#going seventeen has wiped my tears more than i’d like to admit

[gi4hao]

not to be sappy on main but i genuinely owe so much to seventeen? i’ve been a carat for almost two years now and they’ve been one of my biggest sources of comfort whenever i felt down or was being too harsh on myself. when i moved across the world for my exchange year and felt so scared and alone, when i felt like a monster for ending a relationship in which i did not feel comfortable anymore, when i realized my friend group was slowly falling apart, they managed to bring me some sort of moral support and make me understand that it was okay to not be okay 🤍 i might not be a carat forever but i’ll forever be grateful for them that’s for sure

[weelittleweasley]

technicolor (f.w.)

prompt request by anon: it is said that when you meet your soulmate, you will know because the world that you knew in black and white would turn technicolor. during a harmless game of spin the bottle, you didn’t expect your soulmate to be revealed to you.

warnings: drinking, mentions of eating, mild language

pairing: fred weasley x fem! gryffindor reader

word count: 5.3k

The power of true love was life altering in your world. Literally. The world was painted in shades of blacks, whites, and grays. It always was for those who hadn’t met their true love, their soulmate, their one and only. It was said on the occasion that you had kissed your soulmate, the world before you would erupt into vibrant color. People spent their whole lives, searching for the person who brought color to them. 

Living in a dull, colorless world was mundane to say the least, but it was all you knew. The idea of living in a world of color was an exciting thought to say the least, but in a way it scared you. Suddenly the world as you knew it changing abruptly before your eyes because you had met someone that destiny created for you? It was a scary thought. But in your head, you had nothing to worry about. You didn’t plan on meeting your soulmate any time soon. 

Or so you thought.

Laying upside down on the common room couch, you flipped through the pages of a Quibbler, not really paying attention to the words on the page. You looked on either side of you, Katie painting her nails on your left and Alicia on the right making light chatter with Angelina. Needless to say, the four of you were bored out of your skull. It was a quiet Friday night, nothing happening in the common room. No parties, no quidditch match, no nothing. 

With a groan, you pull yourself up from your inverted position and speak, “So are we all just going to sit around here like a bunch of bums and wait for something exciting to happen?”

Katie sighs, “That’s even if something exciting happens.” She blows on her nails, shaking her hands back and forth to expedite the drying process. “Does anyone have any ideas?”

The two of you look to Alicia and Angelina who just shrug as you throw your head back in annoyance. “Well, someone think of something because I refuse to let a perfectly good Friday night go to waste,” you flop the Quibbler on the table in front of you and hold your arms across your chest. “What can we do to entertain ourselves?”

Alicia stands up and starts pacing, trying to think of something. “We could...sneak some food out from the kitchens? Convince a house elf to sneak us some sweets from dinner two nights ago. Those biscuits were so good,” she thinks out loud.

Katie groans, “The thought of food makes me sick. I ate so much at dinner tonight after Ron challenged me to see how many dinner rolls I could fit into my mouth.”

The thought of Katie with bread rolls in her mouth makes the group chuckle. “Okay, so food is out of the picture,” Alicia speaks with a soft smile. “What about a movie? I can see if Hermione would let me borrow her projector and we could watch one of those movies I have tucked away in my trunk,” she suggests, surveying the group’s reaction.

Angelina makes a sour face. “We had a movie marathon last week, I’d like to do something different,” she tells Alicia who rolls her eyes.

Alicia huffs, plopping herself back onto the couch. “Well, then I’m out of ideas, so you come up with something, Johnson.”

The group sits in a bored silence for a few moments before Angie breaks the silence. “Should I go bother Fred and George? Surely they’ll find something to do. They always make things interesting,” she speaks, raising her brows, gaging her audience’s reaction.

Katie rolls her eyes, “Merlin, Angie, if you want an excuse to see your darling Georgie, you can just say so.” You laugh at her comment and give Katie a teasing high five as Alicia giggles along. Angelina rolls her eyes and leans back on the couch. Angelina and George had been dating ever since sixth year when they kissed after their first date and they had seen the world in color, confirming their soulmate status. Katie mockingly starts teasing Angie now, “Meh, meh, I’m Angie, I love George, I see the world in color. Meh, meh, my sweater is green and not black like you guys see it, blah, blah,” making you cackle, throwing your head back in laughter, clutching your stomach.

You lean into Katie as you laugh, making her laugh harder as Angelina stands up, “Oh, piss off you two! I can’t help it that he’s my soulmate and I found him so early!”

“We’re just teasing you, Angie,” you wipe the tears of laughter from your eyes. “Go on, go fetch the twins. I’m sure they’ll think of something to do. Tell ‘em to bring Jordan with them if he’s around. Lee is always a good time.” Alicia nods in agreement.

With a small smile, Angelina darts off up the stairs to the boys’ dormitory. Alicia shakes her head, “That girl is whipped for the Weasley. I can’t believe she found her soulmate already. We’re not even eighteen yet.”

It was true. It wasn’t unheard of people finding their soulmates at a young age, but it surely wasn’t common. Most people were friends or knew their soulmates for a while before they were aware that they were in fact soulmates. For example, your parents both went to Hogwarts and we friends for years. It wasn’t until after four years after graduation that they realized they were soulmates. You smiled to yourself at the thought of your parents. You wished that you could have a soulmate story like theirs.

Katie folds her arms across her chest, “Quite frankly I hope I don’t meet my soulmate anytime soon. I feel like after you meet your soulmate, you’re expected to drop everything and be with them. But you have your whole lives ahead of you to spend time with each other. I’d rather be single and have fun and live my life in black and white for a while before seeing color with a soulmate.”

In a way you did agree with Katie. Most people who met their soulmate at a young age tended to drop everything in order to be there for their soulmate. Coordinating their lives and schedules to their soulmates, moving cities for them, planning their days around the other. It just seemed so intense. You were seventeen, you couldn’t drop everything right now for another person. 

Moments later, Angelina happily came down the stairs with a large smile on her face as George, Fred, and Lee all trailed behind her. “The entertainment has arrived, ladies,” George speaks with a big beaming smile on his face as you teasingly rolled your eyes.

You sit up and speak, “What entertainment did you bring, Georgie?”

He places a hand over his heart, pretending to be offended at your comment. “Are we not enough for you, (Y/N)? Is our presence not enough?” George mockingly stumbles back. “Freddie, I feel faint! Catch me!”

Dramatically, Fred scoops up his twin brother as George pretends to faint. “Merlin’s beard, (Y/N), look at what you’ve done!” he mockingly screeches as you roll your eyes and giggle. Katie huffs a here we go as she leans back into the couch. The twins always put on a show when they were around you guys. You never minded it; they were quite funny when they wanted to be. “Quick, Lee, we need to revive him!”

Lee, now in on the joke, runs over to the coffee table and clear it quickly. “Bring him here!” he exclaims as Fred lays a fake limp George on the table as you laugh and Alicia scoffs.

“Good Godric, you three are a bunch of idiots,” she huffs with a smile on her face. No matter how much she hated to admit it, this was much better than sitting around and doing nothing.

Fred speaks, “Alright, Lee, give me the reviving potion,” sticking out his hand.

Even more dramatic than before, Lee pulls out a large bottle of fire whiskey from his satchel as he improvises an operatic song as he places it in Fred’s hands. Lee opens George mouth as Fred uncorks the bottle and pours a glug into George’s mouth. George swallows it and dramatically inhales. “I’ve been revived!” he exclaims as the boys cheer.

Katie perks up at the sight of fire whiskey. “Where in the hell did you get a bottle of that?” she sits up and grabs the bottle from Fred’s hands. Lee pulls out a few cups from his satchel and places them on the table, Katie immediately pouring everyone a glass of fire whiskey. 

Fred smiles, “It’s our emergency bottle. In case situations like this happen.”

Folding her arms across her chest, Alicia speaks up, “And exactly how many emergency bottles do you boys have?”

The trio looks at each other before sighing and speaking as a chorus, “Four.”

“Uh huh, that’s what I thought,” she laughs before taking a cup of fire whiskey from Katie, Katie then handing you one. “Well, it’s better than nothing I guess.”

You look at the whiskey in your cup before sighing and taking a sip, the liquid burning your throat, but warming your chest up in all the right ways. A familiar sensation. You hum in contentment. “Better than nothing is damn right,” you smile as the twins chuckle. “What were you lot doing upstairs?”

Lee takes a seat in the chair across from the couch, “Same thing as you gals. Bored out of our skulls. However, these two numbskulls were trying to conjure up a plan to go pull a prank on Filch.” George snickers as Lee flicks the back of his head, earning a small ow. “Good thing you all were bored too otherwise I would have been dragged into that mess.”

Fred scoffs, “Oh please, you wish you could pull off a prank at the caliber that Georgie and I do. Isn’t that right, brother?” He turns to George who is already cuddled up next to Angelina on the love seat, arm wrapped around her shoulders, pulling her close next to him. Fred rolls his eyes and makes a gagging sound. “You two make me sick.”

George just pulls Angie closer to his side as Angie blushes a deep crimson. “You’re just jealous, Freddie. I’ve got a hot girlfriend and I can see the world in color, making it quite obvious that you, dear brother, are green with envy.” Angie rolls her eyes, but still places a soft kiss to George’s cheek.

Fred shakes his head, “He’s gone soft, Lee. We’ve lost one of our bravest soldiers.” 

“Piss off,” Angie speaks up, defending her boyfriend as Freddie chuckles, lips turning into a gorgeous smile. “Now that we’ve all got our drinks, let’s really get the party started...” she wiggles her eyebrows. “Katie Bell, truth or dare.”

Katie groans and sips her fire whiskey before deciding what she wants to do. As she ponders, you see Fred scoot over to you as you giggle, him dragging his bum on the floor, making his way to you. Fred smiles up at you, “This seat taken?” he refers to the spot on the floor right in front of your legs.

You shake your head with a smile, “It’s got your name written all over it, Weasley.”

Fred gives you a cheeky grin, “Brilliant.”

He turns around and leans his back up against your legs and rests one of his arms on your knees. You and Fred were close friends. In fifth year when Angelina confessed to you that she had a crush on George, you started spending more time with the twins and developed a close relationship with them and Lee. You, in particular, got along with Fred like a house on fire. The two of you loved to crack jokes on the sidelines, teasing George and Angie, giggling and stealing little glances here and there.

Angelina always told you that you and Fred would make a cute couple. She insisted she saw the way that Fred looked at you, but you always brushed it off as if it were nothing. You and Fred were friends, nothing more, nothing less. A partnership would just totally ruin the vibe between the two of you. There was no point to it. Even though you may have always admired Fred’s looks from a far and his charming personality, you had finally convinced yourself that you and Fred Weasley were platonic.

As Fred leaned up against your legs, sipping on his whiskey, your eyes found Angie’s as she lifted her brows, looking at you knowingly, sending you a look that said Oh? You rolled your eyes and shook your head, responding with your eyes, No way. She just shrugged and sipped her fire whiskey nonchalantly as if to say Whatever you say...You just brushed it off and leaned back as Katie challenged Lee to a dare.

----------

The night progressed and the drinking continued and the bottle got less and less full. Soon enough, the common room was full of your tipsy giggles as the lot of you cracked jokes with each other. You hugged your sides as you cackled as Fred did a spot on impression of Draco Malfoy as he mimicked him walking through the halls, yelling “Potter!” every now and then. Of course, the humor was amplified by the liquor in your hands, but it still was hilarious. The whole group was in a fit of giggles as Lee quite literally fell to the floor from laughter too hard.

Alicia laid her head in your lap as she laughed, wiping tears from her eyes as you all recovered from laughter. “Fred, that was brilliant. You’ll have to show Harry tomorrow morning,” she tells him as Fred plops down next to you on the couch, stealing Katie’s spot as she was now sat on the floor next to Lee. 

Fred chuckles and rests his arm around the back of the couch, gently hovering behind you as you suddenly become very aware of his presence. You spot Angelina out of your periphery vision as she smirks to herself before leaning over and whispering something in George’s ear, making George look at you with a devilish smirk on his lips. Your gaze towards them hardens as you mouth, Knock it off. George just smiles and sips his drink quietly, pretending to mind his own business. 

You turn to Fred and give him a soft smile as he drops his left eye in a wink, making your heart skip a beat. “Easy, Weasley,” you say in a cautious tone as he lifts his arms in defense. You shake your head and lean back into the couch, bumping into his arm that is draped across the back of the couch. Neither of you bother moving. 

Alicia rises from your lap and reaches for the fire whiskey bottle, but groans in defeat when she realizes it’s empty. “Bloody hell,” she groans. She looks to Lee and begs, “Is it appropriate to call this an emergency and you can grab another one of your emergency fire whiskeys?”

Lee laughs, “I regret to inform you we have a one emergency bottle a night policy.” Alicia groans and flops back onto the couch. Suddenly, a light bulb goes off in Lee’s mind, making his eyes grow wide and a little smile dance on his lips. “However,” he wiggles his brows and surveys the group. “Now that we’ve got an empty bottle, I think we all know where we can take this party...”

Looking up from her cup, Katie says, “Where are we taking the party? Are we going to bed?” she asks with sadness in her voice. “But the night is so young!”

Shaking his head, Lee looks at Katie. “Are you daft, Bell?” he asks as she rolls her eyes, sipping her whiskey. “I meant we could play a cheeky game of spin the bottle,” Lee suggests.

Alicia huffs, “Really, Jordan? What are we? Fourth years?”

“Oh, come on, Spinnet, it’s just to add a little spice to the mix,” Lee shimmies his shoulders making you laugh. “Besides, it gives you an excuse to have the privilege of planting a sloppy one on me.”

Alicia fake gags. “I’d rather spend a whole day with Professor Snape,” she spits as Lee laughs.

George speaks up now, “Angie and I will sit this one out, but we will watch the show.” He pulls Angie impossibly closer to him as she cuddles into his chest. “For obvious reasons,” he smirks. Fred boos his brother and throws his now empty cup of fire whiskey at him. “What? I am not kissing someone other than my literal soulmate,” he rationalizes. “Besides, you’ve got five players. That’s enough. That is, if everyone is comfortable playing.”

The group all looks at each other, gaging everyone’s feelings of playing a cheeky game. You had to admit you’d rather not play a game as childish as spin the bottle, but for a weird reason, you were keen on playing at least one round. As you looked around, it seemed like everyone was on board to play. 

Your eyes meet Fred’s for a moment as he looks at you, his eyes darting from your eyes to your lips for a split second, hoping you wouldn’t catch him. You quickly turn away, trying to hide the heat on your cheeks. “I don’t see the harm in one game,” you shrug as you see Fred smile from the corner of your eye. Lee claps his hands cheering as Alicia and Katie agree.

Fred speaks up, “Well, I can’t let Lee be the only bloke having all the fun, now can I?” 

Everyone is on board with the game as Lee cheers, “Alright! Five for five!” He places the empty bottle of fire whiskey on its side in order to spin it. “Everyone knows the rules. You spin and kiss whomever it lands on, no matter who it is. I’m looking at you, Weasley. If you land on me, I expect the best snog of my life,” he teases as you all laugh wildly. “Whomever the bottle lands on gets the next spin. All good?” Everyone nods. Lee smiles, “Groovy. Welp, youngest goes first. Bell, you’re up.”

Katie giggles, “Put on your chapstick, you lucky sons of bitches.” Alicia laughs as Katie reaches and spins the bottle. The bottle does a series of spins, turning clockwise as she anticipates who she’ll be planting a kiss on. She nervously dances back and forth as you watch her with a small smile on your face.

Slowly the bottle stops spinning to land gently on Fred. Your heart stops for a second and your mouth runs dry. You blink a few times and swallow hard. The group all claps their hands and laughs as Katie rolls her eyes. You on the other couldn’t help but have a tight feeling in your chest. You force a smile on your face before you look at Angelina quickly. She raises her brows, monitoring your reaction as you just shake your head, letting her know you were fine.

Katie scoots over to Fred as Fred leans down. “Get ready for your mind to be blown,” Fred jokes as Katie slaps his arm.

You watch very intently as Fred ducks his head down to connect his lips with Katie. You stop breathing for a moment as you watch Fred kiss one of your closest friends. Your palms start sweating and you pull yourself away from looking at them kiss. Lee and Alicia oooh and giggle as you look at Angie, eyes screaming at her, Okay maybe I’m not fine. 

She gives you a nervous smile and mouths, “It’s just a silly game.”

You nod your head and shake it off. It was a silly game. That’s all. A stupid, silly, childish game. It meant nothing. You knew Katie didn’t like Fred like that. She had fancied Adrian Pucey for a few months now. This kiss meant literally nothing.

It felt like the kiss had lasted for hours when it was a brief five seconds. Katie pulls away from the kiss and returns to her position on the floor. Fred just smirks and leans back in his seat, dragging his thumb across his bottom lip. You watch as he does so, the small gesture being surprisingly attractive to you as you gulp. But you quickly turn around so Fred doesn’t catch you watching.

Katie laughs, “Eh, you’re nothing to ride home about, Freddie. Hate to break it to you.”

Fred shrugs, “It’s alright, Bell. The first stage of grieving is denial. You’ll eventually accept that that kiss was the best one of your life.”

Lee cackles as Fred joins him in his laugher before leaning over and spinning the bottle for himself. The bottle spins round and round and round as you watch it, the bottle hypnotizing you. You secretly wished that the bottle would land on you, wanting to be able to kiss Fred Weasley and getting the confirmation that you didn’t like Fred in that way. But honestly, you just hoped it was anyone but Katie or Alicia. 

The bottle slowly stopped spinning as it gently landed on Lee, making the group erupt in laughter. Lee’s lips drew up in a devilish smile as he rubbed his hands together, “Here I come, big boy!” he exclaims, making you laugh even harder.

Fred laughs and sits up in his seat. “Give it to me, Jordan,” he challenges.

Lee springs to his feet and grabs Fred’s face with both hands, squeezing his cheeks together before smashing his lips on Fred’s. Fred is laughing as Lee kisses him roughly, rocking him back and forth. George is absolutely dying of laughter, falling into his chair as the rest of the group squeals. 

Alicia grabs onto your arms, squeezing you as she laughs, you doing the same. The kiss happens for a while as you cackle, “Good Godric, come up for some air why don’t you?”

With a smack, Lee pulls off of Fred as Fred falls back in his seat. Fred’s eyes are wide as Lee wipes his lips. “And that,” Lee points to Fred, “is how you kiss someone. Not that pathetic thing you gave Katie.”

The group comes down from laughing at Lee spins the bottle for himself. The cycle repeats for a while. Lee kisses Alicia, Alicia kisses you, you kiss Katie, Katie kisses Lee, and then the bottle spins again. Lee spins and the bottle gently lands on you as you giggle. “I’m expecting excellence, Lee Jordan,” you eye him as he laughs. “Not going to lie, Alicia might give you a run for your money.”

Lee rolls his eyes, “In her dreams.”

You giggle before the two of you close the gap between you two, kissing each other. The kiss is honestly not bad. Lee’s lips tasted of the fire whiskey along with vanilla and sugar. The kiss was gentle, but not bad at all. Your friends around you all cheer and oooh at you two in typical fashion as you both smile into the kiss. You pull away and Lee sends you a wink. “The reviews are in,” you speak. “Not bad, Jordan. Not bad at all. Actually, pretty damned good!”

Lee pumps his arm. “Hah! Take that, Spinnet!”

“Alright, my turn to spin,” you giggle and excitedly spin the bottle.

The bottle spins and spins and spins as everyone waits in anxious anticipation. Who could it be? Slowly, the bottle stops spinning and lands on the person right next to you, Mr. Fred Weasley.

Your heart stops as your mouth goes dry. Everyone immediately erupts into cheers, specifically George who springs onto his feet. “Oh, I’ve been waiting for this one!” he cheers as you gulp.

Kissing Fred Weasley? Maybe this game was a mistake. 

You stare at the bottle, and then to Angie who wears the biggest grin on her face, and then back at the bottle and finally to Fred. His eyes stare back at you as you gulp. A smirk dances on Fred’s lips as you suck in a breath. The whole group stares at the pair of you, silent, waiting for something to happen. 

The tension between you and Fred was so thick you could cut it with a knife. “Cat got your tongue, (Y/L/N)?” Fred teases you as he scoots a little closer to you. You suck in a shaky breath as he chuckles lowly.

You snap yourself out of this anxious gaze and speak, confidence now coursing through your veins. You were going to kiss your best friend and it was happening now. “Make your move, Weasley,” you challenge with flirtation laced in your voice.

Fred smiles, “No need to tell me twice,” he lowly whispers.

Immediately, Fred cups your cheek and brings your lips to his. Your lips connect and the whole group loudly cheers and screams. You hear Lee scream, “Oh shit! Oh shit! Oh shit!” 

But you couldn’t care what was happening. You were kissing Fred. Your heart was beating a mile a minute. Fred’s lips were soft, but demanding as they pressed firmly onto yours. His lips tasted of sweet cinnamon and spice; his lips were like a personal drug that you couldn’t get enough of. You pressed your lips harder against his as you both sucked in a breath, your hand resting on his forearm. His lips moved gently against yours as you both enjoyed this kiss too much for a friendly game of spin the bottle. 

You opened up your mouth enough for Fred to slide his tongue in, massaging his with yours as you moan just loudly enough for Fred to hear, making him smile into your kiss. As the group watched you two softly snog, they only cheer louder. You were too involved in relishing in the way Fred’s lips felt pressed against yours to care about how your friends were reacting.

The kiss was everything you wanted a first kiss with someone to be. It was gentle, but didn’t lack in passionate or desire. His lips moved in sync with yours as you followed his lead, his tongue dancing with yours. It was exactly how you imagined kissing Fred Weasley.

You are pulled from your thoughts when George cries out, “For Merlin’s sake Freddie, don’t eat the poor girl!”

Gently, you break the kiss as Fred’s lips follow yours for a moment, not wanting the kiss to end just yet. The two of you keep your eyes closed, relishing in the moment that you two shared.

Lee laughs, “Is it just me or is it hot in here?”

You giggle and gently pry your eyes open. But that’s when you gasp.

You look at Fred who sits in front of you in full color. His bright red hair contrasting against the light blue thermal shirt he wears. His brown eyes stare at you just as much in shock. 

It happened.

“Merlin’s beard...” you whisper.

The room fall silent as your friends stare at the two of you in confusion, wondering what could have possibly happened that made the two of you stare at each other in shock.

“Is it...” you start.

“Yeah,” Fred answers. He lets out a light laugh. “Yeah, it is.”

You let out a light laugh with him and slowly, look around the room taking in your surroundings, the whole common room in beautiful colors of maroon and gold. Color dances everywhere as you let out an amazed chuckle. 

Looking at Angie with amazement, she suddenly realizes exactly what’s going on. A smile erupts on her face as she lets out a sigh. “Good Godric,” she breathes. She looks at George. “It happened.”

The entire group registers what is happening as they stare at the two of you in awe as you two take in your surroundings gentle. “Oh shit,” Lee breathes out with a smile. “That’s bloody brilliant...”

You look back at Fred who just wears a gentle smile on his face as you look deeply into his chocolate brown eyes that swim with amazement and adoration. You could look into those eyes forever. And lucky for you, that’s what you were going to do. 

Breaking the silence, Angelina says, “We’ll leave you two to it then. Guys...”

Your friends all start to leave the common room, running up the stairs to the dormitories, definitely to chat about what just happened.

You are now left with Fred in the common room, sitting on the couch together, staring at each other in technicolor. “Hi, Freddie,” you breathe out with a smile.

Fred smiles, “Hi, (Y/N),” he reciprocates. The two of you just take the other one in for a few moments as you gulp. What were you supposed to say? What were you supposed to do? Merlin’s sake, this was supposed to be a cheeky game of spin the bottle and all of a sudden. “We’re soulmates,” Fred speaks plainly.

“I guess so,” you laugh. You gently bite your lip. “I never thought it would be you, Fred.”

He inhales a long breath. “I had a feeling,” Fred admits as you teasingly smack his arm. “I’m glad I was right,” he confesses as you blush. “You have the most beautiful eyes I’ve ever seen. With and without color,” he tells you. “I didn’t think that you could get more gorgeous, but color has proved me wrong.”

You shake your head, “Freddie...” you trail off, blushing wildly, crimson appearing on your cheeks for the first time. Fred takes your hand in his and gently rubs his thumb over your knuckles. You give into his touch, nothing feeling more right. “I’m so glad it’s you.”

Fred lifts your hand up to his lips and presses a kiss to your knuckles. “We’re soulmates,” he repeats himself as you nod. “Wow...so, we get to spend forever with each other, huh? You’re going to get really tired of me, aren’t you?” he jokes as you laugh.

“I could never grow tired of you,” you confess, squeezing his hand. You run your hand through his red hair. The signature of the Weasleys that you could finally see now. “I do have to say though,” you start. “I was not expecting your hair to be this red.”

Fred laughs, “Get used to it, darling. You’ll be staring at it for the rest of your life. Not to mention, the Weasley genetics are strong. Sorry to say that if we decide to have kids, they’ll end up like this.”

You roll your eyes, “Let’s not get ahead of ourselves, Freddie.” He smiles and sends you a wink. “So,” you breathe out. “What do we do now?”

He inhales deeply and sighs. “Well,” he starts. “I think we ought to tell people, specifically our parents,” he says as you nod. “But other than that, we do what we want.” You gaze into Fred’s eyes and smile. “(Y/N), we have the rest of our lives together. There’s no rush. We can go at our own pace. We don’t have to pay attention to what people say we should be doing. I’m just happy that we’ve found each other that way we can start forever now.”

Your heart fills with joy and adoration at his words. You had always worried that you wouldn’t love soulmate, nevertheless like them, but loving Fred Weasley was going to be the easiest task of your life. Living your forever in color together.

“Sounds good to me, Weasley,” you smile.

Fred leans in and closes the gap between you two, kissing you again sweetly like he had done minutes ago for the first time. His lips are even gentler than before on yours as you smile into the kiss. Fred pull away and smiles, “Reckon we go upstairs and get the teasing out of the way from the lot?”

You take a moment. “Let’s wait a little while. We have forever for them to tease us. We’ll only have this moment for a short time.”

He shakes his head. “Merlin, you’re perfect.”

And there the two of you laid in each other’s arms, taking in the new colorful world before you, souls now connected forever. And you wouldn’t have it any other way.

[goddessofmischief]

PART TWO TO NOAH OMG I neeeeeeeeed to know how this evolves please omg please I need more!!!

I’m gonna make it a series yesss. This part was inspired by the Office.

Part 3

Noah, Part 2 - Peter Maximoff x Reader

“Is he mine?”

“What?” you uttered, attempting to appear absentminded, and flipping through an instructional guide Charles had given you.

“Noah. Is he... is he my kid? 'Cause if he is, Y/N... he deserves to know. Y’know? I could teach him so much.”

You swallowed.

“And you wouldn't teach him otherwise?”

“I didn’t say that,” countered Peter. “But he deserves to know. We both do. And, c’mon, think about it...”

He reached for your hand. You flinched.

“We could, y’know... try it again. The two of us. Get married, even... if you wanted to.”

You slammed the guide shut.

“Well, it doesn’t matter,” you said, brusquely. “He’s not your son.”

“Really? Platinum hair and super-speed?”

“I know, Peter. But it doesn’t matter now. So just... just take your marriage proposal and go. Please?”

He left. ...

Things hadn’t much improved since then.

You still saw Peter, now and then, because he’d practically become your son’s primary guardian. Not a day went by without a new complaint from Charles about something they’d defaced, usually together.

And as for you? Well, you’d settled back into life at the Academy. Erik had invited you to fill a teaching position, and you loved your new job. Turned out, there was a lot more to being an X-Man than just being shot at. That was different, these days. Better. These kids had opportunities you never did.

Opportunities your son would have.

You sighed, wiping the chalkboard off with a small eraser.

“Hey, teach.” Peter.

“Hey, Maximoff,” you said, subconsciously adjusting the dress you wore. “Surprised to see you without your, um, double.”

“Eh, Noah had to go to class. Can’t blame him... he’s a good kid. A lot like you used to be.”

Your jaw dropped.

“Used to be?” you said, feeling an odd mix of angry and playful. “The hell do you mean, Maximoff?”

“Well, I just mean... when I first met you, you were the student-iest student I’d ever met. Then, a little bit later...”

You shrugged, leaning against the chalkboard.

“We can’t all spend our troubled youths playing Pac-Man - and hey... it did pay off. I did well for myself, in the real world.”

“Really?”

“Oh, yeah. Before I figured out that Noah was... y’know, special... I made a pretty good life for us. I was an art curator, you know. Yeah. It was...”

You inhaled.

“Wonderful. Scary, too. I was terrified. But it didn’t matter. Even if I hadn’t done well for myself, out there... I had to know.

I had to know that there was something more to me than... just some powers I was born with. Something I could never control.”

“Because you gave up,” Peter countered. “You grew up too fast. If you’d stayed at the Academy, learned a little more... you could’ve been like us.”

“Like you? Idiots in yellow spandex? No, thanks.”

“You’re just jealous, you know that?”

“Yeah, maybe I do!” you shouted, and both of you were far past joking now. “Maybe I am jealous! Maybe I’m jealous that I’m... that I’m a mom, and I gave all that up because I wanted Noah. And I chose that, Peter. It’s not like it’s something bad that happened. Noah saved me. But... you think I don’t wish I could’ve been an X-Man? You think I don’t wish I could’ve been special, like you?”

You were shaking, now, and he tried to comfort you.

“Hey... hey, it’s okay,” Peter said. “Tell you what... Noah’s out of class in ten minutes. How about you and me take him out for lunch, huh? We can hang out on the lawn, under the trees. Like we... like we used to.”

You nodded, drying your tear-stained cheeks.

“And - - hey,” said Peter, hanging on the doorframe. “If you’d stayed... I just wanted you to know, I think about that a lot, too.”

...

And the day was... beautiful.

Erik and Charles were surprisingly good teachers - a trait you hadn’t really observed in your years at the Academy. But you had to admit, Noah was improving.

“This time,” said Noah, stretching, “I’m gonna make it five times around the forest... under twenty seconds!”

“You got it, buddy!” Peter exclaimed, giving him an enthusiastic high-five.

Noah sprinted away.

“He’s a good kid, y’know?” said Peter, fondly, reclining on the grass beside you.

“Yeah... he is. I don’t know where he gets it from, honestly,” you said, lying through your teeth.

“It has been more than twenty seconds, though.” “Yeah, it has,” you said, raising your voice, “HEY, NOAH, it’s getting late - you have school tomorrow!” Peter made a face.

“Come on, no kid’s gonna go for that. HEY, NOAH,” he shouted, matching your tone, “COME BACK AND WE CAN WATCH A SERIOUSLY GRIZZLY R-RATED MOVIE-”

You smacked him. “Ow!”

“Do you remember when you made me watch Friday the 13th, Peter? ‘Cause I do.”

“You were such a wimp about it, too. You kept holding on to me.”

You laughed at the memory.

“That was for a whole other reason, you know. I wanted you to think I was cute.”

“...Oh. I did. I do.”

Suddenly, you were seventeen again -- lost in Peter Maximoff’s eyes.

...Until an ear-piercing scream brought you crashing back down to Earth.

[kookiesjoonies]

risk it — jjk | nine.

risk it | nine: one more chance.

a/n: i know this update is kinda late, pls forgive me. xo 

↠ main pairing: tattoo artist!jungkook x salon owner!reader

↠ side ships: namjin, vmin (fwb), hoseok x makeup artist!oc

↠ word count: 2.1k

↠ warnings: angst (duh lol), language 

SERIES SUMMARY:

✧ a drunken text ends with you wrapped up in the arms of your ex-boyfriend. aka the man that you dumped two years prior, after he refused to marry you. suddenly, all of the feelings that you’d seemingly had buried come rushing back up to the surface, and you’re not sure how long you can ignore them.

Jungkook’s hands were gripped onto the steering wheel so tightly that his knuckles had begun to turn white. His lips were pursed, brows narrowed, and chest heaving with angry breaths as he drove toward your salon. 

He had half a mind to turn around and drive in the opposite direction— to your apartment, where Yoongi was, and pummel him into the ground until he was bruised and bloody from head to toe. 

But he wanted to see you more. He wanted to tell you exactly what he thought about you having sex with his ex best friend, and he wanted to know exactly what the two of you had done together. 

Ever since Taehyung had sent that fucking picture in the group chat, it was all he could think about. He kept imagining Yoongi’s hands traveling up and down your body, Yoongi’s mouth trailing down your stomach, and every time he’d envision Yoongi fucking you into your mattress all he saw was red. 

When he finally pulled into a parking spot outside of the front door, he took a deep breath and ran the palms of his hands down his face in an attempt to mentally prepare himself for what was to come. 

The sign above the door read Kookie Cutters, and he couldn’t help but to shake his head as memories of the two of you together flooded back in. 

He was lying next to you on your shared bed, one hand mindlessly on your breast (as it always seemed to be), while his other hand held the television remote. 

You’d been trying to come up with a name for your business all afternoon, and at first, he was eager to help. But after you shot down all fifty of his suggestions, he’d resorted to just nodding and grunting as he let you ramble on. 

 “I want the name to be something unique, yet personal. Something that nobody else has thought of.” 

He nodded his head in agreement, attention more focused on the soccer game in front of him than on your words. 

You rolled your eyes, plucking a pillow from behind his head and swatting him with it. 

“Hey! I was listening!” He insisted, swatting your attack away with his hands. 

“Uh huh, so what did I say?” You lifted a brow, hands on your hips. 

He smirked at your newfound attitude, always finding it so adorable and endearing. 

“Alright, alright. You caught me.” He admitted, to which you let out an annoyed sounding huff. 

“Kook! This is important!” your eyes lit up then, a theoretical lightbulb switching on above your head, “Wait, that’s it! I’ve got the name!” 

“Care to share with the rest of the class?” Jungkook teased, and you playfully punched his shoulder. 

“Kookie Cutters, but… spelled like your name.” You visibly blushed as you told him your suggestion, and he was sure you were the cutest person he’d ever laid eyes on.

“Sounds good to me.”

Jungkook inhaled one final deep breath before wrapping his hand around the door handle and opening it up, stepping inside of the decently sized building. 

He was immediately greeted with the smell of bleach and hairspray, the sound of gossiping hairdressers and clients buzzing through his ears. 

The place had grown impressively since the last time he’d been. You’d obviously hired more help, as well as made several renovations to the store’s overall aesthetic. The walls that used to be the ugliest shade of puke green were now a stylish cool toned grey, and the once tile floors had been replaced with dark rustic hardwood. You’d replaced the cheap light fixtures with spectacular chandeliers, and the waiting area that used to have a sofa and a small tv now housed several chairs and two wall mounted flat screens.

It suited the place, he thought. It suited you. 

“You look lost.” A feminine voice pulled him out of his trance, and he turned to face none other than Lee Mina. 

He offered her a small shrug, his eyes still looking the place over and attempting to catch sight of anything he might’ve missed. 

“Just impressed, is all. Looks a lot different than it did two years ago. Well, I mean, other than the name.” 

“You’re a cocky son of a bitch, you know that?” The brunette crossed her arms over her chest and tapped her toes on the floor below, exuding annoyance from every single one of her pores. 

“I’ve been told that a time or two, yeah.” He confessed, looking past her and scanning the other women in the salon— looking for you. 

“She’s in her office,” Mina informed, “but I highly doubt she wants to see you.” 

“I told her I was on my way here.” 

“Awfully bold of you to come into a place filled to the brim with scissors and bleach, don’t you think?” Mina held a bite to her voice that damn near sent shivers down the man’s spine. 

Luckily, you finally made an appearance and stood beside your hard headed friend. 

“Down, girl,” you placed a hand on her shoulder, nodding toward the waiting area, “you’ve got a client, no time for poisoning my ex boyfriend.” 

“Trust me,” she started, shooting a death glare in Jungkook’s direction as she began to walk away, “I can make time.” 

Jungkook was sure that if looks could kill, he’d be six feet under right now. 

“She doesn’t like me, does she?” 

You scoffed, hands on your hips.

“Can you blame her?” 

No, he couldn’t. 

He sighed, rubbing nervously at the back of his neck, “Can we go somewhere and talk?” 

You nodded, “Yeah, we can go into my office. Follow me.” 

He did as he was told, keeping a safe distance between the two of you as he walked behind you. 

“I like what you’ve done with the place, by the way.” 

You mumbled a thank you as you opened up your wooden office door, stepping aside and gesturing him to go in before you. 

Your office was just as impressive as the main space, but Jungkook could tell that you’d taken the time to make this room more personal. Pictures of you and your friends hung on the wall behind where your glass desk was sat, and he’d be lying if he said it didn’t upset him to see that there weren’t any pictures of you two. Not that he’d expected there to be. 

Apparently, you could see the way that his face seemed to fall at that realization, and you were quickly bumping his hip to turn his attention to the picture frame beside your laptop. 

It was a photo of you and Jungkook, around seventeen years old, he guessed. His hair was much shorter, and his skin had a lot less ink— as in, had no ink. Yours was the same way, bare and tattooless. Jungkook was kissing your cheek in the photo, and you were grinning from ear to ear with your metal braces on full display. 

He couldn’t help but to reach out and touch it, allowing his fingers to ghost over the picture as he reminisced about the past. You’d become his everything when the two of you were just sixteen, the typical high school sweethearts cliché. 

He shared his first kiss with you, and you shared yours with him. It was so bad— teeth clacking and tongues unsure of what to do. But eventually, the two of you figured it out. Together. 

Your first time having sex was even worse, because neither of you even managed to cum. Maybe you would’ve, if Jungkook’s mom hadn’t walked in in the middle of it and proceeded to give you the world’s longest speech about how she was too young for grandchildren. 

“Did you really think I’d have pictures of everyone else, but leave you out?” You asked, taking a step forward and leaning your back against the desk beside him. 

“Guess it shouldn’t shock me,” he shrugged, straightening his posture as he sat on the edge of the desk and allowed one leg to dangle down, “seeing as how I still have a picture of you on my station at the shop.” 

“You know,” he laughed, shaking his head, “I was so mad before I came here. Really, my blood was boiling. But as soon as I laid eyes on you—“ 

“Don’t,” you cut him off with a wave of your hand, “just say what you came here to say, Jungkook. 

You weren’t looking at him, your eyes were staring straight forward at the frames hanging on the wall in front of you. He could see the way they were glossed over, tears threatening to spill out at any moment. 

He’d made you cry so many times before, and every single time he did he felt like he was dying— like all of the air was being slowly sucked from his lungs. 

“Bug, don’t cry,” he stood in front of you instantly, his hands instinctively finding their way onto the sides of your face, “I just wanted to apologize, to tell you that I’m sorry for hurting you.” 

You closed your eyes, and to his surprise, leaned into his touch. He swiped his thumb across your cheekbone as a single tear fell down, tucking a loose strand of hair behind your ear. 

“You keep saying that,” you choked out, fully allowing the sobs to take over your body now, “but you don’t ever make any effort to stop doing it!” 

Your body began to shake, and you could no longer hold yourself up. The weight of everything that had happened recently, and in the past, was clearly getting to you. You fell against Jungkook’s chest as you continued to choke out pitiful sobs, and he used his strong arms to hold your body up to keep you from slipping to the ground. 

“I c-can’t do this anymore, Kook! I’m so in love with you that I feel it in every inch of my body, but all you seem to want to do is h-hurt me,” you continued to ramble, using the back of your hand to wipe at your nose, “and I know you don’t mean to sometimes. But sometimes y-you do! And I just— I miss you, I miss who you used to be. I miss the guy that loved me and treated me right when we were teenagers! I know he’s in there somewhere, so either dig deep and f-find him or stay the f-fuck out of my life because I—“ 

The sound of Jungkook’s own sobbing cut you off. He’d begun stroking your hair with his hand as he let you get everything out, but it wrecked him to know he was making you feel this way. 

“I’ll try and be better, I swear to God I will. You’re all I’ve ever fucking wanted, and I am so sorry for all the hurt and pain I’ve caused you. You deserve so much better than me,” he lifted your chin with his fingers so that his sad eyes could meet your own, “but if you’ll give me one more chance… I swear I’ll be the man that you need me to be.” 

He could tell that the gears of your mind were working in overdrive, weighing out the pros and cons of putting your trust in him again. He hoped with every fiber of his being that you would, because come hell or high water, he was going to prove to you that he was worth your love again. 

You lifted your hands up to meet his face, wiping his tears from his cheeks and tucking his long strands of hair behind his ears. 

“Okay. One more chance.” 

The sigh of relief that Jungkook breathed out could no doubt be heard from the other side of the world. He nodded once, taking in the fact that you’d actually agreed to have him in your life full time again, even on a trial basis. 

His forehead leaned against your own as he pulled you tighter against him, giving your body with the tightest embrace— scared that at any moment, you’d change your mind and run in the opposite direction. 

“I promise you won’t regret this, bug. I mean it, I—“ 

Jungkook was cut off by Mina swinging open the door to your office and announcing your presence with her seemingly always excited, high pitched voice. 

“Oh, my God! I’m sorry, I-I didn’t mean to interrupt, it’s just— uhm,” she was stammering awkwardly, and speaking way too quickly, “Yn, you uhm… have a client. She’s waiting for you.” 

You gave her a quick nod, letting her know that you’d be out in just a minute as you wiped at the mascara running under your eyes. 

“Call me later?” you asked, finally breaking away from your ex lover’s hold, “We have a lot more to talk about.” 

“Sure thing.” 

As you turned to exit the room, you stood up on the tips of your toes and placed a hand on Jungkook’s shoulder before allowing your lips to peck a kiss to his cheek. 

“Get home safe, Kook.” 

⇠ masterlist ⇢

a/n: if you’d like to be added to the tag list, send me an ask! thanks for reading!

tag list: @ppersonna @taetaewonderland @preciouschimine @agaassi @honeyoongles @jinhitwhore @alterlovess @dontaskshhhhh @bonobonoya2001 @fan-ati–c @diorhobii @athenakyle @nerdycookiemonster-1222 @ashleyjoyx @sadgalsadpal @shaktibhardwaj @jeonsbananamilk @bat-shark-repellant @jkhey97 @sterynlis @aizuwusho @krystle1990 @crazylittlemay @betysotelo18 @cypheruby @deadleaves278 @awesomekpoptrashblogposts @styxdagger @kookoo-kachoo @jungkooksseuphoria @imluckybitches @ayasanuwu @sugaminh @kisskoos @tae165 @themyscirarey @janetgordyx3 @mini-coop25 @out-of-jams @sugalarity @yoongissugarmommy @missseoulite @amoreguk @meesheru @namugguk @guksweet @55west81st @barbikatherine @ilyeuphoria @jeon-joker

if you aren’t tagged, it’s because tumblr won’t let me tag certain people for some reason. so sorry! :(

[i-just-like-to-see-you-happy]

In Another Life

So this is a bit of a story I wanted to do but will probably never finish. I thought you all might want to see it even though it’s not done. It has a beginning and an end, and a bit of a middle. So you can still kinda get the gist.

The premise is that Luke and Lorelai are plucked from their own timeline  circa "Take the Deviled Eggs" and dropped in the middle of the civil war-era.  November 2003/June 1766-May 1767

Oh and it even has two playlists, because three-years-ago-me was extra: In Another Life (orchestral soundtrack), and In Another Life (thematic soundtrack)

--

She frowned at him. “Luke?”

He nodded at her. “Miss Gilmore.”

“Why are you dressed like that?”

“Like what?” He asked.

Lorelai pointed at his clothes. “Like you're the eighteenth century you. Did Taylor finally get to you?”

Luke gaped at her. “Are… are you talking about Taylor Doose?”

She scoffed at him. “Of course I'm talking about Taylor Doose, what other Taylor do you know?”

"No, I meant-" He sighed. "Taylor Doose, town selectman?"

"Yes."

"Of Stars Hollow."

"Again, yes. Did you hit your head or something? Are you okay?"

“Lorelai, look around.” Luke said in a low voice. “What do you see?”

Lorelai rolled her eyes, but looked around like Luke asked. “I see… stables. Horses. Trees. I'm sorry, is there something I should be looking for?”

“How about cars? Power lines? Electric lights? Any trace of technology, anywhere?”

Lorelai frowned. Luke was right. There wasn't anything like that. She even reached into her pocket, where her cellphone should have been.

“Impossible.” Lorelai muttered, and checked the other pocket. “This is impossible.”

“That's what I thought.” Luke said, looking grave. “I thought it was just a dream, until I burned my hand earlier.”

“How did you do that?”

“I was working.”

“You work a lot in your dreams?”

“You'd be surprised.” He muttered. “Anyway, once I got burned and I didn’t wake up, I knew that something was seriously weird.”

“So you came out here to talk to me?”

“No, I came out here cause Rory brought me a message from you, saying that there was a broken door latch that needed fixed, so apparently whenever we ended up, I'm still you're go to guy for repairs.”

“Wait, whenever? As in-”

“Welcome to seventeen-sixty-six.”

--

Lorelai sat heavily on the porch, and Luke sat next to her.

"Seventeen-sixty-six!”

"Yup."

"As in one seven six six?"

"Yes."

"The year seventeen seventy-six?"

"Yes."

“How?!”

“Not a clue.” Luke said. “All I know is, I woke up this morning, and I wasn't in my apartment. Got dressed in the clothes I assumed were mine, went downstairs. Turns out, I own and run a restaurant.”

“Well, somethings just don't change.” Lorelai said. “So, who am I here? Where are we?”

Luke smiled at her. “You’re still Lorelai Gilmore, near as I can tell. You're the owner of the Dragonfly Hotel.”

“I- I... I own an inn?!”

“I thought you’d be pleased.”

“I own an inn?” Lorelai repeated. “What about Sookie?”

Luke shrugged. “Don’t know. Jess only mentioned you.”

Lorelai did a double take. “I’m sorry, did you say Jess?”

Luke nodded. “Yeah, he lives with me. Been living with me for a while, apparently.”

“What about his mom?”

Again Luke shrugged. “Don’t know. I figure that however this happened, if I’m still me and Jess is… well, still Jess, then Liz must not be too different either.”

“So Jess is still… Holden Caufield."

"Dean." Luke said suddenly.

"Or James Dean, sure."

"No, Dean." Luke said, pointing. "Forester."

Lorelai looked up. Sure enough there was Dean. He approached them, and greeted them politely. "Miss Gilmore. Mr. Danes."

"Dean." Lorelai said. "What brings you here?"

"Well, I thought I'd call in on Rory before I got to work. Is she here?"

"No, she went to the bookstore in Litchfield." Luke said.

"Oh. Okay." Dean looked crestfallen. "I guess I'll get to work then."

Lorelai held her tongue until Dean was out of hearing range. "So. There's still a Dean."

"Apparently."

"And a Jess."

"Definitely."

"Wow." Lorelai said. "Wait, you said... seventeen-sixty-six.”

"Yes, I did."

"But Stars Hollow wasn't established until..."

"Seventeen-seventy-nine, I know."

"So, we're not in Stars Hollow."

"Nope." Luke said. "I live in Litchfield, which is about a forty minute walk away from here."

"And where's here?"

"A little place called Harristown."

"Harristown?" Lorelai questioned. "I've never heard of it."

"I'm not surprised. It's on the outskirts of where Stars Hollow is today. Or will be, anyway, two hundred and some years from now."

Lorelai rested her head in her hands. "My head is spinning."

--

"My uncle isn't feeling to great today. He's been a little confused."

"My mom too." Rory said. "It must be something in the air."

"Must be." Jess said. "So, what did you find to read today?"

"Robinson Crusoe." Rory handed him the book. "Ever read it?"

Jess examined the cover carefully. "Parts of it. Never owned a copy, so I haven't read it all the way through. Wanted to."

"You can borrow it when I'm done reading it if you like." Rory offered.

"In exchange for?" Jess asked.

"In exchange for nothing." Rory said. "You said you wanted to read it, and you can. When I'm done with it."

She reached for the book, but Jess pulled it away. "How about if we take turns reading it out loud while we walk? That way, we both get started reading it and we don't have to keep talking."

Rory didn't look happy, but she consented. "Fine. But I want that book back when I get home."

Jess smirked at her. "As you wish."

--

(a flashback to when Jess and Rory met for the first time)

Jess quoted, from memory. "My young Readers, Before you begin the following Sheets, I beg you will stop a Moment at this Preface, to consider with me, what is the true Use of Reading; and if you can once fix this Truth in your Minds, namely, that the true Use of Books is to make you wiser and better, you will then have both Profit and Pleasure from what you read."

Rory stopped, and turned about face. "You've read 'The Governess'!"

Jess shrugged. "A few times."

"I've yet to meet another person who's read it, let alone a boy of your age." Rory said. "I thought you said you didn't read."

He shrugged again. "I said I hadn't read much. But what I have read, I've read a fair amount of times.

Rory set back on her way. "Then you lie!"

Jess jogged along to keep pace with her. "I didn't lie so much as I interpret the question differently than you did. You asked if I read much, I took it to mean if I had read very many books. But given your response, the question you were asking was how much time I spent reading."

"I... I suppose." Rory admitted.

"Then how could I answer correctly a question you yourself failed to ask?"

Rory stopped suddenly once more, and answered slowly. "That's a fair enough question. You have my apologies.”

"I accept." Jess said. "So, did you still want to ask?"

"Since you already know the question I want to ask, then why don't you simply answer it?" She asked.

"Very well." Jess agreed. "I read much of the time, when I'm not studying or working for my uncle. I'd much rather read than do most things."

Rory smiled at him. "Then we seem to have much in common."

--

Lorelai crumpled on the ground next to the hollow oak, not caring any longer if her dress became dirty. She took a shaky breath in, trying to calm herself, but only managed to fall apart even more. She let out a ragged sob, followed by another. And another. She buried her face in her arms, and let herself cry. It was only when someone spoke that she realized that she wasn't alone.

"Lorelai?"

She looked up, and saw Luke. She desperately tried to wipe the tears away from her face, but more fell. Luke said nothing, but quickly moved to sit next to her, and took her in his arms, holding her close. She let him, and opened her mouth to speak, only to let out another sob. She hugged him back, tightly, and he held her closer still as she cried into his shirt. After a while, she calmed, and they stayed like that for a while.

"So how was your day?" Lorelai deadpanned.

"Lorelai, what happened?" Luke asked gently.

She shrugged. "Oh, nothing. Just that 18th century Emily Gilmore is a lot crueler than 21st century Emily Gilmore."

She didn't think that he could hold her any tighter, but he did.

"I'm sorry." He whispered. "I heard people talk, but... I never thought it would be this bad."

She sniffled. "No, neither did I."

"Why do you think we're here?" Luke said. "Why now? Why like this?"

"I don't know." Lorelai said. "Maybe we did something and pissed off the wrong, sadistic god."

"Maybe."

"There is one good thing here, though."

"What's that?"

"You." Lorelai sniffed again. "Seriously. I don't know what I would have done if you weren't here."

"You would've figured it out." Luke said softly. "You're capable of anything, including figuring out how to navigate this crazy, backward place."

She let go of him reluctantly, and looked up to his face. She spoke softly. "You're still the best thing here, Luke."

Luke opened his mouth to speak, but could say nothing. He just looked down at her, still holding her. She was still looking up at him. And slowly, hesitating, she brought her hand up to caress his cheek, and let the other rest on his chest. He moved one of his hands to the back of her neck, and gently pulled her closer, until they could feel each other's breath on their faces. Then slowly, sweetly, Luke kissed her. She kissed him back, wrapping her arm around him once again. They pulled apart, and rested their warmed cheeks together.

"Is this really happening?" Lorelai breathed.

Luke swallowed. "God, I hope so."

"Promise me that if this does end up being a dream, you'll never forget this." Lorelai said, a little louder.

Luke hugged her closer, burying his face in her neck. "Never. I could never forget this."

--

Lorelai woke in her own bed, still partly dressed. She laid there, remembering her dream. Luke, the hollow oak, the stars. Sweet, soft, kisses that comforted her more than anything he could have said.

She opened her eyes, a lump forming in throat. It was just a dream, she thought. Nothing but a dream. Nothing's changed.

She sat up when Sookie came into the room, carrying a tray full of food. "Morning, hon."

"Hey, Sook." Lorelai said.

"How are you feeling?" Sookie asked sympathetically. "You had kind of a rough day yesterday."

"Yeah, I guess I did." Lorelai took the coffee that Sookie offered her. "Hey, how'd I get back yesterday, the last thing I remember I was out in the forest."

"Luke brought you back. You don't remember?" Sookie asked.

"Uh, no." Lorelai frowned.

"I'm not surprised, you were so exhausted. If Luke hadn't offered to carry you up the stairs, you would have had to sleep on the couch in your office. Not very comfortable."

"Uh, no, it would not have been." Lorelai said. "When did he bring me back?"

"Oh, it was late." Sookie said. "He didn't want to walk back to Litchfield in the dark, so he's still here. Did you want to talk to him?"

"Oh, uh, maybe."

"Well, in that case, you eat your breakfast, then we'll get you prettied up." Sookie said.

"Why'd you say it like that?" Lorelai said.

"You should have seen the way he was looking at you."

"Which was how?"

"Like you were his whole life." Sookie said quietly. "He changed his expression as soon as he thought someone was watching, but I know what I saw."

--

Luke felt his heart racing. "Lorelai..."

They met in the middle, hands meeting bodies as lips kissed. Soft, sweet kisses turned hot, passionate, and hurried. Lorelai eagerly tugged Luke's shirt from under his belt, and he stilled her hands, placing his own over them.

"Wait, wait." He said. "Are you sure?"

"Luke." She sighed. "I woke up thinking that holding you in my arms and kissing you would only happen in my dreams. And then I find out, for whatever... inexplicable reason that it wasn't just a dream. And if that isn't a goddamned miracle, I don't know what else is. Now, I don't know about you, but I would very much like to enjoy my miracle."

He grinned at her. "Well, when you put it like that..."

--

(At some point the the storyling, Jess disappeared apparently??)

"You said Jess and Dean came to blows." Lorelai said cautiously.

Luke immediately shook his head. "No. I don't care what world we live it, Dean couldn't- he wouldn't."

"Okay, forget I said anything." Lorelai said quietly.

--

(upon Jess’ return)

"Jess, they dragged the river after you left!" Luke shouted. "Do you know how scared I-"

Luke covered his face and turned around. Jess just stood there. Luke sighed and turned back around.

"Jess, you can't just take off like that." Luke said. "You can't... You just can't. You tell me when you're leaving, you tell me where you're going, so I don't have to think about you maybe lying dead somewhere!"

Jess stood there silent for a few minutes more, before whispering- "I'm sorry."

"You bet your ass you're sorry." Luke said. He sighed, and really looked at him. "Are you okay? You didn't get hurt, you're not sick?"

Jess shook his head.

"Did you find out if your mom's okay?" Luke asked.

Jess shrugged. "She's the same."

Luke nodded, not really surprised. He sighed again. "Come 'ere."

Jess stepped closer, and was surprised when Luke pulled him into a hug, and hesitated a few moments before slowly hugging him back.

"You tell me where you are, okay?" Luke said. "Send me a letter or something, I don't care. Just let me know you're... Let me know you're still alive, for god sakes."

"I will." Jess said. his voice thick with emotion. "I'm sorry."

--

(After... sometime followed their aforemention... interlude)

"Not here." Lorelai whispered, and took him by the hand. She lead them to the barn.

"Lorelai, where are we going?" Luke said. "What's this about?"

"Not here." She said again.

"What, are you afraid the horses are going to hear?" Luke said.

She glared at him. "No, I just want to talk somewhere private, that's all."

"This is crazy." He muttered, but followed her up the ladder to the hay loft. She laid out a blanket for them to sit on.

"Lorelai, what's this about?"

"Well, you know that thing in history where they'd see if you were pregnant by injecting some of your blood into a rabbit, and if you were pregnant, it would die?"

"Yes." Luke said, completely mystified.

"Well, not to put it too finely, but... the rabbit's dead." Lorelai said.

"Ok-ay?" Luke said. "What rabbit?"

"My rabbit." Lorelai said nervously.

"Your rabbit?" Luke said.

"Yes, my rabbit is dead. It's dead and buried." She sighed. "This was so much easier in 1984, I just showed Chris the stick and he got it."

"What are you talking about, what sti-" Luke's words stopped there, and his eyes got huge as he finally registered what she was talking about. "Oh."

"And there it is." Lorelai said.

"Oh my god." Luke breathed. "You're pregnant?"

"Yeah, I'm- I'm pregnant." Lorelai nodded.

"Oh my god." He said again quietly.

"You keep saying that." Lorelai said. "Is that a good 'oh my god', or a what-have-I-got-myself-into 'oh my god'-"

Luke pulled her into his lap and kissed her. He kissed her lips, and her cheeks and the rest of her face until she was grinning.

"Okay, I'm guessing that it was a good 'oh my god'." She mumbled.

"Very good." He kissed her again.

"So... you're happy about this?" Lorelai asked.

"Yes, of course I'm happy! Aren't you happy?"

"Of course I am." Lorelai said. "And even happier that you are too."

--

(And a heartbreaking return to the Real World)

"Never. I could never forget this."

Lorelai woke, clutching her pillow for dear life. She could remember the whole thing vividly. Her inn, Rory, Dean, Jess.

Luke.

She sat up, and looked around. She was home again, back in the age of technology. She realized she was still clutching the pillow across her belly.

The baby.

She threw her pillow aside and touched her stomach. She knew instinctively that there was nothing there, but still she had to check. She rushed to her bathroom and pulled out the box that she kept there for emergencies, because there was no way she was going to wait to drive anywhere to get them, and she certainly wasn't going to buy them in Stars Hollow.

She already knew what the answer was going to be, and didn't want to look. But she did anyway.

No baby.

No Luke.

Today seemed like a good day to wallow.

(SIDENOTE: not a miscarriage! I realized I that I didn’t make that clear in the text, but I swear, it’s not a miscarriage. Through historical/time travel/dream logic, the baby just doesn’t exist in the “future”)

--

"Never. I could never forget this."

Luke sat bolt upright in bed, reaching out for a body that wasn't there. Once he came fully awake, he sighed. He was back in his apartment, above his diner. It had simply been a dream.

Everything came back to him all as once. Lorelai, the town, Jess, Rory, falling asleep under the stars, holding Lorelai in his arm. Feeling their baby kick against his palm.

Their baby. Their dream life.

Never had he wanted to cry more than that moment.

--

Luke seemed grumpier than usually that morning.

Just Rory came in that morning. Luke wasn't sure if he were more upset or grateful. He went to take her order.

"Where's your mom today?" He asked gruffly.

"She's at home. Something happened, but she won't tell me what." Rory said.

Luke immediately became concerned. "What do you mean something happened?"

Rory shrugged. "I don't know. She said she wasn't feeling good, and called in sick to work. But..."

"What is it, Rory?" He asked.

"It doesn't really seem like she's sick, more like... she's wallowing."

"Wallowing?"

"Yeah, like when you get sad about something, like a break up, and you just stay home, watch movies, and eat junk." Rory said. "But I didn't even think she seeing with anybody."

"Well, she's gonna be okay." Luke assured her. "She always is."

"I guess."

"Ready to order?"

--

Luke knocked on Lorelai's door. She answered, clearly surprised to find him there. "Luke!"

"Hey, I know you weren't expecting me, but, uh, Rory said you weren't feelin' too good, so I thought I'd bring you a care package."

"Thanks, Luke. That means a lot." She smiled at him, somewhat sadly. After a second, she added, "Would you like to come in?"

He did, despite the part of his brain telling him that it was a bad idea.

"So, what happened?" Luke asked curiously. "You just woke up feeling sick, or what?"

"No, nothing like that, I just..." She hesitated. "I know it sounds stupid, but I had this... really, really amazing dream, and- well, anyway, I woke up, and realized the dream wasn't real, and I guess I'm just..."

"Wallowing." Luke finished.

She nodded. "Yeah."

"Yeah, I know how that feels." Luke admitted. "Same thing happened to me, too. Been crabby all day."

"Bummer."

"Yeah." Luke said. "Anyway, I'll let you get back to your movie."

"Sure you can't stay?" She offered. "We could be miserable and crabby together."

He smiled at her. "As much fun as that sounds, I gotta get back to the diner."

She smiled back. "Well, thanks for the food. You're still the best thing here."

He frowned at her.

"You're still the best thing here, Luke."

"What did you say?" Luke asked abruptly.

"I said thank you. Did you not catch it the first time?"

"No, after that." Luke said. "What did you say after that?"

"You're the best thing here?" Lorelai said. "What about it?"

"Nothing, I just..." He shook his head. "Never mind. Enjoy your food."

Luke turned around and headed for the door, but hesitated with his hand on the doorknob. He swallowed hard, and walked back into the living room. She looked up at him. "Did you forget something?"

"No, I..." He inhaled, throwing caution to the wind. "Actually, I promised that there was something I would never forget."

Lorelai's jaw dropped. She blinked. And then she blinked again. Luke waited anxiously. He'd expected some kind of reaction. Whether she would just blow the whole thing off, or just laugh, he didn't know, but he certainly didn't expect dead silence.

"Lorelai?"

"The oak." She said flatly, and Luke's heart soared.

"The hollow oak." He said urgently. "Where we-"

"Watched the stars." Lorelai finished, whispering. "Oh my god."

"Lorelai."

Luke crossed the room and kissed her, and she kissed him back fiercely. Luke touched her face, and felt tears. He pulled away from her to look at her, and she placed a hand over her belly. She bit her lip, and looked up at him sadly.

"The baby-" She tried to explain tearfully. "I don't- It's not-"

"I know." He murmured, and pulled her into a tight hug. "I know, I know, I know..."

--

When Rory came home that evening, she was greeted with a completely different Lorelai than the one she'd left that morning.

"Mom, what's-" She looked in the kitchen. "Is Luke here? Is he cooking?"

Lorelai wrapped her arm around her daughter, and lead her into the living room.

"Hey, hon, do you want to hear about my dream last night?"

[captainscanadian]

Hope | Bucky Barnes x Reader (Prologue)

My Masterlist

Series Masterlist

Summary: Why did you have to love Bucky Barnes?

Word Count: 1300+

Pairing: (Eventual) Doctor!Bucky Barnes x Patient!Reader

Warnings: Heartbreak, Bullying

A/N: This fic was my entry for @wkemeup​‘s 4K Writing Challenge. I just decided to rewrite the prologue. I DON’T DO TAGLISTS!

Scarlet sheets soaked in salty tears, quivering lips and trembling hands balled into fists. You fought the urge to let it break you once again, but you knew it was too late. You were already broken, so what even was the point of holding it all in? 

The pain of your first broken heart was one that was not easy to bear, but also one that you should probably get used to. Deep down, you knew that it would be the first of many more to come. But that did not make this any easier, not for a hopeless romantic like yourself. 

“Honey, you’ve got to tell me what’s going on…” Your mother said softly as she stroked your hair, her heart breaking as she heard the sobs of her seventeen year old daughter. “What is it, baby? Did something happen at school?” She asked, pausing for a moment between her questions before she brought up his name. “Is it Bucky?”

You let out an inaudible gasp at the mention of his name, your heart pattering against your chest as you recalled what had happened at school that afternoon. 

Months ago, your face would have lit up when anyone mentioned his name. He was your best friend since you were eight years old, the one person whom you had trusted with all of your secrets and if need be, you would have trusted him with your life. You had loved him for as long as you’d known him, really. 

But now, all you could feel when your mother mentioned his name was… hurt. He had hurt you. While you wanted to believe that it wasn’t his intention to hurt you, deep down you knew that he probably knew what he was doing when he did it. And that hurt you a lot more than the actual heartbreak. 

“Baby, come on… talk to me. You’ve got to tell me what’s going on.” 

Wiping away your tears with the back of your hand, you sat up on your bed for a moment. Letting out a sigh of exhaustion, you fought the urge to break into another sob as you looked up at your worried mother. “Mom, I can’t… I can’t do it anymore.” You admitted as you laid your head against her shoulder and cried. “I can’t do it… I can’t… take me out of school, mom. I can’t go back there.”

“Take you out of school?” Your mother asked you, the concerned look on her face never fading. “Y/N, there’s only a few more days of school left. You’ll be graduating next week. Come on, baby… just tell me what’s bothering you. Do you need me to come and talk to the principal?”

You shook your head as you sniffled. “No, no… no, don’t do that. I can’t… I don’t want to cause him any trouble.” You had been so naive, so stupid in love. You should have known better than to put your faith in him when he had rejected you, but you had been blinded by your love to even think straight. “I told Bucky I loved him… I mean, I didn’t say it on my own. I wasn’t ready to… I wasn’t ready to confess. I wanted to wait until graduation but… I’m stupid, mom. I didn’t know how to be subtle about how I felt about him. He figured it out, and asked me about it and… I couldn’t lie about it. I could never lie to him. Me being me, an absolute idiot, I told him that I did have feelings for him.”

“Oh sweetie…” She frowned, rubbing your back once again. 

“I thought he’d understand, mom. I thought he’d feel the same way because… it wasn’t something that came out of nowhere. It was what I’d always been feeling that I only realized now and… I thought he felt the same way about me.” You admitted, feeling your heart break once again at the reality of it all. “He didn’t… he didn’t have to love my back, mom. I could have lived with that. But what he did was… a thousand times worse.”

“What did he do, Y/N?”

“He told Brock about it, you know, the guy he’s been hanging out with a lot lately. I told you, right? Brock’s not a nice guy… he spread it around the whole school and now everyone knows that… I can’t go back there, mom.” You replied, sobbing once more as you began to convince yourself that Bucky did not love you and he probably never will. But what you hadn’t realized that night… was that Bucky did love you. But by the time he realized it, it was too late. 

You hadn’t even gone to your senior prom because of how humiliated you felt. And on graduation, you stayed as far away from Bucky as you possibly could, avoiding his gaze the whole time. 

The summer after your senior year, you had packed up your entire life in Shelbyville, Indiana and moved across the country to sunny California. After obtaining your degree in English Literature from UCLA, you interned at a publishing house before going on to write your own romance novel series entitled Hopeless. A series revolving around a hopeless romantic by the name of Hope Anderson, each novel focused on a different time in the main character’s life when she comes across a different love interest. 

The first novel had been of Hope during her freshman year at Stanford, when she had briefly dated a guitarist named Reid after seeing him perform at a bar. At her young age, dating a guitarist did seem cool at first. Even though Reid had written a song about her when he had confessed his love, Hope ended up breaking up with him after just a few months of dating because she was still in love with her high school best friend. That was the end of that. 

Next was Ethan, whom she probably assumed to be the love of her life. They had dated for four years while attending medical school together and even moved in with each other. But just as she had expected him to propose to her, he had broken up with her in the name of focusing on completing medical school. A few weeks later, she had seen him around town with a younger woman and that was the end of that. 

In the third novel, Hope had moved across the country to begin her new job as a surgical resident. Having lost all hope that she would ever find her one true love, she begins an unethical yet no-strings-attached kind of relationship with one of the older doctors at the hospital where she works. While Dr. Jake Winston was a whole decade older than Hope, the man was mature and treated her with the kind of respect that none of the other men in her life had given her. While there were no feelings involved in their affair, being with him had been the happiest she had ever been. At the end of the novel, you had left it off as they were continuing their friendship with benefits. But whether it comes to an end or not, you were yet to decide. 

There was a fourth novel in the works, but you hadn’t started writing it just yet. Inspiration was not all that easy to find anymore. However, you had plenty of time to complete it, thanks to the publisher being lenient with the next installment. With your audience wondering whether Hope Anderson would finally find her happy ending in the final installment of the series, you knew that this novel would surely be a hit even though you hadn’t even written it yet. 

A decade has passed since your dreadful days of high school. With your ten year reunion fast approaching, God knows what fate had in mind for your story… and Hope’s. 

[oikirstein]

𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐇𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐭 | Kuroken | Day 1

Synopsis: Kenma has has loved his best friend, Kuroo, for a lifetime. After a misfortunate occurrence which was photographed by the media, the PR team for Bouncing Ball Corp. decide that it’s a good idea for Kenma and Kuroo to play along with the public to increase the sales of their upcoming product release. Will Kenma be able to control his emotions, or will he lose his best friend in the process?

Contains: Angst, unrequited love, fake relationship

Posted: 12/21/2020

Word count: 3,342

Haikyuu Angst Week Prompt List here.

I have been in love with Tetsuro Kuroo since I was seven years old.

I still love him—eighteen years later.

Growing up as best friends, he was never a hard person to love. He looks out for me, brought me out of my comfort zone, hell, he’s the reason why I’ve grown into who I am today. I’d never admit that to his stupid face, though.

I was seventeen when I realized my love for him was more than just platonic. He was a year older than me, so by the time I started my third year, he was already off to university. The harsh reality of the situation finally weighed heavy on me when I waited outside of his house for thirty minutes and remembered he’s not coming anymore.

He called me later that evening apologizing, although he did nothing wrong, because that’s just the type of person Kuroo was. The next week he surprised me by waiting outside my door to walk me to school.

“I miss this,” he reminisced, staring up at the sky.

“What?” I turned to him, heart racing just a little more than usual, hoping for a certain string of words to come out of his mouth.

“Walking to school like this every morning.”

They didn’t.

I don’t know what I was hoping for. Maybe I wanted him to say he missed walking with me. I’m not sure whether I’d rather hear lies or the truth. That was the day I admitted to myself that he’d be the only person for me.

Now here we are, me at 25 and him at 26 sitting in my office with my publicist yelling at us for being so reckless in public. It was a misunderstanding, really.

“How could you do that at a party where you knew there’d be press coverage?” Kata was pacing back and forth while I rested my forehead on my crossed arms that laid on the glass desk and Kuroo leaned back in his chair on the other side of the table.

“Kata,” she stopped mid-stride and turned her attention to me as I muttered, “how many times do I have to repeat myself,” I lifted my head back up, “IT ISN’T WHAT YOU THINK.”

Kuroo found it difficult to hold back his laugh.

“I don’t think you should be laughing, Kuroo-san. You’re in just as much trouble as Kozume-san.”

He stopped laughing.

“Anyway, it doesn’t matter what I think. It was never about what I thought. The point of my job is to make sure you look good for the public. Thats what a publicist does. Now the issue here, is that the public thinks you’re dating.”

“Okay, wow so all it takes is for me to fall, Kuroo to catch me, and some no-name photographer to snap a picture of us for us to be considered ‘dating’ now?” 

“Kozume-san if you play into this little charade, say for a couple months, just long enough for the new product to be released, sales will go up, and then you can just announce that you two called it quits.”

Was it really worth playing with my heart just to earn a quick buck? 

“No. I don’t want Kuroo to be forced to date me, that’s weird and embarrassing.” 

Kata walked forward and took a seat in the chair next to Kuroo before she leaned forward and rest her chin on her hand, “Here’s the thing Kozume-san, you two ‘dating’, doesn't even have to be real,” proud of her award-winning idea, she leaned back in her seat, arms folded across her chest, and a smug look written all over her face.

“So what you’re saying is to do this as a cash grab?” Kuroo seemed genuinely curious.

“Well somewhat. Think of it more like...fan service.”

“Hmmm...I mean if it’s a show they want then it’s a show they’ll get,” he reached over and smacked my back, “What do you say kitten? Be my scene partner?” he smirked.

Ugh. Why does he have to use those stupid nicknames that always make my heart flutter. My face was visibly cringing as i scrunched up my nose and scowled at him. He knows I could never truly refuse when it’s him.

“Fine,” I mumbled under my breath as I looked away.

Kuroo’s footsteps were light as he got up from his seat and went around the desk to sneak up behind me. He bent down and leaned in close towards my ear.

“What was that, puddin?” he whispered, his hot breath whipping through my loose strands of hair.

I jumped out of my seat and rubbed my ear with the sleeve of my jacket and he laughed his ugly, stupid, hyena laugh. 

“See! Look at that! You two aren’t even ‘dating’ and yet you have so much chemistry!” Kata said enthusiastically while clapping.

Of course we have chemistry. We’ve been best friends for eighteen years. Soulmates our whole lives. It was always easy to be around Kuroo. That’s one of the things I love about him. Why wouldn’t we have chemistry?

“Well, when you’ve been best friends with someone for like, your whole life, of course you’re gonna know exactly how to push his buttons,” his voice was breathy as he wiped tears from his eyes.

I didn’t realize it then, but I truly did sell my heart for pocket change.

A full month later was when we went out in public together as a “couple” for the first time. It was a simple brunch at a well known restaurant, but Kata made sure to anonymously tip paparazzi that we would be at that establishment. Together. It wasn’t even 30 minutes into our meal when we were bombarded with cameras.

“Today we are here with Kenma Kozume, the young CEO of Bouncing Ball Corp., and his supposed boyfriend, Tetsuro Kuroo, from the Japan Volleyball Association. Are any of you able to speak on the rumors spreading about the two of you?”

Kuroo had always been good at talking. He's been smooth with his words for as long as I could remember him. He was...a people person. The complete opposite of me, which is why we agreed that Kuroo would do most of the talking, should a camera crew show up.

He laughed, not the ugly hyena kind, it was an attractive laugh. That’s how I knew it wasn’t real.

“Well I mean we won’t confirm or deny anything right now, won’t we kitten?” he winked at me and suddenly all the attention was directed towards my direction.

Idiot. Two can play at that game.

“Im pretty sure whatever the public is thinking is probably true, hm Tetsu?”

I’ve never called him that before, so it was obvious he was shocked. Big eyes and blushy cheeks. We gave the camera exactly what it wanted.

“Is that a confirmation?” the man behind the camera was provoking us for an answer.

“It’s whatever you want it to be,” he smirked before taking his chopsticks back into his hand and grabbing a plate full of beef, “Now if you gentlemen will excuse us, we’d like to continue our lunch date.”

Satisfied with the content they would now be able to work with, the cameras slowly started retreating from the scene until it was just us two again.

“Damn maybe I should’ve gone into show business,” he smirked.

“Shut up, they might still be around,” I whispered while looking down, incase we were still being watched.

“How do you know I was talking about that. I could just simply be saying that I would’ve been amazing on T.V.”

“No you wouldn’t,” I replied, monotonous voice, as I took a bite of some barbecue and rice.

“Kenma, why do you have to break my heart like this? What if I was born to be an actor?”

“Uhm I don’t know about you, but I’ve never seen an actor that has the same hairstyle twenty-four seven, three hundred sixty-five days a year.”

“That’s a technicality. Why should hair define my amazing acting abilities?”

“Then I want to see you shave your head and wear a wig.”

Kuroo froze in the middle of whatever movement he was making and just stared at the grill in the middle of the table with a horrified expression written on his face.

“You know what? Maybe I wasn't meant to be an actor...”

Outings usually continued on like this. We would have little interviews with paparazzi, slowly dropping more and more hints about our “relationship,” and once they left, we’d have breakfast, lunch, or dinner, like we usually do. I suppose to any outsider it would seem as though we were on a date, but I wouldn’t allow myself to call this pitiful get together as such.

I could pretend this was real. I could tell myself that Kuroo reciprocated my feelings. I could tell myself that we were truly in a relationship. I could tell myself I have a chance, but a mere sliver of probability isn’t worth risking our friendship. 

Since I was seventeen I accepted the fact that I’d be happy as long as he was in my life. I mean, he’d still smile the same. He’d still laugh the same. He’d still love me... 

I’m supposed to be content with what I have. It’s either we stay as best friends, or we go on as strangers, and I’d rather avoid the latter. So why do I feel such a tightness in my chest whenever we’re forced to go out together? Why do I feel so selfish for wanting more?

Two months went by until we had to make an actual appearance together at a party. Me under Kuroo’s arm like some sort of bittersweet candy. 

He was always good at reading people—especially me. Which is why he pulled me aside before we walked into the huge rental house. The only reason I agreed to show up was because it was Shoyo’s team celebrating their win against some team who’s name I can’t remember.

“You okay Ken?” he rested both hands on my shoulders with my back against the wall.

“Yeah, I just need a second.”

I never did like big crowds.

After taking a few minutes to breathe before submitting myself to the abyss of rowdy adrenaline-high athletes, Kuroo took my hand in his as we walked through the front doors together. It was warm. Like my fingers were molded to fit perfectly into his palm. Must’ve been why I felt so cold when he let my hand go.

As soon as the camera flashed and Bokuto called him from the other side of the room, he whispered an “I’ll be back kitten,” before joining the beefy player by the bar. 

I guess I’ll go find Shoyo.

It wasn’t long until I saw a bush of bright orange bobbing up and down through a sea of people.

“Shoyo!”

“Kenma!”

“Congratulations on your win.”

“Thank you! I wouldn’t want to disappoint my sponsor,” he winked, “Do you want to step outside? It’s a little loud in here.”

Whether he means to or not, Shoyo’s always been good at making sure people feel comfortable.

“Uhm, Shoyo?” I grabbed the hem of his shirt and tugged a little to get his attention.

“What’s up?” he practically had to yell over the loud music and the incessant yelling of the surrounding people.

“Can we get a beer first?”

A smile spread across his face, “Of course, just wait for me by the fire outside.”

I followed his instructions and sat in one of the red lawn chairs that snaked around the circular bonfire.

“How’ve you been?” the ginger said while handing me an opened beer and sitting in the chair next to me.

“I’ve been alright. Things are running smoothly for the product release—”

“I didn't ask about how work was, Kenma,” he interrupted, “How are you?”

“Oh. Uhm...I’m keeping it together.”

He leaned back in the plastic chair and took a sip from his drink, “So you and Kuroo-san, huh?”

I looked around to make sure no one was near us. I could never lie to Shoyo.

“Barely,” I mumbled as I, myself, took a big gulp.

“Huh? What do you mean?”

“It’s an act. All because of a misunderstanding from a few months ago.”

“Well did you have a choice?”

“Not really.”

“That's unfortunate. I thought you would’ve told him how you felt by now.”

“Wait- what do you mean ‘how I felt?’ You knew?”

“I may not be that bright, but I have eyes, Kenma. I can see the way your eyes gloss over when he calls you one of those cute pet names, or the way your cheeks redden when he does that weird laugh at your jokes.”

“Hmm... You’re more observant than I thought, Sho.”

“So why haven’t you told him?”

Just thinking about confessing scared the shit out of me. All I can imagine is the disgusted look on his face when I tell him. The scenario plays over and over again in my head—the one where he walks away and fades into the background. I don’t know when I started crying, but I had only realized it when I heard the glass of Shoyo’s bottle tap the ground.

“What’s wrong?”

I wiped the hot tears from my cheeks with my wrist.

“I guess I just love him too much to lose him.”

Two weeks after that party, we had another meeting at the office.

“This has been going great so far!” Kata exclaimed, obviously proud of her idea, “Have you ever thought of being an actor?” she teased Kuroo.

“See! That’s what I’ve been telling Kenma, but apparently my untamable hair is standing in the way between me and fame.”

“You’re already all over the news, idiot.”

“And all thanks to my little kitten,” he walked over to my seat behind my desk and peppered my cheek in kisses.

“We’re not in public, you can stop acting all lovey dovey,” I spat. I didn’t even think about my words until Kata’s effervescent expression changed into a state of confused shock. She wasn’t sure how she should react to my outburst.

“W-what? It’s all fun and games, Ken,” Kuroo was taken aback by my response as well, but he hid it much better than my publicist.

“It always is with you,” I got up and walked out of office. I couldn't take it anymore. All this pretending and toying with my heart. I felt bad for blaming it all on Kuroo, when he couldn’t have possibly known about my feelings, but it was easier to blame him for my pain than to admit to myself that I’m a coward. 

I rounded the corner and continued on my way to the vending machine to get an energy drink. Those always seemed to put me in a better mood.

Kuroo knew me well. Who wouldn’t after eighteen years? That’s probably why he knew exactly where to find me.

“What the hell was that, Kenma?”

I pulled up the tab of the can and let the hiss of carbonation fizzle out before I took a sip and leaned against the wall.

“What was what?” 

“You’re little scene in there? What’s going on?”

“Nothing is going on.”

“You’re lying to me.”

 I looked off to the side, my eyes scanning every row in the vending machine, “I just think it’s time to call quits on this charade we have going on,” I responded dryly.

“Huh? Why? It’s only a couple more weeks until the release. Why end it now?”

“I’m tired, Kuroo. I don’t want to have to pretend all the time anymore.”

I was never an emotional person, so I knew that in this moment Kuroo knew something catastrophic was going on inside my head, for me to put myself before the potential success of the company.

“It’s just for a little while longer and then we can go back to normal, okay? Can you just hold out until then?”

“No. You’re not listening to me. Why the hell do you want to keep doing this. This doesn’t benefit you in the slightest.”

“Because I love you,” my heart rate went up at these words although I knew he didn’t mean them in the way I wish he did, “You’re my best friend and I want to see you thrive.”

“Why are you always putting yourself on the line for me?”

“Putting myself on the line? What are you—”

“I’m so selfish! And then you over here,” I rolled my eyes at him before kicking my weight off the wall, “You constantly give but you never take!”

“I don’t see the issue with that.”

“You’re too good for me,” I looked to the ground because I knew that if I looked up into his gorgeous hazel eyes, I would definitely cry. 

“That’s not true—”

“Yes it is and you know it,” my voice was on the verge of cracking from how tired I was from arguing.

“You know what? You look like you need some space. Think about things okay? I’m only a phone call away. I’ll see you at the launch party,” he walked away.

The day of the launch party was a bore. Just a bunch of business men in suits and the growing anxiety in the pit of my stomach, for Kuroo had yet to show up like he promised. 

It was half-past twelve when I stepped outside the venue to get some fresh air. The second I opened the doors was when I saw him pacing back and forth, deep in thought.

“Kuroo?”

“Kenma! I’m so sorry about what happened a few weeks ago—”

I did nothing but hugged him like I was going to lose him.

“Why are you apologizing? I was the one that had a tantrum.”

“Well you’re not the only one that got mad.”

“Let’s go for a walk?”

He nodded and draped his heavy arm over my shoulder before he took another step.

“Well so far sales have been good. Almost linear.”

“I’m glad I was able to help. So this is the end, huh?”

We both stopped in the middle of the side walk. I didn’t want it to end. The handholding, the hugs, the camera kisses. I wanted all of it. I so badly wanted all of it to be real. Maybe it’s because I spent half the night drinking, or maybe it’s because his midnight hair ricocheted the moonlight ever so perfectly, that I felt a courage rush through me like never before.

“Why does it have to end?”

“Didn’t you say like three weeks ago that you wanted to end our little ‘relationship?’”

“I don’t mean it like that. I mean,” I unwrapped myself from his limb and stepped in front of him, “I’m in love with you, Tetsu. I have been for eighteen years.”

A piece of my heart cracked when he took a step back, face pale, and eyes widened.

“What?”

I wanted to take a step forward, but for some reason, my feet were glued to the ground.

“I love you.”

He smiled assuringly before he laughed to lighten the air. The same type of laugh he’s used to fool reporters. 

“You’re my best friend, Kenma.”

“I know. I’ll never be more than that, right?”

“You know I love you,” I wouldn’t dare get my hopes up again at those words, “You’re like a little brother to me.”

Damn. Is this what it feels like for my heart to be so irreparably shattered? Physical pain spread from my chest throughout my body. To the tips of fingers and toes.

“I—” he started, before giving you that diabetes inducing smile, “I should go.”

I watched him walk away. It was a vision from my worst nightmare. When did it all change? Is this what my selfishness was bound to lead to?

What was supposed to be a simple marketing tactic, turned out to be a fate worse than death. I was heartbroken to think he was my soulmate, but I wasn’t his.

© all content [unless stated otherwise] belongs to gellysticks 2020. do not modify or repost.

reblogs are greatly appreciated :)

[liquorisce]

... i’ll protect you from your dreams

written for @kyoruweekofficial day 2 prompt: dream

fandom: fruits basket

rating: t

summary: some nights when kyo is fragile, he seeks comfort in tohru’s arms.                                                          OR  

“I dreamt I couldn’t be with you,” he murmurs, quietly, unsure if Tohru was still awake. “… that you would choose someone else.”

Everything feels different. 

“… Well, I hope it fits you. I have to admit, you are a bit, uhm, thinner than I accounted for.” 

“It’s fine,” he says, and it comes out as a rasp, and his voice sounds different to his own ears, different without the echo of the small, dark room. It feels strange almost, the faint chill of the breeze against his arm, the burn of the sun on his face. 

“Here, got you lunch… in case you were hungry.”

Kyo squints at the paper bag, daylight far too bright for his ill-adjusted eyes as he carefully unwraps the burger he was presented with. When was the last time he’d eaten food that wasn’t prepared in the Sohma kitchen? 

“… Maybe we should just sit in my room?” 

Kyo nods, looking over at the soft voice that was speaking to him. Never had he imagined that 5 years into isolation, the first person he would greet in the fresh, open air… would be Yuki. 

Yuki gestures for Kyo to sit on the bed and he does, sinking into the mattress, the plush type that the rat boy had always had a taste for. 

He’s silent and the only noise in the room is the crunch of the burger in Kyo’s mouth. “I asked them to leave out the onions,” Yuki says with a grin. 

Kyo offers one in return, but it’s feeble. Everything feels feeble about him, now that he’s stepped into the outside world.  

There’s more silence, and Kyo finishes his meal, grateful to have eaten something different. “… I guess I should probably try that on, huh,” he mumbles, eyeing the black suit that Yuki had laid out for him. 

Yuki eyes him hesitantly. “… A shower, first. And a shave. It’s a wedding, not a funeral.” 

He cringes visibly, not that he needed reminding of the occasion. He’d had months, weeks and days to prepare for this, with little else to do in his chamber of darkness, except sit with his thoughts. 

It seemed simple in theory, he thinks, as the warm jet of water hits him. It wasn’t a shocking revelation that they would come to this day. He’d been preparing for it since his final year of high school. 

He takes in his reflection, and realizes that Yuki is right. He had grown thinner. His cheekbones showed so clearly, you couldn’t just call them defined anymore, it was definitely jutting. Sighing, he lifted the razor to his cheeks. 

“The new look suits you, Kyo-kun,” she’d said with a shy smile when she’d first seen his beard. 

How long ago was that? A year after his confinement? She was probably just being nice, he thinks bitterly as he shaves it off completely. 

(He doesn’t want to think of her bitterly. He has no right.)

“Some people are just blessed,” Yuki quips, as he walks out of the bathroom, towel at his hips. “… even at your worst, you still have more ab definition than I do.” 

Kyo smiles weakly. “… Still couldn’t beat you if I tried.” 

Their interactions had changed so much, he wonders what his young self would think if he’d see them today. If only he knew that the boy who he’d spent his whole life hating would be the one visiting him every other weekend, sneaking in treats, bringing him word from the others… arguing with Akito to make sure he was allowed outside, just for today.

He slips on the white shirt, thankful that he doesn’t drown in it. Yet. 

“… Hey, Kyo.” Yuki’s tone betrays his worry, and Kyo isn’t ready for it yet. He isn’t ready to talk about these feelings that haven’t left him since he first heard the news. 

“… Are you sure you want to do this?” 

“I promised her,” he mutters, so many years ago, on the rooftop, a precious memory that she’s probably forgotten, but he just can’t seem to. 

“I know, but she’ll understand. This must be… difficult for you. You don’t have to put yourself through this,” - 

“… I said I’d support her!” 

He’s taken aback by his own outburst, but that’s the truth of it. It’s a promise he’d made to her, the love of his life, when they were young and seventeen and he’d already realized that this was all he could do. He’d support her love no matter what. No matter who. 

But it was also a promise he’d made to himself, the last precious memory he is holding on to before he truly gives up. 

But no amount of preparation or self pep talks comes to his aid when he sees her walk in, long flowing dress in peach pink, veiled, with Hanajima and Uotani by her side. His mind is blank first because the immensity of what he is witnessing is too much for him. 

When he said goodbye to her 5 years ago and she cried for him, embraced him in the only way that was awkwardly possible, it was him walking away. It was a future he’d spent his whole life running away from, but when he went inside, it was still him who left. 

But when he sees her, sees Tohru, beautiful and radiant, just like he remembered her, but somehow so much more, it’s brutal because this time it’s her walking, only walking down the aisle. Towards someone else. 

He’d never thought his heart could break a second time, but it did and it’s worse because he’d never paid attention to this ugly, painful, thing called hope that had tried desperately to glue the pieces together - and it crushes him. 

Kyo is standing on the corner of the aisle, and as Tohru comes closer, he can feel himself splintering inside. 

“… Kyo-kun,” she says, her voice quivering. It takes a moment for him to realize that she’s stopped in front of him, that she’s standing barely two steps away from him, and she hasn’t been this close in years… 

When he looks up to see her, he’s shocked to see a stricken look on her beautiful features. “Kyo-kun,” she gasps, worried, “what are you doing here?” 

“… Why aren’t you up there?” 

“Hana-chan, Uo-chan, who is that?” She asks, frantic, pointing to the man in the black suit at the altar. “Why is Kyo-kun not standing at the altar like we practiced?”

“Tohru…” 

“Kyo-kun,” she cries, reaching for his face, “What happened to you? You look so different… so sad…” 

Tears are streaming down his face, and the feeling in his chest tightens as she throws her arms around him whispering, “Kyo-kun, come back to me…”

“Tohru, no,” he rasps, afraid because there’s so many people around - he can’t afford to transform, but he can’t shake her off. “Please, I,” - 

He wakes up heaving, sweat and tears running down his face. The sadness, the pain… it’s visceral, gripping at his chest. 

And Tohru - God, she was crying too, scared, worried tears, holding on to him, like she’d never let go. 

It’s then that he takes note of the arm entwined with his, on the futon.

He curses softly when he sees her, relief overwhelming him, when he sees her brown hair spread across the sheets, her mouth parted blissfully in her slumber. 

He is overcome with the urge to hold her, and so he does, loosening his arm from her hold and wrapping himself around her, so close that her smell drives away the remnants of his nightmare. 

“Mmm,” she mumbles, stirring, “… Kyo..?”

“Sorry,” he whispers into her hair, “… I didn’t mean to wake you up.” 

“… You’re so warm,” she giggles, but she stops short when she feels something wet on her neck. 

She stiffens, alarmed. “… Kyo-kun?” 

His hold tightens and she sinks into it, clutching his arm tightly. “You’re trembling… what’s wrong?” 

She can hear his breathing, rough, panicked. “Tohru… Please…” 

“Kyo-kun, what is it? Did you have a bad dream?” She turns towards him, cradling his face. 

“… Hold me, please,” he whispers, and she does tightly, letting him burrow his face into her chest, caressing his back softly.

When his breathing calms, and his sobs have quietened, he realises how shaken he was by the picture in his head. 

“I dreamt I couldn’t be with you,” he murmurs, quietly, unsure if Tohru was still awake. “… that I would be locked up… that you would choose someone else,” - 

“Never.” Her grip tightens around him. 

She kisses his forehead softly, wiping away the dampness on his cheeks, trying her best to stop her own tears from falling. Things have changed now, and mistakes have been forgiven, but the damage it’s done could never be undone. 

And with Kyo fragile in her arms tonight, she’s not sure that it’s something she’ll ever forgive. 

So she vows to protect it, the fragility of his heart, the wounds he desperately tries to hide, the love he so freely showers upon her. 

“Don’t you know, Kyo-kun,” she whispers gently against his mouth, “… I’d never have let them take you away from me.”

- fin - 

day 1 submission

@kyoruweekofficial

[epiphany-of-a-madwoman]

Daylight | Edward Cullen x Stark!OC

Prologue 

"You gotta step into the daylight and let it go"

Summary: Delphina Stark, to be frank, is tired. After the events of the Accords are done and half of the Avengers are now considered fugitives, she moves from bustling New York to live with her mom in Forks, Washington. Wielding a sarcastic attitude and crippling self-deprecating humor, she somehow gets wrapped up in the supernatural world.

 "--it would appear that the members of the Avenger previously apprehended have escaped from their holding cells. Steve Rogers, Captain America, is still at large along with James Barnes. Who knows what the future holds for the remaining members of the Avengers. Back to--"

The TV turned off, interrupting the news reporter on it. The room was enveloped in darkness, the faint outlines in the rooms resembling monsters rather than furniture, shadow reaching out and threatening to steal away her life. Delphina sighed and slouched against the velvet couch. Her thoughts ran a million miles an hour, never focusing on one thought for too long. Everything in the past month happened so quickly, she never even had a chance to fully comprehend anything. In the blink of an eye, everything had changed so drastically, and she couldn’t keep up. And to be frank, she was tired, tired of it all.

Her hands found her phone, gripping it tightly as she brought the screen up, the brightness momentarily blinding, illuminating the room and banishing the imaginary monsters. She squinted as she attempted to adjust to the brightness, pulling up the contact information of the one person she wanted to speak to most. 

“I miss you.”

The message was simple, but it’s all she could think to send at the moment. Her thumb hovered over the send button, contemplating if she should. If she ever saw it, Delphina would look pathetic and clingy, but she couldn’t help but not care, despite her pride demanding she be as cold as ice. Her world was shattering around her at every corner. She should be allowed to be a vulnerable, clingy, and pathetic seventeen year old. So with a victim complex motivated by her emotional state, she pressed down on the send button. The small ding that signified the message going through rings in the otherwise quiet room. It was too quiet. She couldn’t remember the last time the Compound was ever this quiet. 

She waited a moment, unsure of what exactly she was even waiting for when another ding came from her phone. Faster than she’d care to admit, Delphina, unlocked her phone, eagerly drinking in the response.

“451911.” was all it said. Delphina squinted, eyebrows furrowed in confusion. She stared at the jumble of numbers, willing their hidden meaning to reveal itself. She read it and then read it again, going backward and forward, anything to help Delphina get clarity. 

She pulled up her phone, ready to send another message, to plead for an explanation about well...everything. When the keyboard came up, she glanced at the numbers when suddenly a light bulb went off. Exiting off the Messenger app and opening the Notes app, she wrote down the numbers, the alphabet, and the numbers 1-26. She lined up the alphabet with the numbers, starting from one until twenty-six, highlighting 4; 5; 1; 9; 1; 1 and it’s the corresponding letter. The message still a mess, she instead highlighted 19 and 11. 

DESK.

Delphina immediately jumped off the couch, the tension in her bones minorly relaxing as her bones cracked. She rushed down the hall and towards the door at the end of it. The door slowly creaked open as she pushed on it, revealing her old bedroom. The room once an explosion of a wide array of colors and textures is neatly packed away. Boxes, both full and partially empty litter the ground. The furniture has long since been taken out to be transported to her mom’s. Her eyes glazed over all the boxes, looking for the one with the right label. In an attempt to distract her mind, Delphina had meticulously labeled each and every box, separating things only to separate them again. Tucked in the corner that it’d been left in was the box labeled DESK. 

Walking fully into the room, feeling as her feet depressed into the soft carpet, Delphina beelined for the box. Crouching on her knees in front of it, she began ripping off the tape keeping it closed. Irrationally her heart pounded in her chest, the large tearing sound from the tape drowned out her rapid thoughts. She opened it, staring down at the contents. The various trinkets and office items that used to sit on her desk now lie jumbled in the box. Her wide brown eyes razed the items, waiting for something to jump out at her. There had to be something in here, otherwise, why would Nat send her that cryptic message. 

The silence encompassing the room is swallowed by the blaring of a phone ringing. Looking down at her phone placed beside her, the screen was still black, indicating no one was calling her. The sound seemed to be coming from within the box. Like a rabid animal, Delphina rummaged through the box, trying to grasp onto the source. Her hand grasped onto something cold and plastic. Pulling it out, in her hand is a small black burner cell phone, the source of the noise. In a daze, Delphina stared at the phone in her hands as it continued to ring, only coming out of it when the sound stopped. Flipping it open with shaky hands, the bright light illuminated the room and reflected her eyes staring down at it. 

1 Voicemail. 

Clicking to listen to the voicemail, she put the phone to her ears. The calm, collected, and crisp voice of Nat leaked through the phone speaker and into Delphina’s ears, and for a moment she felt like Nat was right there with her. She nearly bursts into tears at the sound. 

“I’m here if you need me. If you ever need to get in contact with me or anyone else, call from this phone. Stay strong, you’ll make it through this. I love you, solnechnyy svet.” 

Delphina began to feel tears forming in her eyes, slowly starting to run down her face. The term of endearment at the end breaks the dam that kept her tears at bay. When Nat first became a part of Delphina’s life all those years ago, when she was seven years old, Nat always called her solnechnyy svet, which Delphina later found out meant ‘sunshine’ in Russian. The endearment used to make Delphina glow like the sun, but now it just came with a wave of melancholy that she would drown in. 

Before she could restart another cry fest, a knock sounded from the doorway. Quickly, Delphina wiped her eyes and turned to face her new visitor. Casually leaning against the doorway was her dad. His hair was messy from the numerous amount of times his hands ran through it. His facial hair wasn’t as pristine and well-shaped as it normally is. The bags under his eyes were mostly covered by his glasses. It seemed no one was taking the Avengers split very well. 

“Ready to go, kid? Your flight leaves in an hour.”

“Yeah, I - I’m ready,” she said, grabbing her phone in one hand and tucking the burner phone in her pocket. 

“What’s that?” Tony said, loosely pointing at the phone that’s now buried in her pocket. 

“My new business phone. Picked it up from the toy store.”

“I’d say something, but all the parenting books Pepper has gifted me throughout the years has taught me to let you follow your dreams,” he said, following behind Delphina as she walked out of the room. 

“Did they also tell you that facial hair was a good idea?” she teased, sweeping away any thoughts concerning the past month. 

“Ouch. Now I’m more glad than ever that I’m sending you away to your mother,” he said, dramatically touching his chest, hand over his heart. 

“You just wait. You’ll be regretting it when I destroy the patriarch and become the dictator of earth.”

                                                   o0o0o0o

Tags: 

@stuckupstucky​ 

[zambie-trashart]

Land of the Free and Home of the Wayne 12

masterlist

ao3 whole story

“Alright who are you two?” the blonde asked trying to speed up the process.

“Uh, you don’t know,” Ladybug asked hoping that she could still get out of this.

“If she did, she wouldn’t be asking you,” the boy groaned and something about him was familiar to the two Parisians.

“Shut up and let me do this, dear Rao you’re so stupid,” the girl groaned. “Now who are you?” she asked eyes glowing red.

“We’re fans and trying to become heroes like you guys,” Chat said with cool confidence.

The blonde girl laughed a little and the boy just smiled. “Then you my friend are going to need a new costume cause there’s already a crazy cat lady who like to kidnap my nephew for tea and you little lady are going to need to tone that down a little cause it’s kind of obnoxious,” she said pointing at the costumes making both of them blush.

“Don’t mind her, this is Supergirl and I’m Flamebird cause Nightwing was already taken, that down there is our foster father, uncle, cousin and our little brother nephew. Our family is complicated but if you want to learn how to fight, now’s your chance,” the boy said smirking and the two ran off the roof and the Supers started calling things out to each other taking down Doomsday in a matter of seconds. The two from before, Superboy, and Robin came up to the roof.

“Didn’t feel like helping?” Supergirl asked dusting off her skirt.

“You guys are such a well-oiled machine, we didn’t want to get in the middle of that,” Ladybug said nervously.

“Really cause the fight at Wayne Tower you caught Superboy when he fell out of the sky after a bomb exploded,” Robin pointed out.

“Did that hurt?” Supergirl asked, looking him over.

“Kind of,” Superboy said back, making Supergirl squeeze him.

“Next time you should really just go for it instead of hanging in the background, it’s a lot more fun that way,” Flamebird winked, flying off with Supergirl and Superboy to meet up with Superman.

Robin stared down Ladybug and Chat, not letting them go just yet. “Why are you here?” he asked and Chat gulped.

“We’re here because Paris is quiet and we wanted a little adventure so we snuck on the plane that was coming with the students on it,” Ladybug said and Chat took a sharp breath in and Robin nodded.

“Good to know, so you wouldn’t happen to know Lila Rossi, I hear she talks about me a lot, perhaps if she’s no longer dating that Damian guys we would be a good couple,” Robin tested.

“Lila Rossi is a liar and has hurt more people than you can imagine, she makes our lives miserable and she can’t be trusted,” Ladybug blurted out and Robin just smirked.

“So you got on a plane looking like that to keep an eye on her I suppose?” Robin asked knowing that they got on that plane in normal clothes sitting there as Adrien Agreste and Marinette Dupain-Cheng.

“Y-yes,” Ladybug knew that she was losing and a door went flying open and Jon was standing there with his father, brother, and aunt behind him all of them wearing glasses and dressed adorably casual. Jon adjusted his sweater and Kara did as well fixing the top of their button-ups. Clark adjusted his tie back to the center of his shirt and Conner looked down to make sure that his fly was actually up because last time it was embarrassing.

“What are you doing up here?” Clark asked, pulling his kids back in a false sense of security. Clark saw the way the cat boy looked over his son (not Connor that would be weird but Jon) and heard his heart rate go up.

“Clark, let the kids mingle. Be off the roof in five minutes otherwise, Perry will be up here and you don’t want to deal with Perry again do you Robin?” Kara asked and Robin swan dived off the building. The Parisians followed and were soon back in the building in normal clothes as a family of five stood in front of them adjusting their clothes every few seconds like it was a tic that they had and their clothes didn’t fit right.

“Hello everyone, my name is Clark Kent, these are my kids Connor and Jon. Connor is an intern here and my cousin Kara writes here for the paper,” Clark started showing the students around and noticed the same heartbeat in the back and green knowing eyes staring at Jon. The tour went by faster than a normal tour would but the kids had to be back by four to help Alfred.

Clark smiled as the students walked out telling them that he would see them soon and at the gala too. Clark grabbed the shoulder of the blonde boy holding him in front of him.

“I see the way you look at Jon and who wouldn’t look at him like that, but he’s too young for you. You’re like seventeen and he’s only fourteen, it’s not a healthy relationship. I will however make an exception for you because you seem to have a heart of gold but I will rip that heart out and eat it for dinner with Kara and Conner on my side if you ever hurt him.” Clark let Adrien go back to the car and he sat down next to Jon eyes wide. Bruce stood back with Clark whispering something to him that made his eyes flicker red. Bruce got back in the car and Aflred started driving.

“What did you say to my dad?” Jon asked leaning on Adrien again as the blonde pet his hair.

“Just something about Lila is all, he’ll have a talk with her next time and maybe he’ll threaten to eat her heart too.”

“If she has one,” Chloe said and she got a few laughs. It really was bad though how she was never going to be exposed. Jon fell asleep with his head on Adrien’s lap and low chatter stirred through the car as Marinette went out too head resting on Damian’s shoulder making the boy blush slightly. They got out of the car and ate dinner going up to their rooms for the night.

Jon and Adrien laid down staring at the ceiling and Damian laid in the room next door awake thinking about how everyone seemed to be in a relationship except for him. Jon and Adrien had each other and Jon even lost the bet cause he wanted to be with Adrien so bad, Mar’i had Kagami who was nice to her and called her sweet names, who did Damian have though? Damian felt like he was going to be left out on the little Parisian couple list. He liked Marinette but how was he supposed to tell her that without sounding like a complete wuss?

Damian stood up and paced around his room until eventually there was a knock on his door and when he opened it, Jon was standing there glaring at him.

“What’s up with the pacing?” Jon asked, inviting himself in.

“Won’t your human pillow be missing you?” Damian asked, nodding to the room next door.

“I don’t think he’ll notice, what’s wrong cause I’d actually like to sleep tonight cause Diana is going to be here tomorrow and I have to think of a good compliment so she’ll let me train on an island of woman,” Jon said dreamily.

“Yeah, she’s not doing that,” Damian said, sitting uncomfortably straight on his chair. “How did you ask Adrien out?” Damian asked and Jon laughed head hitting Damian’s pillow.

“I didn’t, we just kissed and then things happened,” Jon said, blue eyes staring up at Damian giving him slight goosebumps. Jon had a way with making people like him no matter how much the person didn’t want to admit it. “Why? Are you going to ask out Marinette finally?” Jon asked all of a sudden in front of Damian feet in the air and chin in his hands laying on his bed.

“Maybe, it’s none of your business,” Damian said all of a sudden flustered.

“Come on Damiboo, I’m your best friend, aren’t you supposed to tell me everything?” Jon asked, fluttering his eyelashes.

“Go back to sleep farmboy,” Damian said pushing his friend out of his room.

“Love you Dami!” Jon yelled through the door.

When Damian woke up in the morning, he heard screaming and slipped on his slippers running down the stairs two at a time to see Troy, Gordon, Cain, and Brown all squealing at each other. Bruce walked by with a mug of coffee talking to Diana.

“Damian! You’ve gotten so much older!” Donna ran over picking up the boy with her Amazonian strength.

Jon walked down the stairs rubbing his eyes tripping down the last step. “What the goose guys it’s like five in the… Diana!” Jon ran over to the princess and jumped on her as she swung him around.

“How is my favorite warrior of man?” Diana asked, setting him down.

“Pretty good, settled down, got myself a man,” Jon said and Diana raised an eyebrow at him while the batgirls surrounded him demanding to meet this boy.

“I really hope they didn’t cause you any trouble Diana,” Bruce said referring to his kids and Barbara.

“Not at all, we just trained and that’s all, no missions or anything like that. I already finished your suit so there should be no problems there, it’s the students that I might need help with,” Diana said and Jon nudged Damian giving him the look.

“They have a designer in their class, perhaps she could help?” Damian asked and Diana looked up, thoughtful for a minute before nodding.

“That would be nice,” Diana said smiling and going to pinch the boy’s cheeks but he turned away dragging Jon with him.

“Did he just say something nice?” Steph asked and the other girls just shrugged before walking up to their rooms.

Damian sat on his bed, Jon next to him. “Are you sure you’re not sick or something?” Jon asked, going to feel his forehead with the back of his hand before it got slapped away by his friend.

“I’m not sick Jon, I just have these weird things in my stomach that make me feel like I’m floating whenever I talk about her.” Damian looked down and Jon just stared at Damian for a second before bursting out in laughter.

“Are you serious? You have no idea what having a crush feels like?” Jon asked, wiping a tear from his eye.

“No, how do I do this?” Damian asked, looking his best friend in the eyes.

“Pretend I’m her and just talk to me,” Jon said sitting up straight and fluttering his eyelashes making Damian smile a little.

“This is so dumb,” Damian said and Jon just gave him a look that said do you really want to argue with the person who has more experience with a romantic relationship even if it has been just a day? “Marinette, how is your morning?” Damian asked feeling so stupid.

“Just fantastic, how’s yours, Damian?” Jon asked, pitching his voice.

“Fine,” Damian said, going silent.

“Is there something you needed?” Jon asked, voice still high.

“I was wondering if you maybe wanted to go out sometime?” Damian asked hoping that Jon wouldn’t laugh at him.

“Like a date?” Jon asked, still batting his eyelashes.

“Yeah,” Damian said and Jon just smiled.

“Sure,” Jon said, sitting up suddenly and walking over to the door and saw Adrien stomping away angrily. “That’s not going to go well.” Jon ran after Adrien and Damian just face planted on his bed. He was right, that really was stupid.

............................

It was just a misunderstanding Adrien and hopefully you realize that sooner rather than later.

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[hiddenleafstoryteller]

🐱 with shikamaru pls!

A/N: Thanks for the request anon! I love writing for Shika, and this prompt was amazing. I really got into writin this one, I hope you enjoy it!

🐱: “She’s not yours anymore, so you might as well leave.”

Word Count: 1,395

Check out the master list for my prompts here!

Squicks: Alchohol mention, drunken behavior, hints of abusive relationship

Shikamaru stared across the room as he watched [Y/N] dance with Daichi, her fiance. Her lavender dress flowed around her with every twirl, she was the only source of color among the black tie affair.

“Could have been you.” Choji remarks standing to his right as he nods towards the couple.

“Yeah, right.” Shikamaru huffs, “Marriage is a drag, definitely not for me.”

Choji laughs and looks at his best friend, “This coming from the same man who practiced proposing to [Y/N] in front of me almost a hundred times?”

Shikamaru rolls his eyes but is unable to meet Choji’s knowing gaze. His hand touches his best friend’s shoulder and gives him a squeeze, he knew how deeply this was affecting Shikamaru even if he wouldn’t admit to it.

“If you love her Shikamaru, go get her. Girls like her don’t just appear every day.” Choji chimes into Shika’s thoughts before he goes back to the table where he sat with Ino.

Shikamaru watches as [Y/N] breaks away from Daichi’s grasp and makes her way to the bar. He decides to make his way over.

“A whiskey straight with a water back for myself and whatever this lovely lady would like.”He says to the bartender coming up behind [Y/N] who glances over her shoulder at him in surprise.

“Shika! I didn’t expect you to come.” She says with a soft smile, and he shrugs with a casual smirk etched onto his face.

“Choji said it would be rude if I didn't, so here I am.” He explained and she awkwardly nodded as she glances at the bartender.

“Make that two straights, no water back on mine.”

“Since when do you shoot whiskey?” Shikamaru teases her as their drinks are poured and slid across the bar. Shika pays and leaves a decent tip before picking up both of their drinks and leading her away from the bar.

“It’s been three years since you last spoke to me, things change.” The bluntness of her voice almost makes him laugh, she was trying so hard to sound mean. He hands her the cold glass as they steal away to the garden outside.

“Evidently.” Shikamaru nods towards the ring on her finger, “If I remember correctly, you told me you were never going to get married.”

Before she can respond, he continues, “If I also remember correctly, you said that as I was down on one knee in front of you.”

Y/N pauses and clenches her jaw, “If you came here to just make me feel bad about something I did when we were seventeen, I’ll see you out of the door myself Shikamaru.”

He sighs, almost immediately regretting the words that had left his mouth. He places his glass on the tall table next to where they stood in the glow of the fairy lights.

“Would you believe me if I said I just wanted to come say congratulations?” He offers, sitting on the garden wall.

“Not in the slightest.” She chuckles and sits next to him. She sways her feet slightly as they don’t touch the ground.

“I figured.” He picks up the glass and throws back what is left of the whiskey. She quietly nurses her drink, her body swaying softly to the music that played around them.

“So why are you really here Shika?” The question slaps Shikamaru across the face, why was he really here? He glances sideways at her and then gives a halfhearted shrug.

“Well my fawn, I just wanted to see you one last time before you became somebody's wife.” He smiles softly as he watches a soft blush paints itself across her cheeks.

“Wow, it's been a long time since someone called me that.” She chuckles and raises the glass to her lips again.

“You know why I called you that, don't you?” He inquires as he gently moves a stray hair away from her face, she shakes her head ‘no’.

“Your eyes, they remind me of a doe’s eyes. Soft, brown, full of mysteries no man will ever understand.”

She cackles, nearly spitting out some of her drink.

“Oh Shika, I have to wear boots around you.” Her voice twinkles across the night air as she wipes the bit of the liquor off of her dress, “You create more bullshit than my father’s cows.”

“I missed that laugh of yours.” He remarks suddenly, “The way I could hear it in a crowded room and immediately know where you were.”

She goes to speak but he stops her before she can utter a sentence, “I miss that little chipped tooth you have. From when you smashed your head against Hinata’s during training at the academy, I also hoped you would never get it fixed. I miss the way you always had a smile on your face when I walked in the house after a mission. I miss getting lost in the woods with you, I miss the way my father used to tease me in front of you, trying to embarrass me. I miss everything sweetheart, and it makes me physically ill to know you're marrying Daichi.”

The words crash over his lips like a captured wild horse who finally broke free of its ropes, it didn’t care what damage it caused. It just wanted to be free, just as Shikamaru wanted to be free of these thoughts he carried around with him like a permanent set of luggage.

“Shika, Shika I’m so sorry.” Her hands grab onto his and squeeze gently, “I don’t know what to say.”

“Than don’t say anything my fawn.” He kisses her forehead and then stares down into her eyes a glimmer distracts him as she looks down at the engagement ring that adorned her left hand.

“If he ever, and I mean ever, lays a hand on you in a way that isn’t out of love, [Y/N] I will kill him.” Shikamaru’s voice is cold, as if something else had taken over him. If he couldn’t protect [Y/N] by being by her side, he at least would be on her side, through everything.

“There will never be a day that goes by where I will forgive myself for saying no to you all those years ago. I was just a dumb little kid, and you deserved so much more than that.” Her voice shakes slightly and she throws back the rest of her drink.

“[Y/N!]” A voice calls from across the garden and they both looked up to see Daichi, followed by his friends, approaching them. His face flushed from the amount of liquor he had consumed.

“Daichi! I would like you to meet Shikamaru Nara, we’ve fought beside each other since we were children.” [Y/N] jumps up and stands with her fiance, “We were just catching up.”

“You’re the little fuck who proposed to her aren’t you?” Daichi spits at Shikamaru who doesn’t flinch.

“Daichi! You’re drunk.” [Y/N] tries to direct him away, “I’m sorry Shika, please excuse his behavior.”

Daichi shakes her off with a swift but hard shove and she has to grab onto the table to keep her balance. Shikamaru stands and steps up to the man who stood between him and the girl he loved.

“You’re lucky she didn’t fall, otherwise I’d make sure you found yourself falling from the roof.” Shikamaru fumed, not paying any mind to the men who stood behind Daichi.

“What are you even doing here? Hoping to steal her from me?” Daichi laughs, “Well, newsflash lover boy. She’s not yours anymore, so you might as well leave, and I better not see you anywhere near our wedding. Otherwise, you’ll have a few people showing you the way out.”

Shikamaru rolls his eyes, “Whatever.”

Daichi clenches his jaw, he wasn’t used to someone not being intimidated by him.

Shikamaru turns to [Y/N] who still had a grip on the table she had fallen into. He reaches out and gently strokes her tear-stained cheek. Their eyes met and Shikamaru tried hardest to remember them because after tonight, he knew he would never see her again.

“Take care of yourself my little fawn, if you need me, tell Choji. He’ll know how to find me.”

He walks away from the party and onto the road heading back towards the village, he tried to remember ever step he took. He wouldn’t be coming home for a long time.

[lookatmerosalie]

Love’s Consequences, Seventeen

    Sunday mass. It's something I've had to attend my entire life. It's never something I've decided to attend, but have done so anyway for my parents.

   I wasn't always apathetic when it came to religion. When I was little, I actually had a strong connection with God. I liked singing at church, and I thought the cathedral was gorgeous. But as I aged, I became more and more disenchanted. I wondered why all these things were taught to me, and if it was truly real. Was there really a divine power watching over me?

  By the time I reached middle school, I had a weak connection to the Catholic church. I saw the way my parents would treat certain groups of people and felt guilt. The way my life was going, I felt like I was alone, and no one was watching over me. It didn't feel right.

  Today, I still continue my tradition of going to church every Sunday. Stepping into that same white and gold cathedral, my parents leading me inside. We find our usual spot and sit at the pew. Once more people arrive, the mass gets started, and we partake in the opening hymn.

   We talk of pardoning our sins, and jump right into the gospel reading. Another hymn, more pardoning of sins. The name of Christ is holy, blah blah blah. It all sounds like amplified white noise to me.

  Since I've started dating Austin, my relationship with the church has reached an all-time low. Although my parents have never explicitly stated that they hate gay people, I know their backgrounds, who they were raised by, and what messages have been given to them by the church. I feel like an outsider, even just standing in the pew. All the people around me, though they've seen me grow up and have known me my whole life, would never speak to me again if they knew who I really was.

  This time of year, our church prepares itself for lent, Easter, and the rest of the coinciding holy holidays. I can tell that, as usual, my parents are super invested and excited to be here. I find it great that some people can find solace in the Catholic church, but I'm not one of them.

   As if I fell asleep and woke up suddenly, the mass is nearly over. I lost myself in my own thoughts, which happens pretty often these days. I must have just gone through the motions until now.

   We go up, take communion, and head back to the pew for the remainder of the mass.

   "The Lord be with you."

   "And with your spirit," I mumble.

   "May almighty God bless you, the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirt."

   "Amen," everyone responds.

   We all get dismissed and file ourselves out of the cathedral. My parents exit with giddy strides and smiles on their faces. I exit with the weight of the world on my shoulders.

   "I thought today's mass was excellent. Did you enjoy it, Dylan?" my mom asks me. I nod, not saying anything in response.

   The three of us make our way down the street to the parking lot. Across the street, two women with dyed hair sit next to each other. As we pass, they kiss. My parents keep walking, but I could see the stink on their faces from a mile away.

   As soon as we get in the car, my dad says, "Right across from a Catholic church? Really? The nerve they have."

   My mom shakes her head. "I don't understand how people can choose to live that way. It's downright sinful."

  I sit quietly. My dad asks, "Is there anyone at your school who is in a relationship like that?" My heart starts to race.

  "Nope, not that I know of."

  "Good. I don't want you being exposed to that kind of behavior. It's sickening," he spits.

    Thank goodness I'm not exposing myself to that kind of behavior. That'd be a tragedy.

  The whole ride home, I have a pit in my stomach and a sense of dread falling over me. Being super old school Catholics, I should've known they wouldn't be LGBT-friendly. I was an idiot for thinking otherwise. I wish I got the cool, hip, modern Christian parents that Sammy has.

   "Make sure you wash the dishes today, honey," my mom reminds me before I can escape to my room.

    Not wanting to fight, I simply say, "Alright."

    I wash off the muck from our bowls and plates and try to put them in the dishwasher as quickly as possible. Midway through, I feel a buzz in my pocket. I wipe off my hands and take my phone out to check.

    "I love you," Austin writes. I smile wide and my heart flutters.

   "What are you smiling at?" my dad asks, walking in the kitchen. I quickly click my phone off and put it back in my pocket.

   "Just a funny post I saw," I tell him, getting back to the dishes.

   "Mhm," he says, suspiciously. He continues walking into the living room, but his presence was enough to put me on edge. So, I simply finish doing the dishes in silence.

   "I'm going to tell them."

    "What? Are you sure?" Austin asks me, a little concerned.

    I nod. Although every bone in my body disagrees with my decision, I nod.

   He sighs. "Okay. Please be careful."

   I nod. "I will. Thank you," I say, kissing him one last time.

  Suddenly, I'm back with my parents. The two of them sit on the couch, looking at me expectantly. A surge of pain courses through me, but I walk closer to them nonetheless.

   "Mom. Dad. I need to tell you something," I speak softly.

   "Spit it out," my dad says, getting up and towering over me.

   I take a deep breath. "I'm gay."

  The floor opens up into a dark pit, and I stumble in. I hold on to the edge, which was growing by the second, with my fingertips.

   "No, you're not," both of my parents say simultaneously. Both of them step on my fingers, one taking responsibility of one hand, forcing me to let go and plummet down.

   I scream until I can't anymore. Eventually, it feels as though there's no air left to breathe.

   Suddenly, I wake up. I find myself in a dark place, not able to see anything around me.

  A familiar voice in my ear whispers, “He’s mine.”

  Flashing to another scene, I see six figures in the distance. Two stand out to me: a slim, chocolate haired boy next to a girl with short red hair. They hold hands and the whole group laughs together. They turn around, and I see my friends.

  “I told you he’s mine. Why are you back?” Sammy asks, glaring. My heart races and I double back a few steps.

  “W-what’s happening?” I say, wanting to cry.

  “We don’t need you,” all of them say in unison.

  Frozen in place, the man who should be my boyfriend approaches me and repeats, as if some type of twisted mantra, “We don’t need you.”

   Blinded by tears, the scenery changes once again. All I can hear is laughter, but it didn’t seem like they were laughing at anything funny. I wipe my eyes and look around to see faceless teens in a school hallway, laughing and pointing at me.

   This can’t be real... no...

   I jolt up in bed, feeling hot and sweaty. I strip my blanket off from on top of me and turn so my legs are hanging off the bed. I quickly grasp around for my phone on my nightstand, and click it. It’s 2:43.

   My heart continues to race from whatever hell I just experienced. I’ve had dreams like that before, but never that painful. And never with Austin.

   I try to regain comfort in the fact that none of it was real, and I’m safe again. But the pit in my stomach remains.

  Although I’m unsure if Austin is awake, I call him anyway. It rings only once or twice before he picks up.

  “Are you okay? Is something wrong?” Austin asks, clearly panicked. I calm myself a little just from the sound of his voice.

 “I’m okay now,” I sigh a breath of relief.

 “What’s wrong?” he asks, still concerned.

 “If I said I had a nightmare, would you laugh at me?” I ask, scratching my head.

  “Of course not. I’m guessing it was worse than usual?” he asks, knowing I’ve had plenty before.

  “Yeah. It was rough.”

  “Do you want to talk through it?” he asks kindly.

  “No. I just wanted to hear your voice,” I tell him.

  “Oh yeah?”

  I blush. “Yeah. Hearing you makes me feel better,” I admit.

  He lets out a brief sigh of happiness. “Everything’s going to be alright, Dyl. I’ll always be here with my voice.”

  I smile wide and lay down, leaving the phone next to my ear.

  “Is it okay if I just leave you on for a little longer? You don’t even have to talk if you don’t want to,” I ask.

  “I’ll stay on as long as you need. I’m here,” he says sweetly. I close my eyes and just listen to the sound of his gentle breath, pretending like he was right there next to me. I quickly find myself falling asleep, Austin still virtually by my side.

  The next morning, I’d come to find out that he never hung up.

[7deadlycinderellas]

No more math and history, ch7

Ao3 link

Second session comes to a close. 

Hide and seek only takes two hours this year (Arya long ago found the best hiding place, underneath the kitchen employees snack table behind the mess hall, but Clegane rats her out this time). The Wizard of Oz goes off with no stage fright and no flubbed lines, and only one munchkin who has to run off to the latrines prematurely. 

The dance comes, and Arya even wears a skirt for it.

The dance is over now, and around the campfire the lingering counselors have plundered the prize smuggled in yesterday in Loras’s truck - two whole cases of beer. There wasn’t enough to go around for anyone to really get drunk but most of them were at least nursing a bottle. If no one got in trouble, Brienne would be none the wiser.

Most of the unit counselors have left, begrudgingly. They’ll get their revenge when everyone at activities has to work tomorrow all day when the kids are gone. Meera had taken one bottle and snuck off for solitude. Ygritte had grumbled the whole dance, she was stuck on lights out patrol the last night of session. Bran left too, laughing that alcohol and wheelchairs didn’t mix. 

All around the campfire, everyone’s drinking their beer, laughing and singing.

Arya and her companions are off to one side, and a couple are still fixated on the skirt. 

She holds out the ends of the fabric, showing Shireen. 

“I pretty much live in jeans and sweaters and hoodies up north. I haven’t worn a skirt or dress voluntarily since my junior school days when we had uniforms. Well about a year and a half ago I tore the knees out of my favorite jeans. I was going to throw them away, but Sansa fished them out, cut the inseams and patched the gaps with one of our dad’s old flannel shirts.”

They still had a whole box of Ned’s flannel shirts, waiting for them to find a use for them. Robb and Jon were both still too slim to wear them. Sometimes Arya would pull one on, letting it fall down nearly to her knees, and pretend she could still smell him. Ned had always smelled like pine and snow to her, no matter where they were.

“I loved it, because of that and because Sansa made it just for me. But I only wore it once.”

“I forgot about that,” Sansa admits.

Arya feels herself turning red, and she knows it’s not the beer, she’s only had half a bottle. 

“I wish I could. I wore it to school once, one of the only days it was warm enough.”

She had always shaken her head at Sansa, who wore dresses and skirts to school all the time, with or without leggings or tights, no matter the amount of snow on the ground. She could be shivering under her winter coat and hat and boots, but still refuse to change.

“I didn’t really think anything of it, but everyone else sure seemed to. Mum fussed over me all morning and when I got to school, I kept hearing whispers and snickers. I even heard someone say ‘guess she really is a girl after all’. It was mortifying, and I never wore it again.”

Shireen frowns, even harder than she was before. She had taken exactly one drink of her beer and had winced.

“Why would people act like that just over seeing a girl in a skirt?”

Gendry snorts. He’s only been sipping his beer, and with a pang, Arya remembers that his mother had always said, that his father had just been some drunk. 

“They probably thought they had wandered into some teen flick and she was having a dramatic makeover into the class beauty everyone would want.”

Arya feels herself burn, and she knows it’s not the beer talking. 

“Yes, it was like they thought that just because I wore a skirt that I would stop playing sports and start hanging out at the mall and fawning over boys instead.”

Gendry starts laughing so Arya sticks her tongue out at him. 

“Nope, you’re not getting any fawning, none at all. Mum was the worst actually. She always thought that one day I would wake up transformed into the proper girl she wanted me to be, like Sansa.”

“You and Mum never did see eye to eye,” Sansa admits, quietly. Her two bottles are both empty and there’s a tinge of sadness to her voice.

Arya pulls her knees up to her chest. 

“She could never understand why I would rather go to the park with the dogs, or to White Harbour for a game, or beg Jon to teach me to drive on a Saturday instead of, I don’t know, getting my hair or nails done like you.”

“It wasn’t always perfect between us,” Sansa admits, “Sometimes I could be too much even for mum. You weren’t around that time I threw a tantrum because she said I couldn’t go clubbing with the rest of the cast after the Music Man closed, because it was after curfew.”

Sansa’s quiet for a long moment.

“I wonder if she would fight me again over this next year.”

Arya flops flat on her back. 

“You did fine on your A-levels Sansa, and you’re hardly the first person to take a gap year to work.”

Shireen frowns off to her side.

“You’re out of school already? I thought you said you were seventeen?”

Sansa nods, then giggles.

“There was some fuss with our birthdays when we both entered school. I turn eighteen in October, Arya’s seventeen in November. I just finished my A-levels, Arya’s going into her last year.”

Sansa quiets after this. Arya knows she had agonized over this. She had done decently on exams, true, but she really did want to pursue acting. The theater scene in Winterfell, indeed, in all of the North was so very small, that her only hope was to leave and move somewhere like the Riverlands, or hopefully the Reach. And all for Sansa’s confidence, leaving home like that terrified her. 

Shireen turns her attention to Arya, who suddenly feels the need to take a long swig of her beer. 

“What are you taking?’

Arya grimaces, “English, maths, biology, phys ed, and Braavosi.”

She bites her lip. 

“Mum would probably still say that’s not enough.”

The beer isn’t helping, her stomach feels like there’s a rock in it. Part of her wants to keep going, but is terrified of letting it out. Across the campfire, Loras has started making out with Renly Baratheon, the boys head counselor, and no one is paying any attention to the group in the little corner. 

“Do you remember Ned Dayne?” she asks Gendry, eye half-closed in his direction. Gendry snorts, like a bull would, not like he’s laughing. 

“I hated him.”

Arya scoffs. Ned had come to camp with them the second year, invited along as the son of a long time family friend. The rest of the Brotherhood had liked him, Gendry had not.

“You did not hate him, you were ten. Well, last year Ned came north to stay with his aunt for a few months.”

Sansa’s eyeing her oddly, trying to work out the timeline and looking wary. 

“There was a beginning of term dance. I didn’t really want to go, but Ned offered to take me because he thought I was afraid to go alone, and- Gendry wipe that pout off your face-”

His pout is extremely obvious too, even Shireen’s giggling in his direction. She had never really understood why him and Ned got on each other’s nerves so easily, having always chalked it up to them just having different temperaments.

“Ned and I are just friends, we both knew it…” her voice thins and turns rough, “Mum didn’t seem to get the memo though.”

Sansa interrupts. 

“Was that what-”

Arya nods. 

“She couldn’t stop going on about how sweet we were together, and and, how happy Dad would have been…”

That was the part that had hurt the most, that it felt like Mum had been using Dad against her, even if that hadn’t been her intention. 

“She tried to convince me to take him to this fancy charity event she was planning for the company, and I just, I got so mad…”

Tears threaten to spill out, and she wipes her face with the back of her hand.

“I told her that I wasn’t going to go to her stupid event, alone or with Ned. I told her that she was never going to understand me and that I wished…I wished that Dad was still here instead of her.”

Arya’s crying now openly, and the others are just watching her. 

“Her and Bran’s accident was the next day. Mum died thinking I hated her.”

Arya’s so lost in her words, that she doesn’t even notice when Sansa roughly tipsy-tackles her.

“She did not. You had a fight over something stupid and you lost your temper and said something you didn’t mean. Arya, it’s not the first time you’ve done that. She knew you didn’t hate her.”

Off to the side, she can hear Shireen opening her mouth.

“So much for not being in a film. Is this where we all share our deepest secrets? You already know mine.”

The tone seems almost bitter for Shireen, but Arya could hug her at this moment, for taking the attention off of her confession. 

“Then my turn is done, someone else take a turn.”

Sansa squeezes her one last time, whispering into her hair. 

“You’re so much more lovable than you seem to believe Arya,” she spares a glance in Gendry’s direction before letting go and standing up, “Maybe you’ll come to see it yourself.”

Once Sansa leaves for the other side of the campfire, it’s quiet for a few minutes. Arya studies the stars, feels the warmth of the fire at her back and breathes in the soft scent of smoke. It’s true, she does feel a bit lighter.

After several minutes, Gendry breaks the silence. 

“After we left camp the last time...the foster mother I had after molested me for most of that year.”

Arya feels her throat go dry, her mind go fuzzy. She thinks she makes some noises but none of them are words, or at least she hopes they aren’t.

“At least you’re using the word now,” Shireen comments, and Arya feels even more almost words try and get out.

“Shireen,” she starts off, “Wasn’t she the one who-”

Shireen nods, but Gendry isn’t paying attention. His voice drones on like a tape stretched out from too many plays. 

“I’m not sure if Melisandre was her given or family name either. That’s just what she told me to call her. She hadn’t been living in King’s Landing long before...I should have known she was strange from day 1. I’d never even heard of the Lord of Light before, but she made me keep the little religious rituals. That wasn’t really so bad…”

He swallows roughly. 

“She was really affectionate right off the bat. I didn’t think anything of that either, I’ve had some foster parents who freaked out if I so much as bumped into them and I thought this was better. It didn’t help that she was beautiful. “ “She really was,” Shireen admits, swigging her beer. Arya notes that it’s mostly gone now, as though Shireen had been using it to distract from the conversation. “Like, film star beautiful.”

“Then the weirdness started. She would stare into her little flame on her altar for hours, or spend most of the day speaking in a language I didn’t recognize. Sometimes she would corner me while in this state, and get way too close.”

Shireen’s finished her beer, and stood and set to leave. Arya doesn’t blame her. She feels well and truly drunk, her head swimming and her stomach threatening to turn itself over. 

“Then it got to the point she would try and kiss me while muttering some shit about the will of R’hllorr. It would be a lie to say I didn’t enjoy this at first. That’s why some of it feels like my fault, like I should have done something earlier.”

Arya hates every inch of guilt on his face. 

“You were what, fifteen then? You couldn’t have...would you have thought differently if you had been a girl, or younger?”

Gendry won’t look at her now. 

“But by the time she started saying things about bloodlines and sticking her hands down my shorts I knew everything was wrong, but I didn’t know how to make her stop.”

“I’m so sorry,” Arya starts, turning on one side to face him, “That was horrible. She was supposed to be a parent, no parent should ever do anything like that.”

Gendry chuckles roughly. 

“I had a decent reputation with the social workers. I wasn’t a problem case. I still led off with the religious ranting, because I still thought they might not believe me. They did though, and even leaving with another bin bag, I was ecstatic. I was in a boy’s group home for a few months until Davos took me in. Those months were when she went to Dragonstone.”

Arya’s eyes go wide. 

“They let her?”

“They had to build a case. They could bar her from taking in other kids or working at a school, but until they got all my statements, they couldn’t stop her from traveling within the territory and preaching.”

“Did they-” 

“It was easier after Shireen. Because of what she did to her, with witnesses, they got the order to hold her against her will within the day. She’s in an in-treatment facility now, and has been declared unfit to stand trial. Diagnosis of hallucinations and delusions, apparently they’re religiously oriented quite a lot. Until she’s not, what happened to me is just a file in a police station.” 

Arya sighs deeply. Her mother had always been very religious, and while Arya had rarely shared her enthusiasm, none of it had ever frightened her.

She remembers that Gendry never really put any stock in the barely there prayers and religious songs at camp, she always thought he was in the same boat as her. 

She watches Gendry’s face, his eyes half closed, his lips set straight. A horrible thought hits her suddenly. 

“I didn’t- nothing I’ve done when we’re...I don’t make you remember it do I?”

Gendry sighs, and reaches out to push a bit of her hair back over the side of her face.

“No. I didn’t tell you this to make you pity me, or so you’d treat me like I was going to break.”

Arya feels her eyes water as she asks, “Then why did you tell me.”

Gendry exhales roughly. 

“I guess I’m just so sick of feeling like it’s a secret. It’s not something you can just drop on people. What I said earlier this summer was true, it was much easier to focus on work and school instead of trying to date. But it’s not just that. After what she did to me, it was really hard to think of trusting a complete stranger again. It took me a long time to warm up to Davos and his wife, and even Shireen.”

Arya sighs softly, breathing in the night air. 

“But you trust me?”

Gendry runs his fingers along one of her cheeks, and even though it’s gentle and simple, it makes her skin tingle.

“I do. Besides, you’re not a complete stranger. What Sansa says was right though, you’re so much more lovable than you give yourself credit for.”

Arya scoffs, though her heart swells inside her. 

“You too,” she whispers. Gendry shakes his head.

“I think that’s just you, and maybe Shireen. I think your siblings only put up with me because of you. Everyone else seems to think I’m a giant prick.”

Arya pouts. 

“That’s not true!”

Gendry laughs. 

“It’s fine. The people who actually matter don’t.”

He flexes his arm and rolls Arya closer. She presses her nose into the side of his neck and breathes in deeply. Warm skin, hint of suncream.

They’re quiet for a time, and Arya drinks the moment in. 

“If this is a big scene in a film, any other secrets you want to let out here?” she asks with a smirk. 

Gendry breathes deeply for a moment. 

“Lem gave me some info on an apprenticeship in King’s Landing I might go out for.”

Arya purses her lips. 

“An apprenticeship? What for?”

“To be a paramedic.”

Arya’s eyes go wide. She thinks back on his uncertainty about his future.

“That’s a great idea! You already have something resembling experience too.”

Gendry smiles, though his face still looks a bit hesitant. 

“I think so too, especially after what happened during the canoe races. I just- I’m tired of not knowing what I want. I want to make something of myself, show everyone I’m worthy, that I’m not just some lost kid to be pitied and looked down upon.”

Arya kisses his chin.

“Just remember you don’t need to prove anything to be worth it to me.”

Gendry breathes softly, and rolls so they’re closer together, nearly pressed nose-to-nose. 

“It’s not a guarantee, it’s a hard spot to get. It’s not just recent grads, working adults can apply too.”

Arya smiles. 

“After this past year with Bran, I’ve been considering physical therapy.”

“That’d be a good fit, given your background.”

“I thought so. Though apparently you’re competing with a ton of failed med school applicants. I’ll have to really buckle down this year.”

She groans deeply. The two beers she had is making her blood feel hot.

“I don’t want to think about school, it’s the summer holidays.”

So after that, they don’t talk anymore about the future. 

Morning comes, with the sun, and only a few hangovers. The campers leave, and the unit counselors slack off. Out in the stables, Arya and Ygritte muck and chat. Much like her and Gendry, they don’t talk about the future. 

[mywonuderful]

hey can i get a minghao x idol!reader where fans ship them and he thinks that reader likes wonwoo but they’re just close and asking wonwoo how to get hao’s attention

Sorry for the delayed response 😓 (finals are rolling up so I’ve been prepping for it). 

But aside from that, I’d love to take your request anon! In fact, Wonwoo and Minghao are both my biases (who am I kidding, all 13 of them are my biases) but recently, Minghao has been playing with my feels. I ended up altering it a bit (I’m so sorry if this wasn’t what you wanted) but I hope you enjoy it! I kind of got carried away with it so I hope you don’t mind a longer scenario!

Perfect

Pairing: Minghao x Reader Genre: Angst, fluff (ending) Warning: Insecurities

main masterlist

You and Minghao hosted for a program once. And that one time was able to bring out craziness in the fans where they started shipping you and him together over the interactions and how supposedly you and him share a lot of similarities. Even if you wanted to avoid him (why would you ever though), your group and his was under the same company, debuting around the same time, making it normal for both of your groups to get along well. But since ship broke out, it definitely made it awkward for the two of you as the atmosphere tensed up. You found yourself getting flustered over the smallest things whenever he’s around. As feelings started to secretly form in you, you know that he deserved way much more than what you can offer. How can a perfect man ever fall in love with a idol who doesn’t have just as much fame and attention as him? Thoughts of doubt of criticism fills your mind as you start getting insecure. Not only about your feelings about him, but your whole life.

You group along with many others have been preparing for an upcoming special program. You were in a middle of dance practice when your manager comes in, telling you that you’re wanted in the meeting room. You mind automatically thought if a scandal between you and Minghao breaks out. You slowly made your way, thinking about how to explain the situation when you felt a tap on your shoulder.

“Did practice finish already?” You turn around and saw Minghao softly smiling as he tilted his head. You melted at his expression.

“Not yet... My manager told me to go to the meeting room.” You explained as you saw Minghao’s eyes slightly widen

“What a coincidence.” He lightly chuckles as you mentally prepared yourself for scolding.

“Oh, Minghao and Y/N! You both seemed to come in together.” A staff welcomes you as you smiled and took a seat beside Minghao where the staff started introducing themselves as coordinators for the upcoming special musical program.

“Now, we’ve recently send out a poll asking what collaboration fans wanted the most. And when we got the results, it seems like the fans wanted a collaboration with the both of your groups!” The staff showed us the results as you took a look  and was shocked about how many votes you got.

“Why did you only call for us then?” You asked curiously as the staffs exchanged some nervous looks and shuffles with some paper. You felt yourself getting embarrassed on asking such question.

“Well... Here’s the thing....” One of the staff started off making you lean in, more curious about what she has to say next. “...They wanted a collaboration between the two of you.” Your eyes widen and looked over to Minghao as he made the same expression

“We understand how busier the two of you are with the performance that’s less than a month. Which is why we came to confirm and ask if the both of you would like to do a surprise collaboration. Not even your members will know about this.” They waited eagerly for your reply as you slowly turn your head to see what he says. He looks over to you as you look into his soft eyes before he gave a small nod as you did the same without even knowing as if you were hypnotized and he smiled back.

“We’d love to.” He replied as you blinked a few times before realizing that you agreed. Your mouth slowly opened as the staff started laughing

“Are you okay, Y/N? You seem a little shocked.” You saw Minghao turning to look at you as you quickly covered your mouth, shaking your head.

“We know it’s very last minute but thank you very much! The fans and us will be excited for your perform. We’ll let you know how the rehearsals in the near future.” You and Minghao bowed as you left the room, heading back to practice as your mind replays and registered what just happened.

“If you weren’t comfortable if it, you could’ve said so.” Minghao leans over to check your face as you look up into his eyes, quickly looking away as you felt your cheeks heat up.

“No no! That’s not it. I’m just shocked about the results.” You smiled as it falls silent next, knowing that either of you want to bring up the ship.

“Are you heading back to practice?” He breaks the silence

“Yeah, but I think they left back to their dorms already so I’m going to get my things.”

“Wait, my members left already as well. Since we’re together, we don’t we start preparing for the performance? Might as well make use of all the time we have.” He suggested as you nodded. He told you that he’ll come over to you as he gather his things next door. The both of you went through lists of music but still had no idea on what to use. As time past, you slowly felt yourself getting more comfortable around him as the two of you started joking around.

“I was think maybe we should do something different aside from dancing. Since that’s our major.” You thought out loud as Minghao nods

“That’s a wonderful idea! Like maybe singing instead?” You started looking for some ballad music when Minghao moved closer to you, as your arms rubbed against each other.

“We should totally do this song!” He cheerfully smiles as the music video starts playing. Your mind flashes back as you remembered listening to this song whenever you felt insecure or stress over yourself and couldn’t rant it out. You felt tears slowly forming but quickly blinked it away.

“Yeah... It’s a nice song.” You replied with a soft smiled and Minghao happily nodded, giving you a high-five as you raised your hand and felt his soft skin.

“The fans will love it! This song will be so touching for them!” Minghao starts going on about how touched the fans will be as your mind starts to worry if you can carry out the performance well enough. The next few days, you were able to practice with Minghao without having your members suspect too many from you. You only remember almost slipping the collaboration to Wonwoo, your best friend from Seventeen but luckily he didn’t think much of it.

****

“Y/N, aren’t you hot dancing in such thick layers?” Minghao asks in the middle of practice as the both of you decided to take a water break. You were wearing long pants and a thick hoodie in the middle of the summer but you weren’t confident in your skin, making your cover up regardless of how hot it may be.

“Nope, I’m fine.” You gave him a reassured smile as you saw worry in his eyes. You sweating to the core but you fought through it as best as possible. Luckily the performance didn’t have much dancing as it was more vocal. You and Minghao was going through the last practice of the day when your phone started ringing. Minghao walked over to stop the music and glanced over at your phone as the caller showed ‘Wonwoo.’ You quickly ran over, grabbing the phone and answered the call.

“Hello? No. What do you mean? I’m kind of busy at the moment. Uh, I don’t know. Wonwoo, for the last time, I am not taking the blame if you walk back to the dorm with a kitten. I’m busy. Bye.” You hung up and glanced over your shoulder, catching Minghao looking at you with a small pout for he turns around scratching the back of his neck as if nothing happened.

“Sorry, Wonwoo can be quite annoying sometimes.” you laughed and walked back to him as he silently nods. The rest of practice goes by without much talking as his face lingers in your head.

***

“Oh Hao, you’re back.” Wonwoo says as Minghao enters the dorm. “Where were you?” He starts munching on his snacks as Minghao enters the kitchen, grabbing a glass of water.

“Just practicing a new dance I choreographed.” He lied as Wonwoo nodded and walked away before turning around

“Did you see Y/N by any chance? She was there too.” He asks as Minghao choked on his water from you name, making Wonwoo step back from his sudden actions.

“U-Uh no. Why’d you ask?” He wipes the side of his mouth as Wonwoo shrugs.

“No reason. I was just wondering. I called her earlie-”

“Do you like her?” Minghao blurted out in the middle of his sentence and quickly covered his mouth making Wonwoo widen his eyes, taken back from Minghao. Minghao was known for someone who is rather more reserved and a listener but recently, he’s been acting rather moody every time someone mention your name, especially when he see’s Wonwoo calling you.

“Hao-”

“Sorry hyung. I didn’t mean to cut you off.” Minghao took a seat on the dinning table without looking at him when Wonwoo takes a seat beside him.

“I don’t like her. She’s just someone I hang out with often.” Wonwoo firmly says as Minghao lifts his head, feeling relieved of his answer. “Is something bothering you? You’ve been acting strangely this past days. Especially whenever someone mentions Y/N’s name.” He adds on, voice with concern as Minghao ruffles his hair in frustration.

“I think... I think I fell in love with her...” He muffles in his hands when Wonwoo pats his back.

“It’s been time since you admitted.” Wonwoo chuckles as Minghao looked up, surprised before burying his face into his hands.

“She’s kind of hard to read no? She’s rather reserved with her feelings. But one thing I’ve notice is that she’s been acting.... Different...” Wonwoo thought out loud as Minghao listens carefully asking for more as the two talked about your strange behavior for the rest of the night.

****

It was the day of the performance where many artist came to performance their music. There was still hours before the show, but during this time, you were getting ready with your group’s rehearsal. You saw your costume of what you were wearing and immediately felt insecure with how much skin should, especially in your outfit. You weren't fat nor skinny, instead, you were consider healthy which was what fans loved about how you emphasize a healthy relationship with self and mind. You quietly asked one of your staff if you could change your outfits but she said that they wanted to show off more of your figure, making you panic even more. You practically had to beg for them to switch outfits before they finally agreed, expressing their concerns on why you suddenly want to conceal. Feeling more relieved, you forgot to ask about the outfit you’ll be wearing for the collaboration. Your group will be performing after Seventeen so you waited on the side for them to finish their rehearsal. As they got off, you greeted them as you locked eyes with Minghao, where he gave a small wave and smile.

“Good luck.” he quickly said as you thank him before heading on to rehearsal. After rehearsal you and your members were lounging you waiting room.

“Wasn’y Y/N suppose to wear this?” One of your members asked as they looked at the stage outfits.

“I asked if I could switch.” You quickly answered, not wanting to explain. You and your members were really close to one another. But when it comes with worries, you always put your member’s worries first, ending up with you concealing yours because you didn’t want them to worry.

“But why? This outfit will look absolutely amazing on you! It brings out the amazing figure you have!” They tried convincing you to switch back but you gave them a firm no as they gave up. The members slowly left for lunch break when you got a text message from Minghao saying that the collaboration rehearsal is now. You quickly excused yourself before your members questioned you and left to meet Minghao in another waiting room. He was seating on the couch, looking through his phone when he saw you walk in and his face immediately creeps up into a smile. The special performance with him will be last so that the both of you will have the time to change outfits and that all the artist will be able to watch as well. You got nervous during rehearsal as you felt your voice shake when you sang.

“S-Sorry. Let me try that part again.” You apologized as the staff played the music again.

“You can do it Y/N. Don’t worry.” Minghao whispers as you nodded, trying your best to get rid of the nervousness. After the rehearsal, you and Minghao decided to eat lunch together before getting ready for the performance. Just when you were about to leave, he grabs your wrist, asking you to take a seat on the couch.

“You okay? You seem really nervous today.” He asks as you played with you fingers.

“Yeah. This is my first collaboration and all. I’m scared I’ll mess up-”

“You won’t!” Minghao turned up and grabbed your shoulder, making your eyes dart up to meet his. “Y/N, you’re such a talented and wonderful person. Someone like you shouldn’t be think thoughts like this. You won’t mess up. You’ll do amazing and I know and promise you will.” He soften his grip around your arm as looked down, trying to hide the tears forming in your eyes. He gentle lifts your chin so that you can look into his orbits.

“If you get scared, just look right into my eyes alright? So let’s do well together like we did during rehearsal and make everyone proud, hmm?” He hummed as your felt your cheeks flushed. The both you of walked back into the waiting as you and your members got ready for the show. The group was eagerly waiting to perform as each group finished. Seventeen was performing as your group stood on standby, waiting for them to finish. Your eyes fixed on Minghao as he sang and danced passionately as the fans screamed wildly. You couldn’t help but to smile. After their performance, you got ready as they walked down.

“Good luck!” He yelled over the loud music as you smiled widely at him. Even though it was dark, you were still able to see him blushing, making your heart swell as your walked on stage, putting on your on-stage expression for the fans as they chanted you group name.

Seventeen was settling back in their waiting room as they watched your performance through the TV. Minghao hummed along to your parts as you sang.

“She handles her expression really well doesn’t she?” The boys started complimenting on how well you looked on stage along with your members. After your song ended, Minghao switched out of his stage outfit and told his members that he wants to get some fresh air and that he’ll be back for the ending ment (which was a lie). He got dressed in the other dressing room and waited for you as his conversation with Wonwoo the other night replays in his mind.

-Flashback-

“She told me once that she wasn’t confident in yourself. Especially her looks and body.” Wonwoo expressed to Minghao“She has been wearing a lot of layers...” Minghao thought out loud“You’ve noticed?” Wonwoo questioned Minghao bites his tongue, regretting mentioning it.“I see her sometimes.” He quickly ansnwers“Y/N is normally really cheerful and motivated by recently, she’s really been concealing herself as a whole.” Minghao starts to wonder about what could be and remembered the fans shipping him and you together. “She’s been doubting herself which really isn’t like her.” Wonwoo adds on. ‘That must be it.’ he thought to himself. That night Minghao thought of ways of making you feel more confident and better as he tossed and turn, figuring out how to make you feel content again. Then, an ideas comes to his mind. A brave one.

-End-

You changed out of your stage outfits and told your members that you’re going to take a walk and will be back for the ending when you hurried to the other waiting room as the ending performance approaches. You quickly walked in to see Minghao already dressed into his outfit. He wore a elegant suit and seeing him sit all classy on the couch almost made your heart jump out of your chest.

“Does it look weird?” he looks at his suit as you snapped back into reality, cheeks turning red as you furiously shook your head. He stood up and smiled as he said that he’ll wait near the stage area to get his mic check as you got dress. As he left, you felt your palms starting to sweat as you waiting for the staff to bring your outfit, praying it won’t be too revealing. As they brought in the outfit, it was a beautiful, long, flowy dress that complimented Minghao’s suit. Your mind started blanking out when they staff helped you get dressed as they all threw endless compliments on how well it suited you. It was too late for you to change out of the dress as you were escorted backstage. You stood on the opposite side of the stage as Minghao sings first before you enter on the other side. You heard the artists and groups gathering around the front of the stage as they all waited for what was the ending ment. Goosebump starts to form on your skin as you got the cold sweat, making you rub you shoulder to keep you warm from such revealing dress. As the lights dimmed down, you hear people whispering about what was going on before music started playing, as Minghao stepped up on stage, singing the lyrics beautifully as everyone started cheering loudly. You were amazed and taken back from his voice that you almost forgot it was your turn to walk up when a staff reminded you. Your whole body started to shake as you tried to steady your hand holding mic as you took deep breaths and closed your eyes before stepping on stage.

“Well, I found a man stronger than anyone I know. He shares my dreams, I hope that someday we'll share a home.” you stepped on stage as the crowd goes wild. You looked right into Minghao’s eyes as stepped back, blown away from how beautiful you looked as his face blushed along with yours. Just like in rehearsal, you and Minghao stood side by side and sang beautifully as you saw your members in complete shocked as well as Seventeen, letting out a smile.

“Baby, I'm dancing in the dark with you between my arms. Barefoot on the grass, while listenin' to our favorite song.” your voices harmonized as you looked into the crowd

“Now I know I have met an angel in person” You sang when you felt Minghao pull your arm as you turned to looked at him, surprised since this wasn’t what you practice. He looks at you fondly and smiles.  

“And she looks perfect. No, I don't deserve this,” He sang as his hand reached for a piece of hair and placed it behind your ear, eyes glued to yours, as everyone screamed. Tears started blurring your vision as they fell down on your face. Minghao gently wipes the ears of his face as he smiles

“You look perfect tonight” The both of you sang as you choked on your tears. The audience all started screaming as the lights dimmed down and curtains closed but neither did you or him moved. Tears continued to roll down your face as Minghao sweetly smiled, shutting off both your mics before speaking.

“I hope you realize how beautiful you look. Not just today. But every single day. Don’t think so lowly of yourself. The beauty you hold is skin deep that no one else has.” He whispers as you felt a hand travel around your waist, pulling you in as his lips kisses yours. You arms wrapped around his neck as tears fell. He parted and rested his forehead against yours, shooting his soft and charming smile as always.

“You’re perfect to me.”

[perspective-series]

Pet Perspective (11/19)

By: @arc852 and @hiddendreamer67

Warnings: Degrading roles, moral quandaries galore

First Chapter || Previous Chapter || Next Chapter

————————————————————————————–

 Patton grinned as he set Logan down on his desk. “So! What did you want to do? Because I’ve got games, we could watch a movie or maybe just talk?” Patton listed out.

“I don’t have a particular preference.” Logan assured him. “I am willing to participate in most activities but now that I have the capacity to do so I intend on informing you when an experience becomes unpleasant.”

 Patton nodded. “Sounds good! I think a movie would be good then, just to wind down from all that sun and sugar.” Patton chuckled and opened his laptop to pick out a movie on netflix. “Are you okay here, or do you wanna move to my bed? It might be more comfortable to lay down and watch it.”

“I’m comfortable here.” Logan answered.

 “Okay!” Patton said and then looked through the movies. He hummed until he came across one he had seen before but figured Logan might enjoy watching. He pressed play on it and leaned back. “This is a good one.” Patton commented with a grin.

“What is it?” Logan raised an eyebrow.

 “It’s kind of similar to the first one we watched yesterday. But different, of course.” Patton chuckled. “Just watch, it’s starting!” Patton turned his attention back to it.

 As the movie progressed, it was clear that, just like the first movie, this was also had a pet borrower in it.

“I did not understand the first film, just as I do not understand this.” Logan looked somewhere between confused or unsettled. “Why do they feel the compulsory need to drag their borrowers along? No one wants to witness all of this courting.”

 Patton shrugged. “Well, that’s what people do with their pets. They don’t want to leave them alone, so they bring them along.” He explained.

“That seems impractical, as well as demeaning.” Logan huffed. “And on the human side of the plot, it’s unrealistic. They only knew each other for a short amount of time before confessing their love and beginning an arduous journey.”

 Patton chuckled. “Heh, yeah, a lot of movies do that. There’s only so much you can put in two and a half hours, after all.” He paused, glancing down at Logan. “And why would that be demeaning? Wouldn’t you want to be included on a trip instead of stuck at home by yourself?”

“It depends on the venture; I would much rather be left to my own devices than dragged along as an accessory for a romantic getaway.” Logan clarified.

 “I...guess I see your point.” Patton said before turning back to the movie. As it turned out, the borrower had a bigger role to play as he was tasked with delivering the wedding ring to the girl. “Oh, see! There was a reason the borrower came along!”

“Even from a cinematic point that doesn’t make sense.” Logan furrowed his brow. “They made no indication that this would be vital to their relationship- why are they highlighting it? It’s just an excuse to have the borrower in the background for the rest of the film. Not to mention, a ring of that size would be far more strenuous to carry. It’s clearly a fake.”

 “It’s romantic?” Patton said, though unsure. “And really?” It didn’t seem like it would be that heavy.

“Do you see the amount of gemstones on that ring?” Logan pointed to the screen. “And you must account for that weight of the band itself as well. Besides, the action isn’t ‘romantic’ if the borrower is not an important part of the romance itself.”

 “I mean...he’s their pet. People do that with pets all the time since they consider them part of their family and all. I’ve seen a ton of movie where dogs gave the ring. It’s not...uncommon.” Patton explained.

“It may be a common action, but that doesn’t ensure that it’s moral or practical.” Logan argued. “Is it truly acceptable if the borrower is uncomfortable or in pain?”

 Patton’s eyes widened. “N-No! Of course not...but wouldn’t the borrowers have said something then?”

“I imagine they would, but humans seldom listen.” Logan explained. “It’s why I was collared in the first place. And again, in this particular instance, I believe the act is merely staged.”

 Patton looked down, fidgeting with the sleeves of his cat hoodie. “You didn’t deserve to be shock collared.”

“That is a correct statement.” Logan agreed. “It was a violation of my basic rights and a restriction of my free speech, although there are no legal consequences for such unethical actions to my knowledge.”

 No, no there wasn’t. Patton paused the movie, turning to Logan. “Logan...do borrowers like being pets?”

Logan frowned, surprised by the question. “No, I hardly think anyone would enjoy this demeaning treatment.”

 Patton deflated and looked down. “And...I’m guessing that includes you as well?”

Logan was more confused. “Of course, it would only be natural that I would draw my conclusions from personal experience. I’ve lived my seventeen years completely in entrapment, either of a cruel or neutral nature. A borrower existence is not particularly pleasant.”

 Patton felt tears prick the corners of his eyes. “W-We were always taught...that borrowers needed to be looked after. That they liked being pets...I never thought twice about it…” How could he not have?

Now Logan was downright startled, with no knowledge of how to possibly approach this situation. It was a clearly ridiculous belief, but Logan worried if he stated such he might send Patton further into this worrying spiral. “Why are you crying?”

 “B-Because…” Logan’s question only caused him to cry more. “I...I should have realized sooner. We-We all should have! I don’t...you aren’t…” Patton could barely get any words out as he wiped at his eyes. Was the world really so cruel that it had convinced so many people that this was okay. Even...even him.

“Patton, what are you attempting to communicate?” Logan pressed.

 Patton’s heart beat rapidly inside his chest as he lowered his hands and stared openly at Logan. “You’re...You’re a person.” And saying it out loud, something he really should have known all along, caused him to cry again.

Logan’s eyes darted around, desperate for a way out of this uncomfortable situation. “Given your reaction, I assume this is a new revelation then?”

 Patton nodded. “I know...that’s so bad! I...I should have realized...from the beginning.” He met Logan’s eyes. “I’m...I’m so sorry, Logan.”

“Why are you apologizing?” Logan felt exasperated. “And was it not obvious from my identical anatomy, ability to speak and rational thought?”

 “It...should have been, huh?” Patton continued to wipe his eyes, slowly calming himself down. “I’m apologizing...because yeah, I should have realized it sooner. Like...forever ago. But I...didn’t. And a part of me wants to blame the world but...it’s also on me too, isn’t it?” He sniffed.

“Perhaps; it’s a complex issue of societal norms and personal bias- I’m sorry, what exactly does this mean?” Logan asked. “I understand and appreciate your delayed epiphany that I’m hardly different from a human being, but how does this affect this relationship going forward?”

 Patton blinked, that was a good question. “Well...what do you want? Like, truly want. If...If that’s letting you go and living free then...I’ll let you go. Because you deserve to make your own decisions now.”

Logan blinked. That was… a lot of pressure. Logan had never even considered what he wanted for his future, knowing it was not his choice to make; rather, Logan was content to fight his battles moment to moment. 

“I...would not know the first thing about survival if I were released.” Logan admitted, slowly remembering his conversation with Roman earlier.

 “Oh...right, I guess you wouldn’t, growing up in captivity huh?” Patton bit his lip. “You could...stay with me?”

“Up until now I had assumed that was the default.” Logan scuffed his shoe against the desk. Was that what he wanted? It wasn’t terrible here, but Logan had never been given such a choice before. He had no idea what options were available.

 “You don’t have to! This is your decision after all and you don’t have to answer now but if you do stay...I promise to not treat you like a pet anymore.” Patton promised, putting his hands over his heart.

The complete 180 change baffled Logan. “I honestly do not know what I want… but I was content to stay here before your revelation, and my position on the matter has not changed.”

 Patton nodded. “Okay...Just let me know if you ever change your mind. And! Feel free to speak your mind. Whenever. Don’t think of yourself as a pet anymore but like a...a roommate!” Patton exclaimed with a grin.

“A roommate.” Logan tried out the term. It was certainly odd- the only arrangement like that Logan could have pictured prior was if Patton got a second borrower and had them share an enclosure.

 “Yeah! It’ll be fun! And I...I won’t lock the enclosure anymore. It’ll just be your room. I could...I could even move it into the guest bedroom, if you wanted more privacy.” Patton suggested. He wanted Logan to feel as comfortable as possible.

“There’s a guest bedroom?” Logan seemed surprised by this knowledge. 

 “Yeah! We like to have it in case any family or friends come over. Although that rarely happens and we mostly use it for storage.” Patton laughed, rubbing the back of his neck sheepishly. “But we can turn it into your room if you wanted!”

“I do not require that much space… the privacy might be intriguing but it would likely be most convenient to stay here, if I’m not intruding.” Once again, Logan was at a loss as to what to choose.

 “Of course you’re not. Like I said, it’s all up to you. I’d be happy to have you stay in here with me.” Patton grinned. In fact, he was happy Logan wanted to stay at all.

“This is… a lot to process.” Logan admitted. “Change can be overwhelming. For now, I think it would be most ideal to stick closely to the routine that was in development.”

 Patton slowly nodded. “Okay. I think we can do that.” He grinned. “Did you want to watch another movie?” Patton suggested. “One without borrowers acting as pets?”

“That would be acceptable.” Logan agreed. “Although preferably one with a more intriguing and believable plot.”

 Patton chuckled. “I...think I might know of one.” He searched netflix and chose Big Hero 6. He grinned and pressed play. 

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

 When Virgil got back from his second exam, he was ready to never go to school again and to stay in his room forever. The test had been hard and he was just happy it was over. He went up the stairs, hearing the sound coming from Patton’s room and smiling slightly at the tell signs of Big Hero 6. He rolled his eyes fondly before entering his room.

 “Roman, I’m back.” He said as he set his bag down by his desk. He looked into Roman’s enclosure. Frowning when he didn’t see any lights on. “Roman?” He pushed the button to unlock the house but instead, he heard the click of it locking. His eyes widened.

 He hadn’t locked it before he left.

 Worry coursed through him and he unlocked it again and opened the enclosure up. “Roman? Come on dude, where are you?” He looked in every room, even took a peek in the bathroom despite himself but there was no one there.

 Had...had Roman actually left. Even after he had promised? No...No, maybe Roman was just with Patton? Yeah, that had to be it! Patton must have come in and offered Roman a chance to get in on the movie marathon him and Logan planned on having. He’ll walk into Patton’s room and Roman will be there. Virgil was overreacting, as always.

 But when Virgil went into Patton’s room and looked around, the only borrower he saw was Logan. 

 “Kiddo?” Patton asked, gaining his attention. The movie had been paused and Patton was now focused on him, eyebrows furrowed. “What happened? Is something wrong?”

 “I…” Virgil ran a hand down his face. “I think...I think Roman is gone…”

 Patton blinked. “W-What?”

“Gone?” Logan furrowed his eyebrows. “Gone...where?”

 “I don’t know!” Virgil admitted. “I-I forgot to lock his enclosure but he had promised that he wouldn’t leave and now he could be anywhere and-”

 “Whoa! Kiddo, calm down.” Patton interrupted, standing up and placing a comforting and grounding hand on Virgil’s shoulder. “Maybe he just decided to take a walk around the house?”

 Virgil let out a deep breath. “Y-Yeah...maybe.” That could be it.

 Patton nodded. “We’ll help you look for him. Right, Logan?”

Logan paused, suddenly remembering the brief and confusing interaction he had with Roman earlier in the day.

“Do you want to get out of here? … You, me, freedom… we can live our own lives, away from all the humans…”

Logan felt conflicted. On the one hand, Roman was quite obnoxious and he didn’t owe Roman anything. On the other hand, Patton was beginning to prove himself trustworthy but he was still human. Should he tell Patton what he heard? But wasn’t it cruel to drag Roman back here if he wanted to go? Patton had been willing to release Logan, and just because he was incapable didn’t mean Roman was- in fact, Logan felt almost a bit hurt Roman hadn’t brought him along because Logan would have wanted to be a valuable ally.

 When Patton didn’t hear anything, he turned to look at Logan. “Logan?”

Logan jumped, realizing he had forgotten to answer. “I don’t see how I would be of much use.” Logan decided. “You two can certainly cover more ground than myself.”

 “True but you are the only one of us to be able to fit in places Roman would be able to fit in.” Patton said. Virgil, for his part, was bouncing back and forth on his feet. He was both impatient and panicking. 

 “I’m going to start looking.” Virgil announced and went back to his room to scope it out. Patton wanted to help but he turned back to Logan first to see what he would say.

“I can certainly investigate where you see fit.” Logan agreed hesitantly, feeling uncertain if he had a moral obligation to ‘out’ Roman should the borrower be found. “But I still see little to no point.”

 Patton smiled and held out his hand for Logan.

Logan climbed on, wondering why he felt such a pit of dread in his stomach. He hoped Roman would remain undiscovered so Logan wouldn’t have to make a decision.

 The three searched the entire house. When Virgil found no sign of Roman in his room, he scoped out the rest of the second floor, Patton sticking to the first. Logan helped a little with places like underneath the couch and behind the bookshelf but still, Roman wasn’t found. 

 It had been hours at this point. The sun was starting to set and Virgil paced back and forth, pulling at his hair in worry. “Where could he be?! We searched the whole house and he isn’t…” He wasn’t here.

 Patton frowned and looked around. “Do you think...he got outside?”

 Virgil snapped his head over to Patton. “I...well, I mean, if he isn’t in the house…” Where else could he have gone? Virgil’s heart fell as he realized Roman really did escape. Breaking his ‘promise’. 

 ...Could Virgil really blame him though?

 “Maybe he’s still near the house? We could look outside before it gets too dark?” Patton suggested and Virgil nodded numbly. He had a feeling Roman wouldn’t be found, though.

 They went to the front door and Virgil cupped his hands over his mouth. “Roman!”

“How will we spot him in the darkness if he does not want to be found?” Logan asked quietly.

 Patton bit his lip. Logan did have a point.

 But Virgil just shook his head. “No, we...we have to find him. It’s...it’s not safe out here.” There were a number of dangers, including other humans that could just up and pick Roman up and then Virgil really would never see him again.

 “Come on, we’ll use our phone flashlights.” Virgil said, already taking his out and crouching to search through the bushes. Patton sighed but took out his phone, and started searching too, still holding Logan in his free hand.

 Two more hours passed...and Roman hadn’t been found. The humans and borrower piled back into the house as night had fully taken over. Patton looked over at Virgil sadly as Virgil through his hair, pulling at it harshly.

 “Virgil-”

 “I just don’t understand. I thought we were getting along! Why would he...why would he just leave like that?” Virgil yelled, placing his head in his hands.

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

Logan tensed, the raised human voice putting him on edge. “What… what gave you the indication you were getting along?”

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

 Virgil glanced over at Logan. “We talked, he told me things about his past...and we had fun playing games...at least, I thought we were having fun.” But if Roman had still decided to escape then maybe it had all been an act. The thought made Virgil’s heart drop.

“And when did all that occur?” Logan asked, trying to piece together the timeline to see where his conversation this morning fell.

 “Last night was when we talked. Earlier today we were playing uno and talking a bit more.” Virgil revealed. “Which is why I’m so confused. Was Roman just...acting then?” Could he even believe anything Roman had told him? But...he had sounded so sincere.

 “I’m so sorry, kiddo.” Patton said, placing his free hand on Virgil’s arm.

Logan bit his lip, uncertain. It was clear Roman was an excellent actor, given the performance he would put on for the humans versus when they were alone. Not to mention, he had a habit of making some jest at Logan and then turning around and acting all innocent to cover up. Logan didn’t know what to believe about his fellow borrower. 

 “I think...I think we should head to bed. It’s getting late.” Patton suggested gently but Virgil still whirled around to him, eyes wide.

 “What? No! We have to keep looking!” Virgil tried to pull away but Patton held onto him.

 “Virgil, it’s already late. I hate it as much as you but there isn’t anything we can do. Not at this hour. Maybe in the morning you can call the shelter?” Patton said with a gentle smile. Virgil stared at him for a moment before deflating.

 “How do you even expect me to sleep?” He was still so worried.

 Patton winced. “I know but...please just try? You won’t find him if your exhausted.” 

 Patton, of course, had a point but that didn’t mean Virgil liked it any better. But he sighed and gave in. “Fine. But I’m getting up early.” Patton nodded. That was fine by him, as long as Virgil got a few hours of sleep.

 “Alright, goodnight Virgil.” Patton said, before heading up the stairs with Logan in hand. 

 Virgil thought about following him up but he glanced towards the living room he was in. It...was possible they could have missed a few places? Virgil took out his phone flashlight, silently apologized to Patton and proceeded to continue his search.

[imagine-avengers]

Biker Part Four- Bucky Barnes Series

4/10 This is part four of my Biker Bucky series. The previous parts can be found on my masterlist, as will the other parts once they come out!

The week seemed to drag on but by Friday Elizabeth was completely settled in. Which is exactly why she had decided that it was finally time to visit her brother and his family. Driving over to Manhattan in Bucky’s truck wasn’t ideal for Elizabeth, as she hadn’t mentioned to her brother that she was in contact with Bucky again. Arriving in Manhattan, Elizabeth showed up at the small café that they had agreed upon.

“Aunt Liz!” Elizabeth heard the voices of the twins that were her brothers children as she entered the café.

“Timothy, Hannah.” Elizabeth grinned at the thirteen-year old’s, before hugging them both. “Gosh I missed you two.” Elizabeth then moved towards the table where her brother Adam and his wife Delilah were sitting. “Adam, Delilah.” Elizabeth hugged Delilah first before turning to her big brother and her eyes immediately filled with tears.

“Stop that, you’re gonna make me cry.” Adam said standing and pulling his sister into a tight hug. “Don’t you dare leave for that long ever again, do you understand me?” Adam pulled away as Elizabeth nodded wiping her tears away. The group sat around the table for an hour chatting before Delilah announced that she had to get the kids to their soccer game, she bid both her husband and his sister goodbye before leaving. “So.” Elizabeth stared at her sad salad in front of her.

“I’ve seen James.” She mentioned. “More than seen, I guess. We’ve talked.” She looked up at her bothers disappointed face. “Don’t look at me like that Adam.” She stated. “You knew damn well that the minute I moved back in four houses away from Steve I’d see James eventually.” She told him as Adam sighed.

“Well I had hoped you’d moved on and wouldn’t continue being involved with a gang that does illegal activities.”

“Adam, the stuck-up lawyer is coming out.” She teased at the fact her brother was a lawyer. “I’m not falling back into my old life Adam.” She told him. “But I do have to accept that I am still in love with James Barnes.” That was the first time since their breakup that Elizabeth admitted that.

“You still love him?” Adam asked as Elizabeth nodded sheepishly. “Lizzie, if you love him, really love him, be with him, hell there wasn’t a week that the man didn’t call me or my office to find out how you were, he clearly still loves you.” Adam stated. “Now, I may not like James Barnes and I never have,”

“That’s because you always lost the fights against him, brother.” Elizabeth grinned as Adam rolled his eyes.

“But he makes you happy and that’s all mom and dad ever wanted.” Adam smiled at his sister. “I have to get back to work, I have a meeting with a client. You need an escort back to the subway?” He asked as the two stood ready to leave.

“Uh no, I drove.” She stated.

“You drove?”

“Yeah, James doesn’t want me taking the subway, so I’m driving his truck as my car basically is totaled.”

“Wait, you’re driving his car?” Adam asked. “Elizabeth, no, you have no clue what he’s been involved in with that,”

“Adam.” Elizabeth cut her brother off. “I guarantee any ‘illegal activity’ is not done in that truck. The only thing even remotely illegal that has happened in that truck was the fact that I lost my virginity in the bed when I was seventeen and we went camping.” She stated causing Adam to groan.

“Lizzie tmi.” He whined causing Elizabeth to laugh.

“Liz.” Elizabeth heard the voice belonging to Clint. Turning with a sigh she nodded to her old friend.

“What’s going on?” Adam asked before Elizabeth could open her mouth. “You wouldn’t just show up here if,” Adam paused when Elizabeth touched her brothers arm.

“What is it Clint?” She asked stepping towards him, knowing the only reason he’d show up in Manhattan would be if something bad had happened. “What happened?” Elizabeth asked grabbing her purse and her coat and kissing her brothers cheek. “I’ll call you alright, love you.” She stated before she and Clint disappeared out the door.

“Nothing happened Liz.” Clint stated as they headed towards her truck. “We need you back in Brooklyn, things are tense with Hydra and it’s best you stay where we can watch you. He doesn’t want you leaving Brooklyn without an escort.”

“So, James sent you to be a babysitter.” She stated as they got to the truck. “You be sure to tell Bucky that you were a good boy, but he can shove it.” She stated before slamming the door of the truck and driving off.

Elizabeth spent the rest of her day angry that Bucky thought she needed to be watched. So, she humored him and stayed in Brooklyn inside her home. She did some cleaning around the house and organized the few medical supplies she had, knowing at some point Bucky or Steve would show up at her door hurt. Before she ventured down the street to visit Peggy. The two talked well past the time the kids went down for bed and up until Steve strolled in around one in the morning, they bid each other goodnight and Steve took her home before heading back to his wife.

Saturday was no different than any other day, Elizabeth sat around the house searching for jobs on the internet. She cleaned her house, cut her back lawn, and even fixed the leaky hose in the backyard before calling it a day and relaxing on the couch with a book. Around one in the afternoon she received a call from Steve letting her know they were having their typical barbeque at Bucky’s place. With a groan, Elizabeth readied herself for the day and took the twenty-minute drive to Bucky’s, walking in well after everyone else had arrived.

The backyard was spacious, you walked in through either the garage that opened to both the driveway and the backyard or through the side gate. In the center was an above ground pool and to the right of it was a small patio area where two separate grills were sat, Clint and Sam manning them. To the left of the pool were a few tables and chairs for everyone to sit at. All around sat the group of bikers, probably thirty to forty, all drinking. There were children running around playing, a group of teens swimming in the pool or playing on their phones, and toddlers playing in the corner where there were some toys set up for them.

“Lizzie!” Steve grinned seeing the girl enter through the side gate holding two cases of beer. “And you brought gifts!” He hugged her before taking the alcohol and passing it off to Thor whom took it and put it in the fridge. “We were afraid you weren’t coming.” He stated grabbing the two cold beers from Thor and handing one to Lizzie before leading her towards where Peggy was sitting on a small couch on the patio talking to Natasha and a few women you didn’t recognize.

“No way to get out of coming Stevie.” Elizabeth teased. “Peggy would have had my ass if I hadn’t shown up here.” She stated as they laughed. “Anyways, I wanted to come.”

“Good good.” He grinned as Elizabeth opened her beer and they neared Peggy, Steve passed Peggy the beer before winking at Elizabeth and disappearing into the crowded backyard.

“Hey gorgeous.” Peggy wiggled her eyebrows at Liz.

“Hey Peg, where are the kids?” She asked falling into the chair across from Peggy and giving a smile to the women around her before taking a drink of her alcohol.

“Sorry, but who are you?” A blonde-haired woman asked as she eyed Elizabeth’s choice in outfit, a white sunflower sundress and white gladiator sandals.

“Elizabeth Smith, and you are?”

“Fiona Gregory. Funny, I’ve never heard of you.” The women sneered as Peggy elbowed her.

“Play nice Fiona, this is Bucky’s girl.” Natasha stated leaning against her own chair. “Besides, she left before you came around. Fiona is with Pietro.” Natasha stated.

“Nice to meet you.” Elizabeth stated glancing around, her eyes unconsciously searching for Bucky.

“He isn’t here yet.” Peggy stated. “Ran out to pick up Becca.” Elizabeth’s head snapped towards Peggy.

“Rebecca is coming?” Elizabeth asked as Peggy nodded.

“Every week.” Fiona stated. “Bucky always goes to get her. You look sick.” Fiona noted as Elizabeth had paled slightly at the mention of Rebecca.

“Rebecca and I aren’t on the best of terms.” Elizabeth stated taking a long drink from her beer.

“What do you mean?” Before Elizabeth could answer Peggy, she was being tackled by Emma and James.

“Aunt Lizzie!” They grinned at her as the others laughed.

“Hey kiddos.”

“Liz Smith.” Rebecca’s voice came from behind. “Thought you weren’t ever coming back.”

“Go play.” Elizabeth ushered her niece and nephew away from her. “Wasn’t planning on it Becs, but things happen.” Elizabeth stood and turned towards the women that was once a sister to her.

“Yeah I heard you got fired. What was it for? Sucking your boss off?” Rebecca asked moving closer to where Elizabeth had been standing.

“You’re hilarious Becca.” Elizabeth said with a deadpan tone. “But as I remember that was actually you.” Rebecca moved towards Elizabeth.

“Rebecca. Enough.” Bucky stated touching his sisters arm before whispering in her ear, she disappeared in the crowd as Bucky stared at Elizabeth before nodding towards the house. The two walked into Bucky’s small living room, still decorated from when the two redecorated months before Elizabeth left.

“You kept them?” She asked scanning the wall of pictures, most of were her and Bucky, others of them and their friends. But the wall was full of memories. “You added some new ones.” She stated, her hand running across one that they had taken after they said their first ‘I love you’ to each other.

“It’s better to hold on to memories when you can’t hold onto a person.” Bucky stated as Elizabeth turned towards him.

“Buck,”

“No, you left for you reasons, I know, trust me.” Bucky stated leaning against the doorway that separated the kitchen and living room.

“You had Clint following me.” She mentioned continuing to look around the room, her eyes stopping at the small painting that hung on the wall, it was of Bucky, Steve, Peggy, and Elizabeth after the boys had taken over the club, Elizabeth had gotten it painted for she and Bucky’s anniversary. “I don’t appreciate it Bucky.”

“I need you safe Liz. There’s been some threats since you came back to town, they know who you are to us.” He told her with a sigh. “Steve and I think it’s best you guys don’t leave Brooklyn.” Bucky moved towards the fridge and grabbed himself a drink.

“You two think it’s best? And whom exactly are you tell me I can’t leave Brooklyn, and how do you plan to stop me?” She asked stepping into the kitchen where Bucky had been drinking his beer.

“I dare you to try leaving Brooklyn, you won’t make it out of city limits.” Bucky told her as Elizabeth smirked.

“And you expect me to stay away from my brother and my family?” She asked. “Adam doesn’t come to Brooklyn anymore, you know that.”

“I don’t care about Adam, Elizabeth!” Bucky’s voice grew before he turned to look at her. “I want you safe, and you can’t be safe where I can’t see you!” Elizabeth took a step away from Bucky as he rose his voice.

“You want me safe, fine. But that’s my family Bucky, my blood, yeah, you guys might be my family but I’m not blocking Adam out of my life because you don’t think it’s safe. If this threat is from Hydra, they know me Buck, they know my family, I won’t be safe if they aren’t.” Elizabeth stated. “Buck you never understood that, you never understood why I had to stand with my family. You of all people know I won’t leave my family behind, not again.”

“You didn’t leave your family behind,”

“No, you pushed them away from me! You pushed him away! You and the damn club! You threatened him,”

“Oh, hold on. Threatened?” Bucky laughed as Elizabeth’s hands were on her waist. “No, your brother borrowed money, he needed to pay it back.”

“And you broke his leg!”

“In my defense that wasn’t necessarily me,”

“No, you just set the order for Clint to do it.” She stated. Their arguing had been heard throughout the yard, thus causing Steve to enter.

“Knock it off!” Steve’s stern voice came up from the sliding glass door. “It wasn’t Bucky’s order for one, it was mine. Your brother, owed us over a hundred grand and was avoiding us.”

“So, you broke his leg? You’re both unbelievable!” She stated throwing her hands up. “If he owed you money you should have come to me about it Steven.”

“Figured you might want to know; he still owes about fifty grand.” Steve stated as Elizabeth groaned.

“I’m leaving, you stop me from leaving Brooklyn and you will never see me again, you got it?” Elizabeth’s eyes landed on Bucky, then Steve. “Stay away from my family, do you understand me, because if you don’t, we’re all done.” Both men nodded before Elizabeth turned and headed out the backdoor and heading towards the truck.