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itsnotmuchyet · 3 months ago

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Okay, this is just a quick (lies, this ended up so long) and dirty articulation of why I don't like Annabeth Chase from PJO, her relationship with Percy, and what I think could fix it. (It got too long so I cut that bit. I'll write it if someone asks, but right now this is just a deconstruction of how, in my opinion, Annabeth Chase is not a well-written and compelling character.) This will be rambling and scattershot but hopefully it all makes sense, even if you don't agree.

First of all, Annabeth Chase has a lot of potential. I'm about to talk some shit, but I want to be clear, I see a lot in her character that could be interesting. I attribute most of my problems with her to Rick's writing, which, for all its good qualities, is not the strongest or most consistent imo. This isn't intended as a hate piece, just a way to organize my thoughts. I'm doing this all from memory, and am open to feedback, disagreement, or correction if I make a mistake so long as it's done in a civil way. Thank you.

I think my biggest frustration with Annabeth is that I simply don't believe her intelligence. I would LIKE to. But I think we are told that she is smart far more than we're shown, which makes the praise heaped upon her somewhat galling.

When I think about great strategies in these books, Percy comes to mind first. In The Last Olympian, he's the one who plans out the destruction of the bridges to frustrate Kronos' approach, including making diplomatic deals with the river gods and strategically deploying demigods to get it done. He's the one to realize that Poseidon is critical to success, find a way to get his attention in the middle of a war, and convince him to take heavy losses in Atlantis — and lose that battle which was very personal and precious to him — in order to win the ultimate war against Kronos. It is also Percy's strategy which is successful in defeating Typhon. Percy is constantly thinking up strategies in high pressure environments, such as fights. For example, in the Labrynth, when he realizes that his half-brother is healed by earth so he concocts a method with what he has around him to keep his brother suspended so he can be killed.

Now, other demigods also make important contributions in The Last Olympian. Wasn't it Nico who convinced Hades, Persephone, and Demeter to join the fight? And Annabeth activated Daedalus(??? spelling) statues in defense as well. But Percy is one that we are most often shown being strategic. I think it just goes under the radar because Percy does not have a high self esteem and does not praise himself internally for a lot of the clever stuff he does.

Annabeth most often contributes by knowing something. She often serves as exposition; she'll recognize a myth first, and explain it to Percy. But not only is prior knowledge and memorization not a replacement for actual strategy, BUT PERCY GETS BETTER GRADES THAN HER. I think it's in that Demigod Files book?? All Riordan's stuff has at least a month's waitlist at my library or I would double check my source, but I distinctly remember an entry where Annabeth is like, "Seriously, how is Percy getting better grades than me?? I'm the one who taught him how to put an essay together and now he's breezing through them??? Wtf." I find this intensely frustrating. Because what do you MEAN she's not even more successful than Percy academically? It's just, it's frustrating, because she's supposed to be so super smart, and I'm struggling to see where that actually gets expressed. If her only advantage is an earlier exposure to the Greek myths than Percy and a good memory, then her value as a character is highest near the start of the series and can only decline from there.

Even her encounter with the Sphinx highlights this. She had the trivia knowledge to answer the questions but not the wisdom to just, do that and not start an unnecessary fight in the middle of their quest.

I can think of several times in the books where Annabeth stutters, trying to think of something, while Percy improvises something that might be a little goofy but it WORKS.

Actually, Percy is by far the better manipulator out of the two of them. He is insanely good at reading his enemies, figuring out how to convince them to ally with him if possible, or defeat them if not. His big vulnerability is he can't do that for shit with people he cares about. Percy is actually very conflict avoidant in his personal life, I've noticed? And he's very quick to empathize with a friend and try to see things from their persepective (like when Grover kinda SABOTAGED his college applications and Percy heard him out and supported him in his emotional struggle with Percy leaving).

By contrast, Annabeth doesn't seem interested in the emotional wellbeing of her friends?

Annabeth often insults Percy's intelligence and his strategies. She says his head is full of kelp, seaweed brain, outright calls him stupid at least once (during that quest for Hermes, if I recall; was that in the Demigod Files as well? It wasn't in a main book I don't think). Everyone says that Annabeth is so smart, she's the daughter of Athena she's the architect of Olympus!! Meanwhile, the person I see actually implementing successful strategy is the person Annabeth constantly insults. She says that he's lucky, that he needs help to do anything, couldn't think his way out of a paper bag without her????????

That's what drives me crazy about Annabeth. Nobody ever calls her on her bragging or her putting down of other people. She doesn't learn. Not even when her carelessness and overconfidence gets her DRAGGED INTO TARTARUS. I'm so sorry, but is it not embarrassing for a daughter of Athena to be defeated like that??? All you had to do was keep an awareness of your environment, put two and two together that you're covered in webs just like the spider who just fell through the floor, and realize you'd better do something about that ASAP. And, like. Look. My issue isn't that she was pulled into Tartarus. My issue isn't even the way it happened. It matches with her fatal flaw.

My issue is that, like with everything else she gets wrong, she never seems to learn or grow from it. Like when Luke tricked her into holding up the sky. That to me is a perfect opportunity for a genuine character moment. It's so humbling, and would leave you so shaken. A moment for an unwanted but desperately needed reckoning between who she wants Luke to be and who he is. I'm not even saying she should have given up on him. I don't mind that she couldn't or that the whole thing was so messy and painful for her, but the way that it was expressed in the book made me feel like Annabeth was either willfully blind or untrustworthy. Her denial of Luke's worst aspects, her defending of him, her refusal to hold space for other characters feeling differently to her, all of it fostered suspicion in me when I first read the PJO books.

I remember when I first read the scene where Percy reveals his Achille's heel to her. My hair stood on end. Something about the way her eyes are described as "distant" when she asks where it is, and how Percy hesitates. In that moment I was screaming for him not to trust her. I did not want her to know. I thought his fatal flaw was going to kill him. Percy is a character who cannot anticipate betrayal.

Of course I was wrong about Annabeth there. Or was I? Other people before me have noted that when Annabeth judo flips Percy onto his back in New Rome, she does not know that the Mark of Achilles has been lifted. I don't think that the throw would have necessarily killed him if it hadn't; he lands on a flat surface. But it was certainly DEEPLY careless and foolhardy of Annabeth, EVEN BEFORE you take into account that it was, strategically, a STUPID thing to do. It makes me want to scream how dumb this moment makes Annabeth look. It's the tense, fraught first meeting in years between ancient enemies. You're the leader of your group, the diplomatic ambassador from Camp Half Blood. It's imperative that this goes well, for the fate of the world. And your emotions run so high upon reuniting with your kidnapped boyfriend — who was stolen by a god and has been through you-don't-know-what kind of godly fuckery — that you take it out on him, the VICTIM, and physically attack him. Didn't she put a knife to his throat?? If PERCY hadn't defused the moment, handled it, Annabeth would easily have destroyed the Greek-Roman alliance right there, no ghostly possession of Leo needed. With friends like her, who needs enemies?

Her relationship with Percy…I've never understood why they're the golden couple of the fandom. Annabeth seemed more interested in Luke than Percy, and when she was interested in Percy it was always…like, okay, Annabeth was vulnerable with Luke. I don't think he ever had a thing for her, but there was a tenderness to how she'd interact with him. When she interacted with Percy — think of the school dance, or how she handled having Rachel on a quest — she refuses to be vulnerable with him. If she has a crush on Percy, she hides it under glares, insults, and demands. Annabeth won't ask Percy to dance with her, she'll hit him and call him stupid for not asking her. She will not let her guard down with him.

This is a throughline in their relationship; even in Tartarus, she's thinking about how she likes to keep Percy on her toes. Yeah, Annabeth, we know. It was obvious when you manufactured a whole drama around your "one month anniversary." Which, no, that's not a thing, and it's completely normal of Percy not to anticipate that you would want him to do something special for it. I hated that whole story (it's in demigod files, I think). It's just Annabeth dangling Percy over undefined consequences if he doesn't read her mind and figure out what she wants and needs. He does all the work and she judges it. It's not cute or fun.

I do place most of the blame on Riordan's writing. What's that scene where Annabeth pushes Percy unexpectably off a cliff, triggering a very sensitive and dangerous encounter that he had to negotiate under time pressure while Annabeth watches? How does that scene start? "Get you a girlfriend who…" It's framed as a positive that Annabeth will just shove Percy into dangerous situations without warning when she absolutely does not have to do that. Isn't she supposed to be strategic? Why can't she think up a strategy and tell him, instead of shoving him at the problem and just, putting it on him to find a solution? "Give the problem to Percy" isn't a strategy worthy of Athena, I'm sorry. But my point is, Rick genuinely seems to think their romance is good and these red flag moments are cute and flirty. He is not writing Annabeth as an asshole on purpose.

I tend towards death of the author analyses myself, but Rick's writing is not consistent enough for that. You kinda just have to identify what he was trying to do, see where it failed, and decide how you wanna interpret that. And when it comes to Annabeth…I just want to either burn her relationship with Percy down or rewrite her character.

What else is there? Oh yeah, does anyone else feel like the way her family is written makes her seem…overdramatic? Like, meeting her dad and stepmom…it's an anticlimax. This girl was so unhappy she ran away from home as a child. She chose to become homeless in a world where monsters hunt her down, AS A CHILD, rather than stay with her dad. There's a deep unhappiness and loss to that. When she talks about it, she talks about being unwanted, a burden that her dad was unable and unwilling to handle, not being heard, not being believed. She is describing victim blaming. In that house, she, a six year old child, was seen as the problem.

And after that build up, we meet her family, and they are…well, they're fine, aren't they. Her step mom is concerned for her. She and Annabeth's dad (no i don't remember his name rn) seem to want the best for her, to help however they can. Mr Chase—is his name Frederick maybe???—Mr Chase takes the initiative, after Percy and his friends let him in on a sliver of what's going on with Annabeth, to melt down old weapons to make bullets and FLY A HELICOPTER to come save his daughter.

I'm honestly at a loss about what we're supposed to think here. At the end of Titan's Curse Percy gently suggests to Annabeth that she give her family another chance. If I recall, she says some things can't be repaired, but it's implied that she does actually try again with her family later. This always seemed to me to undermine Annabeth's entire narrative…the way she describes being treated simply does not match what we observe for ourselves in Titan's Curse.

I could go on but I'll cut it here. Maybe I'll make a post about I'd rewrite her if I could, because I do WANT to like Annabeth. There's a lot interesting that could be done with her. Probably not though bc all the Annabeth stans are gonna block me for this one I fear. Maybe I'll post my criticisms of other PJO couples instead lol (I won't. if you've read this far you'll find this claim dubious, but I actually don't enjoy being a hater. anyway i don't have nearly so much to say about any other pjo couple). Thanks for reading.

#rr crit #anti annabeth chase #rick riordan critical #annabeth chase critical #pjo

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mochinomnoms · 7 months ago

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I can't stop having Jade thoughts so I'm gonna throw them at you.

I know people have talked about PTM yuu playing into Jade's dirty thoughts to get a rise out of him, but I really just... I can stop thinking of Yuu just giving Jade sudden and subtle compliments. Like they hear his thoughts and there's an insecurity he doesn't talk about and Yuu makes a comment to try to make him feel better. Or Yuu doesn't even have to be subtle in compliments. Maybe Jade did something different with his outfit or maybe is trying a new perfume to hopefully get Yuu's attention and Yuu didn't notice it but they overheard Jade's thoughts so they comment on it and Jade gets so happy.

Or Jade has thoughts of how he's trying to act cool or handsome but Yuu calls him cute or pretty instead. Like he wasn't expecting to hear that and now he's a blushy and having to hide away to get his act back together.

Also a kinds related but also not really thought. If Yuu ever comments how they can tell Jade's fake smiles vs his real ones how would Jade react? Luke his fake smile doesn't show teeth but his real one does or something. And if Yuu said they likes his real smile more or comments that his real smile is cute then what? Would he die?

Aaaaaa you can always send me Jade thoughts I love my darling Jade!!!

Would you all be surprised to hear that it's actually the sweeter things that make him fall further in love with Yuu and not just the more risque scenarios (tho he does love those too).

Jade as a character is always performing a certain way, not necessarily to please others but to get what he wants out of them. We can see it in other's perceptions in the game, his classmates know that Jade is just as unhinged as his brother and manipulative as Azul, but others don't. Trey thinks Jade is like him, trying to just placate situations and being a pushover to his housewarden and brother, when Riddle points out that it's very much not the case. Vil gets unsettled when Jade is able to perfectly perform every single task he's given, no matter how impossible. Even when his perfect image as a soft-spoken, polite man is shattered once others find out just how mean and condescending he is, there is still a general notion that he's capable, intimidating, and almost a miracle maker. In fact, he revels in how unsettled he makes others, finding it funny.

But he doesn't want Yuu to see him like that, he doesn't want them to be put off by him. But the reality is that they've already have been looking at that way, and it's been a whole year for them to develop their own notions of Jade as a person.

It's a deep insecurity he has regarding them, a fear that Yuu will never see past that image. Maybe it's why he has such vivid daydreams, ones skipping right over that roadblock and immediately turning into one where he's already won their heart, rather than fighting for it. He's a bit of a coward, he hates to admit it, the fear of not being capable for once stumping his development.

Of course, Yuu knows this, and as much as they don't want to admit it, they've grown fond of Jade the longer they hear his thoughts. He is so firm in performing a certain way, it's nice to hear how open he really wants to be with them. (It's also the fact that it's only with them he wants to be open with that makes them a bit pleased, even if they don't want to admit it.)

But it's a bit hard to do outwardly experience that when Jade is so firm on being be person he thinks they want, and the Seven know hat they won't make the first move, so they try what they can to pull him out.

"It's so rare to see you smile like that, I kinda wish you'd do it more."

"I like your hair when it's pushed back, makes you give off a different vibe...huh? What kind? Aaah, nothing important..."

"Come on, I see the gears turning in your head, you have a joke? Tell it, I don't mind!"

"I remember this! Epel's grandma really went all out with your clothes. Haha, you look kinda cute with that hat..."

It helps, Jade becomes less concerned about being a certain way around Yuu, but does become more preoccupied with trying to get them to say more things about him.

He's hoping, with how sweet their words are, that a slip of the tongue might bring out a confession. Yuu is hoping for the same. I suppose it's a matter of who will utter those three little words first.

#mochi asks #twst #twisted wonderland #jade leech #twisted wonderland x reader #twst x reader #jade leech x reader #ptm

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aakaneeee · 5 months ago

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well people. . It's time, aka Akane's monthly revival because there's Luka content. And gosh do I have a lot to say about this. Except.. I'm not going to market these as theories, but as predictions. I think as an og fan I've seen enough to be this confident in my abilities LOL

Quickly, I'd like to address the lyrics and the title, because I will reference it later and I don't want to have to explain mid-prediction.

Wiege has two meanings, and both are so fitting:

1. Cradle. It feels.. perfect, for me. It makes so much sense. Luka was a cold child.. but I'd like to say only physically. I feel like he genuinely warmed up towards Hyuna and Hyunwoo as a child. And I'm going to bring an idea that might get me a bit of backlash but.. I've gotten worse, and that is, that Hyuna is at fault for Luka's approach on his feelings. (Audience boos) From the little we know about Hyunwoo, I feel like Hyuna treated both him and Luka.. at least a little bit similarly. Or at least, Luka couldn't discern a difference, if there was any. Luka is a tube baby, he probably doesn't know (and I am not babying him here, I'd like to add!) what "siblings" he has. For him, affection might just be all and the same. Yes, it wasn't Hyuna's responsibility to teach him, but I feel like a hint was there "Your life is mine", and she could've explained, in a way. But, back to our discussion, Hyuna was Luka's cradle. She burns as bright as the sun, while he's colder. But most importantly, she was his only true friend (Considering I don't think his relationship with Hyunwoo was extremely close, even though they were 'friends'), someone he thought truly cared about him. Hyuna was Luka's cradle, holding him close, comfortable... until at one point, he outgrows that cradle (Hyunwoo's death).

And the second meaning, beginning. In the picture we got, Luka is centered, he's in the middle.. but he's so small, and overshadowed by the tree. Luka is the best performer of the ANAKT, always first, but has no friends. But perhaps, he was better that way. Then, Hyuna comes, and it's a new beginning. He's finally not alone. What I've noticed in the new banner, Luka is missing, but across the tree trunk, in his place, is a taller shadow. Perhaps, a shadow of who Luka was, hopefully still left in there. Or, the other way around, it symbolizes his real self being left there.

And the lyrics:

When I close my eyes,

Play in paradise.

These, to me, remind me of the interview where Luka said his favorite game was hide and seek. In a way, his whole ANAKT life was a game of hide and seek: hiding all the time, but no one trying to seek him. Until Hyuna did, and found him. Something that intrigues me is the "paradise", which to me sounds like what Mizi once said: Dying in competition means returning to the Great Anakt, which I suppose is to them like Heaven.. or Paradise. This will be important later, so remember it.

And now, my predictions for the HyuLuka episode

! First of all, I think the song will be lullaby-like. When I first saw this teaser, with the lyrics, as weird as it sounds, it reminded me of Richard's song in The Hero in TAWOG, a song that always gets me to cry for some reason, and I've been really stuck on that . It would be interesting, because it would fit Luka's voice (as does everything else), but probably not Hyuna's, even though 6FU; would eat it.. which to me, sounds like their "love", where Luka loves her, but it isn't returned. I'd love to see more German in it than just in the title. And considering the nostalgic, pastel, very cutesy artstyle (that reminds me of the memory part from Jordan River animation!), it seems very viable. But the art style is also noisy, which gives an unsettling vibe. It feels like a 2020's dreamcore wallpaper.

I might be crazy, but the hand holding the flower (with only 3 stamens, like the 3 friends) looks dark-skinned, like it would be Hyuna's or Hyunwoo's, but I doubt it would be his, considering it's the account's profile picture. If this is some kind of reference to.. perhaps, an unrequited Hyuluka but the other way around, with Hyuna still not over Luka.. probably won't happen, but God, would that be awesome.

So, how do I think the round will go?

First of all, I have to say, I'm not sure if this will be a round or a Mizisua type episode.😭 I'd say "oh the wait time is way too small" but also... do you guys remember the production announcement of Round 7? Yeah. You can never be sure.

This isn't necessarily a prediction, but more of a suggestion of what could be: It would be SO cool if it would be both.. in a way, merged. This idea just appeared in my mind and I was like OH. MY. GOD. Imagine if almost the whole thing was just them, as children, having fun, a whole backstory.. but then, when Hyunwoo dies, it pans on his face, and then it's back on stage, the loser's face instead of his. It would be so heartwarming, and then DEEPLY DISTURBING and traumatizing. I also really want some Luka and Heperu backstory so I can hate Heperu even more.

On the topic of the loser... It's going to be Luka. I'm an insane Luka lover and it was hard to get accommodated to this idea, but there is no way that he will survive. First of all, the shadow in the account's banner, in place of Luka. It's implications... are quite obvious. Second, the pattern of characters shown in Sweet Dream, and he is next. Third: "In my arms, you would be protected." I feel like Luka would consider the competition "In his arms". I don't think he would break his promise: hear me out for a second. He wouldn't let Hyuna die this way, because I feel like his sense of possession over her also comes with responsibility and protectiveness. And fourth, the Paradise lyric, to me, is a foreshadowing of his death.

I also think he will die by self sacrifice. First of all, there's no way Hyuna could defeat Luka by pure odds. Yes, her stats are better, but lets be honest, her mental power would NOT be as good infront of Luka, and also, the aliens wouldn't vote her. She's a rebel, wanted for so much time, with technically no guardian: they wouldn't want her to defeat their prince, probably. And second, I have made two categories:

The "perfects": Sua, Ivan, Luka

The "rebels": Mizi, Till, Hyuna

See something similar? Both the perfects that are dead, have died by self-sacrifice. The only other dead character, Till, has been shot while reaching for his freedom, so you can't say this is for all characters. And let's be honest.. Patterns are usually being followed in this series. Id also like to add, even though it's a reach, that in a tier of how 'perfect' they are, it'd be:

1. Luka

2. Sua - not so obvious self sacrifice

3. Ivan - obvious self sacrifice

So, I'd say that Luka's might be even more backstage, as if to sabotage himself in a way that seems viable. It also kind of goes in line with his character, he's not one to break facade on stage.

I think this episode will be quite a deep-dive into their true selves. We know the least about them, so this will be GREAT. I'd love to see a more morally gray Hyuna in this. (Since I'm genuinely kind of tired of only Luka being villainized in the ship, which honestly.. is kind of in line with the other perfects. Let's let Mizi, Till and Hyuna be little freaks too) I also want to see atleast a little bit of Hyunwoo, like a little snippet of his mind, what he saw in Luka.

In conclusion, I'm SO happy and hyped about this HyuLuka episode, they're so mysterious and I really really want to see more of L- I mean, more of them. Getting 2 episodes where Luka is present one after another is literally THE dream to me. Basically, Wiege is killing me and I'm gladly letting it.

@4listr Since you asked to be tagged and also, @rockwgooglyeyes I REALLY want your opinion on this

#alien stage #alnst #vivinos #alien stage Luka #alnst Luka #Luka alien stage #Luka alnst #alnst hyuna #hyuna alnst #alien stage hyuna #hyuna alien stage #hyuluka #hyunaluka #wiege alien stage #vivinos alien stage #hyunwoo alnst #theory #alnst theory #but this is just a theory.. a GAME theory

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lucy90712 · 7 months ago

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Is it too late?- Pedri

WC: 3.2k

Pregnant. The two lines on the stick were staring back at me as I looked at them in disbelief. My mind couldn't decide whether to be happy or to have a breakdown so I just stood there emotionless until tears started coming down my face but I couldn't tell you if they were happy tears or not. Part of me is a little bit excited as Pedri and I have been together for a few years now and as much as we haven't spoken too much about having kids we both said we'd like to start a family of our own one day so why not let that day be now. The more I thought about it the more the anxiety faded as I know Pedri will be a great dad and as long as I have him I know we will figure it out together.

Pedri's not home as he's playing so I have a bit of time to figure out how to tell him. I didn't go to the game as I've been so sick the last few days which is why I took the test in the first place. With it being late I don't have many options and time isn't on my side as it's already half time so I don't have too long until Pedri comes home. My first thought was to tell someone to get their help but I stopped myself as I want Pedri to be the first person to know that we are going to bring life into the world. I really want this moment to be special so after a lot of scrolling through Pinterest I decided to go for something relatively simple but cute at the same time.

After the game I got everything set up and waited for Pedri downstairs with my surprise hidden waiting for him when he got home. The more time that passed the more nervous I got and I started to wonder if Pedri would be happy at all I mean his career is still taking off and he's always busy will he really want to be tied down by a child. When the door opened those thought went away for a second until I saw Pedri's face and I could tell something was wrong. For a moment I wondered if he somehow knew and wasn't happy but then I remembered that there is no way he could know as I hadn't told a soul yet. Knowing it wasn't that I was suddenly even more nervous than before as it means there's something else that's wrong. What if he's injured again that would just be soul crushing for the both of us.

"Is everything ok babe?" I asked

"Everything's fine but there's something I need to tell you" he said

"There's something I need to tell you too" I said nervously

"Hopefully we are on the same page then because I think we should break up" he said like it was nothing

"W-what" I questioned

"I'm sorry y/n but nows just not the time for me to be in a relationship there's too much going on in my life and I don't want something always tying me down" he explained

"Ok" is all I could reply

"What were you going to say?" He asked

"Don't worry about it it's not important now" I said

"Ok well you can stay here for as long as you need I'm sorry things had to end this way" he said

No other words left my mouth I just took myself off to our bedroom and locked the door to be alone with my thoughts. Only after I sat down did it really hit me he just broke up with me and I'm pregnant with his child. What do I do now? I have to tell him right but nows surely not the time there's too many emotions and I know Pedri will say we should get back together even though that's clearly not what he wants. Do I even keep the baby I mean can I do this on my own.

After freaking out for a minute I decided to be sensible and write down all of my worries then figure each of them out. First I decided that I would tell Pedri just not tonight as he needs to know but it doesn't have to be right this second. Then I decided that I could do this myself I have a degree and a good job plus I never actually sold my apartment when I moved in with Pedri a few months ago so I have somewhere to live. The more I thought about it the less daunting it all became sure it will be a lot as pregnancy and becoming a single mother will be hard but I can do it.

As I'd made my decisions I started to pack all of my things including what I'd made to tell Pedri I was pregnant because as much as it hurts to look at now I want to keep it for the memories a few years down the line. Pedri was nice enough to help me get all of my things in my car and even offered to take some things himself but I refused and I just came back for them after dropping off the first lot of things. By the time I had moved out fully it was the middle of the night and Pedri was in bed so I looked around his house one last time before leaving my keys on the side and getting in my car. On the drive to my apartment I did nothing but cry, all of the tears I had been holding in all came out at once like a river flowing down my face. The tears didn't stop either they continued all night until I physically had no more tears to cry.

~~~~~~~~~~

Text message

Hey Pedri there is something important I need you to know I know we aren't together anymore but can we meet to talk or at least call it's not something you should find out over text

Not delivered

Instagram dm

Hey Pedri we really need to talk please text me

Not delivered

Snapchat

Pedri please we need to talk

Not delivered

~~~~~~~~~~

Pedri's POV

"Where are we going?" Gavi asked as I drove us both to get lunch together

"There's a cafe not far from here and it's really good so we are going there" I replied

"Oh I know that one didn't you say that was y/n's favourite place" he said

"Can we stop talking about y/n we've been broken up for nearly 7 months now" I said getting annoyed

"Sorry it's just you mention her sometimes and I know Fermin said he saw her around here the other day" he said

"So she still lives here I thought she might go back home" I thought out loud

"I thought we weren't talking about y/n" he said

All I did was roll my eyes as I parked the car. He's not wrong though y/n is often on my mind and sometimes I still find myself bringing her up in conversation. It only took a few days before I regretted breaking up with her it was such an awful decision but once I'd done it I couldn't go back she always said once something was done it's done so I knew she'd never take me back. I blocked her on everything so that I wouldn't be reminded of her but that didn't help as my brain couldn't forget and still to this day when I see certain things or go certain places I am reminded of her.

She was truly everything to me she was there for every good moment but also all of the bad ones. If I didn't have her I have no idea where I'd be now I wouldn't be as strong as I am mentally that's for sure she taught me so much and always encouraged me even on the hardest of days. Everyday I looked forward to coming home and seeing her either making dinner or sat reading a book which she used to love doing in fact I still have one book she gave me insisting I read it and sometimes I am tempted but I have yet to even turn a page on it. Letting her go was such a stupid decision I can't believe I ever thought she was holding me back let alone thinking about it for long enough to actually break up with her. I don't know what was wrong with me but I definitely regret it I don't think I'll ever find a girl like her again but honestly that's what I deserve for being such an idiot.

Gavi and I went into the cafe and got our food before sitting down at a table in the corner so we were out the way and out of sight from the street and people already in the cafe. We were talking like normal about training until I noticed Gavi staring at something behind me. As I went to turn around to see what he was looking at he stopped me so I assumed it was a girl he liked or someone he didn't want to see. The longer he kept staring the more he looked like he really wanted to say something which had me thinking it wasn't just someone he didn't want to see.

"What is going on?" I asked

"Nothing" he replied bluntly

"I know you are lying just tell me what's going on" I said

"But you told me not to" he said

"What the hell do you mean" I said

"Y/n is stood over there with a friend I assume" he said

"I don't care mate we can be in the same place I will survive" I quipped

"It's not just that she looks pregnant well not just looks she has to be pregnant and quite far along too" he finally spat out

There was nothing he could do to stop me turning around after that and he was right she was stood talking to a friend with a hand on her belly. She was definitely pregnant like about to pop pregnant. That's when the memories of the night we broke up came flooding back she said she had something to tell me but she never told me what it was. It really made me wonder if she was going to tell me she was pregnant because I can imagine after I broke up with her she wouldn't want to tell me and I blocked her afterwards so she'd have no way to reach out. Of course it's possible that she's not as far along as I think and she's with someone else now but I can't help but feel like that's not the case.

Gavi tried to talk me out of the spiral I had got myself into but it was too late. How could someone forget about the fact that their ex is in the same place visibly pregnant with a baby that could be theirs. I have to know even if the baby is mine or not and if she wants nothing to do with me I would completely understand I just have to know. We did talk about having kids and we both said that we wanted to start a family together one day but what if that day is nearly here and I had no idea. Part of me was hoping it was my baby as I don't think I can handle the thought of her being with someone else that isn't me while I'm still hung up on her.

Without really thinking I got up and made my way over to y/n Gavi tried to stop me but I didn't listen to him I continued to weave my way around the tables int he cafe until my eyes locked with y/n's. She looked at me and I looked at her before looking down at her bump which was a lot more obvious now even though she was clearly trying to hide it. The friend she was with left and I used that as my chance to make my way over and sit across from her.

Your POV

Life is hard enough as it is at the moment with me being 8 months pregnant and doing everything alone the last thing I needed was to see Pedri especially as I was never able to contact him to tell him but there he was stood in front of me. Once my eyes caught his I couldn't look away. I watched as his eyes flitted to my bump which I tried my best to hide but at this point it's literally impossible. There was a few seconds where I was hoping he would think that I'd moved on and was with someone else so wouldn't bother me but as soon as he started walking in my direction I knew that the situation I had been dreading had finally occurred. It's finally time to face the music and tell Pedri everything or as much as he wants to hear as its a lot to take in all at once it took me a long time to accept the situation.

He sat down across from me and we just sat in silence for a while neither of us really knowing how to start this conversation. As Pedri was staring the baby started kicking like crazy it was like she knew her dad was sat across from me and was begging me to tell him. Feeling her kicks made me think about the time Pedri told me he'd love to have a daughter as there isn't many girls in his family and he wanted to spoil her rotten which now was all I could think about as I sat carrying the daughter he wanted. The only thing that could break the intense eye contact between the two of us was my phone vibrating in front us both reminding me of my doctors appointment this afternoon.

"So how have you been?" Pedri asked finally breaking the silence

"I've been ok busy with work what about you" I said

"Yeah I've been ok just got back playing after a few injuries" he said

"I'm sorry to be so straightforward but I have to know is the baby mine?" He asked

"Yes the baby is yours I'm really sorry I didn't tell you I was going to tell you the night we broke up then when I tried to reach out but I couldn't I probably should've tried harder but there was a lot going through my mind" I explained

"Its ok it's my fault that I didn't know I'm sorry I haven't been there to support you" he said

"Let's not get too hung up on that I know you probably have a lot of questions so just go ahead and ask me anything" I said

"How about we get out of here and go somewhere more private to talk about everything" he suggested

I agreed it was best to go somewhere else and Pedri offered to drive us both to his as I didn't bring my car so that's what we did. Pedri was so sweet he helped me into his car after he realised how slow I walk now because of all the extra weight I'm carrying. When we arrived at his place he did his best to make me comfortable but there wasn't much he could do as at this point in pregnancy I'm always uncomfortable. He did get me some water and while he was gone I looked around his place. It hadn't changed at all since the last time I was here he still had all of the pictures of us up and the book I'd given him a while back was still sitting in the coffee table unread. It felt as though nothing had changed while I was sat there which weirdly made me smile.

The last 7 months since the breakup have been chaotic but still most nights I think about Pedri and how things would be different if we hadn't broken up. I still miss Pedri because as much as he broke my heart I still think he's the love of my life and it's not easy to get over such strong feelings like that especially when you have a constant reminder of that person growing inside you. If I could turn back time and stop the break up I definitely would and honestly if Pedri wanted to get back together I wouldn't hesitate to say yes although I would definitely want to take things slow and work on our issues.

"So how far along are you?" He asked giving me my water and sitting back down

"I'm 8 months now my due date is the middle of next month" I said

"And did you find out the gender?" He asked

"I did we're having a girl just like you said you wanted" I said

"She's kicking right now if you want to feel" I said

He nodded his head so I took hold of his hand and placed it on my bump right where I could feel the kicks. It could be the hormones talking but watching the way his eyes lit up and feeling his daughter kick and seeing the bright smile on his face nearly made me cry. The kicks got stronger the longer his hand was on my bump which was cute until they started to really hurt which made Pedri panic when I started to groan at the pain but I reassured him everything was ok. He rubbed his hand over my bump telling our little girl to settle down before taking his hand back off which again melted my heart.

We still had a lot more discuss so I told him everything and I even gave him an ultrasound picture which I always keep on me. I could tell it was a lot for him to take in but he kept asking questions and listening to everything I said. I was worried that he would be really dismissive and want to pretend that we aren't in this situation and the baby isn't his but he actually seems to really care. After I answered all of his questions and showed him all of the millions of pictures and videos I had we again sat in silence not really knowing where to go next.

"Do you want to get back together" Pedri suddenly blurted out

"Sorry that was the wrong way to do that I know I hurt you and I'm really sorry I have regretted it every day since you are the one for me and I realise that now I understand if you don't want to but at least consider it" he said

"I would love to get back together I have missed you everyday we've been apart but if we are going to give this another go we need to do it slowly and I think we should go to therapy to give our daughter the best environment to grow up in" I said

"I'll do anything you want me to if it means I can have you back" he said

He leaned in to press a soft kiss to my lips which made me realise just how much I really have missed him and how glad I am to have him back.

#pedri x reader #pedri imagine #pedri gonzalez imagines #pedri #pedri oneshots #pedri imagines #pedri gonzalez imagine #football imagine

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blueishspace · 6 months ago

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Hero, Villain God 15

(Prev) (Next) (First)

*Scar's pov*

Cub has called you... He said it was something really important so you did your best to make it as fast as you could...... He hasn't really been very happy with you after the Mother Spore incident so you didn't expect him to be the one to ask to see you... You are a bit nervous...

Wait! What if he's quitting?!? You could never manage to do your work without his help! You'll have to beg! You will do it if that is what it takes.

You sigh ...Here goes nothing.

"Mayor Ren and Martyn have been taken hostage"

What? What does he mean they were taken hostage? Doesn't he have bodyguards to protect him??

"How? When? Where is he?"

"Oh he's still in his office"

Come again? What is Cub on about then?

"But you said he was-"

"Yes, it seems it is the office that's holding him hostage"

..."What?"

"Specifically, the mechanical door and windows have all been locked by an unknown attacker. The defense system has been turned into a threat on his life."

"Oh"

"We believe either an hacker or a villain with power over technology might be at fault."

You see, what you don't understand is why you were called for this. It feels suspicious.

"Do you want me to go after this hacker -"

"No. Not now at least. The mayor needs you to get him and his vice out of the building unharmed. The defenses he installed are quite dangerous when made into weapons so be careful"

"Am...am I going to work alone then?"

"Yes. Ocean Queen water manipulation could backfire around so much electronics and the building is too cramped for Sheriff's wings."

You think you understand, you nod at him, he looks at you.

"I'm ready"

"And don't stay out too long"

Cub wasn't kidding, as you dodge a literal laser you wonder just how paranoid the mayor must have been when he set up this defense system... This is a level of security you would think to find in a super secret governent base, not the mayor's office.

You don't have much time to wonder though as another laser almost hits you in the face and w- IS THAT A MACHINE GUN!?!?

You sigh as you take out one of your explosive arrows, you'll have to fight fire with fire if you want to get anywhere... hopefully the mayor won't mind a bit of property damage.

You really don't want a lawsuit right now by the mayor...or exile! Wait could the mayor even exile you if he wanted?

... You should ask Cub later.

*Martyn's pov*

You have been trapped in this office with Ren for what feels like hour now... It might have been, It's not like you can tell with the windows blacked and no clocks in the entire office... Why does Ren have literally 0 clocks in his office!?

Your thoughts are suddenly interrupted by Ren shouting in your ear.

"We are doomed Martyn! Doomed I tell you! I knew they were coming for me and now we are going to die here!"

Who was coming from him? This is news to you.

"I ... I'm sure they must have sent someone to save us Ren. You are still the mayor, pretty important guy if you ask me."

"Who knows how long that will take my dude, we might have to stay here to starve for days! We'll have to result to cannibalism to stay alive!"

Ok what, how have we got to this point.

"Woah there, how about we *don't* do that actually? How does that sound mate?"

"Right, right... I am sorry Martyn."

...You stare at eachother... Without his voice in the background things are weirdly akward... He's always seemed so confident, you have never seen him this worried before...You hold Ren's hand, he seems surprised for a moment.

"It's going to be alright, I'm here with you"

"Yeah... Yeah, you'll protect me!"

Uh... You don't remember saying that but telling him no would just be too cruel.

"Right, you can count on me Ren."

"Of course dude! I trust you more then I would trust myself!"

Ren's face is suddenly so close to yours, right in front of you. You didn't expect it so you scream and fall back.

"Ah??!"

"Oh sorry dude! I didn't mean to jump at you like that... I got excited"

"It's...it's fine Ren"

"Are you sure?"

You are staring into his eyes and he is staring into yours... It wouldn't be too hard to just lean in and-

"Hello people! Hotguy here to save the day! Is everyone ok?"

...Motherfucker.

#trafficblr #traffic smp #hermitblr #hermitcraft #goodtimeswithscar #cubfan135 #martyn inthelittlewood #rendog

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itsa-me-lily · 6 months ago

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So here's y'alls first fight! Aren't you excited? Also I get to introduce y'all to one of my favorite girls.

Here is the Simon x Thimble playlist

Here is the MPS AU masterlist

Reminder, reader is fat. It's not a morally right or wrong thing, she's just fat.

Content warning;

Swearing, some weight stuff, Goggles

You woke up in bed, which typically wasn't a strange thing to do. But you hadn't gone to sleep in bed this time though. You'd crashed out on the couch after trying to read a book your mother had recommended, it was always obvious that the two of you had very different tastes in literature. So the fact that you had fallen asleep on the couch, but woke up in bed, was perplexing. Hopefully you weren't developing a habit of sleep walking. Sleep arguing was bad enough.

Padding out to the living room, you were prepared to look for clues to your mystery. Only you found Simon. On the couch. Reading the book that had put you to sleep. And judging by how much further into the book he had made it, he was enjoying it more than you had. He didn't even notice your presence until you were right in front of him. You even had to clear your throat for him to peer at you from over the pages.

"Was I still on the couch when you got home?"

"Yeah."

Ever the well of conversation your husband was.

"Did I sleep walk?"

"Negative."

Well that was not an answer you were expecting.

"Then how did I go from..."

You motioned between the couch and the bedroom door, as if the space was vast and truly impossible to have crossed other wise.

"Carried you."

"What?"

You didn't mean to sound flat in your question, but the idea that you had been carried around, regardless of if you were awake or not, wasn't one you liked. Not that Simon seemed to understand that, given how he raised a single eyebrow at how unenthused you sounded.

"That a problem?"

How could you answer this in a way that wasn't going to cause an issue. Because you could see this becoming an issue that would be annoying to have to deal with. Unfortunately the longer it took you to answer, the more likely it would be.

"No? Just wake me up next time."

Simon didn't seem satisfied with the answer given how he closed the book with a snap, giving you his undivided attention.

"You'd rather I wake you up."

You think he meant it as a question, even if he didn't say it that way.

"Yeah. Don't pick me up."

You could feel that curl of anxiety start in your gut, and it only got worse as Simon got up, his height causing you to have to crane your head back to look up at him.

"You hate getting woken up."

"Yeah well I don't like being picked up more."

"How come?"

Was this man serious? Was he honestly going to question you about why you didn't like something? Really you wanted to argue, tell him that it was none of his business and that you had made your request clear. But you remembered your mother's words that she had dispensed the last time you had complained to her about Simon, and his...lack of sharing at times. 'You don't get what you don't give'. Maybe you should stop complaining to your mother. Still, wouldn't hurt right? So with a sigh you just shrugged, meeting Simon's eyes once before looking aside.

"I'm heavy."

You had accepted what your body looked like ages ago. Understood that there were more important things than fitting into a certain size. Didn't mean you weren't aware of your body, the space you took up. You knew your body, and you knew you were heavy.

Instead of asking, or elaborating, Simon Riley did probably the worst thing he could have done. He picked you up. His arms were around your waist and your feet were off the floor before you register what he was doing. The second you did though it was like every nerve ending in your body was screaming no. You did not like this. You went tense, shoulders up to your ears and volume control wasn't your first concern as you practically shouted into Simon's face.

"Put me down. Put me down right now damnit!"

Whatever reaction Simon thought he was going to get from you, that hadn't seem to be one he was expecting. He did so, though the landing was a little jarring, most likely due to the sheer suddenness of your demands. It only served to make you angrier, you could feel it shooting up your spine. You could have been gentler as you pushed yourself out of his arms, but you didn't particularly care to be at the moment.

You didn't know if it was better or worse that he didn't say anything in his defense. Actually it was probably better that he was silent because it made it easier to cuss him out as you went back to the bedroom, slamming the door shut behind you. Fuck the sleeping arrangements. He could sleep on the fucking couch that night.

Simon had heard other soldiers complain when they had marital disputes. He didn't always listen in, but when he did he could typically agree that it was somehow the soldier's fault. Now that he was on the other end of it though? He didn't get it at all. He had only been trying to show you that it wasn't an issue for him to pick you up. He went to the gym, he could lift. But then you got all huffy and loud, and slammed the door in his face. You had even made him sleep on the couch.

And it wasn't like it had gotten better the next day. Apparently you had still been mad because you hadn't talked to him at breakfast, just gone through your usual routine and left without a goodbye. All he did was pick you up. It wasn't even like he dropped you or anything.

The puzzle left him feeling sour, though he couldn't really pinpoint what it was about it that made him feel such. Was it the cold shoulder you gave him? Maybe it was the fact you made him sleep on the couch. Either way he didn't like the fact that apparently you were still mad at him and it apparently was obvious to anyone given how Soap pestered him all morning about it until Simon finally spilled during PT in the weight room. It did make him feel better though, that Soap was equally as confused as to why you were so upset.

"I mean I don't get why the hen's mad, but have ye tried apologizing LT?"

"I would if I knew what I was apologizing for."

"Wow you're both fucking stupid."

The new voice caused both him and Johnny to whip around, hackles raised at being caught unaware. Some woman racked her weights, brushing her hands together before paying them attention again, expression such that seemed to beg what they were waiting for. Thankfully Soap bit the bullet before Simon could rudely do it.

"You are?"

"Goggles. Mechanical Engineer Unit."

She held her hand out for a greeting as if she hadn't just insulted the both of them. Simon only stared at it before crossing his arms over his chest, puffing himself up a little to sooth his ego. Again Soap stepped in since he was probably going to be the more civil of the two.

"What makes ye think we're stupid?"

"Oh it's not a thought." There was a brief pause afterwards, intentional, before she continued, "Anyways big guy here clearly wasn't listening to this Thimble person."

Big guy? Since when had Simon become 'big guy'. Clearly his reputation for being a hardass was suffering since his marriage to you. He was going to have to fix that. And what did she mean that he 'clearly wasn't listening'. He listened to you fine. He slept on the couch didn't he? Simon tuned back in at Soap's sputtering, confused as to why the Scotsman's cheeks were a little flushed. He clearly had missed something.

Clearing his throat, Simon got everyone's attention again and he could give Goggles a firm stare down. Not that it helped much given how nonchalant she appeared. He had a point to make.

"I listen to my wife just fine."

"Clearly not since you did the thing she didn't like, right after she told you she didn't like it."

Simon did not enjoy the tone she was using with him. In his affront it took him a second for the words to really sink in. Sure he had kind of disregarded what you had said, but it was just to show you it was okay.

"I can pick up my wife just fine."

The sigh Goggles gave him sounded like it came from the depths of her soul, and he couldn't quite get what she had mumbled under her breath, but Simon could imagine it wasn't flattering. He was just pointing out the truth.

"And that's why you're stupid."

"No I'm not."

The look Goggles gave him begged to differ. He was going to have to find out her rank and CO, he was not going to tolerate this kind of flack from someone ranked under him.

"You made it about you and your ego."

"No I didn't."

"Why'd you pick her up then."

"To show I could."

"But she didn't want you to. She told you that, and you did it anyways."

"Cause she said she was too heavy and I was proving she ain't."

"It doesn't matter. You still ignored what she said and steamrolled over the boundary she set."

That...might have caught Simon off guard. Just a little. Goggles seemed to have taken his lack of rebuttal as an acceptance of the point she was trying to make because she continued.

"Look I don't think you were trying to be an asshole but you still were. What if she ignored you when you said you didn't like something."

Simon wanted to argue that you basically always did what you wanted, his opinion be damned but...that wasn't really true was it? You didn't make a fuss about the face masks, you were always careful to not just go grabbing at him, and even if it was with dramatics, you respected his space. At least he hadn't seen you attempt to get a pin board into his home office. He couldn't really remember him ever having to tell you that he needed or wanted those things. You just...seemed to pick up on it. And when you had told him something you didn't like he ignored it. Not maliciously but...roads to hell and good intentions as they said.

It was his turn to sigh, in defeat, shoulders slumping as he accepted the fact that he had messed up. Without much fanfare he turned to leave the gym, firmly ignoring Soap's confused shouts to wait and Goggles' 'you're welcome' that floated to him. He had an apology to give.

Simon didn't know how to give an apology. Sure he had heard that the usual was chocolates and a bouquet of roses, but that was typically for someone you were in a relationship with. What did one get their technical wife but really more a roommate person as a way to say 'I'm sorry'? He could go with chocolates, but he knew that you tried not to over indulge in them since it messed with your sugar levels, and roses seemed to romantic. He stood in the card aisle at the shops looking at the wide selection without really liking any of them. They were either too sappy or too impersonal, or just stupid.

With a rising sense of frustration Simon grabbed the first apology card that had caught his eye and made his way over to the hot food section. Fuck it, you were saying you wanted a bird the other night. Chicken could be a decent apology gift.

When you got home, you weren't as angry as you had been when starting the day. Honestly you kind of felt stupid. Most girls seemed to kill to have a man that could pick them up willynilly, you were just...an outlier. When you had asked a coworker for advice she had told you you were being dramatic and that if you weren't going to appreciate Simon she would. You didn't think Simon was into the geriatric type but you had told her you'd pass along the message at least. So apparently you were a dramatic outlier that needed to apologize. Great.

It seemed that Simon had gotten home before you, and wasn't expecting you back so soon given how he froze up at the kitchen table, shoulders hunched as he had his back to you. Might as well get it over with.

"Hey Simon I-"

"Wait."

You weren't expecting Simon to interrupt you while you were trying to say I'm sorry, neither were you expecting him to turn around and step away, revealing an entire rotisserie chicken and a card.

"You got chicken?"

"As a sorry."

"A sorry?"

You looked from the chicken to Simon, who somehow looked both stoic and sheepish at the same time. It was probably how he stuffed his hands into his pockets, like he didn't know what to do with them.

"Yeah. 'm sorry. Shouldn't have ignored what you told me."

Oh. That was...unexpected. You had anticipated having to apologize and pretend like the entire situation hadn't happened. You didn't think he'd apologize first, or at all. You both stood in awkward silence as you tried to think of what to do next. Should you still apologize? Just accept it and still pretend nothing happened?

Before your brain could make a choice, your stomach did it for you, grumbling loudly as the scent of the cooked meat wafted to you. You could feel yourself flush as Simon huffed in what was probably amusement, turning to grab what you were hoping were plates. There was a chicken to eat after all.

"Thanks. And...I'm sorry too. For just yelling at you...and making you sleep on the couch."

Simon seemed to shrug off your apology, handing you two plates and sets of silverware before digging around in the freezer for some sort of steam bag to throw into the microwave.

"I've slept in worse places."

"Still we have an agreement."

"Hn."

You figured that was the end of your rivetingly awkward conversation as you worked on carving the bird into portions to eat and then store away. You didn't mind the silence as the two of you set up dinner together and started to dig in, though it did catch you off guard when Simon decided to have a different one.

"Is it okay for emergencies?"

You looked up from phone, blinking owlishly as you tried to understand what he was saying.

"Is what okay?"

"Picking you up? It's okay during emergencies ya?"

Was Simon planning on burning down your house anytime soon? Before you could question him on it though, an idea struck you. He was trying to ask what the boundary was, so he wouldn't break it again. You tried to ignore the warmth that bloomed in your chest.

"Yeah, it's okay for emergencies."

"Good."

You nodded, going back to your phone to wonder why the hell your friend still hadn't responded to your messages.

"And Thimble?"

Once again you looked up at Simon to see him looking back at you seriously.

"Yeah?"

"You're not too heavy."

You wanted to argue differently, but before you could he cut you off.

"Not for me at least."

You had to look away, feeling a blush climb your cheeks.

"Thanks Simon."

"Hn."

Edit;

Why wasn't Soap really talking in the gym scene? Because I imagine Goggles said something kind of out of pocket that left him reeling for a minute. She is no better than a man some days and I love her for it.

Also this isn't my favorite piece but I wanted to introduce Goggles with her calling the boys out for being dumb, because that is just so her.

As always I hope you enjoyed it and feel free to drop an ask about anything.

#military program spouse #cod #simon x reader #simon riley x reader #simon ghost riley #simon x thimble #john soap mactavish #ghost x reader

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sissylittlefeather · 9 months ago

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Puppet on a String: A Rusty Wells Story

A/N: Girl Happy is one of my favorite Elvis movies and Rusty is one of my favorite characters. I had to write him a fic! I've been kicking around this idea for a long time. Hopefully you all like it!

Special shout outs to @ccab and @atleastpleasetelephone for listening to me bitch and moan and helping me when I got stuck over and over and over again with this one!

Warnings: 18+ Minors DNI, cussing, kissing, fingering, oral sex (m & f receiving), p in v penetrative sex, unprotected sex, creampie, also teasing, light edging, and a fistfight, so mentions of a bloody nose

Word count: ~5.5k

Here's some Rusty to get you in the mood:

When Rusty promised your father to go to Fort Lauderdale to supervise you, he had no idea what he was in for. He'd seen a picture of you and you looked rather nerdy, so he wasn't worried about it taking up too much of his time. Then, when he saw you in Florida, looking just as dorky as your photograph, he breathed a sigh of relief and gave himself permission to play shows, pursue other girls, and leave you to your books.

The girls had brought you along not as a friend, but as their tutor for the week since exams were not long after the Easter holiday. You were excited for the opportunity to go to the beach and didn't realize what it would mean to be there with them. They were perfectly content to leave you alone in the room every night as they went out and had fun with all the boys that chased them around during the day while you went unnoticed.

On the third night of the 10-day holiday, Rusty gets an angry call from your father.

"She said she hasn't had any fun at all! That she just sits in her room all the time!"

"Sir, I-I thought you wanted her to be safe?" Rusty answers nervously.

"I do! But I also want her happy! She was in tears! When I call her tomorrow, she better be in a much better mood or I guarantee you won't be."

"Y-yes sir. She will be."

******

The next day, Rusty sets out to find you and try to make sure you have at least a little fun. This is too important to trust one of his friends to get it done. However, he can't remember which room you're staying in. Eventually, he asks one of the girls he knows you came with and she looks at him like he's grown horns.

"You want y/n? You?!"

"Yeah... I just... what room is she in?"

"She's in room 220. Either reading or crying. That's all she ever does." The girls look at each other and snicker. Rusty takes note of how they talk about you. It seems a little rude, since you're there to help them.

"Thanks." He walks away toward your room. Before he knocks on the door, he presses his ear to it and hears what sounds like sniffling. He peeks through the window and sees you sitting on one of the beds, tears running down your cheeks. Some part of him softens and he's overwhelmed with a need to hold you in his arms. He shakes his head and tries to focus on the task at hand, knocking softly on the door. It takes another few minutes and two more knocks from him for you to finally open the door. You've wiped your face, but he can still tell your nose is a little red.

"Hi. I'm Rusty Wells. Me and my combo play down at the Sandbar Club every night. I wondered if you might like to come with me to the beach?" He says it quickly, smiling and trying to lay on the charm.

"Me? Why? Are you making fun of me?" You look up at him curiously. "Did the girls put you up to this?"

"No! I-I just... come to the beach with me. Or we can go sailing? Or rent a motorcycle? Whatever you want, honey."

"Why?" You narrow your eyes suspiciously.

"Can't a guy ask a pretty girl to go to the beach without getting a million questions?"

"Ha! A pretty girl? Now I know you're up to something. No thanks. I don't want to end up as the butt of anyone's jokes." You go to close the door and he stops it with his hand.

"Look, listen. I need to take you out. So will ya just...? Okay?"

"You need to?"

"Yes. I'm here because I work for your dad and he sent me to make sure you're safe and happy-"

"My father did what!?"

"He just cares about you and wants you to have a good time, okay? I told him I'd make sure you do. So will ya please just come with me to the beach or somethin'?" You look him up and down skeptically. When you think about it, it's kind of sweet that your dad cares enough to make sure you're safe and happy. And this Rusty character doesn't seem too bad. He's really cute and a part of you wishes he actually just wanted to hang out with you. Maybe you can spend an afternoon with him and satisfy your dad. You can declare the trip a failure and go home tomorrow. Then at least Rusty can say he tried and not get in trouble with your father.

"Okay, then. But not the beach. Let's go sailing. I've always wanted to go sailing." Rusty smiles, relieved that you finally agreed.

"You got it, honey. Let's go." You go back into your room, smooth your hair, and put some fresh powder on your nose. Then, you grab your purse and head out the door to go sailing with Rusty.

******

Much to his surprise, Rusty genuinely enjoys your company. You're funny in a way he's never experienced with a girl and he finds himself laughing more often than he expected. He's also surprised by how attractive you are with your little glasses and clothes that look like they could've belonged to your mother. Your smile is sweet and your eyes sparkle when you get excited. It's unexpected, but he actually really likes you. He only intended to spend a few hours with you, but before he knows it the sun is setting and it's time for him to get ready for that night's show. Then he says something that shocks even him.

"Come to our show tonight."

"Oh, no, I couldn't possibly. I'm sure you want to take a real date." He realizes that you don't think of yourself as a real date and he kicks himself for telling you about working for your father.

"No, really. I do this song called 'Wolf Call', I'll come get you out of the crowd-"

"Rusty, it's okay. You don't have to do that. I had a great day with you. I promise I'll tell my dad I had fun. You're off the hook for today." His smile falls a little and he nods. You'll never take him seriously now.

"Well, alright then. What will you do tonight?"

"Oh, probably just read. It's fine. Thank you for a wonderful day."

"Yeah, you're welcome." You take your purse from him and go into your room, shutting the door before he can say anything else. He stands outside your room and is startled when he realizes he's wishing he could've kissed you goodnight.

******

The next day, he knocks on your door and offers to take you out like he did yesterday. You know he's going to have to report back to your father, so you agree to go with him once more. He tells himself he's only doing it as part of his job, but in reality he just wanted to see you. At the end of it, he tries again to get you to come to his show, but you decline and settle in to read for the night.

This pattern continues for the next few days. Rusty knocks on your door in the morning and you spend the day together. In the evening, he tries to convince you to come to the show and you decline.

It's not that you don't want a date for the evening. You'd love to go out with a boy who is actually interested in you, but you never get attention from anyone other than Rusty and you know that's just because he doesn't want to upset your father. Maybe he can be helpful, though. He is a guy, so he should know what you need to do to be noticed. You start to work up the courage to ask for his help.

By Thursday, Rusty decides he's going to insist on you joining him for the evening. He enjoys your company so much during the day that he actually finds himself missing you at night. He knocks on your door determined to get you to believe that he really likes you.

"Hey, honey, I need to talk to you."

"Good. I need to talk to you too." His heart skips at the possibility that you might want more from him. You grab his hand and pull him into your room and he can hardly breathe.

"I need-"

"Please come-"

You start talking at the same time and both stop. He gestures for you to keep going, so you do.

"I need you to help me. I want a date tonight, but there's no way I'll get one looking like this."

"Oh... I-I think you look just fine... in fact-"

"No, Rusty, you don't have to be nice. It's okay. I know you don't want to actually go out with me." His heart sinks.

"But, I-"

"Please help me. Help me know what guys like so I can find a date." He swallows his disappointment and nods.

"Alright, then. What are you thinkin'?" You take your glasses off and toss them on the desk and he sighs. He thinks they're cute.

"There. Now what?" He swallows the desire to say that nothing about you needs to change.

"You need clothes that'll show off your figure. Something tight or short or both." You go to your roommate's suitcase and throw it open.

"She said I could borrow anything. What do we like?" He reluctantly walks to the suitcase and pulls out some garments.

"Try this." He hands you some short shorts and a cropped tank top and swallows deeply, trying to imagine what you might look like. He's never seen you in anything that shows your body, even on the beach you wear an oversized coverup, so he's not even sure what to expect. You smile and head into the bathroom with the clothes. He sits on the side of the bed and fidgets with his fingers in anticipation. When you finally open the bathroom door and step out, he has to actively remind himself to close his mouth.

"Well? What do you think?" You spin in a slow circle and his heart skips. You have a beautiful body and all of a sudden he can't stop imagining you with no clothes at all, pressed against him and whimpering. He clears his throat and adjusts himself quickly while you're facing away. "That bad, huh?"

You turn back to face him and assume it must be terrible since he hasn't said anything. Your eyebrows are raised and a lump begins to form in your throat. You're not sure why you want him to like the way you look so badly. Spending so much time with him has you confused and wishing it wasn't all because of your father.

"You look..." He can't even finish the sentence. Instead, he wants to just wrap you in his arms and show you what he thinks, but that's not what you want.

"Ridiculous, huh?"

"No! Not ridiculous at all. I-"

"If you didn't know me, would you think I looked good?"

"Yeah. I think you look amazing. That's... wow..." You roll your eyes. He really is so very sweet.

"You don't have to lay it on that thick. It's okay."

"No, I'm serious." He stands up and walks over to you, looking down at you. All of a sudden there's an energy in the air and it feels like he might kiss you. Just as you close your eyes to let him, the door of your room swings open.

"Oh, wow! Y/n, you look incredible!" Rusty jumps back and your roommate walks to you. She's tired of the way the other girls have treated you this whole time. After sharing a room with you she's realized you're more than the bookish nerd everyone sees when they look at you. "I'm going to do your hair and makeup. Then you're coming out to the beach with us today. It's time you had a little fun too."

You look over at Rusty, who is trying desperately to hide his disappointment that you won't be spending the day with him.

"Rusty? Do you mind if I go with the girls and try to pick up a real date?" That hits him like a slap in the face and he shakes his head silently.

"No, that's fine, go with the girls. I'll see you tomorrow."

"Maybe! If I find a date then you don't have to worry about me anymore." His heart sinks even further. Then you run to him and kiss his cheek and he feels like he can't breathe. "Thank you, Rusty. You're really very sweet."

He nods and then turns and walks from the room. Rather than heading to the beach, he lays on his bed looking at the ceiling and wishing he hadn't told you about your father.

******

He doesn't see you all day and there's a growing feeling of emptiness in the pit of his stomach that he can't explain. Even flirting with the other pretty girls feels flat. At the show, he tries to play enthusiastically, but he just wants you to be there.

You eventually do appear and his eyes light up. But his hopes are quickly dashed by the group of boys that surrounds you, all fighting for your attention. With your hair and makeup done and a cute little dress on for the evening, you're positively stunning and the guys are excited that there's a new girl to pursue. They fall all over themselves trying to impress you. At first, you weren't sure what to do, but you've adjusted to the attention pretty well by the time you make it to the show. You look around demurely at each guy and respond flirtatiously, giggling and sipping your drink.

Rusty watches this scene and a burning feeling of envy rises inside him. He noticed you first. And all these other guys just want you because of the way you look now. There's more to you than that and he seems to be the only one that cares. He swallows the lump in his throat and tries to keep singing, but the bubble of rage inside him just keeps growing.

You sit at the table with the guys surrounding you, desperately trying to figure out which one you like best. None of them really stand out, though. In fact, the only one you really want to talk to is Rusty. You look up at him on stage and he looks so good in his red shirt and black pants. If only he would actually like you. There was that moment in your room where you thought he might kiss you. Still, he probably was just caught off guard by the way you look in these clothes. For some reason you want him to like you for who you really are and not just how you look. You're brought back to reality by one of the guys putting his hand on your knee.

"Didja hear what I said, baby? My father owns a company in Detroit."

"Mmm." You nod genially and try to refocus on the men that are all trying to talk to you at once. It makes you uncomfortable that this one in particular is touching you, but you figure that's just part of the game. You turn to another guy and smile, trying to listen to whatever he's saying. But when you do, the one slides his hand further up your thigh and squeezes gently. You jump a little and turn back to him with your eyes wide.

Your discomfort does not go unnoticed. Rusty is keenly aware of the way this guy is touching you. He watches you closely to gauge your reaction. If it seems like you like it, he'll have to find a way to let it go, but if you don't...

"Please move your hand." Your voice shakes as you say it, but you try to be firm.

"Aww, baby, come on. You mean like this?" He slides his hand even further up your thigh, so that his fingertips are under the hem of your skirt. You gasp and try to wiggle away, but he presses his hand up even further.

Before you can say anything else though, Rusty is there. He drags the handsy guy up by his collar and punches him hard in the face.

"Rusty!!" The other guys jump into the fight and in a flash it's four against one as Rusty tries to fight them all. He holds his own fairly well, but after a few seconds, he's overpowered and knocked to the ground with a bloody nose. You rush to his side and the other guys all exclaim and try to get your attention. Ignoring them all, you pull Rusty up off the ground and manage to get him to his feet.

"I'm sorry, honey, I didn't mean to ruin your date.” He pauses and looks around. “Dates?"

"Nonsense. Let's just get you cleaned up." He smiles down at you gently as he leans on you. He can walk just fine, but he's taking advantage of the opportunity to have his arm around you. Something about it just feels right.

When the two of you get back to your room, you open the door and get him inside to sit on the couch. His knuckles are banged up and his nose is bleeding pretty good all over the front of his shirt. You quickly grab a towel and stuff it under his nose and then find a first aid kit to clean out the cuts on his hand. It takes a minute, but you eventually get him squared away and then collapse onto the couch next to him. He pulls the towel away from his nose and looks over at you.

"I think the bleeding has stopped."

"Good! What on earth were you thinking?!" He looks at you sheepishly.

"I was thinking you didn't like being touched like that and I wasn't going to just stand there and let it happen." You melt and look up at him.

"Thank you." He smiles softly and then looks down at his hands in his lap.

"I'm sorry I messed up your night, though. I know you were trying to-"

"It's okay, Rusty. I'd rather be here with you anyway." He looks up at you quickly.

"Y-you would?"

"Yeah. Because I can do this." You walk over to the desk and grab your glasses, putting them on your face. "That's so much better. I can see. I couldn't even tell if those guys were cute!"

He chuckles as you sit back down on the couch next to him. You sigh and look down at the floor.

"Sorry; I know that kind of ruins the illusion." He tries to catch your eye and eventually does.

"No. Don't apologize. I like you better like this."

"Wait, really?" There's a moment of silence as his eyes flick between yours. Then, he whispers.

"This is how you looked when I fell for you." He looks up at you through his eyelashes and your heart flutters.

"Oh, Rusty." His eyes drop down as he prepares for the disappointment. You put a finger under his chin and make him look up at you again. "I'm falling for you too."

He blinks as his heart pounds and he tries to process what he's just heard.

"You're-?" But you interrupt his sentence by leaning in and pressing your lips to his. He winces a little with the pressure against his tender nose and you pull back abruptly.

"Oh! I'm sorry! I wasn't thinking..." He shakes his head quickly.

"No, it's okay. Do it again. Please." You smile and lean in again, kissing him as softly as you can. You hover above his lips and whisper.

"We should get you out of that bloody shirt." He nods and lets you unbutton it and push it off of his shoulders, dropping it on the floor next to the couch. Your fingers go directly to the patch of hair on his chest and he shivers a little. He covers your hand with his and then pulls your fingers to his lips and kisses them gently. Without another thought, you crawl into his lap to straddle his hips, your skirt riding up so that you can press yourself against him. When you feel how hard he is, a soft moan escapes your lips.

"Is this just because of the way I look now?" He puts his hand on the side of your face and looks into your eyes sincerely.

"Honey, I've wanted you for days. You're just so stubborn; I couldn't get you to believe me that I meant it." You breathe out a laugh.

"I am kind of a pain in the ass, aren't I?"

"The most beautiful pain in the ass I've ever seen." He runs his thumb over your cheek affectionately.

"Rusty, I..." You roll your hips forward against him and whimper. "I want to do this... I do... I just don't know how..."

"Is this your first time?" He raises his eyebrows.

"No, not that. It's just never been very pleasant and... I want to enjoy it... with you..." He relaxes and softens.

"Oh, honey. I promise I'll make it nice. If that's what you want." You nod almost frantically.

"I do. Please." He smiles and kisses you gently. His hands run up under your skirt and he looks to you for permission to take your dress off. You nod and he slides it up and over your head. He goes back to kissing your chest, pressing his lips to the soft skin of your breasts as he removes your bra and lets that hit the floor too. You run your hands in the back of his hair and he moans quietly. After a few more seconds, he stands up from the couch, keeping you wrapped around him, kissing you over and over until he makes it to the bedroom. You whimper softly as he lays you on the bed, moving his lips down your neck to your collarbone.

"Honey, I wanna taste you. Would you like that?"

"I-I-I don't know. I think so?" A small feeling of fear rises in your chest as you grapple with not knowing what to expect. He picks up on your nervousness and gently moves your hair out of your face, stroking your cheek softly.

"Okay, baby, you just relax, okay? I'm not gonna hurt ya." You nod, breathing deeply, and he continues kissing down your body, grazing his lips over your stomach to your thighs. Your back arches involuntarily as you feel his lips on your legs and he pushes them apart to settle in between them. "I'm gonna make you feel so good, baby."

"Yes, Rusty..." You whimper as he slides your panties down your legs. Some part of you feels like you should be embarrassed to be this exposed, but for the first time you aren't. Something about Rusty makes you feel at ease.

"You're so pretty, honey. I'm gonna put my mouth on ya now. You just let me know if you want me to stop."

With that, he presses his tongue to your center and you moan loudly. Nothing has ever felt this good before. He moves his tongue over and around your sensitive bud and electricity gathers in your hips. Another moan escapes you as he licks and sucks your clit feverishly. More electricity builds and he moves on you with more speed and intention.

"Oh God... Rusty..." You're not sure what is about to happen, but it's like you're on the edge of something as he slides one of his long fingers up into you and tickles a specific place inside you. He feels your pussy tighten and moans softly.

"Let go, baby... you're so close."

"Close to wh- OH!" You whine loudly as your orgasm crashes into you, washing over you in tantalizing waves of intense pleasure. He licks and finger-fucks you through it and you pulse and writhe and grab at the sheets. Finally, you start to come down and he backs off of you, lips glistening.

"What was that!?" You ask enthusiastically. He smiles and chuckles a little.

"Baby, I thought you said this wasn't your first time?"

"Yeah, but that's never happened before. No one's ever... I mean... not with their mouth..." He kisses the inside of your thigh affectionately and then moves back up to lay next to you, rolling over and holding your face in his hand.

"Honey, I don't know what kind of... boys... you've been with before, but a real man should always make you feel this good. I will always make sure you feel this good."

You look up at him and resist the urge to blurt out that you love him. Instead, you pull him into a kiss and he moves his hand down to your hip, pressing his body against yours. He rolls his hips forward so that his erection grinds against your thigh and you gasp.

"Rusty..."

"I'm sorry, honey. I-I-I-"

"It's okay. I wanna make you feel good too." You run your hand down his chest and stomach, following the trail of hair under the front of his pants and take his cock in your hand. The mild shock that he's not wearing underwear fades quickly when you notice that he whimpers and bites his bottom lip as you touch him.

"You really don't hafta-"

"Shhh... let me take care of you." He whimpers again and his hips buck into your hand as you stroke him, moving his foreskin back and forth. "Take your pants off."

He quickly and obediently removes his slacks, trembling slightly in anticipation. You press hot kisses to his chest, moving down his stomach to just below his bellybutton. He looks down at you, eyes dark with desire, and runs his hand in your hair as you take the base of his dick in your hand and lick directly across the head.

"Oh, fuck, baby..." You smile at his reaction and then pull him fully into your mouth. This part you know how to do and you can't wait to see him come undone with your efforts. You lick up the bottom of his shaft and then open your throat and press your nose into the soft patch of hair around his cock. He holds a handful of your hair and does everything in his power not to thrust into your mouth as you bounce up and down on him. The skill with which you suck him off surprises and impresses him and he moans and grips the sheets with his other hand. You keep working him with your mouth, your hands on his hips to keep him still.

"Oh, baby..." He shudders as you pull him deep in your throat again. "'M gonna cum soon."

You back off of him and sit up, stroking him teasingly slowly with your hand.

"Not until I say so, you're not." You smile down at him devilishly and he groans.

"Oh, you little minx. You gonna get feisty on me?" You giggle and lick your lips sensually as you move your hand a little faster.

"You want me to stop teasing you?"

"No. Fuck no." His hips buck again as he begs for enough friction to reach the orgasm that is so close he can feel it in the base of his dick.

"Okay, how about this then?" You move to straddle his hips and then rub the tip of his cock along your entrance, where it slides over your slit easily with the wetness gathered there. He whimpers and holds your hips with both hands. You sink on him just a bit, pushing the tip of him inside you.

"Oh God, honey, please." The sight of him whimpering and begging turns you on so much more than you ever dreamed it would. You've never taken control like this before, and certainly haven't ever had the confidence to tease anyone, but Rusty is so sweet and giving that he brings out a side of you that you didn't even know is there. He also seems to be enjoying it just as much as you are. His cock is rock hard and he sweats and pants with his eyes rolled back and his bottom lip pulled between his teeth. He's beautiful like this, all flushed and needy.

You slide more of him inside you and he gasps. Your pussy is deliciously tight around him, the little sounds that fall from your lips driving him even more crazy. He's overwhelmed with the thought that he'd like to feel you like this forever and a shiver runs through him as he bites his tongue to keep from whispering that he loves you.

Finally, you push him into you fully and moan with the sensation of being filled so completely. His dick is perfect to hit all the right places inside you. Lifting your hips, you drop back down onto him and he groans loudly.

"Baby, I'm so close."

"Mmm not yet. Can you make me cum again? Without your mouth?" You're not sure what's come over you, asking for it like this, but it's like the words are out of your control. Luckily, he doesn't seem to mind. In fact, it appears to be just the opposite. He smiles and licks his thumb, moving down to your center and rubbing circles on your clit.

"Like this?"

"Oh, God, yes..." You hiss as the feeling of his thumb on you combines with his cock pushed up inside you. "Fuck..."

He laughs a little at your cussing. He's drunk on you, drunk on your pussy, drunk on the way you make him feel, drunk on the need to be with you like this for the rest of his life. His orgasm is so close he feels like he might explode if he doesn't move soon. He pulls his hips back a little and thrusts up into you and you gasp.

"Not until... I cum..." He whimpers and moves his thumb with more urgency. Your pussy tightens around his dick and he almost screams with the need to climax.

"Y/n... please..."

"So... close..." He feels your walls begin to pulse around him and you throw your head back and cry out his name as the release finally washes over you, energy thrumming through your body from head to toe. "Now!"

You don't have to tell him twice. He grabs your hips and lifts you just enough to pound you from underneath. His rhythm is erratic and frantic and it only takes a few seconds for him to slam into you one last time, cussing and moaning as his cock throbs inside you, shooting you full of his warmth. Eventually, his whole body relaxes and you collapse on his chest, both of you spent and breathing heavily.

"Goddamn, baby."

"Yeah. Wow." He slides his softening dick out of you and settles you beside him with your head on his chest. "Rusty, that was..."

"More pleasant? I hope?"

"That was fucking incredible."

"Two orgasms and you turn totally wild on me."

"I'm sorry. It's true. I just never knew it could be like this."

"Well, you're not wrong, honey. And I'm not complainin’. It was incredible for me too." You look up at him from his chest and he leans down and presses his lips against yours. After a few more minutes of laying there together, you go to get up and reach for the phone. He looks at you puzzled.

"Baby, what're you doing?"

"Gotta tell my dad about this." He laughs and wrestles the phone out of your hands as you giggle and he puts it back where it belongs.

"Although, I probably do need to talk to him." He says it quietly and you raise an eyebrow.

"Why?"

"I need his permission."

"Rusty..." He looks at you for a second and decides he can't hold back any longer.

"I love you, y/n. I'm in love with you. I think I finally found what I've been looking for on all these Easter vacations. I-I-I'd like to marry ya, if you'll have me?"

"Rusty, we just met." His face drops.

"Is that a no?"

"No! It's a not yet." He looks away and nods. You grab his chin and make him look at you again. "But it's also an I love you too."

"It is?"

"Of course it is." He smiles and pulls you into a deep kiss. When he backs away, he presses his forehead into yours.

"Baby, I'm yours. You just let me know when you're ready. Until then, you can have me any way you want me."

And that's exactly what you do.

******

The End

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lonerwolff · 2 months ago

Text

𝐀𝐍𝐆𝐄𝐋 ⌇𝑙𝑜𝑡𝑡𝑖𝑒 𝑚𝑎𝑡𝑡ℎ𝑒𝑤𝑠

you can also read this story on @lonerwolff on wp !

warnings: none

author's note⭑.ᐟ I'm sorry if these first few chapters might kinda suck 😭. I just need to get a hold of this first, and then they will hopefully get better. I also forgot to mention that this is going to be a slowburn (it's just superior).

chapter 3: Convincing

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DAISY ALMOST CALLED DIBS on Lottie. Almost.

She didn't want to go to the party. She really didn't. Especially not after everything that had happened with Allie, it just felt wrong to her to go out and celebrate when less than ten hours before they all stood on the field watching their teammate's leg snap in half. Maybe the others weren't as affected by it, maybe they could just shove it in the back of their minds and move on, but Daisy couldn't. The last thing she wanted was to stand in a crowded house, pretending to have fun while images of the suffering freshman replayed in her head.

Daisy blamed herself, she knew something bad was going to happen, and yet she did nothing to stop it.

So, she called Lottie to cancel.

"You're still coming," Lottie insisted, like it wasn't even up for debate.

"I'm really not."

"Daisy-" She started, but was interrupted by the other girl.

"I'm serious. Don't pick me up, okay? I'll see you tomorrow." And before Lottie could argue any further, she hung up.

The blonde sighed, tossing her phone onto the bed before collapsing onto her mattress, staring blankly at the ceiling. Maybe she could watch a movie, go to bed early or pray a little more for Allie; either way, she was done for the night. The others could drink and dance all they wanted, but Daisy was going to sleep. Plus, they had a flight to take at six in the morning.

Who the hell thought a party was a good idea the night before Nationals? Most of them were probably going to show up hungover, and while Daisy wasn't one to judge, she wasn't about to waste one of the most important events of her life feeling like shit. Besides, she didn't drink or smoke, and for once it wasn't just because of her parents (though God knew they'd lock her in the house for a year if they ever caught her), but Daisy never understood the appeal. The idea of losing control, doing dumb stuff, and then not even remembering it the next day terrified her.

And as she considered whether or not it was too early to change into her pajamas, her phone rang. She groaned, grabbing it off the bed without checking the caller ID. "Lottie, I swear-"

An amused voice came from the other line, "it's Van."

"Oh." Daisy froze for a second before sighing, rolling onto her side and pressing the phone closer to her ear.

"Damn, don't sound too happy," Van joked.

The blonde shaked her head as if the other girl could see her through the phone. "Sorry. I thought you were-"

"Lottie?" Van cut in already knowing. "Yeah, I figured. Mostly 'cause she just called me freaking out that you're not coming, which means that I have to be the one to talk some sense into you now."

The blonde opened her eyes, staring blankly at the ceiling. "Oh my God..." she muttered, letting out a breathy, incredulous chuckle. "It's just one party, it's not that serious."

"It is when she starts making it everyone's problem," Van shot back. "And you know she's gonna be annoying all night about it. Just come, Daisy."

Daisy sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose. Lottie always did this. When she wanted something, she'd get it in a way or another. She wouldn't force people into things, no. Instead, she'd insist and convince them they'd be missing out on something huge if they said no. Daisy had seen her do it a million times, to other people and to her, and it still somehow worked. Every.Single.Time.

"It's one party," she repeated, but this time, her voice lacked confidence.

"Yeah, our last party before Nationals, and probably our last high school party together!" Van's pointed out. "Come on, Daisy. Please?" She pleaded, and Daisy could almost see her pout.

She sighed, rolling onto her stomach. "We literally have a flight to take at six a.m." She reminded her. She wasn't going into that plane looking like a freaking zombie, that was something she could bet on.

"So what? Sleep is for the weak anyway."

She chuckled and rolled her eyes and as she was about to protest she heard a long, loud honk. Her entire body tensed at the sound. She sat up so fast she nearly knocked herself off of her bed. Scrambling to her feet, she ignored her best friend's questions and yanked the curtain aside, and there it was, Lottie's car parked right in front of her house.

"Oh you're kidding," she gasped.

"What? What happened?" Van asked curiously. "Is it Lottie?" The redhead asked in a teasing tone.

The blonde sighed, "yeah, she just showed up in front of my freaking house," she whispered, almost as if she was too scared to say it out loud. Van just bursted out laughing "Van stop this is not funny," she whined.

Van, still laughing, barely managed to get words out between breaths. "No, no, this is hilarious," she said. "Dude, she just pulled a full on rom-com move on you."

Daisy groaned, "shut up."

"No, but seriously, this is kind of romantic," Van said, then sighed dramatically. "I wish Tai did this for me."

Daisy rolled her eyes. "Right, as if Tai doesn't already show up at your house uninvited."

Van mused. "Is she holding a boombox over her head?"

"Van."

"Okay, okay! Just go already before Lottie starts scaling the walls or something."

Daisy ignored her and let out a long sigh, dragging a hand down her face. "I can't believe her," she muttered, sneaking another glance out the window. The brunette was now out of her car, leaning against the door, smoking a cigarette.

"I'm gonna kill her." There was no way she was smoking in front of her house. Did she want to have her killed by her parents?

Van started asking questions again but this time Daisy completely ignored them and simply told her that she had to go, before ending the call.

She groaned, throwing her phone on her bed before practically running out of her room. Of course Lottie would do this. Of course she wouldn't just take 'no' for an answer. Daisy shouldn't even be surprised-- she wasn't, actually. that was such a Lottie thing. The girl just did not give up. Daisy remembered the time her parents didn't give her the permission to go to a sleepover, and Lottie had driven all the way to her house just to talk to her parents and persuade them until they gave in. And guess what? It worked.

So, really, Daisy should've known this was going to happen.

She slowed down as she reached the front door, slipping out of it as quietly as possible since her parents were still in the living room, probably watching some boring documentary.

The blonde stood frozen on her porch, staring at Lottie with both disbelief and irritation. "What the hell are you doing here?" Daisy muttered, crossing her arms as she stepped onto the driveway. The grin on Lottie's face only pissed her off more.

"What does it look like?" Lottie asked, exhaling smoke as she tilted her head, all smug and pleased with herself. "I'm here to pick you up."

"I explicitly told you not to," she said, getting closer to the girl.

"And I don't care," Lottie said back, making Daisy groan. Lottie looked at her up and down, and her lips lifted in amusement. "You wanna go out like that?"

Daisy glanced down at herself, at her loose hoodie, shorts, and fuzzy socks. She furrowed her brows before glancing back up at her. "No! Because I wasn't planning on going!"

Lottie let out an exaggerated sigh. "Okay, but-" before she could continue, Daisy had reached out and plucked the cigarette straight from her lips. Lottie barely had time to react before the blonde dropped it onto the pavement and stomped on it.

"Hey! That was expensive." Lottie blinked, not looking like she seriously cared for her cigarette.

"Oh, I'm so sorry," Daisy deadpanned. "You're just casually smoking in front of my house... are you trying to get me killed!?" She whispered-yelled.

"Relax, Daisy. Your parents aren't even looking."

Daisy shot a quick glance toward the living room window. The lights were on, but the curtains were drawn. Still, she glared up at Lottie, who was watching her a little too amused for her liking.

"Come on," Lottie said, pushing herself off the car. "You're not seriously gonna stay home sulking over Allie, right?"

Daisy made a face. "I'm not sulking," she muttered.

The brunette gave her a knowing look.

Daisy scowled. "I just- I don't feel like partying after what happened, okay? It's... weird."

Lottie's voice softened. "Look, I get it, okay? Today sucked, and I feel kinda sjitty about it too, but it's also not gonna change anything. And that's exactly why you should come to the party. You need a distraction, Daisy."

"I need sleep," Daisy corrected, but her tone had also softened.

"You can sleep on the plane," Lottie responded with ease. "Please? Just for a little while?"

Daisy sighed again. "Fine," she muttered, and Lottie's face lit up immediately. "Just wait here."

Daisy didn't wait for an answer as she turned on her heel, heading back toward her house, but the sound of footsteps behind her made her freeze. She spun around just in time to see Lottie following her.

"What are you doing? You are not coming inside," shr shook her head.

Lottie halted, tilting her head like a confused puppy. "Why not?"

"Because my parents are literally right there," she gestured toward the living room window. "And because you reek of cigarettes."

Lottie frowned, lifting the collar of her pink sweater and sniffing it. "I don't smell that bad."

Daisy exhaled, pinching the bridge of her nose. "Lottie..." she started, but the other girl was already stepping closer, looking down at her with those big brown eyes.

"I'll be quiet," Lottie promised, lowering her voice. "Like, so quiet you won't even know I'm there."

Daisy glanced back at the house. This was such a bad idea. The absolute worst. But Lottie was looking at her in a way that she couldn't explain, but it was definetely convincing her.

"Fine," Daisy sighed, already regretting it. "But if my parents see you, I'm telling them you're the devil leading me into temptation."

Lottie snorted, "bold of you to assume they don't already think that."

Daisy rolled her eyes with a smile still tugged at her lips. The blonde then turned and quietly opened the door, peeking inside. The faint sound of the tv played from the living room, her parents' voices murmuring now and then. She reached back, grabbing Lottie's hand without thinking, and tugged her inside. Lottie followed easily, surprisingly silent as they tiptoed towards the stairs.

Daisy's heart pounded as they passed the living room. Just a few more steps and-

"Désirée?"

Lottie froze beside her, and Daisy turned so fast she nearly knocked her over. Her mother was standing in the archway of the living room, her arms crossed, a suspicious look on her face.

Crap.

Daisy gave her a fake sweet smile, "hi, mom."

Her mother's gaze flickered past her, and Daisy felt Lottie stiffen beside her. "And who is this?" she asked, her tone even but laced with something disapproving.

Daisy swallowed hard, still gripping Lottie's hand. "Uh...this is Lottie she's-"

Her mom's expression didn't change. "I know who she is."

Then why did you ask?

Lottie, feeling confident, took a step forward, "it's nice to see you again, Mrs. Duval." She offered a small, polite smile.

Daisy's mother didn't return it. Instead, her eyes narrowed slightly, and Daisy could practically hear the gears turning in her head.

"Why is she here?" she asked, her gaze darting between them.

Daisy had two options: lie or deflect. And she chose both.

"Lottie just- uhm, she needed help with something for the trip," she said quickly. "Last minute packing crisis."

Her mother didn't look convinced. Her eyes flicked down, and for the first time, Daisy realized she was still holding Lottie's hand.

Oh, sweet Jesus.

She yanked her hand back so fast it was embarrassing. Lottie didn't even blink.

Her mom exhaled sharply. "You should be getting ready for bed," she said.

Daisy nodded. "Yeah, totally. That's what I was about to do."

Her mother's gaze lingered on Lottie for another long, tense moment before she finally sighed. "Ten minutes. Then I expect you to be asleep. Both of you have a flight in the morning."

"Of course," Daisy said, grabbing Lottie's wrist this time before she could say something stupid. "Thanks, Mom. Goodnight!"

She practically dragged Lottie up the stairs, not stopping until they were safely inside her bedroom. The door clicked shut behind them, and Daisy let out a heavy breath, pressing a hand to her chest.

Lottie just grinned. "That wasn't so bad."

Daisy turned to glare at her. "Not so bad?! I almost died!"

Lottie laughed. "You're so dramatic."

"You literally reek of cigarettes," Daisy whisper-yelled, fanning the air in front of her face. "She's gonna know, and when she does, I'll never hear the end of it."

Lottie just shrugged and flopped onto Daisy's bed.

DAISY STOOD in front of the mirror, eyeing her reflection with mild disbelief. The jean skirt sat tightly on her hips, the hem a little too high for her usual comfort. It wasn't like she was a prude or anything, she liked dressing up when she wanted to, but this particular skirt was one Lottie had given her months ago, and, well...it wasn't exactly the kind of thing her parents would approve of.

"My parents would kill me if they saw me wearing this," she muttered, tugging at the hem as if she could magically add a few inches to it.

Lottie, standing behind her, laughed as she fixed a loose piece of chamise on the fabric. "It's just a skirt, Daisy."

"But still," Daisy sighed, still fidgeting.

"Hey," Lottie said, placing her hands on Daisy's shoulders and turning her away from the mirror to face her. Daisy's heart skipped a beat before she forced herself to focus on Lottie's words. "Your parents can't see you right now," Lottie said softly, giving her shoulders a gentle squeeze. "All we have to think about tonight is going to that party and having fun before Nationals, okay?"

Daisy hesitated, but eventually nodded.

Lottie grinned, spinning her back toward the mirror. "And besides, look at you," she said, resting her chin lightly on Daisy's shoulder as they both looked at the reflection. "You look hot, so who cares what they think?"

Daisy felt her cheeks getting warm and rolled her eyes to cover it up. "You always say that."

"That's because it's always true," Lottie said, her voice dropping just enough to make the blonde's stomach flutter.

She cleared her throat, stepping away. "Okay, okay, stop trying to boost my ego. Let's figure out how I'm supposed to sneak out of here without my mom catching me."

Lottie smirked, sitting onto the bed. "Easy. You just walk out the front door."

Daisy scoffed. "Oh, sure. And then I'll walk right back inside when she grounds me for eternity."

Lottie hummed in fake contemplation. "Okay, what if you say you're going for a walk?"

"At ten pm?" Daisy raised an eyebrow.

"Late night reflection?" Lottie offered.

Daisy gave her a look.

Lottie snickered. "Fine, then we do it the classic way. I leave now, drive a little further down the road, and you sneak out five minutes later."

Daisy crossed her arms. "I dunno..."

"C'mon, Daisy live a little."

Daisy sighed, running a hand through her hair. It was such a bad idea. But it wasn't like she'd never snuck out before, just never in a situation where the consequences would be this bad if she got caught. But Lottie was looking at her with those big brown eyes again, and Daisy could already feel any logical thiking she had left disappear.

"Fine," she muttered.

Lottie beamed, hopping off the bed. "That's my girl."

Daisy huffed, rolling her eyes to hide the way those words made her stomach flip. "Go before I change my mind."

Lottie shot her a wink before slipping out the door, moving quietly as she made her way downstairs. Daisy waited, listening carefully until she heard the faint sound of the front door clicking shut.

Five minutes. She just had to wait five minutes.

Daisy took a deep breath, staring at herself in the mirror one last time before shaking her head. "I cannot believe I'm doing this."

#lottie matthews fanfic #lottie yellowjackets #lottie matthews #lottie matthews x reader #yellowjackets fanfic #yellowjackets #slow burn #. ݁₊ ⊹𝐯𝒊𝒄 𝒘𝒓𝒊𝒕𝒆𝒔.ᐟ𝜗𝜚 #𝐀𝐍𝐆𝐄𝐋 ⌇𝑙𝑜𝑡𝑡𝑖𝑒 𝑚𝑎𝑡𝑡ℎ𝑒𝑤𝑠

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utilitycaster · 9 months ago

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I think something important to remember in actual play is that character backstory is neither an itinerary for the GM to follow nor a to-do list for the player to check off, but rather a means to provide context for the character's motivations, how they got to where they are now, and how they will respond to whatever comes up. It's not a scripted work, so you can't just make a character follow a specific arc.

It's an extension of something I've said before, that creating characters outside the context of a specific D&D game has never really made sense to me because the GM's direction should be integral to your character creation. At best you can have a very loose concept that you drastically expand upon to fit a particular game. If you're about to play Curse of Strahd, for example, you aren't going to be exploring a complex personal history in Candlekeep. You can certainly be informed by a complex personal history in Candlekeep, and quite honestly should be informed by some kind of complex personal history somewhere! But in the game, you're going to be going into Barovia and dealing with Strahd. And you made a character based in Candlekeep because your GM said "we're playing in the Forgotten Realms". Your character is in that context as well: someone who'd have reason to go to Barovia, from the world in which Barovia exists.

Unsurprisingly, I'm talking about this because of Critical Role Campaign 3, and look, if I am wrong about what I say in this paragraph please feel free to bring up this post and say "you were wrong" but I just do not think this campaign is ever going to not be about the moon and the gods. I think there's ways it could have been about those things and still have had room for more downtime or personal excursions. I think that "pulpier and deadlier" wasn't wrong, but perhaps the cast could have benefited from more guidance in the same way that "this campaign is going to be spookier and deadlier" would not necessarily be a good way to tell your players that they're going to be playing Curse of Strahd, but it is what it is. That doesn't mean character backstories won't be explored (and honestly, I think they've all had at least a moment in the sun) but it isn't the focus, it's never really been the focus, and speaking only for myself that's been apparent for, at minimum, nearly 18 months.

It also doesn't mean you have to like it, nor that you can't complain. But there's always been hanging threads or unexplored elements. There's the obvious limitations of Pike's story given that Ashley was unable to be at the table much of the time, but we never really went deep into Scanlan's parents - and we didn't have to, because the purpose of Scanlan's mother being killed by goblins wasn't "we're going to avenge her"; it was to explain why he'd become a wandering bard and to inform how Sam played him. The Robert Sharpe plot for Jester never got much play because really, it was mostly as an establishing character moment and the reason why she left Nicodranas, not something that needed an extensive arc (nor something Laura seemed terribly interested in pursuing). We've never met Sabian or Tori; the twins never went back to Byroden during the campaign; Keyleth didn't find Vilya herself; Percy ended the campaign still with a lot of damage.

Which brings me to the final point which is that as anyone who's played a character-centric, GM-ed, longform advancement-style TTRPG should hopefully know, if there is a disconnect with what you as a player want to explore and with what your GM wants to play, and it's not in conflict with what was made clear from the start (ie, you didn't show up to the game the GM said would be Curse of Strahd and get mad that it was Curse of Strahd) it is the responsibility of the player to signal both in and out of game that this is something they want. If they don't, the GM will not know. But also, if you're wishing your favorite C3 character's backstory was explored in more depth, that character exists within the context of the moon plot. That is a part of who they are; they've grown around that plot and extricating them from it would necessarily destroy parts of them. You can tell a butterfly effect story, certainly, in which things were different, but that's ultimately fanfiction and neither a theory nor what should have happened nor is it an injustice to the character that it didn't happen. It's just what you wanted to have happened.

#the tl;dr of this is like. i think the cast made characters more fit for well pulpier and deadlier #i think they are attached to the characters but perhaps are more willing to accept that. well. deadlier #and they went in many cases sillier! and was this the correct direction? again i'm not even sure! but idk #cr tag #cr spoilers

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kgyeomiex · 1 year ago

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Three Empty Words

“It’s so hard to pretend to be friends with someone special, when every time you look at that person, all you see is everything want to have.”

Summary: Have a best friend who sticks with you through thick and thin is impossible to find. The moment you met Jackson, you know he was going to be your best friend for life. Jackson always knew how to make sure you were happy and healthy and always seemed to turn a negative situation into a positive one. However, you would be lying to yourself if you were to say you didn’t have any type of feelings for Jackson… But Jackson is just your best friend… You knew best to push those feelings away and just move on.

Previous Parts:

Part 1 // Part 2 // Part 3 // Part 4 // Part 5 // Part 6 // Part 7

Part 8

Masterlist

This is exactly what the doctor ordered. A night out to forget about what's been happening. Lately, it feels like you were suddenly cursed…. Nothing but bad events kept piling up in your life. First, you lose someone you claimed to be your best friend and now you aren't even happy in the relationship you were currently in.

What can possibly be next?

When it comes to your relationship it’s weird… When Yoongi and you are together everything seems to be perfectly fine. The two of you enjoy one another's company and can talk about anything and anything. He shows that he cares about you when it's just you two and he never fails to show that you are special. However, after he leaves and you two aren't around one another, it's like he suddenly forgets he is in a relationship and acts completely different. It’s like he forgets about your existence and seems so distant and cold.

He doesn't check up on you. He always seems to be too busy to respond and he just makes you believe you two aren't in a relationship...

In other words, this whole relationship was rather complicated. You wanted to talk to him about it, but you decided it was best to just suck it up and hope that something will change...

Hopefully... Something will change in this relationship and when you say change you mean for the better...

You already lost someone important to you... Did you really want to lose Yoongi because of your own paranoia?

"Y/N!" That was the first thing you heard as you stepped foot into the bar.

You look to your right and there you see your best friend Nani waiting for you in a chair with a glass in her hands already.

You quickly walked up to her. As soon as you approached her, she got up from her seat and pulled you into a hug.

"It feels so good to reunite like this," Nani says as you two were hugging.

"You have no idea how relieved I am to see you..." You two pulled away and you sat down in the seat that is next to her.

"I can't wait to hear all about it... But before we begin, I think it's important you get you a drink first... You're going to need it first," It wasn't long until Nani called the bartender over and ordered you a drink.

She's right... Right now, a drink sounded very much needed at the moment. -

Nani's Point of View

After calling Y/N and finding out that her and Jackson were having problems... I knew right away I couldn't just sit back and do nothing about it. From the moment we all became friends I knew there was something different about the two of them.

I always had a gut feeling the two of them would end up together at the end. On top of that from what I recall Jackson did tell me very valuable information that I can’t ever forget.

Flashback

It was 1985 when I first lost my husband...

WHO AM I KIDDING.

One Friday night, it was the day where I decided to hold a goodbye party after being offered a new position to move away from home. I invited all my very close friends and thought it was going to be a good night... Don't get me wrong, it was a good night.

However, it was also a very unforgettable night.

Before I learned the fact that Jackson had a thing for Y/N I remember I had a small crush on him. I mean let’s be fair you can’t blame a girl because he is a good-looking man.

I thought before I left Korea, I had to make it a mission to sleep with him before I left...

But boy did that bite me in the ass. That clearly didn’t work out in my favor.

There was of course alcohol in the party and many people under the influence.

I remember at this party telling Y/N about my intentions of hooking up with Jackson. The thing about the situation is she never agreed or disagreed with my decision which from the start I found that oddly suspicious. But at the time I didn't think much of it. As I said drinks were involved in this party...

I remember that night I was watching Jackson from afar with a red cup in my hand, drinking to get that liquor courage in my system to make a move... After my final sip, I remember setting the cup down and before I knew it, I was suddenly walking in his direction.

Jackson looked at me as I approached him and as soon as I was in front of him, he looked at me confused and quite taken back.

"You me upstairs now," those are the only words that happened to come out of my mouth. He was surprised to hear me say such a thing TO HIM. Yes, I knew I had always been a bold kind of gal.

I grabbed a hold of his hand not giving him much of a choice but to listen to me and pulled him upstairs. I was under the influence of alcohol, but I wasn't drunk, so I was fully aware of the decision I was making at the time.

By the time we got upstairs, it wasn't long until I pulled him into my room and threw him on the bed.

I thought maybe by being aggressive it would turn him on.

As he was lying on the bed, I closed the door behind me and made sure to lock it so no one would interrupt this moment.

While Jackson was lying on the bed, I walked over, and it wasn't long until I was suddenly straddling his waist looking down at him smiling in satisfaction.

I looked at Jackson and noticed how taken aback he was with everything that was happening. I was planning on kissing him, but I suddenly didn't feel right about the situation.

What am I doing...

If Jackson was into this, he wouldn't be looking this confused...

"I'm sorry," I said as I removed myself from Jackson and he slowly sat up.

"No, I'm sorry... I don't know if I ever gave you the impression that I was interested in you... and if I did, I'm sorry...." hearing that come out of Jackson's mouth did sting. I didn't know how to feel...

It's not like he was rude about the situation. I was at fault especially since I just read his body language wrong in the first place.

"No, I'm sorry... I don't know why I even did that... " I was slightly embarrassed, but Jackson got close to me and grabbed my hand.

"Listen I respect you too much as a person to let something like this ruin our friendship," Jackson was always a sweet man.

He was someone who if he truly cared about you, wouldn't let minor situations like this interfere and that's something I admired about him the most. If I were in a situation like this, I probably would have acted awkwardly and completely killed the friendship in a matter of seconds.

"Can I ask you a question?" I asked him and he looked at me.

"Yeah?"

"Who do you like?" Usually after getting rejected like this a normal person wouldn't ask about their interest right after... But as you can tell I am not your normal girl.

For Jackson to react the way he did I knew right away that he was interested in someone. It seemed like he put all his marbles in one jar, and I suddenly became curious to know who it could have been.

"How do you know I like someone?" He asked me and I smiled.

"Because I'm smart." Jackson looked hesitant to even open up about his feelings, but he looked at me.

"Y/N..."

As soon as he said her name I wasn't even surprised. I had a feeling this whole time, but I never said anything because I thought it was all in my head. The way the two acted around one another showed that the two had eyes for one another... Jackson seemed to pick up on the vibe, but I couldn't say the same about Y/N.

She is probably still in denial or still ignoring her true feelings.

"I should have seen it coming," I blurted out and Jackson looked at me confused.

"Do I make it that obvious?" I couldn't help but smile.

"Just a little... But to be honest I'm pretty sure Y/N feels the same way she just doesn't know it yet. " Jackson just looked at me and I got up from the bed.

After that encounter, we never brought that up to anyone and I never asked any further questions about his feelings towards Y/N. I just kept it a secret because I knew that if Jackson wanted it to be known he would have said something a long time ago...

I always hoped that the two of them would have started dating while I was gone... But boy was I wrong... I came back and I found out that the two weren't talking...

Nope, not on my watch.

I love both equally and I know that these two were a match made in heaven. They both just needed an extra push to talk to one another and finally confess how they truly felt.

Your Point of View

As soon as you received the drink in your hand, it didn't take long until you began to take a few good sips from it.

"Before I even tell you about my depressing news... What's new with you?" You asked Nani and she smiled.

"No no no we must start with you... I know you probably don't want to talk about it but what the hell happened with Jackson and you?"

Before you decided to open up, you lifted your cup and took a good chug.

"Oh..."

After putting down the drink you looked at Nani.

"That's the thing, I have no idea where it went wrong. We went from being best friends and everything was normal to suddenly Jackson removing himself from my life and not explaining himself. I don't know where everything went wrong. We were so good and before I knew it things went bad so fast." You truly don't understand where things had a turning point.

Did you say something that could have offended him? He would have said something... it's not like the two of you haven't argued in the past or at least had a disagreement.

"Hmm, at what point did you notice Jackson acting up or acting distance?" Nani asked you and you sat there and had to really think about it.

The more you thought about it... You realize he started to act towards you the moment you started to see Yoongi.

"Well... It started after I started to see someone, but I don't feel like that could have been a good enough reason for Jackson to want nothing to do with me?" you looked at Nani and she just smiled.

"Girl... Do I have to spell it out for you?" Was there something you missed here?

"What are you talking about?"

"I don't know if you're acting clueless or if you really are... But I don't know... Maybe Jackson LIKES YOU?" When Nani says those words, your eyes widen.

No way.

That sounded impossible. Jackson... JACKSON WANG YOUR BEST FRIEND liking you?

That doesn't sound right.

"No, he doesn't," you quickly shot the idea down and she just shook her head.

"Okay, what other explanation is there for Jackson to cut you off out of the blue?" Nani seemed very convinced that Jackson had feelings for you, but you never got that impression from the guy.

"I did forget to mention that Jackson has a girlfriend. What if he started to date without telling me anything and his girlfriend wanted him to cut me off? I don't know, I'm sure there is a perfectly good explanation," you said, and Nani looked at you like you had 4 heads.

"Wait... Did I hear that right? Jackson has a what?"

Before you can say anything, you are cut off when suddenly by your surprise you look up and there you see Jackson entering the room. Why is he here?

You noticed him the moment he walked right through the front door. Speaking of the devil...

Just seeing Jackson's presence made you suddenly want to drink even more.

You looked over at the bartender and smiled.

"Can I please get another one?"

You had a feeling that Nani must have invited Jackson over here. Talk about making things awkward.

Jackson noticed your presence but suddenly looked away and looked right at Nani. You could feel the unwanted vibe he was giving off with you just being there.

"I'll be back, Ima head to the bathroom," you told Nani, and she nodded her head.

You instantly got up and found the nearest bathroom. Right now, you need a chance to mentally prepare yourself before facing Jackson... After the conversation you two had I felt hard looking at him.

Nani's Point of View

I felt someone tap my shoulder. I look up and there I see Jackson right in front of me. Clearly, my presence was needed in a situation like this. Before I left on my trip, I was pretty sure I was going to come back home and find out that Y/N and Jackson were finally together. . . HOWEVER, it looks like the complete opposite happened instead.

"A warning would have been nice," were the first words Jackson blurted out.

"Well, how was I supposed to know that Y/N and you were not on good terms? I leave you guys alone for two seconds and I come to find out that you two hate one another?" I wanted to ask Jackson as many questions as I could before Y/N came back from the bathroom.

"I don't hate her. . ." I knew he didn’t, but I wanted to hear that come out of his mouth. By the way Y/N explained it seemed that way, but I knew that she was exaggerating.

"Well why she is away, care to share why you two stopped being friends? Or would you like to start at the part where you have a new girlfriend,"

Jackson looked over at me and then at the bartender.

"I need a drink,"

I shook my head and looked over at Jackson.

This could take all night.

Y/N's Point of View

As you came back you felt much worse. Usually at least back then when you would see Jackson you used to be happy. But now that there was nothing but this awkward tension between the two of you... You wanted to run out of there.

The only way you can manage being around him is if you have enough alcohol in your system.

You raised your hand and called over a bartender.

"Oh, so it's that kind of night?" Nani asked and you looked over at her.

"Oh, you have no idea..." you said as you slightly glanced at Jackson, and he was already looking in your direction but instantly looked away.

You knew that once the alcohol starts to kick in you are going to give Jackson a piece of your mind sooner or later.

4 shots in and you were definitely feeling the buzz.

Jackson hasn't said a single word to you, and you couldn't help but feel yourself suddenly getting more and more agitated.

How can this man sit close to you and not want to talk to you? Did your friendship mean nothing to him?

"I need another drink," You were ready to call the bartender over yet again but that's when Nani stopped you.

"Listen Y/N I love you, but you need to slow it down with the drinks..." You knew Nani was looking for your best interest, but it didn't help with the fact that Jackson was inches away from you.

"I wouldn't have needed to drink so much if you didn't bring him here," you said pointing right at Jackson and that's when he finally made eye contact with you.

"If I would have known that you were going to be here, I wouldn't have come," Jackson splats out...

Those words themselves felt like he pulled out a knife and just stabbed you in the chest...

Jackson was so cold to you... Never gave you a full explanation and suddenly it seems like he can be so harsh to you and not feel a single remorse after saying it.

"Wow," you blurted out...

At this point, you don't think you can no longer hold back your tongue.

You were hoping that eventually maybe in the far future, there was a chance you two could have put your differences aside and work something out but suddenly that doesn't seem like that will ever happen.

"Guys..." Nani was trying to interfere but it was far too late for that.

"No... Jackson tells me how you really feel," you said looking Jackson directly in his eyes.

"You know what, let's just drop it," And there he goes trying to leave you in the dust... You were sick and tired of being confused and clueless. You needed answers.

"No... What the hell did I do to you, Jackson? How the hell do we go from being best friends to suddenly me being dead to you? Did my friendship mean nothing to you? Did I mean nothing to you? I would have thought maybe if I ever did something wrong you would come to me and talk to me about it. But clearly, you don't seem to give a single fuck about me since it seems so easy to remove me from your life..." you were about to continue but Nani cuts in.

"Y/N don't say something you will regret," Nani knew how much you valued Jackson as a person... But it was far too late now...

"Stop. If Jackson doesn't give a fuck, why should I? I was stupid enough to think you valued me as a person. I wasted my time hoping that maybe we could put our problems aside and become friends again. But you know what, I don't need you in my life."

"Y/N," Nani tried again but it was no use.

"You're dead to me the same way I am to you... Now we are even," saying those words out loud suddenly made a sharp pain appear in your chest.

You were hoping to hear something come out of Jackson's mouth by now or even explain himself at least but he stood completely silent.

That reaction by itself showed you everything needed to know.

Internally you wanted to reveal how upset this situation had you feeling but you weren't going to allow Jackson to get that satisfaction. Lately, all you have been feeling has been upset and depressed, and instead of anyone showing any sign of concern... You were alone yet again...

You lifted your head and looked at Nani.

"I'm sorry but I have to go... I think it's best if we see each other when this person is not here," you said to Nani.

"Y/N," Nani was trying to stop you from going but it was far too late for that.

You started to grab your belongings.

Just as you were getting ready to leave suddenly that's when everything seemed to happen so quickly...

Just when you thought your night couldn't get any worse... You thought wrong.

"Hey babe," you looked over and your stomach dropped.

There you see Yoongi kissing Nani.

To Be Continued.

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strawberrykidneystone · 8 months ago

Text

Turians Don’t get Jealous

summary: shepard told vega that him calling her lola doesn’t affect her relationship with shepard, but what if it did👀

a/n: @sliceoflifeshepard THIS ONE'S FOR YOU!!!

tags: porn with plot and feelings, previous talk of sexual boundaries and safe word implied, jealous sex, possessive garrus, spanking, biting, scenting (sorry not sorry), pussy eating, au where shepard can get creampied idc, playful banter, pet names

ao3 version

(post garrus date and vega hangout)

"c'mon lola, i saw you and vakarian at the casino, you've been holding out on me!"

garrus internally cringed and clenched his jaw, facing away from the two in the shuttle bay, suddenly very interested in the scope on his rifle. there's that nickname again, lola. why did it give him a pit in the bottom of his stomach? remembering the moment didn't help much either. dancing with shepard when she let go and looked at vega for a second before going back to their dance, it awakened something in him. he knew the flirting was all fun and games with vega, but that didn't mean he didn't still feel slightly perturbed. the nickname truly didn’t bother him in the beginning, but now that he and shepard were official, he couldn’t help but feel… territorial.

"and you've seen me dancing at purgatory too, the only reason I was good last time was because I had an excellent lead."

god she was complimenting him, but he still had a deep pit in the bottom of his stomach. they should go out dancing more often, he doesn't want all the lessons he took to go to waste after all.

garrus came up behind her and laid his hand on her lower back, squeezing softly. he leaned down to her height and purred into her ear, "shepard, i have something very important to show you in your cabin."

a smirk tugged its way onto her lips and she patted the eager turian on the chest, "i'll meet you up there big guy, i just have to finish up with vega."

garrus was less than pleased, his brow plates furrowing and his mandibles flaring slightly. he grumbled and rubbed his cheek against her head as if scenting her (he was) before reluctantly pulling away, "don't be too long."

as garrus pouted away towards the elevator, shepard returned to what she was originally doing with vega, fixing the damn scope of his shotgun since he apparently "had done everything to fix it but it still wasn't working!" she could sense that something was off about the way garrus way acting, but didn't want to assume anything. he knew that there was nothing between her and vega, right? he was like her little brother, and lola was just a harmless nickname. vega was the one who kept her grounded when she was forced into retirement earth. she probably would've gone insane without him, but it was solely platonic, no matter how much vega commented on her curves.

once the scope finally clicked into place, she set down the shotgun at his workstation and sighed to herself, quickly cleaning up the small mess of screws and bolts. shepard nodded to vega and stepped into the elevator, heading up to her cabin. well, at this point, garrus spent most of his nights in the private room when he wasn't in the main battery, so it was more their own shared space. the thought made her smile to herself as the elevator climbed up the floors, it felt nice to share something with someone she truly cared about. the elevator opened with a soft ding and she slowly approached her door, not knowing what was waiting for her on the other side. hopefully not an angry turian.

shepard opened the door and peeked inside, seeing garrus standing at the foot of the bed seemingly lost in thought.

“garrus?”

he turned around and eyed her like she was a tall glass of water in the middle of the desert, “fancy seeing you here.”

“in my own room?”

“awe and here i thought i was our room now.”

that cracked a smile on shepard’s face and she strolled up to garrus, wrapping her arms around his neck.

“sorry, our room.”

garrus leaned his forehead down and pressed it against hers, closing his eyes. there was still something off about him that shepard couldn’t quite place. there was a heat radiating off of him and his neck was slightly glowing blue, something she’s come to recognize as blushing in turians.

garrus leaned down and nipped at her neck, she responded in kind by tilting her head in the opposite direction, exposing her entire neck to him. he couldn't resist anymore, he needed to mark her as his and only his. shepard shivered as she felt his hot breath on his neck, gasping as she felt him bite at the side of her neck. the two stayed like that for a moment before garrus unlatched from her soft skin. the bite was deep enough for only a few blood droplets to sprout up. garrus gingerly licked up the red dots, walking the two of them back to the bed until the back of shepard's knees hit the mattress. "i-i'm sorry shepard, i lost control of myself for a moment i-"

shepard held up her hand over his mouth to stop his rambling and grinned, "i liked it."

"really?"

"really."

"c'mon you can do more than that vakarian."

the simple sentence made garrus' breath hitch, his mandibles flicking eagerly. shepard didn't know what got him all fired up, but she wasn't complaining. the side of her neck was already starting to ache, but the arousal between her legs was enough to distract her from the new punctures in her neck.

"strip, but leave on your underwear," he shucked off his top armor as shepard followed his orders and stripped down.

garrus sat on the edge of the bed and patted his lap, looking up at her with blown-out pupils, "over my lap. now."

shepard opened her mouth in surprise before a deep flush settled over her cheeks. however, she nodded and laid across his lap with her stomach across his legs, tucking her hands under her chin as her toes clenched in anticipation. garrus ran his hand from the nape of her neck, down her spine, and squeezed her ass. "so soft, such a good girl for me," he purred out and a whimper left shepards lips, feeling the wetness between her legs grow.

a slap suddenly rang out through the room, garrus rubbing the cheek he just spanked with a red mark already starting to form. shepard gasped at the sudden sting, but the pain wasn't unpleasant to her. her hands shifted to grip the blanket underneath her, glancing back at garrus through half-lidded eyes.

"color?"

"green."

garrus hummed in satisfaction at her answer and raised his hand giving the other cheek the same treatment, a 3 fingered print lightly showing up on her skin. eight more slaps came and went, tears prickling at the edge of shepard's waterline as the stinging slowly started to build up.

"my good girl, all mine," garrus practically growled out, his subharmonics humming as he rubbed her cheeks to soothe the pain.

"garrus..." she whined and loosened her grip on the blanket below her, squirming in his lap to look for some sort of friction.

"quiet," he hissed out and landed another slap to her right cheek, a yelp escaping the woman under him.

garrus manhandled shepard to lying down on the bed with her legs over the edge, giving her a wonderful view of her lover as he shucked off his lower armor. his cock was unsurprisingly already freed from his slit. shepard could feel herself practically drooling at the sight, her clit pulsing with need against her wet panties.

"look at this, such a mess already and all for me," garrus cooed as he kneeled down and observed the dark spot already forming on the material covering her pussy. he looked up at her with his pupils completely blown out, staring up at her like a cat who just caught a canary.

garrus could already smell her arousal earlier, but having the source of her scent right in front of him was enough to drive him crazy. however, he wanted to enjoy this for as long as he could, wanting to make her everywhere so there would be no doubt that she was his. he kissed his way up her ankle, nipping at her calves and rubbing his face against her soft skin to integrate his scent with hers. the rough texture of his skin and old face-missle scar made shepard shutter.

as he got to her thighs, she reached a hand down and softly ran it over his crest to his fringe, his head leaning into her hand. he ran his talons up her thighs and hooked them around the sides, slowly sliding them down shepard's legs. garrus hooked his arms under shepard's thighs and pulled her closer to him, his hands settling on her ass as he dove into her pussy like a man starved. he groaned as his tongue slid in between her lips, massaging her labia with his skilled muscle. he focused his tongue on her clit and guided her hips to move up and down more intensely, letting her completely ride his tongue. she responded in kind by crossing her ankles, the heels of her feet pressing into his carapace for leverage as she trusted her hips.

sweat started to form on shepard's brow, her hair sticking to her forehead as the knot in her stomach snapped and her juices coating garrus' tongue. he hummed in contentment as she rode out her orgasm, hips twitching slightly as he licked up her juices. garrus kissed up her stomach and slowly started to stand up from his kneeling position, moving shepard's legs from his shoulders to around his waist.

garrus unhooked her bra and threw it off to who knows where, licking up her sternum in between the valley of her breasts and twisting her nipples in his dull talons. shepard mewled underneath him and tightened her legs around his waist, feeling his cock brush against her. he chuckled and caged shepard between his arms, looking down at her full of equal parts lust and love. she looked into his blue eyes and squirmed under his intense gaze. wrapping her arms around his neck, shepard pulled garrus down into a passionate kiss with his tongue quickly finding its way into her mouth. garrus nipped at her lower lip and pushed deeper into the kiss, savoring the taste of her mouth. "you're- mine- all- mine," he enunciated each word and emphasized the end of each word with a kiss.

shepard happily kissed him back and giggled, "what's with you today vakarian?"

garrus sighed and looked away sheepishly before looking back down at her with an awkward smile, "i'm- i'm honestly not really sure. something about vega's nickname for you... it's never bothered me before we were official but now..." he trailed off and buried his face into her neck.

she cooed and cradled his head in her hands, petting his fringe, "it's just a nickname i promise, if it makes you uncomfortable i can ask him to stop-"

"no it's not that, it just makes me feel a little... territorial."

"you mean jealous?"

shepard raised an eyebrow and garrus scoffed as he lifted his head to look at her.

"turians don't get jealous shepard."

"mhm sure, then why don't you show me who i belong to big guy?"

garrus grinned down at the woman he loves and kissed her cheek as he lined his cock up with her entered, slowly pushing the tip into her tight pussy. the pair groaned in unison as he reached deeper inside of her, his tapered cock stretching her out as he bottomed out. the pair stayed in that position for a minute, shepard nodding to garrus when she felt properly adjusted.

he started at a slow pace, pulling out halfway before plunging back into her wet heat. shepard moaned as his ridges massaged her walls, rubbing the spot under his carapace that she knows drives him wild. garrus' sub vocals purred and he leaned his head back at the pleasant feeling, drilling his hips deeper into her.

"spirits shepard, you feel so good," he groaned and started thrusting more intensely, pulling out almost all the way and thrusting back into her, kissing her cervix as his hips slapped against her soft skin.

"garrus please- need more!", shepard cried out and garrus delivered, his name falling from her lips like a prayer as she tightened up with his stronger thrusts, clutching him as close to her as possible.

garrus growled and kept the same rhythm and bit down on the opposite shoulder, just like he before, reaching a hand down to circle her clit.

" 'gonna cum!", shepard's walls spasmed around him as he released his seed inside of her, slowing his thrusts as the two rode out their highs. garrus licked up the bite mark once more, soft pants filled the room as they relaxed in each other's arms.

"so you're okay with vega calling me lola?"

"yes, i think this was a one time thing."

"well if it gets you fired up like that, i hope it's not a one-time thing."

garrus nudged his forehead playfully against hers and snorted, shaking his head affectionately. shepard reached a hand up and cupped his scarred cheek, rubbing her thumb across his scars.

"you know i'm only yours right?"

"i know."

"there's no shepard without vakarian."

"there's no vakarian without shepard."

"...you know it's okay to admit you were jealous."

"i'll say i was jealous if you admit i'm the better shot."

"never gonna happen."

"well, there's your answer."

the two laughed together and cleaned up before settling down for the night, finding a moment of peace before needing the morning where the horrors still await them tomorrow.

a/n: if i'm using subharmonics wrong please lmk, i've read a lot of fan fics that use them and i think it's so cute. if there are any mistakes lmk!!!

#garrus vakarian #garrus #mass effect #mass effect trilogy #mass effect legendary edition #shepard #commander shepard #jane shepard #shakarian #femshep #fem shepard x garrus #female shepard x garrus

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winxwiki · 8 months ago

Text

Iginio Straffi talks about male characters, Winx's adult fanbase, Fate's failures and limitations and subversion of stereotypes. Video by Winx Club Forever Italia, translation below, with some notes

With great pride, in fact, when I conceptualized Winx more than 20 years ago, I wanted to have fun in subverting these stereotypes. So we had the Specialists that were like humble servants... I'm sure you'll remember Sleeping Beauty Sky, being saved... -You shouldn't have made Riven. I was super in love with him as a kid! It made me realize too many things now! I mean... Ha, I mean, all these things that get recognized only 20 years late... now even critics saw, understood, looked indepth. 20 years ago they were noticing the Winx changed clothes every episode, being very fashionable, so (they said) "Ah, they're superficial, all make up and hairstyles", no, actually there was content, what made (Winx) interesting, very innovative (content) which wasn't common in cartoons... the boys being servants to the girls being the protagonists and many other things. With that said, with the transposition (of Fate) we got ourselves a lot of issues. Not just making happy adult fans like you, which is who Fate: Winx Saga was aimed at, but also following Netflix's demands. (Netflix) wasn't aware, but I had a suspect that there were millions of Winx grown up fans around the world... but they (Netflix) kept saying "Eh, who knows how many of them there are really, we need to make sure this show is understandable for people who have never seen the cartoon, maybe (you refer to) countries where it was popular" (and I said) "Well, (Winx) was popular kinda everywhere..." In the end, when the cartoon came out (on Netflix?) they saw with their algorithms that we were right, that we could have been more faithful to the original spirit of Winx, the (live action) series lacks a bit of that levity. It's more made like they (Netflix) usually do, gothic, dark, dramatic... All things that in our debate we had no certainty to have the truth (on Winx adult fans), because maybe they were right, we couldn't make Winx closer to the original in live action, because (they said) maybe who's never watched the original cartoon would find (the live action) too childish, I don't know... though we wouldn't have made it identical to the cartoon but something different. In the end, we could have made an adaptation more faithful to the cartoon, because all algorithms proved us right. On the first day Winx was watched by 43 million accounts (Straffi is not clear if it's Fate or the cartoon, but seems to be the cartoon) and they identify this data as an already existing fanbase, because for original stuff, even Bridgerton, even with all the marketing they don't even reach half of these numbers. So a series of things that made (Netflix) understand from America, to Brazil, to Asia that there was an important fanbase, waiting for this product (aimed at them), which I have an idea on how to do it... So I hope next time we get the chance to make a live action, hopefully a movie, it will be more in line with what you (adult fans) expect, of course not a product for kids but for an audience of teens and adults. It will be a little different.

#winx club #fate: the winx saga #iginio straffi #interview #translations #video #long post

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ellolovely-fics · 2 months ago

Text

| closeout // i. the beginning

pairing | jj maybank x childhood best friend! oc

warnings | cursing lol

word count | 2.2k

author's note | shout out to my bestie jazmine and my little sis alexa for proofreading this... again :') btw, wanted y'all to know that Nadine is pronounced like nuh-deen, and her nickname Nadi is pronounced like nah-dee. Bea is pronounced as bay-ah :)

closeout masterlist

previous // next

Thu 9:42 PM

Nadi 💖 BEA BEA BEAAAAAA OMFG MOM AND DAD SAID YESSS I'M GOING TO ✨KILDARE ✨ *CUE THE SHOWTIME AIR HORN NOISES*

Fri 1:17 AM

Bea 🌼 Oh my GOD There's absolutely no way 😭 NADI HOW?!

Nadi 💖 It was all Uncle Mar 😭 He called mom and dad and they talked it out They're letting me go stay with him while they go to Scotland~ This is TRULY a miracle

Bea 🌼 Oh my gosh Nadi, I don't think you understand This is UNHEARD OF!! I never thought in a million years that they'd ever let us step foot on that island again

Nadi 💖 I know 😭 The stars are aligning It's ✨ fate ✨

Bea 🌼 😭 So what's your gameplan now? Are you going to interrogate Uncle Mar when he takes you fly fishing or something? 😭

Nadi 💖 😭 omg not the FLY fishing B how could you ever say that into existence~ I think I'll just ask a million and one questions when I get there And thennn I'll snoop around Uncle Mar's house for pictures, diaries, artifacts... the works. we'll see what I can find 👀 But the main goal is to figure out why mom and dad left Kildare AND dig into what happened to Jethy. What ever happened to this bald-headed, buck-toothed boy 🤓 🎵 I need to knOWWWW theeese answers, I need to FIIIIINDDDD MYYY WAYYYY 🎵

Bea 🌼 😭😭 Girl I'm gonna have to stop you right there ✋ Anymore and you'll get that cursed elephant stuck in my head 😷

Nadi 💖 . . . 😭 not TIKA

Bea 🌼 UGH don't you dare get me started She said:

Nadi 💖 PLEASE

Bea 🌼 😭😭 anyways I'm glad you get to go on a summer adventure of your own, Nadi!! Hopefully it'll be... a lot less stressful than mine 😭 What I'd GIVE to be at the beach right now

Nadi 💖 girl what Says the girl in ITALY rn You're out there eating gelato for breakfast. I don't want to hear it!!

Bea 🌼 ... you right LOL But in my defense, it's to soften the blow of all my critiques and deadlines 😭 BTW how are mom and dad?? Are they okay?

Nadi 💖 I mean for the most part... You know how they are 😭 It took them a while, but they're back to normal now. When I first told them I wanted to go, dad sort of had a moment. I'll never forget the look on his face - it looked like he'd seen a ghost. He and mom went up to their room and I heard him rambling through the walls for an hour. Mom had to calm him down. Then he called Uncle Mar. I overheard him talking to him in his office. Dad mentioned how he was scared and how he wouldn't know if I'd be safe... but he also felt bad because he knew how important going to Kildare is to me. I honestly felt like SHIT. Like - I knew something bad must have happened, but I didn't know it was THAT bad. I've never seen dad so upset. But it just fuels my fire even more, you know? Like - what the hell happened that was so bad that made us move away and never go back? What made them never even want to talk about Kildare to us over the years? I have so many questions 😭

Bea 🌼 I get it, Nadi. Neither of them have been the most forthcoming about Kildare over the years. I remember when we were kids and we used to ask to go back and visit all the time. They said no so many times that we just stopped bothering to ask. I'm glad that they let you go. Whatever it is, I'm sure Uncle Mar's going to look after you. If he wasn't there, there's no way mom or dad would have let you go.

Nadi 💖 Literally. I'll be staying at his place for a few weeks!! I called him right after they told me I could go and thanked him about a hundred times. He's so excited to have me over 🥹 I love that man.

Bea 🌼 UGH I miss him. Make sure to give him the biggest hug EVER from me!! Also - you're still coming to visit me, right? Are you going to Kildare before or after?

Nadi 💖 Of COURSE I'm still coming to see you!! I'm going to Kildare before :) I should be back in DC a few days before my flight, and then I'll be running around Italy pretending to be Ezio Auditore 🦅🗡️ You have to be my cinematographer in between your classes, remember?

Bea 🌼 Haha yes I do. You better be camera ready 🎥 Speaking of classes - one of them is about to start!! And YOU need to go to bed I'll talk to you later!! 💖 Love you!!

Nadi 💖 Bold of you to assume that I'll listen to you 😭 But I love you tooooo 💖 GOOD LUCK

Kildare Island, NC Late June 2019

"Who's coming down on Sunday?" JJ Maybank gawked.

Marlon Marshall, Captain of The Mommucked and JJ's boss, skimmed a calloused hand across his greying beard and sighed. "Need me ta come clean out your ears, son? I said my niece. Little Nadine's coming down here from DC ta spend some time with us. You remember Nadine, right?"

There's no fucking way.

JJ bit down on his lip - hard - to keep his jaw from dropping. "Uh... no. Not really."

Liar.

JJ rubbed the back of his neck and turned back to face the open hood of his truck, away from Marlon's piercing eyes. He could barely breathe. It was like his chest took a hit from a baseball bat at full swing. His jaw slacked as he mouthed the words, 'What the fuck!' from under the hood before clearing his throat with a cough.

"I, uh, haven't heard that name in a long time," he admitted. He paused, before letting another lie fall off his tongue. "Can't even put a face to the name anymore."

Honey brown eyes. Flushed cheeks sprinkled with freckles. A smile so bright it felt like staring into sunshine.

JJ cringed.

Mar's hoarse voice bounced off the metal roof of the car port. "Yeah, I'd expected as much," he said. "I'd have been surprised if ya remembered her at all. She and her folks haven't been 'round these parts for quite some time. You were still little pogies when they left the island. What's it been? Eleven, twelve years?"

Twelve years?

He couldn't keep the memories at bay. Late nights watching movies. Quiet giggles in the dark. Pinky-promises in a treehouse that overlooked the marsh. Memories flashed through his brain before vanishing as quick as they came.

"Son? You all right?"

JJ blinked. "Yeah, I'm good," he coughed awkwardly. His grip tightened around his wrench until he felt his nails press into his palm. "Can't believe it's been that long is all."

Marlon hummed in agreement. "You and me both. A lot's changed since then, huh?"

"Yeah," JJ agreed. He shut his eyes and rubbed the back of his neck again, feeling a headache coming in. "They sure have."

He tried to keep himself together, but his body felt like he'd just been wiped out by a wave, and he was tumbling around underwater struggling for air. His throat burned and his lungs squeezed. Panic coursed through his veins. But Jesus - he couldn't let Mar see. He'd be damned before he let him know about any of this shit.

Keep it together, man.

JJ wiped the sweat off his head with the greasy towel he had on hand and pursed his lips in thought. There was no use in pretending to keep busy with his engine now. He quickly turned back around to face Mar, leaning back against the truck with crossed arms. "Is there, uh, anything you wanted me to do for when she gets here?"

Marlon nodded his head. "Yeah. Figured it'd be good for ya ta spend time with each other, seeing as you're both 'round the same age and used to be friends and all. You can show her 'round the island, introduce her to your friends, cause a ruckus like y'all did when you were kids. Sure beats having ta spend the entire summer 'round an ol' man like me, I think."

JJ furrowed his eyebrows. "Hey Mar, don't talk like that."

Mar shrugged. "It's true," he said. "So, what do you think?"

Shit - what did he think?

An instantaneous 'Hell no' was on the tip of JJ's tongue, but he took one look at Mar and felt himself crack.

Fuck. Fuck. Fuck.

JJ's throat went dry, his mind racing a million miles a minute. He tore his eyes away from Mar's and looked down at the gravel under his feet and kicked at it, watching the dust lift up into the air.

It almost felt like one big fucking joke. A part of him was hoping that Mar would let out one of his infamous laughs and tell him he was just messing with him, but there was nothing. Mar just stood there, waiting expectantly. He was actually serious.

Nadine Marshall was coming back to Kildare.

JJ's head started spinning.

"All right," he started. He rubbed the back of his neck, the words scratching at his throat like sandpaper. "She... She can hang out with us."

Mar shot him a toothy grin, moving towards him to pat him on the shoulder. "Thanks, son. I really appreciate it. I think that y'all will have a good time. Really."

JJ nodded his head, but deep down he felt he just handed his soul over to the devil. "Yeah, no problem, Mar."

"Come down here on Sunday and join us for dinner - if you're free, that is," Mar suggested. "That way y'all can meet each other and get reacquainted. If ya got any qualms, just know I'm making your favorite that night: shrimp, grits, and hushpuppies."

JJ whistled, his stomach grumbling at the thought. He could taste it on his tongue already; the grilled shrimp, the cheesy, soft grits, those tiny little addictive jalapeno hushpuppies...

"God damn, Mar. You don't play fair," JJ groaned. "I should be free, but I've gotta double-check. I'll let you know."

Mar nodded. "All right."

JJ sighed, rolling his shoulders back from exhaustion. "Do you know how long she's gonna be here for?"

"Two weeks."

Two weeks? JJ's eyebrows shot up on his forehead.

"No shit! That's a while! There any reason why?"

Marlon narrowed his eyes. "Is spending time with her favorite uncle not enough?"

JJ snorted. "Hell no."

Mar rolled his eyes and scoffed. "Since you're so damn curious, her parents are going away on a trip out of the country; she doesn't want to be cooped up at their house all alone. Think she wants to find out more about our family history too. I've got all sorts of stuff packed away that she wants to take a look at."

"So... she's staying... here?"

"Uh-huh," Marlon confirmed.

"Damn," JJ murmured under his breath.

How the fuck was he going to make it through two weeks? Why was she coming back now? Why, after all this time? She could come back on a whim to learn more about her family, but she couldn't pluck up the balls to come back and visit him over the years?

JJ felt something ugly twist in his stomach.

"Shit, that's another thing I wanted ta bring up with ya," Mar said. "Do ya mind if she stays in your old room? I know ya cleared out most of your stuff out when moved to John B's, but I wanted to see if it was all right with ya before I set her up in there, especially since ya crash here from time to time."

JJ shut his eyes and sighed. This was just the gift that kept on giving.

"Okay," he said despondently.

Marlon shot him another smile before glancing down at his watch. He cursed. "Ah shit, I've gotta head down to the marina for an inspection. You let me know about Sunday, and thanks again for bein' willing to show Nadi around. I think it'll be good!"

JJ gave him a half-hearted nod. "No problem, Mar."

Marlon started making his way towards his green truck, which was parked at the end of the car port. He called out behind him, "Remember! Ya got an early morning shift on Wednesday. Don't make me drive down to John B's to wake your sorry ass up again!"

JJ groaned. "That was one time!"

Marlon shook his head and waved goodbye before hopping into his truck to start the engine. JJ watched him drive down the gravel driveway, waiting until the truck turned right at the giant oak tree at the end of the lane and drove out of view.

A whimper sounded through the screen door to the house. JJ looked up towards the front porch and spotted Marlon's retriever standing on the other side of the door.

"Pan, what the fuck just happened?" he asked.

The dog blinked, tilting his head to the side curiously, before letting out an annoyed bark.

JJ sighed, "You're right, man. Definitely bullshit."

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