#he’ll tell funny stories and his loved ones will need to take 4-5 business days to recover

[ghostbird-7]

Ethan: so that’s the lore I guess as the kids say haha

Benji: (white faced, thousand yard stare, spreadsheet of dead friends on desk) cool.

[its-nebula]

V3 Boys x Pregnant S/O in the Killing Game

Warning: DRV3 Spoilers

“S/O is what?!”

He panics and freaks out.

Calms down as soon as you tell him that you’ll get through it with him. It’s just all the more reason to survive.

“But Gonta… no can put child in this hell!”

He has a fire in his eyes that you honestly wouldn’t expect from him. You have to try your hardest to convince him not to fight Monokuma, out of fear of him being punished.

“Gonta will try to survive…for Gonta and S/O’s kid.”

He carries you everywhere from now on, not wanting you to strain yourself. If you ask, he puts you down, but will hold you and keep you close by.

During Class Trials, he immediately shuts any suspicion down.

“S/O can’t be culprit! Was with Gonta!”

You tell him to be wary of Kokichi, as you think Kokichi doesn’t have good intentions with your boyfriend. He just gives you a smile.

“Kokichi wants to end killing game just as much as Gonta!”

When all of you go in the simulation, Gonta makes sure you’re okay and that the baby’s okay. You don’t exactly look pregnant in the simulation, but he still makes sure. After that, he goes off to watch Kokichi, and you’re left to explore on your own.

To make a long story short, when Miu was killed, you noticed Kokichi giving you the side-eye, but didn’t say anything to him. You could tell he knew something that you didn’t.

During the Class Trial, the “Killing Game Busters” were revealed. You didn’t want to believe it was Gonta. You really didn’t. He would never hurt someone like that without a purpose…

“S/O, take care of Gonta’s baby. Gonta will be watching over you and baby!”

You sobbed as you watched his execution. The father of your child was burned alive, and he was never coming back.

Instantly, you unleashed all your rage onto Kokichi and his crocodile tears. Several people had to pull you off of him, claiming that the stress wouldn’t be good for the baby.

Besides, you could hit Kokichi with all the punches in the world, but nothing would bring him back…

 Laughs when you tell him about it.

Laughs the second time you tell him about it.

“It is even funnier the second time!”

Doesn’t laugh the third time.

“Wait a minute. You can’t be serious-?!”

Hope you valued your alone time while it lasted, because that is now a thing of the past!

MINE! MINE! MINE! MINE!

Lets everyone know that they’re not even allowed near you. He keeps you in his room at all times, you barely even get to sleep in your own bed anymore.

He only really lets you out during Class Trials, and even then he convinces Monokuma to put his podium next to yours.

Constantly talks about how happy he is that he’s going to be a father, to the point everybody knows. Even the Monokubs are a little bit annoyed.  So much for keeping it a secret.

“Hmm, nope! It can’t be me, sorry! I was too busy spending time with my child and my girlfriend~”

His logic is that since you’re pregnant, maybe nobody would kill you because they would feel too bad, so he doesn’t really mind screaming it to the world.

The longer the game goes on, though, the more fucked up things he feels compelled to do, in his efforts to try and stop the killing game.

You practically scream at him when he pretends to be dead.

“Aw, don’t worry your pretty little head! I’m alright, aren’t I?”

Maki keeps sending her threats for him to you.

“If you want to raise the child with a stable 2-Parent family, I suggest you calm your boyfriend down.”

During the fifth trial, things are very tense. Either way, your boyfriend was either dead or going to die. You knew it was all a part of his scheme, but you still thought this was a step too far.

When Kaito was revealed in the Exisal, you bawled your eyes out.

Even as Shuichi explained Kokichi’s thought process, it made nothing better.

You didn’t even get to say goodbye…

And your child would never meet his father.

Wait, you’re what?

Oh no.

In a killing game?!

Oh no.

And he’s the father???

Oh NO.

You’re surprised that he doesn’t faint, by the way he’s acting.

“S/O, I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean to, really!”

You tell him that it’s okay, because you know he’ll make a great parent. You’ve made him a little more confident, but not by a lot.

“We should probably keep this a secret for now. You can never really be too careful in these circumstances.”

Everyone can tell something’s off with him, because he gets really bad Couvade syndrome.

He still tries to help you as much as he can. If you’re craving something he brings you it almost immediately.

If your stomach moves even a tiny bit, he assumes the baby is coming even though he knows better. You have to tell him that it’s only a kick and he needs to take it down a couple of notches.

“Heh…sorry.”

His anxiety is through the ROOF.

Still tries to work on it. He’s got to be strong for you.

Trains with Kaito to help him become stronger, and brings you along with him.

“Hey Shuichi, don’t you think S/O might want to train with us?”

“It’s okay Kaito, S/O gets really sleepy during this time.”

Tries his hardest during class trials. He can’t afford to take shit from anybody and risk getting you killed. Hits the killers with the hard facts and evidence.

Investigates with you by his side.

“Now the baby can see his father in action!”

At the 6th Trial, he reveals your pregnancy, even though Tsumugi already knew.

Nobody else did. How? Guess they weren’t paying attention to your ever-increasing stomach.

When everyone ducks under rocks, Shuichi shields you with his body for extra protection. After the two of you make it out alive, along with Maki and Himiko, the 4 of you go off to start a new life together.

“WHAAAATTTT?!”

Thinks you cheated on him.

He’s very hurt.

You spend almost an hour convincing him that he’s the only one you’ve ever been with. He still doesn’t really believe it, but there’s only one thing to do.

The two of you consult Miu to figure out what in the hell is going on.

“Miu! I never wanted to actually have sperm and be able to create life! Now our child is going to be born in such horrible conditions!”

“Well, be more fuckin’ clear next time, and wrap it up when you get your dick wet, why don’t you?!”

Looks on the bright side.

He was able to get you pregnant, something no other robot was able to do before! That’s a complete win!

You’re still stuck in this school, though, and this was no place to raise a child.

“Robots aren’t allowed to hurt humans, and I can’t risk you killing someone and losing the trial…”

He helps you the best that he can. He gives you any medicine that he can find, and he lets you use him as a heating pad.

Scans daily to see your state of health. Sometimes more than necessary…

“I just did this scan 5 minutes ago? Oh, I hadn’t noticed…”

Takes pictures of your stomach every day to monitor your growth.

Kokichi always makes fun of the two of you.

“Well, I guess that answers my question! Robots do have dicks! Hey S/O, was it all cold and metallic?”

“…that’s not funny.”

When it was revealed during the 6th Trial about Danganronpa, he was conflicted.

The voices in his head– the audience– told him all different things. He was tired, he just wanted to be free. He didn’t want your child to grow up in a world like this.

“S/O, if this continues, and the kid we created joins a future season, I’d never forgive myself. It’s time to end this. Please, when you see them, let them know their father loves them so.”

He sacrificed himself by blowing up the school. As he saw his friends and his significant other huddled beneath a rock, he grinned, knowing they were going to be okay.

Scoffs.

“Well, that’s just my luck that I would cause you to have to bring a new life into this horrible world.”

He’s honestly pretty upset over the whole thing for at least a couple days.

But then he realizes it; he can raise them to be better than he ever was or had a chance at being. He can teach them to do better.

This makes him happy, and he apologizes for being so stand-offish.

“Looks like… we’ve still got a ways to go.”

When the two of you lay down together, he always lays down in a way that his ear is directly pressed against you stomach.

He talks to the child a lot.

“Don’t worry, little one. We’ll get you and everyone else out of here and to safety. I love you so much.��

Truth be told, he’s a little scared that he’s a  threat to the kid. After what happened in his past, what happened to his family, what happened to his lover…

You tell him to try to not think about it, and you know that he’s learned from the past.

The two of you only tell a couple people that you trust; namely, Shuichi and Kirumi. They’re both really happy for you!

Kirumi helps out a lot by getting you whatever you need for the day. She doesn’t get at all bothered by your morning sickness, and even offers to clean.

After the motive videos come out, Ryoma watches his and though he’s a little hurt, it doesn’t stop his determination to leave.

While she’s cleaning Ryoma’s room, Ryoma confides in her for advice.

“I feel like…I won’t be enough for our kid. Look at me now, I’m nothing more than an empty shell. I just… want to be enough for our family.”

SLAM!

Ryoma fell to the ground with a light thud, and that was the last anybody ever heard from him.

Crying out as you saw the piranhas tear away his flesh, you fainted on the spot.

You didn’t even have time to investigate, because the Class Trial had started.

You appreciated how seriously Kirumi was taking this trial. She kept making glances at you, but you assumed it was because she felt bad that your child would have to be without a father.

Until…

No, it couldn’t be. She’d gained your trust, only to betray you in the end? What kind of sick joke was this?!

As she was executed, you looked down at your stomach, rubbing it.

“Looks like we’ve still got a ways to go, kid…”

Wildly switching between happy, sad, and terrified.

On the one hand, he’s happy to be a father to your child. You were the love of his life, and he wanted to do his part and take care of the kid.

On the other hand, when you tell him the news, he paces back and forth, trying to find a way to get you to be as safe as possible. He already survived one killing game, how hard could it be to let the two of you be the last survivors again?

He asked Monokuma to see if you could have the easy way out.

“Monokuma, I know you probably want me to still participate, but my girlfriend, she’s pregnant now, so can you please just-”

“Puhuhuhu~! All applications made are final, buddy! It looks like we may just have another member in a short 9 months! Well, the more the merrier!”

Shit.

After that “lovely” conversation, Rantaro was more determined than ever to find a way out of the game.

He’d already lost his sisters, and he wouldn’t dream of losing you and the child too.

When the countdown motive for the first murder is introduced, he parts with you for just a few minutes, to record the videos that you and your other classmates would later find. He wanders in the library in order to do something, but he’s distracted when a shot put ball falls behind him. As he goes to pick it up, he’s struck in the back of the head.

Finding his body, you wanted to throw up, and not from morning sickness. 

Nobody knew of your pregnancy yet, so nobody really knew how deep into despair you’d fallen.

Though, they still felt sorry for you, because it was obvious the two of you were together.

You didn’t feel right being angry at Kaede when she was revealed as the culprit, especially as she showed deep remorse.

“I didn’t mean it, S/O. I’m so sorry…”

Tears pricked your eyes as she was snatched back by the chains.

You forgive her.

Over the moon at first.

Yes, that’s a pun. Shut up, I know it’s bad.

This man is DANCING while he’s celebrating.

“WOO! I”M GONNA BE A FATHER!”

He’s loud enough that everyone knows within 10 minutes of you telling him.

Well.

When he has some alone time, he frowns to himself. He’s sick, What if he doesn’t live long enough to see their smiling face for the first time? Hear their first laugh?

These invasive thoughts clouded his mind, as he started to cough up blood.

“D-Damn it…”

Kaito decided not to tell you, not just because he’s an idiot, but he doesn’t want you to stress and possibly cause damage to the child.

He talks to your stomach everyday.

“What’s up, my little star!”

He’s extremely proud and isn’t afraid to show you off.

The more ill he gets, the more hope he has that you’ll be just fine. You have to be!

After he’s locked in the bathroom, he tries to find a way out. Any way out, he needed to make sure you were safe. Kokichi couldn’t keep him locked up forever! 

When he and Kokichi make their deal, he does it in your interest.

“If Monokuma can’t solve the murder, I’ll finally get to walk out of here and start my family! Right?!”

But their plan failed. As you watched his execution, you screamed, pounding on the screen, begging Monokuma to let him go, please. You’d do anything! Soon, his coughing got worse, and he was soon on the ground, pink all around him. He’d died of his own accord.

You smiled happily at the bittersweet moment. He died of his own accord, no longer a part of Monokuma’s twisted game.

You knew he was above, watching you from the stars.

“Did you say you’re pregnant…? My, what an interesting turn of events!”

Did this man just say it was interesting?

You told him that this was serious, and that you needed to find a way out of here now.

“Keheehee... you don’t really think I’d let anything happen to you, do you? It’s clear Monokuma won’t let us go, even under these circumstances. Besides, I have my own kin developing inside your body, you need extra attention now!”

He will literally give you a tsunami of compliments everyday about how your body seems to be handling the pregnancy.

“S/O, your body is just so radiant today!”

Tells you stories about motherhood in other cultures.

Knows the best herbal remedies to calm symptoms such as headaches or nausea.

Nervous that you keep having to go to the bathroom, guides you there and back.

You really don’t know why he completely lost his shit by killing Angie and Tenko.

You convinced yourself that it was because of the oppressive student council, but why Tenko?

As he revealed his true self, you were horrified. He...was a serial killer?

The Korekiyo you came to love was a serial killer?

You were thrown into despair as you came to terms with his true colors. Nothing made sense anymore. Not only was your boyfriend and father of your first-born child dead, but he’d been batshit insane this entire time?

Maybe the next time you see red rope and hear a promise of “pleasure like you’ve never experienced”, you’ll politely decline.

[spiffyspuffy]

My Mystic Messenger Opinions

(That no one asked for)

Zen

Character: 8/10 I know a lot of people think Zens annoying but I find him endearing. One of the best things about this game is the complexity of the characters and I love that Zen’s cockiness is actually how he hides his insecurities. Even though he’s egotistical about himself, he’s never shallow with MC. He says multiple times that he doesn’t care about MC’s looks. He loves her for who she is and shows this in how he makes an effort to get to know her and be her cheerleader everyday. An underrated thing about Zen is how emotionally intelligent he is. He’s great at helping the RFA members when they need emotional support (Yoosung’s grief over loosing Rika, Jaehee crying from the stress of her job and MC’s shock at almost being kidnapped). 

Route: 2/10 Zen is a great character and he deserves a better route. The false rape accusation plot is horrible and offensive. Also, his route functions as an introduction to the game’s plot, so it’s exposition heavy and lacks action. The creators said that the lesson of his route is that when our insecurities are handled in a healthy way, they can push us to be better people. I love this message and I wish it had been highlighted more in his route.

Romantic Potential: 9/10 Zen is arguably the most dateable of all the characters. He’s a bad boy without being sketchy. He’s protective without being possessive. He’s kind without being a pushover and he’s smart without being pretentious. His biggest drawbacks are his overconfidence and and how busy he is with working. There aren’t any glaring red flags. 

~ More under the cut ~ 

Jeahee

Character: 7/10 I love this adorable theater nerd! She comes across as formal and stuffy at first, but reveals herself to be passionate and funny the more you get to know her. I gave her a lower score because she does have a strong personality that rubs me the wrong way sometimes (her jealousy of MC in Zen’s route, her lack of sympathy towards Jumin in her own route and her general rudeness towards Yoosung). She is the most mature of the RFA though, so her exasperation is warranted. Being mature and grounded also makes Jaehee the least complex Mysme character. I’ve got a lot of respect for her though!

Route: 5/10 Getting to engage in discourse about capitalism and the patriarchy? Amazing and hands down the best part of her route. It’s really inspiring to see Jaehee stand up for herself and choose to follow her dreams. I think it’s important for every young person to hear that they should have a positive work/life balance and demand that their employer supports that. Other highlights are Seven helping Jaehee by making the Power Point presentation for Jumin’s cat project, getting to fangirl with Jaehee over Zen and the creepy stalker plot. I thoroughly enjoy her route and the only reason the score is so low is because some of the other routes are seriously incredible.

Romantic Potential: 8/10 Jeahee doesn’t have any red flags either. I think she’s perfectly capable of having a healthy, romantic relationship with MC. The biggest issue standing in their way is Korea’s bias against lesbian relationships. As a fellow coffee lover and theater enthusiast though, I could definitely see myself or someone similar having a happy life with her, even if it might have to be in secret.

Yoosung

Character: 6/10 I can’t stand people who aren’t competent. Yoosung is a terrible cook, he barely cleans and he doesn’t pay attention to his studies. On top of that, 80% of his personality is that he’s a gamer AND he’s in love with his “dead” adopted cousin. Yuck. ~ But ~ I understand that he’s depressed and depression can seriously effect someone’s executive functioning. Taking all of those negatives away, we’re left with a young man who’s trying to his best to be taken seriously, which is something I can relate to. It’s nice to see imposter syndrome represented and I admire his loyalty to his friends. 

Route: 8/10 This route is sooo good! Who can forget the night when the RFA starts being aggressively stalked by Minty Eye? And the pic Zen takes of a believer looking at him through his apartment window...chills. His route only gets better from there when he infiltrates Mint Eye with Seven. This is the first time we get to see the twins interact and damn, is it confusing. But in a good way!!   The biggest drawback is that MC is stuck in Rika’s apartment and doesn’t play much of an active role in the story. 

Romantic Potential: 7/10 Despite all the negatives I listed about Yoosung, I do think he’s capable of have a healthy, romantic relationship with MC. Yoosung is also the only true sub of the RFA men, which is a definite plus for some players. Yoosung’s yandere side is a huge red flag though. MC better watch out if she doesn’t dote on him as much as he wants. Once he falls for her, he’s all in. 

Jumin

Character: 5/10 Unpopular opinion, but I hate Jumin. I understand that he’s some people’s guilty pleasure though. Jumin’s good aspects are that he’s intensely loyal, an animal lover and has a dry sense of humor. I appreciate how devoted he is to the RFA and it’s members. He offers to help Zen multiple times (albeit rejected), sends everyone body guards in his route and pays the hospital in the SE to keep Saeran’s identity top secret. What I’m not a fan of is the way he obsesses over MC and traps her in his house. This isn’t the first time he’s shown obsessive tendencies either. Seven explicitly states that Jumin acted this way with Rika in the past. Huuuge red flag.  

Route: 3/10 His entire route is fraught with rich people problems. I’m supposed to sympathize with him for an arranged marriage? All he had to do was say no. His father couldn’t force him. He’s possessive of MC because women have only ever wanted to be with him for his money? Not an excuse. Elizabeth going missing was a vaguely interesting story line, but Jumin’s relationship with his cat was cringey enough to overshadow the drama of it for me.

Romantic Potential: 3/10 Jumin has some serious issues. He’s never had a good female role model which has given him a deep seeded hatred of women. Remember when he tells MC that respecting women goes against his core beliefs? Yikes. Then, after meeting a woman who respects him and he actually likes, he locks her up and tries to change everything about her (cutting her hair, buying her a new wardrobe, teaching her the ‘proper’ way to walk, etc). We’re supposed to believe Jumin learns to be better by the end of his route, but he still proposes to MC after only a week of knowing her! I’m having a hard time picturing Jumin in a healthy relationship. 

Saeyoung

Character: 10/10 I’m not saying Saeyoung is a good person. Far from it actually. But he IS very well written and extremely interesting. In the other routes, Saeyoung is energetic and funny, bringing much needed humor to heavy moments. It’s always a joy being in a chatroom with him. Then you have the reveal that he actually hates his job and that he was faking his personality, all to a sad and slowed down version of his theme song. This plot twist shook me to my core. What makes him so well written is that the devs did a good job dropping hints to his real personality in the other routes that players might not notice during their first play through. 

Route: 9/10 This route is a wild ride from start to finish. This is when the plot threads from the other routes come together and start make sense. This route has secret agents, assassins, a deadly bomb, kidnapping, an evil twin, a powerful cult... It’s action heavy while still carrying enough emotional weight to make me cry every time. Saeyoung’s route is heavy and emotional and sooo worth playing. 

Romantic Potential: 6/10 Saeyoung has a shady job and a complicated past. Choosing to be with him means putting your life in danger every day. If you’re okay with that, he’d be a decent romantic partner. He’s a little rough around the edges, but I do think he has potential to become more like his ideal self (God Seven) after reading his AE. He’ll always have that mean and serious side to him, but I don’t think he’s hopeless. 

V

Character: 4/10 He’s low-key the worst. I sympathize with his trauma from being abused by Rika, but I don’t understand why he feels the need to fix everything by himself. Rika might be the source of most problems in this game, but V is partially responsible for standing by and letting her get away with everything. 

My first issue with him comes from encouraging Saeyoung to join the agency. I know Saeyoung didn’t have many options, but how was encouraging him to train to become a hacker and assassin the best option?! On top of that, he stalked Zen per Rika’s request and took creeper photos of him, failed miserably at protecting Saeran and don’t get me started on how he loves Rika unconditionally. V has some good characteristics but I really don’t care about those when he’s so terrible otherwise. 

Route: 10/10 This route is *chef’s kiss* the BEST. I wouldn’t call it a romance since Vs barely in it but damn is it riveting. Saeran is the perfect amount of loving and unhinged, MC get’s to know Rika on a personal level and V finally gets to be active instead of just reactive like he is in all the other routes. It’s also  satisfying to find out how much V has been keeping secret and to get a glimpse into Rika’s psyche. But what really makes V’s route stand out among the rest is that there are spy action scenes like in Saeyoung’s route, but the player also gets to spend time in Mint Eye.

Romantic Potential: 7/10 I’ll be honest. I don’t think V will ever be able to move on from Rika. He’ll always love her, as evidence in his AE. Besides that drawback, I do think he’d be a good romantic partner for MC. V was never the issue in his past relationship with Rika. She was the abusive one and he was 100% the victim. I think he would treat MC just as well in their relationship as he treated Rika. 

Saeran

Character: 7/10 I know I’m not the only one who loved the suave and cunning Saeran of the main routes who, after getting the therapy he needed, became an adorably shy and awkward man. Sadly, that’s not the character we got in AS. Instead, we met Ray, the split personality of Saeran’s psyche. Ray is charming and sweet as well as possessive and manipulative...which is something I’m into. But it’s not for everyone. Saeran’s real personality in AS is revealed to be angry and abusive and not at all similar to who he was in the main routes. I’ll give Cheritz props for writing a fairly accurate portrayal of disassociative identity disorder, but I think Saeran’s characterization is inconsistent. I get the impression Ray was an afterthought when creating AS. 

Route: 7/10 A mixed bag for me. I really enjoy any chatroom/scene with Ray. He’s undeniably creepy, but those scenes were entertaining in a dark romance kind of way. On the other hand, the Saeran scenes had a lot of unrealized potential. Abuse is never cool. All his route needed to fix this was a scene where Saeran explained to MC that he was pretending to hate her to appease Rika and the other believers. While this fake hatred is implied, I think it needed to be outright stated. It’s also hard to believe that Saeran overcame his DID in the course of one night. I know all routes are limited to 11 days, but this one needed more. Highlights of this route are Saeyoung being kidnapped by his father and of course, dark Yoosung with Elizabun. 

Romantic Potential: 7/10 I truly do believe that Saeran could go on and live a happy life in any of the endings where he escapes Mint Eye and receives therapy. While we only get a glimpse of what an emotionally stable Searan looks like, we know that he was kind and attentive with MC. Saeran is a giver and would do anything to make MC happy. Red flags are that Searan is still clingy at the end of his route. Yoosung makes a comment that he’s always holding MC’s hand when he sees them together. Also, his DID is something that will occasionally return and that’s something MC has to go into their relationship knowing. 

[turtletimewriting]

Hello! has loceit been done yet? 👉👈

Okay. this is going to be my last one. I feel like, at this point, I’m just repeating myself. But this has been genuinely so so so much fun! And, if I can be vague for a second, this whole thing bodes well for a future project I’m planning. 

1. Who has the cutest tickle laugh?

Logan’s of course! His laugh already is beautiful with all its snorts and squeals compared to his normal serious self, but there’s a particular laugh that is Janus’ favourite. It’s a shame because he’s yet to cause that laugh again. He was tickling his sides while Logan was lying on his stomach and his hands drifted to back of his ribs, on his back. It was just the most frantic uncontrollable giggles you’ve ever heard. Logan’s choked attempts at saying ‘oh sweet lord this really tickles’. Neither of them knew his back was ticklish and Logan’s sheer panic at the hidden tickle spot which is very ticklish. The laughter from a new tickle spot where it tickles a new way and the panic of not realising he was ticklish produced the best laughter Janus has ever heard. His biggest regret in life is not recording that laugh. Oh well, all the more reason to try and replicate that laughter. 

2. Who is ticklish in unusual places and where would that be?

Not really an unusual spot but more like unusual tickles. Janus quite likes experimenting with how to tickle in his snake form and one day, when he was a teeny weeny snake, he managed to curl around one of Logan’s individual toe. And Logan’s feet is his death spot. Logan wasn’t really aware of his own screaming laughs but the fact that all the others (including Remus, so it must’ve been bad) came storming into the room with various weapons. None of them even saw the small tiny little yellow noodle slowly twisting around Logan’s little toe. 

3. Who gets cheer-up tickles?

Janus. Logan has this habit of resting his hands underneath Janus’ cape near his ribs to keep his hands warm or even just to have a spot to keep his hands while talking. This then evolved into slow gentle tracing around Janus’ ribs and of course he can’t bat away at his hands because no one can even tell that Logan’s hands are under there and there’s no way he’s telling the whole mindscape he’s ticklish. But this quickly become a way for Logan to help Janus realise he’s stressed and needs to take a moment. His hands will go from gently resting to slowly curling fingers around his ribs and it completely takes Janus out of the moment and helps him realise that he’s screaming in frustration at an upset Patton. It becomes a way for Janus to know when he’s hitting a nerve or needs to back away and calm down. 

4. Who takes advantage of the other one getting their arms stuck while taking off their shirt?

Janus loves to take advantage of Logan because Logan is so delightfully clueless. Not only is he useless in the mornings but he’s very ‘no funny business’ and doesn’t even think it’s fathomable that Janus will tickle and joke with him. His brain is turning on! Of course no one will try to start a conversation with him! And so it is the perfect time to attack his little pudgy sides with tickles or scitter up his spine as he walks by. To make it even better, Logan always forget by the next morning and will just stand there will Janus creeps forward with wiggling fingers. 

5. How did they discover each other’s ticklishness?

Logan’s ticklishness was discovered when Janus was in his snake form. Janus made it a habit to turn into a snake so he could extra appreciate the warmth. But Janus decided to finally take a leap and slide up to (gently) around his neck rather than curled up in his lap. But his sliding scales going up his arm before settling and curling around his ticklish neck. To make it worse, this was after a long day’s work and so Logan didn’t even try to hide his giggles. It took him a worrying amount of time to notice Janus had stopped and was now staring at him in front of his head with a judgmental snake look.

Janus’ ticklishness isn’t much of a story. I have no clue where this has come from; I don’t even ever have consistent height headcanons. BUT! Janus has made it his place to sit down is Logan’s lap. I like the idea of them not being the most affectionate couple but also just casual contact is done without batting an eye. Logan is sitting on the sofa, he won’t even move or look up when Janus plops down on his lap and sits cross legged in his lap. But then one day, maybe after his own ticklishness was discovered, Logan just wondered if he was ticklish too. He then squeezed his sides. Janus threw himself back, trying to back away from the squeezes, but of course that then means he allowed himself to be trapped in Logan’s arms who then tickled the snot out of him. And he does not regret it. Seeing Logan’s peaceful smirk still lives in Janus’ mind rent free. 

6. Who can’t take tickle bites?

Neither of them. Both of them are equally as weak to the silliness and sensation of tickle bites. One day they even wanted to battle this out, prove it once and for all. They both got sat in Patton and Remus’ laps so they could be effectively pinned down and tickle bit to pieces. First one to safeword would be the loser and the weakest to the tickle bites. Patton starts nibbling on Janus’ neck and made sure to linger on the scales while Remus immediately dived for Logan’s sides. They both safeworded at the same time and they still argue to this day over how unfair that battle was (even though neither of them really lost). Remus has a moustache! Oh yeah well you don’t have scales! I’m bigger so there’s more surface area to tickle! I’m smaller and you have no idea how flustering it is to have everyone tower over you!

7. Who has to be tickle-forced out of bed in the morning?

To put a spin on this, Logan absolutely needs to be tickle chased IN to bed. Janus is absolutely not above fighting unfairly to get his genius idiot boyfriend some amount of sleep. He’ll duck under the desk and destroy Logan’s death spot in plenty of tickles and maybe a few raspberries here or there. Logan will even be begging that he promises he will go straight to bed but Janus will not listen. If he did then Logan would 

8. Who gives up in a tickle fight?

Oh this is absolutely not what this question is asking but oh this only just hit me. Both Logan and Janus are the sort to deliberately lose a tickle fight. Logan actually enjoys the tickles and sometimes it only just hits him that he can sit back and socially acceptably just take all the tickles he wants. Janus is the sort to treasure when Logan is having unabashed fun and genuine silliness and he will absolutely sit back and let things last longer so he can teach Logan that silliness is something good. But one day they both dramatically flop backwards thinking they can sit back and enjoy the tickles. They both awkwardly flop away from each other thinking the other will go to pin them. But obviously they just flop heavily against the floor in deafening silence. Janus finishes his giggle fit and Logan awkwardly brushed off the tingly sensations. The silence lasts for a solid minute. Then they burst into laughter and they both curl up to each other like the hopeless tickle addicts they are. From that point on, they are aware the other will deliberately lose a tickle fight but they still pretend like their tickle fights are genuine. 

9. Who is in danger of getting hurt when attacking the other?

Logan can sometimes just flop over during a tickle attack. Like his legs just don’t do the working thing anymore. So there’s been a few moments where he’ll collapse on to Janus who is completely unprepared to have his huge boyfriend fall on him. He doesn’t really get hurt but it always make him laugh when one second he’s evilly attacking his boyfriend to the next being buried underneath Logan. To make it better, Logan then has access to his little stick legs underneath him which are perfect for some revenge tickles. 

10. Who always provokes the other into tickling them and how?

Janus. He’ll never admit that he wants tickles but he’s also too much of a lee to outright ask. To make it even better worse, Logan can be a little dense so all this subterfuge goes to complete waste when Logan ends up proclaiming loud enough for anyone in the mindscape to hear, “Oh wait, are you trying to provoke me into tickling you? Is that it? Do you want some tickles? Why are you blushing so much, there is nothing to be ashamed of about liking being tickled.” 

[lizacstuff]

SCK / Edser asks - ep 31/32

Asks about episode 31, some discussion of 32 under the cut

Anonymous said: with the past two episodes, i realized, for me at least, it's not so much about it feeling disjointed (31 didn't really feel disjointed to me tbf) but about the lack of edser screentime. when we do have their scenes, they're good! but the last 2 eps haven't had a lot of it which is what's frustrating (more annoying to me than even selin believe it or not). the fragman for next week looks good though.. with serkan losing his shit more and more.. which can only mean good things for us! lol.

Yes, I agree with this. This episode was a lot less disjointed than 30. 30 felt weird. For 31, there wasn’t enough Edser, but I found it leaps and bounds easier to watch than the last two episodes. As for not enough Edser, I was wondering if that was partly about the short shooting week. For episode 31 they only shot 4 days, a couple of paps said that they did that to give Kerem 3 days off last week because his family was visiting from US/Canada. I don’t know if that’s true, but they follow him around so they pry know if the fam is in town or not. Perhaps in doing that, they had to rely more on the second unit and focus on other characters?? Because there was a lot of focus on other characters this episode.

Speaking of other storylines, I do have to say that I’m very relieved that there is an actual reason why Ceren has lost the thread a bit. If she’s off her meds it explains a lot, and I’m thankful that while she tantrumed a lot about Eda and forced herself on someone who wasn’t inviting it with Deniz, she didn’t do anything unforgivable like actively try and hurt Eda. 

Also the Erdem and Leyla scenes were amusing, and my queen Melo can do anything she wants. The only character who actually gives a damn about Eda and Serkan.  

While there wasn’t enough Edser, there was more than a lot of people are giving the episode credit for.  They had several really good scenes in the office with the balloons and the staring and later him questioning her about Deniz. We got jealous Serkan sniffing around Eda and Deniz’s cafe, and a really nice outside Eda’s house scene that got them being kind to each other and really, honestly talking. Then the funny scene inside with everyone thinking they were back together and Aydan freaking out. (we even got Serkan getting a few cathartic slaps!)  The boat scenes were good, but they could have been better. I think they could have given us more and Eda could have been a bit more open with him trying so hard. 

The final scene was a slap in the face and I think sort of tainted the rest of the episode, but without that, I thought there was actual progress made. 

As for the fragman (and the extra scenes released in the VDay video yesterday) I actually have hope for 32 being a turning point. We’ve seen him be curious about her and opening up with her, now I think we’ll see the ye olde sexual attraction hitting him hard. That should be good!  Plus banning love in the office! Vintage jealous Serkan!

Anonymous said: Last week's episode was not my favorite but after this week's, I'm just confused at the writing situation. You could jump from episode 30, to the last minute of episode 31 and you would've seen all you needed to see. It feels like they're wasting potential. Maybe the showrunner knows something we don't about how much time they have but I'm at the "not mad, but very disappointed" phase with how this story is going. And the "Ceren is crazy off her meds" storyline is particularly striking an nerve.

I’m sorry that the Ceren off her meds story is upsetting to you, I can see that. Unfortunately, I really don’t have faith they’ll do it justice. This show has treated some very big issues like agoraphobia, claustrophobia, narcolepsy, panic attacks and lets not forget amnesia and PTSD, at a very superficial level. However, I am glad that they at least gave a plausible reason for Ceren to undergo a behavioral change.  

However, I don’t agree with you that the rest of the episode was pointless. I thought the Edser we did get was very good and Serkan made big strides. He was drawn to Eda, intrigued by her, asking questions, very jealous of Deniz, lying to Selin, getting annoyed at Selin, and meanwhile Eda and Serkan had some nice quite conversations. Remember the man doesn’t know her, but he feels that primal pull towards her and it still terrifies him. Especially now that we’re past her heightened emotions of ep 29, and he’s realizing what a competent professional she is and also caring and sweet, not quite the picture that Selin painted him. 

The problem is the 1 step forward, 2 steps back that they’re having him do.  However, what I’m hoping will happen is that all these experiences, these big steps forward he makes with Eda, before he freaks, gets back under the influence of Selin and jumps backwards, will have a cumulative effect and he’ll take a giant leap forward soon. 

There are so many moments that show his tendency to be carrying and attentive towards Eda (offering to drive Eda home after the yacht, vs telling Selin he’s busy and she can go on ahead so he can sit and think about Eda), the switch has got to flip sooner rather than later for him. 

Anonymous said: So I noticed that "March 20th" is 5 Saturdays from now. I sincerely hope they don't drag this fake engagement out until then

Good GAWD, don’t even say that! LMAO. Honestly, truly, I don’t think we’re going to drag her fake engagement out that long. Really truly. Have I convinced you yet? Have I convinced myself yet? 

That would be way too much. By March 20th I’m expecting them to be sexing each other up! 

Anonymous said: Think I am going to shake off the not so greatness of the last two episodes by thinking about how hot it is going to be watching Serkan try to win Eda back. Because we ended yet another episode with Serkan apparently still having zero interest in putting his engagement on hold and no progress made towards unmasking Selin’s game. Edser scenes were fire always but still too short & too far in between. At this point I think most of us could write a novel about how all over the place the writing is and how little things makes sense but that is just too depressing.

Yes, I think this is very true. IMO they really miscalculated by going with these engagements. They are really wearing on the audience. But I do think you’re right, that them constantly changing writers is a big part of the issue. Also I think it has to do with constantly living on the edge and not knowing how many episodes this show is going to have. I don’t know how any show could have a clear and consistent narrative with that constantly hanging over the creatives heads. It’s an interesting way to do things. 

It is a bit head spinning when you think about how much time on this show they spend with Edser together and how much apart. HOWEVER, I’m a big proponent that from 16-26, they were basically in a romantic relationship the entire time. Even though they weren’t together, they were together, they belonged to each other, they couldn’t leave each other alone, every decision they made was with the other in mind. But I’m one that doesn’t find those episodes as tortuous as some, there are a LOT of good moments and scenes in there. 

Anonymous said: So was Deniz agreeing to work with Selin supposed to be the start of her downfall? Or not? It honestly seems like the show is not even going the route of Selin doing something to mess with his memories anymore and just going to have Serkan flat out choose Eda over Selin but who knows. Only shining light on that front was the fact that Selin & Serkan had very few couple scenes in the last episode.

You are me, I’ve been wondering about this. The last episode sort of made me give up hope that Selin is going to face any repercussions for the disgusting way she has manipulated and brainwashed an amnesia victim.  I mean, she will be heartbroken and will have to slink out of town again, but it’s possible she may not face any blowback from the other characters and that will suck. 

On the bright side (you know I always have to look on the bright side) that means instead of her being unmasked, it will be, as you say, just Serkan, once again, straight up choosing Eda over her. Which is delicious and romantic in it’s own right. Their love once again triumphing over the biggest of odds, with everything stacked against them and people actively working against them and him suffering from a brain injury. That’s big. And I think after the way Serkan has treated Eda, it’s important that he choose and not just have th choice taken from him by Selin being “unmasked.” Though I’m happy if she’s unmasked after he’s already fallen for Eda (which lets be honest is actively happening). 

So there’s a lot of upside to that, to Serkan just choosing, however if that happens and she leaves prior to him regaining his memories, we’ll probably have to suffer through Serkan thanking Selin and apologizing to her and that might make me break whatever screen I’m watching the show on that night. I keep telling myself the writers have to know we need some comeuppance and consequences for Selin, but I’m not sure I trust them to do that. It’s possible she’ll skate again. 

The spoilers (which so far are batting about 50/50, so this is still all grain of salt) said that the last scene of 31 would be “bad” (it was IMO, ouch!) but that it would start the unmasking of Selin. If Deniz is playing Selin (which I think is very possible) then that spoiler cold still be true.  

Maybe Deniz is a straight up a manipulative villain, but it feels like we have enough of that already. Doesn’t he seem smart enough to realize that he’s never going to get Eda through trickery, and would be much better served by championing her best interests instead of employing underhanded tactics to separate Eda/Serkan? So maybe he’ll help humiliate Selin by reveling what she’s doing. Who knows, we shall see. 

Anonymous said: The thing that bothers me the most is serkan's attitude towards eda. When he is alone with her he is vulnerable, attentive to her, listens and tries to find out more about her and their love and the moments they spent together, he tries to remember. And when he is surrounded by other people especially selin he is completely different with her. He is cold, says cruel things to her (the moment he said that he will never marry her seriously serkan?) and he humiliates her constantly. PART1

Really I wonder why this sudden change every time there is surely something we don't know yet. PART2

Yes, there could be something we don’t know that’s contributing to his behavior. 

Though @echoapothecary had a good theory about those spoilers that came out about how Selin was doing something with pills and potential drugging of Serkan... what if the spoiler types got it wrong from call sheets and mistook Ceren with the pills for something Selin was doing? 

Serkan’s behavior could just be his pre-Eda robotic personality terrified of the person he becomes after Eda, combined with Selin’s abusive manipulation and brainwashing, combined with traumatic brain injury, combined with PTSD from the plane crash. That’s a lot to overcome. 

Anonymous said: Poor Eda how much pain can she bear , she is suffering so much and she tries to stay strong and do everything she can to get her serkan back. I feel so much sympathy for her character, she has endured so much but she remains strong in spite of everything. If she decides to give up I wouldn't blame her, she has the right to think about herself for once. It's up to serkan now to open up to her, to show that he cares about her and wants to remember her.

My heart breaks for Eda. However, come on, it’s been like a week. Eda is stronger than than that, she wouldn’t be Eda if she gave up. She knows Serkan is suffering from a brain injury and being manipulated by that barnacle.

Also, remember how we spent episode 20-26 with Eda keeping her distance and controlling everything while Serkan worked his tail off to get her back, his love never wavering. They work because they don’t give up on one another.

Anonymous said: The only way for serkan to react is to feel that he is going to lose eda (she had already tried everything, recreating their moments, kissing him but nothing worked). Eda knows this and that's why she decided to start this game with Deniz, it's her only motivation. To make serkan react, be jealous, feel that he is about to lose her just like in episode 11 to finally confess his feelings. P1/

At first I was totally against this fake engagement but now that I see it from another point of view it seems to me that it is a good idea. Just how could eda have guessed that deniz was not sincere in his intention to help her and just wanted to take advantage of the situation. P2/

Yes, you’re right. Eda knows that Serkan needs to be pushed into a corner to act. That’s what happened the first time. If only we see a reaction like he had the first time around!

What I didn’t like is when Deniz expounded on their “love story” and made up the whole thing about them promising to get married which prompted Serkan to ask Eda if he knew about that. Eda had to say no and I feel like that gives Serkan a mistaken view of their relationship. That they were not in a place where they would have confided such things. It feels like it works against Eda’s objective. So that move puts a mark in the “Deniz is actually a manipulative shit-stain” category. 

I just so badly want one of the other characters (Engin, Leyla) to accuse Serkan of being jealous and for him to respond that he doesn’t get jealous and for them to be all like, “Yeah, maybe you didn’t used to get jealous, but with Eda you were jealous of anything that competed for her attention, including babies and dogs!”

Anonymous said: i love that scene on the boat where serkan stays behind after dismissing selin (when he all too eager to take eda home before btw!!) and he's thinking about their moments together.. it's not flashbacks to his memories of her, but he's thinking about the moments that they've shared the DOES remember right now... boy is he already falling for her all over again

Yes, me too! That was very good moment. He sends his “fiancé” on her way without really even questioning where she’s been and then sits and thinks about another woman. 

He’s got to be close to catching a clue! If only he didn’t emotionally destroy Eda every time he freaks out. 

Anonymous said: i think it's hard for most people to watch serkan be "robot-y" after sooo many episodes of him evolving and growing and being in love with eda.. but i remember back to the first episodes and there are times and moments where he IS harsh with her there too.. they would have a close moment and then the next day he would be ice cold.. the same things happens now.. he has always, even back then, fought himself falling in love until he couldn't any longer and felt like he was actually losing her.

Yes! This is Serkan circa episode 3 when he freaked out and was a total and complete asshole to Eda. It just hurts so much more this time around. Then Eda, and the audience, could let it roll off our backs because they didn’t have history. Now we have 30 episode of history and love and evolution and it is hella painful to go back to that place again. 

However, it is pretty realistic to his character and the guy we met in the beginning. What’s not entirely realistic is him taking refuge in Selin. But I suppose you take the fact that the last thing he remembers they were together, and forget the reason they broke up is that he was never going to marry her, throw in her trauma, manipulation and brainwashing and here we are at engaged!

Anonymous said: you know i never considered how the show must feel if you binge watched all of it.. i started watching from the 1st ep so it's always been this cycle of waiting a loooong week in between, but it must feel different if you've binged it.. i feel like storylines def won't feel as dragged out and therefore you wouldn't feel as frustrated by how long the plot would take.. like we waited 10+ weeks for edser to get back together but now someone can just breeze thru those episodes lol.

Yes, binging would take away a lot of the pain those of us week to week have felt. I binged through episode 9 and it’s been week to week for me every since. Like I said in that other ask, I like week to week, because I like fandom. I like talking to you all in my ask box and I like content, and having time to digest things and I like following the cast and getting spoilers, but the downside is the PAIN. LMAO. 

Anonymous said: wow, they even stole your caption. so sorry this happened to you , i hope they take it down soon! i know you work hard to create these gifs and posts ❤

This is about the gal who reposted my gifset yesterday. Thank you so much, she did delete it. As I say, I’m more than fine with people using the gifs for reactions and meta and stuff like that, but it’s against every bit of tumblr etiquette (and rules) to repost entire sets as your own. Please don’t do that.

[let-it-raines]

your wonder under summer skies (6/?)

Summer in Storybrooke, Maine means one thing for its residents: tourist season. This year, for Emma Swan and Killian Jones, it means relationships ending and friendships changing all the while they attempt to figure out just what their relationship is. It’s somewhere straddling the line between friends and lovers, and there’s no guarantee of a soft landing if they fall into new territory.

rating: mature

a/n: I’m sorry for the delay. I’d hoped to have finished writing this story and then post pretty quickly, but personal life things have kept my mind other places. But hopefully you guys keep enjoying this story 💙

ao3: beginning | current

tumblr:  1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 |

-/-

Sand shifts beneath Killian’s feet as he runs along the shoreline. The tide hasn’t quite come in yet, the water just missing him as it wades onto the shore, but Skipper is getting soaked with salt water as he runs on his leash in front of Killian. He used to not have to put Skipper on a leash for their morning runs since no one else is on the beach at this time of the morning, but then the damn dog went and swam in the ocean only to get caught up in a rip tide.

So, leash it is even if it makes Killian run faster and harder than he ever intends to.

Bloody hell, his calves are absolutely on fire. He should have run along the boardwalk to save himself from this kind of pain.

“Skip,” Killian whistles. “Slow down, mate.”

The dog obviously doesn’t listen and keeps running, but Killian tugs on his leash until he pulls back, stopping and sitting down in the sand. He’s definitely going to have to be shaved later.

“Good boy,” Killian sighs as he finally catches up to him. “You want to head back home? Are you tired yet? I’m exhausted.”

Skipper barks and sticks out his tongue. Killian takes it as sign enough that it’s time to go home.

The sun begins to rise over the horizon on Killian’s walk home, and he slows his pace to watch the world be coated in shades of orange and pink that are like nothing he’s ever seen replicated. Milah used to try with her paintings. She was always so obsessed with the sun and the way it shaded things differently, and he’d catch her painting the same building over and over again with only the most minute differences. She was a bloody brilliant painter, too, and the more time that goes by, the more he wishes he’d been able to keep just one of her paintings.

He’d given them to her son.

Her son who deserved them much more that Killian ever did. His only hope is that they’re displayed instead of shoved in a supply closet or decaying in a landfill somewhere. Her family had been furious when they found out about him, and he doesn’t blame them.

He felt the same way.

Except Killian was the hidden boyfriend who was driving the car that killed Milah, and he wasn’t exactly welcomed by her family at the funeral. He’d always thought that she didn’t have family, that she had few people just like him, but she apparently had hordes of people in her life.

How can he still harbor love for her when she betrayed him?

When she’s the reason he hasn’t been able to commit himself to anyone since.

Well, there was Tink, but she was exactly the same as Milah in so many ways.

At least she didn’t help in giving him the scars that run up and down his arm and wrap around his hand so that there was a permanent physical reminder of her. She simply, well, sunrises don’t remind him of her in the way they remind him of Milah.

Skipper barks again, and Killian shakes himself out of it before continuing to walk up to the beach. Some of the cabana boys are already dragging out the lounge chair cushions to the beach, and Killian nods at them before turning at the boardwalk and making his way to the shop. He goes through the back door so that obnoxious bell won’t go off, and as soon as they get inside, Killian slips out of his shoes and takes Skipper’s leash off before quietly walking up the stairs.

The lights in the apartment are all still turned off, and Killian uses the dim light of the rising sun to find his way back to his bedroom. The only light in there is the brightness of Emma’s phone shining on her face.

“Why did you get up so early to run this morning?”

He pulls off his sweaty shirt and tosses it in his laundry bin. “I’ve got a full day. I’m down at the marina all day. Why? Did you want to come with?”

“I’m doing a spin class with Ruby tonight, but I do need to start running on the beach again. That is a hell of a workout.”

“You’re telling me. My calves are still on fire.”

Emma hums and keeps typing on her phone. What the hell is she writing this early in the morning? He didn’t even think she’d be awake, but he probably woke her up when he left. Damn. He thought he was being quiet.

“I’m going to take a shower. Do you need to take one?”

“I’m not showering with you, Jones.”

“I wasn’t asking.”

She drops her phone and raises her brow. “I’m sorry. You’re a man who doesn’t want to have shower sex? I think you may actually be a unicorn.”

“It’s a very small shower, love, and I don’t think my knees can take being on the tile. My legs are definitely too tired to have to hold you up.”

“I’m not complaining,” she laughs. “I’ve just never had this happen before. I feel like I need to document it. You can leave the shower on for me. I’ll hop in after.”

Killian raises his hand and salutes at Emma before stripping out of the rest of his clothes and walking into his bathroom. He closes the door behind him and turns on the shower, allowing it to heat up for a minute or two before stepping inside and letting the water pound against his back. It feels better than he imagined it could, and even with this, he knows he’s going to be beyond sore by this evening.

He easily could have stayed in bed with Emma this morning. He could have slept in, had some kind of drowsy, lazy morning sex, and then been on with his day without being sore.

Now that he thinks about it, that would have been the better option.

Then again, the two of them aren’t really wake up in the morning and have sex kind of people. It’s happened, but it almost feels outside of their deal. He’d like to stay inside the deal and within the guidelines of their rules as much as he possibly can.

It’s funny how easy it’s been to fall into this thing with her. It’s usually not like this when he starts sleeping with someone new. There’s a game to be played, no matter how much he’d sometimes rather not play it, but with Emma, it’s not like that. There’s no tip-toeing around each other or questioning motives, not anymore. It is what it is, and they’re both okay with that.

No games may be the most refreshing thing in the world.

Killian quickly scrubs himself down with soap and washes some shampoo in his hair before rinsing it all off. His bathroom door opens, and Emma walks through without a stitch of clothing on.

Bloody hell.

“You almost finished?” she asks, apparently without a care in the world that she’s nearly rendered him speechless.

And possibly changed his thoughts on shower sex, even if that would absolutely be the most uncomfortable thing in the world right now.

“It’s all yours, milady.” He slides open the glass door and grabs a towel while Emma slides by him and steps into the shower. “It may be a little hot.”

“It’s scorching. What is wrong with you?”

“Trying to relieve my sore muscles, love.”

“By burning your skin off?”

“It is not that hot.”

She rolls her eyes and grabs his shampoo bottle. He’s got to stop looking at her if he wants any hope of being able to get dressed comfortably.

“Do you have conditioner?”

Killian bends down and pulls out an old bottle that was left here. “This work?”

She reaches out and grabs it. “Do you have more of this?”

“Yeah, why?”

“Because whichever girl left this is my new favorite. This stuff is expensive, and I think I’ll be able to actually brush through my hair now.”

Killian scoffs and adjusts the towel around his waist. “What’s wrong with the stuff in the shower?”

“It’s awful. The fact that you have such good hair is amazing.”

Oh, well, if she’s going to compliment him, he can’t pass that opportunity up. He twists his head and gets in her eyeline, ignoring the way water is dripping off her breasts, and moves his brows up and down.

“Why, darling, who knew you had such a thing for my hair?”

Emma’s nose scrunches up. “Shut up.”

“No, no, I can’t let this go. Tell me, what else do you find attractive about me? I know there must be quite a list since you’ve decided to sleep with me on a regular basis.”

“Again, shut up.”

“Nope. I’m not letting this go now. You find me attractive, Swan, and believe it or not, I actually quite fancy you from time to time when you’re not yelling at me.”

“Don’t you have something to be doing?”

“I have nothing to do but stare at you.”

Emma’s laugh is louder than the spray of water, and he sees her shake her head before she goes back to washing her hair. Killian should shave this morning, but he can put that off until tomorrow when he’s not incredibly distracted by the naked woman showering next to him.

Killian brushes his teeth and dries his hair before walking out of the bathroom, leaving the door open for the steam to waft out, and he gets dressed for work. He’s still got hours until then, but if he puts joggers back on, he’ll not want to go. He knows the families who are coming in today for sailing lessons, and as much as he loves that part of the job, he does not want to deal with a group of twelve-year-old kids today.

The shower water keeps running, and Killian sees Emma out of the corner of his eyes before he opens his bedroom door and softly closes it behind him. The lights in the kitchen are on, and when he gets close enough, he sees Elsa standing over the stove with eggs in the pan. He didn’t even know she’d stayed over last night. He should be paying more attention to that. Then again, he doesn’t want Liam to know who he has staying over, so maybe it’s a good thing that they can quietly go about their business.

When Liam and Elsa get married, though, Killian hopes they either kick him out of here or move into Elsa’s place. He doesn’t know how much longer he can take living with Liam because of situations like this morning, but that’s not exactly an easy conversation to have.

“You making enough for everyone?” Killian asks.

Elsa twists around and smiles. “I’m making enough for me, but if you want some, that’s not a problem. Did you go running this morning?”

“Aye, and yes to the eggs, too.”

“That’s really early for you to go running. I didn’t even know you got up at that time.”

“Love, I almost never sleep in. The Navy will kill that habit before they do anything else.”

“Liam has managed to curb that, I think. That or he fakes sleeping in so I don’t feel lazy when I wake up later than him.”

“I think you may be onto his evil plans.”

She laughs again before plating the eggs in the pan and opening the carton next to her to crack open two more. “Oh, by the way, Emma is coming over this morning to help me with some wedding stuff. Anna is going to call in since that’s all really her cup of tea, but Emma is going to help get me a lower rate on one of the club venues. So, if you could go downstairs and unlock the door for her, that would be great.”

Killian swallows and grabs the plate of eggs from Elsa’s side, seasoning them and adding some cheese. “Isn’t that really more Mary Margaret’s department? The weddings, I mean.”

“Mary Margaret is more passionate about it, but they technically have the same job. Plus, Emma was free to meet me this early so we could talk to Anna at the same time.”

Killian accidentally shakes a little too much salt into his eggs. “When is Emma supposed to be here?”

“In about thirty minutes. Did I say you could have those eggs?”

Killian stuffs some overly salted eggs in his mouth. “I figured you’d want them while they were still hot, so I’d take the old ones.”

Elsa hums and nods. “You’re lucky I love you.”

“Don’t I know it?”

Killian stuffs the eggs into his mouth, eating far more quickly than any normal human should, and he’s going to regret it later. But he needs to finish and run back into his room because Emma cannot come out this way if Elsa is in the kitchen.

“Did the water just turn off?”

“Hmm?”

“I thought I heard the water turning off, but I must be hearing things.”

Shit.

“I didn’t hear anything.” Killian puts his half-empty plate down. “These are really good, Els. I’ll be right back, yeah? I need to check my phone.”

She doesn’t say anything, and Killian quickly leaves before she can. He doesn’t know what they’re going to do. Elsa is in the kitchen cooking, and she always likes to eat on the sofa. He can’t exactly tell Elsa to go back to Liam’s bedroom so he can sneak Emma out of the house only to sneak her back in.

What the hell, Emma? Why did she even come over last night? Did she not think this through? They’re going to have to start thinking things through if they don’t want to get everyone else involved. That would be a disaster that neither of them know how to get out of with how nosy their friends are.

When he gets back to his room, Emma is still in the bathroom with her hair wrapped up in a towel as she brushes her teeth. At least he thought to buy her a toothbrush to keep here after last week when she tried to use his.

“Do you want to tell me why you thought it was a good idea to meet Elsa here this early in the morning?”

“Huh?” Emma spits into the sink. “What? Why do you – oh you have egg on your shirt, KJ.”

He looks down and flicks it off. How did that happen? “Swan, why did you stay here last night if you knew you were meeting Elsa this morning?”

“Because then I wouldn’t have to drive from my place?”

“What was your plan? Get up and leave only to come back in two seconds later?”

“Pretty much, yeah.”

“And what do you plan on doing now since Elsa is awake and sitting in the living room eating her breakfast? She’s not going to leave, and I don’t really see how you plan on getting out.”

Emma’s toothbrush drops to the sink. “Fuck.”

“Yeah, exactly.”

“You have to get her out of there. Get her to take Skipper on a walk or something.”

“She has plans to meet you. she won’t have time. Plus, she knows I already went on a run with him.”

“Shit. What am I supposed to do climb out your window?” Killian’s brow arches. Now that’s an idea. “No,” Emma starts, “no, no, no. This is the second floor. I’m not jumping down. What if I break something?”

“You’ll land on the sand, and you only have to drop about ten feet.”

It’s ridiculous, this idea, but he’s starting to think it might be the best one. Killian walks over to the set of windows in his room, opens one up, and looks down at the small ledge. His room drops directly down onto some sand with Liam’s bedroom and the living area completely out of sight, and as long as she doesn’t land terribly, she should be fine.

Yeah, just fine.

Emma’s stare switches between him and the window, but eventually she goes to grab all of her things, either putting them on or holding them in her hands, and makes her way toward the window. She tosses her shoes down first and then her purse. Finally, she climbs over the ledge of the window and looks back at him.

“Next time, we’re staying at my place or we don’t spend the night or something. I am not climbing out of a window for you again.”

“If I stay at your place, what am I going to do about Skipper?”

“Have Liam take care of him.”

“I can’t very well tell Liam I’m spending the night at your place because I’m shagging you, now can I?”

Emma’s eyes roll. “Your British is coming out. And, literally, Jones, just tell him you went home with a woman. It’s not a lie. It’s not the full truth, but it’s not a lie. Most importantly, it means I don’t have to jump from a window so I can talk to Elsa about price packages for her wedding.”

He hates to admit it, but she makes a good point.

They obviously are still working out all of the kinks in this arrangement since neither of them thought them through.

Idiots. The both of them.

“If I break something, you have to clean my apartment for me.”

“I will be happy to, love.”

“And you owe me lunch this week.”

“You can eat all of my extra crisps for the foreseeable future.”

Emma nods and hooks her leg over the window ledge. He hears her swallow, and then she’s climbing down and holding on to the window as she dangles from side of the building.

“You’re lucky that the sex is good, Jones. And that you do manage to entertain me with more than mediocre conversation.”

“There you go complimenting me again.” Killian flashes her a smile and winks. She is definitely going to try to murder him when she gets back up to this apartment. “I’m not the one who scheduled a meeting. This is technically all your fault.”

Emma doesn’t respond. Instead she looks down at the ground and then drops with a subtle thud. When Killian looks down, he sees her standing on her feet brushing the sand off her ass. That’s definitely going to be a devil tomorrow.

Killian chuckles to himself and then closes his window before heading back out of his room. He’s still got to unlock the shop for Emma. Maybe he should get her a key.

Wait, no. That would definitely be taking it too far.

“Your eggs are definitely cold now,” Elsa says as he walks through the living room where she’s now sitting with her food in front of her. His remaining eggs remain untouched next to hers. “I thought you were avoiding that.”

“No, I was avoiding that for you. I don’t actually mind because Skipper will eat leftovers anyway.”

“Where is Skipper?”

“He’s probably still wandering around downstairs. I’ll send him up when I unlock everything.”

When Killian finally gets to the front door, Emma is standing outside with her arms crossed over her chest and her lips pressed into a firm line. God, all he wants to do is laugh, but he does still want to live to see tomorrow.

“Good morning, milady,” Killian sighs. “I’m loving the look. Very natural. The use of sand is just…stunning.”

Okay, maybe he doesn’t want to live to see tomorrow.

“I hate you.”

“I know.”

“I am not doing that again.” “As long as you plan things a little better, you won’t have to.”

Emma huffs and brushes past him, but he reaches out and tugs on her wrist until she’s pulling back to him and standing with her hands pressed against his chest. He can see her freckles and the blonde of her eyelashes when she looks like this, and it reminds him of all the times they’ve gone out on the ocean or spent the day at the beach.

It reminds him of how close her lips are to his.

“You have sand in your hair, love.” He reaches up and picks a few pieces out, letting them fall to the ground before he tucks her hair back into place. “How did that happen?”

Emma’s lips part. “I don’t – I – ”

There’s a bark behind the two of them, and they quickly part as Skipper sticks his nose between the two of them.

“I need to go meet Elsa,” Emma finally says as she scratches behind Skip’s ears. “You want to come and talk weddings with us?”

“You know, love, I think I just might.”

“You sure? Anna is very into it, I’ve heard.” “Anna is very into everything. It’s part of her charm. This is also her actual job.”

“True. I’m just kind of here to help with finding them a date. They want it to be this summer.”

Killian mock gasps and walks with Emma. “So soon? Do you think my brother has been improper and gotten that nice girl pregnant?”

“I don’t know, but that’s the gossip around these parts.”

“However will they regain a good reputation? Do you think it will affect the business?”

“It might. You best prepare to be making less money.” “What the hell are the two of you talking about?” Elsa laughs as they walk into the apartment.

“Oh, just how Liam knocked you up and ruined your reputation.”

Elsa’s eyes roll. “I’m not pregnant, and we don’t live in the 1800s.”

“Still. Such a short engagement. People might get ideas.”

“You’re far too cheeky for it to be this early in the morning,” Elsa sighs. “Do you have sand on your jeans, Emma?”

Killian bites his tongue, but he still can’t hold in his chuckle. Emma reaches over to slap him, but she stops herself right before and places her hand on his shoulder before looking down at her jeans.

They are not smooth.

“Huh,” Emma sighs, “I guess that I do. It was windy this morning. It must have blown over on me. Is Liam joining us?”

“Yeah, he’s getting dressed. I honestly think he might be trying to avoid Anna.”

“Or me,” Emma mumbles so quietly Killian thinks only he hears it.

“What?” Elsa asks.

“Nothing, nothing,” Emma quickly corrects. “I’m going to fix myself some coffee and then we’ll get started. Do you have all your numbers?”

“On my phone, yeah.”

Skipper comes walking up the stairs and sniffs along Killian’s shoes before moving over to Elsa and settling down at her feet. The back bedroom door opens, and Liam walks out. Part of Killian wants to stay for this meeting, to get to know what exactly his brother and Elsa are going to plan for their wedding, but he also doesn’t want to be a witness for the cold shoulder Liam will inevitably give Emma. Killian’s never understood Liam’s problem with Emma, but hopefully the man can keep it together enough to not make some asinine remark when Emma is doing him a favor.

“Well,” Liam smiles, “are we all ready to plan a wedding?”

-/-

-/-

@qualitycoffeethings​ @mrtinski​ @klynn-stormz​ @scarletslippers​ @jonirobinson64​ @snowbellewells​ @therealstartraveller776​ @thejollyroger-writer​ @sherifemma​ @shardminds​ @captainsjedi​ @galaxyzxstark​ @galadriel26​ @idristardis​ @karenfrommisthaven​ @teamhook​ @spartanguard​ @searchingwardrobes​ @itsfabianadocarmo​ @jamif​ @shireness-says​ @ultimiflos​ @nikkiemms​ @resident-of-storybrooke​ @onepunintendid​ @bluewildcatfanatic​ @superchocovian​ @killianswannn​ @carpedzem​ @captainkillianswanjones​ @mayquita​ @jennjenn615​ @onceuponaprincessworld​ @a-faekindagirl​ @scientificapricot​ @xellewoods​ @ultraluckycatnd​ @stahlop​ @kmomof4​ @tiganasummertree​ @singersdd​ @tornadoamy​ @cluttermind​ @lfh1226-linda​ @andiirivera​ @cluttermind​

[bnhaficsforthesoul]

BNHA College Au - Aizawa

Major: Psychology

Minor: History

Sports: Nope

Clubs: Nope x2

So shouta fully intends to become a teacher, he’s had a rough upbringing and cause of that he wants to help kids in any way he can

This is one of the reasons he chose to major in psych, other than the topic being very interesting he wants to have a good understanding on psychology so that he can be as helpful as possible

He’s planning on becoming a high school teacher cause he feels like that’s the age group he would work best with and also he could help the most there

He works at a local high school too as a tutor, decided he might as well get some experience in and tutors students (mostly first years) on whatever he can help with, he’ll go there on days he doesn’t have any classes

He’s honestly just minoring in history because it’s always interested him, he finds learning how everything has developed over time into today interesting

Him and nemuri definitely have nerdy conversations about history, even though she’s more interested in the art aspect of it, they still talk about it all the time while hizashi and oboro are usually just stuck there listening to them ramble

Anyways, back to him working at a high school, you also work there

You’ve obviously seen shouta multiple times and knew he was from your college, but you didn’t really bother trying to talk to him at first because you just needed to focus on your job

However, one day when shouta was helping a kid on his math homework, they came upon a problem that neither of them knew how to solve, and seeing you in the room the kid called you over to ask if you could help

Cue lowkey blushy shouta because you instantly ran right over and tried helping the kid with a smile, and you had this cute concentrated look on your face as you read over the problem a couple times

Eventually the problem was solved, and the kid had to go leaving you and shouta alone

You didn’t want to be rude and just walk away, and there was no one else needing your help right now so you sat down next to him and started talking to him

It was kinda awkward, you were very much carrying this conversation

“You go to UA right? What’s your major?” its a simple question that has the poor man almost panicking, but he muttered out a “Psychology.”

He’s got the kind of voice that makes him sound like he’s just not interested, but you can tell from the look on his face that he’s flustered, but it doesn’t seem like he wants you to leave

So you keep talking, mainly about your majors and career paths, but you don’t mind - it’s fun talking to the shy boy

Eventually it’s time to leave though, and you have plans elsewhere, so you go your separate ways

But now when you two are working at the same times, neither of you are so hesitant to talk to each other, and any time you have a break you spend it chatting about anything and everything

Of course, being the best friend that he is, hizashi found out about ‘the cute person at work’ that shouta’s been talking to (since after a couple days you finally exchanged numbers and suddenly your conversations weren’t limited to only being at work)

Hizashi is practically begging shouta to ask you out, literally on his hands and knees like “shOUTA PLEASSE YOU GOTTA DO IT!!!! JUST ONE DATE!!” he just wants his friend to be happy and not limited to only hanging out with him oboro and nemuri

But shouta’s too scared to, no matter how cute and nice you are he’s too worried that you’ll say no and he doesn’t wanna ruin the friendship you two have formed

So what does hizashi do? He asks you out for shouta (which almost gets him strangled when shouta finds out)

He took shouta’s phone while he went to shower, and of course he knows the password, so he just opened it up and texted you “hey, can I take you out for coffee tomorrow?”

He gets so excited when you say yes lmao and gives you all the details, then shouta walks back in and is like “the fuck are you doing?” and hizashi gets this huge grin on his face and responds “I got you a date~”

Hizashi barely even saw shouta move before suddenly the phone was ripped out of his hands so that shouta could frantically look to see just what his friend did, and the glare he sends hizashi has him almost regretting everything

Shouta debates telling you his friend sent those texts, but he sees how excitedly you said yes and decides he might as well see how this goes

He wakes up so early the next day lol he’s nervous, and he spends a good hour fixing his appearance, like he considers shaving and putting his hair up but he doesn’t want to look like he’s trying too hard at the same time, so he eventually decides on just wearing nice black jeans and a black long sleeve - going “it’s not even an actual date, it’s just coffee, it’s not that serious”

A couple hours later, shouta’s waiting in the cafe, sitting at a little table waiting for you since he got there a little early. He’s just texting hizashi, who’s offering shouta a bunch of encouragement since he knows he’s nervous, and eventually you walked in, immediately spotting shouta in the corner and going over to him

He’s so cute he sees that you dressed nicely for this too and he tries to be cool when he goes “you look nice” but the blush on his face betrays him, not that you mind, and the blush deepens when you compliment him back

He buys you your coffee, and you sit in your little corner of the cafe - just talking. Even though you guys basically do this all the time at work, now it feels more personal, and it has you both talking about your lives more. Nothing too specific, just funny stories and about your interests other than work or school related things

Once youre both done with your coffee, or when you both notice that you’ve finished it since you were so deep in conversation, he offers to walk you back to your dorm - he doesn’t want to keep you for too long

You let him, but once you get to your dorm, you tell him “I had fun, I hope we can do it again sometime” to which he can’t help but get excited for - you wanna go out with him again! Yay!

After that, it was a bit easier for him to ask you on dates, and you still saw each other at work constantly, and so you guys grew even closer pretty quick

You went on maybe 4 or 5 more casual dates before finally, after work one day, he gathered up all his courage and asked you out officially

“Hey, y/n, would you - would you go out with me? For real?” 

Baby looks so hopeful behind that generic bored stare of his, and of course youre ecstatic! You’ve had a small crush on him basically since day one, and now he’s actually asking you out! So of course you agreed, letting out an excited “of course I will!”

Okay so his friends adore you, they love seeing shouta so happy with you

You two just sit around in your dorms cuddling whenever youre not busy, hizashi acts like it’s gross, your roommate probably does too - but no one can deny how cute you are together

Even the high schoolers you tutor, of course they eventually got wind that you two were dating and they all ship it like crazy

Most of your dates consist of small things, like going back to that cafe, or taking a late night walk in the park, he doesn’t like doing anything too grand

Its fun watching as his beard grows out during finals, he’s too busy studying to shave and youre trying to kiss him but he’s all itchy, and he’s just like “Kitten, I’m sorry I promise I’ll shave later” every single day until he finally does, but then again if you like his beard youre probably thriving during this period 

During one of those late night walk dates, you guys came upon a small black cat under one of the benches. You barely even saw it with how dark it was, but you saw the glint of its eyes and went to investigate and saw a little kitten

He didn’t have a collar, and you didn’t see what could have looked like a momma cat or anything around, and you didn’t want to just leave the poor thing out there in the cold. So what did you and shouta’s dumb asses do? You adopted it. 

Even though cats aren’t allowed in dorms

But that wasn’t about to stop you guys - and you figured it would be better to keep the cat in shouta’s dorm because everyone was already used to hizashi being loud so you could excuse any meowing

Hizashi going “what the fuck guys, you’ve been dating for 4 months and you already have a kid? Smh my head” but he’s also a supportive uncle lmao he loves the kitten too

Oboro loves taking polaroids of you two and now you both have tons of photos of each other/you together in your rooms and its really cute - and also polaroids of your son too of course he’s part of the family

[kim-lexie]

‘start up’: week-by-week playback

here is a week-by-week playback of events from ‘start up’ and my unfiltered feelings. hope you enjoy! if you want to see somewhat cohesive thoughts on ‘start up’ check out my official review. here :) 

*spoiler alert*

ep 1

ladies and gents it’s going to be a good one. i loved being able to see this backstory to lay all the groundwork for the future of the drama.

his story is devastating as a young individual unable to make his way into the world and then making a way to find it isn’t how he expected and lost a real thing he had with the relationship with the her grandmother. but the redemption when he goes to see her again.

her family becoming broken. her sister severing the relationship and chalking it up to being ‘oh i made the better choice’. and her father dying while getting her chicken and trying to get an investment to not let his daughter go hungry and to bring his family together.

to him making up a character that got her through hard times. and then trying to find him again. this is going to be great. and i know i’m going to be devastated bc she fell in love with the other man to begin with, and now she will see this new person.

soooooo much happened and i’m clearly not ready.

ep 2

why? why do we lie? we know nothing good will come of it. if anything this jipyeong is who she loves. but why lie? literally you can own up to it and start over boo.

disappointed in our sweet grandma for lying to dalmi for so long.

her sister is awful. and so is this ‘mother’.

this man just wanted to start up his start up but he was like nah don’t want to help you even though i need you. feel in love with the girl in the letters and showed up bc of the goodness of his heart. hope he doesn’t get lost in the fantasy of it.

their business, samsan tech, is going to be wild and great and he missed his opportunity.

ep 3

her mother saying she is the same as her dad not having a plan is so wack, and makes me want her to slap her.

aren’t you curious? why aren’t you asking why i am like this? because that is my concept the quiet good looking type. i can’t with him hahaha

i love that he asked about the music box. i wish it was really him that wrote the letters, because this will be heartbreaking when she finds out.

‘it wouldn’t be bad to sail off without a map even if we got lost, if it’s with you.’

this kid, dosan, is too funny.

i cannot believe her ‘father’ just throw her under the bus and had her oppa takes over the Korean branch of her company that she formed.

dang it. girl quits her job because he started his own company

they got first place. is that enough inkling for you?!?!?

they both like her. but only one of them will admit his feelings so he will win in the end. i’m so excited to see all of their relationships develop.

the cringe level of the edit of her winning her award. i cannot even. they’re charming everyone loves it.

ep 4

him learning how to be a hot shot ceo. i can’t. the placemats he is struggling.

his friend breaking the 3rd wall and telling us how dosan drives away all the ladies in university.

poor guy the only things she likes about him aren’t him at all but jipyeong.

she is going to be their ceo isn’t she. bc he said that he can’t be ceo. she’d kill it. what a queen.

yes boo! there it is we know who you’re going to pick. bc she wants them to recruit you not the other way around.

ep 5

this was a stellar episode. from both teams using the same data set and coming up with wildly different ideas to samsan tech almost crashing down. but setting a fire to dosan to do better and be more ambitious. i’m so excited.

our girl killed her presentation yes queen. you got this. the fact that the boys created a whole new software. these folks would be crazy to not invest.

this alex guy really believes in them i’m excited to see if there will be rivalry between the two hot shot ceo’s

the fact that her grandma doesn’t regret not sending her to college but rather regrets not meeting him earlier to support and encourage him made me cry.

ep 6

this was a great episode. so much happened in the development of their little company. disorder and disagreements led to stronger relations within the company.

i love how she picked the mentor. like yup i know alex is the biggest deal since slice bread but you’re our homie.

the fact that dosan was ready to come clean about the letters but overheard the grandmother get a sad report from the doctors and wanted to protect her and her granddaughter. so sad.

ep 7

i really need more than a second male lead for this man. i can’t stand the way he looks at her. he loves her and is trying so hard to shut off his heart to her.

i love the bickering between the two male leads. like seriously hilarious.

i love the sweet relationship that nam dosan will now have with her grandmother. and i love the idea concept he had for their business. a beautiful heart behind the machine.

dosan standing up for her and standing against this horrible man out to exploit their talent.  

this ending scene i can’t. they’re cute too. and precious.

he kept the plant and is going to give it nutrients to keep it well. please do the same with your relationship with her honey.

ep 8

i really love jipyeong and need them together.

i cannot with their ceo step dad. like isn’t this too much.

i want the boss lady at sandbox to know that dalmi is the sandbox girl!!!

ep 9

the wind turned into a heavy storm that destroyed his self esteem. he feels himself falling apart bc of his secret.

she was attacked!

‘i made a wrong turn and stumbled upon fireworks’ nam dosan.

he brought them to the beach after reading that review of wanting to see more beauty that the world has to offer. i need him to own up to his feelings and make a move.

don’t lie bro we know you like dalmi. and of course it’s raining. bc that’s how it is.

we still get a scene with them running through the rain the chul-san and yong-san.

my heart is crumbling into a million pieces. jipyeong’s there and dosan isn’t. what are we going to do. this ain’t the moment of revelation we wanted.

ep 10

jipyeong is so great. 10 out of 10.

i don’t know what it is but i really am not about dosan’s character for some reason. i really just want jipyeong to be honest from the start and he could have ended up with her.

my heart. our dalmi.

‘i wanted to be the person you wanted. but it was too hard to bear.’

‘the person i want. i don’t know who that is.’

is the sibling of the member that died in their group?

do-san can’t leave his boys!!

‘does my dream have to be success. can’t it be a person?’

he just confesses to liking her while he was mixing their noodles. i can’t with him. love that he’s finally being honest. now it’s all up to dalmi.

everyone encouraging her before she has to promote their company. she did this. she is the ceo. she’s got this.

what the even?!? jipyeong was the one that was harsh to him. and it led his brother to commit suicide. oh no. and now they’re in the elevator together what’s going to happen?!?!

now she has two plan b?!? one from the investor and one from dosan and the big tech company.

they both confessed to the nice lady at the bar. hahaha i love these epilogue moments.

ep 11

yong-san’s brother story is so sad.

his dad standing up for the present he desperately wants to keep. and being the bridge for innovation.

their software worked on alex’s scheme!!!

and they won demo day.

oh no but alex isn’t as great as we thought he was...

chul-san and sa-ha are dating. i cannot even. this is the best!!!

they’re such a good team. brainstorming after their win. they cannot disband them.

i thought our man was going to get to them

in time to stop them from signing. but he didn’t.

ep 12

bro. alex is awful i hate this man.

the moments between. hjp and mrs. choi you are brilliant and heart breaking. i really want them to continue to grow into a better person and end up with dalmi.

why y’all got to fight why is dosan doing this. bro you’re not getting any brownie points by being like this dude.

i really love this side story with chulsan and saha. they’re cute. well we can share the vanilla latte. cute!!!!  

chulsan made her a video of numbers to help her fall asleep. he’s too cute i want her to admit that she likes him. ahhhhhhhhh

the fact that they ended up going and we’ll have a three year gap errrrks me. like our boy jhp is going to finally start making moves and dosan is going to run in and save the day. like bro you’re a mess.

i hope they were able to save the app for her grandmother.

her applying to her sisters company i’m excited.

ep 13

lolol they used his cousin for the commercial and injae looks sooo cute. frozen inspired.

i love how she had /iced vanilla latte lover’ as chul-san’s contact name and the vlogs!!!

hjp our man saved her from the insurance guy.

now they all play go stop together!!!!

she tucked him in and he gets to stay

youngsil calling him out to just swing the bat and don’t hesitate or he’ll lose. is this foreshadowing our man losing dalmi?!?

they finally got to eat at the bbq restaurant that was below their original building

frick my life. why is his timing always wack.

at least chulson and saha can sail.

the whole gang is back together!

it was the twins that hacked it wasn’t it?!?

he stopped him. come on baby.

ep 14

i love his man listening to her cry. hiding her because she didn’t want her staff to see. and telling her to chill until she is ready. i love this man.

that’s right honey. don’t answer that phone move on.

their little photoshoot was faboulous, them as RGB

yes queen. she went to confront her family. and be like boo you thought i didn’t chance. honey you’re in for it.

her mother wanting to pay back her mother-in-law for raising her daughter in her steed.

dosan turned her down her offer to be their AI specialists at her company.

i love that his father saved the baseball.

me finally accepting my ship won’t sail when their girl walked 5 hours in the woods to get to dosan.

yong-san apologizing for saying that jhp killed his brother. they both are apologizing.

they all end up joining her company!!!!

ep 15

their self driving car passed the test. they’re too cute in their celebration.

she doesn’t want to lose her team again if they lose their bid.

sa ha is finally falling for chulsan. he’s so precious. him being like oh wait you’re asking me out.

of course it would be this trip getting stuck in an elevator together.

sailing off without a map. never will regret it. -dosan

injae absolved her adoption after seeing her grandmother.

he tired to out so all their memories with that one thing alone his big hands. hahah oh do san.

my hjp finally let go. he took his losses and kept the money tree and letters. it isn’t enough honey boo.

stop feeling inferior to me. work on your self esteem and look at dalmi again. then you’ll know who she really likes. with those hands alone, you beat our memories. -hjp

because it’s you. you’re the reason. that’s it. -dalmi on liking dosan

i really don’t like them together. but whatever i shall not have my way in this. it’s fine hjp is mine.

i love the sisters together. they’re precious talking about the sandbox girl.

is this article going to frick up their bid?!? but it was his hackers that did it the twins!!!

is hjp going to save the day?!?

ep 16

dalmi and dosan are a dream team. and they just served that reporter one great tell all.

i still can’t process bc i love hjp.

i feel like it hit mrs. choi when they were all talking dosan and dalmi when are finally saw dosan after a few years that her good boy would feel alone. TT

‘don’t become any lonelier jipyeong...’ their relationship makes me cry. i love that

i can’t everyone saying what they’ll do if they win. PROPOSE. say who their boyfriend is?!?!

i’m excited to see this start up to connect orphanages with a sponsor to help them in that transition. it’s a perfect fit for him. ‘i like your voice’, because it sounds like young-sil the voice of the app/help device. he’s going to personally invest and help them with their business plan. and then sponser kids!!! he is seriously a dream.

chulsan and saha are too cute. i love that she introduced him as her boyfriend. he was not expecting that. she finally found someone who she’s been looking for!

was that their goodbye? he isn’t the dosan from the letters? huh?

in jae is such a queen serving those papers to her dad at the q and a session, that no one showed up to. 

them all crying in their old rooftop office. they’re such dorks i love them

his father took the sign to replace it with the one from the math competition.

dalmi and injae’s relationship is too precious.

he’s going to invest in their company. and dosan accepted hjp’s investment.

i want to change the world. follow your dream.

i liked this one.

i wonder if they won.......oh the epilogue!!!

they got married. and they kept the baseball. chul-san and saha revealed they were a couple. chul-san shaved his hair! i loved that we saw it all though pictures on their desk!! that was a creative way to fit everything in!

shareholders meeting!!! the gang taking over the world!

[bouwrites]

Maribat March 2020 Prompt: Fake Dating

Week 4, Day 5.

Maribat March 2020 Calendar.

Day 1: Sweetheart’s Dance, Day 4: Roommates, Day 6: Time Travel.

Ao3.

1964 words. Story under read-more.

“Hey, Marinette! My beautiful, clever, resplendent bestest friend ever!” Jon grins as best he can into the camera, watching as Marinette’s face quickly morphs from happy to see him to exasperated. Of course, he knows he’s being obvious, and he can tell from the look on her face that she’s going to call him out on it. He hopes for just a little bit of time instead of jumping right into this as his greeting, but… well, he may as well get to business. “So… guess who’s dumb?”

Marinette arches her brow. “Damian?”

Jon can feel his cheeks warm as he reluctantly shakes his head.

“Oh, no, Jon. What did you do this time?”

He coughs awkwardly. “So, uh, I was like, flirting with Damian a bit an-”

“Excuse me. Why, exactly, would you flirt with Damian Wayne?”

“Because it’s fun!” Jon protests. Marinette’s expression tells him all he really needs to know about her position on the idea. “It’s not like he’s ever going to notice! He just gets confused and does that funny scrunching thing with his nose.” Jon scrunches up his nose, pointing to it as he makes a silly face.

Marinette starts cackling. “He does not do that!”

“Close enough! It’s funny! And his brothers think it’s funny, too, so they’re not going to tell him I’m doing it on purpose, so I’m safe! Or, I was, anyway.”

“Oh, dear, who caught you?”

“Dad.” Jon covers his face. “Honestly, I’m not sure if I’m more terrified of him finding out I’m bi, or of him being all for it and trying to set me up with Damian.” Marinette just continues cackling, like a traitor. “It’s not funny! Dad’s bad enough, but do you know what Bruce would do if he thought I liked Damian?!”

“Ahahaha! I’m sorry, Jon, but this so your own fault! What did you expect when you flirted with Damian Wayne?”

“I just thought I’d mess with him a bit! Just have a bit of fun at his expense after all the stuff he’s done to me! I didn’t think Dad was going to eavesdrop! Stop laughing!”

“I’m sorry! I’m sorry, I just… that’s hilarious!”

“Marinette!!!” Jon whines. “Fine! Get your laughs. I may as well tell you how I made it worse, now, so you don’t have to stop before you start again.”

“Oh, heavens, there’s more?”

“I don’t need this!”

“Sorry! Sorry! Tell me! What’d you do?” Marinette is grinning ear to ear and on the edge of her seat. Jon tries not to take personally just how much she’s enjoying his suffering.

“So, uh Dad pulled me aside to ask about what I was saying to Damian, right? And I sort of panicked?”

“What did you say?”

“I, uh… I kind of blurted out that I have a girlfriend and ran away.”

Marinette honest to goodness snaps her knee. She’s wheezing by the time she finally says, “Jon, you didn’t.”

“Don’t judge me! I was panicking!”

“Isn’t being a superhero supposed to, I don’t know, teach you how to work under pressure?”

Jon covers his face. “Shut up! I’m seriously freaking out right now! He knows I lied. I’m sure Damian does, too.”

“Oh my god. Damian heard you? That’s even better! Ahahahaha!”

“Mari, please!”

Marinette valiantly fights her giggles, though her success leaves a bit to be desired. “I’m sorry. I’m so sorry. This is serious. Hilarious, but serious. I’ll try to contain myself.”

Jon slouches over, hanging his head. “I seriously don’t know what to do. I’m not ready to have that talk with Dad! And I definitely don’t want to talk to Damian about it.”

Marinette sighs the last of her giggles away. “Well, why not? What are you afraid of?”

“You mean, aside from coming out to my family? Maybe Damian or Dad or Bruce or, God forbid, Mom misinterpreting something and trying to play matchmaker?”

Marinette opens her mouth, shuts it, and then shrugs. “That’s fair. You know your parents are going to be cool about it, though, right?”

Jon fidgets nervously. “I mean, Dad was raised in rural Kansas, Marinette. I’m not really… confident.”

“Jon, your grandparents raised a literal alien. I guarantee you they won’t mind if you kiss some cute boys.”

“Those are completely unrelated, but thank you. That does make me feel a little better. I’ve just… never talked to them about it before. I mean, they seem okay with the other heroes and stuff but it never really gets brought up? I don’t know how they’d feel about someone in their family being bi.”

Marinette gets a sly grin on her face. “Aside from your dad’s obvious crush on Bruce, you mean?”

“Marinette! No!” Jon covers his face. “I was being serious!”

“Ahaha, sorry, sorry. I’m only teasing.” Marinette says. “But alright, so, what are you going to do about your dad?”

“Ugh, I don’t know! I was hoping you’d have some… ancient queer wisdom, or something?”

“Alright, let me think. Well, you told them you have a girlfriend, right?”

Jon frowns. “Yeah. But there’s no way Dad didn’t notice how I was freaking out, and even Damian isn’t that oblivious. They know I don’t.”

“Don’t you, though?” Marinette leans conspiratorially closer to the camera.

“Uh… no?”

“Don��t you?”

“Mari, I don’t understand what you’re trying to tell me.”

Marinette giggles. “If it’s for you, I’ll be your beard. You can tell them I’m your girlfriend, then we can break up later.”

Jon surges up in his seat. “Seriously? You’d do that for me? Oh, Marinette, thank you so, so much! You’re the sweetest, awesomest, coolest, bestest… augh, I don’t know! You’re the best person in the world!”

“I’m aware.” Marinette chuckles. “But mostly, you deserve the chance to come out when you’re ready. I’ve got your back.”

There are few people in the world with the ability and courage to lie directly to Superman’s face. Jon is almost more terrified of Marinette than he is of the potential consequences of this going wrong when she proves that she is, without a doubt, one of those people.

He expects it, though Marinette doesn’t tell him exactly when she’s coming, when she appears in the watchtower, transformed as Ladybug, with half-amused fury. Some of the loitering heroes wisely move out of her path, and Jon blanches when she makes a beeline for him. “Seriously, Super Boy?” She stops in front of him, hip cocked an eyebrow raised as she looks at him with that scary, scary anger. “Not a week into it and you announce it to your dad? I thought we agreed not to tell anyone!”

Robin openly smirks at Jon. Despite not knowing the details, he can tell Jon is in trouble and that’s enough to laugh about. Jerk. And several other heroes are gathering around to watch, as well, including Superman. At least she has good timing. “I, uh…” Jon starts. “I’m sorry?”

“You should be! Ugh, you are so lucky I love you! I should’ve known you couldn’t keep it a secret.”

“I… well… it was only Dad!”

Ladybug rolls her eyes. “Well it’s too late now. May as well stop the charade.”

Jon carefully brightens up, an expression he practiced in the mirror a thousand times just for this. “Really? Just… open?”

“Yeah. We still on for tomorrow?”

Jon grins. “You bet!”

“Great.” Ladybug grabs his collar and pulls him down to quickly kiss his cheek. “Still mad at you, but I’ve got a lot of other stuff to deal with right now, so I’ll see you later.”

Despite himself, Jon feels his cheeks burn when she kisses him. “Y-yeah. Later.” Ladybug takes off, leaving the rest of the watchtower in her wake, including Jon staring after her, thinking, God, she is so cool.

He’s only broken out of his reverie by Robin’s comment. “Wait, so you were telling the truth about having a girlfriend? And it’s Ladybug?!”

Jon blushes but smiles smugly at his friend. “Yup. Why would I lie about that?”

Robin scowls and turns back to his work, leaving Jon to chuckle in relief. One down. Now, just… He turns hesitantly to face his dad. One to go.

It has to be believable, Marinette says, which is why they agree that they only started dating last week. No one will believe they can hide it long. Or, at least, that Jon could hide it long. It’s also why Marinette engineers this whole thing in the watchtower, right where Superman and Robin can both see, because if he wasn’t supposed to tell then he has reason for his panic when his dad asked him about flirting with Damian. Even if it does make him out to be a bit of a jerk.

He’ll take it, happily, if it makes the whole “flirting with Damian” thing ancient history.

The lecture his dad gives him about pissing off his secret girlfriend is totally worth it. And when Jon tells him the story Marinette came up with behind why she wanted it quiet in the first place, he buys it.

Jon leaves the watchtower that day feeling like a kid in a candy store.

Their first date is planned for appearances. Marinette is already one of Jon’s close friends, so it’s really not all that awkward. They just go out, eat lunch together, and hang out for the day. It’s a lot of fun!

The second date is planned knowing that Damian is stalking them. Damian has been giving him curious looks, recently, so maybe he’s trying to confirm that they’re actually going on dates. Jon is affectionate with Marinette, of course, but most of their time together in person is in the watchtower and he and Marinette both try to be more professional there, so Jon can see where the suspicion comes from.

Still, Jon doesn’t much appreciate being watched. Marinette whispers in his ear to remind him that they have to reinforce their ruse, and this will get Damian off their backs for at least a while, so Jon reluctantly agrees and pretends to not know his friend is there.

They hold hands, but past that for the most part they just keep doing what they always do. They joke and laugh and goof around. At one point, Marinette cuddles into his side and Jon can’t help the little stutter in his heart.

Little things like that – their fingers interlaced, her tucked under his arm, soft lips on his cheek for just a moment – it’s different. And it’s a lot. It makes his gut go sideways and upside down like he’s falling instead of flying. Jon returns the gestures, reminding himself that tricking Damian is worth any weird feelings in his chest.

Their third, fourth, and fifth dates they don’t bother wondering if someone is watching them. They’re pretty sure someone does at some point, but they don’t particularly care. They just act like they’ve got Damian on their tails regardless.

On the sixth date, they’re watching the stars from rural Kansas, not quite close enough to anywhere to have to worry about anyone catching them, not even the folks who live out here. There’s no need to keep up appearances – really, there’s no need to be out here at all – and yet some confusing part of him is telling him to make a show. He looks over at her, splayed out haphazardly, limbs crossed over his own, as the stars gaze into her eyes, and he wonders if he can convince either of them that they need to cuddle closer, that he needs to hold her hand to his lips or to sit up and lean in and…

He can’t. He can’t do that. But he can dream.

On the seventh date, he realizes he wants that dream.

[unohanadaydreams]

How do you think the captains would react if you got hopelessly lost like on the way home or something? Also I love you and your blog makes me smile. 💖

Ahhhh, thank you so much, you are so kind!

Captains Reacting To You Getting Lost:

Genryusai Shigekuni Yamamoto: He would be very disappointed that you couldn’t find your way home and will be arranging a formal training time where he’s literally just walking you through the Soul Society, pointing out landmarks and dropping off paper work to the other captains.

Shunsui Kyoraku: He would sort of delighted, chuckle, ruffle your hair, and call you hopeless in a lighthearted, teasing manner. He genuinely finds it adorable. He’d start asking if you were just so busy thinking of him that you got distracted and make you forget any ill feelings you had toward getting lost, if you had them! He would likely offer to pick you up and walk you home next time, but it’s up to you!

Yoruichi Shihoin: She would find it hysterical and ask you to recant the details because she honestly wants to know just how you managed that. She’s used to scatterbrained geniuses, so she takes it in stride and finds it a bit endearing. She’ll bring it up casually in conversation until the end of time, though. She’d probably jokingly give you a golden star sticker the next time you made it home without getting lost.

SoiFon: She would make it a bigger deal than it likely was, partly because she would be flustered from you coming home late, and partly because she can’t belive someone SHE decided to be involved with can’t navigate the Gotei 13. She would take you on her next circuit of soul society, which would be useless to you in a practical sense, because she would be using hiding places and underground networks mostly.

Rose Otoribashi: He would ask you if you’re alright and tell you that if you were truly lost, you never would’ve made it home, so really you just went on a nice little scenic walk! He’d like to try that with you sometime soon, actually. Maybe you could make a picnic of it? He could even bring his guitar while you two simply floated through the Gotei 13.

Gin Ichimaru: He finds it’s pretty funny that you can’t navigate the Gotei 13 and would start offering to walk you home, only to conveniently get a soul butterfly summons half through. Even more conveniently, he would walk you home using drastically different routes when he does this. If there was ever a time you couldn’t find your way home, he would eventually appear back by your side, his smile a little too wide, apologizing for being gone so long.

Retsu Unohana: Although she’s concerned you turned up late, she understands how overwhelming the random dead ends can be throughout the Gotei 13. She prefers using the janitorial routes, herself, and would be very willing to show you around if she had time. If not, she would ask Isane to show you, before kissing your cheek and softly reminding you to send her a butterfly if you think you’re lost again.

Isane Kotetsu: When you’re late getting home, she starts thinking of increasingly bizarre situations as to what could have possibly happened to you. By the time you get to your door, she’s already gathered a search party of squad 4 members, ready to sweep the entire Gotei 13, because what if you got held hostage by the 12th division in some unspeakable experiment involving the time space continuum? What if an elite band of hollows even worse than arrancar are leading you to some dark forest for some horrid suprise? She cries a little bit when she sees you from relief and from feeling silly, but she forgives you easily and is glad to walk you home or have a squad 4 member walk you home from now on.

Shinji Hirako: He’s amused and unbelieving that you could get lost on your way home. He almost wonders if you’re lying. Were you walking blindfolded? Are you five years old again and need a chaperone? Really, if he has to come lead you home by the arm to get you there on time, then so be it. Of course, he’s going to tell anyone around he’s there to make sure you don’t get lost and playfully pinch your cheeks while he’s at it. And, no you’re not allowed to pout like that, because he’s doing you a favor.

Aizen Sousuke: He doesn’t outwardly seem to care or react much, aside from a smattering of false platitudes. If anything, he enjoys that you get lost. He takes it as a sign that you’re less intelligent and more pliable to his whims. If you can’t find your way through the Gotei 13, then you surely can’t manage any of his scheming. He’ll kiss your forehead and silently wonder how you even managed to pass your school exams.

Byakuya Kuchiki: He’ll be displeased you were late making it home and insist that you at least memorize your route home, whether it be with him or otherwise. He has a schedule he must stick to and if you can’t abide it, then you won’t have time to see each other that day, which is what he’s most upset about. Of course, he’s not going to say that in any way shape or form before criticizing your lack of spacial awareness and memory.

Sajin Komamura: He doesn’t quite understand how you could get lost, mostly because his sense of smell guides him extraordinarily well, but he’s sympathetic and tells you what truly matters is that you didn’t give up the moment you didn’t know where you were; it’s important to keep moving forward. Dogs are excellent guides, so why don’t you take one of Sajin’s stray friends with you next time? Even if you say no, you’ll notice a very happy, welcoming dog whenever you get lost again.

Tetsuzaemon Iba: He walks you to and from your division almost everyday, so he apologizes when you get lost on one of the days he couldn’t be there to guide you. It’s his job as your very manly partner to support you, after all. He hugs you tightly and gets scolded by Lieutenant Ise when he misses a captain’s meeting to walk you home a few weeks later.

Lisa Yadomaru: She finds it relatable and suggests you make the most if it. Maybe next time you both can get lost together and find some lonely corner(s) to have fun it. Besides, how do you think she gets the best candids of all the captains and lieutenants? Life is an adventure and she’s stumbling through it right there with you.

Kensei Muguruma: He’s worse than you when it comes to finding his way home. He tells Mashiro to make you one of the maps she made him (it’s a very poorly made map with a total of 4 routes and lots of cute characters drawn on it that mostly cover over the routes, making it effectively useless). He would absolutely shrug it off as no big deal, unless it started to cut into his time with you. Then he’d pull out his (horrible) map and start looking for you so he can give you an earful about how your his s/o because he wants to see you not wait for you.

Kaname Tosen: He was wary about getting lost in the Gotei 13 when he first started, so knows the layout very well. He smiles a bit patronizingly when you tell him what happened and lightly jokes at your expense before offering a comforting embrace and peaceful night in. He wouldn’t offer to walk you home, because he enjoys scolding you a bit and wouldn’t mind you getting lost again in the future. (Spends a bit too much time with Aizen, doesn’t he?)

Toshiro Hitsugaya: He would be pretty smug about it. Wow, you got lost on your way home? He remembers when he had a heard time finding his way home, when he was three. What does it feel like having less sense of direction than a three year old? Of course, he can’t just let you wander aimlessly, since he’s your s/o and obviously he needs to look out from you now on. He supposes he can walk you home next time, since you need him so badly. He will dutifully pick you up, with grace befitting a Gotei 13 captain, and wait till you’re not in public anymore to tease you for even needing him.

Kenpachi Zaraki: He is the reigning king of not knowing where the hell he is, at any given moment. The 11th division literally has a task force dedicated to tracking his lost ass down. He’s actually impressed you found your way home, when he gets there 5 hours after you, with a posse of his squad that guided him. Maybe you should just come to his barracks from now on, since it only takes him an average of 3 hours to find his way there, yeah? (Yes, your name is put on assignment for the task squad, even if this is your first time getting lost.)

Kisuke Urahara: He wonders if you really got lost or were distracted by something? He walks you home a few times before he realizes that, no, you don’t pretend to be lost in order to break the rules as he’s prone to do. His time in squad 2 makes him a rather good source for directions, so he kisses your face a bazillion times and promises to show you around on his next day off. Maybe you can help him test out a few gps systems he’s got in the works in the mean time?

Mayuri Kurotsuchi: It’s like you just told him that you don’t know what the Gotei 13 even is. He creates a detailed map for you to carry with you everywhere, has Akon make an even more detailed 3D map for you to wander around in virtual reality, makes you take computerized tests to ensure you studied properly, and sets you loose with a collar that zaps you if you stray from your designated route. He also sets up a scan for your brain, to ensure that you have not been turned into a mindless sleeper agent for one of the Gotei 13′s enemies. He would beyond a doubt lecture you and insult you over this.

Jushiro Ukitake: He’s glad to see you safe at home. His imagination isn’t anything compared to his lieutenants, but he was worried all the same and welcomes you back warmly, while telling you stories about when he’d gotten lost around the Gotei 13 as well as some old stories about Shunsui, Nanao, and others, to make you feel less embarrassed. He mentions it in passing as a cute story to his lieutenants when they ask how his night was and suddenly you have two very eager chaperones bickering about what’s the best way to walk you home, and getting you lost in the process.

Rukia Kuchiki: She’s a bit haughty about announcing that her brother taught her very well in regards to navigating the Gotei 13, but laughs with you instead of at you about your getting lost. She informs you that the Gotei 13 isn’t even that confusing compared to the rukongai districts, so it’s a good thing you got lost somewhere safe. What is she going to do with you? Other than tease you about it, of course. She pulls you down to kiss her, calls you ridiculous, and presents a mascot riddled guide to the Gotei 13 with helpful tips and interesting information that she hands out to her new recruits.

[k-popscenxrios]

Didn’t Ask For This Pt 4 (Roommate!JK x OC)

A/N: The way I’ve written Jungkook in this story has me melting like I’m not even kidding. I love flirty JK so much dangit (Also part 5 will be out tonight, so look out for it!)

Summary: “I didn’t know you hated me so much,” he spoke as he grabbed my wrist and once again turned me around to face him, “and quite honestly, I don’t think I’ve done anything horrible enough for you to hate me to the degree that you do.” “You say that like the hate isn’t mutual,” I remarked as he shook his head. There was a bitter smile on his face as he took a deep breath, “I think you are quite honestly one of the worst human beings I’ve had to come in contact with.”

6.1k words | drama ✞ | fluff ♡

1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | Finale

⇨ Masterlist ⇦

“Thank God you’re going to be with me today,” I hugged Chaeyoung as she just giggled, “I can’t handle Jungkook all on my own.”

“Well don’t be so focused on Jungkook that you forget that Jimin is single and very hot. He’ll be cleaning with us, too.”

“I forgot he was also gonna be with us tonight,” I felt my face heat up in embarrassment. “I’m not sure that I’ll have a chance with him. He did see Jungkook and I immaturely bantering back and forth.”

“Maybe he doesn’t mind. You never know,” Chaeyoung shrugged as she looked behind me. “Jungkook’s here.”

I spun around and spotted the bane of my existence walking toward the two of us. He had a small smile on his face as he spotted Yoongi up at concessions and waved his way. He also spotted Jimin walking from the break room and waved at him as well.

His eyes finally met mine as his face remained unchanged, sending me a small wave. Chaeyoung took that as a wave in her direction as she smiled and waved back at him.

“I have a quick question before he comes within earshot,” Chaeyoung leaned into me as I looked away from Jungkook and over at her. “If I were to flirt with him, would you disown me?”

“Yes,” I quickly answered, “I would rather you flirt with Yoongi or even Jimin. You’d have a better chance with Jimin than I would, anyway.”

“Not true,” she mumbled as she glanced over in Jimin’s direction.

“If you want, I could talk you up,” I smiled as Chaeyoung blushed.

“I want you to flirt, first. If he doesn’t seem interested, that’s when I’ll try…”

“Not if that means you’ll flirt with Jungkook,” I snapped as she frowned, “he’s an ass! He’ll just lure you into bed and never call you back.”

“Okay but,” Chaeyoung held up a hand to stop me, “he lives with you and sleeps in a twin bed, and he’d have to see me at work. He wouldn’t be able to ghost me.”

“He might quit, I don’t know,” I shrugged, liking the sound of that. If I knew that he would for sure quit over it, I would almost encourage Chaeyoung to do it… but I would feel like I was using my best friend just as much as Jungkook would be using her for momentary pleasure.

“Okay, pause,” she mumbled as both Jungkook and Jimin made it up to us at the same time. I took a deep breath and pulled out the schedule that my manager had given me, and we all started off for the day.

…

“Okay, I think Jimin’s flirting with me,” Chaeyoung mumbled as we split up with them to clean the restrooms.

“Really?” I smiled in excitement as Chaeyoung let a sheepish smile appear on her face.

“I wanted you two to hit it off, though…” she tried to not look sad, but I could tell that she was.

“I don’t care, Chae! Plus, if my dating life is so important to you, I think that Yoongi might like me? It’s just speculation, but it’s possible.”

Chaeyoung bit the inside of her cheek in thought before shaking her head, “I don’t know about that. He just broke up with his two year long girlfriend only a couple weeks ago. He might take a while to come around.”

“Well, I’m in no hurry,” I shrugged as we finished up in the last of the three female bathrooms. “Anyway, we should head into theater 7. The boys should be in there already.”

…

Jungkook and I ended up being split into one group while Chaeyoung and Jimin were in the other. We were running low on time between movie showings, so we divided the theaters amongst the groups. I wanted to be grouped with Chaeyoung, but since Jungkook and Jimin are brand new workers, we couldn’t just send them off alone to clean the theaters.

And unfortunately for me, I’d rather Chaeyoung flirt with Jimin rather than Jungkook any day.

“It’s flattering that you picked me,” Jungkook joked as I gave him a fake laugh.

“Chaeyoung and Jimin have been flirting it up all night. I had no choice.” I mentioned as Jungkook laughed.

“Really? I thought Jimin had eyes for you.”

I spun around and looked at him with surprise. Surely he was kidding…

Jungkook looked like he was having trouble keeping a straight face as I felt my cheeks heat up. I felt my heart betray me for actually getting a little excited about a boy having a crush on me.

After all, thanks to Taehyung, even boys that liked me in high school wouldn’t ask me on a date. The closest I got to dating a boy was back when I first started at the movie theater. I had been there a few months and was put in charge of training our new hire, Yoongi.

He took to me very quickly and relied on me to answer all his questions about everything that he didn’t understand.

At the staff Christmas party, he had asked me if I would like to go to his New Years party. I agreed to go, but that night ended up being a disaster. I showed up to the party in the prettiest dress I owned, freezing my butt off because of how thin the material was.

I found him pretty quickly in the night, but that was the same night that he asked his (now ex) girlfriend out. I was so embarrassed over my assumptions that I left before even saying hi to him. The next night when we worked a shift together, he asked me why I didn’t go to his party. I lied and said that I was feeling sick and just didn’t want to be around all those people.

Thank God that Taehyung never found out about it, because if he had, Yoongi would never talk to me again.

“You’re not funny, Jungkook,” I mumbled, finding myself getting more upset over that than I wanted to admit. My love life was a lot more pathetic than I wanted to admit. Jimin’s cute and he seems sweet, but I did not want to seem so desperate that I would kiss any guy that showed any interest in me.

“I thought it was pretty priceless,” he bit his lip and rushed to walk ahead of me. He turned around and walked backwards, looking into my eyes as I tried to avoid his. I could tell that my demeanor had changed, and I’d die if Jungkook found out that I’d never had a boyfriend before. He would never let me live it down.

“Whatever,” I mumbled as he continued to study me. He slowed down and stepped in front of me which caused me to run into him. I dared myself to glare up at him for walking into my path, and his cologne once again engulfed me.

I took a deep breath and tried to shake off the weird feelings that were swimming in my stomach, but when I saw Jungkook’s eyes soften, I nearly melted. How does someone as disgusting as him have such a mushingly soft look?

“Are you okay?”

I looked away from his eyes and pushed him away from me. The smell of cologne faded away as I brushed past him and nodded.

“Yeah, just being so close to you is revolting. Don’t do that again.”

…

We met back up with Chaeyoung and Jimin as the two were smiling and laughing with each other. The two seemed to hit it off when they had the alone time together.

I felt envy in the bottom of my chest as I dared myself to look at Jungkook. He wasn’t paying attention to me; he was also looking at Chaeyoung and Jimin. I felt myself want to vomit at the thought of Jungkook looking at Chaeyoung like he was.

Chaeyoung is beautiful and somehow still single… and if he wanted her in his bed, it seemed like all he’d have to say is that he was interested in her.

But maybe Chaeyoung doesn’t care about Jungkook anymore now that she’s caught Jimin’s attention.

“Okay,” I cleared my throat as we all stood in a circle once more, “our last theater is a big one. We might need someone at concessions to come help us clean. There were almost 200 in this theater.”

“Wow,” Chaeyoung’s eyebrows raised, “I didn’t realize we were that busy tonight.”

“Me neither,” I shrugged as I looked at the numbers I’d written down, “When Yoongi gave me the numbers, I couldn’t believe it.”

The four of us made our way to the theater in question as I took a detour to the concession stand. I walked up to Yoongi and he smiled when he saw me heading his way.

“I need some help for 1. It’s up to you on who goes.” I spoke as he looked at everyone that was at concessions with him.

“This is a hard one...” he mumbled before looking back my way, “I think I’ll send myself.”

“That’s what I thought,” I smiled and gestured for him to hurry up, “we don’t have time to just stand around, go grab a broom and meet me there.”

“Yes ma’am,” he laughed and disappeared into the back room.

It wasn’t long till Yoongi was walking into the theater, and I smiled at his exaggerated breaths.

“Sometimes I think you’re trying to kill me,” he spoke as I rolled my eyes and stuck my tongue out at him briefly.

“I didn’t force you here. You chose to be the one,” I shrugged as he just laughed.

I looked up to see Jimin and Chaeyoung giggling about something. They were growing close awfully quickly, and I felt myself growing insecure by watching them. Why was Chaeyoung able to get boyfriends so fast while I’m working on year three of a platonic relationship with Yoongi?

I looked back down at Yoongi and felt a sigh leave my mouth. Did it really have to be Yoongi? Did I actually like him like a boyfriend? Or did I just see him as the only guy in my life I was willing to see a future with?

I sighed and found myself seeing Jungkook in the same row of seats as me. I sent him a questioning look as he just looked my way with an unreadable look on his face.

“Pick a different row, douchebag,” I spoke loud enough for him to hear, but not loud enough to cause a scene.

“I was actually here first. You’re the one that walked in my row when you were staring off with that empty brain of yours.” He responded as he took a few steps closer and swept up more popcorn.

“Why do you always have to be right?” I mumbled as I noticed everyone was starting to look our way. “It’s okay to admit that you’re wrong every once in a while.”

“But I haven’t been wrong yet. I’m not lying to you, I’m just acknowledging your flaws.”

I took a deep breath and shook my head stomping up to him with my eyes narrowing, “Why are you such a-”

I felt my breath catch in my throat as Jungkook caught my wrist and pulled me to stop right in front of his face. Our faces were so close that if I stumbled from my awkward stance, my forehead would be touching his nose.

The cologne once more consumed my brain as his narrowed eyes slowly softened a sickening amount. I was getting nauseous at how often Jungkook and I were standing close to each other. I’d never been this close to anyone before today, and it’s happened about three times just today.

“I’ll tell Taehyung that you keep pulling me close to you like this,” I threatened as Jungkook sighed and shook his head.

“You’d admit that this is happening? That’s awfully mature of you,” he snidely remarked before he leaned into my ear. I almost squirmed under his hold, confusion and embarrassment taking over me.

“Did you really think I’d make a move on you? Disgusting.”

I shoved him off me as I swallowed and cursed my cheeks for displaying just how embarrassed Jungkook had just made me.

“Get back to work,” I ordered as I spun around and pretended like nothing ever happened. I was just hoping that everyone else would also act as if they didn’t see anything.

…

“The sexual tension was so thick that I thought he was about to rip your clothes off,” Chaeyoung whispered as we headed to the closest fast food restaurant for a dinner break, “I was getting nervous just watching you two!”

“I’m sorry, but the energy that you actually felt was anger and disgust, not arousal or anything even close to that.” I felt embarrassed talking about it, but that was all Chaeyoung wanted to talk about.

“God, how did your heart not burst out of your chest when he pulled you closer to whisper in your ear? I would have just melted into mush if a hottie like him did that to me.” Chaeyoung put her hands on both her cheeks and bit her lip, “I would kill for him to do that to me my God.”

“Well, go right on ahead and seduce him for the love of God,” I felt the bitterness in my voice, and Chaeyoung seemed to sense it, too.

“Okay, Ari, why are you so upset over it? Don’t you want a boyfriend?” She asked as I shuddered.

“Him? My boyfriend? We’d kill each other even if we attempt a relationship.” I felt a headache forming behind my left eye, “Don’t romanticize what just happened. You wanna know what he whispered to me when we were that close? He said ‘Did you really think I’d make a move on you? Disgusting.’ Is that something you want in a boyfriend?”

“Wow,” Chaeyoung frowned and put her hand on one of mine, “Ari, I’m sorry… just, it looked like his eyes were telling a story of how strong his feelings are for you, yet your brother forbids your love.”

“This guy hates my guts, Chae. And I, in turn, hate his guts as well. We don’t mix well together.”

We finally made it into the parking lot of Taco Bell as Chaeyoung and I stepped into the building.

…

The rest of the night was going fairly smoothly as I saw the clock strike 10:00. Our last movie of the night let out at 10:05, and we were about done with taking out the trash. After we cleaned this last theater, we would all be good to go home.

I looked over to Chaeyoung who was actually looking Jungkook’s way. I caught her attention and sent her a questioning look as her cheeks heated up and she looked away.

Was Chaeyoung crushing on both guys at the same time? Is she nuts? What does she even see in Jungkook? I will never understand…

“Which theater is our last one?” I snapped out of my thoughts as I looked back at Jimin.

“Theater 2,” I responded with a soft smile as he nodded.

“Do you think that you and Jungkook could finish taking out the trash? If Chaeyoung and I start cleaning in 2, we’d get out sooner.” Jimin offered as I looked at my phone. It was nearly 10:05, so I just sighed and nodded. As much as I didn’t want to be left alone with Jungkook yet again, I’d live with it.

“Go on. There isn’t much to take to the dumpster, anyway,” I spoke as Chaeyoung smiled at Jimin and the two of them turned around and began walking back the way we came.

“I’ll text you if we finish before you guys,” Chaeyoung looked to me as I nodded and gave her a thumbs up. Not even three seconds later, they had disappeared from sight, leaving Jungkook and I to finish pushing the trash cart to the dumpster.

The two of us were mostly silent as we unloaded all the bags of trash into the smelly dumpster in front of us. I wasn’t about to say something to him because I was honestly really tired… I didn’t have the energy to have any arguments with him.

I thought that we were just going to stay silent until meeting up with Jimin and Chaeyoung again, but Jungkook opened his big mouth to disprove my hopes.

“Taehyung texted me earlier today. I told him about me beating you in Wii bowling.”

“Great,” I mumbled. I just know that Taehyung is going to tease the life out of me for losing to not just anyone, but to Jungkook.

“He liked the idea of going bowling soon. He said that he doesn’t have to work on Monday night, and neither do we. You should ask Chaeyoung and Jimin if they want to tag along if they’re off.” Jungkook continued. I was relieved that he switched the conversation to making plans instead of gloating about his win over me.

“Okay,” I simply agreed as I could sense Jungkook’s surprise. He didn’t push any further as we walked back into the building and left the trash cart in the electrical room.

I felt my phone go off in my pocket as I pulled it out and spotted a text from Chaeyoung, “They finished the theater so we just need to clock out.”

“Awesome,” Jungkook sighed and I noticed him run his fingers through his hair. I tore my eyes from him as he glanced over my way in return. A small smirk appeared on his face as he started walking closer to me. I could only be thankful to the trash and sweat that was masking his cologne which smelled too good for my own sake. “You know, when we work the same shifts, we should ride together. It’d save gas that way.”

“Hell no,” I responded quickly as Jungkook just laughed and shrugged.

“Your loss. I’d let you DJ,” he shrugged, but I wasn’t giving in. The drive was one of the few times I didn’t have to deal with him, and I wasn’t about to add him to that, too.

“I’ll pass,” I rejected again as I looked over at him. He just continued to look down the hall as I narrowed my eyes slightly. What do people see in this guy? Looks can only go so far when your personality is so… ugly…

We met back up with Chaeyoung and Jimin as the first thing that popped into my head was the bowling plans. I smiled at my friend as she raised her eyebrows at me.

“So Jungkook, Taehyung, and I are going bowling on Monday night. If either or both of you are free that night, you’re welcome to come,” I offered as Chaeyoung smiled and nodded.

“I’m free that night! What about you, Jimin?” she turned to look at the boy as he pulled out his phone to check his schedule.

“Uhh, yeah! I can make it as long as it’s after 5:30,” he smiled and looked at Jungkook and I, “Are you going to AMF?”

“That’s the one like five minutes away, right?” Jungkook asked as we all nodded, “Then yeah. So does 6:00 sound good?”

“Yep,” Chaeyoung smiled and looked my way with a slight smirk, “You should ask Yoongi to come, too. I’m sure he’ll be there if he can make it.”

“Oh yeah, I’ll ask him on our way out,” I nodded as I ignored her teasing look. I was just asking him because I would like for him to be there. Nothing more and nothing less.

We all headed to the back to clock out as I spotted Yoongi standing at the sink. He was almost done washing the dishes, but he was still a good 50 minutes away from being able to go home. Unfortunately, there’s a 10:30 movie, so we don’t officially close until 10:50 tonight.

“Hey,” I smiled and walked up to him. He looked over at me and smiled before looking down at what he was doing.

“Are you guys done?” he asked as I nodded and stepped slightly away to make sure that I didn’t get splashed by any of the water rushing from the sink.

“Yeah,” I voiced, “You wouldn’t happen to be busy on Monday night, would you?”

Yoongi glanced at me for a few seconds before looking back into the sink, “I think I’m off on Monday. Why?”

“Awesome,” I smiled and tried to contain my excitement, “I’m inviting some friends to go bowling at AMF, and I was wondering if you wanted to go.”

“That sounds cool,” He smiled at me and started to drain the sink and dry his hands. “What time?”

“6:00,” I informed as he nodded, “It’s gonna be me, Chaeyoung, Jimin, Taehyung, and Jungkook. That’s all that I know of.”

Yoongi’s eyebrows raised at the mention of Jungkook. He lowered his voice and leaned toward me so that only I could hear him.

“You invited Jungkook to go?” he was completely perplexed as I just smiled and shook my head.

“Uh, Jungkook was actually the one that had the idea in the first place. He found out that I’ve never been bowling, so now we’re going,” I explained as Yoongi just nodded and raised his eyebrow at me with a little disbelief.

“You two must have not dated very long for him to not know something simple like that,” I mentioned as I nearly choked on my saliva. I forgot that Yoongi’s under the impression that Jungkook and I used to date…

I shuddered at the idea before snapping back to the present.

“It just never came up,” I tried to play it up, but Yoongi was too intuitive for my lies.

“You love Wii bowling to death. What do you mean that it never came up?” he was quick to spot my bull crap as I felt my face heat up.

“Does it really matter?” I mumbled in embarrassment as Yoongi sighed and rolled his eyes.

“Fine. I’ll stop pestering you. I’ll be there at 6 on Monday.”

“Awesome,” I smiled and walked over to the computer to clock out. I couldn’t help but notice that Jungkook had hung around instead of leaving ahead of me like the last time we left around the same time.

I walked past him, only for him to push himself off the wall that he was leaning against and follow me. “We don’t have to walk together, you know.” “Taehyung also texted me to say that I need to walk you out when we work together so that he knows you’ll be safe,” He mentioned as he had his nose in his phone. It was a miracle that he wasn’t crashing into anything.

“And you’re actually listening to him?” I laughed as Jungkook just ignored my comment. It didn’t take long for us to get to our cars in the parking lot as I unlocked my car and opened the door to get in.

“I’ll see you at home,” I called out as Jungkook looked at me from his car and just waved before we both disappeared into our respective cars.

::

The weekend felt like the longest I’d ever experienced due to the amount of business that we did at work. A really big movie had just come out, and everyone and their dog was dying to see it opening weekend.

I’d barely had time to sleep when not at work, and I didn’t have to even think about Jungkook for the whole weekend since we worked opposite shifts for two days, and then on Sunday he worked concessions while I was on cleaning.

After the busy weekend came and went, Monday was finally here. Jungkook and I had the whole day off while Taehyung had a morning shift to work until 12. I had every intention to avoid Jungkook until Taehyung got home, but those plans fell through very quickly when I ran into Jungkook on my way to eat lunch.

Neither of us said anything to each other as I brushed past him and tried to ignore just how strong his cologne smells today. It was as if he knew how much I liked it, so he put on more than usual today.

“I’m pretty sure that Taehyung’s inviting some people to come bowling with us,” Jungkook spoke, following me into the kitchen. I opened up the pantry and tried to ignore any words Jungkook had to say, but he wasn’t giving up that easily.

“I think he’s inviting Jennie to come,” Jungkook mentioned as that caught my attention. Taehyung was inviting a girl? Not just any girl, but an ex of Jungkook’s?

“Is he crazy?” I asked as Jungkook’s eyes slightly brightened at the fact that I responded to him.

“I guess so. I mean, I’m over her, and I wouldn’t flirt with a girl that Taehyung likes,” Jungkook spoke, leaning against the counter behind him. “I don’t know if she’ll actually come, but he mentioned wanting to invite her in a text he sent me last night before he fell asleep.”

“I don’t care if you’re over her, you’re a huge flirt,” I narrowed my eyes, “Plus, wouldn’t it kill you for your friend to score a girl that even you yourself couldn’t keep?”

“She might be hot, but my attraction to her was mostly physical. Relationships like that never last very long,” Jungkook glared my way before walking closer my way. I took a deep breath to try and keep from smelling his cologne once he got too close, but it was too late. He was already too close to me.

“It wouldn’t stop you from coaxing her into your bed,” I spat as Jungkook just smirked and took another step closer to me. I looked up at him almost nervously, but I didn’t want to lose my tough glare his way.

“My bed is in this apartment, you know,” he spoke softly in a way that sent chills down my spine, “I’m not bringing anyone back here to catch sight of your ugly face.”

I shoved Jungkook away from me and cleared my throat to ignore his smell, “Go to hell.”

“Nah,” he laughed and moved to open the fridge next to me, “Anyway, tonight should be fun. Chaeyoung and Jimin will probably flirt until all of us puke, and you’ll awkwardly talk to Yoongi until he asks you out, if he ever does.”

“It’s none of your business what he does with me,” I spoke mostly into the pantry since I was still looking for something I could fix. Maybe I’ll just make an egg sandwich…

“I mean, for a girl who wants a boyfriend so bad, she sure doesn’t give a guy off any vibes of being interested.” Jungkook remarked as I pulled the loaf of bread out of the pantry.

“How do you know any of the vibes that I give Yoongi?” I put the bread on the counter next to the fridge as Jungkook closed the fridge on me. I looked up at him as he leaned against the fridge and smirked.

“You want in the fridge, right?” he raised an eyebrow as I nodded and tried to shove him out of my way.

“Jungkook, what is your problem?” I huffed as Jungkook bit his lip to try and bite back a smile.

“Do you really think that Yoongi has an interest in you?”

I took a deep breath as I felt myself not liking where this conversation was about to head. “It’s very likely. But I don’t have to prove anything to you.”

“Hm,” Jungkook nodded and looked up at the ceiling, “So, if someone as pretty as Jennie were to flirt with him, you think he’d turn her away for you?”

I felt my gut twist at his words, and I didn’t have to think very long about it. He’s mostly indifferent around people he doesn’t know, but he is a male… No, I don’t want to think about something like that. Yoongi doesn’t just let people flirt with him out of the blue. It would make him uncomfortable.

“He might not turn her away for me, but he’d probably ignore her. He doesn’t give just anyone the time of day.”

“Well, do you think he would get jealous if I were to…” Jungkook paused as he pushed off of the fridge and I jumped as one of his arms pressed into my back. My heart jumped as I looked up at him and our faces ended up impossibly close to each other’s. His smell was filling all of my senses as my stomach started to churn. I did not like this feeling…

I blinked a few times as Jungkook just continued to house a slight smirk on his face. I swallowed and started to try and back away, but he used his free hand to secure his hold on me.

“Do you think he’d be jealous if he saw us this close?” Jungkook asked as I briefly thought about it. In all honesty… He would probably brush off all feelings he might have had for me if he saw us like this. He’d give up instead of being jealous. After all, neither of us have tried that hard to show each other any relationship past friendship.

“No,” I swallowed and looked away from Jungkook. I wasn’t liking what Jungkook was saying at all. It was making me upset more than anything, “I think that he’d give up on me if he had any feelings for me. After all, we’ve never hinted at anything past friendship between the two of us.”

“Hm,” Jungkook spoke, continuing to hold me close to him. I started to push him off of me, and to my relief, he actually let me go, “Well, sucks for you. I guess you’ll just have to deal with this on your own.”

“I don’t need nor want your help, anyway,” I slightly glared at him before shoving him away from the fridge to continue making my sandwich.

::

Jungkook and I didn’t really talk the rest of the morning as I waited for Taehyung to get off and get home. Time went by so incredibly slowly as I sat in my silent room, scrolling through all my different social media accounts.

Time finally came for Taehyung to get home as relief washed over me. I was getting sick and tired of being around Jungkook, whether we were avoiding each other or not.

“Ari~!” Taehyung sang as he smiled and gave me a hug, “So I invited two coworkers to come tonight. I think you might like one of them…”

I raised an eyebrow as Taehyung let go of me and pulled out his phone, “So I invited Jennie to go, as well as…” he paused before turning his phone screen for me to look at it’s contents. “This is Jung Hoseok. He’s an old friend of mine from high school. Do you remember him?”

I looked at the picture and nodded, “Yeah, I think I remember him. I’m pretty sure he gave me a ride home one day after school when you went home with Jungkook after dance practice.”

“Oh yeah,” Taehyung nodded and smiled, “But I invited him and I told him a little about you. I think he’d be a good boyfriend if you two hit it off.”

I felt my face heat up as I raised an eyebrow, “My brother, Kim Taehyung, is trying to set me up?”

“I know, I know,” he shook his head and his face heated up to match mine, “I’ve been pretty harsh on all guys that even look your way, but I’m feeling real guilty. After all, you’re nearly 20 and you haven’t even had a boyfriend before.”

“Thanks to you,” I mentioned as he winced. I couldn’t help but cringe at the fact that Jungkook had heard Taehyung say that about me.

He showed me his phone again as he grimaced when he realized that Jungkook was also in the room. “But look, I’m trying to set you up now. He’s good looking, isn’t he?”

“Well,” I looked at the picture and felt my cheeks starting to heat up, “Yeah, he’s pretty cute.”

I jumped at the sound of Jungkook clearing his throat, “As much as I like hearing about you setting your sister up, it’d be great if I could not be in earshot for it. It just makes me feel guilty for this poor guy that’s walking into something he isn’t capable of handling.”

“I’m sorry?” I glared at Jungkook, but he just continued to scroll through his phone. “You were fine with talking about Yoongi earlier, but now that Hoseok is brought up, you don’t want to talk about it?”

“Well, Yoongi knows how immature you are,” Jungkook remarked as he looked up from his phone before locking it, “But Hoseok is too good for you. You’d destroy him.”

“Destroy him? I’m not a bomb,” I glared as Jungkook just smiled bitterly.

“You’re destructive like one.”

“Okay,” Taehyung waved Jungkook off as Jungkook looked back down at his phone, “Well, he’s going to be there tonight, so if you’ll talk to him a little bit, maybe you’ll hit it off.”

“I’ll give him a shot,” I nodded and sent Taehyung a thankful smile, “Thanks, Tae. You didn’t have to do that for me.”

“I know,” he smiled back before wrapping an arm around me, “But how have you two handled each other? I see you’re both still alive.”

“She’s tolerable,” Jungkook spoke up as I ignored him and sighed.

“I haven’t really been around him much because of working being hectic, but when I am around him, he’s been… okay.”

“Wow,” Jungkook looked up at me with a slightly offended look on his face, “I gave you a way better response than you gave me.”

“I guess that means that I’ve been better than you have,” I narrowed my eyes as he stood up and raised his eyebrows.

“Which one of us has put up with your whining over having no boyfriend?” he snapped as I took a step closer to him in annoyance. Taehyung sighed behind me and disappeared into the kitchen to get away from the two of us.

“I’m sorry, you keep bringing it up! I wouldn’t have talked about it this much if you hadn’t initiated it.” I retorted, taking another step closer to him.

Jungkook stayed quiet for a few seconds before taking a step closer to me. We were now only a few feet away from each other with glares shooting in the other’s direction. I was even doing a good job not getting too focused on how good he smelled…

“Why are you so obsessed with my love life, anyway?” I asked in a much softer voice than before. I was almost afraid for Taehyung to hear my words, and I think Jungkook was thinking the same thing when he replied at an equally low volume.

“You’re just so pathetic.” His words didn’t exactly sound genuine, but I just assumed that they were.

The two of us continued to stare into the other’s eyes as I found my harsh glare melting into what was almost a soft look. Jungkook’s eyes followed suit as I felt like different eyes were looking at me. He was giving me a look that mirrored the look I saw him give me at work the other day.

I actually found myself liking the eyes I was looking into. If I could just get a look like that out of Yoongi or Hoseok, I would be on the right track.

...Wait, I wanted Yoongi and Hoseok to look at me the same way Jungkook did? I felt a weird twisting in my gut at that thought, but I tried to ignore it. Why was Jungkook looking at me that way, anyway?

“Did you two eat?” Taehyung asked from the kitchen as both Jungkook and I answered at the same time.

“No.”

“Cool, let’s order something,” he continued as Jungkook and I moved away from each other. We pretended like nothing ever happened as I walked into the kitchen with to talk to Taehyung.

I couldn’t help but continue to think about my previous thoughts. Why did Jungkook look so… soft? It was going to bother me until I got some answers, and unfortunately for me, I didn’t really want any answers.

::

A/N: The more I post, the more excited I get over this story! Things only get better from here cx

⇨ Masterlist ⇦

[hookedontaronfics]

First Contact series Part 6

Title: First Contact - Part 6 Read the previous installments here: Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 Rating: M Pairing: Taron x OC Warnings: Mild cursing, mentions of domestic abuse A/N: Jess’s friends hatch a plan to get her and Taron back together, but will it work? And will she be brave enough to tell him the truth of her past? The series will eventually involve more mature themes as it develops, so be warned! Enjoy! x

I was sitting cross-legged on the couch, bowl of cereal in my hands and staring bored at the telly, when my roommates came in, purses in hand. I looked up at them briefly and returned to my show, shoving a spoonful of mushy Wheaties into my mouth and chewing thoughtlessly.

“We’re going out on the town. You should join us,” Mary said, leaning over the couch for a second and taking in my unkempt state sympathetically.

“But I’d have to put on actual pants,” I whined at that, content enough to spend my Saturday on the couch feeling sorry for myself. It’d been a week since the night I had both kissed Taron and managed to lose him. I’d gone to work that week but it had all been just a blur, and if my performance suffered for it, none of my colleagues had commented.

“Well you can’t mope for forever,” Jules replied.

“Watch me,” I said in a huff, as Jules and Mary exchanged looks.

“Have you tried to get ahold of him again?” Mary asked gently.

“Not since I tried to apologize and he never returned my texts. He doesn’t need some crazy fan bothering him all the time. If he’s done with me, then he is,” I said sadly, suddenly losing interest in my cereal and setting the bowl aside. “I can live with that, you know. Maybe it’s better this way.”

“Are you out of your bloody mind?” Jules asked. “You don’t just give up like that! He’s being stupid if he doesn’t know how amazing you are,” she added.

“But that’s the thing, Jules, he didn’t really know me. We had a handful of encounters, but we weren’t even dating. We had one fantastic day together, and that’s more than I should have asked for. It was just a fantasy, you know?”

Mary sighed softly. “Maybe he’ll come around and change his mind,” she said as I flopped over on the couch.

“Yeah, whatever,” I pouted slightly, hugging Tim to me when he came over to investigate my discarded cereal and petting his fur. I didn’t catch Mary and Jules exchanging glances again.

“We’ll be back in a bit. If you change your mind and want to join us, just text,” Jules said, and I just held up my arm in a “thumbs up” gesture as the girls left the flat. I’d be told much later that they had hatched a plan to fix this little dilemma, and the events of this plan I’ll relay now.

While I was spending my time moping in front of the telly, Jules and Mary were sitting down to coffees at Caffe Nero with none other than Taron. I hadn’t had any idea but Mary had got me distracted and Jules had managed to sneak his number from my phone at some point during the week. She’d rang him and he’d picked up, and after some convincing, had gotten him to meet so they could explain away my apparent idiocy.

“Jules, Mary,” he nodded at them as he sat down at the table, a steaming cup in his hand. Mary tried to stifle a giggle as she found him rather cute as well.

“I won’t waste your time,” Jules started in. “You haven’t returned Jess’s texts, it’s a bit rude, innit?”

Taron narrowed his eyes at Jules, a bit taken aback by her brashness. “I haven’t known what to say, to be honest. I didn’t exactly enjoy being accused of being faithless.”

Mary gave him a concerned look and sighed. “I know it must have not sounded very kind, but I can assure you she didn’t mean it that way at all.”

“How was I supposed to take it?” Taron asked, sipping his coffee and making Mary feel a bit unnerved as he stared at her.

“With a hell of a lot more patience and understanding then you’ve displayed, that’s for sure,” Jules replied. Taron raised an eyebrow at that. “Look, there’s some shit in Jess’s past that you should know about. It’s not exactly my story to tell, but you should know it. Maybe it will make what she asked and why she asked it make sense.”

“I’m listening,” Taron said, though he didn’t seem as upset over it all as before. Perhaps, Mary thought, he seemed just a bit remorseful.

“The thing is, well… She was with a boyfriend three years ago who abused her. And I mean, he beat her so badly one day she could have nearly died. He went to jail for two years and she tried to move on, but she was so afraid when he was about to get released that he’d come after her, that’s why she moved to London a year ago,” Jules said softly, and Taron’s expression changed from impatient to curious to just downright troubled.

“I didn’t know,” he said. “That’s fucking horrible.”

“She hasn’t been with a guy since then. She’s found it very hard to trust anyone. Even worse, the reason he did that was because she’d confronted him for cheating on her. So she’s terrified someone else will do that to her, because somehow she’s got it in her head that it’s what she deserves,” Jules said, as Mary nodded in agreement.

“That she even gave you half a chance has been a massive deal,” Mary added.

“And I’ve nearly squandered that chance, haven’t I?” he asked quietly.

“Oh no, no! You should just text her. Trust me, she’s doing nothing other than moping in front of the telly. Just don’t tell her about this little meeting, not yet. It should be coming from you,” Jules grinned at that.

I don’t really know what happened after that point, because Jules and Mary didn’t fill me in, but sure enough, while I was zoning out to yet another episode of “The Bodyguard,” (Richard Madden was really fit, wasn’t he?) my phone pinged with a text. I grabbed it and looked at the notification, nearly dropping my phone when I saw that Taron had finally, finally texted me back.

<Hey we should talk about what happened last week. I’m sorry I got angry but I didn’t understand why you’d said what you did. I feel like I should hear it from you.>

I sat there for a little bit, trying to figure out how to respond. Tim meowed at me because I had stopped petting him. “Don’t you be a greedy Gus,” I laughed at him, scratching his belly again and getting lost in thought for a moment.

I opened my texts and wrote something, then deleted it, rewrote it again, and sighed. <Sure, we can talk. There’s a lot to explain and it won’t be easy. And I’m not sure I can do that in public.> I finally sent that and waited, feeling almost sick to my stomach with sudden nerves.

<I can understand that. Why don’t you come over to my place? No pressure, we’ll just keep it low-key. I can make us some dinner, if you’d like.>

“Are you shitting me?” I asked out loud, and Tim gave me an actual look. “What?” I laughed at him.

<Your place? Are you quite sure?> I sent back.

<Yes, of course. I figured it’d be quiet and comfortable and you wouldn’t have to worry. Please say yes?>

<Well you don’t have to beg a girl, of course I’ll come. Just send me details.> I sent back, and he instantly texted a funny gif response to me, making me laugh. Maybe all of the misery from the past week had been for nothing after all. We had decided on meeting up the following day, since he had some kind of business meeting later Saturday and didn’t want to feel like we were rushed, so when Jules and Mary finally came home I told them the news.

“Oh well that must be a relief!” Jules grinned, and if I hadn’t been so giddy over it myself, I would have caught her tone of voice that said she already knew all about it. We celebrated my good fortune by ordering the best Chinese takeout in North London, spreading it all about the coffee table and making absolute pigs of ourselves. Mary was on her phone as we laid about on the couch, our stomachs absolutely stuffed.

“What’re you doing, Mary?” I asked in a sing-song manner.

“Oiy, she’s on Tinder again!” Jules giggled, making Mary blush.

“Why don’t you just ask your dishy colleague out already? I’m sure he’d say yes,” I giggled.

“I can’t do that! I would have to work with him!” she gasped.

“But that’s the best part!” Jules smirked lightly. “Breakroom quickies!” she said, both of us cackling as Mary tried to shush us, totally embarrassed.

“No but really, if you fancy him you should tell him. Guys are kind of daft, aren’t they? Sometimes you really have to spell it out for them,” I smiled, chin in my hand. “What’s the worst he could say, no?”

“I don’t think either of you understand,” she sighed.

“Come on Mary, we just want you to be happy,” I said.

“Yeah, and your last Tinder date was a total wanker,” Jules added.

“Don’t remind me,” Mary groaned softly.

“Hey, you only live once, and if I can kiss Taron Egerton, then you can ask your colleague out for a coffee,” I smiled at her.

“And now Taron’s having you at his place,” Jules giggled to me. “I’d say that’s a pretty impressive upgrade.”

“Just to talk,” I said, a bit faintly, the full force of it hitting me then.

“Sure, talk,” Jules laughed, hitting me with a pillow. “You’re way too innocent for your own good sometimes!” she grinned as I ducked another swipe with the pillow.

“Yeah, well, Jules, there are still gentlemen out there. What about you and Gavin?” I asked her, grabbing the pillow from her and shoving it under my head.

“We’re getting on alright. He’s a lovely snogger,” she grinned. “We’ve got a date on Tuesday,” she grinned as both Mary and I shrieked at her.

“When were you going to tell us!” Mary laughed.

“Well, I didn’t want to make Jess feel badly that I was on a date with Taron’s friend until I knew things had resolved themselves. And if not, I was going to tell Gavin to kick Taron in the ass for it,” Jules smiled ruefully. “We’ve got your back.”

“Yes you certainly do,” I smiled, content to just be there with my roommates, happy with how life had turned out at the moment. We eventually turned in for the night, and I fell asleep relatively quickly, which for me was rare.

But some time in the night I was awoken by Jules, hugging me tightly to her and rocking me slightly as I screamed, before realizing where exactly I was. “Shhh, it’s okay. You’re safe and you’re not with him. No one’s going to hurt you,” she whispered as I started to calm down from my nightmare. Mary was standing in the doorway, watching me sympathetically as Jules brushed my hair out of my face.

“The nightmare again?” Mary asked softly, and I nodded.

“You’re going to have to tell Taron about all of this,” Jules said as gently as possible.

“I know but...what if he hates me for it?” I asked, tears gathering in the corners of my eyes.

“He won’t hate you for what happened to you. You didn’t choose that, Jess. He can support you and help you move forward but only if you tell him what you’ve been through,” Jules replied.

“I’m not that brave,” I said pathetically.

“Yes you are,” Mary replied. “You’re the bravest person I’ve ever known.” I would have cried at the sweetness of that statement if I wasn’t still slightly terrified. My roommates got me calmed back down, wondering how the hell I was going to be able to tell Taron the full backstory the next day. I hadn’t gone back to those memories in at least a year, ever since I’d come to London to try and reinvent myself. But if anyone deserved to hear it, I knew it was him. I drifted off to sleep and my roommates must have left me at some point, as I woke up the next morning feeling a bit groggy and alone.

I spent the Sunday morning trying to ignore my nerves and distract myself from the inevitable, but as the clock ticked on to afternoon I knew I’d have to start getting ready. I’d chosen a long black skirt and a yellow blouse, something cute but casual, and tossed a jean jacket over that. Jules was at work, much to her chagrin, and Mary was busy in her room when I left, though she’d given me her best pep talk already.

I clutched my umbrella to me as I headed for the tube, looking up worriedly at the darkening sky. It was going to storm, and I hoped I’d make it to Taron’s before it poured. I made it onto the train and tried to remain calm. He didn’t actually live that far away from my flat, much to my surprise, but by the time I emerged out of the station the skies had opened up.

“Bloody fantastic,” I swore under my breath, putting up my umbrella and trying to hide from the driving rain, but it was already soaking the edges of my skirt as I avoided puddles and followed my phone’s directions. While waiting to cross the street, a lorry came through and ran right through a puddle, splashing water up onto the sidewalk - and all over me.

“Oh my god,” I said, standing there dripping dirty street water and shivering. I had half a mind to text Taron I couldn’t make it after all but I already had a text from him. <Dinner’s on the stove. Can’t wait to see you!>

I was too far away to turn back and not be exceptionally late, so I finally just made the decision to show up, soaked as I was. It wouldn’t be the first time, I thought to myself ruefully; after all, that’s how I’d first run into Taron at the Tesco, after a sudden shower like this. My umbrella was mostly useless at this point as I hurried along; water was even dripping from my hair and down my back. I arrived at his place, as unassuming on the outside as he himself was, and I knocked primly, trying to wring out my skirt a bit as I waited.

He popped the door open and I covered my mouth with my hand and laughed because I hadn’t expected him to be wearing a frilly apron. “My mum got it for me as a joke for Christmas but I find it rather useful,” he winked at me as the most delicious aroma wafted out.

He beckoned me inside and I stood in the hallway, apologizing for dripping all over the floor but he didn’t seem bothered by it, only went to retrieve a fluffy towel for me. I peeled off my jacket and wrapped the towel around myself, but was pretty much soaked all the way down to my undergarments. I shivered a bit violently and refused to sit on his sofa and after some deliberation, Taron decided the best thing to do was to lend me some clothes and get mine into the dryer. So, feeling completely and utterly self-conscious, I stripped off all my wet clothes and changed into a pair of plaid pajama pants and a grey sweatshirt he lent me, grateful that they fit rather well and realizing I was very much naked underneath them.

“Well that’s better, love,” Taron grinned as I came out of the bathroom and curled up on the corner of the sofa. “Not the first time someone’s wound up in my clothes,” he added with a smirk, which really wasn’t helping me with the whole situation. “Hope you’re hungry,” he added, going back to the kitchen and making up bowls of rice and tikka masala. He handed me a bowl and sat a basket of homemade naan bread down as well, and I had to be impressed. My mouth watered at how good everything looked and smelled, and after also setting out some beers and waters for us both, he joined me on the couch.

“This is absolutely delicious,” I said around a bite, not caring how I looked as I stuffed more rice in my mouth. I hadn’t realized how starving I was; I’d barely eaten earlier because of my nerves. I wondered if I’d ever get over the anxiety of being in Taron’s presence. That seemed to be something fans would debate until the end of time; if you could ever transition from just being a fan to being something more with the person you most fancied. Believe me, sitting on Taron’s couch, wearing his casual clothes no less, felt incredibly surreal.

“It’s a bit of a specialty,” he grinned at me. Our conversation flowed well, just as comfortable and easy as it had been while we ate, but eventually it turned to more serious topics. Whether Taron specifically steered it toward our past relationships or not, that’s where we ended up and I felt a rising pressure in my chest as he waited patiently for me to open up the same way he had. 

“You don’t have to talk about it if you don’t want,” he said softly, but I suddenly felt the need to confess it all. Either he’d understand, or he’d shut me out; all I could do was be honest.

“No, I do. If we’re going to move forward with this at all, it’s only fair to explain why I’m anxious to be here with you,” I said, taking a long swig from my beer and sighing heavily before launching into the awful story of my ex, the one who’d ended up in jail after assaulting me. I know it came out in fits and starts, and sometimes I paused an unnaturally long time when I had to relive the pain of the most difficult parts, but Taron encouraged me and was so patient and kind over my vulnerability. At some point he ended up holding my hand, stroking his thumb over the back of mine, both of us laying our heads against the cushions, our faces only inches from each other.

“I don’t remember everything from that night,” I said slowly. “I don’t remember calling the police, but I must have because I was alone when they broke in the door and found me bleeding half to death on the kitchen floor. He broke some ribs and an arm. My face was nothing but pulp. He’d stabbed me in my stomach and cut me navel to hip. I’ve got a scar here,” I said, indicating my waistline, “that will never let me forget it.”

I finally raised my eyes to his face and realized he’d been silently crying, for me. I reached up with a shaking hand and brushed the teardrops from his cheeks.

“Oh no, no, don’t do that. I’ll cry too,” I whispered softly, fighting back tears myself. “I’ve worked so hard to overcome that, but I’ve had a really hard time trusting someone else. I was stupid that night, in the woods with you, but I was also really scared of falling for you.”

“I’m so, so sorry you’ve been through that,” he replied, the emotion clear in his voice as he fought to get the words out. “That anyone would hurt you… I just can’t understand that. You deserve someone who can protect you and care for you and make you believe again,” he said gently. “All I want is the chance to prove to you that it can be different. I’d protect you. I’d care for you,” he said, running his fingers softly along my jaw and cheek. The ache for me and honesty I saw in his gaze made me want to give him that chance, to take a flying leap off the edge and let him catch me. I knew I needed to heal fully, and maybe Taron could be that bridge for me.

“Okay,” I said with a shaky voice, his green eyes boring into my brown ones, burning away what insecurity I still felt and igniting something else, some other desire in me that had just been lurking beneath the surface. I let him pull me in close, our breaths mingling as I focused in on his lips, the softness of them as they whispered my name.

We seemed suspended in that moment for a heartbeat of time before he was kissing me, and every thought I had faded away. Gone were my insecurities about my body, born of a brutality that had marked me; gone were my fears of being vulnerable and exposed and real. There was only me, and Taron, and nothing but our blossoming feelings for each other as we kissed on the couch, the rain pounding the windows outside. I could have kissed him for forever, because there really was nothing like it. He gave back to me in a way I had never experienced, when being physical with anyone before had only taken something from me. We broke apart finally, our chests heaving and our lips a bit red and puffy.

“Holy shit,” I whispered, staring at him and trying to ignore the pounding in my body for him. Acting on that could only go somewhere I wasn’t sure I was ready for.

“Can I see it?” he asked suddenly. “Your scar?”

My insides squeezed uncomfortably at his request, but there was absolutely nothing salacious about it. If anything, he seemed simply to want to help me overcome the burden it had been the past three years. Why the hell not, I thought to myself; it really was now or never. I knelt on the sofa cushion and rolled the hem of the sweatshirt up slightly and yanked the elastic band of the pajama pants low on my hips, revealing the raised red scar that stretched from my belly button across to the side of my left hip. Taron bit his lip at the sight of it, and I hugged my arms across my chest. He leaned over and ran a finger along the puckered skin, long ago healed but bringing back flashes of memory.

He looked up at me through his lashes before bending forward and placing a kiss along the scar. I whimpered softly at the feeling of his lips that low on my body and his breath against my skin. “Taron,” I gasped slightly as he traced the line toward my hip with his kisses, my fingers entwining in his hair. I’d never felt something so deeply intimate before.

“This makes you a warrior, love, nothing less,” Taron spoke finally; I’m not actually sure how much time had passed with us like that.

“I think you’ve got me completely wrong,” I sighed slightly at that, pulling the sweatshirt’s hem back down into place.

“Oh no, I think you’ve got you completely wrong,” he said, gently pushing me backward so I was laying on the couch as he hovered over me. My breath caught in my chest again and I wondered if he could hear my heart trying to beat out of my chest. “But you can’t hide your strength and spirit from me, Jess,” he said, running his hands along my sides, up under the sweatshirt and drawing goosebumps along my skin. 

He leaned in and stole a couple kisses from me, keeping me just as breathless as before as I felt his weight settle over me. Just then, my phone started ringing on the coffee table; I recognized the ringtone instantly as the one I’d chosen for Mary. She knew where I was, and though it’d gotten a bit late in the evening, I wouldn’t have expected her to worry, so there must have been another reason she was calling. Still, when Taron asked me if I needed to get that call, I shook my head and pulled him down for more kisses. The call went to voicemail but then she rang me again, and I knew then something was wrong.

“Sorry,” I said as he backed off and let me sit up. I grabbed my phone and answered it right away, my lips still tingling from Taron’s kisses. I listened for a few minutes, my face growing concerned as Mary was in a near panic on the other side. I gathered that something was wrong with Tim, and she and Jules were taking him to the emergency vet clinic, and I promised to be there.

“Mary’s cat Tim is really sick. I’ve got to go,” I said apologetically to Taron, getting up off the couch and nearly toppling over his feet in my haste.

“Hey, slow down,” he said quickly, holding my arm to steady me. “I’ll drive you over there. No sense in taking the tube this late.”

I nodded at that and we quickly left his home, not even remembering I was still wearing Taron’s clothes until we breezed in through the vet clinic doors and Jules looked me up and down. I had to ignore the question in her face as I gave Mary a hug and she started crying all over again.

“He’s in surgery now, he swallowed something he shouldn’t have and was in so much pain,” she said as I patted her hair. We sat there in the lobby making small talk while we passed the time until a vet tech came out to tell us all Tim was doing just fine. The surgery was relatively routine; animals apparently swallowed things they shouldn’t all the time. We had to leave Tim there overnight for observation but were at least allowed to see him before Taron offered to drive us all back to our flat. The night had certainly deflated whatever could have happened between Taron and me and I just felt emotionally spent and exhausted now.

Almost as if by some unspoken agreement, Mary and Jules both thanked Taron and left the car first when we’d arrived, giving us a moment alone together in the dark. “Thank you for dinner, and for everything, really. For listening and for forgiving me,” I said softly.

“Forgive you for what? For being human?” he said, a smile playing at his lips. “I’m grateful you decided to trust me.”

“Yeah, well…” I said shyly. “When can I see you next?” I asked, finally feeling hopeful again.

“That’s something I needed to discuss with you,” he said quietly. “I’ll be out of the country for the next month.” I felt my heart sink straight to my shoes.

“What?” I asked stupidly, even though I knew his acting career took him all over the place. In fact, I’d done a table read for a project with him not that long ago. For his work, I reminded myself.

“We’ll text, and video call, and we’ll just make it work,” he said sweetly, trying to reassure me but my mind was reeling. “It’ll be alright, Jess,” he said, taking my hand in his and squeezing it.

“Of course, right,” I mumbled, and couldn’t bring myself to look at him.

“I’m not about to leave my girlfriend hanging,” he said, and I nearly gave myself whiplash as I jerked my head up to face him, my mouth hanging open. He just snickered at that while I tried to find words. “And if it can be arranged, I’ll see about bringing you out with me, yeah?” he said, brushing my hair back behind my ears. “It’ll be okay, I promise,” he said, raising an eyebrow at me again, and I finally laughed a little.

“You know, boyfriend has a nice ring to it,” I said, letting him pull me in and kissing him some more until Mary and Jules started flicking the porch light on and off at us.

“God, they’re totally watching,” I giggled at that, flipping off the dark shapes in the window and having to laugh.

“It’s late, and you should get some rest,” he smiled, his eyes fairly dancing at me and I could barely contain my joy. We managed to take our goodbyes from each other, and I could not have felt more in heaven. I had absolutely no idea how we were going to manage the next month apart; I was quite certain the wait was going to be the worst. But he’d firmly placed his commitment to me, to us, in my hands, and I was determined to live up to that. But damn if Taron Egerton hadn’t already gone and stolen my heart.

The saga will continue in Part 7 - Read it HERE.

[mellz117]

Hello and welcome to the start of Mellz Plays Kingdom Hearts Re:CoM on the Playstation 2; Riku’s campaign

If you haven’t seen my thoughts on Sora’s story, why not start with Part 1? For the 5 of you who’ve been following along since then, welcome back! Check out the rest under the read more! I’m playing on standard difficulty so if I’m having a hard time, I just suck.

So we, as Riku wake up in the basement of Castle Oblivion. How did he get there? Sora just waltzed in like it was no big deal. Riku has to materialize in a cold basement and be woken up by the disembodied voice of an all too familiar bastard… Who has a new voice.

Thanks for the card, voice of Ansem, “Seeker of Darkness”. That ain’t him. It’s been almost 10 years and I don’t remember much of this game but I know that new Richard Epcar voice ain’t Ansem.

Riku’s got no time to waste, he’s a man on a mission.

So we get a melancholy scene with Riku happening upon the room Maleficent gave him during his association with her in the first game. Memories he’d rather forget.

After progressing a bit, the disembodied voice returns once again to taunt Riku. “You cast aside your home, your friends, the darkness. What else do you have? Nothing. Your heart is as empty as your old room.”

It’s so weird playing as Riku but I hope we get more of that beyond KH3 (ReMind hasn’t released at the time of writing this)

Alot of this game so far has been me saying “I don’t remember this”… …So I don’t remember Riku’s level up system being this different to Sora’s.

…well that’s bullshit. I vaguely remember that. The fact that I can’t even edit the order my cards appear to me in battle is even more bullshit. I like to organize my cards by type and value until I’m forced to use a different method.

So I dont have to wait for the reload gauge to count down, it’s immediate and I dont lose a card on every reload like I thought I remembered… What’s the catch? I don’t trust like that.

……………………………………………………………………………………………

We meet up with Maleficent at the end of the map. She’s 100% aware she’s a figment of Riku’s memory. Riku is none too pleased to see her.

I love his sass

Riku’s ready to kick the asses of everyone corrupted by darkness, including his own, he says. Time for a dragon fight because otherwise Maleficent isn’t a threat apparently lmao. I don’t think the mcguffen card even showed up.

……………………………………………………………………………………………

Oh look it’s that asshole. Or is it? Dun dun dunnnnn. God his lips look soft. Why was this necessary???

So who has dominion over this castle? Marluxia, or Ansem?

This fucker is like “Sonny, you couldn’t even win against Sora. You don’t stand a chance against me”.

You have a teenager lying on the ground... Please reword your demands.

Oh my god it’s Mickey Mouse! well… sort of. He’s a bright light. Gives Riku some nice words to keep him going.

Knowing what I know now about the Guardian heartless bro, everything is so much worse…

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Ooh first scene with the boys in the dark room. “Don’t I even warrant a hello, Lexaeus?” I don’t remember seeing this as funny before but now, like 10 years later I appreciate how funny it truly is. Zexion sounds so insulted.. Lexaeus is a man of few words. Then Vexen shows up and he’s getting right down to business. Zexion’s like “Nice to see you too. We all used to be so close, what happened?”

Vexen’s all offended about that and gets pissy about “rank this, rank that, ooh I’m number 4, you shrimpy child.” as if your number indicated rank. Xigbar is the 2nd member but Xemnas’s 2nd in command is Saix (from my understanding) so sit your ass down, Vex.

So Zexion’s special talent? He smells people.

……………………………………………………………………………………………

Riku smells people too?. Oh ok he can smell the darkness in his skin. Take a shower! …When was the last time he even got the opportunity?

Mickey appears before him and tells him some words of encouragement. He’s transparent because he can’t fully manifest in the castle right now. So where’s the other 50% opacity hanging out at?

“We shook hands in our hearts” omg… 

……………………………………………………………………………………………

Let’s go to Neverland first yay. I did a team attack with Mickey. I remember that!

Imagine being in Riku’s stupid, dumb, giant, anime boy shoes… addressing a giant, bipedal mouse as “Your Majesty”……….. Actually my sister and I used to do that back in the day when we both were obsessed with the series. Regardless of context we’d call him “King Mickey”. It makes me cringe thinking back on it.

Oh I was gonna try to challenge myself to avoid using the dark power but I guess I dont have a choice but to use it. Might as well put points into it if that’s the case.

uses Key to Beginnings, is immediately thrown into a battle with Captain Hook oh I guess we’re not focusing on any events in these worlds they’re literally just to pad out Riku’s story. Riku is officially less Disney than Sora.

……………………………………………………………………………………………

How does Zexy know who Riku is? “Riku is here because Sora is here”. Vex that makes zero sense. What else is new?

Agrabah. Uneventful. Riku is not good at hitting small targets. Had a hell of a time fighting Jafar, or rather beating Iago to a pulp, in comparison to playing as Sora.

……………………………………………………………………………………………

Next scene, and immediately like NO breath between the fade in and the scene itself, Vexen appears. And in even less time after he appears, “I take it you’re Riku?” This mofo has no time to waste. He’s a busy man.

Riku’s already tired of his bullshit and is ready to FIGHT. Same, Riku. Same.

I had him stun locked during most of this battle.

I JUST LOVE RIKU’S COMPLETE LACK OF FUCKS GIVEN HE’LL BEAT VEXEN’S SHIELD WITH HIS FISTS AND POMMEL

Vexen is a fucking twerp. And seems alot more crazy, mad scientist-y when interacting with Riku than Sora. Emphasis on “mad”. He cray

Why do they hang out in the dark? I mean, why no lamps? All I can imagine is them hanging out and barely able to actually see each other. The only way anyone knows who’s there is because Zexion can smell people, everyone else just assumes Lexaeus is there, Vexen won’t shut up about something something science, and Axel likes to hear himself talk.

Fat boi

……………………………………………………………………………………………

Zexion and Lexaeus are talking about what’s going on,  I’m still not sure what they’re doing here. Like, do they want Sora for the Organization? But Marluxia wants Sora as his personal puppet? What about Roxas? Isn’t he like, in a coma or something? Just kill Sora, Roxas will wake up, and SOMEONE’S got a Keyblade wielder again. Lex says Vexen hates Marluxia and things with the replica could turn out disastrously because of it. What IS Vexen’s beef with Marly?

Ok I know it’s to pad out a second campaign but why does Riku go to SORA’S memory worlds? Unless Riku stalked him throughout the entirety of KH1, or had so visit them for darkness missions, and those are his memories as well? Idk, it doesn’t have to be explicitly stated

Oh no Riku, it’s you.

So at this point he’s aware hes a copy? Does he forget later? With Namine’s meddling? How does Vexen create a living, breathing entity out of battle data? Like, where did the body come from? Did he have it on standby for a while until the right moment?

“You’re afraid of the dark” Repliku states.. Lmao yeah, Riku- he still sleeps with a night light. Don’t tell Sora.

Repliku is like, a worse Riku as far as personality goes. The punk-ass bitch Riku from KH1 but worse. Repliku is quick to ditch the double pants with suspenders and ankle belts for a muscle suit and grass skirt. I’m not sure which one’s worse.

FIGHT! FIGHT! FIGHT! I got two level ups out of that!

I high key love Repliku’s laugh here when Riku tries to attacks him again RIGHT AFTER THEIR FIGHT. It’s adorable, hilarious, and creepy. GG David Gallagher! Check out that video if you want. [video]

Dutch angles make everything more dramatic. Unofficial rule no. 1 of cinema. Repliku peaces out and we give chase up another flight of stairs and another cutscene plays. Repliku joins Zexion, Lexaeus, and Vexen in the dark room and they talk about introducing him to Sora.

Riku finds himself alone on the next floor, yelling at empty air. Ansem shows up to taunt Riku again. This dude just doesn’t quit. God forbid he learns no means go the fuck away.

……………………………………………………………………………………………

Oh hey we’re in Atlantica! Maybe Riku can wash that darkness smell off his skin. Oh wait the water doesn’t really exist. And hes just a human, not swimming like a mermaid. Give me mer-Riku, you cowards. Twiggy mer-Sora is funny, twiggy mer-Riku with buff arms would be HYSTERICAL. I had a difficult time with Ursula because poor card management and I’m avoiding battles to get this game over with, which kinda shoots me in the foot as I’m not leveling up.

Yeah I was right, he ends up thinking HE’S Riku. I honestly feel bad for the guy… he’s so scared and betrayed. I know I was shit talking him just a bit ago but I need to protect Repliku. [video]

……………………………………………………………………………………………

Give Riku a Halloween Town outfit, you cowards.

This scene between Repliku and Namine is so bittersweet. [video] Just listen to how gentle he talks to Namine. Oh, my heart cannot handle it.

This game makes me so sad. Poor Repliku, poor Namine… Larxene continues to be The Worst. Like, the ABSOLUTE worst. Was Elrena like this?

(I keep getting progressively more and more angry because I can’t upload a video file to this on desktop but I can on mobile, but if I post a video on mobile I can’t edit a read more on desktop. AND I HAVE THREE VIDEOS I WANT TO PUT IN. SO I MADE A BLOG SPECIFICALLY SO I CAN POST THEM THERE AND LINK THEM HERE)

See you in part 2, where I will continue to drag Larxene.

[sassycassie-s-series]

All My Fault 33

By: SassyShoulderAngel319

Fandom/Character(s): DC, BatFam - Damian Wayne/Batman

Rating: PG-11/T- (for violence)

Notes: (Masterlist) This one jumps around a bit. Hopefully it’s not too difficult to follow.

Tag List (Open): @batboys-and-other-messes @welovegroot @probsjosh  @spooder-moon @lostredrobin @haylo4ever @na-n-na @rachelmorganroth  @reclusive-chicken-nugget​ 

Ch 1, Ch 2, Ch 3, Ch 4, Ch 5, Ch 6, Ch 7, Ch 8, Ch 9, Ch 10, Ch 11, Ch 12, Ch 13, Ch 14, Ch 15, Ch 16, Ch 17, Ch 18, Ch 19, Ch 20, Ch 21, Ch 22, Ch 23, Ch 24, Ch 25, Ch 26, Ch 27, Ch 28, Ch 29, Ch 30, Ch 31, Ch 32

^^^^^

“So, what do we do, Damian?” I asked quietly as Damian and I sat in my room on the floor across from each other. Jon had left to go home to Metropolis so we were alone to have our private discussion.

Damian reached across the distance between us and took one of my hands in both of his. “I want to be with you more than I’ve ever wanted to be with anyone else. However I don’t believe we should go public with any sort of romantic relationship immediately. As far as the rest of the world is concerned, you’ve been back nearly two weeks less than you have actually been in this future, which would make it seem as though you haven’t been back long enough to be in a romantic relationship—perhaps.”

“What about Bruce?”

Damian’s eyes dropped to our hands. “He returns from Metropolis tomorrow,” Damian said. “As I said earlier, he could look between the two of us and make an accurate estimate of what we’ve done while he was gone if he believed we had something to hide. I can tell him that we’ve fallen in love and intend to pursue a relationship—”

“No,” I interrupted. “Let… let me tell him.”

“Nora?” Damian asked, using my name instead of why?

I sighed. “If I tell him he might… freak out less. You know what I mean? Like, if I say I don’t want to go back to the past and explain why… I doubt he’d drop his coffee.”

I set my other hand on top of Damian’s hand holding my other one. I looked up and met his eyes.

“I love you, Damian Wayne. Strange as our situation is, it’s true.”

He gave me the widest and most genuine smile I’d ever seen from him—or either blood Wayne for that matter. “I love you as well, Nora McCloud.” He leaned forward. I closed the distance and pressed our lips together.

It was a far less heated kiss than the night before. Instead it was simple and tender, full of softer emotions than passion.

Damian pulled away first. “I believe you’re correct. You informing Father would be far safer.” He squeezed my hand. “And in a few weeks—perhaps even a month—we will announce that Nora McCloud and Damian Wayne are officially together.”

I snorted. “Press can finally have their field day about us,” I said.

Damian bounced an eyebrow. “S’pose so,” he agreed.

I smirked. “Let them,” I said.

Damian tutted. “Tt. Alright then.”

“But in private, are we officially together now?”

“Only if you agree to be.”

“I do. Heartily.”

We both snickered.

^^^^^

WHAM! My foot connected to the mugger’s chest—and I was fairly certain I heard a rib separate from his sternum. Yowch.

“Batman’s smitten,” Jason said in the open channel. Tonight it was all of us out on patrol except Tim, who volunteered to be on monitor duty. Dick and Jason had told Cass and Tim that Damian and I were in love and semi-officially a couple while we were in private.

I glanced around to see Damian standing on top of a building that made up one of the walls of the alley I was in, looking down at me. Even from my distance below I could see him grinning. I smiled back at him, whacked the mugger again and effectively knocked him out, and nodded to the man he’d been trying to steal from. “Are you alright, sir?” I asked.

He nodded.

“GCPD is on its way,” Damian supplied to me.

“The cops will be here soon,” I said to the man. “They’ll take your statement.” As I spoke I tied up the mugger. “He’ll be out for at least an hour.”

“Are you leaving?” the man asked me, looking a bit spooked by the mugger.

I gave him a smile. “Not if you don’t want me to,” I said, rocking back and forth on my heels. I realized how that could sound if taken the wrong way and quickly amended, “Not if you feel unsafe alone here with this man.” I didn’t need this guy hitting on me or trying any funny business when Damian was literally only a few stories above me. That being said, most of the creeps and misogynists in this city knew that trying anything rude with a girl in a mask and body armor—Batgirl, the Spoiler, Orphan, Batwoman, Cloudburst, and any visiting female heroes—was a recipe for getting several bones broken and sometimes a verbal smack-down.

Didn’t always discourage them from trying, but I’d dislocated eight shoulders and paralyzed three sets vocal chords in the first two years of being Cloudburst and had since lost track of injuries I’d dealt to creeps who grabbed my backside or hands or other places or made disgusting comments.

As it was, this guy didn’t say anything rude or try to touch me.

I touched my comm-link. “By the way, Hood?” I said.

“Yes Cloudy?” Jason asked.

“Shut up,” I said.

I heard lots of snickering from the rest of the Bat-family.

After a few minutes of waiting, the cops came. Once they turned up, the mugging victim thanked me. I nodded and shot a grappling hook to the roof, whizzing out of sight. Once I swung onto the same rooftop as Damian, I felt his arm ensnare my waist and pull me closer to him. He tapped his comms to mute his microphone and smirked at me. “That was attractive,” he whispered.

I snickered and muted my mic too.

He leaned closer.

I put my hand between our lips before he could kiss me. “Batman and Cloudburst can’t be together, Damian,” I said quietly.

He closed his eyes and sighed with complaint. “Why not?”

“Because as far as civilians are concerned, Cloudburst is still between five and ten years older than Batman. That would be weird. And the coincidence of Nora McCloud returning only a week-and-a-half after Cloudburst can be ignored and forgotten. But Cloudburst and Batman getting caught kissing on a rooftop a month before Damian Wayne and Nora McCloud announce that they’re together is downright suspicious,” I said. “Especially coupled with Cloudburst and Nora’s reappearances.”

Damian pursed his lips and stared at me, his green eyes glinting through the eye holes of his cowl. “Alright,” he relented. “Batman and Cloudburst have a professional relationship.”

“You can kiss me in uniform when we get back to the Batcave,” I said quietly.

^^^^^

“Their mics are muted,” Jason remarked to Dick, Tim, and Cass on a private channel. “I can see them talking through my scope but I can’t hear them.”

“What do you mean, ‘scope’?” Dick asked. “Hood, you don’t have a sniper rifle, do you?”

Jason hesitated. “… No?”

“Hood!” Dick protested.

“Hey, wingding! Now is not the time! They’re being lovey-dovey and you’re complaining about me?!” Jason snapped.

“Okay. So their mics are muted so we can’t hear them. What do you mean, lovey-dovey?” Tim asked, interrupting the argument.

“Well Damian’s got his arm around her waist and she just stopped him from kissing her. She’s got this goofy type of lovestruck grin on her face and Damian is grinning. Grinning,” Jason told the others.

Tim and Dick both “Wow”ed Jason’s description.

“Who wants to bet twenty bucks on how long they date before Damian proposes?” Jason asked.

“Me!” Dick and Tim said at the same time.

“I will too,” Cass added.

“I bet six months and under,” Dick said.

“Whoa. Cutting that one fine, eh?” Tim wondered.

“Well it’s not entirely unheard of—especially if both parties know each other well before becoming a couple,” Dick said, a shrug in his voice.

“Which they don’t,” Jason deadpanned.

“Shut up,” Dick retorted. “Sure they do. Cloudy probably knows Damian better than anyone except B, Alfred, and maybe me. Heaven knows she put forth the effort to do so.”

“Mm,” Jason grunted, unconvinced.

“I will bet six months to a year,” Cass said.

“Hmm. A year to two years,” Tim put in.

“Then I guess I bet two years or any amount longer,” Jason said.

Dick scoffed. “Oh please. I know them. Marriage is an important concept to Cloudy and Damian was raised with the League of Assassins where I'm relatively positive arranged marriages for political reasons aren’t uncommon. I doubt they’ll date that long before getting married.”

“Well twenty bucks says we’ll see, then, hmm?” Jason challenged.

“Guess so,” Dick agreed.

“Yup,” Tim said.

“Yes,” Cass added.

^^^^^

“By the way, we should probably sleep in separate rooms when we get back tonight,” I said. “Because Bruce will be back in the morning and I don’t want to have to edit more security camera footage.” I’d already told Damian that Jason and Dick had taken care of the night before’s recordings. “Plus I don’t know when he’ll be back and I don’t want him to come check on you and find us, y’know, in bed together.”

Damian thought for a moment, still holding me close. “You are… correct. We should probably stay in our own rooms anyway, for as much as we can help it. As though we’re a couple who does not live together yet,” he said.

I nodded. “I agree,” I said.

Damian let me go with a little smirk and jerked his head toward the highest buildings in Gotham. “Let’s go finish this patrol,” he said.

I smiled. “Sounds good,” I agreed. He squeezed my hand before letting go. We took off running over the rooftop and leapt off the side at the same time, unmuting our comms as we went. My hair streamed behind me in the wind as we swung off toward the deeper parts of Gotham. I whooped. I’d never get tired of this.

^^^^^

Damian and I climbed out the Batmobile, beating everyone else back to the Batcave. Except Tim. Who was no longer sitting at the bat-computer and probably up in the shower. Damian and I met at the front hood of the car. Damian rested his hands on my waist, tugging me gently closer. My hands found his shoulders. “May I give you a kiss goodnight, my darling?” Damian asked.

I smiled. “You absolutely may,” I replied.

Damian bent down and pressed his lips to mine. I felt a small grin in his lips. “Everything will be alright,” he breathed when our lips parted but our foreheads rested together. “No matter how Father reacts. Everything will be alright.”

“I know,” I said. “I trust this. I trust you.” My hands slid up from his shoulders and around the back of his neck, my fingers sliding over the short hair on the back of his head.

“I would wait forever to be with you.”

“I would too. But let’s hope that doesn’t happen.” I tilted my head forward and kissed his cheek.

—

Next

[diveronarpg]

Congratulations, ALEXEI! You’ve been accepted for the role of BENEDICK. Admin Rosey: Alexei, you have no idea how happy we have to have another beloved Montague, Benedick, join our ranks! It’s a difficult thing, capturing the nuances of a character within a single application -- laying out their past, present and future in a way that gives each of us a glimpse into your plans for them without revealing it all. But you managed to do it, and very successfuly too. We are so very excited that you have captured Benedick so well and we cannot wait for him to bless our dashes! I, personally, can’t wait to see what type of trouble him and tragedy you have planned for him. Please read over the checklist and send in your blog within 24 hours.

WELCOME TO THE MOB.

OUT OF CHARACTER

Alias | Alexei/Sasha

Age | 23

Pronouns | They/Them

Activity Level | I’m not really sure how to rate it on a scale of 1-10, but I’m confident that I can do 4+ replies a week and be reasonably active in a group chat. My active hours would probably be sporadically in a group chat from about 9am-2pm, and then I could be working on replies nights from 8-11pm EST. My job/general schedule has pretty steady hours.

Timezone | EST (GMT-5)

How did you find the rp?  | I told Victoria I was still indie roleplaying and she showed me this ring.

Current/Past RP Accounts | Sorry!

IN CHARACTER

Character | Battiasta Tahan - Benedick

What drew you to this character? | In Much Ado About Nothing, Benedick is written as a sarcastic actor-type, always performing to keep the crowd (and his closest friends) guessing, never showing his true face. According to Battista’s bio, he’s mostly like that in his early life, but I thought it would be interesting to explore how this kind of behavior bleeds into the more serious, quiet attitude that seems to come with more experience, more hardship, and more trauma. Is the “new” him the real one, or is it just another mask worn to ingratiate himself with those around him? I find myself drawn to him because I love to look underneath the underneath, to seek out the bare bones motivations behind people’s actions and let them spin their stories as they will.

Battista is a man that’s made many mistakes and has a lot of regrets — though maybe less than we’d think. His story is compelling, and I look forward to doing the deep dive, turning over the rocks to find the soft damp dirt beneath. I want him to have some satisfaction, and I want him to grow into someone capable of being a good friend, if not a good person.

What is a future plot idea you have in mind for the character?  |          Team Making or Team Breaking—

    Battista knows how important it is to trust your team. Just like in the military, knowing that they have your back can be the difference between holding back just a second too long and ending up with a bullet to the skull, and trusting them to watch over you enough to do what you need to do. But how is a trio composed of a control freak, a wild card, and a walking dead woman supposed to function?    It’s not an area suited for his silver tongue— these people need a solid leader, dependable and strong, not someone that charms them and runs when he gets what he wants. He doesn’t want to give up, but bad blood and hard feelings pin him on one side, and a completely unreadable mystery on the other. Is it possible that he can win them over, or will his white-knuckled grip on the reins just end up bloodying all of their mouths?

        Explosive Personality—  

    It’s nothing personal, except when it is. Whether Battista dislikes him on principle, or out of jealousy, something about Everett Craven drives him up a wall. It would take a push for him to resort to outright premeditated murder, and he wouldn’t do it to an emissary without permission, keeping in mind the delicate position it could put the already at war families in. But, well. He certainly wouldn’t lose any sleep over it.    As for the murder weapon— what better way to win a war than with guerilla tactics? Battista isn’t an explosives expert by any means, but he knows his way around something so simple as a booby trap car bomb. With a car as well-loved as Everett’s, it’s a no-brainer to use something ignition-based as a method of assassination, as it’s almost guaranteed that he’ll be the only one caught in the blast. Almost.

         Be It Spark, Inferno, Or Nothing But Ash—

    No man is an island, no matter how much Battista would like to pretend that’s the case for him. With every bullet in the bodies he drops, every hit he takes, he can’t help but wonder just what it was that Genevieve Zhang saw in him the fateful night he prostrated himself before the Montague leadership that made her speak for him. He doesn’t feel it’s his place to outright ask, not yet anyway. He’s unsure if he even wants to know the truth of it.

    Her opinion shouldn’t matter to him. He tells himself it doesn’t, that he’s a grown man, confident in his abilities and his place in the world. Still, the possibilities keep him up at night.

        You Killed My Father, Prepare To Die—

    It seems a distant dream, with all that’s happened. Nearly fifteen years since the cold December night his mother called him, incomprehensible and weeping. Since he had to go down to the morgue with her and try to identify the bloated, dirty corpse the police had pulled from the river. Someone had murdered him, cut him up so badly they could only confirm it was him by the distinctive tattoo on his left shoulder, and the scar from his ACL surgery.

    They’d known it was the Capulets, sure. That’s what got him into this goddamn mess in the first place, though it helped that he knew they were hypocrites, ‘men of the people’ his shapely ass. But he knows it had to be one person to shred his face to ribbons, to strike the final blow. And he knows someone had to okay the kill order. He’s kept an ear to the ground, but it’s hard to hear anything about a nobody that was killed over a decade ago. Still, there’s the tiniest spark of hope. Some day, someone will slip. If they’re still alive, they’ll brag about killing Battista Tahan’s father, and when they do…

    They won’t make it to hell in one piece.

Are you comfortable with killing off your character? | Well, Yeah. Empty Revenge isn’t a whole lot to live for.  

IN DEPTH

What is your favorite place in Verona?

    An odd sort of smile lingered at the corners of his lips in the aftermath of such a question, like he was unsure of whether it was allowed. He shrugged just the left shoulder, palm raised to the sky dismissively like you had asked him how his day was going, how his mother was— how was it ever, yeah? What did it matter, where his favorite place was? It couldn’t hurt to share, but still the answer seemed ripped from him. “The Arena.” One corner of his mouth turned further, expression shifting into something akin to bemusement, and his hand turned down to mime writing. “I like to sit in the shadow of it during the heat of the day, and try to draw.” A grimace, and then a laugh to follow. “Emphasis on ‘try’. But it’s loud, full of people going about their business. Good to people watch.” It was a far sight better than sitting on his thumbs in his empty, silent apartment, anyway. It was nice to pretend that someday he’d be able to draw more than a single line, or write more than a sparse sentence.

What does your typical day look like?

    “Still can’t help but wake up at six,” the comment came off-hand, a huffed laugh out of a wide mouth quirked into something like a chagrined smile. “Drink coffee, work out. Usually sleep for another hour or so after that, if I can.” He rubbed the back of his neck, tough fingers cold against his own skin — a grounding gesture. “Outside of that, I don’t have much of a routine.” Routines make you complacent, after all. A dangerous thing to be, especially when you’re predictable as well. “I try to show my face at the usual haunts, let people know I’m alive and well. Check in on the ducklings, see what they’re up to. Do odd jobs for my landlady— she thinks I’m some fucked-up vet, guess she’s not far off.” He laughed outright at that, something biting creeping into the single bark. Silence reigned.  “I try to keep my head down, unless asked otherwise. But I do like to party.” A last wry twist of his lips. “My only vice.”

What has been your biggest mistake thus far?

    His throat clicked in protest against the single dry swallow he managed — his only reply for a while. The question didn’t make him flinch, which he considered a victory. Shoulders remained straight, the line of them loose and his fingers very deliberately uncurled. Look upon him and see how unbothered he was. “Leaving my mother when I did—” Battista’s eyebrows furrowed, and he cut himself off. Softly, he continued, “no. It’s not even that, she would have wasted away with or without me there to watch.” Funny thing, that. He was glad he didn’t have to watch. “I guess it was… when I was young, I was never around. It wouldn’t have changed anything, but at least I would have known them. I was so caught up in my own. Shit, in my own faux-glamorous life, that they didn’t know me and I didn’t know them, at the end.” He shook his head, a soft huff of humorless laughter escaping. “They were the only family I ever had, no aunts or uncles or grandparents. And I don’t know a damn thing about either of them— I don’t even know if they loved each other.”

What has been the most difficult task asked of you?

    “I’m good at everything.” The response was immediate, dismissive— he didn’t even lift his eyes from the phone in his hand. In the silence that followed, his brows furrowed, as he pretended to think about it further. “Well, except baking. Not very patient, you see.” The mask is near perfect, but the truth of it is this— it seems like nothing is ever easy, anymore.

What are your thoughts on the war between the Capulets and the Montagues?

    Battista blinked, surprised to be asked such a question. “How do I feel about any endless war? It’s pointless and painful, and it’s getting good people killed.” The answer seemed so simple, said aloud like that. It made him grimace. “Reductive, sure. Do I wish death on every hypocritical man-of-the-people Capulet? No. Maybe more than a few, but not all. I know the Montagues aren’t saints either, singularly or as a whole.” A sardonic laugh. “And I know if it had been me that was murdered, or if it had been Daly or Rosso, King, Ivarsson — we wouldn’t have gone to war over something so destructive as pride.” His gaze grew distant for a moment, chewing the inside of his lip. The remainder of his little speech is little more than a murmur: “but I follow orders, and I keep my mouth shut, and these are the things that matter.”

In-Character Para Sample: TW; descriptive injury, death, gore

    The firefight started at 0243 in the streets of a decrepit, abandoned town with crumbling buildings and dusty roads. They were on patrol with some locals— him, Rossi, the snipers they called Rana and Rospo, and a few others scattered among the buildings. Rossi was pink-cheeked and bright, sighing out great clouds of crystalline breath in the cold moonlight from the cloudless sky, making bad jokes about being a dragon. Their lack of quality couldn’t keep the small grin from Tahan’s face, something half-cocked and tucked into his collar. Rospo had asked if he’d ever seen snow with something close to incredulity in his tone, about as much expression as they’d ever seen from the man, and Rossi’s wide-eyed reply was punched out of him before he’d even had a chance to get the first word out, a fine red mist splattering onto Tahan’s face.

    Then they heard the shot.

    It spurred their loose formation into action as they leaped to cover and following the trajectory of the bullet to its source. The night erupted into sound, the sharp rapport of an AK-47 in a window off to the left. Their squad returned fire, and Tahan fell into a crouch and darted the two feet separating him from Rossi, gripped the straps of his gear, and dragged him into a doorway behind a grim Rana and one of the trainees, Allaiwal. He crouched over the man and swallowed the bile that rose in his throat when he saw the damage — glassy brown eyes, no breath, an entry wound an inch under his jaw and an exit wound gaping where his brain stem should have been. He’d seen worse. He had to tell himself that to get his lungs to pull in some air, and when he licked his lips to try and wet his mouth, he could taste blood. He nearly gagged on it, but he still had a job to do.

    The firefight was over before it really began. A half dozen men firing on a lone window could only miss so many times in five seconds, and when the night quieted Tahan let out a breath he hadn’t known he was holding. He carefully ran his hand over Rossi’s eyes to close them, a smear of blood left behind over a slack face. Grit his teeth, gripped his rifle. The night rang with shouted commands, suggestions, curses, and his voice cut through it all in short, barked out commands. Fan out, check for any more surprises— Rana, call for a CASEVAC, Allaiwal, you’re with me. The slighter man shadowed him with a silent nod, and everyone else jumped to their assignments.

    Tahan led them to the squat building with his rifle ready, grip steady. Focused. The initial screech of the hinges on the door made him cringe, but as they stepped over the threshold and into the dark, the house remained silent. Blood was smeared on the windowsill, on the ground. Bullet holes riddled the wall behind them, and the room smelled like gunsmoke, like unwashed bodies lying in wait, like death.

    But there was no body.

    They exchanged glances, Tahan’s flat, Allaiwal’s a little nervous. They didn’t speak, but as he stalked back into the night after the scattered blood trail, Allaiwal followed. Their footsteps made no sound in the streets, two hunters on the prowl under the pale moonlight, and the sounds of their team clearing the buildings behind them faded into the distance. They were breaking protocol. Nobody called them back.

    The specks of blood led them out of town. His body was steady, his eyes focused, even as his head felt fizzy and light, pulse pounding somewhere high in his throat and his heart stuttering away somewhere in his chest. The wind picked up away from the shelter of the cluster of solid buildings, cutting against the skin of his cheeks, his nose, his neck. The blood led them on, great globs of clotting and widespread speckling among the scattered stones and dry dirt. The gore on his face, the bits of Rossi that still clung to his skin were drying into flakes, gumming his eyelashes and glueing his mouth shut. He breathed through his nose, though for the first time in his life the smell of copper was making his stomach roll. The trail led on, into the dark. It dried up, and he circled to look for the trail, as Allaiwal kept eyes on the ridges, looking for movement, for an ambush. Something howled in the distance. He picked up the trail fifty meters from the last spot, just as he was starting to lose something he didn’t dare call hope. They pressed on.

    They found the man half by accident when Tahan nearly tumbled into the ravine that had put an end to him. Allaiwal gripped his sleeve and saved his life, roughly jerking him back and putting his feet on solid ground. The near-miss set his heart pounding once more, choking him. He stared down at the corpse as they clutched each other’s shoulders, unable to tear his eyes away from the twisted form, the broken bones, and the gaping wound in the nameless stranger’s shoulder that would have put an end to him sooner rather than later, if the fall hadn’t. He swallowed hard, and tried to feel something. Satisfaction, disgust. He couldn’t.    Allaiwal must have seen something on his face, because he stuttered something out. Tahan couldn’t understand him for a moment, blinked uselessly, realised— he was speaking english.

    “ — Sorry?”

    “I said —” he swallowed hard, as the whites of his eyes seemingly took up all of his face. “Do not worry, someone will come to bury him. We should go.”

    The percussive sound of a chopper echoed faintly through the valley, and he turned his gaze up to the ridge above them. There, on the edge: a lone rider on horseback, a black shape silhouetted by the moon. He raised his hand in greeting, and Allaiwal made a nervous sound behind him. The rider raised their hand back, and then turned and disappeared from view, and silence reigned, and so he thought about Rossi, being sent home to his mother in a heavy box. He thought about standing on her doorstep in Taranto with an apology on his lips and heaviness in his weary heart. It pressed on his chest, and he turned his gaze back to the corpse in the ravine, bile in his throat at the futility of a single man shooting at a six man cell, of dying alone. What was the fucking point of it all?

    Worry? I wouldn’t say worried.

    It was the first clear thought he had since dragging a corpse into a cold, empty house an hour ago, and so Tahan didn’t say anything. He shrugged one shoulder, turned his back on the cooling body, and followed a similarly silent Allaiwal back to the remains of their squad in that tiny, forgotten town.

EXTRAS

Sample blog |  https://cuorepietoso.tumblr.com/

Some headcanons | He has kept a journal since he was small, scribbled words about his thoughts, messy sketches of the things he’s seen—used to love spending hours drawing people, animals, plants, items that caught his eye, and writing. Since he’s come back to Verona, he can’t seem to put a pen to paper anymore. Perhaps he should try photography? \ He’s a Capricorn sun, Scorpio moon and ascending, so at the surface he seems fundamentally responsible, serious, efficient, and rational, but deep down he’s repressed, dramatic, and cunning as hell. \ His role in the Col Moschin was Incursor-specialized Combat Medic, meaning he was good at getting into places and good at keeping things inside people where they belong. \ He’s nearing six feet and a buck seventy.

Pinterest board | https://pin.it/3vvntdclvgej3i

Spotify playlist | https://open.spotify.com/playlist/5vJ07jCsvhHWU5NtsxxSLE

Preliminary notes/research | https://docs.google.com/document/d/1l4m0F-m0FdHLUNBlWTnw-hugOSu4GbC1uZbPg9VFV6c/edit?usp=sharing

[hymn2000]

Where The Darkness Ends - MCU AU fanfic - C12 (Final)

Story summary: The concept of having a baby has been more of an idea for a long time now. Ideal candidates for a three-person baby, Loki and Tony have finally, after many Peter-based setbacks and challenges, got to the point of being tested. Now, they just have to wait for the results before they can move on to the next stage.

Previous Chapter(s): 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11

Part of my Frostiron and Spiderson series.

Warnings/themes: family stuff, mental health stuff, hurt/comfort, hospital/medical stuff, fertility stuff, IVF, potentially some medical inaccuracies, alcohol misuse

You can also find me on AO3

Chapter 12 - I’m Still Standing

-

The impending normality was almost off-putting in some ways, but in others it was a welcome relief. There were some things that were not quite normal, such as the vast collection of Loki’s crochet work and Tony’s venting notebook, but other things, such as the music and radios playing in all corners of the house, were very much back to normal.

“Do you have to have that turned up so loud?” Tony said, coming into the room with the reading nook one evening.

Loki glanced up. He sighed and turned the volume down on the music player. He paused, and then closed his book and set it aside.

“Loki? Hey, are you alright?” Tony asked, sitting down beside him.

“It’s too quiet here” Loki said.

Tony blinked a bit. “Not really. We’ve got all the speakers on, haven’t we?”

“I know” Loki said, and he was grateful the house was no longer silent. “But there’s something missing”

Tony gave Loki’s hand a squeeze. “It’s ok, Lolly”

“Is it, though?” Loki looked at him, and sighed. “Ok, things are better, despite... The clinic... But it’s not alright, not really”

“Loki...”

“It isn’t alright” Loki said. “I still want a baby, no matter how impossible it is - although I’m certainly coming to terms with it all. But it’s just that we can’t get back to normal with the house the way it is”

“What do you mean? The house is as perfect as ever, right? Now we’re back up to date with the housekeeping and maintenance and stuff”

“Yes, but there’s something missing”

“What?”

Loki looked at him. “I think you know what”

-

Peter was asleep on the sofa when his parents arrived at Thor’s that evening.

“He’s had a busy day” Thor said, putting an arm out and steering them back towards the kitchen. “Leave him”

“He’ll never sleep tonight if you leave him napping all afternoon” Tony said.

“He’s only been asleep for about ten minutes” Thor said, frowning. “He had a busy patrol this afternoon; let him have a little rest”

“We’ll wake him up in a little while” Loki said, resting a hand on Tony’s arm. “How’s he doing?”

“He’s doing well” Thor said. “He’s had a lot more energy this week. I think he’s enjoying being back at school. I’ve definitely seen a really positive change in him this last couple of weeks”

“Yeah, I bet” Tony said. “He missed his little friends, and I gather he was kinda bored hanging about all day. You know, even though you took him out and stuff”

“His brain is too active; that’s his problem” Thor said. “He needs to keep busy, especially when he’s on edge like he’s been while he’s been staying with me. He’s definitely getting better now, almost back to his usual self. You are too”

Loki and Tony nodded, and exchanged a look.

“See, that’s something we wanted to talk to you about...”

Thor looked at them in silence for a moment. He sat down at the kitchen table, gesturing to the spare seats. He had a feeling he knew what was coming - but he also knew he wouldn’t like it.

Loki and Tony sat down, holding hands and looking nervous.

“What?” Thor said. “Don’t beat about the bush; just tell me straight”

“Well...” Loki and Tony exchanged a look.

“Well, we’re doing a lot better now, and so is Peter” Tony said. “Like you said. We’ve been talking and things are getting back to normal - as much as they can, given the circumstances. Aside from...”

“We think we’re ready to bring Peter home” Loki said.

Thor sighed and nodded. “I imagined you’d say that”

“Why do you look so shocked then?” Tony said, scowling.

“...I suppose I’ve grown used to having the boy around all the time”

“You must’ve known he wouldn’t be here forever though. And hoped it too!”

“I knew, but I didn’t hope. Especially when... Well, some of the things you did made me feel like he’d be better off here”

“You can’t keep him here forever” Tony growled.

“I’m not saying that” Thor said. He sighed again. “Do you really feel like you can look after him again?”

“We wouldn’t suggest it if we didn’t” Loki said. “We’re ready to bring him home”

Thor looked at his brother, and his brother in law. He sighed once more, unable to help being aggravated that it was always ‘we’.

“Well, it’s not up to me” he said. “And you know what I mean”

“Well then”

Loki stopped, listening. “I think he’s awake”

Tony and Thor looked at him, and sure enough, the kitchen door soon opened.

“Hi, Peter!” Tony grinned.

“Hi, dads” Peter said, rubbing his eyes. “...Am I interrupting?”

“No, you’re fine” Tony said. “How are you doing, kiddo?”

Peter nodded. “...I need a drink”

“I’ll bring you one through” Thor said, standing up. “You can go back to the living room with your dads”

Peter nodded, looking at his parents. He had a feeling something was up, but he wasn’t going to ask, not after everything that had happened lately.

-

Loki sat Peter on his lap on the sofa, and Tony sat close beside them, letting Peter rest his legs over his.

“You’re looking well, darling” Loki said, cuddling Peter close and stroking his curls. “How are you today?”

“I’m good” Peter said. “And... you?”

Loki nodded. “I’m ok”

“And you, dad?” Peter said, looking at Tony.

“I’m good, chick” Tony smiled.

Peter nodded slightly. He felt funny, on edge. It was a relief when Thor came into the living room and handed him a bottle of pop.

“Thank you” he said. “...Everything’s ok, right?”

“I think your dads wanted to talk to you about something” Thor said, taking a seat on the armchair where he could keep an eye on things.

Peter looked down at his drink, unsure what to think. He wasn’t certain how he felt about the way Thor was looking at him, as though he was worried, or just plain sad.

“Yeah, Thor’s right” Tony said.

“Yes, we’ve been talking” Loki said. He looked at Tony, who nodded in his direction.

“You’re coming home this weekend”

As soon as the words passed his lips, the room felt heavy. Peter didn’t know how to feel. He didn’t smile, or say anything, or even look at Tony. He didn’t look at Loki either, or Thor. He just looked down at his bottle of pop, his brow furrowing.

“Peter?”

“Hm?”

“Did you hear me?”

“Yeah...”

“And that’s alright with you?”

“Yeah, course” Peter nodded.

“We can pick you up on Friday evening or Saturday morning” Loki said. “Which do you prefer?”

Peter shrugged. “Whatever works best for you, I guess”

Loki kissed him on the temple and hugged him closer.

“We’ll let you know” Tony said. “Anyway, what do you want to do?”

“Can we go for a walk?”

“Sure” Tony said. He looked at Thor. “You coming?”

“...No. I’ll stay here”

-

The distracting little rush of getting shoes and coats together was a welcome distraction for Peter. He felt better when they were outside in the cold. It had grown dark, but the streetlights illuminated the way well.

Feeling a lot better, Peter was happy enough to hold his parents hands when they reached out.

“Are you gonna talk to the press?” he asked after the first quiet ten minutes.

“Why? Don’t you think they interfere enough?”

Peter shrugged. “Well, maybe, but isn’t it better telling people before they find out some other way?”

“What have I told you about talking to the press?” Tony said.

Peter scowled. True, Tony had told him never to speak to the press, and had often told him to ignore them and their work, and to pretend they didn’t exist, but still.

“Now, enough of the face” Tony said.

“But don’t you think it’d be beneficial? Like, sure, the press can be nasty, but-”

“Peter-”

“Let me finish!” Peter snapped.

“Hey, hey, don’t speak to your father like that” Loki chided.

Peter scowled at him, but Loki just laughed.

“If looks could kill!” he smiled. “Sorry, darling. What were you saying?”

“I was saying, it could be good to like, raise awareness. I mean, you both said there wasn’t really any help for you, and that other people kinda shake things off and don’t take it seriously. Maybe big-name people like you two opening up about it could be helpful for other people going through the same thing, right?”

“Absolutely not” Tony said. “It’s far too personal”

“But-”

“But nothing!”

“Tony, don’t shout at him” Loki said. “Peter, sweetheart. Darling, I know you mean well, and I can see where you’re coming from, but dad’s right: it’s too personal. I don’t want everyone and their dog knowing I can’t have children. It’s our business and no one elses. If someone leaks it to the press, well, we’ll cross that bridge when we get to it. But if I have any control over it, it won’t hit the papers or become common knowledge”

Peter nodded slowly. He understood, mostly, but that didn’t mean he agreed with the decision. Still, he wouldn’t dare leak the story himself: his parents would never trust him again, for one, and for another, he had a feeling he’d end up getting one hell of a smack if they ever found out. Even without love, loyalty, and fear in the equation, that was one hell of a deterrent.

“The weather is definitely starting to turn” Tony said, turning his collar up against the wind. “Autumn is upon us”

“Very nearly” Loki said. “It’ll be Christmas before we know it”

“Are we doing anything for Christmas this year?” Peter asked.

“Believe it or not, we haven’t really been thinking about it, chick” Tony said, sighing irritably.

Peter scowled. He was starting to feel very irritated himself.

“Probably just a regular Christmas at home” Loki said gently, stroking Peter’s hair. “We’ll have a think a bit nearer the time”

“...Can I have a puppy for Christmas?”

“No!” Tony snapped. “You’ve been asking for years, and I’ve always said no, to you as well as daddy. Stop trying your luck!”

“Stop having a go at me, then!”

“I’m not having a go at you, you little-”

“Stop it, both of you!” Loki said firmly. “Give it a rest. And here I was thinking things were starting to get better! Come on now”

Peter huffed and tugged his hands away from his parents.

“Don’t get stroppy, Peter” Tony sighed. “What’s gotten into you?”

“Nothing! What’s gotten into you?!”

“I told you to stop!”

“He started it!” Peter and Tony shouted.

“You both started it, and you’re both being foolish” Loki said. “Now give it a rest before I shove you both into a lake to cool off”

“We’re nowhere near a lake” Tony said.

Loki gave him a little push, and he lost his balance and stumbled into a large puddle, nearly falling over. Peter spluttered and burst out laughing. Tony wasn’t so amused.

“I’m gonna have wet socks for the rest of the night now!” he exclaimed. He looked up, frowning at Peter. “Well, at least one of us finds it funny”

“You looked so shocked!” Peter giggled.

Tony huffed, looking at his wet shoes. He looked at Loki accusingly, but Loki just laughed. Tony raised an eyebrow, and then he laughed too, just a little bit.

“You’re just lucky I decided to wear my trainers tonight and not brogues” he said, shaking his head and straightening up. He ruffled Peter’s hair roughly. “You’re a cheeky little bugger, you know”

“Where do you think I get it from?”

Tony feigned offence. “I swear you were way more polite before you came to live with us”

“Yes, you’re both a terrible influence” Peter said. “May would be horrified”

Tony’s smile fell. He sighed and rested a hand on Peter’s head for a moment. Peter looked at him, one corner of his mouth turned down.

“What?”

“Nothing. Just... Nothing”

“I don’t believe you” Peter said, pushing his hand away. “ Remember your old rule of not keeping stuff to ourselves?”

“It’s just... Well, I often wonder what May would think if she could see how things have turned out. I can’t imagine this is what she’d expect. Or want. Not for you”

“We’ve had the May-trusted-you conversation too many times, and I don’t want to talk about it again, not ever” Peter grumbled, stepping closer to Loki and taking his hand again. “It’s not like talking is gonna give me my old life back”

“Peter’s right” Loki said. “We’ve talked that one topic of conversation to death. We’re trying to move on now; not go backwards. Shall we be sensible for once and focus on the future instead of the past?”

Tony sighed, but nodded. “That’s probably a good idea”

“Yes, I have a few of those”

Peter looked at his parents. He didn’t know why, but he suddenly felt very disconnected from them, like they weren’t really his dads. Like he didn’t belong with them. He felt that maybe he didn’t. He wasn’t even sure he really wanted to go home again. He’d grown used to being at Thor’s. It was much more normal living there: a modest living like the one he’d had with May - although of course he was still at a rich kids school. But that aside... Well, home felt like such a far away thought, a distant memory, that he wasn’t sure he’d ever settle back in. He wanted to stay at Thor’s, or go back in time, back to the flat in Queens with May. He didn’t want to go home with Tony Stark.

Loki Stark was another matter. Maybe it was his continued silence over this whole horrible happening, but he felt more comfortable with him. Perhaps, despite his best efforts, Tony had overshared and told Peter too much that wasn’t really his business. Peter knew Tony still wanted a baby (well, Loki did too), and that he still saw traditional IVF, with or without Pepper, as a good and viable option - despite full knowledge that Loki would never agree, much less go for it. He also knew that Tony was back at AA, although the details on that matter were hazy. Even the hazy details were too much.

Peter had a feeling Loki had ended up at an AA meeting or two, but he wasn’t sure, and he didn’t want to be sure. He liked not knowing. He’d gone through his own hurt at the loss of being a big brother, of having Princess May Stark or Oliver Anthony Stark scrawled onto the list of Stark household residents. He’d been so ready for it, almost as excited as his parents, and it was hard when he found out about Loki’s results. But he’d worked through it and liked to think he’d accepted it. He supposed, in the grand scheme of things, it didn’t really make much difference to him. He felt they could get back to normal, with just the heavy reminder of Loki’s top drawer to deal with.

Loki had definitely had the worst time out of everyone, and Peter knew that even without all the evidence and conversations he’d overheard, both intentionally and otherwise. But Loki hadn’t really spoken, especially not to Peter. He’d been quiet for a lot of the first visits after the weeks both his parents were absent from his life, sometimes even going the whole evening without speaking. Now he did speak, but he didn’t really speak much, and he didn’t vent in front of Peter the way that Tony did. Maybe the anonymity of Loki’s thought processes was why Peter felt like maybe he wouldn’t mind going home with him, but not with Tony. Or maybe having the news landed on him without so much as a maybe or a “would this be ok?” had thrown him off kilter, and that was why he was feeling so reluctant to go back to the house.

Who knows? Maybe he’d feel excited about it on Friday. Or maybe he’d get home and spend hours sobbing into his pillow.

-

Peter was grateful for Thor coming into his room that evening after Loki and Tony had gone home.

“I saw your face when you parents told you about the weekend” he said, sitting down on the edge of the bed.

“Mm...”

“What are you thinking?”

“I don’t want to go home. Do I have to?”

Thor sighed sadly. “I think you do, little one. They’re your parents, after all. You were never supposed to stay here permanently, and I can’t exactly fight them if they decide it’s time to take you home. I think they’re ready to look after you again”

“I don’t think I fit with them. I know they say otherwise, but I feel like they’re still gonna look at me and think about what they could’ve had if daddy wasn’t infertile”

“I think you’re reading too much into it, little Peter. They’re working through things, and they’re doing really well. Leave them to finish that by themselves, but let them look after you” Thor said. “...You know, Tony was devastated when he dropped you off here that night. I know things went south very quickly after that, but once he started visiting again, you could tell how much he missed you. Loki too... You’ll have to go home eventually, so may as well go sooner rather than later”

“Why? I don’t care if they’re my parents. If they can bin me off whenever they like, why can’t I bin them off whenever I want to?”

“It doesn’t work like that, and you know it”

“Well maybe it should” Peter scowled. “If I don’t want to go home, I shouldn’t have to. It’s not like they own me”

“Not exactly, no, but they are responsible for you, and they have custody over you. You have to live with your parents. They’re good parents, Peter. I thought you’d be excited to go home”

“So did I” Peter said. “But I’m not. I don’t want to go back. I like it here. With you”

“I like having you here, too. But I’m not your dad. Technically, in human law, I have no rights over you”

“You’re my uncle though. May was my aunt, and her and my uncle Ben got custody of me”

“Yes, but only because your first parents were dead. It’s not the same” Thor flung an arm round Peter’s shoulders. “You’ll be ok once you get there. It’s the thought of going back that’s getting to you. They always say the thought is worse than the reality. Besides, we’ll still see each other, and you can come to stay whenever you like”

Peter didn’t feel reassured, but he also didn’t feel like talking anymore. He leant against Thor so he didn’t have to look him in the face. He sighed heavily and closed his eyes.

“Maybe I’ll take up singing or something”

-

Tony sat down beside Loki on the bed.

“I’ve gotta admit, I didn’t expect to find you looking at these” Tony said, looking at the little white baby sleepsuit, the tiny fluffy teddy bear, and the wooden rattle.

“I didn’t expect to sit looking at them” Loki said. “I especially didn’t expect to find myself looking at them and not feeling like hiding my head and crying”

“No, me neither... So, how do you feel?”

“...I feel ok” Loki said. “Peaceful. Humbled, perhaps... We’ve got these things because all three of us have absolutely no self control. We couldn’t resist them, even though we’d agreed not to buy anything until conception”

“What are we going to do with them? Pepper donated all those pregnancy books she bought”

“I think Pepper has always been much more practical and efficient than us - and far less chaotic. And, dare I say it, far less sentimental”

Tony nodded. “Well, I think you’re right there. So, where do you want to put these?”

“I’m not sure yet. I think we need a little box. I can’t keep them in my bedside table: I’d have to see them far too often, and it would be too constant a reminder. Of course, it could make me desensitised to them, but I’m not entirely sure that’s what I want. I can still be sad about it without letting it consume me”

“You and me both, chick” Tony said. “I’ve got a bunch of little wooden boxes down in the workshop. We could put them in one of those boxes, maybe... Maybe write the names we chose on it or something. And store it away. With all those other things we can’t let go of, but don’t really want to see all the time”

Loki thought for a moment, tracing the stitching on the sleepsuit with his finger.

“I think that’s a good idea”

“Yeah?”

Loki looked up, and smiled slightly. “Yeah”

“This stuff is cute” Tony said. “It’s... It’s really sad what happened”

“Yeah...” Loki picked up the rattle, giving it a little shake. He touched the little teddy gently. “We’d have been good at this, if we’d been given the chance”

“You’d’ve been great. I mean, you’re a nurse, working with babies all the time. You’d’ve been the best baby daddy going” Tony said. “I like to think we’d’ve made a good go of it”

Loki smiled sadly. “It’s a shame”

“Yeah. There’s still options, you know”

“Not from where I’m standing”

Tony nodded slightly, swallowing hard. “Well, we gave it a go - making a baby, that is 0 and there’s no denying that one... I’ll be back in a minute”

“Where are you going?”

“I’ll be back in a minute” Tony repeated.

He returned shortly, holding two wine glasses and a large glass bottle.

“Strictly non-alcoholic, don’t worry” Tony said, noting the dismayed look on Loki’s face.

He sat back beside him on the bed, handing a glass to Loki. He opened the bottle of elderflower presse, and poured a glass for Loki, and then one for himself.

“This” he said, screwing the lid back on the bottle with some difficulty, as he only had one hand free to do it with. “Is to us” he clinked his glass against Loki’s. “Because we gave it a good go, and after what we did and went through after those results, we’ve come out of the other side. Sober, clean house, and ready to box these up, store them away, and bring our son home”

Loki was quiet for a moment, but then he found himself smiling. He clinked his glass against Tony’s and let out a contented, relieved sigh.

“Here’s to us. Still standing after all this time. Picking up the pieces...”

“Still standing” Tony nodded, taking a sip and raising his glass once more. “Here’s to the next adventure”

*

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