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andypantsx3 · 4 years ago

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statistically significant | 7 | bakugou/reader

length: 23,490 words | 7 chapters

summary: You’re the scientist who developed a neural net to model the value of assists. Now that your work is feeding into the hero rankings, pro hero Ground Zero has a bone to pick with your results.

tags: romance, enemies to lovers, sexual tension, reader-insert

warnings: aged up characters, eventual smut, m/f threats of violence, problematic behavior

One month later

The Hero Awards certainly did not disappoint the second time around.

Though you’d spent the last few months in the company of some of these heroes, you couldn’t help but linger on the sidelines as they stalked their way down the walkway, staring in awe. As before, they were decked out in their absolute best, glimmering in jewel toned dresses with daring cutouts, or carving dashing profiles in well-fitted suits. Reporters and fans swarmed the sides of the red carpet, roiling like a pot reaching an agitated boil.

Their excitement was so palpable it hung heavy in the air, absolutely contagious. Maybe it was the fact that you knew some of the heroes up for awards tonight personally, but the potential of the evening simmered under your skin, a soft but constant hum of frenetic energy.

Or maybe some of that was due to the fact that this year, you’d been able to convince your boss to shell out the extra cash for the full dinner option. No longer would you need to smuggle snacks into your dress--this evening, you were a solid professional.

Which was a good thing, really, as the dress in question was not altogether any more secure or supportive than your dress from last year. You’d tried to angle for a thicker fabric and a little more of a conservative design, but several people had aired opinions on your choices over the course of the last few weeks, and you’d ended up in a thin swathe of delicate fabric that was really quite pretty, if you did say so yourself, but would support a grand total of maybe two popcorn kernels.

“You’re looking awfully forlorn over here,” someone chirped by your ear.

You startled, whirling to find Mina behind you, looking rosy and radiant in a form-fitting dress only a few shades lighter than her skin tone. Tiny pearls and clusters of glittering pink diamonds were stitched carefully into the fabric, winking at you as she moved, as bright as the conspiratorial grin she wore. She looked absolutely fabulous--she was one of the people who’d bullied you into the snackless gown, and you could begrudgingly admit that the girl had taste.

“Is it because a certain hotheaded blonde isn’t here yet?” she asked, a pink eyebrow going up.

You flushed. “Mina--oh my god, no. Not everything is about him, you know.”

She idly inspected a nail, looking supremely unconvinced. “Someone should tell him that, then.”

You huffed a laugh. The last time you’d been at the Awards, you’d said as much to him yourself. But a year later, the message was still not exactly being received.

“I’m actually thinking about dinner. I’m literally starving,” you complained, trying to divert the subject.

Mina nodded sympathetically. “I have a six pack and I still had to suck in to fit into this shit.”

As if on cue, your stomach growled sympathetically. You weren’t proud of what it was going to be like when you were finally unleashed on that multi-course dinner, but god it was gonna be worth it.

Several shrieks went up in the crowd of fans behind you, and you looked over your shoulder in alarm. Your pulse relaxed slightly when you realized it was just another pro sauntering down the walkway, but then the lights flickered off ashy blonde locks, and your pulse jumped violently. You jerked in surprise.

Mina didn’t even try to suppress her snort as you turned around fully, eyes pulled like a magnet to Bakugou as he stalked down the red carpet. Even looking like he would rather be anywhere else, and moving briskly over the carpet like he was going in for a kill, he still looked better than he had any right to. The charcoal of his suit--stitched with deep ruby flowers so dark they were almost black--brought out the piercing scarlet of his eyes, and your heart leapt into your mouth when those eyes cut over to meet yours.

His expression didn’t change, and he kept moving, but you flushed all the way from your head to your toes at the intensity behind his look.

Mina made a disgusted noise. “You’re both like a dog with a bone.”

You glared at her accusingly. “We literally just looked at each other.”

She clicked her tongue. “Please, he all but just pissed on you to mark his territory.”

Before you could reply, she called out, catching sight of Kirishima, and seized you to drag you over to say hello.

You let Mina drag you around for the next half hour, making polite conversation with her high school friends, a couple of friends from other agencies, and one fashion journalist who Mina had converted into a weekly drinking buddy. Mina kept the conversation light and easy, and you enjoyed yourself for the most part, though you almost passed out when a very distinct head of green curls materialized over her shoulder and then Midoriya Izuku--better known as the number one hero Deku--was smiling at you eagerly.

Things got even weirder when he appeared to not only already know who you were, but knew a great deal about your work, enough to ask some very detailed questions about your training model software that was going into production a couple months from now. Mina had the gall to cut into the conversation to call you both huge nerds, though she’d directly benefited from the model herself.

The conversation was unfortunately cut short when a calloused hand flung itself in front of your face and a rough voice sounded from over your shoulder. “Stop sticking your nose in my fucking business, Deku.”

You whipped around to find Bakugou glaring over your head at his former classmate. His hand closed around your shoulder and dragged you closer to him.

“I was just asking about her model, Kacchan,” Midoriya said patiently. “It’ll be great to be able to compare my movements directly with some of the other heroes in almost real time! Ojirou’s been trying out some new fighting forms and I was thinking I should try to adapt them to work into my shoot style--”

“Just because you couch it in nerd shit doesn’t mean you’re not trying to spy on me, fuckstick,” Bakugou said. “Stop poking your nose into my relationship like the town fucking gossip.”

Midoriya flushed a little, looking slightly chastened when you turned back to him in question. He gave you an embarrassed little smile. “I did want to meet you for reasons other than your model. Kacchan’s been my friend since I was little, and I wondered what kind of person could interest him so much he wanted my perspective on your work--”

“Shut the fuck up,” Bakugou demanded, but he wasn’t fast enough.

You perked up in interest. “He asked you what?”

Bakugou bristled like a cat being dangled over a bath, but Midoriya was paying him no mind. “Right after the last Hero Awards, he’d done all this research and he asked me about whether your model results lined up with some of the personal analysis that I was doing--”

“Deku,” Bakugou’s fingers tightened on your arm, growing alarmingly warm. “If you don’t shut the fuck up right now I’m going to punch all of your teeth straight down your throat and into your stomach.”

“Kacchan,” Midoriya protested, but he was interrupted by a call on the overhead for everyone to start taking their places in the theater interior for the awards to begin.

Bakugou used the distraction to pry you away from Midoriya. In the blink of an eye, he’d gotten you across the theater and was corralling you towards the Miruko agency tables, looking like he’d sucked on a lemon. You stifled a laugh. You’d wondered a couple months ago exactly how and when he’d figured out you were quirkless, and he’d once asked if you thought you were the only one who’d done their research.

If things were anything like you were starting to suspect, your demands that he do better at the Hero Awards had apparently aroused his interest in more ways than one.

You and Bakugou hadn’t exactly settled on formal terms for your relationship yet, and he still more often than not answered any of your interest with the assertion that you were the one with the crush on him. But this was more evidence--beyond the mysterious coffees that showed up at your workstation almost every morning--that your interest was more intensely reciprocated than he was willing to own up to.

By the time you’d settled at a table and been flanked by a grinning Mina and Kaminari, the awards were getting underway. They were thrilling to watch, something you’d had to miss out on last year when you needed to sneak out with a giant hole in the front of your dress. The heroes you’d worked with this year raked in an insane number of awards, and their elation was palpable, so thick you could almost taste it in the air. The pair of men with satyr horns were named the Best Rookie Duo, Miruko was awarded Takedown of the Year, and Kaminari clocked the Fastest Fight Win for a battle last month in which he’d rendered a villain with an aluminum quirk insensate only seconds into the fight.

A very unfortunate match up, you thought.

Mina nabbed an award for Fan Favorite, and in almost no time, it was the moment that you’d been nervously awaiting since nominations had gone out. You’d cheated, doing your own calculations behind everyone’s backs just to get a clearer picture of what his chances were, and you rather liked his odds, but there was always a chance it wouldn’t go how you thought. But this was the moment that Bakugou was up for Most Valuable Hero.

You barely heard any of the words the host was saying as he trotted out the names of the nominees, detailing some of their key accomplishments. He covered Bakugou's latest slew of assists and rescues, stats that made you feel kind of weirdly warm and proud, and then your ears strained for the syllables you’d hoped to hear.

And then:

“The winner is...our explosive number six, Ground Zero!”

It took everything in you not to leap out of your seat in joy, though something like a strangled squeal managed to escape you. Bakugou gave you an evaluating look as he got to his feet, stalking up on stage with his usual intensity.

As soon as he was up there, it struck you that allowing him time for an acceptance speech was maybe not a great idea. Graciousness was not exactly a strength of his.

“Obviously I’m the most valuable,” he growled into the mic. The stage lights glinted off his hair and teeth, making him look slightly more predatory than usual. “I didn’t need you fucks to tell me.”

A choking noise could be heard from Kirishima’s seat a couple tables over, and Mina put her head in her hands.

“What’s important is that I’m number six now and it only took me a month,” Bakugou’s head swiveled in the direction of Midoriya and you suppressed a groan. “Don’t get fucking comfortable. I’m gonna wipe the floor with every one of the top five, and next awards you’ll all be kissing my ass.”

He didn’t seem like he had much more he wanted to say, which was an incredible relief as both the host and nearby security looked about ready to wrestle him offstage.

He leapt neatly down from the stage, and when he made it back to the table, he didn’t take his seat again. Instead, he grabbed your arm, hauling you out of your seat, and then he was pulling you down the aisle and through the door to the reception area.

He pulled you past the snack table and you thought he was steering you towards the stairwell again, but at the last second he took a sudden turn, shoving you through a door into the women’s powder room. You didn’t even have enough time to formulate a question before he had you backed up against the wall, your shoulders hitting the cool stone at the same time his mouth hit yours.

His kiss was hot and demanding as always, and you lost yourself in it easily. He trailed a line of burning kisses down your neck and over your shoulder, making you shudder and shake when he lingered too long over any particular spot.

It was hard to think past the press of his body on yours, but you tried your best to formulate words.

“Katsuki--it’s--we’re in the women’s room,” you panted, embarrassed by the fact that even as you spoke, you were clutching him closer. “This is--what are you--? S-someone’s gonna come in.”

Bakugou broke apart from you just long enough to level a searching glance around the room and--spotting what he’d been looking for--hefting the trashcan in front of the door with a forceful kick to stop it shut.

“There, nerd. Now stop fucking complaining,” he rasped, immediately attaching his mouth back under your jaw. You shuddered.

“What the fuck has gotten into you,” you demanded, seizing a fistful of his blonde hair to pull him back from where he was leaving what felt like a very deep bruise over your collarbone.

He leveled you with a burning, red-eyed stare. “Like you don’t fucking know.”

You looked at him in question. “...I actually don’t.”

He tried to lean in again but you gripped his hair harder. “What? You can’t just keep throwing me up against walls, especially here. What is it with you and shoving me into weird places at the Hero Awards?”

Bakugou growled. “If you don’t shut the fuck up and let me do what I want, I’m gonna burn throught this dress too.”

You froze up, then glared at him accusingly. “I literally write the code that processes your rank. If you ever wanna come within sniffing distance of the top three, you won’t touch a single thread of this dress.”

The hands on you grew hot, but not hot enough to burn. Bakugou slid a calloused hand over the curve of your waist, thumb brushing the underside of your breast.

“God, the fuckin’ attitude on you,” he said, almost reverently.

You felt your face warm under his scrutiny as he leaned closer. “You wanna know what's gotten into me? I wanted to melt that entire fucking thing off you last year. You were so fucking mouthy, such a little brat to me. Wanted to rip your dress off and fuck you right in the stairwell until you forgot you’d ever even heard of numbers.”

You shivered. Bakugou smirked, eyes darkening, leaning back in to bite under your jaw. You realized you’d lost your grip on him and willed your fingers to cooperate again.

“I fucking won that stupid award because I let you boss me around. I've waited an entire year. Now you’re gonna let me do whatever I want with you.”

Your legs went out from beneath you but Bakugou was already there, catching you under your thighs and hauling you up onto the countertop between the sinks. Your back brushed the mirror, glass cold under your shoulder blades.

“Y--you know, if you actually want to be number one, you can’t make speeches like you did,” you babbled nervously as he filled the space between your thighs. “Your public approval rating is part of your ranking, right? It’s weighted right below rescues…”

Bakugou paid you no mind, fingers already searching over your back to find the zipper to your dress. He yanked it down with little ceremony, seizing the front of your bodice to pull it off of you.

“I don’t need to be fucking nice if I’m the one saving the day,” he announced imperiously, leaning down to capture a nipple with his mouth.

Your hips jerked, and he pressed a hand to your thigh, holding you back down against the counter. Dimly, you registered that the words were familiar. “N--not--ah!--not this again.”

Bakugou didn’t deign to respond, instead doing something absolutely mind-bending with his tongue. You swore loudly, catching a fistful of his jacket. “Fuck, Katsuki!”

A hot palm slid up your thigh, gathering up the soft material of your skirt until he could slip a hand underneath. Calloused fingers trailed over your core with obvious intention. You inhaled sharply when he pressed them into you, leaning up to cover your mouth with his again.

Bakugou had you squirming wildly against him in barely a minute, snorting when you tried to get a hand on his zipper.

“Want me that bad, nerd?” he asked, pressing forehead to yours in an oddly tender move.

“If you don’t hurry the fuck up I’m gonna finish things myself,” you threatened, though Bakugou did not look at all as if he believed you.

He helped you get his zipper down, taking himself in hand, but he stopped just as he brushed your entrance, leaning forward to bite another kiss into your mouth.

“Now it’s time for you to make good on your end of the bet,” he growled, a smirk growing over his features. “You’ll tell me I’m the best and I was right all along.”

You stilled underneath him, disbelieving. “Are you--are you fucking serious.”

Bakugou pressed forward, just enough for you to feel the pressure of him on your clit. You fought down a noise like a whimper. Damn him.

“I jumped two ranks,” he said. “You’ll tell me I’m the best if you want me, nerd.”

“I am not gonna beg for you like this,” you announced, though it sounded a little more like a question than you had wanted it to.

Bakugou brushed his thumb over your clit again and little sparks danced over the corner of your vision. “Mmm, you’re gonna scream.”

You felt something like a tension snap inside you. Fuck it. He was so annoying but holy shit if he wasn’t the hottest thing you’d ever encountered. If he needed his ego stroked, well it wasn’t nearly as much as you needed your own stroking.

You grit your teeth. “Ugh, fine--just--you’re the best, and you were right all along. Now will you please--”

You didn’t even get to finish before he was sinking into you, narrow hips fitting flush with your thighs. You swore at the feeling of fullness, and then he was moving, picking up into a frantic pace. He leaned forward, sealing his mouth over yours to swallow all the little noises you were making. It was mere minutes before you were shivering underneath him again, moving your hips to meet his, desperate for more, Katsuki, more.

“Ah fuck--so fucking good for me,” he grunted against your mouth, giving a particularly hard thrust, and that was all it took to unravel you.

You stifled a scream in the thick fabric of his jacket, arching up into him. He cursed and followed after you with a few more short thrusts, crushing you against the counter when he let his weight go slack.

You panted underneath him, catching your breath while your fingers slowly unclenched themselves from the hem of his suit jacket. Bakugou rubbed his face in the hollow of your shoulder, radiating smug satisfaction.

“That wasn’t so bad, was it, nerd?” he rasped, biting down lightly where he’d left the hickey earlier.

You pulled back, looking into his face again. He looked far too pleased with himself, but he was so handsome like this, all messy hair and a kiss darkened mouth. Your irritation with him fizzled out a little.

He flashed you a predatory grin. “You said it yourself--I'm the fucking best.”

You rolled your eyes, though you couldn’t stop your hand from coming up and tangling in his hair. “Shut the fuck up.”

Bakugou, predictably, did not look as if he was going to shut the fuck up at all. So you took matters into your own hands, and leaned in and kissed him again.

#bakugou x reader #bakugou katsuki #bakugou katsuki x reader #bnha x reader #my hero academia #bnha #katsuki bakugou x reader #katsuki bakugou

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alecxaheart · 4 years ago

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Falls At 4419 | Bang Chan Oneshot

✎ Genre : Strangers to Lovers AU, Fluff

✎ Pairings : Bang Chan X Reader

✎ Word Count : 2.1k words

✎ Synopsis : Who could've thought that your ride to love life starts at a bus stop.

✎ Requested.

You had the usual tiring daily routine for the rest of your life. Your weekday mornings start with your alarm clock greeting you "good morning" in the most annoying beeping way as possible. What a gentle reminder, too, to tell you that it's almost time for work.

" Work again? " you groaned at the thought, hands reaching out to the bedside table to turn off the alarm. Once you did, you forced yourself out of the bed and start preparing for today.

You were completely exhausted due to the stack of work your boss gives you.

It's to the point that it made you sleep deprived, haggard or just messy in general. You don't even know if you ever managed to cover all of that, physically, with make-up. However, when it came to your words and actions, it's noticeable when one paid attention. It's a good thing that Ms. Han was blind to that, or else you'll be told that you're lacking and higher chances of you getting fired.

But aside from every negative thing about your occupation, so far your performances were praised by your co-workers. Salary has never been a problem, in fact, you've been paid higher than expected. Maybe it's from the plus being Ms. Han's pet-sitter — for the love of all things, it had to be a cat.

You're almost done preparing for work. With your feet taking a quick slip into your black heels, you're on your way out of the house. Clacking noises could be heard each time your heels meet the pavement.

As you were headed towards the bus stop, you felt something vibrating from your purse. Opening it, you found your phone ringing. The caller ID displays the name of your boss, Ms. Han. What could be the kind of good morning greeting I'll receive from her today?

You answered it and placed it to your right ear, immediately hearing your name. " Assistant (L/N) (Y/N)! " Ms. Han called out through the other line.

" Good morning to you too, Ms. Han. You have matters to discuss with me at this time? " You replied, stopping at your tracks as you've reached the bus stop. All you need to do now is wait for the bus and keep yourself together with whatever Ms. Han may throw at you.

" I'm assuming you've already done the project for today, " You hummed in response. There was sound of a slight slip from the other line, you assumed that Ms. Han was drinking tea. " Make sure to deliver that presentation well. After that, I want you to attend the board meeting this afternoon on my behalf. Send them my sincere apologies for I have other more important business matters. "

So much for being trustworthy..

" Noted, Ms. Han. " Your ride finally came. Once it opened it's doors, you hopped in and tapped your card at a machine.

" Also, fix this week's schedule. Cancel everything on Friday, " Ms. Han added. You ended up seating at the very end of the bus, beside the window. It just happened to be the only row of seats that's vacant.

" Got it, Ms. Han. Anything else? "

" Ah, right. After the board meeting, take care of Eliza, " Her cat – you should've seen that coming. " Don't worry about the ride to my house, my driver will be picking you up. " She continued, taking one more sip at her tea. The ride was never a problem, but her cat is. Nevertheless, you accepted it since you both needed the job and money.

It didn't took that long until the conversation finally ended. When she hung up, you deeply sighed and looked out of the window. Spring was almost over, the atmosphere started to get colder. The cherry blossom trees began to slowly wither, every petal that has fallen decorated the road and sidewalk. It was both exquisite yet melancholic. Could you ever compare yourself as a cherry blossom? To bloom all over again yet someday, you'll wither once again. Possibly.

As you were gazing outside, your eyes widened as you saw someone else's reflection who sat beside you. His airpods plugged in his ears as he bobbed his head to the beat. You never knew or felt that his presence is already there, not until right now.

He's the same guy you meet each day whenever you took this bus. To be honest, he's eye-catching ever since the first time you saw him. He had the usual black outfit. Curly brunette headed, tall nose, dazzling dark brown orbs, lips — Okay, let's stop fawning over him. In conclusion, he has very well defined facial features. It was obvious that he's one of God's masterpiece, many should've envied him with that.

Despite of him always being your seatmate when the seat next to yours is vacant, you both never conversed with one another. Even with him having an eye for you from the start, no one even dared to start one.

Although, maybe today's a bit different.

The bus abruptly stopped in its tracks as the stop light just switched to red. The driver groaned and scratched the back of his neck.

At the back of the bus, there's you who is silently staring at the window. Awfully close to the window. However, when the bus hit the brakes, your forehead bumped onto the glass. " Ouch! " You groaned in pain as you held your forehead, checking if it bled and to ease the pain. The curly brunette noticed this and paused the music he's playing on the phone. He shifted in his seat to face you, " Are you okay? ". Your eyes met his worrisome ones and it made your heart skip a beat. He's more dashing when he's this close to you. It also made you more timid towards him that you began to stutter, " I- I guess I'm okay.. ".

" Let me see, " He reached out to your hand that's covering your forehead. His hand accidentally touched the sore part in the process, causing you to wince in pain. He whispered an apology before carefully taking your hand off and scan your forehead. He sighed in relief, " Thankfully, it wasn't such a big impact but it did turn red. You can place ice or put an ointment on it as soon as you get off, ok? " You responded with small nod and smile, your heart melting at his kindness.

He carefully placed his hand on your head and light pushed it back, gesturing you to rest. You gladly complied and he smiled, showing his dimples. It was cute, you thought.

" Does it still hurt? " He asked.

" A bit but bearable, " You replied, closing your eyes.

" How about a small talk to distract you from the pain? "

" Sounds good to me. "

" My name's Chan, you? "

" The name's (Y/N). It's nice to finally know you, Chan. "

And that's how everything started to blossom, at the end of Spring.

After that day, you started to anticipate what's going to happen on the next days that you never complained about the annoying beeping clock at dawn ever again. Especially and specifically, on the bus. Your mornings now start with you enthusiastically getting up and preparing for work. Chan happened to bring more interest into your life.

You don't know what kind of sorcery Chan does to always know how to remove your stress or just to make your days better in general. However, you don't mind it. Instead, you're really thankful for it.

You blossomed more in Fall, like a cosmos flower. You bloomed while the rest withered.

You excelled so much at work. The company was at its rough times, yet you handled everything outstandingly that you were praised by the whole company. Even Chan was happy for you, which mattered to you most.

" I knew you were exceptional ever since the beginning, " He murmured while hugging you securely, smiling. You, too, smiled brightly and blushed at that.

It's not only you who blossomed this fall. Your love, too, bloomed in Fall.

You never knew that the potential crush you had for Chan back when he was just a seatmate at the bus would grow. You fell head over heels for his giggles, smiles, kindness, goofiness, just for him. It keeps getting stronger as more time passes that you couldn't control it anymore. This was a first ever since you started working. You never really paid attention to your love life since work was always in the way. You're foreign to this feeling, you're clueless on how to handle it.

This love is the most amazing feeling, you'd be honest. Yet you fear that you'll be rejected or wouldn't be loved back. Then love would be the worst feeling.

Although, your faith and hope will never be taken away from you until the day hasn't came yet, until there's a possibility. You'll keep hoping on his small gestures you'd like to think are hints. You'll put your love for him in the hands of faith. And with that, you became patient with him. Waiting for the time that the true feelings will start to unveil.

______________________________

찬의

Channie

Hey (Y/N)

Are you done with work?

Almost

Why do you ask?

I'll pick you up, ok?

I'm on my way there.

'That's first, yet weird.

But I don't mind.'

Alright, be careful

Seen 7:02PM

______________________________

A month has passed, you two grew closer than ever. Yet occassionally, there would be a hint of awkwardness between the two of you. One would act weirdly, stutter or get nervous around one another. You hoped that it wouldn't ruin your friendship. You valued this friendship more than anything else.

Heading towards the front doors of this company, you could see Chan's figure on the other side. Waiting for you to come out. Once you did, he turned to face you and greet you with a sweet smile. You smiled back. " Let's go? " He said as he offered you his hand. You nodded and timidly took it into yours. That's another first.

Both of you exchanged the usual conversation. Asking about each other's day, telling short stories, joking once in a while, then some comfortable silence here and there, it felt just right. It's already dark out, the city light and streetlights being the only source of light, while the moon is having the pitch black sky to itself. The streets aren't as busy as it was in the daylight. You could hear the rustling and crunching of autumn leaves as it was carried by the wind or getting stepped on.

The two of you eventually reached the bus stop, taking a seat as you wait for a bus. " Do you know the number that bus has? " Chan asked out of the blue, eyes boring on the street. You hummed in confusion, he chuckled. " The bus we always took, especially in the mornings. "

" Ohh.. To be honest, I'm completely unaware of that. " You answered, scratching the back of your neck. Once more, he chuckled then gazed at you while your attention was somewhere else. A bus was coming in your peripheral vision. Once it was in front of you, you scanned for it's number. At the very end, it's written..

" 4419, " You turned to Chan, only to find him staring at you with adoration. You two stayed like that for a few minutes. His eyes were so soft, looking ever so luminous and sparkling underneath the light. He took out a flower he plucked from earlier, placing it behind your ear. Not even tearing his eyes away from yours. " Beautiful, like a cosmos flower, " He whispered, but it was enough for you to hear it clearly. You've felt like you're continously falling, yet Chan still has his grip on you. The same grip when he first held your hand back when you've bumped your forehead on the bus. Loving, gentle yet firm. Telling that he's willing to fall with you. " I love you, (Y/N). "

With just those 4 words, you were filled with so much joy and shock. You froze on your seat. For a second you panicked on what's the right word to say, asking if an I love you too was enough or is it already too redundant.

Although you knew that Chan's anticipating an answer as the clock continues to tick, and waiting is dreadful. Chan will love and cherish anything you say to him. Just the thought of you being truly his will bring him genuine happiness, and that's enough. No need for further more explanations. Then you've came to the conclusion, that there's no other words that best describes your true feelings for him. Simple yet genuine, " I love you too, Chan. "

Now, a love fully blossomed at the end of Falls.

End.

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octania · 4 years ago

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Midnight stalker ( Dabi x Reader NSFW 18+)

Dabi x Reader

Warnings: Stalking, yandere, death (not Dabis nor readers), smut, NSFW.

Word count: 3300

Short description: A lot of scary things lurks in the dark, but when two blue electric eyes stick to you and don't let go, you'll see what the face of a villain who has a very specific way of showing his feelings looks like.

PART 2 - MIDNIGHT HUNTER

_____________________________________________________________

"I have no useless feelings." - That's impossible. He would repeat those words to himself over and over again, but the only thing that’s useless in the end are exactly those words. He does not understand what's going on. And lack of knowledge is one of the first things that makes him angry. At one point, as he was following you as some kind of maniac for the fourth night in a row, hiding behind every wall bathed in darkness, he tried to convince himself that what was happening must be the result of your quirk. Yes, that is the only explanation. You know he's there and you bewitched him to follow you like a sad puppy.

"I am going fucking insane here." He cursed under his breath, rubbing his eyelids. Of course this was not the result of your quirk, you had no idea he was following your every step for days, you lived your most normal life, and despite everything, he saw you using your quirk on a third day of his mission, and it had nothing to do with what he had just claimed.

He noticed you quite by accident. Damn that moment. He was walking down a dilapidated neighborhood in the middle of the night, minding his own business, when he heard a gentle female whisper from the corner of the street. Such a sweet sound was not at all characteristic for the place where he was, in fact, the only thing that could be heard from the corners of these streets was the screaming, swearing or unrestrained moaning of the lady of the night, not a gentle whisper. The devil did not give him peace, he had to see what was happening. When he leaned behind the wall of the building in the dark, all the filth of this place was gone. He had an eye for beautiful women, but none of them made him look at their faces longer than a few seconds before his gaze continued to their enticing curves. You knelt beside a pile of cluttered boxes, touching something small and fragile between them. A puppy. You stroked his soft head, whispering that everything would be fine and that he was safe now.

He became a part of the shadows on the street, he managed to blend smoothly with each one as he followed you for the first time. You carried the puppy on your chest, not even looking back at the potential dangers of the neighborhood you wandered into. But the truth is, there was no real danger, not while Dabi was following you. He wasn't even aware that he would defend you to the last spark of his flame if something went wrong, and he didn't even know you.

You were more than ... interesting to him. Yes, that was the word he decided to use. Everything he saw in life was gray and suddenly he discovered color. He had to see what the difference was, why his interest was growing. Fast enough, you got to your house. He stored the place, the street number, and the exterior of the house in his mental map, not even knowing that the place would become his obsession.

That night he slept worse than usual. He rolled around on the rough sheets of his bed, trying to fall asleep and have a nightmare, what he used to do. But instead of the bloodthirsty scenes of his reality, before his eyes was an act of kindness and tenderness, a scene of you rescuing a puppy. It made him angry ... no, it made him furious.

"Tch ... damn it." He sat up, running his fingers through his charcoal-colored hair. It didn't take him long to open his eyes completely and jump off the bed, grabbing his dark blue hoodie, pulling it over his naked muscular body and diving into the cold night.

He is in front of your house. He stands helplessly staring at the window. His eyes are half closed, but not from being tired. Fearful thoughts run through his head. "Damn bitch ..." - he wanted to hate you, he had to. People like Dabi, if only a little attempt is made to scratch the surface of their feelings, they defend themselves with hatred and denial because it is a place they never go into, because through life, they have learned that feelings bring nothing but pain and despair. So they decided to lock them up. Bury, hide, deny, and eventually destroy ... prevent them from surfacing, as was the case with Dabi.

He is in front of your window. He is looking at you. He found where your bedroom is. He watches you as you sleep. His electric blue eyes stare at you like a target. "You don't deserve to sleep so carefree ..." His intention was to finish you off at that point. Delete this irregularity. His hand was already bathed in blue flames, ready to obey his orders.

The light woke you up, disturbed your sleep. You opened your eyes, but there was nothing but darkness around you. You would swear the light woke you up. You laughed at yourself. Those crazy dreams. You rubbed your eyelids, which were still closing from the weight of sleep. You glanced at the clock on the wall. 02:45, that was the time the hands were pointing. Back to sleep, a simple decision. You turned on your side, your back was facing the window, but before you sank back into sleep, you turned once more to check on what your new hairy friend you had rescued from the street that night was doing. "That is odd ..." the little puppy sat on the edge of the bed, wagging his tail and looking out the window.

"Fuck! Fuck! Fuck! What the fuck?!" - He banged madly against the wall of abandoned building back in his neighborhood. A gang of villains who decided to lurk innocent victims there that night fled like insects seeing a furious Dabi approaching, bathed in his own flames head to toe. As soon as his fist slammed into the bricks of the wall for the first time, they disappeared with their tail between their legs. "Why did you have to look at me ... why ..." - you didn't even know that you looked him directly in the eye and that was what saved you. If you only woke up a few seconds later, you would never wake up again. He wanted to set you on fire and the place where you lived, to erase you as if you didn't even exist. But then your gaze caught his and a Pandora's box opened in his chest that he so desperately wanted to leave sealed. The kindness and tenderness your eyes carried seemed to shed light on his inner darkness. You froze him, a funny thing for someone bathed in flames. He escaped from there like those thieves from this building just now. Dabi doesn't run away. Dabi never runs away and does not dodge an opponent. He stopped hitting and sat down on the cold concrete. He leaned his head against the wall, his eyes searching for the large yellow moon that sat on the dark clouds. "Yeah ... that's exactly how you are." - in the monotonous darkness of his life, now something bright and big emerged, throwing its light on the shadows he kept inside. He compared you to the moon once more, this time again with a taste of hatred in his mouth. "That's it ... you are exactly like this, a big fucking irregularity."

At first he didn't want to go back, but he had to. He literally had to. His body ached from the mental prohibition he issued to himself. As a drug addict, he was drawn to another hit. He justified his action quickly enough, convincing himself that he wanted to check if this was all one big misunderstanding he had with himself. That he drank a few extra drops of alcohol yesterday before he started following you. Anger piled up in his chest as he realized he was lying to himself. He drank only one whiskey, nothing compared to what he normally drank. Before he could muster more hatred directed at you, he had already came close to your house. The interior was lit. She is home. The thought of you breathing only a hundred yards away from him lifted the hair on his head. He needed to stop those breaths, because that would surely stop his dilemma. He decided to put an end to this circus once again. On his burned neck, the culprits for that catastrophe were climbing on it again. A blue flame hugged him around the neck. As it appeared, so it withdrew, quenching his anger as if it had never been there.

You came out with a cheerful smile. Playfully jumped over the new leash you bought for your furry friend. You went for your first late-night walk together. You and ... a pair of bright eyes lurking in the dark.

When he saw you, he felt like a match whose flame was put out with the weakest exhalation. That smile again. A smile that drew everyone to itself with its angelic vibe. Everything, even the dark and opposite of the angelic, Dabi. He has decided not to think about what he is doing, again patiently following you and watching from a safe distance. He realized that any attempt to explain or draw a conclusion resulted in his anger, and now he was rather tired of it. He could tell he was feeling defeated, not only because he failed to attack you, but because Pandora's box was now throwing its chains of dominance. He won't admit it, ever. He didn't even realize how hard it would be for him to deny it.

You came to the lake, after running and jumping with your puppy, you decided to sit on a bench and enjoy the murmur of the water. You tilted your head, removing the rubber band from your hair and loosening your ponytail. You inhaled a fresh breeze as it caressed your cheeks. Until your puppy suddenly jumped. He barked, wagging his tail merrily, looking toward the corner of the street. "What is it boy?" - you have to admit, you were lightly concerned. You haven’t seen anyone, and your friend apparently still feels someone. Although crime was not at a high rate in this part of the city, you were not far from the part where it was. You were far from an ordinary frightened girl, you knew how to defend yourself, you were brave, but you didn't ask for trouble if it wasn't necessary. You decided to head back home. Getting up, you picked up the puppy and headed the other way home. You checked behind you few times, but there was no one. Although, the feeling of someone watching you was not lost.

Damn traitor... he slipped away at the last moment before you saw him. This clumsy hiding was not in his style. He was usually pretty good at it, it was a part of his job, to go unnoticed. However, the others didn't have a curious dog sniffing you out from five blocks away. And after all ... he can only blame you for his slow reaction. Watching curls of hair falling over your bare shoulders that looked silky to the touch and your lovely face enjoying the breeze ... he swallowed more than once, fascinated by your every move. For the first time, he decided not to whip himself because of his weakness, but the desire to punish you for bringing him into a situation like this was growing.

The days went by and his night occupation did not change. Due to his absence from duty, he had a clash with other members of the LOV. For the first time in a long time, he didn’t do his part of the job. He forgot his responsibilities, following you instead. He remembers exactly what he learned about you that night when he was supposed to work. You like lollipops. You like lollipops a little too much. Of all the things you carried in those grocery bags on your way back from the store, lollipops of different fruit flavors took up most of the space. Hell, not only did you take them home but you ate three pieces on your way there. First you lick them a couple of times, traveling with your tongue around the round candy, then you put the whole thing in your mouth, sucking greedily. That evening he stopped a few blocks before your house, turned, went to the park, went behind a large tree whose century-old trunk could hide three adults, and helped himself. The way you swirled your tongue around that candy drove all the blood into his lower body. His dick was hard in a second. He saw you on your knees in front of him, first crossing over your full lips with his tip. How he pulls you by the hair as he fills your throat to the point where you can’t breathe. How he decides when you will get oxygen. How obediently you give him pleasure by sucking his dick juicier than you did a lollipop. How he touches your lips with his thumb while you still receive it in your mouth. Scenes popped before his eyes, while he jerked his rock hard cock. He growled under his breath, feeling that he will reach the climax soon. He would make you swallow every drop, and only after he was sure you were an obedient little girl would he let you inhale when he took it out of your mouth. He came on a dry tree trunk. What a pity, it could all be in your mouth.

Who ... the fuck ... is..he ...- he saw red in front of his eyes. His blood was boiling and his hands were shaking when he saw you walking your dog with someone. That someone was a guy. You talked and laughed, walking pretty close to each other. When the damn idiot brushed his shoulder against yours, Dabi could clearly see how he is tearing that limb off that morons body. Up to this point your smile had been creating a warm feeling in his chest that wasn’t there because of his fiery power, but now he felt disgusted every time you laughed. Repulsive, the only word that could describe the scene in front of his eyes. Something so disgusting must not happen again, there are already enough disgusting things in this world.

You and your friend parted quite far from your houses. He has been around for over a year, trying to get out of the friend zone you have putted him in from the moment you met. Before he left, he hugged you. You carefully returned the hug, not wanting to give him false hopes. You patted him on the back and walked away slowly, shouting “See ya’!” to him. You should have said goodbye, because you'll never see him again.

Never before had he been so happy to take someone’s life as now, and the list of people he hated was long. However, this transcended hatred. He fed the horror in his eyes as he burned him slowly, so slowly that the unfortunate young man lost consciousness a couple of times from the pain and agony. But Dabi did not give him the satisfaction of dying in ignorance. He would punch him in the face, welcoming him back with his crazy smile every time. He wanted him to feel what he felt when he saw you two together. He wanted him to spend his last moments in hell and be fully aware of it. He burned him layer by layer, first the outer layer of skin, in order him to be alive for as long as possible. As he began to burn his inner organs, soon after the soul of his victim left the mutilated body. He threw it in the dumpster, like garbage that belongs there, and went looking for you.

You loved the night. You were always attracted to the mystical, the mystery of darkness and what is in it intoxicates your desires. Although you are a good person, you had a taste for dark things. Maybe you didn’t show that side of you so much in front of others, and because of it you had to endure endless efforts of the goodies just like your friend, who wanted you to share the softness of romance with them, but that wasn’t enough for you. You used to not even know what you wanted. Your thinking was interrupted by an instinctive sense of danger. You couldn't even turn around to check what was behind you when your eyes were covered by complete darkness. The pressure on your eyelids made your head hurt. A rough palm gripped you mercilessly, and before you tried to defend yourself with your hands, like handcuffs another hand wrapped itself around your wrist. An unknown person pushed you against the wall, squeezing you with his weight. He was strong, he squeezed the air out of your lungs with his pressure. Before you could speak, you felt a breath on your cheek.

„Make even a sound and I will bite that lips off your pretty doll face.“ Observation alone was no longer an option. After feeding the need to destroy what approached something that was his, he had to feed another need. He had to taste you. He had to know what the poison tasted like. You disrupted his way of life even without knowing he exists, you can’t do anything more when you finally feel his presence. At least he thought so. He forgot that like any addict, overdose is an option. He felt its sting the moment he pressed his lips violently to yours. With his lips he savagely parted yours, his tongue searching for yours, absorbing your taste and the sobs that came from your throat. The surface of his tongue traveled along yours. The longer he greedily kissed you, the worse the need to continue was. He kept your eyes still covered, fighting the urge to grab you by the jaw and let go of your arms just to turn you over and lift you up against the wall as he lit your clothes. But his need to absorb you was stronger than his sexual desire. Pandora's box was now bursting, releasing the thoughts and feelings that haunted him like devils, and the fact that you didn't return the kiss voluntarily gave birth to more anger in him. He moved his head away from yours, breathing hard.

"If you don't want to become a living torch, you better not turn around." You could feel the pressure on your body being released, your hands free again, and the other person's sense of presence fading a bit. You stood in shock, eyes closed. Of all the fears and horrors you have imagined when he first grabbed you, this was the last thing you thought would happen. That he will force you to kiss him and then disappear. I must not turn around, I must not ... the curiosity and fearlessness that were your most pronounced traits made your head turn and your eyes absorbed the sight of the person who attacked you. You saw his strong broad shoulders getting more and more away... you shuddered when you saw the scars on his arms and neck ... the black pointy hair... The last thing you saw was exactly what you shouldn't have seen, the look of blue eclectic eyes disappearing around the corner of the building into the night.

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wevegottogetaway · 4 years ago

Text

I love you

First I love yous...do I need to say more? Anyway, please don’t hesitate to reach out for anything, whether that be comments, requests, feedback or just to have a chat! Happy reading xx

It’s been three days of utter pandemonium ripping through your brain in complete disarray. Three days of pent up stress storming through your mind as you ran like a headless chicken to try and find a handle on a situation that frankly, you didn’t give a rat’s ass about.

It all started when your boss had called you in his office, his signature tyrant-resting face on, solid frown drafting his features in a look of severity. Well, this can’t be good, you’d immediately thought once you took a hesitant seat across his desk. You’d hoped for a benign reason behind the sudden meeting, and that the scowl on his face was merely a residual of some other trouble that had absolutely nothing to do with you.

Your prayers had fallen on deaf ears however, as the summoning proved to be a twenty minutes angry diatribe about how one of your most recent client had expressed their wish to withdraw from their deal and de facto, the company. Though it hadn’t been your fault per se, your boss didn’t have any reservations about reminding you of your supposed responsibility to keep your clients sated and on the company’s leash. He’d given you three days to fix it after that. Three days to persuade the client not to pull out of the deal, or you risked some serious downgrading if not redundancy.

You’d called Harry for support the minute you got home and spent the whole evening brainstorming the craziest ideas to him. He’d listened patiently, holding your hand on the table as you both indulged in the Thai take-out he’d picked up on his way over. That first night, you’d barely slept as you laid in his strong arms, back to his chest. Your reeling mind had still been trying to conjure up any sort of plan that would help you out of this chaos; but for each switch of the glowing red digits on your alarm clock, your hopes had dwindled some.

You hadn’t known then, but Harry couldn’t find rest either as he spooned you against him. You two hadn’t been dating long, several months at best, but already your distress was unbearable to him and every bone in his body ached to do something to help you. This feeling of powerlessness was crawling out of his skin and swimming around like a shark amidst his prevalent thoughts of support, admiration and love. Because, while he’d shown you the first and conveyed the second countless times in the past, the third had yet to tumble out of his lips, despite the confession burning their flesh a bit stronger every day.

What really had had his mind reeling though, was knowing that maybe, just maybe, he had the power to make this situation go away; and for each switch of the glowing red digits on your alarm clock, his hopes grew some.

Your earlier utterance of the client’s name had been ringing through his mind in faint recognition, an itch starting to fester at his fingertips. Dialing a phone number was all it could take. A couple choice words and if he played his cards right, the deal would be back on the table. He’d known interfering was arguably a bad idea, and truthfully he’d always made a point of honor not to use his connections to serve ulterior motives (his or anyone else’s), but how was he supposed to do nothing when the person that caused you trouble was in fact a friend of a friend that might reevaluate their stance if he pitched in with a bit of charm and compelling words? How was he supposed to stay idle, watch you dissolve in an anxious mess, if he wasn’t as powerless as he thought?

So he didn’t.

He’d originally planned on keeping you in the loop, but you’d been gone by the time his forest green eyes had fluttered back to consciousness the next morning. After a quick shower, a large mug of the coffee you’d left for him before running back to work, and locking your apartment with the spare key you’d given him a couple weeks back, he’d pulled out his phone. Two minutes was all it took for his friend to pass him your client’s number and without hesitation, he’d launched the call and brought his phone to his ear.

It took a bit longer than a couple of minutes for that conversation to take effect, but eventually his words hit their target. After all, his lovely nature could pierce through the most robust walls and stubborn minds. He didn’t even have to put on the charm that much, instead drawing earnest sentiments about your impeccable skills and rambling about how there was no better person to keep their account safe in the business. He’d gnawed at his lips the whole time, desperate to pull through but still scared to fail you somehow. You’d already been let down by the client and your boss, you certainly didn’t need your boyfriend added to the list.

The call had ended with their promise to reassess and consider your undeniable abilities in the equation, yet the next day you were once again convoked to your boss’ office with a snarly bark of your name. Puzzlement washed over you as you speed-walked after him. Why was he still so resentful with you when you’d gotten the client to reenter the contract?

Another twenty minutes of intense scolding provided you with that answer. With a disdainful gaze puncturing your poise, your boss told you that while your job was no longer on the line, you’d been given a firm warning about using your boyfriend as negotiator for the company’s dealings.

How he knew when you yourself weren’t aware of the fact, you didn’t know. In retrospect, your talk with the client had been suspiciously easy for someone who’d made their will to ditch the company crystal clear. You’d merely laid out your arguments, expecting resistance and some pushing, but were only met with a squinted look and cautious acceptance. Now you know your case had already been pleaded once, by the man who was taking more and more space for himself inside the chambers of your heart.

You didn’t quite know how to feel about it; didn’t know if you should be mad or grateful. You were specifically stunned because you knew it was out of character for Harry. Your boyfriend was the most generous being you’d ever met, but humility was even more so a prevailing layer of his beautiful nature. You certainly didn’t expect it, didn’t wish for it to happen again because you were always adamant not to ever use anyone for their assets. Yet there was a tingling, a mixture of discomfort and gratefulness, sloshing in the pit of your stomach.

This whole thing was a mind-fuckery of emotions you were too tired to process.

What you did feel though, was the pure frustration at your boss’ hypocrisy. You both knew he didn’t really care how you’d gotten the deal back, just that you did, but his intolerable disposition wouldn’t allow him to applaud your efforts and move on.

Wanting to put this all mess behind you, you bit back the retorts that you craved to force down his throat, simply nodded through his chastising charade, and leaped to your feet as soon as the dismissing words left his stupid trap.

Now that you’re making your way inside your home, your nose is hit by a waft of delicious aromas traveling from the kitchen. Your mind is still fuzzy with every trouble and startling revelation that transpired in the past three days, but as your eyes settle on your apron-clad boyfriend, you take a moment to appreciate the sight of his soft figure stirring the content of what must be a pan on the gas. His back is facing you, but you can hear the gentle humming under his breath, as he hasn’t registered your arrival yet.

After another minute of whistling, he finally twists around and his eyes almost pop out of their socket when they find your timid stance a couple feet away. "Jesus, pet, didn’t know you were home yet," he chuckles softly before taking in your somewhat moony features. Your expression is hard to pinpoint, your delicate traits blank of any emotions yet your eyes have the same sparkle that greets him every morning and every night when he pulls you for a deep kiss in his warm embrace. "Everythin’ okay, love?"

The query snaps you out of your semblance of trance, your head looking down to the floor to gather your wits before you level your gaze back to his. "Yeah it is. Umm, my boss called me in again today," your bite your lip, not knowing how to navigate the conversation. In all honesty, you just want to be done with the whole thing, would rather spend an evening full of cuddles and potentially mind-blowing sex, but you know this ought to be acknowledged.

"Oh," his brows pull together with the same confusion you’d experienced when your boss ushered you to his office. "Did he thank you for the big save?"

"Not exactly," you clear your throat bracing yourself and Harry’s face tenses at the realization about where this is going. "My job is safe and I’m still working on the account," hie loosens up in relief, but your next words have him stiffen right back up in alarm. "But I got a warning for a certain someone’s involvement in the company’s operations. Apparently, my boyfriend called the client on my behalf and forgot to clue me in…"

Your voice is calm and doesn’t carry any reproachful tone, but Harry’s pulse is suddenly speeding with dread regardless. The fact that he could have lost you your jobs is the only thing registering in his frenzied mind, as he sets the dish towel from his shoulder down on the counter and steps closer to you. His eyes are bouncing off yours in a frantic back and forth, as he gulps his remorse down. Before you can appease him with reassuring words, and show your lack of anger, he launches in an apologetic rant, enclosing both your hands between his palms.

"M’so sorry, love. I didn’t mean to put you in a bad position. Fuck I just- I kept thinkin’ I could help since your client was a friend of a friend. And, the more I thought about it, the more I kept thinking 'I can’t do nothin’. Cause I hate seein’ you in pain an’ I really want to be here fo’ you and I know this was probably the wrong way to go about it, but damn y/n, I couldn’t stand doin’ nothing, m’sorry-"

"I love you."

The words come fast but distinct, airy but firm, not an ounce of doubt laced through their utterance. An eerie silence permeate the small space surrounding them, as Harry tries to find his own words back. It took three of them to steal all of his, but in his defense they were the ones he’d been dying to hear and to deliver himself. His eyes are wide, blinking in total surprise. He’d expected irritation, disappointment perhaps, maybe even anger, but definitely not the sweetest words he’s been keeping at the forefront of his mind. "I- you do?"

You still have that wondrous look on your face, but this time a bright smile enlivens your features, "I really do." You take your hands out of his grip to hold onto his wrists and pull him closer to you. You have to look up since he towers over you but you’ve always liked that about your relationship; the way he always seems to dwarf you in his embraces, whether because of his height or his bear-paw hands. "I mean, don’t that again," you let out a soft laugh, "but I know why you did it, and I love you for it."

Harry smiles rivals your own now, as your hands smooth up his arms to clasp at the nape of his neck, "plus, my boss is a jerk anyway so, who cares?" You pull him in a loving kiss then and his arms wrap themselves around your shoulders in a tight lock. His lips are as soft as ever between your own, and you detect the faintest taste of pepper and other exotic herbs lingering on their edge, from his cooking endeavors. He’s always been one to have a taste or two while he’s working, whether that be in the kitchen or other rooms…and regardless, you always like it when you get your share from his supple lips.

He feels slightly distracted against your mouth though, his technique not as ravishing as it usually is. and before you can wonder why, he’s pulling an inch away from your swollen lips, hurriedly whispering your tender confession back to you as though the words couldn’t be out of his mouth and into your heart fast enough, "I love you too, pet. So much." His hands are cajoling your face, thumbs drawing soothing circles across your cheeks, and his beaming smile is melting your heart in a goo of pleasure after all the strain it suffered in the past couple of days.

"Fuck, c’mere, don’t ever wanna stop kissing you," Harry mutters against your lips before diving in for a real mind-bending, soul-shaking, tantalizing kiss this time. Just like that, all your worries and sorrow evaporate into thin air, only to be replaced by an intoxicating pink loving brume. You two definitely spend the most perfect evening with lots of cuddles and endless mind-blowing lovemaking. Screw everything else.

➪ Masterlist

#Harry Styles #harry styles one shot #harry styles writing #harry styles fluff #harry styles imagine #creative writing #reader insert #Harry fic #harry styles fanfic #love #romance #first i love you

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veorlian · 4 years ago

Text

forged of steel

pairing: Kaz Brekker x Inej Ghafa

rating: T for stabbing

A reflection on freedom, unsaid words, and the rooftops of Ketterdam.

read it on ao3 here

Inej

The Barrel had reason enough to be haunted. People from all across Kerch and beyond came to Ketterdam, only to meet an untimely end in either the dark alleys or brightly-lit streets. Dazzling lights and hidden blades were the only constants there. No mourners, no funerals, in the depths of the city. Ghosts were a dime a dozen. But only one had a title.

The Wraith, they called her. Never above a whisper. It was said she carried a hundred knives. A thousand knives. That she could walk through walls. That she’d killed a man at 100 paces, only by looking at him. That she could steal the secrets from inside your own head.

Inej’s father had told her once that many boys would bring her flowers, but the right boy would learn her favourite flower, her favourite song. Inej had been given flowers before. Flowers withered. Their scent turned cloying, their colours faded. You learned, in the Menagerie, that even your favourite flowers could be ruined.

Kaz Brekker had given her a knife. Flowers withered, but the sharp bite of steel was evergreen.

They will fear you, he’d said to her. Good, she’d replied.

Her knives were wicked-sharp and unyielding. Like him. Like her, now.

Everyone knew that the rooftops of Ketterdam were hers and hers alone. No one dared climb there, lest the Wraith find them. The wind against her face and the red and gold reflection of the setting sun on the harbour tasted like freedom.

And if occasionally she wished for flowers carried in a gloved hand, as she lay unsleeping and alone in her room, that was a secret she could keep.

Kaz

Kaz Brekker was not a patient man by nature, but it was the only way to survive. You waited for your enemy to show their hand. You waited for your mark to come to you. You waited for years until your vengeance burned like ice. Little by little, brick by brick, Kaz had learned patience.

He wasn’t patient now, as he waited for Inej to arrive. His fingers drummed along the table, waiting for the slight change in the air that meant she was near. A weakness, he thought, to be so unnerved. She could take care of herself. He couldn’t stop himself from looking at the clock.

He pointedly ignored his slight sigh of relief when she appeared next to him. Not too close. Never too close.

“And?” he asked brusquely.

“Hello to you too, Kaz,” she said. He didn’t smile.

“I don’t pay you for politeness,” he said.

“You couldn’t afford it,” she replied dryly. Soundlessly, she sat down in the chair by the window. One by one, she cleaned her knives. Her Saints, for all the good it did her. “Brahm Daven has a lover. They meet once a week at a run-down inn. The landlady has a loose tongue.”

“Name?”

“The landlady, or the lover?” Her lips quirked up in the ghost of a smile, one that he caught himself almost sharing.

“The lover, Inej,” he said, his voice clipped.

“Sylvia Aseren.”

“Married?”

“To a very wealthy man. They’re planning to elope.”

“So that’s why Daven’s been looking for money. Unlikely that he’ll return any loans, then.” Kaz flipped through the papers on his desk, making tidy annotations. There was an almost imperceptible rustling of fabric as Inej leaned forward. He might’ve missed it, if he wasn’t so damnably attuned to her every move.

“They might pay for silence.”

“And the husband might pay for the information. What else?”

She listed off the sins she’d collected like she was telling him the time of day. Discretions, petty and major crimes, who was bribing who and why. Kaz carefully filed the information away, making a note of potential targets, problems to address, people to rob. And all the while, the gentle click of her knives being set down next to her. It was dangerously close to domestic.

“You were late,” he said, once she’d finished. A flicker of something — annoyance? Embarrassment? Anger? Crossed her face.

“Yes.”

“Why?”

“Someone spilled oil along a stretch of rooftops. Had to take the long way around,” she explained. And then, “They’ll have to try harder if they want to stop me.”

“No one can stop you,” he said quietly, and he looked away from what he saw in her eyes.

Inej

It was just another night in the Barrel. Inej was returning from her evening activities (a little light larceny) when she felt eyes on her back, and heard the clatter of a deliberately loosened roof tile. She was almost at the Slat, firmly in Dregs’ territory. Whoever was out on the rooftops was either a fool or desperate. Maybe both.

She could see Kaz’s room from where she was, the light silhouetting him in the window. He’d left it open for her. He glanced down at his watch and she saw him frown. Ah, she was late again.

Her eyes lingered on Kaz. A mistake.

A knife came arcing towards her, and she neatly dodged away, already turning around to face her attackers. She dodged a second knife, and a third, but she didn’t move away in time for the gunshot to her leg. She offered up a prayer to her Saints, and then she was moving.

There were five men behind her. Fools, then, if they thought that was enough to stop the Wraith.

The first one went down with a blow to the back of his head. The second was knocked clean off his feet, hitting his head on the roof. The third she brought down with a roundhouse kick to the face. In the dim light, she saw fear in the eyes of the other two. One stumbled back, landing squarely on a trap tile. He went careening off of the roof, four stories down. The last one held the gun. It still smoked slightly from the shot to her leg.

“Who do you work for?” she asked, knowing that it would be the first thing Kaz would ask her. Probably before he asked if she was okay, damn him. The man raised his gun, pointing it directly at her. His hands shook. Inej tested her weight on her bad leg. It burned, but it didn’t give out.

The gun cocked. Inej rolled to the side and drew Sankta Lizabeta. She pressed a kiss, a prayer, to the flat of the blade before letting it fly. The man fell, crashing heavily onto the roof. It was over in seconds.

Inej exhaled, pressing a hand to the wound on her leg. The first three were still breathing, although she didn’t envy them the headache they would have in the morning. She went to retrieve her knife, making a note of her attackers’ tattoos.

Inej prayed softly, and she went to see Kaz.

Kaz

Kaz heard the gunshot, but that wasn't unusual. If you couldn't hear a fight in the Barrel, the saying went, you were probably already dead.

Inej appeared a moment later. She landed heavily on the ground and Kaz was immediately on his feet. His eyes flickered down to her leg. Sweat beaded her forehead, flyaway hairs tugged from her neat braid.

"Who was it?" he rasped. There was a flash of humour in her dark eyes.

"Medicine kit please, Kaz," she said, easing herself down into her chair.

"Inej—"

"Medicine. Kit. Please. I'm no good to anyone if I can't climb."

He handed her the kit, carefully avoiding touching her hand as he did. He pulled away, moving over to the open window. His eyes scanned the streets for more threats.

“Three from the Razorgulls, two from the Black Tips,” she said, hissing as she applied a poultice to the wound.

“Dead?”

“Two dead, three unconscious.”

“Only five against you?” he asked. “Careless of them.” He did look down at her, then. A mistake. His voice didn’t shake, but he couldn’t disguise the anger in his eyes. Not from her.

“I have to send a message,” he said roughly.

“I’ll be fine, Kaz. There doesn’t have to be more violence,” she murmured. She wrapped a clean bandage around her leg.

“And when they send more than five?”

“I can handle myself,” she said coolly.

He could see the pain stamped on her face, could hear her uneven breathing as she patched herself back up. And always, always the white-hot anger that he couldn’t help her, couldn’t move any closer.

“No unnecessary risks,” he said. And then, before he could stop himself: “You’re too valuable to lose.”

“I’ll be ready.” Her eyes were darker than the sky. “Trust me.” Kaz looked away.

“Very well,” he said eventually. “Then let’s get to work.”

Inej

The Wraith, they called her. She wrapped the name around herself like a cloak as she vanished into the night. The rooftops of the Barrel shifted, replaced with traps and alarms carefully crafted by Wylan and Jesper. Anyone that dared set foot in Inej’s domain was sent tumbling down. Word spread like wildfire, as it so often does. Kaz made sure that it did.

It was said that she’d bewitched the houses of Ketterdam. That she could hear you coming from a mile off, and appear behind you in the space of a breath. That you would be dead before you saw her.

Soon enough she was able to race along her rooftops uninterrupted again, the moonlight her only witness.

Kaz Brekker would never give her flowers. But perhaps he’d given her something better.

#your honour i love them #a little short because i'm still just trying to figure out how to write them #six of crows #kanej

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tundrainafrica · 4 years ago

Text

Title: A Tale of Two Slaves (10/17)

Summary: “Soulmates don’t exist. Fate doesn’t exist. Everything is a choice.” At that moment, Levi could only watch as she made the choice for him.“

Reincarnation AU. Levi remembers everything from their past life. Hange doesn’t.

Note: This took a while. I had this written out for a while, I just spent a good amount of brain cells trying to figure out where to cut this. It’s almost done actually. I’m expecting like (at the most) 5 more chapters so maybe I can get it done by the end of March if I muster up the courage and the effort to do all the final revisions to the last few chapters.

Anyway, I hope you enjoy!

Other Chapters:1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9

Link to cross-postings: AO3

As Levi soon found out, Hange kept a folder online tagged ‘Levi Ackerman.’

The oldest pictures were dated more than three years ago and the first had been one of his cool down after his performance at his first tournament. There was variety in the pictures and they covered everything, all the way from warming up on the bench, positioning himself to run and those few moments right after launching himself in the air to the peak of his jump. She had even snuck pictures of his interviews.

The first time he opened it, he had first checked the dates to make sure he hadn’t been dreaming or assuming she of all people had been a fan. The weirdly strong emotions he had felt at the realization of the existence of such a folder had only made him all the more vulnerable and the last thing he had wanted to do was an act on an illusion or trick of the mind.

The experiences he had on the field clearing jump after jump had become routine over the five year period. Despite the changes among the faces in the crowd, the cheers that had only been getting louder and louder and of course, the oval that changed with the venue, sometimes the only thing Levi did remember was the blue sky staring him down and gravity pulling from behind.

Maybe that was why he had ended up in a state of disbelief the first time she had shown it to him.

How did you not notice her? Levi was sure he wouldn’t have anyway. She was a stranger, one stranger in a crowd of people. Although she may have been one unchanging face in a crowd of thousands of changing faces, she was still a stranger to him. And strangers just tended to blend in more easily.

A valid point. Yet the regret and frustration were still fresh inside him despite it having been weeks since she first gave him access to that folder

She had first showed it to him the morning after that eventful night, after having dealt with a hungover Nanaba. It was only in the evening that day after Hange had escorted her three friends to the station did she sit next to him on the bed and scroll through the pictures herself with Levi right beside her. Naturally, she was still hesitant to show that side of her, she scrolled a bit too slow at times, while a bit too fast at other times.

For a while their roles were reversed and Levi found himself prodding Hange for more details. Eventually, she did share the link to the folder in exchange for links to his story and Levi was quick to comply. They were both exposed anyway, there was no need for any more secrets between them. Only one condition that had seemed a little too frivolous at first glance, yet somehow Levi understood it.

Hange requested that he go through the pictures when she wasn’t around. And soon after she requested it, Levi realized he preferred that too. Despite the fact that he did trust her not to judge whatever she may find on the folders, there still existed an uneasiness at baring one’s heart out to someone in words one couldn’t control anymore having written the stories out too long ago.

Consequently, he requested the same thing from her. Do not read it while I’m around. When he told her the stories, he at least had control of his tones, his diction and the packaging of the overall story. Watching her read them, he knew he would find himself doubting the words he had written while at the same time vacillating between decisions to correct his previous writings or let her read. The constant self consciousness that came with the second option had just been too stressful of a prospect. He decided himself, he would rather have full control of the exposition or none at all.

The decision to have no control and no input, to be absent when he bares his heart out was not easy to make. And he continued to feel the traces of that struggle in the way he so easily lost focus and ended up mindlessly scrolling through the folder. His mind had shifted to other things more specifically the prospect of whether or not Hange was doing the same thing then and there.

She was only a phone call away. He could ask. But it had just seemed idiotic. Of course she wouldn’t be checking on it, she had been cramming for an exam that morning in between preparing for her mid semester thesis presentation. She hadn’t even bothered to say any greeting but an ‘I’ll follow’ before he left for the therapist that morning.

He looked through the messages in the waiting room, and up at the time displayed on the upper right part of the screen.

9:43. She was still in the middle of her exam. She won’t be checking on it.

Levi looked at the ceiling above him, allowing the plain white view above him to ease him back to his reality. How long had he been staring at the phone? He closely felt for the aches and discomforts around his body. The dull soreness that made itself known as he stared up at the white ceiling above him only served as a reminder that he had been a little too exposed to quick scrolls and the unnatural glare of his phone for a potentially unhealthy amount of time.

It was his first physical therapy session and Hange had pointed out that he should be early just in case. Consequently, he had shown up at 8:30 for a session at ten.

Just in case you get lost. Just in case there is paperwork which still needs to be filled. Hange would have done the paperwork already. He had ended up clocking that little doubt and that need for a little prophylactic thinking to caution on their end. First times tended to make people a little more cautious. And more importantly, what else was there to do on a Saturday morning other than sleep in?

Either way, that long wait had left him with eyes a little too tired yet at the same time, he was bored out of his wits. He looked around the waiting room finding something else to entertain himself with.

I only have seventeen more minutes to kill. It shouldn’t be too hard.

The atmosphere of the waiting room was nothing like getting lost in nature or on the road. It was stark white, bleak and a little too rehearsed. In other words, it lacked dynamic and consequently. it was too boring to find any amusement in. Of course, they wouldn’t want to stress out any patients with anything too fancy or overwhelming. Yet, the only thing which Levi could have found worth giving more than a passing thought to were the people around him.

And only when Levi started focusing instead on the people and not on the off-white plastered walls of the waiting room, he somehow was able to distract himself from the dragging motions of time.

There was an old man with a knee brace. A middle aged man with an arm in a sling and a girl with a casted right leg. There were others who could have passed up for nothing more than a visitor, until they stood up and Levi noticed in their gait the slight hesitancy to put one foot in front of the other. A small detail which Levi probably wouldn’t have noticed if he weren’t looking for it then.

As he preoccupied himself and reflected over the small details that could have told stories of the people around him, that natural reflection to one own’s self had him a little too focused, a little too fixated.

The door to the waiting room slammed behind him and the trance disappeared as quickly as it came and as silently as a bubble that had just been popped.

Levi found himself irritably following the sound of the footsteps that came right after the slam of the door. It reverberated across the quiet and tense room, so loudly that if Levi did look around him, he would have realized he wasn’t the only one who had been so abruptly disturbed by it.

“Aaaand... My rounds are over for today,” The man said looking not at all guilty for that rude awakening. He wouldn’t have known anyway, and as Levi looked towards the front where the man had settled by the nurse’s desk, he might just have been the only one in the room rudely awakened by that sound.

“Ah, Doctor Jaeger, That was quick,” the nurse commented a little too pleasantly for Levi’s taste.

“Not too busy of a morning.” The man said, or as Levi soon deduced, was Mr. Jaeger. He recognized that irritating voice and as he looked up at the man, taking in the gruff features, the blond hair and beard and the rounded glasses, he quickly grasped for the name.

Zeke Jaeger. He hadn’t even said the name out loud just yet, but somehow he tasted venom. Levi though had enough awareness of his surroundings and his own ability to quickly yet correctly guess names to have kept silent. Regardless, he continued to watch as Zeke lowered his voice, possibly whispering something about going out for a drink and some dinner with the nurse in front of him. He found himself silently judging that audacious invasion of privacy as Zeke looked over at whatever paper was on the teacher’s desk.

Ackerman?

If Levi had actually been a little more aware of his surroundings, he would have realized Zeke did not at all say the name loud enough for him to hear. It was the result of Levi having watched too closely as Zeke enunciated those syllables, having noticed as the nurse made eye contact with him and having heard peppers of conversations about a jumper and an injury.

“Oh… An Ackerman? Who does high jumps?.” Zeke confirmed it himself, as he once again spoke a few decibels louder, obviously with the intention of making himself heard.

It wasn’t anything new. The past few months, Levi started to realize that at the least, many people in the local scene were familiar with him.

“My brother’s best friend is an Ackerman too and she started jumping recently.”

“I don’t have any relatives who jump,” Levi answered, in an attempt to shoot that attempt of a friendly interaction down.

Zeke stared at him, looking surprised. “You sure? With how quickly she picked it up, I thought she should have been related to you.”

Levi kept silent, making no effort to look open at all to conversation. Somehow, Zeke didn’t seem to get the hint.

“She’s been sweeping their interhigh competitions since the start of autumn… With the pace at which she’s going, she might even replace you.”

Levi had gotten used to those types of comments, hearing them as whispers the few times he went out, seeing them on a few forums as people discussed his injuries. He shouldn’t have been at all bothered by the statement, having shifted his attention in life to things which weren’t jumping

The blond man in front of him had been crass and blunt and Levi was starting to feel the beginnings of a bad mood. The irritability only worsened even as Levi tuned out the blond doctor. His mind went elsewhere, as he instead decided to seethe silently at the insensitivity of that statement.

A Tale of Two Slaves

Eventually Levi did get a break from that one-sided conversation. But the countdown to that break was slow and painful. He only noticed as he struggled under the trappings of that long and excruciating wait how long it really took for minutes to count down on a digital clock.

An eternity could have passed before Levi was called from the waiting room. As soon as the clock struck ten, Levi could not help but be more than slightly annoyed that she had been late.

If you’re early then you’re on time. If you’re on time, then you’re late. Any other day, Levi would have acknowledged the hypocrisy of that statement since although he was always early to training, he was never that religious when it came to academics. Having just bounced back from such an excruciating exchange with Zeke though, everything had just been pissing him off more than necessary.

It was almost remarkable how he managed to nod in return at the woman who met him at the exit of the waiting room. But Levi soon realized, as the anger quickly dissipated from inside him, she seemed like an old friend more than a stranger and like for all people, as long as there was history between them, he could save a little more patience points.

The woman who helped him up and led him to the room ahead was shorter than him yet had a way of handling herself that made Levi guess that she was at the least, a university student.

Levi didn’t need to guess anything else. Somehow, her name, her personality and the familiarity had all been somewhere in his head.

She cocked her head to one side in greeting and spoke up. “You can call me---”

“Petra,” Levi said. Somehow, he just knew her name. He had been inclined to complete that statement, only to make more real the nagging feeling in his head as soon as he had noticed her enter the room.

Petra’s eyes widened in shock. “Yes, how did you know?”

“It’s on your nametag,” Levi answered almost automatically, thanking the heavens she was wearing a nametag.

“Yeah, my bad. I get a little absent minded at times,” Petra patted her own head and gave Levi a wry smile.

Petra was hospitable. And when Levi thought that exact statement, he couldn't help but think how the word 'hospitable' had fit her so well. It was in her presence. She had this special talent, of finding ways at least to add color to the stark white hospital walls and the overly sanitized tiled floors underneath.

It could have been the tone or it could have been her word choice as she rattled off what could have been an outline of his physical therapy regime. As Levi did figure out, it could possibly have been the unique enthusiasm she had towards the whole patient recovery process

"So you're my physical therapist?" Levi asked. He never really did pick up what she was saying. He had heard enough about leg raises, timings on when to remove casts and knee bends that he at least guessed she knew enough about them to be one.

Petra though was quick to shake her head. "No actually. After college, I have plans of taking the exam. Then after that, I’ll be a physical therapist. I’m just taking advantage of this internship to learn more about the occupation.”

“It suits you,” Levi said. He kept his own comments brief. At that point, he did start to lose a little bit of awareness of his surroundings. His thoughts flew slowly back to his dreams.

Those first two encounters in the hospital had been two missing puzzle pieces. The stories had been an incomplete puzzle set of words and pictures and as he put it all together in his head, he couldn’t help but note how vivid the memories actually were. It took all his strength not to react, not to bolt out then and there, and go back home, to fill in the gaps on his laptop.

He put two names on his phone.

Zeke Jaeger. Petra Ral. Levi could have sworn there was more to remember and to write about.

And who did Zeke mention then? The other Ackerman? The other jumper?

The dreams were faint, as faint as the image an incomplete puzzle would make. Some parts were clear and vivid like a scenery behind a newly cleaned window. Others were hazy, his mind having filled up those gaps with blurry images. But the other Ackerman was there, and she moved fast enough to justify those blurs in the scene. Back when they fought the war, she flew in those cables much faster than he and Hange had.

I am strong. I am stronger than all of you.

A Tale of Two Slaves

The pain that came with his first physical therapy session was excruciating and it only served to further aggravate the anguish and his eagerness to get home before the sceneries in his head faded into faint memories of something else.

He managed at least to keep himself in a good in-between, by repeating the mantra of that other Ackerman to himself as he went through each and every exercise.

They had started off slow, as slow as a walk in the park maybe, a few stretches here and there. While doing some of the stretches and the warm ups, he did wonder if he had attended the right therapy session. Some of the warm up exercises had nothing to do with his knee after all.

The actual challenge came when Petra and the physical therapist he had failed to get the name of, had him sit down. As soon as Petra unwrapped the brace and pulled it from underneath him, Levi felt the weight of his injury almost instantly. It didn’t help at all that he was looking right at it.

“We’re going to try bending it a bit. Maybe put some weight on it if we have some extra time” The physical therapist’s words felt ominous.

The surgical scars and the healed wounds on his knees from more than two months ago only served to rattle Levi a little more. He had avoided looking at the scars many times before during meetings with Erwin and Hange. The few times Hange did pull and prod at it, he had it stretched out on some pillow.

It was fragile. And it felt unnatural. There in front of him then, it was dangling from the exam table, gravity pulling it down from underneath. Levi swore that if he tried hard enough he probably could imagine it completely disconnecting from his body at that moment. And maybe if he did move it, attempt to stand up without the confines of a knee brace as support, it might just fall off.

“Hey, it happens to the best of us,” Petra said.

No, it doesn’t happen to the best of us. In the room at least, there were at least five other people struggling to do something so simple as to bend a knee. But Levi could have sworn, in the outside world he was surrounded by people who wouldn’t think twice about bending their knee.

“Just bend it as far as you feel comfortable.” Bullshit directions. Levi had to admit, he wasn’t comfortable having it bend at all. Just the sensation of having it dangle so easily in the air, at the mercy of gravity underneath was already unsettling.

Was it a challenge then? To get it to bend as far as he could?

The directions of the therapist were flawed and Levi naturally opted for a flawed response as well. The process of bending his knee had been slow and excruciating. Levi found himself closing his eyes a few times, finding some sort of a rhythm in the faint sounds of the heater in the room, the murmurs from all the way across the room.

Or maybe a mantra? From someone a little too familiar. I am strong. Stronger than all of you. Another Ackerman.

And the way Zeke had mentioned it was grating. Was it a challenge? A threat? Was it supposed to be pushing him to go further?

It could have been Zeke or it could have been that phantom Ackerman that had been a motivation at that moment. But something then had Levi’s heart racing, his mind going in circles.

I’m strong too. I’ll get out of this rut. He thought to himself, a weak yet still effective act of protest. It worked both as a catalyst for a burst of motivation and an odd source of rhythm. The flexibility of bending came in slow, steady but continued attempts. The rush of adrenaline came halfway through.

A few minutes later, he was sweating and maybe he had been shaking a bit before that. When Petra had mentioned the optimistic progress and the plan to at least attempt to put weight on his bum knee, Levi was quick to comply.

And maybe a little too reckless. They had least helped him next to a wall, a good place at least to lean his body in the off chance he did lose control.

“One foot forward then one back.” The therapist guided.

As he watched the therapist simulate that same position, Levi quickly followed suit. He remembered, he had put some weight on his leg. Back then the brace had kept his knee stable.

At that moment, the brace was off, and it would be his bum knee, exhausted from the prior exercises taking the full weight.

I’m strong. Levi repeated to himself. Bending wasn’t an issue before. He had been bending his knees, possibly before he even knew how to walk. It should have been nothing, The excitement of a while ago, the adrenaline rush, pushed him further. It had him so seamlessly balancing the weight from the back of his foot, to the foot in front.

And maybe his knee had been bending farther in, the weight of his body on it. Somewhere along the way he did start to feel the beginnings of a dull pain.

I’m strong. To keep going, Levi had to find an escape. Stronger than all of you. It was easy at least, to leave the movements to his procedural memory as he distracted himself with his own musings, willing himself not to forget what he had wished to write down.

Where did they all fit? The Beast Titan… The Survey Corps… The War… The Alliance?

“Levi, I’m sorry I’m late. The test ended later than I expected…” She came as a faint voice, but Levi was too far gone to hear it.

He had only felt her presence then, when the physical therapist called a break, when he had collapsed on the floor in exhaustion, his knee throbbing, his breaths coming in heaves. He only realized she had been watching for a good long while when he looked up to see the concern etched in her face as he caught her gaze.

“I’m fine…” He at least managed to say that much before he closed his eyes, allowing that few minutes of rest to gather his thoughts and steady his breaths.

“You shouldn’t have pushed yourself too hard. This is just your first session,” Hange said from right next to him.

He still had enough energy to process those words at least.

A Tale of Two Slaves

That night, Levi gripped his dream catcher a little tighter and pressed it close to the back of his phone as he scrolled through google links on the other Ackerman.

It hadn’t been hard to find her at all. Zeke’s tirade that morning had been more than a guide enough.

High school. Ackerman. High Jump. Those were the only three keywords he needed to figure out the whole name of that missing Ackerman. For a moment, he had expected to find his own articles, and had braced himself for the pain of sifting through old articles about himself in between looking at hers.

It turned out Mikasa Ackerman had been the talk of the high school high jumping scene for a while, and she had been the topic of at least 90% of the articles he was scrolling through on Google.

A few times they did allude to the other Ackerman. The older articles heralded her as a successor to the rookie Levi Ackerman, the newer ones that were dated past his injury called her the brand new Ackerman, a replacement.

A replacement to damaged goods. Levi had to add that part himself, an attempt to make a joke out of his shitty situation as he closed that last article. “Mikasa Ackerman,” Levi repeated those words so quietly to himself as he dropped the dreamcatcher haphazardly onto the table in front of him. It had been useless at that moment. Or maybe at the least it had been the reason he felt a little too frustrated at having looked through too many articles that evening.

He looked to Hange who was sitting on the dining table, looking deep in thought on something on her laptop. Mid semester presentations for her thesis proposal were coming up, along with a few new exams next week. She had been conscious enough to point that out at least and Levi happily gave her the space she needed.

The turmoil inside him at first seemed difficult to pacify. Just watching Hange so focused and deep in thought had helped somehow quell whatever unresolved tensions and feelings were settling in his stomach then.

Maybe if he talked to her, the tensions might just disappear altogether. Levi deemed it worth the effort at least. “Hange? You okay?” He asked

Hange’s head shot up and she looked straight at him almost instantly. “Sorry, how long were you calling me? I’ve just been a little too focused on my exam on Monday and the thesis presentations on Wednesday… I don’t think I’ve been in the right mind for a while…”

Levi saw it in the way she looked at him, she hadn’t been focusing on his eyes. It was as if she were still probably seeing whatever words or numbers she was studying. She had been like that the past week since the line up of the thesis presentations were released along with the midterms schedules for all the exams.

Their kiss, their one night in the bedroom almost forgotten. Levi was sure though there was something that had been bothering her, maybe something that extended beyond academics.

I can ask about that after finals. Levi thought to himself, pushing aside that bout of concern. He could start with a light question at least, which didn’t involve Hange too much. “Have you heard of Mikasa Ackerman?”

“Mikasa Ackerman? The high school high jumper?” Hange asked. “Maybe I have been following her too… Lately...”

“She’s really good apparently.”

“Her jumping positions reminded me a lot of yours, so she had been fun to watch. I always did want to ask… Is she related to you? I did some research but I don’t see much which connect you both other than a few articles comparing you as jumpers and maybe speculating a relationship.”

Levi shook his head. “I never heard of her… Until today… A doctor mentioned her back in the hospital before my therapy session.”

“She only started making waves last month when her school made it to the regional competitions. No one really follows the district and the interschools… And apparently she only started jumping recently, during summer and she only started breaking records during the regionals,” Hange said. “That is… According to what I’ve read up on her.”

“So, you have been following her?”

“I still watch videos during study breaks,” Hange admitted. “And she just broke a few records a few weeks ago, of course they’d show up in my feed.”

“And you didn’t feel the need to ask me about it before? About an Ackerman doing the same jumping positions I did? You didn’t want to talk about it?”

“I thought of asking you about it maybe after exams. Besides, do you want to talk about jumping? After everything that happened?”

Levi put his phone down beside him and looked up at the ceiling above him. Of course he wouldn’t have heard of her until then, he had purged himself of all track and field news since the injury. The tournament with Nanaba and Mike and the round of research on Mikasa have been two exceptions and the feelings after that had only reminded him why he had spent his days actively making the effort not to think of the life he used to have. "I told you I'm fine," he said. He half meant that part at least, the writing had helped.

"No you aren't.”

Levi found himself shocked by how certain Hange’s tone had been. And for a second, maybe he had been a little irritated at the audacity of it all. Who was she to assume how he felt? But the surprise and the irritability had him silent and listening. Hange always had a reason for her conclusions. She never made assumptions so easily, he had known her enough lifetimes to be sure of that.

“There's a certain sadness to knowing you can't do what you used to before.” Hange continued. “I think everyone feels it, even a bit."

"A certain... sadness?" Levi asked.

"Wait, that does sound vague... Lemme think of an example." Hange paused for a second, looking up in thought. "Like maybe if you imagine people who’ve been skating or people who've been playing instruments their whole childhood. When they stop training or practicing these things altogether, these people can feel themselves lose their motor skills or their thinking skills that got them jumping double axels or playing arpeggios or pulling off vibratos like they’re second nature. And when they come back to it years later, I’m sure everyone feels the sadness or some sort of a frustration, looking back at their old self and processing the realization that they can’t bring their body or their mind to do something as effortlessly as they had done it many years before. Processing how they ended up so weak, so stupid after abandoning their old passions for so long."

“What if I’m an exception?” Levi challenged, still a little annoyed at such an assumption and at such a long unsettling tirade.

Hange shook her head. “You’re not. For a while, I wanted to entertain the possibility that maybe you and I are exceptions, maybe we can easily jump from one passion to another. When I was watching you during therapy though. I saw the terror in your eyes, the frustration, the sadness. ‘Why isn’t my body moving the same way it used to?’ Maybe you don’t want to think back to jumping because you don’t want to see how quickly your body has forgotten the motions, how quickly it had lost the flexibility and the strength to carry you over the two meter bars…” Hange trailed off. She avoided his gaze and for a while she had been staring at the blank wall in front of her. For a second after that, she did look to him, and there was a glint of realization in that. Realization at what she had just implied possibly. "But you know what, you might just be an exception. Maybe I’m just projecting." Hange added a second later.

Levi was sure though from the quick change of tone that accompanied those last words that Hange probably didn't mean it. On top of that, having heard Hange's small lecture, Levi almost immediately realized he wasn't at all an exception.

Her voice had been light as she mentioned that last sentence. It could have been a thoughtless comment. Hange didn’t make too many thoughtless comments though. “Projecting?” Levi asked.

Hange let out a short light laugh “I’m talking too much, I should go back to work…” Her words seemed like a band-aid, a lazy coverup for whatever emotions had supported such a tirade in the first place.

Projecting? There was a reason behind that word use and Levi was more than eager to press on it.

Hange wasn’t listening anymore though. She was buried once again in whatever subject she had chosen to study for that night. She was in work mode again and she had gotten back to that mode as quickly as she had fallen out of it.

All questions can wait until after her exam week. Levi told himself. The word ‘projecting’ had stayed though. Hange’s words had left its mark and maybe it did have Levi reflecting on his own feelings, his own fear and his own frustrations at his regressing skills, the painful awareness of his body that was slowly forgetting the motions he had built over years. At the end of that tunnel of reflection, he did end up thinking back to that word.

Projecting. She had to be feeling something for herself to say something like that right?

Hange what are you projecting?

And that at least distracted Levi enough, enough for him to ignore the dull pain in his left knee, channel his focus elsewhere. The next few days, having been left alone in the apartment while Hange went about classes, lab work and library visits, Levi did manage to channel his energies to academics or to filling his gaps in his own stories: Levi Special Squad, the Beast Titan and something about some new rookies in the survey corps.

The pain in his knee never left though. It was nagging and annoying like a cavity. It was a pain Levi had assumed would disappear in time. His left knee had always been painful since the injury.

Yet, maybe his left knee had started to get a little frustrated at Levi’s negligence. Maybe it had started to get angry. It was a creature and Levi soon realized, it was a monster that demanded attention.

The night it demanded his attention so stubbornly, so angrily., it did it through sharp pains that coursed through him like bolts of electricity, it did it through a crushing sensation that left Levi almost unable to breathe.

And maybe it did have Levi hallucinating----Or could it have been dreaming--- of having saved one of his soldiers from being eaten by a titan.

A Tale of Two Slaves

“Connie!

“Captain!”

In his dreams, he had been too out of breath, or maybe a little too distracted to have reacted at the crushing pain that had spread through him like bolts of lightning. The dream was hazy that Levi doubted whether he had been completely rooted in anything or not.

He had been flying. He had been in pain. And he had been pushing past the pain, slicing at a titan in every direction. And when he had seen one of his soldiers unconscious, about to be eaten by a titan, he had jumped in between the titan and the soldier so instinctively, so desperately that the in-between had been a blur. He found himself in the midst of an excruciatingly painful ordeal. He gritted his teeth, biting back any attempt to scream. For god knows if he screamed, he might just run out of energy, he might just pass out.

When he woke up to the dark room though, he processed almost naturally the fact that the circumstances his reality had offered him were different. The view in the middle of the night, the faint sound of cars had been different. He wasn’t in a battle field and as if his body had been completely aware of that, it did push past his attempts to subdue any reaction.

Even before he realized it though, he had been screaming. Only when his throat burned and the sounds faded into a whimper, only when the tears started to run down his face, only when he closed his eyes and keeled over, a pathetic reaction to the bombardment of stimuli, did Levi realize the pain of having his leg almost bitten off by a titan was still there.

“Levi! I’m here. What’s going on? Are you okay?” Hange was right next to him. Beyond the pain, that was all he could process.

Hange hadn’t been there in the dream. God knows where Hange had been when he was flying from titan to titan. God knows where Hange had been when he found himself, jumping in between his fellow soldier and the titan that had lunged to eat him.

And god, it was painful. Even past the dream, even when he started to realize that Hange was right next to him at least in the dark room at 3am. The pain stayed and it was crushing his knee, it was leaving him unable to even take any sort of a decent breath, his own coping mechanism reduced to ragged breaths in between tears.

“Levi, breathe…”

How pathetic where his own breaths sounding for Hange to have to coach him like that?

“Oh god, Levi, we might have to get you to a hospital?”

How pathetic did he look for Hange to have to suggest a hospital visit? When she helped him up at least, when she slung her free arm over his shoulder and helped him to a sitting position, he did at least feel the unnatural weight on his left knee. What was going on?

Everything after that, came as a hazy dream. As hazy as the fight against the many unnatural looking titans. In that dream, Hange had been absent for some reason he could not yet comprehend. And Levi found himself trying to push it away, instead focusing on the Hange in front of him who had put a blanket over him, who had dialed a number on her phone and who was rattling off medical jargon to someone on the phone.

“Erwin… I…” Why would you need to call Erwin at three in the morning?

After that, Hange had helped put a hoodie over him, she had called one more number. And within a few minutes, Levi found himself lying down on a taxi, half conscious, only hanging on by a thread at the view of Hange under the dim light of the taxi and the city lights.

Somehow, he was terrified of falling asleep again. Hange hadn’t been there in the dream. And she might just disappear if he closed his eyes. As he unwillingly held on to the crushing pain in his knee and the view of Hange who sat next to him on the taxi, he was awake. Only barely, but barely was enough to not fall into another world of dreams, a world of wars and a state of complete chaos and confusion.

Eventually, he lost consciousness but it had been a gradual process.

He had lost some sense of time along the way, his body having been too focused on Hange. The darkness in the taxi had quickly shifted to the stark white of the hospital as he was helped onto a stretcher. Then along the way, he may have heard Erwin’s voice rattling off something about a swelling knee that was crushing his joints and a knee aspiration.

Then there was something about painkillers, an IV, a slight pain in his hand before everything enveloped him again. Maybe at his peripherals, Hange had been by his bedside.

It was a huge improvement at least from the messages of his own dreams. And maybe it was relief that finally had him letting go of his tight yet weak grip on reality. The crushing pain on his knee hadn’t been from a titan biting it off. Hange’s absence in the war had only been a dream.

The last few things he had processed then before completely letting the darkness enveloped him, may have been the sound of a laptop opening next to him, a few wires pattering on the floor below, the sound of the mouse and finally, the relaxing rhythmic clacking of the keyboard..

Hange was right next to him and she wasn’t leaving anytime soon.

A Tale of Two Slaves

“Sorry.” It came out as a croak but Levi was still hoping she heard it. Despite the haziness of the first few moments as he opened his eyes to the light streaming into the hospital room, despite the discomfort which came with a dry throat, it had been Levi’s first instinct to apologize.

Hange looked worse off than last night. He at least picked up enough images of her to know that there was a stark difference between the Hange of a few hours ago and the Hange then. The laptop hadn’t moved, it was still on the table next to his bedside, just like he had guessed it to be having fallen unconscious to the sound of the clacking of the keyboard.

Right then and there, Hange’s hair fell in chaotic waves, her glasses askew. And compared to last night where he saw panic, in front of him, he saw calm etched on her face, an ominous calm that somehow seemed even more alarming.

“Hange,” Levi said a little louder. The concern he felt only gave him the motivation to push past the discomfort of having just woken up. “I’m sorry.”

“Why are you saying sorry? Hadn’t everything to this point been my fault?” Hange’s voice was soft, reflecting the ominous calm. It was cold, maybe even frozen. “"The reason the fluid built up in your knee was overexertion apparently. They’re guessing it was the physical therapy session last Saturday." Hange looked away. "I can't help but think... If I didn’t bring you to the tournament or talked to you about jumping , maybe you wouldn’t have pushed yourself too hard."

Levi had listened closely and he could have sworn he heard a crack in her voice. “But the fluid is gone right?” He asked. He noted that his knee was numb and to his relief, the pain had devolved into a dull ache, similar to the one he had been dealing with the past month. Not at all as alarming as it had been the night before.

Hange shrugged. “Maybe it’s the painkillers or maybe it’s the fact that they drained the wound. But don’t count your eggs before they even hatch. Your back to square one. All progress, out the window. Fuck this. Fuck all this. And you wouldn’t have been in this damn situation if he hadn’t fucked up way too many times. Was I pressuring you to jump? Was I pressuring you to recover quicker? Maybe I shouldn’t have mentioned Elijah, or maybe I shouldn’t have mentioned MIkasa? Maybe I shouldn’t have let you go to that fucking meet in the first place.”

Levi kept quiet. Watching what had been Hange, leaving her laptop open on the table, watching her pace around the room, avoiding his gaze as she fell into her soft tirade had been unsettling. Even he couldn’t tell how it was making him feel. “It’s over. It happened. So many things had happened at once, it couldn’t have been anyone’s fault.”

“Fucking hell Levi, when I’m supposed to be writing about your injury, when I’m supposed to be writing every single bout of mini progress, writing out the mechanics of the injury… I can’t help but see… you were in no condition to jump. You were exhausted, your wounds from the first time we met were far from healed. But for fuck’s sake, if I had told you to wait it out a week, instead of letting you do jump after jump, maybe you’d be in class right now or maybe you’d be preparing for your next tournament… I don’t wanna write this anymore. I don’t wanna reduce whatever is going on inside you to a fucking case study.” Hange slammed her hand on her keyboard, and sat so violently on the chair, she had pushed it a few inches back.

“You need to graduate,” Levi said. What will Erwin think? What will your parents think?

“At this point, who cares? I’m miserable. I can’t fucking get anything written. I write a paragraph, I get self conscious and I delete it. I write out my interpretation of the numbers, of my findings, my gut wrenches then I delete it again."

“Take a break?” Levi weakly suggested.

Hange had laughed at that. The reaction came out of nowhere and Levi found himself speechless and maybe a little confused. Take a break? That had seemed like a natural suggestion. He had at least spent a good few seconds thinking in between listening to Hange’s rant to have come up with such a suggestion.

Either way, from the way Hange had laughed it off and slammed her laptop close, from the way she had sat back on the chair and looked at nothing in particular, the way she had avoided his gaze through the whole tirade and the fit that had followed, Levi was sure that had been the wrong thing to say.

A little ashamed at his own ability to have come up with something a little more comforting, Levi kept quiet. And for a second, he looked up at the own ceiling above him, and maybe distracted himself by appreciating the view from the wide hospital window, following the birds that were doing some sort of dance in the sky

For a moment, he did forget about Hange. She hadn’t helped at all to make herself any memorable, having kept silent.

The silence in that moment had been too peaceful, had been too otherworldly that it was only natural that it would be broken by even the softest and steadiest things.

Like an off-rhythm knock on the door.

“Hange?”

Levi recognized the voice even before his head popped up from behind the slightly opened door. “Moblit?”

Levi looked towards Hange. The latter sat unmoving on her seat, her head bowed down, her face unreadable. Even as Moblit opened the door a little wider and approached her, she hadn’t moved at all or even looked back to greet him. Levi bent over to get a better look at her and saw panic. A type of panic he had never seen before. Panic, confusion, maybe a little urgency. “Hange? Moblit’s here.” Levi managed to say. He kept his voice gentle, a natural gesture having to process Hange’s face at that moment.

“Hey Hange. Erwin told me you’d be here. The others were worried about you--- I was worried about you. You’re supposed to be presenting now."

Hange stayed silent. From what Levi could see, her face was frozen. Was that panic? Shock?

Moblit continued. "I explained your situation… They said they could push it back until this afternoon...You think you can make it?" Moblit paused as he got closer to her, as if waiting for her to say something. He had his phone out,as if ready to call the panelists at any moment.

"Hange. Go to the presentation," Levi said. It was difficult to bend over and make eye contact with her with her head bent down, her eyes downcast. He kept his words firm, hoping at least that was enough to reach her.

“I can’t…” She managed to say. She left her mouth half open, as if she had expected to say something after. She looked back up at Levi, then bit her lip. Levi could have sworn that was the first time he had seen her in such a loss of words yet at the same time, struggling to get something out.

“Hange, go. I’ll be fine…”

“You don’t understand, I can’t… present.”

“Hey, I’ll help you set up. We have until tonight.” Moblit scooched beside her on the table and typed out her password.

“No, you don’t get it, I have nothing…”

“Hey, I’ll help you get a powerpoint. We can revise your manuscript together. That’s what friends are for,” Moblit pressed as he pushed the laptop towards Hange. “Come on, type out your password.”

“No Moblit, there’s nothing in here. It’s over. I’ll try again next year.”

“It’s too early to give up Hange, remember how fast you got Elijah’s data processed? It helped me a lot.”

“You don’t get it do you?” Hange pulled the laptop towards her and angrily typed what could have been the password. The laptop booted to life and from where he sat, Levi made out the characteristic log in tone of the computer. “There’s nothing in the document. Just the introduction. No preliminary results. No observations. Nothing.”

Levi couldn’t see the screen from where he sat. But he did see the flashes of a changing screen through Moblit’s eyes. He could guess the results from the way Moblit’s jaw dropped and the way Hange just avoided both their gazes, keeping her eyes downcast.

Levi maneuvered himself to the side of the bed, getting Hange’s laptop at arm’s reach. His leg protested the action but that was the last thing on his mind. God forbid, what Moblit was seeing at that moment could have been Levi’s first assumption.

Hange… Didn’t you spend hours in the library getting everything written out?

Didn’t you spend whole days outside working in the lab?

Didn’t I fall asleep every night to the angry clacking of the keyboard?

Didn’t I wake up in the middle of the night to you in the dining room writing out your thesis?

She had been writing at least. The introduction, the review of related literature were all filled out. The methodology had been filled out. It was a far cry though from what she had made in high school. Each part had been furnished with links to sources, half completed sentences and maybe a few question marks here and there.

The observations and the results and discussions though, were all blank.

“Hange… You….” What were you doing? This can’t be it. Levi didn’t even know if he had said that last part out loud. His brain was on overdrive trying to prove his own quick conclusion wrong. He navigated through old versions of the document. His hands were quick, maybe they had been moving on their own and the PC couldn’t catch up.

A few times, Levi found himself tapping impatiently on the keyboard as the laptop loaded each version.

More links, more half completed sentences, and a very empty observations and results section. “We can get something written right? Help make a powerpoint? If we work together, we could get something presentable."

Moblit shook his head. He bent down next to Hange and spoke softly. “Does Erwin know about this?”

“I told him to just leave it to me… But I can’t. I can’t write this anymore.” Hange shook her head as she looked up at Moblit then up at him. There was some sort of a smile of resignation plastered on her face, reminiscent of the laugh of only a few moments ago.

That was what the laugh had meant when he had suggested the break.

Of course, she would laugh. There was no time for breaks. There was no time for work either. Hange was royally fucked.

Moblit left the room, neither Levi nor Hange asked for what. For a few more minutes, maybe for even an hour longer while Hange had been in her catatonic state, Levi did continue to look through her drafts, see what kind of sense he could make of the half complete sentences and the links to journals in her document with his limited knowledge on human anatomy.

His background had him very much unready to complete a thesis proposal on a technical subject he studied nothing about, let alone in the span of a few hours. Having been pumped with painkillers and sleeping drought only an hour before, his brain was in no state either to bullshit what he could. Despite all his desperate attempts to make sense of it, to write out something coherent, he found himself converting it back to the state he and Moblit had found it in.

Levi closed the laptop slowly and pushed it towards Hange. He was surprised and a little relieved to find that she did pull her weight, setting the laptop back on the table next to his bed.

Hange smiled at Levi and spoke up. “I appreciate you trying to do all this Levi but… I’ve given up already. I’m not getting this thesis done.”

It was a pained smile. A smile of resignation. A smile that was so clearly telling him that he had definitely wasted those last few minutes pouring through the versions of her document for nothing.

Levi took a deep breath and spoke up. “Then what’s your plan now?”

#levihan #levihan fanfiction

47 notes · View notes

aestheticseungmean · 4 years ago

Note

changbin angst where hes getting married to someone but on the wedding day he sees ex girlfriend reader w their 3yo daughter (he left before they knew she was pregnant) and the rest is up to you:(??

Aurora-Changbin

Synopsis- Changbin left you for a new love but what happens when you interrupt his wedding with a surprise.

Angst and fluff... I got carried away

5.3k words

Warning: cussing that’s it.

This was requested. Thank you to the person who requested, I tried to make it angsty towards the end

Unedited

——————————————————————————

Some things were not meant to be. It was clear to you, to Changbin, and to everyone around you that you two were not meant to be. Never was. You both tried so hard in the relationship to make it work but he fell in love with another girl. Someone from his work. “Changbin, can we talk?” He ignored you, too busy smiling at his texts. “I have to tell you something important.” He said as he looked up at you. You sat down ready to listen, waiting patiently to talk to him about your relationship. “I’m in love with someone else…” Despite knowing that you two didn’t harbor feelings for each other, you still couldn’t help the tears that stung your eyes. “Oh…” That was the only thing you could manage out. You felt sick to your stomach and your news was long gone by now.

“I’m leaving tomorrow.” Changbin sighed out as he hugged you. It was just a friendly hug. The tears spilling from your eyes now, wet the shoulder of his shirt. “I wish you well.” You truly did. You wished Changbin well with his newfound love and all things in the future. He spent the rest of the night comforting you and packing. While you sat on the bed watching him, he was packing quickly, happy that you were being so understanding. “I’m setting this by the front door so I don’t wake you when I leave.” “So you are leaving before I get up?” Changbin nodded and you sighed. Might as well say your goodbyes now. “Changbin, this has been an interesting relationship and I’ve had fun. I hope that she loves you too because you are a great guy. I wanted to say my goodbye to you now so...goodbye.” Changbin smiled and wished you goodbye as well before laying down to sleep.

The morning sun peeked through the curtains and you looked longingly at the empty spot next to you. You had been up for an hour now, not being able to go back to sleep. The bed seemed comforting despite being cold without Changbin’s warm body next to you. In reality, you didn’t want to get up and see the empty half of the closet and the random producing gear not there. It was normal for you to have someone living with you. A sigh left your lips as you sat up. The hunger for food forced you to the kitchen to make some noodles. “I have to get used to being alone, Ziggy.” You said, talking to your brother’s cat who was meowing for you to feed him. “See, if Minho would stop taking in random cats then he might have room for you.” A small laugh slipped from your lips as she dove head first into the food. You grabbed your own food and took a bite only to rush to the bathroom to throw it back up.

You weren’t sick. There was no way. You hadn’t left the house in the past month due to getting laid off and Changbin didn’t get sick. That’s when it hit you. A few weeks ago, Changbin was feeling extra stress and you opted to help him relieve his tension. It led to a long steamy night that was platonic. You rushed to slip on your coat and your shoes, running out the door not bothering to lock it. Your neighbor was a mean woman who had a reputation of hitting people, no one dared to commit a crime in your area. The shop was open and you looked at the choices of pregnancy tests. “I’d recommend grabbing one of at least three different brands dear.” You looked to find a woman in her early thirties who seemed to have been through this process before. “I’ve been in that same position. It’ll be scary at first but you’ll love it later.” Grabbing three tests, you thanked her and checked out.

Back at home, it was a waiting game. You slumped to the floor when all three came back positive. It was definite. You were pregnant. Changbin didn’t pick up when you called, in fact, the phone didn’t even ring. Minho texted asking if everything was alright, something about sibling telepathy.You found out, Changbin had blocked your number and blocked all mutuals. Now you were stuck to grow and raise a child on your own. “Minho. I need you here.” Your voice was shaky and urgent. “I’m on my way.” He didn’t bother knocking knowing that you wouldn’t answer. Instead he rushed straight to your bedroom to find you huddled up in a ball. “Are you okay? I’ll go punch him for blocking you.” “I’m pregnant.” That was all you could say and Minho fumbled for his phone to call Changbin. “Don’t. He doesn’t want me in his life anymore.” “He should still know. It’s his kid too.” Minho dropped it after you shook your head again. “He made his decision.”

——————————

The following weeks were spent over the toilet in the morning and searching for a temporary job through the day. Somehow, some way, you had to find a way to make some money to support your kid. Eventually, you stepped into a small tattoo parlour, the smell of gel deodorant overwhelming your senses. Surprisingly, you didn’t get nauseous at the smell unlike the coffee shop. “Hello, may I help you?” A familiar woman in her mid twenties came to the front. You recognised her immediately. “Lisa!” “Wow, _____! I didn’t recognise you for a minute.” You laughed and agreed that you have changed quite a bit. “How is Changbin?” “He’s gone now. Found a new love.” Lisa offered you a kind, sympathetic smile. “Well, I hope you are doing well. Let’s sit down and talk, it’s lunch anyways.”

The two of you caught up, gossiping about everything that’s happened since High School. “So he left you pregnant?” Her face was contorted in disgust conveying her annoyance. “I didn’t find out until he left.” “I swear, I’m going to hit him really hard. The nerve he has to block you after that.” Your laugh echoed through the parlour at your friend’s support for you. “So you never told me why you were here.” “Oh, yeah. Do you think you could get me a job here? I just need something that I can do to make money. Even if it is cleaning toilets or something like that.” Lisa beamed wide at you. “I’m not putting you at the toilets. That’s disgusting. We have been short staffed in the tattoo section since our front desk person quit and I was forced to the front.” You could work at the front desk. “When do I start?” “Tomorrow.”

The day went by fast and you found yourself laying in bed for the night feeling giddy that you found a job. Minho of course was the first one to know about it and he congratulated you. “I’ve been wanting a tattoo. Where did you say you work again?” “The tattoo parlour down by the candy shop.” You could hear the distant sounds of scribbling on paper over the phone. “I’ll be there tomorrow.” Before you could protest, Minho had already hung up. “Why is he like this?” Ziggy meowed and curled up next to you, falling asleep. You sighed and plugged in your phone soon doing the same. Maybe you can do this by yourself. Yeah, you can. There’s no maybe about it. With Lisa and Minho by your side, you had this in the bag.

Your morning went by smoothly, aside from the cat knocking you down. Lisa smiled at you as you entered the store. “Hey, babes. Ready for today?” “As ready as I can get.” She showed you the ropes and introduced you to the two other tattooists. “This is San. He’s the best at colored tattoos. And this is Jongho who’s the best at the chromatic tattoos. I am the best at lining I guess.” Lisa shrugged and you kept the information in your mind. You still had an hour before the store opened so you decided to talk to the others and get to know them before setting up your area. At eight o’clock sharp the bell rang and you looked up. You laughed a little as you watched the figure walk up to the desk. “Don’t you know it’s mean to laugh at potential customers.” “Sorry, Minho. What brings you here today?” Your brother smiled at you before explaining the type of tattoo he wanted. “Okay, I’ll get one of our tattooists to draw it out and get you inked up.”

His face dropped when he saw you bring Lisa out. “Lisa?“ “Minho!” You laughed as they talked while she drew a small cat for him. “Let’s go to the back.” The shop was quiet as you waited for customers to enter. “You look bored.” You jumped as Jongho came up beside you to sit down. He smiled and took out a sketchbook. “The mornings are usually quiet like this. Everyone is at work.” “It makes for good drawing time, too. We can create new tattoos or inspire other designs.” San added while grabbing another chair to sit on the other side. “You guys drew all these by yourselves?” You asked in amazement as you looked at the drawings that were scattered and framed around the room. “Most of them. Some came from our mentors.” Each drawing was carefully sketched and lined with love for the work. Your gallery view ended when Minho came out with tears in his eyes.

“Why’d you let me do that? It hurt.” The boys snickered while you sighed. “As I recall, you were the one that wanted it.” “No remorse for your older brother. I gave you my love and siblingship and you give me no respect.” Minho was always dramatic when he was in pain. You swore up and down that Shakespeare would be jealous. “Suck it up, buttercup!” “Ugh.” You rang him out and laughed as he mumbled about something random on his way out. “Your brother is funny.” “He’s dramatic, San. I can’t with him sometimes.” The clock ticked by slowly and the boys kept you company while they drew. The bell rang announcing a new customer. “Hi, I need a tattoo.” You smiled at the customer who was a girl that couldn’t be older than nineteen. The bell rang again, an older woman entered behind her. “Did you already talk to the lady for a tattoo.” “Yes, mom. I was trying to.”

After looking around, the girl decided she wanted a flower tattoo on her hip. “Can you do it?” She asked you. “It’s nothing against you guys but I’d feel more comfortable with a girl.” “I don’t do tattoos but my friend Lisa can.” Soon, the others became busy as more customers came in. The buzzing sound of the tattoo guns soothed you. The door opened revealing a taller man, about 5’10. Instantaneously, you were mesmerised. “Excuse me?” He waved his hand in your face. “I’m sorry.” “Is San busy?” You blinked, trying to remember if he was. “Yes, he is. Do you need a tattoo?” “Yes, I do. I guess I am early for my appointment.” Your finger scanned down the appointment book until you found the 5 o'clock slot. “Seonghwa?” He nodded. “San should be done soon.”

You were correct. San finished up his client quickly and took in Seonghwa while the other customer paid. Jongho finished quickly after and joined you. “Looks like Seonghwa is here?” You nodded surprised that he knew the customer. “You know him?” “He’s been getting tattoos for a year now.” Seonghwa didn’t seem like he was the type to get tattoos. “Really? He looks like this was his first time.” “Nope.” Jongho told you more about Seonghwa. “He really has a sleeve tattoo?” Now that you think about it, he was wearing a coat when he came in. “Yep. He’s working on the other arm now so he comes in at least once a month.” It was silent for a few minutes until Jongho spoke up. “Do you have any tattoos?” You shook your head. “No but I want one.” “What kind?” He tilted his head, curiously looking at you like a puppy would.

“A sunflower. It reminds me of the little girl I used to be.” Jongho smiled and nodded. “That’s a cute idea. It suits you.” “Do you have tattoos?” The boy nodded and unbuttoned some of his shirt to show the tattoo that cascaded over his chest. You looked in awe at his tattoos, almost reaching out to touch them but stopping yourself from embarrassment. “They’re so pretty!” “San-hyung did them.” The detail was immaculate. “Are you stripping down for her or something?” The two of you turned to see San and Seonghwa walk out. The tattoo that was freshly done, was covered up and you frowned. However, you did notice it was down towards the front of the forearm. Jongho looked anything but embarrassed about the ordeal. “She asked if I had tattoos.” “Does she have any?” You shook your head no before he could answer. “She’s a tattoo virgin! If you get a tattoo, you have to let me do it.” San pleaded while the rest laughed.

It was well into the night when the parlour closed. You cursed yourself for not bringing a coat and walking here. The air nipped at your skin as soon as you stepped outside. “Hey! Don’t think you aren’t going anywhere without protection.” You squinted into the dark to see Lisa emerging with Jongho. “I’m fine.” “You’re pregnant. You’re not fine.” That’s how you found yourself walking home with Jongho. When you stepped in front of your apartment door, you could hear the neighbour screeching. “I don’t think it’s safe here. That right there sounds scary.” “She’s just a little, old, mean lady.” His face scrunched up. “Those are the worst.” “I hope it isn’t that far to your home from here.” Sighing slightly and shook his head. “It’s only a few blocks opposite of the parlour.” “Jongho. Why don’t you come in for dinner. As a thank you and so you can warm up, your nose is red.”

He smiled and you worked on dinner. Jongho found himself playing with your cat while looking at the plethora of pictures on the wall. A few of you and Minho, a few of you and Changbin, a few of you, and a few of Minho. A laugh escaped his lips as he looked at a picture of you where you shaved your eyebrows off. “What are you laughing at in here?” When you saw where his gaze was directed, you yelled and pulled it off the wall. “I already saw it.” “It stops from further embarrassment.” A little bit later you served dinner. “Mmm. You know who would like this even more than me?” “Who?” He took another bite, relishing all the flavors. “San and Seonghwa.” “Do you think either of them will take leftovers?” Yes, he nodded. “Is Seonghwa even going to be there tomorrow?” Once again, Jongho nodded. “He’s getting a tattoo cover up on his other arm?” “What is he? Rich?” Jongho laughed. Tattoos were pricey, even small ones were. “I don’t know.”

Jongho left your apartment full and happy. Somehow, he squirmed his way into doing the dishes for you. “It’s the least I can do since you made me food.” He had argued with you for ten minutes until you gave in to him. The small tupperwares were filled with the food and ready to go tomorrow. You decided that you wanted to freshen yourself up. A nice long shower warmed you up and prepared you for sleep. It had been a long day at the tattoo shop and you enjoyed it but it left you sore. Ziggy curled up on your chest and purred. “That tickles.” You giggled out making the cat meow at you for moving. “Okay, okay. Sorry.” With the cat on top of you, you slowly drifted to sleep. Somehow, you didn’t move all night while sleeping and neither did the cat so when you woke up you winced in pain.

When you looked in the mirror to check out your outfit, you noticed your stomach protruding a bit more than usual. “I need to set up an appointment to go to the doctor. Just to make sure you are healthy.” You decided on a simple loose sweater today, not wanting to make the same mistake as yesterday. The shop was warm when you walked in, a sign that someone had been there for a while. “Hey, sunflower!” “Who-oh hey, San.” His sleeves were rolled up while he cleaned and you could see the tattoos residing on his arm. “You seemed to be fascinated by tattoos there, sunflower.” “They are so cool. The amount of work that goes in it is impeccable.” San smiled and helped you put your lunch in the fridge. You decided to stand today instead of sit by the cash register. “You look tense.” “I’m sore.” San grabbed a painkiller and gave it to you. “Here. You need it. People are going to be scared if you are squaring up to them.”

—————————————

Months passed by and you fell in love with the parlour. San, Jongho, Lisa, and even Seonghwa have begun to feel like a family to you. Seonghwa even came in early just to talk to you. Sometimes he’d come in on days he didn’t get tattoos just to hang out. This day wasn't any different. The door opened showing Seonghwa walking in. You went to greet him when you stopped and stared. He wasn’t in his normal leather jacket with a random rock band t-shirt, rather now, he was in a plain white sleeveless shirt. Finally, you could see the tattoo collection he’s been working on. “You’re staring, Sunflower.” You jumped as San came up behind you to greet Seonghwa. In return, Seonghwa smirked at you getting called out. “I’ll be right back, hyung.” He nodded and watched as San made his way to his area to disinfect.

“You looked lost, princess.” Heat rose to your cheeks at the simple nickname. “I-I like your tattoos.” “Thanks.” While San took his sweet time, Seonghwa teased you endlessly. “So I heard you went to the doctor yesterday. How’s the baby doing?” “How’d you find out I was pregnant?” Seonghwa smiled and pointed back at Jongho’s area. “He keeps telling me, he’s going to be an uncle.” You made a mental note to hit Jongho for not talking to you first. Either way, he is right, he will be an unrelated uncle as will San too. “Yeah, I found out that Lisa knows the gender and plans on throwing me a gender reveal party tomorrow.” “Am I invited?” You smiled. “Of course, Hwa! You are family.” Seonghwa opened his mouth to respond but San chose that time to call him back. Watching him walk away, you sighed. The words he was going to speak were lost scattered in the air like dust particles.

Lisa told you to dress nicely so you put on a dress that revealed the baby bump that was now growing bigger and bigger. You didn’t bother with make-up because you knew you were going to cry today whether it was from joy or the hormones. The shop was eerily quiet when you entered, but then again, it was a party and Lisa loved being extra. “You know, you guys are going to scare out the baby if you pop out of nowhere.” “You ruined our surprise.” You laughed at Lisa coming out from behind the counter. The other four spilled out into the room as well. Minho, Seonghwa, San, Lisa, and Jongho were there to celebrate you and your baby. “I can’t wait so are you ready for the reveal?” You nodded. “Then pull the plastic off of Jongho’s arm.” There was the signature black plastic they used to cover up tattoos.

“You did not get a tattoo for my gender reveal.” Jongho nodded. You stepped forward and carefully peeled the plastic from his arm to reveal a Sunflower colored in with yellows and pinks. “It’s a girl!” Minho screamed as he saw the colors and you hugged the nearest person to you and cried. “She’s going to be beautiful just like you, princess.” The chest you were crying into vibrated with the hum of the voice. You looked up to see Seonghwa smiling down at you. “Did you just call me beautiful?” “Yes.” Your hug became tighter and the others went back to get some cake. “How about you let me take you on a date.” “You aren’t going to leave me because I’m having a kid are you?” Almost offended, Seonghwa backed up. “Of course not. If this goes well, I’m not going to care if you have a kid or sixteen of them.”

————————————

The date went extremely well and you started to see Seonghwa more often. He went with you to your doctor appointments, stayed up with you in the middle of the night when you were craving random things, and he helped you with chores. Sometimes, he came into the parlour to bring you a random thing you didn’t know you were craving. You two were peacefully sleeping when you woke up in seething pain. A wet feeling soaked through your night dress. Another sharp pain. “H-Hwa?” You stuttered out, trying not to scream. Seonghwa woke up and rubbed his eyes. “Yeah.” “She’s coming.” He bolted up and helped you change your dress because you complained about the feeling. The entire way there, Seonghwa sped with his blinkers on and constantly checked on you. “Are you alright?” “FOR GOODNESS SAKE. I LOVE YOU, HWA BUT IF YOU ASK ME THAT ONE MORE TIME, I’M GOING TO SHOVE MY FOOT UP YOUR ASS.”

The doctors took you into the hospital room and prepped you for the latent phase of labor. While you waited for the dilation to increase, Seonghwa called the others and it seemed like they raced there because within minutes, the entire group was surrounding your bed. “I’m going to be an uncle.” “We all know I’m the real uncle.” “Shut up, Minho.” The boys bickered back and forth while you felt another contraction. Hours of pain and pushing later, your baby lay in your arms. “What’s her name?” The doctor asked you, wanting a name for the birth certificate “Aurora…” Jongho was the first one to hold the baby aside from you. Seonghwa pouted but still let him hold the child. “Hi, Aurora. I’m your favorite uncle. I’m uncle Jongho.” “Seriously. I’m the uncle. I’m the favorite.” Minho whined as Jongho passed along the baby.

——————————

It’s been three years since Aurora was born. Three years since you fell in love with Seonghwa who has been a father figure to your kid and a great boyfriend. He stayed at home while you went to work to support the family. Every once in a while, he brought the little girl into the parlour to bring you food and she visits the others when they aren’t busy. The customers absolutely love her. “Hey, mama! I brought some...umm...food.” “You did?” Aurora nodded while you swept her bangs out of her face. “I think we need to cut your bangs again.” “Cut...my...bangs?” You pointed to her hair. “Is that my favorite little niece?” “UNCLE JONGHO!” She squealed and ran into his arms while you were left to check out the customer. Seonghwa laughed as San came out as well. “We all know I’m her favorite.” Aurora played with Jongho’s hair while he went on break.

“Hey, this came for you today.” Seonghwa remembered while pulling out a fancy letter. You took it and opened it to pull out a letter. “You have been invited to Hwa-Young and Changbin’s wedding in two days. We hope to see you there.” “Isn’t that your ex?” San asked and you nodded. “Seonghwa, will you go with me?” “Of course, princess.” He kissed your cheek before calling for Aurora. “Aww, can uncle Jongho come over tonight?” “They all can. I’ll make dinner for them.” She cheered and hugged everybody goodbye before grabbing his hand. “Did I miss Aurora?” “Yes, Lisa, you did.” Lisa grumbled and pouted before going to clean her equipment. “YOU’RE INVITED TONIGHT FOR DINNER!” You yelled towards the back and she yelled out an okay.

——————————

You and Seonghwa dressed up in your best outfits. Your daughter was dressed up in a pretty pink dress and had her hair braided courtesy of Lisa. The trip was short as the wedding venue was only a few miles away. “Oh, hello! You must be Changbin’s friend!” A pretty woman made her way up to you. “Hi-“ “Can you help me get ready, please?” You looked at Seonghwa, a bit overwhelmed but still going to help and he nodded taking Aurora to find a seat. “Sure.” The woman grabbed your hand and dragged you to a dressing room. “I’m Hwa-Young! Changbin’s fiancée. I invited you because I saw photos of you together and decided you two were great friends.” “Actually, I hope you don’t mind but I’m his ex. Don’t worry though, I have someone else and I’m here to show my support.”

Hwa-Young pursed her lips and smiled. “It’s okay. You seem really nice anyways.” She stepped into a magnificent wedding gown and asked you to help her tie the back. It was a struggle but you managed to lace it up and tie it tight like she asked. “You have a pretty little girl.” “Thank you.” She’s Changbin’s too, you wanted to say but you kept it quiet, not wanting to ruin the event. Hwa-Young thanked you and rushed to get to the doors. You slipped inside before the band started and found your seat. “She’s really nice.” You whispered. “Mommy, shhh.” Aurora hushed you and pointed at band playing. Gasps sounded through the crowd as Hwa-Young walked down the aisle. The ceremony was beautiful and well executed. After the I do’s and vows, it was time for the party. You mingled with Changbin’s siblings when they realized you were there. They played with your daughter as well.

Then, he noticed you. He was confused why you were there because he didn’t invite you. “What are you doing here?” Could’ve been a better way to phrase that. “Congratulations, Changbin. I’m here to celebrate your big day.” “Look, if this is because you managed to find feelings for me-“ Seonghwa walked up to you, handing you a drink. “Is everything okay, princess?” Changbin shut up immediately. “Oh there you are, Binnie! I see you found your ex slash friend I invited. She’s really nice. Have you seen her daughter?” “Daughter?” As if on cue, your daughter ran up to you. “Mama!” You lifted her up and Changbin’s eyes widened. “Binnie? Is it just me or does she kind of look like you?” He noticed the similar features. “How old is she?” “Three.” His face dropped. “When’d you find out?” “The day after you left.” Aurora smiled at the faces that Seonghwa was making to distract her. You’ve definitely noticed that she had Changbin’s smile.

You asked Aurora to introduce herself. “My name is Aurora.” Changbin looked in awe at his daughter that he never even once wanted to know about. “I want daddy to hold me!” She reached for Seonghwa and Changbin felt his heart drop. It should be him she’s calling dad. Seonghwa took Aurora and led her to go see the other kids. “I want to talk to you about her.” “I never knew.” Of course he didn’t, he blocked you. “You were the one who left me and blocked me. I tried to reach out to you but you never answered me. I was left all alone to raise a child. If I didn’t have Seonghwa and my friends to help me-” You hissed out stopping for a breath, annoyed at his pathetic excuse. You’re starting to regret coming to the wedding. “I didn’t want to think about you. I wanted to focus on my new life. I didn’t think you’d get pregnant.” “I came here on good terms and was willing to let you visit your daughter but now, I don’t know if I want to.”

You turned away to grab Seonghwa and Aurora to leave but Changbin stopped you. “You said she was my daughter so I have a right to see her and visit.” Now, this was ridiculous. Luckily, Hwa-Young turned up the music and distracted the people from the argument going on in the corner. “You have NO right to see her. You didn’t even bother to let me tell you. Hell, with the way you are acting, you don’t deserve to see her until she’s old enough to make her own damn decisions. Congratu-fucking-lations. You ruined your own damn life.” At this point his wedding was forgotten. With anger in his eyes he spoke up. “LISTEN. SHE IS MY DAUGHTER. I WANT TO SPEND TIME WITH HER. SHE SHOULD BE CALLING ME DAD, NOT SOME RANDOM DUDE!” The music was forgotten as people looked towards the drama.

“I CAME HERE IN PEACE WANTING TO CELEBRATE YOUR DAY BUT SINCE YOU WANT TO BE DRAMATIC LET’S BE DRAMATIC. THAT RANDOM ‘DUDE’ IS MORE OF A DAD TO HER THAN YOU WILL EVER BE. THAT RANDOM ‘DUDE’ WAS THE ONE THAT TOOK ME TO THE HOSPITAL AND HELPED ME RAISE HER. THAT RANDOM ‘DUDE’ IS THE FUCKING LOVE OF MY LIFE SO FUCK OFF CHANGBIN.” Changbin reached for you one last time but you slapped his hand away. In your way out with your daughter and boyfriend, you apologized to the crowd and wished Hwa-Young well. With tears forming in his eyes, he watched you walk away. The rest of the party went on but he was only half there. When it came to gift time, he opened a small gift that was from you and Aurora.

It was an 8x10 photo frame of Aurora smiling. A card was put to the side explaining that it was his daughter. He realized that you had in fact planned to keep quiet and tell him about his daughter through this gift. Now he screwed up what was supposed to be the best day of his life by being a selfish prick. You on the other hand were defending your daughter and he couldn’t blame you. He couldn’t blame you for yelling at him and refusing him to see his daughter. He couldn’t blame you for calling him out. Changbin set the photo to the side and finished opening the rest of the presents. None had any meaning to him. They were stupid housewarming gifts like a blender and a mixer. At the end of the party though, his sister slapped him and called him out for being an ass.

You felt no remorse for Changbin. Jongho and San were at the house when you got back home. “I’m going to take a shower. Have uncle Jongho change you while daddy gets changed.” Aurora nodded and ran to jump on uncle Jongho to tell him what you said. You washed all the bad thoughts off of you and changed into a simple set of pj’s. When you went out to the living room, you found Seonghwa, Jongho, and Aurora playing hide-and-seek. Your daughter giggled in delight when Seonghwa found her. “I gottcha. Come here you little munchkin.” She ran away from him and you laughed as Seonghwa chased her around the living room. “Ah you’re too fast for this old man!” He slumped to the floor and she walked over and gave him a kiss on the cheek. “Catch me daddy!” Seonghwa got up and ran after her again, this time catching her and smothering her with kisses.

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fantasyoverreality98 · 4 years ago

Text

Now You Know

Pairing: Ethan x F!MC (Isabelle Rosenberg)

Book: Open Heart

Summary: Isabelle remembers a romantic moment shared with Ethan a few days earlier, and makes the decision to confess her feelings for him.

Author’s Note: Inspiration struck very late, and this was the result. I’m sorry for any potential typos, editing in the early morning is not a good idea. As always, thank you so much to anyone who takes the time to read, like, comment, and/or reblog! You guys are the reason I continue to write, and words could never do my appreciation for you justice.

Tag: @aylamreads

Warnings: None really; slightly suggestive

Word Count: 1,610

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Six months had passed since Isabelle and Ethan had addressed their feelings for each other. For the most part, the two were able to keep things professional. Until one small moment of weakness.

Then, it was game over.

Isabelle sat on the train, chewing on her bottom lip as she tried to think of what to say. Words seemed impossible to convey her emotions. How could she ever tell Ethan that she loved him without sounding insane?

“Excuse me, is this seat taken?”

She glanced up at an elderly woman, and shook her head, picking her bag up and placing it in her lap. The woman took a seat beside her and they lapsed back into silence.

There was no way that Ethan would feel the same. He might drop hints, do whatever she asked, find any excuse to spend time with her…but that meant nothing.

At least, for six months it had meant nothing.

“Ethan, do you think you could look over some files for me?”

He looked up from his computer, his glasses perched on the tip of his nose. “Sure. What’s the problem?”

Isabelle started to explain, but she found herself distracted by his closeness. She took a shaky breath, aware that the way she stared at his lips was hardly professional.

“Rookie?” Ethan’s eyes widened a bit, and his face flushed pink. “Sorry. Dr. Rosenberg. Are you okay?”

It would be so easy to kiss him. “You know, you can still call me Rookie.” Her lips twitched when his eyes met hers. “I’ve grown rather fond of the nickname.”

He shook his head, clearing his throat as he focused back on the files. “Anyway, I think that you should run a test for—”

None of his advice registered in her brain. Isabelle was too busy staring, remembering what it felt like to have those lips on hers. She thought of the night in Ethan’s apartment, and how no one else had ever made her feel the way he had.

His lips against her skin, the way he’d gripped her hips as they moved in sync, the sound of—

“Isabelle, are you even paying attention?”

Screw it. She leaned forward, hesitating for just a second before kissing him. Ethan jerked forward, banging his forehead against hers. Wincing, she started to pull back, but he grabbed her face and brought her lips back to his.

Butterflies swirled in her stomach, and Isabelle held onto Ethan as if he was her life force. Every moment without his touch had been worth it for this kiss. She had always been the type of woman who knew what she wanted.

And she wanted Ethan Ramsey. Unapologetically, uncontrollably, undeniably.

Before things could escalate, just as he pulled back to kiss her neck, there was a knock at the office door.

The two of them sprung apart, and Ethan cleared his throat, adjusting his glasses. “Come in.”

Baz peered inside, grinning when he saw Isabelle. “Ah, Dr. Rosenberg. Fancy meeting you here. I’m not interrupting anything, am I?”

At the question, Ethan’s face turned an even darker shade of pink. “We were just looking over some patient files. How can I help you?” He looked over at Isabelle, who was sitting several feet away now. “Is it alright with you if we discuss this at another time?”

“Sure.” She could feel heat spreading across her own face, mumbling goodbye to Baz before grabbing the files and hurrying from the room.

A laugh slipped past her lips as Isabelle stood from her seat to get off at her stop. Baz knew about them, she had no doubts about that. The same went for June. In fact, the chances of most of the hospital staff having some sort of awareness about their short fling were high.

“What’s the smile for? Thinking about me?” Bryce sidled up to her, giving her a playful nudge in the ribs. He winked when their eyes met.

Isabelle laughed and shook her head. “Unfortunately for you, I’m not.”

“Aw.” He gave her a fake pout, and she rolled her eyes. “So, who is making you grin like that? Someone I know?”

There was no way someone hadn’t told him about the morning she’d been caught trying to sneak Ethan out of the apartment. If there was one person that Isabelle knew without a doubt was aware of her past with Ethan, it was Bryce.

“Maybe,” she said, humming to herself as the two of them walked into the hospital. “See you later?”

Bryce nodded, his attention on the other surgeons gathered at the end of the hall. “Definitely. See ya, Iz.”

“See ya.” She waved at him before making her way to the locker room.

Eventually, the initial excitement wore off, replaced with a sense of dread. What if Ethan rejected her again? Or, even worse, what if he laughed at her confession? It seemed extremely likely that he would react that way. They hadn’t been together in nearly a year.

The fear haunted her for the rest of the day. When the time came for her to go to his office and lay her feelings bare, Isabelle had to force herself to walk in the right direction. Every muscle, every instinct, screamed for her to run away.

“Yes?” Ethan’s voice was muffled when she knocked on the door.

Isabelle opened her mouth to answer, but the door swung open before she could get a word out. For a moment, the two of them stood facing each other, locked in a strange wordless exchange.

This was it. She had promised herself to come clean, consequences be damned. It was time to tell the truth, even if it left her feeling empty, scared, alone.

“Can I talk to you?” Somehow, she managed to keep some strength in her voice.

Ethan watched her a moment, nodding as he stepped aside. “Of course.”

When Isabelle turned around to face him again, she noticed the tension in his shoulders. He stood near the door, pausing for several seconds before he shut it. A clock ticked somewhere on the wall while they looked at each other.

Finally, Isabelle risked a step closer. “I think we need to talk about—well, about us.”

“There is no us.” Ethan responded immediately, though his face betrayed his words. “There can’t be, Isabelle. We’ve had this discussion several times already.”

She shook her head, taking another step closer. “Fine. I just came here to say something.” Fear began to claw at her, but she shoved it back in its cage. “I—”

Ethan shook his head, the pleas reflected in his eyes when he looked down at her.

Isabelle carried on. “I’ve been thinking about the kiss for the past three days. And it made me realize something.” This was it. This was the moment when six months of keeping a distance would crumble. “I love you, Ethan.”

He exhaled loudly, his hand trembling slightly when he started to reach out for her. But before he could touch her, Ethan pulled back, standing up straight as his eyes darted around the room.

“And I know that you probably don’t feel the same, but—”

“What makes you think I don’t feel the same?” He seemed to snap out of his trance, looking up at her again.

Isabelle frowned. “You’re always saying that we can’t be together. I assume that means the feelings aren’t mutual.”

Ethan laughed, taking a step closer to her. “Is that really what you think? That I don’t have feelings for you?”

Now, she felt annoyed. Isabelle glared, realizing that he hadn’t responded to her saying she loved him. She took a step closer to him. There was now less than a few feet separating them. “Well, what am I supposed to think? You keep pushing me away.”

“Isabelle—”

“Just give me an answer, Ethan! I’m tired of running around in circles with you. Do you care about me at all, or is this just some kind of game to you?”

Ethan sighed, staring into her eyes. Her frustration with him only increased. Isabelle tried her best not to groan, opening her mouth to take her annoyance out on him further, when he grabbed her and pulled her into a kiss.

Immediately, she relaxed, committing this moment to memory. Just in case.

They kissed with urgency, six months of holding back bursting in one swift movement. Isabelle ran her fingers along Ethan’s jaw, savoring the feel of his stubble underneath her fingertips. He gripped her by the waist, fingers digging into her sides as he kissed her repeatedly.

“Damn it, Isabelle,” Ethan groaned against her lips, but he didn’t stop.

Her hip bumped the corner of his desk when they backed up, but it didn’t bother her. For too long, Isabelle had been dreaming of a moment like this. Even if it was just for a few minutes, Ethan Ramsey was all hers once more.

All she could think of was his lips against hers, memories of nights spent entangled flashing in her mind. She wanted him. She needed this.

“I’ve dreamt of this moment for so long.” It surprised her to hear Ethan say those words, his hands fumbling with her lab coat.

Isabelle helped him slip it off, her heart pounding when Ethan lifted her onto his desk.

Any second now, someone could walk in on them and shatter the illusion. They would have a lot of explaining to do if they got caught. Still, she didn’t care. Now that Ethan knew how she felt, there was no turning back.

All she could do was hope that there would be a happy ending.

#ethan ramsey #ethan x mc #open heart #ethan ramsey x mc #choices fanfiction #choices: stories you play

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werewolfdays · 4 years ago

Note

Prompt 12 ? 👉👈

12. Waiting for the other one to come home, falling asleep and waking up to the other person gently waking them up

After the compound fracture was set and stitched closed, I carefully wrapped the forearm up in sterilized gauze, then prepared a temporary splint. A cast would have been preferable, but I knew it would heal too quickly for that to be fully necessary. Still, the recovery process would rely mostly on the patient to be cautious with his wound.

I made the last adjustments to his splint, set him up in an arm sling, and stepped back to begin cleaning up my work station, “There you go, all done.”

Jeremy, the werewolf I was treating after his car accident involving hunters, finally let his shoulders and expression relax, and he hopped off the medical bed, “Awesome.”

“Please be careful with it,” I told him earnestly, “Try not to use that arm for at least a week. And come back in if there’s any issues.”

“Will do, Nadya.” He said with a genuine smile, “Thank you.”

“Anytime.” I replied, patting his shoulder, and he was on his way.

Once I gathered all the waste to dispose of and disinfected everything, I went to my desk to mark Jeremy down in my patient log. As I was doing that, my phone lit up, catching my attention out of the corner of my eye. There was a missed call from Jayde and I scribbled down the information faster, making it barely legible, so I could call her back immediately. It barely rang twice before she picked up.

“Hey.” Jayde greeted softly through the phone.

“Hi, Jay.” I replied through a relieved sigh at the sound of her voice, “Sorry I missed your first call.”

“It’s okay. Hard at work?” She guessed knowingly.

“I’d say so.” My eyes gave the chart on the desk a onceover, “Compound fracture, some gunshot wounds, and a couple stabbings today.”

She made a displeased grumble that was slightly growl-like, “Yeah, these hunters hit hard, but they’re taken care of. Just wanted to let you know I’ll be heading home soon.”

The rest of my anxious tension left my body at that, “Are you okay?”

“I’m fine, don’t worry.”

The urge to laugh at that caused the corner of my mouth to twitch up, “I always worry about you.”

“I know,” She said, sounding almost regretful, “But I promise I’m good.”

I chewed on my bottom lip, wanting her to be here so I could confirm that for myself, “When will you be home?”

“Probably not until really late tonight. We have to do some followup and mislead any potential tails we have,” Jayde explained, “So don’t wait for me. Get some sleep. You’ll see me when you wake up.”

I tried not to be too disappointed that she wouldn’t be here sooner, but I understood why and nodded, “Okay.”

“I will be home soon, Nadya.” She reassured, sensing my mood, even through the phone.

“I know, Jay, I know.” I said through a sigh, “I just need you safe and by my side.”

“I will be before you know it.”

I stood up a little straighter at her promise, “Yeah, you’re right. Be careful, okay? Come back to me in one piece.”

Jayde chuckled lightly, “Sure thing. I love you.”

My smile grew big enough that I knew she’d be able to hear it in my voice, “I love you too.”

With that, she hung up. I set my phone back down on the desk, stewing in our conversation and the relief of hearing she was okay for a handful of prolonged moments before I shook myself out of it and went back to work.

I knew as soon as Jayde told me to get some sleep I wouldn’t want to. My day was long and stressful, I worked hard to treat the people that needed it, and I could feel exhaustion start to seep into my bones, but I didn’t want to go to bed until I knew Jayde was home safe. I needed to at least see her in order to get a restful night’s sleep, so I resorted to studying until she got back, even if that meant staying awake all night.

My plan started off great. After dinner, I grabbed some coffee and went to our room to set up the desk for a study session. I was making really good progress throughout the evening, becoming utterly immersed in my school work, and barely noticing the hours fly by. That is, until I yawned. The simple action suddenly tore my attention away from my notes and to the clock where I saw that it was just after two in the morning. That realization made my exhausted body finally catch up with my brain in a collision hard enough to make me sink in my chair.

For the next half hour, I propped my elbow up on the surface of the desk and rested my head on my hand while I continued. My eyes grew heavier and heavier. It got to the point that I was having to reread sentences more than once. More than twice or even three times. I looked at the clock again and figured it couldn’t hurt to rest my eyes for a little while and recharge.

“Ten minutes.” I mumbled to myself as I put my glasses aside and crossed my arms underneath my head.

It only felt like a few minutes had gone by before someone was gently shaking my shoulder and whispering my name quietly, “Nadya, hey.”

My eyes blinked back open to look for the culprit. Just as I was about to mutter an annoyed retort, her beautiful dark blue irises came into my vision with a stunning smile to match them. I went from drowsy to wide awake in a second flat when I realized it was Jayde.

“Jay.” I said her name as my own smile grew into a beaming grin. I basically jumped up out of my seat and threw myself into her arms, clinging to her in a fierce embrace. Then I realized I must have accidentally fallen into a deep sleep instead of indulging in a quick break because my whole body was sore from being slumped over my desk, but that didn’t matter now that she was home.

Jayde chuckled against my ear, holding me just as tightly as I was holding her, “Yeah, I missed you too.”

We stayed like that for about a minute and then I pulled back to cup her face in my hands, tilting her head from side to side to assess any damage done to her. The bruises she sustained were already mostly faded and the scrapes I saw had scabbed over in the hours of healing they’d been given. I was proud to see her face was clean, which meant she had taken care of the scrapes despite their lack of severity. Then I directed my inspection down to the rest of her body. Her clothes covered most of her skin up, but I didn’t see any bloodstains to suggest that she had been shot or stabbed anywhere on her midsection.

“What, you didn’t believe me when I told you I was fine?” Jayde asked in amusement.

I threw her a lighthearted glare, “Your definition of ‘fine’ seems to differ from mine when it comes to your physical condition.”

“I’m alive and upright, aren’t I?” She teased with a crooked grin. When my eyes narrowed, hers rolled, and she said, “Okay, here, I’ll save you the time.”

Jayde presented her leg to me. It would have been easy to miss, any blood that seeped into her jeans was lost in the blackness of the fabric, but there was a new rip in the thigh. Small and nothing too noteworthy apart from the glimpse of a blood-soaked bandage hidden underneath it. The size and shape of the rip was unmistakable as a bullet hole. She had been shot in the leg, most likely with a silver bullet.

“Jayde.” I scolded in worry and disappointment, grabbing my glasses and kneeling down to try and get a better look. “Are you kidding me?”

“Before you get too mad,” Her hand came down to tuck some of my hair behind my ear, “It’s already been taken care of. I got the bullet out with tweezers, disinfected it, stitched it, and wrapped it up. Just like you would have done.”

I stared up at her with my brows furrowed in suspicion, “Were the tweezers sterilized?”

“Yes.”

“You used actual disinfectant and not booze?”

“Yes.”

“Did you put antibiotic cream on it?”

“Of course.”

I slowly stood back up, placing my hands on my hips, and raised an eyebrow, “What knot did you use when you stitched it?”

Jayde mimicked my stance, “A surgeon’s knot.”

We were locked in a staring contest for several tense moments until I broke the silence, “I’m still mad that you lied to me.”

“I didn’t lie to you, I am okay.” The back of her finger brushed against my cheek to pacify me.

I grabbed her wrist and pulled her hand away from my face, “For future reference, when I ask if you’re okay, I’m asking if you’ve been hurt at all. At all.”

A flicker of guilt came across her face, “I’m sorry. I just didn’t want you to worry.”

“But you wanted me to see you with a surprise gunshot wound when you got home.” I pointed out.

Jayde’s face fell and her expression made my chest tighten. I knew she didn’t do it to hurt me, but she needed to understand how important it was for me to know about things like this. The last thing I wanted was for her to feel like she had to hide her pain to protect me.

My finger went under her chin, where I urged her to look up at me. Once her eyes met mine, I gave her a small smile, releasing her wrist and cupping the back of her neck to pull her in. I made sure to translate my feelings through the gentle cadence I lead, using every soft stroke of my lips to tell her it was okay. I wasn’t mad anymore. Neither was I disappointed. I just wanted to convey how much I cared about her. How much I loved her and wanted her to feel comfortable with sharing anything with me. Even her pain.

Jayde seemed unsure at first, but then she melted into me, her hands tentatively going to my waist. I kissed her deeper for a few beats in encouragement, my heart singing when she pulled me even closer against her. Neither of us tried for anything more, we simply indulged in this silent and soft conversation of reassurance, our uneven breaths being the only sound that disrupted the space between us.

We eventually pulled away from the kiss, foreheads resting together, and I took the time that the lingering quiet gave me to trace her bottom lip with my thumb. Jayde released a gentle sigh at the touch, her fingers clutching at my shirt to feel me through the clothing.

“Just tell me from now on, okay?” I requested gently, “I wanna know. Even if it’s just bruises.”

“Okay,” Jayde agreed with a whisper, “I can do that.”

I kissed her one more time before pulling back to look at her. It was then that I saw just how tired she was. And felt just how tired I was too. “It’s pretty late.”

She hummed in agreement, then a sly smile tugged at the corner of her mouth. I didn’t get a chance to make a remark about it because she suddenly, and effortlessly, scooped me up in her arms. A surprised squeak came out of me, but it soon turned into an amused giggle once she twirled us around and carried me to my side of the bed. Now that I was aware of it, I did note a slight limp in her walk, but the injury didn’t seem to bother her otherwise.

I was plopped down on the mattress somewhat unceremoniously and kissed on the top of my head, then I watched as Jayde got herself ready to sleep. Her jeans were replaced by shorts, which allowed me a better view of the bandage on her thigh. The spot of dried blood wasn’t as big as I feared it was, reassuring me further of her condition, but I still itched to examine it myself.

“Wait,” My hands went to her hips to stop her before she crawled into bed, “Can I have a look?”

Jayde nodded.

At her consent I directed my attention down to her leg and carefully peeled the bandage back to look at the work she did. The stitches appeared to be done correctly and it was clean and tidy. There were no signs of infection. The slightly gray off color around the wound was typical for a silver bullet, but I still looked up and asked, “Was it silver?”

She nodded again, “Yeah, but I got it out quickly. It wasn’t too bad.”

My thumb brushed her skin by the gunshot wound soothingly, both to reassure her and myself that she was okay. Then I put the bandage back into place and nodded my approval. “You did a good job. I’m proud.”

“Yeah?” She asked with a growing grin.

“Yeah.” I confirmed with my own smile.

Jayde happily pushed me back down on the mattress and fell on top of me, her arms wrapping around my waist and holding me tightly to her. My grin was wide and my laugh light as I wrapped my arms around the back of her neck to pull her even closer until she rested her lips on my pulse point. A hitched breath caught in my throat when she slipped a hand under my shirt, slowly dragging it upwards across my skin while she laid gentle kisses on my neck, but then her fingers dragged over the ticklish spot on my side and it made me flinch. Jayde chuckled mischievously into my neck when I squirmed underneath her.

“Jay, I swear—” Another poke made my body jolt again and threw me into a laughing fit, “Quit it!”

“I love hearing you laugh though.” Jayde protested.

“It’s bedtime.” I reminded her, trying to summon some authority to my voice through my giggling.

“Says who?” She grumbled.

I reached down, seizing her arm and pulling it out from under my shirt with only a little resistance. Then I flipped us over, straddling her waist and pinning both of her wrists down beside her head. Jayde was far stronger than I was, especially physically, so I knew she always allowed this to happen, but she still raised an impressed eyebrow whenever I trapped her underneath me like this.

“Says me.”

Her smirk was challenging and she wiggled one of her wrists free, reaching for the spot on my side once more. Instead of trying to catch her wrist again, I grabbed her jaw with a firm hand, forcing her eyes to stay glued to mine, and said a simple, “No.”

The command made Jayde’s body completely freeze, apart from her gaze that darted back and forth from my eyes and down to my lips. I gave her my own crooked grin and then turned her head to the side to expose her neck. Once her skin was bared to me, I bent down and placed an open-mouthed kiss to her warm flesh, relishing the way her body tensed further.

“Good.” I muttered in her ear and then pushed myself off of her.

There wasn’t another breath from her until I settled into the blankets. Then she cleared her throat and said, “Bedtime it is.”

I laughed and pulled her as close to me as possible, our limbs tangling together. I was conscious of her wounded leg and did my best to avoid it, luckily she didn’t flinch in pain at all. Once we were both comfortable, and I could feel our bodies relax in unison, I planted one more kiss to her shoulder.

“I’m glad you’re okay.”

“I’m glad to be home with you.” Jayde replied.

Being in her arms, it didn’t take long at all for a deep slumber to take me.

#asks #anon #thanks for sending this in!! <33 #sorry it took a little while for me to get to but I hope yall enjoy #my ocs #My writing #Jayde #Nadya #Nadya pov

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fortheloveoffanfic · 5 years ago

Text

Lullaby

Keanu Reeves x Reader (Chapter Summary- The woes of family getaways and spontaneous vacations might be the key to finally bringing Y/n and Keanu together.) (A/n- The necklace mentioned, if anyone wants to see it.)

Chapter1 Chapter2 Chapter3

Chapter 4

Los Angeles Family vacations. They were great, they brought siblings together, encouraged everyone out of their comfort zones and all in all, they could be pretty fun. But, they were also pretty hectic; there was always one person who was a bit despondent with the location, another who’d have to join everyone else a day later and finally, someone who was late despite promises for otherwise. That day, the one late person was Keanu, by no fault of his own.

Okay, maybe some of it was his fault.

For the first time in a long time, he had slept way past the sounding of his alarm clock, jumping awake just as his racy dream slipped though the cracks of his subconscious. After that, Keanu had hurriedly scrambled out of bed, skidding into the walk-in shower and having the fastest shower of his life. Their flight was at seven am- it was quarter to six. Between the length of the ride to the airport and the time he’d have to spend going through security, Keanu would either have hurry up or miss his flight entirely. Hopefully he could do the latter.

With his hair still dripping wet and his skin barely toweled off, he pulled on a comfortable pair of jeans, the closest t-shirt and threw on a coat over his untidy ensemble. As Keanu grabbed his bags from the corner of the closet, he, or at least, he tried to, put his shoes on, nearly falling over. Within fifteen minutes, he was collecting his keys and wallet, and thankfully, before he had gotten dressed, Keanu had taken a couples minutes to call a car.

Before his watch, which still hung by the band from his fingers could read 6:05 am, Keanu was locking the front door behind himself, activating the security system. The black SUV already sat patiently on the curb at the top of his driveway, the engine humming idly. When he got it, the driver wordlessly peeled away from the sidewalk, speeding up the street, eventually melding into the thin early morning traffic.

Greece When Y/n awoke, pressing up from the pillow, tangled in a thick duvet, it took a minute for her to register that she wasn’t at home, the persistent swaying of the boat a little confusing. Though, by the time she sat up, taking in the room, she quickly remembered her location.

The ultra modern, luxurious yacht, which had been on loan by her parents, had been anchored at an exclusive bay, bobbed gently in the water. Warmth filtered into the cabin from the large windows to her left and when Y/n quickly tapped a switch next to the headboard, a series of little bulbs embedded into the ceiling came on at their dimmest setting, the central light source; a sleek chandelier remaining off.

The familiarity of the room was barely there, but Y/n had stayed in it before; huge and impressive, though not quite as luxurious as the master bedroom that her parents usually stayed in. Hints of navy blue and pale hardwood fixings complimented bright white in a welcoming mix of contemporary design and homey comfort. The cabin was one of two nestled on the top deck, with the other guest cabins being located on the second.

The vessel was an unnecessarily large one, sporting eight bedrooms as well as a pool, a sizeable kitchen with a large living area and a dining room. And, though Y/n’s family rarely used, “The Heather“, affectionately named in honor of her mother, it was always staffed and ready for guests. The kitchen and bar was kept stocked and the facilities were kept running, presumably for impromptu vacations like the one Y/n was taking with her friends.

Shaking off the covers, Y/n pulled on her silk robe over her loose, matching nightgown and headed to the ensuite bathroom. It was significantly smaller than the bedroom but its décor not lacking with cream marble floors and walls.

Lazily, Y/n went through her morning routine before joining her friends on the main deck for breakfast on the poolside. Jillian was the first one to greet her, standing from the set table, pulling Y/n into a short hug, “Loving this,” she winked at Y/n’s outfit; a white, chic, strapless, crochet maxi dress paired with braided sandals.

“Thank you!” When they released each other, Y/n reached for the French press and a delicate looking ceramic cup to pour herself a cup of coffee when Catharine quickly hurried over, switching out the empty tea cup for a mimosa with an orange slice wedged to the rim, “Isn’t it too early?”

“It’s eleven am,” Catharine argued, tucking a lock of blonde hair behind her ear as she sipped her own drink, grey eyes hidden behind dark designer sunglasses, “And we’re on vacation.”

“And it’s like.....one am at home,” Mathew interjected from his seat at the table, “So really its.....”

“Still early,” Tracy rolled her eyes. There were seven of them, and she was the only one drinking coffee, but considering the fact that there was a bottle of whiskey hidden in the cluster of food and dishes laid out, it was probably spiked, “I didn’t realize you were still a dumbass Matt,” she joked dryly, taking a long sip of her coffee.

Mathew scoffed, stuttering uncomfortably; searching for a comeback, only managing, “Didn't realize that you were still a bitch Trace,” he frowned and she just snickered.

“I’ve always been a bitch,” she smirked.

“Okay,” Jillian turned to Y/n setting down her slice if toast and taking Y/n’s fork from her hand, “While these two get sexy with the foreplay,” she teased sarcastically, receiving jeers of objection from them both, “We should go see the town.”

“Oh, I’ll go too,” Amanda agreed, excitedly followed by Catherine.

“Sounds fun!” Y/n determined.

It was his first actual day on vacation in Greece, Keanu and his family, despite being barely in time for the flight, had landed just as the sun had set on the previous day. They had slept in late, but the next morning, after breakfast at the hotel, he and his sister had decided to go into the small near by city to look around, though, they had ended up parting ways when she stopped at small boutique, informing him that they could meet back at the hotel

Keanu was strolling through a flea market that had dominated a side street, with booths selling everything from fun clothing items to handmade arts and crafts. The aroma of spices from inviting dishes wafted up and down the mile long street, tickling his senses. Surrounding vendors called out persuasively to potential patrons and sometimes Keanu would stop at an interesting booth, standing under the homemade tents as he picked out little trinkets.

His eyes scanned the his surroundings, really only looking for possible buys, when he caught a glimpse of someone seemingly familiar. She looked ethereal in a white dress that went down to her ankles. Parts of her legs, the ones he had dreamt of touching, kissing, were visible through spaces between the delicate crocheted pattern. Her hair flowed in soft waves, stopping at her shoulders, highlights more noticeable in the sun. A pair of large sunglasses shrouded her identity, but Keanu thought he could recognize the confidence in her gait anywhere, because even if he had only seen it in person once, it had haunted his dreams every night since then.

At the sight of Y/n, Keanu stood frozen in his place in front of a booth that sold hand-woven baskets, debating his options. Should he call out to her? Approach Y/n and her friends or just pretend that a golden opportunity to speak to the woman who had dominated his sub-conscious for two months was something he could ignore?

Though he went to and fro with his options, Keanu didn’t really have a lot of time to think on the matter, make a hurried decision of even hide like a coward, for, the minute Y/n spotted him in the crowd, she whispered something to the ladies that had accompanied her and then they made their way over to him.

Maybe he shouldn’t have been staring.

“Keanu?” Y/n called as she and her friends drew nearer.

“Y/n,” he smiled despite himself. As she approached, Y/n pushed the sunglasses up a top her head, offering him a bright smile. Much to his surprise, she pulled him into a one armed hug, the other staying at her side, holding her handbag, “I haven’t seen you since-”

“The party, yeah,” she said, her hand lingering on his forearm as they broke. Their stance resembled that of old friends, and Keanu wondered if she’d still greet him with the same friendliness if she knew what crude actions followed the thought of her when he was in private. “What brings you to Greece?” She inquired politely, “Business or pleasure?”

“Pleasure,” and when he said it, her brows raised knowingly, her smile suggestive. Clearing his throat awkwardly, Keanu shook his head, his hands slipping into the pockets of his jeans, “Family vacation,” Y/n’s mouth morphed into an unsounded ‘oh’ and he nodded. “What about you?”

“Same, I guess. We’re having sort of a spontaneous getaway,” for a couple minutes, they just stood there; he didn’t know what to say and Y/n looked as if she’d prefer whatever she was thinking to be kept just between them. After a breathy, deflated sigh and a falter in her smile, Y/n was the one to speak up, “I guess I should let you get back to your family.”

Chuckling quietly, Keanu ran a hand through his wind tousled hair, “My sister and I actually split up a ways back. I’m flying solo for now.”

“Oh!” Y/n chortled, and barely thinking of her next words, she thoughtlessly suggested, “Why don’t you walk with us?”

Before Keanu could even process her offer, a blonde girl, who Keanu only noticed when she spoke, interjected hurriedly, “Or better yet, Y/n,” she put her hands on her friend’s shoulders, “Why don’t you two walk together? Since you have so much catching up to do.”

At that, Y/n turned back to her friends, wide eyed and tight lipped, “I....I thought we were shopping together. And what about-”

“Shhh,” another woman spoke, she was a little taller than the other three, hair dyed red and cut short in a stylish pixie cut. She could have been a model, or someone that Keanu should have recognized easily, but her face was hard to place, “Just go babe, we’ll see you back at the boat.”

“Are you sure?” Y/n glanced at the only other person Keanu recognized from the party, a young lady who he had mistaken for Y/n’s sister, though, a quick internet session had proved that they were actually cousins.

“Yes,” Jillian encouraged, “Go, just text us if you need anything. And take good care of her,” Jillian turned to Keanu, offering him a warning stare.

“Will do,” he chuckled, making a cross his heart motion over his chest.

After quick goodbyes and cheek pecks, they separated and Y/n and Keanu set out on wandering the street together, their hands hanging at their sides, her shoulder barely grazing his bicep. Neither of them spoke for a while, but when Y/n did, she didn’t seem as cheery as she was before. Her tone was softer and more inquiring, “So, what have you been up to?”

Keanu shrugged uneventfully, looking around, trying to not show the effect that her presence had on him, “Not a lot. Just work.”

“Filming?” She probed as she stopped at a ceramics booth, admiring a painted vase. Her hands were so small, barely able to go completely around the curved neck. Keanu wondered if her questions were building to a point, maybe to a bigger one where she’d confront him about not going to her house, or maybe she was just being polite. He couldn’t tell.

“No,” he replied, short and brisk, only going into a bit more detail when they pulled away from the booth, the formally admired vase now Y/n’s, secured in a bag. “At Arch, we’re preparing for a show early next year.” Y/n nodded in silent understanding, “What about you?”

“Me?” Y/n returned with a shrug, “I’ve just been working,” her face was turned away from him as they continued, her eyes scanning the products of different vendors. “You know how it goes; booze, boredom and disappointment,” her words seemed so careless and completely unrelated to their dwindling conversation yet they stuck him so readily, as if it were her intention.

Maybe she had actually wanted him to come the day after the party, dare he say she was offended by his decision to ultimately not go. Apologize, he told himself. Though, right before the words could not so readily leave his lips, because, after all, he didn’t really know what to say, Y/n took his wrist, dragging him into a pub that initially appeared to be nothing more than a hole in the wall. “Come on,” she encouraged excitedly.

“Why are we in a pub?” Keanu questioned, more confused by their location than the fact that Y/n’s fingers still lingered on his hand.

“For the.....what do you call it?” Y/n snapped her fingers, reclaiming her hand, eyes squinted in concentration, “Ouzo! I’ve never had it!”

“Never?” Keanu asked curiously as they sat at a corner table. It was a small one, meant for just two people and she sat on the other side, just an arms length away. They were secured near the curve of the wall, away from the other patrons and the dim lights that hung over head.

“Nope,” Y/n confirmed. A waitress came shortly after, placing in front of them what they had ordered at the bar; two glasses, the ice water added before serving making the clear liquor turn milky white, and a small platter of meze. “The last time I came here, it was my parents, and I was like ten.”

What was Keanu doing when she was ten? The thought was enough to remind him that even though Y/n sat across from him, looking more beautiful than he remembered, she was still very young. He shouldn’t think of her the way he had grown used to, dreaming of her like that. She shouldn’t have been the object of his arousal; the face that got him off. She was someone’s daughter, and though every other woman was too, it was plainly obvious with Y/n’s age. Twenty-three was too young, it was perverse, he thought, scolding himself.

“Do you like it?” Keanu grinned, after Y/n took a lengthily initial sip.

Her pretty eyes widened with enjoyment, her smile growing, “That was amazing,” she breathed, popping a piece of cheese into her mouth. As she chewed, Y/n’s smile turned to a grimace and when she swallowed, presumably to be polite, she downed more of her drink and part of Keanu worried that she might be drinking too fast. Little did he know, she had started earlier that morning, “That was goat cheese,” she frowned, “I hate goat cheese.”

“It’s not that bad,” Keanu argued, though when he ate a piece himself, he had to scramble to wash it down with half his drink, “That was not as good as I remember it.”

The rest of the afternoon went by and neither Y/n nor Keanu paid any attention to how long they stayed at the pub, or how much they drank, but when the light filtering in from outside started to dim and Keanu suggested they leave, they both stood with a wobble. After a short to and fro about who should rightfully settle the bill, they ended up splitting it before spilling out drunkenly back onto the street.

The sun had almost completely sunk into the unseen horizon and majority of the vendors had long packed up, with only those selling food still open. More emboldened by alcohol, they joined hands as they walked aimlessly though the picturesque night life of Agios Nikolaos.

Warm, yellow artificial lighting washed the narrow streets , coming from the homes that sat on top of family owned business. Sometimes, Y/n wondered what it would be like to come from one of those families; the ones who didn’t have thousands of employees, who were totally dependent one each other to keep their livelihood a float. They must have been close, she often thought when looking on at homes like theirs, they’re relationships might have significantly paled the one she had with her parents. Y/n hadn’t even spoken to either of them since she had her friends left a couple days prior.

As if sensing her sullen mood, Keanu slowed their leisurely pace, looking down at her, “What are you thinking about?” He nudged her shoulder.

“Nothing,” Y/n waved off his question with her free hand, “It’s just, this place is really beautiful,” she gestured around them, hoping he’d believe her lie. The small, sea-side town really was a gem though. As they walked further and further, more small business mixed with aged villa styled homes lined the pleasantly worn streets. The place was like a chuck of history or maybe even vintage beauty saved in time, a treasure for those who would choose to look for it.

“It is,” Keanu hummed in agreement, “I’ve never been to this part of Greece,” he went on absently, “But my mom suggested that we come, and I can’t say I regret it.”

Y/n smiled at the mention of Keanu’s mother, just remembering that he had come with his family. When was the last time Y/n went on vacation with hers? They had stopped travelling together for pleasure when she had gone off to college, and after, she’d only take trips with them for events that her mother had been invited too or business trips with her father.

They continued in comfortable silence, their frames close together as they followed the road. The air felt cool against her skin and the alcohol flowing through her system was the only thing keeping Y/n from shivering. Keanu’s hand seemed to swallow hers up in comfortable warmth and occasionally, she’d steal glances at him, admiring his handsome profile, quickly turning back when she’d suspect that Keanu would notice.

As they walked, something to her left caught Y/n’s eye, causing her to pull Keanu towards the darkened store front of an antique shop, “Where are we going?” He chuckled, “This place is closed.”

“I know,” she frowned, “But look at this, it’s so beautiful,” Y/n pointed out a handmade piece that stood out among other fine pieces of jewelry; set in dark silver, a sizeable pearl dominated the center with other, smaller pearls around it, and finally, even tinier ones to fill the spaces. The round pendant hung on a thin silver chain that looked as if it were shined daily. The price was hidden in the velvet cushion that it laid on, but Y/n was right; it was gorgeous. “It looks Bayzantinian,” she mused, “I wonder if it’s real, and if it is, what’s it doing here?”

Keanu had recognized the necklace’s historical connection from the minute he saw it, asking himself the same questions she had vocalized, but he was a little surprised with Y/n’ s knowledge on it. Needless to say, he hadn’t expected that from her, “How did you know that?”

It took a minute before she turned to look at him, a soft smile still ghosting her lips, “Huh? Oh, when I was in college I.....knew,” dated, “This History professor. He was also an archeology junkie, and had this kind of stuff all over his house.”

Y/n explanation fell off her lips as if it were nothing, as if it were normal for her to just hang out with older men. Surly this professor in question would have to be one; not a lot of men in their twenties or thirties collected replicas of ancient artifacts - or taught college grade history.

Before Keanu could press the issue any further though, Y/n was pulling him along the side walk again, and he tried to shake off his tumultuous thoughts.

When Y/n and Keanu got to the beach, it was late and most light came from the string of beach houses and hotels a distance away from the shore. Having stopped at several other bars in their attempt to be bar hopping tourists; they were far drunker than they had been before. Keanu thought that his eyes might be playing tricks on him and Y/n didn’t think that she could trust herself to get back on the boat without falling into the water.

“We go should in!” She suggested excitedly at the thought. Without his consent, Y/n was already pulling Keanu towards the water.

“Okay, but only our feet,” Keanu tried to sound stern, but hadn't realized how slurred his words were. Despite his drunkenness, he faintly remembered that swimming whilst drunk wasn’t one’s safest move.

Clumsily, they hastily kicked off their shoes, cold water reaching their just above their ankles as they went in. A shiver racked Y/n’s body and Keanu felt goosebumps raise on his skin. Still, they stayed in and at some point, Y/n’s hand had slipped out of his and she had gone a little deeper in, until the water was at her knees. “You shouldn’t go in that far,” Keanu warned.

“Oh yeah?” She challenged with a smirk, “What are you gonna do about it?” Without giving him a minute to respond, Y/n bent forward, her hands going into the water, arms rearing back. The whole thing happened so fast that in an instant, a wave of cold, salty water was hitting Keanu in the face, soaking his hair and making his grey button up cling to his chest.

“That was not funny,” he tried to maintain a serious expression, failing miserably.

“I thought it was funny,” Y/n shot back, splashing him again, “But if its not, then maybe you should do something about it,” laughing, her expression illuminated by only the light coming from at least half mile away, Y/n took another step back. Her dress, by then, had started to billow up in the water, and instead of hanging down to her ankles, it was floating around her, waves shifting it how they pleased. Her chest was wet too, and he could see that the dress, much like the one she had worn to the party, didn’t warrant the need for a bra. It all clung to her skin in a way that was so distracting.....and arousing. After another wave hit him in the face, Y/n drunkenly suggested, “Maybe you should John Wick me.”

Keanu threw his head back in rumbling laughter, “John Wick you? What does that mean?” He questioned, taking a few steps forwards, accepting that ‘dipping their feet’ had turned into something far from it.

Y/n shrugged, her hands threaded the water around her, but she wasn’t moving, “I don’t know. But I do know that he wouldn’t just stand there and let me do that, especially if he thought it, ‘wasn’t funny’,” Y/n’s lips morphed into a teasing pout, “But you’re all bark no bite,” she continued taunting him.

Rolling his eyes, Keanu scoffed, knowing that Y/n was just trying to push his buttons. Again she splashed him and her eyes almost shouted ‘I dare you to make me stop’. Without think about it, Keanu was closing the space between them, tackling her, sending them both underwater.

Instinctively Y/n’s arms went around him, their fronts pressed together. He could feel everything, from the rise and fall of Y/n’s chest with each slow breath, to how hard her nipples had gotten from the cold and the softness of her legs on his calves. There was hair in both their faces and even as they regained their composure, Keanu still held her in his arms.

Swallowing tightly, Y/n reached to tangle her thin fingers in Keanu’s wet hair, urging his face down towards hers. That time, she didn’t wait for the air to push them together, for someone to interrupt them or for things to just happen naturally. No, instead, Y/n smashed her lips to Keanu’s. His resistance was all but existent and in a beat, he was kissing her back, his tongue slipping past he barrier of her teeth.

It was just a kiss. The kind where his hand slid down her back, holding her close, where she gently tugged on fistfuls of his hair. Y/n melted against him, crashing waves nearly pushing them down, cold, gentles breezes threatening to break the warmth they offered each other. It was just a kiss, but as Keanu groped and kneaded her behind and Y/n moaned against his touch, it was turning into so much more.

********

Tagging- @baphometwolf666 @a-really-bi-girl @paanchu786 @harrisongslimited

#Keanu Reeves #Keanu reeves x reader #Keanu reeves x you #Keanu reeves fanfiction #Keanu reeves fanfic #lullaby #lullaby chapter 4 #fanfic #fanfiction #john wick #john wick x reader #john wick fanfic #chapter 4 #ff

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justimajin · 6 years ago

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Catching a Case of the Doctor Blues ⌠Part 9⌡

⇢ Pairing: Taehyung x Reader

⇢ Genre: Fluff, Comedy, Angst

↳ (3.6k) Doctor/Surgeon AU, Enemies to Lovers AU

⇢ Summary: When asked about Dr. Kim, a string of beautifully aligned words are ready spew from your lips. You could possibly go on and on about how his wonderful stubbornness wasn’t similar to talking to a brick wall, or how his observation skills were especially great in preparing your blood vessels for a drastic rupture or even how one gracious stare of his nearly had you on the verge of ripping your essential documents in half. But it seems that, perhaps, there was a lot more to Dr. Kim then what meets the eye…

⇢ Warnings: graphical descriptions of surgery

⇢ Moodboard Prologue Part 1 Part 2 Part 3 Part 4 Part 5 Part 6 Part 7 Part 8

⇢ Next Update: Tuesday, May 21

It’s a simple, quiet evening in the corners of the hospital; nurses are attending to patients, doctors are doing their regular check-ups and interns are keenly observing right by their side.

The comfortable atmosphere sits peacefully in the center of your office, your gaze dancing over a flood of papers as you take a swipe of your pen and swirl it around as an everlasting stamp. The man situated afar from you in the same room is also doing the same task, occasionally bending down to place to slurp on some cooked ramen he so conveniently decided to make.

“How did you even…?” You are unsure about how to phrase the question when your gaze falls on the cooked noodles, especially when he glances up at you with cheeks filled with ramen.

He brings up the bowl closer to you but you shake your head, “Yeah, no thanks.”

“We’ve been working for hours, I got hungry!” Jin replies after swallowing down the large volume of noodles. You roll your eyes, a light smile on your lips when he stretches his legs out.

“Can we take a break?” He whines, “I’m exhausted.”

With a loud sigh, you agree, “Sure. My legs are starting to give out too.”

Both of you get up with longer drawn out stretches, attempting to get some circulation flowing into your veins once again. Stepping outside, the hospital echoes with the faint silence when the dark sky is illuminated through the many windows.

“It’s a little spooky.” Jin comments, closing the door after you and you nod. Working late hours at the hospital wasn’t a very rare event, but the sudden hush for patient sleep was nerve-wracking to be in.

“We can walk around a bit and then come back.” You glance at your watch, calculating that it would take approximately one more hour to finish the paper work with two individuals working at the same time, then the two of you could be pleasantly on your way back home.

Walking around the hallways, the steps you take are silent, with only whispers being exchanged, “Is anyone still here?” Jin asks.

“Should be. Although, I think Jimin went home early today and Jungkook went with him.”

“Those two are awfully close.” Jin chuckles, raising a hand to subtly cover his mouth from the abrupt sound.

“They’re almost like brothers at this point.”

“Brothers? Shouldn’t it be father and son?” A soft laugh escapes you at that.

“I think you and Jungkook are more like father and son.”

Jin looks at you appalled, “Me? Raising that kid? As if!” You hurriedly shush him down when his voice increases in volume and he quickly pipes down.

“Oh come on, Jungkook probably looks up to you.”

“Why wouldn’t he? I’m a fantastic role model.”

Sarcasm drips into your voice. “With an inflated ego? Yep.”

“When you have a face like this, how can you not idealize it?” He dramatically gestures to himself and you try to contain your own laughter from the huge exhibition.

However, before you’re able to retort back with an equally ridiculous comment, heavy pounding against the floor infiltrates your ears.

“There you are!” Namjoon’s wide eyes land straight on you, “I need you to come with me.”

He looks frazzled, eyes scanning around and white coat barely staying on his shoulders. You silently nod as Namjoon begins abruptly walking with this only being your simple cue to follow. It dawns on you that leaving would probably leave Jin to do all the work on his own, but he sends you a reassuring gaze when Namjoon increases his strides, almost as if he was running to his destination.

“Namjoon, what is it?” You ask, jogging lightly to keep up with him.

“An emergency.” He states, “You’re probably acquainted with Jung Hoseok?” He swiftly glances at you and your eyes widen.

“I am.” Beginning to pick up on your own pace greatly to walk on pare with him, tension pools in the pit of your stomach from the sole mention of his name.

Namjoon eventually leads you into the side corridors of the operating room, which was currently a room used for creating and analyzing X-rays. There are fine prints of some hanging on the walls once you enter, but your breath hitches when your eyes run over the large volume of results.

“Diagnosis of pneumonia. Except it’s a lot worse than you would think.”

You nod, baffled when you see the obstruct clouds of white engulfed inside Hoseok’s lungs – an image that was typical for anyone that contracted a mild case of pneumonia. It doesn’t seem to show anything out of the plain ordinary and simply glancing over it makes you still agree it that it only appeared to be a case of pneumonia.

“He has pneumonia, I don’t see-“ Suddenly your eyes flicker over to the image situated on the right side of the X-ray. A CT Scan.

A scan that was always in depth with its findings.

You cautiously walk forward to the image and sharply narrow your orbs, before you finally catch on.

“Pneumothorax.” You whisper, eyes scanning thoroughly all over the abnormal shape the lung was contorted in and uneasiness flooding through every fiber of you when it was such a clear indication of critical suffocation.

Namjoon hums, “Precisely. A collapsed lung,” He pauses, walking to stand beside you, “that’s almost to the stage of shutting down. Potentially for good.”

You turn to him petrified and Namjoon already notices the troubled glint in your eyes, “We need to operate on him by tonight. Dr. Kim stayed back for work and has agreed to assist with the operation, so I need both of you to get prepared.”

You nod, turning to leave but you suddenly halt in your steps.

“Can I have five minutes?”

You rapidly pace through the empty hallway when the tension flashes inside your mind, only one thought being stuck to it. It leaves your nerves in complete shambles and the clock ticks down in slow, frightening intervals.

The office door sparks into your view and you lunged for the knob, attempting to twist but the door doesn’t budge. A frown sets on your lips, but when you inch closer to plant your ear on the door, the softest of sobs speaks immediately to you.

You remove your ear and opt out to gently knock on the door. Instantly a heavy thud resonates on the other side, followed by more rummaging that takes a couple of seconds.

The door flings open and you’re welcomed to a Min Yoongi with pink filled eyes lined with cracks of red.

“D-Did you want something?” He croaks out, sniffling as he speaks.

“Are you okay?” The only thought had run through your mind when Namjoon had explained the situation to you was him. Maybe he had assumed that it wasn’t apparent to anyone else, but you could easily make out the warm exchanges him and Hoseok had – from the way Hoseok spoke so fondly about him and the way Yoongi would subtly linger around his side longer than he was required.

But the news itself was petrifying, leaving you unsure how he was dealing with the knowledge that Hoseok’s life had been dangling right in front of him and that the results of tonight’s operation would ultimately determine his undecided fate.

He sniffles again, this time reaching to dab his eyes with his white sleeve when they unconsciously re-surface drops of water, “I-I don’t know, I knew something was wrong and I just hate that we only found out now.”

He takes a sharp breath, attempting but failing to compose himself, “And by tomorrow…”

“We’ll try Yoongi,” He looks up to meet your fixed gaze, “We’ll save him.”

Taking a long drawn out breath, he nods, “I’m trusting you on this.”

“I’ll try my best.” You whisper, before he starts to usher you away.

“You need to get going. They’ll start preparations soon.” You take a quick glance at the clock and you firmly nod before hurriedly rushing away.

High amounts of concern cloud your mind immensely and the words Yoongi had left with you causes you to slow down, gripping down onto every single syllable.

“Y/N.”

You stop midway, about to head towards the operation room to turning around in Yoongi’s direction. The same heart-wrenching grief remains in Yoongi’s eyes, however the final words he leaves you with makes you feel like his entire world was resting on your shoulders.

“Please make sure he can breathe again.”

You deeply exhale, heading out with now heavy blue covered scrubs adorned instead of the light white coat. Walking towards the sterilization room, Yoongi’s words repeat in your mind when you recall the amount of times you had passed by Hoseok; suffering and struggling.

It was horrible, to even imagine that someone as wonderful and cheerful as Hoseok was dealing with being slowly suffocated as he spent his days here, to the point where his lungs were prepared to give it all up.

But it’s even more horrible when you have to come down to the conclusion that the only sole people who can stop Hoseok’s suffering were you, Namjoon and-

“Dr. L/N?” He questions, standing behind you when his voice again pulls you out of your thoughts and you want to inwardly groan.

“What?” You respond. Having a mind already consumed with impending pressurizing thoughts doesn’t quite leave you with any free space to handle Dr. Kim at the moment.

“Is…” He trails off, but you raise an eyebrow at him when he pauses. Dr. Kim would always speak to you sternly and directly, having his thoughts collected before trying to talk to you. “Is Dr. Min alright?”

If you were confused before, you’re completely blown away now. You were expecting a lot of things – jabs at your association with Hoseok, questioning if you were sufficient enough for the surgery, nit picking at any instance to rile up a distasteful reaction out of you.

Dr. Kim actually questioning about Yoongi’s wellbeing was far from the list, actually not existing on it at all.

“U-Uh…” You’re at a loss of words, not knowing how to retort, “He’s not doing so well…”

You’re not too sure if you should elaborate more to him, but Dr. Kim’s silently nods, “I see…”

Walking forward, you begin to sterilize your hands in the midst of blinking your eyes a couple of times. The whole interaction throws you off, being so well used to Dr. Kim’s rather annoying pieces of conversation that an automatic repulsive answer was always prepared for you. You didn’t think much about it, Dr. Kim set your nerves on fire and lets the rage pool inside, but these crucial reactions weren’t occurring.

Oddly enough, the change of conversation briefly diminishes the worrisome thoughts brewing inside your mind for the soon conflicting operation.

Walking into the operating room isn’t the same now; heavy steps are pounding against the tiled floor, fidgeting hands are kept on bay and your heart is accelerating at a tenfold speed. The same team of individuals surround you as before – nurses in blue ready to assist and the two necessary members situated in front of you.

The atmosphere is coated with the same twisted doubt just like the last surgery you had performed and it causes you to let out a shaky breath. For a brief moment, you try to dismiss all those past lingering thoughts, attempting to get your mind to narrow back in at the task at hand.

However, the white sheets are pulled upward and the moment your eyes land on Hoseok’s delicate features, that entire mentality is thrown out the window.

He’s incredibly pale, looking considerably worse than when you had last seen him. It irks you so much, churning your insides when you recall his sunny disposition and hopeful aura, now being reduced to a frail patient whose life rested in your hands.

With a deep sigh, Namjoon begins the procedure by carefully navigating around the space of Hoseok’s face so he can insert in a tube leading into the lungs. The process thankfully will be less difficult than the previous pancreatomy you had to go through and didn’t require the grueling steps of attempting to remove an entire cancerous organ.

The first step was simple – the lungs needed to be drained of the fluid that accumulated in them in order to relieve the persistent symptoms of pneumonia. Additionally, it gives you the perfect opportunity to repair the remainder issue of his collapsed lung, a part of the surgery that was going to be exceeding hard to maneuver around without draining the built-up liquid.

Once Namjoon finishes attaching the scope to his nose and mouth, a nurse enters the room with a blank monitor and Dr. Kim moves forward to assist her with setting up the machine. It instantly clicks on and displays a clear image of the chaos ensuring inside Hoseok lungs.

Namjoon cautiously moves the scope around, examining the precise location for the largest volume of the liquid. In the midst of this, you keep a sharp eye on the second monitor across from him which showcases Hoseok’s vital signs, fully being aware that it would disastrous for complications during the examination process.

The image drifts back and forth several times before a proper picture of the inside of lungs being displayed and revealing the location of drainage. Namjoon nods as confirmation before both you and Dr. Kim moves swiftly to insert the tubes that will remove the unwanted liquid into the small spot Namjoon had inserted the scope in.

The liquid initially pipes slowly, small bubbles forming inside the tube, but it soon picks up and an abundant amount flows through. Namjoon’s eyes remain glued to the screen, ensuring that the correct fluid was being picked up and that no further complications were occurring because of your actions.

You glance over at the vitals monitor, a sigh of relief escaping through when Hoseok is considerably remaining stable through the drainage.

Namjoon motions you to stop, assessing that the correct amount had been taken out in which the two of you move to remove the tubes while Namjoon keeps the scope inside. After the tubes had been taken out, Namjoon hums in content when the pipes on the monitor have substantially opened up and the hollow tube is not longer filled with a cloudy white mixture.

However, this was the simple part.

You had just performed the basic procedure doctors would do if a patient had a severe case of pneumonia and instantly needed a method of relief if antibiotics were proving to be ineffective. It wasn’t a terrifying operation per say because of how often it would need to be used.

The additional complication Hoseok had however, was the game changer.

His collapsed lung. Essentially a painful pressure of air lodged inside his chest cavity that was causing his lungs to shrink into an abnormal, curvaceous shape. It was the source of all his pain and a small, brief wrong move could cut off his air supply instantly, rendering him no oxygen.

The shiny prick of a needle is displayed through Namjoon’s outstretched hands and its sole appearance tugs your lips downward. Due to the very precise foundation of the surgery, it was utterly necessary to drill into your skull of how careful you had to be doing this.

Taking a gulp, you take the needle from him and look down at the boy currently lying on the stretcher in front of you. You take the syringe component and attach it onto the needle, requiring a pump to decrease the amount of air pressure built inside his lungs.

You cautiously insert the needle into his skin and let it penetrate through into his chest cavity. Slowly inching forward, you flinch when a large amount of air pushes against the needle and immediately flows into the syringe. It arises from the air being trapped inside his lungs for so long and you ensure that the amount isn’t too overwhelming to the point where you puncture into his airflow.

Draining the air comes smoothly and your eyes are fixated onto the spot that you had penetrated through to make sure that no tears are made in the flesh because of the needle.

But this is when his vitals start to respond to you.

You don’t move your gaze when the beep sounds through the room, the small siren alerting you of the treacherous field you were starting to trespass into.

“Blood pressure is decreasing.” Namjoon states, keeping an eye on the monitor as you perform your part.

You nod, blood pressure decreasing was not surprising because you were directly interfering with his air flow which was important for supplying the blood stream with oxyg-

“Heart rate is also decreasing.” Dr. Kim mutters in a tone lined with warning and it causes your thought process to stagger just like the lines on the monitor.

Heart rate…?

Your eyes quickly flicker around, examining his torso when the dark blue veins begin to peep out of his lightly tinted skin.

Low oxygen was interfering with the blood stream. Pressure had decreased, which was normal because of you interfering, but heart rate decreased and his veins were changing color.

He wasn’t getting enough oxygen. You were starting to cut off his air supply.

Panic floods through you when you focus begins to dwindle on the needle placed inside of him and how you were so close to removing all of the air from his lungs. You had to continue on to finish the operation, but he wasn’t being able to breathe at the momen-

A hand reaches out to slide against yours, slowly tugging the needle outwards and you receive an alarming look on your features from the gesture.

Dr. Kim holds the needle with you and his gaze is completely trained onto it, before his eyes briefly flicker onto your own.

“We have to continue with cutting off his air supply but reduce the amount being taken out. We can’t stop the procedure but we can lower the chances of suffocating him.” He gently states, his voice morphing in such a way where he sounded like he was trying to reassure.

You let it pass, nodding when you focus back onto Hoseok who needed all of your attention. Namjoon seems to be in agreement with Dr. Kim when he watches the monitor that continues to violently stray low with the impending decision.

The sirens keep blaring out and you can’t get a proper control on how you keep flinching when every single one rings, knowing that what you were doing was going to be unlikely to work. It becomes even worse when the tremor in your hands appears once again and despite your best efforts, your hands continue to tremble.

A soft amount of pressure is applied to your hands and you widen them, eyes darting around to wonder if the needle was still situated in the same position. It was; however, Dr. Kim’s blue latex hand covers yours completely and you come to the discovery that in the midst of trying to help you, he was actually holding your hand.

Abruptly, you flicker your eyes up at him and are taken aback when you realize his gaze was on you, observing any sort of reaction emitting out as you were internally battling with the situation.

You quickly lower your gaze, having a million questions racing in your mind but attempting to forget them in order to focus. It doesn’t help when you have to acknowledge that any times your hands give out, a slight tremble, a subtle shake, he applies more pressure onto them.

You try to ignore the comforting, warm vibe they emit.

Suddenly, the monitor beeps and both of you glance at it simultaneously.

The air pressure in Hoseok’s lungs had decreased substantially, returning to the normal level.

The huge amount of relief graciously flows in you when you let out a low exhale, returning the smile Namjoon gives when he comes over to assist you in removing the needle and patching up the spot that had been penetrated.

The rest of the operation involves ensuring that everything had been sterilized and that Hoseok’s vitals were still in the safe zone. Once those two tasks had been check-marked, Namjoon utters the words that have a large tired smile lining your lips when the whole entire operation room brims with the satisfaction.

“Surgery successful.”

You close your eyes when the room fills with cheers, many of the nurses patting you on the back when Namjoon shoots you a dimpled smile as well. When you reach out to thank all of them for the considerate amount of help they had done for you, a faint whisper resonates near your ear.

“Nicely done Dr. L/N.” The deep sound of the owner’s voice disappears when Dr. Kim walks in front of you to leave, sending you a small satisfied glance as he walks by.

Although complimented, you tilt your head at the display. A genuine praise, not paired with a smirk, not added with a small triumphing pose in front of you as a way to claim his victory.

Your eyes instantly land onto your hands, your mind flickering when even you don’t notice the slight pink tinting on your own cheeks from the memory.

#taehyung fanfic #taehyung fluff #taehyung doctor au #taehyung e2l au #bts taehyung fanfic #taehyung angst #kim taehyung fanfic #kim taehyung #bts v fanfic #bts v fluff #bts v angst #bts taehyung doctor au #bts taehyung enemies to lovers au #taehyung childhood friends au #bts fanfic #bts fluff #bts angst #bts imagines #bts scenarios

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lilith-lovett · 5 years ago

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Found Families - Home is Where the Hart is - Chapter Eight

I have been looking forward to writing this chapter since the beginning but now I’m not entirely happy with it and I wish I would have split it into two separate chapters as it took absolutely forever to write but here we are. And as per usual I hope you enjoy this update.

Masterlist

Summary: The day of Logan and Patton day out finally arrives.

Word Count: 6008 (this is a monster chapter I am so sorry)

Warnings: Implied child abuse, self-deprecation, anxiety, disordered eating, food mention. (Not as many as usual this a fluffy chapter but if there is any I have missed please let me know).

Logan found himself on the day his outing with Patton was scheduled pacing back and forth in Maggie’s office, partaking in one of his counting rituals as he waited restlessly for Patton’s arrival. It had been three days since Patton’s last visit but to Logan it felt like an eternity (though it definitely hadn’t been as that would be physically impossible). Waves of anxiety crashed within his stomach, his heart pounded against his rib cage. Why was he feeling like this? It was merely an outing, not a matter of significance or an event which would drastically alter his existence. But why did it feel so?

Maggie had been carefully studying him since he arrived, glancing up ever so often from her marking to observe him metaphorically wearing a hole in the floor where he paced. Logan could sense her eyes on him but couldn’t bring himself to meet her gaze, knowing it would surely prompt a conversation regarding his rather confusing emotions. So, he continued to pace. Walking back and forth, back and forth until a hand on his shoulder physically stopped him in his tracks. Maggie guided him to the arm chair, urging him to sit, which he did, although begrudgingly. Though resting his aching legs certainly brought about some relief. Maggie situated herself in front of the arm chair presumably to prevent him from escaping, to silently stim until he broke.

“Logan, I know you are nervous but if Mr Hart is everything you tell me he is. I can assure you everything will be fine,” Maggie said offering a warm smile, settling the apprehension in his stomach. “Do you trust him?”.

The question caught Logan off guard. His trust had been betrayed and broken so often and by so many, he found it exceedingly difficult to build meaningful relationships any more especially finding someone he considered close enough to warrant or deserve his trust. He had determined previously that despite his growing fondness for Patton he didn’t trust him but should he? Put his trust into the man who had been nothing but kind and patient with him but what of the consequences? Could he afford to have his trust broken again? What would be left?

“It is okay if you don’t, building trust takes time,” She said taking Logan’s elongated silence as her answer. “But if you continue to be open with him and show a little more of the real you I know is in there, I think you could learn to,”. Maggie returned to her desk, allowing Logan to process what she had said. It was true. Logan had been more…open as of late specifically with Patton, an action completely out of character for him but Patton was a special case, like no potential parent he had ever met before and he was showing interest in Logan. At times Logan struggled to comprehend why. He commonly found himself searching for the ‘why’ in every scenario. In processes, engineering, human behaviour but Patton perplexed him. Logan could never detect a singular reason or motive for his actions, Maggie assured him that is was Patton’s ‘fondness’ for him which drove him but Logan couldn’t bring himself to believe it.

“You better introduce me, I need to meet the man you are clearly smitten with,” Maggie said giggling at Logan’s pouted expression.

Eventually, Mrs Davis found and dragged Logan away to make himself presentable. With a final glance back at Maggie, she gave him an encouraging thumbs up, a action he returned before she disappeared from view. Now, trapped in the bathroom, scrubbing at his tired features though his heightened mood these past few days had, had a significant impact on his appearance. Looking far less exhausted then he had done the week prior. He dragged a brush through his hair, the sting barely there and dressed in his best clothes he preserved for special occasions. Once his appearance had been deemed acceptable, he was directed to his and Patton’s regularly meeting room, to wait anxiously for Patton’s arrival.

He found himself unable to sit still, the constant bouncing of his thigh swiftly growing irritating. So, he instead turned to pacing the length of the moderately sized room, weaving his way through the obstacles scattered throughout the room each time taking a different pathway to the opposite side. He steered himself clear from the window, knowing if he let his mind settle for a second he would be stuck staring out of it, scanning the streets outsides for Patton’s vibrant yellow jacket. So, Logan kept moving. Occupying his mind with memory puzzles and thought-provoking questions and topics for his next research project. Which worked, for a short while until the incessant ticking of the clocking grew to loud for him to ignore. The knowledge that each second which ticked by was a second closer to Patton’s arrival and the first time he is leaving the confines of the orphanage in the almost two years of him being there, was suffocating.

Logan sensed his body moving independently towards the window despite the protests from his mind, his body simply would not obey and he found himself in an all to familiar position. Stuck to the window, staring out at the blurred shapes below. It was a fruitless endeavour. Logan knew this. His poor eyesight had deteriorated to the extent where his current glasses did little to improve his vision, which did make getting around a lot more problematic than it otherwise would have been. But yet he found himself there anyway, squinting his eyes, searching for any indication of Patton’s arrival. Luckily, Patton’s luminous yellow jacket came into view a short while later. He was here. He was actually here. He had kept his promise. Logan felt as if a sizeable weight had been lifted from his shoulders as a smile crept onto his face. He was finally getting out of here. It may only be for the day but even a minute outside of the constricting walls of the orphanage would feel like heaven.

The patter of footsteps alerted Logan to an approaching presence and the door opened to reveal Patton, dressed in pale blue polo shirt, tan coloured trousers and a glimpse of his grey cardigan from beneath his raincoat. The minute he entered his face broke into a grin which Logan couldn’t help but return.

“Hiya Logan, are you ready to go,” Patton asked.

“Yes I am. But do I now get to know what you have planned?” Logan responded. Desperate to know what Patton had planned for their outing, he’d spent many of his days and nights theorising plans for their upcoming excursion.

“Nope, it’s a surprise,” Patton exclaimed his smile growing even wider while Logan’s fell marginally a deep pit of anxiety growing within his stomach. He loathed not knowing, unable to prepare suitable precautions or reactions leaving him completely in the dark.

Patton presumably noticed the uncertainty which laced Logan’s expression as his own facial expression melted into one of understanding and concern as he made his away over to Logan’s position in the centre of the room.

“It’s alright Logan, I promise I will not force you to do anything you don’t want to. If anything I have planned makes you uncomfortable or anxious we will leave immediately. Don’t worry I have lot’s of ideas in mind I think you’ll love. Do you trust me?” Patton asked

“I-I…t-trust you,” Logan stuttered though he did not quite believe it himself he felt it was the correct answer though his mind was put at ease by Patton’s words. Despite that he struggled to meet Patton gaze but Logan’s reserved response seemed to not deter him.

“Should we go now?” Patton asked gesturing to the door.

“Yes,” Logan replied.

Minutes later, Logan and Patton walked out of the orphanage side by side. Catching the glares of both the children who had slipped into the foyer to witness Logan’s departure, their faces fixed into deep scowls and the matrons who whispered to each other under hushed breathes, watching through side glances. Though the one face which almost brought a smirk to his lips was that of Madame Claire, who stood erect in the centre of the foyer, arms crossed across her chest, her stoic expression poorly masking her agitation and dismay. Faces which disappeared from view as Logan stepped over the threshold into the outside world at Patton’s side, venturing out into the unknown for what he may later consider the greatest day of his life.

The walk between the Orphanage - which Patton was glad to escape - and their first destination was filled with their usual chatter. Patton would introduce a topic of conversation and allow it to flow between the pair as he lead and Logan followed, apprehension evident in his movements. He had been cautious when deciding on locations to take Logan on their outing, to avoid making him uncomfortable, instead choosing places he hoped would draw the real Logan out of his shell and return the curious sparkle to his eye. Patton had to admit, he nearly cried upon hearing those three words. ‘I trust you’. He knew it wasn’t entirely the truth but he still held the hope that someday in the not so distant future it would become a reality.

The journey passed swiftly and before long they had arrived at their first destination. The town’s largest book-store. Patton observed Logan as he studied the building, watching as his expression shifted from inquisitive searching to a child-like wonder at the realisation of their whereabouts. Patton wished he could capture the pure look of elation, painted across Logan’s normally stoic features and commit it to memory. The sparkling wide-eyes, glowing red cheeks Patton couldn’t help but squeal at his cuteness.

“Is this a book-store?” Logan asked a wide toothy grin spread across his face. Patton held back yet another squeal, this was the real Logan very few people would ever have the pleasure of meeting. The young boy who lit up at the mention of books, shedding his cold outer exterior whenever one of his favourite titles were mentioned.

“Yup, I thought we could get you some,” Patton suggested but as he did the smile disappeared, replaced with the same apprehension and unease as previously.

“Y-you shouldn’t waste any money on me,” Logan stuttered curling in on himself, one arm winding around his stomach. Patton’s heart clenched at the sight and the fact he didn’t believe he deserved something as minimal as a couple of books. Patton wanted to have a seriously talk with whoever made him feel like he didn’t deserve kindness.

“It’s not a waste if I want to,” Patton responded as he watched Logan process what he had said, his expression remaining unchanged.

“B-but…I-I,” Logan stuttered. Words forming on his tongue but never being said, shock painted clear as day across his face. Patton winced internally but it made all the more determined to make this the best day out ever for Logan.

“Okay compromise, one book,” Patton suggested. Praying Logan would agree, to see that smile and bright eyed expression returned to his face once again and for it to remain.

“I suppose one book would be acceptable,” Logan murmured barely audible but Patton took it as a success and ushered Logan inside.

The look of awe returned to his face the minute the entered. Finally experiencing the sheer number of titles in its full glory. The store spanned an enormous three stories and he was positive Logan would insist on scouring every one of them in search of the book he really wanted. Patton trailed after Logan as he combed through the many shelves, picking up a book, reading the blurb or maybe the first few pages if it piqued his interest but then ultimately returned it to it’s correct position of the shelf. All while Patton provided his own opinions and a humourous commentary, while also challenging himself to come up with as many book-themed puns as he could resulting in light-hearted groans from Logan in response.

“Wait, this is a good one I promise,” Patton assured Logan who had stopped in his book hunt in order to listen. “I tried to make a reservation the other day but I couldn’t. Do you know why?”.

“Please don’t,”. Logan dead-panned.

“Because they were all BOOKED!” Patton exclaimed bursting into a fit of giggles as he received more than a few strange looks from some nearby strangers, gaining yet another exaggerated sigh from Logan but Patton could see the hint of a smile he was desperately trying to hide. So he counted it as a win.

Patton and Logan continued to make their way through the maze of shelves, from horror to fantasy to science fiction, pausing every so often so Logan could examine another title. He couldn’t help but smile at how domestic it felt, he wandered these shelves numerous time before with Roman, Virgil and Dee in tow but now with Logan by his side he felt one step closer to inviting a new member into his family. Through all of the three stories Logan’s enthusiasm never wavered, constantly rushing to the next shelf of potential choices, his lips moving but no sound came out.

“Hey Logan, what are you doing?” Patton asked as Logan returned another book to its correct position on the shelf.

“I am attempting to memorise the titles to recommend to Maggie when I return, she is also an avid reader,” Logan explained tracing his index finger along the spine of second book, studying the intricate front cover.

“Aw Logan, you are so sweet,” Patton squealed struggling to restrain himself from pulling Logan into a hug especially since the scarlet blush coating his cheeks made him look so gosh diddly darn cute.

“I am not!” Logan protested glancing away in embarrassment.

“Are too,”.

“Am not,”.

Their back and forth argument carried on for another five minutes, both far to stubborn to give in. Until Logan eventually admitted defeat and accepted the compliment, a shy smile creeping onto his lips. A short while later they finally reached the third story where Logan continued his search, a content smile stretching across his lip, the usual weight having dissipated entirely from his shoulders as Patton watched on, a pleasant sensation flowering within his chest.

Finally, once Logan had searched through every shelf in the entire book store he sprung towards Patton, a book clutched to his chest, practically vibrating with excitement and his eyes lit up like stars.

“Did you find a book?” Patton asked unable to prevent the steadily building squeal from escaping at Logan’s complete change in character; from the withdrawn boy he met at the Open Day to the passionate and full of life boy he saw before him now. Completely open and comfortable instead of surrounded by impenetrable walls, speaking freely instead of drowning in silence. This was the real Logan and Patton was so happy he had the privilege of being one of the few people to see it.

“Yes, its called The Murder of Rodger Ackroyd by Agatha Christie, Maggie informed me that it was one of her favourites and I have always wanted to read it,” Logan exclaimed thrusting the book towards Patton, bouncing slightly on his heels repeatedly.

“I’m guessing this is the book you want,” Patton giggled at Logan animated gestures as he was completely enthralled in his explanation of the novel.

“Um…Yes, I would very much like this book,” Logan mumbled hands halting in his enthusiastic explanation, fingertips raising to his lips which Patton had seen him do several times since meeting Logan, averting his eyes.

“It’s okay Logan, I want to,” Patton reassured Logan, knowing the guilt he presumably felt over the minimal expense despite the fact Patton desperately wanted to buy Logan more books then he could ever hope to read in a lifetime, but he knew things like this took time and effort but he was willing.

Logan responded with a nod, giving the book to Patton who held it as it were a precious artifact so not to crumple its pristine pages as he bought it, returning it to Logan who held the novel close to his chest. A soft smile appearing on his face as he did.

Next they travelled to their second location of the day, it was a little further away then the book store which was relatively close by to the Orphanage and Patton could see the growing agitation in Logan. Visible in the uneasy silence between the pair and the tension present in his jaw and shoulders as they passed yet another row of shops and buildings. Patton placed a gentle hand on Logan’s taut shoulder who flinched, jolting back to the present before meeting Patton’s concerned gaze, offering a wobbly smile in return, turning back to the path ahead but Patton’s hand remained. Fingers moving in a repetitive circular motion for added comfort and assurance, knowing how the minimal action helped to calm Virgil when he was anxious and it seemingly also worked on Logan.

Couples and families smiled at the display as they passed, cooing at the relationship between the two, comments made in passing about how cute his son was without correcting them. He found he didn’t want to. He wanted so badly for this to become his new reality: to take Logan out for weekly outings to museums, aquariums and book-stores, to buy him more books then he could ever read in a lifetime, if only to see his face light up with a beautiful child-like wonder. Patton could imagine family dinners, all sat around the dinner table, talking about the mundane. Holidays. Easter spent painting Easter eggs and eating way to much chocolate. Halloween dressed in scary costumes, decorating the house for the occasion, baking all sorts of sweet treats. Christmas waking early, gathering around the Christmas tree to open presents and a home cooked Christmas dinner with family and friends to complete the night.

Patton could imagine it all. But was forced to abandoned those fantasies for the time being and focus on making this day out perfect for Logan.

***

They arrived a short while later to their second location of the day. From the large buildings exterior it wasn’t obvious where they were. Patton snuck at glance at Logan’s curious gaze as he studied his surrounding. Patton could see the cogs and wheels turning from within his head attempting to figure out where they were. Pupils flickering over the structure, eyes carefully studying the exterior, searching intently for any clues linking to their location.

“Where are we, Patton?” Logan asked turning to Patton, having exhausted his own list of possible options.

“You’ll see,” Patton responded with a knowing smile obtaining a roll of the eyes and a half-hearted sigh in response from Logan who charged on ahead, Patton following suit.

The moment they entered a gasp erupted from Logan as he took in the sight. Beautiful, glowing stars, strewn across the blackness, forming marvellous galaxies. A rainbow of colours, exploding from within. Our solar system hung from the seemingly endless abyss, rotating around a vibrant sun which illuminated the darkness surrounding it. Constellations adorning the walls, painted with painstaking detail. The big dipper, the little dipper and many others Patton couldn’t identify but as he glanced over to Logan he could see entire universes in his wide eyes, filled with unshed tears, marvelling at the beauty surrounding them.

“Patton, what is this place?” Logan asked his voice coming out in breathy gasps as he admired the display, the stars reflecting in his eyes, body among the galaxies.

“It is a Planetarium, kind of like a space museum,” Patton explained as he observed Logan bouncing on his heels, hands vibrating by his sides in excitement at the mention of his very favourite topic of conversation. Patton had spent hours simply listening to Logan talk about space, watching as his eyes lit up whenever Patton broached the topic, as he expressed his innermost feelings and emotions through definitions and explanations and theories. Logan was truly out of this world. Pun intended.

Logan’s face lit up like it was Christmas day, stars reflecting in his wide shinning eyes filled with unshed tears at the magnificent sight. Patton knew Logan’s love of all things space well from their frequent conversations regarding recent scientific discoveries, fun facts Logan had learned and books Maggie had gifted him on the wonders of the Universe. A trip to the local Planetarium, he himself hadn’t had a chance to visit yet, seemed appropriate and venturing slightly out of town for the experience was entirely worth it for the look of pure elation on Logan’s face.

“I-I…thank you, Patton,” Logan said glancing away from the display to Patton, a wide toothy smile stretching across his face, resulting in yet another high-pitched squeal to be emitted from Patton.

“You’re welcome. Now let’s go find some good seats, shall we?” Patton replied stretching a hand out towards Logan instinctively but before he could retract his hand and apologise for his boldness Logan took it. His touch barely there, his palm clammy and his gaze severely averted from Patton’s. Oh my gosh, Patton’s heart may spontaneously combust if this kid gets any cuter.

Once Patton had gotten over his minor heart attack, he tightened his grip on Logan’s hand, leading him into the crowd. They found seats relatively close to the front for optimal viewing - Logan’s words not his - but with nearby access to an exit point in the event of Logan becoming overwhelmed or uncomfortable. Logan had since then let go of his hand instead allowing them to flap by his side, fingertips tapping repeatedly on his thighs as he bounced in his seat too enthralled by the show to notice his visible stimming and in the moment Patton found himself more focused on Logan’s look of awe, re-lighting his previously muted blue eyes returning the light to the Patton adored, than the images of stars and planets being projected onto the ceiling of the auditorium. He was truly incredible, he wanted to protect him for everything which sought to hurt him and someday - hopefully soon - he would.

“Pa…Patton…Patton!” Logan snapped Patton out of his daze, he shook himself off, focusing attention once again onto Logan who had been insistently poking Patton in the stomach for the past minute in a half.

“Oh sorry kiddo, I guess I was a little lost in…space,” Patton had with a giggle receiving yet another groan from Logan. “What was it you wanted to tell me?”.

“Oh yes. Did you know their is a planet which may be made out of diamonds?” Logan said lowering his voice after gaining a few pointed glares from the people seated around them. Could Logan get any more adorable? Patton wasn’t sure how much more his fragile heart could take.

“No I didn’t,” Patton responded hoping to prompt an explanation from Logan, which it did.

“Its called 55 Cancri e and scientists at Yale believe its surface may be made up of graphite and diamond and despite it being 40 lights years away it is visible in the constellation Cancer,”Logan explained beaming as he shared some of his knowledge.

“Wow kiddo that is really cool,” Patton said watching Logan blush under the praise but they were interrupted by a sharp shush from the row in front. “How about you tell me more later, okay?

Logan nodded in response returning to watch the show, eyes flittering across the images of the night sky being painted across the ceiling of the auditorium, galaxies and constellations reflecting in his irises and there they both sat for the remainder of the show, in near silence, apart from the gasps of wonder emitted from Logan each times the images changed revealing yet another beautiful sight. Once the show came to an end, they along the rest of the crowd shuffled towards the exit points, Logan excitably rambling on about the new facts he had learned, without even pausing to take a breath until he suddenly stopped. Patton halted in his walking also, glancing back towards Logan he saw him sinking his teeth into his lower lip in attempt to prevent the flow of words. It hurt, to watch Logan intentionally silence himself, Patton wanted to have a serious talk with whoever made Logan feel like he couldn’t express himself.

“How about we move onto our next location?” Patton suggested hoping it would distract Logan from his presumably negative mental spiral and prevent him from retreating to far into himself.

“That sounds agreeable,” Logan replied his voice soft and barely audible but he hadn’t lost his voice entirely so Patton counted it as a success.

They left quickly, returning to the outside. A crisp breeze had picked up since they entered the Planetarium, ruffling Patton golden locks which he had made an effort to tame this morning. Logan still remained silent and in order to fill the increasingly awkward silence Patton began telling Logan all of the space puns he could think of, though his personal favourite was ‘Why did the sun go to college? Because he already has a million degrees’ which received a soft chuckle from Logan and in no time at all they arrived at their third and final location.

“Are you hungry?” Patton asked he received no verbal response but instead a well-timed stomach grumble which gave him his answer. “I’ll take that as a yes,”.

They entered the quaint and cosy Cafe ‘Beans & Cream’ where Patton worked a considerable number of years in his youth while trying to get back onto his feet after the incident with his parents. He still visited it often with Emile and had remained close with the owners and many of the baristas ever since. The minute he stepped through the door and he heard the pleasant jingling of the little bell, he was hit with the all too familiar scent of rich coffee beans and sweet smelling cakes. Jugs of brightly coloured wild flowers sat on the table of each both, a stark contrast to the dark wood which gave the whole place a cosy cabin feeling. His stomach grumbled loud in response and he lead Logan to an empty booth in the back corner of the Cafe, sinking into the decorative cushions as Logan busied himself with the menu.

Patton eventually chose a chicken and salad wrap, orange squash and a white chocolate chip cookie for dessert, while Logan chose a much simpler cheese and tomato sandwich, accompanied by a glass of water. While Patton considered Logan’s portion too small he kept his opinion to himself, Logan was noticeably skinny but he hoped he was simply reading to much into it. He had a habit of that. So instead returned to their former conversation of space, where Logan once again came out of his shell but Patton couldn’t help noticing Logan had yet to touch his food. Instead meticulously cutting the already small sandwich into much smaller sections before finally taking a bite. The conversation had faded into comfortable silence while they ate but Patton made sure to glance up at Logan every so often, observing as he picked apart his sandwich, taking generous sips of water in between each minuscule bite until he stopped.

Logan set his knife down, pushing the plate away from him still with exactly half of his sandwich there, swallowing the remainder of his water and settling back into the cushions surrounding him but Patton couldn’t help but be concerned. It had been a few hours since they had left the orphanage and Patton was ravenous, polishing off his entire main and dessert in a matter of minutes yet Logan made no move to eat the remainder of his lunch.

“Are you okay Logan? You haven’t eaten very much,” Patton said unable to mask the underlying concern in his voice.

“I am quite alright, I am merely full,”Logan said in that nonchalant way of his. Patton nodded, not entirely convinced but he didn’t want to ruin their day out by worrying. So he kept quiet and went to pay before they departed and gradually began to make their way back to the Orphanage.

The trip back to the Orphanage was considerably quieter than the journey from as the streets were near desolate, the crowds of people who had previously cluttered the streets dispersing as time passed and it grew later, the sky darkening and the chill present in the air, spreading goosebumps along Logan’s arms but yet he was warm inside. He walked side by side with Patton, his shoulder brushing against Patton’s forearm, slowing his pace in order to extend his time with Patton before being forced to return to the Orphanage. Today had been one of the greatest days of his life; wandering the shelves of the book-store, allowing his fingertips to graze the spines of the titles, witnessing the most magnificent sight of his life, viewing the wonders of the Universe in all of their glory without the fear of being punished and he had Patton to thank for that. Patton had remained relatively quiet for the remainder of the journey until he slowed, pausing to speak.

“Hey Logan, Madame Claire is quite the character isn’t she?” Patton said with a gentle smile though Logan wasn’t quite sure what about her personality he was referring too but the upon mentioning her name Logan tensed. What had she told him? Had she convinced him to give up on him? That he wasn’t worth the effort. Logan couldn’t say he didn’t agree but he thought their day out was quite enjoyable or was it merely a final act of kindness before he broke the news?

Patton had presumably taken notice of Logan’s increased level of panic and his expression shifted into one of concern as he placed a gentle hand on Logan’s shoulder, rubbing soothing circles into the taut muscles there. Logan allowed this contact and nodded, encouraging Patton to continue his story.

“She thought I was a first time parent, it gave her quite the shock when she learned I have three kiddos at home,” Patton continued pausing every other word to release a quiet snort and chuckle.

“I apologise. Upon first meeting you I also assumed from your youthful appearance and sunny disposition you were a first time adopter,” Logan admitted averting his gaze from Patton’s.

“Oh it’s okay kiddo, I’m used to it. One time One of Roman’s teacher mistook me for his older brother and during a parents evening kept asking when our parents would be arriving,” Patton explained before bursting out into a fit of giggles which brought a smile to his own face, banishing his former negative spiralling thoughts.

They walked in silence a little further and Logan began to recognise their surroundings, they were getting close to the Orphanage. Logan’s heart clenched within his chest. He didn’t want this day to ever end. He knew it was a childish notion, they both required proper nourishment and a healthy sleep schedule but it didn’t prevent him from praying for a few more hours with Patton. Once again Patton paused outside the gate of the Orphanage as if he was prolonging the inevitability of their day out coming to an end.

Hey kiddo, can I ask you something?” Patton asked before immediately retracting his statement. “Ah, sorry, bad wording. What I wanted to ask was, now you don’t have to say yes, you could say no and that would be completely fine. I mean…”.

“Patton, you have to ask me your question before I can offer a suitable answer,” Logan said cutting off Patton’s rambling.

“Ah yes, sorry kiddo,” Patton paused. “What I wanted to ask was. If you would like to meet them, my kids that is,”.

Logan froze. What was Patton asking? For him to meet his children, who Patton already thought extremely highly of, evident from their frequent conversations regarding them. Would this be the deciding factor? If Logan was worthy or not. It made perfect sense in fact, judging whether or not Patton’s children approved of him before continuing to interact with him.

“It is okay if you don’t want to or don’t feel comfortable doing so but I think they would really like you,” Patton assured Logan with a comforting smile stretched across his lips, a smile Logan felt he could trust.

“You want me to meet them?” Logan asked a hint of hesitation in his voice which faded once Patton nodded granting him all the reassurance he needed. “Okay,”.

Patton face split into a grin but it disappeared just as quickly as he lead Logan back through the gates, into the Orphanage and entering through the foyer where Mrs Davis sat, typing on her computer.

“Hello, how was your day out Logan?” Mrs Davis asked presumably because Patton was present, knowing she wouldn’t cast a second thought to Logan otherwise.

“It was satisfactory,” Logan responded turning once again to Patton who had been waiting patiently at the door for him. “May I introduce you to someone?”.

“Of course kiddo, I can’t wait to meet them,” Patton said flashing Logan a grin before gesturing for him to lead the way.

Logan smiled faintly to himself. Maggie would surely love Patton and he himself couldn’t wait to disclose every detail of his and Patton’s outing with her and she would surely gloat, claiming she was right and that he should take her advice more often.

And thinking back, to the day he had spent with Patton, maybe he would.

Notes: Can you tell I’ve never been to a Planetarium so I have no idea if what I have written is entirely accurate but oh well and I know Logan’s science fact about the planet made out of diamonds is a little outdated but I still thought it was really cool but if anyone has any cool facts about space I would love to hear them.

Tag List: @i-do-not-dislike-fudge @poems-art-darkness-n-more @alex-cain @amber1594 @darkrainbow333 @unofficialweatherguru @lovingcreatorstrawberry @mason-does-a-thing @callboxkat @tacohippy56900 @anxiousangel121 @comicsimpson @harrypotternerdprincess

If you like to be added to the tag list or have a question about the series please do not hesitate to ask.

#logan sanders #patton sanders #Adoption AU #human au #sander sides au #sander sides #roman sanders #virgil sanders #deciet sanders #thomas sanders #Logic sanders #Morality sanders #creativity sanders #anxiety sanders #found familes #home is where the hart is #My writing #My fic #original characters

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readandlisten · 5 years ago

Text

Military Hospital AU- Part 6

Author’s Note: Hey it’s been a little while. Life has been completely insane but it’s slowing down. I really appreciate all the people who have commented and reblog fed my writing, it really motivates me. More than you know. If you want to read my other writing you can read it on my Masterlist and you can read my previous chapter Here. Also let me know if you want to join the tag list.

Read Part 7

After Rowan left the room, Fenrys led her through a few exercises for her shoulder, ankle and knee. He was arrogant with a dry sense of humor and Aelin immediately felt comfortable with him. He did seemed like the type of person who wouldn’t push her to talk about anything she didn’t want to or judge her if she did end up sharing something.

“I can’t believe you got Whitethorn to make a deal with you. With him it’s usually his way or no way,” Fenrys commented while helping her practice flexing and pointing her toes gently with the foot of her injured ankle.

“I think he’s a little sweet on me,” Aelin joked, fluttering her eyelashes dramatically. “I mean, who could resist a girl who wears a hospital gown so well?”

Fenrys chuckled, “Who indeed. How does your ankle feel? I want to help the supporting ligaments loosen and rebuild strength in the torn one.”

“It feels fine actually. Sore and stiff but nothing compared to my other injuries. Would I be able to walk on it?”

“That’s good. I’d say you could probably bare weight on it for a small amount of time before giving it a rest. No hopping on it and right now, with your knee and shoulder injuries, I don’t see how we could make crutches work. You need to stay off of your knee until Whitethorn can asses on whether you need your mcl tendon repaired surgically. And with your shoulder injured the way it is, I wouldn’t risk you reinjuring it using crutches.”

“So bed it is? For how long do you think? I want to be able to go pee by myself and take a shower! Gods I miss showers,” Aelin sighed.

“We will work on getting in and out of bed and into a wheelchair after we do some shoulder exercises, so you could potentially be a bit more independent. I mean, someone still has to push you but it’s a start.”

“A slow start,” Aelin grumbled.

“It’s only day one. This is going to take time. Your probably going to want to quit, your going to have bad days, your going to feel homesick, and get mad at Rowan and me and anyone else whose here to help. That’s okay. Your going to have good days too. Even if it’s two steps forward one step back. That’s still a step in the right direction. Just be patient.”

“I’m not a patient person,” Aelin sighed, letting his words sink in. “I’ve never been patient. I want to pretend none of this even happened.”

“I’m sorry it happened,” Fenrys put her foot down and stood to sit next to her on the bed. Next to her injured shoulder. “We’ve all been dealt the shit card in life before. I’m sorry it was handed to you.”

She let out a dry laugh, “Well I’m quite familiar with that card. It seems to like my hand.”

He gave her a wry smile and began moving her arm, slowly. “Let me know if I move your arm in a way that hurts your shoulder to much.”

Aelin just nodded.

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

About an hour later, Aelin was focusing on finishing her jello when the nurse came in.

“How’s it going? Almost done?” she asked.

“Yes, just finished actually,” Aelin replied.

“My name is Anya and I’m your nurse for today and tomorrow, Sergeant Galathynius,” the nurse told her, rolling the table with her food to the corner.

“It’s nice to meet you, please call me Aelin.”

“Would you like a bath, dear? We can’t go to the shower but I could help wipe you down.”

“That would be amazing,” Aelin sighed.

After some maneuvering and only a few winces, Aelin felt like a human again. Anya left her in her room with a clean bed and a clean body. Who knew bathing was so amazing? She would never take a bath for granted again. Leaning back into her fresh pillowcase, Aelin drifted into a peaceful sleep.

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

A few hours later she looked at the clock and saw that it was a few minutes to three. Rowan should be by soon to take her for a walk. Well, he would walk, she would sit. But still, just the thought of a bit of fresh air was enough to make her smile.

“What are you thinking about, smiley?” Rowan’s voice chimed from her doorway.

“The sky.”

“And here I thought you were thinking about me,” he said, a small smile playing on his face.

“In your dreams. Now get me out of this room!”

“Okay, but you have a decision to make since you made the point earlier that you are in charge and I am just your doctor.”

“Well, good to know you were listening. And you know, your not just my doctor,” she said batting her eyelashes.

“Oh ya, well what else am I to you?” He laughed at her ridiculous attempt to flirt.

She immediately changed her face from her fake pining eyes to her signature smirk, “A raging pain in my ass. What decision do I have to make?”

“Do you want me to remove the stitches and change the dressing on your back now or after our walk?”

“Let’s just get it over with,” she sighed.

“Alright let me help you up-“

“I can do it. Just brace my knee.”

“Alright, nice job.” He was impressed at how fast she had learned to get herself upright.

He got her situated like he had the day before and moved around to her back.

“I’m going to unbutton your gown and remove the dressing. I won’t touch you with out letting you know. Let me know if you need me to step away.”

Aelin just nodded tensely. He peeled away the bandage and she inhaled when she felt the air hit her back.

“You okay?”

She nodded again, “Yes, go on.”

“I’m going to use these to cut the stitches and this to pull them out,” he held up scissor and forceps. “You have about 25 that I’m going to remove roughly down the middle of your back. Let me know when your ready.”

“I’m ready,” she whispered. Her whole body tense.

“Okay, try your best to relax.”

It didn’t hurt when he removed them, and he talked to her while he worked. He told her about where he grew up and about his cousins and the mountain home he use to own. Eventually she relaxed and then he was done. He quickly redressed her wound and snapped her gown closed.

“Ready to go outside?”

“Let’s roll,” she grinned.

Tag List: @chaoticskyy @poisonous00 @moodboreddd @togswiftie

#my writing #rowaelin #rowaelin fic #tog #tog fic #military hospital au

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arthrmorgann · 5 years ago

Note

ALL the emojis for my loves, lorna and tig! 💕💕💕

🌲 What is the kindest thing your OC has ever done for someone? What is the kindest thing someone has ever done for them? On the flip side, what is the worst thing your OC has done to another person?

Lorna: Probably standing up for Tig when the truth comes out about his involvement with NERO, as well as being quick to offer her help (without knowing what the Berley Lake camp was going to do) when Lost Lake was attacked by the militia. She had grown fond of the camp and the people there over the time spent there and was determined to not see it fall. And whilst she never participated in their big clash with the DCM, she helped in the weeks after, ensuring the camp was quickly able to get back to there feet. Worst thing? When she hunted down and killed a drifter who had been picking off people from their camp, as well as giving some grief to supply runs. She wasn’t authorised to do so by Holly, but she had seen another people get hurt by that man, that she knew she had to do something.

Tig: Helping Lorna and Margot escape is definitely up there as perhaps the kindest thing he’s ever done. Having a rough idea of the inner workings of NERO (or what he assumed to be going on) as well with how shitty he knew some of their members could be when he found the two trying to escape he knew he had to help them. By that point, he had been beginning to question the motives of the group and saw helping the girls flee as an opportunity to alleviate his own guilt as well as ensuring two innocent people were not hurt.

🌳 What does your OC do when they see others upset or in pain? An upset friend? A stranger?

Lorna: Lorna’s not the greatest at dealing with people who are upset or in pain. She’s sympathetic of course, but can struggle to convey this. She finds herself best suited to a listening role and offering words of encouragement. She’s better at dealing with people she knows who are hurt as opposed to strangers.

Tig: Tig’s a huge softie so he sees someone hurt or in pain and he immediately kicks into an over-protective mode. He’s not the most confident of men, but he really shines when helping and healing others.

🌿 What is something true about your OC that they refuse to admit about themselves? Is there any reason to this besides embarassment?

Lorna: That she’s a bit of a hopeless romantic at heart? She’s not embarrassed by it, but she tries to ignore that part of herself because she is afraid to let her walls down and potentially get hurt again.

Tig: That he’s a surprisingly good singer! And as mentioned, he’s not a very confident man, so the idea of singing for the camp is practically a nightmare for him.

🍃 Describe a regular day for your OC. What is their schedule (if they have one).

Lorna: A regular day for Lorna starts off with an early wake-up at around 7am (depending on the day’s schedule she may stay in bed for an extra hour or wake up an hour earlier). After waking up, she has a quick breakfast before meeting up with the rest of the security team. Once Paul hands out assignments for the day, she can usually be found in one of the lookout towers in camp for most of the day, at around 2pm she switches her role with another member of the security team and spends the next two hours patrolling the camp borders, or just patrolling the camp itself. Depending on what’s happened in the day, she’ll head for dinner at 5pm and then head back the infirmary with Tig for a little bit. At 7pm she goes back to lookout duty for two hours, before getting some free time. Lorna tends to head to bed around 10-11pm.

Tig: Much like Lorna, a regular day for Tig starts at around 7am. After a quick breakfast, he tends to have a quick word with Holly, informing her of their list of medical supplies and how any patients are doing. After speaking with Holly he heads to the infirmary (a repurposed room in the lodge) where he spends most of the day. He heads for dinner at 5pm, and then returns to the infirmary, where Lorna will often join him for a quick catch-up of the day’s events. Tig tends to clock off around 10pm and then heads back to the cabin he shares with Vadim. He’s usually pretty pooped from work so tends to head straight to bed when he gets home.

🍂 How does your OC think they will die? Does death scare them? Is there any reason for this?

Lorna: Defending the camp. She’s had a few close calls in the past so the idea of dying out there doesn’t frighten her as much as it once did.

Tig: Tig’s pretty paranoid that someone will eventually bump him off for his dealings with NERO or that NERO will find him and bump him off themselves.

🍁 What is your OC’s most traumatic experience? (If they don’t have just one traumatic experience either pick one or describe them all!)

Lorna: The deaths of her father and sister were probably the most traumatic thing she experienced. There were a few years between them but their deaths hit her hard, and she still feels their loss to this day.

Tig: The whole chaos that came with the start of the outbreak. He’s seen some awful things, but honestly, nothing compares to the sheer hell of witnessing the world fall apart right in front of you and then dealing with the immediate aftermath.

🍄 How would your OC react to the death of a friend/family member/loved one? Is there anyone they can confide in?

Lorna: She doesn’t have any family any more, but I imagine losing one of her friends would be pretty much devastating to her. When she in the mood to talk, Tig’s usually the one who acts as her confidant. She’d probably shut down if anything were to happen to him, he’s the closest person in camp to her, and practically family at this point.

Tig: He’d be an emotional wreck for weeks after. He’d cry a lot, and isolate himself more than usual.

🌾 What would your OC be like if they were evil. Or if they’re already evil what would they be like as the good guy?

Lorna: Probably like a bitchier, more relentless person than she is now. She’d attack or maim anyone who slighted her and wouldn’t have any time for attempts at alliances between camps.

Tig: If Tig was “evil” he’d be something of the quietly manipulative sort. The type of person who seems kind and genuine, but was really manipulating situations to suit his own needs.

💐 How would your OC react to somebody telling them that they love them? (+ bonus give another characters/OC name!)

Lorna: Lorna wouldn’t really know how to respond for a moment She’d probably stand there bewildered, and jokingly ask him if he was confident he felt that way. Depending on who it was, she’d be smiling afterwards, possibly reciprocating her own feelings, before bestowing a sweet kiss in gratitude. She’d ask a lot of questions about where to take their relationship from that point on.

Tig: When Vadim admitted feelings for him, it really caught him out of left field. He had a budding friendship with the man, and had flirted here and there, but hadn’t expected anything to come of it. When Vadim confessed to him he actually started to cry, caught completely off-guard by this announcement. He was secretly very happy though and was quick to share his own feelings, albeit it in a rather flushed, awkward manner.

🌷 What does your OC hate about themself? What lies about themself do they believe? On the flip side, What does your OC love about themself?

Lorna: Lorna doesn’t really hate anything about herself, to be honest. It’s the perceptions about her she doesn’t like. A few people see her as this cold, at times harsh and cruel woman, and she wishes they didn’t. She’s not great at expressing herself, but she does wish more people saw the nicer side to her, that she isn’t all suspicions and raised eyebrows.

Tig: His lack of confidence. He can defend himself if pushed, but he hates the nerves he gets, and that he frequently second-guesses himself. He wishes he could be braver and do more, and lowkey hates it when people assure him he does enough tending to the infirmary.

🌹 Does your OC have any scars? How and when did they get them?

Lorna: Answered!

Tig: He has a small knick in his right eyebrow as well as some minor cuts and scrapes.

🥀 What is something your OC blames themself for and is it really their fault? Does it keep them up at night and is there any lingering trauma?

Lorna: Answered!

Tig: He frequently blames himself for things that happened at the Medford Survivor’s Camp. Although his fears are definitely misplaced, as Tig was only a small cog in the NERO machine and had no idea of the raids they were conducting against other survivors in the city. When he stumbled upon that abandoned camp in the city, he was just as surprised and horrified by what he saw as Lorna was.

🌺 In what situation would your OC be pushed to commit an act of violence? Would they go as far to kill someone if they had to? How would this affect them and their relationships with others?

Lorna: Answered!

Tig: Tig’s not a particularly violent man, so it’d have to be like the literal scum of the earth type of character that would get him to lash out. Tig would only ever kill as a last resort, but even then I think the notion of taking someone’s life and it not being mercy with sit heavy with him for a very long time.

🌸 What would your OC do if they were given god-like powers or the ability to change anything about the world for a whole day?

Lorna: Bring her sister back.

Tig: Boost his confidence, make the world as it was for a day - or at the very least bring back some pre-outbreak amenities for the day to enjoy.

🌼 Describe one of your OC’s worst nightmares.

Lorna: Her worst nightmare is seeing Margot dying, standing there and being powerless to do anything. An alternative version of this dream is seeing herself as a freaker who killed her, and not being able to stop herself and being unable to recognise what she’s doing.

Tig: Tig’s worst nightmare involves him being trapped in a dark room. There’s a NERO scientist with him and they’re doing an unseen experiment on him. He’s almost trapped in his mind in this nightmare though, as whenever something is done to him he doesn’t lash out or make a noise, but inside his head he’s screaming.

🌻 What advice would your OC give to their younger self? What advice does your OC need now?

Lorna: That she doesn’t have to brave all the time. Letting yourself be vulnerable is not a weakness. It’s okay to cry.

Tig: You can be strong and dependent without having to brave. Don’t blame yourself for things that are outside of your control.

#ty airika!!!#out here making me do the most haha #oc: lorna douglas #oc: tiberius howell #chuckhansen

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skele-bones · 7 years ago

Text

Cupid’s Message

This is the sixteenth chapter of Everyday Heroes.

If you like what I do and want to support me, why not buy me a coffee?

When Hanzo woke up that morning, he expected to see his husband sleeping peacefully next to him. Though an arrow with a suction cup attached to his forehead wasn’t exactly part of that scenario. A note was tied around the shaft and Hanzo carefully undid it, trying not to disturb Jesse’s slumber. The raucous snoring coming from the cowboy was enough to deafen an entire theatre but it did little to disrupt Hanzo’s reading.

The note had childish handwriting on it and he knew that sort of script anywhere. Gabriel’s handwriting with it’s quick loops and close letters filled line after line, stopping at the bottom with a drawing.

Hanzo’s eyes widened and he reached over to shake Jesse’s shoulders “Anata,” he called. “Jesse, wake up.”

His husband burst into action, arm flinging out to grab Peacekeeper from underneath his pillow and point it at an invisible enemy. Jesse’s body was silhouetted in a golden aura, his eyes glinting red until it registered that there was no threat. Just his husband staring at him patiently with a hint of amusement and an empty room.

“Surely if there was someone within our quarters, I would have dealt with them,” Hanzo patiently explained, failing to hide his smirk.

Jesse rolled his eyes and slowly sat up, pausing when he registered the arrow stuck to his forehead.

“What in tarnation,” he muttered, pulling it free with a loud smack, rubbing the reddened skin. “Who the hell did this?”

Hanzo waved the note. “The same person who wrote this,” he replied, looking curiously at their room door. “But how did they manage to get in without us noticing?”

Jesse took the note and glanced it over. “You think this was a two man job?”

“Was there ever any doubt?” Hanzo shook his head, taking the arrow and twirling it around in his hand. “Shingen wouldn’t allow Gabriel to attempt a stealth mission on his own.”

In fact, he wouldn’t allow his little brother to dive into danger alone at all. His protectiveness as a big brother helped to keep Gabriel out of a multitude of situations. However, Hanzo was more worried about his skills being rusty if their children could sneak up on them.

“Might’ve been a four man job,” Jesse interjected, knocking him from his thoughts. “There’s only three people I know who can sneak without leaving a trace, and only two of them live here.”

The dragons writhed underneath Hanzo’s skin as if proud that they were acknowledged for their mischief. He rolled his eyes in response. Of course they would help the boys, those two were the dragons’ absolute favorite people in the world even potentially outranking Hanzo himself.

“Well, we should read it and see what the damage is.”

Jesse flicked on the bedside lamp and grabbed his reading glasses, slipping them on in one fluid motion. Or at least it would have been if he hadn’t poked himself in the eye before putting them on. Hanzo chuckled, kissing his husband’s cheek and extending his arm so Jesse could press himself close to his side.

Wrapping his arm around Jesse’s shoulders, Hanzo shifted so the gunslinger could rest his head against his chest.

“Comfy?” Hanzo asked.

Jesse shifted his legs a bit then tucked an arm around Hanzo’s waist.

“Yep.”

Hanzo looked the note over, slightly impressed with how much Gabriel had written.

In a few days it’ll be Valentines and I wanted to tell you that I love you. It’s kind of hard for me to show how much I love you everyday because there’s not a lot of time. And Athena says Time is important and it shouldn’t be wasted. She also said something about time management. She helped me spell that word. Said it has something to do with keeping track of time. But I thought that’s what clocks are for.

“Athena,” Hanzo called out, shooting Jesse a half-hearted glare at his wheezing laughter.

“Yes, Agent Hanzo?”

“Thank you for telling Gabriel what time management is.”

“It is my pleasure, Agent Hanzo. Though he did have a sound argument.”

Hanzo shook his head, smiling exasperatedly in Jesse’s direction as he wiped away fake tears.

“I am sure he did,” Hanzo replied, looking down and continuing to read.

Anyway, I wasn’t sure how to tell you. I still don’t know and I’m probably going on and on in loops and circles. But I do love you. Even when you scold me if I do something wrong or when you’re sad or when you’re gone. I love you even though I have to share you with everyone else in the world. I don’t feel lonely then either. I have Shingen and Kai and Mariam and Theo and Olivia to keep me company. And when you come back, or even when you’re far away, I’ll still love you.

Because I have the best dads ever. And you’re the coolest and bestest heroes ever. I know you are. Dad is the strongest archer ever and he never loses his cool. He’s always 100% honest even if it hurts your feelings, And Papa is the best sharpshooter in the West (or at least that’s what he told me), nobody could ever beat him. He’s always smiling and he makes time for us even when Tito keeps him busy.

You don’t argue like most parents. Well, you argue a little but it’s not like mad arguing. When you argue, you’re smiling and look happy. Not angry and mean. Uncle Genji said you guys arguing is a typical thing. Like you do it for fun. And sometimes I argue with Shingen for fun.

He’s hard to win against but I’ll get it someday.

You guys are the best together, saving the world and everything.

Pa, do you remember when you told me the world was changing?

So when you come back, nothing will change. I’ll still mess up sometimes and you can scold me. And Papa will sing his songs and tell funny jokes or stories. Dad will play video games with us and help us dress up for pretend. And give us kisses goodnight or when we get hurt or when we’re sad.

We’ll go on trips with Tito and Grampa. Granny will bake cookies and Opa will be loud as ever. Aunt Zarya and Mei will take us to see snow. Aunt Hana will demolish us at Starcraft. Uncle Lúcio will make awesome songs and Uncle Genji will show us how to climb stuff. Uncle Zenyatta and Kai will meditate like always and the Junkers might take us to blow stuff up.

Uncle Winston will show us his inventions. Athena will tell us facts about them. Aunt Moira will show us her experiments and Aunt Angela will keep an eye on her. Tía Sombra will show us how to hack into stuff. Orisa And Efi will come around and we’ll have horseback rides (Shingen said she’s a centaur but that’s a horse, right?)

We’ll make portals with Aunt Satya, practice dancing with Aunt Amelie, and race Theo and Aunt Lena. But we might lose sometimes so Aunt Emily will be there to pick us up.

Most of all, Shingen and I will get older and we’ll still love you.

No matter how big I am, how old I am, I’ll always love you.

So I’ll write you a letter every Valentines day from now until forever to tell you how much I love you.

There were smudges and erases on the paper. Small splotches where water had dried and Hanzo ran his thumb over them.

“Gabe was crying,” Jesse said. “That kid of ours…”

His words trailed off but there was a waver in his voice and a break as he took in a shaky breath. Hanzo looked down at his husband and saw brown eyes glazed with tears. Jesse’s lips twitching, downturned, eyebrows knitted together and eyes shutting tight. A tear rolled down his cheek and before Hanzo could hug him tighter, Jesse slipped out of his grip and climbed out of bed.

“Where are you going?”

Jesse smiled broadly over his shoulder. “To hug our kids, what else?” He replied.

No more words were needed as both men got out of bed and went about their tasks; attaching their prosthetics and heading out to peer into their children’s room. Their beds were made and everything was in order but neither boy was in sight. Jesse and Hanzo shared a look of confusion before the tell-tale sound of a door swooping open turned their attention to their quarter’s entrance.

Staying in the shadows, they peered around to see who was coming in.

Gabriel was the first to run in. His hair pulled back in a ponytail, cheeks dusted with red from the cold, and a silly grin plastered on his face. He was dressed in a red, gold and white sweater that resembled Jesse’s serape. His brown pants and boots wet from the rain puddles. Slung across his back was an empty quiver, a crossbow in his right hand, the other holding Shingen’s.

Hanzo almost laughed as Shingen appeared around the corner, the picture of not wanting to be awake. His hair was down, falling in his face and didn’t look as if it had been brushed at all. Black pea coat buttoned up, blue pants and boots a darker shade. Gabriel was talking his ear off about something or another as he trudged inside, taking off his shoes and reminding his brother with a pointed look to do the same.

And as Gabriel sat down to take off his own shoes, Shingen’s head lifted and he looked around, spotting Jesse and Hanzo in the hall. Just like his fathers’ he had a way of knowing when someone was looking at him. But unlike Hanzo, he hadn’t completely mastered a poker face and his eyes widened by a fraction.

“Gabe,” he said. “We have company.”

Gabriel lifted his head then looked over his shoulder, staring for awhile.

“So, where did you two get off to?” Jesse asked.

Gabriel and Shingen looked at one another then back to their parents.

“We… were playing Cupid.”

Hanzo chuckled. That explained the arrows and the message then. Shaking his head, he shouldered past Jesse and went to draw both of them in a hug. Shingen stiffened up but soon melted into the embrace, patting Hanzo’s back. Gabriel wrapping his arms around his neck and hugging close. Their clothes were bitterly cold from the outside temperature but he wouldn’t let go of them for the world. Eventually, Jesse joined the embrace and they sat there in the walkway hugging one another.

“We love you too,” Jesse muttered.

#mchanzo #fanfiction #jesse mccree #hanzo shimada #mchanzo kid #overwatch

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