#i was already rejected why am i still stuck here i want to leave but i cant

[srjlvr]

[ LET’S GET MARRIED ! ] — lhs <3

PAIRING. lee heeseung!student X femreader!student !

SYN. the uni is giving away free dorms! under one condition, in order to save your desperate broke ass student’s life, you’d have to get married. and who’d be the lucky person to marry you if not your childhood friend? no feelings involved of course!…..right?

GENRE. he fell first but she fell harder, basically being in denial for feelings at first, childhood friends to a married couple, fluff fluff fluff !

WARNINGS. mentions of getting married(obv), rest of enha and lesserafim’s yunjin & chaewon are in it too, mentions on having kids(no, there will be no kids here its nothing serious!!), mentions of food, being broke because of uni student life. (pls do lmk if i missed something!) || NOT PROOFREAD AND VERY POORLY WRITTEN!!

WORD-COUNT. 5.1k+ (damn!)

NOTE. this is me being extremely sorry for not continuing my heeseung smau by releasing a heeseung oneshot yay!! i actually got the inspiration from HAPPINESS (one of my fav kdramas!) please leave some feedbacks!! i really wanna know what you thought about it<3

when you were younger, you’ve made a wishing list to you in the future, as soon as you turn an adult.

three important wishes were ;

first, never go broke while being a uni student.

second, never get married before the age of 25.

third, never ever fall in love with your best friend since childhood, aka lee heeseung.

first one is already being a huge failure. younger you would be definitely disappointed in uni student you, not that you care that much, but being a broke student sucks.

“my parents are literally about to kick me out, i get that, i’m a 22 years old uni student who’s still living up their asses, they probably want some peaceful and quiet life” you smacked your head over the lunch table, both of your friends looking at you concerned.

“maybe it’s time for you to pay for the dor-“

“never! yunjin, tell her how broke i am”

“she has like 1 dollar in her bank account, she’s still taking loans from her parents” yunjin nodded and you rolled your eyes.

“you didn’t have to go that far”

“oh i did”

“oh i know! what if you just start working?” chaewon raised her voice a bit.

“i have no time!”

“excuses excuses blah blah blah” she mocked you.

“look at heeseung for example, he works in a part time job at the convenience store right next to uni” yunjin pointed out.

you searched through the lunch hall and found the one person you’ve been looking for, lee heeseung.

you’ve been stuck to him ever since childhood, with your mothers being the biggest best friends you’ve ever seen, it was pretty hard to not see him every day in your young days.

both of your mothers even got pregnant at the same time, and gave birth around the same time, you’re two days younger than him.

your photo album is full with pictures of you and him, and so are the hanged photos on your house wall.

your mother and his mother were your biggest shippers, forcing you both to hug each other and even wear matching clothes.

your elementary school memories are filled with heeseung next to you and the whole class shipping you two.

highschool days weren’t better either, guys who wanted to try a move on you were always so scared of heeseung, they were so sure you and him are dating, with the amount of glares they got from him it was really hard to think otherwise.

your highschool crushes rejected you, always giving the excuse of not wanting to be in a relationship, hiding the fact that heeseung warned them that if they’ll say yes he’ll make sure they never see a daylight again.

he was joking, really. he’s not the violent type, and he couldn’t really explain why was he feeling so jealous whenever he saw you confessing to a guy who isn’t him.

heeseung got used to watching you from afar and protecting you, and you got used to search him everywhere you go even in crowded places and having his company ever since childhood.

“hee!” you called and waved at him, he waved at you back with a smile on his face.

“i swear if i didn’t know both of you were childhood friends i would’ve think you’re a married couple or something” chaewon rolled her eyes and you scoffed.

heeseung continued his way to his usual table with his friends.

“thinking about ways to confess your love to her?” jake smirked and heeseung shook away his thoughts.

“hm? who?” he asked.

“it’s obvious who! don’t play dumb come on!” sunghoon playfully pushed the older one.

“we’re talking about Y/N! everyone in uni are talking about you, even those who know nothing about the two of you” jay remarked.

“there’s nothing between us, we’re just friends” heeseung shrugged.

“and i’m queen elizabeth” sunoo tsked.

heeseung rolled his eyes and began to eat, “you know, even if i did have a crush on her, why would she even accept my confession?”

“ohhhh~” his friends teased.

“it’s kind of obvious she likes you, we’ve watched her ever since we became friends with you, and the way she looks at you is just different” jungwon shrugged and ni-ki nodded.

“she’s always searching you in a crowded room, as if you’re her guardian angel and she only needs you in her life in order for it to be perfect” ni-ki then stole a few bites of heeseung’s meal.

“hey! not cool” heeseung scoffed and ni-ki giggled.

“it’s not bad to have a crush on your childhood friend, you know?” jake smiled, “sometimes all you need is a miracle” jay added.

“hey, let’s go on a work search for yo-“

“no no no yunjin not you too!!” you sobbed, “i have no time to work and i need to search for the cheapest dorm, a one i can actually afford as soon as possible”

“why don’t you just go and ask heeseung for help” chaewon shrugged.

“it’s not that easy, i don’t want him to worry about it too much, he works hard for his money too” you pout and they nodded.

“by the way! how’s the money for the uni dorms is going?” jake asked heeseung who was busy fighting with ni-ki over his food.

“i’m just a few shifts away from getting enough money, i’ll ask y/n to become my roommate as soon as— what?” he noticed his friends looking at him.

“y/n and you? being roommates?” sunoo teased.

“hey, me and y/n spent all our childhood together, my house is her house and her house is mine, it has been like that for a while” heeseung sighed and they all nodded hesitatly.

“still, you said y/n’s parents told you about her not being able to pay for the uni dorms, are you really willing to pay it all?” jungwon asked.

heeseung shrugged and took a bite from his food again, “it’s either that or she’ll get kicked out by her parents”

“you really are her guardian angel” ni-ki whispered.

“good morning! you have afternoon classes today right?” your mother woke you up with a smile smeared all over her face.

“mhhm” you hummed, still trying to adjust the bright sunlight that hit your face.

“i need you to bring some medicine for ms lee! she’s been sick and i bought her some things” your mother helped you to get up and shoved you a bag, “here”

“can you please just let me get—“

“you can get ready at theirs! quickly quickly go!” she pushed you outside of your house. damn, she really does hope you’d get out as soon as possible.

she was right though, heeseung’s house is your house, and your house is his. you have a few clothes and even a toothbrush at his house and he has the same at yours, getting ready there was never a problem to you.

a walk to their house is even less than 5 minutes so you weren’t worried about someone from your neighborhood getting a jumpscare and thinking you’re some kind of a zombie.

you took out the keys and opened the door, heeseung was sitting in the kitchen and eating his breakfast.

“don’t ask, been a rough morning, where’s mom by the way?” you asked him and he pointed at her room. you got used to call his mom your mom too.

you saw her sleeping so you left the bag and the medicine next to her, leaving a note saying good morning and instructions of how to take the medicine, as if she doesn’t know all of that.

“you have afternoon classes too?” you asked heeseung while getting ready. he was in his room, lying on his bed while playing some games on his phone.

“not really, i don’t have any class today” he chuckled.

“since when don’t you have any classes today?”

“ever since i decided that im too tired to go to uni”

you rolled your eyes and threw one of the pillows at him, “don’t be stupid! get up and get ready to go!”

he giggled and shook his head, “i’m joking, i took evening classes for today”

you pressed your lips together and nodded, you don’t know why but hearing him giggling always made your heart skip a beat, but you don’t have any feelings for him, like, at all. right?

afternoon classes started and before you knew it, it was already lunch time.

“y/n! you won’t believe it!!” chaewon shout.

“what is it?” you shout at her back even though you were sitting right in front of her.

“i found you a solution! you can get a free dorm!” she shout back.

“what!” you shout.

“can you stop shouting! for god’s sake you’re literally a 1 cm away from each other” yunjin, who was covering her ears yelled.

you and chaewon shared an eye contact and froze. yunjin is so scary when she’s angry.

“continue please” she coughed and let chaewon continue what she had to say.

“it might seem crazy what i’m about to say,” chaewon sighed, “the uni is giving away free dorms—“

“no way omg omg omg please tell me i’m dreaming this is not happening right now right this is not real righ—“

“under one condition!” she cut you off and took her phone out of her pocket to read the terms.

“in order to get a free dorm, you have to have at least one option applied ;

one, you’re younger than 18. two, you’ve been scoring A+ on ALL of your exams and three, you’re between the ages 18-25 and got married, or engaged” she finished reading and turned off her phone.

“but chaewon, i’m not younger than eighteen” you complained and rest your head on your arm who was lying on the table.

“nor scoring A+ on ALL of your exams” yunjin added.

“thanks yunjin, i needed that”

“always here to help”

“then you know what’s left” chaewon smirked and you sat up, looking at her with innocent eyes.

“no” you let out.

“oh yes”

“i have no one to marry to” you argued.

“yes you do!” yunjin replied.

“i do not!”

chaewon and yunjin raised a brow and crossed their arms, “you don’t?”

as heeseung entered the uni entrance, you ran towards his direction and stopped in front of him.

“y/n why are you still here—“

“let’s get married” you said it out loud in front of everyone who was around.

your surroundings suddenly became quiet and everyone was staring at you two, starting to whisper and waiting for heeseung’s answer.

instead of answering he grabbed your wrist and dragged you out of the entrance into a place in the garden next to the uni.

the walk there was making you so nervous and anxious, what if you were a bit too much? asking your childhood friend to marry you just to get a free dorm? are you that desperate?

when he finally stopped, he let go of your wrist and cupped your cheeks, looking straight into your eyes.

“what did you say?” he asked, his eyes looking for any sign or answer from you.

“i said, let’s get married”

heeseung could’ve swore his heart skipped a beat because he for real felt like he died at that spot.

“let me explain!” you said before he could respond.

“the uni are giving out free dorms to anyone who’s between the ages of 18-25 and is married or engaged” you sighed.

heeseung let go of his hold and sighed, looking down and closing his eyes.

you really didn’t mean that genuinely, did you? something in him really hoped you did.

“hee?” you asked, biting your lower lips, suddenly feeling more anxious than before

“sure, let’s get married” he chuckled.

you broke your second main wish on your list.

heeseung was just a few shifts away from getting enough money to get the both of you a place to live in, he could have told you that too, but he chose not to.

only crazy people would agree to this idea, you were so desperate that you actually just asked him to marry you, and he guessed he was one of those crazy people, because he had no idea why he said yes.

he had other way, without marrying you, but something about the idea of marrying you made him feel excited.

“i knew it i knew it! only crazy people would agr— wait what” you blinked a few times after you realized his answer.

“i said sure, let’s get married” he smiled softly and you were about to faint.

“no feelings are involved….right?” you hesitantly asked him, hoping he wouldn’t agree with you.

instead, he nodded slowly and hesitantly, “no feelings involved”

you regretted that sentence so bad because the day after, when he kneeled on one knee and held a ring out for you in front of everyone and proposed to you, your couldn’t lie to yourself anymore, you actually broke your third wish on your list a few years ago, you were in love with lee heeseung for years.

“y/l/n y/n, i have loved you ever since i can remember, i watched you grow up and grew up with you as well, i got used to being with you 24/7, i can’t see the rest of my life without you in it, will you make me the happiest man alive and agree to marry me?”

even though it was an act(according to you), it felt so real to the point where you cried and sobbed so badly, while putting on the ring he bought for you less than 24 hours ago.

it wasnt planned. the proposal wasn’t planned at all.

the plan was that you and heeseung will go to the uni secretariat and request an application for the free dorm since both of you are engaged now.

heeseung had no reason to put on this whole show and show everyone that you’re now engaged. you have no idea why he did it, and instead of getting angry at him, you fell in love with him even more.

it felt wrong, it felt not right.

but you didn’t care, you always knew your feelings for heeseung were somewhere deep inside your heart. you tried to push them away all the time, because there was no way your childhood friend, the popular boy in your highschool, the kid who grew up with you, had feelings for you.

you tried to deny your feelings but now you realized thrre was no use anymore, so you let yourself love him as much as you can.

it wasn’t the desperation that lead you to ask him to marry you, because then you’d ask literally any other guy, it was your pure love to him, to the guy who was always there for you when you needed him.

“heeseung! explain what was that!” his six other friends gathered in a circle, surrounding him and not letting him go.

“what was wha—“

“you and y/n? married?” jungwon shout.

“have you gone crazy?” jake added.

“and she said yes! something is not right” jay joined.

“yesterday you told us you have no feelings for her!” sunoo remarked.

“you didn’t even believe us when we told you she’s obviously in love with you” sunghoon tsked.

“something isn’t sitting right to me” ni-ki gasped.

“explain now!” they all said at the same time.

“calm down!” heeseung coughed, “i’ll explain to you everything later”

by later he meant after classes, at his house, together with you and your friends yunjin and chaewon.

“yunjin, chaewon” heeseung nodded at your friends.

“lee heeseung” they glared at him.

“come on! both of you knew about it even before” you pleaded.

“doesn’t change the fact that he’ll be stealing you from us now” they rolled their eyes.

“i’m still so confused” ni-ki tried to quicken everyone and get to the point.

“me and y/n are getting married—“

“yeah no shit sherlock” sunghoon cute him off and heeseung glared at him.

“anyway, y/n would you like the explain why?” he turned to you and smiled.

“the uni is giving away free dorms to married couples between 18-25 so—“

“you decided to get married to get a free dorm” jay finished your sentence.

“have you gone mad? heeseung worked his ass to get enough money to get the dorms for the bo— mhhhhmmm!!!” sunoo roamed but jake covered his mouth before he could continue.

“sunoo!!” jake coughed and turned to you with a smile, “don’t mind him he’s been stressed from work and uni lately”

the rest of you giggled awkwardly and tried to ease the atmosphere.

after you yunjin and chaewon left, the boys stayed with heeseung, looking at him with concern.

“what?” heeseung looked at them back with his bambi eyes.

“i don’t know hee, it feels like….she’s kind of using you” sunghoon spoke, jay slapped his arm and he whined.

“he’s right though, marrying you only to get a dorm is quite crazy” jungwon nodded.

“he’s even crazier for actually agreeing to all of this” ni-ki said and jake shushed him.

“ni-ki is right, i am crazy, i have no idea why i said yes but she wasn’t forcing anything on me” heeseung shrugged, “besides, i’ve liked her for so many years so—“

“ah ha!! we knew it!” they all said at the same time and heeseung sighed. what have he got himself into?

after everyone left, heeseung texted you, asking you to meet him in your usual spot.

you got ready and for the first time, you took a while to do so.

you stared at yourself in the mirror a few times and even checked different outfits. this has never happened to you ever before, especially not when you knew that you’re going to see heeseung.

heeseung saw you at your worst, why are you dressing up for him now then?

“i must be crazy, crazy crazy!” you shook away your thoughts and got out to meet your soon-to-be-husband.

“hee!” you saw his back facing you and as soon as he turned around you froze.

did he dress up for you too? why does he look so breathtaking suddenly? his bambi eyes match the rest of his beautiful features on his face so much, you’ve seen this man grow up, you know every detail about his face and you couldn’t explain why it was so sudden that you got caught by surprise because of his beauties.

shaking away your thoughts, you walked closer to him and smiled.

“hey hubby” you grinned.

“hubby?” he asked.

“a new nickname for my soon-to-be-husband” you chuckled and he nodded.

“i actually thought about something,” he turned to you, “our parents will figure it out sooner or later, should we tell them the truth or—“

“no, let them believe we’re getting married without any reason other than being in love”

you have no idea why you just said that. but you hid your face as soon as you realized what just came out of your mouth.

heeseung felt too flattered and suddenly didn’t know what to say. you keep on making him speechless.

“ahem,” he cleared his throat, “you do know that they’ll probably rush out things and even take the wedding plan to their own hands“

i don’t care, i’d like to marry you and spend the rest of my life with you as soon as i can. is what you wanted to say, but you couldn’t bring yourself to do so.

“y/n?” he asked. he noticed you were too deep in thoughts and waited for you to come back to sense.

“i’m aware” you nodded, “i’ve also got a text from the uni, we’ll be getting our dorm in the next week, so we should start preparing”

heeseung nodded and looked at you. you were suddenly feeling so nervous and shy to share an eye contact with him, so you broke it as he just kept staring at you and taking in your beauty.

“hey y/n” he said, “hm?”

“i don’t mind marrying you and spending the rest of my life being married to you”

you looked over him and he had the genuinest smile you’ve ever seen.

it felt like the world had froze, and the snow that was falling suddenly stopped, it felt like it was just the two of you in this whole world.

“YOU’RE GETTING WHAT?” your mother yelled.

you and heeseung planned a dinner with both of your parents, to announce the big news.

things became quite awkward between the two of you, ever since your last encounter with him you could barely face him.

his sudden confession freaked you out and the only thing that came out of your mouth was “oh, okay” in the most dry way ever.

you wanted to tell him you feel the same, you wanted to tell him that you’ve been in love with him ever since forever. but one moment that caught you off guard ruined your chance.

you were stupid, stupid and idiot. heeseung probably thinks you hate his guts now.

heeseung in the meantime felt like he was breaking apart slowly. oh, okay?? that’s all you had to answer?

he felt dumb, he felt hopeless. the confession was completely out of the blue and unplanned, your beauty hypnotized him and he was so mesmerized by you that the words just came out of his mouth naturally.

what if you hate his guts now? what if he made you uncomfortable? what if you’ll regret it the last minute because you weren’t feeling the same about him?

all of those questions were eating him alive, and you didn’t help either. each time he came up to you, you were suddenly in rush and told him you have to go, it was breaking him inside slowly.

the dinner was one chance to finally talk with you again.

“married, mom. we’re getting married” you repeat what you already said a few seconds ago.

“when? where? how?” heeseung’s mother asked.

heeseung looked at you and smiled warmly, “it just happened, we’ve been together ever since childhood, it already felt like being in a relationship for so long, so we decided to marry each other” he chuckled and held your hand tightly, “to belong to each other until the day we die”

your parents looked at the both of you. you were sharing eye contact for so long, with heeseung smiling at you, looking deep into your eyes, and with you looking at him with nothing but pure love in your eyes that was making everyone in the room feel so jealous of you two.

“now kiss!” your mother said.

you and heeseung broke the eye contact and blinked a few times.

“what?” you asked.

“kiss then! i want to picture it and keep it in my photo gallery forever!” his mother added.

you were about to speak up until heeseung held your cheek to turn you to face him and it was only a matter of seconds until you felt his lips on yours.

it was your first kiss ever, your first time kissing someone, and it was his as well, but he lead you on so good that it made it look less awkward.

you were his first kiss. you, his childhood friend, stole his first kiss.

“we knew that it’ll happen one day!!” your mothers cheered, “we even have a whole wedding plan ready!!”

you and heeseung broke the kiss and shared an eye contact again.

you didn’t need to hear him say to know how much love he holds for you, and how he cherishes you so much.

and your eyes told him everything, they held the answers to all of the questions that bothered him. you love him as much as he loves you.

“i can’t believe you’re getting married, my little angels” your parents cried altogether which made heeseung let go of his hold on you and grab some tissues to wipe their tears.

“i love that ring by the way! heeseung you did a great job” your mother gave him thumbs up and he chuckled.

if only she knew that it was a ring he bought you in less than 24 hours and even rushed your friends to come with him and help him pick it only because he wanted his whole life to properly propose you.

it was a moving day already and your parents helped you pack every last thing, they even cried through the way, how could their princess leave them so fast?

“you can visit our house anytime!” you tried to comfort them.

“we’ll update you before that, we don’t want to catch you while doing the thing you know” your mother winked and you rolled your eyes, “mom!”

“i see you’re all packed and ready” heeseung came in to check on you.

“she is! take her away already!” your mother complained.

“not before you take this with you!” she went away for a few seconds and came back with a huge wrapped photo frame.

“don’t open it yet!! only when you get into your new house and get everything in place!!” she excitedly hugged the both of you and you nodded.

moving in was quite rough, you had a lot of boxes to unpack and organized, and you and heeseung never felt more awkward after the first kiss you shared.

you’ve barely spoke with each other and your friends were starting to get concerned.

“he told me he doesn’t mind marrying me and spending the rest of his life with me” you pout.

yunjin and chaewon shout and giggled, “girl! he’s more than in love with you!! he’s lovesick!!” they both said.

“what did you answer then?” yunjin asked.

“i told him okay” you smacked your head on the table.

“no way” chaewon gasped.

“yes way” you whined.

“you’re stupid!!” they both smacked you.

“then!!” you shout, “we had our first kiss on dinner in front of our parents” you whispered that part.

“what did you say? couldn’t hear you” chaewon said.

“oh she said that they shared their first kiss on dinner with their— YOU HAD YOUR FIRST KISS WITH HEESEUNG??” yunjin’s eyes widened.

“what happened after that?” chaewon asked curiously.

“we just finished dinner, and now we barely even talk” you sighed, “each time i see him i’m just blushing and running away, i can’t face him!”

“you have to!! you’re moving in soon!!” yunjin argued and chaewon nodded.

“it’ll be the death of me” you sobbed and they chuckled.

you were right at first, but slowly and surely heeseung made a joke and both of you got back to normal in no time, as if nothing happened between you two.

you even helped him organizing his closet and his room, and he did the same.

after a long day you and heeseung finally laid down on your now shared sofa.

“it’s been a rough day” you sighed.

“should we order something?” he suggested and you nodded immediately. you ended up ordering your favorite food.

“let’s open up the picture!!” you said and grabbed the picture your mom gave you earlier today.

you and heeseung both unwrapped it together and revealed an old picture of you and heeseung hugging each other with a huge smile on your faces.

“look at us then and look at us now” he giggled.

both of you hanged the picture right above your sofa and kept staring at it for a while.

“hey hee,” you spoke, “yeah?”

“i wouldn’t mind marrying you and spending the rest of my days with you too” you turned to him, “until the day i die”

“is that your way of telling me you love me too?” heeseung froze for a second. you caught him off guard for the countless time already.

although he understood very clearly your feelings after you shared your first kiss, hearing your words made his heart beat fast.

it was a confirmation for him that all of his feelings for you were actually mutual all this time.

instead of answering his questions you grabbed his shirt and kissed him.

he put his hands around your waist and pushed you closer to him, holding you tightly as if he’s too scared to let you go.

breaking off the kiss was hard, but the lack of oxygen was kicking in, you pressed your foreheads together, still with your eyes closed.

“does that answer your question?” you giggled and you felt him smiling.

“i don’t think so, i need a bit more of it to feel certain” he teased and you tsked.

“i don’t need to be in a relationship with you to feel certain about my feelings and my willingness to marry you, i want to spend my life with you, i love you” you said and pecked his lips.

“i love you too, y/n” he pecked your lips again and it suddenly got into a fight between you two about who pecks the other more, until it ended up in a long, deep kiss.

“so let me get this straight. you and heeseung had been in denial for many many years and manipulated yourself into thinking that you don’t like each other at all at all, then when y/n’s desperate and broke ass heard of a chance to get a free dorm by getting married, she went up to you, heeseung, and asked her to marry you, you agreed to the proposal because at one point you stopped lying to yourself and realized you’re actually lovesick, and the rest is history” ni-ki finally breathed out after almost rapping this whole story.

“by history i mean y/n waking up from her denial and realizing her feelings to you” he added.

“yes, exactly” heeseung nodded and you chuckled.

you were sitting together with your friends on one table, yunjin and chaewon who were already aware of the story added a few notes here and there as ni-ki summarized your whole story.

“this is a story to tell your children” jay smiled and the rest nodded.

“we’re not planning to get pregnant anytime soon, we didn’t even have a wedding yet” you sighed.

“you never know y/n, you never know!” sunoo slowly nodded.

“why did you say that as if you went through something familiar” jungwon teased.

“you never know y/n, you never know!” sunghoon mocked sunoo.

“that was a good one!” jake laughed with him.

“children, literal children who found themselves in uni somehow” you sighed.

“at this point we won’t even need to have any children when we have them” heeseung agreed with you.

“it doesn’t matter, as long as i’m with you” you smiled and pecked his lips.

“get a room you two will you!”

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[kohamnie]

i am currently feeling deep guilt and regret for saying this

everyone hates your wide plains but tbh i dont. yeah im laughing but not at you because i dont hate you. i just think the jokes are super funny when i appreciate how your forehead reflects sunlight and im the only person who thinks that

[girlgenius1111]

stuck with me

alexia x reader

alexia and r get into an argument just before the holiday break, as the stress of ale's knee injury bubbles over. r loses... a lot of sleep over it. alexia makes it up to her, even though she really doesn't have to.

no warnings :)

To be fair to Alexia, she didn't know you had sleep issues. How could she, when she'd practically been the cure for them? You'd had sleep problems long before you'd gotten together with Alexia, but they had... stopped, magically, when you started sharing a bed. Neither of you spent many nights alone once you got together, so most nights, you slept well, curled up against your steady, dependable girlfriend.

The exceptions were, obviously, when you went home for breaks without her and when you both had to go on national duty. You slept fine at home, away from the stresses of your job, in the comfort of the place you'd grown up in. Normally.

And in regards to national duty, you were lucky to have incredibly teammates. Lucy knew of your problem, and also knew that sleeping in the same bed as someone else was helpful. It wasn't Alexia, and it wasn't perfect, but you slept. You knew you'd have to find a solution when [if] Lucy retired, but for now, there was no reason why you'd spend more than the odd night without Alexia.

That was, of course, until her knee re-injury. Before the following surgery and holiday break. And the not insignificant fight that you'd gotten into with her around that time. It was a tough time for her, you knew, and she was coping with it the best she could. You'd been hovering over her, you knew that too.

You were just so worried, all the time. Alexia was so miserable not being able to play, so frustrated with her knee that sometimes you thought she was finally just going to breakdown and herself feel it all. She never did, though. Not until the day her and the medical team had decided on surgery. It was a few days before you were do back in England for the holidays, and you'd already been considering cancelling, and staying with your girlfriend. She needed you, physically and emotionally.

You really should have waited to bring up your plans to stay until she was in a better mood. Instead, you'd suggested it to her over a very quiet dinner, after the date for the arthroscopy had been set.

-----

"I'm gonna cancel my plane tickets to London, I think. Stay here with you." You suggested casually.

"What?" Alexia asked, dropping her fork onto her plate with a loud clatter.

"I want to spend Christmas here. You're having surgery and-"

"No."

"No?" You said, slightly hurt by the tone of voice she was using.

"No, you have to go home and see your family. I will be fine here."

"Ale, I want to be here."

"I do not need you here." Alexia said finally, avoiding your gaze. You knew she didn't mean it; she was in pain, frustrated, anxious, and trying not to inconvenience you. Still, you felt your eyes fill with tears at the rejection, and you nodded silently, before turning back to your food. You wouldn't cry, couldn't add any more stress to Alexia's already insane load of it.

"Now you will not talk to me?" Alexia asked. You looked up at her in shock, surprised that the next words out of her mouth hadn't been an apology.

"Just leave it, Alexia. I'll be out of your way tomorrow." You said back quietly, allowing some of the sadness you were feeling seep into your voice.

"Do not be like that. You tell me all the time to tell you what I need, and what I need is for you to go to England and see your family."

"Alright, Ale. I got it. You want me to go, I understand." You tried your hardest to keep your voice steady, but it still shook towards the end of the sentence.

"Amor, stop. That is not what I am saying and you know it," Alexia argued.

"I don't really know what you're saying, Alexia. It sounds like you want me to go."

Alexia exhaled loudly, before pushing her chair away from the table and standing up.

"I cannot deal with you if you are going to be like this." She snapped, before slamming her plate into the sink and marching off to the bedroom.

You didn't understand, not really. It seemed like she didn't want you here. Because that's exactly what she had been saying to you. You knew it wasn't really you that was the problem, it was Alexia's inability to allow you to see how upset she was.

This was reinforced when you went into the bedroom a little while later to pack. The shower was on, but you could still hear her crying over the soft patter of water. You knocked on the door, prepared to let the fight go in favor of making sure she was okay, but the little whimpers and shaky breaths cut off abruptly, and she didn't say anything else.

She kept you at arms length for the rest of the night, only speaking when she asked you to come to bed, an olive branch she was extending. You did, but you both kept to your own sides of the bed. You didn't sleep well that night.

Alexia hugged you goodbye the next day at the airport, and you thought she held you a bit tighter than normal. She handed you a little note, requested that you read it on the plane, and softly kissed your cheek, before allowing you to go through security.

The note had been a lengthy apology, scrawled in her familiar loopy, messy handwriting, confirming that everything you thought was going on with her was correct. She was stressed, she didn't want you to worry, or change your plans for her. She shouldn't have yelled, or been so cruel, and she hadn't meant it. She loved you. So much, she said. Things would be better after her surgery.

You'd thanked her for her apology once you'd landed. You'd spoken, often, since then, but there was still so much tension. You were both busy with family, and there wasn't really any time to have an in depth conversation about what had transpired.

You knew the surgery had gone well, they'd fixed the problem, and that Alexia was doing much better. The second part wasn't something that she had to tell you, it was obvious in the increase in texts, and the mushiness that she included. Whenever she went through a hard time, she closed herself off, and when it ended, she'd always overcompensate, feeling guilty, until she went back to normal. That was Alexia, and you loved her.

-----

The biggest casualty of this fight was, unfortunately, your sleep. You struggled while you were home, when normally, you slept fine there. Obviously not as well as when you were with Alexia, but fine. This time, though, you barely slept. Nothing worked, and the only time you were able to sleep was when your body literally shut down, forcing you to sleep for a few hours every other day or so. You were sure it was because of this unresolved fight, and you knew that once you physically saw your girlfriend, you'd be fine. Especially once you could go back to falling asleep on her chest, the steady beat of her heart making you feel warm, and safe, and comfortable.

This was why you'd cut your trip short, and were currently touching down in Spain, a full 5 days before you were supposed to return home. That, and you missed Alexia. You knew she was slightly confused; you'd been weirdly distant while you'd been gone, because you were exhausted, but she didn't know that. She assumed you were mad, until you told her you were coming home early. After that, she gave up trying to figure out what was going on with you, and focused herself on cleaning the apartment, going grocery shopping for all your favorite things, and buying you flowers. She'd been awful, she knew it, and she was determined to make it up to you.

-----

Alexia was waiting for you by baggage claim; you saw her once you got halfway down the escalator. She was leaned against the wall, baseball cap sat over her blonde hair. She was wearing an old England sweatshirt of yours, and you couldn't help the grin that your lips lifted into at the sight. Your beautiful, perfect, girlfriend, head on an absolute swivel, determined not to miss you.

You saw the moment she she saw you, too, her lips turning up at the corners, shifting her weight from foot to foot as if she could barely contain herself from running to you, which she wasn't yet supposed to do. You got down the escalator and over to her in probably an embarrassingly short amount of time, taking care not to put too much of your weight on her, minding her healing knee.

"Amor," she sighed into your hair, arms holding you almost painfully tight.

"Hi, beautiful," you said back, words almost swallowed by her [your] sweatshirt, and the noisy crowds around you.

"Te extrañé mucho de menos," Alexia murmured, pulling back from the hug to pull you in for a kiss. She froze, however, eyebrows scrunching adorably, as she finally got a good look at your face. You knew what she was looking at. "Are you sick?" She asked, feeling your forehead with the back of her hand.

"No, not sick. Just a little tired."

She looked at you skeptically, hand unmoving from your forehead until you pushed it away and leaned up, pursing your lips expectantly. She smiled, finally meeting your lips in a sweet kiss. She pulled away much to soon in your opinion, laughing at your disgruntled expression.

"You need sleep, amor. We can go home and you can rest. Once you sleep, I will give you all the kisses you want, okay?"

"Fineeee," you sighed, allowing Alexia to take your hand, and lead you off to find your bag. She insisted on wheeling it out to the car, even though she was actively recovering from surgery, but she seemed determined to spoil you today.

You sat in content silence in the car, your girlfriend's hand intertwined with yours. You felt that you should have been sleepy, but you were completely wired, eyes open wide, tapping your knee repetitively.

"Do you want to tell me what is going on?" Alexia asked finally, about 10 minutes into the drive. She glanced at you out of the corner of her eye, spotting the way you went rigid at her question.

"What do you mean?"

"Amor, come on. You look like you have not slept in days." Your only response is a shrug, as you turn your attention out the window.

"Hey. Why did you not sleep?" Alexia insisted, pulling on your hand to get you to pay attention to her.

"I missed you." You replied finally, feeling Alexia's hand tighten around yours.

"I missed you too. That is why you did not sleep well?"

"I... I never used to sleep very well. Until I started sleeping next to you, and then I slept fine. I normally don't have problems sleeping when I go home, though, but this time... I think I was just stressed about our argument."

"I did not know that." Alexia said quietly. "You never told me."

"I know, I know. It just didn't seem like a big deal, because it wasn't, once I was with you."

Your girlfriend looked like she had a million questions, but she didn't ask them. "I am so sorry our fight made you lose sleep. I was completely unfair to you. You do not need to worry about anything now, though, okay? I made your favorite for dinner, if you are hungry. If not, we can just go right to bed. I am yours for the rest of break, whatever you need."

"Really?"

"Really."

-----

You ate the delicious dinner Alexia had cooked, and then took a warm shower. When you got out, you noticed that Alexia had completely unpacked for you, and laid out your favorite pajamas. She was already in the bed, despite it barely being 7pm, looking adorably cozy in a big sweatshirt, the hood tugged up over her head.

"Ale, we don't need to go to sleep now, it's early, you're probably not tired." You said as you pulled the pajamas on. The exhaustion was starting to hit you, and you wanted to promise that you could stay up until a normal time, but you weren't sure you could.

"A bit tired. Whether I fall asleep or not, I want to be right here. Anyway, I should put my knee up." Alexia said dismissively, patting the bed next to her.

"Ale," you began but she shook her head.

"No arguments, bebita. Get in bed." You sighed dramatically, but did as she asked, climbing under the covers and scooting right over to Alexia, as though she was a magnet. You settled against her, shutting your eyes. You heard the lamp flick off, and felt Alexia wrap an arm around you, tugging you into her side.

You tried to fall asleep. Really, you had no idea why you couldn't. You were here, with Alexia, and you should have been able to sleep, easily, especially considering how tired you were. You couldn't manage it though, quickly getting annoyed when your brain wouldn't just turn off.

After the 6th time you shifted positions, Alexia kissed the side of your head, and spoke. "Having a hard time?"

"Yes," you mumbled, burying your face in her chest.

"Be patient. You are exhausted, you will fall asleep soon. Just relax." Alexia encouraged, rubbing a hand up and down your back.

Another 10 minutes passed, in which you felt no closer to sleep. Rolling off of Alexia with a huff, you glared up at the ceiling. Next to you, Alexia rolled onto her side, propping herself up on her elbow to gaze down at you.

"You are putting too much pressure on yourself. It is just sleeping, bonita." She said quietly, running a soft finger over your cheek.

Tears of frustration beginning to pool in your eyes. It was just sleeping. It should be easy. You were just realizing for the first time how incredibly tired you were, and how difficult the past couple days had been.

"Do not cry, por favor," Alexia pleaded.

"I can't, I can't fall asleep." Alexia looked at you sympathetically, thumbs wiping away the tears that fell. She sat both of you up after a minute. "Take off your shirt," she instructed, pulling her own over her head, leaving her with only a sports bra on.

"I'm too tired for sex," you cried, the thought only making you more upset; you had missed your girlfriend. A lot. The fact that you were too tired to do anything about it was painful.

"Not sex, amor, just take your shirt off." Alexia insisted, pulling at the hem. You did as she asked, looking rather miserable. You, too, were left in only your bra, but Alexia's eyes were only on yours as she laid back down, rolling onto her side and pulling you in so your head was pressed right over her bare chest, where her heart was.

Your body relaxed without you telling it to, the feeling of Alexia, and only Alexia, engulfing you. Your skin was pressed to hers, inhaling the soft scent of her perfume, feeling her hands rub rhythmically up and down your bare back.

"There you go," she said into your hair, feeling your body sag against hers. "Sleep for me, okay?" She asked.

You couldn't have told her no if you wanted to. Your eyes shut almost immediately, and you felt suddenly so peaceful, brain slowing down until you were only thinking about how good your girlfriend felt against you.

-----

When you woke up, you knew you'd been asleep for a while, if the amount of light flooding the room was any indication. It was bright, even with your eyes shut, which indicated that it was past noon; the sun only came in through the bedroom window after noon. Your body felt stiff but, for the first time in a while, you felt well rested. You were content to wake up slowly, enjoy the comfort of your bed

You attempted to roll over, searching for Alexia's side of the bed so you could use her pillow, (you swore it was comfier). Instead, you rolled right into Alexia herself, and heard her let out a soft laugh. You cracked your eyes open, finding Alexia laying on her back, arm still tucked around your shoulders. Her fingers flitted through your hair, and you relaxed back into her, scooting closer until your head was crammed into the crook of her neck.

"Why are you still in bed?" You mumbled into her. Her body vibrated under yours as she laughed again.

"Are you complaining?" She teased, clearly referencing the way you'd moved yourself so that every part of your body possible was be touching hers.

"No. It has to be late, though. You've been sleeping fine, you didn't have to stay in bed with me." You told her.

"I always sleep better with you, amor. I wanted you to rest, as much as you needed. You are cute when you sleep, anyway. Your nose scrunches up and you make little sounds when you roll around." Alexia murmured into your hair, and you didn't have to see her face to know she was blushing at the information she'd just revealed.

You left a kiss on her neck, before pulling away so you could see her face. "What time is it?"

Alexia didn't say anything, a slightly guilty expression on her face.

"Alexia Putellas, what time is it?" You demanded.

"3PM." She told you quietly.

"3PM?" You shouted, sitting upright in the bed. Sure enough, the clock on the nightstand reflected the time back to you. You'd slept the whole day away. Two of you didn't have any plans, but still.

"How much did you sleep while you were gone? Really, amor? The least I could do was help you rest." Alexia avoided your eyes.

"What do you mean the least you could do?" You asked, softening your tone.

"I was so horrible to you before you left. And then our fight made you not sleep well," the blonde explained, looking miserable.

"And you apologized, Ale. You were under a lot of stress, I get it." You really weren't mad anymore.

"No, that is not good enough. I have to make it up to you. I wanted you here with me, more than anything, but you have already done so much, and I did not want to ruin your Christmas." Alexia insisted, getting seemingly worked up.

"Alexia, I understand. You said all of this in your note."

"I want to say it again." Alexia said stubbornly, crossing her arms across her chest.

"Look at me." You instructed, turning face towards you with a hand on her cheek when she refused. Her eyes were glossy with unshed tears. "Amor, I forgive you. I told you I forgave you, when I read your letter. Do you not believe me?" You wondered, as your girlfriend didn't look the least bit relieved at you letting her off the hook.

"I believe you, it is just that...no se como decirlo." She sighed.

"Try, please. We've fought before, Alexia, worse than this. What is it about this one that is making you so upset?" You pressed, not relenting even as she shrugged in response.

"I do not want to lose you," Alexia whispered finally, a single tear sliding down her face, as she clenched her jaw, trying to keep together.

"Baby, you are not going to lose me." You promised, moving closer to take her hand in yours. "I knew you didn't mean what you said. You apologized, Alexia, it was just a stupid fight. We got past it, just like we'll get past every fight. Always."

"But what if I push you away again? And you get tired of it, and leave?"

"You could never push me away. I might give you space when you need it, but I will always be here for you. Even when you try to pretend you don't need me. I could never get tired of you, Alexia, and I could never leave you. Ever." You said the words slowly, trying to gauge if she believed you or not.

Although she looked slightly unsure, she did look less upset than she had a minute ago, her face relaxing somewhat as she finally look into your eyes.

"You're stuck me with, Ale. For as long as you want me." Alexia let out a wet laugh.

"I will always want you." She said, pulling you in closer to press her lips to yours. The kiss grew heated quickly, until you were straddling her lap, checking multiple times that her knee was unbothered by the position. She promised that it was fine, distracting you by sliding her hands up your sides, and pulling you back in for another messy kiss.

"Alexia, that is not exactly what I meant," you joked, pulling away briefly as she pulled your bra over your head.

"Me neither, but it has been days, and I have missed you. Let me show you how much I have missed you. Please?" Alexia asked, surprisingly shy as she ran her hand up and down your abdomen, teasing at the hem of your shorts.

You leaned in, you agreement clear in the way your lips met hers, tongue slipping in after a minute. As if you'd ever say no to that offer. You don't think you'd ever say no to anything Alexia asked you. Your love for her was the kind that transcended every issue that could possibly come up. It was you and her, forever.

-----

inspired by my inability to sleep <3 [and my deep belief that sleeping next to a pretty girl would solve all my problems]

[wolfiesmoon]

Dark chocolate

Reo x fem!reader

He could have anything he ever wanted, but the one thing he can't buy with money is your heart (can you tell this is yet another nerd girl x popular boy nuisances to mutual crush fic)

HAhah my blue lock debut🥳🥳🥳i'm making back to back fandom debuts

@noomon since you asked to be tagged (* ´ ▽ ` *)

It almost feels like he gets a new confession every day. It's safe to say he is very popular with the girls at this school. Even if it is for mostly shallow reasons.

Day after day, he receives a letter in his locker, asking him to meet behind the gym or something like that.

But the thing is, he isn't interested in any of these people. So he doesn't even give them the time of day.

The only one he's interested in is you, a girl in his class. But what is he to do when you never give him the time of day?

To you, Reo is a massive nuisance. You have no idea what made him like you and you don't care. Because the last thing you want is a stuck up rich boy as your boyfriend.

You came to this school to study and nothing more. You're not here to date or whatever else school isn't meant for.

(One exception is your singular friend.)

But no matter what, he never seems to give up on chasing after you. Even though there are far more beautiful and willing girls for him to date.

"Girl, just give him a chance. He's only got eyes for you." your friend nudged you as the two of you were eating lunch.

"And give in to him? Are you crazy?" you said with a straight face, continuing to eat.

"Oh, sorry. I only forgot that I'm friends with the most petty stubborn person in the world." your friend rolled her eyes, not understanding why you keep on rejecting Reo. He's rich, he's popular, so what's the hold up?

"Seriously, you're not 'giving in' to anything if you accept his confession."

"But I am losing my pride and my dignity. By the way, your food's getting cold." you replied simply, already getting a bit annoyed that your friend won't shut up about him.

"Girl, I lose hope in your romantic future every day."

"Good."

.

"Hi." he greets you at the school gate, as he does every day. And you ignore him, as you do every day.

"It's rude to ignore someone, you know that?" he joined you by your side and you just subtly rolled your eyes. You don't have time for this today, you have an early library study session to be getting to.

"My answer is no." you crossed your arms.

"I didn't even say anything, though." he gave you that stupid wide smile that you hate looking at so much. It's annoying how... uhh, above average his looks are.

"Would it kill you to stop bothering me?" you finally asked what you've been wanting to for the past few months. You have no idea how it took you so long to be harsh and honest about your feelings.

"What? I'm not bothering you." you had no idea if he was actually this dense or just pretending to be. You don't know him all too well, after all. But considering the fact that he's a student at this prestigious prep school, you think it's the second one. Unless his parents bribed the school to let him in.

"Seriously? Just leave me alone. I am not interested." it kind of felt good to admit that out loud. Directly, with no sweetened phrases to lessen the blow.

He looked away for a second. "Sorry, it's not that easy."

You looked puzzled. His tone didn't suggest arrogance or smugness. It was a quieter and thoughtful tone, something that doesn't seem fit for a stuck up rich boy.

How... strange. No, wait, what do you care?!

"You're... different. Unlike any other girl in this school." the strange tone still remained.

"Yeah, yeah, whatever you say." you sped up your steps, leaving him behind. You missed the worried look that crossed his face for a moment. To you, those words must have seemed like empty flirty comments.

But he meant it. You're a challenge to win over. To win over. Not take. You're the one girl in this school who won't just throw herself at him and somehow, that made him fall for you beyond belief.

Seeing as all you do is study and occasionally share a few words with your friend, he had a feeling boys weren't a priority for you from the very beginning.

But he'll make one boy a priority for you. Himself, of course. And he'll go through any means to achieve that goal.

.

"Girl, valentine's day is almost here!" your friend shook your shoulders, taking your attention from the notebook you were dutifully reading.

"So?"

"So, I am TOTALLY making chocolates for my crush and you should join me." she shook you again, making you furrow your brows in annoyance.

"Why? I have no one to give chocolate to."

Your friend smirked.

"No. No, absolutely not." you immediately shot her down, already knowing who she was talking about.

"Oh come on, you can still spend ungodly amounts of time studying while having a boyfriend. A hot rich boyfriend, at that." you weren't sure if she was doing this out of free will or if Reo was bribing her with copious amounts of money to get her to say this.

You sighed. You had a feeling your friend was going to be extra stubborn about this for the entire week leading up to valentine's day if you said no right now.

Your best choice was to resign to her and make chocolate for Reo.

And besides, you can just leave the chocolate on his desk anonymously if you come to school early. They don't mean anything to you, anyways.

"...Fine. But don't get any ideas, I'm only doing this because you would annoy me if I didn't." you raised the notebook back up, indicating the end of the conversation. You watched your friend jump with glee out of the corner of your eye.

.

"You should totally make dark chocolate for him." your friend suggested out of the blue as you were collecting the stuff you need to make chocolate.

"What does it matter?" you sighed, wondering what stupid reason your friend had this time.

"Dark chocolate seems more luxurious, don't you think? And besides, I heard that Reo isn't big into sweets. I'm sure he'd enjoy something healthier." she reasoned, seeming proud.

You pulled out your phone. "Hey, what are you looking at your phone for?!" your friend asked, offended that you aren't looking for the perfect meltable chocolate with her.

"Oh, nothing, just looking up the most sugary kind of chocolate." you shrugged.

"Damn, you're evil. Mikage-san's fallen for a baaaad one." your friend hit you lightly, feeling a little bad for Reo.

You looked at the meltable white chocolate on the store shelf, then at the meltable dark chocolate right next to it. You have no idea what possesed you in that moment, but your hand instantly reached for the dark chocolate.

You had to ignore your friend's smirking throughout the rest of the shopping trip.

.

"There! Ahh, these look so cute! All those tutorials helped out A LOT! My crush will totally fall for me after eating these!" your friend kept on gushing at the chocolates the two of you made.

"Mine are very sloppy." it was just a simple observation on your end, but to your friend it must have sounded like a discouraged comment.

"It's okay, girl! I'm sure he'll love them regardless of how they look!" she hugged you, patting your back encouragingly. Sadly, you don't have the heart to tell her that you'll just drop them off anonymously without a care in the world.

But, somehow... that seems wrong to you. Should you do that?

Dammit, this is all messing with your head. Who cares about Reo?! You're just doing this to appease your friend, nothing more.

.

"So, the day is finally here, huh?" your friend surprised you from behind just as you were about to leave the chocolate on Reo's desk.

"W-What are you doing here so early?" you quickly hid away the little box of chocolates, trying your best to act normally.

"Oooh, are we nervous?" your friend smirked.

"Speak for yourself. And answer my question while you're at it." you retorted, clearing your throat. That was far too close. But, how are you going to get rid of this chocolate without giving it to Reo directly and convincing your friend you did all at the same time?

Maybe you should just give up and do it. But your pride just won't let it happen. Not like this...

Later that day, you walked past Reo as he was receiving chocolates from two other girls. However, his eyes were on you the entire time. He seemed to be looking at you with expectation and you grit your teeth at the fact that he is, in fact, correct in expecting a valentine's gift from you.

As you turned the corner, your friend was waiting for you behind it. "What are you waiting for, girl? He's all alone now."

The girls that gave him the gifts seem to have already left. Oh no, this isn't good at all.

"Listen, I-"

"Oh hell no, you are not running away this time. Now go out there and make things happen!" your friend pushed you out from behind the corner, with you almost bumping into Reo.

"Hi!" he greeted you, a little more cheerfully than usual.

"Hello." you forced a smile. You silently took out the chocolate and handed it to him. You watched his eyes travel down to the chocolate and then widen.

"Wait... for me? Seriously?" He took the chocolate out of your hands, smiling happily. His cheeks seemed to be turning a pretty shade of pink, too.

His face isn't half bad when it looks like that, you must admit. Though, that doesn't mean anything. Reo's just handsome in general, that face is meaningless to you.

"Don't get any ideas. I'm only doing this out of obligation." you ignored the daggers being shot at you from behind. You can already imagine the earful you'll get from your friend.

"That just means I'll have to try harder, though." he gave you a big, wide smile. The kind that you've never seen on a guy in real life before. But to be fair, you don't look at guys all that much.

Still... Why is your heart beating so fast right now?

oh my god this turned into a whole essay LMAOOO

[somewhereincairparavel]

okay. So I've finished book 1 of keeper of the lost cities for the first time. And I'm loving this keefe dude already?? Like I never thought I'd like a fictional character so quickly. All it took was like one page for me to fall for him, I am aware that keefe is one of the most loved characters in the fandom, and I can see why (correct me if I'm wrong).

Also the book is a solid 9.5/10, the only thing I was frustrated about was probably the slight info dumping about the whole blackswan thing towards the end? because it took me like 3 reads to understand the whole situation, of course, we could just narrow it down to me being slow too, lol. But I'm VERY excited to continue reading the rest. So while we're at it, I'll put in my first impressions of the characters, so I can look back on it after I've read all the books, to see how much my perception has changed of them.

Sophie- i like her, she's really mature for her age, I keep forgetting that she's like 12 lmao. But she's well written, her emotions seem very raw and natural. Of course, she may seem overpowered but, I think that's the whole point of the story, she is supposed to be overpowered, so I don't mind and i wouldn't call her a Mary sue. Overall great protagonist, my girlie deserves a break tho, she got dumped in the hospital atleast 6 times lol.

Fitz- i actually think he's cool. I liked him better in the beginning of the story tho, I feel like afterwards, the dude kinda just disappeared a little? Keefe and Sophie seemed to have more private interaction than those two, and keefe literally only came by in the middle. But yeah, I feel like he had more of a personality in the start. Keefe and Dex, in my opinion had more personality in 5 minutes than fitz did the whole book, but I wouldn't judge so quickly, it's only the first book after all, Hopefully he'd have more page time in the later books. I still like him tho, just not as much as keefe.

Dex- Yeah he is such a typical best friend, I love him. His beef w the vackers is so funny lol I was relieved when Sophie stuck with him even after she became popular tho, also, he seems to have a crush on sophie right? It's kinda obvious, but overall friendship goals 10/10. I vocally "AWW-ed" after he said "are you kidding, i can't wait to tell everyone that you're my first friend" like I need a guy bestie like him :(

Alden- honestly, my heart warmed so much with his father-like dynamic with sophie tbh. He seemed to genuinely care about her well being, but I don't want to get too attached to him tho, just in case becomes a traitor or some shit later on, you can literally never tell with the adults lol. I've read enough books to back that up. But yeah, i really like him and della, the amount of reassuring hugs he gives sophie really heals me :(, They're like sophies 2nd (well, in her case, 3rd) parents. The amount of effort and lengths Alden put to get her out of trouble is actually sweet.

Elwin- This guy is such a W. He is like an adult keefe tbh. He is probably my favorite adult so far lol.

Cassius- I'm sorry, but Mr jerk face over here reminds me SO much of Lucius Malfoy??? Like ?? I feel so bad for Keefe, like poor baby leave him alone smh. I really wanna deck his royal highness in the face tbh.

Biana- absolutely loathed her in the beginning, she gave off such bad snob vibes lol but I love her now. I like the trope of two people forced to be friends w eachother by someone actually end up becoming friends. It's rather uncommon as far as I've read, atleast.

Grady and Edaline- is it bad that i thought they were going to be evil? Yeah I have so much trust issues, it's concerning. But yeah, they're both big W's, their backstory, their temporary contemplation to reject sophies adoption, everything aligned well with their backstory. Greatly written characters.

And last but not least, the king himself, Keefe- okay, he's like added to my list of fictional crushes now lol (along with Percy Jackson, Jason grace, Steve Harrington, chat noir, Eugene fitzherbert, edmund pevensie and Ravi singh ofc). How does sophie not have a fat crush on him, like- ma'am if you don't want him, I'll take him. But jokes aside, he feels like the most authentic character out of them all, tbh. Epitome of great writing. He was inserted to the story as this random dude that sophie runs into, and becomes an og in like 5 minutes. He is like a mix of Eugene from tangled, Kristoff from Frozen and chat noir from mlb all at the same time?? I cannot wait to see more of him and his backstory, especially with his parents. I know alot of people dislike the humorous guy with depression trope since it's overused, but I like how it played out on keefe, he uses school as an escape, which is very relatable.

Also, bonus, i LOVE the world building, the light leaping and all, very creative. I cannot wait to get my hands on book 2

[moutainrusing]

aphrodite’s anger

“You have angered Aphrodite,” the Goddess Athena stated, lips pressed into a thin line as she stared at the subject of her patronage, Remus, who was scribbling away ardently on a piece of parchment at the rickety wooden desk by the slit-sized window.

He looked up with a furrowed brow, then squinted slightly as the sunlight shining through the slit hit his eyes. “How?”

Athena shot him a withering look. “I don’t know how to make this more overt. You are Remus Lupin. You are brilliantly sharp-witted and daring. You should therefore be living life to its fullest, taking courageous risks, making wild discoveries… and yet, you insist on cooping yourself up inside this shambolic shack, doing absolutely nothing. I only remain your patron in the hope that you somehow unlock your potential.”

Remus blinked. “Um. Sorry. Thank you, Goddess. But… how does this affect the Goddess Aphrodite?”

If possible, Athena looked even more annoyed. “Aphrodite does not understand why I stick with you. She has seen you rejecting adventure, never utilising your power, and, worst of all, seen you turn down love. She’s furious.”

“Oh.” Remus paused. “When did I ever turn down love?”

Athena looked like she was combusting out of frustration. She gritted her teeth. “I have helped you all I can. It is not my fault you are oblivious.” With that, she disappeared, leaving Remus to his old, derelict hut.

He wasn’t alone for long though, because only a few seconds later, the fisherman from the other side of the island swung the door open, calling, “Come out for a stroll, my love!”

Remus rolled his eyes. “For the last time, Sirius, I am not your love.”

Sirius mock-pouted. “Fine. But it’s not healthy to just stay in here all day! Come down to the coast, Remus.”

“I’ll pass.”

Sirius frowned. “What’s wrong?”

“…Nothing? Don’t I always turn you down?”

Sirius shrugged. “Yes. But usually you only look slightly pathetic, still convinced that you’re happy to live vicariously through your imaginary stories,” he explained, gesturing to the scrolls strewn across Remus’s shack. Remus frowned, but before he could defend himself, Sirius cut him off, “Now, you look like you’ve completely given up, even on your stories.”

Remus realised the truth to this observation, and he squinted at Sirius, not because of the sunlight, but because Sirius was confusing and strange and… different. A good different. A different which made Remus want to explore it, except Remus wasn’t an explorer, no matter how much Athena insisted he was. Really, he didn’t know why the Goddess still stuck with him. Or why Sirius did, still barging into his hut every evening without fail.

Finally, he admitted, “No point in writing anymore.” He shrugged in the most careless manner he could muster. “The Goddess Aphrodite is angry with me.”

He glanced up at Sirius, whose face had immediately fallen. In fact, Sirius had completely deflated, no longer looking animated and cheerful, just lost, like he’d been punched in the gut.

Quickly, Remus added, “Don’t worry, I’m sure it’s all fine. I’m fine.”

Then Sirius broke out of his frozen state, and threw himself at Remus, gripping him by the shoulders, shaking him, hugging him, vociferating, “No, this is not fine! She could kill you! Turn you into a monster! Drive you to insanity! Remus!” Remus listlessly nodded, and Sirius sighed, slumping into Remus. “I’d still love you, though. Even if you were dead, a monster, or insane. You’re already insane.”

Remus laughed at this, gently pushing Sirius off. It was a thoughtful joke. No one could really love someone like him. He was already dead: he was barely living his life. He was already a monster: every full moon since childhood, he turned into a wolf, not that Sirius knew that. And he was already insane, yes. His mind was a mess, churning with incongruous thoughts, forever spiralling and multiplying.

He looked thoughtfully at Sirius, out of his window, at his scrolls. He decided, fuck it, I’m going to die anyway, “Could I borrow a boat from you?”

Sirius raised his eyebrows, before his face split into a beautiful beam. “Come with me, my love.”

Again, Remus rolled his eyes, but this time, he actually followed the skipping Sirius out of the hut, as he frolicked like a dog through the woods, along his well-trodden path between the coast and Remus’s shack.

Remus meandered after him much more slowly, taking in the smell of the scenery. Pine, smoke, fresh grass, soil… he hadn’t been outside in so, so long, and it really showed. He had simply locked himself up in his small wooden lodge, and stayed there, even through the full moon. Ashamedly, the only food he ever ate was the fish Sirius sometimes brought up to share, when he sacrificed his time to sit cross-legged with Remus on the stained floorboards and talk about meaningless musings. Maybe even more ashamedly, those times were Remus’s most treasured.

He made it down to the coast, where Sirius was waiting, with a huge, handsome masterpiece of a boat behind him. Its prow was a tall, regal wolf, which simultaneously terrified Remus because that couldn’t be a coincidence or maybe it could, but also made him gape in awe, because it was undeniably majestic. Who ever saw a wolf in that way? Sirius just grinned at him. “She’s been waiting for you so long, dude.”

Remus blinked. Sirius looked down at his feet and bashfully hesitated, “I— I built her while I was thinking of you, just a few months ago. I didn’t think you’d ever sail her— but, now, maybe, you… could? If you wanted. There are other boats—”

Remus pressed a finger to Sirius’s lips. To silence him, but also because he just wanted to get closer. “Sirius. I love it. Thank you. I wish I could give you something this amazing too.”

If possible, Sirius grinned at him even more than before. He burst out, “Let me come with you.”

Remus frowned. “What?”

“I want to go with you. On your journey. It can be your gift to me.”

“No, coming with me won’t be a gift. I— I’m going because… either way, I’m going to die. I might as well live a little first. But if you come with me, you’ll surely die too.”

Sirius shrugged. “What if I want to live a little with you?”

“I don’t want you to die.”

“I don’t want you to die. But everyone’s going to die at some point. So let me live with you for as long as you have left.”

“I— I want to live with you too,” Remus confessed softly, to both himself and Sirius. “But it doesn’t matter. I won’t let you come.”

Sirius’s eyes flashed. “I won’t let you go without me.”

“And how will you manage that?”

“I built the boat. I know her better than you do. Don’t think I won’t be able to sneak on.”

“I’ll kick you off.”

“You wouldn’t.”

“How do you know that?”

“Because,” and Sirius sighed, shaking his head slightly, looking up at Remus with a soft gaze, his previous temper melting. “Be safe, Remus.”

With that, he walked away, and Remus felt his chest ache, longing to reach out and pull Sirius back. But it was okay. He could now set off on his travels in solitude, like the lone wolf that he literally was. He clambered onto the boat, and realised he had no clue how to actually sail.

However, Athena was his patron for a reason, and he quickly got the hang of things. He figured out that he could untie the fabric neatly twisted around the central pole through the middle of the boat, and that it unravelled into perfectly square sheets which billowed in the direction of the wind. The boat was then propelled by the invisible force, and when the force changed direction, he could also rotate the mast so that the sails changed in the same direction.

When there was no wind, he realised how useful the oars were, and expeditiously learnt that this way meant he would go forward, this way meant he would turn left, this way meant right. He ended up in the middle of the still, open ocean, feeling incredibly accomplished. Aphrodite, he thought, I wouldn’t mind if you killed me now.

Remus stood in the middle of the deck for quite some time, arms outstretched on either side of his body as the wind blew through him, ruffling his hair and filling his nose with a pinch of salty air. He closed his eyes, relaxed, letting himself feel, without the constant pressure of thoughts.

It didn’t last long though. Because at the noise of a door banging open, his eyes immediately flew open too. Right in front of him, from a small hatch in the floorboards, three fishermen stepped out, and Remus stepped back.

“Sirius,” he stated dumbly.

Sirius grinned. “Nice to see you too, Remus. This here’s James.” He pointed to the fisherman beside him, who shared his dark hair and height, but was wildly different from him in all other aspects. While Sirius’s eyes were a metallic grey, sparkling near-white in the light, James’s were a dark brown, so dark that Remus couldn’t see what was within them. James’s hair was a bird’s nest, and Sirius’s hair was a waterfall. Sirius’s skin was pale, James’s skin was brown.

But then James smiled, “Hi,” and Remus saw it match Sirius’s mischief almost identically. This was going to be trouble. Ignoring the trouble, he turned to the other boy, raising an eyebrow.

The short, plump fisherman just hesitantly smiled at him, and Remus deemed that he was probably more sensible than the other two, but equally clueless.

“That’s Peter,” Sirius pointed. He added, “Are you going to say anything?”

Remus simultaneously wanted to remain in unresponsive silence forever, and yell his head off at Sirius. Compromising, he turned around, and said, “Get off.”

“No,” Sirius sang. “You’re stuck with us.” He paused, adding more solemnly, “We’re just here to help.”

Remus’s shoulders slumped, and he turned around in a way that he was still pointedly not looking at Sirius, but at the other two. “And you both are here because…?”

James smirked, eyeing Sirius, before saying, “We’ve heard so much about you, it’s like we know you personally. Basically, we’re already friends.”

Remus considered this, quickly realising, “You’re the two best friends Sirius is always on about!”

James muttered, “Not in the same way he’s always on about you,” while Peter smiled, asking, “So… we’re already your friends too?”

Choosing to ignore James’s nonsensical comment, he addressed Peter, shaking his head and deciding, “Yes.” Yes, they were indeed his friends.

Sirius clapped his hands together. “That was heart-warming,” he declared, juxtaposing his statement by glaring at James, for presumably more nonsensical reasons. “Anyway, we are on a mission. Onwards! I think the next island is in a couple twenty miles.”

Remus threw his head back in frustration, before turning to face Sirius, who was already glaring at him with daggers that dared, “Fight me and you’ll lose.”

“Fine,” Remus spat. “Stay and die.”

“Thank you,” Sirius spat back.

Giving up, Remus walked to the trapdoor and disappeared below deck.

“He means well,” Remus heard a voice say, maybe twenty minutes later.

He turned from one of the mattresses to see James, nearing him with an amiable smile.

Remus snorted. “To who? Himself? No, he’s going to get himself killed. To you and Peter? No, he’s put you both in danger too.”

James shrugged. “He’d never let any of us die. And he means well to you.” James then looked at Remus very intensely, and Remus’s gaze skittered across the cabin, unable to handle it. Finally, James spoke, “He loves you.”

Remus just turned around on his mattress and tried to sleep. He couldn’t. But soon, sleep didn’t matter, as the boat began to rock violently, and Remus’s mattress full-on slid to the other side of the cabin. He shot up, and hurried to the top deck, where… there was nothing. In fact, the boat was still, empty, completely silent. But before he could question everyone’s disappearance, he saw it.

The most beautiful… creature he had ever seen. He was immediately enamoured with its long, scaly body, rising up over his head as it opened its lovely jaws, which were really so mesmerising. Its roar was mellifluous. Its eyes were so yellow and shiny. The creature made him feel so calm, peaceful, and he stepped closer and closer—

“NO!” The ferocious cry cut through Remus’s thoughts. His head jerked to the side abruptly, trying to locate its source as he deliriously concluded that actually the thing that made that cry had the most mellifluous voice in the world… so magical…

The beast roared again. No, that was the prettiest—

“LEAVE HIM!” No, that was the prettiest—

Roar! No, that was the prettiest—

“YOU VILE, REPUGNANT MONSTER!” A series of grunts, accompanied by the slashing of a sword. Remus shook his head, eyes landing on Sirius as he lunged at a giant serpent, which hissing at him, poised to kill him…

Remus didn’t know what to do. Well, there was one thing. He’d never done it before. It required a very strong emotion. And Remus didn’t do strong emotions. Only, he did, he just bottled them up and pretended they didn’t exist. But, looking at Sirius, he felt it churning within him, bursting from the seams of his skin as it exploded, erupted, surged out from the depths of his heart. Love.

Yes, okay, kill him for it — he was irrevocably in love with Sirius. Happy? The wolf within him was happy, at least. He let it grip onto the powerful emotion, let it overcome him, let himself transform, forcefully, willingly, in the light of a crescent moon. Before he was fully transformed, still with a grasp on his consciousness, he leapt onto the serpent, to ensure that it was the thing he would attack.

And attack it he did. They tore at each other, roaring, howling, ripping off chunks of flesh — no worse than what Remus did to himself, really, locked up in a tiny shack. Soon the wolf realised the serpent’s weakness: every time a claw swiped near one of its eyes, it would flinch, blink rapidly, reel backward. And so, the wolf quickly pierced its two bulbous eyes with a flash of claws, and suddenly, the serpent collapsed, and both of them tumbled into the sea.

Remus transformed back as he broke the surface, broken, defeated, with viscous yellow pus coating his hands, and blood dribbling from the cuts all over his chest, swirling in the dark blue water. He didn’t have the energy to swim back up. And he wasn’t sure he wanted to, anyway. Sirius had seen him as a wolf. As soon as he emerged, he’d be slaughtered. And he wouldn’t let the man he loved get any blood on his sweet, innocent hands.

But apparently, he didn’t have a choice in the matter. Because arms were wrapping around him, pulling him up to the surface, and as soon as they reached air, he heard two desperate inhales. One was his own. The other was… Sirius.

Sirius stared at him, breathing heavily into his face, and Remus knew he was doing the exact same. Their arms were wrapped around each other, and they were impossibly close, and Sirius looked relieved, not disgusted.

“So,” Remus caught his breath. “I— I’m a werewolf.”

Sirius released a breathy laugh, gesturing to the prow piece. “I know.”

“What? And you still… did all this?”

Sirius nodded, eyes sparkling, a small, shy smile on his face.

Remus blinked, squeezing Sirius to make sure he was real, which caused Sirius’s smile to grow less shy, more wide. “But— but you called that monster,” and Remus pointed below, “vile, and—”

“Shh,” Sirius whispered, breathing into his mouth, and Remus immediately shut up. “You’re not a monster. I distinctly remember being concerned that Aphrodite would turn you into a monster. Why would I be worried about that if I thought you were one already?”

“Oh.” Remus paused. “Well, your concerns were erroneous. I think Aphrodite’s punishment was to enchant me with a monster.”

Sirius grimaced. “Don’t tell me you were in love with that thing.”

Remus shook his head. “I broke the enchantment.”

“Uh… how?”

Remus sucked in a breath. “Well, real love usually has the power to overcome fake infatuations.”

“Oh? So, who are you really in love with, then? Hmm,” Sirius teasingly pondered.

Remus tightened his hold on Sirius. “You know who.”

“I’d like to hear you say it.”

“Fine.” Remus stuck his chin up defiantly. “I’m in love with you. Happy?”

“Very,” Sirius responded, immediately crushing his lips into Remus’s.

Although Remus broke away when he felt a presence looming over them. Sirius looked dazed for a moment, before his eyes also landed on the Goddess hovering over them.

“Aphrodite,” Remus acknowledged wearily.

She simply grinned devilishly. “Finally.” And then, she grumbled, “And I suppose Athena was right about you. Daring, smart, worthy of her patronage. I thought you might let the beast kill you all. But no, Athena was right. Damn you, now I’ve lost a bet. Although I believe I’m winning the bet on Marlene and Dorcas…” With that, she disappeared.

Remus blinked, before bursting into laughter.

From above, on the deck of the boat, James and Peter looked down at them. “Should we haul them up yet?” Peter asked.

“First I have to check something,” James responded. He dramatically cupped his hands around his mouth, and yelled, “HAVE YOU TWO SNOGGED YET?!”

Remus smirked. “Not yet.” And then he captured Sirius’s mouth in his own, and they snogged senselessly.

- - -

Back on the deck of the ship, Remus sighed and said, “Well, I suppose I should return to my writing.”

All three heads whipped around to face him incredulously.

“Excuse me?” Peter burst out, while the others seemed too speechless.

Remus frowned. “What?”

“You must keep adventuring!” James eventually cried.

“Remus.” Sirius stated gravely. “You don’t need to write stories anymore. You’re living the stories. With us.”

[fandomwe1rd0]

Get in the car loser, we're overanalyzing this old man again.

Y'know the song Choice by Jack Stauber kinda fits Rick. Now I feel like this whole song can be said to fit Rick, especially considering it's less than a minute (40 seconds) but I feel like this part in particular really fits Rick:

"I am injury. No you aren't. You just made the choice to be."

Now, I think it's pretty clear that Rick sees himself, or rather, him caring about others as a virus, that infects people he loves and causes them to die, be put in danger/hurt because of him, or leave him. "Injury" but, while I would argue Rick doesn't have victim mentality (Aside from the season 6 finale) I do believe he does not take responsibility for his actions, or he simply doesn't realize that he is responsible for his own actions. I feel like Rick tends to blame others for his actions, refusing to realize that he is the author of his own misery, I mean this show basically tells us this in "Pickle Rick"

Dr Wong: "You seem to alternate between viewing your own mind as an unstoppable force, and an inescapable curse

I think that the only truly unapproachable concept for you is that it's your mind within your control, you chose to come here, you chose to talk, to belittle my vocation, just like you chose to become a pickle. You are the master of your universe, yet you are dripping in rat blood and feces, you enamorus mind literally vegetating by your own hand."

Rick thinks that there is something objectively wrong with him, and that there always was. Which is why I personally think it took till the end of season 4, when he truly realized how bad of a father he was, for him to actually attempt changing. He didn't try, because he assumed he was never able to change, to become actually healthy, he didn't think there was any chance he could've been happy, so why even try? He assumed no matter what he did, he would still be stuck in his own mind, something he sees as a curse, something unstoppable that he can never escape.

For Rick, his intelligence is truly a blessing and a curse.

He is so smart and can do almost anything, it has gone to the point where he has an enamorus ego, and sees himself as a god.

But along with that, it is the root to his misery. While Rick is the author of his misery to some extent, it is clear to pinpoint where it started. After Diane died by Rick Prime. Diane died because Rick is so smart, because a version of him found out inter dimensional travel. Even before he became the person he is today, he was the author of his own misery to an extent, considering how Rick Prime is literally a version of himself. Rick Prime is him. Rick Prime has the same ego, and the same god complex. And both of their egos are fragile.

Rick Prime killed Diane because Rick offended him by rejecting his offer, he took it as Rick, in his own word "acting like you were better" and stated this as the exact reason why he killed Diane, here is exactly what he said

Rick Prime: "If you're seeing this, you're me, but y'know, less. Butttt you acted like you were better, so I killed your beloved Diane, partly to devastate you, mostly so I only have to record one message."

Rick's self loathing is also what makes him an author of his own misery. I think it's no surprise Rick hates himself, he makes it very clear. I mean, he literally created an AI version of Diane just to psychologically tormate him, what is the first things AI Diane says?

AI Diane: "Did you find our daughters killer?"

Rick: "Not yet, still looking."

AI Diane: "You'll find him! You always do everything you set your mind to! Expect keep your family alive! But that was hardly your fault!"

Rick: "Mute."

AI Diane: "If I could be muted I wouldn't be too good- too good at haunting you, now would I, you dirty bear."

Rick: "Right…forgot I wanted to be haunted."

This, by itself is already very telling. Rick's self hate started even before his hunt for Prime. He very clearly blames himself, (which is bitter irony considering it was another version of himself) hence is why he made the AI spefically to haunt him, he even made it so he gets as little comfort as possibly due

to just pure self loathing and thinking he doesn't deserve it.

AI Diane: "I kept up the search in your absence! Would you like a list of potential locations?"

Rick: "You're always just one room away, huh?"

AI Diane: "Uh, yeah, remember? You thought if you could see or touch me it might give you a level of com-com-comfort."

Rick: "Right…can't have that."

I feel like people underestimate how deep Rick's self loathing goes. It literally goes to the point where Rick doesn't believe that he deserves any kind of positive experiences. Also something I find interesting about AI Diane is that he repeatedly tries to push Rick's unhealthy thinking patterns and his unhealthy fight for Rick Prime as we can see in the episode, I already brought up AI Diane asking about the hunt, and offering him a list of potential locations, now let's see how she pushes Rick's unhealthy thinking patterns onto him.

AI Diane: "Who's Summer? Should I be jealous? I hope Summer knows what happens to the people you love~!"

Hearing your dead wife's voice say that in such a happy tone…it has got to fuck with you, and AI Diane eventually does get him to continue his search.

AI Diane: "Baby…something to keep in mind…if you were pulled back home by whatever happened it's…likely our target was as well…it also likely he's having as much trouble getting back as you are."

Rick: "He's trapped…"

AI Diane is a big thing that shows how Rick is the author of his own misery, not only did he make this AI to torture himself, the AI convinces him to do self-destructive things, it tries to make Rick believe that his unhealthy ways of thinking are true.

Rick's self loathing really does go deep.

I mean his hunt for Rick Prime is literally him trying to kill himself (Albiet a different version of himself, but still)

Rick has so SO many people who love him, but he constantly pushes them away because he sees himself as a virus, killing anyone he "infects" anyone he openly cares about.

This is why he was left alone at the end of season 4, and why he stills continues to be lonely.

He nearly lost his best friend because he was scared Bird person would be too busy taking care of his child to hang out.

He manipulated Morty into giving up his dream because of their codependency.

He traumatized Morty because he was scared Morty would notice how horrible of a person he really is.

He irreparably damaged his relationship with his daughter because he was terrified to admit that he cares about her, leaving him alone.

Morty has completely lost any hope that Rick cares about him.

Rick hurts anyone who gets close to him.

Rick always pushes away anyone who cares about him and ends up alone.

So he sees himself as a virus or "injury"

But want to know the truth?

Rick isn't injury.

He just makes the choice to be.

[melanieph321]

Ruben Dias x Reader - Set Me Free Part 5/15

Part 6 and 7 are already out on my Patreon for Free!

Warning - mentioning of abortion

Ruben and Carla have grown apart. With Rubens career taking off he leaves Portugal to live the life of his dreams, breaking Carla's heart doing so. Years later, upon his return home, Ruben learns that Carla has moved on, happily engaged to another man, but not any man, Ruben's childhood bully João Mendes.

Enjoy!

"What does that even mean?" Ruben's brother, Ivan, laughed.

"I don't know." Ruben rubbed his temple, feeling a headache coming on upon his return from meeting Carla. He sat slumped down on his parents couch, going through the emotions. "All I know is that I'm getting her back." He said. Having retold his brother about the event.

"By what, begging her until she gives in?"

"No?" Ruben frowned, rejecting his brother's desire to make him feel better. How could he, feel better, when the love of his life was slipping away.

"How then?"

"I don't know, okay." Ruben stood. "But I'm not letting her marry João Mendes, that's for sure."

"So crashing the wedding is it?"

Ruben shrugged. "If I have to. If it comes down to it. When is it exactly?"

Ivan chuckled. "No idea, I wasn't invited."

"Me neither." Ruben muttered.

"Well, can you blame her?"

"Ivan, she's marrying João Mendes, of all people."

"But can you blame her?"

"What?"

"For moving on, I mean? You've been gone for a long time, Ruben. How can you expect Carla to wait around for so long?"

"Because...."

Ivan crossed his arms. "Because what?"

"Because she promised that she would."

********************************************

"So how did it go?"

Carla ignored her cousin, who despite her demands, had waited up for her.

Carla crossed her room and threw herself face down on the bed.

"That bad, huh?"

She groaned into her pillow.

"Wow. This I want to hear." Maria buckled up.

"He's gonna win me back." Carla said, shifting her head to the side. "No matter what."

"Damn, Ruben told you that? Aunt Gloria is gonna freak."

Carla squinted her eyes in pain. "It gets worse."

"Worse?"

"Yes. Ruben thinks I'm still marrying João Mendes."

"Why?"

"I'm not sure. But I think my mother told him that we were still together when he came by the salon the other day."

"The drama!" Maria gasped.

"Will you be quiet?" Carla hushed. "The only reason I didn't bother to correct him was because that seemed to be the only thing stopping us."

Maria frowned. "Stopping you from what?"

Carla bowed her head in shame, blurring out the words. "From ripping each other's clothes off."

"Carla."

"What am I gonna do?"

There was no point in denying her feelings for Ruben, they were still there and still as strong.

"I say, buy the next plane ticket out of here. To Madeira perhaps?"

"I can't?"

"Why not?"

"Because Mamãe needs me."

Carla turned to lay on her back, the tears swelling up in her eyes. Visiting the cemetery today, Carla understood the pain that her mother still had buried inside of her, how lonely these past years must have been without Carla's father around. Perhaps Carla made it worse by announcing her break up with João,  considering how happy her mother had been helping her plan for the event.

"I'm sticking around til the end of the month." She said, "My job has already allowed me the leave since I asked for it ahead of my wedding with João."

"Well, I'm leaving after this weekend." Maria said. "And I did not come home to mourn over lost love. I came to party with my cousin who is finally single for the first time in what, twelve years?"

It was strange, but true. Carla met Ruben when they were ten. They got together when they were fourteen, stuck together until she was twenty-three and not long after their break up she met João Mendes. The truth was that Carla hadn't been single for a minute, nor did she know how to be.

"Tomorrow you and I are going to do what single people do best."

"Which is?"

"To shop until we drop, duh."

Carla wasn't one for shopping. To stand in front of a dressing room mirror eventually became dreadful, considering how much weight she had lost and gain during her year of depression. However, she did enjoy strutting through town. Carla spent the next day admiring her hometown by the coast, greeting familiar faces walking by, as well as catching up with her favorite cousin, who seemed to have a great life going on for herself.

"I can't believe you get to travel the world like that, doesn't it get claustrophobic, working as a flight attendant?"

"No. I love it."

"Well, then I'm happy for you." Carla admired her cousin. She was two years younger but had much more confidence than herself, especially when it came to putting oneself first.

"Have you spoken to João lately?"

Carla snorted. "No."

"So I take it he didn't take the break up very well."

Upon their separation João had referred to Carla as an indecisive selfish little child. Words that still haunted her today.

"No. No he didn't."

"Oh. Well, I'm sorry about...."

"Mari? Mari Fernandes, is that you?"

Another familiar face came walking down the street.

"Santina!"

"Mari! Why didn't you tell me that you were back in town?"

The two women rushed to embrace each other, excluding Carla for a good two minutes. Santina was Maria's best friend in high school. Their friendship had been a dynamic one, the two of them often getting into more trouble than they should. But who could blame them when Santina Rivera at sixteen years of age, inherited more money than Carla would ever save up in her lifetime. Her parents death was a tragic way of acquiring her wealth, nevertheless, like Maria, Santina's attitude towards life was nothing short of adventurous.

"And Carla!" Santina squealed, acknowledging Carla who was standing to the side. "My favorite babysitter. How have you been, girl."

Santina was a hugger, a firm one at that.

"Great." Carla groaned.

"Congratulations on your engagement. Everyone is talking about it."

"Oh, no Santi. Carla is not...."

It was impulsive and a bit childish, but stomping Maria's feet was the only way to shut her up. "Aaa!" She groaned, throwing Carla the nastiest of glares. Carla ignored her and smiled playfully. "Thank you Santina, for the congratulations."

"I love weddings, but truthfully when I heard that you were getting married, I thought it would be too...." Santina paused, curiously tilting her head.

"What?" Carla said, feeling targeted.

Santina shook her head. "Nothing, I just remember when we were younger, how you and Ruben Dias used to...."

"That was a long time ago." Carla mumbled.

"God I wanted what you had. He was the hottest guy in school, don't you remember Maria?"

"Thought his brother was hotter." She shrugged.

"Either way." Santina waved. "When did you guys break up? You were together for a long time, no? Even when he was playing for Benfica. Did you move to Lisbon with him or....?"

"A long time ago." Carla clarified. "Ruben and I broke up a long time ago. I'm with João Mendes now."

Carla ignored the chuckles that Maria let out beside her, but she didn't like talking about her business in the street like this, especially not with Santina Rivera, who was a well known gossip. Thankfully Santina took the hint and ended the conversation there.

"You guys are coming to the party that I'm throwing on the beach tonight, right?"

Maria perked up. "Party? What party?"

"My clothing line Saint Sure is celebrating the opening of my second boutique in Lisbon. Please come, it would be really nice to catch up some more."

"We'll be there!" Maria assured.

Carla on the other hand, could think of a million things that she rather fucking do.

******************************************

Except for training with his national team, Ruben came home to relax, to catch up with old friends before heading back to England. However, it was hard to do these things when wherever he went people flocked after him like birds. He used to be able to walk freely in his hometown, which he really enjoyed since it made him feel like a normal guy. But with Manchester City's latest successes it was now nearly impossible to be left alone.

It's the reason Carla left him, Ruben was convinced. She stuck with him through it all. The rise of Ruben's football career happened before her eyes. Carla even made the effort to leave home and move with him when he went off to play for Benfica. Of course, Lisbon wasn't too far from home. Carla often went back to visit her family. However, when Ruben asked her to move to England with him that's when she just couldn't take it anymore. Although Carla made the effort to stay overseas with him for a year, she never really settled down. And Ruben being off training all the time made it difficult for him to look after her, to make sure that she was alright. It was one of his biggest regrets in life, not being able to make Carla feel at home with him.

"Well, well, well. Look who showed up, Ivan and Ruben Dias. To what do I do the honors?"

"Santina, you know us." Ivan smiled, greeting her with a kiss on the cheek. Ruben did the same. "We could never say no to a party, especially if we're celebrating the success of your business."

It was more Ivan who couldn't say no. Ruben only tagged along in the hopes that Carla would be at the event. Santina was a bit younger than himself and Carla, but he vividly remembers her hanging around the two, bothering them as preteen children do teenagers. At that time Carla and Ruben were showing a bit more interest in each other, which people around them had noticed. Their family members called it true love because of the early age that they found each other. Ruben called it a blessing, a blessing that someone as beautiful as Carla even bothered to look at him twice, considering Ruben still had buck teeth during those days.

"Well, to that I am grateful." Santina smiled. "How about a photo?"

A cameraman popped up out of nowhere, but Ruben and his brother complied to pose for a picture. Ruben had to pose for a few more after that, since his appearance at the beach caused a bit of a stir amongst the party guests. It became exhausting at some point, but Ruben found the strength to endure once he spotted her, Carla, and her cousin Maria. She wore a flowery sundress, whilst her cousin wore a bikini. Most people at the party were dressed half naked, including Ruben with his unbuttoned shirt. It was a beach party after all. Carla, however, stood puttering around the bar, looking rather out of place for some reason.

As the party went on, Ruben found himself excusing himself from conversations after losing sight of her. He asked around if anyone had seen her, but no one seemed to know where Carla had gone.

"Ruben." Santina interrupted his search. At that point of the night she was a bit too tipsy for his liking,  Ruben who didn't have anything to drink for himself. "Funny how your mother is trying to set us up." She said, slurring slightly on her words.

"Yeah, funny." Ruben turned his head in search for Carla. There was no point in staying if she hadn't stuck around.

"She's not wrong though, we would make a cute couple."

Ruben looked down. "We would?"

Santina shrugged. "I'm a bit embarrassed to say that I've always had a crush on you when we were younger. It got to a point where I used to beg the Fernandes family to let me stay with them, knowing that you were always over at their house."

"Yeah, I wanted to be with Carla." Ruben said, hoping that answer would set his feelings for Santina straight. He also made the mental note to tell his mother to stop setting him up with other women. He only had eyes for one.

"And now she wants to be with João Mendes. Funny how time works."

Ruben clenched his jaw at the mentioning of his name.

"Didn't the two of you get into a fight that one time." She chuckled. "Don't tell me that it was over Carla Fernandes?"

"It wasn't." Ruben grunted, knowing damn well which fight Santina was referring to. The fight between Ruben and João Mendes happened at school, on the football pitch, during a match where his team was struggling and João Mendes had blamed it all on Ruben's terrible defense. It was a silly fight, but Ruben who, even back then, took his dreams of becoming a professional football player very seriously, snapped at the thought of not being good enough. And for the words to come out of João Mendes mouth, had pushed him over the edge.

"Anyway, how is life in England?" Santina asked.

"Great. Have you seen Carla?" Ruben was tired and ready to leave, but not without being given the chance to talk to Carla.

"She left to get some air." Santina muttered. "By the pier, I think."

"Thank you." Ruben said, excusing himself.

He made his way towards the pier, leaving the party behind. His heart skipped a beat seeing Carla's silhouette posing against the descending sun. Ruben knew he shouldn't go, but he couldn't resist the opportunity to spend time with her again.

Ruben found Carla sitting on the edge of the pier, staring out at the waves.

"Hey," she said softly, turning to him.

She must have seen him coming.

"Hey," Ruben replied, taking a seat next to her.

They sat in silence for a few moments, watching the waves roll in.

"Are you okay?"

"I'm fine, Ruben. Never been better."

He chuckled at the sarcasm in her voice. He had missed it, her humor.

"Your mood...." He said, careful not to express himself too vigorously. "Does it have to do anything with us?"

"Us?" Carla turned to look at him, her expression furrowed. "There is no us, Ruben. Not anymore."

He nodded understandingly but in the back of his mind Ruben still had hope, he was gonna win her back.

They sat there for a while longer, watching the stars come out and listening to the sound of the waves. As the night wore on, the tension between them eased a little, at least to a point where they both knew that they had to talk about what was really on their minds. Starting with Carla.

"You left me when I needed you the most." She said,

"I know and I'm sorry." He really was. It was shortly after Christmas Eve three years ago that Carla's father grew ill. He died shortly after, whilst Ruben was away, living the life of his dreams in England.

"I was so lost, Ruben. So lost without you and I hated myself for being so weak."

"Don't say that." Ruben stretched out a hand in an attempt to touch her.

A mistake.

Carla shrugged off Ruben's hand, followed by a warning stare for him not to try anything again.

"Carla, you have to understand..."

"No Ruben, I don't." 

She stood. 

Ruben had to contain himself not to let his gaze wander up her bare legs as her dress blew in the wind. "Carla." He sighed. "Then please tell me. Tell me how I can make things better between us? I'll do anything. Anything."

"Ugh." She groaned in annoyance. "You really don't get it, do you?"

"Get what?"

"I still have feelings for you, Ruben. A part of me has accepted that I always will."

Ruben looked at her, his eyes searching her face. "I still have feelings for you too."

Carla shook her head, as if Ruben was completely missing her point. "We're not good for each other, Ruben. You have your own life now, as do I.

"Fuck that." Ruben stood, his height overtaking hers. "We're perfect for each other Carla and you know it."

Her eyes widened, stunned by the passion in his voice.

"There's no other girl in the world for me but you. I love you Carla."

"Ruben."

He went to touch her again and to his surprise Carla let him wipe away a fallen tear with his thumb.

"I love you too."

Ruben's hand fell. Her voice had been as low as a whisper, nevertheless, he heard it.

"You do?"

She nodded. 

It was bold of him, either way, he went for it. Ruben stepped forward and went in for the kiss, capturing Carla's lips with his own.

Her breath hitched as he pulled her flush against him. Her lips were cold in the night, but oh so familiar. Ruben knew the taste of Carla as well as he knew his way around a football pitch. As he felt her ease into him, allowing Ruben's tongue to enter her mouth, Ruben's hand slipped from between her shoulders to her lower back, pressing Carla's body hard against him.

A sigh. Carla let out a sigh deep down her throat, to which Ruben hymned happily against her lips. They made out for a good minute or so, before allowing each other to catch their breaths. Although the dark night, Ruben could tell that Carla wasn't grinning like he was. The opposite. She looked conflicted and angry with herself.

"Ruben." She said, stepping away from him, wiping away their kiss with the back of her hand. "I'm still marrying João."

Ruben's hand went pinch the skin between his brows. "Why, Carla? Why him, of all people?"

"Because he didn't leave." She snapped. "João was there for me when I needed him the most. Unlike you."

"Carla, I told you that I wanted to come back. But your family...."

"My family was only trying to protect me, Ruben."

"Protecting you from what, me?"

She fell silent.

Ruben frowned. "Carla? I would never..."

"I know." She nodded. "I know you would never do anything to hurt me, at least not on purpose."

Ruben shook his head, desperately in need to touch her, to have Carla in his arms again. "How...how did I hurt you?" He asked, desperate to know.

"It doesn't matter, I'm over it."

"Over what? Carla..." Ruben grabbed her wrist before she could turn her back on him. "You need to tell me how I hurt you, it's the only way I'll know how to make things right again."

"You can't!" She cried.

"How do you know, you haven't even..."

"Because, Ruben.....I had an abortion."

Part 6 and 7 are already out on my Patreon for Free!

[neonponders]

Flip Reverse It

Monday 27th March

Fluff: 🌌 Stargazing 🌌 

@harringrove-flip-reverse-it​

• • •

Billy exhaled smoke like he didn’t want it to leave his lungs. Slow. It made his lips stay open and puckered. Kiss ready as he stared up at the mercurial sky, with its red clouds.

“I can’t believe this place has stars.”

Steve leaned against the Camaro as he looked up - or down. Fuck, Billy didn’t know the right terminology. Everything about this place and the last year of his life had been wrong.

Even the Camaro he sat on was wrong. It wasn’t his. It was some beat up thing in the car junk yard with holes eaten out of it by rust and who knew what else.

Billy had already figured out that this Upside Down place was fucked. The newspapers around town were all dated well before he even knew Hawkins, Indiana existed, let alone moved here.

One thing about stopped time, though:

It was a hell of a medicine for fatal injuries.

Billy had technically been bleeding out, inundated with chemical poisoning, and probably a long list of other things since July fourth, 1985. But in a dimension that’s locked in November 6th, 1983...he’s stuck. Too alive and not enough dead. Quite a fete for someone who should be in a grave circa March 1986.

Steve took the cigarette from him and Billy let him. Fucked up circumstances did that: easy friendships. Steve had shown up in the Upside Down shirtless and drenched apart from a grocery bag haphazardly protecting a flashlight and a box of cigarettes.

The rest is now.

Or history.

Or Billy’s future but Steve’s past.

Vice versa, maybe.

Whatever. It was a lot easier to just go with the flow when circumstances got way past a guy’s breaking point. Whatever beef he and Steve Harrington had felt like an ancient rumor from someone else’s life.

Still, Billy taunted, “I thought the King didn’t smoke. The princess doesn’t like it.”

Steve made a face around the filter between his lips. “Nancy and I have been over for months, dude. You were there for that.”

Billy smirked. “Yeah. I meant the ice cream one.”

Steve’s smoke left him in a rush above his head when it fell back with his laughter. It was a damned relief, seeing silver-blue smoke instead of the red sky.

“Robin and I aren’t dating. It’s better that way.”

Billy wagged his head, not quite a head shake. “You take rejection with grace.”

Steve didn’t respond. Worse, his silence sat like a third wheel between them and this totaled car. “I’m not one of these...hive mind assholes you talked about, Harrington. Use your big boy words.”

“The last time I got rejected, it was by someone dying, not getting dumped.”

Billy’s features relaxed. Like a thread connected them, their heads turned so their eyes found one another. Steve finished, “I wouldn’t say I took that well.”

“I’m not sure a zombie is the hottest catch in town,” Billy sassed, but his gaze left Steve to sweep over the view of Hawkins that they had from the highest hill in the junk yard. “Then again, I’m the only catch, unless you count that other guy.”

“You’re not a zombie.”

“I’m sure as hell am not alive.”

“You’re standing here, talking to me.” Steve pivoted to face him, his voice earnest.

“It’s a wonder my lungs are intact so smoke isn’t shrouding my face.”

“We can figure this out. After all this shit, we can get you to a hospital - ”

“Steve,” Billy halted. His eyelids sagged closed. The axe that he’d taken from Sheriff Hopper’s cabin was heavy even with the head of it resting in the dead grass. If it could be called grass.

“What? Why not? You can eat food again. You can see birds instead of bats again.”

“Steve.”

“Is it me? Getting you a team of doctors won’t cost you a date.”

A breathy laugh escaped him but the smile didn’t last. Billy’d had a long time here alone to talk to no one. To talk to himself. To say a lot of bullshit and a lot of truths.

So it was almost easy to admit, “I don’t have the strength to heal from this. Living was hard as shit without my organs being exposed.” He shook his head. “Healing is hard. Fighting is hard. Dying was easy.”

His eyes found Steve...a habit Billy didn’t realize had never left him. His eyes always found Steve.

Steve, who was a dichotomous mixture of features. His big, tilted, doe eyes and Greek sculpture lips made him pretty and soft and honest. But his aquiline nose, bold brows, and square jaw when he bit down made him austere.

Billy used to relish all of it. His vacant glances and focused rage. Billy wanted all of it.

And he got it, and Steve’s voice went thick. “Nothing about you has ever been easy, asshole. Why start now?”

Billy smiled softly. “Keeping you alive was the hardest thing I’ve ever done.”

Steve’s strength left him, his body deflating like crushed petals in Billy’s fist.

He elaborated, “Think about it. The biggest fish in Hawkins under his thumb. After us, the best puppet would be your sheriff, but Hopper made himself hard to find.”

“Just say it.”

Billy couldn’t really face him since he sat on the car’s hood. But he leaned forward to get closer. “Say what?”

“Say what you mean. Don’t give me bullshit.”

“The only thing keeping me alive was making sure you and Max stayed out of that monster’s hands. How’s that?”

Steve shook his head, looking for more. “And now what?”

Billy gestured vaguely to the clothes that didn’t fit him from Hopper’s Upside Down cabin. “I think I look great in a Hawaiian shirt, but it doesn’t conceal that I can’t really die. But you can.”

Billy swallowed thickly. Steve’s eyes followed the movement of his throat. Billy finished, “I think it’s really shitty that I put so much into keeping your ass alive and then you popped out of a dried up lakebed. It’s inconsiderate.”

A weak smile flashed on Steve’s face. “Yeah, that’s me. No one’s ever called me boyfriend of the year.”

“You were the best thing that ever happened to me, Steve.”

Their eyes locked, and Billy saw all of Steve’s hope stirring in those brown eyes. And Steve saw all of Billy’s pain, his fatigue that weight down his water-blue eyes. Billy finished, “I don’t know how long I’d last outside of this place. I don’t think I’d have enough time for a hospital.”

Steve leaned in so their legs touched, and Billy let him. Steve’s body was like a campfire in this cold place. Billy felt like he didn’t deserve it. He just gave Steve hope when he, himself, only felt dread. But Steve was the one who had to get out of here, not Billy.

“One thing at a time. Nothing happens until Robin gives us the signal. Until then...the view’s not so bad.”

Billy’s fingertips explored the silly leather jacket on Steve’s shoulders before he realized what he was doing. He didn’t give the sky a glance as he said, “Nights are short here, and the clouds were plenty.”

Steve hummed a sound. Just...thoughtful. He leaned back into Billy’s hand. “Same stars, though.”

[skylarstark4826]

Ron never came help to save the day but fought alongside everyone in the final battle. Harry and Hermione never treated him the same. Draco had already deflected well before the final battle so he was upset with Pansy. Draco and Pansy were best friends but as Draco got closer to the Golden Couple, the more disappointed he was and distanced himself from her. 

After the final battle, Harry and Hermione were in a loving embrace when Ron awkwardly walked over.

"Hey guys, how are you feeling?" Ron asked

Hermione scoffed and turned away into Harry's chest. Harry whispered in her ear and she walked away before turning to face Ron.

" She's still really mad at you for leaving, I am too Ron, you really hurt us." Harry explained seriously

"I'm...I'm...sor...sorry." Ron stammered

"Sorry is not enough, Ron! You abandoned us, me, for the third time! I can't trust you anymore. We really could have used your help but you weren't there for us. You've shown your true colors one too many times. Just leave us be Ron." Harry explained before hurrying off in Hermione's direction

Letting the rejection sink in Ron stuck his hands in his pockets and went for a walk. He overheard a similar heated conversation between two women.

"Sorry just isn't enough! You've treated us, me especially, like the dirt on your shoe the whole time we've been at school. And don't even get me started on you trying to sell out Harry just to save your own skin!" Hermione exclaimed

"I said I'm sorry...I can't take back what I said and did...bu" Pansy started

"No you can't take it back! The one time when you should have stepped up, you didn't!" Hermione shouted

Pansy put her head down in shame but Hermione wasn't done.

"You proved yourself to be a slimy Slytherin, idk how you and Draco were friends all this time." Hermione seethed

By now Harry had caught up with the pair.

"Just go. Our world is safe, no thanks to you." Harry seethed pulling Hermione into his arms and turning away

Pansy was about to walk away when she spotted an interesting pair in an embrace, a blond and a redhead.

"Draco..." Pansy called

Ginny turned at the source and gave Pansy a death glare before taking a deep breath, relaxing her face.

"What is wrong with you!? Why would you try and sell out Potter? He had it under control. You gave Slytherins a bad name tonight, Pansy. Here I am the supposed baddest Slytherin, doing everything I can to stop the monster and you just want to let him have whatever he asks for. It wasn't like he wanted an object or something, he wanted a person! AND YOU WANTED TO SUPPLY HIM!" Draco exclaimed getting madder with each second

Ginny put a soft hand on his shoulder and he immediately calmed down.

"You made the wrong choice, Pansy. I...I can't even look at you right now without being disgusted by your actions." Draco stated seriously before taking Ginny by the hand and heading in the direction of the Golden Couple

Ron stared at the broken form of one of his childhood enemies and couldn't stop the desire to comfort her. He walked towards her and grabbed her arm. Pansy was quietly sobbing and without thinking, turned in to him. Instead of disgustedly pushing her away like he normally would have, he fully embraced her. When Pansy's sobs died down, she pulled away slightly to look at her savior.

"Weasley!? I never expected to find myself in your arms. Don't you hate me too?" She asked quietly

"...no I don't think I do." Ron answered thoughtfully after a minute's hesitation

"Why not? Your friends do..." Pansy stated sadly in the direction the Golden Couple and Draco left

"They're not really friends anymore...they're mad at me too." Ron explained sheepishly

"Do you wanna talk about it?" Pansy asked sweetly

Ron thought about how much had changed since he left the tent in the Forest of Dean. How Draco started working undercover for the Order and got annoyingly close to Ginny. How him leaving was probably the final push towards his ex-best friends getting together. How trying to apologize lead to two people getting berated at and put down by people who once cared for them. And how this beautiful, broken girl in front of him used to be someone he couldn't stand and now he couldn't stand to see her sad.

"I'd love to." Ron smiled and took her hand as they headed towards the Black Lake for some privacy

[darcyfangirlsfrequently]

I Met You At the End of the World - chapter three: The World Finds Ways to Sting You... and then One Day Decides to Bring You Something to Believe In

Chapter summary: Luke dwells on his newly-discovered feelings for Penelope amid a case about medical experimentation, the two become closer, and a major break is made in the case of the hitmen hunting Garcia.

Chapter word count: 5527

Total word count: 16,622

Songs referenced: "Something to Believe In" by Jeremy Jordan and Kara Lindsay, and "It's Nice to Have a Friend" by Taylor Swift

Can also be read here on Ao3

“I’m in,” Penelope declared, a smile on her face as she dropped a purple fluffy pen to the center of the table where she and Luke were playing poker that evening after work. Something had shifted between the two of them the night before when they’d had dinner, but she didn’t know what. All she knew was that she enjoyed spending time with him, and, ever the optimist, she was extraordinarily glad that this terrible situation had brought such a wonderful friend into her life. In times like these, it’s nice to have a friend. 

Luke, on the other hand, knew exactly what had shifted between them the night before. Or, at least, what had shifted between them from his point of view. However, he had elected not to tell anyone about his newly discovered feelings. Not any of their friends, and certainly not Penelope. It was neither the place nor time for any of that, and, the more he thought about it, Luke felt slightly guilty about his feelings. He was here to protect Penelope, not fall for her. Besides, he’d be leaving soon enough, and he was sure those feelings would fade as soon as he no longer saw her every day. Besides, he didn’t want to make things awkward when she inevitably rejected him and they still had to work together. Penelope was already in the middle of a really terrible situation, and it would be incredibly insensitive of him to try to pursue anything with her. Besides, Morgan would probably be none too pleased with him, considering both her current circumstances and the fact that she was like family to him. Luke had decided that being her friend was all he could ask for, and friends was more than enough for him, and definitely better for her. He knew that in a situation like the one she was currently experiencing, it’s nice to have a friend. So, he decided that he’d make it his personal mission to make her smile at least once a day. Today, that was being done through poker, thanks to a deck of cards he’d brought from home, and her little knick knacks that she’d volunteered as her side of the “pot,” not that Luke would keep them should he win, knowing they were her prized possessions. Besides, he wouldn’t need to. Her smile at playing their game would be enough of a prize for him. God did he sound sappy. He knew it, he just couldn’t find it within himself to care. He was just throwing in whatever he had on him that could be deemed of value, but again, it was all for show. 

“Eh, I think you’re bluffing,” Luke replied. “So, I will see your fuzzy pen, and I will raise you…” he paused for a moment, rifling through his pockets, “my ten-stamps-for-a-free-hot-dog card for the hot dog stand down the road from my place.”

“I don’t understand why we’re betting,” Penelope laughed. “I don’t eat meat!”

“Well A,” Luke said. “I have no use for all your fuzzy pens, so we’re even, and B, poker is no fun unless you have something on the line.”

“Fine,” Penelope conceded. “Give me three cards.

Luke did as she asked, and checked his own hand. “Yeah, I’m good.”

Penelope groaned when she looked at her new cards. “What? Really?”

Luke tried to swallow his laugh. “You have heard the expression ‘a poker face’ before, right?”

Penelope frowned down at her cards, then up at him, then her frown morphed into a smile as she stuck her tongue out at him. “You have heard it’s rude to make fun of people before, right?”

Luke threw his hands up in the air in mock surrender. “I am not making fun!”

“I know, I know, I’m just teasing.”

Luke opened his mouth to make a comment, but she cut him off with the point of a finger.

“But! Before you say ‘I thought it was rude to make fun,’ teasing and making fun are not the same thing.”

Luke laughed again. “Alright, alright, look, whatever you say.”

She smiled back at him, but her smile slowly drifted away, and he noticed.

“Hey, are you okay?”

She only shrugged in response. 

He reached his hand across the table to rest it on hers. “This won’t last forever, Penelope."

“It feels like it will. I’m scared. There are people out there who want to hurt me, I’m scared I’m gonna be stuck in here because there are people that want to hurt me…”

“Hey, that’s why I’m here, okay?” Luke assured her. “To help make sure that those people out there who want to hurt you never get the chance to.”

She nodded, and then her phone rang. Picking it up, she sighed. “It’s Hotch. We have a case.”

She began packing up their things, and he stood up with her and placed his hand on her shoulder. “Listen,” he said. “We’re going to take these guys down. In the meantime, you just have to stay strong. Okay?”

She nodded. “Okay.” She leaned in and hugged him. “Thank you.”

He leaned his head down to her shoulder, the way he always did when he hugged someone. “Any time.”

***

Penelope stood at the front of the Round Table Room, the presentation ready on the screen behind her. She clicked a button on her remote, zooming in on the location of this particular case. “St. Augustine, Florida, two bodies were found early this evening in a remote wooded area just west of the city. Neither have been identified yet.”

Something about the pictures that popped up on the screen caught Tara’s attention. “This woman’s complexion…”

“She was exsanguinated,” Penelope replied, explaining why the woman was so pale. “Which is a really fun word to say, but I didn’t know its really terrible meaning until I started working here.”

Luke had to duck his head down to look at his files to hide his smile. God, she was adorable. 

“Odd that only the female victim had her blood removed,” Rossi said. 

“Well the male victim might have been collateral damage,” JJ suggested. “Or a witness that needed to be silenced.”

“I mean it is the kind of message that rival drug gangs will send to each other,” Luke pointed out, having recovered from his little moment and trying to make sure no one noticed. Trying to keep a secret from profilers could be hard, but he was banking on the facts that he’d been undercover and the team didn’t know him well enough to know his tells to help him keep the secret. He could only hope then that he didn’t slip up around Morgan, the only person who would definitely be able to pick up on it. “The Curiel syndicate recently set up shop in Florida.”

“Except it looks like these two were meant to vanish without anyone the wiser,” Rossi countered. “How is that a message?”

“Well cartels have also been known to use murder as a form of voodoo,” Morgan replied. “In 1989, a University of Texas student was murdered by a satanic gang while on Spring Break.”

“Well my gut says it has nothing to do with drugs,” JJ stated. “More like straight-out vampirism or someone with a blood fetish.”

Hotch was already standing and putting his files in his briefcase. “It’s late, and we need to hit the ground running. Wheels up in 30.” 

After a quick call to his sitter to tell her he needed her to take Roxy for at least the next night, Luke and the others were right behind him on their way to the airstrip.

*** 

Once on the jet and at cruising altitude so Penelope could call in, the team continued to discuss the case. 

“The coroner attributes the lacerations on the bodies to animal bites,” Morgan said as he flipped through the file. “Apparently there’s a lot of raccoons in the area.”

JJ sighed. “Maybe so, but the media’s going all-in with Satanic Mutilation.”

Hotch considered this. “It’s happened before. The West Memphis Three case showed how animal activity on a corpse could be mistaken for ritualized torture.”

“After the first bite, the insect infestation expands and distorts the open wound,” Rossi added.

“Okay,” Penelope cut in. “Here’s my finger, here’s the mute button. Are you guys done talking about critter damage?”

Luke smiled at her comment, knowing the animal lover in her was probably none too pleased to be hearing about all the disgusting things an animal could do to a dead body, and finding her reaction endearing.

“You can put your finger down, Baby Girl,” Morgan assured her. “We’re done.”

“Thank you. And JJ’s right, local news and radio outlets are going wild with this as a blood-worshipping cult murder.” She paused for a moment, then continued. “Hey, new information. Both of those bodies have just been identified. Cheyenne Pravato, 23, and George Henning, 71.”

“Any connection?” Hotch asked.

Luke would be surprised if there was no connection, since the age and sex difference meant that they couldn’t both be surrogates, at least not of the same person.

“My level one search says no, my level two through twenty await. Cheyenne was a waitress that is currently unemployed, Henning was a retired steelworker from Pennsylvania, lived in Florida for a few years. They both went missing three days ago.”

“Three days?” Tara repeated in shock. “The coroner estimated the time of death as less than twenty-four hours from the time of discovery.”

“Means the unsub had the vics for two whole days before killing them,” Luke stated. “So he almost definitely has some kind of secondary location where he holds and kills them before dumping their bodies in the woods.”

“Preliminary indicators show no sign of torture or sexual assault,” JJ said. “What is he doing with them?”

Hotch took the reigns then. “Dave, you find out what you can about Cheyenne from friends and family. Morgan, you do the same for Henning. Lewis and Alvez, you go to the M.E., and JJ, I need you to reign in the media. Hysteria’s growing and we need to contain it.”

***

Once Luke and Tara arrived at the M.E.’s office, they were greeted by a Dr. Gaylen who was quick to get started.

“I’m still waiting on the full tox screen from the male victim,” he informed them. 

“We think they may have been held for up to two days,” Luke said. “Were they fed?”

“Stomach contents were empty, but nutrition and hydration levels were normal. My guess is they were both fed through an IV. I did find one curiosity.” Dr. Gaylen pulled back the sheet over George to reveal his legs.

“It looks like another animal bite,” Tara remarked.

“Not under magnification,” he responded. “It’s actually a surgically precise triangle.”

Tara and Luke exchanged a look and examined the mark closer. A curiosity indeed.

Dr. Gaylen’s phone rang then, and he went to answer it. “Dr. Gaylen… You’re positive of that?” He hung up the phone and returned to the agents. “The tox screen and DNA tests on George Henning just came back. Are you ready for this? Most of the blood in his body isn’t his. It’s Cheyenne’s.”

Luke’s eyebrows shot up his forehead. It was what?

***

The two returned to the police precinct the team was working out of, and relayed this new discovery to them.

“The blood drained from Cheyenne was put into George Henning?” Morgan repeated, disgusted. 

“I agree that that is strange,” Tara said. “And a triangle was cut out from his calf muscle.”

“Dear Diary,” Rossi said. “Just when I thought I heard it all…”

“And there’s still something in the toxicology screen the M.E. can’t identify,” Hotch said.

“Yeah,” Luke confirmed. “We’re hoping we’re going to find out something more in the next few hours.”

JJ walked into the room then, back from meeting with the media outlets covering the story. “So, it took a little arm-wrestling, but the media finally saw the wisdom in toning down the whole demon worship angle.”

Luke knew she was talking metaphorically about arm-wrestling, but he had no doubt from what he’d seen of her in the field that she could most likely absolutely destroy practically anyone in an actual arm-wrestling contest. He wondered if he should challenge her to one one of these days. 

“Don’t take a victory lap just yet,” Rossi told her, handing her a file. 

She examined the paper he had given her and winced. “You’re kidding.”

“I’m just trying to work out the whole calf muscle business,” Tara said. 

“Triangles are big in Illuminati symbolism,” Rossi pointed out.

Morgan considered that. “This is bending back toward cult behavior.”

“What did you find out about George Henning?” Hotch asked him. 

“According to the neighbors, the guy was a shut-in. No friends or family, a lot of health problems. Hypertension, Parkinson’s.”

Rossi’s brows furrowed. “Cheyenne was the opposite. Vegan into New Age lifestyles. Never met a harmonic convergence she didn’t want to converge on.”

Hm. Luke thought to himself. She sounds a bit like Penelope. “I get it,” he said. “With George, he was a recluse, but how did nobody notice Cheyenne missing for three days?”

“Her friends said she was flighty,” Rossi explained. “It was not unusual for her to take off without notice for a week or two.”

“This unsub did his homework,” Morgan stated. “He knew that both victims could go missing without any alarms going off.”

“Transfusions and sustained IV feeding take skill, planning, and access to materials,” Hotch remarked. “And, crude as it was, the replacing of the old blood with new is dialysis. What if the triangle isn’t a symbol but a tissue sample? Could this be medical experimentation?”

Tara agreed with him immediately. “Yeah, I mean, you’ve got a youthful, healthy host in Cheyenne, and a sick test subject in George.”

“If the new missing girl’s his next victim, the unsub could be getting ready to try again,” JJ said.

Rossi nodded. “And his experiment takes two to tango. If Andrea mirrors Cheyenne…”

Luke picked up Rossi’s train of thought. “Then who mirrors George? He’s not done yet, there’s another victim coming.”

There hadn’t been any other missing persons reports, so they decided to call Penelope and see if they could find anything that might help their medical experimentation angle.

“Sir, yes sir?” Penelope said as she answered.

“Garcia I need you to do a search of doctors and medical professionals in the region, and see what kind of red flags pop up,” Hotch instructed.

“But of course. Carmine, scarlet, cherry, crimson, maroon? What shade of red are we looking for?”

Luke was unequivocally not thinking about all the different shades of red lipstick he’d seen her wear in the time he had known her. Definitely not.

“Ethics violations, improper protocol.”

“This person may have washed out of medical school or gotten in trouble with the licensing board for unorthodox practices,” JJ added. 

“That’s a deep shade,” Penelope said. “I’ll hit you back when I have something.”

***

About an hour later, Penelope used the tip of one of her fuzzy pens to press Hotch’s speed dial buttons. 

“What’ve you got, Garcia?”

“Nothing on my crimson flag doctor search,” she told him regretfully, “but I did learn about something with a super cool name. The Mad Scientist’s Club.”

“What’s that?” Luke asked from the other side of the line.

Penelope smiled at her new friend’s voice. “They’re a student group from the Florida College of Medicine in Jacksonville. Before they disbanded, they used to get together and talk about experimental ways to cure disease.”

“Do you have the names of the people in this club?” JJ asked her. 

“Eh,” Penelope replied. “Kinda, sorta, not really. They were totally informal. Here’s the part that made me sit up straight: they used to meet at a local cemetery.”

“Let me guess,” JJ said. “The same cemetery where Andrea Gambrell disappeared.”

Penelope nodded enthusiastically, even though JJ couldn’t see her. “Yeah! The very one!” 

“Alright,” Hotch said. “Keep working on the names, and see if you can find out why the club was disbanded.”

“Okay,” Penelope replied, hanging up the call and getting straight to work.

***

Not long after that call, Tara got one from the M.E., and she put it on speaker so Luke, who was with her, could hear. “Agents Lewis and Alvez,” she said as she answered. 

“Yes, Agents,” Dr. Gaylen said. “I’ve got the full tox screen on George Henning. There were massive amounts of Levodopa in his system.”

Tara seemed thrown by this. “The Parkinson’s drug?”

“Correct,” Dr. Gaylen confirmed.

Tara and Luke exchanged a look. That was strange.

“Okay but his blood was replaced with Cheyenne’s,” Tara stated. “So does that mean the Levodopa was introduced to his system after the transfusion?”

“Yes ma’am. And we got the results from the other DNA samples and the surprises keep coming. Found traces of mesoglea and testudinata keratin.”

Luke’s brows furrowed in confusion. Not being a scientist or a doctor, he had never heard these words before. “Which are?”

“Jellyfish and turtle,” Dr. Gaylen told him. “George Henning had animal DNA in his system.”

Tara and Luke exchanged another look, this time one of pure shock. He had what?

***

The two had raced back from their coffee run to tell the team what the M.E. had told them, and Hotch called Penelope to update her. “Garcia’s tracking recent aquarium and exotic fish sales in the area,” he told them once he got off the phone with her. 

“Aquarium sales in Florida, that’s like tracking snow shovel sales in Alaska,” Rossi commented.

“But jellyfish have unique habitat and dietary needs, so hopefully that’ll narrow it down a little,” Hotch replied.

A police officer entered the room then. “A body’s just been found. Officer on the scene thinks it might be the work of our guy.”

***

JJ and Rossi were dispatched to the scene, and when they were back it was time to deliver the profile. 

As was often the case, Hotch started off. “We believe we’re looking for a male between the ages of twenty-five and thirty-five. He may have had some medical training, and he’s able to obtain large quantities of controlled pharmaceuticals.”

“This guy is working off the legal and ethical grid,” Luke said. “And he’s doing highly dangerous medical experimentation.”

Tara picked up the thread then. “We believe he’s searching for a cure for degenerative neurological diseases, but we don’t know why.”

“It could be personal,” JJ offered. “Either he or a loved one suffers from a disease and it’s a way to leapfrog conventional research in an attempt to find the cure.”

“Or it might not be personal at all,” Morgan told the officers. “This could be the unsub playing God, assuming the told of savior and rescuer of those in need.”

“Another motive is old-fashioned greed,” Rossi said. “Financial rewards for medical breakthroughs are substantial. 

“Whatever the case,” Hotch continued. “Two divergent methodologies are at work in this unsub.”

Morgan nodded. “On the one hand, he does show signs of logic and reason. The scientific method of trial and error.”

“On the other hand,” Luke said, “this person injected animal DNA into George Henning’s body revealing an irrational, almost fantastical approach to achieving these medical goals.”

“And this dichotomy might be present in his everyday life,” Hotch stated. “He might appear charming and trustworthy, which allows him to abduct his victims with little or no difficulty.”

“But the other half of his Jekyll-and-Hyde personality would clash with authority figures,” JJ remarked. “We believe that he had a conflict with a medical establishment in the past.”

“We have reason to believe that the most recent victim, Andrea Gambrell, is still alive,” Morgan informed the officers. “The younger person is needed alive to provide healthy blood.”

“But a new sick subject to receive that blood will almost certainly be sought out,” Luke added.

Rossi spoke again then. “Post-mortem violence on the most recent victim is a strong indicator that the killer is losing control.”

“This increased volatility is cause for concern,” Hotch said. “If there are two voices in his head, the violent one is taking over.”

***

Eventually, Penelope was able to find one member of the Mad Scientists club, and Tara was sent to interview her. She was able to give Tara a tentative first name, either Richard or Robert, who in turn had Penelope run a search for that, along with her search of zoo and aquarium staff in the area who might have had access to the animals the unsub was using, as per Hotch’s direction. The following morning, a doctor was killed in a nearby hospital, to which JJ and Rossi were sent out. They came back having found out that she was a neurologist and the unsub was likely getting his extra supply of drugs from her. They needed to find out if she was the doctor of George Henning or Harold McDermott, the recent victim, as well as look into any of her current patients. In all likelihood, one of them would be next. In the meantime, Penelope had Tara’s search results ready for them.

“Well,” Tara said, flipping through the pages in her file. “Garcia went through every medical student in the north Florida area with the name of Richard or Robert, and I gotta tell you guys, it’s a long list.”

“So which one is our magic man?” JJ asked.

“Well, hey,” Luke said, holding his hand out to Tara. “Many hands makes light work, pass me some.” 

As she did, Tara noticed Rossi fidgeting with his pen, a strange look on his face. “What’s up, Rossi?”

“They identified the bird DNA in George Henning as coming from a scarlet macaw.”

JJ nodded. “Mhmm. And?”

“It’s got me thinking about Turritopsis dohrnii.”

Luke looked up from the papers to the older man. “Turri… what?”

“It’s called the immortal jellyfish,” Rossi explained. “Endlessly recycles its own cells through a process called transdifferentiation, a kind of lineage reprogramming.”

“Oh my goodness,” JJ joked, drawing out each word for emphasis. “Dr. Spencer Reid, master of disguise.”

Luke and Tara laughed at that. Luke had yet to meet the famed “Boy Wonder,” as Penelope called him, but the stories he had heard from both her and Morgan were enough to assure him that JJ’s remark had been bang-on. Rossi’s little spiel was exactly something Reid would say.

“No disguise,” Rossi replied. “I called the kid last night.”

The group laughed harder at that. 

“But think about it,” Rossi continued. “Jellyfish, turtles, sea urchin, and now, scarlet macaw. What do they all have in common?”

“A long lifespan,” Tara answered.

“Exactly,” Rossi said. “Longer than a human’s.”

“So it means the unsub may not be focused on a specific disease but rather, longevity?” Luke asked.

Rossi nodded.

“Oh god,” Tara exclaimed. “Guys, I think I know why the Magic Man thought this place was so magical.” She pointed at the map they were using to pinpoint the unsub’s hunting grounds. “We are right around the corner from the legendary Fountain of Youth.”

***

“Hey, I’ve got Garcia on the phone,” Penelope could hear Tara say to someone from the other side of the line.

“What is it, Garcia?” Hotch asked her.

“Sir, you were right about the scarlet macaw,” she told him. They are very hard to find. When you can find one, they’re real pricey. However, a private zoo outside of St. Augustine reported a macaw stolen. The owner suspected it to be a former employee, but they didn’t have any proof. I checked out this former employee, Bobby Boles, Bobby being short for Robert, Robert being maybe our mad scientist?”

“Did Robert Boles ever go to medical school?” Tara asked her. 

Penelope checked. “Yeah, he totally did. He flunked out in the middle of his first year though. He’s always been sort of a misfit, it seems.”

“How so?” Tara asked.

“He was home-schooled from an early age ‘cause he didn’t fit in with other kids, lots of childhood therapy.”

“What did Boles do after he dropped out of med school?”

“Lots of part-time jobs. He currently works as an orderly…” Penelope felt her stomach sink as she saw where he worked. “At the same hospital as Dr. Braga.”

“Where is he now?” Hotch asked her.

Penelope searched for that information, but to no avail. “I can’t find a physical address, he hasn’t had one for a while. I’ll keep searching.” With that, she hung up her phone and got right back into it.

***

The rest of the team was told of Penelope’s possible breakthrough of their mystery-man-slash-unsub, after which they also discovered that an elderly woman by the name of Eileen Kebler hadn’t shown up for her appointments with Dr. Braga for the last two days. Rossi, JJ, and Tara went to check out her residence, and the rest of them stayed behind.

“Hotch, we think we have something,” Morgan called out.

The Unit Chief approached him and Luke where they were sitting at a table. “What is it?”

“It’s Garcia’s list of recent saltwater aquarium customers.”

“Is Robert Boles on the list?” Hotch asked them.

“No,” Luke admitted. “But he could be using a fake name. It’s where one of the shipments was delivered that caught our eye.” He pointed out the aforementioned location. “The parking lot of a closed medical facility.”

The three of them were instantly in an SUV on their way to the facility.

“All right, thanks, Garcia,” Luke said as he hung up the phone. To the others, he then said, “Robert Boles got a summer job at a gift shop near the Fountain of Youth Archaeological Park. He got fired for breaking in after-hours.”

“Maybe that’s where the obsession with eternal youth started,” Morgan suggested. 

When they arrived at the abandoned medical facility, they found Robert Boles holding a knife over Andrea Gambrell and arguing with another man.

“Robert Boles, drop the weapon,” Hotch ordered.

Luke and Morgan entered the room right behind him. 

“It’s over, man,” Morgan said to him. “You’re not getting out.”

“But the knife down slowly,” Luke said, slowly and clearly.

To his credit, Boles listened to them. He dropped the knife and raised his hands, putting them behind his head. The other man in the room looked horrified.

As Morgan arrested Robert Boles, the other man came up to Luke and Hotch. “My wife needs help,” he pleaded with them. Luke realized the wife in question must be Eileen Kebler, and this was her husband.

“Where is she?” Hotch asked. 

“In the next room,” he answered. “Call an ambulance, please.”

Hotch nodded. “Show me.”

They left, and Luke rushed to Andrea’s side to free her from her restraints. She was alive and breathing, but unconscious. 

As Luke undid the final restraint on Andrea and Morgan hauled their unsub from the room, Robert Boles delivered one final chilling declaration. “I can do my research from prison. No one can stand in the way of the future!”

Luke shuddered. The mentality of a man who thought himself unstoppable… with a complex like he had… was a very dangerous thing indeed. Andrea woke up then, and started to cry, so Luke, not knowing what else to do, pulled her in for a hug and rubbed her shoulders in an attempt to comfort her. “It’s okay,” he whispered to her. “It’s okay.”

He really hoped it would be.

***

On the jet back, Morgan sat down beside his old friend and passed him a water bottle. “Hey, man. I feel like we’ve barely gotten the chance to catch up since you’ve joined us.”

Luke accepted the bottle graciously. “Yeah, it has, it’s all been kind of crazy.”

“So how have you been adjusting to all this?”

“Oh it’s great,” Luke replied. “I’m loving it, actually. I was unsure at first, you know? But there’s a lot more that’s similar in our jobs than I thought, so I’m feeling a lot more comfortable than I thought.”

“Well you’re doing great,” Morgan assured him. “You fit right in, I’d swear you were actually a part of the team.”

Luke’s face lit up. “Seriously? Thank you?”

Morgan smiled and patted his friend on the back. “Any time. We’ll miss you when you’re gone.”

“Yeah, I’ll miss you guys too.”

***

Once they landed, of course, Luke made a beeline for Penelope’s office. She was dressed in her pyjamas and ready for another night on her office couch, but she always had time for a conversation with one of her “fine furry friends.” Especially one that was quickly climbing the ranks in her list of favorites.

“Hey, you,” she said as she opened the door.

“Hey,” he said, stepping in and sitting down on the couch to face her. “How’re you doing?”

She shrugged. “I’m trying to stay optimistic, but it gets harder and harder, you know?”

He nodded sympathetically. “I know. Is there anything I can do to help?”

She shook her head. “Not really. Your visits help though, so thank you, seriously. I still can’t believe you can actually visit me this often. Like, you have no one to go home to other than Roxy? How on earth is a guy like you possibly still single? How are girls not falling at your feet?”

Well feel free to fall at my feet any day. “Well, army rangers and fugitive task force don’t tend to lend themselves well to dating.”

Penelope nodded, understanding. “Yeah, neither does this. Thank god I’m single right now, honestly. This kind of thing could wreak havoc on a relationship.”

“You know, I’m kind of surprised you’re single too,” Luke remarked, bumping her shoulder. “You’re pretty great, Penelope Garcia.”

She laughed. “Thank you. But I don’t know, it’s kind of hard to find the kind of person who wants the same things I do. The last person I seriously dated proposed without even ever asking me if marriage was something I wanted, which it wasn’t. He asked me to leave all this behind and move to a farm with him.”

Luke’s eyebrows shot to his hairline. “I’m sorry, what? How long were you two together?”

“Four years.”

“And he asked you to move to a farm with him? What part of this,” he gestured to the high-tech room around them, “screams willing to live the rest of my life on a farm?”

“You’ve known me for a few weeks and yet somehow you know me better than he ever did. And you know what else? He is also a technical analyst, but for a different department.”

Luke threw his head back and groaned. “No! That’s even worse!” They were silent for a moment before he said, “Hey, can I ask you something random and completely unrelated?”

“Sure.”

“Your last name, ‘Garcia,’ is that from the little-known, blonde-haired, Swedish Garcias?”

“Actually, it’s from the family that took me in after my parents died.”

Luke instantly felt like the world’s biggest asshole. “Oh my god I am so sorry,” he said, absolutely mortified. “I didn’t mean anything by it, I swear I was just curious, I—”

Penelope laughed. “Relax, I’m just messing with you. Well, kind of. Garcia was my stepdad’s last name, he legally adopted me when my mom married him. My mom and stepdad did die, however, so that part I’m not kidding about.”

“I’m so sorry,” Luke said genuinely. “Can I ask what happened?”

“I was eighteen years old, and I had stayed out past curfew one night. They went out to look for me, I got home after they left. They were hit by a drunk driver and killed instantly. I’ve felt guilt over it ever since. I probably always will.”

Luke took her hand in both of his and squeezed. “Hey, I know you’ve probably been told this a million times, but that was not your fault.”

She met his eyes and squeezed his hand in return. “I know that, logically, but it’s hard to accept that, you know?”

“Yeah, I get that. I’m so sorry Penelope.”

They had a moment, then, of complete silence. Just the two of them staring at each other and holding on tight to the other’s hand. Nothing was happening, yet it still felt deeply intimate. 

The moment was soon broken by Hotch entering her office, and they ripped their hands apart from each other, strangely feeling like they were caught doing something they weren’t supposed to be.

“Garcia,” Hotch said. “I need you to come with me right now.”

“Now, now?” Penelope asked.

He nodded. “Yes, now.”

“Should I change? I’m in my PJs—”

Hotch cut her off and spoke to Luke. “Alvez, get some clothes for her and bring them to us. We don’t have time to waste.” 

“Sir,” Penelope implored. “I’m scared, what’s going on?”

“There’s been a major break in the case of the hitmen hunting you.”

Penelope’s eyes widened in disbelief. “There has?”

Hotch nodded. “And we may have found a way to bring the whole network down.”

[devotekuna]

Reader is a normal human (doesn't know about cursed techniques and so on) @inniesblog 4 u

Having a child with Satoru was hard enough, but without him even knowing the existence of your son was even worse.

You knew you shouldn't have kept the child after a one night stand with the so called "strongest" you didn't even know what that meant in his terms.

But here you were sat inside the Gojo clan's manor, apparently your child's father was some big guy in some sorcery world.

As you watched the door open to greet you with a familiar face, his name didn't come back to you like it normally would. "Y/N?" It had only been a year since you two had seen eachother, so why did he still remember your name?

"Yes? As you cocked your head to the side, he came out wearing a dark blue button up jacket with a matching pair of pants, probably the same outfit on the night you two first met.

"Can I see him?" It was finally clear that he had been informed about your son, Haru, before time. He placed himself Infront of you as you both sat on the ground, tension already obvious as you looked at eachother. He was straight to the point, you didn't expect less, especially after he didn't even know he had a child for a whole year, let alone when you were pregnant.

You glanced back at the door which was slightly open, your son was sleeping in the other room, his light grey hair with streaks of white, glistened his forehead as he slept peacefully with a little blanket being held in his mouth, he looked so much like the man who sat Infront of you. "Are you sure your the father?" You ask as if it wasn't obvious with the white hair and pale skin, you just wanted some reassurance that you weren't letting some random man hold your son.

"I don't know" he jokes with you as he shrugs, the resemblances was crazy, they were practically twins, no doubting they were father and son.

You quickly gave him a glare as you scanned his demeanor, it was clear that he was nervous but also a bit excited? You weren't surprised, as you would probably be squealing if you met your child after a year.

"Are you serious?" You ask, you were ready to leave if he wasn't joking willing to leave your son without a father. It was clear that you weren't in the mood for games.

"No. Sorry.." he informs you ashe puts his hands up in defence, as if he wasn't the strongest in the sorcery world. "I am his biological father, and I'd like to be in his life." He corrects himself as he pledges to you.

'Good enough' you thought to yourself, you had already seen the match on the paternity test and how he looks, so you were willing to allow him into your son's life as long as he was treated good. You both rose from your seats and headed to the room behind you, it was pretty much empty other than a few toys which came from home and a bunch of pillows which surrounded your offspring. Shiro Looked so peaceful as rested.

"What's his name?" He ponders as he stood behind you, hands in his pockets as he loomed over Shiro.

"Shiro.." you inform him as you say on your knees beside your son, his name meant white, which resembled his hair colour. You gently caressed his forehead as you picked his sleeping form up, he was a heavy sleeper so he wouldn't wake up, especially since he had just been fed by you.

You could clearly tell that he wanted to hold him, with the expression on his face. "Come here then" you motioned for him to sit next to you, despite just meeting him you had slightly warmed up to him, but not enough to leave him alone in a room with your son.

Having a man who was double your size, sit right beside you made you feel so tiny compared to your usual bossy and confident self.

"Can I hold him?" He asks as his hands stuck out for you to give the boy to him. You glance at him then back to your sleeping son. Would you really reject your son from being held by his father? No, so that's what you did. Giving him to Satoru, the sleeping bundle shuffled about as he was passed. A smile peaking through his face as he held him, despite having raised megumi, he had never held a baby before let alone felt to connected to one. A cheesy grin plastered on that handsome face of his as he analyzed you sleeping son.

[honestly-oceanie]

YOU PUT ME ON AND SAID I WAS YOUR FAVORITE || soft bois edition pt.3

Synopsis: drawing something(s) on their arm/wrist/hands

《Ijekiel Alpheus, Felix Robane, Isis de Elmir, Erden Astar Halstead, Erudian Lu Soledo Belgoat, Cassian Eckard, Felix Chamberlain, Anakin, Zachary de Arno, Kiyu Ahn | gn!reader》

{Fluff♡ | ▪︎imagine/scenario▪︎}

I Have Become The Hero's Rival/Your Ultimate Love Rival

Felix Chamberlain

🦋 You were at the Chamberlain's manor, just slouching on their couch, all bored.

"What's the matter? Why do you seem to be sulking?"

🦋 Felix's sudden appearance made you jump out of your skin.

🦋 You were currently at their manor as per Claudia's request. She had ask you to come to their house to hang out, however, an hour had past but she still hasn't arrive. You had asked their servants yet they all say the same thing: "I don't know, My Lady."

🦋 You and Felix have been friends since childhood, thus you always talk to him informally and freely.

"Felix! Just right on time. Do you know where your sister possibly could be?"

"She left with Irene an hour ago."

"What?! But I did not saw them."

🦋 Felix just shrugged and you sighed. Those girls are really something, you thought. You stood up and was heading to the door but Felix stop you by grabbing your wrist.

"You're leaving, just like that? But you're already here."

"Exactly. I am here but Claudia and Irene are not here."

"But I am here, [Name]."

🦋 He saw a pen and grabbed it. "Lets have our own fun. We hadn't done this for a long time." he said. And he was right. Drawing on each other had always been a favorite hobby between the two of you, despite the scolding you'll receive later it was worth it.

🦋 You just gave him a closed eyed smile and agreed, "Alright."

🦋 Felix made sure to take a mental note to thank his sister and Irene later for helping him.

Kill The Villainess

Anakin

🦋 After finishing his part, I realized that it was the same as the one I had previously written with another character and unfortunately I have no more ideas for him. But I promise to write for him next time. If I get any idea that is.

____...______...______...______...____

Marriage of Convenience

Zachary de Arno

"Count de Arno"

🦋 You were outside playing with Nikola, having the time of your lives. Meanwhile, the Count was just staring of at his window, watching you smiling so wide and laughing so carefree.

"Would you like to take a break?"

🦋 Vincent's voice pulled him out of his trance.

"I can call for Our Lady to come here—if you'd like."

"No, no, there is no need to."

🦋 He immediately rejected the idea. Although he would like to spend some time with you, he didn't want for your happiness to be put onto halt. He does notice you becoming stiff and guarded around his presence. He honestly just wants you to feel comfortable around him like how you are currently with the little boy.

🦋 He feels it's very embarrasing and won't ever admit it but he did feel a little envious of the child you were giggling with.

🦋 He cleared his throat along with his thoughts then proceded with his work.

🦋 A little while after, he heard the door open and immediately looked up and he saw you.

"Um... s-sorry to interrupt you work I– "

"It's alright. What brings you here?"

🦋 You gave him his dinner. You asked Vincent about the Count as he was nowhere to be seen during dinner and you got worried for him. You decided to stay at his office until he finish his meal and he didn't object, wishing to spend some time with you. However, both of you were stuck in an awkward silence, neither knowing what to do nor say.

🦋 You saw an extra pen on his desk and out of habit you picked it up and started drawing on your hand, the Count just watching you quietly. After you were satisfied, you look up to see if the Count has finished his meal but instead you both locked eyes, after realization you both looked away.

🦋 You sighed, this time you decided to have courage, it's not like the Count will eat you out alive.

"You know Count, whenever I feel stressed out I woukd usually do this. It relaxes me and I also love to make arts."

🦋 Your oh so charming smile made the Zachary's heart skip a beat. Without thinking, he placed his arm in front of you.

"You can draw on mine too." He says with a little redness on his cheeks.

🦋 You were shock at first, but then chuckled and proceded to do as he said.

🦋 Zachary just looked at you with fondness evident on his eyes. This little moment will always remain forever on him.

Bonus:

Your Smile Is A Trap

Kiyu Ahn

🦋 this was only suppose to be historical manhwa's but I can't resist him. He must me protected at all times🥺

🦋 Kiyu doesn't want to be bothered with this idol thingy anymore. You know that and you respect his decision.

🦋 You were Kiyu's first friend at school, you sat behind him and since he was a new student you thought about helping him adjust. The more time you two spent together, the more the friendship blossom and eventually, you both started dating, only your families knows about this and you both prefer it this way.

🦋 That was until, his identity and real face was revealed. It was a hot mess and Kiyu is feeling pressured and you can see that so you decided to help him ease atleast.

"Kiyu, your hand." you gestured and he complied.

🦋 You picked up a colored marker that was beside you and started drawing on his face. He was surprise but sit still. That was until you started chuckling, he felt a little suspicious and ran to get a mirror.

"[Name]!!!" he screamed your name while you just laughed hysterically.

🦋 You finally calmed down after he returned with a cute pout on his face.

"Oh c'mon! We can always erase that. Here, you can draw on mine too."

🦋 Without hesistation, he picked up a colored marker and started drawing on you. Then it turn into a contest between you two.

🦋 Kiyu was clearly having fun, now the one laughing hysterically at your messy form eventhiugh he was on the same state.

🦋 Seeing him like this made you smile so wide, this was the Kiyu you know, the Kiyu you fell in love with. Having him return to his happy and innocent self made you feel relief, you hoped everyday could just like be this happy and carefree.

"What? *chuckle* why do you look like that?" He asked.

"Nothing, I'm just happy whenever I'm with you. Stop worrying about the others for now and lets have fun, yeah?"

🦋 Kiyu smiled at you gratefully. He felt really lucky to have you, he was blessed with an understanding and caring partner, what more could he ask for.

-honestly, Oceanie-

[heeseung-min]

I love your 21:07 yandere jake. Could u make a ni-ki ver where his s/o saw him killing and he tried to explain that he loves them very much that's why he's doing it and y/n accepted him and maybe a scenario where y/n is watching him beat up someone bc they flirted w/ y/n. Sorry if it's too long or confusing IENSIENEISKSJ

first of all, thank you so much for appreciating my works :) i hope you have a nice day!!!! So sorry for the late answer 😔

[15:37]

"The number you called is not available right now. Please call back again-"

You huffed at the screen that shows your boyfriend's number, Riki. He said he will be back by 6 but now it's already 11 p.m.

You know Riki is good enough to protect himself from any danger but still you feel worried because murder cases were increasing day by day in your town. You are afraid Riki will be the next victim.

Sighing, you went to the basement to take your laundry. When you reached down there, suddenly you heard a very loud scream. A man's scream to be exact. You turned around trying to find where is the source of the sound. It's impossible to find it here at the basement because you knew there's no any room inside here.

"AAAAAAAHHHHHHH!!!"

Maybe it has. You went to the rear of the basement and tried to find anything suspicious at the wall.

Bingo!

The wall suddenly backed away when you push at the certain spot. It reveals to a long hallway that you never know exist under this house. You walked into it and searching the source of the sound.

"Y/n?"

You stucked to your place when you saw your boyfriend just came out from a room with blood on his clothes and skin. He became panic when you finally know this side of him.

"...Riki...what is happening?"

You slowly backed away when he started to get closer to you but Riki was faster and caught you first. This is the first time you how scared is he. He hold you tightly to make sure you can't run from him.

"Please- please don't hate me. I - He was disturbing you, right? You told me about the guy so I killed him. I don't want to see you suffering anymore. Please, I love you so much. Don't leave me, y/n."

You don't know if you are crazy or not because you should feel scared of him right now. You should run and call the police but instead of feeling like that, you felt proud and somehow happy with what he had done.

"You...killed him for me?"

"Yes. I killed him for you. I love you so much."

You pecked his lips and hugged him close to you. Your boyfriend was confused with the sudden act. He pulled away to look at your face again.

"You are not mad? I- I did something wrong."

"You did it for me. I am proud of you. I love you too much to hate you, Riki."

"Fuck, I thought I need to do something to prevent you run from me."

Okay, maybe you are crazy. You giggled at his worried expression and brought him to upstairs so he can have a shower. You are also glad the house has two bathrooms which allow you to change yourself after hugging Riki.

"I really love you, y/n."

"Love you too, riki."

______

______

"You smell so good."

The sudden compliment startled you from reading. You looked up to see a classmate of yours that always flirting with you. You already rejected him many times and even say you have boyfriend already. But, this jerk didn't care about it and even asked you to cheat on Riki.

"Stop disturbing me. You are disgusting."

"Oh, come on honey. I bet I can make you scream louder at my bed."

That was the last straw. You throw your book on his face. It did some damage since the book is heavy and thick. You put every stuffs inside your bag before went out from the class.

______

______

"Stupid. Bastard. Disgusting. Fucker. You should die and you don't deserve to live."

"I'm- I sorry-"

"Shut the fuck up. My girlfriend already warned you, right? But you are too stupid to understand. I wonder where is your braveness now? You looked like you about to piss yourself."

And it is true. As Riki said that, the guy accidentally pissed. He cried when Riki laughed and pointed out at his pants. Your boyfriend gave a bat to you so you can finish the person.

"You should stop when a girl say no."

That was the last thing before you swung the bat and hit him very hard until he fell from the chair. Not only that, you also kicked and step on his head releasing the anger that has building inside you everytime he disturbs you in the school.

"You did such a good job, baby."

"I'm tired. How can you do this every week?"

Riki laughed while caressing your face. Both of you walked away from the room and changed clothes. He also cooked for both of you.

"You didn't clean the room?"

"Nah, no need. I already paid someone to do it."

"Damn, you are rich. I like it."

"And I love you."

"Ergh, Riki. Stop flustering me. I want to eat."

It was a lovely dinner and since that day Riki doesn't need to hide anything from you.

--

taglist: @stacey-stonem @duolingofanaccount

[luminnara]

Omega Depression || Alpha!Kiribaku x Omega!fem!reader

Hi! Can I request an alpha!Kiribaku x omega!fem!reader where she is strong on the outside, but sensitive on the inside. Then, some asshole alpha comes and insults her saying that she isn't worthy of having alphas and other super mean stuff that makes her go to omega depression. After that, she confines and isolates herself in her room, not allowing her alphas to enter. Days pass, she misses school for like a week, and her alphas are tired of waiting, so they bust the door and find their omega deep in omega depression and starving herself, and they're super worried and try to help her get out of it, cause she could die if not. The rest can be little angst with a fluffy happy ending!

Yo I live for alpha kiribaku, not gonna lie

Warnings: angst, mental health stuff, depression, eating disorder/starvation stuff, abo

Requests are open!

You were always happy with your alphas. Bakugou and Kirishima were the loves of your life, you were sure of it. The three of you got along well, and there was nothing you enjoyed more than spending time with your boys. You kept up with them easily, never having trouble when it came to handling Katsuki’s temper or Eijiro’s enthusiasm. They loved protecting you, too, not that you ever really seemed to need it; you were tough as nails, as far as everyone was concerned. 

You weren’t, though, not really. 

“What a useless little omega.”

The words kept repeating in your head, over and over.

“Two alphas? Yeah, right. You don’t even deserve one, not with an uppity attitude like that.”

They kept echoing, no matter what you tried to do. 

“What a stupid bitch. They should just leave your sorry ass. You aren’t worthy of anyone, much less alphas.”

You curled in on yourself. You felt sick to your stomach. How could someone say that about you? How could a shitty alpha go and ruin your mood, and your day, by saying something so awful?

“I am worthy!” You had argued. “And we’re happy together, so just fuck off.”

“Oh yeah? Then why haven’t they claimed you yet?” His lips had pulled over his teeth in a sick grin. “You know they’re just biding their time, waiting for something better to come along. You’re nothing to them.”

The little spat had been earlier that morning. It was rare that you ever went out alone; usually Eijirou or Katsuki or both of them were stuck to you like glue, but this had been one of those instances when you had absolutely insisted you would be fine. After all, you were just running a couple errands. You weren’t even going very far from campus. What’s the worst that could possibly happen?

Well...this, apparently.

You had rejected the advances of an alpha who had been eyeing you for quite some time. He was annoying and his scent always made you recoil, but you would never, not in a million years, have thought that he could hurt you so deeply.

Why were his words even bothering you so much? You knew your boys liked you. They made sure to constantly cover you in their scents, they happily gave up their shirts for you to tuck into your little bed nest, they held your hands and gave you sweet little kisses...

And yet, he was right. They hadn’t claimed you yet. There were no big bite marks on your neck to show the world that you were taken. Why hadn’t it happened yet? You always thought that maybe they were just nervous, and they wanted to wait for the right time. Maybe they wanted to wait until school was over and they were better established as heroes.

Or maybe they were just playing with you, maybe you were nothing more than their favorite toy for the time being. What if they got tired of you? What if they really were planning on kicking you to the curb? Without a bond mark, nobody would even blink if they cast you aside. It would just be a normal break up, nothing for anybody else to even care about or get involved in.

But your heart was already aching at the thought of it.

You huddled up in your nest, ugly sobs wracking your body as you clutched one of Katsuki’s hoodies to your chest. An undershirt of Eijirou’s was nearby, a few plushies that they had given you tucked in amongst the blankets and pillows. The scents of burnt sugar and cinnamon wafted around you, and as comforting as they usually were, they weren’t helping you now. Nothing was.

You heard your phone vibrate, but you didn’t reach for it. You didn’t care. You were too wrapped up in your own thoughts, absolutely trapped in your head now. You were plagued by those same words as they kept repeating, telling you over and over that you were worthless, useless, nothing.

When you finally managed to glance at your phone, you had missed texts from both your alphas. You replied to them with a couple of half hearted “yeah, I’m fine” -s, then finally slithered out of bed to make sure your door was locked. You didn’t want to face them when they came to bother you.

If they came.

You spent the entire day like that. When you were out of tears to cry, you just grew numb. It was the worst you had ever felt, and while some part of you knew, deep down, that you needed your alphas to come help you, you couldn’t stand the idea of them seeing you like this. How had you managed to grow so afraid? You usually told them everything, but now...now you abhorred the thought.

“Oi!” Katsuki’s rough voice came from the other side of your door, his scent wafting in. “Open up!”

You didn’t answer, curling in on yourself even further instead. 

“Omega!” he called angrily. “Stop ignoring me, dammit!”

“Go away!” you managed to squeeze out, your voice sounding weak and strangled. 

He was silent for a moment, his scent changing. It grew more burnt-smelling as his anger mounted, and as it reached your nose, you felt panic and annoyance spiking in your chest. 

“Omega,” he growled, voice low. You heard the doorknob jiggling as he tried to get in, but you had locked the deadbolt, and unless he unleashed his quirk right there in the dorms, there was no way he was entering your room.

“I said go away!” you yelled. 

On the other side of the door, Katsuki was fuming. The beginning sparks of little explosions were popping around his hands, and if Eijirou wasn’t there to hold his arms down at his sides, there was a good chance he would have done some real damage to the hallway. 

“Katsuki, c’mon.” the larger alpha said. “Let’s just leave her alone for a little.”

“Something’s wrong,” Katsuki pulled back as his partner started trying to drag him away. “She stinks.”

“Yeah, she definitely doesn’t smell happy,” Kirishima paused, frowning. “But...we need to give her the space, if she wants it.”

“Fuck that,” his partner spat. 

“Katsuki....” Eijirou sighed. 

Bakugou’s nostrils flared angrily for a moment, red eyes wild as Kirishima grabbed his arm once again. Someone was trying to drag him away from his omega, from his perfect little mate, and if it had been anyone other than Eijirou, he would have done far worse than simply dig his heels into the floor and growl in protest. Kirishima was right, though; if their omega wanted alone time, they couldn’t just barge in without permission. As much as it hurt both boys, as desperate as they were to get to you and make you feel better, they weren’t total animals. They respected you, and prided themselves on being two big, capable alphas who listened to their omega. 

They returned to their own rooms, expecting to at least hear from you within an hour or two. 

Hours turned to days. 

You texted them a few times, listless, half-assed messages that did little to reassure them. You would send a pathetic I’m fine or a It’s okay here and there, only after they had both blown your phone up for a few hours. It was the only reason they hadn’t tried to tear your door off its hinges; they knew you were alive, at least. But by the third day, Katsuki was beside himself, and even Eijirou was getting upset enough to consider using his quirk to get to you. 

You wished that he would. You didn’t want to face them, but at the same time, the fact that they weren’t tearing the building apart to reach you was making you even sadder. Your sad scent was starting to leech out into the rest of the dorms, and by the end of the fifth day, nobody could stop your alphas. 

“Oy!” Bakugou snarled, his fist thudding against your door. “Open up, omega!”

You didn’t answer, too weak and listless to bother. 

“Babe?” Kirishima asked, his voice strained with the effort of not yelling in panic. 

“We know you’re in there,” Katsuki growled. “Quit avoiding us!”

Still, you didn’t answer. 

Then, you could hear some shuffling, and the door was being torn off its hinges by Kirishima. Bakugou stormed in as soon as the path was clear, his red eyes blazing with anger, his hands balled into fists.

“You’d better show your face right fuckin’ now, or I swear I—“

He fell silent at the sight of you. His eyes widened, his nostrils flaring. Your scent was so strong and so incredibly miserable that a wave of nausea passed through him. He hadn’t expected that it would be so pungent in your room, and as he covered his mouth and nose with his hand, he rushed towards you.

“Baby,” he cooed, vaguely aware of Kirishima behind him, “what the fuck is going on?”

You tried to bury yourself in your nest, trying to burrow away from the world, but a big hand caught you around the middle and pulled you back out. Eijirou manhandled you easily, his eyes wide with concern as he sat on the floor and placed you in his lap.

“You haven’t been eating,” he observed, looking at your tired eyes. “Or sleeping.”

Katsuki was beside himself with worry. He was immediately sitting in front of his boyfriend, caging you in between them as he began looking you over. “What the hell is goin’ on?”

You didn’t want to tell them. Your throat was sore from crying, and you felt stupid for being so upset. So, you did the only logical thing you could think of and buried your face in Kirishima’s broad chest, clinging to his shirt weakly.

“Omega, please,” the big redhead pleaded, leaning his head down to scent you. “Tell us.”

You shook your head.

“We know Somethin’ is wrong, so spit it out!” Katsuki barked.

His voice was harsh, but you felt a warm, gentle hand on your back that could only be his. The familiar touch made you sigh, and after a shuddery breath, the dam finally broke.

“Th-there was an alpha,” you whimpered, voice muffled by Kirishima.

“What the fuck did they do?” Katsuki growled, his voice deep and savage. It sent a chill down your spine and you whined, clinging to Eijirou for dear life.

“Cut it out,” Kirishima snapped, snorting at his boyfriend angrily. “You’re making it worse.”

“I just wanna know what happened!” He grumbled, his hand pressing into your back.

You hiccuped as a little sob wracked your body. “A-an alpha I rejected, h-he told me…he told me that I wasn’t good enough for you.”

The low rumble in Kirishima’s chest was like nothing you had ever felt before. It was threatening and powerful, putting Bakugou’s growl a moment ago to shame. His arms tightened around you, the scent gland on his neck slipping over your hair as he tried to cover up your unhappy omega stink.

“I’m gonna fucking kill him.” Kirishima snarled, uncharacteristically angry.

“Hey.” Bakugou slipped a hand around your waist, prying you away from the other alpha slightly. “Look at me.”

You faced him with teary eyes, and when you tried to shy away, he took your chin in his fingers. 

“We fuckin’ love you. Okay? I don’t say it much. Maybe I should say it more. But it’s true, ‘n no stupid, two-bit, shitty-ass alpha knows anything about the three of us.”

He leaned forward, pushing you back up against Kirishima with his head resting on your shoulder. You finally sighed, surrounded by the scents of your alphas, allowing yourself to relax as the dam broke and your crying started all over again. This time, though, it was freeing, and as your alphas rocked back and forth with you, you felt the dread and the anxiety slowly leaving your stomach. 

“Better?” Eijirou asked after a while. 

“A little.” you said, voice muffled by his tear-stained shirt. 

“Good.” Katsuki said gruffly, pulling you up to stand. “Let’s go get some food in you. Point that shitbag out if you see him...I wanna have a few words.”

[takenbypeter]

omg just read your werewolf rodrick x reader fic and i am in love!!!! i was also a mermaid kid, so i was wondering if you could write a mermaid reader fic as well please?? idk if you’ve ever seen H2O but sort of like that!! thank you🥺🥺❤️❤️

Mermaid’s Tail

Rodrick x reader

Words: 1593

~~~~~

Yay! I'm so glad you liked that story. I'm not the best at like mythological creature stories but I'm stoked you enjoyed it. And yes I loved H20 growing up and have honestly always wanted to be a mermaid. I'm also currently rewatching H20. Anyways here's your request fulfilled I hope you like it 💕💕💕

~~~~~

An arm reaches from behind, placing a small carton of chocolate milk in front of you. Happily taking the extra calcium, you grab the box with a grin tearing it open. “Wow, not even a simple thank you,” Rodrick says, pulling out the seat beside you. 

“Is it that time already?” Your other friend asks from the opposite side of the table. “What time?” Rodrick asks and your friend instantly grins, him falling straight into her trap. “Time for you to get rejected again.”

Rodrick rolled his eyes at the comment before turning to you. “Alright, simmer down you two,” you look at your friend, “and one, only I get to make fun of Rodrick,” you then turn to Rodrick, “and two, thank you for the milk,” you wave it around before taking another sip. 

“Anything for you,” he says with a sly smile. “Oh but I did actually come with a question, you’re going to the pool party this Saturday right?”

Your eyebrows lowered, “pool party?” Your eyes not so discreetly met your friend’s across the table, the only person who knew about and also had your…special condition. “I’m not so sure.”

“Really?” He leaned back slightly confused.

“Yeah I’m not so much of a water, pool type of person.” His face deflated only for a second before he collected himself, “well I mean it’s just a party, you don’t have to go into the pool.”

That was true. Across the table your friend shook her head. 

“Maybe…I don’t know.”

Again there was a slight pause where he didn’t seem to know what to say, “okay well I’ll be there and if you do end up going…maybe we can hang out or something,” he shrugged, throwing the very vague idea out there. 

“I’ll let you know,” you smiled again as he nodded before taking his bag and leaving your table for another one. Before you could even turn around you knew your friend was already giving you the look. “You are not going to that party.”

You quickly averted your eyes, “Why not? As long as I don’t actually get in the water it should be fine.”

“It’s too risky.” You know she’s right but you’re still tempted. Teeth chewing on your bottom lip, you shift your head to where Rodrick was seated and you catch each other’s eye for a moment. 

“Also that.” You spin back around towards your friend. “What?”

“That right there, that weird thing between you two, you need to stop that. You know it can’t happen, so stop dragging him on a leash.”

You knew she meant well but all you could do was roll your eyes, opting to change the topic. 

But the thought still played on your mind, were you dragging him on a leash? You two had been having this whole back and forth thing all year. Maybe it was time to let go. 

When that thought came to mind, you felt a weird lump in your throat grow. Is it bad that you didn’t want it to stop? Shaking your head you got the thought out from your mind, no this has to stop. 

Going back and forth a couple times you eventually settled it. You’ve decided, you were going to go to this party, have a great night then cut the whole “thing” with Rodrick off, whatever that “thing” was. 

So that’s how you found yourself covered in head to toe, stuck to the furthest pool chair at this pool party. It was pretty fun though. Some classmates would come over and chat for a bit before going back to wandering around. 

You almost forgot why you agreed to go to this party before a familiar figure sat on the end of your pool chair, “look who decided to show up,” he said, smile already stretching on his lips. 

You fought your own grin, shifting your body to face him better, “well I figured it was only fair, since you wanted me here so badly.”

“Don’t be dramatic.”

“I’m not. I think your exact words were, ‘the party would be so much better if you were there,’” you mocked his voice, lowering your tone. 

“I don’t remember saying that exactly, but it’s not wrong.” You don’t when it happened but somewhere between the jokes and the back and forth, you and Rodrick grew close, bodies now shoulder to shoulder. 

You don’t know what it was, maybe it was even the fact that this was the last night you had with him, but you found yourself wanting to draw even closer. 

Rodrick seemed to want the same, his eyes quickly flickering to your lips then back up.

“I want to kiss you.”

“Do you think I want to?” You reply, unable to break the natural tendency to tease him.

“Do you?” He retorts, his eyebrows raising at the question. That was it, in that moment you were going to kiss Rodrick. At least that’s what you thought was going to happen. But you forgot the fact that you were surrounded by immature idiots.

Right as Rodrick’s lips were about to meet yours, Rodrick’s friends got the great idea to splash a bucket of water onto Rodrick’s head drenching you in the process. Your mouth dropped in shock, as you sat there for a second. You heard Rodrick groan at the prank but before you could process anything you were already on your feet, heading to the nearest bathroom. 

You heard Rodrick’s voice calling out for you to wait, but you couldn’t focus on that. Finding the bathroom, you quickly ran in and shut the door before the inevitable happened. Your legs fused into a tail. 

You huffed seeing the cursed tail, “I hate my life,” you whispered, staring down at the scales. But before you could think about it too much a knock came from the other side of the door. “Occupied!” You shouted in a panic.

“It’s me! You sort of bolted back there, are you okay?”

“Yeah I’m…fine,” your eyes roamed around the room frantically looking for a hair dryer, a large towel—anything to help you get dry, but nothing, there was only a single small towel. 

“I’m coming in.” The door handle wiggled and you shouted out, “No!” But you’re too late, the door’s already opened and by the look on his face he’s definitely noticed the scales. 

No words were shared between you two just utter shock and suddenly the door closed with him on the other side again. “Wait!”

You didn’t hear any footsteps, so you assume he’s still out there, “I need your help.” A couple seconds go by and you’re not even sure if he’s still there. “Rodrick.” The floor creaks a little bit assuring you that he is, “I need a towel or a blow dryer please, anything you can find.” Again a second passed before his footsteps retracted and you finally let out a breath you didn’t know you were holding. 

Minutes passed before you heard a knock again, “I’m coming in,” he said, quickly stepping in and shutting the door behind him, locking it in the process.

Taking the towel you immediately start dabbing at the tail, trying to lessen the wetness. Rodrick, still processing things, just stares. He stares at your tail, eyes starting at the wide flipper before slowly moving up, until he stops at your panicked expression that suddenly brought him back down to earth. “Rodrick, I’ll explain later just please help me.”

“Right,” he comes to your side, still unsure of what to think. “Plug that dryer in and hand it over.”

“Right,” he repeated, doing exactly as told. He watched as you put the dryer on high and immediately aimed it at your tail. After a couple minutes your tail was gone and back were your legs. Letting out a sigh of relief you shut the hair dryer off before dropping it to your side.

You almost forgot Rodrick was there with how unusually silent he was being. It wasn’t until you saw him in the corner of your eye that you remembered. “Thank you,” you uttered standing on your two legs. He quickly stood up following your motion and you two just stared at each other. His expression rang shocked? Surprised?…Confused? Honestly you couldn’t tell what he was thinking, all you knew is that you were growing nauseous on the inside just thinking about what his next words were going to be.

“Was that…?” His finger points to your now two legs. 

You nod seeing as he was unable to finish his question. 

“Are you…”

Again you nod. “You can’t tell anyone about this, only one other person knows about this.”

Again he was silent and you took a step closer, “you can’t tell anyone about this.”

His brows came together, crease in the center deepening as his mouth formed a small round shape. Suddenly a knock on the door was heard, “occupied!” You both shout simultaneously. 

You slapped his shoulder as the footsteps left, “shh! People will think we’re in here together.”

“Well we are,” he says with confusion on his face. 

“Yeah but I mean like together, together.” 

“Would that be so bad?” He asked with that teasing grin already right back on his face as if nothing even happened. You chuckled at his sudden lighthearted tone, “shut up,” you joked opening the bathroom door. Once the coast was clear you exited the bathroom and he followed close by. 

“You’ve gotta tell me what all that was though.”

“Relax I will. Just not here.”