#grey top black jacket black/grey pants and white shies

[navysealt4t]

rocking the monochrome fit today

[madamealtruist]

(I FINALLY posted something for my Mortal Kombat AU! If anyone is interested in designing the kast or if they're just interested, my DMs are open. Enjoy!)

HEROES OF THE WU SHI ACADEMY

Raiden, the Eternal Storm (Liam O'Brien) Species: Demi-God (Thunder) Hair: Electric silverish blue, long Kasual Outfit: White dress shirt, grey dress jacket, black dress pants, white boots Kombat Outfit: White long-sleeved robes, electric blue long coat, gray hiking boots, silver metal gauntlets, gray metal hat with engravings Weapons: Staff, amulet Arcana: Thunderstruck (electric flight, projectiles and telekinesis)

Kuai Liang Oniro/Scorpion, the Ashen Hope (Cody Christian) Species: Human Hair: Dark crimson, top knot ponytail Kasual Outfit: Yellow sleeveless hoodie, red long-sleeved shirt, black jeans, black boots Kombat Outfit: Yellow, red, and black Lin Kuei garbs, black Lin Kuei boots gray arm wrappings, yellow metal mask Weapons: Kunai on a rope, kusarigama Arcana: Smolder (pyromantic teleportation and projection)

Bi-Han Oniro/Sub-Zero, the Frost Sentinel (Roger Craig Smith) Species: Human Hair: Silverish blue, messy Kasual Outfit: Dark blue jacket, gray wicking shirt, black bulky pants, hiking boots Kombat Outfit: Dark blue, silver, and black Lin Kuei garbs, dark silver gauntlets, dark blue Lin Kuei boots, black and blue ceremonial cloak, grayish blue metal mask Weapons: Broadsword, ice weapons Arcana: Shiver (cryomantic projection and creation of weapons)

Tomas Oniro/Smoke, the Silver Eclipse (Benjamin Diskin) Species: Human Hair: Gray, shoulder length Kasual Outfit: Gray hoodie, black leather vest, silver dress pants, black sneakers, fingerless gloves Kombat Outfit: Gray and silver Lin Kuei garbs, black Lin Kuei boots, black gauntlets, black gas mask Weapons: Karambit knives, grenades Arcana: Shroud (smoke clouds emanate from his body, allowing him to disappear)

Syzoth/Reptile, the Venomous Outcast (Todd Haberkorn) Species: Zaterran Hair: Dyed green, shaved on one side, long on the other (VISAGE FORM)/Dull yellow, dreadlocks-like scales (TRUE FORM) Kasual Outfit: Dark green hoodie, sunglasses, stitched khakis, dirty sneakers. Kombat Outfit: Black trench coat, green hoodie, hiking boots, stitched-up jeans, green mask, goggles (modified to Zaterran war robes in True Form) Weapons: Zaterran hatchets, acidic saliva, sharp teeth, and claws Arcana: Vanish (straight-up invisibility in both forms)

Empress Mileena, the Thorned Rose (Erica Mendez) Species: Tarkatan (Formerly Edenian) Hair: Raven, wild ponytail Kasual Outfit: Maroon long-sleeved shirt, silver tank top (red Halestorm logo), maroon sweatpants, high-heeled boots Kombat Outfit: Fuchsia and copper Edenian armor, fuchsia vented mask with metallic clamps, arm guards, bladed high-heeled boots Weapons: Sais, Tarkatan blades Arcana: Blink (teleportation)

Princess Kitana, the Quickwinded Blade (Britt Baron) Species: Edenian Hair: Dark silver, long and flowy Kasual Outfit: Dark blue shirt, black jacket, gray pants, high-heeled boots, blue mask Kombat Outfit: Blue, black, and silver Edenian armor, metal surrounded gloves, high-heeled boots, blue and silver mask Weapons: Bladed fans Arcana: Tempest (hurricane-force winds when spinning)

Countess Jade, the Sage Assassin (Kelly Hu) Species: Edenian Hair: Brunette, twin tails Kasual Outfit: Brown short-sleeved shirt, green hoodie, green skirt, knee-high boots, Kombat: Green and brown Edenian armor, brass gauntlets, silver cloak, metallic boots, green mask Weapons: Dual-bladed staff, throwing glaive Arcana: Passwall (projectiles can pass right through her if she concentrates)

Tanya, the Guiding Hand (Cree Summer) Species: Edenian Hair: Black, twin buns Kasual Outfit: Black and gold leather jacket, black jeans, gray sneakers Kombat Outfit: Gold and black Edenian armor, ceremonial robes, helmet Weapons: Naginata, Tonfa blades Arcana: None

Liu Kang, the Rising Champion (Johnny Yong Bosch) Species: Human Hair: Black, spikey Kasual Outfit: Red jacket, white undershirt, blue pants, silver dress shoes, red headband Kombat Outfit: Black leather jacket, white garbs, baggy black pants, arm wrappings Weapons: Nunchuck staff Arcana: Ignite (fireballs, fire kicks, and summoning a fucking dragon)

Kung Lao, the Shaolin Cyclone (Greg Cipes) Species: Human Hair: Brown, small ponytail Kasual Outfit: Brown long-sleeved shirt, blue vest, stitched jeans, knee-high boots Kombat Outfit: Black and red armored vest, black armored gauntlets, brown pants, knee-high boots Weapons: Chakram fedora Arcana: Tele-Nado (spinning teleportation)

Kenshi Takahashi, the Psychic Scarlet Saber (Yuri Lowenthal) Species: Human Hair: Black, short Kasual Outfit: Black blazer, red undershirt, silver dress pants, dress shoes, black sunglasses Kombat Outfit: Black undershirt, red armored overcoat, black dress pants, dress shoes, blindfold Weapons: Sento (ancestral katana, also helps him see without eyes) Arcana: None

Johnny Cage, the Narcissistic Nutcracker (Sam Riegel) Species: Human Hair: Dirty blonde, short and messy Kasual Outfit: Dark blue blazer, dark green vest, jeans, black sneakers, tinted green sunglasses Kombat Outfit: Kevlar vest, baggy blue hoodie, padded pants, combat boots, sleeveless gloves, tinted green sunglasses Weapons: None Arcana: Showman (bright green, grayish silver, or dark red shadowy aura that enhances his abilities depending on his mood)

Sonya Blade, Semper-fi Do or Die (Ashley Johnson) Species: Human Hair: Blonde, braided ponytail Kasual Outfit: Black long-sleeved undershirt, desert camo pants, dark green vest, grenade sachel, military cap, combat boots Kombat Outfit: Dark blue futuristic stealth armor, armored hiking boots, military cap, grenade bandolier Weapons: Handgun, grenades, wrist laser projectors, combat knife Arcana: Perfume (toxic violet gas that can also cause horrific burns)

Kurtis Stryker, the Riot Guardsman (Matthew Mercer) Species: Human Hair: Dirty blonde mullet, stubble Kasual Outfit: Black jacket, blue undershirt, black cargo pants, combat boots, fingerless gloves, police cap, sunglasses Kombat Outfit: Black and blue futuristic riot armor, tactical visor, noise-cancelling boots Weapons: Nightsticks, handgun, taser, grenades Arcana: Sentinel (surrounds him in a red, bulletproof aura)

Kabal Ramirez, the Speedy Redeemer (Nolan North) Species: Human Species: Black, messy Kasual Outfit: Beige coat, green vest, stiched-up khakis, hiking boots, arm guards, hidden respirators, metal mask Kombat Outfit: Armored long coat and vest, lightweight armored boots, spiked knuckle gauntlets, hidden respirators, metal mask Weapons: Hookswords, throwing saw, flashbangs Arcana: Roadburn (super speed)

Zeffeero/Rain, the Flood of Ambition (J. Michael Tatum) Species: Edenian Hair: Dark purple, long Kasual Outfit: Purple work jacket, yellow dress shirt, dark indigo pants, black dress shoes Kombat Outfit: Purple mage's cloak and robes, purple mask Weapons: Katar, scepter (doubles as a bo staff) Arcana: Monsoon (hydromantic teleportation and projection, mild electrokinesis)

VILLAINS OF THE GREAT LEGION

Shao Kahn, the Legacy of Onaga (Kevin Michael Richardson) Species: Drakespawn Hair: Bald (but he has draconic horns and scales) Kasual Outfit: Dark red business suit, gold undershirt, black dress pants, crimson knee-high boots, Kombat Outfit: Red and black Drakespawn armor, shoulder cape, skull helmet Weapons: Hellbringer (Axe/Hammer), spears Arcana: Dominance (ego-driven reddish black aura strengthens him)

Shang Tsung, the Damnation Dealer (Steve Blum) Species: Edenian Hair: Black, long Kasual Outfit: Yellowish green undershirt, black coat, gray jeans, dress shoes Kombat Outfit: Yellow robes, black armored segments, black boots Weapons: Tekko-kagi claws Arcana: Souleater (literally steals souls to fuel his power, allowing him to assume their forms and powers)

Sullivan Kano, the Hand of the Black Dragon (Hugh Jackman) Species: Human Hair: Black, messy and ratty goatee Kasual Outfit: Black vest, cargo pants, combat boots, bandolier Kombat Outfit: Red and black armored vest, arm wrappings, combat boots with hidden knives Weapons: Cyber eye (shoots lasers), big knives, throwing blades, pulse grenades Arcana: None

Zheng Sektor, the Cybernetic Cinder (Matt Lanter) Species: Cyber (Formerly Human) Hair: Dark red, ponytail Outfit: Dark blue undershirt, red leather jacket, padded dark red pants, combat boots, blue-tinted goggles/red helmet (retractable) Weapons: Flamethrower gauntlets, explosive missile darts, red pulse blades Arcana: None

Goro, the Fists of Blazing Rage (Fred Tatasciore) Species: Shokan Hair: Black, ponytail Kasual Outfit, Black jeans, red Shokan royal robes Kombat Outfit: Black and red Shokan armor Weapons: None Arcana: None

Skarlet, the Blood Bathed Berserker (Cherami Leigh) Species: Drakespawn/Edenian Hair: Red, shoulder length, spikey Kasual Outfit: Black jacket, red undershirt, silver jeans, black boots Kombat Outfit: Black and red leather armor, goggles, red metal mask in the style of Outworld surgeons Weapons: Large scalpel, blood weapons Arcana: Clotted (blood magic through projection and creation of solid blood weapons)

Baraka, the Diseased Shredder (Scott McNeil) Species: Tarkatan (Formerly Edenian) Hair: Bald (but covered in bone-like, sometimes metallic spikes) Kasual Outfit: White short-sleeved shirt, brown jacket, black stitched-up jeans Kombat Outfit: Silverish blue armor, Asgarth Tarkatan banner wrapped around torso, dark red armored pants Weapons: Tarkatan blades Arcana: Fortitude (enhanced regeneration, not hampered by Tarkat)

Roman Valerian/Tremor, the Sandman's Quake (David Sobolov) Species: Human Hair: Silverish brown (with stone-like cracks in his skin) Kasual Outfit: Beige cloak, dark green undershirt, bulky black pants, golden medallions, hiking boots Kombat Outfit: Hooded brown armor, anti-dust mask, combat boots Weapons: Hammers, battle axe, occasionally carries a shotgun Arcana: Terra (seismic waves, crystal growths, rock generation, and lava spurts)

Reiko, the Scrappy General (Gregg Abbey) Species: Drakespawn/Edenian Hair: Silver and black, Mohawk/ponytail Kasual Outfit: Red Great Leigon sports jacket, black jeans, combat boots Kombat Outfit: Red and silver spiked armor, red gauntlets, skull medallion, armored pants, combat boots Weapons: Warhammer, knife, spear, throwing stars Arcana: Shade-Rage (red aura increases strength when angered)

OTHER STUFF

Arcanas are like Semblances from RWBY, being powers connected to the user's soul. Some have them, others don't.

Shao Kahn is the son of Onaga (who is incredibly proud of his son's work), and the father of Skarlet and Reiko (who constantly fight over his approval.

Hanzo Hasashi WILL appear, but not as Scorpion, obviously, but also not as a young child either.

[seaofthieves-glacialdragons]

Legend of the Glacial Dragons Pilot: Prologue

Summary:

Years ago, Azura Icewind and her crew sailed the Sea of Thieves with pride. Now her daughter, Stella Icewind, wants to follow in her mother's footsteps as the next Captain Icewind. That is, if she can even make it to the Sea of Thieves in one piece...

Next Part: Here

11 years ago…

A flash of lightning tore through the dark clouded sky as thunder seemed to be constantly rumbling overhead. Combined with the howling wind, it was nearly impossible for the crew of the Icebreaker to hear their captain barking out orders. At the wheel was a middle-aged woman in an ice blue fur-lined coat with ice crystals seeming to emerge from the shoulders, matching boots and gloves and navy pants. She had long flowing auburn hair that reached past her waist and faded to an icy blue about halfway down, as if half of her hair was frozen, and tanned skin adorned with glowing blue markings that were occasionally visible through breaks between her gloves and along her neck. Bright almost glowing blue eyes pierced through the gloom as she struggled to keep her galleon steady in the battering winds. This woman is Azura Icewind, captain of the Glacial Dragons. “Skuggi, how much farther?” she yelled over the storm at a figure glad in purple robes, shaggy black hair tousled and drenched as grey eyes glanced up at his captain. “Should be dead ahead, captain!” he replied in a slight Icelandic accent. “Land ho!” A crewmate cried from the crow’s nest as the silhouette of an island appeared through the thick rainfall, a large peak piecing the thundering clouds. “Prepare to dock!” Azura yelled before staring intently at the island. It wasn’t marked on any of her navigator’s maps. ‘Dragon’s Truth’ Skuggi called it. Azura placed a hand over her chest where her heart would be as a faint blue glow shone through her coat. “I’ll see this through…for both of us…”

Meanwhile… 

The sky was clear and starry as the waves calmly lapped at sandy shores. All was silent aside from the slight crunching of sand accompanied by the sound of wood carefully being dragged across it. That and the sound of a 10-year-old quietly grunting as she dragged what seemed to be a make-shift dinghy with a sail attached to it and a rock tied with rope, serving as an anchor or sorts. She let out a sigh as she finally got the boat near the water’s edge. Stella Icewind. A young girl with shoulder length, dark brown hair with frosted tips, ice blue eyes, and tanned, freckled skin. Clad in a raincoat, trousers and boots with a fake pirate hat on, she gazed out at the horizon with a determined expression. Just as she was about to push the boat into the water, she felt a hand on her shoulder. Stella let out a sigh of defeat as she turned around to face an elderly woman clad in a brown dress, that looked like it had been sewn and patched up over many years of use, who smiled sadly down at her. “Nana, I…you see…I gotta…” Stella tried to come up with an excuse but was shot down by the woman slowly shaking her head, “Stella, I know you want to follow your mother out into the Sea of Thieves but you’re still too young.”

“She needs me though…” Stella mumbled. “I’m sure your mother is willing to wait a few more years for your grand arrival.” Stella’s grandmother reassured, “But for now, try to enjoy your time on land. After all, you may start to miss it when you spend the majority of it on the water. Now off to bed. Even pirates need their sleep.”

“Ok…” Stella groaned as she glanced once more at the horizon before following her grandmother inside their cottage not far from the water’s edge.

Present Day…  

  A now 21-year-old Stella hammered diligently at a now-more-sea-worthy dinghy. Her hair was now chin-length and messy, still retaining the frost-white tips. She wore a white and light blue kimono-jacket with splits at the shoulders which revealed the dark blue shirt underneath, along with blue hakama pants tied with an ice-blue ribbon and blue sandals and white tights. A blue crystal necklace hung from her neck. She let out a content sigh as she placed her hammer down in the golden sands before stepping back to admire her handy work. The sky was a bright blue with the sun shining down; not a cloud in the sky. She took a quick swing from her waterskin before placing it into her rucksack and loading it onto the dinghy. As she did a quick once-over, she could hear footsteps approach from behind. “You can’t stop me this time, Nana.” Stella began without turning around, “Dead or not, I have to finish what she started.”

The day before, Nana had revealed to Stella that her mother had gone missing 11 years ago and was presumed dead. This was the final straw for her and was ready to begin her journey to the Sea of Thieves.

“I know. And I’m not here to stop you.” Stella’s grandmother sighed, “I should’ve told you sooner. I know I can’t hold you back any longer. I knew you’d eventually set out there whether I allowed it or not. All I ask is that you be careful. I lost a daughter. I don’t want to lose a granddaughter too.” Stella gripped the edge of her boat tightly before spinning around and hugging her grandmother, “You won’t. I promise.” Stella’s grandmother gently hugged her back before stepping away, “Now go. Enjoy your adventure and don’t look back.”

Stella nodded, fighting back tears before giving the dinghy one last push into the water. She carefully stepped into the boat and, taking a deep calming breath, she unveiled the sails, immediately catching the wind. As the dinghy took to the waves, Stella gave one last wave to her grandmother before facing the horizon. As she gripped the crystal around her neck, a lullaby that her mother sang to her – which she referred to as the anthem of the Sea of Thieves – came to her head as she began to quietly sing it to herself.

 “Cloaked in folds of midnight waters, Side by side, we sons and daughters. We set forth for no king's orders, But we'll sail together. Hold fast, tides are turning. Flames roar, fires are burning. We'll all be returning, If we sail together…”

The Next Day...

“…ugh…”

Stella groggily woke up on an island, lying on her side. In front of her was a lit campfire and just a few feet beyond it was the shoreline with a partially wrecked sloop calmly floating on the crystal blue waters. Tropical plants and trees covered the island. Stella sat up, racking her brain as she tried to remember how she got there. That’s when she remembered. Her boat was attacked by a skeleton ship. The good news was that meant she was more than likely on the outskirts of the Sea of Thieves. The bad news was that her tiny dinghy didn’t stand a chance against the huge ship. Her boat took a direct hit from a cannonball, completely wrecking it. “Must’ve washed up here…great.” Stella sighed as she got to her feet.

“Indeed. You were quite fortunate to survive.”

Stella jumped, not expecting to hear another voice. Before she could question anything, a green glow emerged from the campfire and took on a humanoid shape. In front of her was the ghost of a portly man with a thick beard. He wore a standard pirates outfit – slightly torn – aside from a cloak on his back (along with three swords which Stella suspected was the reason for his ghostly form) and a wooden griffon claw as a pegleg. He also used a cane with a gaping skull on the top. “You look a little worse for wear, my friend. You must be on quite the journey.” He noted. “You could say that. Who are-?” Stella was cut off by the growling of a ferocious monster- oh wait, no, that was just her stomach. The ghost chuckled a bit, “I should eat something, if I were you. A full belly can do wonders for your spirits.”

“Ah, y-yeah…” Stella looked around and noticed a banana lying a couple of feet away from her. She picked up the yellow fruit, scoffing it down quickly. “There, you look better already. Maybe even strong enough to reach the Sea of Thieves.” The ghost smiled, “These days they call me The Pirate Lord, but you may call me Ramsey. Back when I discovered this place, I was just a bold explorer like you. I dreamt of finding uncharted waters filled with treasures and rife with danger, where every sunrise brought a new adventure…”

“Wait…is this…am I in the Sea of Thieves?” Stella’s eyes lit up with newfound hope. “Nearly. You’ve one last crossing to make.” Ramsey replied, “But it seems like you lost your gear upon washing up here.” Sure enough, Stella’s rucksack was nowhere to be seen. “Not to worry though, there’s some old weapons and equipment lying about here that you can use. If you’re up for a bit of work that is.” Stella gave a determined nod, “If it means I can get to the Sea of Thieves, I’ll do it.”

“Well now, I’d say you’re as ready as you’ll ever be for what’s ahead.” Ramsey said as Stella loaded the last of the equipment from the Pirate Lord’s chest into a bag, “Allow me to show you the path…” Ramsey motioned to the fog-covered horizon before slamming his cane into the ground, causing the mist to part and lanterns to alight in the distance. “The Shroud is beginning to part, but you have one more task before your journey continues.” Ramsey continued, “You may be ready to sail, but your ship still needs repairs. Go, and tend to her wounds! After that, I must bid you farewell.”

“Thanks for your help.” Stella smiled, “If it wasn’t for you, I wouldn’t have made it.”

“It’s no bother at all. Now go. Adventure awaits!”

Stella nodded before sprinting towards the old sloop. As Ramsey watched the young woman scuttle about the ship, fixing it up, he muttered to himself, “She’s most certainly your daughter, Azura. I wonder if she’ll live up to your legacy…?” With that, he disappeared in a puff of green smoke.

Stella huffed and puffed as she raised the anchor. Once it was secured, she grabbed the ropes for the sails and unravelled them before hurrying over to the wheel, guiding the ship away from the island and through the lanterns. As she sailed, she could see the wrecks of many ships, ranging from sloops to full galleons. As unnerving as it was, she tried not to let it get to her as she pushed on. She jumped as she saw what seemed like a giant shark-like creature briefly surface before diving under her ship. She remembered stories her mother told her as a child of creatures that lurked in the Sea of Thieves, with one of them being a sea beast called the Megalodon. She wagered that was one of them. Her thoughts were interrupted by a large splash on her portside. A skeleton ship. Stella was about to steer away in a panic when she realised that her new ship was outfitted with cannons. “Might as well get some practise with these things.” She muttered and she scrambled down the steps and grabbed some cannonballs from a nearby barrel, loading them into the cannons. Her first few shots missed completely but she managed to land one, knocking a skeleton overboard. Just as she was about to aim the next shot, tentacles shot up from the water beneath the skeletons’ ship and began to drag it down under the waves. “Kraken too, huh? Better them than me…” Stella mumbled, somewhat relieved the monstrous squid targeted the skeletons instead of her. She pushed the ship forward until she began to spot islands off in the distance as the fog began to close behind her. There was no turning back now. But Stella didn’t want to.

“I made it, mom.” Stella breathed, a few stray tears escaping, “I made it…”

“I’m home.”

Sea of Thieves: Legend of the Glacial Dragons  

To Be Continued…  

[sweetwritertanya]

Sing With You

Summary: You were a new solo artist that was climbing up in the music industry. At a charity concert, you end up being a guest artist alongside many others, including BTS. What happens when you run into Jungkook, who was also your biggest crush?

Warnings: FLUFF. This is the tamest fluff I have writing in a while.

REQUESTED: yes! My first request :)

Word Count: 1723

It was a cold morning as you snuggled even more into your soft fluffy sweater, the hood covering your hair and almost falling above your eyes, shielding you from the wind blowing. You loved your job, you truly did, but on days like this, when you had arrived from the airport mere hours ago, feeling tired and grumpy, but still had to go and make the arrangements and sound check for the concert you had tonight, you envied the people who worked normal hours.

Sighing, seeing your hot breath fog in front of your face, you tried to think of your fans in order to keep going. They were anticipating your performance tonight, and they were the reason you could make music your career, something you never dreamed of. You could not disappoint them.

Being discovered by an agency when you were already in your twenty’s and asked to sign with them was a miracle on itself. Having people listen to your music and actually gather a loyal following was simply a God-sent present you still had trouble believing in.

Today was not about you, though. You had been asked to be part of a huge line up of famous artist to a charity concert in Seoul of which the profits would go straight into cancer research and mostly to help children baring such an awful sickness. The fact that they even thought of inviting you was flattering, for you knew you were still barely recognizable in the industry. You had only debuted a few months ago and were still trying to raise a name for yourself as a solo artist in the industry.

Following your manager and security backstage through the halls, you asked where the toilets were and they pointed down a hall to your right. You told them you would be right back and bolted ahead, not realizing as you turned the corner that someone was coming down the hallway your way.

You ended up bumping into the tall person’s chest, yelping slightly at the contact, before starting to mumble apologies.

“Oh, I’m so sorry! I wasn’t seeing where I was going. I’m so very sorry…” You words got caught up in your throat as you raised your eyes to see who you ran into.

Baggy black pants, with a dark grey hooded jacket and a white sweater underneath, he had a mask covering the bottom half of his face and a cap on top of his head. Basically, only his eyes were visible to you. But it was more than enough. You would recognize his eyes anywhere.

“S-Sorry” you said one last time, running past him before he could see the blush creeping to your cheeks.

You entered the toilet and locked yourself in a stool, breathing heavily as you took your hands to your warm cheeks. It was Jungkook. You had just bumped into freaking Jeon Jungkook. You have had a thing for him since you first found out about BTS, something about him just catching your eye immediately. It was really frustrating, actually, the way that any other male you ever came in contact with seemed to pale when you thought of the popular boy, this stupid one-sided crush being the reason your love life was going nowhere.

And now you had just smashed into him. You could still smell his alluring scent from the proximity you two had. It was then you shrieked, as you realized you were wearing no make-up and had the most unflattering outfit on your body. Whining, you sat down on the stool, wondering why you had to run into him looking like this instead of later, when you would be all dolled up and with gorgeous make up for your performance.

Sulking about it wouldn’t change anything, the damage was done, and so you just went about your business as normal and met your manager who guided you to your dressing room.

While you were on stage, amazed at how big the venue was, certainly the biggest stage you had performed on to date, your song started to play and you smiled. It still gave you chills to listen it coming out of the speakers as you held the microphone tightly in your hands.

You didn’t have to sing to the outmost perfection while doing a sound check, they just had to make sure the track was playing at the correct speed and volume and that your voice was heard clearly. But you couldn’t help it, you loved singing so much.

You closed your eyes and the song took over you, not only by the strong vocals you worked so hard to perfect, but also your body, making you sway your hips to the beat, swirl around the space, dancing around even though you were definitely not a dancer. A smile would never leave your face when you were like this.

As the song ended, you looked at the sides of the stage searching for your manager, who was smiling back at you giving you a thumbs up, indicating everything was okay. However, it was not at her that you were looking, but rather at the seven boys getting ready behind her, one of which seemed to be incredibly focused on you.

As soon as Jungkook noticed you were staring back at him, he shifted his gaze and turned away from you, missing how red your cheeks turned at the thought of him seeing you sing.

Later that night, you had your beautiful sparkling dark blue dress on, makeup bringing out your most attractive features, styled hair framing your cute face. You were at the side of the stage, getting your mike pack on, taking deep breaths as you felt the familiar nerves coming up. You still felt a bit nauseous at the thought of performing in front of many people, and the nerves only ever went away when you started singing.

Playing with your fingers, you were anxiously looking around awaiting your turn to go up on stage. That is when you saw them, seven boys also getting their mikes ready, all elegantly dressed in dark suits, all slightly different from each other but still cohesive. Once again, your eyes met big dark brown ones that shied away when you noticed them.

You were about to walk away, feeling like you were imposing on their space a bit and also to try and calm your already pounding heart, when one of the boys seemed to push Jungkook just hard enough for him to land right in front of you as you were passing by.

Gasping in surprise at the sudden man in front of you, you watched the vicious look he threw back at whoever pushed him before settling his gaze on you. He blinked a few times, pursing his lips as his skin gained a bit more colour around his cheeks, much to your delight.

“Hum… H-Hi” he greeted, sounding unsure. You tried to remember how to breathe in order to answer him.

“Hello” you said back, fighting back your own blush. You couldn’t believe you were actually talking to him.

“I like your voice” he blurted out with nervousness, eyes shifting between you own and just above them, not being able to keep them still.

That was the best compliment any one could really give you and you were astonished it was coming from Jungkook, the boy who had a voice you could listen to for the rest of your days. You couldn’t help but smile brightly at that.

“Thank you. I like your voice too, Jungkook” you shared, watching him shuffling his feet beneath him as his hand came up to scratch his neck, flushed skin growing darker.

���You know me?” he asked shyly. You chuckled at that.

“Of course I know you. I’m a big fan” you confessed, biting your bottom lip as you felt timid about it. Surely it wouldn’t come as a surprise, many people were fan of the group. It just so happened that you were a fan of him in particular, beside the group itself.

“Me too!” he gasped, but shook his head when he figured his words didn’t make much sense. “I-I mean… I’m your fan too. You have lovely songs.”

You gaped at that.

“You know my songs?” the thought seemed absurd to you, but when he nodded eagerly you felt like flying.

“I… I would like to sing with you” he proposed, eyes settling on your incredulous wide ones. There was no way he was just asking what you thought he was asking. “Can we meet? T-To talk about it, i-if you want to!”

He was stuttering on his words, as if he was actually afraid you would deny him. The only reason it was taking so long for you to respond was because you were in a state of absolute incredibility, certain that this was some kind of dream. Your breath was caught on your throat, your heartbeat deafening you with how loud it got. It was when his face muscles winced slightly, thinking you were refusing him, that you snapped back to reality.

“Yes!” you jumped, startling him in doing so. You then broke into a shy grin, eyes glistening with joy. “I would love to sing with you.”

“Y/N, you’re up in a minute!” your manager called.

“I need to go, I’m up next. Do you have your phone?” you asked. He wrestled with the pocket of his jacket and took it out, unlocking it for you. With shaking fingers, you pressed your number on his phone and gave it back to him. “Here’s my number, call when you want to meet up about it, okay?”

Again he nodded, a small smirk tugging at his lips as he was, once again, avoiding your gaze.

You wished him luck on his performance and bid him goodbye, rushing to your place on the side of the stage where you would be coming out from. Your heart was hammering against your ribs, legs were shaking underneath you and breath was coming out in shaking pants, but you had the happiest smile you ever had on your lips.

That performance was one of your best performances ever, shadowed maybe by the show where you and Jungkook ended up singing together at, many months later. But that… that was another story.

[bangtan-gal]

Birth Claim

Bang Chan x Fem!Reader Powers!AU Warnings: swearing, angst, not much fluff, light smut, a little bit of a rough plot, mentions of blood and death, dubious consent, low-key kinda kidnapped Word Count: 12.7k (lol go me) A/N: Yee Haw

   A cloud of frosty breath puffed out around you as your heels clicked against the cement. Your mouth was snuggled into a fuzzy scarf and a thick jacket fell to your knees. Your tights were thicker than your liking and your boots were lined with faux fur. Not a single soul littered the streets as you marched down the sidewalk alone. The sun, although covered by clouds, was still high in the sky and it hadn’t begun to get chilly yet. 

   You held your chin high and kept your back straight, your gaze only focusing on what was ahead of you. The sound of your heels echoed on the empty streets and the blankness sent chills down your back. What once was the most populated part of the district was now a ghost town.

   A whistle—from something or someone—sounded from behind you. Your back stiffened and your heart dropped. Your steps faltered for a moment, only for them to speed up moments later. Your hands curled into fists, fingernails painfully digging into your palm. It was probably nothing, it was just nothing. The mantra repeated itself in your head.

You turned into your apartment, hustling up the stairs. You swiped your keycard over the scanner, bouncing as you waited for it to beep and flash green. You swiped it again, your hand shaking as you shoved the door open the second you saw the green. You locked the door, gasping, and then pressed your forehead against the door.

You shrugged your jacket off, fumbling to hang it up in the darkness. Your nails scraped against the wall, searching for the light switch. When the cool metal pressed against your fingers, you pushed the switch up, only for nothing to happen. You flipped it again.

“You’ve got to be shitting me,” you grumbled.

   You felt your way through the apartment, hand brushing along the velvet couch and your glass cabinets. Your hand grasped a light fabric and you slowly pulled it back, letting the grey sunlight pour into your living room. It didn’t do much to change the lighting, but it was better than pure darkness.

   You turned around, closing your eyes and pinching your nose, breathing out deeply. Of course, the power is out. Your apartment used to be one of the most expensive in the city, but once this side of town became a warzone, maintenance disappeared. Now people pay to not live here.

You opened your eyes with a groan.

And then you screamed.

   A man with light brown hair leaned against your wall. He wore all black and stood completely still. His gaze ran over you, his body poised as if waiting for something. Your heart raced in your chest and you watched him, your hands pressed against the cool glass behind you. He tilted his head, hair softly falling across his face and something gleamed in his dark eyes.

You opened your mouth.

“Han. The name’s Han,” he introduced himself, stepping forward. He held out a gloved hand, raising his eyebrow when you shied away from it.  “Don’t be afraid sweet, I haven’t done anything yet.”

Yet.

“You snuck into my apartment and cut the power,” you mumbled. “Doesn’t that count as doing something?”

   Your chin slowly rose and straightened your back. Han scoffed and then took a quick step towards you. You jumped, slamming your head against the glass as you tried to get away. Heat raced up your neck and face and you refused to meet his gaze as you studied your boots. He chuckled and you watched his feet as he slightly paced away.

“You have a 4.0 GPA, one of the top students in your college, right? I’m sure that means you’re not too dense so you might have a vague idea as to why I’m here,” Han murmured. You glanced up, watching as his silk glove ran over the glass cabinet. He pulled it back, eyes squinting as he inspected the dark fabric.

“Something tells me you’re not here for money or goods,” you commented, still pressed back against the glass. His whole outfit was linen, minus the gold-hued combat boots and the gloves—“is that real leather?”— you nodded towards the boots.

He smirked. “Indeed. Cowhide if you’re really curious.”

Real leather… cowhide. You pursed your lips, narrowing your eyes at them. Not even you had the luxury of that. It made no sense, animals were scarce, even more so when it came to animal products. Especially something so materialistic as combat boots. You hadn’t had a proper piece of meat for nearly three weeks.

The only sound that filled the room was your erratic breathing. He paced along your floor, running his hands along the walls and the couch. With a sigh, he sank down into the couch, crossing his legs and leaning back. He fit in so well with the opulent layout of your home. It was… chilling.

“You have a bone to pick with my father?” You queried, slightly straightening up against the surface behind you. He shrugged, studying his nails boredly. Your teeth dug into your lip and your fingers scratched at your skirt. He waved his hand in front of his face.

“Everyone has a bone to pick with your father, Y/N,” he chortled. “But let’s say… that my bone to pick isn’t just mine. I was sent here to come to collect you sweet and you will be coming with me whether you like it or not.”

You frowned.

“And what makes you think that?”

   With a flagrant roll of his eyes, he pulled down the collar of his shirt. You tilted your head, squinting your eyes as you tried to see exactly what he was showing you. There: a yellowy-orange tiger was imprinted into his skin. He let go of his collar, the fabric jumping back up to cover his collarbone. Han raised an eyebrow, standing up slowly. He slid off one glove, gently tucking it into a pocket.

“I would like to say I’m sorry Y/N… but I’m not one to lie.”

   He approached you. You fumbled sideways, running over a small table. The vase that held your Nana’s ashes tumbled to the floor. He caught you before you could escape and you blindly lashed out, trying to scratch at him. His hand—warm and buzzing—wrapped around your wrist and a strange sensation started from the contact zone and spread. Your body sagged and you fell against him, your eyelids slowly drooping.

Darkness consumed your vision.

++++++

The back of your head pulsed as light started to peek through your eyelids. You grumbled, covering your eyes as you sat up. A blinding light cast across the room, sending warmth running along your arms. Dizziness filled you and you grunted, pressing your hands to your ears. What’s going on?

You clutched the comforter that you were tucked into and then froze. It was white… white. Your comforter was purple. You jumped out of bed, hurrying towards the window and looking out. The sky was a brilliant blue, with very few clouds littering the canvas. The ground was at least 800 feet below you and was a blurry twist of gray and black. You pressed a hand to your stomach, shocked when skin met skin. A silk robe hung loosely on your shoulders, with only a bra and undies on.

Neither of which were yours.

   You tried to piece together how exactly you got here, but your memory was fuzzy. You remembered the darkness of your apartment and the man… the man, what was his name?  Your teeth dug into your lips and your eyebrows furrowed.

“Damn.”

   The door opened with a squeal. The same man from before stepped in, this time dressed in white. His collar dipped low, revealing his creamy skin and the golden tiger that stained his skin. You stepped back, wrapping the robe tightly around you. He snorted, not even sparing you a glance as he walked past you towards a large dresser in the corner room.

“You’re expected downstairs soon sweet,” he said, opening the doors with a flourish and shuffling through the fabrics.

“Who changed my clothes? Where am I? How long was I out? What did you do? Why can’t I remember anything?” You fired off, watching as he tossed something gray on the bed. The brunette ignored you for several minutes as he continued to throw articles onto the comforter. He finally whirled around, sighing when he saw you standing in the same place.

“Could you get dressed?”

“Could you leave?” You shot back.

   He snorted and sat down in the chair, raising a curious eyebrow at you. You pursed your lips and then made your way towards the clothes. It was a mix of gray and pink. A sigh fell from you as you quickly threw off the robe and pulled on the outfit that was laid out for you: light gray pants and a medium pink shirt made of pure silk.

“Are you going to answer my questions?”

A forceful sigh followed.

“I changed your clothes—I’m grown and its nothing I haven’t seen before—you’re in the Deep City, just for the night, it’s not my place to explain that, and maybe you’re just a dipstick,” he explained.

You turned around, hands seated on your hips. You narrowed your eyes and he boredly pulled at his gloves. There was a gleam in his eyes: a flicker of a bright color that burned in their dark depths. Cold ran along your spine and you involuntarily shivered.  He stood up, throwing a pair of gloves at you. They matched the color of your pants and were a soft material. You raised your eyebrows at him.

“What’s up with the gloves?” You murmured, raising your own and nodding towards his.

“You’d better wear em or you’ll regret it later on.”

He didn’t explain as he stood up, his hand wrapping around your upper forearm and dragging you towards the door. You followed along silently, a sudden fear creeping down your neck and rushing along your shoulders. Something had happened to get you here. Whether it was drugs, pure force, or some other force… it was something that could clearly take you out. You didn’t want to tangle with it again.

The walls were a dark wood that had recently been polished and the white carpet was unstained. The man stayed in step beside you, his eyes focused ahead of him as the two of you made your way down the hallway. His grip slowly loosened up, but you could feel a silent threat radiating from it. Despite the immense urge to run, the fear of the unknown held you back.

You descended a flight of stairs and were met by a spacious parlor. The chairs and couches were made of sleek black leather with silver lining. The floor changed from carpet to a blue-stained tile. A large deep brown rug sat in the middle of the floor, a sparkling glass table holding it down.

“I didn’t realize it took fifteen minutes to get someone, Han,” a voice interrupted your gaping. A man that was close to the same height as your escort approached. He was adorned in all gold and looked like a prince as he approached. Midnight black hair fell right along his eyebrows, brushing against his light skin and a shock of gray eyes squinted at you.

   You blinked, glancing at Han and then back at the stranger. Why were they both so… pretty? You weren’t sure if it was their actual looks, the flattering clothes they wore, or just the way they held themselves.

   Han shrugged beside you, slowly releasing his grip on your arm. You unconsciously ran your fingers over the area, the skin feeling sensitive and raw. You watched out of the corner of your eye as the two glared at each other, both of them looking ready to fight. Your shoulders hunched and you shrunk into yourself, not in the mood to experience something so brutal, especially in your current state.

“Would the two of you shove your dicks in your pants and calm the fuck down?”

   Another man marched into the room, arms crossed. You watched as Han backed down and the black-haired man bristled before slowly relaxing his shoulders. As he approached, you noted that he was taller than both of them and his frame was larger. He was surprisingly dressed more casual, with a polo shirt and light-washed jeans. His hair was light blue and styled back over his head.

“Minho, aren’t you supposed to be helping Felix right now?” He asked, nodding at the silver-eyed boy.

Something close to a growl came from Minho.

“Yeah, what’s it to you?”

The blue-haired man smiled, but no amusement shone in his eyes.

“I’m sure neither Chan nor Changbin would be happy to see you sitting here causing problems,” he cooed, tilting his head.

“Fuck you Woojin.”

   The young man stormed off, the room slightly lightening once he left. The tension didn’t completely leave and you noticed Han shoot a questioning look at the taller man. If he saw, he didn’t reply, he just walked towards one of the chairs and sat down.

“Come sit down Y/N, we have much to talk about,” Woojin said, motioning you over.

   Your legs wobbled beneath you as you stumbled across the tiles and sat down on the couch. You clasped your hands in front of you, your eyes focusing on the fluffy rug that your feet were now buried in. You listened as Woojin shifted, a small sigh escaping him and then tensed up when Han sat down directly beside you.

You were caged in.

“I’m sure you’re curious as to why you’re here?” He queried, leaning forward on his knees. You shrugged, refusing to meet his gaze. “I’d like for you to use words, Y/N.”

   You glanced up, sharply meeting his gaze. His eyes had a lavender tinge to them and despite his soft features, you could feel something radiating off him. It pulled at you, luring you in, and begging you to spill your secrets. There was a sharp pain in your left temple and you pressed a finger to it, closing your eyes and letting out a hiss. If your eyes were open you would’ve seen the warning glance that Han sent Woojin’s way. The discomfort quickly subsided and you opened your eyes, staring at the table in front of you.

“Yeah… yeah, I am,” you murmured.

A satisfied hum came from the man.

“You see here Y/N, your father owns a huge rationing company which is perfectly fine. We actually didn’t have a problem with your father until two weeks ago. Th-”

“His new business contract?” You interjected, playing with the gloves on your hand. Woojin raised an eyebrow and then nodded, his blank expression faltering for a small moment.

“Indeed. Do you know who his new partner is?” Han said, placing his hand on your knee. You scooted away, sending him a quick glare. Woojin chuckled and the look of horror that flashed across the brunette’s face would’ve been comical to you if not for the situation you were in.

Before you could reply, Woojin answered for you. “Clidei Industries: they sell technology and are constantly working on new things. They’re supposed to help make rationing cards so people won’t have to bargain and struggle for rations anymore. The only problem is that Clidei isn’t only selling your father technology; he’s selling him some sort of drugs.”

   You blinked, your nervous scratching on your gloves ceasing. That couldn’t be possible, could it? Your father was a good man, why would he buy drugs? Especially with drugs being such a problematic view in this day. Drugs were the main reason the world collapsed in the first place and people wouldn’t even take pain medication or anesthesia. He owned a large rationing company, drugs would only make him…

“Unless people don’t realize he has them or what he’s doing with th—holy shit,” you gasped and stood up.

The roiling in your stomach that had been bothering you since you woke up was suddenly unbearable. You covered your mouth and rushed from the room. You stumbled upon an empty tin box and emptied the contents of your stomach into it. Han was right behind you, stepping back once he realized the reason you ran.

You slid to your knees, pressing a hand to your forehead and the other clutching the box. What was your father planning to do? You knew your father well, you knew he would only do what he thought was best for society. He wouldn’t put drugs in rations, would he? Maybe it would be an antibiotic and a calorie gain. He wouldn’t put anything dangerous in them.

You accepted the cloth that Han offered you and wiped the sweat from your forehead and your mouth. With weary steps, you followed him back to where Woojin waited for you. You met the man’s gaze and scowled. When he motioned for you to sit, you stubbornly resisted, deciding you’d rather have this conversation standing up.

You were your father’s daughter after all.

“You’re wrong about what my father is doing. He would never do something that dark,” you huffed.

Woojin raised a dark eyebrow.

“Your reaction proves otherwise.”

“I haven’t felt good since I woke up,” you retorted, waving the statement away. Your stomach just decided to act up at the wrong time. Woojin snorted and opened his mouth, a snappy reply ready. You cut him off. “I’m famished, where could I get something to eat? Or do you plan to starve me?”

   Woojin glared at you and something crept along the back of your neck. You brushed it off, crossed your arms, and met his stare with a sneer of your own. His gaze looked past you to Han and the boy wrapped a hand around your wrist, dragging you from the room. You kept your back straight and chin high as you sauntered away, but once you pushed past a pair of doors and into a new room, you sagged down.

   You weren’t hungry; you’re stomach felt too messed up for food but you had to escape that situation. How were you supposed to argue with him over whether your father was bad or not? All the signs were there and it just seemed weird that your father had been so silent about the drug part. He told you everything—why didn’t he tell you that? But he’s your father, no matter what, and you have to protect him. All I have to do is get out of here and then talk to him about it.

And even if he was doing something terrible, you would never throw him to these savages.

   You sank into a chair, leaning against the quartz counter. Han opened up the pantry, shuffling through the shelves before he pulled out an orange and a bag of bread. He threw the fruit to you and took out a slice of bread, shoving it into a toaster. You turned the orange over in your hands, a loud sigh escaping you. After this, you’d be forced to go back into that room and try to argue in your father’s favor.

Shame flooded through you and you dropped the orange on the counter. What happened to the vicious girl that you usually were? Where did that “rich little bitch” go? Where was the spunk? The fire? Why were you so quiet around these people?

If they were trying to hurt your father through you, all you would have to do is be uncooperative.

   You managed to eat the orange and ate half the toast that Han made you. Your stomach screamed in protest the whole time, but the way the boy watched you forced you to choke it down. He led you back into the parlor and you forced yourself to straighten up and dig for your usual self. You wouldn’t be able to get out of this if you didn’t have a backbone.

   There was a conversation going on when the two of you stepped in. Silence ensued when the two of you got closer. Another man stood next to Woojin, his hair a mix of brown, black, and blonde. He was the same height as Woojin, but there was something that made him seem taller… harder to ignore. You made eye contact and then his eyes slowly moved over your body, his face blank. Nothing shimmered in the depths of his dark eyes.

“Y/N Y/L/N,” he hummed, tilting his head at you.

“Another random guy I don’t know.”

   If he was expecting something different, he gave you no hint. He watched you silently, his head still tilted as he stood tall in the middle of the room. You stiffened up when both Woojin and Han left, the doors slamming shut behind them. He adjusted his jacket and then sat down. His leaned back, spreading his legs, and his veiny hands dropped to rest on his thighs. You looked away, sucking your bottom lip into your mouth and chewing on it.

“So, I’ve heard that you have questions,” he murmured, a smirk pulling on his lips. Your heart raced as you made your way towards him, sitting down opposite of him and shrugging.

“I’m sure you have things you would like to explain,” you replied, resting your chin in your hand. A dark eyebrow tilted upwards, the corners of his lips pulling upwards.

“You’re not going to be leaving for a while, Y/N. You see here, we’re not using you to get to your father exactly…” he sighed, twisting a ring on his index finger. “Y/N, confirm this for me: your mother died right after you were born and your father never remarried, right?”

You pursed your lips and nodded.

“So you’re his only child, which makes you the heir for the company?”

You didn’t have to nod, his inquisitive stare told you that he knew everything he needed to know.

“What’s your point?” You snapped.

   A low chuckle came from the man. He swiped his thumb over his bottom lip, a curious looking shining in his eyes. He leaned forward, his elbows resting on his knees, and eyes wide while he watched your face.

“You take over the company once you graduate from college and you’re in your last year, which means in under four months it’s yours,” he stated. “The business deal has been signed, but it will take at least six months for it to be secure. Which means that if you’re given the business on time, you’ll have two months to destroy the contract.”

   You wished you could smirk back at him because he got his details wrong, but you weren’t stupid. He knew, he most definitely knew what all the conditions were for you to take over the company once you graduated. You glowered at him, your hands tightening into fists and your nails were starting to scrape at the fabric that covered them.

“What makes you think I’d do that?” You asked, your voice short and curt. Heat was pulsing in your veins and your teeth were tightly pressed together. You felt like you were already losing and it was infuriating you because the killing blow hadn’t been dealt yet.

“Why hasn’t your father told you about the second part of the deal, Y/N?”

You blinked.

“The drugs are awful—yes—but what’s more awful is letting an inexperienced child take over one of the biggest companies of this age. It’s not just the chance of you failing, but will the people really accept you? You’re young and your own classmates still see you like a bratty child. Clidei Industries has an heir, who’s older, more qualified, and a man. See, what if your father wanted those drugs so bad that he was willing to merge with Clidei and let his son take over both companies?” He said, his eyes widening as he went. You blinked, lifting your head and staring at him. He… he couldn’t be serious, could he?

“There’s no way,” you mumbled, shaking your head. “You’re lying.”

   He flicked an eyebrow up and then grabbed a remote that lay on the table. He turned around, pressing a few buttons and you watched as a screen came down and flickered to life. It immediately opened up to a channel: there your father stood beside Yuvo Clidei, his son behind him. They were announcing their business deal.

“And I’m honored to say that soon our children will come together and Yuvo will take over my company in the future.”

He turned the TV off.

Silence.

“No… no no, no nononononononono, he-he wouldn’t do that. H-h-ha-he, he wouldn’t put me in an arranged marriage. Espe-ha-especially without telling me,” you stammered, standing up. He watched as you turned around, running your hands through your hair. There was no way your father would do that.

Would he?

   At least, the man you knew as a child would never do that, but how close have you been with your dad the past several years? How often did you see him nowadays? How much did he really tell you about business? Hell, when was the last time the two of you had dinner together and just… talked? It’d been at least over a year and people can change their ways in just three weeks.

   You hiccupped, bringing your hand up to your mouth, feeling the tears that ran down your face. You suddenly felt too hot and the walls were way too close. A sob escaped past your lips and you closed your eyes, teeth burying themselves in your bottom lip. The man approached you, softly gripping your shoulders and forcing you to turn towards him. You stared at his chest, trying to force the tears to disappear and struggling to even out your breathing.

“It wasn’t fair of him to do that, but the contract won’t be permanent for six months and that means you can still legally take over in four months,” he muttered, leaning down so you’re face to face. You can just barely meet his gaze.

“And what illegal work are you gonna do to get rid of him?” You sniffed, searching his face. He had to know that part of the contract your father made—you’d only take over the company after you graduated if he died before then.

“Don’t worry about that baby girl,” he cooed. “If you take over, the deal with Clidei can fail and you won’t be forced into a marriage with that pig.”

You snorted.

“I’m still an ‘inexperienced child’,” you grumbled. He rolled his eyes at your quote but met your gaze, something close to honesty burning in them.

“Once you take over, you won’t be an inexperienced child anymore. You’ll be a queen and people would be stupid to deny you of your birth claim.”

++++++++++++

   Two days passed in silence. You hadn’t seen the man, Chan, since your talk and you’d been stuck with Han the whole time. You occasionally saw Woojin or Minho pass by and sometimes nameless faces, but Han seemed to be the only one content to give you company. You had expected yourself to fall into a shell of who you were, but shockingly, you didn’t seem too broken over what you’d just found out. Actually, you found yourself more determined to take over the company now.

Of course, nothing seemed to be happening.

   Han kept claiming that Chan wanted to talk to you soon about his game plan, but whenever you asked, the boy would just shrug. So, instead, you resorted to being bored half the time and the other half spent annoying Han. He seemed fun—he sometimes got your jokes and would occasionally crack of few of his own—but he never wanted to do anything. The place was big and interesting and you hadn’t seen all of it, but there was nothing exciting about staying indoors. You wanted to go outside, but Han seemed extremely against it.

You pulled on your outfit of the day—once again something picked out by your personal babysitter. It was a black silk jumper, with a white leather belt, and the usual pair of gloves to go with it. This time though, there was a hat and a pair of sunglasses thrown in. You held up the hat, a simple baseball cap, frowning at it.

“Ah yes,” Han said, the door creaking as he stepped in. “We’ve been given permission to go outside today. Have you ever been to the Deep City?”

You shook your head and grinned at the boy. You pulled on the cap and grabbed the sunglasses, hurrying after him. Han walked quickly, with a hop in his step and you clearly weren’t the only one excited for the field trip. The two of you made your way through the hallways and past the parlor and into a new room.

Minho leaned up against the wall beside a door, looking extremely bored. He wore a deep blue shirt, matched with white trousers which were held up by gray suspenders. It was the first time you’d seen him in short sleeves and your eyes fell on the silver tattoo of a tiger on his bicep. You shivered unconsciously at the sight of it, still trying to get used to the idea that the people you lived with were Miroh. Miroh. The lead gang of District 9. The dangerous ones.

“Why are you here?” Han asked, his eyes shifting towards you wearily and then to the door.

“Chan told me to come along with the two of you,” Minho sighed, pushing off the wall. “And I couldn’t get out of it because Felix is still on his nocturnal schedule and Woojin… I don’t even know.”

The brunette beside you frowned.

“Am I not enough?”

   Minho shrugged, turning away and opening up the door. He stepped through and motioned for you to follow him. You carefully did and Han followed behind you. You were greeted by a stairwell and you groaned, realizing you’d be going down hundreds of flights of stairs. You’d be exhausted before you even reached the ground.

   The three of you made your way down in silence. You finally reached the bottom and your heart raced as you approached a set of double doors. Minho carefully pried one open, stepping out. You stepped out next, covering your eyes as you looked around. The sun was nowhere in sight and the streets were crowded.

   A hand wrapped itself around yours and you glanced down, staring at Minho’s bare hand as he held tight to you. You tried to pull out, but the black-haired boy shot you a warning look. You sighed and gave up, letting him pull you along as you marched down the sidewalk.

“What exactly are we doing today?” You murmured. “Are we going shopping? Getting food? Going to a park?”

“We’re visiting a friend of mine. Be on your best behavior, keep the hat low, and put those sunglasses on. We don’t need you getting recognized,” he instructed. You nodded, struggling to put the sunglasses on one-handed. Minho watched, unimpressed, as it took you multiple tries before they were snug on your face. “Don’t talk to anyone, don’t look at anyone, and don’t get separated from us. The Deep City is dangerous, especially for someone like you.”

“Shouldn’t I be fine if I’m under your guys’ protection?” You queried, trying to keep the mocking tone out of your voice, but failing. Neither boy replied. Minho was intent on dragging you along and sending a glare at anyone who passed too close to him. Han walked beside you, keeping a careful eye on everyone.

You glanced around, trying to get a view of the great Deep City. The sidewalks and streets were cracked, but the buildings were shiny. Water fountains were placed here and there and trees were reaching for the sky. Fairy lights hung from overhangs and between trees. You could only imagine how beautiful it would be at night.

The place was more crowded than any place you’d ever been. Even in college and high school, you’d never seen so many people. Was this place really safe? It confused you if people were so scared of Miroh, why would they flock to the City that they ran? Or maybe the views your father gave you were wrong—maybe people actually worshipped the gang. It was possible that your father only saw them as a threat because they threatened the way the world had functioned for the past several years and that would put your father out of business.

Finally, you arrived at wherever Minho wished to terrorize someone. You stepped into a slightly rundown building, cool air running through you. The inside was bright, with neon lights and blinding yellow walls. The three of you stood out completely from the interior. Minho’s grip on your hand tightened when several people shot curious stares your way.

Minho made his way towards the woman who stood behind the counter. She was dressed in bright pink and her eyes were a terrifying purple. She looked up when you approached, a smile slowly pulling at the corners of her lips. She nodded at Minho, glancing to you and then to Han.

“Jisung, Minho, and…?”

“Unimportant,” Minho muttered. “Chan had an order made a week ago, has it arrived yet?”

She nodded and then glanced at you. “Unfortunately I can’t let dearie come see it unless you tell me her name.”

She sent a sarcastic grin Minho’s way, batting her eyelashes. He snorted, letting go of your hand and muttering a soft ‘you wish.’ He nodded at Han and your other hand was taken by the brunette. Minho followed the woman into the back, his back stiff and hands clenched into fists at his sides.

You harrumphed.

“So… Jisung, huh?” You chortled, turning to the boy. He groaned, pinching the bridge of his nose and shaking his head.

“Real name,” he explained and then glanced around. “Minho’s gonna be a while, do you wanna go get ice cream?”

   You nodded, deciding to leave the topic of his name behind and go get something sweet. You wondered if it would be real ice cream, with actual milk. You tried to think of the last time since you’d had milk and your mind came up blank. Most animals were scarce in general, but dairy cows were extremely rare.

   He dragged you outside and hurried across the street, where a cart was. The man there greeted the two of you. Han refused to let go you of you, all throughout ordering and paying. You kept it simple, getting a cup of vanilla. You found a park bench and sat down. You looked around as you enjoyed the desert. The few bits of grass were extremely green, the trees looked healthy, and there wasn’t an unhealthy gloom over the city like most places. Once you finished, Han offered to throw it away.

“Don’t move and if anyone approaches, ignore them,” he said, raising his eyebrows. You raised yours back, nodding quickly. The boy hurried off to find a trash can and you sat in silence. You closed your eyes, leaning back and basking in the light breeze that brushed against your skin.

   A hand fell on your shoulder and you opened your eyes. It wasn’t Han. A woman with white hair stood over you, watching you with an ominous stare. You jumped up, whirling around and placing a hand over your heart. Your sunglasses were held in her hand and you froze.

“I know you,” she murmured, the words hummed out like a song. You shook your head.

“You must have me mistaken for someone else. I just have one of those faces,” you stammered, a shaky laugh following after. She slowly moved around the bench, moving towards you. You backed away, unable to ignore the odd vibes running off her.

“I know you,” she demanded, eyes narrowing. You glanced over your shoulder, searching wildly for Han. How hard was it to find a trash can?

“N-no you don’t.”

   Somebody grabbed the back of your neck. You stiffened up under the touch, gritting your teeth when their hold tightened. Dammit, you should’ve just gone with Han. The woman stepped forward, her hand reaching out to trace your face.

   A gloved hand grabbed the woman’s wrist and Han stepped into view. A look of fury burned in his dark eyes. He glanced at you, to whoever was behind you, and then back to the white-haired woman. The sunglasses dropped from her hand and she watched Han with a slightly surprised stare.

“Who the fuck are you?” He snarled, his lip curling back.

She raised her nose. “I could ask you the same.”

   You expected him to do some dramatic reveal of his tattoo or mention something related to Miroh, but instead, he let go of her wrist and shoved her back. He met your gaze for a fleeting moment and then narrowed his eyes on the person behind you. He ripped off his gloves, tossing them on the ground, and his hands curled into fists. You wriggled nervously, biting your lip.

“Deep breaths sweet,” he huffed and then his foot rammed into the person’s knee. The grip on your neck loosened enough for you to yank away. You got a good look at your captor, a large man with a crew cut. Han was a lot smaller than him, but he didn’t seem to care.

   You backed up, watching in horror as you watched the man swing at Jisung. He kept dodging, backing up, his eyes focused solely on the man’s face. When the man swung again, he caught his hand and then moved his grip to his wrist. There was no twist or hit back, instead, his eyes lit up and you watched as the man’s eyes rolled into the back of his head and he dropped to the ground.

   He turned towards the woman, cracking his neck. Light yellow sparks flickered between his fingers as he approached her. She backed up, eyes darting between him and the people that rushed by. No one seemed to notice what was going on. You glanced past Han, frowning. Three more men came sprinting from across the street, eyes focused on your protector.

“Han!” You squeaked out, trying to warn him to the attackers, but it was too late.

   Two jumped on him wrestling him to the ground while the other checked on the woman before turning to you. You backed up, your knees pressing against the bench and then your eyes darted past him. Minho stepped out of the store, his eyes darting back and forth as he searched for the two of you.

“MINHO!”

   Your scream was loud and piercing as you tried to step back again, only to fall onto the bench. Your eyes focused on the man before you, no longer trying to see if Minho heard you. You blinked and then Minho was just there: right in front of you. His fist connected with the man’s skull, a dull thump being heard as he groaned. He wasted no time ramming his foot into the man’s stomach, knocking him over and wrenched one of the men off of Han.

   The younger boy sprung up, his eyes bright orange and raging. You watched as he pressed a hand to one of the attacker’s chests and light started pulsing from his hands. You clasped a hand over your mouth, not noticed the woman and one man hurrying off. Both boys backed off from the two left and then turned to you. A bruise was already forming on Han’s cheek, his hair was a mess, and grass and dirt clung to his shirt.

   Minho scooped you up, shouting orders at Han as he raced across the street. You barely kept up as the man rushed back towards the Miroh building and barrelled up the stairs, not even faltering with your added weight. He slammed open the door and hurried into the parlor, dumping you onto the couch.

   He disappeared into the kitchen, a loud scream of frustration coming from the room. You gasped, pressing a hand to your face and pulling back to see it wet. You hadn’t even noticed you were crying and suddenly you were more aware of your racing heart, the sweat that clung to your hairline, and how you felt extremely cold.

   He took off his gloves. That night in your apartment, he’d done the same thing. You remembered the feeling of everything being drained from you. You sat up, ignoring the way the room spun. What are these people?

++++++++

“I want to talk to Chan.”

“Y/N, he’s busy,” Minho argued. You crossed your arms, trying to push past him. You had a vague idea of where Chan’s office was—you’d seen him disappear behind the glass wall multiple times. “Just let me explain it to you.”

“No, I will talk to Chan,” you demanded. You didn’t know who to trust, but so far Chan had been the most honest with you, even in the one conversation you’d had. Minho opened his mouth, ready to brush off your whines, but then closed it. He turned around just as the door behind him opened, the man in question stepped out. Dark circles were under his eyes and his hair was a mess.

Chan waved Minho away and then motioned you into his office. You marched in, plopping down on the couch. He leaned up against his desk, pinching the bridge of his nose and a letting out a loud sigh. You crossed your legs, tapping your hands on the arm of the couch. He looked back over to you.

“I’m assuming something happened that can’t be explained by science or reasoning,”  he murmured.

You nodded.

“Something tells me you already know the answer to that question,” he sighed. “But I’ll explain anyway.

“Before we all found each other, the nine of us had nothing in common. We weren’t experimented on in some weird lab, our parents did have some disease, nothing weird happened in our childhoods that would give any explanation as to why we had these… abilities. The universe clearly dragged us together though, because we’re all here now.”

You opened your mouth to interrupt, but Chan raised a hand and you slowly closed it.

“The first one I ran into was Felix. It was mid-winter, freezing cold outside, and the boy was in shorts and a tank top, not even aware of the weather. I took him into my apartment, ignored his claims that he was fine, and took him under my wing.  It took a while for me to realize the boy had powers like me, but one day I walked into the kitchen to see him freezing his water. When I realized I wasn’t alone… I guess you could say I made it my mission to find others like us and train them,” he explained and you watched as he picked up a glass and studied it. “Hyunjin protected me from a spray of bullets, Minho disappeared right before my eyes, Jeongin tricked me into giving him all my money, Woojin found me, Seungmin lit Kiol building up, Changbin could control things with his mind, and Han was draining the energy out of lightbulbs to stay warm.

“Y/N, you might think we’re monsters because we’re not normal, but don’t run from us, we’re here to help,” he said, pushing off the table and slowly approaching you.

“Were you ever gonna tell me?” You asked, holding up a hand to keep him at bay.

He bit his lip. “I’m not sure.”

   You stared at him, waiting for something like anger or hatred to come forward, but nothing did. Instead, there was a rush of relief that raced through your body. You closed your eyes and leaned forward, closing your eyes. He was being honest and that seemed to be all that mattered at the moment. Your own father hadn’t been honest; shouldn’t you take shelter in the one person who’d been truthful with you?

“There’s nine of you?” You queried, brushing your hair out of your face as you looked up. He nodded, his eyes running along the length of your body. Chan chewed on his index finger, his shoulders stiff. You had a hundred questions, millions of them that begged to be answered, but you didn’t really want to dive into his world. Depending on whatever his plan was, he would put you on your rightful throne in a couple of months and help you out for a while, but you probably wouldn’t see him after that.

“Chan, if you want me to work with you, I need to know exactly what you plan to do,” you said.

He sighed.

“In order for you to take over the company by the time you graduate, your father needs to be dead. That’s in four months. Your father’s planned death is the day after your graduation, at 9:50 AM. One of Minho’s powers is possession, we plan on having him possess your father and walk him in front of a car, which will be driven by a random man so it can’t be found as murder. Jeongin, you haven’t met him yet, but he has the ability to… persuade others to do whatever he wishes. He’ll convince the driver to do it, with those exact details.

“The deal won’t be official for another two months after that, so we are going to establish you as temporary CEO within three days. We can’t make you permanent CEO immediately, because you’ll have to not only fight the Clideis, but you’ll also have to convince the people. The first week after your father’s death will be silent, that much can be expected. The second week, there will definitely be meetings and it will be our job to get you into every single one—invited or not.

“We’ll play nice that week, but the third week you will announce your decision: you will be taking your father’s position. The Clideis will argue, but you’ll have to stay strong. This is where you’ll start doing most of the work. You’ll need to gain the people’s support and trust and somehow scare the Clideis out. Destroy the contract before they can complete it and then you take it over it. After that, we trust that you’ll only work for the greater good of society.”

You bit your lip, taking all the information in. It was a lot and you weren’t sure how well you could sell it. Getting the people on your side… persuasion wasn’t your strong suit. You unconsciously dug your nails into your knees, already knowing how you could get rid of the Clideis. You had an unfortunate past with Yuvo Clidei, that his father didn’t know about.

“I need my phone,” you demanded. “I have some stuff on it that I could use as blackmail against them.”

   Chan raised a curious eyebrow before his eyes slowly glazed over. The clock ticked loudly in the dark office as you waited for him to get back to you. He shook his head, blinking his eyes as he forced himself back into reality.

“Done.”

++++++++++

   Three months rolled by in a blur. When you weren’t at college, you spent most of your time with Chan or Han, occasionally having lessons with Woojin and the boy Chan had mentioned, Jeongin. You saw Minho every now and then and someone with deep brown hair and wide eyes. Woojin was beating knowledge into your head, going over everything you would need to know about business, and most specifically: your father’s business. Jeongin was teaching you how to talk and act to get people to be swayed to your side, but in most lessons, you found yourself just nodding and zoning out because the boy really had a way with words.

“And that’s why I think you should get me ice cream,” you cooed, tilting your head at Han. The brunette looked unimpressed as he crossed his arms and leaned back in the chair.  You groaned, burying your head in your hands. You were better at bribing people to do what you wish, not talk them into it.

“You talk too much like an essay,” Jeongin pointed out from the corner. “You use too academic words and it’s too controlled. Your voice is good and you smile a lot and flirt when you need to, but if you make your talk flowery and smoother, people will listen to you.”

You send a glare the younger boy’s way.

“Easy for you to say dipstick, you literally have to smile and people would lick dog shit off your shoe,” you snapped. The boy chuckled and shrugged, messily running a hand through his red hair. Then you turned back to Han. “Can I please have some fucking ice cream?”

   Shrill laughter came from both boys. You pouted, crossing your arms. Han was the easiest to push over and you could barely convince him to do something for you without questioning you. How were you supposed to get a whole group of people to listen to you, and even more of, support you?

But you really wanted ice cream at that moment.

   You widened your eyes and popped out your lip at Han. He looked over, saw your attempt at a puppy face, and burst into even louder laughter. He fell back in his chair, eyes closed,  and head tilted back. You stood up, tossing your hair over your shoulder and marched towards him. You leaned over him, placing your hands on either side of him. He didn’t notice at first, but you leaned closer, tilting your head.

   Han finally opened his eyes and froze when he realized just how close you were. You moved one of your hands from the chair arm to his thigh, slowly snaking it up. He opened his mouth and then shut it, swallowing loudly. You leaned forward till you were nose to nose and smiled softly.

“Can I have that ice cream now?”

   You massaged his leg, watching as the boy started to crumble. Han shifted, running a nervous hand through his hair. You bit your lip, smirking as you tilted your head the other way. His cheeks were bright red and he refused to meet your gaze.

“What the hell?”

   You jumped away, ears turning pink when you turned towards the doorway. Chan leaned up against the frame, sweat running down his body. He stood in just a tank top and basketball shorts, his muscled arms, and legs on display. His shirt was wet, clinging to his body and complimenting his carved chest and stomach. His hair was a mess and holy crap, he looked like a whole snack.

Suddenly you didn’t want the ice cream anymore.

   He glanced between the two of you, eyes narrowed. You opened your mouth, trying to explain, but an awkward squeak just came out as you made wild hand motions. Standing there with Chan’s scrutinizing stare on you made you wonder if you and Han were too close. Hell, you were basically just straddling him without any emotions. Han stood up, ready to come to your defense, but Chan shot him a glower.

“Y/N, come with me please,” he huffed, turning around and walking away. You glanced at Han, sticking your tongue out and hurrying after the man.

   You caught up, nervously playing with the sleeves of your shirt. The two you walked to the kitchen in silence. The man grabbed a glass of water, leaning against the counter, sipping at it as he watched you over the rim of the glass. You shifted, tucking your head behind your ear.

“Y/N, I understand that it’s easy to get close to someone when you spend all your free time with them, but I would appreciate it if you could refrain from romantic or sexual relationships, whether there are feelings or not. I need my boys on full focus and I need you to be as well. There won’t be much connection between us once you leave and I don’t need there to be any broken hearts when that happens,” he explained. You shake your head.

“You just walked in at the wrong time,” you argued. “Han and I are only friends—no-not that. I was just trying to convince him to get me ice cream.”

Chan raised a dark eyebrow and placed the glass in the sink. He wiped his forehead, his bicep flexing as he did so. You looked away, turning your knees inward and pursing your lips.

“You shouldn’t have to use your body to get what you wish, Y/N. You’re a strong woman and being sincere will get you where you need to be,” he murmured and walked towards you. He took a piece of your hair, twisting it around his index finger and searching your gaze. “If you really need to do that to get your way, then maybe you’re weaker than I thought.”

You blinked, watching as the man left. You stood in silence, completely shocked by his words. You did it as a joke because you knew exactly how Han would’ve reacted, not just for the sake of getting ice cream. Eyes narrowed, you whirled around and raced after Chan. You rushed in front of him, arms crossed, and glared up at him.

“I’m not weak!” You retorted, pressing your pointer finger to his chest. He stared down at you, looking unimpressed, almost like you were just a puppy that was yipping at his heels. “Because if I was weak, you wouldn’t have even bothered with me. You would’ve either gone to Yuvo and scared him into listening to you or found a completely new candidate. Instead, you came to me and I’m not dumb—you’re thorough and have enough information to make sure nothing could go wrong—so you knew my personality, my quirks, and what ticked me off when you came to collect me. You knew what weak spots to hit in our first conversation. Everything you’ve done up to this point has been to drag out whatever you saw in me!”

He listened to your rant, staring at you with a completely blank face. When you finished up, panting loudly and your finger still digging into his chest, he snorted. Chan grabbed your wrist, yanking you forward and leaning down until your foreheads almost touched. His lip curled up and his warm breath fanned over your face.

“Maybe so, but I won’t tolerate you playing with my members like they’re toys. I don’t care the reason you were feeling up Jisung, but I do care about their performance, and most importantly, your performance,” he hummed.  He moved his mouth so it grazed along with the shell of your ear. Fiery hot shivers ran along your arms and spine and an unintentional gasp escaped from you. Chan stiffened up against you, his grip on your wrist loosening, and his body slowly sinking closer to yours.

   He pulled slightly back, tipping up your chin with his thumb. With him, this close you could see the gold and blue flecks in his dark eyes. You weren’t sure if he was leaning down, but you knew for sure that you were leaning towards him, your eyes fluttering. Your gaze dipped down to his lips before darting up to his eyes once more. God, he looked so inviting and his body warmth called out to you like a secret song. You closed your eyes and let your lips carefully brush against his.

   There was a moment of pure serenity as you pressed tighter against him. Chan responded for a fervent moment and when you spread your hand on his chest, you could feel his racing heart. He stiffened under your touch and then shoved you away. You stumbled back, eyes flying open and watching as the man pressed the back of his hand to his lips before he turned around and disappeared into the next room.

   Your hand shook as you pressed it over your own heart, feeling the unsteady stutter that hid there. You blinked, licking your lips and running a hand through your hair. You shook yourself out, trying to force yourself into the right mindset.

“Y/N? Are you okay? He didn’t say anything too rude, did he?” He asked, popping around the corner. You smiled tightly and shook your head.

“No, but I think I deserve that ice cream since I took a hit for the team,” you joked softly and the boy nodded.

“Ice cream it is.”

   As night rolled around, you found it impossible to sleep. Han had gotten you tacos and you’re favorite ice cream, apologizing repeatedly for making you go into the hell zone alone. You’d brushed him off, choosing to eat dinner in your room and then you tried to retire early, but it was nearing midnight and you were still wide awake.

   All you could think about was how soft Chan’s lips were, how he felt so amazing right there and then the bitter, frigid air that followed afterward. You understood his reasoning behind no relationships, but you wish you didn’t. A prickle ran through your body and you sighed, sitting up in bed. You slipped out, trying your best to be silent as you made your way down the stairs. You felt your way through the parlor until you found the kitchen door and stepped in.

   Surprise ran through you when you found the lights on. A boy stood with his back to you, his hair a white-blonde and his body was lithe and lean. He turned around, holding a container of ice cream in one hand with a spoon hanging from his mouth. He froze when he saw you, eyes widening. You glanced down, staring in dismay at your container of ice cream. You’d been wondering why everything sweet in this place always seemed to disappear so fast.

He pulled the spoon out of his mouth with a ‘pop!’ and blushed. “You’re Y/N, right? I’m Felix.”

The first boy Chan met.

   You smiled and reached over the counter to shake his hand. His grin was a shining white as he gripped your hand and lightly shook it. His skin was numbing and it burned through your anatomy. You unconsciously rubbed your hand vigorously against your shirt, pressing your lips together.

“Sorry ‘bout that. Channie and I have tried multiple times to figure out how to warm my hands up, but it seems to be impossible,” he apologized. ** (Remember this for Felix’s story)

You chuckled. “Are you the reason everyone wears gloves all the time?”

His voice was deep as his chuckle joined yours.

“Believe me, I wish,” he huffed. “Those are more of a safety precaution. Not everyone in the group can completely control their powers.”

   A comfortable silence fell over the two of you as Felix turned around to dig through the drawers for something. He produced another spoon and handed it to you, offering the container of creamy sweetness to you. You dove in, sighing when the flavor hit your tongue. You flopped into the barstool, scooping out another spoonful and savoring it quietly.

“How do you like it here?” Felix queried. “I’ve heard about you, but I don’t really get to hear about how it’s going or even talk to you.”

“It’s fine. A little stressful.”

   He snorted and nodded, his eyes full of pure understanding. He shuffled across the kitchen and searched through the fridge, pulling out a jar of peanut butter and a banana. You contemplated him as he found some bread and made a sandwich, humming a soft tune under his breath. He seemed to be a lot younger than the others—there wasn’t a dark aura that radiated off him. You knew the Jeongin was the youngest but even the young teen had something mysterious and brooding hiding in his far corners.

Felix walked around the counter and sat down next to you, his stomach grumbling as he quickly devoured the food. Amusement filled you as he managed to scarf it down in just four bites. At this distance or lack of, you could see a spray of freckles that covered his face and noted the way his skin shone unnaturally under the kitchen lights. He glanced over at you, mouth screwed shut, cheeks puffed up, and eyebrows raised. You giggled.

“Is there a reason you’re staring?” He mumbled after he swallowed his food.

You shrugged.

“You don’t remind me of the others,” you said, glancing over his face.

Too much innocence.

“I get that a lot—you’d think I’d be colder because my powers—but because of my powers I feel like I’ve always made it my job to be warm and sunny,” he murmured, brushing the crumbs off his shirt. Then he scoffed; “Rather ironic, isn’t it?”

You shook your head.

“I think it’s a good thing… everyone here seems to beat down and ominous. Chan’s a good leader, but sometimes you need someone with an actual smile to keep people closely knit,” you vocalized. Han was fun and loving at times, but you saw the shadow behind the shine in his eyes and you always dwelled on those times he would go silent, his eyebrows would furrow, and you could practically see the horrors flash across his face. It was refreshing that Felix didn’t emanate that feeling.

A shy smile pulled at his lips.

“Thank you.”

You hummed.

“It’s unfortunate you’re leaving so soon, Y/N. I wish I could’ve met you earlier.”

One Month Later…

   You crouched next to Han, the two of you completely hidden by shadows. Your eyes ran over the silhouettes in the coffee shop, wondering which one was your father. Minho sat on a park bench next to the building, earbuds in and head bobbing as if he was listening to music. His arms were completely covered, hiding his Miroh tattoo from view. Chan and Woojin were hiding on one of the roofs, both over-looking to make sure everything went well.

   Your heart thrummed loudly in your ears, realization pounding through your body because today was the day. You’d walked across the stage last night, in your purple satin gown and had accepted the flimsy piece of paper with an immoderate smile. Chan had been satisfied with your lessons; the way you talked and presented yourself had managed to improve immensely within the last month you had.

The door opened and your father appeared, a double-shot Americano in hand and his phone in the other. He made his way towards the crosswalk, completely oblivious to what was going to go down in a couple of minutes. The streets were mostly empty, giving the driver a perfect runway. Minho’s eyes peeped open, the silver irises noticeable even from across the street. He glanced at your father, his body stiffening and then sagging, his eyes rolling into the back of his head as his conscious completely moved.

Your hand tightened around Han’s, perspire collecting along your jawline and forehead. He squeezed your hand, but his eyes were completely focused on the scene and his worry was definitely not directed towards you.

Your father stalled at the crosswalk, suddenly finding interest in his phone as Minho waited for the truck to approach. You glanced down the road, unable to stop your gasp when you saw the pickup truck. Your father’s gaze snapped towards it and you listened to the sound of the vehicle picking up speed. When it was barely five meters away, the man that raised you stepped out and rushed in front of the truck. You looked away, covered your mouth and tried to drown out the thump of a body being hit and the sound of the truck still going as if nothing happened. Screams filled the air and you were sure one of them was yours.

Han let go of your hand to race across the street to where Minho struggled to stand up. You surveyed the situation, noting the way his skin was much too pale and his head lolled to the side. Chan had told you that Minho took some damage whenever the life he was possessing got injured or killed. Han wrapped the boy’s arm over his shoulders and started stumbling down the sidewalk.

You made the mistake of glancing towards where your father was. Red gushed across the dark pavement and you looked away, tears pricking your eyes. You were supposed to wait for Han or Woojin to come to get you, but suddenly the idea of letting one of them touch you, lest come near you was sickening.

You stood up and turned around, quickly racing down the alley and taking several sharp turns. You had no idea where you were going, but you couldn’t face them at the moment. Hell, you couldn’t face yourself.

You kept running for awhile until you found yourself in a familiar place. Your steps were loud as you stumbled along the cement, coming to a stop in front of the white gate. You ran your hand along the fence and glanced at the soft blue house hidden behind them. The gate squealed as you shoved it open and marched up the walkway. Creaks sounded underneath you as you stepped up the old wooden porch.

Despite the crazy amount of money your father had and continued to make, he always preferred the simple, rundown house. You remembered him always saying that it was like a reminder that everything was still normal. You sniffled as you bent down to get the spare key from under the mat. The sound of the door unlocking was loud and for a moment you thought it would be impossible for you to step into your childhood home.

But you did and you shut the door loudly behind you. The house was gleaming and clean, as expected. Your father could never live in a mess. You slid out of your shoes and walked across the carpet, moving down the hallway, and tracing your hand along the wall. As if in a trance, you walked into your room, looking around. It hadn’t changed since you left—it still had the same color scheme of blue and white, with the same posters and paintings decorating the walls.

Your hand ran along the dresser and your finger came back up, dustless. A sigh escaped you and you smiled, but it was bittersweet. Would this house go to crap now that there was no one to take care of it? You had never developed your father’s cleanliness and even if you did, did you really want to live here? In this big house, all alone?    You sank to the floor, leaning against the bed and closing your eyes. Your hand skimmed along your shoulders and down to your collarbone. Your hand slowed over the spot where you knew it was—the ink. A grimace darkened your features as you traced the pattern, having it memorized. The memories of your hand grasping Chan’s tightly as the needle approached your delicate skin and marred it for eternity flooded your mind.

“A backup plan… in case nothing else works, this can get you where you need to be.”

The small black tiger on your skin that matched the rest of Miroh. If your words and your image couldn’t get you your birth claim, then this would. The Clideis wouldn’t dare challenge you, knowing who stood behind you; and the people would be split between respect and fear. You knew what the mark meant, you knew it would put you on a beacon of power and terror.

“But I don’t want to win them over with fear…”

   That was a lie, because deep down inside, you knew that as long as you had Miroh on your side, you would always be on top with fear. You would run the biggest business, you would choose how much food each family got, all because you had a gang that represented agony, horror, and gore behind you.

“You scared us.”

   You jumped, eyes widening as you watched Chan step into your room. His eyes darted around the room, a mix of emotions shining in their depths as he surveyed the place. You didn’t move from you position and looked up at him. Chan sighed and walked towards you, sliding to the floor next to you.

“Y/N… I am truly sorry, but this had to be done. Your father was a danger to the survival of society and it had to happen,” he declared, fingers playing with the edge of his sleeves. You nodded, biting your lip.

“You could’ve just gotten rid of the Clideis,” you mentioned, but it was pointless. You already knew his answer. He glanced over at you, the sunlight dancing beautifully across his skin. His hand reached for years, wrapping around it tightly.

“You can do this, Y/N, with or without the tattoo.”

   He closed his eyes, taking a deep breath and then opened them. His other hand wrapped around the back of your neck and brought your head to his. You let him pull you until your lips met. You melted into him, your hand tightening around his and your other running along his jawline. It was sweet, simple, and soft. You pulled back first, keeping your eyes closed and nodding.

“I can,” you whispered.

+++++++

   It took time, it really did. You had about five days left to take your father’s spot before the contract was officially in place. Then it happened and the Clideis arguments crumbled and the people cheered louder for you. It was deafening, standing on that stage between two security guards as roars and claps filled the air.

   It had been an accident—your collar had slid to the side for a moment to reveal the tattoo that marked your skin. No one believed it at first, but then your own banner was raised in the Deep City, surrounded by nine masked dangers, with all their tattoos on display. The Clideis disappeared in a snap and no more protests from the community. And so, Y/F/N Y/L/N’s daughter took the biggest business under her finger.

You remembered when you were up on that stage, you remembered seeing the bright smile that you could always recognize despite only seeing it twice: Felix. The white-haired boy stood on a ledge, hands tucked in his pockets, and a broad smile on his face. Then you quickly noticed the others: Minho’s silver stare, Woojin’s light blue hair, Han’s eccentric outfit, Jeongin’s smirk that was impossible to ignore, and then there was Chan.

He stood out in his white and gold uniform, his hair no longer multi-colored, but a dark blonde. Your heart had thundered loudly and suddenly you couldn’t hear the shouts anymore. You hadn’t seen him since that day in your old house and the tingles that rushed over your body were blinding. You’d nodded in acknowledgement and he’d nodded back and that was it. You allowed yourself to be escorted to your bachelorette pad and then sat in silence, sipping a glass of wine in victory.

Your gaze flicked towards the computer screen on front of you as it lit up. Chan stepped into your home, no longer adorning the white suit. Instead he wore a simple hoodie and sweatpants. You closed the screen and finished your wine, allowing the man to silently move into your kitchen.

“Hello Chan.”

“You did amazing,” he complimented, his hand squeezing your shoulder as he stepped up behind you. You nodded, your body relaxing under his touch.

“I thought Miroh was supposed to cut off contact after it was done,” you sighed, setting down the glass. You peeked up at him, tilting your head curiously. Chan shrugged, running a hand lazily through his hair.

“We’ll do yearly checkups to make sure everything’s all right. I’m just here to make sure that you’ll uphold what you promised.”

“I would never do what my father dared to,” you stated. Your heart no longer squeezed whenever you mentioned the man, you could easily talk of him and keep a straight face. Whatever love you once felt for him was gone—he raised you, but he wasn’t the perfect man you always saw him as. Your mind wasn’t meant to be set on his death, you were meant to focus on your world. The world that could crumble if you just barely brushed it wrong.

“So, I figure this is good-bye?” You queried. Chan’s hand ran through your hair, a soothing touch if it wasn’t for the sadness that lurked behind it.

He hummed in agreement and then bent over you. His lips brushed along your temple, to your ear, and he proceeded to ask what you were drinking. You got him a glass and the two of you conversed over the bottle.

You weren’t exactly sure how it happened. The two of you were mostly just talking, with occasional kisses here and there. Then suddenly you found yourself pinned beneath him on the table as his mouth moved down your neck. His hips rutted against yours as he struggled to unbutton your shirt. A gasp fell from you when he gave up and just ripped it open, his warm mouth trailing along your breasts.

You helped him wiggle you out of your pants and you struggled to throw his shirt off. A blush ran along your cheeks when you saw the planes of muscles along his stomach and chest. Chan hissed as he pressed a kiss to your inner thigh, his fingers dancing along your panties. You whined, arching your back and the man finally gave in.

You gasped, hands flying down to grasp his hair and eyes squeezing shut. His tongue ran up your slit and then his mouth enclosed your clit, harshly sucking on it. His fingers danced along your stomach and legs, keeping you in place as you writhed beneath him. When you begged for more, he groaned in response and wasted no time sliding two fingers inside you.

“Fuck, Chan!” You squeaked, tasting your own blood when your teeth dug too tightly into the bottom lip. He peeked up at you, his hair a mess from your insistent tugging and a glisten on his nose and chin. “No foreplay please. No foreplay.”

Chan mumbled something along the lines of wanting to cherish you, but listened to your pleas. He threw off his boxers and pushed you farther onto the table. He climbed on top of you, sucking marks on to your neck and collarbone. Your hands gripped his biceps and your legs wrapped tightly around his waist as you waited.

There it was again—that small moment of serenity before the world rocked itself. Chan’s eyes flashed a muted blue and then he was there. You mewled when he filled you completely, his cock hitting you right to the core. He grunted, sitting still for a few moments before he started.

It wasn’t hard or rough. It was soft and slow, a gentle rocking as the new of you created a melody with your moans. Chan’s mouth kept meeting yours in soft brushes and his tongue would dart out along your lower lip. Moments passed as he continued to thrust into you, his eyelashes fluttering along his flushed cheeks and mouth slightly parted. You felt yourself come undone, eyes pinching shut and nails burying themselves in your lover’s back. He followed you soon after, saliva hanging from his mouth as his hips stuttered against yours.

You woke up in the morning in your own bed. It was mid-afternoon and the sounds of traffic down below were mild. You glanced over, expecting to be met with empty blankets, but found Chan’s sleeping face. A smile broke out on your face as you traced along his cheekbone, mesmerization running through you. He was still there.

His eyes slowly opened, narrowing against the harsh sunlight that danced across the two of you. Chan yawned, stretching out his arms and then nestled back into you. He smelled like sex and you couldn’t stop your nose from wrinkling, but you didn’t mind.

“I don’t want this to be the last time I see you,” he mumbled, tracing patterns along your skin. You glanced over at him and brushed his hair out of his face.

“It doesn’t have to be,” you commented.

He chuckled.

“You’re right.”  

[maladaptive-ninja-returns]

Blame It on Your Beats (10)

Chapter Content: Fluff, Danger. Conclusion

Summary: A brush with the underworld leads you on a run, away from what was supposedly your normal life, with Bucky Barnes. You two do not seem to be in sync as Bucky tries to keep you alive, trying your best not to kill each other. Or that’s what you think you are doing.

Series: contains smut, adult content in there somewhere in the future chapters so please look at the chapter content and warnings before you proceed.

Chapter Warnings: fluff, danger. Not fluffy danger. a little anxiety

A/N: This series is written for @littledarlinhavefaithinme ‘s MK Writing Challenge. Thank you so much for hosting. I am having a lot of fun with the prompts. But I am clearly behind schedule. Eep! Thanks for being so patient!

This is it.

MASTERLIST

“Aw come on,” you groaned as the cold metal of the gun pointed at your temple clicked, “my life was just getting better!” before you breathed in a lungful and jumped off the cliff that had nothing but the angry tides crashing into it’s broken skeleton under it.

One hour earlier

When I was older

I was a sailor on an open sea

The sunbeam openly walked in with silent footsteps and pricked your features. The orange under your eyelid got brighter. The warmth around you turned hot. The sea breeze came in on a rushed visit, just moving your hair away from your face as you first opened your eyes from one good sleepy night.

But now I'm underwater

And my skin is paler than it should ever be

Hmm

My girl finally scored! The voice inside your head was jumping to new heights.

You shushed her, trying to figure out where exactly you were this morning, the anxiousness of last two days peeking from the corner and wondering if it could get to squeeze into the bed next to you.

You shifted a little, trying to keep your eyes open and froze. The lingering anxiety ran away on seeing the comparatively placid metal wrapped around your waist under the blanket. The bicep glistened in the rays, bouncing off the ceiling like a happy morning child.

I'm on my back again

As if sensing a change in your heartbeat to its presence, the arm drew you closer to the balmy chest spread over your back. Your exposed neck and ear were doused in the hot breath leaving a dopey Bucky’s nostrils. His wild hair burned and bathed your shoulder- where he rested his chin after wiggling a little- as the sun eased itself a little more to slide over to him as well.

Dreaming of a time and place

Where you and I remain the best of friends

You let go of your breath, easing the first tensed muscle of the morning.

It’s Bucky, you reassured yourself, a smile creeping over your face.

The radio was still playing in the background, it’s crinkling but soothing music filling the air with a new wave along the languid tides outside.

Even after all this ends

Can we pretend?

Well wasn’t this perfect!

You cocooned in Bucky’s limbs embracing you, his light snores filling up your heart as you recalled last night’s hasty hunger drenched in the thunderstorm, colliding with the walls and making it through the door to let the burning eyes out to play over the skins, the touch, the nerves, the lips, the legs; the entire play making you squeeze your legs together.

And just like that, a stray cat of thought passed by you, pausing all the fluffiness for one second.

It’s...Bucky.

I'm on my, I'm on my back again

It's seeming more and more

The anxiety that you thought had gone away suddenly stood by the edge of your bed, as your mind went to all the time you’d enjoyed bonding with him in this place, the sudden openness from your side, letting him in and telling him about your insecurities.

Like all we ever do is see how far it bends

Before it breaks in half and then

We bend it back again

The devil of anxiety now stared you in your face, it’s head resting in its palms as it heard the shiver go down your body.

Fuck, it is Bucky.

When I was older

I was a sailor on an open sea

You suddenly found yourself moving out of his grasp. Your cold body leaving his heated embrace to pick up your dress from the floor and fold it up.

But now I'm underwater

And my skin is paler than it should ever be

Walking over to the parted bathroom, you stared down at your raw skin showing blue and purple bruises down your neck, over your shoulders, colouring your back as well as inside your legs. The green ones patterned on your arm and hips where you remembered him holding you close with sudden urgency, apologising when you’d gasped at his strength, kissing him fervently between letting him know it was okay. Everything was okay.

At least that’s what it felt like last night.

I'm watching movies back to back in black and white, I never

Seen anybody do it like I do it any better

You moved over to the closet to take out a pair of track pants and shirt, pulling them over you mechanically.

Walking out of the bathroom, your eyes instantaneously landed on his figure sprawled under the sheets, with the only reveal being his back and the metal arm- now shining in full glory over the sun that had so perfectly laid itself all over his nakedness.

Grabbing your phone and earphones, opening the door as quietly as you could, you made your way to the elevator to get some air.

Been goin' over you, I'm overdue for new endeavours

Nobody lonely like I'm lonely and I don't know whether

The walk turned into a lazy jog once the thoughts swirled more inside your head, taking the grey spaces inside the hollow left out in the dimness of last night. The musty smell of the sea near a stretched you passed made you scrunch your nose. Every little move you made last night- every little action from the kiss to every satiable moan escaping you on his valid touch.

You'd really like it in the limelight

You'd sympathize with all the bad guys

Oh shi-stop! Don’t don’t don’t, you shouted at yourself, your pace increasing with every curse as you shook your head. Do NOT do this now! Why are you doing this?!

The anxiety danced around you as your heartbeat quickened, bursting inside your head and neck with furious thumps.

I'm still a victim in my own right

But I'm the villain in my own eyes, yeah

The sweat breaking on your forehead trickled down, eventually getting into your eye to pinch your vision, making you see nothing but blur of the green belt right ahead of you. You tried to rub it away but lost your balance and tripped on your own foot.

When I was older

A low cry left your lungs before you felt someone break your fall mid-air- a pair of incredibly strong arms lifting you up on your feet.

“Ah, sh-sorry about that. I lost my balance,” you expressed, clearing the blur in your eye by rubbing it away.

The haziness vanished in a second and a pair of grey eyes smiled at you.

I was a sailor on an open sea

“It’s alright,” the dead eyes bore their horrid gaze into your soul, sending a cold frost through your veins, “you seem to have left it back in that lab, sweet thing.”

__________

It seemed like such a normal reaction to run away from danger whenever you'd see it in a movie. You encounter something that endangers your life, you run the other way. Easy.

No.

Not that easy.

Your being had frozen at the sight of the man who'd threatened to kill you last time, if not murder you with his gaze. The goosebumps were more like pricks of cold sweat burning you in flames of ice to purify you of his touch that was still lingering on your arms.

And breathing? Forget about it. No, you had actually forgotten how to breathe- your mind associating the hired gun to the fire destroying everything around you.

“I have to say,” Dexter cooed close to you, brushing the little rebellious strands away from your face, his finger leaving a murky sensation over your skin that you wanted to get rid of, “never took you for a girl who'd be enjoying a couple's retreat when the entire underworld is looking for you and some old relic.”

He smirked at the visible tremble in your lips as you stepped away from him. “And that old grimy paper too, of course.”

Dexter took one calculated step towards you, making your eyes wander to any third person that would be unfortunate enough at the break of the dawn to notice you and this blond baggage of psychotic episode. Considering where you were- a semiotics student on the run from top-notch goons in midst of couples who were just here to have a good time- it seemed more like a stupid wish to make.

Wait.

“Last I checked you were the only one after me and old papers.” You shifted your weight on your legs while turning your hands into fists inside your pants pockets as you inched away from him.

Dexter's eyes moved all over you, scanning every part of your body as if drinking in all of your weaknesses with that filthy smirk.

He leaned on the tree next to him, moving his hand through his wet hair, letting his unzipped jacket reveal the gun resting near his hips.

“Don't play coy with me, sweetness. Eton is well aware that Stark knows about the target on your head.” Dexter shifted back to his legs, his jaw twitching for am instance.

“Or are you really on your honeymoon here, you dirty little thing,” he growled, making you flinch at his sudden closeness.

Your body reacted and you tried to jump away from him, only to be grabbed by the arm with blunt force and pushed back towards his figure with fear coursing through your veins.

“You really didn't know, did you?” Dexter pointed out after studying your horrified features. “Stark never told you about it, huh.”

Of course, he didn't. And you knew that he had been hiding something from you.

Did Bucky know about this?

Was it their plan all along? To get you as far away as possible from the assassins on your back while you searched for ways to crack the code.

“Stark really knows how to manipulate the best out of people,” Dexter chuckled, his hand never leaving your already bruised arm.

Something small and latent inside you cracked.

Dexter could see a change in your expression. The y/e/c in your eyes darkening at his shallow words.

“Y/N!!”

You jumped at the familiar voice dripping in pure enthusiasm, making Dexter let go of his hold on you as you turned in the direction of her voice.

“I didn't see you at the after dinner party. I thought you and your husband retired early last night.” The soft concern in her voice jumped more than it did when you were excited.

The h-word made the man standing behind you cut to you, his gaze scraping at the back of your skull.

“Yes,” you nodded, trying to put something close to a smile on your face, “yes, we did.”

Yukio's giddy glow dimmed down a bit as she stared at your features for a second longer than she usually would.

“Everything okay, Y/N?”

You felt a solid coldness at your lower back, forcing you to steady your nerves and take in a lungful of breath.

“Yes. Everything's fine. I was just telling this man about the couples only policy of this place. He's a tourist. Doesn't know much.”

Yukio finally turned her gaze to the man behind you, her face expressionless.

“Oh!” She smiled out of nowhere, “okay. See you at breakfast!” Walking back towards the mansion with a skip.

Wait. That's it?

You confessed to yourself you were a little hurt at the idea of being left alone with your potential murderer.

“Well, she's a dumb one,” Dexter implored, taking your arm and pulling you towards the opposite direction. “Come on, we've got work to do.”

He pushed you towards a slim trail that went down the estate- a rocky path- most probably the cliffs at the edge of this place.

“Keep walking,” he commanded and kept his hand holding the gun inside his jacket pocket.

The terrain was a little rough under your shoes, making you wonder if Louise would be fine with her perfect pair of jogging shoes being stressed by nature and a gun.

You're going to die and all you can think about are some borrowed shoes, you voice snapped.

They are borrowed, of course, I’m going to think about them.

“So,” he began, making you let out a spite-filled huff, “husband, huh?”

Silence.

“I hate to be that guy but you really should've thought your wedding through before making a widower of your man.”

Nothing.

“Sergeant Barnes is cursed, isn't he? He dies, comes back as Hydra, nearly kills his bestie, gets slathered with the tag of a terrorist, runs, gets mind controlled, dies again, comes back, blah blah, ends up as an Avenger, finds you, gets hitched, loses y-”

“Who hurt you?”

Your words stop him for a second before he burst into laughter.

“Are you serious right now?”

“Yeah, I am,” you continued with a dead tone, “was it a girl?”

Now the silence came from the other side. The ground beneath your feet felt hard now, the brown dust turning to slate stones.

“She didn't like the way you looked at her from across the street? Or was it a consistent love letter thing?”

You could not believe the audacity of your self blurting out things you knew too well would lead to a bullet in your head.

“No,” you kept going, “no. You're less of a love letter guy and more of someone who'd break a nose.”

Your head presented the information Stark had shared with you about him yesterday- though he'd kept a lot of details from you, Tony had mentioned some to make sure you knew what this guy was capable of.

“Or fingers that pushed a wedding band down that girl's finger.”

You heard him snap as he grabbed and swung you right in his face, his lifeless grey grazing your Y/E/C with the sharpness of a freshly sharpened dagger.

“One more word out of you and I'm going to throw you down this very cliff,” he hissed, breaking all your efforts to get away from him, “but not before I have  that shit piece of paper and broken every bone in your body.”

“You do realise you'll have to take her back to get the OWL, right?” Bucky's voice came from the same direction you'd come from.

Dexter was already pointing the gun at your temple while his free arm held you in front of him.

Your muscles finally breathed. Bucky's blank expression was nothing if not welcoming as he stood there, his hands in loose fists as if waiting for something.

You could see his jaw twitch as Dexter yanked you closer to him, forcing a wince out of you.

“What the fuck took you so long?!” You shouted, not able to restrain the fear that had corroded you from the inside all this while.

Bucky's expressions were coloured in full offence. “Wha-Well, I'm sorry I didn't get the memo that I had to save your ass every time you wake up before noon or slept after two at night!”

A tiny gasp left you this time. “Hey!”

“What?” Bucky's brows were wrinkling at your uncalled shriek, “I thought you won't be up till at least noon, given what...uh...you know…” he shrugged his shoulders before swinging his hands in the air with he combination of his brooding face, “we did yesterday.”

Dexter cocked his brow tiringly at the two of you, wondering when you two will register his presence again.

“Bucky!” You stressed your whisper, clearly not liking the idea of letting a third person know about your sex life.

“Don't Bucky me. What's going on? You barely wake up before eleven and today you suddenly decided it would be a good time to, I don't know, work out with an assassin?”

You wanted to spew your anger back at him but the concern in his eyes stopped you. He never looked away even as you tried to find the words to tell him.

Dammit!

“I was scared.”

The wind blew your words between the shared company before running up the hill.

Your breath shivered as the words passed through you.

“I...I...there was...I didn't know what this was for you. A one-time thing or...umm...something more. I-oh God-it's just that I didn't want to suddenly wake up next to you to find out your expectations were something different than mine last night.”

You drowned Dexter's groans under the thump of your heartbeat all the while watching Bucky's confusion shift into a morbid surprise.

“Y/N-”

“It's okay. You don't have to-”

“No, listen-”

“Bucky, I said it's fine. I'm okay with-”

“No, you're not. Just hear me-”

“No, I'm not ready ju-”

“Oh my God! Would you two shut the fuck up?!!” Dexter roared.

“Zip it, cowboy,” Bucky growled, “we've got stuff to resolve. And you,” he turned towards you, his blue burning a brilliant hue, “should listen to someone confessing their feelings for you for at least two seconds! Two! I hope that's not too much to ask.”

Another groan left Dexter with a whisper of ‘I'm going to kill them both before I get that owl, aren't I’ while you stood there numb.

“What?” Was all that escaped you.

Every other noise died down. The ocean currents, the birds, the gust of air passing through the leaves in the distance; everything went on mute. Such silence, you could hear music coming out of your earphones handing over your chest.

Talking

Why's everyone always talking?

Noise in my head, but it’s nonsense

I can't feel nothing

“I would never have gone ahead last night for some one night fling, doll. You are far too precious to me to think of you like that.”

Guarded

Don't overthink how we started

Knew from the second you walked in

This could be something

You let his words seep into you, and the new warm ocean washing over you was the relief of a lifetime that you needed.

“Are you two done?” Dexter sneered, trying to shake you out of the beautiful trance.

Your eyes smiled at the man standing in front of you, full even at that moment.

“Bucky I-”

Everybody’s looking for a love to start a riot

But every time I look in your eyes

The world gets quiet

“One more cheesy line out of your mouths I swear I'll-”

“-I don't have the OWL,” you cut through Dexter's irritation, leaving him and Bucky speechless for a few seconds.

Dexter felt the ground shake beneath his feet a little before he regained his composure; he grey in his eyes turning dark with the rage inside him for you.

You knew what was coming.

Bucky knew it as well.

“Guess you're of no use to me then,” Dexter declared, pushing you towards the edge of the cliff.

Your eyes didn't leave Bucky. His squared shoulders and fists at ready as he gave a slight nod towards you, making all the adrenaline rushing through you to comply with his unspoken word.

So let it go, let it fall, let it fly

We'll keep on trying

'Cause I knew I was in love with you

When we sat in silence

“Aw come on,” you groaned as the cold metal of the gun pointed at your temple clicked, “my life was just getting better!” before you breathed in a lungful and jumped off the cliff that had nothing but the angry tides crashing into its broken skeleton under it.

Dreaming

I'm wide awake while I'm dreaming

See in your eyes what you're thinking

So please don't worry

The fall down into the devil's pit of the seaside felt like one elongated moment stretched farther than it should've, spiking every hormone inside your body all at once, making you question once- just once- if you'd interpreted the signal right.

Waiting

Know that I'll always be waiting

Do you believe what I’m saying?

I’m in no hurry

You squeezed your eyes close, not wanting to go sploot with a horrendous gaze scaring the hell out of whoever found you down there. And just at the moment, something pushed you with a woosh past the cliff, breaking your gravitational fall.

“I got her! I got her!” A voice boomed through the air slapping your existence.

You opened your eyes to find a pair of strong dark arms holding you close to themselves.

“Wilson?” Your voice barely audible through the air current.

“Hey there, cracker! How you doin’? I owe you a coffee for taking Barnes out in the lab.”

Sam’s cackle nearly drowned the wind thumping on your face as you two ascended above the cliffs, getting a full view of Bucky’s figure smashing his flesh fist into Dexter while a purple lightening of a string pulled away his weapon.

“Yukio?” you whispered to yourself as you watched your mansion-mate bringing the blond down on his knees as if it was her late workout.

Sam gently let you down on your feet on a higher hill.

“What are you doing here?”

“Oh,” Sam almost jumped with joy, “I had to see it with my own eyes how much of discomfort Bucky was going through with my own two eyes!”

You could already see Sonic pushing the handcuffed Dexter away from the trail to a chopper waiting with a man in a black suit and tie for him. He stopped before stepping inside the chopper to turn and look towards your figure in full view standing on the opposite hill.

The fear suddenly erupting because of the grey eyes broke as soon as Bucky’s figure emerged on the trail up to you, his hair being tossed around by the wind while the sun played with his strands.

“So I have a whole list of stuff we could do annoy him with,” Sam blabbered, never really taking in the figure walking towards the two of you, “I have an entire list of stuff that gets on his nerves. Like, have you have seen this guy ar-around...a...spider…”

Sam’s words disappeared just like the chopper on the horizon, taking away the violent threat with it, as he watched you run towards Bucky and stop for a fleeting moment.

Everybody's looking for a love to start a riot

But every time I look in your eyes

The world gets quiet

“You okay?” Bucky didn’t even let you speak, already scanning you for any injuries and pausing his gaze at the growing bruise on your arm.

“Yeah. I’m...I’m fine,” you responded, tucking your hair back, already feeling the heat in your cheeks.

You wanted to ask him, wanted to let him know. But words were failing you in the moment and you wished he could just read your mind.

“I meant it. All of it,” he finally declared, his fingers grazing your cheeks and making you flush a shade more.

So let it go, let it fall, let it fly

We’ll keep on trying

'Cause I knew I was in love with you

When we sat in silence

“And I was scared you wouldn’t jump again.”

You felt your existence shiver as you got on your toes to plant one fervent kiss on his lips.

Behind you, Sam’s jaw dropped for a second as he looked around for any sign of an audience that would tell him what the hell was going on.

Bucky’s hands went down your hips, pulling you close before resting on our back, his lips deepening the kiss, not leaving till he was sure he had you there for real. Your hands went up around his neck, the coldness of your fingers sending delicious shivers down his spine.

You finally parted yourself from him, already feeling the daze of his scent and taste swirling around inside your brain.

“Now why would I not trust you with a fall?”

'Cause I knew I was in love with you

When we sat in silence

Your giggles filled the air as Bucky kissed your forehead and brought you inside his warm embrace while looking at Sam with a warm smile.

Sam shook his head before smiling. “Yeah,” he spoke in a whisper, “I’m outta here before I decide to throw myself down the cliff,” leaving you and Bucky to bask in the most beautiful view.

“Wait,” Bucky suddenly took your arms in his hands, “where is the OWL?”

“Oh, it’s back at the lab,” you stated matter-of-factly, “inside Banner’s desk. That thing’s indestructible.”

The End

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[unholyhelbig]

Based on the anon ask, prompt: “Aubrey Posen believed in lots of things, but love was not one of them. That is, until she met Emily.”

SEND ME PROMPTS HERE

Aubrey Posen believed in a lot of things. When she was ten years old, she started to believe in ghosts. Her mother was driving down a long-winded path and fog seemed to take up every inch of spare expanse that North Carolina had to offer. It was cliché, really. But the man she saw standing on the side of the road dressed in a slate grey uniform convinced her that ghosts were real, as real as the clothes on her back and the blanket that was covering her lap. She didn’t’ say a word, but she knew her mother had seen him too.

When she was sixteen she believed that things happened for a reason. A letter coming in the mail stating that her father was going back into the infantry. He would travel and see the world. He would write, and he would stop writing. And she would sit between her two older siblings, blindly reaching for their comforting touch when they got the news that he was coming home. But only to pack his things.

She crashed a car when she skidded on black ice at nineteen, learning to believe that it was okay to make mistakes. Her older brother pulling her into a minty embrace instead of screaming about his wrecked jeep. He wasn’t angry, instead, he squeezed her shoulders and hastily warned her never to scare him like that again.

Aubrey Posen believed in a lot of things, but love wasn’t one of them. That is until she met Emily.

She had felt the light like never before that day; a star that hung high in the sky pressing heated rays against exposed skin. It was a warmth that she couldn’t ignore, the atmosphere clear despite the musty scent of rain taking up home in her lungs. Aubrey loved the smell of the rain and the even sharper scent of incoming snow. That thankfully didn’t present itself this early into October.

Booths lined her on either side, some of them boasting signs that were carved expertly. They advertised peaches and corn. Sweetgrass baskets that had been so expertly woven in the spare time of their crafters. Aubrey bit into an apple, her teeth pressing past soft green flesh as sticky juices dripped down her chin. This was home, for her, this had always been home.

Aubrey didn’t’ miss the stuffy suits or the smog that coated New York Cities risen air. The cases that stacked against her desk were long forgotten as her mind buzzed with nothing other than making her way carefully through the farmers market. Everything was muted and enhanced all at once. She loved her visits home and loved the stillness of them even more.

“Oh, shi-“The voice pulled through the low buzz of the market, not many people looking up from examining their tomato’s, poking and prodding until it looked bruised enough to beg for a discount. But there she was, struggling to lift a case of mason jars from the back of a rusted old ford.

They dripped in a golden syrup, bubbles catching a certain aim of lighting from the very sun that warmed Aubrey’s cheeks. She could practically taste the sweet substance as it barely sloshed around. The booth simple stated: Honey. Little symmetrical combs were slathered in yellow at the corner of the board. It was simple, and at this rate, it was going to lose all of its merchandise.

“Here, let me help you,” She said.

Aubrey wasn’t one to rush towards a stranger. She wasn’t one to try and show off by lifting something that was a little too heavy, even for her. She could feel the subtle burn in her arms, and the moisture that collected against her collarbone. None of that could make up from the bright, almost impish, smile she received in return.

She set them down on the shaded countertop, rolling her shoulders back as she looked at the stranger. She was tall, even with mud-stained converse on, sporting a worn t-shirt and a flannel. The girl’s features were soft and kind, and damn, did they feel like the sun. The flower that bees were drawn to driven by the very nature instilled upon them.

“Thank you so much,” She panted, pulling the red baseball cap from her forehead, she dragged her forearm against it, smearing dirt and sweat. “You have no idea how much trouble I’d be in if I dropped those.”

“It was really no problem.” Aubrey just chuckled at the girl’s frantic words, she was still panting in the heat. Watching as the stranger ripped into the box that she had just set down. “What are you-?”  

“Here,” She produced an amber colored jar. “It’s on the house. Assuming that you actually like honey, this here is the best stuff. Homegrown. Well, home harvested.”

“Thank you,”

Aubrey absently ran her fingers over the printed label. It had that soft yellow background that her booth occupied. The same logo too, but up close, Aubrey could see the tiny script of Emily’s right above the bulky text. She glanced up, Emily suited her. She started to take the rest of the mason jars out of the cardboard box, humming along to an odd tune that the lawyer couldn’t quite place.

She walked away that day, the weighted glass of honey still prominent in her hand as she shifted its contents. There were little flakes of yellow pollen swimming in the stagnant warmth. A certain heat pressed against her abdomen, an odd place for the sun to reach, but she swallowed it back.

The coffee coated her throat, it’s bitter edge never too strong. Willow Heights was never known for an intoxicating brew. Instead, she settled for the burnt flavor and the washed-out white mugs that used to have logos sprawled against them. Now it was just little black spots where the paint hadn’t exactly faded yet.

Still, Aubrey gulped it down hungrily to wash away the taste of the pie that she had eaten, nothing but crumbs were left on her plate and the waitress dressed in a sickly mint green ensemble took that as enough of a sign to clear it and refill the mug with little conversation. She almost liked it that way, the quiet.

There was a mother watching her son destroy an ice cream Sunday in the corner of the diner. He was missing his mouth, coating his fingers in a sugary mess of black syrup and cherry juice. She winced at the thought of how sticky he would be, but the woman seemed not to fret too much. She gave her a knowing glance. It practically screamed kids will be kids.

There was, of course, the cook, but his focus was on spraying clean dishes in the back of the house. The waitress smacking her gum like the blood that rushed past Aubrey’s ears. It was rhythmic in a gross kind of way. The bell above the door was accompanied by the deadpan cold that ran through town when the sunset.

The girl from the farmers market.

It had in fact rained. She was quick to peel off her soiled jacket and hang it on the small coat rack by the door. An unused umbrella rested against the glass door frame. A missing cat poster with eminent water damage dog-eared at the excess of wind.  

“Hey, Em” The waitress mustered a sunny disposition. “The usual?”

“You bet,” She rubbed her hands together in the heat of the restaurant. Aubrey couldn’t help but stare, her expression was soft and captivating all at once. She had seen beauty before, really, she had. But Emily had a certain rawness like unsweetened honey. It was smooth but had a bitter kick that she craved the taste of. “Oh hey,”

Aubrey blinked dumbly for a second, licking her lips. They tasted burnt, the coffee still lingering as she registered that she was actually being spoken to. “Hi”

“Mind if I?”

Emily gestured to the stool next to hers. There were other seats available at the counter, but Aubrey had the feeling that if she had taken any of those, she would be caught staring violently at the girl. Not out of lust (Not entirely anyway) but out of pure captivation. She gulped down the sour taste in her mouth as she nodded.

The waitress eyed Aubrey as she set down a big glass of what smelled like root beer in front of Emily. The girl denied a straw before downing a quarter of it in one fail sweep.

“I’ve never seen you around before, stranger.”

“Stranger? Oh. I’m not from round’ these parts.”

She laid on the southern accent thickly, a hint of a smirk pulling at her lips. Emily seemed to redden at this. Aubrey supposed they did sound a little too dramatic for her taste, almost as if she could reach into her belt and find a pearl embossed pistol at the ready. All she would have to do is spin the barrel and hope she didn’t’ load it.

“Very funny,” Emily nudged her shoulder. She smelled like rain. “I just don’t know what a girl like you is doing in a town like this one.”

“I’ll have you know, I grew up here.” Aubrey straightened her back and raised her own mug to her lips, taking another long gulp of stale caffeine. “What gave it away?”

“That you haven’t been home in a long while?” Emily quirked a brow “No one in Willow Heights has a manicure.”

Aubrey’s grey stare flicked to her nails instinctively. They were painted in a nude color, but they had been done professionally. Half of her wardrobe was pressed and trimmed and tailored just to fit the standards of a courtroom. A small farming town like this one didn’t’ even have a nail salon. But Aubrey liked it that way.  

“You’re very observational for a beekeeper.”

“Thank you,” she straightened her stance, drawing in another gulp of her soda like the heat of the carbonation didn’t bother her at all. “You kind of have to in my position.”

Aubrey could only imagine. One false move and little insects with sharp stingers would find their way past a strong suited woman. It wasn’t like dealing with slimy defense lawyers who had slicked back hair and venom dripping past their teeth- no, this was something delicate.

The waitress chewed her gum silently as she set a large plate of chocolate chip waffles in front of Emily with some silverware. Whipped cream was stacked to the very top, a few strawberries made dents in the mountain. “Thanks, Erica!”

She hummed in response and filled up Aubrey’s cup once more, earning a grateful nod in response before she went back to playing some matching game on her phone. The mother in the corner of the diner hastily tried to wipe away the syrup on her sons’ fingers.

“Oh my god, how can you eat that?” Aubrey chuckled into her cup.

“What? You mean this?” She shoved a strawberry into her mouth, chewing happily “Easy. Breakfast for dinner is the best.”

Aubrey cocked a brow, sitting back in the bar stool as she watched the woman slather her food in a coat of maple before cutting it into small little pieces. Breakfast was something that was limited to a protein bar, lunch a lack-luster salad, and dinner was something from the vending machines at the office. Certainly not a mountain of cornstarch and syrup. Emily didn’t’ seem deterred in the slightest as she shoved her fork into the bite she had just cut.

“Open.”

It was a demand, not a question, Emily holding up the fork as she watched Aubrey expectantly. The blonde let out a heaving sigh, close to rolling her eyes as she leaned forward and took the bite that Emily so easily offered. She could barely stop the moan that slipped past her lungs, blood rising to her cheeks as she got a triumphant smile in return.

“The secret is the honey in the batter,” Emily wiggled in her seat, letting the fork drop onto the plate as she beamed “Technically it’s mine so I’m biased but-“

She was interrupted by a fit of giggles, her body turning to face Aubrey, almost completely. Emily beamed, covering her mouth to muffle a snort. “What? Seriously?”

“Nothing, it’s just” She leaned forward.

 This moment wasn’t perfect, not by a long shot. The chairs that they were sitting in creaked and groaned under their weight. The light in the far corner of the restaurant was buzzing away like the very moths that they attracted. The rain was pressing against the window and blurring the downtown streets. And Aubrey had whipped cream all over her nose.

“Here, let me get it.”

Emily’s touch was soft. Her fingers cold against Aubrey’s cheek as she brushed her thumb easily against the whipped cream on Aubrey’s nose. The sugary substance coated the pad of her finger. She brought it to her lips, licking it clean with a stray smile and a simple shrug.

“Thank you,” Aubrey rasped.

Aubrey Posen believed in a lot of things. The ghost that she saw on the side of the highway in North Carolina. The way her father still sent Christmas cards every other year, still containing blatant wishes and a twenty-dollar bill. How her older brother still laughed at the wrecked jeep that he let her borrow for one night too many.

Most importantly, Aubrey Posen believed in Emily.

The way she would tell the story of how they met for years to come. The box of honey would grow in size and the jars in weight. She would change the small storm outside to a monsoon and the kid in the corner digging into an ice cream Sunday had vanished altogether.

She had bought Emily a bouquet of sunflowers. Then a waffle maker, even a dog. But the most important thing was a ring. A simple gold band with two green stones and a flashing diamond. Because she made Aubrey believe enough to drop down to one knee, to envision a future never imagined.

Yeah, Aubrey Posen believed in a lot of things, but love was not one of them. That is until she met Emily.    

[dullahandyke]

[ID: digital drawings of Ace Attorney Investigations 2 characters, set in the future, done in a style with thin lines and shaky shapes. The first image shows John Marsh and Justine Courtney. John is now taller than Justine, black hair with a grey streak slicked back, wearing a white suit jacket and pants over a red shirt and cow-print tie. Justine's hair is back in a braided updo and she wears a golden metallic capelet with blue accents and a red sweater, her face slightly wrinkled. She is pouting in focus as she does John's tie, him leaning forward so that she can reach it and grimacing.

The second image shows Shi-Long Lang and Franziska von Karma. Lang has darker skin than in canon, and is wearing a black and white eye-patch, a brown and mustard shirt that is so low cut it reaches his stomach, shiny black pants, his usual boa, and a very fluffy white cape on one shoulder, tied with yellow and brown embellishments. Franziska is wearing a shiny white blouse and shiny black pants, her black jacket in the crook of her elbow and black gloves on her hands. Lang is crossing his arms and laughing loudly, and Franziska is facing away from the viewer, turning her head back to sneer and dusting off her shoulder with a hand.

The third image shows Kay Faraday and Sebastian Debeste, who is transfeminine. Sebastian has longer hair and thin glasses, a blue waistcoat with a red bow and golden embellishments, alongside a matching skirt, a long-sleeved white shirt with a frilly collar, a red blazer draped over her shoulders, a brown collar, black gloves, and blue teardrop earrings. Kay's skin is darker than in canon, her hair is cut shorter and is shaved at the sides, and she is wearing her usual waistcoat over an off-the-shoulder pink top, Tyrell Badd's coat draped over her shoulders, a baggy black skirt on her legs and black fingerless gloves on her hands, a key-shaped earring in her ear alongside pink, white, and blue ring earrings. Kay is laughing as she hooks an arm around Sebastian's neck and brings her down, startling Sebastian and making her loosen her grip on some papers, an autopsy report, and a pen. End ID]

a near future

[cadcnce-archived]

WHAT ARE YOUR MUSES AESTHETICS?

 REPOST! DON’T REBLOG  bold any that applies to your muse and italicize any that kind of applies to your muse. feel free to add to the list.

tagged by: @bookedsoul (thank you nico C: ) tagging: steal this shi-- oh lemme tag @opalescxnce @hikarx @pilawforhire @calystegiaidol @culpritouswildcat @licnelle @jetbadge @saffrondaze @imtwentyfuckingfour @alicehart do it if you like! hello!

COLOURS.

red. brown. orange. yellow. green. blue. purple. pink. black. white. teal. silver. gold. grey. lilac. metallic. matte. royal blue. strawberry red. charcoal grey. forest green. apple red. violet. navy blue. crimson. cream. mint green. bubblegum pink. sky blue. pale jade.

ELEMENTS

fire. ice. water. air. earth. rain. snow. wind. moon. stars. sun. heat. cold. steam. frost. lightning. sunlight. moonlight. dawn. dusk. twilight. midnight. sunrise. sunset. dewdrops.

BODY

claws. long fingers. fangs. teeth. wings. tails. lips. bare feet. neck. shoulders. legs. freckles. unseen bruises. canines. scars. scratches. wounds. burns. fingernails. spikes. feathers. webs. eyes. hands. sweat. tears. feline. chubby. curvy. short. tall. normal height. muscular. piercing. tattoos. athletic. hair. fur. sleek

WEAPONS

scythe. fists. legs. sword. dagger. spear. lance. bow & arrow. hammer. shield. poison. guns. axes. throwing axes. whips. knives. throwing knives. pepper sprays. tasers. machine guns. slingshots. katanas. maces. staffs. wands. powers. magical items ( tomes ). magic. rocks. mud balls. claws. teeth. stealth. strategy. forehead

MATERIALS

gold. silver. copper. platinum. titanium. rose gold. diamonds. pearls. rubies. sapphires. emeralds. amethyst. metal. iron. rust. steel. glass. wood. porcelain. paper. wool. fur. lace. leather. silk. velvet. denim. linen. cotton. charcoal. clay. stone. asphalt. brick. marble. dust. glitter. blood. dirt. mud. smoke. ash. shadow. carbonate. rubber. synthetics. ribbon.

NATURE

grass. leaves. trees. bark. roses. daisies. sunflowers. tulips. lavender. petals. seeds.hay.sand. rocks. roots. flowers. fungi. ocean. river. frozen lake. meadow. valley. forest. desert. tundra. savanna. rain forest. caves. underwater. coral reef. beach. waves. space. clouds. mountains. snow. mist. pond.

ANIMALS

big cats. wolves. foxes. eagles. owls. falcons. hawks. swans. snakes. turtles. ducks. bugs. spiders. birds. whales. dolphins. fish. sharks. horses. cats. dogs. bunnies. penguins.crows. ravens. mice. lizards. werewolves. unicorns. pegasus. dragons. monkeys.

FOODS/DRINKS

sugar. salt. candy. bubblegum. wine. champagne. hard liquor. vodka. beer. coffee. sake. tea. spices. herbs. apples. orange. lemon. cherry. strawberry. watermelon. vegetables. fruits. meat. fish. pies. desserts. chocolate. lollies. cream. caramel. berries. nuts. cinnamon. burgers. surf ‘n’ turf. burritos. pizza. ambrosia. eggs. milk. birds.

HOBBIES

music. art. watercolors. gardening. smithing. sculpting. painting. sketching. fighting. writing. composing. cooking. baking. sewing. training. dancing. acting. singing. martial arts. self-defense. war tactics. electronics. technology. cameras. video cameras. video games. computer. phone. movies. theater. libraries. books. magazines. cds. records. vinyls. cassettes.piano. strings. violin. guitar. electronic guitar. bass guitar. harmonica. harp. woodwinds. brass. flute. bells. exploring. playing cards. poker chips. chess. dice. motorcycle riding. eating. sleeping. climbing. running. jogging. parkour. studying.

STYLE

lingerie. armor. cape. dress. tunic. vest. shirt. boots. ankle boots. heels. leggings. trousers. jeans. skirt. jewelry. earrings. necklace. bracelet. ring. pendant. hat. beanie hat. crown. circlet. helmet. scarf. brocade. cloaks. corsets. doublet. chest plate. gorget. bracers. belt. sash. coat. jacket. hood. gloves. socks. masks. mittens. cowls. braces. watches. glasses. sun glasses. straw hat. visor. eye contacts. makeup. ribbons. hoodie. sweater. converses. tennis shoes. boxers. briefs. boxer briefs. shorts. cargo. cropped pants. crop top. cuffed pants.

MISC

balloons. bubbles. cityscape. light. dark. candles. growth. decay. war. peace. money. power. percussion. clocks. photos. mirrors. pets. diary. journal. fairy lights. madness. sanity. sadness. happiness. optimism. pessimism. loneliness. family. friends. comrades. assistants. co-workers. enemies. loyalty. smoking. drugs. kindness. love. hugs. kisses.spring. summer.autumn. winter. farmland. countryside. suburban. village.

[aetaeswolf]

Angel♥Tale Chapter 1

Angel silently walks through the streets, hands stuffed into the pockets of her black jacket, hood up to hide her face. She had already dropped Frisk off at school and was on her way to her job at a nearby flower shop. She had been working at that particular shop since she graduated highschool, using the funds to keep her and Frisk properly fed and get them items they might need.

The albino stops before the glass door of the flower shop, staring up at the sign that hung above her. “The Crystal Rose” is what it read. She wasn’t really sure where the name came from, but it held a unique ring to it.

Angel pushes open the door and steps inside, the bell at the top of the doorframe ringing to announce her entrance. The fragrance of flowers hit her as soon as she stepped into the bright little shop, filling her with a sense of security.

The flowers were arranged neatly, by colour and species. Honestly, the owners who ran the shop did a wonderful job in keeping it looking beautiful. And speaking of the owners, one of them was working at the counter, a woman who was arranging a bouquet of pink and white roses. An order for a wedding, if Angel had to guess.

The woman had long lavender-coloured hair and pinkish eyes. She wore a sleeveless light blue dress with an orange ribbon tied around her waist, green stripes on the dress above and below the ribbon, as well as going through the straps of her dress.

The woman looks up from the bouquet she had been working on, giving the albino a smile and a wave. “Good morning, Angel!”

Angel looks to the woman, moving her hands as she signs a greeting. ‘Hello, Lily.’

Lily watches as Angel sheds her coat, hanging it up on a nearby coatrack. The lavender-haired female sighs at the bandages the albino had, shaking her head. Angel had the bandages she usually wore on her right arm, but she had gauze on her face, no doubt hiding the most recent wound she had received from her parents.

Angel walked over to the counter, jumping over to it the other side. She rolls her shoulders back, rubbing her tattoos as they begin to ache.

“Your tattoos causing you pain again?” Lily asks, noticing Angel’s discomfort, the albino nodding in response. “Where did you get those, again?” The lavender-haired female inquires. “Or is that a mystery like your dog tags?”

Angel lifts up her hand, grasping hold of the dog tags that hung from her neck. She honestly didn’t know where either came from; she’s had them for as long as she can remember. The tattoos were the reason she was even named Angel.

The tags? Still a complete mystery.

The only thing they had written on them was “WDG – 3A.” She still didn’t know what that was supposed to mean.

The albino gives a so-so motion with her hand, walking into the back to help Lily’s husband with the new delivery of flowers.

The man in question had long black hair that was tied back into a ponytail, and brilliant sapphire eyes. He wore a black t-shirt and black pants, a dark grey, almost black scarf wrapped around his neck. He had a few piercings in his right ear, and a piercing on his bottom lip. A black bracelet was wrapped around his left wrist, green stripes going along it.

At first glance, he really didn’t seem like the type to own a flower shop. And he didn’t seem like the type to marry someone like Lily. Still, here he was, happily married and running a flower shop that was in fact, his idea. Both he and Lily had been the kindest people Angel’s met.

‘Hello, Vincent.’ Angel signs a greeting to him.

Vincent looks over to her, giving a smile. “Hey, Angel! Come on, we just got a delivery of those yellow flowers you love so much!”

The albino’s eyes light up, the female quickly running over to help. She picks up a pot of the golden flowers, gently taking hold of one of the flower’s petals, running her thumb along the petal. She didn’t know why, but she’s always liked these flowers. They had always been her favourite.

Angel moves to bring the flowers out to the front, only to stop when Vincent grabs her arm, making her shoot him a confused look.

“What is that?” The ravenette asks, pointing to the gauze on the albino’s face.

Angel sighs, setting the pot down so she could sign to him. ‘It’s nothing, just a scratch.’

“It’s NOT nothing.” Vincent counters. “They gave that to you, didn’t they?”

Angel doesn’t respond, turning to leave only for Vincent’s grip on her arm to tighten, pulling her back so she’s facing him again. “You and Frisk can’t stay there any longer.” He says.

‘And where would we go?’ Angel counters with a glare as Lily quietly enters the room.

“You’d go with me and Lily.” Vincent responds without missing a beat. “Come live with us. We could take care of you and Frisk until you can get yourself on your feet.”

Angel’s eyes widen, the albino frantically signing. ‘But what if they come after us? What if they hurt you? What if-’

Vincent grabs hold of her wrists, stopping her from signing further. “We’ll keep you both safe. They won’t touch us or you. And if they do, then we’ll repay them tenfold.”

Angel blinks, just staring at him for a few moments. “... There are customers in the front.”

Vincent blinks, letting go of her to check the security camera. Sure enough, there were a couple of people in the shop looking to buy some flowers. “How do you do that??” He quickly runs out to help the customers.

Lily walks over to Angel, resting her hand on the albino’s shoulder. “Vincent is right. Neither you nor Frisk should be living with this. Frisk is still so young; she doesn’t understand why this is happening.” She walks past Angel, stopping at the door. “Just... think about the offer. For our sakes.”

Angel watches the lavender-haired woman as she walks back to the front of the store. She brings up her arm, looking to the bracelet that was wrapped around it. The bracelet had four charms, a white heart for Angel, a red heart for Frisk, a pink lily for, well, Lily, and a purple carnation for Vincent.

Angel brushes her fingers against the charms, the female thinking carefully over the words her friends had said.

Angel rocks back and forth on her feet, hood up as her hands are tucked into her jacket pockets. She stood just outside Frisk’s school, waiting for it to end so she could take her sister home.

The school bell rings, the albino adjusting her pale purple glasses as she turns her attention to the doors as the kids start to spill out of the building. Soon enough, she spotted Frisk in the crowd as the eight year old walked out of the building, stopping in front of the albino.

Angel gives a warm smile to her sister. ‘Hey, Frisk. How was school?’

Frisk blinks her honey-coloured eyes before looking away, grabbing hold of her arm. The answer was quite obvious, as the eight year old didn’t have many friends in school. She was always quiet and shied away from the other kids.

Of course, having the “red-eyed monster” for a sister didn’t exactly help. The albino was quite aware of the rumors the other kids spread about her. Silver-white hair, pale skin and red eyes wasn’t exactly normal for other people to have, as albinism was rare. Of course, mostly talking through sign language and her odd gift of sensing others did add to the rumors.

Angel sighs, looking away from her sister. An idea soon crosses her mind, the albino giving a grin. “♪With a bold and sudden calling, Western Revolution’s starting.♪” She starts to sing, Frisk looking to her with confusion. “♪Let our hearts be open to it, pacifist nation.♪” Angel jumps onto the stone wall of a garden, walking along it gracefully. “♪Riding on a penny-farthing, it’s the flag of our sun rising, warding evil spirits like an ICBM.♪”

Angel sits down on the wall. “♪On the train tracks, running along the line, let us move forward.♪” She shakes her head. “♪Don’t look behind.♪” She jumps onto the ground beside her sister. “♪Boys and girls becoming like samurai, just like those from our previous life!♪”

The albino scoops Frisk into her arms, making the eight year old gasp. She places Frisk on her back before running off down the street, the honey-eyed child soon laughing. “♪Thousands of cherry blossoms dwindling in the light, though I can’t hear your voice, keep what I say in mind – this bouquet that surrounds is iron poison, see, looking down at us from that big guillotine.♪”

Angel soon slows down to a walk, Frisk still giggling. “♪Darkness has just engulfed the universe we know.♪” She lets Frisk down, taking her sister’s hand. “♪The lament that you sing can’t reach ears anymore.♪” She looks up to the sky. “♪We are still far away from reaching clear blue skies.♪” She grins, darting down the sidewalk with her sister. “♪Go ahead, keep shooting, with the ray gun, fight!♪”

Angel leads her sister into a park, sitting down on a fountain’s ledge as Frisk sits beside her. “♪Veterans who’ve trained through struggles are now officers in battle. Here and there, we see the harlots in procession!♪” The albino slides off the fountain. “♪This one, that one, doesn’t matter, every single person gathers.♪” She holds out her hand to her sister. “♪March on to our saintly deaths now! 1, 2, 3, 4!♪”

Frisk grabs her sister’s hand, the ruby-eyed female grinning as she walks the child along the fountain’s ledge. “♪Passing through the gates on the mountain peaks.♪” The albino picks her sister up, setting her on the ground. “♪Escaping this world, kill all the evil fiends.♪” She spins herself away from Frisk before giving a bow. “♪Surely this will end in a denouement, among the crowds giving their applause.♪”

Angel walks back to Frisk, taking hold of her hand as she leads the eight year old out of the park. “♪Thousands of cherry blossoms dwindling in the light, though I can’t hear your voice, keep what I say in mind – this bouquet that surrounds is iron poison, see, looking down at us from that big guillotine.♪”

Angel slides her free hand into her jacket pocket. “♪Darkness has just engulfed the universe we know. The lament that you sing can’t reach ears anymore.♪” She releases a breath. “♪We are still far away from reaching peaks of hope.♪” She shoots a grin to Frisk. “♪Go ahead, keep shooting, use that flashing bolt!♪”

The albino blinks as the wind suddenly throws her hood off her head, stopping as Frisk stops beside her. “♪On the train tracks, running along the line, let us move forward. Don’t look behind.♪” She looks up to the setting sun. “♪Boys and girls becoming like samurai, just like those from our previous life!♪”

Angel closes her eyes, feeling the wind push past her. “♪Thousands of cherry blossoms dwindling in the light, though I can’t hear your voice, keep what I say in mind – that bouquet that surrounds is iron poison, see, leaping down to us from that big guillotine! ♪”

Angel grabs Frisk, picking her up into her arms as she runs with the child. “♪Thousands of cherry blossoms dwindling in the light, once your song can be heard, we’ll dance with all our might!♪” She slows down, spinning with Frisk, making the child laugh. “♪This bouquet that surrounds is iron poison, see.♪” Angel gives her sister an eskimo kiss, laughter bubbling up from her chest. “♪Go ahead; keep shooting, with that ray gun, lead!♪”

The laughter cuts off when the two came to a stop before the front door to their house, the two sisters becoming quite tense. Angel sets Frisk down on the ground and grabs the doorknob, glancing down to her sister. “... Frisk, as soon as I open this door, get into my room as fast as you can.”

Angel opens the door as silently as she could, Frisk quickly scurrying inside as the albino follows after. Angel quietly shuts the door behind her, her sister disappearing up the stairs, out of her sight. She goes to follow, only for a hand to grab her wrist and throw her to the floor, the albino slamming into it.

Angel pushes herself up, only for a foot to slam into her back, forcing back down as she lets out a cry. She looks up, only to discover the foot belonged to her father.

“Oh look, the bitch is back.” Her mother slurs as she walks into the room, quite obviously drunk out of her mind.

“You’re late, brat.” Her father spat.

“I-I’m sorry, I d-didn’t-” Angel lets out a yelp when he grabs her roughly by her hair, dragging her up so she was eye-to-eye with him.

“You know what happens when you’re late.”

Frisk was curled up in a ball on Angel’s bed; her hands covering her ears to block out the screaming and the crashing that were coming from the floor below. Quick footsteps suddenly get closer as someone runs up the stairs, Angel soon throwing open her bedroom door and slamming it shut, pressing her body against it.

The albino gasps when her parents start banging their fists against the door, shouting all the while. Frisk jumps off the bed, running over to the bookshelf beside the door as she begins to push on it, using all of her strength to move it. Angel quickly took notice of what she was doing, quickly running around to help her sister.

Together, they block the door with the bookshelf, Angel wrapping her arms protectively around Frisk as she backs away from the door with her. Angel sits on the floor, her back against the opposite wall, pulling Frisk down to her as they hold onto each other, waiting for the banging and screaming to stop.

After about five minutes, it stopped, everything going silent. Yet to the sisters, that felt like an eternity. They sit in the silence for a moment or two, waiting to see if anything would break it. Once they’ve confirmed the silence was to stay, they both let out a silent sigh of relief.

Frisk crawls away from Angel to the bed, reaching under it and pulling out a first aid kit. She drags the kit over to the albino, who opens it up and starts to patch herself up.

Bandages to cover the new wound on her wrist, some disinfectant for the gash on her head and gauze to cover it. A few new bruises, but there’s nothing much she could do about that, though the deeper bruise on her side was going to cause her quite a bit of pain until it heals.

Once she was sure she had bandaged herself properly, Angel kicks the first aid kit back under her bed. She opens the drawer in her nightstand, pulling out her phone. She unlocks the device, bringing up the messenger as she starts to text someone.

Frisk blinks, watching her sister with confusion. ‘What are you doing?’ She asks, signing the words to her sister.

Angel sends the text before dropping the phone into her lap, signing back a response to Frisk.

‘Texting Lily and Vincent. They’re going to help us leave this place. Forever.’

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Top 5 Most Stylish Football Players

I never really saw any kind of staff sports or the fascination of football for example. Nevertheless, once I was in Secondary & Main School I attempted to be interested in soccer to get a period, simply to observe what the fascination was exactly about. Really, I understood why people might get so upset & excited about it or what was so awesome a couple of bunch of men chasing a baseball across a. I did so nevertheless notice what was brilliant about a bunch of good looking & fashionable folks. ??

With basketball year beginning this month (first match kicks off September 8th!), I dedicated this article for the sportsmen that not just appear great to the subject but additionally take their visual appearance, elegance & style to a total other degree once off work.

In no apparent order, listed here are my recommendations for this year’s most stylish sportsmen (Picture credits: Google):

#5 Sergio Ramos

Left: A sharp white tee, lightblue shoes really are a speedy strategy to seem put together in a flash & relaxed rolled up denim jeans.

Suitable: Function jeans & shoes can be a tricky mixture to put together, ensure that your sneakers are not too long for the size of the trousers, put over a plain tee on the Moto hat & you’re all set.

Why it operates: Already a good-looking that is high chap, he doesn’t require much to acquire on his style game. Love about look that is simple & his clean, never exceeding the very best with bags, components or sneakers. Whether in a personalized suit he rocks it with the straightforward model that’s easy to follow.

Left: On lazy days, there’s generally a couple of comfy & cargo pants hoodie to keep you seeking good while out in town.Right: For formal apparel that was calm, a jumper worn over a buttondown clothing seems put & not too stuffy together. Ideal for dinner parties or day nights.

#4 Cristiano Ronaldo

Left: Do not hesitate to incorporate some accessories to jeans mix & your basic tee, it will help to provide your whole search a little more character & personality.

Right: A well-fitted coat in a daring hue of aubergine with dark lapels add a touch of category & polish to dark denim combo & a bright tee.

Cristiano Ronaldo isn’t accessories to be shied away from by one why it operates. He can be seen performing an outfit utilizing bracelets, handbags (or perhaps a manbag), bold straps & exclusive shoes. While not every look is actually a hit, we've to offer him props for his courage in styling himself up the way in which he sees fit and pressing the fashion limits. Correct: Bad hair day? No problems! Steel your snapback hats using a fixed short sleeve button down slacks, clothing & to get a more person & skater boy feel that is less. Left: Shade staples of khaki or brown looks great with gray-blue slacks having a shirt underneath. Don’t hesitate to throw on the scarf if the weather is chilly. Left: Colour basics of brown looks excellent with gray-blue slacks with a shirt underneath. When the climate is cold, don’t be afraid to place on a scarf. Correct: Bad hair-day? No issues! Rock your snapback hats with a fitted short sleeve buttondown slacks clothing & for less skater boy feel & a more person. No 3 Keisuke Honda Left: You simply can’t make a mistake using a place of red in your black & white attire. If you’re not willing to rock a complete on red coat throw on the red vest. Left: An all-white match is difficult to display and harder to maintain clear, however we can’t aid but enjoy the way Keisuke ties his all white suit having wallet block a mild gray top & for a sign of coloring up. It operates: Keisuke’s impressive use of jackets is a function of question! From your daring navy fit hat was printed by hide for the sleek black double-breasted coat. He’s a definite type image to check as much as! He maintains his outlines clean with outerwear that is carefully chosen & pops of color, bold designs. Right: This double-breasted coat is divine. Keep your neck cozy with a marle grey scarf to get a black monochrome clothing. This can be airport style performed effectively.

Appropriate: Army or hide images are not only for those who are in the military. Opt for a more toned-down shade of navy to quickly revise your normally basic suit. # 2 Xabi Alonso Right: There’s no motive to wander your pet in just tshirt & shorts. Using a clean button down & pale denim trousers, you're able to get from strolling your puppy to catching a quick pint together with your buddies in a jiff. Left: Layering done right to get a relaxed day trip. Xabi shows us that it’s ok to be sporting 2 extra shirts under your coat if you’re experience chilly. Make certain a little contrast to retain your search clean & exciting is offered by the hues of the top. Xabi is certainly one of the safest dressers within this combination why it operates. He keeps things unfussy and easy using a relaxed pair of trousers & button shirt that is down. For a proper or preppy event he performs it safe having a light grey suit along with a pair of serious brown shoes & related link to add a touch of shade. Left: The basic mixture of white button-down wash denim that was dark & top. You can decide to pair it up having a dark footwear, or do what Xabi did and add a little illumination to your look.

Right: Marle gray is called the last word natural color, be sure to rev your fit using a trace of brown up to add just a little warmth to your glance.

Number 1 Raul Meireles

Left: Raul shows us that leather shorts & trench coats remain all the rage. He rocks it effectively using a clean bright long clothing & turquoise that is vibrant sneakers. Suitable: Despite keeping his tattoos well-hidden under this jacket that is studded, produce no error that Raul still loves his images & absolutely keeps his edgy character with this ultimate throughout studded jacket.

Right: Despite keeping his tattoos well hidden under this jacket that is studded, produce no oversight that Raul loves his images & fully maintains his edgy feel with this supreme allover studded jacket.

It operates: Their tattoos really are a trend portion allon their particular. Recognized for his type that is edgy, Raul isn’t anyone to shy far from expensive or coloring designs. Rarely seen without his partner Ivone, the 2 of these are a powerhouse trend pair. Observed rocking their tattoos completely screen, they're a manner force to not be reckoned with. Whether in all-over plaid , studs or neon, each wardrobe is taken by him and makes them individually his own.

Left: Raul shows us that leather pants & trench coats remain all of the anger. He rocks it effectively with strong turquoise & a clear bright long shirt kicks.

Left: Because matching your shoes for your suit is simply too conventional. His grey fit was rocked by Raul having stunning neon green sneakers & a thin black tie.

Right: match & A snapback cover? Nobody does it much better than Raul! In a striking gingham allover fit he retains the others of his look tidy with clothing & all-white shoes.

BENEFIT!

Help is couldn’ted by us but incorporate these 2 footballers within the blend though outdated:

David Beckham

Left: Mark reveals us exactly why and The leather hat is recognized as a closet preference. It instantly changes his otherwise everyday shirt & trousers check out something only a little dressier. Correct: A denim clothing can look too casual. To dress up it, make sure you button all of it the best way to don’t & the collar your investment cuffs to link all of it in.

Left: There’s nothing wrong with adding a bit of structure for your search. A quilted vest not just looks great but helps to keep the body comfortable although over a evening that is cool. It’s a double-duty style piece!

Left: The leather jacket is called a cabinet staple and Brian reveals us exactly why. It immediately transforms his usually everyday t-shirt & trousers check out anything only a little more dressy.

Appropriate: A denim clothing could seem too casual. To dress it up, make sure to button it all the best way to the collar & don’t forget the cuffs to wrap everything in.

You can’t without offering David Beckham, have a trendy footballer post! He may have had several doubtful fashion parts in the past, but as they say the past is within the past and almost every single piece he’s rocking as of late happen to be on point! Whether he’s got on the Brooklyn neighborhood vibe using a leather jacket, or perhaps a smooth fit for the red-carpet or just everyday everyday having a button-down & pants, you realize he’s nailing every look.

Right: While you’re not allowed to be enjoying with football in a match. David does it simply but still looks very pointed in his well - black & white match having a deep blue wrap.

Hidetoshi Nakata

Left: no information is needed by This looks. Hidetoshi nails it and shades of natural brown correctly using a burgundy bowtie used up. Simply tells us of the fashionable Matt Smith as.

Suitable: Keep your scarf tucked into your jacket for additional warmth and to retain it at bay. A decorated well-worn brown coat is an updated take on the dark leather coat selection.

Left: Tones of bright, black & navy are secure to get on your fits. However, if you appreciate color, do not forget to combine up it with colors of forest & wine for a modern fashion forward feel.

With his stylish utilization of components & scarves, Hidetoshi Nakata takes over the fashion earth having a somewhat preppy feel. He reveals us it’s ok to be sporting a button having a burgundy bowtie plus a suede up shirt jacket casually placed within the shoulders. The method that you shouldn't forget of colours by merging up a serious wine- burgundy cover having a rich forest green turtleneck.

Suitable: you can certainly do so significantly having a bright tee & jeans bottom. A good way threw with an extra coat around his hips scarf, on the jacket, if you’re somewhere with temperamental climate to layer your outfit.

There you have it! Your set of Top 5 Most Fashionable Sportsmen.

Let's understand inside the comments listed below, which of those 7 you think will be the most elegant? Or is there somebody else you feel who should have experienced the checklist that we missed out? ??