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stylesclarified · 7 months ago

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DECONSTRUCTING FANDOM MYTHS: "Harry Styles got to where he is because he was pushed by the label"

In light of Liam Payne's passing, certain middle-aged bloggers who have come back with a vengeance to spew lies all over the fandom (lies that get repeated and permeate the opinion of every chronically online fan that's adjacent to any degree to the 1D fandom or its solo artists), so I decided to deconstruct those lies. One by one.

This will be a series of separate posts analyzing it in detail.

"Harry Styles got to where he is because he was pushed by the label"

Absolutely not, not even CLOSE to the truth. I know people are aware, tangentially, of what Liam said in Logan Paul's podcast. Impaulsive, a couple of years ago. Clips of that went viral and he got a lot of hate for it. But actually go and watch it. I cued the relevant bit in the link, so you won't have to watch any unnecessary part.

In the podcast Liam says that he went from 180,000 people who auditioned down to the last 24. For the uninitiated, The X Factor was the most popular show on TV around that time and SO many people auditioned. I'll explain the process of the show briefly because it'll also be relevant later in this post.

You first send a tape in, and then you get a callback to audition in front of producers (this was in March-April). If you go through, you go to the live auditions which in 2010 happened in six cities (Glasgow, Birmingham, London, Dublin, Cardiff, and Manchester). Liam did Birmingham, Niall did Dublin, Harry, Louis, and Zayn did Manchester. 211 acts made it through after live auditions in 2010, to the next stage which was bootcamp.

Bootcamp lasted 5 days. On the second day, about half the acts were dismissed, leaving 108 standing, which were divided in four categories. Boys, Girls (these two were ages 16-27), Groups, and over 28s. There were four judges and each judge "mentored" a different category. Because of the format of the show, each category has to have an even amount of contestants (in 2010 it was 8 acts per category). The "Boys" category was very full, so they dismissed the 1D guys unless they agreed to form a group. They did, so they then went to the next stage, which was Judges' Houses. Simon was mentoring Groups that year, so 1D went to "his" house in Spain alongside the 7 other Groups. The goal of this stage is cutting the acts to 4. Only 12 acts make it to the Live Shows.

1D passed Judges' Houses and went on to the Live Shows, there were 10 Live Shows in total, with the last one being the Final. 1D made it to the Final and came in third (the winner was Matt Cardle, runner-up Rebecca Ferguson).

Anyway, as I was saying, in 2008 Liam made it to Judges' Houses, and since Simon was mentoring Boys that year, he was his mentor. He didn't make it to the final 4 acts, and was instead cut off. In the podcast, Liam says that after being cut off, Simon had dinner with him, his mom, and one of the X Factor producers, who would later become a 1D manager, and told him that he wanted to put him through but that he was too young and needed to get his education in.

Another small tangent, education in the UK goes Primary School (until age 11), secondary school (until age 16), and then two years of what's called Sixth Form (also known as college, also known as A Levels). These last two years weren't mandatory if you weren't going to university back then. Liam was 14 in 2008, so if he waited two years, he would finish secondary school. The X Factor actually lifted the age limit to 16 after this. Harry has said that he always wanted to audition to the X Factor but he was always too young (remember, he's 6 months younger than Liam so he didn't make the age cut-off in 2008, and then they lifted it even higher). And I'm adding this here because it drives me nuts, Harry DID FINISH HIGH SCHOOL. He took his GCSEs which are the exam you take to finish high school. He just didn't do those extra two years of college (none of them did, btw, Louis did first year twice because he failed it the first time, but he didn't finish either).

Anyway, so Liam has dinner with Simon, where Simon essentially tells him "you have what it takes but I'm not taking you out of school. Come back when you finish." And Liam does just that. Not only that, but he (and I'm quoting here) "sings everywhere he can." He sings for money, he takes vocal lessons. He sings at old people's homes, at his local soccer stadium in Wolverhampton (which is not a small deal, btw), he sings in pubs. He literally talks about being paid a lot for performing at times "more money than I'd ever seen."

I think a lot of people don't know this. A lot of people have no idea that Liam WAS actually a professional singer BEFORE 1D. And he's not lying, he's not exaggerating, he's not gloating in this part of the interview. It's 100% true.

Then Liam says that because of the promise Simon had made him, he worked around Liam's face to create a group. I know we've all seen the footage of Nicole Scherzinger putting 1D together through their headshots. I'm sorry to be the bearer of bad news, but the X Factor is highly staged. They didn't decide to put the band together in front of the cameras on the fly. Simon has been trying to recreate that ever since, and he's put several groups together in similar circumstances since then (Little Mix and Fifth Harmony are successful tries at it).

These boys had been auditioning since March, as I said. In fact, Liam says in the podcast that "it's pretty obvious who's gonna make it through because cameras start following them around." Remember, Zayn had the whole "where is Zayn" saga, and Harry had that segment "playing" all the female contestants. (Don't get me started on how disgusting that was, considering he was 16, but oh well). Both of these things happened in bootcamp. Why? Because the producers saw something in Harry and Zayn and knew it'd probably pay off to have footage focused solely on them. I'm not claiming it's all a big conspiracy, but clearly they saw value in them.

Liam didn't claim that he was the only reason the group got put together, but he was one of the reasons, and I think he's 100% correct.

With the fact that he was auditioning for a second time, once the show started airing, he created his own little niche fanbase.

He had a website where he sold signed wristbands.

And even had a name for his fanbase:

He'd gone to talk shows YEARS before 1D was formed. This is him on Lorraine in 2008. The video itself was uploaded BEFORE he first even auditioned for the X Factor for the second time.

Here's the actual video:

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And now I'm going to show you, factually, how Liam was who the producers of the show thought would be the main guy and who was ACTUALLY pushed to the front.

This was their entrance for their first ever performance at the X Factor live shows

This is how they were standing while waiting for feedback from the judges. Liam tended to be in the middle or in the front in most photos and interviews. None of this is accidental, btw, blocking in TV is a serious matter, whoever is at the center is who your eyes will be drawn to.

It doesn't matter how many times The Hags try to rewrite history and claim that Harry was "pushed to the front," nothing they say, no matter how many times they repeat it, can change history and what we can see with our own eyes.

That doesn't mean that they would blindly push Liam no matter what. They would course-correct if someone else started to give signs of testing better. They, in fact, did just that.

Keep in mind, back in 2010, social media was in its infancy. Instagram had just been created (and it only became a thing since 2012), Facebook was huge but it was very personal and none of the guys really used it much.

Twitter had started to become relevant in 2009, and most young people were flocking there. Justin Bieber and One Direction fans were the backbone of what's today known as "stan Twitter."

What I'll do is analyze Liam and Harry's popularity on Twitter going by the air date of their X Factor episodes, which you can find in the picture below.

Liam's audition aired September 4 (auditions 3) and Harry's audition aired September 18 (auditions 5)

I'd love to do a proper breakdown of their follower counts but that's not really possible because there isn't an archive that can tell you that accurately. We'll have to rely on their own tweets and tweets from fans.

I'll also analyze their performances, the solos they got, how blocking was handled, etc. There was extra content where 1D was featured, and I'll address that as well, but keep in mind the extra content was only seen by a handful of people relative to the amount that watched the live shows - you can see the ratings above. We're talking 13 million viewers on average.

Neither Harry nor Liam would be featured on the X Factor again after their auditions until bootcamp aired. As you can see above that was September 25/26. There were glimpses of them the 25th (like the ones I mentioned before about Zayn dancing and Harry dating), but the main thing was the 26th when they were cut from the show only to be brought back and put in the band.

Liam had nearly 7,000 followers on September 15 2010 (10 before bootcamp).

Meanwhile Harry had 2,800 September 26, right before the episode aired:

The next day, after the episode aired, Harry nearly doubled his followers.

And so did Liam by September 30, with 14,000

Judge's Houses was when 1D was first introduced as such and they performed Torn. This aired October 2/3. I don't have data for these days.

Something must've happened October 6 (I'm thinking maybe a Twitcam?) because we have the first archived version of their accounts and we can actually see their followers.

Liam had almost 24,000 and Harry had almost 19,000

Liam still had an edge but Harry was rapidly approaching. Liam went from tripling Harry's followers, to doubling them, to only being a few thousand above.

Here we have the airing schedule for the next couple of shows.

1- First live show, October 9/10: They performed Viva La Vida.

Liam opened and closed the song, Zayn and Niall had short-ish solos. Harry and Louis had none. I posted pics of how they were standing above, but Liam was blocked in the middle the whole time.

2- Second live show, October 16/17: They performed My Life Would Suck Without You.

Liam opened the song and had a second solo in the second verse. Other than a single adlib by Zayn of two words mid-song, only Liam had solos. Liam was also blocked in the middle and close up for most of the song. (You can fact-check, just watch the video). At this point it's pretty clear Liam is the one being pushed. The others are barely singing. In both performances so far Liam has giant close ups that last a very long (for TV) time.

3- Third live show, October 23/24: They performed Nobody Knows

Liam opens the song and sings for quite a bit, Harry gets his first solo, performing the bridge. They're static the entire performance, with Liam blocked in the middle.

Before every performances they showed a short interview about their week, and this week they showed footage of and talked about going to the mall and how that caused hysteria with fans. After the performances was over, Dermot O'Leary, the host of the show, asked them who had to sign the most autographs. They all said Harry. Keep in mind, at this point (when the whole autograph thing happened), this boy has had NO SOLOS in the live shows. Just that one performance of Torn and his audition.

I'll now address the part about the other bits of footage they showed aside from the main performances. They had bits and pieces in a show called XTra Factor, Megamind, Question time, etc. You can find a full playlist of 1D's appearances in these videos here. That, and the video diaries, of course were the only pieces of content the X Factor made about them. These were fluff pieces that either aired during the week or after the live shows, or were internet exclusive, so like I said, the audience that consumed this was pretty small in comparison to the live shows and as such it doesn't really warrant an analysis. That said, all the members were featured pretty evenly on these, with Louis perhaps being the main one because he was very loud and energetic.

I think these videos were fundamental to establish a fandom, but I wouldn't say it really affected who was popular. Louis was by far the least popular member while they were in X Factor (this is a fact, not me being shady, and this would of course change while they were in the band), even though he was the one who was probably featured the most in this content (he was also pretty much always front and center in the video diaries, for example).

Aside from that, there was social media, where all five did Twitcams and tweeted fans and stuff. Liam was the most active on Twitter and it was an inside joke both in the fandom and with the guys that Liam was always doing a Twitcam.

We're in late October and so far, Harry has not been pushed at all. I think we can all agree on that. And yet, by the 26th, he was the most followed member, juuuust edging Liam

You can see how Niall and Zayn have about half the followers Harry and Liam have and how Louis is trailing all five.

4- Fourth live show, October 30/31: They performed Total Eclipse of the Heart

Niall and Liam did a call and response bit where Niall would say "Turn around" and Liam respond with the rest of the verse. Louis and Zayn had small solos. Harry had no solos, being the only one not to have any. Just saying. No solos. They start the performance sitting down. When they stand up Harry is blocked in the middle, but they switch when the song ends with Niall ending up in the middle.

5- Fifth live show, November 6/7: They performed Kids In America

Liam started the song, again. Niall had a small solo and so did Louis. Harry and Zayn did a bit where they harmonized together. Harry had one (1) solo adlib. He was blocked in the middle the whole performance, to be fair, first time this has happened so far. I can sense the air shifting but still very short solo time.

6- Sixth live show, November 13/14: They performed Something About The Way You Look Tonight

Liam starts again, Zayn has a few small adlibs. Harry has an actual big solo (and he knocks it out of the park). He's also blocked in the middle again. We're 2/3 of the way through the season and more than halfway through the live shows, btw. The X Factor started airing August 21st and finished almost exactly a month after this performance on December 12. It's clear the producers are starting to notice just how popular Harry has become and they're shifting the focus in front of our eyes. When Harry starts singing the audience SCREAMS (jump to 0:40 seconds in the video).

7- Seventh live show, November 20/21: They performed All You Need Is Love

Liam starts once again. Harry is now permanently blocked in the middle, it seems, and he has a solo following Liam. Niall has a solo after the chorus, Harry takes the solo after Niall as well, he also closes out the song with a call and response, where he sings "Love is all you need" and the rest chorus "love, love, love." The shift is in full swing. Liam is still opening, but only because he sets the tone now, and seemingly not because he's the de facto leader anymore.

8- Eighth live show, November 27/28: They performed Summer of 69 and You Are So Beautiful (other contestants were being eliminated so now the ones remaining are singing two songs).

Summer of 69: Liam starts, and he's the only one to have a full solo, the rest of the song is mostly all five with Harry doing a couple of adlibs. Zayn is blocked in the middle at first, but Harry ends up in that position when the song ends.

You Are So Beautiful: Liam starts. Harry takes the solo after. He's blocked in the middle again. Zayn has a solo after, then it goes back to Harry (complete with a high note), and he ends the song. I don't think Niall and Louis opened their mouths.

We can now update on followers, because I can finally find some more data.

December 2, Harry has 118,000 followers

December 3, Liam has 101,000

The shift has shifted, fully. Sorry, Liam, you had a good run.

Jokes aside, Harry forced their hand. He became the most popular one with little to no solos, while someone else was supposed to be the focus. He wasn't the focus of the extra content (that would be Louis) and he wasn't the most active one on social media (that would be Liam). It just HAPPENED. 100% organically.

Yes, of fucking COURSE once they saw the raw attraction this boy generated in hordes of girls they switched gears. DUH. Wouldn't you??? They don't make these decisions based on nothing. If the audience wants Harry Styles they'll give them Harry Styles. That is how it works.

9- Ninth live show, December 4/5: They performed Only Girl in the World and Chasing Cars

Only Girl: Liam started, Zayn had a small adlib, the rest of the song is all five. They moved around the stage a lot, so the formation doesn't really matter all that much.

Chasing Cars: Liam starts and he's blocked in the middle at first. They switch after the first chorus and Harry blocks in the middle as he takes his solo in the second verse. He's also doing high harmonies so you hear his voice the most throughout the entire second chorus very very loud while the others blend together. This is the first time that happens so clearly. He also closes the song. This is their last performance before the final, and it'll echo the way most One Direction songs will go for their entire discography.

I have to say, the audience gets loud before and after every performance, and every time they switch solos too. The audience adores all of them. But they get SO loud when Harry starts a solo. I'd watched all of these years and years ago but had forgotten that detail.

Also, the myth that Harry wasn't as good as Liam and Zayn at this point is just preposterous watching these performances. His voice is so solid when he has to sing. Liam is obviously more steady (literal years of experience vs a couple of weeks), but he's not better than Harry by any means, just better equipped, I'd say. Zayn's voice is very thin and way more off pitch than I remembered (Harry can get flat as well, but he belts with a lot of power while Zayn at this point cannot, probably nerves tho).

Anyway, the X Factor final would air December 11/12. Obviously it aired at night, so the next two tweets are right before the final.

Liam gained 3,000 in about a week.

Harry had gained 20,000.

And if you've watched all the videos I linked, you'll know exactly why.

I don't really have more insight on their followers in 2010. I can't find any other tweets that mention numbers. But for the sake of completion, let's analyze the final two performances.

10- Final, December 11/12: They performed Your Song and She's The One.

Your Song: Liam started. They were blocked with separate spotlights but when they formed in line, Harry was blocked in the middle, and immediately started his solo. The bit about Harry doing high harmonies for the second chorus happens again. This time Liam closes the song.

She's The One: Liam starts. Harry is blocked in the middle yet again (it's so funny lol). He takes the second solo. Louis introduces Robbie Williams after Harry's solo, who stands right next to Harry and takes the next solo (and all the solos after this). Robbie hugs Harry for most of the performance, then Louis who's on his other side. The camera is solely focused on Robbie with a little bit of Harry, which I find fucking HILARIOUS. What incredible foreshadowing.

Anyway, was Harry PUSHED by "The Powers That Be"? I mean, sure, but only after they realized how insanely popular he was. They stubbornly tried to push someone else to the forefront for two thirds of the competition and only clued in towards the end.

More so, when they gave in and started to push Harry, it actually worked. 1D became massively popular with hordes of fans, and most of them latched onto Harry. It's not like they switched gears, pushed Harry after Liam, it also flopped and someone else was more popular, but they stubbornly decided to continue pushing Harry. If it happened with Liam, it could've easily happened with Harry. But it didn't.

What you need to understand is that you can push whatever you want to an audience, but just because you push it doesn't mean it's gonna work out. Some things and some people click and others do not. Marketing can only help so far. And these decisions aren't made lightly. There's a ton of market research, of analyzing data, and checking reactions. If Harry hadn't tested well once they shifted, they wouldn't have kept pushing just for the sake of it. Just like they didn't with Liam.

Things don't happen in a vacuum. Harry didn't have any industry connections to warrant a push from the start (that would be Louis, who's mom knew James Corden). He hadn't been on TV or taken vocal lessons (that would be Liam). He also had never taken musical lessons for any instrument (that would be Niall). His family was working class. His mom has recently talked about how many jobs she had when he was growing up and how exhausted she was. Gemma talked about her and Harry being latchkey kids, having to fend for themselves. We know Harry worked multiple jobs since he was a child and until he was put in the band (since he was like, 10). He'd never gone to London before X Factor.

When The Hags claim that he was "chosen" and "pushed" they never explain the why in detail. Because THEY CAN'T. Not without admitting that Harry is talented and charismatic. I've seen some say "people like him because he's attractive." I mean, of course, he is. He's very attractive. So are the others, though? Different levels of attractiveness, of course, but they all got put in that band because of their looks. If they could sing but looked fugly they wouldn't have been put in a BOYBAND. In fact, I think being cute was more important than being able to sing at the time. Not naming names, but...

There's also been claims of "well, he was probably easy to manipulat." Brother ALL OF THEM were easy to manipulate. They were working class kids with a dream. I know part of being The Hags is having a bitch eating crackers attitude to him breathing, so of course they're never going to admit that he's not just good looking, but he's also charismatic, and has a great stage presence, and has a beautiful tone of voice, and an incredible work ethic.

But most importantly he had that Thing that people just latch onto. It's not something tangible you can describe. He just has it. It's the reason The Hags have been foaming at the mouth for a decade. There was nothing extraordinary about him that would producers want to push him above the others nefariously. The reasons you want to push an artist are typically very benign because that's the nature of the beast.

He didn't get an unfair advantage among his band mates.

Someone was ALWAYS gonna be in the forefront. Every single band in the history of bands has had at least one front-person. The producers initially thought it'd be Liam, put him in that position, but Harry took that from him organically, as much as it pains The Hags.

Fast forward to right before 1D released their first single (What Makes You Beautiful, which came out August 19 2011), and Harry now has 120,000 more followers than Liam (25% more). Louis Niall and Zayn are all pretty close together in followers, about 30,000 behind Liam and 150,000 behind Harry.

Now fast forward to around the time of their debut album release (mid November 2011)

The difference has now stretched to >200,000 (cannot get this tweet to embed but it says Liam is almost at 800,000).

This distance will grow bigger and bigger until the end of 1D and the start of their solo careers. By the end, Niall had solidified himself as the second most popular 1D member. These were the numbers on January 2016 (after 1D ended but before Zayn started his solo career):

Yes, once Harry became the frontman, he became THE FRONT MAN. In their first single, he sings the bridge and sings directly to the girl in the music video.

We also know Harry was BY FAR the most prominent voice in the group.

I haven't independently verified these screenshots, but I've been seeing them make the rounds on Twitter for ages with no one fact checking them, plus they... well, they sound about right. If there's anything that's wrong about them, please let me know, but counting these numbers sounds like an absolute nightmare that I'm simply not willing to put myself through.

This is counting ALL the albums, of course, but we know Harry consistently had the most amount of solos throughout their discography.

He also lead most choruses by far

And while for the first two albums Liam would start basically every song, Harry would quickly catch up with the latter three

And I was actually able to independently verify this (because it's not that hard), and the numbers aren't exactly the same but they're very similar. Somehow I have more songs? Maybe whoever did this only used the standard versions of the albums.

These are the totals: Liam 36, Harry 31, Niall 11, Zayn 9, Louis 4.

When they did interviews Harry was almost always sitting right next to the host (this would depend on what was the best spot for blocking in terms of the cameras and lights the show would use, but typically it's next to the host)

He was typically in the middle or in whatever place gave him more attention in photo shoots and he was, for instance in the thumbnail of most music videos, a lot of the times alone

Anyway, what's the point of this? The point of this is that my mama didn't raise a liar. Harry WAS pushed to the front once he became the most popular one... in the middle of the X Factor. And because he was pushed to the front a vicious circle (I'd describe it as virtuous, to be perfectly honest) was created, where more people heard his name, and he became even more popular, so he was pushed more. And so forth.

The media picked up on this, of course. It very quickly became "Harry Styles and his Directions."

Harry was very gracious about it, and we'll touch on his attitude towards that and his potential solo career in a post soon, but rumors of him going solo started almost as soon as they became huge.

1D released their first single in August 2011 and their first album in November. Neither of these would be released in America until 2012 (January for WMYB and March for UAN), once they did, 1D became massive worldwide. Harry started dating Taylor Swift towards the end of 2012, and that gave him a surplus of name recognition. He was already the most popular one by far, as we've established, but dating America's Sweetheart only created more distance between his celebrity ant he other four.

Thing is, he didn't date Taylor Swift for this reason. I know The Hags tend to be conspiracy theorists (or former conspiracy theorists that never lost their ways), so they will absolutely tell you it was PR to further his career, but I PROMISE you, it wasn't. This is something that can be very easily verified by virtue of just... paying attention to Harry and Taylor's relationship a little closer than the average tinhat tends to.

I'll clarify that I'm not fond of Taylor Swift. I flat out don't like her. I don't like her and Harry together either. But I don't just believe in things I personally enjoy. I believe in REALITY. One day I'll make a breakdown post of their relationship (which has been overly romanticized and minimized in very similar amounts). But the point I'm making right now is: yes, she raised his celebrity, but no it wasn't PR. In fact, the audience was aware of them being a couple for like, two months, when they had something going on, on and off, for several years (mostly off, let's be real).

After Harry was linked to Taylor, the talk about him going solo hit mainstream media. I mean, even before he was linked to Taylor the media discussed it.

May 2012

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These reports come from The Daily Star, which is National Enquirer levels of BS, of course. Harry once sued them for alleging on their cover that he had leaked nudes and posting a manipulated picture of his "naked" body (it was photoshop). But still, why did they make this rumor in particular up? Well, because he was the most high profile member, even in May 2012.

The reports kept coming, April 2013.

Harry Styles Going Solo?! One Direction Rep Says There's "No Truth" to False Album Reports. Source

The source for this one is The Mirror, which is slightly less terrible than Daily Star, but still quite terrible. The Sun would've been their go-to publication if this was something that had any type of substance (The Sun is also quite terrible, but they did have a lot of ties to 1D's team, particularly their publicist). Of course, 1D's team shut the rumor down immediately. They did this over and over. I'm not going to show you every instance. There were even leaked emails where it was asked that Harry did events on his own and Sony politely informed them that, no, Harry didn't do events on his own without the rest of the band.

The song Don't Let Me Go leaked in June 2013, and of course people jumped.

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Truth is they all recorded versions of the songs individually. This is something Louis touched on, I think in his documentary? Harry wrote Don't Let Me go, and he recorded a demo of it, because they all did that. The song was for the band, not for himself.

In terms of writing, that's another topic I'll expand on later, but while they were all slowly dipping their toes into songwriting, Harry seemed to want to branch out. 1D had been assigned a team of writers and producers spearheaded by the super talented and successful Savan Kotecha, who was their coach in the X Factor (he's an Oscar shortlisted and Golden Globe and Grammy nominated songwriter behind a huge amount of enormous hits (Can't Feel My Face, God Is A Woman, Love Me Like You Do, DJ Got Us Falling In Love, etc).

He quit after 1D's second album, after being harassed by Louis (I will absolutely expand on this some day), but he maintained a good relationship with the others. When he left, he recommended a set of songwriters and producers to take over his place for the three following albums, this time spearheaded by Julian Bunetta (also very accomplished, but, yeah, slightly less so than Savan).

While Harry did write a few songs with both of those teams (he actually wrote Happily with Savan for 1D's third album, the last song Savan wrote for 1D before leaving). He also sought out other songwriters.

You can find a complete breakdown here, but while still in 1D Harry wrote with the likes of John Legend, Gary Lightbody and Johnny McDaid (Snow Patrol), Dan Layus (Agustana), Jake Gosling and Chris Leonard, Gavin DeGraw, Ryan Tedder, Johan Carlsson, the band Kodaline, Taylor Swift, Bruno Mars, Max Martin, et al.

Harry started writing songs he kept for himself in 2014 (he mentioned this about his song Two Ghosts, which he later released in his debut album, for instance). And he also wrote songs for other artists, such as Ariana Grande, Alex & Sierra, and Michael Bublé.

Of course, this branching out got him a ton of connections and a ton of grace from members of the industry (who have always spoken wonders about him). He mentioned meeting his current manager and longtime friend Jeff Azoff in Toronto in 2012. Obviously The Hags get bent out of shape about this, because Jeff is son of legendary music manager Irving Azoff.

But Harry's connection to Irving is completely irrelevant in terms of his popularity. As I established here pretty plainly, he became the most popular member in 2010. Their team had to visibly pivot from promoting Liam Payne as the de facto leader to promoting Harry. People latched onto him organically.

Yes, when you have that once in a lifetime reaction from the audience to an artist, different types of music people with high positions of power will take notice and want an in for themselves. We'll get more in depth about this in the next post, so I don't want to continue to waffle on a lot longer, I think this whole "Harry was only popular because he was pushed" thing has been thoroughly debunked.

He was pushed because people CHOSE HIM.

And it was a good decision to do that because he was a huge part of 1D being successful. People try to humble him so often, "he wouldn't be famous if it wasn't for 1D."

You don't know that. Justin Bieber was discovered on YouTube in 2009. Harry was in a band in high school. He did musicals in school. He loved doing karaoke and was an avid music enjoyer. He was very much musically inclined and could have very well become famous without 1D. He could've auditioned for the X Factor again at a later date. He was SIXTEEN when he was put in the band.

It is not a fact that Harry wouldn't have become famous without 1D. He could've. But we also know that the minute Harry said he wouldn't sign his contract again, the band disbanded (and that's the subject of the new post).

Harry could and has thrived without 1D. But One Direction has never thrived without Harry. So.

#fandom myths #long post

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daydreamgoddess14 · 2 years ago

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Hot Water

MASTERLIST

Roy Kent xF!Reader

5 Times Roy Kent ends up on your doorstep even though you know it can't keep happening.

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I feel like this was dragged from me kicking and screaming. It started out just a little smutty one shot and now it's a slightly longer one. I do hope you like it, I'm not sure I do but hey ho, there's always the next one! 🙃

~~~

Well. This was really fucking inconvenient.

You’re literally laying on the bathroom floor. Underneath the fucking bath. Something, somewhere, somehow has sprung a leak and you’re resolved to fix it. You’ve even got your dad’s old toolkit out in the hope that wielding a tool might help. It hasn’t so far. It doesn’t help that you know approximately zero about plumbing. This is all just capping off a pretty fantastically awful couple of months to be honest. And although it’s a work day, and therefore your biggest problem is at the forefront of your mind, you’re going to have to forget the main reason behind your shitty time recently. Because this leak ain’t going to fix itself. You’re doing a masterful job so far - real professional. You’ve remembered to turn the stopcock off which is a big bonus. You nearly broke your hand doing it, but it’s done. You give your spanner an experimental jiggle over what looks like a loose nut, but as you do so, a spider runs over your hand. That little fucker is the catalyst for everything else. You squeal and pull your hand back, whacking first the pipe and then dropping the spanner onto your forehead. Whacking the pipe leads to the spider's little spider buddies coming out to find him, and you soon have one on its way up your arm and one in your hair. All limbs and spanner and spiders, you’re dragging yourself out from under the bath and shaking the little bastards off. Crying, of course, because what else are you meant to do when there are 3 spiders on you and you’ve just hit yourself in the face with a metal tool?

It’s already 7am, you need to be getting ready for work so there’s nothing else for it, you can shower at work. Luckily, luckily , if you head out now you should be early enough that you’d be alone there. The lads won’t be there til 9am anyway, so it’s only the staff and possibly coaches who might be there any earlier. The showers should be free. You try and give yourself a spider once over, throw on a pair of joggers and a jumper over your PJ shorts set and shove half your life in a bag. You’re only a 10 minute walk from Nelson Road so you don’t bother driving. You head straight in through the side door and shout hello to the cleaner who’s at the top of the stairs to Rebecca’s office. Passed the locker room, and into the depths between the gym and the training pitch are the showers. You put your bag on the bench and pull out a towel and some Richmond kit to wear afterwards. As one of two sports massage therapists for the team, you live in joggers and Richmond vests. Boring but functional. You’ve seen no one, heard no one, but you’re still not keen on the idea of stripping off in a men's shower room so you’re absolutely keeping the knickers on. One less area to have to cover up. You hang up the stuff you need, put away the under bath grimy stuff you’ve just taken off, and switch the shower on. Colin was not wrong about that water pressure. You’re OK. It's OK. This was the right thing to do. A scalding shower with pressure hard enough to feel like you’re being clapped on the back by The Rock sounds like bliss. While the shower heats up, you strip off (except the knickers, of course) and grab your shampoo. That little bastard spider is not leaving babies in your hair. No fucking way. As a second thought just before you get under the water spray, you switch Spotify on your phone so you can drown to the angry sounds of Olivia Rodrigo. You’re getting pretty good at the speed on Good 4 U, though sometimes scream singing it does leave you feeling like you’ve run a marathon. You’re better at the unhinged wail you can really give to ‘bloodsucker, famefucker’ on Vampire, it just hits different at the moment. The hot water hits your body and you finally relax.

~~~~~~

You wish you weren’t so outwardly affected. It was always going to go this way, you could have done more to protect your heart though - it would have saved you looking so foolish, and it would have saved a ruined friendship. That was the hardest part to deal with. You’d joined the staff under Ted Lasso and had built a great rapport with the players and the coaching staff. You considered them friends - all of them. Sure, you harboured a pretty big crush on Roy Kent, but it didn’t affect your work. You ignored those feelings, trampled over them and focused on getting on with your job. Notoriously slow to win over, he eventually became as good a friend as everyone else. The night of the West Ham game was insane. Ted was leaving, everyone was bouncing between elation over finishing second in the league and the prospects that would bring, and losing Ted. There were tears of joy and laughter one minute and tears of devastation the next. Ola’s could barely contain the emotion everyone was feeling. You’d decided to hit the road, everything was winding down anyway and the players were going on to an exclusive club which they’d invited you to as well - and you knew full well you wouldn’t have to buy a drink all night, they’d never let you do that when it was £25 for a double gin, but you didn’t want to carry the party on. You’d kissed whoever you could reach, hugged as many as you could see and air high-fived Sam from across the way. You stepped out into the late May night, it was still warm so you lingered outside with your drink while you waited for the taxi.

“Oi, how come I didn’t fucking get one?” Roy asked, stepping out to join you by the window.

“Hey, you going to the club? Get what?”

“A hug.” He nudged your shoulder.

“That’s my taxi. You always get a hug.” You slipped your arm across his back and leaned up a little to reach him better. “See you Monday.”

“You can’t go back in a taxi on your own?”

“Course I can, I always do.” You laughed, pulling open the door. He held it open while you sat in the backseat and slipped in after you.

“C’mon, I’ll make sure it gets you back ok.” You haven’t moved quite far enough along the seat so as the taxi driver rounds each corner, you're pushed further into Roy. “So everyone else gets hugs and kisses eh?”

“Only the people I could reach. Also, you just had a hug, stop complaining.” Another corner taken at a higher speed than necessary smushed you into his side. “Jesus, is this guy ready to finish or something.” He put a hand on your thigh,

“You ok?”

“Yeah fine.” The heat of his hand lit up your skin, the addition of far too many drinks made you feel flushed. You both looked at his hand on your leg and then back to each other, the streetlights illuminating you both and then sending you into darkness again. You didn’t know if it was an unconscious move or deliberate, but his thumb brushed gently in small circles on your bare skin. You’re sure he must be able to see your heart pounding through your dress. As he leans forward into you, his hand moves up just another inch and as you gasp at the sensation, he lightly kisses you.

“Here we are. That's a tenner please, love.” Roy goes for his wallet but you push his hand out of the way and hand the driver a note from your bag. He has to open the door to let you out, “you coming back in, fella?” the driver asks. He looks down at the hand which he held out to help you from the taxi to find he’s still holding it.

“No thanks, mate.” You’ve barely got the front door closed behind you before he’s pushed you up against it and kissing you with a fierceness you hadn't realised you were so desperate for. Your hands worked fast, pushing his jacket down his arms and onto the floor with a thud, and pulling him back to you by his t-shirt. The dress Keeley suggested for you is flattering, but a little more revealing than you’d usually wear. Shorter than you’d normally go for and with a low neckline too. He’s got one hand up in your hair and the other is back on your leg, halfway up the skirt while he kisses your jawline. His body presses against you and you can feel him, hard through his jeans. You bring up the leg he’s got a hand on and he hooks it over his hip, it tilts your lower body further into his and he is so close to where you need him it sends you dizzy. It's impossible to disguise the neediness of your moans and the hand that's up your skirt is moving further up to grip the fleshy soft spot between your hip and thigh.

"God, Roy -," you whine, you rock your hips towards his,

"Sure you want this?" You nod against his shoulder, "Talk to me, babe," he asks.

"Yes, yeah I'm sure," you're pulling at his t-shirt, dragging it over his head.

When he mutters "good girl," against your collarbone, you're certain you could come there and then. He traces the line of your knickers with his fingers, feeling just how ready you are for him, "fucking hell," he says, wrecked. He slips his fingers inside you and presses his thumb to your clit. He seems to know exactly what you need and just when you're at the brink, grasping for the release that's just out of reach, he kisses you. It's hot and rough and sends you right over the edge. He gives you a minute, a slightly softer kiss, but you don't need it, you only want him. Your shaking hands fumble with the button of his jeans until he takes over and does it himself, he's dug out a condom from his wallet. You're still fully clothed, still wearing the high heels that, with his help, have you at exactly the right height for him to push into you. It's everything. Everything you've fantasised about since the day you were introduced, he's the only thing that stands out from your first day at the club. In a room full of high-profile, well-paid, gorgeous footballers, he's the only one you see. He thrusts into you using your hips as leverage, the spike of your heel grazing the back of his thigh. Your hands hold fast to the back of his neck and his shoulder,

"Roy, fuck, you feel so good." Your name is reverent on his lips as he comes and on hearing, you're there too. His pace slows as his hips stutter, and your head rests in the crook of his neck while you catch your breath. All at once, he's gentle again, carefully bringing your leg back down and making sure you're steady on your feet. He looks a little sheepish as he steps back away from you, taking you hands to help you stand up away from the back of the door,

"You ok?" He asks, while you straighten your dress and pull it back down into place.

"Yep, all good. You?"

"Yeah, yeah fine." He looked like he couldn't get out of there fast enough, his hesitation and unease rubbing off on you. "I should go though,"

"Yeah, no I figured as much."

"It's just been a fucking long day, y'know?"

"I know. Lots of crazy emotions." He must have seen the look of hurt cross your face,

"Not that it was a mistake… but maybe, probably shouldn't have happened? Fuck, I'm sorry. I don't mean to be a fucking dick-,"

"I get it Roy. It was fun but it didn't mean anything." It didn't mean anything . Probably the biggest lie you've ever told and it's out of your mouth like you knew it had to be said all along.

~~~~~~~~

On Monday morning, you were all notified that Roy would be named as the new head coach for Richmond. He obviously knew beforehand, so within 36 hours you'd gone from sleeping with a colleague to sleeping with your boss, and the sudden distance and desperation to get out of your flat became clear. Along with the knowledge that it definitely could not happen again. Not that he gave the impression that he wanted it to. The following week, you took yourself on holiday for a week with some of the team and friends, just a big villa and a private beach in southern Spain. You'd relaxed, eaten your weight in fresh seafood, and consumed more sangria than you should have. All week, Instagram was full of you and your sunkissed friends having a whale of a time. You returned feeling better about yourself and ready for a few easy admin weeks before the start of the season. And then Roy had shown up at your door.

"Nice holiday?"

"Not bad… can I help you?" You're on your guard, holding the door closed against you.

"Right. Thought I should check in, see how you are?"

"As my boss, or?"

"Can I fucking come in or not?" You hold the door open but keep your arm in the way, childishly making him duck to get through. "Did the lads behave?" He asked from your kitchen.

"Oh yeah. I slept with Jan in the pool, Richard on the beach and shared a bed with Moe and Tommy all week."

"Fucking funny," he didn't look amused.

"Do I look like I'm laughing?" He did a momentary double take. "Course I'm joking. Bad enough that I've fucked the boss, isn't it? Jesus if word got around I might as well quit."

"Don't say that." He growled.

"True though isn't it? You knew, and that's why you left in such a hurry. Quick and dirty. What was it? You'd wondered what it would be like, so thought you might as well give it a go before you started the top job?" He didn't say anything. "And now you're worried that I've been off having too much fun with one of the lads? Like you have any say whatsoever?"

"No. Fuck no. You can do whatever you want."

"I know."

"See whoever you want."

"I know."

"Will you stop arguing with me on this?"

"I'm agreeing with you. Boss." Somehow, you'd managed to square up to each other like you were about to hit him. It was still a reasonably high possibility until he closed the gap and kissed you. Horny traitor that it is, your body gives in immediately. "We shouldn't do this again," you hiss as he bites your shoulder.

"So tell me to fucking stop." He grabs at your loose sleep vest and pulls it off, surprised to find you don't wear anything underneath. "And if you really do want me to stop, then you'd better tell me right fucking now." Instead, you walk him back a step to the sofa and push him to sit down. As soon as he does, you straddle him.

"Do not fucking stop." You warn him, pulling off his t-shirt. It's the same needy, desperate and hot sex that you'd both craved last time, at least this time you already know that it shouldn't be happening. The difference is that it makes it even more intense. He does the same disappearing act as last time, leaving you doubting your life choices and questioning your sanity.

~~~~~~~~

It happens again the next week. With so many people on holiday, Keeley organises a karaoke night for those who are around. It's lairy and a lot of fun, you sing a few songs including a duet with Nate. Soon, the challenge becomes choosing songs for other people. You can't even place the song Keeley has picked for you until the music kicks in, it's not until you're singing it and reading the lyrics that you realise how apt they are.

"I'm yours to keep

And I'm yours to lose

You know I'm not a bad girl

But I do bad things with you

So it goes

Come here, dressed in black now

So, so, so it goes

Scratches down your back now

So, so, so it goes"

You catch his eye as you're singing without meaning to, and it's like lighting a fire in your belly. You know it's going to happen again. You still don't make it to a bedroom. Instead, you get to your knees for him just inside your flat and this time he's the one sounding needy and desperate. You've never heard Roy Kent of all people sound so wrecked and affected. Ever giving, he's utterly confused when you reject him afterwards and send him home without letting him touch you at all.

It's this which brought him back to your door the last time, just over a month ago. You've been in a bit of a downward spiral ever since. It had been over a week since the karaoke night. Pre season training was due to start and you knew you'd be busy with rusty footballers who tried to rush their first decent stretch in weeks. You were exhausted after the first day back, your hands ached and you'd half forgotten what it was like to be on your feet all day. You're yawning your way through a takeout menu when the door goes. Once again, Roy is on your doorstep, but this time he has a bag of food with him. He brushes straight past you and into the kitchen where he manages to plate up two meals despite not knowing where anything is kept and you becoming mute.

"Why are you here?" You mumble.

"I saw the appointment list for today. Thought you'd be fucking knackered." Once you’ve finished eating, he leads you to your own bedroom where he sits you on the bed. "This ok," he asks.

You nod first, then follow up with a hushed, "Yes." He undresses you slowly, taking his time in a way he hasn't any of the other times before. He lays you back on the bed and settles between your thighs, you're in pieces even before you feel the wet slide of his tongue against your clit. He holds you down with one hand as you cant your hips towards him with a whispered "fuckkk," he gives your thigh a bite,

"Hold fucking still," you can feel him smirk against you. It doesn't take much for him to have your legs shaking, your hands are in his hair, dragging through the curls that have grown out over the summer break. You practically wail his name as you come, and if you've learned anything from the hurried, rough trysts you've had so far with Roy, it's that you definitely weren't prepared for the time he actually gets to take his time with you. He's watching you come down, boneless from your first orgasm, letting you think he's done with you before he goes back for more. By the time he's crawling back up the bed to you, the need to have his skin against yours is sinful. You can barely form full sentences, speaking only in single word requests, "clothes, more, now". He laughs, a low rumble that you feel against your ribs. He's equally as eloquent, but out to take an agonisingly long time with you. He pushes into you in long, slow strokes, his whole body weighted against yours. The closeness is both intense and intimate, and when he kisses you it feels so much like a promise your heart could break. Unlike the previous times, you don't part immediately while you both catch your breath. He shifts off you slightly but stays with his nose against your jaw and his hands coveting your body. He's the first one to say it.

"This can't keep happening."

"We both keep saying that and yet here we are again." You sit up against the headboard, mindful to cover yourself up.

"I know."

"But, you're right, we can't." You decide you need to be firmer, "I can't keep doing this." He nods and gets up to dress.

"I'm sorry." He mutters as he leaves.

~~~~~~~~

Roy is always consistently early for work. A byproduct of being awake at stupid o’clock to train Jamie, yes, but before that, he’s just always been early. Now he’s head coach, he uses the time to get the coffee going or makes sure Will is on top of everything in the boot room. Has a wander around and checks the gym or the showers for lonely socks, earbud boxes, or hats. More recently, he's just sat at his desk and moped for an extra half hour before anyone arrives and calls him out on it. Today, though, he puts the coffee on and starts in the gym where he straight away finds Isaac’s favourite sweatbands, Moe’s sunglasses, and one of Dani’s socks. It’s like picking up after a bunch of fucking kids. He dumps the loot in the middle of the locker room and carries on. He can hear singing as he gets closer to the showers and assumes that Jamie must have chosen food over cleanliness and has decided to save time by coming straight to Nelson Road after breakfast.

“Well, good for you, you look happy and healthy

Not me, if you ever cared to ask

Good for you, you're doing great out there without me, baby

Like a damn sociopath!

I've lost my mind, I've spent the night crying on the floor of my bathroom

But you're so unaffected, I really don't get it

But I guess good for you”

Yeah. That's not Jamie. But it's already too late, he'd been rounding the corner as he'd heard the singing and now, well… thank fuck you've got your back to him. He tries to back out of the room, but manages to crash into the bench and sends your phone crashing to the tiles, the music stopping abruptly. The noise has you covering as much of your body with your hands as you can while you scream like a banshee, the sound echoes off the tiles, and what the hell is the lump on your head?!

"Roy! Fuck me, turn around!" His brain manages to click into gear enough to let him do that at least, but then it goes manic on what he's just seen. Or not seen really, his memory fills in the blanks though. "Fucksake what the hell are you doing?” You’re shaking, he can hear it in your voice. He truly scared the shit out of you. “I need to finish washing my hair, can you be trusted for 5 fucking minutes if I move my hands?" You ask, a little calmer.

"I heard singing, thought it was one of the lads."

"Oh so jumping them in the shower is also fine? Don't move. I'm nearly done. Ouch, cocking shitting fuck." Your voice catches and he thinks you might be crying.

"Jesus, are you alright? I've never heard you swear like that."

"I'm fine," you reply quietly. "Hit my head." He turned quickly, too quickly for you to cover back up, "Oi!" His eyes initially went exactly where you’d expect, then they flew up to yours and didn't move, but it didn’t stop you covering yourself up with your hands again.

"Sorry, sorry, I-" he crossed the room and brought a hand up to your temple which was sporting a painful looking purple bruise. “Was it me, did you hit your head when I came in?” You shake your head with a grimace,

“No, it’s been a fucking awful morning. I just-,” he’s close enough now that he’s going to be right under the shower head in a minute, and he can see that you are close to tears. “You’re gonna get soaked. Could you just go away please?”

“Don’t worry about me,” he goes back to the bench and retrieves your phone from the floor. He has the good grace to look ashamed that the screen is smashed to bits. “Fuck, sorry.” he kicks off his sneakers and turns back to you, “turn around.”

“No, I want to be left alone. Let’s not pretend you give a shit, Roy. Just go.” He pinches the bridge of his nose. This is getting stupid.

“Of course I fucking give a shit. Please. Turn. Around. You’ve hit your head, you’re freezing cold, you-”

“Fine.” You glare, “fine.” You turn to face the wall, no idea why. It becomes clear as he comes to stand right behind you, under the stream of water.

“Head back.” You lean your head back as he asks. His height over you means he has a direct line of sight down your body so you keep your hands in place as he washes the shampoo out of your hair. He avoids the lump in your hairline far better than you did, and now you’re back under the water, you’re warming up a bit. He takes his time, and as you close your eyes, his are drawn to the path the droplets of water follow over your skin, like memories of where his mouth had been. “Did you need to do anything else?” he asks softly. You shake your head, moving your hands and arms so you can still cover yourself but also bring a hand to cover your face, trying not to cry. He reaches past you to turn the shower off. He moves away but he’s only gone long enough to get your towel from the hook. He holds it out for you and turns his head so you can move your arms and step into it. Then he leads you to the bench and pushes your shoulders gently to sit you down. He disappears and comes back a couple of minutes later with a towel for himself and another smaller one which he passes you for your hair. You use it to blot the majority of the water out of your hair, breathing in the soothing lavender softeners Will uses. He’s busy watching you but you’re staring at the floor. With your hair a little dryer, he brushes his fingers through it to move it away from the bruise and take a better look. “That looks really fucking nasty. What did you do?”

“Spanner.” You mumble. He’s not speaking so you know he’s waiting for you to elaborate. “I have a leak under the bath I was trying to fix. A spider scared me so I hit the spanner off my head while I was trying to get out and then there were like three other spiders all over me and I fucking hate spiders and… I just feel like shit.” Saying it all out loud, you realise it all sounds a bit feeble, that you’ve overreacted.

“Get dressed before you get a cold. I’ll be back in a minute. I’ll shout this time before I come in.”

~~~~~~

You don’t rush. You sit for a minute and try to gather your thoughts. Of all the people in the entire club, he was the one you’d least want to see you half naked in the shower. He’d have probably been top of the list only a month ago. You’re not even sure by this point what he actually did see, but it’s also too late to care now. It’s done so there’s no undoing it. And it's not like he hasn’t seen it all before anyway. You dry off and pull on your sweats, you’re just reaching for your Richmond t-shirt when he calls out to let you know he’s on his way back. He’s been to get changed,

“I’m fine, you might as well get back to work. Everyone will be here in a minute.” He goes to challenge you again but you just don’t have the energy. You haven’t even had a coffee yet this morning, let alone breakfast. “Please, Roy. I’m fine.” You throw your wet towel in your bag and check you’ve got everything before squeezing past him and back up to the treatment room. You avoid everyone all morning, Katie offers to go outside for training so you can stay in. She goes out just before 10am, meeting Nate in the corridor. You have to pop to the main office to sign for a delivery and when you get back, there’s a mug of coffee and a paper bag with a pastry inside on your desk, along with some painkillers. The rest of the day seems to settle down. You work your way through the list of players who need some time with you. Jan Maas is last on the list with a niggle he picked up in training that morning. You’ve got your hands high up on the back of his thigh when Roy taps on the door,

“Hey coach.” Jan mumbles from face down on the treatment bench. You manage to get your thumb right where he needs it and he lets out a low groan. Roy raises an eyebrow,

“Alright Jan. You good?”

“Yes, she’s a genius” He hops up from the bench with a big smile. “You should let me buy you a drink, to say thank you.”

“I’m fine thanks, Jan. Take it easy on your leg.” When he leaves, Roy moves to sit on the bench. He takes your wrist as you walk by him, pulling you to stand in front of him where he can check your forehead again.

"How's it feel?"

"Like I hit myself in the head with a spanner."

"Are you done?"

"For the day or generally? Because the answer is yes to both. I'm going home. I need to… not be here." Not be around you . Is the follow up you'd like to add. I can't ignore it like you can, can't just pretend I don't feel the way I do. It’s getting harder every day.

"I think you have a concussion. I'm pretty fucking sure you didn't want to vocalise those thoughts?" You go to slap your hand to your head, but he stops you just in time. "Don't make it any fucking worse." He rolls his eyes when you glare at him. The off season was so much easier. The need for contact between you both has steadily increased over the last month with the team returning. Daily meetings and progress reports on injuries old and new, the only saving grace is that he's stopped coming to you for his own recovery sessions.

"I'm going home."

"Let me drive you."

"I'd really rather you didn't. Look, I'll be fine. I'll get over it, I just need to do it in my own time." You don't wait for a response. You take your bag and leave him sitting on the treatment bench alone.

The first thing you do is fix the leak. It would be much easier if you were in the right frame of mind, which you're not, but you manage. There are no more spiders, but you end up soaked from the water left in the pipe which bursts out when you loosen rather than tighten the nut. You really don't know whether to laugh or cry from the calamity of it all. You're about to go for cry, but the doorbell goes and you're surprisingly unsurprised to see Roy. Again.

"You know, it would be a lot easier for me to get over whatever this," you motion between the two of you, "is, if you could just fuck off and leave me to it?"

"Can I come in?" You turn to let him in, looking expectantly for him to continue. His hand rubs his beard and up through his hair, cut shorter since the last time he was in your flat - the curls gone. "Fucksake. You act like this is easy for me."

"Well you make it seem like it is."

"It's not. It never fucking has been. Why do you think I kept coming back even though I knew, I knew it was a bad fucking idea?"

"You tell me? You're the one who walks out of here without a care in the world once you've got what you want?" A look of hurt flashed across his face, you knew it was a low blow, you had no idea why you'd even said it.

"Is that really what you think?" He asked quietly. You shook your head. "All this coaching job has done so far is make me fucking miserable."

"It's only been a couple of months. You'll figure it out."

"It's making me miserable because I lost you in the process. You said earlier that I shouldn't pretend to care, but I don't need to pretend. I do care. Too much, that's the fucking problem." He sighed heavily.

" We can't keep happening, you're my boss now."

"Well, I've been feeling like this a lot longer than I've been your fucking boss, and I don't regret any of it."

"Feeling what, exactly? Because if you're about to fuck up your future-"

"I love you." You close your eyes. Your head is pounding again.

"Roy, think about what you're doing -"

"Tell me you don't feel the same, and I'll go." You shake your head,

"I can't," you whisper. "I can't. I'm in love with you too." He crosses the room and cups your cheek, checking the bruise on your forehead again before he kisses you. You sigh into him, "What are we going to do?"

"I'm the boss. As long as I'm not fucking you in the treatment room, I think it'll be OK."

"That's a shame. Not even after hours?"

"Don't tempt me. Any objections to me waking you up every couple of hours to check you really don't have a concussion?"

"Depends how you plan to wake me?"

"I'm sure I'll think of something." He smiles, letting you lead him to the bedroom.

~~~~~~

FIN

#ted lasso #ted lasso fanfiction #ted lasso fic #roy kent #roy kent x reader #roy kent fanfiction #roy kent fic #roy kent fluff #roy kent smut #roy kent x you #roy kent imagine

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darknight3904 · 1 year ago

Text

A preview to the third part to my gojo fic. Sorry, it took so long to get out.

"Hey wanna play a drinking game? We could all name the things we love about Satoru Gojo!" He suggests like he always does when alcohol is on the table

"No!" Everyone groans in unison.

"Thanks, Nanami." You huff as you slam the passenger side door, effectively trapping Gojo in the car

"Are you sure you'll be able to get him in the house by yourself?" Nanami asks, eyeing the drunk sorcerer who has his entire face pressed up against the window

"I'll be okay...I think. Megumi is at the house with Itadori, they're having a sleepover... Not sure why they couldn't just do that at the dorms. Anyway, I'll just have them help out if I need to." You say

"Alright. I'll see you later then. Goodnight." Nanami says

He's as polite as ever as he walks down the sidewalk to his own car. Somehow you swear Nanami came into the world with good manners and matching clothes on. Seriously, how do all of his outfits always look good?

"Who knew he was this heavy?" Itadori laughed as he supported Gojo's legs

"It's all those sweets he eats. He's probably secretly 900lbs or something." You groan, "Megumi are you even supporting your side?"

"Of course I am." He says, "Just walk faster, my arm is cramping"

It's an entire ordeal to get Gojo into the house. Megumi and Yuji help you toss him onto the couch before bidding you goodnight. You have a feeling they're just going to lock themselves in Megumi's room and watch horror movies for hours. But hey, what else would you do on a Friday night at 15?

"Nghhh."

Damn, you were hoping he was out for the night.

"Satoru?" You ask, crouching down to be eye level with him as he lays on his side on the couch

"Nanamin?" He asks

"Nope. Guess again." You smile

"Shoko?" He asks

"Wrong." You laugh

"I give up, tell me." He groans, his eyes remained closed as he lay there.

"It's your girlfriend." You say

"Suguru?"

Now you don't know if you should feel insulted or feel bad for him.

"Whatever. Let's get you out of your clothes and put something more comfortable on." You say, pulling his zip up off and reaching for the t-shirt he had underneath.

"Hey!" He suddenly gasps, shooting up so he's sitting upright

"What's wrong?" You ask, concerned

"I'm taken. Besides you can't just strip me without my consent. I'll call the police." He says, holding his hands across his chest like he was a woman, "No means no."

"Satoru, I'm the one you're dating. Now let's go put our pyjamas on." You say, maybe he could follow you so he could dress himself upstairs

"You want me to follow you after you just tried violating me! What kind of sick pervert are you?!" He asks, his hands remaining over his chest

"The sickest there is." You joke, "By the way you don't have boobs to cover up, stop sitting like that."

"I'm in a vulnerable situation!" He defends

You didn't have the energy to do this and drunk Satoru was driving you nuts,

"Right vulnerable..."You sigh before walking over to the bottom of the steps "Megumi! I need help with him!"

"Can I use a Shikigami this time?" The boy calls back

"Sure!" You say

A half second passes before Megumi and Itadori clamor down the steps to reappear in the living room to take in the "violated" 28-year-old manchild who remained set on remaining modest with his hands on his chest.

"Um...Zenin-san what's he doing?" Itadori asks

"He thinks he's got tits to hide or something." You sigh, too tired and a bit drunk to deal with all this.

"Rabbit escape," Megumi says, and before you know it the living room is filled with little white rabbits.

"Woah, Fushiguro these guys are super cute!" Itadori says, picking one of them up and petting it.

"Right? I was so excited when he showed them to me for the first time." You smile

"Carry him," Megumi says to the rabbits, ignoring the two of you.

The rabbits move in sync and surround Gojo before pushing him off the couch and onto their many backs so they can carry him up the steps.

"It's kind of like he's crowd surfing," Itadori observes

"Ha!" You laugh as you watch Satoru slowly make his way up the steps by rabbit back.

"Should they put him on the bed?" Megumi asked

You think about it for a moment. Drunk Satoru was always cuddly but he often vomited and you didn't want to clean that up.

"Just...leave him on the floor at the foot of our bed." You suggest

"Heh, like a puppy dog." Itadori laughs

The rest of this is out now. Check it out here.

My Masterlist

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buglyknight · 2 years ago

Text

501) Hyena

Got pulled over driving home from work

I hear the K9 barking as he stops

I watched him make a loop

Around the parking lot at work

Then he followed me

With his lights blaring I waited

Speeding only 5 over

That's normal, ain't it?

Well, he let me off quickly

Maybe it was the time of night

Found me sympathizing

That I was heading home

Maybe he saw my birth date

I don't know

Half-wanted him to shoot me

Angela was staying late so I

Stayed in her office

Spoke in a micky mouse and

Cockney accent

Angela was impressed before saying

'of course you can do a Mickey Mouse impression,

Why wouldn't you be able to?'

Trying to help Dena

Answer your fucking emails Dena!

I'm trying to help you!

We sent you the startup email!

Dena you got me in tatt'rs!

I'm gutted Dena!

Rome fell because they spoke Latin

It's a dead language, y'know

No wonder they didn't make it

They're all speaking Latin and not English!

Ridiculous!

Saying things like Post Meridiem time

No wonder they couldn't keep it together

And I joke that

I need these customers to love me

I love you, Dena, email me back!

And I joke that

From now on I don't need women to complete me

Death to all women!

And Angela says all I eat are nuts

Yeah, I don't eat much

Wait a second,

You callin' me gay, lady?

Just cuz I dated a dude once?

And I joke that there's no growth to be had

Going to be stuck in the same place

That I've been in for ten years

And we laugh

Romans are so stupid, huh

She tells me I should write skits

That I jump to conclusions like some women do

In a humorous way

I tell her I'll just waste my talents

Working tech support forever

Today, my brain is a livewire

Rapid-fire impulse mouth

Laughing at the stupid shit that comes out

Ridiculous!

Who needs water?

The only thing I drink is pussy

Up high, guy

Am I right?

(Me: body count of one)

Wanna see a cool vape trick?

I blow the smoke out of a straw

'wow, you look like you've perfected that'

Yeah I'm a bad boy

I sell vapes to high schoolers

Make myself rich

I wear leather jackets and ride motorcycles

I know, I'm pretty cool, I guess

Sara comes in and yells at me

For calling her beautiful and deleting it

"CAN I HELP YOU?"

So immediate after I sent it

Me and Angela are dying laughing

Sara sends me some mosquito emojis and deletes those

"WHAT DOES PULCHRITUDINOUS MEAN?"

I can't help but always think of you

I joke about someone giving their all for something

'yeah I tried to do that once.'

'For what?'

'Love.'

'Huge mistake. That's a trap.'

Yeah.

I'm trapped alright.

Again, I hope you're alright.

I wish I could share laughter with you

I love making people laugh

I just want to hear you laugh again

Your little Hyena giggle.

#writing #poetry #poem #spilled ink #twcpoetry #poeticstories

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breannastewart · 2 years ago

Note

stewie’s looked so upset the last few games! :( i feel bad

sorry I'm getting to this late. but I do have some thoughts on this

I don't think it's so much being fully upset, but I do think she's been frustrated. she's a very serious person out there, she's as locked in as they come. and while the big smiles and nice words have come after games and wins, that's expected, in game I think is more telling and she hasn't looked as... idk, pleased perhaps. she likes winning and she likes dominating but I don't think she expected to have to do it on her own as much as she has with this new york team. she was for sure the top option in seattle, but those teams were far more tight knit, willing to play their roles, etc. on those teams she was number one but it didn't ALWAYS have to be her, there were other options that could take that on in different ways. those really good seattle teams they were not flashy star studded stacked teams like all this superteam nonsense, but they were stacked in the right ways, right styles, right temperaments. new york? I don't really see it so far. you can have all the talent in the world you want on paper but that does not mean it's going to translate the way you think. people run through those guards like it's nothing. defense is nowhere to be seen when you should close a team out. and sure maybe sometimes sab gets hot and scores, but even the ones she gets hot in, not all of them have been easily closed out games. take that game against the fever before closing the first half. they couldn't finish that off when they should have at all. you've had sloot in post game after a loss being like it's our fault stewie doesn't get the ball enough in games like that. that's cool, but then you see her in a game later on looking dead at her while stewie's calling for the ball, and she looked to pass another way. that would drive me nuts honestly. JJ has been completely nonexistent to me and at some point it's gotta stop being about returning from injury, I just don't think she fits in this team or system. and more often than not in the end it has been on stewie to take over and finish a game off. as impressive as that second 40 point game was, there's no reason to be taken to the brink by the last place team when you're supposedly so stacked and you end up contributing like 40% of your teams scoring for the game, like... yikes. and I don't think they are stacked in the fundamentals or things that don't show up in a stat sheet. and it ends up falling on one player's shoulders like that, ie stewie's. all of that would be grating and frustrating frankly and I do think at times so far, she has been.

#we'll see what the second half holds but yeah #and that's just that on how it all makes me feel watching so far #breanna stewart #wnba #answered #anonymous

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loeyshine · 3 months ago

Text

Ignition

Epoch Book

•*⁀➷pairing: chanyeol x fem reader

Theme: transformers au, car lovers, teenage romance, high school drama, autobot world, “a driver don’t pick the cars. Cars pick the driver”

Description: how can girls love cars? Well being by your side pranced us to view cybertron with our formed fondness.

Playlist: i don’t think i love you — hoobastank

Chapter 1:

If I had a dollar for every time someone said, “You don’t look like the type who’d be into cars,” I’d have enough to build my dream garage already.

I get it. Long hair, winged eyeliner, tight uniform skirt. People always assume I'm the type to care more about lip gloss than lug nuts. But behind the school gym, hidden in the old garage that Coach Kang never uses anymore, is where I spend my free time under the hood of my 1988 Mustang GT, sleeves rolled up, fingers greasy, and heart full.

And apparently, it's also where Park Chanyeol saw me for the first time.

I noticed him standing at the edge of the garage today, a tall, lanky silhouette backlit by the afternoon sun. His backpack slung over one shoulder, black hoodie half-zipped. His dark brown hair flopped into his eyes, and he was biting his bottom lip like he wasn’t sure if he should step in or run.

"Need something?" I asked, wiping my hands on a rag.

He blinked. “Uh—sorry. I didn’t mean to interrupt. I just… saw you here.”

I raised an eyebrow. “And?”

“You’re fixing that car by yourself?”

I chuckled, tossing the rag on the hood. “Why? You think I need help?”

His eyes widened. “No! I mean yes! I mean, not that you need help, but I could help if you want. Or not. I’m Chanyeol.”

"Y/N," I said, smirking even though he already knew. Everyone knew.

I was used to people staring in the halls, whispering when I walked by. But this? A guy nervously fidgeting in front of me because I was covered in engine grease? This was new.

“Nice to meet you, Chanyeol,” I said. “So, are you just here to stare, or do you want to learn how a V8 engine works?”

He smiled, sheepish and a little crooked. “I wouldn’t mind learning. If you don’t mind teaching me.”

And just like that, Park Chanyeol became my unofficial assistant.

---

Over the next few weeks, he kept showing up after class, after band practice, sometimes even before school. He asked questions, held the flashlight, passed me tools, and made jokes that made me roll my eyes even while I laughed. He never once acted weird about the fact that I knew more than him. He looked at me like I was magic.

One day, I caught him staring a little longer than usual.

“What?” I asked, leaning over the engine with a wrench.

He blinked. “Nothing. Just... You’ve got motor oil on your cheek.”

I wiped it, but he reached out before I could and brushed it off with his thumb, fingers lingering a little too long. My heart stuttered. He smelled like peppermint gum and something warm.

“Thanks,” I said, a little too soft.

He cleared his throat, suddenly fascinated with the floor. “Y/N?”

“Yeah?”

He looked up, eyes nervous but determined. “Do you… maybe wanna go out sometime? Like, not in a garage? Somewhere normal?”

I grinned, resting the wrench on the hood. “What, like a date?”

His ears turned pink. “Yeah. Exactly like a date.”

I pretended to think. “Only if you let me drive.”

He laughed, bright and loud, the kind of sound that made your chest feel lighter. “Deal.”

━━━━⊱⋆⊰━━━━

Chapter 2:

Mondays suck. But not when you’ve got Park Chanyeol sitting two rows behind you, nervously doodling your name in his notebook like he thinks no one’s noticing.

I leaned back in my seat, resting my chin on my hand, and turned just enough to catch his eye.

He looked up from his notebook, and the second our eyes met, his pen slipped right off the desk.

I bit back a laugh.

Mr. Jang, our math teacher, kept droning on about derivatives, but my mind was far away from x’s and y’s. All I could think about was Chanyeol’s crooked smile and the way he’d brushed oil off my cheek yesterday. He had no idea how much that simple touch had short-circuited my entire brain.

A folded note slid onto my desk from the left. I didn’t need to look to know it was from Mina, my best friend and chaos enabler.

I opened it under my textbook.

┃ “So… you and tall, awkward and adorable now? 👀 Details or I riot.”

I rolled my eyes and scribbled back:

┃ “He asked me out yesterday. I said yes. We’re going on a date Friday. DO NOT make a big deal.”

I tossed it back just as Chanyeol got up to sharpen his pencil unnecessarily dramatic, considering he already had a mechanical one in his hand. But I knew the truth: he was nervous. Probably overheard Mina whisper-shriek “Y/N SAID YES???”

The class wasn’t even subtle anymore. I saw at least three girls whispering and glancing between us like we were the latest episode of some K-drama. One guy from the soccer team actually gave Chanyeol a slow clap when he walked back to his seat.

I watched as Chanyeol sank lower in his chair.

I stifled a grin and turned around. Seconds later, my phone buzzed in my lap a text.

Chanyeol 🛠️

“Okay… so, are people staring bc I look weird or bc they know I asked you out?”

“Definitely the second one. The staring is just their way of being jealous.”

Chanyeol 🛠️

“You really think so?”

“I know so. You’re dating me now, remember?”

There was a pause before I heard a quiet choked laugh from the back.

Mr. Jang paused his lecture, adjusting his glasses. “Something funny, Mr. Park?”

Chanyeol sat up straight, totally panicked. “Uh—no, sir. Just… math. It’s a funny subject.”

The entire class laughed. Even Mr. Jang cracked a smile.

I turned slightly in my seat and winked.

Chanyeol just shook his head and smiled back, the kind of smile that made my stomach do that stupid flip.

And just like that, class didn’t suck so much anymore.

━━━━⊱⋆⊰━━━━

Chapter 3:

After math class, I headed to the garage behind the gym like always. It was my usual after-school ritual a little engine therapy, some alone time, maybe Chanyeol dropping by to hold a wrench and act cute.

Today, I had the hood propped up, music low, sleeves rolled, fingers smudged in oil.

That’s when he showed up.

Not Chanyeol.

Jae.

Captain of the swim team. Eternal flirt. Known for dating girls for two weeks then forgetting their names. He leaned against the side of my car like he owned it.

“Didn’t know hot girls could fix engines,” he said, flashing that smile he probably practiced in mirrors.

I didn’t even look up. “Didn’t know guys still used that line.”

He chuckled. “Come on, Y/N. You’ve been dodging me all year. Figured I’d finally give you the attention you obviously want.”

I tightened a bolt, jaw clenching. “If I wanted attention, it wouldn’t be from you.”

“Ouch.” He stepped closer, brushing a hand against the car, way too close to mine. “You know, we’d make a hot couple. You, with your whole sexy car thing. Me, school’s golden boy.”

I stood up slowly, turning to face him, holding the wrench casually but not casually enough.

“Back off, Jae,” I said, voice cool.

He just smirked. “Don’t act like you’re not into it.”

And that’s when I heard the footsteps.

Heavy, familiar. Then a voice, low and sharp.

“She’s not.”

I looked past Jae’s shoulder Chanyeol stood there, hands in his hoodie pocket, jaw tight, eyes locked on Jae like he wanted to launch him into next week.

Jae turned, raising an eyebrow. “Oh, it’s the math-class comedian. What, here to learn how a car works from your girlfriend?”

Chanyeol stepped forward, all calm but not really calm.“No. I’m here because my girlfriend told you to back off.”

I swear, Jae’s face twitched just a little.

“Your girlfriend, huh?” he scoffed, turning to me. “Didn’t take you for the clingy type.”

Before I could say anything, Chanyeol was right next to me. Not aggressive, just close. One hand brushed mine l oil-smudged fingers and all and then he interlaced our hands like it was the most natural thing in the world.

“I’m not clingy,” Chanyeol said. “I just don’t like people treating her like some prize to win.”

Jae looked between us, rolled his eyes, and backed off. “Whatever. Have fun playing house in your little garage.”

When he was gone, I let out a breath and looked up at Chanyeol.

“You okay?” he asked, concern instantly replacing his earlier fire.

“I am now,” I said, fingers still curled around his. “Didn’t know you had a protective streak.”

He scratched the back of his neck, suddenly shy. “Only when guys like him try to hit on you.I mean, he was standing way too close. And you looked like you were about to throw a wrench.”

“I was.”

We both laughed, and I tugged him closer by the hand he was still holding.

“You sure you’re not clingy?” I teased.

His smile turned playful. “Okay, maybe a tiny bit. But like… cool, supportive clingy?”

I leaned up and kissed his cheek. “Best kind.”

━━━━⊱⋆⊰━━━━

Chapter 4:

Friday night.

I pulled up to his house in my silver 1987 Porsche 911 Carrera, music low, engine humming like a purr. She looked like a dream under the streetlight sleek, polished, and absolutely, unapologetically me.

I saw Chanyeol step out of his front gate, hoodie zipped up halfway, dark jeans, and a shy smile that tugged at his lips when he spotted the car. And me.

He opened the passenger door slowly. “You weren’t kidding about letting you drive.”

I grinned. “You thought I was gonna let you take the wheel on our first date? Get in, rookie.”

He slid in, looking around the interior like he just stepped into a museum. “This is… wow. Y/N, this car is insane.”

“She’s a classic,” I said, shifting gears smoothly. “And she’s not just for show.”

As we pulled away from his street, the sky was already melting into orange and navy. The city lights blinked awake in the distance, and I rolled the windows down just enough to let the wind in.

Chanyeol leaned his head against the seat, glancing over at me.

“You look good driving,” he said, soft and low.

I smirked, eyes still on the road. “I am good at driving.”

He laughed, and it was that deep, warm sound that made my stomach twist in the best way.

We didn’t go anywhere fancy just a late-night drive through the quiet parts of the city, where the roads curved and the skyline stretched out like a painting. The kind of drive where time slowed down and nothing felt real except the music and the company.

“Wanna stop somewhere?” I asked as we reached the peak of a hill that overlooked the city.

He looked out at the view, then at me. “Only if we can sit on the hood like in the movies.”

I pulled over onto a quiet overlook and parked. “Just don’t scratch her.”

We climbed out, and I tossed him a blanket from the backseat. We spread it across the hood and sat side by side, knees bumping.

“Okay,” he said, breath fogging a little in the cool air. “Confession time.”

I glanced at him, raising a brow. “Yeah?”

“I’ve never been on a date like this before. No fancy dinners. No trying to impress someone. Just… driving around in a car with the coolest girl I’ve ever met.”

My heart did that stupid flutter again.

“You don’t have to impress me,” I said, turning to look at him. “You already did. Just by showing up to the garage every day. Not judging. Not talking down. Just… being there.”

He looked at me for a moment. Then he leaned in, slow and uncertain, like he was waiting for a sign.

So I gave him one I closed the distance and kissed him.

It was warm and soft, the kind of kiss that made your toes curl and your chest feel way too small for your heart. When we pulled apart, his smile was dizzy and perfect.

“Damn,” he whispered. “You drive like a badass and kiss like a dream?”

“Multitalented,” I said, smirking.

We sat there for a while longer, watching the city lights flicker and feeling the warmth of the engine underneath us.

And for the first time in a long time, I felt like I didn’t need to be the girl everyone admired. With Chanyeol, I could just be me.

Grease-stained hands. Fast cars. Fast heartbeats.

And a boy who looked at me like I was the whole road ahead.

━━━━⊱⋆⊰━━━━

Chapter 5:

I was elbow-deep in a mess of wires under the hood of someone else’s sad little Honda when my phone buzzed.

Chanyeol 🛠️

“Garage. Now. Emergency.”

I blinked. Texted back.

“U ok? Did u blow something up?”

Chanyeol 🛠️

“Nope. Better. Just come out front.”

Curious, I wiped my hands on my rag and jogged toward the front of the garage.

And there it was.

A black, slightly beat-up but still beautiful 1994 Nissan 180SX.

And Chanyeol, standing next to it like a proud puppy with a shiny new toy.

His smile practically split his face. “Surprise.”

I froze mid-step, heart skipping. “You… bought a car?”

“I got a car,” he corrected. “With my own savings. Worked part-time at the record store. Found her on a forum last month. Picked her up today. She’s mine.”

He patted the hood like he just adopted a baby.

I slowly circled it, taking everything in. It wasn’t perfect some faded paint, a dent near the fender, a cracked headlight but she had soul. A good base. Something you could build with love.

“You got a manual,” I said, impressed.

“Of course I did,” he grinned. “You think I’d show up with an automatic after dating you? I’m not trying to be disowned.”

I snorted, arms crossed. “She’s got potential.”

“She’s got attitude,” he said. “Kind of like you.”

That earned him a playful shove.

“I want you to be the first to ride in her,” he added, suddenly serious. “You’re, like… the reason I even cared about cars in the first place. So. Get in?”

He opened the passenger door and gave a little bow like we were stepping into a ballroom instead of a twenty-something-year-old Nissan.

I slid in and looked around. “Smells like... ambition. And a little bit of old fast food.”

“Don’t judge,” he laughed, climbing into the driver’s seat. “She runs like a dream.”

He turned the key. The engine roared to life a little rough, but steady. And when he looked over at me, eyes gleaming, I swear he’d never looked more confident.

“You ready?” he asked.

“For a ride in your very first car?” I grinned. “Always.”

He took off down the road, gears shifting smoothly (if a little nervously), and I watched him from the corner of my eye hands tight on the wheel, lower lip caught between his teeth.

“You’re gripping like it’s gonna fly out of your hands,” I teased.

“I’m focused,” he said. “This is serious business.”

I leaned back, arm out the window, wind in my hair.

“This is your first car,” I said. “But it won’t be your last. We’ll fix her up together. Tune her. Paint her. Make her yours.”

Chanyeol glanced at me, something soft in his eyes. “Yeah?”

“Yeah,” I said, nodding. “She’s your beginning.”

And as we drove through the fading gold light of late afternoon, windows down and laughter spilling into the wind, I realized something:

This wasn’t just his first car.

It was our next adventure.

━━━━⊱⋆⊰━━━━

Chapter 6:

The rain had been falling since morning soft, steady, the kind that made everything feel like it moved in slow motion.

We were tucked inside my garage, a little world of tools and warmth and the faint smell of grease and wet pavement. The overhead light buzzed quietly, casting a soft glow on the hood of Chanyeol’s car.

I had my sleeves rolled up, ponytail messy, a smear of oil across my cheek I hadn’t noticed yet.

“You sure you remember what I said last time?” I asked, holding up a socket wrench and raising an eyebrow.

Chanyeol stood next to me, arms crossed, his hoodie soaked from the sprint across the yard, hair a little damp and curling at the ends.

He looked like he was trying to concentrate. Really.

“Uh,” he blinked. “You said… the torque spec for the valve cover bolts is… twelve?”

I paused. “Twelve what?”

He opened his mouth.

Paused.

“Nm?” he guessed.

I nodded slowly. “Okay. Not bad. You’ve been watching my videos, haven’t you?”

“I mean,” he scratched the back of his neck, cheeks tinged pink, “only like, all of them.”

I smirked and tossed him the wrench. He caught it — barely.

“Then let’s see if you’ve got the hands to match the brain.”

I leaned over the engine with him, pointing out where the bolts were. “Here, these. Start tightening them in a star pattern, not in a line. Even pressure.”

He crouched a bit beside me, following my hand. But when I looked up, he wasn’t watching the engine.

He was watching me.

Eyes a little wide. Half-distracted smile on his face.

“…What?” I asked, half amused.

He blinked like he’d just been caught. “Nothing. Just. You look really good explaining stuff.”

I rolled my eyes. “Focus, grease monkey.”

“I am focusing,” he defended, but he was still looking at my face instead of the bolts. “It’s just your voice goes all serious and soft when you talk about cars, and it’s really distracting.”

I tried not to smile, but failed. “You’re lucky you’re cute. Otherwise, I’d throw this wrench at your head.”

“I’d probably still be smiling.”

I stepped aside, letting him work, though I kept watching him from the corner of my eye. He really was trying brows furrowed, lips pressed together, hands careful as he turned each bolt exactly the way I showed him.

Outside, the rain picked up, drumming louder on the metal roof. Inside, it felt like we were the only two people in the world.

Eventually, he leaned back, proud of his work, hands stained and hair falling into his eyes.

“Well?” he asked.

I checked the bolts. Everything was perfect.

“You passed,” I said, nodding. “Still a little slow, but hey, you didn’t break anything. Progress.”

He grinned, full of that dorky pride I secretly adored. “Guess I had a good teacher.”

Before I could respond, he reached out with his thumb and gently wiped my cheek.

“You had oil on your face,” he murmured.

I froze for a second. Then smirked. “So do you. Except everywhere.”

I grabbed a rag and tossed it at him. He yelped, caught it, and chased me around the car with it, both of us laughing like total idiots while the storm rumbled above us.

Somewhere in the middle of that chaos, he grabbed my wrist and spun me toward him. We were inches apart, breathing fast, smiling like we forgot how not to.

He looked down at me. “Rainy days with you in a garage? Might be my new favorite thing.”

I leaned up, brushing my lips against his just once.

“Then you better get used to it,” I whispered. “Because I’m not done teaching you yet.”

━━━━⊱⋆⊰━━━━

Chapter 7:

The next day, the rain cleared.

Chanyeol was already at the garage when I got there, leaning against his 180SX with a confused look on his face.

“Something’s weird,” he said the second I stepped inside.

I raised an eyebrow, setting my bag down. “You sound paranoid.”

“No, listen,” he ran a hand through his hair. “I parked it, went inside for like ten minutes, came back out… and the hood was popped. By itself.”

I squinted at the car. “Maybe the latch slipped.”

“That’s what I thought,” he said. “But then the radio turned on. By itself. And it—” He paused. “It played a song I’d never heard before. And it said my name. Like. Spoke it. Through the static.”

“Okay,” I said slowly. “Either someone’s messing with you… or we’re in a sci-fi movie.”

He opened the door and climbed in. “Come on. Just sit with me. If I die, I want to die next to you.”

“Wow. Romantic,” I deadpanned, sliding into the passenger seat.

He turned the key.

For a moment, everything was normal. Engine idling. Dashboard lights flickering.

Then—

CLICK. WHRRRR. THUNK.

The doors locked.

The air inside dropped ten degrees.

And the radio fizzled with static… before a robotic voice cut through.

┃ “IDENTITIES CONFIRMED: CHANYEOL. Y/N. WELCOME.”

I froze.

Chanyeol slowly turned to me. “Did your car ever talk to you?”

Before I could answer, the dashboard screen lit up not with navigation or music, but with a pair of glowing blue eyes.

┃ “AUTOBOT CODE: X-84. ASSIGNED VEHICLE FORM: 1994 NISSAN 180SX. PRIMARY DIRECTIVE: PROTECT AND SERVE.”

The car shuddered. The hood shifted. Panels unfolded.

Outside, we heard grinding. Clanking.

“Is it…” Chanyeol whispered.

“…Transforming” I finished.

The car rose metal twisting, reshaping, folding into limbs and armor and glowing lights. The engine shifted into a chest plate, the headlights blinking like eyes, and before we could blink, a towering figure stood above us in the garage.

Sleek black plating. Glowing Autobot symbol on its shoulder. The same awkward, shy tilt of its head… just like Chanyeol.

┃ “STAND DOWN. I AM NOT YOUR ENEMY.”

I stood slowly, heart hammering in my chest.

Chanyeol stepped in front of me instinctively, even though we both knew he was the least intimidating person in this moment.

“You’re… you’re an Autobot,” I breathed.

The robot nodded. “I scanned this vehicle to survive undetected. But your bond with it with each other awakened my consciousness. You are compatible.”

“Compatible?” Chanyeol echoed, voice cracking. “Like… what does that mean?”

┃ “Your mechanical intuition. Your emotional wavelength. It resonates with mine. Together, we can operate as a unit.”

Chanyeol looked at me like he was about to faint. “Y/N. My car is an alien robot. And it likes us.”

I blinked. “I guess all that fixing we did woke it up.”

“Or maybe it just sensed your chaotic energy,” he said, half-laughing, half-panicking.

The Autobot knelt down to eye level with us.

┃ “I am yours to command. As long as you protect each other… I will protect you.”

I turned to Chanyeol.

“So,” I said slowly. “How do you feel about saving the world on weekends?”

He blinked.

Then grinned.

“Only if you promise to drive sometimes.”

━━━━⊱⋆⊰━━━━

Chapter 8:

It started with a flickering Autobot symbol on the dash.

Chanyeol and I were sitting in his garage after school him tuning the speakers in his still-very-sentient 180SX, me sipping soda on the workbench when the signal came through.

┃ “URGENT TRANSMISSION: RENDEZVOUS AT COORDINATES 37.813, -122.478. LOW PROFILE REQUIRED.”

“Uh,” I said, raising a brow. “That’s near the cliffs.”

Chanyeol looked over, already moving to grab his jacket. “We going?”

I grinned. “Of course. Who else are they gonna call? The football team?”

We rolled out under twilight skies, stars just peeking through the clouds. I thought we were meeting just his Autobot still unnamed, still awkwardly polite but halfway there, I heard the familiar, low growl of a Camaro engine pulling up beside us.

And then, like something out of a dream, the yellow-and-black muscle car revved once, veered in close, and the radio popped on with a cheerful crackle:

┃ “Well well well. Is this the legendary Y/N? I heard you’ve got hands.”

I blinked. “Is my car… flirting with me?”

Chanyeol sputtered. “Okay what—”

The Camaro’s door popped open. I stared, then slid into the driver’s seat on instinct.

The interior was warm. Familiar. The dashboard lit up in golden tones.

┃ “Name’s Bumblebee. I requested you. You’ve got good instincts. Also, mad respect for how you fixed that RX-7 blindfolded in a TikTok.”

My jaw dropped. “You watch TikTok?”

┃ Let’s save the world first, babe,” Bumblebee chirped. “Then we can talk about playlists.”

“I’m not dead, sweetheart. I’m just 10,000 years old and vibing.”

Chanyeol drove up beside us, looking between my stunned face and the smirking Camaro.

“Are you okay?” he asked, suspicious.

“I think I’m in love,” I muttered.

┃ “Let’s save the world first, babe,” Bumblebee chirped. “Then we can talk about playlists.”

We met up at the cliffs, where a small Autobot recon unit had landed quietly under a stealth field. Their leader an old, weather-worn scout named Vanguard explained the mission.

┃ “Decepticons have placed a tracking device in a local military lab disguised as a tech startup. We need someone who can get in. Someone small. Quick. Human.”

Chanyeol and I exchanged a look.

“We’re teenagers,” I said. “Breaking into suspicious buildings is kinda our thing.”

┃ “You’ll have backup,” Vanguard said. “Your vehicles will stay connected. Any danger, they’ll be there.”

┃ “And I’ve got your comms,” Bumblebee added with a flirty beep. “I’ll whisper in your ear the whole time.”

Chanyeol rolled his eyes. “My car doesn’t talk like that.”

I smirked. “Your car’s shy.”

The next evening, we rolled up to"NexTac Industries" fake company, real bad vibes. I was in a hoodie, hair tucked under a cap, Chanyeol carrying a fake delivery bag with a USB full of Autobot-coded malware.

Inside, the tech was sleek. Cold. We made it through security using some clever distractions (read: Chanyeol flirted badly with the front desk girl while I slipped past the door), and within fifteen minutes we were at the server room.

“Plant it here,” I whispered, kneeling by the console. “Hold the door.”

“I got you,” he whispered back, eyes flicking around nervously. “But if a Decepticon bursts through, I’m throwing you over my shoulder and running.”

I paused. “You’d carry me?”

He blushed. “Like a sack of potatoes, probably.”

┃ “Cute,” Bumblebee radioed in.

━━━━⊱⋆⊰━━━━

Chapter 9:

We made it out.

Barely.

The alarm went off just as Chanyeol yanked the USB from the server. I grabbed his hand and sprinted for the back exit, practically dragging him through emergency lights and echoing sirens.

Outside, Bumblebee screeched to a halt, passenger door already flung open.

┃ “GO GO GO HANDSOME BOY IN FIRST, HOT WHEEL QUEEN SECOND MOVE IT!”

We dove in, breathless, and he burned rubber off the parking lot before anyone could catch our plates. (Not that they could. Bumblebee switched them mid-drive, of course.)

When we got back to the garage that night, my heart was still pounding.

The lights inside flickered on as Bumblebee rolled in beside Chanyeol’s car, who had been waiting in backup mode the whole time.

“Safe and sound,” I said, leaning against the hood of Bee’s Camaro form. “Mission accomplished.”

Chanyeol let out a shaky laugh, tossing the black cap off his head and raking a hand through his hair. “You threw a wrench at a security drone.”

“Saved your cute face,” I smirked.

He looked at me, then away, smiling. “Thanks for that.”

┃ “And I saved your cute butts,” Bumblebee piped in from the speakers. “But go off, human romance subplot.”

Chanyeol groaned, “Can someone unplug him?”

┃ “You WISH,” Bee sassed. “You’re just mad she looks hotter behind my wheel.”

Chanyeol turned bright red. “I—You—It’s not like that!”

I crossed my arms, grinning. “So it is like that?”

Silence.

Bumblebee beeped like he was snickering.

┃ “I ship it,” he muttered. “Y’all better kiss before I throw myself in a lake.”

Later that night, after Bee powered down for diagnostics and Chanyeol’s Autobot quietly retracted into stealth mode, we were left alone in the soft hum of the garage.

Chanyeol sat on the floor, arms resting on his knees, eyes distant.

“You okay?” I asked, plopping down beside him.

He nodded, but he didn’t look at me.

“I just…” he started. “I didn’t think my first real relationship would involve aliens. And guns. And almost dying in a lab coat.”

I bumped his shoulder. “But we made it out.”

“Because of you,” he said, finally looking at me. “You always know what to do. Even when the world’s upside down.”

I smiled, softer now. “Only ‘cause I have someone to hold the door.”

He looked at me for a long moment. Then:

“You know I’d do anything to keep you safe, right?”

My chest tightened.

“I know,” I whispered.

And in that moment surrounded by grease-stained tools, two sleeping Transformers, and our hearts beating too fast for a school night he leaned in.

And I kissed him.

Right there on the garage floor, with the faint smell of motor oil and rain in the air, and the knowledge that whatever weird, wild thing we’d gotten into… we weren’t alone anymore.

━━━━⊱⋆⊰━━━━

Chapter 10:

It started with a call.

Actually a radio crackle from Bumblebee, interrupting a very chill post-school smoothie hang with Chanyeol.

┃ “Rendezvous. Tonight. 11PM. Docks. Race scene. High stakes. High reward. Intel hidden in the prize stash.”

Chanyeol raised a brow from across the table. “Did your car just ask us to street race?”

I grinned, stirring my drink. “Guess we’re not sleeping early tonight.”

The docks at night were alive.

Engines revving. Neon underglows cutting through fog. Loud music. Louder egos.

And in the middle of it all us.

I pulled up in Bumblebee, who’d glammed himself out with black decals and a low bass rumble that made everyone turn. He literally played his own entrance music “Tokyo Drift” by Teriyaki Boyz as we rolled in.

Beside me, Chanyeol drifted into place like a dream in matte black with glints of dark chrome. He stepped out, helmet in one hand, jaw tight.

“You ready?” he asked.

I looked up at the prize car parked ahead sleek, red, suspiciously untouched. The intel we needed was tucked behind its front console. No way the Decepticons didn’t plant someone to win.

“Always,” I said. “Let’s show ‘em how we do things in our garage.”

The race was simple: two laps through the industrial sector. Tight turns. Broken roads. One bridge jump.

Not simple: One of the racers was definitely a Decepticon in disguise.

┃ “He’s the blue Charger,” Bumblebee murmured through my earpiece. “Plates don’t match, tires are military grade, and he just looked at me funny.”

I revved the engine. “I’ll handle him.”

“Y/N,” Chanyeol’s voice cut in, calm but firm, “Just don’t get too reckless, okay? We need the drive. Not a funeral.”

“Please,” I grinned. “I was born for reckless.”

The countdown started.

3… 2… 1…

GO.

The world blurred.

Bee’s engine roared as I tore through the first straightaway, passing two cars instantly. I could feel him adjusting mid-drive correcting my turns, syncing with me. We moved like one.

Chanyeol wasn’t far behind. I could see his headlights flashing in my mirror, tight on my tail like a shadow.

┃ “He’s gaining on you,” Bee warned.

“Then let’s give him a reason to regret that.”

I slammed the clutch, downshifted, and drifted hard around a corner, flames licking from my exhaust. The crowd on the sidelines screamed.

The Charger pushed up on my right metallic glint in his eyes. His bumper clipped mine.

┃ “He’s trying to force you off—!”

“Let him try.”

I juked left, then slammed right, faking a spinout he overcommitted, missed his line and BAM, Chanyeol swooped in from behind like a missile, pinning him between us.

┃ “Tag team,” Chanyeol said, voice low. “Let’s take him.”

We boxed him in. Bee’s stereo blasted “Let the Bass Kick” as we forced the Decepticon car toward a narrow alley. He tried to swerve—

┃ “NOW!” Bee shouted.

Chanyeol hit the brakes just as I gunned forward, sending Bee into a barrel roll drift around the corner, passing the final checkpoint seconds before the Charger could escape.

We won.

And we didn’t just win the race.

We won the mission.

After the chaos.

Chanyeol parked beside me, helmet in his lap, hair messy and cheeks flushed.

“You were insane back there,” he said, shaking his head. “Reckless. Dangerous. Kind of… hot.”

I leaned over, smirking. “You trying to kiss me at the docks?”

He raised a brow. “Am I gonna get punched for it?”

“Depends,” I whispered, leaning closer, “how fast you move.”

And just like that he kissed me. Hard. Fast. Like the world was still spinning and we were still racing.

Bee’s stereo whined:

┃ “Can y’all NOT while I’m right here?”

┃ “Also, you’re welcome for the intel. I drove my wheels off for that.”

━━━━⊱⋆⊰━━━━

Chapter 11:

It was supposed to be a routine drive.

Just Chanyeol, me, and the Autobots nothing weird, right? I was feeling good after the race last night, my nerves still buzzing, but the garage was chill. Bee was finishing up a diagnostic, Chanyeol was tinkering with his own ride, and I was busy fixing a few dents from last night's race.

That’s when things took a turn.

“Bee, come on, I need you to stay steady on the corners tonight,” Chanyeol said, tweaking his car’s exhaust system. “My car’s been through a lot, but it’s strong. I’ll show you how fast we can go.”

┃ “Pardon?” Bumblebee’s voice echoed through the garage, sending a small shiver down my spine. “Did I just hear you challenge me to a race? Because last I checked, I’m the one who pulls off sick drifts, not you.”

Chanyeol froze, wiping his hands on a rag. “I didn’t—”

┃ “Don’t make me remind you, Park Chanyeol,” Bee’s voice dropped, his tone almost too serious for a car, “I’ve been through more battles than you can count. You think your ride can keep up with me?”

Chanyeol’s face reddened, a little too defensive. “My car’s no slouch, okay? You’re just a little too... flashy.”

Bumblebee beeped, clearly agitated. “Flashy? I’m just stylish. You know, unlike your car, which is just a wannabe street racer with dull paint and no soul.”

I blinked, standing up and glancing at both of them. “You two seriously arguing right now?”

Bumblebee swerved slightly. “Isn’t it obvious? Chanyeol’s car is too... boring. It doesn’t have personality. I mean, come on, it’s just a replica of his cool factor.”

Chanyeol crossed his arms, eyes narrowing. “This is my car, Bee. It’s sleek, it’s fast, and—”

┃ “—And it still hasn’t learned how to back you up when the pressure’s on!” Bee interrupted, a mockingly sweet tone in his voice. “I remember you swerving when we had to jump that bridge last week.”

Chanyeol flinched. “That was one time! I was going through something—”

┃ “—Something? You mean your inability to take a turn without me helping?” Bumblebee shot back. “I’m the one who had to save you in that race, but I guess you forget who always has your back.”

“Okay, that’s enough,” I said, stepping between the two of them, my hands outstretched. “You two need to chill. What the heck is going on with you two?”

Bumblebee, normally playful, was acting way too serious. “You’re spending more time with Chanyeol’s car than with me. I’m always there for you, Y/N. I’ve driven you through every mission, every close call. And now, he’s taking up all your attention.”

Chanyeol’s car chimed in, clearly hurt. “I thought we were in this together, Y/N. You always told me we’d work together, but now I’m just... a second option?”

I looked at both of them both cars staring at me like they were trying to guilt-trip me. And then I realized...

This wasn’t just about me. It was about their egos. They were both fighting for attention. Both wanted to be the car I relied on. The one I trusted the most. And the more they argued, the more ridiculous it got.

Chanyeol sighed, running a hand through his hair. “I didn’t mean to hurt your feelings, Bee.”

┃ “Well, you did,” Bumblebee grumbled, his engine revving slightly. “You want me to just sit back and let your car take the lead? I know what you need, Y/N. I feel it.”

I smirked, feeling a little teasing. “You know, maybe you both need a reminder of who’s actually driving here.”

The two cars went silent. They both turned their headlights to me. Chanyeol blinked, face softening. “What are you saying?”

I stepped closer to Bumblebee and then to Chanyeol’s car. “You both need to remember who’s in charge. Not you, Bee. And not you, either,” I said to Chanyeol, making them both look at me. “I make the calls. You’re both part of my team. So stop fighting like jealous boyfriends.”

Chanyeol couldn’t help but laugh. “Jealous boyfriends, huh?”

“I mean,” I shrugged, smirking, “it is pretty funny when you think about it.”

Bumblebee let out a small beep, and I could feel him calming down a little. “Fine, fine. But if Chanyeol’s car does anything stupid, you’re still stuck with me, Y/N.”

I turned to Chanyeol, who was now chuckling too. “Same goes for you, hotshot. We got a team here, and no one’s left out.”

Chanyeol looked at me, his smile growing. “Got it, Y/N. Guess I can share the spotlight. For now.”

And just like that, the garage was back to normal... or at least, normal-ish.

Until the next time Bumblebee and Chanyeol’s car decided to fight over who could handle the corners better.

━━━━⊱⋆⊰━━━━

Chapter 12:

The day had been long. Too long. School was the usual a mix of stress, random chatter, and teachers trying to cram in way too much info. I had been looking forward to this for a while now: a quiet drive, no distractions, just me and Chanyeol.

We were heading up to the hill. The one where we always seemed to end up, no matter how many times we promised we’d find somewhere else. It was the perfect spot to clear your head, to just breathe and not care about what anyone else thought. The city lights shimmered below us, the night still and quiet except for the occasional hum of the engines.

I parked Bumblebee by the side, and for a moment, I just stared out at the view.

Chanyeol didn’t immediately speak, just leaned against the side of his car, his fingers lightly tracing the edge of his door. It felt like a peaceful silence, one that wasn’t uncomfortable but comfortable like two people just being.

Then, after what seemed like hours, he finally broke the silence.

“Y/N, can I ask you something?”

“Shoot,” I said, not looking away from the lights below.

“Why cars? I mean, you’re the only person I know who seems to be obsessed with them.”

I smiled, turning my gaze to him. He was studying me with those thoughtful eyes of his. “Obsessed is a bit of an exaggeration.”

“You know what I mean. You’re... different. You care about cars like I care about my music. You talk about them like they’re alive.”

I shrugged, running my fingers through my hair as I tried to find the words. “I guess it’s because they are alive, in a way. I grew up around them. My dad was a mechanic, so the garage was always like a second home to me. I used to watch him work, and... I don’t know, something about the way he could make something broken, something damaged, work again it just clicked for me.”

Chanyeol nodded slowly, his face softening with understanding. “That makes sense. But what made you keep going? I mean, you could’ve had other hobbies. You could’ve been... I don’t know, into art or something.”

I smiled at the thought of it. “Art is cool, but cars? They’re like puzzles to me. They’re challenging, unpredictable. And when you finally figure them out, when everything clicks? There’s nothing like it.”

Chanyeol’s eyes were soft, curious. “So, it’s about the challenge? The learning part?”

“Yeah, and also the freedom. You’re not just driving a car; you’re becoming one with it. It’s kind of like music, I guess. You play it, you feel it, and you make it your own.”

Chanyeol was quiet for a moment, his gaze drifting to the horizon. He seemed lost in thought, and I could tell he was processing everything I said. There was something deep about this conversation, something raw that felt right in this quiet space. The city lights felt like they were so far away, irrelevant to the moment we were having.

Then, finally, he spoke again.

“Do you ever wish you could just... disappear? Like leave everything behind and just go somewhere new, where no one knows who you are?”

I looked at him, a little surprised. “What do you mean?”

He pushed off the car, taking a few steps toward the edge of the hill. “I don’t know, sometimes I feel like there’s so much pressure. People expect things from me, and it’s exhausting. The fame, the constant eyes on me. I can’t ever be just... Chanyeol, you know? It’s always the best guitarist in the band Chanyeol. Always the band member.”

I followed him, standing next to him as we looked out at the city together. “I get it. People always look at me and see ‘the hot girl’ or ‘the one who knows about cars,’ but there’s more to me than just that.”

Chanyeol glanced at me, his eyes sincere. “You’re more than that. I know that. But sometimes I wonder if you feel like... like no one really sees you. Not the real you.”

I didn’t answer right away. What he said hit home, more than I wanted to admit. There were times when I felt like I was always playing a part. Being the confident, carefree girl who knew everything about cars was easy, but being myself? That was harder.

“I think everyone feels like that,” I said softly. “Like they’re not enough. Like they’re always playing a part.”

Chanyeol nodded, his face gentle. “Yeah. I don’t want to play a part. I want to be me. And I want to be with people who get me, who don’t expect me to be anything else.”

I felt a knot in my stomach, but it wasn’t a bad one. More like the kind that comes from hearing someone say exactly what you needed to hear. “I get that too. It’s hard to let people see the real you.”

He looked at me, really looked at me, like he was seeing me for the first time, and I could feel the weight of everything we were both carrying. It was raw. Real.

“Maybe we’re both just trying to figure out who we are,” he said, his voice quieter now. “Maybe that’s why we get along so well. We don’t need to hide. We can just... be.”

I smiled, a little more genuinely than before. “Yeah, I think you’re right.”

There was a silence between us then, but it wasn’t awkward. It was comfortable. It felt like we both understood something, even if we didn’t have all the answers yet.

“Thanks for bringing me here, Chanyeol,” I said after a while.

“Anytime,” he replied, his smile soft. “You’re the best company. I think... maybe I’ve been a little too focused on what other people want. Maybe I should start focusing on the people who actually see me.”

“Good idea,” I said. “We’ve got this.”

And for the first time in a while, I felt like maybe I didn’t have to be anything I wasn’t. I could just be me. And Chanyeol... well, Chanyeol could just be Chanyeol.

━━━━⊱⋆⊰━━━━

Chapter 13:

The next morning was the kind of day where everything felt like it was in fast-forward. I wasn’t sure what it was the aftereffects of last night’s deep conversation with Chanyeol, the quiet excitement that had started to bubble up, or just the thrill of driving Bumblebee to school for the first time. Whatever it was, I felt an energy in me that I hadn’t felt before.

The school gates came into view as I cruised up, the sleek, yellow Camarro gleaming under the morning sun. I couldn't help but smile as I glanced over at the car beside me Bumblebee had been with me for a while, but today, she felt like a statement.

I pulled into the parking lot, and the moment the engine hummed to a stop, the entire lot went silent.

I could feel it immediately the heads turning, the whispers starting. My heart skipped, but I tried to play it cool as I unbuckled my seatbelt and stepped out. The roar of the engine fading into the background, all eyes on me and the car.

It wasn’t just any car it was Bumblebee. Everyone knew the Camarro, but no one had seen me drive it to school before.

The whispers turned into chatter, and soon, a crowd had gathered.

“Holy... is that Y/N’s car?” one of the guys said, voice full of awe.

“I knew she was into cars, but I didn’t expect this,” another guy added, clearly impressed.

“Wait, is that a limited Camarro? That’s gotta be... how much did that even cost?!” one of the girls asked in disbelief.

I barely registered the flood of comments, my heart racing as I tried to walk casually toward the entrance. As usual, my reputation preceded me, but this was something else entirely. Bumblebee was turning heads, and everyone wanted a piece of the action. The attention was overwhelming, but I kept my head high, acting like I’d been in this situation a thousand times.

But just as I was about to push through the crowd of curious students, I felt a presence next to me. I looked over and saw Chanyeol, his tall frame a bit more noticeable in the sea of students.

His face was unreadable at first, but then his lips tugged upward in a mischievous grin. “Looks like someone’s the center of attention today,” he teased, nudging my shoulder lightly.

I rolled my eyes, trying to suppress the grin threatening to form. “I didn’t mean for it to be this crazy. I just wanted to drive to school like a normal person.”

“You and I both know that nothing you do is ‘normal,’” he shot back, raising an eyebrow. “You roll up in a car like that, and it’s game over. People are going to be talking about this for weeks.”

I tried not to feel self-conscious as a group of students snapped photos of Bumblebee, some even asking for selfies next to the car. I didn’t expect this much attention. I wasn’t used to it being this intense.

“Do you mind if I...?” A random guy I didn’t recognize approached me hesitantly, his eyes flicking to the car before meeting mine. “Can I take a picture with your car? I swear, this thing is legendary.”

I raised an eyebrow, feeling slightly awkward. “Uh, sure, I guess.”

Chanyeol, ever the protective one, jumped in before I could say more. “Hey, you should ask her first,” he said, crossing his arms and shooting the guy a playful but firm look.

The guy blinked, suddenly realizing who he was talking to. “Oh! Chanyeol! Sorry, I didn’t mean to—” he stammered, before quickly retreating.

I couldn’t help but laugh, shaking my head. “Don’t worry about it. I’m used to it. I just didn’t expect it to be this intense.”

Chanyeol’s gaze softened as he leaned closer to me. “I think it’s pretty cool. Your car’s definitely got the wow factor. But just... don’t let it get to your head, okay?”

I shot him a look. “I’m not the one flaunting it around.”

“True,” he said, his grin widening. “But you’re definitely driving it.”

As I took a deep breath, I finally realized something: this wasn’t just about the car. This was about the confidence I’d built up over the years, about finding my own space and claiming it. Bumblebee wasn’t just a beautiful machine it was part of me now. And I wasn’t going to let anyone take that away from me.

I turned to Chanyeol, a small, genuine smile tugging at the corner of my lips. “Thanks, Chanyeol. For sticking by me, even when I have a car that’s stealing all the attention.”

He smiled back, his eyes soft with something unspoken. “You don’t need to thank me. You’re worth the attention.”

Before I could respond, a group of my classmates started approaching again, eager to ask me about the car, to know more about me. But this time, I wasn’t flustered. I knew exactly how to handle it.

Chanyeol stood beside me, his presence reassuring, but I could feel that something had shifted. I wasn’t just the girl with the car anymore. I was Y/N. The one who knew how to make things run smoothly, the one who had a passion and wasn’t afraid to show it. And maybe, just maybe, Chanyeol was starting to see that too.

━━━━⊱⋆⊰━━━━

Chapter 14:

It all started with a message.

It was late, just after the usual school rush, when my phone buzzed with an unknown number. The text was simple: "We’ve been watching. We want to see what you’ve got. Meet us at the old warehouse on 5th street. Midnight."

I stared at it for a moment, biting my lip. I’d heard rumors about the underground car clubs around town, but this felt... different. There was something daring, dangerous about it. And I wasn’t going to back down from a challenge. Not now, not after everything with Bumblebee.

I didn’t even think to tell Chanyeol at first, knowing he’d probably try to talk me out of it. But deep down, I knew he’d have my back if anything went wrong. After all, we were in this together, weren’t we?

By the time midnight rolled around, I was already in the driver’s seat of Bumblebee, the sleek black Camarro humming under me. The city was quieter than usual, and the roads seemed to stretch on endlessly in front of me.

I parked just outside the old, abandoned warehouse on 5th Street. The air felt heavy, and the streetlights cast long shadows across the cracked pavement. I felt my heart pick up pace. There was a chill in the air, but it wasn’t just from the cool night breeze it was the tension, the anticipation.

I took a deep breath, pushing open the door and stepping out of the car. Before I could even take a step toward the entrance, I heard the familiar hum of Chanyeol’s car pulling up beside me. His dark red sports car gleamed in the moonlight, and I couldn’t help but smile. Even if he wasn’t supposed to know about this, I knew he’d be here.

“Of course, you couldn’t stay away, could you?” I teased, leaning against Bumblebee as Chanyeol climbed out of his car, his tall figure cutting through the darkness.

“I’m not about to let you race without me,” he said with a grin. “I trust you, Y/N, but I also trust that you’d get into trouble without me.”

I rolled my eyes, but I was grateful for him being here. As we approached the warehouse, the sound of revving engines and loud music filled the air. The place was crawling with cars everything from classic muscle cars to sleek, custom rides. The crowd around them was buzzing with excitement, but there was an edge in the air that I couldn’t ignore.

We walked through the crowd, feeling the stares of onlookers. And then, one of the club members tall, with a black leather jacket approached me with a grin. “Glad you could make it. We’ve been waiting to see what that Porsche can do.”

I smirked. “Well, you’re about to find out.”

The member nodded, clearly impressed. “The race is simple. First one to the finish line on the other side of the city. No rules, just speed. The winner gets more than just respect they get the keys to the best cars in town.”

I wasn’t in it for the prize. I was in it for the challenge. And I knew Chanyeol felt the same. As we prepared to line up, the air seemed to thrum with energy. My fingers itched for the wheel, and my heart pounded with the excitement of the race ahead.

But just as the race was about to begin, something... weird happened.

A loud noise echoed through the crowd. I turned toward the source, squinting into the darkness, but nothing seemed amiss. I could hear faint whispers and murmurs, but they didn’t sound like cheers.

Then, before I could react, the lights around the warehouse flickered out. It was pitch black, the only sound now coming from the muffled revving of engines. My pulse spiked. Something wasn’t right.

“Y/N!” Chanyeol shouted, but his voice was barely audible over the rising tension. I could feel his hand on my shoulder, but I didn’t turn to look at him. I was too busy scanning the crowd, trying to figure out what was going on.

In the sudden darkness, I heard the unmistakable sound of car tires screeching, followed by a burst of light from the headlights. A car one I didn’t recognize zoomed past the starting line. The crowd cheered, but there was an eerie feeling in the air. Something about that car wasn’t... right.

“Get in your car, Y/N. Now.” Chanyeol’s voice was urgent. I didn’t hesitate. He was right whatever was happening, we needed to get out of here.

But as I turned to head back toward Bumblebee, something caught my eye. A figure in the shadows, watching us. It was too quick to make out clearly, but I felt the hairs on the back of my neck stand up. The figure was gone as quickly as it appeared.

“Chanyeol, I think we’ve been set up,” I whispered, my voice tight.

He didn’t argue. We both rushed toward our cars, but as we got closer to Bumblebee, I noticed something strange. The car’s usual sleek body was glowing faintly almost like it was alive, a faint pulse of energy coming from its engine.

“Something’s off, Y/N,” Chanyeol said, his tone serious. “We’re not just racing for fun. This is a trap.”

Before I could respond, a voice came through my earpiece the one I’d been given when Bumblebee first became more than just a car.

“Y/N, this is Bumblebee. You need to get out of here. Now.”

I froze. Bumblebee… was talking to me.

“Chanyeol…” I started, voice shaking. “This isn’t just an underground race. We’re dealing with something much bigger.”

He looked at me, his face grim, and for the first time in a long time, he didn’t have a joke to lighten the mood. “Let’s go.”

But as we climbed into our cars, the real race was just beginning. And this time, it wasn’t just about speed.

━━━━⊱⋆⊰━━━━

Chapter 15:

We barely made it out of the underground race, but the victory felt hollow. The buzz of excitement quickly turned into an unsettling silence as we sped away from the old warehouse. The eerie glow of the streetlights barely cut through the fog as we made our way through the narrow back roads.

Chanyeol’s car followed closely behind me, his headlights flashing brightly in the rearview mirror. We were both tense, the adrenaline from the race still coursing through our veins, but the strange feeling in my gut told me something wasn’t right. I couldn’t shake the feeling that we weren’t safe yet.

“Chanyeol…” I said quietly, glancing at him through the rearview mirror.

“I know, Y/N,” he replied, his voice strained. “This whole thing feels off. They were watching us too closely. I don’t like it.”

We were about to take a turn onto a quieter street when my phone buzzed in my pocket. I grabbed it, my heart stopping when I saw the message.

“Turn around. You’re not leaving yet.”

The words sent a shiver down my spine. I glanced at Chanyeol, and his face mirrored my concern. Before I could react, a loud crash echoed through the air, and I swerved as something slammed into the side of Bumblebee.

“Y/N!” Chanyeol shouted, swerving to avoid the debris.

I slammed on the brakes, heart racing as I skidded to a stop in the middle of the road. My hands gripped the steering wheel tightly as I glanced at the street behind me. Shadows moved in the darkness, too many to count.

A few moments later, a sleek black car with tinted windows appeared out of nowhere, screeching to a stop just ahead of us. The headlights illuminated the figure standing in front of it, and I froze when I saw who it was.

The man in front of us wasn’t like the others. He had a cold, calculating look, his eyes hidden behind dark sunglasses. A black leather jacket clung to his form as he stepped forward, flanked by a few others who were already surrounding Chanyeol’s car.

“Well, well…” the man said, his voice smooth and dangerous. “Did you really think you could just walk away?”

“What do you want?” I asked, my voice steady despite the fear clawing at my chest.

“You’ve got something we need, sweetheart,” the man replied, smirking. “You and your car. The Autobots are closer than you think. You’ve been playing with fire, and now… we’re here to take control.”

I glanced at Chanyeol, the weight of the situation sinking in. He had no idea what this meant, but I did. The Autobots were never far from us. Bumblebee, my car, wasn’t just a car it was a sentient, living being. And now it seemed like someone knew exactly what Bumblebee was capable of.

Before I could even think of a plan, the man raised his hand, and the group of thugs advanced, surrounding us. Chanyeol quickly shifted into defense mode, his hands gripping the wheel tightly.

But I wasn’t about to wait for things to get worse. I hit the button on the dashboard that connected me to Bumblebee.

“Bumblebee, we need you. Now.”

A beat of silence hung in the air, and then—BOOM.

The ground trembled beneath us as Bumblebee roared to life, the sleek Porsche suddenly transforming before our eyes. Its sleek body shifted, gears and metal parts whirring as it morphed into a towering mechanical warrior. The headlights flared, and I could hear the unmistakable sound of Bumblebee’s voice coming through the speakers.

“Y/N. Chanyeol. Hold on tight.”

The men froze for a second, their eyes widening at the sight of Bumblebee. But the hesitation was brief. They knew what they were up against.

Chanyeol’s eyes widened in shock, but then he grinned. “You weren’t kidding when you said Bumblebee was more than just a car.”

Bumblebee’s metallic body shifted, a weapon forming from its arm as it aimed directly at the thugs surrounding us. “You’re not taking her.”

In an instant, the situation went from tense to chaotic. The man in the black leather jacket barked an order, and his men advanced, but Bumblebee was ready. It was no longer a race for speed it was a fight for survival.

“Get in the car, Y/N!” Chanyeol shouted, his voice urgent. But before I could move, Bumblebee’s massive hand gently, but firmly, scooped me up and placed me in the passenger seat.

“Stay safe,” Bumblebee said, its voice now a comforting hum in my ears.

The battle unfolded in front of us like something out of a nightmare. Bumblebee moved like lightning, dodging the attacks from the thugs’ cars, all while protecting us. I watched in awe as Bumblebee effortlessly disabled the enemies’ vehicles, one by one. But there were more of them more than we could handle on our own.

“We need backup,” I murmured.

Just as the thought crossed my mind, the ground shook again. But this time, it wasn’t Bumblebee. It was something far larger. Another Autobot. A massive figure, transforming in the distance.

“It’s Optimus,” Chanyeol whispered, his voice full of awe and relief.

Optimus Prime’s towering form emerged from the shadows, his presence so powerful that the thugs paused, momentarily stunned. “Fall back,” he commanded, his voice booming.

Without hesitation, the thugs scattered, retreating as Optimus and Bumblebee stood protectively around us. The threat had been neutralized at least for now.

“Are you two okay?” Optimus asked, his blue optics glowing with concern as he looked at me and Chanyeol.

I nodded, still in disbelief at the turn of events. “Yeah… thanks to you.”

Bumblebee’s voice chimed in again, its tone light but serious. “You’re safe now. But this isn’t over. There’s someone bigger pulling the strings.”

Chanyeol looked over at me, his face set in determination. “Looks like we’ve got a new mission, then.”

I nodded, my mind racing with questions, but I knew one thing for sure. This was just the beginning. We weren’t just racing for fun anymore we were in the middle of something far bigger than we ever imagined.

━━━━⊱⋆⊰━━━━

Chapter 16:

The aftermath of the ambush still had my heart pounding in my chest. Chanyeol and I were sitting inside Bumblebee, watching the towering Autobot’s massive frame stand guard outside. The cool night air drifted through the open windows, but inside the car, the tension was thick, as if we were all bracing for something.

Optimus Prime was nearby, speaking in low, rumbling tones with Bumblebee about the strange group that had ambushed us. I couldn’t shake the feeling that it wasn’t just about the race anymore. Something bigger, something more sinister, was at play and I had a front-row seat to it.

But as I sat there, staring at Bumblebee’s intricate dashboard, a strange thing happened.

I felt it a connection. Not just to Bumblebee, but to the Autobots, to everything that had just happened. It was like a distant memory, a whisper in my mind, trying to break through the fog of confusion.

“Y/N.”

The voice was faint at first, but it grew louder, resonating deep inside me. It wasn’t Bumblebee. It wasn’t Optimus. It was something else.

I blinked, feeling the hair on the back of my neck stand up. “What…? Who’s there?”

Chanyeol, who had been staring at me, noticed my sudden shift in demeanor. “Y/N? Are you okay?”

I didn’t answer him. Instead, I focused harder, trying to pinpoint where the voice was coming from. My fingertips brushed the edges of the steering wheel, and then I froze.

The sensation of being connected to something deep within Bumblebee’s core hit me like a wave. It was a quiet hum a pulse in the back of my mind, like I was somehow part of the car, part of the Autobot network. I leaned forward, my hand hovering over the dashboard, trying to make sense of it.

“You’ve always known,” the voice whispered again. “It’s why you understand us. It’s why we’re drawn to you.”

I gasped, my breath catching in my throat as everything started to click. The strange connection I’d felt from the very first moment I touched Bumblebee wasn’t just a coincidence. It wasn’t just about my love for cars. It wasn’t just a random thing.

It was deeper. Much deeper.

“Chanyeol,” I said, my voice trembling with realization. “I think… I think I’ve always been connected to Bumblebee. Somehow, I’ve always been linked to the Autobots.”

Chanyeol looked at me, his eyes wide with confusion. “What are you talking about? You’ve always been a car enthusiast. That’s just a coincidence, right?”

I shook my head, pressing a hand to my temple, trying to focus. “No, this is something different. Something more than just me loving cars. It’s like… like Bumblebee knows me. And I know him.”

Before I could continue, Bumblebee’s voice hummed to life, this time resonating with something familiar, almost comforting.

“Y/N, the connection you feel is not by chance. You and I share a bond that was forged long ago. You are more than just the driver. You were chosen by the AllSpark, the source of all Transformer life.”

I froze, my heart skipping a beat. The AllSpark? The mythical source of life for all Autobots? The very thing that kept the Transformers alive?

“Chosen?” I whispered, barely able to speak. “What do you mean?”

Bumblebee’s voice was calm but heavy with purpose. “There are fragments of the AllSpark that have been hidden in human form, scattered across the world to protect it from those who seek to destroy it. You, Y/N, are one of the chosen protectors. The Autobots have been waiting for someone like you to help us fight against the forces that threaten Earth.”

The words hung in the air like a dense fog, the weight of them settling heavily on my chest.

Chanyeol leaned forward, his expression serious. “So… you’re telling me that Y/N has a connection to the AllSpark? And that she’s… chosen to protect it?”

Bumblebee’s lights flashed once, as if nodding. “Yes, Chanyeol. Y/N’s connection to the AllSpark is the reason she can communicate with us. It’s why she was able to understand us when others couldn’t. She’s part of the force that keeps Earth safe from the Decepticons and other dangers lurking in the shadows.”

The enormity of it all was almost too much to comprehend. I had always felt different, like there was something more to my love for cars, something more to the connection I had with Bumblebee. But to hear it out loud, to understand that I wasn’t just a normal teenager I was a protector, chosen for a purpose I had never asked for was both thrilling and terrifying.

“But… why me?” I whispered, more to myself than anyone else.

“Because you are more than just human,”Bumblebee replied gently. “You are the key to unlocking the next phase of our battle. Together, we can fight against the forces that threaten this world. You and your connection to the Autobots are the bridge between humanity and the Transformers.”

I sat back, my head spinning with everything I had just learned. Chanyeol was quiet beside me, his usual playful demeanor replaced by a quiet intensity. I could feel his concern for me, but also his support. He had always been there for me, even before he knew about Bumblebee and the Autobots.

“I’m not leaving you, Y/N,” Chanyeol said softly, his voice steady. “Whatever this is, we’ll face it together.”

Tears welled in my eyes as I looked at him. I had always loved him in ways I couldn’t explain, but now, it felt like our fates were intertwined in a way I hadn’t expected. I wasn’t just part of the Autobots’ world I was in this with him too.

Before I could respond, Optimus Prime’s voice came through the comms, breaking the silence.

“Y/N, Chanyeol. There’s more to the story we haven’t shared yet. The Decepticons know of the AllSpark fragments. They are already hunting for them. We need to prepare.”

The weight of those words hit me hard. The Decepticons were out there, and they were coming for the AllSpark. For me.

But for the first time, I wasn’t scared.

Because I knew one thing: I wasn’t alone.

━━━━⊱⋆⊰━━━━

Chapter 17:

The base was unusually lively today. I parked Bumblebee next to the newly arrived convoy of Autobots massive, armored, gleaming in the low warehouse lights. Their arrival had been sudden but welcome. Reinforcements.

Optimus Prime’s frame shifted as he transformed into his towering form, regal and calm as always. But what cracked me up?

Chanyeol trying to act casual around him.

“Hey, uh… Optimus?” Chanyeol said, hands in his hoodie pocket, rocking back on his heels like a nervous freshman asking the cool senior for help with homework. “So like, now that you're... my car does that mean we’re, like, partners?”

Optimus’ optics glowed brighter, and I swear he let out a chuckle. “We are bonded through purpose, Chanyeol. Partners, allies... and friends.”

Chanyeol straightened up like he’d just been knighted.

“Oh my god, he’s going to put that in his bio,” I mumbled under my breath, grinning from the hood of Bee where I was perched.

Then came them the new Autobots. One by one, they rolled in, their transformations clean and loud. First was a sleek silver Ferrari named Whiplash, who had the attitude of a runway model and the reflexes of a cat. Then there was Tinker, chanyeol’s nissan car who immediately started poking Bumblebee again and muttering things like “huh, your engine’s different. Upgraded? You run on vibes?”

The last one, a tanky blue pickup with a goofy smile and a booming laugh, was Torque. He rolled up to Chanyeol and gave him the friendliest chest bump I’d ever seen from a literal robot.

Chanyeol stumbled back, laughing. “Yo! Okay! We’re chest-bumping now?!”

“We’re bonding, bro!” Torque boomed. “You’re one of us now. You're in the Ride or Die Crew.”

“Ride or Die Crew?” I repeated with a raised brow.

Chanyeol beamed. “Don’t judge us.”

Optimus even cracked a rare smirk. “They insisted on the name.”

And just like that, it was like Chanyeol had his own intergalactic boy band. I watched him light up as Torque taught him how to do a running jump into the cab, Whiplash made snarky remarks like, “You better not scratch Prime’s paint, Human,” and Tinker tried to scan Chanyeol’s brain “just to see how fast your thought circuits are.”

Bee and I watched from the sidelines.

“You know,” I said, resting my chin on my hand as I looked at Chanyeol dramatically posing with his arms crossed beside Optimus, “he looks like a proud anime protagonist.”

Bumblebee flickered his radio. “♪ He’s got the touch... he’s got the powerrrr!♪”

I snorted. “You’re not wrong.”

Then Optimus lowered his gaze to me. “Y/N, your presence has brought more than just strength to this alliance. You brought heart. And now… Chanyeol has brought laughter. That balance is what we fight for.”

And just like that, this group of battle-hardened Autobots? They weren’t just warriors.

They were our found family.

Later That Day...

Chanyeol and I sat on the hood of Optimus, eating instant noodles while the Autobots played a chaotic game of what looked like mech dodgeball using tires. Torque got hit in the head and exploded into dramatic, spark-filled theatrics. Whiplash judged everyone.

“Didn’t think my life would end up like this,” Chanyeol said, slurping a noodle. “But I’m not mad about it.”

I leaned my head on his shoulder. “You and Optimus make a weirdly perfect pair.”

He grinned. “Right? Me, a high school kid with emotional damage and a robot dad with space trauma. Iconic.”

I laughed, reaching up to ruffle his hair. “Ride or Die Crew forever?”

“Ride or Die Crew forever,” he echoed.

And somewhere, Bee played a family remix of the Fast & Furious theme.

━━━━⊱⋆⊰━━━━

Chapter 18:

It started with a tremor.

Just a tiny quake beneath the abandoned Autobot base. Enough to make a wrench roll off the shelf and clatter to the floor while I was helping Tinker recalibrate his scanner system. He paused mid-rant about magnetic interference.

“You feel that?” I asked, freezing.

Tinker blinked. “Nope. But my sensors did.”

Chanyeol popped his head around the corner, covered in grease from some upgrade project with Torque. “Y/N, did you mess with the seismic stabilizers again?”

I raised a brow. “That was once and I was sleepwalking.”

Before he could tease me more, Bee suddenly activated his optics flashing bright.

“Something’s waking up,” he said in his deepened voice, no radio filter this time. “It’s… him.”

Optimus stepped forward, tone solemn. “Vectorion.”

The name dropped into the room like a weight.

Torque actually shut up. Whiplash tilted her head, her usual sass gone.

“Wait, who’s Vectorion?” I asked slowly, eyes darting between the Bots.

Optimus walked toward the far end of the base, to a wall none of us had thought much of. He raised his arm and a hidden panel shifted open. Behind it was a massive, sealed stasis pod, etched with ancient Cybertronian glyphs.

“Vectorion was one of the original defenders of Cybertron… a combination of multiple sparks. A guardian forged from unity. He hasn’t been awakened since the fall of the old council.”

“Why now?” Chanyeol asked.

Tinker checked his readings, which were going wild. “Something must have triggered his energy field. And guess what? It’s not mechanical.”

Bee turned to look right at me.

“…It’s you.”

My chest tightened. “What do you mean, me?”

“You’ve always had a strange resonance with our kind,” Optimus said gently. “Your bond with Bumblebee. Your instincts in battle. And now, your presence is reawakening something… older.”

The stasis pod began to glow, humming with power. Chanyeol reached out and took my hand instinctively.

Then… the pod cracked.

Not like something was breaking out but like it recognized something.

I stepped forward, compelled by something in my gut. A warmth pulsed through my fingertips.

The second I touched the surface—

BOOM.

The light shot out like lightning. I fell back into Chanyeol’s arms as the pod opened, steam curling into the air.

And there he stood.

Vectorion.

Twice the size of Optimus, forged from glowing, shifting armor that almost seemed alive. His voice echoed like thunder wrapped in music.

“Who summons me?”

Optimus stepped forward. “An old war has returned. And this girl Y/N has the spark we’ve never seen in any human. She woke you.”

Vectorion’s bright eyes locked onto me. And despite his intimidating form, I didn’t feel afraid.

“I felt your soul through the void,” he said, kneeling slightly. “You are… Key-Bound. The one who bridges us to Earth.”

Bee buzzed anxiously. ��That’s real. Not just a legend?”

“It was never a myth,” Vectorion said. “It was a prophecy.”

Chanyeol stared. “Wait, so… she’s basically the Avatar of Cybertron?!”

I blinked at him. “Chanyeol. Not helping.”

But Vectorion smiled. “She is more than that. And the darkness that hunts her is already on its way.”

A chill ran down my spine.

Optimus stood taller. “Then we prepare. Together.”

Chanyeol squeezed my hand. “Looks like we just leveled up.”

I exhaled, my heart racing.

Something inside me was changing. The Autobots could feel it. I could feel it.

And whatever was coming next?

We’d face it together.

Me. Chanyeol. Bee. Optimus.

And now… Vectorion.

━━━━⊱⋆⊰━━━━

Chapter 19:

It was late.

The base was quiet except for the low mechanical hum of dormant systems and the occasional metallic sigh from resting Autobots. I’d been looking for Chanyeol for almost an hour. He wasn’t in the hangar. Not in the common area. Not even stealing Bee’s snacks.

Something was off.

I finally caught the faint sound of drilling echoing from Torque’s workshop the one section of the base that literally had “DO NOT ENTER, UNLESS YOU WANNA DIE” written on the door in duct tape.

I pushed it open anyway.

And there he was. My idiot boyfriend.

Sweaty, covered in soot, sparks flying behind him, holding some wild-looking exosuit core. Torque was pacing like a mad scientist behind him, mumbling to himself.

“Chanyeol what are you doing ?” I hissed.

He jumped and almost dropped the core.

“Y/N! Uh surprise?”

I marched in. “You skipped our patrol and dinner for this?!”

He grinned sheepishly, face streaked with grease. “It was supposed to be a secret. I was building something for you.”

“…For me?”

Torque butted in. “It’s a modular pulse-reactive armor upgrade. Hooks into any Autobot signal and creates a personal shield for whoever wears it. Or, y’know, explodes.”

“Explodes?!” I said, already fuming.

“Not if it’s done right!” Torque said, crossing his arms.

Chanyeol wiped his brow and looked at me with that soft, warm stare. “Y/N, I know you can handle yourself. But the more we get involved with this war, the more I realize I can’t stand the thought of you getting hurt. I just… I wanted to give you something that could keep you safe. Even when I’m not right next to you.”

My anger deflated a little.

But then… the room shook.

All three of us froze.

Suddenly, the half-assembled device Chanyeol had been working on lit up and not in a good way. It pulsed red, hissed, and sparked like a lightning storm. Torque’s face drained.

“Uh-oh. NOPE. That’s—bad—REALLY bad—”

“Chanyeol, MOVE—” I shouted.

But it was too late.

The core overloaded in his hands, sending out a shockwave of wild energy. It slammed into the walls, knocked out the lights, and threw Chanyeol back against the far wall with a loud crash.

“CHANYEOL!” I ran to him as Torque scrambled to kill the circuit.

His eyes were shut, and his breath was shallow.

Bee, Optimus, and Tinker burst into the room seconds later.

“I told you humans were squishy!” Torque yelled.

Optimus gently picked Chanyeol up. “We need to stabilize him. Now.”

“Hook him to my charge port,” Bee said quickly. “His system is shocked his vitals are dropping.”

I held his hand as Bee’s systems hummed and Tinker connected the ports.

“Come on, Yeol,” I whispered. “You don’t have to be a hero like this. I need you. Not gear. Not shields. You.”

His hand twitched.

And then he groaned. “…okay. Next time I let Torque test it first.”

I almost cried in relief.

“Dummy,” I sniffled.

“You love me,” he rasped.

Bee buzzed. “That’s confirmed. Moving on.”

Later, when Chanyeol was resting with a small burn patch on his arm, I sat next to him in the med bay.

“I get it now,” he said quietly. “Wanting to protect someone… it makes you reckless. But I’m not going to do that again. Not without you right beside me.”

I leaned in and kissed his forehead. “We protect each other. Together. Got it?”

He nodded.

Then added with a smirk, “...but I still think Torque and I could finish it safely this time.”

“Try it and I’m chaining you to Bee’s backseat.”

“…hot.”

“Park it, Park Chanyeol.”

━━━━⊱⋆⊰━━━━

Chapter 20:

I should’ve known today was going to be wild when Optimus said, “We require sanctuary.”

Next thing I knew, Chanyeol and I were leading a whole squad of Autobots to his house. Not the base. Not some remote alley. His actual family home. Suburban. Quiet. Cute. About to be wrecked.

Torque was muttering under his breath about the stress of human architecture. Bee was humming Britney Spears through his radio. And Tinker was trying to squeeze between two buildings and knocked a tree over in the process.

“Yeol, this is insane,” I whispered as we snuck into his backyard gate. “Your parents are gonna freak.”

“They’re out until later,” he said. “They won’t even notice.”

The instant he said that his mom’s voice called from inside the house.

“Yeol-ah~! Did you leave the back door unlocked again?!”

I deadpan stared at him. “You jinxed it.”

“ACT NATURAL,” Bee beeped, diving behind the hedge. Torque dropped flat into the kiddie pool and covered himself with a tarp. Optimus, bless his giant shiny soul, crouched awkwardly behind the garden shed with a loud creak.

Too. Much. Chaos.

Chanyeol rushed forward to intercept his mom at the back patio just as I stepped in beside him. Her eyes fell on me, and everything… stopped.

She blinked. Then her jaw slightly dropped.

“Oh.” She smiled so big, it could’ve rivaled the sun. “Ohhhhhh. Who is this?!”

I bowed, cheeks warm. “Hello, ma’am. I’m Y/N.”

Her eyes scanned me from head to toe, and I could see her eyebrows rising in impressed mom. She gently took my hand.

“You’re gorgeous,” she said. “Absolutely stunning! Why haven’t you brought her home sooner, Chanyeol?!”

“I—uh—I didn’t think—” he stammered.

“She looks like a model! Are you a model? Actress? Idol?”

“Just a girl who knows how to rebuild a V8 engine,” I smiled.

Her mouth actually fell open this time.

“You’re perfect,” she said, genuinely. “I must call your father. Where’s my phone?”

Before Chanyeol could stall, a loud CRUNCH echoed from the backyard.

Bee had just accidentally sat on a lawn chair.

I quickly laughed. “Ah neighborhood cats! They’re always knocking things over.”

“Sounds heavy for a cat—”

“I’m feeding them better now!” I said brightly. “Organic tuna. Builds muscle.”

Her eyes narrowed suspiciously… but then softened.

“I’ll go grab some snacks. Y/N, come inside with me. We’ll let Chanyeol chase cats and think about his life choices.”

Chanyeol mouthed, I’m so sorry, while I smirked and followed his mom into the house.

From behind the hedges, I heard Bee whisper, “Did she just get adopted?”

Torque replied, “I think she did.”

Inside the kitchen…

Chanyeol’s mom handed me a tray of strawberry milk and banana bread.

“You know,” she said with a small smile, “I was worried about Yeol. He spends so much time on that old car. But seeing you here… I think he finally found someone who understands him.”

My heart tugged a little. “He’s one of a kind.”

She patted my hand. “So are you.”

And just for a second, all the Autobots, missions, chaos and weirdness faded and it felt like something real was blooming.

Back outside…

Optimus whispered, “Do I smell banana bread?”

Bee replied, “If I don’t get a slice, I will revolt.”

━━━━⊱⋆⊰━━━━

Chapter 21:

There are moments in life you never forget.

First kiss. First car. First Transformer making tea in a pastel human kitchen.

And then there’s this one: when Chanyeol’s dad walked through the front door and came face to face with an Autobot holding a spatula.

It started off semi-normal.

I was sitting at the dining table sipping strawberry milk, trying to answer questions from Chanyeol’s mom without accidentally revealing I was working with alien robots. Chanyeol was outside trying to prevent Torque from crushing the garden hose. Optimus was still hiding behind the shed like a very shiny deer.

But Bee… Bee got hungry.

And apparently curious.

So he did what any sensible Autobot in disguise would do: he snuck into the kitchen.

…And tried to cook pancakes.

He was crouched very low to fit inside. Giant yellow armor gleaming, doors folded in tight against the fridge, and one finger very gently poking at the batter in the pan.

I had just turned around from the sink when I heard

“Honey, I’m home!”

Chanyeol’s dad’s voice boomed from the front hall.

Bee froze. The pancake flipped itself mid-air and landed on the counter.

I stared at him, panic-mode activated. Bee stared at me, finger to where his lips would be. Shhhhhh.

Then everything happened way too fast.

The door opened. Chanyeol’s dad stepped in, whistling. He turned into the kitchen with a wide grin on his face, saying

“Smells like pancakes. You makin’ something, hon—?”

His eyes landed on Bee.

In the kitchen.

Holding a spatula.

With smoke starting to rise from the pan.

There was a moment of pure, absolute, stunned silence.

Chanyeol’s dad blinked once.

Then twice.

Then turned to me.

“…Is that a man in a cosplay suit?”

Bee, bless his radio-speaking, replied:

🎵“I'm not a boy, not yet a man…”🎵 — Britney Spears.

Chanyeol skidded into the room like his life depended on it.

“DAD! WAIT—!”

Too late.

His dad dropped the briefcase. “WHAT IS THAT?!”

“Please don’t call the government!” I yelped.

Bee quickly raised his hands in surrender. “I come in peace!” he chirped, voice static and layered with random pop quotes.

Chanyeol’s dad stared.

Bee slowly grabbed the pan, plated the pancake, and held it out with a hopeful beep.

“…You want a pancake?”

Ten minutes later…

Chanyeol’s dad sat on the couch in a daze, holding a perfectly fluffy pancake while Bee played soft jazz from his speakers.

Chanyeol’s mom brought him a glass of water and said, “I told you he has interesting friends.”

I sat beside them, trying not to laugh while Bee wiped the stove clean and said, “You humans use so much butter.”

Later that night…

Chanyeol plopped down next to me on the front porch.

“I think my dad’s soul left his body.”

“He accepted the pancake,” I grinned.

“That was bribery.”

“That was diplomacy.”

Chanyeol shook his head, grinning at me. “You know what the scariest part is?”

“What?”

“My parents like you. Now I’m really in trouble.”

━━━━⊱⋆⊰━━━━

Chapter 22:

It happened at night.

The sky was moody and heavy, stars hiding behind clouds. Bee had parked in his alt mode just outside the garage, like usual, and I was sitting cross-legged on the cold concrete floor, sketching a few car mod ideas in my notebook. Chanyeol was beside me, playing with a socket wrench like it was a fidget toy.

“I still don’t get how you visualize this stuff,” he muttered, glancing over my shoulder.

“It’s just instinct,” I shrugged. “Like muscle memory. My hands know before my brain does.”

He chuckled, nudging me. “Yeah, your brain’s too busy being insanely cool to bother.”

I rolled my eyes but smiled. Before I could reply, Bee's headlights flickered.

“Bee?” I stood up. “You okay?”

He beeped once in response, then slowly rolled forward and that’s when it hit me.

A sudden jolt, like a lightning bolt behind my eyes. My vision whited out, my legs buckled. I felt myself falling, but I never hit the ground.

Instead, I fell into memory.

It wasn’t mine.

I was standing in the middle of a battlefield metal shards flying through the sky, the ground cracked and glowing blue with Energon veins. The air pulsed with explosions and echoes of Cybertronian language.

And then I saw them.

The Autobots… but younger.

Bee wasn’t scratched or dented. He looked pristine, polished. Optimus stood taller than I’d ever seen him, flames blazing across his armor. Arcee was there too, flipping mid-air, firing from twin pistols. And behind them there was someone else.

A figure I’d never seen before.

Slender. Golden. With glowing white energy coursing from her chest, out to her fingertips. Her optics locked on me no, not me. Someone in the memory. But I could feel her gaze.

She was… familiar.

And then a voice.

“She is the Keeper.”

I gasped as I came to, my back against the garage floor. Chanyeol’s hands were on my shoulders, eyes wide in panic. “Y/N?! Hey! What happened?!”

Bee rolled forward in alarm, beeping frantically, and Optimus emerged from the shadows outside.

“I saw something,” I whispered, heart pounding. “Like… a memory. But it wasn’t mine. Bee, it was you. All of you. But there was this woman. Gold armor. Energy pouring out of her hands she felt like…”

Optimus stepped closer, voice heavy.

“Solara.”

Chanyeol looked up. “Who’s that?”

Optimus’s eyes dimmed.

“She was our guardian. Our guide. Before the war. Before Earth. She vanished long ago… And only those with the Spark Alignment could ever see her again.”

Chanyeol blinked. “And Y/N just saw her?”

Bee slowly turned to me and projected a hologram of the battlefield.

My heart stopped.

It was the exact scene from my vision.

But the golden Autobot… wasn’t in it.

“I saw something none of you could,” I whispered.

Optimus lowered his helm slightly, almost in reverence.

“Then it is as I feared… You are more than just a mechanic, Y/N. You are connected to the AllSpark itself.”

To be continued….

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ivelostmyspectacles · 8 years ago

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#relatable

but really

*looks into the camera like he’s on the office*

#FFXV #Final Fantasy XV #Noctis Lucis Caelum #Prompto Argentum #Assassin's Festival #Noct you are not a real assassin #but you are just as good or better than them #precious boy #why can't i ever fucking trim anything right #i deleted it so i couldn't redo it #i'm always a half second off and it DRIVES ME NUTS

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jkbabiey · 4 years ago

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YOU KNEW IT , HE KNEW IT // JJK [sequel]

Pairing: tattooartist!jungkook x doctor!reader

Word Count: 3.9K

Genre: fluff, angst

Warnings: mentions of rough sex, JK hurts Y/N :(, smoking, prepare for just a little bit of heartbreak - not telling you how it ends :) I hardly revised this so MY APOLOGIES FOR ANY MISTAKES!!! please, read this first <3

Nothing had changed.

Jungkook was a hard nut to crack and after that night his shell had become harder - you were back to being a quick fuck for him.

He would shoot you a 'u up?' text that took him just a little more than one second to send at 10 PM (after he was done with work) and in two seconds he'd get a 'yes' as an answer. After thirty minutes of driving from his studio to your place, he'd be at your door. And after hours of sex, he'd be on his way to his own bed.

You could reinforce the fact that little words were exchanged from the moment he walked into your apartment to the second he walked out. You could barely hear a 'how you doin'?' after the systematic 'hey' between messy kissing against the wall nearest to the entrance door sometimes.

And, let's make it clear - Jungkook had never been the most talkative, but after the years you two had met each other he had gotten more and more able to talk to you. All the topics were rid of the awkwardness that accompanied any conversation you two dared to try to have in the first months of your 'arrangement'.

But now it was like you were back at stage 0. Tonight it was as if you hadn't even.

"Kook, calm down," you moaned as he furiously rammed inside you. Jungkook hadn't texted you tonight and neither did he compliment you, he just showed up and attacked you straight away.

And he didn't listen to you, keeping up the speed and force of his thrusts against you. "Shut up," he growled as he pulled his face away from your neck to kiss you. The kiss, just like the rest of him, was raw and cold. Nothing about it made you feel loved, nothing made you feel like it used to.

"Stop," you whispered and felt your eyes get teary. "Jungkook, stop!" you yelled, understanding he hadn't listened the first time. Jungkook raised his head, to look you in the eye, startled, and stopped his ministrations automatically.

"I'm sorry, I didn't-" he started but the last thing you wanted was to listen to him.

"Just get off me," you said and he rolled off you. "What the fuck is wrong with you?" you asked, the anger clear in your voice.

"I'm sorry Y/N, I-I didn't realize how rough I was getting. I didn't- I'm sorry!" Jungkook stuttered, his gaze locked on yours as he sat on your bed, his naked torso exposed and his bottom half covered by your white sheets. "I should go," he muttered, getting up and starting to dress.

"Oh wow, you're really doing that again?"

"Wha-What do you mean?"

"It's what you always do now. You come here, you use me as a damn fucktoy, and you never even dare to ask how I'm doing!" you yelled as Jungkook shook his head as if you were delusional.

"You're talking as if you don't enjoy it," he chortled humourlessly.

"Well, tonight I didn't-" you yelled with tears in your eyes and he turned towards you, with fire in his eyes, walking towards you with large steps.

"And I'm sorry about that! I already said I'm sorry!"

"But are you really?!"

He rested his hands on his hips, running his tongue over his pierced bottom lip. His eyes ran over your face and stopped on your teary eyes. "Of course I am." You stepped closer and rested your head on Jungkook's chest, feeling his arms, hesitantly, wrapping around your shoulders. "Of course I am, Y/N," he repeated using a way softer tone than before as his hand rested on your hair, caressing the back of your head.

It was as if Jungkook from ten minutes ago was never in the room with you, now left with a soft-toned Jungkook that kissed your forehead and tamed down your wild post-sex hair. Moments when this Jungkook showed up were what kept you from throwing him out of your bed and your life.

There was this guy living in the apartment next to yours, your balcony was next to his and usually, he smoked at the same time you watered your plants. He smoked shirtless and with messy hair as if he had just stumbled out of bed due to an intense addiction to cigarettes.

Today was no different. You were watering your beautiful purple Iris flowers when you heard the door next to yours that provided your neighbor access to his balcony open. "Morning," you chanted and he answered, sending a pretty and tired smile your way.

"How're the flowers?" he asked, still squinting his eyes from the bright sunlight.

"Watered, how're your lungs?" you asked playfully, amused that he was actually trying to start a conversation with you.

"Ouch..." he laughed, and paused, lighting his cigarette. "Are you an anti-smoker or something?"

"No, just like to remind you that you're killing your lungs every morning," you answered with a wide playful smile plastered on your face.

"Aren't you dating a smoker? I've seen him out here," he questioned, his smirk less playful and more provocative now. You sent him a glare and shook your head.

"I'm not dating anyone," you answered, placing your watering can on the shelf on your balcony and resting your forearms on the porch rail your balcony shared with his. You watched him raising an eyebrow as he expelled the smoke from his lungs through his pink lips.

"Is that so?" he teased and watched you nod with a tight smile. "What's your name?" he asked, changing the topic that he knew was a sensitive one - it's not like you hadn't kept him awake nights in a row.

"Y/N. What's yours?"

"Felix," he answered and smiled.

What a pretty smile he had.

Felix was a genuinely good guy. He had his mind and heart in the right places and he knew how to treat a woman. He was such a gentleman and even opened the car door for you when he took you out to dinner. He also made you caramel popcorn when you walked across your apartment's floor to watch a movie in his. He held your hand every time you two walked side by side on the streets.

He congratulated you and was genuinely happy for you when you told him you had received an offer from a prestigious hospital in another country to execute your neurosurgery residency. He was more excited about it than you expected he'd be and when he noticed the hard expression on your face, you told him about your worries about keeping a long-distance relationship. Felix was quick to reassure you that he was way too invested in you two to actually let you give up on it before even giving it a try.

No, you and Felix weren't dating but you acted as if you were. You two knew that the next logical step was him asking you to be his girlfriend or you asking him to be your boyfriend. This proposal of doing your residency program across the world made that a lot more difficult and upraised a lot of doubts in your head. Was this what you really wanted?

Felix was the exact opposite of Jungkook.

Jungkook never opened doors for you, neither did he make you caramel popcorn. He never held your hand. God, he never even walked with you in the streets, in the public eye.

And still, you couldn't help but wonder what Jungkook's reaction would be to this news.

Jungkook and you hadn't seen each other again after the night he went too far with you. He hadn't reached out and neither had you. And that made everything much more simple for you. It helped you focus on Felix and how much of a great guy he was. It worked for a while until you received this invitation and all you could think was that you can't leave without telling Jungkook you're leaving. You didn't even spare Felix a thought.

That explained why you declined Felix's initiation to try a long-distance relationship. You couldn't be that dishonest and selfish towards a guy so sweet as Felix. You couldn't tell him you wanted to be with him while thinking of another man. It was cruel and he didn't deserve it.

It also explained why you were standing by Jungkook's door, ringing on his doorbell, the night before your flight.

He opened the door with a pencil behind his ear and a naked torso, staring at his phone screen. "Oh, hi..." he said, after directing his gaze, from his phone to you. "Come in!"

And you did, watching his living room's floor full of crumpled pieces of paper and rough sketches - you presumed Jungkook was in the process of drawing a new tattoo design. "I'm just trying some new stuff here for work. You can seat on the sofa or something, or you can help me-"

"Jungkook, I need to talk to you," you interrupted, pushing a strand of hair behind your ear as he stopped in his tracks and looked at you.

"Alright, let's talk. Do you want something to drink? Coffee? Water? Wine?"

"No, I'm fine," you answered, seating down on your couch as Jungkook sat next to you, closer than he had been in the last three months you hadn't seen him.

"So... What's up?"

"I... I wanted to talk. I got accepted to do my neurosurgery residency program like I wanted."

"Oh yeah?" his eyes widened and he smiled, remembering the nights you two had stayed up talking and you had told him about your passion for neurosurgery. "Such a smartass," he teased, pinching your cheek. "Congratulations, Y/N," he said, laying a soft kiss on the cheek he had just pinched.

"Thanks..." you answered, timidly and playing with your own fingers. "I got an offer from a great hospital to do my residency."

"That's great," he smiled. It looked and felt to you like there was a sense of pride on his smile. Would Jungkook ever say he was proud to have you? To have you as whatever it was you were to him?

"Yeah..."

"You wanted to tell me that?" he asked, and you looked at him, hesitant.

"The offer is from a great hospital across the world. I'm going away and I'll stay away. Probably won't come back here."

Jungkook was having a good day. You could imagine he'd had a day off and had spent it on new designs for his clients. He had probably spent all day shirtless, on the floor of his living room, just drawing and throwing drawing away when they didn't seem good enough, then, drawing something new. You could even imagine how he had probably skipped most meals to not lose the string of inspiration that he had found that morning.

But as soon as he heard the words that had come out of your lips, his smile disappeared and his proud gaze dropped from yours, staring at the ground beneath his feet. "When are you leaving?" he asked.

"Tomorrow morning. I've got everything packed and I'll be at the airport at about 7 AM."

Jungkook didn't answer. Just stood up and walked towards the kitchen. You followed him instantly, watching him chug down a glass of cold water. "You only tell me now?" Jungkook's tone wasn't aggressive or upset just inquisitive and that disappointed you more than you were willing to admit.

"Figured I couldn't leave without telling you. Even though we haven't talked in months," you muttered the last part, hoping he'd listen anyway. He smiled your way, supporting himself with his hands on the marble countertop.

Jungkook felt different from when you last saw him. More mature. Less aggressive. You, initially, thought it could be because he's having a drawing-focused day and that always relaxed him. But even after hearing the big news, he seemed to be dealing with them well. Not angry with you for not telling him before that you were leaving. You were expecting an earthquake of yelled offenses thrown your way as soon as you dropped the news, but you had gotten none of it.

"I don't know what to say," he whispered, looking away from you. You walked towards him, and he quickly straightened up, turning his body towards you. He opened his arms, inviting you for a hug. You rolled your arms around his waist and he enveloped your shoulders in an affectionate manner. "I'm gonna miss you."

"That's just what I wanted to hear," you answered and he chuckled.

Maybe Jungkook had grown up during the three months you two spent away. Or maybe he just didn't feel anything towards you anymore.

You two didn't have sex. Never even talked about the three months you two just decided to ghost each other. Didn't mention your last encounter. And he didn't question who was Felix and why he was calling you to ask if you wanted him to drive you to the airport in the morning. When you left his apartment, you weren't crying from the aggressiveness you were expecting.

But you cried as soon as you got in the elevator.

ᴛʜʀᴇᴇ ᴍᴏɴᴛʜs ʙᴇғᴏʀᴇ

"Kook! Come in, I'm in the kitchen!" Jungkook heard his long-lasting best friend yelling from the kitchen. "I've got so much beer for tonight. You better chug all this shit in or Irene is gonna kill me for wasting so much money on alcohol!"

Jungkook laughed as he entered the kitchen, he fist-bumped Taehyung and chuckled when he saw the whole top shelf of the fridge filled with bottles of beer. Tae didn't laugh with him, instead, focusing his gaze on Jungkook's face, with a slightly disgusted expression on his face. "Dude, you look awful. What's wrong?"

"It's nothing. Haven't been sleeping much," he dismissed having to talk about what was wrong since he was pretty sure all his feeling were wrong and Jungkook wasn't the guy to talk about his own feelings.

"And you thought the solution to your sleep problems was spending a night drinking with your buddy?" Taehyung laughed and Jungkook quickly joined, running a hand over his tired features. "Come on, bro, just talk about it. You'll feel better."

"Let it go. I'm not here to talk about my proble-"

"Is it Y/N?" Taehyung interrupted, opening two bottles of beer and handing one to Jungkook.

Jungkook didn't answer for a while, just following Taehyung when he decided to walk towards the living room, where he had left an opened bag of chips.

"Yeah," Jungkook whispered after some time, to which Taehyung hummed knowingly. "I was awful to her last time."

"What did you do?" Tae asked, with a mouth full of chips, just before taking a sip from his beer.

"We were, you know... having sex," Jungkook started, leaning back on the comfortable couch. "I lost my fucking mind, Tae," Jungkook muttered, a disappointed look on his face, as Taehyung. "I was going too hard and she wasn't enjoying it. I made her feel so bad, hyung."

"Dude..." Tae said, noticing how inconsolable his friend looked. "Did you say sorry?"

"Of course I did. But that doesn't fix how I must have made her feel."

"Right," Taehyung muttered, looking at his friend. "Why did it happen, kook? What was on your mind?"

"I'm just stupid, Tae," he chugged almost the entirety of his beer in frustration, with furrowed brows and pouted lips. He stood up and walked towards the kitchen to get another beer, Taehyung supposed. "This client I had in the morning asked for my number after I did a tattoo for her, and I said no because of Y/N! And the girl was hot. Great ass. And I still said no because I was thinking Y/N would hate to know I had given my number to some other chick! Can you imagine that?! What the fuck! Spent the whole day thinking about that and had to take it out on someone."

"Bro..." Taehyung mumbled, looking at his friend with angry eyes, "You're such an asshole.".

"What-"

"Y/N is a great girl. You have no idea what that girl has gone through because of you, for real. And she really likes you. She does. And you just keep treating her like shit."

"It's not my fault I don't feel the same-"

"That's the thing! You do feel the same! And you just keep dismissing your feelings and treating her like crap to try and convince yourself that you really don't feel the same! You tell yourself you feel nothing for Y/N, that she's just a quick fuck, but you're still here, on my sofa, sobbing like a fucking 4-year-old because you hurt her feelings! If that's not caring for her, I don't know what is!"

Jungkook didn't answer. He wouldn't dare face his friend right now - not only because an angry Taehyung was the worst person you could face, but also because he was right. Jungkook knew Taehyung was right but he couldn't face that truth.

"So, my advice is, man up! Get your shit together! Y/N's an amazing girl. She's smart, and she's pretty, and she's has a strong personality - opposite to the basic girls you have been with. I'm surprised she hasn't dumped your ass yet because she deserves so much better! Fucking grow up and own up to your feelings, or let her go because you can't let her suffer for someone like you," Taehyung finished, letting out a long angry sigh. "I need another beer."

That had been the day Jungkook decided he'd let you go.

"Why do you look awful?" Dr.Seokjin asked and you chuckled at his bluntness.

"I've been here for like 36 hours. I think I'm about to pass out," you said, chuckling in pity of yourself, already scrubbing in to assist Dr. Jin in a tumor dissection.

"Go home Y/N, get some rest. I'll page some other resident-"

"What? No, I'm fine! Really!"

"No. Go home. Can't risk you doing a mistake here because you're exhausted. Go."

And you were out of the hospital and in your car in 15 minutes.

You were already in your second year of residency. A lot of time had passed, but it never got less tiring. Not much had changed from the time you had left home to study abroad.

"Y/N!" you heard Felix screech from the other side of the line as soon as you picked up your phone. Felix was a sweet guy and he insisted on keeping in touch with you, calling you every single day. "How you doing?" he asked and you smiled in delight at his care for you, knowing he couldn't see it.

"I'm fine. Tired but fine. Going home now, after 36 hours in the hospital," you said and heard Feliz gasp in shock.

"You spent 36 hours up?" he asked

"We have on-call rooms, but there's never much rest done before you get paged again in here," you chuckled and Felix tsked, in disapproval.

"Alright, then you should get home and sleep. I'll talk to you later!"

"I'll call you when I wake up."

Your place was less than five minutes away from the hospital you worked in. You'd kept that in mind when you searched for a renting apartment to stay in. And you loved your place. It wasn't big or luxurious, but it was cozy and full of your little flowers. Your love for flowers hadn't changed - you still kept your balcony full of those little pretty plants.

You were looking forward to coming home to spray some water on them, but you were left standing at the end of the dark corridor that would lead to your apartment's door, at 4 AM, when you saw a dark silhouette crouched by it. You couldn't see anything but the dark figure, due to the lacking of lighting.

You walked in slow, careful steps towards your door, trying to feel the light switch on the wall. And when you finally felt it underneath your fingers, you took a deep breath before tapping it.

Jungkook.

Jungkook was sat down beside your door. His sleepy eyes opened, looking up and locking with your shocked ones. "Hey..." he whispered, before looking at his phone screen to check the time. He grimaced at how late it was and looked back at you. "Sorry for showing up without saying anythin-"

"What- When did you get here?"

"I've been here for a while, got here yesterday around 3 PM. I'm sorry. I just felt like seeing you. A-and I- I just- I missed you..." he stuttered and looked at the floor beneath your feet. "I know I was a son of a bitch with you, but I- I really like you Y/N. After 2 years, I still spend days thinking of you. And I feel like I'm ready to have you as a... as anything you'd like to be... That's if you want to be anything at all. You can say you don't want anything, or that you already have someone and I guess I'll get on the first plane back home," he chuckled, sending a tentative look your way, but your face was expressionless, he couldn't read it so his gaze got back to the floor. "Sorry, this was a really impulsive decision, to be honest. I just felt like being with you-"

He was cut short by your arms around his neck in a tight embrace, pulling him down, closer to you. He took a while to rationalize what was happening with his eyes wide in shock, but shortly after, his arms were also around your waist and your body was impossibly flushed against his. You hid your face in your neck, inhaling the familiar natural scent of his body. "Missed you," you whispered against his skin as you felt him place a soft kiss on your hair, "so much..."

"I missed you too," Jungkook said back, pulling away from you, to lock eyes with you. And it all felt so familiar, it all felt so good. Jungkook felt like home. And so, you softly pressed your lips against his, feeling him smiling against your lips. One of his hands, which was, previously, around your waist, was placed on the back of your head, deepening the kiss.

"Wait," you pulled away, chuckling at the way his lips followed yours in an attempt to keep kissing you. "We can't make out in the hallway, let me open the door," you laughed and he joined as you turned your back on him to open the door to your apartment.

When you heard the door closing again, you looked over your shoulder, to see a smiley Jungkook staring at you, with his hands behind his back, on the doorknob. "Took you long enough to come looking for me," you teased and he ran his fingers through his hair.

"Figured you must miss me too much already," he answered, making you laugh with hearts in your eyes.

People were hard to figure out. Jungkook was the hardest you'd ever known, but you were willing to try your hardest to crack his shell. Because Jungkook was in love with you and you were in love with him, and to you, that was enough.

It was love, you knew it and he knew it.

#ykihki #jungkook #jeon jungkook #jungkook scenario #jungkook scenarios #jeon jungguk #jungkook reaction #jungkook fanfic #jungkook masterlist #jungkoo #jungkook doctor au #doctor!reader #tattooartist!jungkook #tattoed!jungkook #bad boy jungkook #goodgirlxbadboy

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halliescomut · 2 years ago

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Secret Crush on You Ep 7

Okay, it's a new day and we're back at it. I think I'll probably watch at least 2 eps. Looking for gifs for the last post I caught some definitely from this episode so....I'm excited.

-Opening credits note: they show like 6 adults in the cast (like not university students I know technically everyone on the show is an adult) and we've seen none of them so far I don't think. I'm curious who they are and how they're related to Nuea or Toh

-Poor Touch is so confused at why Nuea started being so cold to him. Like I bet if he said he likes Toh, the Touch would be like 'go for it dude.'

-Nuea being gruff with Toh is not going to help him.

-Toh just 'not noticing' the 3 fully grown humans wearing Easter bonnets behind the cart...😂😂

-Still with the unsafe driving. Nuea look at the damn road!!

- Does Prao really think she's gonna treat Jao that way??? (Google: How do I throw hands with a TV character?)

-That's right Som. Fuck 'em up!!!

-Oh this other bitch is about to get it too. These hands are rated E for everybody!!

-Oh yeah Sky!!! He's far nicer than I would have been. Talking to Daisy like that. 😠😠

-That one chick just frozen...idk what that's about, but it's crazy her friends just left her there.

-Now Toh punch Nuea in the dick 😂😂😂 Poor guy. Both of them honestly.

-Toh almost fully letting his crazy out. 😬 Nuea's gonna get wise dude.

-Oohhh Waterfall ...excellent ☺️

- Jao being so shy again.

-Nuea says....I don't want my friends lusting after you.

-Tell you what I'll take Touch if they're not gonna pair him off... dude's hot...and very nice.

-Fon and Kwan are so cute. I'm glad we're finally getting more of them.

-Whoopsie...Toh's wasted again 😂😂

-Prao needs to take a fuckin hint. Nuea is being very clear!! Jesus!! Oh you know you fucked around before, but now you're serious as soon as you realized Nuea was over you??? How about that's what happens when people figure out they deserve better.

-I mean, I don't love a nonconsensual kiss, but Toh stepping in when Prao tried to kiss Nuea against his will...I'll allow it. She deserves it.

-Their refusal to be offended by Prao is pissing her off so bad and I love it. 😂😂

-Nuea being mad because he wants kisses...so precious.

-Nuea is barely holding back after those kisses.

-Op...no I guess he's not holding back. 😳 Yes Toh I would also collapse to the floor. Relatable.

-I love Daisy's confidence. Be you babe.

-We love a soft montage. Excellent.

-🍌😂😂

-Toh's glasses are always so dirty. As a glasses wearer it's driving me nuts. Whether Seng really needs glasses or not, how is it not driving him crazy??

-Yes Sky!!! Don't let Jao get stuck in his insecurities.

- I love the feeding each other trope. It's always so cute.

-Well... it's cute til you accidentally feed someone an allergen. I'm glad it just apparently makes Toh narcoleptic and not anaphylactic.

-The cuddling!!!🥺🥺🥺🥰🥰🥰

-Excuse me...when did this become a WHORE HOUSE?!?!

-"Do you like it?" My dude, Toh is on the fucking EDGE right now. What do you think???

-🐸 voyeur

-Sun protection is very important. It's nice to see Jao showing some concern for Sky.

- I really can't tell if Touch is being nice or actively flirting with Toh. This is why I'm glad I'm Ace, I don't have to be able to figure out if someone's flirting.

-Ahhh so he is just being nice....

-And we're back to he waterfall ☺️

-He's really spelling it out for him this time thank CHRIST!!!

-Yes Toh!!!! Finally a real confession!!! But what is the second half of the season gonna be about??

#secret crush on you #nueatoh #billyseng #skyjao

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dabifixation · 4 years ago

Text

see you later

pairings: dabi x fem!reader

warnings: smut, fluff, angst, major character death, mha manga spoilers, slight gore, MINORS DNI

summary: Dabi knew he had to end things soon before they got out of hand. He knew this wasn't supposed to last long, he told himself that everytime he left your apartment in the early hours of the morning. Until he found himself back here again, in your arms and lost between your thighs.

word count: 4.7k words

"... We encourage everyone to stay at home tonight, as there is a possibility of a severe thunderstorm, along with it flashfloods all over the city..."

The television only served as background noise for you as you moved around your kitchen. Cleaning up the dirty dishes and utensils, a small smile on your lips after the friendly company you had tonight.

It's been a while since you invited your friends over for some supper after the long depressing week you had. You needed that, the entertainment and companionship only they could offer you. You've never laughed or cried so hard in months, telling each other about your sorrows and thoughts for your futures ahead.

Being an adult was never easy, especially in a world full of rejected heroes.

You were so lost in your thoughts that you hadn't heard the warning cough behind you, or the tap against your kitchen counter. But you did give a short shriek when you felt someone wrap their arms around your waist, their chin resting on your shoulder, inhaling your scent.

You relaxed once you felt the familiar warmth of who it was. Only one person in the entire world could be dubbed a walking, breathing furnace, and it was him.

"I missed out on a big meal didn't I?" He drawled, his warm hands rubbing soothing circles against your stomach.

"Maybe if you didn't pop into my life every few months, I would've saved you a plate." You sarcastically replied, but you didn't miss the way how you sounded partially hurt.

You weren't expecting much all those years ago when you found him bloodied and passed out behind your childhood home, and you weren't expecting much now.

You never asked questions, and he never pried in your personal life. You were quite fine with that. Not everyone was an extrovert and had their whole life story ready to be dished out. He was a very private person and you respected that.

He ignored what you said and continued to nuzzle his face into your neck. Using one hand to push your hair over your shoulder, exposing your neck to him.

You suppressed a sigh when you felt his warm lips give short kisses against your neck.

"I've missed you." He breathed cold air into your neck, making you stiffen at those words. He's never said something like that before, not once in the six years since you've known him.

Dabi noticed you stiffen in his arms, but he didn't say a word. He wasn't lying. He did miss you, achingly so.

He missed your stubborn attitude, the sarcastic replies that were on par with his own, the homemade cooking you offered to teach him countless of times that he doubt he'd pay attention to cause he wouldn't be able to keep his hands to himself. But most importantly he missed you. The way your touch lingered even days after his monthly visits, the way your lips would pay close attention to the magenta scars all over his body, and the different ways you'd say his name depending on what he was doing to you.

God, he was going to miss all of this once he leaves for the League of Villains.

"I've missed you too." You shyly said, you've never admitted these words aloud before and it felt good to tell him that.

"Turn around for me, I wanna see how good you look." He whispered in your neck.

"Dabi I'm wearing nothing but my puppy printed sweater." You deadpanned.

"It doesn't matter, you always look good no matter what." He playfully nipped your ear, making you roll your eyes despite the heat in your body relocating to your cheeks.

You turned around to face him, a beaming smile on your face that was only ever directed at him. Your heart always soared whenever you looked at him. He was beautiful. The most beautiful man you've ever had the pleasure of laying your eyes on. His eyes were the most vibrant blue you've ever seen, little specks of grey dancing in those pretty blues that were half lidded but always calculative and aware of his surroundings. He licked his lips, bringing your attention to the plump flesh that were an interesting contrast between soft and jagged, and the pink tongue residing in his mouth.

Your eyes were transfixed on his appearance, making sure no hair on his head was missing or any new injuries to his increasing collection. You rested your forehead against his hard chest once you found nothing out of place, letting out a sigh of relief when you finalized that he was okay, and not sporting a limp or any other injury.

"Damn, I stress you out that much huh doll?" You could hear the smirk in his voice, but didn't have the energy to make a snarky remark, only offering him a small smile.

"Your visits are becoming less and less you know, the last time I saw you was five months ago. I was..." so worried about you, you wanted to say. You were so worried that you stayed up everyday, two hours after your initial bedtime hoping that he'd at least show up once in those five months. He didn't, and you were beginning to think he never would, until tonight. You didn't want to tell him that.

He wouldn't care.

You felt embarrassed that you were crying to your friends about him earlier on. Scared that you'd never see him again, not because he's moved on from you as you know there's nothing keeping him here other than sex and a warm bed to crash in, but because you were worried he'd get himself injured or worse. And you didn't like dwelling on what worse could imply.

"I kno–" Dabi's words were cut off by a small sneeze he muffled into his arm. Sneezing twice more before he regained his composure.

You only noticed now that his clothes were slightly damp and heavier than usual. It made your eyesbrows furrow.

"How long were you in the rain Dabi?" You questioned, knowing you wouldn't like whatever answer he'd come up with.

"Ever since your lady friends came by."

"That was over two hours ago? You've been sitting in the rain this entire time?!" You felt your blood pressure rising when he only shrugged at your accusations. It was like arguing with a toddler sometimes.

You sighed again, pinching the bridge of your nose. "I've got a box of mens clothes laying around here somewhere. Go take a shower and I'll get them for you and make you a cup of hot tea."

He quirked one eyebrow up, staring intensely at you.

"What?" You averted your eyes away from his, embarrassed that he was searching your face for something.

He shrugged again, rolling his battered coat off his shoulders and started stripping the rest of his clothes off. You turned around before he could go any further. Busying yourself with getting his tea ready.

Dabi stopped undressing, standing there with nothing but his jeans on. Watching you as you got the correct items in order to make him tea, muttering to yourself about which biscuits he might like with it.

He liked the butterscotch ones, but he didn't bother opening his mouth. Too memorized by the way you moved around so frantically as if he was dying instead of coming down with a small cold.

He liked that about you, he liked a lot of things about you. Especially the way you cared about the simplest things pertaining to him even during moments of intimacy. You treated him like glass even if he didn't offer the same treatment in return, not because he didn't want to, he just didn't know how to go about it.

He frowned.

Dabi was only ever vulnerable around you, and you didn't even realize it. You didn't know the power you had over him, and he'd like to keep it that way. Afraid that you'd use it against him and he wouldn't be able to bring himself to hurt you for that. He could never hurt you.

He found himself walking towards you on impulse, hugging your waist once again. This time pressing his body flush against yours. He heard you gasp and that pulled a smirk out of him.

"Do you know what you do to me?" He gripped your hip with one hand, and snuck the other hand underneath your shirt. His lips against your neck, right above your pulse point.

Your stomach tensed when you felt his hot fingers rubbing soothing circles against it. He pressed you further against him, making you feel the growing length against your ass. You bit your lip, stopping yourself from whimpering too early.

"The way your nipples are perking up so nicely for me in this shirt that's practically transparent is driving me nuts." He snaked his hand further up your shirt, brushing the skin underneath your breasts gently. Your breath caught in your throat as you gripped the counter tightly.

Your panties were clinging to your pussy uncomfortably, you could feel the material getting wetter with each passing second. You tried rubbing your thighs together for some friction, but Dabi wasn't having any of it. He clicked his tongue out of irritation, the hand on your hips falling towards your inner thighs, parting your legs. His hold was strong enough to prevent you from rubbing your thighs together, you wanted to whine when he didn't place his hand right where you wanted them.

Just a little higher.

"I asked you a question doll." He spoke into your hair, taking a deep breath from the rooibos shampoo you used. The smell turned him on even more.

"W-what question?" You whimpered, resting the back of your head onto his chest, sighing out as he brushed the pads of his thumb against your hardened nipples.

"I don't like repeating myself." He growled, pinching your nipples harshly causing you to whimper pathetically in his arms. He continue to tweak at your nipples roughly before groping your breast and fondling it the way he liked.

"Dabi... " You mewled.

"Don't. Don't say my name like that." He gave your nipples a warning pinch.

You bucked up into his hips, involuntarily grinding against his cock. The swollen head rubbing in between your ass despite the jeans restricting him. Making him choke back a groan.

Dabi was just as impatient as was it in his nature to tease. He took his hand away from between your thighs to quickly lick the tips of his index and middle finger, bringing them back towards your aching pussy. You were such a good girl, not once taking the opportunity to touch yourself or rub your thighs together.

He wasted no time in pushing your thong to the side, sucking a deep breath through his teeth when he rubbed his fingers through your slit collecting the thick moisture gathered there. You always got so wet for him.

After coating his fingers in your arousal, he moved his fingers towards the bundle of nerves that had been pulsing ever since he rocked up at your house.

You let out a breathy yes, eyes rolling to the back of your head as Dabi rubbed your clit just the way you liked, grinding it down in tight circles that had your toes curling. He pinched at your clit piercing, knowing how much you liked it when he played with the metal and how easily it could make you gush for him. The pleasure was overwhelming and had you feeling light headed.

Without warning, Dabi plunged those same two fingers into your tight pussy. You bit back a scream as your body jerked and writhed against him. Hips chasing after his fingers as they thrusted deeper into your spongy walls, the palm of his hand grinding against your clit. The stimulation was too much for you.

"Fuck!" You shouted out, bringing your hand down to his, gripping on his wrist tightly so he could go deeper and faster. He could get you cumming around his two fingers alone, he didn't need more than that.

"Dabi please." You begged.

"Please what?" He asked curiously, knowing exactly what you so deeply craved.

The hand around your breast disappeared. He reached for his jeans so he could unzip it and pull it down. A short relieved sigh left his lips once his jeans were pulled down his thighs, just enough to free his heavy cock from all that pressure. He gripped his cock in his free hand, he wanted to feel you around him so bad but he had to be patient, as much as he hated it.

Dabi watched you from underneath his dark lashes, the way your body responded to him in delicious squirms and moans drove him mad. He added pressure to your clit, grinding his palm hard against it. Your body rocked back into him for more, a high pitched wail leaving those beautiful lips he couldn't wait to claim.

"I want you ins- shit shit shit!" He watched your body shaking silently against him, thighs trembling, pussy clamping so hard around his fingers he hissed as he pulled them out and quickly replaced them with his angry, pulsing cock.

"Fuck." Dabi let out breathlessly in your ear, feeling you clench and gush around him as you came. He wasn't prepared for this. To feel you around him after five long excruciating months. He loved the way your pussy gripped onto him after all these years, as if it was the first time all over again.

Dabi pulled your head back by your chin so he could look into your eyes as he drove you into your next orgasm. Ignoring your pained whimpers of pleasure from being overstimulated like this. He dragged his cock slowly out of you, holding back a gasp as he slid out of your warm walls, missing the snug warmth around him, and then slammed right back into you without warning, making you cry out.

Your ass bounced against his thighs as he gained momentum, making him cuss underneath his breath at the squelching noises that came along with it and the mess you made on his jeans. Your hands fell down to Dabi's thighs, gripping them tightly but not tight enough to leave your mark, as he practically seethed from the power trip of fucking you after so long.

The drag of his cock inside you had you nearing your second orgasm so soon, and with the animalistic grunts Dabi let out, you could tell he wasn't too far behind. He usually lasted longer than this, way longer, he underestimated how much he truly missed you it seemed.

"Dhabi... Phleasinside... Please!" He could barely make out what you were saying, a stroke to his ego at fucking you so silly to a point you couldn't use your words properly.

"What doll? Use your words." There was a slight wheeze to his words, your pussy clenching so tightly around him had him close to losing his breath.

"Please cum inside... fuck your cum inside me please. Please!" You momentarily gained back your speech long enough to form coherent sentences. You screwed your eyes shut as you felt your orgasm nearing.

His grip on your hips tightened immensely, no doubt leaving his fingerprints there for days. He wouldn't last much longer and you knew it, the telltale signs of his thighs tensing and the urgent bucking of his hips told you he was close.

Dabi let out a groan so deep from the very depths of his stomach, goosebumps began to rise on your sore arms from the intense sound alone. He forced your head to the back so he could kiss you as he came, making a sound so damn carnal it had you cumming alongside him.

The two of you came together in perfect harmony, your pussy clenching down so hard on his cock it had you lurching forward from the force, breaking the heated kiss. Long strings of hot semen shot up into your awaiting womb, dripping down your thighs when it had no more room to go.

Your breathing was uneven, your chest and throat burning from your screaming session. Forever grateful that you didn't live by your parents anymore, back when you had to muffle all your moans from when you and Dabi used to fool around even back then.

He was no better, his breathing shallow and unsteady.

Dabi didn't pull out just yet, savoring the moment of the two of you being joined as one. His fingers traced the long line running down your back, not caring how sweaty you were as he kissed your shoulders gently in gratitude. After awhile he pulled his softened cock out of you, groaning from the oversensitivity while you winced from the evidence of what took place running down your shaky thighs.

The high from sex quickly came crashing down on him. He wasn't here to have sex with you, it just happened. Guilt began to chew at his mind from what he was about to do next, but the way you looked at him, with those caring eyes someone like him didn't deserve, made him drag this moment out far longer than it should've been.

He wasn't a ''now rather than later'' kind of guy after all.

"Let's get you cleaned up." His stomach churned when he watched you look up at him in confusion.

That's right, Dabi never cared about aftercare or basking in the afterglow. He thought it was unnecessary, but couldn't say he hasn't wondered how it would feel to have you running your fingers through his hair and humming childhood lullabies the way his mother used to do to him.

A pang shot out to his heart at the thought of his mother, quickly stomping those traitorous thoughts from making an appearance tonight. Not now, he thought. Returning his full attention towards you and your warm hand grasping his own. Squeezing it gently to bring him back down to earth.

Usually after he was done he'd leave, not that you were bitter about it or anything. That's just how it was. A small smirk would grace his two-toned lips with a "See you later" sent your way before he left your apartment. It was a little tradition shared between you two, the first time he said it you were still 16, applying ointment to his injuries after you found him in your parents backyard. He abruptly left without so much as a thank you, only offering those three words.

Now whenever he left, he'd always say those words to ease your brewing anxiety in promise of seeing you next time. And he never broke that promise.

He didn't speak to you about it, but you could tell he risked everything by coming to your place every once in awhile. You were not ignorant to the things Dabi did, some part of you knew he was involved with some shady things. Things you didn't want to bring up with him.

A man didn't get that many scars in their 23 years of life by being a good samaritan.

You reached your shower, stepping in while Dabi adjusted the settings to both of your liking, joining you once he was satisfied. You've come to love the heat as much as him, hot showers always reminded you of the flame user.

The water ran hot against the both of you. You looked up at Dabi, surprised to see him watching you. For a short moment, you held his gaze. Wondering what could possibly be running through his head that had him looking so defeated.

He wanted to tell you then and there that he'd have to leave for good this time. The League weren't people to be taken lightly, especially with that unhinged brat as their leader. He wouldn't be surprised if the creepy fucker was the type to kill the loved ones of people in order to maintain compliance.

But Dabi kept his mouth, and reached for your blue loofah instead. Squirting some of your lemon scented body wash onto it, scrunching it up so it could get more soapy. He worked in silence, scrubbing your body gently with utmost care and concentration.

Hell would freeze over before Dabi allows anyone to touch a single hair on your body. He didn't care who it was, even if it was the League members, he'd make damn sure their life would end with them being nothing but dirt underneath his shoe. He had to stop coming over after tonight, he was heading into dangerous, unknown territory afterall and he'd rather avoid killing the people he needed to exploit. His plans were finally at his fingers tips, and he wasn't about to throw them away over sex.

No, it was more than sex, no matter how many times he tried convincing himself that he was only here for one reason, he'd just end up fooling himself. At night when he'd look for shelter on the streets, when his quirk couldn't keep him warm the way he wanted, you'd plague his mind with your sweet smile and honey voice. Scolding him for not taking better care of himself and that he could crash at your place if he needed to get back on his feet.

That's why Dabi stopped scrubbing you just as you began to relax at the newfound comfort. You felt his hands tense against your body, making you turn around in concern.

"Hey. Is everything okay?" You were so concerned about him, his chest tightened. Why did you care so much about someone like him. You were so ignorant and stupid. Could you not see the blood on his hands from all the innocent people he convinced himself he killed out of pleasure. It infuriated him to no end, but he could never get mad at you. Not really. He tried pushing you away before, but you were as stubborn as him so he gave up on that method.

Your shoulders fell from his lack of response.

You were too grown to be playing guessing games with him, it was cute entertaining it before, but not now. Not when you were just coming to terms with... with what exactly?

You had an inkling of what was going on, but didn't want to push further. If he was going to tell you, he would. So you asked the next best thing.

"When will you be back?" You asked hopefully, water running down your face. He flashed you a smile that didn't quite reach his eyes. His fingers brushing your wet hair out of your face. He learned in, placing a soft kiss against your forehead, his lips lingering for a moment.

"You're so important to me and I don't want you getting hurt because of my suicidal actions." Was what Dabi wanted to say, but he didn't.

So Dabi did what Dabi did best, deflect from the situation and push his true feelings down. Just when you thought you were making progress (as small as that progress was) in this twisted relationship you had with him, you were right where you started.

"I don't know when, I can't tell you exactly. But just know it won't be anytime soon." Or ever.

"Okay. Just... just stay safe." You whispered, placing your hand above his chest, where his heart was. You could feel the way his heart was beating ferociously against his chest, like a caged animal.

He brushed his thumb against your cheek, wanting to remember how soft your skin felt underneath his fingertips, wanting to remember everything from tonight before he left for good. He gave you one last kiss, this time on your lips. A quick peck that said a thousand words, and got out of the shower getting ready to leave. You stood still underneath the scorching heat of the shower, for the first time in years it actually made you flinch in pain.

You watched as he dried himself off with your towel, not paying any attention to you as his hand reached for the doorknob. Much to your relief, he spared you a brief glance that said everything you needed to know in that moment.

"See you later."

It's been ten months since you last saw him, almost a year. And in those ten months you've moved out of the city, got a new job and apartment better than the last. You were happy, content with how life has been treating you lately. Your skin was healthier and glowing, you made time for the gym and started toning your body to your liking. Everything was perfect.

It's been ten months since you last saw him, until you finally did.

There Dabi was, or as it said on the news headline, Touya Todoroki, all over your television. Standing above the ruins of a burning building. His clothes were torn, and his body full of cuts and bruises. You didn't even notice the white hair until the news reporter pointed it out.

There was a ringing in your ear as the camera zoomed in on what looked like a teenage boy emerging from one of the ruins, sporting dual coloured hair. Shouto Todoroki was his name they said, Dabi's younger brother who was a 1st year student at UA High School.

Dabi burst into those beautiful blue flames that you admired so much, while the young boy's left side burst into flames of red and orange. They appeared to get ready to fight, the entire country watching with bated breath.

And then everything happened so fast after that.

You don't remember when the tears started falling, but you do remember the loud sob that tore out of your throat as you watched Dabi's flames engulf him from over-exerting his quirk. He fell on his knees, face twisting as he screamed in pain. You couldn't hear what was happening as the mic from the camera crew melted from the overbearing heat of the two flame users, but you could tell that the pain he was going through was excruciating.

You didn't even recognize your own scream when his body swayed as his flames ate away at his flesh. The staples holding his two skin types together, melting into his flesh. You felt sick to your stomach.

Dry sobs continued to leave your sore throat as you watched the man you've known since you were 16, the man you were afraid to admit that you loved so deeply and finally came to terms with it after six years, slowly dying on national television as the entire world watched and didn't do anything about it.

The anchorman's voice was muffled as you watched your lover fall down, face first into the concrete. His body immobile. Your throat clogged up in pain, all you could do now was cry and watch as his little brother tried reviving him using CPR. A failed attempt, but what else could a 15 year old with zero experience in the medical field do.

A part of you felt like it was being ripped out as you watched heroes rush to the scene trying to pry the young boy away from his older brother. You watched as he pushed them away baring his teeth at them, tears streaming down his young face. You watched as a stretcher rolled by, two medics picking up Dabi's burnt corpse and putting him in that black body bag, zipping it up and slowly moving away from the scene.

The screen went blank, offering nothing but silence as you came to terms with what just happened, before the news anchor popped up, a nauseating smile on his pinched face.

"... The villain Dabi has finally been defeated by his own quirk. A win for hero society against their fight with the villains!!"

You were too numb to tell how many hours passed by as you sat there all alone in your room.

While the country celebrated his defeat, your entire world came crumbling down.

You would never be able to feel his warm hands cup your cheeks, pecking you all over the face while he praised you. You would never get to kiss him again, the type of kisses that left you weak in the knees. You would never get to do things with him that you always wanted to do, simple things such as falling asleep in his arms after a long day of work.

But most of all, you would never hear those three special words of his again, the words you didn't even realize until now, were his way of proclaiming his love for you.

"See you later."

#dabi #touya todoroki #touya #touya x reader #dabi smut #dabi x y/n #bnha smut #bnha imagines #manga spoilers #dabi headcanons #dabi fanfiction #mha fanfictions #anime #mha spoilers

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catzula · 4 years ago

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a/n: I just love Suna so much *screams*

honorable mentions: crackfic-like? The handsome-stranger-you-meet-at-the-airport au, swearing, 1.2k

It's a night flight.

Suna always preferred night flights, anyway.

Suna doesn't like flying. Sitting in a cramped seat for hours can't be anyone's favorite hobby, but he hates flying with a passion. For starters- it's unhygienic. The air has a strange smell to itself, as well, and it never fails to give him goosebumps and an urge to stop inhaling altogether.

He hates the tasteless coffee they serve, and the little packets of nuts remind him of the day he had discovered his nut allergy in a flight like this. The leather seats making him feel sticky with sweat, but the air conditioning brings him on the brink of hypothermia.

If there was an injection of sorts he could take that would put him in a coma during the flight, Suna wouldn't think twice before taking it, and based on all this, it's fair to say he can get a little cranky in airports.

As someone with not too much energy to spare, airports are exhausting for him. He already doesn't like running, but Kita is a little too punctual to let him rest or buy a coffee from Starbucks. The twins' fighting about something new every other minute never already driving him mad, but being surrounded by overly stressed people doesn't help, either.

"I will jump out of the window if I have to sit next to Atsumu on the flight." Suna had told the captain months before, the exact moment he had heard he would have to fly with the team.

That was the very reason the middle blockers seat was all the way in the back, located next to the window and a stranger. Suna can't be happier- all he wants is some peace and quiet, anyway, to wear his sleep mask and headphones and cut ties with reality as much as he can.

"You good there?" Suna barely hears Atsumu's irritating voice through his headphones, lips curling in annoyedly as he turns to the boy to send a glare- but to his surprise, the fake blond isn't looking at Suna.

"Oh, I- ah fuck- yeah!" He hears a voice, and it takes him a second to notice you who stands before the seats, arms reaching up for the overhead cabins and successfully blocking Suna from his seat. You must be the stranger he'll have to spend the next eight hours with, he supposes.

The tired gaze looks you up and down, you who is fighting a bag half your size- shouldn't that be under the plane?- and trying to push it into the overhead cabins. It's apparent you're struggling, arms shaking with the heaviness of the bag, biting your lip to muffle the sounds of your wrestling.

Despite your words, anyone who has eyes could tell you are, in fact, not fine.

In desperate need of a pair of longer arms, you peek at the tall brunette standing next to you; he's huge, broad shoulders and a height that makes you wonder if he hit his head on the way here. He looks familiar- if you weren't in as much of a pinch- you might've let out an audible gasp when you realized why he looked so familiar.

He's the stranger you'd seen earlier that day, standing in the line across of you, looking tired and black-painted nails scrolling down his phone. The all-black fit he has only adds to the mysterious aura surrounding him, arms slumped forward nonchalantly. You remember thinking if you'd ever see him or anyone as handsome ever again, making scenarios in your mind as to what kind of a man he is. You never thought you'd ever meet him again, though.

Suna notices the silent cry of help you have in your eyes, even when you avert your gaze away from him and mask your desperation- but he's no fool, he can tell when someone lookshim with an open need of help.

Well.

Suna admits he's no saint, either.

He can help you out, and you both can sit your seats, but he doesn't really care, nor has the energy to help you. All he wants to do is to sit down already -even though it would suffice if he just pushed the bag with his fingertips, but Atsumu beside you smiling at you does look a little more eager to help than he does, anyway. There you go, a prince charming ready to help.

Suna seems unfazed by the glare you send his way -any scenario you've created falling in disappointment, too, really? He wouldn't even offer to help?- as he bends in half to slip through the triangle-shaped gap you've created with your arms, slipping underneath them to get to his seat and-

A shriek outs your lips as you watch the bright blue bag slide from your fingertips, it's almost like slow motion, watching the object fall right on top of the boys' head.

"Ah! What the-" Suna groans in pain right after hearing a loud thump caused by the crash of the luggage and his skull. "What the fuck?"

Fox-like eyes are quick to find you, going between your panic-stricken and slightly amused face and the bag resting before your feet. "I-I'm so sorry!" You exclaim, but your strained voice sounds more like you're holding back a laugh instead of guilty.

Well. Karma is a bitch.

"Here, let me help." Atsumu offers maybe a little too late as he lifts your bag off the ground -Atsumu hopes he managed to hide how much he struggled, too. Honestly? What do you have in there?- and places it in the cupboard. "Thank you." You at least have the decency to look grateful at the blonde, giving him a pretty smile. "I'm so sorry," you repeat, turning your focus back to the brunette, who is rubbing his head in pain. "It just slipped out of my hand!"

To your dismay, Suna doesn't even spare you a glance as he mutters a "Whatever." Frowning and finally plopping himself down on his seat.

You narrow your eyes but stay silent as you do the same, too, settling in the seat, accidentally elbowing him one too many times as you try to get your damn jacket off.

You can feel his dissatisfied glare as the flight attendant brings the man sitting beside you a packet of ice, and you ignore the "tch!" sound he makes as he places the ice on the crown of his head.

"Bye, Suna!" The blonde you've seen earlier waves a goodbye at the stranger sitting next to you- Suna, you think, a pretty name for a man as cross as him.

"Are you okay?" You mutter under your breath, raising your gaze to take a better look at him. His face contorted in pain- he's the type of handsome you only get to meet in an airport. It's unfair how good-looking the man is, his shapely lip rolled between his teeth, deep-brown locks tousled and messy, and he has the prettiest eyes you've ever seen in your life.

Suna doesn't answer your question, but he makes it clear he's heard you with a scoff, eyes rolling in annoyance, averting his gaze to his phone. It makes you feel angry- being ignored as if you're a six-year-old kid.

"I'm not sorry, actually. You had it coming." You huff pettily, lips pursing when he keeps his silence.

"Okay, I'm a little sorry." You mutter after a few awkwardly silent seconds, suddenly feeling guilty. You did drop a heavy ass bag on his head, after all. "But not much."

You turn your eyes away from him when he sighs, annoyance evident in the sound. "And?" He hums, voice monotone and deep. "Which answer I give will make you stop talking to me?"

Suna knows that was unnecessary as hurt and embarrassment flash across your face- he notices that's the first time he even looked at you that night. Well, he can get unreasonable at airports, he agrees.

"That was rude." Suna comments after a few awkward seconds.

"It was." You agree. "But I was rude, as well."

"You kind of were."

To his answer, you can't hold back a lighthearted chuckle, the oddness of the situation dawning on the both of you. "This might be in the top 10 strangest ways I met someone." You chuckle, he does, too, but with a sarcastic quirk of his brow.

He has a pretty smile, plump lips curving just enough to show you a glimpse of his white teeth, enhancing the sharp features of his face. "Only top ten? That's a shame."

You don't speak as Suna closes the sleeping mask over his eyes -it has a cat print on it too, how cute- as a smile still lingers on his lips. "Good thing I have eight hours to at least make it into top five."

#haikyuu x reader #suna x reader #haikyuu x you #hq x reader #suna rintaro scenarios #suna rintaro imagine #suna x you #suna x y/n #suna fluff #haikyuu suna #haikyuu imagines #haikyu x reader #haikyuu!!

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tinyboxxtink · 4 years ago

Text

"Weird Secret Friends" *Chapter 2*

Part 1

Part 3

Y'all IDK what it is about this story but I can just write and write and write. This one ended up being 11 pages [on a google doc] And I only stopped because it's 2:15 am.

I hope you guys like this, but I just want to clarify: This isn't a Barisi fic. I'm sorry, if you're looking for that, just...this isn't it. I mean they do interact and it'll be fun, but they will not be ending up together.

That being said, enjoy this new chapter! I'm debating on how pathetic enamored Sonny is, I don't think I'm gonna go that deep. No worries, people.

As always let me know if you want to be added/deleted off the tag list!! <3

Tag List

@madamsnape921

@lolliepopsicle

@chasingeverybreakingwave

@milkshqke

@wanniiieeee

@word-scribbless

@gibbs274

@sassyada

@aprildecker-blog

@bookishfanfic

@stars-in-the-skies-world

@stars-trash-18

@omgsuperstarg

@objection-argumentative

-------

"Y/N, I'm so happy for you and Barba. You make the cutest couple," Sonny beamed at you while you were wrapped in Rafael's arms, huge smiles on all of your faces.

"Thank you Sonny, that means so much." You gave him a warm hug.

"Yeah….and you'll make the cutest couple in HELL!" All of a sudden Sonny pushed both you and Rafael off a cliff.

You were falling to your death when you woke up to your professor glaring at you.

"Have a nice nap, Miss Y/N?" He scowled at you.

"Um," You cleared your throat and straightened up at your desk. "Yes sir,"

"Good," he huffed as he headed to the front of the classroom once more. "Maybe now we can continue without your snoring,"

You heard the students around you snicker at his comments as You sunk lower into your desk and waited for class to end. It had been a long train ride home and then a drive to your apartment last night, you hadn't gotten home until around 2 am and had this 8 am class. As soon as the professor dismissed your class you booked it out of the class and out into the parking lot of your community college.

"Ugh, could this day get any--" before you could even finish your thought you got your answer. Your phone beeped with a text from Rafael:

RAFA: Hey killer, how's the bullshit county? 😉

That was the nice thing, then just as you were about to text him back your phone lit up.

SONNY BOI CALLING

"Shit!" You hissed to no one. "How does he know?!"

"Ahem….Heyyy, cuz," You answered it with your best nonchalant voice. That of course sounded totally chalant.

"Hey sunshine," His voice sounded relaxed, thank God.

"What's up?" You tried keeping your tone light as you neared your car.

"Well y'know I was just thinkin, I feel real bad about standing you up last night,"

"Oh, Son it's no big deal really," the fact that he felt guilty about anything made you feel even more guilty.

"No, I know you have a busy schedule and it takes a lot to get into the City and I just blew you off," He kept on with the guilt train.

"You didn't blow me off Son you had work. I get that--" You unlocked your car and got in, starting it so your windows would thaw. And your whole body.

"Well I wanna make it up to you," He cut you off.

"Oh?" your voice fell short. This couldn't be good.

"Yeah, my boss-- well he's not really My boss but Mr. Barba--"

Oh shit. Barba? Was Barba having a party? Why wouldn't He tell you that? Wait why WOULD he tell you that? Stupid. Wait, what was Sonny saying?

".... birthday, so you could be like my date," you caught the tail end of his invite.

"Birthday?" You repeated like a parrot. It was Barba's birthday? Oh god. You were really trying not to focus on how old he was. Don't ask. For the love of god don't say it Sonny.

"Yeah don't worry you don't need to get him anything, I got it covered," Sonny assured you.

Well, that was one way you could figure out just how much your cousin cared about his "idol". The more expensive the gift, the stronger the feelings were. You wondered whether you should ask him now or wait for the surprise. Maybe you should ask now, then his answer should tell you what you'd be getting into.

*So what did you get this 'non boss' of yours?" You asked slyly.

"Oh," now Sonny's voice dropped. "Well I, I don't wanna say,"

Fuck.

Don't panic. Do not panic.

"Oh come on Sonny," you did your best to keep a joking tone. "What am I gonna do, tell him?"

Should you joke about it? Hidden in plain sight, right?

"No I guess not, it's not like you know him,"

Whew.

"It's just kinda embarrassing…."

Oh god.

"O-Oh?" You tried to stay calm. "Why's that? Is it a gag gift?"

Please be a gag gift.

"Actually it's a new briefcase," He replied.

"Oh why is that embarrassing you goof?” You gave him a hard time. What was that in the emotional baggage department? Pun intended.

"I mean, it's more expensive than the one I own," You could hear the shrug in his voice.

Fuck. Don't ask why. Don't ask. But if you don't ask, that will be even more suspicious wouldn't it?

"Oh Son," You asked softly. "Why would you do that?"

"Well the one he has is as old as dirt, I think it's probably the first one he ever bought. I wanted him to look snazzy in court." He replied with a super eager tone.

"That's sweet," you were pounding your steering wheel in frustration. Say it.

"Seems like a lot of work for a mentor though," You closed your eyes mentally killing yourself.

"Yeah well," he laughed uncomfortably.

Say it.

"Sonny…” You didn’t want to do this.

“Yeah?” He was oblivious.

“You know you can always talk to me,”

“Yeah of course,” He assured you.

“About anything,” You scrunched your nose.

“Yeah I know, sunshine,” He half laughed.

“ANYTHING,” You reiterated

There was a long awkward pause.

“...Sonny?” You made sure he hadn’t hung up on you.

“Yeah, I'm here,” He replied softly.

“So?” You waited for the bomb to drop.

So…. He sighed. "I just want him to like me,"

Dammit.

"....Yeah," You nodded, cursing yourself.

"Yeah, its stupid. I'm stupid." He laughed again.

“You're not stupid,” you laid your head on the steering wheel in shame.” I mean the heart wants what it wants right?”

“What?! Oh my god, Y/N,” He scoffed. “I'm not gay,”

“….Sonny it's 2021,” you shook your head. “Sexuality is a spectrum,”

Right well. He laughed defensively. "I'm on the p in the v scale,"

“Ugh, Sonny,” you made a face.

“Sorry sunshine,” He apologized. “I just...why would you even think that?!”

“Uh…” You paused.

Maybe he wasn't fully aware that he had romantic feelings for Rafael. If you started pointing out the signs, he might realize it. But then you'd have a cousin going through gay panic AND then finding out it doesn't matter anyway.

"No reason," You lied.

"I just want him to like him so he'll give me a good recommendation once I graduate Fordham Law,"

"Oh" you smacked your head. "Duh. Right. Of course,"

That was completely legitimate. Maybe you had been misreading this whole thing. Now you just had the whole overprotective Gotti side of Sonny to worry about.

"Well I guess I could spend the weekend in the city," You shrugged as you pulled out of the parking lot.

“Absolutely!” He exclaimed. “My couch is always open,”

Not exactly where you were thinking of sleeping, but you weren't blowing your cover over the phone. Wait, maybe you should. Then he couldn't kill you over the phone. Wait, he's presumably at work right now. You didn't know how closely he worked with Barba, but you figured it would be a hell of a lot easier for Sonny to get to him before you could stop him from killing Rafael.

"Sure sounds good. I'll see you then cuz,” You smiled and hung up the phone.

------

Friday arrived, and you once again found yourself standing outside Forlini's. You debated heavily whether to go in or not, but you told yourself you were going to wait for Sonny outside this time, no more risking a sexy bar rendezvous.

You hadn’t really responded to Rafael’s texts the last few days, and you certainly didn’t tell him you were coming. Maybe you should have told him. You grabbed your phone to text him when you heard a familiar voice behind you:

“Y/N?”

You spun around to see Rafael dressed to the 9’s, smiling at you. He smelled delicious, mixed with the food aroma wafting out of the restaurant and the smell of freshly fallen snow in New York City.

“...Happy Birthday, Counselor,” You bit your lip nervously.

“W-What are you doing here?” He stared at you as if he thought he was dreaming.

“Sonny invited me,” You nervously smiled.

“Seriously?” He laughed.

“Seriously,” You nodded with a laugh as well.

“Did-- did you say anything to him?” He asked you worriedly.

“Are you insane?!” You hit him. “No!”

“So why did he invite you here?” He asked.

“He said it was to make up for ditching me the other night,” You shrugged.

“...The irony,” He smirked.

“Mmm,” You nodded with an amused smile.

“Well this is a very happy birthday indeed,” He smiled, pulling you closer into his coat similar to the night you had met.

“....Just don’t ask which one it is,” He warned you while staring at your lips deviously.

“Deal,” You nodded in agreement before he pulled you into a hungry kiss.

“DUDE!!” You snapped back before his lips were on yours for more than a millisecond. “Are you nuts?! Sonny’s gonna be here any second!”

“It’s my birthday, carino,” He made a pouty face. “Don’t yell at me,”

“Oh lord,” You rolled your eyes. “Alright, man child,”

He was about to go for another sneaky kiss when you both heard a voice from behind you.

“....Sunshine?”

“Oh!” You jumped ten feet away from Rafael when you turned to see Sonny standing there with a huge gift bag, staring slack jawed at the two of you. “Sonny! I um, we--”

“I was teaching your cousin a lesson in New York safety,” Rafael talked over you, his face completely stone. God he was a good liar.

“Excuse me, counselor?” Sonny raised an eyebrow, glancing between the two of you. You just stared in speechlessness.

“She was standing on this curb holding her bag out for any miscreant on these streets to just wrestle away from her, I was just demonstrating how,” He gestured to your open purse.

“Barba I really think this ain’t that kinda neighborhood,” Sonny half laughed.

“...You never know,” Rafael shrugged. “Now let’s all get inside, I’m sure everyone is anxious to start celebrating me,”

You and Sonny both rolled your eyes with smiles; too similar of smiles, you noticed. Thankfully, he did not. You both followed Rafael back to a private room where a bunch of fancy dressed people were mingling with drinks in their hands while two long empty tables stood in the middle of the room. They all stopped and clapped when Rafael walked in.

“Oh, for me?” He feigned surprise and humility.

“Yeah right Barba,” A woman laughed sarcastically. “You’re the one who invited us here,”

“Touche, Rita,” Rafael smirked as he began making the rounds around the table greeting everyone.

“So are we allowed to eat now, I’m starving,” An older man asked.

“And I’ve got a son waiting,” A red headed woman chimed in.

“Right, right,” Rafael nodded as people began to take seats. “Sorry everyone, you know I love to make a dramatic entrance,”

“Oh trust me we know, Barba,” Another man called. “Your catwalks into the courtroom prove that. I think we have a montage of them,”

“Ha Ha,” Rafael rolled his eyes, then turned to you and Sonny.

“Sonny,” He put a hand on his shoulder. “Why don’t you sit next to me?”

“R-Really, counselor?” You saw Sonny’s eyes light up like Christmas tree lights.

Fuck. You knew he was only asking him so that you would sit next to him as well. And while you loved the idea, you knew how much this was toying with Sonny’s feelings.

“A-Are you sure, about that Mr. Barba?” You gave him a look.

“Absolutely, Miss-- I didn’t catch your name?” He played it so cool.

“Y/N,” You held out your hand as you re-introduced yourself.

“Right, well--” He shook your hand then turned his attention to Sonny who was still beaming like a kid on Christmas. “I don’t know how much Carisi has told you, but he is quite the promising mentee of mine,”

“....R-Really, Rafael?” Sonny blinked in disbelief, causing Rafael’s smile to falter for a moment. Sonny had never called him “Rafael” before, it was always “Barba”. Shit, maybe he had given him too much praise.

“I mean, you know, for a lap dog,” He quickly added with a snarky tone and a smirk.

“Mr. Barba!” You tried not to raise your voice at the birthday boy. “That is my cousin you’re talking ab---”

“No, no it’s fine Y/N-- th-that’s how we work isn’t it, counselor? He just gives me jabs, I know he doesn’t mean it,” Sonny laughed nervously, staring at the floor. He knew not to get too comfortable with Barba, why did he even try it?

“Indeed,” Rafael nodded in agreement. “But, I still request you sit by me-- at least I know you don't poison my food. Which is more than I can say for many of my esteemed ‘guests’,” He eyed the tables of people before him.

“Then why invite them to your party?” You quirked an eyebrow.

“I get that Jersey doesn’t have the social classes of Manhattan, Miss Y/N,” He smirked. “But here, you’ve got to do things to keep up appearances,”

“Oh do you?” You practically growled.

“Yes,” He nodded while a waiter brought him a glass of scotch. “Even if you don’t like someone, if they serve a purpose for you than you do what you must to keep in their good graces,”

“Oh is that so? So you’re only kind to people who can ‘serve’ you?” You crossed your arms and narrowed your eyes at him.

What kind of Danny Zuko bullshit was this?! This was an entirely different Rafael Barba you had met the other night. He was kind, flirty, endearing. This new Barba was snarky and condescending, and you were not amused at all.

“Y/N, chill,” Sonny hissed at you. “This is just how Barba is, he’s harmless,”

“Yeah well you might not mind being his doormat Sonny, but I sure as hell won’t be,” You angrily stomped off.

“Oh my god,” Sonny muttered, wondering if he should run after you or not. “Barba, I am so so sorry about her,”

“It’s fine, Carisi,” He watched you stomping away, trying to hide the guilt in his voice. He was just trying his best to throw Sonny off the trail. He may have overcompensated just a tad.

“I-I should go check on her, She’s just a kid--”

“No, allow me,” Rafael put a hand to Sonny’s chest. “It was my faux paux, I should apologize to her myself. I was being a bit of an ass,”

“Yeah but that’s just you, Barba,” Sonny chuckled, trying not to blush at Rafael’s hand on his chest.

“True, but I forget not everyone knows me as well as you do, Carisi,” And now he was trying to be extra nice to Sonny to get on his good side, while cluelessly egging on his feelings.

“That is very true,” Sonny laughed even more nervously. “I’ll uh, I’ll take a seat and get our drinks ordered,”

“Excellent,” Rafael smiled at him, probably one of five times in the entire time they’d known each other. He gave Sonny one more pat on the back before walking after where you had stomped off to.

He found you right before you hit the front door, his hand catching yours before it could grab the handle. You turned and scoffed at him, your scowl still present after stomping off.

“Oh, come to appease me, counselor? How can I be of service to you?” You snapped.

“Please, Y/N,” He gave you apologetic eyes as he pulled you closer to him. “I’m sorry, I just-- I didn’t want Carisi to think anything was off. He already caught us being handsy, I had to make it look like we disliked each other,” He explained.

“Oh I think you’ve done that above and beyond, jackass,” You huffed. “First I’m too stupid to not get robbed in the city, and then I’m too uncultured to understand ‘high society’ manipulative bullshit?”

“I’m sorry, I may have gone a little over--” He started.

“But that wasn’t even an act, was it?” You interjected angrily.

“What do you mean?” He asked you curiously.

“Your line of you having ‘use’ of a person? I assume that is why you have a room full of powerful people you dislike as opposed to a room full of sycophants?” Yeah, you might just go to community college but you knew big words too.

“I mean, that is how it works--”

“Jesus Christ,” You shook your head with a laugh. “You know I understood for about half a second why my cousin is so infatuated by you, but I am losing that belief real quick,” You turned and started to walk away again.

“Y/N come on,” He grabbed both of your arms this time and pulled you close into him, your noses almost touching.

“Look I’m-- I’m sorry, that I’m---this,” He gestured to himself.

“But that’s just how I have to be in their world,” He gestured back towards the room. “I’m telling you, it’s a room full of sharks. If I show weakness or misstep in decorum, I’m nothing but chum to those people,”

“The guy you met the other night, that’s the real me,” He put a hand to your cheek. “I never get to be that guy, not in public. That’s why I was so attracted to you,” He put his other hand on your waist.

“I don’t have to be ‘Rafael Barba, the snarky ADA with a silver tongue,’ I can just be…’Rafa’,” He gave you an earnestly sad smile.

“I’m sorry,” You blinked in confusion. “I know I’m not helping myself but what exactly is the ‘ADA’?”

Your question brought that familiar amused grin and a laugh. “See, this is what I’m talking about,”

“Oh yeah I know, the ignorant girl you can placate--”

“No,” He put a finger on your lips. “The earnest, normal, gorgeous girl,” He kissed your forehead. “I’m sure if we took a poll in here right now the majority of the room would be with you, not knowing what an ADA is,”

“Which still doesn’t answer the question,” You pointed out.

“I…” He tried to think of a way to explain his role in the Manhattan judicial system. “Well, the DA of the county is like-- the King of Lawyers in that section. Or queen, as my boss is Rita,” He shook his head with a laugh. Oh Rita Calhoun, the stories he could tell about her.

“So, you’re her king?” You raised an eyebrow.

“Eh, I’d say Prince but she’d probably say Jester if she heard this metaphor to be honest with you,”

“Mmm I like that,” You finally let yourself smile at him.

“A Prince?” He grinned.

“The Jester,” You gave him a tongued smile, settling against his chest.

“Well, I’ll gladly take that title if it makes you happy,” He kissed your forehead. “I’d do anything to make you happy right now,”

You looked into his green eyes, they were now their usual sparkling green hue, and you remembered very quickly how you had gotten yourself in this mess in the first place. He really was a sweet, charming, gorgeous guy. And then you remembered those were probably all the reasons Sonny fell for him too.

“Ahem.” You straightened up and stepped out of his grasp. “Well, what would make me happy right now is getting back to my cousin,”

“Oh,” Rafael’s eyes softened into a sad gaze.

“Rafael, I think he really likes you,” You bit your lip with guilt. “And you toying with him just now isn’t helping!”

“Toying with him?” Rafael’s eyebrows furrowed in confusion? “I wasn’t toying with--”

“Sit by me, Carisi? You’re important to me, Carisi?” You imitated his questions in a mocking tone.

“I had to ask him that so you would--” He started to explain, but you already knew.

“I know!” You stopped him. “I know, that’s why it’s so fucked!” You put your hands over your face.

“Carino…” Rafael walked over and pulled your hands from your face and held them.

“I’m hurting him every second that I stand here with you, and I--” You bit your lip trying not to cry. “I’m still doing it! I can’t walk away!”

“So don’t,” He squeezed your hands with an even sadder look.

“This is just--” You broke free from his grasp once again and wiped your eyelids. “We need to get back before Sonny comes after you,”

“....So where does this conversation leave us, then?” He asked you cautiously.

“I don’t…” You gazed into his puppy dog emerald eyes. “I don’t know, I don’t want to think about it right now, okay?”

“Fair enough,” He put his hands down in concession. “...But we really need to--”

“Yeah, I know,” You nodded softly as you walked back to the private room, Rafael trailing behind you.

All you could think on the way back was how in God’s name were you going to make it through the rest of the night.

#rafael barba #rafael barba x you #rafael barba x reader #rafael barba fanfiction #rafael barba imagine'#sonny carisi #law and order svu #weird secret friends

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rocksandrobots · 5 years ago

Text

Of Rocks and Robots Ch. 21 - Fishing Trip

"So what do you wanna do this weekend?" Hiro asked Varian.

The other boy only shrugged his shoulders as he had no idea.

It was Friday and they were both walking home from school while trying to make plans for the weekend. All of their other friends were either away or busy due to Father's Day coming up. Fred was going to accompany his dad on a mission. Gogo was driving down to her father's for a few days. Wasabi had bought plane tickets to fly back to his hometown of Seattle. Karmi went back upstate for the weekend with her parents, and Megan was still grounded, but had a full day planned to butter up her dad. Even Honey Lemon was going home to spend time with her abuelo.

This left Varian feeling a little awkward. In Corona they had a Guardians Day, which was meant for both parents or caretakers in general, but for Varian it was always a day for just him and his dad to spend time together. One of the few times in the year when his father wouldn't work in the field, or go to market, or have business at court.

Varian knew precisely what a day like Father's Day meant and how special time spent with the man who raised you could be. He envied his friends, but mostly, knowing this would be the second year without his dad pained him.

In a way, he was thankful that Hiro shared his delima. Though he certainly wouldn't have wished his predicament upon anyone, it was still somewhat comforting to know that he wasn't alone.

They were a less than a block away from the Lucky Cat, still discussing things to do, when a sleek car pulled to a stop beside them. The window rolled down to reveal a man with blonde hair, a large nose, and a wide smile. He was wearing a plaid shirt and a tan floppy hat.

"Hey Hiro! Go grab your overnight bag and some sunscreen!" He joyously ordered. "Your new brother, cousin, thingy too. We're going fishing!"

Varian could only look on confused, he didn't know this man nor why he wanted to him and Hiro to go on a fishing trip with him. However, Hiro apparently did know him and was also apparently not onboard with this idea at all. He stood with his mouth a gape with a look of horror in his eyes.

After processing this terrible news, Hiro could only sputter out, "But.. but why?"

The man in the vehicle began to offhandedly list his reasons. "Because fishing by oneself isn't any fun unless there's someone else around to show off to. Because I had an awful childhood, whose own father would never take fishing, and now I'm living vicariously through you. Also, you're still my intern and for the rest of the year, I still own you."

The man flashed another wide grin and Varian began to put the pieces together. This must be Krei. Owner of Krei Tech, the man in charge of the portals that brought him here, and also Hiro's boss. Though, this new revelation did nothing to stem the confusion in his mind. He couldn't for life of him see why he was being invited along on the trip nor did he understand Hiro's objections.

"But...but...b, but…" Hiro suttered desperately trying to think of way out of going.

"No buts! I've already talk with your aunt and got her permission, reserved the campsite, and I even bought you both fishing poles!" Still grinning, he reached down beside him and lifted the new poles up for Hiro and Varian to see.

Hiro let out a wordless half groan, half whine in defeat, before turning around and slumping towards the cafe. Varian blinked and looked back and forth between the two of them unsure what to do. Krei waved to him cheerfully, clearly excited for the upcoming trip, and Varian numbly waved back before deciding to follow Hiro and pack his own bag.

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

Varian found himself enjoying the fishing trip more than he had expected. The first day was spent mainly getting there and setting up the campsite. The second day was spent fishing, exploring, and just taking in the scenery.

Varian had been allowed to bring Ruddiger along, as Hiro had also brought Baymax. His pet was overjoyed to be back in his natural environment and Varian had to admit that he felt more at home here in the great outdoors than in the crowded streets of San Fansokyo. The big city was fascinating but he'd always be a simple farm boy at heart.

Krei felt much the same way. The businessman hadn't been raised in the countryside the way Varian had, but he had a great love of camping, fishing, and being out in nature. His passion stemmed from childhood summers spent on vacation at something called 'summer camp'.

Varian found he got along with older man well. They spent the ride up chatting about science and it's more practical applications, spent the trip sharing wilderness tips, and fishing out in Krei's boat. Fishing had never been Varian's favorite activity, but he now found a new sense of nostalgia for it and the praise Krei would send his way whenever he caught one helped to fuel his enjoyment of the sport even more. Plus he got a chance to show off his cooking skills after they had cleaned their catch. Not the most pleasant task ever, but Varian could stomach it much better than butchering other kinds of meat.

Hiro however did not enjoy fishing, or camping, or anything to do with the outdoors really. The other teen mostly sulked the whole trip. When he wasn't busy gagging at the worms used for bait or getting scared by the unfamiliar sounds of the local wildlife that is. Mainly he stuck close to Baymax and the tent, bored out his mind and annoyed he had been forced to come long. Varian's enthusiasm only aggravated him further and, if he was being honest with himself, he was a little jealous by how easy things came to the other boy. He'd spent half a year trying to get on Krei's good side and impress him, while Varian had managed it in mere minutes of meeting the CEO.

The only time Hiro came out of his grumpy shell was at night, when they built a campfire and roasted marshmallows. Varian had never had smores before, but they were tasty, if also sticky and a little too sweet. Ruddiger however went nuts over the fluffy sweets and had to be kept from stealing the whole bag of them. Hiro didn't really care one way or the other about the traditional treat, but was more than eager to share ghost stories with the rest of the group. Gleefully recalling with gory detail about the spirit of an ax murderer who apparently stalked the woods. Perhaps it was a little vindictive of him, to try his best and scare the other teen, but Hiro couldn't help filling a little thrill whenever Varian gave a little jump or clutched his pet raccoon even tighter in comfort.

Keri was only amused by the story. He'd heard similar ones growing up at camp. He laughed at the end of Hiro's tale.

"Ha! Kids are still telling that one? Let me tell you a real horror story."

It was about tax audits.

Both boys could only shrug at each other.

"I do not understand the purpose of a 'ghost story'." Baymax observed.

"It's suppose to be for fun." Hiro informed him.

"I see; an adrenaline rush within a safe and controlled environment can be considered a pleasant feeling for some people. However I do not understand how taxes figure into that."

"Uuuuh, neither do we." Hiro admitted, "but I guess fear is subjective. Do you have any stories to share, Varian?"

Varian had to rack his brain on that one. His own life was more of a horror story then most ghost tales he knew, but he didn't want to devel into that. Instead he told a folk legend that his dad had once told him. It had been an old story from his home country; a parable about a rich man who was so greedy that he hoarded a well from the poor townspeople during a drought. Forcing them to pay him tribute lest they die of thirst, but he made the mistake of refusing water to a witch and so was cursed to become a vampire. To spend an eternity in thirst himself and to be forever alone, because he could no longer get close to other people without risking harm to them.

"And so a leader must care for his people, son," he remembered his father instructing him at the end of the tale, "He must share and give back to the community. He who sacrifices love for his fellow man in exchanged for selfish possessions, forfeits his right to live among mankind and to even be called a 'man' himself."

If only his father's words had been true. If real life had been as simple as stories, then Corona would have sided with him and not the evil king who kept the wondrous healing flower hidden away and who turned his back upon people need. But Varian conveniently left out this more personal anecdote.

"Wow." Hiro said flatly. "That's deep."

He wasn't used to horror stories having explicit morals attached to them and didn't know how else to respond. The tale hadn't been scary so much as eerie with an unnerving ending. Unlike his serial killer story, it wasn't anything you could be afraid of happening to you, yet questioning your place in the world was somehow more off putting than simple dismemberment.

The mood was broken however, by Ruddiger stealing Hiro's marshmallow off his roasting stick. It turned out to be last one as Krei had spent the majority of Varian's story battling the gluttonous raccoon over their food stores.

"I know racoons aren't 'mankind', but does this mean he's doomed to be a marshmallow vampire now?" Hiro joked as Varian got onto his pet.

"I don't know. Your robot looks like a walking marshmallow though." Varian shot back good naturedly.

Now out of food, save for leftover fish, they all decided to tuck in for the night.

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

Hiro hated the woods. He hated how unfamiliar everything was, how inconvenient it was, and most of all he hated how gross it was. He woke up irritated and sore from sleeping on the thin sleeping bag inside the tent. He couldn't find anything decent to eat for breakfast. He never stopped grumbling while he was forced to use the bathroom outside. To make an awful morning even worst, he couldn't shake the feeling of being stalked as strange animals hooted and howled. One bush in particular shook right when he pasted it. He nearly jumped out of skin when Ruddiger pop out of it holding the last of the fish in its mouth.

He groaned as he watched the raccoon scurry away and climb up a tree a little ways off from the campsite. He didn't much care for the creature, or for wild animals in general, but he knew how important the pet was to Varian and so had tried to be polite about having it around. Still Hiro's patience was wearing thin. The walking bottomless pit had eaten practically everything in the camp.

Hiro reluctantly followed after, debating if it was worth trying to get the fish back. Probably not, he didn't even like the taste of fish all that much to begin with. He stopped in surprise when an apple core fell from tree and nearly hit him. He looked up and found Varian sitting in one of the top branches, raccoon by his side, and reaching up to pick another apple off the tree.

The other teen paused when he saw Hiro. "Hey! Morning! You wanna an apple for breakfast?"

Hiro's stomach growled in response but all he actually said was, "How did you get up there?"

Varian laughed, "Climbed up here. How else you do think? Fly?"

Hiro looked up at him blankly. It was an obvious answer, of course, and he felt silly for having asked it.

"Come on up!" Varian encouraged. "There's plenty of apples to go around."

"I..I can't." Hiro admitted sheepishly.

"Why not?"

"I don't know how to climb a tree." He mumbled.

Varian looked surprised by this revelation and before Hiro could do anything else, the other boy quickly climbed back down to join him.

“You never climb a tree before?”

‘Well, I did once, with Baymax’s help.” He rubbed the back of his neck self consciously.

“It’s not like there’s a whole lot of trees in San Fransokyo to climb.”

“Oh, well, it’s easy. Here, I’ll show you. Just put your foot there, in that knot, and place your hand here on this bump in the bark.” Varian instructed, helping Hiro find the footholds. “Now you see that groove up here, place your other foot there, and as you hoist yourself up grab that lowest branch with your other hand, like climbing a really uneven ladder.”

Hiro did so, though not without some struggling, but eventually he pulled himself up onto the lowest branch.

“Great!” Varian cheered and followed after with practiced ease. “The hardest parts done. Now all you gotta do is swing up the rest of the branches, like so.”

Varian took off, showing Hiro the best way to navigate the tree top. Hiro followed him, mimicking the other boys actions. With great effort he hauled himself up onto the final branch and heaved a ‘wooooph’ in relief of having made it up.

His sigh quickly turned to awe though when he caught sight of the view. The early morning sun sparkled on the lake. Further out a misty fog was beginning to disperse and you could see the opposite shoreline reflected in the water like glass. Beyond that giant redwoods poked out of the canopy of trees and way, way off in the distance you just about make out the tips of blue mountains.

“Woah.” He breathed. Hiro had to admit, you didn’t get scenery like this in the city.

‘Here.” Varian handed him an apple. It was smaller than the ones you’d buy in the store, with pink and yellow skin. Hiro tentatively took a bite. It was crunchy and very tart, but edible. Not to mention it was practically the only food they had left in the camp, so Hiro wound up eating it all and started in on a second one.

“So, where did you learn to climb?” Hiro asked taking another large bite of the wild fruit.

“Oh, I’ve been climbing trees since I could walk.” Varian laughed. “We owned an apple orchard along with the farm. Also the forest is right next to my village.”

Ruddiger joined them, procuring his own apple and sitting right on Varian’s lap to enjoy his meal. Varian scratched his pet’s ear.

“Does he ever get full?” Hiro asked.

“Nope.” Varian replied, and then they both broke into giggles.

Once the laughter had subsided Hiro commented, “I guess that’s why you’re so good at this outdoors stuff. This is the first time I ever been fishing, and with any luck, it’ll be my last.”

“My dad taught me.” Varian quitely confessed. “He’d take me on trips like this sometimes. Try to teach me how to hunt and fish. The fishing is a lot better than the hunting, let me tell you. I never could fire an arrow right and I can’t stand the sight of blood.” He cringed as if recalling a gruesome memory. “But, I guess he was just looking out for me. He taught me the skills he had to live on to survive. Apparently there were no farms where he grew up, the land was always baren. I guess that’s why he prefered gardening to being a knight.”

“Wait, your dad was an actual for real knight?”

Varian nodded, “Yeah, I found his armor after...after the accident. Along with a bunch of other important stuff he never told me about.” He added bitterly.

Hiro didn’t know how to respond to that. So he stayed quiet and let Varian dictate the conversation.

“Anyways, it worked. The fishing did come in handy. I had to do a lot of that, when.. when I was on my own.” He worked his jaw as he mulled over that last confession, his eyes gazing out to into the distance, clearly not seeing the breathtaking view before them.

Hiro’s heart dropped. He had a vague idea of what happened to Varian, but this was the first time it really hit home just how messed up the other’s teen’s life had been before now. He could empathize with losing a loved one, but he had always had his aunt and his friends to depend upon. If nothing else to be there and take of him as he sank into depression. But Varian had to do everything for himself, even while battling that same depression. The idea of having to catch or scavenge for your own food on top caring for you ill father was a nightmare that Hiro could barely comprehend. A nightmare that only somehow got worse.

“Fortunately, there’s a river that runs through my village, and I could set up lines overnight and just go check them in the morning, and we had food stored up for winter. Like oats, bacon, dried peas, that sort of thing. That is, until spring rolled around and the king's guards run me out of my house.” He said irritably.”Then I just had to forage or steal to survive.”

“Be...because you stole medicine?” Hiro asked disquietly. He couldn’t imagine a world so cruel and yet to his surprise the story got even worse.

“Oh no, this was before I stole the flower.” Varian said matter of factly and Hiro just stared at him in horror. Varian heaved a heavy sigh and went on to explain. “My father was the only other person who knew about the sundrop. The king kept it hidden from everyone. I guess when he found out that my dad, was, was ‘gone’, he decided to try and remove me from the picture, so as to keep his secret safe. He made a bunch of false charges about me ‘attacking the princess’ so that no one would believe me when I asked for help or told them the truth about the flower. Then he sent his elite guard to arrest me and I had to run.”

Varian gave a little shrug and added, “I guess after that, ‘treason’ didn’t seem like that big of deal. I mean they were going to throw me in jail either way, and not many people leave those dungeons alive.”

Hiro could barely process what was being told to him. He didn’t know what to say. His stomach churned and his breath shallowed. Varian’s past was far scarier than any ghost story.

Then suddenly he felt guilty. He’d been so caught up in his own grief and his own struggles with readjusting, that he hadn’t actually stopped to think about things from Varian’s perspective. He had thus far grinned and bared the discomfort of having his life turned upside down, because, well because that's what he thought he needed to do in order to be a mature decent person. And while that was true in part, it never occurred to him that this move was yet another upset in Varian’s life, in a long, long string of seemingly never ending upsets.

Hiro found himself so easily annoyed by the other teen, yet he really had no right to be. Varian was readjusting to whole new culture and way of life in addition to struggling with his grief and trauma. So what if he cooked weird food sometimes, didn’t always know the appropriate conduct to certain situations, or was so super confident in nearly everything he did that it made Hiro self conscious and a little jealous at times. Deep down, Varian was suffering through something that no one in Hiro’s little corner of the globe could fully understand, and the least that Hiro could do was try to be a little more patient and a little more open about letting Varian into his life.

“You know,” Hiro slowly said, trying to ease the conversation and offer a little understanding, “I never really knew my dad. I was just four when he and my mom died. It was always Tadashi who taught me things, like how to ride a bike or how to hotwire a robot. Though he never taught me to climb to tree, so I guess that’s one I owe you.”

He smiled encouragingly at Varian, who nervously returned it. Once again Varian wasn’t used to praise or acknowledgement that he anything ‘right’.

“Maybe, you could teach me more outdoorsy stuff.” Hiro offered. “And I can teach you more about more modern stuff, like how to play Mind Smith II Turbo .”

“That..that’s that video game you like, isn’t it?” Varian asked as he tried to remember what Hiro even talking about.

“Yeah!” and with that Hiro eagerly launched into a detailed description of the game.

Soon the boys were interrupted by Krei emerging from the tent. He stretched sore back and tried to reheat the leftover instant coffee he’d brought. He then promptly spit it back out in disgust. The boys tried their best to suppress their snickers. Keri spotted them anyways.

“How ‘bout we pack it up and go get tacos instead?” He asked them.

“Yeeesss!” Yelled Hiro, who was more than ready to go.

“Sounds great!” Agreed Varian. “We’ll be right down!”

Keri went back in the tent to start packing and Ruddigger scurried down after him, hoping to maybe steal another treat from the camp.

Varian stood up and started to also make his way down when Hiro’s voice stopped him.

“Ummm...Sooo how do you get down exactly?”

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

The day ended with a trip to Yaki Taco and a huge feast of fast food nachos and deep fried burritos. Rudiger was once again confined to his carrying cage, but was allowed a cup of some cheese sauce to snack on. Baymax was let out of his charger case to kept an eye on the mischievous raccoon. All agreed it was actually the best part of the camping trip.

“Say, ‘cheese’.” The robot said, as he took a photograph with his internal camera.

The three guys sing songed the the word even as actual cheese dripped off the burritos they held in their hands, plastering on dopey grins for the camera. Then a few more pictures with silly faces to complete the set.

“Fantastic!” Krei said. “I want copies for the office.”

“Why?” Hiro asked.

“So if any clients come in I show off ‘my family’ to them instead just the photo of my mother. I love the woman but she doesn’t necessarily impress the image of ‘family friendly company’.”

“I knew there was a catch.” Hiro scoffed.

Keri looked wounded. “Hey, I told you, my employees are my family.”

Hiro rolled his eyes but he couldn’t help giving a little smile at that. He knew Krei well enough by now to know that, underneath his seemingly conviving self-serving self, he had a heart, and he wouldn’t have invited Hiro and Varian along if he didn’t care.

“Aunt Cass put you up to this, didn’t she?” He prodded.

“I’m sworn to secrecy.” Krei insisted and they gave Hiro a knowing wink. Then more seriously he said, “I know what it’s like not having your dad around on Father’s Day. So, I figured, why not a fishing trip? It’s better than being stuck at home while your father’s away on a business trip to Tahiti that weekend.”

Hiro raised in eyebrow. Keri had a tendency of oversharing at times.

“Buuut, enough about me. Who wants dessert!?”

#big hero 6 #varian #Hiro Hamada #tangled #ruddiger #krei #BH6 the series #tts #rta #tangled the series

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