#i gave everyone half-teams so it would be more open-ended as to what their full team could be in my head

[phantomrush]

rangers +my sidestep blokeymon

[imtryingbuck]

Still beautiful

~ gif not mine credit to owner ~

Pairing: Bucky Barnes x fem!Reader

Summary: you have self harm scars but Bucky doesn’t care

Word count: 1,157

Warnings: self harm scars. insecurities. mentions of mental health issues (depression). swearing. Bucky being the best. this is mainly me just going through some shit sorry.

Masterlist

You always covered your arms up no matter the weather, everyone would see you wearing a long sleeved shirt or jumpers even on the hottest days, people would wonder why but never asked which you were grateful for.

It wasn’t that you were ashamed of your scars it’s just you couldn’t deal with the pity looks or hearing the words ‘you can always talk to me’ anymore, the looks of pity never helped always making you feel worse about the scars and those words were never true. You couldn’t talk to anyone because half of the time you didn’t understand it yourself.

Being diagnosed with depression as a teenager you didn’t know what it really meant and when you asked the doctor he looked at you and told you that you’re just sad. And while yes sometimes that was the case you knew that it wasn’t the full truth, but trying to understand an illness that was different for everyone was difficult.

Self harming was a terrible way to deal with the emotions but it gave you that sense of relief even if it was for a few moments. You tried so many different techniques to try and get yourself from hurting yourself such as drawing on your skin, writing letters, baking, exercising, everything really that was written down on a website you had found. But sadly these things only helped for a little while.

Like I said you wasn’t ashamed of the scars because you had no reason to but covering them up was better.

Nobody was supposed to see them ever. Until one person did.

Bucky was told by Nat to go and fetch you for dinner as it was nearly done, he was waiting patiently for you to answer the door after he knocked, getting no response he repeated the action.

“Y/n? You in?”

Wrapping his hand around the door handle he prayed silently that you was in, he stood there as the door pushed open to scared to go in fully as he thought he was violating your trust and privacy. Calling out your name a few more times he ended up going in after he heard the soft tunes, knowing for a full fact that you had your headphones on.

Bucky has always thought you were beautiful, right from the second he met you but seeing you sitting at the desk as you drew another masterpiece as he always called your artwork he leant against the door thinking that there wasn’t a perfect word to describe how you looked right there in that moment.

Then his heart clenched painfully in his chest.

For the first time since him joining the team had he seen your bare arms. His eyes going from the pencil to the fingers wrapped around it, to your hand and up the piece of skin that nobody ever saw. Bucky had his own scars, both mental and physical, so he knew what the angry, raised marks were.

His heart clenched painfully at the thought of you hurting yourself in such a way, he can’t help but wonder why or what was going through your head as you sliced your skin.

He was pulled out of his thoughts when he flinched at hearing your screams.

“B-Bucky? W-what are you doing in my room?”

“Why?”

“What?”

“Why? Why would you hurt yourself?”

“I… I don’t know.” He watches as you tap the side of your head before tucking both arms behind your back. “It helps, I guess.”

“Doll-“

“I don’t want to hear it Bucky. Not from you. Please.”

“But you know it’s true though, don’t you?”

“I can’t, you have your own shit to deal with and I can’t put my shit on you. It isn’t fair.”

With quick steps Bucky stands in front of you, pulling your arms out so he can hold them, his thumbs rub over the scars. “Doll. Y/n, the whole world could be burning down around us and I’m still gonna want to know what’s going on in that pretty head of yours, I want to know how you are feeling on your best and worst days, I want to be there.”

“But it isn’t fair.”

“It’s not fair that you think you have to suffer alone, baby I’m right here, always… well until you tell me to leave.” He mumbled the last part in hopes that you didn’t hear, because he was so afraid that you would tell him to leave and he really didn’t want to keep loving you from afar but he was too afraid to say anything incase you didn’t feel the same way.

“Maybe one day but not today, please.” You knew that if there was ever going to be a person who would be there for you no matter what, you knew that person would always be Bucky.

And that’s one of the reasons why you fell in love with him.

“Whenever you are ready.” He squeezed your hand, bringing one to his lips and gently kissed your knuckles. “You’re so beautiful, do you know that?”

You scoff, shaking your head. “The sc-“

“Still beautiful. Still so so beautiful.” In that moment Bucky wanted to kiss you, the urge to take a hold of your face gently in his hands and press his lips against yours had his heart rate spiking but he couldn’t bring himself to do it, so instead he cleared his throat hoping that his thoughts would clear too. “Come, dinners done.”

When you walked hand in hand with Bucky into the dining room where everyone was waiting you felt the need to run back into your room and grab a jumper, but it was as if Bucky could read your mind as he squeezed your hand lightly and gave you a soft smile.

Your found family saw the scars but none of them made a comment, their eyes mainly focused on your intertwined fingers with the super solider next to you. Bucky led the two of you towards the table, sitting down and practically pulling you along with him.

The once quiet room soon became loud as everyone began talking about everything and anything, Bucky couldn’t take his eyes off you, he was so proud to see you sitting there only in a vest shirt instead of your usual long sleeved shirts, he understood that it was probably a massive step for you and for that he was proud.

Little did he know that you wanted him to kiss you when the two of you was in your bedroom, little did he know that when his eyes weren’t on you your eyes were on him.

Seeing his hand on his thigh you moved your hand to his, Bucky turned his hand upward so you could link your fingers with his.

Maybe one day you both will find the courage to confess your feelings but until then you’ll continue loving each other from afar.

Tags: @imcinnamoons | @pigeonmama | @capsbestgirl77

[cosmicjoke]

So I wanted to just take a moment to elaborate a little more on Levi's leadership during the Battle of Heave and Earth, because I think it's so important to understand just how vital Levi was to that final battle and, ultimately, toward the alliances' victory. Everyone was vital, of course. Everyone contributed in ways indispensable. But I think Levi's role was particularly crucial, and I want to explain why.

They wouldn't have won without Levi.

Full stop. They wouldn't have won.

I spoke before about how so often we've heard criticisms of Levi and his choice to let Erwin die, accusations hurled at him of having "robbed" humanity of the only leader that could save it, and I spoke about how those accusations, in the aftermath of Levi's contribution to that final battle, fall so utterly flat, because Levi became the leader that humanity needed in the moment when it counted most.

Armin was out of commission for most of the final battle. Of course he was doing his own, important work toward ensuring victory by convincing Zeke to stop wallowing in self-pity and actually do something (Zeke gets no credit from me, he let 80% of the population die because he felt sorry for himself). But my point is, Armin, despite being the Commander, wasn't able to lead during most of the battle because he was trapped in the Paths.

Levi took the reigns, then, without even needing to be asked or told. He simply took command, and it was his decision making that lead to their victory.

But before that, he fought alongside all of them as simply another soldier, putting his body and life on the line to take down as many titans as he could in the attempt to clear a path back to Armin. Levi was literally half-dead during this battle. His body was beyond compromised. He was suffering internal bleeding, likely major trauma to his organs, half blind, his dominant hand half-mangled, and later, his leg likely broken and torn apart and open. His ability to fight, and to fight so well and with so much strength, was nothing, then, but pure will on his part. Pure determination and refusal to quit. He never gave up, not once, despite his body needing him to.

When he sees the tied of the battle not going their way, then, a path back to Armin seemingly impossible, he takes charge and calms everyone down, tells everyone to stop and think. When it becomes clear that they won't be able to simply retrieve Armin and win this thing, when it becomes clear that killing Eren is the only way to actual victory, Levi is the first to organize everyone into accepting that bleak and awful reality, and to lay out a plan of attack toward accomplishing it. He breaks their team into two units and instructs them on what to do, one to go after Armin, the other, Eren's neck. This was Levi's plan, Levi's decision, and it's largely why they were able to succeed in their goals.

And then later, when he heartbreakingly thinks of himself as a burden, as someone who will just get in the way, he disproves his own self-criticism by stepping up and once again taking command in what truly was the most critical moment of the battle.

He takes out Zeke, of course, which stops the Rumbling. But then Armin's initial plan, of using the blast from his Colossal Titan transformation to kill Eren, fails, and the worm responsible for Eren's power threatens to reach him and start the Rumbling back up. It begins to release the same gas which Zeke had used on Ragako Village to turn the Eldian's into pure titans, and in that moment, with hundreds of Eldian's on the ground, it would have proven the end of the battle for all of them if Levi hadn't acted as quickly and with as much clarity of thought as he had. They all would have died, and the entire population of the world would have been wiped out.

Nobody else realized what was about to happen to them, too dazed and complacent and stricken with hopelessness, even after Connie posited what the gas could be. Only Levi understood what was about to happen, and only Levi took action in that moment to prevent total disaster. And then, while everyone else is standing around, paralyzed by their horror at the realization of what's happening, overcome with grief and fear, in that moment, Levi didn't hesitate. Like he once told the 104th, if disaster struck right now, he would act faster than any of them, and that's exactly what he did.

He understood the situation within seconds, and understood within seconds what needed to be done to avoid total catastrophe. He understood that he and Mikasa and the titan shifters were the only ones who would be immune to the gas, and so it was up to them to take action and end Eren's life, or all would be lost. He understood in that moment that they would be forced to abandon their family and comrades on the ground, abandon them to their fate of being turned into pure titans, in order to save what remained of the rest of the people trapped down there, and he didn't hesitate. He didn't falter. He pushed aside his own grief and horror, his own driving need to save everyone, in order to save who he could, just like he's always done. He armed himself with their only remaining thunder spear and ordered with commanding force for Mikasa and Pieck to get onto Falco's back, for them to take to the air, because he understood on the ground, they would all die, and if they were to have any chance of victory, they needed to be up high. He was able to ignore their stunned and frozen grief and initial refusal to move and act, and overcome it with his own refusal to give in. He made them act in the moment when it mattered most. And when Mikasa was overcome with grief at what was happening and the prospect of killing Eren, Levi refused to let her lose herself, screaming in her face to get it together, reminding her again and again that only they could stop Eren now, only they could save what was left of humanity.

And finally, with his failing body and waning strength, he fought side by side with Mikasa, battling through what seemed literal hell on earth to give her the opening she needed in order to deliver the killing blow to Eren and end it once and for all.

Mikasa wouldn't have been able to do what she did if not for Levi. If not for Levi's quick thinking, if not for Levi's orders, if not for his command, if not for his battling side by side with her, clearing a path for her. If not for his own sacrifice, giving up everything, having to leave behind the people he loved for people he didn't even know. Levi made that final push toward victory possible.

Levi essentially took over for Erwin when no one else could. He took over for Hange when no one else could. He became the Commander of the Survey Corps in that final battle. He became the one who lead them to victory.

I think understanding that is so important. For anyone who ever tries to accuse Levi of not caring about humanity, or accuse Levi of dooming humanity because he let Erwin die, you're wrong, you're so wrong. Because Levi became every bit the commander Erwin ever was in the moment when it mattered most. He refused to let humanity fall. He lead humanity to victory.

[mxbo]

Hi! If it’s no trouble for you, could I request a little story about Sniper and a daughter reader? Just some wholesome family fluff ^^

Thanks so much in advance! No worries though if you’re swamped!

HELLO!! “No worries though if you're swamped” JHSHG THIS IS MY FIRST REQUEST EVER, I'M SO EXCITED. And also nervous because I don't want to mess up (that's why I took 5 days to write this) (I wrote it, left it be for a couple of days, read it again, went like “wow this is garbage”, fixed it and THEN posted it).

The request was left a bit ambiguous, so I have a BUNCH of notes and then the little story (which is, btw, not the full length of what I wrote because I accidentally gave Sniper anxiety, so I cut that from the actual story because I feared it wasn't wholesome ahsjah) (if you see “…” in the middle of two paragraphs, yeah that was something that I cut out AHSHh). I REALLY DON'T WANT TO DISAPPOINT, I'M NOT CONFIDENT AT ALL WITH MY WRITING AND DIDN'T THINK I WOULD EVEN GET A WRITING REQUEST, I'M SORRY IF YOU DISLIKE EVEN ONE WORD *explodes*

[First picture: Carl from San Andreas with his hands on his head, except it's me saying “I forgot, I forgot how to write oh no”] [Second picture: Sponge Bob crying, except it's me saying “I promise I'll do better”]

SOME NOTES

English is not my first language, sorry if some things don't make sense TT (let me know if you see any mistakes pls!!)

My requests were mainly open for stamps, userboxes, blinkies and stuff like that, but I did say I'd share my writing if someone asked in my pinned post, so I only have myself to blame heh. And this was actually fun and I enjoyed it, so now I want to do more writing requests. Aka, they're open fr this time HEHE

You're Sniper's daughter, but the story is almost mainly told from the perspective of Sniper (still written in third person for him and second person for the reader, tho, it's just that the story follows Sniper's actions more because idk how to write from the POV of a kid)

I have family issues so if family interactions are portrayed inaccurately that's why, haha /hj

I wanted to write about how Sniper's daughter got to the base and THEN her interactions with the rest of the team, but I've been working on it for 5 days already. This is only the first half, how the reader got to the base TT [I'll continue it if you wish] AND AAAAH THE SECOND HALF IS WHERE I HAD PLANNED MOST OF THE FLUFF AND MOMENTS CATCHING UP WITH SNIPER AAAA (I'm so angry at myself)

CW: Not much, mentions of death because it's TF2 (nobody dies), and the word “fuck” is said like once, but that's it, can't think of anything major

More notes in the end because it's mostly not mentioned/doesn't matter/was cut from the final version

MEET THE SUNSHINE

“Yeah, Mum, I get it. I'll visit when I can,” he muttered.

“Your daughter misses you, you know,” his mum said.

Sniper sighed. “I know, Mum. But I take my job really seriously, and the battle hasn’t ended yet—”

“That battle has been going on for more than three years now!! And we decided you can’t just come home on holidays and expect us to raise your child the rest of the year.”

“We sent her to you” his dad interrupted, “She should be arriving any minute now.”

Sniper's eyes widened, and he nearly dropped the phone. “YOU DID WHAT!? THIS IS A BATTLEFIELD!!” He tried to argue. 

They were his parents and he respected them a lot, always trying to get their approval, but were they actually crazy? What did they even consume to think that sending his own daughter, their own granddaughter, to New Mexico, alone, while there’s a fight currently happening there, is a good idea!?

“Oh, don’t worry about that, after speaking to your boss through a nice lady called… Miss Paula? Pauline? She assured us she’ll be safe.” No way Miss Pauling, one of the few people he —and everyone in the team, really— trusted. No fucking way.

Before he could process this bombshell, a commotion erupted outside his room. The “INTRUDER ALERT. BLU SPY IS IN THE BASE” alarm was set off, and it was followed by Soldier shouting “A BLU SPY IS IN THE BASE!?”.

He hung up, not even saying goodbye, because he had the feeling that wasn’t a BLU spy. Actually, he knew it wasn’t a BLU spy, chained to a respawn machine. He had to get to the entrance first and stop the other eight mercenaries from killing you.

…

“WAIT!” He shouted as he pushed Soldier to the side.

He wasn’t the only one in the room; Scout, Spy and Medic, who were faster than Sniper, were also there, also trying to explain to Soldier that this was a child, not a BLU spy.

“Sniper?” asked Spy, a bit curious about why he seemed so scared.

“That’s not a spy…” He said, trying to catch his breath.

“Yes, we figured,” Spy said before getting interrupted.

You slowly opened your eyes and removed your hands from your ears, seeing as the scary man with the big weapon directly pointing at you before didn’t fire and you didn’t explode.

“That’s my-”

You looked around and that’s when you see him! You didn’t get the directions the nice purple lady gave you wrong!!

“DAD!!” You scream as you run over to your dad and hug his legs.

As you squeeze his legs, finally seeing your dad after so long and feeling safe, he doesn’t know how to react.

“-daughter,” he finished his sentence. He’s so relieved you’re ok. He doesn’t know what he would have done if he had found you hurt or worse.

“No frickin’ way…” muttered the Scout.

Soldier, Spy, Medic and also Engie and Pyro, who entered the room after the Sniper, were just as confused as Scout. Well, maybe not Pyro, because it understood something completely different (one shudders to imagine what inhuman thoughts lie behind that mask). But the rest of them were, and, with their eyes, they asked for an explanation. Demanded, even, in Scout’s case, because he couldn’t fathom the idea of Sniper of all people to get a girl, potentially a wife, before him.

…

Scout sighed in relief hearing that Sniper did not, in fact, get a girl before him. That he had found you as a baby one day when returning home and adopted you.

Everyone else just nodded in understanding (Heavy, Pyro), asked him questions (Engie, Medic, Spy) or praised him for doing the correct thing and not leave you to starve (Spy, Soldier, Demo). All while you were drawing in a corner with a pen and paper your dad gave you.

You stopped drawing once your dad had finished talking and introducing you to his team. Maybe he would introduce them to you next! 

This was going to be your home for a while, after all.

NOTES P.2

Timeline:

Three years into the gravel war (for the main group of mercenaries’ pov).

You were adopted roughly a year before Sniper was hired. Your adopted family doesn’t know your birthday, but they estimate you’re 4-5 y/o.

Fun fact: I was considering at first (aka the first five seconds of thinking about the request) making the daughter a teenager and then remembered Sniper is 27-ish here so uuuh, nope.

About Sniper in this AU:

He’s a good dad… the three or four times a year he can visit you.

He doesn’t want to be an absent dad, but he’s too dedicated to his job as an assassin for RED.

He tries to convince himself he’s not that absent because he cares about you, talks to you at lest once a week through the phone and makes sure your grandparents treat you correctly.

He wouldn’t have accepted RED’s offer if he had known this job would drag out for so long. He can’t quit now.

About his daughter (you!):

She/her as was requested :D

Not much else to say, you're 4-5 years old so you behave as one.

[Backstory, this is explained in detail during the actual story so spoilers hehe] You were found in a dumpster (sorry lmao) This was not, in fact, mentioned in the story above, so I'll just paste it here:

“

As he ran downstairs, his mind was flooded with images of how you came into his life, how he tried to raise you but had to go to this stupid war over a worthless piece of land. He thought it was ok, though, because once it was over he’d make up for the time he was away. 

But he wouldn’t be able to do that if you died to one of his own teammates right now.

…

Mick was driving home after a long day under the hot Australian sun, a bit tired from hunting animals down all day but with a smile.

He did a small deviation to pass by a nearby gas station because the fuel gauge hovered dangerously close to empty. 

Once the tank was full, he glanced at the convenience store and couldn’t resist grabbing something to eat for the rest of the long ride. He doesn’t remember what he bought, and it honestly doesn’t even matter. 

As he was leaving the store, he heard a sound, apart from the flickering neon lights, and he stood there for a second trying to identify. Someone crying, high-pitched voice, coming from the side of the building. “From the side of the building? Next to the dumpster?” He thought. 

And he was disgusted that he was right, that someone just got rid of a baby like that, but also glad he found you.

He didn’t know what to do, so he brought you home and asked his parents for help. They all came to the conclusion that they must have abandoned you after noticing that you didn’t grow a moustache like the rest. Mick saw himself on you because he also wasn’t born like most Australians. He remembered having a difficult time as a child trying to adapt without having any facial hair or Australia-shaped chest hair like the rest of the kids and, being an orphan? He knew your childhood would be even worse than his.

„

[lovelykei]

Dream big

Chapter 5

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The sun shone through the window painting your room in a beautiful light but also causing you to wake up. Today your grandpa would be coming with his team to have a practice match with the karasuno boy team and while that was exciting in and of itself, it was also nice to just get to see your grandpa again. Tobio and Rio had managed to recover by Monday that week which meant you had been able to spend the better half of last week walking home with Tsukishima. Although he hadn’t walked you home this week you guys texted a lot and ate lunch together so you couldn’t really complain.

The smell of food filled the house and soon enough reached the rooms of the two sleepyheads. It didn’t take long before the first of the two showed up. “Food?” Kageyama walked through the kitchen door, rubbing his stomach under his shirt. “This is for after the game, breakfast is on the table already” you motioned over to the freshly grilled fish on the table. “Okay, I’ll serve us rice” Kageyama expertly opened the right cabinets, putting out everyones preferred bowls and utensils. “I made some miso soup too it’s in the pot” Tobio walked over to you and placed a hand softly on your head. He wasn’t really a man of many words, more often than not he would show his appreciation physically. He’d carry your bags, softly pat your head, hug you and always help you reach the taller cabinets without you needing to ask, that’s just how he showed how much he loved and appreciated you. Even now the soft touch on your head was his way of thanking you for making his favorite right before a game. You grinned at him and finished up another container of food while getting ready to prepare more. “Why are you making so much food ri-chan?” The endearing nickname made you smile as he peeked over your head to the full containers. “I figured I’d make food for both the teams since grandpa kept hinting that he missed my food” you said and smiled up at Kageyama. “I might get there a little late but you can go ahead first with Rio” as soon as you said that, Rio came down the stairs in full volleyball gear.

“What are you doing” you gave Rio a deadpan look as she brazenly strutted into the kitchen. “Im sure I can convince grandpa to let me play atleast one game” Rio chirped with a grin. You just sighed and kept cooking. In the end Rio and Tobio ended up leaving and you stayed at home for another hour cooking.

-

Everyone was on a break, having just finished their first 2 sets when you bursted through the door carrying probably 5 big bags filled with heavy containers. “Kageyama Tobio” you gasped, barely able to breathe. “Hoshi Rio”. Damn, taking a full breath had felt like a privilege in the 10 minutes it took to walk to the gym. They rushed over and took 2 bags each as you fell to the floor gasping. “I brought you food grandpa so you can’t complain anymore”. Since Rio had probably already told them about your grandpa the teams didn’t seem that surprised. “Seems you brought enough to feed a village” he chuckled and walked over to help you up. You whined about having to get up early so you could feed both teams and he laughed as he led you over to his team. “This is my other granddaughter Eri-chan, Eri-chan this is the nekoma team” you bowed at the team and gave them a small smile. “Nice to meet you I’m Tsukino Eri I play volleyball in the karasuno girl team” The members took turns introducing themselves and after the formalities were over you grab your heavy bag and walked over to the karasuno team. About half way, Tsukishima had appeared next to you, grabbing the bag from your hand. “I’m surprised you could carry all of that on your own Tsukino”

“I really thought I was gonna pass out before I made it” you sighed and leaned against his tall frame. “Didn’t know you were coach nekomatas granddaughter” Tsukishima was sulking a little over the fact that you hadn’t told him. “My moms maiden name is nekomata, don’t be jealous even Tobio only found out recently” you joked fully expecting him to tell you to shut up like he usually does when you play around. “Alright guess I’ll let it slide this time” at first you really did think he was making a joke but after he put the bag down you did see his ears turning pink as he returned to the court.

-

“Okay everybody 5 minutes until the last game before we eat” you had been sitting on the bench watching the game, Rio had switched in a few times and she was doing amazing. Since you weren’t dressed to play volleyball you had been filling water bottles and handing out towels all morning. “Why didn’t you come prepared?” Your grandpa had sat down on the bench with you. “I came with 5 whole bags of food, I’d say I was pretty prepared” you acted oblivious as if you didn’t understand what the old man meant. “Hmm I see” that’s all he said…. That’s all he needed to say to let you know he was disappointed. Ever since you were little you and Rio used to practice volleyball with your grandpa and talk about how you were going to compete in the Olympics someday. Later Kageyama joined and the three of you shared the same dream. On the summer you had to be forced inside to eat and apply sunscreen because you’d spend all day playing volleyball outside. But now you sat there, on the bench, watching Tobio and Rio advance to a place all three of you used to dream of. You were fine with them getting ahead, maybe high school would be the last time you played with Rio and although it was painful you had somewhat accepted it. So why did you tear up at the simple words your grandpa had said. It wasn’t mean, he wasn’t scolding you or trying to hurt you, he was just disappointed.

Coach nekomata stood up from the bench and walked over to gather the team. “I’ll play, I’m wearing jeans shorts but I want to play” coach nekomata turned around with a smug smile “And your shoes?” Oh, you didn’t think about that-

“She can use mine, I’ve played already so I can just run home to get her things for her” Rio said already taking her shoes off. “It looks like Kozume-senpai is in need of a break anyways” Rio was awkward, she was like kageyama in the sense that talking about feelings made her tense. She wasn’t one to tell you she loved you or that she cared for you. She would just simply show it. She knew about your crush, she knew about your feelings for volleyball, damn she even knew what score you got on your last history test. Listening came easy for her. Oh, you like that guy? Let me make sure you end up on the same team. You’re struggling with history? I’ll ask you to help me study so you don’t have to do it alone. More than anything in the world Rio wanted you to be happy and even if most of her good deeds went unnoticed she didn’t mind. So if she had to give you her shoes or run home to get something just so that you could enjoy playing again, she’d gladly do it. “Thank you Rio” that’s the least she could do for you.

-

The floor squeaked as Kuroo jumped and slammed the ball down, one point for you. The sun felt hot on your back but there was a slight breeze coming through the open door. It was like your senses were heightened, since the ball always made its way right into your hands it was easy to observe the other team. Observe, learn, find a gap and push through. This is so much fun. Inuoka was tall, Yamamoto needed to get a full run up, Kuroo was a beat slower you needed to adapt this is so much fun. The nekoma shirt hung loosely on your frame, bouncing as you jumped up to set the ball right into Nobuyukis hand. /this/ is so much fun. The new libero nishinoya got the ball up, now it’s their turn to attack. Kageyama got under the ball and hinata was already in the air- Boom, yaku received it, you jump up meeting Kuroo in the air ready to hit a quick. This is so much fun. Daichi got it back up, kageyama ran and their ace did the final slam, but Kuroo was right there. The sound of the whistle echoed in your ears and you pumped your fist at the victory. It was silent, or atleast that’s how it felt. The sun seemed to shine brighter than it was a moment ago and the air felt fresher. God that was so much fun.

After thanking the team for letting you play with them you walked over to Rio. “Thank you Rio” you squeezed your friend tightly which she reciprocated. “Anytime, now let’s eat food I’m starving”

-

“So..do you like it?” Tsukishima had just barely finished chewing the nth side dish you had made him try. “Edible” he said nonchalantly. Truth is, it was delicious but you needed to be humbled or you would be unbearable, is what he told himself but truly he just liked teasing you. The playful banter, casual conversation and admiration was buzzing throughout the gym as everyone ate their meals and got to know each other. After lunch the teams ended up playing a few more sets, with you and Rio switching in periodically. Everyone helped with cleaning up but it was already dark when it was time to go home.

I’m really struggling with my writing, it feels dry and awkward so I kept rewriting this chapter. I feel like Tsukki and Eris comfortable feeling and like for eachother isn’t really showing the way I want it to 😔

[agirlandherquill]

the calendar project - day 9

you know what? it's bang on midnight i'm counting it still

daily page count: 2

time spent: 30 mins

here's todays pages!

He is enjoying this far too much. She had been wishing for a way out and now he, a man she had no choice but to stick near, was offering her it. I suppose now’s a better time than ever to meet the people I’ll be working with - I just hope they’re nothing like him. 

“Lead the way.”

“And risk you running in the other direction? I don’t think so, take my arm.” He offered it to her, and with a wry laugh she took it. “I must warn you Mister Eldrich, if you’re thinking of leading me into someplace astray from the main path, you should think again.”

“Or you’ll dislocate my fingers?”

“Worse. Rip them off and make you taste them.”

“You’re full of surprises, aren’t you?” He sighed, “Not to worry, if I did do anything like that my friends would spit on my remains after finishing me off for you.”

“What?” She was surprised to hear him talk of his team in such a way.

“You’ll see, they’ll like you.”

“And you don’t?”

His face was impossible to read, yet again. “There are very few things I like about business.”

Him and his business, it’s as if he thinks I haven’t got similar concerns of my own, does he really think I want to be here? 

She mulled over her situation quietly as they reached the castle doors where two butlers stood, perfectly poised, to stop them. 

“My apologies but the doors must remain sealed until the end.”

Isolde recognised the one that spoke, he was fairly tall, his head was covered by a sparse spattering of hair so that his scalp shone in the candlelight of the chandelier hanging overhead. Robert, I think? She smiled at him. “Robert, forgive me for this, but we’re on an errand for his Majesty.”

Robert, his eyes widened at being recognised, gave her a startled once over, then seemed to nearly choke on his own tongue. “Yes, yes, certainly Isolde, I’m sorry-” Robert’s fumbled words were interrupted by his partner, “But our orders?”

“Have changed,” Robert muttered, “Now get a move on.” He practically dragged the shorter man into the adjoining vestibule where everyone’s coats were gathered, giving them a little privacy to make their exit.

“The butler knows you by name?” Reid asked as she slipped her arm from his and approached the doors, the two wooden doors weren’t reinforced but they were sealed by a central mechanism, a vine of steel stretching from floor to ceiling with five roses protruding from it, sitting on rails just waiting to be touched. “I should hope so, I’ve fled from enough of these things by now.” She reached up and touched the first rose, then the third, second, fifth and finally, the fourth. Upon pressing the final piece of the puzzle that formed the lock, the vine swung into a horizontal position and Isolde pulled the door to her left open. “And you know the combination too… Who are you?” 

Isolde stepped outside, offering Reid the vaguest consolation she could manage, “Someone who prefers the world out here to the one in there.”

And the world out here… It’s just what I needed to see. 

Reid joined her on the edges of the steps that led out into a square courtyard, two halves of grass cut in half by a path of marbled stone that led to the distant valley where the carriages convened, Isolde angled her body away from the centre, focusing on the left side of the courtyard where the grass was overshadowed by statues, dozens of them, flanking a lesser travelled gravel path toward a small gate that cut between the iron fence that walled around the courtyard; she walked toward the path, Reid in tow, and embraced the night.

The late hour held a chill that burrowed through her skin, her breath formed small wispy clouds with each exhale, the sky had grown cold too, a thick blanket of mist had crept in hiding the stars from her, Pity, I would’ve liked to see them some more tonight. 

She started at a weight draping over her shoulders, a warm, soft weight. She craned her head to see Reid draping his coat over her shoulders, he caught her stare and smirked. “You’re of no use to me if you make yourself sick.”

“Protecting your business?”

“…Precisely.” He settled the coat around her, but his hands hesitated to leave her shoulders. “Earlier… I made a mistake.”

“What mistake?” She was careful not to press him too much, his tone was too uncertain, too cautious for her to know how to navigate the conversation, it was better for him to speak and her to respond, however either of them saw fit.

“I allowed my interests to mix. I shouldn’t have, but I did.”

[resi4skz]

CHAPTER 4

Pairing: idol!Chan x Rebecca Greywood (OC)

Warnings: none for this chapter

This is purely fiction!

Cover by: @3rachasdomesticbanana

For the next few weeks, I got Luna acquainted with the few necessities to get around outside. I got her a new phone number, got her registered in korean classes and some days I would let her follow the map on her phone whenever we were out. We even visited Just Java and had their coffee. It was the yummiest coffee I've ever had. We enjoyed every bit of the time we had with each other. Luckily, we started our work next month also so it was great to know that she won't be home alone.

"Hey, Luna, do you want to try tteokbokki?" I ask as I scroll through the menu on my phone. "I'll tell them to make it very mild."

"Sure!"

I find a restaurant with good reviews and order on the food app. "Okay, our order will be here soon. I even ordered fried chicken."

As we wait for the food to arrive, I turn on the tv to pass time. "Hey, what if you get to work for Stray Kids?"

"Doubtful," I say flipping through channels.

"Hey now. Don't underestimate your skills."

"I'm not. I just don't want my first day to work THE group. What if I say something really embarrassing?"

"Then you'll have something to tell your grandkids." I hit her arm as she laughs. "Relax. You'll do fine, trust me."

Our food finally arrives and we eat as we watch tv. I even teach her some words in Korean when she asks me. We finish eating our dinner and soon we start getting ready for bed. After doing my skin care, I settle myself in my bed and turn off the light. Let's hope Luna is right about me doing well at my job next month. I promise myself that whoever I will end up with, I will give it my best.

------------------------------------------------------------

Next month rolls around pretty fast and I get more and more nervous which I shouldn't be feeling. A few days ago, I went out and registered for a Korean name: Kim Na Eun. Only Luna and I know about this though.

Luna finally started working at the coffee shop today and I'm standing in front of my mirror as I examine my outfit. I'm wearing a beige button shirt with a long black jean skirt and white sneakers. Giving myself pep talk before I head out. "You got this, Becca."

It takes me half hour to reach JYPE and soon I'm in the HR department filling out some forms. I get introduced to my team members and soon I'm following one of the staff members, Yujin, down towards the makeup rooms. She told me I'll also be meeting the group that I will be assigned to. She introduced me to other makeup artists and I was surprised that everyone was so friendly which made me feel at ease somewhat.

She leads me to another room full of makeup vanities. There were a total of 12 chairs and even had a couch at one end. "They should be arriving shortly." I smile at her as I wait with her. I admire all the vanities that had makeup products laid out along with hair tools. The door opens and I hear the commotion of a couple of guys laughing and talking but I don't turn around as I'm still looking at all the makeup stations. "Becca-ssi!"

"Ne," I turn around and I suddenly wished I was still home.

"These are the guys I was talking about. You're assigned to them."

Back home, whatever I did, whether it was school work or job wise, it wasn't ever good enough for my father. I wanted to learn dancing when I was 15 but took my money pot away that I had been saving since I was 10. I wanted to learn ballet, dad called the ballet dance school and had them deny my admission. Whatever it was, it wasn't worth my while because he wanted me to become a surgeon like him. So he had me studying 24/7 till I collapsed and was on bed rest for 3 months. Even then, he gave me stuff to do related to medicine. Since then, I always did what he wanted me to do. Till last year, I did whatever made him happy. But when I finally stood up, he crushed my dreams.

I was very glad because I got all certifications, even international ones, for this moment all thanks to Luna. Of course, she was on my side the entire time. If it wasn't for her, I don't know how I could've dealt with all the stress. She pushed me and told me give it all my best. And thats's exactly what I did. Living in a new country was surreal. Everything was new to me. The food, the environment, the smell in the air.

But now as I stand in front of 8 handsome men staring back at me, I don't think my life could get any better. All of them introduced themselves to me and I was in awe of their beauty. Each member had their own aura. I glance around and noticed that only 4 out of 9 had different hair colors. I made a mental note to tell Luna later when one of them walked towards me. He had blonde with blue streaks styled hair, eyes that shined like stars and a jawline that was swoon worthy. I couldn't help but stare at him as he stood in front of me. Bang Chan stood in front of me. I know somewhere Luna is kicking her feet in the air.

"You're not from here, are you?" Bang Chan asked.

My god. I had seen him a few months ago. I don't know if I can handle this. I mean out of all the boys, he was the one I was most fascinated with. I watched them from their pre-debut days till now. And he's right here. Standing. Looking all glorious. In front of me. And who knew I would be seeing him again.

"No, I'm from Australia," I replied, containing my posture.

"Oh, really?" The way his eyes lit up, I wanted take a picture of it. "Which part?"

"Melbourne." I replied. I don't think he remembers me?

"Ah, the city of night life and architecture," he said, smiling. I think my mental state is not okay at the moment. Seeing his smile was one of my favourite part of him. It always made my day. But to see it in person....

"Yes, but I never got to enjoy it. I like Seoul more," I said.

"So you'll be our new makeup artist?" He asked. When I'm about say something, the voices come.

"What's your name?"

"Does she like ice cream?"

"Ask her age!"

All these questions came like a firing round in a game. I burst out laughing but immediately stop when they look at me. "Sorry."

I looked at all of them and replied in korean, "My name is Rebecca Greywood. I'm 20, korean age 21. And I like chocolate flavor."

It got quiet and I blinked at them looking back at me. "Uh, did I say something wrong?" Even the staff was looking at me. "Uhhh, hello?"

Felix the one with blonde hair, Jeongin with red/pink hair  and Seungmin the one with dark brown hair, skipped towards Bang Chan and smiled. "Noona!"

Noona? Oh my god. I need to call Luna like asap.

"Yah," Bang Chan said to his kids who immediately went quiet. "Don't scare her. Sorry about them, teenagers and all."

"It's fine," I say, waving them off. Internally, my brain is doing math of Bang Chan's and my age. Oh my god. If I'm 20, and if I'm doing the math right, he's older than me by 2 years. "Nice to meet you all."

All the other members bow and smile at me. And Bang Chan extends his hand towards me. "Welcome to the team."

I look at him and his hand. I raise my hand and shake his hand. "Thank you."

As he's walking back to the members, Yujin comes to me. "Oh I forgot to tell you. You'll be one of the main makeup artist for Bang Chan, Felix, and Han."

Wait, did she say Bang Chan? "Gamsahamnida," I say and look around the room. The eight of them were chatting and fooling around whereas I have only seen them like that on my laptop. I try to compose myeelf but the fangirl inside me wants to scream. I fish out my phone and take a quick selfie with the room behind me and quickly send it Luna. I put my phone on silent. I will have to talk to her when I'm off work.

One of the staff members claps her hand. "Alright, we have a new member joining is officially today!" She gestures towards me as everyone in the room, including the boys clap welcoming me. I bow and smile.

"Thank you for having me." I clench my hands trying to get the nerves out.

"Alright, we have a show in a few hours. Felix and Han will be covered today, Rebecca-ssi. So you can get started on Chan."

I don't think I heard her right. Did she just I have to work on him? The man that made the fandom go crazy over his abs? I look at where he's sitting playing games on his phone. Jeez, even sitting down like that he's attractive. Damn, I don't think I'm going to be able to survive this job.

Putting my feelings aside, I walk over to where he's sitting. "Please make yourself comfortable. I'll start by prepping your skin." I turn towards the makeup items laid put for me to use. Wow. They really went out. I quickly study the table and spot the skincare stuff. Picking up on of the moisturizer, I study and frown at the ingredients. "Why are they using this stuff? This will just make your skin dry and break out after," I mutter under my breath. But not my place to say anything so I sanitize my hands before I turn around and start prepping his skin. I use gentle hands and when my fingers touch his cheeks, I nearly swoon over how smooth it is. Holy, I would kill to have this smooth and silky skin. I start the makeup with foundation application followed by concealer to hide any blemishes and blend everything together.

Once I know the foundation looks great, I put face powder followed by eyebrow shaping and eye makeup. I strictly kept it professional but couldn't help to admire his beauty. When his eyes were closed, I noticed his eyelashes. They weren't long but weren't short either. The last thing that was left were his lips. I gulped when he tilted his head up so I could apply the lip products easily. Gently, I swipe the product over his plump lips. I don't outline his lips that much. "Where do I know you from?"

I freeze and look at him to him looking at me. "Sorry?"

"Have we met before?" He asks.

Yes. It's what I want to say. But I shake my head. "No."

"Oh." He says, still looking at me.

"Okay, you're all done." I say as I put the brush in my hand down beside all the brushes.

"That was fast," he says as he gets up to inspect my work. I watch as he checks his face thoroughly and his eyes go wide at particular spot. It was where he had a blemish or a simply an aftermath of a popped pimple. "You covered it? I can't even tell that it was there. Wow."

I beam at him. "I'm glad you like it."

"Thank you." He simply smiles warmly at me and I drop a brush, not because I wanted to but because I was transfixed on his smile. I only wish I could've taken a picture. He bends down, picks up the brush and hands it to me.

"Thank you."

"Anytime." Then he leaves to go to the other members.

I think I need a break.

------------------------------------------------------------

I'm currently sitting in the break room having my lunch. A few people were sitting and eating their lunch too. I have my phone in my hand watching a dance practice of one of Stray Kids songs and I almost want to dance to it.....if there weren't people around. I receive a text from Luna.

L: uh, what is that picture of?

R: me with people I'm working for and with.

L: and WHY exactly why do I see the faces of Bang Chan, Han and Seungmin? Felix?

I stifle a laugh and try not to choke on my food.

R: that's because I'm their MUA.

L: ....

R: girl, I'll see you when I get home because my lunch just ended.

L: get back here!

I grin as I pack up the leftovers and head out of the break room. But before heading back to work, I hopped in the bathroom to quickly brush my teeth and touch up on my makeup. Once I was done, I head back up to the makeup rooms and see that it's empty. Or what I thought was empty. As I walk inside towards my makeup station, I see 3RACHA snacking on chips and snacks as they joke around with each other. I bow to them as I clean up anything that needed to be cleaned.

"Becca-ssi." I turn around and see Han walking to me.

"Ne?"

"Hokshi noona namjachingu isseyeo?" (Do you have a girlfriend?)

I blink at him before bursting out in laughter. "Oh, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to laugh," I say, chuckling.

He laughs. "Sorry, I didn't wanna ask but," he turns around and looks at at Changbin, who suddenly has an interest at imaginary dust on his clothes. "Someone dared me."

"It's okay. And no, I don't have a boyfriend," I say with a smile.

Then I see their leader walk up to Han and pat him on his back. "Han-ah, stop messing with the newbie."

"Sorry." Han apologizes but I wave him off.

"Sorry about him, he's usually not like that." Bang Chan says as Han goes back to Changbin.

"Ah, no. It's okay. I don't mind," I say smiling. He stares at me for a few seconds and I suddenly question my life choices. "Uhm."

"It's you!" He exclaims, pointing his finger at me.

"Sorry?" I blink at him.

"You're the girl from the other day," he says. Oh, he finally knows. "I knew I've seen you somewhere before."

"I'm sorry," I say as I bow.

"Are you kidding? If it wasn't for you returning my bag, I would've lost big chunk of our hardwork forever," he says smiling. "I should be thanking you."

I beam at him. "It's fine really. I'm just glad it didn't get into the wrong hands."

"Thank you, Becca-ssi."

"Ah, just Becca is fine."

He nods his head. "Becca." The way he said my name sounds so sweet like strawberry dipped in chocolate.

"Ne, Bang Chan-ssi."

"Just call me Chan." He smiles at me before going back to Han and Changbin.

"Chan," I whisper. I smile and go back to my previous task. I think I'm going to like working here.

A/N: the boys are finally here

[minniethemoocherda]

Sins of the Past: Family Reunion

Summery:  A collection of drabbles set in my modern au where the Bad Batch raise Omega after rescuing her from the abusive hands of their mother. In this chapter, Omega gets a surprise guest at her soccer tournament.  

A/N: Oh wow last weeks episodes?!!?? I hope they reunite with Echo soon! And guess who is finally back on their old posting schedule haha! Xxxxxxxx

Ao3

Omega hunched over her knees, struggling to catch her breath. She glanced up at the board at the end of the pitch which told her that there was only two minutes left in the game.

It was currently three all. Omega had scored two of the goals for her team so far with Numa having scored the third. If they scored one more, not only would they win the match, but it would mean that their elementary got to the chance to complete in the state soccer championships.

Omega took a quick peak up at the stands as the ball was kicked out of play.

In the front row sat the bad batch, each wearing a t-shirt with a letter from her name on it, even though Wrecker had gone to the restroom at some point so now they spelled OMGAE instead. Her eyes still rung from their cheers when she had scored.

The rest of her half- brothers and their partners were there too. Bly and Aayla had brought along pom poms in Numa's favourite colour teal. Dogma helped to hold up a sign for Katooni with Hondo who had recently been indoctrinated into the rest of the Fett family. Omega had missed that exact moment so she wasn't exactly sure what had happened but apparently it had started off a bit awkwardly as it turned out Rex had once had Hondo arrested. She was glad everyone seemed to be getting along now.

Mrs Organa blew the whistle as Kanan kicked the ball from the other side of the pitch in his position ad goalkeeper.

It soared across the field, landing besides  Omega's feet. She pushed the ball further up the pitch, darting from side to side to escape the other side's attacks.

Suddenly she found herself in the box, not more than a metre from the goal. Unfortunately there were three defenders blacking the path in front of her.

They were playing against a other elementary school so logically she knew that these other kids shouldn't have been older than her. But with their burly builds and tall statues, Omega wouldn't have been surprised if they it turned out that these kids were actually at least thirteen.

She could see the goal between their mass of bodies. Scoring a goal from her position wouldn't just be hard it would near impossible. Still she had to try. Plus if she scored a hat-trick, then she would basically be guaranteed that she would win man of the match.

Then out of the corner of her eye, she spotted a flash of distinctive green hair. Her feet moving before she'd even properly thought about it, Omega had kicked the ball to her right, landing perfectly in front of Hera.

Hera gave a quick nod of thanks before slamming the tip of her foot onto the ball. With the defenders so focused on Omega, they had left their right side wide open, so the ball curved smoothly around them. Their goalie made a mad dive, but the ball sailed past him into the net just as Mrs Omega blew the last whistle.

Omega could barley hear her own screams of joy as the screams of her brothers as they raced onto the pitch.

Wrecker lifted her high above his head so that she floated at top a sea of brothers both half and full all cheering her name.

"Congratulations!" Hunter shouted.

"But I didn't score the final goal!" She shouted back.

Wrecker finally let her down, giving Numa and Hera the opportunity to sit on each of his shoulders much to their delight.

Omega weaved through the sea of people to Hunter, who pulled her into a hug.

"Doesn't matter. There wouldn't have been a final goal without you."

Omega smiled against his cheek.

"Yeah that was a great game kid!"

Omega startled, recognising that distinctive voice. She pulled away from Hunter's side and turned her head in the voices direction to see Jango standing at the side of the bleachers.

She had told her father about the match but she hadn't expected him to actually show up.

Her half brothers clearly hadn't expected him to show up either, judging by the way that the cheers abruptly cut to silence at the sound of Jango's voice.

Omega was also now just realising that she wasn't sure how much Hunter had told the rest of their brothers about Jango being back.

Her family stood there in stunned silence, staring at the man that none of them had seen in nearly a decade when Dogma spoke up.

"Oh no. You do not get to show up now!" He cried, standing in a protective stance in front of Katooni and Hondo. "Not after I dedicated my entire life trying to be what I thought you wanted so that you would come home! Only to finally reappear when I give in to being myself!"

Out of all her brother's, Dogma was the one Omega had interacted with the least. But even she could tell that this burst of scared anger was out of character.

"Shut up!"

It was then that Dogma, along with the rest of them finally seemed to notice Boba at Jango's side.

"Who the fuck is this?" Asked Dogma, even though the family resemblance was blindingly obvious.

"Hey! Don't talk like that in front of my son!" Jango reprimanded.

Dogma blinked.

"Your son?"

Then Dogma, ex-police officer and stickler for the rules, punched Jango in the face.

Everything descended into chaos.

"Kick his ass honey!" Hondo cheered as Dogma's punch dissolved into a full blown fist fight. Boba, who must have taken offence at someone attacking his Dad, kicked Dogma in the shin. Omega wasn't about to let someone hurt her brother so she kicked him back. In retaliation Boba grabbed her hair and yanked. She screamed as clumps of of blonde curls were ripped from her head. She could hear Hunter shouting at Boba to let go, until Crosshair who had no qualms about fighting a child, shoved him away. Which only made Jango mad for someone hurting his son, so he tried to tackle Crosshair whilst still fighting Dogma. Omega massaged the side of her head as the rest of the batch tried to defend their brother. At the same time Rex grabbed Dogma, ignoring the chants of FIGHT from the triplets. She watched from where she was being held in Echo's tight grip as Cody and Obi-Wan, who had been trying to calm everyone down, until a wild elbow from Jango clipped Cody on the side of the head, so Obi-Wan took the opportunity to remind everyone why he was a black belt and threw his father in law over his shoulder.

"ENOUGH!"

Everyone froze.

Mrs Organa stood by the side of the bleachers armed with the ball in one hand and her whistle in the other. They all knew that she would need neither to defeat them all.

"I don't care what your issues are. But they will be dealt with off the football pitch and away from the children." She ordered.

Omega watched as Jango slowly picked himself up off the ground.

"It's alright, we were just leaving." He said, tugging a protesting Boba towards his motorbike.

"See you around kid." He shouted over his shoulder to Omega before speeding off.

Omega wished she could once again be lost in a sea of people as all her half-brother turned to stare at her.

[gamesbyalbie]

The Cursed Journey

PART 7: SUMMIT

FOUR YEARS AGO

There was a time in my life where I thought nothing was worse than afterparties. Being forced to attend a party or ceremony was terrible enough, having to stay afterwards? It was like being given detention.

The night of the Hugo Awards might have been the worst of the worst, simply because I wanted nothing more than to go home and decompress while everyone else there wanted nothing more than to talk to me. I was moments away from doing something my PR team would regret when a bartender slid a tonic with lime in front of me.

"Compliments of the gentleman." They winked and pointed to the other end of the bar.

Min-joon was standing there, leaning against the glowing counter as casually as can be, his face and body awash in pink and blue light. He was wearing a sparkling black suit jacket, an open collared shirt made from sheer lace, and a stunning necklace that dripped down his neck and chest like a stream of frozen tears. It put my basic purple suit to shame. Min-joon wasn't even looking at me. He seemed fully engrossed in his phone, so I smirked and pulled out my own.

I messaged him: "thanks" and watched for him to receive it.

A tiny smile bloomed across his face. Without looking up, he responded: "You're welcome. Congrats by the way. I guess it's a little bit cool that you won"

"eh, its alright. im sure youll get it next time" I loosened my tie with one hand. "where do you think i should put it? coffee table?"

I heard him snort from across the bar. "What do you mean by coffee table? That stack of books between the fridge and the bed? Or are you referring to the windowsill?"

"its a secret, i'll finally show you next time"

"Looking forward to it." He looked up for a second, deliberately avoiding my direction. "Also, just so you know, there's at least three people behind you waiting to flirt with your handsome ass."

"who?"

He glanced up again, subtly. "Orange suit jacket, fishnet mask, and red (not pink) sequined dress." As soon as I finished reading that, another text came in. "Actually take that back, pink sequins just gave you the eyes too."

I laughed, half at him and half at myself. "i love how you can tell all that and i cant"

"No worries, mate. I've got your back. You need me to be your Cyrano, just let me know."

"i think i may need an anti-cyrano"

He bit his lip. "Perfect. I'll help you repel potential suitors while keeping an eye out for any stray admirers."

I quickly responded with "my hero" before my moment of reprieve was cut short.

"Mx. Specter?" I swiveled around in my seat. An elderly individual in a rusty orange suit was standing in front of me. I couldn't tell if they were Orange Suit Jacket. "Jacket" seemed like very intentional wording on Min-joon's behalf and this person was in a full on suit.

"Yes?"

"Ayodele Akande. Channel 6 News. I just wanted to congratulate you on your big win. Who Watches was the best book I've read in the last decade and Felix is one of my favorite characters."

"Thank you so much." 200 bucks says you never even read it.

''Mr. Akande. Ken had a ques—oh, sorry." I turned to see a beautiful individual in a red sequined dress. "I didn't realize you were talking with someone."

"It's fine, Gerry. I was just congratulating, Mx. Specter." He gave me a pat on the arm which I didn't appreciate. "But they have plenty more praise to receive. Where's Ken?" He walked off with the assistant.

As they left my personal bubble and I was permitted to turn back to the bar, my smile slid from my face like dust off a windshield. "i cant fucking do this"

"Hmm..." Three dots appeared then disappeared. I glanced up and Min-joon wasn't there anymore. My spirit sank.

Several more people approached me. I'm not sure how many exactly, but it felt like a damn stampede. Strangers just chattering about my book, asking inane questions and promoting themselves with little to no subtlety. If I hadn't shaved my head a few days before, I'd have pulled all my hair out right then and there.

My phone buzzed. "Oh, sorry," I mumbled. "Just need to check—"

Min-joon: "There's a dude coming for you."

"what the fuck?"

"Mx. Specter?" A server waved to me from a few feet away.

"Excuse me." I eagerly deserted my unpleasant company.

"Your coat and personal items are just back here." I followed the stranger into the kitchen where they handed me my stuff then down a winding corridor to a staff elevator. "Head to the garage floor. He said he'll be there for you."

"Who are you talking about?"

"I've been paid to forget that information."

Min-joon was waiting just outside the elevator in his little green car. "Get in, loser." He winked.

"Sorry, aren't you the loser?" I asked, dropping into the passenger seat and tossing the trophy in the back.

"Nah. You may have won the Hugo." Min-joon smirked. "But I already have the best prize." He reached out to hold my hand.

End of Part 7 of ? • LAST PART • NEXT PART

More Cursed Journey • More by Albie • Image Source

The amazing music video that inspired this:

[skruffie]

retail being retail

My manager informed us--us being the doctor, myself, and the two other employees in this store--that she was directed to try to slim down the hours because we haven't been making sales. I work around 40+ hours a week (often accidentally getting overtime because when everyone leaves half an hour before closing the last-minute patients will often have me there well past closing time), but it's her and our assistant manager that kind of take up most of the employee salary expense.

It's kind of an open secret but if you wear glasses and have gone to a retail optical place, the person helping you probably also made commission on what you were sold. Our commission rate is just above 2% company wide and I make $19.13 an hour before that. It's not a high commission and it is not at all the motivating factor for me, nor is it for the other people I work with... despite old school opticians saying commission breeds competition and massive up selling. I'm weirdly the opposite. I'll confidently tell patients about the differences in the least to most expensive options and just set up their expectations for what they'll receive if they go low because I don't do this job for the commission.

When I had done the phone screening interview with my manager, she asked me what I would like to make hourly. At the time with the grocery store I was at $15.75/hr and before that with the government I was above $20. I didn't want to scare her off by going too high but I didn't want to undersell myself either, so I gave her $18-19. She got me the higher end by literally basically making a school presentation about the cost of living here versus where headquarters is located, and then in May last year I got a random 13 cent raise. I know one other employee makes $19 and my manager is salaried, as well as the doctor, but I don't know what the assistant manager makes. He typically works less hours than me but has vastly more optical experience than I do, including managerial. Since he's not always doing a full 40, but he's the most "expensive" to pay, I honestly don't know whose hours are going to be on the chopping block here but I'm trying to prepare if it's mine.

Here's the frustrating part about this: I earnestly fucking love my job. This job is everything that I asked for, from the base hourly wage to where it is located in proximity to where I live to the hours of operation. For the first time in my working adult life I feel well rested and somewhat comfortable and we have an incredible rapport with our little team. The stupid fucking part about this is where our store is located and where they opened up the other stores.

This store opened in April 2022 and initially was meant to be the flagship location for this market, but the one in Renton opened first. Our store is probably one of the biggest ones in the region and we have over 2,000 frames in stock. We sell a luxury line as well as Maui Jim. We are also located in the southern part of this city where the general population is very low income. Last year they opened like four new stores and most of our patient books who came to us at the grand opening now go to the newer stores because they're closer to where they live. We market ourselves by literally driving places and handing out flyers and little glasses cases of candy and free lens wipes but they've fully saturated the market. There's a competitor just down the street from us. North of here in the city I used to live in has kinda been our marketing focus but now they're planning to open up a store farther north. We'll still be closer, but the location they're choosing is a college town that gets TONS of tourist traffic from Canada because it's right on the border. I know for a fact that store is going to be wildly successful because of it's location. The other store locations are amazing too and they're in more affluent demographics.

They flood the market with new locations, take our primary patient base away, then get on my manager's case asking why we're not making sales? We're running on a skeleton crew. The CEO believes that $39 is an affordable copay for every single person on the planet to get their health screening but he is not in the store every day listening to me break the news to our medicaid patients that their -6.00 distance correction is still going to be $200-300 after insurance. People aren't cheap, they're fucking broke.

[greypetrel]

What about a Raina heist AU? c:

Hi Mo! :D

Ok this has been FUN and perfect for her, LOL. And gave me the excuse of rewatching Ocean’s 8 which you know what, is a nice movie. It also gave me *ideas* for other Aus but COUGH I’ll finish the current fics before even thinking about it.

Anyway, sorry for the waiting, it has been *a week* and this required more planning than I initially thought. Particularly because… It’s not a genre I’m so comfortable with. xD But! I hope it will be fun anyway. :3

Tis the prompt list

A Brand New Box of Matches (🎶)

18. Heist

When Merrill was contacted, the job was advertised as easy money.

Just a small job, all she needed to do was hack a security system, move some cameras around, record a void corridor and substitute the recording to cover up for other people, guide them through an heist. Easy as pie, and for the ridiculous sum of money such as what her contact, RandyDowager offered?

Except, they wanted to meet her in person.

Nothing personal, RandyDowager wrote. But he and his partner cared to meet everyone in the team, before hiring people, and wanted to work face to face. No loose threads, a professional quirk that they wouldn’t have subsided from.

Merrill had to think about that.

She was good at what she did as a side hustle, in the night and out of her two jobs. Part of her talent, and the reason why nobody had ever caught her was that she was good at covering her tracks, and never had anyone saw her. Total anonymity was her shield.

The first answer she typed was a firm “No, thank you”.

Except.

Except she froze there, index at three millimetres from the enter key, ready to send, but not able to. He talked about half a million. A sum of money that would have settled things up for good, for her, and still left her something. Being seen was risky. Very risky. But that money could mean the end of working two jobs and a normal life. And maybe a holiday.

Her finger shifted on the Delete, she typed five letters.

Pressed send.

I’m in.

---

Working from a different environment, in the end, wasn’t half bad.

At first, Merrill had been worried that she would have felt overwhelmed and observed. And sure, the desk she was given was in the open space of a large loft, and old pub that was abandoned and converted into an habitation. Only the old rooms that guested people were closed and reserved to the inhabitants, but for the rest everything was done together.

She stretched on her seat, to relax a little and unwind her shoulders before trying to tackle a string of code that was particularly complex.

Around her, preparations were feverish: they weren’t running out of time, and there was still time before the gala, but her employers, it turned out, were perfectionists.

“How’s it going?”

Raina closed the door behind her kicking it with a foot, as per her usual, one big bag full of groceries hanging from each elbow, cigarette between her teeth and her sunglasses still on. She was like that, loud and able to just fill the room with her presence. Easy-going with everyone, always a joke at the ready, and she never talked about herself. Not for real.

How did she and Varric -RandyDowager, the owner of this place and financer of the heist- met? They would spun a convoluted history that changed every time they were asked. Once Varric found Raina under a trashcan as they were children, and hid her in the attic. Another time, Varric was a powerful wizard deprived of his power, and Raina was his familiar, a raccoon that he turned into a human with his last spell. And so on and so forth, the only recurring elements were Varric somehow saving Raina, and Raina somehow being a raccoon of sort.

As for the other members of their gang, they were all arrived there through common misfortunes. It was Varric who had all the contacts and set up the gang, save for two friends of Raina: Anders, an activist with a perch on explosives, and Isabela, a smuggler that could find them anything they need through “a guy she had”.

As it was, Merrill felt a little like the outsider, at times, as everyone fell into easy banter, mocking each other and laughing over it. As they reharsed how Raina would have slipped the idol they were aiming at inside Sebastian’s jacket, the pair bantered a lot, with the prince -prince!- complaining that the rogue was too handsy, Bela snorting that yes, she really was, Anders mocking him that he wished she was handsier, and Varric reproaching Anders not to scare Choir Boy. It all concluded with Fenris dead-panning a dry joke that ended all the rest, or launched the rest of the group in a wilder banter and laughters.

Merrill joined, sometimes, when she was there between shifts, or early in the morning, or at night. She was welcomed to a guest room above, if she needed, and she was also given, after a couple of weeks, a spare key. Truth to be told, it was more her own shyness keeping her away and not trying to get in the group. And, she had probably the most serious work to do before hand: hacking the security system of the mansion they had to infiltrate was a careful job, with its own code Merrill had to carefully unpick, string by string. It was clearly done by a professionist… But luckily for the operation, so was she.

And so here she was, trying carefully to find a way to bypass the third firewall without having it flare the rest of the system, and trying not to get too distracted by Raina putting away groceries noisily in the kitchenette behind the old bar counter, in front of her. She did her best.

It wasn’t the easiest of task, since the woman was loudly humming under her breath - an old 80s song, she guessed from her preferences alone, since it wasn’t really clear what the song was supposed to be. Merrill’s eye flashed up, noticing that, as usual, it was mainly junk food. She spotted her sliding two packs of beer in the fridge, which she closed with a foot behind her, as she slipped a pack of matches into a drawer and took the hugest pack of crisps she ever saw from the counter. The way her hip moved to close the drawer, as she moved and opened a cabinet, had Merrill blushing and returning to focus on her work with a purpose.

She was hired by her and Varric, it wasn’t the moment to… To think that her boss was tall and strong and buff, and the way she couldn’t hit a note but still kept on singing anyway, putting effort and heart in it was cute. They way she smiled at Merrill and always tried to involve her in a conversation, was cute. It really wasn’t the time. Furthermore, it was her first big heist, the first job she did in presence, and with all that was at stake, she just wanted to concentrate on doing her best, first and foremost.

As she started tapping on the keys with renewed effort, trying to get her mind back on track, the big living room started to be filled. Varric hopped down the stairs, shuffling between some papers as he made his way to his armchair. Anders followed suit, yawning aloud and scratching his head -his sleep cycle was all over the place- and plopping heavily on the couch, face down with a deep groan.

They made small talk, as Raina brewed coffee. Some laughter rose, everyone greeted Sebastian and Bela in choir, as they entered through the door. Bela was saluted by Anders as the saviour of the day, since she brought Starbucks for everyone. Which brought Raina to complain aloud, because her coffee was delicious and he was so ungrateful she couldn’t even believe it, with all the love she poured in every cup! The last to arrive, Fenris rebuked that love couldn’t savage dirty water, which was mistaken for coffee, this far south.

The whole group started a huge debate about coffee, then, as the cups were distributed.

Merrill zoned out, tho: she sent her code, and some new string had appeared on the monitor, something new which she never saw. She bent forward, taking a pen to munch it slightly, as she concentrated. She was close, but to what? Custom made codes were always the worst and the best, and this was surely a challenge. She had to move carefully, tho, unless-

“There’s fume coming out from your ears, you know?”

She jumped on her chair, gasping. Turning around, there was Raina standing beside her, a lopsided smile on her face as she looked at her with two starbucks cups, one in each end.

“I- Uh, sorry, I was… I was concentrated and didn’t see you coming.”

“I should get more effort, then.” She chuckled, stepping even closer and depositing a cup on her desk, beside the notebook she took notes into, and turning it ever so slightly. “Brought you coffee. Flat black, no sugar, right?”

“Y-yes, thank you.”

“How’s it going? Looks like the Matrix, here.”

“I’m making progress, I think?” Merrill answered, happy to reach a topic she was more at ease with. “I bypassed the fifth firewall, now there’s this new strings, but I think I am close in accessing the actual system. I have to find what it is and what it does, and I think that will be it.”

“You did it?” She asked, surprised.

“Well- Yes. I think so. It could just be a way to trick me into making an alarm sound, but I’m very careful. It’s always more complex with custom-made codes, and this one was made by someone good, but-”

“What does it mean?”

Raina asked, pointing her right hand on the desk and bending forward, squinting her blue eyes to look at the screen better and read the code on it. She seemingly didn’t care if the movement gave Merrill a too close view of her decolletè that deranged her train of thoughts all over again.

“I- Uh- Well-” She blabbered, forcing herself to move and say something -her eyes were up there- and trying to gain some professionalism back again. “- I still- I still am not so sure. It looks like a password bypass, but it’s not a crittography system I’m used to. I’ll leave it like that until I can decode it, I have a simulator on the laptop and- and-”

She would have gone further, but Raina sighed. It wasn’t loud, but it was there. She shifted on her spot, straightening her back again and taking a long sip from her mug, looking at the monitor with a slight frown. Merrill shifted on her chair uncomfortably, not understanding what she did wrong.

“Did I say something wrong?” She asked, nervous.

“Uh?” The rogue snapped from her thoughts, returning to look down at her with the usual bonariety, after a moment of surprise. “No, Daisy, you’re incredible and you’re way further with the timings that we ever hoped. Good job, and thank you.”

She switched the cup from her left hand to her right, and with the left gave her a pat on her shoulder. She kept the contact, too much to be casual.

“I was just thinking that it would be nice if you’d spend more time with us all there, if you want.” Raina continued, her voice without, for some reason, the usual assuredness. “We’re a bunch of idiots, but we’re all nice idiots. Or so I hope!” She laughed, hard and loud, again too loud to be casual about it.

“I… If I don’t bother you…”

“You don’t, Daisy, really. We’ll all be glad to have you.” Her hand gave a squeeze on her shoulder, before letting go. She stepped back, clearing her throat. “Well. Some more than others.”

And with that, hiding her cheeks blushing by turning her back to Merrill, she walked back to the couch and left her to mull over what just happened. There was a choir of compliments at her, which the Rogue batted away easily with some witty remarks, before plopping down on the armrest of the armchair, legs spread wide without a care in the world.

Work, first. Merrill had a job to do, from which depended her future. She could pay for Tamlen’s bills, with those money, and stop working two jobs.

But maybe, she could give it a try, and socialize more.

After all, working in presence, and not from home and the security of anonymity wasn’t all that bad.

---

“Excuse me, miss.”

The voice called again, full of irritation from the opening of the wardrobe little stall. Merrill hissed silently through her teeth, quickly slipping her headset off and leaving it on the side of her laptop, on top of a folded fur bolero that didn’t fit on any of the hangers. She quickly stepped to the opening, donning her best smile. It came off full of nerves, and the man who was waiting for her with his haughty wife rose a white eyebrow at her.

“Pardon me, sir. Would you wish for your coats back?”

“Of course, we would.” The lady scoffed, with the most annoying voice Merrill ever heard. “We’ve been dinging the bell non stop in the last five minutes, we understood this is not the bathroom. We’re not stupid, you know? We’re not wardrobe staff.”

Merrill took the tags with the numbers from her gloved hand and smiled at her, resisting the urge of telling her off and bragging about how she had an MA in Informatical Engineering and highly doubted of the lady’s intelligence, now. But, her task was otherwise, she had to get back to the computer as soon as possible, and she needed to attract the least possible attention. So, she quickly looked for the hanger labelled with the corresponding numbers and made a quick way to give the coats -well, one coat and the hugest fur around, a heavy coarse thing that was surely just for show than for anything else.

After hearing a couple complaints more about the service in this place and youths these days that just made her antsier and antsier, the couple finally left, and she could rush back to the chair and her true job for the evening. She put the headset back again and pressed the key to speak.

“Raccoon? Raccoon do you copy?”

She asked, frantically, tapping keys madly to get a hold on where she and Bela were. They moved around and- Ah.

“Copy, Daisy, we’re here. We lost you a minute, all on track?”

“Clients. All on track.”

She zoomed in through the cameras, in time to see the duo tying the three guards that found her when she had to leave them alone. The two women seemed to be faring well, but she could ask directly, instead of trying to make sense of unfocused details. She pressed another key and jumped to another camera. And another.

“Are you fine? Raccoon, Captain?”

“We are, Daisy, thank you. They weren’t expecting us to put up a fight.” Isabela answered, huffing through her mic. “Just hot and bothered, I supposed it won’t be a problem.”

Some commotion, and Bela launched an “Ouch!”

“Ignore her, Daisy, we’re fine.” Raina scoffed, grumpily. “All clear, outside?”

Another camera and- Oh, shit.

“No, Raccoon, it isn’t clear.”

“What?”

“Ten security agents coming your way from the study, and five more heading towards the stairway up from the ballroom.”

“Shit.” Raina hissed. “Can you find us an escape route?”

“Wait-”

Merrill started to press frantically keys, jumping from one camera to the other in a frenzy. If any other person would have arrived to ask for a coat, her friends would have been caught red-handed. She had to move quickly, tuning out the two bantering in her ears between them, discussing over a solution that involved jumping from the window, and whether it would have left them able to run away. Left, right… And the more she looked, the more she saw the agents coming closer, blocking one access to the aeration system after the other…

… The more she realized that it was over. They would have been caught. The only solution was to play over it and at least save themselves. The whole heist was organized to steal from Varric’s brother the one piece of another heist that framed Raina and sent her to 3 years in jail. And the idea of Raina back inside a cell, suddenly was the first thing she felt she didn’t want. The debt she had to repay could wait some more, she didn’t care. But Raina-

“Raccoon.” She said, at last, heart beating fast.

“Daisy?”

“Put the idol back and turn left outside the door.”

“What the-”

“Now.” She exclaimed. “Please.”

Raina stood silent, for one, two, three seconds… And then she heard a loud sigh.

“Come on.”

She wasn’t happy. But turning momentarily to the camera to Bartrand’s room, she could see her running back to the safe box, putting the idol back in and closing it. With a sigh, she returned to spy on the guards. Close, but losing time checking every room, on the floor, and the ones below slowed down by the guests.

She guided the two women out and left, down a corridor. Told Isabela to enter the library and slip in the goods lift. It was there since the old times, when there was another dining room instead of the library, and Fenris had opened it, infiltrating in the former days as a member of the staff. Raina, instead, she had staying in the corridor, looking confused, very close to the stairway and walking inward as she came up there from the ballroom just recently. She played the part with her usual charm, acting terribly confused when the guards that found her told her she wasn’t supposed to be there. Add the elegant two piece set, the silken white shirt that left enough to be imagined, the diamond collier, and a wig of long, firey red hair, the faked Starkhaven accent, and it wasn’t long before the guards were convinced that she was just the Nth rich lady that didn’t think boundaries were there for her as well.

She chirped her outrage in not being able to go where she wanted, but let them guide her back on the stairs, and redirected on the story where the guests to the gala were allowed. With a last “My father will hear of this, lads!” she was back down, and on safer ground. Headed to the bathroom where they had hidden a backup dress just in case she needed a quick change. Like now.

When the guards entered Bartrand’s private room, they only found three colleagues, unconscious. And the only person who was seen on the upper story was nowhere to be found. Sebastian Vael, the one the redhead had come with, acted positively out of himself at the preposterous accusation that his friend, such a gracious and proper lady, could do such a thing. The cameras wouldn’t have shown anything but void corridors, after all.

Nobody noticed, in the confusion, that the kitchen staff gained an extra waitress. A tall one, with short cropped hair, maybe with too much make up for just a waitress, but who could really care?

Merrill slipped her headset off, disappointed by how the evening had turned out. The plan was for Raina to slip back in the ballroom and hide the idol in a special harness inside Sebastian’s jacket. Because no one would have searched Starkhaven’s prince without his consent, not in an elegant gala dinner in the house of a distinguished member of the merchant’s guild in Kirkwall.

And yet, the idol was back where it had been for the last three years and a half, the plan had failed.

All that work, and for nothing. Merrill left the headset on the laptop when Isabela confirmed she arrived safely in the kitchen, and that was it. She ended the evening as the wardrobe girl, gained at least other ten classist remarks, and stopped by the HR office to get her paycheck for the evening, as every other person of the staff… Except, of course, for Raina.

There was that, she thought, as she tied her scarf around her neck better and made her way to the small flat she had rented. Not to the loft: that was for four weeks from now, for safety.

It would have been a long, long month.

She couldn’t wait to see Raina again, and yet she didn’t want to face her and see the accusation on her face. Hear her say it was her fault. Not that. Anything but that.

She felt very stupid with her own silly crush.

---

Merrill entered the old pub in a rush, breathing heavily through her nose.

She didn’t even stop to properly dress: she was still in her pjs, a pair of leggings and a loose shirt. Didn’t wore her socks and just slipped a pair of shoes and a coat on her arms, and rushed there.

Because when she opened her bank account, six months after the failed heist, there wasn’t just her office paycheck, but also the half of a million that she was promised for the job. And she had no idea how it even got there.

“Daisy?” Raina asked, surprised, looking at her from behind the old bar counter, equally in her pjs, hair in disarray pointing everywhere on her head, a fuming mug of coffee in one hand and a moka -a gift of Fenris “For my palate and the greater good”- in the other.

“I- Uh-” She panted, short of breath after running all the way there. “The- The money… I- What??”

Raina blinked twice, contracting her eyebrows until realization stroke her.

“Oh! Oh yes… That was your paycheck. Why? Was the sum wrong? Did I enter a zero less?” She asked, seemingly ill at ease. “Shit don’t tell me I inserted the wrong sum- Uuuuurgh!”

She groaned, leaving her mug on the counter and turning to the other side of the counter, putting the moka under cold water in the sink to cool it down quicker.

“I told Varric that he should have sent the money himself, but no! I could do it on my own! And look at that!”

She kept grumbling aloud, unscrewing the two pieces of the machine and arming to set it ready to brew some more coffee. Merrill closed the door behind her, walking to the opening that lead behind the bar as she caught her brain again. By the time she got there, Raina had successfully filled the sink with grated beans, and put the moka back on the stove, switching it on. The air smelled like coffee, and Raina crouched down between raised knees, rummaging through the cabinet of sweets. She did look like a raccoon, Merrill had to admit, and the image made her giggle.

“The sum was right.” She admitted. Raina turned back, eyes wide and mouth opened in a oh. She sighed heavily and plopped on her butt, and Merrill continued, blushing because she found the other too cute. “I just was thinking… Where does the money come from?”

Raina turned, raising up back again and righting her tank top better on her bust. It had a stylized face of a raccoon and “Trash Panda” written in red all around.

“Why, that was your paycheck. You worked hard and even agreed on not keeping anonymous, it’s only right you get paid.”

The rogue shrugged, crossing her arms under her chest and leaning her hip on the counter, looking at her with a doubt. Merrill frowned at that.

“Yes, but… I know Varric has money, but… But those are too much-”

“Don’t you need to pay the hospital bills for your brother?”

“Y- Yes, but…! But the heist failed, and- And it’s too much for me, and- I made you leave the idol down!”

Her voice was starting to get shrill. Fantastic. But in front of her, instead of getting angry as Merrill supposed to, Raina smirked, eyes growing sharp.

“Do you think the heist failed?”

“I- What?”

Raina laughed. This laughter was a genuine one, the boisterous, loud one that shook all her body and usually dragged others to laugh as well. But now, Merrill was too puzzled to laugh, and could only stood there, at the edge of the kitchen corner, looking at the other slapping a hand on her thigh.

“Oh, it didn’t fail. Yes, the idol is still there… But it wasn’t the only target, you see.”

“What?”

Raina smiled, stepping forward towards her.

“You see, we had thought that if the security was on alarm, an escape plan would have required us to leave everything down and run. So, we devised a plan B. A heist inside the heist.”

She stepped forward, casually, swaying her hips purposefully. Merrill felt her mouth dry.

“See, when all the security ran to catch us, alarmed by the nice guys we fought, Varric, Anders and Fenris entered the house from a fireplace in the old nursery. Conveniently close to the study with the bigger safe with goods that dear old Bartrand may have forgotten to declare in his taxes.” She explained, very casually. “A secret passage that not even Bartrand knows of. Because dear old Bartrand never looked below him. Never cared to look down… At the passage that leads from Darktown right into his house.”

“Secret passage?”

“Oh yes. Most old mansions in Hightown have them. My mother’s house had one. Old escape routes, a defensive system of sort. They work also the other way around… If you know how to open them.”

“I…” Merrill felt, suddenly, very left out. “… You didn’t tell me.”

“Of course not!” Raina snorted. “You were on the frontline, everyone saw you there. In the worst-case scenario of you getting caught, you needed to know only of plan A. I would have taken the blame for it, and the real heist would have slipped out of your shoulders like water under a bridge.”

Raina stopped in front of Merrill, uncrossing her arms. Close. A little too close.

“Are you angry at me?” Raina asked, weirdly vulnerable.

“I… Why would you have taken the blame? We were all in there…” Merrill looked up, frowning. She understood why she didn’t have to know. The reasoning made sense and she was grateful for it, but that part… That part left her ill at ease.

“Because I wasn’t anyone before jail. I don’t have a degree, I was passable as a waitress a best, and never could keep a regular job for more than a year. I have three years in prison on my shoulders, which make me…” She looked up, searching the right word. “Unemployable? Difficultly employable? Whatever.” She shrugged, dismissing the fact as if it was nothing. “You, tho? You have a future. You have the titles and the brains for something that’s not trying to scrape by and bribe Aveline to close three eyes on you because she owes you. You have a way out, and…” She shrugged again, crossing her arms back on her chest, shoulders slouching forward. “… and you’re always so kind and nice. You deserved a way out.”

Merrill didn’t know what to say. Because of the words and the thought, so caring for a person who had such a strong façade of “Anything goes”, like nothing in this life really mattered much to her. Because of the way she avoided her eyes now, looking to the side in a pose that screamed that she was on the defensive. She didn’t want her to feel inferior, not to her.

“I had fun.” Merrill blurted out, effectively having Raina turn to look at her. “I… I never was good with people. During university Tamlen was sick, and… And I just studied, without making many friends. I always say the wrong thing, or at the wrong time, but here… Here I had fun. It was… I felt at ease, with you all, idiots as you may call them… As you may call us?” She prodded, shily.

“How, you’re not an idiot.”

“Neither are you.”

They giggled, the air turning awkward, all of a sudden, the distance between them too little, and at the same time, way too much. The loft was quiet, it was still fairly early for everyone to be fast asleep. Merrill was waited for in the office in an hour, and she was running late. Right now, tho, she couldn’t care less.

“So.” Raina cleared her throat. “Are you angry at me?” She asked again, with a smaller smile right for her. A smile she never saw her turning to anyone, with something shy in it. Utterly adorable.

“A little. Next time, maybe tell me everything, ok? I’m not fragile.” She smiled, in spite of her best option, leaning minutely forward. Doing more felt wrong, but-

“Next- Oh.” Raina blushed, all the way to her ears, as Merrill stepped forward and brushed her fingers on her elbow. “Oh. I- Uh- Well-” Another nervous laugh. “I’m sorry? Should I- Can I do something to fix it…?”

It was, indeed, utterly adorable, how this force of a woman, so assured and so talented -in spite of how she spoke of herself, she was resourceful and clever, like all raccoons were- let down so much and appeared so vulnerable and young. Merrill smiled brightly, looking briefly down at her lips.

“There is one thing…”

It was early morning, her bank account was full of money, she had not made the heist of a lifetime fail, and she felt brave.

She hopped on tiptoes and kissed Raina.

She tasted like coffee.

Like real good coffee.

[lightringstars]

So gen 9 huh?

(MAJOR SPOILERS, And poor spelling)

After realizing that I would essentially be attending a school called “Grape” in a town that directly translates to “Enjoy Table” I straight up ran with the food theme. I named myself Peach and my team was named after food. It was glorious.

My boyfriend did eventually correct me that Mesas were also a geographical structure but I’m still calling it Enjoy Table town fight me

While I do love this game I’m not going to say it’s perfect. This is a game I want to see a Third Version of the most. There’s a lot that I think could be expanded on with more time and resources. There is a lot of potential here that I do look forward to being realized in the future.

But with that onto the parts I didn’t like.

Yes the game is glitchy. I don’t think there’s anything more I can say on the topic that others already haven’t. I would guess the game runs a tad better on the OLED but I don’t have one so I can’t say. While it’s not my biggest problem with the game it is objectively the worst part of it. I think it’s worth playing but prepare for lag.

My least favorite part of the game might just be a thing with open world games in general (I don't play many so I don’t know) but a lot of the towns just felt kinda lifeless to me. The stark lack of NPC dialogue and not being able to enter houses was jarring. The world was beautiful but it felt so empty at points.

And the clothing options are terrible. For the love of god who is forcing me to wear the bloody uniform when I’m on the other side of the region?

I sorta get why they wouldn’t level scale the bosses but I kinda wish they did. I started from the west and worked my way mostly up and around and the progression was reasonable but when I got to the east part of Paldea my team could basically steamroll anything it came across.

That poor bug leader…

Anyway. Stuff I did like!

Character design! Amazing! Everyone looks so unique and charming

And Rika can step on me

Everyone also gets really good development. They are my friends and I love them.

My favorite is Arven. Yes I got emotional when I saw his backstory. He needs several hugs.

Also how big is the Arven/Julianna fandom and where can I join yall?

Also the world is just fucking beautiful. And I get to glide!

No I do not know how you’re supposed to get to the mountains without climbing and no I will not learn.

The moment I got surf I immediately went mad with power and just swam until I hit land. It’s how I found the water gym, and where I realized there was no level scaling

Spoilers below

(Minor spoilers below)

I spent about half the gym storyline wondering if Nemona was going to be insane or something. Idk if the devs didn’t realize how creepy she could come across or something but that girl was two steps away from being a full yandere.

I had two of the elite 4 self KO their last Pokemon (one with rocky helmet and the other by using brave bird with like 10 hp) I think they just gave up.

Geeta was not a particularly hard fight. Only thing I had issue with was her ace on the grounds I’d never seen it before and couldn’t tell what type it was.

Props to Florgres for basically carrying half the endgame bosses. She was what got Geeta’s ace. You did good Mint.

The end fight with Arven was so satisfying. Yea boy! Show off that development!

(MAJOR SPOILERS)

I figured out Penny/Cassiopeia/Big Boss were the same person almost immediately. I kinda wish you were given the option to point out you knew it already because a) it’s not a particularly hard thing to figure out and b) I think it would add something to Penny’s development that you knew all this but chose to help her anyway.

At least the game doesn’t take the Clavel/Clive thing too seriously. I briefly thought Clavel would be the villain because he gave off weird vibes in the intro but the moment he stepped in with that fucking wig that thought went straight out the window.

He has a real cool battle theme though. The fucking reveal of him having the unchosen starter was great. Reminded me of the Kukui fight in SuMo

Penny’s theme is also a banger

It’s not SwSh level good but a lot of the songs are bops

(MAJOR MAJOR MAAAAAAAAAAJOR SPOILERS)

I want to live in area zero holy fuck it is beautiful

I wish this game was voice acted because a lot of the end scenes feel less impactful in just silence

I did like the interactions though. Everyone gets to put their character development to use. Penny and Nemona getting their updated trainer classes is neat. Arven and Masbotiff fighting the Paradox Mons that fucked them up last time was sweet.

The fucking cutscene of them jumping into the crater! Arven grabbing your hand and pulling you on to the rideon! My heart! My shipping goggles!

If you had asked me where I thought the story was going “the professor was actually a dead Robot” would not have even remotely crossed my mind.

Like I figured they were gonna be evil fairly quickly. And I kinda wondered if they were a robot at the end but I was still surprised.

I do love the idea of both professors being a divorced couple though.

It was also the coolest fight in the game (and up there with Lusamine as my favorite boss fight period) so I’ll give them that.

MIRADON HAS HIGH FRIENDSHIP BECAUSE YOUVE SPENT THE WHOLE GAME WITH THEM! AAAAAAAH!

Idk if it’s scripted or not but during the final boss my Miradon tanked a move with 1hp left and I saw the “They didn’t want you to be sad” line and my heart melted.

This was what I wanted in a Pokémon story. I don’t think the series needs to have a grand story. The characters are what make the games good and the focus on character based plot lines was very compelling to me. The ending wasn’t just about saving the world. It was you and your friends having an adventure. The fact you save the world (and nobody even knows about it) is more a neat tangent. I hope more games take that kinda story approach.

I really like this game but I’m not going to say it’s perfect or that it’s flaws can be looked past or whatever. I hope that the next games can use what was good here and improve on it. I hope that some of the bugs get patched. I REALLY hope we get a third version because I think you could do a lot here with more time.

Good game. Know what you’re getting into if you play it though.

[firetrucks-fastcars]

The Set Up

For TWP 12 Days of Tarlos @tarlosweeklyprompts

Dec. 14: Hallmark Meet Cute

After a career-ending injury, TK follows his father to Austin. He finds a job at Reyes Antiques and his boss really wants to set him up with her son

Read on ao3 here

He didn’t hate Austin nearly as much as he thought he would. It wasn’t even close to what he was used to. Everything was smaller than in New York, people were much closer, not in a physical way, but in an emotional one. They knew everything about each other and news traveled fast. Everyone in Austin proper had known about him and his dad before their plane even touched down. 

They’d known about his injury before they’d even met him. They’d expected the limp and the sour attitude that came along with a career-ending leg break. His dad’s new team had looked at them with pity for a few days, feeling somewhat guilty every time he went to the firehouse to visit or bring his dad lunch. That was until he started hanging around and kicking their asses at foosball and video games, which earned him a little respect, the amount of which grew every day, until they were friends. 

So yeah, he sort of liked Austin. He felt that he’d finally settled in and as soon as he’d said as much to his dad, Owen had decided that meant he was ready for a job, ready to be a “functioning member of society” as he had put it. 

So he’d started his search. A few internet ads led to dead ends, jobs he wasn’t qualified for and ones he was but that paid next to nothing. Judd, his dad’s second in command had given him the name of a shop downtown, Reyes Antiques, owned by the mother of a friend of his. They were looking for holiday help. Judd had also said they had a son TK might also be interested, winking as he did.

Two days later, TK was pushing his way into the little shop, the doorbell chiming on his way in. He was greeted by a woman who seemed to be the epitome of motherly. She told him her name was Andrea and to call for her if he needed help or found something he liked.

“Actually, I’m here about the job. Judd sent me over.”

“Oh, you must be TJ. Judd has told me about you, you’re Captain Strand’s son.”

“TK,” he corrected gently.

“Oh, I’m sorry mijo. My son tells me I’d forget his name if I wasn’t his mother.”

“It’s alright. Really, it’s an easy mistake.”

Andrea gave him a tour of the shop, which was packed to the brim, but meticulously organized. Nothing was out of place and there wasn’t a speck of dust in sight, not even on the highest shelves or most hidden places.

“My daughters have helped in the shop almost as long as I’ve owned it, but they left for

college this fall and it’s just a bit much to handle on my own.”

“I understand. How about your son? You mentioned him earlier.”

“Oh my Carlos, he does what he can. But he’s a police officer, so he’s busy more often than not.”

“Well, I’d be happy to take the job, Mrs. Reyes.”

“Please TK, call me Andrea. Let me get you some paperwork and we can talk about a schedule.”

The store was open every day of the week except for Thursdays, designed to give them a day off before the weekend when the shop got the busiest. TK would work the full day on Monday and Wednesday, with a half day on Tuesday, followed by the full weekend and a day off again on Sunday. Andrea said he was free to rearrange his schedule if needed and that she would pay him extra for any long days during the holiday rush.

His first month was easy. Most weekdays were slow, customers few and far between, so they’d spend most of the day taking inventory and rearranging parts of the store to make room for new items donated or purchased by Andrea. They spent most of their time chatting, silent moments filled with the soft Spanish music Andrea always had playing in the background. His high school Spanish classes allowed him to catch a few words, but most of it he didn’t understand. Andrea also spoke in Spanish fairly often, TK usually asking her to translate. She’d begun teaching him, a few words and phrases here and there, quizzing him when the shop was empty and they’d run out of things to organize. He also talked about himself, telling her about his days in New York and his time as a firefighter at the 252. 

“Why aren’t you working with your father here at the 126 then mijo?” she had asked after he’d told her the story of rescuing a man from the Chrysler building. 

“A week after that we responded to a fire in a high rise. The structure was unstable and they didn’t warn us in time, the floor gave out and I pushed my partner out of the way. I fell four stories and landed on my feet. I fractured my pelvis and my femur and pretty much shattered my right ankle. I had three surgeries and there are about twenty screws holding my leg together right now. It was career-ending, and I couldn’t pass my recertification test. Even if I could, I’m not sure I want to anymore. I don’t think I could survive an injury like that again, and honestly, I don’t have a place in the firehouse anymore.”

Andrea had wrapped him up in a hug and he cried tears he didn’t know he’d been holding back into her shoulder. She’d let him cry, then wiped his eyes and handed him a tissue to blow his nose.

“You will always have a place here TK.”

Shifts picked up the closer they got to the holidays, with people coming in from out of town, and exploring local thrift and antique stores. There were also those who came in looking for strangely specific gifts for picky family members, and TK found joy in helping them find exactly what they were looking for. 

Andrea praised him for it, saying that he reminded her of her son, who as a young boy, could have sold anyone anything in the store, just with his eyes. For as much as TK had heard about the man, he’d never actually met him. He felt like they were best friends, after hearing all of the stories Andrea told him, always with a fond smile and a hint of tears in her eyes. 

He’d met her other children, twin girls, Sofie and Mia when they’d come home from college and returned to helping their mother in the store over their break. They were sweet, but they were always teasing him mercilessly, making him somewhat glad to be an only child. He couldn’t imagine what their actual brother had gone through growing up with them. He asked them questions about him, trying to get any information he could about the mysterious Carlos Reyes.

He got the usual younger sibling answers, that he was annoying and overprotective, but the girls had their fair share of stories about him as well. They told him about the time they’d snuck out to go to a party and Carlos, who was in the academy at the time, had shown up in a patrol car and driven them home with sirens blaring. They hadn’t talked to him for a solid week after that, but he had won their forgiveness with ice cream and driving lessons in his Camaro.  

“You might finally get to meet him today,” Mia said casually one afternoon as they were carrying new inventory off of their father’s truck. 

He ducked his head to keep the rain out of his eyes, Austin had been caught in a torrential downpour for the past week, and looked at her out of the corner of his eye, “Who?”

“Carlos. He said he was going to stop by to help around the store and have lunch with Mami before she leaves.”

Andrea and her husband, Gabriel, were going on a weekend vacation to an antique show in Houston, looking to pick up some extra inventory before the Christmas rush started. The big holiday was only two weeks away and they wanted special items for the store.

“You probably feel like you know him already, as much as Mami talks about him.”

“She talks about TK just as much.”

“If I didn’t know any better, I’d say she was trying to set you two up,” Mia giggled.

“I’m pretty sure that is her plan,” Sofie said.

“Oh shut up both of you. Your mother isn’t trying to set me up with your brother, who I know absolutely nothing about.”

The girls shared a look and rolled their eyes before getting back to the task at hand. 

TK was at the register, trying to down out the sound of the girls and their Tik Tok videos when the bell above the door rang. 

He looked up and almost did a double-take. The man who had just entered was the most gorgeous man he’d ever seen, with tan skin and arms as big around as his head. His brain registered the police uniform and he put two and two together that this man must be Andrea’s son.

“Hey,” he greeted, doing his best to act like he wasn’t just salivating over the guy. “You must be Carlos.”

“Yeah. And you must be the TJ my mother has talked about non-stop for months,” he replied with an air of teasing in his voice.

“Actually it’s TK.”

“Of course,” he rolled his eyes. “I’m sorry about her, I wouldn’t put it past her to get her own kids’ names wrong.”

“Nah don’t worry about it. She always gets it right to my face.”

“Well, that’s something.”

The silence that followed their exchange was painfully awkward and TK momentarily forget why Carlos had even walked into the store.

“I uh, I think your mom is in the back. I’ll go grab her.”

He didn’t wait for Carlos to answer, just turned and walked toward the back of the store as fast as he could without sprinting. 

“Hey Andrea,” he peeked around the corner. “Carlos is here.”

“Oh good. TK would you like to join us for lunch?”

“I wouldn’t want to intrude.”

“Nonsense, join us. There’s plenty.”

“Yeah TK have lunch with us,” Mia encouraged.

“Yeah, you should spend some time with Carlos,” Sofie winked.

The three of them followed Andrea back into the store, TK stopping to elbow the girls.

“You two are menaces,” he hissed.

Lunch was the best part of his day by far. Watching Mia and Sofie tease Carlos in the way they always teased him, seeing him blush and tell them to be quiet, all while giving them a ridiculously fond look. Andrea had been right if she was trying to set them up as the girls said. He was absolutely TK’s type. Strong, sweet, incredibly handsome. He asked TK about himself and about being a firefighter, why he wasn’t anymore. TK had given him an abbreviated version of the story, this time without the tears. Carlos had still given him a sympathetic look.

“I’m sorry TK, that must have been hard. But you are ridiculously strong, for going through that and coming out the other side.”

TK ducked his head and blushed, Carlos’ foot nudging against his under the table.

Their lunch was cut short by an alarm on Carlos’ phone, signaling it was time for him to go back to work. He kissed his mother and sisters on the head, then pulled the three of them in for a tight hug. 

“I’ll see you two at home,” he said to his sisters. “And I’ll see you next week Mami. You and Dad be safe okay?”

“Of course Carlitos. TK, walk him out, please. So he doesn’t get lost in our mess.”

“Of course Andrea.”

TK lead Carlos through the shelves back toward the front of the store. They lingered by the door for a moment, TK not really knowing what to say.

“Uh thank you, for lunch.”

“Yeah no problem,” Carlos hesitated for a moment. “Hey, TK?”

“Yeah?”

“This is probably weird, so please tell me to shut up if you think it’s weird, but uh, can I give you my number? We can go out sometime, or something. If you want.”

TK let him keep going for a minute, flustered Carlos was ridiculously cute.

“Yeah sure. I’d like that.”

TK handed over his phone, letting Carlos put in his number and send himself a text so he had TK’s.

“I gotta go, but I’ll text you later?”

“I’d like that.”

Two hours later, TK’s phone chimed with a text. Carlos had sent him the location of a bar and a question mark.

TK smiled and typed out a response.

“I get off at six.”

“I’ll pick you up at six-fifteen.”

“Great. See you then :)”

[birbycakes]

TONS OF RAMBLING ABOUT MY BG3 MC UNDER THE READ MORE AKFNVAFV

Actually after rambling about how your BG3 Tav has a lot of space still for characterization... it does give a lot to work with for fanfic ideas of Dirzafay and her LI (she romances almost everyone in different realities because I love the BG3 companion SO MUCH) I feel like one major thing would be like. Them talking with her and realizing they don't actually know all that much about her? She's always asking about THEM, who they are and about their life, but she hardly ever talks about herself.

And I think Dirz would just shrug with a self depreciating laugh because her life is quite boring compared to everyone else... sure she's Eilistraee's chosen. But she's been so sheltered by her fellow Sword Dancers. She rarely goes on adventures, and the few she has she wasn't allowed to do much. Especially after one stint where she gave herself up to Lolth-Sworn Drow to protect a group of Deep Gnomes and some of her same fellow rookie Sword Dancers. And she was beaten, humiliated, and had her hair cut short just to rub dirt in the wound before she could be rescued by her senior Sword Dancers. And came Very, Very close to getting sacrificed to Lolth. Which was a total shame to her (as well as her seniors who were supposed to be looking out for her, instead they let their Goddess's CHOSEN get taken by the Lolth-Sworn), so she really very much doesn't like talking about it. Especially to her new friends who see her as a leader figure. Which she is THRILLED about. I think she was thriving as the de-facto team leader. She'd wanna avoid talking about how boring her life is so they stay impressed with her.

I think she'd be far more interested in telling about her mother and father if asked about her past- since they were the main character + Valen Shadowbreath from the NWN expansions. So they are very interesting in their own right. But her mother and father's legacies is what also causes her seniors to be overprotective of her since her mother and father are both dead, and died quite tragically while Dirz was still a child. They cared deeply for Brizae and feel it's their responsibility to make sure her daughter doesn't end up like her. And they don't realize how it's making Dirz feel inferior and useless and like she's wasting Eilistraee's gifts. As well as being a disappointment to Brizae's legacy. She admires her mother but also resents her. And misses her and her father so, so much. Lots of complicated feelings there.

Dirz also has it kinda bad when it comes to her identity, what with being a drow AND a tiefling. Tieflings rarely recognize she's one of them and assume she's a drow, drow tend to clock her as a half-drow even tho she's technically full drow AND full tiefling. She's her own race entirely, really. And humans and other races, it's a toss up but no matter what she's usually treated badly or at least with a healthy dose of suspicion because Tiefs and Drow both have negative reps. Drow moreso but, yknow.

Not to mention the Tieflings at the Druid's grove were probably the FIRST Tiefs she ever met besides her father. And getting treated like *just* a Drow and feared by them probably SUCKED... poor girl. Like imagine you finally meet another Tief and they call you an under-elf and try to attack you so you have no choice but to intimidate them to get them to back down. She probably realized on her journey to Baldur's Gate that being nice didn't work (hardly anyone knows of Eilistraee and even then how can they trust her?) and she had to put on a Lolth-Sworn intimidating facade to get people to back down so they don't start a fight. Rough. At least Zevlor was much kinder. I feel like he'd feel really bad if she told him she was actually both drow and a tiefling... Like. Wow you're so brave to be open about being a DROW. I'll make sure to let the other TIEFLINGS, who you arent, know that you are SAFE. And she's just like "um actually Im a tiefling as well... ahaha my mom was a drow my dad was a tiefling I know it's kinda hard to tell... ahaha. ha." And then getting a double whammy from the druids of being a Drow, who by default is not to be trusted, and a Tiefling, who they are currently having problems with. and THEN get clocked as a Lolth-Sworn by Kagha and have to say she's a follower of Eilistraee... except this time that was a DISAPPOINTMENT. Holy fuck now that I'm really thinking about poor Dirz could NOT win in that Druid Grove, at least socially ToT

Anyways back to my original Thoughts. I just really like the idea of her chosen LI being like oh shit here I am dumping all my history and problems onto you, and you've changed my life for the better and have practically healed me of my regrets and past mistakes and helped me get on the right track to move on to a better chapter in my life... and when it comes down do it, I don't know barely anything about your past. What shaped you into the amazing person you are. YOUR struggles you've gone through, are going through. I need to make an effort to show the same interest in you that you've shown in me during our journey. And her being like UM. DO I HAVE TO. And then it's the shoe on the other foot since they were like that with her at first LOL. "I remember a certain someone wanting every little detail about MY past and who I am the very day we met..." and she's just like. Ahaha... oops... you got me there....

[ciarashoggoth]

A Report! From Inside The Walls of Mallmart

There were so many strange things my parents told me as I was a child. Right down to how I was born, and now that I'm an adult, it's difficult to sift through what is real and what isn't. They said my mother had tried to have a child before me, and she had almost died during the pregnancy. That the fetus was not living, that it was shriveled and covered in tumors and that they had prayed and God had gifted them when they had thought they were unable to have children. This was possibly the more believable of the strange things that they claimed after this. Tales of my father and uncle and grandparents before my time being in contact with higher powers, tales of indigo children and aliens and the end of times coming. And by the time I finally got out, I didn't know which way was up and which way was down. I did the only thing I could think to do. I moved to Niceville, because I was scared.

Because this is the story of Aiden Gossman.

I knew Aiden Gossman was in trouble the moment he showed up, late, to work. I scowled at his cargo shorts and brand logo printed shirt, his open toed shoes- these were not up to dress code. How many times do you have to beg someone to follow the rules? Do my words mean nothing to him? Was what I was thinking bitterly as I watched him trudge along as if he wasn't a full half hour late to work. How was he not panicking? It was infuriating. Yet there he was, and here I was, scanning sporting goods in the thick of the backrooms. Well, if he wasn't going to care, I wasn't going to care either. No more ranting from me, that's for sure. I let out a sharp breath through my nose as if to let go of the pressure building in my head. 

Of course, I was taken out of my thoughts by the crackling of the overhead speakers asking for maintenance in the fitting rooms; there was shattered glass and papers with cryptic encoded messages left in there again. Which in my opinion is pretty rude, you should save that sort of thing for when you're at home, not out in a public space like Mallmart. Today ended up starting like usual, I made my rounds in Sporting goods and housewares. I put out several team lifts. It wasn't until about lunch time that I had noticed that Aiden had not been out on the sales floor all day. "Hello there Kara! Do you happen to know where Aiden has been for the last two hours? I'm hoping he was just assigned to a new department-"

"Haven't you heard? He's been with management since he got here. Everyone's been talking about it and we're all sure he's being canned." 

The first thing I felt was anger. How many times had I warned him and warned him? Exactly what I said, ended up happening and I couldn't protect him from the outcome. So I marched down through the back rooms to find him myself. Sure enough,  Aiden Gossman sits on the floor outside of management's office. His dark shade sunglasses hid his expression. "I told you! I told you this would happen, and you never believed me! Do you not remember our training? They had it written right in the pamphlet they gave us before we started here! I can't protect you from this. I can't go in there and talk them out of it…" I slump down to his seat on the floor

"I may be a bad employee, but I thought I was your friend, Ciara." I can feel his gaze through his shades and 

Oh.

The anger fizzled out as I realized that he was one of the closest things I had to a friend since I moved to Niceville. The choices he made sometimes frustrated me to no end, but I didn't want to see him leave. How could I take it back though? I desperately wanted to backtrack from my tirade, because Aiden inspired a level of humor in the workplace, a level of happiness with his way of talking in the breakroom, of trying to get his shifts cut down early, of bringing his guitar into work and serenading us with a song. "It's fine, Ciara. Seems like hell seems to follow you wherever you go anyways." My mouth wouldn't comply with me, for once I seemed at a loss for words.

Oh I know! I rustled through my lunch bag to give him my soda; It was the closest thing to a meaningful apology I could think of. It was so rare to have sweetness and caffeine in this place of work. Not for the employees, no. "Hey Aiden-" But it was too late to take back what I said. Aiden Gossman was gone.

[resi4skz]

From Brush to Heart (a bang chan fanfic) CHAPTER 4

Pairings: Bang Chan/Rebecca(OC), Han/Luna(OC) Genre: Romcom

For the next few weeks, I got Luna acquainted with the few necessities to get around outside. I got her a new phone number, got her registered in korean classes and some days I would let her follow the map on her phone whenever we were out. We even visited Just Java and had their coffee. It was the yummiest coffee I've ever had. We enjoyed every bit of the time we had with each other. Luckily, we started our work next month also so it was great to know that she won't be home alone.

"Hey, Luna, do you want to try tteokbokki?" I ask as I scroll through the menu on my phone. "I'll tell them to make it very mild."

"Sure!"

I find a restaurant with good reviews and order on the food app. "Okay, our order will be here soon. I even ordered fried chicken." 

As we wait for the food to arrive, I turn on the tv to pass time. "Hey, what if you get to work for Stray Kids?"

"Doubtful," I say flipping through channels.

"Hey now. Don't underestimate your skills." 

"I'm not. I just don't want my first day to work THE group. What if I say something really embarrassing?"

"Then you'll have something to tell your grandkids." I hit her arm as she laughs. "Relax. You'll do fine, trust me."

Our food finally arrives and we eat as we watch tv. I even teach her some words in Korean when she asks me. We finish eating our dinner and soon we start getting ready for bed. After doing my skin care, I settle myself in my bed and turn off the light. Let's hope Luna is right about me doing well at my job next month. I promise myself that whoever I will end up with, I will give it my best.

---------------------------------------------------------------- Next month rolls around pretty fast and I get more and more nervous which I shouldn't be feeling. A few days ago, I went out and registered for a Korean name: Kim Na Eun. Only Luna and I know about this though.

Luna finally started working at the coffee shop today and I'm standing in front of my mirror as I examine my outfit. I'm wearing a beige button shirt with a long black jean skirt and white sneakers. Giving myself pep talk before I head out. "You got this, Becca."

It takes me half hour to reach JYPE and soon I'm in the HR department filling out some forms. I get introduced to my team members and soon I'm following one of the staff members, Yujin, down towards the makeup rooms. She told me I'll also be meeting the group that I will be assigned to. She introduced me to other makeup artists and I was surprised that everyone was so friendly which made me feel at ease somewhat.

She leads me to another room full of makeup vanities. There were a total of 12 chairs and even had a couch at one end. "They should be arriving shortly." I smile at her as I wait with her. I admire all the vanities that had makeup products laid out along with hair tools. The door opens and I hear the commotion of a couple of guys laughing and talking but I don't turn around as I'm still looking at all the makeup stations. "Becca-ssi!"

"Ne," I turn around and I suddenly wish I was still home. 

"These are the guys I was talking about. You're assigned to them." 

Back home, whatever I did, whether it was school work or job wise, it wasn't ever good enough for my father. I wanted to learn dancing when I was 15 but took my money pot away that I had been saving since I was 10. I wanted to learn ballet, dad called the ballet dance school and had them deny my admission. Whatever it was, it wasn't worth my while because he wanted me to become a surgeon like him. So he had me studying 24/7 till I collapsed and was on bed rest for 3 months. Even then, he gave me stuff to do related to medicine. Since then, I always did what he wanted me to do. Till last year, I did whatever made him happy. But when I finally stood up, he crushed my dreams.

I was very glad because I got all certifications, even international ones, for this moment all thanks to Luna. Of course, she was on my side the entire time. If it wasn't for her, I don't know how I could've dealt with all the stress. She pushed me and told me give it all my best. And thats's exactly what I did. Living in a new country was surreal. Everything was new to me. The food, the environment, the smell in the air. 

But now as I stand in front of 9 handsome men staring back at me, I don't think my life could get any better. All of them introduced themselves to me and I was in awe of their beauty. Each member had their own aura. I glance around and noticed that only 4 out of 9 had different hair colors. I made a mental note to tell Luna later when one of them walked towards me. He had blonde with blue streaks styled hair, eyes that shined like stars and a jawline that was swoon worthy. I couldn't help but stare at him as he stood in front of me. Bang Chan stood in front of me. I know somewhere Luna is kicking her feet in the air. 

"You're not from here, are you?" Bang Chan asked. 

My god. I had seen him a few months ago. I don't know if I can handle this. I mean out of all the boys, he was the one I was most fascinated with. I watched them from their pre-debut days till now. And he's right here. Standing. Looking all glorious. In front of me. And who knew I would be seeing him again. 

"No, I'm from Australia," I replied, containing my posture. 

"Oh, really?" The way his eyes lit up, I wanted take a picture of it. "Which part?"

"Melbourne." I replied. I don't think he remembers me? 

"Ah, the city of night life and architecture," he said, smiling. I think my mental state is not okay at the moment. Seeing his smile was one of my favourite part of him. It always made my day. But to see it in person....

"Yes, but I never got to enjoy it. I like Seoul more," I said. 

"So you'll be our new makeup artist?" He asked. When I'm about say something, the voices come.

"What's your name?" "Does she like ice cream?" "Ask her age!"

All these questions came like a firing round in a game. I burst out laughing but immediately stop when they look at me. "Sorry." 

I looked at all of them and replied in korean, "My name is Rebecca Greywood. I'm 20, korean age 21. And I like chocolate flavor."

It got quiet and I blinked at them looking back at me. "Uh, did I say something wrong?" Even the staff was looking at me. "Uhhh, hello?"

Felix the one with blonde hair, Jeongin with red/pink hair  and Seungmin the one with dark brown hair, skipped towards Bang Chan and smiled. "Noona!"

Noona? Oh my god. I need to call Luna like asap. 

"Yah," Bang Chan said to his kids who immediately went quiet. "Don't scare her. Sorry about them, teenagers and all."

"It's fine," I say, waving them off. Internally, my brain is doing math of Bang Chan's and my age. Oh my god. If I'm 20, and if I'm doing the math right, he's older than me by 2 years. "Nice to meet you all."

All the other members bow and smile at me. And Bang Chan extends his hand towards me. "Welcome to the team."

I look at him and his hand. I raise my hand and shake his hand. "Thank you."

As he's walking back to the members, Yujin comes to me. "Oh I forgot to tell you. You'll be one of the main makeup artist for Bang Chan, Felix, and Han."

Wait, did she say Bang Chan? "Gamsahamnida," I say and look around the room. The eight of them were chatting and fooling around whereas I have only seen them like that on my laptop. I try to compose myeelf but the fangirl inside me wants to scream. I fish out my phone and take a quick selfie with the room behind me and quickly send it Luna. I put my phone on silent. I will have to talk to her when I'm off work. 

One of the staff members claps her hand. "Alright, we have a new member joining is officially today!" She gestures towards me as everyone in the room, including the boys clap welcoming me. I bow and smile. 

"Thank you for having me." I clench my hands trying to get the nerves out.

"Alright, we have a show in a few hours. Felix and Han will be covered today, Rebecca-ssi. So you can get started on Chan."

I don't think I heard her right. Did she just I have to work on him? The man that made the fandom go crazy over his abs? I look at where he's sitting playing games on his phone. Jeez, even sitting down like that he's attractive. Damn, I don't think I'm going to be able to survive this job.

Putting my feelings aside, I walk over to where he's sitting. "Please make yourself comfortable. I'll start by prepping your skin." I turn towards the makeup items laid put for me to use. Wow. They really went out. I quickly study the table and spot the skincare stuff. Picking up on of the moisturizer, I study and frown at the ingredients. "Why are they using this stuff? This will just make your skin dry and break out after," I mutter under my breath. But not my place to say anything so I sanitize my hands before I turn around and start prepping his skin. I use gentle hands and when my fingers touch his cheeks, I nearly swoon over how smooth it is. Holy, I would kill to have this smooth and silky skin. I start the makeup with foundation application followed by concealer to hide any blemishes and blend everything together. 

Once I know the foundation looks great, I put face powder followed by eyebrow shaping and eye makeup. I strictly kept it professional but couldn't help to admire his beauty. When his eyes were closed, I noticed his eyelashes. They weren't long but weren't short either. The last thing that was left were his lips. I gulped when he tilted his head up so I could apply the lip products easily. Gently, I swipe the product over his plump lips. I don't outline his lips that much. "Where do I know you from?"

I freeze and look at him to him looking at me. "Sorry?"

"Have we met before?" He asks.

Yes. It's what I want to say. But I shake my head. "No."

"Oh." He says, still looking at me.

"Okay, you're all done." I say as I put the brush in my hand down beside all the brushes.

"That was fast," he says as he gets up to inspect my work. I watch as he checks his face thoroughly and his eyes go wide at particular spot. It was where he had a blemish or a simply an aftermath of a popped pimple. "You covered it? I can't even tell that it was there. Wow."

I beam at him. "I'm glad you like it." 

"Thank you." He simply smiles warmly at me and I drop a brush, not because I wanted to but because I was transfixed on his smile. I only wish I could've taken a picture. He bends down, picks up the brush and hands it to me.

"Thank you."

"Anytime." Then he leaves to go to the other members. 

I think I need a break. 

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I'm currently sitting in the break room having my lunch. A few people were sitting and eating their lunch too. I have my phone in my hand watching a dance practice of one of Stray Kids songs and I almost want to dance to it.....if there weren't people around. I receive a text from Luna.

L: uh, what is that picture of?

B: me with people I'm working for and with.

L: and WHY exactly why do I see the faces of Bang Chan, Han and Seungmin? Felix? 

I stifle a laugh and try not to choke on my food. 

B: that's because I'm their MUA.

L: ....

B: girl, I'll see you when I get home because my lunch just ended.

L: get back here!

I grin as I pack up the leftovers and head out of the break room. But before heading back to work, I hopped in the bathroom to quickly brush my teeth and touch up on my makeup. Once I was done, I head back up to the makeup rooms and see that it's empty. Or what I thought was empty. As I walk inside towards my makeup station, I see 3RACHA snacking on chips and snacks as they joke around with each other. I bow to them as I clean up anything that needed to be cleaned.

"Becca-ssi." I turn around and see Han walking to me.

"Ne?" 

"Hokshi noona namjachingu isseyeo?"

I blink at him before bursting out in laughter. "Oh, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to laugh," I say, chuckling.

He laughs. "Sorry, I didn't wanna ask but," he turns around and looks at at Changbin, who suddenly has an interest at imaginary dust on his clothes. "Someone dared me." 

"It's okay. And no, I don't have a boyfriend," I say with a smile. 

Then I see their leader walk up to Han and pat him on his back. "Han-ah, stop messing with the newbie."

"Sorry." Han apologizes but I wave him off. 

"Sorry about him, he's usually not like that." Bang Chan says as Han goes back to Changbin. 

"Ah, no. It's okay. I don't mind," I say smiling. He stares at me for a few seconds and I suddenly question my life choices. "Uhm."

"It's you!" He exclaims, pointing his finger at me.

"Sorry?" I blink at him.

"You're the girl from the other day," he says. Oh, he finally knows. "I knew I've seen you somewhere before."

"I'm sorry," I say as I bow.

"Are you kidding? If it wasn't for you returning my bag, I would've lost big chunk of our hardwork forever," he says smiling. "I should be thanking you."

I beam at him. "It's fine really. I'm just glad it didn't get into the wrong hands." 

"Thank you, Becca-ssi."

"Ah, just Becca is fine." 

He nods his head. "Becca." The way he said my name sounds so sweet like strawberry dipped in chocolate. 

"Ne, Bang Chan-ssi."

"Just call me Chan." He smiles at me before going back to Han and Changbin.

"Chan," I whisper. I smile and go back to my previous task. I think I'm going to like working here.

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CH 1 | CH 2 | CH 3