#i hope she gets a cool skin soon so i have an excuse to use her more often

[oathofkaslana]

I wish we could bring whoever designed xinyan back. she also has a darker skin than any of the sumeru characters. like bring that guy back

LITERALLY 😭😭 like her design isn’t perfect (and i don’t think i need to mention how they handle her story..) but the fact that she’s darker than all the sumeru characters is so when several of the sumeru characters are also/should be black 😭😭😭😭😭😭😭

[mariasont]

hi hiiiiii!!! could you do a hotch x bau reader where there’s an age difference between them like she’s in her 20’s and she has a crush on him and thinks it’s stupid and the team tease her about it but apparently he has a crush on her too? thank youuuu i love your work so much

Stupid Crush - A.H

a/n: your wish is my command, thank you so much for requesting i hope you love it <3

masterlist

pairings: aaron hotchner x fem!reader

warnings: idiots crushing on each other, age gap (20s and 40s), garcia spilling the beans about reader's crush (not cool penelope!)

wc: 1.4k

Your tennis shoes were scuffing into the padded floor, hands resting on your hips while your bottom lip bore the brunt of your anxious chewing. You were here to train, led by your favorite boss.

But your concentration was slipping, stolen by the sight of that same boss, Aaron Hotchner, who managed to make even the simplest training gear look exceptionally good.

You were trying to be discreet, but with your track record, you were sure that wasn't the case. As the youngest member of the team, you'd grown accustomed to the good-natured teasing--a sort of rite of passage, really. But the teasing took on a new intensity whenever it involved your poorly concealed crush on Hotch.

The whole team knew, and they would never let you forget that they knew, constantly reminding you of the way you laughed a little too hard at his dad jokes, how you were the first to agree with his plans, and how you were always finding an excuse to stay late and help him with paperwork.

And to your absolute horror, their teasing was as subtle as a sledgehammer. Morgan winking at you when Hotch compliments your work, Prentiss sending you mortifying texts anytime he was near, and Garcia had taken to called you Mrs. Hotchner when in private.

You blinked--once, twice--as you attempted to refocus your attention to where Hotch's mouth was moving, explaining something about a wrist release move, meant to disarm a larger attacker from behind--a lesson you definitely should be absorbing. Instead, it took the unexpected call of your name from his direction to snap you out of your daze.

He was motioning you to the front. Your brows leapt upwards, and you looked around, hoping for an out of some sort. Bu the knowing looks and suppressed chuckles of your teammates made it clear--they wouldn't dream of intervening, not when they were about to be so thoroughly amused.

You let out a small, defeated sigh as you allowed your legs to carry you forward, all the while ignoring the team's exchange of looks as if they could just sense how flustered you were sure to get.

"How do you want me?"

You resisted the urge to slap a hand over your mouth as soon as you said it, the room filled with muffled snickers. Hotch didn't bat an eye, all but manhandling you, turning you to face the wall with him at your back.

"Now, when the unsub grabs you from behind, like this," he says, his arm a firm band across your chest in a way that made you have to remember how to breathe. "Your first instinct is to panic. But you need to stay calm and think about your next move."

"That might be kind of hard for her." The comment, possibly from JJ, washed over you, igniting a wave of heat that spread like wildfire across your skin.

"The key here is to use the unsub's grip against them. You're going to twist your wrist towards their thumb. The thumb is the weakest part of their grip. So you'll rotate like this," he guides your hand, "and pull down sharply."

You followed his instructions, doing your utmost to overlook just how close he was to you and the way it was sending your senses into a tailspin, especially as his voice seemed to echo intimately in your ear. 

"Now, as you're doing that, you want to step to the side, out of their immediate reach. This will give you the space to turn and face the threat. Then, with your free hand, you deliver a strike to the unsub's face or neck to incapacitate them."

As he stepped back, air filled your lungs once more. You managed to move independently, but you kept your chin dipped low, hiding your face, terrified by the thought of him noticing the fluster all over your face.

"Let's try that again, but this time, I want you to do it without my guidance," he instructed. His voice was clear, but your attention had drifted to the curve of his cheek, the focus in his eyes. "Remember, swift and precise movements. And don't forget to breathe."

Another round of giggles. You were going to hide all of their favorite mugs later.

You returned to the starting position, fitting snugly against him. This time, his hand on your hip brushed against bare skin, eliciting an instinctive twitch and a giggle from your lips.

"You okay?"

You pressed you lips together, silently thanking the gods as his hand found a new home on your shoulder. A mute nod was all you could muster, not trusting your own words as you repeated his instructions, ignoring the searing heat that seemed to engulf your body.

"Good. That's exactly what you need to do." Your nose and ears were burning. "It's not about strength; it's about leverage." He pressed a hand to your back as he faced the rest of the team. "Alright, take five."

After the demonstration, you and Garcia were huddled by the water cooler, taking a generous sip as if that would somehow cool down your insides.

Garcia leaned in, pushing her glasses up her nose, and murmured, "You know, if you keep acting like that, Hotch is going to figure out that you're not just for his profiling skills."

You sputtered, water dribbling down your chin as you tried to form a denial, but what emerged was nothing short of babble, and you were acutely aware that your expression was likely revealing everything you wished to hide.

A throat cleared behind you, and you felt a chill run through you, your hand automatically setting the cup down. Garcia's eyes turned to saucers, and you didn't need to turn around to know who it was--your body's instinctive response to his nearness said it all.

"Could I see you in my office?"

You whipped around, thumb jabbing into your chest as your gaze collided with his. "Me?"

"Yes, you."

Your heart seemed to sink, but still, you obediently followed him, like a puppy. Morgan's elbow connected with your side as you walked by, mouthing a good luck.

Alright, new plan, you weren't just going to hide Morgan's favorite mug, you were going to throw it out the window.

You trailed Hotch into his office, gesturing to the chair in front of his desk, your heart pounding as he closed the door with a click--never a good sign.

"I'm really sorry, sir. Garcia's just, you know, she's probably drunk, and I don't have—well, you're definitely hot, obviously, I mean, not obviously, but I didn't mean—,"

Hotch cut you short with the raise of his hand, moving so he was sitting in his chair behind the desk. "What are you talking about?"

"Garcia's comment, about me having a crush on you," you admit, and then your mouth forms the perfect o of realization. "Unless you didn't hear that, and I just outed myself for no reason?"

His brows nearly disappeared into his hairline. "You have a—,"

"Right, so you didn't hear that. Forget I said anything. I'm sure there's something I need to do... somewhere else, so I'll just—,"

You were scrambling out of your chair, silently pleasing for the floor to open up, but you didn't get far, a hand wrapping around your wrist, keeping you firmly in place.

"Hold on a second."

"Please, Hotch. I've humiliated myself enough, don't you think? If you have any respect for me still, let me leave with at least some of my dignity intact."

You were already mentally mapping out your options: transferring, resigning, even fleeing the country. A different name, a new passport--Garcia could probably help with that.

"I hold you in a higher regard than just respect." Each word was diminishing the space between you.

Maybe you could go to Puerto Rico? That's still technically U.S. territory. Or maybe Mexico, though, given Reid's history, it's probably best to steer clear.

"Well, that's good, I guess."

He pauses, pinching the bridge of his nose before looking up. "I'm not good at this."

"Good at what?"

"Asking pretty women on dates."

"Who are you asking on a date?"

"Christ." He exhaled sharply before leaning forward, pressing a soft, firm kiss to your lips. 

When he pulled away, you blinked up at him, raising an eyebrow. "Oh, am the pretty woman you're trying to ask out?"

"Is that a yes?"

You couldn't help the wide smile that spread across your face. "That's sooooo a yes."

You looped your arms around his neck and pulling him down for another kiss. This time, it was deeper. You decided that you could kiss him forever, and it would still be your favorite pastime.

Maybe it wasn't such a stupid crush.

taglist: @hotchhner @khxna @readergf @sarcasm-and-stiles @edencherries @aurorsworld @princess76179 @malindacath @freyy253

[mysslyssblog]

Hello, how are you? Could I ask you for a request for Dipper Pines, where on one of his trips back to Gravity Falls he meets a girl who speaks Spanish, something like fluff. I love your writings!! Sorry for my terrible English, it's a translator :)

Older Dipper Pines x Spanish speaking reader (15-16)

Warnings: I AM NOT A SPANISH SPEAKER AT ALL!!! i barely passed spanish with a C last year so i will be using google translate, i am SO SO SO sorry if it’s inaccurate, reader is described as feminine

Thank you so much for the request! Like I said, I’m not a Spanish speaker so I apologize if this is totally a flop and I hope you’re able to translate it 💜💜

————————————————————————

Love Beyond Words ~ D.P.

•Dipper's POV•

Another summer, another 60 days in Gravity Falls. I rest my head on my palm as my sister, Mabel, sleeps agaisnt my shoulder. I sigh as I stare at the same scenery I've seen for the last 4 summers now. Of course I'm excited to go to Gravity Falls. There's always something crazy going on. From Ford's crazy new discoveries to Mabel's new boyfriends.

Despite the many new creatures I've met throughout my time in Gravity Falls, I have yet to discover a new freind. Or girlfriend or whatever.

I'm soon snapped out of my thoughts as the bus haults to a stop, causing Mabel and I to practically fly forward. "Gravity Falls.” The bus driver says in a monotone voice. I swear that guy gets creepier by the days.

"Awe man, I dropped my gummy worms." Mabel says as she holds up the empty bag of gummy worms.

“Let's go Mabel, I don't want to spend another second alone with this guy." I say as I quickly get my things gathered up.

We stumble out of the bus before it speeds off, not even waiting for my foot to fully step out.

"That guy has some serious problems.” I hear Mabel say. I nod my head in agreement.

"¿Disculpe, sabe dónde está Greasy's Diner?" (Excuse me, do you know where Greasy's Diner is?)

I turn around to see a girl, a beautiful girl. Her smile is absulutley breathtaking. Her hair perfectly frames her face.

Her perfect face.

Mabel nudges my shoulder and I realize I've been staring too long.

"S-sorry I don't speak Spanish. No Español?" I say. I feel like a douchebag right now. I see her face turn from hope to disappointment. It feels like I got punched in the gut.

I want nothing more than to put that beautiful smile back on her face. My face lights up as I remember Ford is fluent in Spanish. He's probably fluent in every language.

"I know someone who knows Spanish." I say. She tilts her head to the side, confused. I take a second before I choose my next words.

"I. Know. Someone. Who. Speaks. Spanish." I carefully pronoununate my words as if that would somehow help her understand. Her face still looks confused. I mentally face palm. Way to go Dipper.

I begin to open my mouth until I'm cut off by Mabel.

"Conocemos a alguien que habla español.” (We know someone who speaks Spanish) I hear come from her phone in a robotic voice. Google Translate. Of course.

The girl smiles and nods.

We begin walking to the Mystery Shack and Mabel tries and fails to make conversation with her. The only thing we learned about her is her name, y/n. I love that name. Y/n. I've never really felt the absolute need to learn another language. I mean sure, it would be something cool and convinenet to learn, espically Spanish, but now, now I feel like I need to learn it.

I would do practically anything to learn more about this girl. Woah Dipper, chill out.

•Time Skip•

We introduce her to Ford and they immediately begin having conversation. Listing to her talk absolutely hypnotizes me. I can't help but stare at her. Her e/c eyes, her h/c hair, her s/c skin, her- "DIPPER STOP STARING AT Y/N!” I hear Mabel shout from beside me with a mishevious grin. I slap my hand over her mouth as she laughs. I drag her from the gift shop to the living room

'Mabel are you crazy?" I whisper shout. I quickly peak out the door and see y/n look at Ford with a confused look. Ford plays it off. I need to remember to thank Ford for that later

•Time Skip•

As y/n eats dinner with us, Ford expains what she's doing here. Her family just moved here and sent y/n out to find the person who was going to teach her English but they completely canceled on her. Now, Ford is going to teach her English.

“Dipper, y/n mentioned she would be interested in teaching someone Spanish, would you like to learn?" Ford asks me. Before I could even open my mouth, Mabel answers for me.

"Would he? He would love to considering he's in love with-“ For the second time that day, I slap my hand over her mouth.

I give her a stern look before looking back at Ford and y/n, who is stiffling a laugh.

"I would love that." I say as calmly as I can. Ford translates to y/n.

"I am excited to teach you, Dipper." She says. It's obvious Ford just taught her to say it. Nevertheless, my heart jumps at the sound of my name coming out of her mouth. I stare at her with a goofy smile on my face before I get shoved to the ground by Mabel.

"Mabel!"

RANDOM HEADCANNONS

-Dipper would learn Spanish so fast for you

-He never worked on something harder in his life

-Despite his efforts to understand you through words, there’s still things you guys do through actions

-You both learn each others languages

-It’s so cute because you both work so hard to learn how to talk to each other just for Dipper to be talking in Spanish and you talking in English

-Trust, Dipper will do anything for you

-That includes learning a whole new language

____________________________________________

Thank you so so much for the request! I hope you’re able to translate this easily! Also I apologize if the Spanish aspect of this was booty. Also to everyone who sent a request: Thank You! Every request had an amazing idea and I’ll get to it as soon as possible! I’m writing them in order as to who requested first. If you have any requests please don’t hesitate to send them. That you all for the support! 💜

[intoxicated-chan]

Each Other’s Other

♡o。.✿ฺ Paring // Alejandro Vargas x F!Medic!Reader x Rodolfo “Rudy” Parra

♡o。.✿ฺ Summary // Valeria gets under your skin, her comments about her past relationship with Alejandro makes a tear in your relationship with him. Rodolfo is there to sooth you and maybe sooth his own emotions that have been growing for years.

♡o。.✿ฺ (A/n) // I might make a part 2, maybe…

♡o。.✿ฺ Word Count // 1.5k

♡o。.✿ฺ Content Warnings // Female reader, jealousy, angst, petnames (cariño), mentions of cheating, mentions of wounds, unrequited love, sexual theme, swearing…

Part 1 | Part 2 (Coming Soon!)

It was like a game. Valeria seeing how comfortable Alejandro was with you, it made her sick to her stomach, she wasn’t going to lie to herself and say, “I already moved on.” She clearly hasn’t. Rodolfo could see it, everyone else could see it, hell even Ghost could! But she has moved on, there should be no reason why she’s angered when Alejandro engulfs you the way he has to he in the past, the way his kisses linger on your skin.

Valeria felt her eyes water, her fists clench in jealousy and rage… There was no way the two of you were gonna be happy for the rest of your lives. But what made Valeria break was the engagement ring Soap mentioned, that stupid boy…

The playful and cocky smirk was no longer on her face, they all could see it in her eyes when Alejandro, Rodolfo, and you returned.

“What’s the matter Valeria?” Alejandro laughs, “Cat got your tongue?”

Valeria scoffs, “I could catch many things, you for example.”

Alejandro shakes his head, not moved, touched, or even affected by her statement. Yet he doesn’t reject her accusation, only narrowing which meant… ‘Keep your mouth shut.’ But Valeria knew more than to obey his orders, she doesn’t take orders from anyone.

“I remember when you used to take me up to the lake, we’d watch the stars, and… make love for hours on end.” She looks in your direction, your eyes looking down at the ground, “I remember the way you would let your hands linger all over my body that I was a goddess.” She then turns to you, “Is that what he makes you feel? Like a goddess? Like there’s no one that could ever match your beauty?” Valeria laughs when she hears you let out a shutter.

“Valeria! Enough with your lies.” Alejandro barks which makes her laugh at him this time.

“My lies?! You’re the one who made me feel like I was something! I spent all those nights cold in my bed, believing that you’d toss that whore and come back crawling to me!”

“Valeria!”

“No!” Valeria suddenly stands, ignoring Rodolfo readying his gun, “You don’t get to tell me to be silent when you’ve not only been lying to me, but to her.”

“Excuse me?” You finally speak, picking your head up to face her.

“When he proposes, he’s going to swear that nothing or no one will make him stop loving you. He said that to me once and guess where he is now! He broke it off with me so he could have fun with you!”

“Enough Valeria!”

The silence was painful, you and Valeria stared at each other, yet you were the one to first break eye contact, swallowing the nervousness in your throat and trying to remain cool, “I must check in with the other squads. Let’s hope they’re still in one piece.” You spoke calmly, and shut the door behind you.

“What’s the matter with you Valeria?!” Alejandro pushes her back, “You have the nerve to try and tear my relationship apart?! Yes, there was a time I did love you but it’s all gone now, you’ve shown me your true colors!” Alejandro races out of the room and chases after you, leaving Valeria with Rodolfo.

“(Y/n)! Wait please!” Alejandro places his hand on your shoulder which you push off.

“Are you and Valeria done staring into each other’s eyes?”

Alejandro sighs, “Oh cariño, that was in the past. There’s nothing between me and that woman.”

“Really? Because it seemed like something more, especially when she talked about the lake.” You scoff, knowing the look in his eyes, “You took me to a lake, did those exact same things. Was it the same one you took her too?”

“Cariño-”

“Don’t!” You shouted, interrupting him, “Don’t you dare call me that.”

“...Yes it was.”

How could you even be surprised at this point, “I knew it. You were trying to make me a Valeria. All those places you took me, you took her as well, didn’t you?”

“No I wasn’t trying to do any of that, I love you and only you.”

“…I think I need some time alone. If you need me for important things then I’ll be helping the soldiers with their wounds.” You walk away, wanting to let out a huff.

Rodolfo lowers his rifle as Valeria sits back down, throwing one leg over the other. She acts like nothing happened, as if she didn’t just cause irreversible damage to your relationship.

“Why?” Rodolfo mumbles, “Why would you say that?”

Valeria grumbles and stands from her seat for the hundredth time, “Because you don’t know what it’s like! Watching them hug and kiss each other sickened me!” Valeria pants before she continues her rant, she sees the look in Rodolfo’s eyes.

“You know it too?” Valeria sighs, “It’s her, isn’t it?”

Rodolfo carefully nods, “It is.”

“It’s painful, isn’t it? Watching the woman you love so dearly being sweeped up by the man you look up to? You refuse to say anything because you tell yourself If she’s happy then I’m happy but it’s all wrong, you’re dying on the inside.”

“You, Valeria, bare your feelings to me?”

“No seas tonta.” (Don’t be silly.) Valeria rolls her eyes, “I’m just explaining how you feel.”

“And you feel the same when Alejandro loves (Y/n).”

“Don’t speak of his name!” Valeria shouts at him, “What I’m saying is this… Now is the best time to comfort your little crush, it’s time for you to face your feelings.”

Rodolfo shakes his head, “The same way as you did?”

“¡Vete a la mierda!” (Fuck off!)

Rodolfo found you caring over the injured soldiers. Scolding them whenever they reopen their wounds, refuse to rest or eat. You acted like their mother, which you and Alejandro were called the parents of the Mexican Special Forces. What is Rodolfo’s role in that? Playing the homewrecker? The true cause of their relationship failing? Did Alejandro catch his eyes lingering on you for longer than they should be?

“¿Qué dije? Debes descansar si quieres entrenar.” (What did I say? You must rest if you want to train.) You shake your head as you push the soldier back on their bed.

As you write the current status of your patient, you look up and see Rodolfo standing in front of you, “Sergeant Major Parra… Do you need anything?” It pains him that you used his title but even as close friends, you always try to remain respectful.

“I… I need to talk to you, in private.”

“Okay.”

You led Rodolfo to your office, closing the door behind him, “What is that you wanted to talk about?” Taking a seat while Rodolfo remained standing, “I’m alright if you’re wondering.”

“Are you sure?”

“Yes. I don’t know what to say about Vargas.” Oh you’re definitely pissed. Saying Alejandro is one thing but calling him by his last name is something different.

“What do you mean?” Rodolfo pulls up a chair next to you and sits.

You sigh, rubbing your eyes tiredly, “We had a fight and I needed some time.”

“Do you know what to do next?”

“Do I even know anything at this point?” You lift your head to look at Rodolfo, eyes watering, a pit forms in your throat as you hesitate to speak, “...I was so excited to be with Alejandro but when we got together, I thought it was all me, I thought I was the problem.”

“What happened?”

“It felt like Alejandro was seeing someone other than me. Not like going out and cheating on me but still-”

“Loving Valeria?”

You nod, “I wouldn’t be surprised if I found out that all the places he took me to, he also took Valeria.” You lay your head on Rodolfo’s shoulder, “I guess I was the other woman all along.”

Rodolfo carefully places an arm around your shoulder, pulling you closer, “Don’t say that.”

“I must’ve done something wrong…”

“(Y/n)-”

“Alejandro did act that way until months into the relationship.”

“(Y/n) listen to me-”

“I should-”

“(Y/n) listen to me please.” Rodolfo cuts you off, careful to not raise his voice at you, “You did nothing wrong from the start. Alejandro was still in love with Valeria and made the mistake that getting with you will solve everything. But that doesn’t mean that he doesn’t love you, he loves you in his own way that would seem… I don’t know how to explain it but listen to me when I say this, there is someone out there who loves you more than Alejandro does.”

You scoff, “Like hell there is,”

“I want you to know that I…” You stare up at him, guilt forming in his eyes. Was he really going to confess to his best friend’s girlfriend and probably soon to be fiancee, “I will always be your friend, no matter what happens between you and Alejandro.”

You smile for once, nuzzling into his shoulder, “Thank you Rodolfo, I’m glad to know that I have you as a friend.”

A knock on the door made you pull yourself out of Rodolfo’s comfort, “Come in!” You shout. Another soldier comes in, “Please tell me you didn’t reopen your wounds.”

“No.” They shake their head making you sigh in relief, “The others did.” Which makes you hold in a groan.

“Great. I’ll see you later Rodolfo.” You wave, he returns it.

Rodolfo royally just screwed himself over.

�� Intoxicated-Chan, I do not allow my work to be copied, translated, modified, adapted, or put on any other platform without permission.

[the-lark-ascending69]

Near-future, black mirror esque AU in which Nancy, stressed college student with loads of childhood trauma, gets recommended by her psychologist to get an emotional support robot. That's what they're called, yes. They're sold to very lonely people to pretty much look after them emotionally. Nancy has always hated the idea, and doesn't really like androids or robots of any kind. Plus, she thinks it's quite sad that she's so lonely she needs an android to keep her company. She also couldn't possibly afford it.

Her friend Steve, though, who hasn't seen her in a year despite living 15 minutes away (she has a tendency to isolate herself and use her studies as an excuse), got her one. It's a second-hand unit, a slightly older model that's seen several repair shops in the past, but it works, and it was half the price of a new one. He shows up to her apartment with the box, looking smug and proud of himself. If anything, Nancy feels insulted.

She doesn't touch the box for a few weeks, and doesn't get rid of it either, because her studies take her so much time, she can't bring herself to keep her apartment clean. When her mother visits and sees the mess she's living in, with a perfectly functional android willing to help her, she finally caves, and as soon as she's alone, she decides to see if this thing can at least help her clean up.

It surprises her that it looks so... human. Its skin is soft and warm, with all the natural imperfections of a human's skin. Same as her hair. She's dressed in old worn-out clothes, and she curls into herself, in fetal position, inside the box. Only the button under her skin on the back of her neck reveals her as an android. Nancy reads the instructions, presses there for 10 seconds, and waits.

Or she planned to wait - eight seconds in with Nancy's fingers pressed on that spot, and the android's eyes flew open. She cried out, screambled out of the box and looked around, breathing heavily and hugging herself. Her eyes fix on Nancy, look her up and down with a frown, and asks:

"Who are you?"

Nancy opens her mouth to reply, then looks down at the instructions, hoping they'd say something about this kind of scenario, and that her new robot didn't go rogue and try to kill her.

"Wait, are those my instructions?" The robot asked. She looked down. "I really don't mean to complain about my living situation going from extremely fucked to simply fucked, but that is not my original box. Mine was smaller, and it had a bunch of little dots on the side. Did they sell me again?"

The instructions said nothing about this possibility, so Nancy decided it was time to improvise.

"I... my friend got you at a garage sale, I think."

"Oh. Well, that is low, even for me," the robot said. She rubbed the back of her neck. "Should my neck hurt this much?"

Nancy blinked.

"Shouldn't you know that?"

"Honestly, I don't even know what levels of pain are normal for me. It always hurts just a little bit somewhere, like, right now, my whole spine really hurts." She laughs. "At least I think it's supposed to feel like pain? I don't think we're wired to feel pain, exactly, I mean, that would be just sadistic. Talk anti-natalism to me. But I swear this spot right here just feels really really bad. Or maybe it's anthropocentric to... perceive it as pain, don't you think? It's very existentialist, actually, the whole... perceiving thing - I bet Berkeley wrote something about it, at some point, but I haven't read him in ages."

"You read books?"

"What? Oh. Oh, uh... I - I think I'm offline? Like, I don't have access to the database, so I kinda have to do it the old-fashioned way if I want to learn somethin," she said. "It's cool, though! I like reading a lot."

"...Okay. So, um... here it says your model is..."

"Robin," the android said. Nancy looked up.

"I'm sorry?"

"That's my name," she said. "I came up with it, I - I thought it sounded nice. Do you like it?"

Nancy stared at this... thing, a million thoughs coursing through her head. The first one was a newfound understanding of her low price.

She made a movement with her head that could be understood as both a shake and a nod at the same time.

"Yeah, yeah, sure" she said, brows knit together. What the hell did Steve get her into? "It's... nice."

"Oh, thank God, because Mom and Dad hated it."

"Mom and...?"

"My first owners - Richard and Melissa, I always called them Mom and Dad. They... they, uh, they hated that, too."

Jesus Christ.

"So... Robin," Nancy said. "I was wondering if you could help me put away some of my things while I study."

"Oh! Yeah, yeah, yeah, sure." She stood there, eyes wandering, around, until they fell on Nancy's bookshelf "Holy shit, you have Dostoyevski! Is it in Russian?"

Nancy blinked, opened her mouth, took a step back and shook her head. Robin was already striding towards her bookself, tracing the spines of books with her fingers.

"Actually, why don't you read after you clean this up?"

Robin turned to see her, eyes wide and a growing smile, like a kid in a candy shop.

"I - I can read all of this?"

Nancy was going to kill Steve.

She shrugged and shook her head.

"Sure," she said. "After you clean this mess."

"Aye aye, cap!" Robin chirped, making a quick salute with her hand and getting to work.

Nancy was, for certain, going to murder Steve for making her responsible for this... thing. There was something wrong in her system, and that was very much obvious. She looked down at the instructions manual - surely there would be a way to turn her off for the night. She wouldn't want Robin to murder her in her sleep, or worse - wake her up at 4 am to talk about books.

Or she could just tell her to shut up. She was a robot, anyway. It's not like she could feel anything.

[buckysgrace]

Chapter One

This is the first chapter to my fic Cruel Summer. There are more chapters on my AO3 if anyone is interested in catching up there faster! This chapter is the shortest and a bit of a filler but I hope you enjoy it!

Billy X Fem!MayfieldOC (Includes Stepcest, smut and violence so please read to your own discretion.)

The sun was hot against Kim's back as she walked across the even warmer pavement. The water from her hair was dripping down her back and onto the cement. She used to really like the summer. She liked spending her days at the beach with Max, enjoying the way the breeze danced across the waves. Summer in San Deigo was different than in Hawkins. Here, the air got muggy and overbearing. It was almost too hot and there were very little places for her to cool off in. She flocked to the pool, just like everyone else was. 

She walked towards her familiar spot, pulling a journal out of her bag. Her friend was sprawled out on one of the beach chairs, soaking the warm sun into her dark skin. She raised a hand over her head, looking towards Kim curiously. She grinned, excited that she had finally shown up. She didn't have the best luck making friends. Addi seemed to be the only one that she was ever going to make in Hawkins. 

“Look,” She moved Addi’s legs to the side, water still dripping off her one piece as she held out her journal towards her, “I’ve got it all mapped out.” She was proud of the hard work she had done. She had spent hours up past her bedtime last night, writing in it by Neil's flashlight. She had sectioned off every part in her journal, detailing how exactly she would find weed and try it. Where and when she would have her first kiss and the boys she would prefer to kiss. She even wrote down how she wanted to lose her virginity, and who she wanted to lose it to. One name kept popping up repeatedly. 

“Fuck, that’s cold!” Addi cursed sitting up from where she was sun tanning. She smiled apologetically, not actually meaning to get the water on her. The girls had taken to hanging around the pool as the mall had proven to be too dangerous for their wallets. Their first paycheck had been quickly blown at the various different stores, “Seems like a solid plan, but you know in order to attract male gazes,” She quoted from your writing, “You probably need to wear those bikinis we bought and not the one piece your mom got you.” As if to make a point she pulled on the skirt of Kim’s one piece.

She gaped at her, “This is very cute.” She mumbled rubbing her hands down over the frills on top of the suit. All of her new and mature clothes currently sat hanging in the back of her closet with the tags still on them. Her confidence of wearing them outside had been quickly diminished when she had overheard Neil talking to her mother about the slutty clothes girls wear now while giving her a pointed look. Like he was just waiting for her to make that mistake. She had stared down at the floor, wondering if it was too late to return the outfits they had gotten. 

No, she was unsure if those outfits would ever see daylight. She didn't like when people yelled at her, and Neil was sure to do that if he seen her in any of those outfits. And Neil didn't really need a reason to yell at anyone. She was too easy to succumb to her tears and that only made him madder. He usually didn't get mad at her for the most part, but she couldn't say that it had never happened. 

Summers were usually harder. She hadn't lived with Neil for very long, only a few years, but she hated not having the excuse of being in school. School being out meant that she had to see him more, that she had to pretend that everything was normal in their very dysfunctional family. She had gotten a job as soon as she could, thankful that it gave her time to be away from her parents. 

“Right, it’s cute," Addi agreed with a nod of her head. Kim watched her closely, feeling like she was being sarcastic, "You need sexy!” Addi pushed her long black hair behind her shoulders. She had chosen to wear one of the bikinis she had picked out at the mall. The current one was a light blue that contrasted nicely against her brown skin. The two girls may have been spending their days at the pool, but Addi hated the water and never did much more than dip her toes in and watch as Kim swam laps.

“I know,” She moaned pushing her wet, red hair back, “It’s just so hard, I’m scared people will sit there and laugh.” She sighed, rubbing her pale, freckled arms feeling a sudden chill come over her despite the hot sun beating down on her back. She hated the feeling of people watching her. She remembered starting the new year and every single teacher making her stand in front of her peers and announce her name while having to tell them about herself. She had never felt so humiliated. She must've not been very good at it, as no one paid her any attention after the fact. She was lucky that Addi moved there not too long afterwards. 

“You just need to do it." Addi told her seriously. Kim groaned, knowing she was right. It would be easier to do if she actually had any confidence. She was used to hiding in the back of the classroom. She wasn't sure how she was supposed to suddenly change that about herself. She liked staying hidden, it made her feel safe. She really didn't want that much attention on her. Not really. Just enough to gain someone's attention. 

"It's scary," Kim tried her best to explain her reasoning. She wished she had an ounce of Addi's personality. She could be so bold at times. She wished that she had that inside of her, "I just don't like feeling like people are judging me." Addi sent her a knowing look, making Kim shrug her shoulders sheepishly. She knew it was dumb, but she couldn't help the way that she felt. It was like it was buried deep inside of her. 

"How else is Steve Harrington going to notice you and get in your pants?” Addi questioned scanning over her journal again. She nudged her arm softly, feeling a flush spreading over her body at the mention of the brown eyed boy. She was sure she had the biggest crush on Steve. He just seemed so sweet, so nice. More importantly, she liked how big his brown eyes seemed to be. She was smitten. She furrowed her eyebrows, feeling a shadow come down over them. 

“Get in whose pants?” The deep voice that appeared from behind caused Addi to slam the journal shut and clutch it to her chest. Kim jumped, feeling her heart race as she tried to think of some excuse as she peered up at her older brother who was glaring down at them. He had pushed his sunglasses on top of his dirty blonde curls and was chewing on his gum obnoxiously. She tried to stop the pounding in her chest. 

She didn't really consider him an older brother. They had both been about fifteen when they were all forced to play happy family together. Things always felt off between them, Kim didn't know how to place it. She didn't hate him, she pitied him mostly. She hated the way Neil treated him and could understand why he was so quick to anger. She always felt guilty when Neil would beat him and had spent many nights cleaning up his cuts and bruises when he would allow it. Still, he was nice. He had taught her a few things before, and he always drove her around even if he didn't have to. She appreciated that. Their relationship wasn't the best, but it wasn't bad either. 

Still, it didn’t feel like they were close in a way that siblings would be. Her feelings towards him were so very different than the feelings she felt towards her baby sister, Max. She didn't know how to place her feelings. She blamed it on the fact that they met when they were much older. Referring to him as her brother put an odd taste in her mouth. She'd describe him as a friend, but they weren't friends either. He was basically a stranger to her. 

Billy stood there in his lifeguard uniform, not that there was much to it, his red shorts clinging to his hips and his whistle resting comfortably between his pecs. Her face still burned every time he walked around her, and he was shirtless. She wasn't used to seeing guys like that, but the fact that he was so toned made her face burn even more. It was embarrassing, thinking of him in that way but it was hard not to. There was no denying that he was attractive, no matter how hard she tried. He looked down at her expectantly, waiting for an answer as he blew a bubble with his gum. The sound of it popping drew her away from her thoughts, making her jump. 

The two girls glanced at each other, both waiting for the other to make some excuse. Kim's mouth parted and opened wide, trying to think of anything. Addi did that for a moment, laughing nervously as she looked back at Billy. She swatted her hand in the air before they were both looking back up at him and answering in unison.

“No one's!” Kim winced but was glad that they were both thinking of the same thing. She watched the way Billy chewed his gum, looking anything but amused as he watched her. She always felt like he could see right through her. She glanced away quickly, having a hard time keeping eye contact with him. He was just always so intense. She didn't know how anyone was able to look at him without melting away. 

Billy huffed then motioned towards the journal, which Addi had a death grip on, “What’s that?” They both looked at each other again. Kim felt dread tickling up her back, she couldn't imagine the embarrassment if he found out what was in it. He would do nothing but tease her about it for the rest of her life. She wished she hadn't brought it, that she had remembered everything and only told her friend. That way, there couldn't be any evidence. She didn't need him to hold this over her head. She knew it would be scandalous. 

“Homework.” She finally spoke up, raising her hazel eyes up again to meet his piercing blue ones. They were so intense, such a bright blue color. A fuzzy feeling traveled through her skin as she gulped hard. She furrowed her eyebrows together and tucked her drying hair behind her ears, knowing that it was a terrible lie. There was no one doing homework this early into the summer. She breathed out, hoping that he wouldn't question it. His lips curled into a smile as he flicked his tongue across his teeth. 

“School has been out for two weeks,” He spoke up, watching her with an amused gleam in his eyes. Her eyes flickered to behind him where the group of mothers were looking at him like he was the last meal they would ever have. She didn't understand how he handled it all day long. She wondered if he liked the attention. He never told them off, she was sure that he liked a little bit of it. Still, she was always curious if he got irritated by them as well. She shrugged and smiled sheepishly as she turned her attention back towards him, "What kind of homework could you possibly working on?"

“It’s never too early to get a head start?" She stumbled for a moment, ignoring the way his shorts seemed to dip down on his hips, "It's math. Math is always hard." She spoke awkwardly. Addi shot her a look, shaking her head and letting her know that she had blown their cover completely. She forced a quick smile to her lips, trying her best to remain as innocent as possible. 

“Shouldn’t you be watching the brats and I don’t know, making sure they don’t drown?” Addi asked dryly, leaning back in her chair and resting her legs over Kim’s. She relaxed softly, grateful for her friend. They had both met last year and bonded over their similarities. Both had come into the school year nearly at the same time and moved from different parts of California. She was more brash and bold, but still had a soft heart that she kept locked up behind big walls. To Kim, she was her first real friend. She never had much time to make friends when she was younger. She was always busy watching Max. Her mom worked long hours and her dad struggled with his addictions. As far as she was concerned, Max would forever be her best friend despite their age difference. 

Addi had been the one to suggest they both have an unruly summer before school starts and Kim had been more than happy to agree. She was tired of visiting the library each day and searching for different romance books to try and fill the void in her life. She wanted a boyfriend, she wanted to feel like she was living her life. The hardest part seemed to be coming out of her shell. Her shell was nice. It was warm, it was safe. It kept her from embarrassing herself. 

Billy laughed, flicking his tongue over his teeth again, “I’m on break but thank you for your concern,” He glanced at Addi, crossing his muscular arms over his chest before he looked back at her, “What do you want with Steve Harrington?” She wished she could scream. He had overheard, of course, he had overheard. He always seemed to figure out everything that she was hiding. Sometimes she would stare at him, wondering if he could read her mind. Sometimes he would stare right back at her and leave her even more uncertain. 

“Nothing he just seems like a nice guy,” She tried to reply as casually as she could. She knew he was a sore subject for Billy. They had some sort of competition last year that resulted in the both of them getting burned. Still, Billy's bruises from that night weren't as bad as Steve's. She had remembered seeing him, completely shocked at the mass amount of bruising that was left upon his pretty features. She had missed out on the whole fight, and it seemed like no one wanted to tell her what had really happened. The same way she really didn't know why they had to move. All she knew was that Billy and Max had both done something bad.  Kim felt like she got part of the backlash from the boys fight as well, even though she wasn't involved. Every time she went to Scoops Ahoy, she’d watch as he’d flirt with girl after girl but when it came to her, he always deadpanned and referred to her as Kimberly before scooping out her mint chocolate chip ice cream. She would pout every time afterwards, wondering what she had done wrong.

She was determined to change that by the end of the summer. She wanted things to be different, she wanted to gain his attention. She was sure that she had it in herself. It was just buried, deep down inside of her. She'd figure out how to get it out, one way or another. 

“Yeah," Billy laughed again, looking at her almost in disbelief, "Pretty boy will only want one thing from you,” He leaned down until he was inches away from her face. She paused for the longest time, feeling her heart beating against her rib cage. He was so close to her face that she could see the freckles that hid within his golden skin. His intense blue eyes shot back down towards her, “Stay away from him.” She stared back, wishing she was brave enough to tell him that she didn't mind if that's all that he wanted. She wanted it too. She kept quiet, unable to look him in the eye. He straightened up, pushing his sunglasses down again. As quickly as he appeared, he left heading towards the concession stand. She scoffed, shaking her head as she turned to face Addi again. 

“Can you believe him?” She groaned as she reached for her journal again. She wrapped her fingers around it softly, beginning to tug when Addi refused to let it go. Kim looked at her confused, only to notice that Addi was paying no attention towards her. Addi's dark eyes were zeroed in on Billy, watching the steps he took as he walked away from them. Kim groaned, still hating how everyone seemed to gaze after him, “Addi!” Addi jumped and thrust the book back at her. She knew the effect that he had over people, and she had yet to find someone that didn’t swoon the first time that he opened his charming gaze to them.

“Damn, sorry. He is hot though.” She shrugged, and Kim groaned, shoving her journal back into the safety of her bag. She wasn’t the first person to say that, and Kim knew she wasn’t the last. She hated that other people called him attractive. She didn't like the way other people would watch him. It gave her an odd feeling that she didn't understand. Kim always felt awkward, but she hated to admit that it was true. Billy had always been good looking, and he knew it too. She had to live through constantly seeing the different girls he brought back and listening to their happy screams as Max would giggle and call it. Her and Kim would joke around about it at times, but it still left a sour taste in her mouth. She blamed it on the fact that many girls tried to use her to get to Billy. She was sure that was the only reason. 

“He’s the reason Steve hates me.” She groaned dramatically as she crossed her legs in the seat. The warm chair was beginning to burn into her skin, and she wondered if she'd be red when she stood up. Addi shook her head, giving her an incredulous look, as if she as wrong. But she knew it was true. She knew that if it wasn't for Billy and his anger that Steve wouldn't ignore her the way that he did. She wished that he would spare her a second glance, that's all that she was asking for. Just one chance. 

“Steve doesn’t hate you, he’s just indifferent right now," She tried to lessen the blow with her kind words. Kim sighed softly, playing with her hair again, "I’m telling you, once you show up in that cute little dress you bought, he’s going to lose his mind.” She smiled sweetly, gripping her hand and giving it a small squeeze. She happily accepted the feeling and squeezed back in return. Her face still felt warm as she thought about the dress that she had bought. It was different, it was new. She was excited for the prospect that she may wear it one day. 

“You really think so?” She smiled hopefully and Addi nodded again. Steve had been the first guy to give her any attention when she moved here, not that she really qualified that as him being into her. He was being more polite than anything, guiding her from the front office to her first class of the day. He had rambled on about the different classes that he was going to be taking. She had listened to every word, breathing in the gentle smile he had placed on his lips. He had been with Nancy Wheeler at that time, now, she had heard that they had split and felt like it was okay to make a move on him. Nancy was with Jonathan now anyways; she didn’t see what the problem could be.

Until Billy.

“Of course, I do and if he doesn’t - fuck him. You’re beautiful and there’s a guy out there for you. Even if it isn’t Steve.” She proclaimed. At this point, it was only a rehearsal from the hundredths of other times that Addi had told her the same thing. Kim nodded feeling a bit better about it, but she truly hoped it was Steve. He was just so sweet that she couldn't imagine her being with anyone else. Hawkins wasn't very big; she didn't have many options in terms of guys.

She hoped that one day she could move back to California. She suddenly missed her home, desperately. She missed her dad too. She knew that deep down, Hawkins wasn't the place for her. 

“I gotta leave a little early today,” Addi spoke up again grabbing her bag, “I told mom I’d help make enchiladas tonight. Argyle should be here soon; we can drop you off at home if you want?” She asked, turning to face Kim and waiting for her answer. Kim considered her offer for a moment, thinking about it hard. 

Neil was off today and knowing her luck, he'd be busying himself inside of the house, pretending to do something. Usually that meant he'd be snooping around, trying to find something that was wrong within the house. He would probably try to talk to her and make unnecessary comments if he didn't like something she said. She hated dancing around him. She'd rather be alone the rest of the day, rather than having to speak to Neil. 

“No, I want to swim for a while longer. Thanks for the offer though, I’ll see you at work tomorrow?” They both worked as waitresses on the morning shift at Patsy’s Diner and insisted that they needed the same shifts in order to get through the day. Luckily, management was desperate and usually allowed them to do just that. She usually asked Billy to drop her off before he headed to the pool in the mornings. She thought it was funny that he had to teach little kids to swim, but surprisingly, he seemed to like it. He was also really good at it. She had witnessed too many children running up to him, thanking him for the morning session. It was almost cute, watching their little hands tug on his own. He seemed completely different at those times. 

"See you later, babe." Addi smiled, picking up her things right as Argyle's van pulled into view. She sighed, giving her a tight hug before she was leaving. Kim rested back against the seat, playing with her fingers as she thought about her choices. She could wait a few more hours in the hot sun, before she walked the dreaded distance towards their house. She was sure she would arrive in a pool of sweat and blistered skin. Or she could track down Billy and oh so sweetly ask him for a ride home. She'd still have to wait until the end of his shift, but at least she wouldn't have to walk under the warm sun. She sat there for a few more minutes, hoping that he would come out soon. She sighed, realizing he was probably going to ignore her unless he found out the information he wanted anyways. She'd have to be the one to ask him. 

So, she took a giant breath until her lungs felt anew. She moved her legs to the side of the chair, her feet burning as she stood up against the cement again. Her hair was completely dry at this point. She crossed her arms as she walked, holding them across her chest as she headed towards the break rooms. It was always dim and cold in the backrooms. She wasn't technically allowed back there, but she figured no one would really say anything to her. 

The Employees Only sign glared down at her as she nibbled on her bottom lip. She sighed softly, hating the idea of this more and more. She wasn't sure why she felt so anxious, but she did. Kim pushed down hard on the handle, waiting for it to open but it didn't. She tried again, furrowing her eyebrows together in confusion. She didn't understand why the door would need to be locked in the first place. She huffed, turning on her heel and heading back in the direction she had come from. 

She looked around for a moment, wincing at the loud screaming that hit her ears. She stepped forward, trying to make out anyone else in the mass amount of people. She finally spotted Heather in her red swimming suit. Kim played with her hands as she walked towards her, feeling nervous again as she realized she'd actually have to talk to someone. She looked down at Heather's bored expression. 

“Hey,” She walked back up to Heather, smiling apologetically. The other girl barely spared her a glance before looking back down at her nails, “Can I use your key to get into the supply room? I think that’s where Billy went, and I need to ask him something." She explained, fiddling with her fingers some more. Heather looked up at her finally, nearly having to crane her neck from how much shorter she was than Kim. 

“Did you knock?” She questioned, smacking her gum but pulling her key out of her bag regardless. Kim shook her head, feeling a bit dumb as she didn't think to do that. She waited for Heather to question why she needed to talk to Billy, but she never did. Kim shrugged her shoulders softly, appreciating that it wasn't that hard of a job to accomplish. Kim held the key in her hand happily. 

“I figured he’d ignore me if he knew it was me.” She grinned and thanked her, before stalking back to the room, wondering if this was even worth the hassle. She could just wait until the end of his shift anyways and force him to take her home. Then again, she may get stuck in the car with him and whichever girl he decided was worth his time. It all sounded so miserable. She really needed to work on getting her driver's license, but her driving lessons hadn't been going well. 

She stared at the door for a moment before quietly sticking the key in and turning it until she heard it unlock. She pressed her ear against the door, listening for a moment to try and hear what he was doing. She furrowed her eyebrows again, hearing nothing but heavy breathing. She didn't think much of it, realizing that he did some weird things anyways. Her fingers wrapped around the doorknob as she considered her options again. She took one last deep breath, and she pushed the door open wide.

“Hey, Billy-” Her words jumbled in her throat and her mind blanked as she stared at the image in front of her. Billy had jumped so far that his back slammed against one of the metal storage racks, sending goggles and life jackets tumbling onto the floor. His cheeks were flushed, and the fly of his shorts unzipped, with his hand quickly trying to shove himself back into his shorts. Kim stared for the longest time, her face burning brighter than the sun as she realized he was holding his cock in his hand. Her mouth suddenly felt dry at the realization that he wasn't small either. It was big and she felt a rush traveling through her body. She gaped, blinking hard as she tried to look away from him, stumbling about.

“You brat! You couldn’t be a normal person and fucking knock?” He yelled harshly, giving her a dirty look. She noticed he was flushed all the way down his neck and couldn’t tell if it was from embarrassment or from something else. She was still trying to think of something to say, trying to think of something that she could do to make everything better. She swallowed hard, her whole entire body warming. She was trying not to stare at the outline of it in his very tight shorts. 

“I um-” Words couldn’t seem to come to Kim as the image of him holding his cock in his hand seemed to burn itself in her mind. She wondered who he had been thinking about that made him had to jerk off at work. She still couldn't find what she needed to say. Her mind was completely blank, the only image that was popping inside of her mind was his cock. She hoped he couldn't see the way it had affected her. 

“Needed these,” She muttered awkwardly, picking up a pair of bright green, square goggles that had landed in front of her feet, He looked at her exasperated, like he couldn't believe the words that had left her mouth, “Thanks.” She muttered, looking anywhere but at him as she moved, slower than normal, and shut the door behind her. Once the door clicked shut, she moved with haste before he could come out and say anything else. What was his problem? Who does that?

“Hey- Hey my key!” Heather shouted after her. Kim stopped so fast that she thought she may fall face forward into the ground. She gulped hard, turned and thrusted Heather’s key back towards her quickly. She smiled sheepishly, hoping her face didn't show what she had just seen. She was so humiliated. 

She quickly gathered her things, deciding that anywhere would be better than spending the rest of the evening anywhere around Billy. She wanted to die, to melt away somewhere else. She was sure that she would never, ever be able to look him in the eyes again. She rushed into her flipflops, moving twice as fast with her bag so she could be gone before Billy got back out. Her heart was racing as the image played over and over again in her mind. 

God, she was in so much trouble.

[queenoftheworldisdead]

Non-Compete

Chapter 3

A/N: Reader is female. No physical descriptors used. Let me know if i fucked up and not do that. Chat me up i don't bite!

Summary: Your super genius younger sister is offered a chance of a lifetime to work for either Oscorp or Stark industries straight out of high school. Her choices leave you stuck in an unrequited love triangle.

Warning: Slow Burn, Adult content only! 18+ only please. Dark! There is potentially triggering stories ahead.

Peter Parker x Reader, Norman Osborn x Reader

🍽️

It’s been hard coming to grips with how much Emily has been slipping away. You’d known it would happen eventually—that she’d carve her own path—but you never expected it to come so soon. You stand outside Stark Tower, trying to calm the nerves stirring under your skin. The place looms, a stark monolith of glass and steel, its futuristic lines and towering height leaving Oscorp’s old-world architecture feeling like something from another era. The double doors sweep open as you approach, swallowing you into a gleaming interior. Inside, it feels like stepping onto a different planet. Massive screens flicker with scenes of serene landscapes and starry expanses, while glass elevators hum up and down in silence. Robotic assistants glide past, and people move in sharp, purposeful lines, barely registering your presence. There’s a hum to the place, polished and cool, and already you feel out of place, the glossy surroundings swallowing your figure in their efficiency. As you cross the threshold, a voice—soft yet unsettling—echoes from hidden speakers. “Welcome. Please state your purpose.” It comes from nowhere and everywhere at once, unsettling in its precision.

You jump, nearly tripping over your own feet. Looking around, no one else seems phased, only concerned with their own tasks as they filter through the polished halls. "Uh, I’m here to see my sister," you say a bit awkwardly to the bodyless voice. A bright light blinks, and you flinch, the sharp flash momentarily blinding you. You blink rapidly, spots dancing in your vision as you try to steady yourself. “I—uh, I don’t have a code,” you add hastily, feeling a rush of nerves. “but it’s my sister. She works here, and—” “Access denied.” You swallow, heat rising in your face as the system’s words land like a punch. "But—Emily,” you start again, voice edged with frustration. “She works here. Just let her know—” “Access denied. Please vacate the premises, or Security will be notified.”

You force a stiff smile, cheeks burning, and turn on your heel, the sting of rejection settling heavy in your chest. All you’d wanted was a simple lunch with your sister. Instead, you’re walking back into the downtown noise, feeling a bit ridiculous, hoping no one noticed the exchange on some invisible camera.

Outside, you slip back into the crowd, the city’s chatter and thrum filling in the hollow feeling left behind. Downtown has always grated on you—the crush of bodies, the traffic pressing in—but right now, all you want is to get to your car, even if it’s four blocks away. At least getting back a little for the unused meter time will be a relief to your pocketbook.

"Excuse me, miss?" A voice calls out, slicing through the crowd. The words grip you like a hand on your shoulder, stopping you in your tracks.

Your pulse stutters, and instinct tells you to keep moving. But curiosity has you bracing, stealing a steadying breath before turning to see who’s called.

Is it security? You half expect to see someone from Stark Tower, chasing you down for trespassing. For a split second, the thought of running flashes through your mind.

“Sorry, I didn’t mean to trespass,” you say quickly, lifting your hands in a gesture of surrender as you turn around slowly. “I was just trying to take my sister to lunch.”

“Sorry I didn’t mean to startle you,” he replies, his voice cutting through the crowd with quiet authority. “It’s me Norman. Norman Osborn. I interviewed your sister.”

Recognition lands, and embarrassment creeps in, realizing your mistake.

“Oh—Mr. Osborn, I’m sorry. I didn’t recognize you at first.”

“No harm done.” He offers a faint smile, his gaze assessing as he falls in step beside you. “So, I understand Emily took an offer at Stark?”

“Yes, she did.” A faint pride slips into your voice. “She was so disappointed when she hadn’t heard back from Oscorp, and then this boy showed up out of nowhere—almost like fate.” You give a small, rueful laugh, feeling the awkwardness.

“Boy?” Norman’s brow wrinkles, curiosity flashing in his eyes.

“Yeah, Peter. Peter something.  Just showed up one day, out of the blue.” you say excitedly. 

For the briefest moment, a flicker passes over Norman’s face—too quick to catch, like a shadow crossing his features. It’s gone before you can read it, replaced by his usual cool, casual smile, leaving you wondering if you imagined it.

“Interesting,” he murmurs, almost to himself. His tone is steady, but something taut lurks beneath the surface.

“So, downtown to visit your sister, then?” he asks, a polite smile touching his lips. His gaze flicks over you, sharp and assessing, before sliding back toward the street, as if his thoughts are elsewhere. 

“Tried to, anyway. Wanted to surprise her with lunch, but it didn’t quite work out as planned,” you say, the feel of earlier embarrassment still lingering.

He pauses, stopping so abruptly. You turn back a few steps ahead, brow creasing at his unreadable expression. The crowded sidewalk flows around you, but he seems fixed on you, gathering his thoughts.

“How about we grab lunch instead?” he suggests, the invitation unexpectedly warm but his tone hard to place. “My treat.”

🍽️

You hate saying no. You hate disappointing people.

Sitting across from the well-dressed man, you mentally kick yourself for not finding an excuse to back out. Your eyes drift to your casual jeans and worn-out sneakers, feeling painfully out of place in this restaurant. Chandeliers glisten above, casting soft light over the carefully set tables with crisp white linens. Even the silverware seems excessive—how many forks could one meal possibly require?

You pick through your salad as he cuts into his steak, nodding along as he talks tech—just like Emily, really, always in a language you don’t quite speak. When he orders the wine, you don’t refuse. The soft buzz settles over you, making it easier to hold your smile, easier to get through the meal. You take long, deliberate sips, not for the taste but to steady your nerves, Norman's gaze almost dissecting every word, every small movement. The weight of his attention presses down, leaving you hyper-aware and exposed, as though there’s nowhere to hide. You shift slightly, hoping to appear composed, but Norman's scrutiny keeps you on edge.

“You work at a Al's grocery-right? How long have you been there?” he asks change course, just as the waiter refills your glass. It’s surprising he knows where you work, but you brush it off—Emily must’ve mentioned it in passing.

“Oh, uh, since junior year of high school.”

“I admire your dedication,” he says, a curious glint in his eye. “It’s rare to see someone your age with such a strong work ethic.”

You force a smile, hesitating. “I didn’t really have a choice. After Mom passed, Dad... wasn’t really around, so someone had to keep things going.” The words slip out before you can stop them, the wine loosening your guard far more than you’d like. Normally, you wouldn’t say this much, you don't like talking about your personal life.

“That must’ve been a lot, balancing school and work at that age.”

“I... I didn’t finish,” you admit, wincing. You drop your gaze, feeling the old sting of shame. You’d always meant to go back, but creditors don’t care about circumstances. Without work, there was no food, no roof over your head.

“I’m really sorry I didn’t mean to-,” Norman says, voice softening. “I know that must have been tough. But honestly, that doesn’t define you. What you’ve managed to accomplish despite it shows resilience. Sometimes life takes us down unexpected paths, but you’ve clearly made the best of yours.”

You nod, though his words settle like a weight in the air. It’s the last thing you want to hear—too close to the raw truth. The conversation feels too personal now, and you shift uncomfortably in your seat, a half-smile barely managing to lift your lips.

“Um,” you begin, swallowing thickly, your fingers tracing the rim of your glass. You hesitate, then force the words out, “I just—uh, I realized Emily asked me to pick up... I mean, sign for some packages.”

You stand suddenly, almost too quickly, and reach for your purse, the movement stiff. “I really should go,” you say, the words coming out in a rush, sounding more like an apology than anything else. The tension wraps around you tightly, and you feel the heat rise in your face as you hurry to leave.

“Wait,” he says softly, signaling to the waiter-maybe for the check. “Let me take you home.”

You hesitate, clutching your purse a little tighter. “I have my car…” 

Norman shakes his head, his expression firm but kind. “You’ve been drinking. I can’t in good conscience let you drive. I’d feel terrible if something happened.”

You glance down at the floor, biting your lip. He’s right. The wine had blurred the edges of your thoughts, and now you’re feeling more off-balance than you’d like to admit. With a quiet nod, you give in, feeling both defeated.

“Okay,” you say softly, reluctant, “thanks.”

You can’t escape his kindness though you wish you had the will to. 

[storiesbyjes2g]

3.71 Derailed

When we got to Chi Chi's, Karmine hadn't gotten home yet, and I was relieved. She was a sweet kid and all, but man could she talk. I probably wouldn't have made it out once she cornered me. Ha, and now that she was a teenager, she probably had even more to say and gave Chi Chi a run for her money. Bless that child. I left from there and went immediately to Gilbert Gardens, feeling only 8% guilty that I didn't stop at Dad's. He would ask great questions and try to help me talk through it, but this was something I needed to do on my own. Sophia and I had many discussions about the future, and I sensed the urgency to seriously consider our next steps, especially since she had been prepared for quite some time. I was too, in theory, but that was the problem. My next move needed to come from the heart, not from panic or pressure. I wanted to make my request confidently, with a clear conscience and a pure heart.

A man I'd never seen before interrupted my thoughts. He looked pretty young, maybe fresh out of high school. His super light eyes struck me, and I halfway believed they were real. Gray wasn't an unusual color, but they seemed to glow against his dark skin.

"Excuse me," he said. "Sorry to bother you. I'm Wade."

"Luca. Nice to meet you."

"Yeah, same here. Look, this is my first time here, and I have a few hours to kill. Would you mind suggesting a few things to do around here?"

Ah ha! He was a tourist. Of course, I didn't know everyone in San Sequoia, but I usually saw the same sims everywhere.

"It's your first time in San Sequoia?"

"Yeah."

"Cool. Well, welcome. I love it here. Hoping to move back soon. But sure, I can help you out."

"Thanks! I appreciate that."

So much for my thoughtful walk. Did I really need it, though? I loved Sophia. Everyone loved Sophia, and I already considered her my family. When I thought about the future, she was all I saw. She and the rest of our family. What was there to think about? It's not like I needed to decide if I wanted to be with her forever. I just needed to do it. There was no such thing as the right time, and knowing Sophia, I didn't need to craft an elaborate plan. Just ask, and let the chips fall.

With that out of the way, my mind, and calendar, were free to help this guy. He was fortunate to approach me because he wouldn't find a bigger fan of San Sequoia.

"Actually, I have some time," I said. "I could show you a few of my favorite spots, if you want."

Those super bright eyes of his seemed to glow even brighter.

"Would you? That would be incredible!"

"Of course. How long are you here for?"

"Just for the day. Gotta catch the evening train."

"Where to?"

"Brindleton Bay."

"Oh, nice. I've never been, but my mom used to live there."

Wade shrugged dismissively.

"It's an okay place. I'm originally from Henford, and moving to BB had it's challenges. I posted a video about it on my SimTube channel."

"You're on SimTube? That's kinda crazy because I just started a channel. What are your videos about?"

"Some of them are personal vlogs, but I also do a series listing the top things to see in different towns. Maybe I'll do one about San Sequoia. What about you? What are your videos about?"

Wow, this guy seemed heavy into SimTube. He probably had thousands of followers and made all kinds of money. Maybe we could stay in touch, and he could teach me a thing or two about growing my channel.

"Uhh, heh, well, I've only done one so far, but I'm a yoga instructor. I do simple routines that anyone can follow and learn. So, I take it you travel a lot?"

"Not as much as I plan to. I've only covered Henford and Batuu so far. I'm currently working on one for Brindleton Bay, but like I said, the place is going to take some getting used to. The entire town smells like fish!"

"Eww. Really?"

Mama didn't talk about her single life much, but I think I'd remember her saying her city smelled like fish. I'd have to ask her about that.

"I think most places have their own set of challenges, though," I continued. "Like, I recently moved to Oasis springs. I love how it's warm all the time, but man is it dusty!"

He threw his head back and let out a hearty laugh.

"Dust might be just as bad as fish!"

"It might be! Which is worse: a constant bad smell or feeling like you're dirty all the time?"

Wade was so animated and fun to watch. My question made his face wrinkle up as if the whole world suddenly reeked of fish.

"Okay, you win! Filth is the absolute worst!"

His outfit was so sleek and fancy, it was clear he liked things neat. He also looked pretty fit, so I knew what our first activity had to be.

"You workout, Wade?"

"Most definitely! Gotta look good for the ladies, right?"

"Absolutely!"

We vibe'd well, and I liked him. I bet he'd be really fun to party with.

"Nah, but seriously," he said, "my dad's obsession with fitness has rubbed off on me. Oh, and you can call me Dub. Most sims do."

I grinned at the thought of us becoming friends.

"Okay, Dub. You ready for a scenic run?"

"I stay ready!"

Your eyes have not deceived you. THEE Wade "Dub" Banks from @mysimsloveaffair's The Banks Dynasty is in the building! Thanks so much for letting me borrow him and spark this amazing friendship.

If you don't know Dub, check out her story! It's one of my favorites.

Also...I guess him meeting Luca officially puts aDOLTing in the Pierson Cinematic Universe! Dub is Kai's oldest son, the one who climbed with Nate on Mt. Komorebi.

[aelinad]

Tangled Strings of Fate Chapter 02 - Déjà vu

 I had no way of getting in contact with him. Blame the countless K-dramas I'd seen and romance books I've read for my hopelessly romantic expectations, but I thought he would text me. He had the perfect excuse to not seem creepy—something like, "Hey, here are some cool things happening this week..." would have been more than enough. I thought we had some chemistry, but perhaps that was just wishful thinking. Maybe he was just a nice guy, not wanting to hurt a poor lost girl by turning her down. I guess he was too nice and handsome to be single either way.

Second day of our vacation started similarly as the first one. I went to pick up food from the convenience store while Selina finished getting ready for the day. This time my phone was fully charged. I would be lying if I said that not protesting to be on breakfast duty was not mostly influenced by the fact that I was hoping to spot Joon on my way there and back.

I picked up some similar breakfast items as yesterday plus some cup noodles for late night cravings, put them in a string backpack I brought for easier carrying and took the way back through the path alongside the Han River. I walked slower, taking in the surroundings when Selina called. I put on my airpods before I answered her.

"I'm assuming you did not meet him since you are answering my calls? " I rolled my eyes at my sister although she could not see me.

"Is that why you called?"

"No! I wanted to remind you to buy some more water to carry around today, but also to see if you met Mister Dimples " I could feel her grin through the phone.

"Don't worry I bought everything, I'm on my way back now so see you when I'm back."

"Okay!" she replied and hung up before I could say anything else.

I was putting my airpods back on my pocket when i heard someone yell:

"Josimhaseyo!" Be careful!

All I managed to see was a dark brown figure before I was tackled on the ground, my left hand taking most of the impact. I assumed I had already fallen victim to the infamous motorbikes, but then I felt a tag of skin on the right side of my neck. I opened my eyes to find a very happy chocolate brown doberman greeting me as if he had not seen me in ages. I never had a dog growing up.

"BAM! Geumanhae!" Stop it! That voice said again.

"Hello to you too buddy!" I said to the doggy petting him while he was still jumping around, sniffing me and giving me small licks on my hand.

"Mianhaeyo. Bama..."��Sorry... the voice trailed off as I raised my head, my face visible underneath my bucket hat to who could only be the owner of this dog, revealing I was not korean.

"Oh sorry" said the young man trying to get a hold of his dog. "He never does this! I am not sure what triggered him".

"It's okay," I said, still petting the dog. "This is not the first time this has happened to me." It was true, I've had a few other dogs throughout my life do the same. A friend I was with once told me that I was perhaps the dog's owner in a previous life and they had recognised me, making them overjoyed, ignoring the current owner for a while. They usually left soon after but this one seems to be a bit more stubborn.

"Really? " The guy looked at me eyes wide, taken back by my answer. He was also wearing a black bucket hat and a black mask, his boba doe eyes the only thing i could see. He was wearing all black baggy clothes too.

"Yeah, something about being a previous owner of the dog in a past life" I said smiling at the dog. He was smiling, mouth open looking at me next to his owner.

I realised I was still on the ground and made to get up when a tattooed hand prompted in front of me to offer help. I took it, looking at the guy's eyes while getting up. A bike bell rang a couple of times while passing around us while we were still holding eye contact. The dog barked at us and we broke away, letting go of his hand and gaze.

I went to brush off my hands and noticed the bloody scratches that were now covering my left palm. The guy seemed to notice too.

"Omo! Your hand!" He said, eyes even more wide removing his mask as if to look better. "Look what you did Bam!"

"No no, it's not his fault, I should have been paying more attention. I wouldn't have lost my balance if I were doing so. Don't blame yourself about it Bam" I said looking at the dog, petting his head.

"Let me get you some ointment, so it does not scar." Said the young man. With the mask gone I had a better view of his handsome face. A lip ring on his right bottom lip. What was it with this path and handsome men walking through it? We did not see this kind of beautiful men yesterday while out with Selina. She will definitely think I was making them up at this point.

"There is a pharmacy just up the corner. Please is the least I could do".

I knew the pharmacy he was referring to, it's the one at the bottom of the hilly road just around the street, past the conjunction I pass to go to our flat. I was about to decline, but the apologetic look on his face made me accept instead. Bam also seemed happy with our decision as he barked in approval.

                                                     ***

I sat on a bench outside the pharmacy while the guy went inside. I thought he'd be more hesitant to leave his dog with a stranger, but judging from how happy Bam was to oblige when he told him to sit next to me at the right of the bench, he might have felt more at ease. Dogs are good judges of character and they can sense an evil person straight away after all.

Bam's head was on my lap and I was petting him when his owner exited the pharmacy. The doorbell prompted me to look up to see him carrying a big medical paper bag.

"Did you buy the whole pharmacy?! It's just a few scratches, not a full on wound!"

He smiled looking at Bam and then me.

"These are all necessary for a proper treatment!" He motioned towards the bag. The guy sat on my left and started getting things out of the bag.

"May I?" He asked motioning towards grabbing my hand.

I nodded. He took my hand on his and started cleaning the wound, blowing at it and saying sorry when I would wince from the burn.

"I am Hana by the way" I told him while he was still applying the ointment on my hand. He looked a bit flustered while looking at me.

"Umm...Ian, you can call me Ian" he said and continued treating my hand.

"Nice meeting you Ian" Bam barked "and you too of course Bam." Both me and Ian laughed at the dog while he barked twice more.

After Ian finished wrapping my hand with a bandage, he gave me the rest of the medication to keep and to follow up on the wound. We both got up and looked at eachother.

"Thank you for this," I said, raising my left hand.

"No need, the least I could do after Bam tackling you. Thank you for being so calm and nice about this whole thing".

"Of course. See you guys around!" I said and went to wave goodbye.

Bam stood from his place and let out a cry at that. Ian told him to sit again.

I kneeled before him, looking up at Ian for an unspoken permission to hug his dog. He seemed to understand my request and nodded.

"It's okay Bam, be good to your new owner and listen to him okay? You seem to be in very good hands" I said looking at Bam after the hug, still petting him.

I got up and waved goodbye once more.

Bam barked again but remained seated while Ian just waved.

                                                                                      ***

"Are you serious?!" Selina said while plopping back on the bed, face on her hands. What is it with you and bumping into cute guys while grabbing breakfast? Maybe I should do that from now on" She prompted back up with a thinking face.

"It's not like that. Today was just an accident. The guy was just trying to take responsibility for his dog's actions. Any decent human being would do the same. " I said back while cleaning the table. I had told Selina everything that went on this morning when she saw me come back with a bandaged hand and a bunch of medication. Ian had bought not only wound supplies but also pain killers and hand creams.

"From how I see it, his dog was practically trying to play matchmaker for you guys and you were both too blind and stupid to realise. Much more destiny material than Mr. Dimples who ghosted you if you ask me" said Selina, raising an eyebrow at me.

"I think you spend too much time reading webtoons at night that you have become delusional thinking a dog is sniffing soulmates for their owner now" I bit back. "Let's just forget both guys. We did not come here for that, we came to enjoy and travel together. Finish getting ready and let's get today properly started already!".

                                         ***

Gyeongbokgung Palace was a dream!One of the top activities on our to-do list was visiting the palace while dressed in traditional clothing. Selina opted for a lilac color palette, her hanbok flowing gracefully with delicate floral patterns while I chose a soft baby orange, the fabric shimmering in the sunlight, adorned with intricate embroidery. We took countless pictures and videos in every corner. I swear we could probably map the whole palace out with our pictures at this point. The vibrant hues of our hanboks against the backdrop of the palace's stunning architecture made every shot feel like a piece of art.

As much as I loved switching between photographer and model with my sister, I was more than happy to be back in my own clothes and on our way to central Seoul for an early dinner. My growling stomach had enough of the snacks throughout the day and was demanding a proper meal. We had debated about sitting down to eat around the palace, but the lines outside all the places we wanted to try had been too long. In any other scenario food would have been a priority, but we had a rare sunny day in the middle of November blessing us with the perfect picture lighting. Not to mention the hanboks looked too beautiful to be wasted just waiting in line. So we did not eat, not properly at least. We were one station away from our destination when Selina pulled me out of my internal debate of what would be the perfect meal to end today.

"Ohh! Seon-Jae just texted in the groupchat, apparently Nabi, Aera and him finished their assignment earlier than planned so they are heading out tonight to celebrate. They are asking if we are free to join them. Did you reserve anything or should we join them?" she said with excitement and hope.

Seon-Jae, Nabi and Aera were Selina's close friends in Korea. She had met them a year ago when the three of them came to her university for an exchange semester. Initially not even the three of them knew each other and had only briefly spoken during their induction for the exchange where they found out they were going to be in the same course. According to Selina, in one of their common classes the teacher decided to create the group projects for the subject on the spot, grouping people based on their sitting position in class. As the only four people sitting in the front of the class they ended up being grouped together and the rest is history. Selina took them in, helping them with their English and showing them around.

They all got close pretty quickly and they even joined some of the house gatherings and celebrations my friends would organise which gave me a chance to meet and get to know them too. Although me and Selina are super close, we still don't overstep each other's friend groups and make sure we keep some sort of distance when needed. Obviously on trips like this where I have no one else to hang out thanks to my Korean friends all being overseas, that was not the case. Besides despite our age gaps they were all so mature for their age it was easy to converse with all of them. I was very glad Selina and them kept in touch even after the three had returned to Korea.

We had factored in the fact that we would hang out with them when we were planning our visit, but since the university was still in session and they said they had things due during the weeks we would visit, we were aiming to meet them later in the week. I guess you get things done quicker when you want to spend more time with the people you love. 

Their close friendship was a huge reason why my sister decided to also do an exchange starting in February in their university. Heck, that was the reason we were visiting Seoul now in November, to get to enjoy it together like we always agreed to before she definitely did so with her friends. It would also help her to get accustomed with everything given that the education system is so hectic here, I would not want her to get overwhelmed. I smiled looking at Selina.

"Of course we should join them! It has been so long since the four of you were all together. Plus I made no reservations so we wouldn't have to rush just in case, so if they can find us a place to have food in my belly the moment I sit down then we will head straight there!" I said while holding my tummy.

Selina excitedly texted her friends and after 30 minutes we were already sitting down at a Korean BBQ place near Gangnam. I had a feeling we would end up in Gangnam given how well off Selina's friends' families are.

They welcomed us with warm hugs and glasses of beers and soju lined up waiting to cheer for the reunion. I ended up taking a few group pictures for Aera's instagram feed before actually getting any food in me. Aera had taken posting on social media seriously ever since the exchange and had grown quite a following for herself. Selina told me she had recently passed the 100k followers mark and started getting brand deals. She was the only one to have such a different side hustle from the rest of the mostly academically ambitious bunch. Seon-Jae was most similar to Selina, spending time reading mangas when he had free time while Nabi was more into linguistics and learning more about other languages and cultures. Knowing multiple languages myself, we'd often try to converse in Spanish, French or Greek together to brush off our skills.

We spent most of the evening catching up on everything going on in everyone's life and as expected the topic of love life inevitably came up by none other than my sister who herself had no updates.

"Honestly, with my social media starting to take off, I have no doubt i will have a hot boyfriend by the end of the year, mark my words" said Aera holding her right fist in the air in sign of victory.

"Ohh man I'll drink to that, then me and Nabi can get a break from being your personal photographers 24/7" said Seon-Jae raising his beer to cheers with Nabi earning a slap on the arm by Aera. Everyone at the table laughed.

"Keep saying things like this and I will tell Minji your parents have married you off to someone since birth. Let's see how that will end up working out for you!" Aera bit back a smile while giving him a side eye.

"Wait, who is Minji?!" asked my sister.

"Minji is this girl in Seon-Jae's chemistry class that he has had a crush on since the semester started, but has never been able to master anything more than a "Hello" and a pathetic "Can I borrow a pen from you please?"" Nabi clarified to us. Seon-Jae was hiding his face behind his hands. "He completely switches to an "I" (introvert) when he is around her".

"Yaa!! Nabi stop!" We were all laughing at how red he had become with just the mention of her.

"Someone is completely smitten..." Selina said, smirking at her friend.

"What about you Nabi, finally found anyone interesting lately?" I asked her, trying to divert the conversation from Seon-Jae. Poor guy, I felt like he was often overpowered surrounded by 3 such powerful female characters. He seemed to realise, giving me a nod of gratitude.

"Nah, like Selina so far all the guys in my everyday life suck..., no offence Seon-Jae, you don't count since you are part of the girls... " she answered with disappointment in her voice.

"Cheers to that truth!" I said, prompting the whole group to cheer with their beers.

"Not so fast sissy! You can't say that after having 2 meet-cutes with 2 different, apparently very handsome, guys within the first 48 hours of landing in Seoul!"

"Omg what happened?! Tell us everything!" Aera clapped excitedly waiting for my answer.

"It's not like that, Selina is blowing the situation a bit too out of proportion. I mean, did I interact with two handsome strangers in the past 48 hours? Yes, but the first guy was just helping me find the way back to the flat and ended up ghosting me when I took a chance and gave him my number, while the other one was just an accident. His dog tackled me in the street ending up with him treating my scrapped hand as an apology and barely getting his dog back after it wouldn't leave my side." I quickly explained motioning to the bandage in my left palm while explaining for them to see.

"Hmm, I don't know about accidents. Dogs here are well trained, if things out of the ordinary like that happen, people might think it is unmyeong, fate, like maybe you guys are connected in some way, I am sure it passed his mind too... " Seon-Jae said, looking at the other girls for approval.

I gave him a stern look to say "Really? After I save your ass from being in the hot seat you go and throw me into it?!"

"You my friend need to stop reading so many love stories, as does my sister" I turned the stern look towards Selina.

"I mean you are gorgeous Hana, i bet the first guy is just super shy and nervous overthinking his text while the other one is beating himself for not asking for your number. Anyone would be a fool to miss a chance with you, I know Nabi's brother for sure is..." she ended that sentence laughing. I rolled my eyes at them, leaning back on my seat downing my drink.

While the other two were the oldest siblings in their family, Nabi was the youngest one. She had an older brother and sister who I had also met when they came to visit her during the exchange. Her brother is a year older than me while the sister is a year younger, with Nabi being 7 years younger than the latter. Nabi's sister was recently engaged to her highschool sweetheart while her big brother is still single. The only reason why Aera brought him up. She loves matchmaking and had tried to push the poor guy towards me during his visit. He is good looking and kind, but there is just no spark between us. Thankfully me expressing that to Selina had reached her and whatever her gameplan was had ceased before it made things weird between us. Still, that did not stop her from bringing him up and making it known he was still an option for me to go to.

Thankfully the "painful and dry" lovelife updates between singles were over when the waitress came over with dessert and more drinks. The rest of the evening continued with more casual chit-chat and little to no convincing of ending the night at a karaoke bar.

"You guys have not been to a karaoke place until you have been to one in Korea!" said Nabi, all excited setting up her song duet with Aera. To my surprise they had a no phones policy in the karaoke room. I thought Aera would want it all documented for her feed but apparently this is a digital footprint not worth creating. I guess it's understandable when alcohol is also involved and you just want to have genuine fun with your friends.

                            ***

It was past midnight when we got out of the karaoke bar. I only remember that because I caught a glimpse of the time at the clock near the exit at the karaoke. I had not checked my phone yet, before I could even get it out of my bag to call Selina and I a cab, Nabi was all over us insisting we let her sister take us home since we are on the way. Aera was catching a ride back with Seon-Jae and his cousin that came and picked them up first. Not long after, a black car pulled up in front of the bar, but a male figure was driving instead. I thought Nabi's sister had drove over with her fiance but I soon realised i was wrong when Nabi drunkenly said:

"Oh, oppa, yeogiseo mwohaseyo? What are you doing here big brother"

And as she said that her brother had already approached us. He was still in what seemed to be his work attire. "Yeri's car was not starting so she asked me to pick you guys instead. I was on my way back from the office either way. Hi Selina. Hana." He said and nodded to us both respectively, but kept looking at me as he said: "Hope your first trip to Korea is going well and you are enjoying yourself. Let me know if you need anything at any time while you are staying here."

"All we need from you right now is to take us home!" said Nabi while already pushing him to the car.

The trip was silent, with Nabi falling asleep the moment her head touched the seat and Selina drifting on my shoulder too. The only thing exchanged being eye contact through the rear mirror and quick goodbyes and thank yous at drop off. Once in the flat, Selina and I both got ready for bed and went to sleep immediately. There were mostly sightseeing and visiting touristy sites around Seoul planned for tomorrow so we could sleep in and take our time if needed. It wasn't until the next morning when I grabbed my phone from the charging point on my way out the flat that I noticed it. Made me stop on my tracks after reading it, walk backwards and stop at the bathroom door behind which Selina was standing to call her out.

*Random Number*

2 new messages

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[artemis-b-writes]

A/N: Hey yallll sorry for not posting for like a month. i wish I had a super cool, funny excuse for why I was gone but I'm just so busy with work and was too tired to write in the evenings. BUT ANYWAYS at least this chapter is a longer one, I hope Yall enjoy!!!

*Radio Static* Is anyone there? If you can hear me please...anyone, say something...*Radio Cuts Out*

Chapter Four- Beware 

Late August/Early September, 2010- 

His eyes shot open. He was drenched in sweat laying alone in a hospital bed. Why the hell was he in a hospital bed? Oh, right. He’d been in a coma from a GSW in the line of duty. Rick looked over to his left to see a vase full of dead flowers with cards littered around it. He looked to his right and saw…blood? It was splattered on the window of the glass. He removed his IV and groaned as he tried, and failed to stand up off the bed. (Who knew you would have no muscle tone after being in a coma?) 

The hospital sounded..quiet, deserted even. 

Where on earth was everyone? Was he alone? Why was a gurney blocking his room door? He made note of his surroundings, blood splatters covered the walls. All he could do was stand frozen in fear.

Where was his family? Were his wife and children safe?

He darted back into his room to look at the cards that littered his bedside table.

 He gingerly picked one up and opened it:

“Hi daddy, It’s August 26th and the doctor says you should be waking up soon. Please wake up soon, it's not the same without you. Mom and I have been fighting more…I try to get along with her but it’s so hard without you here. Carl is doing good though and misses you everyday. Wake up soon please. Love, Victoria.”

Rick searched for more letters but that was the last one his daughter had written him. He had to find his family. Rick ventured back out into the hospital. He was horrified at how rundown King County General looked. He was used to seeing blood occasionally in his job, but not to this scale.

The blood ricocheted across the walls and splattered all along the ceiling. 

Rick walked through the halls, following the faintest sound, the only sound.

Groaning? And the sound of someone trying to break a door down? 

Maybe someone was here to help him. Rick stumbled as he tried to quicken his pace, praying someone was here to tell him what was going wrong. 

Instead he saw a woman in teal scrubs locked in a hallway. As Rick approached the door she lifted her head.

Her eyes were glazed over and blood dripped out of her mouth. The sight would’ve made Rick gag if he wasn’t frozen in fear. The woman was groaning, like she was trying to speak to him. 

“H….hun…gry” She gurgled. 

Wait. Rick had to be imagining things…she looked dead, she couldn’t possibly be speaking. Could she?

“Are you alright? Can you tell me what happened?” Rick’s voice shook. He tried to swallow down his fear. The woman rushed up to the glass and began to bang on the window. 

Her screams were animalistic. She was animalistic. 

He slowly backed away and started to head for an exit that he knew wasn’t far. He again followed the faint sound of banging that he prayed was more welcoming than the sight he’d just discovered. 

The lights flickered lazily. But it still caused shivers to erupt up and down his spine. 

Shivers turned into nervous shakes despite how hot he was. 

Do not open- dead inside

Dead. Inside.

The only thing holding back the apparent dead were the chains that were wrapped through the handles ten, twenty fold. Rick’s eyes were so wide they looked as if they may pop out of his head. This all had to be a horrible nightmare right?? Right??

Rick turned back the way he came and stumbled, trying to quicken his pace so he could get the hell out of dodge. When he found the side exit to the hospital, he had to use quite a bit to strength to shove the door open.

The sun gave Rick a strong awakened welcome, he recoiled at its presence: the heat nipped at his skin and his arm immediately raised to shade his face. When he adjusted to the hard rays coming down, he noticed the bodies. 

Rows upon rows of white body bags. Had the military come? This was certainly not something the local police department would have the resources to handle. 

He walked amongst the bodies that littered the hospital parking lot. Searching for any faces he knew. He let out a sigh of relief when he didn’t see his family.

That sigh of relief was caught in his throat at the sight of a crashed helicopter and a slew of more bodies littered before him. Rick decided to cut across the street, he needed to get home.

A bright red bike caught his attention. That's how he’d get home. 

The sound of hissing averted his attention from the bike down to the ground.

He fell backwards at the sight before him; a turned woman who had no lower extremities. Her ribs were exposed on either side, possibly from rubbing against the ground or maybe even from something trying to eat her. Her skin was almost a sickly yellowish green, her eyes glazed over with the same hue of color.

She stretched her arms out and groaned at Rick, her attempts to move were futile and her rotted body was decaying from starvation. 

Rick shook his head, he couldn’t do anything for the woman. He picked himself up and began to bike through the town. To home.

The streets were empty, littered with paper and trash. All Rick could think of was if his family was safe or not. Surely they were safe, Lori wasn’t dumb and Victoria would do whatever it took to protect them. 

Rick rode up to the front door of his house wide open. He tripped up the stairs and stopped right at the entrance. Terror shook his entire being.

“Lori?” He called out as he entered the house, an unsettling breeze made its way through the still house. In all the years he’d had his family, his house was never still. 

“Carl??” Rick ran into the house, looking through the bedrooms to see if his son could be found at all. “CARL?!” Rick ran into the living room and saw a broken picture frame of his family. Rick and Lori were sat at the top and a 12 year old Victoria could be seen holding her little brother, their smiles were both so full of life.

Everything he was feeling began to bubble over as Rick felt himself hit the ground. Sobs wracked through his entire body, but only for a moment. 

He could hear someone outside.

“Victoria?! Baby?!” Rick called out as he stumbled back outside, his grief filled mind must have been playing tricks on him. But there was a man dressed in black stumbling through the street.

Rick felt like he was trapped in a bad dream, waiting to wake up in the hospital and hold his family again. But something deep in the dark of his mind told him that he would never wake up, that this wasn’t a dream. His family wasn’t coming home.

For the first time in his life; Rick Grimes was alone. 

Rick watched as a man walked up to the carcass walking the street and shot him in the back of the head, he went limp and hit the ground. He was in shock and not paying attention to the danger approaching from behind. He was definitely going to have a headache later. 

*snap* Rick turned to see what was behind him. Praying it was someone he knew. Maybe it was Carl. He was wrong. The shovel came in contact with his face with quite a force, knocking him to the ground. His vision was blurred as he fought back the feeling of his brain being tossed around in his skull. He looked up to see the blurred silhouette of a small boy.

“DADDY! I GOT HIM! I GOT THE SUMBITCH AND ILL KILL HIM DEAD!”

“Carl?” 

A man came up behind the boy as Rick’s vision began to clear, his voice was muffled but he seemed to be assuring the boy that he did not need to kill Rick. What was going on? Why would this boy want to kill him. And why did the man standing before him also kill the man he saw in the street? Rick had a lot of questions and seemingly no answers.

“Whats that bandage for?!” The man pointed his revolver at Rick’s head. Rick gave the man a confused look, he was talking but Rick had no idea what he was saying. His head was swimming and his vision began to blur again. The ringing in his ears increased rapidly until everything went black.

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

Morgan thought about shooting the man in that moment but he didn’t look sick, not like the things that roamed the street. He had his son to think about, why was he doubting his decision? 

“Duane, keep an eye out for Walkers, we’re going to bring him back with us.” 

His son opened his mouth ready to argue but Morgan’s decision was firm, something in him just knew they needed to save this stranger. 

Morgan carried the man over his shoulder, thankfully the house they took refuge in wasn't far so they had very little interaction with any walkers. Unfortunately the sound from Morgan’s gun had brought attention and more started to come out from hiding.

Morgan laid the man in the upstairs bed and pulled back his bandages. Instead of a bite, he saw a wound that needed to be cleaned. It was a miracle that the wound hadn’t caused the man to turn. Morgan cleaned his wound, and the blood off of his face. He must have passed out from a mix of the shovel to the face and pure shock. As the stranger slept, Morgan grew more curious about his situation.

After some time Rick finally woke up. (Girl it’s been like an hour. What do you mean finally? Like calm down.)

Rick woke up, laying in a soft bed unsure of his surroundings. He tried to move but it seemed both his arms were tied up high to either side of the bed.  He scanned the room and made eye contact with the boy, Duane, holding a baseball bat. Meaning Rick needed to tread lightly.

Morgan stood at the side of the bed as he put his first aid kit away.

“That wound…it was pretty rank. What was it?” 

Rick seemed puzzled by the question. That was the second time he’d been asked by this man about his wound. Was it a crime to be a wounded man now?

“It was a gunshot.” He answered plainly, it was the truth after all. But Morgan didn’t seem satisfied, he scoffed and made his way to the bed. He was looking for a different answer.

“I ask and you answer alright?”

Rick nodded.

“Did you get bit?” Morgan made sure to emphasize every word. Rick wanted to know why everyone was so concerned over bites. But he had noticed that the people he’d seen in and around the hospital had been bitten…

“Bit? I don’t understand?”

“Bit, chewed, scratched, anything?!”

Rick shook his head in a firm no. He’d been shot, he told this man many times he’d been shot. The only thing he wanted to do was get released from the bed he was tied to so that he could find his family. 

It was also very clear to Rick that this man was not one to be messed with. He was prepared to kill him at any moment. Morgan checked Rick and confirmed he didn’t have a fever. That seemed to give Morgan enough satisfaction to cut Rick from the bed. He then took his son and left the room.

Rick sat for a moment and contemplated his options. He needed to figure out what was going on, then he would go find his family. Rick took a blanket from the bed and headed downstairs. This house was familiar, he’d been here before. 

“This is the Drakes house; Fred and Cindy Drake.” He spoke aloud as he rounded the living room. Morgan and his son were setting places at the dining room table.

“Never knew em”

“I did.” Rick paused…where were Fred and Cindy now? “This is their house.” He finished.

“It was empty when we got here.” Morgan huffed.

“Why did you shoot that man?” Rick asked, sitting down at the table. Morgan gave him a puzzled look.

“That wasn’t a man” Duane piped up. 

And that’s how Rick Grimes found out that the world he knew had absolutely shattered as he slept. That’s why everyone was gone, and the people who were left weren’t actually people….Walkers, Morgan called them. Some kind of virus was spreading through any kind of break in the skin, but mostly through bites. The virus caused people to have aggressive, cannibalistic tendencies. They were like animals. Noise and bright lights drew them closer and they seemed to be more active at night.

“Stay the night and then you can head out in the morning. I would head to Atlanta, there’s refugee camps there.” 

“Thank you,” Rick nodded. “I’ll look for my family in Atlanta.”

Meanwhile in Atlanta:

“GLEN I SWEAR TO GOD IF YOU DON'T PUMP THOSE SKINNY LEGS HARDER I'M NOT SAVING YOUR ASS!” 

“I’M TRYING!”

Victoria and Glen bolted through the back alleys of Atlanta. With a herd not far behind them. Glen got the bright idea to do a test run before taking a group, and somehow Victoria ended up going with him.

She knew exactly how she ended up here, she was trying to get away from Shane and her mother. But that's neither here nor there. 

The only reason the two knew where to go was because Glen was familiar with the area. Apparently being a pizza delivery boy was a hot commodity in the big city.

They ran through the streets hoping to find a breaking point. Victoria gripped her hunting knife tightly, pressing little crescents into her palm from her nails. They still needed a few supplies to get them through the night. 

“Glen, that convenience store looks good, no?” 

Glen just hooded furiously, all his energy was going into not dying. 

The two made it into the convenience store, barely escaping the herd. They took shelves from around them and boarded up the door. They finally had a moment to breathe. Victoria would’ve laughed at the whole situation if she wasn’t so concerned on not dying. 

The trip hadn’t been bad, they took a car and drove into Atlanta. Stopping at a pharmacy and a few small buildings which were dead ends. But now? Now they were stuck in a convenience store praying the shelves would hold up. They would find and exit later. 

In the last few weeks Glen and Carl had been her saving graces. Shane did hear Victoria's warnings and hadn’t made any advances with Lori…in the camp anyways. But she could tell they were…doing things. The idea alone made her skin crawl.

“Hey, we should probably look around before we let our guards down completely.” Victoria swallowed hard. Her ankle hadn’t fully healed and she could feel that pain shoot up her entire side. 

Glen nodded. Victoria kept that tight grip as she stalked through the store, in an attempt to keep quiet. Thankfully the store was clear. So she and Glen got to work. Mostly canned goods, waters, any packaged non-perishables.

“Oh fuck yes I found a Charleston chew!” Victoria held the candy bar up high like she’d just struck gold. 

“Ew those are nasty.” Glen shook his head. Victoria whipped around to face him, she was slack jawed.

“Bitch who raised you?!” She gawked.

“People with good taste. Those don’t even taste like anything.” He laughed. 

Victoria made a mental note to never let Glen pick road trip snacks, he had no idea what he was talking about. Charleston Chews were a childhood staple and she would not let her friend slander them.

“Well, do you want to talk about what’s been bothering you?” Glen piped up as they sat on the floor and counted their supplies.

“Hard no.” She shot back. He nodded, respecting the determined tone in her voice. She wasn’t sure if it was respect or fear but she’d hoped it was just her friend not wanting to die by her hand. 

Victoria looked down at the little pile she and Glen had collected. Canned veggies, sausages, beans AND beanie weenies. They had the goods for now. The run tomorrow would be a lot more stuff and Glen would have to take a bigger group. The pain in Victoria's leg lingered in the bag of her mind, demanding rest.

“Well we got out shit, let’s go.” Victoria hopped up and held out a hand to help Glen up. 

“Wait…we blocked the only exit. How do we get out now?”

Victoria pressed her ear near the back door, there was definitely still a herd waiting to get their meal. Victoria had no intention of being on the lunch menu. She had always been quick on her feet, Glen was too, so she had no worries they wouldn’t make it out.

“Well…” Victoria scanned the store looking for any other exit that wasn’t the boarded up front door. Bingo. “we’re going to crawl through that skylight above the deli. At least from the roof we can get a better look.”

Victoria hopped up onto the deli counter and tried to see if the skylight would open. But she wasn’t quite tall enough to reach. Why the hell are these ceilings so high?

“Glen, get up here and let me stand on your shoulders.”

“What?!”

“You heard me. Up, now.”

Glen scrambled up onto the deli counter, and Victoria proceeded to climb onto his shoulders. Glen made sure his protest were known, but Victoria elected to not hear him. They had shit to do, like get home without dying. 

“Um, Victoria?” 

“What?!” She stood on his shoulders, annoyed at the sudden wobbling beneath her. “I almost got it, just hold still!!”

*crash* Well shit. Victoria craned her neck behind her and made eye contact with a walker that had broken a glass door she hadn’t seen. Her patience, with how sentient these walkers were, was growing thin. She turned back to the glass and tried to use the handle of her knife to break it. Glen urged Victoria to hurry up because the walkers were getting closer.

“H..hungry” The leader of the herd gurgled as blood fell out of his mouth. Glen and Victoria held back their gags. The problem came when they tried to crawl over the counter, grabbing at Glen's legs. But before the walker could take a chunk out of him, Victoria broke the window, hooked her legs around Glen's waist and pulled the two of them up through the skylight. 

“Shit that was way too close.” Victoria huffed, laying out along the roof. Glen stumbled across the roof and vomited over the side. Victoria pushed herself up off the hot concrete and walked over to meet him. They only had two problems; they had no car, and a herd of walkers was probably trying to make their way onto the roof with them. 

At least with the herd in the deli, it left the ground below them relatively clear of danger. And they were fast, they could make it to a vehicle and get the hell out of dodge. Piece of cake….right?

“Over there, that jeep might work?” Glen pointed across the road to a tan Jeep. Victoria pulled her hair back so it was out of her face. 

“Fuck it let’s go.” 

They jogged across the roof to the other side, where they were just ahead of the jeep. Victoria peered over the edge. There were a couple walkers wandering the street but Victoria was confident they could make it the short distance to the jeep. She just prayed it was unlocked and functional.

“Okay I’ll go in front, but stay close and cover me.”

Glen swallowed hard but nodded anyways. Victoria wouldn’t admit to him that she was also scared shitless but they just needed to get it over with. She threw a leg over the side and slid down the ladder, Glen came down behind her and they bolted to the Jeep. Great. Of course it has to be locked. 

Even better, here come Walkers. 

Victoria looked around to see if there was anything she could use to pick the lock. Glen broke the Antenna off and tossed it to her. 

“Come on Tori, hurry up please.” 

She fiddled with the lock and got it open. They both jumped in the car and slammed the doors right as the herd tried to swarm them. No Keys. Wonderful, she’d just have to improvise. Victoria popped open the compartment underneath the steering wheel and started to get to work.

“Do I even know how you know how to Hotwire a car?”

“My dad used to be a cop, I picked up a thing or two. Don’t worry about it.”

She fiddled with the wire and shoved the antenna into the ignition. The Jeep roared to life. Victoria threw it into reverse and backed over the walkers that tried to break the windows around the Jeep. 

They peeled out of Atlanta and Victoria sped all the way back to camp. They sat in silence for most of the drive. As far as Victoria was concerned they didn’t need to go back to the city they could find a town to raid. 

They pulled into the camp, Carl barreled into her. 

“Thank goodness you’re back.” 

She laughed and hugged him tight. He walked back to the jeep with her and grabbed one of the duffle bags full of supplies. Everyone came to greet them, glad that the two of them made it home. Victoria couldn’t help but notice that her mom and Shane were missing…

After getting the supplies unloaded and checking in with Dale, Victoria decided to head down to the lake to try and wash the sweat off. 

“What the FUCK?!” Victoria walked up on her mom and Shane in quite a compromising position. Lori yelped and pushed Shane off of her. “I can’t BELIEVE YOU!” Victoria screamed in horror. Shane tried to shush her but she only raised her voice higher.

“Baby….baby please, please be quiet.” Lori begged. She tried to get close to Victoria but she backed away.

“You have a husband, may I remind you.” Victoria scoffed. “I can’t believe the two of you I’m fucking DISGUSTED.” 

“You can’t tell anyone.” Shane demanded. Victoria laughed dryly at his demands. She paced back and forth. “Carl doesn’t know. You cannot say anything.” 

Victoria stopped in her tracks. And looked over to him, she wanted nothing more than to wrap her hand around his throat and squeeze until he stopped moving. 

“I’m only doing this for Carl. You’re going to hate yourself when dad gets home Lori, just as much as I hate you right now.” She spat. She stomped back up the hill, Daryl ran down to see if she was okay, and she’d assured him she just scared herself in the woods but everything was fine. She was just still jumpy from being in the city. 

She spent the rest of the day avoiding them unless absolutely necessary. She stuck close to Carl, knowing if she was with him Shane would leave him alone. Her whole body was hot and she was shaking with anger. She made a promise to Shane and she intended to act upon it, but for now she just needed to focus on Carl and finding her dad. 

Taglist - @ebodebo @starsofang

[aphrodites-garden]

Honestly just wanna vent right now because my brain fog has been so terrible and debilitating. Between the bpd, adhd, and chronic migraines it’s a hell I can’t seem to get out of.

Every project I write I have to look up a thousand synonyms to figure out what I want to say because I can’t find the words. Then I have to go back to the page again because I’ve immediately forgotten what I read. I used to keep a journal for fun, I just call it my notebook because I also make lists and shit that aren’t diary entries. Now I have to write anything I want to remember in it because otherwise I’ll never remember it again, whether or not it was fun. It could be one of the best experiences of my life and I’ll still forget details.

I’m exhausted, my brain hurts constantly, it feels hopeless because I’m in constant agonizing pain and it never stops. I can’t even describe how I feel it’s so awful, it feels like the energy that’s making my blood boil is crawling through my skin. It feels like I’ll never get back to how I was before. I know I’m a great writer but it’s just not the same anymore. I can’t feel like myself. The words just disappear, it’s like I just can’t make connections in my brain anymore. I’m in a place where I have help and I know what to do when it gets bad and I get help, but it doesn’t really ever feel better. My head literally feels like it’s almost heavy or something.

I want to be able to enjoy my life again. I want to feel as smart as I used to. I have all the knowledge but it just won’t connect. It’s like I read an entire instruction manual and have all the knowledge, but when I go to put the project together I just can’t do it. Like my hands are just too heavy and tired to even pick up one piece. It feels like I just want to sleep for a year or something because it’s so tired and needs a break. But I can’t because I have school and work and need to survive on my own. I have a thousand problems almost no one else has to deal with and I have to fix them in a body that doesn’t work anymore.

I’ve been called a compulsive liar because I can’t remember anything and people think that saying I forgot is just an excuse. I have to use it so much I don’t blame them if they don’t know. But as soon as I try to explain why no one gets it. They think it’s just lies on top of lies and it just makes it worse. I just want to finally be believed and loved. I’m dating this girl who l really really love and I think she understands, but she’s going to school to be a cop and I haven’t had a chance to explain to her why it’s not something she should do. She wants to do it to help people and we’re very similar in that way, but I think it’s just because she doesn’t understands how the system works. I’m hoping she’ll understand when I explain it because I do it calmly and try to give good points as I always do, but I love her so much I’m worried it’ll just end. We’ve only been on 2 dates and I might see her again tonight which means I probably have to explain it.

I’m just afraid she’s gonna turn on me and think I’m a criminal because of the things I’ve done. I’ve had to steal before to eat, and also a few times something small because I did something well and couldn’t get any nice things if I didn’t do that. It’s like I work so hard so I deserve a little treat once in a while like everyone else, like a cool pen or something. Basically nothing but even a few dollars is a lot sometimes for me. I’m big into social activism which means people often call us criminals for giving advice on what to do in protests to avoid police. We avoid them because they target us and try to arrest us because we disrupt what the government wants, because we want BASIC HUMAN RIGHTS AND FOR A GENOCIDE TO STOP. Because they want power and control. And I’m afraid she won’t get that and it feels like she’s the only one who understands me right now. All of our experiences together have been so good that it literally feels like a dream and when I see her again it finally feels like reality. A bunch of my shitty friends turned on me and I don’t fucking care, I hate them, it’s just that I don’t have anyone else to talk to now besides my coworkers and a few teachers.

So I just need to find a way for this to get fucking better because I can’t stand it.

[anonofseasons]

So this is from a side story I started but never plan to finish. I just... didn't feel like continuing it after I started it months ago. Shannon's childhood (age 11), warning for cellars... ~*~

“Papa, please! Please, don’t leave me in here—”

The sound cuts as Vivian waves his hand impatiently. One snap of the wrist, and the noise—filtered through the cellar and laundry room doors—mutes behind the barrier he has cast.

Vivian sighs and leans back in his chair. It’s a temporary and inauthentic peace, but it provides him with enough time to calm down. If he’s lucky, the boy will as well.

Graham should be home soon. They’ll have to move again, and it needs to happen quickly, before the townspeople arrive to knock down their doors.

It’s all that child’s fault.

Bailey peers up at Vivian as she huddles against the back door. When there’s yelling, she always avoids him. Her tail sits between her legs, ears back, snout down.

Graham returns within the hour, carrying in a freshly snared rabbit for supper. He scares Bailey from her spot, and she slinks off to Shannon’s bedroom—presumably to hide beneath his bed.

The mood of the home is palpable enough that Graham pauses. Vivian sits stiffly at the table, eyes rimmed with red and mouth set in a grim line. His hair is disheveled, like someone tried to pull it from his scalp.

“What happened?” Graham glances around as he sets the rabbit on the bench where he skins and prepares meat. “Where is he?”

Vivian rubs at his face. “Cellar.”

Graham lifts the rabbit back up to slam it down again. “Vivian, we’ve talked about this!” He makes a beeline for the laundry room.

“We have to move. Tonight.”

Graham turns, uneasy eyes falling on Vivian. “What happened?”

“That insolent little fool blurted out something while we were in town. Made a comment that I could just cool myself off with my magic if I was hot. People overheard him.”

“He’s only eleven. He forgot.”

“Don’t make excuses for him. He knew better—he’s always known better! I might never take him into town again. He can stay in the cellar until he’s an adult. Let’s see how well he fares when it’s his magic they’re after! If he gets any magic. I hope not.”

“You don’t mean that—any of that.” When Vivian doesn’t answer, Graham grimaces. “Please tell me you didn’t mean that.”

“I don’t know what I mean, except that it can’t go on like this.”

“How long has he been down there?”

“Two hours, maybe?”

“Vivian!” Graham glances at the laundry room door before turning back to his husband. “He’s so quiet.”

They both are aware of how hard Shannon screams when he’s put down there. How he bangs on the door until his knuckles are bruised. How he scratches at the wood with his nails until they chip to bloody stubs at the quick.

Graham turns to Vivian, eyes narrowed. “I can’t hear anything at all.”

“I used a sound barrier.”

Graham closes his eyes, nostrils flaring with every angry breath.

“I liked living here,” snaps Vivian. “We could’ve eked out a living here for another year or two—maybe even longer, if we were careful. He ruined everything.”

They remain silent for some time. Graham finally drifts back to the table and sits down. “Can you move us? Where to? We have to get out of here before anyone shows up.”

Vivian nods. “I think I have the energy to take us fairly far now, and I’ll see if I can glamour the whole house now. We’ll avoid towns for a while. Do you think we can do that?”

“What about food? Work? I’ve just accepted a commission, I even took the first half of the pay, we can’t just take the money and leave! They’ll be after us for that reason alone.”

“What else do you expect us to do? It’s better than them coming to knock down our door or burn us alive in the middle of the night in our beds.” Vivian tilts his head. “I’ll return the money. I can warp in and out quickly.”

“You’ll exhaust yourself before we’ve gotten far.”

Vivian bangs his fist on the table. “Tell me you’ve got a better plan then!”

[gxthicwxrm]

Without Him- m. murdock x reader

Pairing: Matt Murdock x reader

Word Count: 784 (it's alittle drabble thing)

Warning: Angst, semi happy ending, cursing, cheating, mentions of She-Hulk(show and character)

Enjoy!!

---

You did what?" Your anger is overflowing as your eyes glare a whole into the man in front of you. "Actually, I don't care. J-Just get out of my way." Keys in hand, you swiftly move towards the door of Matt's apartment with tears burning down your face. Quickly, the vigilante intercepts your path, arms reaching out to hold you as he pleads. 

"N-No, please. Let me explain. I-I don't know why I did it. But I promise it will never happen again. You mean the-" 

"Don't. Don't stand here and lie to me, Murdock. We both know this bullshit you're spewing wouldn't hold up in court and it ain't holding up here. Let me leave." With your hands on his chest, you push him back, failing epicly as Matt uses this opportunity to grab your hands, thumbs caressing your knucks in what once was a welcomed sign of affection is now like razors dragging across your skin. 

"Please! Please don't leave. It'll never happen, I swear to God. It was an accident, it didn't mean anything." Matt drops to his knees, begging with your hands in his, still. Unable to look at your lover before you,, your eyes drift to the ceiling as the neon lights slowly paint the room in different colors. You couldn't let yourself fall into this trap. He made his choice, now you have to make yours. But can you make it?

"It meant enough for you to go back to L.A. to fuck her again. At least when she found out about us, she had the decency to tell me about you two, something that you couldn't do." Anger dries your tears with the flame that erupted in you as everything crashes into place around you, making your decision perfectly clear.

"I can change. I love you! I don't care about her. It'll never happen again, just let me prove it to you. Please, give me a second chance, please. I don't want to lose you." Tears stain his owe cheeks as he faces your direction. A smile breaks out across your face as a laugh erupts from your throat, loud and hysterical. Fear settled in Matt's heart as he watched the girl he loved, the girl he fought so hard for, shatter because of him.  

"It's so funny, Matt. You spend so much time trying to save everyone around you. Frank, Claire, Karen. Foggy, Hell's Kitchen. But you couldn't even save your own relationship. You couldn't save us. And it was never Fisk or his little copycat. It was never The Hand or Elektra or any of the other criminals you swore would harm us. It was YOU! The great hero, Daredevil." Shaking your head, you refuse to let the tears welling in your eyes fall. 

"Y/N, I love you. I'm so s-"

"No. I'm tired of your excuses. You don't get to lie about a "work trip" for a case and spend the whole time fucking She-Hulk. You can't even tell me why. What did I do wrong? Why did you have to do this to us? Fuck you! Fuck you!" Sobs crash through your body like a tsunami that leaves you broken and wanting to run. 

"Please-" Matt moved to hold you, but you flinched away, scared if he touched you that you'd fall into him and stay. You can't do that, not after this. Not now.

"We are done. I am leaving. Karen and Foggy will come by to get the rest of my things." Stunned, you dodge him making your way to the door. Before leaving, you look back at him now standing and crying coming toward you but stops when he sees calmness coming from you. 

"I hope you can save yourself, Matt. I really do. For your son's sake." With your one hand on the cool metal of the door knob and the other against your stomach. The last bit of Matthew Murdock was his shocked expression as you shut the door, stepping into the hallway. 

"You told him?" Karen asks as soon as you get into the car. Tears still flowing, you nod. Staring straight ahead she nods before pulling off towards your doctor's office. 

"Well, let's go see how healthy this little booger is." Karen giggles while doing a little wiggle dance. A smile cracks across your face as you watch your best friend be ecstatic to be an Aunt.

Maybe you can do this on your own. Maybe you can be okay without him.

Part Two

[hes-writer]

Notes on Camp (2)

summary: harry sorts through his feelings

warnings: fluff!

word count: 2369 words

helpful links: notes on camp (1) : harry is the head counsellor and y/n is new | masterlist

___

Harry crossed his arms over his white shirt. Sunglasses perched on his bridged nose, hiding his eyes from the sight. His ears burned with the sun beating down on the sensitive skin and he knew that he must have forgotten to put sunscreen in that area when he awoke this morning.

His thoughts were filled with the new counsellor, Y/N. He couldn’t quite put a finger on it but there was something about her that made Harry want to get to know the girl more. Maybe it was her naturally caring persona that made Harry’s heart flutter because he shared a similar passion. Or maybe it was the way she carried herself with timid confidence when he started teasing her.

Whatever it was, he gulped at the intrusion of the girl in his head. He couldn’t focus on Belle’s ministrations after she’d pulled him away from a nice conversation with Y/N. His cabin was far away from everybody else’s; a perk because he was the one who got to decide who stayed in which cabin. Belle was mouthing at his damp skin, pleading for his attention but his unfocused eyes could only think about Y/N’s adorable smile and her bright purple ‘bunny cabin’ t-shirt. He suddenly wishes that he placed Y/N near him. Maybe they could walk together after a long day before splitting up meters away in their designated, temporary homes.

“Y/N!”

Harry whipped his head around at the mention of the girl’s name. His jade eyes gleamed against the rays of the sun as he stood at the end of the dock. He watched as the group of campers swam near the shallow end with their blown life-vests. Squeals of joy graced the outdoors as Belle, Jason and Maryse swam with the kids while teaching them new tricks to swimming.

The session was about to end. The counsellors were instructing the kids to paddle towards the wooden platform so that they could dry off and prepare for lunch. Maryse waved her arms to gesture Y/N over to where they stood. Harry’s eyes widened as Y/N started walking towards him (or them, rather). An unexplainable pounding in his chest rumbled through his ribs. Although he wasn’t quite sure if it was the thumping of footsteps from the little children walking away.

“I want you to meet Jason! He was the newbie last year and now you are,” Maryse yelped over the sound of a motorboat resounding from the other edge of the lake. Just in time, Jason rested his palms on the wood, pushing his body away from the water using his defined biceps. Harry felt a sense of annoyance drifting near his body. Was Jason getting out of the water in slow motion? Because it seemed like it.

Y/N was shyly gawking at his body, droplets of cool water panning off his skin before snapping out of her stare. Jason unclipped his vest, exposing his skin. Harry rolled his eyes beneath the shades. However, he was a bit of a hypocrite when Belle emerged from the water. Her red one-piece hugged her every curve as she held the orange life-vest with a twirl of her finger that was scratching his back last night.

Belle subtly touched Harry’s chest, delivering a peck to his lips before asking Maryse to watch the kids with her. Harry stood stoically, not responding to her affection and hoping that this odd feeling swirling in his stomach was a result of a quick infatuation. Attraction towards someone he just met was a plausible conclusion, or was it an excuse to move on from his years as a counsellor? Harry prided himself in being respectful to women yet he also valued honesty. The first time Belle fooled around with him at the back of the mess hall was a memorable experience for him. He was new, he was shy and she made him feel comfortable.

They started off as friends. There was no denying that she was beautiful, too. Soon enough, their relationship evolved into a more affectionate one. ‘No strings attached’, he would whisper against his sun-kissed skin, willing herself to be quiet in case anybody walked by despite the distance of Harry’s cabin from the rest of the group. And Harry successfully prevented himself from acquiring feelings for Belle in a romantic way. She was good to be around with and gave great advice but he couldn’t see a future with her. Frankly, he couldn’t envision hanging out with her outside of camp. To him, she was merely a piece of his summer and he means that in the most genuine way possible. It didn’t seem like Belle catered affection for Harry either. She acted like she always did and he was grateful for that. He definitely wouldn’t know how to handle it if the situation arose.

But Harry wasn’t a jerk. Underneath the tint of his Ray Bans sunglasses, there was a high possibility that he would hurt Belle’s feelings if he seemingly ‘moved on’ to another girl. He knew--hell, returning counsellors and staff knew-- that Belle and Harry have had an attachment to each other ever since he started working here four years ago. Newbies would flirt with one of them, hoping that their words would cause a reaction like a blush or a hand on the shoulders, but it was always Belle and Harry. Of course, they denied the rumours of them being a couple and while it was hard to get through at first--everyone slowly accepted that what they had was merely a friends with benefits type.

Harry wasn’t really sure how to bring this up to Belle. He didn’t want to strew her along when his interest was in another woman. Granted, it was only the first few days of camp and his sentiment towards Y/N was still minuscule. But what happens when this infatuation is actually a vial of emotions that will build up as summer passes? He is twenty-three now and the increasing pressure on his shoulders to find someone is breathing down his neck.

And maybe he has spent many nights cuddled up against his blanket, watching a rom-com alone on his couch to have the time to think about finding the one. He was a hopeless romantic that did not act on his instincts simply because he didn’t have anybody to do it for. Harry was . . . picky. Not snobby in the way that the littlest flaw would have him running in the opposite direction--no one really made his heart flutter and his stomach twist in several knots like Y/N has in the small frame they shared together so forgive him if he thought that this was a sign to actually pursue something with her.

Harry was annoyed at himself for thinking too much about this, especially now that his thoughts had muddled his brain up into mush that he realized his silence caused Jason and Y/N to start their own conversation meters away from him. Maybe if he just contemplated his dilemma while he was alone would he have had the chance to sweep Y/N off her feet and not actually watch Jason literally scoop Y/N’s legs up from the back of her knees, the other arm supporting her back as he jokingly tossed her off the deck and into the cool lake water. Her giggles were sweet music to his ears and he would have enjoyed it more if he was the cause of it.

Chill, Harry thought.

Was he really going to let this bother him? Tons of counsellors joke around with each other and he didn’t feel the need to push them with a harsh force into the water before walking away like nobody’s business. But then again, he hasn’t been attracted to other counsellors--not unless he counts Belle--to even care about what they did.

He wasn’t sure if Y/N and Jason were even aware of his presence close to them or if they did not care at all but the moment Y/N’s body splashed against the water with a high-pitched scream was the instant that Harry decided that yes, he was going to let this bother him. When Y/N broke from the surface of the water with a heady gasp, a subtle frown creased her forehead but the smile on the lower half of her face was enough to convince Jason that she was okay with what he did. Maybe Harry was reading too much into her expression or her body language which swam away from where Jason stood to where Harry was--she was definitely caught off guard.

“I’m sorry but I told you I’d do it, Y/N!” Jason cackled, his eyes crinkling at the sides. He crouched down on one knee to reach his arm out for her at the same time that Harry stuck out his own.

“Here, Y/N,” Harry said, pushing himself the tiniest bit to clutch his hand closer to her.

The girl visibly pulled her head back, obviously shocked at his actions. Her gaze bounced from Jason’s fingers to Harry’s hand, to Jason’s puffed-out face to stop himself from laughing and then to Harry’s concerned expression. Harry gave a small nod to her when their stares met; a harsh pining in his chest pinching his heart which he wasn’t even aware of had him wishing for her to take his offer.

Harry thought it was pathetic to be sad when he saw Y/N grab Jason’s instead but that sadness was short-lived when she used her strength to pull him in with her. A yelp escaped his lips as he tumbled into the lake, immediately latching on to Harry’s still outstretched arm to hoist herself upwards. She tripped over her steps, the water making the floorboard a bit slippery causing Y/N to grasp his bicep tightly.

“Oops! Sorry, H” Y/N giggled and the heat adorning his ears was not from the sun rays anymore. She looked up at him with a smile, realizing how close they were and took a few steps back.

A slight shiver ghosted over her frame when a chill breeze drifted through the air. Her cropped, purple button-down shirt was tied in a knot above her navel; black shorts dripping wet on the deck.

“S’alright, Y/N,” He mumbled. He had a feeling that he’ll be saying that a lot to her; for her. “Hold on a sec,” Harry handed her his sunglasses to hold which she pushed away.

She immediately shook her head, “Don’t be silly! I’ve got a one-piece on under this, remember?”

To be honest, Harry forgot that all [female] counsellors were required to wear a one-piece underneath their clothes in case of emergencies. And to be extremely honest, his head blanked out when her damp fingers unbuttoned her shirt to reveal an identical bathing suit that Belle was wearing. Y/N crumpled the cloth, squeezing it to release the liquid absorbed by her shirt.

Let’s just say his thoughts weren’t exactly appropriate for the setting.

Their attention shifted to where Jason was pulling himself out of the water, a sense of déja vu washing over both of them. Harry could physically feel his body deflate, knowing that if Jason caught Y/N’s attention before that it would probably happen again. She was staring with the same expression she wore earlier. He doesn’t have to live through that twice.

“Here, take my shirt,” Harry tugged at the end of it, sweeping across his torso and going over his fluffy head of curls.

“No, Harry. Really, it’s . . . fine,” A pause lingered in the air as Y/N turned her head to be met with Harry’s tatted torso; tanned and toned from his few days under the sun. Harry would be lying if he said he didn’t feel smug at grabbing her attention away from another guy. The way that she was unaware of her blatant stare at him was a pat on his shoulder.

He handed her the soft material, snapping her out of her daze, “Oh, uhm, thanks,” Y/N cleared her throat, draping his shirt over her body.

“Hey, Y/N! I’ve gotta go but maybe we can hang out sometime?” Jason called out, walking backwards.

Y/N fiddled with a loose thread, biting her lip in contemplation, “Maybe, I’ll see you around,” She gave him a half-hearted wave, receiving a thumbs up in return before Jason turned around and jogged to where he was needed.

“What was that about?” Harry asked, his muscles defined as he crossed his arms over his chest. It seemed to be his go-to stance. They walked side-by-side along the dock after Harry’s watch beeped, indicating that it was time for lunch.

Y/N sighed, “He said he was starting a new tradition or something? Wanted to leave his mark on the camp,”

He furrowed his brows at her words, “Well, that’s a dream that’ll never come true,” The quip to his voice made Y/N gleam at him and he couldn’t help but mirror the same expression that she had. She laughed.

“Thanks for the shirt, by the way,”

He hummed in response.

“I promise to have it washed and returned to you as soon as possible,”

Harry chuckled at her optimism, the light tone of her voice calming down the stress he was about to face as they neared the mess hall. Cheery chatters and clanging utensils could be heard from the outside.

“Y’can keep it. I’ve got tons of shirts left,”

“Really?” Y/N halted suddenly. He nodded. “But this one’s got your name printed on it,” She faced away from him, pulling her hair away, looking over her shoulder: 'STYLES'

“Now you’ve got a piece of me,” He replied, hoping that it wasn’t too flirtatious but still hinted at something.

Y/N giggled in return and he could definitely enjoy this sound a lot more, “Alrighty then. Expect something at your cabin door, mister.” She mused, poking his stomach on instinct.

Harry held her wrist close to him, causing Y/N to freeze as well, “Looking forward to it,”

His dimples are cute, Y/N thought.

____

as always, let me know what you thought!

[thepremedthatwrites]

Things Have Changed

request: Can you plsss do a Peter x reader relationship where the reader is a family friend and Peter has always had a crush on her and idk ends up admitting it to her at night or something and things get very heated like smutty or whatever.

Did I decide to edit this a day early because I'm procrastinating my school work? Perhaps. But anyways, I hope you all like this fic!

warning: smut below the cut

I could feel the beginning of sweat start to drip down the side of my face as I squinted my eyes trying to see the others in the water. The sand was at the border of being too hot to stand on in bare feet, causing me to walk closer to the water where the cold ocean had cooled the ground. “C’mon (y/n)!” Lucy shouted over the sound of the waves crashing into the shore. “The water isn’t even that cold!”

This was a lie and we both knew it. The icy water brushed the tip of my toes as I held back a shudder. At least the water would help me cool off from the unforgiving sun. As I stood contemplating what to do, I felt a hand graze my back. I turned to see Peter walking by me, a grin on his face. “Too scared to run in, (y/n)?” he asked. That was enough to kick me into action as I started to follow him into the water.

“Of course not,” I replied, holding back the instinct to let out a gasp as the cold water wrapped itself around my stomach. Both of our parents stayed by the towels and umbrellas, leaving the ocean to their children as they drank and talked about whatever it is that adults talked about. The blue house that our families had rented stood tall and proud behind our parents, overlooking the beach and whatever sat beyond what reaches of the ocean we could see.

Peter and I came to a halt as we reached where Lucy and Edmund were. “Where’s Susan?” Ed asked as Peter dunked his head under the water.

“I believe she said she was taking a nap,” I replied as Peter’s head reappeared from the dark water. His blond hair was now pressed against his forehead and had become a few shades darker from the weight of the water.

“Watch out! Big wave!” Lucy just managed to shout out the words before my vision was painted white as the wave crashed down on us. I lost control of my body as I let the current drag me around like a rag doll until I felt myself crash into something solid. At first, I thought it was a rock before I felt a pair of strong arms wrap around my chest.

“Don’t worry, I got you.” I heard Peter say as my head broke the surface. I gulped in a deep breath of air, the oxygen reaching my lungs as I wiped the salt water out of my burning eyes.

“Thanks,” I managed as the taste of salt water danced down my throat.

“I think some of the water went up my nose.” I heard Edmund say while Lucy was pushing her hair that had been plastered in front of her eyes out of her face. I turned my head to look at Peter whose arms were still around me. The sudden realization of the situation finally dawned on me and I felt my face warm at the close proximity. Suddenly his arms felt like iron chains around me and I couldn’t ignore the feeling of their weight on me. Peter seemed to have also become aware of the sensation of our bodies pressed against each other as he slowly removed his arms from me.

“Sorry,” he said softly, his face now also a light shade of pink.

“Yeah, no worries,” I said quickly. I was suddenly thankful for the large wave coming our way as I turned to face it, focusing my thoughts on not being drowned by the rushing water.

“I almost drowned!” Lucy exclaimed as we all sat around the dinner table. It had been my mom’s turn to cook dinner and so she had made us all steak. I started to cut into the meat as Lucy told Susan all about our adventures in the water. Peter and I had become a bit more quiet since the incident in the ocean. I felt myself stealing glances at him every now and then. Sometimes he had already been looking at me too.

“I’m so happy you guys decided to join us here in the states.” I heard my mom say to the Pevensies’ parents. “I feel like we haven’t seen each other since we moved to America.”

“I know, it seems the kids are having a lot of fun hanging out again,” Mrs. Pevensie replied. I turned back to the conversation but could feel the burning glances Peter occasionally threw at me throughout dinner. I was thankful when dinner was over, trying to wash the dishes as quickly as possible and avoiding being near Peter as much as the confines of the kitchen allowed. The parents had disappeared, most likely to the balcony that overlooked the water to drink some more and catch up on what they had missed in the past five years. As soon as the dishes were done, I excused myself blaming my exhaustion on the sun and went to my room.

I was surprised when I woke up to a dark room. I had expected myself to be unable to sleep and instead toss and turn until the rest of the lights went out in the house. I got up from my bed, checking my phone to see it was around three in the morning. My stomach growled as I turned on my lights. It seems that pushing the food around your plate does little to actually satisfy your hunger. I paused at my mirror before leaving. I brushed out my hair and checked to see that the pajamas I wore were acceptable to be seen by the public. I wasn’t sure if I would run into Peter, he was most likely still asleep, but I wanted to play it safe. I wasn’t sure why I was so concerned about my appearance around him. When we were younger, before my family moved to America, I could have cared less about what he thought of my appearance. But then again, we had been younger then. Five years younger to be exact. We had grown since then. His shoulders had broadened and he had become taller. My body had developed curves where it used to be straight and I had finally grown into myself. We weren’t how we were back in the UK. We were older and more mature.

I shook the thoughts from my mind and opened the door to my room. I walked as quietly as I could past my parents’ room and then past all of the Pevensies’ rooms before reaching the stairs that led to the living area that held the kitchen. I opened the fridge as my stomach automatically growled at the sight of all the food. The best part of being on vacation was the fact that the fridge was always filled with leftovers from dinner. I settled on some of the mac and cheese, spooning some into a bowl before putting it into the microwave. I stood patiently as the whir of the microwave filled the silence that had settled into the room.

“What are you doing up?” I jumped at the voice before turning to see Peter standing by the entrance of the kitchen.

“I was hungry,” I said while pointing my head to the microwave. He walked over to me and I was suddenly thankful I had spent the extra time on my appearance before leaving my room. He wore only a pair of grey sweatpants. I couldn’t help myself and let my eyes wander his exposed abs. He definitely did not have those five years ago.

“I missed seeing you,” he said, causing my eyes to jump from his abs to his ocean blue eyes which I could easily drown in if I weren’t careful.

“Me too,” I replied, my voice much softer than I expected it to be. I cleared my throat before speaking again. “I missed having someone I could annoy like an older brother.” Peter’s face scrunched as he shook his head.

“Please don’t call me an older brother. That’s weird.” I raised an eyebrow at this, my heart racing. All this time I had thought he saw me as another little sister. But if that wasn’t the case, what did he see me as?

“And why is that?” I questioned. Peter’s face seemed to have reddened. I wasn’t sure if it had already been red from the sun and I just hadn’t noticed or if he was blushing. Before he could answer the microwave went off causing me to jump. Peter opened the door, taking the bowl out as steam rose from the food.

He set the bowl down on the counter before turning back to me. His eyes seemed to be studying me. I subconsciously bit my bottom lip in anticipation. I watched as his eyes followed the movement. “You’ve grown a lot since I last saw you,” he finally said.

“And so have you.”

“The thoughts I have about you…” Peter started as he walked closer to me, stopping so that we were almost pressed against each other. “They are not thoughts a brother has about his sister.” He leaned down towards my ear, his hot breath brushing the bare skin behind my ear and sending a shiver down my spine. “That is why it’s weird for you to call me an older brother.” My face must have been the color of a lobster at this point, and I was no longer afflicted with hunger. Instead, lust coursed through my veins. He paused for a moment as if in thought before pressing his lips on the same skin his breath had just caressed. I let out a soft sigh allowing my hand to grasp onto his strong bicep. My other hand had crept around to his stomach, tracing the abs I had just moments before been admiring. He moved his lips, kissing down my neck as I moved my head back to give him more access.

His hands wrapped around my waist before he lifted me into the air. I let out a gasp in surprise before my ass met the cool counter. His eyes looked me up and down, filled with lust and desire. “Has anyone told you how beautiful you are?” he asked. His hands were by my hips as his thumb traced shapes on my thighs. I found myself blushing at his words. Many people had called me beautiful before but the way he spoke it was the same way people sing praises to the gods they worship. He stepped towards me and I opened my legs for him so that he was as close as physically possible.

He stopped for a moment, his eyes meeting mine. They seemed to be saying all the things that had been left unsaid since we had reunited. You’re different. I’m different. These emotions are different. I love you. I wrapped my legs around him, forcing him closer (something I had not thought possible). His hands moved so that they were on either side of me, resting on the counter. My own hands were on his shoulders. I moved one so that it caressed his face. My mac and cheese sat patiently on the counter next to us, expecting to be eaten soon. I had a feeling the bowl would be staying there until the morning. Peter brought his face closer to mine. He paused for a moment, his eyes moving from my lips to my eyes. I gave a slight nod. Then, he kissed me.

We kissed and suddenly I understood what the authors of the romance books I used to read were writing about. He was like a drug. With each touch I needed more. With each kiss I craved just one more moment of the taste of his lips. My hands traveled to his hair as we continued to kiss. His hands wandered my back, traveling beneath the fabric of my t-shirt. I didn’t want to pull away. I wanted to stay like this for eternity. On the other hand, I wanted more. I wanted to connect us even more. I wanted him to fuck me.

I pulled back just long enough for my shirt to be discarded. Then I immediately reconnected our lips. I kissed him hungrily, as if those few seconds apart had left me famished. His hands slipped between us, holding my breasts. A small shudder went down my spine as his thumbs brushed my nipples. His hands continuously moved, as if they weren’t sure what to do with all the newly exposed skin. He squeezed my breasts before letting his hands travel down my stomach, gripping my waist harshly as we continued to kiss.

I could feel a growing wetness between my legs. The feeling of something hard being pushed against my inner thigh informed me Peter was just as turned on. He disconnected our lips, tasting my chin and then neck and then collar bone until he reached my tits. I attempted to catch my breath as his tongue flicked across my nipple. I let out a soft gasp as my back arched in pleasure. He started to suck on my tits, making sure to show great care and attention to both of them. His grip on my waist tightened and I was sure there would be a slight bruise in the morning. I couldn’t bring myself to care at the moment as that slight pain was the only thing keeping me grounded as pure pleasure pulsed throughout my body as Peter continued to kiss and suck and bite on the sensitive areas.

He stopped abruptly, standing upright and looking me directly in the eye. His erection that had been increasing in size and hardness was now protruding from his pants and pressing into the soft skin of my thigh. “When I was younger, I had always felt an attraction to you, (y/n),” he said. His voice was lower than usual and he seemed to be slightly out of breath as he spoke. “I never knew whether it was a friendly attraction or something stronger than that. But the moment I saw you for the first time in five years, I knew the feelings I felt for you...it wasn’t something most people feel. It was something so strong it took everything in me to not fall to my knees in defeat. In a happy defeat where I surrendered my heart to you.” I felt as if my heart was going to burst from my chest as I listened. “My body burns with desire for you (y/n). Please. Let me show you how you make me feel. Let me love you.”

I licked my lips, suddenly aware of how dry my mouth felt. I took a deep breath, hoping some of the fresh night air would clear my lust-clouded mind for a moment. “Yes,” I said. “Yes, yes, yes, yes. Yes a million times.” I could feel a large grin growing on my face and Peter was wearing a matching one. He grabbed my face in his hands before bringing us together for a kiss. It didn’t take long for the kiss to deepen as his hands left my face and traveled down my bare top before playing with the band of my shorts. I inched towards the edge of the counter before sliding off, our lips parting for a moment as my feet hit the ground before immediately reuniting.

He roughly pulled down my shorts and panties in one motion, letting the clothes hit the ground. I followed suit, pulling down his sweatpants and boxers. We parted for a moment, the moonlight shining through the window that sat over the sink allowing enough light so that I could see the true length of him. I had only a few moments to admire him, the thickness of his cock was sure to stretch me out deliciously, before he turned me around. I bent over the counter, the cool stone pressing against my naked skin. His hands gripped my hips to hold me in place before he pushed into me.

I let out a loud moan, causing him to put a hand over my mouth. He stayed in place, leaning over so that his mouth was next to my ear. “We have to be quiet. Unless you want both our families to see what we’re doing.” I nodded in understandance as he stood up straight again. He started by moving slowly. He pulled out halfway before pushing in all the way to the base. I felt my pussy flutter around him. He continued this slow rhythm for a while, testing out the water while stretching me out to fit him completely.

Once I felt myself start to adjust he started to go faster. I could feel the edge of the counter dig into my stomach each time my body was thrusted forward. My breasts moved in rhythm with Peter, my weight being supported by my forearms which were propped on top of the counter. His fingers dug into my hips as he fucked me. The kitchen was filled with the sound of skin slapping skin and our muffled moans as we did our best to stay quiet. The smell of sweat and sex hovered in the room. The moon acted as a spotlight for our indecent act. My vision was obstructed by my hair which was now a mess, strands of it sitting in front of my face.

“Peter, please,” I moaned quietly. I could feel myself getting closer, my legs now weaker than before as my arms were the only thing holding me up. Peter sensed this, using his hands that were on my hips to lift me up. I felt my mouth open, but no noise came out as my mind became overtaken with pleasure. I could hear Peter let out a groan as I felt myself collapse around him. I let my head fall forward as I attempted to recover from my orgasm. The pleasure started to become more bearable as Peter continued to fuck me. His thrusts were becoming more desperate. Just as I started to think he couldn’t be any rougher, he pulled out.

“Get on your knees,” he commanded. The way he spoke brought butterflies to my stomach. He spoke much more forcefully than before, his voice laced with lust as he was too concerned with his own release to speak gently to me. I obeyed, opening my mouth for him unprompted. I started moving my head for him, wanting to make him feel just as good as he made me feel. His head fell back as his hip thrusted forward. I fought back the reflex to gag as his cock buried itself deep within my throat. His hand pushed on the back of my head, keeping me in place as I felt the beginning spurt of a warm and bitter liquid shooting down my throat. I swallowed all of it greedily, wanting to have as much of Peter as I could.

As the last drop of his cum slid down my throat, he slowly pulled away. I wiped away the small dribble of drool that had fallen down my chin. I looked up at him and he looked down at me, a smile on his face. His hand ran down the side of my head before caressing my face. I slowly got up, my legs still slightly weak. “Wow,” I said, slightly out of breath. Peter let out a soft chuckle before pulling me in for a kiss. We quietly got dressed. Peter grabbed my hand, leading me to his room. Our clothes didn’t stay on for too long as they quickly found their way to his bedroom floor. The night was filled with whispers of confessions of love, hands in hair, and lips pressed on naked skin. The next morning I would wake up, afraid that it had all been a dream before I turned to see Peter’s face on the pillow next to me. Then, a smile matching Peter’s sleepy one would form on my face.

[doppopoppo]

|| Uramichi Daily Headcanon ||

|| Warnings: minor sexual harassment ||

|| Uramichi • Shy|F!Reader ||

Clubbing

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*💙

With the music blaring, more than what he was used to, Uramichi got a headache. He didn't even want to come here. He would much prefer their usual restaurant to drink. But Usahara being the annoying fool he is, dragged everyone to some club he frequents. Something about wanting to see the cute bartender. He should’ve just gone home.

Uramichi looked around the table. Utano was beyond drunk and complaining about her boyfriend. Iketeru was up on stage singing. He was drunk but still sounded good. Kumatani was busy trying to get Iketeru down from the stage. Usahara hitting on the bartender. The annoyed and exhausted man was busy smoking his cigarette, hoping he could go home soon.

“Look at those girls.” Uramichi heard Utano speak up, “oogling over Iketeru like that. Just cuz he’s got a nice voice and looks doesn’t mean shit!” He watched her complain and drop her head on the table. Probably crying.

Just as she said, he could see girls of all ages fawning over Iketeru. Some were even cooing at Kumatani, touched by his big brotherly gestures at Iketeru. Just how drunk was everyone tonight? He’ll get Usahara for this later. At least they’re having fun, well, most of them. Uramichi felt pity for Utano, but there was nothing he could do. So, he just gave a simple pat on her head to calm her down as she cried her soul out.

“Um, excuse me.” He heard a soft, meek voice near him.

Uramichi paid no mind. It was probably some conversation he was overhearing. Utano complained to him and wanted to know why her boyfriend still hasn't asked her to marry him. She’s been dropping hints. He felt awkward as he had no answer to it, considering he wasn’t close to either of them. He sighed, he’ll probably leave soon. But he feels bad leaving his friends drunk inside a club.

Uramichi felt a soft tap on his shoulder. He looked up to see a young girl, perhaps no older than 25. She looked to be very shy, a faint blush apparent on her <skin color> cheeks. She wasn’t looking at him either but at her fingers, which she was twiddling. “Um, hi there.” Her blush intensified.

It was the same voice as earlier. So, it belonged to her and it was directed at him. He wasn’t interested in getting with some girl he had just met in the club. “Listen, I’m not a cordial man. Nor am I interested.” He quickly rejected the girl. Plus, she deserves someone better than him anyways. He’s in his 30s already, she’s got time to find someone better or improve herself; unlike him.

“There ya are cutie!” He heard a gruff voice coming towards his table.

Utano had long passed out and his friends were still busy doing what they already were. Why is everyone so social in this club?

He can hear the girl mumbling and, was she shaking?

“Where’d ya go? I turn around an ya gone.” The man came up to the trembling girl.

She clung onto the hem of her dress. “I was looking for a friend.” He could hear the fear in her voice. “I couldn’t find them.” She whispered and turned away from Uramichi.

“‘s okay pretty lady. You’ve got me to keep you company tonight and the bed warm.” His hand slipped up to her waist. A sly and gross smile displayed on his face.

Uramichi saw the young girl flinch. He’s not sure if it’s the drinks rushing through his body, but he quickly got up. “You should lay your grimy hands off people who don’t want it on them.” He glared at the gruff man. “Especially not my girlfriend.” Uramichi wrapped his arm around her waist and pulled her away from the man.

A gasp left the girl's mouth when she heard him. She stumbled back and felt his toned chest on her back. Despite smelling like cigarettes and alcohol, he was warm.

Uramichi now understood the situation. She wasn’t trying to hit on him or take him back to her place, vice versa. She was trying to protect herself from some man making inappropriate advancements on her. He didn’t like men like that one bit. The girl in his arms didn’t deserve this, no one did.

He could feel her trembling under his arm, so he pulled her closer. He slightly moved Utano to the side and had the girl sit next to his seat.

“Hey listen! She was the one asking for it!” The man defended his actions. “Dancing on the dance floor and swaying her hips.” He licked his lips.

Uramichi was disgusted.

“She was simply enjoying herself. In no sense was she asking for you, or anyone, to come talk to her.” He glared at the man. “She has me to come back to.” Uramichi smirked.

This was extremely out of character for him, but he couldn’t stand by and let someone get harassed. Not when she came to his table for help as well. The stranger, no longer interested, cursed him out. He knew he’d have no chances of winning in a fight against Uramichi. All those muscles weren’t just for show. He walked away, leaving the tree of them at the table.

“Thank you.” He heard her say behind him.

He was grateful she was unharmed. He gave her a fresh glass of water to cool down from the recent event.

“My name's Y/N.” She put her hand out to shake his. “Mines Uramichi.” He replied.

“Sorry to have bothered you and your girlfriend. You didn’t have to do that.” The girl was afraid to look up at him.

She’s right. He didn’t have to, “but it was the right thing to do. I’m glad you’re safe.” He shook her hands. ‘They’re soft.’ He thought to himself. Especially against his own rough palm. “Also,” he pointed to the passed out Utano, “not my girlfriend. Just a coworker. Out with coworkers after clocking out.” He explained and sat down next to her. She seems to have calmed down.

She made an ‘Ah’ face and apologized for the misunderstanding. She looked at him properly for the first time, ‘He’s handsome.’ she thought to herself. Right as she was about to excuse herself, Uramichi spoke up, “you’re free to stay with us at the table until you leave.” He proposed, “for safety measures.” She took him up on his offer and thanked him for his generosity. He reminded her of an older brother figure.

Usahara came back to their table, confused, yet happy, to see the unfamiliar, pretty girl. Right after him, Iketeru and Kumatani joined their table. They all had questioning looks. Uramichi explained what had happened and the girl kept saying thank you.

Kumatani scolded her for coming to a club alone late at night. Iketeru sang random tunes to lighten up the mood. Usahara attempted to flirt with her but Uramichi glared at him each time. Utano’s still passed out. From what he’s noted, she’s shy but gets along with others with ease. Maybe he’ll hang around a bit longer. It’ll be rude of him to not walk his “girlfriend” back home.

Author’s Note:

This came out better in my head, I swear! As a manga reader, I like to think Uramichi actually considers his coworkers his friends 🥺 Thank you for the requests so far! I see y’all thirsty for a specific person at the moment aye 👀 they should be up by the end of the week, be on the look out!

Also I wanted to thank you all for the support you have shown me so far 💜 it means a lot and truly does motivate me to continue writing. Feel free to DM me if you want someone to talk about the anime with XD

Enjoy!