#high school friend was dense when it came to romance

[stnaf-vn]

OMG i’m obsessed!! how was MC not dating friend already once they were in high school😍😍😆??

You tell me

[saltcxrcle]

valentine ── . ✶ s. winchester

summary: you've never fallen in love before until you met sam

pairing: sam winchester x reader, sam winchester x gn! reader warnings: none really, no use of 'y/n', fluff, pure fluff, going on dates, kissing, title is a song by laufey of the same name, fic is lowkey based on the song, kinda edited; all mistakes are my own word count: 3.0k a/n: wow look at me writing a fic for in time for a holiday! anyways happy valentines day to me and sam winchester bc hes my valentine fr! also is the reader just the projection of my own experiences? maybe... lol but enjoy the fic <33 [heart divider by @bernardsbendystraws ] sam winchester masterlist

YOU DIDN’T HAVE the best experience when it came to love. Scratch that; you didn’t have any experience when it came to romance at all. You didn’t grow up capturing anyone’s attention romantically, which, in hindsight, should have stung, but that was just the reality of your life.  

While other people were getting into their first relationships and experiencing young love for the first time, you were in the library studying or surrounded by your friends (the very little that you had). It wasn’t like you didn’t want to have a relationship with someone, but the people in your high school didn’t capture your attention. Besides, being a kid of a hunter didn’t allow you enough time to stay and like anyone in that capacity. 

You were content with being alone with yourself, even from a young age. You had a morbid understanding that the life you lead didn’t allot a lot of time for living, going from state to state and town to town killing monsters always ran the risk that you wouldn’t come out the other side of those encounters. 

But that all changed when you ran into the Winchesters while hunting a wendigo in the dense forests of Washington. You remember almost shooting one of them when you heard rustling in the thick bush before you heard a man’s voice shout for you to not fire your gun. 

When they made it through the brush of foliage, you were met with two tall men dressed like an average hunter, but what had taken you aback was how attractive they were. You had come across some hunters in your life, but most of them didn’t look like they came off of a photo shoot for GQ Men. You had heard about the Winchesters from word of mouth (some good things, but a lot of bad things), but a key detail they missed was that they were almost devilishly handsome. 

They had introduced themselves as Sam and Dean when they realized that you weren’t a lost hiker on a trail but a fellow hunter like themselves. The three of you worked out what you were hunting, and with some reluctance, you agreed to help them (Sam’s puppy dog eyes really reeled you in and sealed the deal). 

It was hard to focus on the hunt when you were distracted by how much you gravitated towards Sam. In the short interactions that you had with him before the three of you found and killed the wendigo, you could tell that he was an intelligent and genuine person—but you could tell he had his walls up, and gaining his trust wasn’t going to be a one and done situation. But you couldn’t blame him. You were the same and didn’t dwell on it for too long because the three of you were in the middle of a hunt and couldn’t afford to be distracted. 

You soon learned that the Winchesters weren’t that bad to be around, and it didn’t hurt that they were easy on the eyes. You were surprised when Sam asked for your number, but you gave it to him anyway, thinking that it would be an easy way to get in contact with him if either of you needed help on a hunt. 

Soon enough after that initial hunt, the Winchesters (Sam) would reach out for your help, and you didn’t think at all before agreeing—leaving the town you were hanging around and meeting them in the next state over.

You found that the more you worked with the Winchesters, the harder it was not to work a hunt with them, and your growing attraction to Sam was getting harder to control. You had never felt this way towards someone in your many years of living. Sure, you’ve found plenty of people attractive as you passed through the plethora of towns you’ve traveled to, but there was something about Sam that drew you to him and, to be quite honest, scared you. 

Sam was like your dream person come to life. He was like he plucked out of the romance books and novels that you liked to indulge in from time to time and dangled in front of your face—somehow always seeming to be just out of reach. 

Your pining worsened after a particularly rough hunt with a pack of werewolves. You had a deep gash in your thigh from a she-wolf that was enraged that you had killed her mate and threw you into a cement wall, cracking a few of your ribs, breaking two of them, and giving you a concussion. You managed to stay standing until the three of you killed all of the werewolves, but when Sam came to check on you, you practically collapsed into his arms—which would have embarrassed you at the moment, but the pain was consuming any rational thought that was running through your brain. 

Sam acted quickly and barked out to Dean that he’d have to clean up on his own as he dragged your barely conscious and pain-riddled body back to the Impala and patched you as best as he could until you guys could get back to the motel. Dean was quick to dispose of the bodies, and Sam sat in the backseat with you, tucking you into his side and providing you some comfort from Dean’s erratic driving back to the motel. You would have freaked out by being that close to Sam, but the pain was enough of a distraction from the scent of Sam filling your nostrils.

Once you guys got back to the motel, Sam was able to patch you up properly, but the damage was already done. Since you were in no condition to drive and didn’t have anything lined up for you, Sam had invited you back to the bunker with them to rest up and heal. They had invited you to see the bunker a couple of times before, but you never took them up on their offer because you didn’t want to feel like you were intruding. 

You were going to say no, but Sam’s hazel eyes were wide and pleading, and you couldn’t resist the look he was giving you—so you agreed that you would stay with them until you were back at 100% again. And there was your downfall. You had a feeling that you were falling for Sam, but being at the bunker— being in close proximity to him for more than a week and having him basically wait on you since your mobility was limited, just solidified the fact that you had fallen head over heels for the taller Winchester. 

Hell, your pining became so evident that Dean picked up on it and asked you about your feelings towards his brother as soon as Sam left the library to grab your pain medication from the room you were staying in for the time being. You remember your face heating up at the sudden interrogation, but you didn’t deny the fact that you liked his younger brother. 

Dean teased you a little bit but turned sincere, telling you that the two of you would be a good match before teasing you again, but Sam had walked back into the library and given you your pain medication along with a glass of water to take them with. 

Unbeknownst to you or Dean, Sam had overheard your conversation with his older brother. Even though he felt a little guilty that he had inadvertently intruded on a private conversation, Sam couldn’t help but feel relieved that you felt the same he did. But when Dean started to tease you again, he came back to the library, and he couldn’t help the small smile on his face as he went back to researching. 

Later that night, Sam knocked on your door, and you could tell something was up. The air in the room had shifted as Sam’s nervous demeanor entered your room. 

“So what’s up?” You asked him as you sat on the edge of your bed. You were wearing some sweatpants and a well-worn T-shirt you had for years.

Sam’s eyes scanned your pajamas, a smile on his face before he met your gaze—scratching the back of his neck. “I heard your conversation with Dean earlier.” 

“Really?” Your heart dropped to your stomach as panic washed over you, staring wide-eyed at Sam. 

Sam sensed your panic. “Yeah, I’m sorry! I didn’t mean to but I heard my name and my curiosity got the better of me.” 

“Oh.” You swallowed thickly as you tried to find your words. But you honestly had no idea what to say. You were mortified that Sam had overheard you admitting that you liked him to his brother, and you were stuck between leaving the room and dying of embarrassment in front of Sam. 

“This isn’t going the way I thought it was.” Sam muttered under his breath before moving to sit next to you. He gently took one of your hands and held it. “I really like you. I was going to tell you soon, I just didn’t know how to tell you.” 

“You just did.” You had finally snapped out of your mortified state and blurted out the first thing that came to mind. 

Sam chuckled at your words, making you laugh alongside him—his laughter was infectious and helped quell the panic you were feeling earlier, now being replaced with contentment and nervous excitement. 

He used his free hand to grasp your chin in between his thumb and index finger. Sam looked deep into your eyes, a gentle smile on his lips. “Can I kiss you?” 

“Yeah.” Your response came out weaker than you expected, but any other thought was wiped away when Sam placed his lips on yours, drawing you into a soft kiss. Your heart soared as Sam’s lips moved against yours in a gentle rhythm. You’ve kissed people before, but none of them were like this—they paled in comparison to how Sam was kissing you. 

From then on, the two of you were inseparable. After you were all healed up, Sam took you out on your first date together to a bookstore that he’d been wanting to show you if you were ever in town. However, you did have some awkward moments here and there during the date due to your lack of experience in the dating realm. 

You and Sam were walking through the bookstore, looking through each of the shelves for something you might want to take back to the bunker and read. Sam was on the opposite of the aisle you were in, and as you pulled a book off the shelf, you were met with Sam’s hazel gaze and bright smile. 

“Hi there.” You whispered playfully. 

Sam smiled wider. “Hey.” His eyes trailed over your face before meeting yours again. “God you’re so pretty.” 

His compliment and the sincere tone in which he said it made your face feel hot and giddy. You couldn’t help but let out a small giggle before clamping your free hand over your mouth so as to not disturb the quiet atmosphere of the bookstore. 

“Thank you. Uh, you’re pretty too.” Your response made you wince internally. You didn’t know how to respond to his compliment exactly, but Sam sent you a wide grin that showed his dimples, and you couldn’t help but mirror him.  

Regardless of how awkward you felt in the moment, Sam made you feel anything but. He was aware of the lack of experience you had with dating and took it in stride. He did everything at your pace, and that made you fall for him even harder. 

Though you hadn’t said those three little words to him yet, you planned to do it while the two of you were out on a date for Valentine’s Day. Yes, it was cheesy, but you wanted to let him know that you did. Sam had planned the day for the two of you, getting out of Lebanon and heading to an aquarium in Kansas City. Then, after, the two of you would get dinner and spend the night there before heading back the next day. So you packed a day bag before getting dressed, wanting to look good for the date. 

It seemed Sam had the same idea because when the two of you met in the garage, Sam wasn’t wearing his usual uniform of flannel and a t-shirt underneath, but wearing a white knitted sweater you had gifted him for Christmas, some medium wash jeans, and a denim jacket of the same wash over the sweater. He looked absolutely handsome as he leaned against the truck the two of you were taking (Dean refused to let him take the Impala for the night).  

“Wow! Look at you wearing something else other than a flannel.” You teased as you walked up to him. 

Sam rolled his eyes at you, but a smile tugged at the corner of his lips. “Are you saying I look bad?” He joked as he reached out and took the bag from your hands. 

You rested your hands on his chest, looking up at him with a smile. “Quite the opposite actually. You look handsome.” 

Sam flushed slightly at your compliment, pride swelling in your chest at the sight. You couldn’t help but peck his heated cheek before patting his chest. 

“Thank you.” He murmured before pecking your lips. Sam quickly placed your bags in the backseat before opening the passenger-side door for you. Then he got in the driver’s seat, and the two of you were off to Kansas City.

Before you hit the freeway for the four-hour drive, you guys stopped by the store to pick up some snacks and drinks, and the drive was filled with the sounds of the two of you singing to the shared playlist that you and Sam had or of the two of you talking. 

As you got closer to the aquarium, you became excited. You had only been to the aquarium twice when you were younger and when you stayed at a school long enough to go on a field trip. You practically jumped out of the car when Sam parked it, and he couldn’t help but smile at your enthusiasm. 

The two of you walked hand in hand throughout the aquarium, going through all of the exhibits and admiring what the place had to offer. But what you really wanted to see was the jellyfish exhibit. Something about them had always fascinated you, and you had been dying to see them. 

Once you got to the exhibit, you were immediately enthralled with the sea creature, looking at the vast glass wall that the jellyfish were on the other side of. Sam stared at you as the spark in your eye grew, and you looked in awe at the jellyfish. He felt his heart warm at the sight as a contented smile played on his lips. 

You felt Sam tug at the hand he was holding, capturing your attention. You managed to rip your gaze away from the sea animal, only for them to be captured by Sam’s eyes. They looked blue due to the glow of the water reflecting into the room. 

The room was empty, save for you, Sam, and the jellyfish. He pulled you closer to him, Sam’s hand landing on your cheek as his eyes glazed over with love and adoration. 

“I love you.” Sam said as he stared deep into your eyes. 

You couldn’t help the shock and the slight fear that flooded your veins at hearing the words falling from his lips. Although you had planned to tell him later that day, it signified that now you had something serious with Sam and that you had more to lose. 

Sam saw the flicker of fear in your eyes. “You don’t have to say it back now, but I needed to tell you before anything happened. This life we live, it doesn’t–” 

“I know Sam.” You cut him off, placing your hand on top of the hand that was on your cheek. You smiled at him reassuringly before a small laugh escaped you. Sam sent you a confused smile at the sound of your laugh. 

“It’s just, I planned to tell you after we went to dinner.” You explained after answering his unasked question. 

Sam smirked. “Well, it’s not like you said it back or anything, you still have time.” 

“I wanted to be the one to say it first.” You couldn’t help but give him a mock pout. 

“I can take it back if you want honey.” Sam teased as he leaned closer to you.

You rolled your eyes at him before placing your lips on his. Sam chuckled against your lips before sinking into the kiss. 

“I love you too.” You muttered against his lips when you drew back from the kiss. 

Sam smiled wide before pulling you into another kiss, pouring all of his love, devotion, and passion into it. You returned the kiss with as much fervor as he did, but before it could get any more heated, you were reminded that the two of you were in public and pulled away from him. He chased your lips, making you giggle. Sam’s eyes snapped open; it seemed that he was reminded of where he was, and he chuckled. 

Sam looked down at his watch. “There’s some time left before it closes, did you want to look around some more or grab some dinner early?” 

“We can look around some more, I’m not hungry yet.” 

Sam nodded. “We can do that.” 

The two of you made your way out of the jellyfish exhibit—Sam’s arm was around your waist as he kissed your temple before the two of you looked at other exhibits in the aquarium. 

You honestly still can’t believe that Sam was yours, but you were incredibly grateful that he was. You silently thank whatever higher power that was out there that you were able to love Sam and that he reciprocated your feelings. You had a lovesick smile stuck on your lips all night, and Sam couldn’t help but match the one on your lips until the two of you fell asleep in each other’s arms. 

[yk-4]

fireworks & feelings

w. eren yeager

ⓘ your best friend, eren, seems completely clueless to your long-held feelings. tooth-rotting fluff. sfw. f!reader. modern au. currently rewatching aot: junior high and got inspired by the firework festival episode! song : everybody wants to rule the world by tears for fears.

—

you watched eren from across the crowded school cafeteria, a sigh escaping your lips. he was so effortlessly cool, even when he was just picking at his lunch, his brow furrowed in concentration as he read something on his phone. you knew he was probably checking his fantasy football scores, but you couldn't help but imagine him checking his messages, maybe even a text from you.

you'd been crushing on eren for what felt like forever. it started in middle school, with his shy smile and his quiet kindness. now, in college, his smile still held the power to make your heart skip a beat. you'd say it was full-blown, head-over-heels, can't-stop-thinking-about-him kind of love.

the problem was, you were painfully obvious about it. everyone in your school knew you were head over heels for eren, from the way you'd blush every time he looked at you to the way you'd always find a way to be near him.

but eren, bless his oblivious heart, seemed completely clueless. he'd always been a little slow on the uptake when it came to romantic cues, and you'd learned to accept it as part of his charm.

"hello? earth to y/n," your friend, sasha, waving your sandwich in front of your face. "you've been staring at eren for the past five minutes. are you planning on eating this sandwich or just daydream about him?"

your cheeks burned with embarrassment. "sorry," you mumbled, trying to regain your composure. "just thinking about stuff."

"stuff?" mikasa raised an eyebrow. "like how you're going to finally confess your feelings to eren? because everyone knows you're head over heels for him."

you groaned, "oh, come on, mikasa. it's not that obvious."

"but it's sooo obvious," sasha said, her voice being muffled by the salad she was munching on. "even eren's obliviousness can't miss it." mikasa added, shaking her head.

you sighed, knowing they were right. but eren was just as oblivious to your feelings as he was to the fact that his shirt was inside out.

"i don't know what to do," you stated, a little frustrated. "i'm so scared to make a move. what if he doesn't feel the same way?"

mikasa gave you a knowing look, "oh trust me, eren likes you too. he's just too dense to realize it."

a sigh escapes your lips. eren was sweet, kind, and loyal. how you wished he'd just get a clue, that he'd see the way you looked at him, the way your heart skipped a beat every time he smiled.

you took a bite of your sandwich, trying to distract yourself from your thoughts. maybe you should just shoot your shot and tell him how you felt. but what if he didn't feel the same way?

the only way to know for sure was to take a chance. but you weren't sure you were ready yet. you were so used to keeping your feelings a secret (even though everyone else knew). but maybe it was time to make a move.

you glanced at eren again, his brow still furrowed as he read his phone. he was so, so perfect. and you were hopelessly, helplessly in love with him.

—

taking your friends' suggestions, you devised a plan in your mind. you knew eren was a sucker for a good story, especially a love story. so, you decided to use his love for romance to your advantage.

you spent the next few days subtly dropping hints, leaving books with romantic covers around the library, mentioning love songs on the radio, and even suggesting a movie night with a classic rom-com.

eren had prepared your snacks, bringing overflowing bags of popcorn. the smell of buttered goodness filled the air. you'd carefully chosen the movie, a classic rom-com with a predictable but heartwarming plot about two friends who slowly realize they're in love. you'd even made sure to pick one with a scene where the guy finally confesses his feelings, hoping it would resonate with eren.

eren settled onto the couch, his eyes already glued to the screen. you watched him laugh at the predictable twists and turns, completely unaware of the parallel to your own unspoken feelings. it was infuriating, yet you couldn't help but smile at his genuine enjoyment.

"this movie is so cheesy," he said, shaking his head, but a genuine smile played on his lips. "but i can't help but love it."

you laughed, trying to hide your disappointment. "it's a classic for a reason," you said, hoping he'd catch the hint.

he leaned closer, his eyes still on the screen. "yeah, i guess so," he said, his voice a little muffled by the popcorn. "i'm glad you picked it."

you felt a pang of frustration. you'd practically spelled it out for him, yet he was still clueless.

as the movie progressed, you found yourself getting more and more frustrated. you'd point out the cheesy lines, hoping he'd make the connection, but he just laughed it off.

when the movie reached the scene where the guy finally confesses his feelings, you held your breath. this was it. this was the moment.

eren, however, just chuckled. "that was so predictable," he said, shaking his head. "i knew it was coming."

you let out a sigh. you were starting to think this whole plan was a complete failure.

"well," you said, trying to sound nonchalant, "at least it's a happy ending."

eren nodded, still chuckling. "yeah, i guess so."

you were starting to lose hope. maybe your plan was too subtle, maybe eren was just too dense to pick up on your cues. the thought of accepting that your feelings would remain unreturned felt like a reminder that things don't always go the way you hope.

—

the rest of the semester flew by in a blur, leaving you all drained and burnt out. the air in your dorm was heavy with the scent of burnt ramen and despair.

sasha, usually a ball of energy, was slumped on her bed, staring blankly at the ceiling. mikasa was buried in a mountain of textbooks, her brows furrowed in concentration. meanwhile, you were slumped on your own bed, feeling like a deflated balloon.

"this is the worst,” you yawned, your voice laced with exhaustion. “i can’t believe we have to cram for these finals.”

sasha let out a tired sigh. “i know, right? i think i might have fried my brain from all those exams we took.”

suddenly, a mischievous glint appeared in her eyes. “hey, you know what would make this all better?” she asked, sitting up a little straighter.

“what?” you asked, still exhausted.

“the fireworks festival!” she exclaimed. “it’s this weekend! we should go!”

mikasa, who had been silent up until now, looked up from her books, a flicker of interest in her eyes. “actually, that’s not a bad idea,” she agreed. “a little distraction might be good for all of us.”

but you were too exhausted, too drained to even think about having fun.

“come on,” sasha urged. “it’ll be a good way to blow off some steam. besides, it’s the perfect opportunity to confess to eren!”

your heart skipped a beat. confess to eren? the thought had been lurking in the back of your mind for months, but the thought of actually doing it felt impossible.

“sasha!” you exclaimed, your voice a mixture of surprise and embarrassment. “don’t just say that!”

“sasha’s right. it’s a beautiful and memorable event. it would be a wonderful opportunity.” mikasa chimed in, her voice a little more animated than usual.

you felt a mix of panic and excitement. the thought of confessing to eren, under the dazzling display of fireworks, was both terrifying and exhilarating. you looked at them, both their faces filled with encouragement and support. they were right, this could be the perfect chance.

“alright!” you exclaimed, “let's all go together!”

both your best friends clapped of excitement. "i'll tell connie!" sasha added.

a wave of relief washed over you. the fireworks festival, with its magical atmosphere, seemed to be the perfect setting to finally reveal your long-held feelings. you just had to find the courage until the weekend.

—

the summer fireworks festival has finally arrived, the night everyone in school seemed to be looking forward to. it is a night filled with laughter, shared snacks, and a breathtaking fireworks display.

you arrived at the park with mikasa, sasha, connie, and a few other friends, and your eyes immediately scanned the crowd for eren. he was there, of course, standing with armin and jean, his face lit by the excited chatter of his friends.

you felt your heart skip a beat. he looked so handsome, his clean-cut hair tousled by the summer breeze, and for once, his crisp, white shirt wasn't inside out.

"they're over there! heyyy!!!" sasha exclaimed, her voice brimming with excitement, dashing off to where everyone was. armin and eren waved their hands as soon as they spotted you all trailing off behind her.

eren turned to you, "hey," he greeted, a smile lit up his face. "didn't expect to see you here."

"i wouldn't miss it," you replied, your cheeks flushed.

"so, what's the plan?" armin initiated, "ferris wheel first, or are we going straight for the roller coaster?"

"fooddd!!!" sasha and connie exclaimed, their voices booming over the festival grounds.

the group erupted in laughter, the playful banter a familiar sound. in the end, everyone decided that the roller coaster was a perfect way to kick off the night.

screams and laughter blurred together as the roller coaster took off, the wind whipping through your hair as you soared through the air. armin and reiner were mostly screaming, while eren, jean, and ymir were half screaming and half laughing. you got off the ride breathless, but ready for more.

you even spotted your seniors, levi, hange, and erwin, enjoying the festival food with everyone else. you shared a plate of steaming yakisoba, and eren even won you a giant, fluffy panda plushie from the ring toss game!

everyone was having a great time as you rode the ferris wheel and played carnival games. as the sky began to darken, the anticipation for the fireworks grew. but even amidst the chaos and the excitement, you couldn't help but steal glances at eren throughout the night. his laughter, his smile, his presence—all of it felt like a dream.

the night was young, the fireworks were just about to begin, and your heart was ready to burst any moment.

—

the air crackled with anticipation as the final countdown echoed through the festival grounds. everyone, even the usually stoic reiner, had a mischievous glint in their eyes. mikasa, ever the mastermind, nudged sasha with a knowing grin. "time for the grand finale," she whispered.

you noticed the subtle shift in the crowd. your friends, who had been peppering you with playful questions about eren all night, suddenly seemed to vanish. even armin, usually glued to eren, was nowhere to be seen. a mix of confusion and excitement spread through you.

as the first firework burst into a brilliant bloom of color, a collective gasp rose from the crowd. but you barely registered it. you were too busy searching for eren, your heart pounding in your chest. then, you saw him, standing a few feet away, his gaze fixed on you. he looked . . . different. his usual playful grin was replaced by a serious expression, his eyes holding a depth you hadn't seen before.

he took a step towards you, and the world seemed to fade away, leaving only the two of you under the dazzling fireworks display. the crowd was a blur of color and sound, but all you could see was eren, his face illuminated by the shifting lights.

eren stopped just a few feet away, his gaze unwavering. the air between you was thick with unspoken words, a nervous energy that mirrored the fireworks exploding overhead.

"y/n," he began, his voice low and husky, "i-" he paused, seeming to gather his courage, and you held your breath, your heart thundering in your chest.

"i've wanted to tell you this for a long time," he continued, his eyes searching yours. "ever since-" he trailed off, a blush creeping up his neck.

you leaned forward, your heart overflowing with a mix of anticipation and hope. "since what?" you whispered, your voice barely audible over the roar of the fireworks.

he took a deep breath, his gaze intense. "since the day we met," he confessed, his voice firm and sincere. "you've been . . . everything to me."

a wave of warmth washed over you, melting away the nervous tension that had been building all night. you felt a smile tug at your lips, and you couldn't help but laugh, a light, bubbly sound that echoed through the night.

"eren," you began, your voice trembling with emotion. your eyes met his, and you saw the same vulnerability mirrored in his gaze. "i feel the same way," you whispered, the words spilling out like a long-held secret. "i've been waiting for you to say something." tears of happiness threatened to fall from your eyes.

he let out a relieved sigh, a smile finally breaking across his face. "i knew it!" he exclaimed, his voice euphoric. "i knew you felt it too!"

he took a step closer, his arms shooting out to scoop you up in a hug. you laughed as he lifted you off your feet, spinning you around in a joyous whirl. your heart soared with happiness, and you couldn't help but giggle as he held you tight, his laughter echoing yours.

the fireworks continued to explode overhead, but all you could see was eren, his face inches from yours, his eyes locked on yours, and it almost took your breath away.

"i'm so glad i took the chance." he whispered, his voice rough with emotion.

suddenly, a chorus of cheers erupted from the crowd. your friends, who had been conspicuously absent, emerged from the shadows, their faces beaming with joy. sasha threw her arms up in the air, shouting, "finally! about damn time!" armin and mikasa gave you a thumbs up. even your seniors were there! levi, his usual stoic expression replaced by a rare smile, muttered, "good for you, brats."

the fireworks continued to explode, painting the night sky with vibrant colors. you still couldn't believe this moment was real. it was a night you'd never forget. the fireworks festival, with its dazzling display, felt like a celebration of your newfound love.

—

[pyropsychiccollector]

Shiro Harem: Holy Grail War... of Love 5/7

Ayako-chan won the poll, not really surprising. XD Down to just her, Illya, and Reines, it seemed like a no-brainer what you guys would want. Still, I try to have a democracy around here. (人◕ω◕)

Fate: Stay Night is all about branching timelines. As such, to cater to all seven members of this harem in a single worldline, we'll be looking at an AU separate from the canon ones, regardless of how similarly events may play out. Just a forewarning.

The Beginning

So, this one is pretty far removed from the Grail War, ironically enough. Still set in the same universe, it's just this member of the harem is…a civvie, to put it bluntly. No knowledge of magic, no tragedy in her family, nothing that truly sets her apart. Ayako Mitsuzuri is just…"normal".

Which isn't to say that's a terrible development. Out of all these girls that fall for Shiro, he frankly deserves someone that has no baggage and is closer to him in terms of mundanity. It's a bummer that canon never gave her a route like the other girls… A route where Shiro never got wrapped up in the Grail War. Though that could have turned out badly any number of ways… XD

This isn't a problem, however. Like all the other girls, the pieces are there for a relationship with Shiro. We just have to assemble them. (人◕ω◕)

Ayako has known Shiro for a while. Gone to the same school, been good enough friends, they were even in the archery club until Shiro got bored. Even after he left the club, they stayed friends; Ayako just wishes Shiro would come back because he was an inspiration and was a major boon to their reputation.

Shiro in turn respects Ayako for how hard she works and recognizes her as a big sister of the student body what with how she doesn't put up with crap and helps others. Of course he's Shiro, he's extremely formal and selfless. (人◕ω◕)

This… really frustrates Ayako as they go through high school and Shiro remains static and oblivious to stuff like romance. Not that Ayako is much better - she prefers putting it off, partly because that's just what she wants, and partly because her family is even more formal and traditional than her. Ayako even has to hide her love of video games from her family, that's how bad it is. (人◕ω◕) Moreover, Ayako feels more attracted to older guys because of the maturity angle. Too many of the guys at their school are flirty like Shinji or just don't have their lives in order…… Or they're too rigid like Issei. (人◕ω◕);; Point is, Ayako is "advanced" for her age, and everyone sees her as Big Sis anyway. Not even the people with the incest kink will touch her, which both relieves and frustrates Ayako to no end.

Doesn't stop her from making a wager with Rin to find a boyfriend first. But even with them "competing", both of them are rather laidback and unconcerned about love in general. Rin has her responsibilities, and Ayako has her own circumstances that lead her to procrastinate. (人◕ω◕) … Funny enough they both gravitate to the same guy. And both procrastinate on acting on their crushes. It's not like Shiro is even Ayako's preferred type, per se… But out of all the guys in their age group, he probably is the best off because he's so gung-ho about helping others and being responsible. He lacks the rigidness Issei has, which makes him approachable. …. Shiro is just very dense. Not a deal breaker , but it's something they have to work through. Assuming she can even get Shiro to consider her as more than "Big Sis". (人◕ω◕)

The Middle Act

As stated, Ayako has no stake in the Grail War, doesn't have the faintest idea magic is real. Doesn't know Shiro almost died… Shiro, Rin, and Sakura keep their schoolmates in the dark about the conflict pretty well.

That said… It doesn't mean Shiro was 100% head in the game 24/7 when it came to the Grail War. He still had a school life, even if Illya, Saber, and Sakura preferred him to be more focused on the war. But what can you do? He's Shiro Emiya, and he has a school life. And the fact he's bothered by so many things in the war, he broadcasts his worries and anxieties without meaning to. He's an open book, after all. (人◕ω◕)

It's vexing for Ayako that she can't get Shiro to open up about his problems, though. In this case he just can't talk about them. And it's not like him to keep mum. Ayako knows this isn't typical behavior for Shiro, knows this isn't right. Her solution? Drag him to the dojo and rope him back into the club whether he's chill with it or not. (人◕ω◕) It's not like she's asking him to be Shinji's whipping boy for all the club chores, or carry them through tournaments. Ayako merely wants that intimacy with Shiro rekindled. Shiro's really, really good at archery… And Ayako won't force him if he's dead set against coming back. … But she thinks this will be good for Shiro, give him something to do and have fun with. At least give it a chance. (人◕ω◕)

For Shiro's part… He does see archery as a means to help in the Grail War. He's not a fool. … Well, he IS… But not in ways he could imagine. (人◕ω◕) However… He doesn't want this club activity to be a means to an end, to keep his archery skills sharp. This is important to Mitsuzuri, he can see that. He just doesn't understand the why because he's so focused on Ayako and making her happy. Doesn't get that this is for his sake, his happiness. (人◕ω◕)

… Ayako doesn't let that slide. After several practices, she takes him to the side again and has a heart-to-heart. Expresses disappointment he's never thought about asking her out, never seen her as more than just a friend. Being the big dummy he is, Shiro remarks he's got Sakura and Illya to look after right now (again, keeping quiet about the war). Ayako doesn't take that well, at least when he brings up Sakura… And though he doesn't understand why, Shiro acts on his uneasiness at seeing Ayako disheartened and miserable. He comforts her and at least gets it across he's never given romance much thought. Sure, there's girls that he admires, that he loves, but for him it's never been about being with those girls. Because… He just doesn't have the time to think about such things, there's far too much to do in helping others. And even if he considered a relationship, what does he even bring to the table? Shiro has no love for himself, no confidence beyond his cooking and ability to fix stuff. He would have confidence in archery, too, but for him it's a hobby and little else. He's too absorbed in his dream of helping others and protecting and making Illya happy. (人◕ω◕)

Naturally, Ayako sees the problem from a far-off perspective. No knowledge of magic, she just assumes Shiro's a workaholic… Still more approachable than Issei, but he needs to relax. If he met her family, they'd get along way too well. Ayako doesn't appreciate that. (人◕ω◕) She sees the problem is that deeply entrenched selflessness, and asks about the girls most precious to him. The fact he names her, Rin, Sakura, Illya, and some family friend named Saber, it does throw the poor girl for a loop. But when asked to explain what he loves about them… She can see that it's genuine on his part. Shiro goes way beyond mere physical attraction in his reasons, and she's touched that this dummy has such a high opinion of her. (人◕ω◕)

It does make the way forward kinda hazy, though… Being the "Big Sis" she is, Ayako knows Rin and Sakura like Shiro, too. The fact he likes all of them is…strange, but not impossible to work through. They just have to sit down and talk it over. (人◕ω◕)

The Future

Ayako does, unfortunately, take a backseat when the war enters final stages… But after it's all wrapped up, she does make everyone sit down and chat about a relationship with Shiro. (人◕ω◕) … Doesn't go the way she expected with all of them agreeing to share Shiro. And she's not thrilled Rin dragged him off to London first thing after Graduation… But Ayako does help Sakura, Saber, and Illya with giving Shiro a home to return to. The magic stuff isn't completely kept from Ayako after a certain point, yet it's so different from her everyday life that she kindly asks to be only given details immediately relevant to their safety. Everything else is…way too above her pay grade. (人◕ω◕)

She's not the first to have kids with Shiro, or the last, but her role as "Big Sis" helps defuse most petty fights and gives the children in general a mother to look up to. … Because even Sakura has her moments of clinginess and jealousy. (人◕ω◕) Not to say Ayako never gets moody or jealous. … She's just one of the most mature of the harem, if not THE most mature. (人◕ω◕) Her family will never understand the polygamous relationship she wound up in, and that's fine. Most days she has to accept this is her life now, and she's pretty happy here.

… Other days she whines to Shiro about his taste in women and how much work they hafta do to corral everyone sooo often… But that's a take for another day. (人◕ω◕)

First post: https://www.tumblr.com/pyropsychiccollector/743914272095092736/shiro-harem-holy-grail-war-of-love-17?source=share

Second post: https://www.tumblr.com/pyropsychiccollector/743914300198027264/shiro-harem-holy-grail-war-of-love-27?source=share

Third post: https://www.tumblr.com/pyropsychiccollector/743914313492873216/shiro-harem-holy-grail-war-of-love-37?source=share

Fourth post: https://www.tumblr.com/pyropsychiccollector/743914325706768384/shiro-harem-holy-grail-war-of-love-47?source=share

[vacantgodling]

#17: Eryn Arcus

There’s always been something about you; even from birth your parents could sense it. The call of the wild seemed to manifest in your very being; the crunch of dirt and leaves under your feet and the smell of a fresh breeze to call you home. You walk a thin line between civility and nature, and that nature is a part of you more than anything else. You cannot explain the things that you see, only know that they call it chaos touched, one eye unseeing but sensing it. Your friends and your bond to them keeps you tethered to society, but that they indulge you and follow you into the unknown… you know you’re far luckier than anyone else here.

“eryn” means peace. “arcus” means a dense cloud.

28. nb (they/he/she). romance: yes, but she likes to play coy with it. sex: some—he doesn’t mind but he’s not really fond of penetration of any kind (including bjs/eating out. pretty much their sexual preferences are restricted to hand jobs and grinding). doesn’t really have a high sex drive either. preference: none, just someone open to having a poly relationship. eryn would rather them seek their sexual needs elsewhere if they wanna do penetration etc.

stands at about 5’6” with sunkissed skin and cloudy green eyes that seem unfocused (due to blindness). their body is covered in freckles and beauty marks and their hair is short and kinky curly. they usually keep the front part braided but they have a hard time doing their own hair so either kiba or moira tends to do it for them. they prefer to wear tight clothing that won’t get caught on things and they wield a medium sized bow.

a RANGER, who studied at the illustrious and notoriously difficult to find Pinella’s Pass Survivalist School; eryn is a bit different from others in her same field due to being chaos touched. it is a specific blessing (or curse, depends on who you ask) from the god MIZDARR, which grants users to physically be able to see the manifestation of chaos in the world. it does however, usually come at a price—and in eryn’s case (like many) it came at the cost of his eyesight. technically he is “legally blind” (by our world’s terminology). their eyesight is murky, foggy and milky at best—however they are able to see and sense the presence of chaos and they describe it having a purplish hue. this is what allows them to shoot—and it gives them an edge in accuracy over other rangers because they’re able to find the point of chaos in a monster or beast and aim for that instead of having to guess where a weak point is. obviously being blind does come with its disadvantages; eryn uses a stick (similar to a white cane in our world) when they’re out and about and not in the Labyrinth. when they are in the labyrinth, they have telus footwear and gloves that draw on his vis (magic of the force of will) that helps him have vague inclinations of where things are located. if he concentrated more, he could definitely see more with the gloves and footwear, but because they were born blind/chaos touched they aren’t like in dire need of sight. they just use them as more agile mobility aids so that they know whats around them to move and dodge when they’re in the middle of a fight. either way, the rest of their contingent and best friends (kiba, jagoda, moira, and karenza) more than make up for it and their formations tend to center around keeping karenza and eryn safe and out of harm’s way.

sly and snarky, with a love of teasing and ribbing, eryn’s monotone delivery is usually what gets peals of laughter out of her friends and there’s nothing she loves to do more than make them laugh. they have a sort of pessmistically whimsical view of life, which contrasts karenza’s more openly optimistic view, and they tend to not take themself too seriously. they can be serious when they need to and they are comforting without being too smothering. their levelheaded coolness matches kiba’s fiery energy and they do love him dearly… though they enjoy teasing him and making him play chase a bit more. they’ll definitely say yes to his advances soon though 👀

[bluejaysandblackbats]

Bloody Valentines

Fandom: DC Comics, Batfam, Young Justice 98, Titans, GL Corps, Legion of Super Heroes, Flashfam, New Gods, Shadowpact, Superfam

Summary: 90s vampire slasher AU

Chapters: 9/?

Characters: Dick Grayson, Joseph Wilson, Jason Todd, Charley Parker, Zatanna, Eddie Bloomberg, Daniel Cassidy, Chester Williams DC, Guy Gardner, Kyle Rayner, Lilith Clay, Raven Roth, Kole Weathers, Bette Kane, Donna Troy, Roy Harper, Jenni Ognats, Bart Allen, Virgil Hawkins, Richie Foley, Ayla Ranzz, Zoe Saugin, Rol Purtha, Darla Aquista, Lori Zechlin, Hal Jordan, Helen Jordan II, Orion DC, Lightray DC, Jonathan Lane Kent, Conner Kent, Mia Kent, Roxy Leech, Kara Danvers, Chris Kent, Thara Ak-Var, Match DC, Thaddeus Thawne

Relationships: DickJoey, Daniel Cassidy/Zatanna, DonnaRoy, Jenni Ognats/Virgil Hawkins, Raven/Lilith Clay, Lightrion, MatchThad

Additional Tags: POV First Person, Unreliable Narrator(s), Vampires, No Capes AU, 90s Slasher AU, Homoeroticism, Horror, Slasher

Chapter Nine: The First Blood (Laney's POV)

Kara wanted to take us on a family trip like the El family did in the old country. Mom and Dad were out of town with Jon, so it was my sister, my brothers, their partners, and me. My little brother, Chris’s girlfriend from the Kryptonian cultural club at his high school. They’re old-fashioned, cute high school sweethearts. Sugary-sweet and almost nauseatingly innocent. They’ve been friends since they were twelve, and this is their first real trip as more than friends. I was surprised her parents let her go, but our family was famous back home in Krypton. 

Conner didn’t bring a date, but he did bring Roxy. She saved his life when he needed a kidney a few years ago. Now, Roxy’s our honorary sister. She also happens to be a cop. Or a cop in training. They whispered the whole car ride about something, but I couldn’t hear. It seemed like they were arguing. 

Match came with his weird little blonde boyfriend. He came out to Mom and Dad last year, so we couldn’t judge his partners. Between you and me, I don’t think anyone would mind him dating boys if he didn’t pick such strange guys. Oh… His boyfriend’s name is Thad. And I know we call my brother Match or whatever, but his name is Max. Match is just a nickname. His boyfriend’s given name was Thaddeus. I’m not judging the guy, but he could’ve been more friendly when he met us.

Kara, Mia, and I didn’t bring anyone, which was nice. We took turns driving, but Roxy had to take over for good after sunset. She was the only one who could see in the dense darkness and the rain. The rest of us wore glasses. And in Thara and Chris’s case, they were too young to drive. Roxy wasn’t the safest driver, so I sat in the back with the kids, and they fell asleep on either side of me. I nearly nodded off before Roxy hit something with the station wagon. I heard a whine or a screech, and Conner gasped awake. “What happened?” I asked. 

“Conner, I think I hit something—.” 

“I’m Laney,” I answered. Oh, yeah. Match, Conner, and I are identical triplets. I don’t feel like we’re that identical. Conner always kept his hair curly and had earrings. Match is bulkier than both of us. And me… I almost lost complete sight in my left eye after a fight our sophomore year, so it was duller and weaker than my right one. “What’d you hit?” I was almost angry because it scared me awake. 

“I don’t know. I’ll get out and see—.” 

“It’s pitch black out there. I’ll get out and look,” Conner interrupted. I climbed from the backseat and followed Conner out. Conner covered his mouth and turned away. 

“Don’t throw up,” I warned him. Conner was the most sensitive of the three of us. He cried at movies and lived for the sake of romance while being the coolest of us. But he was no help when it came to things like this. “Conner, look at me. Do not—.” Conner gagged. “Stop.” 

“It’s still alive,” Conner whimpered. 

I pinched the bridge of my nose. “Go get Match,” I replied. Conner obeyed. I was the oldest of the three of us. It was me, then Conner, and Match. Match was a surprise. Match got out of the car and gave me a pair of gloves. “What are—?” 

Match put his gloves on and pointed toward the injured animal in the road. I followed him. When we approached the animal, a car stopped in the middle of the road and offered to help. “No, thanks! Can you get around?” I asked. He nodded and got in his car. “Come on, Match. We gotta move this dog out of the road—.”

“No… Coyote,” Match whispered. I took my pocket knife out and shut my eyes. I had to do it a few times before when we were kids. I didn’t like to talk about it. “Laney?” 

“I’m okay. Let’s get it out of the road,” I commanded. We carried it to the side of the road, took off our gloves, and got in the car. Conner glanced at us and pressed his palms to his eyelids. “Don’t you dare throw up in this car.” I didn’t like vomit… Okay? 

“Was it quick?” Conner asked. 

“Yeah. Let’s go,” I answered. Roxy nodded and kept on the path to our cabin. Match and Thad got the master bedroom. The girls shared a room, and I shared a room with Conner and Chris. Our room had three beds, so we didn’t have to share one. I went straight to bed, but the thunderstorm woke me up. Actually… Chris woke me up. He shoved me awake. Chris didn’t mean to be rough. He was always unnaturally strong for a little kid. 

“What’s the matter?” I whispered. 

“Well—. Laney, can I—?” Chris jolted when lightning struck, and I nodded. 

“Get in. It’s okay,” I replied, “It’s alright.” He lay his head on my shoulder, and I kissed his forehead. I wasn’t soft with anyone but him. “Hey, it’s okay. One-one-thousand… Two-one-thousand. Three-one-thousand. Four-one-thousand—.” Thunder and lightning. Chris turned toward me. “It’s alright. Lay down. I’ve got you.” 

Chris scrunched down in the bed. It wasn’t until he closed his eyes that I realized… Conner wasn’t in his bed. “Chris? Christopher? Christopher, where’s Conner?” I asked. 

“I don’t know… Conner was leaving when I woke up,” Chris whispered, “I thought he had to go to the bathroom or somethin’.” 

“Alright… Well, I guess Conner will be back in a little while,” I replied, “Go on. Go to sleep.” 

I lay awake, waiting for Conner. It was almost thirty minutes before Conner returned, soaking wet. “Conner? Conner, what the hell are you doing?” I asked. I was careful not to wake Chris.

“I don’t—.” Conner shivered, and I left the bed to look for a towel to wrap around him. “I don’t remember. Laney, don’t tell anyone, please.” 

“I won’t… Go shower and put something warm on,” I commanded. There was a time when Conner was the confident one. I don’t know what happened to him, but I miss the bubbly person he used to be. He was still the same old Conner to everyone else, but they don’t know him like I do. It’s fake. Something changed when we were teenagers. 

Oh! The sleepwalking. That was new. Conner started climbing out of bed in the middle of the night a few weeks before our trip. We lived together, so I knew his comings and goings. He didn’t want anyone to worry about him because the one thing you don’t want to be in a family with six kids is the kid with issues. To be fair, though… We were born with our fair share of problems. 

No one thought we’d make it when we were born. We were misdiagnosed with a terminal illness, poked and prodded for years until a doctor found out what was wrong. It was rare but treatable… Which meant the years of painful tests and hospital stays were pointless. We came out of it okay, but there was permanent damage for all of us. It messed up my central nervous system, and sometimes I shake. I don’t know why, but I do. Conner’s kidneys were fucked… And Match. He died and came back. He had it the worst. When he was dead, he ended up with permanent brain damage. Or at least we think it’s permanent. Match had years of speech therapy before he could form sentences again… And even then, it’s no more than two or three words at a time. Anyway… I waited for Conner to return from his shower. I made him sleep beside me. I didn’t make a fuss because he was upset, but I insisted quietly. Conner wrapped his arms around my right arm. I wouldn’t have slept if he didn’t.

[exculis]

Compare:

June 5th:

I was in a house i swear I've dreamed before the first room was like a swamp of wigs. Just wigs everywhere with deep deep water underneath but they were dense enough that you could sort of walk on water. The next room was very very loose floorboards, but it was easy to skip that one next room was down some stairs and it was this rocky crag with a surgical table on it a party member got strapped in and analyzed by a big camera it determined she had unkind eyes and the house started collapsing we had to get out quickly and the strapped in party member had a broken ankle from falling rocks and the other an injured shoulder i think there was one room after that but i can't remember

When we beat all of the rooms we won we got something as a prize but the dream cut to years later when I was moving in with the new caretaker of the house

He was A strange old man that played piano

After what seemed like it could've been A friendship or even romance started to bloom, he revealed his true colors he tried to eat my hand but my adventure instincts were too quick and i evaded him

I tried to escape but he used magic to seal the doors and kept trying to give me lotion so I'd be soft enough to eat

He had a cat and i was considering climbing through the cat door when he was away to escape, or breaking a window or punching through a wall

Also i wasn't myself. I was a young man named Jameson? I think? And his dad was well known for something the old man knew who he was at least

Had another dream i was back in high school and i protested my English teacher cutting the straps off my backpack by showing her how much shit teachers expected me to carry around she still looked at me like i was crazy but my classmates seemed to understand

Later i shaved my head in the closet and dyed it green finally

Then later as I was walking the halls,i was confronted by a girl i hardly know she was asking why i was avoiding someone i didn't know what she was talking about and she wouldn't specify who she meant i finally got her to agree to take me to this person and it was an old childhood friend that was trying to surprise me by showing up but i was so oblivious i didn't notice .

The hallway I was confronted in looked like a cheap pet store aquarium section with thick red gunk in the cracks in the floor

I think that school dream came first but i can't remember i know in that dream i kept touching my hair i kept talking about my shaved head i missed my long hair

Vs 2 days later, June 7th:

I got shot in the head and had dental problems for a while after until one dentists son beat me to death to put me out of my misery

I LOVE looking through my dream journal sometimes. I don't often remember enough to even write down but when i do its 50/50 pages and pages of detail or one single sentence that's vague as fuck.

[sundeathh]

Hello honey, I hope you are still taking requests. Maybe angst with a fluffy ending 👀👀👀 Like old regrets and heartaches are replaced by hope when Aizawa and the reader meet again

Hey sweetie! For now I'm still accepting requests, but my inbox is starting to queue up, so I may close soon.

I'll probably take a little longer to write the ones in the queue since I need to focus on some things in my life right now. But since I've been having fun while writing, I'll probably come back as soon as possible!!!

Now, about the request itself, I left a few things unspoken so you could fill in the blanks however you would like, but I still set out a little bit of the plot. I hope you enjoy! ♡

.

WELCOME HOME

Request | Masterlist

Pairing: Aizawa × GN!Reader

Fandom: BNHA | MHA | word count: 2,7K

Categories: romance; drama; slight angst

CW: None I guess, though I almost cried while writing lol

At five in the afternoon, Aizawa is standing outside the dorm building, although he has no idea why he's doing this in the first place.

But in fact, his reason was simple.

He was hoping to make amends with the person who broke his heart so many years ago – he knew it would be a difficult task, considering all that you had gone through before, and the fact that you were still adapting to your new job.

However, despite all the obstacles, he decided it would happen today anyway.

As he stands outside your doorway, Aizawa thinks back to when you were just kids; about how you would tease him until he would be a flushed mess and poke him out of his shell because you couldn't stand seeing him alone while the other kids played with each other.

You became friends with him fast. You were talkative, easygoing, blissful, and so much more. You were everything good that he craved. And that was why you got along so well: he was the calmness you needed for dealing with your hyperactive mind while you were the strength he faulted, pushing him further to wherever he needed.

You did everything together, from playing hero and villain together through childhood, till studying together as teenagers. You went from two dumb kids that played with each other to two somewhat less dumb teenagers who got along too well. You would do anything for each other.

You also went to the hero course together at the prestigious hero school in Japan. 

You could even get married someday if he had asked you to.

Shōta sighed, smiling, though he felt sad as he stared absently at the wooden pattern on your door. He remembered how you used to cry so easily whenever you didn't get what you wanted from him as a kid; but wouldn't tell anyone, acting stubbornly around him as if the pain wasn't visible on your face.

On the other hand, he was always so dense. It took you a long time to finally break through his walls, slowly peeling them down until he started opening up to you. In the process, you made him realize how much he valued you.

It took time, of course, but you eventually succeeded. And Shōta cherished you dearly. He loved you in a way he didn't even know he was capable of loving.

Shota shook his head, trying to clear his mind before knocking on your door. No matter how hard he tried to fight and forget his struggles against it – he always felt the truth would come up sooner or later. 

And it came way later than he would like, sadly. But it didn't matter, he needed to know why you left.

He needed to know why you had left him as if he was nothing to you. Or why you ended things between you both before he could even say the words out loud.

It hurts to know you weren't together anymore. Knowing you could hate each other for what happened while you were still in high school.

He thought you wouldn't be willing to forgive him for what he did to you. And anyway, here he was: back to your feet, even though you also hurt him as much as he had hurt you. Even though he thought he knew better, or that he had gotten over you.

You were his first everything. And as much as he forced himself to deny it, you were also his last. He couldn't be with anyone else after you. And he didn't know why.

It just didn't feel right.

You were all he had, all he cared about, and all he ever wanted. 

Right now, however, this was not an experience he thought he would have to endure, nor one Aizawa ever hoped to relive again because, after you left, he buried his feelings deep in his chest.

That was why he thought he got over you in the first place. 

But he didn't. 

And all it took for him to realize it was seeing you again, walking as beautiful as ever through the U.A hallways, with the same grace you had when you were just another student walking there.

He was speechless. He was also static. At first, he thought he imagined things. Then, he thought he was confusing someone else with you. But he wasn't. It was you.

The news of your hiring as a homeroom teacher reached his ears only after he saw you there with his own eyes. But he hadn't spoken to you yet. He was avoiding you, watching you at a distance.

That is, until today, a few weeks after you started at your new job.

And when you opened the door, your relaxed expression faded at the sight of him. You weren't expecting him to come to you so soon. 

You weren't expecting him to come to you at all. You knew he'd must been mad at you and knew what he was going to say next.

You had prepared your mind to hear his scolding ever since your hiring – you knew he was working there beforehand, but you decided to go with the job application anyway.

After all, it wasn't like you hadn't thought carefully about meeting him again before sending your application. You were longing for it.

Anyway, Shota didn't say anything. Instead, he gave you a half smile and asked if he could come in.

It was the last thing either of you expected. But you let he in regardless.

The second his eyes met yours after you closed the door, he regretted coming there. The look in your eyes, the way you held yourself, and the fact that you didn't even greet him at all and just gave him a curt nod told him all he needed to know.

And that was all he needed to know. Because it was clear that you didn't want to deal with him right now.

There was still pain, betrayal, and sadness dancing in your eyes. But he also noticed something else.

It was fear, pure and genuine fear in your eyes. You had the same expression you wore the day you told him you were leaving: fear, sadness, guilt, and regret written across every feature of your face.

But that was all there was, and he chose not to dwell on the past, and instead sort out whatever he could fix up now.

He whispered your name. Your gaze immediately shifted towards his at the sound, and a soft gasp escaped your mouth once you met his piercing gaze.

His own eyes widened at how broken you looked. There were so many emotions filling your expression that he was sure you had never seen them all before in your lifetime.

He tried to speak, but no words came out.

Damn it. How he wished to just hold you again. But instead, he only stood there, staring at you. 

"Um… hi, uh..." you began awkwardly before clearing your throat. "Do you need anything?" You asked nervously, unsure about how to proceed.

And he only averted his gaze from yours, saying nothing else.

You sighed. "Okay. Have a seat, I guess." You said before turning around and walking towards your bed, without giving him another glance.

He hesitated for a moment but then followed in, sitting next to you. He tried to make it look casual, but it was awkward. And you noticed, so you glanced over to him, waiting for him to speak.

"Listen," Shota starts. "I'm here because-"

"Look, Aizawa," you interrupted. You saw him flinch at the usage of his last name, but he didn't say anything.

"I know." You said. "I know what you're going to say."

You paused for a moment, debating on how to proceed. Shota didn't say anything, waiting patiently until you spoke again.

"I understand if you are angry. I completely agree with that. But I didn't leave you. I promised myself years ago that I would never give up on you, and I still do, but-" You stopped yourself.

You didn't have any excuse, did you?

"We both know there was never a promise between us in the first place." He said calmly.

You bite your lip, colleting your thoughts. Aizawa knew you were holding onto some feelings you've kept hidden for years. It was beyond clear.

"Yes, you're right." You continued. "I am sorry for hurting you." You apologize. "I'm sorry for leaving and making you believe I didn't care."

He looked away from your gaze.

"And... for making you feel like I was abandoning you." You added quietly.

There was a long silence, but it wasn't as awkward as you were expecting it to be.

After what you said, Aizawa didn't seem as angry anymore. He seemed disappointed. Annoyed, maybe. At how long it took for you to admit to yourself how much he meant to you.

"Why did you leave?" He asked quietly, his voice calm. You sighed, feeling defeated – he wanted you to speak your mind, and so you did.

"I had no choice." You confessed, tears stinging in your eyes from the pain and anger you felt towards yourself, but you ignored it. There were more important things to focus on right now.

"I never wanted to leave you. I felt at home with you, but I had to go anyway. I had to... I didn't want to..." you trailed off as your voice cracked, causing you to tear up. He furrowed, worry etched on his face.

He wanted to pull you into his arms and rest your head gently against his shoulder, but he restrained himself. There was too much you still weren't ready for yet.

"You were my home." You whispered, your heart aching. "But you'd be too far away… because my parents wanted me to go to study abroad. They wanted me to follow the family lead and become a great hero like them. They pressured me to move away from everyone I cared about and take risks I wasn't comfortable taking. I- I didn't want to. But it was expensive for them, so I agreed, but that didn't mean I wasn't going to miss you every day!" You explained yourself through quiet sobs and sniffs.

He swallowed thickly as your hand brushed against his, and your fingers wrapped themselves around the hand he had clenched into a fist.

"My family... they had their reasons." You said. "But I didn't. I had no reason, and they pushed me and pushed me until it became painful to be where I didn't want to be." You laughed bitterly, your gaze blurry with tears as it drifted to the floor. "It sounds so stupid now. But I was young and couldn't choose for myself. So I stayed there until I could choose wherever I wanted to be on my own."

Your lips quivered as you struggled with your tears. "I'm so sorry." You said. "I'm sorry for leaving you. I'm sorry it took me so long to realize how much you meant to me and for taking me so long to act on it. Sorry for coming back so late." You wiped at the tears falling from your eyes as they spilled uncontrollably down your cheeks. "I'm sorry."

Silence fell upon the two of you afterward; your breathing became uneven due to how emotional you both were. Neither of you had realized just how close you were sitting until you found yourselves practically pressed against each other's side.

Aizawa's attempts on holding back his feelings during all of these years caused him to break down in front of you – and this was the last thing he planned to do when he knocked at your door a few minutes ago. 

He didn't even bother wiping his tears away as you broke into uncontrollable sobs, finally burying your head against his shirt.

He didn't expect this, and neither did you. He was too shocked to react as the two of you cried together, but once you relaxed into him, he hugged you tighter than ever, burying his face in the crook of your neck, closing his eyes as he inhaled your so missed scent.

It almost felt unreal to him, having you in his arms like this once again. He didn't remember the last time the two of you hugged each other this tightly.

Tight enough that it felt like he could feel the way your heart pounded wildly against your chest as if it needed air.

All this time, he thought he was alone in this world. And he had convinced himself about it.

Because you did let him. Even though it wasn't intentional, even if you didn't want to hurt him. 

And when you were younger, when you knew you would have to leave for good, you gave in, deciding to put a small piece of yourself in the past without a care, pushing him away from you. 

But you didn't do it the right way. He thought he had done something wrong, or that you had grown bored of him, causing you to leave him.

That was why his dumb young self thought you had found someone else. That's why he was rude to you the day you had planned to tell him why you were so distant. 

But his thoughts made sense inside his head, especially considering how you acted towards him. You were suddenly so cold. So not like yourself.

The sad truth is, after everything he said and done to you at that night, he deserved nothing but the coldest, most brutal treatment you could give him right now.

But instead, he was receiving a warm, caring, loving embrace. Something so sweet that reminded him vividly of how things used to be.

"I'm sorry." He whispered, tears still dripping down his face. "For not being there for you and assuming so much from you. I shouldn't have done that." He added, pulling back just enough to make eye contact with you.

You chuckled softly before shaking your head, leaning forward. "There's no need for apologizing. I don't blame you for anything anymore." You said truthfully. He looked at you from the corner of his eye, giving you a reluctant nod. He still felt guilty anyway.

And it seemed like fate knew that you both needed comfort right now, so it decided to grant you what you needed.

"Shota," you started, your voice sounding softer this time.

You looked at him directly into his eyes, your gaze holding a pleading you weren't even aware you were wearing on your face.

"Can I kiss you?" You asked.

You were surprised by how quickly his body reacted to your request, his lips immediately connecting with yours. His hands then gripped onto your waist, bringing you closer to him.

His tongue soon invaded your mouth as he kissed you passionately, almost desperate. And you let him, not bothering to push him away. You missed his kisses. You longed for how he always felt so secure against you. You missed him. 

A small part of him thought this was a bad idea, that you would push him away again. But as he pulled back, you grabbed his shirt, tugging him into another kiss. One he returned with equal ardor. 

You pulled away slowly after a few minutes, your foreheads resting against each other as you caught your breath. You both stared into each other's eyes for a while as your smiles faded into grins – one of joy, happiness, and relief.

That kiss was only one step closer to healing, and even though your relationship hadn't recovered yet, you knew that everything would work out eventually.

You both knew it. You both wanted it. And it was enough for both of you.

And now, you were just relieved that he forgave you, knowing it was all worth it.

Then, he nuzzled your nose with his own before capturing your lips again. And you returned the favor tenderly, wrapping your arms around his neck, pulling him closer.

He held onto you firmly, and you couldn't help but smile into the kiss, content as he held you in his arms, feeling safe for the first time since you left that night.

A faint smile appeared on your lips after you pulled away, gazing at him.

"I'm glad to be home." You whispered before your smile widened a little more.

And Shota smiled brightly just as well, reaching forward to brush a stray lock of hair behind your ear, cupping your cheek with his palm afterward.

"Welcome home." He said back. "Thank you for coming back."

[universalistotalis]

Stiff That You Love

Ushijima Wakatoshi (Timeskip!) x Female reader

Masterlist!!!

You never thought you'd see him again. You almost choked on the truffle pasta that you ordered in this café when a certain beautiful giant waved and made his way to you.

"Holy damn." You whispered underneath your breath as his strides made their way towards your table. You knew he was already a show stopper back then, but now???!

You were so sure everyone would drop dead at the sight of him.

"Hi." He greeted with his deep voice. "Do you still remember me?"

Surprise filled your expression at his question but you smiled politely and nodded your head. "How could I forget? How are you Ushijima?"

You swore you saw a glint of relief and excitement in his eyes but it immediately wavered as he motioned to the chair in front of you.

"May I?" He asked again, holding the back of the chair.

Is he really going to sit here with me?!

"Sure, of course." Your voice squeaked at the feeling of your heart bursting out of your chest. His greeting was enough to kick the air out of your lungs but a whole conversation?! You didn't know how long you would last in his ever- intimidating presence.

-

It was already the last year in college and you were so determined to graduate with latin honors. Every single minute of your life, you dedicated it to studies, friends and family. They were all that mattered. And so you stayed until the wee hours at certain café spots around the university or at the library inside the campus. You went to meet up with friends during the weekends only for a simple dinner or lunch. You called your family members every chance you get during free time. That was your life. And you were content.

But then this boy came in to the picture.

"You will be partnered together and I shall assign the pair. Make sure you finish the written output, video presentation, and oral defense at the end of the semester." Those were the words of your professor during one of your classes before yours and his name were called out together.

You swore it was fate. Romance was really not in the forefront of your mind but as they say, "You'll find it best when you're not looking".

AND MY GOD WERE YOU SO WRONG!

This man named Ushijima Wakatoshi who came out from nowhere, looking as good they come, had no ounce of romance nor funny bone in his muscular body. He was the most dense, most serious, most infuriating man you've ever met in your whole life!!! He was a whole perfectionist, always so blunt at his comments about the outputs that you showed him. He was also so strict with the deadlines, not considering that you had other classes than this that had much more weight and importance.

You were so close to giving up but...

"Y/n?" You knew that voice only belonged to the certain antagonist in your story right now.

Your hands trembled as you wiped the tears streaming down your face after your meeting together at the library.

"Ushijima, hey!" You pretended to be your usual chirpy self as you turned around to face him.

It was already late so the lights surrounding the university casted an unworldly glow on his face. He was always so breathtaking no matter where you put him but damn those looks! He was just as heartless.

"Are you alright?" He asked with a worried tone.

"I'm fine. I'll be going home now. See you next week." You excused yourself.

"Wait." His cold fingers caught your arm and that made you stop your tracks.

"Is there a problem, Wakatoshi?"

He bowed his head before slowly releasing you in his grip. "I wanted to apologize for my behavior."

"W-what?" You wanted to make sure if what your ears heard was right. He does not seem the type to apologize.

You heard another deep sigh as he looked at you. "I've always been told that I come off too much to others. I didn't realize it until recently when one of my friends told me."

"Oh, well..."

"I'll try to be better though. I'll be more careful from now on. And I'm really sorry if I ever hurt your feelings in the past." He said with all seriousness that you can't help but sigh and just nod.

"You can be really mean sometimes." You agreed and chuckled, letting a tear escape your eyes.

"You've been crying." He stated flatly as if he was reciting a trivia. "I'm still so sorry."

You giggled. "Yeah, I forgive you. Anyway, it's getting late, Wakatoshi. We have to head home."

"I'll walk you home." He said with a finality in his voice. You were again, surprised by his actions but just agreed because this was such a draining day.

And as you were nearing where you stayed, you were again surprised at how comforting his presence was.

--

You did find his presence after that night relaxing. He became more tactful and he started to insert jokes during your meetings which shocked you so much the first time that he felt a little offended. You became such close friends that his team mates in volleyball were again, shocked that he managed to get a friend outside the team. It was just a matter of getting used to, you thought to yourself. He's just so honest, mechanical, and straightforward to a fault and you got to master how to tell him off when needed. He also developed to trust you so whenever he needed advice, he would always go to you and trust your honest words.

Looking at him now, it made your heart warm at how far he'd come. It's amazing to have known him then. To have seen how he grew as an athlete, a student, and a person. He may still be a little stiff but that's just the Wakatoshi you've come to love.

"Soo..." He started while sitting back down again after claiming his coffee from the counter. "I am not disturbing you, am I?" He pointed at the laptop and papers next to you.

You laughed. "Not at all! I finished them anyway."

"How have you been then?" He asked. His elbows were resting on the table and his hands were holding on to the cup of coffee. The sight was a little funny considering his giant built was leaned onto a very small table.

You smiled gently. "I've been good! I got the job that I dreamed of having and I own some businesses too. Ho--"

"Your eyes sparkle the same way." He cut off.

"What?" You asked, surprised at his random comment.

"Your eyes..." He pointed out. "They sparkle the same way they did in college when you were talking about something you like."

"How did you notice that?" You laughed.

"I'm known to be observant." He smirked slightly, taking a sip of his coffee.

"Okay, Mr. Oh-So-Observant, how are your matches going? I've been tuning in since the first tournament and it looks like you're going to the semi- finals!" You cheered not hiding your pride and excitement for the country's national volleyball team. When you searched on how to watch the live games, you insisted that you were there to cheer for the country and definitely NOT to cheer and simp for a certain brown- haired, serious player. Definitely NOT!

"You've been watching our games?" He asked, eyes slightly widening at the thought of you cheering for him. What he didn't know was that you were always watching his games since college, not missing even one match. You were always there, crying at how proud you were of him. Also, crying at how much he could never be yours.

"Of course, I have, silly!" You chuckled and pointed at your laptop. "I've been watching here and you're just so amazing and strong!"

He suddenly paused at your statement, silently raising a brow at you and smiling softly.

"I- I meant that your whole team is amazing and strong." You clarified, a blush automatically painting the whole of your face and ears.

"Would you like to go tomorrow?" He blinked, setting down his cup on the wooden surface. "To the game, I mean?"

Your eyes widened at his offer. "Are you serious?!"

He chuckled at your reaction. "Of course! We're allowed to bring spectators for the games, I'll just give you the tickets."

"Wow, Ushijima, thank you so much! It's an honor!" You chimed excitedly, jumping a little on your chair.

"The honor's mine." He replied, grinning at you.

He already knew back then that you were one of a kind. No one ever really stayed and tried to understand his demeanor and personality but you did. You were so honest and kind and you always knew what to do or say to keep him at ease. You accepted him for who he was and he's so thankful to have met such a beautiful soul. Even when you were doing nothing, even when you're just sitting across this table from him, without you knowing, you already made up his entire exhausting day. Hell, you made up all those exhausting years of not seeing each other since you two graduated. He suddenly imagined if being with you would always be like this. So peaceful and just pure bliss...

"You've got to be shitting on me! Is that Ushiwaka?" The pair sitting next to the glass walls of the café was oblivious of the red- haired tower and group of men walking past the street. All of them were wearing coats and casual attires as they're planning to go for lunch at their favorite restaurant for a little reunion. The all powerful Shiratorizawa Volleyball Team, headed by Ushijima in high school, cowered like puppies at the name of their captain being mentioned.

"Where?!" Goshiki stopped and shielded himself from an invisible force. "He said he couldn't make it!"

"I guess our baby's growing up, look!" Tendou hummed and pointed at the two of you laughing and looking at each other with heart eyes. "I bet they don't know that they're shooting hearts at each other."

"I never thought he could smile like that." Semi whispered.

"Yeah well, he's been crushing on that girl since college." Tendou filled the silent wonder of the whole group. "That's why she looked familiar! He kept sending me photos of them together studying or something..."

"Studying, my ass!" Shirabu laughed as they continued staring and hiding behind a post at the same time.

They all burst out laughing and again Tendou chuckled. "No seriously, they were studying!"

"Yeah well, they look good together. I hope he'd have the balls to ask her out. Please god!" Goshiki put his hands together as if seriously praying.

"Bet you 10, 000 yen, we'd be attending his wedding two years from now." Semi challenged.

"Nah, I'll go with a year." Tendou offered.

The men casted their bets on how long you and Ushijima would get married. They knew their captain so well to be sure enough that he was serious with you. Safe to say, Semi won the bet.

--

Reblogs are appreciated! <3

[whereisten]

Porcelain

A Yangyang fic that’s part of our Halloween Series! 

Summary: After a falling out with your friends, you wander into a forest and find a mysterious mansion with an even more mysterious inhabitant, Yangyang. 

Pairing: rich boy!Yangyang x female reader 

Genre: romance, fluff, fantasy, mystery, suspense, drama

Word Count: 7k

Warnings: Violence

(A/N): hey y’all! So the timing for posting this story worked out so well because it’s Yangyang’s birthday (in America!) :D Anyway, this is our second story for our Halloween Series for NCT 2020 and we hope you enjoy!  I’m so excited to be writing for one of my biases. I know my writing needs a lot of work but I hope you guys enjoy it. Yangyang is precious. Stan Yangyang, y’all. Shoutout to Krys for inspiring me everyday and for proofreading my story! You are my rock!

_______

It was October 10, the day in which your small town came together for a big bonfire to celebrate the fall season. Your town of Celestial was known for celebrating something every week but the atmosphere was always special at this time of the year. Classes ended for the week and your friends were excited to go to a party in the woods.

Unfortunately for you, you were abandoned off the side of the road after having a falling out with your friends Dowoon and Sana for blowing off the mayor’s son’s party. You’d recently been rebuffed by him in the senior hallway. Your rejection was followed by your classmates mocking you all day long. You wouldn’t be caught dead at Peter’s party. And you were especially in no mood to put up with your friends’ preference for a good party over their recently spurned friend’s feelings.

You said screw them but they would probably end up screwing each other anyway. They were platonic but their drunken hookups always said otherwise. So sometimes you felt like a third wheel. Which was also why you didn’t want to go. You wanted a new experience this spooky season. And you were probably getting one now that you were 2 miles outside of town. Damn your pride. Dowoon and Sana insisted you get back in the car but the driver, the school quarterback, quickly drove them off. What a sense of community, you thought.

It was freezing in Celestial at this time of year so you were layered up, saving your pair of ruby red mittens for last. The overcast sky appeared to promise snowfall. If not for tonight, the snow would surely fall tomorrow

You knew this area well enough to walk back into town but as you took a few steps forward, you noticed smoke in the distance. Like it was coming from a chimney.

That was odd, you thought. Who lived on this side of town?

As you walked in the direction of the smoke, you moved past the dense evergreen trees and before you knew it, you stumbled upon a mansion out of an old-time movie. Dating back to at most the 1800s. The mansion was a Renaissance chateau, big and domineering. Something that could’ve made Celestial a tourist destination like Asheville had with the Biltmore Estate.

How was it possible that anyone could live here, you thought. Surely, this would be the talk of the town if anyone knew. And if it was off-limits, it would’ve certainly kept the town on their toes.

The mansion was quiet and there was no trace of movement or inhabitants. Then again, it was large so you could be incorrect. The chateau’s main entrance was big and made of the most pristine marble. The only thing missing was a moat. There were several fountains in the entrance. The water froze due to the colder weather. You didn’t understand how you could keep moving forward. You didn’t know this place. You didn’t know who could be inside. But you found yourself taking steps up to the massive double doors. Your hand moved to the doorknob and turned it over. The door creaked open and without a second thought, you walked in.

The door slammed shut behind you but you weren’t afraid. In fact, you were mesmerized by the atmosphere of the mansion. From the outside the mansion looked preserved like a fine piece of art in a high-surveillance museum: cold and unwelcoming and way out of your price range. But on the inside, it felt...warm and bright. It felt like home. It smelled of cinnamon and freshly baked bread.

You walked through the entryway and found everything illuminated by candle light. There was no indication of light from the outside. It was almost as if the real goings-on were hidden from the outside world.  

There were shoes at the entrance. You took your boots off to not track dirt into the residence. Winter coats were hung up on the coat rack. You hang your coat up as well. There was a half-full cup of tea that was beside the sofa of the sitting room. You admired the interior: the expansive first floor library, the dining room table that sat seven, the pristine kitchen area, the music room...

As you stood in the doorway of the music room, you heard the sounds of a violin playing a somber but sweet melody. Rather than grow alarmed, you longed to find the source, thinking that whatever it was could only bring you joy.

The music room was massive, with a skylight in the shape of a spade on the ceiling. The sunset colors of the sky never looked more stunning than they did at that moment.  A grand piano lay at the center. You longed to touch it but something inside you warned you against it. Instruments of all kinds were splayed across the area. But there was no violin in sight.

When you turned around to continue exploring the mansion, that was when you found the source of the music.

A boy about your age stood before you with his violin rested against his collarbone. He continued to play as he smiled knowingly at you. He had straight brown hair that nearly fell into his warm brown eyes. He donned a black tuxedo that was more regal than modern. His eyes crinkled as he watched you, delighted to meet such a beautiful stranger.

You nearly jumped at his presence. “Who…are you?”

Quirking an eyebrow, he replied as he continued playing, “I should be asking you that. You’ve broken into our home.”

“Our?” You asked.

He shook his head. “What brings you here, miss?”

You knew you’d been caught doing something you weren’t supposed to  but you couldn’t help it. This place called out to you and you’d hoped you could stay longer. But it looked like your time was up. You lamely said, “I…need to borrow your phone.”

He shook his head. “I’m afraid I don’t know what you’re referring to. What’s this ‘phone’ you speak of?” His refined voice was not like that of the locals. He sounded well-traveled, worldly. But definitely from a long time ago. 

The more you spoke to this young man, the more you realized that he didn’t sound like he lived in the same century as you.

You frowned. “You don’t know what a phone is? Come on, you’re kidding, aren’t you?”

He halted from playing and gave you a look. “Tell me. What is a phone?”

“…It’s a device that lets you speak to someone who isn’t with you…” You attempted an explanation that was as eloquent as possible, thinking that if you spoke in a more refined tone, he would get what you were saying. Where on earth could this boy have been from to not know what a phone is? He really sounded like someone from a century past.

“Like a medium?” He asked as he set his violin down in its case. He put his hands in his pockets as he walked slowly back to you. Your breathing stalled as his face was mere inches from yours. He was indeed very handsome. His high cheekbones. His glorious tan skin. A pearly white set of teeth. His legs were dangerously long as he faced you.

Your face warmed up and you hoped he couldn’t tell. You backed away as you locked your eyes on the piano instead. “No…It’s like if I were two miles away from here and you needed to get a hold of me, you could use a phone to contact me on another phone. It’s an electronic device.”

He nodded. “Oh, I’ve heard of those…My family and I could not acquire them, unfortunately.” His expression became sad, longing.

Hearing his defeated voice, you turned to him. “Oh, I’m sorry. Why is that?”

He looked at you, defeated. “I’d rather not say, miss…”

“Y/n,” you answered.

“Y/n,” he replied, liking the sound of your name.

“It’s okay,” you replied, “I should probably go…I’ve overstayed my welcome, sir….Your name?”

“Yangyang,” he answered, anticipating the sound of his name off of your lips.

“Yangyang…Would it be possible to get a ride back into town? I can pay you for your trouble.”

He smiled apologetically. “My sincerest apologies but I’ve no means to take you.”

“Oh…” It was all you could say.

You felt a small pang of worry at the pit of your stomach, especially now that night had fallen. Perhaps, you could make your way back into town if Yangyang offered you a torch. He would have that much, at the very least.

“It’s dangerous to go out on your own at this time of night, y/n…” He said, quietly. It was a little eerie that he read your mind at that moment.

“I know. I’m such a fool…I couldn’t borrow my father’s phone for the night so I have no way of calling anyone…I…just couldn’t help myself when I walked in here…” You said as you looked around the music room. “It was like…”

“Something pulled you in,” he finished.

“Yes, exactly.”

Yangyang began, “I know it’s out of turn for me to say this but I can offer you a room to stay in for the night…Then, you can make your way back into town in the morning.”

You were beyond lucky your parents weren’t home for the weekend. Otherwise, they’d be worried sick. But even so…How could you say yes to a total stranger? Even if you were only a few miles out of town, you didn’t know Yangyang. You didn’t know what his intentions could be.

Another part of you told you to trust him. Because what would you do in the woods at night? You couldn’t account for the wolves or the other creatures of the night. You didn’t know who else could linger in the woods.

As far as you could tell, Yangyang was an odd but attractive guy. And if he was offering a separate space for you to sleep in, then you should take it.

_______

There was a snowstorm in a matter of minutes when Yangyang escorted you upstairs. How odd for it to be snowing in early October, you thought. You rejoiced over how your jerk of a crush's party was a bust. You wondered if Sana and Dowoon made it home safely. You wondered if they worried about you now. After they left you in the middle of the road.

Maybe you should stop being friends with them. You felt like you were more disappointed in them with each passing week. You wondered when they would do something for you. It always seemed to fall on you to pick them up from parties and cover for them when their parents called your house when they went to a 21+ club. You just wanted a simple night in to watch a movie and share ghost stories. Maybe they didn’t want to do those things anymore.

You wouldn’t say they grew up but maybe...the three of you just grew apart.

You pushed thoughts of them to the back of your mind as Yangyang stood in front of an ornate door, decorated with flower engravings, painted in several colors. The initials at the bottom were “W.T.”.

Yangyang pulled a set of keys out of his pocket and unlocked the door for you. He handed the set of golden keys to you. “These are yours for the duration of your stay. You can trust no one will come in...Unless it be your wish, y/n.”

He dropped the keys into your hands. “Thank you,” you whispered.

Yangyang smiled. “You are welcome. Supper will be ready in an hour. I’ll come for you when it is time.”

You couldn’t look at him for too long without your eyes burning. He was too radiant. Too beautiful. Almost otherworldly. You looked down at your socks as you entered the room. You shut it gently behind you.

You locked the door from the inside, trusting that Yangyang gave you the only set. You took a sigh of relief as you took in the bedroom.

This had to be a mistake, you thought.

This had to be the master room. It felt like you were in a 19th century penthouse suite, if such a thing had existed. Your room for the night started with a fireplace and a sitting area. When you walked past it, you entered the study area that was bigger than the first floor of your house. You had a massive walk-in closet filled with gowns and shoes of every color. You even had a room full of fine jewelry on display, including tiaras studded with diamonds. Your mouth remained open as you walked through the “bedroom”.

You shouldn’t have access to any of these things. For they must have belonged to someone. Why would Yangyang let you sleep in here?

Lastly, as your heart couldn’t take anymore, the bedroom was plush and luxurious. The carpet embraced the soles of your feet. After resisting the urge to touch everything else in the bedroom, you allowed yourself to sit on the king-sized bed.

Sleeping in this bed would’ve compensated for all of the all-nighters you’ve pulled in your life. It was a shame you wouldn’t be able to sleep that night, though.

You were many things. Naive, innocent, studious, and quite impulsive at times. But you weren’t about to fall asleep in a stranger’s home.

Half an hour passed as you washed up and warmed up by the fireplace.

Yangyang knocked at your door. You thought it odd that he would be escorting you down himself. Shouldn’t he have servants, living in a place like this?

You opened the door and Yangyang stared at you in shock.

“What?” You frowned. You looked exactly the same as you did when you first met him, he realized.

“Were none of the gowns to your liking?” Yangyang asked, genuinely confused.

You did a double take. “What? Oh, no, I couldn’t possibly...Those aren’t mine. I don’t want to take advantage of your hospitality. No more than I already have.”

Yangyang was stunned at your decision. He thought you would have tried on all of the dresses in the past half hour and don the diamond tiara with golden accents...But no...The suite he’d given you was relatively untouched. You were certainly a woman of your word. You would’ve looked stunning in the red sleeveless dress, he thought. He snapped out of it and said, “No matter. You had the option...That’s why I gave you this room. Everything within these mansion walls is at your disposal.”

You laughed. “You’ve done more than enough for me so don’t worry. Now...can we go eat? I really can’t turn down a meal.” You hadn’t eaten since breakfast.

Yangyang laughed at your candor. “Of course.”

As you walked down the grand wooden staircase, you could hear more people in the house. You heard chairs being pulled, laughter, clinking of glasses, and the piano being played.

You turned to Yangyang. “Who...”

Yangyang replied, “My brothers will be joining us for supper.”

“Oh,” you said, surprised. When you entered, you were shocked enough that Yangyang was there. Who knew more people resided here? Up until now, it was so quiet that you could probably hear a pin drop.

That, and Yangyang’s violin. Which you longed to hear again.

You felt quite underdressed upon meeting Yangyang’s brothers in the dining room, which boasted a lot of paintings and miniature statues to the men who stood before you. There was another grand piano in the dining area, where one of Yangyang’s brothers sat and played a lively piece. Three of the brothers were laughing about an anecdote that the tallest of the group told. The final two men sat as...to your surprise, servants finished setting the dining table, lighting the flames of the candles in the center. The servants’ dresses had turned up collars with plain neckties. Yangyang’s brothers all donned suits of dark reds, blues, and grays. They looked like members of a royal family.

At the sight of you, the music stopped and all of the men started moving towards you and Yangyang.

“Yangyang, an introduction is in order,” the pianist asked as he got up from his seat.

“Brothers, this is y/n. She is staying with us before she returns to town in the morning,” Yangyang said, the humor in his voice when he spoke with you vanished. He moved closer to you, you noticed.

The pianist asked for your hand and kissed it. “Enchanted to meet you, y/n. I am Wei Kun, the oldest of the Wei children.”

You coughed, a little shocked at how forward Kun was. It was a culture shock to you. Most boys thought they were too damn special to ever make eye contact with you.

You shook hands with the other brothers. They were all very happy to see you. But you couldn’t quite place what kind of joy it was so you remained on your toes.

“Please, sit,” Winwin said as he led you to the seat right next to the head of the table. Kun sat down at the head of the table and smiled at you. The rest of the brothers joined you.

The servants began to bring out the drinks and the first course. Ten was about to sit next to you when Yangyang immediately claimed the seat.

“Calm down, brother,” Ten said, “It won’t do you harm to let her sit beside someone other than you.”

Yangyang remained in his seat. “She is my guest.”

Ten chuckled as he sat across from you. “So y/n, what brings you to this neck of the woods?”

A servant poured a glass of water for you. “Thank you,” you replied and tried to meet her eyes.

The servant quickly turned away and headed to the kitchen, you assumed. That was odd.

“Well,” you continued, “My friends and I were going to a party in the woods. We got into a fight and I got out of the car that was on the road not too far from here…”

“A car?” Xiaojun frowned, his bold eyebrows furrowed. He took a bite of his salad.

So these men didn’t know phones or cars... “Oh...Well, they’re these machines that can transport people from place to place…”

“Like a carriage?” Yangyang offered.

“Ah.” The rest of the boys said in realization.

You nodded as you drank your water, “Yes, but it runs on gasoline.”

The boys were amazed at your tales about modern technology. You went into as much detail as you could about phones and cars. The boys were an odd bunch. It was almost as if they never left this house.

Although it seemed like that, they told you tales of their travels to Asia, South America, and Europe. They told you about their cultural expeditions and their visits to the natural wonders of the world. Ten, the painter of the family, motioned to the paintings you’d seen earlier. They were paintings of places like Machu Picchu, the Colosseum, and the Parthenon. They were paintings of the places they visited. They were so vivid and lifelike. Ten was an incredible painter. Talent ran in the family, that was a sure thing. You were as much in awe of their tales. You were thankful the spotlight wasn’t on you like you’d expected, being the sole stranger of this household.

You enjoyed the salad, the tomato soup, the roasted duck, and the dessert, which happened to be your favorite: strawberry shortcake.

“Would you care for another slice?” Yangyang asked in a whisper as the other boys talked. He noticed your face come alive at the first bite of the cake.

You nearly choked on the last bite of your slice. You must have looked gluttonous to him. You should’ve eaten slower, you thought. You must have not been very ladylike at that moment. You shook your head. “That’s alright. Thank you. Everything was delicious.”

Yangyang looked at you once again in confusion. You clearly wanted another slice so why weren’t you asking for it, he asked himself. “Very well…” He murmured.

Lucas got up from the table. “Well, Yangyang, the boys and I will retire early...Although we wish you would let us be in y/n’s company…”

Yangyang quickly replied, “Good evening, brothers.”

They all pouted but wished you a good evening.

You laughed. “Your brothers are a lot of fun.”

Yangyang scoffed. “That’s one word for them. The minute they caught wind that I had a visitor, they insisted on joining us for dinner. I am so sorry, y/n. You must have been overwhelmed.”

You shook your head. “It’s nice to know that it isn’t just you in this house.”

Yangyang was stunned at your words. You were so...kind. Thinking of others, always. Thinking of him, basically a total stranger. You were as kind as you were trusting. It made his heart ache.

He pulled your seat back for you. He offered his arm. “Are you tired?”

Exhausted, actually. But once again, you were in a stranger’s house. And now that you knew he wasn’t alone, you wanted to be more on guard.

“Nope...I am wide awake.” You smiled as you took his arm. He was warm to the touch. The electricity ran between both of you.

Yangyang laughed. “What would you like to do, y/n?”

“I’d like to hear you play,” you said.

He was shocked at your honesty. He liked when you expressed yourself honestly most of all.

It was the truth, you thought. Frankly, it was part of your ruse to stay up as late as possible but if Yangyang could keep you entertained, it would certainly help a lot.

And truly, you could listen to his violin for hours.

_______

Back in the music room, you sat on the couch, serving as Yangyang’s audience. He loosened his tie and took off his jacket, setting it aside on a chair. He rolled up the sleeves of his dress shirt.

He warmed up his hands and fingers for a few minutes before he tuned the strings of his violin. His fingers were so elegant and slender. The veins of his arms protruded as he flexed his hands. He looked so focused and determined and just unbelievably beautiful. The violin was an extension of his heavenly hands. This was the most attractive he’d ever been. You bit your lip.

You told yourself to calm down, for he was a complete stranger.

Sure, up until this point, he gave you the bedroom of your dreams. A dinner that nearly brought you to tears from the flavor and comfort it gave you. And he was playing his beloved instrument for you...But you couldn’t get attached so quickly.

He couldn’t meet your gaze because the look in your eyes made him feel something he wasn’t prepared to acknowledge. Time had slipped quickly and his heart was deceiving him when it shouldn’t have.

“So...what will you be playing first?” You asked. How many songs could you get out of him before you both retired to your rooms?

Yangyang grinned excitedly. “An original I’ve been working on...I finished composing it today.”

“Really? Today?” You asked.

He gave you the knowing smile he had the moment you met him. “You helped me finish it.”

“Is that so? Well, I’m ready when you are.” You smiled, about to kick your legs up like an overly excited schoolgirl.

“The piece is called ‘Found’,” Yangyang said as he positioned his bow against the strings and began.

Yangyang was truly an otherworldly being, especially under the skylight. The snowstorm was long gone and only the moonlight shone down on him. His skin illuminated like porcelain. His sculpted face tilted as he immersed himself in his song.

You realized the song was the piece he played when you entered the music room the first time. The song was somber at first. The notes were low and left you feeling down. Yangyang’s face was so melancholic at the start of the song. However, as he continued, the notes became lighter and freer, picking up towards the end, signifying hope. Your heart swayed with each three-note chord he played.

You weren’t entirely sure of the story behind the song but meeting you must not have been a low point of his day.

You clapped for Yangyang. “I loved it! It’s...too beautiful to be called merely beautiful...You are so talented.”

Yangyang’s cheeks were now a rosy pink. He bowed for you. “Thank you.”

You laughed giddily. You wished you could’ve recorded this performance, you longed to keep it with you for the rest of your life.

Yangyang continued playing his original pieces. He was truly gifted in his craft. His compositions were nothing to sneeze at. He should be a world-famous musician with all of the work he’d done.

As he played, he would meet your eyes and give you a little smile. You could watch him for hours. He could play for you for hours.

You two were in this perfect little bubble, then. Reality didn’t take effect. It was divine.

Yangyang’s hands grew tired and after his last song, he sat beside you.

“You look sleepy, y/n,” he noted, “Did my performance actually bore you?” He mocked taking offense.

You fought a yawn but couldn’t let it escape you so turned away from him. You lifted a finger and told him to wait.

You let out a yawn, trying not to be noisy. Yes, you were tired. A long day at school, a falling out with your friends, and an evening at the Wei Mansion did its number on you.

You faced Yangyang again. “I’m wide awake.”

Yangyang lifted an eyebrow in skepticism. “Perhaps you would like  something to drink?”

You nodded. “Something warm...Would hot cocoa be possible?”

“Absolutely. It’s a staple at this household this time of year,” he said.

He offered his hand to you and you took it. Both of you were taken aback by how immediate you were to hold hands but neither of you let go as Yangyang led you into the kitchen.

In the kitchen, he tended to you. The servants were nowhere in sight. The mansion felt like it had when you first came in: empty.

It felt like you two were the only people in this house, a world in itself.

He poured you a cup of cocoa he made and you were in love. The cocoa tasted amazing. You drank it slowly, savoring every sip.

You shivered a little from the cold that creeped into the mansion. Yangyang left for a moment and returned with a blanket. He wrapped it around you.

It was plush and made of the softest material you could ever imagine. If you snuggled too much against it, you would fall asleep right then and there.

But your energy started picking up again...It must have been the cocoa.

“We can go into the library...I’ll start up the fire.” Yangyang offered as he drank his cup of cocoa.

It seemed Yangyang was eager to stay awake with you, you thought.

“Aren’t you tired?” You asked.

He looked up from his cup. “What?”

“You don’t have to force yourself to stay up with me. I’m the one who can’t sleep.”

Yangyang knew you were keeping yourself awake on purpose. He knew you didn’t completely trust him or this house. Slowly, however, you opened yourself up to him and he was quite fond of you. He wanted to be by your side for the night. He didn’t know why exactly but he just did.

He met your gaze. “I hope it is not too forward of me to say this...But I want to remain at your side.”

You looked down, flattered at his words. Then, you mustered your courage and met his unwavering stare. “Okay.”

The truth was, you felt safer with Yangyang. And you couldn’t lie to yourself: you liked him. He was kind, attentive, charming, and a wonderful musician. The moment you met him made you forget all of your troubles...if only for a moment.

You two walked into the dome-shaped library. It was bigger than any commercial bookstore. You wondered how old the family’s collection was.

Yangyang started the fire at the fireplace by the reading couches. He motioned for you to take a seat.

You sat down and nearly sank into the couch. It was so comfortable. You were living in the lap of luxury.

“Y/n, are you alright?” Yangyang asked.

You laughed. “Yeah...why?”

“Your eyes rolled to the back of your head,” he said, smiling confusedly.

You laughed again. “It’s because this couch is the most comfortable thing I’ve ever sat on.”

Yangyang smiled and shook his head. “The simplest things please you.”

“Nothing about this house is simple,” you said.

He shook his head, smiling at you and picked up a book off of the shelf. He scanned the title and the summary. “What do you like to read, y/n?”

You answered, “Horror.”

Yangyang’s eyes widened. “Really?”

You nodded. “Yes. I like the suspense and the kinds of creatures the writers come up with.”

Yangyang was wrong to assume you were a romance kind of girl. He’d hoped to woo you with some Shakespeare. He took it in stride and put the book he had back on the shelf. He took a rolling step ladder and positioned it farther away from you. He got up on the steps and picked up another book off the shelf.

“It’s called ‘The Mysterious Mansion’,” he said, biting back a laugh.

“How fitting,” you said, laughing.

You and Yangyang shared a couch as you took turns reading to each other. The story was dark and twisted but got your heart racing.

Well, maybe Yangyang’s being so close to you may have had something to do with it.

The hours pass and you finish off the last page. Yangyang leaned against the other end of the couch and simply watched you. He loved the sound of your voice and the way it cracked.

He gave you a glass of water to relax your voice. He loved how your eyes scanned word for word. The crease between your eyes as you interpreted the author’s words. But you kept on reading aloud. He’d read “The Mysterious Mansion’ several times but this time was his favorite reread.

You could hear Yangyang talk forever when you heard him read the passages. His voice was soothing and full of wonder. The grin on his face right before he read a twist to the story. The crinkle of his nose when he laughed at your reactions. He’d become a friend.

A friend you wanted to kiss.

This was the most fun you’d ever had. This cold October night with this enchanting young man. You kinda wished it would never end but you were still resolved to...Stay...awake…

Your eyes grew heavy and you curled yourself against the couch. You pulled the blanket tighter around you.

Yangyang realized you were drifting. He quickly moved over to you and shook you awake.

You two had stayed up all night and it was nearing daybreak. And he had to move fast.

“Y/n!” He yelled to wake you up.

You grumbled. “What?”

“Please wake up. You need to leave right now,” Yangyang demanded.

You rubbed your eyes and snapped out of it. How the hell did you almost fall asleep, you fool, you thought to yourself. The alarm in Yangyang’s voice also was a cause for concern. “What’s wrong?” You asked.

He shook his head rampantly. “There’s no time to explain. Do you have everything?”

You nodded. “I have to get my coat and boots at the entrance.”

Yangyang grabbed your hand and you both ran towards the entrance. You put your coat and boots on. Yangyang did the same and he nearly dragged you out the door. You quickly moved down the staircase and set foot on the dewy grass. Yangyang kept his foot on the last step of the staircase.

The sky overhead was mostly black but shades of oranges, pinks, and red were breathing through. Dawn was imminent.

That was when you realized you had no mittens. You’d left them in the bedroom.

Yangyang noticed your bare hands. He pulled off his royal blue mittens and slipped them onto your hands.

“You don’t have to-“ You started.

“I want you to have them. A fair trade. Yours for mine?” He smiled.

He squeezed your hands before he let them go.

“Thank you...for tonight, Yangyang,” you said. Even though it was through the weather and the night that you had no other choice, you had a magical night with a boy who was so wonderful, he must’ve been out of a classic novel. He’d treated you like a friend and listened to you: about what you wanted to do and what you liked. You’d wished you could’ve gotten to know him more but you appreciated that he listened to you attentively.

You were sad the night had ended but you’d succeeded in staying up nearly the whole night at least. You were meant to leave now. You’d overstayed your welcome and you needed to get home. That was the most important thing.

Yangyang moved closer to you and moved some hair away from your face. He touched your cheek with the back of his hand. Once again, you both did something with no thought.

You got up on the staircase and kissed him. He pulled you in to deepen the kiss. He picked you up off the ground as he continuously took your breath away.

But as quickly as this piece of utter bliss started, it quickly ended.

He let you go and set you down on the grass. “Goodbye, y/n.”

“Goodbye, Yangyang.” As you walked into the forest, you turned back once more and watched as Yangyang stood there, his face unreadable.

You waved at him and his expression softened as he waved back.

You laughed as you turned back now and kept on moving. The path to the main road took a little longer than expected because it was still dark. However, the sun rose before you knew it and you were able to see the main road again.

And you were shocked to find several people on the main road. Cop cars were parked off the side of the road. A news reporter for Channel 23 News could be heard saying.

“It is Day 8 into the search for y/n y/l/n. She was last seen on this road, Road 116 by her friends and has not returned home. If you have seen y/n or have any information that can help our police force find her, please call the number on the screen: 1-800-RES-CUES. Again, that’s 1-800-RES-CUES.”

Dowoon and Sana were being interviewed by another news station.

Dowoon was on the brink of tears, his eyes stained red. “This is all our fault.”

Choking on her tear, Sana continued, “We shouldn’t have left her on the road...We thought she went home...We were so stupid…”

What the hell was going on?

You walked into the road and several people turn to you in shock. They gasped and screamed your name.

Your parents broke out of the crowd of people that has accumulated. “Y/n!” They both yell.

They run up to you and wrap their arms around you, weeping hysterically.

Your mom yelled, “Y/n, where have you been? My baby!”

Your dad held your face in his hands, “What happened to you? Are you alright?”

You were shocked at their reaction. “What are you guys doing here? I thought you guys were in New York until tomorrow.”

Your parents, not letting you go, gave each other a meaningful look.

Your mom’s eyebrows furrowed. “Tomorrow? Y/n, we came back a week ago.”

You laughed in disbelief. “No, you guys left Friday morning, yesterday morning.”

Your dad shook his head. “Y/n, you’ve been missing for a week now.”

You laughed again. “No...You guys are messing with me.”

But then you looked around at all of the worried looks on the people’s faces. The police officers came right over. You even saw Dowoon and Sana sobbing not too far from Sana’s car.

“You guys...I stayed in a mansion not too far from here for the night because of the snow…”

“What mansion? What snow?” Your parents asked in unison.

You darted your eyes to everyone else and whispered to them. “Come with me.”

“Y/n, we need to get you home…” Your mom pleaded.

You shook your head. “I need to show you where I was and that I wasn’t in danger.”

“Y/n, we should tell the police-” Your father offered.

“No!” You snapped. “Please trust me. He didn’t do anything to me. He’s my friend.”

At the mention of “he”, your parents were up in arms and motioned for the police to come over.

“We will go with you, y/n…” Your mom said.

She meant that they’ll go with you if you have a police escort.

You shook your head and led the party to the mansion. You couldn’t believe this. Missing for seven days? That was impossible. You’d only been gone for the night. How could anyone have known you’d been gone? Your parents were away.

Once you got out of the forest to the Wei mansion, you saw that there was no mansion. Only an abandoned cabin.

What?

“Is this where you were detained, y/n?” Police Officer A asked.

“I was not detained. This isn’t the mansion I-”

“A mansion?” Everyone looked at you skeptically.

You entered the cabin, knowing that everything you believed in was slipping through your fingers. Tears quickly ran down your cheeks. The cabin was shabby, the furniture inside covered in dust. It had been unlived in for quite some time.

“Y/n!” Your parents yelled.

The police rushed in after you and Police Officer B held you back. “Let me go!” You demanded.

“It’s dangerous.”

The police officers searched the entire cabin three times over and came up with nothing. “There is no trace of anyone having been here for years,” Police Officer A said.

Well, of course not, this wasn’t the mansion that you stayed at.

Clearly, the more time passed, the more concerned everyone looked. It was possible you heard the words “rehab” and “therapy” and “mental break” thrown around.

You had to calm down. You knew you weren’t crazy. You knew it because you wore Yangyang’s gloves.

Yangyang.

Where is he? Where were his brothers? Where was the Wei mansion?

Police Officer B released you and you browsed the area. Your parents trailed behind you. You entered one of the bedrooms, encased in dust. You sneezed and found a chest with a lock on it. The chest was engraved with the letter “W” at the center. 

You recognized the engraving. It was the same handwriting from the bedroom door in the Wei Mansion. Your bedroom door...The keys.

You remembered you still had them in your pocket. It was a long shot but you pulled them out. You placed the key inside of the lock and opened the chest.

You found seven porcelain dolls. The dolls were more sophisticated than any doll sold at the local stores. They were almost lifelike. The way their eyes and lips were drawn. Each doll bared a striking resemblance to the Wei brothers. You could see them all: Kun, Ten, Winwin, Lucas, Xiaojun, Hendery, and…

Yangyang.

The last doll was definitely Yangyang. The doll held a toy violin and wore…

Your ruby red mittens.

Fin.

_______

Epilogue.

Yangyang sat in the music room alone, holding on tightly to your red mittens.

Hendery charged into the room. His brothers trailed behind. “You fool! Why did you let her go?”

Yangyang shrugged. “I’ve had it.”

“What are you talking about?” Xiaojun demanded. “You were smitten with her. She was clearly enamored with you.”

Kun laughed. “It’s because he’s in love with her.”

All of the boys looked at their oldest brother, confused. Yangyang avoided their stares.

“You changed your mind,” Kun murmured.

Yangyang sighed, “She was not like-”

Winwin rolled his eyes. “Please do not give us the story of ‘she was not like other girls’. She seduced you and you let her go. You fell for her game. She outsmarted you.”

Yangyang snapped. “Do not test me, brother.”

Ten interjected. “Okay, okay, everyone needs to calm down...We are just curious...Why? She could have stayed here with us forever...With you forever.”

Yangyang didn’t want to speak to them. Every moment that passed, he missed you more. “She did not wear the jewels or the dresses...She left everything untouched. She did not come to us because she sought material possessions. She wanted a friend…”

Lucas laughed. “How pathetic.”

Yangyang groaned. “You lot would not understand…”

“Do not act like you are better than us, little brother,” Kun began condescendingly.

“I am not-”

“You think you’re better than us because you let a prisoner go this time, do you not? Well, let me bring you back to reality. Our spirits are confined into those tacky porcelain dolls...So what do we do to ease ourselves? We bring people into this realm to reside with us. Materialistic, selfish, and vain people. Y/n is no different from the rest of them.”

“Shut up,” Yangyang muttered.

The rest of the boys were stunned to silence but Kun heard him clearly. “Repeat that, Yangyang. You know the consequences.”

Yangyang got up and shoved your mittens in his pockets. “Shut up, Kun.”

Kun smiled and laughed. The other boys faked laughter so as not to upset Kun even more. His smile quickly faded as he punched Yangyang to the ground.

Kun gave Yangyang a harsh beating and the rest of the brothers watched. No one dared to step in and upset Kun even further. Yangyang couldn’t blame his brothers. Besides, he wanted this. He wanted to feel a pain other than the pain of missing you. 

He may have been damned for the rest of eternity but he was thankful to have met you. You proved to him that not everyone could be consumed by the deadly sins, as he and his brothers had. You were an angel that gave you a moment of compassion, of affection. And for that he would always be thankful.

_______

Come back tomorrow the third installment in our Halloween Series! :) 

[dinosaurtsukki]

[ too scared to say ]

pairing: tsukishima kei x f!reader

word count: 1.6k words

contains: slight angst, tsukishima with insecure!s/o cause he’s usually the insecure one in fics, another wedding-themed fic

a/n: had this idea for a while and i’m glad i’ve finally written it. it’s usually tsukki’s who’s insecure and guarded in xreader fics so i wanted to try it out with the reader being insecure this time

i love you.

you're caught off-guard when you hear the words from tsukishima's mouth. you never thought you'd ever hear him actually say them. as much you wished for it to happen, especially after you spent three years of high school doodling his name in the margins of your notebook, it feels too good to be true.

tsukishima looks sincere about it though. you're both seated on the couch in your apartment and even though it's pouring outside and the electricity had died, you can still make out his face in the dim lighting. you can tell it took him a great deal of effort to say that: his eyes are focused on the cushion on his lap as he picks at a stray thread, the sound of his breathing is more audible now as he inhales deeply.

this is the time where you say it back but the words catch themselves in your throat. after all, weren't you the one who got yourself into trouble for being too naive all the time? after leaving high school and all hopes of tsukishima ever liking you back behind, you tried your hand at relationships. you thought every single one of them would be your last, only to find that you had deluded yourself yet again.

meeting tsukishima again, years after high school, felt like a weird universal coincidence that you didn't know if you should thank for yet. even more so when he admitted to his feelings for you back then.

"so, what do we do about it now?" you asked.

"i'd... like to give this a shot," tsukishima said, rubbing the back of his head. you were reluctant, but agreed anyway.

you've said 'i love you' before, more than a few times. and yet, you couldn't say it now.

"aren't you... jumping to conclusions a bit?" you asked, nervously letting out a laugh.

"what do you mean?" tsukishima frowns slightly.

"just, saying that you might not be sure about that yet so... slow down a bit before saying things like that," you shrugged.

"what? you think i don't know my own feelings?" tsukishima scoffs. there's a look of hurt on his face and you can't exactly blame him for it.

"i'm sorry, tsukki," you apologize, resting your hand in the middle of the couch between you except he doesn't reach for it.

"it's fine," he shakes his head, focusing now on the wall in front of him. "i know you're not really the person you once were and, i don't mind that at all cause neither am i. sometimes, it really feels like you have a wall up."

you find yourself flinching slightly at that last part. maybe this is the part when things go south, like they always do. except, you feel sad that it had to happen with tsukishima too.

but he doesn't act like how you expect him to. "if you need time, it's fine with me," is all he says. tsukishima doesn't sound exasperated, nor frustrated at all. but he does stand up and head for the door.

'you can stay,' you think, 'please stay.'

but all you can bring yourself to say is: "take an umbrella. it's pouring outside."

...

that was about a week ago and tsukishima has barely heard from you then. he didn't know what else to do aside from give you space, and also silently regret things. maybe he was too hasty in saying that he loved you.

but, that was what he truly felt, and it wasn't easy for him to say but he did it anyway. 'you're not always losing anything when you open yourself up to someone,' akiteru had told him. and now, tsukishima was riding a bus on the way to his older brother's wedding.

he had just hung his tux on the curtain rod above the window and settled into his seat though when he caught a familiar flash of blue. of course, tsukishima would recognize your favorite dress and sat up in his seat to see you walking down the center aisle. he watched as you looked around for a seat before landing on the last empty one in the bus, which happened to be right next to tsukishima's.

"hey."

"hey," tsukishima swallowed as you approached.

"is this seat taken?" you asked.

"no, go ahead," tsukishima shook his head, his eyes distracted by the familiar dry-cleaners bag that you held in your hands. "let me help you with that," he offered, taking the hanger from your hands and hanging it up beside his tux.

“saeko nee-san invited me to the wedding,” you explained as soon as you sat down beside tsukishima. “congratulations to your brother, by the way.”

“thanks. we all, kind of saw it coming,” tsukishima chuckled. now that you were here, he realized just how much he missed you. 

“i’m sorry for not calling or anything, by the way,” you apologized. “i can’t say that this is all new to me but, it’s just... well... i’ve been in other relationships before and sometimes, it feels like things repeat themselves too much.”

tsukishima nodded, remembering the night when you two met again after so many years. he was working the counter at the bar and noticed you sitting there, obviously dressed up for a date, obviously stood up in that said date too. you were very much different from the young girl who used to invite him and yamaguchi to watch the latest romance movie theaters, the one who sang songs at the top of your lungs in your bedroom, loud enough for those downstairs to here. but that didn’t mean he liked you any less. 

“hey,” he laid a hand on top of yours. “why don’t we just enjoy today? you still love going to weddings, right?”

you smiled gratefully and chuckled. “yeah, that hasn’t changed.”

...

you fully expected to run into tsukishima at his own brother’s wedding and had thought twice about going before talking sense into yourself. and now, you were glad to have gone. 

the wedding was absolutely charming and more than a few of your old high school friends came. you and tsukishima were seated with yamaguchi and yachi at the same table and chatted about old times and what the volleyball duo was up to. saeko looked stunning in her dress and akiteru cried more than a few times during the ceremony. tsukishima looked proud of his brother, and more than a little tired of his new brother-in-law.

“they look really good together,” you sighed, smiling at akiteru and saeko who were breakdancing in the middle of the dance floor, the latter doing much better than the former. 

“yeah,” tsukishima chuckled. “they barely met each other in high school but i could tell nii-chan was star-struck when they met at the shiratorizawa match.”

“and now look at them,” you giggled. “kind of the opposite of us, in a way.”

“yeah, because you were definitely head over heels for me,” tsukishima snickered. you smacked his arm with the back of your hand.

“and you were too dense to realize it,” you countered. 

“not exactly. just thought it was too good to be true,” tsukishima smiled wryly. 

“we should have been accidentally locked into a room together to force us to admit our feelings.” 

“you and your romance movie cliches.”

you chuckled at that. “just saying. would have made things way easier for everyone.” you sighed again and remembered the confession letter you had penned to tsukishima before deciding to stash it away in your desk. then, you turned to tsukishima who was watching his brother and sister-in-law dance. 

maybe you were going to enjoy yourself tonight.

“hey, tsukishima?”

“yeah?”

“wanna dance with me?”

...

with the dancing and frequent visits to the wine bar, you ended up enjoying the wedding immensely. but as much as you didn’t want to, it was finally time to go home. you and tsukishima didn’t even bother changing out of your formal clothes before catching the last bus back home. your hair had escaped from its pins and you were definite that there was mascara smudged under your eye. tsukishima’s tie hung loosely around his neck and he had already unbuttoned the upper part of his shirt.

all of the dancing tired him out way more than you, but it was a pleasant surprise for him to comply with your request. you also had the wine to thank for tsukishima deciding to break dance for about a minute when his older brother asked him to. 

as soon as he was seated, tsukishima was out like a light with his head leaned back against the seat and his mouth slightly hanging open. looking at him, you realized that he was someone you didn’t want to let go. dating him was scarier because of that and you didn’t want tsukishima to be one of those people you were eventually going to say goodbye to.

but how could he be that person if you don’t ask him to stay in the first place?

once again, you remembered the confession letter that you had wrote to him all those years ago. there was a tremble in your hand when you wrote down the last line of that letter, so much that it screwed up the writing and you decided not to send the letter anyway. you glanced at tsukishima’s misty reflection in the fogged up glass of the bus before using your finger to write down that line.

i love you

the words looked like they were suspended in the air and fragile enough to be blown away by the wind. with a swipe of your hand, you could easily erase the message.

and that’s when tsukishima wakes up. 

his sleepy eyes travel from you to the message written on the window and his eyes widen when he realizes what you’ve written down. with a smile, he leans over, and writes a word right under your message.

i love you too

▸ 🎕 ┈┈┈┈ 🎕 ┈┈┈┈ 🎕 ┈┈┈┈ 🎕 ┈┈┈┈ 🎕 ◂

taglist (check out my post for details on being part of my taglist):@montys-chaos​ @miyumtwins​ @strawberriimilkshake​ @pocubo​ @sugawara-sweetheart @akaashisbabydoll @laure-chan​ @therainroguefanfiction​ @atetiffdoesart @stephdaninja @oikaw-ugh​ @charliefredb​ @dramaqueenweeb1469 @tremblinghearts @applepienation @kirakirasaku @haikyuu-my-love @waitforitillwritemywayout @kattykurr @atsumusdomain​ @goodfoodxoxoxo​ @ah-kaashi​ @guardianangelswings @definitely-yours @amberalisa @whootwhoot​ @liz-multifandom-hotel @kac-chowsballs​ @procrastination-lady @miyakiyo0mi

[ushiwakatrash]

Payback is a bad bitch

Pairing: Ushijima x f!reader, Tendou x f!reader

Warnings: Making out, Cheating, cursing, slight angst

Word count: 1.7k

So I came across this idea when I was scrolling through my fyp on Tiktok and I wanted to write about it so bad. The idea belongs to rand0m.p0vz_anime on Tiktok! I hope you all enjoy reading ♥

School was going pretty normally and (Y/n) was striding down the halls of the glorious Shiratorizawa to go pick up her best friend from his class. 

She spotted the crazy red head and called for him. Tendou immediately grabbed his things and said his farewells to his classmates. Since their first year, they had always been together but this year’s class ranking separated them.

Tendou couldn’t keep up his balance of sports and school which resulted to his grades dropping just a wee bit. (Y/n), despite being the strategist of the girl’s volleyball team had no hard time in excelling in both the academic and athletic field. 

Her dedication to the sport and her talent managed to get her a boyfriend, who by the way, was the captain of her best friend’s team. And because even the demon coach Washijo himself had acknowledged her smarts, she had often paid trips to the men’s gym-- where Ushijima had laid eyes on her.

Wakatoshi and (Y/n) got together during their second year. The stoic and intimidating captain had a blush on his face when he asked the girl out. The proposal had a bouquet of flowers and small pricey chocolate to add to the romance. 

People who saw the cooed at how a girl could melt the captain’s coldness and things went uphill from there. Tendou was of course happy for both of his best friends but he couldn’t help but feel a small tingle in his chest every time he’s reminded of it all.

Speaking of Ushijima, they were on the way to his class when (Y/n)’s phone vibrated. The captain just sent a message saying that he had a meeting with the captain of the girl’s volleyball club and he couldn’t eat with them. 

(Y/n) did not like the sound of a meeting with that smug faced bitch but what could she do, right? The duo went to the cafeteria to grab food and sat at their usual table. The seats around them slowly got occupied by other members of the men’s vball team and only the captain was missing.

You had gotten close to the team having spent time with the others during practice as well. At first the members were just curious what kind of genius you are to add to their curiosity, what kind of girl could easily catch the captain’s heart?

Their curiosity then bloomed into an unexpected friendship where you all became one heck of a family. “Oh right (Y/n), where’s the captain?” (Y/n) frowned a little before answering. “He said he had a meeting with the girl’s volleyball team’s captain, Semi-Semi.”

The setter’s face scrunched as he sent an accusing glare towards a smirking Tendou. “Stop teaching her shit you jackass!” “But Semi-Semi is fun to tease!” The others laughed but a few noticed your stiff mood.

“You alright, (Y/n)? Looks like something’s ticking you off” “No I’m good. Thanks for asking, Yamagata-san” A small smile was sent to the libero’s way and he shrugged it off and kept on with his meal.

Of course being the bestest best friend he is, Tendou already knew what was wrong and it only took a glance from him to tell her that he knew. (Y/n) just shook her head slightly to acknowledge that what he thought was right.

(Y/n) stood up from her seat and said her goodbyes to the team as break period was almost over. Tendou followed and walked her to her class. “You know Satori, being a guess monster must be quite the reputation, huh? You can even read me” you giggle at your statement and he follows suit. “I think I’ve known you for long enough to figure out how your mind works”

“Yeah yeah. See you later at practice Satori. I’ll come pick you up again.” “See ya (Y/n)-chan! I’ll be waiting!” with your last waves, you both went to your respective classes.

--

The last bell finally rung and it was about time for everyone to release the sighs they’ve been keeping in the past hours. You took your time in stretching before getting up and packing your stuff.

“Any longer and weeds might start growing from where I stand, (Y/n)-chan!” Oh you knew that voice all too well. “Satori, I thought I told you I’ll come pick you up instead?” Tendou entered your classroom, took your bag and swung it over his shoulder. “Let’s go shorty, Coach Washijo might make me run laps again if we’re late”

“Oh, I forgot how strict the old man was with you, he’s so nice and gentle with me” You stuck out a tongue at him and he made faces in return. “Have you talked to Toshi today? He wasn’t answering my texts.” That’s when Tendou began to think. “Now that you mention it, I haven’t heard from him either.”

As they made their way to the men’s gym, a familiar back could be seen from where they were standing. Even if she only saw a glimpse, (Y/n) knew well that it was her lover’s back. What she didn’t expect was another pair of feet just a few inches away from Ushijima’s.

With trembling hands (Y/n) quietly went near with Tendou trailing not far behind. With the right view of the angle, it was clear as a day that the captains of the girl and boy’s volleyball team were locking lips.

Tendou could feel the rage seeping from his best friend and for once, he was scared of her. The guess monster couldn’t tell what his captain was thinking and why would he waste the girl he’s always wanted? He was all for supporting the captain whenever he could but things may start to change today.

(Y/n) calmed herself and took deep breaths. Making a scene would do nothing but harm her reputation. So instead of throwing a fit, she let out a loud chuckle. “Oh hey, ‘sup?”

The two captains were caught by surprised but Ushijima was quick to recover. Before (Y/n) or Tendou could say anything, Ushijima spoke first. “It was just a kiss, (Y/n), no need to be dramatic.”

If Tendou could beat the shit out of the olive haired man in front of him, he would but it wasn’t his call to make. A nonchalant expression painted (Y/n)’s face before she swiftly placed her arms around Satori’s neck to pull him down for a kiss.

“(Y/n), what the FUCK do you think you’re doing?!” The captain’s voice had a mix of jealousy, anger and nervousness in his tone. Tendou had wide eyes but quickly melted into the kiss he has been dreaming for so long, even if it was in a situation like this.

To fuel the fire, (Y/n) reached to tug on the red head’s roots and deepened the kiss by sliding her tongue to explore Tendou’s mouth. Small grunts were made by both parties and by the time their lips parted, a small string of saliva could be seen.

Ushijima did not take his eyes off his girl. She used to do that with him, she would give the best kisses, be it soft or heated ones just like what he witnessed in front of him. Everything he had slipped out of his grasp because of his own stupidness.

“Calm down Ushijima, it was just a kiss, no need to be dramatic.” His words backfired on him and now his mind was a complete mess. “Damn Wakatoshi-kun, I didn’t know your girl could kiss that good. If I knew, then I would have snagged her a long time ago” Tendou didn’t mean what he said, or maybe that’s what he wanted himself to believe.

“I gotta admit Satori, you’re kinda tasty, I couldn’t resist myself. I mean after all, it’s just a kiss. Nothing to get worked up about” She walked towards Ushijima with her head held high. She tilted her head and inched it towards his as if she was going to indulge him with a kiss.

A few inches before their lips could meet, she let out a small sarcastic smile “Oh sorry I almost forgot how dirty your lips became!” (Y/n) cocked her head to the side to take a good look at the captain of the girl’s volleyball team who was quiet all through out the encounter. “Oh and you, enjoy my sloppy seconds! Enjoy him all you want ‘cause he’s all yours now!” She smiled sweetly before turning around.

Wakatoshi couldn’t bear but grab her hand to stop her from leaving. She just gave a confused look “Huh, are you dense or are you just fucking dumb? We’re over fuckface. Oh sorry, I meant Ushijima”.

The captain cringed at the word and for once hated his family name. “It’s Wakatoshi. Please wait, let me explain!” His hand gripped hers even tighter and for Tendou, it was the last straw. 

“Hey cap, hands off. She’s not your girl anymore” “Wow, you really want me to spell it out for you, huh Ushijima-san? We’re done. I’m breaking up with you. I’m not your girlfriend anymore. There, what else should I say? God, you’re so fucking dumb!”

Tendou slung an arm around your shoulder and you gave a last glance to your now ex, back still facing him. “I quit being the strategist for both teams. Thet’s final. We gotta go. I hope I don’t see your faces around!” (Y/n) fully turned around and held up a hand to sign a goodbye.

“Thanks Satori, sorry about kissing you without asking you first. It was nice though” Tendou smiled at this, his friend was far stronger than he had ever imagined. 

It was not a good time but he still had to shoot his shot. “S-say (Y/n), wanna hang in my place. We can maybe uh... continue where we left off a while ago, or somethin” It was rare to see Tendou flustered and the look on his face right now was priceless.

A genuine hearty chuckle sang from (Y/n)’s mouth. “You sure you can handle me, big boy?” She teasingly traced his jaw with her finger. They linked pinkies and headed towards the Tendou household.

A bitter taste was left in Ushijima’s mouth. It was real, he really lost everything. His team would also be greatly affected by it. The worst part of it all, your pained, hurt face was sure to haunt him. He was the biggest idiot indeed. 

After losing their best strategist, they lost to Karasuno. On a brighter note, Tendou won something far better than anyone ever could. 

He found his paradise.

--

𝕄𝕒𝕤𝕥𝕖𝕣𝕝𝕚𝕤𝕥

[heyheydidjaknow]

Hiya! I have a request for an x reader songfic. Snap out of it by the Arctic monkeys gives me so many 2012 Donnie vibes. Maybe one where the reader is in love with Donnie but he likes April and the reader wants Donnie to, you know, "snap out of it" and notice that maybe April isn't the best person towards him. It can end in unrequited love or with a happy ending, that's for you to decide but I just really want to see this concept. Thanks! :>

(feel free to ignore this request if you want 👁️👁️)

Oh, I’m not about to turn away a chance to be pushed out into foreign territory. I admittedly hadn’t known what a songfic was until wikipedia and @kunimikat saved my ass, so this was fun-- and a bit scary-- to write. I hope you like it, even if it might not have been exactly what you were expecting.

April was your friend. She had been for a while, now, since she had moved to NYC. The two of you had come even closer after her kidnapping and initiation into the “Hamato Clusterfuck” as you had affectionately called it at first—you had wisely made a conscious effort to only get involved with them as far as you could throw them, sticking solidly to offering emotional support and half-decent food. At the beginning, you had, on multiple occasions, even begged her to stay out of it, trying to reason with her that getting herself killed by a psychotic armored man with an axe to grind for the crime of hanging out with four teenage shut-ins was an incredibly bad idea. When your logical arguments fell on deaf ears—her owing them apparently being her ball and chain—you had designated yourself as her supervisor to make sure she did not do something overly impulsive. She was reckless, overly trusting, immature, but you loved her like a sister. You balanced each other out.

One of the benefits of knowing someone for so long is that you learn things about them that they do not know about themselves. In April’s case, it had been that she was terrible at making up her mind

 What's been happenin' in your world?

You had borne witness to the love triangle transpiring between Donatello Hamato, Casey Jones and her for the better part of a year now. You were relieved that the two boys had backed off each other’s throats somewhat over the period, but it was as infuriating as it was fascinating to watch them fight over her like a chew toy. Of course, April had her preference between the two, favoring the hockey player mainly for his general normalcy, which was a decision you could approve of, but she had hesitated until recently to make that obvious to the other point because, in her words, “The last thing I want is to deal with is all of that awkwardness.” You could hardly blame her for her hesitation, but you thought it almost cruel not to make her feelings apparent to her lovestruck puppy.

 What have you been up to?

Donnie was the most tolerable of the five, the most normal in your opinion. He was an infatuated, insecure teenage boy with more an affinity towards machines and, best of all, seemed concerned for your friend, all things that you could get on board with. In your opinion, overbearingness is preferable to negligence in this case, and you were just happy that someone physically capable had her back. As such, when you were stuck at the lair for hours waiting for her lessons with Splinter to be over—you were her ride—you found yourself spending the most time around him, and as time went on, you started going out of your way to do so.

Seeing as April and Casey were your only other friends, it was natural you would get romantically attached. They—a couple by high school standards—approved of your crush, and all you told your guardian(s) was that they were smart, fit, and financially responsible, so they asked few questions.

You knew, logically, this was not a competition and that April had little interest in him.

But something about the way he gazed at her made you burn green with envy.

 I heard that you fell in love, or near enough.

His eyes were just so… wistfully longing. He watched as the redhead and her boyfriend played against Michelangelo and Raphael in a game of charades. His expression was just so soft, lips pursing and popping silently as he grieved from his seat in his lab.

It had been a downhill spiral on your end from there, and as your own attachment grew for him, his own depression worsened. Your eyes drifted from your friend as you tried to make him see that, no, the world was not ending because his first crush did not like him back. You would make subtle comments about how happy his brothers were, how happy she and Casey were together, how smart he was and how many people would die for a kind, loving, smart guy to come around and sweep them off their feet. This, again, fell on deaf ears; he would always comment on how, if he were such a catch, April would not have chosen Casey, like It is his fault for her having more of a taste in cocky, fun-loving guys than intelligent ones. Half of it was probably your lack of experience in subtlety, but no matter what you would try to say, whenever romance came up in conversation, his words turned sharp and bitter.

On that day, you just cracked.

 I gotta tell you the truth.

You walked over to the lab door, closing it in a single fluid motion. ‘I’m better at being blunt, anyways.’

He blinked; his trance was interrupted by the small slam.

“She’s not into you.”

“Huh?”

You crossed the room and placed your hand on the desk, expression stern and stone cold. “April,” you repeat. “She’s not interested.”

He did not meet your gaze. “You don’t know that.”

“I do, actually.” You leaned down to look him in the eye. “You aren’t her type. You’re supposed to be smart.” You placed the other on the back of his chair, arms cagging him in, almost. “ She has a boyfriend,” you continued, softer. “You know that, right?”

“I do.” He tapped the side of his thumb against the table absently, throat tight. “But what else do you suppose I do? Submit to the fact that I’ll be alone forever?” He looked up at you. “I know this may be hard for you to believe,” he continued, easily slipping out from under your arms, “but I don’t exactly have a ton of options. She’s the only person who’s ever looked at me like that; how am I supposed to move on from the only person who’s ever even given me a chance?”

 I wanna grab both your shoulders and shake, baby.

 You rolled your eyes, turning to watch him as he crossed to the other side of the room. “That is some blatant bullshit,” you glared curtly.

“Is it, though?” His back was to you as he crouched down in front of his centrifuge, fiddling with it. “As someone who’s never—”

“So help me, if you go off about me not understanding being rejected and feeling like they’d die alone, I’ll rip your tongue out.” You stood back up properly.

“What would you know about it?” He followed suit, eyes locking on yours. “You have other people to choose from.”

“And you don’t?” You crossed your arms, smiling incredulously. “How do we differ, exactly?”

“Besides the obvious?”

You scoffed. “You’ve seen your brothers. Never stopped them.”

“And I’m happy for them, that they’re so charismatic as to be able to find partners so easily.” You could taste the bitterness in his words. “But I’m not them, in case you didn’t notice. That girl out there?” He pointed to the door. “She’s the first and only person in the universe who’s ever given me a second glance.”

“So you’re just fucking blind, now?” You heard your voice rise without your input.

“What’re you talking about?” His voice grew with yours.

“You’re lovesick,” you spat. “Snap out of it.”

 Snap out of it.

You ran your fingers through your hair. “Or maybe you’re just dense.” You felt a laugh rise in your throat. “I mean,” you gestured, “clearly picking up on verbal subtext isn’t your forte.”

You gave him five seconds. “What,” you continued, rubbing your face with your hands, “Are you—” You stopped. “You are, aren’t you?”

Nothing.

You took a slow breath, hearing your heartbeat in your ears. “Let me put it in simple, plain English for you.”

 I get the feelin' I left it too late, but baby—

 “As her friend? You’re a fucking creep.” You crossed your arms across your chest. “Following her the way you did—wait your turn—” A finger interrupted his defense. “Following her the way you did? Objectively creepy. Staring at her all the time? Also fucking creepy.” You felt your nails dig into your skin. “Any person would call it as it is.”

He opened his mouth again to argue. You did not interrupt him this time, but he did not argue, the silence falling like a weighted blanket over the two of you.

“As your friend,” you continued, voice lowered, “as someone who cares about you, I know April, and she can’t give you what you want. It’s not her; she needs to be free, and I love her, but you’re looking for something that’s just not there.” Your voice was certain. “You’re looking for someone to spend your life with. I’m right, aren’t I?”

 Snap out of it.

 He was still for a moment, looking off into the ether. He nodded, face melancholy.

You walked over, resting a hand on his shoulder tentatively. “I’m not saying it’s stupid of you to not be over her. Again, I love her to bits, so I see the appeal.” You broke eye contact, trying to articulate exactly what you meant. “But I’m worried,” you explained slowly, “you’re only hung up on her because you’re scared of being alone. That’s not fair to her or yourself.”

“Do you know that?”

“No,” you admitted easily, “but you and I are the same way, and trust me, I’ve been around the heartbreak block.” You smiled, trying to relieve the tension.

That earned a chuckle. A small one, but a chuckle none the less.

You reached up, cupping his cheek in your hand. “There are seven billion people on this planet. Any one of them—myself included—would be lucky to have a life with you.”

 If that watch don’t continue to swing—

 A pause.

“Do you honestly believe that?”

You nodded, your thumb running along the line of his eye socket. “I do.”

 —or the fat lady fancies havin' a sing—

 You leaned forward, pressing your lips against his cheek gently.

 —I'll be here, waitin' ever so patiently—

 “Y/N!” You pulled back as you heard April calling your name. “We need a moderator!”

You started back towards the door, waving gently. “I wish you good tidings, Donatello.” You smiled quietly, serenity itself standing in the doorway. “May whoever is fortunate enough to call you their own bring you happiness. You deserve it.” You slipped out of his lab, running over to break them up.

Donatello rested his fingers on where your mouth had lit his skin. He felt a bittersweet smile fade onto his face.

—for you to snap out of it.

And that was when it began.

List of Works

[lovelyirony]

Winteriron Idea: Tony doesn’t expect to see his high school crush at his cousin Sharon’s wedding, but here he is, in a suit that makes his mouth water.

Tony never exactly got over his stupid high school crush on Bucky Barnes, honestly. He was a nice guy, always humorous, and he was good-looking to boot. 

And yeah, he followed him on social media and sneakily liked the pictures or just stared, and that was fine! That was fine. 

He could be happy just simply living his life and not having any romantic partner! And who knows, maybe Bucky wouldn’t be a romantic partner, maybe he would suck at it and Tony’s just foisting all of his romantic scenarios onto Bucky and nothing is ever realistic! 

Besides, they were living different lives now. Bucky was working at some security company that Nat also worked at, and Tony was working for his own company in the R&D department after Pepper overtook as CEO. (Thank god, he loves that woman immensely.) 

Tony sees his cousin Sharon every so often. They’re closer now that they’re grown up, and he always looks forward to hearing from her. 

Especially now, when he sees a golden band on her left ring finger, and her eyes are grinning. 

“Steve proposed!” 

“You sound like an excitable debutante,” Tony says, although he’s smiling. “I’m surprised that Steve took my hint. Along with everyone else’s.” 

Sharon lightly taps his shoulder. 

“Hey, he’s not that dense.” 

“Isn’t he?” Tony teases, bringing her into a hug. “You have to promise me that I can help with some of the stuff.” 

“No way,” Sharon says. “You can help by supervising the other cousins and making sure that they don’t steal all of the alcohol at the open bar like last time.” 

“Didn’t we also do that?” 

“Yeah, but we were better about it, so that doesn’t count.” 

Tony laughs. 

“Okay, well let me know if there’s anything I can do.” 

“You know I will.” 

He’s mostly left out of wedding planning, although Sharon nervously asks where he gets his suits, and Tony takes care of that little portion. (Or at least, part of it. Sharon still wants to pay for it, and so he calls the tailor ahead of time and says that he’ll pay for seventy-five percent of the cost beforehand if he’ll only charge twenty-five percent.) 

And then, the day of the wedding. 

Tony’s been helping set everything up, center the tablecloths, and making sure that everything is perfect or Sharon doesn’t know about it if it isn’t. 

He’s so busy with everything that he doesn’t notice all the guests, and he hasn’t seen any of the groomsmen. 

This is a problem. Kind of. 

-

You see, as Tony is sitting by Bruce and Thor, he realizes that he forgot one crucial detail about this whole thing: 

Steve Rogers and Bucky Barnes are best friends. 

He doesn’t know how he forgot this, it’s the easiest thing to remember. Hell, they would say the same thing at the same time and would get each other out of trouble every single week. 

He’s in a suit. 

A suit. 

He sits up a little straighter and Bruce sends him a look that says he still remembers when Tony would literally rework his day to see even a glimpse of him. 

“You’re still stuck on him?” Bruce whispers. 

“What? No!” Tony whispers back. “No!” 

“You’re so bad at lying,” Bruce says, grinning at him. 

“You both need to pay attention to Sharon,” Thor says. 

“We are!” They whisper back, and their eyes go back to Sharon, who has her vows written out on a napkin from Steve’s favorite diner. (Disgustingly cute.) 

-

Bucky can see Tony from the altar. It’s weird, seeing him again. 

Steve had told him he’d be there, obviously. 

“So you can still have your crush there,” Steve had teased him. “You want me to tell him that you liked him in that last magazine he was in?” 

“Aw shut up,” Bucky whines, fiddling with his cufflinks. “I can still knock your ass out when the priest asks for any objections.” 

“But you won’t,” Steve says. 

“Then you get to hear me talk about how embarrassing you were all throughout high school and how Sharon still doesn’t know that you were the reason that they got the really nice suite for the final basketball championship.” 

Steve flips him off, and Bucky laughs at him. 

He knew Tony would be there, but it’s very different to see him. 

He looks handsome, beyond handsome. He has an artfully shaved beard, a tailored suit that fits to perfection, and the way he’s smiling as he watches Sharon and Steve say “I do” and kiss to seal the deal is good to see. 

He’s always liked his smile. 

- 

Now the reception. 

Bucky is busy with pictures and catching up with old family and friends, and everything else that came with being the best man at a wedding. He can’t really find Tony until he sees him in line to congratulate Sharon. 

After he does so, Bucky waves at him. Tony carefully weaves through the crowd to see him. 

“Hey,” Bucky says. “Good to see you again, Tony.” 

“It’s nice to see you too,” Tony answers, smiling gently. “What have you been up to?” 

-

From then, they talk all night. Bucky nearly misses his cue to give the speech before dinner, and his eyes keep drifting over to Tony, who’s smiling up at him. His heart skips a couple of beats. 

He finishes up his speech, watches Steve twirl Sharon around the dance floor, and catches Tony’s eyes as the song finishes up. He tilts his head, indicating the dance floor being open. 

Tony steps out. 

They meet in the middle, and Bucky grins. 

“Been waiting since high school for something like this to happen,” he admits. “I remember you being an exceptionally good dancer.” 

“You...you do?” Tony asks as they twirl expertly around. Bucky sends him out of his arms, and watches as he twists back into the embrace. It’s perfect. 

“Of course I remember. You’re an exceptionally hard person to forget about, Tony.” 

“I could say the same of you,” Tony says, smiling up at him. “I remember that you were always kind. And nice. And also an alright dancer.” 

“Like I could’ve held a candle to you and Pepper,” Bucky asks. “How is she, by the way?” 

“Enjoying running the company,” Tony answers. He changes the pace of their steps as the song shifts into a slower one. “She and Dr. Helen Cho are doing well together.” 

“Oh?” 

“Oh is right,” Tony teases. “She adores the hell out of her.” 

“And what about you? Surely there’s someone who adores the hell out of you.” 

“Not so far,” Tony says, small frown on his face for a moment. 

Bucky takes his chance. 

“And if there was someone?” 

Tony’s eyes snap up to his. 

“Oh?” 

Bucky smiles. 

“I, uh...I meant to ask you out senior year of high school, after graduation. But then time got away from me, and I was too much of a damn coward to ask. So I’m hoping I’m not too late.” 

“Better late than never,” Tony says with a grin. “I had wanted to do the same, but then I had found out that you and Steve and Sam were doing your grand road trip, and I didn’t want to ask you and then leave.” 

“Then how should we make it up to each other?” Bucky asks. 

“Coffee for starters,” Tony says. “But I think I might make you come with me to an art museum next...it’s only fair.” 

“Of course,” Bucky says. “It’s only fair that I treat you to dinner afterwards, as well.” 

“Wouldn’t have it any other way.” 

They leave together, and Natasha cusses as she hands Bruce some bills. 

“How were you right about this? You thought his name was Binky!” 

Bruce cackles. 

“I know my romance, Romanov.” 

“You told Thor if he didn’t date you then he would receive grilled cheese sandwiches unexpectedly throughout his life.” 

Bruce shrugs. 

“Like I said. I’m a romantic.” 

[kodzukenscorner]

Sakusa and Kenma finding out their crush loves them

anon asked: Hi! can I ask for time skip headcanons for SakusaxFemreader and KenmaxFemreader where they accidentally hear their female love interest talking to Hinata saying that she has always love Sakusa/Kenma but she thinks they would never love her back so she's never confesing and what would they do afterwards. Thank you so much in advance and I hope you are ok!!!

wc: 1,109

✶   ✶   ✶   ✶   ✶

Sakusa

Sakusa’s had a crush on you since high school, it just took him a while to realize it 

But his teammates, especially Komori, noticed his crush

He just didn’t want to believe that he actually fell for someone because...that’s gross

But he couldn’t help the way he felt when you were around

He always played better when you came to his games and he felt a twinge of pride when you came up to him first to congratulate them

One time you even dared to hold his hand and he didn’t even pull away

You were surprised but he was even more surprised when he didn’t find it to be disgusting

But that’s probably only because it was you

Unfortunately he could never bring himself to ask you out only because he knew he wanted to focus on his volleyball career

He really cared about you but he didn’t want to start a relationship with you when he knew he couldn’t give it his all

He wanted to give you all the attention and love you deserved but the time wasn’t right

So he let the years go by, still keeping you as a close friend

He didn’t want to do it but he inevitably introduced you to his Black Jackal teammates and you got along with them perfectly

Of course you would, everyone liked you

He actually liked knowing that you all got along well with them because then he didn’t feel guilty about neglecting you while he practiced since you had other people to talk to 

You seemed to get along with Hinata since he was the best mix of outgoing and a good listener 

“So you and Omi-san have been friends since high school?”

“Yup!”

“Are you dating?”

You almost choked and Sakusa couldn’t help but eavesdrop, wanting to hear your response

“Ah...no, we’re just friends and I love him, but...I don’t think he loves me the same way”

“The same way?” Hinata was a bit dense when it came to romance

“You know...I love him” You tried emphasizing it for him

“OH!” Seems like it finally clicked

Sakusa was too busy processing your words to care about what Hinata said until he heard you talk again

“Yeah, I should probably move on”

How could you think he didn’t love you? You were the most precious person in the world to him

When he saw Hinata walk away and leave you alone he immediately approached you

He didn’t even let you say anything before he opened his mouth

“I do love you, I always have, I just didn’t want to half-ass our relationship. But I don’t want you to move on and date someone else so be my girlfriend instead”

Oh you were not expecting this to happen today but Sakusa’s always been a straightforward guy with no shame

All you could manage was a nod of the head 

“Good, let’s go on a date tonight after I finish practice”

He placed a kiss on your forehead and went back to spiking as if nothing had happened

Meanwhile, you were losing your mind and doing your best to not fall to the ground

He really didn’t realize the effect he had on you, did he?

Kenma

You’d been friends with Kenma since you guys were kids

You used to play with him and Kuroo from time to time but Kenma was always a shy kid

He kept you at a distance not because he wanted to but because he couldn’t find the right words around you

You didn’t mind though, the two of you remained good friends despite how timid he was

The only person who could really tell that Kenma had a crush on you was Kuroo

But no matter how many times Kuroo tried to get Kenma to confess to you over the years, he never succeeded

Kenma was always afraid that you wouldn’t feel the same way about him and that you would probably prefer someone more outgoing

He was really oblivious to the fact that you felt the same way about him

Honestly he was the reason you got into video games and online gaming

You wanted to find an excuse to spend more time with him

But you guys remained friends and you were even introduced to the guy from his rival school that Kenma seemed to really enjoy

You and Hinata got along great, he was full of energy and you didn’t really understand how he and Kenma became friends but oh well

Hinata spent a few years in Brazil and when he returned you could see how excited Kenma was to hang out with his friend again

He had invited you, Hinata, and Kuroo over to welcome Hinata back and you were more than happy to catch up with everyone

At some point you and Hinata were left alone when Kuroo and Kenma disappeared to get some snacks and you were asking him how he even became friends with Kenma in the first place

“What about you? How did you meet Kenma?”

“We’ve been friends since we were kids”

“Oh, and when did you start dating?”

Kuroo had to hold back a laugh when he and Kenma heard Hinata ask you that question

“Oh! We’re not! We’re just friends!” You were beyond embarrassed

“Really? I thought you guys liked each other?”

“Well I do like him, a lot actually, but I don’t think he feels the same way”

“I think he likes you” 

Before you could get Hinata to elaborate Kuroo and Kenma came back into the room, you were both oblivious to the fact that they heard everything

Kenma kept his head down while Kuroo kept throwing knowing smirks his way

“Well I should head out, I’ll give you a ride home Hinata” Kuroo piped up and Hinata nodded and thanked him before bidding you and Kenma goodbye

It was just the two of you and Kenma still wouldn’t make eye contact

“Kenma? Are you ok?”

“Yeah I just...didn’t know you liked me...” 

You were mortified 

“EH??? You heard that?? Kenma I- you don’t-” You kept trying to find the right words

“It’s okay, I like you too actually I just didn’t know you felt the same way” He finally glanced up at you with his catlike eyes

You couldn’t believe your ears, you were elated to hear your lifelong crush felt the same way, but you couldn’t find the right words to say

So you said the first thing that came to mind, something you knew would calm the both of you down

“Wanna play a game together?”

He smiled at you, tension lifting from his face

“Sure”

[hunnyuwu]

My Baby Don’t Like It || NCT Jaehyun+Mark [part I]

Premise: What went wrong along the way? After everything we had been through, you still chose to leave me?

Pairings : Dad! Jaehyun x fem! reader x Friend! Mark

WC: 2.1 K

Warnings: explicit language, some extreme fluff

Part I || Part II || Part III

"Hey baby! How are you today?" You were crouched down on your knees, shooting a silly smile as the most adorable four year old in the world ran straight into your outstretched arms, worming his way into the crevasse of your neck. You cooed into the kid’s ear, happy to see the boy happy and healthy. He  withdrew from his squirmy snuggles to plant his tiny, moist lips on your soft cheek as his little greeting to his beloved Noona.

"I'm happy to see you, Noona!" A smile lit up his round, chubby features before he nuzzled back into the crevasse of your neck. You rubbed the top of his head a few times, messing up his short black locks, before getting up so that you were finally standing at your own height.

"Thanks for looking after him today, Y/N."

Your heart beat slowed down to a steady, rhythmic pace immediately. The slow, heavy thrumming taunted you as it rattled in your within the hollow shells of your ears. You interlocked hands with the small boy beside you before lifting your chin to see the person before you.

A gentle smile blossomed over your lips, a wave of calm washing over your body as you examined the familiar face before you, "Of course, Jaehyun."

"Remember Y/N, I changed my name." Jaehyun gave you a teasing jab, a dumb grin occupying his eyes. You flinched a little backwards, knives stabbing your poor heart as memories flashed at the forefront of your mind.

‘Yeah, but you changed it for her.’

"A-Ah, right! Sorry, have a good day, Yoon-Oh."

You released a breath that were holding for a little while as you saw Jaehyun hop into the driver's seat of an extremely expensive, luxury car. The flashy woman in the passenger seat threw an overstated air kiss to the little boy beside you, glancing your way soon after. A scowl replaced the smile you were holding onto desperately as she simply smirked with triumph. Your free hand curled into a tight fist as you watched the car whiz away, to the point that your knuckles turned white and your nails threatened to puncture the flesh of your palm.

She removed Jaehyun from your life, 

And he allowed it to happen.

You and Jaehyun had known one another since primary school. On a bitter, cold day in the autumn of your second year, Jaehyun nervously approached your lunch table to ask if he could sit with your group, which you guys obviously said yes. While the friends you had in that group all eventually slipped away from your life through your years of schooling, Jaehyun and you had managed to maintain a close friendship. The close bond and chemistry the two of you had was undeniable to the public and private eye. Everyone thought the two of you would eventually get married, which you didn't mind them thinking in the slightest. Jaehyun had always thought the same too, even though there was no official romance. Just adoring looks, sweet gestures, lovely memories, and tense atmospheres.

In university, you finally confirmed your feelings for him, ready for that next step with him. You finally realized that he was your destiny, and you thought you were his as well.

Next thing you knew, Jaehyun found a girl from his economics class and the rest is history. They had an accidental child early on in their whirlwind romance, the one you were currently watching playing with stackable plastic blocks. Anger boiled your blood... you still loved Jaehyun to the depths of your heart, to the point that you regularly questioned whether you would ever be able to move on, but you couldn't understand how dense he was when it came to his girlfriend: Jimin.

Jimin wasn't your average, plain Jane college gal. She was simply receiving a business degree for the sake of having the piece of paper that she didn’t even work for. Jimin had her daddy's money and company waiting for her once she deemed herself ready for the role. When Jimin set her eyes on Jaehyun the very first class of economics, it was game over for anything between you two. Jimin made it her mission to claim Jaehyun as her own personal property, in other words her personal boy toy, basically making it her life’s mission to rid of you in his life. Or as she specifically explain it, 'spending quality time with boyfie while they were young.' You saw through her sugary sweet act from the moment you laid eyes on her when Jaehyun introduced the two fo you.

She was a brat, a snob, a snake, and any description with negative connotation that you could think of. You hissed as you remembered that the woman even convinced him that 'Yoon-Oh' was a more handsome name than Jaehyun. ‘How could he be so under her spell to not see the sort of shit she puts him through?’ You wondered. 

‘The least she could be is a sweet, decent person to make Jaehyun happy in life.’

That would have satisfied you, but in the end, you knew that people never really get what they want. You were left high and dry while a snobby rich whisked Jaehyun away like he was never there to begin with. And the fact that the woman barely paid any attention to her child made you absolutely sick to your stomach. Hot tears pricked at your eyes as you watched the innocent boy giggle as he was currently in the midst of building a little block boat. 

‘Taking random selfies with your extremely adorable child for your dumb Instagram page does NOT count as parenting, Jimin.’

As you reminisced on all of the times that you had to deal with Jimin's endless childishness and her possessiveness over Jaehyun, you felt a little tug at your sleeve. You smiled tearily as you saw one thing that significantly brightened up your bleak life.

"Noona?"

"Yes, Baby?"

"Why do you look so sad today?"

Your heart constricted like someone was squeezing it tightly, already feeling regret as you had been too absorbed in your own thoughts to give him your full attention. You didn't have an early education degree for nothing.

"Ah, just little things, Baby. Don't worry about it."

"But I don't want Noona to be sad! We should get you ice cream like you do when I get a boo boo!" Jaehyun's son, Jeno, happily suggested, probably just wanting to eat some ice cream himself. You were put into a bout of laughter as you lovingly looked at Jeno get up to 'go get you some ice cream to fix your inside boo boo.'

You complied as you simply couldn't ever say no to the precious boy, so you were on your way out to the local grocery store near your house, which you hadn't gone to in awhile. You peered down to the eye smile prince himself who was happily skipping alongside you, his tiny hand wrapped around the middle three fingers of your hand, a gesture that you you screaming in an internal maternal mess. 

Jimin and Jaehyun have been so neglecting of this poor child lately, always going out on day long dates and luxurious overseas trips, obviously as per Jimin's request. 

You had to say, you were extremely disappointed at Jaehyun for forgetting his caring, sweet roots. The child you were currently leading into a small grocery store was basically your own, you were more of a mother to him than Jimin could ever be.

"Hey, Y/N!"

You looked around to see who called out your name when you spotted a familiar face, causing you to stumble back with pleasant surprise.

"Oh hey, Mark! I didn't know you worked here! Master's degree yet?" You led little Jeno over to the cash register to greet him, gushing over seeing the adorable guy once again. You knew Mark when you were a senior in college, him being a spry sophomore at the time. While he was a music major and you were an early education major, you two fatefully ended up in the same science requirement classes, leading to a beautiful, supportive relationship to blossom between the two of you. You hadn't been able to see him as of late as you were busy with your job.

"Yeah, I’m here part time. Needed some money so I can pay off my college debt as I'm looking for a gig at the moment. But anyways, uhhh, y-you look beautiful as ever, Y/N. Is he your child?" You blushed at his compliment while looking down at little Jeno who Mark was gesturing to gently. Jeno was shooting Mark a suspicious glare causing you to giggle as you dropped a hand to pat his head.

"No, this is Jeno, Jaehyun's son. I regularly babysit him."

Mark gave you a confused look, something wasn't adding up for him.

"You and Jaehyun aren't together?"

You were taken aback at his lack of knowledge. You even told him about Jaehyun's girlfriend a long time ago, but it seems like he didn't remember. Besides, you and Jaehyun were very, very not together.

As you were about to explain, Jeno took the spotlight.

"Daddy should date my Noona! She's a lot better-"

"Shh, you shouldn't say stuff like that, Jeno." You cooed to comfort the pouting kid as you hoisted him up onto your waist to rock him a little. He was getting a little heavy for this, but you didn't mind throwing your back out for him.

Mark laughed to himself, throwing a loving gaze your way as you and Jeno bickered for a little. His insides turned to goop as he fell down the tempting rabbit hole once again.

"Well, if you're not with anyone right now... c-could I ask to maybe take you out on a date sometime?"

You abruptly paused your conversation with Jeno to whip your head to the blushing male. A little blush to match his crept up to your cheeks as you reeled over what he just said in your mind like a broken cassette.

"You want to... go out with me?" You whispered with a tilt of your head, needing a firm confirmation from him before you let your mind start playing tricks on itself.

"Yeah, if that's fine with you." Mark restated, biting down on his bottom lip as he awaited your answer.

Thoughts of Jaehyun’s beautiful, warm smile plagued your mind like a disease; you were still very much in love with him. Even if his actions gave you a whole list as to why you should give his ass up in a heartbeat. 

You looked back into Mark's eyes, finally making up your mind.

"I'd love to, Mark."

"Really?" He choked out, already expecting a rejection coming his way. You were oblivious to it, but Mark had the largest crush on you ever since you became partners for your science class. Whenever he even thought of asking you out, he remembered how close you were to Jaehyun, so he always chickened out. 

This was finally his chance.

"Yeah, of course I would." You said sheepishly.

"But what about Daddy?"

You looked back to Jeno who was inches away from your face with round, glassy eyes. You sighed as you gave his cheek a quick little peck.

"Your Daddy is happy with your Mommy, Jeno. Don't worry, you will always be the number one man in my heart, okay? We will have a bunch more playdates!"

Mark watched as you comforted Jeno, feeling his heart thump violently against his ribcage. He knew you were the one for him, and he truly pitied Jaehyun, for he couldn't even see the true beauty that was sitting in front of him for so many years. Mark prayed above, thoroughly thanking fate to bring you to him today.

"Excuse me, but are you checking out right now?" An elderly woman appeared behind you with a harsh glare, a sharp tongue to match her tapping foot. You bowed quickly, not too much so that Jeno wouldn’t fall off, muttering small apologies as you moved out of the way.

"You better give me a discount for the ice cream, Mark!" You yelled as you walked away with Jeno over to the ice cream freezer. Mark gave you a cute little smile before diving back into scanning the items that that woman gave to him. Though it has been hard in your journey to give up on Jaehyun, there may be just as amazing men that would be better for you out there. You sighed out happily, maybe things were going to improve for you in the future.

~~~

Part I || Part II || Part III

This mini fic is the result of when I learned that Jaehyun said he would have basically been a teenage dad if he wasn't an idol 👁👄👁