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magical-reid · 4 days ago

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A World Apart

Paring: Lip Gallagher x Reader (No use of Y/n)

Warnings: Reader gets herself into trouble that is inferred that it could lead to sexual harassment.

Word Count: 9.5 K

Reader’s POV

It wasn’t like I hadn’t been warned.

“You don’t belong down there,” my dad had said, his voice tight with the kind of control he thought made him sound authoritative. “You think those people care about your bleeding heart? You’ll get eaten alive.”

His words stuck with me, like tar on a new shoe, dragging behind me even as I pressed forward. It wasn’t as if I’d meant to end up on the South Side so often—it just… happened. The people there felt real, raw in a way the manicured lawns and gated homes of the North Side didn’t.

But now, sitting in the back of a dingy laundromat with my heart hammering, I was starting to think maybe my dad had been right.

“You’re too pretty to be sitting here alone.” The guy’s voice was low, and scratchy, like he’d been smoking since birth. He leaned over me, too close. His stained shirt reeked of sweat and stale beer.

I pressed myself against the plastic chair, clutching my phone as if it might somehow shield me. “I’m just waiting for my friend,” I lied, my voice barely above a whisper.

“Friend, huh?” His grin made my stomach churn. “Don’t see nobody around here but you. What’s a North Side girl doing slumming it like this?”

My throat dried up. I didn’t have an answer—at least not one that would make sense to someone like him. My instinct was to run, but his frame blocked the narrow space between me and the exit.

“Hey!” A familiar voice cut through the tension like a blade, sharp and commanding. “Get the hell away from her.”

Lip Gallagher.

He appeared in the doorway, his shoulders squared, his scowl so dark it could’ve melted ice.

The guy glanced at Lip, and for a second, I thought he might push back. But something in Lip’s expression—something cold and unyielding—made him back off. He raised his hands mockingly. “All right, man, relax. Didn’t know she was yours.”

Lip didn’t dignify that with a response. He waited until the guy slinked out of the laundromat before turning to me.

“Are you okay?” His voice softened as he crouched down, coming to my level.

My nod felt stiff like my body hadn’t caught up with the relief flooding through me. “I’m fine,” I managed, though my shaking hands betrayed me.

“You shouldn’t be here by yourself,” he said, his tone still rough but threaded with concern. “Not around here.”

I wanted to defend myself, to say I didn’t need a babysitter, but the truth was I did. My naivety had landed me in trouble more than once since I started spending time on the South Side.

Lip sighed, running a hand through his messy blonde hair. “Come on. Let’s get you out of here.”

I didn’t argue.

Lip’s POV

She had no business being down here.

That was my first thought as I watched her clutch her phone like it was a life raft, her big, terrified eyes darting around the laundromat. She didn’t fit—didn’t belong in the cracked tile and flickering lights of this place. Not in those clean jeans and the sweater that looked like it cost more than my entire wardrobe.

The second thought? How stupid she was for putting herself in danger.

But the third thought, the one that stuck, was that I couldn’t let anything happen to her.

“You’ve got a death wish, you know that?” I muttered as we walked back to my place.

She didn’t respond, just kept her eyes on the sidewalk like it might trip her up if she looked away. Her silence wasn’t new—she wasn’t exactly chatty even on a good day. But something about the way she carried herself made me ease up. She looked small and vulnerable, fragile in a way that made my chest ache.

“Why the hell were you there alone?” I asked, trying to keep the edge out of my voice.

“I… I didn’t think it would be a big deal,” she said quietly, her words tumbling out like an apology.

“Not a big deal?” I stopped walking, turning to face her. “You get that guy wasn’t gonna just walk away, right? If I hadn’t shown up—”

She flinched, and I shut my mouth.

Damn it. I didn’t mean to scare her.

“Look,” I said, softer this time. “I’m just saying… be careful, okay?”

She nodded, her cheeks flushing. “Thanks, Lip. For… y’know.”

I shrugged, but the truth was, hearing her say my name like that made something warm settle in my chest.

Reader’s POV

Lip’s house—or whatever you’d call the chaos he lived in—wasn’t what I’d expected. I wasn’t naive enough to think it’d be neat and tidy, but the sheer disarray was overwhelming. Clothes were tossed across the couches and floors, beer bottles crowded the coffee table, and the faint scent of stale smoke hung in the air.

Still, it was better than being outside.

“Sorry for the mess,” Lip said, running a hand through his hair as he stepped over a pile of magazines. “Not exactly Buckingham Palace, but it’s safe.”

I offered him a faint smile. “I don’t mind.”

And I didn’t. For all its clutter, the Gallagher house felt more alive than any room I’d ever stepped into back home. The kids running up and down the stairs, the hum of conversation even when no one was talking—it was chaotic, yes, but it felt… real.

Lip dropped onto the couch, stretching out like he hadn’t had a decent rest in days. He patted the spot next to him.

“Come on, sit down. You’re making me nervous, just standing there.”

I hesitated for a moment before lowering myself onto the cushion, careful to avoid a stray can of beer.

“You’re shaking.” His voice was softer now, and when I looked up, I saw his eyes fixed on my hands, which were clenched tightly in my lap.

“Am I?” I tried to laugh, but it came out shaky.

Lip leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees as he studied me. “You’re not used to this kind of stuff, are you?”

“No,” I admitted, my voice barely above a whisper.

He didn’t say anything for a moment, just sat there, watching me like he was trying to piece me together. Finally, he shook his head.

“You shouldn’t be coming down here, you know,” he said, though the words lacked their usual bite.

“I like it here,” I said, surprising even myself.

Lip raised an eyebrow. “You like it?”

I nodded. “It’s different. People are… I don’t know, real. Up north, everyone’s so polished. Fake. It’s exhausting.”

He snorted. “Yeah, well, ‘real’ doesn’t mean safe. You’ve gotta be smart, or this place’ll eat you alive.”

I bit my lip, unsure how to respond. He wasn’t wrong. But despite everything that had happened, I didn’t want to leave. The South Side felt raw in a way that made me feel alive, even if it was dangerous.

“Anyway,” Lip said, breaking the silence. “You’re here now, so you might as well stay for a while. You hungry?”

I blinked at him. “Hungry?”

“Yeah, you know, food? Pretty basic concept.” He stood up, heading toward the kitchen. “We’ve got… uh…” He opened the fridge and frowned. “Beer and pickles. Great.”

I laughed, the sound slipping out before I could stop it.

Lip glanced back at me, his lips quirking into a grin. “What’s so funny?”

“Nothing,” I said quickly, though my cheeks burned.

“Uh-huh,” he said, but he didn’t press further. Instead, he grabbed a couple of beers and tossed one to me.

I caught it awkwardly, staring at the label.

“You ever had one?” he asked, already popping the cap off his own.

“No,” I admitted, feeling my face heat up again.

Lip smirked. “First time for everything.”

I hesitated, then twisted off the cap and took a cautious sip. The taste was bitter, and I tried not to grimace.

“Not your thing, huh?” he teased, leaning back against the counter.

“It’s… different,” I said diplomatically, earning a laugh from him.

“Yeah, you’ll get used to it,” he said, his voice warm.

For the first time all night, I felt myself relax.

Lip’s POV

She didn’t belong here, but damn if she didn’t look good sitting on my couch.

The way she held that beer bottle like it might bite her was almost too much. She was trying so hard to keep up, to fit into a world that wasn’t made for her, and it was equal parts frustrating and endearing.

I couldn’t figure her out. Most North Side types treated us like we were beneath them, but not her. She didn’t flinch at the mess or the noise, didn’t look at me like I was some kind of charity case.

If anything, she looked like she was trying to prove she belonged.

“You’re quiet,” I said, watching as she picked at the label on her beer.

“Sorry,” she said quickly. “I’m just… not used to this.”

“Yeah, I figured.”

She looked up at me, her eyes wide and uncertain. “Do I stick out that much?”

I chuckled. “Like a sore thumb.”

Her face fell, and I cursed under my breath.

“Hey,” I said, crossing the room and sitting next to her again. “That’s not a bad thing. Just means you’re… different.”

“Different how?” she asked softly, her eyes searching mine.

I shrugged, suddenly feeling too exposed under her gaze. “I don’t know. You’re not like the girls around here.”

“Because I’m not from here,” she said, looking down again.

“Because you’re not jaded,” I corrected.

Her lips parted slightly like she wanted to say something but couldn’t find the words.

“Most people around here, they’ve seen too much,” I said, my voice low. “Makes you hard. But you… you’re still soft.”

The room felt too quiet after that, the space between us charged with something I couldn’t quite name.

“Thanks,” she said finally, her voice so quiet I almost didn’t hear it.

I didn’t respond. Instead, I leaned back, letting the moment stretch out. For the first time in a long time, I didn’t feel the need to fill the silence.

Reader’s POV

I wasn’t supposed to be here.

Again.

Lip had made that clear the last time I ventured into the South Side alone. But it wasn’t like I’d planned for anything to happen. I’d just wanted to help. A community center not far from Lip’s house had been running low on supplies, and volunteering felt like the least I could do.

What I hadn’t considered, though, was how fast things could spiral out of control.

I was walking back to the bus stop after my shift, the evening light casting long shadows over the cracked pavement. The streets were quiet in a way that made the hair on my neck stand up. My phone buzzed in my pocket, and I pulled it out, squinting at the screen.

Lip: Where are you?

I frowned, my fingers hovering over the keyboard.

Me: Heading home. Just finished volunteering.

The response came almost immediately.

Lip: You alone?

I hesitated. Before I could reply, a voice cut through the air behind me.

“Hey, sweetheart.”

I froze.

Turning slowly, I found myself face-to-face with two men, both older and rough-looking, their eyes scanning me like a predator sizing up its prey.

“What’s a girl like you doing out here all alone?” one of them asked, his grin wide and unsettling.

My heart thudded painfully in my chest. “I’m just… heading home,” I stammered, taking a step back.

“Home?” The other guy tilted his head. “Don’t think you’re from around here.”

“I’m not looking for trouble,” I said quickly, clutching my phone like it could somehow save me.

“Trouble?” The first guy laughed, stepping closer. “Trouble’s the last thing you need to worry about, honey.”

Panic surged through me, cold and paralyzing. I turned to run, but before I could take a step, one of them grabbed my arm.

“Not so fast,” he said, his grip like a vise.

“Let go of me!” I shouted, but my voice felt small, swallowed by the empty street.

And then, just when I thought I was out of options, I heard it.

“Hey!”

Lip’s voice, sharp and furious, echoed down the block.

I whipped my head around to see him sprinting toward us, his face twisted in a mix of rage and something else I couldn’t quite place.

The guy holding me let go just as Lip reached us, shoving me behind him in one swift motion.

“You two got a death wish?” Lip growled, his fists clenched at his sides.

“Relax, man,” one of the guys said, raising his hands mockingly. “We were just talking.”

“Yeah?” Lip’s jaw tightened. “Then talk to me. Leave her out of it.”

The tension crackled in the air, heavy and suffocating. For a moment, I thought they might fight. But then, after what felt like an eternity, the men exchanged a look and backed off, muttering under their breath as they disappeared into the shadows.

As soon as they were gone, Lip turned to me, his eyes blazing.

“What the hell were you thinking?” he demanded, his voice shaking.

“I—I didn’t think—”

“Exactly! You didn’t think!” He ran a hand through his hair, pacing in front of me like he couldn’t stand still. “Jesus, you could’ve gotten killed!”

“I’m sorry,” I whispered, my chest tightening.

Lip stopped pacing, his eyes locking onto mine. For a moment, neither of us said anything, the weight of what just happened settling over us like a heavy fog.

“You can’t do this,” he said finally, his voice rough but quieter now. “You can’t just… show up here and act like nothing bad’s gonna happen. This place doesn’t work like that.”

I swallowed hard, guilt twisting in my stomach. “I didn’t mean to cause trouble.”

Lip’s shoulders sagged, his anger giving way to something softer. He stepped closer, his hand brushing against my arm.

“I know,” he said, his voice low. “But you’ve gotta stop putting yourself in danger like this. I can’t—”

He cut himself off, his jaw tightening.

“You can’t what?” I asked, my voice barely above a whisper.

Lip hesitated, his eyes searching mine. “I can’t keep seeing you get hurt.”

The raw honesty in his voice made my breath catch.

“Lip…”

“No, listen to me,” he said, his hands coming to rest on my shoulders. “I care about you, okay? More than I probably should. And it’s driving me crazy, watching you throw yourself into situations you can’t handle.”

My heart pounded in my chest, his words wrapping around me like a lifeline.

“You… care about me?” I asked, the words trembling on my lips.

Lip exhaled sharply, his fingers tightening slightly on my shoulders. “Yeah, I do. And if you don’t get that by now, I don’t know what else to do to prove it.”

The air between us felt heavy, charged with something I couldn’t ignore.

“I didn’t know,” I admitted, my voice shaking.

Lip’s lips twisted into a rueful smile. “Yeah, well, I’m not exactly subtle.”

I felt my cheeks heat up, the warmth spreading through me like a slow burn. “I thought you were just… looking out for me.”

“I am,” he said softly. “But it’s not just that. I want to keep you safe because… because I don’t want to lose you.”

The vulnerability in his voice broke something in me, and before I could overthink it, I stepped closer, my fingers brushing against his.

“You’re not going to lose me,” I said, my voice barely audible.

Lip’s eyes softened, and for a moment, it felt like the rest of the world had fallen away.

“You’re too important to me,” he murmured, his thumb grazing my cheek in a gesture so tender it made my heart ache.

I didn’t know what to say, so I didn’t say anything. Instead, I leaned into him, letting his arms wrap around me in a way that felt like safety itself.

Lip’s POV

She was trembling against me, and I couldn’t tell if it was from fear, relief, or the cold air settling into the South Side.

My arms tightened around her, like I could shield her from all the crap this place throws at people. I was still wired from what had just happened—half a second away from throwing punches, adrenaline buzzing under my skin. But holding her like this? It was grounding, like hitting the brakes on a runaway car.

I pulled back, just enough to look at her. Her face was pale, her eyes wide, and I could still see the shadow of what just happened written all over her.

“Come on,” I said gruffly, slipping an arm around her shoulders to steady her. “We’re not staying out here.”

She didn’t argue, letting me guide her back toward the house. Every few steps, I caught her glancing up at me, like she wanted to say something but couldn’t find the words.

Good. Because I didn’t know what to say, either.

When we got back, the house was quiet for once. Fiona was out working her double shift, the kids were god knows where, and the usual chaos had given way to an eerie stillness.

I led her into the kitchen, pulling out a chair for her at the small, scarred table. She sat down slowly, her hands still shaking.

“You want water? Tea? Something stronger?” I asked, leaning against the counter.

She gave a weak smile. “I think I’ve had enough beer for one lifetime.”

I huffed out a laugh, grabbing a glass and filling it with water. She took it with both hands, sipping carefully.

“Why were you out there by yourself?” I asked after a long silence.

Her shoulders tensed, but she didn’t look up. “I was just… volunteering. I didn’t think it’d be a big deal.”

“It’s always a big deal,” I said, my voice sharper than I meant it to be. “Especially when you’re walking around alone.”

She flinched, and I instantly felt like a jerk.

“Look, I get it,” I said, lowering my voice. “You want to help. But this place doesn’t care about that. The South Side doesn’t give points for good intentions—it just chews people up.”

She stared into her glass for a moment before speaking, her voice soft. “I just wanted to do something that mattered.”

“Yeah, well, staying alive matters,” I shot back, though the edge in my voice was gone.

She finally looked up at me, her eyes shimmering with something I couldn’t quite name. “I didn’t mean to scare you.”

“You didn’t scare me,” I lied, turning away to grab a cigarette from the counter.

“Lip.” Her voice stopped me mid-motion.

I sighed, tossing the unlit cigarette back down. “Okay, maybe you scared me a little. Happy?”

She smiled faintly, but it didn’t last. “I guess I don’t understand why you care so much.”

Her words hit me like a sucker punch. I could’ve laughed—except nothing about this felt funny.

“Are you serious?” I asked, stepping closer. “You really don’t get it?”

She shrugged, biting her lip like she was bracing for me to yell at her.

I crouched down next to her chair, forcing her to meet my eyes. “I care because you matter to me. Because every time you walk out there by yourself, I’m scared someone’s gonna hurt you or worse.”

Her breath hitched, and for a second, I thought I’d pushed too far. But then she surprised me.

“I don’t want to be a burden,” she whispered.

“A burden?” I barked out a laugh, shaking my head. “You’re not a burden, you’re just��”

I stopped myself, dragging a hand through my hair. I wanted to tell her she was everything—different from anyone I’d ever met, someone who made me want to do better just by being around. But I didn’t have the words for that.

“You’re just you,” I finished lamely. “And that’s enough.”

Reader’s POV

Lip’s words lingered in the air, heavy and unpolished, but somehow perfect.

I wanted to say something back, to tell him how much it meant, how much he meant. But the words were tangled up in my chest, and all I could do was nod.

“You should get some rest,” he said, standing up and moving toward the couch like the conversation hadn’t just shifted something monumental between us.

“Where are you going?” I asked before I could stop myself.

He turned back, eyebrows raised. “Uh, to bed? Pretty sure I’ve got half a mattress upstairs with my name on it.”

“You don’t have to—” I hesitated. “I mean, you don’t have to leave me down here alone.”

His expression softened, and for a second, I thought he might argue. But then he grabbed a blanket from the back of the couch and dropped into the chair across from me.

“Fine,” he said, kicking his feet up on the table. “But if you snore, I’m out.”

I laughed, the sound startling after everything that had happened. Lip smirked, his eyes lingering on me a beat longer than they should have.

“Get some sleep,” he said, his voice softer now.

And for the first time in weeks, I felt like I could.

————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————

Reader’s POV

The next few weeks blurred together. Lip and I fell into a strange rhythm—one that felt precarious, like walking a tightrope over everything unsaid.

He’d check in on me constantly, texting when I was at work or volunteering, sometimes showing up unannounced just to make sure I wasn’t “pulling any more dumb stunts,” as he put it.

I should’ve been annoyed. Instead, I felt safer than I had in years.

But safety was a fragile thing on the South Side.

Lip’s POV

It was a Tuesday when everything came crashing down.

I was fixing up a busted air conditioner for some old guy a few blocks over when my phone buzzed in my pocket.

Unknown Number: Your girl’s in trouble. Corner of 19th and Pulaski.

My blood ran cold.

I didn’t think, just ran.

When I got there, she was cornered again, three guys this time, their voices low and mean as they backed her against the wall.

They didn’t see me coming.

I don’t remember much after that. Just flashes—my fist connecting with one guy’s jaw, the sharp crack of bone, the other two scattering when I turned on them.

When it was over, she was standing there, her eyes wide and tear-streaked, staring at me like I was some kind of stranger.

“You okay?” I asked, wiping blood from my knuckles.

She nodded, but the way she clutched her arms told me otherwise.

I stepped closer, brushing a strand of hair from her face. “You’re safe now.”

“Why do you keep doing this?” she asked, her voice breaking.

I frowned. “Doing what?”

“Saving me,” she said, her tears spilling over. “You act like it’s your job to protect me, but why? Why do you care so much?”

The words tore out of me before I could stop them.

“Because I love you, all right?”

She froze, her eyes wide and unblinking.

“I love you,” I said again, softer this time. “And it’s killing me watching you get hurt.”

Her lip trembled, and for a second, I thought she might run. But then she threw herself into my arms, holding on like I was the only solid thing in a crumbling world.

“I love you too,” she whispered, her voice muffled against my chest.

For the first time in a long time, I felt like things might actually be okay.

Reader’s POV

The air felt heavy as I leaned into Lip’s chest, my fingers clutching at the worn fabric of his shirt. His arms wrapped around me tightly, holding me like he was afraid I might disappear.

I’d never had someone care for me like this before. Lip wasn’t the kind of person who said things he didn’t mean, and hearing him tell me he loved me? It made the ground feel unsteady under my feet, like the whole world had tilted and I wasn’t sure how to stand upright anymore.

“You okay?” he murmured against the top of my head.

I nodded into his chest, the motion small but certain. “I’m okay.”

He let out a breath, his hand moving to cradle the back of my head. “Good. Because you scared the hell outta me.”

“I’m sorry,” I whispered, my voice cracking.

His arms tightened around me. “Stop saying that. Just… stop putting yourself in situations like this.”

I wanted to argue, to explain that I wasn’t trying to get into trouble, but I didn’t. Because he wasn’t wrong—I’d been reckless. And now that I was in his arms, feeling the tension still radiating off him, I didn’t want to make excuses.

“I won’t,” I promised quietly.

Lip pulled back just enough to look at me, his eyes searching mine for any sign that I didn’t mean it.

“Good,” he said finally. “Because I can’t—” He stopped himself, shaking his head. “I don’t want to keep pulling you out of situations like this. You don’t get how dangerous it is down here.”

“I do now,” I said, my voice firm.

He huffed out a dry laugh, his thumb brushing against my cheek. “Yeah, well, I hope so. You’re not getting another free pass. Next time, I’m locking you in the house.”

I cracked a small smile. “You wouldn’t.”

His eyebrow quirked. “Try me.”

The moment stretched between us, his words serious but his tone light enough to soften the edges. For the first time since everything had happened, the tension in my chest eased.

We walked back to the Gallagher house in silence, his hand hovering at my back like he was ready to catch me if I stumbled. When we reached the door, he glanced at me.

“You want to come in, or…?”

I hesitated. Part of me wanted to go home, to let the quiet of my room wash over me and give me space to think. But the thought of leaving Lip, even for a few hours, made my stomach twist.

“I’ll stay,” I said softly.

Lip nodded, pushing the door open. The house was alive with its usual chaos—Debbie chasing Franny up the stairs, Carl arguing with Liam over the TV, and Fiona sitting at the kitchen table, her head resting in her hands like she’d had the longest day imaginable.

“Lip!” Fiona called out, her eyes narrowing as she took in the two of us. “What the hell happened? You look like you’ve been in a fight.”

Lip shrugged, his hand still resting on the small of my back. “Handled it.”

Fiona’s gaze flicked to me, concern flashing in her eyes. “You okay, hon?”

I nodded, managing a small smile. “Yeah, I’m fine.”

“Fine,” Lip muttered under his breath, steering me toward the stairs. “C’mon.”

Fiona opened her mouth to say something, but Lip shot her a look that silenced whatever lecture she’d been about to launch into.

Lip’s POV

I led her upstairs to my room, shutting the door behind us. It wasn’t much—just a bed, a dresser, and a pile of books I’d meant to read but never got around to.

“You can sit,” I said, gesturing toward the bed.

She perched on the edge, her fingers twisting in her lap.

“You don’t have to look so nervous,” I said, dropping into the chair across from her. “I’m not gonna bite.”

She laughed softly, the sound like a balm to the tension still coiled in my chest.

“I’m not nervous,” she said, though the flush on her cheeks said otherwise.

“Right,” I said, smirking.

Her eyes darted to mine, and the air in the room shifted.

“So…” she started, her voice small. “When you said you loved me… did you mean it?”

I blinked, caught off guard by the question. “What, you think I go around saying that to just anyone?”

“No, I just—” She hesitated, chewing on her lip. “I guess I didn’t think you’d feel that way about me.”

“Why not?” I asked, leaning forward.

“Because I’m… me,” she said, gesturing vaguely to herself.

I frowned. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

She shrugged, her gaze dropping to her lap. “I’m not like you, Lip. I’m not tough or confident or…”

“Stop,” I said, my voice firmer than I intended.

Her eyes snapped to mine, startled.

“You think I give a crap about that?” I asked, shaking my head. “I don’t care if you’re tough or not. You’re smart, you care about people, and you make me want to be better. That’s all I need.”

Her lips parted, but no words came out.

“Look,” I said, running a hand through my hair. “I know I’m not exactly boyfriend material. I’ve got baggage for days, and I’m not always great at… this.” I gestured vaguely between us. “But I care about you. And if you give me a chance, I’ll prove it.”

She stared at me for a long moment, her expression unreadable. And then, slowly, a small smile spread across her lips.

“You don’t have to prove anything,” she said softly.

Relief flooded through me, and I let out a breath I hadn’t realized I’d been holding.

“Good,” I said, grinning. “Because I’m pretty sure I’m out of grand gestures.”

She laughed, the sound warm and genuine.

“Come here,” I said, holding out a hand.

She hesitated for only a second before standing and crossing the room to me. I pulled her onto my lap, my arms wrapping around her waist as she settled against me.

For the first time in a long time, everything felt right.

Reader’s POV

Falling into a relationship with Lip Gallagher wasn’t exactly a smooth transition. It wasn’t all late-night confessions and tender moments. It was messy, awkward, and entirely too public, thanks to the constant chaos of the Gallagher house.

But it was real.

It started with the little things. Lip would walk me home when I stayed too late on the South Side. His hand would hover at my back, like he needed to remind himself I was still there. I’d catch him watching me when he thought I wasn’t looking, his expression soft in a way that made my chest ache.

I wasn’t used to being looked at like that—like I was something worth protecting.

The first time Ian caught us, I was sitting on Lip’s lap in the Gallagher kitchen, my arms looped loosely around his neck as we shared a quiet moment before the chaos of the day began. Lip had his head tilted back, his fingers tracing absent patterns on my thigh, his eyes half-lidded with a rare calm.

“What the hell is this?” Ian’s voice broke through the quiet, startling me enough that I almost fell off Lip’s lap.

Lip caught me easily, his grip tightening on my waist as he smirked up at Ian.

“This,” he said, gesturing lazily between us, “is none of your business.”

Ian snorted, leaning against the doorframe. “You two are disgusting. Does Fiona know about this?”

“Why would Fiona care?” Lip shot back, rolling his eyes.

Ian shrugged, a wicked grin spreading across his face. “Because you’re acting like a couple of teenagers sneaking around. It’s embarrassing, man.”

“Yeah? You wanna talk embarrassing?” Lip said, a sharp edge creeping into his tone. “Should I bring up your first six months with Mickey?”

“Hey!” Ian protested, his cheeks reddening. “This isn’t about me.”

“Exactly,” Lip said, leaning back in his chair like the conversation was over. “So mind your own damn business.”

Ian huffed but didn’t push further. His eyes flicked to me, a teasing glint still lingering. “You sure you know what you’re getting into with this one?”

Before I could respond, Lip’s hand tightened on my hip, and he gave Ian a glare that could’ve melted steel.

Ian held up his hands in surrender, smirking as he walked away.

Lip’s POV

“Do you ever feel like you’re under a goddamn microscope?” I muttered, dropping my head onto her shoulder as Ian’s footsteps faded.

She laughed softly, her fingers running through my hair in a way that made me feel like a goddamn housecat. I should’ve hated it. Instead, I found myself leaning into her touch.

“Is it always like this around here?” she asked, her voice warm with amusement.

I lifted my head, giving her a look. “What do you think?”

Her lips quirked into a small smile. “I think it’s chaotic. But… kind of nice.”

“Nice?” I repeated, raising an eyebrow.

“Yeah,” she said softly. “It feels… alive. Like there’s always someone around.”

I snorted, leaning back. “Trust me, it’s not as great as it seems. Gets old pretty fast when you’re trying to get some peace and quiet.”

Her smile widened. “You don’t strike me as the ‘peace and quiet’ type.”

I shrugged, a grin tugging at my lips. “Maybe I’ve got layers.”

She laughed, and the sound settled something deep in my chest.

A couple of days later, Mickey decided to get in on the action.

We were at The Alibi, sitting in one of the corner booths while Mickey and Ian played darts nearby. She’d been talking about her latest volunteer gig, her face lighting up in a way that made it impossible to look anywhere else.

“Jesus Christ,” Mickey’s voice cut through her story, loud and abrasive as usual. “Are you two seriously doing this shit in public?”

I turned in my seat, glaring at him. “Doing what, Mickey?”

He gestured between us with his beer bottle. “This. The whole doe-eyed, puppy-love bullshit.”

“Shut up, Mickey,” Ian said, throwing a dart without looking.

“What? I’m just saying, it’s gross.” Mickey took a swig of his beer, smirking. “Can’t even go to a bar without you two making it weird.”

“Maybe you should focus on your own damn relationship,” I shot back, my arm draping casually over her shoulders.

Mickey snorted. “Our relationship’s fine. At least we don’t act like we’re in some shitty teen romance movie.”

“Funny,” I said dryly. “I could’ve sworn you and Ian just started holding hands in public last week.”

Mickey’s smirk faltered, and Ian’s laugh rang out across the bar.

“Don’t listen to him,” Ian said, his eyes flicking to her with a knowing smile. “Mickey doesn’t know what to do with himself when people are happy.”

Mickey grumbled something under his breath, but I ignored him, turning back to her.

“You okay?” I asked quietly, my hand brushing against hers under the table.

She nodded, her cheeks flushed but her eyes bright. “I’m fine.”

I squeezed her hand, and for the first time all night, I felt like the world wasn’t pressing down on us.

Reader’s POV

The teasing from Ian and Mickey didn’t stop, but it didn’t bother me as much as I thought it would. Lip made it easy to block out the noise, his presence grounding in a way I couldn’t explain.

We weren’t perfect—far from it. Lip had a temper, and I was still learning how to stand my ground when things got hard. But for every rough moment, there were ten others that made it worth it.

Like the way he’d pull me against his chest when we watched movies, his fingers absentmindedly tracing patterns on my arm.

Or the way he’d walk me home after a long day, his hand never straying far from mine.

Or the way he looked at me—like I was the one thing in his life that made sense.

It wasn’t easy, but it was ours. And for the first time in a long time, I felt like I belonged.

Reader’s POV

Dating Lip Gallagher wasn’t a dream—it was a test.

Not in the sense that he made me jump through hoops or prove myself, but because being with him meant constantly adapting to a world where nothing came easy. Lip didn’t live a life where problems were solved neatly. His world was messy, loud, and often brutal. But I was starting to realize that it wasn’t about perfection—it was about weathering the storms together.

And sometimes, those storms came sooner than I’d expected.

It was a quiet Tuesday night, and Lip and I were sitting on the couch at the Gallagher house, the TV playing some rerun neither of us was paying attention to. His arm was draped around my shoulders, his fingers idly twisting a strand of my hair.

“You’re quiet tonight,” he said, his voice low and soft, a stark contrast to the noise of the show.

“I’m just thinking,” I admitted, leaning my head against his shoulder.

“That dangerous for you?” he teased, grinning when I swatted at his chest.

“Very funny,” I said, rolling my eyes.

He chuckled, but his tone shifted, his fingers stilling in my hair. “What’s on your mind?”

I hesitated, unsure how to put my thoughts into words. “I was just… wondering what you see in me.”

Lip frowned, his head tilting slightly so he could look down at me. “What kind of question is that?”

“I don’t know,” I said quickly, suddenly wishing I hadn’t brought it up. “It’s just… you’re so used to this life, and I feel like I’m still trying to find my place in it.”

“You’re overthinking,” he said, his voice firm but not unkind.

“I know,” I said softly, biting my lip.

Lip shifted, turning so he was facing me more fully. His hand came up to cradle my face, his thumb brushing against my cheek.

“Look, I’m not gonna sit here and give you some cheesy speech about how we’re meant to be or whatever,” he said. “But I’m with you because I want to be. Because you’re smart, and funny, and you give a damn about people—even when you shouldn’t.”

I blinked up at him, my chest tightening at the raw honesty in his voice.

“You think I don’t know I’m a screw-up?” he continued, his tone softer now. “Half the time, I don’t know what I’m doing with my life. But when I’m with you… it feels like I’m doing something right.”

Tears pricked at the corners of my eyes, and I leaned into his touch, letting his words sink in.

“You’re not a screw-up,” I whispered.

Lip snorted, but there was no bite to it. “Yeah, tell that to everyone else.”

“I don’t care about everyone else,” I said, my voice firm.

His eyes softened, and for a moment, the world seemed to shrink down to just the two of us.

“I don’t deserve you,” he murmured, his thumb brushing against my lips.

“That’s not for you to decide,” I said, smiling faintly.

Lip’s laugh was quiet, almost disbelieving. But he didn’t argue. Instead, he leaned down, his lips brushing against mine in a kiss that was soft and slow, like he was afraid I might disappear if he held on too tightly.

Lip’s POV

She had no idea what she did to me.

The way she looked at me, like I wasn’t just some guy barely holding it together, made my chest ache in a way that scared the hell out of me. I wasn’t used to this—having someone care about me for who I was, not what I could do for them.

But with her, it felt real.

And that scared me, too.

The next day, things started to shift.

I was working on a car in the Milkoviches’ driveway, grease coating my hands as I tried to fix a busted alternator. Mickey was sitting on the porch, chain-smoking and pretending not to watch me.

“She still hanging around?” he asked suddenly, his tone casual but with an edge I didn’t miss.

I didn’t look up. “Who?”

“You know who,” Mickey said, flicking ash off his cigarette. “Little miss North Side.”

“Yeah, she’s still around,” I said, my tone clipped.

Mickey snorted. “Must be serious, huh?”

“Why do you care?” I asked, standing up and wiping my hands on a rag.

“I don’t,” he said, shrugging. “Just never figured you for the relationship type.”

I rolled my eyes, tossing the rag onto the hood of the car. “Yeah, well, maybe people can change.”

Mickey raised an eyebrow, his smirk widening. “Jesus, you’re whipped.”

“Go to hell, Mickey,” I muttered, but there wasn’t much heat behind it.

When I got back to the house that night, she was sitting at the kitchen table with Fiona, her hands wrapped around a mug of tea. They were laughing about something, the sound warm and easy in a way that made the chaos of the house fade into the background.

Fiona glanced up as I walked in, her smile turning teasing. “Hey, Romeo.”

“Don’t start,” I said, though I couldn’t help the small smile tugging at my lips.

She grinned, patting my shoulder as she stood. “She’s a keeper,” she said quietly, just loud enough for me to hear.

“Yeah,” I said, my eyes flicking to her. “I know.”

Reader’s POV

Over the next few weeks, things started to settle into a new kind of normal. Lip was still rough around the edges, and I was still adjusting to the rhythm of his world, but we were finding our way.

He was protective, sometimes to the point of being overbearing, but I learned to push back when I needed to. And he was learning to let me in, to let me see the parts of him he usually kept hidden.

It wasn’t perfect, but it was ours.

One night, as we lay tangled together on the couch, Lip’s fingers tracing idle patterns on my arm, I found myself thinking about the future. It was something I hadn’t let myself consider before—what a life with Lip might look like beyond the chaos of the South Side.

“Hey,” I said softly, tilting my head to look at him.

“Yeah?”

“You ever think about… what’s next?”

He frowned, his hand stilling on my arm. “What do you mean?”

“I mean… where do you see yourself in a few years? Do you think about that?”

Lip was quiet for a long moment, his gaze distant.

“Sometimes,” he said finally. “But it’s hard to picture.”

“Why?”

He shrugged, his expression guarded. “Because every time I try, it feels like I’m just setting myself up to fail.”

I reached for his hand, lacing my fingers through his. “You’re not going to fail, Lip.”

“You don’t know that,” he said, his voice low.

“No,” I said, squeezing his hand. “But I know you. And I know you’re capable of more than you think.”

His lips twitched into a small, wry smile. “You really believe that?”

“Yeah,” I said firmly. “I do.”

He looked at me for a long moment, something soft and unspoken passing between us.

“Guess I’ll have to prove you right,” he said finally, his voice warm.

I smiled, leaning up to kiss him.

For the first time in a long time, the future didn’t feel so uncertain.

—————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————

If someone had told me a month ago that I’d be spending most of my nights at the Gallagher house, surrounded by chaos and cigarette smoke, I probably wouldn’t have believed them. But here I was, sitting cross-legged on Lip’s bed, a beat-up textbook open in front of me while he scribbled furiously in a notebook.

He’d been restless all evening, muttering under his breath about deadlines and broken printers, the frustration radiating off him in waves. I tried to stay out of his way, quietly working on my own project, but when he slammed his pen down on the desk for the third time, I couldn’t help but speak up.

“You okay?” I asked, keeping my voice soft.

“No,” he snapped, then sighed heavily, rubbing a hand over his face. “Sorry. I’m just… stressed.”

I closed my textbook and slid off the bed, walking over to him. He didn’t look up as I leaned against the desk, his shoulders tense as he stared at the pages in front of him.

“Is there anything I can do to help?”

Lip shook his head, his jaw tight. “Not unless you can magically make tuition disappear or write this paper for me.”

I hesitated, unsure if I should push or give him space. But the way his hands fisted in his hair made my chest ache, and I found myself reaching out, resting a hand on his arm.

“You’re not alone in this, you know,” I said quietly.

His head snapped up, his eyes meeting mine. For a moment, his expression was unreadable—like he wasn’t sure if he believed me or not.

“Yeah, well, it sure as hell feels like it,” he muttered, looking away.

I crouched down so I was eye level with him, my hand still on his arm. “You’ve got me,” I said firmly. “And I’m not going anywhere.”

Lip stared at me, his brows furrowing. “Why?”

“Why what?”

“Why are you still here?” His voice cracked, the words raw and unguarded. “You could go back to your nice, safe world and leave all this behind. But you’re still here. Why?”

I hesitated, my throat tightening. “Because I care about you. And because I know you’re worth it, even if you don’t.”

The tension in his shoulders eased slightly, and his hand moved to cover mine, his fingers warm and steady.

“You’re too good for me,” he said quietly.

“Maybe,” I teased, smiling when he huffed out a laugh. “But you’re stuck with me anyway.”

Lip’s lips quirked into a faint smile, and he tugged me toward him, pressing his forehead against mine. “Lucky me.”

Lip’s POV

She didn’t get it.

Every time she looked at me like I was worth a damn, it made me want to be better—do better. But it also scared the hell out of me. Because what if I couldn’t live up to that? What if I let her down?

“You’re gonna burn yourself out,” she said, pulling back to look at me.

I shrugged, trying to shake off the weight pressing down on my chest. “Yeah, well, that’s what college does.”

“You don’t have to do it alone,” she said, her voice soft but steady.

The words hit harder than they should’ve. I wasn’t used to having someone in my corner—not like this.

“Thanks,” I said, my voice rough.

Her smile was small but warm, and for the first time all day, the knot in my chest loosened.

The next week, things got complicated.

I’d been spending more time on campus, trying to catch up on assignments and keep my professors off my back. But juggling school, work, and family had me stretched thin, and it was only a matter of time before something gave.

It happened on a Friday night. I’d just finished a shift at Patsy’s and was heading back to the house when I spotted her walking down the street with a group of volunteers from the community center.

“Hey,” I called out, jogging to catch up with her.

Her face lit up when she saw me, and the sight of her smile made my exhaustion fade, if only for a moment.

“Hey,” she said, stepping away from the group. “What are you doing out here?”

“Heading home,” I said, glancing at the people behind her. “What about you?”

“Just finished an event,” she said, gesturing toward the community center a few blocks away.

I frowned, my protective instincts kicking in. “You walking home alone?”

“I’m not alone,” she said, smiling faintly.

“You know what I mean,” I said, my tone sharper than I intended.

Her expression faltered, and I immediately regretted it.

“I can take care of myself, Lip,” she said quietly.

“I know,” I said, sighing. “I just… I don’t want anything to happen to you.”

“I’m fine,” she insisted, her voice firmer now.

We stood there for a moment, the tension between us thick and heavy. I wanted to tell her I was just looking out for her, that it wasn’t about control or mistrust. But the words got stuck in my throat.

“I’ll see you at the house,” she said finally, her tone softening.

“Yeah,” I said, watching as she walked away.

Reader’s POV

I knew Lip cared about me. He’d said it, shown it, time and time again. But sometimes, his protectiveness felt suffocating, like he didn’t trust me to handle myself.

It wasn’t until I got back to the Gallagher house that I realized just how much he’d been holding in.

He was sitting on the porch, a cigarette dangling from his fingers, his expression tense.

“You okay?” I asked, stepping closer.

Lip looked up, his eyes tired but sharp. “Are you?”

“I’m fine,” I said, sitting next to him.

He sighed, running a hand through his hair. “I know I can be an ass sometimes,” he said, his voice low.

“You’re not an ass,” I said softly.

He snorted. “Yeah, I am. I just… I’m not used to this. Having someone like you. And I don’t want to screw it up.”

“You’re not screwing it up,” I said, reaching for his hand.

Lip looked at me, his expression raw and vulnerable. “I don’t know how to do this, okay? I’m just trying to figure it out as I go.”

“Me too,” I admitted, squeezing his hand.

The honesty between us felt heavy but comforting, like we were finally laying everything bare.

“We’ll figure it out,” I said, my voice steady.

Lip’s lips twitched into a small smile. “Yeah, we will.”

And for the first time in weeks, I felt like we really could.

Milestones aren’t always the picture-perfect moments you imagine them to be. Sometimes, they come in the form of messy, unpolished choices that shape your future in ways you didn’t see coming.

For Lip and me, our milestone started with a fight.

It had been building for weeks. Lip was overworked, barely sleeping between school, shifts at Patsy’s, and the constant demands of his family. I was busy at the community center, trying to juggle volunteering with a part-time job I’d picked up at a local café. We saw each other in passing—late nights when I’d show up at the Gallagher house or mornings when Lip walked me to the bus stop.

The space between us felt like a chasm, growing wider with every exhausted glance and unfinished conversation.

One night, after a long shift at the café, I stopped by the house, hoping to catch Lip before he disappeared into another round of studying. Instead, I found him sitting in the kitchen with Fiona, a beer in one hand and a cigarette in the other.

“You’re late,” he said as soon as I walked in, his tone sharp.

“I had to cover for someone,” I said, setting my bag down on the counter.

“You didn’t text,” he said, his eyes narrowing.

“I didn’t think I needed to,” I replied, frowning.

“Yeah, well, I was worried,” he snapped, slamming his beer bottle down on the table.

“Okay, I’m sorry,” I said, my voice rising in frustration. “But I’m not a kid, Lip. I can handle myself.”

“Clearly,” he muttered, taking another drag from his cigarette.

Fiona stood, raising her hands. “I’m not getting in the middle of this,” she said, brushing past me as she left the room.

The silence she left behind was heavy, the tension between us crackling like a live wire.

“What’s your problem?” I demanded, crossing my arms.

“My problem?” Lip stood, his chair scraping against the floor. “My problem is you walking around like everything’s fine when it’s not. This isn’t the North Side. You can’t just ignore how dangerous it is out there.”

“I’m not ignoring it,” I shot back. “But you can’t control everything, Lip. I’m trying my best.”

“Yeah, well, your best doesn’t mean much if you’re not safe,” he said, his voice cold.

The words hit harder than I expected, and I felt my throat tighten. “That’s not fair,” I whispered.

Lip sighed, rubbing a hand over his face. “No, it’s not. I know it’s not.”

“Then why are you pushing me away?”

“I’m not pushing you away,” he said, his voice quieter now.

“You are,” I said, stepping closer. “And I don’t understand why.”

Lip’s shoulders sagged, the fight draining out of him. “Because I don’t know how to do this,” he admitted, his voice raw. “I don’t know how to let someone in without screwing it up.”

I stared at him, my chest aching. “You’re not screwing it up,” I said softly.

He looked at me, his expression filled with something I couldn’t quite name. “I feel like I am.”

I took a step closer, reaching for his hand. “Then let me help you.”

Lip’s POV

She didn’t give up on me. Even when I was at my worst—snapping at her, shutting her out—she stayed. And that terrified me, because it meant I didn’t have an excuse to walk away.

The next morning, I woke up to the sound of pots clanging in the kitchen.

“Jesus Christ,” I muttered, rubbing my eyes as I stumbled downstairs.

She was standing at the stove, flipping pancakes with an ease that made it look like she belonged here. Fiona was leaning against the counter, sipping coffee, while Debbie and Liam sat at the table, eagerly awaiting their plates.

“What’s all this?” I asked, still groggy.

“Breakfast,” she said, glancing over her shoulder with a small smile.

I frowned, stepping closer. “Since when do you cook?”

“Since now,” she said, her tone teasing.

Fiona smirked over the rim of her mug. “She’s putting us all to shame, Lip. Better hang onto this one.”

“Shut up,” I muttered, but my lips twitched into a reluctant smile.

That breakfast marked a turning point. She wasn’t just visiting anymore—she was part of the Gallagher house, part of my life.

But with that came new challenges.

Reader’s POV

The big challenge came out of nowhere.

Lip had been staying up late, poring over job listings and financial aid applications, his stress mounting with every passing day. I tried to help where I could, but he had a way of carrying everything himself, like he didn’t trust anyone else to lighten the load.

One night, after hours of research and phone calls, he finally snapped.

“I can’t do this,” he said, slamming his laptop shut.

I looked up from my spot on the couch, startled. “What do you mean?”

“I mean this,” he said, gesturing wildly. “College, work, taking care of the family—it’s too much. I’m drowning, and no one gives a damn.”

“That’s not true,” I said, standing.

“Isn’t it?” he shot back, his eyes flashing. “You’re the only one who cares, and even then, you don’t get it.”

The words stung, but I forced myself to stay calm. “Then help me understand,” I said.

Lip froze, his chest heaving as he stared at me. For a moment, I thought he might explode, but then his shoulders slumped, and he sank into a chair.

“I don’t want to drag you down with me,” he said quietly.

“You’re not dragging me down,” I said, kneeling in front of him. “We’re in this together, Lip. You’re not alone.”

His eyes softened, and he reached for my hand, holding it tightly. “You sure about that?”

“Positive,” I said firmly.

Lip’s POV

She didn’t just say the words—she meant them.

The next day, she helped me organize my schedule, breaking things down into manageable pieces. She sat with me through financial aid applications, proofread my essays, and even found a tutoring gig that paid enough to help cover my tuition.

For the first time in a long time, I felt like I could breathe.

And it was because of her.

One night, as we lay tangled together on the couch, I pressed a kiss to her temple and whispered, “I don’t know what I’d do without you.”

She smiled, her eyes soft. “Good thing you don’t have to find out.”

Reader’s POV

Being with Lip wasn’t easy, but it was worth it. We weren’t perfect—far from it—but we were learning, growing, and building something that felt real.

For the first time, I didn’t feel out of place. I didn’t feel like I had to prove myself.

I felt like I belonged.

And that was all I needed.

#lip gallagher imagine #lip gallagher x reader #lip gallagher #shameless #shameless x reader #lip gallagher self insert #self insert #imagine #x reader #lip gallagher x y/n #lip gallagher x you #magical-reid

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lexirambles · 11 months ago

Text

You see, I’ve never actually posted here before. I only ever reblogged other people’s contact, to show my love for art and fandoms! But this… this just HAD to be put in tumblr. For anything to break my all repost blog streak, this deserves it. Every Undertale Yellow fan needs to see this absolute monstrosity. This has to be the single most unhinged thing that can ever be made forth Undertale Yellow, nothing can top this masterpiece of absurd proportions.

I was simply scrolling through my YouTube home page and found (blood and UTY spoilers ahead…)

THIS!

Look at this, look at what I’m looking at! I need to know that I’m not the only one seeing this. LOOK AT IT!

We have Starlo bleeding out with his entire groin out for the world, legs defying gravity with no care for the boundaries of physics or biology! He shouldn’t even be bleeding out, monsters don’t bleed; and he was shot in the chest, not the head. What’s even funnier is the reason his legs are up like that is the sprite is suppose to be slouched against a wail, not lying down. Dude just turned him 90% and let his legs reach for the surface!

Then we have Ceroba with the classic edgy anime eyes, crying blood, with the craziest text. The grammar in her text box is insane; it’s KILLED honey, not KILLER. These two aren’t even dating, they never were in Undertale yellow, this women is RECENTLY WIDOWED FOR ASGORE’S SAKE! This fandom ships it like wildfire, and I am the one with the flamethrower, but this girl is very obviously NOT over her dead husband yet. This poor guy tried to make a pun with her genocide battle theme “trial by fury” by making it furry instead, but it doesn’t even fit in the text box! I’d normally be mad at such a massacre of my favorite girl and an amazing song, but it’s just way too funny to even think of being mad.

Shockingly Clover is mostly unchanged, just a smile added. I expected them to be covered in blood with a gun in their hand considering what’s going on in the left side of this cursed image, but no, the murders child is the most tame thing here. Meanwhile Flowey looks very concerned over a yellow sans just chilling to the side, who also looks just as concerned about all this. I can just hear the conversation between these two.

Then in the middle, for some reason, there’s just DUSTER from MOTHER 3! Why are you here, who are you, how did you get there?! I’d expect Flint or something for the cowboy vibes, but nope, just a random dude watching a furry go absolute apeshit on a child while a living Starfruit shows us a different meaning to “high noon.” And you wanna know what the kicker is, the punchline to all this, the cheery on top of this pesto bismol flavored cake is? This is a thumbnail for a speedrun.

A SPEEDRUN!

This needs to become a meme, I don’t know what or how, this is simply too over the top not to get memed to hell and back. Make sunning Starlo the new family guy death pose. I need Ceroba shouting at the top of her lungs “I AM GOING TO TRIAL BY FURRY YOU!” I need whoever this random guy from Mother Three sitting in a lawn chair with some popcorn and a soda watching this shit go down. I don’t care, this just HAS a to happen!

#cw: gore #undertale yellow #uty spoilers #uty clover #starlo uty #uty ceroba #sans undertale #staroba #I apologize perfusely #especially to the Staroba tag #i need to know this isn’t just a fever dream

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braveclementine · 5 months ago

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Chapter 8

Warnings: None. (Will however be a 18+ reader book)

Copyright: I do not own any Marvel characters or locations. However, I do own a few OCs like Elizabeth, Katherine, Stacy, and Jessie. I do not condone any copying of this.

"Beach wedding?" T'Challa questioned. "That sounds pleasant, although for you to become part of the Wakandan royalty through marriage, we'll have to do a separate special ceremony. It won't disrupt or affect the marriage bond though, so there's nothing to worry about with that."

The idea of being a Queen was still rather frightening to you.

"Beach wedding, beach wedding." Fury was singing underneath his breath with a slight wiggle of his hips. Well, he was extremely excited about the idea. Apparently he loved the beach so much, the ship that he was visiting with had a simulation so he could pretend he was at the beach.

Your sister bounded into the room, "You're on the news again Y/N!"

You shrunk into the couch you were sitting on. It had been six months since the incident. You had gotten comfortable with every person that you were soulmated to, along with their friends. Your own friends were absolutely enthralled with the idea. All three of them were invited to the wedding as well.

Once the news had gotten ahold that one, the Avengers were finally getting married, and two, it was to the girl in the record book who had eleven bonds, well the news had been covering it for almost three weeks now.

You had quit your job at this point. There was no reason to keep it. Tony kept everything you could possibly needed in the room and if you really, really needed something, he had a special card that you were supposed to use.

You very rarely spent the card. Even if Tony was a billionaire, you weren't entirely okay with spending his money if you really didn't need something.

Tony's voice brought you back to the conversation, "I was thinking that we could move into a large mansion instead of trying to continue to live in the Tower. Especially once we have kids. It would be easier to live in a house instead."

"I agree." Steve said with a nod.

"If it's far from civilization." Fury pointed out.

"Can we move back to the topic of those kids?" You asked.

Everyone looked at you.

"It's just. . . with the kids, are you guys going to care if like. . . you don't have one that isn't biologically yours? Or do you all want one that is yours or. . ." You asked.

"I don't care whose they are." Steve said with a shrug. "I'll raise all of them as my own."

Everyone agreed with that sentiment except for T'Challa. "I agree with that," He started, "However, the King of Wakanda still has to produce an heir. I hope you understand."

You nod. "Yes, of course."

T'Challa seemed relieved that you agreed so readily.

Preparations then moved forward for the wedding. Wanda invited her brother Pietro, since he would be consider family with the rest of us. Thor was inviting someone named 'Rocket' and his 'clan' who were called the Guardians of the Galaxy.

You met Agent Coulson, who was a very nice man. He, Fury, and Hill all did really seemed to get along well.

Loki and Thor were inviting a few people from New Asgard. (pretending they never died) Sif, Volstagg, Fandral, Hogun, Heimdall, and Valkyrie. Also someone people named Korg and Miek.

Clint was inviting his sister Laura and her soulmate and their kids. Sam invited his sister.

You were sure that there would be more than family there, but the biggest question for you was whether or not you invited your father to the ceremony.

You didn't think he'd cause any trouble, but at the same time, it had been a few years since you had last seen him.

"Let's go for a walk." Clint said enthusiastically.

You quickly leaped from the couch to take his hand, leaving the others behind, Sam and T'Challa being the only ones that went with you two.

It was a sunny day out and the three of you strolled across the well tended lawn of Avenger Tower.

"How overboard do you think Tony will go with the house?" You questioned.

Clint snickered, "You should see the house he got for him and Stephen. And that one is just for the two of them."

"I just don't like the idea of him spending to much money, you know?" You said.

"That's how Tony shows he cares. He does it in gifts." Clint explained. "He built Pepper an Iron Woman suit when her and Happy got married. He gave Nat and Bruce a house, smaller by Stephen's standards, but it's nice sized when they got married. Wanda and Vision got a flat in Paris."

You nodded, a little overwhelmed.

Sam lifted you up on his shoulders. "Anyways, I was thinking about kids."

"Me too." You said. "I'm hoping that everyone looks at them as their own."

"I'm sure we will." Clint said, sounding nonchalant about it. "After all, we're all your soulmate. After the bonding ceremony, we'll all be connected. We should expect that to be in our children too. Besides, it's not like you're going to have eleven children, even if we all wanted our own kid."

You laughed, "Yeah, eleven kids is ridiculous."

"Although, it does sound fun." T'Challa admitted. "A huge house, lots of kids running around cheerfully."

"I think at least. . . what, four or five?" Clint asked. "Maybe six. I guess it would depend on how many attempts it takes for you to get your heir."

"I do feel bad about that." T'Challa said quietly. "Unfortunately, Wakandan customs can't be avoided."

"It's alright." You said, resting your chin on the top of Sam's head. "I don't really mind. I'm actually kind've excited to start our family life together. Although the marriage bonding ceremony will probably be exhausting."

Clint chuckled, "Probably."

The marriage bonding was, well, sex. Except you had to bond with all of your soulmates in one night. Which meant eleven orgasms in one night. One from each of them, eleven from you. And you were a Virgin (as most were) so it would certainly be a no walking day the day after.

"Have you decided on whether or not you want to ask your dad to the wedding?" Sam asked up to me.

You shook your head, your chin scratching on the top of his head. "No. I mean, my sister is going to be there and that's really all the family I need. But at the same time, I don't know. Maybe he should be there. I just don't know how Y/S/N would feel about him being there either."

Once you guys had made it down to the pond, you climbed off Sam's shoulders to take off your shoes and socks to dip your feet in. Clint had already done so and Sam was getting ready.

"Scared of water kitty kat?" Sam teased as T'Challa simply stood behind you, your back against his legs.

T'Challa chuckled dangerously. "Cats eat birds little Falcon."

You giggled at their friendly bantering.

"What colour suits are you guys thinking about?" Clint asked sincerely.

"Matching our soulmate bonds." T'Challa said.

You giggled again, "Does that mean Sammy is wearing pink?"

"Oi, brown is a part of that. Pink and brown." Sam pointed out.

"Hey, you're the one that pink is your favorite colour." Clint pointed out as Sam got defensive.

"I can see it." You said, reaching over to touch Sam's shoulder. "One of those crisp pink dress shirts with a brown suit jacket and brown dress pants. Maybe even coffee brown dress shoes. You'll look rather dashing."

"Ooh, you hear that boys. I'm gonna be dashing." Sam grinned.

Clint grinned before wrapping an arm around your waist, pulling you into his side. "This is going to be fun."

***

"Y/N, this is Pietro, Pietro, this is Y/N." Tony did the very quick introduction to Wanda's brother.

He looked nothing like Wanda. His eyes were blue, his hair dark before it turned blond. It was wavy and short. He had faint stubble and a facial do like Stephen's, which showed that brown was his natural hair colour. He was a bit taller than Wanda, on the lean and muscular side.

He held his hand out, "Nice to meet you."

His voice was quiet, heavily accented with the Sokovian lilt like Wanda's.

"Likewise." You said.

"Do you have a superpower?" He questioned as the two of you dropped hands.

"She's hits peoples with umbrellas." Tony answered for you, receiving an elbow to the kidneys.

"No." You said, rolling your eyes. "Ignore him."

Pietro grinned. I spent most of the day with him, Wanda, and Clint talking. He told us about how he had met someone named Makkari and they'd had several races, though they weren't sure who was faster.

"Don't suppose you know someone with an Aqua and gold soulmate mark, would you? Or a blue and silver one? Or, this one is strange but it's yellow, red, green, blue, and black." Pietro asked.

You shook your head, "Sorry."

He shrugged, "Oh well, they're out there."

"Maybe you just need to run into the King of Wakanda and go apologize to him." Clint smirked.

You rolled your eyes. "How was I to know he was the King of Wakanda? What was the King of Wakanda even doing in a low part of New York? Not my fault I didn't do a proper apology right then and there."

"Well I'm glad you didn't." T'Challa's voice sounded behind me. He had me sit up so that he could behind me, pulling me flush against his chest. "Cause now we're here."

"Very true." You said, tilting your head back and he pecked your lips sweetly.

"Ew." Clint said like a child before winking at you. You flipped him off.

"I'm sure it's equally ew when she kisses you." T'Challa said, resting his chin on your head.

Clint smirked, "I'm excellent kisser, thank you very much."

Wanda rolled her eyes, "They are constantly comparing themselves."

Pietro shrugged, "Typical male species."

You giggled.

Later that night, dinner was a rather chaotic affair. Tony had doordashed a bunch of food from Panda Express, Larosas, Auntie Annes, Greaters, Papa Johns, and Applebees. This resulted in a large buffet of food while everyone settled in the living room with the first season of Bones on.

Loki and Coulson sat as far apart as the room allowed. Valkyrie sat with him. Fury and Maria sat with Coulson. Tony, Stephen, Rhodey, and a man named Wong were sitting around the coffee table. Steve, Bucky, Sam, Clint, Bruce, and Natasha were sitting on or against the couch. T'Challa, Shur, Okoye, and a few of the other Wakandans he had invited were sitting at the dining room table instead in the adjoining room. Thor was standing around with Volstagg, Hogun, Sif, and Fandral.

Peter was there was well, with his Aunt May, Pepper, and Happy, though only Ned could make it as MJ had some sort of job thing.

Y/S/N was there with Y/S/BF/N, though they were more out of place than the others. Vision, Wanda, and Pietro were talking to them.

And then there were Guardians. There was Peter Quil, also known as Starlord, with his soulmate Gamora and their daughter Nikki. Nebula, who scared you just a little. Drax and Mantis, who were soulmates. Rocket turned out to be a raccoon (maybe?) along with a tree named Groot. There was also a man named Kraglin who had an arrow tucked into his belt.

It was funny. Kraglin seemed almost terrified of Nebula, yet they were soulmates.

Also, it turned out that Gamora and Nebula were both the adopted daughters of Thanos so that just made them a little scarier.

Thor very happily greeted the raccoon and the tree. You could sense some sort of male prideship fight between him and Peter.

Peter Parker greeted Peter Quil. You assumed they were friends.

All in all, it was a very crowded room. And they would all be here for another two months until the wedding preparations were put into plans.

Of course, there were still some people missing according to Fury. Someone named Captain Marvel. You knew she was the one that had snapped the glove to kill Thanos.

Scott and Hope were over in California, visiting Scott's daughter Cassie.

You took your own plate, looking for a place to sit. Stephen motioned to you and you moved to sit between the space that Tony made for you between the two of them. Tony's hand immediately found it's way to your thigh while Stephen held your hand under the table.

You were so busy observing the new comers in the room, you didn't even realize that Tony had asked you a question.

"Sweetheart?" He said and you snapped your head towards him.

"Sorry, what was the question?" You asked quickly.

"Some of your favorite things to do."

"I love camping." You said immediately. "I had a friend when I was young who was in boy scouts and I went on all the camping trips with them and his family. My favorite spot was either at Mammoth Caves, Wright Patterson Airforce base, or Hueston Woods."

Tony seemed surprised, "Camping? Really?"

"Oh yeah. Now that I think about it, Mammoth caves was really my favorite. We stayed on the campground and then we got to explore the caves in tours. It was a lot of fun." You smiled as you thought about all of the memories you had.

"Caves huh?" Tony said, seeming a little pale.

"Yeah." You nodded, "There's a specific tour that we always did whenever we did. I don't remember the name off the top of my head but it took you through something called Fat Man's Misery, which was this tight spot in the cave. But it's not a good tour if you're afraid of the dark or tight spaces."

"Duly noted." Tony said.

The night passed in soft touches between the two of them, funny conversations provided by the Guardians about space, and quick bantering between Loki, Thor, T'Challa, and Sam.

Everything was really starting to feel like home.

⬅️➡️

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astridblavk · 8 months ago

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If you're not reading new story then what are you doing?!?!

The people dancing in the club didn't pay any attention to them as they slowly made their way towards the exit, one practically hanging on the other. After a few minutes, they left the crowded room, stepping out onto a slightly less crowded lawn. Regulus leaned his back against the cold building walls, catching his breath heavily and allowing the pain to play havoc with his body. James stood before him, observing the torture painted on his face, knowing full well that he couldn't do anything about it. And that awareness tore him apart from the inside with its sharp claws.

"You okay?" he asked when the younger boy's breathing calmed down a bit. Regulus nodded in response, but he didn't have the strength to give him a verbal answer. "Sirius and the others should be around here somewhere. I don't know if you want to see them now, so..." unfortunately, he didn't even get to finish that thought.

"Reggie?!" a worried cry came from behind James. He immediately turned to locate the older Black, spotting him less than twenty meters away, heading quickly in their direction. Behind him, the rest of their friends followed, but before they could get closer to the remaining two, Sirius halted them with a single hand gesture. "Bloody hell, Reg, what happened to you? You look terrible! And what's on your neck?!" he asked, his concern growing second by second. "James, what happened to him?!" he turned to his friend, but his gaze remained fixed on the younger sibling.

"Padfoot, first of all, calm down. We have everything under control. My parents are on their way..." he explained, also looking around to make sure they weren't making too much of a scene. At one point, his gaze fell on the tall twenty-something. The same one Regulus had been sitting with at the bar. The same one who was now causing Regulus so much pain. "Pads, watch over Regulus for a moment for me," he suddenly said seriously, still glaring at the guy. "I need to take care of something."

I really need your feedback as I'm not sure what to think about it!!!

#fanfic #marauders #ao3 #harry potter #ao3 fanfic #james potter #regulus black #james x regulus #jegulus #lgbtq #don't worry #they're okay #remus lupin #remus x sirius #sirius black #drunk regulus #sirius and regulus #james is a simp #regulus hates himself

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velvethana · 7 months ago

Text

PHONING... 𓂃 ࣪˖ Dealer, NO DEAL!

CHAPTER SEVEN: BIG FUN!

Beomgyu has more or less solidified himself as the plug for any and all student's needs. If you need anything, it's likely that he has it. When your new business endeavor interferes with his customer base, he does everything in his power to sort it out.

CONTENTS: ✧ fluff , comedy , smau + written , uni au , one sided enemies to lovers , drugs (obvi) + dumb humor

જ⁀➴♡ wc 4k

SATURDAY , 2:17 PM

10:12 PM , OUTSIDE

“There’s a lot of dog hair back here.”

“Shut up or walk.” Luckily for Jay, the five of you had just pulled up to the front of the house and were face to face with the completely defaced and trashed lawn.

The house party had a lot of energy, that was undeniable. If you could call electronic music blaring down the street while people threw up in the bushes energy.

As Jake parked, you sank into your seat with a huff. Before you could get your energy back, you felt familiar arms drape over you from the back seat. Turning, you see Mingi’s wide smile.

You gave him one back, your energy after a long day of draining classes already returning.

“Get a room.” Yunho complained, hitting Mingi on the arm.

“In front of Jay is crazy—”

“Get OUT!!” Jay said as he opened the door and practically shoved the two boys out of the car.

There wasn’t much you wanted to do tonight anyways so you had no issue completely throwing yourself into the party without a plan.

There was a cluster of students in the place, the air tinged with the scent of sweat and marijuana making you cringe.

“I need to get drunk… immediately? Yeah, immediately.”

“Is that smart?” Jake asked, looking at you from the corner of his eye.”

“A smart way to protect my sense of sanity? Yes!” He just shrugged before walking away to find his friends. If you were to attempt to try and predict the night, you’d probably find him later comforting a drunk Sunghoon or Jungwon.

In one corner, a group gathers around a makeshift bar, where shots of liquor were being poured freely. “Bingo.”

In another corner, there were a few hands exchanging small bags containing pills. They weren’t necessarily slick so you wondered how they haven’t gotten caught already. Not that the host would care.

Wanting a drink, you started your way toward the bar before a girl practically jumped into you like an actor at a horror attraction.

“Fuck!”

The blonde girl’s eyes widened and she almost seemed as scared of you, if that was possible.

“Aw, did I scare you? Sorry.. hey, you want some Xanax?”

Your feet came to a complete stop and you stared at her with an unreadable face. “What?”

“Oh! I, like, stole it from my mom and I was just asking because like, I guess people do that right? At parties?”

Her clueless tone made you snicker, crossing your arms with a shrug. “Maybe on Skins or something.”

“I thought they did crack?”

“Probably.”

There was a silence for a moment before you gave her a tight smile, attempting to squeeze past her. Instead of letting you pass she held out the palm of her hand, a few pink pills sleeping there.

“So… do you want one?”

Any attempt at humoring the girl politely melted away with your patience as you glared at her.

“Do I look like I want a fucking Xanny?”

Pouting, the furrowed her eyebrows as she stepped aside. “Fuck me, I was just trying to make friends.”

Not bothering to answer her, you finally walked up to the bar and decided to make yourself a mix of alcohol with your left over energy drink.

For some reason though, the ‘infamous’ party seemed to have no intention of allowing you a moment of peace before another voice came.

“You wanna smoke?” An unfamiliar body stands next to you and you glance over, taking a sip from your cup.

“I never pass down a smoke session..” your voice trailed off. “For free, I hope.”

The guy’s eyes widened before he nodded, almost frantically. It was kind of funny, or it would be if you weren’t having a bad day.

“Yeah! Of course dude, we have business to discuss. Business casual.”

Quickly you realized this was the guy Beomgyu was insistent that you stop trying to sell to earlier that day. Remembering that fact alone, you suddenly flashed him a bright smile.

“Right!”

You followed Mark to the backyard where there were plenty of other people gathered. The air was still thick with weed but there was the paint lingering of perfume that you assumed someone had sprayed.

The two of you sat down outside by the pool, Mark throwing down his bag before fairly quickly rustling through it.

“You’re.. eager.”

Glancing up at you through his eyelashes he gave you a confused look before realizing.

“Oh! I’m not like… that much of a pothead or anything.” The amused look on your face made him roll his eyes.

“Just had a really shit day. And my roommate smoked everything I had left so it took me until I got here to get anything because ‘Beomgyu’ wouldn’t deliver.”

The high pitched tone he said his voice in made you laugh as he looked at you proudly.

“He wouldn’t?”

“No, said he was busy with something.” Mark shrugged before he smiled, laying out everything he needed.

Stirring your drink, you watched as he grinded down what he had and carefully sprinkled it onto the rolling paper in front of him.

“So that’s not his weed? Who’d you buy from?”

Mark pauses for a moment, seeming to try and remember before shaking his head.

“I didn’t ask. Some guy, never seen him before.” You just nodded.

From what you knew, Beomgyu was at least the most popular plug around. Obviously he wasn’t the only one, though.

If you wanted the harder stuff you’d have to opt for some guy behind the back alley of a 7/11 but for the general population of students, Beomgyu was it.

Well, Beomgyu and you now.

In all honesty, you were just selling for a little extra money to dedicate towards fueling your shopping addiction. Not that you’d tell anyone that.

“Oh! I’m Mark, by the way.”

If you weren’t so fixated on Beomgyu lately, you’d probably swoon at the way he looked at you before finishing his blunt.

Unfortunately for him, you were obsessed with a random dude from twitter.

Laughing, you shifted to a more comfortable position. “Yeah, I figured from your little business comment.”

“Yeah, that was just an excuse. I recognized you and you seemed a little tense so.. I figured what the hell, you know? Oh! I’m still uh, interested in whatever it was though! As long as it’s not um…” he swallowed. “Crack.”

That comment almost made you spit out your drink as you stifled your laughter, covering your mouth and swallowing what was in it.

Instead of business, the two of you talked for a while about yourselves, your classes and how in the hell you’d never met before when you were so clearly the perfect friend for the other, as if handcrafted by some God.

Eventually you’d downed your drink completely and smoked what Mark had left, letting the empty cup drop to the concrete ground and roll away somewhere you couldn’t be bothered to follow it to.

“Should we like… get drinks?”

The suggestion made Mark look over to you, slumping further onto the lawn chair. “Probably.”

He lifted his arms up as if he was reaching toward something before they collapsed back down.

“I can’t move.”

You rolled your eyes at him, standing up before reaching over and grabbing his hands to yank him to his feet.

“You won’t be able to move your tongue soon either if you don’t get up.”

“How do you have such energy?!” His voice came out as a whisper as he narrowed his eyes at you, following you inside at a slugs pace.

“I’ve got more stuff in my bag we can smoke.” You offered up and suddenly, he straightened his back along with the strings on his hoodie and nodded.

Mark was trying to seem too chill when he was clearly excited to get even higher. You, on the other hand were focused on weaving through the people before making it to the bar.

“What do you—”

Mark hadn’t made it to the bar. In fact, he ended up collapsing onto a couch in the corner of the room and abandoning you on your quest.

Already dumbfounded with your new friend, you shrugged before getting two cups of the first thing you could grab. Some perfectly cheap vodka.

Before going back to Mark with your drinks, you found Jay conversing with his friend Heeseung.

The two noticed you fairly quickly as you leaned into Jay, nudging him.

“Where’s my bag?”

“You look good tonight, Y/N.”

Heeseung seemed to always throw out compliments at these parties so you weren’t shaken by it. Pointing at him with the drink in your hand, you replied.

“You look the same as always! Which is really hot, obviously.” He laughed, taking a sip of his own drink.

Jay rolled his eyes, turning to you with the same fond smile he always had. Considering he was your best friend, it just seemed to be his permanent expression now.

“What’d you need?” His voice was low, almost in a whisper.

You, on the other hand, were very loud.

“My bag!”

“Oh. I gave it to Yunho to hold.”

Letting out a dramatic blow of defeat, you nodded. “Okay, thanks!”

Leaving the two to their conversation and praying your new friend didn’t pass out on the couch he occupied, your eyes scanned the crowd to find your other friends.

Unsurprisingly, the two were up by the bar where you had been moments before.

Glancing back over to Mark, you see that he’s already talking it up with some other guys that he seems pretty close with. At least he had something to keep him from remembering you existed.

Going over, you hand him the drink and snap a picture of him. His eyes were half-lidded and he seemed to be barely processing what was happening around him so he didn’t seem to care much when you walked away. Satisfied, you sent a picture of him to Beomgyu.

Shutting off your phone, you didn't bother to check for a text back. Dragging your feet through, you practically throw yourself onto the counter next to your friends as you slammed down your own drink.

Or rather you tripped over your new shoes a bit and spilled it but if anyone asked, you were just irritated.

“Y/N!” Turning to you, Mingi threw his arms up excitedly.

Once again, he was constricting you with his arms. Patting his back awkwardly, you laughed. “Mingi!”

“What’s up?” He asked, pulling away to wipe any alcohol off of his mouth that had slipped out.

“Bag?” Yunho asked and you nodded.

“Bag!”

Yunho tossed your bag to you, barely catching it as you opened it and sifted through to find your smoking stuff.

“I don’t know why you didn’t just come get it yourself before.”

When you realized you had everything but one thing, your hand stilled.

“Where are my blazy susans?” Yunho just looked at you from behind his glass, an eyebrow raised.

“Didn’t you send Yeonjun over?” Mingi asked, leaning onto the counter.

“Why the FUCK would I send Yeonjun over?”

Yunho shrugged, “aren’t you two friends or something?”

That was certainly a statement. You didn’t really put any thought into what you were. But, more importantly if you and Yeonjun were friends then what the hell were you and HIS friend? Enemies?

You shook your head and brushed away the thoughts as you focused on the situation in front of you.

“Yeonjun went in my bag??”

The two were still seemingly clueless as they nodded.

“That fucking Yeonjun stole my Susan from me!”

Almost as if on cue, a voice called out from behind you.

“Who’s this caucasian chick and what did she do to Yeonjun?”

Turning, you’re face to face with Beomgyu for the first time. Irritatingly enough to make the situation worse, he looked even better in person.

You wanted to launch a federal investigation into how and why this is even possible but first, you’ve decided to hunt down the man who stole your rolling papers.

“He.. stole from me! He’s a thief!”

Beomgyu gave you a look of amusement and you glared at him, raising your hand with a frustrated sigh.

“Don’t. I know what I just walked into… but don’t.”

He raised his hands defensively, “I wasn’t gonna say anything..”

Yunho rolled his eyes, leaning toward the two of you so that you could hear him better. “If it helps any, he went somewhere upstairs.”

“It doesn’t.” Seemingly fed up with your little problem, Yunho waves a hand at you dismissively.

“Fuck you, yes it does. It narrows it down!”

Groaning, you were about to ask Beomgyu to call his thieving friend before your phones vibrated in your pockets. Curiously, you unlocked it and glanced down to see what it was.

That mysterious groupchat text led you here: with Beomgyu and Yeonjun, hunched over the toilet as he threw up. Rather violently.

Apparently Beomgyu’s friend Kai had added you in hopes that you would know where Yeonjun was after he was asking everyone where you were. Or more specifically, where your bag was.

“Um… what’d he take?” Beomgyu slowly looked over at you and blinked as if you knew the answer.

“Besides my rolling papers?”

Maybe it was the day or having to deal with his jealousy in person but you glared at him, placing your drink down on the sink.

“What are you looking at me for?? I don’t sell anything but the natural stuff anymore. I only have weed in here tonight so whatever he got wasn’t stolen from me.”

He watched as you rummaged in the cabinet underneath the sink. “Oh.”

Beomgyu wasn’t doing much, giving Yeonjun pats of support on his back with an uncomfortable expression.

Unraveling the paper towels you’d found under the sink, you gently wet one before kneeling down next to Yeonjun and wiping away what was on his face.

“I’m wiping up your vomit after you stole my rolling papers.” You emphasized, a defeated tone in your voice.

Yeonjun’s dazed eyes made you feel the slightest bit bad for reprimanding him. Just barely.

“You said to come to you… if I needed anything.” The older boy sniffled.

“Um… yeah, for money?” The sarcasm coming off of you made Beomgyu laugh as he nudged Yeonjun’s slumped form.

“Well, you could have just bought pre-rolls from me…”

You shot him a glare as you brushed some hair out of Yeonjun’s face. Albeit, you were a bit hesitant as you instinctively leaned away from the smell.

“Maybe then you wouldn’t be about to die.”

The joke seemed to catch you off guard as you quickly reached around Yeonjun, slapping Beomgyu’s arm.

“He’s greening out, not like… dying..?”

“Yeah I’m not an idiot–” Yeonjun’s defense was cut off by another sea of nausea.

Beomgyu shrugged, deciding to make himself comfortable on the marble floor, leaning back against the tub.

“Man, I don’t know. Only time I ever greened out I just ate a bunch of cereal, got sick and passed out during League.”

The newfound information that his game of choice was League of Legends made you put your head in your hands, balance wavering.

“That’s the most loser-ish story I’ve ever heard…”

Unfortunately, he was still extremely attractive.

“So you guys are like stoner stoners, huh?”

Yeonjun simply groaned in response and Beomgyu gave you a confused look.

“You’re not?”

Humming, you replaced Beomgyu in rubbing Yeonjun’s back. With how his eyes fluttered closed, you were a bit worried he’d fall asleep in this position.

“I prefer other methods but I guess I am? I’m just not always high.”

Beomgyu arched an eyebrow at the insinuation. “I’m not either?”

Thinking back to how almost all of his tweets are related to weed, excluding his live tweeted reactions to random shows, you simply afforded him a nod.

“Right.”

Beomgyu let out a huff of annoyance similar to that of a child. “I go to classes, I have hobbies.”

“A job?” He hesitated for a moment.

“Well..” as his voice trailed off, you laughed before a voice echoing cut you off.

“Who cares! Y/N, you play Overwatch! Biblically and socially that’s just as bad as—” before Yeonjun could finish, you’re pushing his head further into the toilet as he tried to free himself.

“Overwatch?” The smirk Beomgyu gave you made you want to kick him in the worst possible place.

“I’ve matured and moved onto other games, actually. Yeonjun should fact check that information.”

“Right, cool. What was your rank though?”

You covered your face with your hands once again, “oh my god… you play ranked matches…”

As interesting as the conversation the two of you were having was, you pointed at Yeonjun from behind his back to change the subject.

“Regardless of what games you play, your friends kinda… uh…”

Yeonjun whined, dragging his body back to look at you with pleading eyes.

“His friend? Y/N, are we not friends???”

Your eyes widened for a moment as you gave him an empty smile, hesitating. In all honesty, you had no idea how to respond.

“Um… haha… well…!”

Beomgyu laughed at you this time as you were basically backed into a corner. “Wow. Sounds like she’s not your friend, Yeonjun.”

Yeonjun cried out your name before burying his face into his arms. It sounded like a mix of giggles and sobs so you genuinely couldn’t tell how he was feeling.

“Um… we’re friends! We’re friends! Just… stop crying…” grabbing his face, you turned him toward you to be faced with exactly that. He was crying.

You wiped away his tears with a concerned look. Your friends had greened out tons of times so this wasn’t necessarily your first time dealing with over-emotional highs but Yeonjun and you weren’t particularly close yet.

A wide smile grew on his face before it was quickly washed away with a grimace and he disappeared back into the toilet, gagging again.

The door suddenly opened, Soobin standing there with a dumbfounded face as he sipped from the can in his hands.

“Is Yeonjun dead?” His flat tone had you wondering how often this happened.

“Ah, stop saying shit like that about me!!” Yeonjun yelled out, annoyed. He seemed to stop crying already.

The smile on Soobin’s face fell back into his usual pout, “oh. He’s alive.”

“Soobin do you know if Yeonjun, uh… took anything?” Beomgyu gave him a careless smile and Soobin shrugged.

Your eyes were only focused on Beomgyu, leaning back with his arms crossed and a smug look on his face. That part of you that wanted to kick him now wanted to kiss him— and then kick him again.

“I saw him talking to some blonde chick and she gave him a pill or something, I think.”

Beomgyu’s smirk fell into an almost devastated face. The dramatic shift made you smile as you held back a laugh. “Oh… he’s gonna die.”

“He’s not gonna die! What color was it?”

Beomgyu shrugged and you rolled your eyes, turning to Soobin. “Hey Soobin, what color was it?”

“Um.. pur… pink?” Although the hesitation had you on guard, the answer he settled on confirmed your suspicions and you hummed in response, moving so that you were sitting on your knees.

“Okay then it was probably Xanax. That girls been offering it to anybody who passes by, she stole it from her mom.”

“And… Tito’s…” Yeonjun muttered.

“Jesus Christ, Yeonjun were you trying to speedrun death?” Beomgyu muttered.

Soobin snickered. “Her mom? How old is this girl?”

“Oh, she’s fully grown. She just still lives with her parents, I guess.”

Shaking his head, Beomgyu balanced his arms on his knees as he leaned back. Soobin gave him a strange look as he leaned against the door frame, slightly leaning down due to the height. It didn’t seem like a very comfortable position.

“Moving on though, those ones are like… tiny. So he won’t pass out or die, right?”

You shook your head. “He won’t die.”

“Will he pass out…?”

The silence coming from you had Beomgyu’s eyes widening as he leaned forward, grabbing your shoulder.

“Y/N! Will he pass out?”

Giving him a nervous smile, you looked over to Yeonjun who was now seemingly unresponsive. “Well…”

Soobin seemed to catch on. “I’ll uh… go get Taehyun and Kai!”

Eventually, Soobin came back with who you assumed to be their other two friends. Apparently, Soobin and Taehyun usually took care of Yeonjun in this state but Soobin had been drinking.

Taehyun and Kai continued to take care of a horribly cross-faded Yeonjun as you and Beomgyu exited the bathroom with a relieved Soobin.

“Thank God Yeonjun’s okay, I thought I was gonna have to bomb JYP.” Beomgyu laughed at Soobin’s comment as you just stared at him confused. His friends had a strange sense of humor. Not that you wouldn’t be opposed to that happening.

“Um… well, I’m gonna go drink some more. Have fun you two, but not t—” Beomgyu cut him off.

“Shut up. Shut the fuck up now.” This caused you to crack a smile as you looked away, covering your mouth slightly to hide it.

Soobin frowned. “Rude.”

As Soobin left, the two of you stood outside the bathroom. Even though there wasn’t anything keeping the two of you together anymore, you both lingered for some odd reason.

Beomgyu kicked at the ground for a moment before looking up at you. “Why do you only sell the natural stuff anyway?”

The answer was pretty obvious to you, considering self-preservation and… well, the law.

“I’m not gonna lecture you about the effects of pharmaceutical drug abuse on your brain and body but it’s just easier access with that stuff? Plus I think it’s the most fun, anyway.”

Beomgyu nodded, seemingly in understanding.

“Well, not that I didn’t try at first. I needed money but I couldn’t sell a SINGLE addy in this school without one of the Profs trying to get some from me. It felt like I was in catholic school again.”

Beomgyu stifled a laugh now, “Adderall? No shit, they hand that stuff out to kids like candy on Halloween.”

Students coming past the two of you, shoving to try and get to the now unoccupied bathroom made the both of you move out of their way.

Before you’d even realized it, you made your own way through the house and back downstairs to get another drink and find a secluded corner. For some reason, maybe his own amusement, Beomgyu followed you.

“You went to catholic school then?”

“Don’t remind me.” He gave you a weird look.

“You brought it up.”

Holding your bag tight, you sunk into the couch as you studied him. His hair was shorter than the pictures you’d seen on his socials so he must not have uploaded anything recently, or it was new.

He looked good either way, though. What was annoying about it was that he seemed to know that.

Now that the drama of the night was seemingly over and you were free to laze around, you decided to have your fun.

“You know you’re less cute off of Twitter.” Your voice had a teasing tone to it and he smirked again.

“I didn’t know you thought I was cute.” That comment threw you off completely once again and you simply stared at him with a blank expression.

You wondered if he was genuinely clueless or if it was some act he was trying to put on.

“How? I’ve made it painfully obvious that I thought you were pretty.” Your bluntness seemed to throw him off a bit as his facial features softened.

“Painfully..?” He repeated something else that had caught him off guard but you couldn’t hear it over the loud chatter nearby.

“Um.. yeah. I called you hot on text?”

The faint pink in his cheeks was hard to see with the tan of his skin but once it went away, the difference was noticeable.

“Oh yeah, right after you told me to kill myself.”

Nodding, you raised a cup on the table in front of you. “I’ll drink to that!”

Beomgyu smiled. He seemed much more relaxed offline than online but you suppose that could be because you aren’t publicly slandering him.

“Then why are you trying to steal my clients?”

Shaking your head, you looked up at him through your eyelashes.

“I’m not stealing anything. Or I wasn’t before. Now I totally am.” Dragging your nails along the cups in front of you, you make it a game in your mind to entertain yourself.

“Well why now?” His voice seemed the slightest bit annoyed but his eyes just stayed on you.

You didn’t really seem real, almost too pretty to conceptualize— but he chalked that up to the fact that the two of you had initially met online.

“So I had an excuse to talk to you. And because it’s funny.”

Beomgyu shifted on the couch, leaning closer into you as if to hide away from the rest of the people in the room. The moment felt a bit too intimate— it felt too much just yours.

“You wanna talk? Let’s talk.”

home. ★ previous. ★ next.

જ⁀➴♡ phone in ᝰ.ᐟ

#. ˚◞♡ dealer no deal #. ˚◞♡ choi beomgyu #. ˚◞♡ tomorrow x together #⭒ extras [🪞]#choi beomgyu x reader #txt scenarios #txt x reader #tomorrow x together #tomorrow by together #kpop imagines #kpop scenarios #kpop x reader #txt

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mimilind · 11 months ago

Text

A Magical Classmate - Part 7

Pairing: Draco Malfoy x Reader

Rating: T

Chapter Word Count: 3000

Parts: [ < Previous Part ] [ Next Part > ] [ Masterlist ]

Full story: [ AO3 ]

You are gradually coming to terms with the shocking information when you realize that Drake has the power to remove your memories of what he told you. You beg him not to.

7. Draco the Death Eater

Drake didn’t move away as you tried to soothe him, but he didn’t look any happier either. Touching him had a calming effect on yourself, however; it made him feel real and solid, a person of flesh and blood who just happened to be able to do supernatural things.

He was still fidgeting with his wand and despite your agitated state you became curious.

“Can I try?” You poked it lightly with your fingertip, expecting a buzz or sparks, but you didn’t feel anything.

“Go ahead.”

It was made of smooth wood, and lighter than you had expected. Nothing happened when you waved it. “What were those words you said?”

“The words won’t do anything without the correct gestures – and you’d need magical ability.” He enveloped your hand with his own, guiding you through the movement. “Wingardium Leviosa.”

Now you felt it. Your skin prickled lightly as power flared from within the wand, passing through your fingers and joining a force from Drake’s hand. The lilac rose, resuming its impossible position.

You shivered, but this time it wasn’t from fear. The magic affected you, filling you with a strange excitement. Goosebumps appeared on your arms.

He helped you cast a new spell. “Accio dragon figure.” More power flowed through your joint hands and the toy escaped his pocket. With a third spell he made it do little pirouettes around the flower.

You could not hold back a laugh. “That is so cute.”

He did more tricks. The dragon grew and flapped its wings, and even breathed fire on the lawn. When he returned it to its normal size the burned patch of grass remained.

You looked at him as he worked. He did it so naturally and gracefully, yet in every motion he was still him. He had the same focused expression as when working through a chemistry lab or writing a report.

This was still Drake, your friend – or, much more than a friend, actually – and you couldn’t stand the thought of having to let him go. You didn’t see the reason for it, either.

“I don’t care that we are from different worlds.” You moved closer so you could lean against him. “I’m not afraid of you.”

He had been smiling as he cast spells, now the clouds returned to his features. “You should; I told you I’m not a good person.”

“Stop saying that! Everything I know about you proves you wrong. You’re the nicest guy I know and I like you.”

“That’s because you only saw one side of me. Like I said, my father was a criminal… and so was I.”

“No.” You shook your head. “I don’t believe that.”

He tensed and shrugged you off, creating a distance again. “Then let me describe it to you. Who I am. What I am.” His eyes had become angry and his mouth a hard, thin line. “There was a great war in my world, started by a wizard called Tom Riddle, though he preferred a pseudonym which I will not utter. His followers were called Death Eaters. Riddle’s basic idea was that wizards ought to rule the world and enslave all muggles – non magical people like you. Thing is, he was rather charismatic and his ideas sounded… I don’t know, I kind of fell for them. My parents had always taught me that pureblood wizards like us were above others, and I had no reason to question that. I had rarely met a muggle, but at school there were a few muggle-born wizards and witches and I looked down on them. I found them inferior. So, when I discovered my parents were Death Eaters it made me proud. But then one day my father failed a mission and ended up in prison. A horrible prison; hardly anyone survives in there.” He swallowed thickly, and when he continued his voice was toneless. “Riddle then tasked me to kill his greatest enemy – the Headmaster of my school. If I succeeded he would free my father. So I took the dark mark and joined the Death Eaters.” He rolled up his sleeve, showing you a faded tattoo on his inner forearm, a long snake slithering out of a skull.

It gave you a strange feeling of déjà vu. As if you had seen it before, though you knew you hadn’t.

“I was flattered in a way, first; I felt singled out and important.” He made a disgusted grimace. “That was before I knew what Riddle and his followers were really like. How cruel he was – and how completely mental and unhinged.”

You traced the contours of the snake with your finger. Unlike a real tattoo, the skin was puckered along the edge of the mark.

He shivered at your touch but didn’t pull away.

“I refuse to believe you could kill anyone,” you said stubbornly.

He laughed mirthlessly. “As it were, I couldn’t, actually. I failed…”

“I knew it!”

“My failure is not an excuse; I still did horrible things. I joined Riddle knowing full well it meant I would commit murder, and though I didn't cast the killing curse, I did try to kill my headmaster indirectly with poison and a cursed necklace, but they got in the wrong hands. Two innocent students nearly died–” His voice broke and you could feel he was trembling. “And later, I was ordered to… hurt people. Torture them. I didn’t want to but I was afraid and weak so I obeyed. I probably would have been a Death Eater to this day if Riddle hadn’t been killed and we lost the war. I’m a bad person and you should stay the hell away from me.” He wiped his eyes angrily.

Your mind was whirring with thoughts. Murder and torture… Trying to imagine Drake hurting someone was even more surreal than witnessing him casting spells.

But he had said he was ordered to; that he did it to save his father. And because he was afraid. That, you could believe. People would do the most awful things to survive, you knew that.

You hated to see him look so miserable and began to stroke his arm again, sliding your finger over the faded mark. It struck you it must have been branded into his skin. As if he were cattle.

You didn’t want to think about how much that must have hurt.

“How long ago did you get this?”

“A few years back.”

“Then you can’t have been old at all? Unless wizards are like vampires or elves and you’re super old but in a young man’s body…?” By now, anything seemed possible.

He smiled briefly. “No, I was sixteen.”

“You were just a boy! And had to do all those things?”

“I was almost an adult; for us the age of majority is seventeen.”

“You were a child,” you insisted. “A child soldier. Whatever you had to do was not your fault.”

“Stop. I was old enough to know better. It was my fault – and my parents’. If anyone, I blame them for spoiling me rotten and teaching me I was above everyone… Especially Father. And I also blame him for joining that maniac. Had he not been so stupid I wouldn’t have had to join either, and I won’t ever forgive him for that. Not that I can, now.” He made another bitter, joyless laugh.

“Were your mother and you sent to prison too?”

“No, only Father,” he said tonelessly. “Mum was not as active a Death Eater as him and I, and hadn’t committed any actual crimes. And at the end of the war our family switched sides; another mitigating circumstance.” Then he added, almost reluctantly. “I would still have been sentenced with Father, but they thought I had been too young to understand what I signed up for when I took the mark. So I was let off.”

You didn’t say ‘I told you so’, but thought it.

“Father didn’t last long in that prison for a second time. When he was gone, Mum inherited the estate and as far as I know she still lives there. I have no contact with her.”

“Why?”

“Because I couldn’t stand staying in our world when everyone knew what I had done. Everywhere I went, I’d get hateful looks. Hearing people whispering behind my back… saying I should have been punished.” He sighed. “It would perhaps have been better if I had been sent to prison. If I took my punishment and paid the price for my crimes, they would think better of me.”

“I’m so sorry.” You put your arms around him. “No wonder you are lonely.”

“Don’t be!” He sounded exasperated. “How many times must I tell you I’m no good? I don’t deserve anyone’s pity.”

Despite his outburst he wasn’t pushing you away. Rather, you felt him hugging you back. Clinging to you.

“It doesn’t matter how many times because I don’t believe you.”

“It’s true! Even when little, I was a nasty little shit. A bully at school, teasing other kids just because. Bragging about my wealth. And I despised muggles and muggle-born. Didn’t you listen to what I said about Riddle’s worldview? I would have made you a slave, unless I killed you first. If bad things happen to me, that's justified!”

It didn’t make sense. He repeatedly insisted he was a bad person, and said he had hated non-magical people, yet he went to a university in your world, and spent lots of time helping you and his other classmates. He had taken you to the opera and a ball, and earlier he even said he liked you. Somehow his words didn’t match his behavior.

It was as if he deep down wanted you to keep making excuses for his former crimes. To convince him he was wrong about being a bad person.

You snuggled closer, pressing your face against his neck, comforting yourself as much as him. “Many children are nasty and selfish. If you realize yourself you were a bully, it means you’re sorry for what you did. It means you’ve changed. You did bad things in the past but decided to be a better person – that’s worth something.”

He didn’t reply to that.

“You’re not bad.”

“I am.” But he sounded less convinced.

“No. You have changed.”

“I tried, I guess.”

“And you succeeded. Since I met you, you have been nothing but nice to us, what was the word… muggles.”

He dropped his shoulders, finally losing part of his tension. “I wanted a fresh start… doing it right, for once. Nobody knew me here. I could make friends with normal, kind people like you. And it worked… you invited me in. I had never… I didn’t know what it felt like to have friends who liked me for me, not for who my parents were.” He paused, sounding thoughtful when he began again. ”I mean, I’ve always had people around me, and they’d do what I told them to do, and laugh at my jokes, and appear like friends, but I don’t think they ever liked me. Feared me, perhaps, and envied me most certainly. As soon as my family lost our status they disappeared.” He hugged you a little harder. ”That’s why your friendship meant so much. It felt real. But it’s been difficult to always guard my tongue, and always pretend. I wanted to be honest but I couldn’t… I can’t, or my cover will be blown. If word gets out about my powers, or the Dark Mark, then it’s only a matter of time before my old world catches up with me. I’d have to leave.” He eased your arms away from him. “And that’s why this… can’t be. That’s why you must forget this night.”

Something about the way he said it, and the way he gripped his wand purposefully, made you realize what he meant.

“A spell? There is a spell to make someone forget?”

His bleak face was answer enough.

You grew cold despite the warming charm around you. The memory loss after the pub night! You had thought you drank so much you had blackouts, but what if he had erased some of your memories?

“Did you… do it before?”

“Once. I’m sorry. You saw the Dark Mark and I had said too much about my past. I had to. I couldn’t risk that you told someone… If it’s any comfort, you did consent to it.”

You were beginning to tremble. “I don’t want to forget what you told me tonight. I want to know the real you, with your background. I promise I won’t tell anyone.”

“I can’t risk it.” He made a wry face and raised the wand. “Gods know it’s easy to let something slip by accident, or we wouldn’t have this conversation.”

“No.” You shook your head vividly. “I don’t consent. You heard that? I don’t consent.” You tried to take the wand but he held it out of your reach.

You stood on your knees, grappling for it, pushing him until he lay on his back in the grass. You knew he was physically stronger and could have easily withstood your attempt, instead he was strangely passive. You plucked the wand from his unresisting fingers.

He smiled sadly. “The wand makes it easier but I don’t need it.”

“Then I’ll stop you from saying the spell.” You put your palm over his mouth.

He removed your hand. “Spells can be performed nonverbally.”

The last resistance left you and you sank down beside him. “Please, Drake.” Your voice became a sob. “We are friends. Friends don’t steal each other’s memories.”

“It’s Draco.” He cupped your cheek, softly stroking it with his thumb. ”Draco Malfoy.”

His eyes were so large, so unhappy. He was so close.

“Draco…” You became lost in his gaze, enthralled. He could work magic just by looking at you.

You leaned over him, gradually lessening the short distance.

He raised his head to meet you. And then your lips touched.

It was brief; only a light caress, yet brimming with feeling.

He drew your face back to him and you kissed again, closer now. His lips were soft but not too soft, molding themselves against yours. Neither of you took control; you kissed in synchrony, exploring each other as if you had all the time in the world. As if this would not be erased from your memory within moments, never to be repeated.

You stretched out your legs, half covering his body with yours, and he placed his palm on the small of your back. Holding you close.

He opened his mouth slightly; you did the same. Your tongues met. He tasted sweet like raindrops.

Bittersweet, as it were, for the memory of his taste would be robbed from you as well.

Kissing Draco was divine. You hadn’t known it could feel this way; how intimate and emotional. How affectionate.

You never wanted to stop, and he made no indication of finishing either. You couldn’t get enough of each other.

He rolled you over, switching positions. Kissing you and kissing you more, your breaths mingling. His hands enveloped your face and you drew your fingers through his hair.

Your lips became sore and raw but neither of you stopped. Because if you did, this would end.

You knew he didn’t want it to end either.

You turned on your side and he followed. Lying face to face in the grass, so close he filled your vision completely. Kissing each other again and again.

”I don’t want to forget this,” you whispered between kisses. ”It’s not fair. Because you will remember…”

”How is that fair?” he returned in a low murmur. ”I will remember it and know what I’ve lost… Forgetfulness is bliss.”

”Then don’t do it.” You put a finger on his swollen bottom lip.

“I have to. This is too… complicated. Risky. But I won’t lie, it’s tempting…” He kissed your fingertip, then planted tiny pecks on your palm. “Fuck. My self-restraint has become disastrous lately. The other time I had to remove your memories I decided to quit uni and do something else, but even that resolution failed. I couldn’t keep away. And now, I just can’t bring myself to… but I must. I really must do it, you know.”

“No, I don’t know, and I disagree. I can keep a secret.”

”Even if you kept the secret, I think it’s a bad idea. I come with a lot of baggage. You don’t need my shit in your life.”

“Isn’t that up to me to decide?”

He didn’t seem to know what to answer and lay on his back again, gaze becoming lost in the pale night sky.

His silence lit a tiny spark of hope in you. He was considering it, you were certain about that. Weighing pros and cons.

You rested your head on his chest and he put an arm around you, idly stroking your back. You listened to his steady heartbeat, filling your nostrils with his scent. Making the most of the moment. Waiting.

“If you told anyone about magic and wizards, I suppose I could obliviate them instead,” he said after a long while. “But are you sure you want to be with someone like me? A Death Eater and a criminal. I’m pretty messed up.”

You raised your head so you could bore your eyes into his sternly. “You are not a criminal; you were pardoned. You have changed. And I care about you. A lot. You’d have to remove half of this year from my memories for me to forget that, so you’d better get used to me!”

His lips curled up slightly and his eyes got a resigned look. You knew you’d won before he spoke.

“Alright then. I won’t take your memories.”

A/N:

Thanks for reading! I’m super happy for feedback, don’t be afraid to share your thoughts! Do you think a bully and former criminal can change and become a better person?

Parts: [ < Previous Part ] [ Next Part > ] [ Masterlist ]

Full story: [ AO3 ]

#draco malfoy #draco malfoy x reader #draco x reader #draco #harry potter #harry potter fanfiction #university setting #fanfiction #fluff #feel good #draco x you #draco malfoy is nice #muggle reader #tom felton #A Magical Classmate #Mimi Lind

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hazbinextgeneration · 1 year ago

Text

Housed Hearts Ch3 Job Opportunities

(Art is mine. Heim belongs to Mortisfox. What Rose does to help Heim with his lawn is described in the video linked below.

m.youtube.com/watch?v=FJYDXC9x8z4&pp=ygUXZ3Jvd2luZyBncmFzcyBmcm9tIHNlZWQ=)

-THIS SPANS OVER A COURSE OF A FEW WEEKS OR MONTHS-

The apartment she temporarily was moved in was quite nice even if most of her belongings were still going to be in boxes stacked around everywhere until she was located and given a house. She had all the basics she needed anyways. It was only a matter of time until she would be given a full house anyways. The very next day she was back to work as usual taking one of the many greyhorse buses until she got to that greenhouse in town. It was always so calming being around so many plants and taking care of something. They were her babies in a way. She was always watering them, giving them the highest quality fertilizer and plant food money could buy, and trimming away any dead leaves or stems. Only the best for her babies and her customers. She was often complimented on how healthy her plants were or how pretty the flowers were or how delicious the various fruits and vegetables that she had grown was there. It was hard work but hearing that people were happy with her work was reassuring to hear. She hadn't seen or heard anything from any REALTORS for almost two weeks since meeting Heim a while ago but she wasn't surprised too much about it. REALTORS were going to do what they please despite her offers. However she had a small surprise waiting for her when she arrived home and found a certain lure huffing and puffing down the street and towards the apartment complex and towards herself.

"Well if it isn't Mr. Baile. How nice to see you again," Rose greeted amused and crossing her arms, "Are you on the hunt for more buyers today?"

He stopped right in front of her wheezing a bit and taking a moment to catch his breath so to speak before smiling at her. "Nah. I'm on my way to that burger place near here. I got a few coupons off for 'em from some newspapers."

"I see." Her brow rose at him. "I wasn't aware REALTORS had money. Or are you awarded a lump sum along with your feedings?"

Heim paused for a moment before looking off. "Ah..I uh... Didn't think of that. Guess I'm kinda stuck. I..Guess I don't need it anyways." His arms flopped down deflated. "! did already got my delivery this month anyways."

She chuckled despite herself and he blinked as she patted his shoulder. "Well I probably shouldn't do this, but If you really want one I can lend you a hand."

He immediately perked up. "You mean that?!"

She nodded. "I wasn't feeling up to cooking dinner tonight anyways." She jabbed a thumb over her shoulder. "C'mon. You can pay me back by letting me use your coupons."

"DEAL! Wow. Not only are you pretty, but you're S-So nice to an old run down house like me too."

"Hey. You're not run down." Rose assured him with a smile and pat on his shoulder. "You're a really nice person and it's what's on the inside that matters."

He hummed. "Well I do have a nice TV so not every house can claim that!"

She giggled again. "I was talking about how nice you are again but it is a nice TV." Heim puffed his chest in pride as he waddled next to her. He certainly was a sweet guy. Can't say that about a lot of REALTORS. "We can bring them back to my place and watch some TV if you'd like."

"Really?!"

"Sure. It'd be nice to have company."

She had a quiet evening and spent it with Heim watching TV. A few nature documentaries and a few generic drama shows here and there. It was new to have a REALTOR sit on her sofa for a few hours watching TV before leaving with his burgers to no doubt be digested by his main body. He surely was a sweet little guy. Perhaps all REALTORS could learn a lesson or two from him. She again didn't see Heim for about another week until he showed up again walking past her apartment building and it was her day off. She was just taking a potted plant outside to plant in the apartments lot when she spotted him waddling his lure down the sidewalk.

"Hello, Heim. Going to the burger place again today?"

He seemed happy to see her but shook his head no. "Actually there's a new ice cream place that sells burgers AND ice cream! Can you believe it? I heard they're giving away free food all day for their grand opening! I can't miss that!"

"Didn't you get your monthly dose of feeding this month already?"

"Well..yes. But I can't miss a good deal like this!"

Her brows rose higher as she looked at him. "You're still eating fast foods huh? Have you tried the salads and fruits the convience stores have? I think those are pretty good too."

"Yeah. Sure. I've had them a couple times but if there's somewhere that's giving away free burgers then I'm game!" He smiled wider gesturing at her to come along. "You wanna come?"

She shook her head before holding up the small potted plant. "Nah. I'm doing some winding down today and planting a few things."

He shrugged. "Suit yourself. Feel free to come join me later!"

"I'll think about it."

He nodded before walking away and she watched as he went off on whatever trip he had planned. He sure ate a lot of fast food huh? That can't be too healthy for him even if he wasn't human. Was that why he was in such bad shape? It didn't seem the ones who were feeding him didn't care or were even aware of that fact. He didn't even seem to mind that actually himself despite his initial nervousness when she first saw his main body. Things could only get worse if nothing was done about it.

.... Tomorrow morning she would be sure to bring everything she needed for the first step.

She was expecting Heim's surprise when she first got there. At first he didn't even respond to her showing up. Rose assumed he must've been asleep considering his lure cord wasn't leading anywhere outside. So she wasted no time stretching on the thick rubber gloves, opening the giant trash bag she brought along with her, and started walking around the yard picking up the many pieces of trash (again mostly empty take out containers) and throwing them inside the bag. The first step was to clean up the top mess, then she'd come back the next day with a company truck and haul what she really needed for this job.

Heim wasn't there the first time she showed up but his lure answered the door and stared in surprise at her when a company truck she borrowed and rolled up to his house. He stared in surprised silence as Rose just went about her business opening the back of the truck and hauling out a tiller she had also uh... borrowed from her boss's company for this task. He continued to watch as she rolled it up onto his front lawn and then turned around to walk back into the truck only for this time to struggle with a heavy bag of fertilizer.

"Uh...Rose?"

"Hello Heim," she grunted out between trying to haul the bag out.

"Um... Hey, pal. Whatcha doing there?" He pointed towards the truck and everything else.

"Fertilizer. I'm gonna till it into the dirt," she grunted finally dropping the massive bag by the tiller with a sigh. "Then I'll add a layer of top soli. I'll need to borrow a seed spreader and some grass seed from work later this week and we can get your situation better."

His eyes widened if that was even possible for his lure to do before looking around his yard. "You mean... You're gonna fix my yard?! For free!?"

"You'd better believe it. Now stand back. I wouldn't want to get your lure caught in the tiller." With one hand on the tiller and the other on the starting cord, Rose yanked it hard. And the engine roared to life.

The hard parts was tilling the fertilizer into the ground and then shoveling all the top soil everywhere. Good thing her bosses also ran a landscaping gig. She'd make up an excuse for why a bunch of fertilizer and top soil is gone later. Probably pretend she used it in some of the pots at work. Overall the hard parts were done and she could rest for a bit. Later that week she returned once again with the company truck and a few bags of grass seed and a seed spreader to start spreading the seeds all over the lawn before watering it all down with a nearby hose. It should take about a month to fully grow in. Hopefully she wouldn't have to overseed any spots. For now she could move on to the second thing he wanted to do. So imagine Heim's surprise when one day there was a knock on his door. Strange. He didn't order any takeout and he wasn't expecting anyone to deliver anything from the Mayor's office until his monthly feeding next month but he puppeteered his lure anyways to answer anyways. So imagine his surprise when he opened the door and found Rose standing there, but there was something else. In her hands was a giant basket of...fruits and vegetables??

"Uh...Heya, pal!" He smiled anyways upon seeing her albeit confused. "Sure is nice to see you again but what's up with the basket of goodies you're holding there?"

"This, Heim, is the new addition to your diet." Before he could ask anything she was already placing the giant basket into his arms as he blinked. "You need more nutritious foods and better carbs if you're going to repair the outer shell of your main body. Greasy fast foods like burgers and ice cream and anything else you're eating might keep you full, but it's not healthy. From now on You're going to be eating these fruits and vegetables and I want you to start repairing your outer shell. Once that's done your illusions should get better too." She smiled at him wider. "You'll be better soon. I'm going to be seeing you a lot more to make sure it happens too. Bet on it."

Rose kept her promise. Slowly but surely she began coming back more often than not when she could to deliver what actual healthy foods she could or anything extra her boss was about to throw out anyways. It was always still good enough for Heim to eat. Over the course of the next two months she made sure that his lawn was kept up as it slowly grew in an eventual bright green color and a few of the smaller cracks in Heim's walls had already healed. Heim himself was mostly flabbergasted about it all but also very grateful and even happy to see her a whole lot more.

"Hey! Y'know You're more than welcome to come inside," he said to her early one morning she showed up with a giant paper bag of apples from a sale down the street. "You've been so nice to me... It's the least I could do for ya."

Of course she had her concerns. "Are you sure? I wouldn't want to cause any inconvenience for you... Or let something else happen by accident. Aren't you still waiting on your feeding for this month from the Mayor's office?"

Of course he winced from her implying to be eaten alive but it was a valid concern considering most REALTORS wouldn't hesitate. "Well..Yeah. But I'm not really hungry right now." He gestured to her bag as if to get his point across. "You've been feeding me a lot more than I'm actually used to so I've been a lot more full lately. Honestly I -I wouldn't mind getting able to spend some time with you that's not you just taking care of me."

She hummed raising a brow at him. His words were genuine and he was really sweet...but she wasn't going to take a chance without ensuring her safety first. "Alright then. I have nothing else to do today anyway." He lit up but blinked as she held the bag to him. "But I want you to eat these first. I don't want to be in there while you digest them. No offense." And it'll help with any lingering hunger he might be feeling.

"... Kay. Fair enough, pal."

Actually being a REALTOR sure was... different. Can't say she'd ever done something like this before. She'd waited around forty five minutes for Heim to finish digesting and fully ensuring his insides weren't in the digesting process anymore before he (or more accurately his lure) answered the door again and happily beckened her inside. Rose hesitated at first. Heim wasn't a danger, not really. But when a REALTOR was hungry...Well she might've become food on accident if anything else. So she only stuck in her head at first. His illusions were gone allowing her to see the real meaty, fleshy insides. And across from her was Heim's lure resting on an armchair of the meaty flesh, eyes blackened.

"Are you gonna come in?", his voice asked slightly worried from everywhere around the room now that his lure wasn't in use anymore.

"Are you sure it won't be uncomfortable for you?" She asked concerned raising a brow. "I'll literally be walking around on what's probably you're stomach."

"Nah. It's not like I haven't felt it before walking this around all the time. It's a pain in my gutters chasing around people sometimes lemme tell ya."

"Alright. If you're sure."

She hesitated a few seconds but slowly stepped inside the doorway before pausing...and then slowly walking inside. Well this was certainly a new experience wasn't it? Other than poking her head in a few times she's never been inside another living creature before. The fleshy recliner Heim's lure sat on extended into the flesh sofa making it big enough for her to sit on. Slowly she walked over ... and slowly sat down. It was.. surprisingly comfy and soft albeit warm and squishy. The sounds of a nearby game show popped up on the TV and it soon had her attention gravitated towards it. Although she was aware in the back of her mind. But.. nothing happened. Other than Heim shouting excitedly at the screen every time the host asked a question to one of the contestants. It was cute to hear him so excited. Until around two hours later the door knocked causing Rose to immediately look towards it in question.

"Are you expecting someone?"

"Not really," his voice answered from everywhere. "Unless it's a door to door salesmen. I hate those guys."

Rose continued to stare as the knocking came again before she stood up. "I'll see who it is. You just watch your show."

"Can't complain about that!"

She chuckled but walked over to the door and grabbed the doorknob and turned it. She opened it and paused. A pair of brown eyes on the other side also froze upon seeing her standing there. Both women just stood there for a long, long moment staring at one another. Eventually the other woman shook her head blinking at her.

"Excuse me for asking this...But have we met before?"

"I'm pretty sure we have." Rose rose a brow at her and the clipboard in her hands. "Ms. Woodrow if I remember right." She then looked at a stack of at least three boxes stacked on top of each other than almost reached Ivy's mid forearm. And a delivery truck was parked not too far from Heim's lawn. "I wasn't expecting you to show up here."

"I'm making sure a few of our known REALTORS get their monthly attoinment this month." This time it was her turn to look her up and down confused. "But you're not a REALTOR. Do I have the wrong address?"

"Did someone say food?"

Rose turned her head back inside and nodded. "Yeah. She says she's here to give you that monthly feeding you've been waiting for." She pushed the door all the way open to allow Ivy full access to the inside of the home. By now Heim's lure had popped his eyes back to normal to look at them both.

"Really?! Neato! I've been waiting for that forever."

"What exactly are you doing inside a REALTOR'S home?" Rose turned back to a confused and astonished Ivy. Her eyes looked between her and Heim. "I don't suppose I walked in on something bad happening."

"Actually we were just watching TV."

"TV?!" Ivy looked more perplexed at Roses casual answer.

Rose nodded again. "But I suppose it is time for me to go."

"So soon?" Heim looked saddened but Rose nodded.

"You have some more digesting to do and I don't think I should be inside while you do that but I'll tell you what. I don't have work next Friday. We can hang out then. Sound good?" He happily nodded. "Then I'll see you then." Rose then turned to Ms. Ivy. "You should make sure whatever you're feeding him is healthier than what he's been getting. He needs to start healing his outer shell more. Excuse me."

Ivy's eyes followed Rose as she stepped around her and walked away down the driveway and back into the street and down the road. She watched Rose go for a long moment before looking over at the REALTOR in a long, long moment of silence.

"Hey. What can you tell me about your relationship with her?"

More days passed since that day. She still did what she always did. Going about her day to day life until there was a knock at her apartment door early one morning. Confused she opened the door and on the other side was none other than Ms. Ivy. Rose blinked at her but before she could say anything Ivy spoke.

"Ms. Rose Willow I assume. Do you have a moment? I think we should talk."

Rose rose a brow at her. "I'm sorry but I'll be late for work."

"I've already informed your employers about that," Ivy interrupted by holding up a hand. "Please. This is really important."

Rose stared at her for a long moment before crossing her arms and leaning against her door frame. "Alright. You got my attention."

Ivy smiled at her. "Thank you. It won't take too long I promise. I just wanted to talk to you about what happened last week."

"Was there something wrong with me visiting Heim?"

"No, no. Not at all. I was actually quite intrigued by it all. He told me everything you've been doing with him." Rose rose her brow higher suspicious. "You know usually it's not advised to feed REALTORS then again there's not a lot of people who willingly associate with them."

"Am I being arrested for giving him fruit?"

She shook her head smiling wider. "Quite the opposite actually. I'm impressed with the level of kindness and humanity you've shown towards Heim Baile. So I came by to stop and ask you a question. What is your opinion on REALTORS and other non-human species as a whole?"

Rose was surprised by the question but answered. "I think they're alright. Obviously you should be careful around a lot of them but that doesn't mean I'm going to treat them like a pack of cockroaches. I find a lot of them pretty nice actually. Heim sure is."

That made Ivy light up more. "I'm glad you think that because I'd like to offer you a job opportunity."

That was certainly a surprise. "A job?"

"It would only be once a month and you'd still be able to work your regular day job," she assured Rose, "I think you'd be a great addition for the Mayor's REALTOR feeding program."

"Oh. The feeding program huh?"

"I'd be your employer for it of course as the Mayor is usually busy with more important matters. But it has good benefits. You'll be paid a hundred dollars for every one REALTOR you feed. We'll start you on just feeding one REALTOR per month and then slowly add more but it'll be an amount you can surely handle. What do you say? I think with your way of thinking you'd be great at the job."

Rose still stood there for a solid moment before humming. "That's...a tempting offer but I don't know."

"You don't have to answer now. Here." A small card was held up to her. "Here's the number for the Mayor's office. Call me if you change your mind." She slowly took the card and looked at it. "If you change your mind, there'll be a certain amount of food given to you to distribute to certain REALTORS. More will be explained if or when you decide."

"...Ok. I'll think about it but no promises."

There was a few days of rethinking it over. In that time life passed on as normal or as normal as it did around here. She had thought about it for a while... before calling the number. Why not? It sounded like a great deal and it wouldn't hurt to make an extra hundred dollars a month. So she dialed the number and arranged for it to be done. It wasn't so bad meeting with Ivy again and having her explain the basics. Once a month a supply of food would be delivered to her apartment and it was her job to deliver it all to Heim and then mail the Mayor's office a filled form with Heim's signature confirming he had gotten it. The check for a hundred dollars would be mailed to her a week after. Seemed simple enough. Sure enough the very next month there was a knock on her door one day and she answered it seeing a mailman delivering three Giant boxes before having her sign for them and leaving. All Rose could do for a moment was stand there before lightly kicking the stack of boxes. It felt heavy and barely budged from her light kick.

"... I need to buy a car."

#maison talo #heim baile #house hunted game #house hunted visual novel #househunted game #house hunted #house hunted 2

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echantedtoon · 1 year ago

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Housed Hearts Ch3 Job Opportunities

(Art is mine. Heim belongs to Mortisfox. What Rose does to help Heim with his lawn is described in the video linked below.

m.youtube.com/watch?v=FJYDXC9x8z4&pp=ygUXZ3Jvd2luZyBncmFzcyBmcm9tIHNlZWQ=)

-THIS SPANS OVER A COURSE OF A FEW WEEKS OR MONTHS-

"Well if it isn't Mr. Baile. How nice to see you again," Rose greeted amused and crossing her arms, "Are you on the hunt for more buyers today?"

"I see." Her brow rose at him. "I wasn't aware REALTORS had money. Or are you awarded a lump sum along with your feedings?"

She chuckled despite herself and he blinked as she patted his shoulder. "Well I probably shouldn't do this, but If you really want one I can lend you a hand."

He immediately perked up. "You mean that?!"

She nodded. "I wasn't feeling up to cooking dinner tonight anyways." She jabbed a thumb over her shoulder. "C'mon. You can pay me back by letting me use your coupons."

"DEAL! Wow. Not only are you pretty, but you're S-So nice to an old run down house like me too."

"Hey. You're not run down." Rose assured him with a smile and pat on his shoulder. "You're a really nice person and it's what's on the inside that matters."

He hummed. "Well I do have a nice TV so not every house can claim that!"

"Really?!"

"Sure. It'd be nice to have company."

"Hello, Heim. Going to the burger place again today?"

"Didn't you get your monthly dose of feeding this month already?"

"Well..yes. But I can't miss a good deal like this!"

Her brows rose higher as she looked at him. "You're still eating fast foods huh? Have you tried the salads and fruits the convience stores have? I think those are pretty good too."

"Yeah. Sure. I've had them a couple times but if there's somewhere that's giving away free burgers then I'm game!" He smiled wider gesturing at her to come along. "You wanna come?"

She shook her head before holding up the small potted plant. "Nah. I'm doing some winding down today and planting a few things."

He shrugged. "Suit yourself. Feel free to come join me later!"

"I'll think about it."

.... Tomorrow morning she would be sure to bring everything she needed for the first step.

"Uh...Rose?"

"Hello Heim," she grunted out between trying to haul the bag out.

"Um... Hey, pal. Whatcha doing there?" He pointed towards the truck and everything else.

His eyes widened if that was even possible for his lure to do before looking around his yard. "You mean... You're gonna fix my yard?! For free!?"

"Uh...Heya, pal!" He smiled anyways upon seeing her albeit confused. "Sure is nice to see you again but what's up with the basket of goodies you're holding there?"

"... Kay. Fair enough, pal."

"Are you gonna come in?", his voice asked slightly worried from everywhere around the room now that his lure wasn't in use anymore.

"Are you sure it won't be uncomfortable for you?" She asked concerned raising a brow. "I'll literally be walking around on what's probably you're stomach."

"Nah. It's not like I haven't felt it before walking this around all the time. It's a pain in my gutters chasing around people sometimes lemme tell ya."

"Alright. If you're sure."

"Are you expecting someone?"

"Not really," his voice answered from everywhere. "Unless it's a door to door salesmen. I hate those guys."

Rose continued to stare as the knocking came again before she stood up. "I'll see who it is. You just watch your show."

"Can't complain about that!"

"Excuse me for asking this...But have we met before?"

"Did someone say food?"

"Really?! Neato! I've been waiting for that forever."

"Actually we were just watching TV."

"TV?!" Ivy looked more perplexed at Roses casual answer.

Rose nodded again. "But I suppose it is time for me to go."

"So soon?" Heim looked saddened but Rose nodded.

"Hey. What can you tell me about your relationship with her?"

"Ms. Rose Willow I assume. Do you have a moment? I think we should talk."

Rose rose a brow at her. "I'm sorry but I'll be late for work."

"I've already informed your employers about that," Ivy interrupted by holding up a hand. "Please. This is really important."

Rose stared at her for a long moment before crossing her arms and leaning against her door frame. "Alright. You got my attention."

Ivy smiled at her. "Thank you. It won't take too long I promise. I just wanted to talk to you about what happened last week."

"Was there something wrong with me visiting Heim?"

"Am I being arrested for giving him fruit?"

That made Ivy light up more. "I'm glad you think that because I'd like to offer you a job opportunity."

That was certainly a surprise. "A job?"

"It would only be once a month and you'd still be able to work your regular day job," she assured Rose, "I think you'd be a great addition for the Mayor's REALTOR feeding program."

"Oh. The feeding program huh?"

Rose still stood there for a solid moment before humming. "That's...a tempting offer but I don't know."

"...Ok. I'll think about it but no promises."

"... I need to buy a car."

#maison talo #heim baile #house hunted game #house hunted visual novel #househunted game #house hunted #house hunted 2 #housed hearts

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brokeitwiththepowerofmathamatics · 1 year ago

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Fanfic - Desynced: Chapter 8

(Ao3 here) (FF.net here)

By the time they had been given the all clear to return home, it had grown quite late. The sun was beginning to set. The Fentons rode back in their vehicle with the agents following them in their damaged van. The door had been strapped to the top of the van, and Danny could tell whatever magic the agents had used to hide them had worn off judging by the strange looks the other drivers were giving them.

They arrived home to two additional agents standing around their home. Frankly, Danny didn’t think he’d be able to tell them apart, even from Agent O or Agent K. They were standing over several gashes in the ground with a flashlight. There were physical differences, of course. However, when Danny tried to remember which agent was which, it was like any identifying information slipped through his mind, leaving a simple base concept behind.

If Danny hadn’t been dealing with so much other shit lately, it’d have been creepy. Now it wasn’t even on his top five on the list of things he had to deal with.

When Danny got closer, he realized that they had been standing over a set of tire tracks on his front lawn, and through his mother’s garden.

Whatever did this was lucky it was hard to kill. His mom was going to go on a warpath over that.

The agents all stood around it, with Jack and Maddie following momentarily. “Whatever it was, it’s gone now.” The agents stated. “It definitely seemed to want to get inside, but it wasn’t able to.”

“I’d have been impressed if it had,” Maddie stated, rubbing her chin. She spoke through gritted teeth, and both Danny and Jack straightened at the cold fury in her words. “The wards were placed in the foundation. They’re sealed shut with the house literally on top of them.

Danny shoved his hands in his pocket, trying to appear nonchalant. “How do you know this was a magic thing?”

The agent moved his flashlight to highlight part of the house. On the second floor, between Danny’s and Jazz’s rooms, was a tire track skid mark on the brick.

“Oh…”

The agent flicked off the flashlight. “I think this confirms that we need the portal investigation taken care of. Something wanted in your house. This has never happened before, correct?”

“We’ve never actually seen a magical entity before,” Maddie answered. “All our studies were done after the fact from reports.”

The agents all nodded as one. “Understood.” One of the agents stepped away and pulled out a walkie-talking from his suit and began fiddling with it. “We’ll relay a message to HQ, this is fast approaching our highest priority.”

Danny turned incredulously toward the agent. “I thought two a year was considered a lot? And we’re at five now?”

The agent looked at Danny over his sunglasses. “Yes, five is almost unheard of.”

“Then why… never mind, I’m realizing I don’t want to know.”

“Good, you can learn.”

Maddie sighed and moved toward the front door. “Well, no time like the present. The sooner we figure out the portal, the sooner we can figure out what’s going on with my son.”

The two new agents glanced at Danny, and the other two explained. “He has shown remarkable healing powers.”

“Convenient.”

***

“So… that’s it?” Tucker asked, as they walked down the street. “You guys had some sort of magical entity attack your house, and the agents and your parents just said, ‘whelp, back to work’?”

Danny shrugged. The action made the thermos his parents gave him clink against his side. “I don’t know what to tell you man, it’s not like they’re gonna solve the secrets of the universe in a night or whatever.”

“Dude… we have been attacked three times by weird monsters.” Tucker folded his arms and huffed. “This is crazy, man. And I’m gonna be honest, you’re beginning to weird me out too, like, you’re acting like this is all normal.”

“It definitely isn’t,” Danny admitted, shrugging. “But I don’t know what you want me to do about it.” Danny hummed and stretched. “I mean, I guess we could try and figure out why the meat monster is attacking.”

“Oh hell to the no, I am not Freddy, I’m not a member of the Scooby Gang, I am not going anywhere near the apparently haunted school.”

Danny laughed and pushed Tucker. “Oh come on, you’re saying you wouldn’t go into the school for triple threat nasty melt with extra bacon.”

Tucker opened his mouth to immediately say no, but then he thought about it. “I mean… how long would I need to be in there?”

“You’re right, you’re not Freddy, you’re Scooby.”

Tucker was saved from defending himself when Danny saw Sam across the street. It took a moment for the two of them to recognize her, since she was wearing a big heavy sweater. Danny realized after a moment she was probably covering the bandages that were no doubt still running up her arms.

It’s not like everyone was lucky enough to have a magical portal open on top of them, making them feel like they were floating outside their body while also giving them healing powers.

He shouted and waved at her, causing her to jerk up. She started running across the street, taking two steps into the road before stepping back and looking both ways. Once she saw it was clear, then she jaywalked across the street.

“Heya, Sam,” Danny said, waving at her again as she got closer. “I’m surprised your parents let you out.”

“They didn’t,” Sam admitted. “I snuck out.” She shrugged as Danny’s face made a complicated expression. It was something like a smile while frowning. Sam brushed her hair behind her ear and sighed. “My dad was cooking meat again, so my grandma distracted my parents.” She sighed. “I think my dad thinks if he cooks a bunch of meat, I’ll go back to not being vegan.”

“Can we trade parents for a week?” Tucker asked. Danny shot Tucker a look as Sam reared back. Tucker shrugged and said, “What? She doesn’t want to eat meat, and my mom wants me to try a salad.”

Before Danny could tell Tucker off, Sam laughed mirthlessly. “Trust me, I wish I could have your parents.”

“They are pretty great, aren't they?”

Danny breathed out a sigh of relief, seeing his two friends get along. The two turned to look at him, with Tucker raising an eyebrow and Sam looking a bit confused herself. The two glanced at each other, and then had the realization that they were getting along. They looked back at Danny and gave him a smile.

“Seems like you all made up.”

Danny whirled around, as both Tucker and Sam jumped. Johnny was leaning back against his motorcycle. He chuckled as Danny put a hand to his chest to calm a beating heart. “Jeez, kid, you don't have to be so jumpy.”

“You startled me,” Danny muttered defensively. He folded his arms and glared at Johnny. “Where did you come from?”

Johnny snorted. “I’ve been here all along, dude. Not my fault you couldn't see me.” Johnny lifted a cigarette to his lips before taking a drag off it. He waved his hand at the three of them as he breathed out the smoke. “But you all seem a lot happier since last time.”

Tucker and Sam looked at each other before Sam shoved her hands into her pockets. “And who are you?”

Johnny waved cheekily. “Name’s Johnny. A week ago, I saw your friend here throwing a lunch box across the park. Kid was pissed off.” Johnny pulled on his cigarette. “I think you two would know more about that part.”

Sam and Tucker winced as Danny sighed. “What are you doing, Johnny?”

Johnny tilted his head. “Me? Nothing really. I'm just trying to meet up with my girl. She got held up somewhere and I haven't been able to reach her.”

Sam looked up. “Where was she? Is she safe?”

“Safe? Probably. Where she is? I dunno. If I knew, I wouldn't be trying to meet up with her.”

“You try calling her?” Tucker asked.

Johnny gave Tucker an unamused glare as he took another puff.

“Yeah… probably the first thing you did.”

Johnny sighed. “I know she's alright, she's pretty tough. I just can't get to where I think she is. Some feds turned me away.”

Sam and Tucker glanced at each other. “You mean the ones who showed up at Casper yesterday?”

“Yeah, those guys in the white suits.” Johnny said, snapping his fingers pointing at Sam. Danny sucked in a sharp breath and took a step back. Danny reached over and pushed Sam back as well, before tugging on Tucker and trying to pull him back.

Tucker looked back at Danny. “What's the big deal?”

“You have a motorcycle…” Danny pointed out the obvious. Danny continued to put distance between his friends and Johnny. “And… you saw me throw the lunchbox.”

Johnny’s head tilted slowly, the angle going a bit too far to be normal, almost but not quite getting parallel to the ground. Johnny lifted the cigarette to his lips before saying, “You can help a brother out, can't you?”

“Guys,” Danny said, “run.”

Danny grabbed Sam’s hand and started dragging her away, Tucker immediately followed.The sound of scraping metal echoed behind them. The sound of tires skidding and metal colliding reverberated throughout Danny’s body.

Long skeletal fingers appeared in Danny’s vision, as Johnny caught up with them. There were bits of pieces of flesh left on them, but most of it had appeared to have been scraped away. Johnny’s hand landed on Danny’s shoulder, before yanking him back, tearing him away from Sam.

When Danny impacted against the ground, he felt himself hit the ground twice. Once with the version of him that was floating around his body, and the other with his flesh and blood. The sound of metal colliding with concrete rang out on the street, but Danny couldn’t pay attention to it.

Not with Johnny’s true form in front of him.

There was a car tire buried into Johnny’s back, and Danny could see his rib cage had been caved in on his back underneath it. A couple of exhaust pipes stuck out from Johnny’s torso, and much of Johnny’s arm had been revealed, with his right sleeve having torn. His arm looked much like his fingers had, with the flesh having been scrapped away to the point that the bone and sinew had become visible.

He knew that Johnny had turned around quickly, but it felt like an age passed as the front of Johnny began to become visible. There was a headlight in place of one of Johnny’s eyes, the metal having pushed aside part of his face to make way for it, resulting in his other eye having been misshapen. Most of his hair was still there, but the part of his skull over the headlight was gone, revealing a greyish matter that Danny didn’t want to acknowledge.

Danny tried to scramble back, as Johnny advanced on him. It felt like his limbs were all over the place. His hands slipped into the ground, and his feet couldn’t find purchase in the air. Johnny took two steps towards Danny, before lifting him with just one arm.

And then Sam smacked Johnny over the head with both fists.

Johnny’s head dipped slightly, and he froze completely. Slowly his head turned toward Sam, and though it seemed like someone had taken a sander to his lips and face, it seemed like he was giving her a frown.

Danny reared back with one leg. Johnny was holding him up in the air, leaving Danny’s legs dangling freely in the air. With a loud yell, Danny brought his leg forward as hard as he could. The problem was, Johnny’s limbs like this were too long, there was no way Danny could hit him with his foot.

So instead, a ghostly imprint of a foot appeared right in between Johnny’s legs.

Johnny immediately dropped Danny, falling to his knees. He doubled over as the sounds of a car crash came out of him. Danny got back to his feet and then ran around Johnny. “Go, go, go!” he shouted.

“Look out!” Tucker called, pointing behind Danny. Danny turned to see what he was supposed to be avoiding, only to see a black smog coming out of the exhaust pipes. It was so thick that Danny couldn’t see through it.

Which made it all the easier to see when a glowing green face appeared in it. The sound of breaking glass and car horns came out of the smog’s mouth, before it dove towards Danny. Danny instinctively tried to defend himself by swatting it out of the air, but utterly failed.

Then he realized that he hadn’t been the smog’s target.

The smog slipped by Danny with ease, swimming through the air, and wrapping itself around Sam. The sound of a stuttering car horn rang out in a mockery of a laugh. Sam screamed for a moment, before the smog wrapped itself around her face. Her eyes widened in panic and Danny could hear her muffled cries for help.

That tearing feeling Danny had whenever Sam or Tucker got upset came back with a vengeance, and Danny let out a growl in rage. He reached out to grab the smog and tear it off of her, but she was just out of reach.

So when he grabbed the smog, it wasn’t with his flesh and blood hands, but instead with a long bony limb.

***

Tucker’s eyes widened, as he heard both his and Sam’s voice come from Danny’s mouth. One moment his friend was standing there, then the next a pitch black monster with bones capping its limbs was instead. The smog turned to look at Danny – and that had to have been Danny – and its eyes widened before Danny yanked it off Sam. It looked kind of like when someone did that tablecloth trick where they pulled it out from underneath everything but didn’t make a huge mess.

Only instead of flourishing the table cloth, Danny whipped the smog around and bashed it against Johnny’s head.

Johnny flinched slightly, and the smog in Danny’s hands dissipated, only to reform floating behind Johnny. Johnny slowly stood up and turned towards Danny. The sound of metal crashing and glass breaking rang out at the same as Tucker’s and Sam’s voices echoed over the street.

Then Danny rushed Johnny, his claws reaching out to try and spear him through the chest. The smog dove at Danny blocking his vision as Johnny leaned to the side and drove an uppercut into Danny’s chest. The sounds of bones breaking rang out and Danny took a step back away from the other two.

Sam’s coughing caught Tucker’s attention, and he rushed over to her. “You okay?”

“I’ll be fine,” Sam said, too quickly for Tucker to really believe it. She looked up at the fight in front of her. “Is that…?”

“Danny?” Tucker finished for her, “Yeah, I think it is. You were getting attacked, and he went all monster on them.”

Sam’s eyes flicked between the three combatants. She reached over and grabbed Tucker’s arm and tugged on him. “We gotta help him!”

“How the hell are we supposed to do that?” Tucker hissed. “In case you haven’t noticed, despite what my profile icons say, I’m not a werewolf.” Danny pounced forward, pushing Johnny to the ground. The sounds of bones breaking rang out as Danny brought his head down to Johnny’s throat. He bit into it and started shaking back and forth, making Johnny cry out in pain. “Also, it seems like he’s got it handled.”

The smog circled around Danny’s face and body, and slowly began to lift Danny up. Johnny followed for a moment, before Danny jerked and dropped him. Johnny got up and backhanded Danny across the face with enough force to make him bounce along the sidewalk.

Sam pulled on Tucker’s arm. “The bottle!” She said, pointing at the device. It was currently sitting in the gutter.

Past the fight between the ghosts.

“We don’t even know if it’ll work!” Tucker said, pulling back.

“You got any better ideas?”

“No.”

“Then go get it!”

“Me? Why not you? You’re faster!”

“You want to distract them?”

“Nope. One magic bottle, coming up.”

Sam pushed Tucker toward the street and she took a step away from it. “Hey! Ugly!” She shouted. Neither of the ghosts even looked in her direction. She looked down at the ground and groaned. “Figures, the one time I want trash around.” She looked up and saw a trash can at the corner. She ran over and opened the lid. She stuck her arm in and reached around.

She grimaced as she touched something wet, but she pulled it out. She didn’t even look, instead throwing it at Johnny’s head. The brown mash of something sailed through the air before striking Johnny.

And it just passed through him.

Fortunately for her, it made Johnny turn in her direction. He glanced back at Danny, who was currently trying to swat the smog creature out of the air, before he turned and started walking in Sam’s direction.

Ice filled Sam’s veins as he slowly made his way towards her. She took a few steps back as he approached. He flexed his fingers as he approached and Sam couldn’t help but notice that the bones had been filed down into claws.

“Yo! Jackass!” Tucker shouted, holding up the thermos in front of him and pointing it at Johnny. When Johnny turned to look at him, he shouted as he tore the lid off. “Eat this!”

Nothing happened.

Johnny stopped his march towards Sam and started running at Tucker.

“Shit shit shit!” Tucker shouted, waving the thing around. “Why didn’t this come with a-” Suddenly Johnny stopped as the remains of his jacket began to flutter in the direction of Tucker, as if a wind was picking up behind him. He leaned back, but began to slide in Tucker’s direction. He turned and slammed his hand down into the pavement. His claws dragged against the concrete, leaving furrows behind. Sam could see the bones break suddenly and Johnny went flying in Tucker’s direction.

Tucker let out a high pitched scream, but Johnny didn’t actually hit him. Instead his entire self slid into the opening, squeezing in rapidly as the sound of bones cracking and metal bending rang out.

In seconds, he disappeared entirely.

Tucker opened his eyes and saw that Johnny was gone. He heard the sound of glass breaking and he whirled to see Danny and the smog creature looking at him. The smog hesitated for a moment, before diving at Tucker. Tucker whirled the thermos around and just in time activated it again. This time the ghost had no time to react and flew right into the bottle.

Leaving just Danny.

Danny slowly approached Tucker. Tucker held the bottle up. “Hey man, don’t do it. Just… stay back alright.”

Sam ran over and pushed Tucker’s hands down. “Don’t!”

“Hey, I just want to make sure he’s in there!” Tucker said, trying to raise it back up.

Sam tried to pull the thermos out of Tucker’s hands. “No! Don’t! He won’t hurt us!” Sam managed to slip it from Tucker’s fingers, but it flew right out of her hands too. It bounced along the ground and landed right at Danny’s feet.

Tucker and Sam held their breath as Danny stared at the thermos. He bent down, claws reaching for it. It appeared he missed, his claws piercing the concrete in front of it, but then it rose up as if someone was holding it. The claws made movements as if they were manipulating the thermos, but it appeared no one was carrying it. It was just floating there underneath the monstrous form.

Then slowly, Danny’s human self appeared underneath it. His eyes seemed to be staring at nothing, but his human hands twisted the cap back on slowly. With each turn, the ghost standing over him slowly faded away, until eventually it was just Danny as they knew him.

Danny blinked, and let out a breath. “Are you guys alright?”

Tucker wet his lips and then opened his mouth to tell him that they were. “The fuck, dude?”

Sam threw the back of her hand into his stomach, making him gasp. “Ignore him, are you okay?”

Danny looked down at his hand, the bone capped limb appeared next to his for a moment, mirroring his movements before it disappeared. “Well, I think I know what’s been wrong with me now at least.”

#danny phantom #fanfic #tucker foley #sam manson #danny fenton #hazafic #ectoimplosion2023 #cw: body horror #cw: gore #body horror #gore

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