#his face still looks different every time but its fiiine hes barely existed for a couple days lolol

[layalu]

tryna get the hang of him :]

[randynova]

♡𝓜𝔂 𝓦𝓸𝓶𝓪𝓷♡

𝓖𝓾𝓷 𝔁 𝓡𝓮𝓪𝓭𝓮𝓻

𝑆𝑢𝑚𝑚𝑎𝑟𝑦: 𝐴𝑙𝑟𝑒𝑎𝑑𝑦 𝑠ℎ𝑜𝑟𝑡 𝑜𝑛 𝑡𝑖𝑚𝑒, 𝐺𝑢𝑛 𝑖𝑠 𝑓𝑜𝑟𝑐𝑒𝑑 𝑡𝑜 𝑓𝑖𝑔ℎ𝑡 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑟𝑒𝑣𝑒𝑎𝑙 𝑡𝑜 𝐺𝑜𝑜 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑟𝑒𝑎𝑠𝑜𝑛 ℎ𝑒 𝑠𝑡𝑎𝑦𝑠 𝑤𝑖𝑡ℎ 𝑦𝑜𝑢 𝑖𝑓 𝑖𝑡 𝑚𝑒𝑎𝑛𝑠 ℎ𝑒 ℎ𝑎𝑠 𝑎𝑛𝑦 𝑤𝑎𝑦 𝑜𝑓 𝑚𝑎𝑘𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑖𝑡 𝑡𝑜 𝑦𝑜𝑢𝑟 𝑑𝑎𝑡𝑒 𝑜𝑛 𝑡𝑖𝑚𝑒.

✦✦✦ ✦✦✦

𝑊𝑎𝑟𝑛𝑖𝑛𝑔(𝑠):𝐹𝑒𝑚!𝑅𝑒𝑎𝑑𝑒𝑟, 𝐹𝑙𝑢𝑓𝑓, 𝑠𝑜𝑓𝑡(𝑠𝑖𝑚𝑝)! 𝐺𝑢𝑛

✦✦✦ ✦✦✦

“Why couldn’t this have waited until another day?” Gun muttered, unbuttoning his shirt, letting it slide off his taut frame, and neatly folding it, placing it onto the roof of his car. He was glad he hadn't put his jacket on, having left it in his passenger seat. “I can’t dirty my clothes again, [Name] will be mad if I get blood on it.” He rolled his broad shoulders until they released a satisfying crack, his thick muscles bulging as he stretched his arms across his scarred chest. Gun peered at a nearby store, the digital clock displaying in big white numbers, ‘7:45 PM’. He groaned, his lips curling into a scowl whilst his arms fell to his side. He didn’t have enough time to deal with this.

“Hmm, and it’s almost time for our date. Fuck.” Gun whispered to himself. He clenched his fists, narrowing his eyes at the man across from him. He removed his shades and revealed his dark gaze, placing his favorite accessory to his side as well. “I’ll make this quick, Goo. I have more important places to be.”

Goo laughed, grinning in his spot as he balanced a pole in his hands. He rolled his eyes, arching a brow at his partner. “Tsk, tsk, tsk, Gun, maybe if you didn’t spend all your time by [Name]’s side, we could have dealt with this matter much earlier. That girl has you wrapped around her pretty little finger, huh?”

“Shut it,” Gun said, already racing towards the blonde and thrusting his fist, knuckles colliding with metal. Upon the cold sensation meeting his skin, he wanted to absolutely kill Goo and rip him to shreds. This would take longer than he wanted, wasting his already precious, short time. He backed off, having a considerable distance between the two, stretching his fingers a few times before clenching them again. He growled, spitting venomously,  “You just like picking fights.” 

“You did too. Before you met her, y’know,” Goo tutted, waving his finger in the air. He scoffed, voice low, “Who would’ve thought? Gun going soft for a girl. Psh, pathetic. Never thought I’d live to see the day...” The blonde trailed off, his face becoming stoic, his mind wandering. You truly had to be someone exceptional if you managed to have a guy like Gun to fall for you. He always wondered who you were, how you looked like, what you did, but Gun had kept you a secret from the world of crime. He hid almost every known trace abou you and tied every loose end that implicated you existed. No one knew who you were and no one could find you — unless Gun allowed them to. 

Goo found it so irritating how he was unable to know the girl who made such a notorious gangster go soft. 

He only met you once and that was by pure sheer luck; dropping by unexpectedly at one of Gun's apartments, only to be met with the sight of you. Seeing how Gun reacted, he knew you were supposed to be kept hush-hush. But boy, did he have a field day the next time he saw the man.

Goo had to meet you again. Or at least, know you more.

Only when Gun’s fist connected with Goo’s face did the man snap out of his thoughts, the impact of such force throwing him a few feet backwards. He dug his feet into the floor, a high-pitched screech coming from his shoes as the rubber burned against the pavement. With his sleeve, Goo wiped his cheek, seeing a speck of blood staining his clothes. Goo chuckled, standing up straight with a grin, “If I can remember right, you told me you got Eli Jang in trouble for basically the same thing. What was her name again? Heather?”

Goo blocked the upcoming attack, his pole raised and crossed above his face. He pushed Gun back with an effortless swing of the pole. He tilted his head and scratched the back of his head with his free hand. “How is [Name] any different from Heather? What does she have on you?”

Gun twisted his neck gently until he heard a crack, looking back at Goo as he hissed with venom, “Nothing.”

“Let me think, let me think….” Goo hummed, racking his mind for any possibility that someone like Gun would stay with a woman longer than one night. His face lit up and he broke out into a wide grin, pointing a finger at Gun. “Aha! You got the poor girl knocked up, right?! See, I always tell you to wear protection! Just couldn’t keep it in your pants, hm? Shaaame.” 

“Ugh, fuck no. I don’t want kids and neither does she. We made that clear at the beginning," Gun said with a sneer, annoyed beyond comprehension at Goo's antics. 

“Awe, I really thought she held something over you. How about this: I’ll stop fighting you if you tell me why you’re still with such a pretty girl like [Name]? Deal?" Goo offered, slinging the pole onto his shoulder. His eyes darkened as he spat maliciously, knowing each word would wind and rile Gun's emotions. "She deserves better than a perverted gangster, you both know that.”

Gun stayed silent, the corners of his lips tugging down into a frown. Goo’s last words struck a chord in him, sending a pang through his heart upon hearing an insecurity he’ll never admit to. Of course. Everyone told you to stay away from a man like Gun. People kept telling you you will only get hurt in the end, that a better man will come along and sweep you off your feet if you just waited, or you could always do better than him. But you never listened. You stayed by his side, even when the whole world looked down on you two. Even for months, he tried convincing himself he felt nothing for you, but after a while, he finally accepted that someone managed to tear down his walls and enter his hollow, cold heart — you. 

You were just a different kind of girl - no- a different kind of woman. A special woman he had the pleasure of meeting. One he wouldn’t dare let go of now that he has the privilege of calling you ‘mine’. And by any god out there, he won’t be a stupid fool to lose you.

Gun sighed. “I tell you and you’ll put this stupid fight behind us, right?”

Goo placed a hand over his chest, replying shortly, “You have my word.~”

“[Name] is just that special person you meet once in your life. One you know you can’t let go of because there isn’t another like her. Simple as that.”

“What?! Ugh, don’t be boring! Tell me more!”

“You asked why I  stayed with her and I told you.”

“Yeah, but I expected a story, not some sad attempt at an old man’s wise words.”

A low guttural sound rumbled in Gun’s throat, his eye twitching. “Maybe when I’m in a better mood I’ll tell you, but if you’ll excuse me, I have a date with my woman.”

Goo groaned and tossed his pole to the side, rolling his eyes and grumbling, "Fiiine, but you owe me a story. "

"Whatever—damnit," Gun looked at the clock once again and his face contorted into one of pure irate. "I'm late."

'8:12 PM'

✦✦✦ ✦✦✦

Your head rested on your hand, balancing a glass of wine between your fingers, twirling the cup as the liquid swished around. Your eyes were looking down on the glory of Gangdong, the shimmering, blinding lights of the city mesmerizing you. The city always looked beautiful at this time of night. You just wished you could enjoy it with the person you cherished. A sigh leaves your lips and you look away, eyes trailing to the other tables over the balcony. 

The lingering eyes of many strange men didn't faze you anymore, the two burly boys surrounding your table always making them avert their gaze as fast as it landed. A courtesy of your boyfriend, who was at least thirteen minutes late, who insisted on you needing to be guarded at all times. You knew if he were here, no one would dare to even breathe in your direction, let alone glance. 

The cool air pricked your skin and a shiver passed through your body, reminding you of where you were. For a man as smart as him, Gun tended to neglect keeping the season in mind when planning your dates. Nonetheless, you were happy he went out of his way to take you out on such a busy schedule. 

You jumped in your seat, snapping out of your thoughts. A jacket was wrapped around your frame, warmth immediately enveloping you as the fabric made contact with your bare skin. You looked up and smiled. 

Gun stood behind you, towering over your sitting form as he made sure you were nice and covered. His coat basically swallowed you whole. A small stuffed animal was tucked under his arm, it’s fluffy fur peeking out. He walked over to take his seat, pulling the chair out, and wasting no time to slip in. He waved to the guards and they nodded, beginning to clear the scene of people.

“Sorry I’m late, [Name],” Gun started, taking the stuffie out from underneath his arm and presenting it to you. Oh, how adorable. "I brought you a gift as an apology."

A small brown otter sat in his palms, barely taking up Gun's hands. It’s beady, plastic eyes looked straight at you, a little smile stitched onto its snout. A snort left you. The sight of such a well-dressed, intimidating man carrying such an adorable toy was  amusing. "Really now? Just a cute toy, Gun?"

Gun sighed and sat up a bit from his chair, leaning over the table, and cupping your face as he planted a gentle kiss on your cheek. As quick as it started, Gun's lips left and he was seated once again. You pout. "Don't give me that look, [Name]. We can do more at home if you want but not here."

"It's not wrong to be disappointed in no kiss on the mouth after not seeing your boyfriend for such a long time. Don't you think I deserve it?"

Gun smirked, placing his shades on the table and taking your hand, intertwining your fingers together. He gave a light squeeze and you didn't miss a beat as you squeezed his coarse hand back. The way you pursed your lips and looked at him with such glossy, innocent eyes made his heart swell. With such a pretty, cute face, it was hard to say no to you. "Hmm, maybe. But Olly told me you crossed paths with Hostel A." Gun spoke, slipping his hands from yours and picking up his dinnerware, quickly cutting the savory meat into pieces. He didn't hesitate to put a piece up to your mouth, a hand underneath so as to not have the juice leak. "I was told you nearly broke the Uncles' bones and Big Daddy himself."

Your face scrunched up and you scoffed, shaking your head. You placed the stuffed animal to the side, petting it. "Figured those assholes wouldn’t tell you everything. The ‘uncles’ wouldn’t leave me alone and I thought Olly was another one of those bastards,” you snap, sitting back in your seat with a scowl. “How was I supposed to know he was trying to help when he dresses like that? I thought he was trying to assault me for God’s sake!”

Gun placed down his fork on his plate and his face twisted into one of fury, eyes turning cold and rigid as all the warmth disappeared whilst his lips curled back into a nasty frown. You almost thought his infamous scowl was directed towards you, but you knew better. You dear boyfriend wouldn't dare lay a single finger on you if it didn't bring you pleasure. "They what?" 

You smiled softly, placing your hand over his as it clenched into a fist. With your small attempt at trying to soothe him by rubbing small circles, you spoke with a bit of hesitation, "Ah, yeah. They kept trying to get my number and wouldn't let me leave the booth I was in. I had no other choice than to use the training you taught me. Since I never met Olly, I really thought he was just another one of them and I reacted before thinking, making me attack him too."

Gun scoffed, shaking his head as he listened to your explanation with disbelief, every word fueling his rage of someone daring to hit on his woman. Every fiber in Gun's body screamed, wanting to feel their skin underneath his fists as he pounded them into oblivion. But the only thing stopping him was his date with you. For now, he'll put his anger aside to be with you and keep you happy. Who knows how long he'll be gone and when he'll see you again. The man has to make every second count. 

Yet, he couldn’t let this go unpunished.

"Fuck." Gun leans closer to you and sits on the edge of his chair. Placing his hand over yours, he slips his fingers to grasp your palm, and lifts your hand to his lips, pressing tender kisses against your knuckles. His thumb grazing softly across your fingers and his eyes flutter shut. You couldn't help but stare in awe, never quite seeing him like this.

So careful with you, so gentle, you were surprised he wasn't seething in his seat and threatening to break their heads open. Gun opens his eyes and looks up at you, shaking in his seat. “I promise I’ll have those fuckers begging on their knees for your forgiveness. They should know better than to treat a woman with such rudeness and disrespect. Shit, I’ll go right now. I’ll beat them till-”

Your sweet laugh reaches his ears, cutting him off from his little speech. You lean in and pull in his hand to your lips, pressing a tender peck to his coarse knuckles. Gun felt his heart race and skip a beat at the sight, shock crossing his features. You look up, looking at your boyfriend with mirthful eyes. “As much fun as that sounds, I'd rather you stay here. Please? I want to spend as much time with you before you go back to work.”

The man stayed silent for a few seconds, taking in your words. He looked away, clicking his tongue before he broke out into a small smile, a blush blooming across his cheeks and the tip of his ears burning a bright red. “Of course, [Name]. Though, you could’ve just said you like spending time with me.”

Giggling, you lower your hands and shake your head. “Gun, of course I like spending time with you. You’re my favorite person and I love you after all.” Your voice said those three words with such fondness, it’s as if the man was in a dream. 

If your words from before didn’t send Gun over the edge, your proclamation of love surely did now. He looked down, grinning like an idiot, showing a soft, bashful side he’s never revealed to anyone before. He swore his heart would jump out of his throat from how fast it was pounding against his ribcage. Gun grasped your hand tightly and sighed blissfully, Gently, he spoke, gazing at you with loving eyes, “I love you too.”

You smiled.

The tension in the air grew to be too much and both of you found it unbearable, wanting to do what both of you have been waiting for for weeks.

Both of you sat up and leaned over the table, closing the gap between you two as your lips interlocked, slipping together like if you were made for eachother. The kiss sparked and fed the fire both of you held in your hearts, burning brighter with every moment you spent at one another’s side. Gun couldn’t help but smile against your mouth.

As much as he hated being apart from you for so long, moments like these made the long hours worth it. If working so much meant he could provide for you, then he wouldn't mind doing it for the rest of his life if you had a roof over your head and a nice, warm meal at night.

Afterall, you were his woman.

And he loved you.

✦✦✦✦✦✦

©𝚛𝚊𝚗𝚍𝚢𝚗𝚘𝚟𝚊 || 𝚊𝚕𝚕 𝚛𝚒𝚐𝚑𝚝𝚜 𝚛𝚎𝚜𝚎𝚛𝚟𝚎𝚍 || 𝚗𝚘 𝚝𝚛𝚊𝚗𝚜𝚕𝚊𝚝𝚒𝚘𝚗𝚜, 𝚎𝚍𝚒𝚝𝚜, 𝚌𝚘𝚙𝚢𝚒𝚗𝚐, 𝚛𝚎𝚙𝚘𝚜𝚝𝚒𝚗𝚐, 𝚎𝚝𝚌. 𝚞𝚗𝚍𝚎𝚛 𝚊𝚗𝚢 𝚌𝚒𝚛𝚌𝚞𝚖𝚜𝚝𝚊𝚗𝚌𝚎𝚜 .

✦✦✦✦✦✦

[kingreywrites]

Trust fall

Words count: 2731

Eugene Appreciation Day Six: Team Awesome

Summary: What if Eugene saw Varian fall in Cassandra's Revenge?

Read on ao3

@fishskiin

Eugene realised that, as much as he thought he was angry with Cassandra, he wasn't really furious until he saw Varian hanging over the air in a cage of black rocks. He had been sad, because Cassandra was his friend and she betrayed them; he had been frustrated, because she kept hurting Rapunzel, who had her flaws, but nothing that couldn't be solved with a discussion; he was concerned, for his friends and for Corona, concerned at what she would be willing to do.

Then, she kidnapped Varian and put him in a cage high above the ground, and he felt furious.

Varian, for his part, was scared but more focused on the last incantation than on himself, letting Eugene do all the worrying about the empty space under them, and how easily Cassandra could let them fall. When the rocks started retreating, Eugene had half a mind to curse - until Varian called his name fearfully, and he realised there were more important things. He took the kid's hand in his, squeezing it tightly and hoping he would understand that Eugene intended to defend him against Cassandra if need to be.

Well, except that she squeezed him between black rocks, and he was helpless to do anything but glare at her. She was using him to pressure Rapunzel into fighting and Eugene hated it, but when he tried to talk, the rocks squeezed tighter, and he lost his breath with a groan.

The next part was a little blurry. Or, more exactly, a little too bright for Eugene to follow. Rapunzel was shining and floating and exuding power like a goddess and, once Eugene's heart stopped beating so loud with anxiety, he would be awed by her beauty. She was fighting Cassandra, who was also glowing because nothing could ever be easy in their lives, and Eugene still struggled to breath, both because of the rocks and the sheer energy he was faced with. Some part of his brain told him he was also cursed with the "birthday should involve a near death experience" special, and he would have laughed if it wasn't his friends being in danger too.

Then, Rapunzel and Cassandra clashed together and the energy was enough to break the black rocks surrounding him, and push him away a few feet. He was fighting the strong gusts of wind when he heard a cry from behind him, and turned just soon enough to see Varian being pushed over the edge.

Eugene thought he screamed but he wasn't sure - there was too much noise all around and blood was rushing to his ears.

He scrambled after him, the wind pushing him harshly to his knees midway - but he got up again, he ignored the pain in his bones and rose up because he needed to see- needed to go and try to fix this, even if it already felt like he was too late because Varian fell and they were so high up the ground-

Eugene stumbled again near the edge and crawled the few inches left, his head sticking out over the staggering height. He felt sick, Varian's cry of terror like a twisted knife in his body - and Eugene knew something about those.

It felt like a dream, then, when he saw the tiny figures right under him - first a recognisable red-head, Catalina, then Angry right at her side, Lance and… Varian, in Lance's arms. It took several more seconds before Eugene managed to breathe again, laughing nervously as he was overwhelmed with relief. He closed his eyes and thought numbly that they had been lucky, so so lucky, but his body was still thrumming with anxiety and fear.

The energy of the sundrop and the moonstone disappeared and Eugene got shakily to his feet, running to the second focus of his worry: Rapunzel. He joked that she had been awesome, and she was too exhausted and wrung out to see that his smile wasn't quite reaching his eyes - which was good since Varian didn't seem to know that Eugene had saw him go over the edge.

Everyone was acting normal, so Eugene bottled up the terror he couldn't quite shake, and they went home.

------

"Hey Varian, are you- oh my god get down from here are you crazy?!"

"Hi Eugene!" Varian greeted brightly, ignoring the unmanly screech as he balanced himself precariously on a ladder, trying to reach the highest part of his new contraption. "You'll never guess what this do!"

"Varian-"

"I mean, I know I wouldn't have guessed, considering that this is beyond what currently exist, but I'm also the creator so nothing is impossible for me-"

"Kid-"

"Well some things are, impossible that is, but not this and once I tell you what this is I think you'll be pretty amazed that-"

"Varian!" Eugene's voice was loud enough to interrupt the alchemist's excited ramblings, something dark and scared hiding in his tone. Varian looked down at his friend, the other half of team awesome, and noticed that Eugene was white as a sheet. "I- Varian, please, can you get down from here?"

It was supposed to be a request but sounded so much like begging that Varian complied immediately, sliding down the ladders in barely three seconds. Eugene seemed ready to protest, but sighed instead, his shoulders sagging as he put his hand through his hair. Going by said hair, more precisely its disheveled state, something was seriously wrong with Eugene.

"Are you alright, Eugene?" Varian asked, biting his lips.

"Who, me?" Eugene laughed, the sound too high pitched to be genuine. "Pff, yeah I'm fiiine, always am! Anyway, uh, I have to- to- brush my hair, so see ya!"

And just like that, he was gone, without even asking what he came here for. Varian blinked at the half-opened door worriedly, rubbing his own arm as Ruddiger settled around his neck to comfort him. Since the events with Cassandra, Eugene had been downright weird - always insisting on safety measures, and stopping Varian from doing anything that could result in even a papercut as long as he was in the room. At first, Varian basked in the new found attention; then he was frustrated by Eugene's overwhelming protectiveness, because he wasn't a little kid; but now, he was only confused and concerned about his friend's state of mind.

That was the first time Varian tried to confront him outright, but it had resulted in exactly what he feared: avoidance. He would have worried that Eugene was angry with him, if the man wasn't trying to protect him from every little bruise and cut. His health in general seemed to be the centre of Eugene's concerns, these days, as the man also lectured him on good eating and sleeping habits.

Though, going by the dark circles under Eugene's eyes, that was irony at its finest.

Varian grimaced, looking up to his ladder but abandoning this project for a while, not in the mood anymore. He gathered his tools and tried to think back at what could have provoked this shift, why Eugene wouldn't trust him with his safety anymore, when it hit him.

Trust.

Since Varian had been kidnapped, Eugene lost his trust in him being able to take care of himself correctly. Upset at the thought, Varian frowned, before coming to a conclusion: he had to gain that trust back. He had to show Eugene that he shouldn't worry.

Easier said than done.

------

Eugene knew that he couldn't keep this up forever, couldn't avoid Varian forever, and he already felt guilty enough about it. However, he also knew that he needed to get a grip on himself - he could hear how overbearing he was being with the kid and, despite cringing internally at his own behaviour, he couldn't stop himself from interrupting each time there was the slightest sign of danger. His mind kept flashing back to that day, at the top of that damn tower - different but identical in the way that mattered, because he nearly lost another person dear to him in there.

Eugene looked at Varian now, and could only hear his desperate cry for help as he tumbled over the edge. Eugene looked at Varian, looked at the things that could harm him, and his heart started to beat so loudly he wondered if anyone could hear it except him, wondered if anyone could see the trembling of his own hands. So Eugene intervened, because the worst thing that could happen was being too late again when he could have done something - luck wouldn't always be on their side.

That also meant he was being an horrible and controlling friend. Which is why he avoided Varian, which in return made him an even worse friend - vicious circles were like that. 

Seeing Varian up on that ladder a week ago made his whole body tense in panic so quickly that it was a wonder Eugene managed to flee - and, after that, it took a very long time for him to be able to breathe normally again. And Eugene knew, he was certain he couldn't impose his own problems on the kid because Varian didn't deserve that - he'd have to deal with his issues first, and everything could come back to normal, and they would be team awesome again.

For the time being, though, he was an horrible friend.

Eugene groaned and buried his face on his pillow. He had to shake off the fear that gripped his gut when he thought back on the few seconds when he thought he would find Varian's sprawled body when he looked down - had to shake off the terror of thinking that this kid, his friend, had died in the middle of a conflict he had no business with, and tha5 Eugene had been useless to save him. Easy, right?

A knock interrupted his swirling thoughts and he frowned. It wasn't late exactly, but Eugene was pretty sure he had nothing planned for this evening, and he was also pretty sure that Rapunzel had other duties to attend, so it couldn't be her. He got up and-

"Hello Eugene!" Varian chirped excitedly, pushing back his goggles in his hair. "Got ten minutes or so?"

"Varian?" Eugene yelped, before he plastered an anxious smile on his face. "I, uh, I'd like too but-"

"I checked with the Princess, your schedule is clear for the evening," the alchemist singsonged without losing a beat.

Varian took Eugene's sleeve and tugged him out of his room without leaving him the time to protest, leading him toward the guards training area. Eugene could only gap at the multiple installations that were clearly not here earlier, and who looked like something you could find in the challenge of the brave. Hardcore version.

"I present you," Varian announced with a dramatic flair Eugene could only admire, "the TRUST! Or Training Regimen to be Used Safely and Tactically, as you wish!"

"What?" Eugene asked dumbly, taking in the spiky ball hung mid-air on a pendulum, or the obviously unsafe axe-throwing area or-

"Well, I noticed you've been very protective of me recently, and I think I know why." Varian nodded at his own words, ignoring the contrived stare Eugene gave him. "This is my way to show you that, even if Cassandra did kidnap me, it doesn't mean that I can't take care of myself!"

"Varian, that's not-"

"I don't blame you, don't worry!" Varian smiled weakly, self-conscious. "I mean, I guess I can understand that you would think I constantly need help, my life is rhythmed by disasters, but you don't need to worry constantly about me and I'll prove it to you right now!"

Varian made his way to the TRUST and pushed a lever Eugene hadn't seen, making all the different obstacles move in a very creative fashion, certainly, but also terribly dangerous. Eugene picked up his jaw from the ground before grabbing the kid's arm and stopping him as he made his way to the spiky pendulum, swaying from right to left quickly.

"Varian you don't need to do that," Eugene pleaded, guilt churning in his stomach.

"Of course I do!" Varian answered angrily, tearing his arm from the hold and backing off toward the contraption without looking. "You don't trust me anymore Eugene and this, this is my way to regain your trust. I- We can't be team awesome if you don't think I'm good enough to protect myself!"

"It's not that," Eugene insisted, "not at all Varian! It's not that I don't trust you, it's that I… I…" he stuttered, feeling his throat dry up as the dreaded images popped back in his head.

Varian took another step back, hurt, and Eugene knew he was fucking this all up but the words wouldn't come to him. Then, he saw the pendulum come their way and realised that Varian had backed off way too much - he didn't even scream his name, instead throwing himself on the kid and making both of them tumble on the ground, to safety. Well, more or less, going by the stinging pain in Eugene's arm - a glance told him that a spike had come too close for comfort.

"Oh god I'm sorry!" Varian exclaimed fearfully, grabbing at Eugene's arm before searching frantically in the bag he carried. "Wait, there's got to be bandages here, I'm sure-"

"Hey, kid, it's okay," Eugene reassured gently, both of them still sitting down on the ground as the could hear the swishing noise the pendulum made behind them. "It's only a graze."

"Yeah, a graze cause by one of my inventions! Again!" Varian's voice broke, and he lowered his eyes, his hair falling in front of his eyes. "Maybe you're right not to trust me," he mumbled, "everything I build ends up hurting the wrong people…"

"Varian," Eugene called firmly, his hand going under the kid's chin and raising his head, "I trust you. Actually, I trust you a lot more than most people, and your inventions may cause problems, but they also constantly help us. They're brilliant, kid."

Seeing the alchemist unconvinced and sad look made Eugene sigh, his free hand tightening against his own leg.

"You remember the mess with Cassandra at the tower, right?" Eugene asked, as if Varian could have forgot - even waiting until the kid nodded, nonplussed. "You… fell, off the tower."

"Yeah," Varian nodded quietly, the memory an unpleasant recurring guest in his nightmares, "Lance was there to catch me, though, I told you."

"You told me," Eugene assented quietly, "but I already knew, because I saw you fall."

Varian's eyes widened as he opened his mouth, before closing it with an audible snap. Eugene's eyes were looking at him, but they seemed glazed over, far away from the situation. His hands were trembling.

"I saw you go over the edge and… I thought-" Eugene trailed off, his voice too quiet to continue, before Varian sneaked his hand to take his. "It took me nearly twenty seconds to get to the edge and, for every of them, I was sure I would find you- find you dead. And I know I've been overbearing recently but- I can't get this fear out of my heart. I'm sorry, Varian," Eugene offered earnestly, "I know that I need to get over this but… I don't know what I'll do if something happened to you."

Varian hugged Eugene tightly right when he finished the story, his goggles digging painfully in Eugene's cheek.

"Thank you," Varian whispered, "for caring about me."

"Of course I do," Eugene whispered too, his arms settling around the kid's back. "You're one of my closest friend. Team awesome, am I right?"

"Team awesome!" Varian yelled in answer, nearly deafening Eugene for a moment as he jumped back to his feet. The kid paused, before proposing shyly: "Let's make a deal: I swear to do my most dangerous activities with someone to help supervise the experiment, if you swear you can accept that I am competent enough to do most things alone."

"Sounds good to me," Eugene grinned, happy that they made progress today - once they escaped the training equipment from hell.

He didn't think everything was fixed - didn't think he could stop being afraid for Varian so suddenly - but it was a first step in the right direction. As long as they were team awesome, they could surpass any obstacle.

[ghostofvixx]

Over Again |LTY|

Lee Taeyong is tired.

He works at the SM’s. It is said that only experienced people are allowed to work there, in the administration team, of course. The SM’s is the most extended pub’s chain to ever exist, maybe it is because of its exclusiveness, because it is so well decorated, everything bathed in different shades of blue, neon pastel pink and white lights all over the roof creating a chill ambient. If you want to dance? There’s this dance floor downstairs where you can be as loud as you want without being bothersome to the ones who only go there to have a nice time upstairs.

It is not a very expensive place, but in this city, only people who have a certain status would go there, so it is only filled with people who earn a lot of money.

And obviously there are people gaining benefit from that, but baristas aren’t on that list.

That’s what causes Taeyong’s bad mood. He has to stand how all these rich kids complain about their first worldly life, about what they would buy with their parents money, and how they begin to drink and drink until they lose consciousness and end up throwing out.

“What a waste of money.” He always murmurs under his breath.

He, having to balance his job at the pub on Friday and Saturday night, the job as a babysitter the rest of the week, and studying as hard as he could to get good grades in his psychology major, was overwhelmed.

This Saturday night began like any other. He changed his clothes to the uniform he has to wear and put some hair gel on his hair, getting mentally ready to stand another night full of shallow people.

He can’t help hating them for complaining about all the things he wants in life.

**

Out of all the people he has to stand when working, he definitely has his least favorite group of people. They would always come into the room shouting, ready to spend everything they have been given and ask for their drink treating the employees the way they want. Four girls and three boys normally, sometimes more, sometimes less.

You are one of those girls.

“May I have a San Francisco,  please?”

Taeyong looks up to find who is the owner of that voice as sweet as honey, the only one who has asked something politely, not expecting to see you since you never drink. If you do, Taeyong not the one to give you the drink.

“On its way.” He answers, smiling just a little.

While he’s preparing it, he sees a tall, handsome man standing next to you who immediately places a hand around your waist.

“I should have seen it coming.” Taeyong thinks to himself.

“Hey, you.” Taeyong doesn’t think the guy is actually calling him, so he ignores him. “I’m talking to you dude.” He points at Taeyong, finally getting his attention.

“I’m sorry, sir, may I help you?” Taeyong answers the way he has been told to.

“Did you hear that Y/N? He called me sir.” The boy begins to laugh loudly.

“Hanbyul, please, behave.” You say to your -to Taeyong- boyfriend as you lower your body a little, taking a little bow. “Please, forgive him.”

Taeyong is speechless.

“Why do you apologize to a bartender, are you crazy Y/N?” Hanbyul asks you. “Let it be rum for me and beer for the lady.” He says, obviously mocking Taeyong.

“The lady has already ordered a San Francisco.”

“Wow, look at the baby thinking she’s a grown woman. A girl can’t take those types of drinks y/n, let it be the beer.”

“Does the lady agrees with your statement?” Taeyongs asks politely, trying not to punch the boy in front of him in the face.

“Mind your own business before I kick your precious face till you bleed stupid bartender.” Hanbyul warns as he removes his hand from your waist and puts both of them on the bar counter.

You don’t say anything, too afraid of your boyfriend’s actions.

Taeyong decides to listen to him, preparing the drink Hanbyul ordered for you, trying not to even look at him when he sees his grin as he holds you near him.

**

That wasn’t Taeyong’s first or last encounter with any member of the group. They were there all Saturdays, so, like it or not, he had to deal with them. You, on the other hand, were another case, always so sweet and smiley to him, he sometimes even wonders how you and that boy Hanbyul are dating, or at least, on the same squad.

Then he remembers how your mood changes when you are with him or any other member of the same group, how your expression hardens and how quiet and critic with everything you become.

You hadn’t behaved like that that day, what happened?

He always did his best to ignore you and stick to his job without analysing your boyfriend’s behaviour towards everything you do, sometimes he can’t, but he values his job and knows that if he steps in, it is going to make it worse, not only he would lose his job, he also would probably damage SM’s image and that would be way much worse.

**

”Taeyong”. Out of all the people in this world whom he expected to see, you weren’t the one he was expecting.

Maybe Johnny, his friend and roommate, doing his Friday’s visit to “look for” Taeyong so he won't be distracted at his job, which he never is, so it makes no sense, but Johnny keeps on doing it every Friday.

But you? On Friday? Without your group of friends? He must be dreaming.

“What are you doing here?“ He can’t help but ask.

“Why? I’m not allowed to come here?”

There was something weird going on, he knows it. You are not behaving as shy as usual, your eyes are a bit crystallized and you smell of expensive alcohol and not the sweet cologne you usually wear.

“I just… Well… How do you know my name anyways?” Taeyong feels dumb when you point with your look to the little tag with his name that he has on the right side of his chest, hanging from his shirt. - Ah… I see.

After a good five minutes of silence in which you would only tap with your right hand’s nails on the surface while your left hand is on your chin, admiring him as you hum to chained to the rhythm from Katy Perry while he tries to do something else without paying you attention.

Failing miserably, of course.

“It’s weird when I come here on my own, right?”

”I definitely wasn’t expecting it, miss.” He answers, going back to his serious mode.

“Please call me Y/N, I know your name after all.” You smile one more time and he thinks that you are too calm to be drunk. - Well, the reason I’m here is because I’m tired of my boyfriend and his group of assholes, and I’m tired of my parents since the only thing they have been doing for the last year is controlling me-

“Y/N, I’m sure I’m not the person you would like to talk to right now.”

“You were the very first person I thought of actually… Oh wait, I shouldn’t have said that, now you’re going to misunderstand what I said I… I shouldn’t have drank so much I’m sorry.”  Taeyong suddenly realizes that you are drunk, and not used to it.

“Give me your phone I’ll call one of your friends.” Taeyong sights, since he doesn’t know how to deal with drunk people.

“Nobody will answer, my friends only care about themselves and I doubt if my parents do even care about me."

“Don’t have anyone who could take care of you?”

You shrug.

"What about your boyfriend?"

You freeze and try to avoid his gaze. Taeyong knows he has fucked it up when he sees your reaction.

"I'd rather not to talk to him because apparently, I’m not allowed to look at somebody without making him feel jealous. He even forced me to kiss me after calling me a sl... Well, you know what I mean. I can’t understand why I can be cheated on but I can’t even look at this handsome boy, so I broke up with him, I’m so sick of his ass anyways.”

Taeyong didn't say a thing, he just couldn't.

"I need more alcohol."

"Well, you can ask, but I'm not giving you any."

"Taeyong please."

"You think you can solve your problems with alcohol?" Taeyong asks, trying to make you realise how stupid your statement is.

"I don't care if I can solve my problems or not, I want to forget."

"You can't forget while drinking, believe me. Come on, give me five minutes, I'll tell my boss I've got some things to do."

"Why do you want to help me? You don't even know me." You ask with watery eyes once again.

"Well, you're here now, I can't just leave you hanging."

Maybe it's because of his inexperience with drunk people, because of your situation, or just because he is not a bad person by nature, but he wants to help.

But he's not used to dealing with this type of situations.

"So you want me to help you and your hookup?" Johnny asks once Taeyong has had enough.

After he convinced his boss, explaining him that there was a client who wasn't feeling good and that needed a bit of help, you began to feel unstable and could barely stand on your feet, so he decided to call the only person who would know what to do.

"Johnny she is not my hookup for god's sake, she wasn't feeling good and has nobody to go with." Taeyong murmurs while you take a seat on the floor, looking down. "She wasn't as wasted when I first saw her this night."

"Well, maybe she isn't used to alcohol."

"I'm definitely not!" You claim as you raise your hand, still sitting and looking down.

"What do we do Johnny?"

"She can't go to her house, obviously, maybe a friend's?" Johnny suggests.

"I can't convince her to call any of her friends."

"I don't have friends Taeyong goddammit. Besides, they will probably call Hanbyul and I don’t want to see him ever again.” You comment once again, this time lying on the ground.

"Are you trying to cuddle the floor?"

"Johnny this is not the time." Taeyong nags.

"What if I am? The floor would love me more than anyone ever could." You snap back.

"Y/N this is not the time come on stand up we've got to go." Taeyong holds your arm, trying to help you. "Y/N you have to try it too, I can't do it on my own."

"If you do, I'm going to throw up on you."

"Okay, fine, Johnny help."

"I'm having fun here bro, this is fun."

"Do you want to eat tomorrow? I'm sure you can't even cook by yourself."

"Fiiine." Johnny holds your other arm and finally, you stand up with your right arm around Johnny's shoulders and left arm around Taeyong's shoulder.

You complain, sure you do, but you know you're going to be thankful when sober.

"Where do we take her?" Johnny asks Taeyong. "Our house is nearby, why don't we take her there and then we call somebody?"

You are too busy trying not to throw up to say something against that, and you feel so bad that maybe it isn't a bad idea.

You nood in agreement and they guide you to their flat.

Once you get there, Johnny guides you to the bathroom and Taeyong brings a bottle of water.

You don't remember anything after throwing up.

**

When you wake up you don't know where you are, but you're not in your room.

The bed is uncomfortable, the sheets are blue with white dots, while yours are baby purple, the room is small, walls covered in yellow and some avenger posters hanging on the wall. The furniture seems to be old and a bit damaged and there is a chair next to the bed and in front of a small window with some clothes bent.

In spite of being an ugly room, everything is surprisingly tidy.

You take a look at yourself in the small mirror on your left, not being able to recognise your reflection. Your beautiful hair made a mess, your eyes red and watery, your make up faded, making you look like a panda and your last night's dress wrinkled.

When the door opens, the red haired barista appears with a cup of coffee and an aspirin.

You feel so ashamed when his eyes land on you that you suddenly cover your whole body with the blue sheets.

"Good morning Y/N." He greets cheerfully.

"I'm sorry." You say with your voice broken since you hadn't had any liquid since you threw out last night. "No worries, I'm glad I could help."

“One day I’ll make it up to you. I owe you a coffe.”

At first, Taeyong refuses, but he ends up accepting. Not just one day, also two days after that, then a week after the last one, then five more days, then it becomes a habit.

Sometimes Johnny would be around, some others, it’s just the two of you talking -you mostly complain- about your day, or all types of reflections about many topics such as music, books and education, then you join Johnny the Friday nights to “look after” Taeyong, not seeing Hanbyul even once.

You knew it eventually was going to happen. That day six months after that “coffee day” when your physical crush (the one that made you and Hanbyul break up, in fact) turned into admiration and then it became a real crush.

You didn’t want to confess since you still thought that to him you were just somebody to spend a good time. Johnny proves you otherwise, as always.

“When are you going to propose? I don’t want to see those typical red cheeks and nervous smile anymore, it’s becoming annoying to be the indirect third wheel.” He laughed as if he was telling a joke when he sat next to you at the SM.

“Johnny shut up I swear if he hears you I’ll-”

“Come on Y/N, I tried to convince him to declare, but he doesn’t think you’ll like him, so now I’m trying with you because I know you’re a very prudent person”

“If I do, Johnny, I can’t grant him anything stable. My parents would never accept him, there will always be a shadow behind him trying to hurt him. Nobody would let him live, I don’t want him to go through that.“

“What if he’s willing to do it?“

“Nobody’s feelings are as strong to go through that”

“Y/N.” Johnny shakes you by your shoulders a little. “Wake up.”

After that, he leaves. 

You know that what you feel for Taeyong is more than enough to stand what your parents may say or do, but he shouldn’t deal with that only for you.

“It’s not as if he would, right?” You think as you see him smiling at you from the other side of the counter. You see him mouthing “five more minutes”, and you nod in response.

“It’s late, why didn’t you leave with Johnny?“ He asks as you get out of the building.

“I wanted to see you more tonight.”

“At three in the morning? Who will do that?”

“I can handle that, I just wanted to see you.” You know how cheesy you sound, but after thinking over and over again what Johnny told you, you get to the conclusion that the sooner you confess, the better it would be to Taeyong.

Taeyong raises his eyebrows at your comment and smiles as he places his right arm around your shoulders.

“Taeyong I love you.” You say, calmly, hiding your head on his neck, enjoying every moment by his side before the rejection.

“I love you too.” He comments, wrapping you into a hug.

The moment is so pure that suddenly you want to cry.

“No Taeyong, I mean it. I want to be something else, but I don’t want you to go through whatever my parents would do if they find out that I love you”.  You close your eyes, trying to keep calm. “Even if you don’t feel it back”.

You feel his body shaking a little and you hear a light chuckle which makes your heart skips a beat. Then he’s kissing you. Your forehead, your nose, your cheeks, your lips.

It feels so unreal and it lasts so little that you are not sure if it happened. Then you kiss him, only to check. When he kisses you back and hugs you more tightly than before, you know it is happening.

“Start over Y/N“. He whispers. “If you want to do it with me that’s fine. If not, it’s fine too, but please, don’t let them cut your wings”.

And in that exact moment, when you kiss him again, you know exactly what you will do.