#i mean what else do you call pausing time to sing (and dance) about your feelings
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ibraesil · 1 year ago
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Thanks for tagging me, this is really cool! My immediate two reactions are:
It'd take a bit of work to convince me that this is actually a pronoun and not a discourse marker.
'4th person' doesn't have a single well-established definition.
To elaborate in the wrong order, a lot of people in the notes are really really mad at calling this 4th person. Many of them simply don't believe in numbers higher than 3 at all, but others are confused because most often, 4th person is used to describe languages that don't suffer from the gay fanfic problem make a proximate/obviate distinction, but that's just because proximate/obviate is the most common additional distinction for pronouns to make (among well-studied languages). 4th person has been used as a label for first person plural, obviative, and logophoric pronouns in various langauges (Siewierska, 2004, p. 7). So there's absolutely no issue at all calling 'imaginary-audience 4th-wall break' 4th person, and I think roach-works justifies well why a label other than 2nd person should be used.
I must admit I don't have any experience with this use of chat, but the examples I’ve seen in the notes don’t look to me like pronouns. Compare these:
Chat, is this real? Hey, chat, what’s happening? Chat keeps giving me bad advice (from wizard-of-docs in the notes)
with examples from Cheshire (2013) of man as a pronoun:
before I got arrested man paid for my own ticket to go Jamaica you know
as a pragmatic marker:
aah man that’s long that’s kind of long
and as a noun:
I’m about to show you man how to get a woman
The first two examples for chat are quite clearly discourse markers¹ vocatives, but wizard-of-docs’ example is ambiguous whether it’s a noun or a pronoun. I think that’s great reason to look further into whether chat is developing as a new pronoun (especially having read how the varied pragmatic functions of the noun man contributed to its development as a pronoun), but not a good reason to go around saying that it is a pronoun before that analysis has been done².
It seems vocatives are only sometimes considered discourse markers (Fraser, 1990)—pragmatics is even more complicated than I already thought—but regardless of how you categorise them, vocatives obviously function primarily to manage the flow of discourse, and do not function as pronouns.
It being fun to say “Chat is a 4th-person pronoun” is a better (but still not good enough for me personally) reason to go around saying it, though.
Cheshire, J. (2013). Grammaticalisation in social context: The emergence of a new English pronoun1. Journal of Sociolinguistics, 17(5), 608-633. https://doi.org/10.1111/josl.12053
Fraser, B. (1990). An approach to discourse markers. Journal of Pragmatics, 14(3), 383-398 https://doi.org/10.1016/0378-2166(90)90096-V
Siewierska, A. (2004). Person. Cambridge University Press. https://doi.org/10.1017/CBO9780511812729
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klaprisun · 7 months ago
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One Sunny Day
(Stardew Valley)(Haley x Female Farmer)
Chapter 34
For some reason on my walk to the saloon, I saw nobody. There was nobody walking around, nobody doing yard work, nobody running errands. I know it is pretty late out, but people are usually still out and about. It’s giving me a really weird vibe.
Today is also the first day of fall! I had a lot of crops to clear out for the new season, but thankfully my project is still intact. I don’t know what I’m waiting for at this point… it’s really not a huge thing.
I kick a pebble from my path as I venture closer to the saloon. Still no sign of anyone. But as I get closer and closer to the building, I start to hear really…really… loud country music coming from inside. My curiosity is immediately in full gear, so I rush the rest of the way.
Bursting through the door of the Stardrop Saloon, I couldn’t even hear the bell over the sound of the jukebox at full blast. All the tables have been pushed aside creating what seems to be a dance floor. To my surprise, the dance floor was completely full with everyone dancing in rhythm to one another. Bodies were flying and twirling all around so quickly that I couldn’t keep up. What I really noticed was everyone changing partners every couple of minutes.
“A fucking hoe down?” I mumble in exasperation. I already had a tough time keeping up at the Flower Dance and that required no skill. This is another level for me.
People started noticing I was looming by the door and tried waving me over. First Gus, then Marnie, then Lewis, then what felt like the rest of the town. I had to wave off so many people in embarrassment.
I thought I was safe until Leah came swirling like a tornado my way. I couldn’t even object before she yanked my arm and tossed me into the mix of bodies on the dance floor. My arms connected with someone’s immediately and they swung me around to the beat of the music. When there was a pause in the dance, I could finally see who I landed with.
“Hey Danny,” Alex greeted me as we did a weird side step dance move while he held my hand up. I tried my very hardest to concentrate on his foot work so I could keep up.
“What’s all this about?” I question loudly over the sound of the hand claps echoing through the room.
“Not too sure to be honest. People kind of showed up and then Gus turned the jukebox up and it summoned the rest of the town in a weird, creepy way. It felt like being lured by a siren call,” Alex joked.
“How are you doing?” he twirls me around with his hand holding mine above my head. It’s really weird to be dancing with a dude, especially since we are both bulky, stone, statues.
“If you mean about Taylor and all that, I’m doing well. It’s going well. We might even officially put a label on our situation eventually,” we slide to the left a little awkwardly and my boot gets caught in a splitter on the floor board. I have to pry it away.
“That’s really good news. I’m glad to hear,” I give him a sincere smile and he gives me one in return.
“So you and Haley..? How is that going?” I see his eyebrows raise from the corner of my eye since the dance is everyone facing forwards in a line dance style now.
“It’s going better than great.” I feel my face heat up as I recap the previous night. Just as Haley suspected, I can tell Alex somehow figured out what happened because his face lit up as his jaw dropped. Just as he opened his mouth to say something, I was yanked away into someone else's arms.
“Look at you go! You are a natural!” Marnie sings as I spin her around. Somehow I fell right into the flow of the dance now. I’m not really thinking about it too much.
“It took some concentration at first, but I am slowly getting the hang of it,” I shrug.
“How are your chickens doing? Are you ready for some cows in a barn yet?” Marnie laughs. Once again, the clapping nearly drowns out our conversation.
“They’re growing so fast. I miss them as little chicks already. I’m nearly ready for some cows though. I can’t wait.”
“What are their names again? I have such a bad memory these days.”
I trip a little in the middle of the side step I was doing as I think of the names. On their own, they sound like normal chicken names… but together there is a bit of a pattern.
“Well… there is Coconut…Pinkie…Fruit Cup… and… Sunflower.”
“Oh those are such lovely names! I just know you take great care of those little rascals,” Marnie exclaims. “Time for another partner swap!”
Marnie must do this a lot, because a second after, I was pulled into the crowd by someone else for another round of the dance.
“Look at those hips move, girl!” Leah hollers as she holds my hips and starts rocking them back and forth a bit more than I was already doing.
“They ain’t even moving that much. You’re doing that,” I chuckle. I’m really working up a sweat at this point. This dancing is no joke.
“I bet Haley’s hips have been moving this much,” Leah pokes my side causing me to recoil, then lets go of my hips to line dance to the next part of the song.
“Maybe more,” a smirk forms on my lips and I give Leah a telling look. That causes her to clue in immediately. Just like Alex, she was also cut off by me getting pulled away before she could say anything.
“How have your injuries been? Have you been taking care of them? How is your head?” Harvey bombards me with questions right off the bat.
“No complaints yet…” I jokingly answered.
“What?”
“Never mind.”
“So you are doing good?” He asks again. We hesitate a moment in the dance as we kind of get confused about who twirls who around which ultimately ends with me twirling Harvey.
“I have been taking care of myself. Don’t worry, doctor,” I flash him a charming smile. Harvey’s face distorts into an unreadable expression, and his cheeks go slightly pink. It throws me off and makes me get flustered. I trip over my own foot for a second but quickly regain balance. I guess I just have that effect on people..?
“C’mere,” Elliot pulls me away from Harvey so I can now be his dance partner. I didn’t even realize it was time to switch already. Each dance sequence feels like it's getting quicker and quicker. But I think I’m just getting used to it.
“That was so weird. I think I just made Harvey blush?” I say with uncertainty.
“I don’t think you know how attractive you are. Don’t cut yourself short,” Elliot says firmly.
“Well I don’t know about THAT,” I roll my eyes as I click my heels and toes against the ground to the beat.
“You literally made Haley rethink her sexuality,” Elliot points out. We shimmy past one another with our knuckles placed on our hips. I tip my hat down at him as we pass by each other.
“See. Right there. You’re attractive whether you agree or not. I’m not into you, but I see how you got Haley’s panties in a twist-” Elliot's sentence gets cut short as Leah spins by us and whispers into his ear. He listens intently, but his eyes widen and both of them look my way directly after. Leah gets swung back away from us by her dance partner, Caroline. Elliot is left gawking like an idiot as everyone changes dance partners again.
My next dance partner turned out to be Pierre. He was a bit off beat and that caused me to be thrown off a bit.
“I don’t know why I keep trying to do these dances. I’m getting too old for this,” he sighs.
“What are you talking about? You’re still plenty young!” I nudge his shoulder, trying to get his spirits up.
“Caroline has so much energy and a free spirit. I wish I could keep up with her and her hobbies.”
“I’m sure you guys have some kind of things you do together?”
“Yeah I guess we do. I just feel like she doesn’t like me as much anymore.”
“Why don’t you get her a bouquet to let her know how much you still love her? I’m sure she’d love that.”
“Good idea, Danny. Haley is a lucky girl.” And with that he gives me a wink and the dance is already over for this partner rotation.
I try to make eye contact with someone in the crowd so I know where I’m getting dragged to next. All I can see is an ocean of dancing people, no one person is looking back at me. Suddenly I feel my arm get tugged into the next dance.
“You looked like a lost puppy,” Maru giggles as we start clapping.
“I feel like one. I just keep getting whipped around from person to person. I can’t keep up,” I huff as I wipe a drip of sweat from my forehead.
“It's nearly over. Just a few more partner swaps!”
“I bet it will feel like forever. I’m going to sleep good tonight though that’s for sure.”
“Well it’s already time to switch! Good luck out there!” Maru lets go of my hand and I’m washed back into the crowd.
Instead of being spun, swung, or twirled away by someone, I find myself line dancing beside good old, energetic Sam. He looks over at me when he notices I picked my pace up to match his. I see his eyes narrow and he starts getting more aggressive with his dancing. The beat starts picking up in the song, and the two of us start “dance battling” each other. We are the only two paying attention to our intense dancing. We even join hands at some point and act like we are actually dance partners, but really we were competing.
We keep that up for the entire round, not speaking to each other once. I did look away a few times to gaze around at everyone else having fun. I also notice Leah and Elliot whispering to people from our group here and there. They are such gossips.
Sam and I’s competition really took the last wind out of me. I’m starting to get absolutely pooped. Sam dances his way into the wave of bodies out of my sight, and I’m left dizzy, brain spinning in circles. I feel my body slowly start walking me off course, causing me to bump into someone.
“Oh my Yoba. Willy!?” I say as I crash into Willy’s open arms. He must’ve been expecting me to lose my senses and stumble around. I rarely get to talk to Willy. He likes to spend time out at the pier and in his store. I haven’t really been focused on fishing or anything lately so it’s been a while.
“Ahoy lass! How ye been?” His grumbly sounding voice and gruff appearance always makes people afraid of him. But he is one of the sweetest people I’ve met.
“Living the dream. How ‘bout you?” Willy twirls me around, more gracefully than anyone else had tonight.
“Still tryin’ to keep the fishing business running. Some may say I'm trying to keep it afloat!” he starts chuckling at his own pun. I joined in on the laughter as it was a good pun.
“You been having any luck in these local waters? You were a great angler there at the beginning,” Willy asks.
“I’ve been a bit... preoccupied,” I say sheepishly. “I promise I’ll try to get out there again soon.” I recognize the vibe in the air that means it is time to change partners. Willy and I tip our hats to one another and spin away.
This time, I’m dragged into a dance with Penny. Although, It was more like we bumped into each other and just went with it.
“Penny! Hi!” We grasp hands and hold them out to the side. My other hand is lightly holding her waist while hers is just kind of resting on my shoulder. We bounce to the music, sticking our feet out every which way, trying to keep in sync with everyone else.
“Hi Danny!” You are a great dancer!” she admired my footwork for a minute but then dance required us to spin next.
“Meh, this part is easy work. I get so lost when the line dance part comes up. I think I’ve tripped like three times during that bit.”
“It took me years to learn how to line dance. We haven’t even gotten to the fastest song yet. That’ll throw you off for sure. I still get lost during it,” she laughs.
“How is the teaching going? Are the rascals behaving for you?”
“Jas and Vincent are truly great kids. I love teaching them. Sometimes they are a handful but I can take it.”
“You are such a kind person for doing that for them. Everyone is so thankful for all that you do.”
“Awww thank you. It’s something I’m really interested in doing for the rest of my life. It would be nice working with pristine, good condition textbooks. The ones we have here are very rickety, old things. They basically fall apart in your hands.”
Before I could respond, I felt someone slide their hands up my arms, over my biceps, to my shoulders. Penny gives me a smirk as she can see who has walked up behind me. She gives me a slight nod and dances away.
The hands on my shoulders start twisting me around so that we are face to face.
“I know those hands anywhere,” I whisper to Haley. She had finally arrived at the saloon, making me have to suffer all this dancing by myself until now.
“I’m sure you do,” she seductively whispers back, wrapping her arms around my neck. I tuck mine in around her waist, holding her close. Suddenly the synchronized dancing doesn’t have my attention anymore.
Before we could even settle into a nice, slow dance pace, she flashes me a bright grin and picks up into the line dance choreography. I let out a sigh, but excitedly went to join her as her partner.
“Isn’t this fun!” she shouts over the loud music. We are holding hands, bobbing in and out as well as doing some fancy footwork.
“You’re just lucky I decided to join in with you. I’ve been dancing this for a really long time. I was starting to feel exhausted there before you came in.”
“You saved just enough energy for me?” She says as I twirl her around.
“Of course I did. I have to have at least one dance with the pretty misses,” her face reddens and she suddenly becomes shy. “What’s the matter, did I embarrass you?” I pinch her already red cheek, making her face go a shade darker.
“I’m just happy you saved a dance for me. I was hoping you did.”
“Of course! Who do you think I am?”
“Which, does anyone know about…” she waves a finger between her and I as we start line dancing again.
“Only like a few. I didn’t tell EVERYONE.”
We continue line dancing side by side, only really paying attention to what the other is doing. I sometimes take her hips from behind and dance behind her, but only once and a while. I can tell the end of the dance is coming up, so I take Haley and dip her to the ground. Just as I pull her back up, the song abruptly stops. The two of us are frozen, gazing into each other's eyes.
Everything is immediately snapped back into reality when we hear Shane shout from across the room.
“I WAS RIGHT!” He starts waving a stack of money our way, with our entire group standing behind him, staring at us. Some still had money in their hand, waiting to pass to Shane. 
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mikachacha · 1 year ago
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𝙺𝚒𝚜𝚜 𝚖𝚎 𝚖𝚘𝚛𝚎 (𝙱𝚊𝚍𝚊 𝙻𝚎𝚎 𝚡 𝚁𝚎𝚊𝚍𝚎𝚛)
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Synopsis: You and Bada are roommates and there were moments that felt like you could be something more. Honestly, it's just a waiting game between you two now. To see who gives in and confess first.
Warning: Idk, maybe the explicit lyrics of the song or something 😭
Also, this is my first fic because I couldn't think of anything else other than my gayness for Bada whenever I hear this song 😫 Forgive me for some errors because English is not my first language ❤
🌸💮🌸💮🌸💮🌸💮🌸💮
Bada came home after a stressful day and heard 𝙺𝚒𝚜𝚜 𝙼𝚎 𝙼𝚘𝚛𝚎 by Doja Cat playing from the speakers and the sound of the vacuum being used. She couldn't help but smile as she entered the living room quietly and found you cleaning while singing and even dancing around to the music playing. She couldn't help but watch you as you moved around, seemingly lost in your own little world.
"Can you kiss me more? We're so young 𝚐𝚒𝚛𝚕, we ain't got nothing to lose oh, oh.." you sang and Bada raised her eyebrow as she noticed that you changed the lyrics from boy to girl. It could only mean one thing, right? Or she's just assuming things because truth be told, Bada likes you but is too scared to admit it because she's scared that you might not like her back.
"I see you're enjoying yourself, Y/N." she finally spoke and you swore you jumped 20 feet to the air after realizing that Bada was there and has seen all the atrocities that you were doing while cleaning. You got home earlier from your modeling gig and decided to clean around, was even planning on making dinner for you and Bada. In hopes that maybe she gets a hint that you're in love with her or something and you guys could work something out before you go insane.
"Jesus! Can you not do that? You nearly gave me a heart attack!" you said while rubbing your chest a bit, trying to calm your racing heart and she only laughs, shaking her head in amusement. You paused the song and finished vacuuming before sitting down on the couch which prompted her to sit as well.
You dramatically raised your arms up for a hug before just planting your face on her lap. Her hand began playing with your hair and the both of you sat there, enjoying the silence and each other.
"Y/N, I've been meaning to tell you something. You can call me delulu or whatever but when you changed the lyrics from boy to girl earlier, it kind of hinted that maybe you're attracted to girls.." Bada broke the silence and you listened, cheeks burning. You didn't mean to do that. Well you did mean that but you did not mean to let Bada hear that. But maybe it did something good for your part because you're finally having this talk with her.
"Y-yeah.. I'm.. actually attracted to girls but not just any girl. I'm actually attracted to someone specific." you told her and sat upright so you can look at her. Her face held anticipation and fear at the same time which you found cute.
"Yeah? Can you tell me who that someone is and I tell you this someone I actually like for a long time? Just to be fair since you've been asking about it a lot." Bada asked. Her heart is pounding against her chest. She wants to know the person that you like and not at the same time. What if she's just delusional thinking that she's the one that you like but you actually like someone else? She doesn't know how to live with that if that ever happens.
"It's you.. Bada, it's you." you finally confessed and she lets out a sigh of relief before hugging you close to her chest, thanking everyone and everything that she can think of for this wonderful moment that she's living in. She can finally tell team BeBe that she's not delusional and you do really like her back.
"You have no idea how happy I am right now.. I like you— wait, I love you, Y/N. I love you so much, ever since the first time you made me some food when I got sick." she says and you smiled, remembering that time. She was so sick after a practice and you just came home from work. She's just a sad and sick burrito roll on the couch and couldn't move a lot due to fatigue. You nursed her back to full health which was like two days and got sick right after but you didn't regret it.
"If that's the case.. Can you kiss me more? We're so young, girl. We've got nothing to lose oh, oh.." you sang teasingly and she chuckled before cupping your cheeks and kissing your lips gently, just savoring the moment and the taste of your lips against hers.
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zipzapzopzoop · 6 months ago
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There's a Great Big Beautiful Tomorrow
Chapter 36: One Brother Short
A soft knock sounded on the door before it clicked open. Bud stepped in, a plate of apple slices and honey in hand.
“Franny? I brought your favorite. How are you feeling?” He paused upon hearing the gentle sound of laughter.
Across the room Franny stood silently, her back towards the old man. In front of her sat the Memory Scanner, softly playing a memory from only a few weeks prior…
It had been a long day, and she was feeling pretty drained. A good song had come on the radio, and Cornelius began to dance playfully. He was being goofy and singing off key, and Franny couldn’t help but laugh at his antics. Upon seeing her smile, he wore a big grin. 
“There’s my beautiful wife,” he teased and gently took her hands. They began to dance around the kitchen, laughing and swinging and playing and forgetting about everything else in the world. Nothing else mattered.
The scanner’s screen faded out as the memory came to an end, and a tear slipped down Franny’s face. Then another. And another. Her shoulders hitched and she began to sob quietly to herself.
“Oh dear,” Bud sat the plate aside and set a comforting hand on her shoulder. 
“I’m so worried about him,” Franny sobbed. “And now my brother’s gone, and I don’t know what to do-” 
“Woah, easy, easy… Sometimes my brother’s worries get the better of him. And when that happens, he takes a deep breath and tells himself ‘One thing at a time.’”
Franny sniffled and wiped away a tear. “I… don’t understand.”
Bud handed her a box of tissues. “In other words, if you take on all your thoughts at once, you’ll end up overwhelmed. Focus on right now. You’ve got your son safe. We’ve already gathered a great deal of the family. And we at least know what to look for. I mean, where are they going to hide a dinosaur? Underground?” He chuckled.
“Now, I may be an old man, and my brain’s long since become scrambled, but I’ve never lost my good judgment of character. Gaston, I’ve seen that man take on more explosions than a fireworks show on a minefield. He’s as tough as nails. And Cornelius… from the moment I first met him at that science fair, I knew he had a spark in him. He was smart as they come and clever as a whip! They don’t call him ‘The Father of the Future’ for nothing… He can handle himself. They both can. I know it.”
Franny cleaned away her tears and blew her nose, feeling a bit better. She mulled over the words and thought for a moment. She took on another look of concern suddenly. 
“What about Lucille? Will she be okay?”
Bud’s face fell a bit, but he seemed to pick back up. “Oh, she’s the strongest person in the entire world. She’ll pull through…”
Franny didn’t miss the worry behind his smile.
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“How could this happen?!”
Carl flinched away when the chair was thrown against the wall, smashing it to bits.
The spaceman ran a gloved hand through his hair, huffing with anger. He growled and threw another piece of furniture across the room. Carl always knew Art as one of the kindest and patient people he’s ever met. He’s never seen him so angry.
Buster whined and ducked out of the room with his tail between his legs. Lefty meanwhile continued dusting, seemingly unbothered. Even after Art picked up and threw a stool he was dusting, the octopus just blinked and moved to dust the next item.
“I need to go for a walk. Please excuse me,” Art growled, storming out and slamming the door shut behind him.
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Wilbur sat silently in the hall, just out of sight.
His hands trembled as he listened to his uncle tear that room apart. He hiccuped slightly, trying to keep himself from crying.`
‘No! Wilbur Robinson doesn’t cry!’ he scolded himself internally.
He knew he was already crying. There was no point.
He’d really gone and done it this time.
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Check out the chapter on my Archive!
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[Recording starts]
???: Are we recording, Mr. Frankly? … We are? Well, [The interviewer clears his throat] now let's begin! Why don't you tell us that pretty name of yours, Miss Darling?
Sophie: My name? Um… My name is Sophie!
???: Sophie ‘what’?
Sophie: What do you- Oh my Last name? Oh yeah I have one of those! [She nervously laughed a little]
???: I bet you do, Darling! Now why don't ya tell us?
Sophie: [shifts uncomfortably in her seat] uhh… Apple…bite! Applebite!
???: Applebite? [Lets out a hardy laugh] why I bet ya darn tootin that your family must love apples! Letten ‘emselves be called “Applebite” and what not.
Sophie: oh! Uh… yeah! We do love apples! [Sophie fell silent]
???: Why don't you tell us a little bit about yourself, Darling? You must be very interestin.
Sophie: Well… I love drawing comics, and-
???: What kind of comics, Miss Darling? Real funny ones?
Sophie: y-yeah! Yeah I do draw funny ones! My Papa makes the funniest jokes and tells the most hilarious stories! I get my whole inspiration from him!
???: Oh is that so? Are you a funny bird like him?
Sophie: Yeah- well… no, he's not a bird actually, he's a dog!
???: a dog?
Sophie: Yeah! I'm actually adopted. He found me as an egg with my- [pauses for a second with hesitation] with my mom! And when I was ten, my dad found my little brother and we took him in. He was only seven at the time.
???: Wowsers! Aren't y'all a makeshift family? What else do you like to do, Miss Darling Applebite?
Sophie: um… I like singing, I like dancing, Oh I can do the Charleston! My Papa taught me. He taught me how to when I wanted to try out for the talent show!
???: Yeah? Did you win?
Sophie: Actually, I got close! Second place! You see at first I was really scared when I got on stage at first, I was only 12 years old at the time but never been on stage before.
???: oh?
Sophie: yeah! And I was about to get the hook because I could not move! At all! But then my dad rushed up on stage and he danced with me! The whole performance!!
???: Oh wow! Really?
Sophie: Yes and it was Amazing! Everyone loved it and it was so fun! I … I wasn't scared anymore, because of my Papa…
???: You and your Papa sound really close.
Sophie: Well, yeah! Of course! I mean… You're close to your Daughter, Debbie. Right Mr. Dear?
Mr. Dear: Of course! Of course! But me and my Lil Debbie Dear do sure have our disagreements. But at the end of the day, I sure do love her!
Sophie: Um… Mr. Dear?
Mr. Dear: Yes, Miss. Darling?
Sophie: um… when can I go home?
[Static starts and recording stops abruptly]
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keeponquinning · 2 years ago
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Okay, singer!reader but non-specific to any fic i'm writing. except for this one now!
just fluff, bc i'm feeling it.
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You work at a dive bar that sometimes do karaoke, and that's how you and Eddie meet. He's undeniably metal, and you're more rock, though can do pop from time to time, you two sometimes clash with your music tastes, rip on each other, but there's mutual respect and yeah, attraction from the both of you. You never say anything about him being a super senior, you've been out of school for about two, maybe three years, a slightly older woman though not by much, but he'll call you Mrs. Robinson from time to time just to be a little shit.
You finally book a gig, but it's for the senior prom at Hawkins High, your old school, and of course, you can't do your kind of music, just what's approved. Which is mostly soft love songs from the 1950's and onward. It's slightly embarrassing, but you're getting paid actually doing something you love, and you get to wear a pretty dress. It could be worse. So, you make the best of it, singing your heart out, but seeing most just ignore the stage and not even paying attention, so when you're singing Hopelessly Devoted To You, you're kind of phoning it in. You don't mean to, but again, you're discouraged and rethinking your life choices.
And then Eddie Munson comes in, wearing a tux, and your eyes meet and you can't help but smile. The passion that had waned sparking right up, and you're belting it out, "My head is saying, foooool, forget hiiiim. My h e a r t is saying...don't let gooo.... Hold on to the end.... That's what I inteeeeend to dooo... Hopelessly devoted....to yoooou." And you're singing it, right to him, and he smiles wide, watching you as you sing song after song, giving it your all. No one else really seems to care, but he does, and you're singing to him, no one else mattering at that moment.
You get your break and walk off stage and he's waiting with a drink in hand for you. "Nice tux, Munson," you tell him, taking the cup and took a drink,"Mm, spiked, my favorite kinda punch."
"Yeah, well, figure you'd need a little kick to finish the night singing that kind of music. How does it feel, selling out before you even got started?"
"Oh, it'll feel great when I get paid, so..." You scoffed, taking another drink, a cautious eye over him. "Okay, but seriously... I didn't expect to see you here. Like... I thought prom wasn't metal enough for you. Hot date?"
"No, no hot date. And you're right, this place? Definitely not metal enough for anybody. Like, seriously? Under the sea? Had this last year, doesn't anyone get tired of the same old thing, year after year?"
"Honestly.... This looks like my prom which is sad and weird. It's been a few years and it's...the same. It's the same. Except better singing."
He smirked, taking a sip of his drink while his eyes looked over at you, noting your dress, your hair, make up, the works. "Definitely hotter entertainment than last year — I mean, not that I went to that one either. That's a pretty dress, sweetheart."
You didn't want to, but you smiled, feeling a heat at the back of your neck. You blamed it on his tux and how good he looked in it. "So that why you came? For the live entertainment?"
He gave a shrug, his eyes lingering on you still, "Maybe. You kinda make their lame song choices alright to listen through. That's talent. And maybe I wanted to see the dress."
"Is it metal enough for you?"
"Nah. But definitely looking..." He paused a moment, a smile flooding his face. "You look good. Mrs. Robinson."
"Fuck off," you tell him with a laugh. "You look good, too."
"Yeah?" he questioned, his brows raised, though obviously pleased. "Wanna do something about it?" He straightened up, placing his cup down and offered his hand, "Would the lady like to dance with me? Maybe make my first prom memorable?"
A snort left you, looking at him, waiting for him to lower his hand, to tell you he was joking. But he wasn't. It remained just as it was, waiting for your hand to join his. You give a shrug, finishing your drink and putting it aside. "I don't see why not. Would make up for my actual prom, my date had a thing for stepping on my toes."
"I promise, light on my feet, surprisingly." And he was, and it wasn't just one dance, it was several, the slow dances, too. All until you were on stage again, singing and only to him, only to Eddie. Something you both tended to do when you saw each other perform on stage after that night, your dreams of making it into music intertwining with one another, as your relationship grew past the first kiss that very night.
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lifes-little-pin-pricks · 1 year ago
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Seek to Understand
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I remember a conversation I had with my aunt and uncle. I was driving and hadn’t spoken to them in a long time and figured I’d give them a call. (I had about 50000 hours of driving ahead of me to. Please  note… that is all sarcasm. But… it was a long drive none the less.)
I came across this quote and it immediately reminds me of this conversation. I love my aunt and uncle to the moon! He has been my favorite uncle since I can remember. There are soooooooooo many fond memories I have of him and all of them I treasure.
Age has a way of changing people. The wisdom we get from the people we surround ourselves with and the echo chambers we create to avoid the things that annoy us. Over the years, My Aunt and Uncle changed and so did I. We don’t see eye to eye on everything and that’s fine.  I don’t expect anyone to believe or think the way I do. Actually I think I kind of hope no one does, because my head is quite the burden.
Anyways. I’m all over the place, trying to collect my thoughts to write this and trying not to have Niagara falls spewing from my eyes.
During the call we talked. (Right! Because what else are you going to do on a call? Grunt? Sing? Dance??? … Okay, yeah you can do all of these, but … you get the point)
We talked a lot about the differences we had and I remember being asked if I was recording the conversation.  I had to explain that I was very curious about the thought process, the path that led them to the opinions they had for the topic we were discussing.
I remember the pause I took when being asked, it seemed like a while to me, but it could have just been a millisecond. I was sad. Because in that split second I understood how much people throw accusations and point fingers and judge without ever trying to understand. And it leads us to distrust people who legitimately want to understand.
I may not agree with every topic discussed, that should be okay. I mean. I’m okay with it, Not sure about other people, but it should be okay. We should still be able to be friends, co-exist etc. I don’t need to hate your guts, and we can still have mutual respect. The goal should be ‘Seek to understand’.
So, While we may not agree on everything… When I inquired about the path that lead them to their opinions on the topic we were discussing. It was easier to take a step back and see that – really, we did agree on the topic, just not the journey.  The end goal is still the same, the approach is just different. It was nice to see that part of my aunt and uncle.
In the end… I’m sad that differences push people apart.
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castle-dominion · 2 years ago
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c4x14 the blue butterfly THIS EPISODE IS SO GOOD I WAS SO HAPPY THE FIRST TIME I WATCHED IT & I WATCHED THE AUDIO COMMENTARY & NOW I GET TO LIVEBLOG IT IDK IF I'LL BE ABLE TO GET THROUGH THE EPISODE TODAY BC IT IS THAT GOOD I WILL HAVE TO PAUSE IT AFTER EVERY LINE I SWEAR
Starting off sexy af, love the music love the costuming (even tho 40s colours were not ideal) love the singing love TJ/LP/BS love everything about this ugh I am dying & I have played maybe five seconds of the episode Ugh the way they talk mmmm I remember when I first watched casablanca & then it was ages until I had the chance to see double indemnity (which actually takes place 10y before this but shush) & heck the way we start off in the middle with castle/JF doing the investigation mmmmjsfhkjhdsjfs it's just sooo good so good so good. "I'm lookin at her" hhhh their eyes meet across the bar aaaaah this is so good.
You know before they flashed forward I thought this might have just been an AU.
Love this fellow's outfit she's so new york. Is ship coming in a figure of speech? We've heard it before. Does it just mean they are coming into money or getting something good like a job promotion? JE: Well, if you can remember anything else, can you please give me a call? SRO manager: Don’t hold your breath, hot shot. *walks out* KR: I think she likes you.
Banks: [we last spoke] Two months ago, which is crazy, ‘cause there was a time we couldn’t go two hours without talking. Glad s2 rysposito aren't here bc espt would make fun of ryan for calling jenny sm. Maybe he was an entomologist. Yo stan owes someone A Lot of money
KR: Just a bunch of books about mobsters and Manhattan in the ‘40s. Castle should read them. he'd probs enjoy them & he's a speedreader too. Ooh the diary! RC: Uh, this diary in Stan’s stuff, it’s also from the ‘40s. It sounds like it belonged to a private eye. Listen to this. “Usually wives turn on the waterworks when shown pictures of their husbands stepping out, but not this dame. She wanted payback. So what’s worse, that I pitched woo with a client, or that I invoiced her for services rendered after?” espt sounds so good when he uses the term "right on" I like it RC: Um, Beckett? Can I take this home for the night? I mean, it might be the key to what Stan was looking for. KB: You just want to read it because you think it’s cool. RC: Yeah, well, that, too. KB: Okay, just so long as…you… [Castle is already walking off with it.] KB: Bring it back in the morning.
Mmm music, old diaries, this is so good. I love the transition bc I could hardly tell what with the VO & the bourbon. Joe Flynn/Rick Castle: So, I figured I’d kill two birds with one stone with a little hair of the dog that bit me. What does that mean?
Oh Martha/Florence Kennard I love! Ugh the outfit the coat the accents & vernacular mmm! The way the characters have a bit of their counterparts in them is so good. Kennard is just enough like martha & susan sullivan can play her so well
How did you know it would change your life? When are you writing this diary? Is it the evening after today or is it days later or what? After the case entirely? Picture of map of manhattan in the 40s. Oh that accent is... something. Gosh alexis is a baby how is she a married woman? hhhhh I can't say everything I love abt it "my shingle" Was her name really vera mulqueen? Was sally's maiden name sally mulqueen? *dabs her eyes* $15 in 1940 is worth $325.85 today or at the time, what 2012? $245.99 in 2012. That much a day plus expenses, hoo that's a lot Ugh the costumes, the acting, the preproduction... JF/RC: Looking at that photograph, all I could think was… Me: Hot dang? JF/RC: what a beautiful doll.
Ugh the scenes of the city jjghhjkfhghg
I KNOW THAT GUY HE IS MR SCOFFIELD I THINK, FORSHADOWING OMG Satchmo Besty Sinclair <3 ugh she sings so well. & I love this music & I love dancing but I do better with big band music I think. I would loooove to dance there. Shrapnel in my hip? From ww2? Well I love how we get to learn about So Much of the character but it is only mentioned in passing. He is such a big character but we only get these little pieces of him & it was just one mention of shrapnel but it tells us a lot about his character. She's pretty af! & you can see dempsey there in the background. gorillas lmao is that what you called your henchmen back then? You got it boss. RC/JF (V.O.): What was I thinking? This dame was trouble on two legs. I kept telling myself to look away. [A tough-looking man steps up next to Beckett/Vera.] RC/JF (V.O.): She was with Tom Dempsey, for crying out loud – the most ruthless mob boss New York has ever given birth to. [Beckett/Vera kisses Dempsey on the cheek.] Ooh his outfit! RC/JF (V.O.): Dempsey sent over two of his gorillas – an Irishman and a Cuban on loan from some Havana mob family. You can loan henchworkers? [Ryan/irishman and Esposito/cuban tough-walk over to Castle at the bar.] Esposito looks almost normal but ryan looks way out there. KR/Moxie: The boss wants to see you, boy-o. Ooh that accent tho. (my canadian ass first thought "newfie" lol but they say bo'y not bowy or they even say b'y) RC/JF: Sorry, boys. My dance card’s full. JE/Cuban: This isn’t a request, compadre. *shows his gun* That accent too They get to have fun & play other characters. But the characters are not too far off. Their ties too btw, wowie
& the music! Audio mirroring! RC/JF: The waiter? I’ll take a whiskey. The boys here can share a sloe gin fizz. LMAO Great fight scene! Going to clip that for sure! Words cannot describe how I feel about this. (noo not the kitchen! ugh the way he picks him up) & ngl that booty as he throws him into the alley? Nice.
RC, probably not what JF actually said: You should see what my face did to the other guy’s fist. Vera/KB is wearing the fur over her neck entirely. Covering up the goods. Que passando? I speak french not spanish but is that "what's going on?" like "what has passed?" Doesn't put the tapped R before the D, yeah lol. Ah finally revelas the necklace!
Woah that was kind of jarring to jump back to present day but heck yeah! RC: The Blue Butterfly. It’s a necklace. That’s why Stan Banks was killed. Why am I narrating? Because you were just imagining this guy's day while reading his narration & bc it's what hot girls do. u never talk to yourself? ig it is different from narrating...
OMG WHAT A SEXY INTRO THERE
Ok so what I know from acting is from the moment you hit the set you need to use your accent, you cannot just slip it on & off easy so filming the ryan parts & the henchone parts must have been, well, something. Gosh I can't believe we only get one audio commentary of this ep. I want more, more I say! Also I like ryan's patterned red tie & red vest but that striped shirt? The only reason it's ok is bc he is mostly covering it with the vest. It has red stripes. He has a lot of buttons on the sleeves of his jacket. American flag lapel pin today. With smth else ig. Ooh blue diamonds. I miss when blue diamonds were sexy & white diamonds were just there. RC: *passes his papers to ryan* KR: *shows it to Beckett as if castle didn't already hold em up for her to see*
RC: Turns out the Blue Butterfly disappeared sometime in the ‘40s, and rumor has it, it’s hidden somewhere in The Pennybaker Club. If he found it…a million dollar-necklace? Talk about motive for murder. By the way, Ryan, say “boy-o.” [meaning he really was imagining these people in these positions] KR: *looks up from the papers castle gave him* Boy-o. RC: “Boy-ohhh.” KR: Boy-o. RC: “Boy-o.” KR: Boy-o. RC, accented: “Boy-o.” KR: Boy—O. ??? *looks to beckett* [they go back to talking about the case & rick doesn't get nazi gold but SS officer diamonds which is the same thing. Cursed necklaces? stealing stuff from nazis? mob bosses? this is right up castle's alley.] KB: Okay, Ryan, you see if you can get a hold of the bookie. Castle and I will go back to the crime scene. KR: Okay. RC: Boy-o' KR: Boy-o RC: Boy-o' KR: Boy-O RC: Like a leprechaun. KR, with an angry "ew" face: Castle! RC: Sorry.
RC: Can you blame the guy? I mean, she was gorgeous. Castle how do you know? You are reading it not seeing it. You are imagining beckett there. I was too caught up in the story to think about the "animosity back home" they kept saying Castle is so right. Minor hidden safe, very hidden secret safe. I love how castle insists on telling the story to get to the part abt the safe. RC: Well, people didn’t waste time back in the ‘40s
Oh gosh look at her dress... lmao the transition
KB: Did you just say, “Kate”? Are you picturing the P.I. as you, and me as the gangster’s moll? RC: What? No. And I didn’t say “Kate”. I said “Fate”. “Fate’s heart quickened.” I was being poetic. (chuckles nervously) God. Anyway, as I was saying, they were just about to kiss when… Why not just read from the diary & say the PI was being poetic? Maybe she would read it & call him out tho. Or ig he was reciting from memory
Oh I love the collar on Esposito/Cuban Henchone rn! Raises his fists like that lol & then Besty/Lanie saves the day & gosh that is a good kiss. "mixed laundry" XP Betsie/Lanie almost sounds normal lol
Two Brunos? Interesting word. Well they are not here right now actually so...??? So you became the girl of a mob boss to wear his jewelry? That's it? That's the reason?
KB & me: WHAT DO YOU MEAN THAT'S IT? I'M NOT ONLY INTERESTED IN THE SAFE I'M ALSO INTERESTED IN THE STORY. btw I like her coat with that red scarf it's v pretty. KB: Well, why would you tell a story when you don’t know the ending? RC: If you wanted a beginning and a middle and an end, I have 27 novels you can choose from. XD
Ray Horton: Stan? And who— who killed him? KR: JE: RH: Me? Why would I kill my business partner? 10g for a diary?
RC: So, I traced the diary. Stan did his research. He purchased it from the granddaughter of Joe’s old secretary, a woman by the name of Ruth Huntsacker. Ah that's where the diary came from KB: Look, Castle, I admit that Joe and Vera’s story is fun and romantic, but whatever happened back in 1947 has nothing to do with who murdered Stan. RC: Uh… (chuckles) I’m not so sure about that. Our bookie alibied out. But ballistics came in, and we got a match. The .38 caliber revolver that killed Stan was used in an unsolved double homicide…in 1947. WOAH NOW THIS IS GOOD. This is so so sexy. Ok so vera mulqueen is her name so sally scoville probably made that mistake when meeting joe flynn on purpose.
RC: Murdered. That’s too bad. I really thought those two crazy kids were gonna make it. KB: Yeah, not exactly the ending I was hoping for. RC: I didn’t even know ballistics went back that far. Me, who watches murdoch mysteries: Oh ho ho! The man also invented blood types & fingerprints & tape & silly putty & (he didn't actually invent any of this he's a fictional character) KB: You know what? I bet you Dempsey caught the two of them trying to run away together, and he killed them. But how does Stan’s killer get Dempsey’s gun sixty years later? KR: Unless Dempsey killed Stan. He’d be, what, like 90 years old? But it’s still possible. RC: Couldn’t have been Dempsey. He died of a heart attack four months after Joe and Vera were killed. KR: Ah. RC: Still…we should dig up that 1947 police report. There could be something in there about the gun that could shed some light on Stan’s murder. KR, resigned: All right. I’ll go to the warehouse and I’ll pull up the old case files. RC: Oh, wai- oh, uh…I want to go. KR: ? *looks to becks* KB: *shrugs* KR: Uh…okay. RC: Can I drive? KR: I don’t care. RC: OwO!!! Espt always make ryan take passenger & beckett never lets castle drive so this is fun. But is it a police car or a personal one? bc castle is probs not allowed to drive if it is a police car.
Belasco is pretty for an old guy. Watercrafter lookin dude.
Someone else accessed your police files? Nice location u got here. Different place to film in. RC: Damn it, Joe. You old sap. Dizzy with a dame and got yourself cooked. KR: So, Mr Bogart, what exactly are we looking for here?
CB: Of course not. When I asked to see the alleged diary, he refused, and yet, he wanted access to all my research on The Pennybaker Club. I mean, really, the whole thing was absurd. Yeah that is kind of rude...
Esposito's hair is... interesting. Short but long enough that he brushes it & parts it.
KR: It feels like we’re looking for a needle in a haystack, except for, we can’t find the haystack. RC: Who needs a haystack when the needle is right here? Wait I just realized-- where did they get that previous photo of tom dempsey?? Wait nvm it was in castle's internet search along with the initial photo of the blue butterfly
Love the transitions "Hatchet men" lol Doyle, my nova scotian uncle has that last name. Lots of scottish & irish immigrants there obv. It's like newfoundland but less intense. Then PEI is like nova scotia #2. RC/JF: So every clover-loving Irishman worth his salt will be huddled around a radio tonight, cheering good ol’ Jimmy on. You’re gonna wait till a rousing part of the fight. Then you’re gonna excuse yourself. Whoever’s assigned to be watching you surely won’t be paying much attention. That’s when you slip right out the back door, where I’ll be waiting for you. that's way too easy. No way theyre going to let that happen But hey they are both so good looking. JF/RC: Look at me. I’m a new man. I’m a better man. I haven’t even had a drink since I met Vera, Girl it's been like a week. Then again for someone who consistently drank himself to sleep in his office, maybe this is a miracle. What if she doesn't have a sister HA I WAS RIGHT
KR, with his cheek in his hand, listening: What happens next? [btw I like his wedding ring, it's rly pretty. & also I love seeing it, he is In Love.] RC: I don’t know. That’s the end of the statement. KR: But if Sally wasn’t Vera’s sister, then who was she? [I love how castle is getting everyone invested in this story] RC: Sally set up the P.I. It’s a classic film noir twist. KR: But whhhy? RC: I don’t know. :D KR: What was Sally up to? [Ryan he only knows as much as you do! He may be a writer but you are a detective] RC: I don’t know. :D KR: Do you think she was connected to Dempsey? *takes the file* RC: I don’t know, :D but isn’t this great? KR: KR: *double take from castle to the file to castle*
YESS THE ADVENT OF WEST SIDE WALLY At least espt excuses himself before taking the call. That's the polite thing to do. Becks sharing the file with some other detective there. the little things make the show
Man has a wedding ring... WOAH TOM DEMPSEY Nice outfit! the makeup team possibly could have done a bit more to make him look related to tom dempsey not genetically identical to him imo but whatever that's just me Wait no maybe they did do enough about it I think. it's good.
So how do you know his real name was stan? Pillar in the community...? Oh guest book at betsy's funeral, that's how he figured it out. TD: No, I did not—I did not shoot him. Stan—Wait. Stan did find it? KB: Come on. You tell us. TD: I don’t know. I was not there! "was not" rather than "wasn't" I like it
Ok espt what are you wearing? Today you are wearing a dress shirt & a tie which is nice (if different from your frequent pyjama look) but grey on grey with THOSE greys does not work bud.
Ah good grammar <3 Jerry Maddox was the old bartender??? (But ik how this goes, why would he sign his name that way in the guest book?) JE: Good job, Castle. RC, like a puppy: Yeah? JE: .. Yeah.
The med guy calls him jerry too. I see. Aw she offers homemade soup <3 Beautiful blue eyes on this man, love the old music too. JM: but I was just a bartender back then What did you become later then?
Ooh interesting, he says: Of course. It was a big deal back then. Dempsey, the fella that owned the club, shot them in cold blood. So confirming the story But then when rick asks: The same year, do you remember a woman named Sally Scofield? She was a redhead. In 1947, she would’ve been about 18. JM looks really confused like he doesn't know her. Which would make sense for Jerry Maddox, but he looks overly confused bc he is JF trying not to reveal that he, well, you know.
Gina? Ooh different person narrating! Except... not really a different person narrating ; ) Drops the pretty girl for a new, younger, pretty girl. Ew. Then again she was there bc she wanted to wear his bling RC: & Sally? JM: Couple months after, uh, Vera and that P.I. got whacked, Dempsey died of a heart attack. RC: (yea I asked abt sally bro) JM: The evening of his funeral, in walks Sally, all dressed up. Ordered a whiskey neat, slammed it back, gave me a big ol’ crocodile grin, said she was free. Then she strutted on out the door, and that’s the last time I ever saw her. Interesting claim... it's a revenge story. It would be SO good from the other point of view, you're in the hold of a mobster & then he dumps your mom for the younger prettier thing & mum kills herself with pills bc this pretty girl wanted bling & your mob daddy wanted a pretty girl so you kill the pretty girl & probably kill the mobster too? That would be good except we know it didn't happen like that & it ends up a tragedy. RC: Somehow she used the P.I. to do it. JM: >:(
KR, pink shirt no tie, cute af as usual: So…West Side Wally. May I call you Wally? WSW: I prefer West Side. I LOVE HIM SM WSW: Whoa. Cagney and Lacey, [XD] you can stop right there. I wasn’t living in the club two days ago. I had already gotten bought out by the other guy. [but u leave your sleeping bag & stuff?] KR: Bought out? JE: By the other guy? yeah babes that's what he said. I love west side, he's great.
No he cannot do his show from prison b'y Oh & again he looks good he has nice style too. Bull whip. That's cool ig. lol so dramatic holding his hand as he says stan was holding the necklace Sure bestie.
Wasn't it so that she could kill vera or smth but dempsey did it for her so she ended up faking his heart attack instead & she killed the one who stole her mother's spot & the man who dumped her mom? Except wait why would maddox only see her in 1946? Maybe that's when he started idk. Do you trust what a man has to say abt shoes? Also there are many pairs of shoes, they could have both had those shoes... except then you said she'd be wearing heels. RC: Beckett, I just realizes something. KB: ? RC: "I Can't Give You Anything But Love." KB: ???? Ouh louis armstrong Satchmo! But listen maybe he played this club many times & that's why they BOTH fell in love with his music.
the fear on their faces when they get called by their old names <3 so good (sad)
He really really sounds like Castle's Joe Flynn when he says: Lady, you got it all wrong. WHOA THE MED AIDE? Huntsacker? His mom sold the diary. Her gramma was mrs kennard. He's back here after all this time. yk that's a good point. He is gently being a spy but then some other guy bullies them lol. But for how long were these two pretending to be the bartender? Frankie Benjamin Huntsacker the aide called him jerry earlier when the detectives came to talk.
"Bushwhack" lol
GASP THE BLUE BUTTERFLY Ugh the MUSIC tho! *casually touches it with his hands* How much of it was paste? Apparently the one they actually made was made of blue sapphires & they auctioned it off for charity. There are plenty of minerals that you can use in place of diamonds. Moissanite & white sapphires are both subs for diamonds. I'm sure blue sapphires can replace blue diamonds, except blue diamonds are typically not as coloured as a good quality blue sapphire.
Joe you said that any irishman worth his salt would be around the radio, not the cuban & mob boss too. I can't believe dempsey let her go but ig he was focussing on the fight. Hoo that leg The ice? Oh the bling, the diamonds Oof she just killed lenny! Yeah Sally was totally a victim! That's sooo cool they just ran away & burned the bodies & UGH THAT'S SO GOOD I'VE BEEN WANTING TO LEARN HOW TO LIGHT A MATCH ON MY THUMB FOR YEARS They probably lied tbh... You know, didn't want to get caught for a murder they did so many years ago, they did not struggle for the gun & have it accidentally go. Girl it is not up to YOU to decide. Tho I do like your decision. JF: We don't know how to thank you RC: I do Ok but here's the thing, how would they get by without the money they were going to get from this thing? Also hold on didn't this guy have a fake? The writer believes it was always a fake, castle believes it was switched out back in the 20s, Jerry & Viola (Joe & Vera) seem to think that they hid the BB but Frankie got his hands on a fake... idk I KNEW the brick would be a thing! Oh the music <3 RC/JF: Let the bastard spend the rest of his life not knowing his prized possession is right under his nose. Love <3 <3 <3 woah that dog! Tell them it was fake or tell them someone found it? The way he pulls her in like that <3 ALWAYS <3 <3 <3 How did they make it without the money from the BB tho? That's why they concocted this plan in the first place Weird ending but So Good I love it! ugh too good! Brilliant!
I am going to transcribe the audio commentary I swear.
this episode is one of my faves & I know I say that abt a lot but DANG this one was golden! So freaking good! So Freaking Good!
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canarias-stuff · 3 years ago
Text
About Normality and Engagements
Summary:
"Let's break off our engagement. I fell in love with someone."
"What made you fall in love this time around Satoru?"
"This girl, she...makes me feel...normal."
"...what...?"
Now, she was pissed, she gave her best all these years, and for what?
But if that's what he wanted, okay, she would accept.
"Is that so? So let's break off our engagement."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~JJK-JJK-JJK~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Warnings!
*Some angst, and in a way some "toxic relashionship", because Gojo Satoru is an idiot.¬¬''
*I posted this story on AO3 too, using the name mistsukis2.^^
*Link: https://archiveofourown.org/works/30397257
Hello!!!
This story is based in a manga called "It's Been 10 Years Since You Asked to Break Off Our Engagement, If You Insist That Much, Let's Break it Off!".
Of course there's some changes here and there, because well...this is a JJK story, and Gojo is his own warning..., so I hope that you will like it!^^
Have fun!
Subtitles:
*(l/n) (f/n) --- last name / first name
*(e/c) --- eye color
*(h/c) --- hair color
About Normality and Engagements
Oneshot
"Let's break off our engagement. I fell in love with someone."
(F/n) signed. Again that conversation. In all those years that they knew each other, how many times had that happened?
"What made you fall in love this time around Satoru?"
"This girl, she...makes me feel...normal."
A pause. She need to ask a dumb question now.
"...what...?"
"Well, we are sorcerers, we can see things that the majority of people don't, so we will never be normal. But when I'm with her I can forget about curses, the higher ups and just feel like I'm a normal person."
Woah, did she hear it right? Now she is kind of pissed, but well...
"Is that so?" (F/n) said pushing the chair and getting up, Satoru's eyes never leaving her figure. "So let's break off our engagement."
And without looking back, she left the café.
...
"BWAHAHAHAHA!!!"
"Yeah, yeah...laugh."
That same day, (F/n) invited Ieiri Shoko at her apartment to talk, and tell someone about her last conversation with her fiancé, or ex-fiancé.
"Sorry, sorry." Said Shoko trying to stop her laugh. "But I just thought that it would happen someday, after all, we are talking about Gojo. Even so, I feel bad for you. You've been trying to make this work out since...we were students at Jujutsu Tech, (F/n)."
"Even before this Shoko...since we were kids, I did everything I could to win Satoru's affections, but...THAT IDIOT JUST GET ENAMORED TOO EASILY WITH OTHER WOMEN!!!" (F/n) screamed in frustration.
"That's Gojo for you."
"Shoko, you don’t get it! I learned to sing and dance when he fell for some idol, I studied very hard when he said that he fell for some genius girl, and I pushed myself to the limits to become a special grade sorceress because he said strong girls were hot! And for what?! For nothing!"
"And what he said this time?" Asked Ieiri while drinking her beer. "It must be something really good...I mean, it must be serious for you to finally give up."
"...he said that this girl makes him feel...normal..."
"...what?"
"That's exactly what I said."
"Normal? Are you kidding me? What the hell does this even mean?"
"I don't know, and I don't care anymore! All these years I tried to make him look only at me, hell, we are...were engaged! If he didn't feel the same way as I do about him, at least he could actually break off the engagement before starting dating someone else!"
"We all know that it would never happen. And you know, I really think that he does it on purpose, just because Gojo likes when you give him your attention."
"Nonsense, he is just messing up with me. He sees me as a childhood friend that he is engaged with, he may care for me, but he doesn't love me." Said (F/n) frowning while opening another drink, the forth? "And truth be told, I'm tired of this situation. I need someone who will look only at me, and not someone who falls for stupid or superficial reasons."
“Whatever.” Shoko said sipping her fifth can of beer. "So...now you only need your family and Gojo's to accept the break up."
"Fuck our families. They never asked if we wanted to be engaged! If they can decide whatever they want, I will do the same shit."
"(F/n)...you're starting to swear. You're getting drunk."
"Probably. But I don't care right now."
Shoko signed and drank her beer in one gulp.
"Should we go out next weekend? I know somewhere with a lot of hot and single guys."
"Sure."
...
"(F/n)-sensei..."
"What’s up Megumi?"
"Do something about it." Asked the black haired boy, showing his cellphone. "Gojo-sensei is sending me a lot of messages because you're ignoring him."
(F/n) signed, two days had passed since she agreed to break off their engagement. And right after that, Satoru was sent on a mission so he didn’t come to pester her personally, but he was calling and leaving messages. She decided to ignore him, if it was important, she was sure that Ijichi would tell her.
"Sorry about it Megumi, but try to ignore him too." She hadn't even started her class yet, and there was already a problem.
"Are you fighting again? You are his fiancée, so please just make him shut up like always."
"WHAT?! (F/n)-sensei, you're going to marry Gojo-sensei?!" Exclaimed Itadori.
"Why would you marry such a clown, (F/n)-sensei?!" Asked Nobara, disgust obvious showing in her eyes.
"Well...technically, I’m not his fiancée anymore...”
“So you’re not gonna marry that idiot/Gojo-sensei?” Nobara and Yuuji asked again.
“No?” Said Megumi arching an eyebrow. “Even after everything you went through?”
“Yeah, he said that he fell in love with someone else and asked to break off the engagement. I just accepted.” (F/n) couldn't believe that she was discussing her love life with her students.
“He cheated on you?! What a bastard!” Screamed the only first year girl.
“No...he didn’t cheat on me. The engagement is something that our families decided, we never really agreed to it, but since we are friends, we just let it be...well, until now...”
Woah...she really was discussing her love life with her students.
“I knew that Gojo-sensei was kind of an idiot…” Said the pink haired boy, his hands messing his own hair. “...but I can't believe that he would be so stupid.”
The (L/n) smiled, her students were really cute, they were preoccupied with her in their own way.
“Are you fine with this?”
She turned to look at Megumi, the one who knew her since she was a high schooler, and the only one in that room who had a vague idea about how she really felt about Gojo Satoru.
“I’m fine.” (F/n) said, stroking the boy’s hair. “I think that I’m just tired of trying.”
“(F/n)! You’re ignoring me!”
“Is that so?”
“Yes, you are!”
“If you know, please don’t talk to me, Satoru”
“Why?!”
“Because you’re annoying.”
“What a scene.” Said Panda, staring at their teachers.
Right now they were in a joint class, the first and second years were all in the training grounds sparing with each other, well...that was until Gojo showed up and started disturbing the class that (f/n) had prepared.
“What an idiot.” Said Maki.
“Salmon.” Agreed Toge.
“I can’t believe that (F/n) will marry that idiot.”
“Ah...she won’t, Maki-senpai.” Commented Itadori sitting on the ground, Fushiguro and Kugisaki imitating him.
"Seems like Gojo-sensei broke off the engagement.” Complemented Megumi while putting his weapon aside. “And (F/n)-sensei accepted.”
“Are you sure?” Asked Panda still looking at the duo. “They are acting...like always? Satoru been annoying and (F/n) just trying to get rid of him.”
Toge agreed again, this time nodding.
“That’s what she said yesterday.” Nobara said, shrugging.
"That's good!” Exclaimed the Zen’in girl crossing her arms. “He doesn’t deserve her, (f/n) is too good for him.”
“...Satoru...let go.”
“No.” He answered, his hold on her waist tightening, while his face was on the curve of her neck. “You're still ignoring me.”
“We are in the middle of a class.” She said, trying to push him. “Now stop this nonsense! The kids are staring!”
“Let them."
“Why are you even sulking? Act like a grown up man sometimes!”
“...”
“I’m serious, Satoru.” She signed. “After the class we can talk, now, let go.”
And even against his will, he let her go.
“Go write your report. I’m sure that you didn’t do it yet.”
“Because that sucks. Don’t see why I need to do it.” Gojo replied frowning, at least she was speaking with him now. “I already exorcised the curse, so what’s the meaning of writing a report? The curse is gone and everyone is happy! Higher ups and their old way of doing things.”
(F/n) just rolled her eyes, Satoru was just babbling now and she would not engage in this argument again, she still had a class to teach, and the students were staring really hard at them.
“Okay guys! Let’s start over!”
“Why are you angry?” That was the first thing that Gojo asked as soon as she entered her own office in Jujutsu Tech.
“You were waiting here all this time? And your report?” She closed the door behind her.
“Did it here.” He answered, showing some papers. “Again, why are you angry?”
“I’m not angry.” (F/n) said while sitting in the couch, across from Satoru.
“You are. You’re angry at me.”
“No, I’m not.” The woman insisted, and she really wasn’t, if she needed to pick an emotion, she would say that she was feeling...relieved, sad? Maybe both?
“Are you angry because of the engagement?” He asked, ignoring her words.
“Nope.” She said smiling, and that made Satoru flinch, her answer caughting him off guard. "To tell you the truth, I was kind of tired of our situation."
"Tired…?"
"Come on Satoru. Our engagement was an agreement between our families, it's not like we really accepted it." (F/n) finally said, she wanted to put everything out now, well, almost everything. Satoru didn't need to know that she was in love with him. "I...won't lie, I tried for years to maintain our engagement, that's why I went through the trouble to learn a lot of things that you liked in those girls that you dated."
"I never really dated them! I...went out one...or two times maybe…" Corrected the white haired man.
"That's not the point." She signed before continuing. "I just thought that it would be okay to marry you, my best friend, but after all, it didn't work out. You clearly said last time, that you wanted someone who makes you feel normal."
"...that's why you accepted this time...break off our engagement?"
"Yes. I was tired, and you wanted someone normal. I'm a sorceress too, I would never make you feel this way. So I thought that this time we should end it."
"And...are you really okay with that…?"
She arched an eyebrow. Something in his voice was off now, but she couldn't point what.
"I think so? You will get what you wanted, and I will relax. It's a win win situation. Oh! But don't worry, I still see you as my best friend, I was...just a little bit annoyed because it felt like you were saying that I was strange. That's all."
"So...you were angry after all." Satoru said, but he wasn't cheerful like always. Something was lacking.
"A little bit probably. But no harm done. From the very start I knew that things would not work between us."
And that really hurt to say out loud, because she loved him, he was the only one she had loved so far, but...it was time to move on. She was 28 years old, she knew Satoru since she was 10, if in all those years he didn't fall in love with her, he wouldn't now. She was doing the right thing.
"I really wish for your happiness Satoru, because..." And for an instant (F/n) wished that she could be honest and tell him how she really felt, for once she wanted to be egoist, but she couldn't. “...you are my best friend and I care for you.”
"(F/n)...!"
"(L/n)-san!" Screamed Ijichi, storming into the room and interrupting Gojo, who now, had an annoyed expression in his partially covered face. “We need you to go on a mission! It’s urgent.”
“More urgent than the conversation that me and (F/n) were having before you come in, Ijichi?” Asked Satoru. He was smiling, but under that facade he was angry.
“I’m...I’m sorry Gojo-san!” Replied Ijichi, clearly afraid of the sorcerer, after all, Satoru would bully him when annoyed.
The woman just rolled her eyes. “Don’t mind him, Ijichi. We just finished talking.”
“No, we didn’t!”
“We did.” (F/n) said, turning to face the assistant. “So, what’s the mission Ijichi?”
“Ah...right…”Said guy started, trying his best to ignore Gojo’s burning gaze. He was probably a dead man now, right? “There’s a report about people going missing at Ioki Cave, in Aki. No body had been found so far. We need you to investigate the case, also, there’s the possibility of the culprit being a special grade curse, since the local is used to do tests of courage.”
“Okay, I’m leaving.” Agreed the woman getting up. “The soon I left, soon I will come back. I can’t lose my date thanks to a curse.”
“Date?” Asked Satoru, frowning.
He was pissed now, wasn’t he? Ijichi wondered, while leaving the room. He already passed the message to (L/n), he did his work, now it was time to leave, because he didn’t know how to deal with an angry Gojo Satoru.
“Yeah?” Confirmed the woman picking up her purse, she needed to go home first and prepare to travel. “I agreed to go out with Shoko this weekend, and well, we never know if the mission will last an hour or a week, so I want to go as soon as possible. I don’t want to cancel our outing.”
“Where are you going?” He asked. Satoru was relieved that (F/n)’s date was Shoko, but then again, you never know where Shoko wanted them to go.
“Dunno. A night club probably?”
“I'm going.” Gojo stated.
“You don’t even like to drink. Why would you tag along?” (F/n) asked. “And it is supposed to be a girls night, so you’re not coming!”
Girls night? The white haired man thought, now he really needs to go.
“Okay, I understand.” He would just follow them, and coincidently show up. Because why not?
(F/n) arched an eyebrow, that was suspicious. Satoru never, never gave up so fast.
“Don’t follow us!”
“You hurt me, I would never do something like that~.”He hummend, now he was obviously amused.
“You would, that’s why I’m warning you, Satoru. Don’t show up!”
“Okay, okay. I’m not a stalker, you know.”
“I doubt it.” The woman said. “I need to go now. The kids are all yours now, so don’t be late for the classes. Be on time for once.”
“Impossible.”
“I know.”
In the end, (F/n) came back almost at night on the saturday. Ijichi was right, there was a special grade cursed hiding in the cave, but that thing had learned to disguise its presence, so it was really difficult to pinpoint the curse's exact location.
And fighting such a powerful curse in a narrow space like a cave was also complicated, she was the type of sorcerer that used cursed fans to fight, she could control the wind, making the wind that the fans produced as sharp as blades and knives. But wrecking a cave wasn’t a good idea, she didn’t want to die stuck under rocks, so she had to be cautions of a lot of factors while fighting the curse.
“I’m tired.” She said throwing herself in the bed, her face buried in the pillows. “...This phrase is my favorite these days, no…?”
She was tempted to call Shoko and cancel their outing, but at the same time, (f/n) felt like she needed to go out and relax with a friend, and maybe flirt a little. Now that she had broken off her engagement with Satoru, she was free to try and love someone else, someone that could love her back.
“Okay. First! A bath!” She said. “Let’s renew the energies!”
Shoko couldn't avoid but whistle, making (F/n) laugh.
“What?”
“Planning on seducing the whole club?” Ieiri asked, finishing her cigarette while waiting for her friend.
“Not really, but if you think that I have a chance, why not?” Retorted the sorceress.
“If Satoru sees you now, he surely would fall in love.” Shoko said, turning in the direction of the bar, (F/n) following her.
“No, he wouldn’t. Like he said, he wants someone that makes him feel normal, right? I’m a sorceress, a special grade sorceress, I’m far from normal.” Yeah...that’s right, he would never love her. She needed to accept it.
“Yeah, right. Let’s go now. Tonight we will get drunk and curse stupid men like Gojo!”
“Gladly!”
The music was loud, people were talking, dancing, and flirting, but as soon as those two entered the bar, they could feel some people staring in their direction. Men and even women stopped what they were doing to look at the newcomers, who were going straight to the bar area.
“Two martinis.” Said Shoko to the bartender. “First round it’s on me.”
Minutes later, the bartender gave them their drinks, and the girls toasted.
“For your broke off engagement!” Cheered Shoko.
“For my broke off engagement!” Repeated (F/n) lifting her drink.
“Why are we here, Gojo-san?” Asked Nanami, visibly annoyed.
Early that day, his senpai had called him, asking for some help in a mission. Of course Nanami thought it was strange, but somehow Gojo Satoru managed to convince him to join him. That’s why he was here, in a night club no less, in the middle of Tokyo on a saturday night, when he just wanted the comfort of his armchair.
“To have fun!” Replied Gojo grinning, his blindfold gone, just his sunglass on his stupid cheerful face.
“You don’t even like to drink.”
“I’m trying new things.”
“Of course. By the way, you are going to pay for my drinks.”
“Eh...why?”
“I’m going home.” Said Nanami getting up, but being stopped by Gojo.
“Okay, okay! I will pay!”
“Now, what are we doing here?”
“I told you, to have some fun.”
“I’m sure that you would go out in an arcade and eat crepes with your students rather than go to a club.”
“Just wanted a change of air.” Satoru said, looking around, and fixing his gaze somewhere after some minutes.
“...Gojo-san, you really like to lie, don’t you?”
“Not really, I just lie to the higher ups, or when necessary, or when I want to have fun...or when I want (f/n) to act all cute” Replied Satoru humming.
“This means that you lie all the time.” Said Nanami sighing. “I don’t know what will come first, the higher ups deciding on killing you, or (l/n)-san dumping you.”
“...”
“...”
“...”
“She did it.”
"...”
“She dumped you.” Stated Nanami. "She finally got tired of your nonsense."
“No...I broke off the engagement…”
“You always says stupid things to break off your engagement, but everytime that you gave absurd reasons for falling in love with someone, (l/n)-san tried her best to overcome such reason."
"Isn't she the cutest when she tries her best?" Satoru said smiling.
"Gojo-san...actually, you love her, right?" Stated the blonde guy, and Satoru didn't deny it, after all, Nanami wasn't wrong. "So why do you keep trying to break off your engagement?"
"I never wanted to break off my engagement with (F/n). I just miscalculated the last request."
"...pardon…? I think that I misheard you."
"I never wanted to break off with (F/n)."
"So why?"
"It's just that I liked to see her struggling to get my attention, even though she is the only one that I see. And since she never realizes it, I continued with this game."
"...you are a sadist." Affirmed Kento, frowning. "I'm feeling bad for (L/n)-san now, you were playing with her, all these years."
"It was supposed to be fun!” He said, ignoring Nanami’s ‘ For you ’. “But then...she accepted to break up...don't know why…"
"Serves you right. She is not a toy."
"Hey, Nanami...do you like my fiancée?" He asked, jealous obviously showing in his voice.
Nanami rolled his brown eyes, oh god...what he did to deserve it?
"No, I respect her, so I wouldn't want her to be with someone who takes her feelings so lightly."
"I don't take her as a joke, okay! She is just cute to mess with. And I just need to get her back. I can do it!"
"So you better start soon." Said Nanami, pointing at the bar area, now he could see why Gojo wanted to come here. "Because right now, you are her ex-fiancé, nothing is stopping her or anyone else."
"And then, he said...oh…"
"He said 'oh'?" Asked (F/n), drinking her third martini. "Why would he say it?"
"No, I mean 'oh'." Repeated Shoko, pointing at something behind (F/n).
(L/n) arched an eyebrow and turned around, her (e/c) eyes making contact with green ones from a strange, but hot guy, at the end of the bar.
"He is looking at you." Said Shoko, as soon as (F/n) was facing her again. "And I give him two minutes to come here."
"And if he doesn't come?"
"Then, you go there."
"What? Why?!"
"Because that's the first step to celebrate your freedom. But don't worry, he's already coming." Said Ieiri catching her drink and leaving the bar.
"Hey Shoko! Wa…"
"First time here?"
(F/n) turned around to look at the man who was staring at her from across the bar. And well...he was handsome! Blonde, tall, green eyes, probably a foreign. Now that she was officially single, she could give a shot, right?
"Yeah, my friend brought me here to relax a little, work has been difficult lately." (F/n) replied. Of course she wouldn't say a word about her engagement to a stranger.
"I can relate. We need some fun sometimes."
"Yeah."
"Eugene. Call me Gene."
Yep, he was a foreign. British? Maybe.
"(F/n). Nice to meet you, Gene." She said, smiling.
"Yeah, nice to meet you Gene~."
Their eyes widened, and immediately both turned to face the intruder, who now had an arm around Eugene's shoulder.
"What are you doing here?!" Asked (F/n), her anger starting to rise.
"Your friend, (F/n)?" Inquired Eugene, a little bit taken aback for the sudden intrusion.
"Yeah, a friend that shouldn't be here." Said the girl crossing her arms.
"The name is Gojo Satoru, by the way~." The white haired man hummed.
"Did you follow us?"
"No...I came with Nanamin to have a drink! You know, he needs to relax sometimes~."
"Oh gosh, Satoru!" Exclaimed (F/n) shocked. "You made poor Nanami come here too?! I can't believe you!"
"What? He is drinking right there with Shoko, so what's the problem?"
"Did Shoko knew that you were here…?"
"Nope, just bumped into her coming to the bar."
(F/n) signed. Why? God, why?! Have some mercy on her! She came to this club to have fun, to get to know other guys, but the ban of her existence needed to show up. Again. WHY?!
"Sorry Gene, but I really need to have a word with him." Said the girl, getting up from the chair. "Maybe we can talk later?"
"Yeah." He replied carefully while looking out of the corner of his eyes at Gojo. Something about that guy had awakened some kind of survival instinct in him.
Gojo Satoru was smiling, but the sky blue eyes were piercing him.
"Satoru!" Called (F/n), anger rising in her voice.
"Coming~" He said, finally letting go of Eugene, who signed with relief.
And then, Satoru turned around one more time to face Gene, after (F/n) started storming away.
"Good answer."
Eugene was right. The guy was dangerous.
"Why are you here? You said that you would not follow us! You promised me!"
"I did? If I remember correctly, I said that I understood, but I don't remember promising anything. And I came with Nanami to have fun, by coincidence you two are here too."
You little shit! Thought (F/n). She wanted to scream at Satoru, but they were in the corridor that led to the VIP area, the quietest place that she managed to find in a night club to hold a conversation, and the last thing that she wanted was to attract attention.
“And coincidentally you showed up at the bar area when I was getting to know someone.”
“Hum...yep?”
“Fuck you Satoru!”
“You are a little drunk. You’re swearing.”
“And who’s fault is it?!”
“The three martinis that you were drinking?”
“You even know what and how many drinks I had! You were staring at us, you're creepy!”
“A little correction, I was staring at you. ”
“Doesn’t make you less creepy. And why would you do it anyway? I’m not even your fiancée anymore!” (F/n) said frustrated. “You don’t need to babysit me!”
“Reconsider!” Asked Satoru suddenly. “Our engagement, I mean.”
She frowned.
“You wanna talk about this here? In a nightclub? For real?”
“Well, I don’t see why not.”
“I can’t believe you…” She said. “You know, I don’t need to answer your questions about a marriage that would never happen, so excuse me, there was a hot guy by the bar that wanted to get to know me. And he is probably british!”
One second she was almost exiting the hall, and the next, (F/n) was pinned in the wall, her wrists in Satoru’s hold.
“...let go Satoru.” She said, staring at Satoru’s eyes. Was he angry? No...it was something different.
“No.”
“I’m serious.”
“So am I.”
“Ugh! What the hell do you want from me?! I finally agreed on breaking our engagement, aren’t you happy now?!” (F/n) said, raising her voice. She was feeling emotional, the drinks were to blame, of course. “You are free! You can be with anyone now, you can...love whoever you want! You can feel normal! Wasn’t it that you wished f...?!”
“I didn’t want you to agree!” Satoru said, interrupting her. His face showed how serious he was.
“...what?! Are you fucking kidding me? What are you even talking about, Satoru?!”
“It is like I said! Fuck! I didn’t want you to accept! I never wanted to break our engagement!”
A pause. She must have heard it wrong.
“But you…”
“I was just messing up with you.” He finally confessed. “When we were kids, I thought it would be funny to prank you about breaking up, that’s why I gave such stupid reasons to fall in love, but then, for some reason you went through a lot of trouble to maintain our engagement. You were so cute back then, that it kind of turned into a game for me…”
“...”
“But a week ago, you agreed, and the game wasn’t fun anymore, because you were trying to get away for me.”
“So...all those years…you were playing a game...you...you were playing with my feelings?!” The girl shouted, angrier than before. She doesn’t even care anymore if someone heard them. “Am I a joke for you?!”
“Wait! You got it wrong (F/n)!” Satoru said, panicking.
“No, I heard you clearly! You were making fun of me all this time!” The (L/n) exclaimed, tears falling from her eyes. She shouldn’t have drank the martinis, she was really emotional now. But then again, she was telling him how she felt about his sick idea of a joke. “I can’t believe you! Did you think that I would laugh after hearing this?!”
“No, but!” Things were getting out of his control. He thought that (F/n) would be angry, of course she would be, but she was crying, and he never meant to make her cry.
“I loved you, Satoru!” She said all of a sudden, and that made Satoru shut up. “You wanted to know why I tried so hard all these years, right? Because I loved you! I wanted you to look at me not as a friend, but as a woman, a lover! I wanted you to acknowledge me as your engagement partner...but you…you keep saying that you fell in love with some random girl…”
“...(F/n)...”
“I worked so hard, I even became a special grade sorceress. And for what? For you to tell me that you wanted someone who makes you feel normal.” She laughed, but there was no humor in her voice. “The irony. And now, you say that everything was just a joke. Woah!”
“Hey, (F/n), listen…”
“But it was all for nothing. Everything was just a game, I never really had a chan…”
And before she could complete that sentence, she felt Satoru’s lips on hers. (F/n) was surprised, her heart was beating like crazy, and there wasn't butterflies, but there was a fucking zoo in her stomach, but in the end, she closed her eyes and kissed him back.
“Sorry…” That was the first thing that Satoru said, as soon as they separated from each other.
“...why…?” She asked softly, opening her (e/c) eyes to stare at Gojo’s sky blue ones.
“For the same reason that you tried so hard all this time.” He said, finally releasing her hands, and hugging her waist, bringing (F/n) closer to him. “I love you, (F/n).”
“...you are lying…”
“I’m not lying. I do love you, I have been in love with you since we’re kids.” Gojo retorted gently.
“...”
“I did what I did because I wanted your attention. I wanted to be the only one that you would look at.”
“You are an egotistical bastard…”
“I know.”
“All this time you were messing up with me.”
“I’m really sorry about it. I didn’t mean to make you cry.”
“I’m not crying.”
“...of course…”
Silence, but they were still looking at each other.
“You...are you joking again…?”
“No, I’m serious.” He said stroking her cheek, his expression gentle and caring. “I love you, so please, reconsider our engagement.”
“Why did you postpone our engagement until now?”
“This will sound really corny, but I wanted to make sure that you loved me.” He admitted, turning his head to the left, his cheeks blushing. “I didn’t want you to marry me just because the higher ups of our families forced you.”
“Indeed, that’s corny…”
“Shut up.”
“But, I like it.”
And (F/n) could finally smile, a real smile since the beginning of all that drama.
“So…it means...” Now Satoru was hopeful.
“If you ask me nicely...maybe~.”
“That’s fair.” Satoru laughed, and then looked her in the eyes, the beautiful (e/c) eyes that he loved so much were shining in anticipation. “(F/n), will you marry me?”
“Took you forever to ask me directly, no?” The woman said, before intertwining her arms behind Satoru’s neck, pulling him close and kissing him again. “I love you.”
“I love you too.” Replied Satoru, a smile in his lips. “And by the way, you are the only one who makes me feel normal."
(F/n) only laughed.
"With you, I can be just Satoru.”
444 notes · View notes
itsallyscorner · 4 years ago
Note
I was wondering if you can write something about reader x marvel cast where they go on the tour bus with James Corden. Maybe reader is dating a costar (you can choose who)
💌
We Are Avengers
Pairing: Marvel cast x reader, Sebastian Stan x Fem!reader
Summary: Basically what happens during James Corden’s Star Star Tour😌
Warnings: None :)
Hello darling, thank you for the request! I apologize that it took so long for me to write, but I’ve been busy with school and I’ve been lacking motivation in general. But thank you so much for this request, it gave me the chance to rewatch one of my favorite Marvel cast videos so thank you for that as well, it never fails to make me smile. I hope you don’t mind that I chose Seb as the co-star you’re dating! Also, yes, I know I’ve been writing a lot of headcanons but writing this as a headcanon seems like the best way to write it for me😭 I’m gonna add in some pictures that the cast took with their disposable cameras, so enjoy😉
。・:*:・゚★,。・:*:・゚☆
Tumblr media
(GIF from Pinterest)
✧───── ・ 。゚★: *. ☽.* :★. ─────✧
When it was mentioned that you and some other members of the Infinity War cast were going to be on James Corden, you were very excited.
You enjoyed making appearances on late night talk shows; Jimmy Fallon, Jimmy Kimmel—they were always fun to be on. Though you’ve always loved making appearances on James Corden’s show.
When you first heard about being on The Late Late Show, you were expecting to do a typical interview in the studio that would lead to playing a game later on in the show.
What you didn’t expect was to be led out to the parking lot with the rest of the cast, only to be greeted by a double decker bus with James’ face plastered alongside it.
At first you were all a bit confused but one of the producers came up to you all and explained the segment you were all filming.
Everyone was buzzing with exhilaration waiting to get on the bus. One by one you were called up, you being paired with Sebastian.
Wait, he would make you go up the stairs first so he can stay behind you, making sure you don’t fall. Omg and he would place his hand on your lower back too😭🥺
“Wow—Marvel’s own power couple, it’s such an honor to have you both on here. Thank you for coming!” James greeted the both of you. Partially acting because the cameras were rolling.
You and Sebastian beamed at him, proud of the title the fans and your cast mates have given you both over the years. “It’s always a pleasure to see you, James.”
James gives you both your name tags, pausing mid way while he was handing Seb his. James’ gaze shifts between you and Seb, “I’m sorry, you’re just both so beautiful.”
Seb bashfully thanks him, pulling you towards the seats, as you giggle behind him.
You and Seb sit towards the back, behind Don and Tom.
You all sit tight, talking amongst yourselves as you wait for the bus to start. In the seats were disposable cameras and some Late Late Show merch.
The bus hasn’t started driving yet, but you were all having too much fun with the disposable cameras.
Everyone was just taking pictures of each other. You and Seb took a couple selfies and some stolen shots of the others, mostly Anthony.
You even got a cute shot of Don and Tom:
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Yes I know they used disposable cameras but I decided to tie in my ‘Polaroid’ series into this even though they’re not using Polaroids—just go with it😭
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Being the more social one in the relationship, you were going up and down the aisle talking to everyone.
Seb stayed towards the back with Anthony and Winston. While you were at the front talking to Lizzie and Chris.
Being sad when you were all told to go sit down because you had to leave Lizzie.
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Though it probably wasn’t shown in the video, I just KNOW that the filming for this segment was chaotic as fuck.
Chaotic in a good way.
But the whole bus was loud I just know it.
You could hear Mackie across from you talking loudly and laughing that contagious laugh of his.
You, Lizzie, Pom, and Zoe attempting to talk to each other from different spots on the bus over everyone else’s voice.
Chris and Paul can also be heard laughing all the way from the back.
James feeling like a parent because it felt like he was babysitting a bunch of toddlers.
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The whole thing was freaking chaotic from the start, I mean ya’ll started the ‘tour’ with Benedict and Chris rubbing sunscreen on James’ legs.
Everyone passing around the sunscreen after, because it was sunny as hell and no one thought of wearing sunscreen.
Seb being a cheeky asshole and ‘accidentally’ smearing sunscreen across your face.
“Sebastian!” You gasped before a flash of light went off on you. When your eyes recovered from the flash you see Seb holding up a camera at you, snickering to himself.
James began to act as your guide, pointing out things like a coffee shop and explaining what it is.
All of you being childish and pretending to not know what a coffee shop or what a line is.
Laughing at Don when he got out of his seat and took a picture of the coffee shop. Like how he got into an over exaggerated position just to take a picture was funny.
Everyone being childish and acting as actual tourist in Los Angeles. Like pointing things out and asking about them or taking pictures of literally everything you drove by.
When Reggie Watts began that sing along thing everyone joined in, bopping and dancing along to the beat.
Like you guys are just having a really great time, happy to be in each other’s presence.
You could hear Sebby singing along to Reggie beside you, and you couldn’t help but just adore him singing and having fun.
He’d notice your stare, he may have had sunglasses on, but you could see the crinkle of his eyes from behind his sunglasses as he smiled at you.
“Na, na, na, na, na, na!” Seb repeated, leaning towards you to press a kiss on your temple.
Throughout the whole ride, he’d have his arm along the back of your seat or have it across your lap.
After the sing along, James went back to acting as a tour guide. He pointed to a red building—whatever it was—and deemed it as “Barbra Streisand’s holiday home”.
Josh Brolin, who was sat along at the back of the deck, raised his hand. “Excuse me! I—uh don’t mean to interrupt, but I have to use the bathroom. Can I use the bathroom?”
James pretending to cringe and telling him that in order to use the bathroom you have to be in three or more Marvel movies to use the bathroom—end credits don’t count.
Everyone being childish once again and yelling “OHHHHHHH!” Like a bunch of school kids.
James points to Tom, “Tom Hiddleston do you need the bathroom?”
Tom, with his soft voice and a small shrug says, “I’m actually okay!”
James then points to you and Seb, “My lovebirds at the back, Sebastian, (Y/n), do either of you need the bathroom?”
You and Seb glance at each other, “Nah we’re good.” Your boyfriend answers.
“Yeah, I used the bathroom before we came here.” You look behind your shoulder at Josh, a smug expression on your face, “Unlike some people.”
Josh flipping you off while everyone laughs at him.
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Since Anthony and Seb aren’t sitting together, I just know that Anthony would be yelling at Seb from across the bus to get his attention.
No seriously, I saw them in the background of the video and even heard Mackie yelling lmao😭😂
“(Y/n) call Sebastian!” Anthony yelled at you from across the bus, pointing to the man beside you with a grin on his face.
You chuckle and nudge Seb, “Your boyfriend’s calling you.”
Seb would shake his head at you and turn his attention to Anthony; who just wanted to take a picture of Seb from his side of the bus.
James trying to get spoilers out of all of you but thankfully you all aren’t Tom Holland or Mark Ruffalo.
“Does anyone on this bus die in the next Avengers?” James asked. Suddenly you were all quiet, not a word coming out of any of you.
Until Paul began to scream his infamous line, “snITCHES END UP IN DITCHES!”
Getting confused when James suddenly asked the bus to stop and ran off the bus.
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Next thing you know, you’re all hopping off the bus and walking into a comic store with a Spider-Man statue at the front.
Seb motioned to the statue and looked back and Anthony, “We gotta get a picture with that.”
Anthony instantly agreeing—he was willing to do anything to tease Tom Holland.
Seb’s not that huge with PDA, but he always needs to be touching you. So he’ll be interlocking your hands with his the moment you walk off the bus and all the way into the comic store.
Feeling thrilled to surprise the people who were shopping at the store.
You all walked around, mingled with some fans, taking selfies with them, and signed a few things.
You were looking at some Funko Pops with Lizzie when you felt a small tap on your leg.
You looked down to see a small girl looking up at you with wide eyes full of admiration. In her tiny hands was a Funko Pop of your character.
You and Lizzie instantly coo at the toddler, crouching down to her level so you can talk.
“Hey, sweetheart!” You greet her, taken back when she suddenly wraps her arms around you into a hug. You laugh wrapping your arms around her small figure and hugging her back.
“I love you so much!” She squeals into your ear, arms tightening around you. Your heart swelled as she excitedly babbled about how much she loved your character and how you were her favorite.
“I love you too! Oh my gosh, you’re so cute!” You decide to carry the toddler, who you later learned was named Lila. Her parents scolded her for distracting you from the other fans in the store, but you brushed them off, your attention focused on your tiny fan.
You carried her around while you met other fans and signed more comic books and merch.
You even introduced her to your other cast mates.
Sebastian’s heart absolutely melting at the sight of you with a baby.
Homie wants to wife you up one day and seeing you with a baby made his baby fever sky rocket.
“Lila, this is Sebastian! You know who he plays right?” You ask the toddler in your arms. Sebastian ducking a bit so he could hear her over the commotion in the store.
“Yeah, he’s the wiener soldier!” She replied. Both you and Seb had to hold back your laughs at her answer.
Lila bragging about how she loves you more than Sebastian.
Seb having to agree because he doesn’t wanna make a toddler cry.
Before you all left, you took pictures with Lila and her parents and signed a bunch of her merch.
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^ the boys got their picture.
You guys get back on the bus only to come back to rolls of paper under your seats.
You all sang the “Avengers” song, singing screaming the lyrics dramatically.
Don and Anthony bringing on the vocals.
Before you guys get off the bus you all take a selfie together.
Leaving Chris Hemsworth on the bus and walking off the bus with your heart all warm and fuzzy because you had an amazing time with your boyfriend and your friends :)
This is so long holy shit
。・:*:・゚★,。・:*:・゚☆
🏷 Tags ↴
*if there’s a line through your username, Tumbr won’t let me tag you*
Marvel Cast/ Avengers Tags
↪︎ @ximaginx @lozzypoz321 @sunwardsss @pokemonbong @pjokotlcmarvel201 @whoslili @111111111111111sblog @marvel-is-a-mood @blckyungblood @astroponyo @universemarvel @imthebadguyyy @roseke @bi-myself-forever @httpscarletwitch @millenniumloki @cristin-rjd @swords-are-cool @melaninfalconbucky @deamus-liv @elvish-sky @catsandbooksandsstuff @ellajoy419 @moonlight-babe99
Sebastian Stan Tags
↪︎ @theresnoplatypus @wintersoldierlover @peacelovehobbitness @milea @sunwardsss @thedenimjacket @roserose26
General Tags
↪︎ @quxxnxfhxll @just-here-to-escape-from-reality @thegirlwiththediary @agustdowney @bi-lmg @rqmanoff @sesamepancakes @stardustofreading @dracoswhore007 @swiftmind
3K notes · View notes
sargeant-bxrnes · 3 years ago
Text
1 step forward, 3 steps back.
warnings: rafe being… rafe. drug mention & consumption, cursing, toxic relationship, sexual situations/implications, mental health issues. ANGST.
[AN: this is the first thing i’ve written, ever, so my apologies if it’s not flawless ; also, english is not my first language, that’s a warning on its own]
my requests are open btw
click for my master list
word count: 4.4K
Called you on the phone today
Just to ask you how you were
All I did was speak normally
Somehow I still struck a nerve
“Hey,” you said in a soft tone as soon as Rafe picked up the phone, you were laying down on your bed, staring at the ceiling.
“Hey princess,” his tone was calm, but his voice was rough and raspy all together.
“How you doing?” you asked him, even though you’d seen him last night, up close.
“I’m doing great,” he replied in a surprisingly cheerful tone, which is weird this early in the morning. Rafe is not a morning person. “You sound tired.”
“I am tired,” you confirmed with a sigh. “Guess I have you to thank for that.”
“My pleasure.” he replied cockily, and even though you couldn’t see him, you could practically hear his proud smirk.
“So, what’s the plan today?” you asked in a casual tone, fidgeting with the edge of Rafe’s shirt, the one you wore to sleep.
“Uh, what do you mean?” he asked in a distracted tone, he sniffed subtly and coughed.
You knew what that meant, but still, you hoped it wasn’t what you deep down knew it was.
“Yeah, I mean—“ you said and made a brief pause. “Wanna go to the club? Maybe we can take a ride on the boat, you know, with food, alcohol... just us.”
“Can’t, I’m busy.” he said after a few seconds, if you didn’t know him better and his occasional mood swings, you would’ve said his tone was harsh.
"Really?" you asked in a soft tone, trying to disguise your disappointment with interest. "But I thought we were going out together today."
"Y/N, just because I'm your boyfriend it doesn't mean I have to be with you all the fucking time."
Okay, now he was definitely angry, you thought you said the right thing, but it still made him angry.
"Rafe-"
"No, Y/N. I have a life of my own, you know? Things to do besides you."
“That’s okay Rafe, I get it,” You said calmly, nodding your head softly. “Have fun today.”
Now you clearly heard the sound of him sniffing something and the sigh that left his lips after, and Barry’s voice in the background. “Don’t play the victim card on me, that’s not gonna work. I deserve to have some time off.”
“I didn’t,” you said softly. “And it’s okay baby, you’re right, you deserve to have some fun.”
“See? No need to be so fucking dramatic,” he said, his voice and words slurring. You? Dramatic? It was all him. “But don’t worry princess, I’ll drop by tonight and fuck the attitude out of you, yeah? That way I’m not just doing things with you, I’m doing you.”
And with such a vulgar comment and a harsh tone, Rafe hung up on you, leaving you completely dumbfounded and filled with incredulity.
What you did know for a fact, is that he would keep up his word. And judging by his tone of voice and how annoyed he was, you could already imagine the ache between your legs.
You got me fucked up in the head, boy
Never doubted myself so much
Like, am I pretty? Am I fun, boy?
I hate that I give you power over that kind of stuff
You knew exactly what you were getting into when you started hooking up with Rafe, and what you were committing to when you agreed to be his girlfriend.
You know that man carries more problems than he shows, he prefers to make himself appear as the Kook prince who lives a life of partying and money; hiding all the things that were going on in his head.
However, there were times when his attitude made you doubt yourself.
You couldn't help but think, ‘What if one day I don't manage to calm him down?’ ‘What if one day he realizes that there is someone prettier, or hotter, or wealthier out there?’
And Rafe would get angry if you doubted yourself. He would complain to you about it, saying you had no reason to be insecure about your looks; if you are absolutely gorgeous, or to feel insecure about your personality; if you were the most genuine person he'd ever met, and you could make him laugh until he forgot all his problems.
But what really made him furious was when you had doubts about the relationship itself, about whether or not he was capable of leaving you for someone else. He took those doubts personally, as if he wasn't trying hard enough to show you how much you mean to him.
When in reality; you were doubting yourself.
'Cause it's always one step forward
You were preparing dinner for you and Rafe, your family was out for the weekend, and Rafe had decided to spend it with you.
Your hair was tied up in a bun, your attire consisted of nothing but your underwear and a shirt that used to be Rafe's, but you took it so long ago that it's yours now.
Music from your shared playlist played in the background, as you danced absentmindedly with a spatula in hand, extremely calm and enjoying time with your boyfriend.
Rafe could do nothing but stare at you with admiration, you are literally the only good thing in his life; his little piece of heaven. You are everything to him.
As soon as Dark Red by Steve Lacy started playing, you let out an excited gasp. That song in particular is Rafe’s and yours, like… if you two had to choose a song to describe your relationship, it would be that one. It represented how you two did not always have good times, but your love prevailed.
Seeing you this happy, comfortable and at ease with him made Rafe's soul happy. All his life, he had done nothing else besides make people angry, disappointed, terrified. But with you, everything was different.
You were so focused on swaying your hips to the music and singing, that you didn't notice when Rafe stood up and walked over to where you were.
It wasn't until he stood behind you, chest to back and with his hands on your hips, that you realized he was closer. His head was bowed, you could feel his breathing close to your ear, so he was able to murmur in your ear the lyrics of the song:
“Only you, my girl, only you, babe,” he sang in your ear, his voice a soft whisper as he wrapped his arms around your body and started to sway with you. “Only you, darling, only you, babe.”
The gesture quickened your heart to unsuspected levels, you felt your knees weaken as you pressed closer to his body, appreciating his closeness as he pressed a kiss against your temple.
“You know I love you so much, right?” he mumbled in your ear, as you closed your eyes and relished his presence.
“I love you too, baby.”  you mumbled back, leaning your head against his chest, caressing one of his arms around your waist with your fingertips, and bringing your hand to his ash blond hair, stroking it softly.
and three steps back
“Why is he mad at you, again?” Topper asked you with a raised eyebrow, after witnessing Rafe utterly avoiding even looking at you when he walked into the room and then left without a word.
“Because I told Barry to not open the door if Rafe dropped by,” You replied with a shrug, closing your eyes and leaning back against the chair. “And when Rafe tried to lash out on him, Barry said it all had been ‘Mrs.Country Club’s’ request.”
“And he’s mad at you because you don’t want him to get all fucked up?” Topper questioned next, trying to understand the situation. But he never knew what the fuck you two were up to.
“Yes, but it’s Rafe, are you surprised?” you said with a heavy sigh.
“No, not really,” Topper admitted. “Honestly, I don’t know why you keep up with him, Y/N.”
“I ask myself that all the time…” you said with a deep sigh. “But I love him, so I guess that’s the answer.”
“And? I mean, I don’t want to be ‘that guy’ Y/N, but he’s…” Topper trailed off, apparently looking for the right word.
“I know exactly how he is, Topper, I don’t need you to remind me. I already think about that way too much.”
You and Topper had easily assumed that Rafe was no longer around, since he seemed to be making his best efforts to avoid you.
But Rafe was there, and he heard everything. He’d heard Topper giving you bad advice (or what he considered bad advice) And he heard you, having doubts about why you loved him or stood by him at all,and it made him want to lash out again.
I'm the love of your life until I make you mad
It's always one step forward and three steps back
Do you love me, want me, hate me? Boy, I don't understand
No, I don't understand
[+18. Really]
“Leave me alone!” his voice boomed in the room, his brows furrowed and the veins in his neck were popping out.
“Rafe—“ you tried once again, approaching slowly in an attempt to place a hand on his shoulder, but he waved it away aggressively.
“Leave-me-alone,” he said, pausing in between each word to emphasize on how much he meant it. His eyes were bloodshot, his nose had specks of white dust, his lips were dry and his voice was coarse.
You weren’t entirely sure what you could say to get him to calm down. Or if there was anything at all you could do.
Normally, what upsets him the most is Ward. His own father. Rafe has spent his whole life trying to prove he's a good son, to make his father proud, and Ward never appreciates his efforts, only notices the bad, and ignores Rafe's clear calls for help, has since Rafe was 10 years old, so he certainly wasn't going to pay attention to him now that Rafe finally had a steady girlfriend, someone who had willingly decided to help.
95% of the time, you managed to talk to Rafe before he decided to resort to intoxication. Most of the time just seeing you helped him calm down, hearing your voice soothed him, and your lips, your skin, put him in a state of peace.
But the other 5% is when Rafe resorted to alcohol and, above all, drugs.
When Rafe is upset and decides to get high, he only manages to become unstable, erratic and yes, aggressive if not handled with care.
In those situations, the best thing you can do, putting yourself first, is to give him his space. Let him screw himself as much as he wants for that day, and help him deal with the consequences the next day, while you listen to him lament his attitude.
Rafe always said he would quit the vice; claiming you were all he needed to calm himself down, that you made him feel at peace. And above all, that you weren't slowly killing him; on the contrary, every minute he spent with you made him feel more alive.
However, for one reason or another, he always came back to it. Whether it was at a party, because Kelce suggested it, or, as is almost always the case, when he's upset with his father and needs quick relief.
And usually, this ‘quick relief’ ends up with Rafe fucked up, big time.
Once he was convinced that you wouldn't try to intervene again, Rafe went back to his business. He turned to the table, and since he already had the line ready, he simply leaned over and inhaled it, throwing his head back, running his hand through his hair and exhaling as he closed his eyes.
You exhaled heavily, shaking your head as you stared at your feet.  You knew he would struggle to quit, after all it is an addiction and he has to fight it, but sometimes you get the impression that Rafe doesn't want to quit, not really.
"Do you want to help me?" asked Rafe eventually, turning his head to look at you. You didn't know if it was a trick question or not, so you hesitated before answering. "Answer me."
"Yes, of course I want to, Rafe." you replied with your respective hesitations, wondering what he was up to.
"Come here then," he said, making a 'come hither’ sign with his fingers.
You took a hesitant step but stopped, your eyes narrowing as you analyzed Rafe, trying to determine his intentions.
He raised both eyebrows in your direction, in a silent question of whether or not you're going to go with him.
Eventually you walked over to where Rafe was, he smiled at you while biting his lip lightly. Without saying anything he approached you and kissed you; the drugs made his senses heighten, so the kiss was intense from the beginning.
So that's when it made sense to you what he wanted, he wanted you. Your most obvious thought is that he would use you to take out your frustration, put the drugs aside and, most likely, fuck you.
Your idea seemed to be the right one as soon as Rafe grabbed you by the waist, still with his lips on yours, left a little bite on your lip before pulling away; and without any problem, lifted you off the floor and placed you on the table.
It's something you wouldn't admit out loud,—mostly out of shame and guilt,—but this kind of sex with Rafe was the best, he's completely unrestrained, rough, full of stamina and teasing, and above all, possessive. And that, in combination with his attractiveness, always drove you crazy.
And honestly; if what he wanted was to fuck you to take out his frustration, you'd let him.
His kisses were hungry and his hands desperate, running all over your body without distinction, as if he didn't know where to start.
He parted his lips from yours, and left a kiss at the corner of them, on your jaw; and began to make a little trail of slow kisses down your neck. The feeling of his lips on your neck made you bite your lip as you wrapped your legs around his waist to feel him closer.
You slid your hand under his shirt, caressing his defined abs and the sides of his body gently with the tips of your fingers, as he left little bites on your neck. Your hands slowly moved up, intending to remove his shirt, but Rafe was quicker and brought his hands to the edge of your shirt, causing you to stop your movements to raise your arms, so he could remove your shirt with ease. And so he did.
He parted his lips from your neck and stared at you, the hunger in his eyes made you feel a fire in the pit of your stomach that only he could put out.
Desperately, your lips connected again as he settled between your legs. One of his hands traveled to your neck, and he wrapped his fingers around it, pressing lightly to the sides. Your eyes rolled to the back of your head; though he couldn't see it.
With just enough strength, Rafe used the grip he had on your neck to push you down onto the table, so that you were lying on top of it.
As soon as he leaned over the table, you could feel his breath over abdomen, so you bit your lip in anticipation for what was to come.
He began to leave slow, wet kisses on your abdomen, making a slow trail to the edge of your shorts. Your automatic reaction was to close your eyes and put a hand in his hair, stroking it gently.
What you didn’t know is that the fact that you closed your eyes had given Rafe an opportunity he couldn't miss. Without you noticing, he slid a hand to the side of the table, where the small bag of white powder was.
To conceal his actions, he unbuttoned your shorts, and returned his lips to the beginning of your abdomen for more time.
The little bite he left to distract your attention caused a gasp to escape your lips; and that sound almost caused him to change plans completely.
He did want to fuck you, don’t get him wrong. He even had a mental debate about whether to continue what he was doing or simply sink his head between your thighs and provoke more sounds like that.
But he wanted to try something first. He had always wanted to try it, but had never asked you, because he knew that you would most likely say no.
With ease, he slid your shorts down your legs; so that they stayed at your ankles or fell to the floor; he didn't care. One of his hands slid into your underwear with ease, his fingers going straight to where he knew you needed him the most.
Trusting that you would not open your eyes, carefully, he put the white substance on your body, so delicately you didn’t notice. He began to prepare to inhale, while biting his lip in reaction to the sinful sounds that left your lips.
And obviously, without warning, Rafe inhaled a line from your thigh.
And all your sounds stopped, your eyes opened and your expression was filled with surprise, the bad kind.
You couldn't believe what Rafe had just done, you felt like an idiot for falling into the trap.
You also had to bite your lip to keep from letting out a moan in reaction to what his fingers were doing in between your legs, but your pride forbade it.
But more than anything else, you were outraged.
“Rafe, you did not just—“
“It felt nice, yeah?” Rafe’s voice was hoarse, you could feel his breath over your skin, as he left little kisses around. “After all, I did feel you clench around my fingers.”
His dirty words, hoarse voice, and close proximity to your body, not to mention his fingers deep inside you, caused you to let out a soft moan, causing Rafe to smirk in what he thought was victory.
But you wouldn't let him win this little game.
Although you really didn't want to, you grabbed his hand by the wrist and pulled him away, your legs trembling slightly at the sudden lack of anything between them.
Rafe's eyebrows furrowed in confusion as soon as you pushed him away from you and got off the table, lifting your shorts off the floor and putting them back on without a word.
"What are you doing?"
You didn't answer, as you searched for  your shirt, feeling his heavy gaze on your body.
"Y/N, where do you think you're going?"
“I’m leaving you alone as you asked me to, remember?” you said in irony. “Before you sniffed a line off me after I begged you to quit that shit?”
“Oh, so now you’re playing the victim?” his voice rose. “Don't- Don’t act as if you wouldn’t have let me fuck you less than a minute ago!”
"Yes I would have let you, to distract you from that shit!" you admitted to him, failing to control your anger. "I said I wanted to help you, to distract you, to give you something different to do. Not that I'd give you another place to snort lines from!"
Rafe knew you were right, of course he did.
You had spent months after months trying to get him to quit, you had offered him countless hours of your days to give him something new to do, distractions, attention and love. And this is how he had decided to pay you back?
But Rafe was angry too, very. You had interrupted him, you were yelling at him; and you had left him so hard, that it would start to hurt unless he did something about it.
“Fine, then get the fuck out of here.” Rafe spat, his anger clearly getting the best of him.
Your eyes widened at that, you hadn't expected him to react like that.
Your best case scenario would be that your attitude would piss him off, yes, but that he would retaliate by getting you back to the table and showing you everything you were missing.
Instead, he simply took your word for it and told you to get out of the room.
“What?”
“You heard me, get out.”
“Rafe—“
“You uh, you have three options, yeah? You let me fuck you over that table and do whatever I want, you get out of here, or I’ll get you out of here.”
The first offer was tempting, it really was, but you wouldn’t allow him to talk to you like that. Before anything, came respect and dignity, and no matter how much you wanted him to fuck you silly, you were too angry and disappointed at him to let it slip.
Blinking repeatedly to chase away the tears from your eyes, you grabbed your phone from the other end of the table, your jacket from Rafe's bed, and walked out of there without another word as you heard him calling your name.
And maybe in some masochistic way
I kinda find it all exciting
Like, which lover will I get today?
Will you walk me to the door or send me home cryin'?
Your relationship with Rafe was unique.
Not because of the circumstances in which it was created. A one-night-stand that turned into something casual, that was formalized after a dinner.
If not for Rafe.
You loved him, no doubt about it. You would give anything to see him happy and at peace, at peace with himself and succeeding in his life.
Rafe would do anything for you, really, anything. No matter how risky, demanding or dangerous, he would do anything for you.
He would die and kill for you.
But that surely didn’t mean it was an easy relationship, hell no. In fact, the willingness both of you had to do anything for each other sometimes made things too complicated; for at times it seemed that not a single rational thought crossed your minds.
And yes, Rafe’s addiction was a big issue. Whenever he was too high, or going through withdrawals, he wasn’t the Rafe you knew or had grown to love, it was another side of him you wanted to help get rid off. And the process wasn’t easy.
While trying to get clean; there was no way to know how he’d behave. He could either get clingy and want you around at all times to calm himself down, or he’d be in a very bad mood all the time, constantly snapping at you and raising his voice.
So there were days where he’d walk you to the door of your house and leave you there with a tender kiss and a smile.
Or days when you’d get out of his truck without a word, with tears streaming down your cheeks while he kept yelling for probably the stupidest thing.
No, it's back and forth, did I say something wrong?
It's back and forth, goin' over everything I said
It's back and forth, did I do something wrong?
'It's back and forth, maybe this is all your fault
Rafe knew he wasn’t okay. After all, he had begged his father for help, begged for anything that would get those thoughts to stop, but his father hadn’t listened, had only told him to ‘man up.’
You knew he wasn’t okay. Which is why you wanted to help him, to offer the support no one else had bothered to give him before he met you.
Whether he wanted it or not, those thoughts were still there. Being with you made them easier to ignore, but it’s not like they vanished entirely. He still had some ideas that made his own skin crawl.
And sometimes, you’d say or do the wrong thing and trigger those thoughts. And things got bad again for him.
Rafe knew you wanted nothing but to help him get better and be the best version of himself, and he really wanted to give you that. To change and make an effort. Not only for himself but for you. He wanted to be a man worthy of your love.
But it was hard to be anywhere near decent when you two went out and a guy stared at you for longer than Rafe’s limits allowed, or when guys tried to hit on you, when his friends got a little bit too close for his comfort.
Whenever he got jealous, he turned into a walking, talking ticking bomb. Anything could, and would set him off.
It wasn’t your fault, not really, but most of the time you felt it was. You knew Rafe dealt with a lot of insecurities already, of not being a nice person, not being good enough and so many other things. And you hated being one of the factors that caused his insecurities to arise.
And I'd leave you, but the roller coaster is all I've ever had
It was a complicated relationship, and it would probably never stop being complicated because both of you are complex people, plus there are other factors that affect the relationship.
But that didn't mean either of you would stop fighting to keep it alive. Neither would let the other go.
Rafe utterly refused to ever let you go. He loved you as he had never loved anyone, as he never thought himself capable of loving with that twisted heart of his.
You are, without exception, the best thing in his life, the best thing that ever happened to him. And you being in his heart was slowly turning him into who he had wanted to be during all those years of loneliness.
And you would never let him go, because you loved him with all your heart, soul and nerve of your body. And because you know that no one will ever love you like him. With so much passion, intensity, honesty and purity.
Because every feeling Rafe expressed with you was true; he was himself with you. And you didn't want to let him go.
Even if the two of you went one step forward, and three steps back, that single step would be longer than any step life makes you take backwards.
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delicrieux · 4 years ago
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☆ミ 𝚖𝚊𝚔𝚎 𝚢𝚘𝚞 𝚜𝚊𝚢 “𝚘𝚑”
PART 24: OH...HI
after months and too much longing, you finally meet corpse in person.
─── corpse husband x reader ─── soc. media + written fiction! ─── word count: 3.8k
author’s note: we did it joe.
ultimate masterlist.  ҉  myso masterlist   ҉   previous. ҉   next.
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You woke up. That’s a lie, you didn’t sleep. Too much to plan, too much can go wrong and you’re...Not nervous, no, that’s not quite accurate. Excited. Yes, excited, so excited that two Redbulls and three coffees (so far!) make you jitter around the apartment like a butterfly that can’t find a flower bed to rest on. 
Rae has almost had enough of your...random spurts of energy. So what if you ran a few laps, climbed a few tables, sang karaoke a bit too loud and yet another noise complaint had been issued? It arrived exactly an hour after your concert via your displeased landlord. Rae was, of course, the one to apologize because you were too busy trying on miniskirts. After that ordeal was taken care of, no sooner than Rae shut the front door with an exhausted sigh, you emerged from your room clad in your prettiest outfit. You present it to her with a bright smile and flourish. 
She is not impressed.
“Will you quit it?” She questions, arms crossed over her chest. Your grin does not damper -- you’re used to such harsh treatment, having accepted her backhanded way of showing love long ago. Instead, you flick your wrists, showing off an ungodly amount of rings. You’re not certain of the exact number because you can’t count, “Y/n.” Her voice gains an edge, but you persist. Show off your shoes that have cute lil’ charms that jingle jangle not unlike the spurs on a hot cowgirl’s boots, “Y/n.” Her eyes narrow in displeasure, her stern tone making you falter in your dramatic stride down the imaginary catwalk, “Just stop.”
Okay! So maybe you’re not as used to her coldness as you thought you were. Your expression sours, and you quit the act, even if a part of you - one you barely fight off, goodness, you almost perish in that battle - wants to continue but even more annoying. As if you could somehow block her rationality with manic energy. 
“What?” You ask, trying to keep the mood lighthearted despite her squared shoulders and tight frown, “I’m just having a bit of fun!” You say with a joyous little laugh, reaching for a glass of much needed water.
“No, you’re panicking.” Her words make the glass still, hoovering by your painted lips, but it’s short lived. You take a greedy gulp and it tastes fresh with a pinch of lipstick, “Look, I get it...” She shakes her head softly, “You’re meeting the guy you like for the first time, you jumped the gun straight to dating and now you’re...Anxious. It’s normal, you know.”
“But I’m not anxious.” You persist, and you really do mean it. You don’t like how she looks at you as if you’re the one that’s misunderstanding your own feelings. You set the glass down with a soft clink, heaving your own sigh, “I’m not, I’m really happy actually.” You explain softly, “It’s just...my way of dealing with it. I’m more... Worried about Corpse, to be honest.” You add, a tad quieter, “But, like, it’s all good!” You exclaim, strolling up to her and landing your hands on her shoulders, “I prepared.”
And it’s true! You had spent the night scouring the depths of the internet. Read every WikiHow article on how to deal with someone with extreme anxiety, how to not make things painfully awkward, and how to talk to boys (just in case. The last time you stumbled upon that particular article was way back in middle school when you had a crush on that one guy you saw in your school’s cafeteria every now and then. Naturally, that led you down the rabbit hole, and according to WikiHow’s How To Tell If A Boy Likes You guidebook, you found out that he was absolutely enamored with you because he glanced in your direction, like, two times. Safe to say that love story went nowhere. The point still stands). 
So you forward all of this information to Rae, nestled in her bed whilst she lazily folds her clothes; clarify that you know that nothing much can happen, and that this whole situation is delicate, and that you must tread carefully because you don’t want to overwhelm him. She pauses her actions, glancing behind her to watch you staring idly at the ceiling, so peaceful, so thoughtful. And it’s not the eerie calmness you had displayed during your murderous spree in the last Among Us game, no, it’s just...quiet understanding. 
“I’m actually impressed.” She says. You merely hum, counting the dust slowly descending in the cascading light, “You’re not as clueless as I thought.” Your lips quirk into a shy smile at the compliment- “Or as tactless.” - and turn downward just as quick.
“That implies that I’m always tactless.”
“You are.” She states and you sit up, a soft frown pinching your brows, “Not like, in a terrible way. You just...don’t think about your actions. Or the repercussions. You just know that you can get away with everything.”
“And I can!”
“That doesn’t actually mean you should do something just because you can. You know I’ll always support you. Literally everyone will always support you. But I’m not gonna coddle you. You’re just...a lot. Online and especially in person. But the fact that you’re actually taking this seriously and taking his feelings into consideration is...well, the bare minimum, but still, good job.”
...Much to think about. You don’t like thinking, it makes your head hurt. Though, that could just be the lack of sleep. You cross your legs and plop your head in your hand, tired eyes blinking owlishly, “Do you...think I should change what I’m wearing?”
Prompted by your question, she gives you a careful once over, “I mean, it’s signature you.”
“Signature me is a hoodie and some sweatpants.”
She smiles, “Then go change. Your outfit is a bit distracting for just...Hanging out indoors, no? I’m sure he wouldn’t mind either way, though.”
“I just...” You bite the inside of your cheek, mulling your words over. Truly, the last time you were so attentive was when you went Psycho Mode in Among Us, which, to be fair, wasn’t that long ago. Perhaps there wasn’t a chance to let your mind dull - it’s almost as sharp as your butterfly knife, “I figured that if, like,” You vaguely motion with your hands, “if I be, like, all over the place, and wearing something cute, he’d be, like, distracted? And less anxious? No...awkward silence?”
“First meetings are always awkward, it’s natural.” She chimes, “I mean, if you’re so nervous-”
“I’m not nervous!”
“-then just don’t overthink it. I know it’s easier said than done, but you’re you, and Corpse is Corpse, and he likes you for who you are, and even if it is a bit awkward, I’m sure it’ll, like, blow over in a second. It really doesn’t matter how you look, Y/n.” She grins, “Plus, it’s not like you’re greeting him in your underwear or something.”
You will not admit that that was your plan B, not when you just landed in her good graces. You nod, “...I’ll go change.” 
And so you do. Pick out your cutest hoodie and some sweatpants. Put away your jingle jangle shoes with a broken heart, instead of them donning your fluffiest socks; slip off some rings because they keep falling off of your fingers. It’s almost like all of those transformation scenes in rom-coms that are still popular for some reason, except you’re hot before and after, so there’s really no transformation at all. 
Now you wait. Just wait, all other activities are excluded from this. Rae comes back to find you sitting on the edge of your bed, back straight, hands neatly folded on your lap. She compares you to a Sim’s character and you allow her. After mercilessly mocking you and snapping a few pictures - for blackmail, you assume - she helpfully informs that she is leaving because she doesn’t want to get in the way, but your psychic abilities which you acquired just now tell you that she simply doesn’t want to witness this train wreck. Not that it’ll be a train wreck, it would be if you were nervous, but you aren’t. 
You just aren’t. You fidget with the rings adoring your hand; toy with the hem of your hoodie; bounce your leg up and down. It’s just caffeine, okay?! Fuck this, Twitter time.
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[ADDING A MUSICAL INTERMISSION, LISTEN TO THIS IF YOU WANT (I WROTE THIS CHAPTER WITH IT IN MIND)]
The waiting commences, only now it somehow feels more intense. The sun is setting, and you really want to be one of those cute girls that fill their camera roll with pictures of the sunset and the roseate sky, but your hands are trembling and holding up your phone feels like too much of a hassle. You’d rather just sit there, alone in the apartment, in the pin-drop silence, extremely uncomfy and tense, as if waiting for the end of the world. 
A notification sounds off and your life flashes before your eyes. Hastily, you check it, a sticky mixture of delight and something else, something unpleasant constricting, making your stomach churn. He’s here. Holy shit, it’s happening. You order your anime plushies to stop fucking panicking, they’re like, totally embarrassing you at the moment! You wonder if they have their own little group chat, but instead of Totally Spies it’s called Total Embarrassment. Yikes, okay, that was harsh. After a good scolding, and a heartfelt apology for getting so heated, you smooth down the non-existent wrinkles on your modest outfit, and quickly waddle over to the electronic apartment thingie something something... you unlock the main door, okay!? This is for some reason feeling very not cash money, so you break out in a little dance number.
The doorbell does not sing that shrill, unpleasant tune; rather, there’s a soft knock on the apartment’s door, and you pause your shuffling, your renegade, and perk up at the imposing future hidden behind a slab of wood. Your heart beats a melody all on it’s own, and it’s loud, uncoordinated, like a musician that’s still familiarizing themselves with their instrument. And there’s that knock again, as uncertain as you’re feeling, and your clammy fingers latch onto the lock and turn it and now there is no more hiding - such a possibility is no longer an option; no more sporadic dances or sitting in disheartening silence and letting your thoughts weight you down.
You’re not quite sure what you were thinking about before you saw him in the threshold, head tilted slightly, fluffy dark hair obscuring the bags under his eyes, hunched, one ringed hand clutching onto the strap of his duffel bag, the other frozen mid-air, ready to knock one more time lest you didn’t hear him the first two. No, truly, you can’t, for the life of you, remember what all the fuss was about. 
“...Oh.” It’s a soft sound, so quiet, but not surprised, rather...relieved. Faint shimmers of a smile reach you, hidden behind a black face mask - the panini chic! You must stan a respectful king - but there’s something about the way he looks at you that makes you question it’s sincerity. He fails to return your gaze, rather choosing to stare somewhere over your shoulder. His eyes seem unfocused. Apprehensive. A wild thought occurs to you that he expected you to trick him somehow, and wild thoughts invade the land of your mind often, but never in such a way. You clutch the handle just a bit tighter.
His hand retreats to his side, up to his mask and you think he’s about to unhook it but he stills, and there’s panic there, as if he had been moving unconsciously, as if he hadn’t realized what he’s doing. He plays it off by idly scratching his cheek, muttering an equally quiet, “Hi.” to fill the silence.
Finally, your WikiHow knowledge can come in handy, along with your common sense, “Hey, pretty boy.” You mutter, pulling away from the door, “Make yourself at home!” You slide to the kitchen, your socks acting not unlike ice-skates cutting through the Arctic frost covered ground. You hope that with you occupied and not watching him as closely he’ll feel slightly more at ease. 
You’d like to hug him. Kiss him, definitely. But if he’s so uncomfortable that he can’t bring himself to shed his mask in your presence, then there’s really nothing you can do. 
You hear the door shut and lock behind you as you pull out two glasses from the cupboard, humming a song you can’t quite recall the name of. You ask him if he’d like something to drink - it was a short flight, yet a flight still, and planes always make you thirsty, and there you go talking his ear off. You end abruptly, but smoothly, like a true diplomat; if he notices, you have no way of knowing - he doesn’t provide even a hint. He’s hard to read, and literature was never your best subject. But you’re trying.
He sets his duffel bag down on a nearby chair, “I, uhhh,” His voice is raspy and low, another indication of a pathetic lack of sleep, “I...got you something, uhh, I dunno-dunno if I should...give it now, or?” He sends you a questioning glance, but it doesn’t linger. Your offer of drinks is momentarily forgotten, though you hardly mind. 
You grin, “Sure! I love gifts, gimmie gimmie.” You make grabby hands, and he snorts, and it would’ve sounded endearing if he didn’t sound so fucking tired. He unzips the bag, and you pad your way to him, mindful of personal space (something you, in most social situations, chose to pretend does not exist). You note his hands quivering lightly, just like yours had in the agonizing wait, but he hides it well. You wish you could hold them. You’re afraid to try.
He pulls out a black hoodie and you recognize the custom art on it instantly - it’s his merch. He presents it in awkward flourish, murmuring a “Tadaaaa” under his breath; your heart skips a pleasant beat, and you have to bite down on your lower lip lest you smile appears too big. The fabric is soft under your fingers, and you accept his gift with a dramatic bow, and he turns his head away with another little laugh. You’re chipping away at the ice around him; it’s a slow process, but it’s worth the effort.
Truly, your own hoodie is shabby in comparison - icky, how could you have ever worn such a thing in the first place?! You’ll have to do extensive research in fashion magazines and Printerest so such a slip-up may never happen again. You discard it hastily and put his on instead; it smells like washing detergent with hints of cologne, one you instantly pin point belonging to him, “It’s, uhhh, it’s mine? I hope you, uhh, I didn’t have any spare ones, so-I hope you don’t...mind.”
He’s finally looking at you, but he’s still tense, still hesitant, and you shake your head softly, “No,” You admit, “I like it even more now.” You pull on the hood, toy with the strings and yank them quickly; your face is concealed, save for your nose, “Comfy.” Your commentary is unmatched, best of it’s kind - eloquent and effortless, much like yourself.
Another small laugh reaches your ears, and it sounds a bit livelier than the others had been. Success!
“Stop that.” He says gently, and you see moving shadows; his hands loosen the strings and your face is revealed to him once again. He’s close now, and he doesn’t move away; his hands come to rest on your shoulders, warm even through layers of fabric, “I came all this way to see you, don’t hide your face from me.” 
Your eyes narrow playfully, your finger rapidly tapping away on his clothed cheek, “What’s all this then? Hm? Hm?” Instead of swatting your hand away, which you figured he’d do, he complies and finally tugs that fucking mask off. Your breath catches in the back of your throat and you halt your ministrations - truly, seeing him smiling on screen is nothing compared to him smiling in person. You can’t quite contain yourself any longer - your excitement might burst out in another dance number otherwise - as you throw your arms over his shoulders and pull him flush against you. He’s quick to return the embrace. Maybe it was all the encouragement he needed.
“Wow,” He mumbles, only slightly offended, “so I finally show my face to you, in person, and you just-...you just look away?”
“I’m hugging you, dumbass.”
“...Touche.”
Things fall into place after that, like a dozen puzzle pieces fitting together. He won’t let you go - he doesn’t want to. You put on some music, something easy and indie and that doesn’t require too much effort to listen to, as the two of you contemplate what to eat. Cooking by yourselves was dismissed due to the unstable relationship between yourself and cooking utensils. The stove and you had had a falling out recently, but this feud had started long ago, back in pre-school, with only short intervals of friendship. He listened to your extensive explanation absolutely enraptured and only moderately confused. 
So you settled on ordering pizza from Domino’s. You have no trouble calling or receiving phone calls, because you have no trouble doing anything, and he admitted that he only really calls you because he gets too anxious to do more, so you’re tasked with ordering the food. You accept this mission with pride.
You stand tall, gazing out the window into the wild California domain: massive buildings and towering eucalyptus trees, bleeding skyline and the sun slowly getting swallowed up by the ocean. Corpse looms behind you, with his arms snaked around your waist and his chin resting on your shoulder, looking at you through the corner of his eye. You wait patiently for the underpaid, overworked staff member to pick up, and once they do, you have the audacity to grin brightly and chirp, “Hi! I want pizza.”
Conversations flow smoothly, and you make hot chocolate - because you are hot and you crave chocolate - and he insists he wants one too, because you want one, and you don’t hesitate to overflow his cup with whipped cream and an ungodly amount of miniature marshmallows. A premature heart attack, just for him. Whoever said romance is dead has clearly never met you. When the doorbell chimes, you’re astounded that an hour flew by so quickly.
After the delicious meal, the movie night must commence. So what if you watched 10 Things I hate About You yesterday, you insist that you have already forgotten the plot. You lead him to your room and he tries not to stare, but can’t help himself. Pretty boy in a pretty girl’s room. His eyes linger on the massive posters of Chrollo on your walls, and you sense his displeasure rolling off of him in waves. 
“What?” You huff, fluffing the pillows, “You don’t like my husband?”
He jabs his finger into his chest, into the spot of his heart, “I’m your husband.”
“Side hoe, then-”
“-No.”
You didn’t lie when you said you love to cuddle, or that you’re clingy. It’s a good thing he’s just as clingy as you are, because when he lays down and you latch onto his side. He doesn’t complain, rather wraps his arm around pulls you close. His thumb draws lazy circles on your side; with your head resting on his chest, you feel each rhythmical rise and drop. 
The opening credits play on the projector, the room dark enough for your pile of plushies to look like a whole fucking human just standing in the corner. A ghost! Sucks for it, you’re not scared. You feel safe. Protected. So comfortable in Corpse’s hold that you’re honestly wondering how did you manage to be so long without him. To think all of this started when Sykkuno followed you on Twitter. What a lucky accident.
“Can I ask you something?” Your voice cuts through the bopping 90s soundtrack and Julia Stiles’ voice. He hums. You take it as a yes. Tilting your head upwards, you find his eyes again, a thorn of displeasure picking you as you note that that apprehension you had seen previously is still very much there, “...You really wouldn’t date me if I was a worm?”
His chest rumbles with a laugh and his lips split into a grin, “I would.” He presses your side for emphasis, “I really would.” He repeats, reassuringly. You, however, are not convinced.
“But I’d be a worm.”
“I know. We’d... roll around in the dirt together, or something.”
“But you’d be human.”
He frowns softly, “Why couldn’t I be a worm, too?”
“Those are the rules.”
“What kind of shitty fucking rules are those?”
“I dunno, it’s like the Thanos snap or something. I just turn into a worm. I’m the only one.”
“That’s fine.” He smiles, “I’d take you out on a fishing date or something.”
Shocked, offended, and heartbroken, you hit his chest and pointedly turn away with a pout, which he finds very funny for some reason, but you fail to see the humor anywhere except the movie. Despite the fact that he’d sacrifice you for a fish, you smile shyly and close your eyes. He did say you would take a nap together, and if he really thought you’d stay awake for movie night, well, then he’s just an idiot. You had decided you would fall asleep as soon as he was next to you. It’s a miracle you managed to stay awake for so long.
“...Sleeping already?” You don’t appreciate his teasing tone.
“’m not sleeping...” You murmur, “’m resting my eyes.”
“Sure.”
You’re not quite certain (of anything, really) how much time drifts by, but you’re nearly lost in unconsciousness, in the warm, nice feeling that comes along with him like a cloud. Perhaps he thinks you’re asleep, he has to, else he wouldn’t say anything at all, “You’re stuck with me now, you know.” It’s such a soft admission, riddled with the same notes of anxiety that always prevail in his speech; with the same hopeful sincerity he had been gazing at you the whole evening. 
Moving your lips is such a hassle, but you manage, “’m...stuck...” You mumble, “’m...stuck...what are you doing step-”
“No!” He laughs, and your lips quirk into a lazy smile, “No, no, no. Just no. Do you talk in your sleep?” You fake snore at that, loudly, “You’re like a little dragon.”
“...Fuck you.”
“Fine, a kitten, then.” That’s better. You feel something chapped, but soft, press onto your forehead, “Goodnight, Y/n.”
God, you’re so fucking happy. Does he know how happy you are? How happy he makes you? But you’re too tired for screaming and flailing around, too tired to even crack an eye open. You want him to know all the same, “...like you.” You whisper, but you don’t know if he hears you over the movie, “...I like you.”
His reply is instant, breathless, “I like you too.”
Good, you want to say, and maybe you do - can’t tell anymore. Sleep takes you too quickly.
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tags (in italics is those i couldn’t tag! make sure all’s ok w your settings!) : @littlebabysandboxburritos - @fairywriter-oracle - @tsukishimawh0re - @ofstarsanddreams - @bbecc-a - @annshit - @leahh19 - @letsloveimagines - @bellomi-clarke - @wineandionysus - @guiltydols - @onephootinfrontoftheother - @liamakorn - @thirstyfangirl - @lilysdaydreams - @pan-ini - @mxqicshxp - @tanchosanke - @yoshinorecommends - @flightsandfantasy - @liljennyx3 - @bingusmode - @unknown-and-invisible - @sinister-sleep - @fivedicksinatrenchcoat - @mercury--moon - @peterparkerspjsuit - @unstableye - @simonsbluee - @shinyshimaagain - @ppopty - @siriuslystupid - @crapimahuman - @ofthedewthesunlight - @mythicalamphitrite - @artsyally - @corpsesimpp - @corpsewhitetee - @corpse-husbandsimp - @hyp-oh-critical - @roses-and-grasses - @rhyrhy462 - @sparklylandflaplawyer - @charbkgo - @airwaveee - @creativedogs - @kaitlyn2907 - @loxbbg - @afuckingunicornn - @fleurmoon - @yeolliedokai
more tags are in the comments bcs tumblr only allows me to tag 50 people max 💙
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fanfic-gallery · 3 years ago
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Hi, again! So, my idea includes mc singing Waste My Youth [Ethereal Version] by GALXARA and the om!brothers... I just can't stop thinking about how they'd react! 😔
Waste my youth
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✎ Demon brothers x Reader
✎ You wanted to spend your eternity with them, waste your youth on them like no one else.. fortunately, they do too..
✎ Tags: fluff, gn! reader
: ̗̀➛ Manger’s/Author’s note: This song is a fucking banger- like sheeesh, how have I not hear of this before?! Underrated I tell you, underrated!! aHEM ahem.. anywaysss hope you enjoy <3
I wanna waste, wanna waste my youth on you, you Oh, the sounds running through the glass You can take the moments that I have I wanna waste, wanna waste my youth on you, yo
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*.✦ Lucifer
If you sang this during the earlier periods of your arrival, he would have thought of it as wishful thinking, wasting your life away, falling for demons, you can’t be serious...
But now, as you belt the chorus, a burning sensation has made its way to his cold heart. Smile tugging at his lips, piercing crimson irises softening in, body leaning closer into the door frame as he hummed along with you
“Such great talent, ” he would mutter, ears twitching with every striking tone and emotional grip, the lyrics sinking their meanings in the pits of his mind
A lost of composure, leaving a soft creek of your door, head snapping over to the noise, only to meet eyes with nothing but a lingering scent of cologne
Stiff figure against the corners of the frame, breath heavy, the flame internally scorching, red dusting his face
"This is interesting... my.. what great strength you have over me, love.. "
*.✦ Mammon
Tanned skin rosy, steam picking up pace, leaking from his eardrums, the rapid pumping of his heart stirring in his chest
Body leaning further and further, ears tingling at lyrics leaving your lips, breaths heaving with every second he stood longer
Subconsciously alerting his presence with creak at the door. Blueish yellow ombre eyes stared at yours, rushes of embarrassment flooding his nerves
A coughing fit and a slight tug at his posture as he made up his excuse, cheekbones still stained in bright red, pupils darting all over the place, never once aligning with yours
"N‐nice singing human— w‐what?! I didn't eavesdrop!? W‐why, why would the Great Mammon waste his time doing that! Stupid human.. "
*.✦ Leviathan
Trembling hands reached for his pocket, device trying not to slip out of his sweaty palms, top jaw chewing at his bottom lip, pinkish flesh being nibbled at as he stared nervously
Blood boiling to an extreme, thoughts of you singing to his favourite songs with that harmonious voice of yours, even through the chaos up in his head, the underlining lyrics didn’t go unnoticed
Screeching noises of a steaming kettle spilled in him internally, a hand raising to bury his burning cheeks, deep exhalates and twitching pupils
An arm raised, ready to snap a mini video for himself, only for a flash of white to appear in brief instead, alerting a startled you to stroll towards the creaking door
You met with nothing but the thumping of footsteps in the distance of the hallway. The demon sighed in relieve, ass hitting the floor as he raised his phone to his eyes
“w-why... ughhh, is this what normies call this fuzzy feeling ‘l-love’.. ”
*.✦ Satan
Book in hand, eyes glued to the page, fingers trailing the edge as he strolled the halls, the booming voice of yours reaching his ears when he took a corner
Figure passing the rest of the doors before taking a pause at yours, emerald green stared, eyes widening when he meet you, hairbrush in hand, movements swift yet graceful, melodic harmonies leaving your throat
Taking a breath, he left, footsteps thumping quicker by every second, nose scrunched up, opened book hovering over his tilted head, cheeks sparkling embers of red, ears ringing as your sharp belts rewind in his head
Face squishing further into the pages, the angelic dance of you played on repeat like a broken recorder, heart stabbing draggers at his chest, daring to escape his clutches as he coughed it up to maintain his calm physique 
“Such grace, poise... my chest hurts, but I don’t dislike it..”
*.✦ Asmodeus
The intro starts, taking a deep breath, before even slurring the first word, a bang on your door made you flinch, arms envelope your waist, warmth swallowing you whole
 Head snap to notice wavy strawberry blonde, a glossed smile capturing your gaze, lovely tunes leaving them, leaving you shocked, a grin of your own spread on your face as you joined in
Slender hands taking yours, fingers locking, intertwining together, feet dragging against the floor, bodies swayed, as tones harmonized with one another
Ending getting closer, movements slowing down, hands pulling your frame into his, red tainted noses touching, lips grazing, pinkish eyes pouring into you, as the heat from his body melted your beating muscle
“Heheh~ this was fun, should we go for round two?”
*.✦ Beelzebub
Was walking towards the kitchen for a midnight snack, footsteps as quiet as a mouse despite his huge build. Lavender eyes dilating when he turned a corner, pupils darting towards you, sitting on top of the counter, legs swinging, mug in hand as you sang
Gently taking a step, hand trying to reach the fridge’s handle yet not wanting to disrupt the angelic tone you were singing, gripping his arm back as he continued to stare
Closing out the song with soft whispers till moderate claps sounded, head rolled around, cheeks flared into flames, your shaky voice called out for the ginger now digging his head into the cold powered furniture
You rushed towards the sink, scrubbing away at the stains, directly putting it onto the dry rack only for a larger hand to grasp yours, eyes meeting lavender, cheeks swollen with food, little smile still tugging at them
“Can you stay a little longer? I want to hear it again.. the song, it might help my starving stomach, ‘cause I feel half full already.”
*.✦ Belphegor
Numb limbs slithered and warped around you, head snuggling into your chest, warmth surround you and the demon in your arms, humming tunes turned into running vocals, sweet muttering harmonies leaving your lips
Sleepy lilac eyes fluttered, tears staining the corner, irises rose, attention lingering on your lips, his tug on your overalls seemingly tighten, pulling your frame closer to his
Breaths deep and heavy, cheekbones to the edges of his ears dust in pink, your scent alongside your voice overwhelming his nervous system, inner workings going haywire
His pleading whines got to you, apologies poured over, only for the whines to grow louder, lavender eyes squeezed shut as head shook around, hand raising and drawing along your jaw
“Please keep going, doll... your v-voice *yawns* is.. so.. soothing..”
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ptergwen · 4 years ago
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jingle your bells
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w/c: 1.7k
warnings: mentions of drinking and a suggestive joke
summary: peter gets drunk at tony’s christmas party and confesses a thing or two
a/n: today’s the day yayyy merry christmas guys i hope you’ve gotten and gave some good stuff!! i hope you’re all staying safe too <3 this was requested as a headcanon but i put a twist on it because why not
━━━ ➳❥
your dad loves parties. hosting them, attending them, crashing them. he’s actually known for it.
this year, he’s throwing a little party for christmas. everyone at the compound is coming, but there’s someone you care about more than the rest. peter. he’s one of your favorite people and closest friends.
your crush, too.
these things can be a bit overwhelming, so the two of you always stick together. you’ll sometimes sneak upstairs to your room and binge movies with pajamas and all kinds of junk food. it’s your own party in a way. you two enjoy the time you don’t spend at the real ones more than anything.
thor and bruce are currently doing their own rendition of all i want for christmas. your dad made the mistake of setting up karaoke. you laugh along, natasha dragging them in every way possible. steve snaps to the beat. wanda is covering her face in second hand embarrassment. vision offers tips that he searched every possible database for.
sam and bucky took peter somewhere a while ago. that can never be good. he’ll probably come back covered in whipped cream or something stupid. those two never leave peter alone. it’s kind of sweet when you think about it.
“thank you! thank you very much, children,” thor grins as everyone applauds the performance. bruce takes a bow. “we’ll be here all night.” you shake your head at the two of them. they’re too funny. natasha shares a look with you. “boo, get off the stage!” bucky calls as he enters the room. sam and peter follow behind him.
peter is smiling like an idiot, not that his smile isn’t adorable. it just seems a bit off. you really have to find out what they did to him.
“uh, this is my stage,” thor scoffs and grabs the microphone off the stand. grimacing, bruce puts a hand on his shoulder. “let’s calm down, buddy.” “no, i think we should do another one. santa baby.” he points to natasha. “hit play for us, thanks.” she sighs and puts the song on through the speakers. you can’t win with thor.
you watch sam whisper something to peter, then bucky cackles. tony and pepper make their way in and sit down next to you on the couch.
“what’s going on in here?” pepper asks you, nudging your arm. you’re more concerned with what’s going on with peter. “a sing off. it was karaoke, but bucky riled thor up.” your dad clicks his tongue. “that absolute madman.”
“he’s not the only madman tonight,” your mom comments, widening her eyes at the sight in front of her. you furrow your eyebrows and follow her gaze. your mouth drops open.
peter is dancing around in front of them. he’s trying to hip bump bruce, who keeps inching closer to thor. sam and bucky are doubled over from the other side of the room. they ruined your poor peter.
thor chuckles and pats peter on the back. he happily accepts it very much like a puppy would. he’s wearing a headband with jingle bells on it and there’s a weird stain on his shirt.
“little spider has been drinking,” thor announces, peter’s cheeks glowing red. that makes sense. you immediately glare at sam and bucky. they raise their hands in defense. they’re still on the hook.
“god, i can smell him from here,” natasha agrees and waves her hand in the air. “they‘d be able to smell him from sokovia,” wanda mutters. “parker? are you shit-faced right now?” your dad speaks up, a look between concern and anger on his face. his giggling gives him away.
“it’s christmas. you’re drunk out of your mind on christmas. i can’t have that.” tony points upstairs, signaling for him to go. you’re pretty sure peter didn’t process a word of that. pepper rubs up and down tony’s arm with a frown. “oh, tony. don’t be a grinch.” he sighs and watches peter try to climb into steve’s lap.
“he needs to sleep this off, pep. kid hasn’t had a drop of alcohol before tonight.” it’s true. he’s big on not drinking until he’s old enough. you have to wonder what changed. “i’ll bring him to his room, dad. he shouldn’t go alone,” you offer, already getting to your feet. “thanks, y/n/n. look at you, making good choices.”
you walk up to steve and give him an apologetic smile. relief washes over his face. “he’s all yours,” he laughs out. “all yours,” peter repeats in a giggle. “mhm. let’s go, peter.” you take him by his arm and pull him away from steve.
he’s easy to drag along because of the state he’s in. he nuzzles his face into the side of your neck, your arm around his waist.
“you smell so good, y/n. sooo nice,” peter almost sings, sniffing you for good measure. “you don’t,” you deadpan. the two of you pass by sam and bucky on your way out. “you’re actually messed up for this,” you tell them under your breath, bucky gasping. “hey, miss stark. it was his idea!” sam yells out to you. you’re not in the mood to hear it.
peter cuddles into your side while you lead him up the stairs. his breath is hot on you and wreaks of expensive liquor from your dad’s cabinet. you never imagined you’d see him like this.
he’s still clinging onto you, so you open his door by pressing your back to it. “come on, pete. you have to lay down,” you tell him as nicely as you can. he stops walking in the middle of the room. “wait. lemme show you something.” he wiggles his eyebrows and shakes his head around. it makes the jingle bells on his head... jingle.
“did you like it?” peter asks and leans his head down to do it again. stifling a laugh, you grab his shoulders. “yeah, peter. i liked it. you can stop jingling your bells now.” “you should... should jingle my bells,” he slurs, smirking at you. you quickly take your hands off of him. “oh my god, you’re so drunk.”
he’s doing all the things you wish he would when he’s sober.
“are you mad at me?” peter pouts his lip out. “don’t be mad at me, y/n.” you press your own lips together and take a seat on his bed. he plops down next to you, pushing his head against your shoulder. “no, but i am mad at sam and bucky. i can’t believe they’d do this.” his face twists up in confusion. “and on christmas.”
“do what?” he wonders and settles his head on you. “let you drink?” you ask like it should be obvious. it should be. “no, no, no. they were helping me.” peter puffs some air out of his cheeks. that gives him the idea to blow into your ear. you flinch and push at his shoulder.
“peter, they gave you alcohol. it’s clearly not good for you.” “no, y/n.” he closes his eyes and lays his head on your shoulder again. “i got my own. they-“ he’s interrupted by a hiccup. you can’t help but laugh, pulling him closer. “‘scuse me. they helped me with something else.”
drunk peter is kind of cute. super cute, to be real.
“what was it?” you decide to entertain him, figuring he’ll say something ridiculous. “asking you out,” peter answers way too casually. you almost don’t believe him. then again, he’s pretty self aware at the moment. it’s probably because his powers give him a higher tolerance.
peter feels your heart speeding up next to him. he presses his head to it so he can hear. “you- are you serious?” you stammer, willing him to look up at you. “uh huh. i like you a lot.” a lazy smile takes over his face. “a lot a lot.” “peter...” he’s still going.
“i asked them for advice. it sucked. we were in the kitchen and i remembered your dad’s...” he pauses to think of the word. “stash. i thought drinking would make me loose.” he moves his body around for a visual.
you’re still shocked sam and bucky let him go through with it. it does sound like them, though. you’re more shocked peter likes you back and just admitted it.
sober peter would never admit any of that.
“you don’t have to change anything for me, pete. i like you, too.” you grin down at him. peter returns it and puckers his lips at you. “cool. does that mean i can get a kiss?” letting out a breath, you help him sit up again. he whines about it for all of ten seconds before yawning.
this isn’t exactly how you saw this moment going. peter is too shy to ever really initiate anything, and you never knew if he felt the same. you’re always trying to figure out each other’s boundaries. he has to debate with himself about little things like giving you his jacket or facetiming you at night.
he never wants to overstep. you never want to scare him off. having him drunkenly snuggle with you breaks all those boundaries. at least something finally does. the kiss will have to wait until whatever he drank leaves his system, which hopefully won’t be long. his powers are a possibility once again.
“it’s nap time for you,” you tell peter like he’s a kid. he protests like one, too. “but i’m not tired.” “yeah you are. you just yawned.” he opens his mouth to speak. you talk first. “lay down.” he’s caught off guard this time when you push at his chest. it makes him fall back on the pillows.
you giggle and take the jingle bells off his head. they can’t be comfortable. peter makes grabby hands for you. “come lay with me, baby,” he mumbles into the pillow his face is squished in. your heart flutters hearing him call you that. his arms do look inviting. they’re all ready to hold you.
too bad he’s on time out.
“i can’t. i’m supposed to be back downstairs already.” you unenthusiastically get up from the bed. peter groans, rolling onto his side. “i want christmas cuddles.” “you’ll get some after your nap,” you promise and poke his shoulder. “and a kiss.” he closes his eyes the literal second you say that.
you like this boy way too much.
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redhead-batgal · 3 years ago
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Type: Two-Shot {A really really long part-one}
Part Two: Here
Pairing: Fem! and Librarian! Reader x Dick Grayson/Nightwing
Content: Cursing, flirtations, violence, reader with serious anxiety and some minor implications. Fluff, so much fluff.
P.S: An OC of mine is making an appearance in this so yeah just a heads up, it’s not the reader but she will be in it. Anyways, enjoy!
Word Count (So y’all know what you’re getting yourself into): 12,709 words
Y/N: Your Name, L/N: Last Name
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ You hadn't meant for anyone to see, you thought that after hours of no patrons it would be fine, however you were wrong. It was more embarrassing than anything, embarrassing all because it wasn't just anyone who had caught you. No it just had to be the first man you found yourself crushing on since the nasty break up with your Ex, Daniel. It just had to be Dick Grayson who caught you dancing through the aisle as you reshelved books, of course it did. It was just your luck.
A pop song had played on the radio as you drove in to work and it had gotten stuck in your head, when everything went quiet at the library, you felt the need to sing. And singing, usually led to dancing, reshelving the books was just for something productive to do really.
You had just slid a book back onto the shelf when the song in your head had a melody that seemed perfectly twirl worthy. So, you started twirling. And then you kept twirling, hoping to spin your entire way back to your desk to grab more books. However, before you made it to your desk you slammed straight into someone.
Instead of going tumbling to the ground like you expected, you felt hands on your waist steadying you. Blinking, you looked and found Dick Grayson smiling at you.
Shit.
Heat flushed your cheeks and you're fairly sure you let out a squeak or a squawk in surprise, due to the fact that Jason suddenly began coughing and hitting his chest. That unfortunately made you realize exactly what had just happened.
Twirling and slamming straight into Dick.
Fucking shit.
You felt like an idiot and shame burned bright on your cheeks. You were seconds from going into an all out panic at not only being caught doing your guilty pleasure, but you had seriously embarrassed yourself in front of your crush. A habit that you wished had died in high school.
Almost as if he sensed your panic, Dick instantly let go of you and took a step back. You nodded in thanks, feeling the terror climb up your throat as the thoughts slammed into you.
He's going to think you're too weird, he'll never talk to you again
You tried to push the thoughts back or counter them. It wasn't true, Dick was nice and something as small as catching you twirling wouldn't drive him away right? ....... Oh no, this wasn't good. He was probably never going to forget this, forever remembering you as the bumbling fool who twirled right into him.
As if he'd think of you, The thoughts seethed.
You forced a smile and it was then you realized he had said something to you. He was looking at you expectantly... he had asked you a question. A friendly smile was on his face and you tried to remember what he asked you.
Taking small glances at his face you realized that you had squeaked out a sorry instinctively after slamming into him. But other than that you couldn't recall what he said and even more panic raced over you.
He's going to think your an ass for not listening when he was speaking, it's rude and you are one
Resisting shoving your face into your hands you let out a small sigh and squeezed your eyes shut. If you wanted to answer his question, you were going to have to ask him to repeat it.
You ran through possible excuses and two popped into your head instantly.
Sorry long day, could you repeat that?
What was the question again?
The first one seemed perfect so you opened your mouth to speak and then you met his gaze.
"Sorrylongquestionrepeatthatday?"
He blinked and you saw the confusion on his face and you nearly wince. You knew that you could get it if you tried again.
Unfortunately you were wrong.
"Sorrypleaserepeatthaquestlong."
"What?"
Wincing you put a hand to your face and dragged it across it. Avoiding his gaze with your hands balled into fists you raised your voice slightly.
"Uh. sorry. can. you. please. repeat. the. question?" You remark slowly, pausing to make sure none of the words blur together again.
"Oh, yeah sure. I asked what you were doing that caused you to run into me? It looked like you were having fun, so I got a little curious. "
FUUUUUCCCCCKKKKK
"Oh uhm, well- uh it's super embarrassing, so I- uh- like- yeah." You stumbled over a reply before holding two thumbs up.
He looked at you confused for a moment before you decide not facing him was the best way to get through this. Moving quickly towards your desk, which was only a few feet away, you internally began planning your own funeral.
Moving behind the desk you sank down into your chair and spun around. Finding the top of a dark head you blinked until you saw the head raise and realized it was just Damian. He looked at your for a few seconds before narrowing his eyes and placing a book on the counter.
"Last time you recommended this book."
Picking up the book you looked at the title and cover. It was a standalone book by an author you rather liked, when the young boy had asked for a recommendation you nearly jumped for joy. Recommending books was one of your favorite things to do as a librarian.
"Yes, did you like it- sorry. Did you enjoy it?" You asked as you flipped through the pages, a habit to make sure nothing was stuck in the book and to keep you calm.
Something you realized with the youngest Wayne, was he preferred to be treated as an adult- or how he thought adults should be treated. So you pretend he was a scholar and talked to him as such. Damian appeared to be happy with the way you treated him and didn't completely hate you so you were content... at least for now.
"It was... adequate. Do you have any other recommendations?"
A smile played on your lips as you set the book down and a calming wave raced over you. Books were the one thing you could talk about and never falter, they were the one thing you knew so much about that you were sure you couldn't mess up talking about it.
"Well this author has multiple books that they've written... what was it about the book that made it... satisfactory? Was it the plot, the characters, or the writing style? Maybe even the genre?"
Damian's brow furrowed and you realized he didn't exactly know what he liked about the book. However, before you could offer to pick out another book for him, the boy nodded and stepped back from your desk.
"I will look into the other novels. Thank you."
He turned and began heading towards the aisles, the smile exploded on your face and you called after him.
"Happy to help."
Less than a minute later, Dick followed Damian shooting you a small smile. You instinctively looked down as your shame from earlier slammed into you yet again. After a minute or two you looked up and noticed how both he and Damian were out of sight. A sigh of relief escaped you and Jason came up to your desk, an eyebrow raised.
"You really fucked that up, you know." He remarked, setting a few books down.
Due to him constantly coming around and talking to you about books, you had become somewhat comfortable around Jason.
Rolling your eyes you waved a hand at him, "Oh buzz off asshole."
With a small smile on his face he raised his hands and shrugged. He apparently found your humiliation amusing, which did not surprise you. 
"I'm just saying." Jason said with a mischievous smile on his face. 
You gave him an irritated look and replied, "And I'm just saying I never asked."
He blinked almost in surprise and he raised an eyebrow at you and you dropped his gaze. Despite knowing him fairly well you still had a hard time looking him, or anyone else really, in the eyes for long periods of time. There was only really one person you didn’t mind looking in the eyes... and that of course was because it wasn’t his eyes you were looking into, but a mask. Before your thoughts could drift towards your vigilante friend a comment yanked you back into reality. 
"Well someone's touchy today."
You gave Jason a look, he was seriously testing your patience today. It was bad enough that he just stood there and laughed as you made a complete fool of yourself in front of your crush. You had expected him to at least help you out a little bit but he didn’t even though he knew how you felt about his brother... Maybe it was because of that.
He smiled at you and that only intensified your anger, you glared at him and he took a step back looking slightly defensive. If there was one thing about yourself you were proud of, it was your glare. You had been told that it scared even the bravest of Gotham’s vigilantes... though now that you think about it that was probably a sarcastic comment. 
"Hey,” Jason began leaning onto your desk, “as your friend I felt I should tell you."
Rolling your eyes you shook your head and began checking the book Damian had returned back in, "Of course you did."
Out of the corner of your eye you saw him narrow his eyes and move in closer to the desk. He was giving you a look almost as if he was daring you to say that again. 
"What's that supposed to mean?" He asks his voice pitching.
Sometimes, he’s rather sensitive. Shooting him looks out of the corner of your eyes you tried to fight off the smile that was working its way onto your face.
"Take a guess."
He lets out a slight huff and curses under his breath as if he realized you were messing with him. Peeking at him you find Jason shaking his head, a amused-yet-irritated smile on his face. You reached over and grabbed a couple of books in need of reshelving and placed the one you just checked in on top. You stared at the cover of the book at the top of your stack and you realized to reshelf this book you would probably have to see Dick... something that you really didn’t want to do. 
Suddenly you replayed what happened in your head and embarrassment washed over you yet again. Fiddling with the pile you bit your lip then you shot Jason a look, hesitating slightly before you finally asked.
"Was I obvious and awkward or just an awkward mess?"
He shrugged as he gave you a look of contemplation. Rubbing his face he remarked, "Well I can't really say because I know you have the hots for him."
Your jaw dropped and you swatted at him, your face turning pink. He ducked away from your hand laughing and you glared at him. You cleared your throat and looked around. Standing no more than three feet away was an old lady you knew by the name of Whitney. She was sweet, but she loved to gossip. And you hardly needed your personal drama- well not drama, love life- it wasn’t really even your love life... you hardly needed personal things out and about, being talked about during Thursday’s bridge club. 
The only way you could continue your conversation in any privacy was to walk around and reshelf books. Picking the pile up, you paused to slide the book on top to the bottom, before you began walking towards the aisle. Motioning with your head for Jason to follow you.
“Come on,” 
You walked to where the new book on top needed to be reshelved, it just so happened to be on the other side of the library to your relief. You slid the book back where it belonged then set your pile on an empty space on the shelf in front of you. Leaning against the shelf behind you, you grabbed at a loose strand of hair that you missed when pulling it up into a messy bun that morning. Twirling the stay strand around your finger you let out a sigh and looked at Jason. You felt as if you had to explain. 
It wasn’t just a minor crush you had, not really. After the whole mess with Daniel you were honestly surprised you could like any man that way again. Yet somehow you found yourself feeling that way about Dick, he was nice and funny, and sweet and- you could go on and on. Letting out a sigh you bit your lip again.
"I do not have the hots for him, I- I-." You stumbled to explain exactly what you were feeling. 
"You fancy him?" Jason inquired, a smile quirked on his lips as he leaned in. 
You laughed slightly, shaking your head, "Have you been reading Jane Austen again?"
"No,” He replied, his smile slowly fading, “what is it about him that you like?"
“Well,” You began hearing your voice crack slightly. 
You didn’t really know how to explain it, and trying would only make you feel like a bitch if you didn’t explain it right. 
“I don’t really know how to explain it,” You sighed before you unraveled the strand from your finger and put your hands behind your back, “He’s super nice and sweet and funny. He- he’s nice to me but he doesn’t pity me despite knowing about... despite knowing about what happened with Daniel. I know that I find his presence comforting-”
Jason snorted, then remarked, “So comforting that you can’t speak?”
You let out a scoff and shook your head.
“He’s just so....”
“Ridickulos?” Jason laughed as he shook his head, “I’m sorry I had to do that one. If he found out I didn’t he’d never forgive me.” 
You rolled your eyes and shoved Jason before studying the bookshelf in front of you.
“Amazing, he’s fun and cool and- I have a hard time talking around him because- because I think I can’t really compare to him. I mean I’m a mess most of the time, barely able to make a coherent sentence without having to repeat it a bajillion times and yet he doesn’t treat me differently. I get so scared that if and I were to become friends he’d find out how weird I actually am and suddenly not want to be friends with me anymore. Worse when I talk I fear that I’ll say something stupid and the same thing with happen. That he’ll never want to talk to me again and my crush will literally end up crushing me. Even though I know that’s not true. He’s- he’s like everything I need.”
You faintly remember a phrase you had said the moment you realized you liked him. It played in your head as you waited for Jason to respond. 
All The Man That I Need
It was fairly true, as far as you could tell he was all the man that you needed. But you didn’t exactly fully know him so you couldn’t definitively say if the statement was correct. It’s a good thing however that you hated definites.  
“Well, what about the other guy?”
Other guy? You blinked as you realized what exactly Jason was referring to. You had told him that you were spending time with a vigilante, as friends of course. It was strange to think you had befriended Nightwing without really trying at all. Maybe making friends wasn’t as hard for you as you thought... well it didn’t exactly help that you did see him as a friend however he was, for the longest time, your celebrity crush. 
Befriending him was a reality check of sorts, he was a hero, but he was also just a guy. A guy who you surprisingly got along well with. However the reality check also made you realize no matter how awesome he was in person there could never be a relationship with him. He was a vigilante and you could never know his identity. That idea got promptly thrown out when you began to find yourself taking solstice in his visits back when you and Daniel were together. 
“I thought I told you,” You began with a sigh, “that it would never work out.” 
Jason shrugs and pulls a book off of the shelf examining it. He opens the book and looks at you. 
“You did, but I thought it couldn’t hurt to keep your options open.” 
Rolling your eyes you leaned over to see that in the book he opened characters were reading from William Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet. Jason hums slightly before he closes the book and taps your head with it.
“Reading a lot of Shakespeare recently?” You question instead of protesting, protesting was what he wanted and you were beginning to feel the effects of socializing.
“More or less,” He replied, reshelving the book. 
He turned fully to you and a light appeared in his eyes. Jason got a devilish look on his face and you suddenly began to fear what was going to happen next.
"Shall I compare thee to a summer's day?"
You narrowed your own eyes and shook your head. To many possibilities for what could go wrong, better not, "I’d rather you didn't."
Jason leaned in, his eyes glittering as if he had a plan formulating in his head and in your experience Jason’s plans never went well. However before you could reaffirm your decision he commented, “Might make him jealous."
You blinked a few times, the idea seemed interesting. It was tempting as hell until the little voices, the negative Nancy’s as your mother used to call them, began to speak up.
As if he’d ever be jealous over you
He has to like you in the first place, he probably thinks you’re a freaky weirdo.
You swallowed trying to not let the harsh thoughts hurt as much as they actually did. Shaking your head you shot Jason a grateful smile.
"No, it's okay,” You paused as an idea popped into your head, “But I could compare you to a summer's day."
Surprise was frozen on his face for half a second before he snorted and rolled his eyes. He gave you a look before replying, "Eh, well I don't think it is accurate."
".... You could compare him to a summer's day." You said before you could think it through.
Without even missing a beat Jason replied, "Or you could,"
No, you couldn’t. If you tried, even though he wasn’t actually there, you’d probably combust due to embarrassment and it would be just your luck if he just so happened to be walking up as you did it. Anyways you weren’t very good with sonnets. Poetry and rhymes were a bit easier but regardless it just wasn’t your thing. 
"I’ve never really been one for sonnets, Besides it'd be more accurate if you did it." You informed him with a shrug.
"Of course it would."
His words were a bit sharp, as if something was bothering him. You decided to ignore it considering that it wasn’t really your business. However what he said was a challenge in itself. He was basically saying you were chickening out. He wasn’t wrong but he had no right to call you on it. 
"Are you implying what I think you are?" You asked, trying to keep your tone light. 
“Probably.” He shrugged, smiling that devilish, his voice softer than before.
Narrowing your eyes you crossed your arms and remarked, “For the sake of this friendship, I’m going to disregard that comment.” 
His eyes lit up once again and you realized you gave him what he wanted, while you didn’t know what it was for you did know what it was. An opening. 
“And for the sake of this friendship I am going to compare you to a summer’s day.” 
This was probably going to be the funniest or dirtiest thing you heard this week, and you honestly didn’t mind. You were getting exhausted and needed a good laugh. As they always say, laughter is the best medicine.
“Oh no,” You replied, pretending to tremble while weakly laughing. 
Ignoring your comment, he held his arms out towards you before he dramatically declared, “Shall I compare thee to a summer’s day?”
Without hesitation you deadpanned, “No,”
He shot you a glare, taking a step forwards before getting the dramatic look on his face again, gazing past you he took in a breath.
“Thou art more hot and more smelly.”
You laughed slightly before he shot you a chastising look and continued,
“Rough farts do shake the tiny arm hairs of me,”
Giggles began to build up your throat, but you pushed them back as Jason waved his hands around the air almost as if he was trying to swat a fly. 
He took in a breath and looked directly at you, “And summer’s air hath all to gross a smell,”
Pressing a hand to your face you shove back your laughter and you nod at him a few times. His face is frozen, his hands hanging limply at his sides and you realize he’s stuck. Shaking your head you wait a moment when an idea for the next line pops into your head. 
“Sometime too wet the back of my neck shines?”
His face lights up and he smiles at you before remarking, “Oooo good one.”
Slipping back into the dramatic, Shakespearean crack actor he holds his hands out again. Forming his face into what you can only assume is a regal expression he continues, 
“Sometime too wet the back of my neck shines.... and often is it’s slick complexion....”
He paused for another moment and began snapping his fingers as if the word was on the tip of his tongue. 
“Dried.” You piped up nearly biting back laughter.
Pointing a finger at you he exclaims, “Yes!”
Jumping back once again into the persona he shoots you a wink out of the corner of his eye. You roll your eyes as giggles escape you. 
“And often is it’s slick complexion dried. And every fly from fly sometime declines.”
You give him a look, laughter fighting to be released before shaking your head and shaking your hands.
“That doesn’t make sense.” 
Jason swats at you not breaking his gaze, he had locked in on something behind you and you hoped it wasn’t a person, “Hush, I’m not done.” 
You snorted and then let out a cough to try and subdue the oncoming barrels of laughter that were threatening to explode from you. 
“By swat or by swatter’s shrieking ass stumbling.”
That was the last straw, giggles, cackles and chortles escaped from you and you pressed your hand to the shelf behind you to stay standing. 
“Oh my fucking gosh- stop- please.” You wheezed in-between your laughter.
Jason gave you a look and you tried to stop yourself from cackling.
 He waited until you had quieted down a bit to ask, “Should I do the next line?”
“NO! NO, I can’t take- I couldn’t make it through another.” You exclaimed shaking your head. 
Letting out a sigh Jason shot you a look that looked a little bit to much like pout for you to take seriously. 
“Can I at least say the best lines?”
“You’ve thought that far ahead?”
“Yes,”
Giggling slightly you sighed then nodded, “Fine.”
Slipping back into the Shakespearean actor persona he held his hand out almost exactly mimicking the classic Hamlet pose. The mere action of him going back into the act had you giggling again. He opened his mouth, covering your own with your hand to stop yourself from interrupting him anymore; you let out a slight snort. He stepped forwards and you pressed yourself against the shelves to get a better view of him. 
“When in eternal thighs to highs thou grow’st.”
A mixture between a wheeze and squeak escapes you and you have to squeeze your hand over your mouth and nose to stop yourself from cackling again. From where you stood, you could see Jason’s eyes glowing almost as if he found this amusing as you found the new sonnet funny. 
“So long as men can’t breathe,” He remarked, “or bi���s can’t pee.”
Another hybrid of a sound escaped you and you could see his shoulders shaking. He straightened himself out and began to finish,
“So long lives the bitch that gives fuck’s not to thee-” 
You couldn’t help yourself, it wasn’t like the other lines where it practically mirrored the syllables of the original line, the new last line was a mess. 
“That’s not rig-” You protested as you fought off a grin. 
Suddenly his hand was covering your mouth and you gave him a shocked look that momentarily stopped your laughter. After the shock left the laughter returned in ten-fold. Giggles escape you and you tried your hardest not to meet his gaze however you couldn’t help yourself, looking Jason in the eyes you saw how serious he was and you giggled even more. He removed his hand and you bit your lip to stop yourself from snorting again, it was the laugh of yours you hated the most, made you feel a little too much like a pig. 
Jason looked beside you and you were thankful, though he could be an ass sometimes he was nice enough to try and help prevent your anxiety or at least make it less intense. Your body began to shake as you fought off any and all laughter. You needed him to get through all of it so he wouldn’t repeat it. Covering your mouth with both hands you pressed against the shelves and squeezed your eyes shut
“As I was saying,” He remarked, “So long lives the bitch that gives fuck’s not to thee... and scene.”
Peeking an eye open you find Jason bowing and you lose it, your hands barely make it away from your face before you explode into a fit of snorts that don’t seem to stop. Your body begins to bend and you begin caving in on yourself, letting your head hang down you continue to laugh and snort. Rising back up you press a hand to your chest in a hope to make the laughter stop but it is in vain. You felt your cheeks flushing and your blood rushing to your face as you tried to quiet down.
Jason smiled and you took a breath before giggling relentlessly. Shaking your head you realized despite how funny it was you did have some critiques. 
“Can you say that stuff about bi’s?” You asked your breath nearly hiccupping as you snickered.
He shrugged before pressing a hand to the bookshelf right by your head and winking, “I am bi so I can say whatever the hell I want.”
“All-righty then, kiddo.” You nodded snorting as you moved your hand from your chest. 
Suddenly someone walks up however they speak before you can turn, “Hey guys, what you talking about?”
Something about the tone was off to you, you didn’t know exactly what but you knew that whoever the person was, they weren’t happy. 
Simultaneously both you and Jason say, “Nothing.” 
Giggling again you smile at Jason and look over to find Damian and Dick. Usually panic would flood you and slowly it was, however you still had laughter floating around your chest and it was slowly escaping you like a leaky faucet. 
Damian narrowed his eyes, “You were talking about me weren’t you?”
For a moment you were confused until you blinked, realizing that he thought the two of you were laughing at him. Thinking for half a moment about what you were doing made more laughter push through. However it’s not only normal laughter but scared laughter. It was something you noticed in the middle of your junior year, when in moments of high fear or panic where you didn’t know what to do, you laughed.
“N-no.,” You tried to start, but upon seeing Damian’s upset face terrified giggles stopped you, “we- we weren’t talk-talking about you.” 
Jason cleared his throat and you had flashbacks to when he was beginning the sonnet, a snort bubbled from you. It was loud and very pig-like causing your entire face to turn a brighter red than it already was. 
"We might be,” Jason said, “whatch-ya gonna do about it pipsqueak?"
The tone he had made the laughter begin to die in your chest, you knew that Jason and Damian didn’t get along well most of the time. You just didn’t know why, some days they seemed fairly close other days it seemed like they would rip each other’s throats out.
"I'll make you stop Todd." Damian seethed and your laughter vanished with one last hybrid squeaking snort. 
Moving away from you, Jason took a few steps towards Damian, shoving his hands in his pockets, "I'd like to see you try gremlin." 
"Stop calling me names Todd."
Jason laughed and looked back at you, you shot him a warning look but he ignored you, "Or what short-stack? You gonna bite my ankles?"
"Jason-" Dick began when Damian interrupted him with a snarl.
"Go on, keep calling me names, see what happens."
The two boys were closer now, a mere three feet away from each other. Without even thinking it through you stepped in between them and raised your hands as if to push both of them away from each other. Shooting them both a reprimanding glare you watched as the fight died from both of them pretty quickly.
Sighing in relief you lowered your hands and nodded before noting the stack of books that needed to be reshelved on the shelf almost gathering dust. 
“Alright boys, behave now. I’m going to go and reshelf the rest of these books. When I return I expect the two of you to be getting along, or else.” You remarked moving towards the books.
Jason stepped out of your way and seemed to understand the entirety of your threat, Damian on the other hand didn't.
“Or else what?” He asked his eyes narrowed
Picking up the books you turned back to him and raised an eyebrow, “Do you really want to know?” 
His shoulders sank down and Damian fully backed down. He looked away form you and you nodded satisfied. Turning you left to go reshelf the books. You got down to the last one when a young girl stopped you. 
She looked up at you with big eyes and asked, “Do you have any books I could read?”
You stared at her sweet face for a moment before pulling a book off of the shelf and handing it to her. She took the book with a bright smile on her face and she turned and left. Staring at the last book in your hand you slid it back where it belonged and spun around. 
Instead of finding a bunch of shelves you found Dick standing behind you, internally you screamed and you felt your eyes widen instinctively. He smiled and leaned in towards you. 
"Have any recommendations for me?" He asked
Panic washed over you and it was suddenly hard to breathe, you loved to recommend books but him asking was like someone asking to see your diary. 
Fumbling for words you replied, "Uh-I- uh well- what. do. you. like?
It was then that you realized Dick was here with you, which meant that the boys were left alone. Alone and unattended, while of course that could be a good thing. It also meant that they could trash the library, Jason could tell Damian about your crush, the small boy had a habit of blurting out things he found not secret keeping worthy! 
Giving Dick a worried look you stepped forwards and rushed to ask him, if he did in fact leave them alone,
"watdidyaeveemown?"
“I’m sorry what?” He gave you a very confused look.
“Did you leave them alone?!” You nearly shrieked as panic overtook your body.
“Uh yeah.” 
“SHIT.”
Turning you ran down two aisles back to where Damian and Jason were. Surprisingly instead of finding them in an all out battle you found them cackling.
"You- you are amazing. And so fucking dense." Jason breathed out in between his laughter. 
"What?" You asked completely and totally surprised as the panic began to slip away from you.
"Nothing, nothing at all Y/N." He sighed wiping imaginary tears. 
You were astonished and confused, how could they do that? Go from being at each others throats ready for blood to buddies in less then ten minutes? Shaking your head you let out a sigh and went to turn around when you spotted Dick in the corner of your eye. You then remembered he asked for a recommendation and were thankful you had an excuse to run away.
It wasn’t that you didn’t want to recommend a book but more as it was hard to think straight around him. Your brain turned to mush and it was hard for you to bring any good books to mind. Looking at the shelf across form you, you spotted an old favorite of yours. Throughout all of high school it was your comfort book and it might just be the perfect book for him. 
Yanking it off the shelf you turned and held it out to him. He took it from you smiling slightly as though he was extremely confused but wanted to be polite. 
“What’s this for?” He asked
“Gookbood.” You mumbled out after you accidentally met his gaze.
You were stuck, of course you had the option to look away, however if you did you’d only feel even more embarrassed, if you kept looking however.. let’s just say you think it’d be bad for your health.
“What?” Dick asked leaning forwards clearly trying to hear you better.
“Bokgood-” You began before you realized you messed up only to try again, “Ookkbod.”
Slamming your eyes shut you clenched your fists and nearly yelled, “GOOD BOOK.”
With that you kept your eyes closed and turned walking away as Damian and Jason cackle at you. Probably at your inability to even form coherent sentences. Instead of heading back towards your desk you moved past it into the backroom, gathering your things as fast as you could you headed towards the front desk. Upon seeing you, Marian, the head library gave you a worried look. 
“Everything alright Y/N?”
“Uh, yeah I’m just gonna end my shift early.”
“You’re shift has been over for an hour dear... though you usually stay till closing...” Her tone told you that she was worried. 
Closing your eyes again you winced but then you heard Marian sigh and you peeked an eye open seeing her typing something in her computer.
“If any one asks...” You began before wincing again as the thoughts hit you.
As if they would
“If anyone asks, I’m not feeling well. Alright?” 
Marian nodded a small smile on her face as she looked at something in one of the aisles, "Go on Y/N, have a good weekend. I’ll see you again on Monday.” 
She waved you along and you hurried out the door. Before you could even make it to the parking lot you spotted one of the libraries regulars. Mira, was a few years younger then you and very excited about books. Unknown to her and probably himself, Jason had taken a shining to her. 
Upon seeing you her eyes lit up and she hurried over to you. Smiling brightly Mira enthusiastically greeted you.
“Hi, Y/N. I know you’re probably about to head home but I just wanted to tell you I loved the book you recommended and say hi.” 
Her face was it’s natural pink and she seemed to realized how much you were freaking out. Her smile slid from her face and she reached out a hand as if to try and comfort you before she put it back down. 
“Are you okay?” 
You didn’t exactly know what to say. While Mira was a constant and almost as close a friend to you as Jason was, you couldn’t exactly tell her what was going on. 
With a weary sigh you turned back towards the doors to see Dick, Jason and Damian walking out them. Even more panic raced over you as they spotted you and Mira. 
Mira hummed slightly before patting your arm and turning towards the boys, they began to approach. They were only a couple of a feet away when Mira stopped them.
“Hi,” She said grinning brightly, “I’m Mirabilis Cadman, but everyone calls me Mira. It’s nice to meet you.” 
You watched for a moment as Dick hesitated, Damian gave Mira a scrutinizing look and Jason, well Jason seemed to be completely unaffected however you knew better. Mira held her hand out to Dick and he shook it.
“Hey, I’m Dick Grayson. This is my little brother Damian. Pleasure to meet you.” He replied smiling
For a moment a strange look crossed Mira’s face her smile faltering then she blinked and looked to Damian for a moment. Then she noted the book he was carrying. Smiling again she also held her hand out to him. 
Shooting him a wink she remarked, “Good choice, glad to see one of you has taste.” 
It was then that you remembered how one night after Mira had volunteered to help you clean up the library after a long day of elementary school classes coming in you had told her of your crush on Dick Grayson and how it seemed that, at the time he was ignoring you. 
Fuck
Meanwhile Jason was trying to hide cackles behind coughs. Hitting his chest twice he gives Mira a amused look before he held his hand out to her. Once she took it he said,
“Sup, Jason, Jason Todd.” 
Mira blinked twice, confusion was clear on her face for a moment before she shrugged and let go of his hand. Looking away from the two of them you noticed how Dick was staring at you.
Shit.
Mira eventually caught his line of sight and you watched as her eyes widened slightly. She kept the smile on her face though. Dick gestured to you and began to speak, “We need Y/N, she is just-”
“She isn’t feeling well,” Mira explained and you noted the hand behind her back waving for some reason, “But, I’d be happy to help you out in anyway I can. I know this library like the back of my hand. I spend a lot of time here... maybe too much time.” 
You watched as she continued to wave and realized she was signaling you to leave. She was helping with your get away. As you hurried towards the parking lot and your car you know one thing for sure. You owed her big-time.
It didn’t take you long to get to your car, as you fumbled with your keys you came to a realization. 
You recommended him, Dick Grayson, a book. He frequently came to the library and sometimes tried to talk to you. He would want to talk to you about the book. Which meant the possibility of embarrassing yourself in front of him again, and no Mira to save you. 
Fucking shit
_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_
Insomnia was a bitch, but it wasn’t just anyone’s bitch it was anxiety’s bitch... then again so were you. 
It was probably close to three a.m. when you decided you were hungry and climbed out of your very warm bed to wander into the kitchen. Unfortunately flies had beat you there, while there was only two or three, but they annoyed the hell out of you. Picking up the fly swatter you spotted a fly a few feet away from you and you lunged forwards swinging your arms and legs. You slapped at the fly and successfully hit it. Pretending to bow to a cheering crowd you mouthed ‘thank you, thank you.’
Standing up straight you held your fly swatter like a blade and a thought popped into your head.
Ninja, fly ninja, you are the fly ninja.
Jumping around as you let out soft hi-yah’s and other ninja noises you tried and failed to hit the two flies. Creeping up on one of the flies you swung the flyswatter out and smacked it into the wall. Jumping and doing a side kick you remarked,
“Hoi-yah! Take that fly! No one can best me. Because I’m The fly ninja.”
It was then you heard the chuckling. Blinking you turned and found standing in your kitchen in his blue and black glory, your friend, Nightwing. The thoughts slammed into you as you found yourself stumbling back towards your couch. 
He just saw you looking like a fucking idiot, you are never going to live this one down
However instead of freaking out, when you saw the incredibly amused look on his face you found yourself irritated. You froze for just a moment before you grabbed a pillow and chucked it at him. He dodged it with a laugh.
“Wouldn't ninja fly be better.... wait no that's a fly who is a ninja,” he mused while laughing and dodging yet another pillow you threw. 
He thinks your weird, he’s probably laughing at yo-
“You,” Nightwing said, yanking you out of the thoughts, “have the worst taste in cereal.”
Blinking you found him standing in front of one of your cupboards, crossing your arms you gave him a look and he closed the cupboard. Turning towards you he leaned against the counter with one hand, effectively blocking your way into the kitchen.  
“Just to let you know.”
Rolling your eyes you snorted, then pushed past him to get into your kitchen. Yanking a cup from your cupboard you walk over to the electric kettle and fill it with water before turning it on and placing the mug next to it.
"You,” You began as you walked back out of the kitchen, ”break into people's apartments in the middle of the night, what right do you have to judge my cereal?"
He snorted and rested his elbows on your counter. Behind him Red Robin slipped into your kitchen and began raiding your cabinets for coffee, which as of late, was normal.
“True, but do I really deserve such scorn from the fly ninja?” 
Behind Nightwing you see Red Robin pause and turn towards you. He mouths ‘fly ninja?’ tilting his head in confusion. Biting your lip to hold back laughter you smiled and then shrugged. He nodded and turned back to raiding your cabinets. 
Looking at Nightwing you raised an eyebrow and then rested your elbows on your counter before placing your face in your hands.
“You broke into my apartment, startled me. Insulted my ninja abilities and then you insulted my cereal choices. So yes, I do believe you deserve my scorn.”
Nightwing held up a hand in disagreement as he shook his head. Behind him the electric kettle steamed then clicked off, “I did not insult your ninja skills. I- I was admiring them.”
Narrowing your eyes you fought off a grin as you replied, “So you say.”
Usually you would be worried saying stuff like this to even the closest of your friends, however, despite your sometimes snarky remarks and extreme weirdness Nightwing continued to come and visit you. Which told you that it didn’t matter how weird or much yourself you were he wouldn’t leave... or at least you hopped so. 
Taking on a playful tone he remarked, "Well someone's grumpy." 
Holding up a hand you waved it at him as Red Robin grabbed a mug and began pouring the water into it, the instant coffee right next to him.
"Listen- listen I haven't had my tea yet." 
Nightwing blinked once and then he pushed off of the counter and he laughed slightly. It took you a minute to realize he was confused and a little nervous.
“You don't drink coffee?"
"Caffeine and I don't get along." You said with a shrug.
This only seemed to confuse him more, he shook his head and looked at you slightly astonished before he asked, “Then why do you have so much of it?”
Smiling, you met his gaze and pointed behind him, “Turn around.”
Turning he looked and saw Red Robin stirring a cup of coffee. He paused and watched with you as Red Robin pulled a small energy drink from his belt and he poured it into the cup. Nightwing walks over to him and picks up the mug from his body language; it looked as if he was giving Red Robin a scolding look.
"You know this is probably gonna kill you right?"
Red Robin shrugs and replies, "It was bound to happen sooner or later."
A giggle escaped you and both Nightwing and Red Robin turned towards you. You cleared your throat as Nightwing smiled and Red Robin looked at the two of you. A strange expression passed his face before he shook his head and headed for the fire escape.
“You owe me a new mug.” You remarked pointing a finger at him.
Nightwing looked startled then he gestured to the fire escape exclaiming, “No, he does.”
You shrugged as you headed into the kitchen “He’s your underling.”
“Red Robin is not my underling.” 
Though you couldn’t see him you could hear his tone. He sounded offended and a little upset. From this you could tell that he respected or at least had a lot of respect for Red Robin. 
A memory tickles the back of your mind, someone calling Red Robin little bird. You didn’t exactly remember who but your bet was on Nightwing. 
“Fine, he’s your little bird. Isn’t that what you call him?” You remarked with a shrug. 
“no.” 
You blinked a few times and sighed, “Oh, well anyways he’s still a kid and if he drinks that much coffee I doubt he could actually get me a new mug. I mean he literally has to steal coffee from here... maybe I should get disposable cups.”
A surprised look crossed his face, “Wait, he does this often?”
“Yeah, but usually he drinks all of the coffee and leaves the mug.”
Nightwing hums and he nods as if was contemplating something. Maybe it was why Red Robin did what he did or maybe it was something else. 
“Huh, he must like you if he keeps coming back.”
Letting out a snort you nodded before sarcastically remarking, “Or he likes the coffee.”
Not understanding you were using sarcasm, Nightwing shook his head, a fairly serious look on his face, “It’s instant coffee I doubt it can be that good... It’s a high honor to be liked by Red Robin.” 
“Sure it is...” You rolled your eyes not fully believing him, before you could stop yourself you said, “no one likes me, or at least they shouldn’t”
"Well I like you."
You blinked and looked over to him, he was giving you an innocent look and you blinked again. You couldn’t have heard what you just did right? People wouldn’t tell someone- they wouldn’t tell you they liked you to your face... right?
"Wait, did you just say what I think you said?" 
A smile appeared on his face and he nodded slowly, “Yes, I did in fact say that I like you."
He likes you, he just said so, and repeated what he said. So, he must really mean it, truly mean it. Before you were going about in unknowing and now the reality of everything hit you. 
Of course you were aware people who were your friends liked you, but no one had really ever said it to your face. You were shocked and a little embarrassed. 
"Oh."
A sly grin appeared on Nightwing’s face and he leaned in towards you continuing, “You are the fly ninja after all.”
"Oh my gosh.” You replied as you shoved your face into your hands trying your hardest not to laugh. 
“By the way I’ve been meaning to ask you the fly ninja to all flies or just certain ones?”
You closed your eyes, shaking your head as laughter bubbled up in your lungs. Nightwing ignored your attempts at withholding giggles and continued. 
“Like is it only fruit flies and the ones that hover around bananas or?”
Biting your lip you pulled away from your hands your face red, forcing the laughter back you looked him dead in the eyes and replied, “All flies obviously, I’m not discriminatory.”
He smiled and laughed. Silence cleaved the air and you felt nervous tension arise in you. 
Quickly clambering for a topic to talk about you asked, “What were we talking about again?”
“About how I find you very a-peeling.” 
You hesitated for a moment before giving him a disbelieving look. You shook your head, “... did you just- no. I’m not gonna, no.” 
Pretending it never happened, you look away from him and move towards your couch leaning against it you let out a sigh. 
“Read any good books lately.” Nightwing asks from your kitchen, a clatter of sorts following him, most likely he was raiding your cabinets as well. 
“Of course,” You sighed, working as a librarian meant that you always had a good book, “What about you?”
Almost chuckling he replies, “Well I’m reading a book about anti-gravity... It’s impossible to put down.”
“That’s terrible.” You smiled, shaking your head trying not to laugh as well. 
“Oh I know.” He laughed.
With a sigh you looked over your shoulder momentarily to see him looking into one of your cabinets. Not wanting things to go silent you decided to ask a safe question that will continue the conversation at least for a little while.
“How was your day?”
“It wasn’t too bad,” He began and something in his tone made you narrow your eyes, “Somebody stole all of my lamps. I couldn’t be more de-lighted. And this morning I wanted to take pictures of the fog but I mist my chance. I guess I could dew it tomorrow.” 
Biting back laughter you turned away from him, placing your face into your hands, “Stop. These puns are too cheesy.”
“But I thought they were gouda.”
You froze rolling your eyes as a slight snort escaped you, “Dude.”
“It’s cheddar if you don’t get mad.” He continued.
Shaking your head again you closed your eyes trying your hardest to tune him out before you burst into a fit of laughter once again. 
“I swiss you had the same humor as me. I won’t provolone this anymore. After all, I havarti taken this too far.” Nightwing snorted laughing as he made pun after pun. 
“Oh ma gosh.”
Looking towards the ceiling you fought off a grin and the laughter, the tired laughter that was building up in your chest. 
“I colby a better parmesan and stop all these cheesy pins but I ricotta continue.”
Before you could stop yourself laughter escaped you as you turned towards him again to see him looking at you with a mischievous smile on his face. You laugh a little harder and his smile widens, “Brie the way, how was your day today? I saga know.” 
Letting out a snort, you smiled at him and decided to try a pun yourself, “That wasn’t very puny.”
For a moment a look of surprise crossed his face before a grin broke out across it and you felt your heart do a strange little fluttering jump.
Shaking his head he laughed, remarking, “Oh! That’s terrible, I love it.” 
Your heart did an even bigger fluttering jump and you looked away from him. You didn’t exactly like what was happening. But you knew. Trying to change the subject before your heart fluttered again you moved around the arm of the couch and sat down. 
“How was your day actually though?”
“Eh.” 
You froze for a moment, it was a rare occasion in which Nightwing only said one worded replies. Usually it meant there was something he didn’t want to talk about or something he really wanted to vent about or ask advice about. 
Not even turning towards him you stuck your hands under your legs and swung them slightly.
“Eh? Why eh?”
There was a pause, almost as if he was hesitant to reply, but then after a breath and silence filling the room making it slightly awkward he replied, “Girl troubles.”
This didn't really surprise you. Girl troubles were common amongst your guy friends, and since you were one of the very few girls who they didn’t ever plan on dating you were used to giving advice. However a strange sort of ache began in your chest and you felt hurt. 
Just a friend, The thoughts whisper almost menacingly, he just sees you as a friend.
Ignoring the ache and the vile thoughts nipping at the back of your mind you raised an eyebrow and turned over your shoulder smiling playfully at him. 
“Oooo do you like someone, as a civilian?... Wait, no, you like a civilian.” You corrected yourself, blinking a few times as you finally began to feel tired. 
Instead of a reply, at first you hear the door to one of your cabinets open with a loud squeak. A rustling for a moment then the cabinet creaking closed. He was stealing your food. A soft smile and feeling appeared and you brought your legs up to your chest. Placing your chin on the dip in between your knees you sighed. 
Honestly you didn’t mind but, it frustrated you a little though, that you were always going to be the best friend never the girl boys fell for. You were for friendship, not dating. Something you were beginning to wish you realized just a little bit earlier, maybe this would then all be easier. 
“Yes,” Nightwing finally replied, “and it was just so frustrating because it seems like she hates me and likes my brother.”
You blinked and for a moment you thought about looking towards him, but you knew if he did he’d realize what he said. You had to approach this carefully, wrapping your arms around your legs you hum slightly before asking somewhat casually,
“Oh wait, you have a brother?”
“Ye-,” You practically see him nodding before he stopped himself. 
Curiosity got the best of you and you decided to push your luck just a bit . 
“It's one of the vigilantes isn’t it.”
Silence followed your question and you looked over to see him giving you a look. A look that said to stop talking, not to press further because you were hitting the nail on the head. 
A smile of disbelief appeared on your face and you pulled away from your legs, eyes wide. 
“Oh my gosh they are all your siblings aren’t they? But obviously they’re adopted. I know Signal’s black, I’m ninety-nine percent sure there was a blonde batgirl and a red-head, Blue Bird literally doesn’t look like any of you, and no one is able to see Black Bat’s face. Oh and don’t get me started on the Robin brigade.”
As you began rambling your hands flew around your face in a flurry of motion. The vigilantes were one of your favorite non-book things to talk about. Mainly because of the one in your kitchen but you really weren’t going to ever get into that... hopefully. 
“You’re not wrong, “He sighed before pausing, “...Robin brigade?”
“I’m not getting into it.” You shook your head turning back away from him. 
You weren’t about to tell him how ever since the first Robin came into play you like the vigilantes. Not about your opinions and theories, especially not when a lot  of them were about him. Waving away the question you decided to change the subject. 
“Anyways back to your girl problems. Why do you think she hates you?”
You could hear him munching on something as he probably contemplated how to explain the problem to you, “Well she never talks to me willingly, and when she does she always mutters or ends up sounding really angry.”
Twirling a strand of hair around your finger, you thought for a moment about what he said. It sounded a lot like what happens to you. Maybe this girl that he likes, also has anxiety and likes him, or it might just be because he makes her nervous. 
“She might just like you dumbass,” You snorted, rolling your eyes, “I know that’s how it is for me. I mean with the guy I like-, I can’t even say one word without messing it up. So I have to slow it down. ”
You heard more munching and the crinkling of a bag before he mused, “Hmm, you think so?”
“Yeah, or you just make her really nervous.” 
It was more than likely, for you it was both which only made matters more complicated and frustrating. Sometimes you wished you were normal, then this wouldn’t be a problem at all. 
“Makes sense... by the way do you think if you practiced you could talk to him?”
Practice? You had tried practicing in the past, but whenever you tried to talk to him your anxiety took hold of your mouth and you spat out a word jumble instead of what you really wanted to say. 
“Probably not, my anxiety always freaks me out telling me that I’m gonna say the wrong thing and scare him away because I’m too weird or something.”
He walked passed you into the living room before flopping down on your couch. You notice the bad and his hands and for the moment you decided to ignore it. 
“Well just think about it this way, you’re super cool and awesome. And if he can’t see that he doesn’t deserve you.”
You paused for a moment. and looked over at him in slight disbelief, “You think I’m cool?”
“The coolest.” He replied smiling at you. 
It was then that you noticed the bag he had was your Cheetos. While you didn’t mind, at the moment you felt... awkward. Standing up you walked over towards him and flopped down next to him. You needed someway to feel less awkward without sounding like a bitch... then you got an idea
“Aww, that's sweet...” You began turning towards him with a smile, “but if you take my fucking Cheetos again we’re through.”
For a moment you think you’ve made things worse until Nightwing bursts into laughter. Shaking his head he sighed and passed the bag over to you, with the bag now in your hands you looked over to him and took a moment to think over what he said. 
You’re super cool and awesome. And if he can’t see that he doesn’t deserve you
Sighing you sat down next to him and rested your head on his shoulder, pulling a small handful you ate some Cheetos then offered them to him. He began taking some.
Was he telling the truth? Or just trying to make you feel better by saying that. Not knowing which was correct you felt you had to ask him.  
“Do you really think that he wouldn’t deserve me if I make a fool of myself?” You asked as you felt him wrap an arm around your shoulder.
You heard him hesitate before you looked up to see him giving you a contemplating look. 
“If you make a fool of yourself he should be saying something like... like. I think- I think I might just love you a little bit.”
Snorting you rolled your eyes, looked away and remarked without thinking, “Sure he should because unintelligible gibberish is the way to a man’s heart.”
“If he’s worth shit he’ll think it’s cute. I know I do.”
You knew he was flirting with you, you knew because it was something he did regularly. Something that was common with his personality. He constantly, he was never serious of course, that much you knew. So when you looked up at him slightly snorting to see him staring at you a soft and serious look on his face your heart did the fluttery jump and your stomach flipped.
Fucking shit 
Looking away from him you felt your cheeks beginning to flush red. He was nice, he helped you feel a little less like an asshole, less like a bitch, more like a person. A good person. He made you feel cared for... and- and loved. He was amazing and a lot like All the man you’ll ever need-
Wait, no. No. It couldn’t be like that- no. He was hero- a vigilante. You would never be able to know his real identity. You wouldn’t ever actually able to be with him. No matter what your heart felt, no matter how spilt it was you couldn’t even entertain the thought.
His voice yanked you from your spiraling train of thought and you blinked. Giving you a soft smile he asked the question again. 
“How was your day?”
Happy to not have to think about your feelings again you raised your head off of his shoulder and turned to him. Fully prepared to rant and bare your soul. 
“Rough, honestly I made a complete and utter fucking fool of myself. I mean I panicked so much and I laughed, I full on laughed out loud. Cackled even, at the library. I never do that, and to make matters worse my crush, he asked for a book recommendation and I realized that he left his brothers, the two most chaotic people I know alone with each other and I panicked.” 
You were talking quickly, shaking your head as the words stumbled from you, embarrassment following it. For a moment Nightwing was nodding as if he understood when suddenly he sat up straight, looking at you slightly confused. 
“Wait, wait. What happened?” He asked an eyebrow raised.
“Well he asked me for a book recommendation and I realized that he left his brothers alone and I panicked and cursed at him before running back to make sure they weren’t trashing the library.” You explained again waving your hands about yawning afterwards. 
He blinked twice then gave you a shocked look for a moment, “Your crush? Wait, he asked for a book recommendation?”
“Yeah! And then I realized that his brothers-”
Before you could finish he interrupted you a strange look on his face, “Did he say anything else?”
Blinking in confusion you raised an eyebrow thinking over what he said, then you shook your head, “What? Oh uh no I don’t think so.”
“Hmm,” He hummed slightly a smile on his face before he relaxed back onto the couch, “okay.” 
Feeling confused and a little worried, you wanted to talk about how he was acting weird but didn’t know how. So you decided to continue talking about your day. 
“Well after seriously embarrassing myself by going that I fumbled over my words while trying to give him a book. Then I decided to flee so I wouldn’t embarrass myself anymore. I was like five minute away from leaving when a regular- Mira- I’ve talked about her before. Well she came and started talking to me, I swear that give has like a sixth sense because she instantly knew I was freaking out and was able to help me avoid my crush and his brothers... speaking of brothers. I’m like ninety-nine percent sure one of them likes her, or at least is interested.” 
Nightwing was smiling and he had an amused look on his face as if something was very interesting. Chuckling he looked to you seeing the confusion on your face he sighed before nodding. 
“Interesting...sorry but somethings on my mind. When you start to have an anxiety attack or think about something can you accidentally tune stuff out?”  He asked eyebrows raised
You blinked a few times before nodding and leaning against the couch once again. 
“Oh, uh yeah. Sometimes I’m spiraling into an anxiety attack or anxious thoughts I accidentally tune people out... well what happens is that the thoughts overpower my ears.” You nodded with another yawn. 
He nodded and gave you a strange sort of look, you were having a hard time focusing, blinking you kept your eyes open. Rubbing at your eyes you sighed. 
“Tell me about your brother’s fuck ups on patrol, I need a good laugh.” You muttered as you held back a yawn. 
“Okay then,” He replied laughing slightly. 
Leaning against his shoulder again you grunted slightly. After your long day you were finally feeling tired, tired and safe. Nightwing was saying something to you, but you were having a hard time paying attention. Your eyes kept fluttering shut and before you knew it you were asleep. 
~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~
A few days later, you were in the library at your desk going about your daily routine when you spotted Jason in an aisle of book inspecting the pages of a heavy chapter book. Before you could spot any of the other Wayne boys Mira appeared in your peripheral vision a book in her hand and a smile on her face. 
“Okay, before you stop me I just want to say this book is amazing and when you have the time I want to talk to you about it because I need to talk to someone. All the people in my apartment complex are like fifty and above, married or five and under.” She paused for a moment a look of realization crossing her face, “Of course married people aren’t hard to talk to it’s just they don’t want to talk to me and I’m rambling sorry.”
You almost laughed, Mira seemed flustered, something you hadn’t seen ever. The ends of her hair were peeking out of her black hat in an array of different shades of purple. With flushed cheeks and her hazel eyes wide, Mira looked like something was bugging her. 
Leaning on the counter you let out a sigh, but noticed Jason approach towards your desk. A sly smile of sorts appeared on your face. If Jason was in fact interested in Mira a little push wouldn’t hurt, right?
“Unfortunately,” You began with a heavy sigh, “I don’t think I’ll be able to talk for a while... however, I’m sure Jason wouldn’t mind talking to you about it. He was actually the one who got me on the book.”
You gestured to Jason now stood behind Mira. For a moment, Mira froze before turning around, a tight smile on her face. She shot you a slight look of panic before she let out a breath and nodded. 
“Uh, if your willing.” 
Jason smiled at her and nodded. She nodded as well before giving you a quick wave goodbye. Watching them go you noticed how Mira stopped in an aisle still in your eye-line and sat down on the ground. Without even questioning it, Jason sat across from her. 
The library was quiet enough that you didn’t really need to strain yourself to hear what the two of them were saying. You watched as Mira opened the book, hearing Jason say,
“So about the other night-”
Before he could even finish Mira interrupted him her cheeks and ears flushing a dark shade of red, “I’d prefer not to talk about it please.” 
Nodding Jason let out a slight sigh before replying, “Alright.”
You were curious on what exactly had happened between the two of them, but before you could give another thought to it Damian walked up a stack of books in his arms. Raising an eyebrow you gave him a look,
“Starting a project of sorts?” You questioned as you began to check the books out to him.
Damian let out a slight huff before he nodded, “Father said I couldn’t get another pet until I know how to properly take care of it.” 
You paused for a moment to look at the books, they were non-fiction books about a variety of different animals. Spanning from monkeys all the way to squirrels. Shaking your head you bit back a laugh as you imagined Bruce Wayne’s face when Damian brought in all the animals.
“Hmm, I think there might be some more books about animal care in aisle five.” You remarked off handedly noting the gleam in Damian’s eye. 
“Really now?”
You nodded as you began to set the books to the side, pointing you showed him which aisle you were talking about.
“I can hold your books to the side while you go and grab some more, I mean you’ve got to cover all the bases right?”
While usually language like this would cause Damian to give you a look of distain, he bee-lined straight for the aisle. You laughed and turned to watch him when you spotted a guy standing right next to Mira and Jason.
“Are you here for me or him?” Mira asked not even looking up from her book. 
The guy blinked and a extremely confused look crossed his face. He gave Mira a baffled look as he said, “Why would I be here for him?”
A mischievous smile appeared on her face for just a second before she looked up at him, shock all over her face.
“Why the hell wouldn’t you be here for him?” She exclaimed gesturing towards Jason, “Have you seen him? He’s fucking gorgeous!”
You had to shove your fist against your mouth to stop from bursting into laughter. You watched Jason do something similar as his face turned red as his entire body shook. 
The guy went quiet and didn’t say anything else. Mira sighed and shook her head looking back to her book. 
“Well if your here for me fuck off, if your here for him…” She trailed off as if to let Jason finish her sentence.
He did, “Fuck off as well.”
A look of slight surprise was on Mira’s face as she looked to Jason, a smile playing on her lips. “Oh really?”
He nodded and her smile widened before she looked back to her book, looking surprisingly happy. 
“Awesome,” She remarked as she flipped the page, “anyways you heard us, fuck off dude.” 
The guy glared at the two of them and turned away cursing. You laughed letting out a sigh as you saw Jason and Mira share a look before they began talking about the book. 
Looking away from them you noticed Dick leaning on your desk a smile on his face. You flinched feeling your entire body beginning to panic. 
“Hi.”
“Oh, uh,” You remarked before giving him a smile in return, taking in a breath you continued, “Hi.”
“So I read the book,” He says as he pushed up from the desk. 
“Oh,” Is the only thing you can say, your mind felt blank as terror began crawling into every part of you. 
Breathe, you told yourself, remember what Nightwing told you. If he can’t see the real you he doesn’t deserve you
You nodded and tried for a genuine smile on your face. Something flickered on Dick’s face and he smiled brighter. 
“I was hoping we could talk about it over lunch or dinner.” 
You blinked, once, twice then three times as what he said was slowly sinking in. It took you a second to realize he just asked you out. Internally you began to scream, externally your pretty sure the smile was frozen on your face as a look of confusion began at the corners of your eyes. 
Taking in a breath you laughed slightly, nodding you let it out and tried your hardest to speak slowly. If you fucked this up you would never live it down, not only to anyone who heard the story but to yourself. 
“Oh, that. sounds. fun! Sure.” You replied smiling.
“Awesome.” 
It occurred to you, that you would be talking about the book amongst other things. And no matter his opinion you could give him other book recommendations. As excitement for the upcoming date raced in your veins a thought popped into your head, one of the whispers.
What if this is a prank? What if it’s all a practical joke being played
You hesitated for a moment before pushing the thought away. it wouldn’t-couldn’t be a joke. Dick was nice, nice and sweet. As your nerves began to climb up your throat you took another breath in. 
Breathe
Trust
You had to trust, you could do that. Shoving away your worries you focused on the fact that you could recommend more books... something you realized he didn’t know.
“Icabevrecbak-” You began before you heard yourself. 
Heat flushed your cheeks and you squeezed your eyes shut wincing. Peeking one open you didn’t dare try looking at him. 
You can do this, you just had to breathe
“Sorry,” You began not looking at him as you breathed and tried to take it slow, “I meant I could recommend more books if you liked that one.”
“It’s fine.” Dick said waving a hand as if to brush off the apology, “Honestly I think it’s cute.”
You froze, it felt as if your brain just short-circuited. Blinking you felt yourself give him a look of disbelief.
Honestly I think it’s cute, echoed in your ears and then you heard what Nightwing said the night before,
If he’s worth shit he’ll think it’s cute. I know I do
Blinking you realized that he continued to speak. Instead of pretending what was going on you gave him a confused look and he smiled. 
“I’d love if you recommended more book. How does tomorrow sound?”
You didn’t exactly know what was happening but you heard yourself replying, “Uh, great.”
You felt as if you were in a muddle, you could see what was happening and hear it but you could really feel anything. Faintly you heard a ringing and for a moment you were scared you were gonna pass out. A nervous laugh escaped you as you tried to breathe. An even wider grin appeared on his face and he leaned in towards you. 
“You get off at four right?”
Nodding you continued to reply almost robotically, “Uh yeah.”
“Well I’ll pick you up from here then.”
You blinked, the muddle was slowly fading and you were finding yourself again. Clearing your throat you nodded again. You could feel your heart in your chest doing it’s fluttery jump as your stomach did non-stop flips. 
“Okay.” You breathed out blinking again.
Dick nodded then shot you, what you can only imagine his classic playboy smile which sent your mind into a tizzy.
“I’ll see you then.”
“Uh okay, bye.”  You mumbled out as you watched him walk away not exactly sure about what just happened but fully aware that you had a date with him the next day. 
Holy fuck, you had a date with Dick Grayson. You couldn’t believe it, and as you felt your excitement race over you you remembered what Nightwing had, essentially, told you.
-You’re super cool and awesome. And if he can’t see that he doesn’t deserve you. 
 If you make a fool of yourself he should be saying something like... like. I think- I think I might just love you a little bit.  
If he’s worth shit he’ll think it’s cute-
Pressing your face into your hands you tried your hardest not to blush. Not only did you have Nightwing’s words playing in your ears but the feelings you had for both him and Dick. 
Fuck
You were completely and totally torn in half. After a moments thought you sighed. Maybe the phrase All The Man I Need wasn’t entirely true. After all one guy hadn’t exactly met all you needs, however if the both of them did have qualities that you needed- 
No, no you weren’t going to think about that. After all right now you needed to focus on one guy, he was after all the one you were more likely going to end up in a actual relationship with.  You had to focus on Dick Grayson... for now at least. 
For now. 
225 notes · View notes
mae-gi-writes · 4 years ago
Text
Once Again (Pt.2) | Iwaizumi Hajime (Haikyu!)
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ONCE AGAIN | PART TWO
Summary:
Iwaizumi’s broken marriage results in his five-year-old son trying to match him up with his primary school teacher, whom he thinks will make a wonderful replacement for a mother. 
Genre: fluff, angst, f! Reader x dad! Iwaizumi
Taglist: @multi-fandom-fanfic, @168-cm-png​, @bakugouswh0r3​, @yatoatyourservice​, @ayocee​, @marvel-ing-at-it-all​, @astrolcve 
A/N: Let me know if you want to be added to the taglist! Thanks to everyone for the kind feedback and for reading my work <3 
< PREVIOUS PART | NEXT PART >
----
He swings his beer over the counter, "one more."
He shouldn't be drinking. Imagine the damage it's doing to his organs, alcohol sweeping through his bloodstream and purging him of all coherent thought. Iwaizumi can hear Oikawa's nagging voice in his head even within the depths of intoxication.
Does he care though? He should. He should care. Because his job is basically to get people in their best shape.
And here he is, drinking away his sorrow, still shaken up by the way Hoisuke's fingers had grabbed for him that night. The bundle of nerves he'd squashed down had only intensified upon dropping his son on his mother's doorstep the same weekend and though he knew he should've said something to Mizune, he couldn't find the will to utter the words out, lest they came back to haunt him.
His phone buzzes in his pant pocket and after finishing it out with clumsy fingers, he manages to press down onto the green button.
"Yeah?"
"You're drinking!"
"No."
"Iwa-chan~" Oikawa's voice pierces through the receiver, sickly sweet and yet with a dark threatening undertone, "what are you doing?"
"Fuck off, shittykawa."
"Where are you?"
Iwaizumi doesn't answer. He doesn't need to, for Oikawa's already exclaiming the said bar's name as he takes another sip of his newly-filled beer glass.
"I thought you said you wouldn't drink anymore," Oikawa reproaches, "think of what Hoisuke would say--"
"I said fuck off."
There's a small pause where Oikawa bristles, before he says in a quieter tone, "what's wrong?"
Still, Iwaizumi says nothing but takes another huge gulp of his beer. His head feels buzzed, disoriented.
"Iwa-chan."
The said man press his lips in a taut line.
"Iwa-chaaaan."
"I'll talk to you later," Iwaizumi barely hears his friend's protests before he cuts off the call and downs the rest of his beer like a parched man, eyes narrowing towards anyone who dares reprimand him of his behaviour.
"One more," he rasps out towards the bartender, whose sending him a look that closely mimics one that clearly says he's had enough. But he scowls in response and that's enough to make the bartender's eyes slip away.
Seriously. What is wrong with him? It's already been four months goddamnit. Get over yourself. He wishes he could punch himself in the face. God, he sounds like a loser. He looks like one. And it's no wonder that his wife has left him for someone better, richer. Everything that he's not.
Not to forget that this wound will never leave their son's heart.
"One rum and coke please."
A presence lingers in his right and the brown-haired man turns with a glare at the ready, eyebrows furrowed and lips pressed in a thin line to scare whatever stranger that comes a little too close for his liking.
What the--
He stares at you. You stare back at him, just as dumbfounded. Looking the same, yet completely different.
"Miss Y/N?"
"Iwaizumi-san?"
He feels the sudden urge to hide his empty glass, "what--are you doing here?"
"Don't look so surprised, Iwaizumi-san," you chuckle at what you think is his flabbergasted expression, "I'm still twenty-six you know. I came here with a few of my friends."
His eyes slide towards the table in the far corner -- easy to spot since it's one of the loudest -- before he almost misses your question, "and you?"
"I come here often."
"Ah I see."
As you pay the bartender who slides your drink over, you bristle for a bit before you ask hesitantly, "mind if I sit here?"
Iwaizumi shakes his head. It's not like he can say no after all. You're his kid's teacher. And shit, how many beers has he had? He better not run his mouth. It's a dirty habit of his whenever he's shit drunk.
"So," you start off slowly, looking so out of place next to the said man with a scowl so dark it can scare off the most violent of gangsters that the corners of Iwaizumi's mouth tilt upwards in amusement, "how's it going?"
Seriously? You're seriously going to do that? His gaze searches your features for a moment, satisfied when warmth floods your cheeks.
You look away, "you don't have to look at me like that, you know. I just thought you’d want some company."
"What makes you think that?” Iwaizumi says while he flags down another beer from the waiter. 
You blink at him, “I can go if you want--”
The man sighs, rubbing his temples with tiredness, “that’s not what I meant.”
A weird, empty gap of silence ensues. Long enough that Iwaizumi gets his fourth beer of the night in his hand and he takes a grateful swallow. 
He really should not be drinking so much.
"Where do you work?” 
You’re persistent. He’ll give you that, “personal trainer. I work at the sports academy.” 
“That’s cool,” there’s a small smile edging upon your lips, “you like it?”
He nods, pauses briefly, before asking, “do you?” 
Of course it’s a little too close for comfort, especially since you’re Hoisuke’s teacher and all. But you merely relax in your high stool, swinging your legs while nodding eagerly. He can’t help but notice the tightness of your dark jeans, your black high-heeled boots, “I don’t see myself working as anything else. I’m bad with people most of the time.”
Taking another swig of his beer, Iwaizumi feels the tension slowly ease up from his shoulders, “well you’re way better with kids than I am.”
“You’re pretty good with Hoisuke."
“That’s because you haven’t seen him throw tantrums.”
You laugh, "oh don't worry, I have. I know all about his little fits. All my kids have one, at some point."
You say it lightly, but there's definitely love laced in your words and for a minute, Iwaizumi thinks back to the way Hoisuke kept on praising you, the way he spoke so affectionately about you.
"Do you still play volleyball?" You ask him while sipping on your drink.
He mimics the gesture, "sometimes. The guys are all over town so it's harder to meet up now."
"Dang, your team was so good though."
"It was Oikawa that held us together. We weren't that good," he tastes the bitterness of Karasuno's victory on his tongue.
"That's not true," you protest, fiddling with your empty glass, "the only reason why I watched Aoba Johsai's games was because I liked watching you play."
Dark coffee-coloured orbs sweep up to yours at that statement, as if trying to peel layers off yout shell, as if wanting to confirm the truth of your words. You feel like cowering away but you don't, instead holding his stare in hopes that he doesn't notice how your hands tremble slightly underneath his scowl.
And then, features softening ever so slightly, he murmurs out, "thanks."
You know he means it in the best way possible.
-----
One drink turns to two. And two multiplies by four. And soon enough you're tipsy off your head and singing so blatantly off-key you wonder why Iwaizumi's still by your side. You haven't been this drunk in ages and this sense of freedom makes you bold; you tug him to the dance floor to join your friends, order shot after shot as the music gets louder and your head gets lighter, proceed to blabber your mouth off about literally anything and everything that by the end of the night, you wish the ground would swallow you whole so you won't have to deal with Iwaizumi the next day.
You're not entirely sure how you find yourself being dragged by none other than the said man himself, or how your nose is currently lodged in the crevice between his neck and shoulders. But he smells good, like citrus and a mixture of mint and-- you sniff a little more -- is that cookie dough? Your mouth waters just at the thought.
"You smell like cookie dough," the words tumble out of your mouth in a jumbled mess and you inwardly feel like stabbing yourself.
So pathetic. Pitiful really.
"That's Hoisuke," Iwaizumi replies, surprisingly patient even when he's clearly not impressed, glaring at the lamppost ahead, "it's his flavour of the month."
"That's cute!" You giggle, "just like you, Iwa!"
The man sighs while shifting his grip upon your waist, "let's just get you to bed."
You probably doze off at some point or black out because the next thing you see upon opening your eyes next is the ceiling.
Hoisting your head up and groaning when your head pounds in warning, you lie back down as nausea takes over.
Shit. This isn't your room. You know that much.
What the fuck happened last night?
You remember dancing atop tables, remember spotting Iwaizumi by the bar and talking to him because he just seemed so sad and lonely. You remember dragging him onto the dance floor, dancing together, his hands on your waist--
You danced with Iwaizumi?!
The thought is enough to trigger another pounding. You groan once more, placing your hand atop your head in hopes that it will stop it from throbbing. It doesn't. But before you have more time to wallow in your self-pity, the door creaks open and your eyes almost pop out of your head when you spot a mop of brown spiky hair enter the room.
Iwaizumi.
Oh fuck. Your brain short circuits. Fuck fuck fuck.
Surprise crosses his face, clearly having not expected you to be awake yet. He walks over to place a glass of water by the nightstand and grabs your palm to tilt two aspirins into your hand.
"How's your head?" He asks.
"Fine," you wince. It's far from fine. In response, he holds out the glass and you gladly wash down the pills, warm and feeling suddenly vulerable under his stare.
Chewing onto the inside of your cheek, you muster up all your courage to ask, "what--happened last night?"
You don't miss the way his eyebrows shoot up, "you don't remember?"
"...no."
Is that amusement dancing in his eyes? You're not sure since it's gone just as quickly as it came before he says, "you got drunk. Danced on the table, had too many shots and made out with two different men--"
"I'm pretty sure the last part didn't happen."
"You said you didn't remember," he smirks lightly.
"I can't even flirt, let alone kiss strangers."
That earns you a chuckle from his part, causing your heart to flutter slightly as he straightens up, "you probably want to wash up. Bathroom's on the right. I'm in the kitchen if you need me."
"Okay," and as he turns away, you quickly add, "thanks, Iwaizumi-san."
He nods back, exiting the room and finally allowing you to collapse back against the bed to try slowing down your galloping heart. Jesus christ, you think to yourself as you slowly take in your surroundings. From the lack of furniture and with only a few clothes flung over a wooden desk chair shoved in the right, you guess it's his room. A closed laptop and a small plant sits on his desk. On the left is the nightstand filled with sports books and some manga, a closet shoved in a corner and the floor is made in veneered wood.
There's no sign of family pictures, nothing that indicates the warmth of a cosy household. It doesn't take a genius to understand why. While Hoisuke had begged you not to tell his father, you weren't a stranger to the young boy sobbing in-between breaks because he misses his mother.
Well, it's not like you're allowed into family affairs anyway, as much as that breaks your heart.
After a much needed shower and a quick brush of your teeth -- you had to make do with using your fingers with his toothpaste, too embarrassed to actually ask him whether he had a spare toothbrush -- you walk out into the kitchen to see Iwaizumi already seated at a quaint wooden table laden with eggs and toast. Behind him sits the kitchen stove and white countertops next to a fridge fitting snuggly on the left corner. On the far right of the room is a large dark grey couch and a tv set, and just behind it is a small hallway which seems to be the entrance -- guessing by the coat rack and array of shoes. 
"Sunny side up or boiled?" Iwaizumi asks as you take a seat opposite him. He has already poured you a cup of strong coffee and you inhale before sighing in bliss. Your headache already feels slightly better.
"Anything is fi--" you're interrupted by his scowl, quickly changing your answer to, "sunny-side up please."
He grunts, passes you the plate and digs into his own fried eggs, the soft boiled ones forgotten at the centre of the table.
"Uhm, forgive me for point it out, but that's a lot of food Iwaizumi-san," you mumble out, not missing the way his features harden slightly.
"Force of habit," he mutters in-between mouthfuls. He doesn't need to say more, for you're pretty certain he's referring to the family he used to have, those lazy Sunday mornings that started out with brunch.
You eat in companionable silence and though it'a definitely less awkward than last night, your mind still races trying to figure out what to say to erase the permanent furrow between his brows.
Or is that his normal demeanour? To be honest, you're not quite sure yourself.
So you settle for thanking him for last night, to which he replies, "do you usually drink that much?"
"No," you duck your head, avert your gaze, "I got carried away. I'm really sorry."
"Well I wouldn't have expected my kid's teacher to be that wild," he muses while taking a bite of his toast.
Alarm zaps through you, making your eyes go wide, "I swear I'm not usually like that, really. I just--this was an exception--"
"It's fine, miss Y/N. I know," his brown pupils lock onto yours briefly, "I'm not going to report you."
"I--" nothing can really make up for your behaviour last night. You know that much, "still, I'm sorry. That wasn't appropriate," you glance up, chest tightening at the intensity of his stare, unflinching. Unwavering.
He cocks his head at you then, a semblance of a smile along his mouth, "I was pretty entertained, if you ask me."
"Was I that bad?"
"No. But let's just say that you won't want to show your face around for the next week or so."
You groan and bury your face in your hands, "what did I do?"
"You might've broken a beer glass or two," he gives you a look, "on purpose. And tried to steal the Dj's headphones cause he wasn't putting the music you requested."
"Oh god," you want to bury yourself right then and there and to your surprise, you see him laugh softly before he nudges your coffee towards you.
"Drink," he orders, "it'll make you feel less shitty."
You're about to retort with a roll of your eyes, only to be interrupted by the doorbell ringing. From the way Iwaizumi tenses, you know it's not just the mail man.
Excusing himself to go unlock the door as you twist in your seat to follow his figure, shock courses through you the moment your eyes land on Hoisuke's.
Then, his mother.
An alarm bell rings through your mind.
"I thought you said evening," comes Iwaizumi's grunt, totally unlike the guy who'd been chuckling a few seconds ago.
"Hoisuke wanted to come back early for some reason," the woman says, her gaze flickering to yours for a brief moment. It's enough to cause you to swallow hard. She continues, "I'll pick him up on--"
"Miss Y/N?!" Hoisuke shouts out suddenly and before you know it, you're being tackled into the child's arms as if you haven't seen each other forever, "what are you doing here?! Daddy!" he whips his head around in accusation, "you lied about not really really liking Miss Y/N!"
"Wha--No!" Iwaizumi yells as you frown in confusion, "huh?"
"Daddy said that really really liking someone means you wanna be boyfriend and girlfriend with them, like he was with Mama before she moved houses," Hoisuke blabbers on, totally oblivious to how the three of you keep on staring at him in growing alarm, "and then I asked him if he really really liked miss Y/N because I really really like miss Y/N but he said no, but that's a lie!"
"Hajime, what is he talking about?" His ex-wife is quick to narrow her eyes, "what have you been telling him?"
"Nothing, it's not what you think--"
"I think," she pointedly glances at you, "I should leave now. We'll talk about this later."
And with that, she swivels around and storms out, leaving the three of you to stare after her in a mixture of shock and confusion.
Hoisuke, oblivious to the sudden tension, blurts out, "daddy, why is Mama angry with you?"
----
The few weeks following the tiny incident that had resulted in an awkward misunderstanding between you, Hoisuke’s parents and the said child himself had caused you to retreat back into the shell of professionalism that included avoiding Iwaizumi whenever it was deemed possible. It hadn’t been hard since he was usually present and waiting outside class to pick up Hoisuke right on time, making it much easier to avoid conversation with him altogether. 
You’d texted iwaizumi right after reaching your humble abode the day he’d practically saved your drunk ass and though you spent a few spare moments to chat in-between the bustling activities of life, it doesn’t erase the fact that he’s still Hoisuke’s father, one of your dearest students. That, and the fact that you don’t really find it fair to put Hoisuke in-between the two of you, if there’s anything worth digging for anyway. 
Who are you kidding? It’s not like Iwaizumi would ever be interested in you in that sense. Having spotted his ex-wife once or twice proved that his style was of more refined women, the type that would drink wine instead of chug down beer and who’d enjoy gifts such as perfume and romantic dates instead of going on grocery trips and meal-prepping for the entire week. 
“Miss Y/N!” Hoisuke’s voice pierces through your thought bubble and your eyes quickly find his grin as he jumps towards your desk, "are you coming to our house this weekend too?!"
"Wh--What? Uhm-- no I don't think so--" eyes quickly flitting over the classroom, you're relieved to find that the rest of his classmates are long gone, "I don't think that's appropriate."
"But why? I even told Mama that I wouldn't be coming this weekend because you were," he pouted and it took all of your determination not to melt, until his words registered in your brain and your eyes widened, "o--oh, but that's--"
"Hoisuke?" You both turn to see his father's head poking through the door. Your body reacts instantly, warmth flooding through your limbs and flushing through your cheeks.
"Daddy!"
"H-Hello, Iwaizumi-san," you bow your head slightly. He returns the gesture, facial expression not giving anything away. His son bounds up to him with just as much vigor, "daddy, can we invite miss Y/N this weekend too?"
You might have laughed at Iwaizumi's shocked face if not for the fact that you are the person in question.
He splutters, "Miss Y/N has things to do--"
"But she came last weekend!"
"Yes well, it's bad manners to impose on someone when they're not free," Iwaizumi replies sternly, "come on now, we're gonna be late for Karate."
With a loud sigh and a scowl that resembles so much like his father, Hoisuke mutters out his goodbyes while Iwaizumi catches your eye, bowing slightly and muttering a silent "sorry" before he guides his son out of the room. You're glad he's out of earshot that he can't hear the stuttering of your heart against your chest.
You place a hand on your chest, sigh tiredly before looking down at your students' papers, "get a grip, Y/N," you mutter to yourself.
But it's not that easy to control yourself when Iwaizumi is making it so easy to like him.
----
Iwaizumi: sorry about yesterday. 
Y/N: it's okay. Hoisuke’s young, it's normal for him to want for a motherly figure around.
Iwaizumi's fingers drum over his knee as he watches with slight interest the newest male volleyball team practice their serves. He shouts after a few, calling them out for theit lazy postures, but other than that he can't seem to stop his thoughts from winding their way back to you.
"Who is she?" Mizune had asked him on the phone on the day following their encounter. Her tone was friendly, yet held that tone of warning that he was so accustomed to.
"How does that concern you?"
"I want to know who you're bringing around to hang out with Hoisuke."
"She's an acquaintance of mine," he paused, "and Hoisuke's teacher."
"That's inapropriate if you ask me."
Scoffing, he replied, "like what you did's so appropriate?"
A small pause ensued. When she spoke next, there was no mistaking the edge to her voice.
"You can't keep using that against me, Hajime."
"Don't tell me who I can or can't hang out with."
He'd hung up without bothering to wait for her response, seething and red hot with rage blubbering through his stomach.
Of course now that he thinks it over, Mizune has a point. Mixing the professional and the personal have never ended in happy endings. Not that this has ever stopped him before. He doesn't believe in what everyone else thinks is right. That's also one of the main reasons why Mizune couldn't handle it anymore. Or so she said before she went to suck someone else's dick.
His phone vibrates and fishing it out, a scowl instantly shadows his face upon seeing Oikawa's name flash across the screen.
Oikawa: Iwa-chan ~ have you asked her out yet?
Iwaizumi has to force himself to stay in control and not pound his phone to pieces when he types out his reply.
Iwaizumi: No.
Oikawa: BUT WHYYYY~ YOU SAID YOU FOUND HER CUTE.
Oikawa: and Hoisuke likes her. He already knows her.
Iwaizumi: I didn’t say that. And she's not interested.
Oikawa: Just because you suck at picking up cues doesn't mean she isn't throwing them at you 😏😏😏
Iwaizumi: shut up, shittykawa.
Oikawa: Just do it or I'll do it for you.
Iwaizumi: I don't even like her that way.
Oikawa: why'd you rant about not wanting to hurt her feelings yesterday night then?
Iwaizumi's hand rubs at his face with a groan. Oikawa's a little shit most of the time, but he's a perceptive little shit.
Oikawa: I mean it. Ask her out or I'll do it for you.
Oikawa: gotta go now. Match is starting. See ya!~ muah ❤
"Dumbass," Iwaizumi growls under his breath before shoving the phone back into his pocket. Easier said than done to ask someone out so casually, especially when she's Hoisuke's teacher.
If she accepts, great. If she doesn't, he'll have to suffer through humiliation for the rest of the year or avoid picking up Hoisuke altogether.
Oh fuck it.
He lets his body send the message before his brain can catch up to the way he has thrown himself under the bus, shoves his phone back into his pocket and tries to put the thought out of his mind even though the device suddenly feels hot and heavy in his pant pocket.
Iwaizumi: we're having takeout and movie night on Friday. You're free to join.
----
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