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viandclintbarton-supremacy · 1 year ago

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Lost Boy (EngWnt x Male Reader)

This was inspired by Lost Boy

8,869 words

Warning: Swears, Angst and fluff moments

Why am I here? This is isn't home. Well you didn't know what a home is.

You say as you wait outside the famous St George Park. You feel the rain hit the top of your head and shoulders as you hear the car that dropped you off drive away. You sighed as nerves and anxiety crept in. You wanted to be here but also wanted to be home back in Japan.

You missed the feeling, you missed your apartment, you missed your training grounds, your teammates and the Kawasaki Frontale faithful.

You were scared to be in a land that you only been to with your team once before. Truth is you were an orphan, you were left at an orphanage in Japan in Kanagawa from there you grew up and at the age of 13 you joined the Kanagawa youth squad and once you hit 16 you became part of the first team 3 years later, 42 assists and 77 goals for the club. You wanted to play for the japan national team but you kept getting the cold shoulder. You started to deflate, lose motivation and felt the same feeling you felt since you could remember. The pain your so called parents gave you.

Worthless

Dissapointment

Lost

"Lost Boy, Lost Boy, Lost Boy" A smile came to your face and you recollected that chant Kanagawa fans would chant for you. The story of you being a orphan made the fans sympathise with you and your constant big player status on the field made you a fan favourite and was gifted the name Lost Boy.

That chant was something special it made you feel like you belonged, like a son to the crowd. The first time you heard it you had to fight back tears but bowed to the crowd.

It was your Neverland

You looked down before composing yourself, you started to walk into the reception of St George Park and you spot Serena Wiegman and Gareth Southgate waiting for you.

You think about how you ended up in the situation. Playing for England?!?!

You remember playing a man of the match worthy game in the AFC Champions League against 2 time champs from Ulsan Hyundai. Scoring 4 goals and assist. As you walked off the pitch to the famous Lost Boy chants, you didn't notice Serena Wiegman who was enjoying a vacation watching you from the crowd.

She approached you outside the locker room with your manager. Seeing your talent, the fans love for you and potential. She researched your background and found out that you have English relations due to your mother. And Serena wanted to give you a chance as she believed you not playing international football a crime. You was overwhelmed. Leaving Japan, going to England, no friends, no faces you know except for Serena.

But you knew deep down that this could change your life for the better.

"F/N, I'm so glad you are here" Serena said as she approached you with a warm smile. You go for a hand shake but Serena gave you a hug. She made you feel welcome and made you feel protected. You gave her a slight hug back and she turned to Southgate making sure to keep a hand on your back to let you feel comfortable. "F/N this is Gareth Southgate, the manager of the England Senior team." You extended your hand to the man who shook your hand. "Pleasure sir" you said respectfully in English "Nice to meet you L/N, Wiegman told me all about you. I have seen some of your stuff, I hope you step up" He said in a cold tone, you wanted to frown but hid it. It felt like he wasn't happy you were here "Mr Southgate, I said it before and ill say it again. This young man is an extraordinary talent and no offence to the team but his passion for the game shines brighter then your passion when you played for England"

God damn, you eyes slightly widen as you look back and forth between the duo. The tone of her voice sounded like a mother defending her child Talk about putting pressure on you. Southgate clearly wasn't happy with the comment but didn't say anything back. "Anyway, let me show you around. Serena" He said leading the way for you before saying goodbye to Serena "Actually i will come along" The Dutch women said "But what about the girls?" you looked back at Southgate before turning back to the lady. "They will be fine, the staff are already their for the girls training, i will see them after Y/N is settled in" She as she patted your back.

You smiled at her as the three of you walk into the building. You thought about what Serena was talking about. The girls? Her team is here training. The Lionesses! You remember watching them in the Euro's 2022 and it was inspiring to watch and witness. You had hope to cross paths in some way with one of them just to seek knowledge from the European champions if you crossed paths. But the whole team was here!

As you were taking to each rooms and facilities, you made sure to shake everyone's hand. The staff should be treated like they are part of the team. This made Serena smile when she picked up on the gesture whilst Southgate thought it was you trying to look good in front of him.

"This concludes our journey. I must depart now, as we have some new arrivals later. The rest of the team will arrive later tonight. Make yourself at Home F/N. Serena" Gareth said leaving in a hurry as he left you outside your hotel door. You let a sigh and ran your hands through your hair. "Well he sure is something" You say in a light hearted tone as you felt Serena's hand on your shoulder "He is a stubborn man, he rarely changes his team up and when i suggested you he laughed it off. But because of my belief I even went to the FA" your eyebrows raised as she nodded at tour response "Yes I made a case that you are what the men's team needed and they listened and push him on it." You looked at Serena with admiration. She really did believe in you, all that worry and nervous energy turned into determination.

You were going to make sure you proved Southgate wrong, repay Serena and show the world who F/N L/N is "Thank you Serena, you wont regret this" She smiled like a mother and patted your back "Now go rest, you must be tired' You smiled and shook your head "I managed to get sleep on the journey here. If its no issue since none of my teammates are her, can I watch you train the lionesses for a bit" Her curious look turned into a wide smile "Of course" You smiled and dropped your belongings in your room "May I ask, why do you want to watch." She asked curiously as you followed her "Well, you and the Lionesses are one of the top teams in the world, I'd be stupid to not want to watch h and learn from you and the women" She smiled, she found admirable that you would want to learn from the women when a lot just bash female footballers "Why me I'm just the manager?" she would say curious on what wanted to learn from her

You grinned as you walked alongside Serena. "Why you? Really? Well for starters, you're not just 'just the coach.' You're Serena Wiegman, the brilliant mind behind one of the most successful women's national teams in the world. You've achieved incredible success and I have a lot to learn from you. Plus, watching the Lionesses in action is an opportunity I couldn't pass up. Your team's skill, tactics and teamwork are truly works of art to me." Serena chuckled at your response and your excitement, clearly appreciating your enthusiasm and respect for the women's game. "Well, I'm flattered, F/N. We'd be glad to have you watch our training. I believe that learning from each other, regardless of gender, is how we all grow and improve in this beautiful sport."

You followed Serena out to one of the 3Gs the team was training on, You were feeling better then earlier, With Southgate gone and you can be around a pitch and watching football made you happy and at peace. Though nerves did run through as you were gonna be watching top flight pros playing

As you stepped onto the pitch and the view of the Lionesses practicing their drills came into focus, you couldn't hide the awe on your face. It was a sight to behold, the precision, the skill, and the teamwork of the reigning European champions were truly impressive.

You watched as Lucy Bronze skilfully dribbled the ball, Keira Walsh executed pinpoint passes, and Bethany England alongside Alessia Russio showcased her finishing ability. It was clear why they were considered among the best in the world.

The enthusiasm and energy of the Lionesses were infectious and it felt like a privilege to witness their training session. As you followed Serena, you couldn't help but feel a sense of motivation and inspiration.

As the Lionesses gathered in hushed conversation on the pitch, you found yourself still engaged in discussion with Serena Wiegman. Talking about her thoughts and expectations of the team as they near the Women's World Cup. The moment was a unique one for you as you were not only adapting to a new country and a new team but also facing the uncertainty of how you would be received.

Serena's voice was reassuring and she had the ability to put you at ease. She spoke about her belief in your abilities and her dedication to seeing you succeed in the England Men's team. Her unwavering support was like a lifeline. Keeping your confidence up and alive as you days counted down to your international debut.

"You know, F/N," Serena said, Turning towards you with her arms crossed, her eyes filled with determination, "I have high hopes for you. Your passion for the game and your incredible talent can bring a new energy to our national team and football. I believe that your presence will not only benefit you but also inspire our Lionesses. " She smiled as she glanced at the powerful women training and pushing their limits. "We have an incredible family of football here in England and I want you to feel at home."

You couldn't help but smile. Serena's words resonated with you and they helped the anxiety and homesickness that had lingered since your arrival in England fade away for that moments. It was the reassurance and guidance you needed. "Thank you, Serena," you replied with genuine gratitude as you bowed your head to her. "I appreciate your belief in me and your efforts to bring me here. I'm determined to give my best and contribute to the England Men's team. And if there's ever an opportunity for our teams to come together and train, I'd love to be a part of it."

Serena nodded, her eyes filled with warmth. "I'm glad to hear that, F/N." She stepped towards you placing a firm grip and pat on your arm "We're not just about men's and women's football here; we're one football family. Your presence here is a testament to that, and I'm certain you'll make a positive impact."

As you continued your conversation, little did you know that the Lionesses were observing you from a distance. The collective curiosity and intrigue of the England Women's National Team would soon lead to a new chapter in your journey, one filled with camaraderie, mutual respect and the realization that you had indeed found a football family

On one side of the pitch near the goal, Mary Earps, Ella Toone and Alessia Russo exchanged curious glances and hushed whispers.

Mar, the goalkeeper, leaned in and said, "Have you two seen that guy talking to Serena? Who is he, and what's he doing here?" as she played with the football in her hands

Ella Toone shrugged her shoulders, her eyes still fixed on you. "I have no idea, but he seems to be quite interested in what Serena is saying. Could he be a new coach or something?" She said crossing her arms as curiosity settled in

Alessia Russo chimed in, "I don't know, but he doesn't look like a coach. Maybe he's a new player or something? We can ask Serena later."

"Yeah you can ask for his number HAHA OW" Ella showed shout after receiving a kick from Alessia to the backside

Meanwhile on the other side of the pitch, Lucy Bronze, Keira Walsh and Bethany England were engaged in their own discussion. Lucy, with a sharp eye for talent, recognized you from a few clips she had seen online. "I swear seen that guy before," Lucy remarked, nodding in your direction. "He's a player, I'm sure of it. I saw some clips of him and he's got some serious skills if its who I think it is."

Keira Walsh, the midfielder, leaned in with interest. "Really? He looks like he's in deep conversation with Serena. Maybe he's a new addition to the men's team? Don't think I seen him in any of the youth teams in the past" Lucy nodded in thought

Bethany England, who had been eyeing you with curiosity chimed in, "Well, if he's here to play, he must be pretty good. We should introduce ourselves later and make him feel welcome."

As the training session continued, more and more of Lionesses kept a watchful eye on you, curious to learn more about the mysterious player who had captured Serena Wiegman's attention.

Serena would excuse you as she would approach the team to go over things about upcoming matches as you headed to the stands to watch the rest of the session from there. As Serena addressed the team and laid out their plans for the upcoming match, the Lionesses listened attentively. Afterward, Leah Williamson was the first to break the ice, curiosity getting the best of her.

"If I may" Leah began, "who is that boy you were talking to earlier? Is he a new coach or part of the England media team?"

Millie Bright, seated nearby, chimed in with her own question, "Yeah, he looked quite engaged in your conversation. Is he here to help with our training or something?"

Serena smiled and decided to share a bit about you, the new member of the England Men's team. "Actually, that young man you saw is F/N L/N. He's not a coach or part of the media team. F/N is a talented footballer, and he's recently joined the England Men's national team. I believe he has a lot to offer and you might see him around from time to time. As he requested to watch todays training" The mention of your name and the explanation from Serena piqued the interest of the Lionesses. They exchanged intrigued glances, realizing that you were not just a casual observer but a actual player.

"If his apart of the men's team, why is he watching us and not with Southgate?" Lauren Hemp who handed a drink to Jess park as she spoke up. The question was a thought was on most of the girls minds.

"Good question Lauren" Serena began. "F/N is here because he's new to England and he wanted to observe the training and learn more about the style and strategies of English football. He's keen on acclimating himself to the English game as quickly as possible. Whilst he's officially a part of the men's team, he's interested in learning from our team as well."

Serena's explanation seemed to make sense to the Lionesses. With them and Lauren nodded in understanding. It was clear that you were genuinely eager to immerse yourself in English football. The curiosity about your presence now seemed to be mingled with a sense of mutual respect for your dedication to the game. It was indeed a unique situation to have a male player from the men's team showing genuine interest in observing and learning from the Lionesses. It was a testament to your dedication and willingness to go the extra mile to improve your skills and understanding of football.

As the training session continued, you couldn't help but notice the collective gaze of the Lionesses directed your way. You had been absorbed in watching their drills and skills, trying to absorb as much as you could from the reigning European champions, but you couldn't ignore the fact that you had become the center of attention. Which was starting to make you anxious and paranoid

Whilst you were checking your Instagram notifications, you looked up from your spot of the Lionesses, You took a double take and realized they were watching you with expressions ranging from curiosity to amusement. Feeling a bit self-conscious, you flashed a small, sheepish grin and gave a little wave in acknowledgment of their attention as you slowly sinked into the chair and hoodie

"Aww, so cute." Millie Bright couldn't help but tease with a playful smile. Her comment drew light laughter from some of the other players. "Lets adopt" Rachel Daly would say as she gave Bright a should bump as the duo laughed. It seemed that your friendly wave had endeared you to the Lionesses even more.

Leah Williamson leaned over to Lauren Hemp and whispered, "Well, I have to say, he's certainly not what I expected from a guy joining the men's team. Seems like a good guy." Lauren Hemp nodded in agreement. "Definitely. We should introduce ourselves later and make him feel welcome." Knowing that whenever someone joins a new team or place for the first time it can be overwhelming"

As the training session with the Lionesses concluded, Serena Wiegman decided it was a good time to have a private conversation with one of her most experienced players, Lucy Bronze. The two of them found a quiet corner of the field

"Lucy, I need to talk to you about something important," Serena began, her expression grave. Lucy, ever the professional, sensed the gravity of the situation and nodded for her coach to continue. Serena took a deep breath. "You know the new player, F/N L/N, who you all have been eyeing?" Lucy's eyes lit with recognition. "Yeah, I saw him talking to you earlier. He's a really talented player from what I have seen. What about him?" As said as she crossed her arms

Serena leaned in closer and lowered her voice. "Well, the thing is, his arrival hasn't been entirely smooth. Southgate has been... less than welcoming, let's say." She would say in a displeased tone, Lucy raised an eyebrow in surprise. "Really? But why? He's a great talent. What's Southgate's problem?"

Serena sighed, her disappointment evident. "I don't know for sure, but it seems that Southgate has a certain way of doing things, and he's resistant to change. He's been dismissive of F/N ever since my recommendation and since F/N arrival, despite his incredible talent and potential."

Lucy's expression hardened as she glanced to where you were sitting before placing her hands on her hips and turning towards Serena. She had a reputation for being outspoken and a supportive teammate. This situation didn't sit well with her. "That's not right. If he's here to help the team, Southgate should at least give him a chance. Is there anything I can do to help?" She would ask with good intent as she suspected Serena was telling her this for a reason

Lucy nodded firmly. "Don't worry Serena, We should have each other's backs that's what makes a team. I'll make sure the team knows about this and that we extend a warm welcome to F/N." Serena smiled, her trust in Lucy reaffirmed. "Thank you, Lucy. I knew I could count on you. Let's make sure that F/N feels like a part of this football family and let's show Southgate how wrong he is. We need to look out for him on and off the pitch. He knows no one in country, he needs some friends. I cant speak for the men's team but I trust you and the girls" Lucy was driven to make sure you are welcomed and had new friends.

After returning to your room and finishing a workout, you realized that your roommate had yet to arrive. It gave you some time to unwind and reflect on the day's events. Your thoughts swirled with excitement about watching the Lionesses' training session and the camaraderie that seemed to be developing between you and the women's team. As you were catching your breath, a sudden knock at the door interrupted your solitude. You quickly made your way to the door, opening it to find Lucy Bronze, Keira Walsh, and Bethany England standing there, wearing friendly smiles.

"Hey there, F/N right?" Lucy greeted you with a warm and welcoming tone. "Mind if we come in for a chat?"

Your surprise at their visit quickly turned into a grin as you stepped aside to allow them entry. "Of course, come on in. It's great to see you all again. What brings you here?" You were sweating bricks

Bethany England was the first to speak, her friendly demeaner shining through. "We thought we'd swing by and officially welcome you to England, We thought it may be a bit daunting coming to a place where you know no one"

Keira Walsh nodded in agreement. "Yeah, We also heard about your conversation with Serena. It's not often we get a male player showing interest in our training sessions and we wanted to say hello."

Lucy chimed in "Plus, we wanted to let you know that we're here for you. If you have any questions, need any advice or just want to hang out, we're your go to squad." She said in a cheeky voice in the end

Your heart swelled with gratitude and appreciation as you looked at the three Lionesses who had taken the time to visit you. "Thank you, that means a lot. I'm really excited to be here, and I'm looking forward to learning and growing learning here. I'd love to get to know you all better and train together sometime." This was the first time you were getting attention not for your popularity or status. In Japan your teammates were stick around you for popularity and when the cameras where gone they didn't go near you. so this was refreshing, so you were eager to make actual friends

Bethany England grinned. "That sounds like a plan. We'll make sure to coordinate some joint training sessions in the future. But for now, let's just hang out and get to know each other better. We were about to head to the cafeteria and eat, You wanna tag along?" You smiled and nodded excitedly "Of course"

"Great, Come on Youngblood" Lucy would say as Keira patted your back and guided you out of the room following Beth and Lucy.

As you all settled around a table in the bustling cafeteria, the Lionesses were quick to initiate a conversation about your background. "So, F/N," Lucy Bronze began, "tell us a bit about yourself. How did you end up here in England?" She said as she took a bite out of her meal

You leaned back in your chair, ready to share your story. "Well, I grew up in Japan and football has been a huge part of my life since I was a kid. I played for Kawasaki Frontale for a since I was 13 and always dreamt of representing my country. But that never happened, they kept rejecting me." You said sadly, the trio couldn't help but feel for you. Playing for England was big for them and if that got rejected constantly it would hurt. You then smiled "And it was Serena Wiegman who saw me playing one day, She was in Japan and saw me during a match and gave me the opportunity to join the England Men's team. She went out of her way for me and I couldn't be more grateful to her." You smile before you take a bite out of your meal

Keira Walsh nodded in understanding. "That's impressive. It takes a lot of determination to leave your home country and start fresh. And for Serena to go out of her way for ya says a lot about what she thinks you. We're glad you're here." You smile at Keira who smiles back. Bethany England added, "And you're going to learn a lot from the coaching staff here. Our training is intense, but it's what has made us successful."

You gave a cheeky smirk. "If the training wasn't intense and didn't push me to my limit then I wouldn't be here" Lucy gave a light laugh at your change of demeanour as Beth looked Keira and gave her a look saying 'Lucy is going to love this guy' To which Keira nodded back "That's the attitude Youngblood" You chuckle, You were glad at the trio looking after you and couldn't but like the new nickname Bronze seemed to have give you.

Bethany England leaned forward, her curiosity showing on her face. "F/N, what did your parents think about you leaving Japan and coming all the way to England? It must be hard being away from them"

The question caught you off guard and you felt a pang of anxiety. You hadn't shared your orphan background with them yet and you weren't sure how to respond. You never like to talk about it or people asking you about them in interviews. Your mind raced, trying to come up with a plausible explanation that wouldn't reveal your painful past.

But just as you were about to stammer out a response, a strong hand landed on your shoulder. You turned to see Millie Bright, a tall and confident giant of a defender, offering a warm smile. She leaned in to speak, introducing herself to you.

"Hi, I'm Millie Bright and this is Rachel Daly. We couldn't help but couldn't this welcoming party" she said with a friendly tone, effectively shifting the focus away from the question about your parents.

Rachel Daly, Millie's Best Friend, extended her hand to you with a friendly grin. "Nice to meet you, F/N." You eagerly shook her hand before shaking Daly's hand. However, Lucy Bronze, who had noticed your hesitation earlier, couldn't help but keep an observant eye on the situation. She had sensed there was more to the story, but out of respect, she chose to let the matter drop, at least for now. She decided to get up and walk around the table towards you, She grinned and playfully ruffled your hair a move that caught you off guard. "Well, F/N, it's been a pleasure getting to know you. Enjoy your time with our lovely Millie here. She's the best at making sure our 'Child' is well taken care of."

Millie Bright, "Yeah Yeah, you three better have been on your best behaviour whilst with F/N. We can't have you being a bad influence on our new 'son' here." She gestured to herself and Daly. You were thrown off by the comment but recovered with chuckle understanding the English banter. "Come on son" She would say dramatically as she throw her tattooed arm over your shoulders and guided you away from the group.

As you walked alongside Millie, you couldn't help but notice the warmth and friendliness that radiated from her. Her easygoing demeaner put you at ease and you quickly felt a sense of comfort in her presence. Millie, with a playful twinkle in her eye, began to strike up a conversation. "So, F/N, tell me a bit more about yourself. What are your hobbies or interests outside of football? I want to learn more about ya"

You welcomed the chance to talk more about yourself and opened up to Millie. "Well, besides football, I enjoy golf ,reading and playing games. It's a great way to unwind and take my mind off things. What about you? Any interesting hobbies or hidden talents?" You say interested in her thoughts

"Oh, I can definitely hold my own in a game of darts, Painting and I make a mean lasagne. You'll have to come over sometime, and me and my other half will cook up a feast for you." You smile at her, surprised at her welcomes "You could bring your partner with you too" She nudged you "Oh no I don't have a partner. That too much hassle for me" You say nervously. It was true, trying to manage a football career and relationship seemed a lot of work, Millie would give you a surprised look, she assumed you would have a partner by your looks "But I'd love that. Thanks, Millie. And it's been great getting to know you and the rest of the team. I was a bit nervous at first, but you've all made me feel so welcome."

Millie patted your back reassuringly, You tried to not be sent to the floor by her strength. "We're like a big, sometimes chaotic, but always supportive family. You'll fit right in, F/N. Plus, you've got a great sense of humour. That makes you alright in my books"

"Ah so this is where the 'son' thing came from" Millie looked at you with a proud face "Oh you see, Young one , You're now officially part of the family. And that means you have no choice but to accept me and Rachel as your 'football moms.' You're stuck with us now." You couldn't help but smile at her. You felt a emotion that was foreign to you. To hear someone call you 'son' even if it was a joke made you emotional but you kept strong

"I wouldn't have it any other way mother dearest" You say to Millie who responded with a cackle as she ruffled your hair "Good Lad" When you reached your room and it was time to say goodbye, Millie's demeaner grew more serious. She took your phone and added her WhatsApp number, ensuring that you had a direct line to her. You was bamboozled at her actions as you stood there confused as she done it

She looked you in the eye, her tone sincere. "F/N, even though we've just met, I want you to know that you can reach out to me anytime if you need anything or if something comes up. I've got your back and that goes for both on and off the pitch." Her protectiveness and genuine concern touched you deeply. You nodded "Thank you, Millie. I really appreciate it. I'm looking forward to being a part of this football family" You say with heart as Millie smirked "Good night my child" She would say in a mock voice. "Good night mother dearest" With a warm smile, you say and watched as she headed back down the hall way.

As you entered your room, You saw a figure standing there. It was your roommate and new teammate. "hello there" You say hoping they heard you. The man turned around at you and looked you up and down. " Hey" You smiled faltered, One he didn't reply with 'General Kenobi' and two he clearly had no interest in you. You walked up and stuck out your hand "My name is F/N L/N. I hope we get to know each other more and get game time together" You say in hopes you misread his emotions. "Nice to meet you, My name is Jordan Sancho" but there was a clear disconnect in his demeaner. It was as if he was putting on a façade of politeness "Well Jordan "I'm looking forward to getting to know you and working together on the team," you said, slightly repeating what you said earlier, hoping to break through the icy atmosphere. Jordan simply nodded in response and the room fell into an awkward silence. It was clear that there was something more going on with him and you couldn't help but wonder what might be causing this behaviour. The awkwardness in your shared room with Jordan seemed to stay as small talk was made sporadically but without much enthusiasm. You couldn't help but feel the tension and it was evident that he had reservations about your presence.

The following morning, it was time for a team meeting with the England Men's team. As you entered the meeting room, many of your new teammates greeted you warmly, and the captain, Harry Kane, offered a friendly handshake and a welcoming smile. However, it was Phil Foden, Kyle Walker, and Jack Grealish who stood out. They not only greeted you but also invited you to sit with them. Their eagerness to welcome you was palpable and it helped to ease some of the tension that had lingered since your arrival.

Phil Foden leaned over with a grin. "Hey, F/N right? we saved you a spot right here." You smiled thankfully as you sat next to the city trio.

"How you finding it?, settling in alright?" Walker would ask making you feel at ease "Its a lot, I wont lie but I'm happy to be here and play for England" you said with determination, Receiving a pat from Walker. "That's the spirit lad". You notice Jack Grealish offered you a warm handshake. Which you shook with a firm grip "Mate, it's great to have you here. Need anything we are your boys. What you say we go get a bevvie later?"

"A what?" You would say confused "A buvvie?" You say. You may have had great English speaking skills but lacked on slang, Foden noticing your confusion laughed "He meant like a beer or any alcoholic drink" You gave a noticeable "Oooooh" Scratching the back of your head in embarrassment "Sorry I'm not fully caught up on the slang here" You felt a pat from Walker "Don't worry lad, we can teach you all you need to know. But you have great English though" He said with surprise "Well I home schooled with a one of the Guardians at the orphanage who also had a accent which is why I sound like I'm from here." The trio nodded but then Jack spoke up "Orphanage?" You stutter, you slipped up. You started to feel the stares from the trio and those overhearing the conversation.

"Ok, everyone sit down" Thankfully Southgate entered the room to start the talk to the group, Making the trio forget and focus on him. As he began his presentation, he took a moment to introduce you to the squad. However, his introduction was laced with bitterness, making it clear that he believed your presence was primarily due to Serena Wiegman's influence. "Here with us, we have F/N," Southgate began, his tone sharp and a touch resentful. "He's joined the squad for this international break, and it's no secret that he's here largely because of Serena's insistence. As a result, he'll be replacing Marcus Rashford for these matches." Is he fucking serious? You thought as you then notice how silent the room was and you couldn't help but feel uncomfortable. The weight of being seen as a replacement for a another player who had been and the implication that you owed your presence to someone else that wasn't even Gareth's choice was palpable.

However, Phil Foden, sitting next to you, reached out and patted your shoulder in a gesture of support. He didn't say anything, but his reassuring touch and understanding gaze conveyed that you were not alone in this moment. You glanced and saw that Kyle and Jack were also looking at everyone who were looking at you. Southgate quickly moved on to discuss the details of the upcoming matches. Netherlands, Northern Ireland and Germany. But the tension in the room remained and you couldn't help but feel the weight of expectations and doubts hanging over you just doubled.

Later in training you made it your mission to prove to them that you weren't just here due to Serena's backing but your skill. You impressed Kane, Foden and sterling with your shooting and dribble skills. Kyle and Saka would be paired up with you for 3 v 3 which let you build a friendship, trustfulness and learn how they play.

You received the ball from Saka and was about to lob the ball over Kane as you saw Walker running behind but then you found yourself landing on you upper back as you felt something shoot through your right foot. You knew someone just two footed you but the thought of it happening in training was disgusting to you. You looked up and stood up to see it was Harry Maguire. You pushed the larger man nearly sending him on his ass. "What the fuck was that Maguire! That was reckless as fuck!" The man regained his posture and glared again "I don't care who you are, L/N. you've got to earn your place here. If you can't handle a challenge like that, you won't make it." He said before walking away. Despite Kyle and Saka checking on you and Harry clearly getting a talking down to from Kane you knew what you was gonna do

"Earn my place you say? alright" you mumble to yourself

After the intense exchange with Harry Maguire, you were determined to prove yourself and demonstrate your resilience. He had clearly underestimated your ability and resolve, and you were not about to let his challenge go unanswered.

The first attempt to get past Maguire was a spectacular nutmeg that left him dumbfounded and you calmly slotted the ball into the net. The laughter and applause from your teammates resonated across the field.

For the second attempt, you displayed your dribbling skills as you deftly maneuvered the ball around Maguire, causing him to lose his balance and fall on his ass like a baby. Once again, you found the back of the net with precision and can feel the anger radiating off Maguire.

The third attempt was the most rewarding. As Maguire attempted to shoulder barge you off the ball, you gracefully evaded his challenge, sending him tumbling into the dirt. With remarkable composure, you scored yet again and the team couldn't contain their amusement and admiration for your resilience and skill. Whilst some worried that they would need to step up their game to keep a spot on the first team.

As you were about to move to the next game, you felt a hard push you forward harshly as you heard your teammates around respond with audible woahs. You turned around with a glare and was face to face with Maguire who was fuming. "What's wrong Harry, do I have dirt on my face?" You would say making fun that he had dirt on his face from when you sent him to the ground. Before Maguire could cuss you out, Kane got in-between you two, as you two were pulled away, Kane turned to Maguire as Grealish stood on front of you in a protective manner

"Maguire!, that's enough," Kane said firmly, looking Maguire in the eye. "We're here to work together as a team, and this kind of behaviour isn't helping anyone. If this continues I will make sure you wont play the next game"

As Kane continued to address Maguire, other players began to gather around and it became clear that the incident had divided the team. Some players like Foden, Walker, Saka, Sterling, Pickford were clearly on your side, believing that you had been provoked and had demonstrated your skill in response. Others, Noticeable Manchester United players like Sancho, Shaw and non United players like Henderson were against you, showing support for Maguire.

"ENOUGH" The team was silent as they heard Southgate speak up. "BACK TO TRAINING NOW." He turned to you and walked up to you ignoring Maguire "F/N, I don't know how you train back in Japan but this place is for the most professional of footballers. Act like it. We don't need any more incidents like this." You bite your tongue back, You knew he was trying to goad you into responding but you just looked down and had to swallow your pride. He left without saying anything to Maguire. You couldn't help but feel pissed off that he turned a blind eye to Maguire's actions and choose to blame you for the entire incident but in the back of your head you knew you had to fight for Serena, You career and those who are supporting you. don't lose your head you thought. The mixed emotions of anger and hurt were mixing around in you. Anger due to the treatment from the manager and players who have it out for you and Hurt that you felt like a target to most of the team.

You would feel a hand n your shoulder and turned to see it was Kane "You ok?" He asked and you just shrugged "Been through worst" Kane would frown " I don't know what the gaffers deal is but you were not to blame there. You did what anyone would do. when I saw your name on the call up post I searched you up and you are a fantastic player and you will do great things for England. I don't see why Gareth is treating you like this but I know you will make him and the others acknowledge you once they see you on the pitch" with that he would pat you on the back and leave. You smiled happy knowing that your captain believed in you and supported you it added more fuel to the fire that was building. You couldn't wait to show them what you could do.

Later you would be doing some last minute mess around with some of the team before heading in. You were shooting against Pickford in goal when a idea came to your mind as you saw Pickford away from his line. As you kicked your toes under the ball it would glide up into the sky and float over Pickford who was left standing in awe as the ball landed in the net. Screams of approval and claps came from Jack Grealish, Phil Foden, Kyle Walker, and Declan Rice, who had all witnessed the audacious chip with delight. Kyle clapped you on the back. "That chip was a thing of beauty, mate!". Declan Rice would ruffle your hair "That was mad man, could use you at Arsenal" he would joke around.

"THATS MY BOY" You all would turn to the voice in the distance and see the women's team from afar walking along to the training facility building and saw a wild Millie bright cheering her boy. You would wave to her slightly embarrassed. You could see the faces of the other Lionesses laugh at Millie's antics with the exception of a few who were confused. You were happy that you got to show off and some of your new friends on the men's and women's team saw it. It also reminded you of what Millie said last night about if you need someone to talk too. You wanted to vent to her about the day. Sure you could with the boys and maybe Lucy, But Millie was the one straight up with you and you know you wouldn't be a burden going to her about it. And you didn't want to make Serena stressed out about it when she has to focus on a whole team.

"Looks like you pulled lad" You would hear Jack say in a cheeky tone but confusion would show on your face as you didn't understand what he was saying

Phil Foden, sitting nearby, noticed your confusion and decided to clarify. He leaned in and explained, "It means it looks like you've caught someone's attention romantically, mate."

You shook your head, a slight blush still on your cheeks and responded, "Oh, no, it's not like that. Millie and I are just friends." It was true, you had no feelings like that for Millie

Foden couldn't help but laugh at your quick dismissal of any romantic involvement. "Alright, mate, just friends it is. But Millie sure seems proud of her 'boy' over there." The group laughed as you knew this wasn't going away anytime soon.

After training you would take a shower and change, Heading down a hallway to the cafeteria until you would see Sancho, The man stopped in front of you. He didn't sugercoat his words. "Look, L/N, let's get one thing straight. We're just teammates, and I don't care for you taking Rashford's place." The words hit you like a punch to the gut. The camaraderie you had hoped to build with Sancho, seemed to have hit a major roadblock. It was a stark reminder that not everyone on the team welcomed your presence, and the feeling of isolation and negativity weighed heavily on you. The man would walk past you as you signed before running your hands through your damp hair and walk around a corner.

Lost in your thoughts, you didn't notice the approaching figure until it was too late. You accidentally collided with someone, and as they stumbled backward, you reached out instinctively to prevent them from falling. You would lock eyes with the figure. It was Alessia Russio. "Whoa, sorry about that," you quickly apologized, steadying her.

Alessia would smile sheepishly "Its alright, I wasn't looking where i was going, L/N right?" You would smile back "Yes but call me F/N. and you are Russio right?" Her smile got brighter as she would respond "Yes but you can call me Alessia" But then her face turned slight concerned noticing the slight frown on your face, "Is everything okay? You seem a bit off." You hesitated for a moment, debating whether to share your recent encounter with Jordan Sancho. But ultimately, you decided to confide in Alessia, who had shown genuine kindness.

"I had a bit of a run-in with a teammate from the men's squad," you admitted. "It's just been a rough day, and some of them aren't very welcoming." She would give you a knowing look. "Yep been there, Don't let them get to you. You're here on merit, and you have the talent to be with the national team. We all saw that lovely chip earlier" You would smile sheepishly as the words comforted you. She was right and you couldn't help but smile brightly and look into her eyes getting a clear look at them. You slowly felt like you were being hypnotised and unknowingly to you so did Alessia

*Wolf whistle* You would both snap out of it and turn to the sound

"What do we have here, then Ella?" You would turn to Mary Earp's alongside Ella Toone. Caught off guard by the duo you would then notice you were both holding each other. In a panic you would both separate and try to recompose yourself. You braced yourself, you had hoped this two United players wouldn't be like the ones from earlier Alessia quickly turned to face the two Manchester United Women's players, a friendly smile on her face. "Hey, Mary, Ella! This is F/N, This is one of the new players for the men's team. F/N, meet Mary and Ella." You smiled and stuck out your hand. "nice to meet you both"

Mary and Ella exchanged knowing glances, clearly amused by the situation. Mary was the first to shake your hand "Oh, F/N, you're fitting in quite well with the ladies, I see," Mary teased, her playful tone still very much intact. You tried to fight back the blush on your cheeks and then Ella would shake your hand "You two make a cute pair" Alessia would kick Ella as you looked down embarrassed.

Ella would play off the kick however. "AH Mary I'm falling" She would say falling to Mary who caught her "My hero" Mary would then play also "Fear not my love, i am here to protect you" She said in a mocking. Alessia was bright red "That's it" She then ran after the two down the hallway leaving you behind. You sighed in relief, The teasing made it obvious that you found her attractive and didn't want to embarrass yourself when you only just met them.

"They can be a lot sometimes. Sorry about them," You jumped at the force turning to them who would put a hand on your arm "sorry didn't mean to scare ya" In a apologetic voice. You saw it was Leah Williamson "I'm Leah." She shook your hand "F/N" You responded to her. You felt the same way when you met Kane. You felt nervous meeting the women's captain.

Leah sensed this and then shifted the conversation to the upcoming men's game against the Netherlands, showing a genuine interest in your thoughts. "So, how are you feeling about the men's game against the Netherlands?"

You appreciated her friendly demeaner and openness. "I'm feeling excited and ready. It's a great opportunity, and I'm eager to contribute to the team's performance. I'll give it my all."

Leah nodded in understanding and gave a smile. "That's the spirit. Just so you know. The squad was talking about you last night." A wave of anxiety washed over you" All good things and just know We're all behind you and we'll be cheering you on. Just remember, it's just another game of football. Enjoy it." She would pat you on the shoulder. You couldn't help but feel moved by the words she said. It really felt genuine and she wanted you to succeed. With that she began to walk away before stating "I heard you like golf, we should play sometime"

"I'm down" you would shout to her as she walked down the hall "Good lad!"

You sat there, in the stadium of light. England were beating san Marino 6 - 0 in the 67th minute. The day was filled with preparing and trying to focus. Of course there was media, Asking you how you felt and if you think you were ready for this. Also the online response was mixed. From those who thought you weren't good enough, didn't know you and of course the Rashford situation. But there was an upside, those who gave you a chance watching your clips or the interviews on the England YouTube channel drew a liking towards you an da big one was it showed you watching the Lionesses train and talking to Serena which shocked but drew interest to you, from fans loving the face you were supportive of the women's game and to people it as you trying to learn as much as you could.

Excitement coursed through your veins as you observed your teammates on the field, the crowd, each play and each goal filling you with a sense of pride. The atmosphere in the stadium was electric, with fans cheering for their team and the players demonstrating their skill and determination. Yet, alongside the excitement, there was also a twinge of restlessness. Sitting on the bench, you were eager to contribute, to step onto the field and to make a statement in the match. The desire to prove your worth and show your capabilities was a burning motivation within you. As you closely watched the game unfold, you couldn't help but mentally prepare yourself for the moment when you might be called upon to join the action. The second half played out before you and you remained focused, all the days of studying the tactics and learning from the experienced players around you lead to this

The opportunity to represent England in an international match was a dream come true and you were determined to make the most of it. Your emotions were a mix of excitement, anticipation, and readiness, as you waited for your chance to step onto the pitch and contribute to the team's success.

As the second half of the match against San Marino continued, you couldn't shake the feeling of anticipation. However, as the minutes ticked away, Southgate didn't look at you once. You were waiting for him to tell you to warm up. Anxiety built up as you wanted to burst onto the field and show everyone your worth. You knew that your fans in Japan and around the world were watching, Serena and the Lionesses were too. Why isn't he calling to you. It was the 80th minute and you could even hear the crowd close to you say

"Put the new kid on!"

"Why isn't he putting L/N"

"We want to see what he can do"

The minutes ticked down

81th minute

82th minute

83th minute

84th minute

85th minute

86th minute

87th minute

88th minute

89th minute

90th minute

*Final whistle blows*

It never came

You sat there in disbelieve as when you saw Southgate shook the opposing mangers hands you caught him smirking at you as you sat there hurting.

Part 1 End

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curio-queries · 18 days ago

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Are You Sure?!

(Is this the end?!)

It's finally time for my AYS wrap-up post! (goodness knows I've rambled on about this show enough, maybe there'll be more to say in the future but this is likely where I'll conclude this series for now)

Link to my AYS MasterList

Promotions/Finances

One of the points we discussed quite a bit while watching this show was how paying attention to promotional content and financial implications can help us discern a little regarding the inception of the show and how that influences the final product.

I'd assume this methodology is similar for all of the content Hybe produced but I admittedly don't watch much that's outside the scope of BTS. If any of you have any insight on how this is structured for other groups, I'd definitely be interested to hear about it! Anyway, regarding AYS, we've been theorizing that the US episodes were filmed on speculation and could then have been used to shop around to brands for sponsorships which would continue to fund more trips.

Product placements:

Ep.1 (USA): None (edited to add Nike, check out the reblogs for more on this)

Ep.2 (USA): None

Ep.3 (Jeju): Clothes

Ep.4 (Jeju): Vitamins & Hydration Spray

Ep.5 (Jeju): Perfume

Ep.6 (Sapporo): Sunglasses

Ep.7 (Sapporo): Sunscreen & Skiwear

Ep.8 (Sapporo): Perfume

Something else that stuck out to me during my initial watch-throughs as well was the progression of including establishing shots of the businesses they visit. There were basically none in the US episodes but by the time we get to Sapporo, these shots linger for long enough to me to notice. The signs and logos are blurred out as expected to bolster BTS's brand power but it's interesting to me that these shots just weren't included at all in the US portion.

The crew brought some very skilled operators with them to Jeju and Sapporo as evident by the gorgeous cinematography. I'm not saying they didn't have the same level of skill in the US, but there may not have been the same directive to focus on this or the level of equipment needed for the crew to really show off.

Sidenote: I KNOW I'd made some notes also on the blurring of the various vehicle logos as there were some inconsistencies and we know BTS as a whole has previously partnered with Hyundai but I can't find my notes and I'm not rescouting the episodes right now for this. If any of you happen to remember, please share!

Bonus Footage

Something I was really looking forward to was seeing if there was any obvious reasoning behind what footage would be saved for the bonus release instead of included in the official episodes. Afterall, access to this footage was likely the main reason many decided to purchase the photobook at all so there had to be some fulfillment for the perceived value. I wondered if they might take a similar approach to Run BTS's bonus footage where there is regularly a dedicated camera capturing footage specifically for this purpose. Now that I've finally received my photobook and been able to watch these clips, I believe most of footage was separated for the bonus content for a few specific reasons:

Footage quality: There's a good portion of the bonus footage that was captured via handheld cameras with less-than-stellar quality. I'm not trying to disparage the operators' skills but there's a specific tone that non-steady-cam footage brings and it wasn't necessarily in-line with the overall tone much of the edit required. It also reminds the audience at least subconciously that our guys are being followed by a camera crew which typically isn't the intent of BTS content and definitely was minimized as much as possible during AYS. More on this concept in the next point. Example: JK packing his suitcase in USA. That footage is very pretty shaky.

Fourth-Wall Breaks: Is this a phrase y'all still understand these days? Again, the idea of reminding the viewer that this is footage being captured by cameras and microphones and we're not just a fly-on-the-wall. There were plenty of moments in the Bonus footage where JM/JK call attention to the fact that they're filming a show or where the crew interacts with them. Quite a few of these were specifically to highlight photo ops (another subconscious reinforcement of the value delivered with the photobook purchase. the viewer can see footage of JM/JK taking pics that only appeared in the photobook they just flipped through and feel a further connection to the moment). Example: JM and JK taking each other's pics in front of the restaurant in Sapporo.

Pacing: I would categorize the rest of the bonus footage as micro-moments or extensions of scenes we did receive in the full episode but if included as-is, would have broken the desired pacing of the episode. There's no flow to worry about with the Bonus footage rather than chronologically so they're welcome to throw everything together and it doesn't feel like a storytelling misstep. Example: Jimin actually eating and chatting with V and JK at the seaside restaurant in Jeju. Including this would have broken the flow of the edit where they had the sped-up footage of JM describing the history of Jeju while the others just ate.

I was honestly surprised by the amount of editing present in the bonus clips. I'm sure there was always a plan to release some extra footage some way but it wouldn't surprise me if this decision was made early enough that they left much of it in queue for the first rounds of edits because they knew they'd be charging for access to it. Having at least some basic editing again helps justify the value.

Sidenote: there is no reference to 'keep going' in the photobook. So we have no further clues there. There's a couple of 'Go JK' or 'Go Jimin' captions but not 'keep going'.

Title Cards

Y'all I had been so confused by these from the very beginning but probably not for the reason you're thinking. I made note of which scenes had title cards and exactly what Jimin's voiceover line stated with each one. Mostly, WHY they decided to include the ones they did and the inconsistencies with what activities got a title card and which one's didn't.

Ep.1 (USA): We're having our first meal in America

Ep.1 (USA): It's fun to ride kayaks

Ep.2 (USA): We enjoy a yacht ride

Ep.2 (USA): We're eating our final meal

Ep.3 (Jeju): We're going climbing

Ep.4 (Jeju): A three-way split is fun

Ep.5 (Jeju): We are going for a swim

Ep.6 (Sapporo): We're on a train

Ep.7 (Sapporo): We are at a ski resort

Ep.8 (Sapporo): I love the convenience store

We know from the bonus footage that Jimin recorded many more than they used. Episodes 1 & 2 have two each and the rest only have one. Now, I'm not trying to say that they were trying to make those episodes seem more full than the others...but I'm not NOT saying it either...

It's just also very interesting which ones they decided to use as well. Prior to the footage of Jimin recording it, I'd wondered if they'd just asked Jimin to make something up about whichever activities were the most memorable for him but that definitely wasn't the case (thank goodness, our guys do NOT have the best of memories with things like this).

Follow-ups

Queries from my first AYS episode post:

Will there be any tonal shift? Specifically, now that JM and JK have some uncertainties about the viability of their US adventure. Will it seem like they're compensating?

I don't think so, not for this reason at least. It seemed more like this production was naturally growing into what it would become. There were definitely some tonal variances, especially how 'action-packed' ep.3 was but I still feel like it was not too far of an outlier and more just helping them find what works best for this type of show.

We know Tae is going to be in at least the next episode. How is this going to handled narratively and will there be any visible contradictions from that narrative in the production?

I mean, there was definitely some variance in the story from the episodes to some of the bonus footage but I think that was generally just the guys being their entertaining selves.

At what point was the final quantity of locations and shoots locked down? And when/if will JM and JK make mention of this.

Genuinely, I think this was only finalized when they couldn't actually schedule anymore trips! It's definitely an interesting approach when you consider how intense the BTS production engine must be, especially in the lead-up to the members' military service and trying to prepare all of the releases that we would get while they were away. It's also one of the things I think JK was referring to in that clip from the US where he says he's never travelled so freely before. To start a shoot of this magnitude and not have some firm deliverables for the end result nailed down is pretty wild. I'm so glad it worked out for them as well as it did.

If/How will the music promotion narrative shift? It's clear that this episode could not have been released until after MUSE's release once they decided to keep the footage of JK listening to Who. But when was that decision made?

Interestingly enough, I think this show was never really designed with music promotion in mind. Yes, they definitely couldn't have released it until after MUSE's release with the inclusion of that Who-listening session but that easily could have been removed or included in the bonus footage if a delay was needed. I think the timing did work out great for it but yeah, overall, music promotion was not likely one of the main drivers of this show.

On a somewhat-related note though, one thing has had me wondering from the beginning. Y'all remember the end of ep.1 when JM says he doesn't think this footage will air? Just what experiences does he have with content they've filmed that we DON'T get? Just what else have they hidden back from us? haha, we want it all!

The End

Okay, that's enough from me on this topic for now. I'm sure there's more we can chat about with this show and I absolutely can't wait until our guys are back and can travel again! I hope they're able to use this show as an excuse to do things they want that they typically wouldn't.

Thank-you to everyone that's been joining me in these chats. It's been so lovely to chat with many of you about this show and it's beyond humbling that people are at all interested in my random observations. I'm so happy y'all were here with me experiencing this great show together.

#are you sure?!#AYS #park jimin #jeon jungkook #jikook

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allthecanadianpolitics · 1 year ago

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Hyundai and Kia have issued a recall for several vehicle models and are urging drivers to park away from buildings due to the risk that the issue could start a fire. Hyundai says the recall involves 326,942 vehicles in Canada and 1,642,551 vehicles in the U.S. Hyundai's recalled vehicles(opens in a new tab) include certain 2010-15 models of the Accent, Elantra, Tucson, Sante Fe and others. According to the notice, the Anti-Lock Brake System (ABS) in the vehicles could leak brake fluid and cause an electrical short over time, which may start a fire while the car is parked or driving.

Tagging: @politicsofcanada

Date of article: September 27th, 2023.

#Car recall #Kia #Hyundai #Cars #cdnpoli #canada #canadian politics #canadian news

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allur1ngs · 11 months ago

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Meeeel I was wondering.

How Bada and reader presents the girls to other people: my adoptive rebel daughters, my co workers, my sisters, my bodyguards?

Also would you add me to your taglist? Please🙇🏽‍♀️

such a good question!! (and yes of course you can be added to the taglist!!)

so since everyone knows that bada's from a chaebol family (if you don't know what that is i'll explain below the cut), just her presence alone would already intimidate the average person--even if they're moderately rich or influential, they'll never be on her level--never mind the fact that everyone also knows that bada runs some form of a mafia group. it's not exactly hidden, because if you're the average person, what are you doing to do about it? nothing.

so imagine that, perhaps you have a friend that somehow doesn't know about your union to bada--maybe they're more of a casual friend--this is about how it'd go.

"ah, it's so nice to see you again." you greet your friend. "this is my fiancée, lee bada."

bada steps up, her usual cold and professional demeanor shining through. "it's nice to meet you." she shakes hands with your friend, barely noticing the fact that they've begun to sweat, and their skin has turned about four shades paler. "and these are my most trusted staff," the bebe girls step forward, their usual upbeat disposition nowhere to be found--they're all strictly professional. "please trust them to keep you safe while you are in our home. they will do you no harm."

bada knows that her connection to the mafia world easily makes others fear her--so she tries her best to maintain her usual aura, while still assuaging any nerves your friend might be feeling. the last thing that she wants is to be the reason that your friend never visits you again.

"oh, and this is my personal bodyguard, hyo." you gesture to her, so she confidently takes a step up, giving your friend a polite bow before stepping behind you once again.

so essentially, although you don't necessarily try to intimidate anyone while introducing the girls or your fiancée, their presence just sort of does that naturally. while i'd love to say that they're silly, that's not really the case. even your closer friends, jae and the others for example, they still get the frigid, normally professional sides of the bebe girls.

they're really only playful and mischievous when it comes to you and bada, because they feel comfortable around you both, and because they know that their job is so important. even the slightest hint of weakness could lead to someone mistakenly thinking the girls are a way to get to you or bada.

which of course, they're not.

chaebol family: large family-controlled conglomerates who have significant economic power in south korea. the top ten collectively contributed to 60% of the the country's GDP in 2021. samsung, sk, and hyundai motors are the top chaebols in south korea.

#౨ৎ melody's mafia au #౨ৎ melody's newsletter

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bingeulz · 1 month ago

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24.05.04: ROUND N' ROUND'S YEJI CAUGHT AMIDST DATING RUMORS WITH SAMSUNG'S HEIR LEE JOOHA

On the morning of May 4, 2024, K-Pop fans and the general public were hit with a whirlwind of controversy as rumors swirled about an alleged relationship between ROUND N' ROUND’s member Yeji and Samsung heir Lee Jooha.

The speculation began when an anonymous user published a blurry photo of two women, who seemed like celebrities, embracing intimately on NAVER. One hour after a grainy video, allegedly of the same pair kissing in a hotel room, was added to the comments of the post. The mystery enticed netizens and, within hours, two high-profile names emerged: Go Yeji of ROUND N' ROUND and Lee Jooha, the successor to Samsung.

What made the alleged romance all the more scandalous was that Lee Jooha is currently engaged to Chung Heesun, heir to Hyundai, which shocked and confused the general public.

Netizens were quick to dig deeper, sharing multiple photos of the two women that seemed to confirm that they were sharing clothes and accessories with each other. Additionally, users pointed out that both Yeji and Jooha attended the same Vogue after-party in late 2023, fueling speculation.

As the story spread like wildfire throughout other websites around the world, the NAVER article kept gaining traction, remaining at the top of the website for over 20 hours after its posting. With no official statements from MNS or Samsung, fans and the general public have no choice but to keep speculating whether the rumors are true and if Jooha may have actually cheated on her fiancé with the popular female idol.

24.05.05: MNS ENTERTAINMENT RELEASES STATEMENT REGARDING YEJI AND JOOHA'S DATING SCANDAL

After 24 hours of silence, MNS Entertainment has finally addressed the explosive dating rumors surrounding ROUND N' ROUND's Yeji and Samsung heir Lee Jooha.

The rumors erupted when an anonymous user on NAVER posted blurry photos and videos that appeared to show the two women in intimate moments, sparking speculation of a forbidden romance between the K-pop idol and the chaebol heiress.

In a statement published on their official website, MNS Entertainment clarified the situation:

Hello, this is MNS Entertainment. We are issuing this statement to address the rumors surrounding our artist, GO YEJI. After conducting a thorough investigation and speaking with YEJI directly, we have confirmed that the photos circulating online were fabricated by an anti-fan. The individual responsible has been identified and is currently facing legal consequences for their actions. MNS prioritizes the well-being and protection of our artists, and we will take all necessary measures to prevent such incidents from happening in the future. Furthermore, any additional defamation or malicious rumors regarding YEJI and ROUND N' ROUND will be met with strong legal action. Thank you for your continued support.

Following the statement, netizens noticed that the original NAVER article was quietly deleted, and most of the images had been scrubbed from the internet. With no official response from Samsung, fans are now speculating whether the conglomerate played a role in the swift removal of the evidence.

. . . WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS ON THE NEWS?

layout inspired by @bluwavez !

#kpop oc #kpop addition #fictional idol community #◜ . . . articles: round n' round #◜ . . . development: yeji

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a-very-bored-blogger · 2 years ago

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Bittersweet Romance (Cho Gue Sung x Fem! Reader) Part 1

Summary: Cho and (y/n) have been childhood friends back in Korea. 12 years later, Cho comes back to Ansan to see his family as well as (y/n). With his newfound fame, the football player becomes surrounded with fangirls, yet he is only infatuated with the one girl who treats him the same, famous or not. Reader is also around 23-24, and is not necesarily Korean, just lives in Korea.

Warnings: Angst, Hurt to Comfort, Toxic but in reality just confused with feelings, Romanticism, Eventual Fluff

Request: from @alotofrandomfangirling:

Hii could you please write for Cho Gue-Sung where he and reader have like a love/hate relationship, picking on each other but secretly having a huge crush? Then one day something happens and they confess their feelings ajskajskajs thanks a lot 💗

Note: Thank you so much for requesting! I don’t really know what else to do since Cho is just such a lovable person so I decided to make this into two parts so I do hope that you wouldn’t mind. It makes my heart happy seeing people that are actually requesting and I do hope that this ‘fic is long and good enough for you <3 -Tsuyu

Word Count: 1K

“Oi brat, could you come pick me up?” Cho asks in a joking tone as he presses the button to contact you on Line. The football player has found newfound fame in the stadium of the World Cup, coming back to his hometown of Ansan to meet his family and friends (by friends he means his best friend of 12 years, (y/n)). The man is surrounded by fangirls and paparazzi at the airport so he just wants to be escorted back as soon as possible to a place no one can find him.

The girl on the other line rolled her eyes and sighed, laughing a bit before replying back on the phone. “Brat? Shouldn’t you have more manners for someone coming to pick you up at the airport?” the girl asked in a rather annoyed tone.

Cho simply laughed. Seeing her annoyed seems quite amusing to the Korean man. He simply decides to tease her back, just to check her reactions.

“Fine. Do you prefer jagiya then?” Cho asks back, this time in a more serious tone. The line on the other side went silent as the girl covers her mouth with her hand, before the man hears a quiet ‘shut the fuck up’ muttering from the girl’s mouth before she hangs up. The man simply smiled and giggled. Most of their entire friendship has been just back and forward teases towards each other.

He simply remembers the first time he met her.

Cho remembered the girl that fell down in front of his doorstep the first day she moved in. The girl has recently moved from Seoul to Ansan for her father’s new job. She wore a white shirt and a long green skirt, and sat outside of Cho’s doorstep, sheltered by the roof while enjoying the ambience the rain made.

“Hey, what are you doing out here?” Cho said, opening the door in his front porch, noticing the presence of the girl. He was confused, but the girl’s eyes said nothing as she stared out, watching raindrops hit the road.

The girl didn’t look back. She kept watching, replying. “I’ve just moved in next door. The movers are still inside and since it’s raining, I only could wait here.” The girl replied.

The confused 12 year old boy walked forward, sitting down next to the girl. He looked at her to the side and asked.

“You seem sad. What’s wrong?” Cho asked with a concerned look towards his new neighbour.

“All of my friends are in Seoul and I don’t want to be alone in Ansan, cause I’m afraid that I’m not gonna be able to make any friends here.” The girl responded with a sigh, enjoying the sight of the rain.

Cho chuckled a bit. He lent out a hand and smiled.

“Cho Gae-Sung. Your neighbour and your friend. Nice to meet you!” He said with a coy grin.

The raven haired boy saw the eyes of a certain (y/n) peeping out in a small black Hyundai, as she exited for a bit, walking towards Cho and giving him a tight hug.

And that was the start of a beautiful, bittersweet friendship. From stupid competitions in class, shit-talking each other, they were always a duo that always bickered and eventually made up. Inseperable till Cho left for the football club.

After what seemed like a good 20 minutes, Cho receives a message from his phone.

“Hey I’m 5 minutes away.” The text read out. The man sighed and grabbed his bags to go out to the front of the terminal. He took out his sunglasses, shielding himself from the masses of stupid paparazzis and fangirls.

Cho put his arms around the girl’s back, letting go quickly to put his bags at the backseat before hopping in the front seat.

The duo chatted for a bit, updating each other regarding the highlights and events for their lives such as what their parents and neighbours have been up to, the part where Cho purposely learnt Portugese curse words to piss off Ronaldo, and it left both of them laughing off their seats.

“Well I got a boyfriend.” (y/n) stated before hearing the inaudible gasp that Cho gave. Awkward silence reigned in for a bit before Cho disrupted.

“Hah! Bet he’s a loser and ugly dude.” Cho snickered. He was trying to obviously hide his hurt feelings from the bitter truth- that someone as perfect as (y/n) wouldn’t like him back just because he simply cannot be honest with her.

She rolled her eyes and smirked for a bit.

“Actually, it’s Jaehyun.” The girl replied back. Cho couldn’t believe it. Out of all the people (y/n) decides the date, it was the valedictorian back in their highschool. The one that Cho despised for always being so ‘perfect’ and ‘boring’. “What the hell do you even see in him? He’s so boring (y/n)!” Cho scolded out.

(y/n) could only laugh back. The girl in reality, only made up the fact that she’s dating him to make Cho jealous, knowing that she could never compete with Cho’s options of millions of fangirls all around the world. The girl knows that all she could ever have with him is bickering and bittersweet friendships.

“(y/n) I’m serious! Do you really wanna date a guy who’s only future is pleasing his parents dreams of becoming a doctor?” Cho says. God knows what got into him that made him this pissed. Everything just became muddled onto a big piece of negativity.

And the car went silent for a while.

She knew she fucked up.

The girl stopped the car in front of their neighbourhood. She looked down onto the steering wheel and asked.

“Why the hell do you care so much about who I’m dating, Cho?” The girl asked in a serious tone.

He didn’t reply. Instead, he grabbed the door handle and opened it, walking to the back to grab his things and bringing it towards his front porch, before slamming it.

#cho gaesung #world cup 2022 #world cup fanfic #fifa world cup 2022 #xreader #football angst #angst #angst x reader #eventual fluff #romanticism #choguesung #cho gue sung #cho gue sung fanfic #cho gue sung x reader #south korea nt #cho guesung

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dalchiid · 2 years ago

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𝕮𝖍𝖆𝖕𝖙𝖊𝖗 28

A story of obsession, fear, and lust. You're a maid whose Masters forbid you in meeting their guests for the night but your luck runs dry when you run into them and catch the attention of Lord Hoseok himself. He's smitten from the beginning and thus, your fate has been decided.

Pairing: Yandere Vampire Hoseok x Fem/AFAB Reader

Word Count: 7,438

Warnings: 18+, Yandere, Obsession, Possessive, Angst, Fear, Blood, Biting, Dub-Con, Eventual smut

Will add or remove warnings based on what's in each chapter.

I do not condone the behavior being exhibited in my work. This is solely for entertainment purposes and I hope if any of you are ever in a situation like this that you have the chance and ability to run away from it. Take care out there.

DO NOT copy, edit, or repost my work anywhere.

Chapter 28 Warnings: Yandere, Possessive, Obsession, Angst

Prev | Next

In the foyer right next to the door are a line of keys hanging on the wall. There are several to count but there is only one Hoseok picks out and it has you questioning him out loud.

"Are we not riding in the limousine?"

He gives you a quick look with a smile before leading you off towards the far left. "Nah," he says. "The store isn't far from here. I can easily drive."

You don't know why but the thought of him driving surprises you. You don't think any of the Baeks were capable of driving. You just knew if they needed a place to go they had their drivers take them. This is new territory for you so when he follows along the long hall and into a closed door you're left reeling when you see a line of cars.

The garage is large and in it are at least thirteen cars and yet there's still enough space for a few more. Your eyes widen for a moment and Hoseok has to tug on your arm to get you moving again. You hadn't even realized that you stopped.

He leads you over to a silver Hyundai from what you can tell of the brand and the windows are tinted. It looks sporty and seemingly fits Hoseok's style. When he unlocks it to seat you in you see the interior is fitted in everything black. From the leather seats to the floors and dashboard.

"Watch your head," he says as he gently guides you to sit.

It's warm in the car due to the heat outside but not suffocatingly so.

Hoseok closes the car door before heading off towards the driver side. When he makes his appearance again he giggles as you stare at everything in wonder.

When the car starts up it's near silent and you watch as the lights on the dashboard light up like something from a sci-fi movie. It looks futuristic and it catches your attention but not as much as the fact that there are twelve other cars in here and that's not including the limousines that are no where to be seen.

Hoseok notices your attention elsewhere and he smiles at your curiosity.

"Something on your mind," he asks.

You jump a little when he speaks.

You look back at him and back towards the other cars with a frown. "You have a lot of cars."

He hums in acknowledgement as he sets the air conditioning on.

"The majority of them belong to the young ones. Mostly Jimin and Jungkook. The rest of us have one to two cars at most."

You look back at him as he leans over to grab your seat belt and put it on.

"How many do you have?"

Once you're hooked in he leans back and puts his own seat belt on.

"Just the one."

You only hum as you watch him press something into the roof of the car and watch as a small compartment opens and within it a pair of sunglasses he takes out to put on.

You only watch him now as he puts the car into drive. You sit on your hands just as he presses a button latched onto his keys and see how one of the garage doors open up to reveal the outside. From here on out it's just silence as he begins to drive.

You don't feel anxious to be in the car with him. He's driving safely and you don't know if it's because he's a safe driver in general or because you're in the car and he doesn't want to scare you. Your eyes are drawn to the outside as everything passes you by. So many things interest you and it makes you blush when he catches you looking off.

"If you're good," he starts. "We can get something to eat when we're done."

If you're good he says. As if you were a child. It makes you curl your lip in agitation but he doesn't see it.

No conversation is made as he drives and you suspect he just prefers to drive this way. At some point you feel a tug on your arm as he slips your hand out from beneath you so he can hold it instead. Though it's unwillingly done on your part as he keeps a tight grip on you.

It's not long before he pulls up to a small shopping complex where he parks in front of an AT&T. You guess this is where you need to be so you think nothing of it when you take off your seat belt and grab the door handle once the car is turned off. Hurriedly though you're stopped and it makes you jump at how fast Hoseok moved to stop you. You look at him in shock and you can see just over his sunglasses how wide his eyes are.

"I'll - I'll get the door for you," he stutters.

You're not sure why he looks so spooked until it hits you. He thought you were trying to escape.

Your hand slowly comes down to your lap and away from the handle. Hoseok takes that chance to unbuckle and step out of his car so he can move over to your side. Once the door is opened you hesitate a moment before slipping out.

A rush of heat engulfs you after having been kept cool inside the car. Hoseok's hand reaches for your own and he keeps you close as he leads you both off after shutting your door.

"We'll find you something here," he says.

You shrug your shoulders. "I don't need anything special."

He laughs though it's more to himself than you. "Right."

When you enter the store you're hit with the air conditioner that sends goosebumps up and down your arms. It barely affects Hoseok though as he's immediately greeted by the store clerk.

"Lord Hoseok!" The man who greets him exclaims happily. "What can I do for you today?"

You remember how Taehyung was recognized at the pizza shop and you're hit with the fact that there's a possibility that each and every one of these men of Bangtan are recognized by many people around the area. It leaves you feeling worried because it limits you when finding an area to run off to when the time to escape is right.

"Jordan." Hoseok smiles. "Just looking for a phone for the missus."

Your neck aches when you snap your head towards Hoseok. Why would he refer to you that way? You weren't in a relationship with him let alone being his wife.

The man, Jordan, looks at you with raised brows and a smile. "The missus," he says. "I didn't know you were married."

Hoseok just laughs and it's contagious because it makes Jordan laugh too. When the man looks at you though he notes you're not even smiling so he grows awkward before you.

"Um... Are you going to look around or do you already have something in mind?"

A hum rings from deep inside Hoseok. "I have something in mind already."

Business is handled between the two then as Jordan leads you both to the cash register stand. You ignore them for the most part as your eyes wander around. There aren't a lot of people here but the ones that are stare at you and Hoseok. When they catch you staring back they either embarrassingly look away or continue to look on without a lick of shame. There's even one you catch who takes a picture of you two and it makes your heart thump painfully in your chest.

They lower their phone after taking the picture and smile like what they had done wasn't a violation of your privacy.

What were they going to do with that photo? Were they going to share it online? You worry your bottom lip with your teeth at the thought. You didn't want your face to be shared alongside Hoseok's. While he may be used to it you weren't and when the time comes for you to escape who is to say people won't recognize you as the woman who was with their Lord.

Your eyes roam left to right in anxiousness. You swallow a wad of spit that suddenly feels too thick. Chills run up and down your arms but not because of the air conditioner but your nerves.

You don't notice when Jordan heads out back nor when Hoseok turns to you with a smile. When he sees how unsettled you look a frown mars his face.

"You okay?"

His question goes over your head at first before your brain catches up.

You look over your shoulder to see if the person who took the photo is still there but they're gone. You try and spot them in the store but it seems as if they were a ghost because they've disappeared.

"Y/N?"

Your attention is drawn back to Hoseok as he mirrors a look of worry to you.

"Your picture," you say. "Someone took your picture - our picture."

A look of understanding crosses his face and he sighs. "Yeah that happens sometimes." He squeezes your hand. "I'm sorry about that."

You look down at your feet with a scowl. This is the last thing you needed. You'd hate to be recognized as the woman with Lord Hoseok. Whose hand is wound tightly with his own. Fingers laced like loved ones do. It makes your heart race but not for a good reason.

Hoseok's about to question you but he's interrupted as soon as Jordan reappears.

"You're lucky," he says. "We have only one of these left."

It makes Hoseok smile leaving you put out on your own.

As the two men have an exchange your eyes are drawn to the phone that's pulled out. You look at the cover of the box it came in and see that it says Z Flip. You don't know what that means except maybe because when Jordan accesses the phone he flips it open. The screen doesn't look marred despite having been flipped closed once. You can't help but marvel at it.

This is your first ever phone and you can't deny that you feel a little excited despite voicing to yourself several times before that you don't need it. You still feel like you could have gone without it but now that you have one it wouldn't hurt to give it a try.

It comes to life in Jordan's hand and he does a few things to it before he hands it off to you. You take it gently, afraid you might drop it and break it. Once it's settled in your hands you swipe on the screen and your eyes shine brightly when it reacts to your touch. You can't help but think that yeah, it is a little cool.

"Now that she's on your plan your next bill will be a little higher than the current amount."

You look up at Jordan at the same time that Hoseok says "It's okay." There's no doubt in your mind that Hoseok can clearly handle it. You figure the men know this as well so there's no need for an issue to form.

Hoseok says his goodbyes as he carries your things in a little bag that's given to him while you tap away at your phone. You don't know what you're opening until you come across your email. You can connect yours to the phone and find that handy. You also accidentally open up the camera but take advantage of it and take a picture of the world outside of the building. You don't notice Hoseok smile at you as you do this. He looks so amused and when you do look his way as he goes to open the door his smile grows wider.

"Do you like it," he asks as the two of you step out.

You look down at the phone before back up at him. Though saying yes means he did something right by you saying no would just be a lie. One he might see through so you nod your head before looking away.

"That makes me happy to know." He opens your car door to let you in before going around to let himself in. "And since you've been so good why don't we get something to eat?"

You forgot about that. He did say that before and so you purse your lips as you will your stomach to not growl so loud. Either way, you know he can hear it and so he chuckles when he does.

As he drives you take the time to look further into your phone. You're not unfamiliar with technology but are with phones so it takes you a minute to find things out as much as you can. From apps to widgets that you accidentally stumble upon. You customize it to your liking and find out you can actually password protect it. It's one of the first things you do the moment you find out about it.

"So," Hoseok starts.

It startles you in the otherwise quiet car.

"Is there anything you'd like to eat?"

You look out of the car window then back at him with a shrug. "Don't know what's out here to have."

He hums. "We have have fast food joints like McDonald's, Wendy's, and Burger King. We also have Italian, Korean, Japanese, and Chinese restaurants."

You make a sound of disinterest before settling on one. "Korean sounds fine."

Hoseok smiles as he takes a quick look at you. "Korean it is then."

Before you get to the restaurant you still fiddle with your phone. So much so that when you arrive and are sat at a table Hoseok pouts with a whine. You look up at him with a brow raised and note how his pout grows more.

"Your attention is all on the phone." He attempts to grab it and has to yank it out of your hand to make you stop. "You can play with it later. Right now it's us time."

It's your turn to pout with a deep sigh but he doesn't react to it.

You haven't been so engrossed with something since you first got your laptop. There's a lot of advantages you think about having a phone but you know there are cons as well.

You look over to the little device as it sits next to Hoseok's hand.

It technically was just a miniature laptop except you can do more with it like text and call, but it's not like you had anyone to do that with. Maybe Namjoon? You'd like to think so. After that kiss you two shared you figure why not? There was no way he'd say no to you to exchange numbers, right?

You don't know why but the thought of it just makes you a little anxious.

Hoseok sighs and when you look up you see that he's staring at you.

"What," you ask.

Before he can say anything the two of you are greeted by the waitress who questions you about drinks. Her smile is wide and her tone of voice high. You don't know if it's because she's putting on a façade for the sake of keeping her job or if it's because she recognizes Hoseok as the Lord of the town.

"I'll just have a Sprite." Hoseok says.

You quickly check through the menu for drinks before settling on a Sprite as well. The waitress' smile grows wider as she notes it down and leaves with a cheery look on her face. In that moment, you look back to the menu and start to guess what you should eat. Hoseok takes the time to see himself but his attention is still mostly on you. You can sense his stare and so when you settle on a meal you look up at him with curiosity.

Hoseok closes the menu before putting it off to the side. He grabs your phone then and puts it between you.

"I didn't think all of your attention would be taken away from me the moment you'd get this."

You shrug your shoulders. "I've never had one before so..." you trail off.

He hums with a smile and picks up the device. You notice he goes to press the power button on and watch as his smile slowly drops into a frown.

"You locked it?"

Here we go, you think. It was the same thing with your laptop.

His grits his teeth before unclenching them. You can see the way his jaw works in irritation.

"Unlock it and remove the password protection." He hands the phone to you.

You don't take it at first. Simply staring at the device he's trying to hand back to you. He shakes it in front of you urging you to take it but you hesitate.

You could do as he says but you really don't want to. He's invaded your space so much already but you want this for yourself. At least give you some lick of privacy over something.

"Y/N. I'm not going to tell you again." His frown grows deeper. "Take. Off. The password protection."

Before you can say anything back the waitress comes back with your drinks in hand.

"Two Sprites," she says. "Is there anything else I can get you two? Are you ready to order?"

Like a switch Hoseok flips and a smile graces his face.

"Sorry we need another minute."

"That's okay!' The waitress says. "I'll be back in a minute or two to check up on you guys."

When she leaves she takes back your sense of peace though it was for a moment.

Hoseok turns back to you and that frown of his makes a reappearance.

"Why are you being so difficult," he asks. "There's no reason for you to hide things from me."

You sigh but it comes out of exasperation, but then you're reminded of something.

"I'm sure you have yours password protected. You haven't told me what the password is either."

Without hesitation Hoseok puts down your phone before reaching into his pocket for his own. He presses his thumb onto the screen and waits for it to turn on.

"My right thumb unlocks it." He shows you the screen to show you that it is unlocked. "And my password is hope world. All lowercase and together."

Your eyes widen by the slightest bit as you're caught off guard. You look off towards the side as you're put on the spot now.

Now what? He's putting you in a situation you'd rather not be in. You hate how he constantly does this to you. It always has to be his way and never the slightest bit yours. It sends a feeling of irritation down your form and now you're sat feeling agitated because why not? Why not feel this way when it's all he's capable of making you feel?

You purse your lips and you're suddenly hit with the urge to cry. You sniffle a bit and it catches Hoseok's attention. He sighs before he tongues his cheek.

"Don't start crying now." It sounds rude written on paper but his tone is actually soft. "Y/N. Hey."

Your watery eyes look over to him as he reaches out a hand. Despite truly not wanting to take his hand into your own you do for the sake of peace. Once they're together his grip tightens the slightest bit to help ground you. The last thing he wanted was for you to make a scene though knowing this just makes you want to create one. Act out until all attention is thrown towards your way but you have a feeling no one will take your side. Not with the way they look Hoseok's way with admiration in their eyes. You note whoever stares tries to do so secretly but either way you see them and they're excited to be in the same building as their Lord. It troubles you even moreso when some look on in jealousy so long as yours and Hoseok's hands are clasped.

"Y/N." Hoseok calls to you again.

Him speaking your name helps center your attention back onto him. No tears are shed but you still feel like shit about this.

"Just tell me the password and we can let this go."

You close your eyes and keep them shut tight as you give a pained expression. You really don't want to but you know he'll never let it go and so you open your eyes before scowling his way.

"Dipshit."

Hoseok freezes before mirroring your look. "Excuse me?"

"Dipshit," you say again but more forcefully.

You can see the way he bares his teeth in agitation and fire lights up in his eyes. His hold on your hand tightens painfully as he tugs you forward until your torso slams against the table. It startles you.

"What did you just call me?"

Your brows furrow as you wince. "I didn't call you anything. That's the password," you grit out. "Dipshit."

Hoseok's entire visage loosens and you can see the calm wash over him in an instant. "Oh," he says. It's the only word that can form on his lips as he stares at you.

You on the other hand are frightened. Your nostrils flare as he still holds you tightly and your torso aches. You weren't expecting such a harsh reaction. You knew he wouldn't like it and you purposely made it out to seem like you were saying the word to insult him and not that you were just giving the password. Regret fills you as your body begins to tremble in both anger and fear. Sweat pricks your skin as you look off at him with eyes wide.

"Hoseok you're hurting me."

He immediately drops your hand as if your touch scalded him. His eyes roam around from you to the table as he tries to even his breaths after seething. Once he's a little more calm he reaches for your phone and types in the password just to see the phone unlock. He shuts his eyes then in relief before opening them to see your trembling form.

"Baby," he starts off gently. "Baby you can't do things like that. It's not funny."

"I wasn't trying to be funny." You blink away your tears.

He sighs as he puts your phone down before running a hand over his face. He gives yet another sigh before straightening up and handing you your phone. You snatch it from him and place it down on the seat next to you.

It wasn't wise to try that trick. You should have just kept your mouth shut.

Hoseok licks his lips and picks up the menu. "Look for what you want. You can have anything."

He wouldn't even apologize. It leaves you feeling flabbergasted but you keep your words to yourself. You're done talking to him.

When the waitress comes back she takes your orders. If she notices that something is wrong with you and Hoseok she doesn't say. Her professionalism being astounding as she smiles on instead.

It's awkward now. You're no longer feeling angry or fearful. You just feel tired and Hoseok makes everything awkward with how he's acting. He fidgets in place as he keeps looking between you and the area around you. A hand of his goes up to rest over his lips as he perches his elbow onto the table. His eyes look over the restaurant before they settle back onto you. You look back at him with half-lidded eyes and it forces him to sigh for the nth time before he brings his hand down to rest palm up on the table.

"I'm sorry," he says.

He waits for your hand so it can rest over his own but you don't give it to him. His hand stays outstretched towards you but the longer it stays there the longer yours stay settled on your lap.

He sucks his teeth before bringing his hand back. "After here we can go home. I think it's best that we rest up."

There's a subtle roll to your eyes and if he caught it you don't know because he doesn't show if he did.

After your food is brought you eat as much as you can. To be honest after that little ordeal you don't have much of an appetite. Still you try and distract yourself with some food. Hoseok seems to be having the same problem as he mindlessly chews.

If only he hadn't asked you about your password. You can blame yourself for that little cheeky response as well but that was something pent up deep inside of you that needed to be released. To be honest it felt good but you don't think it was worth it. He's already proven to you before that earning his ire isn't worth the trouble.

You place your utensils down and the metal clangs against the sturdy table.

"Are you okay?" Hoseok asks but he gives you a look that understands that you aren't.

"I'm not that hungry."

He hums. "We can take this home. We don't have to stay here if you don't want."

You shrug your shoulders. You know he's saying that mostly because he doesn't want to stay here for a minute longer. He lost his cool which he feels regretful about. He hurt you. He lost his appetite as well. He. Everything mostly revolves around him.

His eyes look over you one more time before he calls for the waitress' attention as she's passing by to another table. You take that chance to look around you and see no one is staring at you anymore. After they were earlier but now it's just you looking off towards them. Smiles on their faces as they communicate with the people they are with. Freely. You stare off in wonder wondering what it's like to explore places with loved ones without any hindrance.

"We'll take these to go." You hear Hoseok say.

You look at him momentarily and for a second that you see him you try and see him as someone else. Someone you care for. Once upon a time. You wonder if you could ever get used to him and you wonder if he would ever change for you.

You shake your head.

No. You needed to escape. That's what you needed to do. There are a lot of obstacles your way but you'll find your way some day. You're sure of it.

When the waitress comes back for Hoseok's card she gives you a smile and you smile back though yours is a little remorseful. You don't want her thinking you didn't enjoy the food. You did it's just circumstances you have no control over ruined it for you.

Once the two of you are settled Hoseok goes to stand. The waitress thanks you for coming and you can only nod her way while Hoseok gives her a smile. Your phone feels heavy in your hand after what happened and you don't feel the need to play with it like you did before. And you can't help but notice Hoseok doesn't reach for your hand. You could say it's because he's busy holding the food in one hand and his keys in the other but normally he wouldn't let something like that get in his way because again, as things always revolve around him, he'd always get his way and that includes something as simple as holding your hand. You wonder if it's because he's still mad. Whatever the reason may be he trusts you enough to not hold onto you and lets you enter the car as soon as he unlocks it.

You don't give him a chance to open the door for you but he attempts to close it on his own when you go to slam it shut. He doesn't say anything but a frown does take over his face.

He enters the car and places the food on the floor of the backseat. He doesn't say anything as he turns on the car or when he leaves from the parking. It's a tense silence that follows you. It's nothing like the silence he prefers when driving. It feels weird and it makes you afraid to do anything. Even breathing out loud.

Your eyes follow along to what it can as it traces the world before you. They are lively areas that pass you by. Nothing looks uninhabited and you yearn to experience them. At some point your eyes draw over to a playground as Hoseok comes to a stop at a red light. You perk up in your seat as you look at the swings. Hoseok seems to notice your reaction because he looks at you in question.

"That's the local playground," he says.

Your attention is drawn to the children that play there and the parents who watch them from their seats. It's large and colorful but all that captures your attention are the swings.

"Can we," you begin to speak before you even notice that you are. "Can we stop here?"

You're too afraid to look Hoseok's way but he doesn't seem annoyed when he pulls out of his lane and into the right to turn and park on the curbside.

As soon as the car is off you open the car door to step out.

"Y/N-"

Hoseok is cut off as you close the door and power walk over to the swing set. Your feet are fast and once you're before one swing that's not in use you stop. As if a barrier is keeping you from going further.

You can hear Hoseok's hurried steps behind you as he catches up. He doesn't reprimand you for running off like you thought he would. Instead a hand of his comes to rest on your lower back as he urges you forward.

"Go ahead. Sit."

As if you were waiting for his permission you move and come to sit on the swing.

It sways as you sit and you have to grip the chains tightly to prevent from falling. Your feet lightly kick the ground as you tuck them underneath you. Hoseok leaves your side to stand behind you and before you can expect it he pushes your back to get you to move. Your legs kick the air as you try to still yourself and you look back at him with wide eyes.

"No, no," you say. "I just want to sit here."

His brows raise but he doesn't question you. He just chooses to instead sit on the swing next to you but facing the opposite direction.

The two of you let the cool breeze pass over you as the children play around you. You catch one of the adults looking your way but if she judges you you can't tell. Even then you wouldn't care because you're happy like this.

"I take it you've never been on a swing before?"

You look over at Hoseok and shake your head. He frowns a little before nodding.

"I've always wanted to sit on one. Just sit here and hang out. Like they do in the movies."

Hoseok's face grows unreadable. You hope he doesn't take it the wrong way - as if him with you like this is what you want. This was more for you than it was for him.

He just watches you as you sway slightly and with the toes of your boots you push on the ground so you gain a little momentum.

He looks down at the ground then back up at you as you stare at the sky. You can feel him stare at you as you feel like you're flying. The feeling freeing despite his sights on you. You dare close your eyes for a minute but quickly open them when it feels like you're about to fall backwards. You grip the chains even tighter as you're jerked to a standstill with Hoseok holding onto one of the chains with a worried look. He keeps you from falling and it forces a blush to warm your cheeks in embarrassment.

"Careful," he says softly.

You're back to looking at the sky and watch as birds tear through the open blue. Streaks of white from the clouds like brushstrokes on a painting and the sound of children's laughter fill your ears. This is the closest thing to peace you feel yet despite it all you know you aren't free.

You feel Hoseok's hand that holds onto your chain brush over so that he caresses your own. Starting from his pinky to his ring finger and all the way down until he's holding your hand. For once his grip isn't tight to keep you in place but there to just hold you. You'd like to think that if this were the beginning when he first spoke to you that you'd graciously hold his hand back, but not because you love him. Friendships can consist of skinship. You'd like to think so but your mind has to remind you that thinking of Hoseok in any other way - as anything other than your captor would be detrimental to your health. And it's true. After what happened earlier it's a reminder of why you can't fantasize because the reality of it all hurts. Just as much as the phantom pain left behind on your torso still lingers like a bruise.

You rest your head against the chain and Hoseok sighs as he begins to sway.

"Sometimes I get upset and act out without thinking," he starts. "I'll apologize for that but you have to understand that you made me think otherwise. You never sounded so sure in your life about something when you cursed at me. All I knew is that I had to punish you and not think that you were joking or anything."

Your eyes close. You wish you could shut yourself down like you normally do when you're being domestic with him but you're having a hard time doing it now. Maybe it's because you're hyperaware of your surroundings. Know that you're so close to having freedom but without your money and without the security from the people around you you lack the need to want to run away now. You think no one here would protect you against Hoseok because he's a Lord and they are not. He holds power and they do not. They could lose everything if he so much as wishes it. That's the sad reality of it all.

"You're probably upset with me and while you have every reason to be I do as well. I'll apologize for hurting you but that's it."

You clench your teeth in agitation the more he talks because the more he does the more he sounds like a fool. But was he right? Should he be mad? You guess so because you did kind of mean it when you told him the password. Mean it as in you purposely did mean to curse at him that way. You swung and hit and it landed perfectly but it wasn't the best way to go about it if getting hurt in the process was the deal.

You open your eyes and watch as the children run. As the younger ones wobble on their little legs and the older ones jump and hang off of things. Your memories as a child are a bit hazy. You just remember learning and working. You didn't really have a childhood like most kids do. Do you resent your caretaker for it? You honestly don't know. Sitting on the swing now feels nice. Would it have been nicer as a child? Maybe.

You kick off from the ground to make yourself swing a little. Hoseok releases your chain to let you move and he just sits there and watches. The two of you are like this for a little while until two children run up to you with an adult. You look at them expecting them to tell you to leave with the way they stare at you but the youngest of them smiles before tapping Hoseok on the back.

Hoseok looks behind himself with a brow raised and smiles at the children who turn shy. The adult woman with them looks just as shy but she speaks on behalf of what you presume to be her children.

"I'm sorry for bothering you," she says as she pulls out her phone. "But is it okay if we take a picture with you?"

You look between Hoseok and the woman. You think he'll say no but he surprises you when he says yes. He stands up from the swing and positions himself so that he's behind the children. You're angled away from the shot and now it's your turn to watch him as he interacts with the people.

As soon as she takes a picture the woman asks if they can take one together. She looks at you in mild hesitation and extends her phone to you.

"Is it okay if you take it?"

Your lips part in surprise and before you can think of saying no you nod your head. You don't know why but you do and now you're taking a picture of an unsuspecting woman with your captor. She smiles from ear to ear as Hoseok's lips settle for a gentle smile. As soon as you take the picture you hurriedly give her her phone back because holding it feels weird to you. The whole situation feels weird.

"Thank you so much," she says and with that she heads back to where she was sitting as her children continue to play on the playground.

Hoseok slowly approaches you and takes your hand in his. Despite catching the attention of some his attention is solely on you.

"We should get going. The sun is starting to get to me and besides, it's getting a little late."

You look back at the swing with a mournful look but don't say anything.

"We can always come back another time."

You'd like that honestly. You doubt it will be tomorrow or the day after but some day you'll be back and maybe ride the swing properly. Feel the wind in your hair as you feel like you're flying. You give a resolute nod to yourself and make a silent promise to come back.

Hoseok's fingers entwine with your own as he leads you off towards the car. He doesn't say anything as he helps you into your seat but before you can close the door he holds it open.

You look up at him with a questioning gaze and watch as he leans down to press a small kiss to your lips. When he pulls back he looks like he's uncomfortable and sighs.

"Let's not be mad at each other anymore. I can't stand it."

Your lips part slightly as you look down at your hands. Could you say that you're mad? You don't think so. You just feel drained and ache a little inside. Both physically and mentally. You're about to look back up to him but he takes your seat belt and brings it across your body so he can buckle you in. As soon as you're secure he closes your door and leaves you to head to the driver's side.

You say nothing as the two of you make your way home. Home... When did you start calling it your home? You don't know. The idea of it sticks with you leaving behind a terrible aftertaste. You swallow it deeply and rest your head against the window.

You're going back to Hoseok's house is what you should say. Back to his brothers - back to Namjoon and back to Jiyoo who is waiting impatiently for you. You've come to learn she is an impatient woman. An easily annoyed one at that. You don't want to go back knowing she's at the house and you can only depend on Hoseok and his brothers to keep you protected. Odd how that works. Finding solace in the hands of a man holding you captive. So very odd.

You think about your phone and how he has the password for it now. You can't keep secrets from him but you'll try. He can't know about you and Namjoon. Can't know about the money you have saved away for your escape. It's going to be hard but you're not one to easily give up. You'll have your way and when Hoseok leasts expects it you'll be the one to come out on top. The thought of it alone gives you enough strength to continue on.

Once you get back to the house the two of you sit in the car unmoving. The door to the garage has shut leaving you a prisoner once again. The car is off and slowly the cool air of the air conditioner begins to dissipate but still neither of you move.

Hoseok leans his head back against his seat. You watch him from the corner of your eye as he fidgets a little before sitting up and turning your way.

"Y/N."

You don't look at him at first. Your eyes drawn to everything that isn't him. When he calls for you again you slowly turn your head towards him and close your eyes as he leans in to kiss you. His hand creeps up to your face as he holds you in place. He deepens the kiss a little and you swear the petals of your lips tingle from his saliva. It's a reminder of what he can do for you - give to you. Your tongue peeks out a bit to run against his lips as you chase that high but he pulls back.

He rests his forehead against your own as he goes to close his eyes. "Not now," he says. "As much as I'd like to give you what you want - for now let's just relax."

Your brows furrow because this is a first for you. He wants to do something more than just kiss you?

When he pulls back to look at you he notices your frown. He smiles as he caresses your face.

"We can continue where we left off later. Let's just get out of here first."

You nod softly and unbuckle your seat belt as he follows suit. Once you slip out of the car you wait for him to take your hand and enter the house. Now you cower by his side because of his cousin who is nowhere to be seen. You worry she'll hop around the corner and attack you. It's then you think about Yoongi and wonder if he's okay.

Squeezing Hoseok's hand you look up at him. "Should we check on Yoongi?"

The two of you walk into the kitchen where Hoseok places your bag of food in the refrigerator.

He shrugs. "Yeah we can do that."

He squeezes your hand back and from there the two of you walk in the direction of Yoongi's room.

You don't know when you started caring for him so much. Maybe it's because he's the most "normal" in comparison to his brothers. Maybe it's because you see yourself in him when it comes to Jiyoo. A victim. Either way you worry over him and so when you find his door wide open your heart skips a beat.

Hoseok's grip on you tightens as his legs carry him faster to Yoongi's room. It takes you a second but you have to pick up the pace to keep up. You look up at him and see how he visibly has grown frustrated and watch as he grits his teeth forcing his jaw to flex.

"Hoseok." You try and call to him but he's fast like a bullet until he releases your hand to run.

His hand slams against the doorframe and a loud growl emits from him. "What the fuck are you doing in his room?"

A chill runs through your body at the sound of his voice. He sounds panicked and angry. When you catch up and peak behind him you're shocked to see Jiyoo perched on Yoongi's bed with her legs crossed and a wicked smile on her lips. She doesn't seem the least bit perturbed by Hoseok's presence as she leans back on the bed, but before anyone can say anything else your lips part to speak in anxiousness.

"Where's Yoongi?"

Where was he and what did Jiyoo do to him?

#bts x reader #bts fanfic #bts fic #yandere bts #yandere bts x reader #hoseok x reader #yandere hoseok #yanderebts #btsfanfic #jhope #jung hoseok #hoseok #reader #fanfic

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seat-safety-switch · 3 months ago

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"Oh cripes, it's the painters," yelps my humble assistant before she dives for cover and starts frantically texting for backup.

It's too late. The boys from the bodyshop up the street have already appeared in the junkyard. Their keen eyes are meticulously scrutinizing the Pick-N-Pull's extremely limited quantity of intact Hyundai Scoupe bumpers. They are looking for a donor that is good enough to clean up, spray in their fancy "spray booth" while wearing their "respiratory protection," and sell to some poor bastard working without rest for the faceless void of rage that is the Uber Eats algorithm.

Why is this bad for the rest of us, especially myself, who owns exclusively cars before the Hyundai Motor Corporation was even brought into existence by the marriage between the Goddess Sonata and the Ancient Emperor, 1985 Pony CXL? Mostly because the painters are kind of obnoxious about the whole thing. Like many other individuals who spend their working hours sitting in an enclosed room and huffing paint all day, they consider themselves to be artists. Also, we have somewhat of a personal rivalry. Let me explain.

Now, as we all know, painters and bodywork techs drive very ugly cars. You likely can guess why. After a hard day of work putting shiny things on dull things, making the shiny things dull again, and putting more shiny things on the previously shiny things (that are now dull,) there's absolutely no way that they want to spend a few more hours making their shit-box daily driver pretty. They've seen how cars get wrecked by the flippant outside world. It would destroy them emotionally. Rather than love and lose, they choose to harden their hearts, like resin baking off on a freshly fogged panel under a heat lamp.

Of course, painters are also not mechanics, and they're certainly not shitbag mechanics like myself. Their grungy, shitty cars often fall apart from some trivial mechanical failure that I would jump over, Super Mario-like, without even noticing. Many of the painters, such as Shaky Tim, have seen me in even worse cars that run flawlessly.

Due to my profligate junk-dealing and scam-pedalling all over town, they have had many opportunities to watch me barrel over a centre median, drive the wrong way into traffic, blow a band out of an automatic transmission – and be back on the road in a few minutes thanks to my magical connection to the shitbox vibe. This causes envy on the part of the painters, especially when I refuse to fix their cars or even stop to lend a reassuring word. And I certainly don't give them money to paint my car: all that beautiful new colour would get wrecked the next time a brake line ruptures at highway speeds. Last a week, tops.

"Oh look, it's him," the head painter sneers, with an affect that I still think is approximating a fake French accent. They must have put some new cartoons on at the jobber shop. "Do you even know what to do with those body panels?"

"I know what not to do. I'm not gonna pay for 'em," I bark, and go back to yeeting an entire '67 Imperial passenger-side over the fence out back because it won't fit in my pocket. The gaggle of squirty-boys grimace in pain as the door bounces off the barbed-wire on top, and falls into the ditch behind the junkyard with some grotesque scratches across the paint.

With all the money I'm saving, I suggest to the aggrieved painters, I can probably even afford a can of new Tremclad.

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lehdenlaulu · 4 months ago

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Oh, that's Klimt's Hygieia from one of the Faculty Paintings! Medicine, I think. The actual painting was much bigger than that, though.

But eh, the real story is relatively similar, so let's just go with it I guess. I'll try to can my annoying art history nerdery. It's not like this show is rooted in realism.

Oh dear that girl's hair. This was too early for that to even be back in fashion. 😂

Wait, did they recruit that one chick from the last episode?

No, that's a different crew? Juicy.

A Coolidge? Heh.

Well, one version of it.

Not a huge fan of even this fictional version of the painting being framed as "Holocaust art", I must say. But okay. *deep breaths*

Well, it's not like Parker is wrong...

Ooh, a vindictive ex?

I wonder how many people bought this back when this aired?

Not a super convicing fake funeral, though. 😂

But aw, Eliot called her 'sister'.

Hah, nice headstone.

Oh yay, more Hyundai advertising.

Way to be extra, Eliot.

Oh Parker.

You two just share a personal bubble full-time now, huh? Don't think I didn't notice that, Eliot. 😏

Sophie is looking really lovely, by the way. We can only hope to look that good in the coffin, as it were.

Yup, that story is true actually.

That's Café Terrace at Night but the colors are wrong?

I know, I know. Shutting up now.

Glasses!

Did he mess up his face again or is this the same injury?

Hey, you're pretty good at that dress up stuff, don't sell yourself short.

And again with the lack of personal space.

Oh Parker.

Aww, Sophie and Hardison really don't hang out much, huh?

Ooh, this is fun.

Girl version of Eliot? Fun.

What was that? 😂

Chaos?? That's the lamest hacker name I've ever heard.

Well, that's all very Shadowrun.

Don't be sexist, Hardison. Ex-Mossad or not.

The bird's actually pretty genius. Happens at my workplace all the time.

Birds getting in and sometimes triggering stuff, I mean, not heists.

Oh, I think I've seen this one in gifsets.

Nice, Parker.

Well, that's very gentlemanly of you to get on even level, Eliot. 😂

Nice Elizabeth Swann move. I approve. 😏

He's really met his match, huh? 😂

They all have, I guess. Some are just more... horny about it. 🤭

Hey, the headstone changed. Boo.

Oh Sophie.

Don't rush her, Nate, she's right.

#Leverage liveblog #Leverage 2x07 #The Two Live Crew Job #Leverage #Darna liveblogs stuff

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extraaa-30 · 10 months ago

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PJO, Disney, and Palestine

I'm seeing some nonsense in the PJO fandom rn about how to support Palestine. And, though I'm by no means an expert, I am super super done seeing all the nastiness and bad takes. So I'm gonna try to clear up some confusion.

Long post ahead, bear with me <3

First, let me be real clear: Free Palestine.

I'm not getting into it more than that. You either know already or should know about the ongoing genocide. If you don't know, there are plenty of resources available.

Obviously, we should all be doing everything we can to support Palestine. There are lots of ways to do this. One of those ways is to observe boycotts called for by the BDS (Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions) movement.

BDS has a policy on Disney. But it does not mean what most of this fandom thinks it means.

Here is the official list of BDS targets as of three days ago (1/17/24):

(source)

You'll notice there are four types of targets. Let's go.

1.) Consumer boycott targets

This is the category most people think of. BDS has asked for a total consumer boycott of these brands. In other words: do not buy from these brands.

[List from image: AXA, Puma, HP, Chevron, Ahava, Carrefour, Caltex, Siemens, RE/MAX, Texaco, SodaStream]

Worth noting: Sabra hummus is also a major part of this list. Not sure why it was left out of the graphic.

Here is more info from BDS about the reasoning for these choices. You'll notice that Disney is not in this target category. Let's move on.

2.) Divestment and exclusion targets

This category is about pressuring governments and institutions to end their dealings with these brands on a large scale.

It's really important to note that BDS is not asking consumers to boycott this category. The best way we can support is to put pressure on our institutions (e.g. local governments, universities).

Obviously, if you personally want to stop buying from these brands, you can! But that is not the ask from BDS right now. That is your personal choice.

[List from image: Elbit Systems, Intel, Chevron, CAF, Barclays, JCB, CAT (Caterpillar Inc.), Volvo, TKH Security, HD Hyundai, Hikvision]

Still don't see Disney, right? Moving on.

3.) Pressure targets

And here we have arrived!

✨✨ This category includes Disney. ✨✨

BDS is asking us to conduct pressure campaigns against these targets.

This can include boycotting ("when reasonable alternatives exist")! It can also include:

lobbying (sending letters, emails, petitions...)

peaceful disruptions (nonviolent direct action, protests)

social media pressure ("hey followers, go sign this petition! go call this number!" "@ slimy corporation, why do you support genocide?")

[List from image: Google, Amazon, Booking.com, Teva, Expedia, AirBnB, Disney]

Again, if you personally want to boycott these brands, go ahead! That is a valid and worthwhile choice that you can make. It's worth noting though that boycotting does not mean just pirating a show on a different platform.

Boycotting is about ending our support as consumers completely.

That means ending subscriptions, canceling accounts. It also means not consuming any products from these companies or their subsidiaries. For Disney that includes Marvel, ABC, ESPN, Pixar, National Geographic, and literally a billion others. For Google, it's not just the search engine but things like Google Docs and YouTube.

As you can imagine, a complete consumer boycott of these brands would be complicated. That is why, strategically, BDS is not asking for that at this time.

It is imperative that the movement to free Palestine is strategic and organized.

The BDS movement has been doing this work for a long time. Following their lead is a good idea. Directing our energy into the actions they recommend is efficient and vital.

I've seen a lot of people in this fandom saying to boycott Disney as if it's a top priority, or even harassing others for continuing to engage with Disney content. That is nonsense and unhelpful.

There is too much to do, urgently, for us to waste time.

That said, let's briefly go over the last category:

4.) Organic boycott targets

These are boycott campaigns that developed independently. While BDS is not diverting official energy towards fighting these brands, it does support the public in that fight.

In other words, don't buy from these brands.

[List from image: McDonald's, Domino's Pizza, Papa John's Pizza, Burger King, Pizza Hut, Wix]

Not listed but worth noting: people are also boycotting Starbucks

In conclusion,

This? Still true.

Just be strategic and informed about it. And don't be an asshole. There is too much work still to do.

[Also, before someone gets on my case about Rick Riordan, I made a whole separate post about it here.]

#pjo #pjo tv show #percy jackson #percy jackon and the olympians #pjo series #pjotv #palestine #bds movement #boycott disney #<<for visibility #percy jackson and the olympians #idk other fandoms probably could benefit from this info #i'm just #if i see one more person being holier than thou about a boycott that bds has not asked for #when there are other ways for us to direct our energy to actually help palestine #and all this is just about boycott as an option i mean #there are so many other ways to plug in #there is so much to do #you don't need to pirate a silly little show. go call your representatives. donate to an organization. buy an e-sim for someone in palestin #if you want to hurt the mouse then smear disney publicly- that falls under social media action #stop spreading incorrect info about this #it is TOO IMPORTANT #extraaa

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coolstoriesbro · 2 years ago

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FOR THE ONES WE LOVE | CH. 4

FANDOM: The Walking Dead

SERIES: For the Ones We Love

STATUS: Ongoing

ERA: Prison

PAIRING: Daryl Dixon x Eventual Female Reader (No use of “Y/N”)

CHAPTER FOUR: Woodbury

WORD COUNT: 5.6k

SUMMARY: After earning Michonne’s trust and gaining the necessary information, the group travels to Woodbury to rescue Glenn and Maggie from the Governor.

RATING: Mature

WARNINGS: Language and Violence (Typical TWD Content), Animal Death (Corpse Found), Mention of Death by Cancer, Mention of Past Attempted Sexual Assault

SERIES MASTERLIST

A/N: This chapter will have more scenes from S3 than original content. I don’t love doing that, but it’s necessary right now to get the group back to the prison for my story. Still, there will be some new content considering it’s told from the Reader’s perspective, and possibly some light flirting between Daryl/Reader? *swoon* I’ll let you be the judge.

The ride to Woodbury was not an enjoyable one. Seated in the backseat of the Hyundai with Daryl by your side, you tried to keep calm, but your insides were riddled with anxiety. Dozens of scenarios of what could happen tonight ran through your head, and not one of them involved you being as badass as a vampire slayer. The knots were building in your stomach; tying together quickly, like a Girl Scout hell bent on meeting quota, when Daryl took notice. His eyes stayed trained on you, but it didn’t make you feel uncomfortable so much as ashamed because you knew that your behavior was probably destroying the modicum of respect that you’d recently gained in his eyes.

Music permeated from the front of the car. Rick had put on a CD that he’d found in the glove compartment; something from the 80’s, no doubt to fill the awkward tension between he and Michonne as they rode up front. Though you desperately wanted to try and distract yourself by listening to the cheesy melody, you found it very difficult to ignore the intense feeling of Daryl’s gaze. No longer able to pretend that you didn’t notice, you turned your whole body to face him.

“What?”

Daryl shook his head to indicate that he had nothing to say. He hadn’t even realized that he’d been staring at you, which was a little concerning considering how he was usually incredibly self-aware. One of the first things he’d noticed upon meeting you had been your confidence. For Christ’s sake, your introduction began with you pulling a gun on him. He didn’t like seeing you nervous when he knew the strength that you were capable of. It almost made him want to tell Rick to turn the car around – that you weren’t ready for this kind of outing, but he held his tongue.

With your gaze still on Daryl, you hesitated, fully aware that he wasn’t telling the truth but deciding not to call him out on it. Still, the fact that he was holding back on speaking his mind when he never had before did heighten your curiosity. Regardless, you decided that you weren’t going to beg and shrugged your shoulders as you turned your head to look out the window.

“Ya ever shoot one of these before?” Daryl spoke up a few moments later, raising one of the semi-automatic rifles that he’d reached behind your seat to collect.

“No.” You admitted softly, shaking your head.

“Ya just load it. . . ” He began, turning the gun over in his hands to demonstrate where the magazine went before sliding it in and out, then pointed it towards the hatchback window. “. . . point, and shoot. Just like any other gun.”

Your eyes followed his skilled hands, watching as he walked you through the process once more. Nodding your understanding, you exhaled through your nose, feeling more at ease. You’d been telling yourself the same thing repeatedly for the entire car ride, but hearing it come from Daryl was much more comforting. If you happened to make it out of Woodbury alive, you swore to yourself that you’d let up on all the smart-ass comments you directed at him. Or, at least try to.

“Go on, try it – just keep it aimed out the back window.” Daryl said encouragingly, carefully handing the rifle over.

Daryl was well aware that he wasn’t the go-to guy when it came to pep talks, that was much more Rick’s thing, but the tension radiating from you was consuming and he found himself wanting to help put you at ease. Reaching forward, you willed your hands not to shake; your fingertips brushing the calloused palm of his as you slowly took the rifle from him.

“I feel like a shitty Rambo impersonator.” You muttered, balancing the stock of the gun against your knee as you released the magazine, getting a feel for its weight in your hand.

Just like any other gun.

Daryl kept his eyes on your hands, watching as you attentively worked the pieces of the gun, exactly how he’d shown you. There weren’t many people he trusted with an assault rifle in such a confined space but he was willing to bet that, despite your nerves, you’d be able to handle the weapon based on the skills he knew you already possessed.

“Maybe you’d be more comfortable if ya imagine yourself pointin’ it at me.”

At Daryl’s suggestion, your eyes flitted over to him, a confused expression crossing your features as you waited for him to elaborate. Even so, your first instinct was to laugh because you had a feeling you knew what he was referring to, and soon you couldn’t fight the smile that was spreading across your lips.

“Well, ya didn’t hesitate the night we met.” He reminded her. “Nearly blew my goddamn head off.”

“How could I forget?” You smirked, tightening your grip on the gun. “Great idea, I feel better already.”

A scoff and something that sounded suspiciously close to a chuckle left Daryl’s mouth in response to your sarcasm, and when his gaze caught yours you couldn’t ignore the fact that he held it in peaceful silence far longer than he ever had before.

“Pull over here.”

The sudden sound of Michonne’s voice caused you both to look away, each of your gazes going to the window as Rick came to a stop outside what appeared to be your destination. Once he had parked in the grass beside the road, the group exited the car, looking to the large expanse of trees stretching off as far as the eye could see.

“They have patrols.” Michonne explained, gesturing towards the woods with her katana. “We’re better off cutting through here on foot.”

“How far?” Rick asked.

“A mile, maybe two.”

You stood beside Daryl as he opened the hatchback of the Hyundai and pulled on a backpack filled with gear while you grabbed a flashlight and pulled the strap of your assault rifle over your shoulder. Once everyone had gathered their weapons, the group began their descent into the woods with Michonne at the front, leading the way.

The journey began quietly, but unfortunately did not stay that way for long as several groups of walkers came shambling towards them from various corners of the woods. Daryl cursed then whispered both yours and Rick’s names urgently as he nodded in the direction of the descending roamers. It was difficult to see by the glow of only two flashlights, which meant this had to be handled quickly and quietly, both of which seemed impossible under the circumstances.

“Get in formation!” Rick ordered. “No gunfire.”

The group huddled in close and you stood with your back to Daryl’s while Rick stayed back-to-back with Michonne. Having waited long enough for their approach, Rick was the first to step forward to thrust his machete through a walker’s head. Daryl moved next, shooting another straight between the eyes with his crossbow. Meanwhile, Michonne took out her own walker with her katana and you raised your rifle to strike another in the side of its face. The horrible, rotten thing twisted and staggered before reaching out for you once more. Backing away, you watched as the right side of its face oozed down its chest.

“Yuck.” You grimaced.

“There’s too many of ‘em!” Daryl yelled to Rick and Michonne as he saw another group approaching from behind and tugged you towards him by your upper arm. “Let’s go!”

Feeling Daryl’s grip on your arm, you quickly came out of the trance you’d entered from the gruesome sight in front of you, and turned to hurry off with him. Rick stabbed another walker through the head before pointing off in the only direction where they didn’t seem to be coming from. “This way!”

As luck would have it, the direction that Rick had chosen led them straight to an old cabin several yards away. They ran up the front steps and through the — thankfully — open door. The house had barely any light to see by with boards covering all the windows and shielding the moonlight, but their flashlights allowed them to see that it was a shotgun style home with an open floor concept and a straight shot to the back door. Huge, angry flies buzzed around as they walked further inside, only stopping when a putrid smell hit them all at once.

“Jesus, the smell . . . ” You muttered, covering your nose and mouth.

A grumble of agreement met your observation as everyone reluctantly began to search for the source of the smell. You went off in one direction, shining your flashlight while Rick went off in another, each of you traveling around the expanse of the room, dreading what you might discover.

“What’s that?” Michonne asked, pointing to the corpse of an animal lying in a rumpled pile just a few feet away. Aiming your flashlight closer, you soon discovered the body of a small, dead dog lying beside an old-fashioned stove.

“Guess Lassie went home.” Daryl commented, earning a scowl from you.

As the group made their way deeper inside the cabin, Rick caught sight of a double bed and signaled for Daryl to follow him as he shined his flashlight, getting a closer look at the large human-shaped lump beneath the quilt. He leaned forward; Daryl by his side with his hunting knife raised, and pulled it off to reveal what he could only assume was the owner of the home they’d intruded on.

“Who the hell are you?!” The man shouted, jumping up from the bed and aiming his shotgun at Rick.

“We don’t mean any harm.” Rick held the machete out in as non-threatening a manner as he could possibly manage while wielding such a weapon.

“Get out of my house!”

“Okay, okay.” Rick spoke slowly, his hands still raised. “We will, but we can’t right now.”

“Now!”

“Shut him up!” Michonne warned, looking back over her shoulder at the front door as the walkers started pressing against it from outside.

“Get out right now!”

“There are walkers outside!” Rick yelled at the man while somehow still maintaining a whisper, trying to get him to see reason as the groans from outside the cabin grew louder. The man hesitated as he turned his head to listen to the sounds coming from behind the door, as if suddenly realizing that the walkers might be the bigger threat. Before he could give it too much thought however, his gaze caught the glint off of Daryl’s hunting knife as he stood with it drawn, prepared to strike if need be.

“I’ll call the cops!” The man yelled lamely.

“Is he for real?” You whispered, looking from Daryl to Michonne with your eyebrows raised. It had been over a year since the outbreak, where the hell had this dude been? Hiding in that goddamn bed the entire time? Did he really think help was still coming? Not to mention the fact that there was no electricity to make any sort of phone calls, let alone to the police.

“I am a cop!” Rick hissed, losing his patience. “Now, I need you to lower the gun.”

With the machete in one hand and the flashlight in his other, Rick slowly crouched down to the floor, showing the stranger that he was willing to make himself vulnerable if it meant he could earn his trust. You remained where you were, swallowing hard while gripping the strap of your rifle and toying with the idea of spinning it around into your hands.

“Don’t do anything rash.” Rick continued in a calm voice, one you knew he had to have used many times back when being a cop actually mattered. Once he’d lowered his weapon, he slowly stood back up. “Everything’s fine. Let’s just take this nice and slow, OK? Look at me. Hey, hey—“

The man cocked his shotgun, still unconvinced. “Show me your badge!”

“All right.” Rick nodded, pointing his index and middle fingers down towards his pants. “It’s in my pocket. I’m just gonna reach down, nice and slow . . . ”

The next ten seconds happened at a dizzying pace as the former Sheriff’s Deputy made to reach into his pocket, his gaze following the stranger’s and taking full advantage when he saw him look down to follow the movement of his hand. It was only for a split second, but it was still long enough to allow Rick the time to lunge forward and slap the man’s shotgun aside just as he pulled the trigger. You would never know if you’d have been able to dodge the bullet in time, because Daryl had selflessly used his body to shove you out of the bullet’s pathway, sending it through a closet door instead of your skull.

“Fuck!” You shrieked, your arms moving over your face instinctively as Daryl gripped your waist to keep you steady. Breathing heavily, you slowly lowered your hands as you stared across at him in awe, not even knowing what to do or say, but being given no time to do so regardless when the man continued yelling and thrashing around like an absolute lunatic.

“Let go!” He shouted when Rick spun him backwards, wrapping his arms around his chest. “Let go of me! I’ll kill you-you — let go of me!”

The scuffle between Rick and the stranger continued for a few more seconds before the sounds of the walkers gained the group’s attention once more. Michonne’s eyes flew to the front door as the walkers continued clawing at it, growing more and more desperate to get through as they heard the commotion coming from inside.

“Shut up!” Rick yelled, struggling to cover the man’s mouth with his hand. “Shut up!”

Daryl let go of you and gripped his hunting knife once more, rushing forward and preparing to strike as the stranger bit into Rick’s hand and broke free, screaming for help as he hurtled across the room.

“Help me! They found me!” The man cried out, as if his salvation was on the other side of that door.

“Don’t open that door!” Rick warned him.

“Hel—" The man started to scream for help once more but was abruptly interrupted when Michonne moved forward, swiftly thrusting her katana into his back and out through his chest, exactly where his heart was located.

The group watched as the man’s lifeless body fell to the floor; the blood from his wound spreading across the floorboards of the cabin as quickly as spilt milk. For a few seconds, everyone froze, staring at Michonne. It wasn’t that they hadn’t considered the fact that she might be dangerous — she’d shown up to the prison wielding a katana after all — but it was how she hadn’t even hesitated to take a human life. Her quick thinking and combat skills could certainly be an asset to their group, that couldn’t be denied, but that didn’t change the fact that the thought was unnerving.

“Help me with the door.” Rick was the first to speak up, nodding towards you as Michonne took a step back and he and Daryl lifted the man’s lifeless body up from the floor and heaved him forward. Doing as Rick asked, you darted over to the entrance to glance out the small window that was partially obscured by wooden slats, seeing that the walkers from the woods had formed a large horde. Fully aware that you had to make this quick, you clutched the door knob, giving it a twist and pulling the door back just wide enough for Rick and Daryl to toss the man’s body outside.

Once the door was shut, you and the others peered out to watch as the walkers began to rip the man limb from limb before diving in and devouring his insides. Grimacing, you were the first to step away, gripping on harder to the base of your rifle as you did. You'd seen dead bodies before, certainly. Even before the Fall, you had watched your mother succumb to cancer and wither away to nothing. After the world ended, you’d stabbed a man in the neck and pushed a woman to her death. But that man had tried to rape you, and that woman had done nothing to stop it. The stranger whose corpse you’d just helped dispose of was innocent to any crimes against you.

Was it stupid of you to have lived in this new world for over a year and still not be desensitized by death? Was it foolish for you to want to believe that good people still existed? Whatever the answer may be, you almost wished that none of it mattered; that it was a switch that you could turn off at will. It would certainly make living in this new world a hell of a lot easier if you were numb to it.

“He was dead the second it went through his heart.” Michonne assured you when she noticed how pale you’d become.

Lifting your chin, you met Michonne’s gaze and found her looking back at you with something resembling sympathy. Or was it pity? Not sure how else to respond, you nodded once before walking past both she and Daryl and joining Rick who had crossed the room to collect his duffel bag and head to the back door. You had a feeling that Daryl’s expression likely wouldn't mirror Michonne’s as you felt his gaze on you, but you'd never know because you couldn’t bring yourself to look his way.

“It’s clear — let’s go!” Rick whispered loudly as he opened the door and ushered you forward.

It took around thirty minutes to get to Woodbury from the cabin, but soon Michonne led everyone to a stop in front of a large walled community. The group crouched to remain hidden behind a broken down car as they peered towards the entrance. Ahead stood a combination of metal panels, tires and wood stacked high enough to act as what appeared to be a very secure gate with several armed sentries standing on a structure just behind it.

You could see the wheels spinning behind Rick’s eyes as he sighed, contemplating just how they were going to get through when Michonne snapped her fingers, earning everyone’s attention as she nodded in a direction off to the side. Moving quickly but quietly, the group scaled the cars that were parked out front until they made it to a back alley that had been blocked off by wooden crates. While it had clearly been enough to keep the walkers out, it was easy enough for them to navigate their way inside. Skirting their way through, they followed Michonne inside the back entrance of a building and snuck into a room that appeared to serve as a pantry.

Daryl moved forward, scouting the area ahead. Once reaching a window, he pulled the curtain aside and carefully peered out before shaking his head with a clenched jaw and drawing both you and Rick closer to see what had irritated him. The streets outside were littered with regular townspeople. It was a jarring sight after having gone so long without such normalcy, but somehow it had been made possible by this Governor.

“Thought you said there was a curfew.” Daryl spat accusingly at Michonne.

“The street is packed during the day. Those are stragglers.” Michonne answered defensively.

“If anyone comes in here, we’re sitting ducks. We gotta move.” Rick said.

“Okay, so they’re obviously not keeping them here. Any other idea where Glenn and Maggie could be?” You asked.

As Daryl and Rick continued to scope out the window, you looked to Michonne, a pleading look in your eyes. It was obvious that Rick and Daryl were losing their patience and the last thing that you wanted was for this journey to be all for naught.

“They could be in his apartment.” Michonne suggested.

“Yeah?” Daryl moved away from the window, squaring his shoulders as he approached her. “What if they ain’t?”

“Then we’ll look somewhere else.” Michonne snapped.

“You said you could help us!” Rick complained.

“I’m doing what I can!” Michonne argued.

“Then where the hell are they?” Daryl growled, moving past Michonne and heading back in the direction where they had come from.

“Guys — come on.” You spoke up, trying to be the voice of reason since it was clear that arguing was getting them nowhere.

No longer in the mood for games, Rick led you and Daryl away from Michonne and lowered his voice. “If this goes south, we are cutting her loose.”

You held Rick’s gaze for a few seconds before glancing over at Michonne. It didn’t feel right just leaving her behind, but you also didn’t feel like it was your place to argue with Rick. “Do you think she’s leading us into a trap?”

“Right now, it’s the blind leading the blind." Daryl interjected. "We need to split up.”

Before any more words could be whispered amongst them, there was the sound of a knock at the front door. Everyone’s heads whipped around to stare forward as the doorknob began to rattle. Whoever it was obviously held authority over the community, because the door was soon unlocked and an older man wearing a baseball cap entered as each of you crouched down, out of sight.

“I know you’re in here.” The man began. “I saw you moving from outside.” His footsteps sounded on the linoleum floor, getting closer and closer.

“All right now.” He continued. “You’re not supposed to be in here and you know it.”

The way the man spoke sounded like he was scolding a child. It was almost like he was expecting to find a group of kids who had snuck out after curfew to shoot the shit and have a few beers. It made you wonder if there were teenagers living in this community as well, but before you could put too much thought into it, Rick sprung forward just as a man’s footsteps approached where they were hiding beside the pantry and slammed him against a nearby wall.

“Shut up!” Rick demanded, holding his gun to his jaw. “Get on your knees.”

Rick didn’t wait for the man to obey his orders, instead pulling him down to the floor while still holding his gun on him. “Where are our people?” He demanded.

“I don’t know!” The man squeaked.

“Where the hell are they?” Rick yelled.

“I don’t know!” The man pleaded, his voice a little louder.

“Open your mouth!” Rick growled as he forced a balled-up rag into the stranger’s mouth. The man cried out against the cloth, but only once because Daryl quickly struck him over the head with the butt of his crossbow, knocking him out.

Suddenly, the sound of a machine gun going off nearby sent everyone on high alert. Rick stepped to the head of the group while you, Daryl and Michonne slid into place behind him as he eased his way over to the front door and cautiously opened it. Outside, men and women ran for safety while the four of you followed the sound of gunfire to a building across the street.

The shakiness in your hands had returned. You felt like you always had when playing one of your younger brother’s video games, but the anxiety that loomed in your gut now felt a hundred times worse. Within a matter of seconds your group had made it to the building where the shots were fired from, sliding in the back door unnoticed.

Rick stayed in the lead with Daryl behind him and you and Michonne taking up the rear. Everyone except for Michonne, who held her katana, had their rifles poised and ready as they scaled the wall, coming to a stop and crouching low as the sound of angry voices could be heard from just a few feet away.

“On your feet! Move!”

“Let’s go, come on!”

Rick and Daryl peeked through a nearby window to find Glenn and Maggie shuffling along at gunpoint with sacks over their heads, but quickly kneeled back down before they could be seen.

“Shit.” Rick cursed, knowing that they were running out of time. If they were going to make their move, they had to do it now. Both he and Daryl grabbed flash bangs from their gear bags and flung them into the next room. The devices hit their targets, scattering across the floor and sending smoke out in all directions. You knew they’d done their job when coughing and confused shouting sounded next.

“What the hell?”

“Aw, shit!”

The smoke did exactly as anticipated, allowing the group to take advantage of the men’s disorientation long enough to move into the next room to grab Glenn and Maggie and lead them out the same way they’d snuck in. Everyone stayed huddled closely together as they hurried along the street and made their way to the nearest building.

“Inside, quick!” Rick ordered.

Daryl hurried forward, ahead of everyone else as he looked for an exit. “Ain’t no way out back here!”

“How bad are you hurt?” Rick asked Glenn as you and Maggie helped lower him to the floor while everyone else crouched out of sight from the windows.

“I’ll be all right.” Glenn grunted.

“Where’s that woman?” Maggie asked, referring to Michonne.

“She was right behind us.” Rick answered, kneeling down and carefully glancing out the window.

“Should we go look for her?” You asked.

“No, we gotta get them out of here.” Rick shook his head. “She’s on her own.”

You felt a twinge of guilt at his words, but knew that Rick was right. Wherever Michonne had gone off to, it had to have been intentional. She’d done her part, taking you to Glenn and Maggie, but she obviously still had something she needed to take care of before she left.

“Daryl, this was Merle.” Glenn raised his voice so Daryl could hear him from where he stood across the room. “He did this.”

At Glenn's news, Daryl looked like he’d just seen a ghost. You had no idea who Merle was but you didn’t need to know anything more to see that it was someone very important to him. But how could Daryl have someone who could do this to Glenn and Maggie mean so much to him? You weren't sure, but you watched him as he stepped over to Glenn, your eyes studying his face closely.

“You saw him?” Rick asked.

“Face to face.” Glenn nodded angrily. “He threw a walker at me. He was gonna execute us.”

“S-so my brother’s this Governor?” Daryl asked, confused.

“No, it’s somebody else.” Maggie explained. “Your brother’s his lieutenant or something.”

“Does he know I’m still with you?” Daryl asked.

“He does now.” Glenn said as Maggie nodded.

You could hear the disbelief in Daryl’s voice, but you didn't know if it was because he couldn’t believe his brother was alive, or that he couldn’t believe that his brother could be capable of something like this.

“Rick, I’m sorry.” Glenn continued. “We told him where the prison was. We couldn’t hold out.”

“Don’t.” Rick gently clapped his hand down onto his shoulder, careful not to disturb his injuries. “No need to apologize, but we have to get back. Can you walk? We got a car a few miles out.”

Glenn nodded weakly. “I’m good.” He winced, but made it back to his feet with Maggie slipping beneath one of his arms and you moving beneath the other to help support him.

Daryl moved forward suddenly, as if he was finally coming out of his head and returning to the conversation at the mention of them leaving. “Hey, if Merle’s around, I need to see him.”

“Not now. We’re in hostile territory.” Rick argued, a note of finality his voice that made it clear there was absolutely no room for disagreement, whether it was coming from Daryl or not.

“He’s my brother.” Daryl said desperately. “I ain’t—“

“Look at what he did!” Rick yelled harshly as he gestured towards Glenn, trying to get Daryl to see reason. He hesitated before continuing, and you couldn't tell if it was because he regretted the volume of his words, or that he’d just lashed out at his righthand man. “Look, we gotta get out of here now.”

“Maybe I can talk to him.” Daryl pleaded. “Maybe I can work somethin’ out.”

“No, you’re not thinking straight.” Rick said, his voice softening.

Rick was just as desperate as Daryl was at the thought of losing him. Without Daryl, the group instantly became at greater risk. The odds of them making it out of Woodbury alive would diminish exponentially if they lost both he and Michonne. You didn’t want to imagine what would happen if it came to that, but you also felt for Daryl. You’d never seen him like this before, and you knew that he was torn.

“Look, no matter what they say, they’re hurt.” Rick continued. “Glenn can barely walk. How are we gonna make it out if we get overrun by walkers and this Governor catches up to us? I need you!”

Daryl froze, his eyes going from Rick’s to yours. Your breath caught in your throat as you saw that sad, blue gaze directed at you. You knew the position that Rick was putting him in; that you all were. With Glenn barely able to walk and Michonne having abandoned the group, each one of you needed Daryl. Pressing your lips together, you took a deep breath. You hated seeing him this way; hated taking his reunion with his brother from him no matter what the circumstances were. But you knew that in the end, Rick was right. The group needed Daryl if any of you stood a chance at making it out alive.

“Are you with me?” Rick asked.

Daryl looked back to Rick, his hesitation only lasting a second longer before he nodded his head in agreement. “Yeah.”

Relief flooded your body, and it wasn’t just because you wanted to get out alive, but because you wanted Daryl to be by your side when you did.

“On three.” Rick ordered the rest of you. “Stay tight.”

As you, Glenn, and Maggie walked forward, huddled together to bear the brunt of Glenn’s weight as long as you could, Daryl knelt down to the duffel bag and pulled out some more flash bangs.

“One – two – three!”

Directly on three, Daryl opened the door and tossed two of the devices out into the street.

“Let’s go!” Rick whispered, moving ahead with Daryl.

“There they are!”

Gunfire erupted into the night as bright, overhead lights pointed in your direction. The Governor’s men stood on top of several buses to gain the upper hand. The group spread out quickly, firing shots off where they'd heard voices, the smoke doing well to conceal them from the enemy, but also making it difficult for them to see.

“Go!” Rick yelled to you, Glenn, and Maggie, shielding you three as best he could. “Get cover!”

Once making it into the alcove of a shoe store, you leaned against the door with the others, the surrounding brick wall of the building allowing just enough coverage for the group as Daryl and Rick kneeled to reload their guns.

“We need to move!” Daryl yelled as the bullets continued to rain down on them.

As the sound of the gunfire came to a sudden stop, you surmised that the Governor’s men had to reload their ammo, same as you. With your back up against the brick wall, you took that as your opportunity and leaned out quickly, holding your rifle with both hands and firing a round off before ducking back in for cover.

“You guys go ahead. I’m gonna lay down some cover fire.” Daryl announced.

“No, we have to stay together!” You yelled, shaking your head.

“Too risky.” Daryl looked up at you as he finished reloading the magazine into his rifle. “I’ll be right behind ya.”

You were concerned about Daryl's plan, but you also knew that there was no arguing with him, especially in a situation like this. Taking a deep breath, you leaned out once more, firing a few more shots off in hopes that some might hit the Governor’s men and give Daryl less to deal with. It was wishful thinking, but it was all you had at that point.

“Ready?” Daryl yelled, not waiting for an answer as he tossed another flash bang out across the street, giving you and the others the cover you needed to hurry across and head back in the direction of the alleyway you’d snuck through to get inside Woodbury earlier that night.

“This way!” Rick yelled, and you reluctantly fell into place behind Glenn and Maggie, taking up the rear.

With one last look at Daryl as he selflessly stayed behind and began to shoot his rifle out towards the oncoming rain of gunfire from across the way, you hesitated long enough to earn his attention as he locked his eyes with yours, nodding his head quickly and shouting after you. “Go on, get outta here!”

Finally turning your back on Daryl, your feet struck the pavement in perfect tandem with the hammering of your heart as you swallowed down the lump that had formed in your throat. At Daryl's insistence, you hurried after the others, all while praying to a God that you were pretty sure was no longer taking requests, that this wouldn't be the last time you saw Daryl Dixon.

CHAPTER FIVE

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oneshotnewbie · 2 years ago

Note

Annalise Keating and Female reader "I Didnt know where to go, so I came here." Annalise's gf, shows up in the middle of a case after facing a tragedy. Please make it as fluffy as a blow dried sheep

⚠️Trigger Warning⚠️ This one-shot includes the topic of a car crash and blood/bleeding wounds. The plots are presented. If this triggers you too easily or you just can´t handle the subject, I urge you NOT to read this work. I am NOT embellishing this topic under any circumstance. Read at your own risk.

Tires squealed, people screamed and shortly afterwards, you could hear cars colliding. Your Audi skidded over the side of the road, hit another car and both were eventually stopped by a tree. The car on the opposite side of the road could not brake in time and grazed the rear or yours, shortly afterwards fire broke out.

Then everything was quiet, dead quiet for a few minutes.

Only the constant ringing in your ears and the pounding of your heart, which tried to chase twice the amount of blood through your body, remained in your auditory canal and did not leave you alone.

Less than fifty meter away from your car was a white Mercedes, the front of which was completely dented and wrecked. The man sitting in the drivers seat was in shock. In a flash, he jumped out of the car and ran towards you, but he got dizzy and fell to the ground, losing consciousness while falling.

A young man, barely reaching adulthood, was behind the wheel of the Hyundai in front of you, which was pinned against the tree by your car. Slowly, he regained consciousness and tried to understand the situation he was in. Panic shot through his body and he tried to free himself through the passenger side, but all efforts were unsuccessfully. He did not get out of his seat, realizing he was trapped.

And then there was you, your head on the steering wheel, wrapped in the airbag that erupted right after the first impact. Due to the force of it, you flew forward quite a bit, so that you were violently pressed into the seat belt. This caused you to gasp painfully for air in a daze. Your blood spread on the white sheet, the laceration on your head bleeding profusely.

"Ma´am, are you all right?" the boy in front of you asked, trying to get to his cell phone. He carefully tried to stretch forward, but the pain in his chest prevented him from doing so. No matter what he tried to do, he could not reach his phone. "Please answer me"

As you agonizingly tried to pull yourself out of the junk that used to be a car, slamming open the door with a thud and pushing yourself out of the seat to painfully fall onto the wet street, you heard a car pull up behind you. "I am fine, help is on the way"

---

When the rescue team arrived, two paramedics helped you into an ambulance and took your vital signs while an police officer questioned you about what happened. As detailed as you could in this situation, you described the accident and explained that the driver of the Mercedes was to blame for it and asked about the other people who had been hit much worse.

After half an hour, during which the doctors tried in vain to persuade you to take you to the hospital for a check-up to be on the safe side, you left the place with a few bandages and plasters on your hands and face, limping and with bloody clothes.

You only had one goal in mind; Annalise.

You walked the streets of the settlement only slowly, due to to the effect of the adrenaline you did not noticed the pain, which went far beyond the usual hematoma caused by seat belts in such accidents, until now.

Warm blood dripped down your forearm and fingers and you heard a whimper escape your mouth. Your breath quickened, tears stinging in your eyes as you pressed your palm to the open wound on your upper arm. The paramedics had not checked you out further, had not looked under your leather jacket, which, despite the profusely bleeding wound, had not gotten a single scratch.

You had almost arrived, had almost reached your destination when a sharp pain in your left side made you groan briefly and you fell down onto the steps of Annalise´s office. Even a brief twitch in your muscles suddenly sent a chilling throb from your hips up your spine to your head.

-Control yourself, Y/n. Put the pain aside and stand up!- you mumbled to yourself, but your body did not respond to your commands. Instead, your skull pressed against the pillar of the terrace and you closed your eyes for a moment.

The loud bang of your body weight on the old wooden floorboards had caused a stir; the door jumped open with violence. Your head stretched up as far it could, your eyes scanning the human standing in the open door. His expression was a mixture of shock and fear, concern and agitation.

"Y/n, what the hell happened? You look like someone straight out of a horror movie!" Frank shouted a little louder than expected, making you wince and cry out in agony. He pushed forward from his stand and ran down the stairs to perch on the first of these to survey you. "Annalise, you need to come quickly!"

He examined every limb of your body, roughly skimming the outward appearance of the uninjured areas and keeping his eyes glued to the blood pooling on your palm while he nervously listened to the bleating from his boss, who was obviously deeply involved in a case, talking to her client. "Frank, I don´t have- my Y/n.."

---

You felt your girlfriend´s strong arms nestle under your body, pulling you up and letting your head sink into your carrier´s shoulder as you tried to hold back the tears of pain and shock. But all you could manage was a pitiful whimper. "Shh, it´s okay. It will get better soon, honey."

Annalise soothing voice calmed your insides and you forgot the pain for a short while. "Y/n, what happened?" your girlfriend asked worried as she entered her office with you. You looked more than worn out, judging by your pale complexion you had been roaming the streets like that for a long time.

You did not answer and she dragged you over to one of her couches where she carefully sat down with you and you took a seat on her lap. Your tired upper body was still pressed tightly against her, the pain overcoming you with an ice-cold shiver down your spine.

"Honey?" the lawyer asked again, leaning over and looking at you worried with her enchanted eyes. You grimaced in pain as you braced your arm against her thigh to position yourself slightly differently and comfortable. "I.." you started, searching for the right words in the fog that surrounded your thoughts. "had a car accident. Someone hit me, crashed into another car and ended up curled up against a tree."

Annalise´s eyes widened and she had to swallow hard. With her mouth wide open, for the first time ever, she had no words to vouch for. "Why the hell are not you in the hospital right now? You need to get checked out!"

"I did not know where to go, so I came here. No need for hospitals, only you."

Tentatively but quickly, she began to strip of the blazer and then your top, exposing the bleeding skin under the blue colored fabric of your sleeve. You sucked in the air sharply while an unintentional whistle escaped your lips as the filthy and dried blood spattered top brushed the left part of your shoulder.

The brown-haired woman instantly saw why.

A cut ran from the outer edge of your left shoulder down to about midway on your upper arm. She immediately motioned for you to let yourself fall into her arms and to close your eyes; she knew how much you hated blood and could not stand seeing it. "Frank, I need clean and fresh clothes- a shirt that has wide, short sleeves. A bowl of warm water, a cloth and bandages. Now."

The man, who stood nervously in front of you and observed the situation, disappeared from the room with a nod and returned shortly afterwards with the medically necessary items, which he placed on the small table beside his boss before letting you both alone.

She took the washcloth in her hand, soaked it in the bowl of water and began cleaning the wound. "This is going to hurt, I am sorry baby."

You tried not to let it show, but your arm spasmed several times and your fingers clawed at her thigh as the burning in your upper arm intensified. After each swab, she looked up at you and concern crept onto her tired face.

"Ahh!" you gasped in tears and clenched your teeth. Annalise was working as neatly as she could, not wanting to continue to watch your suffering. When she was done with that, she bandages your wound and tended to the small cuts on your face, which would heal just as well.

She quickly threw the used things on the floor and picked you up to lay you flat on the couch, which she lined with some pillows from the other sofa and an comfortable blanket. The brunette carefully lifted your wounded arm over the blanket and placed it high on another pillow before dabbing your forehead, which was clearly covered with sweat, with the washcloth.

Gently pressing the damp cloth against your cheek, wiping away some tears that were running down your neck, she watched you. "You should get some rest, my love." she said, tossing the damp cloth back into the bowl and stroking your wounded arm soothingly.

Instead of the expected pain, you thought would be rushing through your system, a sense of security flowed through you.

Your hand reached up to her, placing itself on her neck, gently pulling her towards you. Annalise closed her eyes as she felt your lips on hers, kissing her passionately, unconsciously leaning in a bit. Her forehead rested against yours and you let your eyes fall close.

"Will you lie down with me? I could use a good cuddle session. For the healing process if you understand" you whispered to her and she grinned into another kiss before pushing herself away from your face. The brunette gently ran her fingers over your hair and helped you push yourself a little to the side.

Annalise took off her high heels and carefully crawled under the covers. Her arms gently wrapped around your midsection, careful not to bump into your wound. "For the healing process, huh?"

You nodded and snuggled closer to her. Annalise kissed the bare skin of your collarbone, earning a tired moan while running her fingers in circles over your chest as she watched you enjoying the closeness and slowly drifting into a deep, well-deserved sleep.

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