the happy memories beside her.

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