#i could write seven essays on her hands alone

[forasecondtherewedwon]

seven degrees east - final chapter

Fandom: Masters of the Air Pairings: multiple Rating: E Chapter: 8 / 8 Word Count: 5219 Total Word Count: 35,724

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Robert Rosenthal married Phillis Heller on a scorching Tuesday. It was late afternoon, and nothing broke up the pulsing blue of the sky but a few white streaks that were more like a feathery suggestion of clouds than the real thing. Rosie wore shorts and a polo shirt—the collar of which had been fixed by Nash before the City Hall ceremony. Liss’s white halter top (borrowed from Sandra’s closet) was a last-minute bridal touch.

Standing before the Justice of the Peace, Rosie could feel himself grinning like a maniac and worried they’d be tossed out, assumed to be doing this as a joke. They were too happy, he was sure. Nobody was ever this happy. They wouldn’t be believed. Liss was grinning back at him, squeezing his hands. While the bride- and groom-to-be had waited to go in, the boys had scoured the nearby shops and come up with a pair of rings from an antique store. Now, Rosie was sliding one onto Liss’s finger. Curt whooped and Gale sent an elbow into his ribs to silence him.

The boys had also come back with a discoloured drinking glass. They’d forgotten something to wrap it in, but John had fished a forgotten beach towel from the back of the Wrangler, and it was in this that they swaddled the glass for Rosie to stomp outside City Hall. Now they all cheered, and people passing by turned and stared.

Crosby took photos throughout. He’d become, somehow, the group’s documentarian, even if it didn’t feel very official to be using a Polaroid camera to capture the wedding of one of his best friends. John claimed to have won the camera from Kidd in a darts match at the Barracks. As John’s dart game had never seemed to improve no matter how many times he played, Crosby doubted this and assumed he’d stolen it from Kidd instead. In all likelihood, Kidd was aware and couldn’t find it in himself to give enough of a shit to take it back. If the mood struck him, he would probably get revenge for the theft in a different way, maybe misspelling John’s name the next time he got a piece in the journal.

Snapping and flapping the printed photos, Crosby thought of his own potential contribution to the journal’s summer edition. Bubbles had mentioned ages ago that there were a few spaces left. There almost certainly still were, since most of the student body was gone and there was no one left to ask who hadn’t been asked already.

As it happened, Crosby had begun writing something. It was a way of coping with the looming deadline of their final essay. The process of writing something else helped him both put off and grapple with the class assignment, tricking his brain into believing itself productive by writing rapidly, copiously, wildly… just about the wrong thing.

While Crosby took the photos, Helen organized them. Quite a few of Rosie and Liss alone on the steps of City Hall. The couple with Helen and Nash, who’d stood up as their friends’ maid of honour and best man. Rosie with the boys (Helen took that one). Liss with her friends. Unfortunately, this did not include Sandra, who Crosby had learned was currently in France. “Bummer,” he’d said after Liss had told him—after he’d inquired, trying hopelessly not to be weird about it.

They decamped to a restaurant with a patio after. Liss had called and left messages on the answering machines of other friends she hadn’t been able to reach on such short notice, and some of these had since picked up the message, joining them for a boisterous dinner, their rowdy laughter filling the perfect evening. The Thorpe Abbotts boys began to tap one another on the shoulder when a few familiar faces appeared.

“Isn’t that…?”

“I think it’s…”

“Remember when we…?”

It was Curt who moseyed to the table at which the newcomers had seated themselves. He nudged one of their plates out of the way and perched on the table’s edge.

“Well, well, fuckin’ well,” he said, crossing his arms and staring down at the trio. “You fuckers always travel in a pack?”

The man to whom Curt had so thoughtfully addressed this question glanced from Curt to the rest of the boys (Gale flicked a hand up in an ironic wave), then back. His eyes had widened, but it only took him a moment to control his features and adopt a haughty expression.

“Look who’s bloody talking,” the Brit shot back.

Because it had been more than a month since the fight, and because a month on summer time actually counted for much longer, and especially because it was Rosie’s wedding day, Curt greeted this remark with a benevolent grin. As the last sight of Curt the Brit had enjoyed had been Curt’s fist coming fast at his head, his smile now understandably evoked a quick, alarmed intake of breath.

“Easy, guy,” Curt coached. “You keep your shirt on, I’ll let you keep those teeth in your head.”

“How generous,” was the stiff reply.

“You want generous? Fine.” Curt knocked the back of his hand playfully against the Brit’s shoulder. “I’ll buy ya a drink.”

A few tables over, Crosby leaned in to whisper to Gale and John.

“Uh, what the hell’s Curt doing?”

“Can’t make it out,” Gale said, though he was smiling loosely. “Lulling them into a false sense of security would be my guess, but I hope I’m wrong. I don’t want to have to embarrass these assholes by mopping the floor with them again.”

“Good news,” John announced. “You are wrong.” He turned to Crosby. “C’mon, Croz. You’re Casanova enough to know flirting when you see it.”

Crosby didn’t know which part to protest first.

“You think Curt’s flirting with the guy he beat the hell out of?”

Gale shrugged, hands spread.

“Stranger things,” he said, prepared to accept John’s theory.

“It’s no surprise Buck here called it wrong,” John said without provocation.

His best friend frowned at him.

“Why’s that?”

“Because you wouldn’t know a sexual advance if it stared you in the eyes while it shot its load.”

“Jesus, John.”

“Some of us are eating,” Bubbles mumbled around a slice of pizza.

Gale had flushed at John’s words, and his blush only deepened as John continued to hold his gaze. John lifted his own slice to his lips and took a large bite, smirking as he chewed. He wasn’t getting desperate, he wouldn’t say, just assertive. He needed Gale to be the one to make the move that would change it all. If he wasn’t, John was afraid Gale would convince himself that whatever happened after was never really what he’d wanted. It would be like Marge: an idea so good at the time that it might’ve been too good, and therefore doomed to brevity. Too perfect and it wouldn’t last with Gale. It never did. John had been around long enough to know that about his friend. He was suspicious of perfection, and of any choice he felt had been made for him.

But John was not above a little goading. He would splash Gale with the waters Gale was as yet too afraid to test.

At some point, they had ordered more beers than pizzas, and at some point, comfortably tipsy, somebody suggested speeches. The blue of the afternoon had deepened into the denim shades of evening, and the restaurant had turned on its patio lights. The future Dr. Rosenthal sat beneath the glow with his arm around the future Mrs. Rosenthal, Esq., her head on his shoulder. They looked like they’d been together longer. Everyone thought so—and they said so, moments of tenderness escaping between inside jokes and embarrassing stories as they gave their speeches. It was simple: these two people were beloved.

Later, the mood shifted, and man and missus betrayed signs of wanting to get away. But they couldn’t just leave; Rosie had a dormmate and Liss shared a house. There were logistics to consider. What they worked out in the end for the couple’s impromptu honeymoon was that they would stay at the house in Cringleford. With Sandra already in France, there was only Helen to relocate, and she was transparently eager to stay with Nash while Rosie vacated the dorm. Helen would get some clothes and things tonight to avoid intruding on the newlyweds. Rosie could not have appeared less interested in going anywhere Liss wasn’t. He would borrow a toothbrush. He would go without trimming his mustache. And why the hell would he need a change of clothes? He didn’t even plan on using the ones he was wearing after they got through the front door.

“Which is why I really need to get back to the house first,” Helen emphasized.

To which John cavalierly replied, “Ah, Helen, you don’t really know Rosie until you’ve seen him in his underwear.”

“We speak from experience,” Gale was quick to stress, before Helen could ask.

“And your boyfriend’s no better.” John leveled an accusatory finger at Nash who shrugged, shameless.

People began to discuss paying the bill, meeting again, sharing a ride to whatever place they called home at the moment. They were mostly students, so home was a rental of some sort, maybe with roommates, maybe with a pet whose head would lift sleepily from the floor when its owner walked in.

As purse straps were slung onto shoulders and back pockets patted to check for wallets and keys, Gale stood from his seat and felt months of his life rush to catch up with him. The sensation was so bittersweet that the breath caught in his throat. This was the best there was, and it was so fleeting. He saw how it would be preserved in his memory: friends hugging, the glint of light off earrings and eyeglass frames, Rosie and Liss in the background with their heads tilted together, speaking softly below the goodbyes.

And Gale saw John.

He saw John reach gracelessly above his head to crack his back. He saw him squeeze Crosby’s shoulder, catch Curt’s elbow to whisper something in his ear that made Curt smile slyly before slipping away with their erstwhile enemy, the Brit from the bar. He saw John turn around, looking for someone, and realized John was looking for him. His eyes glittered when they landed on Gale’s face, his smile full of the satisfaction of locating him, and Gale experienced perhaps his most purely happy thought since childhood: We’re going home.

He was ten years old again, following the train tracks by the light of the moon, turning into the driveway of the house with the warm light coming from the kitchen.

“I have some things to say to you,” he told John.

And John sighed like he was savouring the air, and said, “Finally.”

—

They didn’t turn on the light. The moon offered some through the blinds at the far end of the room though, enough that Gale could hit the kitchen counter when he tossed the keys. He could hear the soft sound of John’s breathing behind him. Slowly, Gale turned and placed a hand on John’s hip. John bowed his head in offering. Gale found his mouth.

John was just a weight in the kiss at first, a pressure to show he was there. It was up to Gale to nudge and suck, to gently bite, to run his lips down over John’s chin, then back up to kiss the underside of his nose. All the time, the heat came off John, and Gale felt the prickle of sweat between his own shoulder blades.

But John was too still; it was making Gale anxious. Impulsively, he sank to his knees and brought his hands to John’s belt. He’d probably waited too long, been too cautious. Who the hell let weeks go by after watching their… their John Egan (because there was no single word in the English language that could say all he meant) come? He would make John see that he did want him.

Gale didn’t so much as get his belt unbuckled before John’s hands were gripping his, pulling them away.

“You want it?” John asked. And his face was half in shadow, but Gale could hear that John didn’t mean the question to be crude, wasn’t demanding Gale beg for his cock. You want this, he meant. You want now, you want me?

“I want all of it,” Gale muttered, and John helped him to his feet.

“Then take me to bed like you mean it.”

Gale slipped his fingers through John’s, then savoured the feeling of how they fit together, stroking his fingers back and forth between John’s.

John said, “That tickles.”

Gale smiled in the darkness. “Sensitive, huh?”

“Did Hemingway love to fish?”

Gale made a noise of exasperation and said, “Come on.”

By the hand, he brought John to his room. John had been inside most days since they’d moved into the dorm together—that much wasn’t new. He had even lain on the bed, so when Gale backed him towards it, John instinctively picked his usual side and sat. Standing before him, Gale pulled the t-shirt over his head, but then John stopped him.

“Hang on,” he said, and went to raise the blinds. Again: the moon, heavy and cool. John resumed his seat. “I just…” He rubbed his cheek in what looked like sudden and unexpected shyness. “I wanna see everything.”

“I bet you do,” Gale replied, slightly saucy to cover his creeping nerves.

“You just look… I think you look…” Shy and at a loss for words.

Rather than stand there self-consciously or leave John to fumble forward alone, Gale sat next to him on the bed.

“It’s not a big deal,” he said.

This had the desired effect of making John laugh. Gale kept talking calmly.

“Friends fall in love all the time. We’re not special.” Gale nudged John with his elbow. “John Egan, we are so fucking unspecial. You know how many people in this country, on this planet are getting laid tonight? You and me, we’re just blendin’ in.”

He knew he was rambling, but slowly, the words like the hypnotic roll of surf against the shore of John’s consciousness, he hoped. The more he said, the less nonchalant Gale was sure he sounded. But why should he be? He kept forcing himself forward. He would sit there on that hard mattress and take it—take whatever he could put himself through, whatever was telling him to stop now and risk no more. He had stopped himself enough, held himself back enough. There was nothing more for him on that safe road, in clear skies. He would abandon the cerebral for the bloody and immediate. He would play with John. He would act—pretend and perform and take charge. All of it. And he would confess. And everything would be real.

“We’re under the radar, John,” Gale said. “It changed my life just to kiss you out there in that kitchen we never clean right. So what? A little perspective.”

“Have a little perspective?” John checked, the laugh still there in his voice.

“Yeah.”

“After you say you love me?” John leaned back on his hands.

“That’s not unusual,” Gale pointed out. His hands were shaking. “You love me too.”

“No big deal?”

“No big deal.”

John sighed loudly and reached for Gale’s hand, laying it on his chest. Gale could feel John’s heartbeat, not as rapid as he imagined it had been a minute ago.

“How long should we pretend?” John asked.

“I’m done if you are.”

When John’s hand tightened around his wrist, Gale pushed him down onto his back and crawled over him.

There was supposed to be dancing at weddings, Gale knew, and it felt like dancing, the way he and John navigated one another in that narrow dorm-room bed. Kissing, getting naked, getting lube from John’s room, getting John to quit moaning like that so Gale wouldn’t end the first time he’d ever done this far too soon as he eased inside him. Once he was buried though, he didn’t mind John’s moan. The snug fit around Gale’s cock was so good he had to fight to get his blurred vision to refocus on John’s face. And that was before they really started to move.

Partway through, slick with sweat from effort and humidity and the heat of each other’s body, Gale slowed his thrusts. John’s cock throbbed needily against his stomach. But Gale slowed further, stopped entirely. His face was so close to John’s. He felt the flex of John’s thighs around his hips and dug his blunt fingernails into firm muscle.

“How long ago did you start thinking this would happen?” Gale mumbled.

“I never thought it.”

“You knew it?” Gale searched his eyes.

“No. I wanted it, which meant it probably wouldn’t happen.” John’s laugh was pained.

“Tell me what you wanted,” Gale requested. He stared down at John, so comfortable on his pillow. The blue shades of moon-bright night folded around his features. He just looked… Gale thought he looked… He understood what John had meant, watching him undress. There was immense beauty in a man who was so vulnerable and brave. “Since I’m the moron who took this long.”

“I just wanted us,” John said simply. “I wanted you to see that, if anybody could make each other happy in this stupid world, in these stupid fucking novels we read… it’d be me...” He tapped his own chest with his finger. “…and it’d be you.” He tapped Gale’s.

John’s hand flattened over Gale’s heart and lingered there.

“How long did you want it then?” Gale asked, pushing his hips forward to distract from how choked up he was by John’s assertion. John gasped and grabbed hold of his ass.

“Every day before this one,” John professed. “All the way to the end.”

“The end of what?”

“I don’t know. I guess we’ll find out when we get there. Kiss me for now.”

“I can do that,” Gale said, and, cradling John’s cheek, he did.

—

Hey, Croz. You know

Crosby, buddy, I think

Harry, before you go

Bubbles had woken before dawn, when the sky had been bruised, when he’d blinked against the bathroom light and squinted at the dark circles under his eyeballs.

For all Crosby’s hard-boiled paperbacks, all his little pulp novels, he also owned a sturdy, hardback Arthur Conan Doyle collection—a sucker for one of the Brits after all. This book Bubbles had taken from the desk in their common area. He’d stuffed a bunch of blank sheets between its pages, tucked a pencil behind his ear, and left the dorms.

He had scuffed across the sidewalk, then swished through the grass, dampening the hem of his pajama pants with dew. The sky had started to lighten by then. Bubbles had held his head up as he’d walked and thought of the airfield. He’d looked at the twinkling stars giving way to the day. High up, black had been fading out to blue, but near the horizon, where the sun would appear, the sky had been a smoldering purplish-reddish-brown, like a hot plum. The day would be a scorcher, Bubbles had predicted. Sometimes, you could just tell.

But it had still been cool then, and when Bubbles had gone beneath the tree—the big tree, the one tree—he’d pulled off his sweater to sit on, so he wouldn’t soak his pants through. The sun had cracked the sky open like that big ol’ star was peering through a door into the dark room that was England. There had been just enough light to smooth a sheet of paper across the cover of the book, take the pencil from behind his ear, and begin.

Despite his false starts, Bubbles was a patient man. He let himself get all those wrong beginnings out of the way and waited for the right one to come.

It—whatever this letter would contain when he got it right—had been burning low inside him ever since Crosby had mentioned that he hadn’t slept with Sandra the night of the Cringleford party. He’d shared this offhandedly after Rosie and Liss’s wedding, when Bubbles had cautiously asked whether he was ok with not seeing Sandra that day—with not seeing her, actually, since the party. (Roommates, they knew each other’s movements well.) Crosby was ok, he’d assured Bubbles. It had only been a crush, if an intense one. At least nothing had happened. He could go back to Jean for the remainder of the summer with a clear conscience. Bubbles had felt slightly stunned. It wasn’t that he expected the worst of his best friend, but he’d felt, lately, that he was losing him somehow. Or that Crosby was flitting around and he, Bubbles, was standing still.

The news was good. It was good for Jean, and for Crosby. It was good for Bubbles, insofar as it meant he didn’t need to worry so much, he supposed. A passing physical attraction was actually very understandable.

Bubbles couldn’t help wondering though, had it been more than that, would Crosby have strayed? Would he have tried? Would he have tested the capacity of his heart and head to fall in love with somebody else? With every attempt he made to write the letter, Bubbles asked himself these questions. He wanted to know if there was space in that heart of Crosby’s, or if the most there would ever be was the idea of a single room, let for the night.

The sun rose red like a wailing throat and Bubbles carried his letter back to the dorm. He saw that Crosby wasn’t up yet, and heard no sounds of waking coming from his room. Bubbles got dressed, then reemerged from his bedroom and walked around their space as though for the first time.

Harding’s class was over. They were done until September. Bubbles wouldn’t fly out for another two days—he would be helping the eternally put-upon Kidd get a few things in order—but Crosby’s flight left that afternoon. They’d see each other. They would call. Before either of them knew it, they’d be back at Thorpe Abbotts and the trees would turn and Bucky would spread his arms to greet friends and buildings both and quote that line from The Great Gatsby about life starting over in the fall.

Bubbles thought about slipping the letter into the suitcase Crosby had hauled out the night before. It stood just inside their door, next to the single pair of shoes they’d each left themselves, packing the dress shoes they kept for presentation days and the boots they kept for the winter mornings when classes weren’t cancelled but the grounds were knee-deep in the white stuff. Bubbles unzipped the side and dropped the letter in.

He went out of the dorm, heart in his throat, and got as far as the door to the stairwell before going back. He retrieved the letter. The dorm was still silent. He went out again.

He was sitting in a coffee shop at the hour he knew Crosby was heading to the airport. The letter was folded in two in his pocket. Bubbles sighed over a cappuccino and made himself quit looking at his watch. He picked up the book he’d set down on the table and kept reading.

—

November

Although it wasn’t quite snow cover, the frost was crisp, and Crosby nearly slipped on the way to the student centre. He’d worn the wrong shoes. Jean had said as much. The transition from fall to winter was harsher over here; just one year away and he’d forgotten stuff like that.

He spotted a pair of familiar silhouettes walking up ahead. With a shout, Crosby hailed them, and Macon and Alex turned at the sound of his voice.

“Are you alright, Croz?” Alex asked.

Hands buried in his pockets, Crosby gave him a shivering shrug.

“It’s this bullshit Connecticut weather,” Macon noted in commiseration. “S’posed to be autumn.”

Alex chuckled.

“Alabama boy.”

“As if your Michigan ass could survive a ’Bama summer.”

Crosby listened to them go back and forth until they reached the centre. Inside the doors, they stamped and wiped their boots on the wide black mat. They were early; later, this mat would be sodden. They were expecting a big audience for today’s Veterans Day events—back-to-back presentations from morning into the afternoon.

He was grateful for Macon and Alex, for how quickly they had all become friends. Of course, the other two had had a head start, beginning their PhDs on this main Connecticut campus while Crosby’d opted to go abroad. But they had welcomed him back like a disoriented soldier returning to the home front after a cessation of hostilities. They had seemed to understand that he needed time to readjust, to take back up this new-old life, before he’d revealed much of anything besides the mid-semester transfer that was already obvious by his appearance in their seminar, “Special Topics in African American Literature: Toni Morrison”—as sudden and unexpected as Beloved’s from the river. That had been barely a month ago.

He had returned to school stateside in October, once Jean had been sure. Every day he’d been back, Crosby had worked not to feel like a coward for the way he’d clung to Norfolk, indirectly hoping the pregnancy scare would go a different way. He had finally felt at home there. Leaving, he’d known, meant missing an English autumn. Rain on grey stone. Brown leaves on that one solid oak. The smell of smoke coming from the Dean’s chimney—part of Thorpe Abbotts’ borrowing of English aesthetic and tradition. The thought of missing any of it had made Crosby want to grind his skin into those stones, so that some of him might stay.

But the baby had been conceived in August while Crosby’d been home for the summer, and it was a real baby, not some selfish fantasy of a faraway life. So he had packed, and though it had felt like breaking his own fingers to do it, he had let go.

He entertained, at first, some idea of going back. Gradually, he had come to accept this was impossible. He would keep his place at the university when the baby was born; he only had a few classes left to take, and he’d earned a scholarship that had been transferred back here when he had, and he made some money on TA pay, besides. There would be time, this way, to be home with Jean and the baby. By the time the three of them were able to make some kind of sense of their life, he would have propelled himself through his dissertation with blind determination and a good amount of fear, and it would be done. There would be no reason to walk those other halls again. There would be no old friends to rejoin in the place where they’d tried to learn something together—of books and, more than that, of each other, of themselves.

Crosby found a quiet place to pace and read over the pages he’d stuck in his presentation folder. Alex and Macon were presenting together, speaking about the Tuskegee Airmen in WWII. He wished he weren’t doing this alone, but at least they were all on the same panel, sitting in the same room. His focus was also WWII. He would be giving a personal account blended with history, offering the audience a portrait of an airfield, then and now.

He never had written that piece for the journal. In consequence, Kidd probably had his school photo pinned up somewhere, tossing darts at it. He’d written a lot before leaving England, but back in the States, Crosby had gotten wrapped up in family and Jean and all the little pursuits that swallowed the end of summer like a rapidly-melting popsicle. This paper, though it had grown into something else, finally felt like coming back around to what he’d meant to do months ago.

When it was almost time, one of the undergrad gophers for the event waved him into the room. Crosby had left his coat on an empty chair in the back row; he straightened his shirt collar, grateful for Jean’s steady hands, which had knotted his tie. He went up on the stage with the other student speakers. There were opening remarks. He was introduced and went to the podium on quivering legs, but he breathed deeply and smoothed his pages out in front of him, collecting himself before he glanced up at the modest assembly.

“I wanna say first,” Crosby began, off book, “that this paper was inspired by a very large, very important tree, and by my friend Bubbles, who used to sit under it with me. He was always thinking about how our school sat on the grounds of an old airfield. He thought about it a lot more than I did. I actually tried to call him today…”

Realizing how far he’d wandered, Crosby cleared his throat and held up a hand in apology. He began the speech he had prepared.

He had tried Bubbles before going out. He’d called the old landline number for their dorm. When Bubbles hadn’t picked up, he’d tried the other guys, finally getting Nash. Crosby had sniffed and touched the bottom of his nose when he heard in Nash’s voice that he was eager to be someplace. But Nash was kind, and he wouldn’t let Crosby off the line without saying whatever he’d called Bubbles to say.

“I’m giving my presentation today,” Crosby had said. In case Nash didn’t remember (and if he didn’t, Crosby didn’t blame him), Crosby had explained it as succinctly as he could: about the airfield, the pilots, and the crews, and later the school, and students. Peace. History. These places that had formed the lives of young men and women.

“You’re telling our story,” Nash had said.

And Crosby had quickly replied, “Yes,” not knowing whether “our” was meant to be Thorpe Abbotts or just seven students in particular.

“Like Little Women.”

Crosby had laughed.

“Come on, Croz,” Nash had said, from way down the line. “You know we’re just like that.”

“Like what?”

“A family.”

Crosby would make it clear later, when what he said in his presentation evolved again, into what he published. Bubbles would be first in his dedication—his best friend—encouraged in his pursuit of a certain ex-royal whose divorce had been finalized that August. The others’ names would be there too. Next might be Curt, who’d joined an exchange program that took him farther into Europe, ever the Kerouacian wanderer. Then Rosie who, enviably to Crosby, always seemed to know what he wanted. Nash would come right after, not quite as certain as Rosie, but just as determined once he’d decided on something. John and Gale… Crosby would have to keep them together, the way they kept themselves: Bucky and Buck.

And they would all stay together that way, there on his dedication page. To the Bloody Hundredth, Crosby would write. Then, for Bubbles, And to Princess Diana, wherever she may be tonight!

[littlefirefly42]

Love, Maxie

Pairing: Elmax (El x Max)

Summary: When Max's letters stop coming, El realizes she's lost the only person she's ever truly loved

Warnings: Mental Breakdown; Self harm; Su!cide (not graphic); vomiting (not ED related); Hurt no comfort

A/N: I am aware of the irony of finishing a 2000+ word oneshot for myself in less than a week and still not having finished some of y'all's requests. I'm sorry. My only excuse is that I was sad and I needed an outlet. I hope that you enjoy this while you wait I suppose.

~~~

Seven months. That’s how long it had been since Jane Hopper had seen her girlfriend. Trapped in California with not a fraction of a chance that Joyce would let her go back to visit Hawkins, she had been extremely excited when Max had visited the previous June. They had splurged on comics and ice cream, cuddling in El’s bed and reading together. Late at night, they had snuck out the window and onto the roof (with the assistance of El’s powers in Max’s case), and they stared up at the moon and the stars. A strawberry moon, Max had commented once, and El loved her more than she’s ever loved anyone. Now El was sitting alone on the roof, in the same spot, rereading the last letter Max had sent. The date at the top said September 13th, but El had gotten it on November 6th, nearly two months later. 

El,

Hey! I miss you so much! I’m glad you’ve been doing well. How did you do on that summer experience essay? I’m sure it was amazing, the draft you sent me was really good. I’m still not in school, but I’m going back in a few days. I’m not really that nervous, but I miss you so much, and I don’t exactly have a crowd of people lined up to be friends with me. Well, I have Lucas. He’s mostly over the breakup and we’ve hung out a few times this summer, so I think we’re cool now. Mike still hates me though, and Dustin just pretends I don’t exist. Steve makes them all play nice because he’s basically my mom at this point, but to be honest I don’t really hang out with any of them very often anymore. Speaking of moms, I think I might tell mine about us, if it’s okay with you. She didn’t seem too shocked when she saw Steve and Eddie together, so maybe she’d be cool? I’m starting to lose sight in my left eye again, so I’ll have another surgery in a few weeks, but apparently it’s a pretty easy one and I’ll just be in and out. Maybe I’ll tell her right before I go under and see what she says after. Also, I’ve been learning how to do wheelies in my wheelchair, I can’t wait to show you the next time I visit. Write back when you can, and tell Joyce and your brothers I said hi!

Love, Maxie

Maxie. It was the nickname El gave Max after they started dating. Less formal than Maxine, more personal than Max, more affectionate than Mad Max. Seeing it scribbled on the worn paper in her girlfriend’s scrawly, messy, beautiful handwriting made El want to sob. She hadn’t heard from Max since she received this letter. She had written back, some giddy lovesick shit about how excited she was and how much she missed her girlfriend, but there was never a reply. She thought it may have gotten lost in the mail, but three letters and two months later it finally sank in: Max wasn’t writing back. Max wasn’t coming to visit. Max didn’t care.

It was a thought El had been stewing in for the past week and a half, and it was breaking her ribs one by one. Sure, she had missed Max before then. There were nights even before the letters stopped coming that she had felt so incredibly lonely without her fiery, sharp-witted girlfriend that she cried for hours and could still taste the sorrow in the back of her throat the next morning. After November 6th, she felt a twinge of loneliness and disappointment whenever she would sort through the mail and hand Will his letter from Mike. She felt hollow waiting like that. 

But none of it compared to how she felt now, days after she realized that Max wasn’t busy, and her letter had not been lost in the mail. El just wasn’t worth her time anymore.

That hurt. So goddamn much. The setting sun was clouded over, fracturing and distributing the soft light over the horizon, and a few heavy rain drops fell onto the roof. El refolded the letter along its worn, taped creases. She crawled to the edge of the roof and slipped down into her bedroom window, being careful not to land too loudly. She placed the letter along with the others she had from Max.

“Kids! Dinner!” Joyce yelled from downstairs. Good timing too, because El didn’t want to be alone with her thoughts anymore. But as she was opening her door, something stopped her. 

“Coming mom!” Jonathan yelled back. El closed her door and locked it. She didn’t know why, but she felt different. Detached. Her hands shook as she walked back to her desk and picked up the letter.

It made a beautifully violent sound as she tore it. El’s heart pounded, and she grabbed another letter, tearing that one too. Adrenaline seized the girl, grabbing letter after letter and ripping them apart. It was raining harder now, but she didn’t close her window. She couldn’t care less about anything anymore. 

“El, come down here!” She heard Joyce call, but the voice hardly registered. She kept tearing apart letters, and when she finished she went to her book shelf and pulled out all her comic books, throwing them on the floor. Several additions of Wonder Woman, Supergirl, Elektra, and dozens more that Max had introduced her too. El fell to the ground and tore those up too, tears beginning to spill down her cheeks. There was a knock at her door, but she was beyond too far gone to hear it. There was nothing outside this room. Nothing but her and the essence of Max in everything.

Max, huddled in the sheets that El threw off her bed.

Max, commenting on the movie and band posters El tore down.

Max, smirking at the flannel that, when El failed to rip with her bare hands, used her powers.

Max, braiding the soft brown hair that El weeded out from its roots.

Max, tracing the veins on the pale wrist that El scratched until it was red and raw, as if she could scrape away the feeling of being loved by someone and then suddenly and inexplicably being abandoned. 

Max, who abandoned her.

Things were breaking themselves now, shelves collapsing and lamps shattering, a reflection of the carnage in El’s mind. Someone was pounding on the door. Someone else was yelling. But El was unreachable, buried beneath layers of anger and betrayal, everything else was muffled and far away.

Thunder growled lowly outside the open window, and El found herself crawling beneath it. The cold water puddled on the floor shocked her nerves and unearthed a sorrow beneath the fury that El had been ignoring for a long time. She held herself, fingernails digging into her biceps, rain showering down on her, and drowned in the agony that was losing the one person you trusted to never leave. She may have screamed, but she didn’t hear herself. When Jonathan broke the door down with a crowbar, she didn’t flinch.

~~~

The next day, El still refused to speak. Still refused to talk about what happened, despite the best efforts of her family. Joyce had insisted she stay home from school, so she sat at the dining room table and stared through her lunch. Who knew pb&j could be so goddamn patronizing.

 She heard the motor of a truck pulling into the driveway, but she didn’t pay it any mind until Joyce shouted something from her office. Reluctantly, she pulled herself away from one dimly lit room down the hallway to another, leaning silently on the doorway of Joyce’s office.

Joyce was holding a phone with one hand and scribbling aggressively in a notepad with the other, but she shifted the phone to her shoulder when she saw El.

“Honey, would you get the mail please?” She stage-whispered. “I’m waiting on a package and I think it just got delivered.”

El nodded. When she opened the front door there was nothing on the doormat, so she walked down the driveway to the mailbox. It was a cloudless day, and the blinding sun after the previous night’s storm made the air muggy and humid. There were several letters in the mailbox, as well as a newspaper and a folded yellow paper package. She pulled everything out and brought it back inside, tossing the letters and paper carelessly onto the kitchen counter and taking the package to Joyce. 

“Thanks El.” She said, then added “No bills or anything?”

El responded with a simple shrug and walked away before Joyce could add anything more to the skeleton of a conversation. When she returned to the kitchen she began sifting through the letters for anything important, needing something to occupy herself with, to save her from her thoughts. She found nothing notable, two bills, a check, some ads, and- El paused. A stuffed brown envelope from Hawkins, Indiana. At first she dismissed it, with a twinge of heartache, as another letter for Will; But the return address caught her eye. It was Max’s. Suddenly, the walls of the house felt very claustrophobic. El’s heartbeat quickened and dread rooted itself deep in her chest as she slid to the ground. Slowly, with sweaty, shaking hands, she tore the seal and pulled out the first of three papers. It was written on flowery stationary, a cruel beauty to accent the pure repulsiveness of its content.

Dear Ms. Byers,

I hope you and your family are doing well. I heard that Jonathon got his acceptance letter, send him my congrats. I am writing to share some rather distressing information with you. You must excuse the tardiness of this letter, I have been grieving and could not bring myself to write it. However, I feel that it is my moral duty, and my duty as a mother, to inform you that your daughter, Jane, is a homosexual.

El felt her chest tighten. Joyce had known about her and Max for months and didn’t seem to have an issue with the relationship, but from the tone of the letter it was obvious Ms. Mayfield didn’t feel the same. She took a deep breath, letting the fact sink in, before continuing to read.

I’m ashamed to admit that I have known for quite awhile, and only now have I had the strength to tell you. You may remember my daughter, Maxine, who came to visit you in the summer. Maxine was sick as well, and I recommend you immediately seek therapy for Jane. The two were involved in a romantic relationship, the likes of which drove my daughter to suicide several months ago.

Something stopped inside of El. She reread the last sentence three more times, looked away, blinked, and then read it again. But no matter how much she wanted to pretend she was hallucinating, the word was still there and glaring. Suicide.

I know this kind of thing is hard to hear, and you may want to deny it, but from one mother to another I think the best thing for Jane is to accept it and get her professional help. I have photocopied Max’s suicide note and enclosed it with this letter, so that you may understand the severity of the situation. Please address it immediately, before we lose another child.

My best regards to you,

Susan Mayfield

El finished reading the letter and tossed it aside numbly. She pulled out the second paper, an obituary with a picture of a grinning little kid in a yellow bathing suit, missing most of her teeth, ginger hair tangled and wet. El didn’t even bother reading it. She dropped it onto the letter from Max’s mom and pulled out the last paper. It was a slightly crooked photocopy of a lined piece of paper.

El,

I am so sorry. I know my mother will read this first, but I couldn’t care less. You should know I lied to you in my letters. I don’t speak or eat a lot anymore and I don’t leave my room most days. I miss you so much. I don’t have anyone anymore, and all the time I’m just alone with my shitty mind. After you left Hawkins the first time I thought I would be okay, and I was for a while. At least, I was better than I am now. Then you came back and I didn’t even care that the world was ending because I was with you again. And that day in the hospital, when you told me you loved me, I think it was the best moment of my life. I was so ready to give up El, but being with you saved me. When you went back to Cali I didn’t feel that same emptiness as the first time. I missed you so goddamn much, but with the letters and the visit in the summer I felt like I always had something to look forward to, and that something was always you. Nothing else, no one else. Just you. And then it all went to shit again. The guys stuck around a little after everything went down, but eventually they all kind of stopped talking to me. Steve still drives me places and scolds me for not taking my meds and all that, but we’re not really friends you know? Plus, I used to just get ignored at school, but the wheelchair has been an asshole magnet and it’s getting a little intolerable. Anyway, it doesn’t matter really. The point is I just kept feeling worse all the time. And I love you, and for a while that was enough, but eventually it just hurt more, feeling like a shell of myself until the next time I heard from you. I told my mom about us like I said I would, and she broke down and said I needed help and I couldn’t keep writing to you. She’s trying to get me sent to some clinic now, and I just can’t do it anymore. Without you, I’ve got no one. So I’m sorry, really really sorry, that I couldn’t be strong enough for you, because you sure as hell were for me and now I’m leaving you but if there’s a god he knows I don’t have a choice. I love you El, I hope you live the best goddamn life.

Love, Maxie

El’s hands shook as she placed the photocopy gently on top of the other papers. Her heart kept pounding faster and faster, and it made her chest ache. Everything was too large and too close, and yet there was a strange numbness to the overwhelming feeling, like a fight-or-flight response, a reflex. Her body was acting on its own, and her mind was somewhere else. Somewhere far, far away. She lifted herself from the ground, heart still pounding, and made her way dizzily up to her room, leaving the two letters and her girlfriend’s obituary on the kitchen floor. El's room was in the same chaotic disarray it was the previous night, and still she looked around and saw nothing but Max. Everything she had destroyed in her blind rage was Max. And Max was dead. And everything was gone. And El fell down to her knees and threw up, then cried on the hardwood floor for a long time.

[lovecanbesostrange]

"#(also B'Elanna honey remember that technically you and Janeway and Tuvok are xBs" I keep wanting to forget that happened. And how easy they just removed the implants. Although I wish Seven got to talk to Tuvok more about that experience since he had the hardest time. #SevenTuvokBestFriend Agenda

I like that it happened. *Unimatrix Zero* was so batshit crazy on all fronts. Getting assimilated as part of the plan, relying on some fun neuro-whatever inhibitor? Hilarious. BUT it needed to have dire consequences. Something lasting. That moment when Tuvok hears the Collective and gets distracted? Fantastic. More! MORE! MAKE THEM SUFFER!

I need a better balance. I definitely want my Trek to be mostly stand-alone episodes. No season long arcs (especially not the-universe-will-explode-type-of-stuff). BUT give me constant development, build it up, make it connect more. It's VOY's biggest failing, it needed to be more like DS9 in that specific regard. Oh, I could write essays. I love the ship lost in the Delta Quadrant with all my heart and damn can I agonize about the wasted potential.

Janeway infiltrating/robbing the Borg was a fun hobby. Got really good at it. The escalation though. Ahahahahahaha. Because we didn't get to see a few lasting effects it minimized the trauma in the worst way. I like that we had the Borg kids, Icheb & Co. And it was handled well - within the format of the show - that they hadn't been with the Collective that long, still maturing, easier to get out. Icheb could also adapt to living without the whateveritscalledexactly implant in his brain that Seven needed.

On the other hand, we get S2 of PIC and suddenly Seven is full human, zero implants whatsoever and the writers missed to fully showcase this drastic change. It's more than just a few metal thingies on her face.

Anyway, back to *Unimatrix Zero* itself. Like the idea, hate the execution. They needed to lean in more into the body horror and not make it less frightening! I was so here for Tuvok to struggle mentally with this and thus talking to Seven about it. Their friendship is special.* Meanwhile let B'Elanna have more follow-up surgeries, let it take some time to get her voice back to normal. Of course the Doctor does have a lot of experience by then. Have to give him some credit there.

Edit: Wait, let me spell it out once again, because I can. B'ELANNA TORRES & SEVEN OF NINE NEEDED TO BE CLOSER FRIENDS!!!! (that's the most important message of that gif set)

[theblackknightofworcestershire]

something something torment nexus.

This is All Summer in a Day by Ray Bradbury

"Ready?" "Ready." "Now?" "Soon." "Do the scientists really know? Will it happen today, will it?" "Look, look; see for yourself!" The children pressed to each other like so many roses, so many weeds, intermixed, peering out for a look at the hidden sun. It rained. It had been raining for seven years; thousands upon thousands of days compounded and filled from one end to the other with rain, with the drum and gush of water, with the sweet crystal fall of showers and the concussion of storms so heavy they were tidal waves come over the islands. A thousand forests had been crushed under the rain and grown up a thousand times to be crushed again. And this was the way life was forever on the planet Venus, and this was the schoolroom of the children of the rocket men and women who had come to a raining world to set up civilization and live out their lives. "It's stopping, it's stopping!" "Yes, yes!" Margot stood apart from them, from these children who could never remember a time when there wasn't rain and rain and rain. They were all nine years old, and if there had been a day, seven years ago, when the sun came out for an hour and showed its face to the stunned world, they could not recall.

Sometimes, at night, she heard them stir, in remembrance, and she knew they were dreaming and remembering gold or a yellow crayon or a coin large enough to buy the world with. She knew they thought they remembered a warmness, like a blushing in the face, in the body, in the arms and legs and trembling hands. But then they always awoke to the tatting drum, the endless shaking down of clear bead necklaces upon the roof, the walk, the gardens, the forests, and their dreams were gone. All day yesterday they had read in class about the sun. About how like a lemon it was, and how hot. And they had written small stories or essays or poems about it: I think the sun is a flower, that blooms for just one hour. That was Margot's poem, read in a quiet voice in the still classroom while the rain was falling outside. "Aw, you didn't write that!" protested one of the boys. "I did," said Margot. "I did." "William!" said the teacher.

But that was yesterday. Now the rain was slackening, and the children were crushed in the great thick windows. "Where's teacher?" "She'll be back." "She'd better hurry, we'll miss it!" They turned on themselves, like a feverish wheel, all tumbling spokes.

Margot stood alone.

She was a very frail girl who looked as if she had been lost in the rain for years and the rain had washed out the blue from her eyes and the red from her mouth and the yellow from her hair. She was an old photograph dusted from an album, whitened away, and if she spoke at all her voice would be a ghost. Now she stood, separate, staring at the rain and the loud wet world beyond the huge glass.

"What're you looking at?" said William. Margot said nothing. "Speak when you're spoken to."

He gave her a shove. But she did not move; rather she let herself be moved only by him and nothing else. They edged away from her, they would not look at her. She felt them go away. And this was because she would play no games with them in the echoing tunnels of the underground city. If they tagged her and ran, she stood blinking after them and did not follow. When the class sang songs about happiness and life and games her lips barely moved. Only when they sang about the sun and the summer did her lips move as she watched the drenched windows.

And then, of course, the biggest crime of all was that she had come here only five years ago from Earth, and she remembered the sun and the way the sun was and the sky was when she was four in Ohio. And they, they had been on Venus all their lives, and they had been only two years old when last the sun came out and had long since forgotten the color and heat of it and the way it really was.

But Margot remembered. "It's like a penny," she said once, eyes closed. "No it's not!" the children cried. "It's like a fire," she said, "in the stove." "You're lying, you don't remember!" cried the children.

But she remembered and stood quietly apart from all of them and watched the pattering windows. And once, a month ago, she had refused to shower in the school shower rooms, had clutched her hands to her ears and over her head, screaming the water mustn't touch her head. So after that, dimly, dimly, she sensed it, she was different and they knew her difference and kept away. There was talk that her father and mother were taking her back to Earth next year; it seemed vital to her that they do so, though it would mean the loss of thousands of dollars to her family. And so, the children hated her for all these reasons of big and little consequence. They hated her pale snow face, her waiting silence, her thinness, and her possible future.

"Get away!" The boy gave her another push. "What're you waiting for?"

Then, for the first time, she turned and looked at him. And what she was waiting for was in her eyes.

"Well, don't wait around here!" cried the boy savagely. "You won't see nothing!"

Her lips moved.

"Nothing!" he cried. "It was all a joke, wasn't it?" He turned to the other children.

"Nothing's happening today. Is it?"

They all blinked at him and then, understanding, laughed and shook their heads.

"Nothing, nothing!"

"Oh, but," Margot whispered, her eyes helpless. "But this is the day, the scientists predict, they say, they know, the sun…"

"All a joke !" said the boy, and seized her roughly. "Hey, everyone, let's put her in a closet before the teacher comes!"

"No," said Margot, falling back.

They surged about her, caught her up and bore her, protesting, and then pleading, and then crying, back into a tunnel, a room, a closet, where they slammed and locked the door. They stood looking at the door and saw it tremble from her beating and throwing herself against it. They heard her muffled cries. Then, smiling, the turned and went out and back down the tunnel, just as the teacher arrived.

"Ready, children?" She glanced at her watch. "Yes!" said everyone. "Are we all here?" "Yes!"

The rain slacked still more. They crowded to the huge door. The rain stopped.

It was as if, in the midst of a film concerning an avalanche, a tornado, a hurricane, a volcanic eruption, something had, first, gone wrong with the sound apparatus, thus muffling and finally cutting off all noise, all of the blasts and repercussions and thunders, and then, second, ripped the film from the projector and inserted in its place a beautiful tropical slide which did not move or tremor. The world ground to a standstill. The silence was so immense and unbelievable that you felt your ears had been stuffed or you had lost your hearing altogether. The children put their hands to their ears. They stood apart. The door slid back and the smell of the silent, waiting world came in to them.

The sun came out.

It was the color of flaming bronze and it was very large. And the sky around it was a blazing blue tile color. And the jungle burned with sunlight as the children, released from their spell, rushed out, yelling into the springtime.

"Now, don't go too far," called the teacher after them. "You've only two hours, you know. You wouldn't want to get caught out!" But they were running and turning their faces up to the sky and feeling the sun on their cheeks like a warm iron; they were taking off their jackets and letting the sun burn their arms.

"Oh, it's better than the sun lamps, isn't it?"

"Much, much better!"

They stopped running and stood in the great jungle that covered Venus, that grew and never stopped growing, tumultuously, even as you watched it. It was a nest of octopi, clustering up great arms of fleshlike weed, wavering, flowering in this brief spring. It was the color of rubber and ash, this jungle, from the many years without sun. It was the color of stones and white cheeses and ink, and it was the color of the moon.

The children lay out, laughing, on the jungle mattress, and heard it sigh and squeak under them resilient and alive. They ran among the trees, they slipped and fell, they pushed each other, they played hide-and-seek and tag, but most of all they squinted at the sun until the tears ran down their faces; they put their hands up to that yellowness and that amazing blueness and they breathed of the fresh, fresh air and listened to the silence which suspended them in a blessed sea of no sound and no motion. They looked at everything and savored everything. Then, wildly, like animals escaped from their caves, they ran and ran in shouting circles. They ran for an hour and did not stop running.

And then -in the midst of their running one of the girls wailed. Everyone stopped. The girl, standing in the open, held out her hand.

"Oh, look, look," she said, trembling. They came slowly to look at her opened palm.

In the center of it, cupped and huge, was a single raindrop. She began to cry, looking at it.

They glanced quietly at the sun. "Oh. Oh."

A few cold drops fell on their noses and their cheeks and their mouths. The sun faded behind a stir of mist. A wind blew cold around them. They turned and started to walk back toward the underground house, their hands at their sides, their smiles vanishing away.

A boom of thunder startled them and like leaves before a new hurricane, they tumbled upon each other and ran. Lightning struck ten miles away, five miles away, a mile, a half mile. The sky darkened into midnight in a flash.

They stood in the doorway of the underground for a moment until it was raining hard. Then they closed the door and heard the gigantic sound of the rain falling in tons and avalanches, everywhere and forever.

"Will it be seven more years?" "Yes. Seven." Then one of them gave a little cry. "Margot." "What?" "She's still in the closet where we locked her." "Margot."

They stood as if someone had driven them, like so many stakes, into the floor. They looked at each other and then looked away. They glanced out at the world that was raining now and raining and raining steadily. They could not meet each other's glances. Their faces were solemn and pale. They looked at their hands and feet, their faces down. "Margot." One of the girls said, "Well…?" No one moved. "Go on," whispered the girl. They walked slowly down the hall in the sound of cold rain. They turned through the doorway to the room in the sound of the storm and thunder, lightning on their faces, blue and terrible. They walked over to the closet door slowly and stood by it.

Behind the closet door was only silence.

They unlocked the door, even more slowly, and let Margot out.

[biisexualemma]

unrequited pt.2. peter parker

word count: 3.6k

warnings: anxiety, panic attack? i guess kind of

requested: yea a few people asked for this lol

plot: you haven’t seen peter for weeks and start to worry about him

a/n: i finished re-writing this late last night and i’ll be honest with you i haven’t checked it over so sorry if there are any mistakes but i’m tired sis goodnight! lmk if you like this! pls comment / share!

pt.1 / marvel masterlist / multi-fandom masterlist

"ned... you're so wrong for so many reasons," m.j.'s expression was flat, her eyes rolling before she continued to fight ned on who was really the strongest avenger. you were supposed to be working on a group project for your history class but somehow the topic of the avengers came up and the conversation derailed. ned was making a, somewhat, compelling case for the hulk but m.j. was clearly winning with her argument for wanda.

"nobody even knows the full extent of her powers... and the hulk? what? he's gonna smash some more?"

you sat quietly, chin in the palm of your hand, listening in and out of the conversation. you didn't really feel much like contributing. you would occasionally chime in to support m.j. but mostly you just heard the noise of their bickering and let it happen.

you didn't want to be that person, but your mind was (much to your frustration) completely consumed with thoughts of peter. and at the worst time, you had so many tests coming up, and essay deadlines were also creeping up on you. usually you were on top of this stuff, but your mind was preoccupied almost all the time.

because of peter, who was no where to be seen. in the past few weeks he had stopped showing up to school all together. ned said it was something to do with tony stark but you had a feeling it was more than that. you didn't know how to explain it.

you hadn't spoken to him in a long time now, and you didn't exactly leave things on good terms. it was the longest you'd gone without talking since peter called you a poopy head in the third grade.

you just couldn't shake the feeling that something was wrong. especially since you had no idea what he was getting up to, peter was known to get himself into some messes when he was left to his own devices. and you just knew ned was lying to cover for his best friend but that only made you feel even more out of the loop.

everything felt a bit off without peter around, like something was missing. that, on top of the guilt and worry you were feeling, was turning your head to mush. last time you'd spoken to peter, he was erratic and wounded and desperate. something bad had to have happened for him to be gone this long.

the bell rang, signalling the end of your last period for the day, and the rest of the week seeing as it was a friday. you snapped out of your daze, jolting as your eyes focused back on your surroundings.

"what time did you say again, y/n?" your eyes drifted to m.j. who was collecting her notes on her desk, her eyes meetings yours, waiting for your answer. a crease formed between your eyebrows, you hadn't heard a word of the conversation before right now. m.j. seemed to realise this, rolling her eyes at you with a playful smile. you did this a lot lately, she was getting used to it. "homecoming? what time did you want to meet tonight?"

"oh," you nodded, still sitting at your desk as your classmates hustled around you. "right, homecoming— i— uh—"

"tell me you're still coming," ned interrupted, his eyes wide suddenly, clearly desperate that your answer was anything but no. "c'mon we've had this planned for ages!"

"no— yeah— of course i am," you nodded quickly to reassure him. "yeah— sorry— i just spaced. is seven good for you guys?"

they hummed in response, nodding.

you packed up your books, shoving them into your bag, still in a slight haze with all these thoughts running through your head about peter. you couldn't think about homecoming, it seemed trivial now compared to the worst case scenarios running through your mind. maybe you could try to call peter again? you thought to yourself as you quickly left the classroom, forgetting about m.j. and ned and homecoming, your muscle memory alone leading you to your locker.

you swapped out your books from your bag with the ones you needed to study from for your biology test next week. after slamming the locker door shut, a familiar face was met with yours.

"jesus," you muttered as he stood inches away from your face, your heart racing from the shock. clutching your books to your chest, after nearly having a heart attack, you let out a loud sigh and furrowed your eyebrows. "peter? where the hell have you been?" you regained some of your composure, enough to find some anger in you towards him. he was the last person you were expecting to see today.

"you're ok?" his usual soft brown eyes looked sunken and tired, his hair was scruffier than usual and his lips chapped as they hung open, his eyes scanning over you.

your mouth hung open to speak but he just shook his head as if answering his own question. he gripped your forearm, urging you to walk with him. you dug in your heels, yanking your arm back, wanting him to slow down and explain before you went anywhere with him. "will you just walk," he muttered sharply when you tried to resist him. "please," he softened quickly, his eyes meeting yours.

you frowned, uncomfortably shifting the stack of books in your arms as peter pulled you along behind him hastily. you watched his eyes shifting about the hallway as students weaved around the two of you, his grip not loosening for a second. he was definitely up to something stupid and dangerous that he absolutely should not be involved in.

he'd dragged you all the way out into the parking lot, pulling you aside and away from the crowd of people.

"what's going on? why do you look like— i mean no offence but— you look like crap," you couldn't help but show some level of concern. no matter how complicated your feelings were for him at the moment, he was still your best friend, and he looked like hell. you couldn't stop yourself from staring at him.

"i need you to just— stop talking and listen to me," the look in his eyes made your heart beat a bit faster, your eyes darting between his trying to understand his urgency. "you're not safe—"

"no— i'm fine—" you were never very good at doing what you were told. you glanced down at yourself, perfectly safe and standing in front of him. "see?—"

"no— no you're not," he gulped, his eyes darting away from yours for a split second. "i'm taking you home and you have to stay there. ok? please."

his voice was horse, cracking when he spoke. you didn't understand any of it. peter was the friendly neighbourhood spider-man, what the hell had he gotten himself into that had him this worked up?

you tilted your head slightly, he couldn't think you'd blindly do whatever he said. you needed some answers. "pete," you mumbled, shaking your head with a faint frown. "can't you just tell me what's going on? you're kinda' scaring me."

"i screwed up," his face contorted, his eyes screwing shut for a second and his nose scrunching. you were glued to him, following his mixed expressions trying to understand what was going through his head. he took a deep, shaky breath, running a hand through his hair. "and i know you— you hate me and the last thing you wanna' do is listen to me but i need you to do this for me."

"alright," you said after a moments hesitation. you just wanted him to relax. all your pent up anger and hurt that you'd felt over peter had dissipated quite quickly. you were too occupied with trying to ease some of his stress, and if that meant becoming a homebody for a few days, you would do it. "alright— don't worry. i've been putting off my english essay for a week now anyway, it's about time i cracked down on it."

you tried to ease the tension, act like he wasn't asking much of you. he let out a heavy sigh, looking over at you with those brown eyes. "it's homecoming tonight, i know w—"

"is it?" you feigned forgetfulness, not wanting to make him feel any worse than he already did. you shrugged. "i was never one for socialising anyway."

peter knew you better than that. he knew what he was asking you to give up. "i'm sorry," he took a step closer to you, his hands hovering in front of you, unsure that you wanted him to touch you. "i'm sorry you got dragged into this."

your eyes lingered on his hands before you pulled back up to his stare. you pursed your lips and shrugged. "i'd feel better about it if i knew what i was getting dragged into," you pulled away from your conversation for a second to slip your books into your bag. "walk me home and you can explain everything."

and he did. he told you all about the vulture, the weapons, what really happened during the decathlon trip. all of it. right up to when the vulture figured out his identity— which lead to him finding out about aunt may, about his friends, and about you. he told you about how he'd spent the past few weeks figuring out where the vulture's next major deal was being held, how he'd messed up so bad and how mr stark had taken his suit.

by the time he'd finished, your mouth hung open slightly. you didn't know how he'd been dealing with all of this by himself. spider-man helped old ladies cross the street and returned stolen bicycles, he didn't fight men in bird costumes to stop illegal sales of dangerous advanced weapon tech.

"peter, this sounds pretty dangerous," you spoke up after he told you about his plan to intercept the vulture's airplane heist. "don't you think you should just call happy? or tony? this sounds like iron man territory."

"i can't do that," he sighed. "besides, i already tried happy— he's not taking my calls right now. something about a time out."

you let out a heavy sigh, having taken everything in that he'd told you. you had reached your door, peter standing behind you with his hands stuffed in his pockets. you motioned for him to come in but he hesitated, opening his mouth to decline. "c'mon," you grabbed his arm and tugged gently. "this heist isn't happening 'til late tonight. you can keep me company 'til then."

"maybe, get some rest, too, you really do look like hell," he let you pull him inside, following behind you. he ignored the second dig you had now made about his appearance.

"may must've been pretty mad when she found out you'd been skipping school?" you collapsed onto your bed, crossing your legs over and watching peter perch himself on the edge of your bed. he leaned forward, his hand running over his face with sheer exhaustion.

"you have no idea," he groaned, holding his head up with the palm of his hand now. "i'm pretty much grounded for the rest of the year. and i have to send her a pic' of me sitting in every one of my classes from now on," you nodded, pursing your lips because that sounded about right. "but mainly she was worried."

"well, she wasn't the only one," he glanced at you over his shoulder, his eyes lingering there for a while. you breathed through your nose, looking away from him and down to your hands to give yourself a moment. you'd forgotten how difficult it was to have him look at you like that. "you just took off with no word, peter."

he turned his gaze away from you, focusing on the wall in front of him, his eyes glossy. for weeks that last conversation with you had been sitting at the back of his mind. he knew he'd handled everything in the worse possible way. he tried to protect you, hurt you by doing so, and then had everything he tried to protect you from blow up in his face anyway.

"i haven't been able to think clearly for weeks," you gulped, scared to meet his gaze again, in fear that you might lose your confidence. "i missed you. and i was worried out of my mind about you."

"y/n—" his voice was quiet.

"and i know i was the one who told you to leave. but i was hurt and sad. i'd convinced myself that you felt the same way, and when you—" you closed your eyes for a second, feeling him watching you. you hadn't been able to say any of this out loud for weeks and now it was just spilling out of you. "anyway— i shouldn't've punished you for that. they are my feelings i need to get over. it wasn't your fault and i'm sorry i made it seem like it was."

he shook his head faintly, sniffling slightly, catching your attention. "i screwed up," he shook his head a little harder, pushing himself up off your bed, his back turned to you. "i screwed up so bad," he ran his hand over his face, his thumb and forefinger pinching the bridge of his nose. your eyebrows knitted. "it wasn't supposed to turn out like this."

"don't," you shook your head, willing him to stop. "it's not your fault. i shouldn't have—"

he cut you off, turning to face you as he did. "i'm in love with you," his mouth hung open slightly, his eyes now stinging red. "i was in love with you then, and i'm in love with you now. i think i always will be."

your eyebrows unknitted, your mouth opening to speak but nothing came out. you watched his hand tug on the ends of his curls, his eyes locked onto you the entire time, trying to read your expression.

"i was trying to protect you and it went completely wrong—" his breathing was erratic. "i thought you'd be safer if i distanced myself—" the look on his face was breaking your heart. he knew how stupid it all sounded now he explained it out loud. "i screwed everything up— and now you're in more danger than ever— because of me."

"you— you—" your brain was trying to keep up. you shook your head. you had spent the past month telling yourself that everything you thought he'd felt for you wasn't real, that you'd over thought everything he'd ever done for you. you'd been telling yourself for a month to move on. "you didn't screw up, pete. i know you. whatever you did, you did for the right reasons."

the lump in your throat was growing as you tried to keep some kind of composure. it wouldn't do either of you any good to get upset with him when he was worked up like this. he didn't need to be told he'd made a mistake, he was already painfully aware.

"you don't— you—but— i—" he was hyperventilating, completely vulnerable as he fell apart in front of you.

"pete," you mumbled carefully, climbing over to where he was stood, hand in his hair and he pulled on the loose curls, his eyes wide with anxiety and stress. you moved your hands to his, pulling them down to his side and giving them a small squeeze. "calm down," you cooed. "everything will be ok."

you trailed your hands up to his shoulders, giving them a soft squeeze before pulling him into a tight hug. you wrapped your arms 'round his shoulders, one hand moving to the back of his head, running your fingers through his hair. his head ducked, burying into your neck, his arms wrapping around your waist in a desperate grip. his breathing was heavy at first, uneven and jagged as he clung onto you. your heart was beating out of your chest, you were sure he could hear it, but you held onto him as tight as you could, pressing your whole body against his trying to offer him as much comfort as you could.

after a while of standing around, holding each other, peter's breathing began to grow softer and slower. he began to notice the sweet scent lingering on your skin. his lips innocently hovering over the curve of your neck, breath fanning against your skin. you could feel goosebumps growing on your skin, the hair of your arms standing on end.

"better?" you mumbled softly. he gave you a faint nod in response, his lips leaving your skin as he pulled himself back from you. your hand slipped from in between his curls and down to the neck, your thumb brushing over his skin as he looked straight into your eyes. you gulped, eyelids fluttering.

he was a state to behold. his nose was pink, under eyes wet, your eyes trailed down to where his lips parted. he hiccuped a breath. you tried to push away the impulse to kiss him because he was clearly vulnerable. you didn't want him to later regret anything. "thanks," he mumbled breathlessly. "i don't know what happened there."

you pouted your lips, about to reply when peters eyes fluttered down your face, catching you off guard. his eyes lingered and you noticed his head tilting down and nearer, his lips catching onto yours before you could register what was happening. it was soft, gentle and didn't last longer than a couple seconds before you had to force yourself to pull away.

"peter— you're overwhelmed right now so maybe we shouldn—"

your whispers against his lips where cut short, he pressed his lips to yours again. unable to resist now he'd had a taste. his arms tightened around your waist, pulling you back flush against his chest. you swallowed a gasp, feeling his full weight behind the second kiss. his lips pushed against yours a little more desperately this time, you fell back a step, peter's arms where the only thing keeping you upright at this point.

both your hands where either side of his neck, trailing up into his hair where you pulled softly at the roots of his messy curls. he let out a soft moan against your lips, and you stumbled back once more, your thighs hitting your bed.

your hands quickly slipped down to his chest as you gently pried him off you. your head was spinning a little, his lips were plump and pink and the way he looked at you, with pure love and obsession, made you want to kiss him again and again.

"did you mean it?" you muttered breathlessly.

his eyes trailed back up from your lips, his gaze locking with yours again. he noticed the vulnerability and fear in your eyes now that he was paying you his full attention. he felt a wave of guilt hit him, knowing he was the one that put that look there.

"yeah," he hummed. "i did," he said with his chest. "i do. always will," he was breathless.

"you're not just saying it 'cause you've missed me?"

he shook his head quickly, shutting down any traces of doubt in your mind. "i have been in love with you since that summer we took that trip to coney island when you threw up after you ate too much cotton candy."

your scrunched up your nose at the memory. "gross."

he shrugged. "i don't know what to tell you. that's just when i knew."

your lips twitched into a small smile. "you should probably get some rest," you diverted the topic, trying hard not to kiss him again. he looked so tired. he had poured out months worth of anxiety and stress all in the past ten minutes. "you can't chase bad guys if you're half asleep."

he wore a half-hearted smile, his mind clearly flickering back to the task he had to take on later tonight.

"you can crash here if you want," you motioned to your bed.

"y'sure? i don't wanna get you in trouble."

"mom's working late, so you're good. plus she loves you, pete," your hands slipped down to his, giving them a quick squeeze of reassurance.

"sure she'll still love me when she finds out about us?" he quirked an eyebrow, the small smile on his lips was sloped and tired.

"m'sure," you hummed, biting back your growing smile at the word us. you moved him to sit on your bed again, his hands lazily holding yours. his eyelids fluttered as he looked up at you, a small crease forming between his eyebrows again. you could tell his mind was wandering again. "lie down, you need to rest or you're no good to anyone."

he nodded hesitantly and followed your instruction. "i'll sleep better with you next to me."

his voice was soft after you'd turned your back on him to leave him to rest. you rolled your eyes faintly, smile tugging your lips again. "is that right?"

he hummed, his arms outstretched, waiting for you to fall into them. you dragged your feet back over to him, biting the inside of your cheek, the corner of your lip twitching upwards. "there's a scientific reason behind it but my brain's too sleepy to think right now, so you'll have to take my word for it."

his words slurred together, his eyes rolling slightly the longer he forced them open. you just nodded. "alright, spidey, just this once."

"hm," he hummed as you climbed in next to him, his arms wrapping around you and immediately pulling you against his chest. "thanks," he muttered, his lips pressed against the top of your head. "don't know what i'd do without you."

[accio-slytherout]

Mischief Managed

Concept by @helliontherapscallion

Pairings: p!sbi x reader, p!dreamXD x reader, c!Philza x reader (could be taken as platonic/romantic)

characters: TommyInnit, Ph1lza Minecraft, Wilbur, Technoblade, Captain Puffy

mentioned characters: Fundy

Warnings: Fighting, blood, swearing, pranks, trickery (?), shouting (tell me if I missed anything!)

in game dsmp!au

summary: Reader is the god of mischief and trickery. After catching up with their old friend and his family, they got into a fight with the god of the server, dreamXD.

Not proofread

note: reader does not act like peeves! sorry in advance! i really liked this concept, i just had to write it. i put more effort into this than i did on my social studies essay. was fun to write :D straying from canon lore! I was not sure how to write dreamXD's text, so i wrote it in normal text! i am not very good and pranking, and not that creative or smart on those kind of things, so I will not really specify what is going on in the pranking.

flachbacks in italic

masterpost

------

(Y/N) was just skipping around the forest, looking for flowers to make some dye when they stumbled upon a boy that was picking some red flowers.

"WHAT THE F*CK" he shouted with a strong British accent. "Who the f*ck are you?" he continued. "Well who are you child?" they retorted.

"WHAT THE- IM NOT- THE FU- IM NOT A F*CKING CHILD IM A BIG MAN" the 'Big Man' as he called himself retorted, stumbling over his words. He heard a very mischievous laughter come out of the random person he stumbled upon, and he chose to put up the angriest face he could and crossed his arms.

"The name's (Y/N). How about you, big man?" they finally replied with a slight mocking tone. "Tommy. What are you doing here? I've never seen you around before." answered Tommy.

"I'm looking for some dye, so I can dye Fundy's fur" they replied, rather mischievously? Well, point is, Tommy's eyes lit up at the mention of pranking the fox. "Could I maybe help you?" he replied with an equally mischievous tone.

Thats how a friendhip started. They caused pure havoc around the server. Pranking the first person they thought of. They were laughing their butts off on the bench.

"TOMMYINNIT YOU STOP RIGHT THERE!"

Panic rose in their chests as they slowly swallowed and turned around. There stood Captain Puffy looking very angry... with bright pink covering her entire body. They tried their best to hold in their laughter, as she did not look very intimidating.

Yet, Tommy could not help but to start laughing loudly. That pushed (Y/N) over the edge and started laughing hysterically, and they swore they saw Puffy crack a smile at the sight.

"Im- sor- sorry-" he said inbetween his laughter. They both tried their best to stop laughing, and after a while, they did.

Puffy let out a sigh, and said "Tommy, I will get you back. I am warning you." with a glint of amusement in her eyes. Tommy seemed to have sobered up at the thought and looked scared. Puffy left with a wave and headed to her home to probably clean up.

"That was funny though." he said out of the blue. That started another round of laughter to go throught them.

"Say, (Y/N), how old are you?" Tommy asked after they have both calmed down. "I'm the god of mischief and trickery. I'm and immortal being. I am centuries old, kid." they answered.

"Really? That's quite pog! Did you know my father is also immortal? You might know him, name's Philza, Angel of Death. Does that ring a bell?" he rambled, ignoring the fact that they had just called him kid.

(Y/N) was ecstatic at the idea of being able to meet with their old friend again, but decided to say "HECK YEAH! I GET TO MESS WITH HIM AGAIN!" as to hide their feelings. They were the god of trickery after all. They had an image to uphold.

Tommy decided to go take them to Phil. Bad idea. As they reached the door of Phil's cottage, Tommy just burst into the house without knocking.

"Phil~ I'm baack~" Tommy called in a sing-song tone. Phil just said "Welcome back" in a monotone voice from the kitchen without looking.

As he was preparing supper, he heard Techno shout from the living room "TOMMY WHO ON EARTH IS THAT?!". Millions of thoughts start rushing through his head. Who could Tommy have brought with him? He ran out of the kitchen and went to see for himself who it was.

The scene in front of him just made him want to be buried 6 feet under the ground. There it was, His two oldest sons looking at the door from the bottom of the stairs and his youngest son, standing next to the person he hated the most. (Y/N).

They were walking through the forest. Phil felt something touch his shoulder. He turned around, raising his sword as he was startled. There they were, (Y/N), making the weirdest face possible.

"For f*ck's sake (Y/N)! stop it!". That only made them laugh more. "You should have seen your face!" they said inbetween laughter.

The man loathed them. He just wanted to leave them there, in the middle of nowhere, for this was not the only thing they have done in the past hour of adventuring. He, however decided to ignore them, for his heart could not bear the idea of leaving his companion alone.

"Long time no see, Philza." they said with a smirk. "Kill me already" he groaned. That was the only thing that came out of his mouth.

After Phil had supper with his family and the devil- sorry, unexpected guest, he went to clean up as his sons sat in the living room with (Y/N).

"So you're immortal?" said the oldest boy that they learnt was called Wilbur. They nodded as a reply, and he just said "Thats so cool!"

"I have read about you before, however, seeing you, I don't think the book described you correctly. Could you, possibly tell me more about your tricks and stuff?" Technoblade's monotone voice had a slight tone of curiosity and amusement while asking the question.

So they did. They told the boys about their stories. As they finished, they realised that Wilbur and Tommy had fallen asleep and Techno was half paying attention to them.

"You should go to sleep. Both of you. It's quite late already." A voice said behind her. "I'm a god, Phil. I don't need sleep." they retorted as they turned around, looking at the man.

"Suit yourself." he shrugged. He opened his mouth to tell his son to go to sleep, but he realised that his son, in fact was already asleep. He shook his head and got some blankets to lay above his sons. "I guess you can stay the night. It's late anyways" he spoke before (Y/N) could say anything and he left to go to his room. Huge mistake.

Philza minecraft was having a good sleep, when he heard a scream from the living room. He panicked, as his mind made up the worst scenarios possible. As he rushed downstairs, he saw Wilbur with bright pink hair, Tommy with a very bold red hair and hands, along with a half asleep Techno raising his sword.

Only then did he remember, that his least favourite person was at his house. Right as he thought about that, he heard giggling coming from the living room.

"(Y/N)!" he shouted along with Wilbur and Tommy. "Yes?" they batted their eyelashes innocently. Phil watched with amusement at the scene unfolding before him. Tommy and Wilbur shouting at (Y/N) and Techno lowering his sword and laying back down on the couch, sensing no danger.

"Boys, enough. (Y/N), will these dyes wash away?" he finally said in a stern tone that had a hint of amusedment in it. "Ofcourse father of minecraft. Run water through them and they will be gone" they said with such innocence that he would have believed it was not her had he not known it was their doing.

Wilbur and tommy quickly rushed to the bathroom to wash their hair out, and Phil swore the doors of the bathroom would fall off its hinges from the amount of force that was put into opening it.

"I must say, that was pretty funny, (N/N)." Phil said with amusement as he went to prepare some breakfast. (Y/N) smiled proudly from the compliment, as he was always telling her off after pranking.

Phil now remembers why he always asked them to accompany him on adventures. They were fun, and entertaining. Sometimes, they're even smart and helpful. The thought of his adventures with them brought a smile to his face.

A week in their visit, they heard a knock on the door. Phil, thinking it was just (Y/N), thought nothing of it. So he just calmly walks to the door and answers it. What he didn't expect however, was DreamXD at the door, floating in a menacing stance.

"You all give me your youngest son, or you all are dead. You have 24 hours. If you do not hive him by them, you are all dead." DreamXD said in a demonic sound.

As DreamXD turned around, Phil saw a cloud of something covering his sight, he felt... flour? he cleared the flour from his face and saw DreamXD covered in flour and (Y/N) on the roof looking rather sheepishly at DreamXD.

"Sorry, I thought you were Philza" they said sarcastically. "Not sorry, actually." they continued as they cracked an egg and poured it along with some sugar on to DreamXD's head.

DreamXD suddenly whips something out and slapped (Y/N) off the roof. As (Y/N) was used to falling from high places, they landed on the ground with nothing but a few scratches.

DreamXD stabs them with a sword, and blood splattered from their waist. (Y/N), being the god of mischief, had ofcourse had lots of experience on pranking, but wasnt strong. However, they are very witty, as they always find creative ways to prank people.

(Y/N) somehow found a way to make DreamXD retreat, but Phil could not see how. All he saw was smoke, DreamXD leaving and (Y/N) lying on the floor, with blood gushing out of their side making a puddle on the ground.

They let out a chuckle and turned to face Phil. "Your lives are safe, Phil. And what can I say? Mischief... managed." they trailed off as their eyes closed. Phil rushed to bandage them up and put them in a spare bedroom.

A week.

That was how long it was.

One singular week. Seven days. Yet it felt like seven years they had been unconscious. The house felt empty. No chaos. Everyone was worried about them.

Phil let out a sigh. He closed the door and sat down next to where (Y/N) was laying. He traced his index finger over the palm of their hand that he was holding, and whispered "I don't think you know this.. but you really are a great friend, (N/N). I love your personality.. Who am I kidding, I love you."

Phil then thought, they were unconcious. He let out a chuckle at the thought. "Look at me.. talking to someone unconscious." he said out loud, closing his eyes and resting his head on the palm of his hand that was propped up on the bed. Little did he know, they were fully awake, and pretending to be unconscious.

"Aww, thanks Phil. I love you too." he suddenly heard. He whipped his head around to their direction and saw that their head was turned to his direction. He hugged them, minding their injuries and whispered in their ear that he was thankful that they were fine over and over again.

Phil then felt their body shaking and heard gentle sobs coming out of them. He pulled away from the hug and cupped their face in his hands and wiped their tears away.

"What's wrong, (N/N)?" he calmly asked. They just cried more and gave him a hug. They told him that they have never felt accepted, and that the only person that has ever tolerated them was him. They told him that they were happy that he cared for them. They told him how much they cared for him and how great of a friend he was. They told him how much they loved him.

After their little heart to heart session, Phil went to go and prepare lunch for everyone in the house. He told the boys that (Y/N) was awake now. Everyone was glad and relieved that they were awake again. And (Y/N) was glad, that they now had a family that cared for them.

--------

end.

[yourmcu]

Emotional Support Mode

Pairings: Tony Stark x daughter!reader

Summary:

in which the reader is the loner, antisocial daughter of Tony Stark and the other Avengers including her father never acknowledge her presence (they thought some sort of interaction made you uncomfortable) so she becomes friends with Friday instead - Tony probs finds out and it’s gonna be all cute n fluffie once he realizes -

Word count: 2,243

a/n: hi just wanted to write fluffy tony :)) also I used they/them for friday’s pronouns

Warnings: angst n fluff, friday’s a bit more advanced (not like they aren’t already but) bc they could almost act like a literal human here.

read it on ao3!

You arrive back at the Avengers facility, shoulders slumped and just tired in general since you have a lot of homework and projects to do from school, most of them due by the end of the week. You also have exams later in the week.

“Hey, Fri,” you huff as you make your way to the elevator.

“Welcome home, Y/N. Where do you want to go?”

Yes, you're very close with the A.I that they started calling you by your first name. “To my room - and uh, will you remind me to read two chapters in my history book after I’m done with all my homework? I also have this project, I just need some measurements later, if you don’t mind.”

“Sure thing.”

“Thank you.”

It’s going to be a long night, you sigh heavily just thinking about it. Now you’re probably wondering, ‘you live with the Avengers! Why don’t you ask Tony and Bruce for help? Maybe Steve and Bucky for your History test?’

Yeah, well... you barely talk to any real person you live with. Maybe it’s you, you always thought you're making the team uncomfortable. You don’t even talk to your own father often which is kind of depressing on your part.

You love them, they’re like your extended family, but it just isn’t working out. Maybe they just don’t like you. Up to this day you still wonder why Tony took you in when you were just a baby (you were a mistake from one of his one night stands) - he had the choice not to.

“I’m assuming you zoned out again. You have arrived to your room five minutes ago.” Friday announces.

“Y-yeah sorry,” you shuffle out of the elevator and swiftly head to your bedroom, closing the door behind you.

“I also asked if I should inform Mr. Stark that you have arrived home.”

“No, no thanks. He’s busy and... probably wouldn’t care anyway,” You mutter the last part as you pile the books you need on your desk. “Can you put my study playlist on, please?”

----

“What time is it, Friday?”

“7PM. I was about to remind you to take a break.”

You get up from your chair and stretch, halfway through the last of your homework which is a two page essay. “You’re too kind, thanks pal,” when you walk out your room to head to the kitchen and grab a snack, the lounge is empty, kitchen empty,

“The team’s on a mission? I thought they had the whole week off,” you say before gulping down a water bottle.

“I checked the security footage: they left about an hour ago. Captain Rogers was talking about getting dinner.”

You put the bottle down. “Oh,” you try to mask your disappointment. This isn’t your first time being alone, they always left you here when they had a mission of course but... well, it’s not like they want you around them. “I’ll - I’ll just make myself something later, then. Not a big deal. I have to study anyway.”

Another hour later, the Avengers are back. They're all conversing happily as they pile in the lounge. Peter's rambling about upgrades for the Spiderman suit while Tony's typing away in his phone, nodding at everything he says. Everyone else is arguing about the TV channels and talking about the new restaurant they ate at.

Rhodey shifts, looking around. “Why do I feel like we forgot something?”

Natasha looks at him, waiting for him to go on.

“I assure you, I brought Mjolnir with me this time.” Thor butts in.

“No not that, what time does Y/N get home from school?” No one answers. It’s not like any of them know. It's natural that Rhodey would be worried about his goddaughter (even if they rarely talk). He turns his head to his best friend who’s now walking away with Peter, an arm around his shoulder. “Tony, where’s Y/N?”

He doesn’t hear since he has his full attention on his protégé.

“I’ll start making this tomorrow, I guess. I still have to buy materials.” You mumble to yourself, but you hope Friday's listening to everything you say just to make you feel less lonely. You swipe the hologram of the blueprint away and place the thick books in front of you.

“I would like to recommend a suitable study plan.” they state.

You rub your eyes, sighing, “I’m already halfway, I would’ve considered it earlier though.”

“This is only a recommendation, feel free to ignore it.”

You push yourself away from the desk and mutter a “go on,”, fiddling with your pen.

“Asking Mr. Rogers and Mr. Barnes would give you more details for your History examination, since the pair were originally from that time period. The same goes for Mr. Banner for your Science examination, I believe he has seven Ph.D’s, you may also approach Vision for the same topic. Mr. Stark has all the necessary materials for your project in his lab. Would you like me to-”

If only it were that easy. It should be easy, the thought alone makes you really nervous. “No, I - I appreciate the recommendation, Friday, but - I think I can do this on my own.”

“But you’re tired and it is almost midnight. I would help you myself but you specifically told me not to.”

They’re not wrong. Your eyes are starting to droop and you barely understand anything you're reading. You're also fighting back tears - why is talking to your family so hard?

“I can sense sadness. Would you like me to activate emotional support mode?”

“Yeah, okay. That sounds great right about now.”

----

“Crap. Guess we lost track of time again, kid,” Tony wipes his hands with a rag while he looks at the time on his computer. “You better get home. I’ll send May a text for keeping you this late.”

“Okay, thank you Mr. Stark. I’m just gonna use my suit-”

“No. Happy will drive you.”

Peter knew better than to argue and insist so he just nods and smiles sheepishly. A minute later Happy came ‘round to take him home.

Tony turns back around. “Friday, make a new project for me please, I’m adding minor upgrades to the Spiderman suit.”

“Not now, boss.”

Oh. He did not expect that. “Excuse me?”

“Y/N is currently opening up. I would like to give her my full, undivided attention. Please come back after fifteen minutes or so.”

Tony doesn’t exactly know how to feel about that. He never sees her outside her room anymore that he kinda forgot she existed tonight - oh fuck, they didn’t bring her to dinner with them.

“Well,” he exhales. “What is she saying?”

“That would be an invasion of privacy.”

“I’m her father-”

“Are you, sir?” Friday’s clever remark makes him stop abruptly.

It’s pretty clear that he’s been a shit father. Not only does he ignore you all the time but he treats Peter way better than his own flesh and blood. The Avengers on the other hand, they were nice people, but just didn’t understand so they try their best to get out of your way.

You were afraid of rejection, afraid to interact, because you had no idea what everyone thought of you. Did they like you? Did you make them uncomfortable? Did they want you around? What about Tony, did he really want a daughter in his life? Because you noticed he’d be better off with a son, yeah, like Peter goddamn Parker.

Tony sighs, walking out of his lab and heads to the mini bar to grab a drink. He needs to think: there's absolutely nothing wrong about you, he just didn’t do his job right, you thought he didn’t care, you thought nobody did. Even Friday is turning against him, doing a better job of comforting and being there for you.

“God, I’m such an asshole,” he mutters to himself, rubbing his forehead. He drinks his last shot and heads to the kitchen. “She still awake?” He calls out.

“She is.” Friday has a bitter tone.

He's hesitant to ask again, feeling really bad for not knowing this simple question - “what’s her favorite beverage?”

----

“How do you feel?”

You sniffle. “Well y’know, better than before. I should probably go to sleep. Thanks, Fri.”

“You’re welcome. Also, Mr. Stark is outside your door.”

“W-what?” You put away your books and straighten up, rubbing your damp eyes. “You’re serious? Okay, uh, let him in?” It's more of a question.

“Alright.”

You turn to face your desk as Tony enters the room, holding two steaming mugs. He sits at the end of your bed, just right next to the chair you're sitting on. “Hi,” he gives you a small smile and hands you a mug.

What’s the occasion?

“What’s this?” You ask quietly before taking the mug from his hands. Tony's being gentle and soft, it's odd but you’re not complaining.

“Green tea with honey. I... I thought I saw you make that stuff once.” He says, not mentioning the fact that Friday told him that.

“Oh, well, yeah,” you take a small sip. He added a bit too much honey but other than that it was good. “I thought you preferred coffee, though,”

Tony shrugs, his eyes glistening when he looks at you. “Wouldn’t hurt to try something new.”

“Did - did you want something, Dad?” You always found yourself awkward, couldn’t even make conversation with someone for long, always wanted to get straight to the point so it could be over with.

He looks like he wants to say something but he just averts his gaze to you, his hands, the floor, then suddenly he leans in and hugs you. Your feel your heart swell and body warm up, it’s a new sensation for you after all, you rarely get hugs from people. “I’m sorry,” he whispers. “For everything. I’m such a bad dad, I don’t deserve you. I even forgot you when we went out to dinner.”

“You don’t have to be sorry for anything. I had loads of stuff to do earlier anyway, so, but yeah I was just - I just overreact, I’m sensitive. I don’t blame you and the others for not liking me, I know there’s nothing like-able about me, I’m not like Peter-” You ramble, tears now leaving your eyes again.

“Sweetheart, don’t say that,” Tony says as he pulls you closer to him, head resting against his chest while he rubs your back comfortably. “Y/N Stark, you are smart, brilliant - I was just an ass for not acknowledging that.”

“I know you’re just saying that to-”

“Oh, but I’m not,” he now places his hands on your shoulders, getting you to look at him. “Tell me who built their first engine when they were eight?”

You blush, “Dad-”

“No, come on, I wanna hear it.”

“I did.”

“Yes you did. And who made a completely functioning robot at their middle school science fair that blew all the teacher’s minds?”

You’re trying to hide a smile, recalling the memory,  “I did.”

“And who,” Tony gets up and walks to the bulky looking thing that you covered with a sheet, pulling it off, “is currently building a computer from scratch?”

“Dad! That’s still a work in progress,” he messily places the sheet back and chuckles.

“My point is, you’re a clever and talented girl, Y/N. Don’t bring yourself down. And you don’t have to be shy around your family, those idiots have been dying to get to know you but since you don’t talk much... they don’t want to force it. We love you,” he says. “I hope you forgive me ‘cause I really wanna make it up to you. I’m not calling Peter in for a few weeks.” Tony sits down beside you again.

You couldn’t believe he’d do that for you. “You don’t have to, if you need him for something then-”

“-then you could help me instead, if you’re up for it.”

“I’m really sorry for being such a lonely freak,” you yawn, getting back into Tony’s open arms. “I love you.”

Tony tucks you in and lies down beside you, “I love you tons, kiddo.”

You snuggle into his chest, feeling his steady breathing while he rests his chin above your head.

----

It's morning. The Avengers are gathered at your open bedroom door.

“Are you getting all of this, Friday?”

“Yes, Ms. Romanoff.”

“Steve turn that shuttering sound down!” Natasha hisses at the super soldier who's doing his task, taking pictures.

Steve almost drops the phone and has Bruce fix the volume for him.

They’re all watching you and Tony cuddle together, still fast asleep.

“Do we have to stay here until they wake up?”

“Unless you have a great way of waking them up, yes. Now shut up.”

“If you think about it we definitely look creepy right now.” Sam comments.

“It’s their fault for having the door wide open all night!” Clint says.

Tony's actually awake the whole time, listening to them bickering. “You have three seconds to get the hell out of here before I make all of you polish my suits.” With that, the team races down the hall, pushing each other to get away first like literal children.

[awanderingdeal]

I vote leo meeting the harvard team! 💕

So this fic has been a bit of a mare to write, but we are here!

You can read the first part of this here

Rating: T

CW: Alcohol, academic superiority complex and coming out.

Logan, Finn, Leo, Percy, Will and the general Sweater Weather universe belongs to @lumosinlove. The other team members were made up by me for this fic.

“Okay, tell me their names again,” Leo said, tugging at the rolled neck of his sweater as he shut the car door.

“Nutty,” Finn laughed. “There’s not going to be a pop quiz. We’ll introduce you when we meet people.”

Leo scowled, letting Logan thread their fingers together. It was weird being able to do this in public still and Leo couldn’t help but glance around. “I just don’t want to make a fool of myself.” Logan squeezed his hand reassuringly, meeting Leo’s gaze with a soft smile.

“Nobody expects you to know anything. And everybody’s great.” Logan wrinkled his nose like he’d just smelt something bad. “Except Wesley, he’s an ass, but I’ll point him out.”

Like many of the others in Harvard square, the building was all exposed brick and white accents, blending in seamlessly with those around it. Inside was different, more modern. Leo didn’t get to see much of the first floor, the one dedicated to the restaurant Finn, Logan and the rest of the team had dined at previous evening, before he was ushered up a grand staircase, but he’d seen the photographs. The cherry blossom ceilings and walls of glass provided the perfect backdrop for the instagram feeds of the hoards of celebrities and influencers that flocked there. Hence his surprise when, after checking their invitations again, an employee pushed open a set of double doors to reveal a room that more resembled a 1920’s speakeasy than anything 21st century. A loud cheer went up as they crossed the threshold.

“Is this a team thing?” Leo mouthed at Logan.

He got his answer from Percy Marshall. Leo had met him a few times before when they’d played the Rangers. “You’re the last to arrive,” Percy chuckled. “I’d say I was surprised, but that would be a lie.” He slapped a hand playfully against Finn’s bicep. Is this outfit change number 52, Finn? Don’t worry, you didn’t disappoint. You look wonderful.”

“Fuck you, Marshy,” Finn laughed. “Tremz was on a call to his sisters actually.”

“Oh, I do apologise,” Percy clasped his hand to his chest. “We wouldn’t dare break up a Tremblay soiree.”

“You’re an ass,” Logan scoffed, plucking at Finn’s slacks. “I was only talking to them because Finn was taking so long. Did you know there are several shades of mustard and only one of them goes with this shirt?”

“Oh look, they argue like an old married couple too,” William Morgan, another of those Leo knew, and Percy’s teammate on the Rangers, teased. “Marshy, these hands are looking too empty. Get these men a drink.”

“Aye, aye, capt’n.” Leo set to follow as Percy led the way to the bar, stumbling slightly as he found Will’s firm grasp on his shoulder stopping his movement. Logan turned as his fingers slipped from his hand.

“Go ahead, Tremzy. I’m going to introduce Leo to some of the team. We want all the gossip without you two around to censor him.”

Logan frowned. “I’m not sure -”

“Relax, Logan. This isn’t a hazing. We’ll be right over there,” Will pointed towards a group perched on stools around two of the tables in the centre of the room, a mix of the old team and what Leo assumed were their partners. “Knut’s a big boy. He can object for himself if he really doesn’t want to come.”

“I’m sure I can hold my own,” Leo cocked his head slightly and smiled. “You better not leave Harzy with Percy for too long. They’ll be three shots down by now.”

The next few hours passed in a whirlwind of introductions. Leo had lost count of the number of hands he'd shaken and the new names he'd learned. It reminded him of those first few days in Gryffindor, being shuffled around from place to place and everybody telling him he'd get used to it.

The quiet of the bathroom was a welcome reprieve to the chaos. “Sweetheart,” Leo laughed, listening to Finn sing to himself in the stall. “Are you okay? You’ve been in there a while.”

“I’m coming, I’m coming.” A concerningly loud crash preceded the door being pushed open. “I’m here.”

“You’re drunk,” Leo chuckled.

Finn pulled his hands from under the stream of water, shaking droplets everywhere as he squeezed the tips of his thumb and forefinger together. “Maybe just the tiniest bit.”

Leo shook his head fondly. “Let’s go and find Lo.” Glancing back to check Finn was following him proved to be a mistake. “Shit, I’m sorry,” he apologised, rubbing at his forehead and stepping back from the wall of muscle he’d just crashed into. Of course, the tall man with his hair pulled back into a loose ponytail was the one person Leo hadn’t yet met.

“Leo, this is James. Call him Hunter,” Finn grinned with his hand resting in the small of Leo’s back. "Hunter, this is -"

"Leo Knut. I know. Everybody knows," Hunter said and Leo noted the familiar notes of his own accent in the words. He faltered with his hand thrust halfway in Leo's direction, letting it fall back by his side. "Oh fuck, sorry man. Did you want to introduce him as your boyfriend? Go ahead."

"It's cool, no worries." Finn shrugged, the rounds of his cheeks tinged with the slightest of blushes. "Aww, what the heck!" He squared his shoulders, standing a little taller, the corners of his mouth splitting with pride. "Hunter, this is Leo, my boyfriend."

Hunter extended his hand again for Leo to shake. “Nice to meet you. Please excuse me, I have to use the bathroom now, but we’ll talk later.”

***

"Boys." The call had come from behind them and Logan groaned low in his chest as they turned to acknowledge it.

"Wes! You made it," Finn smiled, the corners of his mouth tight. "We weren't sure you'd be able to. With all those big meetings you have to attend and such. Is your wife, Renee, wasn’t it, here? I'd love to meet her."

Something flickered in Wes' smug expression. "They stayed in California. Nate has a very busy schedule. Harvard is very important to me, as you know, so I came alone."

“Isn’t Nate three?” Logan blinked.

“You have to give them a good start if you want them to get them to get into a good college these days, I’m sure you understand. Where was it you went, Leo?"

Leo pursed his lips, letting the same calm wash over him that he channelled for interviews. “I didn’t go. I got drafted straight out of high school.”

“Oh, well, that’s a shame,” Wes said. “College isn’t for everybody though, is it?”

Logan bristled beside him, and Leo placed a placating hand on his shoulder. “Indeed,” he blinked. “I didn’t need my intelligence validated by a degree then, and I still don’t now. And I was hardly about to turn down an offer from The Gryffindor Lions now, was I?”

Wes grumbled something that sounded vaguely like an agreement before turning on his heel and walking off in a manner that Leo could only describe as petulant.

“You’re so hot,” Finn took Leo’s face between his hands and pressed a kiss to his lips. “I’m going to get a drink. Do you want another?”

“Please,” Leo nodded. Logan raised his still mostly full glass as a rejection of the offer.

“You should have let me punch him,” Logan huffed. “He would have deserved it.”

"And get blood on your shirt? Let’s leave that on the ice, shall we?” Leo tugged at the lapels of Logan’s jacket.

***

"So," Logan started as they claimed one of the low tables in the corner, a little tucked away from the rest of the room. "What do you think?"

"It's always nice seeing where you two started," Leo hummed, threading his fingers through the thin curls on the nape of Logan's neck. "I just don't know how you used to do this everyday. Live amongst all this energy. The guys all seem great, but it's a lot even now and I'm assuming you've all mellowed somewhat with age."

"I am not old," Logan scoffed. "Mais non, I agree. Wasn't always like this though. There's more than one graduating class here and we've been apart a long time. A lot of excitement."

"Sorry, sorry, I got caught up with Biscuit. He has triplets now, isn't that crazy?" Finn said, pressing a glass into Logan’s hand and setting Leo’s in front of him before flopping onto the couch opposite. "One Margarita for the fine sir."

"Thanks, Harzy," Leo laughed lightly.

"I can't believe him and Vanessa are still together," Logan hummed, taking a long sip of his drink. He leaned back, crossing his left leg over his right thigh and snaked his arm across the dark leather, brushing his fingers against Leo's shoulder. "I only introduced them because she was flirting with you at that party, the one just after we got back from winter break my junior year, and I wanted to distract her."

"Oh, so that's why you got all moody," Finn said. "She wasn't flirting, she needed help with an essay, idiot."

"The fact you remember Logan's mood on a night seven years ago says more about you than him," Leo snorted.

"First of all, Tremzy being grumpy? That's just a good guess. Second, some of us were still stupid at 20, Knutty." Finn sighed wistfully. "Hey, at least it doesn't feel like I'm being stabbed in the chest these days when I think about it. Progress, right?"

Logan tipped his glass in Finn's direction, nodding his head briefly. "I'll cheers to that."

"To -" Leo started, letting the toast die off as another of Finn and Logan's old team mates approached. He hoped the disappointment he felt wasn't written across his face; whilst he hadn't really expected to be left alone for too long, he had hoped for the brief respite to have lasted longer.

"Hey." The newcomer had his hand shoved into his pockets and his shoulders stooped, almost as if he was trying to hide himself. "I'm not interrupting anything, am I?"

"Ken!" Finn patted the empty seat next to him. "Of course not. Come, sit."

Leo extended his arm, offering his hand. "Nice to meet you. Ken was it? I'm Leo."

"Ken's what the team always called me. Don't really hear it much these days." Leo thought he saw something sad in the smile sent his way. "My real name is Obi."

"That's because you went off the radar," Logan gave a pointed look.

"About that -" Obi swiped Finn's drink, ignoring his disgruntled protest. He drained what was left of it, pulling at an non-existent loose thread on his sweater. "I wanted to say thank you, you know. For having the guts to come out. I know Black and Lupin were first, but that was forced wasn’t it. You made a choice. I know that must have been hard. It was one hell of a ballsy move."

Leo looked between Finn and Logan, expecting them to answer, but neither of them spoke. "We didn't have much of a choice, not if we didn't want to be watching our back every second of every day."

"It was still brave," Obi muttered. "I couldn't have done it."

"Ken, what are you saying?" Logan never did have much patience for others taking their time to get to the point, even though he was a fan of the scenic route himself.

"They gave you a whole Harvard degree and you need to ask that question?" Obi huffed a laugh. "I'm gay. I met Marco, my now husband at the end of senior year, and freaked out. I didn't know how to make these two worlds work, so I didn't. I moved to DC with him, and started a new life. I'm an accountant, he works in marketing. We have four rats, and a Vizsla called Poppy. It's all very domestic. I love it, but I was a coward.”

"You're not a coward. You don't owe that information to anybody, Ken. Not the others, not the media, not the NHL and not us. Not now, not then, not ever.” Finn took a breath, holding up his finger to signal he wasn’t finished. “Besides, it's not as if Lo and I planned this. We went into this with every intention of stuffing this deep, deep into the depths of denial, never for anybody to find out. Including ourselves. And then Nutty came along.”

Obi smiled at Leo, turning his attention back to Finn. "When did you become Gay Yoda?"

"I spend way too much time in our psych's office. Just spreading the wisdom. Heather would be proud."

"Do the others know?" Logan asked.

"Not yet, I think I'd like them to though."

Logan shifted, leaning forward in his seat. "There's no rush, Ken. We've got your back, whatever you decide."

"So, do you have photos?" Leo cocked his head. "We got to show off. Now it's your turn. Even if it's only for us."

"Of Marco?"

"I'm sure he's wonderful, but I was actually talking about Poppy. And the rats," Leo teased.

There were moments when Leo wondered whether they had made the right decision. When he was playing in front of hostile crowds, or fending off stupid media questions, or blocking bigots on twitter. And then there were moments when he knew the decision they had made was 100% perfect. Right now, that was one of those moments.

[descendantofthesparrow]

Soulmate au! Countdown - Harry Hook x Reader -oneshot

soulmate au idea sent in by Anonymous 

=

Everyone in the world was born with a watch, not on their wrists or anywhere attached to them, just a simple watch that would appear when a new soul was born into the world. Doctors would blink, and suddenly, next to the new babe, was a watch.

A watch that had a set date of years, months, days, hours, minutes, and seconds until the new soul would meet their soulmate, the one destined to love them forever.

Some watches were simple ones, a simple leather band with a plain clock attached to go around their wrist. Some got more…exotic clocks, one person, whose soulmate was an astrologist, watch had planets instead of hands to tell the time.(luckily for the person, who didn’t know how to read the time by looking at planets, there was still a small digital timer in the middle just above the sun) some had intricately carved pocket watches, some had sundials.

Prince Ben’s watch had confused some people, being a pure gold and silver watch, rusted slightly (and unable to be buffed to perfection as so many tried) with a horned dragon decorating the top, the back engraved with thorned vines. It wasn’t till years later, as Ben locked eyes with Mal, the daughter of Maleficent, did the watches ticking stop (small A/N; Ben and Audrey don’t date since they know they aren’t meant to be already. Okay let's get back into it!)

Audrey’s watch hung off a silver necklace, the top cover being diamond-like glass that seemed to shine like magic. Her watch had stopped when she met Chad at only six months old, his rose gold wristwatch stopping at the same time.

Doug's watch, a gorgeous gold-plated pocket watch decorated with heart-shaped red rubies, had stopped when he first locked eyes with Evie, daughter of the Evil Queen, who for a small while had denied that her own watch had stopped ticking, and had only admitted it after she and her friends had proclaimed their decision to turn their backs on their parent's evil ways.

Most people your age had met their soulmate already, you knew some who had yet to meet theirs but mostly everyone had already been found.

Not that you personally knew that.

You hardly talked to anyone really, so how were you to know if someone had found their soulmate yet or not.

You were just a regular person in a school of the descendants of heroes and royalty, a loner at that. The only interesting about you was your watch.

It was a gorgeous gold watch with thin black paint under the gold curved detailing that looked like waves, surrounding the outer rim of the cover, with an anchor and a ship's steering wheel in the middle of the cover, the back was a carved compass, the entire thing connected to a strong bronze chain.

You admired it every day, excitement and anxiety running through you as every second passed. And those feelings were amplified recently.

The clock now read seven days, seven hours, eight minutes, and forty seconds. It was only that until you met your soulmate.

You only hoped they wouldn’t think you weren’t worth their time…as everyone else did.

-

Harry had been born with a pretty plain-looking pocket watch, smooth and silver metal protecting the gears.

You could imagine the surprise he felt when he finally opened it for the first time. The inner works of his watch were beautiful, the silver metal had turned to gold, curving details surrounded the hands and timer, a shining scale texture covered the inside of the cover, never leaving a residue on his finger when he traced it.

Many villain kids were told to never open their watches, being told that it was pointless to even look since they would never need their soulmate in the first place.

Some obeyed, some, like Harry, had gotten too curious and looked anyway, and some just looked because they could.

And Harry couldn't say he regretted looking, every day he grabbed his watch and popped it open, smiling as the ticking hands signified the ever-coming day of meeting his soulmate.

Like now, it read seven days, five hours, three minutes, and seven seconds. Coincidently, it matched the same day he would be going to Auradon prep, seven months after king Ben had invited the original four to Auradon.

His closest friend, Uma, had a plan to get the wand and do what the original four couldn’t. but Harry had another plan.

He wanted to meet his soulmate, he knew they couldn’t have been on the isle, he had met basically everyone on the isle, there was no other explanation than for his soulmate to be in Auradon.

He looked up from his watch to gaze at the bright lights of Auradon, his breath visible as he let out a sigh and leaned against the rails of the lost revenge. “you ready for next week?” he suppressed a flinch as Uma suddenly appeared next to him, joining him to look at  Auradon.

“aye” he simply muttered back, clenching his pocket watch in his hand. He looked away slightly as Uma turned towards him, her brow quirked.

“…you want to find them, don’t you?” Uma asked, turning back to Auradon and resting her chin in her hand.

Harry stayed silent.

Uma reached out and squeezed Harry's shoulder “I won't stop you from doing that, I know our parents told us that soulmates are bullshit but I could give less of a fuck, if you decide not to go through with everything because of them, I’ll leave you two alone…” Harry sighed in slight relief and turned to Uma.

“even if it would ruin yer plans?” Harry asked softly, laughing as Uma grumbled a bit.

“yeah yeah…if you’re happy im happy” Harry tossed his arm over Uma’s shoulder and pulled her into his side, grinning as she quietly complained at the hug.

“Thank yeh Uma” he whispered, closing his eyes as Uma sighed against him and hugged him back.

“you’re my best friend Harry, I would do anything for you” Harry smiled against her hair, squeezing her shoulder a bit before letting her go as she started to bat at his chest “Alright alright that’s enough, come on we got night shit to do” Harry snorted and shook his head a bit, grabbing his hat from the milk crate next to him and flipping it on, whistling slightly as he followed Uma off the ship.

-

You looked up from your summer history essay as a group of girls rushed up to the window, giggling to themselves as they pointed out whatever it was they were talking about.

‘oh right’ you mentally sighed, closing your book and packing it away, knowing that the study hall you were in was going to be filled with the laughter of these girls for who knows how long ‘the new vks’

You spared a glance back at the girls, sighing wistfully to yourself as they smiled amongst each other.

What you would give to have friends like that, but you had always been closed in on yourself and always froze up when someone tried to talk to you, that you had never gotten the chance to make friends.

You shrugged your bag over your shoulder and walked out of the study hall “where to go now” you whispered to yourself, taking out your pocket watch and smiling slightly at it, rubbing your thumb against the wheel before popping it open.

Six hours, forty-five minutes, and seven seconds.

You would meet your soulmate today.

You closed the watch and held it against your chest, letting out a giggly sigh and walking towards the other end of the dorms to get to the other study hall so you would write your essay in peace.

Behind you, you heard king Ben talking, taking a glance back you saw a flash of a scarlet red coat pass by the entrance to the hallway you had just entered. You brushed it off and looked back in front of you.

-

One and a half hours, ten minutes, and forty seconds.

Harry stared anxiously at his watch, his foot tapping rapidly against the floor of his new room. “you know if you just sit and stare at that thing it's not going to go any faster” Gil offered, setting his new laptop down and sitting next to Harry, reaching out to close the watch.

Harry blinked back into reality, pouting at Gil slightly. Gil just gave him a look and pushed the watch towards Harry's chest “sitting in here won't help you find them either, go explore or something, you might find them easier” Harry huffed and grabbed his watch, sticking it in his pocket and walking out of the room “you’ll thank me later!”

-

You groaned a bit as you rolled your shoulders, you had finished your essay, along with a handful of other projects, and had decided you needed a break. So it was off to your “secret” spot near the dorms, it was well hidden by the forest and you had to cross a hanging bridge to get to it so hardly anyone knew about it.

You shrugged off your top and pants, kicking off your shoes and setting everything next to your towel and watch before diving in.

Underneath the water your body shimmered, your legs turning to a transitioning (f/c) and (f/c) tail with a strong fabric-like tail, scales the same color as your tail appeared next to your eyes and trailed down your cheeks, your shoulders being covered as well.

You let out a soft sigh as you swam through the clear water, trailing your fingers across the smooth rocks that lay at the bottom of the lake.

You picked up a particularly shiny clear and black one, swimming back up to the surface and examining it, humming to yourself as you waded through the water.

-There once was a ship that put to sea/ And the name of that ship was the Billy o' Tea/ The winds blew hard, her bow dipped down/ Blow my bully boys blow-

You started to sing one of your favorite sea shanties aloud, closing your eyes and letting yourself drift across the surface of the lake as your voice echoed around you.

- Soon may the Wellerman come/ To bring us sugar and tea and rum/ One day, when the tonguing' is done/ We'll take our leave and go-

-

Harry sighed quietly as he walked around the grounds of Auradon prep, tubbing his thumb against the smooth metal of his watch as the comforting -tick tock- of its gears rang in his ears.

He sighed again as he stopped in the middle of a pathway, running his hand through his messy hair. He pulled out the watch and quirked his brow.

three minutes, forty seconds.

Suddenly something caught his attention, he turned his head towards the forest, his lips separating as a lovely drifted towards him.

He started walking towards it, entering into the forest and pushing past the bushes that covered the main path. He quickly walked over the hanging bridge that led him directly to a sparkly crystal-clear lake.

And wading in the water of that lake was the most beautiful thing he had ever seen or heard.

- No line was cut, no whale was freed/ An' the captain's mind was not on greed/ But he belonged to the Whaleman's creed/ She took that ship in tow -

As he walked closer to the mermaid, he didn’t notice the timer on the watch tick down to the seconds.

3…2...1.

Suddenly the mermaid looked up from their rock and gasped, her glowing (e/c) eyes locking with his ocean blue.

The ticking stopped.

The mermaid squealed in embarrassment and ducked under the water, Harry quickly snapped out of his stupor and ran towards the edge of the lake, kneeling at it and looking around for the mermaid who had suddenly disappeared. “where did yeh go?” he whispered, yelping and falling back on his butt as the mermaid suddenly popped up in front of his face and tried to reach for her items behind Harry.

He watched her struggle to reach toward them before she groaned and flopped on the ground, her top half lying pitifully on the dry ground as her tail angrily hit the surface of the water.

Harry let out a soft chuckle and looked behind him, spotting a gold pocket watch resting just next to a (f/c) towel, he glanced back at the mermaid for a moment before reaching out for the watch and gently handing it to the mermaid.

She quickly popped it open and gasped.

Harry watched as the mermaid just stared at her watch, then slowly look up at him. He took out his watch and popped it open, stopping as he realized the clock had stopped.

00:00:00:00:00:00 blinked rapidly

Harry looked back at the mermaid and turned his watch towards her. She reached out slightly, looking at him for permission to take it.

He pushed it into her hand and she set it next to her watch, a smile growing on her face as the blinking of the timers synchronized perfectly. Only soulmate watches could sync perfectly as they did.

She looked back up at Harry with a wide grin, Harry's heart fluttering like crazy as she did.

“I found you” she whispered in the most melodic voice, squeaking a bit as Harry stood and started to strip out of his clothes “what are you doing?!” she yelled, pushing off the edge and diving down under the water a bit, only her eyes and the top of her head above the water.

“joinin’ yeh,” Harry responded simply, kicking off his shoes and pants and tossing them aside with his shirt, jacket, and belts.

Once he was down to just his underwear, he jumped into the water next to his soulmate, closing his eyes as he sank into the surprisingly deep lake.

Almost immediately after he jumped in, arms wrapped around his waist and kept him afloat. Harry cracked open his eyes to see the glowing ones of his soulmate, their pupils slanted as they stared back at him.

Harry let a smile grow on his lips as he and his soulmate floated under the water. Then Harry's body proceeded to realize he was underwater and that he needed air.

His soulmate watched him look up, realize what he was doing, and grabbed his face. Harry looked at them and let out a muffled squeak as she leaned forward and pressed her lips to his.

He snapped his eyes shut and felt his face burn with a blush as she licked his lips and opened his mouth, breathing into him.

She pulled back and giggled, which oddly wasn’t muffled. Harry opened one of his eyes and pouted slightly as his soulmate covered her mouth with one of her hands as she laughed at his expression.

He took a breath to say something, but then realized he was breathing underwater. He gave her a wide-eyed look and she giggled again.

“mermaid kisses can let the person breath and speak underwater” her voice purred, grabbing his hands and pulling him up to the surface. Harry shook his head, smirking as his soulmate squealed a bit as the water droplets hit her.

“I’m Harry” Harry spoke first, swimming slightly closer to his soulmate and pressing a soft kiss to her cheek “Harry Hook.”

“(y-y/n) (l/n)” she squeaked slightly, Harry smirking at the heat that burned against his lips as he pressed another kiss to her cheek.

“I think” he pulled back and pressed a kiss to her other cheek “you and I are going to get along very well~” he purred, grinning as (y/n) set her forehead against his.

“whys that?” she hummed, pushing her lips together as Harry tightly wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her into him.

“a pirate and a mermaid? What's a better match than tha’?”

-end-

Short but sweet, might do another one of the suggestions! Thanks for reading!

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@rintheemolion​

[fantastic-bby]

SKZ vs. their crush

Pairing: Gender neutral Reader x Member

Word count: 3.9k

Genre: Fluff

Summary: It’s just them crushing on you 

Warnings: -

Masterlist

A/n: I tried a different format this time and used bullet points rather than just making it like a full story since my brain was going crazy when I wrote this. Let me know which format you prefer and maybe I might incorporate both bullet points and the essay ones since I actually quite enjoy writing using both.

Chan

You guys only met because you knew Jeongin 

The tiny babie brought you to meet his friends 

Chan was smitten when he first met you 

He thought you were so pretty when he saw you following behind Jeongin 

“Innie,” 

“Yeah?”

“Who is that?” 

He wants Jeongin to introduce you two

Sensing the vibes, the maknae is more than happy to introduce you two 

if he was being honest, he already knew Chan would pretty much fall in love with you immediately

Chan’s flustered when he introduces himself to you 

He’s almost blubbering all over the place 

You find it kinda cute but he’s scared you found him really weird 

He tries to steal little moments to be with you 

Like ‘accidentally’ bumping into you in the hallway 

Or how he just so happens to walk into Jeongin’s room when you’re on a call with him

Or how he just so happens to be lingering around the flea market nearby your college campus 

Chan takes care of you without even realising it 

If you bump into each other he asks whether you’ve eaten or how your day is 

He loves the way you seem to parent his friends like he does 

“Jisung, put the knife down. You’re going to hurt somebody” 

“Hehe, make me” 

“PUT IT DOWN 〴⋋_⋌〵” 

Chan’s surprised he listens to you

He loves how everyone only seems to listen if you’re the one talking too

If you’re hanging out with them at the dorms and Chan can’t seem to control everyone, you just step in 

“Guys, please”

And suddenly the chaos has calmed down 

Chan finds it amazing 

Everyone just… stops when you ask them to

You find it amusing 

It’s like watching a single dad trying to control his seven wild sons

He chases after Felix around the dorm a lot because he’s usually done something weird with Minho and Jisung

He manages to get your number using an excuse of needing you to calm down the boys 

“Please… they don’t listen sometimes” 

Jeongin finds reasons to push you two together 

“Yay! You guys made—oH nO I ComPleTeLy foRgoT!!”

Leaves the two of you alone 

He honestly just thinks you two should get together and so does the rest of the group

So they find excuses to get you two alone together 

But your relationship takes f o r e v e r  

Only because Chan wants to be absolutely certain that he likes you

He doesn’t want to commit to someone he’s worried he’s not sure of yet

Slowly but surely, he starts to ease into the relationship

He sends you music he thinks you’ll like 

Eventually he’ll start sending you his own music 

He only confesses when he’s absolutely sure he’s pretty much falling in love with you 

The way he does it just wins your heart immediately if you weren’t already as whipped for him as he was 

He writes a song for you (´༎ຶ ͜ʖ ༎ຶ `)♡ 

Minho

Bumped into you at a dance studio he goes to often

He thinks your dancing is amazing 

At first he doesn’t want to bother you 

But then he’s all like “heyyyy I’m Minho” 

And you’re pretty much taken away by how gorgeous the man is 

Minho wouldn’t be too flustered 

He would keep his cool around you 

Doesn’t mean he wouldn’t try to impress you with his sexy dance moves 

Tries to win your heart the romantic way which doesn’t work because half the time you’re too busy dancing to actually realise he’s trying to flirt with you

“Hey, baby ;)” 

“Huh?”

“Nothing”

Wonders whether he should just make a dedicated advance towards you 

He likes your humour 

It’s similar to his 

You both just laugh at really weird stuff together 

When you share your numbers, he sends you weird videos that he thinks you’ll like 

Minho’s not much of a texter, but when you do get a message from him, it’s either something he’s really excited about or something really weird 

Only realises he’s actually crushing on you when Changbin points it out 

“Why are you so nice to them” 

“Who?” 

“(Y/n)” 

Then Minho realises that he really likes you

Starts slowly working harder to win your heart 

Helps you with your dancing

“Your body looks a bit stiff” 

Buys you lunch 

“I got you the lunch box from 7 11”

It’s always something you end up liking if you hadn’t tried it before

Buys you drinks from the vending machine 

“What is this???” 

It looks like a double shot coffee 

“Energy?”

Minho doesn’t know either but you both drink it anyway 

And end up being at the studio until 3 a.m. because you’re both so hyped with caffeine

Offers to walk you home if it’s getting late

“It’s not safe on your own”

“Minho, I’ll be fineeeee” 

Doesn’t take no for an answer and forces you to let him

His advances work

You’re pretty much whipped for him by the time he confesses 

Which Minho does by buying you flowers and bringing it to the studio 

Changbin

You work at the music shop that he goes to often 

When he’s browsing the CD’s and the vinyls, he spots you at the counter 

His heart almost explodes when he sees you 

The first thing that caught his eye was the way you were dressed 

:0 

Fits Changbin’s style 

He’s nervous to approach you with the vinyl in his hand 

Why was he so nervous? 

Oh right, he was pretty much completely smitten by you 

“Hi!” 

 He loves your voice even more

“H-Hey,”

Changbin’s so nervous 

He likes your bracelets too 

He thinks they’re really cool 

He ends up coming back a lot and you wonder why this man needs so many CD’s and vinyls 

Eventually, he builds up the courage to talk to you

Changbin comes by every once in a while just to say hi 

Sometimes he just comes in to talk to you during your break

You tell him you’ve always wanted to try making music

He tells you he makes music 

You’re all :0 

Changbin tells you about it 

And you get really interested in his music 

He starts coming after your shift or during your break to play you his songs 

He gets all uwu when he sees the way your eyes shine 

You have him wrapped around your finger without even knowing it 

Doesn’t admit that he’s pretty much whipped 

Even though he visits you almost every other day 

And how he buys you your favourite snacks 

Or how he stays way longer than he expected to just bcs he’s talking to you 

You’re just as whipped tbh 

You love talking to Changbin 

You like his music taste and he’s fun to be around 

Confesses to you by taking you out on a date 

He brings you to his studio 

Shows you how he makes music 

He finds it adorable how you’re so amazed by his equipment

So he teaches you whatever he can in the time you’re together 

You both spend the evening just messing around 

You make a short track that you’re sure sounds really off

Changbin reassures you that it’s nice 

He teaches you how to layer the different tracks 

And eventually teaches you how to edit them despite the few hours you have 

You’re so excited 

He smiles every time he looks at you 

Bcs you’re so adorable he feels like he might burst 

Confesses at the end of the night 

“I like you a lot” 

He blurts it out and it catches you slightly off guard 

But you like him back so it’s fine 

Ends up offering to take you to the studio anytime you’re both free

Hyunjin 

Met you through Felix 

Felix invited you to play a game with him and his friends 

Hyunjin hears your voice the first time and he’s already curious 

He thinks you’re really chill and he likes your vibe 

You end up playing more games with them 

He ends up wanting to get to know you more 

The thing that honestly gets to him the most is the way you take every loss so lightheartedly 

“There’s always another game” 

You don’t rage or stress out over it 

Over time, he starts spending one-on-one time with you 

Until you’re both just doing literally anything else but gaming together 

He denies them as dates whenever his friends ask, claiming that it’s just friend time

Until one night you’re both awake at four a.m. and talking about everything and anything 

He likes the way you think

“Hyunjin, did you know that sometimes in movies, they use trash cans to replicate tiger roars” 

“What???”

He likes how you’re joking talking about starting a revolution 

He knows you won’t

“So, yeah, fuck capitalism!” 

“Yeah!” 

He loves the fact that you’re so open about what you think even if it’s something small or weird

“Mercy’s ass is so thick… for what reason…” 

“She’s a video game character??” 

“Felix, her ass is so thick, she could kill someone with it” 

Hyunjin loves hearing you rant about your day 

“And?? It’s so stupid!!”

“Calm down, (Y/n)”

“Don’t tell me to calm down, you egg!” 

Hyunjin thinks you’re adorable when you’re all riled up

He finds it amusing because he likes hearing you talk 

“You live there too?” 

He didn’t expect to be so close to you

“Yeah, that’s how I met Felix” 

He never realised you and Felix knew each other in real life

You spend more time together 

Talking about whatever comes to mind until the dead of night 

Sometimes you watch movies together 

You stay away from horror movies because he doesn’t like it that much 

But you’re always talking about something with him

The two of you are always the last to leave the call because you end up talking after games 

Hyunjin asks you out without even realising it sounds like a date

“Is that a date??” 

“Sure” 

He didn’t even realise he asked you out until after he’s left the call

?!?!?!?!

Goes into panic mode 

He just asked you out!!!! 

Starts asking Felix about you

He laughs at Hyunjin but helps him anyway

Shows him what you look like on your Instagram 

Hyunjin thinks you’re so pretty on your posts

When he sees you in person for the first time 

He’s so taken away 

You’re gorgeous

Whatever feeling he didn’t realise he had for you comes rushing in 

Hyunjin loves your laugh 

You spend the whole day together just walking around town

It’s nice to hear his voice when it isn’t coming out of your headphones

By the time the date’s over, Hyunjin wants more of you 

So he tells you he wants to take you out again while he’s walking you home 

You accept 

He turns to you with a c: before asking if he can kiss you

Jisung 

You’re a barista at the cafe nearby the JYPe building 

Jisung was designated as the drink buyer that time by the rest of his group 

If he was having trouble remembering all their orders before 

He has even bigger trouble now when he sees you 

YOU LOOK SO CUTE IN YOUR APRON 

He freezes the moment he sees you at the cashier 

“Hi! What would you like?” 

Jisung’s eyes go ◑.◑

“Uhm… sir?” 

“Sorry!” 

He struggles to get his order out properly

But you’re patient with him and even though he barely knows you 

He likes that you are 

Jisung’s watching you the entire time you make his order 

He can’t take his eyes off of you 

You do notice it, but you find him adorable so you don’t say anything 

He seems to be easily flustered

When you hand him his order, he’s still a blubbering mess 

“T-Thank you…” 

Your name tag says (Y/n) 

So he thanks you using your name which you smile 

“Have a great day!” 

Jisung comes back the next day 

He doesn’t even need any drinks, he just wants to see you again 

When he does, he feels all fluttery on the inside 

“Welcome back” 

He orders a dark chocolate smoothie and an iced mocha for Minho

Minho would kill him if he found out Jisung went to the cafe without him 

Jisung sits at an empty table and watches you again 

The next day, the cycle repeats 

And the day after that 

And the day after that 

Minho follows him at some point, wondering why Jisung seems to obsessed with the place 

“Why do you like this place so much?” 

“I DON’T KNOW WHAT YOU’RE TALKING ABOUT”

Something’s definitely up with him 

Minho only finds out when he sees the way Jisung’s face seems to light up when he sees you 

“You like the barista, don’t you” 

“WHAT BARISTA ಠoಠ” 

That’s all he needs to confirm it 

Minho lets Jisung order, seeing just how excited and giddy he is when he’s talking to you 

Jisung’s practically bouncing up and down while you talk to him 

When they leave, Minho’s all up in it 

“You really like them, huh” 

“I don’t know what you’re talking about >:c” 

Knowing Jisung, he wouldn’t do anything about it 

So Minho takes it into his own hands to bring you two together 

The group is having a mini event and they need someone to serve drinks 

Who else to ask other than you? 

Jisung’s eyes almost bulge out of his skull when he sees you because 

What are you doing here???? 

He’s so nervous 

Minho practically shoves him your way 

Again, you find him so cute that you don’t even realise he’s practically dying to know you more 

“Hi Jisung!” 

You learned his name over the course of him constantly coming back and Jisung just loves hearing it from you 

“Hi (Y/n)” 

“I can’t make anything ice blended, but I can trade if for an iced dark chocolate” 

“Okay!” 

As long as you make it, he’ll take it 

The event comes to an end but Jisung’s pretty much spent more time with you rather than his group mates 

Even they’re amused by how into you he obviously is 

“Hey Jisung” 

You stop him before you leave and he’s immediately at your side 

“Since you keep coming over, here’s my number” 

◑.◑

“Give me a call before you come in so that I can have your drink ready for you to pick up” 

He’s so happy :D

He sends you pictures of cute animals and random snippets of his music 

Felix 

Met you through League of Legends

You have good synergy so you became friends through that 

At first, he only managed to play with you occasionally 

When he’s able to, he notices how you always sound so bright 

“Hi Felix!” 

He likes playing with you 

You’re laid-back 

You don’t stress over losses too much 

“Ah, what to do?” 

But when you’re irritated, Felix finds it funny

“Fucking asshole!” 

“You were in the way, (Y/n)”

“Shut the fuck up!” 

You’re so funny to him 

“Felix, don’t go into bush” 

“I can bait them” 

“DON’T”

His character dies

“Oops ( ͡° ͜V ͡°)”

“-`д´-” 

You’re easy to game with and that’s what he admires the most right off the bat 

You always seem to be up for games 

Even when he’s not able to play, whenever he logs into Discord he sees you’re online 

Wonders whether you sleep at all 

“I don’t need sleep. I am gamerrrr. Gamers don’t sleep” 

“Please sleep” 

“Lix, sleep is for the weak and I’m not weak” 

“You passed out last night in call” 

Honestly slightly concerned for you 

Overtime he realises that he really looks forward to games with you

Before Felix would just go to sleep after practice or shows 

But he’ll start waiting to see if you’re up for even one game 

Which you always are 

Slowly starts spending time with you just talking 

Eventually it leads to the both of you staying up until 5 a.m. laughing at really stupid memes 

During the day when Felix can’t join call 

He sends you funny tiktoks and memes 

You appreciate it because you like him 

But you don’t admit it because you’ve never met him in person before

Until you both find out that you live only a few hours away from him 

Invites you down to Seoul to spend time with him 

You’re nervous

Felix is nervous

He knows what you look like

You exchanged Snapchats and started streaking a while before 

He sends you funny pictures of his members 

You send him selfies with random filters

But nothing could prepare him for when you appear from around the corner 

He sees you appear and he’s all (゜ロ゜)

Your photos don’t do your natural beauty any justice

Is a bit of a mess when you’re walking around together 

Eventually loosens up around you 

Compliments you a lot and it makes you blush 

You spend the day just wandering around the place 

Felix takes you to his favourite places and favourite cafes 

He wants to share his favourite things with you 

You find it endearing 

Tries to make you laugh a lot because he’s just grown to really like the sound of your voice 

Since you’ve spent most of your time talking over call

Felix just loves hearing your voice 

When the day’s over 

He asks for more nights that aren’t just filled with games because owo he wants to do more with you 

Seungmin

Bumped into you at JYPe because you were visiting a friend 

Hears you singing with Yeji and he immediately falls in love with your voice 

He peeks into the dance studio to see the two of you just sitting on the floor together 

There’s no music 

It’s just the two of you singing together 

Your voice makes him :D 

Seungmin leaves the two of you bcs he doesn’t want to intrude 

But he ends up seeing you more often 

Turns out you’re in Seoul for a while so you’re spending quite some time with Yeji 

He sees you in the hallways a lot

When you walk past each other, it’s always just a polite bow 

You don’t really think much of Seungmin other than the fact that you think he’s pretty handsome 

Yeji teases you for that 

When you’re walking through the building to look for her 

You hear someone singing in one of the rooms 

You peek through the glass 

It’s Seungmin! 

ಠoಠ

And he’s so good

You listen from outside the door 

You knew he was good since he was an idol

But you didn’t think that he was that good

You don’t even realise he’s done when the door swings open and you’re standing there 

When Seungmin sees you, he realises you were most likely listening 

Now you’re just staring at each other like 

(ﾟωﾟ;)

Because now he knows you were listening 

And now you know he knows 

“Uhm…” 

You’re embarrassed 

You’re lucky Yeji pops from around the corner and your eyes plead for her to drag you away 

Which she doesn’t 

“Sunbaenim!”

“Hi Yeji” 

“Have you met (Y/n) before?” 

You actually want to tear her apart

“Not properly, no” 

“Well... “ 

“WELL WOULD YOU LOOK AT THE TIME” 

You drag her away before she can say anything else 

The next time you see Seungmin 

You pass by him in the hallway once again while you’re looking for Yeji

“(Y/n)” 

ಠ_ಠ

“We keep passing each other but we’ve yet to actually meet each other properly” 

“Haha…” 

“I know you were listening the other day” 

“Haaahhhhhhaaaa…”

“I don’t mind that you did.”

“Huh” 

You’re actually bit surprised that he doesn’t mind

“I overheard you and Yeji singing the other day in the dance room” 

༼ : ౦ ‸ ౦ : ༽

“You sing really beautifully, (Y/n)” 

There’s an awkward wall that takes a while before you two actually break it down 

But when you do 

It’s almost like you visit the building to see Seungmin rather than Yeji 

She doesn’t mind since she saw it coming 

Doesn’t mean she can’t tease you about it 

Seungmin looks forward to having lunch with you in the cafeteria 

At this point, the staff don’t even question your now daily appearance 

You end up falling for Seungmin way faster than you thought possible 

The feeling’s mutual 

He just likes everything about you 

You’re so sweet 

You’re also really caring 

He notices that when you follow him to the practice room where Stray Kids are 

Changbin trips over Hyunjin’s legs 

You’re rushing over to help without any of them really realising it 

He loves how nice your voice is too 

“Can you sing for me?”

You’re shook 

You wonder why he wants to hear your voice specifically

“Your voice is just really nice 

He realises he really likes you when you briefly disturb their practice to give Seungmin lunch 

He briefly mentioned that he forgot his wallet and his lunch 

Since you aren’t an idol or staff

You had to use your own money in the cafeteria 

Seungmin’s heart flips at the realisation 

Ends up asking you out so that you don’t have to spend so much time inside the JYPe building all the time 

Jeongin 

Meets you through Changbin 

You went to the same high school as him and you kinda just stuck around

Changbin brings you to the dorm bcs he borrowed a hoodie 

The entire dorm greets you really brightly 

Jeongin’s the only one just watching in awe 

He’s so shy when you wave at him 

Seungmin notices and raises a brow 

“I-I’m Jeongin” 

“Hi Jeongin! Changbin talks about you guys a lot” 

He’s so nervous 

He wants to know you more, but he also doesn’t want to make it obvious that he’s taking interest in you 

The others don’t really notice because they’re too excited by the new person 

Seungmin, on the other hand, tells Changbin about it 

Changbin now makes it his mission to bring you two together 

He brings you over to the dorm more often 

Especially if Jeongin’s the only one home 

“(Y/n), you’ve met Innie before right?”

You nod

Jeongin’s adorable 

Changbin ends up bringing you over for movie nights 

Now you’re just an honorary member of the group 

Everyone else loves you 

Jeongin always tries to sit next to you during movie nights 

Especially if it’s a horror movie 

When you get scared, you hug his arm and he likes that 

Makes him feel like he’s able to protect you like a big strong man ᕙ(`▽´)ᕗ

You kinda like him too

So you test the waters around him 

You start talking to him more since Changbin told you he’s really shy 

Jeongin slowly eases into your company 

It takes a bit of time, but he’s started getting more confident around you 

You visit the dorm thinking Changbin’s there because he stole your favourite belt 

When Jeongin opens the door he’s all :D but when you ask where his hyung is he goes D: 

Tells you he’s not home but lets you in anyway 

No one else is home except for Jeongin and Chan 

So you sit in the living room with Innie 

You start talking about random things 

You end up talking about almost everything because it turns out that Changbin’s gone way longer than both of you thought 

Chan eventually emerges from his bedroom and waves at you 

He orders fried chicken for you guys 

You and Jeongin continue talking while eating 

Chan finds it super cute

Jeongin’s playful around you 

But he doesn’t want to make himself appear immature 

But you like when he’s being playful so you slowly ease him into being more comfortable 

He still just wants to impress you so you like him back 

Wait, when did he start liking you??? 

He realised it when you were over for a regular movie night 

You fell asleep in his lap 

Jeongin thought you were so cute 

When you wake up he asks you out 

You accept 

He cuddles you for the rest of the night and asks you to spend the night at the dorm

[startanewdream]

All the time with you

Lily was avoiding him.

Which would be nothing new to James except they were dating for two weeks now and she was his girlfriend - she had said yes when he’d asked her, twice, so James was sure if that - and James had thought everything was fine between them.

It seemed like that when he’d meet her for breakfast - she had kissed him softly on the lips, her eyes closed a second longer when they broke apart as if she was still savouring that kiss and she had beamed at him. They had gone together to Potions class, but then, in the middle of class, when her potion was brewing, she had withdrawn suddenly, edgy on her spot, and she had briefly talked with Professor Slugnorn before vanishing her potion and abandoning class.

That was it. She had left with barely a wave to him, just telling him she would see him later.

But she wasn’t in the Common Room in their next free period and she hadn’t showed up for lunch either. None of her friends seemed to know where she was, which meant James had to resort to search for her in the Marauder’s Map.

‘That’s a little bit stalker, don’t you think?’, Sirius asked, his eyebrows raised and a smirk on his face. He always thought it was amusing when James freaked out about Lily as if he could see something James was blind to.

‘I am worried’, James said, very reasonable. Lily was missing - maybe something had happened, maybe she was in the Hospital Wing, maybe she had met someone who was far more interesting than James and…

Well, maybe he was overreacting a little.

But finding Lily was easy - her dot was still on her bed, alone.

On the one place James couldn’t get to her.

‘Oh, Merlin. This is bad’.

‘What is bad?’ Sirius asked, coming to sit on James’ bed and following James’ trembling finger on the Map. ‘She is in her dormitory’.

‘I can’t go there - don’t you see what that means? She is avoiding me’.

Sirius blinked, not impressed.

‘I think she is avoiding everyone, Prongs’.

It could be, but not everyone was her very concerned boyfriend.

‘Probably she was just tired and took advantage of Slug’s love for her to drop out of the class’.

‘That’s it, Lily loves Potions. She wouldn’t leave class unless there was a reason’.

‘Tired, like I said. Aren’t you two overworking to finish that Christmas event?’

James nodded, hoping there wasn’t any guilt showing up on his face. Sure, the Christmas event was one of the things the Heads had to organize, but he and Lily were taking way longer that it was needed just because they had been too entertained with each other in the past two weeks - it turned out that the Prefect’s Room was empty if all Prefects were out in patrol rounds and it turned that James and Lily were responsible for defining those rounds.

All in all, they were taking weeks to do something that they could have finished in two nights - but it provided them a nice excuse to all these moments together.

‘Yeah, maybe’.

‘Just relax, Prongs’.

He wished he could, but Lily didn’t show up for Charms either - another of her favourite classes - so, under his friends’ amused looks, he went to talk to Mary McDonald, asking if she could ask Lily to meet him.

‘Sure, James’, she said, giving him a funny look. ‘But I think she just wants to be alone’.

‘Do you know what’s wrong?’, he asked, biting his lips. Alone, Mary had said. Alone sounded bad.

‘Oh, it’s just - you know what? I will talk to her and we’ll see’.

That sounded ominous too. He nodded, quiet.

There was another free period that afternoon after Double Charms. They stayed in the Common Room, and James was supposedly finishing an essay, but his head kept turning to the stairs to the girl’s dormitories.

‘You are going to break your neck, Prongs’, Remus noted when James turned once more after hearing steps on the stairs, but it was just two Second Year girls that had come down.

‘I am fine’, he said stiffly.

‘No, you are not’, Sirius disagreed, reaching over to grab the parchment James had been writing on. ‘You got back to doodling “L.E”’.

‘It’s short for Law of Elvendork’, James said. ‘The theory that says every object can be turned into another as long as the elements are proportionally observed during the transformation’.

‘You are making this up’.

‘I am making this up’, James conceded, ignoring Sirius’ look. ‘I am just - I wish there was some way of going upstairs -’

‘I know’, Sirius said, a grimace on his face. That was the only thing they had never managed to accomplish in their seven years at Hogwarts. ‘Maybe we can restart that project - did we try the Confundus Charm on the stairs?’

‘Fourth year’, Peter answered him, without raising his eyes from his essay.

‘How about our animagus form? If -’

‘First thing we did on Fifth Year’.

‘Polyjuice Potion?’

‘We tried to brew on Third Year’, now Peter glanced at Sirius, shaking his head. ‘I looked like Anne MacMillan for three days!’

‘Oh, well, she was pretty’.

‘I had half her body. The left part of her body. I had to hide it for three days!’

James almost smiled at the memory.

‘Half of you was pretty then’, he said to Peter, who rolled his eyes. Then James sighed. ‘Well, I can’t finish this essay today, so I will - Lily!’

He raised immediately, a hand grabbing his own hair nervously as Lily came down the stairs. Her face was pale and she smiled at him when she saw him, but there was something restrained on her smile.

James thought she looked like she was really uncomfortable with something.

‘Hi, guys’, she said, not meeting anyone’s eyes. ‘Can I talk to you, James?’

When he nodded, quiet and still, she raised her eyebrows a little bit. ‘Alone, I meant’.

‘Oh, sure’, he said, looking around for a quiet place, but Lily surprised him going in the direction of the boy’s dormitory. He glanced around, finding his friends equally surprised, and followed her upstairs.

Lily didn’t turn to him until they reached the top of the tower. There, she looked around the room - James was grateful that the house-elves had cleaned up their mess, because the room looked decent - before turning to him.

She wasn’t smiling. That didn’t look good.

James felt something pressing his chest, putting all pieces together in a puzzle he wasn’t sure he wanted to finish - Lily avoiding him, the grimace on her face, the way she was closing her eyes now and then as if to steel herself to do something and her request that they would talk alone, in a place no one could witness their break up -

‘Which one is your bed?’, she asked, stopping his reverie. James blinked, confused, and pointed to the nearest bed. Lily nodded. ‘Control your thoughts, okay?’, she said, sitting on his bed. ‘But lay here with me’.

There had been a considerable number of scenarios that James had imagined Lily on his bed, but on the verge of her breaking up with him was not one of them.

‘I think I prefer to stand up, Lily’, he said slowly.

‘We can’t do it with you like that’, Lily answered him as if it were obvious. ‘Just come here, please, James’.

He frowned, unsure, but he sat on the other side of his bed. Lily looked at him as if James was missing something very important, and when he didn’t move, she sighed.

‘Are you mad at me?’, she asked, sounding tired. ‘I am sorry I went away without -’

‘I thought you were mad with me!’, James interrupted her, shocked. She looked confused.

‘Why would I be mad at you?’

‘Because - yes? What else would you break up with me?’

‘Break up? Did you take that Essence of Insanity in class today?’

‘If you are not breaking up - why did you call me?’

‘Oh’, she blushed, the sweetest shade of pink colouring her face and James imagined he could feel the heat coming from her body. ‘I wanted to cuddle’.

‘... cuddle?’

‘Yeah, you know’, she put her legs on the bed and he saw she had taken out her shoes. Lily laid on the pillows next to him, her hand supporting her head. ‘Mary told me you were worried about me and I thought - instead of being miserable alone in bed, I could be here with you’.

‘You wanted to be miserable with me?’, he asked, but there was a shadow of a grin on his lips now. He took off his own shoes, lying in the bed too, and Lily nestled against his chest, closing her eyes.

‘It’s really hard to be miserable next to you’, she assured him, pressing herself more against him and inspiring heavily. ‘You smell so nice’.

With her lying so close to him, the scent of her shampoo so strong and intoxicating, James thought he could say the same about her.

But he just raised his hand to touch her hair, combing it softly, watching the strands of dark red hair. ‘Lily? Are you ok?’

‘I am, it’s just -’, she paused, unsure. ‘It’s cramps’.

‘Cramps?’, James repeated, confused, and then he opened his eyes. ‘Oooh’.

‘Yeah, sorry about oversharing’.

‘What? No, I - well, I want to know when you are not feeling well or - I mean - can I do anything to help?’

James tried to think of whatever he knew about female biology. His father had explained some things to him a few years ago and he understood the basics, but he hadn’t been paying attention very much if he was honest. Female body looked much more complicated than his.

‘You can keep hugging me’, she whispered and he pressed himself closer to her. 'Sorry about scaring you today. I just wanted to suffer alone'.

'Don't. I mean, I'd rather you don't suffer but - if you must - I am always available for some cuddling'.

She raised her head a little to place a kiss on his neck that gave him goosebumps all over his body.

'I will keep this is mind', she told him warmly. Then Lily sighed. ‘It’s been a while since I have this crisis… I usually take my potions the day before, but - well, I was a little bit distracted yesterday’.

She broke away just enough to wink at him and James suddenly remembered exactly what they had been doing last night on that empty Prefect’s Room - how he had pressed her against the door of the room, his mouth exploring her neck and any exposed skin there, how Lily had moaned softly and how that had driven him crazy -

‘James?’, she called him and he realized he must have drifted off in the memories, judging by how his body was reacting too quickly. He turned slightly, urging his mind to stop recollecting that moment. ‘Maybe now is not the moment?’, she added, a knowing smile on her lips.

‘Sorry’, he said, feeling his neck reddening. James forced himself to focus on the present. ‘I will help you remember next month’, he promised. ‘No distraction, Marauder’s honour’.

‘Maybe just a little distraction’, Lily said, winking at him again. He laughed softly, kissing her forehead, and she rested her head under his chin. ‘I will pay attention next month, don’t worry - I mean, you don’t need to know my cycle, James -’

‘Nonsense’, he said lightly. ‘I already know Remus’, what’s one more?’

She let out an amused laugh, the one that was James' favourite.

‘Well, wait until you experience my mood swings’.

‘PMS? Is that real?’

‘Very real’, she assured him. ‘I may need to hide again -’

‘I hope you don’t’, he whispered, massaging her neck now. ‘I meant it when I said I want to be there with you’.

‘I may get really stressed’, Lily warned him. ‘Like I may want to throw things - it’s better if you are not close’.

‘I have very good reflexes’.

‘Or I may get really sad and cry, and you’ll think it’s because of you, but it’s not’.

‘Then I will give you chocolate’, he promised. ‘Chocolate is the solution for everything’.

Another laugh; James smiled to himself, satisfied with her reaction. Discovering her reactions to him was really his favourite part of the last two weeks of dating her.

‘Well, you can’t go wrong with chocolate’, Lily agreed. ‘And this massage is really good too’.

‘Oh, I have magic fingers’, he teased. ‘I can show you’.

‘James…’

‘I meant a massage in the back, Lily’, he said innocently, and she chuckled once more, not believing him much. ‘Here’.

He sat more upright, helping Lily’s head on a pillow next to him, and started rubbing the base of her neck and then her shoulders, feeling the tension on her muscles and letting it guide him.

‘Hmmm’, she sighed. ‘That’s actually good’.

‘See? Magic fingers’. He kept rubbing her back, feeling her relaxing under his touch. He beamed - even after two weeks of them going out, there was still that disbelief in knowing Lily fancied him back and trusted him and wanted to be with him. ‘So, those mood swings - care to tell me beforehand?’

‘Oh, you’ll notice’, she said distractedly. ‘Two weeks from now probably’.

‘So - two weeks ago you were in one of them?’

‘I guess’.

‘Then our date and all that snogging later - just one mood change?’

‘Oh, it certainly changed my mood’, Lily said, turning her head in his direction and he was relieved to see her green eyes sparkling. ‘There were some hormones involved in kissing you, but I promise you none of them were fleeting’.

‘I’m glad to know’, he answered, grinning too. ‘Or else we would kiss just one week of the month’.

‘That would mean three miserable weeks’.

James laughed. Lily watched him, a smile on her lips that died when she closed her eyes, grimacing.

‘Are you in pain?’, he asked, worried.

‘It’ll pass, just some more minutes for the potion to take effect again’.

He laid down again, this time with her back for him, and Lily curled up against him. He put a hand under her head, careful to entwine his hands with hers.

‘You are so warm’, she whispered.

‘Is that bad?’

‘No, it’s good. I might nap though’.

‘You can - I’ll wake you up later for dinner’.

She sighed softly.

‘Thanks, James - I know this is not how you imagined us being in your bed’.

Her voice was heavier now with sleep, though he could hear her teasing. James let out a soft laugh, kissing the top of her head, and hugging her closer. Lily was quite warm for him too; there was something very cozy in being next to her like that, even if all they were doing was just cuddling together.

He thought of sharing nights with her where they would just do this - lay together, his arms around her, quiet and serene, and somehow those nights looked as appealing as the most creative nights he could dream of.

‘You are wrong, you know’, he whispered, but she didn’t move and James thought she had fallen asleep. ‘I want to be with you in every way’.

And he closed his eyes, letting her warmth and perfume lull him into a quiet sleep too.

[ronsonlywhore]

request for fluff number 14 "kiss me" 🥺 where draco and reader have been dating for a while but have never kissed and they keep trying to keep it private but always end up getting interrupted till draco just snaps (not in a bad way) and asks reader to kiss him pls pls pls pls pleaseeee😭😭

❛ 𝗹𝗼𝗻𝗴-𝗮𝘄𝗮𝗶𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝗺𝗼𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁. ❜ draco malfoy x reader

summary: will you ever be able to kiss draco without getting interrupted?

pairing: draco malfoy x fem!reader

prompt: fluff/ 14. “kiss me.”

a/n: soo this was my first request and i hope this is what you wanted! thank you so so so much for requesting, this was really cute to write! 

───── ⋆⋅☆⋅�� ─────

“this is what i snuck out of arithmancy for?” you ask, faking disappointment. draco’s face quickly goes from beaming smile to crestfallen frown as he turns to you and asks dejectedly, “what? don’t you like it?”

you stared at the picnic set-up again with faux distaste. in truth, you loved that draco had taken the time and energy to organize this for you; it made you feel special and loved, not to mention the fact that you “left to the hospital wing” just as professor vector was about to assign an essay due for next week. 

ever since you and draco had started dating, he always seemed to surprise you with one thing or another: your favorite sweets from honeydukes, sneaking in your dinner in the library when you got held up studying, and now this, a picnic for two.

and yet, after all that, draco couldn’t see that what you really wanted was a kiss.

sure, you guys had exchanged numerous pecks on the cheek, and draco had even left marks on your neck once, but he always seemed to stay away from your lips, and it bothered you, even though you knew he must have his reasons. draco was a bit of a germaphobe after all.

you turn to look at draco and see his sorrowful face. you decided that was enough teasing, and threw your arms around him, hugging him tightly. “of course i like it! i love it, thank you draco.” 

he reacted quickly to your hug, then let out a sigh of relief and declared, “good, because i spent a lot of time in the kitchens these past few weeks!”

“you cooked this?” you ask, disbelieving.

“oh, merlin, of course not! but i did oversee the house elves that did.”

“of course you did.” you laugh and sit down on the checkered blanket, licking your lips at all the food spread out. draco had made sure to bring all your favorite meals, and by the time you finished, you were stuffed to the brim and weren’t so sure you would even be able to take a step without surely exploding. 

“well, draco this was lovely, but i really must be going now, i have to go look for hermione and see if she’s feeling generous enough to lend me her notes. you should take your leave, too.” you say as you stand up and brush off the crumbs from your uniform. draco copies you and grumbles something about how you both should just skip your lessons that day. you giggle at that. “the thought is certainly enticing enough. see you later, draco.” 

you lean in and kiss his cheek, then collect your bag and start heading uphill to the castle, not making it far when suddenly you feel draco quickly pulling you back.

“wait, i have to...tell you something. well, not tell you something, more like do something, before i chicken out…” he says hesitantly. confused, you stand their expectantly, waiting for him to do the ‘something’ he so desperately needed to do. 

he starts to lean in, and your heart starts to race. is he going to kiss you? on the lips? like you very much wanted to? panicking, you grip your bag tighter, not knowing what to do with your hands. would it seem desperate if you just yanked him forward? would he like it if you ran your hands through his hair? maybe you should just grip his shirt instead? 

your brain is on overdrive, and suddenly his lips are right there, and your wondering when in the bloody hell he got so close, and he’s getting closer, and closer, and he’s really close now, so close you can feel his breath on your cheeks, and then his lips brush yours, and you’re thinking this is finally it, you’re going to kiss him, when —

“(Y/N) (L/N)!”

you groan as you pull away from draco, ready to yell at whoever interrupted, but stop short when you see professor vector stomping towards you, face bright red, expression showing one of fury. 

“‘i’m heading to the hospital wing, professor! i don’t feel so good, professor!’“ he mocks as he comes to a stop a few feet away from where you and draco are standing. 

“professor vector! i did go to the hospital wing but—” you lie.

he raises a hand and continues, still equally livid, “you and mr. malfoy here just couldn't wait until after my class to frolic about the grounds? i am sorry to say, miss (l/n), that your grades in my subject are not the best they can be, yet you still choose to deliberately skip my lessons to play tea party with mr. malfoy?” 

draco looks at you guiltily, then turns to professor vector, apologizing. “professor, i convinced her to skip your class, it’s not her fault.”

vector wheels toward draco, apparently not hearing his explanation, and saying, “and you, mr. malfoy! aren’t you supposed to be in transfiguration? i will inform professor mcgonagall of your actual whereabouts, and let me inform you, she is not as forgiving as i am! now, both of you will serve detention this saturday — yes, this saturday, as you will not be attending the hogsmeade trip!” 

“and miss (l/n), you have a free period now, is that correct?” professor vector asks you, but before you can respond, he continues, “yes, you do, so you will accompany me back to my classroom and write out the essay that is due next week, and i expect it by the end of this hour!”

he wheels around and marches back uphill. you look to draco, feeling sorry for how your picnic date ended, and go to give him a goodbye hug when professor vector screeches, “i want you in my classroom now, miss (l/n)!”

feeling mournful at not even being able to hug draco goodbye, you trudge after professor vector, and only when you reach the top of the small hill do you look back. draco’s still standing there, and when he notices you looking he gives a sad smile and wave, then blows you a kiss.

you sigh and continue after the professor. draco was going to kiss you, a real kiss. it might’ve been your imagination, but as you sat in vector’s classroom you could swear you still felt the ghost of draco’s lips brushing against yours. you shooed away the thought, and continued despairingly writing out the effects bridget wenlock’s discovery of the magical properties of the number seven brought to the wizarding world. 

☾ ⋆*･ﾟ:⋆*･ﾟ:⠀ *⋆.*:･ﾟ .: ⋆*･ﾟ: .⋆ 

“does your wrist hurt much, love?” draco asks tenderly. he’s gently rubbing it with his thumb, occasionally pressing soft kisses to it. 

you’re sitting on his lap in the library, in a small corner far away from the rest of the students cramming for tests, essays, or both. you gently remove your wrist from his hand and loop your arms around his neck. “draco, it’s fine. it doesn’t bother me anymore. but i appreciate your concern, darling.” and it was true. your wrist had been hurting throughout the day after professor vector made you write out that essay in under an hour, but the pain had subsided to a dull ache after dinner.

you kiss his nose affectionately and turn back to the book you’re reading on potions, but quickly get distracted when draco showers the back of your neck with quick kisses. you laugh and give your attention back to him. 

“i’m sorry for getting you in trouble today.” draco apologizes as he drags him thumb over your wrist once more.

“well, there is one way you can make it up to me…” you say slyly. 

he looks up at you and raises an eyebrow, waiting for your request. it’s now or never, you think as you slowly lean forward, just as draco had done earlier in the day. realizing what you’re trying to do, he stays still and looks into your eyes for a bit before gently closing them, awaiting your lips to touch his. just as before, your faces are getting nearer and nearer each other, and you desperately hope draco can’t feel or hear the hammering of your heart. this time your lips are touching for nearly a second, and you plan on making it more, but then —

“draco! there you are, i’ve been looking all over for you, mate!”

this time it’s draco that groans as you pull away, sighing. blaise zabini is heading over to your table, a giant grin on his face.

“did you hear the news? ravenclaw lost their match against gryffindor, so now all we have to do is beat hufflepuff and we’re in the running for the quidditch cup and...did i interrupt something?” blaise pauses a bit before continuing with, “never mind, you've probably been with her all day. listen, we need to go over strategies and—” 

“NO! NO! NO!” draco shouts as he shoots up from his chair, knocking you off his lap and leaving you stumbling around. madam pince shoots him a warning look, and draco whispers vehemently, “listen, blasie, that’s great news, but right now i would like to be alone with (y/n), we have very important matters to attend to.”

“matters like what? snogging?” blaise sniggers.

“yes, actually! i would like to be able to kiss my girlfriend at least once before the day ends, or else i’ll probably never work up the nerve to again! now, if you’ll excuse us...let’s go, (y/n)!” draco angrily hisses as he grabs your arm and drags you out of the library and down the corridor.

“draco, where are we going?” you ask, slightly amused, before draco abruptly stops, turns around, waits patiently. you arch an eyebrow, holding in your laughter.

“well, what are you waiting for? kiss me.” he says frivolously, crossing his arms and looking like a pouting child. not needing to be told twice, you rush forward and place your lips on his, and you're kissing him, and it’s wonderful.

you need to breathe, and you’re sure he needs to breathe, but neither of you want to pull away, and so you keep kissing. at least if you die of suffocation, you’ll be able to proudly say you went out kissing draco malfoy.

“are either of you going to come up for air, or will i have to explain to the headmaster how i found you both dead in the middle of the corridor?”

you and draco pull away, and you didn’t realize how much you hadn’t gone without breathing until you’re sucking in big gulps of air. you look at draco, and he has the biggest grin on his face, and his lips are pink and a little bit swollen, and you wonder if your lips look like his, and smile at the thought.

“have you been there the whole time, blaise?” draco asks, trying to frown but failing.

blaise seems to go deep in through, muttering, “let’s see, have i been here the whole time? well, i followed you out of the library and watched you drag (y/n) down the corridor, blah blah blah, ‘where are we going, draco?’, blah blah blah, draco stops, ‘kiss me’, blah blah blah…” he pulls out of his train of thought. “yes, i suppose i have been here the whole time.” he says sarcastically, “now come on! you snogged (y/n), hurray, but we must really be going over the strategies if we want to beat hufflepuff!”

blaise grabs draco’s arm and starts dragging him away, but before they turn the corner, draco stops and states giddily, “you’re an excellent kisser, (y/n)! hope we can do it again sometime soon!”

you laugh and say, to no one in particular, “i’m counting on it.”

[lottiebagley]

Every lie you ever told- Draco Malfoy

She can't help the grin that sits on her lips as she strolls through the library.

She had entered the room in a foul mood, after a long day and detention with professor Snape she hadn't been in the mood to spend her evening alone working in the library, but her friends had been too busy to accompany her and she really needed to finish the essay she had due in tomorrow.

She would have normally asked Draco. He was the best boyfriend she could ask for. Completely doting on her, anything she ever wanted he was right there with it. He loved her for exactly who she was and she felt the same way. She would do anything for the boy.  They had gotten together almost a year prior, having met at a party in the Malfoy manor. She was the year below him so despite knowing of each other and sharing a common room they had never spoken until then.

She hadn't had a chance to find him to ask him to join her and it was pure luck that he was say with Zabini, Crabbe and Goyle. She got on well with his friends and knew they wouldn't mind her joining to do her essay. She also knew afterwards Draco would probably take her hand and pull her into a broom closet, complaining she had distracted him whilst he studied with a smirk on his face.

She approaches the table from behind, having recognised the group of fifth year slytherins from behind and was preparing to wrap her arms around her boyfriend and press a loving kiss to his cheek when she heard it.

"Draco, you have to tell her. It will be so much worse if she finds out from anyone else," Blaise was urging. She could feel it in her gut. They were talking about her.

"That won't happen. I've covered my tracks, she'll never know, it's for her own good," Draco states, his tone cold. She knows she shouldn't be listening but she can't bare to walk away now.

"There's no way Parkinson won't tell her, not now she knows," Blaise pesters. So Pansy was a part of this. That made the girls blood burn.

Pansy Parkinson was a sore spot in the couples relationship. She had consistently been rude and hurtful towards the girl at the beginning of her relationship with Draco. The girl has spoken to her boyfriend about it after he found her crying, assured her that Pansy was nothing to him. He shot down the rumour he has dated the Parkinson witch. They had slept together that night, it was the girls first time and Draco had been perfect. It was when she realised she was in love with her  boyfriend, not that she told him until two months after.

"She will believe me over Parkinson," Draco shrugs

"Weird considering your relationship is built on lies," Blaise laughs. She isn't sure how to react. She can feel tears prickling her eyes as she watches her boyfriend threaten his friend, she has never been anything but honest with Draco . Had he really lied to her?

**

"There you are, I've been missing you," he grins as he drops onto the seat in front of his girlfriend, pressing a kiss to her cheek before leaning back in the arm chair. The common room is empty other than them.

"Here I am," she shrugs, not even looking up from the book she's reading. The truth is she's been avoiding him for the past two weeks, not sure how to bring up what she knows. Not sure is she wants to.

"You didn't miss me too," he pouts, eyebrows furrowing in confusion when she shrugs as response. Normally she would giggle and assure him she did, climbing into his lap and whispering to him about her day as he presses kissed to her neck making her blush. Then again normally she wouldn't let days pass without them seeing each other. "Where've you been anyway? You've been MIA for days," he questions

"I've been around. Busy," she shrugs. He can't help the jealous feeling in the pit of his stomach. Who had she been with? He has found her friends to ask where she was multiple times. Scoured the whole castle and been unable to find the girl he adored.

"Why are you being like this?" He questions. They never fight and it felt wrong to use his cold tone with her and yet here he was. She groans, folding the page of her book and placing it down on the side  table next to her armchair.

"Like what?" She questions, he scoffs at that

"You're pulling away, all distant and standoffish," he accuses

"I haven't-"

"Don't insult both our intelligence by denying it," he speaks through gritted teeth.

"Fine. I heard you in the library two weeks ago. Blaise said our relationship was built on lies. What did that mean?" She questions. He looks startled. Like a deer in the headlight. Like a man caught red handed.

"It meant nothing, Zabini is stupid," Draco tests and there's another lie

"Draco tell me the truth,"

"About what?" He questions. She stands up now

"Everything! How much do you lie to me to not know what bit of truth I want?" She demands, pacing now. He groans, throwing his head back

"Fine. I will tell you. But you can't over react," he decides to ignore the scoff she lets out.

"When we first met I was using you," he admits. She could feel her heart breaking. She had always found Draco attractive, and from the moment they spoke she could feel herself falling.

"I had no interest in you. I wanted to make Parkinson jealous so I used you," he continues. "That doesn't change how I feel for you now, I'm so in love with you it's the scariest thing in the world,"

"For how long?"

"Four months," he admits. She feels like her whole world stops.

"Draco, we slept together when we had only been together for three. You slept with me to make Pansy jealous?" She can feel the tears pouring from her eyes. She had been in love and he had been using her. His heart breaks at the sight, breaks at how she flinches away when he moves to comfort her.

"I took it too far, I know I did, I just-"

"Draco I gave you my virginity! You knew that! It meant something to me and you knew that too! I realised I was in love with you that night!" She shouts. His heart breaks. He has fallen for her so hard that Pansy truly never received a second thought anymore but how could he ever make her believe that now.

"Angel, I love you so much, it just took me a bit longer,"

"Everything about us is a lie!"

"No, no, how I feel about you. Everything I've said to you. None of it is a lie!"

"How can I ever believe you?" She questions, it's quiet, he can tell that she wants to believe him but knows how much it would destroy her.

"I don't know," he admits, his heart is broken now "please, just forgive me and put all of this behind us,"

"How can I forgive you? I don't even know what is true anymore,"

"I'll do anything,"

"Write me a list. Write me a list of every lie you ever told me and I'll decide if I can forgive you," she states before turning on her heel and fleeing to her room, sobbing to her best friend.

**

"Leave her alone Draco," the voice is sharp in his ear. Her best friend had been overly protective over this past 48 hours, not letting Draco anywhere near the girl he believed to be the love of his life.

She looks dishevelled as she sits at breakfast, her friends comforting her. Her hair is messy and her eyes have deep and dark bags under them like she hasn't slept. Her face blotchy from crying. He knows he looks equally broken.

"Just give me a minute, please?" He asks her best friend, he's nervous, knows she doesn't deserve this. Knows he will never be worthy of her and never was.

"No,"

"It's fine," the girl croaks looking up to her boyfriend. Ex-boyfriend? She's not really sure where they stand anymore.

"Are you okay?" Draco asks as he pushes past her friend to sit next to her on the bench, wanting so badly to touch her, hold her too him but he's too scared to try. Too scared to be shot down.

She shrugs, desperate for him to hold her and makes this all go away but too awkward to ask him too.

"Are you?" She questions

"No. It's my own fault though," he admits "I wrote it. The list I mean," he continues, pulling the envelope from  his pocket. "It's every lie I ever told you. I'm truly sorry," he finishes placing the letter in her hand before standing up and walking away.

**

She doesn't open it until two days later, too scared to see what it says. To have any more precious memories crash and burn around her.

She pulls the envelope open, heart beating out of her chest as she sits on her bed in the empty dorm.

Darling, This is a list of every lie I ever told. Know I regret them all. 1) I never dated Pansy (I did for seven months) 2) that I was originally interested in you (you know that one though) 3) that I wasn't jealous when Zabini kissed your cheek that one time ( I punched him for it) 4) that I hadn't thought of another girl in months when we first slept together (I can't believe I ever stooped so low. I regret it with every fibre of my being. I first realised my feelings for you were becoming genuine that night)

The list goes on, three whole pieces of parchment but by the time she's over the initial bad ones they're almost sweet. That it didn't hurt when she accidentally slapped him. That he hadn't had a nightmare. That he hadn't been utterly distracted by how beautiful she is and accidentally zoned out when she was talking a thousand times. That he wasn't nervous when he met her family for the first time. That he wasn't scared she was going to leave him when she met his.

When she gets to the end she's in tears, every lie he told since the bad ones had been sweet, had been to make her happy. It's then that she realises something, he loved her as much as she loved him he just started a little later.

She knows it'll be hard to work through it but she also knows that for him it's worth it. He lied to her time and time again, but for the most part his lies had been to protect her or to make her happy.

She can't stop her feet moving on their own accord as she jogs down the stairs, pushing through the crowds in the corridor as she approaches the great hall knowing he will be there.

She sees him in the corridor outside the hall, looking as heartbroken as the last time she saw him. Surrounded by his friends. She approaches them and grabs his hand spinning him around.

His eyes widen at the sight of her.

"Draco Malfoy, look me in the eye and tell me honestly. Are you in love with me?" She demands.

"I am. I am completely and utterly in love with you," he admits, slightly confused. She grins before wrapping her arms round his neck and pulling him down, pressing her lips to his in a heated kiss.

He seems shocked but kisses back, pulling her as close as physically possible, taking in everything about her, scared it'll be the last time. They pull apart, panting lightly.

"No more lies," she whispers

"Never again," he grins as she presses her lips to his in a peck. "I don't deserve you," he whispers

"Any boy prepared to go through what you went through to make me happy deserves me Dray,"  she whispers. He shakes his head at this opening his mouth to protest but she's quick to press her lips to his to stop him.

"You wanna get dinner?" She questions

"Of course," he smiles back, arm wrapping around her waist

"And after we can head to your dorm and make up for lost time," she grins and giggles at his smirk

"Oh we will be doing plenty of that," he can't help the grin as he squeezes her tighter to him. How did he ever get so lucky?

**

Masterlist

[letarasstuff]

Panic, Love and Take Out

Summary: Midterms are hard on all of us, even on a genuis’ daughter

Warnings: Angst, but it’s a fluffy end, I promise 🥺, panic attack, mentions of school (lets admit, we all got  trauma from school), stress, language (I think there’s one swear word?)

Word count: 1.6k

✨Masterlist✨

_______________________________-

“When you get home, you do your calculus homework first. Then you write this essay for history. After that you have to solve the problems from your chemistry class. Wait. It would be better if I do it after calculus”, (Y/N) talks to herself on her way home.

Midterms are around the door and the teachers think giving their students 30 hours worth of homework is the best way to help them study. Sadly they don’t see that it gives them nothing but stress pimples.

“I’m home!” she calls into the apartment while hanging up her coat. Like it occurs in 90% of all cases the teenager is greeted with silence. Her father has yet to come home.

After a little snack (a granola bar and an apple from the kitchen counter) she goes up into her room starting on her homework.

It’s not like all the things she does are due tomorrow or anytime soon. (Y/N) likes to get a head start on her work. So time won’t come and bite her in the end, because she procrastinated too much.

Though this attitude is something everyone envies her for, the downsides of it are just straight up destructive.

Since the amount of assignments doesn’t seem to shrink (Y/N) is constantly worrying about it. She can’t help it. It keeps her awake at night to know what she has to do and it bugs her that she lays awake and does nothing to help the situation.

“One down, only two left”, she mutters, putting her folder for calc away. It’s nearing dinner time, but (Y/N) doesn’t even dream about taking a break.

In her hyper focused state she doesn’t notice three important things:

1. The ever increasing clicking of her ball point pen

2. Her faster shaking leg

3. The front door opening and closing

“Honey, I’m home!” Spencer shouts. The absence of an answer makes his eyebrows furrow. His daughter should be home by now. Her shoes and jacket are neatly on the rack, indicating she must be there. Whenever he announces his arrival she is there to greet him.

“Hey honey, what are you doing there?” he asks, entering her room. The doctor stands in the doorway to take the picture in:

(Y/N) is bent over several notebooks. Textbooks litter the floor and an empty mug stands out between dozens of colored pens on her desk.

“Hi dad. Just getting some homework done. How was work?” She tries to make small talk, but it’s obvious that her focus lays elsewhere.

“It was fine, just a paper work day. When did you take a break? I was thinking about ordering dinner tonight. We could try this new chinese place Morgan recommended. We also can catch up on the newest episodes of Doctor Who. How does that sound?”

“Sounds good, but I have to get this done. Maybe I can join you later” (Y/N) excuses herself.

“Are you sure? It won’t hurt you to take a little time off. Actually your brain needs breaks between every 30 and 90 minutes in between study sessions. So I advise you to take one in order to avoid frustration because of exhaustion”, Spencer tries to convince her.

But the problem is that (Y/N) is her father’s daughter and can be as stubborn and ambitious as he is.

“I know that, dad. I promise it won’t take any longer until I’m finished. Just go ahead and order and begin watching.”

Defeated, the profiler leaves her room. He knows there is nothing he can do for now except for waiting. (Y/N) needs to come to him on her own.

But if she is honest with herself, she isn’t anywhere near being done. Her chemistry work takes longer than originally thought and her whole schedule is in delay. This only adds up on her already high amount of stress. The coffee she drank earlier to stay alert and awake doesn’t help the situation either.

What feels like only minutes later, which is actually half an hour, Spencer reappears in her doorway with a box of take out in his hands.

“Hey (Y/N), the food is here. Do you wanna join me on the sofa?” He asks gingerly. As her father he knows that it won’t take much now to make her explode. But this is exactly what happens.

“No dad, I don’t want to join you. Can’t you see that I’m busy? Not everybody has an IQ of 187 and just needs to read something once and can recite it like a damn robot. Now can you leave me alone for god’s sake?!”

Throughout her angry rant (Y/N) looks at her father with rueful eyes. He always knows that her outbursts, which are extremely rare for a teenager, are never meant to hurt him. It’s just the stress getting to her.

“Ok, honey. Just keep in mind where you can find me. I Love you and don’t overwork yourself.” He quickly closes the door. Spencer stood eye to eye with the worst scum on the planet, but his angry teenage daughter never fails to scare him at least a bit. So he tries to give her all the room she needs to get a clear head again.

(Y/N) on the other hand can’t feel any worse. Not only is she super antsy and stressed, now she also feels bad going off on her dad just like this. She knows he only wants to help her and she really is grateful for that, but in situations like this it’s difficult for her to keep her calm.

As the girl continues to write her essay, she realizes her father is right. Of course she is, she herself knows all the facts and stats there are about studying. Still she chooses to ignore them until it’s too late.

The longer she tries to form coherent sentences the trickier it gets. Which only frustrates her further, which only stresses her more.

“I’m so useless. I can’t even write about a subject I’m really interested in. I’m so dumb, god it hurts,” (Y/N) mumbles to herself. She can’t stop her train of thoughts from getting darker, all the stress now catching up to her mind.

In her state she loses the grip on her pen, letting it fall on the paper and splattering little droplets of ink. Her breath begins to get uneven, unfortunately a familiar feeling for (Y/N). At least she knows what to do.

The girl scrambles into the living room, where Spencer sits on the sofa like he told her earlier.

With shaking legs and a panic filled mind she looks at him, her eyes wide open. “D-dad. I-i-i” she doesn’t need to elaborate further. Not that she would be able to.

Sadly Spencer is experienced with the situation. He is quick to put her down in a chair, pressing her head between her legs. He draws with one hand circles on her back, the other is clenched in hers.

“Shh, (Y/N). Breath we me. We go in for six seconds, hold it for seven and let it go for eight. We can do it together” the doctor instructs her.

They do it until (Y/N)’s breathing is back under her control. She straightens her back again, still holding her dad’s hand in a deadbolt grip.

“I’m so-”

“No, there’s nothing to apologize for. What about we eat dinner and after that we do something repetitive. You really like doing these friendship bracelets, don’t you? I thought about it when I was shopping a few days ago and bought thread. Maybe you can teach me?”

At that his daughter begins to smile agreeing to the plan.

Not long after this, the small family sits next to each other. Old reruns of Doctor Who play in the background. Under softly told instructions Spencer ties his first bracelet. He knows that it is something little children do, but the repetitive pattern of movements help (Y/N) to calm fully down before she crashes down in exhaustion.

Like said before, it wasn’t her first panic attack. But she gets better.

“You know, you can always talk to me. I know school is stressing you out right now. But never forget, that your health, physically and mentally, is more important than any number on a piece of paper. And I will love you forever, nothing will ever change that”, he says after a time of silence. (Y/N) sighs.

“I know. It’s just, I want to do good. I want you to be proud of me”, she confesses. It’s hard for her to open up, but now seems like the perfect moment.

“I’m already proud of you. Hell, you could paint a pile of poop golden and I would be the proudest parent out there. Your accomplishments don’t define you as a human. They don’t determine your worth or are an indicator of your skills and knowledge. I love you, no matter what you do. I will always support you. I just want you to be happy and healthy.”

“Thanks dad. I love you too. Even though you are sometimes a real pain with your ‘know it better’ attitude”, she jokes and puts her head on her father’s shoulder. He slings his arm around her shoulders, making her snuggle into him further.

So the father and daughter sit there blissfully, basking in each other’s presence.

[manunelle]

High School AU! {Ikesen/Scenario}

I finally finished an essay about brazilian portuguese phonology, so I decided to reward myself by writing cute stuff SHUDHUSHSUDAHS I’ve thought about this scenario ever  since I started playing Ikesen (back in 2017, good lord), but I never had the time to write them. 

I am thinking really hard if I should turn these into a fanfic or not. Depends on how much time I have to write :( 

WARNINGS: Inappropriate language, bullying, violence (?MC kicks asses in this scenario lol).

MC moves from her hometown after her parents’ death, and starts to live all by herself. She enters the new school as a sophomore, and has some trouble making friends because she is seen as delinquent by other students. lol. She’s kind of cold towards girls and is always seen shouting at boys (because they are always assholes to her), so everybody kind of knows not to mess with her. She spends lunchtime all alone either on the school rooftop or at the library, and, even though she denies it, she feels lonely. 

One day, when she’s on her way to the library, she sees a gray-haired boy getting bullied by some jackass. She kind of saves him by hitting the bully’s head against a locker and knocking him out and drags the poor thing to a safer place (aka the rooftop).

The boy thanks her and introduces himself as Ishida Mitsunari, a freshman. She’s like “whatever dude” and goes back to her alone time.

 After that, things start to get weird. And MC kind of gets annoyed by Mitsunari’s friends.

 Hideyoshi, a senior, misunderstands the whole situation and thinks that MC was the one who tried to bully his precious kouhai-kun. He goes after MC and tries to scold her, but she just puts her headphones on and ignores him,enraging him more. Big bro tries to touch her shoulder to get her attention back on the discussion, only to be flipped over on his back by an angered MC. 

boi. he is so mad.

 However, Mitsunari stops the whole argument and fixes the misunderstanding and Hideyoshi feels embarrassed for being such an ass. He tries to apologize but MC has already left. 

 She also meets Ieyasu and Masamune. Ieyasu, a freshman, is always hiding (from his lovely friends lol) at the library, and he and MC have a passive-aggressive relationship because once they wanted to rent the same book (btw, MC won this fight). Masamune, a junior, is also constantly at the library, but only to drag his friend out of there (Poor yasu). He’s always hitting on MC, but, since he hasn’t exceeded the limit of her patience, she hasn’t kicked his ass yet. Yet. 

One week after the “kick Hideyoshi’s ass” incident, she meets Ranmaru by bumping into him and preventing him from falling on his face. Just like an otoge hero lol. Ranmaru tries so hard to be her friend that it’s almost ridiculous. By coincidence, perhaps, he and Mitsunari are in the same class, so now MC has two baby boys trying to blind her with their brightness. They are so precious that she just can’t be rude to them, but she’s not exactly their friend. She just prevents them from tumbling around the school and from getting their asses beat up by the other (assholes) students.

 One day, when she’s leaving the school building, Ranmaru and Mitsunari are trying to convince her to go to the karaoke with them and their friends, but she’s like “No. I have things to do, bye.”. Then, they end up meeting with Hideyoshi, Masamune, Ieyasu and two other boys that she can’t recognize. 

She tries to pass through them, but is stopped by Hideyoshi, who tries to apologize again. She rolls her eyes and says that she has already forgotten about the whole issue and just wants to get home. Then one of the boys, the black-haired gorgeous one, approaches and looks at her with interest, a wicked smile on his face. He takes her chin between his fingers, not caring about his friends eyes upon them, and invites her to karaoke and maybe later to a more secluded place, just the two of them…

She kicks him on the balls. All the boys wince.

 Hideyoshi tries to pick a fight with her. “How dare you do that to Nobunaga-san!” The awaited “Hideyoshi vs MC pt.2” happens and ends with the brown-haired boy passed out on the floor. 

 A silver-haired boy and Masamune are almost vomiting from laughing so hard, and MC just stares at them like the piece of shit they are. The black-haired boy, Nobunaga, is still on the floor, clutching his crotch with shaking hands and pained tears pricking on the corner of his eyes. Ieyasu has his mouth hanging open, staring at MC with wide eyes. Mitsunari is confused, and Ranmaru is awaiting her next move with anticipation. She sighs and leaves school grounds, swearing that one of these days she really is going to become a murderer.

 She gets home in one piece, and is greeted by a message from her neighbour, Sasuke, who saw her arrival through the window. He is probably one of the only people that she can have a conversation without aging 10 years due to annoyance. Unfortunately, he studies in a school across the city, so she doesn’t really have a lot of chances to talk to him besides messages.

 Sasuke shares a rent-house with four other guys that she has yet to meet, and he says that they are good friends. He is always inviting MC to hang out with them, but she always refuses the offer. Most of the time, it’s because she’s way too tired to stay up late to watch “Kenshin-san” beating some random dude, but she also is afraid of not fitting in. My girl has some issues. :( 

This day had been more tiresome than the others, so she goes to sleep earlier than usual. She wakes up with a lot of messages from Sasuke asking if she’s okay, a lot of messages from Ranmaru and Mitsunari asking if she wanna meet before school (how they got her number is still a mystery)and, surprisingly, she has been added to a groupchat called “Azuchi gang”.

 No.

 She leaves the group. Mitsuhide adds her back. 

Nooooooooooooooooooooo.

 She spends the next three weeks trying to hide from the seven boys, who, for some reason, start to follow her everywhere. Everywhere. On the rooftop, behind the library bookshelves, between the outside bushes, and for Christ's sake she swears that she has seen Masamune and Mitsuhide smirking at her through the glassdoor of her classroom.

 She just wants peace. :)

 One day, Ranmaru drags her to have lunch with them and she kind of just accepts her destiny, too tired to fight. Then, one day turned into another, and another, and she started to have lunch with them everyday, getting to know them better. However, in no way she is their friend. She doesn’t really consider them friends, but they think the contrary. 

For some reason, boys stop harassing her, one day appearing all beaten at school. She looks at them with an arched eyebrow, not noticing her acquaintances (as she likes to call the group) glaring at the boys behind her back.

 Ironically, girls start to treat her worse, insulting her behind her back but loud enough for her to hear and hiding/stealing her stuff. She soon realizes that it’s because they are jealous of the group’s affection, so, to stop the new and annoying behavior of her bitch classmates, she stops hanging out with them, ignoring them at school and also their messages. 

Unaccustomed with loneliness after weeks of hanging out with the boys, she ends up accepting Sasuke’s offer of hanging out. She goes to his house and she meets his friends, soon discovering that her headache will only turn worse. 

Yukimura is an annoying shit. Shingen is a flirting shit. Kenshin is a killer shit. Yoshimoto is a fashion shit. Wait, fashion. Oh, wow. She kind of gets along with Yoshimoto, engaging in conversation about clothes and art. 

Kenshin doesn’t like her until he discovers that she can kick ass. He loves her now.

 She soon learns to recognize Shingen’s flirting lines as a way of being funny (despite failing miserably lol), reminding her a bit of Masamune and Nobunaga. 

Yukimura is still an annoying shit. Just kidding dhuhduhdsuhsa They have an “I’ll annoy you until you start crying but if someone else do it i’ll kick their ass” relationship. It’s really precious.

They have their own groupchat, btw

Despite having new friends and hanging out with them after school, she still misses the other guys and feels bet about ignoring them. However, her things are still going missing and she can’t just point fingers and beat the shit of an annoying brat (despite wanting to). So she continues to ignore their existences. 

Unfortunately, one day her backpack ends up in the school’s pool, and Mitsuhide finds out about the whole missing objects and bullying stuff. Despite wanting to tease her as a way to take out his anger on MC, he knows that she is sad and trying really hard not to cry, so he just hugs her. This way, she can cry without anyone seeing, right? ;) 

The missing objects reappear on her locker, and she tries to pretend to be surprised. She doesn’t do a good job. She starts hanging out with the group again, and this time she recognizes them as her friends.

 It’s almost weird how she has changed from “how should I kill you” to “heeeey, Hideyoshi-san, let’s go to that crepe stall after class”.

 Hideyoshi thinks she’s cute, just like a little sister, and protects her behind the curtains.

 She and Masamune are bffs, always playing around and annoying the shit out of Ieyasu, who tries to hide the fact that he thinks she’s a lot cuter now that she smiles all the time than before. 

Mitsunari is her adopted son, thank you very much. If you try to mess with him, she might throw you off the building’s last level. 

Mitsuhide is always teasing her, but is always careful to not go too far. Students once saw the two entering a shady alley, and due to their reputations, could only imagine the dirty things they were doing there. Excuse you, how dare you call feeding cats dirty? 

Nobunaga thinks she’s hot. She also thinks she’s hot. They once kissed, but they decided that they are better as friends. 

Ranmaru kind of has a crush on her, but is afraid of ruining their friendship by confessing it. He also knows about her and Nobunaga, but doesn’t know that they are far from a relationship. Poor thing. :( 

She continues to hang with the Echigo squad, of course.

 MC and Yoshimoto are bffs. They always go shopping together and share their opinions on each other's clothes. She vented about the Nobunaga kiss situation to him, and he gave a lot of advice and hugs. He’s such a good friend, omg.

 Once, she went to watch Kenshin’s martial arts tournament, cheering on him the whole time. He tried so hard not to smile when he heard her shouts. After he won the golden medal, the whole gang went out for ice cream to celebrate the victory.

 Shingen knows about the Nobunaga kiss situation, and makes sure that she knows how hard he disapproves of it. Sometimes she thinks that she has two overprotective older brothers, Hideyoshi and Shingen.

 She hangs out with Yuki and Sasuke some nights. She goes to their house and they lay on the couch, watching whatever is going on on the tv and talking about anything. Yuki lays his head on her lap and his legs on Sasuke’s lap, so it’s a little hard to leave. Once, Kenshin got home from practice and saw the three passed out on the couch. Their expressions were so cute that he couldn’t resist from taking some pictures and sharing them on their groupchat. 

The thing is: both groups don’t know about the existence of the other. lol

 Echigo’s gang knows that she has friends at school, but they don’t think she’s as close to them as she is to them. 

Azuchi’s gang have their offers of hanging out at night often refused by her, but they just think that she is too tired or has strict parents on her neck. Once, Ranmaru and Hideyoshi saw she hanging out with Yuki and Sasuke and got jealous mad, but, despite trying to follow them, they lost their track (thanks to Sasuke, who thought they were trying to pick a fight adshsuhdsauhdsa). 

They didn’t ask about the boys, afraid of making her uncomfortable. However, they did share the news with the rest of the group. Overprotective friends on. 

One Saturday night, she goes to the karaoke with Echigo’s gang. She’s having a great time, watching Yukimura and Sasuke singing shoujo anime songs with high pitched-voices while talking about school stuff with Yoshimoto and Kenshin (Shingen’s flirting with the waitress), until she sees her other group of friends entering the place. She waves at them, smiling, and the groups look at each other with surprise and rage.

 Fortunately, it turns out that they know each other. Unfortunately, it turns out that they hate each other. 

“MCCCCCC, you have been ditching us to hang out with...with...with these savages?!” Hideyoshi cried, grabbing her by the shoulders and shaking her in a desperate attempt of putting some reason on her mind. 

“Um, excuse me.” Yoshimoto intervenes, snatching her out of his hands. Kenshin also gets mad and they all start fighting and talking at the same time. 

MC goes back home. 

Her headache got worse after that night.