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beardedhandstoadshark · 2 months ago

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7th Dragon iii is SUCH a mixed bag of a game tbh

On one hand, combat system my beloved: it‘s so cool to have your unused teammates still play an important role in your party, and that every class not only has 2 main skill "paths“ to take in a sense (your healer class also being a fist punch fighter for example) but that they‘re all feasible to acquire, as well as unique on their own. I love the classes in this game so much yall don’t understand.

On the other hand, it takes like half the game until you can properly utilize it and 25% to even know the back-row team thing exists at all.

The story is cool in itself, and I love how they actually Went There in the end (including letting you loot the dead bodies for keepsakes, oof) but WOW does it seem to hinge on nostalgia-bait for previous titles. Or at least that’s my assumption, as I’ve never played any of the others.

But there’s just a lot of details where - even as someone who only knows this game- it’s very obvious they only exist for fans to point and go "YOOOOOO”. The unlockable quest portraits, being Unit 13, superhero guys’ side plot, multiple areas in this game…not to mention the red guild lady and her spooky sis. They’re the biggest offenders. Iirc those two are like, major staple characters in the other games. Not only is there 0 setup to attachment for new players to them since they expect you to already have it from the other games, but if I knew and liked those characters only to barely see them when they exist in ONE chapter before getting offed like that? Dude.

I mean it was a sick bossfight and my favorite one in the entire game presentation-wise, but it also just…feels so unearned. Idk.

The "nostalgia bait” areas too. They didn’t have to be the way they are. The old Unit 13 hangout place is actually rather decent imo, because it succeeds in being its own unique place outside the nostalgia, even if just a little. One of my fave games, Zelda twilight princess, has a lot of "callback” areas like this too! But unlike this game, its areas still function like unique places inside the world if you don’t have that callback.

TP right, you don’t need to know the abandoned Hidden Village was the prev games’ series staple Kakariko for it to still be "that one place where the game goes full wild west shooter with sick music to rescue a lone old lady and play hide n seek with the army of cats living there”. I sure didn’t!

Same way you don’t need to know said old Unit 13 place was (most likely, I’m guessing here) a previous games’ main hub or what happened here in other games for it to still be "that place that used to be important for the people whose shoes you’re filling, that now lays abandoned and broken at your feet as you try to finish the mission they started (and also has teleporting patheays)”. That’s some good stuff right there.

And then Vermillion Tower and 7th Encount are both Just There and you’re supposed to care.

Combine that with most of Eden basically being a rehash of a single area in Atlantis, and both of these are just "go in a circle for multiple levels’ with different flavors of fantasy medieval, there’s really not much of substance here, is there?

Which is a shame since the core concept of traveling through time consistently to the point it’s casually used by the people to save to connect across eras, is SO COOL. Any time npcs from two eras, going "isn’t it cool how we’re so far away yet meeting here?” I went YES IT IS SO COOL.

Those 2 kids from the past going "our parents are stupid about class rules so we’re gonna run away to the future where they don’t exist” and you running around to exchange the gifts they made for their present-time Tokyo friends they made while staying in this time?

Or, Eden Fox Lady being starstruck by Ms Atlantis Queen? Her seeing her people are still around and prospering despite their home country being gone? Them kinda planning to visit their new country someday? yes yes yes more of all of that please

The non-callback characters in general, good stuff. How the Atlantis ones (especially our general elf buddy) keep asking and calling back to the sea and whether you can hear it because it was so important to their culture. That one quest with a present-time Fox person spooking around, and at the end he just asks "does your place have a sea?”, for it to be followed by silence and a "No. It’s surrounded by mountains. Gotta hide from others”, and he says nothing but you KNOW what he thinks because of that.

Or how you can sus out Mio’s dad is, well, her dad way before it’s revealed since he says stuff along the lines of "abandoning others is a shitty more. …Not that I have any right to say that” because, turns out he went to get milk and never returned. And that Mio figured it out too and you just see her happy. The rivalry you can have with Yuma, trying to make him understand his life has worth on its own but it’s ultimately no use. Mio’s dad adopting him in his head because he knows he fucked up but also that Yuma's getting fucked up by his circumstances. And despite everything, it all wasn't enough.

There's so many good points that just get thrown out the window half way through. The ending in particular, oof. Of course too high stakes wouldn't stick, but the fact that despite establishing a post-game world, we don't even get to play in it, but get sent back to Ch5 again.

Also I can somewhat excuse the dragons going poof, but cmon. Yuma wasn't a dragon, he's a human with high stats. My man was the equivalent of someone breeding pokemon for tournaments and slapping bonbons at their faces so they evolve faster.

We were literally god for a few sec, why not just make him and Mio actual siblings. Or the twins not-swords. What does our protag have against them specifically.

Also.

Why are we able to fuck a minor.

Even ignoring Yuma and his reverse "anime girl is actually 1000y old dragon” type shit going on, just...Mio. I do NOT care how anyone chooses to personally interpret her scene or your characters’ age- the game portrays you as an adult at all times, her dating scene is just like the others which are VERY obvious about getting spicy behind the fade to black, and Mio’s dialogue during said scene is straight up smth along the lines of "Can you…make me an adult like this?”

That girl is 14. The intention of the devs is very clear. Also you have to do this if you wanna get a strong item; how great. (sarcasm)

Speaking of which; tone it down with the casual sexual harassment in general? Sure That One Scene with Allie could be read as hidden forshadowing (her checking that you’re not pulling a Yuma rn) but cmon. "Hope I wont get sued for sexual harassment ✨”. Oof. And until that one I thought Julietta was the walking stereotype, but no he’s the more normal one of them. She’s like "the Mother", i know, so that’s what it’s probably supposed to come across as, overbearingly caring, but nah. Someone at Sega just heard "mommy” instead and the rest of the world has to suffer for it.

Anyways I do like how pretty much every single npc in this game is casually bi AND that one random guard is explicitly gay. AND they didn’t censor Julietta’s name/name him John or smth, frankly shocked they didn’t do that. Good for all of them. (Still the flamboyant harrassing queer stereotype but half the npcs need to be on some list so it’s whatever. He's very chill for the setting he's in. The non-callback characters in general are pretty good in how they're fleshed out, too.)

Genuinely though, for a game that explicitly gender locks voice actors and portraits, or any game ever while we're at it, the casualness of this was. Surprising in a good way. Could've just been the result of the way the game handles character/team composition in cutscenes and the devs being too lazy to change it, but other games would've gone out their way to gender lock this too.

Anyways, the game has a cat cafe that lets you hang out with them to get skill points and one class learns their Super Strong Skill of Mass Destruction from it. 10/10 no complains best feature ever.

TLDR a very 6/10 game and it lost all those points in the actively malicious presentation. Don't use callbacks to previous games as the entire basis for the plot, especially if those games were on other console lines/Japan exclusive, respectively. Oof. Love the cat cafe though. More games should have them.

#7th dragon #7th dragon iii code vfd #<- I WANNA LIKE YOU SO BAD #but everything reeks of easter eggs #or the writers attempts to get on lists

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godlessondheimite · 2 years ago

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my flowers in the attic musical with lyrics by stephen sondheim and music by leonard bernstein and choreography by jerome robbins. i time travel to get the cast i need. betsy wolfe as corrine, william katt as chris, the twins are either real children or avant-garde puppets. unfortunately christine ebersole is 5'10, so she originates the role of the grandmother. i'd get a ballerina as cathy because she primarily expresses herself through dance. you'd think it has a minimal cast because it's four kids trapped in an attic but fuck no there's a full ensemble for when the kids watch the christmas party, and also the house is full of servants and the servants have little gossipy numbers throughout. and of course chris sr.'s party will need to have loads of guests just to make his death scene agonizingly awkward, the way god intended.

first song is about what a "perfect family" they are, as they are setting up for chris sr.'s birthday party, and then the police officers come in and the scene in the book where he describes the car crash is a monologue, untouched, in its entirety, and played completely straight because THAT IS CAMP

they go to foxworth hall. corrine puts them in the attic, telling them it will be "just another week." "just another week" is interspersed with the grandmother's dirge called "the rules," and the kids trying to find ways to pass the time ("i spy",) until about six weeks go by, and cathy explodes at corrine. corrine confesses that they must stay in the attic until their grandfather dies, and then they will have "a life beyond dreams."

cathy lashes out at corrine, who cries that she's doing her best and runs out, and chris lectures cathy in a song called "motherhood." he explains that they must trust their mother, but in the meantime, they will act as parents to the twins. cathy agrees to listen to him, and sings a counterpoint, "fatherhood."

at some point chris and the grandmother have a song where they argue with each other with bible verses.

the first act ends with chris and cathy spying on the christmas party and fantasizing about "a life outside."

second act opens with a dream ballet, where cathy is at the christmas party, dancing with different men, and they all wind up to be chris.

when she wakes up, cathy is too weak to dance, and the twins' growth is stunted. they sing a sad reprise of "i spy," and then chris sings a sultry reprise of "i spy" about a half-dressed cathy. at that moment, the grandmother barges in, sings a song called "devil's spawn," and then starves them for two weeks, during which time chris cuts open his arm to feed the twins ("blood of my blood.")

i forgot when, chronologically, the grandmother tars cathy's hair, but that happens, too. i guess the song will be called "shorn."

eventually, they get food again (song: "cory's favorite!"), but they are still sick, and they haven't seen their mother in months. then corrine comes back, announcing she has been on a honeymoon, and wishes her kids would be happy for her since there is "so much suffering in the world."

cathy and chris realize that they will never be saved, so they start sneaking around the main house to collect money for their escape. when cathy sneaks into her mother's room, she spots corrine's husband sleeping and kisses him, which chris sees, and when they return to the attic, they have a fight, releasing their frustration with each other, and then have sex which in this version will be consensual, to make it less problematic <3.

in the morning, cathy panics that they are, in fact, "devil's spawn (reprise)" but chris says they are a "perfect family (reprise)" and when they escape, they will give the twins the life they should have had.

they discover that cory has gotten sicker, and beg corrine and their grandmother for help. corrine takes cory for help, but when she returns, she announces he has died.

chris and cathy vow to escape that night, after doing one last sweep of the house for the rest of the money, but when they do, they conveniently overhear the servants talking about their grandfather died a year ago, how corrine's inheritance is dependent on her never having children, and how the grandmother has been instructing them to poison the "mice in the attic."

shaken, they return to get carrie and leave, but they don't know what awaits them ("a life outside (reprise)").

#flowers in the attic #incest //

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shemarmooresfedora · 3 years ago

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Protective of the Princess

Summary: Jo comes home with some unexpected news and Spencer isn’t a fan. (This is a stand-alone one-shot of my completed ‘Rebuilding Family’ series)

Pairing: Spencer Reid x Fem!Reader

Content/Warnings: mentions of little kids kissing, spencer freaking out, fluff

Word Count: 1.3k

A/N: based on this ask from @reidsbookclub and this ask from @samuel-de-champagne-problems

Masterlist

Spencer made it clear to Jo she could be anything she wanted to be growing up.

She would change her mind about her career path quite often but Spencer was always supportive. When she wanted to be a vet, she had a bunch of different stuffed animals to practice on. When she wanted to be an astronaut, you all built a rocket ship out of a cardboard box. When she wanted to be a scientist, Spencer got her a book set of kid’s science books.

One afternoon after school, Jo hopped up on the kitchen counter as Spencer was making her a snack and you were playing with the twins on the floor.

“Daddy, I can’t go to work any more,” Jo stated.

“Why not, Princess?” Spencer asked, sliding apple slices and peanut butter in front of her.

“I have a baby and husband now,” Jo explained.

“You got a baby and husband in one day?” you questioned.

“Thomas kissed me and then we got married under the slide at recess and now we have a baby. I don’t have time for work, Daddy,” Jo sounded exasperated.

“Thomas did WHAT?” Spencer gaped.

“He kissed me like you kiss Mommy every morning before work,” she demonstrated the little peck on her baby doll.

Spencer’s eyes widened, “Y/N, please help.”

You stood from the blanket where the twins were having tummy time.

“Jo, how about you wait until you’re a little older to start kissing people? A hug or high five can show love to. You can try that next time,” you suggested.

“Daddy says kissing is safer than handshakes though,” Jo reminded you.

“Nope! I lied! Kissing is very dangerous,” Spencer shook his head empathically, “Don’t kiss.”

“But we have a baby together,” Jo held up her baby doll.

“I see that. What’s their name?” you asked.

“This is Derek,” she informed you.

“You named him after your uncle? That’s very sweet,” you smiled.

“I want a real one so I can name it Penelope. I want to have a big belly like Mommy used to have. How are babies made?” she questioned.

Spencer grasped your hand, looking very pale, “Y/N, I need to lie down.”

“One second, love,” you squeezed his hand before turning back to Jo, “You can’t have a baby until you’re much older. Then, I’ll explain it to you, okay?”

Jo nodded.

“I need to take Daddy to bed. He’s feeling a little sick,” you told her, “You can play with the twins.”

“Actually,” Spencer slipped his hand out of yours, “I’m going to go for a drive. I’ll be back in a bit.”

You looked at him curiously as he leaned in for a kiss but then retreated under the watchful eyes of Jo.

You followed him into the entryway as he laced his converse up, “Where are you going?”

“I’ve never heard of a Thomas before until now. I need Penelope to check this kid out.”

“Check this kid out?” you laughed, “What are you expecting to find? A nine year old with a criminal record?”

“I need to make sure my daughter is safe,” he looked up at you seriously.

“Okay,” you relented, “You’re a great dad albeit very protective,” you kissed him goodbye.

“Are we going to start having to only kiss in private now?” you smirked.

“I don’t want her seeing and copying it at school,” Spencer sighed, “The last thing I want is to get a phone call from her teacher that our daughter needs to stop kissing people.”

“Okay, sneaking around could be fun anyways,” you smiled, giving him another kiss, “Tell the team I say hi.”

“Who does this Thomas kid think he is?” Spencer grumbled to himself as he was in the elevator, “Kissing my sweet little precious daughter. I should have him arrested. Maybe I don’t have the grounds for an arrest but I can show him my badge and scare him off.”

His ranting stopped as he knocked on Penelope’s door.

“Who is it?” she chirped.

“Spencer,” he replied, “I brought you a croissant.”

“It’s open!”

Spencer opened the door and handed her the paper bag.

“And it’s still warm!” she squealed, “You must really love me.”

“I do but I also need a favor,” he spoke.

“Name it, boy wonder,” she readied herself at her keyboard.

“I need you to look up a boy named Thomas in Jo’s class.”

“Is this kid bullying her?” she gritted her teeth, “I swear to god, I will reign hell down on this kid if he is.”

“No, it’s the opposite actually. He kissed her,” Spencer sighed.

“She already got her first kiss?” Penelope gasped.

“I know! I didn’t even have mine until 25,” Spencer replied.

Penelope clicked away at her keys, “We’ve got two Thomases in her class but according to the attendance record, Thomas Jacobson was out sick today meaning Thomas Bennett is our guy.”

“What do we know about him?” Spencer asked, crouching down to look at Penelope’s screen.

“Plays on the town soccer team, has an allergy to shellfish, good report card,” Penelope stated.

“Anything else? Any visits to the principals? Sketchy friends?” he questioned.

“I guess the sketchiest friend he has would be his imaginary friend named Robby the cowboy according to his mom’s facebook. He’s got a squeaky clean school record.”

“Let me see what this kid looks like,” Spencer desperately demanded.

Penelope gave him a look.

“Please,” he added.

The group class pictures of the past 3 years popped up on to Penelope’s screen. Each year, Jo and Thomas were standing next to each other smiling and laughing in various poses.

“He doesn’t look like much of a threat to me,” Penelope stated.

“Why hasn’t she ever asked for him to come over on a playdate?” he asked.

“She was probably scared her dad was going to embarrass her,” Penelope chuckled.

“She’s in 3rd grade! No boys!” Spencer crossed his arms.

“That rule is setting you up for a rebellious stage later in life,” Penelope rolled her eyes.

“So I just let this happen?” Spencer sighed, dropping into the chair next to Penelope.

“Yes, you’re supposed to protect her but not from nice boys who make her happy.”

“But she’s just my sweet little girl,” Spencer started to tear up.

“And she always will be but you need to let her live her life,” Penelope explained.

“I know. Thanks Penelope.”

You heard the car pull in while you were making dinner. You lowered the setting on the stove and made your way over to the door.

“Hey,” you greeted him, wrapping your arms around him.

“Hi,” he snuggled into the crook of your nest.

“Did you find Thomas on the FBI’s most wanted list?” you joked.

“No, he’s a good kid,” Spencer sighed in defeat, “I just don’t like the thought of her growing up. Then, she’ll eventually have to leave us.”

“That’s what being a parent is,” you whispered, “You love them, care for them, and prepare them for the world as best you can but then you have to set them free. But, I have good news for you,” you smiled.

“What?”

“You’re stuck with me forever,” you grinned.

“Thank god,” Spencer squeezed you tighter.

“Daddy!” Jo ran into the room, “Lion King is playing in theaters tonight! We need to go!”

“Okay, Princess,” he looked to you for support and you squeezed his hand, “Do you think Thomas would want to come?”

“Yes! He loves Lion King!” Jo exclaimed, running to go get ready.

“You’re a great dad,” you reminded him once again.

“I’m still going to be watching this kid like a hawk,” Spencer admitted.

“As you should,” you grinned, kissing him.

Soon enough, Jo came home next week saying she wanted to be a congresswoman and they were back to their old adventures.

main taglist (just ask to be added/removed): @samuel-de-champagne-problems @ssacalumsg0lden @spencerreid9 @averyhotchner @coldlilheart @k-k0129 @ickleronniekinsemotionalrange @harrystylesandthegoobs @cmily @jswessie187 @hoodpankow @mochionly @spencerreid-187 @babymetaldoll @fics4arainyday @ssavanessa22 @all-tings-diego @idonotexiste @beepbooptoop @tvandfanfic @mggsprettygirl @big-galaxy-chaos @navs-bhat @spencerreidsmommy @this-is-doctor-and-its-calm @mggs-sidehoe @rexit-mo @hufflepuffhaze @thisismynerdyself @xoxospencerreid @wifeyprentiss @reidsbookclub @spencersrose @pinkdiamond1016 @muffin-cup @a-little-bit-of-everything19

one-shot only taglist: @strawberryspence @fbivestreid

#spencer reid fluff #spencer reid x reader #spencer reid x y/n #spencer reid x fem!reader #spencer reid x you #spencer reid fanfiction #spencer reid fic #spencer reid one shot #dr spencer reid #spencer reid #criminals minds #cm fic #cm fanfic

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poptod · 4 years ago

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In the Heart of Atlas (Rami Malek x Reader)

Description: He doesn’t fear you––who thought such a simple thing would win your affections?

Notes: this is my first time writing for Rami himself! anyway, this is for the rami week. happy birthday rami!!! this is a bit of a strange story but i hope yall like it anyway. WC: 5.6k

His body twitched slightly before his eyes opened, slow and dry across his grey irises. A deep dehydration had seized his bones, as though his blood was drudging through his veins and muscles, losing water by the second. Still, he sat up, his head a weight upon his shoulders.

To his surprise, he found himself in the middle of an empty parking lot, the highway beside him mostly vacant. He looked around, finding a large but abandoned mall to his right, the lights long shattered and broken. Tension welled in his brow as he tried to piece together just how he got here.

"Most people don't get knocked out after they get ejected from their bodies," said a voice from behind him. He whirled around, scratching his pants on the rough pavement.

"Who are you?" He asked, scanning you.

For the most part, you looked normal. The only thing that stuck out was the massive katana strapped to your back and the darkness swarming around your eyes. He could barely see your face beneath the hood of your black sweatshirt, but that didn't matter all too much to him––there were more pressing, more important questions that required answers.

"Demons and angels call me (Y/N), but people call me the Reaper," you said as you offered him your hand.

He gingerly raised his hand to accept your help, faltering when your sleeve pulled back to reveal prominent bones and veins in the back of your hand. The bones poked out of the skin, glowing a faint white, while your veins remained a simple shade darker than your skin. Looking back up to you, he found no malice in what little expression he could see. With that he accepted your aid, pulling himself to his feet.

"The Reaper?"

"I go by a good many names. In the north alone I am called Gwyn ap Nudd, Cù Sith, the banshee, the Ankou, and more simply... death. Most of the time I have others collect souls, but.. you're an interesting case."

You reached forward, and though he instinctively flinched back, he soon regained control of himself and allowed you to cup his cheek. Even with that allowance, however, there was a decent amount of discomfort within him.

"I'm dead?"

"Not quite yet. That's where the interesting part comes in. Come––let's find a place away from the sun," you said, drifting past him and heading towards the abandoned mall.

Looking upwards, he found a blistering sun. He hadn't felt the heat, and looking back at the black pavement, he realized he hadn't felt that astonishing heat because he was, as you said, dead. No longer in his body. With that realization, he jogged back over to walk at your side.

"I'm a little confused, here. How did I die?" He asked.

"Again, not dead yet. Just out of your body. It's quite interesting, really," you said, opening the creaking door.

He entered gingerly, turning and waiting for you before wandering in any further. When he turned back to scan the building, he found instead a drawing room with a Victorian rug spread out across a hardwood floor, and red velvet couches filled to the brim with pillows and blankets. Paintings from all cultures covered the walls, nailed into place alongside maps of different eras. He hardly noticed his gaping mouth till you passed by and closed his jaw.

"Well... what happened to me?"

"Take a seat, Malek. I need to ask you some questions," you deflected, herding him to sit on one of the chaise lounges.

A clipboard materialized in your hands, a pen following as you sat down opposite of him.

"Now, what's your name?"

"You just said my name."

"And?" You said, quirking your brow.

He let out an exasperated sigh before answering with, "Rami Malek."

"What do you spend most of your time doing?"

"Work, mostly. I'm an actor."

"I'm aware. Most of your alternate reality personas look exactly like you. That usually only happens with actors," you said, scribbling down words with a harsh pressure on your pen. "You are given one million dollars. What do you do with it?"

"Um... I'd put it into my savings, let it collect interest until I die, and then donate it," he said after a moment's contemplation.

"Calculated. Nice. Significant others?"

"Not right now."

"Family members?"

"I've got a twin brother and an older sister. And my parents, of course."

"Are you religious?"

"Yes, sort of. My parents raised me Coptic Orthodox but I don't really interact with it much in my life."

"Is there a heaven and a hell?"

"Shouldn't I be asking you that?" He asked.

"Answer the question, Malek."

"I don't think there's a heaven or hell."

"Good choice. Alright," you said, straightening your back after hunching over your clipboard. In a quick flash both the clipboard and pen were gone, and you were back on your feet. "Do you have any questions for me before we try to fix this dilemma?"

"Yes, lots," he chuckled humorlessly, watching you circle over to a liquor cabinet. "How did I die? Or – how did I get 'ejected' from my body?"

"Remember the movie you were just working on?"

"Yeah, James Bond."

"You tried to do your own stunts since your double was missing. You missed the catching net, landed on the ground, and your essence was accidentally absorbed by the earth. The earth decided you would be safer here––in Thailand."

"Thailand?? I have to finish filming. I can't be in Thailand," he said, jumping to his feet.

"Calm down, pretty boy. I'll take you to your body in due time, and from there we can decide how to move next. This is a rare opportunity for you," you said as you poured two glasses of sherry. "People don't usually get to see me. If they do, it's pretty much assured they won't interact with me. You're very lucky. I could also just reap you and get rid of the problem, but you're not supposed to die. Not yet."

"What, do I have something to do on earth yet?"

"Yes," you said, handing him the glass in your left hand. You sat back down, sipping from your own cup.

"Then what happens if people accidentally die?"

"The world goes on. We correct our calculations and figure out the fate of the earth again. It happens very rarely, thank everything. Our I.T. would be in hell if it happened a lot."

"What affect do I have on the world?"

"I'm not really allowed to tell you that," you said, eyeing him.

"Oh, sorry."

"I'm just kidding. I rule this universe. You're going to have a fan at one point who is very suicidal. They meet you on the street, get the will to live again, and their daughter will write a mystery novel that both furthers space-travel technology and surgical technology. Happy?" You took another sip from your cup.

"... I guess."

It was certainly, if anything, an interesting time to find out your entire existence was being protected by the embodiment of death just so a woman you didn't know could further technology just slightly. He didn't feel fantastic about it.

"It's not your only purpose, if you're worried about that," you said, noticing his fallen expression. "You inspire a lot of art and a lot of stories. Everything you do and inspire adds to the color of the world. Humans are one big organism and they can't seem to see that––I hope you, and others, will realize that soon."

"I hope we do as well," he said with a sigh, leaning back into the velvet. "I'm quite sick of people getting angry at each other all the time for useless shit."

"Yes, well..." you swirled the mixture in your cup, "the human condition, and all that."

"Were you ever once human?" He asked quietly.

"No. I am not truly a being. I am what you imagine me to be, a mirage of what you expect from death," you said in a low voice. "I will be here to kill God, and in the end of time I will be all that remains. The representation of all that ever existed, and its' inevitable demise."

"... comforting."

"Isn't it?" You said with a sardonic smile. "Are you ready to see your body yet?"

"I think so," he said. "What kinda state am I in?"

"I don't know. The state of destruction your physical form is in will dictate whether or not I can return you to yourself or take you into the unknown."

"Okay," he said, taking a deep breath in hopes of calming himself. "Take me to myself."

"Very well," you said as you stood, setting your cup aside and offering him your hand once more. He took it and rose to his feet.

In a single blink, and without warning, he was in a hospital––an American one, or at least one where the signs were all in English, and the nurses were speaking that same language. Fluorescent white light filled the room, mixed with the dreary daylight of a bright but cloudy day. The shades were open to the city outside, but what first caught his eye was the centerpiece of the room––him.

Gauze, linen, and casts covered more than half his body, cradling his leg, chest, head, and both arms. His eyes remained blissfully shut, not even fluttering from the bruises and cleaned scars circling his face.

"You look good," you said, unable to tear your eyes away from the body.

"Wow, thanks," he said sarcastically.

"I'm serious. You fell, like, 35 feet. Not a lot of people survive that, much less still have one of their legs."

"So does that mean I can go back to living?" He asked, sudden excitement filling his words.

"I suppose so. You've been out for a while, though, so be careful when you get back in. Listen to your doctors. Keep safe, and let professionals do stunts," you said.

He chuckled, turning to you before saying, "I thought Death would want me to die, not live."

"It doesn't matter. I will reap all. For now I can let society grow, let lives multiply to greater heights, as in the end you will all join my kingdom. I'm old as the universe. I can wait."

"Your kingdom?"

"Me. I carry the souls of the dead in my memory. They all live within me."

"And that's what happens when we die?"

"When you die, you become one with the universe. I become part of you just as much as you become part of me. Is that a comfort to you?"

"... yes, actually," he said softly, looking back to his body. "I think I'm ready to go back to living now."

"Very well, Malek. Take my hand," you said as you offered your see-through hand.

The moment he touched you, he noticed that he, too, became see through, and he wondered if that had always been happening and he simply hadn't noticed it. He had little time to think about it before you were leading him forward, taking him to the side of his hospital bed. From there you helped him into the bed, lining his soul up with his physical body, and telling him in a soft murmur to close his eyes.

The very next moment he remembered was opening his eyes to blistering hospital lights shining down on him. His memory of you was vague and blurred, but nonetheless present in a way that tested his image of the world, questioning if he was truly living his life.

Doctors, nurses, and friends rushed to his side once they noticed his consciousness, hurriedly asking questions and preparing tests on him. His bruised eye was swollen shut, but the other one could see alright, and it was a blessing to be able to see his mother above him. It took a good deal of time, but he returned to health and was luckily not disabled by the fall.

Years later the incident came to him in a dream, in a perfect clarity that he hadn't ever had as a waking person. He bolted awake, heavy breaths emphasizing the thin sheen of sweat that now covered his chest. You had explained to him the way the world worked––his purpose in life, the inevitability of humans and of the universe, and the beauty in that. The happy ending in that unavoidable death.

Never in any other time had he desired to see you again more than he did at that moment, stuck awake in the middle of a night plagued by rain and thunder. Wide eyes stared straight ahead, to the twisted sheets covering him, to the closet on the other side of his bedroom.

Shaken to his core, he slowly moved to his feet, the cold floor shocking him awake further. As he walked towards the kitchen, he attempted at calming himself with slow breaths. Once there he grabbed a glass of water, chugging the entire glass, and slamming it back down on the counter as though he'd done a shot, which it might as well have been this late at night.

Would it be possible to summon death? he thought hypothetically, before realizing the incredible stupidity of that statement. Who would want to summon death? Also, summoning death would probably involve putting himself in a dangerous situation, which you had specifically advised him against.

"Jesus Christ," he muttered to himself, leaning against the counter as he rubbed his face.

"His name is Yeshua, and he can't help you right now."

He jumped, spinning around in his kitchen to find you sitting on the counter across from him.

"Death!"

"People aren't usually that excited to see me, but yes," you said, looking down to scan your fingernails before looking back up at him with a smile.

"How did you know I was thinking about you?"

"You had one of my true forms in your thoughts. I remembered you from a little bit ago. How long has it been again?"

"11... maybe 12 years? I haven't thought all that much about the incident, but... I had a dream tonight. I remembered –"

"I know. You're not supposed to remember me while you're still living, so I had to come back and fix that," you said, jumping off the counter and approaching him with determined resolve.

"Wait, no!" He tried to back up, but he was already pressed against the kitchen island.

"We will meet again, quite shortly, you'll see," you said with a smile, a weak attempt to calm him as you raised your hand to his forehead.

"I don't want to forget you," he pleaded, fingers dug into his palm.

"That's awfully unfair to all the other people whose memory I had to fix. Makes their sacrifice a little silly if I allow you to go and tell the world how it'll all end just because you're pretty."

"I won't tell anyone. They'll think I'm crazy."

"You're a celebrity. Someone is going to believe you."

You pressed your thumb to his forehead, and in that moment he lost all control, leading him to make the first action he could think of, the one thing that might deter your work. He grabbed you by your sweatshirt, balling the material in his fists and pulling you till your chests met. With that he smashed his lips into yours, feeling your hand slip away as you weakened, shocked into stillness.

He wasn't quite sure whether you were actually enjoying yourself or if you were just shellshocked, but he continued to kiss and move against you for a moment before releasing you. When he let go of you and drew away, he watched your unmoving expression, staring at him with parted lips and wide eyes.

"What the fuck was that?"

"... a kiss?" He answered meekly.

"What does it do?"

"You don't know what a kiss is?"

"Malek, I have two trillion different planets that I reap from, all with multiple different societies and beliefs. I'm not going to memorize each of your customs."

"Oh," he said. He would have to devote some time, later on, to let the fact that there were aliens (and a lot of them) truly sink in. "It's a show of affection. It's kind of personal."

"So it is a gift," you said with deep concentration.

"Yeah, I guess you could say that."

"What for?"

"I like you. You're knowledgeable, and kind, and... I think you're pretty," he admitted, almost sheepishly in his low, rough voice.

Flirting with what could essentially be labelled as an eldritch monstrosity was a tad difficult, especially since you were millions of years older than him. From that point of view, he felt more like a child speaking with you, admitting to some silly, meaningless crush.

"You think I'm pretty?" You asked, your voice high pitched and coming out in almost a squeak. He nearly gawked at your reaction.

"Of course I do. Do people not tell you that?"

"I don't really talk to consciousnesses much, Malek. And most people don't find my bipedal form very nice to look at," you said quietly, looking down to the floor with fidgeting fingers.

He reached forward, pulling off your sweatshirt's hood, and allowing the warm light of his kitchen to finally show him the whole of your face. The skin around your eyes still retained that mystical darkness, like the ink of space, surrounding the cosmos of your eyes. It was quite clear now that you were not human, which explained the reasoning of hiding the whole of your whole form. 'Bi-pedal,' you called it––you had to fit in with alien worlds as well as his human world, and thus hiding many parts of yourself was required.

Now he would be the first person, the first creature, the first consciousness, the first life, to see your entirety. No one else had thought to flirt with death, but apparently that was how to avoid it. Ironic, considering the earth phrase 'flirting with death'.

You had gone into such a fluster by his words and actions that you stuttered out instructions for him to stay safe, and promptly disappeared in a cloud of smoke. He wouldn't see you again for three years, which saddened him greatly, but he made sure to remind himself that ten years for him was the blink of an eye for you. 2 trillion planets with life on them needed your attention.

In 3 years he found himself victim of yet another incident. He had been sitting in a donut shop for a little while, enjoying himself on his phone, before another customer entered and began to make a fuss. The man started yelling and he rose to the occasion, stepping over and attempting to take some of the stress off the poor teenager working on the till. Before he knew what was happening, he had a gun in his face, staring down a dark barrel of metal.

"You move and I'll slit your fucking throat," you said, appearing in a flash with your katana pressed against the stranger's throat. "Your gun's on safety mode. It'll take more than one move for you to kill this guy. Want to take that chance?"

The man faltered, and with that you nodded to the cashier, who quickly dialed up the police.

"Put it down, Michael," you said. The man, apparently Michael, slowly looked to you with wide, horrified eyes.

Rami could almost laugh at the incident, but his heart was far too full of fearful adrenaline for him to smile, much less laugh. It all happened so fast. The little bout was won the moment Michael met your eyes. He set the gun on the floor, turning to you with contempt and raised hands.

You waited until the police arrived for the sake of the cashier, but before anyone could question you, you were off again with Rami on your tail. Disappearing in a puff in front of mortals would do you no well, thus you had to start off with walking––something he could certainly follow. 3 years since he'd last seen you––grey had pervaded his hair more and more, skin more freckled and imperfect. You remained as you always were, even 15 years ago.

"Met anyone interesting lately?" He asked when he caught up with you.

Ideas of what creatures you were meeting, the types of things you got yourself into had been a decent source of inspiration for his daydreams. Such was his interest in what you wouldn't tell him that he wrote a screenplay, directed it, and shown it to the world. People often commented on the creativity of his imagination, but he always believed you to be the true source of actual creativity.

Of course, he hadn't ever actually heard about anything that you did. It was purely what he hypothesized.

"I met creatures that reproduced by stringing together DNA by hand. They are new consciousnesses in the cosmos, only recently earned souls... or what you would call, self-awareness," you said, staring ahead to the empty streets lined with cars.

"That's what gives something a soul? Self-awareness?"

"Not quite that simple, but for the most part, yes."

"How long ago did humans earn souls, then?"

"Longer back than you'd imagine. Remember, it's represented as more than self-awareness. It's societies, too, and ants have societies. I can't quite remember, but it was back when you were living in the trees," you said, taking moments to pause and correctly recall the facts.

He continued to walk alongside you for a moment more, pondering upon that information.

"Anyway. That's enough questions from you. What the hell were you doing?!" You said once you were out of sight from the cops, balling his shirt in your fists and forcing him up against a wall. Rami spluttered.

"What the hell were you doing? Aren't you not supposed to interfere with that kind of shit?" He asked, rattled from the sudden movement, and feeling bruises already building in his back. His skin and muscles had become more prone to injury over the years.

"I can do whatever I want. I don't have to worry about losing my mortal body. You're still tethered to this plane!"

"Who cares if I die? Everyone has to at some point, and helping others seems like a good way to die," he said, trying to ignore the aching in his body.

"Don't you have a wife? Kids? Family or friends? You're really ready to leave that all behind at the drop of a hat?" You scanned him.

"I was helping others," he hissed. "And I don't have a wife. Or kids. I've had more important things on my mind."

You watched him for a little while, trying to gauge his thoughts from his eyes. Eventually you released him, letting him drop to the ground, and watching carefully as he brushed off his clothes.

"Why do you want me alive now if I'm going to die soon anyway?"

"You're not going to die soon –"

"Relative to your sense of time, I'm going to die very soon," he interrupted, satisfied when you had no rebuttal. "Why do this? It's not even helping me. I know I won't really disappear when I die."

"Yes, you will. Gods, I shouldn't have told you about anything," you sighed, rubbing your face tiredly. "You misunderstand the concept of death. You, as you are, will not survive. You will disappear. I will carry your memories, but I will not be you. You will not be inside me, your memories will. I'm like a library, not some sort of vacation resort. Are you getting this?"

The blank look on his face told you everything you needed to know.

"There is no heaven or hell and I am not a substitute for their nonexistence! When you die, that's it. You're gone. Forever."

"I became a soul on earth. What about that?"

"Because you weren't fully dead, just separated from your body, like astral projecting. You either return to your body or you really die within a year. And if you try to astral project for that long, even if you do return to your body, you'll lose more and more control of it because you can't remember what it's like to have a physical form. It’s complicated, just – just stop getting in dangerous situations!" You practically yelled, clasping his head in your hands and talking quite loudly right in his face.

"There are a lot of technicalities to death," he said, putting his hands over yours and gently leading them down.

"There are a lot of technicalities to life. Why would I be any different?"

"I know, I just – I guess I don't know. Death, I... is it.. you're the only... consciousness I've ever.. loved," he admitted with a broken voice, unsure of his every word.

Your eyes widened, and you almost stumbled backwards with your own surprise. He kept you from doing so by keeping his grip on your hands.

"You want to know if you can stay with me," you said in an instant, soft realization.

He nodded.

"I don't understand," you murmured, suddenly shy. "I've tried to erase your memory so many times. Why do I keep failing?"

"You said none of your other victims ever spoke with you. I remember you because you're unforgettable, Death. I couldn't let go of you."

No one had ever thought of wooing you. You'd met creatures who tried to seduce you, yes, or to pay you off, but never romantically seek after. This would be the first time in your 14 billion years of being alive that someone did this––spoke sweet words and used your name without fear. Without shame. As though you were something to be honored.

Living things fought you so valiantly, and you loved them for that. Their desire to stay alive, to continue existing even when existing was more painful than simply facing you, to thrive in environments you yourself would've given up in. People were terrified of you. They hated you. Rightfully so––you were an easy scapegoat, something to pin blame on, like the actions of Kings weren't what actually killed them, but were the fault of the one who had to clean up the mess of souls left in an army's wake.

People also romanticized you. Thought of you as something to beat. Something to find beauty in, bliss in that nonexistence. People who hated being alive, who found their worlds too dull, or their minds too plagued with thoughts they couldn't help. It was not a true love––it was a desire to escape what they believed to be an inescapable life.

But people did not honor you. You were not a thing to give gifts to. You were not some sort of god of death––you were death. The essence of it. The misery and grief left in the wake of a taken friend.

Tears welled in your eyes, burning a bright white that trailed down your face like melted silver. The streaks were clear against the shadowed skin of your eyes. Instantly Rami thought he had done something wrong, said something to upset you, but he had no chance to apologize before you disappeared in a puff of smoke. In your wake you had left two tiny little puddles of silver teardrops on the pavement, reflecting sunlight like a mirror.

Years later, when he died, he expected to see you. He crawled out of his body, leaving behind the prolonged ringing of the heart monitor, and drifting away from his family. Long had he expected this, awaited this almost eagerly. But when he died, he was met by a man named Jynq, who went on a long spiel about death and the true meaning of the universe.

"Where is Death?" He asked once Jynq gave him a moment to speak.

"I am Death," he said with a confused frown.

"No, you're one of it's workers. I want to see the real Death," Rami stated firmly.

Jynq's expression fell into seriousness, the polite exterior of a worker making way for his true personality.

"It's on the other side of the universe right now. Several planets have been having a war for a while now, and the deathcount has kept them there for many years now," Jynq answered truthfully.

"Can you take me to them?"

"How do you remember Death?" He rebutted instead.

"They spoke to me. On several occassions. They tried to wipe my memory but it didn't work," he explained.

"You spoke to Death on several occasions?" Jynq asked, his mouth falling open.

"... yes?"

"Alright. I'll take you to it, but the journey will take a while. I hope your soul is resilient," the reaper said.

"Doesn't it take a year for a soul outside the body to die out?"

"Hm. You really did talk to it. But yes," he offered his hand, which Rami took, and they began to ascend towards the heavens, "it takes a year for the average soul to die. This journey will take several years. Are you ready for that kind of commitment?"

"Yes."

There was no spaceship in which to find a home, nor any set spot for rest or food. Neither he nor Jynq required any food or water, and certainly not any sleep, so the method of travel was a long, straight line towards the edge of the universe, unbreaking and unmoving.

Cosmos passed him by, and he became a part of them, leaving behind parts of his essence in the form of star dust that trailed after him. The further and faster he travelled, the more of himself he left behind, till he became a translucent outline of who he used to be. Jynq remained the same, just as you did. He couldn't calculate just how much time had passed, but as more of it did, he got a sense that he was experiencing time at a much faster rate than he imagined. Still, he remained oblivious to how much time was left in the journey.

At times he would go through solar systems, beside stars with planets that certainly carried life. Worlds made of diamonds, suns bigger than the whole of his home solar system, clusters of stardust reforming into young stars. Each of these worlds was one you had met––one you had left your mark on, no matter how young or old.

Life on earth didn't seem quite real when he reached the warring planets. There was so much going on in the universe––things humans would never know about. Worlds full of people that would never be found.

Jynq stopped Rami on the moon of a green planet, keeping him there while he went to go find you. He took the opportunity to sit, to rest after years of drifting through space, and to wonder which thought of his many collected thoughts he should first tell you.

"How in all the fucking WORLDS alive do you keep managing to endanger yourself, even after you die?!" You screamed, appearing in front of him in a millisecond and grasping his face tight again. "Are you insane or something?! Like clinically insane??"

"You've clearly never met someone who's in love with you," he chuckled, taking your hands and, again, gently pulling them away from their tight clutch on his face.

"Ohh, Malek," you said, anger falling away to the aching sorrow in your tone. "Look at you. You're so thin... does it hurt?"

"I feel weak, but I also feel light. I am okay," he assured you. "I left a trail of myself all across the universe. I've given myself back to the stars. Now I want to give what remains of me to you, but I had to talk to you again. Just once more."

"You speak like you’re old," you said with a weak laugh.

"I am old."

"How old do humans live to be?"

"The oldest was around 120 years, I think."

"Oh. Well, then I guess you're a little old. Not to me though," you said, flipping his sheer hands and taking them in yours.

"I'm old enough that I have accepted my own fate. I'm ready for you, Death," he said, his smile only visible in the bits of glittering stardust that made up the frame of his face.

Your smile fell.

"No," you said.

"... no?"

"No. I'm not going to do it," you stated.

"Can you do that? Like, legally?" He asked, quirking a brow.

"Who's going to stop me? I'm Death."

"Good point."

"I just wish I could heal you," you murmured, reaching up to stroke his cheek only to have your thumb fall through his face.

"I don't mind it," he said softly.

"Hmm," you said, taking a moment to think critically. "I think I know how to help you."

You found him a home in the heart of a star––Atlas, a part of the Pleiades that shone bright beside its' sister, Pleione. The intense pressure was lost on both of you as you entered, making your way to the heart, where the elements of matter and life were formed in overbearing heat. As was the nature of space, the center of Atlas was dead silent, leaving you and Rami in a white, detail-less expanse.

Slowly, over the years, parts of his body returned to him, building off the star-lit frame of his soul. As you suspected, the workers of the dead and afterlife were extremely dissatisfied with you, but could do nothing. You were older than all of them, and you decided you could allow yourself this one indulgence––this one moment of straying from the rules that Gods had so often broken.

They allowed you this one comfort: a home in the heart of Atlas, in the arms of a man who had given himself to the world, and then to the universe. The one Death who had taken so much from the universe, who would eventually take everything in the universe, wrapped in the embrace of the one who had given every part of himself to the world he lived in.

#rami malek x reader #rami malek #rami malek x male reader #rami malek x female reader #rami40

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pixiedoodlein · 3 years ago

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10 days until school and I’m no more decided than I was a week ago. I flip flop ten times day about what might be best. A is sick of hearing me talk about it. He doesn’t disagree with my risk assessment but he is sick of talking about it.

It caused an issue with his friend, a friend who is his best friend and is unvaccinated and works in a jail. Months ago we told friend he could only visit (this place is their boyhood dream) once he’s vaccinated. Friend typically believes in science and is very health conscious but his gf is a moron Trump lover and her family the same and that’s who he’s been spending all his time with since this all started. When I asked friend why he’s not vaccinated he said he’s young & healthy, didn’t trust the vaccines, would do it when they got full fda approval. Plenty of young healthy people are dead of this. Anyway then I asked ok so what if you give it to someone who isn’t and dies, people incarcerated in the jail he works in and don’t have the luxury of social distancing, and he was like eh whatever. So yes friend is an asshole, but his best friend for decades, friend has always been kind of an asshole but has many redeeming qualities too. So we said no visit. But then in July when there was no covid here and no covid where he lives and we were blissfully living our covid free lives we loosened up and said he could visit with two negative tests. But then covid got bad again and when asshole friend contacted A the other day to say he took time off in late Sept to visit, A said sorry, it’s fully fda approved now you have no excuses not to vaccinate, we’re worried about our unvaccinated kids, and as of now you can’t visit but hey maybe if you get vaccinated and the numbers look better we can reassess in a month and you can come. Friend was a total dick about it, didn’t understand our point of view at all, stressed A about it, who was in a bad mood about it for days afterward.

Then there’s the neighbors. I had a chat with the kids and a chat with the mom. I framed it as we love them so much and I know they’re careful but I think we should all be more careful while the numbers are so rising (aka only outdoor hangouts) and we are careful but I’ve heard terrifying stories from doctor friends about kids and babies getting very sick, and they have a baby who I don’t want us to make sick, and she said she agreed. The kids have been pretty good about making the adjustment from constant sleepovers to playing outside but M keeps asking me “the kids need to pee are they allowed to use the bathroom, the kids are hungry are they allowed to come inside even for one minute for a snack,” and I feel like the villain (I’ve been saying yes to pee, snacks I’ll bring out). Everyone’s been understanding but nobody is getting what I mean when I say only outdoor socializing. All the kids keep asking me when I’ll take them to town again for ice cream, “but it’s outside” (um yeah but the car’s not), asking their mom to ask me for sleepovers even though they know what the answer will be. The other day they were playing in our yard then it started raining and they were like “we can’t walk home in the rain”- I don’t want them to walk home in the rain, but again the car is indoors!- so I drove them home (but made M stay at our house). They’re not my kids so I can’t make them wear masks and it feels like now I am in the position of being the mean parent who’s psycho about covid, which in a way I am, but it would help me to stick to my guns and feel okay about sticking to them if the government policies matched the severity of the situation, ie mask mandates in public places (instead of stores posting polite recommendations), vaccine mandates, virtual learning options, etc.

Which brings me to school. After selling M hard on real school, then I sold her hard on home school. She already “did” 3rd grade last year (as much as me teaching her in my pajamas counts as doing), but this district has an earlier cut off than the city, so she’s in 3rd grade again here. Which is fine by me- her birthday is the same day as the very late nyc cut off (12/31) and I hated that she was the absolute youngest. I used to beg the school to hold her back and they’d say “but why she’s doing so well!” not understanding that I was thinking ahead to the teen years. But anyway, despite her haphazard pj’d professor, she seemed to learn a lot last year so homeschool this year could basically be unschool. She’d traipse around the forest identifying birds and trees with A and her brother, reading for pleasure, and I’d spend an hour here and there reviewing some worksheets with her so she’d be on track when she starts real school after she gets vaccinated. She was into the idea, until she found out she and one of the neighbor kids are in the same class. Now she absolutely wants to go to real school, AND ride the school bus. The school bus part makes me very nervous. While there is now a school mask mandate (but will it be enforced? what are their lunch procedures, what % of teachers are vaccinated, what % of the older kids in the same building as the little kids are vaccinated, did they actually really update their ventilation system?) and a bus mask rule, it’s a long rural route (15 min drive or 45 min bus) and I have no faith that bus windows will be open and all riders will be masked the whole time.

So just tell her she can go to school but has to be driven by a parent, right? Not so simple. I was offered a job at a (somewhat, commuting distance) nearby nonprofit- an easy low stress job in a bastion of liberalism with very very nice smart coworkers, excellent work life balance, a writing job that sounds made for me, like the job description is exactly what I would put together if I were putting together my dream job (except the pay, which is half what I was making at a fancy DC nonprofit, but high for this area, and our housing cost is half so it should be fine if A can get away from little guy long enough to bring in some money too). It’s mostly remote but approx one day a week in the office and some days there will be things I need to attend out in the community (not necessarily our community, they serve the whole region). It won’t always be the same day in the office and the office is an hour away- so on those days A would have no car to get her to and from school, since I’d need to leave before school starts and get home after it’s done. So I guess we need to buy a new car? Aside from this issue we really don’t need a second car now, were planning to get one eventually, but not until A’s business has enough projects to justify the cost.

Despite its many demands/challenges/ stressors, home school is sounding easier to me at this point (especially because she already did this grade), except she WANTS to go to school. Someone talk me out of putting some lipstick and a pantsuit on her and taking her to get vaccinated. I know, I know: the 5-11 dosage is 1/3 of the 12-adult dosage. The doctors I’ve spoken to are split on this hypothetical kamikaze mission. The doctors I’ve spoken to are also split on me and A going to a pharmacy now for booster. It’s been almost 6 months since our 2nd dose. We do not have compromised immune systems. This county has way more doses than demand and I would feel better sending M to school (bus or not) if we had our boosters and she had a first dose- moral and scientific quandaries aside- because there is A LOT of covid here now, a lot of covid everywhere now, and I feel like we are returning to regular life at the time when we should be most hunkered down.

Which brings me to the data. Per capita there are as many known cases here as in nyc, except nyc has a 50% higher vax rate, much more mask usage, better medical system. People are not getting enough tests here, there is a higher positivity rate, and so I think the actual number of cases is much higher than the reported number of cases. It seems like, friends here and in the city and in the suburbs (I just broke up with a friend in the suburbs because she professes to be a good democrat but is hosting a bonafide super spreader event and vacationing in a place with 39% positivity and a collapsed health care system), are thinking of covid as something you catch from strangers- they wear masks in stores- but aren’t careful at all around close friends and family (so many extended family gatherings, so many, cousins and grandparents and half-siblings and aunts and uncles and whoever), when this is a disease that kills via the people you love most, the ones who’d never intentionally hurt you.

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urboymutual · 2 years ago

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hi, a veteran of parental deterfifying process. rule number one is that you've got to be patient - and not in a way that you've got to put up with your mom's bs, but in a way that you've got to brace yourself for something that might take a while. small steps are good here, as well as systematic exposure. don't flood with information - sneak it in, then sneak it in more often. don't give up. you deserve to be understood. good luck & stay safe

hi anon thanks for actually like . replying to the point of the original post 😭💗

um im gonna explain my situation more under the read more because it may be triggering tw transphobia tw csa mention tw suicide mention

so ive been out since i was 14 years old so its been about 6 years i wanna say. but lord knows ive been patient 😭😭 i think in the beginning it was kinda a battle we would constantly argue but i never really felt like. she would get to be this bad? like its like her brain is rotting by t/rf and anti trans rhetoric

like when i came out i was already in therapy and all the therapist i went to diagnosed me with gender dysphoria 😭 like every single one and she still couldnt believe it and i guess she was in the denial stage and what shes doing now is anger?

idk both my parents have the belief im doing it to make my mom made because i was a rebellious child and shit. but like it was really ur typical religious bigotry and i think thats why it hurts now :/

like ive begged her to go to pflag to talk to other parents of trans people i begged her to talk to trans people besides me ive begged her to listen to my point of view so many times but now shes like a full on t/rf conspiracy theorist

she claims theres a trans agenda, that doctors have initiative to "turn people trans" for money, that "sickos" took transgender out of the dsm because "men have a sick fetish for humiliating other men and making them into women" like this is full on like ur crazy trumper uncle who doesnt believe in vaccines type shit. and when i offer her scientific research its considered "bias" and everything i try to show her is bias.

but its worse because she now sends me videos in my fucking email of "feminist" lawyers talking about how we are "losing women" to the "transgender agenda" and how "men are trying to be women to hurt women" like ur typical t/rf bullshit and its like a mixed fucked up concoction of anti science t/rf christian ideology and it hurts so much 🫠 (she also sends me de transitioning videos that neither here nor there but cis people who claimed to be trans and now are de transitioning and are transphobic as fuck can die by my blade)

but its like . she is serious brainwashed and i think it might be this new church shes going to thats making her even worse and im like. i literally cried myself to sleep last night because like i just want her to love me and she yells at me on the phone saying im butchering my body and like she also says i need more therapy (i go to therapy every month) bc i "was molested as a kid so now i think im trans" and that i "just need to love my body" and it hurts because like. shes literally hitting every single transphobic point and wont listen to me ever

i try listening to her now to understand and to try to see where she is coming from but its ruining my mental health a lot like getting top surgery is the only thing keeping me from suicide to be blunt :/ and now i might not even have that because she's threatening to cut me off and i live in expensive ass california and am in college 😭 like i do not know how to keep going

im just a child on the inside begging for my moms love and shes so brainwashed and it hurts. but yeah i guess shes "so based" when she also threatens me on the phone. idk t/rf much rather see a dead trans kid than care abt women

anyways sorry this is so long it kinda became a vent which was like half the original point of my post in the first place 😭😭 ur advice is good anon but i dont know how much i can keep hanging on 🫠🫠

#tw suicide mention #tw transphobia #tw csa mention #sorry about the long post #im just so #i feel like im drowning

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i-like-plan-m · 4 years ago

Note

Could you do a modern au with famous parents Wei Wuxian and Lan Wangji and baby a-yuan being adorable and being loved by their fans?

this was fun, thank you! [Posted to Ao3]

The video was short and packed with Wei Ying’s rapid-fire chatter, a response to his recent fan-selected award after a landslide of votes had catapulted him to the top of a long list of very accomplished actors. He’d spent the last hour trading off between screaming into a pillow and wandering around in dazed disbelief until Wen Qing, acting in her capacity as his agent, had bullied him into making a quick thank you video.

Wei Ying kept it quick and crammed as much of his gratitude and excitement into it as he could, though he was careful to keep the screen confined to the office space Lan Zhan had designed for him. It was a live video, since that seemed to be what fans preferred these days, so he angled the camera carefully away from anything incriminating.

And by incriminating he meant “any sign that Wei Ying had a life outside of acting.”

The door was closed, and the room held no identifying pictures or objects. Wei Ying had come to treasure his privacy, and was fierce about protecting the details of his personal life out of the hands of his thousands of fans. Enough that no one outside of their families even knew they were friends, much less married with a son.

Lan Zhan, of course, hated the riot of noise and flashing lights that accompanied Wei Ying anywhere in public. As one of the foremost violinists in this hemisphere, he had his own level of fame, but his fans were less likely to screech like a banshee upon seeing him. And they had A-Yuan to protect now, and keeping him out of the spotlight was the safest way to do so.

His oversight was not locking the door. A rookie parenting mistake.

A-Yuan burst through the door like the Kool-Aid Man about ten seconds into Wei Ying’s final thank you speech, his damp hair sticking up in downy tufts and his little body swamped by one of Wei Ying’s softest threadbare t-shirts.

“Baba!” He shouted at the top of his tiny but incredibly powerful lungs. “There’s a bird in the house!”

Wei Ying watched the dismay cross his face in real time on the phone screen, followed by alarm when his son’s words finally registered. “There’s a what in the house?” He asked as he whipped his head around, the live stream momentarily forgotten.

“A bird!” A-Yuan said excitedly, hopping over to him when the shirt got tangled around his feet. Wei Ying scooped him up before he tumbled face-first to the floor. His son gripped his shirt and leaned in until their noses were nearly touching, eyes wide and bright over the commotion. “Can we keep it?”

There was an angry shriek from the kitchen that suggested the bird would not appreciate such an invitation.

“Where is your dad?” Wei Ying asked instead of answering, phone shoved hastily into his pocket when a crash sounded in the house.

“He’s hiding Popcorn and Jelly Bean,” A-Yuan reported. Wei Ying’s smile was fond; of course Lan Zhan would stash the bunnies safely away. “He told me to wait for him, but I didn’t want you to be scared! It’s okay to be scared, though,” he said earnestly, his little face solemn and so reminiscent of Lan Zhan that Wei Ying had to stop and shower kisses all over his face.

“When’d you get to be so smart, huh?” Wei Ying asked when A-Yuan was breathless with laughter and squirming so much he nearly dropped him.

“Baba,” he complained, flopping over his shoulder with a huff. “That’s what you said.”

“Ha! Of course you’re smart, then, if you’re learning from me!”

“Wei Ying.” Lan Zhan’s low voice had him turning and tightening his grip on A-Yuan when he wriggled happily at the sight of his other father.

“I hear we have an intruder,” Wei Ying said, grinning widely at his husband.

Exasperation crossed Lan Zhan’s face. “It flew in by mistake,” he said, but then he glanced at A-Yuan with a wry smile.

“By mistake, huh?” Wei Ying bounced his son in his arms, grinning when A-Yuan giggled and fisted his hands in his shirt to cling to for balance. “And what, pray tell, were you doing when this bird wandered into our home?”

A-Yuan blinked big, dark eyes at him with utter innocence. “Playing!”

“Mhm. And what were you playing?” Wei Ying leaned cautiously around the corner to peer into the kitchen, wincing when the unfortunately large bird spotted him and screeched furiously.

“Um.” A-Yuan thought for a moment. “The bunnies wanted to see outside.”

“Did they?” Wei Ying asked, trading a glance with Lan Zhan, who then scowled at the bird now stabbing its beak angrily at the plants on top of the cabinets.

A-Yuan nodded seriously. “Yes, they told me.”

“So you took the bunnies onto the balcony?” Wei Ying prompted.

“They aren’t allowed outside unless someone is with them,” A-Yuan repeated, which, okay, at least he remembered some of the rules. They’d have to work on ensuring he understood the rules were for him, not their fuzzy little pets. “I carried Jellybean outside so she could see the clouds! One looked like a dinosaur, baba. She wanted to see.”

“Oh, well, in that case.” He had a good idea of what had happened here. The ‘not going outside without someone to watch you’ rule had somehow been transferred into ‘you can go outside alone as long as you’re watching the bunnies,’ because that was the logic of a four year old.

“And then the bird?” Lan Zhan asked, clearly also aware of the chain of events that had led to them cowering in the hallway as a baffled and irate bird rushed around their kitchen in a destructive-sounding temper tantrum.

A-Yuan cuddled closer to Wei Ying as though sensing an impending punishment. Wei Ying rolled his eyes; Lan Zhan would fold in a heartbeat under that big-eyed stare, and it would be left to Wei Ying to remind them both why humans under three feet tall weren’t allowed on the balcony alone.

“The bird wanted to play with Jellybean,” A-Yuan said. Wei Ying’s jaw dropped.

“The bird wanted to play with Jellybean,” Lan Zhan repeated slowly.

“Yes! It flew down super fast! And it landed right beside me! Then we went inside, because Popcorn was all alone, and the bird came inside to see him too!”

“Okay,” Wei Ying said in a strangled voice, and it took a heroic effort to keep the laughter at bay. “A-Yuan, why don’t you go check on the bunnies, okay? We’re going to go help the bird get back home.”

A-Yuan craned his neck around to peer into the kitchen. “It sounds pretty mad,” he said doubtfully.

“We will talk to it,” Lan Zhan assured him, and they waited until A-Yuan had scampered out of sight to stare at each other with wide eyes.

“Oh my god. Oh my god.”

Lan Zhan pinched the bridge of his nose. “The bunnies were almost eaten.”

“Our son was almost traumatized for life,” Wei Ying said, choking on a laugh. “Lan Zhan, he almost witnessed a double homicide on our own balcony.” He wheezed with laughter, clutching his ribs.

“We will install higher locks,” Lan Zhan said grimly.

“Either that or buy a baby backpack leash,” Wei Ying agreed, and grinned widely at Lan Zhan’s sigh. “I’m just saying, the kid is going to keep on growing. He’s too smart for his own good, too.”

“What do we do about the bird?” Lan Zhan asked, absently stroking a hand along Wei Ying’s spine when he leaned against his side.

“Hell if I know. Maybe Wen Ning will know what to do. He knows things like this, right?”

“He is a vet,” Lan Zhan said dryly. “I should hope so.”

“I’ll call him,” Wei Ying decided. “We should probably feed him while he’s over here. As payment, you know. Not many friends would come wrestle with a wild bird on a Friday night for us.”

“I think the bird would object if I tried to cook,” Lan Zhan said, surly. He made a sound of distress. “Wei Ying, it’s in the pantry.”

“It’s deciding what it wants for dinner, Lan Zhan. Better pay attention or it’ll go for the bunnies again!” Lan Zhan looked at him, appalled, and he couldn’t bite back the tide of laughter.

“Ridiculous,” Lan Zhan muttered.

“You married me,” Wei Ying pointed out. “No take backs.”

Lan Zhan softened like he did every time Wei Ying brought up their marriage. Pressed a kiss to his forehead and agreed, “No take backs.”

And then a moment later— “But leave the bunnies out of this.”

His Lan Zhan was so soft hearted, Wei Ying thought, so full of love he could burst.

“Yeah, yeah, I know where I rank,” Wei Ying said, entirely teasing. He pulled his phone out of his pocket, still grinning up at Lan Zhan as his husband gave an exasperated sigh.

The grin fell right off his face at the sight of his phone screen, which was open. And recording. And so full with rapid-fire comments that the actual video screen was barely visible.

“Oh no,” he said. “Oh no. Lan Zhan.”

“What’s wrong?” Lan Zhan asked, glancing worriedly at him and then down to the screen when Wei Ying couldn’t tear his eyes away from it.

Wei Ying looked up slowly, so guilty he felt sick with it. “It’s been recording this whole time,” he whispered.

He must have looked really bad, because Lan Zhan ignored the phone entirely and pulled him close, holding one of Wei Ying’s palms flat against his chest and breathing slowly and deliberately until he matched his own breathing to Lan Zhan’s. The familiar routine soothed the edges of anxiety that were rapidly blooming into a panic attack, and he swallowed hard and dropped his forehead against Lan Zhan’s shoulder until he could think straight.

“I’m—“

“No apologies,” Lan Zhan reminded him in a murmur so low against his ear that the phone couldn’t have picked it up. “It was an accident. We knew this wouldn’t last forever, and I’m not ashamed of you or A-Yuan. It’s okay Wei Ying.”

“But I fucked up,” Wei Ying mumbled into his neck, clinging like A-Yuan after a bad dream.

“You had an intruder to welcome,” Lan Zhan said, amused. Wei Ying risked a glance up and found that Lan Zhan was smiling, not even a hint of worry on his face.

“Might as well run with it, I guess,” he said with a hesitant smile.

Lan Zhan pressed a kiss to his hair. “Might as well.”

Wei Ying smiled for real now, bright and unrestrained as he lifted the camera away from the floor. “Uh. Hi, everyone! Wow, there are a lot of you. Lan Zhan, this is like, triple the people who were watching it at the beginning. I think I’m offended.”

“Wei Ying.”

“Right, right. So… surprise!” He laughed at a few of the comments, and then they winced in tandem at the loud bang and squawk from the kitchen. “There’s another surprise for all of us tonight, it seems. Look who showed up and just let herself right in!” He flipped the camera around just in time to catch the bird’s beady eyes glaring at them from atop the fridge.

“Can you believe this?” Wei Ying slipped into his usual stream-of-consciousness chatter, free hand tucked into Lan Zhan’s as the pitter patter of little feet trotted down the hall towards them, announcing A-Yuan’s return.

He segued into talking about his husband and son, hesitant at first from years of absolute silence on the topic. Half an hour, a miraculously unscathed Wen Ning and a freed bird later, Wei Ying ended the video and set his phone aside, feeling a little wrung out from the evening’s events.

His phone buzzed. “Jiang Cheng wants to know why we’re trending on twitter. Ha! Get a bird stuck in your house and maybe you’ll become a twitter sensation, A-Cheng!”

He glanced over at A-Yuan, who had his face pressed to the glass door to the balcony in a futile search for the bird. “Time for that talk?” He asked, nudging Lan Zhan with a pointed nod.

Lan Zhan looked shifty. “The bunnies weren’t actually hurt.”

“So… a lecture about the dangers of balconies, but not about the bunny jailbreak and near-execution?”

“That seems fair.”

Fair. Yeah, right. Lan Zhan just couldn’t handle a few distraught tears from their child who absolutely realized this weakness and happily exploited it. “You realize we’re a couple of suckers, right?”

Lan Zhan shrugged. “I’m okay with it.”

Yeah, Wei Ying thought, giving in with a sigh. So was he.

#prompts #asks #the untamed #mdzs #wangxian #wei wuxian #lan wangji #a yuan #wen yuan #lan sizhui #parents lan wangji and wei wuxian #wen ning #celebrity au #modern au #modern universe #2020cumdump

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avengerscompound · 4 years ago

Text

It’s You and Me - Chapter 2

It’s You and Me: A Hawkeye Fanfic

Series Masterlist PREVIOUS //

Buy me a ☕ Character Pairing: Clint Barton x F!Reader

Word Count: 1530

Rating: E

Warnings: Mentions of child abuse (including sexual), mentions of underage porn, snakes

Synopsis: You and Clint Barton go way back. Since you joined the circus as a child, he took it upon himself to keep you away from the people who really wanted to hurt you. For years the two of you danced a line between dark and light.

When he chooses light the two of you go your separate ways.

Fifteen years later he tracks you down. Those feelings the two of you shared never went away, but now he is not only an Avengers but a single father. Can the two of you make it work after all this time when your lives have gone in such different directions?

A series told in flashbacks and current day.

Chapter 2: Then

Clint had heard word about your arrival at the circus before he even saw you. ‘Did you hear about the new girl?’ ‘Have you seen the new girl?’ ‘What do you know about the new girl?’

The circus was family and that family didn’t take new members very often. They were picky about who was included. Many would think that exclusivity would come out of a need for skilled performers. That the new members would have to have something to bring to the big top. A talent that could be sold. A new member would need to be able to walk a tightrope or swing on a trapeze. Or at least have something special about them that people might pay money to see.

That wasn’t true at all. The only thing you needed to join the Tiboldt Circus was to be desperate. There was always a skill you could learn that would make you useful to the circus, and there were a lot of roles to fill. It wasn’t unless you were truly desperate and you had no one else to turn that the circus would take you in.

So before Clint had even seen you, he’d heard all kinds of rumors about you, but the only thing he knew for sure was that you were desperate - because if you weren’t, you wouldn’t be here.

He first spotted you coming out of Jacques’ trailer, frowning and straightening your clothes. There was at least one rumor about you that had been true. You were young. At a guess, Clint would have said fifteen. You were at that awkward, in-between phase where you were just starting to show the outlines of the adult you’d become, but you definitely were not an adult. The fact you were coming out of Jacques’ trailer meant you were more desperate than Clint had thought, and it made the archers’ blood boil.

He stormed over to the trailer and slammed the door open. “What the hell is wrong with you?” Clint shouted. Jacques was putting away the camera he’d just used to take your pictures. He still tried to hide what he was doing with the girls he brought in here. Everyone knew, but knowing and having evidence were two different things. “She’s a kid you fucking pervert.”

Jacques looked at Clint incredulously. “She has to pull her weight and with no skills, that gives her something to do.”

“That’s what you call something to do?” Clint shouted. “You’re a disgusting creep. Leave her out of your fucking bullshit porn ring, you fucking monster.”

Jacques pulled himself up to his full height. To the small boy who had been beaten by his parents and foster parents, the full six feet and four inches that the Swordsman stood were intimidating. Now Clint was seventeen and could match Jacques both in height and skill, he was no longer scared of his mentor. “I promised you that I’d never hit you, Clint,” Jacques snapped. “Don’t make me a liar. This is none of your business. I didn’t do anything she didn’t agree to.”

“And what did you promise her to make her agree to anything, huh?” Clint snarled back. “Fucking sicko.”

Jacques poked Clint hard in the sternum. “You know the rules. We don’t snitch on family. Now go sulk about it, like you always do.”

Clint huffed and turned around, slamming the door behind him. The circus was the safest place he had ever known, but there were times like this he wanted to burn it to the ground. He stalked off in the direction he had seen you head off in. Of all the shitty things that the circus pulled, Jacques’ photography was the worst one. He targeted underage girls, and it made Clint sick to know there was nothing he could do about it that wouldn’t have him kicked out onto the street.

He found you over near the animals getting a little too close to the tigers. “That looks like as good a way to end it all as any,” Clint said.

You spun around and assumed a defensive position. Clint was reminded of a wolverine for a moment. Small but all teeth and claws. It spoke a lot about what you must have been through that you were so young and so ready to fight.

“They’re tame aren’t they?” You asked.

“Not that tame,” Clint replied. “They need to get to know you first.”

“Oh,” you said, disappointment etched on your features.

“You like animals, huh?” Clint asked.

You backed away from him a little, getting closer still to the tigers. Clint held his hands up and stepped back. “Seriously, kid,” he said. “I know your experience might say otherwise, but those guys are the bigger threat. I’m not going to touch you, okay?”

“Lots of people say that,” you said.

“Did Jacques touch you?” Clint asked.

You looked at him with your eyes narrowed, sizing him up for a moment, before shaking your head.

“Took your pictures though, right?” He asked.

He didn’t need to elaborate. You knew what he meant by taking your pictures and you dropped your eyes and nodded.

“You shouldn’t have let him do that,” Clint said.

“He said I had to if I wanted to stay,” you said. “Said it would just be pictures of me. Nothing else. And you and I both know there are worse things than some pictures.”

Clint sighed and nodded. “Yeah, unfortunately, I do,” he agreed. “But you don’t gotta do that. They just want you to contribute. That’s all. They tried to get me to do things I didn’t want to do. So I learned archery instead.”

You looked at him suspiciously. “What could I do? I don’t know how to do anything.”

“I could teach you,” Clint said. “Acrobatics. How to fight. Make it so no one ever touches you again. Unless you want them to.”

You didn’t say anything. To be honest, Clint hadn’t expected you to. He knew what it was like to be in your position. Back then he would hide behind Barney and let him do all the talking and make all the decisions. Clint had been so angry and mistrustful back then. To be fair, that hadn’t changed too much. With all the criminal activity that happened here, he still didn’t trust the people he considered family. He still held on to a lot of anger too and it would come out in violent bursts of rage without a target to aim it at.

But he wanted to be better and to do better, and maybe he could save you from the shit that this place could drag you into and have it just be a safe spot.

“I get it,” Clint said with a nod. “You don’t trust me. I wouldn’t either. But, I’ll be around. And if you like I can talk to someone who works with the animals. You can start by helping them out.”

“You’d do that?” You asked.

Clint nodded. “Yeah. We aren’t all shit. But you’ll probably be shoveling a lot of it.”

You laughed. It didn’t last long. More of a puff of air than anything. But for a brief moment, a smile passed over your face, and it had been the first one he’d seen you wear.

“Just… keep away from Jacques,” Clint said. “You don’t answer to him. He’s not the boss here.”

You nodded again and seemed to go to say something, though you quickly changed your mind when two women appeared around the side of the tent. Side-by-side they could have been sisters, standing the same height, with a similar complexion. Even their hair was a similar color, though one’s sat in long, tight curls and the other was shorter and straighter. The main difference between them was the woman on the right was covered in tattoos and the one on the left had unblemished skin. She also carried a large python that had curled its way around her.

“Clint, there you are,” the tattooed woman said. “I’ve been looking for you everywhere.”

“I’ve been around,” Clint said, trying to play it cool. He’d had a crush on Eden for a while now, and recently it seemed to be reciprocated. “Eden, Zelda this is… uhh…” He paused and looked at you, realizing he didn’t know your name. Thankfully you took the queue and quickly gave it to the two women. “Zelda, you think you might have anything for her to do? She likes animals.”

“You okay with snakes, sweetie?” Zelda asked.

“Oh yeah,” you said, quickly. “I think they’re really cool.”

“Come with me then,” she said. “You can help me with the snakes. Maybe I’ll talk to Tarrax or Major -” she looked over at Clint. “Cleaning up elephant shit won’t be enough for long, you know?”

Clint nodded. “I know.”

You followed after Zelda and Clint turned his attention to Eden. “So you were looking for me, huh?”

Eden smirked and approached him. “Was thinking we could go into the town. See what trouble we can get into.”

Clint held out his elbow out to her. “Darlin’, knowing you, it will be quite a lot.”

// NEXT

#clint barton #clint barton x reader #hawkeye #hawkeye fanfic #fanfic #fanfiction #reader insert #it's you and me

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prettywordsyouleft · 4 years ago

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Christmas Is: The Star On Top

Pairing: Park Chanyeol x female reader

Genre: Christmas au / childhood friends to lovers / fluff

Warnings: competitive nature towards a darn tree, lol.

A/N: Welcome to the first story in our collab, Christmas Is! I based my idea a bit off of how my younger brother and I would fight over who would get to put the star on the tree as kids. I hope you enjoy!

Word count: 2134

The Star On Top | Noche Buena | A Series Of Unfortunate Events, Not By Lemony Snicket | The One Carol | Naughty Santa

This collab will be shared daily during 14-18 December.

You could sense the urgency brewing as the decorations container emptied, your own little hands reaching for two baubles instead of one, hoping that would give you an advantage. Yet he was right on your tail, both vying for the prized jewel that was nestled at the bottom.

The star.

Each year you fought over who would put the star on the tree and even if you were only eight, you knew that it would be another battle royale over who would get to put it on. Especially since last year, it wasn’t you who was victorious.

“It’s my turn!” you proclaimed loudly to the adults who watched on with loose interest, too busy catching up on the year thus far. Reaching for the star, you held it up with pride. “Ready?! I’ll put it on perfectly!”

“Nuh-uh!” the fellow child in the room stated, snatching the star out of your grip easily. It helped that he was at least a good hand taller than you by now. Chanyeol snickered. “I was faster. You still have a decoration in your hand to hang up, Y/N!”

“But you did it last year!”

“So, it’s the first to finish decorating!”

Glancing at the tree, you pointed to an overcrowded area. “You didn’t do a good job!”

“So fix it!”

“You fix it!”

“Chanyeol, Y/N, calm down,” your father called, and you immediately burst into tears. The paternal figure came over to rub your back gently. “Why are you crying, poppet?”

“Chanyeol is trying to put the star on the tree again. He did it last year! It’s my turn now!”

“You got to do it two years in a row!”

“Only because you were sick!” you refuted.

You didn’t know why putting the star on the tree had become a big deal to you at such a young age. You took it far too seriously, and over the last few years, you and Chanyeol had increasingly gotten quite competitive for the spot each Christmas. You assumed it had something to do with your brother being older and uncaring for things like tinsel and Christmas lights whilst the magic of this time of year always enchanted you. Chanyeol was similar, and when your families met up for the annual cabin retreat mid-December, you barely settled your luggage down in your room before pouncing on one of the adults about setting up the tree – usually with Chanyeol echoing the same excited whining.

And then the race would begin.

Forever the diplomat, your father looked at you both, rubbing at his brow line before chuckling heartily. “Do we still have to go through this each year?”

You both nodded adamantly.

“Well, I think we should do it this way. Each of you grab a side of the star.”

“But that’s not fair!” Chanyeol whined as you stomped your foot in agreement.

“He’s taller than me, how do I reach the top if I’m trying to hold on, Daddy?!”

“Chanyeol can use the stool,” your father recommended, and his hands reached out for your waist. “You can use my helpful shoulders, poppet!”

It wasn’t ideal, and you both sneered at one another with impertinence as you got ready.

“Hang on, let me grab my camera out,” Chanyeol’s mother called, soon ready for the usual photograph that was snapped at the end of each tree decorating session.

You didn’t smile, and Chanyeol was definitely scowling. His hot little hand kept inching for more of the star, and just as the countdown hit one, he pulled most of it out of your hand, beaming as he placed it on the tree.

You, of course, were caught crying and pointing accusingly in his direction.

One day, you’d end all this nonsense with him once and for all.

However, it wasn’t going to be this Christmas that you did so.

Even now, as adults yourself, it was ingrained in you both to arrive at the cabin and pull out the tree right away. Chanyeol glanced at you and grinned. “Nice to see you here, Y/N.”

“We drove up here together, you idiot,” you shot back, unwinding the lights from the box.

“Ready for another battle?”

“Can’t we just be grown up about this?” you wondered innocently, before lassoing the tree Chanyeol was still setting up on its legs. He gaped at you as you giggled, the slackness of the rope of lights sliding down to the bottom easily.

Over the years, you had each gained enough experience on how efficient your tree wielding skills could be. You had equally figured the other’s weaknesses too. You were good at the lights, but for some reason, tinsel and you didn’t agree. Chanyeol could dress the tree in the sparkly stuff but would easily overcrowd a section with more than one of the same coloured bauble or ornament and would have to rearrange multiple times. Still, it always came down to the final moment on who would win the star to put on the top. You each had your fair share of putting it up, and the scores were pretty even by now.

You didn’t know how it would play out this year, no matter how good your strategy was each time.

“Yeolie, you put two green baubles side by side again!” you called out gleefully, just for the man to shunt you away from your task of placing some up higher.

He smirked. “Why do you always aim for the top, Y/N? You stopped growing when you were thirteen. Stick to the bottom and let me get the top since I can with ease.”

“Mm, you’re right. Your back will break if you have to bend down too low, isn’t that right, giant?”

“Not funny.”

“Nor is you poking fun at my height. That’s why stools were invented.”

“Be careful, you know the legs on that thing have had to hold a lot of you over the years. It’s rickety.”

You gaped at his low blow until you felt it wobble under your hasty step up.

Grabbing your waist and righting you, time seemed to stop still.

So, you both hadn’t exactly lost your competitive nature about dressing the tree, but things had changed between you recently. You smiled tenderly at the man still holding you and cupped his jaw in your palm. “Thank you for saving me.”

“I couldn’t let you fall, now could I?”

“Mm,” you hummed, hovering your mouth over his. You felt his breath hitch and grinned at how easy his desires came to the surface. Reaching down, you unhooked the ornaments from his finger. “Also, thanks for handing me these.”

“You’re wel- HEY!”

“All is fair in love and war, Yeol.”

“The day I fell in love with you was a curse,” he grumbled, right as the front door to the cabin opened.

You each stopped to greet your parents and family members fondly.

Laughing, Chanyeol’s father pointed at the half decorated tree. “You two never change, do you?”

“Even arriving early this time to get it going,” your brother commented as he placed his one-year old daughter on the floor. “Your commitment is impressive.”

“Leave them be, they love this part to the holidays here,” your mother mentioned, now fussing over her grandchild.

Ignoring the chatter in the great room, you nodded at your partner in crime and got back to it. Most of your jibs at one another were playful, although there was a whole lot more touching than there had been as children. But the same heightened breathing and focus remained when the decoration box was nearly empty.

“This year is my year,” you confirmed, and Chanyeol shook his head.

“No way, am I letting you cheat me out of another turn.”

“You did that to me so many times,” you laughed, encircling his waist with one arm.

Chanyeol equally entrapped you at his side. “Nice try, I’m not going to fall for your charms twice this Christmas.”

“Why? Is it because last Christmas I fell for yours and ended up in this predicament with you?”

“Our relationship is a predicament now?!”

“Well, it sure isn’t something either of us could predict, now is it?”

“We all did,” your parents agreed with ease, and you laughed when you glanced over at them.

“You’re just saying that because you wanted further ties between the decades of friendships you have,” Chanyeol pointed out and you nodded. “You’ve been priming us for this moment for our whole lives.”

“And it took you both exceptionally long to do as we wanted,” your father teased, the group of parents all laughing between one another.

You rolled your eyes and turned to look in the box. “Hey, where is the star?”

“What?”

“Chanyeol! Where did you hide it this time?!”

“I didn’t! Stop trying to prank me, Y/N.”

You shook your head. “I really don’t have it. And if you don’t…”

“Oh, Matilda, look at you!” your father crooned at his grandchild, scooping her up into his arms.

It was then when you saw what she held and gasped noisily.

“Camera time!” Chanyeol’s mother cried, and before you could react, your niece had stolen the show and put the star on top of the tree.

She clapped excitedly as all the adults, aside from both you and Chanyeol, exclaimed over her efforts.

“But she didn’t even help us decorate the tree,” Chanyeol lamented softly, and you groaned.

“That was always the rule when we were growing up.”

“Now we’ve been tricked by a one-year old,” he surmised as you both sighed heavily.

“I’m not decorating the tree next year. She can drag it out and decorate it herself.”

“I’ve never seen two bitter faces in all my life,” your brother commented, shaking his head at you. “Face it, there’s a new generation in town.”

“Yeol, we need to have a baby.”

Not even hesitating to agree with you, Chanyeol nodded. “Then our child can take on Matilda.”

“And we’ll see who gets to put the star on top then!”

Glancing at one another, you then started to laugh, shaking your heads at your combined failure.

Later in the evening, when you had retired to your bedroom, Chanyeol smiled at you when he returned from using the shower. “Still butthurt that your niece robbed us of victory?”

“I guess we’re adults now. The fun over Christmas for us is done.”

“Until we have our own kid,” he teased, running a hand over your stomach fondly. “Not anytime soon, though.”

“Our parents were cruel for letting us get so out of control about a silly tree,” you told him as he climbed into the bed beside you and the man hummed positively. “Our child won’t have to battle for any glory like that. We’ll just buy a second tree and let them decorate it.”

“Why didn’t our parents do that for us? It would have saved me from getting bitten by you when you were ten.”

“And the black eye I got from you at twelve.”

“That was an accident, and you know it!” Chanyeol chuckled and pulled you into his arms.

“We have so many fond memories here over the years. When the tree escapade was over, we really played well together.”

Kissing the side of your head, Chanyeol grinned. “Now we play a little too well together.”

“Not tonight Yeol, I’m tired.”

“Can I give you a present early, though?” he wondered, and you glanced up at your partner curiously. It was then that you saw how anxious he was. Sitting up a little, you waited for further information. “I might have missed out on putting the star on top of the tree this year, but can I put a star on you?”

“Huh?”

Slipping out a simple ring, Chanyeol held it up so the light would reflect and make the stone sparkle. “Let’s get married, Y/N.”

“Oh my God… of course!”

As he slid the ring on your finger, your emotions rose. Chanyeol beamed with satisfaction once it reached the base of your finger. “Well, I got to put the star on top after all.”

“Wait. I lost, once again?!”

“Isn’t marrying me a win?”

“But you beat me to do it!”

“Were you going to propose?”

“Maybe!”

Pulling you into his arms as he laughed, Chanyeol peppered you in kisses to distract you. It ended in a passionate embrace, and when you moved back to catch some air, your newly-officiated fiancé nuzzled your nose. “Since I got to do this first, you can put my wedding band on first.”

You grinned. “You know the way to my heart, Park Chanyeol.”

“And you already have mine completely, future Mrs Park.”

“So maybe… I’m not as tired as I thought.”

“Is that so?” he mused, kissing you several times. “Merry Christmas, my little star.”

______________

Next: Noche Buena

[Christmas 2020 Masterlist] | [Main Masterlist] | [Request Guidelines]

#kwritersworldnet #kdiarynet #park chanyeol #chanyeol fiction #chanyeol fanfic #chanyeol fluff #chanyeol au #exo #exo fiction #exo fanfic #exo fluff #exo au #christmas is collab #kpop fiction #kpop fanfic #kpop fluff

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imagines-by-a-typical-fangirl · 4 years ago

Text

Californian Dream (Pt. 09 of 11)

Pairing: Billy Hargrove X Reader

Word count: 2.9 K

Summary: Being part of one of the richest families of California doesn't mean you're happy. Your life is boring, and you're surrounded by meaningless people and their meaningless talk. Even during Summer, with the break you have from college, there's nothing good going on. Nothing but the new pool guy, Billy, the most handsome man you ever saw. You were successfully avoiding him, not wanting to act like an idiot in front of the guy until Billy accepts to be your date for a fancy gala you're forced to attend. The night was going well, even better when he sneaked you out to go to the beach. But a gang of criminals breaks into the party, kidnapping the heirs to the wealthiest families, which includes you. So, for your safety, your parents want you to stay with Billy, living in his apartment until the criminals are caught. And that could take weeks, maybe even months.

Warnings: Light violence

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{Stranger Things Masterlist}

{Dacre Montgomery Masterlist}

Future

For the third time today, you hit Jimmy with the fins as you walk by, pretending you didn't notice. He groans and you bite back a giggle. “If you do that again, I swear I'll fire you.” He sings songs, putting the price tags on the new regulators that got here today.

“You can't fire me. I'm very good at selling stuff.” Putting the fins on its place you turn to look at him.

“The Padawan always becomes stronger than the Master.” Crossing his arms, he squints his eyes. “I taught you everything you know, Lily flower.”

“Yup. And I mastered every single aspect into perfection.” Walking around the store, you make your way back to the counter, letting your hair down, running your fingers through it. “I'm a Jedi by now.”

“You're getting cocky. I think you're spending way too much time with Billy.”

“Well, we're living together and dating so...” You move to stay behind the counter, drumming your fingers on the wooden top. “I'd say that yes, we spend way too much time around each other but I wouldn't change a thing.”

“You're the only couple I know who started living together before even starting to date,” Jimmy says, finishing with the regulators and moving to the new swimsuits, starting to organize them by color and size.

“Yeah, it wasn't the conventional way but it worked, didn't it?” Biting your lip, you try to hold back the smile that always comes whenever you think or talk about Billy. It's been a month since it became official, and things have been going well. Very well. The life you had before is a distant memory you don't even visit it anymore. You're still watching the news here and there, some of your old friends were released and the investigators are getting somewhere. But the truth is that this your life. A real life for a change, where the days aren't pointless, and you do love the friends you have, people with who you don't have to watch your manners or think before saying something. You can laugh out loud and make a mess if you want.

“It did. Look, this is girl stuff, can't you–. These are different sizes but they look the same.”

Rolling your eyes, you walk over him, pushing him away. “They're different, Jimmy. You're clueless.” Looking through the bikinis, you take one off the hook. It's blue and pink, with black symmetrical lines all over it. “I really like this one.”

“It's nice. I bet Billy will like it.” He says in a sassy tone, and you roll your eyes again.

“Alright. Can you put this in the back for me? I'll buy it.” Handing him the piece, you focus on reorganizing everything, paying attention to the clients in case anyone needs help. You're humming a soft song when you feel someone approaching, so you turn on your heels to find a guy walking over the swimsuits. “Hello. Do you need anything?”

His lips break into a bright smile, which you respond with a small polite one. “Yes. I was wondering what tank I should get.”

“It depends. If it's just for recreational purposes, the one with atmospheric air.” You say, finishing with the bikinis and turning to give the guy some attention. “Come, let's check them.” Gesturing, you walk to the other side of the store, almost in the back where the tanks are.

“What's this Nitrox thing?” He asks, stepping closer to the tanks, his hand brushing on your thigh. You move away, but since he didn't seem to notice, you decide not to give it much thought. Probably just an accident.

“That's for long dives. It's a mixture of nitrogen and oxygen.” Shrugging your shoulders, you lay a hand on a nearby tank. “But I assume it'll be just for fun so the atmospheric one will suffice.”

“You know a lot about this stuff.” His smile grows wider, and he gives you a little wink.

It makes you giggle. Is he trying to flirt? “I'm still learning.”

“What about... This one?” Stepping closer, he reaches out for a tank behind your back. You know what he's doing now, so you're quick to step aside before he can pin you against the wall.

Taking a deep breath, you roll your eyes. “Trimix. For depths beyond 130 feet. Which one will you take?”

“I could take two atmospheric tanks if you agree on coming with me for a... Recreational dive?”

“Nah, I don't think so.” He's not planning on buying it, so you make your way back to the counter. “First of all, I don't know how to swim. And second, I have a boyfriend.” Tapping on the counter a few times in a happy rhythm, you focus on the other customers around.

“And why haven't your boyfriend taught you how to swim yet?” He comes to the counter too, leaning on it, making you stand up straighter. “Or... Maybe he can't.” He giggles.

“Oh, he can.” You smirk. “He was a lifeguard during his time in Indiana.” As you speak, you see the man himself, walking closer, an eyebrow raised at the guy talking to you. Biting back a smile at his jealous face, you look at the guy again. “He's amazing, actually. Handsome, strong.” Raising your voice just enough for Billy to hear, you lean on the counter too. “But he's also kind and generous. Honest, trustworthy.”

“Sweetie, nobody is perfect so don't even try to make me believe he is.” The guy chuckles, raising an eyebrow.

“Oh, no. He's not perfect. Billy has problems with anger and he absolutely hates when guys try hit on me.” The moment you're done speaking, Billy touches the guy's shoulder, strongly pulling him away from the counter. “Hi, baby.” You say, giving Billy a bright smile.

“Billy, my dude.” The guy says, nervously stepping back, hands raised. “Didn't know the girl was with you, man.”

“Now you do, so back the hell off.” His thunder voice gets people's attention, but you don't even bother.

“Alright, alright.” He mutters, walking backward until he's in the middle of the store, where he finally turns around and leaves.

“Let me know if you want the atmospheric air tank!” You shout, laughing a little.

“Seriously, why the hell–” Billy starts, but his words fade when he looks at you.

Shrugging your shoulders, you giggle at his expression, leaning a little closer to him. “What?”

“Of course guys will hit on you.”

“Uhm... Care to explain it or am I supposed to guess?”

“You look good, that's it. And all this friendly act when you're working here. The kind smiles, politeness... Guys are stupid, they'll think you're interested.” When Billy leans over, you don't move away, a smirk coming to your lips when his face gets dangerously close.

“So... Are you calling yourself stupid?” You whisper, taking his bottom lip in between your teeth. Some people are starting, you're sure. They all know Billy around here, but it doesn't bother you.

“I was stupid. Now that I'm with you, I'm the smartest man on Earth.”

“Doesn't make much sense, Billy.”

“Doesn't have to.” He rolls his eyes, lips finally meeting yours.

“Hey, hey!” Jimmy exclaims from somewhere behind you. “You can take this home, alright? Remember rule number one? Not making out in work hours?”

“My work hours were done seven minutes ago so...” You snap, turning on your heels and waving at Jimmy. “See ya at the bonfire.”

“See ya, Lily flower.”

“Bye.” Muttering, you sigh at the name he calls you.

Walking hand in hand with Billy, you wonder when you'll be able to tell them the truth. It's tiring to hold on to this lie. It's the only thing left to open up about. That, and the fact that you're, well, rich. Sitting shotgun, you look at the people walking on the sidewalk, quietly thinking.

“Hey,” Billy calls. “Everything alright? Did that guy–”

“No, no.” You assure him, shaking your head. “If that idiot tried anything you'd know.”

“Then what's wrong?”

“It just sucks that they still think my name is Lily.” Running a hand through your hair, you sigh. “I'm (Y/N). And I'm afraid they'll be mad when I tell the truth about who I am, who my family is. I don't wanna lose them.”

“Princess, you're hiding your identity for a very good reason. They know about the kidnappings, I'm sure they'll understand when you tell them the truth.” Billy lays a hand on your thigh, and you stretch your arm to massage the back of his neck. “They're not like those pricks, they'll understand.”

“I hope so. I'm sick and tired of that Lily flower shit.”

“Yeah, I bet it sucks being named after my car.” He says, a smirk on his lips.

“What?” You breathe out, smiling. “Are you finally letting me name your car?” You basically jump on your seat, leaning over Billy to place kisses all over his cheek and jaw.

“Keep that up I might even let you name our future kids.”

His words make you stop, freezing, slowly moving back to your seat. Kids? Is he joking or something? Does Billy even want kids? And does he want them with you? This was never brought up before. Billy nervously moves in his seat, clearing his throat. “What?” It comes out almost a whisper.

“No, just... It just...”

“It's alright. I don't...” Billy enters the small parking lot beside the building, stoping on his usual spot. “Anyways, we still have to deal with things when I'm allowed home, so...” You step out of the car, a little flustered, walking side by side with him. “Until that happens we can just...”

“Yeah, we can wait until you break the news to your parents, then–”

“Yeah.” You cut him off, taking his hand. “We still have time since neither the police or the investigators seem to be anywhere close. So let's have fun now and talk about the future later.”

“Let's focus on the bonfire for now.”

“Beach party!” You exclaim, giggling when he pokes your side on a ticklish spot.

An hour later, you're at the beach, in a long skirt and blue top, talking about the most stupid things as the huge bonfire sends flames up to the sky. You're seated on a huge beach towel, eating burned marshmallows. The wind is fresh and the sky is still fading into the black for the night. Leaning against Billy, you giggle every time he places a kiss on your shoulder. There are way more people here than planned, but nobody seems to care. The music is loud, but the voices are louder. Over thirty people are either by the fire or playing on the water, and you've never felt this... Carefree. Or happy. The same people your parents despise so much, are now the best people you know. Just a bunch of kids having fun, not thinking too much, not overthinking their manners, or looking at others with judgmental eyes. This is easy, effortless.

“Billy!” Someone calls, waving their hand over the fire. “A little help with these coolers!”

“It's Austin.” He says, and you move a little to let him get up. “Finally some food and drinks.”

“Yeah, I'm thirsty.” You complain, turning your attention to Stacy as Billy walks away. “So. You and Jimmy. When is it happening?”

“Shhh.” She takes a look around before standing up and pulling you with her. “He doesn't make a move, so I'm starting to give up this idea,” she says when you're away from the others, near the deck of a small snack bar which is almost closing.

“You like him, and he likes you. What's missing?” You ask, not sure what else to do to help. Jimmy often comes to you for advice, and you do your best to push him into asking Stacy out. But after three weeks, it hasn't happened yet. But if it was a double date... “Oh! Gosh! It's so damn obvious!”

“What?” She giggles, pinching her eyebrows together.

“Double date. Saturday. Movie theater.” You say, winking at her. “You two are coming and leave the rest to me.”

Giving a little jump, Stacy pulls you into a hug. “You're the best. I can't believe I haven't come up with this idea myself but I'm so thankful you're my friend.”

“I'll get you two together.” Pulling away, you assure her. “It's a promise.”

“Thanks.”

“You're welcome.” Linking arms with her, you start making your way back to the fire. Your eyes find Billy in a distance, and you're just about to change direction when a girl walks over to him, arms immediately wrapping around his neck, her lips chasing his. You stop in your tracks, freezing, throat suddenly dry. Relief washes over you when Billy pushes her away before she can kiss him, holding both her arms when she tries approaching him again. “The audacity of that bitch.” Stacy mutters, and you nod.

“Why don't you go ahead, I'll... Go there.” Gesturing at the snack bar, you step back.

“Lily...”

“It's alright. I'll just get something to drink.” You know the drinks just got here, but you don't care, you just need some time right now. Turning your back at her, you climb the few wooden steps that lead to the snack bar's small balcony, where some tables give the clients a view of the ocean, holding your skirt so it won't get into your way. When you get to the deck, you walk to the very back, where's dark since half the lights are already off.

You don't know why you're feeling so bad. Billy pushed her away, but still, you're... Angry. Stacy is right, the audacity of that bitch... But if she felt like she could do that, she was one of his many... Flings. And it kills you to imagine them together. Leaning over the wooden railing, you put both hands on your head, the wind messing with your hair.

“Hey, there.” Billy's voice reaches you and, taking a deep breath, you turn around with a half-smile.

“Hey...”

“Stacy told me you saw Amanda grabbing me.” He starts, coming to stand beside you. “You know that–”

“Billy, I saw you pushing her. I'm not mad at you, I'm happy, I just...” Throwing your hands in the air, you sigh, letting them fall. “I just don't like the mental pictures I'm having about the two of you.”

“You're jealous.” He states, and when you look at him, he's trying to hold back a smile. “That's how you cope. You like to be alone. I like punching the guys in the face.”

You didn't want to, but you're chuckling anyways. “Yeah, I kinda noticed that.” Billy comes closer, pinning you against the railing and you wrap your arms around his neck.

“It'll take a while for people to believe I'm actually dating someone this time. But they'll get it, I promise.” He places a soft kiss on your lips. “Even if I have to shove away half the girls of California.”

“You're so cocky, did you know that?” You give him a light push, but you move alongside him, leaving the railing behind. “But it's okay. I just... I hope I won't... End up like one of them. Being pushed away.” With a low voice, you look down, the very thought of it breaking your heart a little.

“When you're falling asleep you have the habit of moving your feet,” Billy says, and the subject is so damn random you raise an eyebrow, staring back at him, shrugging your shoulders. “And you take deep breaths as you relax, and it means you snuggle closer to me every time. And almost every morning you find a way to hook a leg around me so I can stay a little longer.”

“You'll have to help me out here because I don't follow.” Furrowing your eyebrows, you cross your arms.

“I was never that intimate with anyone. And I never wanted to, that's why I never took any girls to my apartment.” Billy softly rubs your arms, and for some reason, your attention falls on the exposed part of his chest. The idiot doesn't seem to know what buttons are for... But you don't care. “But with you, I... I want this. And when the issue with your parents is over we will talk about what will come next and–”

“Oh my God!” Someone from inside the snack bar exclaims, turning the TV volume up. “They got them. The police got them.”

After exchanging a glance with Billy, you both rush inside, eyes on the TV. And yes, the police got them. The journalists show the commotion, an abandoned place, all wrecked, as the criminals are dragged out. And the hostages they still held. Soon enough everyone from the bonfire is here too, silently watching. You're relieved, of course, to know the people you grew up with are being released. But it means you'll have to face your parents, and finally make the changes in your life permanent. With a hand on your heart, you stare at the TV without paying much attention.

“Wanna get out of here?” Billy whispers on your ear, and you nod, following him out of the snack bar.

Guess you'll be talking about the future a lot sooner than you thought.

@multific @dontxfearxthereaper @nope-thanks @nikkixostan @shinydixon @clockworkballerina @infinitelycharmed23 @lilred91

#imagine billy hargrove #billy hargrove x reader #billy hargrove fanfiction #billy hargrove x y/n #billy hargrove imagine #billy hargrove #billy stranger things fanfiction #billy stranger things imagine #stranger things imagine #stranger things x you #imagine stranger things #stranger things fanfiction

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trashydemigodmess · 3 years ago

Note

first ship meme for our boys xoxo

lets talk yeemo, baby 💛🎸💫🎤

Who is more aggressive in bed? don't let that chatzy fool you dex was still on top lmfao

Lights on or off? off because that's what ben would be most comfortable with and dex is 100% okay with that he just wants to make him happy c':

Who does what chores? dex is not great at chores because he didn't honestly have to do chores until he lived on his own as an adult oops but he will try his best and is good about doing the dishes! I feel like ben will do a majority of keeping stuff neat and tidy and then have to remind dex to do things lol

Who gets babied when they’re sick? dex is such a little bitch baby when he's sick, but ben will happily take care of him so! I'm so sorry ben that you have to deal with that but also not sorry! dex says take care of me cute boy!

Who makes breakfast? dex will make an extravagant breakfast in bed as a surprise for no reason 😌 he loves breakfast it's the best meal of the day 😌

Where would they go on their honeymoon? honestly wherever ben wants to go he will make that happen. something in me is feeling the uk/ireland though because all the history with great music (and also punk culture!) and just overall vibes??? idk

What are their quirks while sleeping? dex talks in his sleep when he's really tired and just says absolutely incoherent nonsense which he says is so embarrassing but I say is so cute. hopefully ben thinks it's cute and funny too. I also just have this image in my mind of a very cuddly ben idk how or why but he's there

What is their favorite activity as a family? going to concerts together, obviously (and as someone whose family did do that often as an activity can confirm it's 10/10), but also! I feel like they'd actually cook together a lot as some cute one on one time 😭

Who is the stricter parent? probably ben lol not strict just like, better at remembering the rules and nicely enforcing them when necessary? dex is the weak dad that the kids manipulate into getting what they want 😪

Who would be the big spoon? dex is the big spoon obvi and he loves it pls let him cuddle ben forever thanks

Who would wake up first? ben seems like he'd a productive member of society in the morning, meanwhile dex is the lazy sleep in alright I guess I'll roll out of bed at 10am type

Do they have nicknames for each other? *deep breath* when I tell you there is no cuter shit on this goddamn entire planet earth than dexter fucking finley calling him bentley with his stupid adorable southern accent and puppy dog eyes?????? and its not a nickname but he also calls him darlin' a lot like this is not a joke I'm going to scream and fling myself into the sun

What happened when they met each other’s parents? we love boys with awful/nonexistent relationships with their fathers! so! no worries about that ever happening here! dex says you'll never meet my republican homophobe dickhead dad we have't spoken in years! and ben says hey my dad is dead!

How do they apologize after an argument? dex is very quick to get over any argument and move on so he would apologize right away, and I feel like ben might be a bit more stubborn than him? but also I feel like they'd be very good about talking it out and wanting to listen to each other

What would they be like as parents? I had to take two minutes to collect myself before I wrote this omg they would be the cutest dads what the fuck their home would just be so full of music and joy and they'd have such talented kids?? they'd be so kind and respectful and emotionally available and make their kids feel loved!! because thats what they needed as kids and didn't get!! they'd be at every school performance and so aggressively supportive the kids are like "omg dad stop you're embarrassing me" kjdgsdfg

Who is the better cook? I think they're both pretty good cooks? dex might have ben beat by juuuust a little bit though

Who is more romantic? when I tell you dex is all about that suave charming disney prince shit...ben has no idea what he's gotten himself into. you're getting songs written about you, you're getting serenaded, you're getting romantic surprises, kind gestures, swept off your feet breathless type of nonsense

What sort of gifts do they get for each other? ben seems like someone who'd remember a random tiny detail that dex's pea-sized aries brain would not, and thus be completely surprised and moved when ben gives him something related to that detail or memory. dex is a giver in every sense of the word so he'd just get ben every single little thing he ever wanted lol but more importantly dex's favorite gift is just spending time together. no matter how busy he will get touring around the world and doing whatever, he'll always have time for ben, wether that's watching a movie at home cuddled under a blanket or whisking him away on a private romantic vacation ghjdfkgdf

Who gets jealous easiest? I want to say ben, because, uh, dex is a celebrity and is kind of used to people fawning over him so he would't be phased? but at the same time you bet ur ass he'd be jealous and be all 😐 if anyone tried to make a move on ben lol

Who gets more excited for events? I'm apologizing in advance for how annoying dex is about this lmao he loves a good holiday or event, any excuse to celebrate

Who is the most adventurous? dex is definitely the more adventurous one, always has somewhere new to try or something fun to do

Who is the most protective? dex will go full aries and fight anyone who comes at ben he says try me bitch 😠 he's not that buff or a great fighter but at least he's tall with scary broad shoulders and will try his best LOL but also i get the feeling that ben being protective could be suuuper intimidating and scary if the situation came to it (dex says thats hot)

What would they have been like as childhood sweethearts? they're just nico and will. literally. that's it. go read the last trials of apollo book then get back to me because I'm right

Song to sum them up? I will direct you to their playlist because just picking one song feels like a crime for a ship of two musicians

#this was an emotional rollercoaster jfc these men have me in a chokehold #ask meme: dex

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surveys-at-your-service · 3 years ago

Text

Survey #459

“i wanted you to know that i love the way you laugh / i wanna hold you high and steal your pain away”

Does the person you like have any flaws? He's never seemed very expressive of what he feels. Has anyone ever given you a ring? Why? Yes. Because it was our anniversary and he wanted to, ig. If you ruled your own country, what type of government would it have? I'm not educated enough to answer this. Creation theory, Evolution or the Big Bang theory? I really don't know what I believe about the origins of the universe, but I do believe in evolution. Describe one of your most emotional farewells. The last time I saw Jason and we talked for a long time, and I finally got my closure. It was all so heavy. It started so stiffly, but it ended with us just chatting and smiling and, to my absolute shock, a hug from him. I'm getting emotional so NEXT QUESTION. What was your last serious conversation about? I was reassuring and comforting Sara about some stuff. Is there a city that you have a particular fondness for? If so, what city is it and why? No. Are there any gnomes in your yard? No. When was the last time you were stung by a bee? What kind was it? Years ago. A bumblebee. Are you gonna buy lottery tickets when you’re old enough? I am old enough, and no. The odds are way, way too small, and I don't really dabble in addictive behavior. Have you ever been into a real cave? No. :( That's a life goal, though. Have you ever posted mean comments on YouTube? I know I did once as a kid. It was regarding Meerkat Manor and I thought it was really disrespectful to Flower just because of the music chosen lmao. The drama. What color is your digital camera, if you have one? Black. If you had to spend one day in any movie storyline, which one would it be? Alice in Wonderland, I suppose? Name the strangest game you’ve ever played (video game or real game): Oh man, I've played waaaaay too many video games. I suppose Silent Hill with how confused it left me at first. Its concept is definitely wild. Parasite Eve is high on the list, too. In your opinion, what is the saddest movie you’ve ever seen? Boy in the Striped Pajamas destroys me. What is the best song to make out to? I could answer this but I'm not gonna lmfao Is there anyone right now that you are simply/overly infatuated with? story of my life ayyyyeeeee Who was the last person to play with your hair? Are they cute? Not a clue. Who was the last person close to you that died? Did you cry? Jason's mom. I sobbed on-and-off for days. Do you consider yourself a healthy person? Physically and mentally? No, in either way. Do you know anyone who owns a boat? My dad does. I'm sure others, too, with how popular fishing out on a boat is here. Do you know anyone who uses medical marijuana? I don't know. Even for medicinal purposes, it's not legal here. Do you know anyone who’s died in childbirth? No. What did you do for your 21st birthday? I was in the psych hospital, so... lmao. Therapy, reading, and coloring. Lots of reading and coloring. Because they did NOT fill your schedule enough there. We only had two group therapy sessions a day, and the rest was just... blankness. If dinosaurs could be tamed, would you want one as a pet? I know I'd be one of the dumb ones that absolutely wanted a tiny raptor, lol. Do you own more than one copy or edition of a book? No. If you could see any musical on Broadway right now, what would it be? Not interested. Do you eat soup when you’re sick? I don't like soup. If you read, which book or series did you enjoy most as a child? My first real series that I read religiously was Hank the Cowdog. Then it was Warriors. Do you buy Halloween candy when it’s on sale after the holiday? No. I really don't need candy available to me. Do you agree with the “they’re just being kids” excuse? It depends on what they're doing. In a lot of cases, no. Do you ever watch talk shows? No. Do you have a/any hero(s)? Mark Fischbach, Steve Irwin, my mom... Have you told your parents all of your secrets from when you were a teen? No. Though Mom has playfully once told me that she knows a lot of things I don't think she does, and that's terrifying lmao. You’re getting married. Who’s your maid of honor and best man? M.o.H.: Mom or Sara. Best man isn't my choice. Would you rather get highlights or dye your whole head? DYE IT ALLLLLLL. Are you wearing anything of any sentimental value? Describe? My friendship ring w/ Sara. It has a heart carved on the outside and "bitch" engraved inside so no one can see when you have it on, lol. She has one that says "jerk." It's a Supernatural reference. Who challenges you the most? In what way? My therapist and psychiatrist. They just help ensure I pursue my goals and give me little nudges forward to reassure me. Who seems to hold you back? In what way? PFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFT ME. I listen to my anxiety WAY too much. What was the last opportunity that you passed up, and why? Going up to Lake Gaston w/ Mom to visit Ash and her fam. They go there all the time, and it's a real nice place. I just didn't want to go because of the heat. Should there be an application process for having children? Hunny, that would not stop people from fuckin lmfao Name one thing that you think defines you as a person? m e e r k a t s What is a fear you have about living on your own? That depression would get the better of me and I'd neglect taking good care of my house. One of the many reasons I'll never live alone. Not at all saying I'd leave the responsibilities to my partner, but they'd be motivation for me to get stuff done. What’s the worst name your mom has ever called you? I don't know. Nothing that bad. What’s your stance on spooning? It helps me feel safe and loved and alsdkfjalwe I just love cuddling in all sorts lmao What’s your most recent obsession? Violet Orlandi & Melodicka Bros' cover of "Somebody That I Used to Know." Have you ever been scammed? Ha ha, yes. I once wanted to get Jason a Joker and Harley Quinn pillow from deviantART; talked to the artist, paid 'em, never got it. :^) Have you ever fostered an animal? No. I would get WAY too attached to foster. I wouldn't be able to give them up without breaking down, probs. Do you know anyone who acts way younger than what they are? I'm sure I do, but no one is coming to mind atm. Would you say you’re a pretty independent person? God no. Does the last song you listened to, remind you of someone? JASON. Do you currently want a new computer? Yes, actually. I want a desktop PC for better gaming quality, honestly. Also, the "escape" key doesn't work on this laptop, one key is missing so I have to hit the sensor JUST right, and it restarts randomly sometimes. I want a PC mainly because I want to get out of the habit of being on my laptop in bed all damn day. How would your parents react if you got a tattoo? I already have like six or seven, so they wouldn't be surprised. Is there anyone you can picture yourself being with forever right now? Maybe. Who is your truest friend? Sara. What is the strangest thing you’ve ever seen outside of your house? THIS house? Idk. Nothing that I'd consider odd. What bug frightens you most? STAG BEETLES lkadjslkfja;lwekjawl;kejrlawer Who is your oldest friend? That would be Sam, and he's in his mid-30s. How long have you known them? Many years. We met via WoW, which I've been playing since '14. I don't really remember how far into it we met, though. Where are they right now? lol I wouldn't know, he's all the way in Jersey. Plus we haven't talked in a while. Have you ever dated a friend of one of your siblings? God no, that would be so weird. What is the best gift someone can give you? An ear to listen without it feeling like a chore to them. Have you ever dated someone who had a child? No. I don't think I could do it. What is the last movie that made you cry? The The Lion King remake made me tear up. Have you ever played in a waterfall? No. Ugh, that sounds like a blast. In your life who has meant the most to you? Let's not get into this. What has been your biggest failure in life? Letting depression and my other conditions take away my identity, becoming my new identity. Do you trust yourself? No. I second-guess EVERYTHING and never know what I should listen to: my heart, my head, my gut... or which voice is what. Would you ever consider getting an abortion, under any circumstances? Yes. What was the last bug you killed? Some kind in the bathroom. Idk what it was. Just a little thing that sort of resembled an earwig, but not completely. Do you prefer profile pictures by yourself of with someone else? By myself, since it's my page. Do you know anyone who has written a book? I don't think so? Do you drink milk/juice from the carton if no one is around? Ew, no. I live with another person, and even if I didn't, what if I had guests? Has anyone ever told you they liked you in a realllly sweet way? Maybe? Has a member of the opposite sex ever given you jewlery? Jason has. Do you find sleeping in cars easy? NOOOOOOOOOO. I'm too scared to let my eyes close and not see what's going on on the road. Has a boyfriend’s/girlfriend’s parents ever gotten mad at you? Why? I don't believe so, no. What is the funniest thing a child has ever said to you. Definitely something my niece has said, but idr what it was. What’s been on your mind lately? Y'all know, lol. Do you feel like you need to get something off your chest? No. Sara was recently there for that. ♥ How would you react if someone told you they had feelings for you? Be very very excited if it was from a certain person.

#survey #surveys #random questions #lyrics: ''broken'' by seether (ft. amy lee)

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dustofbrokenheart · 4 years ago

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The Lost Boys: Exhale

Dwayne x Reader

Word Count: 3,384

Summary: My attempt at a sad, spooky fic featuring Dwayne, key word being attempt. I hope I was able to do him justice. Partially inspired by Stephen King’s writings.

Ocean waves lapped at the sandy shore, coaxing you to try and open your eyes. Despite knowing you needed to get up, you struggled to keep your lids from fluttering closed again. They felt heavy, like they were caked with cement.

You cleared your throat and tried again.

When you finally managed it, you propped yourself up and took in your surroundings. The moon was full and luminous, sitting high in the sky. A few bits of shadowy cloud drifted by in tangled clusters.

Obviously, it was late into the night but you had no clue what the actual time was which made you nervous.

How long had you been passed out here?

There wasn’t anyone around you at the moment, the next closest bonfire was a small spec in the distance, but that didn’t mean it had been that you had been alone the whole time.

You checked yourself and didn’t feel any injuries, nor were your clothes ripped, so you breathed easier knowing that you likely had not been assaulted. However, you did discover that you were missing our wallet. You cursed and got up on shaky legs, brushing the sand off of you.

So, it was nighttime, you weren’t sure how you got the beach, and your wallet was missing… great.

Crossing your arms, you walked towards the sounds and lights that beckoned to you from a ways down from the part of the beach you found yourself at. As you got closer you saw a set of stairs that led up to a bunch of shops and rides.

The Santa Carla Boardwalk sign was lit up nice and bright. Everything on the boardwalk, shop and ride alike, was decked out in spooky-themed décor.

You spied a large banner that read, “Halloween Monster Bash / OPEN LATE / Sat. Oct. 30th” and a lightbulb went off in your head.

That explained how you probably ended up passed out on the beach—you probably partied too hard for the bash and wandered off after you had had too much to drink. Not a bright move on your part, but plausible.

You promised to try and be on your best behavior for the foreseeable future. Given that it was a Saturday night, and a Halloween promotion at that, the boardwalk was teeming with people who kept bumping into you. Honestly, you wouldn’t be surprised if you had some bruises tomorrow.

You ended up by the carrousel, which had a much calmer surrounding crowd compared to the other areas, and sat down on a metal bench, watching the lights on the ride as it made its slow revolutions.

Suddenly, a group of long-haired boys muscled their way onto the carousel. One in particular caught your attention and you couldn’t take your eyes off of his leather jacket. A big, yellow cat with bared fangs and claws was stitched on the side of it.

The cat, and by extension the boy wearing it, was rugged, yet sleek, dangerous, yet beautiful.

He must have sensed your focus on him because his head snapped in your direction, his soulful eyes making your throat itch and close up. With no other reaction besides the eye contact, he left his group, gliding to the edge of the moving ride and smoothly stepped off.

He sat quietly next to you on the other side of the bench, neither of you willing to speak up. It turned into a battle of wills to see who would break first. After an extended period of silence, he gave in and accepted his defeat with a snort.

“What’s your name?”

Nervous, your hand crept to your neck and his intense stare followed the movement. “Y/N,” you answered. “Who are you?”

“I’m Dwayne.”

“I like your jacket, Dwayne. The stich work is stellar.”

His lips curled upwards into a slow, easy smile. “I haven’t seen you around here before.”

You opened your mouth and froze when you suddenly remembered. “I’m meeting a friend. His motorcycle broke down and I told him I would give him a lift home.”

“Hmm. So where is he?”

“I’m not sure. I-I was on the beach for a while,” you admitted more than a little embarrassed. “He probably thinks I’ve forgotten about him—I hope he hasn’t left yet.”

“Let’s take a walk. I’m sure we can find him together.” He stood up and offered his hand to you.

You were conflicted. On one hand, you had just promised yourself to make smarter decisions; on the other, there was something about this boy that drew you in. He gave you another small smile that sealed the deal.

You placed your hand in his and he led you around the boardwalk, the picture of a perfect gentleman. If gentlemen wandered around in public with their toned chests and abdomens exposed.

Dwayne and you kept your eyes peeled for your friend, but he also persuaded you to stop at a few booths along the way and brought you some food to try. You took a bite of the soft pretzel he handed you. You chewed thoughtfully before giving your review.

“It’s okay. The flavors aren’t out of this world though.”

“Not possible,” he said stealing the pretzel back. “This is the best snack this place has to offer.”

He pressed the back of his hand to your forehead. “You’re not feverish, so I guess that rules out being sick. But you do feel chilled.”

Dwayne stared you down, his eyes looked like they were searching for something. You weren’t sure if he found what he was looking for. The two of you slowed down and you leaned against a wooden rail near the entrance to the boardwalk. As much as you wished your friend would turn up or that you could continue walking with Dwayne, you recognized that it was incredibly late and decided to call it a night.

He also seemed reluctant to let you go. “Will you be back tomorrow?” he murmured. “You can keep me company for Halloween.”

You nodded enthusiastically, glad that he had enjoyed your company as much as you enjoyed his. The two of you made plans to meet back at the carousel again the following night. Halloween night. He stroked your wrist and bided you good-night.

You turned on your heel, feeling the energy within you pulsing as you walked away.

_______________

The next night, you found yourself sitting on the same metal bench near the carousel. This time you felt more grounded and much less flustered. You jokingly thought to yourself that you must be channeling strength from Halloween.

Dwayne joined you on the bench a while later, this time coming without his friends entirely.

“Hi,” you said lamely when he looked at you. “Would you rather sit or walk?”

He chose to walk and you were eager to see where he would take you this time. He shouldered his way through the throngs of people and you followed closely behind, gripping his jacket tightly. The crowds thinned out significantly as you walked down to the beach, the noise further drowned out by the ocean.

Dry sand crunched under your shoes as he moved further away from public view. Eventually, Dwayne came to a stop by a low burning fire which he stoked back to life.

You looked around in surprise. “Hey, this is where I was last night. What a crazy coincidence!”

His dark eyes peered at you from where he sat opposite of you on the other side of the bonfire. But he didn’t comment. Instead, he asked you questions.

“Did you ever get ahold of your friend?”

“No,” you admitted, feeling uncomfortable. “He probably hates me right now. Something was wrong with the bike engine, which is why he needed the ride.”

“That’s cool that he rides.”

“His bike is pretty cool. The body is dark red, and he has wheel covers on it, plus there’s an antenna on the back end.”

Again, he didn’t say anything. He just stared. The mood turned uncomfortable once more, so you tried changing topics to bring back the fun you had the previous night.

“I’m actually passing thru Santa Carla on my way to L. A. More specifically, Englewood. To pursue my dream,” you revealed, splaying your fingers in a jazz hand fashion. That seemed to perk his interest and his lips twitched slightly.

You drew up your legs and rested your chin on the tops of your knees. A happy tingle started in your chest and ran down the rest of your body as you remembered back to another time in your life. Back when you were a small child and made a friend.

You told Dwayne the story of how your grandmother used to be involved with one of the local food pantry groups in your home city. And how you often used to tag along with her when she volunteered because your parents worked a lot. One day you were sitting under the tables and bored out of your mind, you started to doodle on the filed floor. You were not expecting another kid to join you and you jumped when they introduced themselves.

You guys were around the same age and started to seek each other out whenever you went with your grandma while she volunteered. Soon, you were even hanging out when you weren’t at the food pantry.

“People used to freak out when they saw us together in public. It was so stupid,” you ranted. “It wasn’t their fault they were on the streets. Most homeless are in that position for reasons beyond their control. I never judged my friend for doing what they had to do to survive—”

Next thing you knew, you were knocked backwards onto the ground, your head taking a particularly hard hit.

In a miraculously fast move, Dwayne had launched himself across the fire to tackle you. It happened so fast, you hadn’t been able to track him. He moved like a menacing shape, striking with the accuracy and speed of a viper.

Your body locked up from where you were pinned and you gasped for air.

Dwayne crouched above you, his knees dug into your thighs to keep your legs spread apart and his claws gripped into your wrists like a vice. He had taken you by surprise and made sure you were completely immobile and unable to fight back. But that wasn’t even the most terrifying part.

The once smooth planes of his face had changed into raised, sharp angles along his brow and cheeks. His hair hung down over you, like a black curtain, so you had no choice but to look at him. Light from the nearby fire casted shadows where it filtered through the strands of hair, making him appear even more menacing.

He leaned down and clicked his fangs right in your face.

Your heart, which had been hammering like a freight train, stopped beating entirely. The jarring stillness within you made you think that you were having a heart attack.

“Quit playing games, Y/N,” he said darkly, his lip curled up in a snarl.

You were so frightened that you couldn’t respond even when he shook you.

“You’ve been toying with me for two nights now, just give it up. We both know you are not what you claim to be.”

You tried to articulate your shock but you couldn’t must a single sound. He growled gutturally and time slowed down. Was this how you were going to die?

A blinding pain ripped through your head, robbing you of all your senses as everything turned white.

_______________

You hummed and bopped your head to the song that was playing on the radio in your aging car. The sun had set some time ago, so you read the green road sign with help from your headlights.

Santa Carla, ten miles.

That should be a good place to spend the night to spend the night. According to the map you were consulting, Santa Carla seemed like a decently sized city that should have your choice of motels to pick from.

You entered city limits and as you turned a corner you noticed a motorcycle parked on the shoulder of the road. A boy with dark hair sat crouched next to it. Debating with yourself, you ended up slowing down and rolling your window.

“Hi,” you called from the driver’s seat. “Do you need any help?”

He turned and you instantly saw how attractive he was. He stood, wiping his hands on a rag that was tucked into his pocket.

“Something’s wrong with the engine. I don’t want to drive it, in case it gets worse.”

No stranger to car troubles, you felt empathetic.

“Get in. I can take you home, or to a mechanic, if there’s a garage still open.”

He accepted the offer and settled into the passenger’s side. You apologized for not having room to bring the bike with and he reassured you that his friends would take care of it. He asked you to take him home, but first he directed you towards a place called the boardwalk so he could buy you dinner as a thank-you.

Your empty stomach couldn’t refuse food.

When you got out of the car you noticed his jacket for the first time. “Stellar stitching,” you complimented.

He ordered tacos to-go from one of the food stands. “Come on, I know a better spot on the beach where we can eat in peace.”

The spot was isolated, which made you pause with doubt, but the food smelled delicious and Dwayne had been nothing but nice, so you ignored the little warning bell.

Having good food after being a car for most of the day was satisfying and you moaned when you took the first bite of taco. To fill in the silence you explained to him that you were moving down to L.A.

“Just passing through?” he questioned.

“Just passing through.”

You told him about the job offer that had convinced you to leave home and how excited you were to work with the homeless women youth there. “Most of them are in that position for reasons beyond their control. I never judge them for doing what they have to do to survive.”

Dwayne looked at you with surprise. “You mean that?” He sounded almost conflicted.

You assured him that you most certainly did.

The next hour or so passed quickly, you chatting away with Dwayne jumping in here and there. Despite not being talkative, he did a good job putting you at ease even though you barely knew one another. When you yawned while in the middle of a story and realized you needed to sleep.

You told Dwayne it was time to get him home so you could sort out your motel situation. He turned away from you and grew even more quiet. He didn’t move nor make a single sound which worried you.

“Dwayne?”

Then he whispered, “I’m sorry, Y/N.”

He turned around and his face looked monstrous with his protruding forehead and blazing eyes that swirled with red and yellow. You covered your mouth.

He flew at you, pinning you into the sand. You fought your best to dislodge him, screaming shrilly, but it would have made no difference had you not fought at all. You were no match for his inhuman strength.

He wrenched your chin back, his hands clawing into your face to expose your neck. By that point you had defensive wounds all over and one of your forearms had brittlely snapped.

Dwayne reared back, his fangs on full display. The last thing you saw as the beautiful boy with the cool jacket tore into your throat was the wide expanse of black sky dotted with twinkling stars overhead.

_______________

You came back to the present with a terrible moan rattling from your lips. You were still supine on your back, but Dwayne was no longer on top of you. He sat a few feet away with his face still in its vampiric state, somberness radiating from him.

Numbly, you reached for your neck and felt wet, mangled flesh under your fingers. And you knew that if you looked down you would see your blood-soaked shirt and your crippled arm. You dragged yourself into an upright position which was a shaky process as one of your arms did not match the other.

“You did this to me,” you whispered. Dwayne nodded once.

“What—” your voice cracked so you tried again. “What am I?”

“Something was different about you from the start. You didn’t have a pulse, your skin was cold,” he said matter of factly. “But I wasn’t sure exactly until you started talking about your job.”

“What am I” you said more strongly.

“We met for the first time in February…”

“Am I like you?” you asked.

He shook is his slowly denial. You tiled your head upwards and took in the sky, moon, and stars. There was only one other option, the option that was the hardest to admit out loud.

“I’m dead, then.”

“You’re the only person I’ve killed that’s ever come back,” he said unsurely.

Now that you remembered everything, and your ghostly status was brought to light, other things started making sense too. How your sense of taste was dulled at the boardwalk and you weren’t sure where you slept last night, if you slept at all.

It seemed that your earlier joke about drawing strength from All Hallows Eve was too far off from the truth.

“You’re the friend I was looking for. Was your bike even really broken back then?” Trails of thick blood leaked from your open wound.

He couldn’t bring himself to meet your gaze which was all the answer you needed. “It’s a con I use to lure in meals sometimes,” he finally sighed.

“I never made it to L.A. either… Oh, Dwayne. There was so much I wanted to do.”

You started choking up and he inched forward awkwardly, which you allowed.

“It won’t change things, but it wasn’t personal. I needed to feed and you were the first one I found.”

His candid confession unleashed your tears (looks like ghosts were still able to cry) and the moaning returned. He eased you into his lap and hugged you. His hands rubbed up and down your back in an attempt to soothe you.

You accepted that you were dead and you didn’t hate Dwayne for what he had done. That didn’t mean you didn’t mourn what you lost. You cried miserably for a long time before the tears ran their course and dried up.

What a mess you must have looked like with your swollen eyes and fatal wounds, your hair likely littered with sand. That got you thinking: how come you didn’t look like this until now? Hmm. Maybe you had could control our appearance. Or you had to remember the truth first.

And another thing, “What happened to my stuff?”

“We scrapped the car for metal and parts. We kept the cash and trashed the rest.”

That was a little annoying. “Donate next time you need to get rid of belongings. I’m sure there’s a lot of people who could use it.”

“Noted,” he promised.

“How much time do you think I have left?” That was an unpleasant realization, especially since you weren’t sure where you would go next.

He gently lifted up the arm that was broken. You gulped. Your fingers were flaking off into bright blue pieces, drifting in the air before fizzling out. You were slowly disappearing.

It started in your hands and creeped up your arms and legs. Dwayne watched it happened alongside you. You weren’t in any pain, but you were glad that he was there with you.

“I’m scared,” you admitted. “Will you hug me as I go?”

He tucked your head into his chest, his hug comforting. Soon your limbs had completely gone and all that remained was your center. A final release of energy that felt like the final exhale let you know that this was it.

“I forgive you, Dwayne,” you said softly. You smiled and closed your eyes in anticipation.

Dwayne watched as the last of you floated off and dissolved into the night air.

“Good night, Y/N,” he murmured.

I hope that I was able to make Dwayne threatening, but compassionate, like I was aiming for. The Umbrella Academy gif is what I had in mind with the scene at the end. I’m actually a little nervous to post this, so thanks to anyone who takes the time to read!

#the lost boys #the lost boys x reader #the lost boys dwayne #imagines

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ahatintimestorybook · 4 years ago

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AHIT-Being Happy

Hey everyone!! I got another story for my good best friend @erekiosuncreativeideas! This time for her story, Being Human which is based off of @doodledrawsthings OTH AU! I wanted to write a bit of what happened after Snatcher broke the Time Piece.

Hope you love it Erekio!!

Also you guys should check out Erekio’s story Being Human as well as her other stories like Reliving an Old Nightmare! You’ll definitely get a good read from her works!

Enjoy!!

“I wish to be happy.”

Those were the last words Snatcher said before slamming the Time Piece on the ground. A bright light flashed into Hat, Bow and Moonjumper’s eyes. The trio covered their eyes and as soon the light faded, they looked at Snatcher in shock.

Right in front of them was Snatcher; not ghost Snatcher not kid Snatcher, but Prince Snatcher.

The former ghost looked at himself in surprise as he saw he was human again wearing the same clothes he wore before he became a kid during the battle with Vanessa.

Hat Kid slowly walked towards Snatcher, and stood there for a bit before Snatcher grabbed the young girl and pulled her into a tight hug. The young child felt tears in her eyes, as she slowly wrapped her arms around Snatcher and buried her face into his shoulder. The former ghost had tears forming in his eyes letting out a sniffle as he held the young girl in his arms.

“So,” Hat Kid started. Snatcher slowly let go of his grasp and looked at the alien child. “Are you staying like this then?” She asked.

Snatcher took one more good look at himself and smiled. “Yeah, kiddo.” Snatcher answered. “Hope that’s alright?”

“Oh cool. Yeah, that’s okay I guess.” Hat Kid replied. Snatcher gave a soft chuckle before letting the young girl go. He then looked at Bow and Moonjumper, now holding hands ready to be teleported back to the ship, or in Snatcher’s case; home.

Just before they could teleport Snatcher turned to see Hat Kid collapse on the ground, breathing heavily. Her face red, and she started to sweat despite it being cold outside. “K-kid? Are you alright?” Snatcher asked, worried about the state the young girl is in.

Hat Kid couldn’t speak, just letting out a few moans as her eyes slowly opened and closed. The last thing she heard was Bow’s cries and Snatcher calling her name before passing out.

Back on the ship, everyone was outside Hat Kid’s room waiting for answers on the young girl’s health. They all agreed that it was due to the kid frozen by Vanessa, and from what Moonjumper told Snatcher she was the first to freeze. The guilt ate at the ghost that he couldn’t save the young girl in time.

“I’m.” Moonjumper started, but Snatcher put his hand over the ghost’s, which caused him to look up at him.

“I forgive you. It wasn’t your fault.” Snatcher told him. Moonjumper gave a smile at the former ghost. Soon the trio heard the door open and Cooking Cat coming out.

“How is she?” Bow Kid asked, rushing towards the cat chef. The other child was worried for her sister, more than Snatcher was worried for the kid. It didn’t surprise him, Snatcher knew those two have stuck together like glue for like forever.

Cooking Cat put a paw on the young girl’s shoulder. “Hat Kid is fine, she doesn’t have a high fever. Just a day or two of rest and she’ll be back to normal.” She explained.

Bow and Snatcher both sighed in relief seeing Hat Kid wasn’t in too serious condition. Snatcher was glad he didn’t have to lose another loved one due to Vanessa. “Could I go see her?” Snatcher asked. Cooking Cat nodded and allowed the former ghost to check up on his obligated contracted bff.

Hat’s room light was dimmed, except for a small lamp turned on. The child was lying down reading through a book of fairytales, however at times she let out a cough and after coughing she’d shiver and pull the blankets closer to keep her warm.

“Hi kiddo.” Snatcher said.

Hat Kid looked up and smiled. “Snatcher!” She exclaimed, in a hoarse voice. Though that appeared to be a mistake as she coughed harder. The former ghost quickly went towards the child, and rubbed her back to relax her.

“Don’t push yourself kiddo, you're sick.” Snatcher told her. Hat Kid nodded and lied back down. She closed the book and placed it right between her and Snatcher. “How are you feeling?” He asked as he pushed a stray hair from her face.

“My head no longer hurts,” Hat Kid started. “but my stomach hurts, I still feel hot, and my throat hurts at times.” She explained as she rubbed her neck.

“Well don’t worry, Cookie said you’ll be fine in a few days. Just some rest and her cooking should do the trick.” Snatcher explained. Hat Kid giggled before letting out a cough. She nodded, as her throat felt hot to speak. Snatcher thought for a second, and got up to leave the room. “I’ll be right back.” Hat Kid nodded and lied back down to wait for Snatcher.

Snatcher then made his way to the kitchen to see Bow and Cooking Cat making some soup for Hat. Moonjumper was sitting down watching the two cook. The moon ghost turned around hearing Snatcher come in. “Oh Snatcher! Is Hat alright?” He asked again, making sure Hat Kid’s fever didn’t spike up.

“She’s fine, but I just need to make her something for her throat.” Snatcher explained.

Cooking Cat smiled. “Well, you're in luck. I’m making some soup for the kid.” She told him.

“I’m helping!” Bow added.

Snatcher smiled and nodded, seeing that will help Hat Kid. He then went over to the pantry and looked for some tea bags. “ So do you have any tea bags or tea leaves?” Snatcher asked.

Cooking Cat nodded and opened a drawer and pulled out a few tea bags. “Here.” She said. Snatcher smiled and looked through the tea bags. Once he found chamomile tea he quickly grabbed a mug from the shelf, opened the tea bag and soon went to boil some hot water.

Once the tea was ready, Snatcher poured it into a cup and put a spoonful of honey. However, his tea wasn’t done yet. “Do you have any fruit or berries?” He asked.

“I know where they are!” Bow exclaimed. She got off from her stool and went over to a basket where a bunch of fruit sat. Snatcher looked at the fruit and found oranges and lemons. Just what he needed! Carefully, he cut slices of the fruit and put it in the tea.

“Perfect.” Snatcher said.

“Here.” Cooking Cat started. She brought over a tray where the soup was and Snatcher put the tea next to it. “Careful, don’t spill it.” She warned him. Snatcher nodded, knowing he was careful and quickly went to Hat Kid’s room.

The kid was still awake, not getting an ounce of rest as her fever kept her from sleeping. She heard her door open and saw Snatcher with a tray of soup and tea. “Cookie, made you some soup and I made you some tea.” Snatcher said. He then handed the tea to Hat Kid, and the steam opened her nose.

She took a sip and her eyes widened at the taste. The chamomile mixed with the citrus made her throat not hurt as much. It wasn’t fully better, but at least it won’t be as painful. “This tea, it’s good!” Hat Kid exclaimed. “Hey! I can talk better!”

Snatcher chuckled. “My mother made me this tea anytime I was sick, and if it helped me. It could help you.” He explained. Hat Kid smiled, thankful Snatcher did this for her.

She then took a sip of her soup, and it felt like her body warmed up a bit. She let out a happy sigh as the tea and soup were making her feel better. After finishing her meal she felt she would be able to talk to Snatcher. “Snatcher,” Hat Kid started.

“Yeah kiddo.” Snatcher started.

“What are you going to do now?” She asked. Snatcher was confused by Hat Kid’s question. “I mean you choose to stay in prince form, but now you're no longer a noodle ghost, what are you going to do about souls, contracts, everything you were when you were a ghost.” She explained.

Now that she mentioned it, Snatcher was for certain he’d still rule Subcon, but now that he can’t steal souls or poof up contracts there will be some changes to Subcon soon. “Well,” He started. “I’m still going to rule Subcon, but…” His voice trailed off.

“But?” Hat Kid asked, tilting her head.

Snatcher chuckled and turned away. “It's nothing. Its stupid.”

“I won’t know if its stupid unless you tell me.”

Snatcher turned to Hat Kid, and looked into her eyes. They were filled with honesty and care. This little time traveling alien and her sister cared so much for him. He never felt this care since he still had his parents, who are now long gone and during his early days with Vanessa.

God this kid was turning him back into a softy. “Well, would you like it if you and Bow came to live with me and Moonjumper in Subcon?” He offered.

Hat Kid’s eyes widened and glistened with tears. D-Did she just hear her BFF right? Was he offering her and Bow to live with him in Subcon? “Y-you want us to live with you?” She asked.

“W-well that’s up to you! I-if you need to head back to whatever planet you came from t-then its fine-oof!” Snatcher stuttered until Hat Kid pulled him into a hug. Snatcher was confused until he heard sniffling from the young girl.

“I’d love to Snatcher.” She whispered. If she wasn’t so sick right now, she’d be cheering, bouncing off the walls. Snatcher blinked, and smiled as he pulled Hat Kid closer to him.

All this time he dreamed of having a family. He and Vanessa always talked about having a little princess or a young prince, and watching their child grow. However, after the incident he’d given up on having a family, even the Subconites and Dwellers were never seen as children to him, just minions that were told to do work around Subcon.

When Hat and Bow came to Subcon, he just saw them as more fools to do his contracts and at the end steal their souls. However, he secretly grew to care for the two kids, even if they do cause mischief and he denies that he did care for them.

However, after turning human again and spending time with these kids, he did show his care for them, especially Moonjumper. However, the thoughts of losing them again worried him, as he remembered Bow crying locked up in a cage, and Hat Kid and Moon being frozen ice statues right in front of him.

“Does this mean I can call you dad?” Hat Kid spoke up. This snapped Snatcher out of his thoughts, and was now blushing in embarrassment.

“W-Well I mean? If you want to, b-but I-I don’t mind. J-Just your sick and well-” Snatcher was sputtering so much nonsense that it made Hat Kid laugh a bit, despite letting out a cough or two. Snatcher gave a small smile and pulled the young girl close to him. “You can call me whatever you want.” He said.

Hat Kid nodded and hugged Snatcher once more. “Okay, Dadtcher.” She joked. Snatcher laughed and hugged the young child close, snuggling her. Hat Kid giggled and was soon put back to bed. Once she was back in bed she handed Snatcher the fairytale book she was reading. “Read to me, please?”

Snatcher chuckled. “Alright.” He took the book from the kid and turned to the story Hat Kid was reading earlier. Before he could read it, the duo heard the door open to see Bow and Moon right outside. With a smile, Snatcher asked, “Want to join me?” He asked.

Bow nodded and ran towards Snatcher sitting right next to him. Moonjumper floated by and sat on the pillow pile as Snatcher went to read the fairy tale to the girls. As he read the story, Hat Kid quickly fell asleep and soon Bow fell asleep on his lap. He should have stopped reading and let the two sleep, but he continued.

This was his life now, and he was happy for it!

#snatcher #a hat in time #hat kid #bow kid #moonjumper #cooking cat #Erekio

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