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alwaysonthemend · 1 year ago

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Author’s Note: Hello my friends. I’ve been having the worst writer's block of my life and I am so so sorry that it’s been so long. This fic has been in my drafts for forever so I decided to finish it up since my brain is all out of new ideas. That being said, I’ve always planned on this being a two-part story so I thought I would leave you all with part 1 for now while I try to get my shit together lol. As always, I hope you enjoy. And if you see any typos… no you didn’t. Also don’t worry I promise that part 2 will have hella smut ;)

Content Warnings: Angst / talk of sex (non graphic - happened in the past) / sadness / feelings of not being good enough / low self esteem / unrequited love (for now) / miscommunication

Word Count: 8k

My Taglist: Here

*:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ✧*:･

Maybe it's just the excitement of the last show. Maybe it’s nerves or just the tension and energy oozing from everyone as they all prepared for showtime. Maybe it's the fear. Maybe it's the joy of celebration, or maybe it’s the dread of things going wrong. And maybe, if you’re really honest with yourself, it’s the goodbye that stands menacingly on the horizon – like a sentry waiting to capture your heart in his iron first. Maybe it’s none of those things, or maybe it’s a combination of all of them. But it’s worse tonight – that need that you have for him. The one that seems like it’s become a constant storm cloud that hovers oppressively over your heart, no matter how hard you try to push it down. It’s still there – lingering and festering like a wound. You push the feeling away for what feels like the thousandth time. Tonight isn’t the night.

Show nights are hectic, especially a night as important as this one; Dreams in Gold is drawing towards its inevitable ending, and everyone wants these last few shows to finish on a high note – preferably with as few hiccups as possible. There’s only a handful more after tonight – with just a small break for the boys in between, before the last leg kicks off. And your job is simple: make sure the boys look good while doing what they do best.

Josh’s makeup is usually first, as he prefers to be ready to go a lot earlier than the rest of the band. A fact which, as he’s stated numerous times, is due in part to his nerves and anxiety before he takes the stage. His jumpsuits may be his armor, but his makeup is his war paint – equally as important (if not moreso) than his beautiful outfits. He’s jittery as he sits in his chair, leg bouncing and fingers drumming endlessly on his knee.

“Josh,” you mutter as you swipe some gold glitter across his eyelids, “you’ve got to stop moving.”

“Sorry.” He mumbles, voice soft as he tries to rest it for the night. “Just nervous.”

“I know.” You tell him, giving his knee an affectionate squeeze. “But you all are going to do great. You always do.” You pull out a tube of mascara and delicately swipe it through his lashes to complete his look. “What is it you always say? ‘Fuck fear’?”

Josh gives you an airy chuckle and a lopsided grin.

“Something like that.”

“Well, try and follow some of your own advice, Oh Wise One.”

He just rolls his eyes playful at you, but the tension eases from his shoulders a tiny bit. Small victories.

There’s comfortable silence for a while as you methodically glue a few rhinestones to his cheek bones.

“And when are you going to follow my advice?”

You quirk your brow at him quizzically, eyes staying focused on his rhinestones as you attempt to make them as symmetrical as possible.

“When are you going to say ‘fuck fear’?” He straightens his posture slightly as you pull away from him, brows pinching together. “The phrase seems…” he waves his hand vaguely towards you. “...particularly apt for your current situation.”

You turn your back to him to place the rhinestone case on the counter. You know exactly what he’s getting at but you’re in no mood to discuss such matters with him. He caught onto you a long time ago – his remarkable ability to pick up on subtle nuances and feelings from everyone around him becoming the bane of your existence for the past few months.

“Sooner or later, you’ll have to admit the truth to him. Once you admit it to yourself, of course.”

“I’m not admitting anything to anyone, Joshua.” You still haven’t turned back to look at him, instead busying yourself with pulling out the items you need for Sam next. “I wish you would just let this go. It’s just a stupid. It’ll go away.”

You both know that you’re lying.

“I highly doubt that, love.” Josh says sweetly, rising from his chair to come and stand next to you. He places his hand on your shoulder and the coldness of his fingers seeps into your skin at the contact – yet the warmth of the gesture isn’t lost on you.

“I know you.” He pauses, grinning a bit. “And trust me when I say I know him… given the whole twin thing, and all that. This isn’t just a passing feeling.”

“Maybe for me it isn’t.” You say, a slight bit of resentment bleeding out in your tone as you pull open a makeup drawer with more force than necessary. “But he’s just so…” You trail off, looking for the right word.

“Aloof?” Josh supplies knowingly, hand dropping from your shoulder to rest at his side.

You nod once at him, eyes dropping to stare at the bottles of foundation that line the counter in front of you.

“That’s his own fear getting in the way. You know how he is: him and emotions don’t get along too well. They haven’t since we were kids. He prefers to lock them all up and throw away the key instead of allowing himself to be vulnerable.”

“He doesn’t owe me anything – especially not vulnerability. We got drunk and fucked each other in a bar bathroom… hardly romantic or vulnerable to begin with.” You bite your lip, the unwanted and all-encompassing hurt from that night rearing its ugly head yet again. “And we both agreed that it was a mistake, and then we moved on. There isn’t anything else to it.”

“Sunflower,” Josh says, the nickname falling from his lips in almost a whisper, “you and I – and him for that matter, know that neither of you have moved on.”

You don’t say anything. You don’t know what there is to say. You want to believe him, you really do. You want to allow that shriveled up little seedling of hope in your chest to bloom. But you know better. You learned better.

“You don’t believe me.” It’s not a question. He knows you don’t.

“I wish I could. But he won’t give me anything to go on. One minute he’s there next to me and he’s flirting and being so sweet… and the next it’s like he’s a million miles away – barely even looking at me.” You sigh, and the weight of it all seems to press down on your shoulders as you slump forward, allowing yourself a moment of weakness with the kind man who stands in front of you. “I just wish he would talk to me. Why won’t he just talk to me?”

You hate the tears that burn behind your eyes and you hate the ache that opens up like a chasm in your chest. You wish you could hate him, too. Lord knows you’ve tried.

“Jake isn’t the best at words. But he’ll try. For you, I know he will.” He offers you a kind smile that soothes your aching heart a little bit. “Go to him. I promise he’ll talk if you’d just give him the opportunity to. He’s too afraid to approach you first.”

You glance at your watch.

“It’s getting close. I still need to do Sammy and Danny.”

Josh hears the unspoken dismissal and he inclines his head to you.

“Of course. I’ll leave you alone now. You know I’m only pestering you because I love you and want you to be happy.”

“I love you too, Josh.” You giggle. “Why couldn’t I have just fallen for you instead of your brother? You’re so much easier to talk to.” You lament, giving him a self-deprecating smile.

Josh’s eyes glitter with amusement and he grins at you, the apples of his cheeks growing pink with laughter.

“Oh I wish, sweet Sunflower.” He bows his head, allowing the curls on his forehead to fall slightly. “But alas, my heart belongs to another, anyway. A losing battle it would have been.” He pitches his tone upwards, summoning his most theatrical voice. “My heart burns with undying love for someone else.” He says, raising his arms with an obnoxiously over-the-top flourish.“My soul has been intertwined with another. The call of the universe summoned us tog-”

“Okay, yeah I’m sure.” You interrupt him, shaking your head in laughter at his dramatics. “Give your undying love a kiss for me, would you? In case I leave before you all?”

“Trying to steal him from me?” Josh asks, placing a hand dramatically over his heart, eyes widening in mock surprise for a moment before smiling at you warmly.“Of course I will. But you better not leave before saying goodbye. And that’s an order.”

You give him a salute.

“Yes sir, your majesty.”

And with that, he’s gone – curly head disappearing out the corridor and leaving you with a head swimming with too many thoughts to process.

Your relationship with Jake has been special from the start. From the first moment that you’d met him, you’d been drawn to him – like a moth to a flame. He made you feel alive and excited and terrified all at once. Trading flirtations with him became second nature – you poking fun at his pension for dressing in all black (pointedly referring to him as emo despite how much he denies it), and he always made sure to laugh whenever your naturally clumsy nature caused you to trip or drop something. But there’s never any malice in your little exchanges – your words instead dripping with thinly veiled joy (and perhaps a bit of nerves) as the two of you interact with each other.

Even your nickname comes from Jake. That first day that you had met him, you’d been wearing a dress with sunflowers on it. He’d complemented it – telling you the flowers brought out the color of your eyes. And so maybe you’d worn a pair of sunflower earrings the next time you saw him (though you’d never admit to him that you did it on purpose), and Jake had been quick to point them out before jokingly referring to you as Sunflower. And the name had stuck – a fact which you were infinitely glad of.

Your flirting with Jake continued to escalate as the two of you got to know each other better and it didn’t take long for your crush on him to develop into something more. Jake had carved a space for himself within your heart and no one else could fill it like he could. And before long, those flirty conversations between the two of you snowballed into a drunken, passionate-filled night in a bar bathroom – fueled on by lowered inhibitions and post-show adrenaline. It was fast and hard, but you’d enjoyed yourself thoroughly and hope had unfurled itself in your chest like a flower in the sun. Though it quickly withered and died once the afterglow had died off and Jake had told you plainly that it was an alcohol-fueled mistake.

He’d said sorry, and he looked like he really was. And you’d assured him that there were no hard feelings and that yes, it had in fact been a mistake. Though it was a mistake for different reasons than what he had thought. For him – at least you assumed, the mistake lies in that he allowed himself to become carried away, drunk and tense from a show. For you, though, the mistake is that you fell for him… and in the fact that you now knew what it was like to have him – only for him to be promptly ripped away from you again. Which only made his absence all the worse.

And although you’d both promised to act like it never happened, things changed. He grew distant. Never cold, but the familiarity and ease that had once existed between the two of you had been shattered beyond repair. No more flirty conversations or silly exchanges between the two of you. Instead, awkwardness has taken up residence. Every now and then, that old joviality would slip back into your interactions with him but he quickly catches himself and reels it back in. It’s confusing and hurtful, and you often lose sleep over his constant swinging back and forth. Regret lays heavy in your mind when you think back to that night at the bar, wishing that you’d put a stop to things before it got so far.

You’re snapped from your melodramatic thoughts by Sam boisterously crashing into the room, a goofy smile plastered over his face.

“I’m ready to be bedazzled!” He exclaimed, planting his lanky form into the chair and you couldn’t help the smile that overtook you, and the sadness of the moment prior is shoved from your mind as you fall into easy conversation with him.

Danny follows soon after Sam, and in the bustle of getting everything ready, you almost forget about everything. Though the thoughts still remain, brewing in the back of your mind like a thunderstorm just waiting to be unleashed.

The show is spectacular, as is to be expected from your boys. As nervous as they might be beforehand, they never fail to deliver a jaw-dropping performance. You’d watched from the sides, soaking up the energy of the last show and doing your best to not think about the months that you were about to spend without getting to see them at all. Though you all live in Nashville, there’s no reason for you to see any of them outside of work. And even though they’re technically your bosses, they have all quickly wormed their way into your heart, earning themselves the title of ‘friend’ above all else.

The night is turning out to be magical and you’re struck with a sudden surge of courage as you stand there watching them perform– or more specifically, watching him perform.

He’s truly in his element up there on stage, shredding on his guitar like there’s no tomorrow. You always enjoy getting to see this side of Jake, given how reserved he tends to be in his normal day-to-day life. In the time that you’ve known him, you’ve discovered that Jake is stoic and reserved around those he doesn’t know – content to sit in the corner and watch; but when he’s around people that he knows and trusts, his humor and kindness shine brighter than anyone else’s you’d ever met. You’d seen before how the fans often referred to Josh and Jake as the sun and moon, affectionately pointing out their subtle differences in personality despite being twins. But you had learned that Jake is by no means any less affectionate and joyful as Josh is, he’s just content to be a little quieter about it – making those times that he is loud all the more special.

Once the show was over, the boys and some of the other crew were planning on going out to celebrate – apparently having booked a private room at a restaurant downtown in which everyone could make a little merry before officially saying goodbye. You hadn’t wanted to go, but Josh and Danny had given you their best puppy dog eyes, and you’d begrudgingly agreed to accompany them.

Which is how you find yourself sitting at a table in the corner, brooding over your earlier conversation with Josh. With the tour being on break for now, you won’t be seeing any of them until it starts up again. And although you’re confident that Josh, Sam, and Danny will probably stay in contact with you here and there, (and maybe ask to get lunch every now and again) you know for a fact that the same can’t be said for Jake. If the past few months were anything to go by, you know that it’s going to be radio silence as soon as tonight is over. You watch him out of the corner of your eye as he goes around the room, making conversation with seemingly everyone but you. It hurts, and maybe it’s the liquor that’s coursing through your veins or the months of hurt finally spilling over, but you decide that enough is enough. You’re tired of living on what ifs and maybes. You hear Josh’s voice in your head, clear as a bell: Fuck fear.

With that thought in mind, you down the rest of your drink and stand up, determined to finally speak with Jake about what’s going on between the two of you. He’s across the room, talking with Danny’s drum kit tech. Jake looks effortlessly gorgeous, just as he always does.

As you begin your trek across the room the nerves and adrenaline kick in. You wipe your sweaty palms on your pants and roll your shoulders back.

He’s right there. All you have to do is ask him if you can speak with him for a moment. You know he’ll agree to – despite everything, Jake is still one of the kindest people you’ve ever met. He’d never intentionally upset you… or anyone for that matter.

Josh had told you that Jake feels the same. Josh knows Jake better than anyone… and you trust Josh. And you trust Jake not to intentionally hurt you. He’s just afraid – just like you are.

His back is to you. Easiest thing in the world to just… touch his arm to get his attention.

Just as you reach your hand out to touch his shoulder, a girl who you’ve never seen before slides up next to him, comfortably easing her arm around his waist. Jake throws his arm over her shoulders and draws her in close and you watch in detached horror as he turns his head to face her and presses a kiss to her cheek.

You draw back as if burned, spinning on your heel with the plan of getting the fuck out of here as fast as you can, hurt and embarrassment washing over you in waves – mingling with each other and making the perfect concoction for a panic attack.

Frantically, your eyes scan the crowd in search of Josh: your one comfort throughout all of this, but you don’t see him. God, where the fuck is he? Of all the times-

“Sunflower?”

It’s Jake’s voice, and you turn to see him, Danny’s tech, and the girl looking at you in concern.

“Are you alright?” Jake asks, dropping his arm from around the girl to turn around more fully.

“Yes, yes, I’m fine.” Your voice comes out breathless and a little frantic, doing a poor job of hiding your impending meltdown.

“Are you sure? You look a little-” Jake starts.

“I was actually just about to leave. Sorry.” You interrupt him, unwilling to spend a moment longer watching someone else have what you want so badly.

“Already?” Danny’s tech asks, and if you were in a better state of mind you’d probably feel guilty for not being able to remember his name. Instead, your mind is focused on the mounting panic rising in your chest, threatening to overtake you as you desperately try to keep your cool.

“I’m a little tired.” You supply vaguely, eyes scanning the crowd again in search of Josh. Still no sign of him.

“Well, I was hoping to introduce you to Lindsey.” Jake says, causing your eyes to cut back to him. He’s smiling, but you can’t decipher the odd look in his eyes.

“Hi.” She says, giving you a kind smile. “It’s really nice to meet you.”

She extends her hand for you to shake and your eyes briefly snap to Jake’s. He looks on edge, like he’s waiting for something. Your approval? You’re not sure.

You shake the girl’s hand.

“Hi. I’m Y/n.”

Lindsey smiles. She’s pretty. Very pretty. She’s not wearing a lot of makeup, just a little bit of mascara and some blush. Her clothes aren’t overly flashy and her eyes seem soft and kind. She’s exactly the type of girl you can imagine Jake going for and the thought makes you want to throw up. But instead, like the adult you are, you plaster a smile on your face to match hers.

“Jake’s told me a little bit about you. He says you’re a great makeup artist.” You know she’s saying that to be nice and to find some ground where you’re comfortable – obviously sensing that you’re on edge and trying to help in any way she can. But you just can’t do this. Not tonight. Not now.

“I’m alright, I guess.” You shrug, and you can feel how forced your smile is but you persist. “It’s really nice to meet you but I really need to get going. Jake?” You turn to him, doing your best to ignore the tears that are beginning to brim in your eyes. “Have you seen Josh? I told him I wouldn’t leave without telling him and his partner goodbye.”

He shakes his head no, crossing his arms over his chest in a way that can only be described as defensive and uncomfortable.

“Sorry, I haven’t. I’ll keep an eye out for him, though.”

“That’s alright. I’ll just shoot him a text later. Congrats on a successful night,” you say, nodding to the tech, Danny, and then to Jake before turning to Lindsey, “and it was really nice to meet you. I’m sorry I’ve gotta run.”

“That’s okay. I hope you have a good night.” She offers, eyes still watching you in concern. Somehow, her kindness makes this whole thing worse.

You turn away from the group and, as if in a dream, you make your way to the exit of the bar.

With no Josh in sight, you pull your phone from your pocket and call an Uber to take you back to the hotel where you’ll pack up your bags for the last time. This time tomorrow, you’ll be in your own bed away from all the madness. You wish the thought gave you more comfort.

//////

Three weeks pass agonizingly slowly. After being on tour for so long, the sudden change in tempo to your normally fast paced life leaves you floating through your days as if in a dream. Where once it seemed as though you barely had time to even sit down and think, now you have too much time to do exactly that. There’s only so many good shows that you missed and there’s only so many useless outings to be had before you find yourself going stir crazy. Distraction-less, your thoughts swirl hopelessly around Jake and your bitter, self-hating disappointment.

You think fondly about the first time you met. You think of your flirting and of the soft moments the two of you shared before it all went to hell. You even think of that damn bar bathroom; you think of the passion and the hope that had bloomed in you that night, and of the crushing disappointment and hurt that soon followed. And inevitably, your thoughts always seem to circle back to that last night, when you finally mustered up the courage to say something, only for the universe to seemingly throw it back in your face with a laugh and a middle finger. And the very worst part of it all had been Lindsey’s obvious kindness and concern towards you, despite having only just met. You hate that you can understand why he chose her.

Those thoughts feel particularly loud tonight as you stare down at an invitation to a group dinner from Josh. He, along with Sam and Danny, had texted you here and there – little things about what was going on in their lives since you last had seen them. But this was the first time that you had been asked to go out with them.

You’re torn. Torn between the desire to see all of your friends again and wanting to avoid having to see Jake (and even worse, Lindsey) if you didn’t absolutely have to. But, deciding to put your big girl pants on, you accepted, texting Josh a simple Sure :)

He responded almost immediately, eagerly letting you know how excited he was to see you.

And here you find yourself, nervously adjusting your top for the millionth time that night as you drive to the bar that Josh had told you about. Despite everything, you couldn’t help but to think about Jake as you had gotten dressed. You feel silly for still allowing yourself to be so hung up on him. You shake your head at yourself, almost in the hopes that the thoughts will slip from your mind at the action. Despite everything, you’re determined to have a good time tonight.

You’ve never been to this bar before, nestled away just a few blocks from Broadway on the East side of Nashville. It’s a nice place, but not so fancy that it comes across as too uptight or uncomfortable. Walking through the doors, you see that there’s a bar off to the right, with a few larger tables scattered across the floor to your left, and some pool tables and a dart board tucked away in the back. It seems laid back and comfortable – just the kind of place the boys like to frequent. Sam and Danny are already at a table, excitedly beckoning you over.

“Sunflower!” Danny calls, standing from his seat and opening his arms wide.

You jog over to him, grinning from ear to ear as you allow him to engulf you in a hug.

“I missed you.” He tells you sweetly, squeezing you a little tighter.

“I missed you too, Dan. Especially your hugs.”

“Quit hogging her!” Sam interrupts, gripping your wrists in his long fingers and pulling you from Danny and into himself.

Giggling, you hug him too.

“And I missed you.” You pull away from him, casting your eyes between the two of them. “I missed all of you guys. Speaking of… where’s tweedle dee and tweedle dum?”

The three of you sit, Danny pulling your chair out for you like the gentleman that he is.

“Josh is running late, as usual.” Sam supplies with an eye roll, “And I think Jake and Lindsey should be here soon. He said they were on their way a while ago.”

It feels like someone just dumped a bucket of ice water on you but you keep your expression smooth. Of course he would be bringing Lindsey tonight… Why wouldn’t he?

Unfortunately for you, they do arrive soon, and seeing Jake again feels like a punch in the gut. He’s wearing a pair of dark jeans coupled with a white button up, and his signature necklace glitters against his chest. He looks stunning, and Lindsey’s beauty only stands out more in the beautiful sundress that she has on.

“There you two are!” Sammy says loudly, and Jake inclines his head.

“Ladies,” he nods at you and Sam, “and Danny, good to see you.”

Sam scowls as Jake and Danny share a laugh.

“Y/n! It’s good to see you again.” Lindsey says with a smile, taking a seat in the chair directly to your right. You push back the annoyance, reminding yourself that it’s not her fault that Jake doesn’t feel the same towards you.

The table descends into easy conversation, though you find yourself having a difficult time keeping up. You smile and nod at what you hope is the correct times, but your thoughts are a thousand miles away. All you can think about is that night in that damn bar bathroom, and how good it had felt in the moment. You think about that night more often than you’d ever care to admit, but the memory is soured anyway by what followed. You can still see Jake’s face, passive and expressionless, as he shattered your heart in two.

And of course, you think of the last show, when you’d allowed Josh to convince you that Jake felt the same. God, you’ll never forget seeing him lean over to kiss Lindsey’s cheek, her arm wrapped around his waist just like yours had been that night at the bar. You wish, suddenly, that you’d ordered alcohol instead of water.

“Right, Sunflower?”

The question snaps you from your racing thoughts and you look up to see everyone at the table looking at you. Your cheeks flush as you wrack your brains to try and recall what they’d been talking about but you come up empty. You open your mouth to spew some bullshit excuse when you hear the door to the restaurant bust open obnoxiously.

“The party has arrived!” Josh bellows, drawing the attention of just about everyone in the building, and – thankfully, the attention of everyone at your table. You slink down further in your seat, suddenly feeling like you’ve run a marathon.

Josh and his partner take a seat to your left, and their presence instantly soothes you in a way you can hardly explain.

“What the hell are you two always doing that makes you so late to everything?” Sam asks him, taking a sip of his drink and quirking his brow.

“You don’t want to know, brother mine.” Josh says with a lewd grin, causing the entire table to erupt in groans of disgust. You laugh softly and Josh’s partner gives you a wink.

Conversations pick up again amongst everyone, though you mostly only speak to Josh’s partner, the two of you scooting backwards in your chairs to speak around Josh – who’s leaning forward as he tells an animated story about something or other, hands flapping about wildly.

“Does he ever run out of things to say?” You stage whisper at his partner, who guffaws loudly and assures you that no, Josh does not, in fact, ever run out of things to say.

“You should see him when we go to the store!” He tells you, eyes twinkling with affection, “He talks to just about everyone in the fucking Publix. I have to drag him out – for my sake and for theirs.”

“What does he even talk to them about?” You ask through a laugh.

“I don’t know. He talks a lot but says very little, most of the time.”

At that, Josh leans back into his chair and turns his head back and forth between the two of you, eyes narrowed and a mocking frown on his face.

“Are you two talking about me?”

“Never!” You tell him seriously, giving your best poker face.

“Absolutely not. I love you just the way you are, babe.” His partner assures him, and you know that he’s not kidding in the slightest. They’re annoyingly perfect for each other.

Josh looks on in suspicion as you and his partner lock eyes, both fighting to hold back your laughter and Josh raises an eyebrow at the two of you. You just shrug your shoulders and smile, while his partner smiles into his drink – the both of you completely unable to meet Josh’s eyes for fear of breaking out into giggles.

“Sure. Whatever, Very convincing.” Josh mutters, shaking his head and fighting a smile of his own. “Anyways, tell us what you’ve been up to, Sunflower.”

You feel warmth overtake your cheeks as everyone’s eyes turn to you and you wish the floor would open up and swallow you whole as Jake’s gaze finally lands on you as well. For the life of you, you can’t get a read on him – a fact that hurts you beyond measure.

“Oh, not much, to be completely honest.” You tell them, shrugging your shoulders. “Not much to do around here when I’m not dealing with you guys’ craziness.”

“Nothing?” Danny asks in disbelief, “No family or friends you’ve been hanging out with?”

“You guys are the only friends I have here in Nash.” You glance down at your lap. “Just been me, myself, and I.”

Josh, in typical Josh fashion, changes the subject upon noticing your discomfort – and you promptly excuse yourself to the ladies’ room. Rising from your seat, you scamper quickly away from the table.

You splash cold water on your face and smooth down a few fly-away hairs. Gazing in the mirror, you smile at yourself. Even you can see that it doesn’t quite reach your eyes.

You jump as the door to the bathroom opens, eyes widening as you see Lindsey entering. You fight back a frown. She’s the last person you want to see.

“Hey.” She says simply, coming to stand beside you in front of the mirror,

“Hi.”

“Are you okay?”

“I’m fine.” You tell her, and wince at the harshness of your tone. “Thank you for asking though.” You add, softer this time.

“You and I both know that’s not true.” She says kindly, giving you a soft smile in the mirror. “I know we don’t really know each other, but… I’m here, if there’s something you want to talk about. I’m good at listening.”

You sigh, heart warming just a little at her obvious kindness and sincerity. You don’t know whether it’s better or worse that she’s a good person – it would be easier to dislike her if she wasn’t. But it’s also easier to accept Jake choosing her over you knowing that she’s a genuine person. Deciding to go out on a limb, you choose your next words carefully – keeping them truthful, but vague.

“Just guy trouble. It’s stupid, really. I don’t know why I’m letting it affect me like this.”

“A breakup?”

“Not necessarily…” You scratch the back of your neck, nerves beginning to show themselves again. “We, um- we slept together. Once. And I really liked him. But he said it was a mistake and we haven’t really spoken since.”

“Did you,” she speaks slowly – delicately, even. “Did you know him well? Before?”

“Yeah. He was always so sweet. Flirty, but not obnoxiously so. I really thought something was there. Something… real.”

“Mmm.” She hummed, looking in the mirror to smooth her own hair down. “And you haven’t spoken to him since?”

“Not in a way that matters. Not about what happened.”

“Maybe you should try.” She says, tilting her head at you. “You never know unless you try.”

You duck your head, fighting the tears that begin to burn behind your eyes.

“He’s with someone else now. And they seem to be happy. I don’t want to cause trouble where it’s not necessary. I just need to…” you trail off for a moment, staring at your reflection hopelessly. “I don’t know. I don’t know what I’m doing anymore.”

“You love him, then?”

Her question makes you freeze for a moment. Do you love him? You hadn’t really wanted to put a direct name to how you feel about Jake. But standing here, crying over him to the girl he chose over you, you figure you’ve hit rock bottom already anyway.

“Yeah, I do.” Your admission comes out quiet – broken in such a way that you almost don’t even recognize it.

“I’m sorry.” She says, her gaze dropping down onto the counter, staring at the little puddles of water. “I wish I could say something to help, but I know there’s nothing to say. It just fucking sucks, feeling like that.”

You nod, sniffling a little and wiping your eyes with the back of your hand.

“And you know what the worst part of it all is?”

She just shakes her head, allowing you to continue.

“The girl he’s with now… I get it. I totally get why he chose her.” You let out a watery laugh and you see Lindsey’s eyes fill with her own tears as she watches you fall apart. “I would have chosen her, too.”

You blink and suddenly you’re being hugged. You’re stunned for just a moment before you hesitantly wrap your arms around her loosely.

“I’m sorry, Y/n.” She says, pulling away from you and placing her hands on your shoulders, willing you to meet her gaze. “You’ll find the one. I know you will.”

“Thank you.” You sniffle again and laugh quietly, “God, this is so embarrassing.”

“Don’t be embarrassed.” She says kindly, dropping her hands and smiling. “Sometimes you just need another girl to listen. I love the guys – and they’re more sensitive and understanding than most, but they don’t get stuff like this like we do.”

You nod at her, taking a deep breath to gather yourself.

“Ready to go back out?”

“Yeah.” You say, and you follow behind her as the two of you make your way back out to the table.

The rest of the night passes by in a blur. After your return from the bathroom, you don’t allow your thoughts to prevent you from enjoying time with your friends. They really are all you have and you’ve missed them terribly. You catch eyes with Lindsey every now and again, and she always gives you an encouraging smile as she watches you engage, and little sparks of affection and thankfulness for her warm your chest. It really isn’t her fault.

After you’ve all eaten, and the alcohol begins to take more affect, Sam suddenly rises from his seat and slams his palms against the table (effectively causing all the plates to rattle obnoxiously)

“Daniel!” He says, pointing a finger at poor Danny who looks back at him with wide eyes. “I challenge you to a game of pool right this instant. I’m tired of sitting.”

Danny rolls his eyes playfully and stands, rubbing his palms on his jeans.

“Don’t start something you know you can’t win.” Danny tells him with a grin.

“40 bucks says I beat you.”

The rest of you watch on in amusement as the two bicker all the way over to the pool tables.

“Jake?” Josh asks, turning to his twin, “Wanna play?”

“Fuck ya.” Jake responds, also rising from his place. “Ready to beat your ass.”

“In your dreams, Jakey.”

“Don’t call me that.” Jake says petulantly, brushing past Josh with a deliberate nudge against his shoulder.

You, Josh’s partner, and Lindsey follow the boys over to the tables, laughing at their antics. Everyone is sporting a buzz now and you’re well on your way to getting your own little buzz. You figure you deserve it.

You watch on in amusement as the boys allow themselves to let loose – you love watching them like this. They’re like little kids, giggling and messing with each other as they play pool.

“I haven’t seen them all together like this.” Lindsey tells you from her seat next to you. “They’re like…”

“Children?” You supply, giggling softly. “They’re always like this. Even during a tour.”

The both of you laugh loudly as Josh sinks a ball, exclaiming loudly in triumph before Jake interrupts his celebration to let him know that he hit one of Jake’s into the pocket and not his own. Josh lets out a particularly petulant “Fuck!” and Jake tosses his head back and laughs.

You watch him, completely unable to pull your eyes away from him. He looks… transcendent like that, joy and laughter making his eyes crinkle at the corners in the way that always makes your heart melt. A pang shoots through your chest as memories of when he used to laugh with you like that enter your thoughts unbidden. You shake your head at yourself, tearing your gaze away from him to look at Lindsey – only to find her already looking at you.

You can’t quite read her expression – but there’s puzzlement in her eyes. You look away, unwilling to answer (or even acknowledge) her silent question.

Before long, the boys are far too drunk to be allowed out in public any longer, and Josh’s partner begins making the rounds to let them know that it’s time to go. He’s met with grumblings of disappointment but the boys don’t protest as you all begin to make your way outside.

“Well, Sunflower,” Danny says, smiling widely with flushed cheeks as he looks at you, “I guess we won’t see you again until tour starts again.” He extends his strong arms, waiting to give you a goodbye hug. You fall into him, letting your eyes fall closed as he squeezes you.

“You give the best hugs, Danny.”

“So you keep telling me.” He grins, pulling away as Josh’s partner ducks in to hug you as well.

“Me next!” Sam exclaims loudly, yanking you from his grip to pull you into his lanky arms.

“Bye, Sammy.” You giggle. “Till next time.”

You pull away to see Josh waiting patiently for his turn.

“See you soon, Sunflower.” He says, pulling you flush against him. Just as you go to pull away, he pulls you in tighter and leans in close.

“I’m so sorry.” He whispers, just loud enough for you to hear. You blink away the tears that want to fall at his words.

Lastly, Jake stands, hands awkwardly in his pockets as he waits. You’re not sure what to do until he opens his arms for you. Hesitantly, you wrap your arms around his waist, breathing in his scent as it envelopes you.

He leans in close – so close that his lips are almost touching your ear.

“See you later, Sunflower.”

“Bye, Jake.” You say quietly.

He squeezes you tighter, letting the embrace last for just a moment too long.

Pulling away, you catch Lindsey’s eyes, and for the first time tonight, she doesn’t return the smile that you give her.

You trudge your way back to your car, suddenly wishing that you hadn’t gone tonight. And even more, you wish – desperately, that you didn’t have to see him again at all.

Climbing into your car, you allow yourself to put on your sad song playlist and wallow in your misery the entire way home, before collapsing heavily into your bed – the call of sleep pulling you under.

///////

Jake K 1:02 AM

I think we should talk

The text is the very last thing you want to wake up to – especially with the pounding in your head and the feeling of nausea that threatens to overtake you. You hadn’t had much to drink the night before but you have a feeling that it’s not the alcohol making you feel this way. You stare at it for a long while, thoughts racing through your fuzzy brain as you try and figure out how to respond.

You knew you shouldn’t have been honest with Lindsey – no matter how kind she is. Of course she would have caught on after seeing your inability to fix your face when you watch Jake and of course she would tell him what had happened in the bathroom.

And now he’s probably upset with you. Maybe he’s angry that you’ve kept your feelings from him and fucked him in a bar bathroom like it didn’t mean anything. Maybe he’s going to fire you. Maybe Lindsey wants him to fire you. Your mind races with every worst possible scenario as you shakily type out your response.

You 10:17 AM

Is everything okay?

The speed with which he answers tells you everything that you need to know.

Jake K 10:19 AM

Can you call?

You 10:19 AM

Yes. Whenever you get a chance.

Not a second later, his name lights up across your screen with an incoming call. Heart pounding, you can only stare at it. You haven’t had time to think. To plan out how you’re supposed to just act like everything is okay. With a heavy sigh, you accept that it’s too late for that and you swipe to accept the call.

“Hey.”

“Hey, Y/n.”

Your actual name… hardly a good sign but you will the nerves and fear from your voice the best you can.

“Is everything okay?”

A heavy, pregnant pause. Then finally,

“Lindsey and I talked last night. She um. She knows. About- About us.”

You close your eyes tight, heart hammering.

“Fuck.” The word escapes you with a sigh, tears already beginning to burn in the back of your throat. “I swear I didn’t tell her, Jake. I swear it. I just-”

“I know.” He interrupts. “She explained. I um.”

You can hear him swallow and you can picture what he must look like on the other end – eyebrows pinched, maybe playing with the chain of his necklace like he does when he’s nervous or stressed. You shake your head as if it’ll clear the image from your mind.

“Jake, I’m sorry.”

He sighs – heavy and defeated.

“Don’t apologize. I- I’m sorry that I hurt you like that. I didn’t- I didn’t mean to.”

“I know you didn’t.”

Silence again, both of you just listening to the others breathing.

“I think it might be best if- if maybe you all find someone else for makeup.”

“No.” He starts, the word louder than any of the others that he’s spoken before. “You can't just walk away. You can't leave. ”

“But I think it would be best if I did.”

This time, you can practically hear him trying to come up with something to say in the silence. But you know there isn’t really much else to say.

“You’re our friend.” He finally says, voice just barely above a whisper.

That makes you pause as you think of the others – of Josh and his soft, reassuring smiles. Of his partner and the inside jokes the two of you share. Of Sammy and his ridiculous jokes and of Danny’s hugs. You think of all the other tech people – the ones who had taken you in and treated you like family from the very start. All the people that you’re willingly walking away from... and most of them will never even know why.

It kills you. The ache in your chest is a real, breathing thing as the reality of it all sets in.

“I’m sorry.”

“Y/n, don’t-”

You end the call.

End of Part I

*:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ

@jakeyt

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#dee's writing #jake kiszka x reader #jake kiszka angst #jake kiszka

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alipeeps · 2 months ago

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A Moment But Forever - Episode 28

Oh I am rooting for these two to get together. I think Ah-Xue and her no-nonsense practicality, her humour, her warmth, is good for Qianlin. (I don't know if he'll ever see it/get past his infatuation with Tanyin though)

Yuanzhong you are such a little shit. 😂

Yeeeeaaaah young city lord has gone full scumbag and is gonna kill his sister. No big surprise there.

So "prepare the wine" is for his father? What is that going to do? Is he going to... somehow influence his father to kill his sister? That's fucking cold even for Zhao Jing...

Oooh or is he going to kill his father and blame it on Zhi Dai and Tanghua? Poison him and claim that the immortality pill killed him?

Oh damn, the carefully prepared fixed smile on his face as he enters...

What was the maid hesitating about? Does she know what's coming?

Oh shit, he poisoned Zhi Dai's food too! That's why the maid hesitated...

Mannnn sometimes I hate being right...

"Because I don't need to win" is a pretty powerful statement for a man whose whole life has been about winning... about defeating the enemy, about plotting to escape his captivity, about planning his revenge on the world. Now all he cares about is making her happy.

Ahhhhhhh we got kisses!! (I feel like a lot of the cdramas with a romance I have enjoyed recently have cheated us out of on-screen kisses *side-eyes The Double in particular+).

Not sure how this rule that has been placed on her by Divinity Hall works. Wasn't it meant to be that she can't fall in love with him? Does it only kick in if she says it? Cos I mean it's pretty damn obvious she has fallen in love with him, by any metric.

He's pretty good at this too, considering this must be his first ever kiss?

(I'm just gonna put it out there that, for fanfic purposes, it's entirely possible that they slept together that night 😁)

Ooooh shitty Dingxu is still sneaking around spying on him? And it seemed like Yuanzhong could sense he - or at least someone - was there?

Why does Dingxu say he's become a demon? (This whole thing about if he is demon or not is stressing me, ngl...)

And Yuanzhong neatly evades confirming or denying it... Or wait, did he just confirm it? Or is he just fucking with Dingxu?

Or do they not mean it literally... do they mean because of what he did with the heavenly flame? (I NEEEEED answers to this! Is he a demon or not?!!)

Ohhh I fucking love him throwing that back in Dingxu's face - literally telling him you of all people should know why I would do that. You know what you did to me.

What did Dingxu really think sneaking around watching Yuanzhong was going to achieve? He must have known there was no way Yuanzhong would help him create more immortality pills, so what on earth was he expecting?

Ahhhhhh the intimacy of it all!! Her smoothing his clothes into place, adjusting his hair, getting him to twirl for her... 😍😍

"To be cared for is wonderful" It truly is... for someone who has not had that for 60+ years...

Wow... I mean, you could have assumed that these soldiers were just following orders and truly believed Zhi Dai had assassinated her father... but the fact that they attacked Youhu clan people (and specifically Tanghua) on sight means they are absolutely in on the plot with shitty city lord.

And who the rubbery fuck are these dudes?!! And what's with the glowy eyes? Some form of human cragtsmanship?

Aaaaand why did they cut away and not show the battle at all? Budget? Having to cut the episodes down to 36? Why introduce a fearsome-looking (new and possibly plot-relevant) enemy... and then not show what happens with them?

But it did show us the bird flying away... and then landing at the city lord's palace. So the bird is some kind of spy?

He's reluctant to get involved... and understandably so. He's had enough of war and conflict and being expected to save everyone... he just wants to be a little bit selfish and do things for himself, go out and see the world with the person he loves.

But he agrees for Tanghua's sake.

Uhhhh did anybody warn the Youhu visitors about the resident War Demon and to leave him the fuck alone? Cos otherwise this could get messy!

Tanyin looks rather conflicted at the idea of Yuanzhong getting involved...

How many people are they hosting in this 3 bedroom house now? There was already 4 of them, with Tanghua and Zhi Dai that makes 6 and that's not counting the 3 lackeys Tanghua brought with him?

Die faster you miserable old fuck.

Oooh the War Demon chief has gone after Dingxu? Not that he doesn't deserve it but why? I thought it was all about killing Yuanzhong? Ohhh shit... do they want to get Yuanzhong's location out of Dingxu...

Oh really Elder? It's interesting that you only needed to go and meet this contact asap once you heard that Yuanzhong was here? And why the fuck would they need a detailed map of the city lord's mansion when they have Zhi Dai, who was fucking living there!! (Please tell me you realise this is bullshit Tanghua?)

What are the chances this fucker is in cahoots with city lord?

The Wushuang Secret Manual? I know that's been mentioned before but I can't remember the details... Was it written by Tanyin? (And where the fuck did they get it? It this more of Hannv's interference?)

There's also a few suspiciously missing pages at the back?

Is fucking Dingxu actually collaborating with the War Demons (and the humans)? Against Yuanzhong? Against his own fucking people?

Holy shit he is the worst!! I thought the War Demon chief had gone to torture Yuanzhong's location out of him but ofc she wouldn't need to because that fucker will do anything to anyone to preserve his own fucking skin.

Honestly, Yuanzhong might have had the right fucking idea with the Heavenly Flame, if he'd just kept it away from the innocent populace and aimed it solely at the ruling class.

Oh that's never a good sign. Let's just get this one thing sorted and then leave town and go live happily ever after. Yeah that's definitely not going to happen now.

I'm calling it, Qianlin is going to become the perfect War Demon that they've been striving for all this time. Only he'll be fighting on Yuanzhong's side.

Ohhh that is such an ominous place for it to end. Shit is going to go DOWN next episode, isn't it? This is going to hurt...

#a moment but forever #liveblogging... kinda

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timothee-chalamets-girlfriend · 1 year ago

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Paul Atreides X Reader (Dune)

Part 1: Caladan

Paul Atreides' feet dangle from his bed as he rests in slumber. The blanket was on his body's top half, but he had kicked it off his bottom half. He was a restless sleeper. This was because of strange dreams he would have. They were always changing, but most made him uncomfortable. This has been going on since he was a child, yet some of his dreams still shock him.

Outside of House Atreides, the sun was beginning to rise. It had been a cool night, causing drops of dew to form on the soft grass. The ocean water can be heard roaring against the rocks at the bottom of the cliff, a high tide was coming in. Luckily the cliff House Atreides sat on was the highest on Caladan. Not only was it protected from water, it's protected from any kind of threat that may arise. Paul's father, Leto Atreides, had done all he could to keep his royal family safe. However, part of him knew nothing could be protected forever. Still, it was his duty to keep his family safe. And he would.

"Paul," a small voice whispered. "Paul." He feels a warm touch on his shoulder and his eyes shoot open. Looking up, he immediately relaxes when he sees it was just his mother. Paul readjusts himself from his crooked position and sits up. "Hm?" He makes a small, sleepy sound. "You slept in again. Your father and I have been waiting at the breakfast table for you." His mother tells him, running her hand through his curls. "Oh, sorry. I was-" Paul starts but his mother interrupts. "You were up late studying Arrakis and their people again, weren't you?" She asks with a sigh. Paul simply nods, looking away. "Come now, your food is getting cold." His mother says and leads him to the dining room.

Father, mother, and son sat side by side at the table and enjoyed their breakfast. Paul's father and mother finished theirs fairly quickly, while he took a bit longer than usual. "Not hungry?" Leto asked. Paul shrugs. His father and mother exchange a glance before Leto turns his attention back to his son. "Look, Paul, I know you want to come to Arrakis with me, but it's just too dangerous. You've never experienced desert conditions. I'm not going to risk it, you are far too important." He talks firmly. Paul, being a teenager, rolls his eyes at his father.

He pushes his plate away, which had a little over half of the food left. "You just don't trust me." He says, shaking his head. "It's not that, Paul, and you know that. We simply love you too much and are trying to protect you." His mother enters the conversation. "But you get to go." Paul defies. "You know why I have to go, Paul. Don't pull that." The mom replies. Paul grunts, "mother, father. Please. You both know how much I've been studying and preparing for this. I am ready. Please believe me." Paul says, practically begging his parents. The room goes silent for a few seconds as Leto looks at his son and ponders possibilities. "There is one thing we could try in order for him to prove himself ready." He finally lets out his thought. Paul's mother was quick to share her thought. "Are you insane!? That could get him killed!" She yells. "Calm down, Jessica. I believe in him. I believe he deserves a chance." Leto replies calmly and seriously.

Paul's lips swiftly form a smile, and he jumps up from his chair in a sudden burst of excitement. He had no idea what this thing he would have to do was, but he was happy to get to try nonetheless. Jessica sighs, standing as well and readjusting the long fabric of her dress. She didn't want to disappoint her son, but she couldn't help but worry about the possibility of him failing the test. "Very well, then. I'll take Paul to her." She tells Leto, and both mother and son walk the halls of the great House Atreides. While they walk a sinking feeling forms in the pit of Jessica's stomach. She hated this idea. At the same time she knew it needed to be done. "I must not fear. Fear is the mind-killer. Fear.." she says to herself in her mind as they approach the door.

Lady Jessica takes a final step forward, knocking on the large metal door. "Reverend Mother?" She calls out, and the door quickly flies open. As Paul enters the room, which was mysteriously dark and empty, a shiver runs down his spine. He was starting to feel not too sure about this. "Reverend Mother, my son, Paul, is ready to be tested." His mother tells the cloaked woman with a shaky voice. "How wonderful!" The lady croaks, "you may leave, lady Jessica. Guard the door for me." Jessica nods and leaves at once, the door closing behind her with a forceful slam.

"Come closer, boy. Don't be afraid." The lady shows off some of her crooked teeth. Paul cautiously proceeds forward, but stops just a few feet from where he should be. "CLOSER!" She yells, her voice suddenly becoming deeper than even his. He feels as if someone was behind him, as he is abruptly pushed forward. "KNEEL!" She yells in the deep voice again; Paul's legs seem to give way as he falls to his knees in front of her. The Reverend Mother takes a few moments to study Paul. She reaches out a shaky hand and places it on his cheek, her hand traveling around his facial features.

Paul, thinking that this was all the test was, goes to stand. He is quickly stopped when he feels an odd sensation against his neck. The Reverend Mother smirks as she points the gom jabbar directly at the boy's neck. "By your neck I hold a poison needle, in which will cause instant death at injection. The test is simple. Put your right hand in the box and keep it in there no matter what you feel. The second you remove your hand from the box, is the second you die." She tells him, still smirking. "What's in the box?" Paul asks, lifting up his right hand and beginning to slowly direct it towards the box. "You'll find out soon enough, my boy. Go on now." The lady grows impatient and pushes the needle a few inches closer to Paul's neck, making Paul waste no more time putting his hand in the box.

At first, there was just tingling. Almost as if electricity was running through Paul's hand. But it didn't hurt, it was just an unusual sensation. Paul looks the Reverend Mother in the eyes with confidence of passing the test, but it doesn't take him long to regret that. There was no light, no heat, yet.. it felt as if his hand was immersed in flames. Paul takes a quick breath to try and keep himself from reacting to the burning sensation on his skin. Soon, he feels as if his skin was being ripped off and the flames were entering his open wounds, making it feel like he had stuck his hand in a river of lava. Paul bites his lip, shaking his head and groaning through his throat. He wanted to remove his hand from the box. But he couldn't.

Now, the sensation he had in his right hand was that of an axe chopping off each of his fingers one by one before completely severing his hand. All of this while still burning, as well. Paul couldn't hold back anymore. He lets out a pained yell, which echoes throughout the room. "Quiet." The lady says, still holding the needle just centimeters from his neck. Paul breathes rapidly and scrunches his face in agony. He felt like crying, screaming, and mostly he felt like removing his hand from the box. However, he knew that any of those were not an option. The pain seems to reach its maximum level, and as it does Paul closes his eyes and holds back another scream, instead letting out another groan from his throat. Everything seems to go blank. All he can feel is pain, all he sees is darkness, and all he hears is the sound of his panting. He decides to focus on his breathing and nothing else. A few failed attempts pass, but he finally manages to get his breathing under control. Paul slowly opens his eyes and locks them with the lady's once more. His face was as still as stone. There were no emotions in his expression. He looked as if he could be dead.

"Enough!" The Reverend Mother yells after exhausting herself enough. The boy had passed. Paul swipes his hand out from the box and examines it; it was perfectly fine. He sighs in relief as the pain melts away and he realizes he's still alive, meaning he had passed the test. Lady Jessica runs in and immediately checks on her son, feeling just as relived to see him alive. "You pushed it too far." She tells the Reverend Mother sternly. The lady clicks her tongue, shaking her head. "Now, now. You and I both see the potential power in this young man. He needed to be tested to the limits." The Reverend Mother speaks. "What of him now?" Paul's mother asks. "He will go with you to Arrakis. You'll leave early tomorrow morning. I feel as if he will be needed there. No matter his fate, I feel he can make a difference to that rouge planet." The older lady responds before ushering her guests out from the eerie room.

#dune #dune 2 #dune 2024 #dune movie #paul atreides #paul atreides x reader #timothee #timothee chalamet #dune part two #dune part 2

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spnjediavenger · 29 days ago

Text

It Won’t Last Forever (Prologue)

Title: It Won’t Last Forever (Prologue)

Type: multi-chapter; father!Hotch x teen!daughter!reader, some bau x teen!reader (platonic!)

Warnings: canon-typical Criminal Minds sadness and/or violence, blood, light injury description, no comfort

POSSIBLE TRIGGER WARNINGS: adult fighting a minor (teenager)

Spoilers: S5 SPOILERS

Notes: this was a request for a pre-existing multi-chapter fic! thank you, anon! i've actually been wanting to get back into this fic so i can finally finish it so going to this queued request was the perfect way to do that. it's a bit short but hopefully its ok!

Some things may not be exact to the episode but it’s been a minute since i’ve seen it (low-key didn’t want to rewatch it cuz its painful and im not currently emotionally stable enough to handle it lmao)

As always, love and/or constructive/friendly criticism is welcome and encouraged!

Word count: 690

"It's in my nature to be kind, gentle, and loving, but know this: When it comes to matters of protecting my friends, my family, and my heart, do not trifle with me. For I am also the most powerful and relentless creature you will ever know." Unknown author.

As soon as Jack had run upstairs to ‘work the case,’ Y/n knew the odds were stacked against them. Her dad didn’t want them there to see what was about to happen. And Y/n had known from the start that something was off with this man. She hadn’t known exactly who he was - but she knew he was bad news. And now knowing who he was, Y/n knew they were all in very real danger.

Y/n’s eyes darted around the room, trying to remember if there were any places her dad had kept a firearm. Despite her mother’s wishes, Y/n had wanted to learn to shoot. Even Hotch was adverse to it in the beginning but now it seems like it was the right choice.

Coming up short, Y/n realized the only gun was going to be upstairs in her parents’ bedroom. And looking over to see the gun pressed against her mother, she didn’t have a lot of options. The words being exchanged over the phone seemed to be nearing an end - the teen didn’t have much time.

Y/n looked at her mother and they exchanged sad but loving looks. Haley gave her the smallest of nods and Y/n turned and bolted up the stairs to the second floor, hearing a gunshot only a millisecond later. The girl bit back a sob as she pushed herself forward faster as pounding footsteps were heard behind her. She made a close turn into the master bedroom and dove towards the bedside table. She grabbed the gun and spun around in enough time for Foyet to punch her in the face. Y/n gasped in pain as the force pushed her back. The spot under her eye began throbbing immediately but her adrenaline pushed it aside.

“You weren’t the one I was figuring on fighting,” Foyet smirked ferally at the girl as she looked at him. “But I’ll take it.” He punched her again and she fell to the floor, dropping the gun.

Y/n flipped over and kicked his knee, sending him to the ground with her. He grabbed his leg and she had the chance to get up. She went to grab the gun again when Foyet came and wrapped his arms around her middle and lifted her off the ground. “Cheap shots won’t get you far, princess,” he growled.

The girl tried wiggling out of his grasp to no avail. But Foyet’s attention was diverted when someone grabbed his leg from behind. He turned to see Haley on the ground, having apparently dragged herself from downstairs. Foyet smirked down at her, knowing she wasn’t going to be able to do much.

But that distraction was all Y/n needed to adjust herself and throw an elbow back to Foyet’s head. He shouted in pain and doubled over, allowing Y/n the chance to break out of his hold on her. She grabbed his arm and shoved it upwards, making his head lower towards the ground. She kneed him in the face, dropped an elbow to his back, and pushed him to the floor. She grabbed the gun a foot away, spun around to see Foyet’s angry face glaring up at her as he prepared to stand, and pointed the gun at him.

Foyet grabbed her legs and pulled them from under her. Y/n gasped as her head hit the ground but quickly kicked her legs at him, one landing him in the face. She took the moment to stand once more and shoot him square in the forehead.

Tires screeching and slamming doors filled the air outside, footsteps made their way through the house - but Y/n didn’t register any of it. Her breath shuttered and her body trembled as the adrenaline began wearing off and her brain was struggling to remember everything that had just happened

Y/n heard movement and spun on her heel, gun pointed at her father, eyes wild and body shaking.

“Y/n, honey, it’s me. It’s dad,” he said, holding his hands up in a calming manner.

“Daddy?” she whispered shakily, body still trembling.

Brene Brown said: "We will practice courage in our family by showing up, letting ourselves be seen, and honoring vulnerability. We will share our stories of struggle and strength. There will always be room for both."

#fanfiction #fanfic #x reader #criminal minds x teen reader #criminal minds x hotchner reader #criminal minds fanfic #aaron hotchner #aaron hotchner x teen reader #criminal minds #criminal minds fanfiction #criminal minds x reader

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lets-break-free-from-our-chains · 2 years ago

Text

Always and Forever My Truest: Chapter 2

(A/N): Hey everyone! Surprised myself with writing chapter 2 so quickly, but after writing the first chapter I think I really got my mood back for the series. By the looks of it I think it’ll really start kicking off in chapter 3 or so. I hope you guys like chapter 2! Let me know in the comments if you want to be added to the taglist, and thank you for all the support on my writing!

Word Count: 1,300-ish

Summary: Anniversary planning is never easy, especially when it’s your 453rd anniversary. Now the reader must be the one to deal with annoying Alexanders and the new information about a long lost Alexander female was just be brought to light.

Warnings: dub-con, forced marriage, polygamy, possible Stockholm syndrome?, obsessive/possessive behavior, Yandere-ish Walter de Ville, dom/sub relationship, abuse of power, threats—warnings to be added. Let me know if I missed anything.

18+ MINORS DNI!!! YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED! I DON’T NEED TO GET IN TROUBLE BECAUSE YOU’RE A MINOR READING STUFF YOU KNOW VERY WELL YOU SHOULD NOT BE READING!!! THANX

Disclaimers: I do not own The Invitation or any of the characters within the movie. You know what is and isn’t mine.

Walter de Ville x Wife!Reader

~Present day in 2022~

~(Y/N) P.O.V~

Roses. Traditional and elegant, but so unoriginal. Possibly the bleeding heart flower? The master would certain find that choice amusing. Then again, there is Cherry Blossoms. Representing renewal, which is befitting given the celebration.

‘Oh, but we had those for our 342nd Anniversary!’ I thought in frustration, huffing out a sigh. ‘Where is the creativity. The awe factor!’

The event coordinator must have sensed my rapidly rising irritation, as I shuffled through the damn flower books, and she scrambled to suggest more flower ideas. “There is always Locus flowers, Lady De Ville! They would certainly make a statement and the setting—”

“No.” I stated, indifference overcoming my composure. “No, I just don’t understand I suppose. You’ve had days and days to prepare and nothing you have shown me has yet to impress me in the slightest. Perhaps, I was wrong in believing you fit for the task…”

I stare her down as she struggles to find words in her defense. It was amusing in a way. Despite how I am in the presence of my husband, I cast off an entirely different persona in the presence of the public. A persona to rival that of the master. It’s certainly an entertaining sight for my Lord Love to watch as I interact with people. My mother always said, “who we are and who we have to be, are sometimes to completely different things.”

‘Words that I live by to this day.’ I mused to myself.

The coordinator still has yet to find solid footing and I grow tired of her incompetence. I close my eyes in disappointment and turn to leave the gardens before an innocent voice cuts through the air.

“Wait (Y/N/N)! Look at these flowers, Jade Vines.” Lucy called out, turning to me with a picture of turquoise blue flowers. ‘They certainly were stunning and most of all unconventional’ I pondered. I beckon her closer and she came bounding over, blonde curls bouncing softly with her every movement.

I hear the coordinator finally find her irksome voice, “Yes, Jade Vines would be an excellent choice! They are exotic flowers from the Philippines and considered one of the world’s most rare flowers, if not the rarest.”

I drown out her voice as a study the picture before I cast my gaze up to Lucy’s anticipated facial expression. I finally smile as I speak, “Yes, the Jade Vines would be perfect!” Lucy lets out an excited squeak. “Well done, Lucy.”

I bestow a soft endearing look to her as her face lights up at the praise and she bounces in her place. Viktoria can be so impatient with Lucy, bossing her about, and sometimes being just downright cruel. When Viktoria isn’t bullying her she simply ignores Lucy as if she isn’t even there. It saddens me to think that Lucy believes that no one cares for what she has to say. I do though, and I gladly listen her rambling. It’s nostalgic in a way as it reminds me of a younger me. A human me.

“Perhaps, I should place Lucy in charge of my anniversary event.” I glare at the other woman, who once again finds herself lost for words. “Don’t disappoint me again.” Which she vehemently nods in fear.

With that I swiftly turn and depart from the gardens. I’m almost inside when Renfield stops me on the spacious patio. He bows before rising to speak, “My deepest apologies for disturbing your planning, Lady De Ville. However, Oliver Alexander made an unannounced visit with what he claims is urgent news.”

I give Renfield an inquisitive and uncertain look before I fall back into my normal façade, “and tell me, why is this not being brought forth to the master?” I inquire, with a condescending head tilt.

“He has several important meetings lined up today, Mistress. Forgive me, I tried to send him away to return on a better day, but he insisted if he could not see the Master then he wished to speak to the Mistress.”

I heavily sighed before making my way towards my personal library. “Very well. Send him to my study in 10 minutes.”

“Certainly, Lady De Ville.” Renfield bowed, despite my turned back, and departed to collect Oliver Alexander.”

~(Y/N)’s Library~

I read over a few business project proposals and bank statements for some of the Castellan companies, before a steady knock sounds from the library doors. My golden hued eyes slowly trail over to the doors in disinterest. “Come in.”

Renfield swiftly opens the doors and makes way for Oliver. I internally roll my eyes, as Oliver gives me a dopey smile and bows in respect. He has always been a weasel and he truly had no favor with me at all. That’s why Walter tended to deal with him, so as not to upset me in any way. Speaking of which I didn’t need this boy here a moment longer than necessary.

“I hope your news is as urgent as you claim it to be, Oliver. You know I have little patience for those who waste my time.” My golden irises sharpen in a dangerous manner, to which the boy begins to squirm under.

“Yes of course, Lady De Ville. I wouldn’t dare dream of it. Though it truly is a marvelous occurrence and—”

“Out with it, Alexander!” I hissed, feeling my teeth elongate.

“We have discovered a female of the Alexander bloodline. Evie Alexander.” He fearfully blurted out.

This was quite a discovery. A very important one. All the bloodlines were bound in ancient magic to my Lord Love and the bloodlines worked together like a well oiled machine to insure prosperity and protection. Perhaps before the master and I were married, the prospect of offering a bride to the master held meaning, but that was no longer the case. At least not since he and I were wed and had became one. Now it was about keeping the bloodlines in line and doing our bidding under the illusion that their daughters held value. In truth, now all the families really did was help keep our identities and true nature from the light of truth. The brides from the other three bloodlines were really just incentive for the other bloodlines to behave and not induce the ire of my Lord Love.

With this new leverage over the Alexanders, we would be sure to have them under thumb once more. The only questionable matter is whether this girl was actually of the Alexander bloodline. I slowly stood from desk chair before leisurely gliding over to where Oliver stood.

“How exactly are you sure this so called long lost relative is truly of the Alexander bloodlines?” I asked, sweet sarcasm dripping from my voice.

“It was discovered through a DNA testing company that helps you discover people related to you.” He said, in excitement.

I nod as he finished speaking and waited on bated breath for my response, “Well, this is certainly a discovery. However, more research must be done into this girl. The Master must know as soon as possible, and I will be the one to inform him. Have you contacted this Evie?”

He shook his head and I nodded my approval. “Good. Make sure it remains so until I speak with my husband and he has decided what to do next. Only then will we commence with any plans.”

He gave me another idiotic smile and I gave a silent huff as I glared at him. “We shall be in touch very soon. You are dismissed.”

He bowed and quickly made way for the doors. I spun around to look out the enormous windows as my mind wanders off in thought.

‘Things are about to get a lot more difficult. This Evie was not raised like Viktoria, Lucy, and I. She is a different breed entirely, and certainly not one to be underestimated.’

Taglist: @dd122004dd @omgsuperstarg @crazy4books1 @taetae123094 @lychee02 @liathelioness

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terras-domain · 2 years ago

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Forever More (Ahn Yujin x Male Reader)

Reader’s POV

Another stressful day at work. Fuck my body is aching so bad lately. Good thing weekends are near, now just need to kick back and relax at home. “Honey, I hoooome~” I called, waiting for a respond to come back at me. Instead of a shout back at me, I saw an angel’s face beaming at me, an innocent smile reflecting in my pupils. “Baby?” she said, giddily walking towards me and giving a sniff on my body. “IT IS YOUUUUUU” she shouts out her happiness, hugging me tight I couldn’t breathe for a moment. It’s always been something that we do together whenever, whether it’s the first thing in the morning, or I just got home from work. The love of my life, Yujin will always be there for me and giving the brightest of smiles takes the pain away. We’ve been dating for three years and even though we decided not to get married, I’m still the happiest man in the world and content with her.

“What you up to baby?” I asked, it’s not usual to see Yujin working in the kitchen, not to mention doing it alone. “Awwww c’mon babe, you think I’d forget, did you?” she raised an eyebrow, making a smug face as she sighed. “It’s our third anniversary silly!” With a face that screams “TA-DA” she presented the dining table looking well made, a small flowerpot with indigo-coloured lilies in it with an artificial candle to set the mood. “So, what do you think?” her hands behind her back and tilting her head with the cutest smile one could ever imagine. All I could do was smile and cup her cheeks with my hands, giving her a peck of kiss on her lips. “I love it, my little babyboo.” I smiled back at her, enjoying the moment as we shared a quick romantic moment before a sudden unpleasant smell reeked in the kitchen. “OH FUCK, THE PASTA!!” It felt as if the part where we should be kissing deeply into each other’s mouth suddenly went to a halt, and the overcooked pasta had to ruin the scene.

“Nauurrrr. It’s ruined.” A clear display of disappointment is shown in her pouting face as she looked down at the mushed-up pasta noodles go down the drain, as well as the pot since the stove absolutely baked and burnt the pot as well, leaving us with a spaghetti sauce with no spaghetti to eat with. “I am so sorry baby….I don’t know what to say” crystals starts to form underneath her round puppy like eyes, pouring down as the self-guilt hit her hard. I couldn’t bare watching it and just wiped the tears of her face, gently caressing her face. “Aww don’t say that baby. It’s far from over. We can always improvise, right?” with a gentle smile to convince her, I gave her a big hug as an of comfort. Yujin has always been a sensitive person ever since we dated so it’s not something odd for me to comfort her. “C’mon, I’m sure we have some instant noodles in the shelf. Let’s use it as our noodles, what do you say, Ms. Chef?” I reached into the shelf and grabbed a pack of instant noodles and tossed it to her, seeing a brighter reaction than she was a few minutes ago after the sad story of the fallen noodles. Since our pot is also burnt, we decided to prepare our ‘pasta’ with hot water, doing it the plebian student-ish way despite being grown adults.

It didn’t take long before our dinner could get started (it really wasn’t, instant noodles literally only take 2 minutes to make). With whatever we had on we sat at the dining table and had a good meal together where we laughed at the incident and had a nice evening to loosen up. It’s great to see Yujin back to her angelic smile again, it’s way better than seeing her all sad and depressed. “Thanks for the quick improvision bae. If you didn’t help in just now, I’d be by the trash can crying right now.” She sighed and took a sip of water from her glass, clearing her throat from the rather dry meal, possibly because the sauce was dry. I could feel the food lacking a lot of things, but who am I to complain, it was made by my only Yujin, and what matters is she made it with all her love. No matter how dried and unseasoned it is I’d still finish it all like a man who hasn’t eaten for weeks. “Umm baby”, Yujin paused me with a soft calling. “Mhm?” I gave a short reply, my mouth filled with the instant noodles topped with Yujin’s dry spaghetti sauce. Yujin could only give out a soft giggle, but it didn’t take long for that to build up until she chuckled and laughed out loud, looking at my face. “What’s wrong?” I asked, which Yujin immediately responded. “You look so adorable what the fuck hahahaha!” she shook her head and reached out to me, grabbing a cloth to wipe a stain of tomato sauce off my face. “Slow down dumbass, food’s not going anywhere.” She shook her head, smirking as a reaction to my attitude.

As time passes by, we exchanged laughter and conversation kept going and going till one point we just thought it was time to hit to the bed – the best part of having a significant other. As we both laid in bed, I just had to lay on top of Yujin’s soft tummy, feeling her breath moving her body up and down, the warmth forever soothing me. Yujin made a sincere smile while looking down at me, caressing my hair. “It was a tiring day, wasn’t it?” Yujin broke the silence, asking as she hummed a little song as she kept playing around with my scalp, scratching it gently and swirling my hair. I couldn’t say a word, all it there was, was a little nod followed by a little sobbing, tears running down my eyes and flows onto hers. “I just don’t know. I appreciate you so much Yujin. I can’t say that life isn’t as tough as it is.” I sobbed, hugging her tight and before we know it, it was a tight cuddling, each of us holding each other tightly, embracing ourselves in a vulnerable state. “I understand baby, it’s a tough life. And I appreciate you for being strong for me, for us. I’m proud at what you’ve grown into after all this time.” Yujin embraced me, holding my face as I watch those eyes beaming at me as if it’s a ray of hope, her soft fingers wiping my tears off before she gives a soft kiss on the forehead. It felt magical, almost as if a burden was lifted off my body and I felt lighter. Yujin’s soft lips didn’t stop there. Her lips travelled and pecked all over my face, kissing me gently. And whilst that the same three words repeated again and again, almost like it was singed into my ears and stored into my brain. “I love you.” Was all I heard every time her lips crashed landed on my face until they touch my lips. Yujin took her time there, taking as long as she wants to kiss me, and eventually the innocent healing kiss turned sensual, and a touch of romantic lust injected into our bodies.

Our little make out led one thing to another, and it ends up with me sliding my hands underneath her shirt, grabbing Yujin’s perky breasts as our mouth were practically glued to each other, making out as much as we could. Yujin’s soft moans radiate inside my mouth as we threw each piece of garments the floor, leaving us without a string to cover us up. “Take me babe” Yujin urged me as she pulled me back in to get a good kiss into my mouth. I replied to her kiss as I pinned her on the bed, letting my tongue invade her mouth to play inside her mouth before pulling out. We both breathed heavily, as if we just ran a marathon. But I didn’t care, my face traced down her gorgeous body, before my lips reached her golden triangle. I gave took my time smooching around the area, teasing her as I looked up, her red face flustered from my actions just motivates me more as I kissed and suckled gently on her inner thighs, making Yujin let out a soft moan. “Fuck…. baby please…. don’t just tease me. Please me baby” she pleaded, her adorable puppy eyes begging to be treated right as my lover. I shrugged with a sinful smile as I stood up and aligned my erection to her entrance, my face directly on top of hers. “Ready?” I signalled her, not even letting her grasp a second t reply before my cock penetrates inside her, gaping her walls inch by inch slowly, making Yujin let out a whimper to show her satisfaction. I gave her time to adjust to my size, using the time to return the kiss on the forehead she gave early before my body did its work, moving back and forth inside her.

Yujin’s moans were ecstasy to me. The more her sounds coming out of her pretty mouth, the faster I got. It got to a point I just couldn’t help myself and start to plow her insides, holding her legs up to reach deeper inside her. “Aaah nghhh oh God Yujin you’re as tight as ever fuuuck” I grunted, feeling my cock hitting her cervix as kept my pace fast but still sensual for Yujin to enjoy it. “Ohhh fuck yes baby just like that. Give me all of you please” she moaned as her arms wrapped onto my back, encouraging me to go harder and faster for her. The room that was quiet a moment ago is now filled with moans, whimpers and other lustful noises one could think of. Yujin’s arms on my back abled me to lift her up and make her sit on my cock, letting her do her part of and work for our growing lust. I brushed her hair away from that pretty face to kiss her whilst she rides on me, grinding her body on mine while my cock enjoys the depth and warmth of Yujin’s pussy. The heat in the room just overwhelms each other as we crave to satisfy one another, Yujin grinding on my cock and me thrusting it deeper inside. “God fuuck I love you so much Yujin” I groaned as my cocks harden inside her, making me much more sensitive as Yujin gets tighter, sucking in my member like its refusing to let go. I could barely move or thrust from how tight it is and could just moan from the pleasure Yujin is giving me by grinding on me while bouncing a bit on top of me. Yujin’s scrumptious ass was too good not to touch as I caress them gently, feeling them while Yujin rides me, enjoying each other’s presence as our eyes’ stares into each other, the lust from our moans and the heat of the moment, everything was on point and was just perfect. Yujin pushed me to lay down so she can fully take charge, leaning towards my chest to kiss and suck on my nipples before she starts riding again, this time faster and rougher to the point I was moaning loudly and could barely hold my load any longer. “B-baby, I need to cum….” I grunted and whimpered, trying so hard not to cum too soon without Yujin’s consent, which in the end she allowed me to by saying, “Then cum for me baby. Give me every ounce of you inside me.” Those words whispered into my ears were like a catalyst to erupt a volcano, making me shoot ropes after ropes of cum inside her. “Nghhhh aaah. Fuuuuck I’m cummiiiing.” I grunted, unloading everything my balls could store into her tight pink pussy and filled her up. Yujin moaned and came together with me, feeling her pussy getting filled up and draining her energy. Didn’t take long before she fell onto me, exhausted and nearly lost consciousness from such an amazing anniversary celebration. I couldn’t help but smile and kissed on her scalp, softly speaking into her ears. “I love you Ahn Yujin, to the moon and back”. Even though I couldn’t see her face that’s is planted on my chest, I just know she was smiling before she responded.

“I love you, forever more”

#kpop smut

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foreverabby · 11 days ago

Note

Sooo... this is my first time in my 10+ years of being on Tumblr that I am coming out of lurking (kinda lol) to send this. I've never liked, commented or sent a message or ask to someone... ever lol. Somehow the thought of doing any of that causes me way more anxiety than coming out did 🤣. I honestly don't know why I feel compelled to do it now (it took me some time to get the courage to even write this) but maybe there's a reason and if you still plan on taking a break from Tumblr for your mental health, possibly permanently (which is completely understandable), I have some things I wanted to tell you. I think you're such a beautiful, incredible soul. When you wrote that you were planning to leave, I was so so sad. I could pick your writing out of a crowd! Thank you for being a delight and highlight of my before bed doom-scroll. I'm not a person who is quick to actually "lol" but I always end reading your posts doing exactly that or with a smile on my face. Just know you're worth being here and you're worthy of everything beautiful in life. You've made this girls anxiety-ridden "I can't sleep" nights alittle easier. If any of this was uncomfy or pushing a boundary, I apologize and you don't have to post this to reply if so. I'll be back in my lurking cave to never write again so you won't have to worry about me! I just wanted you to know even when life gets hard and doesn't bring joy, you do. I'm sorry for the novel lol but I hope life gives you every blessing you want and deserve and makes the ones you do have even brighter. Since I'm anon I don't know how to sign off so I'll go with the first emote that pops up.

- ��️

(Also PS 🫣... maybe drop your workout routine or even a random one you'd recommend. Ya girl here needs motivation and something to go off of because I have no clue what I'm doing 🤣 but I would like to start!)

Okay, so I was about to tuck my phone away to curl up and get some sleep, but truth? This has me sitting up in bed to respond. Kind of like when I'm playing video games and for some reason, I don't kick nearly as much ass when I'm laying back.

First off, I'm so damn honored. And you are so damn brave. I know how scary stuff like this can feel and I'm just truly grateful you reached out because it is seriously making my heart squeeze. I can't even tell you how much it means to me.

When I considered stepping away, I was experiencing a devastating heartbreak and I thought I wouldn't be able to heal unless I distanced myself. But what I realized, is that I've been in this community for years and it's deeply special to me. I've carved a space for myself here and I truly love being a teeny piece of the fandom. I know so many of you say I'm more than that, but at the end of the day, every one of us makes this place what it is. And it's not perfect, but it's packed with nerdy talent and full of spirit. I genuinely love it.

I'm in awe of you. I really am.

You did not push a boundary whatsoever. To know you felt safe enough to try is everything to me.

Your words are so kind and heartfelt I'm sniffling back tears like the biggest cry baby dyke you ever did see. Holy smokes. I hope you do write again. Whether it's to me or just to share your brilliant mind. You deserve to be seen, in whatever ways you feel most comfortable. I see you. And I'm so, so thankful.

My workout routine? Okay. Now that will take a little preparation but I'll absolutely post it in the very near future. I have it all in neat little charts but I'll just have to get it set up to be uploaded here.

My advice for getting started? Do exactly what you did here. Take a leap of faith. Walk through those gym doors and do it even when your heart is racing and you have no idea where to start. You'll find people who do. And they'll change your life forever. I promise.

Thank you, sunshine. ☀️

From the bottom of my aching soul.

(gonna go sob into my pillow whilst listening to electronic music now 🩷)

#abby anderson #abby x you #lgbtqia

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d1g1tald1saster · 2 years ago

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A lot of QSMP incorrect quotes

prepare yourself

Slimecicle: I would never say that my wife is a bitch and I don’t don’t like them. That’s not true… My wife is a bitch and I like them so much!

Foolish: Yum, thanks!

Kidnapper: *puts more tape over their mouth* I said stop eating it.

Etoiles: The ‘how the fucks’ and 'why are you so dumbs’ don’t matter. All that matters is that I have a new gun.

Jaiden: I'm a nice person, but I'm about to start throwing rocks at people.

Bad: Underestimate me. That'll be fun.

Slimecicle: Well, if you're not at least a little bit gay for your friends, then what kind of friend are you?

Philza: My knee just cracked so loudly that I half expect it to glow in the dark tonight.

Forever: *slowly pushes a cannon into a 17th century bank* Okay everyone, be cool. This is a robbery.

Roier: My life isn't as glamourous as my wanted poster makes it look.

Cellbit: I only have two emotions: exhaustion and stress. And I’m somehow always feeling both simultaneously.

Jaiden: My aesthetic is "would be suspected of witchcraft by small town citizens."

Slimecicle: Operation no more distractions is a go!

*not even 10 seconds later*

Slimecicle: Oh, look! A butterfly!

Roier: Drink your school, stay in drugs, and get 8 hours of drugs.

Bagherra: The only thing I'm guilty of is being adorable... ...and also assault with a deadly weapon.

Quackity after the show: I have been tricked, I have been backstabbed, and I have quite possibly been bamboozled.

Bagherra: What, I can’t be in a bad mood? It’s like people think, “Oh, Bagherra is such a nice person, Bagherra is so happy-go-lucky! Bagherra can’t be in a bad mood!” Well, you know what? Bagherra CAN be in a bad mood. And right now, Bagherra IS be in a bad mood.

Forever: If I make you breakfast in bed, a simple "thank you" is all I need.

Forever: Not all this "how did you get into my house" business.

Badboyhalo: My expectations were low but holy fudge.

Quackity: When I see initials carved into a tree with a heart I think it’s so romantic. Two lovers on a date... one of them carrying a knife for some reason.

Quackity: Assert your dominance over your friends by kicking them in the face, and then giving them a little smooch on the forehead!

Slimecicle: The waiter at Olive Garden has been grating my cheese for 6 hours now, waiting for me to say when. Customers are screaming. Three people have died.

Slimecicle: I will not yield.

Badboyhalo: I just learned a way to get furniture cheap. Steal it!

El Mariana: I love saying 'fuck me' because it can either be sexual or self-loathing and those are two things that describe me perfectly.

Etoiles: *cocks gun* Go to Bed. This is no longer a request, This is now a Threat.

Badboyhalo: I'd roast you, but my mom says you can't burn trash.

Badboyhalo: *slow-mo walks out of the room*

Roier: I can't believe there's a cat somewhere in my house. Amazing feeling. Love cats. And he's here, in my house! Somewhere! And I may encounter him! What a treat.

Etoiles: I’m sick and tired of being called 'mortal' like, you don’t know that. Neither do I. I have never died even ONCE. Nothing has been proven yet. Stop making assumptions. It’s rude.

Jaiden: I am free of all prejudice. I hate everyone equally.

Foolish: If we were in prison you guys would be like my bitches.

Roier: Why are you on fire? Badboyhalo: This is just how my day is going.

Slimecicle: Murder literally doesn’t hurt anyone!

Wilbur: What are you talking about? Of course—

Etoiles, holding out a hand to shut Wilbur up: No, no, they have a point—

Badboyhalo: Well, Forever and I finally did it!

The rest of the squad: *gasps, shocked expressions, etc.*

Badboyhalo: That's right... We held hands!

Roier: To everyone who has treated me poorly; I am sexier than you.

Roier: Wait, if baby oil dissolves condoms, what does it do to babies?

Cellbit: Believe it or not, babies and condoms are made of different materials.

Jaiden: It’s like rock paper scissors. Baby oil defeats condom, baby defeats baby oil, condom defeats baby.

Bagherra from across the room: Rock also defeats baby!

Philza, holding a kettle: Coffee or tea?

Forever: Tea, please~

Philza: Wrong. It's coffee.

Slimecicle: I’m gonna die alone.

Wilbur: Slimecicle, you’re not gonna die alone.

Slimecicle: Mariana, was my safety net, okay? We got divorced and now I have to get a snake.

Quackity: Uh-huh. Why is that?

Slimecicle: If I’m gonna be an old lonely person, I’m gonna need a thing, you know? A hook. Like that guy in the subway who eats his own face.

Slimecicle: So I figured I’ll be “Crazy Man With A Snake”, you know? Crazy snake man.

Slimecicle: Then I’ll get more snakes, call them my babies. Kids won’t walk past my place, they will run! RUN AWAY FROM CRAZY SNAKE MAN!

Forever I got us matching friendship bracelets, and you say I don't care about our relationship.

Badboyhalo: These are handcuffs.

Forever: Yeah, 'cause we're partners in crime!

Badboyhalo: I want to be like a caterpillar.

Forever: Explain?

Badboyhalo: Eat a lot, sleep for a while, wake up beautiful.

Forever: You know they have a lifespan of a week, right?

Badboyhalo:

Badboyhalo: That's just another highlight!

Bagherra: My stomach growled super loud in French.

Bagherra: I would like to clarify, my stomach did not speak in French. It growled during a meet up with the French creators.

Badboyhalo: Bonjour.

Cellbit: Le growl.

Forever: Hon hon hon, feed me a baguette.

Foolish: *sucking on a popsicle*

Roier: Pfft, you practicing for when Vegetta gets here?

Foolish: *takes a huge ass bite out of the popsicle*

Roier: *Concern*

Badboyhalo: Hey, if you type in your password, it'll show in stars.

Badboyhalo: ********* see!

Foolish: hunter2

Foolish: Doesn't look like stars to me.

Badboyhalo: Foolish: *******

Badboyhalo: That's what I see.

Foolish: Oh, really?

Badboyhalo: Absolutely.

Foolish: You can go hunter2 my hunter2-ing hunter2.

Foolish: Haha, does that look funny to you?

Badboyhalo: Lol, yes. See when YOU type hunter2, it shows it to us as *******

Foolish: That's cool. I didn't know this site did that.

Badboyhalo: Yup. No matter how many times you type hunter2, it will show to us as *******

Foolish: Awesome.

Foolish: Wait, how do you know my password?

Badboyhalo: Er, I just copy pasted YOUR ******'s and it appears to YOU as hunter2 cause it's your password.

Foolish: Oh, ok.

Etoiles: Slash gamemode creative.

Bagherra: Dude, this isn't Min-

Etoiles: *starts levitating*

Jaiden: Who else is hiding in the laundry room trying to listen to Max and Quackity's convo?

Badboyhalo: Me. I'm in the laundry basket.

Jaiden: I'm in the washing machine.

Foolish: I'm in the closet.

Badboyhalo: We accept you Roier. <3

Foolish: No I'm literally in the closet.

Badboyhalo: Love is love. <3

Badboyhalo: I've connected the two dots.

Foolish: You didn't connect shit.

Badboyhalo: I've connected them.

Bagherra: Bagherra! For the love of god, please turn down that music. I have a hangover.

Forever: *blasting the mii theme at full volume* That sounds like a you problem, not a mii

problem.

Philza: I’ve become a bread crumb dealer to four crows at the lake. They pay me with a bit of everything. Like shiny things, fabric, or pens. But recently they paid me with a 20 dollar bill they found somewhere. So I decided to buy them some more expensive bread. They loved it. So they understand what to do. Give me money. I’ve probably racked up about 200 dollars at this point. Is it morally wrong though, I mean. They’re the ones who steal the money from others. Or perhaps they just have a big pile laying somewhere. Should I keep on doing this?

Badboyhalo: You sound like the start of a Batman villain.

Philza: So, Wilbur is no longer allowed to take the trash out at night.

Chayanne: Why?

Philza: Because I've caught them trying to train raccoons to fight five times in a row.

Wilbur, arms crossed and pouting: You'll be thanking me when the third raccoon battalion saves your ass.

Roier: We need a diversion. I say Cellbit gets naked.

Cellbit: No.

Roier: I could get naked.

Everyone: NO!!!

Badboyhalo: Sometimes I wonder if I’m hearing voices.

Badboyhalo: Then I remember that’s the last bit of sanity I have trying to get me to fall asleep at a reasonable time.

Slimecicle: Hello, McDonald's, I would like to purchase 130 chicken nuggets. Prepare yourselves.

#qsmp meme #qsmp #QSMP incorrect quotes #incorrect quotes #incorect quote

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kneelingshadowsalome · 2 years ago

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Uh Uh! Miss Salome! *raising my arm high like I'm in class and snapping my fingers* May I give two suggestions for the just friends playlist please? :) I already prepared a little presentation:

1.) "Jeremy" by Pearl Jam

I just heard that song again after a long time and I immediately had to think about König as a young boy or teenager. I just want to give the little nugget a hug so bad and tell him that he will find true love one day...

"At home drawing pictures

Of mountain tops

With him on top

Lemon yellow sun

Arms raised in a V

And the dead lay in pools of maroon below"

Imagine our little K in his broken home. His violent tendancies, induced by the abuse he has to suffer trough, are already blooming as a little boy. His father is yelling at his mother downstairs. König in his room is escaping into his imagination, drawing himself on top of one of the austrian mountains he can see from his window as the hero who defeated all evil, standing on the corpses of his enemies...

"King Jeremy the wicked

Oh, ruled his world

Jeremy spoke in class today"

"King Jeremy the wicked" ?! That fits so fucking well, my head is spinning. That weird kid who falls out of every norm, physically as well as mentally, and who can't seem to find his place on this earth like an alien from another galaxy whose spaceship crashed here and he can't get back. So he becomes quiet, just trying to be as invisible as possible, to not always be confronted with his otherness, not drawing even more attention to himself. And if on a rare occasion he speaks in class, you can hear the giggles and whispers of the other kids. After that, every time he promises to himself to never say a word again. Anger, shame and sadness laying heavy in his stomach.

"Clearly I remember

Pickin' on the boy

Seemed a harmless little fuck

But we unleashed the lion

(...)

And he hit me with a surprise left

My jaw left hurting

Dropped wide open"

One day something clicks in his brain. For years he is getting bullied, always tried to flee from the conflicts, never fighting back. But this time instinct kicks in and he hits back, hate and fury burning in his eyes. The others don't see the freak who they pick on daily for fun, before them stands a giant, an always passive and obedient bull that just got aware of his own strength and who's not afraid to use it from now on. The others run away. König stands there, an odd sense of relieve in his chest. He won for once in his fucking life, he has the upper hand now. He will get addicted to this feeling. There's no going back.

2.) "Vermillion" by Slipknot

Keywords here are: dark, dirty, romantic, obsessive. What can I say more? (I recommend watching the video while listening, it fits the whole vibe of the story very nicely I think!)

"So fragile yet so devious

(...)

She's the only one that makes me sad"

Engel being this seemingly soft and shy girl with the pretty dresses, who no one sees. But she has that twist, that fascination for darkness and madness. And König who detatched himself from his own emotions due to all the trauma, to survive all the abuse. But Engel reaches deep into the dark pit in the middle of his chest, arms deep, afraid what she will find but determined nonetheless, retrieving his scarred heart. Holding it in her soft hands, dusting off the spiders webs and giving it a little warmth back, just a bit more, little by little, whenever they see each other.

"My Dahlia bathed in possession

She is home to me

I get nervous, perverse, when I see her it's worse

But the stress is astounding

It's now or never she's coming home

Forever"

Shit, I don't think I even need to elaborate any further here...

"I'm a slave and I am a master"

König, on the first look, is having the upper hand in the relationship, being possessive and controlling Engel, invading her privacy in any way he can and being the dominant part when having sex with her. But if we're being honest, König is totally at Engels mercy. She holds him firmly in her soft little hands and he would do anything for her.

Thank you for your attention. *giving out handouts to everyone and going back to my desk*

Holy moly that ask is long enough already. Thanks for all the fodder for my brain with the König craze on your blog recently! I'm REALLY enjoying it!

Much love to you and everyone who read along! <3

These are perfect songs as well! I added them to the playlist but feel free to add more if you have any suggestions, the link should be working now & can be found in König masterlist and the ask I answered right before this one.

I loved your presentation & loved all the details you wrote about König’s life (no matter how sad most of them were 💔), and how he feels with Engel, how his inner world comes alive in the lyrics of the songs. And this really got me:

"Engel reaches deep into the dark pit in the middle of his chest, arms deep, afraid what she will find but determined nonetheless, retrieving his scarred heart. Holding it in her soft hands, dusting off the spiders webs and giving it a little warmth back, just a bit more, little by little, whenever they see each other. "

Brb crying 😭

"König, on the first look, is having the upper hand in the relationship, being possessive and controlling Engel, invading her privacy in any way he can and being the dominant part when having sex with her. But if we're being honest, König is totally at Engels mercy. She holds him firmly in her soft little hands and he would do anything for her."

Yes oh dear god. I had (a little too much) fun writing the yandere x yandere drabble but I still think König & Engel are just made for each other! He is on his knees in spirit, forever pledged to her and only her. If these were the old myths and if this was an actual dark fairytale, König would go to the depths of the underworld to bring her back from the dead, he would rend the heavens and announce war on God if he kept her from him. It's that serious. ❤️

#answered #just friends playlist #yandere könig

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iriemorning · 1 year ago

Text

i am not your everyday person

i dont do daily journals, make good morning/night posts or update my parents what i do every minute. im not the type to commit to a set goal like writing 100 words everyday and keep doing it until i reach 10,000 words. i always struggled with those type of goals since young. but now that im getting older, i have come to accept that i am simply wired like a 20% cheetah and 80% panda

for instance, i work my ass off and take action in strong, accelerated bursts within like... three continuous days. and then coop up in my shell for the next two weeks or so. you can never unplug me out of there until im recharged.

but when the time comes again and my presence and action is absolutely needed, i will be there.

which is why the prospect of quality time really aligns with my primary love language. some people might relish in words of affirmation, receiving gifts, or acts of service, but i express my commitment to everything under the sun by making the most of the given moment.

and so that means i do not take cancelled meetings lightly, nor people bailing out with plain excuses at the last minute. i dont like quitters either. because the moment i say i'm in, i mean it. i set aside everything else and stock up my energy to accommodate this moment, spending my full undivided attention to make it high quality, even if it doesnt last forever.

thats why whenever i take vacations or visit an exotic place, i always wanna visit or try out everything. i remembered a lot of special, specific days this way by pure memory without even noting them down; days when i reached a new milestone, reunion with my loved ones, and even the most terrible days, i dont forget.

it only makes sense that when i watch a movie with someone, i get irked and upset if theyre not immersed as i do and busy with their phones. its disrespectful to the creators and offensive to me, because that means they dont value the time we set together. so nowadays, i'm more picky and stingy with my time.

important events are seasonally categorized in my headspace. i have my spring and summer moments when i wanna be dolled up to attend gatherings, or go frolicking around the grocery halls pushing a full cart in my grandma outfit, climb the top of the mountains with limited oxygen, ride the deep-end of rollercoasters while screeching my head off, and pulling all-nighters for my curricular activities.

its like living life off the edges. i always reach that precipice where im two missteps away from falling off the cliff, but i dont, since i am busy admiring the view at the top. i always play my part (sometimes others' parts too that they left unattended), and i always manage to reach the end.

my fall and winter moments are comfortable but messy. not so exciting for an outsider looking through, since i just seem to laze around, dragging my feet like its the most exhausting thing in the world to prepare myself some dinner. but thats where my brain, the CPU of my whole being, is working at its full power

some might think that my 'bursting' state is where it's at, but that's all impulse: like the blinking reflex when something gets on our eye. it's robo-automatic: hiking a mountain? must reach the top. a project due? dont sleep and finish it. the wildest things you might hear me go through, still kicking it sans sleep sans water were all organized chaos—things that i foresaw, prepared, researched, and planned for while i was 'resting'

my resting state is where i tune in to the past and possibilities, and write them at present; maybe to improve the future in some way, but mostly to quell and disperse all these ideas popping up in my head before they could burst away like bubbles in sheer overpopulation. this is my way of release in a fast-paced world.

it is the 21st century after all, and so i find this celebration of my 21st birthday very special in particular. at my vantage point, it seems like i have caught up with the times. we're the same age now. coming of age doesnt come with a cost, so I have to pull my bootstraps and act accordingly.

ah, to start with, perhaps allocating a small share of the panda labels and raising the stocks of the cheetah entertainment to 25%? ha! they seem reallyyy oppressed. the cheetah in me says they have more places to go.

p.s. if you reached up to this point, you already spent your precious time reading my words. . . and for me that means a lot

#not your everyday person #poetics #quality time #love language #writer life #bursting state #resting state #seasons #birthday #21st century

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cruelconrad · 3 years ago

Text

Come in With the Rain

Conrad Fisher x reader

Warnings: swearing, fluff, drugs, social anxiety

Summary: when the reader goes to a dress fitting with Conrad it starts to rain. They decide to wait the rain out in the car, where it gets a little more cozy than necessary.

Your moms were high again. They definitely smoked a lot more pod this summer in comparison to the summers before. They were cry-laughing because someone famous said something funny on the internet. Or some shit like that. You were kind of angry at them right now, because they were supposed to take you into town and pick up your debutante ball dress. Going to that store always made you nervous of what others might think of you. However, when you are with the moms, that feeling otherwise known as social anxiety, isn't as bad. But obviously, with the state they are in right now, you couldn't possibly ask them to do that with you. You sighed when Conrad came in.

"Look at them," you whisper, "how am I going to get to town when they're in this state?"

He laughs: "They're kind off adorable when they're like this."

"Yes, but what about us?"

"God, it's not that big of a deal. I'll take you to the dress store or whatever the fuck is so importent in town."

You could tell that he was getting annoyed with you. To be honest, you were annoyed with yourself too. He was right: it wasn't a big deal. Your moms were having fun and you could handle this dress thing easily by yourself. This whole debutante ball is about being an adult, so this was the time to prove it. You just have to be brave and not care about what others might think.

You pulled yourself together: "Actually you're right. If you could drive me? That would be great."

So there you were. In the car. With Conrad. Who had been giving you the cold shoulder since you arrived this summer. But for some reason, got out of his way, to drive you to do something that he thought was for sheep.

“Are you nervous voor the ball?" he asked.

“A little. Not that I have no faith in Jere, but i keep wondering if he is the right partner for me. It feels like sometimes he doesn't take this as serious as I do."

Conrad shrugs: “Maybe your feeling is right, and that's a good thing, because then you can prepare for it, and expect less from him."

“But i don't want to lower my expectations, Connie. This is a once in a lifetime experience. It's kind off a big deal to me. It has to go perfect."

You can feel his eyes looking at you while you drive. He probably thinks you're being dramatic. You feel your cheeks getting red as his eyes are on you. Quickly you change the subject to break the tension: “Can you please come and give me advice on the dress when we arrive? I need to know if it's looking all good and clean without wrinkles."

“Sure." He says, now looking at the road again.

When you get closer to the store your braveness startes to fade and your anxiety starts to kick in. Conrad seems to notice and he puts his hand on your leg to reassure you everything is going to be okay, but you just think that this makes the situation even more embarrassing. It's just a fitting after all. When you arrive you try on the white dress one last time before the debutante ball. You peek through the fitting room curtain to see what Conrad is doing. He is sitting in a chair looking around the room. Then he sees you. He smiles and you smile back.

"Can you zip me up?"

He looks surprised. He stands up and walks toward the fitting room. You open the curtain for him, turn around and look in the mirror. He is looking at your naked back, slowly pulling up the zipper. You can feel his hands on your back and his warm breath in your neck. His hair in front of his eyes. You hold your breath, not wanting to make a sound. Wanting, for this moment, to last forever.

"There you go." He runs his hand through is hair and looks up at you through the mirror.

"Thank you."

He takes a step back and lets you come out of the fitting room. You can see his eyes take in every curve, every detail of you in this dress. Your cheeks flush red again.

"Well, what do you think?" You spin around.

"It's beautiful. You look beautiful."

You smile. "I'm glad."

You thanked the ladies behind the counter again for keeping the dress in it's nice state. When you and Conrad got outside it was pouring rain. Without saying anything Conrad took off his jacket and held it above your heads like a gentleman. You counted to three before you started running to the car, grateful that the dress was in a protective cover. Once you got to the car you put the dress in the back and closed the car door, breathing heavily from all the running while also soaking wet.

"Fuck, the weather is crazy." says Conrad. His hair was dripping water and his white shirt was stuck to his body.

"Can you even drive in this weather? I can't even see the front of the car." You shiver.

"Are you cold?" He gets up and gets something from the back seat: "Here, I think have a spare blanket in the car for emergency's." He hands over the blanket and puts it around your shoulders.

"Thank you. I remember this blanket actually, you used to give it to me when I was cold at the beach."

"That's right, I remember again. I hate to see you being uncomfortable from the cold. Even back then."

"That's sweet."

Shit shit shit. You made it awkward again. You looked down at your lap, trying your best to find a new topic of conversation. But the more you tried, the more harder and harder it got. However, the silence started growing on you. The rain on the car roof was actually really peaceful. It felt intimate and cozy.

Conrad was the first to break the silence: "It looks like we're going to be here for a while because the rain hasn't slowed down yet."

What were you supposed to say to this?

"I have an idea, hold on a sec." he continued. He climbed to the back seat and folded the seat back down. Now there was a big open space. A bed almost.

"Come on. We can lay here. It's a bit more comfortable than in the front, plus i'm cold too so I want a piece of that blanket." He has an inviting smile on his face. Therefore, you also climb to the back seat. Laying down you put half the blanket around him. The blanket wasn't meant for two people so you lay against him on his chest. Hearing his heartbeat, feeling his breathing, laying in his arms. Your cold hair was in his neck and together you listened to the rain pouring down. It started to get dark which made it even more cinematic. If your mom would wake you up the next morning and told you it was all a dream, you would've believed her.

As you were laying there, you were starting to regret your decision to ask Jeremiah to the debutante ball. Because, you knew, in that moment, that you could always rely on Conrad. He knew you better than your own brother. He was your sun, and when the sun comes out, the stars disappear.

"Won't people miss us if we don't get home in time?"

"Shh, let's for once not think about what other people may think." he said. And with this in mind, you fell asleep.

Check out my latest story:

#conrad fisher x reader #conrad fisher #the summer i turned pretty #tsitp conrad #tsitp imagine #team conrad #debutante

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yamanaka-shin · 3 years ago

Text

@kankuroplease has done me the great honor of taking a commission to draw my boy and the love of his life. she never ever fails to impress with her work and I am in love with this 🧡🧡 so in turn I did another small drabble to go with it.

~~~~~~

These are one of those times when he really has to swallow his pride and admit that ridiculous partner of his had a good fucking point forever ago when they told him he didn't have to stay in a dead end job that he wasn't happy with. Sure the fallout of that realization kicked off one hell of a quarter life crisis, but he knows damn well it really was for his own good. A then-stranger turned unwitting acquaintances had read him for filth and given him directions that sounded off the walls at the time. Now, that stranger was his significant other and that dire need of a change in careers was paying off handsomely. Kouta had to face the facts and tell Shin that they had given him the best possible advice. Again. Just like he had to confirm it the day he'd gotten his current job because he knew it would make him very happy.

That new job he had been able to snag a few years back had truly turned out to be the best possible place for him. It gave him a creative outlet without demanding too much interaction with too many members of the public all at once. And the owner of the shop he had gotten the job at was officially handing the entire business to him in order to retire. That still barely sounded real. Kouta, the Takigakure runaway, in charge of an entire glasswork shop he'd only been working in for what seemed like such a short time. And he owed it all, deep down, to his shamelessly forward partner for pushing him to get a job he liked better in the first place. He sighed through his nose and mentally prepared to have that conversation.

He quieted his conflicted internal train of thought the best he could, which was no easy feat considering how surreal this all still felt, and tried to see if he could sense if his other half was home. Kouta really wasn't any sort of sensory specialist but he liked to believe he wasn't entirely dense either. Besides, it was impossible *not* to easily locate Shin even if your sensory skills sucked absolute shit. They just had such a sunny and unmistakable chakra signature that they were like a beacon no matter where they went. So he mentally sniffed around the property but could not locate their being inside of the main house. Huh, maybe they were outside elsewhere on the grounds. They had to be here *somewhere* because he knew they were coming here today to talk to their family about something. So all Kouta had to do was follow the process of elimination.

The backyard was his next immediate location to scour. In order not to stretch his senses too thin, he strode in the direction he was intending to scope out as a way to meet his mediocre skills halfway. There were no positive results as he rounded the corner of the dwelling to get a good view of the expansive yard behind the physical building. Dammit. Where has they scooted off to? Hopefully not already over to the Yamanaka grounds to hang around Sai because that would be a fair walk from here he wasn't looking forward to. No, he was hoping Shin had only decided to head in another direction that still remained under the classification of Nara land. Perhaps the forest was where their whims took them. Gods he sure hoped so.

Since there really was no other place he could think to look right now that didn't also include quite a trek in another major direction, Kouta let his feet carry him down the main path snaking into the beautiful forest the Nara were so well known for. At least the weather was beautiful and there was a nice level of quiet out here at the moment. In fact it was almost *too* nice out because his hoodie began to feel a bit too warm to keep on. If he really felt like it was too much of a hassle to tough out, he could just take it off and tie it around his waist. Hopefully it would stay out instead of falling off only to risk getting stepped on. Gods he didn't want to do laundry today. Not today, no.

So lost in his own head was the musteline artisan that he didn't even register the ultra familiar presence scoping him out from a perch up a tree. It was only when a long, low whistle reached his ears that he bothered to peek up and look around. Kouta followed where he believed the sound to have come from and his entire demeanor pivoted as his eyes landed on the visage of his "missing" partner up there on that branch. Playful dark eyes peered down at him and soon their expression morphed into a smile that seemed to be between happy to see him and very willing to immediately get down to mischief. But he beat them to the punch without hesitation.

"I wasn't aware that you were planning to play ambush predator with me today, Shin. What would you have done if I hadn't noticed you?" He made sure his voice came off as falsely scolding. They had to be aware of his exasperation that wasn't truly genuine. "Think over your answer carefully now."

"That's sure an unusual greeting. Hello to you too, weasel." They easily shrugged off his posturing and laughed. "Proud of you for thinking to look for me back here. Seems you found what you were after."

"Haha very funny. Now you should definitely come down here because I'm not gonna strain my neck looking up at you. I have news." Remaining "professional" was getting harder for him by the second because there was a genuine sense of pride surfacing in him at the thought of letting his partner know of his luck. And to be honest, he was looking forward to hearing about what they had been up to today as well.

Shin did not have to be told twice to come down to their partner's level. In a few careful steps they had descended the tree and stepped over to stand in front of him. Kouta, a little indignant in that moment, set his hands on his hips and looked up into their eyes as if to dare them to rib him for being seven inches shorter. He could read it all over them that they had definitely been considering it. A little friendly icebreaker, that's how they looked at it, and even if he would instantly fire back every time he appreciated their efforts to distract him from any bullshit he might be going through when they pulled this stunt. Their sense of humor made it easier for him to cope with any sort of stressors. Quietly he expressed his thanks for this fact.

"Sooo?" They drew out the word a little on purpose. "Tell me what's new in the world of the uptight ferret."

"Watch it." He pointed a finger up at them to remind them to watch their place but damn near broke into a small chuckle because he was so amused at their lack of off switch. Always keeping him on his toes. "You're lucky I can't resist sharing things with you immediately. Call me uptight again and that might change."

They crossed their arms over their chest and cocked one eyebrow up just a little. "I don't think you have it in you to do that. Go ahead and prove you're capable of keeping a secret from me."

Kouta sighed through his nose and ran one hand through his hair lightly. "Okay, I admit I'm not up to a challenge like that yet. But this ain't about my weak foundations. Listen to this."

"Tell me what's up. Promise not to hold it over your head if it's funny."

"Wouldn't be the first time you held something over my head, you love to remind me I'm shorter than you." He finally does give in this time to the urge to chuckle. Then he shakes his head and realigns his intentions. "Kiui-San has stated his intentions to retire. Probably by the end of the season."

He knew he was being a little obtuse by stringing them along like this but he was entitled to a little suspense dammit. This was a big shift in his life and it was only fair that he could be a little self serving about how he informed his love. They didn't let his behavior deter their interest and even excitement at his words sway their desire to know the rest of the news. For that Kouta was thankful, it really took a lot to throw his partner off the trail when the promise of intrigue was dangled in front of them. And he also was well aware they could easily get him back after this anyway. There was zero doubt in his mind that they would play up the events of their day as much as possible when it came time for their turn to share.

"And I wanna assume he told you what's gonna happen to the shop, right? Can't imagine he'd leave you hanging." Shin was playing along nicely. It only made him more thankful.

"You could say that." A small smirk made itself visible on Kouta's face before he continued. "It'll be my shop as soon as he's truly done. I get to run the place all on my own till I decide if I wanna hire some help."

The next thing that Kouta knew was that he was being swept up in his partner's embrace and they did not miss a beat as they followed up by pressing a kiss to his cheek. He was a little physically rattles because of the sudden force but not enough to truly upset him or knock him on his ass. As he centered his balance and his awareness again, he wrapped both arms around them loosely and waited for them to pull away once they were satisfied with their display of affection. He looked a little ruffled by the display but it truly was only a ruse, and not even a convincing one. His other half smiled again and quickly gave him one more chaste kiss, this time on the lips. It almost made him wish it had lasted a little longer because now his pride in his work was being stoked. He'd done so well at the job Shin helped him get and he wanted to remind them of how thankful he was.

"Hey, nuisance animal." He spoke a little lowly just then, making sure to convey a slightly serious tone as he tightened his old on them just a bit. "I owe you for this. Big time. I'm not sure how I'm gonna pay you back just yet but I wanna. I love you."

"I love you too. And you're welcome." There is a cheeky expression on their face, like they know there was no way he'd be unhappy with this big life change he urged them to make back then, but they made sure to keep any questionable tone out of their voice as they spoke back to him. Shin was well aware of when to joke around and when to be serious. "Proud of you too. I hope this will make you happy."

"I do too, love. I really do. Obviously it won't be easy but I think I can manage it." He breathed out, without a trace of negative to be found, and then changed the subject. "But enough about my flawless work with fire and glass. Tell me what the hell you've been doing today and why you're out here now."

They laugh again, easily transitioning from one subject to another, and make to answer him. "You sure you wanna know? It's not as interesting as that was. I'm sure you'll be more bored by it than you think."

Kouta raises one eyebrow at this and allows himself to be just a touch smug. "Somehow I don't believe that anything you do while I'm away is boring. But sure, lay it on me. I'll even give you a pass if you wanna poke fun at me for any reason while recounting the tale."

"Don't say I didn't warn you." And they throw an arm around him just as he loosens his hold again, allowing them to lead him back toward the house as they begin the summary of the day's events.

#Naruto #Naruto Shippuden #Root #Foundation #Anbu Root #canon/OC #Naruto OC #Beware Of Shin #Kouta

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sdvvillagers · 4 years ago

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Families reactions for bachelorettes and bachelors expecting a baby? (｡◕‿‿◕｡) Who would be extatic about becoming grandparent/auntie and so on, and who'd be scared of new role?

First off, I am SO DANG SORRY for how long it took me to answer this. Seriously, this ask has been in my inbox for months (along with another one that I SWEAR I’ll get to! I’m sorry!). Long asks like these make my brain seize up and it takes awhile to kick my brain in the pants and reboot it. I tried to keep all responses vague in terms of spouse (for male or female partner) as well as vague in terms of pregnancy versus adoption. Enjoy!

Alex - Evelyn and George never thought they’d see the day that they would become great-grandparents. It seemed so far-fetched that they’d never really considered it as an option, not even when Alex got married. It wasn’t until they actually heard Alex announce that he was going to be a father that the reality set in. Evelyn was so overjoyed she burst into tears, beckoning Alex over to her so she could squeeze him as hard as her frail arms possibly could. George was happy, of course, but more than anything he was proud. Not only proud of Alex and what a wonderful father he would be, but admittedly proud of himself for living so full a life that he lived long enough to see himself become a great-grandfather.

Sam - Jodi has been excited about the prospect of having grandchildren ever since Sam was born. Having a family and children of her own is rewarding, she can’t deny that, but there’s something different about grandkids. She saw the way her own parents interacted with Sam and later Vincent, and saw a far more carefree relationship. Grandparents don’t have to be disciplinarians, they don’t have to enforce strict bedtimes or limit sugar intake, they don’t have to clean up after messes or potty train. Jodi loves being a mother when it comes to interacting with her children, it’s everything else that gets overwhelming. Jodi definitely shrieks in excitement when Sam announces that he’s going to be a father. Kent, usually a quiet and stoic man, will struggle to hold back his emotions as he congratulates his son. It isn’t until later when he has a moment alone that he properly processes the news and finally allows himself to feel properly excited about it. So much of his own children’s lives was missed by him, he hopes he can be a more present in the life of his grandchild. And Vincent… well, Vincent is just tickled by the idea that he’ll be an uncle before he even turns 10 and will insist that everyone start calling him “Uncle Vincent” before the baby even arrives.

Seb - Robin has NO CHILL when it comes to Seb announcing that he’s going to be a father. For years Robin worried about Seb, concerned that he would be a hermit forever and would never live a life outside of the basement. Seeing Seb flourish the way he has and meet someone new was rewarding enough and even once Seb was in a relationship, Robin wasn’t sure if children were ever on his radar. He didn’t seem like he wanted kids in his life and Robin still would have been happy for him even if he never pursued having children… at least that’s what she thought until the moment Seb announced he was going to be a father. Full-on freakout on Robin’s part. Demetrius is outwardly proud of Sebastian and congratulates him, but a part of Demetrius is worried. His relationship as a father figure to Sebastian never really worked out and he wonders what his place will be in the life of Sebastian’s child and whether he will be treated as a grandfather or not. Maru is SO excited to become an auntie, already she starts thinking of all the cool and fun things she wants to do with her niece/nephew. She’s bound and determined to be the stereotypical “fun aunt”.

Shane - Marnie has spent most of her life worrying about Shane for various reasons; worried about his alcohol dependence, worried about his depression, worried about his loneliness, worried about his future. When Shane finally does meet someone, Marnie is ecstatic. Of course someone new will never fix a person in itself, having a partner at least helps to motivate Shane to get his life on the right track. Marnie is absolutely thrilled when Shane announces he’s going to be a father and this is one area where she’s not worried one bit. She’s seen how he is with Jas and what a wonderful father figure he’s been to her, Marnie’s just happy that he’ll have the chance to have this experience from the beginning. As for Jas, she couldn’t be happier. It’s always been a bit lonely for her, it’s been tough for her to find her place in the family dynamic. But with Shane getting married and now a new baby arriving, Jas finally feels like she’s settling into a family and becoming part of something she’s always wanted.

Abigail - Caroline and Pierre are so proud of the woman that Abi has grown into. Yes, they had their disagreements as Abi was growing up and even into her young adulthood, but those were all overcome once Abi started to make a life for herself. It was worrisome to both Caroline and Pierre when Abi was so carefree and didn’t have a direction she wanted to go in life, it seemed like the last thing in life she wanted was to settle down and live a domestic life. Apparently all Abi needed was to find the right person to complement her and everything fell into place. Abi is still the somewhat rebellious girl she had been and there’s still many things Pierre and Caroline will never understand about her, but it at least brings them comfort to see her happy. When she announces that she’s going to be a mother, Pierre and Caroline are relieved and overjoyed. It was never anything they thought would happen to them when their only child was so outwardly against domesticity, but they’re so happy that she found a way to live that life and still be happy.

Emily - When Emily announces that she is going to be a mother, Haley literally SHRIEKS in excitement. At this point in her life Haley might not be ready for a baby, but that doesn’t mean she’s not completely excited to have one in her life. What follows is the biggest shopping trip of Haley’s life, she finds herself buying more in preparation for the new baby than even Emily does. No niece or nephew of Haley’s will go unspoiled. She can’t wait to be the cool aunt.

Haley - It’s strange for Emily when she hears that Haley will be a mother. Most of Emily’s life was spent caring for Haley more as her mother than as her sister, it isn’t until recently that they’ve been able to find a happy place in their relationship where Emily can finally feel like a sister. Now the dynamic is changing once again and Emily feels more like a grandmother than an auntie, the connection to Haley and her child is that strong. Somehow calling herself an aunt just doesn’t seem powerful enough, it doesn’t seem worthy enough. Emily knows she will be more than just an aunt to Haley’s child and has ever intention of treating her niece or nephew the way any grandmother would.

Maru - Robin and Demetrius beam with pride when Maru announced that she’s going to be a mother. While Demetrius always focused more on Maru’s success in her studies and her career, Robin always worried in the back of her mind if this measure of success was the only one Maru would cling to. Robin hoped that Maru would learn that her success could be measured just as much by her personal relationships and family life and that Maru was smart enough and driven enough to have it all. Seeing Maru in a happy relationship and hearing the news that she’s starting a family is a relief to Robin to see that she never devalued having a family and it’s a relief to Demetrius to see that his motivated daughter is living a full life. Sebastian isn’t outwardly excited about the prospect of being an uncle, then again there isn’t much he’s outwardly excited about. Inwardly, though, he’s strangely looking forward to being an uncle. Yes, it will be awkward and he’s certainly never been a fan of babies or even small children, but somehow the idea of playing Solarian Chronicles with his niece or nephew many years from now is a vision he can’t stop seeing and enough to get him actually excited.

Penny - Pam knows how long Penny has waited for this moment and it’s for that reason that Pam is actually quite worried for her. Pam knows how much the idea of being a wife and mother has been glorified in Penny’s mind but Pam understands from experience just how difficult parenting can really be. It’s hard to truly make someone understand just how hard parenting can be and that it’s not the beautiful, rewarding experience it can sometimes be painted as. Parenting can be soul-crushing, it can be exhausting, it can be overwhelming, and Pam worries that Penny might not be ready for that aspect of it. Of course Pam is thrilled at the news that she’ll be a grandmother, but a part of her is also worried about what kind of grandmother she’ll be. She fully acknowledges that she wasn’t exactly the best mother in the world and that somehow Penny turned out okay in spite of that. Being told that she’ll be a grandmother gives Pam some relief that maybe she’ll get a second chance… she just hopes she won’t screw it up.

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