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antman-56 · 4 years ago

Text

I Know

“Ah Joker.”

“I know.”

Right now both Mona and Akira were being followed by a very nosy Makoto Niijima.

Right now she was behind them reading this weeks manga release.

They had noticed her following them after the Madarame incident. He will admit he didn’t notice her until Mona said he felt uneasy. It wasn’t until they were near Untouchable that Akira felt the same feeling and quickly turned around to see a familiar face duck behind the corner of the alley.

This has been going on for a week now. and he figured out her pattern. She would wait until he left his last class and follow him until 8 pm.

Sometimes longer when he’s with Iwai or when he was in the clinic whenever he was with Takemi-san.

“She’s doing a very bad job at being hidden.”

“I know.”

Akira found the game they played enjoyable. She tried so hard to try and find proof that he had some info on the Phantom Thieves, not knowing he was the leader.

“What should we do then. She’s being annoying.”

“Lets just waste her time.”

“So, same plan like last time or something new?.”

“Well Takemi-san is still looking through the data and Ann and Ryuji are on a date. (Mona grew a small, sinister, dark aura on being reminded, AGAIN) And Yusuke is being Yusuke.”

“So, how do we kill time.”

“Wanna see if Iwai needs help?”

“Isn’t that the opposite of what we want?”

“Were just being a part timer in a respectable business and being upstanding citizens on top of it.”

“Your picking up some of his habits.”

***A little later, Outside Untouchable***

Makoto just saw Akira walk into the Air Soft Store. He has visited the store quite frequently, was he a worker? A regular? Or was their something more to it? He would spend hours in there and come out later then she could actually afford to watch.

Her sister had given her a harsh lecture when she came home at 1 in the morning.

She heard of the shady stuff that went on in there, mostly stuff with the Yakuza, but right now she couldn’t help but worry a little bit for Akira.

He may be a suspect in her investigation but he was still a student. Maybe he was innocent in all of this and was dragged into it? Maybe she could help him?

That was why she was ready this time.

Right at her side would be her tool in finding the first step to the Phantom Thieves.

***Inside***

Akira was up by the register and Iwai was in the back.

Iwai knew of the problem and gladly helped Akira out. He would let him stay in the shop and fix the guns he bought as long as he helped around when their were customers or the occasional police harassment. In all honesty, he felt like he had another son.

Right now, Akira was cleaning Ryuji’s Fury shotgun, his face showed annoyance on how misused this thing looked. He was so caught up in fixing it that he didn’t notice the door being opened.

DING

Akira dropped his attention from the weapon and looked up.

If only he could take a picture.

In came Makoto, wearing a blue bandanna over her hair, sunglasses, a biker jacket with a red shirt and black biker jeans.

She looked like a the thug from the western cartoons.

Makoto looked at Akira with shock, worry, and fear.

Here in front of her was Akira with a shotgun in his hands.

Akira noticing what she was looking at put the shotgun under the counter.

“It’s a fake”, He said hoping it would put her at ease.

It really didn’t.

“So, how can I help you miss?” He said with his customer smile.

Makoto shook her head and meet his smiling face with her shaky stoic face.

“I’m looking for a gun for my little brother.”

She was prepared. She had a story to help her questioning and kinda hoped he wouldn’t really pry into it said story.

Akira could already see right through her. He decided to play along, just to see the panicking look on her face if she was caught off guard.

“Well what guns is he interested in? Automatics, semi, explosives, syfy, something with a kick or easy to handle?”

He couldn’t help but smile a bit more when she struggled to pick what gun her fake brother wanted.

“Automatic.”

“Well then your in luck because we just received an advanced shipment of the AR-X.”

Akira then proceeded to walk over to were the rifle was displayed, took it out. and walked back up to her.

“This baby looks as realistic as the gun it’s based on and is one of the few things that would make any gun enthusiasts in Japan jump with excitement.”

Akira showed the weapon with pride and began to explain in detail why you would want to buy it.

***Outside***

After staying longer than she should have, Makoto left. After asking questions like; what kind of customers entered the store, how often do people buy guns and if she could talk to the owner for his recommendations or to place a custom order. She realized she was hitting dead ends.

She was a bit disappointed on how things played out and kinda embarrassed that she was forced to buy a fake revolver with the rest of her allowance.

She hoped her sister would not search her once she got home.

***Inside***

After she left and a few minutes went by Akira began to laugh.

The look on her face was priceless when she tried to improvise on the spot.

And she bought a gun at the end of it.

He definetly had to tell Mona about this.

In the back Iwai gave a quiet chuckle.

The kid was a natural.

***Two Days Later***

.”When will she give up.” Mona complained.

“Well she did try to spy on Ryuji’s and Ann’s date yesterday and they said they would owe me one if I could take her this time.”

“How about we tell her that Ryuji’s said she was annoying and then after she could kicks his-”

“Mona what did Ann say.”

“If he hurts her then I can kick his ass.”

“Before that.”

“Be nice.”

They began to discuss their plan as Makoto hid behind a fashion magazine this time.

She was at the other end of the train car to Yongen-Jaya.

She was speculating were he was heading off to. It was either the laundry mat or to go to that clinic. And with a little research it has a reputation of being able to heal almost everything.

She could see him on his phone and smiling. Maybe a message about another change of heart or nothing at all.

She had to know!!

As he exited the passenger car, she quickly followed.

He was going to the clinic.

When he entered she waited by the entrance and waited until she knew he would be in the exam room.

***Inside***

“You do know testing experimental tonics isn’t really helpful to me? Right?”

“I know but I want to waste her time.”

Tae looked at her guinea pig curiously.

“Why would you like to waste her time? It’s not like your doing anything ill- more illegal?”

Akira was stumped. But quickly came up with an answer.

“Well I like a good laugh when see tries to be sneaky.”

“If I didn’t know any better it would sound like you like being followed.”

“You caught me, that’s my kink.”

“Whatever. Just don’t... don’t play too long with her, okay.”

Akira hummed a response as he’s laid on the Patient’s bed in the room, his arms behind his head, eyes closed and a smile on his face. His only wish was to see her face behind the glass window on the door..

Tae looked at the door and saw a silhouette. She reached for another tonic.

“Here, try this one now.”

Akira reached for it and downed the whole thing.

It tasted sweet, like the color pink.

He suddenly felt his body lighten up.

“Subject lasted longer than expected. This is should be a nice prescription for people with insomnia.”

Akira was in bliss. His body felt relaxed and his head felt light.

The last thing he could see was Tae smiling.

On the other side of the door. Makoto was trying to brace herself from barging in demanding to know what she had done to him or from calling the police.

Tae obviously knowing she was being spied on went to check his vitals for the girls sake.

“Looks like the drug can actually help him. Kid has been having trouble sleeping.” She made something up on the spot and made sure to say it loud enough so the girl wouldn’t draw the wrong conclusions.

“Now to see how long it lasts.”

Makoto left the clinic and decided to just wait outside.

Tae saw the silhouette move away.

“(sigh) Teenagers.”

***Much Later***

She was about to go home when he walked out of the clinic and was now walking to Leblanc. It looked like he had a skip in his step and he looked happy.

She saw him enter the cafe and then quickly leave with two thermoses.

He was on the move and he didn’t have his bag. She made sure to follow procedure.

After awhile they were now in a park. He was sitting on a table, just looking at the sky. He would drink out of his thermos every now and again.

Was he waiting for someone? A meeting? A report? Why was he here?

It wasn’t until she saw Takamaki-san enter her view. She had an umbrella in one hand and a flashlight in the other, and was dressed prettier than she was with Ryuji. Was she- NO!! Their was no way!!

She put the umbrella over them and turned on the flashlight, so Makoto could only see their shadows.

“You know this is messed up. Right.” Ann said it more as a statement than a question.

“Ryuji is across the lake with binoculars watching the both of us. And our friend.”

“Still it seems kinda wrong.”

“We aren’t kissing or anything. And this is to make her think she’s wasting her time. I mean do you like it when she spied on your guyes date.”

“True. She did sit in the booth right next to us.”

“So, lets think she’s seeing two friends hang out. With a suggestion to make her mind explode.”

/”I CAN HEAR YOU!!!”

Akira and Ann flinched at the sudden screaming in their ear.

“Ryuji you agreed to this and nothing will happen. You think I would betray my best friend.”

“ I know but- wait I’M your best friend!!”

“You were my first friend since I got here of course your my best friend.”

Ann could do nothing but laugh at the moment her guys were having. The way the shadows looked it made Makoto wonder what were they doing. Are they dating secretly? What is making her giggle? And why dose she feel the need to scream and pull her hair out?

/“Holyt Shit!!Guys I think the last train leaves in a few minutes can we rap this up!!”

“How about we finish the show for her.”

“Lets hope for the best.”

Both Ann and Akira put their faces side by side of each other to make the illusion of them kissing to their known stalker.

Makoto just stayed in he position and covered her mouth to yell at them. She began to shake from rage but was barely controlling herself for the sake of the students who have entrusted her and the school council to help them .

After they were done they got up and began to walk towards the train station. They made sure to go by Makoto’s position.

“Thank you again for helping me with practicing for the audition for that movie Akira.”

“Anytime. I just hope Ryuji doesn't find out. That felt so wrong.”

“Well I am staring in movies from here on out. And if he has a problem with it then I guess he doesn’t have to walk the red carpet with me.”

They both continued their conversation until they reached the station and said their farewells.

Makoto let out a sigh of relief when Takamaki-san said it was for a movie role and that it wasn’t a love scandal.

“Wait why did I do that.” She wondered.

She began to wonder why the thought of Akira with someone else made her react that way.

Either way it was late and she needed to get home otherwise her sister would have her head. Again.

***Leblanc Attic***

“Joker where have you been!!” Mona screamed.

“Just having my fun for tonight.” Akira said happily. Like a kid who just played his favorite video game.

“Well get some sleep. Last thing we need is you falling asleep in class.”

Akira complied and went to his bed. Plotting how to waste her time on her free day.

***Niijima Residence***

Makoto just got home and was thankful that today was one of the late shifts her sister has been having.

Here she was alone and coming out of the roller coaster that was today.

The moment after school he went to a shady doctor to test out a sleeping tonic and then he helps Takamki-san by practicing for a role for a movie? Not to mention she almost blew her cover when they kissed. Which she was still trying to figure out why she cared if he was dating someone.

But It was nothing like yesterday when she saw him holding a gun at the Air Soft Store, granted it was fake, but what would the police have done if they went in and saw THAT!!

She took a deep breath. Tomorrow was another day for her to see if he keeps it up.

He is the only lead she has about the Phantom Thieves and once she has proof of how he and his friends are connected to them, or if they’re not, then she would decide to tell the authorities.

But right now her bed is calling for her. And she needed it.

The last thing that came to her mind before sleep overtook her was when Akira smiled at her in the park.

She didn’t question if he knew she was their or if he knew she was following him all along.

She just didn’t care at the moment.

But apart of her hoped.

She was starting to like the game they were playing.

#persona 5 #persona 5 akira #makoto niijima #morgana #mona #persona au #ann takamaki #ryuji sakamoto #tae takemi #light fluff #akira x makoto #wholesome #makoto x joker

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the-only-straight-fander · 4 years ago

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Volleyball AU

A super niche fanfiction about the sides on a volleyball team. What can I say, I’m a sucker for Sanders sides and volleyball.

[excerpt from the latest edition of the Daily Post newspaper]

And in other news, the star setter of the Oakheights High School men's volleyball team has signed with Long Beach State. Drew Amsterdam is the projected favorite for the next year of college volleyball thanks to both his remarkably clean hands and his devilish good looks. He leaves behind him in Oakheights a sea of equally disappointed and admiring faces. Without his astounding assists, it is rumored that Oakheights may drop as low as class 3A or 2A within the following years without their key setter. However, despite his acceptance to Long Beach, it is rumored that Amsterdam may not be the main setter quite yet… (more on page three).

[end excerpt]

Roman le Roi lets out a contemptuous snort as he disdainfully throws the newspaper back down onto the floor by his feet. Not looking up from wrapping his foot, Remy asks passively from his seat on the floor, "Was I right, or was I right?"

Letting out an obnoxious sigh that whooshes his wavy chestnut hair out of his face, Roman mutters unwillingly, "You were right."

Still not looking up, Remy reaches his hand out in a "give me” gesture. Roman makes a face at the hand, but moves to his bag after Remy snaps once. He carefully counts out five dollars and sets it in the waiting hand. It's out of sight in an instant. Thus further shamed, Roman expels another heavy breath and leans his head in his hands. At this moment, Emile prances in, his usual floaty, dreamy self. "It's finally time for volleyball! I'm so excited to see everyone! I haven't played in so long!" he sing-songs as he skips further into the still mostly deserted locker room. The bubbly smile on his face becomes slightly more wry when he catches sight of Roman. "Ohhhh. You saw the article didn't you?"

Roman gives a muffled grunt of affirmation.

"He paid me already, too," Remy adds in, finally looking up as he leans back on his arms, pushing his sunglasses up to wink at the newcomer. "Long time no see, babes."

Emile gives a soft giggle. "Already winning money off the young ones I see. You really shouldn't do that you know; it's not fair: they don't know any better."

Remy snorts, but is still smiling sweetly. "Then they should learn. And who better to learn from than yours truly." Saying this, he promptly lies down, replacing the ever present sunglasses.

Emile shakes his head fondly and steps over his splayed form with practiced ease.

Emile takes several minutes to pull on his knee pads and is tying his shoes before he is struck by a thought. Confused by the silence, he directs a question at Roman. "Hey, where's your brother? I haven't heard any screaming, so he can't be here right now."

The pitiable Roman lets out another groan and seems to melt even further. "He's currently grounded. No volleyball allowed."

Making a sympathetic face, Emile goes over and pats him on the shoulder. "Maybe he'll learn his lesson."

"HA. NO. He has been a terror! He's cooped up with no way to let off steam other than pester and torture and harass me! I'm in hell! I can't wait until school starts and I only have to see him a few times a day!"

A soft chuckle comes from the floor, and Roman finally lifts his head in order to glare at the offender. As though sensing the dirty look, Remy offers a middle finger, but quickly lowers it at the displeased noise that comes from Emile.

The three wait in the locker room for roughly ten more minutes, and in that time are joined by several other returning players. Finally, Remy sits up and removes his sunglasses. He stretches and yawns. Grabbing his water bottle, he stands, placing his hands on his hips. "Alright ladies, let's go get down to business."

"To defeat, the Huns!" chimes in Emile excitedly. "Sure," follows Remy's reply. It comes across cool and monotone, but the smile on his face speaks of barely contained excitement.

On the way out of the locker room, Roman looks all around him and counts heads. "Five, six, and Remus is missing, seven. Someone isn't here." Remy spins around and, walking backwards, takes a glance at the faces before whirling back to face forward and offering his findings. "Patton isn't here."

Roman freezes mid-step. Whirling around to check for himself and finding Remy to be right, he shouts in alarm: "Where is he?! He's our libero! We're doomed for sure without him!"

Pulling a face at the volume, Remy takes a gulp from his water bottle before saying, "Chill. It's the first summer practice. He could be busy or, more likely, late. Fashionably late entrances are his specialty after all."

Somewhat mollified, Roman nods, but his brow is still furrowed. Seeing his distress, Zay -- another sophomore -- claps him on the back. "It'll be ok dude. This year will be great, you'll see." But no one was so sure about that.

Patton did show up -- to Roman's immense relief, but late. He does indeed give a grand entrance, although not on purpose. While the others are in the middle of warming up, the gym doors suddenly slam open, hitting the walls behind them with a crash. In flies their libero -- Patton Clover -- glasses askew and hair mussed. “I’m so sorry I’m late I forgot we had practice and then I went the wrong way and then I got caught at three stop lights in a row and-”

“It’s ok Pat,” reassures Coach Sanders, trying to hold back his laughter at the unnecessarily flustered boy.

“Oh. Ok.” The freckled boy gives a sheepish little smile. “I am sorry though, and-” Whatever Patton had planned on saying is cut off as he is tackled to the ground by a blur.

“Patton! I’ve missed you so much! We were worried you weren’t coming!” says the blur -- who is one desperate Roman le Roi.

“You mean you were worried,” Remy shouts over his shoulder wryly.

With a pout, Roman stands and helps his friend up. “Fine. Yes. I was worried. But, I’m not anymore, because now,” Roman announces dramatically, spreading one arm wide with the other wrapped around Patton’s shoulders, “practice can truly begin.”

The first practice was, as foretold by both Remy and the newspaper, a travesty.

Roman's passing was rusty, Emile was nervous to be head setter for the first time, Remy moved as though sleepwalking, Patton's glasses prescription wasn't up to date so he could barely see, Zay kept blocking wrong, Lee couldn't seem to hit it in, and the others were just brought down by everyone else: all in all, a colossal mess. So much so that Coach Sanders called it early. As everyone gathered into the huddle, he pinched the bridge of his nose, trying to decide what to say.

Settling for the truth, Thomas Sanders runs a hand through his hair. “Alright guys, we obviously have a lot of work to do. But, this doesn’t mean we’re doomed. You’re all somewhat out of practice and we’ve lost several core players, with very few incoming freshmen to replace them and bolster our numbers. All this simply means that you’ll all have to fight harder than ever this year. We have a legacy to uphold, and I know you’re capable of not only meeting these expectations, but exceeding them. That said, I’m going to let you go now, but come ready tomorrow. I’ll send out a school-wide email and see if there are any fresh players we could snag.”

The pattern of depressing practices continues. However, they do improve slowly. But, there are so many hiccups that the improvement is hard to notice. Having graduated their best middle and head setter, there are gaps to fill. The decision is made to place Roman in the middle. This doesn’t work well due to Roman’s lack of experience in said position. Used to playing outside, Roman has created a certain approach and swing to maximize his power. However, he has less room to build up speed while in the middle, and his arm swing constantly ends with him in the net -- an automatic loss of the point. He stays, day after day, and practices quicks with Emile, but he misses almost every single time. After the third day of staying late, he lands for the sixth time, the ball falling to his left, untouched. “Arghhhhh!” he yells, fluffing his hair vigorously with his hands in frustration. After his outburst, he stands staring at his hands before clenching them into fists and turning to Emile desperately.

“Can we take a break? Set me a 4? Just once? Please?” The hint of hopelessness and pleading in his voice cause Emile to give his consent (ever the bleeding heart). Roman sets up and tosses the ball to Emile. As it leaves the setter’s hands, he begins the approach. He flows smoothly, leaps, snaps his arm, and BANG. The ball collides with the ground with incredible force in front of the ten foot line. Rising from the crouched position where he landed, Roman rolls his shoulders and shoots Emile a smile.

“That’s the stuff.” The sheer volume of the ball hitting the floor caught the attention of most people in the gym. Thomas, not for the first time, wonders whether he made the right decision placing Roman in the middle. The new assistant coach -- Joan, a friend of Thomas’ -- has never seen Roman hit, really hit, and is standing, open-mouthed. They turn to Thomas, dumbfounded.

“You’re telling me that’s how he normally hits? And you moved him to the MIDDLE? You’re giving that up!?”

Thomas sighs again, watching as Roman hits a vicious cut shot to the outside on the opposite side of the net. “He’s a superb blocker and could be an incredible weapon in the middle if he could just figure it out. I’m hoping time and practice will bring out his potential.”

But it doesn’t get better. After innumerable failed attempts at hitting middle quicks, the pair begin to practice twos. These Roman can actually hit, but not with the incredible power and accuracy that he is capable of on the outside. In addition, his pride suffers a serious blow. As one who rarely gives up, the shift to twos feels to Roman like he’s admitting defeat. Consequently, the normally upbeat player can never bring himself to be as encouraging as usual, which is unfortunate, as he’s usually the one that brings the hype.

Everyone has a brief glimmer of hope upon the return of Roman’s twin brother -- Remus. During the third week of practice, he rolls in an hour late and walks onto the court in a pair of tattered sneakers and jeans. When asked where his shoes and knee pads are, he replies with a shrug. He takes his outside position and is his usual powerhouse hitter self, but having lost his usual back row counter part, he is forced to rotate to the back row and pass. This… is not good. At all. During the first drill in which he is rotated to the back, the whole team holds its breath, and winces collectively as the first ball ricochets wildly off his arms.

See, Remus is… interesting. Roman would call him a “menace” and a “terror,” which honestly may not be far off. He’s known for his explosive and unpredictable temper. Thus, after the first failure, the majority of the team exchanges glances as Remus lets out an angry, animalistic growl, and settles into a crouch once again. The second time, Remus doesn’t even try to pass it; he attempts to hit the serve back over. He makes contact, but it sails clear out of bounds and smacks into the wall with a loud thud. This show of aggression prompts Roman to begin yelling: “What was that? It was coming right to you! If you’d just stood there with your arms together you would have passed it!”

“At least I can touch the ball, middle hitter,” retorts Remus.

“At least people can stand to have me around!”

“Oh please, your pretentious attitude pisses everyone off.”

“I don’t disgust everyone who knows me!”

Remus gives a malicious sneer. “They just lack taste and imagination. Or they’re cowards.” Here he gives a fake gasp, as though he realizes something, and points at Roman. “Like you! You’re afraid of failing! So now you hit easy balls because you’re scared!”

This time, Roman is the one who growls and advances angrily toward his brother. “I am not! You’re just jealous you can’t hit as well as I can.”

An ugly look crosses Remus’ face; he starts toward Roman. “Whatever will father think when he sees your failure, I wonder,” he spits. They both approach each other quickly and meet in the middle, Roman throwing the first punch at Remus’ lopsided grin. They each get in a few more blows before Remus is grabbed by Thomas and Emile and Roman by Remy and Patton. Remus offers a bloody smile and spits a glob of blood onto the floor before snapping his teeth in Roman’s direction while giggling. “Your punches are weak too! You must really be letting yourself go!”

Unsurprisingly, fights are not uncommon between the twins. Or rather, fights between Remus and anyone are common. He’s taken to tripping other players or purposefully running into and knocking over or elbowing anyone he blocks with. Even in the back row he's like a juggernaut, bowling over everyone in his path. He tends to ignore people calling the ball and just goes after it himself. He made several other freshman quit last year due to his aggression. This is partially why Thomas put Roman in the middle: he isn’t afraid to block with his brother and will give as good as he gets. If the pair come away from practice with matching black eyes and bloody noses and a multitude of new bruises, this comes as a surprise to none.

True to his word, Thomas sends out a notice a few weeks later that volleyball practice has begun and that anyone interested is welcome. Due to his effort, several new faces appear in the gym. Two are freshman and one is a new sophomore. The freshman are Declan Edge (who simply goes by D) and Alex Taylor. Alex shows up first by joining in on a practice. Declan’s debut is slightly more dramatic. The same day that Roman is hitting on the outside after practice in order to relax, in walks D, quiet as can be. He eyes Roman’s hit with a gleam in his eye. Roman’s next swing never hits the floor. The ball flies perfectly to the setter spot from where D is crouched on the floor, arms still together and face perfectly impassive. He straightens up and fixes his shirt in the silence that follows his feat. “Nice hit,” he offers and walks out of the gym. Everyone left in the gym stands stock still. Remy -- who is lounging on the bleachers -- eventually breaks the silence. "Who the fuck was that and what do I have to do to get him on the team?"

Apparently that sentiment is shared by Emile, because the next day the senior arrives with the incredibly short freshman in tow. "Ow, geez, don't yank my arm off, muscles," intones the new boy sarcastically, rolling his mismatched eyes as Emile drags him forcibly through the door, hand gripping the younger’s arm tightly. From outside the gym a yell is heard from Remus: "Feel free to yank me anytime Pixie!" A growl is heard and a loud thunk quickly follows. A pouting Remus walks in, rubbing his head, Remy close on his heels, one hand in the pocket of his black jacket and the other nonchalantly holding his ever present water bottle, his face impassive.

Remus' spite is quickly forgotten as he catches sight of the newcomer. "Holy shit!" he yells, pointing, "It looks like you have-"

This time every one can watch Remy smack him on the back of his head. "Don't scare off the new recruit, asshole," Remy chides.

"My name is Declan, but everyone calls me D. And none of you look that scary to be honest." To back up his statement, D puts his hands on his hips and surveys the gym, examining all its occupants. He nods once after he's scanned the whole room and then points to Remy. "He's the scariest one here, but everyone knows he's too lazy to do anything." Remus puffs himself up to respond, but is forestalled by Coach Thomas walking up to D. Instead, he fixes an icy glare on his back. Most of the team is worried for the newbie.

Turns out, D passing Roman's spike from the outside was no fluke; he's just that good. All through the next week, the shortest boy rapidly makes a spot for himself on the team. To everyone's relief, it is decided that he'll play back row for Remus. Patton is afraid that D might take his spot for a while, but apparently he has issues with passing soft balls, whereas Patton is steady and consistent both when people bring the heat and when they barely touch it.

Now, the final newcomer -- the only one who is not a freshman -- was something of a mystery. An incoming sophomore, Logan Decker misses the first few practices and shows up only a few days after D has officially joined. The first anyone sees of him is at the beginning of practice when they all notice him sitting on the bleachers speaking to Thomas.

“He’s so tall!” mutters Patton to Roman. The latter snorts. “Yeah, well, so am I.”

“What do you think he plays, babe?” mumbles Remy to Emile as he helps him stretch his arm. Emile shoots a thoughtful glance to the bleachers and hums softly.

“Well, he looks like he’s got some height so maybe something in the front row? If I had to guess I’d say middle, but I’m not sure.” Dropping his voice to a whisper he continues, “He looks kinda scary, doncha think?”

Remy shrugs. “He ain’t got nothin on Remus. Or me for that matter. But don’t worry honey,” he says cheerfully, releasing Emile’s arm only to pull him in for a side hug, “I’ll protect you from the new string bean!”

“My hero!” the other giggles happily, any worry forgotten.

Similar conversations are being held all over the gym up until coach Thomas calls them over. They all dutifully jog over, somewhat faster than normal due to their curiosity.

“Guys,” their coach pronounces, “this is Logan. He transferred recently and wants to join up so you’ll have to show him how we do things around here. Logan-” here he turns to the boy who is still sitting down on the bleachers and gestures for him to stand up- “that’s Roman, Remus, D…” The only one who actually manages to respond when their name is called is Emile, as the remainder of the boys are all too busy staring. At Thomas’ gesture, Logan had indeed stood up… and up… and up. Playing volleyball, the boys had come in contact with a multitude of players of varying heights, more often on the higher end of the spectrum. However, they were unprepared for this much height. After Thomas finishes introducing the team, he claps his hands and smiles at them all. “So, any questions?”

D’s hand shoots into the air. “Yes?” replies Thomas patiently.

“How tall-”

“Exactly how fucking tall are you ya damn tree?” Remus interrupts, weaseling his way past his brother who had valiantly attempted to keep him quiet for the majority of the introductions. Remus then shoves his way into the newcomer’s personal space, leaving literally no room between their chests as he stands on his tiptoes and measures the top of his head against the other’s face. Obviously disgruntled at the proximity, Logan quickly takes several steps back, Remus following delightedly. “I would guess six foot five. Am I close?” he purrs into Logan’s carefully blank face.

“Extremely,” the other says dryly, shoving the shorter (still tall but it’s all relative) man away. Logan adjusts his glasses as he answers the question: “I’m actually six foot six.”

Remy lets out a low whistle and D snorts. “You’re actually over a foot taller than me. That is so excessive.”

Logan glares down at the other player. “I can’t control my height, you imbecile.”

D snorts again. “You might not want to be tossing around insults so soon. You’re not even officially on the team yet.”

“That is where you’re wrong,” Logan replies, somewhat smugly, adjusting his glasses. “Coach Thomas just accepted me onto your team. And let me just say-” Here, he pauses and takes a moment to look around at the circle of faces staring at him. “I haven’t decided whether or not it’s nice to meet any of you yet.” With that somewhat cold greeting, the newest member of the team hefts his bag up onto his shoulder, and makes his way to the locker room, the others staring after him.

“Well, that was rude,” Roman states with a sniff, before turning back to practice. One by one the others begin to drift back to warmups, leaving only Remus staring excitedly after their new recruit. He finally turns away, giggling to himself. “This should be fuuun,” he singsongs to himself as he turns away. He’s quickly distracted after seeing an opportunity to body slam his brother midair.

#remus sanders #deceit sanders #remy sanders #Remy sleep #janus sanders #patton sanders #logan sanders #sanders sides #roman sanders #thomas sanders #volleyball au #why i'm posting this idk #emile sanders #virgil sanders #ships eventually #here goes nothing

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leroyzboots · 5 years ago

Text

Felix peered into the cardboard refrigerator box, slightly startled at it's contents.

Two boys huddled together on a rug that lay at the bottom of the soggy box, shivering from the cold rain that poured overhead.

On the right was a small, lanky teen who wore a t- shirt and ripped shorts, his sneakers looked like they'd fall apart at any moment.

Small strands of dirty blond hair poked out from the rim of his beanie, it covered his eyes completely.

On his left was another, slightly thicker built boy, donned in a sweater and soaked jeans.

He was wearing socks and sandals.

His arm was draped over his eyes, covering them and concealing most of his spiky ginger hair.

"Uh, you fellas alright?"

The one in the hat jumped, making a startled noise.

"O-oh, yes we're alright," he laughed nervously, his voice had a slight southern drawl to it.

"We just don't have the best living conditions, haha!"

The heavy repetitive whacking of the punching bag as Felix slammed his fist into it over and over was soothing almost.

That event had happened almost four years ago, as he let his mind wander back to it.

He placed his calloused palm on the swinging bag and halted it, bringing his knuckles up to his mouth and licking off the blood, relishing in the sting and taste of copper.

Behind him in the hallway, a door opened creakily and his eyes shifted instinctively without turning his head.

Shuffling, followed by a thump and laughter.

He sighed. Snorky had tripped.

Grabbing boxing tape off the table, he began wrapping it around his bruised hands while he walked out of the training room.

Snorky lay on all fours on the ground, rubbing his nose bitterly beneath his thin framed glasses.

His hair was grey and came down in curls, contrasted by his deep brown skin and piercing blue eyes.

Felix sighed again and held out his hand, gripping Snorky's tightly and pulling him and his weight up swiftly.

They knew eachother only by codenames, protecting their families so in case of an accident nobody could be targeted.

Being in a gang promptly named "The Banana Splits" has its ups and downs.

"You never watch out for that catch," one from the kitchen called.

He poked his spiky haired head out the doorway, grinning broadly with his small tooth gap and sunglasses partly obscuring his freckles.

"You get it 'vry time," his brother responded from the couch.

Bingo and Drooper were twins.

While one in the kitchen was ginger, freckle adorned and pale, the other was deep tan and blond.

"Step ovr'it."

His drawl rolled off his tongue easily, smoothly as butter.

"Farm boy charm," as Snork called it.

What stood out about the rest was their glasses.

Felix was the only one who didn't need them.

The twins had sensitive eyes, and Snorky was flat out just fucking blind-

But Felix was fine.

Except, while Drooper would occasionally take his off to clean as they doubled as a prescription, nobody had ever seen Bingos eyes.

Felix shook himself from his thoughts, his hat ears flopping.

"It's late. Snork;" he called, tossing a backpack toward the round teen and nearly knocked him off his feet with it.

"Head home while there's still light."

He nodded and swung it over his shoulders, giving a two finger salute as he jogged out the door.

He didn't talk much, or really at all.

Only a few words now and then and otherwise he was dead silent.

"You two head to bed as well," he muttered, grabbing his phone up off the coffee table.

"I'm going to the dome."

"Sleep well Fleeg!" Bingo barked toothily at him.

It was cold and damp outside, as Felix swung up his legs over the windowsill.

While Snorky left out the front door, where Fleegle slept was lead by the fire escape.

Boots against metal, the ringing sounds were always very pleasant.

Top of the apartment building was a large glass dome, used partially as a greenhouse and a planetarium.

His fingers trailed lightly along the outside, letting his rough palms feel the smooth doorknob from inside his fingerless gloves.

Bingo likes to garden, which is why in various pots there were cacti, flowers, sometimes vegetables.

In the far corner was a hammock where he slept, but Felix walked past it on his way toward the balcony.

No railing, he'd tugged it off months ago. His legs could dangled off over the edge and listen to the city noises.

"There room fer' one more?"

Felix turned his head, furrowing his eyes at Drooper who was grinning at him, his hoodie pulled up over his hair.

"I told you to go to sleep," he scolded as the taller boy sat down beside him.

Drooper scoffed.

"Ain't tired and you know it, Fleeg."

He pulled off his glasses and chewed on the tip, bright emerald like green eyes reflected the street lights below.

Felix could feel his face getting warm as he stared, he only saw the other's eyes on rare occasion.

"Ah, ye're blushin!"

Drooper had caught him, Felix quickly turned away with a scowl as Drooper laughed.

It was a sweet laugh.

"I wish you wouldn't do that;" Fleegle snapped, his cheeks hot now from embarrassment.

Drooper stopped, glasses still between his tongue and his teeth.

"Do what?"

"Make fun of me!"

Felix moved his hands around disgruntledly, frustrated from inability to communicate.

"You do it all the time, but only when it's me and you and I-"

"Make fun of yeh? Fleeg, I'm flirting."

Fleegle snapped his mouth shut immediately and turned back, completely still.

"What?"

Drooper smiled sheepishly, tucking his hands into his hoodie pockets.

"Well, yeah, fer like the past year r' so. You really thought I was makin fun of you?"

He never broke eye contact, Felix practically had to be beet red in the face by now.

"I thought you thought I was stupid."

He blurted out his words and Drooper chuckled quietly.

"That sounds kinda stupid t' me."

"I feel stupid."

Felix rubbed his arms and stared down at his boots, something burned in the back of his throat.

What an idiot.

"It's ok, I-"

He felt the hand on his shoulder and he turned at the speed of light and closed the gap between the two completely.

His lips were so soft and he was kissing him.

Kissinghimkissinghimkissinghim-

Felix pulled back and stared again, his heart racing a million miles a minute.

There was a long pause before the other spoke.

"It's Drew."

Fleegle raised his eyebrows before catching on, stuttering.

"I uh-Fel-it's Felix."

#the banana splits #splits au #pawshipping #mason writes

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vgckwb · 5 years ago

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ML: Are They Worthy? Chapter 49: Hearts and Minds!/Heartwarmer

Mylene walked with Ivan to school the next day. Mylene was hanging off Ivan’s arm. She was still a little shaken up from last night, but knowing she did well and being with her boyfriend made things easier. As the couple approached the stairs, they saw Lorenzo. “Hi Lorenzo” Mylene said.

Lorenzo turned. He had blue sunglasses on. “Oh hi Mylene! What’s up?”

Mylene was confused. “What’s with the glasses?”

Lorenzo was shocked. “Oh yeah. I misplaced my contacts and this is the only prescription pair I have. I have to find a new eye doctor now that I’m in Paris.”

“I see” Mylene said.

“I don’t” Lorenzo joked. “Without these, I’m practically blind.” Mylene and Ivan laughed.

“Hi Mylene. Ivan” Marinette said, also on the arm of her boyfriend. “Who’s this guy?”

“Oh. This is Lorenzo. From the food pantry” Mylene explained.

“Oh!” Marinette said. She let go of Adrien and outreached her arm. “Pleasure to meet you.”

Lorenzo shook Marinette’s hand. “Likewise.”

“So, are you in our class?” Mylene asked.

“Let’s see” Lorenzo said, taking out a slip of paper. “My homeroom teacher is Ms. Mendeleiev.”

“Oh” Mylene said, disappointed.

“I take it that’s a no” Lorenzo said.

“Yeah” Mylene said. “But hey, we can still hang out outside of school time.”

“You’re right” Lorenzo said. “Well, seeya. Don’t wanna be late on my first day.” Lorenzo walked off.

Mylene turned to Ivan, Adrien, and Marinette. “So, here’s the thing…” she began. “Lorenzo kind of asked me out last night.”

“WHAT?!” Ivan said, getting angry.

“Relax Ivan” Mylene said. “When I turned him down, he explained that it was just a plan he had to help him forget about this girl he liked.”

“Oh” Ivan said. “Should I still be mad? I mean, he was trying to use you…”

“It’s fine Ivan” Mylene said. “Anyways, I think we should help him find someone.”

“Ummmmm, it’s not like I disagree” Adrien said, “but isn’t that a bit too fast? We just met.”

“I get it” Mylene said. “But from the time I spent with him last night, I can tell he’s the perfect gentleman.”

Marientte put her hand on Mylene’s shoulders. “You’re right Mylene. We should help.”

“Thanks Marinette” Mylene said. The two boys just shrugged. They all entered the school.

Nathaniel wasn’t too far behind. Just as he was about to enter he heard his boyfriend screaming “WAIT!” He turned around and saw an exhausted Marc carrying a bunch of papers. “I just finished a draft of a new comic. Could you look it over for me?” He smiled.

Nathaniel was concerned about how much his boyfriend wrote. How he didn’t seem to slow down or stop at all. He said gently “That’s great… but maybe we can take a break.”

“When the ideas flow, you just gotta write them down!” Marc said, excitedly.

“I see…” Nathaniel said. “Well, we should get to class.” They went inside.

During the break, Lorenzo stopped by Vlad’s Paris Pride booth. “Haven’t seen you before” Vlad said.

“I just started here” Lorenzo said. “Do you by chance have any ace pins?”

“Of course” Vlad said. Lorenzo bought one and signed up for the parade. “Pleasure doing business with you.”

Lorenzo was about to leave when he almost bumped into Marinette. “Ah, sorry.”

“It’s alright” Marinette said. “Actually I was just about to look for you.”

“Oh. Cool” Lorenzo said.

“But first, I’ve been putting off something for a little while now” Marinette said. She approached Vlad’s booth. “One bi pin please” she said, signing up for the parade.

Vlad smiled. “I didn’t know you were bi” he said.

“Well, it’s a 70-30 preference for guys, but I still consider myself bi” Marinette said.

“Marinette” Vlad said, putting his hand on her shoulders. “You don’t need to justify your sexual orientation to me. You know that.”

Marinette smiled. “Thanks.”

“You know, you can also sign Adrien up to walk with you, right? I’m sure he won’t mind.”

“Well, I should ask him just in case…” Marinette said. “Anyway, I should get going.” She walked back to Lorenzo. “Alright Lorenzo, come with me.”

She began dragging Lorenzo. “OK” he replied. The two met up with Adrien, Ivan, and Mylene. “What’s this about?” Lorenzo asked.

Marinette blushed. “Well, Mylene told us about what happened last night.”

“About how she absolutely crushed sorting cans?” Lorenzo asked. Everyone else’s deadpan stares told him otherwise. “Oh.”

“Look, we just want to help” Adrien said, nervously. “But if you don’t want it, that’s fine.”

“Also, I guess I can forgive you for trying to ask Mylene out, since you didn’t know she had a boyfriend” Ivan said.

“Right. Sorry about that” Lorenzo said.

“We’re cool” Ivan said.

“Well, I wouldn’t mind getting a tour of the school and meeting other students” Lorenzo said.

“Perfect” Marinette said. “Let’s roll!” The five of them began walking around.

They showed Lorenzo around and introduced him to all their friends. “Wow. Everyone seems so nice here” Lorenzo said.

Adrien noticed Marinette’s new pin. “You’re bi?” he asked.

Marinette blushed. “Yeah.”

“Cool” Adrien said.

“Vlad says you should walk in the parade with me. We can stop by again after school to make it official” Marinette said.

Adrien smiled. “Knowing Vlad, he already signed me up.” Marinette rolled her eyes.

The group continued walking around for a little bit. “Well Lorenzo, what did you think?” Mylene asked.

Lorenzo looked around. “I think this school is great,” he said. “Thanks for this.”

“It’s our pleasure” Mylene said.

“And we can figure out your lady-troubles, or whoever you want to get with, later. If you want” Marinette said.

Lorenzo smiled. “Thanks for the offer. But I think I just want to get accustomed to the school first, if that’s alright with you.”

“Of course” Marinette smiled.

“Still, it’s great that I found friends like you” Lorenzo said. “It makes me feel better.” Lorenzo saw something that caught his attention. “Um, excuse me for a minute.” He ran off.

“What was that about?” Marinette asked.

Lorenzo ran up to a girl and tapped her on the shoulder. “Lila!” he said.

Lila turned around and saw Lorenzo. “How can I help you?” she asked.

“Lila! It’s me!” Lorenzo said.

Lila was confused. “Who are you?”

“It’s me! Lorenzo! We went to school together back in Italy!” Lorenzo said.

Marinette, Adrien, Mylene, and Ivan caught up with Lorenzo. “Lorenzo, what’s going on?” Mylene asked.

Lorenzo turned to face the group. “Oh Mylene. This is the girl I was talking about! Can you believe she goes to this school?”

Marinette was surprised. “Lila?”

“Yeah” Lorenzo said. “She’s the sweetest, kindest, nicest person I know.”

Marinette remained confused. “Lila?” Adrien gestures to back down from saying anything.

“Oh. Right. You went to school with me back when I was living in Italy” Lila said. “We should catch up sometime then. Well, seeya.”

Lila tried to leave but Lorenzo grabbed her. “We didn’t JUST go to school together,” he said. “We were practically inseparable! How do you not remember this?”

Lila smiled. “Well, I guess when you’re as busy as me, you tend to forget a few things. OK bye!” Lila started walking off again. She then heard Adrien asking “So, what was Lila like when you were young?” This caused her to freeze in her tracks.

“Well, I don’t think I have to tell you guys” Lorenzo said. “She was amazing! She helped everyone. She was kind, generous, honest. I mean, it took me a while, but all of those little things helped me fall in love with her.” Lila grew puzzled and concerned. She walked back into the conversation.

“Lila?” Marinette said. Adrien gently elbowed his girlfriend.

“Yeah!” Lorenzo said. “Here, I got all these pictures too.” He took out his phone and went to his album of pictures of him and Lila when they were younger. The first picture he showed was a picture of the two standing next to each other. Lila was wearing a black dress, white socks with frills, black mary janes, and a pink bow on her head. Lorenzo had a black tee shirt, light grey shorts, white socks, and black tennis shoes. “This was from our first day of school. And this was from a festival our school put on. And this is backstage from our school play.”

Wow. Lila looks really sweet in these photos Marinette thought. So, how did we end up with this Lila?

Lorenzo got excited at the next pic. “Oh, and here’s when Lila accidentally tripped while carrying some marinara sauce for our school’s potluck. I decided to drabble some alfredo sauce on myself out of solidarity.” Marinette let out a giggle.

Suddenly, Lila pushed Lorenzo to the ground. “Oh come on. It’s a lovely story.”

“No it isn’t!” Lila said, sternly. “I worked hard to put all of that behind me! And you show up trying to undo all of that?! Pathetic!”

Lorenzo got worried. “Lila, I didn’t mean-”

“Don’t!” Lila said “And if you do love me, like you said you do, then don’t embarrass me further! And NEVER speak to me again!” She walked off angry.

Lorenzo got back up, shaken to his core. “Are you alright?” Mylene asked. Before he could say anything, Lorenzo ran off, tears spilling out of him.

“Come on!” Adrien said.

Lorenzo found a small corner to sit down and cry in. “My my” Hawk Moth said from his lair. “The problem with wearing you heart on your sleeve is that it’s easier to break. And easier for me to get into. Fly away, my little akuma, and evilize him!”

The akuma flew and fused with Lorenzo’s glasses. “Heartwarmer! I am Hawk Moth! Want to know why your old friend treated you so coldly? Well I’m giving you the power to melt the ice around people’s hearts! All I need from you is Ladybug and Cat Noir’s miraculous!”

“Of course, Hawk Moth!” Lorenzo said. He stood up and a purple-black aura surrounded him. The group caught up with him just as he emerged as Heartwarmer. Heartwarmer had his blue sunglasses, a black lab coat with two red hearts on each of his sleeves, black pants, black boots, and black gloves with a red-orange coil patter on the palms of his hands. Out of the gloves came a tube which lead to two canisters on his back.

“Lorenzo?” Mylene asked.

Heartwarmer laughed. “I am no longer Lorenzo! I am HEARTWARMER!”

“Get back!” Ivan said, taking his place between the villain and his friends.

“Ooooo. How valiant of you” Heartwarmer said. “However...” we shift to Heartwarmer’s point of view which is tinted blue, and we see Ivan and a little chart that shows a heart with a small ice cube around it. “I see that you’re heart is a little cold. Allow me to help.” Heartwarmer placed his hands on Ivan, a sizzle was heard, and smoke was seen coming off of the hands. Water began flowing through the tubes on Heartwarmer’s arms and into the canisters.

Ivan looked surprised. He then began speaking. “The reason I jump into dangerous situations like this is because I’m afraid that I’m not strong enough. So I do this to prove to myself that I am.”

“Good. Good” Heartwarmer said.

Mylene was shocked, but then she got a determined look on her face. “Hands off my boyfriend!” She charged and knocked Heartwarmer back. Ivan fell to his knees, a pair of coil shapes branded into his shoulders. “It’s OK Ivan” Mylene said, comforting him.

“Well, it looks like the two of you need some time to talk” Heartwarmer said. He lifted his hand, and the coil pattern on his palm went from red-orange to light blue. He shot a blast out of his hand, and when it hit Mylene and Ivan, it turned into ice, which froze them together. “Don’t go anywhere.” Adrien and Mariette saw what this new villain could do, looked at each other, nodded and then left. “Now, who’s next?” Heartwarmer said. “Oh wait. I know. Let’s find Lila.” He ran off.

Meanwhile, Nathaniel was sitting down when Marc sat down across from him. “Did you get a chance to look at it?” Marc asked.

Nathaniel was surprised. “No” he said bluntly. “I’ve been in class all day.”

“Oh” Marc said.

Nathaniel put his hand on Marc’s. “I’m sure it’s excellent. Relax.”

“Oh...OK…” Mrc said.

“Ah!” Heartwarmer said, appearing behind Nathaniel. “I can see your heart is slightly frozen. Don’t worry, Heartwarmer is here to help!” He placed his hand on Nathaniel.

Nathaniel got a shocked expression on his face. “Marc. Sometimes I think you’re more in love with writing than you are with me. You’re writing is excellent, but you need to take a break every once in a while. I’m worried.”

“Nathaniel?” Marc said.

Ladybug’s yo-yo pulled Heartwarmer off of Nathaniel and then Ladybug kicked him in the face. “Ladybug! Just who I want to see” Heartwarmer said. “May I have your miraculous?”

“No you may not” Ladybug said.

“Wow, that was the politest someone has asked for the miraculous” Cat Noir said.

“Of course. I may be a villain, but I am a gentleman” Heartwarmer said. A crowd now congregated around the area. A crowd, as Heatwarmer noticed, included Lila Rossi. “If you’ll excuse me…”

“We won’t” Ladybug said. She and Cat Noir began charging Heartwarmer.

“Pity” Heartwarmer said. He shot blasts at the heroes, freezing them to the wall.

“Perfect!” Hawk Moth said. “Now grab their miraculous!”

“Just a moment Hawk Moth” Heartwarmer said. He turned around and made his way to Lila. “Oh dear. Your heart is so VERY cold! Let’s see what we can do.”

He placed his hands on Lila, who looked terrified. Once the smoke started to rise, Lila began to speak. “I hate Marinette!” The crowd was stunned. “I hate her because she effortlessly gets everyone to love her. While I put effort into making people love me, but no matter how hard I try with my constant lies, I don’t feel as close as everyone is with Marinette. I guess I’m just jealous.”

“A good start” Heartwarmer said. “But why? The Lila I knew could also effortless make friends with anyone.”

“I got scared” Lila said. “When mom took that diplomat job and we had to move, I was ripped away from everyone I love. I tried making friends the normal way when I first went to a new school, but no one cared for me. So I made up these extravagant lies to get people to like me. And it worked. Soon, everywhere I went, I was adored. I grew afraid of losing that adoration, so I kept piling on lie after lie.”

Suddenly, Judgement Wolf’s sword came down. He was aiming to strike Heartwarmer’s arms, but Heartwarmer pulled back. “Cataclysm!” Cat Noir called. He destroyed the wall that he and Ladybug were attached to. Once the ice dropped, it shattered, freeing them.

“Thanks Cat Noir!” Ladybug said.

“Well well. Three on one. I’m not a fan of these odds” Heartwarmer said. “However, I can collect more ice from people’s hearts. The stuff I have now is sufficient enough to make an escape.” He aimed his hands at the ground and froze the entire floor. He then used some of the remaining ice to jettison himself into the air and out into the city.

“He’s gone!” Cat Noir said.

“Cat Noir! Your miraculous is beeping” Judgement Wolf said. “Ladybug and I will evacuate everyone here, you go hide.”

“On it!” Cat Noir tried to jump, but he slipped on the ice. Ladybug giggled a little. “I’ll just...slide out.” Cat Noir left.

Judgement Wolf and Ladybug managed to evacuate the school, even breaking Mylene and Ivan from their icy prison. “OK, now that we got everyone out, let’s find Heartwarmer” Judgement Wolf said.

“Right. Lucky Charm!” Ladybug said. “An urn?”

“I think I’ve seen that urn before” Judgement Wolf said.

“Hey guys” Cat Noir said, coming back.

“Of course! I’ll be back! Can you two find Heartwarmer and tell me his position?!” Ladybug said.

“Of course” Cat Noir said.

“Great! Bug out!” Ladybug said, leaving.

Marinette arrived at Master Fu’s where he and Hao-yu were studying the very urn she summoned. “Master, we need help!”

Master Fu sighed. “I guess it cannot be helped.”

He was about to open the Miracle Box, but Marinette said “Actually, I’m going to need the goat miraculous.”

Master Fu was shocked. He took it off and said “Very well. Just make sure you pick an ally you can trust.”

“I will, as always!” Marinette said. “Thanks!” She ran off.

In Place des Vosges, Marc was sitting down on a bench and listening to music. He felt a tap on his shoulder. He turned around and saw Ladybug. “Oh Ladybug” he said. “What’s up?”

Ladybug sensed some sadness in Marc. “Are you feeling alright?” she asked.

“I’ll be fine,” Marc said. “But because of Heartwarmer, I’m afraid I might lose my boyfriend.”

“How come?” Ladybug asked.

Marc sighed. “While under his influence, he told me that I write too much. I guess I do. But I want him to know that I love him too. I can cut back. I just need to figure out how to do it.”

Ladybug smiled. “Well, can you put that on hold for right now? I’m going to need some help.” She held out a box. “Marc Anciel. Here is the miraculous of the goat, which grants you the power of expression. You will use it for the greater good. Once the job is over, you will return the miraculous to me. Can I trust you?”

“Of course Ladybug!” Marc said. He grabbed the box and opened it.

Ziggy popped out. “So, you’re the kid Ladybug wants to give me to” He said. “Are you sure you’re up to it?”

“Of course! Ladybug trusts me! I don’t want to let her down!” Marc said.

Ziggy nodded. “Then just put the miraculous on and say ‘Ziggy! Let’s Dance!’”

Marc put the hair clips on. “Ziggy! Let’s Dance!” He transformed into a hero with a grey domino mask, a grey skin tight suit, with black hands, black feet, and a black neck area, and a headband with horns on it. He also received a bell. “Woah!”

Ladybug got a call. “We’ve tracked Heartwarmer! He’s by the shopping center!” Cat Noir said.

“Great! I’ll meet you there with a new friend!” Ladybug said. She hung up. “What should we call you?”

He thought about it for a moment. “BleatStar” he said.

“Well BleatStar, we should get going” Ladybug said. The two heroes left to find Heartwarmer.

They arrived on a roof next to Cat Noir. “Ah, you’re here!” Cat Noir said. “I assume this is our friend.”

Ladybug nodded. “Meet BleatStar!” BleatStar waived. “Where’s Judgement Wolf?”

“He’s out freeing people” Cat Noir explained. “Apparently, Heartwarmer here got a lot of people. The only reason I’m not fighting is because he has so much heart ice that it would be crazy for me to take him on alone.”

“You did the right thing Cat Noir” Ladybug said. “Lucky Charm! A giant ribbon?” She looked around. She saw masses of people either cowering or stuck in ice, Heartwarmer’s hands, the ribbon, and BleatStar. “Got it! Look, I know Cat Noir just said that facing him alone was crazy, but ‘m going to need you to do that, OK?”

“WHAT?!” BleatStar said.

“Relax. I believe with your power, you can do it!” Ladybug said. “Besides, you just need to distract him enough so that Cat Noir and I can strike.”

“Well, when you put it like that, sure” BleatStar said.

“Great! Now, activate your power” Ladybug said.

BleatStar nodded. He took his bell and waved it around in the air. “Feeling Harvest!” he called out. Suddenly, manifestations of the emotions of the people in the area gathered in the bell, and since there were a lot of people, a lot of emotions came in. Once he was finished, BleatStar nodded and then jumped into the street below.

Heartwarmer was finishing gather ice from his latest victim. He turned around to see BleatStar. “Ah! A new hero! Standing brave, I see” Heartwarmer said.

“My name is BleatStar! And I will take you down!” he said.

“I’d like to see you try!” Heartwarmer said. He shot blasts of ice at BleatStar.

BleatStar took out his bell and shot blasts of his own to deflect. Heartwarmer was confused. “My power allows me to collect people’s emotions within a five kilometer radius! Once I do that, I can express those emotions in any way I see fit. Since your attack has affected a large population, I could gather a lot of emotions. That was joy, disgust, and boredom! Now, let’s try the second biggest emotion I’ve collected. Anger!” BleatStar held his bell out and shot a red blast that resembled Final Flash from DBZ. Heartwarmer countered by shooting a stream of ice. Eventually, the two beams imploded in on themselves.

“I’ll admit you’re good” Heartwarmer said. “You made me deplete most of my ice.”

“Whereas I still have a trick up my sleeve!” BleatStar said. “The biggest emotion in the area: Fear!” BleatStar raised his bell and rang it. Our popped a blue oversized anime sword. He brought it down upon Heartwarmer. Heartwarmer caught it between his hands, and he tried to melt it with his powers. “Ladybug! Cat Noir! Now!”

Ladybug and Cat Noir jumped down. “Cat Noir!” Ladybug shouted, tossing him one end of the ribbon. The two ran down to capture Heartwarmer and tie him to a building.

Cat Noir finished tying the bow and said “He’s all your, M’Lady!”

“Thanks” Ladybug said. She grabbed the glasses and smashed them, freeing the akuma. “No more evildoing for you, little akuma. Time to de-evilize! Gotcha! Bye bye, little butterfly. Miraculous Ladybug!” The ladybug fixed all of the damage caused by Heartwarmer.

Heartwarmer transformed back into Lorenzo. “What happened?”

“Pound it!” The three heroes said.

“While my plans went cold today, Ladybug, I’m just warming up!” Hawk Moth shouted from his lair.

Judgement Wolf appeared. “Congratulations.”

Ladybug smiled. “Well, it’s all thanks to BleatStar here.” BleatStar waived.

“I see” Judgement Wolf said. “Shall we?” he said, gesturing to leave.

Ladybug turned to Lorenzo. “Can you get back on your own?”

Lorenzo looked around. “I’m new here, so maybe not.”

Ladybug shook her head. “OK. Just wait here. We’ve got some business to take care of first.” Lorenzo nodded. Ladybug and the other heroes left for a secluded area.

Once there, BleatStar said “Ziggy! Let’s Sway!” He transformed back into Marc.

“Ah! How bold of you!” Ziggy said. “Revealing yourself to not just Judgement Wolf, but also Cat Noir without coercion.”

“Well, I saw the interview” Marc said. “And I assume that they want to keep Cat Noir in the loop.”

“I see” Ziggy said. “Well, from my experience, you did well. I’m sure you’ll pass Judgement Wolf’s test no problem.”

Judgement Wolf sighed. “At least you called me by my name. Seriously, why do these kwamis believe that their users will pass?”

“It’s called ‘faith’” Ziggy said. “You should try it sometime.”

“I prefer fact based conclusions” Judgement Wolf said.

“Thanks Ziggy” Marc said. He put the miraculous back in the box. “Seeya around!” He ran off back to school.

Ladybug’s miraculous began to beep. “I gotta take this back to Master Fu’s. Can you two escort Lorenzo back safely?”

“Sure Ladybug” Cat Noir said. Ladybug left. The two remaining heroes found Lorenzo again. “Alright, where to?” Cat Noir asked, while getting Lorenzo on his back.

“Francois Dupont High School” he said.

“Then away we go!” Cat Noir said. They leaped into the air.

At school, everyone was filing back in. “Class will restart in 10 minutes” Mr. Damocles said, welcoming everyone back in.

Marinette returned, and Adrien and Vlad followed soon after. They all entered.

Meanwhile, Nathaniel was sitting around drawing. “Hey” Marc said. Nathaniel looked up. “Listen about what you said…”

Nathaniel looked at his boyfriend. “Look, I don’t want you to take it the wrong way,” he said. “I love your tenacity. But I wish you could take a break. I remember when I drew nonstop for two months. I almost gave up drawing after that.”

“You did?” Marc said.

“Yeah” Nathaniel said. “I don’t want you to burn out like I did. You’re writing is special. I would hate to lose it because you overworked yourself.”

Marc hugged Nathaniel. “Thank you” he said.

Nathaniel hugged back. “Don't mention it.”

Meanwhile, Lorenzo was walking through the halls. He saw Lila again. Lila looked panicked. Lorenzo wanted to say something, but he remembered her words and Lila just walked off. “Is everything alright?” Mylene asked Lorenzo.

Lorenzo looked upset. “I just didn’t expect what Lila had become. I fell in love with her not because she was pretty, but because she WAS the kindest, gentlest person I knew. I wish I could have been there for her, you know?”

Mylene smiled. “I’m sure she'll get there again now that you’re here. She just needs some time.”

Lorenzo looked at Mylene and smiled. “You’re right. And when she’s ready, I’ll be there with open arms.”

“That’s the spirit!” Mylene said.

“Well, we should get to class,” Lorenzo said. “See you around!” He left to go to class.

#miraculous ladybug #miraculous ladybug fanfic #Marinette #Mylene #Adrien #Ivan #Vlad #Lila #Marc #Nathaniel #Hawk Moth #Mr. Damocles #Master Fu #Ziggy

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ilovemesomekillianjones · 6 years ago

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Holding On to Pieces of Us - Chapter 3

SMUT advisory! @spartanguard I am so excited to see what you have up your sleeve for this chapter. Thank you @hollyethecurious for beta services rendered. @kmomof4 CSSNS fucking rocks, thank you! I put in my cut line!!!!!! **Edited to include what @spartanguard had up her sleeve! Go check out her fabulous manip here.

Ch. 3 Rating E 8.5k words ao3 ffnet Tumblr: ch. 1 ch. 2

Emma was woken by loud pounding on her door and two concerned voices yelling her name. Rising from the couch she squinted at the blazing sunlight filtering in through her window. “Coming!” she shouted with annoyance.

“Oh my god, Emma! Where the hell have you been?” Mary Margaret’s words were as strong as the hug she wrapped Emma in. “We’ve been so worried.”

David hugged both women, sighing in relief, “Thank god, you’re okay.”

“I’m fine guys.” Emma broke away from the group hug, and sheltered her eyes while walking to the window to draw the curtain.

“Where were you?” Mary Margaret pressed.

“Wait, how’d you know I was back?”

“Your car is in the driveway,” David said as if it should be obvious.

Emma’s eyes went wide, before quickly schooling her features. “Geez, I’ve been gone like a day. I went for a hike after my appointment and got stranded in the rain, I decided to find high ground and rough it.” She immediately regretted mentioning the appointment when she saw both of their eyebrows raise in expectation.

“So? What’d they say?”

“I have uh… it’s just a vitamin deficiency. In fact, that reminds me, I have to go pick up my prescriptions.”

“Come out with us for breakfast, first?” Mary Margaret asked.

“No, I can’t, I have to shower, when I got home last night I went straight to bed. I’ll catch up with you guys later, okay?” She wasn’t trying to be rude as she ushered them toward the door. But she had to figure this out. How the hell did she get home? How was her car back? How much time had she lost?

“Alright, we can take a hint,” David said, throwing his arm around her shoulder and giving her a half hug. “Dinner tonight?”

“Perfect.”

“Our place or yours?” he asked.

“Mine.” Emma slapped a smile on her face, ready to agree to anything just to get them out of the house.

“And never, ever do that to us again. Call or text… or something.”

“Got it, mama bear,” Emma ribbed Mary Margaret. “Who knew I’d have such wonderful parents as an adult, after a childhood with none.”

“I’m going to start taking that nickname as a compliment,” Mary Margaret laughed.

Emma just rolled her eyes, smile still firmly in place until she shut the door behind them.

“What the hell?” She was more confused than ever now. She’d finally gone completely off the deep end and created that alternate universe where it was just her and Killian, but she had also blocked out a complete period of time where she would’ve had to drive herself home.

Deciding to investigate, she walked out to her car, but not before donning her darkest pair of sunglasses. “It’s so fucking bright,” she muttered, the irony was not lost on her that the weather was in direct opposition to her current mood.

Opening up her car, she sat down in the driver’s seat and was immediately assaulted by his scent. It was just as strong as her imagination had conjured last night. She was about to go back inside when she noticed that the seat was scooted too far back, she pressed the toggle to adjust it to her settings.

Reaching over to grab her jacket from the passenger seat, she startled slightly as she remembered she also wasn’t able to account for how she’d come to be in different clothes than she’d worn yesterday. When she lifted the jacket a piece of paper fell in her lap, picking it up Emma was bewildered to see Killian’s unique handwriting.

Swan,

Please forgive me love, I did not want to leave you last night. I have been away from you for too long and I was ill prepared for your presence. I wasn’t sure I was going to be able to control myself. As promised, I will return to you tonight.

Yours,

Killian

“Oh my god! It was real?” Emma’s free hand flew to her neck, praying for the mark upon her body that would further prove he existed.

Grabbing all her belongings that had been magically waiting in her car, including her phone Emma raced back into the house. Her heartbeat was frantic as she approached her bathroom, hand still caressing her neck. When Emma looked in the mirror and revealed the area, she was exhilarated to see two faint puncture marks. She didn’t even care if it was insane. Killian was alive! Well, technically undead, but he was still in this world.

There was so much to do. She started with a long, hot shower where she washed away the grime from her wilderness trip and the anguish of a year. After dressing in leggings and a tank top, and primping for the day, a day where she would see Killian, she cracked open her laptop. She researched everything she could about vampires, searched the world wide web like an addict, until her stomach audibly protested its neglect over the last two days.

Steak, Emma thought. Steak sounded beyond divine. She didn’t really feel like sitting out at a restaurant by herself, yet she didn’t want company, at least not the company of anyone who was available. Running to the grocery store she bought a family size pack of boneless ribeyes and headed for home. She pulled out all she needed to prepare one of her favorite steaks, thinly sliced garlic inserted into slits in the steak, marinated in worcestershire and barbecued to medium well.

The moment she set to her task though she felt as if she was going to lose her lunch, a lunch she hadn’t eaten. Chalking it up to being over hungry, she forewent the prep. Emma practically skipped outside to light the barbecue and threw the slab of meat on the grill. It smelled divine as she waited impatiently for it to finish cooking. Medium will do, she thought as she plated up her very plain steak.

Emma cursed her impatience as she felt the sting along her skin from standing too close to the barbecue for too long. As she cut into the steak though, she realized she couldn’t have been standing there too long as the steak was rare, not medium, or medium rare, but rare rare. And it looked delectable.

She practically moaned when the first bite graced her palette. It was so tender and juicy… and bloody. Her eyes popped open, having closed them in delight of the first taste. “No way,” she murmured. Sensitivity to the brightness of the sun, aversion to garlic, skin tingling after standing outside, eating a bloody steak? “Am I…” Emma’s hands shot to her mouth where she felt her teeth, no fangs, she thought with an air of disappointment.

She laughed out loud at the absurdity of her situation. Either she was experiencing some post bite symptoms, or she was psychosomatically exuding vampire traits. Either way, what the ever loving fuck? She’d been ready to call it quits two days ago, now she had a renewed vigor for life, or whatever she would be living with Killian. Because yes, she already knew her answer. She wasn’t going to live without him for one more moment, she was going to embrace a future with him, even if it was different than the one she’d hoped for a year ago.

Emma spent the remainder of her day researching more about vampires and tidying up her place, even the bedroom that she hadn’t slept in for a year. She had every intention of bedding her man tonight, she would’ve last night if given the chance. She freshened up and dressed for the evening while the sheets finished drying, then made the bed. Dusk was settling outside and her body tingled in anticipation. She chuckled when she heard the knock on her door. He was earlier than she’d have thought was possible for him to be out. But perhaps so long as the sun wasn’t shining, he was okay, or maybe he was just as impatient as her.

“You don’t have to knock, you’ve obviously taken to coming and going as you please,” she called out as she walked to the door.

“Hi!” Mary Margaret and David greeted enthusiastically.

“Hi,” Emma croaked, after staring blankly at them for a good five seconds.

“And what do you mean coming and going as we please?” Mary Margaret questioned.

“Yeah, I’m pretty sure we were more than entitled to stop by this morning after you went missing,” David added. “And we’re invited tonight!”

“Right, of course, “ Emma said. “I thought you were somebody, uh, nevermind. My mistake, you are most definitely allowed to check up on me, and yes, I did in fact invite you over tonight.” Fuck, fuck, fuck. What could she tell them, she couldn’t say she forgot, or wasn’t feeling well. She was all dolled up, hair, some light makeup, a dress, heels. Shit!

“You’re so dressed up... oh my gosh! Do you have a date tonight? You look like you’re ready to go on a date. Oh my god, she has a date,” Mary Margaret gushed. “I’m so happy for you, Emma! Let us get out of your hair.”

“I don’t have a-”

“Give her the wine, David. Maybe she and this mystery man want to get a little liquored up.”

“I don’t-”

“Do we know him? Nevermind, details tomorrow! Let’s go honey,” Mary Margaret told David all but pushing him back through the still open door.

“I don’t have a date,” Emma yelled, then softly added, “as such.” Because really, how was she going to explain that she was going to see her missing boyfriend who was now a vampire? How was she going to explain that her friends weren’t going to see her again? She wasn’t questioning her decision, of that she was one hundred percent decided. But the finer points, the particulars, those were going to take more thought than she’d even thought to consider.

“You got all dressed up for us?” David asked suspiciously.

She wasn’t going to lie to them, but she didn’t feel like just busting out with the truth was going to help matters either. David would have her 5150’d before Killian got there. Turning swiftly, she headed to the kitchen where she uncorked the bottle of wine, took out three glasses, poured every last drop evenly between them, promptly handed her guests their drinks then drank deeply before either could offer up a toast.

“Look, I don’t know how to possibly say what I need to say without you both thinking that I need to be committed. I’m just going to have to show you. But while we wait, let me tell you about my appointment.”

“You’re kind of not making too much sense, Emma, are you sure you’re okay?” Mary Margaret asked.

“I’m sure I am going to be,” she answered cryptically.

“What are we waiting for?” David asked.

“You’ll know it when you see it, of that I am sure.”

“Ooookay,” Mary Margaret drew out her word as though she already thought Emma was crazy. “Then while we wait for the big reveal I want to hear about these vitamin deficiencies and what the doctor is doing to fix them.”

“Well we still have to eat right? How does steak sound?”

The Nolan’s both nodded their heads signaling that steak sounded great. “I’ll go light up the grill,” David said. He barbequed the steaks while Emma and Mary Margaret prepared a salad and roasted potatoes.

After some small talk about office gossip and the latest cases while dinner was prepared, the trio sat down to eat. “So, Emma, what’s the news?” David asked.

“So, it turns out I don’t have any vitamin deficiencies after all.”

“Well that’s good news,” Mary Margaret beamed.

“I actually have stage four brain cancer,” Emma said, cutting into her steak and avoiding eye contact. She didn’t want to see their pity, but this could hopefully bolster the support she would want from them when it came time to tell them when, why, and how she was leaving them.

Mary Margaret’s fork and knife clattered to her plate and she fixed Emma with a stern glare. “That’s not even funny!”

David just stared at Emma, mouth slightly ajar, silently assessing her demeanor.

“It’s not supposed to be funny, M. It’s not a joke.” Emma spoke in a low voice before glancing briefly at her friends pain filled eyes. Hopefully Killian would get there soon so she could tell them that despite her diagnosis, she was not sentenced to death.

“What are the treatment options? When do you start? How can we help? We’ll have to talk to HR to get you taken off the rota-”

“David, I, uh, I’m not going to seek treatment, it won’t be nece-”

David stood up from the table so hastily that the chair flew back and tipped over hitting the floor with a clatter. “What the hell do you mean you’re not getting treated? Over my dead body!”

Mary Margaret began to sob loudly in her seat as David stood with his hands on his hips, face red with anger. This was not at all how she had seen things playing out. Where the fuck is Killian? “As I was saying, treatment won’t be necessary.”

“Why the hell are you just giving up?”

“I’m not giving up. I… I promise this will all be explained in just a few minutes. Let’s just finish our dinner.”

“I’ve lost my goddamn appetite,” David cursed, causing another loud sob to burst from Mary Margaret who could count on one hand how many times she’d ever heard her husband curse. He calmly turned around, picked his chair up off the floor and pushed it in, then walked outside.

“Oh, Emma,” Mary Margaret sniffed, “please tell us what we can do to change your mind. You just have to get treatment. Not even trying is like giving up hope.” Reaching her hand across the table she squeezed Emma’s. “Back when Killian... disappeared, I- I don’t remember everything. But I remember that whatever happened snapped something inside of me, I broke… but David came to see me everyday, and then you came to see me. And I knew I had to fight. I knew I needed to hope for the best. Believing in the possibility of getting better could be a powerful- holy shit! Daviiiid!!” Mary Margaret screeched at the top of her lungs.

Emma listened as her friend started in on one of her hope speeches, when suddenly Mary Margaret paled, cursed, then screamed for her husband, all right before her eyes rolled back in her head and she fainted right out of her chair before Emma could do anything.

“Bloody Hell!”

Emma’s head whipped around toward Killian’s voice, “Thank goodness you’re here!”

“Maybe I should come back at a better time?”

“NO! This is the perfect time. The shit has hit the fan, David is ready to haul me to the hospital to receive involuntary treatment, and Mary Margaret is about to preach hope like never before.”

“What the hell is going on?” David shouted running in from out back. “What is the scream- Who… I… Wha- Emma, what the fuck? Is this why you’re all dressed up?”

Emma couldn’t help it, none of this was good, but it wasn’t bad either, she giggled. “I told you, you’d know it when you saw it.”

“This isn’t funny Emma, my wife is passed out, and you’ve taken to finding a stand in for your dead boyfriend. No offense,” David added cordially, looking at the man in black leather.

“None taken, mate,” Killian smiled.

“Wow, you really do look just like him, and you got the accent down. Is it real, or did she ask you to talk like that?”

“I assure you, it’s real.”

“David!” Emma chastised. “I didn’t ask him to do any such thing. This is Killian, the real Killian.” Emma was now on the floor with Mary Margaret’s head cradled in her lap. Her friend was still out cold.

“Enough, Emma. Do you have any idea what this could do to her if she wakes up and this rent-a-Killian is here, do you even remember what happened to her when he disappeared?”

“Of course I remember,” Emma snapped. “I remember every painful moment of the last year.”

“Then why are you doing this?”

“I’m not doing anything. He’s real, David, and I don’t care if you believe me. I can explain everything if you’d give me the chance.”

“Fine, but I want him out of here for when Mary Margaret wakes up. I don’t want this putting her back in the hospital.”

“Fine,” Emma answered petulantly. Apparently not everyone was going to warm up to this development as quickly as she had. “Can you wait in our room, just for now. Please don’t leave though, Killian?”

“As you wish,” was all he answered before he vanished from the spot he had been occupying.

Emma rolled her eyes, “He always did have a flair for the dramatic, wouldn’t you say?”

David didn’t answer. He was frozen in his spot, jaw hanging open, eyes wide as saucers.

“Close your mouth, you look ridiculous.”

David snapped his jaw shut then scrubbed both his hands over his face and through his hair. “Just what the everloving fuck is going on, Emma!”

“Keep your voice down! Your wife is going to have a meltdown if you don’t get your foul mouth under control.”

“She’s already having a meltdown! Explain. Now.”

Emma stood up and grabbed Mary Margaret below each arm, “A little help?”

David grabbed his wife’s ankles and they moved her to the couch. Returning to sit at the table, they stared at each other for a moment before Emma began the whole tale. Everything from her hallucinations that weren’t hallucinations, to Scarlet’s arrest, to her diagnosis, to her trek into the woods, to the discovery that Killian was their vigilante killer, and finally to what he was and what he could offer her.

“Now if you need more proof that it’s really Killian, then you’re going to have to talk with him. I’m sure there are things he can say or do that will convince you.”

David’s jaw was having a hard time staying in the correct position tonight. He felt as though he might need to physically hold it up. Either Emma was completely mad, or the world as he knew it was changed forever. He looked over at his sleeping wife, wondering if she’d be able to handle this development, and was startled to see she was awake with silent tears spilling down her cheeks.

Rushing to her, he knelt down by her side and slid one arm under her back and one under her knees. “Come on, it’s late, let’s get home.”

“No,” Mary Margaret whispered. She sat up and looked first at Emma, and then at David. “I want to know. I need to know if it’s him.”

David sat down next to his wife, and wrapped her hands in his. Looking at Emma with a pleading look in his eyes, he beseeched her one final time. “I want to believe you, Emma. Really, I do. But if this is some kind of hoax, or twisted reality you’ve created, I’m begging you to stop it now.”

“I swear to you both, it’s not,” Emma vowed, while walking over to take a seat.

“Are you sure, hon?” David asked Mary Margaret who nodded her head vigorously in response. “Bring him out then.”

“Okay.” But before Emma could even call his name, he reappeared, this time sitting on the loveseat along the opposite wall of the couch, right next to where Emma had sat down.

“Oh!” Mary Margaret yelped, hand clutching her chest.

“Sorry, Snow.”

Mary Margaret’s sharp inhale morphed into a slightly hysterical laugh. “Oh my gosh! It’s him!”

“What?” David and Emma asked in unison.

“Don’t get me wrong,” Emma started, “I know it’s him, but what the hell happened in point five seconds that has you convinced?”

“He called me Snow.”

David and Emma shared a confused look.

“It’s an inside joke,” Mary Margaret said. “When David took me to Cabo for a week, I came back bragging about my tan. Killian laughed at me and said I was still white as snow. He even went so far as to show me that his arms were still tanner than mine and he hadn’t even had to leave dreary Maine for it. Ever since then he’s called me Snow.”

Emma laughed at the simplicity. “Well there you go Sir Skeptical, your wife is a believer. And here I always thought he was making fun of you because you always get so excited when it snows.”

Looking at David, it was apparent that he was still a bit unsure.

“Come on, mate. What do I have to do to convince you? Your favorite drink is the daiquiri, even though you rarely order them because you don’t want the guys to laugh at you. You have a thing for fairies, Tinkerbell, Crysta, even the fairy godmother in Shrek. You prefer loose fitting boxers to boxer briefs because you don’t want your boys to suffocate, oh and you... eh, you like that thing the wifey does… you know with her pinky fing-”

“Alright, that’s enough Jones!” David’s blush shot from his neck to the tips of his ears.

Mary Margaret burst out laughing, while Emma had a look of distaste on her face, “TMI Killian, but you got him! He’s a believer.”

David finally let out a chuckle. “Of all the shit you know about me, you chose to start with those?”

“You could’ve stopped me at anytime, Dave.”

“I’m starving,” Mary Margaret cut in, “let’s eat and you can tell us all about the past year.” She sounded so enthusiastic one would think she was talking to a friend who’d left to explore the world.

The four settled at the table and Killian regaled them with his tales from life as a vampire. Although he left no detail out, he did make sure to censor the gorier parts.

“Lately I’ve been exploring Cartographer’s Bluff. Do you remember that portal I told you about Swan? When we took our first camping trip?”

Emma nodded, while Mary Margaret and David looked at him cluelessly.

“I’ve heard rumors for years that there’s a portal to another… realm, a place where a diverse spread of supernatural beings live. It’s why the maps we look at show more land than we see when we are hiking. That land does exist, but it was cursed, locked away beyond a portal that isn’t visible to the human eye. Supposedly the supernaturals lived in secret among humans for years, but over time people started to suspect something otherworldly about the community in general and so they decided it best to go into hiding to protect themselves.”

“Have you found it?” Emma asked.

“I did, it’s a very faint field protecting the area, but I can see it. I haven’t had the nerve to crossover.”

“Why not?” David asked. “Don’t you want to see what else is out there?”

“Of course, but I guess a part of me always wished, or hoped that I’d be with Emma again. I don’t know if the portal is open to come and go as I please, or if I’d be trapped there forever.”

“You’ll always have me now.” Emma reached out for his hand and squeezed it when he laced their fingers together.

“Ha!” Mary Margaret exclaimed. Placing her hand on top of both of their hands she smirked at Killian. “Guess you can’t call me Snow anymore, seeing as I’m waaaay more tan than you now, and I didn’t even have to leave dreary Maine to do it.” She laughed heartily as she mocked his own words.

“It would seem you are correct, it only took my death to achieve this feat,” he deadpanned.

Mary Margaret’s laughter immediately ceased, and her eyes turned down sadly.

“Snow, it was a joke. Please forgive me, it’s too soon for such flippancy.”

“No, it’s not that. I just… it made me realize that your solution to Emma’s condition is to make her a vampire. Does that mean that you two will leave?” The woman’s big green eyes filled with tears again as she contemplated losing her friend.

“We haven’t thought that far in advance,” Emma said hurriedly, trying to head off a huge discussion before she and Killian had a chance to discuss it themselves. “I promise you both I won’t disappear again without telling you where I’m going.”

“Emma and I still have a lot to figure out, but you guys will be the first to know outside of us,” Killian added.

David and his wife both nodded their heads solemnly, taking their friends at their words. After finishing dinner, cleaning up, and the reiteration of promises, the couple took their leave. They were wise enough to know the couple needed this time to formulate their plans.

As soon as the door shut Emma turned to Killian and launched herself into his waiting arms. “Don’t ever fucking do that again!” She hugged him with all her might and relished the feel of his arms wrapping strongly around her.

“Oi! Such language. You kiss me with that mouth?”

“You’ve never complained before.”

“I suppose not. Now what is it I’m not to do again?”

“You are never to disappear or magically poof me away and leave without a word again.”

“It was for your safety. I was having a hard time controlling myself with you, always have.”

Emma looked up at him with a seriousness in her gaze, but momentarily found herself lost in the bright blue hue of his eyes tonight. “Your eyes are so blue tonight, they were pale yesterday.”

“I wasn’t properly prepared yesterday. Tonight my thirst is quenched I suppose you could say.”

Emma huffed, and broke from his embrace.

“What is it?”

“How? I mean, you didn’t drink that much from me last night. I don’t want you to… you know. You don’t, like… I mean… are there others?”

Killian just stared at her as she continued to stumble over her words. “What is it you’re asking, Swan?”

A rosy shade of pink colored her cheeks as she realized she was going to have to come right out and ask. “Are there other girls?”

“Other girls for what?”

Emma rolled her eyes at his obtuseness, silently cursing him for making her a jealous brat. “Do you drink from other females?”

Killian burst into laughter, his eyes alight with love for this girl.

Emma’s mouth dropped open, then she spun on her heel and stormed to the bedroom.

“Wait up, love.” He got to the door just as it was slamming closed and stopped it with his foot. Emma was laid out on her back, arms folded across her chest, staring at the ceiling.

Laying next to her on the bed, he took it as a good sign that she didn’t tell him to leave, or even turn away from him when he slowly crooked his arm across her stomach. “Emma Swan, are you jealous?”

She growled in irritation, but still didn’t turn away. “No,” she muttered petulantly.

“I think you’re jealous,” he crooned.

“Well what the hell do you expect, I mean you were hard as a rock last night when you drank from me. You think I want you doing that with someone else?”

“Mmmm I was,” he growled, splaying his hand across her stomach, “but you know what darling? I was hard as a rock because it was you.”

Emma turned her head, “Yeah?”

He nodded his head. “After I left you here last night, I knew I couldn’t see you again without first quenching my thirst. Remember the stockpile I have at the, what did you call it? House of horrors? I drank my fill before seeing you tonight so I could control myself.”

Emma giggled at the title and at assuming the worst. How could she so quickly forget the mini blood bank he had back at his place. “Sorry,” she whispered sheepishly. Turning her body toward his she scooted further into his embrace.

“Nothing to apologize for. I imagine I’d feel the same if you were to let someone else taste you.”

“Well, you don’t have anything to worry about, I don’t know any other vampires.”

“Maybe I wasn’t talking about that kind of tasting.” Killian arched his eyebrow and licked his lips.

Emma watched as he transformed from man to vampire, his fangs clicking into place in the blink of an eye. Her heart rate soared, but not out of fear. As surreal as this all still was, she was turned on by his fangs, as was proven by the swirl of want she felt between her legs at the thought of him tasting his fill of hers. “Oh, that’s only for you.”

“Only me? Even after a year?”

“I don’t know if I’d have ever moved past you, Killian. I might’ve become an old spinster. But I assure you, after only one year, yes, only for you.” Leaning in, Emma touched her lips to one fang, then the other before taking his mouth.

Killian groaned into her mouth when he tasted her tongue on his. He tightened his hold at her lower back and kneaded her flesh, wanting to feel more of her. “Your soft, wet, mouth tastes just as delectable as I remember.”

He’d always loved to kill her with words. She felt that familiar swell low in her belly, and she pressed into him further. “What else do you want to taste?”

“Everything you have to give.”

Their eyes mirrored each other’s, beautifully colored irises, blue versus green, barely visible around wild pupils. “Take it,” she whispered. Before she could take notice, Killian transported, where he had been laid beside her he was now standing next to her side of the bed. Emma took the hand he offered her and stood up with him.

He removed his black leather jacket, then took both Emma’s hands and placed them on his chest. She didn’t need to be led further, Killian had always enjoyed when Emma undressed him, with her eyes and especially with her hands.

Slowly caressing the planes of his chest, down to his abs and then back up again, Emma pulled the shirt from his jeans at the same time, then set to the task of unbuttoning it. With each new bit of skin that was exposed she felt new want blossoming. Her hands caressed his pecs, fingers skimming through his thick chest hair, then moved up to his shoulders to push away his shirt.

Even though he couldn’t blush, she saw a shy modesty bloom under her scrutiny. He still had his tells, she noted as his hand came up to rub at the back of his neck. A sure sign he was a little shaken. “Just as gorgeous as I remember,” she murmured. Moving forward, Emma inhaled deeply at his neck then feathered light kisses along the column of his neck as she deftly unfastened his belt. “I missed you so much,” she whispered into his skin as she unzipped him.

“I missed you too, my love.” Taking her face between both hands he brought her mouth to his to cement his words.

Emma slid his pants down his hips and thighs while he kissed her senseless. She felt his hard length against her stomach and couldn’t help the giggle that stole from her mouth.

“What’s so funny?”

“No blood, no heartbeat, and now no knickers? I seem to remember you had quite the collection of those hot little boxer briefs that packaged everything so… deliciously.”

“Perhaps I forewent my knickers for your easy access.”

Emma laughed again, “Good idea. Goddamn you look so good. You’re just missing one thing.”

“And what would that be?” He quirked his eyebrow as she unfastened the necklace, his necklace, she wore.

“I want you to have it back, now that you’re here to stay.” Emma stepped behind him and fastened the necklace for him. She kissed his neck and wrapped her arms around his waist. “I also want to feel it drag along my body when you’re on top of me,” she whispered into his ear.

An involuntary shiver coursed through his body at her seduction. Then she was gone, the warmth of her body no longer pressed to his, and he found himself desperate for her touch.

When she walked back around him, she faced away from him, toward the bed, then swept her hair upward with both hands signaling Killian to unzip her. The dress fell to the floor seamlessly, and she whipped back around to face him, without warning she jumped up and clung to his body. He caught her as if she were a feather. “So it’s true what they say? Vampires have super strength?”

“Aye, there are many things that are different about me now, Swan. We could discuss them all at great length if you’d like?”

“Uh-uh, not right now. We have more important matters to attend to.”

“Such as?”

“Shut up and get inside me, Killian Jones.”

“As you wish.” He laid Emma out on their bed and crawled between her thighs, then kissed her lips once, before setting to leisurely teasing every inch of her body. He ran his lips down her neck before feasting on her breasts like a man starved, all the while inhaling deeply, her scent like a lifeline.

Just as she’d wanted, Emma could feel the delicate drag of the pendants on his necklace along her throat, then down her sternum as he kissed his way down her body. “Hurry up,” she whined. “It’s been a year,” she added when he chuckled at her impatience.

“Don’t I know it,” he murmured. “Let me enjoy these a bit more.” He sucked and teased his fill before moving further down her body, finally settling where she wanted. Killian massaged her hips, up and down her rib cage, then placed his mouth upon her.

The moan that emerged from Emma would have embarrassed her if she wasn’t busy being so impatient and greedy for his mouth. She fisted her fingers into his thick hair, encouraging his actions.

Killian hummed his approval into her folds when her delectable taste graced his tongue. He worked her quickly, but expertly, his tongue seeking everything she had to give. He brought two fingers to her entrance, soaked and ready to be penetrated and slid them in without warning at the same time as he sucked her clit between his lips.

“Yes,” Emma gasped at the sudden but welcome intrusion. It’d been far too long, and she was on the brink of utopia from just one thrust of his digits. She bucked her hips to meet the curve of his fingers, the wet slide music to her ears. The sound of sex had always been a turn on for Emma, and after a full year, it was as though the sense was heightened.

Killian added a third finger to her divinely swollen flesh and delighted in her cries of passion as she immediately came. “That’s it love, let me hear you.” He coaxed her through her aftershocks, waiting patiently for her to come down. “Hearing you get off is second only to watching it, Swan.”

“Then allow me to come again… for your pleasure.” She smiled like the cat that got the canary, before adding, “Tell me how you want to watch me come.”

Before Emma could process a thing she was straddling his waist while he lied out on the bed. “What the-”

“Super speed,” he shrugged throwing his hands behind his head.

“So that’s true too. What about super stamina?”

“Oi! My stamina was always super.”

Emma collapsed onto his chest in a fit of giggles. Her vampire boyfriend was still a drama queen. “Oh, Killian. That wasn’t a complaint.” She braced her hands on either side of his head and pushed up so she could look down at him. “I never had any complaints in that department,” she purred as she slid her still wet folds up and down his length. Emma watched as his eyes rolled shut. “You like that?”

“Fuck yes, you’re so warm and wet. I want to feel you wrapped around my cock, love.”

She kissed him briefly then licked and gently bit her way along his jawline. “As you wish,” she murmured into his ear.

Killian’s eyes sprang open as he didn’t want to miss a moment, she just felt so good. He watched as she braced her left hand on his chest and gripped his shaft in her right to line him up to her. His cock strained as he felt the warmth of her entrance, and he swore she was teasing him. “Ride me, Swan.”

Hearing those words brought back a flood of memories, so many nights spent making love. Torn between slamming home and making him beg, Emma slowly sunk down onto him until he was fully sheathed. She didn’t move, she needed to adjust to the way he stretched her, she also wanted to savor the full feeling she’d been deprived of for so long.

Killian didn’t realize he’d closed his eyes again until he felt her forehead rest on his. He brought one hand to her hip and the other to the back of her head. “I love you, Emma.” He punctuated his words with a fervent kiss, hardly giving her a chance to answer.

His words and ardor spurred her to action and she withdrew her hips before gliding back home again. Emma alternated between kissing him and watching him. The muscles of his body moved smoothly under his skin as he guided her hips. She got lost in the way his arms flexed, his stomach tensed and settled, the tick of his jaw, and she thought watching him in the throes of passion might be the most gorgeous thing she’d ever witnessed.

Killian moaned and whispered encouragement and obscene words to her as she worked herself closer to another peak. He was mesmerized by the way her breasts bounced as she rode him, but only when he could pull his eyes from her expressions of heat, happiness, and wonder that all made their way across her face. He knew the moment she reached that crescendo, when she threw her head back in ecstacy and called out his name. And again, hearing her come undone was second only to watching. Pumping into her still, Killian’s orgasm started to crest through him and he was inundated with a maddening desire to bite and feed from the woman who’d just thoroughly ravished him.

Emma watched as Killian’s release took him. He was beautiful, but something was just slightly off. His eyes paled a shade, and he looked slightly feral. Then it dawned on her. “Drink,” she commanded. And once again she found herself in a new position without experiencing how she got there. She was laid out on her back and Killian was poised above her now, still thrusting deeply into her. She didn’t say anything, but only swept her hair aside and offered her neck.

Without another moment’s hesitation Killian sunk his fangs into her tender flesh and pulled deeply from her thrumming vein. Her breathy moans had him fucking into her harder, as he realized she loved his bite. The swell of her walls against his cock had him seeing stars until he finally let go and let the pleasure take him on a ride.

The moment her skin was pierced Emma entered a state of euphoria. She felt pleasure course throughout her body, settling in every nerve ending. The way his fingers grazed her skin was perfect, the way his chest rubbed against hers was perfect, and the way he stroked against her clit with every thrust was perfect. Her whole body tensed as she sensed Killian’s orgasm, and then a wave of pleasure like none she’d experienced before swept her up with him, and her body relaxed as gentle wave after wave washed through her.

Not for lack of want, Killian withdrew his fangs from her neck. “That was…”

“What ha-”

They both chuckled at the utter fuckstruck tone to their voices, and Emma collapsed against Killian’s chest.

Running his hands through her hair he enjoyed the warm press of her skin against his cool body. “You are so warm. I’ve missed you so much, my love. Tell me you’ll stay with me forever?”

If he had a beating heart it would have stopped at her hesitance to answer. Taking in a deep breath he didn’t technically need, he tried to find his center again. “I understand. I didn’t mean to pressure you, please know that I will accept any decision you make.” He kissed the top of her head, then rolled them so they could get comfortable.

There was something off with the way her body rolled so listlessly as he moved them. “Emma, are you quite alright?” Brushing her hair away from her forehead he saw that her eyes were open, but glazed as if she wasn’t seeing. “Emma, love, wake up,” he shouted as he shook her gently. Killian checked for her pulse, but even with his heightened senses could only detect a weak and fading pulse. He couldn’t comprehend the thought of losing her after he’d only just got her back. But he couldn’t fathom turning her without her permission either. “Please, wake up. Tell me what to do,” he pleaded. Holding her limp body tightly to his, he prayed to any god who might hear him for Emma to wake.

“Emma!” Killian was sitting up in bed holding her tightly with his forehead rested on hers. She was still breathing but it was shallow. He pressed his lips to hers and a broken sob spilled forth. Emma’s whole body jerked in his arms as she struggled to inhale.

“Breathe love, just breathe,” he soothed her.

“What happened?”

Killian still had her held tight in his arms, unwilling to let her go. “You tried to leave me, you were barely breathing, and your pulse was almost nonexistent.”

“Why are you bleeding?” Emma brought her hand to his face and brushed her thumb across the drops of blood on his cheek.

“Shit, sorry. Will you be okay If I go to the bathroom to clean up?”

Emma nodded her head. “I’m fine. But why are you bleeding, did I hurt you?”

“Of course you didn’t.” Killian stood up from the bed and raked his hand anxiously behind his ear.

“There’s that blushless blush,” Emma teased as she watched him. “What is it, bashful?”

“I thought I was going to lose you,” he whispered. “Crying is a messy affair when you’re a vampire.”

“I’m not going anywhere, all you would have to do if I was dying in your arms is turn me, then there’ll be no getting rid of me.” Emma stood up off the bed and held her hand out to him, “Let’s get cleaned up. If that’s what comes out of your eyes when you cry, I’m sure I need to bathe after what we just did. Unless you’re ready for round two.”

“I’m always ready for you, but we need to talk first.”

“Fine,” Emma sighed, knowing that serious Killian with his good form, morals, and integrity was going to make an appearance.

~CS~

“Are you hungry?” Killian asked as he dried his body.

Emma watched his naked form as he toweled off, her eyes were quite focused as she enjoyed the show. “Only for you,” she murmured as she slipped on her silky robe.

“On the contrary, I can hear your stomach,” he chuckled.

“Stupid vampire hearing,” she muttered while drying her own hair. “I can eat anytime, I’d rather make up for the last year by having you again. I haven’t gotten to... you know.” Licking her lips she crudely gestured a blow job, then smiled devilishly as he began to harden before her.

“Naughty vixen,” he smirked, “I promise you, once we’ve talked, if we move forward together-”

“What if, Killian?” she interrupted. “There is no if, only when.”

“Well then, after we talk, when we move forward together, you’ll have an eternity to suck my cock.” He waggled his eyebrows at her scandalized expression, while throwing on a pair of his old worn sweats.

Emma feigned offense before bursting into giggles. “I love you, you filthy animal.”

“Come on.”

Before she could make another attempt to lure him back to bed, he poofed them to the kitchen where she was sitting on the counter watching him practically warp around the kitchen while preparing her pancakes, eggs, and sausage. She was almost dizzy.

Once he’d prepared her plate he swooped her up and transported them both, food and all to the back patio. “Now we talk.” He sat her in a chair at the small dinette and sat across from her.

“Talk, talk, talk,” Emma rolled her eyes before scooping a bite of pancakes into her mouth. “Mmmm, just as delicious as I remember,” she commented through a full mouth.

“So classy.” He watched as carefree Emma returned. She’d been such a shell of herself over the past year.

“Shut up!” she laughed, punching him in the arm. “Actually don’t shut up, you talk all this talk you need to talk, and I’ll eat.”

“As you wish. All the things I am about to say aren’t to discourage you, but I do need to say them, because I want you to really think it through before you make your decision.”

“Okay, I’m all ears.”

“No more food to start, you won’t be able to enjoy those light and fluffy pancakes, nor your beloved garlic steak. No sunlight... tanning, the pool, the beach, all gone. A warm body will be a thing of the past, and no more beauty sleep, not that you ever needed it. You won’t be able to be around humans for a long spell, it’ll just be you and me.”

Emma reached across the table and entwined her fingers with his. “I don’t see the problem with any of that. I would give up food, sleep, my warmth, my heartbeat, the sun, moon, and stars to be with you.”

“Fortunately you wouldn’t have to give up the stars, Swan.” Killian squeezed her hand lovingly as he gestured toward the star laden sky with his other. “We can always enjoy this. Alas, those are the more superficial things. We would never be able to stay anywhere forever if we intended to live among the living, they’d realize we were different if we maintained our youthful good looks for too long. You’d have to watch every human you love die, eventually. And… no babies.”

Emma contemplated his last two thoughts as she pushed around the bits of food left on her plate. For the majority of her life she hadn’t wanted kids, she’d never had a mom and was quite sure that she didn’t know the first thing about how to be one. Only once Killian had come into her life had she even considered kids, they’d discussed it a time or two. Ultimately, had everything worked out happily ever after, they probably would’ve had a couple kids. But now, the fact was, she wasn’t going to have kids either way, she probably didn’t have nine months left to try, and she could handle that.

“David and Mary Margaret,” she murmured, they were a different story. Her eyes watered as she thought about them growing old and eventually dying as she and Killian would remain never changing.

“I can… enthrall them, I suppose you could say.”

Emma stared at him blankly.

“You know, enchant, glamour, hypnotize them.”

“To do what?”

“To forget. Everything about us, it would be as if we’d never existed in their minds.” Killian watched silently as an array of emotions flitted across her face, a bit of sadness, some nostalgia, and even the hint of a smile.

“No, I can handle it. I don’t want you to… mess with their minds. Wait! Have you messed with my-”

“Never love,” Killian cut her off, “I wouldn’t dream of it.”

Emma stood up and tugged on Killian’s hand. “C’mon.” She led him to their swinging loveseat. After guiding him to sit criss cross she sat opposite him so they were facing each other. Grabbing both his cool hands in her warm ones she laced their fingers again placing them in her lap, and looked into his eyes.

“I know you may think I am being quick to jump, and flippant, but Killian, I know in my heart that I’m making the right decision. Some might think me weak for not moving past your death, but the fact is, I could have moved on, I just didn’t want to. I had no desire to live in a world without you in it. You were, are the greatest and only love of my life, I had no desire to move past that. I would have lived out my life however I was able to navigate without you, but now I don’t have to, and nothing you can say or do will change my mind.”

“Gods I am blessed, if a demon like me can be blessed.”

“You are not a demon,” Emma whispered, wiping at the bloody tear that traced the curve of his cheek.

“Knowing all that you know now, I don’t understand how you can still love me so unconditionally, but I swear you won’t regret it for even a single moment of our eternity.”

“Good.”

Pulling Emma into his lap he threaded both hands into her hair and pressed his forehead to hers. “I love you, Emma Swan.”

“Prove it. Take me back to bed.”

“One track mind,” he chuckled.

“Better yet, who needs a bed. Take me right here, vampire.”

“You’re amazing, Emma.”

“I love you, Killian Jones, enough talking now.”

Tagging: @onceuponamirror @teamhook @artistic-writer @courtorderedcake @jarienn972 @therooksshiningknight @ultraluckycatnd @resident-of-storybrooke @captainswan-shipper88 @winterbaby89 @cssns please let me know if you’d like to be tagged, or removed from the list.

#cssns #cs smut #cs ff #cs fanfic #cs au

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kvhottie · 6 years ago

Photo

When a silly accident causes Kageyama to need prescription glasses during his 3rd year in Karasuno, he notices that everyone at school starts looking at him differently. Including Hinata, who for some reason gets red in the face every time Kageyama catches him staring.

Rating: General |Pairing: KageHina |Tags: Glasses AU, 3rd Years Au, Fluff & Humor

~Dedicated to my lovely friend @vangwen ~

[Ao3]

Somewhere in the back of his mind Kageyama knew this was a long time coming. Well, not exactly like this. He expected it to develop slowly, through old age as it did with his dad—not with a ten-year-old mistakenly hitting him in the face with a softball.

It was a blistering mid-August day, about three weeks before the end of Kageyama’s summer vacation during his 3rd year at Karasuno. He had just been walking through the neighborhood park on his way back to get a popsicle from the convenience store when all of a sudden he was on the ground, popsicle melting on the dirty pathway besides him, and his right eye badly stinging.

The mother of the kid that had just popped him in the eye rushed over in a fit of apologies and lifted his face to see the damage. If his blurry vision wasn’t already a clear enough indicator that he was not okay, the woman’s worried look definitely was. She helped him up while explaining that she’d drive him to the hospital. Her kid gathered all their stuff and he meekly joined them, also doing his fair share of apologizing once he got a good look at Kageyama’s face.

“It is Traumatic Iritis,” the hospital’s on-call ophthalmologist decided after examining Kageyama’s eye for some time. He returned to the chair by his desk to type notes into Kageyama’s medical record and begin writing out his prescriptions.

“What does that mean?” “It means that because you took a blunt hit to the eye, your iris was injured and became inflamed. When you look in the mirror you’ll see that your eye is red and that your iris is bigger than usual because of this injury.” And that’s when the haze was replaced by panic. “Wait, how long will this last? I play volleyball and—“ “For about two weeks,” the doctor assured him with a gentle smile and ripped the sheet from his notepad, passing it to Kageyama. “If you diligently use the drops I’m prescribing you, the pain, inflammation, and sensitivity to light you are feeling should go away in around two weeks.” “Really?” Kageyama said with obvious relief. “And then my eye will be completely back to normal?” “Well, hopefully. The blurry vision you are experiencing should decrease quite a bit, and with luck it will go away completely. But your vision might have been affected. We will test it once your eye is healed.” “Okay.” Kageyama replied, a bit deflated. He got up and bowed slightly. The doctor nodded. “Don’t worry too much and be good about taking your drops. I’ll see you in a few weeks.” “Thanks…” Kageyama closed the door behind him and hooded his eyes from the harsh hospital lights. It hurt to look anywhere. In the waiting room the guilt-ridden Yumiko and her kid, Reo, were still waiting for him, now also accompanied by his mother. They immediately stood up once they saw him approaching and his mother ducked her head to get a good look at Kageyama’s face. “Oh, your poor eye, Tobio,” she lamented, gently touching the side of his cheek. “It’s not as bad as it looks, Mom,” Kageyama explained. “My eye will be back to normal in two weeks or so.” His mother looked down at his hand. “Is this the prescription for your medicine?” Kageyama passed her the paper with a nod. “Yeah, he said I should use these drops.” “Okay, let’s go get these right now.” She turned to Yumiko and bowed her head. “Thank you for driving my son to the hospital.” Yumiko waved her hands in front of her. “No, no, it’s Reo’s fault he got hurt so I’m responsible. I’m happy to hear it’s not serious. If there is anything else I can do…” “No, you’ve done more than enough already,” his mother replied with a smile. “I’m very grateful, and so is Tobio.” They all walked together to the parking lot and went their own ways after another round of apologies, thank yous, and finally good byes. His mom then drove them to the pharmacy, leaving Kageyama in the car to rest his eyes while she went inside. After a little while, she returned with not only his eye drops, but also sunglasses and his favorite Ramune popsicle. “Thanks, mom,” Kageyama said as he accepted them, sliding on his sunglasses and popping the ice pop in his mouth with a content sigh. The day had been saved.

The next two weeks weren’t necessarily difficult they were just…extremely boring. Outside of applying his eye drops a few times a day and always being surprised by how much they dilated his eye, he could do next to nothing. Since anything emanating even a minimal amount of light bothered him and his eye was always slightly throbbing, he spent most of his time laying in bed while rolling a volleyball in his hands and listening to radio shows. He also entertained himself reading and answering texts from Hinata with his phone brightness as low as he could make it. Hinata and his family were spending a few weeks in Hawaii, and Hinata would send him pictures and descriptions of everything he encountered. Having known him for a few years now, Kageyama had gotten used to his insistent texting, but more than ever before he was actually grateful for them. By the time his follow-up appointment came two weeks and a half later, Kageyama’s right eye felt completely normal. It wasn’t sensitive to light, or throbbing, or red—but some of that blurriness was still there. “Yes,” the doctor confirmed after Kageyama finished his eye exam. “Your right eye is completely healed, but your vision was affected. I advise against contacts since they could potentially reinjure your eye, so you’ll need to wear glasses.” “Glasses?” The doctor nodded and took his seat across from Kageyama. “But, I have a hunch you would have needed them soon. The vision on your left eye isn’t perfect, so I suspect your right eye was in a similar place before the accident. Just that the injury accelerated your vision’s deterioration on the right. When was the last time you had an eye exam?” Kageyama paused to think for a moment and then shrugged. “I don’t remember. Maybe three years ago?” “I see. Your vision has probably been decreasing so slowly you didn’t notice.” The doctor jotted something on his notepad, ripped out the perforated page, and passed it to Kageyama. “That’s a referral to an optometrist I recommend nearby. I’ll send them your documents, but they’ll probably still give you a quick check up before helping you pick your glasses.” “Okay,” Kageyama said as he took the paper and stood up. “Thank you, doctor.” “Don’t worry, you’ll be just as handsome with glasses,” he said with a grin and wave. Kageyama nodded and left the room. That afternoon, after calling to make his appointment at the optometrist, Kageyama texted the only other glasses-wearing person he knew personally aside from his dad: Tsukishima. To: Tsukishima Come with me to my appointment with the eye doctor and help me pick my glasses From: Tsukishima No. To: Tsukishima It’s tomorrow at 1 pm in the Owndays two blocks away from Ikezuku station From: Tsukishima No. To: Tsukishima Okay then. forget it From: Tsukishima …. Fine, I’ll go. I want to be the first to see how ridiculous you’ll look in glasses. To: Tsukishima Sure Tsukishima and Kageyama had developed an odd relationship, ‘friendship’ would be the closest word to it, but also felt misplaced. Since the beginning of their 2nd year there was an increase of days that they’d end up hanging out, of course along with Yamaguchi and Hinata, but even when the their two hip attachments weren’t around, they didn’t mind eating lunch or wasting the break period together. They’d have simple conversations, if they talked all, and there was a sense of wordless, and often indifferent, companionship. But sometimes, they’d lean on the other for help. Like when Tsukishima reluctantly asked for Kageyama’s assistance the day before Yamaguchi’s birthday, and how Kageyama asked a favor of Tsukishima this time around. These were baby steps but in a sense, somewhat unwilling on both sides, this was turning into a comradeship—especially since they easily noticed, then admitted things to one another that they couldn’t admit to Hinata or Yamaguchi…because it dealt with the stupid one-sided crushes on their more oblivious hip attachments. “Hey.” Tsukishima greeted as he approached Kageyama outside of Owndays. He was sporting a teal t-shirt, beige shorts, and white converse. He looked miserable. “It’s so freaking hot.” “At least they have AC,” Kageyama commented as he opened the door and lead them inside. Just like the doctor had told Kageyama, they gave him a quick eye exam and then ushered him to the section of the shop with the frames display. Tsukishima got up from the bench he was sitting on to browse along with Kageyama, amusing himself with the mental image of how silly most of these would look on Kageyama’s face. “Can I see this one?” Kageyama told the lady on the other side of the display. He was pointing at black, square frames that looked quite similar to Tsukishima’s. “Why those?” Tsukishima protested. “I don’t want to match with you.” Kageyama took the frames the lady passed to him and put them on, looking at himself in the mirror nearby. “They seem like a sensible, basic choice.” “Coming from you, that hardly sounds like a compliment.” “It’s not a compliment or an insult. Just an observation.” Kageyama turned to Tsukishima, “What do you think?” “Well, seeing you with glasses is something that’s hard to get used to. But aside from that, they don’t look horrible.” “Okay. Then I’ll go with these—“ “—Hold on, idiot.” Tsukishima interjected. “I still don’t like the idea of us matching so let’s look at a few others.” Tsukishima had the lady take out three more pairs of frames for Kageyama to try on. The first was thin, silver, circle frames that made Tsukishima laugh right to Kageyama’s face therefore immediately disqualifying them. The second was similar to the first, but dark blue and a bit thicker. These received a shrug from Tsukishima, putting them in a lukewarm running alongside the black frames. “I’m not trying on any more,” Kageyama complained as he put on the last contestant: semi-rimless, clear square frames. He took a hard look at himself in the mirror and nodded approvingly. “They’re clear so it’s like I have nothing on my face, I guess.” Tsukishima started to snicker but when Kageyama turned to him his laughter quickly died down. He blinked a few times and then his eyebrows gathered, eyes narrowing with annoyance. “I think these win.” “Then why do you look so pissed off?” Tsukishima clicked his tongue and looked away. “No reason. I’m sure you’ll understand once you return to school.” “Okay…” Kageyama took off the frames and gave them to the lady. “These, please.” “Great choice,” she replied and put them into a little tray. “These come out to 11,000 yen. They should be ready by tomorrow.” Kageyama passed her the money and folded the receipt she gave him, stuffing it into his wallet. He then followed Tsukishima out of the shop. “I’ll treat you to ice cream,” Kageyama suggested when they got outside. He pointed at the Lawson convenience store across the street. “Cheap, but I’ll accept,” Tsukishima replied with a grin. They made their way to the Lawson and went directly to the freezer, weighing their choices as they stood in front of it. “Why do you even need glasses again?” Tsukishima muttered as he finally decided on a strawberry flavored yogurt pop. “Your vision couldn’t have been bad enough to need glasses three weeks ago, during the spring high qualifiers. Right? Because if it was and you played regardless—“ “It wasn’t that, Captain,” Kageyama teased, pointing at Tsukishima with the Ramune popsicle he unsurprisingly decided on. “It’s stupid. A kid hit me with a softball in the eye and it messed up my vision.” Tsukishima laughed through his nose. “That is stupid.” “I know.” They paid and ate their ice cream as they paced back to the station. “Has Hinata been bombarding you with pictures from Hawaii?” “Everyday,” Kageyama replied with a tiny smile. “While my eye was injured I couldn't do anything, so I enjoyed the ridiculous amount of texts he sends for once.” “It gets annoying,” Tsukishima huffed. “I had to make Yamaguchi put his phone on silent because Hinata kept sending him texts while we were hanging out.” “…Any development there?” “No.” Tsukishima bit into his yogurt pop and his teeth’s sensitivity to the cold immediately made him regret his choice. “Mn…you?” Kageyama shook his head. “Haven’t even tried. He’s a dumbass.” They fell silent, each empathetic to the other’s battle. When they entered the train station, they tapped their passes and stopped before the stairs to the platforms. “See you,” Kageyama offered. “Yeah,” Tsukishima replied with a short nod. And they climbed down opposite stairs.

It turned out that getting used to wearing glasses was harder than Kageyama expected, for many reasons. One: They just sat there, on his nose and constantly in his peripheral vision like a pestering barrier between him and the rest of the world. Two: They constantly slid down. And needed to be wiped with a glasses cloth whenever they were too dirty to properly see out of (which was often because Kageyama kept touching the lens on the way to rub his eyes.) And three: Everyone kept staring at him. He figured they’d look a bit weird on him, but not enough to warrant all these looks. The moment he walked into school on the first day of classes after summer vacation, he felt stares burrowing into his face, and heard whispers as he passed. But he did his best to ignore it all; it’s not like he could change the fact that he’d be wearing glasses from now on. As Kageyama approached his homeroom he spotted Hinata chatting with Yamaguchi by the windows and he immediately felt a surge of warmth emanating from inside him. Hinata looked radiant—sun kissed skin and new gold studs in his ears shinning under the morning sun, pixie cut hair even more vibrantly orange than Kageyama remembered, and that signature smile of his…Kageyama had to take a deep breath as he walked up to them to at least appear composed. Whenever he was near Hinata his head couldn’t help but fill up with thoughts of him. It was the curse of this unrequited crush he’s had on him since the middle of their 2nd year. But as time consuming and distracting and annoying as it all was, his was an easy love: as long as they were together, which they always were, Kageyama was perfectly satisfied. He didn’t feel a need to rush his own feelings, or push them onto Hinata (because that’s what he’d need to do for the oblivious Hinata to ever notice). He was going to take it slow, and eventually tell him when his own heart felt ready—hard emphasis on the eventually, since his heart couldn’t even take a ‘just back from vacation’ Hinata at the moment. “Hey,” he muttered. Hinata and Yamaguchi turned around and their eyes went wide. Hinata tried to open his mouth to say something but just shut it again, lips pulling up into a wide smile as he pointed directly at Kageyama’s face. “G-Glasses!” he was able to get out, circling Kageyama excitedly, gaze steady on Kageyama’s new accessory. “Yes, glasses,” Kageyama sighed. Yamaguchi smiled gently. “They look really nice, Kageyama. Like the ones those models wear.” “Yeah!” Hinata joined in, finally standing still in front of Kageyama. “They look super cool.” “I doubt that...,” Kageyama replied sheepishly and unconsciously adjusted his glasses. “Why are you wearing glasses, though? I didn’t think your vision was bad,” said Yamaguchi. “It’s because a kid hit him with a softball in the eye and messed up his vision. Very lame story,” scoffed Tsukishima as he approached the group. “I helped him pick those out.” “Good job,” Hinata mumbled and Kageyama could still feel his eyes burning into his face. But when he went to meet that golden gaze, Hinata ungraciously looked away, cheeks dusted with a tint of pink. “Did you also help him pick out dorky volleyball glasses like the ones you wear, Tsukishima?” “He didn’t. I still need to get those,” Kageyama piped up, mostly in an attempt to bring Hinata’s eyes back to him. But Hinata only glanced at him and quickly looked away again, foot tapping the ground nervously. “Uh, I forgot I need to finish the last bit of my summer homework during homeroom…” Hinata sputtered as he walked backwards to the classroom door, “…So I’ll head back first!” He then rushed inside, leaving the rest of them to look at each other in confusion. And it would have been fine if that was the end if it. But Hinata’s behavior just grew weirder with every passing day. He wouldn’t meet Kageyama’s eyes whenever Kageyama talked to him (which was often, considering they were in the same class together). He would run out of the classroom the moment the bell rang, disappearing for all their breaks and lunchtime. He was obviously avoiding Kageyama, and he sucked at disguising the fact despite his attempts to act normal at volleyball practice. They didn’t even head home together anymore because Hinata skipped changing out of his uniform and was gone in a blink of an eye. Kageyama was both worried he had done something wrong, and also angry that Hinata thought he could continue this behavior and Kageyama would just take it without saying anything. One of these days he was going to catch him alone and confront him…but first he had to stop getting ambushed by underclassmen girls. The frequency he was being called outside for confessions had increased for some reason, and although he knew it was pointless and he should just tell them no from the moment they asked for a bit of his spare time, he didn't have the heart to reject them right then and there. So he did what he always did—let them confess and then reply with a bow and a “sorry, I already like someone”. But after a week full of exhausting attention from his female classmates, things finally calmed down and Kageyama was able to spend his precious lunchtime searching for Hinata. He went to every classroom of Hinata’s acquaintances, the cafeteria, the vending machine, behind the gym, and finally, the scorching rooftop. There he found him leaning on the wire gate lining the edge of the roof, looking out to the back of the school. “Hey, dumbass,” Kageyama spat as he walked to where Hinata was standing. “How surprising, don’t you have a confession to deal with today? Haven’t you gotten one at every break for the last week?” Hinata said with forced joviality while continuing to look down below. Kageyama stood next to him and ducked slightly to try to get a glimpse of his profile. “How do you know?” “Rumors…and I can see it from here during lunchtime. It always distracts me from watching the guys from our grade play soccer.” Kageyama sighed, not even sure how to unpack that statement. “Hinata, why are you avoiding me?” “I-I don’t know…” Hinata tightened his grip on the gate. “Yes, you do know,” Kageyama growled, “You just don’t want to tell me.” “It’s not tha—“ Kageyama grabbed Hinata’s left hand and swung him around to face him, trapping Hinata between his own body and the gate. “You suck at lying, you know. That’s why you keep avoiding my eyes.” Hinata’s eyes widened and he brought up his arms to cover his face as it turned beet red. “Your guessing skills suck as much as my lying, stupid.” “Why are you turning so red?” Kageyama questioned, face leaning in a bit closer to try to take a peek between Hinata’s arms. “I don't know! I think I’m so used to seeing your face but then you went and got glasses, so I now have to get used to it. Just leave me alone for a bit and I’ll start acting normal again…” “And for how much longer do I need to leave you alone?” Kageyama muttered, voice sulky and revealing more emotion than he would have liked. Hinata slowly moved his arms away from his face but continued to look away, cheeks and ears still burning red. “Are you lonely?” “If someone sticks to you like glue for two years and then all of a sudden stops…isn’t it natural to feel a bit lonely?” Hinata laughed, eyes soft as they finally met Kageyama’s. “Yeah, I guess you’re right. I’ll stop avoiding you…so get off me.” “No,” Kageyama replied stubbornly and leaned close again. “I think I know why my glasses are making you act this way.” Hinata furrowed his eyebrows and looked away again. “…Why?” “Don’t you think you might have a glasses fetish?” It seemed like a logical reason. If Hinata was completely normal when Kageyama had no glasses, and then started to act all embarrassed and fussy once Kageyama had glasses, obviously the glasses were the reason. It all made sense. “Wait,” Kageyama paused as he thought of a hole in his own logic. “Then how have you been acting normal around Tsukishima?” Hinata just stared at him, dumbfounded. It took him a few seconds to even blink, but once he snapped out of the shock caused by the ridiculousness of Kageyama’s statement, he shoved him off. “No, you dumbass!” Hinata exclaimed, face now growing red from anger. “I don't have a freaking glasses fetish. It’s YOU wearing the glasses that makes me nervous. How stupid can you be?!” “Okay, one, I’m not a dumbass. And two, why would me wearing glasses make you nervous?!” Kageyama yelled back. “BECAUSE I LIKE YOU,” Hinata screamed with his fists balling at his sides and eyes closed tight. After a few moments he cracked his eyes open and once seeing the confused expression on Kageyama’s face, let out a tired sigh. “Dammit,” he huffed under his breath. “Since when?” Kageyama whispered. “If you only realized the moment I got glasses, then how do you know it’s not a glasses fetish?” “No, you stupid jerk, “ Hinata half-laughed, flat and pathetic. “I’ve known since the beginning of the summer. I like you, okay? The glasses just make it harder to look at your face because they soften your eyes and make you even more attractive than you already are.” “Oh.” Kageyama bit his lip and then grabbed Hinata’s right wrist, looking him straight in those striking golden eyes. “I like you too!” “You’re lying.” Hinata muttered, eyes wavering. “I’m not! I’ve liked you since last year, I just thought you were oblivious and would never like me back. So I’ve never done anything about it.” “Really?” Hinata said, lips curling up to a wide smile. “Really.” Kageyama placed a warm hand on Hinata’s cheek and leaned forward to give him a soft, chaste kiss. He pulled away after a mere seconds, murmuring, “Do you want to go out with me?’ “Yes!” Hinata beamed as his launched forward to hug Kageyama. Kageyama hugged him back tightly, and they spent a few moments embraced like this until they were interrupted by Kageyama’s growling stomach. “I’m so hungry,” Kageyama admitted. “Me too.” Hinata slipped out of Kageyama’s arms and held his hand, leading them back to the door of the rooftop. “Let’s go eat before lunchtime is over. “Just double-checking…” Kageyama said as Hinata opened the door. He took off his glasses while smirking. “Do you still like me like this?” “Dummy!” Hinata laughed through his nose and pushed Kageyama out the door. It closed behind them with a bang.

#kagehina #haikyuu!!#fanfic #hq fanfic #glasses au #kageyama tobio #hinata shouyou

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faces-in-unexpected-places · 6 years ago

Text

Do You Have the Time? Episode 007: Family

[March 26th, 2018, 11:53]

Madison stood outside of the main chemistry building with her headphones on and scrolled through various apps on her phone. She had tied her windbreaker around her waist because the weather decided to cooperate half-way through the morning. March was never a predictable month where she lived. Some days were freezing, others were windy, some snowed, and even more variants were sunny. Today was supposed to be freezing, but all patches of snow were gone by 10:00. A glare pierced her retina, and she shielded her face with her free hand. And look who decided to come out today. Luckily for Madison, the impossible-to-perceive changes made by the climate’s spring season often left her backpack riddled with useful things. Usually they were left unintentionally hidden somewhere on account of the sudden need for some other seasonal accessory in the past, but she wasn’t about to start doubting her convenient and forgetful way for coming through for her future self now.

Madison rifled through the various pockets and compartments of her bag for her pair of sunglasses. Within the minute, she found them stowed away in some place she has no recollection of putting them in. In that moment, she could feel the sun. She put her Ray-Bans on.

People complimented her on her sunglasses a lot, which surprised her when she bought them. At first, she was worried that she might look too much like Harry Potter because the lenses were circular; but she later decided that it didn’t matter. Harry Potter was freaking awesome and if someone said that she did in fact look like him, then it would have been the kindest words they could have given her. She wondered if Harry wore round sunglasses just like his regular prescription. So long as he had a separate pair of sunglasses that were prescription and he didn’t have those clip-on lenses that old people use. Maybe sixty-year-old HP would use them.

Madison hummed in her thoughts and chuckled.

She wondered if Leopold wore those kinds of glasses. Immediately after, Madison remembered that Leopold did not wear prescription glasses to begin with, so the clip-ons would be pointless. The clip-ons did seem useful, though. If she could pull off regular, circular sunglasses, maybe she could sport some prescription glasses with sunglass clip-ons. She supposed the only conflict standing in her way was that she had 20/20 vision.

She opened her web browser on her phone and typed ‘how to damage your eyesight’. Something about her train of thought and actions caused her to erupt in laughter. Surprisingly, the first few search results are exactly what she was ‘looking for’. She rolled her eyes at the idea, chuckled and returned to her various phone apps. Jeremy was four minutes late. Maybe she would hassle him for his obvious inaccuracy. Her grin strengthened on her face as she considered the idea. A message appeared at the top of her screen while she was on her entertainment high. The last thing she wanted to see at the moment.

‘General Chemistry I: Grade Posted 11:54’.

Her smile wore away and she opened up the notification. Might as well get it over with as soon as she could. The reason that she was let out early, that she hid from the group chat, was because today was an exam day. Her third exam out of five. And she also happened to be blessed with a professor who is so eager to mark all of her wrong answers that he does so before the official end of the class period. Exam III: 71%, C-.

Madison sighed and shut off the phone’s screen. Stuffing it back into her pocket felt like the best course of action in response to that news. Just in time, Jeremy pulled up in front of the chemistry building for her. Eager to leave campus, she leapt down the stairs and threw herself into the passenger seat of the car. Jeremy quietly acknowledged her and set them on course for home.

“So, what happened with the lab?” Madison asked, expecting further explanation from the group chat..

“Leslie and I made some headway before actual work started, but once it did, Sophia came in and shut it all down,” he replied flatly.

“God, what did she do?”

“Found a way to ‘evacuate’ us because of some suspected gas leak.”

“Damn. Is it legit, do you think?”

“Not sure. We didn’t have enough time to really investigate it. We just took everything we could and left before they kicked us out,” he explained, “I had to take IO to stay in the robotics lab.”

“Oh, poor little guy. That sucks.”

“The robotics lab… that Sophia volunteers in,” he said uncomfortably.

“What?” Madison yelped and turned towards him, “Why would you do that?”

“What else could I have done, Madison?” he replied, sharply, “I have no other spaces to keep IO in. You know what happens if we keep him in the apartment.”

“I know, but Sophia? Really?”

“She’s not the only one that works there. And she’s a volunteer anyway. I’ll keep in touch with IO the whole time our lab is closed.”

“Well, good luck. Hope the poor thing is okay.”

“Yeah, me too.”

There was a silent lull for a few minutes. Madison tensely looked out the window while Jeremy drove without uttering a word. She brainstormed ways to break the awkward static before they arrived at their apartment.

“So you and Les spent some alone time together this morning then, huh?” She joked.

“Madison, please.”

“Okay, okay, sorry.”

Another awkward silence. So, he definitely didn’t think that was funny.

“Are you excited for the research-dinner party?” She asked.

“I suppose,” he answered, “It’ll be nice to update Leopold on what Leslie and I put together. I’d really like to get this preliminary stuff out of the way, and start testing our hypotheses.”

“I’m excited to see Leslie’s place!” She added, “She’s so organised, I bet it will be super clean and stuff.”

“Yeah, I’m sure it will be,” Jeremy said in a lighter tone, “What do you think you’ll do in the meantime before it’s time to leave?”

“Ehh… not sure. Maybe dick around online for a bit. I can only take so much of being aggressively average at chemistry before I decide to give it a rest and waste my time on the computer.”

“Okay. Well, I’ll let you know when it’s time to go,” Jeremy said as he pulled into their parking space outside of their apartment complex.

It didn’t take long for Jeremy to disappear into his room after they managed to make their way up the stairs and into their apartment. Madison entered her own room, slumped down into her bed and rested her body. She could feel her limbs get heavy as she stared up at her ceiling mobile decorated with different coloured leaves. She felt that adult mobiles were a far under-appreciated invention.

Despite the tense silences that happened in the car, she felt that her conversation with Jeremy ended on a definitively neutral tone, rather than a hostile one. She’d take neutral over that any day. The only thing left for her to do, that she could think of, was brush up on all board games that Leslie may have, so that she could wipe the floor with her, Jeremy and Leopold at the party.

Jeremy let his backpack plummet to the floor and settled onto his bed, facedown on the mattress. He laid still for a few minutes, simply letting the tension out of his limbs. It hadn’t occurred to him how stiff he was throughout the day. From working with Leslie, getting frustrated with GraviTime, having an altercation with Leslie, having numerous confusing altercations with Sophia, and then talking to Madison on the way home. Though thankfully, their last conversation didn’t seem as difficult as their previous ones.

He rolled over to the side of his bed to inspect the papers in his bag. There was a large folder that he had almost forgotten about. It was filled with lab reports from the 1 credit hour undergraduate physics lab course that he was a teaching assistant for. He was grateful that the university offered him a contract to TA one of the lab courses for money in addition to giving him a stipend. Renting his room in the apartment would have been difficult without the deal. Despite the variety of kids he saw in an introductory course, it was actually a refreshing way to spend his time. Grading needed to be finished by the 28th.

Before surrendering to the pull to the bed, Jeremy sluggishly ambled off of his bed and knelt down in front of his ant farm sitting on a small stand near his door. It looked like the microcosm might need some water soon. He wondered how ants were so structured and coordinated. As did everyone with an ant farm, he supposed. If these ants could thrive and build with only the limited resources provided in their space, then surely he and everyone else could function a few days without the lab. Maybe he would work on an idea for an alternate location to do work like Leslie did with her dinner party.

[March 26th, 2018, 14:40]

Leslie shambled up the last flight of stairs with various reusable grocery bags filling her hands and hanging off her body. She struggled down the hallway, huffing and contorting her body to keep the bags from tipping and spilling her dinner ingredients. At last, apartment 4 on the third floor. She beamed in relief, but the expression quickly faded. She needed to unlock the door. A faint sigh escaped as she shuffled her purse around until she could access it. With just a few seconds to spare, Leslie managed to unlock her door, get inside and drop half the bags down on her dining room table. Another moment, and there may have been a messy disaster. She relieved herself of the burden from the bags slung over her shoulders, and slumped down into one of the chairs at the dinning room table, rubbing her arms.

Looking about her apartment, she immediately began picking apart the things that needed to be fixed before her guests arrived. Too many objects on her coffee table in front of the couch, all surfaces needed dusting, dishes needed to be done, groceries to be put away. The list of things was never ending. Leslie was having difficulty with her living room for one major reason. Her television sat close to her front door; in front of it was her coffee table, and then the couch. And she had her matching ottoman off in the corner, because there was not enough room for everything. Her issue was that she spent very little time watching TV; and what if there was not enough room for everybody to sit after dinner? The TV might be in the way, or one of them could have to sit close to the door, and they might be uncomfortable with that. She could already feel the party was going to be a mess. She should just take that spot herself to circumnavigate any other disaster.

Leslie shook herself out of her ceaseless train of thought and switched on her ambient sound generator sitting on the bar that bordered the kitchen. She preferred to have some sort of noise while she was home, and music and TV were both too distracting. Would they think her sound generator was weird or uncomfortable without any other noise? Maybe she should play music for them. Her favourite soundscape came on and played sounds of ocean waves and a crackling fire. Tones like those swept her away into a peaceful future, lacking the constant stress and demand for work. She could float away for a moment or two. Maybe one day she could let go of it all. It could be her and Leopold sharing in the beauty as lifetime friends. Jeremy and Madison could come too if they wanted. She was sure that they would find a way to be content. Her cell phone suddenly blared its ringer. Leslie jumped right out of her daydream. She leapt back to the dining room table and scrambled for her phone. It rested between her ear and her shoulder as she hauled bags of groceries to the kitchen counter.

“Hi mom,” she said in her cheery voice, excited to talk. Conversation usually kept her worries at bay. She unpacked the bags and searched for the ingredients’ rightful places.

“Good afternoon, darling. How are you?” her mother responded with a warm and firm tone.

“Good! Just got back from the store with some food. I’m having a little get-together tonight, so I wanted to make a good meal for everyone. What do you need?” She asked, ready to help.

Mrs. Goodchild disregarded Leslie’s question by refusing to acknowledge it. A trace of grief was left in her tone, as she responded to her daughter.

“Oh, a get-together, huh?” she asked with hesitation, “That sounds like fun. What is the occasion?”

“It’s for work.”

“Oh. Well, good for you, sweetie. I’m sure Dr. Looney will be as big of a fan of your cooking as your father and I,” she said. Leslie pulled out the eggplants that she bought and set them off to the side on the counter.

“Aww, thanks mom. I’m glad you and dad liked it all so much. Thankfully the internet was passionate about making tutorials for so many dishes. It was a convenient hobby to have to hold down the fort for you two!”

The line went quiet and Leslie was perplexed. Her mother took a deep breath and cleared her throat.

“Yeah, Leslie, speaking of that…”

“Yes?”

“Well, since you mentioned it… I’ve been thinking a lot about the way your father and I have been for a while. Our financial situation. And I wanted— uh, is now an okay time to talk, by the way?”

“Yeah! Everything’s fine! I’m just cooking and cleaning, getting things ready for everyone later. I could use a bit of time away from the demands of science. What’s up?”

“I wanted to call and say that I’m sorry that we're still relying on you. I was thinking about how we still depend on you for things now, even though you moved out years ago. We shouldn’t have had to rely on you when you were just a little girl either, but we did. And I want to change that now. You were always a huge help to us both, and we we’re grateful for you stepping up, and being responsible and such a good sport. We still are! I’m just sorry that nothing has really changed, even though I said it would. I thought of something that I hope will make it up to you?” she said with uncertainty.

“I know that you’re sorry, mom, don’t worry. We’ve already talked it over before! It’s really okay, though. It was tough, and maybe I could have been doing other things in my spare time as a kid, but it was useful to me! Cooking and working aren’t such bad things. I like them enough to throw a party for my coworkers! And my house is always really clean because that’s what I did back home. It worked out for everyone!”

Milk in the fridge. Sauce in the fridge. Noodles go… they could go next to the eggplants.

Her mother sighed, and there was a moment of silence on the line.

“I understand, but. I just meant to call and say that it wasn’t fair for you. And maybe you can pursue some of the things you missed out on, now that you’re older and have the time,” she suggested, “My idea, if you wanted, is that you could move back to our house for a while to relax and not stress so much. We still have your room ready, and you wouldn’t be paying for rent in two different places, anymore…”

“It would be easier, but I do really like being out here, mom! I’m close to work and there’s more happening in the city. I’m happy to help you out!”

Bags get folded and placed in the cabinet furtherest from the dining room.

“Okay,” Mrs. Goodchild whispered, “Is there anything that dad or I could do for you?”

“No, I don’t think so!” Leslie said, absent-mindedly, “Is there anything I can do for you guys?”

“No, honey, thank you. You’ve done plenty for us.”

“Did you guys get my money transfer yet?” Leslie moved the conversation onward. She heard her mother shuffle some papers around and exhale.

“Yes, it’s right here. It’s a lot. You’re sure you won’t need at least some of this? It’s more than just the rent.”

“No, I’ll be fine! You guys need to fix one of the cars, right? You can put the rest towards that!”

“Your dad and I can handle those payments ourselves, Leslie.”

“Well, now you can handle them better! You’ll pay off the services faster.”

“Thank you, hun, that’s very sweet of you.”

“How has dad been?”

“Oh, you know your father. Still driving trucks for long hours. We’re hoping he gets a promotion soon, but… we’re not too sure. Time will tell, I suppose.”

“And you?” Leslie prodded.

“The restaurant hasn’t been getting as many customers as it did when we opened last year. I’ve been thinking about making a change, if things don’t look up soon.”

Leslie found the ground beef sitting out on the counter, and stuffed it in her fridge before she forgot again. She couldn’t remember how it got there.

“I’m sorry to hear that, mom. I hope things look up soon.”

“I hope so, too,” she said quietly.

“Maybe, to take your minds off of it, you can both make a trip out here and we’ll all spend the day together!” Leslie suggested with enthusiasm.

“That would be wonderful. Your father would be excited to do that.”

“Good! We should plan that soon!”

“Yes, we should. In the meantime though, I’ve got to start getting ready for work, okay?”

“Okay!”

“It was nice to hear your voice again, honey. Have fun with dinner and everyone tonight, and be sure to say hi and thank you again to Dr. Looney for all of his help.”

“I will! I always do,” she said with a sunny smile, “It was nice to talk to you too, mom. Have a good day at work, and I can’t wait to see you two again. Don’t worry too much about me!”

Mrs. Goodchild let out a breathy laugh.

“I’ll do my best, sweetheart. Don’t work too hard.”

“Impossible!” Leslie joked.

“Talk soon, darling. I love you.”

“I love you too! Bye-bye!”

Click.

Leslie leaned against the counter with a smile. She loved hearing from her parents. Especially her mom because she was always looking out for her. It was probably where Leslie got her consistently concerned disposition, too. Although, her mother is concerned with a serious undertone. The cheeriness likely came from her father, ultimately to form Leslie’s core expressions. Cheerful, concerned and eager to help. She chuckled as she thought about what an odd combination of traits that was to exhibit in someone. She wondered if anybody was ever perplexed at her demeanour. It wouldn’t surprise her. Leslie’s smile faded away as she kept her mother in her thoughts. It was flattering to be so concerned with Leslie’s wellness, but sometimes, she wished that her mom could relax about it. The hardest part for her was that she could do nothing to change her mother.

Leslie put her thoughts to rest again and distracted herself with the housework. If the house-party was going to be a success, she would have to hurry. The seating arrangement problem had been solved, but everything still needed to be dusted, and all clutter had to be organised and tidied. Disinfecting all surfaces would be a plus, although her time could run out before that happened. She scurried down the one hallway in her apartment that led past her bathroom, bedroom, and finally terminated at a small storage closet housing her cleaning supplies. Quickly, she delved into the tiny room dragging out a vacuum, a duster, and a spray bottle of disinfectant. The vacuum slipped away from her and swung the floor in her haste. Before she bent to pick it back up, a peculiar colour caught her eye. Something orange stuck to the door facing the inside of the closet. A post-it note. Leslie furrowed her brow and slowly picked it off the door.

“Relax and slow down. Try classical. Remember to have fun!”

The handwriting was awfully… chicken-scratchy. She wondered how long it had been in there. Maybe she’d been a little too focused on work and her parents lately to remember. Her apartment did need a decent cleaning up, so it could have been there for quite some time. There was certainly something vaguely familiar. Was it the colour? Or the placement? An involuntary sigh sheepishly escaped from her mouth. She should be able to keep track of her own house, she’s an adult. She escorted the note down the hall and into her room, which also needed cleaning. Maybe she’d just close the door before they arrived. If she ran short on time, of course. Leslie precariously hid the note away in her nightstand drawer and returned to her storage closet mess with a foggy mind.

“Classical what?” she asked aloud and glanced back to her bedroom door, as if there would be a response. She shrugged and dragged her cleaning supplies to the living room. The most efficient order of tasks would be… clutter, clean the surfaces, dirty dishes, vacuum, then cooking. And closing her bedroom door. Cooking was the most important, because it is not a dinner party without dinner. Her computer and notes needed to be easily accessible, too. It wasn’t a research dinner party without the research.

The top priority was supposed to be work, after all. Briefing Leopold on the progress that she and Jeremy made that morning. She wondered if Jeremy felt comfortable coming to her house. Partly because of the end of their last personal conversation, and partly because he seemed slightly uncomfortable with everything in general. She chuckled to herself. Hopefully everything would go well. Leslie resolved to simply make the most of the night to the best of her ability. Cooking, cleaning, research, activities, whatever got done would get done.

As long as the four of them were happy, she could consider the party a good one.

[03–26–2018; 18:12_Research_Video_Log_002_START]

“Doo doo-doo doo-dooooooo,” Madison sang and pranced behind Jeremy on the way to their car. Their apartment complex’s parking lot was decently packed, and the sky was a deep blue. The sun would be setting in about thirty minutes. Jeremy looked back at her.

“What are you doing?”

“I feel like you guys should be taking advantage of this camcorder by doing more science vlogs.”

“They’re research video logs,” he said.

“Yeah, same thing, nerd. You guys could be on YouTube!”

“Madison, we’re a theoretical physics laboratory, not a make-up tutorial channel.”

Her jaw dropped in surprise, she averted her eyes and her cheeks warmed up. “How did you know I watched those…” she asked quietly.

“I didn’t, it was just an example,” he said and shrugged as he climbed into the driver seat of their car.

“Oh, come on, that’s not fair!” Madison exclaimed, following his motions into the passenger side.

“You brought it on yourself.”

“And you brought this on yourself,” she laughed and zoomed the camera up on Jeremy’s face so that it covered the whole viewing window.”

“Please don’t do that.”

“Sorry, I can’t control it.”

“Yes, you can,” he replied tiredly as he started up the car and pulled out of the parking lot, “You do know that you’re wasting a lot of memory, right?”

“That’s what happens when you make a time travel documentary, Jeremy!”

“It’s not a time travel documentary. It’s supposed to be for recording our experiments and results.”

“A documentary is way cooler, though.”

“Okay, just… if you transfer that footage to your computer fast enough that running out of memory won’t be a problem in the lab, then you can make your time travel documentary.”

“YES,” she yelled, “You mean our documentary.

Jeremy sighed and groaned while coming to the first red light of the drive. “If I say yes, will you please just stop.”

“Okay, alright, fine, sorry,” she mocked, “…Can I interview you for the documentary?”

“I don’t promise accurate answers to ridiculous questions.”

Green light.

“So, mister, doctor Jeremy—”

“I’m not a doctor.”

“––what is your favourite thing about your amazing, one-of-a-kind sister?”

“How much she talks.”

“Really?!” she said with a laugh.

“No.”

“Oh,” she dismissed, “That’s lame!”

Jeremy kept his eyes on the road.

“Okay, how about this. What do you think Leslie is going to make for dinner?”

Jeremy furrowed his brow while he was thinking.

“Huh. I don’t know… maybe a family kind of dinner.”

“What? What even is that?” Madison asked.

He shrugged.

“I don’t know. Something families eat.”

“Wow, what an oddly vague and cryptic answer! As if family dinner food is somehow fundamentally different from everyone else's!”

“Whatever, Madison. I’m driving."

“Thank you for being here today mister, professor Jeremy—”

“Also not a professor.”

“—do you have any final words for the audience?”

“Not particularly,” he said.

“A man of few words, but eloquent, nonetheless.”

“Hey, look at the directions and tell me if that’s her apartment building,” Jeremy instructed, “I think it might be, but I want to be sure.”

“Oh, okay sure,” Madison said, as she distractedly pointed the view of the camera towards her lap to look at her phone.

[03–26–2018; 18:24_Research_Video_Log_002_END]

#do you have the time?#episode 007 #leslie #jeremy #madison #IO #sophia #writer #writer on tumblr #time travel #science fiction

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decadentbirdtyrant · 4 years ago

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Memories

TW: Mental Illness, PTSD, death, addiction, alcoholism, mentions of uncomfortable topics, bipolar disorder

This one was specifically hard to write, and it deals with very heavy topics

You struggle with memories. Sometimes it’s hard to pick out the good ones, and sometimes it’s all you can dwell on. There are times that you fantasize about the past. Those thoughts have the hazy golden glow of a sunset in summer. You remember yourself much more vibrantly, much more happy. The old you who used to be so witty and funny. The old you who didn’t feel the need to be quiet. You miss him. The old you was a much better person and a much better friend. It’s times like these that you dwell on the past. When the future feels so bleak and hopeless that's when the happy memories come out to haunt you.

Those happy memories only come out when you are feeling down to make you feel even worse. The bad memories are always there. At the forefront of your brain. Whether you are upset and feel the need to make yourself feel worse or pull examples of how shitty you’ve been or how shitty life has treated you. The worst times are when you are genuinely feeling happy, when you feel good about yourself and those bad memories come to ruin any shred of self esteem you’ve worked so hard to build.

There is rain sprinkling outside your window and it reminds you of a time long ago when your car was destroyed by hail and the windshield while still intact was cracked to hell. You still drove it like that for months. You didn’t have a job and had no money other than the little you could get from your dad. Mom never gave you any money. On the rainy days it was miserable at best in that car. The driver side window was gone and the rain freely came in splashing you in the face sometimes at such a high velocity that it would sting on impact. Though this is not a bad memory. Back then you had a friend, or rather a best friend. Something you are seriously lacking in anymore. You were inseparable. Saw each other everyday and told each other everything. They sat in the passenger seat on every adventure and were there the day that the cracks in the wind shield got so deep that the rain started to seep through and drip down onto the dash. They were the first person you drove to when your dad bought you a new car because yours was now considered too dangerous to drive. It’s them that you find yourself missing when those memories of the good times haunt you. But, with every incline comes a decline. Those good memories will often be shadowed with doubt, anger, and sadness. This one is no different. Once you start to think about them you are forced to think about the decline of your friendship and the resulting argument that ended it all. That leads down further rabbit holes of the arguments that ended other significant friendships in your life. Each one branching to the next slowly weaving a pattern to now. Where you sit at home alone, you have no one to message. No one to hang out with on your days off. You have pushed everyone away and for what? A sense of comfort in the fact no one can be close enough to hurt you?

There is this song, a popular song that used to play on the radio when you were freshly graduated from high school. Every time you hear that song it takes you back to a much freer time. You can almost close your eyes and remember the smell of the outdoors while you sped past small forested areas, cow pastures, and fields of corn and soy. The highway swaying up and down and curving around hills following the land instead of bulldozing through it. Next to you a friend you have had since you were an infant. You had gotten so much closer in your senior year and you spent so much time with her you practically lived at her house. She was singing along to the song on the radio just like you were. You can feel the wind whipping through your hair sending it flying in loops every so often smacking you in the face. It’s why you always wore sunglasses to drive back then. That brings up the scent of Sonic, getting food from there and taking it to the lakes where you planned on spending all day swimming and just hanging out. These memories don’t devolve into worse ones, these ones just sting because they are so unattainable now. The freedom of the summer right after graduating high school is one that you can never get back, one you can never relive. It always lives there in your mind and you can visit it again but not without the sadness of knowing that you’ll never feel that free again.

Finally there are the bad memories. They can be very simple. Remembering something dumb you did as a kid or a conversational faux pas. It’s the more complicated and traumatic ones that hit the hardest. They are the ones you don’t want to relive but your mind reminds you of them as what can only be a sick joke. They are the ones that no matter your mood, no matter the place, something small, hardly even connected can cause them to come back.

Every time you are driving down a gravel road your hands clenched tight around the steering wheel, knuckles white from the force of your grip. Your heart beats hammering in your chest as you try to breathe calmly and slowly but every muscle in your body is tense and you’re beginning to sweat. With every turn or S curve you go through it’s like little snippets play in your head. The turns your stomach made as the vehicle started to spin out of control and the dread when every time you tried to fix it you just ended up over correcting and sending the vehicle barreling a different direction. The point where it tipped is where things get foggy. It was like it was moving in slow motion and that's how your brain makes you relive it. Feeling to slow shift as the wheels on the driver side lift off the ground and seeing the world start to turn outside the window until it's a blur of scenery that you can’t make heads or tails of. You don’t know if you are right side up, on your side, or upside down. At some point though it just cuts off. Maybe you closed your eyes, maybe you passed out but the next thing you can remember is being on your left side, head against the glass of the driver side window. Stunned silence until your mom says “Can anyone smell gas? We need to get out of here.” The feeling of being stuck not physically but too scared to move or really react at all. They never let you live that down. It gets brought up once every few family get togethers. That wound never heals because not only are you afraid of gravel roads and losing control of the vehicle you also get to carry the weight of what if it was worse? What if I had killed all the passengers in the car? How could I live with myself? How can I live with myself knowing that I have caused traumatic memories in my own family? That's the worst one, the one that has plagued you the longest.

There is that feeling of never being able to find a partner because you can’t stand the touch of other people. You don’t like sleeping next to someone because you’re afraid of what they will do when you’re sleeping. There is fear in the actions themselves and there is fear in constantly being alone. You don’t like to think about this one and you don’t want to write it down.

Then there is the most recent one. You’re in your mid twenties, you should be having fun and drinking. Alcohol is fine and drinking is okay but there's this little thing in the back of your mind that screams at you and if you listen too long then you see her. Not the dolled up version that laid in the casket at her funeral, not the face you saw just a month ago at Christmas, no you see her in that hospital bed. Her face and skin an ashy blue and eyes open so wide, her mouth slack as a tube hangs out of it. Her son sits next to her, his eyes red from crying. He was the one that found her and called the ambulance. Not soon enough but who could blame him. Getting so drunk to the point of blacking out and vomiting was rather common for her. Though she had tried to quit drinking so many times she just never could stay away from the bottle. This time though she was laying in the wrong position maybe had taken prescription pills with a highly adverse reaction to alcohol depending on who you ask. She drowned, choking on her own vomit. That's what you see when you think of alcohol, that's what you see when your friends make their little jokes about being ‘alcoholics.’ You just see her face.

Though those are terrible to remember and worse to relive. You think the worst things are the ones you don’t remember. You forget the good times with people who you no longer speak to. You forget the trips, you forget the gatherings, you forget the things that made life worth living back then. Just to remind yourself that anything good that happens now you’ll have forgotten in a few years from now. It’s hard now to remember the good things of the last few weeks. And when all you can remember are the bad times, the fights, the loss, the heartache. What really is there to look forward to.

You know that sounds cynical and melodramatic, you also know that it is untrue, that there are a million good times ahead of you. You also know that you’re going to struggle to see through a fog this dense. You should probably take a lesson from this, that living in the past can only work to hurt you more than the present and future will ever hope to. Life doesn't happen in the ‘what ifs’ and the ‘back when’s’ it’s happening now and it’s passing you by.

#mentalillnesswriting #ashittyday #dwellingonthepast #ventwriting

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raydom-gamer · 4 years ago

Text

Funny enough I actually saw his glasses and thought that he might have dyslexia. Most dyslexics only have one to two topics in school that they're actually accelerate in and they tend to do okay in the rest. Also social cues and sarcasm sometimes goes over some dyslexic heads. Many believe that's because dyslexic Minds tend to be a lot more artistic and they don't typically put a lot of constantly changing logic. There are certain programs that will actually showed people how dyslexic brains can vary but how certain things can help make it easier or difficult. Four examples, font or color or Texture or verbal or writing or site. We're parts of your brain doesn't work quite as well the other senses are heightened. Sort of like if you close your eyes eventually your hearing, will get better your sense of taste will be better.

In Devilgraham, one of the stories actually talks about how Mammon is struggling in a lot of his classes but once you put numbers in perspective for him to something that makes sense (such as money for him) he begins to get through all of his work faster than Satan could do it.

At times, he thinks that his brothers are complimenting him but there are passively aggressive insulting him. But other times he actually catches on to the remarks.

Mammon also only wears the sunglasses when he's doing his own thing which is usually when he's focusing his brain on things he likes such as making money or gambling or MC.

It's been mentioned that Lucifer gave up writing stuff down for Mammon to do such as tasks yet he has sometimes a harder time doing those tasks but in one of the events, he actually remembers something that Leviathan had said as an off comment that even Leviathan had forgotten about an item that Mammon bought for Leviathan as an apology present for not winning a ticket.

I personally because of the fact that Mammon's sunglasses look very similar to the yellow tinted glasses that I would need to use in order to help me read and write better from my dyslexia. On top of the fact that I accelerated in math when they managed to put it into reasonable life usage for me. (Never saw using algebra flunked it) on top of some of the quarks that I've see Mammon have that are eerily similar to frustrations I had growing up with teachers and classmates either believing I wasn't dyslexic because there was no physical showing outside my frustration meltdowns (when my dyslexia would cause my body to fight itself very rare but it happens.) That would be yelling or crying fits. As well as being socially awkward and off-putting to romantic attractions where it seems like I'm negative towards the person are you actually care for but it's not on purpose it just seems to be a natural defense mechanism. At least it is for me like I said many dyslexics have different quirks about things.

I know this post put originally pointing out that maybe Mammon had bad eyesight but for someone like me who sees kind of similar traits can a character, I figured I'd add on to the conspiracy theory part of a fandom. I also agree with Satans-cat-issues that it could be prescription glasses because my brother has purchase those tinted glasses that turn into sunglasses but they're more comely Fade to Black instead of yellow. But it's not unheard of either.

Also on a complete side note purely about dyslexia if anyone knows a dyslexic person who's struggling especially if they're young and school my parents had tried everything that they could find to help me and the best thing that they wish they had found back in my elementary school years (I'm in America) is the Orton-Gillingham Academy Program. I started in 6th grade I had a 2nd grade reading level by the time I was in 8th grade I was borderline 10th grade reading level. Honestly it was the best program that I was put through and they aren't scared to help modify it for your particular needs. Example my yellow glasses or needing the font to be it an 18 or that I retained verbal more then writing it down. I will leave a link for anyone who's interested or know someone who could be interested or a student that could benefit from it.

Also again I'm sorry that I kind of derailed the point of the previous post but that's my interpretation of the yellow sunglasses that Mammon wears is to actually help him focus on what he's actually looking at and help retained information better.

https://www.ortonacademy.org/resources/what-is-the-orton-gillingham-approach/

Mammon's Glasses

Ok y'all so apparently tinted prescription glasses are a thing

What if Mammon actually has poor eyesight and of course being the cool Mammon that he is, refuses to wear glasses because its too "uncool" for him.

He found out that you can get colored prescription glasses and actually picked a color that goes well with his everyday attire.

Switches out to contacts while he's in school but he finds them annoying so he wears his casual clothes while he can.

He's actually quiet about it so his brothers won't know and intents to keep it that way.

They'll just make fun of him and he doesn't want them to think that he's uncool or anything!

#obey me shall we date #obey me mammon #mammon glasses #dyslexia #helpful dyslexia program #Orton-Gillingham Academy #Orton-Gillingham Program

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bts-love-sweat-tears · 8 years ago

Text

Ice Princess

Title: Ice Princess

Pairing: Taehyung x Reader

Rating: PG

Type: Fluff (the only thing I know how to write, apparently)

Inspiration: Tae’s love of Gucci, his frugal & filial ideal type, my summer finance course (lol, I’m not on the MC’s level at all), Strong Woman Do Bong Soon (specifically Park Hyung-Sik’s young CEO character). This one took me a little while and was harder to write than the first two I did. As always, please let me know any constructive writing feedback you have <3

You sighed and stretched out in your California king bed, and rolled over to check the time on your phone. 4:45AM. Why was it that you could rarely sleep through the night? Knowing that it was all the rest that you would be getting for the night, you padded over to your desk, flipped open the computer, and started reading through financial reports. Not the most glamorous way to be spending the wee hours of the morning, but it was one that had led your family’s business to unprecedented success. You had taken a small mom-and-pop operation, and turned it into a national chain, and then an international conglomerate based on investments and acquisitions. Luckily you had your parents and older brothers to be the public faces of the operation, with only those on the Board of Directors knowing that you were the brains behind the company’s continued success. It wasn’t that you had set out with this secrecy, but it had sort of evolved after realizing how difficult it was to “wheel and deal” at the highest levels of this patriarchal society.

On the other hand though, you were still in your early twenties, and longed for someone to communicate with. Your non-stop work managing the company was your passion, but it had come at the expense of friends and romantic relationships. While you knew that you had chosen your priorities, you still hoped that you could “have it all.” Part of the main challenge was that you had two different personas- your in-office, immaculate professional, and then the person you were outside of work. You dressed simply and casually. Though your family’s net worth was in the nine digits, on your rare days off you wore white tees, gray hoodies, and black jeans. it was a standard, simple uniform, but it was comfortable, and more importantly, cheap. You hadn’t gotten the family business to thrive by wasting money on fashion or other frivolities. The paparazzi had quickly become bored of your austerity, and had moved on to the scions of other chaebols, whose lives provided much more interesting fodder for the tabloids.

After reviewing spreadsheets and flipping through the top articles of the day, you glanced at your Google calendar, and froze. Out of all the things you remembered to do day in and out, you couldn’t believe that you forgot that today was your mother’s 50th birthday. You had remembered that your father had been planning some sort of intimate family dinner at one of the most exclusive restaurants in town, which of course had been a source of contention between the two of you, since you hadn’t wanted to randomly spend the money, but now it all made sense. More importantly though, you realized that you had no gift, and the rest of your afternoon was booked with conference calls and meetings, so it was now or never. You sighed and went to your closet. Even though you preferred comfort and utility, you also knew that where you were going, you would need to look good to get the best/quickest service. Time to go to “the Rodeo.”

An hour and a half later, you found yourself outside the Gucci store in Cheongdam-dong, a place you had never had any particular interest in visiting. However, your mom had been eyeing a pair of pink leather loafers that had been all the rage with the other ajummas in her circle, but you knew that she would never actually buy them for herself. Your mother had grown up poor, and she still couldn’t quite trust the sustained good fortune that your family had had. While you didn’t like spending money wastefully or on yourself, your mother was the one person who you would never hesitate to spend money on, particularly since she also would never spend it on herself.

You approached the door, noticing a crowd congregating outside of the store, snapping pictures and talking animatedly among themselves. You didn’t give them a second glance though, knowing you were on a tight timeframe. You opened the door, and were met by a cool blast of air conditioning, followed almost immediately by the smiles and greetings of shop attendants. When you told them what you were looking for, they led you to the well-lit back wall that highlighted all of their shoes, and explained the different options. After it was clear that you were alternating indecisively between the unlined and fur-lined pair, the shop assistants started to drift away to seemingly more lucrative clients.

As you were debating, you noticed a tall, golden-complexioned boy (man?) out of the corner of your eye. He clearly thought that he was all that, since he was wearing sunglasses-inside, at nine in the morning, no less- and had a face-mask on. You rolled your eyes. This was exactly why you avoided stores like this. He was looking at the men’s slippers. When he caught you eyeing him up, he lowered his mask, and smiled the squarest smile you had ever seen. How did his lips even bend in that way? Caught off guard, you kept staring, which only made his smile more boxy. His face was unbelievably symmetrical.

“Like what you see?”

“Not particularly.” You sighed. “ I was just wondering what kind of weirdo wears sunglasses inside.”

He looked like a hurt puppy at the word “weirdo,” and the image you had of a self-assured player shattered. He must be your age or younger.

“I’m not weird!!!” he whined. “ I have to be….cautious.”

“Yes, yes. I’m sure you have your reasons.” You sighed, not particularly interested in furthering the conversation, already thinking back to your mom’s slippers.

The boy wasn’t giving up though. He moved closer, and spoke again, this time whispering.

“You seriously don’t recognize me?” His eyes were sparkling with some emotion you couldn’t read. Surprise? Suppressed laughter? Derision?

You ignored him, and when he saw what you were looking at, he said, “Go with the fur-lined ones. My hyung got me a pair, and they’re my favorite!”

You decided that you had better things to do, and stood up, unconsciously taking his advice and grabbing the fur-lined ones.

He laughed, eyes still sparkling, and followed you to the register. “You called me weird, but you’re possibly the only person in South Korea who doesn’t know who I am.”

“Sorry, but I don’t have a lot of free time. In fact, I have a meeting to get to,” you snapped, handing the black credit card to the cashier. His eyes followed your hands, and the card, and you thought that might finally shut him up.

As you were walking out of the store, he ran out after you, multiple bags in hand and boxy smile still plastered to his face. “My job takes up a lot of my time, but I still have time to watch TV and stay up to date on who’s who!”

Before you could even think of what to reply, he was whisked away by some kind handler, and the crowd that had been there when you arrived had only multiplied. As you got into your own waiting car, you heard squeals of “Taehyung-oppa!!” and “V-oppa!” While you were sure that you had heard of that name somewhere and now had deduced from the crowd that he was some kind of celebrity, you couldn’t place him. Clearly whatever “cautions” he had taken were ineffective. Soon you were whisked away to meetings, and any thoughts of him left your mind.

The clinking of glasses and silverware, the dim lighting, and the classical music were all par for the course at the fanciest French restaurant in the city, but for some reason, the night still felt especially enchanting to you. Maybe because you were all together as a family, celebrating the woman who was the bedrock of your family. You were all relatively close, but as the family business grew bigger, it seemed like you had less time together. You should all really just sell the company, and relax on a yacht somewhere in the Mediterranean, but it wasn’t in line with your family’s working class values. You felt strangely happy (maybe it was the wine), which was rare for the family’s “ice princess.” Some disgruntled investor had called you that once, and the nickname had somehow stuck. Though your family now said it with endearment, you didn’t always love it.

Tonight, though, that part of your personality had melted away. Feeling warm, you excused yourself from the table to go to the bathroom and splash some water on your face. Your cheeks were a little pink when you saw your reflection in the bathroom, but nonetheless you thought you looked glamorous in your little black dress and pearls. You felt like Audrey Hepburn in one of those old classic movies you would sometimes watch with your siblings. Realizing that you were probably approaching the end of the socially acceptable time limit to be gone from the dinner table, you opened the bathroom door, and rushed around the corner. And directly into someone’s broad back.

You bowed slightly to apologize, and when you looked up you saw the same infuriating boxy smile from that morning. Except this time, instead of sunglasses, he was wearing prescription frames that allowed you to stare directly into his dark brown eyes. He was also wearing a perfectly fitted tux, which you were trying very hard to ignore. He had clearly recognized you right away.

“Hey! I know you! The girl from this morning! Did you plan this?” he beamed.

“Wow, the weird guy from this morning. And definitely not. I’m here with my family.” you replied curtly. But you thought back to this morning and again felt bad for calling him weird.

“I want to meet them! I bet they’re really cute and traditional-who shelters their grown daughter so much that she has never heard of BTS?”

You roll your eyes at that. Well that answered THAT question. “I’m not sheltered-just busy with my career. Forgive me, oh great Taehyung-oppa.” You had meant it as a joke, based on what you had heard people shouting earlier, but your voice came out breathier and higher than you meant it to. You were blaming it on the wine.

He froze for a minute, eyes wide, but suddenly laughed a wheezy laugh, which was cut by the arrival of your mother.

“Ahh there you are! I was just coming to check if you were okay! I thought you may have fallen in,” she chuckled, her whole face smiling. Her expression changed to shock when she saw Taehyung, and you were concerned that she might have a heart attack.

“Aren’t you Kim Taehyung? You were in the drama 화랑 recently!” she said excitedly.

Kim Taehyung smiled sweetly, and nodded his head. Your mother continued, “Aish, I watched every episode! Though there were some very sad scenes,” she said, looking at him pointedly. “Wow, what good luck to run into a celebrity on my birthday!”

“Ahh, it’s your birthday?” Tae almost shouted. “생일 축하합니다!!” Why were you the calmest one in the hallway? Your mom looked like she was on the verge of fainting.

“I know it might be strange of me to ask, but would you be willing to take a picture with me? I’m a huge fan.”

You were sure that he was going to say no, as idols were notorious for being image-conscious and intensely private. Just as you were about to get defensive on her behalf, he beamed that signature smile and said unexpected words.

“ I would be honored.” As you took out your phone to take the picture, he put one arm around your mom and and shot a heart toward the camera with the other. You blushed just looking at the screen. How strong was this wine?! This wasn’t your personality at all.

After you snapped the photo, he quickly closed the space between you, and asked to see the picture. After approving it, he looked back to you. “I know it might be bold, since we just met, but since we keep bumping into each other, would you give me your phone number?”

Your mom covered her mouth with her hand and slowly backed away to give you two some space. You could only imagine the gossip she was probably spreading back at the family table. If he had asked for your number earlier in the Gucci store, you would have definitely said no, but seeing how kind he was to your mom, how could you not? You smiled and started to speak. You had a feeling that things were going to be changing, and maybe you could “lean in” and still “have it all.”

#bts #bts scenarios #bts fluff #bts fanfic #taehyung #taehyung x reader #taehyung x you #bts taehyung

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