#if i can drag even one single person into the hell pit with me i’ll be satisfied
Explore tagged Tumblr posts
twentyfivemiceinatrenchcoat · 2 months ago
Text
in other news i am once again (never stopped) thinking abt poly goken 🙏🙏 god bless
24 notes · View notes
mall-0-ry · 10 months ago
Text
SHU YAMINO
A Tale Untold.
Tumblr media
Exorcisms spiritual practice of evicting demons, jinns, or other malevolent spiritual entities from a person, or an area, that is believed to be possessed.
After days of searching for mysta, in this uncanny town, it’s negative energy trying to pull him down, but still continues to walk through his way to a place he has never went to.. an abandoned Detective Agency..
Shu sighed deeply, as he exorcised a spirit that was coming his way. he’s beyond tired. trekking around the town, limited supplies of food and water, having to exorcise things that kept on coming towards him.
he’ve wasted a bunch of energy and power, to keep the spirits at bay. the town is ghostly. not a single human other than shu can be traced.
Shu opened the door, to see a well furnished place, a whiff of cinnamon roamed around the air, as shu looks around in surprise.
He wandered around the place, placing sigils all across each rooms. Before stopping at one room, with sweat.
“ Why.. is this locked..? i’ll just melt it off.. “
Shu groaned as he readied up to cast a spell, only for the door to open slightly ajar..
Shu warily inched forward.. but a pair of gloved hands grabbed him by the shoulders. surprising him.
It was Mysta.. he smiled cheekily as he slowly lets go of shu. Shu’s eyes widened as he backed away slightly.
“M-Mysta..? how.. why.. huh..?”
Shu uttered out in confusion.
“ You gotta wake up shu.. you’re going to be in big trouble.. “
Mysta solemnly said as he grabbed shu by the arm and dragged him towards a door of light.
“ What do you mean mysta? i’ll be alright. nothing can harm me”
Shu chuckles as he basks in mysta’s touch, He missed his friend dearly.
Mysta shook his head.
“This is but an illusion of what your mind wants.. “
Mysta says as he stood still.
Shu glanced at him and to the door, seemingly understanding the situation, before patting Mysta’s head, and smiling.
“Then i wish to not get out of this illusion..”
Shu grinned as he looks at mysta with warmth.
Mysta bit his lip before roughly pushing shu to the Door.
“ Shu, find me with the others.. Luca.. Vox and Ike.. please i’ll be waiting.”
“ i’ll be waiting.. under a tree.. “
Shu’s eyes rolled backwards, as he fainted.
As shu wakes up in cold sweat, hands shaking. eyes widened as big as saucers.
Shu slowly stood up, the fatigued hitting him harshly made him stumble down onto the ground. the place in on fire. purple and pink flames surrounding him.
Shu coughed violently before standing up once more. he slowly made out the place looking dishelved.
Shu was beyond exhausted. the fatigue that he should've felt a few days ago has now just settled down making him vulnerable to evil spirits.
Overwhelmed by the increase of energy, shu ran. he ran as fast as he could to cross outside the town's negative domain.
Feeling powerless at the moment, the sudden memory of seeing mysta for a couple of minutes hasn't been washed away.
he curled up in a ball, in the forest.. vulnerable for any attacks as he recalls his Friend's face.
maybe this is why.. mysta left. he cannot take it anymore. he felt too overwhelmed to the point it breaks his mind.
he wished he never got too attached
oh how you thought that something that happened in a fictional world wouldn't happen in the real world.
Shu's face looked beyond exhausted, they sat on a bench with a gloomy exterior. Shu glanced around the place, negativity consumes him. he wants to curl up in a ball and cry. he wants to be comforted with warmth by his friends.. but he cannot face them because he looks so fatigued. as dark circles is plastered below his eyes, cheeks starting to sunk into the bone. lips so chapped that it's bleeding slightly.
He looked bad. He look even more scrawny after returning from the expedition on that ghostly town.
He looks like a mess.
A very beautiful mess.
Shu was swallowed in the pits of temptation to snap.
as when he snapped, all hell went loose.
Letting out all of his bottled feelings. he had accidentally taken innocent lives. of a small town.
Turns out.. that Ghostly town was just but an illusion. it was a memory from the future. he was the one who made it ghostly. he was at fault.
Shu crumbled down on his knees before disappearing for awhile. being the core suspect of the disaster, he was then hunted down.
the noble, and admiring Sorcerer was now just a Cold Blooded Killer.
Months passed by, he looked much better than usual
He was seen walking around the public by Vox.. who called Luca.
As luca arrives at the place panting, from running around looking for shu. he finally found him.
" Shu! why? why did you take away their lives!" Luca shouted in frustration
" Luca.. "
" You could've just went to us shu! you didn't have to suffer alone in your feelings!"
" i'm here for you shu.. but are you here for me??"
Luca shouted as he raised his gun up to aim at shu.
" Go ahead.. and kill me luca.. besides.. i'm a criminal now.."
Luca hesitates for awhile before shoving the gun back at it's holster
" i.. can never.. hurt my friend.."
15 notes · View notes
ptergwen · 3 years ago
Text
favorite crime
Tumblr media
w/c: 1.6k
warnings: swearing, mentions of blood / death, lots n lots of angst
summary: you convince peter to go on the run after he’s framed for murdering mysterio, but he doesn’t want to drag you into his mess
a/n: this was completely based off the song by olivia lfmbsjfhs it’s so beautiful and i’ve wanted to write something for it for a while now so yee i hope y’all like ! pls lmk what you think <3
-
“we have to get you out of here, peter! come on!” you shout back to your boyfriend and tug his hand that’s laced with yours.
peter doesn’t budge. even when your grip on him tightens, when you pull him forward with all your might, he remains stoic.
there’s something he needs to do, and he’s been contemplating it since the day he met you.
it’s time to let you go.
“please, peter. i’m begging. i know you’re tired of running, but if we don’t leave now… they’ll find you,” you desperately choke out. peter squeezes his eyes shut, dreading what’s to come. “i can’t do this to you anymore, y/n. i… i’m sorry.”
emergency sirens and flashing lights approach the old apartment building serving as yours and peter’s latest hideout. the whole world is on the lookout for him, so you two stowed yourselves away in brooklyn for a bit.
you were hopeful the rumors would pass eventually — about how peter shot the beloved mysterio and left him to die in cold blood. they’re merely talk, of course. you’d personally seen the events of that day unfold on the tower bridge. hell, your class was right at the center of them.
quentin beck was pure evil, so rotten he defamed both peter and spider-man with a charge as cruel as murder. he’s wreaking havoc on him from beyond the grave, over a complete misunderstanding that peter had nothing to do with.
beck’s true source of anger is stark industries. yet, once again, peter ended up the collateral damage.
he was deemed a wanted murderer. posters revealing his name and face were plastered up around the city, a reward even being offered to whoever who turns him in.
you’d proposed the idea of skipping town until things settled. the way you saw it, it was peter’s only option other than prison for twenty-five to life. peter was panicking and couldn’t think straight, so he went along with your getaway plan.
a few weeks later, he’s regretting it.
you’ve been the one person he could trust through this madness. you’re right there to console him, to protect him just like he does you. through sickness and health, life and clearly death, you stick by peter’s side. you left everything behind without a second thought, for him.
peter loves you more than you’ll ever fully be able to comprehend, which is why he can’t ask you to do that. this is his battle to fight, not yours or anyone else’s. his.
you suddenly freeze in your tracks, turning around to look at peter. “what are you talking about? you’re fine, pete.”
his eyes roam everywhere except to yours as they water. blinking back tears, he fixes his gaze on your intertwined hands. you notice a stray tear fall down his cheek and use one of your thumbs to wipe it away, then press a reassuring kiss to his lips. peter lets himself reciprocate momentarily before jerking back.
“please just… stop being so nice to me. you’re making this way harder than i wanted to to be,” he rasps and squeezes your hand tighter. you’re still lost, absolutely clueless about what he’s referring to.
“look, pete. i wanna hear you out, baby. but… i think it should wait until we get to jersey.” you keep your voice as calm as possible, though you’re terrified for both of you. since the feds know your location, they’ll have the place surrounded any minute.
hopping cities isn’t cutting it anymore, so you’ll have to change states this time. new jersey is next on your list.
using his strength to his advantage to hold you in place, peter seizes both your shoulders. his bloodshot eyes lock with yours. a stern expression coats his features, one you’ve seen from him yet never been on the receiving end of.
“we’re not going to jersey, y/n/n,” he declares, the sirens starting to grow louder. you feel a pit forming in your stomach. “we have to!” you immediately protest. “it’s not gonna be easy finding our way, but it’s the last-“
peter cuts you off, voice softer now. “no, no. that’s not what i meant.” he waits a beat and inhales a deep breath, aiming to settle his nerves. it doesn’t.
“i’m going to jersey. you’re staying.”
tears cloud your vision the second those words leave his mouth. you shake your head furiously back and forth, willing him to take them back.
part of you was always afraid peter would get second thoughts. not only about running away with you, about ever being with you. you’re both so young. your entire lives are ahead of you, and peter won’t allow you to risk your own because this isn’t worth a single bit of it.
he’d warned you how dangerous it was to be associated with spider-man. it’s why he held off on telling you about his alias for the longest he could. you naturally began asking questions whenever peter bailed on dates and showed up to school covered in bruises. he hated lying to you, using his stark internship as an excuse, so he finally came out and said it.
peter sometimes wonders if you’d be better off not knowing at all. it’s too late now, though.
“wait, what? why- why can’t i go with you?” you plead, peter’s fingers coming up to cup your cheek. his fingertips lightly caress your skin. “i’m a criminal, y/n. you’d be my accessory.”
it takes everything in him not to break down and sob along with you.
you lean into his palm, already missing his touch. “i don’t care... i don’t give a fuck. i just wanna be with you, peter.” peter literally has to bite his tongue to fight the urge to cry. hands grabbing either side of his head, your fingers twist in his hair roughly. “i’ll do anything, pete. i really will, i swear. name it.”
peter threads his own fingers through yours again, bringing your hands to his chest.
“i’m so sorry, angel. i never should’ve gotten you involved,” he murmurs out and pecks your forehead. “you have nothing to prove to me, okay? you’ve done more than enough. i’m gonna return the favor.”
you let out a strangled whine, your knees buckling as you come to terms with the gravity of your situation.
this is it. this is the end of yours and peter’s story.
“hey, none of that. it’s okay,” peter coos, neither of you convinced. the tastes of salt and metal flood both your senses. he helps you back up and hugs your waist, peppering your cheeks in more kisses. you’re bawling now, arms wound around his neck, clutching at his tattered jacket.
free tears escape peter’s eyes at last. “i love you. i love you so goddamn much, y/n. never forget it,” he nearly whispers. you sniffle and push your forehead against his. “i’m not saying it back ‘cuz that feels like a goodbye, and i- i can’t say goodbye to you yet.”
“it’s not a goodbye,” peter reassures you, rubbing circles on your lower back. “it’s, uh, it’s a see you later. i’m gonna figure something out and be back to you before you know it. can’t get rid of me that easy.”
that earns a faint giggle from you, peter managing a grin. you two attempt to ignore everything happening beyond these walls, only focusing on the other.
“then, um…” you clear your throat. “i love you.” his smile dwindling slightly, peter nods and meets your gaze. “i love you too, baby. you should probably get going soon.”
affirming his advice, a booming voice that sounds from a microphone commands peter to come out with his hands up.
your worry spikes, instinctively drawing peter in closer. he forces himself to put on a brave face for you.
“i’m scared, pete. where… where am i supposed to go?” you rush to ask him. “home, y/n/n. go home,” peter decides, pressing a final kiss to the top of your head. “just don’t get caught, and you’ll be fine.” carding your fingers in his undone curls, you sigh. “easier said than done, but i’ll try not to.”
you’d never pictured that the sweet boy with a heart too big and brain even bigger, who sings you to sleep even though his voice sucks and spends his last dollar buying you flowers, would be accused of first degree murder. it isn’t true or fucking fair.
what’s worse, he has to bare this storm alone now.
you lift your heavy backpack off the cold ground, slinging it onto your shoulders. peter stares out the window and down at the assembly of swarm troops crowded together.
“are you gonna be okay?” you catch his attention. he snaps back into reality, pulling your hood up so it covers your head. you’re wearing a sweatshirt of his, after having gone through all your own clothes. “i hope so. are you?” peter repeats your question. “i hope so,” you echo.
tying your hoodie strings tight, peter offers a smile. “say hi to may for me. ned and mj, too.” it’s going to be tough to face his family and friends after this. “i will. i’ll let them know you’re alright.” you kiss his cheek, placing a hand on his chest. peter lets your touch distract him from the mess he’s about to be hit with.
“thank you, y/n. i’ll see you soon, baby. you have my word,” he promises, stepping back so you two can go your separate ways.
you watch him with fresh tears threatening to spill.
“i’m gonna hold you to it. be safe, spidey.”
290 notes · View notes
oh-mother-of-darkness · 4 years ago
Text
Tumblr media
“Are you here all night?” Jason asked, “or are you planning to, you know, be a human? I think those go home sometimes.”
High above Jason’s head, a swarm of bats entered the cave, winding among the stalactites and screeching a kind of garbled response.
Dick, however, said nothing. He remained bent over one of the long tables on the cavern floor, examining a map Jason could barely see from his own seat a short distance behind, ignoring Jason and his sarcasm both. 
Jason didn’t enjoy being ignored. 
Fine. 
“I have some tasks you could take over,” he suggested, in his least helpful voice, “if you’re in the market for an excuse to keep working. I know you make those sometimes.”
Nothing.
“I have some weapons to clean, if you want to do that. You could type out all my old cases, if that works, because I only have the originals and those are hard to work with.”
Still nothing.
“Take out the trash?” Jason tried. “Wash the dishes? I put a load of laundry in a couple of hours ago, but there’s a wool jacket in the mix, so be careful what you put in the dryer.”
Tumblr media
Dick didn’t move. Jason was enjoying himself now.
“Write a sonnet? Map the White House?” Jason held up a finger Dick couldn’t see, like he had just remembered something interesting. “I think there’s a library on 8th that exploded a few days back, so if you could just grab the rubble from the street and rebuild it by hand, that would be great.”
No reaction. 
“Whatever,” said Jason, “I’m out of here. Get some sleep maybe? I know the whole work-to-outrun-despair routine is your ‘thing,’ or whatever, but it never looks good on you. Have you considered—”
Jason cut himself off as Dick finally turned away from the table. Looking him in the eye, Jason felt suddenly and inexplicably afraid. 
“Go on,” said Dick, quietly.
“I’m just… saying that it might make things worse, to shut off and—” Jason pointed at the mound of paper on the table, “obsess over this stuff instead.”
“You think?” Dick asked. “No shit.”
Jason blinked. “Wait, are you—”
“Did you think it never occurred to me,” said Dick, “that I might be spinning out?”
“I didn’t say you were spinning out.”
“Were you thinking that maybe,” Dick leaned back against the table edge and crossed his arms, carefully casual in a way Jason didn’t like, “hey maybe I, Dick Grayson, haven’t noticed how it feels to be forty-nine hours into a case and puking in the bathroom sink?”
Tumblr media
“I didn’t—”
“Maybe I just haven’t realized why my vision blurs out and I can’t think straight, and it’s weird how this happens—” Dick held up a hand, and Jason could see his fingers shaking, “—if I keep going for too long.”
“I didn’t mean to—”
“Wow, yeah, now that you mention it, this might be,” Dick said, flatly, “bad.” 
Jason glanced down at his boots to break the eye contact. “I’ll back off,” he said. “I’ll go.”
“It might be bad that I can’t sleep until I’m falling-over exhausted. Maybe I shouldn’t be taking all these cases—”
“I said I’ll back off.”
“Or writing all these notes or spending weeks on research, more than that on training—”
“Listen—”
“I probably shouldn’t be leading all these teams, huh?” Dick smiled in a way that reminded Jason of what he should have remembered before he opened his own mouth: that Dick could be very, very dangerous. “Can I get your opinion on that?”
“I’ll—”
“I KNOW!”
Jason stumbled back a step in shock. 
“I KNOW that I’m working too hard!” Dick yelled, “And I KNOW why I do it!”
“Okay!” Jason backed away again. “Okay, I get it!”
“I work so I don’t have to think! I’d rather drop dead doing this shit than stop for the millisecond it would take to feel again! Are you happy now?”
“Calm down, okay? I didn’t—”
“I don’t want to feel,” said Dick, gesturing around him, “so I’m going to stand right here over and over again.”
“Fine!”
“And I’m going to keep shutting down because it goddamn WORKS!”
Tumblr media
Dick turned away again, bending over the table like he hadn’t said anything at all. Jason stood frozen for a moment, staring. 
“Does it?” he asked into the silence.
“No.”
“I didn’t think so.”
“Do you have something better?”
Jason looked down at his own hands and saw that they were shaking too.
“No,” he said.
“Then fuck off.”
Jason turned to leave, but Dick, it appeared, wasn’t ready to let it go. 
“I’m alive,” he said. “I’m standing and walking and doing all the things that matter.”
“Yeah.” 
“I’ve had enough of— enough of asking for help and getting—” Dick jerked an arm above his head, still turned away. “I don’t want to hear that the way I live is self-destructive. I already know. That’s why I’m here, that’s what I’m saying, that’s why I’m trying.” 
“Yeah.”
“Just… show me something better, or let me self-destruct.”
Jason fumbled awkwardly for something to say. “I’m sure— I don’t know who you’ve been talking to, but whoever that is— I’m sure they’re… trying to help.”
“You weren’t,” said Dick.
“No, I wasn’t.”
“You were trying to land a cheap shot,” said Dick, “and feel like you’re better than me.”
Yes, that was true. Jason wasn’t sorry, exactly, but he regretted it, and those were different things.  
“I guess that makes me an asshole.”
“And a hypocrite.” Dick turned around again and leaned back in the same way, quiet, in control. “You never stop either… not since the pit anyway.”
“Don’t.”
“I mean it’s different, obviously, because I don’t think you’re trying to hide it. Me, I don’t want cracks to show. I don’t want all this grief and anger and— you said despair, right?”
“Stop.”
“I don’t want the despair to show because I want to look whole, but you—”
“You’ve made your point.”
“You want to look like a week-old corpse rotting on the concrete, and may I say?” Dick smiled. “Excellent performance. You look exactly like that.”
Jason didn’t say anything.
“It’s a world of difference,” Dick continued, “because I— I’m pushing through pain… and you’re pushing to feel it.”
For a moment, they stared at each other, and Jason found that it was difficult to breathe. 
“I could yell back for that,” he said. It came out softly, more soft than he meant, as Jason shoved away something very close to shame.
“Do it.”
“No. I think it’s funny when people call me the angry one.” Jason looked down at his shaking hands again. 
“I am angry,” he conceded, “but you’re just as bad as I am.”
“Thematic,” Dick snapped. “Get out.” 
“No. You opened this book, so we’re going to read it. You’re right.”
“Leave.”
“You’re right, I do exactly what you just said I do. Sometimes I don’t sleep for days, and it’s not because I can’t.”
Well, that might not be fully true, so Jason stopped to backtrack.
“I mean,” he corrected, “I don’t know if I could sleep, if I really tried, but that’s the point I’m making. I don’t try. I don’t want to sleep.”
“I said leave.”
“It’ll be four in the morning and I’m slumped sideways on my couch watching surveillance footage I don’t need to watch, because I know when I finally drag myself to the bathroom mirror, I’ll look like hell—”
“Get out!”
“—and I want to! I feel like hell, I feel like goddamn Brutus in the Devil’s jaws, and I want to look like it. If I look like death, that means my pain is real.”
“Get out or regret it.”
“Oh, I know it’s self-destructive,” said Jason, smiling his best unnerving smile. “How could I miss it when I’m blacking out in stairwells and picking fights on purpose, just to get kicked around?”
Tumblr media
That particular sentence, it appeared, caught Dick’s attention, because he stayed quiet this time, glaring from across the room.
Well then, Jason decided, it was time to push further. 
“Let’s get personal, shall we? Why do I live in this fucking city to see you or him or whoever else is living in the capes this week? I’m not shooting for reconciliation!”
“Well?”
“I’m going to stay here and cause problems until every single one of you hates me enough to shove me away. How’s my performance, by the way? Is it working? I’d love to get your opinion.”
Dick made a face that Jason couldn’t interpret, so Jason chose to press on. 
“It’ll hurt when I pull that off because I do actually care about you, but you know what? I’ll like that. Maybe someday all of this will kill me, and I’ll kind of like that too.” 
Jason paused a beat to let Dick interject, but Dick didn’t. 
“Your turn,” said Jason pleasantly. “Thoughts?”
Nothing.
“I like the aesthetic of self-destruction,” said Jason. “I’m going to look in the mirror tomorrow and see dark circles and scars, and it’s going to feel like being myself in a way that nothing else does.”
Tumblr media
In that moment, watching Dick glare, Jason felt very tired— not in a way that sleep could solve, and not in a way that anyone could fix. No matter what Jason did, no matter what he tried, he could always feel himself sinking. He was empty and heavy at the same time, somehow trapped in place, unable to do anything except lie in his own blood.
A rotting corpse indeed.
“I’m not judging you,” said Jason. “I don’t have the space for that. I won’t tell you to just… change. I’m sick of hearing that too, hearing that I don’t have to do this to myself, that I am doing this to myself.”
Dick nodded. Jason wasn’t sure at what, but it felt like permission to keep going, so he did.
“I know I’m holding on to something I shouldn’t,” Jason admitted, even though it hurt to say out loud. “I know, but I can’t let go when there’s nothing else to take. I don’t have anything profound to say. I don’t… know what else there is.”
That was it. That was all Jason had, so he shrugged and stared down at the floor, waiting.
“I think if I stop working I’ll fall apart,” said Dick, finally, “and this time I won’t be able to scrape myself together.”
“Yeah.”
“I think fine, so I don’t have to keep going. I don’t have to shove away the dark and force myself through, but what would happen if I didn’t?”
“I don’t know.”
“I would be a shivering, hollow shape on my floor, maybe forever. I don’t know what I want to be, but I can’t be… I can’t be only that.” 
Jason understood.
“It’s hard,” said Dick. “I always hear— and say, I say this to other people— that things can be okay. I guess it’s true, but does it matter?” 
“What do you mean?”
“Unless I leave the cave right now and never come back, this is my life. I have an apartment and a fucked-up family—”
“Thanks.”
“—and I spend every night jumping through smog and the ghosts of everything I’ve ever done.”
“Saving people,” Jason noted.
“Win some,” said Dick, “lose some. How many times have you watched a person die?”
“A few.”
“A few.” Dick shook his head. “I know too much, but I have too much to leave behind.”
“I have a guy who makes passports on demand, if you change your mind,” said Jason. “He’s amazing.”
“Thanks.”
“Prints while you wait.”
Dick shot Jason a flat kind of look.
“What?” Jason asked. “It would simplify my plans.”
Dick half-smiled at that, and Jason got the sense that they were done yelling, maybe, for awhile.
“I feel trapped, and I don’t know how to fix myself,” said Dick, “while I’m still… here.” 
“Yeah.”
“I’m just trying to stay alive.”
“I know. Me too.”
“It isn’t getting any easier.” 
Jason thought about that for awhile. It would be nice to have an answer— something simple to say, some match to light in their common ground— but Jason couldn’t find one, so he shrugged again and hoped that understanding would be enough. 
It had to be something, didn’t it?
It was the best he could do. There were times, Jason figured, to talk about breathing exercises and the mess of self-help books piled on his dresser, but he knew this wasn’t one of them. They could call it catharsis, he decided, and leave it at that. 
“We could say it’s Bruce’s fault?” Jason suggested, since he was out of other ideas. “I like blaming Bruce for the shit I do.”
“You do?”
“Fuck off.”
Dick smiled fully at that one. “I’m not above it either.”
“Great,” said Jason. “Can I leave a note saying we blame him? No context at all, maybe on a single post-it? I think it would be really funny.”
“Sure.”
“I’ll bounce after that, for real this time.” Jason spun a finger in a circle a few times, pointing around the cave. “I don’t want to be here anymore.”
“Yeah.” Dick tapped a finger against the table a few times, like he was thinking. After a moment, he pulled a bag from the edge and started packing up his things. 
“Yeah,” he said. “Yeah, me too.”
Tumblr media
Fin.
---
art by @doc-squash​
2K notes · View notes
leviiattacks · 4 years ago
Note
ceo levi falling in love?
Tumblr media
author note :: THIS WAS SM FUN TO WRITE?? levi in the modern world is just always enjoyable for me. anyways it’s just lots of shy ceo levi and secretary reader :-) as always requests are open feel free to stop by !! :D word count :: some how i got to 2.4k,,,, i promise it was an accident it doesn’t feel that long 
Tumblr media
levi falls in love slowly. he doesn’t even realize he’s doing it until he looks at you one day during a company meeting and is unable to understand why he can’t take his eyes off you
usually he’s able to shift his focus away but he’s stuck in place despite his efforts to look away
the entire meeting is him occasionally humming his approval at all the proposals and prospective business plans being presented to him
when, truly he is NOT listening at all. he’s trying to figure out when the hell and why the hell he began to feel this way for you.
it gets to a point where he’s so distracted over it he ends the team meeting early
everyone in the room exchanges worried glances between each other.
mr ackerman, letting them leave early? that’s a first but HEY!! they’ll take it!!
as everyone disperses out of the room he’s sitting with his back hunched in his plush office chair when he then comes to the realization that he has no idea when he did fall for you,,,,, it just sorta happened????
well, you are basically around him 24/7 and help him with everything but, his newfound feelings still catch him by surprise
at first he’s scared. the feeling is odd and the way his chest tightens as he speaks to you doesn’t feel right at all.
“any specific type of tea for today?” you ask waiting for his response
the rope squeezes at his heart and he squirms around a little.
“u-um, the usual is just fine”
WHY DID HE TRIP OVER HIS WORDS...??
WHY...????
but AGAIN he ignores it, he knows it’s for the best if he doesn’t get emotionally involved with you.
for the record, levi’s definition of emotionally involved is dating you, he doesn’t know that despite not dating you he is very much still emotionally involved with you
he’s pretty good at hiding his feelings though and the fact he likes you goes unnoticed by literally everyone
well, it does stay that way for a little while
that is until someone else expresses interest in you.
it’s a normal friday evening but for some unknown reason he can’t stop himself from clenching his jaw when he walks past you and overhears jean the new head of marketing ask if you’re single
levi is stood behind you and turns to hand his chilling stare to jean who slowly notices. he looks like his knees are about to buckle. “?,&:£:& sorry for asking,,, i’ll...... get going......”
levi just grunts in annoyance glaring at him even as he scurries out the hallway.
you turn to look at him and happily smile “ahhh thank you, i didn’t know how to turn him down he just joined the team so you know, it was weird he asked that”
levi just nods and tells you to get back to work and he hears you squeak out a “yepyepyep!!!”
levi is also very in denial about the way he feels
one day it’ll be “yeah i like y/n” the next it’s ��no i do not...that is literally SO stupid. me??? in love?? never.”
also, when you accidentally brush past his skin he can’t help but tense up slightly and look anywhere but where you’re touching him
one time you place a hand on his forehead to check on his temperature because you do not trust him to be honest about having a fever
the scent of your vanilla perfume it’s sweet and simple but it makes him feel incredibly shy for no reason at all
GOD.
he feels like a stupid flustered school boy
ALL THIS OVER SOME PERFUME??
the man can’t even handle looking you in the eye. he’s reading his paperwork acting as nonchalant as possible when he’s really just freaking out
is my forehead sweaty?
fuck, fuck, fuck how do i look up close?
his thoughts are so jumbled up he doesn’t know how to respond to you when you ask if he’s really doing okay
“your cheeks are bright red, maybe you do have a fever?” you’re frowning and rummaging through your bag hoping to find something to help his pounding headache
but all he’s doing as he sits at his desk is nervously opening and closing his pen by the lid
he can’t tell if his face is red because he’s ill or because he likes you
and it’s driving him CRAZY??
wait a second.
does he like you? or does he like-like you?? or does he lo- no he does not love you that is absurd
what really cements his feelings for you is the day he’s unable to reel his mouth back in.
he just starts rambling about everything that has been stressing him out recently
the new company merger, developing new product designs, reviewing humongous stacks of paperwork, attending all these long meetings
he is being driven to his breaking point and you stand there taking it all in
“hey, take the day off.” your soft voice cuts him off mid sentence and he looks at you like you just told him to curl up into a ball and die
take a day off???? he does not have the time to take a day off??
he assumes you’re frustrated by his behaviour and begins to apologize. “i’m sorry that was unprofessional i shouldn’t have don-”
“i’ll finish the paperwork. your next meeting is scheduled for tomorrow. it’s okay to take a breather.” you pick up the stack of documents and move to transfer them over to your desk
but levi is persistent.
he stands in your way and you look at him expecting him to step out
“there is no need for that.” his tone is firm but you’re still defiant
“it’s my job as your secretary to alleviate your workload.” you don’t even spare him a glance and he feels like he’s burdening you now
sure, you are his secretary but allowing you to complete all that work on your own is ludicrous
waltzing around him you beeline towards your desk but again he steps in your way interjecting your path
“lev-”
your face morphs into a mortified expression and you panic, you did not just call him by his first name AT WORK
“i mean,” [insert an anxious yet deliberate cough] “mr ackerman.”
“listen, i understand you’re very stressed sir but i’ll finish the work off so please rest up. you need to be refreshed for tomorrow’s company dinner with the investors.”
you’re pleading he takes your advice but all he can do is blink in confusion
you would do that for him???
are you really just diligent and caring or,,, does he maybe have a chance at asking you out?
but again as quick as the idea enters his head it leaves.
asking you out sounds absurd to him, you deserve way better than someone like him
Tumblr media
levi is having another one of his jealous moments
you’ve latched yourself onto reiner braun’s arm at the company dinner and he turns away frustrated
you look really pretty
like,,, sUPER pretty
like,,, drop dead gorgeous
he clears his throat when you both make eye contact
you perk up a little and your hand raises to wave at him but levi is so horrible at interacting with you he ends up ignoring you completely...
the pit of fire in his stomach flares up when he hears reiner compliment you, he’s surprised you even accept it and thank him
now, levi is not annoyed because you don’t deserve the compliment.
no, no, no you deserve all the compliments under the sun as far as he’s concerned but what the hell does “you look way better than normal.” even mean??
he thinks you look pretty every day so he’s just a tad bit offended by it
and he only begins to realize he’s in too deep when he sees the way reiner is getting a little too handsy for his liking
he doesn’t interrupt by saying anything even though he really wants to, you seem to not mind reiner’s touch
so he won’t step in between that, it’s not even any of his business
but it certainly doesn’t stop his displeasure from being blatantly obvious and displayed on his face
“ahhh mr ackerman, if it isn’t a pleasure to see you?”
levi hears an investor greet him but his eyes are glued on you.
you’re laughing so hard at one of braun’s jokes and he feels the same flame in his stomach.
it’s rising and reaches his chest igniting once again and he narrows his eyes finally looking away
he’s not going to spare you another glance this entire evening instead he’ll occupy himself with business talk
“mr acker-”
spinning on his heel he twists around and is face to face to with one of his close sponsors erwin smith
he smiles and the two shake hands discussing new company developments and shared work stress before some how shifting to each other's personal lives
“seeing anyone?” erwin’s question makes levi stiffen and his eyes flick towards where you were just standing a while ago
you’re no longer there but he spots you a little further away now sitting alone
you look a little lost and he feels a sudden and strong magnetism
he wants to approach you to talk so badly, and as his eyes scan around the room he sees reiner occupying himself in a suggestive conversation with a lady from HR
she’s definitely trying to flirt and he’s reciprocating easily
oh, so you’ve been ditched...?
is reiner OK???
first the backhanded compliment
now he’s ditching YOU???
it makes levi feel a little angry and frustrated
he doesn’t even notice at first because he’s so deep in thought but erwin leans in to whisper in his ear. “i know that look, go talk to your crush.”
“we’re much too old for you to be using the term crush. it makes it sound childish.” levi grumbles before taking a sip from his wine glass
“i’ll go keep my secretary company. i’ve spoke to most of the other investors it should be okay.” the statement is more of a question but smith nods in response
“it’ll be more than okay, go get em’ tiger!” erwin lands a light punch onto levi’s shoulder and he grins before walking away
Tumblr media
to levi’s disappointment he’s unable to speak to you
you end up getting dragged into conversation with some of the other employees and he doesn’t see you again
so much for talking to you, he couldn’t even get within a meters radius
he’s now out on the balcony for a breathe of fresh air, the past few hours have consisted of tedious and forced small talk with an investor’s daughter
her father has been BEGGING levi, even bribing him to consider marrying her but levi rejects every single time
there’s nothing wrong with the girl really
she’s well educated and quite pretty but... that’s all he knows about her?
AND no one beats you, even though he’s still kinda in denial about liking you
hell, not like that part matters he doesn’t even know the girl’s name what does her dad expect from him?
was it sharron? shana? he forgot her name as soon as it was said 
much to levi’s dismay he hears an unexpected giggle behind him and then an arm slinks over his shoulder, the investor’s daughter has followed him out and is now pressing her chest against him awaiting a reaction
frankly, he wants to push her off BUT he’ll be in big trouble and lose a key sponsor if he handles this incorrectly
“could you please distance yourself?” he tries to intimidate the younger girl away with the bitter tone of his voice but it only seems to motivate her
“feisty one aren’t you?” she’s looking up at him through her lashes and her poor attempt at looking appealing only makes levi internally face palm
her index finger is drawing circles into his tie and he feels his breath hitch due to how uncomfortable she’s making him
“please move.” he requests for her to listen once again and he’s now taken a step back but she only follows and keeps her firm grip on his tie
she doesn’t seem to be letting up and there’s nothing he can really do about it.
he guesses he’ll just wait till she gets bored but the time passes at an excruciatingly slow rate
in this fifteen minute duration she’s played around with his hair which has SERIOUSLY annoyed him because he took time to style it
and he thought it looked pretty cool
now she’s only pushed and pushed further and further into his chest and he can feel her hot icky breath hit his neck
the veins in his forehead are twitching in expanding irritation and he doesn’t know how much more of this he can tolerate
“you’re making him uncomfortable.” levi’s head snaps to the right and there you are still as beautiful as the last time he saw you
your arms crossed over your chest and you’re looking the girl up and down
“and who might you be?” the way she scoffs seems to be enough to piss you off because your face morphs into a scowl.
big Yikes...you’re mad
“leave him alone.”
“you must be of no importance, we have no time for-”
“step away before i make a report on the grounds of sexual harassment.”
you flip your phone out smirk plastered across your face
“it’s all been recorded. know your place.” you’re unyielding and even levi is thinking??? wow??? you know how to not be nice??? because well, he’s never seen you this mad 
just as you expect she barges out in a fury (not before flicking you off), you’ve left her brimming with rage and you feel rather proud of yourself
you release a content sigh
“do i get a raise for saving you or what?” you dryly jab 
he’s always loved your straightforward jokes, they align perfectly with his blunt humour
he murmurs his appreciative thanks
“are you enjoying yourself?” he asks the question eager to know what your answer is
it’s another way he knows he’s falling way too deep for his liking
he never asks anyone else these trivial questions
“enjoyable. although reiner is a little.” you pause to find the correct words
“he just made me a little uncomfy, he’s very extroverted so i felt out of place. thankfully he’s preoccupied himself elsewhere.” the same lonely look from before returns to your face 
yeah, it is kinda sucky to have your date ditch you
“you don’t have to tolerate-” levi starts then stops.
you’ve leant in to hear him after saying you can’t hear much over the hustle and bustle from inside
“the- i mean- what i’m trying to say is” he looks at you completely stunned trying to piece together what he wants to say
wOWIE!!!! you literally look so stunning up close he can not formulate a sentence, he has officially LOST IT
the words he say next fly out of his mouth after a lengthy internal struggle “fuck. what i’m saying is, what i mean is, you could always come as my date next time.”
now you’re the one looking at him stupefied.
again, he’s looking anywhere but at you
the closest he gets to it is taking a glimpse of your dress,
it’s black and suits you well with the little ruffles and all.
“i’d love that.”
the tips of his ears grow red in embarrassment but... YOU ACCEPTED???
NOW. levi is giddy on the inside but makes no move to make it obvious instead he opts to scratch his neck and give you an awkward thumbs up
you take note of his body language and the possible realization dawns on you
but you can’t really tell if it’s the doing of alcohol
either way you grab onto his suit and begin to lead the way back into the main hall
“may as well start being my date now? not like reiner’s coming back any time soon” he can’t see your face but he can tell you’re smiling as you speak
levi’s cheeks are bright red but he thanks the chilly night air and darkness for hiding the way he’s reacting
he won’t confess just yet, it’s too early and again he’s in major denial but when staring at the hand that holds onto his suit jacket his heart tingles a little
more like a LOT...
but really whatever it is the two of you have got going on right now it weirdly makes the both of you feel weak at the knees
to be honest, levi enjoys it
and so do you :-)
690 notes · View notes
dialovers-translations · 3 years ago
Text
Diabolik Lovers DARK FATE ー Kou Ecstasy [10]
Tumblr media
ー The scene starts outside of Eden
Kou: I’ve made it...!
Karlheinz-sama! It’s me! It’s Kou!
Please, open the gates!!
I’m a traitor...However!! There’s something I have to tell you no matter what...!!
I’m begging you...!
ー Kou collapses
*Thud*
Kou: ( I can’t...keep standing. That Hunter...He chased us down like there’s no tomorrow... )
( For being M-neko-chan’s Father, he’s one hell of a sadist...Darn. )
( These wounds I got from where his bullets grazed me...They won’t close at all...At this rate... )
ー He looks up at the sky
Kou: ( ...The sky isn’t blue at all. I guess that’s to be expected...The Lunar Eclipse is ongoing right now. When was the last time I saw the blue skies...? )
...Yui. 
*Creaaak*
Kou: The gates...!
Karlheinz-sama...Thank you very much...!
With this...Everything will come to an end. 
It’ll finally be over...
ー The scene shifts back to the storage room at Banmaden
Shin: Fuck...This is bad news! Come here!!
*Thud*
Yui: Kyah...I-It hurts!
ー The scene shifts to the outside of Banmaden
Yui: Where are you going? Bad news, you said? ...What exactly is going on...?
Shin: Nii-san found out that I kept you locked up inside the basement! 
Yui: Found out? ...You kept it a secret from him? 
Shin: Exactly. I was lucky enough to get my hands on you. I thought that if everything went well, I could surpass him!
Things were going so well too...! But the cat is out of the bag. I have no other choice but to run. 
Yui: ( I guess that’s what the Wolf informed him of earlier. )
ー The scene shifts to the forest
Shin: Shit...Fuck!
Yui: ( He seems terrified...Knowing he attempted to betray his older brother. Even though they’re siblings. )
( ...While Kou-kun seemed pained by having to break with Ruki-kun over me...He never looked scared. )
( I wonder what he’s up to right about now? Maybe he went back to the others? ...Did he manage to warn them? )
Shin: Now that it has come to this, I have no other choice...I’ll kill every single one of those pretend-to-be-Vampires!
Yui: Eh...!? 
Shin: I’ll burst my way into the Vampire’s castle. You are within my hands after all. 
If I’m at a point of no return, I might as well drag all of those shitheads down to Hell with me...!
Yui: No way...!
Shin: The Vampire’s castle is right up ahead. After taking a short break here, I’ll wait for the right moment to strike!
*Thud*
Yui: Kyah...!
*Rustle*
Shin: I have the Lunar Eclipse on my side. Wiping those guys out of existence should be an easy feat. However, I’d rather be safe than sorry. 
If I’m gonna do this, I’m going all the way. I will crush them with everything I’ve got. I’ll push them into the pits of despair reminding them of the difference in power...Hehe. 
Yui: ( I have to warn everyone and quick! )
( I’m sure Kou-kun is with the others as well...! )
ー Yui runs away
Shin: Wha...!? This chick!! Wait!!
ー Shin chases after her
*TIMESKIP*
Yui: Haah...Haah!
Shin: You really think you can run away from me!?
Yui: ( I recognize this area...The castle should be right up ahead! )
Shin: Don’t cause me extra trouble!
Yui: ...!
Shin: You’re getting way ahead of yourself for a puny little human...!! You just need to obey me and that’s all!!
*Rustle*
Yui: ( What now...? I can’t get any closer...! )
( However, if I shout from here, I’m sure somebody will hear me...! )
Selection
→ Kou-kun, save me! (♡)
Yui: Kou-kun, save me!
Shin: Idiot! What makes you think that guy would be around here!? 
Just give up already!
→ Somebody, please!
Yui: Somebody, please! Save me...!!
Shin: Pfft. Hahahaha!!
‘Somebody’? Are you calling for the people over at the castle? You idiot!!
Shin: Some random Vampire who will suddenly rush to your rescue, you see. 
They don’t exist!!
Yui: ( No...Save me!! )
Monologue
...I instinctively looked up at the sky.
The blue color (青) he loved so much is nowhere to be seen. 
The sky is all alone as well. 
Carrying the ring-shaped moon (月).
which shines down on me while drowning in the dark. 
I’m alone as well. 
Held back by the darkness, I gaze up at the sky,
while clutching onto that person’s ring. 
ーー All alone. 
I find myself unable to move. 
ーー TO BE CONTINUED ーー
35 notes · View notes
kaylathekittykat225 · 3 years ago
Text
Carnival Ride of Horror // Steve Harrington x Reader
Carnival of Horror // SH
Warning/s: Cursing, laughing at inappropriate times, (very minimal) mentions/implications of abuse/stalking (just wanna warn, its super small but just in case!)
Word Count: 3.5k
Hey guys! It’s been a bit since I’ve written, lemme tell you, life has been kinda crappy and its just a little less crappy now! So I decided to start pecking at the keyboard again and this is what came of it! This lovely person requsted this work and I just got around to starting to really write because I had a free week. Anywhoodles, it’s good to write something again and I hope yall enjoy it!
Again thank you for this idea @seraphiiii
omg i came across your post about writing ideas in my feed and got so excited to see both steve harrington and young justice in the tags lmao. but i think a steve harrington x reader where reader and him go to an amusement park and reader is terrified of the rides so he’s like comforting her throughout them and encouraging her but also laughing (in a good natured way obvi) about how scared she is and stuff? i think that would be so cute!!
Here’s my Masterlist.
Enjoy.
-----
“Stevie, when we agreed to have a date night away from the kids, I didn't think we would be going into a mass of more kids.” As he pulled the keys out, you stared at the bright light shining machinery that had been set in the middle of a field outside the city. The annual summer fair had finally made its way to Hawkins, and it had left a buzz in the air as everyone planned when they would go, talked about what rides had come this year, who their ride buddy would be; it had been all the kids had been talking about for weeks. They put a day together the coming weekend to go as a group and they planned to drag Steve and you along on the off chance that they needed an “adult” to allow them on the rides.
Funny how they assumed either Steve or you knew how to adult.
“Cause I thought it would be a nice change from us just watching movies or having dinner.”
“Oh, so dino nuggets are no longer date-worthy for you.” Steve almost took you seriously, but he saw the grin that has graced your lips at your own comment. He relaxed a little knowing that you weren’t upset with his idea for date night, but he had always wanted to kiss someone at the top of a Ferris Wheel, and he would do anything to get you to the top of the rotating ride.
“So, you’re not mad that I chose here for tonight?” You shook your head and pulled at the door handle separating the two of you from the outside life.
“Of course not Stevie, I just thought it was an interesting choice.” The smile you chose to have was one that hopefully convinced him that you were okay with where the pair of you were going, even if you weren’t happy with the choice.
You can be happy with the idea of going to a carnival as long as you don’t go on-”Cool, so what ride do you want to do first?”
“Shit.” The world slipped out before you could stop yourself as Steve finished paying for your tickets and asked what you had said. “Nothing just kicked myself. Um…” You looked around frantically for something to do that wasn’t flashing brightly and spinning faster than the legal highway speed. “Let’s go over there!”
Steve followed your hand as he saw you point towards the stands of games that were rigged and way too fricking expensive, but he would do it for you. “Alright, starting out with some games I see, I like it.”
The two of you ran through a few of the games, most of them where Steve got way too into it and you had to step between them as he tried screaming that he deserved that stuffed bear/pony/cat/fish, because he almost had it every single time. He did beat out the basketball one, one of the last ones the two of you did on that strip, bolstering his confidence just enough to get him into a cheery enough mood.
“Alright! We played some games, and let the crazies test out the rides so I’m pretty sure they won’t break down on us. Which one should we do first? They got a drop tower, or how about the pit viper swings? Or, or, or how about we…” The night had been going enjoyable up until Steve turned to the rides you had managed to distract him from and pointed at the glowing and fast-moving monsters.
“How about we do the haunted walk over there?” Steve followed your pointing finger with a quizzical look, he hadn’t really taken note of the scary attraction before, never thought to really look to it with everything else going on. “I bet it won’t even be scary to us after everything we’ve been through right ha.”
You took off with a dry laugh without waiting for a response from him; his cries were head behind you, but the haunted house looked better than anything else around you. “Y/N.” He called you again, but you walked faster. By the time you got to the stairs leading into the building, you were practically running up them to get into the dark house with smoke billowing out of it.
“Y/N!” Your name was the last thing you heard before diving through the door and physically bumping into one of the scarers dressed as a zombie. He seemed nice, breaking character enough to ask if you were okay before you had already turned the corner and left him behind too.
Twisting and turning, you didn’t pay much mind to the screaming witches, zombies, skeletons, or anything that happened all around you; over the music and screaming, you could vaguely hear your name, giving you an indication that Steve followed you.
Not too far in, you found a quieter corner with only a couple cobwebs around it where you quickly ducked back into and tried pressing yourself into it deeper, hoping to watch Steve walk right by you.
Why the hell were you running from your boyfriend? You gained a sense of logic for a second where you paused. Why were you running? This was super childish of you and really had no reason. All Steve wanted to do was go on a few rides and you were being selfish and completely ruining what was going to be one of the few evenings you didn’t have to babysit the kids.
As the guilt started to swirl with your desire to not be found, you didn’t notice as the Frankenstein in the room had taken notice of you hiding in the corner and started to tromp over to you. “Hey, miss, you can’t be hiding in here, you gotta keep moving.”
“I’ll be out in a second, sir, let me just-” “You can’t be here-” “If you give me a second, I will leave as soon as I can-” “Miss you have to leave-” “Give me one dan minute-” “Y/N!”
Among all the screaming the Frankenstein and you had been doing was your name being called by a third and new voice along with a hand clasping onto your shoulder. Looking to the hand, you saw the unmistakable outline of the man you were hiding from. “There you are babe, why were you running off.” Just looking at the Frankenstein’s demeanor, you could tell he went into defense mode suddenly.
“Were you hiding from him miss? Are you okay? Do you feel safe?” The painted man moved to step between you and Steve in an attempt to separate you two.
“Whoa, whoa buddy, back off. She’s my girlfriend, chill out.” Steve tried stepping around the man o little success.
“Oh, your girlfriend? And she’s running from you? I don’t think this is looking very good for you, buddy.” The two were shooting back and forth at each other, getting chest to chest, and starting to cause a larger disturbance that started o be heard over the music and background scream noises. More workers it looked like started to slip into the room and try to get the two men to quiet down, going so far as to begin threats of throwing them out of the haunted house.
You were pulled away from the situation before being pushed away and into the next room, looking like it was on its way to the exit in the next two or three rooms: your destination.
-----
“Y/N?” His voice finally chirped up next to you as Steve took a seat next to you on the grass at the edge of the carnival. “You okay?” When he saw you sitting over here, he had quickly jogged over and took her in as he did so: sitting with her face pressed into her knees and arms wrapped tightly around her legs as she kept herself in as tight of a ball as possible.
You didn’t respond at first, only moving your head to look up at your boyfriend, the person you have embarrassed tonight and most definitely pissed off with your childish antics tonight. “I’m sorry.”
“Whoa what do you have to apologize for? I’ve been worried about you and wanted to make sure that you are okay.” His hand found its way to your back and began rubbing circles into your shoulder blade.
“I was really childish today and you didn’t deserve it, all because I was scared of the stupid rides.” Your words may have been mumbles, but he heard every word clearly.
“Hold on. Babe, did you say you were scared of the rides?” Your small and timid nod was enough for him to understand. “Why didn’t you tell me? I never would have brought you here if I knew that!”
Swallowing the thick feeling in your throat, you looked up at him and saw the disappointment and hurt in his face and that hurt. “Because you were so excited about it, I thought I could get through it and do at least one or two with you. But as we got closer, I guess my nerves got the best of me and I just...ran. Like a stupid child.”
“Hey, hey, hey, no.” Steve quickly shuffled to kneel in front of you and grabbed your hands, holding them in his own and your legs fell down to where you were now criss cross apple sauce. “I’m not gonna force you to do any of these rides if you don’t wanna. If you want to just go home, we can make this a movie night if that works better for you.”
“No, Stevie,” His mouth quirked up at this name. “You already bought the tickets; I don’t want you to waste the money you earned because I’m a scaredy cat.”
Steve took a second to think, racking his brain on how to salvage what has been an eventful evening. “How about…” He paused again and just stared at you with you staring back at him, waiting to hear what he wanted to say. “You can say no, how about we try a few rides, to try and get you on some. If you don’t like riding after one, we can go home, and you can at least say you did it.”
Mulling this idea over in your head, your eyes shifted from where your boyfriend sat in front of you to the bright and joyous scream filled rides were. “I suppose they don’t all look so bad.” You murmured to him, staring particularly at the giant Ferris Wheel that turned, a small memory from early on in your relationship popping into your head. Steve had mentioned a few times that his dream date would be to take a girl up on a Ferris Wheel and cuddle her and kiss her when they got to the top.
“Okay, we can try a few.” Though shaky, your voice was a little stronger this time and you gave Steve a small smile.
“You sure?” A nod. “Okay, I’ll let you choose which one we go on, okay?” Another nod.
Together, the two of you stood to your feet and approached the hustle and bustle of the carnival grounds again. “What did that Frankenstein do to you? I hope he didn’t get you in trouble or anything.” You asked as you laced your hand with Steve while the other went to hold onto his arm, squeezing it slightly as you got closer to the machines and your stomach growing heavy again.
“Oh him, he didn’t do much, just tried scaring me when he though I was some creep chasing you.” He chuckled at the short story, glancing over to you as you took in the carnival for really the first time, looking for something that didn’t freak you out. “How about we start with those spinning pods over there? All they do is spin around and if you want it to, we can make it spin on the inside too.”
Following his finger, you saw what he was referring to as it did spin around, the four small egg things with windows in them were spinning on the main machinery but also appeared to be spinning on their own. As you got closer and apparently joined the line, you could see inside one of them a group of middle school boys cackling as they pulled on the weird center disk that kinda looked like a pizza pan. “Yeah, we can give it a try.” The shakiness in your voice had come back and your grip on Steve tightened.
“Hey, you got this I’ll be right here with ya.” He returned the squeeze to your hand and fishes through his pocket for two tickets to hand over at the entrance. “Up ya go.” He mutters as he helps you up the three stairs leading into the egg ride thing you were entering before he stepped in behind you and took his place next to you. You were already holding a death grip on the center console when the door was shut, and Steve sat next to you. “You know what this is?” He asked gesturing to the disk you were holding onto with the vice grip.
“Something for me to hold onto?” You shocked yourself with how violently your voice was shaking as you heard something start to rumble around you. “Oh, shit its moving.” Steve let a quick chuckle out before he stopped himself and tried explaining the center console would cause the pod thing to spin. “Fuck no! Don’t you dare make this thing spin.” Bloody murder was not even near definitive enough of how much you were screaming.
“Babe, babe calm down, it’s fine! I promise, ha!” In comparison to your screaming, Steve seemed to be having the time of his life as he laughed; at least he wasn’t making the ride spin. “Babe, babe, babe, I’m so sorry I’m laughing, I promise I didn’t mean to, but you were screaming so much! And it was hilarious!” Steve held onto his sides as he nearly fell out of the pod and waited for you to follow his laughing self. When you didn’t step out, he turned back around and saw you still had your hands clenched very tightly to the metal plate, your eyes wide and your lips pursed together. “Sweetheart, I didn’t mean to make you feel bad about the rides, do you wanna go home?”
Hearing him soften up got you to finally look at him and slowly let go of the wheel. “N-n-no. I’m…” You paused to catch your breath and steady your voice. “I’m good, I just don’t know if I can do any more of these kinds of things.” Taking his hand, you pulled yourself up and stepped out from the ride and have yourself a few seconds to remember how to use your legs.
“You okay?” You nodded at him and gave a shaky, but okay smile. “You sure you wanna do another one? Cause we can go-”
“No, no, I can do…” The carnival really did have more rides than just ones that wanted to make you die, but none that really made you want to jump on them. “Can we do the carousel? I know I can do that one at least, my mom took me on them enough as a kid to be desensitized to those ones.” Steve looked over and saw the carousel that was filled predominately by smaller children, but if you wanted to do this and it was because he bought the tickets, he couldn’t make her do something else.
“If that’s what you wanna do, then we can do the carousel all night long, babe.” You nodded at him and followed him as he took your hand and the two began the walk to the carousel.
The carousel ride was much less curse filled, thankfully. You and Steve had found a pair of horses sitting side by side and the two of you quickly claimed them. Like you had said, you did get to enjoy this ride due to having done it before and you were able to just chat between the two of you, talking about how the kids were cute, how excited you were to take the kids to the park and not have to rides. It was a fine ride, definitely better than the last one.
“You ready to go home, babe?” Steve turned to you with a smile on his face. Getting you to ride two of the rides was honestly enough for him, plus, he knew Dustin would ride all of them with him later, with you waiting at the end for him.
You were about to agree and leave this eventful evening behind you, but you saw what Steve was standing near and bit your lip. Should you do it? Could you do it? “Actually, I wanna do one more.” He gave a quick quirk of his head before he followed your eyeline and turned around.
“What? Babe, we don’t have to do that, you have been through enough today and you were great, you don’t have to prove anything.”
“But...you have been wanting to do it, you told me about it one time.” You responded a little shyly as you confessed that you were doing it back of what he told you that one time. “I just...I really want you to be able to do it.”
“You...you remembered?” Steve was kind of shocked that you remembered him mentioning it, he had told that to girls in the past, but none of them really went out of their way to think about it, hell, even to remember it. “Are you su-”
“Steve, yes, I wanna do it with you.” The grin on his face was immaculate and contagious as one grew on your face as he quickly took this well and pulled you towards the line to the Ferris Wheel and dug around in his pockets for another round of tickets.
As it went around, you felt your stomach grow heavy again when you finally saw how high it got and had to calm yourself down without causing another scene. “Come on, babe, looks like ours is up.” He gently tugged on your hand and pulled you into the seat next to him before the handlebar was lowered and locked in front of you. “And here we go!”
The squeak that left your mouth was nothing but surprise and terror as you clung onto the bar for your life, your knuckles turning white with the sheer force you were holding on. “It’s really stupid you know that the only thing holding us back from falling to our death is this small bar and it’s really stupid because was if I was reall-holy shit this is really tall!” You finally removed your hands from the bar and moved to press yourself in Steve.
You could feel him trying to stop himself from giggling as he moved his arm to wrap it around you. “You can laugh you know; I really don’t care. I’m the coward of an almost twenty-year-old who’s scared of a carnival.” A chuckle did come through as the ride kept rotating and you slowly moved closer to the bottom.
“I’m not laughing at you, babe, but the noises you are making are fricking hilarious.” His voice still held the chuckle as he pressed a kiss to the side of your head, and you responded with another squeak of shock as you started rising again.
Making it to the top again, you were waiting for it to hit its peak and for the relief of lowering the cart to begin, but instead there was a shudder before the ride stopped. “What’s going on, what’s going on, why are we stopped? Oh god we are about to die, fuck, shit, I don’t wanna die.”
“Babe, calm down, someone below us is getting off so they had to stop the ride for a bit. Remember when we had to get on? Same thing probably happened to someone else.” You nodded your head and just stared ahead to the tops of the trees you never thought you would have seen.
“It’s...it’s not too bad up here.” You finally mutter after a few beats of silence and getting your bearings. “I wouldn’t want to stay up here, but it does look nice.” Steve hummed in agreement and pulled you a little closer. “Hey Stevie?”
“Hmm?” He responded looking down at you.
“Thanks, tonight was fun.”
His face broke out into a grin again at your thanks. “Of course, thanks for giving a few of these rides a chance.” Smiling up at him, you sat a little straighter and caught his lips with your own, the two of you humming to the other that you were happy with your evening.
Though it was not as long as Steve would have wanted to stay in that moment with you (the ride started again and you broke away with another shriek), but he wouldn’t have traded that moment for anything else in his life.
142 notes · View notes
ardent-musings · 4 years ago
Text
“Prove It To Me”
Neville Longbottom Smut
based off this request
Tumblr media
EVERYONE IN THIS STORY IS OF LEGAL AGE AND CONSENTING
Warnings: NSFW 18+, rough!neville, swearing, light choking, oral sex f receiving, handcuffs, gagging, vaginal sex, aftercare (i think that’s it. if i forgot something so sorry.)
Your hands were playing with the hair at the nape of Neville’s neck, scratching at the skin lightly. He moaned into you mouth at the feeling, your smiles and giggles mixed together as you continued to kiss him. Many nights ended like this with Neville, with you on his lap and his hands holding you close to him at your waist. There was no way of telling how much time passed when you were with Neville. It never mattered.
When you pulled away for air, Neville still followed you, not wanting his lips off you for a second. He was softly kissing the length of your neck, humming blissfully at the smell of your floral shampoo.
You loved the feel of his soft lips on you, but your body rocked in surprise once he bit down near your jawline. A whine escaped your lips at the sting, making you stare at Neville who had a cheeky smirk plastered across his face.
“Neville, did you bite me?” You chuckled, the rhythm of your heart quickening as you took notice of your boyfriend’s darker glare.
“I did,” he smiled.
“But why?”
“Because I wanted to, petal. Why is it so strange for me to want to do that? Did you not like it?”
Neville was mistaking your surprise with objection, your hands immediately met his chest and rubbed him affectionately to soothe his nerves. 
“No! I liked it,” you laughed, your hands now cupping his pretty face and running your thumb over the bit of stubble that was growing despite his shaving, “I just figured, you know, since you’re more on the inn-”
Your words were halted by Neville wrapping his hand behind your neck to pull you in for a harder kiss. The air was stripped from your lungs, causing a pit of fire to grow in your gut. His hands were digging a bit harder at your waist, causing you to mewl against his teasing lips. Neville was usually a more romantic kisser, preferring the slowness and soft sighs. But this Neville was biting at your bottom lip as his hands started pulling on your soft hair in a fist. When he pulled away, it was now you whose desire sought him out.
“I’m quiet, love. Sure. Never said I was innocent,” he chuckled casually at your now breathless form. “Believe me, I have thought about doing so much shit that your head would spin. I mean, if you were surprised by me biting your neck than I don’t think you actually want to know what exactly it is I’d like to do you, darling.”
His words were not ones you would expect, but to say your curiosity was piqued would be an understatement.
“Like what?”
Your voice was quieter than you intended it to be, but Neville’s implication already left you desperate with the mere thought of what he wanted to do to your body. 
He bit the inside of his cheek as he focused his attention only on you before he shuffled up the bed to lean against the headboard. “C’mere love. Lay up against me.”
You followed his instructions, settling your back against his front as he placed kisses behind your ear, nibbling and licking at your perfumed skin. The feeling of his hard body behind you made you think of how good he looked with absolutely nothing on, and the need to see him again flooded you. 
“I have thought about a lot of things, doll,” his hum rumbled behind you, making your stomach drop from the sound of his low tone, “I have thought of playing with you in front of a mirror, so you’re forced to watch yourself cum. Or getting down on the floor in the middle of class and eating you out.”
Neville was now tracing his hand along your thigh as his other hand grabbed your throat, lightly pinching at the sides. A rush fled to your head leaving you feeling floaty and weak yet exhilarated at the same time. 
“But my personal favorite would have to be me cuffing you to my bed and doing whatever the hell I wanted with you, darling. God, I swear I’d make you feel so good.”
His grip lessened around your throat as he started to nibble your ear while he grabbed you thigh, making your legs spread. 
“Yes.” 
Neville’s motions stopped at your breathless request but they resumed as you dipped your head onto his shoulder. 
“Yes, what, sunflower?” He continued to pepper kisses to the side of your face. 
“If you want to cuff me to the bed then I want to try it,” you admitted as your hips started wiggling against his bulge. 
His hand at your throat dipped beneath your shirt, the feeling of his teasing fingertips left you aching for more as they danced around your ribcage.
“You sure you want that love? Cause I may seem cute, but if you were to be restrained to my bed, I guarantee nothing cute will come from that,” his hand on your leg now trailed the lace of your panties with a single finger, teasing you in a way you never though Neville would.
“Absolutely, please, Neville. Prove it to me.”
Suddenly, the strong body behind you was now gone, making you fall onto the pillow at the top of Neville’s bed. He has already retreated to his chest while you were left wondering if you did anything wrong. You were about to blabber an apology until he stood back up, tall and assured with a pair of muggle handcuffs dangling from his hand.
“Believe me, doll. I’ll prove it to you. Strip then lay back down.”
Your stomach twisted in both delight and anxiousness as you flung each piece of fabric from your body, the promise of metal against wood and skin left you eager for whatever Neville wanted to do to you. You laid down like he instructed and reveled at his pleased smile. 
“Good girl,” his large hands grabbed your own and situated them above your head, weaving the cuffs through the wooden pegs at his headboard and securing your wrists in the metal rings with a click. 
With your body on full display for him, splayed out like a puzzle, he started nipping and licking at the base of your throat. Nothing got Neville hard like the sound of your whiny moans. His teeth grazed the tip of your nipple, making you arch underneath his teasing touches. You needed more. 
“Please, Nev,” you moaned as he started tracing delicate circles on your inner thigh. “Please just fuck me already.”
Usually you needed some form of foreplay in order to take all of Neville comfortably, but with the way he had been teasing you with just his words, your body was already dripping. 
Neville once again stood up from the bed, finding your discarded lace panties and bunching them up in his hand as he found your wand on the table beside his bed and placing it in your hand. 
“Why do I need my wand?” You asked breathlessly. Neville had started discarding his cardigan and pants, leaving you to gawk at his ever evolving body. 
“Because I am going to stuff your mouth with these pretty panties, love,” he explained. He feared you were going to turn down the idea, but with the way you bit your lip and smiled lazily at him, he knew you were fine with it. “But if at any point you want me to stop, you have your wand to blast my ass off, understand?”
“Yes,” you hummed excitedly.
With a smile, Neville grabbed your delicate panties and shoved the material into your mouth. It wasn’t as strange as you thought it would be, but your scream was muffled as your hungry boy suddenly started sucking at your clit without warning. Had you not been gagged, the Slytherins in the dungeons would have heard your moans. 
Your back arched as Neville pumped his middle and ring finger into you, massaging the spot that made your heart stop. It was glorious torture, being paired with the tempo of his lips against your clit. But it was the vibrations from his growl that made you cry out. You were about to come undone until Neville fully abandoned his work, leaving you frustrated and delirious. The disgruntled cries were silenced by your own panties, leaving you truly helpless. 
But Neville soon returned with his cock in hand, stroking quickly as he rolled on a condom, getting himself ready for you. 
“Did you actually think I’d allow you to cum on anything other than my dick, lovebug?” He mocked as he teased your swollen clit with the tip of him. Once again, your moan drowned into nothingness. “I’m gonna go hard darling. I’ll ask one last time, are you sure you’re ready?”
You furiously nodded at his question, physically widening your legs to wordlessly tell him that you were ready for him. He smiled and kissed your ankle before lining up and sinking into you hard and fast. It was wonderfully rough, the way he nipped at your chest with his hands gripping your shoulder to pound you into the mattress. Your orgasm from before was growing and with the drag of his pelvis against your clit, it only took a few thrusts for you to get off. 
The feeling bubbled and boiled over, making your hands pull at the cuffs and cry out with pleasure, although Neville gave no sign off stopping. 
“Poor thing. You came already?” He groaned into your ear, his breath hot as he used his strong arms to hold him over you, “I’m not done yet, so let’s see if we can get you there again, yeah?”
You couldn’t wipe your tears, but Neville kissed them away as he continued to rock into you, not even allowing you to come down from your first orgasm. Your body was in limbo of wanting to calm down while building back up with every drag of his cock against you. 
His breathing grew heavier, finding your squeezing around him the most perfect vice, and it only made him growl and fuck you harder, growing more confident every time you cursed and moaned around your panties. He kept his eye on your wand, making sure he was aware of your state, but you never made a move to need it. All you needed was to come in time with Neville. 
“Fuck!” He moaned loudly as he continued to sink into you. His hips were smacking you so perfectly; it was a filthy sound and suddenly, you were right back at your high. “I’m gonna cum.”
He rubbed your clit with his thumb gently as you screamed into the bitten cloth, your body shaking and heaving from the incredible fucking from your boyfriend. You collapsed against the bed, searching for breath as he released your hands from the cuffs and went to kiss you. When your lips met, he bit down on the panties and took them out of your mouth between his teeth. 
The rest of the night was filled with gentle acts of pampering. He rubbed a balm over your sore wrists so the aftermath would be minimal, dressing you in his cardigan and whispering soft praises over and over again. Cuddles and homemade tea was shared between you two, leaving you utterly and thoroughly loved.
You were wrong about Neville. He was sweet. He was kind. But dear lord, he was not innocent.
179 notes · View notes
wyn-n-tonic · 4 years ago
Text
Golden, Like Daylight -- Part V
Word Count: 2,005 Warnings: PTSD. Allusions to sex (it borders on the edge of smut but we should know by now I'm shit at that). Hint of a praise kink. Bit of marking kink. Death. Ben Affleck. Author's Note: The last few chapters have taken a lot out of me, I put a lot of my own experiences with PTSD and mental health into them. I tried to make this fluffy, I needed that comfort after a hard week and I feel lighter for it. As always, thank you so much for your kind words and loving this like I do.
MASTERLIST | PART: I | II | III | IV | V | VI | VII | VIII | IX
Tumblr media
“Fuck you.” Benny stares straight into Tom’s eyes. "This is my fuck you money.” The held breaths are louder than gunshots, waiting for a reaction that doesn’t come.
Cold Camp Davis grunts a laugh, “We don’t have enough men to carry all this money so we might as well be warm.”
Benny giggles like a child as he grabs a strap, zippo clicking to ignition again.
The laughter that bubbles up is like a light, warmer than the thousands of dollars burning bright against his eyes.
Frankie, you might as well take your salary out on the front lawn and pour some kerosene on it.
He hears it so clearly in his head and in his heart, Leah teasing him for all the lights being on the first time he took her home.
Tom stands up, dumping an entire case down to tinder in the cold air.
Eight dates in and she’d already witnessed one of his attacks. It was the third date, he’d wanted to take her home that night. His body on hers for hours. Wanted to make breakfast the next morning, having already committed to memory the way she takes her coffee. Instead, she spent that night holding tightly to his hands as his panic crescendoed in the backseat of his car.
If it wasn’t then that he realized he loved her, it was in the way she turned to look at him when he quietly said,
The lights being on make me feel safe.
It wasn’t pity, like he’s used to. It wasn’t the look somebody gives a broken man with a broken mind and a broken soul. The only change he found in the already soft features was an understanding behind the dark eyes staring back at him.
This fire makes him feel safe now.
He’s always straining in the dark. It’s not just about watching his six. It’s all twelve hands on deck with two eyes and a ringing in his ears so intense he can feel it in his toes.
But here? It beats back against the edges of gloom that have continuously threatened to consume him.
He can sweep enclosed spaces in minutes, assess the situation and the danger within. It’s a lot harder in the extended wilds, nothing but the moon to guide the eye.
Before Leah—and for a while there after—he combed room for room upon his arrival home. He’d ask her to stay in the car, his conceal carry coming out as soon as the door would swing open.
He’d sheepishly grin, collecting her from the passenger side after his survey and she’d hug him. Holding tightly around his middle section, pressing her cold hands up under his shirt to that hot place where his heart beats and whisper with genuine gratitude,
Thank you for protecting me, Frankie.
It was never condescending, that’s all he ever wanted to do. Protect her. Protect himself. Protect the men giggling like schoolboys around him right now.
And he liked being told what a good job he did at that. —————
“What's Frankie short for?” Barely audible, her breath fanning across his chest as she continues to catch it. Like willing waves of normalcy in the aftermath of a hurricane.
“Francisco.”
“Francisco,” she repeats, dragging out the o. “Do you like it?”
“Used to make me feel like I was in trouble, very harsh coming from pissed off higher ups and even angrier parents but it sounds…” he thinks on that for a second, the events of the night still rippling through his body, “a lot sweeter in your mouth.”
“Watch yourself,” she hums a kiss into the flat plane of his breast before sinking her teeth into the flesh there, biting as hard as she can.
A chuckle vibrates from deep within him, “one hell of a bite too, I won’t soon forget.”
He looks down into her eyes, bright with mischief as she pulls her bottom lip between her teeth now. He’d had hickeys before but never like this. He surveys the purple marks across his body, somehow burning brighter than the rest of him, and a contentedness pools in the pit of his stomach. Her stamps on him in easily hidden spaces to match the lipstick stains she’s started marking across his right cheek in the moments before they walk into the bar or the restaurant.
Little ways she says mine.
And he is hers. He knows it in the steady way his lungs rise and fall underneath her now.
He brushes a soft wave from where it tickles across her nose, “is Leah short for anything?”
Her nose scrunches, “not a goddamn thing.”
“Do you know what it means then?” His large hand is sprawled across her lower back, the weight of it an anchor.
Don’t leave me, it says.
“I don’t know,” she drawls, the slight twang coming forward in moments of exhaustion and inebriation, “just think my mama liked the sound of it is all.”
His heart is blazing underneath her cheek as she settles against him once more, her soft voice tumbles towards him, “Francisco…” as her eyelashes brush against his skin and he swears he can count them all on sensation alone.
“Yeah, baby?”
He feels a smile tug at her lips, stopped in its tracks where she’s rooted into him. It’s the first time he’s called her that.
“I have nightlights.”
The light makes her feel safe too. —————
He’s standing over Tom’s body and he hates to admit it but the feeling washing over him is one of relief.
Relief mingled with guilt.
Guilt that nobody was watching his six, his back wide open to the world behind it. Five seasoned fucking veterans and nobody watching the higher ground.
Relief at the silence he knows will engulf the group now. No more orders from a child who should’ve never been granted the lead to begin with.
Guilt because he was climbing up a fucking rock when he should’ve been doing his job as a friend and brother.
Relief that it wasn’t his brains splashed across stone.
His head is fucking pounding and it has been for days, pain dulled by consistency but never not there.
At least I can feel my fucking head.
He thinks of all the other things he can feel now, the things service beat from his body.
The ache in his limbs, heavy with exhaustion.
He’s dreading adding the dead weight of a dead body to the load.
The pang in his stomach, too used to consistently hot food.
He wants black coffee and bacon and tiny spoonfuls of sweet potato puree he airplanes into his own mouth to show Luna it won’t hurt her. Hell, he’d take the mushed peas right now.
Benny’s sobbing. The one amongst them all that never breaks is the broken one now.
He’s staring off again at everything and nothing, Santiago and Will unfurling bags for the body.
What a present to bring home.
It was always the risk they faced, they knew it.
If you were lucky, truly lucky, you came home whole. Untouched, unscathed, unmarred. The safe deployments, the technical shit, the brains behind the operations never seeing bloodshed. Everybody else though? Some were held together by duct tape and pure grit.
Others tied up in a flag with a bow.
Daddy’s not coming home but here’s a purple heart for the dress uniform he’ll never wear again.
I should’ve done more.
He’s not getting a purple heart for this.
I should’ve held on tighter.
He didn’t die in service to his country, he died in service to himself.
I should’ve made a bigger issue of the weight.
Another family he’s failed to protect.
I should’ve said no. —————
The darkness is cut through with a warm glow in every outlet as the clock tips over the edge of midnight.
Wednesday, the eleventh of October.
Nose to nose, the excitement of the day hangs over them like a wave threatening to crash. A giddiness in their bed forcing sleep to the edges of thought.
“Do you think they’re gonna know?” Her voice is soft, featherlight. Trying not to disturb the peaceful bubble they find themselves in now.
“No,” he lifts to press his lips gently into hers, “but I can’t promise I won’t shout it out on the altar.”
Panic takes her eyes, he knows it all too well and he’s gripping tighter before she can inhale. Fingers splayed across the small of her back, the weight of it a comfort to the tender bones and aching muscles.
I'm right here, it says.
“Breathe, breathe,” he’s speaking softly into her hair, “it was just a joke, baby.”
“You're not funny, Francisco Morales.” She speaks it like a fact, like she doesn’t spend hours in his arms filling his head with the music of her laughter. She says it like he isn’t watching smile lines appear in real time, falling more in love with each one.
“Would it be so bad though? If I did? If people knew?” It’s hope in his voice that she’ll say yes. That he can announce to his best friends all at once, every single one, before Santi leaves again. He doesn't want his happiness to arrive by text message. He wants to see the light of congratulation dancing around him.
“I don’t want to jinx it,” she’s scared, “besides… it’s not traditional.”
He scoffs, “what about us has ever been traditional, mi alma?”
“I'll make you a deal,” her fingers run through the stubble along his jaw, thumbs lingering over the patches, “don’t shave this tomorrow and you can tell the boys.”
“You want me to keep this malnourished shit on my face? For our wedding?”
Her giggles vibrate against him, “Yes. I have plans for it after you say I do.”
He growls, “this deal sounds pretty sweet to my lazy soul, what do you get out of it?”
“Hmm…” she brings her hand up to tap on her chin, “well, to begin, I’m getting a hot husba—”
“Debatable.”
“I'll fuck you up, Morales, take the compliment.”
He laughs a kiss into her, “what else?”
“Benny and Will will become automatic attack dogs around me, I’m fairly certain they will clear their schedules for all of April to stand guard outside the room. My own personal security team.”
He laughs again at the truth in her words, “what else?”
She pushes forward again, taking his lip between hers. A soft kiss with the burning desire for more.
“I’ll wake up on Thursday morning with a rawness between my legs that I’m usually only gifted on the weekends.”
His grip tightens, any suggestion of sleep leaving his body in a rush of blood straight through him, “I will never shave again.”
“Don't threaten me with a good time, my love.”
He rolls himself into her at that, kissing down her jaw. Her neck. The sensitive skin of her breasts, low lying cotton barely above indecency. He raises the hem, the curve of her belly burning hot against his lips, two hearts now beating inside her.
He grabs the elastic around her hips and gently pulls, kisses so soft across her pelvis they feign an innocence to his true intentions. Her legs kick out to help discard the fabric tangling her ankles as he settles broad shoulders at the base of her being.
Her fingers twirl through the soft curls that have been crushed against a pillow for hours by her side.
He kisses her soft thighs, slowly dragging his rough cheek against the delicate flesh.
“Francisco,” her fingers flex tighter as he looks up to meet her eyes, “don’t be such a fucking tease.”
He smiles wide, the devilish grin splitting his face as he drops his eyes to where she wants him, the fever that’s taken over her body in the last three months beckoning him in.
His hands are heavy on her hips, clenching deep purple into her. Marks in easily hidden spaces, his little ways of saying mine.
TAGLIST: @justanotherblonde23​ | @greeneyedblondie44​ | @icanbeyourjedi​ | @princess76179​ | @bbuckysbeardd​ | @notcookiebelle​ | @knivesareout​ | @phoenixpascal​ | @lexi-b-writes​ | @empress-palpat1ne​ 
113 notes · View notes
fanficshiddles · 4 years ago
Text
Trust, Chapter 26
Tumblr media
Not long after Loki had left, Darcy saw Jane dragging a large suitcase down the corridor towards the front door.
‘Jane? Where are you going?’ She asked, confused.
‘I’m leaving!’
‘Well, clearly. But why? And where?’ Darcy folded her arms over her chest.
‘Thor dumped me. Alright?’ Jane snapped.
Darcy’s eyebrows went flying up. ‘Oh… Sorry to hear that.’
‘No, you’re not!’ Jane snapped at her again.
‘Hey, I don’t know what the hell your problem has been with me for this last year. But don’t take it out on me, I’ve done nothing wrong to you. It’s not my fault if Thor has dumped you.’ Darcy said firmly.
Jane sighed and pinched the bridge of her nose. ‘It is your fault he’s dumped me. He said he was jealous of what you and Loki have. That we aren’t as fun as you two are. You aren’t even a couple! It’s ridiculous!’ Jane screeched.
Darcy was surprised to hear that.
‘I… wow. Well, again, not my fault that I’m such an ace friend.’
‘Piss off, Darcy.’ Jane said, having had enough she continued on.
‘Fine, be like that!’ Darcy shook her head and headed off.
But then she realised, would The Avengers still want her here if Jane wasn’t working here anymore? She was technically still her apprentice.
She came across Tony and Natasha in the lab.
‘Do you guys know that Jane has just stormed out with her suitcase?’ She asked them, pointing over her shoulder.
‘Yep.’ Natasha nodded. ‘We witnessed the whole thing before Thor left, unfortunately. Thor telling her it was over, it was… brutal.’
‘Wow… Okayyy…’ Darcy didn’t know where to go from there.
‘You’re not gonna leave us too though, are you kid?’ Tony asked, looking worried.
‘No! No… I mean, not unless you want me to go?’ Darcy asked.
‘Hell no! You’re too much fun having around.’ Tony went over and ruffled her hair, she whacked his arm and laughed.
‘Well, as long as you’re not chucking me out, I’m staying.’ She smiled.
‘Blake is welcome to stay, too. I know he doesn’t live here, but he’s smart. I wouldn’t mind taking him on as my apprentice if he wants.’ Tony offered.
‘Oh, cool. I’ll see what he says, I’m sure he would love it.’ Darcy smiled.
She then went to find Blake, he was in the library getting some books for research. Darcy told him that Jane wasn’t here anymore, so he didn’t need to get the books now. She then told him about Tony’s offer and he was so excited about it.
‘So, is Loki gone?’ Blake asked as he went with Darcy back to her room. They decided to have a movie day.
‘Yeah, he’s off to get married.’ Darcy said, trying to keep happy.
But she felt a horrible feeling in the pit of her stomach that she couldn’t get rid of.
-
‘You used to hang out with Loki a lot.’ Blake commented later in the day, when he and Darcy finished their second film.
‘So?’ She looked at him.
‘Well… It’s a bit weird, isn’t it?’ Blake asked.
‘No… How is it weird? People hang out with their friends all the time.’ She frowned.
‘I know. But, is he just your friend?’
‘What’s that supposed to mean?’ Darcy sat up straight and glared at him. ‘He’s my best friend.’
Blake’s eyes widened a little. ‘I just mean… You seem to spend a hell of a lot of time with him. And you’re always laughing with him, way more than with me. You seem most comfortable around him.’
‘Are you jealous of my friendship with Loki?’ Darcy stood up and put her hands on her hips. ‘I’ve known Loki a lot longer than you, and been through a lot with him. He’s literally saved my life. He’s not a bad person like people think. And the one time I slept with him was a one-night stand when you weren’t even in existence in my life!’
‘You’ve slept with him?’ Blake asked, shocked.
Darcy frowned. ‘I’m surprised the others didn’t tell you already. It’s no big deal, I wouldn’t do that now I’m with someone. We were both single, feeling good after a party with alcohol, both horny.’ She shrugged. ‘It’s not exactly a big secret, everyone else knows.’
Blake ran his hand down his face and sat forward on the bed.
‘Where has all this come from? You know I like you, Blake.’ Darcy sat down again.
‘Do you love me?’ He asked, turning to face her.
‘Wh… what?’
‘Do you love me?’
Darcy sighed. ‘It’s too soon, Blake. You know I don’t bond easily, I’ve told you this. I really like you, and could I see myself with you in the future? Yes. Do I love you right now? Not in the way you want, not yet. It takes time.’ She tried to be as sincere as possible, she knew Blake loved her quite early on in their relationship.
‘Do you love Loki?’ Blake asked and looked directly at her.
She frowned. ‘Well… I…’
‘It’s a simple question, Darcy. Do you love Loki?’
‘Of course I do, but not romantically. He’s been in my life a long time, I trust him with my life. As I said, he’s my best friend.’
‘Why do you not love him romantically?’ Blake asked.
She paused for a minute, thinking. Why didn’t she? Or… did she? Was that what all these feelings were lately, coming to a head?
‘Because… I’m with you, and Loki is getting married, probably right now as we speak.’
‘But if you weren’t with me, and he wasn’t getting married… Would you be romantically involved with him right now?’ Blake asked seriously.
‘No… why are you being like this? You’ve never said you’ve had an issue with him before?’
‘Because you’ve been so distracted today. I know you’re thinking about him getting married.’ Blake sighed.
‘Yeah, cause he’s my best friend and I’m not able to be there.’ Darcy shrugged.
‘Stop with the crap, Darcy. You’re just lying to yourself now, not just me. Go and stop him. I’m sure it’s not too late.’ Blake smiled softly and put his hand on her shoulder. He knew he would never have her true love.
‘Wh… What? I’m… I’m with you, Blake.’ Darcy’s eyes widened.
‘You’re not a bad person, Darcy. But your heart belongs to Loki, not me. You just need to admit it to each other, before you both get in too deep with someone else.’
Darcy felt her heart pounding against her chest as the realisation washed over her.
She didn’t love Blake. She never would, when all she wanted was what she had with Loki. Whether that love was romantically? She wasn’t entirely sure, but she knew that she didn’t want to live without him. She loved him, as a friend. Maybe more…
-
Darcy ran as fast as she could through the compound. Natasha and Clint tried to stop her, but she just barged past them without stopping. ‘Can’t stop! Need to stop the wedding!’ She yelled as she kept running.
By the time she got outside onto the green, she was exhausted. She was not a runner.
‘Come on, think think think. What’s his name?’ She muttered as she looked up to the sky. ‘Himding? No… Himdill? Agh fuck!’ She hit her forehead a few times, trying to think. Then she suddenly remembered.
‘HEIMDALL!’ She shouted up to the sky.
Suddenly the bifrost opened up over her and she was whisked through space to Asgard.
She quickly stumbled into the observatory and looked up at Heimdall.
‘That is not as smooth alone… Thanks for getting me here! I wasn’t sure if it would work without Loki or Thor.’ She said sheepishly.
‘The Allmother told me to keep an eye on you.’ Heimdall smiled slightly.
Darcy’s eyes widened. ‘I… I don’t know where I need to go now.’
‘There is a horse waiting for you.’ Heimdall tipped his head slightly to the side.
Darcy rushed outside and there was indeed a horse waiting.
After many attempts to get on, one of the attempts included her falling straight off the other side. But eventually she managed to scramble on and get the horse moving into a trot. She bounced around all over the place but managed to remain on until she got to the palace.
There was a guard outside, Birger. He rushed over and took hold of the horse’s reins, holding him steady as she slid down.
‘Miss Lewis. Nice to see you again.’ He said politely with a nod.
‘Oh, hi Birger. I’m sorry, I need to find Loki! To get to the wedding. Am I too late?’ She said in a rush as she blew at her hair to get it out of her face.
‘The wedding? It’s too late... They already left for Vanaheim, where it’s being held. The ceremony will likely be over, onto the celebrations now.’ His face dropped when he saw how sad Darcy looked.
‘Oh… I’m too late.’ She looked down and then behind her. ‘Well, I suppose I better go home again then.’
‘I’m sorry, Miss Lewis.’ He said sadly. ‘I will guide you back to the Bifrost.’ He offered.
‘It’s ok. I will just walk, I don’t think my butt could take anymore riding.’ She joked, smiling, but it wasn’t her usual smile that reached her eyes. ‘Thanks, Birger. Maybe see you again soon.’
‘Take care, Miss Lewis.’ Birger nodded to her again.
Darcy slowly made her way back to the observatory. She was half regretting not riding back, it had been quite a trek.
‘Can you uh, get me back home?’ Darcy asked Heimdall.
He nodded once. ‘If that’s what you wish.’
‘Yeah. I was too late. As always, Darcy Lewis is never on time!’ She said as she flailed her arms up. ‘Tell Loki congratulations when he gets back.’
Heimdall said nothing as he unlocked the Bifrost and sent Darcy back home to Earth.
62 notes · View notes
dont-tempt-me-frodo · 4 years ago
Text
Crossroads
Impalaloompa on ao3
Geralt and Jaskier stood quietly at the crossroads. To the west lay Oxenfurt. To the north, the road towards the mountains and then eventually, Kaer Morhen.
They found themselves in this exact spot every year once the biting chill in the air signalled the coming of winter. Jaskier heading off towards the city, guest lecturing at the college, cosy and warm in the luxurious chambers allocated to him. Geralt trekking into the wilderness to join his brothers at the Witcher’s keep, catching up with their news, blocking up holes in the mortar to snuff out the drafts. They’d come together again in the spring after nearly three months apart and carry on travelling together, pretending that they hadn’t spent every single minute missing the other desperately.
The same routine, every year for eight years now.
But this year was different. This year there was an ache that panged so deep it rendered even the chatty bard stuck for words as they prepared to say their farewells.
Jaskier glanced at Geralt. The Witcher had his eyes cast down, gripping the reins of his mare tightly. There were so many things he wanted to say, that he always meant to say at this crossroads at the start of winter, but he always stopped himself.
It had taken a long time, but Geralt was comfortable and open around him. Jaskier was the only person besides Geralt’s kin who truly knew Geralt, and in return, he had let the Witcher know him. All of him. Their friendship was almost as famous as themselves by now, but Jaskier’s feelings for Geralt ran deeper than that. He had fallen and fallen hard. He hadn’t meant to. It wasn’t a gradual realisation. It had hit him one day like a punch to the gut, crashing into him and forcing the breath from him. He was in love with his best friend. And he had no way of knowing if Geralt felt the same way about him.
The Witcher had taken long enough to accept the idea that they were friends. Jaskier didn’t want to risk making him uncomfortable and pushing him away by confessing how he really felt. So, it was his secret, forced down and ignored, letting it gnaw away inside his chest until eventually he was no longer able to shake the hollow feeling that followed him around.  
If Geralt noticed something was off about him, he didn’t say. Spending the years either avoiding or being blissfully ignorant of the bard’s inner turmoil. Jaskier couldn’t blame him really. Geralt wasn’t particularly brilliant at picking up social cues. He was getting better, but even after eight years in Jaskier’s company, the Witcher still landed them in trouble with his awkwardness in certain social situations.
Jaskier let out a shaky sigh, his breath billowing about him in a steamy cloud. He tightened his woollen cloak around him and shuffled his feet.
“Well…” he hummed, his smile not quite reaching his eyes, “I guess this is us for now.”
Geralt’s amber gaze rested on his own blue. The Witcher’s expression was unreadable. Jaskier’s heart picked up a pace.
“Can’t believe it’s been a year already since we were last here. How time flies when you’re having fun,” Jaskier chirped, trying to gauge Geralt’s reaction.
The Witcher just grunted.
He didn’t know what he was expecting really. This was how it always went. Jaskier doing most of the talking, Geralt being stoic, just watching the bard as he retrieved his lute and pack from Roach’s saddle, his amber eyes brimming with an emotion that Jaskier always struggled to place.
“I’ll see you in the spring,” Jaskier slung his lute over his shoulder and retied the strings of his pack just to make sure it was secure.
As he straightened up, he was met with the Witcher’s bulk and strong arms were thrown around him in quick, hard hug. Before Jaskier had the chance to return the embrace, Geralt was stepping away and Jaskier’s gut knotted. This was how it always went.  
“Be safe,” Geralt grumbled and Jaskier quirked him a soft smile.
“You too,” he placed a hand on Geralt’s shoulder, squeezing slightly, trying to convey every unspoken emotion with the pressure of his fingertips, then he let his hand drop so he could pick up his pack.
Jaskier gave Roach a gentle pat on her velvety nose and then turned to head towards Oxenfurt.
He could feel Geralt’s amber eyes boring into him as he walked away, but he kept his gaze ahead, resisting the tugging need to look back. He knew that if he did, he’d never leave.
It took him the rest of the day to reach the next small village. The tightness in his chest thrumming in time with every thump of his aching heart.
He tucked himself away at a table in the corner of the pokey little tavern, not really in the mood for playing for the patrons, just letting the warmth of the hearth and the rich stew in his belly dull the well of hurt inside him.
Once in Oxenfurt he could throw himself into music and teaching and winter markets, but for now, he let himself feel it, everything he couldn’t express around the Witcher in fear of losing him.
The hours ticked by and the few patrons milling about returned home for the evening.
Jaskier was mentally preparing himself to make the journey from his table up the stairs to his room for the night, absently watching the barkeep collect tankards and dishes from the tightly packed tables, when the door slammed open, letting a wave of cold air sweep the room and making the flames dance in the hearth.  
The barkeep looked up and Jaskier stilled in shock.
Silhouetted against the inky darkness, stood Geralt.
Jaskier’s heart leaped into his throat, his initial thoughts turning to concern. What had happened? What had gone wrong? Was he hurt?
Geralt’s eyes practically glowed in the low light as he dragged them across the room and landed on the bard.
Jaskier threw himself from the table, rushing at Geralt as the Witcher marched towards him.
“Geralt what-?” Jaskier was cut off as Geralt crashed their mouths together in a bruising kiss.
The Witcher’s hands cupped his cheeks, pulling him in impossibly closer and Jaskier whined.
Lips slid against lips in desperate fervency until Jaskier was breathless with it. He curled his arms around the back of Geralt’s neck and the Witcher took hold of his waist, walking him backwards until he banged into a wooden pillar with a grunt.
Jaskier’s entire body was on fire. Heat tingled in his gut, spreading through his core and prickling along his skin. His heart was thundering in his chest and he twisted his fingers into Geralt’s silver hair in an attempt to ground himself.
Eventually Geralt broke the kiss, dropping his head so that his forehead bumped against Jaskier’s chin. The pair were panting, quivering, still pressed flush together as the initial adrenaline wore off, leaving them both giddy.
“Geralt,” Jaskier whispered.
The Witcher lifted his head and the fire in those amber eyes made Jaskier’s knees weak.
“I’m such an idiot,” Geralt growled, “I shouldn’t have let you leave. I always let you leave…”
“W-what?” Jaskier blinked rapidly, his gut constricting.
“I love you Jaskier. I love you. I should have told you sooner. I should have… I couldn’t watch you walk away again without you knowing. I wanted… I need…”
The blood thundering in Jaskier’s ears was deafening. A dark blush reddened his cheeks, and he was struggling to form coherent thought as his eyes shimmered with tears.
“Geralt,” he whimpered, “I didn’t know. If-if I’d known-fuck-Geralt, I love you too. I love you so much.”
He surged forwards to capture Geralt’s lips again, arching into the Witcher as Geralt pressed him against the pillar.
Geralt’s hands bracketed his face, thumbs brushing back and forth across his tear-stained cheeks.
Jaskier buried his face into the crook of Geralt’s neck, sucking in huge breaths as Geralt tucked his arms around him.
“Come with me,” Geralt rumbled, carding his finger through Jaskier’s thick hair, “To Kaer Morhen. Spend the winter with me. I want you by my side.”
Jaskier nodded into Geralt’s neck then leaned back, a brilliant smile lighting up his face.
“Of course I’ll go with you,” he brushed a lock of Geralt’s hair behind his ear.
Geralt pressed a kiss to Jaskier’s cheek, then his temple, and then his mouth again.
“It’ll be cold,” Geralt mumbled.
“I don’t care,” Jaskier responded.
“Any the journey is hard.”
“I don’t care.”
“There won’t be any-”
“Geralt,” Jaskier hushed him, “I would follow you into the pits of hell if I had to. It doesn’t matter, as long as I’m with you.”
Geralt furrowed his brow slightly as he searched Jaskier’s expression and found nothing but sincerity.
“I love you Geralt,” Jaskier trailed his fingers down Geralt’s cheek, feather light and the Witcher leaned into his touch.
Geralt’s sigh was warm and tickled his skin.
“Come on. It’s too late to set out now. We can go first thing in the morning,” the bard rubbed their noses together and slipped his fingers into Geralt’s, giving his hand a slight squeeze.
The Witcher let Jaskier lead him up to the small bedchamber and their usual routine was littered with shy smiles as they danced around each other almost awkwardly.
Jaskier climbed into the pallet bed first, ignoring the scratchy straw mattress and moth-eaten sheets as Geralt slid in beside him, arranging the sheets so they were both covered and then opening his arms slightly, inviting the bard into his warmth. Jaskier bundled himself against Geralt’s chest and the Witcher cocooned him tightly.
They had slept like this before, sharing heat when the nights were cold and the flickering fire wasn’t enough, but this was different. This was more. And a trill of happiness sparked through Jaskier as he snuggled into the Witcher, his Witcher, pressing his nose into Geralt’s neck, curling his fingers into Geralt’s shirt, listening to the steady thud of Geralt’s heart as the man he loved held him close.
He felt Geralt shift slightly, humming in contentment and nuzzling into Jaskier’s hair.
A small smile graced Jaskier’s lips as sleep pulled at him.
“Love you Geralt,” he hummed.
“Love you too,” the rich rumble of the Witcher vibrated through him.
After so many years, he finally had what he wanted, what he had longed for, and excitement curled into his gut as the possibilities of this new adventure followed him into his dreams.
127 notes · View notes
hamiltonimagines · 4 years ago
Text
It’s Called Payback Sweetheart
Pairing: Lin x Reader
Request: “Thank you so much for your stories! I love them so much! Can I request another Lin one? Maybe involving jealousy? It doesn’t matter who is jealous. They can both be jealous even. Maybe Lin makes the reader jealous and she’s hurt, so she purposefully makes him jealous? Thanks!!” - @heatherdawn82
Word Count: 1.5k
I couldn’t believe what I was seeing.
Lin was having a party with the entire Hamilton cast. Lin and I were roommates and best friends so he had invited me too.
Lin and I had been best friends for a while and everyone always said we acted like a married couple. We were super affectionate and always hugging each other. I enjoyed it because I had noticed myself crushing on Lin recently. I thought that maybe Lin had feelings for me too, since we were always so touchy. It felt like our own special thing.
But, right across the room, Lin was sitting on the couch, with a girl named Chelsea sitting in his lap. They were talking and she would obnoxiously laugh at every joke he made. It was like she was bragging to the world about how Lin was flirting with her.
He told me that she was a friend from high school. He said she had moved to Europe and happened to be back in New York for a weekend, so he invited her.
All I knew was that she was a super pretty girl and Lin was being super affectionate toward her. I felt betrayed, I thought that it was our thing. I knew it made me beyond petty, but I just felt so hurt.
I figured that I would try and get him alone, and maybe try to spend some time with him, one on one. I mean, he was my best friend and I liked to hang out with him.
I walked over to them and tried to ignore the anger I felt boiling in the pit of my stomach. “Hey Lin” I said, smiling at him. “Oh hey Y/N, you’ve met Chelsea, right?” He asked me. “Oh..uh no I haven’t” I said. “Well, Y/N this is Chelsea, Chelsea this is Y/N, my roommate” he said, introducing us.
“Yeah, it’s uh...nice to meet you” she said, looking me up and down. “Yeah, you too” I said, putting on a fake smile. “So, Lin. I was wondering if I could talk to you about something real quick?” I said, changing the subject. “Oh, I’m sorry. I’m just getting caught up with Chelsea. We haven’t hung out in years. But I’ll find you later tonight, yeah?” He asked me.
I couldn’t believe what I was hearing. “Oh yeah...uh okay” I said, hurt. “Bye” Chelsea said, with a mocking tone.
I walked away and was fighting back tears. First of all, she had been so rude to me and Lin just sat there and watched it happened. He was supposed to be my best friend, and best friends stand up for each other. Also, he had called me his roommate, which I guess is true. But he couldn’t of introduced me as his best friend? Roommate just sounded so distant, it didn’t imply a connection. However, best friend implied that we had a really strong bond.
I walked into the kitchen, where I knew no one was hanging out. I walked in and leaned against the counter. I felt absolutely pathetic. Here I was, hiding during a party, because a guy was making me jealous. I was better than this. I figured I would take this into my own hands.
I walked out of the kitchen and found Anthony. Lin had introduced us once, and we followed each other on Instagram.
“Hey Anthony” I said, smiling. “Oh what’s up Y/N? How’ve you been?” He asked me. “Well, I’ve been better. I need your help with something though, can you do me a favor?” I asked him. “Of course, what do you need?” He asked, kindly.
“So I may be feeling a tad bit jealous and petty. But I can’t stand to even look at Lin and that girl he’s with, I need to do something about it” I told him. “Oooo somebody’s got feelings for Lin. So you want to make him jealous, right?” He asked me, clarifying.
“Yeah, do you think you can help me?” I asked him. “Of course, I got you” he said, smiling.
Anthony grabbed my hand and pulled me over to a couch, that was on the opposite side of where Lin and Chelsea were. We both sat down next to each other, with barely any room between us. Then Anthony put his arm around my shoulder.
“Is he looking yet?” Anthony asked me, since he was turned to face me. “No, not yet” I told him. “Okay, guess we’ll have to get his attention then” Anthony said, mischievously. “Wait what are you-“ I started to ask, before I got interrupted. Anthony’s hand went to stomach and tickled me. I squirmed and pushed his hand away. “Anthony, stop it” I squealed.
“Did that get his attention?” He asked, smirking. “Yeah, he’s looking. Nice one Ramos” I complimented him. “Laugh like I just told you a really funny joke” he instructed me. I started to giggle and also started twirling my hair in my fingers.
I glanced over at Lin, and he was staring. Chelsea was talking to him, but he couldn’t even focus on her.
“He’s really watching now, pretend to whisper something in my ear” I told him, smiling. Anthony leaned in close to me and whispered “You know you owe me for this, right?”. I giggled to myself, which I figured went along with this fake narrative.
“Oh hold on, he’s coming over here” I whispered to Anthony, while trying to not look up at Lin. “So I walked right up to him and I told him that now he knew not to mess with me or my friends again” Anthony said, completely rambling and pretending like he had been telling me a story.
“So I see you’ve met Anthony” Lin said, and he looked furious. “Yeah, you introduced us. You didn’t tell me how funny he was though. He’s absolutely hilarious” I said, laying my hand on Anthony’s chest and slightly leaning in toward him.
“Oh really?” Lin said, while gritting his teeth. “Have you ever noticed how pretty she is, Lin?” Anthony asked, brushing a piece of my hair behind my ear. “Oh stop” I said, smirking to myself.
“Y/N, I need to talk to you” Lin said, grabbing my wrist and pulling me into the kitchen. “What the hell is the matter with you?” Lin asked me, slightly raising his voice. “What are you talking about? You’re the one who just dragged me in here, out of nowhere” I argued back.
“I’m talking about you and Anthony” Lin said, like it was the most obvious thing ever. “What about us?” I asked him, annoyed. “Why were you flirting with him?” Lin asked me, he sounded really angry.
“I’m sorry, are you my dad? You don’t get to tell me who to flirt with. I’m an adult and I can make my own decisions. Seriously, what is up with you?” I asked him. “I know you, this isn’t how you flirt. I’ve seen you flirt and it’s not like this. This is you trying to rub it in my face. You’re trying to get a reaction out of me, and you’re trying to make me angry. I don’t know what the hell I did to deserve it though” Lin said, angrily.
“Are you kidding? You can sit with Little Ms.Perfect in your lap all night and completely ignore your best friend, but I’m not allowed to flirt with a guy?” I asked him. “So this is about Chelsea? You’re jealous, aren’t you?” Lin asked.
“This isn’t just about being jealous. This is about you ignoring me so you can hang out with her. This is about her being rude to me and you not even standing up for me” I corrected him. “I told you that I would talk to you later” Lin told me. “Lin, you’ve been sitting with her for three hours. You haven’t talked to a single other person at this party” I told him.
“Well she’s visiting from England and I haven’t seen her in ages” Lin argued. “That doesn’t mean that you can make me feel ignored and unimportant” I told him. “You know that wasn’t my goal” he explained.
I couldn’t believe that he truly thought he did nothing wrong.
“You sat there as she looked me up and down and mocked me and you did nothing. You just sat there” I said, with hurt in my voice. “Y/N, I really didn’t notice that she did that. I would never want you to be hurt” he said, sincerely.
“You say one thing, but you’re actions say something completely different” I said, rolling my eyes.
Then Lin cupped my face suddenly, and leaned in to kiss me. I was shocked, it definitely wasn’t what I was expecting in the middle of an argument.
It truly felt like Lin was pouring all of his love into the kiss. I could feel the weight off my shoulders of finally having all my pent up emotions out in the open.
“I’m sorry that I got so upset about Anthony, I just got so jealous seeing you with him. Why would you do that to me? You knew it would make me jealous” Lin asked me, after we pulled away. “It’s called payback sweetheart” I said, smirking.
taglist: @someinsanefangirl @outcasted-aloy @geekycatlover @fanfic-addict-98 @romanoffs-heart @multifandomwriterx @andreasworlsboring101 @criminallyhamilton @imatyoursurrvicesurr @irlydontknoanymore @sayweird99 @nyxie75 @elizard-hamilton @twix-baby @trost-town @notebookgirl30 @teenag1jealousy @royalreadery @elizasfaith @kmsmedine @brunadesuu @grandpa-agustd @athenawinchesterx @labellapeaky @rthoney @nerd-88 @theatrenerd86 @riiyy @ahhahahhh @sleepylunarwolf @khaylaloves @kissthehomiesgoodnight @alexander-hamilhoe
Let me know if you want to be added to my taglist for all my imagines!!
118 notes · View notes
polaroid15 · 4 years ago
Text
Febuwhump day 12 - “Who are you?”
Summary:  Tony invites Peter to a fancy gala, fully intending to show off the kid's big brain and charm. One of the guests take too much of an interest.
WARNINGS: Attempted sexual assault/inappropriate touching. Read carefully!
Ao3: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29138196/chapters/72189720
----
“He’s the sharpest kid of his age,” Tony brags, clapping a supportive hand on Peter’s shoulder. “Not as smart as me of course, but, well, he has potential.”
Peter shuffles awkwardly underneath his mentor’s hold, smiling sheepishly at a sharp looking man that he’s forgotten the name of. It’s blurred with the countless other names and faces Tony has introduced him to in the last couple hours, all with fancy reputations or the creators of ground-breaking inventions. “Mr. Stark-”
“I believe it. It’s nice to meet you, Peter,” the nameless man says, extending a warm hand that Peter takes in a choppy handshake. “Glad you were able to make it today.”
The man leaves and Tony beams after him. “That’s the guy who invented those hotel robot things,” he says. “Well, at least I think he is.”
“Oh,” Peter says, looking at the man’s retreating figure. “That’s neat.”
Tony snorts and rolls his eyes. “Alright, break time. Go get something from the bar and we’ll meet up in a bit, alright?”
“Okay,” Peter agrees, smiling. “Want anything?”
“No, no I’m okay. Knock yourself out. Non-alcoholic only though, kapeesh?”
“Yeah, yeah.”
Without further need of prompting, Peter bounds away. He’s wearing a different suit today, trading in red and blue spandex for a pricey Italian two piece that Tony had bought him for the specific occasion.
It fits perfectly, but of course it does.
The event is a fancy gala on the East side of Manhattan to celebrate technological innovation. Tony is meant to give some prestigious speech at its close that he definitely hasn’t prepared for, and had practically begged Peter to come along.
“To show off the big brain of yours,” he had said. “It’ll be fun.”
Peter makes it to the bar, feeling nervous and out of place in the crowd of rich scientists around him. He leans against the counter, waiting for the bartender to notice him.
“Hi there,” a man to his right says, and his voice makes the hair on the back of Peter’s neck stand straight. “You need a drink? It’s on me.”
And it all goes south from there.
---
Tony finds Bruce in the crowd, smiling when he sees him. They bump shoulders and look over the crowd, laughing at the sheer lavishness of it all.
“Enjoying the party?” Bruce asks, hands in his pockets.
“Sure,” Tony says, and is surprised to find it’s the truth. Usually he hates these kinds of events. Dreads them, even. “Been busy.”
“With Peter?”
Tony furrows his eyebrows. Bruce is smiling like he’s holding a secret. “What do you mean?”
“Everyone’s talking about him.”
“Really?”
“You shouldn’t be surprised,” Bruce says, his tone touching on humour. “You have been dragging him around all day. I wouldn’t be surprised if there wasn’t a single person in here that hasn’t been personally introduced.”
For some reason, Tony feels his cheeks heat. “Well, they should know his name. He’ll be taking my place one day, just you wait and see.”
Bruce nods his head, still smiling. “One day,” he repeats. “How’s he doing?”
Across the room, Tony spies Peter leaning against the bar with a glass in his hand. There’s a tall man standing next to the boy, engaged in conversation. He smiles unconsciously at the sight, and clears his throat. “Good, good. The little punk has managed to stay out of trouble for a while, so that’s been real good for my heart.”
Bruce snorts. “True. I haven’t gotten many frantic calls to medbay lately.”
“Thank God,” he says, then pauses, his smile stretching. “Hey, you should go over and eavesdrop on what they’re talking about for me.”
“What? Are you serious?”
“Yes! I want to know what they’re talking about!”
“You’re on another level of crazy,” Bruce says, shaking his head. “Must be the dad instincts.”
“No-”
Bruce’s hand lands on his shoulder, squeezing it lightly. “No need to defend yourself Tony, I’ll be your spy. Wait here.”
Tony huffs out a half-hearted insult, swiping his hand over the spot where Bruce had just been. He watches his friend weave through the crowd towards his protégé and a small bubble of pride rises up through him.
Peter is a good kid.
He gets sidetracked in light conversation with a short, older man in a penguin tuxedo. Bruce sidesteps into it shortly after, eyes frantic. “Tony-”
“What? Did the kid sneak some alcohol or something?”
“No,” Bruce says, and something in his tone makes Tony’s stomach drop. “I just don’t think that man talking to Peter is very friendly.”
“What do you mean? It looks like he likes the kid.”
“A little too much, Tones.”
He pauses, lets the words connect, refuses to believe them.
Then, he feels rage.
Bruce doesn’t stop him from storming across the room. When he gets close, he sees red, because the man’s hand is climbing Peter’s thigh. The other is circled tightly around Peter’s wrist, pinning him to the counter.
“Get the hell off my kid!”
Tony pushes Peter’s attacker up against the bar with his forearm on his neck, separating him from Peter. The man winces, but looks unafraid. “Get off me Stark!”
“Who are you?” he yells, tightening his hold. Distantly, around him, he can hear the room hush.
“I don’t have to tell you anything-”
Tony punches the man in the teeth before he can finish the sentence and is too angry to feel it when his knuckles split. The man grunts and falls off his barstool, collapsing against the ground and clutching at his bleeding face. When he’s down, Tony kicks him in the ribs.
“Tony-”
He spins, heart racing. Bruce is standing beside Peter, hands supporting the kid by his shoulders. Peter looks spacey and distant, his eyes open but not connecting to anything.
“Oh my god.”
He sees the glass in Peter’s hand, half empty, and the sinkhole in his chest increases. He puts his hands on the sides of Peter’s face, tapping lightly. “Pete? Can you hear me kiddo?”
Peter blinks lazily, head rolling. Finally, with great effort, he shakes his head. “Feel sick,” he murmurs.
The world blurs as Tony’s eyes fill with tears. He connects with Bruce somewhere in his panic, worry and rage ripping through him, threatening to knock him over. “Help me get him out of here,” he pleads.
Bruce nods, and together they help Peter up and out of his seat, supporting most of his weight when his knees give out beneath him. The other guests carve a path for them, whispering behind their hands as the man who had been with Peter is picked up ungently off the ground by security.
“You’re okay,” Tony soothes, squeezing Peter’s arm lightly and wondering if the boy can even feel the attempt at comfort in his roofied state. Acid burns in his throat as he thinks about what could have happened if Bruce hadn’t gone to investigate as Peter trips between them, letting out a low, confused whine. “You’re okay bud.”
They find a small room to slip inside, setting Peter down against the wall. He moans, head still rolling. “Sorry, sorry,” he mumbles, “I’m okay.”
“Don’t apologize,” Tony says, voice strained. “It’s not your fault.”
“Didn’t- didn’t want to ruin your party.”
Both Tony and Bruce still, and Tony feels as if he’s suddenly suspended somewhere in the stratosphere, somewhere with no air. He runs his hands through Peter’s hair, choking back tears. “Pete. Pete look at me.”
Slowly, remarkably, he does.
“I’m so sorry,” Tony whispers, shaking from head to toe. “Never put me in front of your safety, okay? Never.”
Peter blinks, swallows, then nods, looking close to tears himself. “Okay.”
“God, kid.” He pulls Peter into his chest and feels his weak, uncoordinated fingers curl around his suit jacket. “I’m glad you’re okay.”
“That guy sucked,” Peter slurs.
“That’s an understatement,” Bruce says in solemn agreement.
They lapse into a short, fractured silence where Peter just breathes. He looks up at Tony with glazed eyes when they pull away, and Tony feels his heart stretch. “How’re you feeling kiddo?”
“Better now,” Peter whispers, eyes brimming with tears. He wipes a sleeve across his cheek when one of them falls. “Sorry, sorry.”
“It’s okay. It’s okay, don’t apologize.”
“Thanks for helpin’ me.”
“Always.”
They sit there until the drug wears off, and by that time Peter is soundly asleep, pressed between Bruce and Tony’s shoulders.
Safe.
Tony misses his big speech, but it doesn’t matter.
The only thing that does is the kid drooling on his shoulder.
“I’m going to make sure that man never gets out of prison,” he decides, and Bruce nods enthusiastically. A sharp pit of protective anger blossoms up in his chest, and he hangs onto Peter’s sleeping form just a little tighter. “No one messes with my kid and gets away with it.”
And he means it.
58 notes · View notes
marbleheavy · 4 years ago
Text
Flowers for You, From Me
Solangelo Hanahaki Disease AU
Word Count: 8,621
Rating: Teen and Up ( for language)
Read on AO3!
It started with a petal, just one.
Nico shot up in his bed, Tartarus itself lingering behind his eyes even when he was faced with just his empty cabin. It felt like he was still choking on the river phlegethon but wait, no, he was actually choking. He was heaving, his throat closing around something as he clutched at his chest. Sharp coughs were racking him, his chest tightening painfully and he thought that maybe he was dying. Panic was filling his chest, he was terrified that he was still in the pit. That the cabin around him was an illusion, a trick of the mind, another torture of Tartarus. Nico was taking gasping breaths and coughing and suddenly he was tumbling out of his bed. Even as he could barely breathe, he was clambering toward his door and ripping it open, moonlight pouring into the cabin. He was desperately trying to prove to himself that he hadn’t somehow been dragged back down, that he was still at Camp Half-Blood, still safe. 
He raised his hands to his face as he crumpled to his knees, coughing and coughing and coughing. Nico could taste blood in his mouth, metallic and sharp on his tongue and his lungs were burning. He was gagging at this point, nearly vomiting as it felt like his windpipe was battling between climbing out or closing entirely. And then he coughed something into his hand, something that left a sweet flavor beneath all the blood. He sucked in a shuddering breath and looked at his palm, where a single, blood-coated petal lay, a yellow edge peeking out. 
‘Is that a fucking sunflower?’ he thought, ‘What kind of sick joke is this?’
Nico blinked, his lungs still heaving even as his coughing stopped. He looked up and out his door, camp was quiet and dark, but it was camp. He wasn’t in Tartarus, he was in his cabin, and he had coughed up a flower petal. Nico closed his fist around the petal and stood up on trembling legs, shutting his door as he walked back to his bed. He perched on the edge of the mattress, holding out the hand fisted around the petal in front of him hesitantly. He still felt high on adrenaline and panic and couldn’t quite catch his breath. His chest was aching but he couldn’t focus on anything, his mind was a mess of fear and confusion and exhaustion. He laid back, his head hitting the pillow, and brought his hands to his chest. Nico stared at the ceiling, barely blinking and trying to slow his thoughts down to something he could actually process. 
After hours, when the sun was filtering in through his windows, he was able to recognize that, beneath the weakness of his lungs and the fear, there was a profound longing for something he couldn’t really name. 
——
Nico sat down at the Hades table in a huff. Percy and Jason were already there, watching him with amusement as he grumbled about being ‘so fucking tired’ and ‘needing a cup of fucking coffee’. “Rough night?” Percy asked, laughing slightly.
Nico looked up and frowned, “Yeah, something like that.”
He reached forward and grabbed his goblet now full of coffee and drank some quickly. It burned his throat raw from coughing and he barely hid his wince. He thought of the petal that was now sitting in his trash can, his stomach twisting. Jason was looking at him quizzically but Nico ignored him and took another gulp of coffee. 
“Are you gonna eat anything?” Jason asked.
Nico thought of trying to swallow anything when he could barely handle a warm drink, “Not hungry.”
“Your boyfriend isn’t going to be too happy about that,” Percy teased.
Nico tensed, “My what?”
Percy smiled that stupid smile that used to make Nico weak in the knees but right now, it was turning his stomach, “You know, your boyfriend. The doctor. Blondie. Son of Apollo. Will,” he sang. 
Nico set his goblet down harshly, coffee splashing out over the sides. “He’s not my boyfriend,” he mumbled.
“Not yet,” Percy said.
Nico stood up, “Not ever.”
“Whoa, dude,” Percy raised his hands up, “Chill out.”
Nico rolled his eyes and turned on his heel, storming away from the dining pavilion. He heard Jason call after him but he ignored him, his hands shoved in his pockets as he stared at the ground. He didn’t see the person approaching until he was right in front of them, centimeters away from running face first into their chest. He looked up from the flip flops in front of him to see Will looking down at him, smiling lazily with bright eyes and freckles, and it made his chest hurt. “Hey there, Death Boy. Hope you at least ate some toast before you stormed off,” Will said.
Nico scoffed and stepped back slightly, “Whatever you need to hear.”
“Aw, isn’t it a little early for all that snark?” Will laughed.
“Nope,” Nico said, pushing down the warmth he felt in his chest.
“Tell me more about the breakfast that I know you ate because I have told you a million times about how important three balanced meals a day are,” Will insisted. 
“Wholesome and delicious,” Nico tried to step past him, “Now I have to go.”
“I can’t say that I believe you,” Will sighed, “So I guess I’ll just make you eat a granola bar when you come visit me in the infirmary when my shift starts in fifteen minutes.”
Nico could feel the itch of a cough start in his throat and he sucked in a breath, “Yeah, fine.”
Will smiled widely at him and Nico held his breath, his chest hitching. “See you soon, Death Boy,” Will said, waving as Nico pushed past him again.
When he was certain that Will was out of ear shot, and when he couldn’t hold his breath anymore, Nico ducked behind a tree and started coughing. He slid his back down the tree as he heaved, the crook of his elbow pressed over his mouth to muffle the sound and catch the blood splatter. Panic welled up in him again as he gagged, no longer because he thought he was in hell again but at the thought of anyone hearing him or finding him. Nico didn’t know what was happening to him but it terrified him. This fit seemed to last longer than the last and at the end of it, he coughed up three petals, all as blood-coated as the first one. He tipped his head back, closing his eyes. After a moment, he brushed the petals from his sleeve and onto the ground, breathing raspily. 
Distantly, he heard other campers start to walk around camp to their various lessons and chores. He pushed himself up, standing wobbly, and peered around the tree. There was no one nearby so he darted out, walking briskly toward the infirmary. As he thought, ‘Will is probably waiting for me,’ he felt his lungs start to tense again, becoming tighter almost, like he was running out of space for air. 
——
Nico met Will in the infirmary and was immediately handed a granola bar and a clementine. “This is more than I agreed to,” Nico said.
Will smiled at him, “Think of it as a bonus. You need some fruit in your life.”
Nico rolled his eyes and sat down on the edge of an infirmary bed. He placed the granola bar beside him and started peeling the clementine, the scent of sweet citrus immediately hitting him. He peeled it gently and intently, trying to avoid squishing any of the fruit. Nico could feel Will’s eyes on him after a moment and he glanced up, blushing as their gazes met. “What?” he asked quietly, looking back down again.
“Nothing,” Will smiled, “You’re just so delicate with that clementine.”
“I don’t want to squish it,” Nico muttered.
Will laughed and Nico’s stomach flipped pleasantly. “You don’t want to squish it?” Will asked.
“Yes,” Nico huffed, “It gets all sticky and ruins the whole experience.”
“Oh, so they’re an experience now?” Will was still laughing.
Nico popped a piece of the fruit into his mouth, “Obviously.”
“You’re so cute,” Will said, looking Nico in the eyes and smiling.
Nico blushed brighter and butterflies were erupting in him. He shoved another piece in his mouth to avoid saying anything back and Will shook his head fondly. Nico’s heart was racing and he felt like he was going to implode from the weight of Will’s gaze. ‘You’re reading into this,’ he told himself as he took a shaky breath, ‘Calm down.’ He deflated slightly and ate another segment.
“You up for cutting bandages?” the blonde asked after a moment.
Nico looked up, “Don’t you have enough? That’s like all I ever do.”
“You’ve played capture the flag, you know how intense it gets. We go through bandages like they’re nothing,” Will said.
“Still, I’ve cut enough bandages to wrap the entire Roman legion from head to toe, including the elephants,” Nico scoffed.
Will stood up and grabbed a roll of bandages and a pair of scissors, handing them to Nico. “Yeah, yeah,” Will sighed, “Just get cutting, Death Boy.”
Nico grabbed the supplies, setting the half finished clementine beside him. 
“Hey! Finish your breakfast!” Will scolded. 
“You’re extra bossy today,” Nico mumbled.
“Oh darling, you haven’t seen bossy,” Will smiled widely and winked at him, “Plus, I don’t think you mind it all that much.”
Nico’s heart stuttered and he looked down, grumbling as he started to unroll the bandages and cut strips. Will just laughed at him and turned back to his own work.
——
Nico was in his cabin before dinner, reading on his bed but barely comprehending a word. His mind was racing with thoughts of Will, Will, Will. The way that he never flinched at Nico’s presence or sharp words, or the way he smiled like a kid on Christmas when Nico laughed. He wanted to believe that maybe he wasn’t reading into things, that maybe Nico wasn’t the only one who felt the way he did about the other. But then, a voice in the back of his head reminded him of all the things wrong with him and all the things so right about Will and ‘Nobody like Will would ever love you.’
He was pulled from his thoughts by a knock on his door. “Come in,” he called out. 
Jason pushed the door open and walked in and Nico ignored the spike of disappointment he felt because it wasn’t Will. The son of Jupiter was standing stiffly in front of him and Nico looked up at him, raising an eyebrow as he put his book down and stood up. “Hey, Nico,” Jason said awkwardly.
“What do you want, Jason?” Nico asked.
“I wanted to talk about breakfast today,” Jason told him, shifting on his feet.
Nico’s blood ran cold and he straightened up. “There’s nothing to talk about,” he said coldly.
Jason scratched the back of his neck. “Percy shouldn’t have said that. It wasn’t cool. I know that you aren’t totally comfortable with,” he paused, “With being who you are. And Percy shouldn’t tease you about it.”
“It’s Percy,” he sighed.
“Yeah,” Jason conceded, “But it still wasn’t okay. And it won’t be until you say it is.”
Nico scoffed, “Yeah, right.”
“I’m serious, Nico. Being gay,” Nico bit back a wince a Jason’s words, “And coming out and everything in between belongs to you. You get to decide what you want and what you’re okay with. I know that Eros took that away from you, but it doesn’t have to happen again. You get to choose who to tell, what is okay for people to say and joke about, how to live. I’m sorry that you’ve had to deal with such bullshit but you don’t have to anymore.”
Nico almost laughed at the end, feeling bitter and spiteful. It wasn’t like Jason knew what was happening but it still made his hands shake. He looked down, blinking back tears of frustration. He sucked in a breath and looked back up at Jason, nodding once. “Thank you,” he said quietly.
Jason smiled hesitantly at him, “Of course.”
Nico cleared his throat and put his hands in his pockets, “Do you want to go to dinner?”
“Gods, yes,” Jason groaned, “I’m starving.”
Nico chuckled and followed the taller boy as they left his cabin, walking quickly to the dining pavilion. As they made it there and grabbed their food, Nico couldn’t bring himself to pray to his father (or any god) about the fucking petals he was coughing up. He sat down at the Hades table across from Jason. When Percy joined them later, he smiled apologetically and then launched into a story about a young son of Hermes nearly decapitating himself with a sword earlier that day. Nico was grateful for the ramblings, it meant he didn’t have to say much. 
Still, occasionally, as he looked past Jason and Percy, he met Will’s eyes and the blonde would smile and Nico would melt. He found it hard to focus on whatever was being said when he could feel the weight of Will’s gaze but gods, he didn’t really care at all. 
That night, as Nico thought about Will’s smile and the timbre of his voice and the way he looked at Nico, he coughed up another petal.
——
After two or three weeks, Nico’s coughing and subsequent petal expulsion fits happened two or three times a day. The trash can in his room was filled with bloody petals and he was afraid to take it out in case someone saw it. They hit him often in the middle of the night, jerking him from dreams of his worst memories. Nights spent desperately trying to clear his airway or even just take a single breath. The fits were harder to hide when they happened during the day. He would basically sprint from the infirmary or the dining pavilion and hide behind the nearest building while he nearly coughed his lungs out, but it was always just petals. 
And then one day it wasn’t. 
Nico was trying to cough quietly as Will talked to him. He knew that this wouldn’t pass until the petals came out but he didn’t want to draw attention to his issue or do anything that would encourage Will to ask questions or examine him. But still, the blonde was shooting him questioning looks and Nico knew that he had to get out of there.
“Are you okay?” Will asked.
“Yup,” Nico coughed, “I just need to get some, uh, water.”
Nico rushed from the examination room and out of the infirmary, praying that Will wouldn’t follow him. He looked over his shoulder and didn’t see anyone, so he ran as fast as he could to the nearest building and ducked behind it. 
He tried to suck in a breath, soothe the ache in his lungs, but he was choking instantly. Nico placed a hand at the base of his throat, his fingers digging into his skin as he leaned against the wall. He was coughing and hacking, blood splattering out of his mouth. He could taste it on his tongue and on his lips but he was getting light headed from lack of air. Nico fell forward on his knees, one hand braced on the ground in front of him as he leaned over. His lungs were burning and tightening unbearably so and this was so much worse than it has ever been. 
‘Maybe I am dying,’ he thought, ‘Maybe this is it. I’m going to die alone and hiding, coughing up petals.’
He managed to take a gasping breath, it was shallow and weak and only fueled the next bout of heaves. Nico was gagging, bloody saliva dripping from his mouth to the grass in front of him, and his arms were shaking with effort to keep himself up. He retched, expecting a handful of petals to hit the ground in front of him, but it was an entire flower this time. He coughed up an entire flower, mostly intact if he ignored some crumpled petals and a lot of blood. Nico stared at it as he gulped in air, entirely shocked. 
He sat back on his knees, his hands trembling as he shuddered. Squeezing his eyes shut, he tried to think of what to do but as he looked back down of the flower that had come out of him, the only thing he could think was, ‘At least it isn’t actually a sunflower.’
He heard voices approaching and panic raced up his spine. He couldn’t be seen, he couldn’t bear the thought of anyone knowing what was happening to him. He grabbed the flower carefully and stood up, walking around the corner, away from the approaching people. Nico tucked the flower gently into the pocket of his jacket and hurried back to the infirmary. He knew he was gone too long for just a water break and was desperately trying to think of a cover story as he was stepping back into the room. A second before Will looked up, Nico remembered the blood that was on his mouth and he brought the edge of his sleeve up, wiping at away just as Will met his eyes and smiled at him. “Get lost on your way to the water fountain?” Will teased.
Nico cleared his throat, the action painful, but smiled slightly anyway, “Jason saw me and decided he needed to talk for the longest time ever.”
“Ah, of course,” Will nodded, “Jason is always stealing you away from me.”
Nico’s heart fluttered and lungs hitched as Will spoke but he couldn’t help the smile that broke out across his face.
—-
Later that day, Nico brought the flower that he had carefully and diligently rinsed off to Katie Gardener. He knocked on the Demeter cabin door and it opened quickly. She blinked at him curiously and smiled kindly, if not slightly hesitant. “Hey Nico, what’s up?” she asked.
“Uh,” he mumbled, pulling the flower carefully from his pocket and presenting it to her in the palm of his hand, “Do you know what kind of flower this is?’
She cocked her head and leaned against the door frame. “It looks like a yellow chrysanthemum,” she told him, “We don’t grow those here. Where did you get it?”
Nico’s blood ran cold and he shifted on his feet. “Uh,” he tried to think of a convincing lie, “Persephone grows them in her garden, you know, at my dad’s place. She gave me a bunch of them last time I was running errands down there.”
Katie didn’t seem to really believe him but she nodded slowly anyway, “Oh, well it’s pretty. Persephone really does know her flowers.”
“Yup,” Nico’s hand with the flower was shaking so he pulled it back, crushing it in his fist, “Um, thanks.”
She looked down at the hand closed around the flower and then looked back up at him with concern, “Is everything alright, Nico?”
He took a step back. “Yes,” he said quickly, “I have to go, but thank you, really.”
She smiled at him hesitantly and he turned on his heel, walking briskly back to his cabin, letting the crushed flower fall from his hand and the grass. 
——
A week later and it was whole flowers every time an attack happened. Nico coughed up entire chrysanthemums multiple times a day, his throat was raw and he could barely ever catch his breath. His lungs felt like they were running out of room for air, like they were going to burst from his chest. His mouth constantly tasted of blood and honey and it made him nauseous. He started buying gum from the Stolls to try and cover the flavor but nothing was ever quite enough. Nico didn’t know what was happening and he was scared. Terrified of dying, of dying alone, but he couldn’t bring himself to tell anyone. So he just continued on, pretending that he could breathe and that he wasn’t afraid he was going to die. 
He met Jason at the arena to spar like they did every week. Lately, it had felt infinitely harder when he couldn’t catch his breath but he didn’t dare try to skip out on it. Jason would chase him down, demanding answers that Nico didn’t want to give. 
He stood in front of Jason, leaning against his sword, as the taller boy strapped on his armor. 
“Are you ready yet?” Nico asked impatiently.
“Yes,” Jason mocked, “Chill out.”
“Then let’s get on with it,” Nico said, grabbing his sword and raising it in front of him. 
“Excited to lose?” Jason teased.
“Please,” Nico scoffed, twirling his sword once for good measure, “I don’t lose.”
Jason didn’t say anything back, instead raising his gladius and charging. Nico met his blow easily, forcing it down and then swinging his sword upward. They met each other in a clash of metal again and again, easily parrying and pushing each other forward and backward. But still, their fighting styles were distinctly different and it was evident in Jason’s measured jabs and Nico’s elegant slashes. The raven was whirling around Jason, graceful and poised as he aimed to cut the taller boy down. But his chest was tightening painfully and he was trying to hide his gasping breaths. Jason caught on still and between blows, he panted out “You okay, dude?”
Nico grunted and bit back a cough, pushing forward still. He swung down harder and knocked Jason back, taking advantage of his stumble to thrust his sword forward. He nearly disarmed him, seconds away from winning, when he couldn’t hold back his fit anymore. He coughed harshly, his hands shaking, and Jason pushed him away, knocking him to his back. The son of Jupiter held his gladius victoriously over Nico’s throat but the smaller boy barely registered it. He was lurching and hacking as he turned his head to the side and rolled onto his stomach, pushing up onto his knees and bracing himself with his hands. Blood splattered onto the ground in front of him and he still couldn’t breathe.
“Holy shit, Nico. Are you okay?” Jason asked, dropping beside him. 
Nico nodded and tried to wave Jason away but he didn’t move. ‘Of course,’ Nico thought, ‘This had to happen in front of him.’ Jason placed a hand on his back hesitantly and Nico jerked away from the touch but couldn’t escape it between coughs. He gagged and felt his chest squeeze painfully.
“Nico seriously, what’s going on? Should I get Will?”
Nico shook his head, panic racing up his spine at the thought of Will ever seeing him like this. His arms were shaking and he nearly fell forward on his face but then he gagged again and threw up, a flower hitting the ground in front of him. Jason jumped back beside him. Nico sat back on his knees, wiping the blood from his mouth as he inhaled deeply. His throat was burning and felt like it was being shredded every time he breathed but he couldn’t help but be grateful for the air. 
“I’m going to get Will,” Jason said, standing up.
“No,” Nico croaked, “No, please don’t.”
“Nico, you need medical attention,” Jason exclaimed.
“I’m fine,” Nico looked up at him, “Seriously. It’s not a big deal.”
“It seems like a big fucking deal!” Jason’s voice was nearly a screech, “You just coughed up a ton of blood and a weird ball! What the hell just happened?”
Nico pushed himself up to his feet. “It was a flower,” Nico told him, “I coughed up a flower.”
“A flower?” Jason questioned, his eyes wide in a panic.
“A chrysanthemum to be specific,” Nico picked up his sword. 
“And you’re cool with that?” Jason asked.
“It happens sometimes,” Nico said calmly, avoiding meeting Jason’s eyes.
“Sometimes? How often is ‘sometimes’?” Jason questioned.
“A few times a day, I guess.”
“A few times a day? For how long?”
“The whole flowers started sometime last week. It was just petals for a few weeks before that.”
“You’ve been coughing up petals and flowers for weeks and didn’t tell anybody?”
“Yes,” Nico stated.
Jason was looking at him incredulously. “You need help! This is dangerous! We have to tell someone!” he shouted. 
“No,” Nico said curtly, glaring at Jason coldly, “You can’t tell anybody. You have to swear that you won’t.”
“No! I’m not doing that!” Jason insisted.
“Yes, you are,” Nico raised his sword and pointed it at Jason’s chest, “You have to swear.”
“No! Threaten me all you’d like,” Jason pushed the blade away from himself, “You aren’t going to do anything. Nico, you cough so violently that blood and flowers come out. That isn’t normal or safe, you need help!” he pleaded. 
“I know that, Jason!” Nico raised his voice, “I just don’t care. I don’t know what’s happening to me, but it’s mine to figure out and deal with alone.”
“You can’t do this alone, Nico!” Jason shouted, “You need help. Let me help you! Let someone help you!”
“No, Jason, No! I don’t want your help!” Nico yelled, “I don’t know why this is happening. All I know is that I cough up chrysanthemums a few times a day and that it feels like I can’t breathe. I don’t know if this is Demeter getting back at Hades or Eros fucking with me again but I don’t care. It will either go away or it won’t, but it hasn’t killed me yet. Jason, you’re the one that told me that only I get to decide who to tell about me being-” his voice cracked, “And I’m done letting anybody get to try and force me into anything. So if I choke on flowers then so be it, but I get to choose!” Nico was nearly hysterical, “I just want to make one fucking choice about my own life!”
Jason stared at him with an unreadable expression. “You’re choosing to die, Nico,” his voice had lost all it’s fire, “Do you get that? Asking me to not tell anyone is asking me to let you die.”
Nico blinked at him and then let his face drop but his eyes were pleading. “Let me die,” he said.
“What?” Jason asked.
“I get what I’m asking. Let me die. Please,” his voice cracked, “Let me choose to die.”
Jason recoiled like he had been burned by Nico’s words. “No! Absolutely not!”
“Then at least give me some time to think it over,” Nico pleaded.
“I’m not stupid. I’m not going to just back off!” Jason yelled.
“Please, Jason!” Nico stepped forward, “Three days! Give me three days! And after that, you can tell whoever you want.”
“For what? So you can figure out how to run away from help?” Jason sneered.
“So I can try and figure out what's happening to me,” Nico said.
Jason paused and took a deep breath, “You have to let me help you.”
“After three days,” Nico promised.
“No,” Jason sighed, “You have to let me help you figure out what’s happening. If you want me to keep this a secret for three days, you at least have to let me keep an eye on you.”
Nico stilled, his mind racing. He didn’t want Jason’s help, he didn’t want anyone’s help. But he knew that this wasn’t going to be a secret anymore but he could at least buy himself a few more days to figure something out, even if it meant dealing with Jason. He nodded slowly, “Yeah, okay.”
“And you have to tell me when you have those fits,” Jason added.
“Fine,” Nico shoved his hands in his pockets. 
“I’ll meet you in your cabin tomorrow morning and we can start,” the blonde told him.
“Start what?” Nico asked.
“Research,” Jason said it like it was the most obvious thing in the world, “To figure out why you’re coughing up flowers.”
“And you won’t tell anyone?” Nico insisted.
Jason made a pained face but nodded. Nico rolled his eyes and turned on his heel, stalking away and out of the arena. His lungs were still burning and he was desperately trying to push down the panic threatening to bubble over. ‘He knows,’ his mind screamed, ‘Jason knows and soon everyone will know. They’ll know you can’t keep it together and that you’re just as weak and broken as they thought.’ He was breathing rapidly, sharp and shallow pants that did nothing to soothe the ache for air. He was rushing away, trying to make it to his cabin as fast as possible. He ignored all the people he was running past, focusing only on staying calm until he could hide away. Nico stumbled as someone grabbed his arm, slowing him down. The warmth of Will’s touch was familiar and it made his heart clench painfully.
“Hey, Nico, what’s wrong?” he asked, his voice filled with concern.
Nico didn’t look at Will, refusing to meet his eyes because he knew he would crumble instantly. He wanted to scold himself for becoming so soft for a stupid son of Apollo but he couldn’t quite bring himself to regret anything as he remembered the way that Will tossed his head back when he laughed or the way his eyes crinkled around the edges and shined when he smiled. The raven said nothing as he ripped his arm from Will’s grip and broke out into a sprint. He could barely hear Will calling out for him and running after him over his own heartbeat pounding in his ears. He slammed his cabin door as soon as he made it inside, leaning against it as he tried to catch his breath. After just a few seconds, Will was knocking on the other side and pleading for Nico to let him in. Nico squeezed his eyes shut and tipped his head back. “Go away, Will,” he called.
“Nico, what happened?” Will asked.
Nico clenched his hands into fists, his fingernails digging into his palms painfully. Every fiber of his being was screaming to let Will in, to let him help him and comfort him and to tell him everything. He took a deep, rasping breath that hurt. “Nothing,” he said, “Just leave me alone.”
“I don’t believe you. Let me in so I can help, please,” Will insisted.
“I don’t want your help, Will!” Nico lied through his teeth, “Go away!”
“Nico, please,” Will’s voice was desperate and it made Nico want to cry, “I don’t want to leave you alone. Let me in, please.”
Nico slid down against the door, his stomach turning. He sucked in a breath and steeled his nerves. ‘He’s going to hate me,’ Nico thought, ‘He has to hate me.’
“I don’t care what you want,” Nico worked to keep his voice cold and unfeeling, “I don’t care about you. Just walk away.”
It was silent for a moment. “What?” Will asked, so quiet that it was barely audible.
Nico gasped, his heart falling apart with every passing second. “You heard me,” his voice cracked, “Go away.”
There was a thud against the door, like Will had dropped his forehead against it. Then, Nico heard the porch creak as Will stepped back. Part of him, a large part of him, wanted Will to keep knocking, to keep trying, to please don’t leave him alone. But he heard him walk down the steps, retreating because that’s what Nico told him to do and gods, what he felt in that moment was worse than any time he had heaved and choked on petals. 
——
Nico woke up the next morning to Jason banging on his door and letting himself in. Normally that would warrant a cold glare at least, but he just raised his head and looked at him with no expression. Jason was holding a stack of books and he kicked the door shut. Nico sat up and kicked his legs over the side of the bed, standing on shaky legs and walking over to stand next to Jason. He rubbed a hand over his face, trying to wake himself up, “Where’d you get those?” he croaked. 
“Some are from the Big House, a few from the Athena cabin, and just a couple of the medical ones from the Apollo cabin,” Jason told him.
Nico nearly flinched as Jason mentioned the Apollo cabin but he bit his tongue and reached out for a book. “Let’s get started, I guess,” he said.
Jason picked one up as well, “You should go to breakfast, I can get started.”
Nico thought about trying to swallow down any food when his throat felt like it was coated in acid. “I’m not hungry,” he mumbled.
“If you skip, Will is gonna track you down,” Jason insisted.
Nico’s heart clenched and he looked down. “No, he won’t,” Nico said.
When he looked back up, Jason was watching him with concern and he looked like he wanted to say something. Instead, he just muttered out a hesitant, “Alright.”
Nico was grateful for Jason not pushing him as he sat down on the floor, back against the frame of his bed. Jason sat beside him and huffed. “What kind of flowers are they again?” he asked.
Nico opened the book on his lap, flipping to a table of contents. “Yellow chrysanthemums,” he said.
Jason flipped through his own book and from the corner of his eye, Nico saw him stop abruptly and scan the page he landed on. “Oh,” Jason said after a moment.
Nico looked over at him, anxiety racing down his spine, “What?”
“Different flowers symbolize different things. I thought that if we knew what your flower meant then it might help us figure out what’s happening,” Jason explained.
“And?” Nico pressed.
“Yellow chrysanthemums mean love,” Nico felt nauseous as Jason spoke, “But a sorrowful love. Or, um, unrequited love.”
Nico thought he was going to pass out. He looked at the book on his lap, blinking dumbly as his ears rang, barely processing the world around him. 
Jason spoke carefully beside him, “Nico, I’m going to ask you a question and I need you to not send me to the Underworld.”
Nico grunted in agreement and kept his eyes down. 
“Do you still love Percy?” Jason asked.
His reaction was instantaneous. Nico recoiled violently, the book flipping off of his lap as he glared at Jason, his fury visible in every way he held himself. “No!” he sneered, “Why would you ask me that?”
Jason raised his hands in defense, “I’m sorry! But you can’t really blame me for it! The only chance we have at figuring this out is if we are on the same page. Clearly what’s happening to you isn’t natural and it has to be for a reason. The flowers are chrysanthemums for a reason.”
“I’m not in love with Percy!” Nico shouted.
“Then I don’t know what else it could be,” Jason, “But it has to be something!”
Nico coughed, once, twice, “It doesn’t matter! We know what they mean, so drop it!”
Jason stared at him, his mouth in a tight line and then he looked back down harshly. He closed his book roughly. “You don’t have to do everything alone, Nico,” he whispered after a moment, “I know that you think that you deserve to be alone, but you don’t.”
Nico couldn’t respond, he was biting his lip to try and ignore the itch in his lungs. He was jerking forward as he spasmed with suppressed coughs but he couldn’t hold them back any longer as blood filled his mouth. He leaned forward and gagged, blood spilling down his chin and onto the floor as he heaved. Jason placed a hand on his back reassuringly but Nico barely felt it as he started to cough, every inhale and hack felt like his throat was being shredded. It was raw like an open wound and it just kept getting worse with every fit. 
He was retching, petals hitting the ground in clots. He felt dizzy and braced a hand on the ground, trying to keep himself from falling over but it was in vain. Nico rolled out from Jason’s touch, his back hitting the ground as he stared up at the ceiling in a daze. He was really, truly choking then, unable to breathe for even a moment. His eyes widened in a panic as Jason leaned over him, his face in a panic and mouth moving but the raven couldn’t make out his words. He reached a hand up, grabbing Jason’s arm tightly. He could feel tears streaming down his cheeks and distantly he realized that he was going to die. Nico was going to die and he was terrified. His coughing became interspersed with sobs and he was blacking out from lack of air. He was sure Jason was screaming now but all he could hear was his own heaving and spluttering and the blood rushing in his ears. His fingers tightened around Jason’s arm again and then loosened, his vision going black. 
——
Nico woke up in the infirmary and his heart dropped. Jason was sitting in a chair next to his bed, asleep. Will was on his other side, his head laid down on the edge of the mattress. He blinked blearily and as he shifted, Will shot up and whipped his head to look at him. In an instant, he placed a hand on the side of Nico’s face and the other on his shoulder. “Oh gods, Nico, you’re awake,” Will exclaimed, scanning over his face for any sign of distress.
The commotion woke Jason, who was already up and standing beside him, a hand placed on his other shoulder. Nico was overwhelmed and the panic he felt must have been visible on his face because Will and Jason both pulled away quickly, watching him with such worry that Nico felt like he was drowning in guilt. “What happened?” he croaked, his voice was like gravel and it felt like he was swallowing razor blades.
“You almost died, Nico,” Will told him, his face suddenly set, “And you weren’t going to tell anyone.”
Nico looked down, blinking slowly. “How did I get here?” he mumbled.
“I carried you after you went unconscious in your cabin,” Jason said.
“You scared the shit out of us, Nico,” Will’s voice cracked.
“I’m sorry,” Nico whispered. 
“Jason said this has been happening for weeks. If you had said something, we could have helped you sooner.”
“How?” Nico scoffed, “We don’t even know what this is.”
Jason and Will shared a look and Jason sighed. “Yes, we do,” Jason told him, “We figured it out while you were asleep.”
Nico looked up but neither Jason or Will would meet his eyes. “What?” Nico asked, “What is it?”
“Um, it’s called Hanahaki disease,” Will explained, “It’s almost like a curse. We aren’t sure you catch it, but it happens when the victim feels profound unrequited love.”
Nico was certain he was going to throw up and he flinched as Will continued, “Flowers grow in their lungs and will continue to until the patient confesses to the object of their affections and the love is returned, or, um, until they die.”
Nico felt his face burn and his throat was itching again. “Oh,” he muttered.
“There’s a procedure, though,” Will added, “To remove the flowers and stop you from dying. But when the flowers are removed, so are the feelings. And not just the feelings for that one person, all feelings of love for anyone.”
Nico froze. He glanced at Will and thought of confessing. He could imagine the way that Will would recoil in disgust but still try so hard to be nice because that’s who Will was. And it wouldn’t matter, he would die anyways. He thought of choking on flowers and his own blood, how it felt to not be able to breathe and his lungs tightening and flowers coming up his throat and tearing it to pieces. He thought of never loving Will again. Never truly appreciating how the sun caught his hair and how warm he was all the time and the way his nose scrunched when he grinned. And that was so much worse than dying painfully. He nodded and sat straighter in the bed. “Okay,” he stated.
Will looked at him with such pain in his eyes that for a moment Nico wanted to risk a confession. “You’re going to get the procedure?” Will questioned.
Nico frowned, “No, of course not.”
Will seemed to relax slightly but Jason stood just as tense beside him. “So who are we going to find?” Jason asked. 
“Why do you need to find anybody?” Nico asked him back.
“So you can tell them that you love them,” Jason clarified.
Nico visibly lurched back, “Nobody. I’m not confessing anything.”
Jason and Will looked at him desperately and both launched forward at him. “That’s not an option,” Jason said, his voice stern.
“Yes it is, you just told me. I’m not getting the flowers removed and I’m not going to confess. I’m going to die and that’s okay,” Nico was trying his best to stay calm. 
He didn’t want to die, he really, really didn’t and he was so afraid. But that felt like his only option so he was going to ignore the terror coursing through him and be whatever fucked up kind of brave this was. Will grabbed his hand and pulled his attention to him. “No,” he begged, “Nico, no. Please don’t do this. We can help you, please let us help you.”
Will’s eyes were shining and so blue and gods, maybe if Nico died right now, with Will looking at him like that and holding his hand, he would be okay. He placed a hand on Will’s cheek gently, and looked at him softly. “It’s okay,” he whispered, “Really, I’m okay with this.”
“I’m not,” Will was hysterical, “I’m not okay with you dying, Nico.”
Nico shook his head, “Will, it isn’t your choice. I’m not going to choose to stop loving y-,” he sucked in a breath, “To stop loving them forever. And they don’t love me back. So I’m going to die and that’s okay.”
Jason stepped forward as Will blinked back tears. “Nico, just let me go get them. Maybe Percy-” he started.
Nico cut him off harshly as he dropped his hand from Will’s face, “It’s not Percy, Jason. I don’t love him and I don’t think I ever did, not really and not like this.”
Will was crying and it broke Nico’s heart. He coughed, feeling another fit start. He wondered for a moment why another one was starting so quickly after the first but quickly realized that this was the end. Of his life, but of the pain too. It probably didn’t help that Will was there too and Nico felt like he was bursting with affection for him, with love. He inhaled raspily and coughed again. Will and Jason both flinched but Nico couldn’t tear his eyes away from the son of Apollo. He loved Will, so much and so completely that his heart felt like it was failing faster than his lungs.
“Nico, please,” Will cried, “You can’t die.”
He dropped his head beside onto the mattress again and Nico placed a hand in his hair, dragging his fingers through the curls. The raven looked at Jason, smiling painfully. The son of Jupiter was watching him with a guarded look. He glanced down at where Nico was running his fingers through Will’s hair and then back up at Nico. A look of understanding crossed his face and he blinked, lips parting. “Oh,” he whispered.
Nico felt panicked again and he shook his head. “Jason, please,” he said.
Jason met his eyes and smiled wryly, “You’re a fucking idiot, Nico.”
Nico winced but didn’t drop his eyes, “Let me do this, Jason. Please.”
“No,” Jason told him, “I won’t let you choose to kill yourself because you’re stupid and oblivious.”
Will raised his head, tear tracks down his cheeks, and looked between the two. “What do you mean, Jason?”
Jason didn’t break away from Nico’s gaze but spoke carefully anyways. “Will, Nico isn’t going to say anything so you have to.”
“What else can I say that will change his mind?” Will asked.
“You know,” Jason told him, “You have to tell him.”
Nico could hear Will’s breath hitch but he didn’t dare look away from Jason, afraid that if he did for even a second that Jason would say the one thing he couldn’t bear to say himself. It didn’t matter though, because Will grabbed his face and forced Nico to look at him instead. His eyes were red and watery and pleading and still he was beautiful. They stared at each other, neither saying anything and he heard Jason clear his throat. “I’m going to Iris message Hazel and Reyna, let them know what’s happening, just in case. I’ll give you two a second,” Jason started to walk out of the room but he stopped in the doorway and glanced back at Nico, “When I come back, if you’re still…” he trailed off, “I’m not gonna let you die.”
Nico flickered his gaze between Will and Jason as he left, his stomach churning and heart racing while he tried his best to keep himself calm and to stop himself from gagging on blood. Nico jerked, trying to contain another cough. Will let out a sob as he watched Nico and then they were both crying. 
“It’s going to be okay, Will,” Nico whispered.
“No it won’t,” Will cried, “Because you’re going to die. You aren’t going to be here anymore and that isn’t okay. It will never be okay.”
“You’ll move on, I’m sure you can find someone else to cut bandages for you,” Nico tried to joke, “And this is what I want to do. I-I can’t not love them. I haven’t loved anybody like this in so long and even though it’s killing me, I will choose it every time.”
“You don’t get it, Nico! You don’t just cut bandages! You’re my best friend and I can’t watch you die. I can’t,” Will was nearly shouting but Nico didn’t flinch.
Nico’s heart was crumbling to pieces at Will’s tears and words. “Sunshine,” he mumbled, “I promise that it will be alright. That you will be alright.”
“Stop saying that! It’s not true! I’m not going to be alright because I-” Will wiped Nico’s tears away with his thumb and took a breath, “Nico, I love you.”
Nico’s heart stopped, his mind froze, everything was still for a moment. And then everything was rushing at him all at once. Blood was pounding in his ears and every nerve felt like it was on fire, he felt like he was burning up under the weight of Will’s gaze and his touch. He couldn’t process what he said. “What?” he whispered brokenly.
“I love you,” Will repeated, “I love you and I don’t want you to die, so please don’t die.”
“Really?” Nico asked softly.
“Yes, really,” Will’s voice was a strange mix of annoyed and desperate and broken.
Nico blinked and he registered that for the first time in a while he didn’t have to cough. He gasped and then he couldn’t help but laugh. He laughed like a child, wet and broken up by sobs but it was laughter all the same. Will recoiled like he was hurt but Nico followed his retreating hands, never wanting to pull away from him again. “Really,” Nico repeated again, his voice breathy like he was speaking of a dream.
Will didn’t pull away again but he was looking at Nico with apprehension. Nico didn’t know what to say to explain and he just gaped. “I can breathe,” he said after a moment.
“What?” Will asked.
“I can breathe and I love you. Will Solace, I love you,” Nico whispered.
Will smiled widely and Nico was gone. Totally and completely in love with Will and he was euphoric. The blonde dropped his head forward and pressed their foreheads together, his breath fluttering across Nico’s cheeks wonderfully. “Good,” Will chuckled, “Or this would be really awkward.”
“Please,” Nico teased, “You weren’t the one who was going to die.”
Will blinked and then pulled back, shoving Nico’s shoulder harshly. “You were going to die!” he shouted, “You are such an idiot!”
Nico’s face slacked in surprise but he recovered quickly. “I’m not anymore,” he reached a hand out for Will.
The son of Apollo grabbed it but still looked angry, “But you were going to. You were going to choose to die and that isn’t okay. And you are so dumb for thinking that I didn’t love you just as much!”
“I’m sorry. I-” Nico stuttered, “I really didn’t think that you loved me, would ever love me.”
Will deflated and squeezed his fingers. “Why?” he asked, voice cracking.
Nico lowered his eyes, “You’re so good. And kind and smart and wonderful and just, you. And I’m just me.”
“Yeah, you,” Will scoffed, “Son of Hades, hero, deliverer of the Athena Parthenos, the Ghost King. You’re brave and passionate and intelligent and gods, I love you. There’s nothing about you that makes you unlovable. There’s nothing that scares me,” he shoved Nico’s shoulder again, “Except for your ridiculous lack of self preservation. That scares me to death.”
Nico chuckled and looked at Will’s face, his breath catching. “Do you believe me?” Will asked insistently.
Nico paused, focusing for a moment and how clear his chest felt. He nodded slowly, “I think so. Mostly at least. I don’t think there are chrysanthemums choking me anymore.”
“You’ll probably cough up a few more petals. I’m not sure how this works, really,” Will said softly. 
“I can deal with that,” Nico mumbled. 
“I should probably keep you for observation,” Will whispered as he leaned down.
“Yeah probably,” Nico tipped his chin up, “Just to make sure.”
“Mmhmm,” Will agreed, “We don’t want you to relapse.”
“Maybe you should tell me you love me again, you know, just in case,” Nico’s breath hitched.
Will’s nose brushed against his. “I love you,” he sighed.
“And maybe,” Nico muttered, their lips centimeters apart, “Maybe you should kiss me.”
Nico was shocked by his own words but he told himself the adrenaline of almost dying was giving him the confidence. And he really did want Will to kiss him. Will’s mouth was so close to his, their lips barely brushing. 
“Oh?” Will breathed.
Nico hummed and then Will kissed him. It was so soft it made him shiver, pleasure shocking him. Will’s lips were warm and insistent against his own as he gently cupped the blonde’s jaw. Will pulled away and Nico couldn't help but pout. “You taste like blood,” Will told him.
Nico grimaced, “Sorry.”
Will didn’t seem to mind as he kissed Nico again and again and again, peppering kisses across his lips and cheeks and nose and forehead. It made Nico laugh warmly. He felt better than he had in weeks, in years, really. Will wasn’t a fix-all but not to hide or lie or fake it was invigorating. The weight on his shoulders wasn’t gone but it felt like maybe he could share it now, maybe someone was willing to listen and care for him. He closed his eyes, felt Will’s lips flutter across his cheeks. He smiled, exhaling a deep and flowerless breath.
81 notes · View notes
jensungf · 4 years ago
Text
𝐎𝐍𝐋𝐘 𝐅𝐎𝐑𝐄𝐕𝐄𝐑 ∞ 𝐩.𝐣𝐬
summary: park jisung was supposed to be more than a passing cloud, than a fleeting moment. 
Tumblr media
pairing: reader + park jisung ft. childhood friend!mark genre: high school!au, angst, fluff, some comedy too cus dreamies are funny af word count: 7.7k warnings: language, mentions of nausea
author’s note: i’m super happy to announce that i hit my first follower milestone!! thank you to the 100+ precious people who decided to follow my horrid blog, i really appreciate each and everyone one of you and i hope you enjoy this story to celebrate!
this is a sequel to my story passing clouds so please check that out first before you read this.
Tumblr media
Jisung felt sick to his stomach. Like the time Donghyuck had somehow managed to convince him, or more so, drag him against his will onto that horrid Viking ride that day they went to the theme park together. Jisung had clutched onto the bars for dear life, and he could’ve sworn that his stomach flipped-flopped inside out and back again, with his life flashing before his eyes, all while his friends laughed at his misery. But now, along with the deja vu in the form of nausea churning in his stomach; he felt as if his chest was being constricted from the unbearable weight of guilt that was consuming his body. The gloomy skies thundered outside, as if the heavens above were laughing at his misery. As if they were chanting a mantra, reminding him that he fucked up as his head replayed the words you had sobbed just mere moments ago. He should’ve known it was a bad idea then — yet only after facing the pit in his stomach and the echoes of your cries did he know how ditching you was in fact, an irreversible mistake that might’ve cost him more than just his friendship with you.
He clenched his fists, knuckles turning white from the iron-grip on his phone as his arms fell limply to his side. What had he done?
Jaemin spoke first, as the boys all quieted down from their gaming soon after witnessing the conversation. “What the hell did you do, Jisung?”
Jisung winced. Jaemin rarely swore around him, much less directly at him. He knew he fucked up, and his friends could see the defeat in his eyes. The tension in the air thickened as Jisung’s mouth parched, unable to find the right words that could give a single reasonable explanation as to why he chose to do what he did.
“I fucked up,” he croaked plainly, running his hand hurriedly through his hair. “I hurt (Y/N).”
Jaemin’s hand balled up as he narrowed his eyes. He cared for you a lot — all the boys did. They loved you like their own sister. Jaemin’s expression softened at the sight of the youngest’s agony but he remained stern. “What did you do, Jisung?”
“(Y/N) and I.. we were supposed to go to the movies together today. But I never showed up.” Jisung’s knees felt like giving out. “I didn’t think she would actually be that upset that I didn’t show up! I-I thought she would just call someone else to watch it with her, or something. I didn’t she would blow up at me...”
“How could you not expect her to blow up at you when you literally stood her up?” Jaemin furrowed his eyebrows in disbelief. Jisung bit his lip in reluctance and the other boys frowned. Jisung was usually rational, and thought about his actions before he did anything. They didn’t understand what had led him to do this.
“Why did you flake on her?” Renjun asked quietly. Jisung averted his eyes, looking down at the floor. “I don’t know. I just felt like it.”
Donghyuck scoffed, “That’s such bullshit and you know it.”
Chenle’s frown deepened. Seeing his closest friend trying to deflect the truth was so unusual. He tried to piece it together, hitting the nail on the head with a simple question.
“Don’t you like her?”
Jisung’s heart twisted into knots. “What? O-Of course I do, she’s my friend.”
“No, of course you like her Jisung, we all do. I’m asking if you like her.”
A pause hung in the air as they all patiently waited for his answer (despite the obvious.)
“Y-Yeah. I do. I like her so much, guys. And I freaking messed up.” He confessed, choking up as tears prickled his eyes. “I was scared. We planned this last week while we were studying, and I thought she was joking about it being a movie date but she was actually serious and kept bringing it up.”
“That’s a good thing though, isn’t it? You could’ve made a move on her.” Donghyuck pointed out in slight disbelief.
“I know, but I got scared! I thought.. what if she didn’t like me back, and I was taking this the wrong way? I didn’t want to make the next step and embarrass myself when— if she rejected me. I knew it was childish of me to try and be cool and play it off, but… I don't know. I-I really just thought she could do better...” Jisung buried his head into his hands, his shame and insecurities washing over him. “Mark just came back into town too, and I always thought he was a better match for her than me.”
He sucked in his breath, lips quivering. “I.. I told myself that if I just chickened out then she would replace me with him or something. So it didn’t matter if I went or not.”
“(Y/N) would never do that and you know that! It’s so obvious she likes you back,” Chenle couldn’t help but grow frustrated at how unreasonable Jisung was being with the whole situation. How could he possibly even think like that?
Jaemin inhales deeply, shaking his head in disapproval. “If you really liked her back, then you would’ve thought about how your actions would have affected her and how she would’ve reacted.”
Jisung lifts his head up, eyes bloodshot as tears drip down his face. “Guys, I fucked up. I hurt her feelings and—” His breath hitched, “S-she told me that I could go play whatever games I wanted as long as they weren’t with her! I didn’t mean to make her feel like she was just someone I used to pass time or she was a game!”
“Jisung, of course she would think that way! You can’t just mess around with her feelings like that. You ditched her without even giving her a plausible reason or heads up, and you argued with her and said that we mattered more than she did, even though we’re all friends!” Jaemin huffed exasperatedly.
He pauses to catch his breath, almost sobbing at this point. “I don’t know how to fix this. What if she never forgives me?”
“I’m so disappointed in you, Jisung. How do you expect her to forgive you?” Jaemin suddenly stands up, throwing his hands up in frustration.
Everyone’s eyes widened at Jaemin’s irritated tone. He rarely ever scolded Jisung, always showering the younger boy in love and affection. He even treated him like his little brother. Jisung's mouth hung agape at Jaemin’s harsh words. He knew he deserved it, but it stung even more coming from Jaemin.
Jaemin scowled before turning his back and storming out of the room. Everyone froze, stunned.
Jeno was the first to react. “I’ll go talk to him,” he said before stepping outside of the room.
The rest of the boys turned to Jisung who was flopped on the floor, his usually tall stature curling into a tiny ball like a small child. Chenle sighed before getting up to rub Jisung’s back comfortingly.
“You made a big mistake,” Renjun says bluntly from his spot.  
“But so does everyone. Everyone has their insecurities, Jisung. You’re still growing so you still have an opportunity to learn from them so you don’t make the same ones again. But it’s a fleeting opportunity so don’t take it for other’s kindness for granted. You owe her an apology, and if you’re sincere enough, she’ll at least hear you out. You know how (Y/N) is — she’s a very understanding person.”
Chenle and Donghyuck nod their head in agreement. “We’ve all made mistakes before. It’s a part of life.” Chenle adds.
Jisung weakly mumbles a thank you, wiping the tears from his swollen face. The boys all give him a pat on the back and a tight-lipped smile. As much as they agreed that what he did was wrong, he was still their brother. It was their job to be there for him, to support him and guide him along the path even if he made mistakes.
Jeno popped in from the doorway. “We’re going to go clean up for dinner. We’ll call you down when the food is ready.” The boys all begin to shuffle out, leaving Jisung alone with his thoughts.
He feels such agonizing frustration, but he knows that he has no one else to blame but himself. He was the sole reason you had been hurt. It was his fault, his actions, that caused you pain. At the sound of your sobs replaying through his head, he squeezes his eyes shut and clenches his hands so hard that his dull fingernails pierce the skin of his palms, leaving painful indents.
However, Jisung’s head snapped up as the door creaked open again. Jaemin's eyes softened as he took a seat next to Jisung.
“I’m sorry,“ Jisung mumbles, “I really hurt her even though I swear, I never meant to. You can be mad at me. I deserve it.”
Jaemin sighs before ruffling the younger’s head. “No, Jisung. I’m sorry for what I said.”
“I really care about both of you and I know you understand what you did was wrong. It really did hurt her, but she really likes you, you know. A lot more than you think.” Jaemin murmurs.
Jisung didn’t have the heart to tell Jaemin he didn’t actually know.
Although Jisung would always jokingly fight back against the older’s hugs when he would be the one initiating hugs and coddling him, this time, Jisung’s body relaxes as he lets the older boy wrap his arms around him.
“Thanks, Jaemin.” He sniffles. The older boy can only pull him in closer.
He had a lot of work to do. Jisung sighs, leaning back in his chair before scribbling “Mission: Make it up to (Y/N)” on a piece of scratch paper. He scrutinized the blank page before groaning and crumpling it up in frustration.
Jisung facepalms the table with an astounding thud, earning a yelp from across him. “What the heck, Park Jisung! Are you trying to get a concussion?” Donghyuck screeched. The chocolate milk from his bowl of Fruity Pebbles cereal sloshes onto the surface of the table and into his lap.
“Sorry!” Jisung mutters. His older brother glares at him while furiously wiping his lap with napkins. “I just can’t think of how to get (Y/N) to forgive me. I suck at all this romantic gesture crap.”
Donghyuck wails, “Doesn’t mean you can just freaking slam your head into the table! What did the table ever do to you? Also now my favorite sweat-shorts are stained.”
Renjun walks by the kitchen and rolls his eyes in disgust. “First of all, who the hell eats fruity cereal with chocolate milk— you heathen. You deserved it.”
Donghyuck flicks his middle finger at Renjun’s back as Chenle bursts out in his iconic dolphin laughter.
“Jisung, if you get a concussion in this kitchen or break the table with that empty skull of yours, Jaemin is going to break your skull. And you know (Y/N) the best, don’t you? Use your remaining brain cells,” Renjun tutted with a pointed look.
Jisung nods but whispers something about there being only one brain cell in this whole damn house under his breath.
“Yeah, I know— ‘cause it belongs to me.”
Everyone simultaneously rolled their eyes at Renjun.
Jeno sits in front of the TV, fervently smashing buttons. His eyes never break away from the screen yet he manages to pipe up. “Why don’t you start by figuring out a list of what she likes?”
Jisung’s ears perk up at the suggestion. “That’s a great idea Jeno!” However, his excitement quickly turns into a huff of exasperation. “But (Y/N) likes so many things… Anime, ice cream, watching me dance, fangirling over —”
“Me, of course!” Hyuck singsongs with a cocky smirk.
The crumpled ball of paper smacks him dead in the nose. “Ow!”
“Wait, I know!” Jisung shouts enthusiastically as an idea pops into his head. The boys all turn to look at him. “She loves the cake from the bakery down the street!”
“Ah, Neo Bakery? The one with cherry bombs and puzzle piece cookies?” Jaemin asks.
Jisung nods, flashing his smile for the first time in days. “Yeah! Can we go right now? Please?”
“I don’t see why not,” Jaemin grins. All the boys shrug in agreement, and begin grabbing their jackets and shoes. Even Jeno leaves his game to join. But before they knew it, Jisung had dashed out the door, his sneakers barely on. “Meet you there!” He called out.
They all share a look and collectively sigh.
“He’s so whipped.”
“Yep.”
By the time they had caught up to Jisung, they had found him standing in front of the quaint shoppe pacing back and forth like a lost child. Chenle shoulder-bumps him, causing him to stop in his tracks. “What the heck are you doing?”
“I didn’t want to go inside alone… It looks kind of empty,” He says sheepishly.
“Oh my god, you big baby, just go in and—” Donghyuck froze as the door he had pulled causes him to lurch forward. He tries to open the door again, but to no avail. It hadn’t budged.
Jisung runs up to the window, squishing his face against the cold glass to peer intently inside. It was empty.
“Guys,” Jeno whistled. They whirl their head in his direction. Renjun holds up a paper with the words “CLOSED FOR RENOVATIONS UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE” emblazoned in bold letters across the page. “You have got to be kidding me,” Jisung bemoans, accidentally hitting his head against the glass window in the process. He winces and rubs his reddening forehead.
“Keep that up and you’re going to lose all your brain cells before you even get a chance to speak to (Y/N),” Chenle snorts. Jisung’s nose scrunches up at his best friends and he turns to face everyone else. “Now what am I going to do?” He whines.
“I mean, are there any other places that she’d like?” asked Renjun.
Jisung shakes his head. “No, just that place. She really likes their strawberry cream cake.”
Jaemin wrinkles his nose at the mention of strawberry before he exclaims, “Ah! I got it!” A mischievous glint appears in his eyes. “Jeno, don’t you have Doyoung’s number?” Jeno stares at him quizzically before letting out a sound of realization and nodding. He quickly gets out his phone and scrolls until he finds the right contact while everyone else’s eyebrows furrowed in confusion. “We’re going to go to the supermarket now, let’s go Jisungie.” Jaemin beams proudly.
“What are you talking about? The supermarket? For what?”
“I got it!” Jeno announces, grinning before shoving his phone into Jisung’s ginormous hands. Jisung fumbles with it for a bit, earning a glare from Jeno. He gives an apologetic grin before looking down to read the screen.
“Woah, what? How’d you get the recipe!?” He exclaimed. Jeno shrugs yet doesn’t bother to hide his eye-smile. “I’m friends with Doyoung. He works there part-time as one of the bakers and he owes me a favor.”
“Wait, are we going to the supermarket to buy all the ingredients?” Jisung parrots bewilderedly. Chenle rolls his eyes and smacks his best friend upside the head, “Yes, you idiot. Now can we go? I’m starving too.”
Jisung’s smile ear to ear as they all make their way down the street. He was so lucky to have them.
After a chaotic trip to the supermarket which had resulted in Renjun chasing down Hyuck in attempt to murder the cheeky boy for yet again trying to steal  his order of pork cutlet “by accident,” and Chenle trying to find his favorite Chinese ramen in the wrong aisle for a good 20 minutes, they had managed to get back home in one piece without getting kicked out by the manager again. (Everyone had blamed it on Jisung for accidentally knocking over the entire tower of cans on one of the tables, but he thought it was a stupid idea to even display cans in such a fashion. It wasn’t like it was one of Renjun’s weird art competitions or whatever.)
With the help of Jaemin and Jeno who both surprisingly had not fallen into the chaos, they had successfully checked off their shopping list.
“Now, we should measure out the ingredients first and then add it in so it makes it a lot quicker and easier,” Jaemin chastises as he puts on his apron. He turned around only to be met with the sight of Jisung coughing in the midst of a cloud of dust, desperately trying to wipe the cake flour that he had accidentally spilled everywhere off his black shirt.
“Park Jisung, I banned you from the goddamn kitchen for a reason but please, for the sake of (Y/N), get it together!”
Jaemin facepalmed. This was going to be a long ass ride afternoon.
Cake was probably the most difficult thing Jisung has ever attempted to make in his life.“Why is this so hard? It’s just cake!” He stares at the gloppy mixture in front of him, lifting up the whisk only to be met with the sight of chunks of things he wasn’t even sure belonged in a cake.
First, it was the struggle with just simply washing strawberries. Jaemin had looked away for a single second and nearly went haywire when he saw what the younger boy was about to do.
Jisung had moved the strawberries into a bowl in the sink, running water and had just grabbed the container of green liquid when—
“Nooooooo! No!” screeched Jaemin. He smacked Jisung on the leg and scolded him with an incredulous look. “You don’t wash strawberries with dish soap, you idiot! Are you crazy!?”
Jisung shot him a puzzled look. “Wait, you don’t?”
With the self-restraint of every fiber in his body, Jaemin forced himself  to not strangle the other boy.
Then it was this. Jaemin should’ve known it was a horrible idea to try and even think about letting Jisung do this alone, but the boy had begged about about how he needed to prove himself to you and he needed all the credit. He pinched the bridge of his nose and left to go drag someone else in to help.
Jisung was perpetually frozen in his spot, his jaw still hung open. His brain was short-circuiting at this point. If he had followed all the instructions, how did it end up like this?
“You both are idiots,” Renjun shook his head, glaring at Jaemin who had dragged him away in the middle of a Moomin marathon and Jisung who was still blinking confusedly at the whisk in his hand.
“Please, Injunnie,” Jaemin pleaded, pouting with his lips puckered out and puppy-dog eyes. “Do it for (Y/N) and Jisung! We’re all counting on you!“
“Agh, fine.” Renjun rolled his eyes before going through the recipe once again.
“Oi, Park Jisung! Snap out of it!”  
“Huh, wha—?”
Renjun grabbed the whisk from him. He stares at the horrific mixture of what was definitely not cake batter and wrinkles his nose in disgust. “What the hell did you do?” He demands.
Jisung gives him a blank stare. Renjun examines the ingredients on the table and nearly faints.
“Jisung, this recipe says baking powder, not baking soda. And it says cake flour, you blockhead, not bread flour! Why do we even have bread flour!?”
“Actually, it’s because of Hyuck’s carb obsession,” Jaemin answers.
He immediately holds Renjun back from running off to fight the mentioned boy.
Jisung chortled, “Renjun, you’re the best!“
Renjun cuts him off by locking the taller boy in a loving chokehold and laughs. “Yeah, yeah, I know. Now help me would ya?”
After about five hours of continuous screaming and threats of burning down the kitchen or someone’s hair (which may or may not be all by the hands of Renjun), they managed to successfully bake the cake. Jisung collapses on the couch besides his friends, finally giving his strained muscles a break from the hardcore struggle of baking. “Who knew baking was this hard?” Donghyuck teases the tired trio on the couch. Chenle laughs in delight at their suffering, and they all shoot him a dirty look. While they rest, Jeno begins cleaning the mess in the kitchen. “It looks like a goddamn tornado flew in here,” He mutters.
“My poor kitchen,” Jaemin weeps. He turns his head to pinch Jisung’s cheeks, “Ahhhh, the things I do for you and true love, my precious Jisungie.”
Jisung groans and slaps his hand away. Donghyuck and Chenle begin helping Jeno clean the mess as well. Just as they finish, the timer for the oven goes off.
Jisung sighs before getting up. “I’ll get it.” In his exhausted daze, he opens the oven and reaches out for the hot pan before —
“Ow, fuck!” He swears, retracting his now throbbing hand. “Language!” Jaemin scolds from his seat. Chenle rushes over, inspecting his hand. “Dude, are you okay?”
Jisung winces at the pain and mumbles, “I forgot the mitt.”
Jeno walks over and chides, “Go run it under cool water.” Jaemin and Renjun turned their heads from the couch. “Are you okay, ‘Sung?” Jaemin asks worriedly. Jisung nods weakly in response.
“We have burn salve, and I’ll help you bandage it afterwards,” Jeno grabs the burn salve from the cabinet and gently applies the salve to Jisung’s hand, who flinches even with the light pressure. “Chenle, can you get the cake?“ Jeno asks.
“I got it,” he reassures, skillfully taking the cake out with a mitt and closing the oven.
“Thanks,” Jisung then frowns at the white bandage wrapped around his palm. Y/N is probably going to freak if she sees this, he thinks to himself.
Despite the pain from his throbbing hand, the boys worked together to finish decorating the cake and celebrated by enjoying some of it as well. Surprisingly despite their clumsiness, it had turned out almost identical to the one from the bakery and didn’t taste bad at all. Now all Jisung had to do was just wait until he saw you tomorrow.
As he laid there in bed that night, he felt the gaping hole in his chest that had been masked by his chaotic day. He was missing something in his life the past couple of days. A hole in the shape of you. He felt like kicking something suddenly. Like himself. How could be so foolish as to push you away because of his own insecurities? You didn’t deserve a fool like him. The lump in his throat grew.
He closed his eyes tightly that night and sent a silent prayer up into the sky before he slept. Please give me another chance to love her. To make her happy.
To say that Jisung was nervous, would be a great understatement. His entire livelihood depended on this. Well, maybe not livelihood but still. He didn’t know what he would do if you didn’t at least hear him out. He had trouble sleeping last night, his doubts and worries consuming him. The boys hadn’t questioned him this morning when they saw the bags under his eyes, yet still voiced their concerns only to be brushed off with a weak smile. This was what he deserved. And now he had to do what he must in order to earn your forgiveness. He had carefully wrapped the slice of strawberry cream cake in a box, with a red bow on top. He was never really one who was good at expressing his emotions through words, much less cheesy romantic gestures like this but he had practiced his apology at least a hundred times in front of his mirror the past few days. All he had to do now was just simply tell you it. Face to face.
His stomach churned as the memory of your cries and bitter words surfaced again. He shook his head in order to try and rid himself of those thoughts, which Chenle had noticed. He gave an encouraging pat to his friend’s back and murmured a soft “Hey, it’ll be okay.”
Jisung’s face twisted in slight anguish. “I don’t know, Lele…” He sighed. “I’m really scared. I really don’t know what I’d do if she doesn’t forgive me. I don’t even know if I really deserve another chance after what I did and said.”
“Jisung, she loves you a lot and you love her too. It would be foolish to say that you’d never hurt her but you need to prove that you won’t ever try and do it again. Just try your best and know that if she hears how sincere you are and see that you’re trying to learn from your mistakes, then you shouldn’t take that for granted ever again.” Chenle reassures.
Jisung smiles sadly before a look of determination replaces it. “Thanks, Chenle. It means a lot.”
Chenle smiles. “Any time, bro.”
By the time lunch rolled around, Jisung felt like a shit ton of bricks had hit him. Usually, he would’ve seen you in the morning but you were nowhere to be found. He hadn't seen you in the halls or anywhere else at all, and worry was eating him up. Where in the world were you?
He took a seat besides his friends who all shot him a look of concern. “What’s wrong now?” Donghyuck questions gently. He hated seeing his youngest brother down in the dumps and although it was supposed to be resolved today, Jisung only looked more worn out.
“I haven't seen her at all today. Do you think she’s purposefully avoiding me?” Jisung feels his heart breaking even more at the possibility that you hated him to the point where you wouldn’t even want to see his face. His head drops in remorse.
“I don’t know,” Hyuck begrudgingly admits, “But don’t you have class with her?”
“Just some. But she was absent today. Usually I see her between classes as well and I haven’t seen her at all. What if she’s sick or she’s skipping class just to avoid me?”
“I doubt (Y/N) would ever skip class just for that reason… but you should just wait until class,” Renjun suggests. Jisung nods in disappointment, his expression resembling one of a kicked puppy. The boys exchange a look of pity and they eat their lunch quietly.
They could only hope for the best.
Jisung mopes for the remainder of the day, feeling nothing but pure despair for his current situation. By the time the last class rolled around, he had basically given up on even seeing you today or even ever again for that matter. He stares at the dainty bag he prepared for you in deep regret before a familiar figure passes by him. (Y/N)?
His head snaps up so quickly he’s sure he almost gave himself whiplash.
It was you. You were here. You were here!
Relief washes throughout his body. His eyes followed you as you walked to your seat, yet he feels his body tense when you don’t even bother to glance back. You hadn’t spared him a single look since you had gotten to your desk but you could feel his stare burn holes into the back of your head. You didn’t actually know since you hadn’t looked at him since before this weekend but you had a gut feeling.
Still, you were stubborn and refused to turn around and give that jerk the satisfaction of attaining your precious attention.
It wasn’t fair of him to do that when he was the one who had hurt you. He was the one who had promised you his time, yet ended up treating you as if you were disposable — something he’d throw away once he had something better to do. You weren’t his priority.
You had basically spent all weekend curled up in your room sobbing into Mark’s arms. He had picked you up from the movie theater that fateful day and consoled you until the wee hours of night, patiently listening to you rant and bawl your heart out over a stupid, stupid boy. You felt so guilty since he had just come back into town and instead of spending time catching up, he had kept you company as you binge-watched sad movies to wallow in your heartbreak over a certain idiot by the name of Park Jisung.
(“I’m sorry Mark,” you blubbered as you cling onto his figure. He sighed as he rubbed your back soothingly, hoping to calm down your tears. You mumbled into his tear-stained shirt, “I didn’t expect you to come back and for this to happen. I ruined your weekend, didn’t I?”
“Well.. you might’ve,” He said, causing you to immediately sit and look at him with watery eyes and quivering lips. You opened your mouth to cry out even more but he stopped you. “Wait—I was kidding. Sort of but not really.. but it’s okay (Y/N)! I just don’t want you to see you cry anymore.” Through your watery eyes and sniffles, you managed to smack him weakly against his chest. He gave you a tight-lipped smile before softly pulling you into his embrace, tracing circles into your back as you melted into his arms and lulled yourself into a deep, painless slumber.
Mark slowly moved his head to look down at your forlorn figure, a peaceful expression upon your features despite the fresh tears still dripping down your face. He gently wiped the tears from your face with the pad of his thumb, his heartbeat thumping so loudly that he worried it would wake you. He felt like his heart was tearing in half — from how painfully heartbroken you were, and how ironically sad this situation was. “I’ll always be here by your side,” Mark whispers to the air, knowing you had already drifted into dreamland. His heart ached. After all, he knew you would never see him the same way you saw Jisung. And he had to live with that.)
You had spent the next few nights with Mark, ugly crying yourself to sleep in his arms until the tears ran out. Asking the skies how could he could just cut you out of his life just like that? Drop you with the lame excuse that his friends were first. Did he not feel any remorse for what he did?
Stupid jerk. He didn’t deserve any more of my goddamn time or attention. No more shedding any tears. No more self-pity, you thought to yourself. You didn’t need Park Jisung in your life. You didn’t need to waste your breath holding onto what your friendship once was, what your feelings once were. You were sure of it. You had tried to convince yourself so, anyways.
You wanted to burn every trace of Park Jisung from your life, yet Mark had persuaded you not to, quietly murmuring about how you would regret it more than Jisung would soon regret his actions. You found that hard to believe but after all he had done to stay by your side, you relented to his wishes.
The time had dragged on by agonizingly slowly. It felt like Jisung was stuck in time for what felt like a million damn years. His anxiousness increased as the class went on. You were actually here! He wondered why you hadn’t showed up for your earlier classes but he thanked the heavens that at least you were here now. Yet he couldn’t help but feel more on edge.
He swallowed thickly, tapping his pencil annoyingly and fidgeting in his seat. His eyes paid more attention to the ticking of the hands of the clock than the boring teacher droning on and on about today’s lesson.
Finally, the bell rings signaling the end of class. Jisung jumps out of his desk and grabs his backpack in one hand and the bag in another, dashing outside like his life depended on it. You catch a glimpse of his escaping figure, and scowl. Did he really not want to be in the same space as you? Was it that painful for him to have you to be in his life? You felt a lump grow in your throat. A part of you had naively hoped that maybe, just maybe he would confront you and apologize. Not that you’d forgive him, or anything but… You bite your lip. He really dashed out the door just like that. You swallow the tears threatening to spill and trudge out of the room with a grim shadow cast upon your face.
You walk outside and begrudgingly scan the groups of students dispersing, searching for his face despite your internal protests. You couldn’t help it. However, by the time you reach the steps of the school, he’s nowhere to be found.
“You look like your cat just died.” You turn around to see Na Jaemin leaning against the brick wall with his signature sweet smile painted on his face. You pout and remember that he’s still Jisung’s friend. Your pout quickly turns into a scowl, and as if reading your mind — he kindly says, “I’m still your friend (Y/N). Nothing will ever change that.”
Your walls drop and he gently nudged your shoulder, cocking his head towards the doors so you both head out. “I hope Bongshik didn’t actually die, or else Jeno would be devastated,” Jaemin remarks. Your shoulders droop and you shake your head. As you walk with him, he takes a turn into the courtyard and you follow him despite the unfamiliar path.
“I know what happened between both of you,” he breathes airily. You wince at the mention of the fall-out. You hadn’t really wanted other people to know yet you guessed it was inevitable. “I know you probably hate him, but I know it’ll be okay. “
You remain quiet, unable to form a coherent sentence when your mind is constantly buzzing with thoughts of Jisung, bringing back the pain clawing inside your chest. You bite your lip. “How can you be so sure about that?” You mutter bitterly.
As you stare at the fallen cherry blossoms littered all across the pavement, you don’t realize that Jaemin had stopped. You freeze, and look up only to lock your gaze with the deep chocolate orbs of the one person you had been avoiding all day.
His eyes darted around your face searching for any telltale signs of how you felt — yet your face was only void of any emotions besides shock. Your jaw drops as you immediately turn to leave. “Wait, (Y/N), please! I’m sorry, please don’t leave— please! Just hear me out.”
You halt in your footsteps, cursing yourself for being foolish enough to even listen to him. Your heart betrayed your mind. You turned around and glared at Jaemin for even getting you in this situation — yet his eyes simply gazed with intent, almost lulling you towards Jisung again. He raises his eyebrows in anticipation and tilts his head towards the other boy. You sigh in resignation at his silent command and then turn around to fully face Jisung.
“What could you possibly say that would make me want to stay?”
“I’ll leave you two alone,” Jaemin says quietly before walking away. Your eyes widen as you realize that you would have to deal with this alone. You open your mouth to protest.
“Wait, (Y/N), please — I just need to tell you something and then you can decide whether or not I’m worth any more of your time,” Jisung interrupts, pleading with his entire soul.
Your eyes flicker to him.
He had never looked so broken.
“I thought I wasn’t worth any of your time,” You say quietly, remembering his harsh words from the other day.
Jisung’s expression drops yet he knows he can’t stay quiet anymore. “No, that’s not true,” He says firmly. “You’re worth all the time in the world.”
You can feel your heart beating out of your chest now, and wonder if he can hear it despite the mere steps that distance you away from one another.
Jisung’s nose scrunches up, and you want to laugh at his cute habit of wrinkling his nose in distaste whenever he’s disappointed that something doesn’t go his way, even despite the grave situation. He inhaled sharply before continuing. “I’m so so sorry for what I said the other day. It was the most hurtful thing I’ve ever said to anyone and I’m so disappointed in myself for hurting you. I never meant to.” He bites his lip and you stare at him. His hands fidget but remain behind his back.
“I-I like you, (Y/N). A lot. M-Maybe even love you but either way! It doesn’t excuse what I did. I shouldn’t have stood you up, but I was stupid, and foolish and the biggest idiot in the world because I was scared. When you first brought up going to the movies together, I was so happy. This is going to sound so damn cheesy and I hate cheesy, but my heart literally soared. I’m still surprised you didn’t notice how red I was,” He admitted.
You stared at him in shock. Park Jisung liked you. Even loved you. He loved you back.
“I didn’t shut up about it to the boys. But then I kept thinking. What if you didn’t mean it like an actual date and I was taking it the wrong way? I was honestly terrified. I didn’t want to ruin our friendship by making the next move even though everyone told me you felt the same way. I over thought it and then decided that I didn’t want to look like an idiot, so I had to be really chill about it in front of you, so I wouldn’t embarrass myself if you didn’t feel the same way. I didn’t want you to know how excited I was because I thought I would look desperate, or something.”
“I let my insecurities get the best of me and god, when I heard that Mark Lee was coming back, I literally felt like I had no chance. I mean, you’re the most amazing girl I’ve ever known and I mean it (Y/N). Y-You…,” He pauses and takes a breath, forcing himself to make eye contact with you. “You deserve the world and I really want to be the one to make you happy because it makes me so happy every time you laugh because of me tripping over air or you wake me up when I fall asleep during our study dates — I mean hangouts. And when I get to hold your hand and doodle all over your arms—” He rambles on. “I was dumb enough to take your time for granted and not consider your feelings. But I want to do better for you. I regret what I did and I want to turn back time to fix it, but I know I can’t so… I promise I won’t make this same mistake again.” His ears turn red and your heart can’t help but swell at his words, despite your mind’s screaming.
“But I didn’t think I was good enough or anything like Mark, who’s a lot funnier and older and smarter. I thought he would be better for you.” You want to open your mouth to protest but he continues.
“But I don’t want to be scared anymore! I don’t want to live life regretting what I did. You’re the most important person in my life (Y/N), and I know I hurt you a lot because I was scared to let you see all of me and tell you how I really felt, but I want to be better and learn from my mistakes. I don’t ever want to hurt you again and I can’t promise you I won’t, because I’m a big idiot who’s still growing, and I know I make a lot of mistakes... but I want to be your big idiot who will apologize and grow from them. I would do whatever it takes to make you happy as long as we’re happy together.”
You found yourself on a rollercoaster of emotions. You bite your lip, trying to hold back the growing smile and tears threatening to burst.
Taking your hesitation as a rejection, Jisung looks down dejectedly before revealing the bag in his hand. “H-Here,” he struggles to keep his voice from breaking, just like his heart, “I… wanted to buy you your favorite cake from Neo Bakery but it was closed so I tried to bake it myself… I know you don’t want anything to do with me anymore but please just take it. It’s for you.”
Your eyes widen as you also notice his bandaged hand and the way he winces when he grips the straps of the bag tighter. You put two and two together and take the bag. You set it delicately down on the ground before rushing to embrace him.
Jisung stumbles back a little but manages to catch his balance as you wrap your arms around him. “You stupid idiot,” you mumble into his shirt, tears welling up. “Look at how cliche this is. You know how much I hate cheesy cliches.”
Jisung stiffens before he relaxes his body to hug you back even tighter. “I can’t believe you burned yourself baking a cake for me. How dumb are you? And I can’t believe Jaemin let you in the kitchen in the first place.” You say incredulously.
He lets out a laugh at your response and strokes your hair gently. “I know,” he says softly as he closes his eyes and relishes in your warmth. You loosen your grip around his torso and step back to gaze up at him. “I can’t believe you at all. What you did really hurt me and I almost burned all your hoodies” Jisung’s eyes widened in horror at your statement. You snigger slightly. “But I didn’t. Thanks to Mark, by the way.”
“It’s okay to be insecure and have your doubts and I know we all make mistakes but please, don’t shut me out and leave me hanging like that next time. We’re friends and friends don’t do that to each other. I accept your apology — only because I know how hard you must’ve worked to bake the cake with your stupid noodle limbs and incompetent cooking skills.”
“Hey!” Jisung pouts at your words and you reach up to pinch his cheeks as you laugh. He melts at your touch and a gummy smile emerges. “But if you couldn’t tell, I really like you too. Maybe even love you,” You inhale at your own words and avert your eyes. “But if you want to make the next move then we have to work on conquering our fears… Together.” You admit earnestly, a look of determination in your eyes.
Jisung can’t help but grin even harder as his heartbeat skyrockets. Happiness overflows through every part of his body. “Thank God,” He says, pulling you in for another tight embrace. “I don’t know what I would’ve done without you.”
You both revel in each other’s arms for a while longer as the breeze gently blows against your figure. You look up at him, with the sunset shining upon his skin. His sparkling eyes gaze intently into yours before he leans down a little and your breath hitches. He pauses for a moment before his lips brush hesitantly against yours, and although you don’t feel fireworks erupt or an intense rush of euphoria, you know that this felt just right. Your noses barely brush against each other’s and your eyes flutter shut, feeling his lashes tickle lightly against your skin. He’s so glad your eyes are closed so you don’t see his cheeks dusted with a rosy pink. You slot your lips against his more, the awkwardness fading away, and tip toe to wrap your arms around his neck as he pulls you in deeper.
  He lets go first but smoothly slips his large hand into yours, fitting almost perfectly. His ears burn with embarrassment and you can feel yourself turn hot and blush fervently. Jisung scratches his neck trying to hide the fact that wow, for a kid who was considered shy — that really just happened.
“You’re not off the hook yet, Park Jisung! You still have a lot of groveling to do. Just because I love you doesn’t mean you’re forgiven, you big baby!” You announce to diffuse the awkwardness.
He smiles bashfully, “It’s okay. As long as I’m your big baby.” He leans down to grab the bag with his other hand and you blush even harder at the confidence brimming from his words. “Shall we go taste test my amazing cake?” He jokes.
You smack him and scoff, “There’s no damn way you were able to make this by yourself! Who helped you?”
He sticks his tongue out. “You’ll never figure it out.” You roll your eyes and laugh as you walk together, fingers still intertwined.
Maybe it was foolish of you to want to believe that Park Jisung wasn’t just simply a passing cloud or fleeting moment in your life. But you had hope. Hope that instead, he was the gentle breeze that tickled your nose and the warm sunshine that kissed your face on the warm summer days where you both had spent chasing each other until your lungs hurt. Or perhaps, his existence was embodied in the petals of the cherry blossom tree in the courtyard that bloomed every spring, carved with initials of young love that you had just ironically and cheesily enough, just experienced your first love underneath. You weren’t sure if Park Jisung’s existence was fleeting in itself or that the idea of forever actually existed, but you knew he himself was just there throughout every step of the way, and as much as the moments passed by and the memories faded, you could feel his love with the passing of every second.
And most importantly, you knew that Park Jisung still had your heart at the end of the day, and even if he dropped it, he would do everything in his power to put together the pieces even if it meant opening up a part of his heart that he had kept hidden away for so long and giving it to you. And at that moment, that was the only forever you needed.
Tumblr media
author’s note: i sincerely hope you enjoyed this sequel hehe i worked really hard on this and it’s the longest story i’ve ever written! spoiler alert: there will be an epilogue/spin-off with mark in the making <33 please keep an eye out for that in the future hehe. special thanks to @neocitybynight @j-woosderland @gohyuck and @neostains for reading this beforehand!
taglist: @bumblebeenct @mjlkau @yongiefilms @neo-cultures @sugarsicheng @thenctaddict @soleilhyuck @ainabaina @heyy-sicheng @sunflowerhae
368 notes · View notes
chandelier-s-notebook · 4 years ago
Text
Doodlewash April 2021 prompt 20: Roses
Songfic using Black Roses by Aviators.
The color black has often been synonymous with death and mourning and is usually used at funerals. But black roses do have a more positive meaning as well. They can stand for the beginning of new things and major change.
Reminder 93-10-01 = Tommy 83-11-03 = Hannahxxrose 93-08-02 = CupToast/Crumb 66-16-01 = Plushys 09-10-01 = Purpled
If anyone wants to be part of a taglist of the Vigilante AU, feel free to message me/send an ask/or mention it in reblogs.
--------------------------
We are husks
Plushys had been trapped in the warehouse on 1889 Coral Lane, not that she knew where she was, for eight months now. When she was taken it no one took her nail file off of her person. She hid it in her hair when she was forced to change into the warehouse uniform.
She got two meals a day, and she started a tally on the wall. At every other meal, another tally was put on the wall with her nail file.
But the tallies were very much racking up. She was tried. She wanted to go home.
After five months she was given a cellmate; 83-11-03, Hannah Rose. Hannah was a street rat. She grew up fighting for her place in the world. She clawed her way to get what she had; only for it to be ripped away by a group of men and a white van.
After Plushys made her new tally on Hannah’s first day she offered the girl the nail file. Hannah made her first mark, and settled in for the long run.
Plushys and Hannah were placed in the same fighting ability category. They’ve been pitted against each other a few times.
The people in charge of the fighting ring have a few wants. They make money by keeping the bettors as patrons. And the way to do that is to have a suspenseful fight. Plushys and Hannah deliver on the wants of the criminals.
Hannah was a street rat. Plushys was the twin sister of a vigilante. They knew how to fight. They knew how to make an event.
They had learned how to riff off each other. They could fight to the brink of the end only to comeback down in a way that was satisfying for the audience and kept up the suspense. They did this for a few reasons: one, they didn’t want to hurt each other; two, they needed to keep the criminals happy; three, the longer they went on for, the more time the other kids could rest up and get in the mindset; and four, it was a little fun when neither party cared too much.
“66-16-01 v. 83-11-03!”
Plushys caught 5up’s eye in the crown. “Please get us out of here,” her eyes begged.
Hannah threw the first punch. She was so ready to get out of here.
Alive but barely breathing
Crumb was not okay. She just wasn’t. She may have been born in District 93 but she was privileged by their standards. She had a loving mother and father and a stable live. She wasn’t built for fighting.
The only thing keeping her afloat and winning was her fear instincts driving her. And a few lessons by Hannah and Tommy during whatever downtime they could squeeze out.
If she doesn’t fight, her opponent was going to break her; literally.
Just because she could didn’t mean she liked it. She was forever grateful that Hannah and her cellmate 66-16-01 took forever to finish up. It gave her time to collect herself and to hind in her mind palace. She could hide away and repress the memories once all this was over.
Hannah suggested it to her. Tommy cautioned that one day the walls would fall and the memories would hit her like a freight train.
Crumb didn’t have the capacity; she was already going through so much trauma. What was a little more after the fact?
Sure she trusted them with her life, but she wanted her parents to help her feel completely safe to break.
The gong sounded. Hannah had 66-16-01 in a chokehold and the latter had tapped out. Crumb should really learn her name.
“And next to the mat 93-08-02 v. 87-08-01!”
Hannah offered 66-16-01 her hand. She ruffled Crumb’s hair in a comforting way as they passed.
The two eight year old girls bowed to each other; shaking, the both of them. “Meri.”
“Crumb.”
Crumb was not okay. But she had to be. She had to keep going.
Sometimes we pull ourselves together
If Hannah and Plushys’ version of rebellion was to play with their food and drag their fights out for just shy of too long. Then Tommy’s act of defiance was beating his opponents in as little time as possible. Even that one time he was given a fight against eight people, he was done with them all in about five minutes.
That year Tommy spent living in alleyways really helped here.
He rolled his shoulders up straight in the ring, six moaning bodies on the floor, bruises forming on his skin. The others looking much worse than he did.
He was honestly surprised that none of them were bleeding. Wasn’t that a pleasant thought?
He stood there, breathing heavy, for a moment. An uncomfortably long moment. Like they were waiting to see is any of his opponents was going to get up and fight back.
The gong sounded.
Tommy stared defiantly at the audience, unblinking, as aids put the six other kids on stretchers and got them medical attention.
“93-10-01 wins another match.”
But our efforts fade away
With every trip to the Warehouse on 1889 Coral Lane for intel, 5up hates his father more and more.
That man saw no problem with whatever was going on here.
In fact, now that he was going to the fights with his father, the man was paying more attention to him than he had in years. 5up hated it. He hated everything about this.
At least he now knew for sure what kind of person he needed to be to get his father’s approval. A guide on what not to do.
5up stared back at 93-10-01. This kid. This kid. He had so much spirit, and he was using it to fuel his rage.
5up could tell that 93-10-01 was tried. That he wanted to go home. Soon.
Soon. They were in the final stages of planning. They had a big enough team. They’d only need to hold out a little longer.
“93-10-01 wins another match.”
5up half-raised his hand, signaling he would be cashing out.
93-10-01 turned his head away and walked off.
We are dust
Plushys, Hannah, Tommy, and Crumb sat together in the children’s canteen.
“I hate him,” Tommy said.
“Who?”
“Mr. Nicchi Jr.”
“Give him time,” Pushys said. “This is a big job.”
“I know.” Tommy look at Crumb. He put some of his greens onto her place. “I don’t know how much longer we can hold you though.”
“I know.”
“And he’s a bettor.”
“He has too,” Plushys said. “It’s his cover. He can’t come in here and just demand they let everybody go. It’ll be more intense than that.”
“I know.”
“I promise he’s a vigilante.”
Tommy swallowed his food. He glanced at Hannah out the corner of his eye. “I trust you.” He took another bite. “I have too.”
Plushys looked around the canteen. She stabbed her fork into a softened carrot and held it above her head. “A toast. To eight months.”
Tommy raised a fork as well. “To three.”
Crumbling by the moment
“To three.” Hannah raised her fork and carrot as well. She ate the steamed vegetable and went back to longingly looking around.
Her spirit was falling.
But it shouldn’t be.
She was a street rat. She knew how to do this. She knew how to fight and she knew how to win.
She was very close to breaking down and lashing out, but that didn’t go well for the last kid that did that.
Hannah was tried. She felt dead. She didn’t want to do this anymore. She wants to leave, but she can’t.
Even if the door is right there.
The door outside was right next to her and Plushys’ cell. They had a nail file. They could break the bars.
But she can’t leave everyone else behind.
We try to push away the ending
“93-10-01.”
“What?”
The guard gestured to the food tray in front of Tommy.
“Right.” Tommy stood up. “I’ll see you guys next time.”
“Bye Tommy.”
“Just hold on a little longer.”
“We’ll be fine.”
Tommy grabbed another tray for Purpled and made his way down to room 322.
“Hey.”
Purpled grunted.
“I do not understand why they have this gag on you.”
Purpled shrugged. He jokingly try to bite Tommy three seconds later though.
“Hey. Without me you wouldn’t eat.”
Purpled gasped. “You would never do that to me would you?”
This was nice; both of them pretend that they aren’t kidnapping children and just two bros hanging out. Ignoring that Tommy was fork feeding Purpled food, as they still had him chained up.
“So when are you breaking us out?” Purpled asks.
“What? Where did that came from?”
“Seems like something you’d do.”
“I mean yeah.” Tommy looked down at the food. He lowered his voice, “Someone’s coming to help us.”
“I hope so.” Purpled looked away from Tommy’s fork. “Punz will come for me.”
“Yeah,” Tommy said distractedly. He honestly didn’t know if he should tell Purpled that there was a group of vigilantes coming to get them, the heroes. He was a posh upper ten boy, what would be think? ”Purpled? What do you think about vigilantes?”
Purpled took a bite of his food and thought about it while he chewed. “Vigilantes are unregulated menaces that try to do good.” Purpled tipped his head forward. “They do good. They do good, I know that.”
“You know that? What’s that supposed to mean?”
“I’ve seen the records. Heroes have notes on every problem creator – that they know of. But there are different categories between vigilantes and dipshits.”
“Dipshits?”
“Well that’s not what they’re called in the system. It’s more formal. But, like. vigilantes create problems for heroes, and dipshits create problems for vigilantes. Those guys can’t really be called really villains can they?”
“No. No they aren’t. Usually just the local robber.”
Purpled laughed. “The local robber?”
“Yeah. That’s a thing that exists in the lower districts.”
“You ever seen a local robber?”
“Sure. Had to hide behind a few shelves at the grocery store. Dude had a gun.”
“What the hell?”
“Just because District 9 is little crime free doesn’t mean the rest of us get that.”
“What the hell?”
“People gotta do what they gotta do.”
“And that doesn’t get reported?”
“Purpled if every single crime was reported to Hero HQ the whole system would collapse in on its self because of how many things they would have to deal with.”
“But-“
“Purpled. Vigilantes keep us safe.”
“Heroes keep us crime free,” Pured countered.
“And poverty keeps me the local thief in my area.”
“You’re what? Don’t vigilantes get called on you?”
“Nah. I’m just a kid. I don’t need much and I’m not messy about it. There are so many other kids doing that as well. They don’t really care.”
“What does that mean?”
“Literally all the food stalls just give out extra produce that’s going to go bad at the end of the day so they don’t have to worry about thieves during the day.”
“What?” Purpled’s mind was exploding the more Tommy told him about how he lived.
“Loose the same amount of coins but there’s no crime going on. And the food is already almost bad anyways so it’s going to get thrown out.”
“Why would you give out rotting food to children?”
“They don’t give out rotting food!” Tommy defended. “People just don’t buy the strawberry’s that are four days old when fresh ones are right there on the table. And even if the food is almost going bad, it’s going to get eaten that night so it doesn’t really matter.”
Purpled opened the closed his mouth a couple times. “I hope Captain comes for me.”
“Captain?” Tommy offered Purpled another bite of his dinner.
“Captain Sparklez? Lives in District 87?”
“Oh that guy. He helps vigilantes sometimes I’ve heard. He’s probably coming.”
“It’s going to be a group of vigilantes isn’t it? Punz isn’t coming for me?”
Tommy decided that honestly was the best policy. “I don’t know.”
And black roses fall the same
Hannah and Plushys both added another tally to their calendars.
Hannah started to file away at the bars on the cell wall. It might be helpful when they were finally able to get out of here.
Hannah looked at the black roses growing through the cracks in their exterior wall.
“We’re getting out of here.”
“We will be free,” Plushys added.
Taglist:
@causeimfabulous @anty-kreatywna @sleepysnails
20 notes · View notes