#idk if this is true but an old comment said this was a mostly empty hotel ballroom or whatever with a few super rich important ppl watching

[dozydawn]

Britney Spears covering “You’ve Got It All” by The Jets during a showcase in Singapore, 1998.

[lordfreg]

💜us against the world💜

tags: @carl-unironic

Fandom: ROTTMNT

AU: Vampire!

Character: Donatello

Warning: Snarky comments n fluff🥰

Reader: im going with female, Yokai-human hybrid on this one because idk it’s just more interesting🥺. And you’re a Chinese dragon hybrid

                                     ୨⎯“us against the world”⎯୧

It was a cold, October day, the perfect weather for taking a stroll down your fellow neighborhood in New York City. Ah, yes, the big apple! It was home to a lot of creatures, this Y/N knew.

Y/N was a Yokai.

Well, only half of that statement is true. Her father was a human and her mother was a Yokai. In any form, Y/N was proud of her family and her Dragon side. She used cloaking magic to cover up her dragon features like her soft ears and scaly tail. The said magic emblem was a necklace in the shape of an emerald, that dangled on a silver chain.

She lived about an average life, as average of a life you can live as a mutant. Y/N was told at a young age to keep herself hidden, as much as she could anyways. She became a fan of ushankas and dresses.

October was the one month of the year that Y/N could walk around with her ears flopping free and her tail dragging on the ground and no one questioned her. That’s why Halloween was her favorite holiday.

Y/N had awesome friends that accepted her anyway she was, except she hadn’t told them that she was a dragon hybrid. Y/N was scared that they would only see her as dangerous and scary, she could manipulate fire and she has a prehensile tail. People said it would be cool to have a tail, but it was kinda hard because it kept getting stepped on every two seconds, but hey! Still cool.

Once, Y/N asked her father why she couldn’t show her true self to anyone, and her father simply replied with wise words.

“People fear what they don’t understand, sweetie.”

Y/N lived by those words, especially after her father died when she was only 14 years old. It was sad, her mother was destroyed, but did her best to care for her daughter.

But it was almost time for dinner, so she rushed back to her apartment complex with two steaming hot coffees. Being careful not to spill the coffees, Y/N bolted up the stairs and unlocked the door with her tail, no one was around anyways.

“Hello, Nomi!” Y/N chirped, setting the lattes down carefully and greeting her mother with a peck on the cheek before helping her with dinner.

                                           ────⊱⁜⊰────

Afterwards, she did the dishes to ease the burden of being a single mother with a 15 year old girl.

“Y/N, darling, I’m not feeling so well,” Her mother spoke, “I think I’m going to go to bed early.”

“Okay!” Y/N sighed, resting her gloved hand on her head and on her hip, “You rest up, I’ll handle the dishes and then I’ll take a walk.”

“Okay, dear,” Mother sighed, “Just.. be safe, please.”

“Your wish is my command!” Y/N saluted.

Her mother chuckled a bit, “You’re so silly, Y/N. Good night, dear heart.”

“Good night, Nomi.” Y/N smiled.

Soon, Y/N was finished with the dishes and took a quick shower before taking the midnight stroll. Night time was Y/N’s favorite time, there was barely anyone awake and the streets were mostly empty. That gave Y/N an excuse to let her dragon features show.

She lifted up her dress and twirled around, embracing the so-crisp-it-almost-stung autumn air, and let her ears flick back into visibility along with her tail.

Unbeknownst to Y/N, there were red, shining eyes watching over her. The owner was perched on the ledge of a building, along with three other figures hidden in the shadows.

The looming eyes were quickly covered by goggles with blue and red lenses. The goggles zoomed in on the girl frolicking around along the city streets. The watching figure switched a setting on his goggles and it showed the female’s Yokai magic.

“Found something of interest, Don?” The one with the blue bandanna nudged the purple one as they came into the moonlight.

“Not particularly,” Don said, briefly looking around the other city streets.

“Then why were you staring at Walkway street for, like, 45 seconds straight?”

(AN; I don’t actually know if there’s a real street in New York called walkway just roll with me here😰)

“B-Because,” Purple huffed, “That girl down there appears to be a Yokai, Leon.” The goggle-wearing hero spat out.

“Whatever you say, bro.” Leo smirked.

For the split second that Donnie had taken his eyes off of Y/N, she had managed to wander down into an alley following a cat.

Frantically searching for the darling— for the girl Yokai, Donnie spun his head back and forth before his youngest brother called him to action.

Y/N was being held at knifepoint being forced to give up all their valuables.

“I-I told you already sir!” Y/N pleaded, “I don’t have anything!”

“Sure you don’t,” the raggedy man hissed, “That’s what they all say,” he slurred his words.

Just then, four shadow-like figures jumped down from the building behind the female, weapons bared. Their eyes glowed red, and their fangs were visible.

The scraggly man looked shocked, almost dropping his knife before clasping it tighter and pointing it at the threatening creatures. As they lurched closer Y/N stepped backwards and let them surround her in a protective circle. She noticed the green hue of their skin in the dim street light, and the fact that they had shells. That too.

“If you touch her or us,” The red one stated, “And we’ll eat cha alive.” He grinned while leaning in close to the man, making sure to show his fangs off.

The man then screamed and ran out of the alley, dropping the knife and pushing Y/N onto the ground. The dragon hybrid fell to the ground with an “Oophf!” As she landed on her back.

The group of turtles turned to face her, each of their bandannas coming into view. Their glowing, red eyes became yellow in the light and their curious expressions were now visible.

‘Huh.’ Y/N thought, ‘Color coded ninjas. Where have I seen that before?’

“I’m so sorry, lady!” The orange one said, taking her hand and lifting Y/N onto her feet once again.

“It’s okay,” Y/N said, rubbing her back and smiling lightly, “I’m fine,”

“Oh wow,” The blue one stared in awe of Y/N’s ears, “A-Are those real?” He asked, stepping closer and poking them lightly.

“Are those real?” Y/N laughed back, poking his fangs as he stepped back in surprise.

“Yeah,” the red one said, “We’re all, erm, vampires.” He said nervously.

Y/N blinked, processing what he had just said. Then a look of bewilderment washed over her features before morphing into an excited grin.

The purple one was observing the dragon the entire time, taking in every little detail. Who knows? Maybe there’ll be a pop quiz about that one strand of hair that got hooked in the side of your mouth or what degree does her eyebrows rest at compared to the rest of your beautiful, glorious face?

“You mean, like, real vampires?!” Y/N almost jumped with joy, “But your turtles?” She almost shouted.

“Yeah,” Orange said, “Half man, half turtle, half bat!” He said, making claws and waving his arms around with every “half.”

“That would be one-third, you brainless sea sponge.” Purple said, lightly skidding the back of the poor kids head.

“One-half, one-third, who cares? Important thing is, I’m about 99.9% sure that we just made a new friend.” Blue smiled, pulling Y/N in for a side hug.

“I’m sorry,” Y/N interrupted, “But I didn’t get your names, who are you?”

“Oh!” Orange raised his hand and waved it back and forth, “Me! Me! Me first!”

“Okay, the uh, ninja in orange!” Y/N pointed, “You can go first,”

“My name’s Michelangelo, but everyone just calls me Mikey!” He smiled, “Or Mickey, or Mitch, or Mike, or Angelo, or M, or—“

“I’m Rafael, Raph for short.” He said, sweet and simple.

“You already know me, I’m Leonardo, fearless leader. Leo for short.” He winked.

“And the antisocial blob of purple in the corner is Donatello! Don-Tron why don’t you give a warm welcome to Y/N our new BYFFAE.” Leo said, scooting Y/N towards Donnie. “That means best-Yokai-friend-forever-and-ever.” Leo whispered.

He cocked a brow while looking Y/N up and down, his glaring eyes looking down on her made Y/N start to sweat.

Donnie sighed and stuck out a hand for her to shake, “Hello, Y/N. I am Donnie, formally known as Donatello Hamato.”

Y/N shook his hand which was smooth but clammy at the same time, “Wait, did just say the word ‘sigh’?” She asked, but got no reply.

He paused for a moment, not letting go of Y/N’s hand in an iron grip.

“Why aren’t you scared of us?” He questioned, leaning closer to the dragon, “You should be terrified that we might suck your blood or something.”

“Well,” Y/N inhaled sharply, “I just thought that you guys would like me since we’re both… sorta freaky.” She said sadly, thinking that they didn’t like her.

“Hey, we’re all freaks here,” Raph said, smiling. “You’re welcomed.”

“Well, now that’s settled,” Raph began, “We should get headed home, Dad’s waiting on us.”

“Yeah, I should get going too,” Y/N said, yawning. “Tonight was crazy!”

“Yeah, I’m sure all of us are tired, we had a big day, can we all just go home now?” Donnie said annoyed at first, but then descended into a desperate attempt to hide his newfound interest in this Yokai.

As Don was pushing Mikey by his shell towards Leo’s portal, Y/N came scrambling back into the alleyway with a pen and a crumpled up poster.

“What’s that?” Don asked, shoving Mikey into the portal.

“My number,” Y/N said, “So we can hang out again!” She smiled.

Donnie felt his heart skip a beat, perhaps he was having a heart attack, which would’ve been fine by him at this moment. His face was so red it felt like it was burning holes through his mask.

“Tha-Thanks,” He said as she sloppily shoved the paper into his hands.

“No problem!” Y/N said, running out of the alley, “Just make sure to call me!”

Don huffed out a laugh that was more of a sigh, astonished at fact that Y/N had given him (and his brothers) her number. To call her! And hang out!

“Hey!” Leo shouted from the other side of the portal, “Quit gawking and get squawking!” He said making chicken noises at the purple turtle.

“What are you talking about? That makes no sense.” Donnie sighed stepping into the portal.

“You make no sense,” Leon resorted in a mocking tone.

“Whatever.”

                                             ────⊱⁜⊰────

It had been a couple of months since Y/N and the turtles had met, and almost every weekend they would go out for pizza. This time all the turtles had gotten sick with the common cold, and Don was the only one left standing.

“Hello, Hello!” Y/N called out, balancing the 4 pizzas on her palms, “I’m here with your food!”

The red eyes peered from the shadows of the sewer lair, hungry growls leaving the mouths of the boys. Donnie stepped in front of Y/N protectively, stopping Mikey from lunging at Y/N and eating all the pizza.

“PIZZZZAAAAAA!!!” The orange one hissed.

“Not on my watch, Mike,” Don said through a purple medical mask, holding out his Bo-tech to stop M, “Go back to the sick cave and wait for me.”

Y/N chuckled at the sight of the sick boy’s attempt to gobble up the delicious midnight snack. Mikey slid off the staff like a snake and the others looked just a worm-ish.

“Sorry about that, Y/N,” Donnie murmured, “They’re sick, so they’re more feral than usual.”

“Understandable,” Y/N smiled, “You want me to help you get them back into bed?”

“Sure,” Don actually smiled a bit.

                                            ────⊱⁜⊰────

After the bros were safely hanging upside down, after a full meal of course, Y/N and Donnie had some time to spare.

“So,” Y/N started, looking at the hanging turtle bats, “Won’t blood rush to their brains?”

“Implying that they have brains for blood to rush too,” he laughed, “But, uh, no. You see, due to the crazy clump of biological disasters we are, our anatomy is all messed up.

We have a constant flow of blood from our hearts to the rest of our body. That fact that it doesn’t it doesn’t rush to anywhere at all makes it very easy to hang upside down.” He went on.

“Aaand, you don’t care, do you?” He said getting self conscious as he realized that his crush was looking up the entire time.

“No, no,” Y/N interrupted the bad thoughts, “Blood can’t rush to your heads because of the constant flow of blood from the heart, but look!”

Y/N pointed to the ceiling, grabbing Don’s arm and pulling him close to her to see what she was seeing, “They’re all huddled together.”

Donnie smiled fondly, “Ah, I remember when we used to do that,”

“Huddle together?”

“Yes,” he sighed, “Bats of the same family often huddle together for warmth and comfort, we used to wrap our wings around each other.”

“That’s adorable, Don,” Y/N said, still interlocking her arm with her friends’. They faced each other and kinda just stared before Donnie finally broke the awkward moment.

“Uh, you can let go now,” He mumbled almost reluctantly.

“Oh,” Y/N let go and looked away, trying desperately to brush off the moment, “My apologies.”

“Apology accepted,” the purple turtle said as he picked at the carpet.

After a few seconds of silence, Don finally spoke up about something he’s been overthinking for a long time.

“Hey Y/N?” Don looked over to the dragon with worried and pleading eyes.

“Yeah, Donnie?” Y/N faced him, trying to hide the blush from her embarrassed blush.

“Why..” He choked on his words a bit, “Why do you stay with us?”

“What do you mean?” Y/N asked concerned.

“I mean, I’m a monster and you’re,” he paused looking down at the carpet again and started picking at it, “Well, you’re not.”

“I’m not a monster,” Y/N repeated, as if she was processing the information she just heard, “You’re not either, Don. None of you.”

“Well, people don’t seem to know that.” He huffed, scrunching up his face into his usual glare.

“My entire life, I’ve been told to never reveal myself to anyone.” Y/N started, “You guys are the first people, er, turtles to accept me as I am. Even with… this whole situation.” Y/N said, waving her spread hand over her face.

“What situation?” Don asked, “The half Yokai or the cute face?”

Donnie didn’t realize what he had just said.

Y/N blanked, her cheeks when red and her ears turned up. Something, Donnie had noticed, she did when she was shocked or embarrassed.

Then it hit him like a truck.

He had called Y/N cute.

He was so shocked that he hadn’t even realized that he was holding his breath. He inhaled sharply, trying to think of a quick response to brush off  the awkward comment and bring the conversation back on track.

“Well,” Y/N said, snapping him out of his thoughts, “I think your face is cute too.”

“Why thank you,” Donnie boasted, “Wait, what?”

“Yeah,” Y/N sighed out, bringing her knees to her chest, “I’ve always thought you were handsome, but the way you focus on your work so intensely, yet your touch is delicate.”

Donatello was taken aback, was this a confession? That wasn’t supposed to happen until next week! He even had it on his calendar.

“Is this…” he paused to process, “Is this a confession?” He would blush, but you know, constant flow of blood.

“I guess it is,” Y/N looked at him with hopeful yet disappointed eyes, “It’s fine if you don’t like me back, I understand.”

“No!” He basically shouted, “No, no, no, I like you also! I mean I really, really like you. A lot.” Donnie looked away, sort of mortified.

“So, I guess we both like each other,” Y/N stated, after a few seconds after Donnie spoke.

“Yeah, I suppose,” He looked at Y/N and took a huge breath of confidence before hooking his finger under Y/N’s chin turning her to face him.

He leaned in and planted a long kiss and her lips. Y/N was shocked, but promptly kissed back, making Donnie relax into the kiss. They both pulled away, breathless, and feeling like all was well in the world.

“Wow,” Donnie was only able to mumble out.

“Agreed,” Y/N smiled.

“AWWWWWWW,” they heard from above, “That’s adorable!” Leo slurred.

“LEON!!” Donnie growled before lunging at his brother, before Leo was saved by his Don’s new girlfriend.

“It’s okay, Don,” Y/N said, patting the top of the grumbling turtle.

“Well, now that loud mouth knows, everyone’s gonna hear about it.”

“Let them talk about us,” She said, “We’ve got each other and that’s enough.”

“Us against the world.”

END💜

[shouyouwrites]

moon babie! congrats on 120 followers! 🤩💓 can i please request number 9 “Here, you can hold my hand if you want.” + bokuto? thank you babie and and mwa!

hi love! aww thank you, and thank you so much for your request, sorry it took me so long aaah -- okay. what even is this? one moment i’m talking with my cousin about that one time we visited a haunted house together and the other i can’t get the thought of koutarou inside a haunted house out of my head. this turned out way different than i’d expected, but i hope you’ll like it nonetheless angel! 💞💞

special thanks to @wakaitoshi for beta-reading this, i love you so much angel 🥺💓💓

word count: 1267

warnings: uhh they’re in a haunted house so like ??? some mentions of monsters and stuff like that, but it’s really all fake so ??? idk-

You really had to start listening to yourself more. When Koutarou turned around, his eyes shining with so much hope and the words “Y/N, let’s go to the haunted house!” left his lips, and your heart clenched painfully inside your chest in response, you should have refused and dragged him away from there and back to the happy, lighthearted activities of the festival.

You knew you couldn’t do that, however, because Koutarou would either get upset and stay that way for the rest of the evening, see something else he found more exciting and forget about the haunted house, or he might become stubborn and say he’ll go in there anyway, with or without you. The first and the last possible scenarios were both horrible and you weren’t willing to risk either of them coming true, so you ignored the awful feeling blooming in your chest and agreed instead.

Besides, it was just a good old haunted house visit, right? The things that would supposedly ‘scare you to death’ were simple people like yourselves. There weren’t actual monsters in there. The blood wasn’t real. How bad could it be? You couldn’t deny that apart from being reluctant, a part of you was also kind of hopeful. Maybe this experience would bring you two closer. Maybe you could laugh in the darkness, maybe you could joke about the whole experience later.

You don’t know how you could have been so naive. You really should have known.

This particular haunted house sent shivers down your spine the moment you laid eyes on it. In contrast to the rest of the activities of the festival that were bright and cheerful, it was as dark as the night sky. Perhaps it was your imagination, but it seemed as though the building itself was a monster; its walls extending and then closing in on themselves as air filled the beast’s lungs. When you and Koutarou walked into the house, you felt as though you were walking straight into that thing’s open mouth.

Koutarou didn’t seem to notice any of that.

“Ready, Y/N?” His smile temporarily distracted you from the terror that lay ahead. You nodded your head and followed him inside.

It was fine for the first part of your ‘little adventure’ as Koutarou had called it earlier. You were almost convinced you’d simply been over-dramatic before. This was just another supposed haunted house. You felt stupid for having worried about it that much in the first place.

It was a little later when you remembered why you’d been so tense at the beginning. You two found yourselves running. The ghosts and the monsters lurking in the shadows were sharper, fiercer, louder than before. The sound of your heartbeat -- a steady, faint hum in your ears -- was getting harder to ignore.

You tried to calm yourself down, you really did, but it was as though nothing could make you relax except getting out of that place.

Koutarou wasn’t helping much either; he, too, had grown oddly quiet, looking around and not so much at you anymore. The comments about how fake the masks looked, or how ridiculous the music was were long forgotten. He had somehow shrunk into himself while at the same time he’d started walking closer to you, to the point where his shoulder was bumping into yours constantly.

You’d been way too focused on trying to calm down that you didn’t sense the person coming from beside you, and when hands grabbed you by the shoulders, nails digging in your skin, you let out a gasp that mostly sounded like a short scream and went rigid with shock.

The hands were gone as soon as they had come -- you’d probably imagined them grabbing onto you so harshly because of how surprised you’d been, you knew that, and still, you couldn’t bring yourself to calm down.

“Y/N, are you okay? Are you listening to me?” His voice was so loud and full of life, so familiar it made you want to wrap your arms around him right then and there and pretend you two were back in your room, or his room, or at school, or at that park you two go to sometimes to clear your head and play volleyball, or at that cute ice cream shop near your school you two visit often, just anywhere but here.

A couple of teenagers walked by you two and you heard some of them talking about your scream. You lowered your head in shame, not even caring that Koutarou yelled at them to mind their own business, your cheeks warming up. You were glad he’d been kind enough to defend you, but it’s not like they were wrong. Getting scared this easily... what were you, five years old?

“Hey, hey, it’s alright. Don’t listen to them. I can tell you’re not having fun. This isn’t fun at all for me either.”

The times when Koutarou was gentle weren’t rare in your relationship, but he was usually his loud, bubbly self in public. Seeing him talk so quietly and being so kind made warmth spread through your body.

“I think we’re almost out. Or, I hope we are, that is. Just hang in there, alright?”

You didn’t trust your voice, not after that scream you’d let out, so you just nodded your head and let out a hum. He removed his hands from your shoulders and you felt empty; the ghost of his touch was nothing compared to how warm and strong his hold had been.

Before you could start getting anxious again, Koutarou slipped his hand in yours, giving it a light squeeze.

“Here, you can hold my hand if you want,” he said as he started walking again, tugging you along.

You smiled and squeezed back, muttering a quiet “thank you” under your breath, feeling your nervousness leave your body in slow and steady waves.

When you got out of the haunted house, neither of you said a word about what had happened.

If Koutarou was frowning and if you purposefully gave him more kisses than usual the rest of the evening, neither of you said a word about that either. You had to subtly reassure him that he didn’t have to apologize to you when he not-so-subtly tried to make it up to you more than a hundred times.

He kept asking all those questions; you honestly didn’t know whether you wanted to laugh or try to knock some sense into his head more. No, he didn’t have to pay for everything after that. No, you didn’t want to go home yet. No, there was no place you’d rather be. No, there was no one else you’d rather be here with. “No Koutarou, I’m not going to break up with you over something as stupid as that! It wasn’t even your fault!”

They were kind of sweet though -- all the glances, the brief touches, the small, private smiles. It felt as though this side of him was special to him, like it was only for you to see.

How Koutarou could be this adorable without even realizing it was still a wonder. It was times like this that you remembered just how lucky you were that the person you cared for the most in the world cared about you just as much.

You didn’t want to step into another haunted house ever again, indeed, but at least you’d been right to think that the ‘little adventure’ would bring you two a little closer; so, in the end, maybe it had been worth it after all.

thank you for reading everyone~ both normal and prompt requests are open! here are my rules and prompts, as well as my masterlist!

taglist: @kaidasen @wakaitoshi @poppirocks @tobiosbabie @fireflywritingstories ily angels 💓

[andthemoonwalks]

Hi I'm pretty much over the other thing and feeling much better recently about everything (aside from the fact that I'm pushing myself into major burnout again but that's fine)

Anyway

You made a comment about how our relationship hasn't had any romance in it for a long time and that really hit me funny when I first read it. That wasn't ever something I thought about, to be honest. And then I was reading back through our dms from your old blog and it really hit me that you're right. (I was looking for our anniversary. It's July 29th) I hadn't ever thought about it but we dont interact the way we used to at all. And that's not a bad thing.

Something that I realised was that when I'm not hung up on those dumb things I call feelings, (and this feels like a dumb thing to say) we really do just interact like best friends now. But for some reason my brain never cognicised the switch. Like obviously I knew, but a tiny part of me was convinced that nothing had ever actually changed. Obviously that's not true, considering all the rebuilding we had to do for one. But I realised, we used to text all the time nonstop. And now, you're pretty much the only person I talk to if I'm Going Thru It, but we're fine if we go a few days with little to no interaction. Because I think now we've got a certain level of security in our friendship that wasn't there before. And it's not that we take each other for granted, but you know the whole "oh there's the honeymoon phase, and then eventually you'll get to the point where you trust each other and you don't live in each other's back pockets anymore but you're still closer than anything"?

I think that's why when someone (I have my suspicions of who but that's not important) sent me an anon that day you went off the grid and was like "hey is he okay" and I said ??? Lmao idk probably??? Because we're not attached at the hip anymore. We can have our own space and be okay. (I was going to make a post bitching a while ago about how "haha remember how elliot was missing for like 3 hours and I got an anon about it and then no one cared that I was gone for what felt like a week (:" that was mostly me being bitchy and moody (I was on my period when everything went down too in my defense) (I did kind of want to make it and mean it but I'm over it mostly) but like. That's the point. We're okay with some empty spaces now because we know they'll get filled again soon, it's just a matter of time) (and like I said I know what it looks like when you're about to ditch a blog and that wasn't it 😘)

[vol-carnage]

It’s a Date (Maybe?)

Characters: All Might/ Yagi Toshinori, Eraserhead/Aizawa Shouta Pairings: EraserMight Rating: G Summery: Aizawa Shouta was never one to dance around his feelings. Yagi Toshinori usually just ignores them, nothing ever comes of them anyway. Or Aizawa and Toshinori go on a date. Notes: Idk what I’m doing. First fic i’ve written in like half a year. It was supposed to be cute and fluffy cut Toshi just had to come in and hate himself so now we get this. It’s dumb and cheesey and has probably been done before. RIP.

All Might closed the door to the staff room harder than he meant too, wincing at the bang. He glances around the room glad to find it empty, noticing there’s no one around to notice his mistake.

Until his eyes land on the dark haired man who’s scribbling on papers at his desk. Perhaps he hadn’t noticed All Might come in.

“Good afternoon Aizawa-Sensei! Grading papers I see! You are always working hard! It’s very admirable!” He grins as he crosses the room to the man’s desk.

“Thanks.” Aizawa mumbles, not bothering to look up at the towering man.

“Hero training went very well today! The children are doing better and better everyday! They will all make fine heroes!”

Aizawa made a noncommittal sound, sounding mostly uninterested in this conversation. But All Might being oblivious to this, plowed on.

“For example! Young Midoriya managed to land an attack and not injure himself! He’s getting much better at handling his power! And Young Uraraka has nearly doubled the amount of time she can keep things floating before she gets sick!”

Aizawa makes another sound and this one gets All Might’s attention.

“Ah! Is something wrong, my friend?” He asks, deeply concerned, bending down slightly so he’s closer to Aizawa.

“We should go out.” Aizawa stated, not looking up from the paper he was grading.

“I- uh- what?” All Might floundered trying to figure out exactly what he meant when he said go out. Like as colleagues? Just two teachers getting lunch before they have to return to their school? Perhaps he was referring to the evenings when most of the teachers would go out and drink and sing karaoke? Friends? A date? Okay it certainly wasn’t that last one.

Keep your fantasies to yourself, All Might. He chided himself.

“On a date. Coffee or dinner.” Aizawa still didn’t look up, adding a fully graded paper to the stack of already completed ones.

All Might sputtered and then coughed in surprise, blood spraying into the hand covering his mouth, and his body releasing a cloud of steam as he deflated.

All his sputtering is what got Aizawa to look up at him finally and blink tiredly.

“Surely it’s not that surprising for you to be asked out.” He responded dryly.

“Oh- ah. It’s just unusually after people know, uh, how I really look.” He rubbed the back of his neck with his clean hand and smiled sheepishly.

Aizawa frowned.

“If you don’t want to that’s fine, I-”

“No, no, no!” Yagi waved his arms furiously. “I’d be very happy to, uh, go out. Uh, either coffee or dinner! Whichever you would prefer, really!”

“Good. Saturday, 4 o’clock. I’ll text you the cafe’s address. Does that work?”

“Yes. That sounds perfect.” Yagi beamed.

Aizawa nodded and with a quiet hum turned back to his papers and resumed grading.

Yagi hovered for a moment before getting that the conversation was over and walking away from Aizawa’s desk.

He stopped by the small kitchenette in the staff room and busied himself with making some tea, before returning to his own desk.

It was true that as All Might he didn’t ever not have a standing invitation for a date or, ah, other things. But as Yagi, well. One look at the skeletal man and people tended to move on. He knew he wasn’t attractive and Aizawa hated how boisterous he was as All Might. So he couldn’t quite figure out why he would ask him out.

Why had Aizawa asked him out? Was it a joke? Someone had dared him to ask the famous All Might out because of how desperate he was around his fellow teacher?

Aizawa didn’t seem like the kind of person who would mess with someone’s emotions for a joke. But Yagi’s anxiety kept up with any logical reasoning.

Maybe it a sex thing? That wouldn’t work out for several reasons if that was Aizawa’s goal though.  That almost made the most sense.

“Everyone wants to get wrecked by the Symbol of Peace!” Kayama had laughed, her drink sloshing out of its cup, bringing her out of her laughter to frown at the sacrificed drink.

Yagi let out a breath and shook his head, attempting to scatter the thoughts and focus on the reports he had to grade.

He reached for his tea, grimacing at how cold it was already.

The worst of it was how genuinely excited he was for the chance of it being a real date. It was no secret to himself that he harbored feelings for the other man. Aizawa might come off as rude and uninterested but he did genuinely care about the people around hims and he had a special warmth that Yagi found himself inexplicably drawn too.

He sighed, letting his head fall against his desk. He’d just have to wait until Saturday to find out if it was some kind of joke.

Aizawa probably wouldn’t even show up. But he could still get something from the cafe and go for a walk. That would be nice, the weather had been cooling down so it would be good to get out before the cold set in too much.

Saturday came, a slight breeze in the air, and if the weather reports were to be believed the last cool fall day before winter set in with its icy grips.

Yagi checked the time on his phone again.

Still ten minutes before four.

He pushed his hands back into his jacket pockets, clenching and unclenching his hands to get the chill out of them.

He huffed. No matter how warm it was he could never actually stay warm. It might not be uncommon with his weakened form anymore but it was still annoying.

“You’re early.”

Yagi yelped and jumped slightly at the sudden low voice next to him.

He laughed good naturedly, choking down any blood in his mouth.

“I could say the same you, my friend!”

Aizawa watched him quizzically for a moment. “For the number one hero you sure are easy to spook.”

“Ah yes! I suppose I should be more aware of my surroundings in this form.” He chuckled rubbing the back of his neck.

Aizawa buried his face deeper into his scarf, hiding the smile the nervous man brought out, before opening the door to the cafe and waving an arm for Yagi to go in first.

Yagi obliged him, bowing slightly as he passed.

The cafe was mostly empty. A few workers and even fewer customers sitting at tables or in the large chairs around the room.

“What do you want?” Aizawa asked as they approached the counter.

“Tea.” He hummed as he looked at the menu. “Just a medium green tea, I think.”

The woman at the register nodded as Yagi went to pay Aizawa batted his hand.

“I asked you out. I’ll pay. I want a large coffee. Black.”

Yagi watched as Aizawa paid for their drinks then stepped down the counter to wait for their drinks.

This was going well.

Aizawa hadn’t made a fool of him yet and if he pushed his anxieties away he could almost pretend they were on a real date.

A young man called out their drinks and they pick them up.

“Do you want to sit down or go for a walk?” Aizawa asks, sipping at his coffee and grimincing.

He moved over to the bar where sugar and other sweeteners were kept and dumped in a concerning amount of sugar before he seemed satisfied with it.

“A walk sounds nice.” Yagi finally settled on.

Aizawa nodded before leading them back outside the cafe. He turned and headed down the street, Yagi keeping pace with him. He directed them to a small park, trees still full of colored leaves.

Yagi lost himself in looking at the scenery around them, and the couples and families milling around them.

That’s probably what Aizawa and I look like.

A couple.

The sudden thought caused blood to rush to his face and he coughed a few times before getting it under control.

“Are you okay? We can find a place to sit if you need to.” Aizawa sounded concerned, studying Yagi for any signs he was about to kill over.

“No, I’m fine, I promise. Just, uh- something surprised me. It’s nothing.” He smiled to settle any worries Aizawa might have.

Aizawa raised an eyebrow but didn’t comment and Yagi went back to admiring the trees around the park.

“Do you like nature?” Aizawa asked after a long silence.

Yagi grinned cheerfully.

“Oh, yes, absolutely. Trees are my favorite. Have you ever been to Yakushima Island? It’s my favorite place to visit. I haven’t been in a while. I should go back sometime.” He trailed off, getting lost in the thought.

“I’ve never been a big fan, but I can see the appeal.” Aizawa offered.

“Where would you like to visit if you could? Anywhere in the world  it doesn’t have to be just in Japan.” Yagi asked.

Aizawa shrugs.

“I guess I don’t have anywhere.”

Yagi frowns.

“You should pick someplace close by and go! It’s a great way to broaden your horizons! And going someplace outside of Japan is fun because you get to learn about other cultures! I really liked visiting America. It has such a different energy than Japan.”

“Visiting?” Aizawa hummed, glancing at the taller man. “I assumed you had lived there, judging from your special moves.”

Was Aizawa teasing him? Was this flirting? Aizawa was definitely smiling even if he was trying to hide in his scarf.

“No. I’ve visited several times but by the time I was old enough to move I was too busy with hero work. I haven’t been back in over ten years.”

“That long?”

“I was always so busy. Every moment either out heroing or at a fundraiser or interview. Last time I went wasn’t even my own volition, it was for a charity event. Still wonderful of course!”

“I had always assumed you were part american.” Aizawa confessed, stopping and sitting at a bench.

Yagi dropped down next to him, not noticing the ache in his legs until her was seated. He avoided rubbing the ache out of his muscles, not wanting to expose his discomfort to Aizawa. The man did have a tendency to worry even if he didn’t show it outwardly.

“No, no. Both were Japanese. At least from what I know of them.” He frowned slightly.

Aizawa picked up on his discomfort.

“Sorry, I didn’t mean to pry.”

“Oh no! It’s fine!” Yagi waved the apology away. “You were just asking. I’m just not used to talking about my childhood. It was not the best so it’s not something I offer to talk about and not many people ask either.”

Aizawa nodded, sipping his coffee and watching the people around the park.

“If you ever want we can swap stories. My childhood wasn’t great either.”

“I’m sorry Aizawa-kun, If-”

“Shouta.”

Yagi blinked.

“Huh?”

“We are on a date. You can call me Shouta.”

Yagi flushed red, swallowing the blood and building cough that was in his chest.

“Shouta then.” He grinned rightly, “But only if you call me Toshinori.”

“Alright, Toshinori.” A small smile crept onto Aizawa’s face again.

“Is this a real date?” Yagi asked suddenly.

Aizawa turned and watched the man, a scowl on his face.

“What do you mean, a real date?”

“Ah, I just. I thought it might be a practical joke. Perhaps someone put you up to it? It’s okay if it is! I just- or maybe it was a sex thing. I’ve been asked out with that in mind before and I just wanted to know for sure.” Yagi ducked his head. “I’ve really enjoyed this. Being out with you.”

“It’s a real date, Toshinori.” Aizawa’s gaze softened. “Why would you think it was a prank. Do you really think that lowly of me?”

“No,it’s not that! I-” He cut himself off, licking his dry lips. “I don’t see why someone would want to go on a date with me.”

Aizawa was back to glaring, not so much at Toshinori but the fact that this was how he thought of himself.

“You said that when I first asked you out. It was just as stupid then as it is now. You might not think so but you are attractive like this. Just because you don’t have a cult following of people who want to fuck you doesn’t make you unattractive.” Aizawa said gruffly, watching the other man as his mind ran with his thoughts.

Yagi took the break in Aizawa’s speech to glance up at the other man who’s glare had softened a bit.

Aizawa sighed, turning back to stare out at the park.

“You’re too hard on yourself.” He finally added, closing his eyes with annoyance.

Yagi sat silently, processing what he’d been told.

He was hard on himself. He knew that. His entire life had warped into trying to be good enough and the ideal always being just slightly out of reach. Perhaps at the height of his hero career, before his injury, he had felt like he achieved it. Had felt happy.

But nowadays.

“Toshinori.”

Yagi glanced over at Aizawa, being pulled from his downward spiraling thoughts.

“I’m going to kiss you now. Don’t spit blood everywhere.”

Yagi blinked owlishly at him before nodding.

Aizawa leaned up slightly, bringing their lips into contact. Their lips were both dry, verging on cracked and peeling, not the most pleasant sensation all things considered but it was soft and gentle and slow. Yagi could count on one hand the amount of actual kisses he had participated in and this one absolutely topped the charts.

It didn’t last long, a few moments, before Aizawa pulled away again.

“We should get going. We have dinner reservations.” He said after Yagi found himself able to open his eyes, moving to stand up.

He held out his hand to Yagi, helping the older man up.

Yagi wondered if he had noticed that his legs were bothering him today. Maybe that’s why he had them sit down in the first place.

That thought was chased away by another.

Shouta’s holding my hand. I’m holding hands with Aizawa Shouta.

“Ai- Shouta?”

“Hmm?”

“What made you ask me out?”

Aizawa was silent for a long moment, and for a second Yagi thought he had broken some odd dating rule he didn’t know about.

“I like you. I thought that was obvious. I’m not some stupid teenager who dances around their feelings. It’s was more logical to ask you out. If you were interested you’d say yes, if you weren’t you’d turn me down and that would be that. Then I could at least move on and not pine after you like some love sick idiot.”

“I see. I suppose that is very logical. Very you.” Yagi teased, pulling a small smile from Aizawa.

“Shut up.”

“I can think of some more logical ways for you to make me shut up.”

Aizawa’s smile grew, he buried his face deeper in his scarf to hide his smile and forming blush.

“Maybe later. If I stop to make out with you we won’t be getting to dinner. Hurry up.” He tried to sound gruff but it doesn’t come out as rough he intended, making Yagi laugh which only made him blush harder.

“As you wish, Shouta.”

[abarbaricyalp]

Teach Me Something New

(A normal AU in which Adam never got out of the public school system, never met Ronan and Gansey, and could never dare to dream of politics and becomes a teacher instead and Ronan didn’t dream up Opal just...got her. IDK)

Ronan is in a scowling mood. He scowls while Opal runs around his legs. He scowls as he buttons a shirt over his tank��top and then unbuttons it again so it just hangs open. He scowls as he tries to find a pair of shoes that aren’t caked in mud. He scowls when he realizes his kid still hasn’t changed out of her stained shirt.

“Opal, I told you to go change,” he says, tugging on an old pair of converse that makes him miss lazy school days with Gansey so much a physical ache erupts in his chest.

It’s not that he doesn’t like  where he is in his life right now. He loves it. He loves the Barns. He loves Opal. He loves farmer’s markets most weekends. Hell, he doesn’t even mind fighting with the school system again with Opal. It’s the part of the school system he never had to deal with that’s really getting him going. He loves Opal but he really doesn’t like kids. Any of them. None of her friends. None of her classmates. Not the shrieking brats at the store. Opal is his and he loves her but that was as far as the love for kids went. And, God, the parents. Ronan’s parents had never been really involved in his schooling. He couldn’t even remember that much that warranted their involvement. Maybe private school would be better for Opal. Certainly better for his nerves. He hated the way the other parents looked at him. He hated their snide comments about how young he was and how old, in relation, Opal was. He hated every single one of them and he hated having to do anything that would put him in close proximity to him. So, yes, he was scowling.

“I wanna match you,” Opal says from where she’s sitting on a chair stacked high with clothes Ronan just hasn’t gotten around to putting up. And it’s true, she’s trying to match him. Ronan’s shirt is a light blue plaid flannel and her shirt is almost the same shade except for where Spaghetti-Os have discolored it to an unnatural orange.

“Well,  you can match me after I do the laundry. We’re going to be late.”

Opal makes a face, her lips going in the most unamused straight line that looks like she took it right off of Ronan’s own face, and then bounces back to her connected room. She comes out a moment later in a navy blue shirt that kind of matches some of the stripes on Ronan’s shirt.

Ronan had finally managed to get dressed and he tugged on Opal’s ponytails. “I thought I told you to behave at school.”

“I do behave!” she objects quickly, looking shocked and just a little bit hurt and a lot a bit indignant.

“I don’t think there has to be mandatory parent teacher meetings for kids who behave,”  he argues just as hotly. He lets go of her pigtails to squeeze her shoulders.

“No, Mr. Parrish set up appointments for everyone! He said so because he knew there were parents like you.” She jabs a finger into Ronan’s stomach and startles a sound out of him.

“Well, I think Mr. Parrish lied so none of you would keep your parents from hearing what little shits you are.”

Opal rolls her eyes and grabs Ronan’s wallet and his keys. “Can we go? You’re going to make us late like you do every morning.”

Ronan rolls his eyes in turn and sticks out his tongue at her. “Have you brushed your teeth?”

“Have you?”

Lightening fast, he reaches out to tickle her sides and sends her shrieking in laughter down the other end of the house and out the door. He ducks into her room to grab the jacket she always wants and her little hat before following her. She’s already tucked herself into his car, dutifully awaiting him to strap in the rest of her car seat. She was small and he was a relatively reckless driver still. Sue him for keeping his kid safe.

Opal prattles on and on about nothing in particular for the entire ride to the school. It’s not a long ride. Most of it is getting away from the Barns and into town. But she manages to cover topics from the goats’ reaction when she read them her weekend reading for class to how she watched the baby pig poop to Mr. Parrish’s dog that he sometimes brings to class after sending out a permission note. Opalis fond of the huge thing. Ronan’s never seen it himself but she says it’s as tall as she is when it’s standing on all its paws and that it has scraggly hair. (“Like the beard you try to grow, Kerah.”) Opal’s a friend to animals everywhere so Ronan’s not totally sold on a giant dog wandering around a school.

Ronan doesn’t know much about Mr. Parrish. Opal likes him well enough but doesn’t talk at length about him. He knows that Mr. Parrish is young-ish, though Opal is about as good with ages as Ronan is with math. If given the chance, she will tell people, confidently, that Gansey is still in high school.  He knows that Mr. Parrish is soft spoken and he has a dog and he lives alone. He knows that he’s kind and smart and that no one is really afraid of him. (This observation because Opal’s first grade teacher was potentially a demon in disguise who hated all of the students according to, well, all the students)

Opal is still talking as Ronan parks the car and got out. Even when he starts unbuckling her and pulling her out of the back seat. She only falls silent when a few of her classmates were walking out the door. Then she presses closer to Ronan and holding onto his leg tightly.

“Opal, I can’t walk like that. Just...hold on.” He unwinds her and then takes her hand, swinging their arms between their bodies until she smiles and then starts to laugh.

“Stop. Stop! You’re gonna rip my arm off.”

“Good. Then you can’t try to take my leg with you everywhere.”

It isn’t hard to find Mr. Parrish’s room. There’s a constant flow of students in and out of the second grade wing and Mr. Parrish’s seems to be the quietest but warmest at the far end of the hall. Ronan’s met Mr. Parrish before. Not been introduced but sat in the same room. During Open House, another required attendance thing, he’d sat in the back of the room, bouncing Opal on his knee and hugging her close because she didn’t feel good but wanted to go to avoid getting in trouble. Gansey had been having a heart attack over some girl he met on campus and so Ronan was a little too preoccupied to pay attention to the quiet man at the front of the room who was having to deal with more problematic parents than Ronan was going to be.

His room hadn’t been quite completed yet. There were signs on the doors that said corny shit like, “Excuse our mess! The children are learning!” to cover up the fact that the second grade wing had only been completed a few days before the year started. It still smelt like new wood and fresh paint and the floors hadn’t been waxed yet.Ronan hadn’t realized how much he’d come to associate waxed floors with a new year. Parrish’s classroom had been mostly boxes at that point. There was a measly reading corner with a bean bag and a few blankets. A few dozen picture books had lined a shelf and a half. Boxes piled up in empty spaces. There had been an activity corner that was just a table with three boxes sat under it. His own desk had had only a few knick-knacks.

Now, the room is cluttered and lived in and warm. There’s faux candles on Parrish’s desk and the window sills. Hundreds of books line his shelves, ranging from little cardboard picture books to the Harry Potter series. The activity center has a treasure chest full of costumes and props and there are little science experiment tables set up. Arts and crafts coat the walls or dry on racks. His desk is still bare of personal effects but there are dozens of little notes and drawings from his students.

And then there’s Mr. Parrish. Ronan didn’t remember Mr. Parrish being so handsome. He was just finishing up with the family in front of them--some snot nosed kid who was playing on a phone while his mother had more tan on her than Ronan could afford to get in a month. (Excluding inheritance and life insurance. He didn’t use it that often, let him live)

Parrish looks like something out of a book. He looks transported from Princess Bride or some steampunk YA novel. He’s beautifully bronzed and his forearms are defined from where they’re visible beneath the rolled sleeves of his baby blue button up. There are a few scars along his skin and his hands are just a little disfigured to suggest a life of work beyond the classroom. His hair is messy but he’s tried to part it somehow. He’s really nicely proportioned. ‘As you wish,’ Ronan wants to say as he sinks to his knees.

Fuck, that’s his kid’s teacher. His kid who isn’t holding onto his hand anymore but running to the teacher to envelope him in a bear hug when he looks up at them and smiles wide and squats down to open his arms to her.

Ronan does not look at the way his dress pants pull tight over his thighs. He busies himself with glaring at the mother who is sneering at him, looking over his casual dress and his youth. Once she’s gone, he turns his attention back to Parrish. He’s looking up at Ronan and, Christ, his eyes look like every type of cliche for gemstone eyes. Ronan’s mouth goes dry and he takes a moment to swallow and try to remember how vocal cords work.

“Mr. Parrish,” he says, stepping forward and holding out a hand. “I’m Ronan Lynch. Opal’s guardian.” it still felt wrong to say father. Not wrong in that he didn’t think he was. Just… It was a difficult situation to explain to people. She didn’t call him dad so he didn’t say he was her father. He’d let her decide how this relationship was going to go. As it was, he thought they were pretty fucking special without dumb ass names to go with it.

“Mr. Lynch, Opal’s very favorable of you.” Adam smiles and Ronan’s heart tries to vacate his chest. Mr. Parrish looks very good hugging Ronan’s kid. Parrish looks very good on his knees…

Goddammit.

“Please, have a seat, Mr. Lynch,” Parrish says, standing up and gesturing to the undersized chair in front of his desk. Opal laughs when Ronan tries to sit on it with little success. She has to climb onto hers a little bit and the difference is hilarious to her.

Parrish looks at home behind the desk and Ronan suddenly wishes he had  Opal in his lap so his hands had something to do rather than pick uselessly at callouses.

“Opal is extremely gifted. I don’t think I’ve ever had a student as eager to learn as her.” Opal preens next to Ronan and then sticks her tongue out at him.

“I told you I wasn’t in trouble.”

Adam smiles at them and Ronan feels like jumping out a window. “How long have you been teaching?”

“About three years now. I was lucky enough to get hired on here as soon as I graduated. It’s technically the school I went to.”

Ronan would rather die on the streets before he went back to Aglionby. This guy must not have much of a life. “Technically?”

“Well, they tore down the building I actually went to school in. It’s part of the bus barn now.”

Ronan only vaguely remembered that happening a few years ago. There were supposedly old tunnels under the school and Ronan had had to remind Gansey that they had a two year old in the next room and mindless fucking off to explore potential holes in the ground was not an option for them anymore.

As if reading his mind--and sometimes Ronan honest to God thought Opal could--she asks, “Were the tunnels real?”

Adam furrows his brow before that brilliant smile takes over. “You  know, I’d tell you…”

“But then I’d have to kill you. I know. I know! You always say that.” She pouts at him and Ronan reaches over to yank on her ponytail.

“Behave.”

“Opal, do you want to go wait in the hallway while I talk to...Ronan about some adult stuff.”

“I’m an adult,” she says petulantly. Ronan is still too fascinated by the way Parrish caught himself from saying, ‘your dad’ to much care what his kid’s saying. Whatever it was, it made Adam smile, something soft and sweet. Ronan was going to set himself on fire.

“Can you go show your classmates how to be an adult out in the hallway?”

Opal takes an irritated breath and slides off the chair and stalks off to the hallway, pulling the door behind her.

“Is something wrong?” Ronan asks after watching his kid disappear into the gaping maw of the world without him. He didn’t like it. It’s why he didn’t watch when he dropped her off in the morning.

“No, no. Opal is a pleasure to have in class.” Ronan snorted but Parrish continued. “It’s just that Opal is...not shy, per se. But she doesn’t interact with the other kids all that much. She’s very confident when she’s answering questions or doing work but as soon as I suggest she ask someone for a color or to give her her scissors back, she gets a scared look in her eyes. Have you noticed it?”

It’s like a sudden and swift shot to his gut. Something reminiscent of his school days, picking fights behind cafes and bars and on dirt roads in the glare of his headlights. He hadn’t thought about Opal potentially being alone when she went to school. Parrish was right. Opal was outgoing and talkative and confident but he’s never really seen her with anyone other than the few friends she occasionally asked to be taken out with. He did remember her saying she and Gracie, Maya, and Sheila weren’t in the same class this year. Shit.

Ronan hadn’t had the best time in school when he was younger. He met Gansey in the sixth grade and after that it smoothed out but he remembered the aching loneliness until his brother would come over and eat with him or some girl would take pity on him and be his partner in class. The idea that the same thing was happening to Opal made it hard to breathe for the sudden and intense pain blooming in his chest.

“Mr. Lynch?” Parrish reaches forward and Ronan instinctively jerks back. Parrish doesn’t look pityingly at him. Instead, Ronan recognizes the realization in his eyes. And...some kind of understanding. “You and she are very similar.”

“What?” Ronan croaks out. His heart is still hammering in his chest and he can’t really concentrate with the lightheadedness that’s suddenly taken over.

“Your facial expressions. She looks just like that when I suggest she talks to other students.”

Ronan clears his throat once, twice, a third time before he reaches up to hide wiping at his eyes with pinching his nose and rubbing his temples. “Uh, no. I’ve never...I’ve never…” It’s a fucking lie though. Opal clings onto him whenever she sees someone at the grocery store. She’d just done it five minutes ago outside the school. Jesus, fuck he hadn’t even noticed. “I’ll talk to her. Um. Yeah. She’s...at home she talks all the time. You can’t make her shut up. But..yeah. She...doesn’t talk to kids when we’re out.” He swallows hard and stands up so quickly the chair topples over behind him.

Parrish stands as well, reaching out as if to steady Ronan. “Mr. Lynch, your daughter is beyond fine. There’s nothing wrong with her at all. I’d say there’s something very special about her.”

Ronan glares at him but then the man’s image blurs and distorts. When it clears again, Ronan can feel tears on his cheeks. “I know she’s special,” he huffs, wiping his cheeks and then squeezing his eyes shut which only lets a few more tears fall. “I don’t need anyone to tell me that.”

He can hear Parrish move from the other side of the desk and he feels an arm around his shoulders. It’s a little awkward and he can tell Adam is kind of tip toeing to do so. “You’re raising her alone, right?” he asks.

Ronan thinks of Matthew baby sitting and Gansey showing up to suddenly steal her away for a weekend of adventure. He thinks of Declan and the nice ass shit that Opal owns because of him. He thinks of all the old ladies at the farmers market who are so enamored with her, Ronan and Opal always leave with a crate full of things they didn’t buy. He thinks of her friends’ moms who are always happy to keep her overnight for a sleepover or grab her from school if Ronan is still stuck at the vet’s office or in the middle of a field somewhere.

But then he thinks about trying to figure out what foods she likes and avoid allergies. He thinks about the way he panics about how much money they might have with the inheritance split between them. He thinks about laying awake at night and staring at the ceiling while he listens to her in the next room. He thinks about how many times he’s made her cry and slam doors when he punishes her. He thinks about the looks they get in public and wonders if Opal sees them too. He thinks about breaking down in hot teachers’ classrooms because his kid talks to the goats more freely than her peers and God, where did he go wrong? He was fucking this kid up. This wasn’t how it was supposed to go.

“I have help but...yeah, it’s me and her,” he eventually gets out. “And the cows.” He doesn’t know why he says it. It just comes out.

“I think she’s partial to the goats,” Adam answers without missing a beat and Ronan hiccups a small laugh.

“The cows are more helpful.”

Parrish laughs then and Ronan’s ecstatic heart is at war with his dying heart. “Ronan Lynch, you are a good man. And you have a very good child. And I know it can be hard feeling like you’re on your own. Trust me, I know. But your little girl is all the proof that everything you’re doing is right. For her, for you, for the world. I think she’s going to go on to do great things.”

Ronan nodded, not willing to draw out any stupid pessimistic fight. They stay standing like that until Ronan can breathe normally and he pulls away. Parrish squeezes Ronan’s arm and then leans over his desk. Ronan allows himself to look at how his dress pants pull tight over his ass.

“Listen, I know it’s a little unconventional but if you ever need help with anything, anyone Ronan, let me know. This is my number. I answer most of the time unless I’m with the kids.” He smiles that smile and hands over a post it note shaped like a lightening bug. Ronan lets himself draw his fingers over Parrish’s and tries to memorize the beautiful knobs and wrinkles on them by touch alone.

“Even if it’s something as simple as coffee. I know it can be nice to have conversations with adults when you primarily deal with children.” His grin is crooked, pulled to the left side of his face like it’s trying to connect with a pale scar that snakes down from his temple to his cheekbone, detouring to the corner of his eye halfway there. Ronan wants to take him apart at every seam and hear every story as they restitch themselves back together.

“Coffee,” Ronan answers softly, looking at the blocky number. He recognizes it from the grades on Opal’s homework. He nods and bites his lips. “Thank you. It was nice meeting you, Mr. Parrish.”

“Please, call me Adam. Especially when you ask me out.” And, oh, his grin can turn into a smirk that has no business being in a second grade classroom. Ronan Lynch was doomed.

((Damn this one was long. Sorry not sorry. It makes up for yesterday. First time...meeting! Don’t ask me how an eighteen year old acquires a baby and raises it. That’s why I didn’t choose that prompt. If you don’t think Adam Parrish would become a teacher and help kids like him, you’re wrong. And where’s my child Noah you ask? Please be considerate and don’t. My brain was saying future AU for some reason so he was dead in my mind :( ))

[welcometothe-black-parade]

I accept your dare - answer all of them

1. Think of the last person who said I love you, do you think they meant it?

I’m not sure. 2. Would you date an 18-year-old at the age you are now?

yeah sure, I’m 19 it wouldn’t be a big deal unless they were still in high school. christ this ask game has been going around for years i remember answering this when i was 153. When’s the last time you were aggravated and happy at the same time?

last friday at a party with my friends4. Would you ever smile at a stranger?

I do all the time and my friends yell at me to stop but im too polite i can’t help it5. Is there someone mad because you’re dating/talking to the person you are?

a lot of my friends are mad at me for talking to someone…6. Have you heard a song that reminds you of someone today?

not yet today7. What exactly are you wearing right now?

answered!8. How often do you listen to music?

as often as i can9. Do you wear jeans or sweats more?

jeans def10. Do you think your life will change dramatically before 2013?

…

(SORRY ILL PUT THE REST UNDER THE CUT LMAO

11. Are you a social or an antisocial person?

answered!12. Have you ever kissed someone whose name begins with the letter ‘A’?

i’m not sure…13. What about ‘R’?

i feel like an awful person I don’t know the name of the last person i kissed!!14. Can you drive a stick shift?

can’t even drive 15. Do you care if people talk badly about you?

well yeah, mostly i just wanna know what theyre saying so i can shut down any false rumors. people have said some weird shit about me. 16. Are you going out of town soon?

yeah, I’m going back to my hometown for a few days, and then i’m going to alaska. i’m scared.17. When was the last time you cried?

yesterday or the day before, or maybe this morning idk finals are fucking me up and personal shit is happening at the exact same time18. Have you ever told someone you loved them?

yeah, in a platonic way.19. If you could change your eye color, would you?

no not at all, I have green eyes i’ve won the lottery imo 20. Is there a boy who you would do absolutely everything for?

im not sure21. Name something you dislike about the day you’re having.

I’m not focusing enough on my work and its stressing me out so much22. Is it cute when guys kiss you on your forehead?

so cute!!23. Are you dating the last person you talked to?

no but im rooming with her next semester24. What are you sitting on right now?

an uncomfortable wooden chair25. Does anyone regularly (other than family) tell you they love you?

yeah, my friends!26. Have you ever wanted someone you couldn’t have?

yep.27. Who was the last person you talked to before you went to bed last night?

it was my buddy @cu-curu-gol at like 4am??? lmao28. Do you get a lot of colds?

no but i get fucktons of allergies and sinus stuff29. Where is the shirt you are wearing from?

i honestly forget probably gap or some shit its old30. Does anyone hate you?

probably31. Do you have any empty alcohol bottles hidden somewhere in your room?

I don’t, im straightedge but my roommate might32. Do you like watching scary movies?

yeah!! my fave is hush but i watched creep the other night with my friends and it was so good33. Do you want your tongue pierced?

nah34. If you had to delete one year of your life completely, which would it be?

2011.35. Did you have a dream last night?

yeah, it was a bad one.36. When was the last time you told someone you loved them?

I forget honestly37. Do you think you’ll be married in 5 years?

not at all38. Do you think someone has feelings for you?

answered!39. Do you think someone is thinking about you right now?

probably not.40. Did you have a good day yesterday?

no it was awful actually41. Think back 2 months ago; were you in a relationship?

don’t even have to think no42. In the next 48 hours, will you hang out with a girl?

yeah, considering i go to a womans college lmao43. Has anyone told you they don’t want to ever lose you?

yeah. I don’t think I believe them.44. What’s the best part about school?

everything except finals i love my school 45. Do you have any pictures on your Facebook?

many many46. Do you ever pass notes to your friends in school?

no we just whisper and make snarky comments 47. Do you replay things that have happened in your head?

all the time48. Were you single over the last summer?

yep.49. Is your life anything like it was two years ago?

not at all and im very happy for that, but my depression has come back a bit. 50. What are you supposed to be doing right now?

studying or writing my 3 essays51. Do you hate the last guy you had a conversation with?

no, but i don’t know what to feel honestly.52. Are you nice to everyone?

I try my best to be.53. Have you ever liked someone you didn’t expect to?

yeah, too many times54. Do you think you can last in a relationship for 6 months and not cheat?

yes of course, if you can’t last 6 months you don’t deserve to be in a relationship and you’re scum in my eyes tbh55. Are you good at hiding your feelings?

sort of???56. Do you think you like someone?

unfortunately 57. Have you kissed someone whose name starts with a ‘J’?

i HAVE NO IDEA AND I FEEL SO BAD but she was super drunk and she initiated it so like im not a total shit i promise 58. Do you prefer to be friends with girls or boys?

girls def but gender is fake 59. Has anyone of your friends ever seen you cry?

many of them60. Do you hate anyone?

no, I don’t think so.61. How’s your heart?

not at it’s best. it’s a little fractured atm. 62. Is there something that happened in your past that you hate talking about?

yes. yes there is. 63. Have you ever cried over a guy?

fucking unfortunately 64. Who is probably talking a load of crap about you right now?

I hope it’s no one, but probably my brother tbh65. Are your toenails painted pink?

no i havent painted my toes in months66. Will your next kiss be a mistake?

i hope not!! but it might be, knowing me it almost definitely will be. 67. Girls love it when boyfriends cry; correct?

that makes it sound sadistic, I wouldn’t love it, i would be so sad if my boyfriend cried, probably enough to cry myself, but its definitely preferable to a boy who just bottles up all his emotions and only expresses his negative emotions through anger.68. Have your pants ever fallen down in public?

I dont think so but honestly i wouldn’t put it past myself69. Who was the last person you were on the phone with?

a guy named andrew at the bank lmao70. How do you look right now?

shit71. Do you have someone you can be your complete self around?

yeah72. Can you commit to one person?

i want to73. Do you have someone of the opposite sex you can tell everything to?

sort of?74. Have you ever felt replaced?

yes.75. Did you wake up cranky?

yep76. Are you a jealous person?

i wish i wasnt but i can be so awfully jealous and i hate it about myself

77. Are relationships ever worth it?

i’ve never been in one but yes i believe they are. just because things end don’t mean it wasn’t worth it.78. Anyone you’re giving up on?

not yet79. Currently wanting to see anyone?

my friends tonight hopefully80. Name something you have to do tomorrow?

start writing my essays81. Last person you cried in front of?

um, I think it was my friend sarah?82. Is there someone you will never forget?

yes, a lot of people.83. Do you think the person you have feelings for is protective of you?

doubt it84. If the person you wish to be with were with you, what would you be doing right now?

just sitting around studying and talking a bit85. Are you over your past?

not quite. 86. Have you ever liked one of your best friends of the opposite sex?

yeah 87. Is there anyone you can tell EVERYTHING to?

sort of88. If your first true love knocked on your door with apology and presents, would you accept?

i haven’t really had a first true love yet89. So, the last person you kissed just happens to arrive at your door at 3AM; do you let them in?

I honestly don’t know if i’d recognize her90. Have you ever liked someone who your friends hated?

yep…91. Will you be in a relationship in 2 months?

hah no92. Is there anyone you know with the name Michael?

yeah but we call him magoo93. Have you ever kissed a Matthew?

nope94. Were you in a relationship in January? How was it going?

nope95. Were you happy with the person you liked in March?

yeah i guess96. Don’t tell me lies, is the last person you texted attractive?

…yes…he is….97. Who do you have texts from?

none that are unanswered98. If the person you like says they like someone else, what would you say?

I would tell them to go for it, and try my best to support them but i would be really sad.99. Have you ever kissed someone older than you?

yeah, the oldest guy i kissed was 21 when i was 18100. Who’s in your profile picture with you?

on facebook its a horse named eli101. Ever kissed under fireworks?

not yet102. Has anybody ever given you butterflies?

yeah, i hate and love the feeling.

[katrinawritesthings]

Kibum/Everyone; A Couple Of Kids (part 1.5 or someth idk); PG

the part where they go to breakfast on monday and talk about what kibum’s gonna do over summer and the next year that didn’t fit into part two but i still wrote anyway

still tw for homelessness and mentions of abusive parents

“My mom will be your mom,” Jonghyun says immediately. Taemin muffles a snort. He’s been mumbling about that since last night, has gotten himself so set on the idea already.

[part 1] [part 2] [extra]

Gentle shaking rouses Taemin from his doze; he scrunches his eyes shut, clinging tighter to Jonghyun’s arm even as he continues to nudge him. He doesn’t need this.

“Taem.”

“Mmmgh.” He opens his eyes grumpily and blinks the little diner they're all having breakfast in into focus. His empty plate in front of him from when he finished his food first and promptly nuzzled Jonghyun and went back to sleep, Minho poking at the remains of his pancakes, Jinki sipping his orange juice with the fondest look, and Kibum looking down at his phone in more of an “avoiding drawing attention” kind of way than an “innocently distracted” way. Oh. He rubs sleep out of his eyes and sits up straight, reaching for his almost empty coffee mug to finish the rest of it. “Are we talking about it finally now?” he asks.

“We already talked about it,” Kibum huffs shortly. Taemin glances at his annoyed little frown and grins.

“Right,” he hums. “So now we’re talking about what we’re going to do about it.” He props his chin up in his elbow and smiles pleasantly at the back of Kibum’s phone. That’s been their plan since the card game last night and they are going to stick to it, no matter how long Kibum wants to stall. His little technicality gave him maybe an extra ten seconds of avoidance. Cute. Kibum scrunches his face, glances at the four of them waiting for him, sighs loudly, stuffs his phone into his pocket, crosses his arms, and sighs again.

“Fine,” he mumbles.

“My mom will be your mom,” Jonghyun says immediately. Taemin muffles a snort. He’s been mumbling about that since last night, has gotten himself so set on the idea already. “You know she will,” he says. “We don’t have a lot but--”

“Jonghyun--I’m not--gonna get adopted by your mom,” Kibum says. He grimaces as he says it, shakes his head and waves the idea off. Jonghyun huffs, pouts, taps the table insistently.

“No, I meant, like, emotionally,” he says. “She's so good at being a mom. Like. The best mom I know. And if you ever need, like, a motherly hug, or an embarrassing birthday card, or a two in the morning talk…. Just. She’s here.” He takes another breath like he wants to say something else, then hesitates and lets it out with a short little sigh. He glances down at the table for a moment before looking back up. “I’m here,” he says, voice small but sure. Taemin’s lips quirk up at that tiny confession. Jonghyun has always been good. Kibum has a small smile as well, but he still shakes his head.

“Look, I don’t… want a new mom,” he mumbles. “I just. Want.” He hesitates, glances between all of them guiltily. Taemin sneaks his hand over to rub his arm encouragingly. They all talked about this. If any of them weren’t prepared to help then they wouldn’t be here right now. Kibum’s reluctance to ask isn’t enough to make them give up on him. “Not having somewhere to sleep every night is the hardest part,” Kibum mumbles eventually. He pulls out his phone again, tapping open the lock and scrolling through his apps to avoid looking at them. “Like, there’s the always being hungry, and the eternal stress, and the intense money anxiety, and the mountain of lies, but.” He sighs and shrugs without finishing his thought.

“So you’re saying the hardest part about being homeless is being homeless?” Minho asks. He’s got a little grin when Taemin glances at him, proud of his snappy little comment, but he quickly hides it behind his hand when Kibum throws him a sharp glare.

“Yes,” Kibum says shortly. There’s a silence; Minho looks away awkwardly as Taemin rubs some leftover crust away from the corner of his eye. After another moment Minho shakes his head and looks back.

“Okay, anyway,” he says, and both Jinki and Jonghyun snort at that bad coverup. “How much… do you not want to talk to parents about this?” he asks seriously. “Like, because, I could--”

“Not at all,” Kibum says quickly. He shakes his head, thumb rubbing over the bumps of his phone case. “No,” he adds when Jonghyun tries to say something. Looking around at all of them, he sighs, slouching in his chair and rubbing his hand over his face. “All of your parents know my parents,” he mumbles. “They’ll ask questions, and they’ll tell my parents, or they’ll call someone, and I’ll be put in a kids shelter or something, and--I mean.” He shakes his head again. “I turn eighteen this year,” he says. “In a few months I’d be back on the streets anyway.”

Taemin nods quietly. That is true. By the time they’d figured everything out and gotten Kibum relatively stable, he wouldn’t be a minor for very much longer and they’d have to do it all over again. He sips his coffee tiredly, nodding once at Kibum when he glances over. He can’t help Kibum be stable; he’s mostly here for moral support.

“My parents…,” Jinki mumbles. “They haven’t confirmed it yet, but they haven’t missed a summer vacation since I’ve been old enough to spend summer on my own,” he says. Taemin nods again. This is good, yes, this is one of the things he was thinking of this passed month. Jinki looks up to meet Kibum’s eyes. “They always tell me no wild parties, but they never specifically said I couldn’t let a homeless friend sleep in the guest room for two and a half months,” he says.

“And,” Jonghyun says, raising his hand a tiny bit. He lowers it when they look at him, to his mouth, where he nibbles on a fingertip. “My boss is gonna be looking for someone else to help at the pet shop this summer,” he says. He glances quickly at Jinki; Taemin sees Jinki shrug with a nod. Yeah. Kibum having a shot at a job is kind of more important than Jinki having one right now. “Or my sister works at that recording studio, you know, and if they need a new assistant or something, she’ll know,” Jonghyun adds. His smile is small and hesitant, and it grows when Kibum twitches one back at him.

“Um,” Kibum says. “Yeah, um.” He glances between both Jonghyun and Jinki, and then back down at his phone, running his fingers through his hair. “I’ll. Think about it,” he mumbles. Taemin rolls his eyes. That’s good enough, he guesses. He probably wouldn’t be able to thank someone for offering him a home and a job so easily either.

“If,” Minho says slowly then. He’s frowning at the table, rubbing his thumb over the fancy wood. “If you’re not good with parents knowing,” he says, “what about, my brother?” He looks up, bottom lip between his teeth. “You know I just live with him during the school year,” he says. “I--we--could. For the last month of school, before mom and dad get back, like, you know. Let you stay. WIth us. Maybe. If you’re okay with it.”

Oh. Taemin blinks, surprised. He’d never even thought of that. Kibum looks surprised as well, but still anxious and hesitant with his fingers playing with his shirt collar.

“I mean,” he says. “You think he wouldn’t tell?” he asks. Minho snorts, shaking his head.

“He barely pays attention to me unless he’s bothering me to go to the gym with him or write the shopping list,” he says, waving his hand dismissively. “You could be there for two weeks and he’d only just start to think that you spent the night one time.”

“Honestly, that’s true, I spent the weekend at Minho’s place once and I don’t think Minseuk even knew I was there,” Jinki says. His voice is muffled around his cup of ice water but he nods earnestly all the same. Taemin looks at his own untouched glass of ice water and then decides to sneak his hand over to Jonghyun’s half empty one instead to steal an ice cube to suck. Kibum chews on his lip, eyes dropping back to his phone.

“I have… Sulli, tomorrow,” he says, tapping open what’s probably his calendar app. “And then Wednesday is Nicole’s track practise, I was gonna spend the night with her… Amber probably maybe if her parents say yes on Thursday, but…,” he trails off after that with a shrug, a wince, a sigh. Taemin guesses he doesn’t have any weekend sleepover plans yet. He looks back up shyly, runs his fingers through his hair, and rubs his palm over his forehead. “Would…,” he starts, and then lets out a heavy sigh. “Friday?” he asks Minho quietly.

“Friday until summer,” Minho says firmly. Kibum makes a noise, hesitant and reluctant, and opens his mouth, but before he says anything, he stops himself. He shakes his head, putting his face into both hands. They all watch as he takes slow breaths and rubs his palms into his eyes. Taemin feels Jonghyun shifting like he wants to say something and elbows his side gently to make him wait. Eventually, Kibum sighs heavily and moves to prop his cheek up in his hand.

“I’m sorry,” he says quietly. He doesn’t lift his eyes from the table. “I’m sorry, you’re all being so good, but I’m so fucking--fucked up, and I know I should be thankful but I’m just--fucking--scared, and guilty, but. Like. I’m tired of being just a part of some homeless trans youth statistic or whatever, but it’s fucking hard, to be here, talking about this, when I’ve been acting like it hasn’t been happening for so long, and.” He shakes his head again and brings his coffee to his lips to sip.

Taemin reaches over and pats his head gently to be both comforting and obnoxious. It works, if the way Kibum shoots him a glare and flaps his hand away means anything.

“We’re here for you whether you can face it or not,” Jinki says simply, voice slightly muffled because his chin is propped up in his hand.

“Yeah,” Taemin says. That’s about it.

“Mmhmm,” Jonghyun hums.

“Trans?” Minho asks quietly.

There’s a pause; The other three look at Minho while Taemin watches Kibum’s eyes widen and his free hand clench behind his plate. Oh.

“Uh--um,” Kibum says. He sits up, picks up his phone, puts it back down, runs his fingers through his hair. “I was, um. I was planning, kind of, on telling, you all, um.” His hands shake more than his voice and Taemin winces. He’s not ready for this.

“What?” he asks quickly. He tilts his head in confusion, hoping that everyone else can pick up on what he’s doing. “I didn’t hear anything,” he says.

“What were we talking about again?” Jinki asks. He’s less pretend confused and more obviously covering the mistake, which Taemin guesses isn’t bad. It’s not like anyone bought that he didn’t hear in the first place. Jonghyun moves next to Taemin again and it’s followed by a sharp hiss and a glare from Minho. Taemin assumes that Jonghyun kicked him under the table.

“What--oh, um,” Minho says after Jinki nudges him as well. The chest exposed by his loose vneck turns pink as his big eyes widen with the realization of his mistake. “Uh,” he says. “Yeah, um, I definitely, uh, didn’t hear you say, anything, about being trans,” he says. “Like, ha ha, what? I don’t know where, I, uh, got that from. Ha.” His weak chuckle is the fakest thing Taemin has ever heard in his life, and he’s known Jonghyun for a long time. He has to realize it, too, from the way he blushes darker and looks away when Kibum raises his brows at him from across the table.

“Yeah, and,” Jinki says, and he looks more amused than ever at Minho’s fuckup. “If someone were ever, to come out to us, as trans or something,” he says, turning to Kibum with a more comforting grin. “I am sure that all of us would be accepting and encouraging and not garbage.”

“And, maybe, one of us, maybe, might, probably, maybe, also be, the same, as them,” Jonghyun adds in the tiniest voice. “Maybe.” His hands are small and nervous in his lap as he speaks, but his eyes are earnest and the little smile he gives Kibum is sweet and encouraging. Taemin pats his arm gently. That was brave.

Kibum looks at Jonghyun, freshly outed just to make him feel less alone. Then he looks to Minho, still blushy but smiling apologetically and trying his best, and then Jinki, who’s giving him his home and his potential job and his special smile that makes it feel like the world is okay. He looks at Taemin last, who reaches over and pushes a few strands of hair off of his cheek. Kibum flaps his hand away, but smiles as he does it, the tiniest breath of laughter before he picks up his phone and uses it as a mirror to fix his hair better.

Taemin thinks it’s the first time he’s smiled since last night.

[marshmallowmalfoy]

First Impressions

Pairing: Draco X Reader

Word Count: 2812

Type: Fluff I suppose

Description: Due to her bad reputation at Ilvermorny School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, Y/N was practically forced to transfer to a new school, which happened to be Hogwarts. Upon her arrival, gossip about her spreads like wildfire, but it somehow passed right by the Slytherin Prince. When his friends inform him of the false information, he sticks up for you - a girl he barely knows. A friendship develops, but do extra emotions come along with it for both of them… or just one?

A/N: Idk if I like this one a lot but I worked hard on it so I suppose it’s worth reading.

Warnings: (One swear maybe)

~~~~~

It was your first day at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. You were starting half-way through the first semester, mostly due to the issues you were having back at Ilvermorny. Your ex-boyfriend had spread some nasty roomers about you there, and they stuck. You attempted to wait it out.

“It’ll blow over in a week, you watch and see Ms. Y/L/N. Next week I tell you, it’ll all be in the past. No one will even remember.” Your house elf, Juno had told you. You told her all the issues you were having at school. She was a very wise old elf. The only problem was that she told you that for five months, and then another two when school started up again.

In a frantic effort to spare you the pain, your guardian had shipped you off to London to get on an empty train to get to a school where they had been in classes for two months already. You’d be joining year six two months late.

You had a private sorting with the headmaster and head of each house, and you had been (after much contemplation by the sorting hat) sorted into Y/H. You weren’t overly excited, in fact, you were a bit embarrassed by the whole situation.

Now you stood outside of Professor Snape’s potions classroom. The class was already in session, and you had a note held tightly in your hand from Professor McGonagal which excused your tardiness to this class. As far as you were concerned, no one cared much that you were there if they even noticed you at all. Little did you know, the students of Hogwarts already had some theories as to why you were now all of a sudden just… there, out of nowhere.

“Calm down Y/N.” You whispered to yourself, placing your hand on the handle to the classroom. Without another thought, without giving yourself time to change your mind, you pushed open the door. You regretted it instantly as all eyes turned to you, and the whispers began. One boy, in particular, had his eyes glued to you, an almost astonished look behind his eyes.

“Ms. Y/L/N,” Snape welcomed with a warm tone. He had taken a liking to you during the sorting when you brought up the research of an up and coming herb in potions, which could have miraculous effects. You walked to the front of the classroom shyly, for no other purpose than to hand Snape the note excusing your tardiness. “You can take a seat in the back.” He gestured toward the table where the only group of three sat. “You can work with Mr. Malfoy.”

You were unsure of who exactly that was, but you hoped he would introduce himself before you had to make a fool of yourself. You walked towards the back of the class slowly, clutching your books to your chest for dear life. Class resumed as you approached the table. All the students seemed to suddenly lose interest in your presence, all but that one boy, who had platinum blonde hair and those silvery blue eyes,

“I’m Draco. Draco Malfoy.” He stuck his hand out for you to shake. You looked at it for a moment before hesitantly extending your hand to shake his.

“Y/N Y/L/N.” You greeted, placing your items down gingerly on the table, placing your wand down securely beside them. You could still feel his eyes burning into you. As Snape dismissed us to go work on our potions the short girl with dark hair spoke from across the table.

“As I was saying,” She picked up wherever she left off, “I’m absolutely positive that she was giving me a nasty look. She was being overdramatic. I didn’t do anything wrong! Either way, I went right up to her face and gave her a nice reminder that she was mud blood scum and had no right to be acting the way she was.” You were taken aback, yes people were mean at Ilvermorny, but you couldn’t recall ever once hearing of something so… discriminative.

You would have spoken up had this been Ivelmorny, but you weren’t sure how the social hierarchy worked here, and you didn’t want to get on anyone’s bad side. Or be noticed at all for that matter.

“Bold move Pansy.” The dark skinned boy beside her spoke, his words dripping with sarcasm.

“Well someone has to put them in their place.” She came back at him, as though it was his job and she was doing it for him. He said nothing, only rolled his eyes. You paid no mind, only went to gather the ingredients you needed.

As soon as you were out of earshot, Blaise spoke up.

“You best not be taking interest in her Malfoy. Filthy blood traitor that one is, like those bloody Weasleys.” His voice was dripping with disgust. “She’s a direct descendant of Merlin. Could you believe it? A bloody descendant of one of the most powerful wizards ever sympathizes with muggles.”

“She doesn’t deserve to be a wizard if you ask me,” Pansy spoke up. Draco could feel his blood boiling. How dare they talk about you that way. They didn’t even know you! “I heard she was hooking up with teachers at Ivelmorny for good marks, disgusting don’t you think Draco?” She looked to him, but his eyes were glued to you. He could sense that you weren’t like that. He knew somehow that what they were saying couldn’t be true.

“Those are just nasty rumors, you idiots! Stop spreading that shit. You didn’t like it when the entire thought you had the clap now did you, Pansy? Hmm? Was that fun for you? No.” Draco rolled his eyes at the pair across the table from him, looking down and focusing on the directions.

“Hey,” You greeted the group, “I got your guys’ ingredients too, I noticed you hadn’t gone to get them yourself and I was already over there so I just grabbed them.” You smiled sweetly, separating what you had collected between the two groups. Draco smiled at you, then looked across the table and raised his eyebrows as if to say ‘look at her do you really believe that shit you were spewing?’ The pair looked down in shame.

You and Draco hit it off instantly, you stayed quiet mostly, but he engaged you in conversation, asking about your old school and your life at home and such.

~~~~~

A month or so later, when you had told him that you had to stay at Hogwarts for the Christmas break because you couldn’t go back to America for only a week and fly back. He instantly insisted that you come spend your time at the manor. You were hesitant at first but accepted his offer eventually.

You and Draco were now waiting to be picked up at the platform by his mother. You were nervous. You had heard about what his parents were like. You knew they were hard to please, or at least… his father was.

“Draco!” Narcissa exclaimed when she found her son, wrapping her arms around him, and though he resisted slightly, he allowed the exchange to take place. She released him, finally meeting your gaze. “Oh my! Is this her?”

“Yes mother, this is Y/N.” He smiled at you. Narcissa gripped your hands, looking into your eyes. Narcissa spoke;

“It’s so nice to finally meet you! Draco has written to us all the time about you, telling us about -”

“Okay mother,” Draco interrupted, “Y/N is quite tired, we best be getting back to the manor.” He chuckled nervously and hustled everybody along.

Upon arriving at the manor, you had grown nervous to meet Draco’s father. Narcissa was very kind and very interested when it came to you talking about your life in America. She seemed pleased that you were a descendant of Merlin, which was, in fact, true.

“Now don’t be nervous okay?” Draco spoke in your ear quietly, “He’ll love you I’m sure of it.” You smiled at his attempt to comfort you. As the door opened, you saw him. He stood supporting himself with a cane, his hair was light and long, his eyes were cold and his face was set in stone. “Father, this is Y/N, I’ve told you about her.”

“You have.” He looked at you, seemingly unimpressed. He ignored your presence entirely, “Is she pureblood son?”

“Impressively so.” He smiled at you, linking our pinkies together, where his parents wouldn’t see, in an effort to support you.

“Very well. Dinner will be in two hours, I expect you to be timely.” He spoke, then walked away, paying you no mind.

“Do you think he likes me?” You asked quietly as you picked up our trunk and followed him to the guest room where you would be staying.

“I’m sure he will, in time. He’s not very welcoming to new people, like my mother is. But I’m sure he’ll come around.” He smiled at you as he pushed the guest room door open.

“What was your mother saying at the platform? You know… about what you told her about me.” You smiled softly, beginning to unpack some of your things as Draco sat on the bed, watching you. You noticed his face get a little pink at your question.

“Oh, nothing.” He laughed nervously, tearing his gaze away from you.

“Okay, I know it’s something.” You let out a little laugh, “But I’ll let it slide… for now.” He smiled at you, and as you looked away his gaze stayed locked on you.

~

You’d sat next to Draco during dinner, your hands close enough so that any time Lucius made a crude comment Draco could reassuringly squeeze your hand.

“You don’t look pureblood Y/N.” He eyed you, “You haven’t deceived my son for our fortune have you now?” You were flabbergasted by his statement. Draco took your hand under the table in a comforting way, but to him, it was a small way of protecting you from his father.

“Lucius!” Narcissa exclaimed from beside her husband, “That is no way to speak to our guest! Especially someone of such noble blood! Even more so because our son has-”

“Mother!” Draco stopped her before she could continue, you couldn;t help but wonder what she was going to say. “May we please be excused, I feel this conversation has gone stale and Y/N doesn’t need to be exposed to that.” Narcissa smiled at the two of you, beginning to speak;

“Of course Draco, if you two need anything at all just let me know, and I mean anything. I’m sure you two know of the dangers of-”

“Goodnight mother!” Draco exclaimed, standing up quickly, dragging you out of the room before you had a chance to say goodbye to your hosts.

~

It was growing to be nearly two o’clock in the morning, and thunder was rattling the house down to the foundation. You had a stifling fear of thunderstorms, you always had, though you were unsure of why. Your wand was somewhere unknown to you, somewhere around the room but you didn’t want to get out of the sheets- your only protection - for too long to find it. However, if you could pull off a mad dash to Draco’s room, you could most likely make it in time before the next deafening clap of thunder.

You waited for the next loud clap of thunder before you violently threw back the sheets, dashing to your door, throwing it open and darting down the hallway. You lungs burned as you threw open his door.

He shot up in his bed as his door opened. He didn’t have a shirt on and in a panic, he pulled this sheets over his body. He looked at you confused, but he understood when there was another bone-rattling clap of thunder and you collapsed to the ground out of fear.

“Y/N!” He shouted, throwing his sheets back and dashing to your rescue, hoping that it was too dark for you to see the dark ink on his left arm. He scooped you up, taking you over to his bed, laying you down next to him, his left arm tucked under you as you two faced each other. “You’re okay, Y/N, you’re safe, I’ve got you.” He could feel you shaking, your arms quivering as you laid with him, terrified. You tried to thank him, but you couldn’t muster up the words.

You went to roll over to spoon but he stopped you so you wouldn’t see his dark mark. When you gave him a questioning look he let you go. You turned over in his arms, pushing yourself closer to him.

You could just barely see it in the dark, the deep colors on his forearm against his pale skin. You couldn’t quite tell what it was. You mustered up your voice the best you could.

“Drake… what is this?” You touched it lightly and you felt him tense. He remained silent, hoping you would fall asleep and let it go. “Dray.” You spoke firmly, turning to look at him. “What is it?”

With no explanation, he began to cry, letting out soft sobs. Thought you were confused, you hugged him close to you, holding each other tight as you shook when thunder boomed and he sobbed into your shoulder.

“What’s wrong Drake? Please tell me.” Your voice shook lightly as you held his face and looked into his teary eyes.

“I- Y/N, You don’t- I-” He took a deep breath and looked at you with  sorrow in his eyes, “It’s the d-dark mark Y/N.” His voice shook, tears slipping from his eyes. In a panic, you scrambled out of the bed, falling on your back as you made an effort to get away from him. “No. Y/N! Please!” He pleaded, crawling after you. “I’m still me. I'm still you're Dray. I didn't want to do it Y/N. They made me." He sobbed quietly, watching you closely as you repositioned yourself to be on your knees, looking at him. Even now the thunder shook you senseless. Yet you were scared of him as well, unable to move from your spot on the cold floor.

“Drake-” You spoke weakly, watery-eyed and nearly unable to breathe.

“Please. Y/N. I didn’t want to tell you because I didn’t want you to be scared. Of me. I knew you would be.” He scrambled to the floor to hold you, but you were so in shock you molded into his form. “I’m never going to hurt you Y/N I could never hurt you. Y/N you are my everything. You’re so important to me Y/N, I don’t know what I would do if I couldn’t have you in my life.”

“Dray-” You tried to interrupt but he wouldn’t let you.

“No Y/N, I love you and I want you to know that. I understand if you want to leave and not be involved with me anymore. I just can’t let you leave thinking that I wanted this or that I would ever do anything to hurt me ever.”

You froze, replaying what he said over again in your mind.

‘i love you and I want you to know that.’ 

“You...” You looked into his eyes. Even in the dark, they shined like diamonds. “You love me?” Without hesitation, he spoke;

“Since the moment I laid my eyes on you.” He felt you relaxed his arms as the two of you were splayed out on his floor in the middle of the night. Despite all the voices in your head screaming at you to get away from this boy, this death eater, but you stayed. He could be a creature who swam at the bottom of the black lake for all you cared.

“I love you too Draco.” He smiled at you, leaning down and pressing his lips gingerly to yours, fireworks going off in your head. A clap of thunder sounded and you tensed in his arms.

“Come now darling, let’s get to sleep now alright?” You smiled at his words, nodding as he lifted you off the ground and together you laid on his bed and shared the sheets as he held you close, and in his comforting grasp, you were able to drift into a peaceful sleep.