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plant-flwrs · 3 years ago

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Heyy!! I wish you would write a fic where Fred is lowkey really into Shakespear and Romeo and Juliet and tries to woo the reader cs she’s muggleborn? Idk but it would be so cute!! 🥺

romeo and juliet // fred weasley

masterlist!

summary: Fred reads Romeo and Juliet and can’t help but fall in love

a/n: schools out, so hopefully that means more time for writing! thanks for the request anon i thought it was adorable, hope you like it!!

(2.5k)

At first, it was a secret. Fred had no intention of actually enjoying it. He had simply accepted the book Professor Lupin had lent him, thumbed through it, and stayed up all night to read it by accident.

Maybe it was because Lupin had seen the way Fred looked at you across the class, separated by hidden bloodlines and upbringings. You, with your muggle pens that you smuggled in. You, with your muggle records you used an entire bag to carry onto the train. You, with your muggle magazines that spread through the common room like wildfire. You, with those weird little things called cigarettes that you sold in your third year to the older students. You, with the way the older pureblood witches would sit and ask you to do their hair for them because only you could do all the newest muggle styles. You, with your reluctance to Quidditch but your love for soccer.

Fred was gone, absolutely gone for you. He was even more behind than usual in class because he couldn't help but find you with his eyes, no matter the room you were in or the distance between you both. Remus Lupin, the secret romantic, asked Fred to stay after class.

"Mr. Weasley," Professor Lupin called, feet kicked up on his desk while he levitated a novel wandlessly in front of him. A half-eaten apple rested on a napkin beside a chocolate wrapper and Fred was forced to remember the breakfast he had barely eaten, choosing to instead pretend he hadn't noticed the fact you had only sat a few seats away.

Fred stood in front of Lupin's desk, waiting as the room emptied out and George shot him a wink from the doorway.

"Yes, Professor?" Fred rocked on his feet, hands stuffed in the pockets of his robe. He tried not to wonder if you had noticed that he had been called behind, or if you had noticed him at all. He vaguely registered that this might what his brother would call 'pathetic'.

"You never turned in that essay on wandless defenses," Lupin said slowly, the book moving to rest on his desk as he moved his feet to the ground.

Fred was quiet, biting the inside of his cheek as he couldn't seem to recall the last time a teacher had bothered to talk to him about his assignments instead of deeming him a 'lost cause' or a student who 'simply wouldn't apply themselves'.

Professor Lupin sighed, moving again to stand. Fred thought he caught a flash of pain on the professor's face, perhaps a wince as he stood, but the moment was gone before Lupin was giving Fred a calculating and sympathetic glance.

"Do you need an extension?" Remus offered, leaning his hip against the desk and inclining his head to show Fred the importance of this offering.

"I'd appreciate that, Professor," Fred admitted.

They were silent again, Remus still looking at Fred like he was something to figure out. Remus shifted, eyes dropped to his desk and lips lifting.

"What's got you so preoccupied?"

Fred was blushing before he could think of a lie, and then he realized he didn't want to lie. He hadn't even told George about his crush on you- no doubt it was obvious. Fred had had flings and crushes on loads of girls, all fun and easy, but this felt heavier. He didn't want to have a fling with you.

"I guess-" Fred sighed, removing his hands from his robes and wiping them on his trousers, "I've just been distracted recently. A lot on my mind."

"Ah," Remus smiled fondly, nodding slowly.

A book began to move from a pile in the corner, elegantly and easily avoiding the tall stacks of clutter and various lumps of papers to levitate to Fred. Fred reached out for it, moving it in his hand to read the cover. Romeo and Juliet.

"I'll make you a deal, Fred," Professor Lupin said, his voice sounding so mischievous that Fred was surprised he hadn't become ten years younger right in front of him. "You can either write the essay on wandless defenses, or you can read that and write an essay on 'Romeo and Juliet'."

Fred thumbed through the book, eyebrows furrowed. He had never liked reading, most of the books at the Burrow belonged to Bill, Percy, or his father. He was pretty sure that George would find Fred reading Shakespeare to be just as funny as the time they released Cornish Pixies in the Slytherin changing rooms.

"Yeah, alright."

Fred managed to eat dinner that night, with you safely at the opposite end of the table. The curtains to his fourposter had been closed for hours and the light from his wand had been steadily bright for just as long. He had gone from laying on his back, head propped up beneath his arms, to resting his back against the headboard, to sitting upright in the center of his bed, head propped on his fist, to laying on his stomach, to laying on his back again with his head at the foot of his bed, and soon enough, the sun was flooding through a crack in the curtains. He had just finished Romeo and Juliet when he heard the showers starting.

"Lupin!"

Remus stopped and watched Fred catch up to him. He looked tired and simultaneously wide awake, his hair was a mess, and Remus was almost certain that he was wearing his pajama pants beneath his school robes.

"Mr. Weasley," Remus said cordially, continuing his walk to the greenhouse.

"I wanted to talk to you about that book you lent me-"

"Oh, you can keep it, if you'd like. I've read it dozens of times."

Fred hesitated, a wide smile spreading over his face, "Oh, thanks, Professor! It's just, I wanted to tell you I really liked it."

"You've finished it, then?" Remus asked with an impressed smile.

"Read it last night," Fred admitted, somewhat embarrassed.

"I look forward to the essay, then," Lupin said with a kind smile and a nod, turning into the greenhouses and leaving Fred in the corridor.

Inside his robes, he felt the weight of the tiny book against his chest. He kept it in a pocket there, fingers itching to hold it and read it again.

He couldn't help the roaring thoughts in his head. The idea that you were his Juliet, that you and he could find a hidden love, just for you two, amongst your external differences. He was oddly disappointed by the ending and decided he might not completely finish the book if he read it again, perhaps pretend it ended differently. He leaned his back against the stone wall behind him, fighting a blushing smile from his face.

So, Fred loved Shakespeare in secret. He loved reading in secret. He loved the weight of the book in his hands in secret. He loved the words and the phrases in secret. He loved the way it made him think in secret. He loved you in secret. He loved in secret.

Until you started dating Thomas Meadowbrooke. Thomas was a Ravenclaw, wickedly smart, handsome, kind, and the victim of many of the Weasley twins' pranks for a while. George didn't directly ask Fred why they were suddenly pranking this one boy so relentlessly all of a sudden, but he didn't need to.

Thomas wore blazers with patches on the elbows and combed his silky hair down the middle. He always had a flower in his coat pocket to give to you and he always carried a book of poetry with him. He was sensitive and wistful in all the ways girls loved, including you.

You thought Thomas was painfully boring. He would fawn over you in the most annoying ways, giving you poems that he wrote (horrendously awful, they were) and quoting lines from old and boring books to you. He didn't listen to Joan Jett or Janis Joplin and he cringed when you played your records. He suggested Bach or Debussy instead. He was boring.

You had only agreed to go out with him because he asked. Thomas Meadowbrooke may have been able to put a cornish pixie to sleep just by talking to it, but he was undeniably handsome. Well, he was more handsome before he had fallen victim to a particularly entertaining Weasley twin prank that turned his hair gelled and spiked up for a few days.

You broke up with Thomas soon after. He took it well, saying it gave him fuel to finish some poetry he hadn't been inspired enough for before.

Remus heard this gossip quite excitedly.

"She did, did she?" Remus tilted his head, a coy smirk on his lips.

The smell of fertilizer was strong, but he learned not to mind it as he watched the merry witch digging in various pots.

"He was quite heartbroken, the poor thing. Filius said that when he did routine bed checks, he could hear Thomas crying for weeks!" Professor Sprout sighed, patting down the soil and checking for weeds.

"Teen romance is always quite fickle," Remus commented, following Pomona as she moved to the next pot.

"Says you!" Pomona playfully scolded Remus, her red cheeks filling as she smiled.

Remus chuckled, thinking back to Sirius who would sneak into his office later to distract him from grading papers.

"You know, Pomona," Remus said in that voice of his, the one that got Sprout to drop her trowel and lean in close to hear the latest gossip. "I think Fred Weasley's got a bit of a crush on Y/n."

Pomona gasped, dirty hand flying to cover her mouth. She paused, scrunching up her face and sticking her tongue out to spit out the clump of dirt.

"He hasn't!" she continued, not minding Remus' amused smile and the clean rag he offered her to wipe her hands.

"He's always staring at her," Remus said, thinking on it. "I reckon he's quite the secret romantic."

Pomona cooed and awed as she continued to tend to her plants, she and Remus trading anymore gossip that they could think of.

The weather changed at quite a convenient time for Fred. With the slightly warm but still a bit chilled fall weather, Fred could dawn his lighter coats. His lighter coats that happened to have wonderfully shaped pockets on the inside, just the right size for a book.

Fred wondered if you had gone out with Thomas because Ravenclaw book nerds were your type, or if you had broken up with him because Ravenclaw book nerds weren't your type. Fred had spent almost all of the warm weather contemplating how he was going to continue to live if he was determined to remain secretly in love with you. By fall he had figured it out.

Fred wasn't going to hide anything, not the books he had recently begun to love, or the way he loved so strongly. He wasn't going to miss meals because you were so distracting. He wasn't going to suffocate under his crush on you.

It was a beautiful day. George was up in the dorms with Lee working on a prank and Fred had decided to take a walk down to the Black Lake. His lighter coat was a bit heavier because of the book in the pocket, and Fred pushed his hair out of his eyes as he looked down at the ground to avoid stepping on tree roots. He found a nice spot beneath a tree, resting against the trunk and reading.

"Hey, Fred," a voice called, coming closer as they easily avoided the maze of tree roots.

Fred looked up to see you, in those perfect muggle clothes you wore any chance you could, hair styled in that wonderful muggle way, one of those muggle cigarettes tucked behind your ear, walking towards him.

"Hey," he responded, surprised by how easy his voice sounded.

"Have you been reviewing at all for Lupin's?" You sat next to Fred like it was the easiest thing in the world, brushing your shoulder against his.

"No, not really," Fred closed his book with his thumb tucked between the pages saving his spot.

"Mmm," you hummed, leaning your head back against the tree and closing your eyes. "What're you reading?"

"Romeo and Juliet," Fred replied, looking at your profile while he had the chance.

"Didn't think that was your thing," you said playfully, opening one eye to catch Fred looking at you.

He flushed and turned his gaze to his hands in his lap. "Me neither," he admitted, swallowing.

"I always liked ‘The Taming of the Shrew’, personally."

Fred smiled to himself, because of course, you had also read Shakespeare, and of course, you would have a cool favorite.

"I like that one, too," Fred said lamely, enjoying the way you were smiling at him.

By winter, Fred had devised a plan. It was perfect, more perfect than any prank he had created or any Zonko's product he had bought. He would die if he kept all this love to himself, so he decided all he needed was one kiss.

The Yule Ball was in full swing, the classical and slow music long forgotten as everyone moved to the dance floor and rocked to the loud and fast rhythm. Fred had seen you when you first arrived, noticing with glee that you were alone, and hadn't lost sight of you since. He had removed himself from the heavily crowded dance floor, stumbling to the table with the juice he and George had spiked hours earlier. He loosened the collar of his robes and pushed his already disheveled hair out of his face.

You watched Fred move through the crowd like a tornado, a mass of energy that you felt required to look at and admire. He strode to the table, a quiet and self-satisfied smirk on his lips as he took a long sip of punch.

Fred caught you staring at him with pleasant unexpectedness. You looked just as beautiful as you did when the night started, skin glowing and everything dawned upon you with your magical muggle-ness. Fred put his cup down, a comfortable pink hue warming his cheeks, and approached you. He touched his hand to yours.

"Hey, Fred," you said with an entertained smirk, glancing down at his hand on yours.

"I need you to do me a favor," he slurred, voice easy and breath warm as it landed on your skin.

"What kind of favor?"

"I need you to kiss me," Fred pulled his mouth away from your ear, looking to your face.

He didn't have much of an opportunity, though, before your lips were on his and you stole his breath. He tasted of the spiked punch and his hands were trembling and careful as they rested on your waist. You grabbed a fistful of his robes, pulling him close to you with urgency.

He pulled away, lips red and swollen, with his eyes still closed.

"I need you to do me a favor," you said, mouth hovering above his.

"Yeah?"

"Kiss me," you whispered, just loud enough for Fred to hear.

He listened, and held onto you with less trembling and more confidence as you kissed for the second time.

#fred weasley #fred weasley fanfiction #fred weasley fanfic #fred weasley fic #fred weasley imagine #fred weasly x reader #fred weasley x you #fred weasley x y/n #fred #weasley #george weasley #professor remus lupin #fred weasley fluff #harry potter fanfiction #harry potter #hogwarts #yule ball #romeo and juliet #Shakespeare inspired fic

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readyplayerhobi · 4 years ago

Text

Flower | 26

; Hoseok x Reader

; Genre: Fluff

; Word Count: 3.7k

; Synopsis: You finally decide to take a dip into the world of online dating and find the Flower dating app. One of the top matches for you proves to be a guy who looks to be your complete opposite; tattooed, pierced, a metalhead and oh…incredibly handsome. What happens when you throw caution to the wind and reach out to him?

; A/N: Thank you for reading this :) I hope you’re all enjoying it still. Please reblog so others can read and let me know your thoughts in some feedback! :D I’m always happy to hear them and I’m a little worried that you might all be getting bored or something :( <3

; Flower Masterpost

You’d be more surprised about the fact that it was just after eleven in the morning and Hoseok still wasn’t awake; if you didn’t have the memory of how drunk he’d been in the early hours. It had been amusing to wake up and see him still completely fast asleep next to you.

He hadn’t even shifted position throughout the night, still laid exactly as he had been when he’d passed out. Before leaving him alone, you’d had to push him onto his other side to try to reduce the chances of him waking up with an unfortunate strain somewhere. Because that’s what happened when you were an adult. Sleeping gave you injuries sometimes, and you’d rather he didn’t wake up with more pain than he was already going to have.

Being an adult is fun.

Your concern for his health hadn’t stopped you from cooing softly at how cute he looked sleeping though. His face looked almost innocent when completely relaxed, a sight you didn’t often get to see given he got up and went to bed before you. The stomach-clenching sweetness wasn’t helped by the fact your heavily tattooed and pierced boyfriend was juxtaposed against the white bedding with tiny, cartoon ice-creams in multiple colours all over it.

Honestly, it’s no surprise you’d had to snap a picture to show him when he woke up.

The sound of shifting and a slight creak from your bed through the open door of your bedroom distracts you away from your book. Looking up and at the doorway, your gaze narrows as you wonder if he’s just finally moving around or if he’s waking. But then you hear the quiet groan of someone who’s suffering and have to stifle a laugh. Placing a bookmark between the pages and putting it onto the coffee table, you go and fill a glass up of fresh, cold water for him and pop some painkillers.

Walking in, you’re greeted with the sight of Hoseok on his back. He doesn’t particularly look grateful to be awake, with one tattooed arm covering his eyes and the other rubbing at his head while he lets out the tiniest groan. Smiling to yourself, you place the glass onto the bedside table and nudge his arm softly.

“Hey, sleeping beauty. How’re you feeling?” There might be just the smallest hint of teasing in your voice and you’re thankful Hoseok has never really shown much of a temper before. Because given how rough he must be feeling, he could easily snap at you.

“Like I got run over by Satan’s truck and then he reversed back just for good measure. With an added dose of Jason Voorhees stabbing my brain through my eyeballs.” He grumbles, voice hoarse with sleep and you can’t stop the laugh that slips from your lips without meaning it.

Sitting next to him on the bed, you gently tug his arm down until you get to see his face properly. The usual puffiness of sleep is there, only this time it’s combined with red eyes that are slightly bloodshot and what looks to be an unhealthy pallor to his skin. No surprise, given how much alcohol he’d ingested last night. His liver would not be thanking him today. Nor was his head probably.

“Those are some very specific descriptions.” Hoseok sits up slowly and takes a huge gulp of the water that you hand him before taking the painkillers with a soft thanks. They go down equally quickly and he’s finished the whole glass before you can even blink.

“Yeah, well. It’s true. Also, I need to pee so fucking bad. Holy shit.” He mumbles, scrambling out of bed once you take the glass from him. Snorting at how quickly he exits the bedroom, you go out to refill the glass and grab a dark chocolate and orange breakfast bar. Sitting cross-legged on the bed, you wait for him to finish his business and come back.

Which he does after five minutes. The tired kiss he presses to your lips tells you he’s taken the time to brush his teeth too so he’s probably feeling slightly more human at the moment. Handing him your hangover goodies, he drinks half the glass before chewing half-heartedly on the bar, pulling a face as the flavour clashes with the mint of his toothpaste before his gaze goes vacant while he looks down at the bedspread.

“Did you clean me or something before bed? I smell really good to say I’m this hungover. I don’t even feel gross. I mean...physically at least. Mentally, I feel like every sewer level in a horror game. Gross, annoying and entirely unnecessary but inevitable,” He’s rambling a little now and you frown, tilting your head at him. “God, I can’t remember the last time I was this hungover. Or maybe I’m still drunk, I’m not quite sure.”

Rolling your eyes, you plump your pillows up and lean back as you watch him eat methodically. Hoseok isn’t exactly doing it fast but you get the impression that he’s got a severe headache going on and is trying to reduce aggravating it. You want to coo at him but feel it’s not the time to be doing that.

“No, that was you. You were adamant you wanted a shower and your teeth cleaned when we got back. I had to make sure you didn’t drown yourself because you got it into your head to drink the shower water and then had to brush your teeth for you because you have a bad gag reflex and kept stabbing yourself in the throat.” Hoseok winces at that, his hand coming to the said throat as he rubs it.

“That explains that then,” He mutters before looking at you a little bashful, his cheeks a tiny bit pink. “Sorry. I completely forgot that I became some weird clean freak when wrecked. There are worse things I could be though.”

Nodding with a wry smile, you acknowledge his statement while he finishes eating before handing you the glass and empty wrapper. Placing them both on the bedside table, you go to move away when he suddenly lays back down. On his side of the bed this time.

You’re prevented from moving when he cuddles up to you, his arm wrapping around your waist tightly to pull you down while he rests his head on your chest with a heavy sigh. Hoseok doesn’t weigh too much, but he’s not exactly light either. No complaint leaves you though, not when you enjoy the feel of him pressed against you so much.

“I like your boobs. They’re soft.” He mutters and you can’t help but laugh, accidentally jerking his head as your chest moves violently but he doesn’t complain except for a soft noise that leaves him. Carding your fingers through his hair, you twist your lips in amusement as you wonder if he is a tiny bit drunk still.

“Thanks, I grew them myself.” Now he’s the one chuckling, leaving a kiss on your collarbone before sighing deeply. His weight seems to double as he relaxes against you but again, you don’t complain at him. Not yet anyway. You probably would in five minutes when he gets hot enough to feel like you’ve stepped into Mt. Doom.

“There’s some pictures of last night if you wanna see.” You tell him quietly, enjoying just cuddling with him as you play with the soft strands of his hair. He doesn’t respond for a moment and you wonder if he’s fallen asleep before he hums, shifting until his head is on your shoulder so he can see your phone. You’d brought it in with you and it had been on the bedside table until now, so you grab it and unlock it.

Clicking through Facebook, you show him some of the statuses that both his and your friends had made throughout the night along with the photos that had accompanied them. There was a particularly delightful photo that must have been taken after you’d left, of Jimin vomiting outside the bar while Yoongi and Jungkook pointed and laughed.

The two of you chuckle as you go through the photos, getting to see the night live out once more in visual form and Hoseok makes a few comments here and there. Chungha’s pictures went from relatively sweet selfies of her to selfies with Soyeon, Dahyun and you to what can only be described as drunken blurs. You’re pretty sure one of them is her making out with her girlfriend but you can’t quite tell.

What you can tell is Soyeon kissing Jungkook in the booth in the background of one of Taehyung’s photos. You point at it excitedly to Hoseok as you tell him that they must have got drunk enough to let their inhibitions go after you’d both left. Neither of them had responded to your excited texts yet though, causing him to laugh when you pout at not being able to find out if your matchmaking was truly successful.

“It seems like it was a good night. Not that I can remember anything.” Hoseok mumbles, his lips pursing in a cute pout and you gently tap them. You’ve migrated from looking at Facebook to Instagram, where the pictures are a little bit classier and more put together. No one wants to look bad on Instagram after all.

“I took some photos of us too, and Soyeon sent over some she’d taken.” There had been plenty of Hoseok on Facebook, all in various stages of him getting drunk until you could practically smell the alcohol on him through the screen. Not so many of you though, given that you’d purposefully avoided the camera throughout the night.

Though Soyeon had managed to capture one or two pictures of the two of you together from earlier in the night. Flicking through to your gallery, you let him see the photos as you scroll through them.

“I haven’t put them anywhere yet. Wanted to see what you thought.” Hoseok takes your phone from you, shifting slightly in bed to be more comfortable and scrolls back to one Soyeon had taken. Neither of you has drinks in your hands, nor are you even looking at the camera.

Your arms are around his waist, front pressed to his side while his arm is wrapped around your shoulders. It’s almost sickening how much love and affection is painted onto your face as you smile up at him, your eyes softer than you’ve ever seen before. Anyone looking at this would easily be able to see how grossly in love you were with him.

But what made you love this photo was the fact that Hoseok was looking back at you with an equally disgusting amount of emotion. His smile was broad and genuine while his eyes were firmly focused on you. It was perhaps one of your favourite photos ever already and you weren’t surprised that Hoseok had focused on that.

“This one. We’re putting this one up.” He mutters quietly, already going to your Instagram before looking up at you with a questioning glance. Nodding your approval to him, he plays around with the custom filter settings until he has it looking exactly like he wants before posting it and sharing it to Facebook as well.

Before he gives your phone back, he scrolls through to another photo that you’d taken. It was a bit later in the night with Hoseok a little more drunk than he had been, but you kind of liked it too. A selfie this time, with your faces taking up the screen but your smile is so big as you laugh, eyes scrunched closed while Hoseok squishes a kiss against your cheek.

“I want this one,” With that, he sends it to himself before giving your phone back to you with a smile. “Looks like I had a very good night. Wish I could remember it but...whatever. Did you enjoy it?”

Pausing, you place your phone back onto the table before wriggling down the bed to get more comfortable. You think hard on his question, contemplating whether you’d truly enjoyed yourself last night. Going to bars and parties were your least favourite thing to do and he was well aware of that. Combined with drinking, it was perhaps your worst-case scenario.

“I didn’t exactly enjoy it but...it was kind of fun. Nice to see everyone and talk to them. Funny to watch them getting drunk. Most of all, I liked watching you enjoy yourself. I’m glad that you got to have fun and do what you love with your friends for your birthday. I know that I don’t like drinking or going out but I never want to be like...an anchor holding you back, you know? So yeah, I enjoyed it more than I’d expected to.” Perhaps that was a little more honest than other people would be, but you didn’t see any point in lying to him.

He knew what you liked and didn’t like by now, you’d been dating almost a year after all. On top of that, Hoseok had been concerned that you wouldn’t enjoy yourself and would make yourself unhappy just to satisfy his want to get drunk with his friends. So you hoped him hearing that you’d enjoyed yourself more than either of you had anticipated would relieve his worries.

“Good. I mean, not good that you didn’t fully enjoy it but I think we both knew you were never going to really. I’m glad you came with me though. Means a lot to me.” He smiles at you, his expression bright despite the tiredness etched into his face.

“That’s why I did it. It was your day and I wanted to make you happy.” Your words are soft and gentle, more than a hint of shyness threaded through them. Would you ever truly get used to telling him emotional things like this?

You hoped so because he was always so comfortable showing his love and affection for you. But at the same time, that was just his love language. Yours was different, and you knew he appreciated that too.

“Well, you did. So thank you. And thank you for my presents, I love them. Do you mind if I set up the vinyl player here? Given I spend the most time here?” His question is innocent and you can sense there’s no expectation on you. You’d have to give up something to let him have space for it, but you know that if you told him no that he’d accept it without complaint.

But that led you to something you’d been contemplating for a while now. Perhaps much quicker than anyone would have thought you’d have started to think about this topic given how long it took you to admit your love to him or even just have sex. This was a much bigger life change, something that would affect both of you drastically and have the potential to truly make or break your relationship.

And yet you’d been unable to not think about it. Perhaps most surprisingly, you actively wanted what you were going to suggest.

“I mean...well, yes. I’m okay with it but, well I was thinking… M-m-maybe, I mean...do you want to...what do you think a-a-about-” You’ve devolved into the kind of nervous and awkward mess you’d been when you first met him and you know he’s both confused and worried. His head tilts up to look at you, brows furrowed together in confusion as to why you’re suddenly getting like this over a vinyl player.

“Baby? What’s wrong? Just say it. Whatever you’re thinking, just say it. I’m not gonna laugh or tease you. I mean...unless it’s funny and then I can’t be responsible for my actions.” Hoseok laments, his face scrunching as he realises he can’t be completely honest. It makes you smile though as he’s being truthful and you push at him till he’s moving off you.

Sitting up, you play with your hands as you stare at them, licking your lips nervously.

“Do you want to move in? I mean...or at least, move in together? T-t-this place probably isn’t big enough f-f-for us both to live here with y-y-your stuff but yeah. I’d like it, I think. I mean, I would. And you basically live here anyway. T-then you don’t have to pay full rent and stuff and we can share bills so i-i-it’d be better for us both, yeah? Unless...unless you don’t want to live with me. Then it’s okay. W-we can-” He cuts you off with his hand against your mouth, his eyes dancing in amusement despite how tired they look.

“Sweetheart, please let me respond before you talk yourself out of it, okay? You want us to move in together, correct?” Nodding slowly, you take a moment to glance over at him and see what his expression looks like. Whether he looks agreeable or not.

Hoseok has a carefully blank face at the moment and you swallow thickly, wondering if he’s going to reject you. It’s fine if he does, honestly. Some people don’t like living together properly. Having his own place means that he can escape from you if he’s had enough or something. You knew that you were a lot to deal with sometimes.

“Are you sure? I don’t want you to feel pressured into it or anything. I’m fine as it is now if you want to keep it like this. I know you like your own space after a while and I don’t want to intrude into it. Plus, this apartment is your home and it’s your safe space. I don’t want you to uproot yourself just because you think you should be doing it or anything.” He makes perfectly logical points and your heart expands with love for him at his acknowledgement of something that had been a concern for you.

You didn’t handle change well and while you were excited at the prospect of moving in with Hoseok, the knowledge that it would completely upend your life for a short while was terrifying. This apartment had taken a long time to get feeling like a home, to somewhere that you love and feel like you can recharge in.

It would take time to make whatever new place you get with him to feel like home too. And you wouldn’t be able to escape him by just going home or anything. He would be there all the time. You knew it also came with the added complication of entangling you both even more, making your lives and your hearts even harder to separate.

But you couldn’t stay coddled forever.

“I might struggle with it a bit at first but...I want to. I love being with you and you make me happy. I hate when you go home and I’m alone again, it’s harder to sleep without you here. You might not want it though but...I just thought I’d bring it up. We can talk about it more in-depth to make sure we’re on the same wavelength but...yeah. I don’t know if this is too early or too late in a relationship or anything, I just want to be with you.” You’re mumbling the words now, firmly looking away from his gaze which has softened progressively as you’d talked. They probably didn’t even make sense.

“No, no, don’t worry about it. There’s no such thing as the right time, just when we feel it’s right. But...I’d like it. I’ve been thinking about it too, I won’t lie. I always feel bad that I don’t pay anything here even though I spend so much time here but then my rent is more than yours anyway. I agree about finding somewhere new, a little bigger to cope with both of us. And give us somewhere to escape to when we’re annoying each other or something.” Now he’s the one looking away from you, rubbing at his jaw thoughtfully as he thinks.

The smile that begins on your face soon expands rapidly into a giant grin, excitement flooding through your veins along with a mixture of nerves, making it hard for you to stay still. He wanted to move in together! Live together, you were going to live together. Like have your names on a rental agreement and have mail addressed to both of you.

“Oh, and we need to make sure it’s pet friendly for Kasumi.” Hoseok is still talking and you realise he’s been listing what you both should look for in a place. It seems that Hoseok wants to try and find an apartment if possible but he’d prefer a small house given the two of you both have a car. Understandable, given parking in the city was a pain.

There were many occasions when Hoseok had to park a few streets away as the apartment building parking lot was full.

The thought of having a small home with him was even more exciting and you let out a small squeal of happiness. It’s only when Hoseok looks at you with wide eyes, shocked but also amused, that you realise what you’ve done and you look away from him, trying to ignore how you’ve gone hot with embarrassment.

“Oh, that was cute. Definitely cute. Yes, let’s do it. Let’s move in together.” Now he’s the one grinning and you can’t stop yourself from wrapping your arms around him, swaying him as much as you can while sitting on the bed. He lets you with a laugh before groaning as the movement makes his hangover worse.

“Just as long as you don’t decide to show me your helicopter dick every time you get drunk.” You say cheerfully, climbing out of bed to go make some lunch for you both. Already you’re decorating the new place in your mind, planning the perfect combination between you both and deciding what you want to keep from your place and his.

“I’m sorry, my what?”

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greenheartart · 4 years ago

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Monster Food Theories (part 2)

(A multi-part essay because I love world-building.)

In part 1 I discussed the theory that monster food is actually made from physical food that’s been infused with magic, and therefore monster food is limited to what can be farmed in the Underground.

In this next part, I’m going to springboard off that idea and talk about what foods exist in the Underground (and therefore what crops and livestock monsters likely have.)

The very first thing I want to look at is what food canonically exists in the game. I’m going to break this up into two sections...

1) Food We Interact With Directly (Healing items we can pick up and get information on.)

* Monster Candy - Has a distinct, non-licorice flavor. Heals 10 HP. * Spider Donut - A donut made with Spider Cider in the batter. Heals 12 HP. * Spider Cider - Made with whole spiders, not just the juice. Heals 24 HP. * Butterscotch Pie - Butterscotch-cinnamon pie, one slice. Heals ALL HP. * Snail Pie - Heals some HP. An acquired taste. Heals one less than max HP. * Nice Cream - Instead of a joke, the wrapper says something nice. Heals 15 HP. * Bisicle - It’s a two-pronged popsicle, so you can eat it twice. Heals 11 HP. * Unicicle - It’s a SINGLE-pronged popsicle. Wait that’s just normal... Heals 11 HP. * Cinnamon Bunny - A cinnamon roll in the shape of a bunny. Heals 22 HP. * Astronaut Food - For feeding a pet astronaut. Heals 21 HP. * Crab Apple - An aquatic fruit that resembles a crustacean. Heals 18 HP. * Sea Tea - Made from glowing marsh water. Increases SPEED for one battle. Heals 10 HP. * Abandoned Quiche - A psychologically damaged spinach egg pie. Heals 34 HP. * Temmie Flakes - It’s just torn up pieces of construction paper. Heals 2 HP. * Dog Salad - Recovers HP (Hit Poodles.) Heals 2/10/30/ALL HP. * Instant Noodles - Comes with everything you need for a quick meal! Heals 4/15/90 HP. * Hot Dog...? - The “meat” is made out of something called a “water sausage.” Heals 20 HP. * Hot Cat - Like a hot dog, but with little cat ears on the end. Heals 21 HP. * Junk Food - Food that was probably once thrown away. Heals 17 HP. * Starfait - A sweet treat made of sparkling stars. Heals 14 HP. * Glamburger - A hamburger made of edible glitter and sequins. Heals 27 HP. * Legendary Hero - Sandwich shaped like a sword. Increases ATTACK when eaten. Heals 40 HP. * Steak in the Shape of Mettaton’s Face - Huge steak in the shape of Mettaton’s face. You don’t feel like it’s made of real meat... Heals 60 HP. * Popato Chisps - Regular old popato chisps. Heals 13 HP. (Note: I’ve chosen to leave the Hush Puppy off of this list, as its description refers to it as a spell. I’m also excluding the foods that can only be found by digging around in the game files - Puppydough Ice Cream, Pumpkin Rings, Rock Candy, Croquet Roll, Ghost Fruit, and Stoic Onion.)

2) Food We Only See, or Hear About Through Character Dialogue (I did my best to be thorough here, but please let me know if I missed any and I’ll add them in!)

* Hamburger (For sale at Grillby’s) * Fries (For sale at Grillby’s) * Cheese Fries (Undyne likes them, for sale at Grillby’s) * Ketchup (Found at Grillby’s / Sans’ Hot Dog Stand) * Mustard (Found at Sans’ Hot Dog Stand) * Relish (Found at Sans’s Hot Dog Stand) * Spaghetti (Made by Papyrus and Undyne) * Lasagna/Ravioli/various other pastas (Mentioned by Papyrus) * Brewskis (aka Beer) (Mentioned in a prank call) * Sugar (In Undyne’s kitchen) * Soda (In Undyne’s kitchen / Alphys’ Lab) * Hot Chocolate (Mentioned by Undyne) * Marshmallows (Mentioned by Undyne) * Golden Flower Tea (In Undyne’s kitchen / Offered by Asgore) * Grapes (Undyne talks about Mettaton eating them) * Pizza (Undyne and Alphys both talk about ordering some) * Limes (Undyne mentions eating them whole) * Cucumbers (Come up when Undyne and Papyrus talk about spa treatments) * Carrots (Mentioned by Asgore on the tapes in the true lab) * Lollipops (Papyrus mentions getting them from the lady who runs the inn) * Ice cream (Mentioned multiple times by multiple characters) * Espresso (Mentioned by Red Bird at Grillby’s) * Cake (Mettaton specifically breaks the ingredients down into SUGAR, MILK, EGGS during his cooking segment) * Artificial Ingredients and Chemicals (Also mentioned by Mettaton)

(Note: I’m leaving edamame off the list because while Toriel mentions it, she does it as a joke because she’s after the pun. It’s possible that monsters have edamame, or it could just be something she’s aware exists in the world in general.)

So! Looking at this list, and cross referencing with recipes to find the most basic necessary ingredients to make everything, I can break things down more neatly into categories of available food:

STARCHES * Wheat * Potatoes * Barley

FRUITS AND VEGETABLES * Apples * Grapes * Limes * Tomatoes * Cucumbers * Spinach PROTEIN AND DAIRY * Snails * Water sausages * Eggs * Milk

HERBS AND SPICES * Cinnamon * Mustard Seed

MISC * Salt * Sugar * Oil * Coffee * Chocolate * Assorted artificial ingredients and chemicals * Golden flowers (unique to the Underground?) * Hops (only because of the mention of “brewskis”)

(Note: I’m excluding a few healing items from contributing to this list. The Astronaut Food’s origin is nebulous - it sounds like it could possibly be human food that fell from the surface and landed in the dump. Temmie Flakes are construction paper and not actually food, even if they are technically consumable. Dog Salad is clearly an outlier and should not be counted.)

When broken down to its base components, it’s a pretty small list. Monsters don’t seem to have a lot to work with.

A lot of their foods revolve around the same few staple ingredients: Flour, eggs, sugar, and milk products. From that we can take a guess that there are wheat fields somewhere in the Underground. Likewise, they likely keep chickens as well for eggs (though other birds like ducks might be a possibility too.) Sugar and milk have more options. Sugar might come from sugar cane or sugar beets, while milk could come from a variety of animals, but I think goats or sheep are more likely than cows for a variety of reasons (mainly that cows might be too much of a resource drain to support long term.)

Interestingly, we never get any indication that monsters eat animals besides snails. The information we get on the hot dogs and steak make it clear that they’re not made out of meat (and if the steaks aren’t meat, it feels reasonable that the hamburgers aren’t either.) This makes sense, since the Underground has limited space and resources and might not be able to support farms dedicated to raising animals for meat, and/or might not be able to meet the demands of a populace that wants to eat meat regularly. If it’s eaten at all, meat might be a rare treat. Otherwise, it looks like the monster population could be largely vegetarian.

With a basic list of crops, we can also make a guess at what sort of alcohols might be available in Grillby’s bar. Monsters have apples, grapes, potatoes, and sugar, so we can guess that in addition to beer (since it gets mentioned specifically), monsters could also have hard cider, wine, brandy, whisky, rum, vodka, and moonshine.

If we want to be a bit more generous and include possible foods and foods that didn’t quite make it officially into the game, we can add back in edamame, pumpkins, and onions.

And, just for fun and going off of nothing except the environment of the game, it wouldn’t be unreasonable to think monsters might be able to round out their pantries with a few other foods that occur naturally in the caverns. Mushrooms show up in the damper areas of the game, so it’s not far fetched to think that there might be a few edible varieties available. Likewise, we see streams and marshes in Waterfall that support life. It’s possible that there are fish, crayfish, or shellfish living in there, or possibly other edible plants besides the water sausage.

This went a bit longer than I originally planned, so in the next part I’ll talk about what might make monster food inherently different from human food (even without monsters intentionally doing anything to it), and possibly theories about how and why monsters ended up with this specific, limited variety of foods they seem to be working off of.

#writing things #game theory #undertale #all of this because I got to wondering whether or not monsters would know about tequila or not in a story I'm writing #hahaha

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sweetchup · 4 years ago

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Red Roses & Holly

Type: Feitan x reader (Spiders’ Way)

Prompt: Chokorēto Ngày lễ — A modern day Holiday celebrated by those who don’t celebrate Snow Goddess Day. These people will instead make Chocolates with flowers that express what they love and cherish about friends or family members. Ex: Chocolate bar with Sunflower petals says they love how happy or loyal that person is.

Author Note: This is a holiday special on the already written story called Spiders’ Way. Which you can check out in the normal masterlist Under “Spider family”. Also don’t use some of these flowers in real life to add to chocolate. I didn’t check if some of these were edible or not.

(Prompts & Rules) (Holiday Masterlist)

The chatter and joys of glee from children fill the school as the first bell rings. Even Kai himself is laughing along with his friends as they walk into their first class of today. Afterall, it was the last one until Winter break and Kai was actually excited.

Giving one last word to his friends, Kai sits down at his assigned seat. As he sits down, Kai chooses to fix his uncomfortable uniform as the teacher clears his throat to speak. “Children, Children, please quiet down now.”

Slowly, the chatter of the other kids in Kai’s class quieted down and the teacher continued speaking. “As everyone knows today, Thursday December 10, is our last day of school before we return back in the new year.”

A couple of cheers and high fives from the other students are heard before the teacher shushes them.

“Due to most students already finished with their studies and teachers just needing to enter grades, we have created a kind of school wide fun zone to keep everyone entertained.”

Kai and his friends look at each other grinning as the teacher goes row by row to pass out a map of the school. Looking at the map drawn, Kai sees different festive activities taking place in certain classrooms.

“Now please remember to be respectful, children. We don’t—“ The bell suddenly goes off. Usually it was to signal the change for classes but this time it was to allow children to start exploring their activities. “Well you can go but be safe!”

Kai opens the door for some of the girls in his class, some giggling as they pass, before leaving himself. As Kai walks in the hall he is suddenly hit lightly on the back.

“Hey Kai! Man, what are you thinking of doing?” Rye questions, swinging an arm on his friend’s shoulder.

“I bet we should go to the gym, there should be some sort of fun thing to be done.” Calvin shouts, catching up to the two. Kai only shakes his head at his friends suggestions. He already had decided on what he was going to do.

“Well, you guys can go enjoy that but I’m going to do Mrs. Minsieur class.” His friends turned to look at him confused.

“You sure about that? You want to do an activity with the foods’ teacher?”

“Yep, but I’ll try to catch up later to play a round of dodgeball in the gym with you guys.”

His friends shrug at Kai’s strange behavior, though they choose not to question him. Afterall, Kai could act strangely at times. Kai’s friends give him a brofist as they part ways at the central hallway. “Okay dude, see you later then.”

—.—.—.—.—

“🎶Last Snow Goddess I gave you my heart but the very next day, you gave it away 🎶” You sang softly along with the radio as you put the plate of toast on the table. It was December 11th, Snow Goddess Day and Chokorēto Ngày lễ. It was 10 o’clock in the morning yet you were still the only one awake at this time. Mostly since you wanted to allow Kai and Feitan to both sleep in more. After all, both of them seemed to deserve it. “🎶This year, to save me from tears. I'll give it to someone— Oh good morning sweetheart.”

Stopping your singing, you turn down the radio as you spot Kai making his way down the stairs. When you turn back around, you giggle as Kai gives you a hug still only half awake. Softly you smooth out his bed head as he leans into you.

“ ‘morning mom.” Kai finally responds back as you place a kiss on his forehead. Bringing him back from a sleepy daze to what’s going on around him.

“I hope you are hungry sweetheart because I already made breakfast.” You murmur into his forehead. “I’m going to wake up Feitan so he can eat with us as well.”

“ ‘Kay” Kai mumbles letting go of you to grab a glass of almond milk to drink. Suddenly, however he stops when he realizes something. “Wait mom!”

You humm and turn around quickly. Once you see what Kai was holding out towards you, you couldn’t help but let out a small aww. Taking it carefully from him, you look at the nicely packaged chocolate.

“I made you your favorite chocolate and added Daisies and Hydrangeas. Daisy because I’m glad you are my mother and Hydrangea because I’m grateful for you always being there for me.”

Quickly, you capture your son in a hug so he doesn’t see you wipe a couple of tears of joy from your face. As you do that, you can somewhat blurrily see Feitan at the bottom of the stairs raising an eyebrow at you. You mouth a “I’m okay” to him as you wipe the last one. “Well, I’m glad you are my son Kai. I love you so much, you know that right?”

“Of course mom!” Kai shouts back happy as he doesn’t let go of you. Even as Feitan approaches, who only rolls his eyes at the boy while grabbing a cup of coffee. For a kid that could burn the world around him at any moment, he sure loved his mom to death.

“I was going to give your’s and Feitan’s chocolate at dinner but I think it will be okay if I give it now.” Reaching behind you into the drawer, you grab two bars of chocolate. “This one is what I made for you Kai. It’s a dairy free chocolate with Yarrow and White Clover. I chose Yarrow and White Clover to express the fact I will always love you and be thinking of you.”

Kai smiles happily at you, before quickly unwrapping his chocolate and taking a bite. You giggle as he hums in delightment, “Mmm. Mom it’s so good!”

“I’m glad you like it sweetheart. Oh! And Feitan here is yours.” You embarrassingly say as Kai let’s go of you to go eat. Shakily, you hand the man you love a bar of chocolate. “I know you don’t exactly have a sweet tooth but I made you one. I chose Red Roses and Sunflowers. Of course red rose to say I love you, but I also chose Sunflowers because I’m glad how loyal you are to me.”

You nervously fumble with your fingers as you watch Feitan take a bite, “I-is it good?”

“No,” He states, causing Kai to whip around, a piece of pancake in his mouth. Already plotting Feitan’s death.

“O-oh you don’t have to eat it then. I understand sin—“ Before you can finish what you are saying Feitan shuts you up with a kiss. You hear Kai gag slightly as you two pull away.

“Me just messing with you. It very good.” Feitan chuckles out, reaching into his pocket to hand you a chocolate himself. Based on the package it seemed like he bought his instead of making it. But to you it didn’t make it any less special. You were happy just to get a chocolate from Feitan. Afterall, you thought he didn’t like the Holidays. Giggling out of happiness, you place a kiss on Feitan’s cheek.

“Yuck. I’m out of here. I’m going to go play with my friends at the soccer fields for a while.” Kai shouts out as he puts on his shoes. Clearly not wanting to see Feitan kissing his mom anymore.

“Okay sweetheart be safe!”

Once you hear the door close you continue what you were doing.

“What flower did you choose, Feitan?” You ask excitedly. The package was a blank white and didn’t seem to specify.

“Open it to see.” Feitan mumbles, taking a sip from his coffee as you huff at him.

For some strange reason it took you awhile to open the wrapper since the plastic was weirdly thick. Either that or you were too excited to see. Though once you were able to open it up and peer in you can’t help but gasp. Due to how surprised you are, you nearly drop the chocolate bar which Feitan thankfully helps you catch.

“F-fei. You— are you telling me what I think you are telling me?,” You mumble out as you take another look at the flowers in the white bar of chocolate. Even though only one flower was used, you wouldn’t have it any other way. That flower was the red salvia. The flower that means Forever mine.

As you finally take your eyes away from the bar of chocolate to look at feitan, you can’t help but cover your mouth to stop yourself from crying. Even though Feitan hadn’t done anything extravagant. Even though he hadn’t given you a big speech about how much he loved you. Even though he hadn’t gone down on one knee to you. You could tell how much this man loved you by the fact his usual dull eyes lit up love as he held out an engagement ring to you.

Nodding your head because you couldn’t trust yourself with words, you allow Feitan to put a ring on your finger. Your perfect dream ring in fact.

Once on, you give the man soon to be your husband a kiss.

“I love you Fei.” You mumble against his lips before he kisses you again to tell you he loves you back. You let out a small giggle at the fact that even in a moment like this Feitan is still a man of few words. “Is this why Kai was acting strange all week? Because I’m going to be marrying you?”

You hear Feitan let out a light chuckle, but not for the reason you think.

“Actually, Me didn’t tell boy.”

“Wait— wHAT?!”

—.—.—.—.—

Meanwhile, on the other side of town, Kai let out a loud sneeze.

“Damn. I know it’s been cold out recently but It’s not that cold enough to be getting sick.” Kai mumbles to himself as he rubs his nose.

“Hey Kai~!”

Kai turns his head and sees a group of girls from school that were in his year. All of which giggled and whispered to each other. Kai gives the group a charming smile and waves at them, causing some of the girls to blush while others let out a strange noise.

Though he was acting polite to the girls, all he wanted to do was get out of there. Even though they all looked pretty and wore nice clothing, Kai honestly felt they were complete garbage. All they cared about was looks and popularity, choosing to bully those who didn’t act like them.

As Kai begins to walk away to get out of there, suddenly an odd color of brown is seen in the mix of the girls. Looking closely he sees a girl on the ground attempting to pick up her knocked over stuff. Ah, another victim. This girl doesn’t even look to go to our school. How shameless.

For some reason, without a second thought, Kai goes over to help the girl. He doesn’t know why he wants to help but for some reason his feet force him forward.

“What are you—“ Kai sends a glare to one of the girls who tries to say something to him. Scaring the whole group off. What was he thinking? He’s breaking his normal everyday boy act by doing that—

“T-thanks but you didn’t have to do that…” The girl mumbles out shyly as she continues to put things back in her bag. Kai doesn’t answer right away as he continues to pick up the dropped cards.

“It’s not a problem—“ Kai cuts himself off as he finally looks up and gets a good look at the girl he helped. And, oh wow, she took his breath away.

As he looked at her, he for some reason couldn’t pick what he liked best about her. Was it perhaps the silk blonde hair half tied up with a ribbon or was it her doe like sapphire blue eyes? Maybe it was those. Though, he can’t help but also notice that the sight of her cute button nose that struggled to hold up her big glasses is what catches his attention the most.

Quickly, however, he corrects himself. It wasn’t any of those. As the girl before him flashes a small smile as she grabs the cards from his hand, her cheeks slightly puff out just like small chipmunks do. Man, it was decided from that point on that he absolutely adored those chubby cheeks of hers.

“Holly? Holly!”

At the call of her name, the girl before him suddenly turns around and looks over to a man exiting a store. Who for some reason oddly looked similar to a Sheep.

The girl now known as Holly looks back at Kai, “T-Thanks a lot! I have to go now but I hope we see each other again.”

Kai stands up with the girl but when he attempts to walk away, or perhaps with her, he feels as if his feet are cemented to the ground. So he instead just chooses to watch the girl walk away.

“Oh there you are! Holly Hill, where did you run off to?” The big sheep man asks, grabbing the girl’s hand and walking away with her

“Sorry Ginta. I was looking at something!” Holly lies lightly. Quietly, Kai watches as they disappear off into the crowd and are no longer seen nor heard.

After a couple of moments of calming his heart, Kai lets out a breath he didn’t realize he was holding. Still with a dreamy look on his face, he begins to walk away to go to the soccer fields. Pleasantly under his breath, he murmurs,

“Holly Hill huh?..... what a nice name…”

#hunter x hunter #hxh #feitan #feitan portor #Phantom Troupe #hxh holiday

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tarteausuga · 4 years ago

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killing boys

Jaehyun (NCT) x Reader [x Chaeyoung (Twice)] angst, implied wlw cw: cheating, strong language, sexual content word count: 2.1k Inspired by killing boys by Halsey

"You're killing people." “No, I'm killing boys. Boys are just placeholders, they come and they go." "You're my best friend, and I wanna help you. But I won't let you kill again, that's a lose-lose."

You could only describe it as the worst pain you've ever felt in your life. Even worse than that time your older brother body slammed you while you were "playing WWE" with him and you ended up breaking your arm in 2 spots and a broken collar bone. It was even worse than the period pains that felt like someone was jamming a blunt knife into your abdomen. The only thing was that it wasn't a physical pain or something your body was actually experiencing physiologically. It was the strongest emotional pain ever and it threw your life for a loop.

Eating was the last thing you wanted to do and you had run out of people to vent to about the current worst thing that's ever happened to you. But your childhood best friend always had a way of making her way into your life at the best/worst times.

Chaeyoung was always a free spirit compared to your more grounded personality. She was usually always out doing something while you were at home watching Netflix. She would occasionally show up at random times, knocking on your window when she needed a place to sleep for the night. But she always had a keen sense of how you were feeling because her visits, despite his chaotic she was at times, calmed you from whatever was going on in your life.

"Hey Charlie Brown, what's up?" She says the moment you open the front door of your house. She had arrived with two bags full of convenience store food: three of each of your favourite chocolates, drinks, chips and anything else you could want in the moment.

"When are you going to stop calling me that?" You form a weak smile as she drops the bags onto the floor before pulling you into one of her signature chokeholds that are her version of hugs.

"Never. You're my lovable loser. Bedroom, I brought your favourite foods and your favourite movies." She doesn't even wait for you to say yes. You quickly rustle up the bags before peddling up after her.

She's greeted by the mess that was your room. Normally fairly neat and tidy, it looked like a hurricane had ripped through as you attempted to erase any memory or any chance of an object conjuring up an unwanted memory that would cause you that unbearable pain again. Chaeyoung glanced at you empathetically as she waded through the waste and jumped onto your bed. She pulled the laptop out from the bag and turned it on before patting the space next to her for you to join her.

The two of you watched the movie without speaking much to each other. The only noises were from the movie and the crinkling of wrappers as you satiated your hunger with the junk food - exactly what you needed.

"So what did the jerk do?" Chaeyoung finally said when she felt that you had a full enough belly to not collapse into a ball of misery and self-pity.

"He was caught with another girl. My friends saw him around town with a girl on his arm. He tried to play it off like she was his cousin but you don't kiss your cousins." You say glumly. You had told this story to so many people that it didn't even hurt anymore.

"What an idiot. Haven't I told you? Jung Jaehyun was and always will be an ass hat." She chuckles as she leans back on her hands.

"I guess but I've had a crush on him for so long..." You say while playing with the candy wrapper in your hands.

"Right when he completely ignored you in high school and let those dumbass basketball guys make fun of you. Ass hat." She chuckled but this time, out of spite. Chaeyoung was quite known around your old high school of being the tough girl despite her small size. She called out anyone and everyone when they needed to be put in line and every guy was terrified of her as she was known to air out their dirty laundry if they humiliated a girl they dated. She's stood up for you on countless occasions but when you drifted apart in high school, you fell out of her protection as your new friends were unsavoury people to Chaeyoung. "He only started dating you when you became hot."

"Shut up." You threw the wrapper at her but she was right.

You had graduated a little over 2 years ago and that's when you started becoming more confident in yourself. You carried yourself better and that's when he started to take notice of you. He had made up this elaborate story that he had liked you since high school but deep inside, you knew that wasn't true. You just lied to yourself because you were finally getting the boy of your dreams.

He was just that. He was everything you wanted until he wasn't. You were convinced that he was the love of your life until he wasn't. Everything was an illusion because apparently, this was not the first time he has cheated on you or any other girl. Despite the warnings, you wanted to believe that he wouldn't hurt you… Until he did.

"I thought he was the one, Chae." You say glumly again.

"It can feel like that but I don't believe in it. There are plenty of people out there who would treat you like the peach that you are. Cheer up, Charlie Brown." She nudged you with her elbow with a wink.

She started calling you Charlie Brown when you two became obsessed with the Peanuts comics in middle school. Chaeyoung loved that he was a lovable loser and said that he reminded her of you. She proclaimed that she was Peppermint Patty and you agreed because Chaeyoung was always out there with the most absurd thoughts and ideas.

You had moved on to the second movie and you were now cuddled up with your best friend on your bed. You were about to fall asleep when she suddenly sat up, shocking you out of the sleepy state and said, "let's ruin Jung Jaehyun," with a smile.

"What?" You rub your eyes, "Chaeyoung, no. It's not that big of a deal. I'll get over it."

"Not a big deal my ass. C'mon, ___, we need to teach him a lesson. Show him that he can't just go around sticking his dick in random places without consequences. It's our duty to any future woman that he might hurt." Chaeyoung says passionately.

You sigh and think about it before admitting defeat. "What are you planning?" You rub the bridge of your nose knowing she has already come up with an elaborate plan of some sort.

---

You park your car a block away from Jaehyun's house as instructed by Chaeyoung but you start having second thoughts. "This is a bad idea, Chae. Let's just go back to my place and finish that movie."

"Don't back out on me now! We're here, let's get it done." She almost hisses at you and you start wondering why she holds so much hate for Jaehyun all of a sudden.

Chaeyoung had always been protective of you from the day you two met in kindergarten. A bully had tried to take the chocolate chip cookie your mom had packed for you to help ease your nerves from your first day at school. You just sat there and cried when Chaeyoung came out of nowhere and snatched the cookie back, said some choice words and gave it to you. Though you had drifted away when high school started, you made new friends in high school from your club activities and Chaeyoung joined cheerleading, she always kept an eye on you. But she's never gone to this extreme.

"We've done some crazy things in the past, Chae, but this is literally illegal. We could go to jail for this!" You grab her wrist.

"Only if we get caught!" She yells in a hushed tone. Her eyes had changed into something more menacing than before.

"Why are you doing this?" You hiss back.

"I can't just standby and let that asshole get away with hurting someone I love." She shakes her hand free and gets out of the car before you can stop her.

In the time it took you to unbuckle your seatbelt and get out of the car, she was already at Jaehyun's house. You told her everything. The spare key was under the third flower pot on the right. He was usually at basketball practice at this time, then he would go hang out with the boys. It was Friday night so his parents were out for their weekly date night. This used to be the time where you and Jaehyun would have sex as you had the house to yourselves…

Chaeyoung's plan was simple: key his car. Sneak into his room and spray paint something (she didn't tell you what), sneak out and go home.

It was too late to stop her since you weren't a fast runner and you knew perfectly well that it was impossible to stop your best friend from doing anything once her mind was set. All you could do was wait.

You tapped your foot impatiently, trying to make the time go by faster to no avail when suddenly, you heard yelling from down the block. The next thing you knew, Chaeyoung was sprinting down the road yelling at you to start the car. You fumbled with your keys as you tried to do as she said and finally got the engine to start when she hopped into the passenger seat.

"JUST DRIVE" She yelled breathlessly.

You instantly stepped on the gas and look in the rearview mirror to see Jaehyun standing there, furious.

"What the hell happened?" You demand from Chaeyoung.

"That fucker." She laughed as she sunk into the leather of the car seat.

"Chaeyoung!" You glare at her, your knuckles going white from gripping the steering wheel so tight.

"So I keyed that ridiculous car of his and went into the house, no problem right? I mean I took a little longer on the car than I wanted but that was great penmanship considering I was using a damn key but anyway!" She continues, "fuck man, I go in and I just hear shit. It kind of freaked me out because you said the house would be empty right? But I'm like okay whatever, I go to his room and there he was balls deep in some girl." She can't help but laugh and even though you want to cry, you join her. "I'm so sorry Charlie Brown but you deserve so much better."

"Yeah, I know." You stop the car at a red light. You take her hand in yours and kiss it, "Thanks for that, Chae. I needed it."

"Anything for you." She smiles and pulls you in for a kiss.

You pull away with a gasp and look at her with wide eyes before diverting your attention to the road and continuing driving in silence. Your focus was solely on the road as you attempted to try and avoid the feelings you could possibly be feeling. While you were doing this, you failed to notice that Chaeyoung’s energy was dwindling, something she rarely lets other people see. All you could do was drive.

The car pulled up to the curb of Chaeyoung’s house and you put it into park. You finally turned to your best friend and saw how small she truly was for the first time in your life. You easily had a head of height on her but her energy was always so strong and exuberant that her physical size wasn’t even on your mind. But in that moment, she looked so small and vulnerable. The one who was always standing up for you and protecting you has a weakness: you.

“Chaeyoung…” You say quietly but she cuts you off.

“It’s okay, Charlie Brown. It was the heat of a moment thing. Something Bonnie and Clyde would do, you know?” she pasted a smile on but you could’ve sworn you saw her wipe a tear from her eye.

“You’re my best friend, Chaeyoung. We shouldn’t complicate that.”

“You’re right, we shouldn’t do anything. Really, ___. It’s fine. I’ll be fine. Like always.” She patted your hand that was gripping the gear shift with white knuckles. “Until next time.” Once again, she slipped out of the car before you could react and disappeared into the house by the time you got out to try and talk to her.

#nct scenarios #nct imagines #nct blurbs #twice scenarios #twice imagines #twice blurbs #kpop scenarios #kpop imagines #kpop blurbs #jaehyun scenarios #jaehyun blurbs #jaehyun imagines #chaeyoung blurbs #chaeyoung imagines #chaeyoung scenarios #jaehyun angst #chaeyoung angst

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searchingwardrobes · 5 years ago

Text

Sadie Hawkins Dance

Yes, I know it is Thursday, so don’t worry, I will be posting chapter four of Until the Day Breaks and the Shadows Flee. However, I couldn’t wait to post this because I first got the idea months ago, and it is a gift for a wonderful friend. @snowbellewells is like my fandom twin. We have so much in common, and we’re constantly saying to each other “me too!” when we chat. Marta, you are one of the kindest people I have ever met, and I wish I could send you a handsome pirate to feed you Hershey Kisses, but alas you’ll have to settle for this fic. But, my dear friend, you deserve all the best!

Marta, this fic was inspired by our conversations about term paper season as English teachers. Remember when I told you about rewarding myself with Hershey kisses every time I finished grading a paper? I stopped classroom teaching when I had my oldest, and since Luke turns eleven next week, that means I’ve been away for over a decade! It’s hard to believe, and I know that things have changed tremendously since I taught. However, my mom, my sister, and my cousin are all still teaching, and I know from them that kids now do almost all their work on laptops given to them by the school. When I taught I still used an overhead projector! Anyway, I tried to make this accurate, but I may have made mistakes, and I also know here in the States things vary so drastically state to state and district to district. My point is, I tried!

Also based on the song by Relient K. My husband was cleaning out his nightstand a few months ago and found an old CD Walkman. Inside was my old Relient K CD, and I have been on a kick listening to them again ever since.

Summary: English teacher Emma Swan and her fellow English teacher and best friend Killian Jones use Hershey Kisses and a bet involving their school’s upcoming Sadie Hawkins dance to motivate them as they grade term papers. But will this lead to kisses other than the chocolate variety?

Rating: G for tooth rotting sweetness

Also on Ao3 and part of my Fandom Birthday Playlist

Tagging: @jennjenn615 @kmomof4 @kday426 @let-it-raines @teamhook @bethacaciakay @whimsicallyenchantedrose @welllpthisishappening @thislassishooked @branlovestowrite @delirious-latenight-laughs @resident-of-storybrooke @ekr032-blog-blog @nikkiemms @shireness-says @ultraluckycatnd @optomisticgirl @distant-rose @profdanglaisstuff @gingerchangeling @vvbooklady1256 @wellhellotragic @ohmakemeahercules @hollyethecurious @cocohook38 So many of us love Marta, go give her some birthday wishes!

She said, “You’re smooth, and good with talking. Will you go with me to the Sadie Hawkins?” The Sadie Hawkins dance, in my khaki pants, there’s nothing better. The girls ask the guys. It’s always a surprise. There’s nothing better. Baby, do you like my sweater?

Killian Jones slammed down his red pen, then slapped his hand on the term paper he had just finished grading. Emma Swan rolled her eyes at his dramatics.

“Hit me,” he said.

Emma grabbed a Hershey Kiss from the bowl on her coffee table and unwrapped it. “Open up,” she told him.

She tossed the candy through the air, and her best friend caught it perfectly on his tongue. He relished the chocolate with exaggerated pleasure, winking at her as he swiped his tongue across his bottom lip. Emma rolled her eyes.

“You’re full of it, Jones, and a complete drama queen.”

He chuckled as he slid another paper from the three stacks lined up in front of him on the coffee table. Emma sat with her back against her sagging couch, her legs spread out in front of her beneath the well worn table. Her stockinged feet rested in Killian’s lap. He sat cross-legged on the other side of the table. His neat stacks of papers sat on one end, and Emma’s laptop on the other. Killian cocked his head at her, his pen tapping on the dented wood.

“A drama queen? You wound me, Swan.”

She squinted as she searched the screen for where she’d left off reading her next student’s paper. “Well you’re the one eating chocolate like it’s a sensual experience.”

“It is a sensual experience - meaning pertaining to the senses,” he argued. “I smell the cocoa, I taste the milk chocolate, and I feel the candy melting on my tongue.”

As if to prove his point, his tongue made yet another appearance. Emma glared at him.

“Okay, you make eating chocolate seem like an orgasmic experience.”

He laughed, scratching behind his ear, and Emma grinned at the nervous tell. She’d won this round of their usual flirtatious, slightly scandalous banter, and she inwardly exulted. She was well aware that most of the teachers and half the students at Storybrooke High were wondering when the Freshman English teacher and the Junior English teacher were finally going to get together. She hated to disappoint them, but it was never going to happen. Killian had started out as her co-worker, then had wormed his way into the friend zone, and the next logical step would be a relationship. Emma didn’t do relationships. One night stands, yes. Casual dates, yes. Neither of those were in the cards for her and Killian since they were permanent fixtures in each other’s lives, hence the friend zone.

“So, are you chaperoning the dance?” Emma asked casually.

“I would love to, but it’s a Sadie Hawkins dance, and no lass has asked me.”

Emma glanced up to see Killian giving her his patented adorable pout. Nobody did puppy dog eyes like Killian Jones. Emma rolled her eyes. Nobody did eye rolls like Emma Swan.

“We’re talking about chaperoning.”

“A man still likes to be wooed, Swan.”

Emma barked out a laugh at his ridiculous antics. She saved what was on her screen, entered the grade into her online gradebook, and slapped her hand on the coffee table.

“Hit me!” she said.

A Hershey Kiss went sailing through the air, hitting Emma on the cheek and bouncing onto the floor.

“Apologies, Swan.”

Emma scowled as she threw the candy back at his head. “You did that on purpose!”

He laughed as he unwrapped another chocolate, and this time, he aimed for her open mouth.

“That’s 14 down, 76 more to go,” Emma sighed. “How about you?”

“Ten.”

“You could go faster if you did it all online. That’s kind of the point of the kids emailing the links to their papers? You know, teaching in the 21st century?”

“I prefer the old fashioned way, love,” he argued splaying both hands over his perfect stacks before him, “I need to print them out, to feel them in my hands. I can also grade them anywhere, whether or not there’s wi-fi. And finally, I have a system.”

Emma shook her head as she chuckled. He’d given her a long, rather boring overview of his “system” before, one that he swore kept him from being too harsh on either the best writers or the weakest. He tried to be fair and to bring out the best in each student, so really, how could she fault him?

She could, however, tease him.

“Well, old man, I guess someone has to keep the red pen factories in business.”

“There are factories that only make red pens?”

“Someone makes them,” she mumbled as she forced herself to focus on a poorly written introduction.

“I’m fairly certain the adult coloring book trend will protect the red pen market.”

“I never got that fad.”

“It’s supposed to be relaxing, Swan.”

“What’s relaxing about coloring the same damn flower with a million petals for half an hour?”

Killian laughed, the sound of it free and easy. Their conversations were always this way. Mostly ridiculous, brutally honest, and always fun.

“You know,” Emma told him, leaning back against the couch as she worked the kinks out of her neck, “studies have proven that students get stressed when they see the color red on their work. Why don’t you use another color?”

“Like what?”

“Anything, apparently, remember the adult coloring books? Use . . . I don’t know, purple or something.”

“Then they’d just get stressed when they saw purple.”

Killian scratched a C- across the stop of the paper he was grading with a flourish, then slapped his hand down on it. “Hit me!”

Emma tossed him another Hershey Kiss, and then the two of them fell into silent concentration. Killian absentmindedly rubbed the bottom of her feet with one hand as he ran the end of his red pen along the lines in front of him. He started to chuckle after a few moments and lifted the paper for Emma to see.

“Do you know what this is?”

Emma smiled as she leaned closer to the paper. “A list?”

“Aye. A list of every short story F. Scott Fitzgerald ever wrote. With the year each was published and in what literary magazine it appeared.”

Both Emma’s eyebrows rose. “And what point font is that?”

“18 in verdana.”

Emma laughed. “Do they think we’re idiots?”

Killian shrugged as he scribbled a note in the margin. Emma spun her laptop around for him to see.

“A list of every agricultural export from Costa Rica. 22 point font, comic sans”

Killian quirked a brow. “Looks like Nicholas Zimmer takes the prize for best padding of a term paper.”

Half an hour later, the floor was littered with an obscene amount of Hershey Kiss wrappers and the tiny paper tails that Emma knew she would keep finding in her carpet for at least a month. Her vision was swimming as she tried to focus on her laptop screen and Killian was stretching the fingers of his right hand with a grimace on his face. Emma stretched both arms above her head and her spine cracked.

“25 down. You?”

Killian rubbed at his forehead wearily. “22.”

“I told you it would go faster on your computer.”

“Technically, I went faster. You completed eleven in the last half hour, while I completed twelve.”

Emma waved off his argument. “Short term gain, Jones.”

“Oh really?” he replied, leaning over the coffee table towards her. “What about a little wager, Swan?”

“I’m listening.”

“If I finish grading my term papers before you, I get to pick out what you wear for the Sadie Hawkins dance. If you finish first, you get to pick out my outfit.”

Emma narrowed her eyes as she crossed her arms. “No way I’m letting you pick out my outfit.”

“Scared?” he teased with a wiggle of his eyebrows.

“Of course! You’re a man! I don’t want to get fired.”

He splayed a hand over his heart. “Swan! Do you not trust me?”

“No.”

He chuckled, setting her feet on the floor so he could come around the coffee table and settle in next to her. “I just have a need to see you as a stereotypical schoolmarm. You know, tight bun, glasses, a tweed skirt.”

Emma snorted. “Let me guess, tweed mini skirt with my shirt half unbuttoned.”

“Nope,” he argued, popping his p, “I mean, full blown schoolmarm. Maybe even a cardigan and a string of pearls.”

“Okay then,” she told him, giving his tight jeans and blue button up a once over. As usual, the top few buttons were undone on his shirt to let his chest hair breath. “And if I win this little bet, I want to see you go full blown nerd. Khakis, a sweater, bow tie, the whole nine yards.”

Killian gave her a smug grin. “You’re on.”

They shook on it, and then Emma’s head fell to his shoulder. “I guess this means we should get back to work.”

“I don’t know about you, but I need a break.” Killian picked up her Roku remote. “The Musketeers?”

Emma pouted. “You know too many of my weaknesses.”

He waved the remote in her face. “Just a few episodes, Swan, you know you want to.”

She scowled at him as she snatched the remote. “One episode, then it’s back to work.”

He flashed her a toothy smile as he rose and pulled her onto the couch with him. She curled up next to him, grabbing a blanket from the arm of the sofa. One episode turned into three, which turned into both of them drifting off. The next thing Emma new, sunlight was filtering through her curtains, and Killian’s chest was rising and falling beneath her cheek.

So much for getting back to work.

********************************************************************

Emma stifled a yawn as she walked up and down the rows in her first block class as her freshmen clicked away on their laptops to identify the dependent clauses in the list of sentences on their screens. She had a cup of coffee on her desk, but she was pretty sure it was cold by now. Her neck hurt too because Killian’s shoulder apparently didn’t make a very good pillow.

She paused just as she walked past Violet’s desk. The normally quiet and studious girl was laughing behind her hand, and was that the ding of an incoming message Emma had just heard from her computer? Emma spun back around, and Violet’s eyes grew large and round. The girl slammed her laptop closed, her face turning red and Emma almost felt sorry for her. She couldn’t have looked more guilty if she’d tried.

“I . . . finished early,” Violet stammered.

Emma held her hand out, “Let me see.”

Violet slumped as she turned the device towards her teacher. Emma opened the computer, and Violet’s grammar work was there on the screen. Yet down in the corner was the icon for the Discord app. Emma pulled it up and saw that Violet had been chatting with Grace three rows over. But one of her best students chatting in class in an app that wasn’t even supposed to be downloaded onto a school computer wasn’t what shocked Emma. What shocked her was the content of the conversation.

whiterabbit: saw somethin this morning

camelotgirl: what

whiterabbit: know how ms swan lives across the street

camelotgirl: yeah

whiterabbit: i saw mr jones leaving this am they hooked up!!!!

camelotgirl: no way mayb he was just givin her a ride

whiterabbit: no his car was at her place all night

camelotgirl: she does seem tired lol

whiterabbit: you know he wore her out 😜

camelotgirl: O.M.G

Emma knew her face was ten times redder than Violet’s. Which was saying a lot because Violet was currently the color of a tomato. Emma took a deep, slow breath, then released it and told herself not to panic.

“Violet, I would like to see you and Grace after class. In the meantime, you are to concentrate on the assignment and that is all.” Emma arched a brow at Grace, who also slumped in her seat. “Do I make myself clear?”

“Yes, Ms. Swan,” the girls murmured in reply.

Emma pushed Violet’s computer back to her, and forced herself to lengthen her spin and keep her voice calm. She finished the lesson, feeling relief surge through her when the bell rang. Grace and Violet, with heads down dejectedly, shuffled reluctantly to Emma’s desk.

“How did you girls get that app on your computers?” Emma asked. “You know social media of any kind isn’t allowed on school devices.”

She tapped her fingertips on the desk as she regarded the girls. Actually, the laptops were set up with all kinds of blocks and security settings, so whoever got around it was smart. Grace and Violet were good students, but they weren’t the computer hacker types.

“Do we have to tell you?” Violet asked, her lower lip trembling. “We don’t want to get him in trouble!”

Emma forced herself not to smirk. Violet had been dating Henry Mills for a few months now, and she had a strong suspicion he was the him. He was a good kid as well, but also entirely too smart. Not to mention his mother was the principal, which meant he had free rein of the school after hours. She’d also noticed him spending a large amount of time with Graham Humbert, the school IT guy. Emma had assumed it was because his mother had briefly (and notoriously) dated him, but it looked like Henry had other reasons for seeking the man out.

“No, you don’t have to tell me,” Emma said, leaving out the fact that she would be having a private conversation with his mother later. Violet visibly deflated. “But, you will be deleting that app immediately.”

She had both girls pull up Discord, and when their chat once again filled the screen, Grace turned to Emma.

“I only told Violet, and I promise I won’t tell anyone else. Your secret is safe with us.”

Emma let out an irritated breath before smoothing her features into what Killian called her “teacher face.”

“I appreciate that, Grace, but this illustrates why you can’t jump to conclusions. Gossip can do a lot of damage. Mr. Jones and I were grading papers together, that’s all.”

“Teachers pull all nighters?” Violet asked as her brows rose.

Emma chuckled. “Yes, sometimes. Term papers take a really long time to grade, so this is a very stressful time of year. That’s why I’m tired all the time.”

She gave Grace a pointed look then, and the poor girl turned a bright shade of red. “We’re sorry, Ms. Swan.”

“Apology accepted. Now, erase this app because if I see it again, I’ll have to write you up and send you to Mr. Humbert to get your hard drive wiped.”

She was fairly certain the threat of a hard drive wipe was more motivation for the girls than demerits.

**********************************************************************

Emma jumped when a to-go bag from Granny’s was plopped onto her desk. She rubbed her eyes wearily and blinked to clear the sleep from them. How had she fallen asleep so fast? It felt like the bell just rang to dismiss her kids to go to lunch. She looked up to see Killian standing there with a pleased grin on his face.

“Grilled cheese,” he told her.

“With fries?”

“Onion rings.”

“Good,” she said as she grabbed the bag, “I was just testing you.”

Emma bit her lower lip as she watched Killian pull up a chair and set his own Granny’s bag on her desk. School gossip had never bothered her before, but after the chat she’d read between Violet and Grace, she was tempted to ask him to eat lunch somewhere else. But how could she when he’d bought her favorite meal? Besides, it wasn’t the first time he had spoiled her this way. She’d completely taken advantage of his coveted third block planning period, yet he’d never complained.

“So how’s it going?” he asked, gesturing to her computer screen.

“It’s not,” she sighed. “I told you The Musketeers was a mistake. I’ve barely been able to keep my eyes open all day.”

He chuckled before taking a bite of Granny’s lasagna. She studied him as she dipped an onion ring in ketchup. If he was equally exhausted, he showed no evidence of it. His eyes were as bright blue as they ever were, his black dress slacks, collared shirt, and leather vest hugging his frame in a tasteful yet fashionable way. His hair was tousled, but artfully so, and she knew full well he’d spent time in front of the mirror to get it to look that way.

“What?” he asked after swallowing a bite of salad. “Do I have sauce on my shirt?”

She shook her head and smiled. “You just don’t look as tired as I do, that’s all, and it’s completely unfair.”

He shrugged and waggled his eyebrows. “What can I say? I’m devilishly handsome.”

Normally she would roll her eyes and throw him a witty retort, but today she was more aware of his flirting than usual. She glanced over his shoulder at the door that led to the hallway.

“Something is bothering you, Swan,” he told her seriously, “and it isn’t your fatigue.” He leaned closer. “You know you look lovely as always, right?”

Emma shifted nervously in her chair. “You probably shouldn’t say things like that at work.”

Killian’s eyes widened, but he quickly covered it with his usual charming smile. “Then I’ll just save it for tonight. I was thinking you could come to my place, and I could cook for you because God knows you need to be eating more than Pop Tarts and grilled cheese.”

Emma kept her eyes glued to her sandwich. “I don’t know. I was thinking I might just grade on my own tonight.”

Killian was silent for such a long time, that she finally lifted her gaze to his. There were times she got the uncanny feeling he could read her mind. Her heartbeat picked up, worried he would ask for an explanation, but instead he quirked his lips into a half smile.

“I won’t force feed you broccoli, if that’s what you’re worried about.”

“I just need to focus, that’s all,” Emma muttered before cramming another onion ring in her mouth.

“Okay,” he said slowly, “then how about you come over tomorrow night?”

Emma suppressed a groan. He was really going to make this difficult, wasn’t he? “I actually think we need to stop . . . you know, spending so much time together.”

Killian narrowed his eyes. “Where is this coming from?”

She let out a long, slow breath before telling him about the Discord chat she had stumbled upon. When she finished, his expression was unreadable. He just sat there, lounging back on that stupid plastic orange school chair as if she was an open book.

Oh, who was she kidding? He could always see right through her.

“Okay, Swan,” he finally said with a long, slow nod.

He rose from the desk and stepped right into her personal space, balancing both hands on the arms of the leather desk chair she had saved up money to buy herself. It was an extremely fancy chair that spun and rocked. Emma currently had it leaning back as far as it would go, and still Killian leaned forward, his nose almost brushing hers. His eyes, a darker blue than they had been when he first walked in, searched her face. His gaze flickered to her lips, and Emma wondered if he would kiss her. When he spoke instead, she was surprised at how disappointed she was.

“But the bet is still on,” he told her, voice low.

“The bet?” she winced when it came out high-pitched. Damn, she wanted to kiss him right now. What? No, he was her best friend! It wasn’t like that. It couldn’t be like that.

“The Sadie Hawkins dance?”

“That is a sexist and antiquated tradition.”

“Be that as it may,” he quipped with arched brows, “Storybrooke High is having one, and if I finish my term papers first, you owe me a schoolmarm outfit and a dance.”

“The bet was we had to wear whatever the other one chose. We never said anything about a dance.”

Killian leaned ever closer, turning his head to whisper in her ear. “I’m changing the terms. I want a dance.”

Emma swallowed, his close proximity sending a chill down her spine. “I am disinclined to acquiesce to your proposal,” she shot back, quoting one of his favorite movies.

Killian released the chair and stepped back, a crooked grin on his face. “We shall see about that. Good day, Swan.”

She sagged in her chair, her heart racing. It was as if she had thrown down a challenge, and Killian decided to rise to the occasion. No Emma, she admonished herself with a quick shake of her head, poor choice of words! She wet her lips, trying to calm herself down, but there was no denying it.

She had a thing for Killian Jones.

Which meant she had just lost her best friend. She turned to her desk with a groan and dropped her head to the hard surface.

***********************************************************************

Emma smiled when she saw the little bag of Hershey Kisses in her teacher box. She pulled them out and read the accompanying note:

75 down and only 15 more to go! I sense a schoolmarm outfit in someone’s future! Love, Killian

Her smile widened to a full blown grin as she dropped the gift into her messenger bag and pulled out her cell phone.

Thanks for the chocolate, Jones, but I see a sweater and a bow tie. 78 down. *mic drop*

Emma chuckled under her breath as she sent the text. She tossed her phone back into her bag and fished around for her keys as she headed down the humanities wing. She was surprised to see Violet and Grace waiting for her outside her door.

“What are you girls doing here so early?”

The teens glanced at each other nervously.

“We, um, wanted to talk to you,” Grace explained.

“Ok,” Emma replied as she unlocked the door. A tiny part of her worried that their private Discord chat had somehow become public, but she quickly pushed it away. After all, she had avoided Killian for a week now; their only interactions texts and the frequent chocolates left in her teacher box.

Emma entered the classroom, flipped on the lights then dropped her bag beneath her desk. She plopped into her chair and spun to face her students.

“I’m listening, ladies.”

“Well . . . “ Violet began hesitantly, “you see, we’ve been thinking, and . . . um . . . I mean, we noticed -”

“We think you should ask Mr. Jones to the Sadie Hawkins dance,” Grace blurted out.

Emma’s eyes grew wide. “I’m sorry . . . what?”

“It’s all our fault,” Grace hurried on, “that you won’t hang out with Mr. Jones anymore. I mean, everyone knows you’re together all the time - “

“- until now,” Violet put in.

“Exactly!” Grace nodded. “And Mr. Jones just hasn’t been the same. He’s really sad.”

Emma rolled her eyes. “Girls, I seriously doubt Mr. Jones is pining over me or anything. We’re just friends. And I haven’t stopped hanging out with him, we’re both just busy.”

She pulled her laptop out of her messenger back and opened it up on her desk, expecting that to be it, but the girls lingered. She glanced up at them with raised brows.

“You’re wrong, Ms. Swan,” Violet said softly, “he really is sad.”

“How do you know this? You’re freshmen, he teaches juniors.”

“Henry said so.”

Emma frowned at Violet. “Your boyfriend told you his teacher is sad?”

“Well, yeah. Henry wants to be a writer, and he’s always hanging around after school because of his mom, so he’s gotten to know Mr. Jones really well.”

Emma bit her lip as she regarded the girl. She was well aware of the bond between Killian and Henry Mills. The boy had even let Killian read a few of his short stories.

“And everyone’s noticed the yearning looks and doey eyes,” Grace added with a smirk.

Emma scoffed. “I don’t yearn.”

“But he does,” both girls said at the same time.

********************************************************************

Killian Jones was well aware of his tendency to brood. He used to argue when his brother Liam would accuse him of it, but now? Now there was no sense denying it. He was brooding, melancholy, angst-ridden, and a thousand other synonyms for dramatic and pathetic. He was a grown man acting like a teenager in a Disney Channel movie.

He threw his red pen down on his desk in frustration, realizing that his mind was a thousand miles away from Emily Dickinson and her dash-filled poetry. He was so close to finishing his term papers - just five to go - and he’d never wanted to win a bet so badly in his life. He’d missed Emma terribly even though it had only been a week. If he won the bet, maybe he could at least get one dance.

How many synonyms were there for pathetic?

There was a knock at his classroom door, and he wearily called out for the person to come in. He was thinking of leaving anyway. It was past five, and he obviously wasn’t getting anything else done today.

Henry Mills appeared tentatively in the doorway, and Killian grinned.

“Good afternoon, my boy, or should I say good evening? It’s late for you to still be around.”

Henry came closer to his desk with a shrug, and it was only then that Killian realized he was carrying a large shirt box.

“I went home, actually, but Violet and Ms. Swan asked me to bring this to you. Mom said you were still here, so . . . “

The boy trailed off as he set the box on Killian’s desk. Killian narrowed his eyes as he stood and regarded the box.

“Ms. Swan in league with your girlfriend? What’s all this about?”

“Beats me,” Henry said, “I’m just the messenger.”

Killian lifted the lid on the box, and inside was a pair of khaki pants and a gray cardigan sweater with huge brown buttons. Resting on top was a red bowtie and a note. Killian picked it up and opened it to find Emma’s messy handwriting.

90 term papers graded, Jones. I win. So will you go with me to the Sadie Hawkins?

**************************************************************

“It’s totally unfair, you know,” Emma told Killian as she entered the gym on his arm.

“What’s unfair?”

“That you still look hot dressed like a nerd.”

“I told you,” Killian quipped with a waggle of his eyebrows, “I’m devilishly handsome.”

Emma laughed and smacked him in the chest.

“I have to say, Swan,” he said giving her an appreciative gaze, “you cut quite the figure in that dress.”

She was dressed in a much softer, feminine way than was normal for her. Her dress was pink with an A-line skirt that hit her knees. She had pulled her hair up into a ponytail that she had curled with a curling iron. To be honest, she had never had a date to a school dance before. So maybe this former foster girl was indulging in a childhood fantasy; at least she knew Killian could understand that.

“Why thank you,” she told him, a blush staining her cheeks. “You’re not disappointed about missing out on your schoolmarm fantasy?”

Killian grinned brightly as he wrapped an arm around her waist and pulled her close. “Oh, I have multiple fantasies, Swan.”

She was completely incapable of a come back when he looked at her that way. She bit her lower lip, her gaze drifting to his mouth.

“Oh for the love of God, just kiss already!”

The two of them jumped apart, faces flaming to see their boss Regina Mills standing there, her arms crossed and a smirk on her face. She had traded in her everyday sensible pantsuit for a sensible dress skirt instead. The two of them held their breath, worried they were about to get a lecture on school romances, but Regina just rolled her eyes at them.

“Just keep it PG, ok? Now get to the punch bowl already!”

Grace and Violet may have kept the topic of their Discord chat a secret, but they didn’t do the same about Emma asking Killian to the dance. All night, kids were coming up to tell them how cute they were together. Emma felt her face had turned as red as the punch.

Halfway through the evening, the DJ called them out by name to come out on the dance floor. The hoots and cheers of the students as Killian led her out to the middle of the gym floor was deafening. He rested one hand at her waist and clasped his other one with hers as Christina Perri’s “The Words” began to play. Emma breathed a sigh of relief when students drifted onto the floor as well.

“You don’t like being the center of attention, do you?” Killian teased.

“Not exactly,” Emma laughed.

“Well, unfortunately, you need to get used to it.”

Emma tilted her head. “Why?”

“Because there’s no one here as beautiful as you.”

As cheesy as the line was, for the second time that night, he had left her speechless. Emma’s only response was to release Killian’s hand so she could wrap her arms around his neck and pull him closer. He grinned in response, wrapping his arms about her waist. The song was winding down, and several of the students noticed how they had drawn closer together. The hoots and cheers from earlier filled the gym. Killian arched a brow at her, and Emma’s eyes widened. What was he up to? She let out a small yelp when he suddenly dipped her, winking down at her. The cheers of the students grew even louder, and now many of them were chanting, “Kiss! Kiss! Kiss!”

Emma almost panicked when Killian pulled her closer when he lifted her back up. Yet the kiss he gave her was only a brief brush of lips against her cheek, and she sighed in relief. It wasn’t that she didn’t want to kiss him - God, did she want to! - she just didn’t want their first kiss to have an audience, especially an audience they had to see every single day.

So when the song ended, Emma tugged Killian through the crowd, away from the punch bowl. The dance committee had borrowed sets from the drama club’s last production of Oklahoma! for the night’s western theme. She yanked Killian behind a giant mural of a Conestoga wagon and beneath the bleachers.

“Making out under the bleachers, Ms. Swan?’ Killian admonished with an exaggerated frown. “I’ll have you know I’m a gentlem-”

Emma cut him off, yanking him forward by the front of his sweater, and crashed her lips into his. He was clearly surprised at first, but he caught up quickly. Kissing him was just as good as she had always imagined, his lips soft yet firm, and one of his hands tangled in her ponytail. Emma tilted her head, deepening the kiss, and she swore his tongue tasted like Hershey’s chocolate.

They could have stayed there behind those bleachers, kissing until their lips were swollen, but they both knew they would be missed. And getting caught making out would definitely not be PG. So she and Killian made their way back to the punch bowl, their fingers threaded together, sharing ridiculously sappy smiles.

The rest of the night was like one of those teen rom-coms Emma used to hate. Killian draped his sweater over her shoulders as they walked from the gym to his car, and her foot might have popped like Mia Thermopolis when he kissed her goodnight at her door. Despite kissing under the bleachers, he hadn’t been kidding. He was a perfect gentleman. And Emma literally swooned against the door after telling him goodbye. She waited for the fear to grip her. Fear that she’d let him in too fast. Fear that he wouldn’t stick around. Fear that their friendship would be ruined. But the fear didn’t come.

**************************************************

“Hit me.”

Killian Jones grinned, unwrapped a Hershey Kiss and tossed it into Emma’s open mouth. She ate it with an exaggerated moan, then licked her lips suggestively. He leaned across the coffee table and captured her lips in a deep kiss, tasting the chocolate on her tongue.

By the end of the night, there was an obscene amount of foil wrappers littering the living room floor, and Killian knew they would be finding those tiny paper tails in the carpet for the next month.

But that was okay. He and his wife did this every year. Kisses were the best way, after all, to get through term paper season.

#cs ff #cs modern au #best friends #friends to lovers #teacher!emma #teacher!killian #fluff #fandom birthday playlist #for snowbellewells #on her birthday

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writethehousedown · 5 years ago

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Here Comes the Sun 2/7 (Branjie) -- athena2

Day 2, Umbrella: Brooke returns Vanessa’s umbrella, and grows a little closer to her.

Thank you to Writ for betaing this chapter!

Brooke can’t stop staring at Vanessa’s umbrella. She couldn’t get a good look in the rain, but it’s a vibrant, sunny yellow, the top home to bright purple flowers and soft green leaves and smiling red ladybugs.

She grips the handle and pretends she’s holding Vanessa’s hand. She pictures Vanessa’s hand around hers in a storm, clenched tight in the pouring rain, or maybe relaxed, since rain didn’t seem to bother Vanessa much. Vanessa seems like the type to hum along to “Umbrella” and dance in the rain with woodland animals like a Disney princess, while Brooke gritted her teeth and somehow had raindrops hit her right in the eye.

Eventually she has to put it down and get ready for work, shooting her fellow teacher Nina a text asking whether bringing Vanessa coffee and a muffin is too much of a thank you for an umbrella.

Nina West: I don’t think it’s too much.

Nina West: It would be a good chance for you two to TALK

Nina West: Pretend I’m nudging your shoulder and winking

Two winking emojis follow, and Brooke sighs. Nina, too observant to even be fair sometimes, had picked up on Brooke staring at Vanessa, Brooke losing focus on her lesson plans when Vanessa laughed during lunch, and has been pushing Brooke to talk to her for months. Brooke wishes she could, but being around Vanessa dries her throat out like the desert and plucks every thought from her head.

It’s just coffee, Brooke tells herself. Just a thank you.

She heads out the door, twirling Vanessa’s umbrella in her hand.

—

Vanessa sighs as she enters the school, her shoes squelching even after she scraped them off on the carpet. “Good thing my lunch bag is waterproof. This rain is wild.”

Silky rolls her eyes. “Maybe if you didn’t give your umbrella to Miss Brooke–”

“Hey!” Vanessa snaps. “I lied and told her I had an extra. I didn’t want it to look like I was letting her borrow my only umbrella because–”

“Because you’ve had a crush on her for years?” A’keria chimes in.

Vanessa should’ve never told them she likes Brooke. It isn’t like she’s been discrete about her feelings, though, missing most of the faculty meetings because she couldn’t stop thinking about how cute Brooke looks while she takes notes. Brooke is so meticulous, her decorations looking like a machine made them, but it was just her own clever hands, and so dedicated to her students that she often stays as late as Vanessa to work on teaching plans or get crafts ready. Their classrooms share a wall, and though Brooke speaks softly, sometimes her voice travels through the open window, making Vanessa lose her train of thought to the amusement of thirty five-year-olds.

Vanessa’s been trying to talk to her more, beyond discussing the weather or funny stuff their kids did, but it never seems to work. Brooke is always reading, or working on lesson plans, or looking so happy with her peanut butter and jelly sandwich that Vanessa couldn’t find a way in.

Vanessa unlocks her classroom door. “Have fun grading!” she teases, since A’keria and Silky co-teach fifth grade, where they had to read three-paragraph essays written by kids who had no idea what they were writing. “We’re counting with ladybug toys today.”

Both of them grumble before saying they’ll meet her at lunch.

Vanessa’s classroom is an oasis, bright and joyous yet calm and peaceful. The back right corner is covered by a rug featuring a rainbow against a blue sky, the chair she uses to read to the kids in the center. Cubbies for the kids and shelves crammed with toys and games occupy the back left wall, along with a smaller rainbow rug for anyone who gets overwhelmed and needs a break. Long tables face the chalkboard, with a construction paper name tag (currently chicks for spring) for each kid. It’s the kind of classroom she would have liked as a kid and still likes now, especially the spring flowers along the walls. Her mom used to have an enormous flower garden that filled the whole backyard with sweet lavender and fresh rose scents. Vanessa would pick them and bring them in the house, tearing a few petals in her eager excitement.

She picks up the LEGO blocks littering the rug–maybe she’ll have to sing the clean-up song with a little more vigor today–and puts Bertha’s cage in its usual spot. A knock tears her away, and she turns to see Brooke in her doorway, umbrella in one hand and a coffee cup and bag in the other.

Vanessa’s heart lurches at the sight of her. “Morning, Brooke.” Vanessa takes any chance she can to use Brooke’s name, so used to calling her Ms. Hytes in front of the kids that Brooke feels special, like a gift, one that makes Vanessa warm inside.

“Morning.” Brooke’s cheeks are bright pink and Vanessa warms even more. “Um, thank you again. For the umbrella. I brought you coffee. A-and a muffin.”

Vanessa takes the umbrella and lays it on one of the tables, accepting the coffee gratefully. Brooke even got her little packs of sugar and cream so she could make the coffee how she wanted it, and Vanessa’s heart gives that familiar tug it does around Brooke. “You didn’t have to do all that for me. Best believe I’m drinking it, but you didn’t have to.”

“I wanted to,” Brooke insists, handing her a chocolate chip muffin. Warmth radiates through the wrapper, and Vanessa sighs in pleasure, hoping Brooke didn’t hear her moaning over a muffin.

“Thank you.” Vanessa looks up at Brooke, fingers nervously weaving through her blonde hair. “You want half with me?”

Brooke blushes as red as the construction-paper roses on Vanessa’s wall. “Are you sure?”

“Yeah! This thing’s bigger than my head.” Vanessa grabs a knife and two paper plates from her desk, motioning for Brooke to sit at one of the kid’s tables. Vanessa stifles a laugh as Brooke knocks her knees against the table, rearranging the chair and twisting her legs this way and that like a pretzel before she can sit at least somewhat comfortably. Vanessa plops down in the kid-sized chair like it’s a normal chair, prompting Brooke to laugh until she has tears in her eyes.

“You’re so tiny!” Brooke teases. “Maybe you should use one of these chairs at your desk. You fit in them perfectly.”

“Hey!” Vanessa laughs. “I happen to be petite, thank you very much!”

Brooke just smiles, eyes wide in disbelief at them sitting here like this. Vanessa can hardly believe it either, cutting the muffin just so something in this feels real.

The muffin is reduced to crumbs as she and Brooke talk about Brooklyn Nine-Nine, the minutes flying by. The warning bell rangs, cutting through the trance she and Brooke both seem to be in.

Brooke grabs her bags, and Vanessa decides to just go for it. She knows Brooke gets stuck in her head too much at times, that it might be hard for her to ask even if she’s given Vanessa several hints that she wants to. “Hey, Brooke? Do you maybe want to have lunch together tomorrow?”

“I’d love that, Vanessa,” Brooke says with a smile.

She says goodbye to Brooke, and when she looks out the window, the rain has come to a stop.

#rpdr fanfiction #branjie #brooke lynn hytes #vanessa vanjie mateo #athena2 #here comes the sun #lesbian au #fluff #concrit welcome #spring fling 2020 #day 2: umbrella #submission

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mydarlingvioletine · 5 years ago

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Just a Puppy Crush - Chapter Fourteen Ship(s): Violet/Clementine, Louis/Aasim, Ruby/Brody Media: The Walking Dead Game (Season 4)

When they pulled into the parking lot, Louis’ demeanor changed immediately. He craned his head to look inside the diner cautiously, then let his eyes dart between the stained glass windows of the diner and a red, beat-up car in the employees parking section.

“Earth to Louis,” Violet leaned forward and shook her hand in front of Louis’ eyes, and frowned at his silence. “What’s up?”

“Huh?” Louis blinked absently, then took the key out and gave a weary smile to Violet through the rear view mirror. “Sorry, this heat is too much. It’s fucking October, when is it gonna start acting like it?”

Unconvinced, Marlon pressed his face up against the passenger seat window and looked at the car. His eyes lit up, and he flashed Louis a goofy smile as he made the connection.

“Flame decals. That’s Aasim’s car.” Marlon happily noted, brushing his shoulder against the flustered Louis’. “That why you wanted to go to the diner?”

“Purely a coincidence!” Louis stammered, gripping the steering wheel so tight his knuckles were white.

Violet and Clementine exchanged a look, and rolled their eyes as Louis went down his list of excuses.

“Shame I don’t believe in those,” Marlon sang out, slamming the car door behind him as he marched into the diner. Still stuttering to explain, Louis followed close behind him.

“That’s.. kind of adorable.” Clementine giggled, unbuckling her seat belt and jumping out of the car. “Idiot probably has his work schedule memorized.”

Violet snorted, and swallowed her laughter as Clem wrapped herself around the taller girl’s arm. “C’mon, let’s catch up with them.”

‘80s rock hit their ears as soon as they opened the swinging doors, and Marlon and Louis had already sat down in a booth near the jukebox.

Louis was using one of those cartoonishly gigantic menus to cover his face, and Violet rolled her eyes as she snatched it when she sat down across from him.

“Dude, you okay?” Violet pressed, concern clouding her eyes as she frowned. Louis sighed and let a weary smile form on his face.

“I’m all sweaty and gross after the game. I didn’t really factor that in.” Louis admitted wearily, taking the menu back from her and creating a barrier. “I.. uh.. feel kinda weird.”

Violet clasped her hands together and scanned the restaurant. A couple kids from school, but none she was really close to. Aasim was nowhere to be seen.

“Don’t worry, Lou,” Violet pressed the menu down and offered the pouting Louis a smile. “I don’t see him anywhere. He’s probably on dish washing duty.”

After a couple tentative seconds, Louis nodded and let himself relax, fiddling with a sugar packet. “Yeah, okay. You’re right.”

Clementine giggled, softly kicking his knee under the table. “Who would’ve thought you, of all people, would be such a wimp about your feelings?”

Louis glared, arching his brow as he glanced between Clem and Violet. “Oh, I’m a wimp about my feelings?”

Before the girls could protest, the big red employee’s only door opened, and Aasim was practically shoved out of the kitchen. Clem turned to Louis and waggled her eyebrows, and snatched the menu before he could retreat.

“Aasim, buddy!” Marlon ushered him over to their table. “Did they kick you out again?”

Sheepishly, Aasim nodded and rubbed the back of his neck. “Yeah, fuckers keep calling me bossy just because I have standards of what I’d eat off of.”

Louis had leaned heavily against the table, cradling his cheek as he wracked his brain for literally anything to say.

“You’re just decisive,” Louis landed on a compliment, and fanned himself with a menu. “I like that in a wo- Man.. person.”

Aasim absently blinked a couple times before grabbing a notebook and pretending nothing had happened. “So, what can I get you guys?”

“A fuckton of pancakes!” Violet jumped in with an answer before Louis could embarrass himself any further. Marlon and Clementine nodded in agreement, and the flustered Aasim turned on his heel and went back into the kitchen all too happily.

Louis immediately cradled his head as if in pain, elbows against the counter. “What the fuck was that?”

Violet rolled her eyes and tipped his chin up, before shaking his shoulders to snap him out of it. “You are an absolute mess, Lou. Just treat him like you treat us. Like a friend!”

Louis pursed his lips and shook his head. “I’m not going to make fun of him and call him a scrub.”

Clementine snorted as Violet sighed and leaned back in her seat, chewing on her straw. “Vi’s got a point there, you know. Just try and take it easy, okay? Be normal Louis.”

“The day I take romantic advice from you two pining nerds is the day Marlon shaves the pubes that he dare calls a mustache.” Louis clenched his dreads in his fist, as Marlon shot him a glare and checked himself on the napkin container. “Sorry man, the truth comes out when I’m panicking.”

Clementine and Violet were too busy blushing furiously and looking at anything other than each other to notice Aasim approach their table. Struggling to hold a couple plates, he set down a stack of pancakes in front of Clem and Marlon.

He held the whipped cream bottle in his hands, and recoiled when Clem went to reach for it. “Just don’t use up the entire thing this time, okay?”

She quickly snatched it from his hands and turned it upside down, letting it pour all over her pancakes. “No promises.”

Aasim rolled his eyes and turned towards Louis and Violet. “Yours will take a little bit longer. Chocolate chip’s your favorite, right?”

Violet went to answer but recoiled at the realization that Aasim was staring down Louis, and that she was the last thing on his mind.

“Aw, you remembered!” Louis cooed, cupping the sides of his face to give a charmingly dorkish smile. “And my favorite drink is...”

“Sprite.” Aasim snorted, before his cheeks reddened and he started stammering for excuses. “I only remember that because you said Marlon thinks it’s ‘too spicy’.”

“Oh, fuck you. Sprite is harsh, man.” Marlon muttered through a mouthful of pancakes, glaring at the laughing Louis across from him. Clementine and Violet giggled, letting their knees softly rest against each other under the table.

A lady from behind the counter pushed two plates of steaming chocolate chip pancakes towards Aasim, who gingerly planted them in front of Violet and Louis.

Aasim lingered around the table for a while longer, anxiously looking over his shoulder back at the kitchen before his name was called and he scurried back to the counter.

“Aw, look!” Clementine smiled down at her phone before tilting it towards Violet and Louis. “They’re so cute.”

It was a new post on Brody’s Instagram of her and Ruby in a costume shop dressing room, Brody’s arm slung around Ruby as she stuck out her tongue and gave a peace sign to the camera.

Violet’s eyes almost bulged out of her head at the sight of Ruby with her hair not in it’s signature messy ponytail. She looked so nice with it down, bouncy red curls spilling over her shoulder.

Brody also looked super different. Her hair was up in pigtails, and the end of each were blue and red. She was holding a cartoonish plastic hammer over her shoulder, and wearing a red and blue bomber jacket over a plain white T-shirt.

[The caption: “There are sweeter things to do in the moonlight.” along with party streamers and flower emojis.]

“Rubes makes a killer Poison Ivy,” Louis guffawed, taking the phone from Clem’s hands. “Brody is a really good Harley Quinn too! Those dorks are adorable.”

Violet nodded, cupping her Coca Cola in her hands as she observed the picture. “Think they’ll get together before Halloween?”

Louis snorted, and passed the phone back to Clementine before shoveling a load of pancakes back into his mouth. “Puh-lease, they’re even more clueless than y-“

Clem ‘accidentally’ kicked Louis’ shin under the table, and he pulled it to his chest, silently glaring.

“So, what are you guys being for Halloween?” Marlon eagerly changed the subject, swirling the straw around in his drink.

“Sexy cat, probably.” Louis beamed, causing Marlon to choke on his straw. “Nah, I’m not really that sure. Was thinking about jumping onto the clown bus.”

“Perfect, you don’t even need to change!” Clem giggled, holding onto her sides as Louis threw a crumpled up straw wrapper at her. “What about you, Vi?”

Violet wiped the syrup off of her lips. “I have this old pirate costume that my mom made for me. I might wear that out.”

Clementine’s eyes lit up and she grabbed Violet’s hand that was laying on the table. “We should go together! I was a pirate last year and I could totally reuse it.”

“Uh, yeah. Definitely.” Violet’s eyes were pinned on Clem’s hands over hers, and hoped her face wasn’t as red as she felt it was. “What about AJ?”

“He’s gonna be Disco Broccoli.” Clementine giggled, tapping her free hand on the table. “He might tag along with us if Carley and Lee can’t take him out. Is that okay?”

“Oh, abso-tutley.” Violet quickly responded, a smile on her face as she tried to imagine the little hothead of a kid playing the chill, collected Disco Broccoli. He did have killer dance moves though, so she didn’t doubt he could pull it off.

It took a couple more minutes for everyone to finish and for Louis to start scraping the plate with his fork, trying desperately to scoop up any pancake remains.

Aasim came up and placed the bill on the table, raising his eyebrow at Louis’ odd behavior. “Is he okay?”

Marlon took the fork from his hand and put his hand on his shoulder in an attempt to console him. “Lou’s always inconsolable after a really good meal. He’ll be alright.”

“Well, you can come back tomorrow...” Aasim wearily suggested, Louis’ head snapping up at the statement. “Only if you want to! I’ll be working tomorrow after school and I could probably sneak some extra pancakes for you.”

Louis clasped his hands together happily, and took the bill from the end of the table. “I’ll be here. You’d have to barricade the doors to keep me from coming.”

“I’m pretty sure that’s against customer policy, but I’ll keep a stool free for you.” Assim rebuked wittily, his thumbs tucked nervously into his front pocket. Louis passed the bill back to him, and did that one charming smile that could make someone faint if they looked too close.

“Uh, cool.” Aasim stammered, just noticing the other three’s presence when Clementine cleared her throat. “I’ll see you guys tomorrow.”

Louis was unable to control how giddy he was when they all got into his car, humming happily and tapping the steering wheel. Marlon and Violet exchanged a knowing glance, and for the first time in all the years she’d known him, she felt a ping of solidarity.

She didn’t know why things were the way they were with Marlon. Hell, she couldn’t remember the last time they’d been alone together. As much as she didn’t want to care about what he thought, she cared about Louis too much to just create more tension between the group.

Looking back on it, Marlon and Minnie were actually pretty close before she got expelled. The thought crossed her mind for the first time that maybe Marlon blamed her for what happened, and she instinctively tugged her knees to her chest. Shit.

The static of Clementine’s hand brushing against her ear surged panic throughout her senses. Clem was pursing her lips, and adjusting the flower behind her ear.

“You know, I could probably make a whole flower crown for you.” Clementine pondered, a warm smile on her face as Violet let her eyes meet hers. “It wouldn’t be that hard. You’d look really cute.”

Violet’s cheeks were flushed with pink, and the murmuring of Louis and Marlon talking seemed so distant. Like nothing else on earth existed other than Clementine, who’s radiant smile was almost too much to bear. “I don’t know..”

“See?” Clementine pointed at the blush on her cheeks, quietly snickering. “Red looks good on you. I’ll make it happen.”

Noticing Violet’s silence, she recoiled back to her seat and anxiously glanced from her to the window. “Sorry. I think I’m drunk on maple syrup or something. I’m not usually that forward.”

Violet pursed her lips, nodding before she gently placed her hand on top of Clem’s clenched fist. Clementine relaxed at the touch, and wearily smiled up at the taller blonde.

“Don’t... be sorry.” Violet whispered, her eyes glinted with a mix of cheeriness and astonishment. “I, um-“

The car swerved to the left frantically, and Clem smacked the back of her head against the seat. Louis quickly pulled over, and turned around to check on everybody. “Shit, there were some dumbass squirrels playing chicken. Are you guys okay?”

“Peachy.” Clementine winced, rubbing the back of her head with a scowl. “At least I didn’t lose another leg.” She joked lightheartedly.

“My god, Lou.” Marlon groaned, tapping his fingers against the dashboard. “And you say I’m a bad driver.”

The two playfully bickered in the front while Violet worriedly kept glancing at Clem. “You sure you’re good?”

“I’m okay, Vi.” Clementine snorted, eyes dancing back and forth between Violet and Louis. “Just a little bump.”

“First stop, casa a la Clementine,” Louis sang as he pulled into Clem’s driveway. All the lights were on, and they could see Carley and James on the back porch talking.

Clementine paused, eyes flickering over to Violet nervously. “You want to come and say hi to AJ? And maybe play some Wii? I know it’s a school night, but..”

“Inviting me over after the first date? I’d love to, Clementine.” Louis mockingly cooed, earning a glare from Clem that made him squeak and cower in the front seat. “I’m kidding.”

“Yeah, sure.” Violet felt herself saying impulsively, brain wiping out all of her concerns about how she’d get home and if her father would be there when she did get home. “I got laundry to do, right?”

Clem let the anxiousness wash away from her features and beamed, nodding. They both said goodbye to Louis and Marlon, thanked him for the near-death experience and dinner, and she followed a bouncy Clementine through the front door.

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captainpotatoslayer · 5 years ago

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Chapters: 64/? Fandom: 僕のヒーローアカデミア | Boku no Hero Academia | My Hero Academia Rating: Explicit Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death, Underage Relationships: Bakugou Katsuki/Original Female Character(s) Characters: Bakugou Katsuki, Bakugou Mitsuki, Bakugou Masaru, Original Female Character(s), Midoriya Izuku, Todoroki Shouto, Yagi Toshinori | All Might Additional Tags: Love, Falling In Love, Angst, Soft Bakugou Katsuki, Slice of Life, Teen Romance, Childhood Trauma, Childhood Friends, Deception, Superpowers, Background Relationships, Character Death, dying, Mental Health Issues, Closely follows original story, Dark elements, Explicit Language, Explicit Sexual Content, Bullying, mysterious character, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Romantic Fluff, Family Fluff, Fluff and Smut, Elements of poly

Wilted

Akane rolled over in bed, a groan escaping her as she did. She rubbed her arm over her face, able to hear the distant sound of the shower running. As she stretched out across the sheets, she figured it must have been Bakugou already up early and getting ready. She smiled and rolled back over, snuggling into the pillow for a few more minutes.

She had only done so for a moment before she realized that she saw something on the night stand. After raising her head up a bit, she was able to get a better look and her lips curled into a smile. A single, scorched dead dandelion sat on the top. Her heart thundered in her chest as she relaxed back in bed.

So it was Valentines Day today?

It had started as a joke.

But then it became a tradition.

After they finished getting ready and got into their uniforms, Akane was tugging on her boots as she looked at Bakugou who was just minding his own business, putting his shoes on as well. She stepped up behind him and wrapped her arms around his torso, kissing the back of his head. “Happy Valentines Day, Katsu.”

He growled, “Whatever.”

They barely crossed the threshold of the door to school when Sorann jumped up on Akane from behind and grinned, “Good morning!” She swung around in front of her and held her hand out, which had a little package in it. “Here, I have a surprise for you.”

Akane made a face. “Is this Valentines chocolate? Are you confessing to me?”

Bakugou all but snarled in Sorann’s face, trying to push her away. Sorann laughed and danced away from his hand as she dropped the item into Akane’s hands. “Open it! Enjoy!”

Akane cautiously opened the little package, bracing herself for what could be inside. After she unfolded the wrap, her eyes sparkled with happiness. There was a little ball of chocolate in her palm – not quite perfectly round, but still obviously spherical. It was almost as black as midnight and she grinned. “Dark chocolate... my favorite!” She popped it in her mouth and was delightfully surprised when she felt a rush of hot fudge. She let out a massive purr. “Oh that was so damn good. You make these, huh?”

She grinned and stuck her tongue out. “I had help... but yeah. We made them last night.” Dropping her smile she turned to Bakugou and held out another piece. “You too.”

Bakugou snatched it away and shouted, “I don’t want your shitty chocolate, Sor-loser! Get lost!” Despite that, he ripped the paper wrapper open and popped it in his mouth. He glared her dead in the face until he suddenly jumped. His glare intensified. “Pop rocks? Really?” He glared down at his own tongue as they crackled around. “These things are so annoying! What are you, a child?”

Sorann grumbled. “That’s rich, coming from you.” She turned around. “I have a lot of candies to give out and so little time. See you guys later!” She trotted off.

Much more slowly, Bakugou and Akane headed to class. Bakugou marched off to his own desk while Akane made her way to her own, but paused when she saw a few people floating around her desk. She stepped up behind Sero and asked, “What are you guys doing?”

Sero chuckled. “Looks like you have a valentines secret admirer. But they’re not very good at it.”

Mineta fanned his hand from his desk. “The guy clearly doesn’t know the first thing about girls. I mean at least put some effort into the big day.” He looked up at Akane and a determined look floated across his face, his hand clenching. It was good for him though. The worse her other admirers did, the better he was going to look when he pulled his move.

Akane wiggled by them to her desk and her gaze softened.

Another scorched flower – this one a honeysuckle torn from its roots too early. She picked up the flower and her red eyes shimmered with happiness before she gently put the flower away in her bag. “I love it. I think it’s full of personality.”

Sero blinked. “What really?”

Mineta shouted, “That flower looks like it was plucked out of the ground outside the door! After being set on fire! And trampled on!”

Akane giggled, “It probably was.”

Mineta just gaped in confusion.

Todoroki asked, “Don’t girls usually want roses for flowers?”

Akane made a face at him and laughed. “Don’t insult me, Shouto, what part of me is usual?”

He couldn’t help but smile and laugh along. “You’re right. My apologies.”

She smiled more before sitting down in her seat. With her chin in her hand, her gaze went across the front row until it fell on the back of her favorite blonde head. He glanced at her for only a moment before looking back straight ahead.

At lunch, Akane smiled when she saw Sorann going around, giving chocolates out to everyone. Each piece had it’s own unique touch for them. That girl was truly something special, always going out of her way for others. The gesture was just so sweet.

But behind her, trouble was brewing.

Monoma and Tetsutetsu were standing shoulder to shoulder, looking at class 1-A. Monoma asked, “Which one is her?”

Tetsutetsu pointed to Akane. “Black hair and red eyes according to Kirishima, so that’s gotta be her.” Confused he asked, “But why did you wanna know?” He paused. “You’re not gonna cause trouble are you? If you do, Kendo is gonna stress out.”

Monoma fanned his hand. “Don’t worry about a thing. This will all be worth it. Thanks for your help, Tetsutetsu. Now sit back and enjoy the show.”

Tetsutetsu frowned. “I don’t like the sound of this.”

Akane started eating her lunch when she felt a tap on her shoulder. She turned and looked up to see Class 1-B's notorious trouble maker was standing behind her. “Monoma?”

He smiled at her, brushing his bangs back as leaned forward. “Hello, Akane.” He had a not so descreetly hidden boquet of roses behind his back. “Today is the day of confessions, is it not?”

“Uh...” Akane hummed in confusion. “If you’re saying that cause of Valentine’s Day then you’re not wrong but... what are you doing?”

Monoma smiled as he held the roses in front of him and stated, “I’d like to confess. I’ve had a crush on you since the moment I met you. Your beauty resonates through my mind and I see your glowing smile even when I close my eyes.”

Akane slurped up her noodles. “You get that out of a book?”

Sero and Kaminari who were sitting across from her both straightened up and tensed. Sero quickly stated, “Uh... man that’s a bad idea.”

Kaminari squeaked, “Oh shit, he’s coming.”

Akane sighed heavily and sat up. “Monoma, I would highly suggest that you quit while you’re behind.”

Monoma’s grin grew bigger when he heard a furious growl behind him. He spun around and fanned his hands out. “Excuse me, Bakugou. But I’m busy.”

His head was tipped up, veins popping all over his forehead, his lip curled in a heated snarl and his eyes narrowed in rage. “The fuck do you think you’re doing you son of a bitch?”

Monoma blinked, feigning innocence. “What do you mean? I’m just minding my own business, trying to confess my love to this beautiful woman.” His face suddenly contorted into a knowing, challenging glare. “Does that bother you?”

Bakugou glared at the flowers in his hand and shouted, “Get the fuck away from her you bastard! You can’t confess to her, she’s my girlfriend!”

He fake gasped, “She is!? I had no idea.”

Bakugou stepped up to him. “You knew you damn liar... want me to blow your god damn face off?”

Monoma challenged, “I dare you to try Mr.Hero. But I think you’re overreacting a bit. But make sure you fight me in front of all the teachers and let them know you did it just cause I was giving a girl flowers.”

Bakugou set his tray of food down and both of his hands crackled with explosions. “You bastard... that’s it...! I’m gonna fucking kill you...!”

Akane jumped up, raising her hands as she stood between them, her back to Monoma and she pressed Bakugou back a step. “Katsu, enough. Don’t play his game. You’re better than that.”

Sero laughed, “Yeah and both of you are better than the loser who’s dropping off dead flowers.”

Monoma looked back at him. “Dead flowers? Mine was as a joke but at least I put in effort... jeez.”

Akane frowned and Bakugou snapped, “Fuck you extras.” He grabbed his tray and marched off elsewhere.

Akane sighed and rubbed the back of her neck. “Katsu...”

“Iida, Uraraka!”

Sorann glowed happily when she finally caught up to a couple of her classmates as they returned from lunch. “Here, happy Valentines day.”

“Are these chocolates?” Iida gasped. “How thoughtful of you!” He clenched his hand into a fist. “I as the president should have thought of such a selfless thing to share with my fellow students.”

Uraraka laughed. “Calm down Iida, I don’t think anyone’s expecting it. Normally you only give chocolates to your crush – so Sorann is going really above and beyond expectations.”

She smiled. “I just really wanted to do it. I appreciate all of you guys and you really make me feel happy to come to school. Plus, all of you have such fun characteristics so it was really enjoyable to come up with specialized chocolates for each of you.”

Iida gasped, “They’re unique?”

“Yeah!” Sorann exclaimed.

Iida eagerly opened his and looked at the piece of square chocolate and analyzed it for several moments. “I... don’t see it.”

Sorann laughed softly. “Yours is a plain milk chocolate square. A fundamental piece of chocolate that follows all the rules.”

His gaze brightened at this. “It’s perfect. How thoughtful. Thank you, Sorann!”

Uraraka quickly followed suit and unwrapped hers as Iida ate his chocoalte. Hers was a simple ball of chocolate and she asked, “And mine...?”

Sorann smiled. “You have to eat yours.”

She did and a moment later, she let out a scream of delight. “Red bean paste! So yummy! Thank youuu!!” She wrapped her friend in a big hug.

She hugged back but quickly trotted to the back of class when she saw that Todoroki had just reached his desk. Sorann told him, “Todoroki...! Here!” She went to get his chocolate but stopped when she noticed him staring at Akane.

Akane had just sat down and opened her book, but a couple of the dead flowers were between the pages she was flipping to. Her fingers ran along the charred stems before she put them into her backpack as well.

Todoroki frowned and asked Sorann. “Do you know anything about those dead flowers?”

Sorann shook her head. “Nope.”

“Do they mean something?” He asked, a concerned edge to his voice.

“Hm... let’s see.” Sorann pulled her phone out with her other hand and started searching. After a moment, she read aloud, “Withered, wilted or dead flowers have a negative connotation in expression, or if the flowers are presented upside down, then it conveys the opposite of its original meaning. Maybe someone is harassing her?” Her frown deepened. “I should talk to her about it.”

Todoroki shook his head. “I don’t think that’s what it could be. She seemed really happy about the one she got this morning. But they’re everywhere. I think I’ve seen her get at least 5 or 6.”

“I’ll ask her about them.” Sorann stated. “After class though.” She smirked at him. “Are you getting jealous, Todoroki?”

He blinked. “What... no...I just... am curious.”

Momo had just come into the classroom as well and looked up to see that Todoroki and Sorann were talking. She felt her heart start to pound in her chest. Reaching into her bag, she pulled out a small box that had her own chocolate in it as she looked up at Todoroki. Taking a deep breath, she braced herself as she stepped forward so she could speak with him next, but her eyes widened when she saw Sorann hand over a piece of chocolate to him.

He questioned, “What’s this?”

Sorann laughed. “It’s Valentine’s Day. It’s chocolate.”

“Why do... I get chocolate?” He asked.

Momo looked down and put her box back into her bag, hurrying by the two of them to her desk.

Sorann giggled, “I made some for everyone. Try yours!”

Todoroki took a bite and mulled over it for a bit before he asked, “It’s... part mint...part...” He made a face as he was trying to figure it out.

She answered, “Mexican chocolate. It’s got cinnamon in it.”

He smiled. “I see. Thank you.”

She gleefully told him, “You’re welcome!”

At the end of PE for the day, Ashido was pointing her finger at Jiroh and scolding, “I think you need to stop lying to yourself or you’re never gonna get anywhere.”

Jiroh snapped back, “There’s nowhere to get. You’re full of crap and that’s it!”

Asui joined, “I dunno, you’re denying it awfully hard.”

“Because it’s not true!” Jiroh yelled.

Sorann finished pulling her clothes on and walked over to them. “What are you guys arguing about?”

Ashido grinned, “Jiroh didn’t make any chocolate for her crush.”

Jiroh shouted, “I don’t have one!”

“Who is it?” Sorann asked eagerly.

“No one!” Jiroh seethed.

Asui answered, “Kaminari.”

Jiroh argued, “He’s a total idiot! Why would I like anything about him!?”

“He makes you laugh.” Ashido sang.

“He makes everyone laugh with his stupidity.” Jiroh growled. She quickly finished up and shut her locker door. “Forget it, I’m not arguing this anymore...!” She quickly trotted after Momo and joined her walking out.

Sorann grinned at the other two. “You’re so right. Definitely likes him.”

They nodded.

She grabbed a couple pieces of chocolate. “But I’ve got treats for you...!”

Ashido squealed and broke hers open, “Mines pink!”

Asui whined happily. “It’s shaped like a frog...! It’s so cute Sorann! Thanks!”

The two of them were about to head out when Akane walked up to her locker and pulled out her bag, but several dead flowers fell out of it.

Sorann tensed up. All three of them watched intently to see what Akane would do.

She giggled softly while reaching down and picking up the bundle of flowers.

Gasping, all three girls flew up to her. Sorann asked, “Who gave you the flowers?”

Ashido screamed, “Yeah Akane, who is the secret admirer!?”

Akane blinked. “Secret admirer? I don’t know. But these flowers are from Katsu.”

Ashido stared for several seconds before her arms dropped. “You can’t be serious. He’s your boyfriend and he’s giving you destroyed flowers?”

Akane’s gaze was warm. “Maybe it doesn’t make sense to anyone else but...it’s our thing.”

“Huh...” Ashido mumbled. “Weird.”

Asui looked up at her. “I just figured it was lazy since he didn’t think he needed to win her over anymore since they’re already dating. That does seem like a Bakugou thing, right?”

Ashido put her finger to her cheek. “Maybe... I dunno. He’s big on being number one...”

Akane chuckled. “Don’t bust brain cells, alright? Its our thing and that’s all that matters.”

Sorann watched as Akane headed out with a big smile on her face. Her heart warmed at the knowledge that her friend was so happy – no matter what the reason was. But now that the others were gone, a deeper emotion filled her face. She hoped, however the future played out, that she would keep smiling just like that.

At the end of the school day, Sorann all but jumped over her desk and wrapped her arms around Midoriya and Kirishima, bringing them both in as she hugged them tight. “Alright, you guys are my last chocolates. I was saving you for the end.”

Kirishima was confused as he looked at her, “You made a chocolate for me? When?”

“After you left.” Sorann assured. She placed a small bag in Kirishima’s hands and then a single heart shaped chocolate in Midoriya’s.

Immediately Midoriya’s face lit up like a firework. “I’ve never... gotten a chocolate from a g-girl before...” He paused. “But these are... for the whole class right? So it’s just... friendship chocolate?”

Sorann grinned at him like she was up to no good. “Yours is the only one shaped like a heart, Deku.”

This made his face turn even more red and he nearly went weak in the knees and collapsed. Despite this, Sorann squeezed his arms and gleefully encouraged, “Go on, open it.”

Kirishima smiled at the two of them but his stomach was in knots. The night before, Sorann had text him asking about recipes for chocolate and he had helped her through the phone for a while but ended up coming over and helping her make everyones chocolate. He had enjoyed every moment of it and it seemed like she did too. So he felt silly for having hoped that maybe it meant there was something between them.

But now, standing there, seeing how her eyes affectionately watched Midoriya, he was more certain than ever of his status as her friend – only her friend. Opening up the bag she had given him as well, his face warmed.

Midoriya popped the chocolate in his mouth and grinned. “Chocolate chip mint? It’s so sweet, too! You did amazing!”

Sorann’s eyes sparkled. “I made extras, too. So you can have more if you really liked it. I made a whole batch just for you.”

Now Midoriya’s eyes were twinkling.

Sorann turned to Kirishima and smiled at him. Just seeing that glow made his own smile fill his face from ear to ear. She asked, “What do you think?”

Kirishima popped a couple of his treats in his mouth. “Chocolate covered coffee beans. Delicious. Just what I need for my workouts.”

“I’m so happy you like them!” She took their hands. “Guys wanna celebrate Valentines Day by going for dinner? My treat.”

Midoriya gasped, “But shouldn’t the guy pay?”

“Don’t be so old school. I wanna do this.” She grinned.

“If you insist.” Midoriya agreed. “But then let me pay next time.”

“Okay, sounds fair!” She sang as she prodded them out.

Akane was slower packing up her bag than normal. She kept pausing to smile at the pile of dead flowers that were floating around with her books.

When Todoroki noticed her hesitation, he decided to take his chance. “Akane. Can I ask? About the flowers?” When Akane looked confused, he explained, “I overheard Ashido talking to Kaminari and Sero saying that the flowers were actually from Bakugou. But. He’s not a total idiot. Why would he give you...such garbage flowers?”

Akane’s gaze softened and she giggled softly. “Do you have time? Come with me.”

“Isn’t - “ Todoroki stopped and looked around, seeing that no one was left in class – not even Bakugou. “Bakugou didn’t wait? Isn’t it - “

Akane took his hand. “Just come on.” She led him out of school, onto the subway, and to the park where they had first met. But instead of going into the park, she pulled him along behind the fence and pushes that surrounded it. To their right was the play ground and wooded area where Akane had been found as a child, but in front of them, on the other side of the fence, was a large open field where kids would play soccer, football, or any games their heart desired.

But today, this moment, Bakugou was standing in that field. He threw his hand out, creating several light explosions that blew up the flowers and sent them fluttering around in the air. He caught several of them, collecting them up in a bundle.

Todoroki blinked, “He’s... blowing them up on purpose?”

“That’s right.” Akane answered. “All of those flowers he gives me are from this field. But there’s a story why.”

Bakugou kicked a ball around, showing his moves off to Midoriya and couple other kids. As he was doing that, a few more came rushing up.

Akane was sitting at the bottom of the slide, listening to them as she drew pictures in the sand.

“Hey Kacchan! Guess what we heard!” They yelled.

Bakugou was thrown off his game and missed catching the ball with his foot. He shouted at them, “Way to screw me up guys!”

All of them were about five years old.

The boys begged forgiveness before carrying on. “My mom said that today is Valentines day or something!”

Bakugou huffed. “Yeah? So what?”

“So...! Mom said that you’re supposed to give girls flowers and confessions!” They explained. They then held up a ton of flowers they plucked from the nearby field.

Bakugou grumbled. “I’m not a girl you idiots.”

“Not for you!” They stated before brushing by and taking them to Akane.

Akane blinked in surprise at the flowers being shoved in her face. The first guy stated, “I ate a worm once!”

The other, “I didn’t do my homework one day so I told my teacher my dog ate it!”

Bakugou erupted between them, setting off a couple explosions, “What are you two idiots doing!?”

“We just told you...!” They argued.

Bakugou snarled, “Well you can’t give them to Akane! Find another girl!”

“Whyyyy?” They pleaded. “We don’t know any of the other girls!”

“I don’t care!” He seethed. He yanked the flowers out of their hands. “None of you are giving Akane the flowers.” He blew them up.

Akane pouted at Bakugou. “Katsu...!”

The guys fanned their hands. “No worries. There’s more over there.” They hurried back to the field.

They didn’t get very far before Bakugou grabbed them both by the backs of their shirts and yanked them back. He stormed ahead and then started blowing up all the flowers in the field. “I’ll show you guys! I’ll just blow up every single flower there is!”

The guys sighed and groaned. One of them rubbed their head. “Man... Kacchan is too harsh. We just wanted to have fun.”

Akane watched them head off before she walked to the edge of the playground and glared at Bakugou as he continued his raid on the field. Akane shouted over his explosions, “Katsuuu!!!”

He glared at her, “What!?”

She demaned, “Why couldn’t they give me flowers?”

He huffed, “Because no one can give you flowers!”

“Why!?”

He grumbled more quietly, “Cause it means they like you and I don’t like that...”

Akane puffed her cheeks. “Well I wanted to get flowers! If I’m supposed to get flowers on Valentines Day then I want them!”

“Then only I can give them to you.” He shouted, yanking up a couple of the exploded flowers and shoving them into her hands. “Here’s your flowers! Happy? If you want flowers, then you’ll get flowers! But I’ll get them! Don’t accept them from anyone else.”

Akane stared at the broken, dead flowers in her hands and suddenly a silly smile came to her lips. “I like them best when you give them to me, anyway...”

He blinked and his cheeks turned rosey at the sight of that bright smile.

In that moment he knew that he would have to make sure to get her flowers every single year on that day so he could see that joyful look on her face.

“Um...” Todoroki mumbled.

Akane giggled, “It doesn’t make sense to you, huh?” Her gaze softened as she watched Bakugou continue to collect up flowers. “There’s significance to us. At least to me and I think he notices that. What I mean is...in that story... maybe he sounds like an asshole to anyone who hears it. But to me... that was my first sight of jealous Katsu...and to keep my attention on him, he decided that he would be the one to give me flowers. Simply because it’s what I wanted. To me... my interpretation...was that he would give me what he could... even if it was broken and damage...he was going to give it to me.”

Todoroki’s eyes widened a bit.

“The year after that...” Akane stated, “He collected up flowers and asked me to meet him here on the playground. He jokingly gave me the exploded ones...but...I loved it. I told him that they were just how I liked them. Then after that...I got these blown up flowers every day all day on Valentines Day. He’s never forgotten...and never even complains. So it’s become a tradition. One that I’m actually pretty fond of. The two of us aren’t some... fairy tale couple and we don’t pretend to be. But... we are two kids madly in love...He’s always trying to prove himself to me... and I to him. So it’s fine that... no one else understands the flower thing. I don’t need anyone to.”

Todoroki’s gaze softened. “The two of you... continue to impress me. You both... understand everything about each other...and your feelings surprass anything I thought possible. I’m... insanely jealous of Bakugou.”

She offered him a sad smile. “Sorry Sho-kun.”

He shook his head. “Don’t be. I can see... in moments like this...where he actually understands what makes you happy where no one else can. The two of you are good together.” He placed his hand on her back and tipped his head. “I’m going to head home, then. I hope you have a good evening. Happy Valentines’ Day.”

Akane nodded her head. “You too. Are you going to see your mom?”

“Yes.”

“Tell her hi for me. Take care.”

After Todoroki left, she made her way around the fence and shed her backpack at the edge of the playground with Bakugou’s. She trotted along the playground until she to the field where Bakugou turned and faced her.

She smiled, “Sorry I’m late.”

He grumbled, “Thought maybe you’d forgotten...”

“How could I forget?” She asked. “It’s my favorite tradition!”

His eyes widened a bit before looking away. “I wasn’t sure...if since we’re a couple now... I was supposed to do some of those stupid sappy things like chocolates or stuffed bears or whatever the fuck they’re supposed to do.”

Akane tipped her head. “I thought you said yourself that we’d actually been a couple this whole time?”

He shouted, “Of course we have! But it’s more... official now or whatever!”

She hummed. “That’s true.” She stepped up to him and tipped her head up so their foreheads could come together. The second she did, the growling in his throat stopped and he seemed to relax. She assured, “I don’t want things to be different as a couple. I love the way our relationship is – the teasing, taunting, play fighting, all of it. And your flowers are perfect...”

He huffed. “Well if you ever get sick of it... tell me. Cause I’m gonna keep doing it otherwise.”

“I’ll let you know if that day ever comes.” She started to lean up to kiss him but instead, he gently pushed her back a step.

He held out the boquet of dead flowers and looked away, his cheeks pink all the way to his ears. “H-Happy Valentines’ Day...and I... love you... or... wh-whatever...”

Akane giggled and brightly at him. She reached into her pocket and pulled out the flowers he’d given her throughout the day and showed him that she strung them together like a tiara of wilted flowers. She placed it on her head before taking the boquet. “I love you more than anything, Katsuki Bakugou. Always be my Valentine, okay?”

“Yeah whatever...” He growled.

She wrapped her arms around his neck and jumped into his arms, kissing him suddenly and passionately. His arms wrapped around her waist, holding her up to him as he carried her to the swings where they spent their evening talking and eating snacks like they did every year.

Every year that sat in front of the spot where he had found her and saved her life the first time.

Where he had given her everything she had now.

When her Valentine had first become her hero.

#mha #bnha #my hero academia #boku no hero academia #bakugo #bakugou #katsuki #fanfic #fanfiction

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theprodigypenguin · 6 years ago

Text

Memory, Memory

Pairings: minor Jeddy

Rating: G

Warnings/Content: sad :’) angst

Notes: Just a May 2nd anniversary fic I started writing last night at 10pm because it was necessary. Enjoy!

Ao3 Link

Fic and Authors Note Under Cut:

There was a heavy humid feeling in the air around Teddy, the scent of rain on the wind and clouds blotching the sky, but it seemed to be akin to a crime that sections of baby blue could still be seen between the grey of the rain clouds. The weather was cold as the day was cresting past noon, temperatures dropping from the sixties to the high fifties, perfect weather for Teddy to slip on an uncharacteristic sweater.

It was an article of clothing he almost never wore, something he kept folded and tucked into a box he hid under his bed, pulling it out only when he felt at his worst. The color was faded tawny and gray, the sleeves worn and pulled until they're were irreparably stretched out, patches on the elbows and material heavy Welsh wool that fought away the biting chill in the air. Despite the cold, the buttons were undone, but there was a familiar black and yellow scarf wrapped around Teddy's neck, pulled over his chin and hiding his lips from view.

The stone bench he'd sat himself on was even colder than the air around him, but he had no intention of moving as he shoved his hands into the pockets of the sweater. He almost never wore it, never really had to wash it because of that fact, and that was both a blessing and a curse, because it smelt heavy of moth balls and dust, but also held a lingering scent of something that Teddy couldn't quite place.

Something familiar, something he knew for sure he must know. The scent of the earth, of birch bark and leaves, rainfall and the bittersweet of chocolate. It made Teddy squint against stinging eyes and bury his face deeper into the scarf around his neck, trying to breathe in a different scent as he rolled old wrappers around in his pockets, scraps of paper and candy foils that no one had bothered to throw out in over twenty years.

Twenty-one, Teddy reminded himself, it's been twenty-one years.

Somewhere miles away, a brilliant family was hosting a birthday party for a girl named after victory. A family adorned with dominant redheads would be setting out a birthday cake and preparing a large supper to celebrate her twenty years of life. She'd open presents, hug her father and mother, spend time with her sister and brother and their cousins, all her aunts and uncles and friends.

Halfway through the night she may look up, search for blue hair, ask where Teddy is, and maybe the room will get quiet, but someone will make a joke, tease her about her crush, and the night will continue as if Teddy hadn't been remembered at all.

He used to celebrate with them, he used to have fun with them, but the older he got, the meaning of this day started to change. Suddenly he couldn't fake a smile and enjoy himself, he couldn't even pretend he was having a good time. So he stopped trying. The meaning of this day was different to him after all. For them, this day symbolized victory, it symbolized the loss of a loved one and the birth of another. It symbolized the true fluidity of life, how one death always lead to new life.

For Teddy, this day symbolized the empty ache in his chest that had been growing bigger and deeper since the moment he looked from Victoire, Bill, and Fleur and up at Andromeda, asking why he didn't have a mum and dad like Victoire did.

He supposed she wanted to tell him when he was older, but she answered him the best she could considering he'd been six at the time, confused as she explained his mum and dad had to go away. Teddy didn't get why, for the longest time, and it took Harry sitting down with him for the reality and truth to finally settle in.

Teddy didn't cry when he was told his parents were dead. He never knew them, so what he felt wasn't pain exactly. More like an echo that settled in his bones, that feeling you got in the pit of your stomach when you haven't eaten, that sensation that something was so clearly missing. The pain of it all didn't start to seep into the rest of his body until he was a teenager.

Hormones and angst, struggles and identity, through it all the only thing he felt was this anger he hid behind a smile. For a long time he wouldn't talk about his parents, and when Harry tried to bring them up, Teddy would be the one to change the subject, because he didn't want to talk about them. Why should he? They left him.

The professors would talk about them sometimes, they would smile fondly and say he looked like them as if it was a compliment intended to make him smile. All he felt from those words was weight, heaviness he tried to heave from his shoulders by changing his hair blue and his eyes pink. Even then the weight found its way back to him in the form of laughter and a statement of: "You look just like your mother!"

He hated it. For the longest time he hated it. He hated hearing stories, he hated hearing their names, hated when people told him he looked like his parents. Yet he kept smiling, kept laughing, kept agreeing. Teddy didn't cope. He didn't deal with the emotional toxins roiling in his bloodstream and poisoning every inch of him. Until he snapped at sixteen, completely losing it.

Looking back he was grateful it had been with Harry and not his grandmother, who probably would have gotten even more upset with him for the bitter, hateful words that spewed from his mouth, his vision blurred by burning tears and his throat raw from his screams. Harry must have cast a silencing charm around the room to keep others from hearing, merely standing and giving Teddy the opportunity to be angry, to cry and scream and curse, until he'd worn himself ragged and his angry red hair faded to a tawny brown, his screams regressing to hiccups as the tears covered his cheeks.

Deducing the worst of it was over, Harry had approached cautiously, as if coming up on a feral beast, slowly encompassing Teddy into a hug and letting the teen cry into his shoulder.

"You're allowed to be angry," Harry had said. "I was too. It isn't fair what happened and never will be. It isn't fair that they're not here for you, and I am so sorry… so sorry I can't be them. I cannot replace them, but I don't want to." He pulled away to hold Teddy by his face, not laughing at the snot dripping from his nose or his red face. "Your parents were amazing, good, brave people, Teddy. They loved you so much, and I wish you could have seen it in person. They fought a war to ensure that you and countless others would not have to suffer like they did. So you wouldn't have to grown up in a war. They fought to protect you from a mad woman dead set on pruning the half-bloods from her family tree. Every breath they took, it was so you could live a better life than them. You're allowed to be angry they're gone, but you can't be angry forever. Get mad, then let it go, so you can remember how much they loved you, and not how much they've missed."

Harry understood, and maybe that was why Teddy was able to calm down.

"Does it stop hurting?" Teddy asked, and Harry gave him a sad look.

"It still hurts," Harry had answered. "I take the pain differently now though. I change it into pride." Teddy watched him with wide eyes as he tapped the button on his chest, the Auror badge. "Whenever it hurts I consider where I am, what I've been through, how much I accomplished, and I imagine how proud my parents must be of me."

Teddy's shoulder slumped heavily, sniffing. "You're an Auror though. I'm just stupid. I haven't done anything they'd be proud of. I'm not like you."

"That's not true," Harry chided. "They'd be proud of everything you've accomplished, even the little things. They'd be proud of your O.W.L. scores, and they'd be proud you became a Prefect. They'd be proud of you being a Hufflepuff and for generally obeying the rules, and in fact they'd probably be proud of the rules you'd broken as well." He'd squeezed Teddy's shoulder firmly. "It's a bizarre thing, to miss people you've never met, but it's not shameful. Don't dwell forever, and learn to live on how you want. That's what they would be proud of."

Teddy sniffed against the cold air, lifting a hand to pull his scarf over his nose, trying to fight the chill and blaming his watery eyes on the weather. Certainly they weren't from staring pointlessly at a lifeless headstone for the past hour. He didn't know why he did this, it wasn't like anything would have changed from how it was last year. The cold gray of the marble was the same, simple and almost plain compared to the other headstones in the cemetery, but people always said Remus Lupin was a very simple man. He wasn't outgoing or eccentric, he was quiet and classic, gave off a kind of peaceful energy that made people relax around him. The grave seemed to represent that softness, that simplicity that matched the simplicity of a man who had to be simple as a necessity.

His eyes bore into the stone so long he was surprised he hadn't created furrows in it, looking between his father and mother's names, at the pretty bouquet of flowers lying on its side in the grass in front of it, placed there earlier in the day by Andromeda.

Teddy tried to swallow a few breaths before managing to open his mouth and speak. "Hey mum," he greeted, trying not to feel like an idiot. "Hey da… I just wanted to come by, say hello. I'm sorry I haven't come by since… last year. Busy." He took another breath, blinking a few times. "Not much has changed in a year. Broke up with Vic, that's Bill's daughter, you know Bill. I guess I was just too busy, didn't have much time for her, or for friends I suppose. You'd probably be disappointed in me, huh dad? Friendship was really important to you. It's offensive of me to take advantage of my capability to make friends when you struggled with it, with people in general… when the friends you loved were lost one after the other. I'm really sorry, dad… if I'm disappointing you. Or you, mum. I'm trying really hard." He reached back to his chest, but there was no inner pocket in his sweater, so no badge to show off. "I joined the Aurors. Not because you were in it, mum, a lot of people have asked if I'm following you but I'm really not. I just… wanted to give my life meaning. You both died to protect this world, our world, what better way to honor that sacrifice than to protect it in your stead?"

He had to stop, his voice growing high and desperate, closing his eyes and taking deep breaths to calm himself down until he could speak normally again, reopening his eyes to stare at the names on the headstone.

"Uncle King used to say it always surprised him, and still does sometimes, that you fought in the war, dad. You especially. You died for a community that shamed you and asked for nothing in return. I guess because of James Potter and Sirius Black, and because of mum; you fought because you were loyal and wanted to protect your family. Not because you owed anything to these nasty people who hated you pointlessly and saw you as less because you were sick. You completely disregarded them and you still fought. I want to be like that too. Make you proud. I want to protect the people I love like you did, to find something for dying for. I wanna-"

"That's bloody daft ya nutty tosser!"

Teddy jerked upright on the bench and turned sharply at the waist with wide eyes, watching as fifteen year old James Sirius Potter hopped up to stand on the bench beside him, hands shoved into a jean jacket and a Gryffindor scarf hanging unevenly around his neck.

"Jamie what the- How did you get here?" Teddy craned his head over his shoulder to look around the cemetery, expecting to see Harry or Ginny, but James seemed to be alone. "Don't tell me you apparated?"

"Course I didn't, but it's not illegal to use the Knight Bus."

"You took the Knight Bus? Does Harry know?"

"What's he gonna do? Ground me?" James pulled his hands from his pockets and waved them. "Oh no I'm so scared I don't wanna be grounded."

Teddy rolled his eyes and tilted his head with a sigh before focusing back on James. "What are you doing here?"

"Come find you," James answered in a sentence that seemed bizarrely incomplete and broken.

"How did you know I was here?"

James looked down at him. "Bugger, Ted, where else would you be? You always come here."

Teddy was torn between demanding who told him and wondering silently how anyone would even known. Teddy normally just up and vanished around the same time every year, it wasn't like he left a note telling people where he was going. Was he just that predictable.

"You're predictable, Teddy."

Ah.

"What are you doing here? Did you just leave during the party?"

"They were playing a silly game, everyone was blindfolded so I snuck out. Al saw me, he was brooding in the corner as usual, but I told him he could borrow the cloak for a week at school if he shut up about it. Jogged to town and had a neighbor summon the bus, then came here." He hopped off the bench before Teddy could ask anything else, crouching down in front of the Lupin's grave and reaching out to brush away dirt that had gotten stuck to it. "I've never been here before, can you believe that? I've visited my grandma and grandpa tons of times, but I've never come here."

He stuck his hand out towards the stone as if in greeting, and Teddy was left watching silently as the teen introduced himself. "'Ello, we haven't met yet, but I'm James Sirius Potter! You both knew my old man, and my granddad too! That's who I was named after of course. Oh." He stood up, started searching his pockets. "Hold on, I brought something."

"Jamie," Teddy sighed, shoulders sagging and elbows on his knees, hands folded loosely. "You should go home. It's late."

"I'm not going to leave you here alone, idiot."

"What's wrong with it?" Teddy asked. "I'm used to spending time here alone."

"Sure, but that doesn't mean you have to like it." James pulled out a small pellet the size of a tic tac. "And it also doesn't mean you have to be alone. I'm sure you like talking one on one with them, but if you're by yourself for too long, especially in a cemetery, then you'll start hallucinating. Watch this."

He broke the pellet between his fingers, holding his hand out to show off the way it extended into a full bouquet of peonies and gladiolus.

"This is cool right? One of uncle's new creations for the shop, a pocket bouquet for those times you forget to buy your girlfriend or your wife some flowers on your anniversary. Or," he crouched down and laid the flowers out beside the first bouquet, "in case you pass by a grave and want to spice some things up, add some color."

"So you're an interior designer now?" Teddy asked, hoping James hadn't noticed the shake of his voice.

"We're outside, Teddy." He teased. "You're really bad at making jokes when you're sad."

"I'm not really…"

"Hey, come on." James sat down next to Teddy on the bench and held his arms wide towards him. "Come here, I give great hugs."

"Albus says differently," Teddy argued, but inexplicably leaned towards James and laid his head against his shoulder as warm tears cut down his cold cheeks.

He felt pathetic on an entirely new level, letting a fifteen year old comfort him like this, but so long as no one else found out then the humiliation probably wouldn't be that bad.

"You know it's okay, right? Crying? And it's okay to miss your mum and dad." James pet Teddy's hair. "I know I don't really get it, but I also know parents are important. Dad still looks sad sometimes when he looks at the picture of his parents, he keeps it on his bedside table and looks at it every morning, and he's super old now. I think you'll probably always miss them, but that's okay. That just proves your human."

Teddy winced at his words, wondering in irritation why some kid was telling him that. Clearly someone had to tell him, but why this dumb kid.

"Oh, and you know, that bull you were spouting before I walked up, about wanting someone to die for, you're an idiot."

Teddy tried to pull away. "My dad-"

"Your dad didn't die because he wanted to, you know. He didn't meet your mum and go ah yes, a woman I will die for. People don't work like that." He reached up and flicked Teddy's forehead. "You wanna make them proud, find a reason to live. Don't be stupid about it." Teddy just rubbed his forehead, pouting as James turned to face forward and unceremoniously flopped against Teddy's shoulder. "You smell nice by the way."

Teddy dropped his hand onto his lap and stared at the collection of colors from the flowers now decorating his parents graves. He blinked a few times when he realized that agonizing emptiness wasn't hurting as much as it had been before, slowly lying his head on top of James' and sighing.

"You should go home now," he chided, and James shrugged.

"Nah, I'll stay. We can go home when you're ready, okay?"

Teddy swallowed the knot in his throat and nodded. "Sure," he agreed, feeling feathers beat around his chest at the use of the word we. "Sounds fine."

This was nice. Things didn't feel as lonely, wasn't as cold, and Teddy considered maybe bringing someone along with him next year when he came to visit. Maybe he'd even bring James. Probably James. If he didn't, James would likely come on his own. Best avoid that so they wouldn't get in trouble for James running off and Teddy going along with it. Yeah, that would be nice.

~@~@~@~@~@~@~

Author’s Note: I felt it was necessary to put an author’s note at the end here, this way if no one wants to read it you guys don’t have to. One of the reasons I love Teddy so much is because a part of me really connects with him and empathizes with him. A lot of times when I read about Teddy thinking of his parents, he never goes through a phase of hating them, and in the books Harry doesn’t really go through that phase either. I guess there’s that one part where he’s angry at his dad for being a fuckboy, but that was different, and one may argue there wasn’t enough time to get angry and no reason to, buuuut you’re wrong.

I never got to meet my dad, and he died before I could get the chance, and when I was younger I went through this phase where I was just angry at him for leaving me, abandoning me, because I was a kid and I didn’t understand. Getting angry and being upset because you don’t have what other people have, you don’t have the same family as so many people, is normal.

I’m twenty-two now (well I will be next Wednesday) and I’m not mad anymore, but I still feel sad sometimes, I still cry if it gets really bad, I still feel empty when I look at pictures of my dad and mourn for the relationship I won’t ever be able to have with him, or with my mom, and that’s normal, and I wanted to put my personal anger and growth into this memorial fic as an ode to the kids out there who were ever angry at their parents for dying.

You’re not alone and it’s valid to be angry with them. Just don’t be angry for ever. Things get better, things start to hurt less, and that hollowing pain in your chest will turn into another strength you can utilize into a living a life that would make them proud.

Happy 21st Anniversary of the Battle of Hogwarts!

#jeddy #battle of hogwarts #teddy lupin #memorial #anniversary #remus lupin #nymphadora tonks #nymphadora lupin #harry potter #fanfiction #quick fic #cemetary #sad #light angst

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amemixfan · 6 years ago

Note

L&L prompt - I know I keep coming to the cookie shop and for some reason it’s always your shift but don’t you dare judge me I need these for my sanity (where the LI is a baker)

I changed the Prompt a little. You didn’t specify an LI so I chose Alain. This is because I’m feeling in an Alain mood and he and Helena canonically bake.

A little bell tinkles as I enter the small bakery. The business is tiny, no bigger than my apartment, and decorated in pretty teals and whites. There’s a glass counter lined against one wall full of small, sugary sweets that make my mouth water. Another counter by the door has small cakes decorated in pastel, icings and pretty swirls. The entire shop is full of a warm and welcoming ambience.

The smell of something baking reaches my nose. I can smell cinnamon and pumpkin heating in an oven at the back. Fall is upon us and pumpkin spice suddenly becomes everyone’s favorite treat.

My mouth waters at the scent of the thousands of treats around me. It’s been a really long time since I’ve been to a bakery like this. After a long week full of college midterms and exams, I need a pick me up.

I glance at a glass counter and spot a small tray of cookies. They’re fall themed cookies. One is a brown leaf with chocolate icing, another is in the shape of a tiny pumpkin, and the final is in the shape of a tiny acorn. They’re so cute and I feel a smile rise on my lips.

Suddenly, the back door opens. A tall man about my age emerges from the back. He wears a white apron over a blue sweater and has a tiny smear of flour on his face.

He looks around the shop and spots me immediately. A polite smile rises on his face and he walks over.

He’s good looking, I realize. He has pale blonde hair and light blue eyes. I feel a blush rise on my cheeks at the thought.

“Can I help you?” The stranger inclines his head.

I quickly snap out of my reverie and glance away. While the stranger is definitely attractive, my mind is occupied elsewhere. I drum my fingers across the glass counter.

“I just wanted some cookies,” I reply.

The stranger nods and slips behind the counter. He grabs a small white bag and I point to the fall ones.

“This is a cute store. I didn’t realize Chicago had a place like this,” I voice out.

I look around me again. The walls are painted in warm teals and white roses line the entrances. The entire shop seems like it was taken off a designer catalog. Whoever designed this place designed it with love. I’m definitely impressed.

“Thanks. This place just opened up recently. I don’t get many customers,” the man admits.

He slips the fall cookies into the white bag and uses a blue lace to tie them back. Silently, he moves to the counter and types away at a cash register.

I slip my hands into my jacket pocket. There is a name badge pinned to his apron. In cursive letters, it reads ALAIN.

The employee, Alain, reads me out my total. It comes out cheap and I quickly pay it with a swipe of my card.

The bag feels warm in my hands, the cookies fresh out of the oven, and I hesitate by the door.

This entire shop feels welcoming and I almost want to hang around longer. I offer Alain my attempt at a warm smile. It must work because he returns it and I see what looks like color blossom across his face.

“Thanks. My name is Hannah,” I extend a hand.

Alain takes it. His hands are warm in mine and my hand fits perfectly in his. “Alain. Come again.”

He nods his head at me in goodbye. I turn away and smile to myself. “I will.”

Alain ducks back into the back of the shop and I take the time to bite into my treats. They taste even better than I could have imagined. They’re a mixture of vanilla and cinnamon. After an entire college experience of microwaved meals and ramen, they’re the best thing I’ve ever had.

I polish them off quickly and turn back to the shop. My smile grows as I catch a glimpse of Alain by the oven. Between his good looks and his baking, I think I will come here often.

Sophie walks next to me as we walk through the streets of downtown Chicago. It is now a week past midterms and college won’t ease up. Professors have already begun new lessons and exams. I’m behind on several classes and the stress is eating me alive.

Desperately, I want a distraction from the monotony of textbooks and studying. If I want to preserve my sanity, I need to get away from my dorm for a while.

Luckily, Sophie has suggested an outing. She walks alongside of me window shopping. Every once in a while, she’ll point to a store and try to entice me to go in. We pass various sweet shops and candy stores but nothing interest me.

I bite my cheek.

“There’s a store by here that I wanted to show you,” I recall. We’re on the street leading up to the bakery I was at earlier. I can spot the tips of the store, pastel little decorations announcing it, and I pick up the pace. “It’s a really cute bakery. I came in the day before and really liked it.”

Sophie glances at me out of the corner of her eye. Amusement dances in her gaze and she smirks. “Since when do you like bakeries? I thought you were on a diet.”

I flush and stick my tongue out at her. “If you tried their stuff, you wouldn’t judge.”

I grab her hand and tug her in the direction of the store.

Like before, the bell above the door chimes our arrival. The shop gives off a nice and welcoming aroma. For all her teasing, Sophie hushes as soon as we enter. Like me, she’s enchanted by the treats that line the walls.

There’s a small rose cake by the door. It’s a tiny sponge cake modeled like a white rose and has real petals on the icing. I gravitate towards it as Sophie moves to another corner. A tiny bunny shaped cupcake has caught her eye.

“This is cute,” Sophie admits. She presses her face against the glass counter. Her little bunny cupcake peers up at her. It is red velvet and modeled with icing. Whoever had made it had made it with a lot of patience.

“I told you,” I retort.

I grow quiet as Alain enters again. Like last week, he emerges from the back of the store. This time, he has a tray of new treats in his hand. They’re little festive treats made of marshmallows. There’s a tiny Frankenstein marshmallow treat and little ghost cakes. My mouth waters.

I see the recognition on Alain’s face as he spots me. A soft smile plays on his lips and I have to resist the urge to squirm. I had almost forgotten how attractive he was. He looks like a magazine model come to life. His platinum hair is neatly combed and his blue eyes are accented by the blue of his sweatshirt.

“You’re back,” he greets. He sounds bright as he says it.

Sophie raises an eyebrow at me in question. I shrug and ignore her. My focus is on Alain.

“I liked your treats last time,” I explain.

I trace a pattern on the counter. My attention is still on the rose sponge cake to the side. How long had it taken him to make it? Each petal looks intricate and full of detail. Icing isn’t the most forgiving medium.

“Do you like roses?” I ask.

There are white roses everywhere as far as the eye can see. There’s some in vases by the entrance, there’s some interwoven into the counter, and there’s even some roses in the sign outside. The bakery smells of fresh bread and flowers all at once.

Alain nods silently. He almost looks a little embarrassed to admit it as he scratches the back of his neck.

“White roses are my favorite. I have a garden at home. Do you want that one?” He indicates at the white rose sponge cake.

I nod and watch as he delicately lifts a piece with a spatula. Sophie comes up next to me. I am startled by her presence. I had almost forgotten she was there.

She has a little tray with the Frankenstein marshmallow cake. The corner of her mouth is lifted up in a smirk and I can tell she has burning questions.

I disregard her in favor of Alain as he rings me up. As he looks down at the register, some of his hair falls across his eyes. I resist the urge to brush it back.

There’s something so open about him. It sends little pulses of electricity through my skin. I only half register the fact that I’m developing a slight crush on him.

When he hands me the small plastic tray with the cake, our fingers brush each other. His hands are soft, warm, and my breath hitches. There’s some color to his cheeks as well. He withdraws his fingers and murmurs an apology. I can hear the small rise on his breath as our skin came into contact.

Perhaps he finds me interesting too?

I open my mouth to say something, anything that might draw our exchange longer, but Sophie coughs. She brushes past me and motions for her own cake. There’s mischief in her gaze as she eyes us both. No doubt, my intuitive best friend has caught on to my feelings.

Her presence is enough to break the spell. I look away awkwardly and mumble out a thank you.

Sophie pays for her treat and soon we are out the door.

I linger on the sidewalk for a moment and collect my thoughts. Sophie snorts next to me and pops a piece of her treat into her mouth. Her eyes brighten at the taste and she grins.

“Well I can see why you like it there,” she murmurs. By the mischievous twinkle in her eyes, I don’t think she means the cake.

A small headache is forming above my eyebrow as I study. My notes are a jumble of letters and ink stains. A calc test looms in my future and I am cramming as much as I can into my brain.

The quad is sunny and I am sitting in a table scribbling notes down. A glass of water sits next to my text book and a little tray of Alain’s treats rest opposite of it. This one is a small cupcake with a Sakura pattern made out of icing. Alain had just made it when I had arrived.

I pick at the wrapper absentmindedly and feel some of the tension leave my shoulders. Thus far, I’ve been going very often to that small bakery. Between the stress of college and my job, it is a major relief to be able to do something fun.

And Alain is certainly easy on the eyes.

I flush at the memory of him and miss Sophie sliding into the seat opposite of me. She has a tray of lunch in her hand and her phone in the other.

“Fantasizing, Hannah?” She teases. She doesn’t miss the cupcake next to my work.

I fake a laugh and lick at the icing. It’s sweet and some of my headache dissipates instantly.

“I don’t know what you mean,” I murmur.

Sophie winks at me and pulls on the napkin underneath my cupcake. It’s printed with white roses and Alain’s shop’s logo.

“You go there often. How much money have you burned in that place anyway?” Sophie wonders.

It’s a joke and I don’t take the bait. I look away from her as I finish the rest of my treat.

“Hush. I like going there, it helps with stress.”

The next time I enter the bakery, there’s light rain. I shake some water off my coat and slip inside the shop. The lights are dim and I’m not alone this time.

A young woman hangs by the counter as I enter. She’s wearing an apron and perched on a stool. A notebook is open before her and she scrawls things down in a neat cursive. I don’t see Alain anywhere. Some disappointment settles within me.

“Can I help you?” The woman inquires. She has blonde hair that is left loose around her shoulders. Her blue eyes peer at me curiously.

I do another sweep for Alain but don’t see him anywhere. Sullenly, I resign myself. He is probably not working today.

The woman’s name badge reads HELENA. She hops off her stool as I approach the counter.

“Just came for a treat,” I shrug.

Now that Alain is not here, I don’t really know what to do. Helena waits expectantly for me and I point to a random treat. It’s a cake pop made to look like a scarecrow.

Helena says nothing as she slips the treat in the bag. I bite the inside of my cheek. It only occurs to me then that I walked through the rain to get to the shop just to see Alain.

I hang awkwardly as she rings me up. I want to ask her when Alain works, but that question might be creepy. Instead, I keep silent and look away.

As Helena finishes up printing the receipt, the door opens behind me. I turn and see Alain entering the shop.

He wears a dark coat and carries a box of supplies. Even with the coat on, his muscles flex under the strain. I am captivated by the sight. Rain has flattened his hair against his forehead and there’s color on his face from the chilly, autumn air. He looks handsome in every way.

“Alain,” I greet. His name is out of my lips before I can stop myself.

Alain starts at his name and spots me. The small smile I’ve grown used to lights his face. He inclines his head in a warm greeting.

“Hannah,” he replies.

He ducks behind the counter and sets the box at Helena’s feet. Dusting some rain off his coat, he leans against the counter.

“Did you come for your usual?” He inquires. He slips his hands in his pocket.

“Usual?” Helena asks. For some reason, she sounds a little surprised. She looks between the both of us.

I flush and can’t come up with a response. Alain takes the notebook from Helena and continues whatever calculations she had been doing.

“Yeah, Hannah comes in here every other day. She usually buys the stuff I make.” He indicates to the glass counter he’s leaning against.

“The stuff you make?” I inquire. I take the bag still in Helena’s hand with my cake pop.

Helena rests her chin on her hand. “Alain and I divide the store. The stuff by the door is mine, his are at the front. We both run this shop.”

I archive that to memory. Another blush rises on my cheeks. It seems like I have been buying things from Alain this entire time without meaning to.

Alain must realize this too because he smiles. “Come back again. I’ll make you something warm next time.”

He gives me a lasting smile and spins on his heels. He disappears into the back of the store and I am left with Helena. Now that he is gone, I prepare to leave.

I thank Helena and make it to the door before she clears her throat. I turn back and see her leaning against the wall. Her eyebrow is up and her mouth is pursed. There’s something in her gaze, a suspicion of some sort, and amusement lights her face.

“An awful long walk through the rain for a cake pop,” she comments.

I struggle to think of a reply but can’t come up with something in time. So, instead, I mumble something about having a sweet tooth and all but run out the store.

Once outside, I gather my bearings. The encounter with Helena burns in my mind. For the first time, I feel uncomfortable. Helena and Alain seemed close, could they be dating? For some reason, that causes me to feel a sharp pain in my chest.

Sophie lies propped against my bed as she chews on the end of her eraser. A bag of Alain’s treats is open between us and we have already munched our way through a pack of cookies modeled to look like bats.

“You really like that store,” Sophie comments.

“It’s a great store,” I shrug. I twirl the plastic bag around my fingers. Alain’s name is stamped on the side of it underneath his logo. I trace it idly with one finger.

Sophie snorts into her hand and breaks her bat cookie in half. There’s some chocolate there and she licks at it. Her eyes are bright with teasing.

“You’ve become a regular. I’m sure Alain owes half his sales to you,” she comments.

I bite my cheek. My mind is still racing with thoughts of him. I’ve got it bad. I’ve had crushes before but this one seems different. I work on my bottom lip.

Sophie giggles at my expression and stares at the bat cookie in the light. Some powdered sugar falls into her lap.

“I wonder,” she begins and nudges me with her foot, “Which one do you think is sweeter?”

I blink and realize that she’s addressing me. I shake myself out of my thoughts. “Which what?”

Immediately, I realize I’ve walked right into a trap. Sophie grins wickedly at me and holds up the bat cookie. “What do you think is sweeter? The treat or a kiss from Alain?”

“Sophie!” I scream. Embarrassment fills me and I throw a pillow at her. Her only response is shrieking laughter.

Once more, I’m disappointed when I enter the store. Helena is on her shift and Alain is nowhere to be found. She raises an eyebrow as I enter and pauses on a page in her book.

“Back again?” She comments. She stands from her chair.

“Yeah,” I meekly reply. I feel awkward in her presence. By now, I think she’s caught on to my crush. The knowing look in her eye speaks volumes.

I am reminded by my old worry suddenly and feel a little nervous. Could Alain and Helena be dating? They seemed awfully close last time.

Helena automatically slides open the counter with Alain’s treats. By now she knows that I won’t choose one of hers.

“Anything catch your eye?” She wonders. Her chin rests on her hand.

I randomly point to a sponge cake. It’s in the shape of a pumpkin and it smells of cinnamon. Helena pulls it out. As she ties it into a baggy, she seems to remember something.

“Oh, I forgot!” She turns away and dives into the back room. I frown and wait for her to return. When she comes back, she has a small box in her hand. It’s tied with a little teal bow and it smells of freshly baked bread.

She hands it to me silently and rings me up. I stare at the box in confusion.

“What’s this?” I ask. I realize she is only charging me for the cake.

Helena finishes ringing me up. There’s a small smirk on her lips. “Alain made it this morning. He figured you’d stop by. Something about a new caramel cake? On the house.”

I take the box from her suddenly feeling a little rush of surprise. A blush settles on my cheeks and I look away from Helena lest she sees it. So Alain made something especially for me?

I take my purchases from Helena and hang by the door. I almost step out before my doubts return. Once more, I wonder if Alain and Helena are dating. To come out and ask it might be creepy, but I want to know. I can’t have any hopes if he’s taken.

Steeling myself, I turn to Helena. She’s gone back to her book and her blonde hair spills across her eyes. I cough and she glances up. She seems surprised that I’m still here.

“Helena…you and Alain aren’t…?” I carry off and turn redder than I’ve ever blushed before. It was a terrible idea to ever ask that. I regret the question as soon as it’s out of my mouth but the damage is done.

Helena blinks quizzically up at me, gawks, and then snorts. Her hand presses to her mouth and she lets out a loud laugh. When she regains her bearings, she looks both horrified and amused.

“Dating? Oh, God, no! Alain isn’t my type-nor is any other guy really. I prefer more feminine types,” she gives me a look full of meaning.

Oh.

I suddenly feel mortified and look away. I’ve made a fool out of myself.

Helena continues to laugh and turns away from me. Her face is flushed with color and she hides her mouth with her hand.

“Besides,” she continues, “I’m sure he has eyes for someone else.”

She gives me a meaningful look then turns back to her book. My breath hitches.

Does she mean…?

According to Sophie and Helena, I stop by the store too often. By now, I’ve realized it too. My dorm is full of little wrappers from treats and I’ve all but memorized the inventory of the shop and Alain and Helena’s work schedule. Alain works in the mornings and Helena at night. I make sure to swing by earlier and earlier each day to ensure I catch Alain when he’s on his shift.

I bite the inside of my cheek as I enter the store. The little bell rings above head and I spot Alain seated at the counter. He’s decorating a red velvet cake with colorful swirls of icing. It looks like a cardinal.

“That’s pretty,” I reply.

Alain doesn’t even startle as I enter. By now, I’m sure he’s grown used to my visits. He glances at me as he puts the finishing touches on the cake.

“Morning, Hannah,” he beams.

I match his smile equally and peer at the cake. It looks just like a cardinal. I half expect the little bird to come to life.

I smile at his creation then remember what I came here for. Alain had given me a caramel cake last time. It had been a small cake in the shape of a teddy bear. Sophie had squealed and hummed the wedding march when I had opened it. I had punished her by not giving her a piece.

Feeling slightly shy, I cough into my hand.

“I wanted to thank you for the cake you made me the other day,” I state.

Alain smiles softly and a small pinch of color rises on his face. In the dim lighting, I can barely make out his blush.

My heart begins to race. I can almost hear Sophie clearing her throat mentally. A “get on with it” sort of thing. When she had seen me grab my purse, she had known exactly where I was headed. There had been a long pep talk where she had convinced me to ask Alain out. Between Sophie and Helena, I was beginning to have hope that Alain liked me back.

Come on, Hannah, just ask him.

I struggle to come up with something as Alain wraps a small cupcake modeled after a unicorn for me. My heart is pounding in my chest.

“I’m glad you liked the cake. I found the recipe and thought I’d share it with you,” Alain explains. His bangs hide his eyes from view. There’s some red at the tips of his ears. It’s cute.

I bite my lip and steel myself. Now or never.

Just as Alain is ringing up my order, I gather my courage. “I know I come to your shop often but don’t judge me.”

The phrase spills out of my lips in a rush. Alain halts and blinks. I almost wince at my own wording.

Real smooth, Hannah.

Before Alain can wonder, I press on. Adrenaline is rushing under my skin and I ride the high. I need a little courage to get the last bit out.

“I like coming here. It’s a nice ambience and you’re really nice,” I feign nonchalance. It’s kind of impossible to feign being cool as a cucumber when your face is as red as a tomato, but I am half convinced I manage.

Alain blinks again and the corner of his mouth rises. It’s something between a pleased smirk and a smile. A little rush of excitement travels down my spine. It’s a nice look on him.

“I don’t judge,” he hands me the package, “in fact, I like you coming by. I often look forward to your visits.”

He looks away then and I catch the blush climbing up his neck. It’s cute and the realization that I am not alone in my shyness gives me another confidence boost. I suddenly find myself feeling a little giddy.

“Would you like to get a coffee some time?” I tilt my head. It’s a leap of faith to ask him out, but I think there’s something there. The air between us is always charged with something strong. Perhaps it’s not a one sided crush.

Alain registers my words and his smile brightens. It’s a radiant sight that makes my pulse speed up. Silently, he hands me the receipt. Our fingers brush once more and I feel another spark there. Like our first encounter, skin to skin contact feels electric. Now I am fully convinced that there is something there between us. I am really intrigued by him.

“I’d like that,” Alain replies. He keeps his fingers on mine for a little longer than necessary and then moves away.

I take a step back and feel giddy again. Relief and joy courses through me. I did it!

“I’ll see you then,” I wave. Alain waves back and I exit the shop.

It occurs to me outside that I didn’t ask for his number. Just as I am about to go back in, I catch the sight of the receipt. Alain has typed out his phone number and printed it on the receipt. The paper is time stamped to a minute before I asked him out. There’s a little message typed out that reads, ‘I like you’.

I giggle slightly to myself and pocket the receipt.

So I wasn’t the only one prepping myself to ask for a date.

#request #alain richter #love and legends #lovestruck voltage #voltage amemix

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toloveawarlord · 6 years ago

Text

The Red Army Princess (Chapter 2)

I decided to change the POV to 3rd person!

You can find all my other works here.

The day had begun to bore the child sitting in the large chair in front of the even larger desk. The crayons spread on the top had been long forgotten. She kicked her feet back and forth, watching Kyle sort through some new supplies that had been delivered. She whined softly, completely bored.

Kyle groaned in response and lifted his head to look at her. “Eden, I have a headache. Don’t make high pitch noises, okay?”

“Can we go outside? Pretty please!” Eden asked, giving him the best pitiful look she could muster. She had exhausted all her will to be good in the infirmary. Like every morning, Kyle had come in to give her the breathing treatment, only to discover she had a slight fever. He treated it immediately, bringing her with him to keep an eye on her. Before he could ask, she added, “I don’t feel sick.”

He came over to her, pressing his hand against her forehead. “Well, your fever is gone.” Taking the stethoscope from around his neck, Kyle placed the cold metal against her skin.

“I’m fiiine,” the girl whined, but still took a deep breath. It had become second nature with how often this happened to her.

Kyle chuckled and patted her on the head. “Alright, we can go out for a little while. As long as you promise to tell me if you start to feel sick again.” He knew the most about her condition and kept her as healthy as possible. The joy that came from her when she wasn’t ill made all the work worth it.

Eden grinned excitedly, climbing off the chair and bounding toward the door. She nearly ran straight into some other soldiers that were coming down the carpeted hallway. “Oops, sorry!” Eden said as she ducked around them. All of the soldiers in the Red Army had a soft spot for the child, and not only because she was the daughter of the Jack of Hearts.

“Are you feeling well today, Eden?” Noah asked, smiling as he watched her being so energetic.

She bobbed her head up and down, spinning around in a circle. “Mmhm! I’m going to play outside,” she answered. Her giggle as she almost fell from dizziness made them laugh.

“Have fun,” Noah called after her.

Kyle slowly followed behind after opening the large door at the end of the hallway. The training grounds were empty at this hour. Most were either patrolling or taking their lunch break. It gave her plenty of room to run around and not bother anyone else.

Her attention had been pulled away by a shimmering blue butterfly that flew around on the breeze. She ran after it, not fast enough to catch it. Eden had crossed the whole field, out of breath by the time she got there. Her lungs threatened to close up for a moment. Her hands flew to her mouth to catch the cough. Glancing to see if Kyle had seen it, her head tilted to the side.

“Even though it suits you perfectly?” Kyle asked to someone else.

From where she stood, she couldn’t see anything. Skipping closer, her steps faltered for a moment. Her eyes grew wide. “Daddy!” Eden squeaked. She slipped through the bushes to latch onto his leg, hugging him tightly.

�� “It is a weird nickname,” A female voice spoke. She wore a surprised expression as she noticed the little girl. “Who’s this?” A warm smile grew on her face and she held that tone that Eden disliked. The one that sounded fake.

Edgar patted her head, also watching her. “This is Eden, my daughter.”

Eden’s eyes narrowed at the strange lady and she stepped closer to her father, this time moving a little behind him. She never released her arms from around his leg. The mean glare coming from her made all of the adults laugh. She didn’t know what was funny.

“I don’t think she likes me,” the woman said.

Kyle laughed and shook his head. “It’ll take some time for her to warm up to you, Alice.” He then let out an annoyed sigh. “You’re sneaking around eating junk like that again?”

“Jellybeans!” Eden breathed the word out, forgetting all about her hesitance toward Alice. She liked sweets just as much as her dad did, maybe even more. Practically bouncing up and down, she held out her little hand. “I want some!”

Plucking out a purple one from the bag, Edgar dropped it into her mouth. “At least Eden appreciates candy,” he said, moving the bag out of her reach when she tried to grab it. “A little too much sometimes.” Taking a second bean out, he offered to her.

Her head shook, and she held out her hand. “No! I want all of them!”

“That’s way too many for you,” Edgar replied, but he placed the singular one in her palm.

“I want all of them in my hand!” She whined, unsatisfied with the small pink jellybean. Her bottom lip stuck out in a pout.

Kyle sighed dramatically, wiping some sweat off his forehead. “This morning I came down with the worst illness that not even the best doctor in the world can cure.” That meant he had too many adult drinks. Eden finds him very funny for the first few hours of his intoxication.

“Poor thing. Here, Kyle, maybe this will help,” Edgar said, offering the bag to the army doctor.

Kyle grimaced and immediately pushed it away. “Don’t show me those. The thought of eating anything solid makes me nauseous.” The disgust in his tone was a familiar one. None of the other officers enjoyed to eat sweets like Edgar and Eden.

The moment the bag of jellybeans was within her reach, Eden stood on her tiptoes swiping a good handful out. Smiling in victory, she turned and ducked out from the bushes, before anyone could stop her. Her name was called by her father, but she ignored it, happily running away with her prize. Jellybeans weren’t her favorite candy, she much preferred chocolates, but for now, it made her excited.

It only took one misstep, a little rock that caught her foot, to send her tumbling to the ground. Her knee stung from the scrape, but she was sadder from the array of colorful jellybeans spilled around her in the soil.

“Eden.” Zero knelt down beside her. His entire personal squad had come out to the training grounds, meaning she would have to return inside. He helped her up and dusted off her shirt and leggings. “Are you hurt?”

Her green eyes were brimming with hot tears. “I dropped them,” she whimpered, looking at the mess around her. She’d snatched so many this time and hadn’t gotten to eat a single one.

Zero inspected the girl again for any injuries before reaching into the inside pocket of his jacket. Pulling out a bright orange lollipop, he offered it to her. “How about this instead?” He asked, winking at her. He much prefers Eden to her father and can’t resist those puppy dog eyes.

Eden took a shaky breath, calming down from her almost breakdown. She nodded, and immediately put it in her mouth when the wrapper was removed. Her mood began to lift, and she smiled once again. “Thanks, Zero!”

He patted her on the head but frowned at the person coming up behind her. “Edgar? Alice and Kyle, too? What do you need?” Rising to his feet, he clearly wasn’t happy that they had arrived.

“We’ve come to observe the Ace of Heart’s personal unit,” Edgar replied.

Eden grew bored with the conversation and went off on her own. She knew not to stray out sight but watching soldiers train didn’t interest her because she wasn’t allowed to be near it. The training yard was large, and with just Zero’s men, it left her plenty of room to run around.

There was one patch of wildflowers that grew beneath a large oak tree on the far side of the grounds. Eden searched around the base, finding enough to give one to everyone. The breeze floated by, making her realize how hot she felt. She retreated back over to the bench where Kyle and Alice sat. Stretching out her arms, Kyle lifted her up to sit on his lap. Still clasping the flowers in her small hand, Eden closed her eyes. The heat had drained her energy, and she fell asleep while they watched the training class.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I decided to change this to third person POV for a lot of reasons, but mainly it simply felt right to make it this way. I hope it’s not too big a deal. Maybe one day I’ll re-do the first chapter into 3rd POV, but from now on, it will be in third. :D

I hope you all enjoy Eden as much as I do!

#ikemen revolution #ikerev #ikemen revolution fanfiction #edgar bright #kyle ash #zero #jonah clemence #lancelot kingsley #Eden Bright #edgar has an adorable child

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cloakedandsoaked · 3 years ago

Text

A Gift

Nonus wombled up to her desk, full arms emphasising his always-awkward gate.

The sheer amount of... stuff he carried was enough to make Sahar put her caller on hold. The call was going nowhere, anyway. Everyone knew petitioners belonged in the hearing and not on the phone lines. It's not like the boss didn't hear complaints every two fucking weeks. (And how well Sahar knew; she usually had to block off the whole night afterward just to let His Grace calm the fuck back down.) This one was a real Karen, too, or they'd never have gotten this far up the phone tree. Disgusting.

Maybe she would leave them waiting a little longer just out of spite.

Nonus dumped his burden onto the front left corner of the desk (left open particularly for incoming deliveries; everyone who worked with her knew not to disturb the rest of her precious workspace). "Personal delivery for Miss Sahar," he croaked with a lewd smile.

That got her attention. Not Nonus being a perv; that was standard fare. But it wasn't every day she got personal mail, much less what appeared from the enormous bouquet to be a gift. There were precious few people who would send her a gift.

She had a good idea where this one had come from, and the notion brought a sickly smile to her face. "Much obliged, Nonus. How come the financial reports on district four?" May as well have her fun while he was here. She received surprisingly few in-person visits for someone who more or less ran the entirety of the Great Duke Dantalion's affairs, both personal and professional. It was damn fucking amazing what technology could handle, these days.

Nonus mumbled something incoherent and slumped off back toward the door, looking much less full of himself than he had a moment ago.

Delicious. "Do fetch a vase with water, since you clearly aren't doing anything useful."

She started with the larger of the two discrete items, an auspiciously-sized gift basket wrapped in iridescent cellophane. A claw took care of the wrapping with no fuss, revealing the contents within: four pomegranates (unnervingly red and smooth), a variety of chocolate truffles (two trays of her favorites, and a few types she'd never tried before), pure shea butter (handmade -- A whole fucking kilo! Score!), a ticket to one of the Second Circle circuses that was making a tour stop nearby (weird, but it at least meant she got that night off), some sort of peculiar brush (weirder; it looked like it was for a horse or something, and Sahar had no hair to speak of, much less fur), and lastly--

She took the note out and smoothed it flat on the desk. There was no salutation; His Grace never used them in their letters. She suspected some discomfort there on his part, and smiled a genuine smile at the thought. Stupid mopsy.

"You know what you did," it read in Dantalion's standard, rust-red scrawl. "I hope it's to your liking. Any complaints can be heard at next week's Petitioner's Hearing."

Ha. A joke.

"In addition, pick one day each of the next three weeks to take off."

Hells! That was probably the most excessive gift he'd given her this year.

"I trust you won't screw me by making two of them consecutive."

Oh. Well, then.

"Keep the list, but I think you found me the perfect one. You have my gratitude, for this and for so much more."

Her nonexistent heart warmed in spite of itself. Damned idiot. Glad he took my advice.

The last line, though, gave her chills, and she reread it several times to make sure she understood.

"I owe you a favor."

And, unlike so many of their letters, he had affixed his seal just beside the signature. Like an official correspondence. Sahar brushed a devout finger over the seal's ink, and felt the spark of real magic.

Queer. Very queer.

She folded the note into reverent quarters, and slid it into the drawer where her few personal items were kept. This would bear careful consideration.

Just then, the door opened again. Sahar composed herself in less than a second, once more the solid, aloof Head of Affairs for the consumption of… in this case, it looked like the audience was Nonus once more. Joy.

He dropped the vase onto the desk without a word, sloshing just a few drops of water onto the polished wood. As he glumped back to the door, Sahar's bearing gave him no hint of the shitstorm that was about to be sent his way for that slight. But, then again, he wouldn't ever find out where it had come from, either; Sahar was a master of sending shit downhill without ever letting it be tied back to her. (Her best skill was that she could do the same uphill, which was considerably more challenging.)

No, her attention was, nominally, on the bouquet of flowers. After the first several gifts, she had gotten enough good will built up with the boss that she could tell him the truth: red roses were completely inappropriate. Not that she didn't love roses; they were her favorites. But they made people talk. She'd just as soon not deal with the bullshit.

And so the bouquets had gotten significantly more varied. This one featured a few large lilies, five dahlias, some bits of greenery she couldn't identify, and the requisite baby's breath that seemed to make its way into an unearned number of flower arrangements. She slid the flowers from their plastic wrapper, and considered them. Choosing one of the dahlias (a coral pink affair with bits of yellow), she slipped it free from the arrangement and put the rest into the prepared vase. Beautiful.

She took an appreciative sniff, and then bit into the flower with zeal.

Half the stem was done and dusted before she remembered the asshole on the phone. She swallowed reluctantly, threw the rest of the stem in the small bin to her right, and picked the phone up once more.

"So sorry for your wait…. Yes, yes, I understand your situation fully, Captain. I'm sorry; there's really nothing I can do, but I can promise His Grace will hear your concerns personally at the next Petitioner's Hearing…. Okay-thanks-good-bye-now!" Click.

#his grace's office #sahar #nonus

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for-a-flower · 7 years ago

Text

Time Passes

Asgore did get better, though he was sick for a very rough couple of days. Chara didn't mention that day very often during the next couple years. She only brought it up once, which happened to be just after Asriel had pulled a joke on her with the camera. She had wanted to ask him something about those flowers and told him to turn off the camera. However, her chance was cut short when Toriel came into their room to see what they were up to.

Life continued on. The monster kingdom was happier than ever. Toriel made decisions for those in the underground and kept track of events that took place. That was her role as a queen. She would also make reports on recent activities every month, to update all the monsters with any important changes. As the king, Asgore had the final say on everything, though he usually went along with Toriel's suggestions. The kingdom needed both of them equally. As young teens, Ariel and Chara made up some new games to play. Once in a while they still played some of the first ones they enjoyed. The game of monsters and humans they had tried long ago became a running joke between the family though the two children never tried to play it again.

During the last several years, Chara had made Asgore a funny pink sweater that said Mr. Dad Guy. She had given it to him for being a good dad to her. He wore it out quickly, as he ended up taking it with him most everywhere. Asriel had given Chara a red ribbon for being an amazing sibling. Weeks later, she had lost the ribbon in the Ruins during a game of hide and seek. The Dreemurrs had finally painted Chara and Asriel’s room red as well, which turned out to be quite an event. Asriel had managed to get some red paint in the fur on his right ear. It took about a week to get it all out.

Generally, things were good. However, Chara was growing crueler with some of her actions. Asgore and Toriel were mostly oblivious to the changes. Since Asriel spent the most time with her, he definitely knew something was wrong. He had tried to get some information from her a few times. But each time, she had either made it really hard for him understand what she was saying or avoided the subject all together.

Chara grumbled to herself as she waded through a pool of dirty water following Asriel's lead. He had tiny, pointed horns beginning to grow on his head now that he had reached the age of fourteen. While the two of them had been going through Waterfall, Asriel had suggested they look for anything interesting. They waded deep into a dead-end tunnel, passing several streams that flowed down the walls into the pool around them. Asriel slowed his pace, leading Chara into an area with several piles of trash. Chara waved a hand in front of her at the awful smell that filled the air around them.

"We're here," said Asriel. He stepped up onto a strip of dry land to look back at her with a smile.

Chara climbed up to join him. "Why did we come here again?" she said. "I don't like it here. I want to go back home."

Asriel frowned. "Aw, I know it smells bad, but hang on. Monsters have found lots of neat things down here. Maybe we'll find something nice."

Chara was intrigued. "What kind of things?"

"Oh, all sorts." Asriel stepped up to a nearby pile and began tossing some of the junk aside. "Like . . . newspapers, pictures, and gadgets. There’s a lot of neat junk in here."

Chara moved up beside Asriel to watch him search a few moments. "Really."

"Yeah . . . I found that toy knife you had in this stuff." Asriel stopped tossing aside pieces of trash to face the young human teen.

Chara smiled. "Guess it wouldn’t hurt to see what we can find." She walked over to another pile and began searching for anything that caught her eye. Several minutes passed before Asriel suddenly gasped. Chara now stood among a mess of trash all around her. She was mostly wet but didn't care. She looked toward the monster with his floppy, white ears. He had found a sealed box and was sitting on the ground, trying to open it with his little claws.

"Chara, do you have anything sharp?" he called. "I can't seem to get into this wrapping."

“What’s wrong with using your claws?” said Chara.

Asriel tried scraping at the wrapping. “Haha, they aren’t quite long enough yet.” Chara sighed then glanced over the trash near her. Her red eyes caught sight of a sharp, relatively new looking dagger. She snatched it and approached Asriel, who was still trying to pull open the tight plastic wrap. The human joined him and lifted the knife. Asriel looked up with a smile. "That's perfect! Here." He held out the box. Chara carefully stuck the blade into the top seem of the box and cut across the wrapping with a quick slash. Asriel put the box on his lap again to continue pulling it open. "That's a pretty neat thing you found. What do you think it's for?" he asked.

Chara was about to drop the knife but paused to examine its sharp blade. "It's a kind of knife or dagger," she said. "It looks like it would be good for gardening . . . like cutting weeds or something."

Asriel, still sitting on the moist dirt, had almost got the box open the rest of the way. Though his attention was focused on it, he replied. "Cool! You should bring it back and show it to mom and dad." Chara put the knife in her pocket just as Asriel opened the box. She moved closer to look in with curiosity. Inside was a bunch of thin, rectangular shapes also wrapped in plastic. Asriel was confused. He took one out to look at it. "What are these?"

Chara smiled. "Chocolate?" She picked up one as well. "I can't believe it." The human girl opened its wrapper and tasted the dark brown chocolate bar. "It's still good too. It's been so long since I’ve had any."

Asriel looked up. "Chocolate?" His head was tilted a little in confusion, while still holding a bar in his hand.

Chara took a large bite out of the chocolate and replied with her mouth full. "It is a human candy, Asriel. Kids love this stuff. Remember? Mom had some at that first party when I was adopted."

"Oh! Cool." Asriel opened the wrapper of his and licked the chocolate.

"Do you like it?"

Asriel took a bite and savored the taste a few seconds. "Hm, it's sweet but uh . . . not my favorite."

"I think chocolate is fantastic." Chara took another bite and giggled. "I don't know how I lasted so long without it."

"Should we bring it back too?"

Chara nodded. "Yes, we definitely should."

"Alright." Asriel stood up, holding the box securely. "Let's go. This will keep us busy for a while." He started back through the water, taking the lead. "See? Told you this would be fun."

Chara took another bite of her chocolate bar as she followed him. “Yeah. This was a good idea,” she said.

Full Chapter List

#undertale #fan fiction #chara #asriel #dreemurrs #waterfall #dump #lookie asriel has teeny horns now #time passes #part one #only takes one

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