#free my girl she did everything wrong but she doesn’t deserve THAT

[darling-solaire]

Alexis after finding out Vincent is leaving the clan and she can finally stop having awkward family meals together with that loser:

[kooktrash]

cool with you | jeon jungkook

summary: your break up from kim taehyung sent you spiraling into what felt like a midlife crisis of tear stained cheeks and tubs of half eaten ice cream with a broken heart. after finding out that your neighbor, jeon jungkook, was eavesdropping on your meltdowns and came to find out that your ex was his old friend, he found himself wanting to comfort you. he knew the kind of guy Taehyung was and he didn’t want to see you beat yourself up over a guy who wasn’t worth it so in the end he helped you through it and was unable to ignore the growing attraction you felt toward each other.

➣ genre/au: strangers to friends to lovers. smut. afab!reader [she/her] x neighbor!jk

➣ 14.6k words

warnings: f2l. s2l. oc dated Tae but only implied. tae is kinda an asshole. jk likes to mind his business but his neighbor was loud af. he jumps into a pool with oc. oc is a hot mess and a little crazy. unprotected intercourse. couch sex. mutual masturbation. rising. missionary. jk had a big one 😛. shirtless jk. he literally just be picking up oc whenever he feels like it. oc lowkey stresses him out like all the time. tae did Jk dirty before. mutual pining. heavy petting. make out. idk y’all this jk kinda deserves the world.

song inspo: cool with you — new jeans [you know me like no other]

Jungkook was not the type to care, and that’s him putting it simply. He considered himself an average guy, he had friends and he went out and he studied well. He went to parties and stayed in to play video games, very average. The girls he hooked up with always knew he wasn’t looking for anything serious and the guys he hung out with were as carefree as he was. The point is, he does his own thing and stays out of drama, that’s how he likes it.

He does everything he can to stay out of

complicated situations, so when he overheard something he definitely shouldn't have… he tried to ignore it.

“Yes, we broke up.”

All he wanted was to enjoy his cigarette on his balcony without having to listen in on his neighbor’s phone call because they had their window open.

“No, I am not crying.”

It sounds like you are.

“I swear, I’m not.”

Jungkook swears you were. He doesn’t care… he’s just nosy and it’s not like he could ignore how loud you were. It was actually a surprise, he’s never interacted with you aside from the occasional pounding on the wall to tell him to keep it down. He finds it rare whenever you’re the one being louder than he was and on this particular night he couldn’t help but listen in on your conversation.

“I already got all my things out of Taehyung’s place, we’re done, seriously.”

A cloud of smoke covered the air above him as he released an exhale and hit the cigarette against his ashtray to get some of the excess ash off. A small smirk came to his face as he came to realize what a hypocrite he was. After going on and on about being a drama free dude, he stands here to listen to his neighbor talk about Taehyung, this mysterious ex of yours.

Funny thing actually, Jungkook used to know a guy named Taehyung. It was a somewhat common name, maybe, and it sounded similar to others so maybe he’s just hearing wrong but it was funny nonetheless—especially if Taehyung really was the right name.

“I'm just over it now, it was always the same thing with him,” your voice sounded a bit clearer now and he honestly forgot he was even eavesdropping, “Kim Taehyung doesn’t care about anybody but himself and I’m just tired of following him around.”

The cigarette dangling between his teeth as he glanced over to your balcony almost fell when his eyes met yours. You had already stopped talking but you stood at your open window now, phone in your hand, and looking right at him. Like usual, you didn’t acknowledge each other aside from a quick up and down stare and when it became clear to you that he heard it all, you slammed your window shut with a glare.

Jungkook snatched the cigarette from his lips and quickly put it out before taking a step back so he could close his window too. He immediately threw himself down on his couch reaching for his PS5 controller and scrolling through his friends, inviting random ones to log on and play him.

It was a lazy, peaceful night, for him at least.

You stared at the picture in your Snapchat memories with disgust. You were in the second stage of grief, ‘anger’, and every stupid picture of Taehyung that popped up on your phone just pissed you off.

One year. 12 months. 52 weeks. 365 days with that guy just for him to bring up a break up on your anniversary? What a fucking asshole.

“I hate men,” you said mindlessly as you swung your legs back and forth on the edge of your friend’s bed, “No offense.”

“None taken,” Jimin walked around the bed, picking up whatever mess he had on the floor, “But I still can’t believe it’s been a week already. How does it feel to officially be single again? Have you talked to him?”

You released a scoff, “Not after I got all my things.”

Here’s the thing, despite the argument you had before the break up, it felt so out of the blue. You didn’t think that a conversation over the fact that he prioritized quite literally everything else but you. His photography was more important, his friends were, his gaming was… everything and when you brought it up to him an argument ensued and boom:

“If you feel that way then maybe we should just break it off, Y/n.”

“Fine, maybe we should.”

And that’s how you found yourself single and heartbroken on the day that was supposed to be your one year anniversary.

Now you’re at your friend’s house having to recount everything that happened the other night because despite telling him everything on the phone and through texts, Jimin still needed an in-person retelling.

After a while of being bored with nothing to do at his place, you decided to move it to yours where you planned to also do nothing and be bored—but with a change of scenery. He drove you both back to your apartment with no desire to do anything but continue to shit talk just in a new environment. The drive wasn’t long at all and it didn’t take much time for the two of you to be trudging up the three flights of stairs to your floor talking about whatever came to mind.

The second you got even close to your door, you heard it. Your neighbor, like usual, was being loud. From the way he was yelling you could tell he’s playing some video game right now and he never had a sense of awareness when he’s in a match. You let out a sigh as you struggled with your key for a minute and Jimin looked to your neighbor’s door, “The walls are paper thin, aren’t they?”

“Yup,” you huffed, finally pushing your door open, “And he’s always loud like that. You should hear when he has a girl over.”

“Is that why you were always at Taehyung’s?” He asked you.

“Kind of? He hasn’t lived here for long but ever since then he’s just been driving me crazy,” you told him as you looked for your remote control to turn the tv on. Jimin couldn’t help but smirk as an idea came to mind.

“You should sleep with him,” he said as he plopped down on your couch, “Nice little rebound sex and if you hear him having sex then that’s gotta mean he’s good.”

You rolled your eyes joining him on the couch, “Shut up, why don’t you go and see, yourself then?”

“Not my type.”

“You haven’t even seen him.”

“I just know,” Jimin said.

The topic of your neighbor fell once your friend and you got bored of it and found something else to do.

That night, after Jimin had left, you found yourself in a strange predicament. Now that you’re alone with your thoughts you couldn’t help but think about your ex again and that led to where you are now:

With a tub of half eaten ice cream in front of you and large, unnecessary crocodile tears falling down your cheeks. Some sad Taylor Swift played loudly in the background and you found yourself singing along annoyingly hiccuping while crying.

“NOW IM IN EXILE SEEING YOU OUT.”

Just next door, your neighbor was busy on his own. Well, okay, he’s not busy but he was trying to nap. He worked practically all night last night and he hasn’t been able to catch up on his sleep. He would’ve been asleep already if his neighbor wasn’t blurting out the wrong lyrics to Taylor Swift on the other side of the drywall. He was beginning to understand how annoyed you would get whenever he was too loud.

He tried to ignore it for a while but when the sad songs changed to upbeat ones that have you belching the lyrics loudly, he couldn’t take it anymore. He stormed out of his apartment and right next door where he pounded on the door loudly, hearing you scream.

It took you a moment to realize someone was knocking and he could tell because you lowered the music enough to hear him knock. A few seconds later the door opened just slightly and realizing it was your neighbor you opened it a little more.

Jungkook was shocked at the sight of you, bloodshot eyes and smeared mascara as you smiled and said, “Hello?”

He blinked in disbelief at the way you looked but tried moving on past that, accidentally blurting out something he didn’t intend to, “Do you mind keeping it down? I’m trying to sleep and I would rather not hear you sing Taylor Swift extremely off key at the top of your lungs—“

“I’ve gotta listen to you all the time,” you told him with narrowed eyes, glaring at him. He released a sigh, “I know and now I get it but I’ve been listening to pretty much every single part of how your break up went down and that’s not something I’m interested in. Kim Taehyung is not worth all this moping around.”

The words slipped but he knew he messed up when your eyes widened in surprise and before he could apologize and say he didn’t mean to eavesdrop and that you were just so loud, you grabbed the front of his shirt and yanked him inside. Jungkook stumbled along, hitting the door on his way in and you shut it behind him asking, “How do you know Taehyung?”

Shit, he thought as he looked down at how close your face was to his, still holding him by his shirt and he had to move your hand before he could answer. He didn’t mean to say that but it just slipped and now he has to explain himself to his hot mess of a neighbor.

“Um,” he waited, trying to piece together how to say it, “I overheard you on the phone the other day and the name was familiar and… well, he’s an old friend of mine.”

“Then why haven’t I ever heard of you? Wait, what’s your name?” You asked.

“Jeon Jungkook, and that’s probably because him and I haven’t been on talking terms in a while,” Jungkook said vaguely, “And you were never really home until, I’m assuming, this break up.”

“It’s because you’re so loud, yourself, that it would drive me insane so I would just spend time at his place instead,” you said honestly as you finally went to turn off the song, at least that’s what he thought, but next thing he knew you were playing the beginning of an anime, Toradora, and singing along to the intro. You didn’t even seem to care he was in here.

“What happened? You guys had a fall out?” You asked, clearly not planning on kicking him out just yet and he walked over to where you sat and joined you, “Who said you could sit on my couch?”

That made him roll his eyes despite not knowing you and he sat anyway, “Uh because you dragged me in here and started asking me questions. I’m not just gonna stand, plus I can’t nap because of you so I guess I’m watching too, who’s your favorite character?”

“Ryuuji, I like his simplicity but I’m a fan of Ami’s too, she’s had the best character growth through the show and manga,” you said as you played a random episode.

“I know exactly what you mean,” Jungkook said making himself comfortable, “I like Ryuuji too, I think he’s a bit misunderstood and I know Taiga bullies him but I don’t know, I like that he’s comfortable with her and the way him and his mom took her in? Heart bursted right there.”

“Yeah, Taiga is just his neighbor but he recognized how hard it was for her to do things on her own and it was like an instant connection between the two. He didn’t mind nurturing her but also helping her see right and wrong, vise versa.” You told him turning the volume up and he nodded.

“What’s your name again?” He asked, hearing you sniffle but not bother to wipe off the mascara that ran down your cheeks. You picked up your ice cream tub and began to eat again, “Y/n.”

“Nice to formally meet you.”

The night was long and Jungkook was stuck at work. He can’t even explain how many drunk people he’s had to turn away already and the night has just begun. His friends stood at his side all doing the same thing, checking IDs, taking entrance fees, stopping bar goers from taking their drinks outside when they leave, etc.

“So your neighbor was dating Taehyung and you didn’t even know?” Namjoon asked as he flashed a light on someone’s driver’s license.

“I had never seen him in our building but to be fair she was rarely home and I didn’t have much of a reason to pay attention,” Jungkook said motioning for a group of guys to enter.

“That’s crazy,” Hoseok said as he came over with a box of donuts, “How long has it been since you and him even talked?”

Jungkook shrugged as he took a hit of his vape, “Like two years? How was I even supposed to know he was in a relationship?”

“True,” Namjoon said, letting another group in, “It doesn’t matter to you, it’s just crazy that your neighbor was the one dating him. Is she cute?”

“Hey, can I hit your vape?” Some girl asked as Jungkook checked her ID. She was cute and dressed for a night out bud he wasn’t even paying attention.

“No,” he said to her but Namjoon made a face that immediately made him backtrack, “I mean, yes she is cute—no to hitting my vape.”

“Ooo, maybe you should comfort her and see where it goes,” Hoseok joked, making Jungkook shake his head no, watching his friend eat a donut.

“Are you crazy? She seems like a lot and I would rather not get involved in any drama with him again. She’s cool though,” Jungkook said before turning to Hoseok again, “Where'd you get the donuts?”

“Some girl,” he said with a shrug, “Want one?”

Jungkook took one and bit into it, “And let me tell you, she seems like a lot to handle so I don’t even get how her and Taehyung got together.”

Namjoon chuckled, “Are you that curious? What happened to staying out of the drama?”

“I mean… that’s what I want but considering she’s loud when she cries it’s kinda hard not to get involved, Y/n sang like six heartbreak songs the other day and I basically got serenaded,” Jungkook said dramatically, “But I’m leaving it alone. I don’t want anything to do with Taehyung and whatever heartbroken girl he left this time.”

By the time they all got off work it was a little past 3:00am and he was absolutely beat. All he wanted to do was get home and make himself some of his special ramen and knock out but as he got to his door it was hard for him to ignore the sounds of pans clattering next door. He knocked on your door before he could stop himself and waited for you to open.

“It’s you again,” you said and you wore a tank top that showed a bit of your mid drift and some plaid boxer shirt with long socks, “Don’t tell me I’m being loud again, I’m so hungry I think I’ll die if I don’t eat something right now.”

You immediately went into a mini rant like he was a friend of yours and although it surprised him, he found himself saying, “I’m hungry too, I’m gonna make ramen, want some?”

Your eyes widened hopefully, “Please?”

“Come over.”

Jungkook wasn’t sure why he even bothered talking to you but he’s gotta be honest… he’s a sucker for girls crying. Listen, he’s been in relationships but he doesn’t care much for them. Of course when he’s actually in one he tends to pay attention to his partner a lot but truthfully, they’re kinda a bother. He’s not saying he wants a relationship with you but he’s been pretty closed off lately and maybe this is a sign that he should try and befriend people outside of his circle.

Anyways, now you’re over at his place and it’s nearly 4:00am but he’s in his kitchen making ramen as you looked through his manga collection.

“Wow, you’re like a weeb,” you said, “You’ve got all the popular ones too. Demon Slayer, Naruto — god awful taste — One Piece, Jesus the whole collection of Attack on Titan? You even got little figurines, yeah you’re a weeb.”

“Hey,” Jungkook glared at you, choosing to ignore your weeb comments in favor of asking, “What’s wrong with Naruto?”

“Nothing,” You said with a shrug, “I just personally don’t trust a man who loves Naruto.”

He couldn’t help but smile as he chuckled, “Okay, I don’t love Naruto but it’s nostalgic—and don’t lie, it’s not that bad.”

“I mean it’s not… but it’s not that good either,” you said, “I’m more of a shoujo girly so just ignore me.”

“Have you even watched it then?”

“Obviously,” you said, finally returning to him, “Are you almost done? I’m starving.”

“Are you always this impatient?” Jungkook asked and it’s strange that neither one of you have taken the time to note that you’re really just strangers. You’re not friends and you’ve barely started interacting but for some reason it felt like you’ve been friends for a long time. There was no awkwardness now and it kills him to know you used to date Taehyung because you’re nothing like him.

It shouldn’t matter to him, and it doesn’t but… it’s just strange. When he was friends with Taehyung it was mostly because they had a lot of history and not because they were similar. Jungkook was very different from him and oftentimes it would lead to unnecessary disagreements that friends shouldn’t have. It’s just hard to imagine your relationship with him and how you’ve landed yourself hanging out with Jungkook instead.

He’s a little uncomfortable with that because of what Taehyung has done in the past and it makes him feel a little guilty to even talk to you when he knows he has no reason to be.

“Yes,” you said, finally drawing his attention back to you, “Always.”

“Well it’s done so grab a bowl, top left cabinet,” he said.

Soon enough the two of you were eating ramen alone together in his apartment. If he explained this to his friends they would immediately make inappropriate jokes of ‘Ramen and Chill’ but it was anything but that. It was just two neighbors up late and hungry.

“So,” Jungkook cleared his throat as he swallowed a huge bite of noodles, “If you don’t care, can I ask what happened between you and your ex.”

“Um,” you hesitated, “I don’t know… if you’re still friends I don’t really want to get into i—“

“We’re not,” Jungkook quickly cut in, “We haven’t been for a while but if you still don’t want to tell me, I get it.”

“No, I’ll tell you,” you finally said and set down your bowl on the kitchen counter that you currently sat on. Jungkook just nodded his head waiting for you to start but it seemed like you were preparing to tell the greatest story of all time.

“Well, he dumped me on our one year anniversary for starters,” you said and that immediately made him cringe at his former friend’s cruel timing, “It sort of happened out of nowhere, I mean I noticed he had gone more quiet on the days leading up to it but I didn’t think it had anything to do with me. Clearly I had been wrong though because he dumped me a few days later like I had been the problem. He texted me a couple days ago asking how I’ve been but I haven’t responded. I’m still mad.”

“Rightfully so,” Jungkook said, taking your empty plate and setting it down in his sink, “Did he ever give you a real reason?”

“Maybe,” you shrugged, “Maybe not, I can’t remember.”

The two of you were quiet for a moment and before he could think of something else to talk about before you left, you asked, “What about you? What happened between you and Kim Taehyung?”

Jungkook didn’t respond right as he debated if it was worth telling you or not. It was years ago and it was never anything that serious but… at the time it had been and they’re clearly still not friends. He raised his shoulders in a shrug, “It’s a long story and not worth it.”

Instead of pushing him to go on you released a tired yawn not caring for how you looked as you hopped off his counter, “Alright well I’m fed and now tired too so I think I’m going to try and sleep a bit before work. You should catch some sleep before you have to go in.”

“I just got off,” Jungkook said as he opened the front door for you, “I’m a club bouncer, sadly.”

“Ooo, maybe you’ve kicked me out before,” you joked, “I can get messy if I’ve had one too many drinks.”

“I’m sure you can,” Jungkook said with a chuckle, “But goodnight, when do you have to wake up?”

“Mm, in like three hours? I work at a coffee shop,” You said, finally stepping out into the hall. His eyes widened before he was fully pushing you out, “Go to sleep, Y/n.”

When you were finally gone and he was alone in his home, he didn’t even make it to his bed and instead passed out on the couch.

You wouldn’t say you and Jungkook have become friends because you don’t actually know if that’s true. What you do know is that for the past week enough you’ve been talking way more to him than your other friends but only because they’re busy. Jimin has already argued with you [very dramatically, you will say] because he’s accused you of getting a new best friend which wasn’t true.

It was just extremely easy to talk to Jungkook, like you’ve been friends for years and he’s slowly helped you forget about Taehyung. He’s not doing anything out of the ordinary but for some reason Jungkook is really good at taking care of people. Take now for instance, he’s decided to come with you grocery shopping because you didn’t have a car and would have to take everything on the train.

Now you two are splitting a grocery cart and both going shopping as you asked, “Jungkook, how come I never hear girls at your place anymore?”

“Hm?” Jungkook asked absentmindedly as he stared at different types of milk, “Because you got annoyed by it.”

That made you smirk a bit as you used to shopping cart for support making it tilt slightly, “Wow, I didn’t realize you’ve grown so considerate of me, Mr. International Playboy.”

“I don’t know why you insist on calling me that, I’ve only slept with one person who wasn’t from here and she was Japan so still not too far,” he said with a sigh as he put things in the cart, “Besides, don’t get too cocky, I just don’t have the time to tell anyone that I’m not looking for anything serious.”

“Mm,” you said, pushing the cart along while he held onto the other end of it and dragged it along, “Well, I don’t even see your friends over. Do you even have friends?”

That made him roll his eyes, “Obviously, I just… I’m antisocial, you know this.”

“Do I?” You asked, picking through boxes of cereal, “You seem pretty social to me.”

“Yeah, well you’re different.”

“Ugh,” you couldn’t help but roll your eyes, leaving him behind as you kept walking, “I hate when guys so that because they can never explain how—“

“For starters you’re the only person I’ve seen have mascara running down your face while you watch Toradora, that’s different right?” Jungkook teased a bit by bumping into your shoulder when he caught up, “And cry and 3 in the morning because you can’t cook.”

“Okay that doesn’t make me different, that just makes me a hot mess.”

He smiled, “I mean yeah, but you’re not embarrassed. You’re actually kinda fun to be around and when we talk we can just talk about anything, y’know? That’s what makes you different.”

You shrugged and looked away trying to ignore the growing flush that filled your cheeks, “Good enough explanation—Hey! What are you doing this weekend? Do you have to work?”

“Yeah.”

“Lame.”

Jungkook stopped walking as he turned to look at you, “Why?”

“You know Kim Seokjin? He’s having a little pool party and he invited me but I know Taehyung is going to be there and I didn’t want to go alone,” you told him. Jungkook knew Jin, they used to be close friends but they’re a little distant now. He was also invited to the party but he had work so he was already not planning on going.

“Have you asked Jimin?” He asked you as he caught up to where you were. You nodded, “Yeah but he’s going to Busan for the weekend and my other friend Yoongi will be busy, it’s whatever. I’ll stop by for a second and then head out.”

Jungkook didn’t say much else after that. He understood how you must have felt. You want to go for Jin’s sake but you’re wary about seeing your ex boyfriend. He felt bad he had to work and your other friends were busy but it’s not like he could just call in to work for a party.

When Friday night rolled around you had taken about two shots before even leaving your house just to give yourself the courage to go. There wasn’t a need for you to go to the party but Jin had become your friend through Taehyung and you weren’t going to let any of them think you were avoiding Taehyung because you’re still heartbroken.

So when you showed up alone with your head held high, you were greeted warmly by the host. He wrapped you in his arms, “You came! So, drinks are inside, just get whatever you want and you can chill inside or outside. Did you come alone?”

“Yeah, the others were busy,” you told him honestly, “But it’s whatever, I’m just here to get drunk.”

Jin ruffled your hair with a smile, “Alright, come find me if you get lonely.”

You gave him a thumbs up and headed toward the kitchen where all the drinks were set up. You just got here so you haven’t seen Taehyung yet but you’re sure he’s around the corner getting drunk and you didn’t want to be sober when you ran into him.

“Y/n?”

Shit.

You looked up in time to catch your ex boyfriend walking into the open kitchen with furrowed brows. You debated ignoring him but that would just make it seem like you were still caught up on him, so instead you gave a nod of your head and said a short, “Hey?”

“Uh, hey,” he scratched the back of his neck nervously, “What are you doing here?”

Your brows knitted together in confusion, “I was invited?”

“I mean, I know but…” he bit his lip nervously and you dated Taehyung long enough to know something was up. Just as you were gonna ask what was wrong with you being here, a short brunette appeared at his arm, wrapping hers around his and looking up at him not bothering to acknowledge you.

“There you are, you can’t just leave me at a party with people I don’t know when you invited me, TaeTae,” she said looking up at him with starry eyes. You tried to not look surprised as he looked down in embarrassment, suddenly looking nervous when he looked back at you. The girl finally looked at you and asked, “Who are you?”

Taehyung opened his mouth to tell her to shut up but you were smiling already, “Y/n, you two look great together—even matching clothes—but I gotta go, there’s better things I could be doing.”

He watched you leave without another word and he slid the girl’s hand off his arm. He made a mistake, he should have known you’d be here. Why did he think you would still be mourning the break up and wouldn’t bother to show? He barely knew this girl but she was hot so he invited her in hopes of making hooking up after… but he didn’t plan on his ex seeing him with another girl. He kind of missed you.

Jungkook wasn’t telling himself he came to see you.

The reason he showed up at this stupid party was because Jin kept asking him too and since his other two friends would be working and it wouldn’t be too busy, they let him leave. He debated just going home and going to bed but then he remembered about yo—Jin—and he figured it wouldn’t hurt to show up.

“Dude, it’s been so long,” Jin said with a firm hand on Jungkook’s shoulder, “Let’s get you a drink an—“

“Have you seen Y/n?”

Jin stopped walking, he looked at his old friend with confusion, “Y/n?”

Jungkook nodded his head not bothering to question why Jin made a face. Jin was a lot closer to Taehyung so it’s not that he didn't know the two dated. Jungkook bets Jin is just surprised on why Jungkook, of all people, would be looking for you. Jin cleared his throat awkwardly and said, “Um, not totally sure but check in the back. Can I ask why?”

“I’m looking for her,” Jungkook gave him a short and vague response before he was leaving to find you. On his way out he saw something he wished he hadn’t and it only made him want to find you sooner. Just as he got outside he looked over to find Taehyung extremely close to another girl and before he could look away, his former friend looked at him but didn’t acknowledge him whatsoever.

Jungkook didn’t care about that, he cares more about finding you and if you’ve seen Taehyung yet or if Jungkook still had time to distract.

“Liar!”

He whipped around at an instance when he felt a pointed finger like his bicep, “How?”

“You said you had to work!” You said slurring just slightly and clutching a half drunken drink. Jungkook just shrugged, “I didn’t lie. I did have to work but they let me go. Shouldn’t you just be happy I’m here?”

“I guess,” you grumbled, taking another sip from your cup, “Want a drink?”

“Nah,” Jungkook said, “I drove so I’m staying sober in case I need to take you home. How many drinks have you had?”

You didn’t respond right away as you looked up in thought. Jungkook will admit your attempt to focus on your thoughts made you look a bit cute. Your brows were scrunched together and your cheeks puffed up with your index finger tapping your chin, “Like since I got here? Or in general?”

His smile slowly fell, “Y/n, how much have you drank?”

“Not a lot…” you said with a high pitched voice that gave way to the fact that you were lying, “Maybe?”

With a small sigh he looked down at your drink, “Is that your last one?”

“Probably not—Hey! Did you see Taehyung?” You asked, turning your back to him, “He’s here with some girl.”

“I know,” Jungkook said reaching a hand out to drag you back to him, “Did you two talk?”

“Yeah, he came up to me first,” you said with a small scoff, missing a step and Jungkook had to grab you by the waist to keep you from tripping, “And then that girl just shows up clinging to him and she had the nerve to ask who I was? As if he’s not the one who came up to me—as if I’m not the one who dated him!?”

Jungkook can just feel the rising anger bubbling up inside you the longer you looked and he didn’t like that. You needed a distraction, he knew you were over Taehyung for the most part because anyone would get mad seeing their recent ex act chummy with another person.

“What an asshole!” You nearly yelled in your drunken state as you turned your back to the sight of your ex boyfriend flirting with a girl right in front of you. Jungkook released a huff, “I know, just don’t let it get to you. He’s not worth it.”

He tried to grab you as you stumbled a bit in your steps but you just moved farther away from him. The party was loud and he felt as if everyone was drunk but him and that wasn’t usually the case. Usually, he’s the drunkest one here but right now he’s babysitting you and he doesn’t know why. All night he’s watched you down drink after drink until all you could do was slur on your words and stumble when you walk.

It’s only been a week since the two of you started to really talk and hang out so he’s not used to this side of you and he genuinely does not know what to do. How did he ever think his neighbor was quiet and uptight when you’re such a hot mess? Maybe it’s because he didn’t see you often considering you were always at Taehyung’s but damn, he did not expect this.

And on top of that, he doesn’t get how you and Taehyung ever dated when to him you were completely different. He can’t picture Taehyung following after you as you swayed in your steps ready to walk over to your ex boyfriend and tell him off like he was currently doing.

Wait…

Jungkook seemed to trip over the pavement as he pushed through the crowds of people that led outside to the pool area, calling after you, “Y/n! What are you doing?”

“I’m gonna talk to him,” you yelled, not bothering to look at him, “It hasn’t even been a month and he’s already hitting on other girls knowing that I’m here? That’s such a dick move!”

“I know, Y/n but listen— excuse me — “ he pushed past a couple of girls to get to you, “You’re not going to gain anything. You’re drunk and there’s a lot of people here and — excuse me — you don’t make any sense right now!”

You clearly weren’t listening and Jungkook was beginning to panic. You’re in stage four of grief, ‘depression’ and he knows you’re sad and you just want to get things off your chest but he knows that if you try and confront Taehyung in the drunk state that you’re in… you’re the one who’s going to look like a fool, not him. Nobody is even going to bat an eye at him but they’ll watch you judgingly and you’ll regret even speaking to him by morning. Jungkook came to a stop as he watched you chug back the drink in your hand zoning in on Taehyung who stood on the other side of the pool with his hand on a girl’s ass and a smirk on his face. Fuck.

You’re mad at Taehyung and you want to get it out but right now isn’t the time. If you want to confront him about something you need to do it sober and somewhere private, not at a party for all to hear and laugh at you as you slur on your words. Jungkook knew you were mad and that wasn’t going to change… all he could do is change who you’re mad at…

There was so much on your mind as you made room for yourself through crowds of people so you could get to Taehyung. The pool lit up the backyard in hues of blue and purple as neon lights sunk to the bottom of it yet nobody actually swam. Everyone just stood around it and in your way when you had a mission. You were going to march right up to Taehyung and ask him what his problem was. He dumped you but played it off like it was mutual… He called you two weeks later to get that he misses you [even after you got all your shit out of his house] and has the nerve to smile at you tonight but flirt with another girl knowing you’re here? God, you were so fucking mad and all you wanted to do was confront him, not even caring who saw or heard and what they thought about you. You were too drunk to care.

He was about fifteen feet away now and you tried to call for him, “Tae—“

A loud yell replaced his name and big hands grabbed you by your thighs and pulled you up. The familiar scent of Dior cologne filled your nose and when you got thrown over a muscular back you knew right away who it was, “Jungkook! Put me down! What is your problem?”

“Honestly?” Jungkook asked as he fixed you over his shoulder, turning you around in the opposite direction of where Taehyung was, “You. You’re my problem, right now so let’s go home before you make a drunk fool of yourself in front of everyone.”

“Fuck you, I’m not gonna make a fool of myself,” you said and even then you couldn’t hide the fact that your words were coming out all wrong and your vision was blurry, “I just want to talk!”

“Well now’s not the time!” Jungkook yelled ignoring all the stares the two of you recieved, “So shut up and let’s go!”

You groaned loudly, fighting his hold with everything you said, mind still foggy from the alcohol, “No! The only place I want to go is on the other side of this pool an—“

Jungkook didn’t waste a single second in thinking about what he was going to do to make you forget about how mad you were at Taehyung right now. The only thing that could come to his mind was to direct your anger toward him instead and before he knew it he was walking toward the pool hearing your shouts in protest thinking he was going to throw you in—but he had other plans.

His point wasn’t to leave you to be the only one embarrassed [which would have been the case if he let you confront Taehyung or if he threw you in the water by yourself], his point was to make you mad at him and only him. So despite your continuous effort to fight him off, he took the single leap into the deep end, not letting you go until you were both submerged into the water with his arms around you.

You barely managed to hold your breath once you realized what he was doing and even then you couldn’t wrap your mind around it till you swam your way back to the surface. Jungkook watched you brush your wet hair out of your face in search of him and he ignored all the loud cheering around the two of you for being the first in the water, cocky smile on his face when you glared at him.

“What is wrong with you?!” You yelled as you purposely splashed water in his face out of anger—surprisingly feeling sobered up now. Jungkook didn’t say anything, he only laughed and swam the very short distance to you, arms around your waist and dragging you back into the water with him, fighting to hold his breath when he felt your hand in his hair yanking him deeper inside.

The second time you came up for air the only thing on your mind was how to murder your neighbor and make it look like an accident. Jungkook just kept smiling at you with that cocky look in his eyes as he asked, “Well?”

You almost didn’t bother answering as you swam to the edge in search of a way to pull yourself up without having to go to the ladder which was conveniently very close to where Taehyung was now watching the two of you with furrowed brows.

“Are you mad?” Jungkook asked as he lifted you up the edge with ease despite you telling him to fuck off and pulled himself up swiftly to follow you. You wrung the water out of your shirt, “Obviously!”

“Okay! But at who?” Jungkook asked, ignoring everyone looking at him and trying to talk to him. You scoffed, “You! Asshole.”

“Good,” Jungkook said triumphantly, completely unaware of the way his former friend watched you two leave the backyard party completely drenched in water.

The only thing on Taehyung’s mind was what the hell was going on? When he saw you earlier you weren’t with anyone. It was just you and he didn’t even know Jungkook was here but maybe it’s because it’s been so long since he last saw the kid and he’s very obviously grown up and changed with all the tattoos and piercings. So all he wanted to know was how the fuck did you two know each other?

When morning came and the sun beamed down on your face more than you were used to, you woke up with an annoyed groan turning in bed to hide. The scent of shampoo coated the pillow you rested your head on and it was a surprisingly deep smell that had you snuggled into the pillow further you hid from the light. In an effort to fall back asleep and ignore the pounding of your head, you rolled onto your side hitting a wall of pillows and blankets. Your eyes opened just slightly, vision still blurry as you blinked sleep away and allowed yourself to look around, a scream leaving your lips as you toppled off the bed. Tangled in a blanket you hit the floor with a loud thud that had the person that made you scream shoot you abruptly.

Jungkook looked around, leaning over the side of the bed with an annoyed huff, “Jeez, you gave me a heart attack.”

Your jaw dropped as you sat on the floor, “I gave you a heart attack? Um what are you doing in my bed?”

“Your bed?” Jungkook furrowed his brows, “Look around sweetie.”

You did just that, eyes widening even further that he swears they’ll pop out of their socket, “Where am I?”

“My room,” Jungkook laid back down with a loud yawn.

“And what am I doing here?”

He released a sigh like he couldn’t be bothered but said, “Well after your drunk fiasco at the party, I brought you back and you couldn’t find your keys so you slept over here.”

Your brows furrowed, “What happened to my clothes?”

“They were wet and you were falling all over the place so I had to change you—don’t worry I had my eyes closed,” he told you and you took it in. Jungkook was sober majority of last night and you could only imagine what happened when he brought you home.

“Where are your keys?” He asked tiredly after he held you up with one arm ignoring the fact that you were both still drenched in pool water. You hiccuped, “I forgot them.”

“What?!” Jungkook asked louder than intended and you glared at him, “Don’t yell at me.”

“You’re a mess,” Jungkook grumbled, dragging you over to his front door, “I’ve never had to take care of a grown adult this much.”

“Just leave me outside to deal with my misery,” you said dramatically as he hauled you into his apartment, letting you fall to the floor once inside. Jungkook just shook his head as he left to his bedroom in search of something you could change into. When he came back you were sprawled on the floor half asleep and he punched the space between his brows in annoyance, “Y/n, get up, you need to change.”

All you did was groan, “I tired.”

“Yeah, well me too,” Jungkook kneeled down to grab you by your ankles and drag you across the floor before making you sit up. He angrily pulled the shirt over your head asking himself why he had to deal with you because your ex is a piece of shit.

Okay, he doesn’t have to but who else will?

The shirt fit you big so when you flipped back to the floor with a whine he asked, “Take off your jeans or else the wet denim is gonna give you a rash.”

“Yesh, dad,” you raised a hand to your forehead as if saluting him and you did as told, giving up halfway and making him finish yanking them down your legs with his eyes closed.

“You’re not allowed to drink anymore when we’re together,” Jungkook said, ordering you to slide your shirt off from under the tee, “At least not as much as you did tonight.”

He took your wet clothes and went to change before hanging it all to dry outside and when he went to the living room carrying a blanket for you to sleep on the couch with, you were asleep… still on the floor. With a stomp of his foot in a mini tantrum, Jungkook knelt down, slipped an arm under your neck and the other under your knees and picked you up with a huff. He wasn’t even careful when he let you fall onto the couch.

“Oh god, did we do anything stupid?” You asked referring to the fact that you had woken up in bed with him and wearing some t-shirt of his. Jungkook rolled his eyes, “No. You were supposed to sleep in the living room but you woke me up in the middle of the night because Bam kept kicking your face. Then you got all touchy and I made this pillow fort to protect myself from you.”

It had to be close to 3:00am when Jungkook finally let himself fall asleep. He made himself comfortable in bed trying to relax after the hectic night he’s had and when he was just finally starting to fall, a loud knock on his door snapped him awake.

“Ju—koo!” A whiny voice called from the other side of the door.

“What?!”

“Cold,” you whined, head leaned against the door, “And Bam won't stop licking my face.”

Jungkook huffed, “Tell him to stop!”

“I did,” you knocked on the door. He kicked off his blankets in annoyance, “You’re so needy!”

Even as he said that, he got out of bed and opened his bedroom door, moving to the side as you pushed past him and threw yourself down on his bed with your blanket wrapped around your body tightly. He watched you with tired eyes before going to his side of the bed. He grabbed all the extra pillows, moved you to one side and set up a wall to separate himself from you.

“God, what happened last night?” You groaned as you got up only to fall back onto his bed trying to piece it all together. You only remembered a couple things, “You threw me into the pool, asshole.”

“Yeah? Well, I would’ve been a bigger asshole if I let you make a fool of yourself in front of Taehyung and everyone else,” Jungkook said. You looked at him, only turning your head on its side and he did the same, neither of you saying anything for a moment.

You should probably say thank you but the way things unfolded, it might only make things more awkward. You were already slightly embarrassed but yes definitely seen you act stupid plenty of times so instead you said, “Help me get inside my apartment.”

The two of you stood on his balcony now, both looking toward yours which was separated from his by about two feet. He shifted his gaze toward you, “I’m confused, what are you trying to do?”

“The door is unlocked, I just gotta get over there and let myself in,” you said with a gulp as you poked down at the forty foot drop. Jungkook shook his head, “Are you stupid? I’m not letting you do that.”

“What else am I supposed to do?” You asked him with your hand on your hip. He mirrored your pose with more attitude, “Call the maintenance man, genius.”

“It’s gonna take them like three days to get back to me, Einstein, are you helping me or not?” You asked and you watched him stop to think.

“I’ll do it,” Jungkook said but you just shook your head.

“No, I’ve got underwear hanging to dry by the door, it’s not happening,” you told him, already walking to the railing. Jungkook gave up on arguing with you over it and followed after you. You gripped the railing looking over to your balcony which was only two feet away. This should be easy… all you have to do is get over his to yours, he ever has a little stool that he sits on that you could use as a boost.

Jungkook thought about what he should do to help you and in the end just held you by the waist to keep you balanced as you lifted a leg over the railing and stepped onto the short side of the cement ledge, “Oh my god, you’ve gotta be the craziest girl I’ve ever met.”

“You know a lot of people say that to me,” you said and the two foot gap didn’t seem as intimidating anymore, “Okay, let me go.”

“Y/n,” Jungkook begged as his arms tightened around your waist, “This is a bad idea.”

“Too late, I’m already halfway there so let go before I fall on purpose to make you feel bad,” you nervously joked as he let go but not without calling you a bitch. With your breath held tightly, you stretched a leg out first feeling the end of your balcony touch it and with a careful leap, you held onto your railing hearing Jungkook gasp nervously. He watched you swing a leg over until the railing was between both of them and as you finally touched down on your side, you slipped, falling into the hard cement with a groan.

Jungkook shielded his eyes with his hands, “Are you good?”

“Barely,” you huffed as you forced yourself to your feet and checked to see if the glass sliding door was in fact unlocked. Your heart seemed to tighten in relief as you opened it, huge smile on your face looking back to your neighbor, “Got it! Okay, I’m gonna get cleaned up, thanks.”

Jungkook was already picking up his pack of cigarettes and bringing it to his lips, “You stress me out.”

“I’ll make up for it,” you said already halfway through your door, “Whatever you want, just tell me and I’ll do it.”

With that, you left for your apartment in search for your spare keys and he sat down on his stool with a breath of relief. He couldn’t believe you and the more he thought about it, the more confused he got on how you and Taehyung found each other…

The thought didn’t last long in his head when he looked down at his vibrating phone, eyebrows furrowed as he read the caller ID.

“KIM TAEHYUNG”

It took Jungkook a moment to even decide if he wanted to answer or not but in the end he couldn’t help himself and curiosity got the best of him, “Hello?”

Taehyung’s voice was unusually cheery, “Hey man! How have you been?”

Jungkook shrugged even though his former friend couldn’t see him, “Uh, good I guess, what’s up?”

“I was calling cause of last night…” Taehyung said dragging out his words as if it would ring a bell for Jungkook.

He didn’t say anything wondering how this would go. It’s weird that Taehyung was even calling him and if there’s any reason behind it, it’s you, “Hm…”

Taehyung wasn’t sure why he expected a bigger response but he brushed off his small hum and went on, “Well I saw you with Y/n and everyone was kinda curious, what happened?”

“Oh, Y/n did something to piss me off so I got back at her. Why?” Jungkook said playing off the events from last night until he understood why Taehyung was bothering to talk to him after their fall out.

“Hm? Oh um, well, I just… I didn’t know the two of you were friends,” Taehyung cleared his throat awkwardly as he thought about it. Last night confused the hell out of him. First, he ran into you as he’s with another girl and second, he runs into an old friend—to make matters more confusing it appears you two knew each other and he doesn’t get how.

Jungkook couldn’t help but smirk, a little annoyed but he ignored it as he went inside, “I get it, how could you know anyway? When’s the last time you and I talked? Like two years ago?”

Taehyung nervously chuckled, “Yeah, I guess. So did Y/n get home safely?”

He rolled his eyes, “Why are you so curious about her?”

“Huh?” Taehyung was genuinely surprised, “She didn’t tell you?”

“Tell me what?” He asked, deciding to play dumb.

“We used to date?” Taehyung said seriously, hoping Jungkook wouldn’t like the news if in fact, you’ve never told him. He wants to know what’s going on between you, he doesn’t care if he’s your ex, he deserves to know.

“Oh, no Y/n’s never even mentioned you,” Jungkook lied for your sake. He wasn’t going to give Taehyung the benefit of knowing he’s still on your mind.

“Not even at the party?” Taehyung asked with furrowed brows, suspicious if Jungkook was telling the truth or not.

“Uh, no? Why? Did something happen?” Jungkook asked as he pet his dog subconsciously as he smiled listening to the sound of music already coming from your apartment.

“No, not really. So, what are you doing? How about we get lunch and catch up?” Taehyung asked and if he could see Jungkook right now, he would see how unimpressed he was by that idea.

Jungkook leaned back in the couch and said, “I’m kinda busy, maybe another time?”

“I mean, okay… sure, yeah let’s catch up another time.”

Taehyung was suspicious, of course he was! When he broke up with you it’s because he told himself he didn’t have feelings for you anymore but clearly that’s not true because seeing you with Jungkook… it pissed him off. Sure, you and Taehyung didn’t have much in common but you worked, that’s why you were together for a year.

Jungkook is—he’s a shut-in hermit crab and you’re not. He doesn’t bother with drama or getting to know someone new so how the hell did you two even meet and have you really never even mentioned him once? Jungkook clearly didn’t know that the two of you were together and that just pisses him off even more. Why is it that you didn’t talk about him to Jungkook? It’s not like the two of you broke up long ago, it’s recent.

When the call finally came to an end he was left alone to wonder what the hell was going on with you two?

There wasn’t a shift in the air that you two have noticed but something has definitely changed. The amount of times you hang out has increased dramatically to the point where you were at least seeing each other once a day whether it be to eat ramen or go to the gas station. If you were free and Jungkook was free… chances are you’re gonna see what you can do together. Your friends swear that he’s all you talk about lately but you don’t think that’s true—until you hear that how friends think he talks a lot about you two.

It’s strange, your friendship has just grown stronger each day. Everyone keeps trying to say that there’s no way the two of you are just friends but you really are…

Seriously…

“I can’t believe you did that,” you said laying back on the couch with your feet over his lap. You wouldn’t have had your feet on him at all if he didn’t force himself down on your small couch.

“Did what?” Jungkook as he leaned over your legs so that he could sit forward and play his game better.

You pushed your heel against his thigh, “Drag your PS5 over here instead of just playing at your place.”

Jungkook just smacked his lips in annoyance toward his game, still not bothering to even look at you at all, his eyes stayed on your tv screen as he said, “You wanted to hang out.”

“But you’re not even talking to me,” You threw your head back against the armrest of the couch moving your feet off him and that finally got him to pay attention and he paused his game to look at you. He even went as far as setting his controller down on your coffee table, a little smirk on his face.

“Aw, you want me to pay attention to you?” Jungkook asked with a small laugh, “Okay, okay, how was your day?”

In reality he wanted to ask how you’ve been feeling lately—more specifically, toward him. The way the two of you became friends was a bit random and him even being here with you is strange considering the fact that he became your friend after you broke up with Taehyung. The timing wasn’t right but he does know that your friendship is strong and you don’t think about whatever happened in the past when you’re with him.

He likes that. He likes how easy it is around you.

Sure, sometimes the line in which he separates you from a friend to someone he is attracted to is beginning to blur.

No, he doesn’t find you attractive.

Well okay, yes he does. Even after seeing you with makeup down your face, drunk out of your mind, and first thing in the morning when your hair's a mess—for only being friends for a short amount of time he’s really seen a lot of sides of you.

But you’re just friends, he knows that, he doesn’t expect more… he didn’t even want more. Since the beginning all he’s ever done is talk about wanting to just be by himself and mind his business but clearly that all changed when you came along and to be honest, he liked the change.

“It was okay,” you said, making him realize that he had moved his hand onto your calf, and was softly sliding if higher then back down, “Just really boring and then I ask you to hang out and you’re just y’know… gaming.”

For a second Jungkook thought you were being serious and actually began to feel bad about possibly upsetting you by not giving you any attention. Just a moment later though he could see you smile and hold back a laugh when you watch him go serious with worry. When he realized you wanted to laugh, he rolled his eyes, “Whatever, I thought you were being serious.”

You just chuckled watching him lean against the other end of the armrest. He was sitting forward but he was looking at you sideways, one hand still on your leg and you just looked back at him. The game wasn’t even playing anymore and he was only focused on you now and the way you were looking at him.

His fingers began to tap against your leg, softly caressing every now and then, a small smirk coming to his face. Your brows furrowed, “What?”

“Nothing,” Jungkook said, running a hand over his face. You sat up a bit, “Now you have to tell me.”

“Nothing, it’s just…” he was hesitant, debating if he should be honest or not, “Don’t look at me like that.”

You released a scoff, sitting up further and moving away from him, “Like what?”

“Like you wouldn’t mind if I kissed you right now,” he was serious now as he said and you can see the change in his gaze. You were too stunned to speak, you wanted to say it was unexpected but like… things have felt different lately…

You could see the way his tongue poked against his cheek looking at you with a dazed look in his eyes. You’re not sure what made you say it but you asked, “You want to kiss me?”

Jungkook laughed softly, shifting his eyes to his lap, “Basically.”

You bit down on your lip in thought, quite literally checking him out from head to toe. He was even sitting with his tattooed arm in your view and he’s been rubbing your leg with it this entire time.

This isn’t a good idea.

Jungkook is your friend.

Sure, you’re not mad anymore about whatever happened with you ex, and sure… you haven’t been intimate with someone in a while, and yes Jungkook is attractive from the way his voice sounds to the way he walks but… but he’s your friend.

So why was it so easy for you to say, “So do it then.”

Jungkook didn’t need much else of a sign before he was going for it. He went to cross his end of the couch to yours but before he could get all the way over, you were meeting him halfway with your hands coming around his neck almost immediately. Your lips met so suddenly at first that it was a bit of surprise but neither of you shied away from initiating a kiss.

The first thing he noticed was how soft your lips were against his. They were warm too and your mouth felt so good that Jungkook brought his hand up to your hair so that you couldn’t pull away too soon but you kissed him so eagerly that he doubts that would even happen.

It was just wet and needy, soft sounds coming out whenever his tongue licked along yours. Your arms wrapped around him more and Jungkook was so quick to pull you into him until you were practically stumbling onto his lap. His hands found your waist and he slid them down toward your thighs so he could fix your legs to straddle him, not once pulling his mouth from yours.

Your hairs were in his hair, brushing it out of his face as you attempted to pull away. Jungkook just chased after your lips, feeling the line of split that connected your swollen lips together even when you backed away. He was just as out of breath as you and when your eyes met there was just a small moment of hesitation wondering if this was a good idea or not.

The moment didn’t last long when felt you the slightest hint of excitement in his sweats from the way you straddled him and you couldn’t help but grind your hips down. Jungkook swallowed back a moan with your lips as he kissed you, pulling you back against him so that you could sit directly over his growing erection. His eyes fell shut deepening the kiss with his tongue and yours relishing in your make out and the way your body felt pressed against his.

“Y/n,” his voice was hoarse as his hand slid down to the back of your cotton shorts, thankful for the thin material of them when he groped your ass. You were both in clothes ready for bed and he could still feel you through the layers. Your hair fell to one side as you kissed along the corners of his mouth, a hand flat on his shirt while you trailed down toward his jaw. He licked his dry lips when he felt the tender affections on the angle of his jaw as the hand over his t-shirt ran over his chest. He let his head fall back trying to catch his breath when you playfully nipped at skin, kissing away any pain and sucking lightly.

Both of his hands found your butt, squeezing here and there and tongue kissing you messily. It honestly felt so good and when his hands slid up to lift your shirt a little, you didn’t hesitate to sit back and behind taking it off yourself. His rough hands fell to hold your waist, holding you back as he took in the sight of you. Jungkook would be lying if he said he hasn’t checked you out before. It wasn’t entirely his fault, he had to get you out of wet clothes!—well, okay, yeah it was his fault they were drenched in the first place but his intention wasn’t to see your body.

It just happened and every day after that he had to remind himself that you were a good friend and you were going through it and him getting any feelings for you wouldn’t be good.

A pleased sigh left his lips when your hand began to touch the end of his shirt sliding underneath to run over the ridges of abs you knew he had. You could see them through pretty much every fitted shirt he wore. Even when he wore loose and oversized tees there was no way to hide his back muscles. He was so strong too, you didn’t expect anything less than the taut muscle in his torso and you just could help but want to feel all of it.

Jungkook helped you take his shirt off and it joined yours on the floor before he was leaning forward to kiss your neck. His thick fingers ran along your spine in search for the clip on your bra and swiftly unclasped it, dragging his hands under the material. While doing this, Jungkook begins trailing his kisses down your neck to your shoulder, following the straps down your arms, taking it off you and discarding it so he could touch you without barrier. A soft meowl left your lips when his big hands cupped your breasts and pressed the pad of his thumbs against your rounded nipples smoothly. It didn’t take long for his fingers circling around your nips to turn into his mouth swallowing around one.

“Jungkook,” you whined lightly when he moved his tongue around your erect nipples, you were getting so turned on your core was dripping with need.

Jungkook couldn’t find it in himself to be more patient and once he felt your covered push grinding on his dick, he just has to remove some of the layers between you two. His big hand raised your hips enough with you help so could his sweats down as far as they could and you shift to kneel beside him on the couch watching him undress.

You began taking your shorts off, a small groan leaving his lips at the sight, “You’re not wearing underwear?”

He was wondering why it was so easy for him to grope your ass and feel you so much more and it just made his dick throb with excitement at the sight before him. You nodded your head looking at him with those same eyes that started this in the first place and he felt your hand making its way to his hard cock. His lips parted with a gasp when you took it in your hands, giving one shy stroke right off the bat.

Jungkook didn’t waste a moment hesitating as he wrapped an arm around your waist pulling you closer in his side to jerk him off while his other hand began to teasingly run along your inner thighs.

You were soaked and it didn’t go unnoticed by his long fingers. His middle finger ran between your folds teasingly as you made a fist with your small hand and stroked him from his base to his tip making sure to rub against that soft spot and bulging vein. His precum was beginning to dribble out and every now and then you would coat his head with it before flicking your wrist on a downward stroke. Light moans from the both of you filled the room as his fingertips rubbed against your clit, covering it in your slick and swiping all the way to the puddle of wetness at your core. Your lips drew open in a moment when you felt his middle finger begin to tease your entrance and finally push its way in, a thick amount of slick joining him creating a light squelching sound.

You quickly dragged him into a hunger kiss as he began to fuck your with his thick finger while you fisted his cock. Jungkook licked the shell of your ear, “Wanna fuck you so bad.”

His words had you moaning and shaking when his finger became two getting but more rough, even bucking his lips into your hand. Your mouth was permanently open in pleasure as you said, “Do it then.”Jungkook just smirks as he removes his hand so he can pull you up to straddle his lap again but this time feeling your wet push right on top of his fat dick. Jungkook had to bite on his lip to stop from moaning when he felt some of your wetness coat his member as he moved to grip your hip. Your hands went to his shoulders to support yourself as you lifted your hips off his thighs enough for him to align his cock with your entrance, moaning when he ran his tip of your clit, “Fuck, I don’t have a condom, Y/n, fuck.”

“It’s okay.” You moaned as you helped guide him in, “Just pull out.”

Jungkook nodded his head as he finally held you by the waist and helped you down his throbbing dickwith a groan.

"Jungkook," you whined at the stretch and the way he dig his fingertips into your hip bone to steady himself when he pushed through your tight walls. It took you a second to get used to his size but once you had, your hands were on his shoulders and your feet on the couch, raising your hips until only the tip of his cock was inside, and slowly took him all in again. A low groan bubbled up in his throat, sliding his hands down ass, helping you fuck yourself on his hard cock, eyes on your chest which was just right in front of his face.

You were right and your pussy completely coated his dick with your slick that everytime you came up, the slide back down was easier. Your body clung against his as he began to mouth at your exposed neck and collarbone. His legs were spread apart to give you the room and he felt so good inside of you. It hasn’t been a crazy amount of time since you last had sex but it was long enough to make you appreciate Jungkook’s big dick. Your hands were curling into his hair feeling your lower back begin to hurt in this position but he helped you raise and lower your tight pussy on his length. A small gasp left your lips as you felt his tongue tease a hard nipple, licking it expertly before wrapping his lips around it. He had one hand on your other breast and the other hand guiding you to fuck yourself on him. He nipped at the bud playing with it while he twisted and pinched at the other. Your body pressed against his and each time you sank down his cock, you would grind your hips forward humping him and angling yourself where he could feel your folds parting.

Jungkook groped your ass, digging his nails in surely to leave a mark and he raised his hips off the couch enough to fuck into you, ramming his cock in and out with each pretty moan you let out, his mouth was still on your tits so he sounded muffled when he groaned, "So fucking good."

Jungkook left wet, sloppy kisses over your throat, moving his hands to grip your waist harshly. Jungkook's nail dug into your soft flesh as he lifted your hips up and down on his cock hearing you whine tiredly. You were already becoming puddy in his hands and he took it upon himself to wrap your legs around him as he turned your bodies to lay you flat on the couch. A loud moan left your lips with this new angle and now that he was on top, he didn’t ease up his thrusts, only let them get more forceful with more intent. Your nails clawed at his back, running them down toward where his back dimples should be and you practically guided his cock in and out of your wet cunt, making him fuck you more roughly than before.

“Oh my god,” you said breathlessly, throwing your head back against the armrest and looking up so you could try and calm down as he fucked you. He had a hand roughly groping your tits and the other on the back of the couch for support as he thrusted deeply into you, only moving his hips and contracting every muscle to do so, “Fuck, Jungkook, ngh.”

"Just like that," he bit into his lip looking down at how pretty you looked under him, only making his hips move more rapidly, “Take my cock, Y/n.”

You nodded but you couldn’t even look at him as you tried to keep yourself under control by staring up at the ceiling, “S—so close.”

Jungkook groaned when he felt your wet cunt tighten around him making it harder for him to drag his cock out but it made him have to fuck itright back into you with more force. He could feel your ring of nerves clenching around his member as it sucked him into your folds and each time was harder to get back out. It was wet and slippery and you were so fucking hot that he knew he wouldn’t last. He dropped his face against your neck, “You’re so good for me, so fucking right goddamn.”

He wasn't going to last much longer either.

He hasn't slept with someone in months and even if he did it didn’t feel like this. It shouldn’t feel like this because he wants to see you as just a friend but clearly that’s never been the case and if he had deprived himself of feeling your pussy tighten around him, he might’ve gone insane. Your legs wrapped around his waist making him go deeper and you were moaning loudly now, “I’m gon—I’m gonna—oh my god.”

It washed over your writhing body like a wave, Jungkook felt it travel through your body and around his cock till he felt your creamy fluid coat his member. He quickly pulled out with a loud groan as he was unable to stop himself from cunning all over your stomach in thick spirits of semen that made his legs give out and his body pressed against yours. You hugged him closely as the two of you tried to come down, his lips on your neck soothing you down from the highs of climax, “Felt so good.”

“Mhm,” you moaned softly as you unwrapped your legs from around him and let them fall limply, “Fuck.”

Your hand slid between your bodies to touch the muddles of cum be covered you in and it made him pull back enough to see the mess, biting his lip as he attempted to apologize, “Sorry, I was gonna—didn’t have time to—yknow.”

You smiled as you moved to sit up more, “Better me than my couch.”

He let you stand up, moving off of you, “Are you good?”

His hand held yours keeping you from moving and he couldn’t help but look down at your body and the mess he made on your stomach. You nodded your head, “Yeah but I need to clean up, asap, it’s sticky.”

You said it jokingly and he laughed with you, both of you still relishing in what just happened. You released a sigh, “I need a shower, want to join me?”

He nodded, not wasting a second to ponder over it, “Let me help clean up and then I’ll go.”

You left with a nod of your head and Jungkook looked at the mess the two of you made in your living room, already seeing a small stain on the couch.

As he searched for his clothes, the doorbell caught him off guard drawing his attention to the door. Deciding to ignore it so he could join you in the shower, he picked up his things to leave when the doorbell chime turned into a fist against the door and that had him curious. He quickly slipped on his sweats already hearing the shower run and went to answer. It was probably just a delivery or a neighbor complaining about the noise. He didn’t bother with a shirt and his hair was a messy but he didn’t care as he opened the door expecting anyone but the person in front of him.

“Jungkook?”

“Taehyung?” Jungkook looked at the guy in front of him with confusion.

He watched him take a step back as if to make sure the address was right for you and looked back at him, “What are you doing here?”

“Um, I live next door,” Jungkook said dumbly as he attempted to ignore the fact that he was shirtless and sweaty and your ex boyfriend was noting that.

Taehyung’s brows furrowed, “Wait, you’re the one who lives next do—why are you at Y/n’s then?”

Jungkook huffed in annoyance, “Taehyung, come on man… does it really matter? Why are you here?”

“Because I’m hereto talk to her about our relationship—“

That made Jungkook’s jaw clenched at Taehyung’s audacity, “What relationship? The two of you aren’t together.”

“Look, it doesn’t really concern you—why aren’t you wearing a shirt? What the fuck is going on here? Y/n?!” Taehyung tried getting through Jungkook to enter your apartment but he didn’t let him. Fuck no. He was not going to let Taehyung come in and ruin everything that has just happened between you. “Taehyung, don’t. You dumped Y/n just get out of here.”

Taehyung scoffed loudly, Oh, I fucking knew something was going on between you two at the party. You didn’t even hide it!”

“You have no idea what you’re even talking abou—“

“Why are you at my ex’s house?” Taehyung asked abruptly as he stood directly in front of Jungkook’s face, both equal in height.

Jungkook scoffed as he glared at his ex friend; “Taehyung, not everything is about you so get over yourself and just go already. Y/n does not want anything to do with you.”

That only seemed to piss Taehyung off more as he scoffed and said, “Oh I get it now, you slept Y/n… Is that what you’re doing here? To sleep with my ex?”

Jungkook was starting to get pissed, rightfully so in his opinion and he wants nothing more than to get this guy out, “I’m not saying it again, Taehyung, just go before Y/n gets out of the shower.”

Unbeknownst to either of them that you had already turned off the water early once you heard the banging on your front door and the muffled voices.

“So you did!?” Taehyung ignored his warning to accuse him further, “Was this your plan all along? You wanted to get back at me by fucking my ex? I didn’t realize you’re still not over what happened with Minsu. Come on Kook, that was years ago, did you really need to go this far? I still care about Y/n.”

That passed Jungkook off and he’s never been in a fight with anyone he considered a friend once before and right now he’s very close to doing it, “I’m not you! This has nothing to do with you or Minsu and stop lying. You don’t care about Y/n! You just found out her and I were close and suddenly you wanted to call dibs on her again? Jeez, you’re still the selfish asshole you’ve always been.”

“Fuck you, Jungkook. You’re just jealous, you’ve always been jealous. Yeah, I slept with the girl you liked but it wasn’t enough to stop being my friend!? Yes, I knew how much you liked her but it’s not my fault she got in my bed! How do you think Y/n is going to feel when she finds out you only slept with her to get back at me?” Taehyung as so cocky when he spoke and Jungkook was seriously beginning to lose his patience.

“That’s not tru—“

“What?”

The two men immediately looked behind Jungkook where you stood in a bathrobe that Taehyung recognized immediately at what had just happened between you and Jungkook.

“Y/n…” the both said and Taehyung took a step inside when Jungkook’s guard was down and a smile threatened to appear on his face when you looked at him.

“Taehyung, what did you just say?” You asked and Jungkook immediately felt his heart drop.

He took a cautious step toward you, wondering how much you heard, “Y/n don’t listen to him, he’s lying and he doesn’t know what he’s talking about.”

“It’s true, That's probably why the two of you got clo—“ Taehyung tried to say only for your sharp tone to snap them both silent with surprise.

“Get out.”

His brows scrunched together in confusion, “What? No, I’m here to talk about us.”

You just rolled your eyes, “Well I don’t want to talk to you Taehyung, so get out.”

“Y/n—“

“Taehyung! Get out, I don’t know what you were hoping for coming here but I want you to leave,” you said louder now and there was no denying the finality in your tone that had your ex backing down reluctantly. When he looked at Jungkook it was like the final straw to push him over the edge and he stormed back out leaving the two of you alone, silent.

Jungkook was trying to get closer to you but also unsure if it’s what you wanted as he said a soft, “Y/n…”

“You too, Jungkook, just go.”

He knew he should just do as you say but that kind of hurt his feelings considering just a few minutes again he made you cum with his cock and he gathered the strength to say, “No.”

You released a deep sigh, turning to sit on the couch still without a thorough shower, “Jungkook, I want to be alone so please just go.”

You just needed time to yourself to think. You had no plans of getting back with Taehyung and him coming over just surprised the fuck out of you. On top of that you just had sex with someone who’s your friend and who’s helped you get over the break up and although it seems like just a rebound, it didn’t feel that way.

Jungkook stood before you, “No, I’m not leaving because I’m not letting you think for even one second that what he said is true. I didn’t sleep with you to get back at him. I couldn’t care less about Taehyung and the only reason I even thought about that guy again was because of yo—“

“I know.”

Your soft tone surprised him and he found himself stuttering out, “… you do?”

You nodded your head, running a nervous hand over your hair, “I mean, I know you — I think — you’re not the type of guy to do that…”

His heart raced in relief as he moved to sit next to you, “I’m really not, Y/n. You know me, I like staying out of the drama and with him, that’s all you get. I wouldn’t have even bothered to acknowledge him if it weren’t for you.”

“Jungkook…”

He leaned forward so that you were forced to look at him as he said, “Y/n, listen to me, okay? I like you… I know we just… y’know, but It’s not because I wanted to get revenge. That’s petty. I’ve been hanging out with you all the time because I enjoy it. You’re a hot mess and crazy and loud and the complete opposite of what I thought you’d be but… but I’m cool with you, y’know? I put up with all your late night meltdowns and early morning hunger because I wanted to spend time with you—I literally jumped in the pool with you so we can be fools together—why are you laughing?”

It was hard to ignore the way you smiled and fought back a laugh as he talked and it confused the hell out of him that he had to ask. You just sighed, “Because you don’t have to explain yourself, Kook. I mean, you’re right, I’m a hot mess…”

He shook his head, “I didn’t mean it in a bad way, I kinda like it… it’s exciting and you have good intentions and you’re not vindictive and you don’t really care what others think of you and I want you to know that you’re literally always on my mind but I tried to tell myself I just wanted to be friends but… look, I don’t expect you to feel the same even after tonight but I just want you to see that I really do like you, all of you, there’s nothing I want to change.”

You were still smiling as you slouched back on the couch that he just fucked you on, “You know, you’ve gotta be the only person who’s ever said that to me. Do you really mean it?”

He scoffed with a laugh, “No shit, Y/n. You stress me out in the best way possible.”

“That’s because you know me like no other and you aren’t trying to change me, you’re seeing me for me. I’m crazy into you,” you confessed, surprising yourself and him.

“You are?”

“Yeah.”

He gulped in thought, “Y/n, if we can just look past whatever drama just happened and try, but I get it if you don’t want to—I mean, I get it, honestly, you just got out of a relationship and getting with me right away probably won’t look good to others and if you’re not ready I get it but—“

You sighed, “Who cares what other people say?”

You don’t, not anymore. It’s just exhausting to always be thinking about others and right now you rather focus on yourself and who makes you happy and right now that’s Jungkook even if you hadn’t admitted it before.

“Y/n…”

“Jungkook, I don’t know about y’know, dating yet but… but I really do like you and I don’t care what other people say anyway. Can we maybe take things slow?” You asked shyly as his hand fell over yours to hold it.

He nodded, eyes looking down at your lips and watching you bite down on them. He took a deep breath feeling you move closer and he had to move back, “Y/n… we can’t take things slow if you try to kiss me.”

You sat back in surprise, “Why’s that?”

He chuckled softly, “Because I won’t be able to stop.”

“It’s okay, we can just cuddle then—that is, of course, if you don’t put a pillow fort between us again,” you said to him as you leaned into his side.

“Listen, I was being considerate about the fact I had a drunk girl crawl into my bed looking too cute in my shirt,” Jungkook said honestly as he helped you snuggle against him.

“Ah, so you’ve always had a thing for me? You sure you didn’t plot this?” You teased.

Jungkook scoffed as he poked your side, “Shut up, I did not, I just… maybe a little?—I mean you try and involve yourself with someone as crazy and fun as you and try not to fall for them!”

“Gross,” you joked, “I didn’t realize you’ve been obsessed with me this whole time.”

“Oh shut up.”

::.

just lyk It’s highly unedited 💀💀💀I forced myself to finish it this morning but anyways idk I love a good idiots to lovers but maybe that’s just me. also imagine jk as your friend and neighbor?

and his ass really did jump in that pool with y/n so she would get mad at him and forget about Tae

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[hammity-hammer]

steve harrington realizing that he’s got no purpose if he’s not protecting the people he loves from outer-dimensional beings, and has a minor (read: major) spiral about it post-vecna & the party fixing everything. he’s just a regular ole 20 something with no purpose— his friends are all in school, except eddie, who managed to pick up an apprenticeship as an electrician; putting all of that wire knowledge to use (just not in cars, he hasn’t hotwired one since 1986 and he’d like to keep it that way si vous plais) and making the rich houses have even cooler guts than they deserve.

the kids end up graduating (their first tries) and heading as one little pack to the same school (don’t ask me which, i’m a college drop out) and steve, eddie, and rob end up staying just outside of indy. rob finished school early, because of course she did, and she found that she may have a knack for hanging around high schoolers, so why not teach them how to become polyglots like she is?

steve still doesn’t know what the fuck he’s doing— he bartends at a little club in the gayborhood, because they went there so often that the bartenders just kind of pushed him into it, and don’t get him wrong— mixing drinks and flirting all night is super fun, but it also… is kind of depressing? even if he gets to be around people like him and see them happy— he knows that a lot of alcohol and drugs causes that happiness and he wants so badly for his people to be out and proud and not murdered for it. but he can’t do that,, so he does the next best thing.

he talks with one of the regulars, andy, who owns a little tattoo shop on the corner, and andy invites him to come check it out. so he does the next day he’s free, and holy fucking christ. tattoos aren’t his thing— at least not on himself, but on other people they’re gorgeous. and they’re painful, but you’re turning the pain into art and you get to live with it in your skin and look at it and think about the fact that you’re here and you made it and you fucking survived. and people purposefully put scars into their bodies? and not in the i-battled-literal-other-dimensional-beings-and-won kind of way, or the i-battled-my-personal-demons-and-won kind of way, which both are things he’s dealt with so fucking intimately— but in the i-will-decorate-this-flesh-prison-and-make-it-a-castle kind of way, and that’s fucking beautiful. queer people taking their bodies and making them into art with ink and hot metal and needles and the love that they have for each other and the passion and the fucking spite at the world that keeps them going and making their presences KNOWN.

and maybe he gets some piercings while he’s there— it’s fascinating and feels so weird and freeing when the needle punctures his flesh and the jewelry goes in— and now he’s got a shiny little ring hanging through his earlobe; his nostril; his lip.

he learns that piercings take time and effort and care and that he has to treat himself with love to be able to heal— and that he is deserving of that love and care and dedication, especially from himself.

he keeps going back, maybe not always to get stabbed, but to watch others have it done. to see how different people’s anatomy takes different piercings, how he can’t have a piercing through his cheeks because he bites them too much when he’s anxious, but the girl that just left got both of hers done and they looked good. they fit her face, like little shiny dimples.

eventually, the piercer, killie, asks steve when he’s going to help them with their needles and their piercings— and he doesn’t know how to react because he hadn’t even thought about it and yet… maybe he could help other people fall in love with themselves and their bodies and help turn them into art one day

maybe he could be a pretty boy with his scars and his metal and his missing chunks and his polos and his jeans and his sneakers.

[ellewod]

Explain to me how we went from Alicent standing in front of Aegon to protect him from possible dragon fire during his coronation, to oh okay you can kill him Rhanerya so I can be free. Make it make sense?!

i don’t know whether you’d prefer a short or elaborate answer, but i have really been thinking about this.

first impression after the episode and this is still my opinion to this day; character assassination.

they needed alicent to abandon her "rotten" sons, the true threats to rhaenyra’s claim. the writers liked the idea of alicent finally "freeing herself" of these burdens and the "mistakes" of her past — having children, her (justified) resentment towards rhaenyra, being ambitious and ruling in her husband’s stead, fighting for her children’s survival by forcing the crown on her firstborn’s head — in order to finally become the woman who is willing to sacrifice everything for her one true love (rhaenyra). essentially, it’s an insult to everything alicent stood for and it’s insane to me how anyone truly sees this as liberating and romantic. it makes no sense. not in terms of her character nor in terms of rhaenicent’s relationship, but i don’t want to dive deeper here. my opinion: a weakass writing choice to have yet another fanficionesque scene, like the sept one, that’s supposed to be a dramatic moment. whereas for me it’s the final nail in show!alicent’s coffin which is her character depth and development.

besides that, i read some other takes. here’s one i really hate, but i felt was also something the writers wanted the viewers to believe:

alicent "finally" chooses her daughter and granddaughter (girls) over her "rotten" sons. sorry, but no. she has four children. two of them are deeply troubled and have, partly thanks to her parenting, caused much harm. daeron has not. helaena has not. yet, she only "chooses" the daughter. doesn’t even call her granddaughter by name. this take infuriates me because as a parent you don’t get to "choose" which child is more deserving and which one you want to abandon. in the end, aemond tried to fight for their side. aegon has been wronged terribly, partly by alicent herself. daeron did nothing to deserve this "choice". her two sons may be perceived as "rotten", yet they are her sons! making it seem that she is liberating herself by finally abandoning two of her children, after causing them so much harm, and disregarding the fact that this decision is actually destroying everything she fought for in her life. just no. no.

here’s the last one which i don’t think the writers wanted us to believe since no woman has any real ambitions on that show BUT tom glynn-carney said something that might support this:

alicent was portrayed as a "bad" mother from day one (which i appreciate). it makes so much sense and it could’ve been amazing. the coronation scene was brilliant in this sense. while her shielding him with her own body could be interpreted as that deep down she truly loves aegon (which i preferred to think), it could also simply mean that she is ambitious and doesn’t want her son, the rightful heir, to die. alicent knows aegon is easily manipulated (by her) — as opposed to aemond, who’d be next in line. we see her manipulating aegon throughout the show, and she likes the idea of still being in control. she made decisions in her sickly husband’s stead. she wants to keep this position and since she knows her son "has no taste for duty" him becoming king allows her to keep on making decisions. she immediately suggests to rule in aegon’s stead when he is bedridden. but when she realizes that her side will most likely lose the war, she decides to "sacrifice" him to be "free" (save her own ass).

tom said this:

“I think the reason that she hasn’t sold him out sooner is there’s a lot for her in the Red Keep. She’s comfortable, she’s looked after, she’s fed. She’s probably seen that her time there is up and she’s no longer of use, especially as Aemond’s banished her from the Small Council. She knows what’s good for her. She’s also a hyper-intelligent woman and she’s not going to put herself in a position where she’s worse off.”

it’s cold but i actually prefer tom’s take over the idea that alicent selling out her crippled, burnt, broken son to the woman who demanded for her other son to be tortured, and who caused alicent’s grandson to be butchered, is part of her "liberation".

[late-to-the-party-81]

Finders Keepers - Chapter Four

AN: How are we enjoying it so far? Feel free to inbox me or screech in a reblog/tags. Any predictions? Anyway, welcome to Chapter 4. Everything that happens here was supposed to just be the first half of the chapter, but it ran away with me, so I’ve identified an extra prompt and upped the chapter count of this story by one. This unbeta'd chapter is from Bucky’s POV. 

Likes are loved, reblogs are golden.

Dividers by @firefly-graphics and moodboard by me.

Bingo Fills - @buckybarnesbingo Square C1 - Hydra

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Chapter Three

Relationship: Bucky Barnes x Female Reader

Chapter word count: 3.8k

Chapter CW: Bucky Barnes POV, angst, protective PepperRhony, hand-wavy sci-fi and computer stuff, canon typical violence, Hydra, feels.

Chapter 4 - The sins in my wake

In Potts’ Diner

Bucky schooled his features as you glared furiously and hurled your meagre stash of credits at him. Did he feel like the world’s biggest douchebag? Yes. Would he do it all the same if he had to do it again? Probably. Because no matter how frustrating you were, how much of a thorn in his side you were being, the truth was that it would be too easy to let you in. You were clever and funny. Resourceful and focused. And far too good for this life. If he didn’t make it hard for you, you’d fall even further in and he knew from personal, painful experience that no good came from going down that road.

You spun on your heel and stormed out, and Bucky watched you go. It was only when the door closed shut behind you that he moved, using his feet to nudge the credits on the floor into a pile and then retrieving them. He stacked them up on the table and then stood, only to find the three owners of the diner staring at him, scowls plastered on their faces. The hostess - tall and willowy, with strawberry blonde hair - stepped forwards, arms folded defensively across her chest. Her two husbands - the shorter server with sharply trimmed facial hair, and the tall, serious looking cook - crowded at her back.

“I don’t know what game you are playing with our girl,” she cautioned him, “but it stops now.”

“I fail to see how this is any of your business,” Bucky growled back and tried to shove past them. The cook stopped him with a firm hand to his shoulder.

“It’s our business because we say it is,” he replied, firmly. “That girl is like family to us. And we don’t let people hurt our family.”

Bucky didn’t even hide his eye roll. “Really? The shovel talk? You know who I am, right?”

The server, whose badge announced that his name was Tony, stepped into Bucky’s personal space and jabbed a finger into his chest. “Of course we know who you are, wiseguy. It’s only because of your normal, sparkling reputation, that we haven’t thrown you out yet. But this is your one warning. Leave her alone. She’s had it tough and doesn’t deserve to be treated like shit by you.”

Bucky wanted to retort that you weren’t the only one who’d had it difficult, but in the end all he said was “I know,” then he pushed past the trio and out into the mid-morning light. All your credits, more than were needed for the check, sat on the booth table.

Bucky still remembered the first time he met you. Although he hadn’t shown it at the time, he’d been impressed with how you’d managed to get past his forcefield. In fact he’d only noticed your presence by chance. If he’d been at one of his other sites he’d have been none the wiser to your invasion. Yes, he’d been irritated by the fact you were there, but that was more with himself for obviously not having adequate security, but the rest of his attitude? Well that was all down to a more visceral reaction to you. Because you were just so god-damn open and earnest, and he’d known what you were going to say as soon as you opened your mouth. 

But Bucky Barnes didn’t do partnerships. He’d been burnt by that before and he just couldn’t risk it all going wrong, especially with someone as sweet and innocent as you seemed to be. And, in any case, you shouldn’t be down here, with the likes of him. You should be living higher up, in one of the towers, zipping around in a personal transport vehicle above the mist.

Any hope that he’d harboured after that first meeting that you’d just back off was short lived, because two days later you were back, practically sniffing out the edge of his territory, slow and cautious. His sensors and alarms tipped him off to your presence and he went up to one of his favourite high spots to observe you. You’d then impressed him once more by somehow sensing his gaze, working out where he was and then giving him a mock salute before turning back the way you’d come.

Over the next few days you’d worked out the size and shape of the area he claimed, and each time you also identified where he was observing you from. Again, Bucky hoped this would be the end of your curiosity, but it wasn’t. You were testing him, and away from prying eyes he couldn’t help but smile and be amused by your antics. The truth was that sometimes you were actually getting in and out without him noticing - he’d only realise later when he reviewed his sensor logs and saw the discrepancies.

Part of him knew he should stop you for your own good, but then he’d imagine the satisfied grin on your face when you’d thought you’d gotten away with it, and it made a part of him, long thought dead, warm. Maybe you would be okay? Maybe this life wouldn’t grind you down, chew you up and spit you out? Maybe one day he would be brave enough to let you in?

Then the rumours started - rumours of Hydra’s return to this part of the city. 

After the botched grav-train robbery that had left a guard dead and Bucky mutilated, Pierce had ordered Brock and his goons to withdraw and focus somewhere else. Too much attention had been drawn by the discovery of the still warm corpse at the next station. Luckily Bucky’s accident hadn’t been linked to it - he’d just seemed to be the victim of an unfortunate accident and the city security hadn’t questioned him too much. He’d been found by some passers-by and Bucky himself had been hazy on the details when interviewed at the hospital. He’d been on his own after that. Ma had passed away a year before his accident and then, because he wasn’t able to look after them while recovering himself, Becca and Ruthie had gone to live with an Aunt and Uncle upstate. He hadn’t seen them since, although he did send money. They were better off without him.

It was only with the clarity that came with a near-death experience that Bucky realised how bad things had gotten with Hydra, and how deep he’d gone with it. At the beginning, as a lost boy on the cusp of manhood, the gang had seemed like the answer to all his problems. Mr Pierce had acted like a kindly uncle, praising him and ruffling his hair whenever he achieved whatever task had been set for him. Brock, Jack and the others had seemed like brothers and cousins. It was all so exciting. But as the years went by the jobs got harder and less ethical, and there were physical reprimands for failure. Brock displayed a cruel, capricious streak, taking pleasure in meting out punishments, but by then Bucky thought it was just normal. He hadn’t signed on for murder, though, and while he wished he hadn’t lost his arm, he’d never regret getting himself out of that situation.

His recovery had been slow but he was able to use money he’d originally squirrelled away for Becca and Ruthie to pay towards his prosthetic. However, he’d still been in a mountain of debt and had started off doing odd jobs like fixing electronics just to make ends meet. Fixing items soon evolved into finding items, and it wasn’t long before he’d built up a reputation for being fast and fair. As bad as Hydra had been, being with them had given Bucky some valuable skills, and it seemed only right that he make use of them now to help not only himself but the local community.

He was a self-made man now and if the Hydra gang thought they could waltz back in and pick up where they’d left off six years ago they had another thing coming. However, he was mostly worried about you. You were still in the game and there was no way he wanted you to fall prey to Hydra’s clutches. He had no doubt that they’d approach you and try to pull you in. He also thought that you’d probably tell them to go to hell, but the problem was that he also knew that they wouldn’t take no for an answer. There was nothing else for it - he’d have to force you out and fast. No more mister nice guy.

He sighed as he walked away from the diner and headed back home. He’d known you’d been lying yesterday about not finding what you’d been after, and it hadn’t been hard to track you this morning when you went to deliver the PADD. He hadn’t even had to really follow you. Having identified where you lived early on, Bucky knew you’d come back after you’d made your delivery and probably celebrate with a proper meal - it was exactly what he did. All he had to do was wait by the closest diner to your apartment block. Hopefully now you’d get the message - back away from Finding and start over in another line of work that wouldn’t attract Hydra’s notice. You’d be safe and Bucky wouldn’t be distracted while trying to run Hydra out of town.

It was that plan he started to work on as he neared his home. He needed to check his sensors and vid-feeds, and then talk to some associates about any sightings of Brock and his boys. He unlocked his door with his thumb print and shucked his leather jacket, letting it drop onto the scruffy easy chair in his main living space before making his way over to a wall of monitors and consoles. He’d programmed his computer to search for sightings of Hydra symbols in the city camera system and there had only been a few over the last couple of weeks. 

There were several today.

With a rush of anxiety, Bucky’s fingers flew over the main console, bringing up the sightings on a map. His heart sank into the pit of his stomach. They were all on your side of the city, and in fact the one with the most recent timestamp was just around the corner from the diner, on one of the routes towards the apartment building where you lived. That couldn’t be a coincidence.

He spent the next several hours working through the code and finding his way through the firewalls to get access to the full camera network. Once he was in he had to find the right feeds, a task that was far more arduous than he’d anticipated and his jaw ached from clenching it while he worked. Finally though, he found what he was looking for - the camera that cross-referenced with his own sensor readings - and he downloaded part of the recorded feed. Turning to another monitor he started to watch it and his blood ran cold at what he saw. As he’d thought, you hadn’t joined them. He’d anticipated that upon your refusal that Brock would just kill you, but he didn’t. They stunned you and took you instead. Maybe they had hopes of ‘persuading’ you. Maybe, and that thought turned Bucky’s stomach, they were just going to play with you. Either way, you were still alive and if Bucky had anything to say in the matter, you’d remain that way. However, he had to find you first.

Bucky went back over the last few weeks of sensor readings, and started a correlation algorithm. It was strange that there were no sightings after you’d been taken. Using the camera system he managed to follow Brock and the others for a few blocks, but then he lost them, and no other camera’s picked up the symbols on their jackets. They’d gone from subtle to obvious and then back again and he couldn’t work out why. It was as though they knew they were being tracked and were taking steps to hide their movements apart from when they were taking you. What could they possibly gain…

His thoughts suddenly crashed to a halt, piling up one behind the other as realisation washed over him. They wanted whoever was watching to know they had you. 

You were the bait. 

For the watcher. 

For him! 

They wanted Bucky to come find them. If that was the case though, there had be clues as to where they were actually hiding out.

The computer chirped, signalling that the algorithm had finished analysing all the sightings. Bucky looked over the results, and smiled slyly. He knew where they were. He knew where you were. He ran his eyes back over the information to be certain and then pushed his chair back harshly, standing up. He grabbed his jacket again and then a pair of stunners, checking they were both at full charge and then set off. There was no time to lose.

Bucky walked briskly. It would take him about an hour to get to the warehouse he’d identified as Hydra’s current HQ and Brock had had hold of you for far too long now. He dreaded to think what might have been done to you and his left hand whirred as it tightened into a fist. He might only have brought stunners with him, but he was willing to take more permanent action if required. The sky darkened as he walked, and he was thankful for the cover that it would give him.

As he made his approach, Bucky slowed down. First he had to walk around the outside of the building and work out the best way of getting in. He’d need to act swiftly when he did get inside - neutralise the threats and get you out safely - so being cautious now would pay off in the end. Bucky spent another thirty minutes reconnoitring the warehouse and by the end of it had a good idea of the layout. At one end of it there were lights on in a few small offices and Bucky could hear low, deep voices coming from inside. The other end of the building was dark, but he could hear the low hum of an active forcefield. That was probably where you were, but it was also the part of the building furthest from any entrance. Off to the side was the main warehouse area, but it didn’t appear to be in use. 

Having circled the building and identified there was only one viable entrance Bucky realised he had no choice - he’d have to go into the area where Brock and his boys were, take them out and then find you. He worked his way back around and positioned himself in the shadows to the side of the door. 

There was a camera above it, the red power light blinking regularly. Bucky knew that if he tried getting in with brute force, he’d be spotted easily and lose the element of surprise. Therefore he’d just have to wait.

He hated waiting.

Time passed in a haze as Bucky stayed pressed against the side of the building. The only sound was the background hum of the city and the only illumination was the glow of thousands of neon lights reflecting off the clouds and the light streaming from the two warehouse windows. Eventually the door slid open and one of the Hydra thugs stepped out, heading straight towards the city. Probably to go and get food, Bucky thought. He acted fast though, moving silently and swiftly from his place to slip in through the open door before it slid closed again. He sighed with relief when he saw the unmanned surveillance station, and crossed to it quickly. There were only two camera feeds active - the one above the door he’d just come through and one that was pointing at a cell. There you were, kneeling as close to the forcefield as you could get, switching your gaze between the dimly lit corridor and the camera itself, as if you were trying to work out how well you were being watched. With the press of a button he cut the camera. If you were watching that closely hopefully you’d know something was happening - that you’d know he was here and coming to get you. Now it was time to deal with his former gang.

It wasn’t hard to find his quarries. Light spilled out of two rooms, offset on opposite sides of the corridor from each other. Bucky stopped outside the first, and listened. He identified at least three voices coming from inside, one that he recognised and two that he didn’t. None of them were either Brock or his second in command, Jack. They must be in the other room, but he wouldn’t be able to get past this one without being seen. He’d just have to deal with it. Bucky un-holstered both stunners, took a deep breath, and then jumped through the doorway.

There were five occupants in the room. Two went down before they even knew what was happening. As the other three turned and stood, Bucky dove across the room to take cover behind a desk, knowing that the stunners’ whine would have attracted the attention of whoever was in the room on the other side of the hallway. Chairs and tables were upturned as Bucky’s immediate adversaries made their own cover. A different pitched whine sounded and a scorch mark appeared on the wall above his head. A phase pistol and it probably wasn’t set to a low setting either. He’d have to make every shot count.

Another deep breath and Bucky stood, aiming in the direction the phase pistol shot had come from. He hit his mark but saw another goon take aim from the corner of his eye. He twisted his body and the pistol shot glanced off his left arm. There was some feedback through the prosthetic which stung, but luckily didn’t actually do him any harm - there had to be some upside to having a metal arm after all. He turned back and hit the shooter, centre mass, on the highest stun setting and the guy went down.

“Barnes!” A voice roared from the doorway and Bucky hit the deck, curling up behind his inadequate cover as shots littered the wall behind him. Rumlow had entered the fray and he obviously wasn’t happy.

“Not glad to see me, Brock?” he called out.

“You’re the one who came in here, all guns blazing. Doesn’t seem like you want to talk,” came the gruff reply, although the pistol fire came to an unexpected halt.

“What’s a little stunner fire between friends?” Bucky snarked back, all the while listening for any movements that might help him identify how many people were left standing and where they were.

Rumlow snorted. “We ain’t using stunners.”

“So I gathered.” There was barely a heartbeat between Bucky answering and standing back up, stunning the last of his original opponents, satisfying himself that only Rumow and Rollins remained and then ducking back down to avoid the expected hail of return fire.

“The problem with  stunners, though,” Rumlow drawled as he carefully stepped forwards, “is that they run out of charge mighty quick, especially on their highest setting.”

Bucky waited in a crouch behind the desk, muscles poised, because Rumlow was right. His stunners were out of power and now all he had were his wits and his fists. However, Rumlow was also predictable and as soon as his shadow started to loom over Bucky’s cover, Bucky shot up, knocking Rumlow’s right arm, and therefore the pistol, to the side with his own left arm and then punching Rumlow directly on the nose with his right. 

Rumlow staggered back, momentarily blinded and Bucky vaulted over the desk, taking advantage of Rollin’s own disorientation to crack him across the jaw with a metallic left hook. Rollin’s head snapped back and his eyes rolled. He was unconscious before he even hit the floor. Dazed, Rumlow shook his head, droplets of blood splattering over the floor from his broken nose and he dropped his pistol before raising his hands and gesturing for Bucky to come at him.

“You wanna be the big man, Barnes? Let’s see what you’ve got.”

Bucky cracked his neck to the side and then circled his left arm to re-calibrate it. The servos whirred and he couldn’t help but grin at the slight flash of concern that passed over Rumlow’s features.

“Worried, Brock? You’re the reason I have this arm, so you only have yourself to blame.” Bucky surged forwards, jabbing out towards Rumlow’s bloody face with his right fist, but his former friend just blocked it. However, in doing so, his body was left exposed and a reverse jab to his ribs left the big man winded.

“That train guard didn’t have to die,” Bucky bit out, realising that this was the first time since the accident that he’d seen Rumlow to confront him over what had happened.

His former friend wheezed at him through a bloodied grin. “He was in the way. And people in the way are always disposable. Just like your girl. Let me tell you, she’s a feisty one. You know how to pick ‘em. Cries so prettily as well.”

Bucky knew that Rumlow was trying to goad him, get him riled up so that he made a mistake, but he couldn’t stop the veil of rage that settled over him as he heard the man speak about you. He didn’t know yet what had been done to you, or what state he’d find you in. His feelings must have been writ large over his face because the smug bastard couldn’t resist taunting him further.

“She seemed to think that you didn’t actually care for her, but I knew she was wrong.  You wouldn’t be here otherwise. What have you been doing with her? Staying away out of some tortured sense of nobility?” He spat a mix of blood and saliva onto the floor. “You’re too soft, Barnes. You gotta take what you want in this life and damn whoever gets in your way. You’d still have two proper arms if you’d just accepted that sometimes there’s collateral damage.”

“Brock? Shut the hell up.” Bucky renewed his attack and the two men fought savagely. Rumlow was older and more experienced, and Bucky wasn’t able to block every blow - including one that glanced off his right cheek bone and made him see stars - but Bucky had years of repressed rage and a prosthetic on his side. Thinking back later, it was as though he entered some kind of fugue state, where he was acting purely on basic instinct, but when the world suddenly became clear again he realised he was straddling Rumlow’s unconscious body, beating his face bloody. 

Bucky pushed himself away and up in disgust. The man was barely breathing, but he couldn’t find it in himself to care. He had to find you and get out of here. The first guys he’d stunned would be coming round soon and the one who’d left might return any moment, and he didn’t really want to go hand to hand again if he could avoid it.

Exiting the office, he turned down the corridor that would lead to the forcefielded room at the other end. As he jogged down it, he could hear movement, but he couldn’t place it. It wasn’t the regular sound of someone walking or running, but more like an irregular stomp. Then he rounded a corner and saw you, clinging to the wall and hopping as fast as you could. He didn’t know how you were out of your cell - the hum of the operational forcefield still filled the air - but somehow you were. He sped up, desperate to get to you but could only watch as you lost your balance and tumbled to the floor. Desperate sobs reached his ears, and Bucky swore his heart ached from the sound.

“We’ve gotta stop meeting like this, doll,” he said softly. “I’m getting a sense of deja vu.”

You turned on the floor and when Bucky saw the relief flood your features he couldn’t help but fall to the floor and pull you into his arms. You fitted as though you’d been made to be there. When your quiet voice wavered out a stunned “You came for me?” Bucky felt something inside his chest crack open. He pulled you in, just a little bit tighter, and whispered into your hair “Always, doll. I’ll always come for you.”

Chapter five

Tag list: @christywrites, @alexakeyloveloki, @wolfsmom1, @doasyoudesireandlive, @sonatabee-blog, @goldylions, @galactusdevourerofworlds, @apenny4thots, @km-ffluv, @wheezy-stucky, @mrs-illyrian-baby

[atwistedandbrokentale]

Two blooming roses

M and Snow stories start to truly intertwine with each other. Snow’s kindness touch M’s heart. Snow starts to wonder who M really was. Why doesn’t he want her to know? And unfortunately the Queen wants her slave and position back. And she won’t be afraid to spill some blood for it..

Hey, guys. I decided to cut down all my ideas into one chapter. Feels better in my opinion. If this feels rushed at times, my bad, writer’s block has been kicking my head. It’s not my actual writing style but it fits the story I need to tell. Nothing too harsh but a description of grief towards the end.

M found Snow in a state he’s never seen her in before. She was in the forest, crying. She found how her step mom hated her and wanted her dead, spared only by her own beauty. She was on the run. But at least she wasn’t alone.

M wasn’t in the mirror dimension anymore. They were together. Snow was thankful for that. “Things are better when you got a friend.” She would say. And it was true. M made sure they had shelter. A house over the hills.

Snow insisted on cleaning the house in order to make sure the residents would accept them. M knew it would help, especially the meals she made. The way to seven men's hearts is their stomach after all.

The dwarfs weren’t sure if they should stay. They would be prime targets for the queen. Plus M creeped them out. They weren’t even sure if he was human. But Snow insisted he was good. He helped her.

Grumpy was the most skeptical. A girl can only mean trouble. And M always rubbed him the way. The way he knew everything felt so smug to Grumpy. But the rest of the dwarfs accepted them rather quickly. It was free food after all.

To her surprise, the dwarfs heard the story Snow always knew. Of the bright young girl and the wish crushing king. It was a legend around here. A cautionary tale about making sure your dreams don't fall into unsavory hands.

Some dwarfs exaggerated the story. Saying that the king ate the wishes instead of crushing them. That the star was in a human shape instead of a more simplistic form. That the queen was just as evil as the king.

M made sure to correct that last one, insisting the queen was pure and good hearted. He made sure they knew that. But for the king, he let them talk about how horrible he was. He knew they were wrong, but he didn’t care. Snow didn’t know why.

Snow started to question M. She knew M could only tell the truth. But every time she asked something about the story, his answers would be vague. Snow was confused. Why would M hide information from her?

What was he hiding?

The next few weeks were quiet. Snow and the dwarfs become friends, having fun together. Even M started to have fun. Snow would notice a slight twinkle in his eye or an upward crease in his mouth. Snow was glad. She wanted him to be happy.

But Snow and M made sure they would help out the house. Snow would cook. She make soup, apple dumplings and gooseberry pie. M would clean the rooms. He had green magic but he didn’t use it often. M would say it brings back bad memories.

Snow may have been happy but M knew they weren’t entirely safe. The queen learned of their escape from the huntsmen and the maid. She was furious, executing them on the spot. The queen started to plan. If she wanted something done right, she needed to do it herself.

The queen started to search every corner of the kingdom for them. Making sure her slave would be in her possession and her step daughter buried 6 feet underground. Thankfully without M, she was lost. They had time.

Snow would often wonder what it was like in the mirror. She would claim that he was innocent. M would say deserved what happened to him. That it was karma for what he did. But he would never say for what. He would always dodge the subject whenever it came up.

Snow would get upset at this. Even though she was 14, she didn’t think of herself as a child. She could handle whatever he did. Why couldn’t he understand? Still Snow didn’t want to push M. If he didn’t want to talk about it, she would let him be.

There were different obstacles, surprisingly. A couple living deep in the woods had heard about the bounty on their heads and wanted to turn them in. But they didn’t care about the money. They had bigger plans in mind.

They wanted to use M’s power to take over the kingdom and overthrow the queen. As for Snow, she was useless to them. Best to kill her, can’t take any risks. The couple, Hilda and Grim, found where M and Snow had resided.

However, instead of turning them to the queen, the glooms decided to trick them into going with them by their own choice. It was ridiculous in hindsight. They attempted to use disguises to trick the group. The problem is that M knew everything and that included them.

They would often be turned away at the door by M or the dwarfs. Sometimes Snow would gladly let them inside, not knowing who they are. But the others would realize and kick them out. The others would scold Snow, saying she needs to wise up before she gets hurt.

Eventually the glooms started to get frustrated. They wanted to gain power but they couldn’t do that if M and the dwarfs were protecting Snow. But they had a secret weapon up their sleeves. A crystal ball that could give them answers.

The crystal ball had no soul inside so it wasn’t as powerful. But it still showed them a secret from the past. How M was a cruel and vicious king who hoarded wishes like a dragon. And that he hid this information from Snow. The glooms were ecstatic. They finally had a chance.

The glooms once again tried to trick Snow with disguises. The dwarfs had taken M with them to work, leaving Snow alone for the first time. This time, the glooms were historians, wanting to see how authentic the cottage she lived in was.

Snow, being naive, accepted it very quickly. They took a long time with their new con. Giving details that were completely unnecessary. Snow was curious about what they knew about M. He was 2,000 years old, after all. Surely they knew something.

This was their chance. They told her the truth about M. All of it. Snow didn’t want to believe it, her friend couldn’t be so cruel, could he? But it all made sense. Why he didn’t want to explain the king of the story or what he did to deserve being trapped in a mirror. It honestly hurt.

Her heart was broken.

About this time, M had arrived back. He had known the glooms and wanted to save her. He kicked the glooms out, sending them away. And he knew that Snow knew about him. His worst fear come to life.

Snow was upset with him. But not for what he thought she would be. She was upset because he lied to her. She trusted him and he didn’t believe she could handle it. Snow would have forgiven him. She knew he had done something bad but accepted he changed. Why couldn’t he?

M and Snow started to be more distant. M would often go with the dwarfs to the mine. Snow would talk to him less and less. It was everything M feared. She hated him. But Snow didn’t truly hate him. She wanted to like him again. She just wasn’t sure if she could trust him again.

After their plan succeeded, the glooms relished in their suffering. They could have easily used a spell they found and gotten rid of Snow. But they wanted to break her before they did. They were cruel like that. Now they wanted to kill Snow with poison. Disguised as a sweet apple.

When Snow was making gooseberry pie, a hag came up to her. She claimed that it was a wishing apple that could give her anything she wanted. Snow was unsure, she had been lied to before. Many times in fact. By the queen, by M and now possibly by this stranger.

Snow denies the apple, saying she already had what she wanted. The hag seemed content enough, willing to leave her alone. Little did Snow know, the hag had a small trick up her sleeve. By the time M and the dwarfs arrived, Snow was unconscious on the ground.

M knew that the hag was actually Hildy, who killed the evil queen and wanted to get rid of the competition. She and Grim were coming for him next. But the dwarfs were ready for them. They chased the couple away until they reached a cliff.

The group was furious at them. Hildy and Grim clutched each other. They never thought this would be their last moments together. They had one final kiss before they fell off. The group was very happy, avenging Snow’s death.

M knew a spell to preserve her body. Leaving her the same young and innocent girl they knew her as. They couldn’t let themselves bury her so they put her in a glass coffin. For a whole year, they mourned Snow, sitting around the coffin.

M’s magic could bring Snow back but it wouldn’t be her. She wouldn’t have her soul. So there she laid, not quite dead but not quite alive. News spread about her situation. About the girl stuck in the limbo for life and death.

One day, a young woman arrived to see the girl. She was clocked in a purple robe, tied up with a pink bow. She claimed she could bring Snow back to life. Everyone was desperate and agreed to let her try.

She pulled out a wand out of thin air. It was white with golden swirls around it. She closed her eyes and pointed her wand at Snow. She muttered some words no one could understand. A bright yellow light glowed at the top of the wand.

Yellow dust started to flow and seep into Snow. Snow’s wound started to genuinely heal and she woke up. The dwarfs were overjoyed. M and Snow thanked the young woman. The woman didn’t think much of it, claiming it’s what she does.

Snow lived a long and healthy life after that. She ruled the kingdom in strive with M as her adviser. Snow married a lovely prince and had a wonderful daughter. They named her Ivy. M loved her and would babysit her when he could.

When Snow passed for real, everyone was there, crying for her. But at least she went out with a smile. Ivy was queen next, living in her memory. And she was a fair rule like her mother and father before her. M stood by her side as well.

M hadn’t changed at all, still the same as he was years ago. Ivy had a son who became king as well. The cycle continued for a while. More kingdoms popped up, aligning with each other. But they weren’t immortal. They fell and others rose in their place.

Technology advanced quickly, and M saw it all. Stone castles were replaced with concrete homes. Carriages were replaced with loud cars. Something called a phone was invented. It was like a magic mirror in your hands.

M would have very different friends over the years but none were as special as Snow. She was his very first friend he ever had. The first to show him kindness when he needed it. Snow would always hold a special place in his heart.

And Snow would always appreciate him as well.

                            THE END

[cricket-reader]

hii!! love your writing its intoxicating!!! idk if you’ve seen the movie Easy A (if not DO IT!!! its on Netflix) but if you have i was thinking a fem (or gn if youre more comfortable with it) reader x bucky fic thats along that line where reader is like Olive and bucky is like Todd? maybe lots of angst/fluff/smut or whatever this prompt takes you. honestly anything as long as it has bucky comforting reader through whatever you choose? again if you havent seen then feel free to ignore this and thankya!!!

Easy A

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Summary: after a truly awful date, you are comforted by Bucky. (High School AU)

Warnings: language, mentions of sex, non-con kissing (not Bucky), Brock Rumlow being a prick, fluff

Word Count: 3,470

A/N: Sorry it took so long. It took a while to find inspiration, but here it is! I hope this lives up to your expectations 💕💕

How could life get so messed up?

You find yourself asking this question a lot lately. It was a simple rumour. Something that you could should have stopped—no, prevented.

In fact, you could have prevented all of this. So in hindsight, this is all your fault.

That doesn’t mean, however, that you deserved this… right? Sure, some people probably definitely thought you did. What, being the campus whore? The virgin slut.

It was a simple white lie. But it grew into something so much bigger. Something you could never outlive. Rumours spread fast. Especially on a campus. Almost like the wildfires along the west coast.

Despite never having sex in your life or even having your first kiss, you were the sluttiest, dirtiest, whore out there.

Whilst all that isn’t true, you sure felt dirty. It seemed as though everyone believed the rumours. Sure, you had done nothing to dispute them. If anything, you only encouraged them. That was just you being stupid, you realise that now. Despite all of that, you wished that someone could look through the stupid lies. Because everyone had to be idiots to believe them.

Thinking back on it, this all could have been avoided. If you didn’t tell your former best friend that lie, none of this would have ever happened. It was the snowball effect, and it had grown out of proportion.

It only truly hit you in the face when Brock Rumlow tried to make a move on you.

You didn’t put it past him to believe that you were really a whore. He was quite daft. Regardless, when he asked you out, you had foolishly believed that he liked you for you; not for your fake self. He took you out to eat at the fairly nice seafood place in town and everything. You should have known that it wouldn’t end well.

It started off fine. You both made small talk and ordered drinks and food. Then you saw Bucky. He was the guy you had liked for a long time, not that anyone besides your old best friend knew that.

He was singing a cheesy happy birthday song with his colleagues. You giggled at the sight, not expecting such a serious guy to do something like that.

It all went downhill from there.

You panicked when you saw your former friend, Sharon Carter, sitting at a table across the room. You knew that Sharon has had her eyes on Brock Rumlow for a while—since first grade to be exact. It evaded your mind until you saw her. You knew then and there the mistake you had made.

Even if she was no longer your friend, you felt horrible. Sure, she hadn’t been too friendly to you after all the rumours and lies spiralled out of control, but you were better than this. Surely there was some sort of girl code about this kind of thing, right?

“Shit… shit, shit!” you mumbled.

“What’s wrong?” Brock asked, confused at your sudden change in demeanour.

“Sharon is over there!”

“So?”

You huffed. “She’s been in love with you since the first grade.”

“And?”

“She’s my best friend.”

“I thought you two weren’t speaking anymore.”

“We’re not, but that doesn’t mean that she’s not my best friend or that I should be out with you.”

Brock frowns. “Her and I don’t have anything in common.”

“And you and I do?” This was such a bad idea. That was the mantra playing on repeat in your mind. This was a horrible, terrible idea.

“Yeah.” His voice wavered, cracking a bit. You could see his brain scrambling to come up with anything.

“Like what?”

“Like… I hate Kae too.”

You rolled your eyes. Kaecilius. The man that hated you from day one—ever since one of his Zelots—what they called themselves—overheard you talking to Sharon in the bathroom. A religious self-centred prick that thought his ways were better than everyone else’s. Nobody’s liked him.

You scoffed, “If that’s our connection, I should just date the entire school.”

“Haven’t you?”

That right there. It should have been a warning to you. But you just shook your head, brushing it to the back of your mind to focus on something more important: getting out of there undetected.

Before even eating your food, you managed to convince Brock to leave. It wasn’t soon enough because Sharon saw you. Alone with Brock. On a date.

The betrayal on her face hit you like a punch to the stomach. What even was your life anymore?

You both rushed out of the restaurant. Tears were threatening to escape from your eyes, but you willed them away.

“I’m sorry about that,” you apologised, walking to the car. You opened the door to get in, but Brock shut it before it even got halfway open.

“Uh, I’ve got something for you.”

You tilted your head, hoping it was something romantic.

He flicked up an orange gift card. “Two hundred dollars to The Home Depot,” he said with a big smile on his face.

Your face crumpled in confusion before the realisation set in.

This wasn’t a date. No. Of course, it wasn’t. Not really. It was a way to get you to–

“Bam,” he said, all smug. As if he has done something.

“I didn’t realise this was a–“ Now the tears really were starting to form. You didn’t listen as he explained himself. You didn’t care enough to hear what he had to say. You didn’t care because once you finally thought someone had shown an interest in you, it blew up in your face. Hell, maybe you’ve deserved it. Going along with all these rumours. It was bound to bite you in the ass one way or another.

You took a breath, resolving yourself to all the age old question. “So what did we do on this date?”

“Whatever two hundred bucks gets me.”

And with that he leaned in, grabbing your chin to push his lips against yours.

Warning signs flared in your mind. Just what the hell did he think he was doing? You pushed him away. “That’s not really how it works,” you tried to explain.

He wasn’t hearing it. “It’s okay,” he muttered before closing the gap again. You hit his chest, trying to get him off of you.

“Stop!” you cried out, so fucking done with today. “I’m not really having sex with people for money. I’m saying I’m having sex, but I’m not having sex for money.”

You didn’t know what about your explanation was lost on him. How he could listen to that and still continue, maybe he just wasn’t listening in the first place.

He leaned in again, trying to reassure you. And yet again you pushed him away. “Stop! No, no! Stop!”

“What? Come on just relax, babe. It’s alright.”

It was as if he didn’t hear you the first million times you said it. It was as if you didn’t repeatedly push him away. Or maybe he was just dumb enough to continue pursuing you when you clearly didn’t want it.

Whatever the case was, you didn’t care.

So, yet again, you pushed him away. His back hit the car, and you walked away.

“Come on, this is bullshit! I paid you.”

You turned on your heel and flicked the card back at him. “Well now you didn’t.”

He yelled after you, upset that he didn’t get what he wanted. Tears began trickling down your face.

You heard your name being called out, a familiar, friendly voice. You turned around to see Bucky, white button down and all, walking towards you.

“Bucky… hi,” you couldn’t hide the way your voice wobbled even if you wanted to. You saw his fists clenched as he watched Brock’s car skirt away.

“Hey, you alright?”

“What? Oh, yeah, yeah, I’m… I’m fine.”

He frowned, not believing you for a second. The moment you walked in with Rumlow, he was angry. Be it jealousy or knowing you deserved so much better than that prick–probably both—he hated watching you two together. It was wrong.

“You sure?” Bucky frowned. He hated seeing you cry. Especially over some jerk that didn’t deserve you in the first place.

You sniffed, rubbing your nose. This day has been so awful. You just wanted to go to your warm bed, curl up and cry. If god took any liking to you, you wouldn’t wake to see the next day. But why would he after all you had allegedly done?

“I uh, just got off my shift. If you uh needed a ride home,” Bucky offered.

Despite the fact that you had just been harassed by a guy you foolishly thought you could trust, you put your trust in this one. You just hoped Bucky was better. You had no reason to be weary of his offer. He had been nothing but nice to you even when the rumours and lies began their torrent on your life.

“Really? You wouldn’t mind?”

“Nah, plus my ma would kick my ass if I left you here alone.” The corners of his eyes crinkled as he chuckled. It was adorable. “Or my sister, or Steve’s ma. Hell, even Steve would try to beat me up.”

Now that was an image. Tiny, little, asthmatic Steve trying to beat up bulky, tall, strong Bucky?

You giggled in spite of yourself. Bucky always seemed to know just what to say.

You both climbed into Bucky’s car before he took off. It was silent for the most part, letting you think back to everything that had happened today.

You watched Bucky as his hands gripped onto the steering wheel. His mouth was set in a heavy frown, and you could practically see the gears turning in his head.

“What’s up, Buck?” You tried your best to sound like Brock’s actions hadn’t bothered you as much as they had.

He sighed, glancing at you for all but a second. He rolled up to a red stoplight and used that moment to look you in the eye.

“He didn’t hurt you, did he?”

“Hmm? Oh, Brock? No, no, no. Not physically anyway.”

His eyes searched your face. He was clearly distraught. “I’m sorry.”

“What? Why?”

“I didn’t get out there soon enough, if I just got outta there sooner he wouldn’t have… and you wouldn’t have had to–”

“Light!” you nudged him.

“Right! Sorry.”

“And hey, it’s not your fault, Bucky.”

Bucky’s knuckles were white as snow. He was clenching his jaw so hard, you worried he might damage his teeth. “He wouldn’t listen to you. You said no. Multiple. Times.”

Your heart ached because you knew Bucky wasn’t going to let this go. Because he actually cared. His eyes stayed on the road, and you were surprised the asphalt didn’t spontaneously combust into flames with the ferocity behind his glare.

“But I got away, I’m okay.”

“And what if you didn’t, huh? What if I was too late? You deserve so much better, you hear me?”

You didn’t even realise he was staring right at you until you looked back at him. You were stopped at a stop sign. With no one behind you, he didn’t feel any need to keep driving.

His face morphed into pure horror as the tears began rolling down your face. You looked away from him again, to your lap this time.

“‘M sorry, doll. I didn’t mean to yell, I’m so sorry.”

You shook your head and laughed. What even was Bucky Barnes? And why the hell was he always so inherently good?

“Bucky,” you sniffed, “I’m not upset about you yelling. I’m… It’s just… you, you care? About me?”

His brows furrowed. “Well, of course I do. You’re a great person. Your sweet and smart—”

“Why are you doing this?”

“What?”

“Come on. You’ve heard the rumours, James. You aren’t living under a rock and you’re not stupid.”

“Exactly, so I’m not stupid enough to believe the lies being spread around. What I can’t seem to figure out, however, is how you got mixed up in all of this.”

“It’s a really long story.”

Bucky shrugs, “I’ve got nowhere to be.”

That is how you and Bucky ended up on top of a nearby cliff, sitting on the hood of Bucky’s car, eating snacks you got from a gas station. You told him most of the details to your unfortunate series of events that led to this moment. Bucky only stopping you every once in a while to ask questions or make threats to anyone that he claimed deserved it.

You felt like a huge weight had been lifted from your shoulders. The best part of it was, you actually thought that Bucky believed you. He held no judgement and was a total sweetheart the entire time—well, besides the times when he teased you. But even then it was all in good fun.

You shouldn’t have expected anything less from the guy that was a complete teddy bear once you peeled back his intimidating layers. He was a good man, through and through. Nothing and no one could take that away from him.

When you finished, you leaned back to look at the stars. “If I ran away and changed my name, would you come with me?”

He chuckled. “I don’t know if that’s the best course of action to take.”

“What else can I do, Bucky? You’ll be the only person that believes me!”

“Maybe I’m the only person that needs to.”

“Yeah, right. What if my supposed sex life gets passed around so that everyone knows about it. Employers? Schools? The government? I’ll be screwed!”

“Why would the government care?” he guffawed.

“I don’t know, okay! Stop laughing at me, you jerk! This is a serious crisis.”

“Okay, sorry! Sorry!”

“It’s hard to believe you’re sorry when you’re still laughing.”

He calmed down enough to stop his laughter. “Look, you and I both know this won’t go away overnight. You did dig yourself into a pretty deep hole. I don’t know how we’re going to fix it, we just will, okay?”

“Okay, and what’s in it for you?”

He hummed, taking his eyes off of the stars to look at you. “Well… I get to help you. Maybe I’d get to spend more time with you too.”

“And why would you want that?” You look down at him, surprised to find him staring back at you.

He shrugs before looking back at the sky. “You’re pretty cool.”

“Mhm, and did you make this assessment before or after all these rumours started?”

“Way before.” He looks back at you. “Maybe that night I wasn’t ready for my first kiss. The night you covered for me, and you didn’t get anything out of it. You just did it out of the goodness in your heart.”

“I… didn’t think you’d remember that…”

“Of course, I remember. I’m practically kicking myself right now for not actually kissing you.”

“Oh, yeah?”

He hummed his agreement. Your heart beat faster as his eyes dropped to your lips only momentarily. If you had blinked, you would’ve missed it.

He cleared his throat and got up. You followed after him, frowning as he took a deep sigh. “What’s wrong?”

He looked back at you, anguished. “Sorry, I didn’t mean… I’m trying to do this right, y’know. I don’t want to pressure you or anything and this is all wrong.”

“I’m not following,” you cut his ramblings short.

“I’ve… I’ve liked you for a long time… I just didn’t say anything because… well, as Steve put it, I’m too chicken shit.” He chuckled. “I should’ve done it sooner, I guess.”

You didn’t know how to respond. You were speechless. You wondered just how different your life would be if he had confessed sooner. The fact that he felt anything for you at all was… it was… you didn’t even know.

“God, this is the worst possible time to tell you. I’m such an idiot! I’m so sorry, just forget I said anything.”

“What… what if I like you too?”

Bucky froze. All of him hoped that would be your response. Truly. But he didn’t want to take advantage of you. You had just gotten done with what was probably the shitiest date of your life. You had been ostracised by everyone else. And he was the only one who held an olive branch to you. It wasn’t fair to you.

“I… I can’t… not in my right mind would I ever dream of taking advantage of you like this.”

Your face twisted. “Take advantage? Bucky, how can you take advantage of me if I like you back?”

He sighed. “You’re not thinking straight. I’m just the first guy who wasn’t a complete dickwad to you, so naturally you would like me.”

“Bucky, stop. I have liked you… for a lot longer than I care to admit. This isn’t me being desperate for any positive human connection. I genuinely like you.”

He bit his lip, looking so conflicted it hurt. You wanted to ease his worries. He shouldn’t feel that way. Not when you truly cared about him and have for a while. You’d like to think you deserved something good in your life. And if that good just so happened to be named Bucky? Well… who were you to deny it?

You advanced toward him, looking into those pale, stormy blue eyes. He said your name, a warning tone lying underneath every syllable.

“Tell me you don’t want this, and I won’t push any further,” you murmured. You were so close to him you could feel the heat from his furnace-like body. He stared into your eyes, thinking about how damn lucky he was to have such a beautiful view tonight.

“You sure you want this?” Bucky just had to ask. He needed to be sure. He didn’t even know what this was. It could be just a simple kiss, maybe a one-night stand, or, if he dared to hope, a relationship. Whatever it was, he would take it. He would be grateful for the chance to hold you, to kiss your lips and maybe more.

“Have I not made it clear enough yet?” You smirked at him. Bucky’s tongue wet his lips, a moment you traced with your eyes. He was gorgeous.

His hands cupped your face as he leaned in. You both closed your eyes as your lips met. You let him take the lead, not one hundred percent certain what you were doing.

Most people when looking back on their first kiss, regale about how horrible it was. How awkward it was and how terrible it panned out.

You were not most people.

It was easy to follow Bucky’s lead as his lips moved against yours. You hoped you were doing good with your first kiss. You hoped he liked it. Because you really liked being kissed by him.

When you broke apart for air, you opened your eyes to see him grinning like a love-sick fool. It was so endearing that you pulled him into another quick kiss.

“I never thought I’d get to do that,” Bucky murmured against your lips. They were still held in an impossibly adorable smirk that made your insides melt.

You knew right then and there, you wanted him to be your first. Your first everything. Your first kiss, your first real date (because you sure as hell weren’t counting the shitstorm from earlier as your first date), your first boyfriend, your first lover.

“I really like ya, doll. Maybe we should do this again sometime?”

“Yeah,” you breathed out, “maybe I can skip the awful date next time though.”

“Well, if you wouldn’t mind… next time you could have a nice date. With a pretty nice fella if I do say so myself. He can be a bit of a jerk sometimes, but he’ll treat ya right.”

You smirked. “‘S that so? Maybe I’ll just have to go on that date and see for myself.”

He smiled even wider. You didn’t think it was possible. “Really? Does that mean you’d wanna go on a date with me?”

“Yes, you buffoon. I thought you were supposed to be a lady’s man.”

“Hey now,” he chided, “weren’t we just having a conversation about how awful rumours could be?”

You chuckled with him as he pulled you into his arms. He pressed a gentle kiss into your hair.

“I think we should get back before my parents send out a search party.”

He laughed and agreed. Bucky drove you back to your house. Instead of curling up and crying in your bed, you ended up smiling like a lovesick fool until sleep overcame you.

Bucky Taglist: @harleycao @hallecarey1

[comfortabletogether]

2nd time again sorry but can write DRA another girls and then have a situation where there S/O keep accidentally hugging them when they go to be wake them up

if I’m being completely honest, I think I terribly misunderstood this prompt. I interpreted it as a S/O who randomly hugs the girls. So if it’s terribly wrong and you want it fixed feel free to dm me!!

I realize i did read this horribly wrong and I’m sos sorry, I will remake this eventually.

Warnings: Light spoilers

~ Mod Haruhiko ✈️

Kizuna Tomori

⭐️ Kizuna is so touch starved, she doesn’t even know how to react when you first hug her. She just stands there and cries but when you ask she just says that she had something in her eye.

⭐️ Her relationship with you was the first time she had ever been able to open out and be vulnerable, she’ll probably try and shove you off the first few times you try and hug her. But she’ll start accepting them after a little while.

⭐️ Kizuna loves your hugs and after a little bit of time she’ll start to get pissy if you don’t hug her that day.

Kiyoka Maki

🏹 Oh my god! Physical touch is her love language as well! The first time you hug her, she will try and lift you up and spin you around, and spoiler alert! It doesn’t go very well.

🏹 But from this day forward the two of you have an unspoken competition to see who can hug each other the most. And she’s the Ultimate Sharp Shooter. So you are really in for a treat. She’ll commit a lot of sneak attacks

🏹 Kiyoka just loves hugs all around. Unlike Rei, she’ll do it in public without any hesitations. She has no shame when it comes to light PDA.

Akane Taira

🫧 Another touch starved girlie, she also cries when you first hug her because she has barely ever had gotten physically affection from her life as she grew up in an orphanage and then she served Utsuro, someone who wasn’t keen on anything.

🫧 Akane loves you so much and she’ll probably end up copying your mannerisms of constant physical affection. And despite this Akane will always blush a deep red when you hug her.

🫧 Although she loves you to no end, Akane would end up feeling slightly overwhelmed by the affection every so often. But she stilled loved to be my your side even when she feels overwhelmed.

Ayame Hatano

👟 Ayame gets so embarrassed and blush when you first hug her. Despite being hugged a ton platonically. She love you and Ayame just doesn’t know how to handle it.

👟 She had never been good with romance before and she wasn’t good at it starting then either. But Ayame loves when you surprise her with hugs especially on days she’s just feeling overall really down about everything.

👟 Ayame loves when you hug her after a race even after she has already told you not to over and over because she’s sweaty but always do so anyways because you love her and don’t care if she’s a little stinky.

Mikako Kurokawa

🔮 ANOTHER TOUCH STARVED GIRL. Please give Mikako all your love, she deserves it. She won’t cry when you first do it, as she’s become used to hugs thanks to Yamato.

🔮 Mikako will though cry when the two of you are alone in her room. The two do you sitting in comfortable silence and then you just hug her. It sparks a deeply rooted sense of love in her. And she truly just wanted to tell you how much she loves you in the moment.

🔮 But in public Mikako will gladly accept your hugs but will get embarrassed when one of the girls end up teasing her over it. 

Rei Mekaru

🥼 Rei Mekaru will shove you off of her in public the first time you try. And the second. And the third. She loves that you’re physically affectionate but she also says that she was a reputation to uphold and will not let you hug her in public.

🥼 Hug her all you any when it’s the two of you. She will gladly accept them and will very often roll her eye in the mist love struck way possible. But she’ll claim that she only tolerates your affections

🥼 Rei loves you and despite her denials her love for you is very clear. Even though she has an extremely cold exterior fronting.

[kipscorner]

-- Anything in parentheses (abc) feel free to delete! -- Anything in square brackets [abc] feel free to change! -- This is a long post, so please remember to tag “long post tw” or some kind of varient of the sort so you don’t clog mobile users dashes/people who don’t have “shorten posts.” turned on! :D

“Doesn't this seem like a bit much?”

“This is what Christmas is all about! Can't you feel it?”

“You guys, where are we? I think we should go back.”

“Serves them right, those Yuletide-loving sickly-sweet, nog-sucking cheer mongers!”

“I really don't like them. No, I don't.”

“I've been much too tolerant of these (Whovenile) delinquents and their innocent, victimless pranks.”

“So, they want to get to know me, do they?”

“I guess I could use a little social interaction.”

“Yeah, you bet. Ho, ho, ho, and stuff…”

“You see, [name]? The city is a dangerous place.”

“Now, please, don't ask why. No one quite knows the reason.”

“Well, it's just, I look around at you and [Mom] and everyone getting all kerbobbled. Doesn't this seem...superfluous?”

“I think they were up on the mountain playing with matches, or defacing public property, or....”

“Take a look at his mailbox, (sweetie). Not a single Christmas card, in or out… Ever!”

“And for the rest of you: Jury duty! Jury duty! Jury duty! Blackmail. Pink slip. Chain letter. Eviction notice. Jury duty!”

“Well, that worked out nicely.”

“[Max], let's go. Our work here is finished.”

“Don't you know you shouldn't take things that don't belong to you? What's your problem? Are you a wild animal?”

“Saving you? Is that what you think I was doing? Wrong-o.”

“You've been practicing your Christmas wrapping! I am so proud of you.”

“My, I've never seen so many beautiful Christmas lights, [Betty Lou!]”

“It's handcrafted and almost 100 years old.”

“Come on, hurry up, Slowpoke.”

“What's that stench? It's fantastic!”

“One man's toxic sludge is another man's potpourri.”

“Did Christmas change or just me?"

“First floor, factory rejects.”

“But we did our worst. And that's all that matters.”

“At least I scared the bejeebles out of that little [girl] at the post office. [She]'ll be scarred for life, if we're lucky.”

“Funny she didn't rat on us, though. Must be afraid of reprisals.”

“If you utter so much as one syllable I'll hunt you down and gut you like a fish!”

“I've got all the company I need right here.”

“I'm an idiot!”

“You're an idiot!”

“Am I just eating because I'm bored?”

“In your own words, please tell me everything you know about [the Grinch.]”

“Hey, honey, our baby is here! He looks just like your boss.”

“It was Christmas Eve, and a strange wind blew that night.”

“Do you want a Christmas cookie?”

“Don't forget, tomorrow is our big Christmas gift exchange.Everyone bring a special gift for a special someone.”

“You don't have a chance with [her].”

“It was a horrible day when they were so cruel to [him]. And I could hardly bear it.”

“And that was the last time we ever saw [him]. The very last time.”

“I hate you.Hate, hate, hate. Hate, hate, hate. Double hate. Loathe entirely!”

“Tomorrow is Christmas! It's practically here!”

“I may do something drastic.”

“You made that up! It doesn't say that.”

“But the book does say: The cheer-meister is the one who deserves a back slap or a toast. And it goes to the soul at Christmas who needs it most."

“Blast this Christmas music. It's joyful and triumphant.”

“The impudence! The audacity! The unmitigated gall!”

“You called down the thunder now, get ready for the boom!”

“Gaze into the face of fear!”

“You see? Even now the terror is welling up inside you.”

“Run for your life before I kill again!”

“Maybe you need a time-out.”

“Kids today. So desensitized by movies and television.”

“"Holiday Whobie-what-y"?”

“I know you hate Christmas, but what if it's all just a misunderstanding?”

“I myself am having some Yuletide doubts.”

“Award? You never mentioned an award!”

“Was anyone emotionally shattered?”

“Come on, a minute ago I couldn't shut you up! Details, details!”

“I don't know if it's that adorable twinkle in your eye or that nonconformist streak that reminds me of a younger, less hairy me.”

“Who knows? This Whobilation could change my entire outlook on life!”

“You can make snow angels later.”

“The nerve of those (Whos). Inviting me down there on such short notice. Even if I wanted to go, my schedule wouldn't allow it.”

“4:00, wallow in self-pity. 4:30, stare into the abyss. 5:00, solve world hunger tell no one. 5:30, jazzercise. 6:30, dinner with me… I can't cancel that again. 7:00, wrestle with my self-loathing… I'm booked! If I bumped the loathing to 9:00, I'd have time to lay in bed stare at the ceiling and slip slowly into madness.”

“It's not a dress, it's a kilt! Sicko!”

“This is ridiculous. If I can't find something nice to wear, I'm not going! That's it, I'm not going.”

“Ohh, ahh, mmm… That's it, I'm not going.”

“[He] isn't here. What? [He] didn't show? Who could have predicted this?

“All right. I'll swing by for a minute, allow them to envy me grab a handful of popcorn shrimp, and blow out of there.”

“But what if it's a cruel prank? What if it's a cash bar? How dare they!”

“All right, I'll go. But I'll be fashionably late.”

“All right. I've made my decision! I'm going, and that's that!”

“Come on, while I'm young!”

“But first, a little family reunion.”

“Are you two still living?”

“Sweater? What are you talkin' about? No, I can't! I can't do that!”

“No. I can't do it, honestly. I'm not ready. It's too much, too soon!”

“I've got a lawyer. There'll be hell to pay!”

“Look at the time. I really should be getting back.”

“Bring it on! Is that all you got? Is that all you got? Come on!”

“That's what it's all about, isn't it? That's what it's always been about!”

“Look, I don't want to make waves, but this whole Christmas season is stupid, stupid, stupid!”

“There is, however one teeny-tiny Christmas tradition I find quite meaningful. Mistletoe.”

“Burn, baby! Burn!”

“Evening, folks. Mind if I ride along? You might want to scooch over.”

“You fellas all right? How about a nice hat?”

“I'm hurt, [Lou]. I'm hurt, and I don't hurt easily.”

“But you and your family.... I'm so disappointed.”

“I just wanted everybody to be together for Christmas.”

“Suffering snorkelblatz! They're relentless!”

“Oh, no. I'm speaking in rhyme!”

“I must stop this whole thing. Why for year after year I've put up with it now.”

“Are you having a holly, jolly Christmas? Wrong-o!”

“If you're not going to help me then you might as well…”

“You're as cuddly as a cactus and as charming as an eel.”

“Just face the music, you're a monster.”

“Your heart's an empty hole.”

“I asked for three-quarters, not five-eighths. Stay focused!”

“Air bag is a little slow. But that's what these tests are for!”

“Talk about a recluse. He only comes out once a year, and he never catches any flak for it!”

“Probably lives up there to avoid the taxes.”

“No, forget that part. We'll improvise.”

“Saving Christmas was a lousy ending. Way too commercial.”

“We're gonna die! We're gonna die! I'm going to throw up, and then I'm gonna die!”

“[Mommy], tell it to stop!”

“Almost lost my cool there.”

“It's Santa! Go right back to sleep.”

“[He]'s planning a double-twisting interrupted forward-flying 2-and-a-half with a combo tuck and pike. High degree of difficulty.”

“Blasted water weight! Goes right to my hips.”

“Okay, fellas. Show time.”

“[Mr. Santa], what are you doing with our tree?”

“[Santa], what's Christmas really about?”

“I know [he]'s mean and hairy and smelly. [His] hands might be cold and clammy. But I think [he]'s actually kind of sweet.”

“Nice kid. Bad judge of character.”

“Clearance sale. Everything must go.”

“That wasn't so bad, was it, [Max]?”

“What an embarrassment! I've been robbed!”

“I wonder who could have done this.”

“But did anyone listen to me? No.”

“[Cindy], I hope you're very proud of what you've done.”

“You're glad. You're glad everything is gone. You're glad that [the Grinch] virtually wrecked.... No, not wrecked, pulverized Christmas. Is that what I'm hearing?”

“You can't hurt Christmas, [Mr. Mayor], because it isn't about the gifts or the contests or the fancy lights. That's what [Cindy]'s been trying to tell everyone! And me. [She]'s been trying to tell me.”

“What's wrong with you? This is a child!”

“[She]'s my child. And she happens to be right, by the way.”

“I don't need anything more for Christmas than this right here, my family!”

“Now for the final note in my symphony of downright nasty not-niceness! The crescendo of my odious opus! The wailing and the gnashing of teeth. The bellowing of the bitterly bummed out! It'll be like music to my ears!”

“Somehow or other, it came Just the same!”

“How could it be so? It came without ribbons! It came without tags! It came without packages, boxes or bags!”

“Maybe Christmas doesn't come from a store. Maybe Christmas, perhaps, means a little bit more.”

“Help me! I'm feeling!”

“What's happening to me? I'm all toasty inside. And I'm leaking?”

“All right, that's enough! Knock it off! beat it! Get out of here! One step at a time!

“Wait! This can't happen! It shouldn't! It couldn't! It mustn't! It wouldn't! Not now, not then, not ever again!”

“What are you doing up there!?”

“I came to see you. No one should be alone on Christmas.”

“I got you, [Cindy Lou]!”

“Are you kiddin'? The sun is bright and the powder's bitchin'!”

“Now scoot over! It's my turn to drive!”

“Now you listen to me, [young] [lady]! Even if we're horribly mangled there'll be no sad faces on Christmas.”

“By the way, these lights match your outfit perfectly.”

“This could be more difficult to negotiate.”

“Out of the way! I have no insurance!”

“Run for your lives! Watch out, I can't stop!”

“Aren't you gonna cuff me? Put me in a choke hold? Blind me with pepper spray?”

“Sorry but my heart belongs to someone else.”

“Cheer up, dude. It's Christmas.”

“There's nothin' like the holidays.”

“Too late! That'll be mine.”

[antisocialite83]

One of my guilty pleasures is watching popular shows AFTER the popularity is all gone. For example, I’m watching #Scandal. Like, THE OLIVIA POPE(!!!) for the first time ever. Don’t get me wrong, I know the outline. However, since there are no such thing as #spoilers (my opinion bc I’ve never “heard” a description that EVER does a film justice), something always gets left out. I have to see the story unfold for myself. I like to fill in my own blanks.

THIS SHOW IS GOOD!!!!

Wow. #OliviaAndFitz are actually the least interesting thing happening on this show lol. There’s always some unbelievable actual scandal going on. So far, I’ve made it into the second season and jeez! It’s free smoke for everybody. They be reading each other for fiiiiiilth!!!(I especially HATE how condescending and downright mean #Cyrus is to James). Also, is Olivia Pope a republican!?! Cuz, what!? But not surprising.

So far I really like Olivia and Cyrus’ odd couple friendship. Huck and Olivia are better friends tho. I can tell their relationship is more intimate, less transactional. lol Even when they’re pissed with each other, they’re still fiercely loyal. I hope he gets to be with his family again. The callous way Charlie tried to break him(#752 🥹), I hope he die real slow. Somebody gon have to pop his ass. I can’t believe I’m only on season 2. Speaking of which, I’ve just gotten to where Eli Pope reveals himself to Cyrus. Olivia doesn’t know…yet. Looking forward to that. Most importantly, it seems like everybody run the White House EXCEPT the president. Specifically, #Mellie, Olivia, and Cyrus.

This is def not everything I’ve noticed/seen BUT I am getting sleepy, finally(!). My sleep’s been better these past couple of nights. I guess political dramas lull me 😂😂😂. I’m glad to have another insomnia treatment.

Oh yeah, Fitz is a immature DICK. Even tho I’m only on S2, something tells me that will be consistent throughout the series.

Finally have made it to season 6. Lemme just once again say, THIS IS A GOOD ASS SHOW!!!!

Also, every character needs therapy.

More importantly, can Lauren, the President’s secretary, PLEASE get some props. She the least corrupted person on the show.

First of all, so glad Olivia and Fitz did not get a happy ending. They didn’t deserve it. Cyrus really got what was coming to him and it was sad but also not really. Too much blood on his hands AND he’s a deadbeat/absentee father!!!! Like, he had no concern about Ella at all. Too busy scheming smh.

Abby is a dick. Lowkey, and now majorly highkey you can see how envious/resentful she is of Olivia. That can happen when you feel indebted to someone. Also, take Olivia off the pedestal lol cuz she def be fuxking up to. Fitz is painfully…MEDIOCRE. And also co-dependent. Like he can’t function without a women around men…managing him. I can’t believe how corrupt this firecr**ch ass bitch became. Also, tho if these the same people who have manage to (somewhat)muzzle Rowan, then I get it. The scary lady who’s name i don’t know, is the actress who plays the mom in #YoungSheldon lmao seeing Mary Cooper be a badass is sendiiiiing me 😂😂😂. “Ms. Majorie Ruland”, and ole boy really knew how to tap into Abby’s insecurities.

RIP HUCK!!!! 🥺😡🥺🥺 …..sike! That was a damn good plot twist. But my boy should stick to his guns. A lesson in trusting your instincts. Had Olivia not started questioning her most loyal friend, I don’t think this would’ve happen. But I knew that girl was a weirdo. And he did to. Of course tho, Olivia couldn’t see the forest for the trees. At least not when it comes to her father.

Season 7!!!!

Mellie is president! And a damn good one. Quinn and Charlie being badass vigilante murderers, who make a kid 🥹🥹🥹>>>>>. That damn Cyrus ain’t NEVA leaving the White House. He should have his own wing atp. Seeing Olivia become Eli is cray. She don’t even wear white anymore!!! But Noir Olivia does have much better hair. Lol. I’m so glad Abby is back in the also(it’s lowkey still fuck her tho). I feel like Olivia is gonna snap. And I’m so ready.

Curtis > Jake > Fitz.

Overall : 4/5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

[mystical-flute]

Take My Hand and Whisper 'Run!' (Swanfire Month Day 17)

Foster Home AU or Neverland AU

AO3 || FFN

The day Baelfire had been waiting for had finally arrived: the day he escaped from Neverland. Before he can enact his plan though, Tink informs him of a new arrival in the realm - one who is just as desperate to escape as he was.

“Dammit,” Baelfire hissed as the chalk he’d been using snapped. “Just a bit more and I’ve got it…”

He didn’t know how long he’d been in Neverland - it must have been decades at this point. Centuries, maybe. He shuddered to think that the Darlings might all be dead. He just hoped they hadn’t forgotten about him, no matter how long it had been, or if they were already… gone.

Baelfire grit his teeth and shook his head. He couldn’t let the hopeless thoughts consume him, as difficult as it was, considering the nature of Neverland. If he let Pan win… well, he didn’t know what he was going to do.

He just wanted to get back to London, to the Darlings’. He’d been so happy there. So free from the magic that had ruined his life in The Enchanted Forest.

This place was just a never ending nightmare.

Letting out another sigh, he abandoned the drawing and moved over to the star map he’d created, carefully flicking it on and looking at the stars that twinkled above him. One of them would point home, and then he’d figure out a way to get there.

He had to.

In the distance, he could hear the Lost Ones whooping and cheering again. They did it every day, but there was something… different about this one.

Bae shivered and tried to focus on the stars again. “Come on Hook… you wouldn’t have lied to me about this, right?”

No. He knew Hook wouldn’t have steered him wrong about this - despite Baelfire’s anger toward him, He and Hook really did have a good relationship before everything came out about his mother.

His mother. She’d abandoned him, he was willing to believe it now. There had been a heaviness in Hook’s eyes when he’d explained it to him. As angry as he’d been, he did accept that Milah had run off - she hadn’t loved his father, and had made that quite obvious, even if she’d been trying to keep her vicious language away from his ears.

But why would she have left him behind? That’s what he still didn’t understand. Was he such a terrible kid that he deserved to be abandoned by both his parents?

He felt a tear roll down his cheek, but ignored it and let it drop to the ground. Instead, he frowned as he stared up at the stars. Something in the star chart was missing, but what? It looked identical to the one Hook had taught him to make, but yet something didn’t look right.

“Dammit, what am I missing?”

“Bae!”

He jumped, nearly dropping the star chart, but relaxed when he saw a familiar green dot slide through a simple crack in the makeshift door of his cave.

“Tink,” he breathed, his heart rate dropping to a normal speed. “What is it? You sound worried.”

Tinker Bell went into her human form, green wings fluttering quickly, like a beating heart. Her face was twisted in worry. “Pan’s got a new Lost One.”

“And?” he questioned with a frown. It explained the cheering, but Pan seemed to gain a new Lost One every other day. Although there had been a few days (or weeks, or months…) where Neverland had been unusually quiet, without the sound of new arrivals.

“This one has magic. She’s a girl from The Land Without Magic and she has some,” Tink explained. “I fear Pan wants to use her for something.”

“Yeah, well, Pan always wants to use someone for something. If he brought her here, it’s because she wanted to be here.” Even though he’d had fun dancing with the Lost Ones, he’d still had Papa at the time. If this girl chose to come here… she likely didn’t have anything.

“No,” Tink said with a firm shake of her head. “She doesn’t want to be here. I’ve heard her wish, but you know my magic is too weak to do anything against Pan.”

Right. Otherwise she would have been able to grant his wish and get him back to the Darlings.

He sighed. “And you think I can somehow help her?”

Tink looked up at the stars on the ceiling. “Last time we spoke, you said there was a star missing. Which one was it?”

Bae followed her gaze. “Home. The star that will take me home.”

“Hm. Funny how that’s exactly where the new Lost One wants to go,” Tink mused. “Besides, I know you, Baelfire. I know you wouldn’t leave someone here that didn’t want to be here.”

Bae sighed and glanced at the small cache of weapons he’d managed to forge for himself. “Okay. Where is she?”

------

This wasn't Neverland. This was Hell.

Emma Swan curled herself into a tighter ball, ignoring all the whoops and cheers around her. Peter Pan was evil. That was a plot twist she hadn't been expecting.

When she'd made that wish, that stupid, stupid wish made in a fit of anger, she hadn't expected the shadow to come to her in the middle of the night, weaving a tale of grandeur and fun, where she could be away from adults.

Well, she was away from adults, but she was away from everything else that was familiar, and the worst part was, she couldn't leave. No matter how much she begged and pleaded, Pan wouldn't let her go.

How long had she been here? She couldn't even keep track of time. She'd tried to, but even if she went with her sleep cycle, the Lost Ones kept interrupting her, so she doubted she had been sleeping a full night. Or day. Whatever the hell it was here.

Whenever she asked about Wendy, John, or Michael Darling, the Lost Ones had just laughed, or looked at her in confusion, depending on which one she’d asked. This was such a weird version of Peter Pan that was apparently very, very, real.

The only thing about it that had made sense was the apparently antagonistic relationship Peter Pan had with Captain Hook. She’d never met the man, but the disgust on Pan’s face had been enough to tell her he didn’t like the pirate captain.

At least it was something correct from her old childhood stories.

“Hey Emma!” one of the Lost Ones called. “Come on! Don’t you want to join the fun today? We’re celebrating your arrival!”

“You can celebrate my leaving once I figure out a way off this island!” she snapped back.

The Lost One rolled his eyes. “Are you still on that? This is everything you ever wished for, isn’t it? Why would you want to go home, where adults treat you like trash and you have to grow up?”

“Because I miss the sun! I miss TV, music, and art!” She missed changing clothes, and washing machines, especially for her baby blanket, which Pan had oh-so graciously allowed her to keep. But it kept getting dirty as she kept getting dirty on the island, and Emma wished for a washer to actually get it clean.

She hated being an orphan. Hated the adults that made her life a living Hell including the unknown parents who had abandoned her. But somehow, despite all that stuff, she wanted to go back to it instead of being stuck in this world where nothing made sense and everything was chaos.

Peter Pan was real, which meant fairytales were real and that was just something too mind-boggling for Emma to comprehend.

“Come on, Devin,” Pan’s silky voice suddenly said, grinning but not bothering to hide the malice in it. “Emma just needs some more time to adjust to Neverland, that’s all. Tinker Bell is on the move, so why don’t we go play a game of catch?”

“Don’t hurt her!” Emma blurted when Devin rose to follow Pan.

“Oh come now, Emma, it’s just a game! We aren’t going to hurt Tinker Bell at all!” Pan said, malice still glinting in his smile. “Devin, let’s go. Maybe by the time we get back, Emma will want to join us! And then you can show her how we play catch!”

The way his voice went from pure evil to innocent child wanting to play a game was absolutely terrifying, and apparently, hypnotic to everyone except her, judging by the way every Lost One followed Pan out of the camp, whooping and cheering as they rose their weapons into the air to chase after the elusive fairy.

At least Tinker Bell didn’t seem to be on Pan’s side.

Emma shuddered and curled back into her ball, clutching her baby blanket tighter to her chest. Her parents may have abandoned her on a highway, but at least they’d given her a name and a blanket. She would have hated to have been named something terrible like Mildred by a stuffy old nun.

Her parents had loved her at some point. They must have. That’s why she needed to find them - she needed to know what happened.

She needed to get out of here if she ever had a chance of finding them. But how?

“Hey.”

Emma jumped to her feet, fists raised and poised to strike. “I told you I don’t want to play your stupid game!”

Though, as she got a closer look at the boy, she realized he didn’t look anything like the other Lost Ones, or like Pan. He had a cloak, like them, but the clothing underneath looked more familiar. Vintage, something out of a Charles Dickens novel, but at least they didn’t look like they were made out of leaves or animal skin. She also didn’t recognize his face.

“Who are you?” she questioned softly. “Are you a new Lost One?”

“No. I’m an old one. But I escaped the camp. I’ve been on the run for a while now. Tink told me you want to go home, right?”

Emma nodded warily. Strange that this boy needed to be told - she’d have thought it was common knowledge on the island at this point.

“I do too. And I’m close to figuring out a way… but I need your help.”

“Me? How?”

“I think we’re going to the same place… the Land Without Magic?”

Emma frowned. What the hell did that mean? “If you mean planet Earth, then yes, that’s where I’m going.”

“Earth. Yeah, that’s it, that’s where I’m going too!” he agreed with a nod. “Come on, I’ve got a hideout that Pan doesn’t know about. We can talk more there.”

A hideout? Away from Pan and the Lost Ones? As much as her gut told her to not trust anything anyone said in this world, Emma scrambled for the backpack that had come with her to Neverland, sighing with relief when she realized it was still the same weight it had been when she’d landed. No one had messed with it then. Good.

“Okay,” she whispered. “Let’s go.”

The boy took her hand, and they ran. Faster than she’d ever run when she was shoplifting food, or travel sized toothpaste and mouthwash. Faster than she’d run to get away from the Edwards family, faster than she’d ever run away from anything.

And finally, they were able to stop running as they burst into a cave she didn’t recognize, with white chalk drawings on the walls alongside a frightening number of tally marks. How long had this boy been here?

“I should have asked earlier,” she panted, dropping to the ground with a soft groan. “But who are you?”

“My name is Baelfire… what’s yours?” the boy replied, joining her on the ground and discarding his cloak.

“Emma. So… how did you find out about me? I haven’t seen you at the camp.”

“Tinker Bell told me,” he explained. “She thinks the reason my getaway plan is missing something is because of you. And if we’re both going to the same planet, I think she was right. We’re the two people here who really want to get out.”

Emma supposed she couldn’t argue with that logic. “Okay, so… how do we do this then? How do we escape?”

“We need The Shadow. It’s the only way.”

Emma paled. “What? Seriously? We can’t trust that thing won’t try to take us to… I don’t know, Duloc or something!”

“It won’t take us there, I promise. Besides, after the way Farquaad was running it, I doubt it’s even still standing,” Baelfire said with a shrug.

“... Are you telling me Shrek is real?”

“What’s Shrek?”

“You don’t know what Shrek is? It’s only one of the best movies of all time!” When Baelfire seemed even more confused, Emma shook her head. “Never mind. It doesn’t matter. Are you sure we can trust this Shadow after it dragged the two of us here?”

He nodded. “I’m positive. Tink’s magic isn’t powerful enough to get us out of here, and there aren’t any more magic beans.”

Because of course magic beans were real too.

Emma finally sighed. “Alright, fine. How do we catch this stupid shadow then?”

“We need to use light… I think trapping it in my star map will sort of reset it and force it to go where we need it to,” Baelfire explained, holding out a halved coconut with a bunch of holes in the top. “I don’t like this plan either, but it’s the only chance we have.”

“I get it… it seems hopeless otherwise,” she agreed, glancing around at all of the drawings (and the frightening number of tally marks) on the wall. “Did you draw all these?”

He nodded.

Emma paused at one, at the familiar clock she’d seen so often in movies and pictures. “Is this Big Ben? The famous clock in London?”

“Yeah,” he said, face brightening. “I lived there for a few months, with the Darlings.”

There were too many questions running through her mind, but she knew she didn’t have a lot of time to ask them. “So you’re from, what, the early 1900s?”

“It was 1904, last I checked, yeah. Why? What year are you from? I noticed you don’t have a dress like Wendy and Mrs. Darling.”

Oh. Oh no. If Peter Pan and all the characters were real, and Baelfire was from Earth, like her, but from 1904…

“Baelfire, I’m so sorry, but it was 1996 when I left.”

His eyes glazed over with tears for a brief moment. “It’s okay. I - I sort of expected that it had been decades. I expected they’d be gone.”

“What are you going to do when we get home?” she asked softly.

He shrugged. “I figured it out before and I can do it again.”

She nodded slowly. “But… maybe it’ll be easier if we do it together.”

Baelfire nodded and smiled. “Together. Now come on, let’s get home.”

They traveled away from the hideout, just in case the plan failed. Emma held the coconut in her hands, clutching it tight to make sure it didn’t fall. They hadn’t lit the candle yet, and they only had one match, so they had to make it count.

Tink had joined them, hiding in her small form in Emma’s backpack.

“How do we draw out the shadow?” she whispered.

“You don’t have to. I know everything that happens in Neverland…” a voice suddenly hissed from behind them.

Emma jumped and tried not to scream, but Baelfire was quicker, launching himself at the shadow. She opened the coconut with a shaking hand and tried to light the match with the other, but the shadow struggling against him caused it to go out immediately.

“No! No! Please, I need you to light up!” Emma cried, staring at the candle in horror. “Light, dammit!”

And to her great surprise, it did, and began dragging the shadow into it.

“Dammit, fine Baelfire, Emma! What is it you want?” the Shadow hissed, only just hanging on.

“You’re taking us out of here,” Baelfire said. “We’re going back to the Land Without Magic.”

“And if I refuse?”

“Then I put this lid on the coconut and trap you in there forever!”

The threat was enough for the Shadow to comply, dragging them back through time and space or whatever the hell it was they warped through. They were dropped on a sunny dirt road, and the Shadow retreated back to Neverland without a word, leaving them alone, before Tink popped out of the backpack, looking like a fully grown adult, but missing her wings.

“I can’t believe that worked,” Tink said with a wide smile. “All those years, she banished me to Neverland, and now I’m free. Stinks I can’t use what was left of my magic, but… hey Emma, are you okay?”

“What time is it?” she whispered, still trying to gather her bearings. “What year is it? And where are we?”

Baelfire squinted at the sun. “Judging by the position of the sun in the sky, I’d say it’s about ten, ten-thirty in the morning. And it looks like there’s a sign up ahead. Maybe it’ll tell us where we are.”

Emma nodded and followed him to the sign.

Welcome to Storybrooke.

[azuisreading]

The School for Good and Evil: The Last Ever After by Soman Chainani

In the epic next chapter of Soman Chainani’s New York Times bestselling series, The School for Good and Evil, everything old is new again as Sophie and Agatha fight the past as well as the present to find the perfect end to their story. As A World Without Princes closed, the end was written and former best friends Sophie and Agatha went their separate ways. Agatha was whisked back to Gavaldon with Tedros and Sophie stayed behind with the beautiful young School Master. But as they settle into their new lives, their story begs to be re-written, and this time, theirs isn’t the only one. With the girls apart, Evil has taken over and the villains of the past have come back to change their tales and turn the world of Good and Evil upside down.

Review

It is, the climax. And the end, too. Finally. Though it wasn’t a bad journey for me.

It has been a time since the moment I finished reading the book and the moment I’m writing the review, so it won’t be as fresh as it would have been then. But I kind of liked it. Kind of because it was pretty hurtful for a girl feeling identified with the lot of emotions shown there, especially Agatha’s. For when she thought she was right. And for when she noticed she was wrong. I felt like Sophie too, when she was desperately looking for someone that loved her. So it was painful.

But it also showed me that I was right to think that one of the things this story was teaching me was to be true to myself. They weren’t and that’s why everything happened (uhm, Tedros was truer to someone else than himself, but I liked that, he was soft and cute and open and loyal to the person he loved, trusting them a lot more than himself, and for that I forgive him). Also because they don’t communicate, I really don’t understand! You’re honest and open from the start and you save a lot of that. It was maddening, a bit, but that’s how that story is.

At least it had a happy ending for everyone, but the villain. Well, the Big Bad Villain and his league, because it has lots of villains and not all of them deserved bad. I like happy endings. Though honestly I didn’t expected the book to finish right were it did, thinking that it would show us some of what it talked a lot during the three journeys, but that’s okay. I can be content with it.

Even when my friend didn’t read it with me this time, she didn’t even start it at all.

Phrases that I liked so much that I marked them while reading

«“It doesn’t matter if they don’t call it love. We know it is, just as we know the thorns are as much a part of the rose as te petals.”» — The Master and the Queen.

«“You must trust your story, Sophie. It has come to The End for a reason.”» — The Master and the Queen.

«“Worrying doesn’t solve problems.”» — The New or the Old.

«“You can’t plan your story any more than you can plan who you’re going to fall in love with.”» — The New or the Old.

«“We’ll know what to do when the time comes.”» — The New or the Old.

«[…] you didn’t need a hundred true loves to find Ever After… you just needed one.» — The New or the Old.

«[…] that her mother had given her nothing to come home to ever again.» — Death at an Execution.

«Her mother had died to set her free.» — Death at an Execution.

«“I thought the princes killed you!” Agatha cried. “Hester said Dean Sader left you to die in the Woods. We all thought you were dead--” “A professor of Animal Communication unable to survive in the Woods? Even your mother had more faith in me and we’ve never met.”» — A Princess Returns.

«Once upon a time, she and Sophie had slain a deadly villain who’d torn them apart. Now her best friend had given her heart to that villain.» — A Princess Return.

«Sophie was tensing so much she couldn’t breathe. “That will never happen,” she whispered and her muscles released in his grip. “Didn’t think so,” Rafal whispered back.» — A Forest No Longer Blue.

«What would it be like to love someone forever? Could love even last that long? She thought of Agatha on the lakeshore, vowing to be her friend forever… Tedros on a moonlit bridge, promising to be her prince forever… Agatha and Tedros kissing, swearing to each other… “Forever…” Only Forever never seemed to last.» — A Forest No Longer Blue.

«“It doesn’t matter what you think you want. It only matters what’s truly inside you.”» — A Forest No Longer Blue.

«Sophie hurried to catch up, reminding herself that she’d finally found love, real love, and it was worth anything she had to do to keep it.» — A Forest No Longer Blue.

Evil Is the New Good.

«“Once happiness is gone between two people, I don’t think it ever comes back.”» — When Good Rescues Go Bad.

«Death had been rare to her before last night and now it followed her like a shroud. What was it like to be alive one moment and then be gone the next? What happens to all your thoughts, your fears, your dreams? What happens to all the love you’ve yet to give?» — The Worst Evers ever.

«“First they get mad at me for lying. Now they get mad at me for telling the truth.”» — The Missing Thirteenth.

«“I’ve already killed you and kissed you more times in my head than you deserve.” Sophie stared at him. Hort sighed, flicking the water. “But I learned my lesson. No one wants Old Hort. So meet New Hort instead. Modeled right after your cool, manly prince. The Hort chicks dig.” “But that Hort isn’t real at all,” said Sophie, frowning. “That Hort isn’t you.” “Well, whoever it is…” Hort raised his gaze. “Finally got your attention, didn’t he?” Sophie fell silent.» — Too Many Boys.

«“The Storian, after all, sustains our world through balance. It is the first lesson taught at every Welcoming. The sun rises on the Woods only as long as the pen preserves that balance, correcting any inequity through each new story. Which meant, of course, that for the Storian to make Good win in every new tale… it must be correcting for something terribly Evil indeed.”» — Where Wizards Go to Think.

«“Besides, it’s too early in the morning for goodbyes.”» — The Magician’s Plan.

«Agatha waited for her prince to look down and check on her as he pulled over the ridge to the top, but he never did.» — The Magician’s Plan.

«“I took Aric’s knife to protect your princess. To protect your true love, Tedros. Now it’s your turn to prove what you’re made of.”» — Missions Impossible.

«“What happened to ‘I’ll know what to do when the times comes?’” she asked. “I know what to do when I’m with you.”» — Missions Impossible.

«“Here you are worried that I’ll leave when I see your real self… when that’s the part of you that lets me stay.”» — Missions Impossible.

«“What he doesn’t understand is that a coven is a coven and we protect each other to the death.”» — Tedros in the Sky with Chocolate.

«Maybe she doubted herself. But she didn’t doubt Merlin.» — Old School Reunions.

«“You said I was the one who brought you two back together. Which means you two had broken apart. Which means you two aren’t particularly happy if it takes a third person to fix your love.”» — Last Stop on the Fairy Dust Express.

«He was lying. Tedros was lying. The prince bound to his promises, bound to the truth, was lying for her.» — Last Stop on the Fairy Dust Express.

«Right then and there, in a moment where Agatha had accused Tedros of doubting their future, only to see he was, in fact, rock solid… it was she who suddenly had the doubts.» — Last Stop on the Fairy Dust Express.

«For all their fights and failings, her prince still trusted her more than he trusted himself. Agatha’s heart melted. In this single, terrible moment, she loved him more than ever before.» — Peer Pressure.

«How could she fight for something her heart didn’t even want?» — Peer Pressure.

«And because Sophie knew that deep, deep down, in the pit of her soul, Agatha was Good. And when put to the test, Agatha would sacrifice everything to stay true to that Good.» — Peer Pressure.

«She couldn’t dare waver. It was like a bandage. She had to commit to the pain and rip it off.» — Everything Old Is New Again.

«“Agatha, this is two days in the toughest part of the Woods, with villains on the loose and sleeping in close quarters and protecting each other from whatever we might face-- I’m your prince and I’m not letting you out of my sight. We need to be together--”» — Everything Old Is New Again.

«Suddenly Agatha felt like the old Agatha: the Agatha who’d studied spellbooks and fed Sophie lines as a cockroach and moved mountains to get Tedros to kiss her best friend and send them home. But her plans had failed then and it would fail now, if the new Sophie acted anything like the old Sophie. Because Tedros wouldn’t kiss that Sophie, then or now.» — Everything Old Is New Again.

«“Once upon a time, those same heroes were trained in a Blue Forest, just like you. The only difference is they made it to graduation without the world ending.”» — Everything Old Is New Again.

«But because in the four hours since she’d left her prince and friend to their own story, his wise, young Agatha hadn’t looked back once.» — Everything Old Is New Again.

«Even with all of Good in peril, no one in their right mind would willingly sacrifice their true love- Agatha would, thought Sophie. Agatha would do whatever it took to save Good.» — Two Queens.

«And she would only have herself.» — Who Do You Belong With?

«Because somewhere along the way she’d stopped trusting herself too.» — Who Do You Belong With?

«“I’m just a girl struggling to be ordinary.”» — Who Do You Belong With?

«“At least I’m willing to fight for my happy ending. You’re giving away your true love to someone he doesn’t belong with and expecting him to live with it forever! Tell yourself all you want that you’re not good enough for him, Agatha. Tell yourself you’re doing it to save Good. Tell yourself any excuse that lets you sleep at night. But we both know you’re just too afraid to fight for the person you belong with. And you know what, princess? Even if I hate the boy to his bones, that doesn’t sound Good to me at all.”» — Who Do You Belong With?

«Agatha had been riding a horse named Benedict, which she’d chosen for his scrawny legs, rumpled black coat, and hacking cough. “Goodness, Aggie, don’t you read storybooks?” Sophie said after Guinevere had opened the stable of riding horses that first day. “Black horses are untrainable, untamable, and mean. Besides, he sounds like he’s on death’s door. What in the world possessed you to pick him?” “Reminded me of myself.” Agatha said, rubbing his neck and finding a handful of fleas.» — The Scorpion and the Frog.

«Still, day after day, Sophie refused to switch Nellie Mae, as if admitting her poor taste in horses would somehow invalidate all her life choices.» — The Scorpion and the Frog.

«“Sometimes there’s more to the story than you. You can’t pick everything at first sight, just because it looks good, and then force it to be with you. Relationships are more complicated than that. You can’t control the story from both sides.”» — The Scorpion and the Frog.

«For the reason she’d known what was missing in Tedros’ kiss is because she’d already felt it once with someone else. Someone who loved her for what she truly was. Someone she’d been too scared to love back.» — The Scorpion and the Frog.

«Alone in candlelight, she closed her eyes and made a wish… For a prince… a castle… a crown… Evil this time, instead of Good.» — The Scorpion and the Frog.

«And if she’d just embraced that fact instead of denied it, if she’d just loved herself the way she was, she would have saved herself a world of pain.» — In Darkness Comes a Queen.

«Right then and there, Agatha knew why she couldn’t have an ordinary life. She was never meant for one.» — In Darkness Comes a Queen.

«“But you are my queen. No one but you. And I like seeing you wear it. Because as long as you do, I know you still love me. And given our history of miscommunication, physical clues are helpful.” Agatha snorted. “This is where you tell me how I can show my love,” Tedros prodded.» — Rebel Hearts.

«“You asked me for a way to show your love,” said Agatha. “I didn’t know it had limits.”» — Rebel Hearts.

«“Try to erase Good and you only tilt the balance more in Good’s favor.”» — Spies in the Stymph Forest.

«“But Callis, who only saw beauty in the girl Vanessa threw away, kept the child for herself. She named her Agatha, which meant ‘Soul of Good.’ Finally, after so many years of loneliness, Callis of Netherwood had found her one true love.”» — An Unexpected History Lesson.

«“But sometimes to keep Evil from getting in, you have to let Good out.”» — Never Ever After.

[snezfics-n-shit]

Sicktember Alt 1: "I Could Really Use A Hug Right Now"

Fandom: Ace Attorney Characters: Maya Fey, Phoenix Wright Notes: You ever think about just how much Maya has on her plate? Training, carrying the main family of the Fey clan on her shoulders, just being the master of the Kurain Channeling Technique? It’s a lot! On what should be a happy surprise visit to Phoenix’s place (which is at Edgeworth’s place now? Fancy!), it all comes crashing down. Mid 7yg, Phoenix is living with Miles, Maya is in her early-mid 20’s and has spent the past few years doing basically nothing but training. It's a mental breakdown! *Sad Kazoo Noises*

     It wasn’t just jet lag that had gotten to her. Maya, and most likely Phoenix as well, had figured that out by now. Pearly always worried about Maya getting herself sick from overextending, and Maya always tried to insist she would be fine so Pearly could be the carefree girl she deserved to be. Pearly didn’t deserve that kind of stress in her life, not after all Aunt Morgan put her through. Knowing that made Maya’s wish that her cousin could have taken her place as master very brief, no matter how many lives would have been saved if that were the case. 

Hours of training under a waterfall, late nights of channeling various spirits she sometimes couldn’t possibly care less about, and of course going back and forth on a packed airplane to acquaint herself with every spiritual landmark absolutely did a number on Maya’s health. She hadn’t left Edgeworth’s cozy guest bed since she dropped all her luggage on the floor yesterday afternoon. She didn’t even question why the guest room was free if Nick was supposedly crashing here. All she wanted was to sleep with maybe a side of curling up and dying. 

“Maya?” Nick’s concerned voice managed to have the volume of three air horns. “I know something’s wrong. You haven’t eaten for at least a day. I’m coming in.”

He was lucky Maya hadn’t even taken off what she was wearing yesterday, though she had no energy to do anything about his entry even if she was in her birthday suit. Meh, he had a girlfriend once, probably nothing he hasn’t seen before. 

“I’m not hungry.” Maya whimpered. 

“Not hungry?” Nick jokingly pressed his hand on her forehead, only to pull back in almost horror. “You’re actually burning up!”

“Good.” 

“What do you mean ‘good!?’”

“I just…” The dam broke. Maya had no time to prepare before the tears started flowing. “I don’t know if I can do this anymore.” 

“Do what anymore?” 

“Everything, Nick!” Maya hiccuped, then sobbed. “All I ever do is train and meet with branch family members who somehow didn’t run away from being Feys the first second they could. Do you know how many branch family members just move to the city and want nothing to do with us ever again? At least half, Nick! I don’t blame them one bit.” 

“Yeah, I think Bikini alluded to that kind of tension after she realized it was your mom who, you know…” 

“My mom’s dead because of me, Nick!” Maya instinctively wiped her nose on Phoenix’s t-shirt, but even if it was more from being sick than crying, Phoenix just let her go ahead with that.

“Maya, you know that’s not–”

“And everyone expects me to have daughters to put through this hell all over again!”

“I’m sure you can break the cycle–”

“I am the cycle! All my past relationships have failed because it’s just too much! Just because your parents could do that doesn’t mean I can. Besides,” Maya sniffled and wiped the lines of tears from her cheeks, “look how you turned out.” Somehow, she still had it in her to tease him. She was even able to laugh, if only just a little. “Sis did tell me how much of a spoiled brat you were in college.” 

“Hey! I got better.” Phoenix lightheartedly retorted. 

“That’s up for debate.” Maya huffed. “You still wouldn’t survive a day in the Fey clan! Heck, if your ex could channel spirits, you might have ended up in an arranged marriage and stuck with her.” 

“I’d rather you not even joke about that.” Almost a decade later, Dahlia was still a sore subject for both of them, though Maya seemed more comfortable talking about her than Nick was. “But… You do seem to be doing a little better.” 

“I guess I am.” Maya sniffled. “Thanks for listening to my feverish ramblings I’ll probably forget by tomorrow, Nick.”

“Any time, Maya.” Phoenix sighed through his nose. If Maya was as cynical as she was feeling just a few minutes ago, she might have interpreted that as bragging. “Do you want anything for that fever? We have Steel Samurai cooling patches in the freezer downstairs.”

“Tempting, but nah.” Maya really was sick to turn down anything Steel Samurai themed. “How about… Just a hug?” 

Phoenix may not have been able to completely wipe Maya’s full plate clean, but a hug? That was absolutely doable.

[777erendipity]

tonight has been tough. i wish today wouldn’t of happened. i have too much shit going in in my life. i feel like im running away from everything. from heartbreak and grief and sadness. and i do a good job at running from it and keeping up. i slap a smile on my face and keep trudging despite the cards ive been dealt. but every once in awhile, it catches up to me. and it all crashes on me. i felt it in the back of my throat at work and i shoved it down because i still had 10 hours left. i got home and smoked. i listened to “think of me once and awhile” by take care and “moonlight on the river” by mac demarco back and fourth on repeat for an hour. its the first time ive been able to cry in awhile.

i really miss my mom. she’d know what to say. i know i speak of her like she’s dead but she’s not. but she isn’t really here either. sometimes i want to believe that this is just a short period of her life and she’ll get better but this is our future. where she’s at right now is how things will be for the rest of her life. i know it’s my fault that these things happened. everybody will say im wrong but i know it is. i want her to hold me like a child. i’m tired of being the strong one here. i wish i could of enjoyed being taken care of by her for longer.

i want so badly to run back. i don’t know how he could of ever thought that we just broke up and i just didn’t care. i showed through that entire relationship that i cared deeply. i want how things were but i know that’s just looking at things through rose colored glasses. things weren’t good. yeah did we have one good day like every two weeks? yes. and it was magical and wonderful and at that time, even though i wanted so much more, i settled for some of him than none because i didn’t know how to live without him. i love waking up each day and not feeling like im getting cheated on. i love not having to compare myself to other women. or to keep bumping down my standards to stay in love. i love not having to depend on someone to give me the bare minimum like “hi how are you doing?”. it’s freeing. i didn’t realize how broken i was til i was out. i want to run back but i cant. i can’t go back to feeling so worthless. not when i know i deserve better and there’s better out there for me. my future is shaky and unstable and i need someone supporting me by my side, not against me and borderline hating me. it pisses me off how mad he is that i’m slightly moving on. he fucked with so many other women through our relationship whether he’ll admit to all of it or not. i never cheated once. he didn’t want anything to do with me those last couple months. and i just stayed there and waited like a dog just for him to tell me that he’s moving away for good and he’s mad that after we have broken up, im hanging around “the idiot in the white truck”? give me a break and go run off to one of your 35,847 fwbs. but i know i shouldn’t be saying all of that. i wanted to really start not being such a cunt and holding grudges but here we are.

i know the only way i’d go back is that my brain got wiped from that last year and he was a completely different person. even if he did do all the things he said he would last week and change completely. that doesn’t erase the past. even when things were going good, all the things that he had done still weighed on my heart because of how much it hurt. i was hoping it’d go away but i realize now when someone breaks you like that? you can’t look at them the same. so the love is still there but its confusing because you don’t know how you can give something so precious of yours to a person that could care so little about you. that’s why i know there won’t be a future with us. i try not to think about it because it hurts but it’s been on my mind all day. parts of me mourn it and other parts are like “girl why tf are you getting all sad over a dude who said you were asking for too much when you wanted to see him when your mom was in the hospital???”. i hate how he’s talking about things that he wanted to do. all the things that i wanted that entire year that he never gave me, now he wants to give me? i call bull. why was i appreciated so late? anyways i’m exhausted. i worked for 11 straight hours with no breaks. all i got is a red bull and vape in my system which isn’t really agreeing well with me. i have another long day tomorrow. i gonna call my mom and just sit with the sound of her breathing for awhile, it’ll feel like she’s closer to me that way.

[sarah-dipitous]

Hellsite Nostalgia Tour 2023 Day 71

Wishful Thinking/The Lazarus Experiment

“Wishful Thinking”

Would I Survive the First Five Minutes??: why is this looking a lot like the one with the ghost ship? I know it’s not. Ok so no one died…I don’t think???

From the recap—I…it shouldn’t cause so many fluttery heart feelings to hear Cas say they were going to smite an entire town, but here we are…I’m gonna miss this Castiel

Ok but like…who on this show ISN’T at least kind of a dick?? You can’t just say that about the Uriel

Your dedication to the job is heartwarming, Dean…has nothing to do with the fact that the ghost is haunting a women’s shower, I’m sure

Stop. Stop. You can’t just name the fake book you’re ‘writing’ supernatural…

“There’s a Bigfoot out there dammit, and he’s a son of a bitch”

I do not remember this episode AT ALL. Wtf is happening?? I know there’s allegedly a wishing well but what are these people even wishing for??

The fairy tales episode I could handle, but this is WEIRD

I am DYING. So this Bigfoot is apparently this little girl’s teddy bear? And the Winchesters are posing as teddy bear doctors to be able to see it…this is fantastic. Omg omg omg how did I block this out of my memory?? The teddy bear who came to life, became human adult size, and is now despairing at the fact that it’s now gained consciousness…but all Audrey wants to do is have tea parties with him, but he’s DEPRESSED depressed…which the boys are calling “lollipop disease” to placate her and get her to leave for a while

I guess the safest thing is to wish for a sandwich (still got E. coli from it)

That’s… that’s a dark wish, Sam. I mean, I get it, but damn.

I bet the kid who stopped chasing the other kids asked Dean if he had a problem is the first wisher…that’s the only reason I can see for including him so far

THE TEDDY BEAR JUST TRIED TO BLOW ITS BRAINS OUT BUT IT HAS NO BRAIN JUST STUFFING SO IT’S STILL ALIVE

It’s not the engagement, that’s too obvious…oh god, she barely has free will.

Hang on, it IS that guy who wished for the engagement?? Then what’s the deal with the mean looking kid???

Can’t believe they hit the invisible kid with the car and…

Oh, THAT’s the point of the mean looking kid. Give him super strength and make him yell “KNEEL BEFORE TODD!!” because…of course his name is Todd. It’s the perfect name. Dean just tried to “with great power comes great responsibility” him and got hit in the face for it

Hoooooooly shit. Hope just got Sam electrocuted out of nowhere.

Oh. Oh, Todd. Aw, but Dean helping him not be bullied anymore anyway.

Sorry, there’s a lot of moving pieces in this episode

Oh no…Dean DOES remember EVERYTHING from hell, and he thinks there’s no helping him and he just has to live with that and shoulder it all alone. I hate it.

“Been On My Mind…”: Nope. 7.

“The Lazarus Experiment”

God…I both can and can’t believe how quickly he tries to just dump Martha…🙄

Ahhhh!!! Mr Saxon mention again 💖

I love that all moms are suspicious of the Doctor

It’s weird to see non-Mycroft Mark Gatiss

Oh, are there—are there some side effects to extremely literal anti-aging?? Who would have seen that coming

Marthaaaaaaa!!! The Doctor does not deserve you and how clever you are!! Bravo you collecting a DNA sample from Not Mycroft

God, I know his DNA is constantly being rewritten but this hurts to see…I mean, kinda. These two aren’t necessarily good people, but the betrayal she suffers…

I think in my 20s I was annoyed with Martha’s mom being this concerned, and maybe she’s still being a TINY TINY bit overbearing (Martha was only gone 12 hours as far as she knows but still thinks there’s no way for Martha to become a doctor if she doesn’t focus??), but she’s not completely wrong

Man, I wish Tish was as suspicious of weird shit as her mother…

Ok but I wouldn’t trust the guy who shaded the Doctor either!!!

Oh he’s a MONSTER monster. Bug ass — I mean big ass scorpion looking thing with a terribly CGI’d face holy shit (bug ass really came from me not looking as I typed and it was too funny to let go)

The face doesn’t even look like Mark Gatiss either…..

Is this dude working for Mr Saxon?? That’s the only thing I can think as to why he’s so invested in this Doctor smear campaign

Honestly, this part in the cathedral is beautiful and haunting. You can almost feel bad for the guy…

Taking your sweet old time with that organ, aren’t you Doc?

Is he actually dead this time??

I wish Tish could go on just one trip. I think she’d like that

Episodes Since the Doctor’s Last Attempted Genocide: is it 3 now? This was probably a bad segment. I have a hard enough time keeping track of just the regular day number

[jessithewanderer]

I would love to find a girl dog like this but as a pup so I can train her properly to poop and pee on her pad or outside. To be okay with getting baths more frequently than most dogs, to know where to go to get her food if I’m not around to feed her. Just so many things. I guess I’m just imagining things which I don’t mind doing 😊. That’s pretty much why I’m considered insane 😂 I’m always in my head or witnessing things no one else is witnessing. It’s all a blessing really. Make up my own reality outside of the one that stresses me out 😂. But Jessi would be well taken care of and happy. I used to have a poodle when I was little that I was so mean to. I cry about her all the time because I always wish I could have another chance to give her a better life. Maybe that’s why I’ve been cursed with allergies because I didn’t even deserve Banana. I remember when she came back from Uncle’s I was so happy and I was gonna try to right my wrongs because I missed her. I made her a little bed and everything. She was so happy to be free. She was running wild and I remember LeeLee picked her up. I told her to put her down which I wish I never did. She didn’t do anything wrong, we just always had a rocky relationship when I was a kid and I guess in that moment I didn’t want her holding Banana. She put her down which was the most painful moment I experienced as a kid. She ran in the street and got hit by a red car. I ran to pick up and she bit me; Then died in my arms. It was like I could feel her pain. She was shaking so much and when she bit me I was hoping the scar would never fade as a reminder to treat those you love with kindness while you have them because you may never get a chance to make it right. But I think me having allergies was my reminder that I’m not meant to make anything right in this world. The world didn’t deserve Banana and it honestly doesn’t deserve kind people. But it has them for a reason. God makes no mistakes and out of all of this. I learned to forgive. Forgive myself, others and most of all forgive God. I used to be so mad at God growing up but I still found myself thanking God even while I was hurting. But not forgiving is what always hurt me to be honest. If I would’ve forgave Leelee; Banana wouldn’t have ran out in the street. Holding anger in your heart for anyone or anything will always result in spiritual damage; if not physical. I pray forgiveness reaches all of us while God takes us through this journey called life. It’s not always easy because it makes more sense to us to stay mad. But I promise you it’s not. God bless.