#haven't added anything onto my vest in a while!

[automatonknight]

man i love making patches this one’s gonna be great ^__^

[x-brik-x]

I'm seeing a lot of people say that punk fashion is expensive and inaccessible, which is very wrong. here is a list of some ways you can make punk fashion easier, cheaper and more accessible for you, since that's... kinda the whole point.

others are encouraged to add onto this!! (just don't recommend corporations like amazon. not cool.)

1. patches!! you don't need to buy them. DIY patches are not ugly or boring. in fact, they are encouraged here!! DIY, in my opinion, is always the best thing to do when it is an option and is safe to do so.

2. speaking of DIY, spikes!! you can make them!!

cut the top and bottom off of an empty can. cut down the middle of the cylinder and flatten it, so it's just a flat rectangle of metal.

cut out a shape that is kind of a third of a circle, but around 3/4 of the curved edge is taken up by triangle shapes. (I'm not very good at describing, so here's a badly drawn picture)

roll it into a cone, leaving the 4 triangles sticking out at the bottom. this bit is optional, but you can fill it with hot glue to make it more sturdy, just be careful touching the hot metal. I tend to hold the cone by one of the triangles with a bit of fabric wrapped around my fingers for this bit. cut 4 small holes in your fabric in this kind of shape:

and put the spiky bits of triangle through the holes. fold the triangles in on themselves to secure the spike in place. boom. spike obtained. this is one I made and attached to a little piece of fabric to test this method out:

3. battle vests!! (like the base jackets). the best places to buy these are charity shops and second hand websites in my opinion, but if anyone else knows any better options, please reblog with those!!

a good trick I find works well on eBay is to filter search results to your country (or state? can you do that in the US? idk) so that a: fast delivery because local, and b: all the sellers of everything that shows up are in YOUR TIME ZONE.

why is this important? when people sell something for really cheap, it goes FAST. check eBay at like, 2am or something. all the scalpers in your area are asleep. grab the cheap stuff while they can't.

4. sewing!! want patches, but can't sew for whatever reason? I've heard of a lot of people with joint conditions like arthritis complain about the inaccessibility of patch stuff, and that does sound extremely annoying, however:

safety pins!! while they are still a little fiddly, they're much less work so you don't have to fiddle about for long. if you can, you could even ask a friend to help, since it doesn't take long at all I'm sure someone will be willing to help out!! (I know I would, but that's just me, and I love this kind of thing). safety pins on clothes are also widely considered to be a symbol of solidarity, so if anything, you're adding some extra love and meaning to your patch pants/battle jacket.

if that's still too fiddly, fabric glue is always an option. unfortunately this means you won't be able to remove/reposition patches, at least without leaving a massive patch of residue, but if you're ok with that then fabric glue is probably your best bet.

for people who prefer sewing: as for where to get the thread, I've heard a lot of people recommending dental floss, as it's apparently much cheaper and works just as well. I haven't tried this myself so can't confirm that, but I thought I'd share it regardless.

5. where to get fabric!! old clothes. rip em up. you don't need any kind of fancy fabric from the craft store. my patches are made of old jeans that I grew out of.

don't have any old clothes and you don't want to waste any good ones? I'm not sure about other countries, but in the UK, as long as you're not on private property (trespassing), dumpster diving is perfectly legal.

I definitely ;) do NOT encourage ;) trespassing rich people's land ;) to steal from their dumpsters ;)

or tbh it doesn't matter too much how rich the person is, since it's all going to landfill anyway. if it's in the bin, it's free game, but you didn't hear that from me. ;)

please add onto this where you can!! and if I missed something or got anything wrong, add that on too!!

[dracarialove]

📄 Posting my finished fics here, too 📄

*Check the 'shadow's heart' tag if you haven't read chapter 1

[Chapter 9: Commitment]

Shadow rolled the long sleeves of his teal-green shirt up to his elbows as he left the bathroom, bright red eyes landing on the beautiful lady facing the window of their hotel room.

She primped curved locks and studied her makeup in the reflection, her figure poised in a navy-blue calf-length cami dress and black heels. And when he approached closely enough to catch her eye, Rouge turned around, immediately looking the hedgehog up and down.

"Mm, you look incredible," she said, eyes glimmering under cyan-painted lids. She stepped towards him and her gloved fingers slipped around the silver silk of his necktie, adjusting it and curling red lips into a sly smile. "Can't wait to tear this off you later."

She winked at him and the Ultimate Lifeform chuckled at her flirting, slipping his hand onto her lower back to escort her out. They visited the city again for a fine-dining experience, being seated in a room where roses and peonies bloomed in ornamented arrangements hanging on the dark walls.

Shadow stared at his date while she ordered wine for them to share, memorizing her elegant beauty before they were given menus to look over. He saw all the effort that went into her appearance – the attention to detail in making sure her lips shimmered just the right amount, that her dress fit her perfectly, that she hadn't a hair out of place.

Though wearing a tie was a good start, he held the belief that he couldn't compete with just how good she looked all the time. Glancing at the bat over his menu, Shadow was eager to make her his fiancée. It was killing him to wait.

When the waiter returned with their wine, Rouge seemed to perk up a little more excitedly than she already was. Charming as always, she commented, "Now it's officially a fancy dinner. And what great timing you have, coming back right when we've made up our minds."

The vested jaguar smiled humbly, opening the bottle for them. "Thank you. You're ready to order, then?"

"Yes," she said, turning her attention back to the list. "I'd like the red snapper with the side salad."

Shadow added, "And I'll have the lamb stew."

"Very good." He looked between the both of them. "Would you like any other drinks with that?"

"I think we're fine, right?" Rouge asked her boyfriend with a graceful hand gesture.

"Yes, the wine is enough."

The waiter nodded and smiled again. "I'll be back with your meals, then. Let me know if you need anything."

"Thank you, sweetie," the woman said casually, and grabbed the wine bottle to fill their glasses halfway while she spoke. "Shadow, you are just the most darling guy to take me out like this, you know that? And not just to dinner, I mean this whole trip."

A deeper, more sincere smile spread on her face and she seemed to blush a little, resting the bottle on the table and staring a bit coyly at her cup. "I always wanted a man who cared this much."

The speedster was softened by her words and the genuine emotion in her expression. He smiled back and lifted his cup to her. "Then it's a good thing I found you. I can't imagine experiencing this if I hadn't."

She lifted her glass, as well, and clinked it against his before they took a swig. Over the course of their dinner, Shadow found himself more and more entranced by her, letting Rouge lead the conversation and getting lost in her eyes while she told stories.

He didn't understand what he'd heard from some unsatisfied couples – that the love fades, or that the passion disappears after the honeymoon phase. He hadn't felt that way at any point and couldn't imagine it happening now.

They were certainly content in their relationship, comfortable and happy with the direction their lives had taken. But complacence wasn't something he experienced, and now, sharing a table with Rouge and listening to her tales, he had the inkling that he was falling even more deeply in love with her.

The way her face lit up when she gesticulated to enhance her retelling of a memory; the sparkle her eyes gained when she stared at him for long enough; the confidence he felt being loved and desired by someone like her; it was everything he wanted and more.

He knew there would be a right moment for the talk, but not during dinner. Their meal together would be a romantic one, the second half of which was Shadow's turn to tell stories.

Those of the interesting and funny variety were few with him, but he had some instances of shenanigans to reminisce about, harkening back to his time working at the coffee shop.

Rouge listened, as he had, and when they were sufficiently filled with food and wine, the couple left to walk the streets once again. It was dark out, the sidewalks illuminated by streetlights and the businesses that remained open.

"Do you have room for dessert?" asked the hedgehog, spotting an ice cream parlor down the road.

"Hmm, I think so! A milkshake would be nice."

So, they went inside, patronizing the establishment right before they closed, and walking out with the treats of their choice. Rouge had a vanilla milkshake with little bits of strawberries mixed in, while her lover had a big scoop of black cherry ice cream on a waffle cone.

They walked a little longer, enjoying the crisp night air and the faintly busy sounds of the city at a less crowded hour, not talking much but enjoying each other's company all the same. Then, looking around at the area ahead, the bat's eyes trailed up one of the decently tall buildings and she got an idea.

She pointed up to it while looking over at the quiet lifeform. "Hey, babe, you wanna gaze out over the city?"

Shadow followed the direction of her pointing finger, then nodded. "Sure. It must be pretty colorful in a place like this."

"That's exactly what I was thinking! Come on."

She hopped off the ground to hover in the air, dropping her arm down so Shadow could grab on. His free hand gripped her wrist, and hers grabbed his, then the winged woman lifted her beau off the ground to fly them both up to the rooftop of the nearby building.

And when she was able to see above it, the brightness of the city was apparent. It really was colorful, the night lightened by glowing hues of rainbow colors from the different attractions beckoning people to occupy their business.

"Wow," Rouge uttered in awe, her eyes twinkling. "It's like a hundred gemstones glittering in the dark!"

Shadow didn't care as much for the lights as she did, but the colors were still nice to look at, and he cared more that his partner found it pretty. They landed on the flattened slate and approached one side of the raised barrier that lined the roof.

Leaning their elbows on it, the couple went back to enjoying their ice cream while staring at the different attractions, some of whose signs they could still read clearly – namely, the casinos and nightclubs.

As the seconds passed by, Shadow felt the pertinent moment getting closer, his gut instinct telling him that this tranquil, secluded place would be the best spot to have that important conversation. So, he savored the moments before that, sharing glances with his lover until the ice cream was gone.

And when he looked down at the empty wafer cone in his hand, he felt he'd lost his appetite, and knew it was time. He placed the cone on the raised stone and then hoisted himself up, gaining Rouge's attention as he sat on the edge of the structure.

"Oh, we're sitting now?" she said teasingly, then set aside her cup and positioned herself beside him.

"Yeah, we've been on our feet enough these last few days, I think." He smiled at her and the bat wrapped her arm around his, then gave him a peck on the cheek before resting her head on his shoulder.

In truth, the Ultimate Lifeform had no worry for their feet, or how much they'd been walking; they both had more than enough endurance to handle traveling on foot, and Rouge even hovered every now and then.

Really, he felt his thinking skills were a little better when he was sitting on the edge of a rooftop, his legs dangling over the side. It was something he'd done often at his old apartment, sitting on the roof and just thinking for an hour before bed.

He hadn't done that since moving in with Rouge, so replicating it now activated those memories and the thought-stirring nature of the night air surrounding the city.

Except this time, he wasn't alone. He had a woman by his side, a beautiful one; one he loved so much that the introspection of it was daunting. Because the last time he'd cared about a girl, he'd gotten hurt.

Although it was different with Rouge, the fear of loss was very much still present, and he was still reminded of the painful ache he'd felt before he met her.

With romantic feelings now thrown into the mix, how much would it hurt to lose her, too? He thought he'd done away with those frets, but they kept coming back.

It irritated him to know his concerns still had some sort of power over him. But he had to stop letting those troubles resurface. He knew it would psyche him out of getting things done if he didn't take control.

And Shadow the Hedgehog was rarely a quitter, determined to overcome the lingering worries from his past now that he had a duty to someone again. He'd done well for two years – he wasn't going to be beaten now.

"Rouge... love..." he started, his gentle voice soaking into the night. It came out weaker than he wanted, so he swallowed to push back the unease still threatening him.

Rouge's head shifted a little, but didn't leave him. He could guess she was now looking at him. "Yeah?"

He pulled in a breath and let it out softly. "I have a secret to tell you... and before I do, I'm sorry I haven't said it sooner."

Now the weight of her head did leave his shoulder, and his gaze caught her cautious expression when her posture straightened. Their arms were still enwrapped, so he rested his other hand on hers and looked earnestly into teal eyes. Her worried demeanor dared to strike more hesitance into the hedgehog's heart, but he forced himself to speak again.

"I've told you about how I came to exist. You know that I'm an artificial being; that as organic as I feel, I was created with certain features and abilities that change how I live."

The bat nodded, her voice coming out a bit somberly. "Right, things like godly strength and chaos power. What about it?"

"Well... I also told you that... my body won't deteriorate like a normal Mobian's as I get older."

"Shadow, what are you talking about?" Her gaze scanned over his figure. "Is something wrong?"

His mouth tightened into a tense line and he squeezed her hand. 'Just say it...'

"Rouge," he said firmly, "I understated my lifespan... greatly. I won't ever get old... I was created to be immortal."

Shadow expected her to gasp, but it seemed like she'd stopped breathing instead – he could no longer hear her quietly anxious exhales in the still air, only his own. Her eyes never left him, and slowly, her lips parted.

"You're immortal...?" she nearly whispered.

The fear he saw in her eyes made the lifeform want to reassure her that everything would be okay. But he knew the thoughts going through her mind were all the valid reasons he'd imagined for her to worry over.

It was written on her shock-stricken face that questions about their future were forming as he'd predicted they would. He hadn't planned exactly what to say next. Instead, in that moment, he caught the urge to pull her into a hug, doing so with a shaky breath and embracing her tightly.

"I'm sorry. I should've been honest from the start. But I couldn't..."

Rouge didn't hesitate to hug him back, the pair sitting in silence for a minute. She was picking through the thoughts that whirled in her head, trying to focus on the ones that really mattered. And he gave her as much time as she needed, afraid to speak again first for fear of falling apart.

"So... you'll outlive me, right?"

Shadow didn't want to say yes; didn't even want to nod. His arms squeezed her tighter and his face nestled into her hair. Another minute passed, then the bat started to pull back from his grasp.

"Baby," she spoke tenderly, meeting his eyes again once they were face-to-face. His looked sad, but still a little hopeful. "I still love you... is that what you were worried about?"

An uneasy swallow fell down the dark man's throat. "Well, I was worried that... you would be afraid. Too afraid to..."

His eyes dropped from hers as he trailed off, holding her gloved hands and running his thumbs over each one. He recognized that it was to calm himself more than anything.

Though not immediately brushing aside the news, Rouge didn't seem as panicky as he expected anyone would be. She didn't say anything for a few tense beats, and when he looked back up, her expression was surprisingly firm.

"There's very little in this world that scares me, Shadow." Her eyes twinkled with unwavering certainty. "If anyone can handle an immortal partner... it's me."

The woman's maroon-colored lips curled and she raised a hand to cup his cheek, making Shadow smile in return. His eyes closed and he slowly leaned his forehead to rest against hers, then asked with less hesitation, "Don't you have questions? You can't really be this calm, can you?"

A sweet chuckle permeated the air between them. "We make our own destiny, sweetheart. You and me... we adapt when things get tricky."

His head pulled back so he could look her in the eyes as she continued, "And we learn to navigate unclear paths. So that's what we'll do. The questions can come later."

"It's possible I'll live forever... that's not daunting to you?"

She then broke eye contact to gaze over the city, taking in a thoughtful breath and letting it out in a deep sigh. Her shoulders raised gingerly in a brief shrug before she answered, "Maybe a little... if I think about it alone."

Teal eyes met him again, and her smile remained. "But I'm not alone! I'm with you, and... you're on my side." She grabbed one of his hands with both of hers and pulled it close, squeezing lovingly. "So, if you thought that would send me running, you were wrong! I'm not going anywhere."

Shadow's confidence was whole again at Rouge's words. She was true to her determined spirit, not giving up on him – just as he'd been told. He inched closer. "Neither am I. As long as we're breathing, I'll be here."

She glanced at his lips, leaning in slowly. "Even if we can't spend eternity together... we'll make the most of the time we have."

They kissed, their devotion blessing the night air where they sat. The secluded rooftop over the glitzy vacation city would be marked in their memories as the place where they reaffirmed their commitment even in the face of an existential quandary.

But it wasn't the place where Shadow would make her his fiancée. The ring, he knew, had to shine as brightly as his love for the enchanting bat when the moment came. So, with the passionate seal of loyal lips, the evening ended there.

Before it got too dark, they headed back to the hotel to sleep off the outing. Their figures rested peacefully entwined throughout the night, and when it was morning, the hedgehog woke his lover with a room-service breakfast.

"Mm, best vacation ever," said Rouge through a bite of scone. "Seriously, I wish we could do stuff like this every day!"

"Hah, well... I can always make you breakfast in bed, you know," her man offered, pouring a cup of coffee.

"Knock yourself out, handsome," she bantered with a wink. "But I mean... we're just so busy at home! Imagine if we could both just be served every day?"

"Hm, it might be glamorous for a time... but it also might make us lazy."

Rouge sighed, "Maybe so," then her face lit up with an idea. "Hey, let's go to the beach after this! It's just about the best time to sunbathe."

A smile crept across Shadow's muzzle as he thought about the little black box sitting in his bag. "Sounds perfect."

[landojpg04]

Revenge on the Ranch II//G.Tillman

Index

Go read part one if you haven't already!

Synopsis: Rumor and Gator reunite.

Warnings: R*y Tillman, slight mention of how R*y treats his wives, language.

I woke up to the sound of pans clinging. I rolled over to see eleven am on the clock. I haven't slept in this late since my freshman year of college. My body feels rested. I feel rested. I walk into the bathroom to at least get ready if I’m making my appearance late.

But as soon as I was done, I walked downstairs. Momma and Dad were making their famous BLT sandwiches.

“Oh, look who decided to join us today,” Pops says as he sees me.

“Told you she needed to get food in her. We practically put her into a coma last night.” Momma said. I just chuckled at her antics. I looked around, seeing that it was eerily calm. 

“Where's the boys?” I said.

“Rhett is already doing his prep for tonight. Jane and Robert went to her doctor's appointment and took Rylee with them,” Momma said. I nodded as Pops handed me a plate of food.

“I bet the city doesn't have good BLTs like these.” He said, I took a bite and was sent to heaven. The city doesn’t have a lot. 

I spent a few hours just sitting with my parents. There was not much talking; they were just taking in one another.

Jane and Robert came back with Rylee. Momma is making Rylee, and I eat a plate of fruit and vegetables. 

It wasn't until two hours later that I noticed Momma getting visibly worried. She’s always like this when Rhett has a competition. She begins to pray, sweat, and at times send herself into an anxiety attack. Robert jokes that the entire process is Rhett’s good luck charm. If Momma isn't visibly upset, he won’t win. 

Rylee wanted to get ready with me, which I could not deny. I helped her pick out an outfit. Braided her hair and added bows.

“Sometimes she is a spitting image of you,” Jane says at the doorway.

“Begging to dress up, always speaking what's on her mind, and not afraid to get her hands dirty.”

“Runs in the blood,” I say, smiling as Rylee tries to get her boots on.

“Rylee, go help grandma and grandpa with the car.” 

Jane closes the door as Rylee runs downstairs.

“Your turn,” Jane says, walking up to me. She sits me down at the vanity and plugs in the curling iron. One thing Jane loves doing is hair, so this is like therapy for both of us. I talked to her about everything. Missing home, especially missing Gator. She tells me he comes by often to check in with my parents, her, and Robert. 

Gator would never verbally say he felt more at home under the Abbott roof. With the past of Linda, Nadine, and now Karen, Reese was the only mother figure who was a constant in his life. He saw how his father treated his wives and vowed to Reese that he would never do that, even if he didn't marry me. 

Jane and I continue to talk; I tell her about work and some of the cases I’ve helped on. I also complain about Vincent from the coffee shop.

She jokes, “Gator would kill him if you asked.” But deep down, I know Gator would do anything if I said I was uncomfortable with someone. 

Jane finished up my hair and helped with my outfit, and we were on our way to the grounds. 

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“You’re never round here anymore, Rumor,” Peter said to me. He was in the competition and grabbed me as I was looking for Gator.

“Yeah, well, I did move the day after graduation.” I was annoyed with Peter’s antics.

“Well, is there anything that could make you move back? Maybe someone?” He said, moving closer to me; I noticed he was trying to move his hat to fit onto my head sneakily. I begin to laugh at his foolish antics.

“You put that hat on her, Collins I swear I will break every single bone in that arm of yours.”

Right on time. 

I turn around to see the carrier of that voice. Still in full uniform, standing well over six feet. He has one hand on his belt while the other holds the top of his vest as he stalks over. Peter audibly gulps, standing in front of me.

“Move. Your pony ride is coming up.” He growls out as he is now standing next to me. Peter nods and frantically turns to walk away.

“What the hell am I gonna do with you? Not even a full twenty-four hours back home, and these assholes are already on the prowl for you,” I just shrug at his comment. I turn my body towards him. I wanted to take him in. 

His hair is slicked back, but I can tell it's longer. He smells like cologne and nicotine. I know he didn't grow, but with his work boots on, I feel as if I’m straining my neck a bit more to meet his eyes. He looks good. He notices me taking him in; he grows red in the cheeks and lets a small smile pass through.

“You look good,” I say.

“I look good because I knew my girl was back in town. Should've seen me yesterday; I was a mess.”

It was his turn to take me in. His eyes travel down and back up.

“Your hair got longer since I last saw you.”

He grabs my arm. I can feel what he is gonna say next.

“Did your Reese yell at you for not eating enough down there?”

“She's been feeding me as much as Rylee the entire day.”

He laughs. “You look good, Rue, “ he begins to move closer; I close my eyes and feel him ghost over my lips “You look good.” 

He finally pressed his lips onto mine. His lips were cold; they’d always been cold. I wrapped my arms around his neck to pull him in closer. 

Fuck did I miss this. 

He grabbed the loops of my jeans to pull me closer than I was before. I gasped at the maneuver and Gator took this to slide his tongue into my mouth. I could tell he was hungry through the way he kissed me. I can't blame him, though. 

For once in what felt like a lifetime, the world was quiet. There were no fears circulating in my mind. 

“Jesus, would you two knock it off! She didn't go off to war Gator!” 

And there it was, the one thing I wish would blow away in the breeze. Roy Tillman. Gator and I broke away from each other. I looked towards the voice. God, did he look worse with age.  

“Nice to see you too, Roy,” I said.

Roy never liked me from the moment I was born. Said I was a mistake my mother made. My father and he were good friends, almost like brothers growing up, but now the bond was too big to break. My father never shared the same values as Roy, but he knows that the thoughts and ideas Roy thinks are just a representation of generational trauma. 

Growing up, Roy always tried to tell my parents that my mouth was gonna get me in trouble. He hated that I was outspoken, especially towards men. 

One day, he talked about how he respected the army, navy, and peace officers, especially Federal Bureau of Investigation agents. I then spoke about how I also wanted to work for the FBI. Roy laughed at me for over an hour straight. The next day he woke up with all of his tires slashed. Still today they are looking for that culprit. 

“Heard you’re back for a few weeks. Quantico, realize you don’t fit the job description anymore?”

“Dad, come on, leave her–” Gator began to but in, but I never miss a chance to tell Roy to fuck off.

“No, Roy, they sent me up here. Said to start an investigation about a crooked Sherrif in a small town.” I said with a stern face. Roy went white for a minute, like the statement I was saying had truth behind it, but then he realized I was just doing his favorite thing, running my mouth.

He laughed and then grabbed a cigarette from his pocket, lighting up.

“You think you're funny, Rumor. You think you're funny.” He said, sauntering off towards the bleachers. 

Gator let out a laugh the second Roy was far enough to where he couldn't hear.

“I don’t think he’ll show up to our wedding.” 

“I think he’ll put me on America’s most wanted the day he finds out you're not a virgin,” I said, backfiring at his comment.

Gator just wrapped me in his arms, placing his lips on my head.

“How long do I have you for?”

“Rhett or Robbie are gonna drive me back next Thursday.”

“I can drive you back,” Gator said. I just nodded into his chest, not wanting to break our contact. Gator was my security blanket up here.

“I miss you, G,” I said into his chest.

I felt him squeeze me even tighter in his grasp. 

“You have no idea, Rue,” He said. I looked up to meet his eyes again. I could stare at him for hours. He had soft eyes that went dark, but right now, they were gleaming. He leaned in once again, meeting my lips—a short and sweet kiss. 

“Come on, let's go watch Rhett,” I said, unraveling myself from his embrace, but Gator didn't let me stray too far as he placed one of his hands in my pocket, something he had been doing since we got together.

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Author's note: Hope you guys enjoy the reunion, next part will be a bit steamy 😉

Lmk if yu guys enjoy or want to see anything in this series!!

[plxviofiles]

in sickness and chaos

#natasha romanoff x fem!reader (ft. besties yelena and kate <3) (requests are open!)

WARNINGS: well, hm, reader is sick, swearing, not a warning but reader is implied to have geokinetic related powers :)

→ getting sick isn't anyone's favorite thing to do, but the havoc caused by two sisters and a certain archer is the best medicine money could never provide.

A/N: this was requested! I actually wrote this yesterday night at like 3 am and added a few more things today SO no thoughts head empty their conversations in this one are the ones that's going on in my head between my four brain cells....bare with me okay 😭 I hope you enjoy it <33 missing natasha, yelena, and kate sm @marvel give them back to me this isn't funny 🙄. also mint chocolate is horrible #breakingmysilence

! word count: 1.5K

natasha knows something is wrong when she feels the ground quake beneath her feet.

steve's coffee cup trembles in his hands, and some of tony's miscellaneous papers fall onto the floor.

wanda's spatula flies out of her hands at the third quake, bucky's metal arm shakes (it never does that), and sam rubs his temples.

yelena seems the least amused as she enters the kitchen, and everyone looks to her in confirmation.

she nods solemnly in greeting, "it's y/n."

everyone's eyes then fixate on natasha as she nods back at her sister, bravely walking out of the kitchen and approaching your room.

"ACHOO!" the ground quakes once more, and natasha briefly hears glasses in the kitchen breaking.

she staggers and mumbles curses under her breath as she knocks quickly at your room, going into your room as soon as she receives a response.

"c-come in," your voice sounds incredibly weak.

"how bad are you feeling?" natasha asks worridly, pressing a hand onto your forehead, "pretty bad."

she notices how red your eyes are, her concerning gaze unbreaking when you cough heavily.

"you should get out of here, nat," you groan dramatically, "it's too late for me!"

"oh, shut up, you big baby," natasha smiles slightly, "have you taken any medicine or drunk any water yet?"

"uh....no."

"Y/N!"

"I'm sorry, okay! I just-" you make grabby hands at the water and medicine that yelena placed on your desk a while ago, "so, so far."

natasha rolls her eyes playfully and hands you the medicine and water, which you promptly took and drank before she could reprimand you again.

"there, all better," you try to perk up a little.

"yeah...no," your girlfriend shakes her head, "you're going to have to stay in bed, at the very least, I know you're going to try not to sleep."

"AW, but nat! I had plans with kate and yelena today!" you complain to the redhead, who ignores you as she helps you sit up gently and fluffs your pillows, "I took too many rain checks already, with training and missions and all."

"I know," natasha smiles sympathetically, placing a light kiss on your nose, "I'm sorry, princess, but you're staying in bed. no arguments. okay?"

you have no choice but to agree, knowing that natasha would watch you like a hawk from now on until you felt better.

"can I at least see yelena?" you beg natasha, pulling at the hem of her shirt, "pleaseeeee."

"fine," natasha sighs, gently taking your hand off her shirt and kissing your palm, making your face warm, "I'll call her up, alright?"

yelena is in your bedroom in minutes, and she brought everything a sick person SHOULDN'T eat. after a long lecture from natasha, yelena hides it all in her vest, whispering to you that she'll let you eat anything once natasha leaves your room.

you talk about other topics, the normal banter between your favorite sisters serving as music to your ears, although many others in the compound would disagree.

"feeling any better?" yelena's hand has not left yours since she first entered the room, and you nod, "yeah! much better!"

"let me check," natasha quips, coming close to you to place a hand on your forehead again, "you haven't be sneezing for a while so-"

"ACHOO!!!"

you sneeze on natasha's face accidentally and the whole compound tremors and you vaguely hear bucky downstairs screaming 'oh, come. ON!?"

natasha still somehow remains standing, while yelena actually fell off the bed.

"I'M SO SORRY!" you apologise profusely to your girlfriend who shakes her head, but runs to the bathroom to wash her face, "that was...really gross, but it's fine!"

yelena, meanwhile, laughs her ass off, "I can't! that's the best thing I've ever seen since seeing natasha slam into a glass door!"

natasha walks out of the bathroom, face littered with water drops, a scowl evident, and she throws a stuffed toy at yelena's head.

soon, a full on pillow fight starts, and you whine at the sisters who were messing up your room unnecessarily, "that's not fair! I can't even participate!"

yelena and natasha share a look, and burst out laughing, and you glare at both, crossing your arms.

"you? have a pillow fight with us?" natasha chuckles, catching her breath, and grabs yelena's face with her hand, pushing her back when she notices her trying to pounce.

"yeah? what about it?" you scoff, eyebrow raised.

"no offense, and I love you, but," yelena slaps her sister's arm away, and the redhead sticks her tongue out at her, "we'd definitely kick your ass."

"THAT'S BULLSHIT."

"YOU'RE JUST SALTY BECAUSE I'M RIGHT!"

"okay, okay," natasha intervenes, raising her hands towards the both of you, "no more brawls."

"yeah, it's only okay when you initiate them," you mumble under your breath, loud enough for natasha to hear.

"oh so we're playing it that way!"

"I have no idea what you're talking about," you feign innocence, and you shriek when natasha starts to brutally tickle you.

you will a small tremor under her feet and natasha trips and falls on the ground, hissing.

"AHA!" you brag, smiling at the camera (yelena was filming the whole thing), "even when sick, I can still beat my girlfriend's ass!"

"bullshit."

"don't copy my word."

yelena texts kate about what was happening as you and natasha bicker.

yelena: kate bishop, you've got to come down here, this shit is hilarious 😭

kate bishop: NOOOO I CAN'T BELIEVE SHE SNEEZED ON NATASHA'S FACE LMAO BYE.

yelena: they're so disgustingly loud I can't do this alone anymore.

kate bishop: sorry I'm too busy laughing at the vid you sent but I'm otw 🏃‍♀️

you narrow your eyes at yelena who was smirking at her phone, "who are you texting?"

"just told kate bishop about everything," yelena smugly announces, "she's on the way now."

"everything?" both you and natasha say at the same time, wincing.

"everything," yelena mocks, "don't worry! you two probably still have a shred of dignity left somewhere!"

"you're horrible," yelena blows you a kiss, "tell me something I don't know, y/n/n."

"I'M HERE!" a blur of purple blasts into the room, holding coffee and donuts.

that was quick.

"you brought the unhealthy food!" yelena praises kate, taking the donuts from her, "I'm starving, thank you, kate bishop."

donuts hardly was the best thing to eat as a meal, but yelena is already staring and picking at them like they're the best things that have ever happened to her.

kate shakes her head and giggles at her friend, but makes her way over to you, "oh you poor thing, are you feeling better yet?"

in truth, you just felt extremely tired, the sneezes and coughs were less and less frequent, and your eyes felt slightly lighter, "a little, yeah."

"good," kate pats your head affectionately, "don't worry about our hangout, okay? you already took multiple rain checks, what's one more?"

yelena snorts, chocolate on her mouth, and you pout, natasha kissing it off, claiming that she never gets sick (it's truly a lie but hey, you want to kiss your girlfriend).

"got you the tissues you want by the way," kate hands you a pack, "I remember saying you need a specific kind."

"oh my god, you're a lifesaver, thank you," you grin gratefully at the brunette and she shrugs, "anytime!"

"did you just get mint chocolate donuts?" yelena deadpans, holding it up like it was a dirty rag to kate's face, "uh, yeah?"

"that's disgusting!" yelena exclaims, and natasha who seemed to have forgotten that you were sick and was cuddling you refutes her statement, "no it's not. mint chocolate is great!"

"no, you're just weird," yelena replies, dropping the donut on her sister's open hand, "take it, it deserves you."

"it does taste good!" natasha indignantly states again, "y/n? what do you think?"

your nose scrunches as your girlfriend's face turns to you, the trust in her eyes draining when you shake your head, "disgusting. horrible. should never be in anything ever."

yelena gestures to you proudly, "see, THAT'S why she's my best friend."

natasha gasps at you, "I thought I could trust you," you bury your face into her shoulder, nuzzling closer into her warmth, "nope, sorry."

"kate?"

kate looks between the three of you and grins, "I love mint chocolate!"

"a girl after my own heart," natasha declares, high-fiving the archer, "you're now my official favorite."

"suck up," yelena teases the archer who kicks her on the shin, "ow!"

kate sits on the chair next to yelena and natasha continues to argue about how mint chocolate is the best flavor in the world.

they might be overly chaotic, but you truly could not ask for a better group to take care of you when you're sick.

"bullshit."

"is that your favorite word for everything?"

"it indeed is, actually," you remind the girl next to you, "but let's forget about that, could we? just cuddle me, romanoff."

"my, my, someone is awfully needy," natasha teases, nevertheless intertwining her hands with yours, "you seem to have forgotten that you're the one who wanted to cuddle with a sick person."

"they're so gross," yelena whispers to kate, who was eating a donut and not paying attention to anything else, "I don't know what you're talking about, they're adorable!"

"you're so going to get sick."

"at least I'll have you to take care of me."

[zenonaa]

'Like the rest of the group, he also wondered what could have driven out such a grin from him, out in the open like that. Worse, it could have not been a ‘what’, but a ‘who’. He had prided himself on never letting anyone slip under his skin, never letting anyone become close to him. Learning to rely on others, and let others rely on him, was one thing. This felt more personal, like a kick to the stomach.'

Chapters: 1/1 Fandom: Dangan Ronpa - All Media Types, Dangan Ronpa: Trigger Happy Havoc, Dangan Ronpa 3: The End of 希望ヶ峰学園 | The End of Kibougamine Gakuen | End of Hope's Peak High School Rating: General Audiences Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply Relationships: Fukawa Touko/Togami Byakuya Characters: Fukawa Touko, Togami Byakuya, Naegi Makoto, Naegi Komaru, Kirigiri Kyouko, Asahina Aoi, Hagakure Yasuhiro Additional Tags: TogaFuka Week 2021 Summary: Togami and the others stumble across a photograph of him smiling, but he can't remember the context so the others try to figure out what happened for him to do that.

Comments: owo what's this? togafuka week day 1: happiness! i haven't actually written something for all the days but this is one of the things that i did manage to squeeze out.

💗 Please like, share and comment if you enjoyed it! 💗

***

Cleaning up Hope’s Peak wasn’t an afternoon affair. Beyond the old school building that Byakuya knew too intimately, debris clogged hallways, trash lay scattered throughout the campus like weeds and the air smelled of rust and blood. The group of seven started with the art building on the east side of campus. For the first few hours, Yasuhiro hummed as he hauled cardboard boxes, Komaru still had the patience to prepare and bring lemonade, and Aoi’s sunshine voice beamed between walls as she shared a story about the time her family held a second-hand sale in their backyard.

By the end of the day, however, their lively chatter had dimmed with the sky. Inside remained as bright thanks to Byakuya and Yasuhiro reconnecting the electricity, but darkening windows reminded them of the aches in their limbs, the ebbing flames behind their eyes. Byakuya swept his gaze across what used to be a theatre but was currently a sorting room filled with boxes instead of chairs. Makoto, Touko, Komaru and Yasuhiro were sitting together on boxes, while Kyouko and Aoi had just walked in with a dirty wheelbarrow.

“We should adjourn until the morning,” Byakuya announced. He reached a hand toward his glasses, intending to push them up, but stopped himself when he remembered the grime clinging to his palms. Not wanting to dirty his glasses, he lowered his hand.

The Byakuya of the past would have deemed this sort of manual labour beneath him, yet he had willingly spent most of that day working alongside his companions. His friends. How things changed.

“There is so much stuff,” said Aoi, who by now had parked the wheelbarrow and was slouched against it. She wiped her vest against her forehead.

“And not a lot of it is useful,” added Kyouko, next to Aoi. Yasuhiro straightened up.

“Nonsense. All we need to do is spruce them up, and they’ll be ready to go on sale.” He walked over to a broken lamp, its shade bitten and discoloured, as dirty as the floor it lay on. “Like this lamp. Fix this up, and it’ll be as good as new. Then all we need is a good pitch and b’am,” he punched his palm, “sold.”

“You can’t do that with everything here,” said Komaru. He put his hands onto his hips.

“Not with that attitude! But with the right mindset, you could sell anything here, guaranteed.”

Yasuhiro rubbed his finger against his nose, grinning like a fool. Some things changed, but others stayed remarkably the same. Byakuya’s gaze drifted over to Touko, who was scowling at Yasuhiro. Touko was both different and the same. Different, because she stood firm where she used to cower, and she let others into her world where she used to cloak herself in darkness.

And same because while like Byakuya, she had learned to allow herself to rely on friends and for friends to rely on her, she was still head over heels in love with him.

She pointed at a black bag containing hunks of metal. “What sales pitch do you have for this?”

“Easy! All you have to do is make the contents into sculptures,” replied Yasuhiro. “Their only purpose is to be admired, ‘right? Add a backstory to go with them and boom, sold. You can do that to practically anything even if it’s trash.”

“No way,” said Aoi.

“Want to bet?”

The group roused to accept his challenge. Makoto found a used wipe container, and Yasuhiro clicked his fingers and said to fill it with plastic bags, turning it into a dispenser that was portable and could fit easily into a car drawer. Aoi presented him with pizza boxes, at which Yasuhiro laughed and demanded more so they could be decked in wrapping paper and transformed into a drawer unit. When Komaru found a metal pipe, Yasuhiro claimed it needed a clean and spray paint and it could sit contentedly on a shelf.

Yasuhiro even sucked Byakuya and Touko into the game. The cork in Byakuya’s hand changed into a keychain, and Yasuhiro’s voice fashioned an old juice carton into a recyclable purse ideal for coins and trips to the arcade. Each item that the others found, Yasuhiro repurposed it into something else.

“There has to be something you can’t reuse,” Komaru insisted. She peeled the lid open on a cardboard box and lifted out a hardback red book from inside it. “What about these photos? Who’d want to have pictures of strangers?”

“Photos?” said Kyouko, intrigued.

“Yeah, there are a whole load of albums in here. I went through a few earlier but didn’t recognise anyone, so I forgot about them.”

Touko rolled her eyes. “Typical...”

Kyouko and Aoi each took out an album. The box seemed to contain several of them, their covers glazed in dust and cobwebs.

“Gekkogahara-san is in this one,” said Kyouko within a few seconds of skimming.

By now, the rest of the group had gravitated over. Inside the album that Kyouko was holding, the photographs were contained in plastic flaps that overlapped so only the one on top could be seen unless it was flicked up, revealing the photograph beneath. In the photograph currently on display, Miaya Gekkogahara was sitting next to a pale guy with dark hair and dark shadows under his eyes, who Byakuya recognised as Yasuke Matsuda. They appeared to be seated at a computer desk, their heads turned toward the photographer.

“It’s really her,” murmured Makoto. “And not a robot masquerading as her.”

“Do you think these are all photos of her class?” asked Yasuhiro as he and the others picked up their own photo albums to browse.

“If that’s true, then everyone in these are deceased,” said Touko.

Aoi winced. “When you phrase it like that, this feels kind of morbid.”

Makoto flipped through a few flaps in the album in his hands. Then his creased forehead exploded as his eyebrows shot up. “This album contains our class!”

Everyone crowded around him. The photograph showed a pink room with a television screen hanging on the wall. Blurred writing glowed on it that Byakuya struggled to decipher. In front of it, Couch seats were positioned around three sides of a table, and on the seats sat members of their class. The only classmate not in the photograph was Sakura.

“Sakura-chan must have been taking the photograph,” said Aoi. “No way would our class exclude her.”

Holding the album in one hand, Makoto scratched his head with his other.

“I vaguely recall this,” he said. “Kuwata-kun... yes, I think it was him... booked a karaoke room, and the whole class packed in. All of us sang at least once.”

While Future Foundation had aided them in recovering from the memory loss inflicted by Junko, some memories were stronger than others. For Byakuya, he could recall plenty of events, but none came with any emotion attached. It was as though he was reading about them in a newspaper afterwards.

“Byakuya-sama graced us with his voice,” Touko piped up. The ends of her lips curled upward as she squeezed her hands together. “I r-remember... he made the air taste like chocolate syrup... his words spread a chill across my skin... ah...”

Byakuya remembered performing a single song, but he hated singing, and he couldn’t remember what compelled him to accept a microphone.

“Enoshima tried to steal such a precious memory from us.” Aoi rubbed the heel of her hand against her eye. “Sakura-chan sang a beautiful song about friendship. Her voice washed over the room like the ocean.”

Kyouko placed a hand onto Aoi’s shoulder. Komaru flicked through the other photographs in the album. Byakuya didn’t pay Komaru any more mind, frowning at Touko as she seemed to relive the experience of him singing. Her recollection appeared much more intimate than his own. Part of him wanted to ask her for more details. Another part was repulsed.

Komaru gasped.

“What is it?” asked Makoto as they all focused on the album again. The photograph that had captured her attention depicted Byakuya. Nothing extraordinary appeared to be in the photograph - he was sitting on a bench at an angle, not facing the camera.

Yet the others stared with their mouths agape.

“I have never seen Togami-chi smile like that,” said Yasuhiro.

Byakuya inspected the photograph closer. Though it had been taken at a distance - probably so he wouldn’t realise someone was taking a photograph of him - there was a definite smile gracing his lips. It wasn’t a smirk, or a cruel grin, or the faint curve he sometimes showed around his friends, but a smile showing teeth, one that didn’t just meet his eyes, but made his gaze, no, his face glow.

What he was looking at, however, was unclear. It was now that Byakuya realised the photograph had been torn, and the section that held the object of his attention wasn’t in the album.

“It must have been something amazing to have made him smile back then,” said Yasuhiro.

They all turned to Byakuya, who pursed his lips.

“Putting aside whether I would tell you if I knew, I don’t actually recall when this took place,” he said.

“Maybe we could help jog your memory?” Aoi suggested. “When I want to remember something, I write it on my palm three times.”

“That won’t help,” said Touko. “You can only do that while you still remember the thing.” Her teeth gritted. “Argh... if only I knew what could have elicited such a pure smile from Byakuya-sama...!”

She dragged her fingers down her face.

“It’s not a big deal,” said Byakuya. While the others burned with curiosity, discomfort stewed in his gut like when he had watched Touko reminisce about the karaoke session.

Like the rest of the group, he also wondered what could have driven out such a grin from him, out in the open like that. Worse, it could have not been a ‘what’, but a ‘who’. He had prided himself on never letting anyone slip under his skin, never letting anyone become close to him. Learning to rely on others, and let others rely on him, was one thing. This felt more personal, like a kick to the stomach.

“There has to be some way to reawaken the memory,” said Komaru, her tone light without the burden of his thoughts. She turned to Kyouko. “You must know a way.”

“Must I?” Kyouko’s eyebrows rose.

“Because you’re from a detective family,” said Aoi, nodding.

“Actually...” Komaru’s smile cringed on her face. “I um... just assume Kyouko-chan knows everything.”

“There are a few techniques we can try,” said Kyouko, faintly amused. “Perhaps if we pinpoint when and where exactly the photograph took place, that may stir something in Togami-kun’s brain.”

Other than Byakuya, no one else was in the frame. A briefcase leaned against a bench leg and a pile of papers rested on his lap. Annoyingly, he couldn’t see any writing that may have been on the papers. In the photograph, he wasn’t looking at them. He was focused on the nothingness where the other half of the photograph should have been.

“That has to be the main plaza,” said Aoi. “I recognise the benches. Sakura-chan and I finished our morning runs there. Then we would sit down and drink some water. We never saw Togami there though.”

“Yeah. That looks like the fountain at the back,” added Makoto.

Kyouko stroked her chin. “The sliver of sky in the background appears rather pale, and judging by the colour of the leaves, it’s approximately autumn.”

“Togami-chi never missed a lesson, so it had to be late-afternoon at the latest, ‘right?” said Yasuhiro.

“Unless it was the weekend,” Makoto pointed out, prompting Yasuhiro to exhale frustratedly through his teeth. The thoughtful expression on Kyouko’s face, however, didn’t waver.

“We can deduce whether he had lessons on that day,” said Kyouko.

“How?” asked Aoi.

Byakuya already knew. “I’m not in uniform.”

“Indeed,” said Kyouko with a bob of her head. “So unless you changed into another outfit after your lessons, this scene transpired at the weekend.”

“Does that ring any bells for you?” Komaru asked Byakuya, clasping her hands together, eyes wide with optimism. “Visiting the plaza on the weekend, and catching sight of something that brings joy to your face...?”

His jaw clenched. All of them were staring at him. They had a campus as large as four high schools to clear and they had only made a dent so far, but the arduous task appeared to have been pushed aside in favour of probing his brain for some memory. Oh, how they tried his patience at times.

“I can’t say it brings anything to mind, though it is unusual for me to be there,” he said in a level tone. “Usually, during the weekend, I would be indoors, either in my room or in the library.”

Certainly not at the plaza. Certainly not with a brazen smile chipped into his face.

“I think we’ve followed the photograph’s lead as far as it can go,” said Yasuhiro. “Now we must turn to guesswork. If we bounce ideas off each other, that might help Togami-chi remember. Perhaps you had come from a meeting, where you struck a billion dollar deal?”

“Or you emerged from the cafeteria after they served some tasty donuts?” Aoi chimed in.

Byakuya’s frown sank in deeper.

“Or you finished a really good manga?” said Komaru.

“Or listened to a good song?” added Makoto.

Yasuhiro clicked his fingers. “I once read that listening to music is a good way to stir up memories. If we find a piece with the right mood, Togami-chi ought to remember the scene!”

“What sort of mood do you guys reckon we should play?” asked Komaru as she shoved her hand into her coat.

“Something cheerful,” said Aoi.

Komaru retrieved her phone from her pocket and tapped on her screen. A few seconds later, a series of beeps sang out of her phone, playing over the sound of clapping and a fast drumbeat. She side-stepped back and forth to the rhythm, and Byakuya lasted until the first few lines of Swedish auto tuned singing.

“Turn that off,” snapped Byakuya. “It’s not helping me think. It’s giving me a headache instead.”

With a pout, Komaru switched it off.

“Perhaps we should visit the location,” said Kyouko.

Touko’s brow creased. “Won’t it be dark?”

“Don’t worry, Touko-chan, our phones can provide you with light,” Komaru assured her, patting Touko on the shoulder.

They set off, departing from the old theatre and winding through corridors toward the plaza. Byakuya stayed silent, lagging behind most of the others slightly. Only Touko seemed to take note of this, and though she didn’t speak to him, she hovered further back than him, and he could feel her eyes on the back of his neck like flies crawling against his skin.

As they drew closer, he concluded that they wished so desperately to discover the source of his smile because they planned to use it against him. Perhaps they intended to humiliate him, or blackmail or manipulate him. But they were his friends, weren’t they? Surely they didn’t plan on using what they learned against him?

Yet... if that wasn’t the case, then why?

The plaza was no longer the picturesque location it once was. It couldn’t have been in a brochure promoting the academy, like the photograph in the album. Weeds grew between upturned slabs, gnarled fingers reaching toward the sky. Nearby, the rubble corpse of the fountain didn’t spout water, dry as sun bleached bone. They all stood silently for a while, observing their surroundings. There were no benches to sit on.

“It sure has changed a lot,” said Yasuhiro.

“It’ll do. Hagakure, bend over on all fours.” Aoi pointed at her feet. “You will play the part of the bench.”

Yasuhiro balked. “Why me? You’re stronger.”

Her stare didn’t relent. He managed a few more seconds before he dropped to his knees and planted his hands in front of himself. Once he was in position, Aoi turned to Byakuya expectantly.

“I am not sitting on him,” said Byakuya flatly.

“Please, Togami-san!” Komaru pleaded, shaking her phone in both hands. Light from the screen danced across her face and when her hands stilled, so did the glow. It seeped into her skin, accentuating the crinkle between her eyebrows and the stare from her eyes that pulled, pulled, pulled at Byakuya until he snapped.

“Why are you all making a big deal of this?” Byakuya asked not only Komaru, but all of them. He flung up a hand. “There is a photograph of me smiling. That’s it. It concerns me that you’re so obsessed with finding out what caused me to smile.”

His question clenched them in its jaws, burning the air with acid. He waited for one of them to answer. For Touko to do more than fidget, and Komaru to stop chewing her lip. Finally, the pressure squeezed out a response from Makoto.

“You’re our friend,” said Makoto. “You’re usually so serious, and you rarely ever seem happy. We thought if we could find out what made you that happy back then...”

“... we could bring that happiness back to you now,” finished Touko, curling her fingers into her palms. Byakuya tensed.

That explanation had never occurred to him. For most of his life, he had been forced to be on the defensive, to anticipate betrayals and attacks from anyone. Then again, for most of his life, he hadn’t been acquainted with people like this. Friends. He grimaced, staring at Touko for several long seconds before averting his gaze and pushing up his glasses.

“Nuisances...” But he seated himself on Yasuhiro’s back, setting his feet firmly on the ground.

Byakuya tried to imagine the sky was a pool of water, not ink, and that he was on a bench, and that water streamed from a fountain behind him. However, the air remained as dry and dark as his mouth, and no matter how often his mind mended the slabs of the plaza, they would crack and decay within moments.

“Anything?” said Touko, wringing her hands.

He folded his arms over his chest.

“No,” said Byakuya. A collective sigh spread, though Makoto was soon grinning again.

“I guess we’ll have to keep trying to make you happy.”

Byakuya clicked his tongue, but his lips twitched outward and he quickly hid it behind his hand. Nuisances.

“Does this mean you can stand up now?” Yasuhiro asked from beneath Byakuya.

Aoi stretched her arms upward, arching her back, and yawned. “We ought to call it a day. It’s getting late.”

While the others headed toward the dormitory building that they were currently living in. Byakuya stayed where he was. Their footsteps faded, the glow of their phones shrinking into five pinpricks of light before disappearing completely. Despite his friends’ efforts, they had failed to uncover the story of the photograph. Now that he knew their motives hadn’t been nefarious, he could appreciate their attempts and found himself wondering what had happened all those years ago.

“It’s a shame we don’t know what made you so happy back then,” said Touko next to him, echoing his thoughts. She hadn’t retired for the night with the others. He glanced at her, meeting her gaze. Her phone shone a light against her wistful expression.

“I suppose so,” he said in a casual tone.

“With many of my memories, I don’t recall exact details, but they evoke certain feelings.”

His eyebrows rose a fraction in interest. “Oh?”

“Yes. For example, standing here... is stirring some emotion in me. I think I have a memory associated with this place too.”

Byakuya turned his whole body to face her.

“What emotion?” he asked.

She didn’t answer right away, as if letting the thought sit on her tongue, tasting it.

“Warmth,” she said. “Like the warmth I feel when I’m with you. Perhaps I will never remember what happened to give me that feeling. B-But... I have many other precious memories... and I can work on creating more with you, Byakuya-sama.”

Her lips twisted into a smile. Meanwhile, his insides twisted, much like they did whenever she referred to him in a romantic manner. He had been experiencing the sensation more frequently around her lately. Sometimes, all she had to do was meet his gaze or brush against him, and his stomach would coil like she had pressed her lips against his.

“Byakuya-sama?” Touko’s voice broke into his thoughts. “A-Are you feeling all right?”

He did not want to think what about his face had made her ask that all of a sudden.

“I’m fine,” he said, and he adjusted his glasses. “We’ve dawdled here for long enough. Let’s return to the dormitories.”

“Together?” blurted Touko. Without a word, Byakuya strode away, and she darted after him, keeping abreast. “Are you going straight to sleep when you arrive back?”

His eyes stayed forward.

“No. I will have some tea and read first,” he replied.

“What do you plan on reading?”

“Out by Natsuo Kirino,” he said. Her head jerked back.

“I r-recently finished that!”

“I know. After seeing you reading it, I thought I would give it a try. I was more interested when I learned that it’s not a romance, but a crime novel.”

“I specialise in romance, but I read for a variety of genres,” she said. “I can recommend some more books i-if you want. Have you read The Inugami Clan? You may find the start slow, but I think you will enjoy the cast and the premise...”

He listened as they walked back together. The more she spoke, the more passionate she became, and he couldn’t help looking at her as she lit up, waving her arms around.

A smile poked at the corners of his lips, and he finally felt a sense of déjà vu.

[hoseokslefteyebrow]

Bitch Boss || J.HS

Pairing : Jung Hoseok X Reader

Genre :  Fluff, tad bit of Angst?

Summary : " Second thing you need to know? My name is Jung Hoseok, and you're mine."

Wordcount: 1.7k

[ A/N: Lmao guys, here I am. Stress writing while I could also be studying. But no. My shit ass just had to stress write for no valuable reason. Anyway, I had this idea with Hobi in a gang au for like two years already and here it finally is. Also, I didn't check my spelling lmao. Enjoy!]

The man in front of you seemed to think the same, because he gulped before chickening out.

You glared at the man in front of you. Hard. Very hard, in fact if glares could kill, the man in front of you would be lying dead on the floor.

" I'll just-" His voice cracked.

He swallowed before clearing it.

" My friend will talk to you." He said before leaving.

You rolled your eyes before going to inspect your nails.

It's been four hours.

Four hours since this rookie gang had caught you. You were pretty sure that you would have no problem getting out of here.

A new man entered the room while you were more intrested in your nails.

" So, princess. There's only a few things you'll need to know. First of all, you're not leaving this place. Ever. Or my side to be more specific." The man smiled.

Way too angelic you decided as you looked up from your nails.

Not leaving his side?

" Second thing you need to know? My name is Jung Hoseok, and you're mine."

-

It's been a few days since you've been living with Hoseok, and so far, so good.

Apparently he was part of Bangtan, one of the most feared gangs in South Korea, and he did not know that you were trained to be an assassin. He tough you were an ordinary girl with a big mouth.

" C' mhere." Hoseok opened his arms in expectations of you running into them.

You raised your brow at him, once again inspecting your nails.

" What is it with you and your nails? Want a manicure or something?" He asked.

You snorted.

" You don't understand women at all do you?" You asked sharply.

" Oh shit, are you on your period? What do you want me to do? I can get you chocolates and stuff. Maybe a heat pack?-"

" Let me go." You asked, more like stated as an order.

The shine in his eyes left, and his smile faded into a thin line.

" No." 

" That's what's wrong with you, Hoseok. Not me. You canmot keep a woman here and expect her to love you." You stated.

You would use your assassin skills, but you couldn't. No matter what happened, the most you would do is knock someone out.

The reason why you haven't full up attacked Hoseok yet was because you couldn't kill, you knew that he wouldn't let you go that easily anyway. And because you could see the hurt little boy underneath the layer of guns and bombs. You knew you had to think trough your plan of escaping.

Meanwhile the look in Hoseok's eyes softened.

" I'm sorry..... Come with me." He ordered and turned around.

Once he realized that you were still seated and not planning to get up anytime soon, he turned back to you and walked over, grabbing your hand and pulling you up.

" Where are we going?" You asked him.

" Training."

-

His training of that afternoon turned out to be much easier than you were used to. Apparently he decided that you should learn the basics for when things go south while he isn't around, you didn't complain about it. 

Today he was going to teach you how to use a gun.

A poor choice really.

" No, you're supposed to- Yeah, like that exactly. How did you know I was going to say that?" He asked.

You gulped but shrugged.

" Well, it's loaded already. Tey to hit the target." Hoseok told you.

Your eyes widen.

The thing was loaded?

An extremely poor choice really.

You turned the gun to him, pointing it directly over his heart.

Hoseok's eyes widen as he didn't expect the move.

" Y/N, don't play around with that. " 

Your eyes sharpened and clicked the safety off.

" Y/N, I'm serious-"

You managed to get him to shut him up by turning the gun and hitting the furthest target straight in the bulls eye.

He turned to look at it before turning back to you.

" There's something I haven't been really honest about Hoseok. I'm not as innocent as I look." You smiled coyly before putting the gun down on the table in front of you and walking away.

" Fuck that was sexy." Hoseok said as he watched you walk away.

He grinned to himself before shaking his head.

" Time to redo that background check."

-

It's been a few months since you've been with Jung Hoseok in his mansion. And suprisingly enough, you didn't hate it. In fact, you were slowly falling in love. It pained you when you realized it. It had started with the little moment back in the training session, and then he started letting you go around the property freely, and up till now he started downright spoiling you. You smiled as you tough of him. 

Your little moment was cut short however as the wall beside you exploded.

Literally exploded.

Your ears were ringing as you tried to get up, but your legs were giving up on you.

" There she is, experiment 0572." Someone said.

You were suprised to hear anything trough your ringing ears.

Your suprise was cut short as your eyes sharpened.

Experiment 0572.

The name you were given as assassin.

The name you had before you ran away.

Before Hoseok decided to take you off the shitty three jobs you had and decided that you were his.

The fear of losing of what you had now managed to get you up on your shaking legs, your hands balling at your sides before you threw the first punch.

A poor decision as you were weakened.

-

" Hoseok! We have serious problems!" Jungkook yelled ad he entered his office.

" Can't be more worse than this stupid gun which needs to be fixed." Hoseok grumbled back.

" It's about Y/N." Jungkook breathed.

Hoseok stopped with what he was doing and turned his full attention to the younger.

" She's taken from your house. I don't know all the details. Just that there was an explosion and these weird lookimg dudes were there and- I don't understand any of it. Just watch this, maybe you do." Jungkook said, slamming a sd cards onto his desk.

" It's the security tape from outside. Yoongi hyung's already searching for the van that appeared in the video." Jungkook said as Hoseok nodded, wasting no time and putting the sd card in his laptop.

The wall blew up and you were catapulted backwards. 

Hoseok sucked in a breath at the sight.

He was caught by suprise when he saw you get up.

" There she is, experiment 0572." A man smirked down at your form.

Hoseok looked at his screen in confusion, experiment 0572?

The man smirked at you and something inside you snapped as you threw a lunch at his face, he was quick to react , throwing a punch right on your sleep, effectively knocking you out.

" This is experiment 0572?" One of the other men in the room asked.

" She's stronger than she looks.I've seen it on tape. Now let's move it before whatever sugar daddy she has comes back home." The man who knocked you out said, and another man unceremoniously threw you in the back of the van.

Hoseok felt rage built up inside him by the sight of someone hurting you. He rewound part of the tape, taking a closer look at the logo on his jacket.

He smirked as he got a clear picture of the tiger on the back of the man's vest.

Hsg.

Hsg was a small rising gang, but not for long.

Because they obviously didn't do their homework right.

You might be some kind of expiriment to them, but you are overall Hoseok's.

And they will certainly not get away with taking what is his.

Hoseok smirked as he called Yoongi.

-

You woke up to the sound of screaming, as if someone was suffering.

A sound you hated.

The sight that came with it was a sight you hate just as much.

There's a lot of blood around you, and a few dead bodies.

Not a pretty sight.

Your stomach wad empty, but if you had any food in it, you were pretty sure that it would have been out by now.

" Princess?" You heard a voice call softly from beside you.

Your eyes lighten up in realization.

Hoseok was here.

He had actually come to save you.

You started mumbling trough the gag that was placed in your mouth.

" I know, I know. I got you." He said as he took the gag off you, holding you in his arms.

You started crying with closed eyes, you weren't sure when the last time was that someone held you.

You especially had never experienced the feeling of being held so secure before.

Your eyes opened again as you took sight of the man in doorway, it was the very man who had knocked you out.

Your eyes widened when you realized he was holding a gun in his hand, and it was aimed right at Hoseok's back.

With a shaky breath you took Hoseok's gun from it's holder.

You felt Hoseok still against you.

" Y/N-"

You clicked the safety off and shot the man.

Twice.

One bullet in both shoulders.

You didn't have it in you to kill him, you couldn't do it.

Hoseok pulled away from you, but didn't let you go.

He took the gun from you and shot the man straight in the head.

" I'll always have you. Thank you for having me." He  wishpered in your hair as he pulled you back into an embrace.