#if you meant what made it all broken and cracked uh

[linkito]

Link, Liiiiiiiiink! I was going through your draws tag (and was 👀 at the expressions practice) but Liiiiiiiiiiiink what happened to Scar's cane? The one made from the spear? -🎀

Oh, he uses it for most of the time in the Bad Server. It was made from one of those awful spears like the one that pierced him during the Incident™, but not the same spear, thankfully agdkfhsjd

It probably didn’t make it back with him to Hermitcraft since the rescue was very rushed and Scar was definitely not using it at the time, but he has other canes back home!

Better ones! And ones he can put silly stickers on! 🥰

old —> new, since I’m not sure I ever posted a version with the newer cane!

[dumbseee]

i’ll protect you.

f1 au/fic: in which y/n is a driver for ferrari, her and lando have been friends since childhood and started together in formula one. their closeness sometimes confused their friends. ask them if they were more than friends, they will laugh and say that they were just friends. but one day during a race, y/n got involved in a major crash. which made lando realise how scared he was to loose her.

lando norris x driver!reader

(fc: maggie lindemann)

warnings: mention of crash, carlos is still a mclaren driver with lando, mention of injuries.

note: english isn’t my first language so this may contains some mistakes xx (idk what to think about this one tbh)

liked by charles_leclerc, landonorris, lewishamilton and 3 799 087 others.

y/n: ready for tonight’s race! your girl is going to get that damn podium, mark my words xx

_

landonorris: in your dreams kiddo

y/n: @.landonorris you’re three months older than me.

lewishamilton: good luck y/n!

liked by y/n.

fan1: WE ALL BELIEVE IN YOU Y/N

fan2: GO Y/N

fan3: with that car i’ll be praying for your safety first bestie

fan4: praying for your first podium!

lilymhe: i’m rooting for you!

alex_albon: @.lilymhe i’m literally right HERE

liked by y/n.

"dude, you should sit down." carlos’s voice echoed in lando’s head which almost made him jump. he didn’t even realise that he was walking around the hospital’s hallways like a maniac. the driver sighed and sat down next to his teammate, carlos squeezed lando’s shoulder to show him that he was there too.

a few drivers were at the hospital, waiting to know if you were okay. daniel, carlos, charles, alex and of course lando were there. to be fair, all the drivers wanted to come but crowding the hospital wasn’t the right thing to do so only your closest friends came while the others went back home but waited for news too.

"are you y/n l/n’s friends ?" finally a doctor came, lando immediately stood up and almost ran to the older man. "she’s out of surgery, she’s very lucky that the firefighters were quick to get her out of the car because she has some burns on her arms and legs but nothing major." the doctor felt kinda uncomfortable to have that many men surrounding him, but he added, "she has a broken arm and a sprained ankle. it could’ve been worse so whoever prayed for her tonight, it worked. she’s awake, so you can see her, but be gentle."

"you should go first." charles told lando, who still looked out of it. "i think she’d prefer to see you first than daniel or alex." he adds with a smile. "uh, first of all this is rude." daniel answer while pointing his finger at charles, which lighten up the mood. "we ALL know i’m her favorite."

lando smiled and thanked his friends before slowly entering your room. he almost choked on his own saliva when he saw you laying on your bed, looking lifeless. this wasn’t you, you were far from being lifeless, you were literally the life of the party. always smiling, cracking jokes, making fun of alex or george will the others would laugh. but there you are, breathing through tubes and covered in bandages. your eyes were closed, lando took a look at your face and swallowed back tears.

he hated it, he hated seeing you being hurt, he couldn’t close his eyes because he’d see the crash again and again. the sound of your car smashing against the barriers, the smell of burnt, gasoline, the sound of the ambulance, the audience’s screams and cries, the commentators struggling to find their words. for a second everyone thought you were dead, everyone including lando. for a second, he thought about a world where you weren’t there anymore, and the only thing he could see was the dark. a world without you meant a world where the sun wouldn’t go up anymore, where happiness was gone forever.

lando let himself fall on the chair behind him and completely broke down. the tears wouldn’t stop from running down his cheeks, he didn’t know that he was capable of crying that much tears. he couldn’t stop sobbing either.

"l-lando?" the driver jumped and immediately stood up when he saw that you were waking up. "y/n? fuck, y/n can you hear me?" he didn’t know if he could touch you, too afraid to hurt you even more. "yes i can so please lower your voice." you furrowed your eyebrows and opened your eyes. the sight before you broke your heart, a sobbing lando, with a worried expression.

"what happened?" you asked, while trying to get up but a sharp pain stopped you. lando gently pushed you back against the bed. "i almost lost you, that’s what happened." he softly pushed a strand of black hair away from your face and sat down, taking your hand in his. "fuck… everything is coming back to me now." you mumbles and bite your lip. you take a look at your body and notice a huge cast on your left leg and a second one on your right arm. you also had a few bruises on your face and left arm caused by the fire.

"how are you feeling?" he asked you, while caressing your hand softly. "could’ve been better, so not only did i not make it to the podium, but i also almost died, what a performance." you laughed and expected lando to laugh with you but he just dropped your hand and looked at you with a hurt expression. "wha-…"

"how can you say it like that? how can you joke about death when you almost lost your life for real? y/n i don’t think you understand how worried sick i was to fucking lose you! i saw everything! the whole crash happened in front of me! i saw the firefighters pull you out of your car, i saw you being literally lit on fire! i couldn’t even move from my car, i felt helpless and useless. i even wondered if the crash happened because of me." he snapped, he wasn’t yelling but his tone was loud enough for you to understand that he was really pissed at your joke.

you felt bad, you didn’t know that lando witnessed everything and now you felt terrible. how traumatic that must’ve been for him. you didn’t know how you would’ve reacted if lando had crashed in from of you. "lando, i didn’t know i’m-…" he cut you off again, he ran a hand though his hair. "let me finish, please." you bite your bottom lip and nodded.

"the thought of loosing you made me fucking sick. i threw up when i got out of the car, i wanted to see you so bad but the way your team stopped me from seeing you made me think it was over. and do you know what a world without you looks like to me? nothing, that shit cannot exist, because a world without you means a world without me. if you fucking die, y/n, best believe that i’m going with you." his words made you cry, silent tears kept streaming down your face. when he saw it, he closed his eyes and kissed your forehead.

"i didn’t want to make you cry, i’m so sorry." he continues to kiss your forehead and then kissed your cheek. "no, i’m sorry for making you so worried about me." you answer while grabbing his hand. he smiles at you and start to kiss every little bruise on your arm. his gentle gesture made you cry even more. "i swear to take care of you now." he adds while connecting his forehead to yours. you both close your eyes and enjoy the peaceful moment until you both heard noises coming from behind the door of your room.

"ouch! you fucking stepped on my foot, càbron!" carlos’s voice could be heard which made you smile. "move your ass leclerc, i can’t hear shit." now it was daniel’s. "all of you shut up they’re going to hear us!" alex added. "aie! carlos what the fuck! that was my foot!" charles almost yelled to his friend. "see how it hurts?" added the spaniard, with a devilish laugh.

lando and you both started laughing at your friends shenanigans, knowing damn well they were behind the door trying to listen to your conversation.

liked by landonorris, danielricciardo, alex_albon and 1 690 097 others.

y/n: thank you for being my guardian angel <3

_

landonorris: always and forever my love

danielricciardo: i can’t believe you have no words for me when i had to sleep with carlos and he pushed me off the bed with his fat ass

carlossainz55: @.danielricciardo LIAR

alex_albon: @.danielricciardo i slept on a CHAIR

charles_leclerc: @.danielricciardo i slept on the GROUND.

fan1: im so glad she’s okay

fan2: OMG LANDO AND Y/N???

maxverstappen1: glad you’re okay y/n! can’t wait to see you on track again!

liked by y/n.

fan3: MY DREAM CAME TRUE

[cookiealchemieart]

Voices and the Hero I DID IT I FUCKING FINISHED THIS PIECE YEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!! I have Thoughts about my designs for these guys so uh Design Notes under the cut!

I'm bad at drawing actual birds (if the narrator on the hero's shoulder is any indication) so I went with the next best thing that I'm better at: plague doctors! Plus plague masks are just fun to draw. I tried making each of the voices match the princess they correspond to, but it got tricky with a couple of them. In no particular order, here we go! The Hero is a bird guy with a bird mask. Perhaps the mask is meant to keep his identity locked away? Either way, the outfit is more shapes than actual fabric, similar to the Princess' gown. Simple enough to register as clothes, but vague enough to change and be recognizable as the loops splinter. Also the cape is hims wings! The Broken is made to be the wettest, most pathetic little guy, but also ever so slightly like a priest. This is to reference the Tower (mommy- I mean mommy- I mean-) saying that the hero's place by her side is "that of a priest, or a pet". So I made him look like a depressed little priest. The Skeptic is the voice that joins you on the route of the Prisoner, so what would be more fitting than a warden? Or maybe an escaped convict? Either way I love his little ponytail poking out of his hood. The Hunted looks like a feral wild child. Feather-hair out and messy, cloak made of scraps of fabric. I figured the most wild looking of the voices would be the one that corresponds to the Beast. The Smitten is all puffy and soft shapes to match the Damsel's rufflier dress and softer appearance. Also my friends recommended the hat and I agree 11/10 would hat again. Gave him a bowtie AND a cravat because the Smitten strikes me as just that extra! The Opportunist's beak is meant to resemble a parrot's, as he just parrots the ideas of whomever he considers to be "winning". This is also why he's dressed like a businessman. He kinda looks like a villain version of the Smitten, but I haven't played the Thorn's route yet, so idk if that's relevant. Also isn't this guy the only voice that doesn't show up in the Chapter 2 routes or am I forgetting one? The Stubborn has demon horns to match the Adversary (and the Eye of the Needle HOOGH MAMA). He's also got battle damage, and his mask is fashioned to look like he has a wounded and scarred eye. Fun fact! Stubborn was supposed to get the ponytail, but I decided while lining that a half cut looked better. The Cold looks the most similar to the Hero, but he's just a bit less put together. While I was drawing his hair I was thinking of L from Deathnote for some reason? Probably the cadence the Cold has. The Cheated is supposed to look like a gambler, given his title and speaking patterns. There...wasn't a good way to pair him with the Razor, but I suppose the spade on his cheek could be seen as a nod to the razor's blades? I dunno, I'm reaching here. The Paranoid suffers from my lack of impulse control when it comes to giving characters goggles. I fucking love steampunk goggles. Much like the Cold, he looks like a less-put-together Hero, but this one is a mess, actively having a panic attack, but is pushing through it because NEITHER THE HERO OR THE NARRATOR IS FUCKING HELPING. Also the stitches on his mask are meant to mirror the cracks on the Nightmare's mask. The Contrarian has a mask with three beaks as a mirror to the Stranger's three heads, but also because the two on his head make him look like a little jester and I felt that was fitting for this smartass. His cape is asymmetrical to spite the status quo.

I hope you enjoyed my art + rambles about these designs. I love doing this!

[etclouie]

hey for your celebration event could i get 12, 27 and 28 from the angst prompts with ghost from cod? maybe it’s him and soap and reader found out about them??

˚୨୧⋆｡ prompt/s; 12) "it was open and i read it" 27) "i can't look at you" 28) "get out" — from 150 prompts

˚୨୧⋆｡ warnings; established relationship, infidelity, simon + soap, angst, uh they kinda break up(though it’s not explicitly stated, just implied), if i missed any lmk 

˚୨୧⋆｡ a/n; don’t hate me, but i actually hate angst

— celebrate 600 with me?

your flat felt suffocatingly small. 

the bland walls seeming as if they were closing in on you as your mind raced, sitting on the couch and staring blankly at the ceiling. 

Simon stood in the doorway, rigid and his eyes locked on you. he was still trying to make sense of your sudden withdrawal from him, the words you had told him earlier echoing in his mind but they didn’t make sense. they couldn’t make sense. 

tilting your head and staring blankly at him, a quiet tremor in your voice as you spoke. 

"it was open and i read it"

the words felt like a slap to his chest.

his heart skipped a beat. he didn’t need to ask what you meant as he tried to feign his innocence. 

“i— what do you mean?”

he tried, but the guilt was already swallowing him whole. he knew. he knew what was coming.

your eyes flickered with anger, heart aching at the mere sight of him while something else simmered deep down. hurt. deep searing hurt that twisted in the air like a live wire. 

"i didn’t—"

scoffing at his attempt to talk his way out of this, shaking your head before rubbing a hand down your face. swallowing down the lump in your throat as tears threatened to spill from your eyes. 

Simon's breath hitched, and for the first time in what felt like ages, he couldn't meet your eyes. the guilt, the shame— burned inside him, clawing at his chest. he knew there was no excuse, despite his futile attempts. not for what he’d done. not for what he’d let happen.

he had betrayed you. even worse, he’d done it with Soap. his own teammate, his own bloody friend. but he couldn’t bring himself to feel angry with Soap—he knew that would make it all too real. instead, the guilt was suffocating him, and now the woman he loved was standing in front of him broken.

he wanted to apologize, to explain, to say anything that might make this situation less unbearable, but it all felt so futile. so pointless. 

“I can’t look at you,” 

you told quietly, your voice cracking as tears continued to well in your eyes. he took a step forward, which quickly followed with a scoff from you. 

"i... i thought i knew you, but you..." 

you trailed off, shaking your head. unable to form a proper sentence, eyes flicking away from him. 

“you cheated on me with Soap. how—how could you do that? how could you betray me like this?"

Simon took a slow step forward, the weight of your words crushing him. he was always so careful, so calculated-how had he let this happen?

his eyes stung as he fought to keep his composure. you had every right to feel this way—hell, you were probably well within your rights to hate him for the rest of your life. and yet, he couldn't bring himself to walk away. he couldn't bring himself to leave.

“i can’t look at you right now”

the words fell without a second thought, gulping as you met his eyes with your own matching teary ones. 

a deep sigh falling from your lips as the weight of everything settled in. 

"i’m sorry," 

Simon rasped, his voice barely above a whisper. 

"i fucked up, alright? i don’t have an excuse, luv. i don’t know what to say”

but you weren’t listening. you had already made your decision. you looked at him with such disgust, such heartbreak, that Simon felt his entire world crack beneath the weight of it.

"get out," 

you said, your voice steady now, though your eyes were filled with unshed tears.

Simon froze, the weight of his actions playing out in his glossy eyes. something he’d only ever let you see before, or so you thought at least. 

he’d only let his walls down around you, but now they were broken rubble around the broken shards of your relationship. 

"get out, Simon”

you repeated, firmer this time. 

he knew this was it, there was no getting you to double back on your word— or to take him back. 

with a deep and heavy sigh, he let his head hang low, turning on his heel and heading to the front door of your flat. 

stopping by the small dish on the entryway table as he worked off his key from his key ring, before he was out the door. 

the slam of the door deepened what had just happened. 

both of you finally breaking down on either side of it. 

⋆˚࿔ reblogs are highly appreciated 𝜗𝜚˚⋆

[pkg4mumtown]

Saturday Night Spooks

Pairing: Aaron Hotchner x GN!Reader

Rating: Teen and up

Summary: Spencer and the team invite you to a Haunted Manor.

Content Warnings: alcohol, GN!reader (no Y/N), strong language, first person POV, canon-typical injuries and violence

A/N: 1 of 2 entries for @imagining-in-the-margins Criminal Minds Autumn Air Challenge. No art this time (crying), I’m so swamped with grad school, that I don’t have the time and my first attempt was awful lol.

Also available on AO3

I packed my backpack as the academy course I was forced into teaching ended. I zipped up the last pocket and looked up as I heard footsteps approaching the desk. I internally groaned but looked up with a smile anyway thinking it was an NAT coming with a question.

“How can I—oh, Spencer—thank God,” I laughed and shook my head. “To what do I owe the pleasure?”

“Just wondering how the trainees are treating you,” he smirked mischievously.

“Of course,” I rolled my eyes. “You should be asking how I’m treating them.”

Spencer pursed his lips, laughing under his breath, “I actually came to ask you something.”

“Something that couldn’t be sent via text?”

“Ah, well I picked up lunch downstairs and—”

“—And you wanted to see my reaction face to face?”

“And…yea,” Spencer grimaced sheepishly. “You’ve also been ignoring our texts.”

“Alright, out with it,” I urged as I shrugged my bag on.

“W—uh—some of us were going to a haunted house—er—manor in Roanoke on Saturday night and I was wondering if you’d join us. You know, take your mind off—”

I sighed heavily, scratching my eyebrow and trying not to look annoyed. I knew, and Spencer knew, that I couldn’t lie to him face to face because he’d call me out immediately.

“—Yea, yea, I get it,” I rubbed my jaw with my hand tiredly. “Yea, okay. Who's going?”

“Me—um—Penelope, JJ, maybe Emily, and Derek hasn’t confirmed yet. Rossi said, ‘hell no’.”

No Hotch?

“Ok, just text me the time.”

“Will do,” Spencer gave me a satisfied grin before just about skipping from the seminar hall. A stark difference from the hesitant steps he took coming in here.

I left the hall and locked up, silently hoping that his lack of mentioning Hotch meant the senior agent was too busy rather than Spencer lying to me. Though, with how suspicious Spencer was acting, I couldn’t be certain either way.

My phone buzzed in my pocket, prompting me to quickly check it as I made my way to the elevators.

Penelope: Bought your ticket. See you Saturday ❤️

Reader: See you ❤️

They sure worked fast.

Yawning, I entered the elevator and hoped traffic was light. Not that I’d be so lucky. Checking my watch and sighing, I tried not to think about the incident resulting in the awkward relationship I currently had with the BAU.

I'd had some frequent run-ins with the BAU over the years, enough to be friendly. The frequent specialty consultations when I was teaching at the Academy surely helped. The fact that I befriended Spencer and Derek quickly helped even more.

The last couple of weeks I had frozen them out intentionally and knew they could feel it if they sent Spencer in to crack the ice. They knew what caused it—it wasn’t exactly a secret—but I’d hoped they’d wait a little longer before confronting me.

I had been consulting on a case with them when we suddenly cracked it wide open. We all descended upon a run-down building where the unsub was holding his three victims. We were not at all prepared to cut them out of their bonds, let alone while the building was on fire. As soon as we entered the building, smoke began gathering heavy in the hallways, leading us to where the victims were trapped among the flames.

The flames had eaten through the room quickly, making its way up into the rafters and making the ceiling unstable. I was no firefighter, but the situation obviously screamed danger.

Most of the team split off to catch the unsub as soon as he was spotted, leaving Hotch, Spencer, and myself to free the victims.

We were wildly outmatched.

Several broken pieces of wood and bent metal later and only two of the victims had been freed. One could walk on his own and the other used Spencer as a crutch out of the building and to safety.

More pieces of debris fell from the ceiling—larger more structural pieces—that set off alarm bells in my head.

“You need to go! I’ll get her!”

“We both need to go!” Hotch commanded back through a cough, gripping my upper arm.

I barely gave his stressed expression a glance before I was back to work on the victim.

I wasn’t leaving without her.

The frame she was strapped down to was unbearably hot and I couldn’t hold it for more than a second without it burning my hands. Giving up on freeing her, I used strips of material, mostly broken cardboard, to loop around the frame and drag the bed frame and her out.

The air was hot and heavy with smoke and despite trying to shield my mouth with my sleeve, I was getting lightheaded fast. Hotch couldn’t stop coughing and frankly neither could I, but I wasn’t going to leave her.

A sharp snap and creak from above me made me involuntarily look up. Before I could shove Hotch backwards toward the exit, I felt his hand grip the back of my vest and yank me into the doorway with him.

Bastard.

I watched helplessly as a beam came crashing down where we once stood, sending embers everywhere. The victim didn’t even scream in terror, likely passed out from smoke inhalation, blood loss, and exhaustion.

Snarling despite my coughing, I shoved Hotch off me and used what little adrenaline I had left to lift the scorched wood off the frame and send it crashing to the floor. My cardboard strips were long gone, so I tore my tattered dress shirt sleeve off and tied it to the frame, hoping it would hold on long enough to the hot metal to get us to the exit.

By whatever higher power existed it held and got us to the staging area where the fire department had just pulled up and EMTs were already working on the other victims. Derek was leading the unsub to a police cruiser while the rest of the team checked out Spencer for any damage.

Upon seeing us emerge from the flaming building, the team rushed to Hotch, who brushed them off for the time being. Firefighters came to free the victim from the frame while paramedics took over assessing her condition.

God, I hoped she’d make it.

I moved to step around Hotch who purposely stood in my way. I was forced to stay in place by a firm, aggressive fist gripping the front of my vest.

“What the hell was that?” Hotch growled. He wasn’t one to scream and humiliate his team in a public display, but I knew he was pissed by his low tone.

I clenched my jaw, knowing nothing good would come out of my mouth if I opened it.

“I gave you an order to evacuate.”

“Respectfully, I told you to go first, Agent Hotchner, considering you’re a father and all.”

Well, there went that.

I could feel the team staring at our pissing match, their eyes bouncing between us.

“You are not special here. I am the senior agent on this case! This is my team! Everyone here is my responsibility!” his voice raised uncharacteristically, cueing me in to just how pissed he was.

“I—”

“I expect my orders to be followed. Am I clear?”

“I think—uh—”

“Am. I. Clear?”

“I think you’re going to need a new consultant from here on out, SSA Hotchner,” I held my chin up, refusing to deflate under his pressure. I wasn’t even mad about the public berating, having much thicker skin than to let that get to me. It was the realization that he was absolutely right, and I refused to admit it. The realization that I almost got him and myself killed aside from whether this last victim would survive the trip to the hospital or not.

I stripped my vest off hastily and stormed past him until paramedics stopped me. After getting my burned palms loosely wrapped, I settled into one of the SUVs to wait for everyone else to head back to Quantico.

After an awkward drive back and silence from internal affairs for a couple of days, I was finally assigned to another round of Academy seminars as punishment for the rest of the year. Because being at the same location as the agent I just had an argument with was such a great move. Despite that, I didn’t mind being attached to the Academy rather than the D.C. Field Office, as it was actually a nice break from cases.

I was conflicted about the entire altercation and not just because of the alleged insubordination. OK, confirmed insubordination.

I had, rather unfortunately, been friends with Hotch until that point. We could overlook my raging crush on the man. Which, in hindsight, may have made the screw up hit harder but I’d never admit it out loud.

-

Spencer offered to pick me up and drive to the haunted house with Penelope and JJ, but I declined. I preferred the option to leave at my own discretion if the incident was brought up.

I pulled up to a shady looking street that would have had me clutching my sidearm on duty. The only indication that I was in the right area were the cars lining the street.

Street parking it is.

Spencer: We’re still in JJ's car. Waving you down.

I didn’t take me long to spot them after I parked and jogged over to the car, where the three of them were exiting the vehicle.

“Derek's almost here. Emily is running late, she said to get in line without her just in case,” JJ informed me as I greeted them.

Before I could get a word in, I was immediately gathered in Penelope's arms and hugged tightly.

“Oh my gosh, it’s been forever! I missed you!”

“It’s only been a month,” I scoffed, laughing as I hugged her back.

“Shut up,” she gave me one final squeeze. “You’re not even dressed up!”

I glanced down at my clothes, which were overwhelmingly black while the three of them were dressed in varying levels of Halloween celebration.

“Black is…in theme…” I stammered. “I didn’t know.”

“Hush,” Penelope took charge, unraveling something on her wrist. I heard a noticeable snap before she was grabbing my wrist and slapping a slap bracelet on my exposed skin. It was nothing gaudy, just a simple pumpkin but I smiled, nonetheless.

She reached back into the car's backseat before reappearing with cups.

“Baby girl…” I heard as Derek approached.

Another over enthusiastic greeting later and Penelope finally finished her goal, handing everyone a cup of mysterious liquid.

“The Penelope Special,” she raised her cup.

“It smells like a misdemeanor,” I chimed in, looking around to make sure we were hidden by the SUV.

“I won’t tell if you won’t,” Derek bumped my shoulder with his.

With a quick toast, the Penelope Special was consumed and warming our insides already. I was grateful since the brisk air had started permeating my clothes while we stood there.

“Should I be worried that I smell the alcohol more than I can taste it?” I asked, smacking my tongue briefly against the roof of my mouth.

“Probably,” JJ cringed in realization. “Definitely the only one I’m having. It was good, though.”

The cups were rounded up and returned to the plastic bag they came in and placed back in the SUV. With the car locked, Penelope spun around and clapped her hands.

“Onwards!”

We walked in the direction of the building, Penelope leading the way with Derek and Spencer on either arm.

“Have you been okay?” JJ asked with enough sincerity that I would have felt bad for deflecting.

“Yea, can’t complain. Hotch didn’t throw me to the wolves as bad as I thought he would and my hands are just about healed up, now.”

“Mm, second degree burns?”

“Yea, a few blisters but they’re mostly gone now.”

JJ was quiet for a second, “You know he didn’t rip you a new one to be a dick, right?”

“I know.”

“So, then why—”

“—No offense, I know you mean well. I just would rather not get into it when I’m supposed to be ‘taking my mind off it’, according to Spencer.”

JJ gave me a sympathetic smile and nodded, “Sorry.”

I threw an arm around her shoulder and returned the smile, letting her know it was okay.

Once we had our tickets scanned, we entered the courtyard. There was a line looping in the courtyard to get inside, likely to keep the pacing of the experience. Luckily, there were actors, live music, and a fire dancer keeping people entertained. We didn’t have to wait longer than thirty minutes before we were at the front of the line, but Emily still hadn’t arrived.

Just as we were being ushered inside I heard Spencer shout, “Emily! Over here!”

I turned to look in the direction he was yelling, but couldn’t see through the line behind me. Whether she got to us or not I was uncertain as our group was immediately plunged into darkness with only neon-colored arrows to guide our way. I was hyper aware of Spencer's hand on my wrist at the beginning, but that soon ended as our first obstacle came into view.

“We have to do what?” I heard Penelope whisper shout among all of the screaming and terror around us.

“Just crouch, baby girl, you’ll be fine.”

It was a simple tunnel, meant to make us crouch and filter through one at a time. Annoying but effective. Spencer and I went through first, immediately meeting actors with chainsaws and bloody medical attire on the other end. Once everyone was through, we kept going and I continued trying to find Spencer’s wrist in the dark.

I turned my nose up as we passed certain set ups, not wanting to know how they managed to make each room smell like a different pile of sweat and shit.

I was surprisingly okay, jumpy of course but that was natural. Spencer and the others were having fun and laughing at each other, but I couldn’t shake the feeling that the building was far too similar to that case a month ago—minus all the fire.

My moderate “okayness” flew out of the window as I was cornered by an actor, since I was further in front of the group than the others. I cursed to myself but kept my hands balled to my sides to not accidentally lash out. My friends giggled, urgently whispering “go, go, go—” as they scurried passed me and the actor.

Traitors.

The actor let up after a few more seconds of uncomfortable space invasion. I jogged past him, hoping to catch up to the group when I felt a warm hand on my wrist. It was too loud to hear as chainsaws revved to life around the corner but figuring that Derek was probably glued to Penelope’s side, I assumed Spencer had doubled back for me. My brain was too overstimulated to take in much else, too busy warring with a fight or flight response to focus on anything but exiting. I readjusted the grip on my wrist, twisting out of it and clasping Spencer’s hand instead.

There were only about ten minutes of the experience left before I felt cool air flowing in larger quantities. I sped up my steps upon realizing that the exit was close. As we exited, we were fully greeted with the cool autumn air and my body slacked knowing I finally could rest.

A laugh bubbled up from my throat and I squeezed Spencer’s hand as I turned to face him, “I can’t believe I let you talk me into this, you ass—.”

I stopped my backward steps as I realized the hand in mine was too hairy and the fingers too thick to be Spencer. My eyes quickly drifted over a burnt orange sweater, up a tall frame, to meet eyes with—

Hotch.

My jaw tensed immediately, realizing that I was right the other day. Spencer did lie to me.

As my ears adjusted from the chaos indoors to the calm and quieter outside, I heard laughter not too far from us. I turned my head to see the team looking our way. As soon as I locked eyes with them, they immediately turned away. Realizing I was still holding Hotch’s hand, I ripped it away and shoved it into my pocket as the chilly air got to it.

“A team effort coercion scheme? Why am I not surprised,” I scoffed.

“Wait—,” Hotch took a step forward. “Look, I was in the dark as much as you were, okay? I only realized you were here when we were in there.”

I furrowed my brows in confusion at him, making him smirk a little, “Your hand feels different than Emily’s. I’m surprised you couldn’t tell the difference between mine and Spenc—”

“I was busy trying not to hit anyone.”

“Right,” Hotch forms a harsh line with his mouth.

I can hear the team trying to hide their laughter again, making my face heat up. I knew it wasn’t malicious or with the intent to embarrass me, but I couldn’t help it.

“You guys meddle way too much,” I called out in their direction as I rolled my eyes. “Good night,” I nodded to Hotch and turned around to walk in the direction of my car. I spared a glance at the team, who had since stopped laughing and now wore the equivalent expression of a chastised puppy on their faces.

I immediately heard Hotch call my name and sped my steps up, though not enough to cause a scene. I could hear his efforts to catch up without looking like a total creep and admired his tenacity for a second until I realized we were almost at my car and he’d surely corner me then.

“Can we talk before you leave? Pleas—.”

Taking a deep breath, I turned as I reached the passenger side of my car, staying on the sidewalk with my back facing my car. I crossed my arms over my chest defensively as he skidded to a halt, trying not to crash into me.

I looked at him expectantly as he gathered his wits. Hotch closed his eyes briefly to center himself before making eye contact with such an intense gaze that I wanted so badly to look away.

“I’m sorry for lighting you up like that,” he apologized. When I didn’t react, he formed a pinched look on his face. The tension in his forehead loosened after a moment, “But, that’s not why you’re mad.”

“No.”

“Look,” he sighed. “You have to know that if I left you there, you would have been in the hospital, too, or worse. Dead.”

“Yea, I know,” I pursed my lips to the side and sniffed reflexively.

“Well, then—”

“I’m just mad, okay? I can be mad for not being fast enough in getting everyone out,” I threw my hands up.

Hotch’s shoulders sagged, “You can’t blame yourself. She’s still alive because of you.”

I stayed silent, my jaw trembling and threatening to unleash the emotions I’ve kept bottled up. I clenched my fists, trying to stop the trembling by nipping at the inside of my cheek.

“She’s okay,” Hotch stressed again, hesitantly placing his hands on my shoulders.

I shrugged his hands off explosively, “Yea, well you almost weren’t!” My chest expanded heavily from the outburst as I stepped into him angrily, “I knew that ceiling was collapsing! I could hear it and you wouldn’t fucking listen to me. I wasted time and it nearly crushed you, too!”

Hotch’s mouth was slightly open, but nothing came out. My furious eyes searched his surprised ones and before he could catch up with my words, I turned.

“I need to go, have fun with your team,” I dismissed him, rounding the front of the car toward the driver’s side.

“Stop,” he finally spoke up. “Just stop for a second,” he gently pushed me against the door of the car.

“I swear to God, Aaron, if you don’t get off me—.”

He disconnected his body from mine but brought his hands up to my face. His voice was just above a whisper, his throat too unsure and wobbly for anything louder than that, “I’m okay.”

“I—”

My voice cut off as a couple tears finally made their way down my cheeks. Before I could think to wipe them away, Hotch caught them with his thumbs. I grabbed his forearms from the outside, unsure if I wanted to push them off or bring him closer anymore.

“I was so—”

“I know,” he stressed, and I finally realized how glassy his eyes were with tears, too.

I squeezed his forearms, finally making up my mind and surging toward his mouth while pulling him toward me by his forearms. There weren’t any “fireworks” like books describe, just an overall sense of peace as my wet cheeks met his. Hotch’s hands stayed on my face, guiding me along slowly rather than hesitantly. There was a lack of urgency, taking the time to feel every brush between us. With a shaky exhale, he finally separated for a half of a second.

When it looked like he was going to speak, his phone rang from his pocket. He sighed heavily as he read the name and answered it, not stepping away. My hands found each other, since his arms were busy, wringing my fingers together absentmindedly.

“Yea. Yea, okay. Okay, I will.”

He ended the call and thrust it back into his pocket. His hands found my waist as soon as they were free, his eyes looking for any reaction to say I wanted him to stop.

“They’re—um—we’re going to dinner. Will you come with us? If you want…”

I swallowed my nerves, taking a second to wipe my face, “Yea.”

I settled my arms over his shoulders as he leaned back in, taking my bottom lip between his own. I felt him pull back after a moment and pressed into him to continue the kiss.

I felt him smile and let out a laugh at my insistence, “Are you done ignoring me?”

I sucked in my lips, sheepishly nodding as I remembered several calls of his that I ditched after the incident.

“I—uh…” I laughed at myself, running my thumbs along the base of his neck. “Can I use this to bribe you into a guest lecture on how profiling can use behavioral patterns to narrow down geographical locations?”

“I’ll think about it,” he scoffed playfully. “Get in the car.”

-

Thanks for reading! Once again shamelessly plugging my Hotch playlist below.

[devastator1775]

Uzi helps N with overheating issues

This was supposed to be a simple scavenging outing; look for useable parts around the ruined city to fix the Pod. N was struggling, he could feel it. His movements were sluggish, he couldn’t focus, his circuitry was burning and he felt the thirst coming… He hadn’t drunk oil in a while, and now he was starting to get dangerously close to overheating … but he was fighting it. He couldn’t give in.

Not while he was with Uzi.

N steadied himself against the wall of the crumbling warehouse they were currently rummaging around in, taking in deep breaths of cold air in attempt to cool himself down. He growled softly when his visor displayed the [⚠ HIGH TEMP] alert again for the umpteenth time. He tried to get rid of the message, but it kept popping up again.

“C’mon, just go away.” N muttered to himself.

Uzi, who had been busy looking through a crate with parts, turned around to face her friend. “Did you say something, N?”

Uzi’s voice almost N jump. He quickly stood to attention and produced a sheepish grin. “N-nothing, Uzi.”

Uzi raised a digital eyebrow. “You’re acting goofier than usual.” She commented, after which she grinned mischievously at him. “Which is not saying much.”

N chuckled nervously. “That’s me, alright.” He tipped his cap. “Ol’ goofy N.”

Uzi rolled her eyes. “Whatever, keep your secrets for now. I’ll get you to spill the beans when we’re done here.” She kicked the crate with a huff. “Nothing but vintage-styled toasters in this one. Let’s check the 2nd floor.”

“Uh, you sure that’s a good idea?” N asked as he looked up at the ceiling. The warehouse they were in wasn’t in good condition in the first place, and the floor above them looked even worse. Parts of the ceiling had already broken, leaving holes and cracks everywhere. “It looks a bit …about-to-collapse-y.”

“Pshh, it’ll be fine.” Uzi countered as she made her way towards the nearby stairs. “It had held up this long. It’s not like it’s gonna all just fall down the moment we step foot on it.”

“Maybe, but- “

Uzi let out an annoyed groan and stomped up the stairs. “Stop stalling and let’s go, N!”

N grimaced, walking up the stairs and stopping on the lowest step, looking up where his compatriot had vanished out of sight. Uzi sounded frustrated, even more than usual. Ever since what happened during prom with Doll and the powers they both seem to have; she’d been pressed to find answers. This week, she figured that the pod could hold some answers; but with most of the systems broken beyond use, they needed to repair them if they’d get any sort of hypothetical answers. Which is why Uzi had been dragging N along to find parts on a daily basis lately. They’d mostly go to the furthest edges of the Ruined City, which meant N often had to wait until they got back to consume oil from his ‘stash’ – which was a nice way of saying ‘slurping the remaining oil out of one of the hundreds of Worker Drone corpses that were strewn around the pod so he wouldn’t overheat and die’. But Uzi was starting to become slightly desperate lately, which resulted in them staying away longer and longer before Uzi was content to leave. Which resulted in a few really close calls.

“Are you coming or what!?” Uzi shouted.

N flinched and rushed up the stairs. “C-coming, Uzi!” The last thing he wanted to deal with was an angry Uzi; or, more precisely: an angrier Uzi. Halfway up the stairs, he suddenly was overcome with a rush of dizziness, making him stumble and trip over his own feet. He landed with a thud and groaned in pain. A new message on his visor appeared: [⚠ Alert! Systems overheating! ⚠]. He quickly disabled the message, scrambled up and ran up the remainder of the stairs. He found Uzi standing in the middle of the room, arms crossed and annoyed expression clearly projected on her visor.

“What was that sound?” She asked. “Did you trip, or something.”

“Y-yeah, tripped.” N answered sheepishly.

“Ugh, why are you being such a freakin’ klutz lately?” Uzi groaned. “It’s starting to become really insufferable!”

N deflated visibly. “That’s a bit …harsh. Haven’t I been trying my best to help you this entire time?”

Uzi, instantly regretting what she said, shrunk in herself. “Way to go, Uzi Doorman. Insulting your only friend like that. She muttered to herself, wrapping her arms around her. She took a few steps forward. “N, I’m sorry. I didn’t-“

The floor beneath their feet suddenly groaned loudly, making Uzi stop dead in her tracks. She looked down at her feet, noticing how cracks were starting to form where she was standing.

Uzi gulped. “N?”

“I saw…. don’t move.”

“That’s, like, the opposite of what I should be doing, N!” Uzi gasped as she felt the floor drop a bit.

“Stay there!” N instructed. He gave Uzi a reassuring smile. “It’s gonna be alright, Uzi.”

Uzi managed to bring herself to smile a bit. “I know. I trust you.”

He smiled at her with a nod. He looked down to his feet and took a cautious step forward, his audio receptors primed to pick up on any signs of the floor giving out even more. He heard nothing. He tapped his foot a few times, but the floor beneath him seemed a bit sturdier than where Uzi was. “Okay, I got solid-ish ground here. What you’ll need to, is run as fast as you can to me. ”

“Can’t you just grab me or something?” Uzi asked, yelping as another crack formed, this time taking a bit of the floor with it, which dropped to the room below them. “Like, use those wings to fly and grab me?”

“I need to push myself pretty hard for that.” N answered. “If I try to take off, the pressure might collapse the entire floor.”

Uzi shifted her weight from one foot to the other – and instantly regretting it as she heard the floor groan again. She took a few deep breaths. “O-okay, I’m ready.”

“I’ll count to three and then-“

“I run as fast as I can, got it.” Uzi chuckled anxiously. “Looks like I’m eating my words about the floor not collapsing, huh?”

“I’m not holding it against you.” N held out his hand towards Uzi. “On the count of 3…”

N made sure his feet were planted firmly on the ground.

“2…”

Uzi took a starting position. “I have to be honest…”

“1! Now!”

“THIS SUCKS!” Uzi took off and ran as hard as her legs could take her.

Behind her, the floor started to crumble, pieces of concrete raining down on the floor beneath them. Uzi screamed all the way as she ran towards N. Just as the floor under her started to break, she jumped as hard as she could. N grabbed her hand and pulled her in, losing footing as Uzi’s tiny frame impacted against his body. He fell on his back, with Uzi curled up against his chest.

After a few moments, the floor had stopped collapsing, with only small pieces of debris falling down to break the silence that followed. The entire floor was gone, the majority was in the room below, leaving only a small area on top of the stairs undamaged, where the two drones were laying down.

A few moments passed, both of them breathing heavily as they were processing what just happened.

N heard Uzi suddenly yelp, followed by her frantically scrambling up. He heard her cough nervously. “So, eh …thank you for, you know, saving me from becoming crushed by rubble.” She rubbed her arm, guilt in her eyes. “And, I’m sorry for what I said earlier. I didn’t mean it. You’re a big help, and – N, what’s wrong?”

N was groaning, squirming like he was in pain. He had pushed himself too hard when he wanted to help Uzi, and the exertion had accelerated his overheating. His entire body felt like it was aflame and he felt a thirst like never before.

N felt his body move, but it was like someone else was doing it for him, like he wasn’t in control. He pulled himself up, almost in a zombie-like manner. His gaze was downwards, his shoulders slouched and his tail whipping around menacingly. His wings deployed, slowly unfolding themselves to their full width.

He could hear Uzi shuffle backwards. “N?” The fear in her voice almost made him flinch.

He needed oil.

“U-Uzi …”

No matter where he got it.

N struggled to look up, his visor showing the message: [⚠ OVERHEATING ⚠ HUNTING MODE ACTIVATED]

Or from who.

Claws replaced his hands. “Run…”

The next moment, N suddenly found himself on top of Uzi, who frantically tried to push him off. He saw himself in the reflection of his visor. His eyes were replaced with an ‘X’ and mouth was stretched in wide smile, showing his jagged teeth. He could smell the oil that ran inside her body. Delicious oil, easily acquired. He opened his mouth and lunged down to take a bite, but Uzi, instinctively trying to defend herself, held her arm in front of her.

He felt his teeth sink in her metallic skin.

He could taste the oil, dripping from her wound.

It was delicious.

He bit down harder.

“N! Please!” He heard Uzi beg; her voice thick with pain. “Stop!”

It was the pained scream that erupted from Uzi’s mouth that made N realize what he was doing.

He was hurting Uzi.

He was going to kill her.

“No.”

With enormous effort, N managed to wrestle enough control over himself back to tear his mouth away from Uzi. He grabbed her and threw her to the side. N forced himself to back away, until he felt his back hit the wall.

“No! I’m not gonna…I’m not gonna” N shouted at himself. He saw Uzi looking at him, still fearful, disoriented, …easy prey. He felt himself getting ready to pounce again.

No, he had to stop himself. In the corner of his vision, he saw his tail whipping around. He reached out and grabbed the syringe, bringing the blade in front of his eyes.

“N!” He heard Uzi yell. “Don’t-!”

He shoved the blade in his visor.

There was a sharp pain.

And then his vision turned dark.

How long had he been offline? Seconds? Minutes? Hours? N couldn’t tell. The only thing he saw was darkness. But after what seemed to be only moments, a message suddenly popped up in his vision.

[SYSTEM REBOOT]

Slowly, his vision started to come back online, followed by the rest of his systems. The first thing N was aware of was Uzi’s voice, talking to him.

“-ease, open your eyes, your loveable numbskull!”

N opened his eyes with a gasp, immediately jumping up and get as much distance between him and Uzi. He quickly noticed that they were back on the ground floor of the warehouse. Uzi must’ve dragged him down the stairs.

“Uzi, please, don’t come closer!” N warned, holding out his hands.

“N, calm down.” Uzi said, taking a step towards him.

“No, I don’t want to hurt you anymore. I’m …”

Fine? He noticed was in control again. The urge to hunt and kill was gone. He was still close to overheating, but it wasn’t at as a dangerous level anymore.

“What …what happened?” N asked. “Why aren’t I…?”

Uzi held out her arm - the very one that N had tried to take a bite out of – which was still dripping oil from the bite wound he had given her. “It took a while, but I managed to cool down your circuitry, drip by drip. I figured I’d give you enough so you’d feel okay again.” She took a cautious step forward. “Are you? Feeling okay, I mean?”

N looked down at his hands, squeezing them shot a few times. “I …think so?”

“No urge to hunt …me?”

“No.”

“Good.” She balled her fist and threw a punch right in N’s face. BANG! The impact of Uzi’s fist cracked N’s visor, which quickly healed itself. Despite the damage, N didn’t even feel dizzy.

“OUCH, son of a glitch, that hurts.” Uzi shook her aching hand, shooting N an angry look.

“Listen, Uzi.” N started, guilt washing over him. “About what I did …. I’m so sorry about hurting you and scaring you like that.”

“Hurting me? Scaring me? How about what you did to yourself? That’s what scared me!” Uzi yelled angrily, shoving her finger against N’s chest. “What were you thinking, stabbing yourself with your tail like that? In your head, of all places! You’re lucky you missed your processor! And even then, it took so long for your regeneration to kick in, I almost thought you …you….” She took a deep sigh. “Seriously, don’t do that again.” She hissed in pain, grabbing her arm.

“Uh, do you want me to ….” N asked cautiously, pointing at Uzi’s injured arm. “I mean, I know you probably don’t trust me right now, but- “

Uzi held out her arm, a soft smile on her face. “I do trust you.” She assured. “Now, please fix this, it’s starting to sting.”

N nodded and gently took hold of Uzi’s arm, bringing it closer to his face. He ran his tongue over her wound, letting the regenerative nanites do their work.

“Ugh, still gross…” Uzi commented, holding up her arm to her face to see the wound close, until it looked brand new.

“Aren’t you mad I attacked you?” N asked. He genuinely was confused why Uzi was still here. Why did she help him, after he put in her danger like that.

“Oh, I’m mad, trust me on that.” Uzi replied, shooting him a brief angry look, before letting out a sigh and letting her expression soften. “But …I know you weren’t in control. You couldn’t help yourself.”

“Still, that doesn’t- “

“And, it’s not the first time you ever attacked me.” Uzi crossed her arms. “Remember how we met? That time, you were actively trying to kill me.”

“And you shot my head off.”

“You deserved it, then.” Uzi sighed and walked over to him, fists on her hips. “N, why didn’t you tell me you were overheating?”

N shifted his weight from one foot to the other. He sighed. “I thought we would be back before it would become a problem.” He replied. “I mean, the last few times we did, so I figured- “

“Wait, ‘last few times’?” Uzi asked, making N slap his hand on his mouth. “You mean, this almost happened before? Not only once, but multiple times?”

“Y-yeah…?”

Uzi stared at N in disbelieve for several silent moments, before she walked up to him, her fists balled. “Kneel down, you tall jerk, I’m gonna punch your lights out again!” She threw a punch, but N managed to dodge it. “Why weren’t you drinking oil before we left? You know that I know that you need it! Is it because of me? Are you trying to spare me from seeing it? Is it-“

Uzi froze dead in her tracks, horrified realization beaming from her visor. “It is because of me….”

“No-no-no, Uzi, it’s not- “

“Yes, it is!” Uzi interrupted. “I’ve been making you come with me every day, and each day we’re leaving earlier and getting back later. And every time you asked me if we shouldn’t go back, I just ignored you. My stubbornness did this to you.”

When she suddenly made a dash towards him, N briefly thought she’d try to punch him again, but to his surprise she threw her arms around him into a tight hug.

“I’m so sorry, N!”

N slowly wrapped his arms around her. “H-hey, it’s okay…”

“It’s not!”

“Okay, but you’re not the only one who’s at fault here – not that It’s your fault.”

“N, I am saying it’s my fault.” Uzi said again. “Because I’m such a screwup!”

“And I should’ve said I was overheating, so ….I guess we’re both screwups.” N presented her with a soft smile.

Uzi gazed in his eyes for a few moments, before she let out a chuckle. “I can live with that…” She sighed. “Let’s promise not to let this happen again? We’re gonna tell these sort of things to each other now?”

“Promise.” N agreed with a bright smile.

Uzi stepped away from the hug, a blush on her visor. “So, uh, you good on …your overheating issue?” Just as N opened his mouth to answer, she quickly interrupted him. “And remember what you just promised!”

N sheepishly rubbed the back of his head. “I …maybe need a bit more, just so I’m sure I’ll be able to fly to pod all the way without any more problems.”

Uzi sighed deeply. “I guess it can’t be helped. I guess you-” she suddenly blushed fiercely. “You, eh …you can …bite me?”

 “You sure?”

“S-sure, why not?” Uzi replied, rubbing her arms shyly. “You, uh, are in control of yourself, right?”

“I think so…” He chuckled nervously when he saw Uzi’s blank reaction. “Ehh, I mean, I am, definitely, yes siree.”

“Guess that’ll have to do….” Uzi shifted her weight from one foot to the other. “So, uh, how you wanna …do this”

“I guess I’ll … “ N walked up to her, suddenly very much aware of how much taller he was compared to his Worker Drone companion. He nervously opened the zipper of Uzi’s hoodie halfway, partially exposing the bare chassis. He slid the hoodie down a bit, so that her shoulders were showing. He looked up when Uzi let out a shaky breath. “You good?”

Uzi nodded, blushing brightly. “Y-yeah, just …be-be gentle.”

“Just try to relax, Uzi…” N instructed softly. He picked her up, giving her time to wrap her legs around his waist and get a good hold on him. “I’ll try not to hurt you too much, okay?”

“S-sure….”

“Okay, here I …here I go…” N took a deep breath and slowly lowered his head to her shoulders. His mouth split open, his jagged fangs showing. He felt Uzi’s grip on him tighten. His teeth brushed the plating, making Uzi gasp softly. He softly bit down, putting enough pressure to break through the mesh. Warm oil started to leak from the wound.

“Ow…” Uzi whimpered softly, her fingers digging into N’s arms.

N placed his mouth over the wound and started to take slow, cautious sips. His visor showed the message [COOLDOWN COMMENCING], prompting him to take a few bigger gulps.

“Ah!” Uzi exclaimed softly, her hands gripping at N’s jacket as she whimpered quietly.

When N’s visor showed that he had drunk enough oil to cool down at least 10%, he tried to retreat, but Uzi pushed his head back against her shoulder.

“No, keep going!” She whimpered softly. “You – ah – you need it.”

As more oil flowed down N’s throat, he started to feel something boil in the deepest part of his system. Something primal, something hungry. A low growl rumbled from his chest as he pulled Uzi against him, taking in deep gulps of her precious oil. He fell on his knees, making Uzi squeak in surprise. His grip around her shoulders tightened.

“Ah, N …careful…” She implored softly.

There was no fear in her voice, N noticed, but …something else? She wasn’t fighting him, nor was she giving any sort of sign she wanted him to stop. After a few more moments, N forced himself to tear away from Uzi’s shoulders. He panted, hot air escaping from his mouth. His visor showed he had 50% cooldown. That was more than enough. He turned his attention to her wound and lowered his head down again, his tongue slowly coming out of his mouth. He gently licked her wound, making her gasp in surprise.

“N, give me some warning next time…” Uzi groaned quietly.

“Sorry…” N apologized softly, before he started licking her wound again. When he was sure that it was closed again, he gently put Uzi back on the ground. He held on to her hands when he noticed she was a bit wobbly on her feet. “ You good, Uzi?”

“I …I’m a bit dizzy, but …otherwise okay.” Uzi stated weakly, shaking her head to in an attempt to get rid of the dizziness, which only made her more dizzy. Her visor suddenly showed the message: [Error: Equilibrium compromised]. Uzi’s legs instantly gave out, but N quickly scooped her up before she could hit the ground.

“Ugh …thanks, N.” Uzi stated weakly, an embarrassed smirk on her lips.

“Guess I overdid it a bit, huh?” N gave her an apologetic look. “Sorry.”

“’S fine…you needed it more than me.” Uzi looked away for few moments. “Just …don’t mention this to V, you hear me? If she’ll get wind that this happened, she’ll never let me live this down.”

“My lips are sealed.”

“Good…” Uzi’s eyes started to close. “Can you take me home, please? I think… I need a nap…and a few cans of oil.”

“No problem, Uzi.” N started, as he walked out of the warehouse. “We’ll have you before y-“

He froze when he suddenly felt Uzi’s lips briefly touch his cheek. He blinked a few times, staring in front of him, cheeks burning bright. After returning to reality, he noticed that Uzi had fallen asleep in his arms. The sight did bring a smile on his face. He unfurled his wings and took off, with Uzi safely in his arms.

[laviefantasie]

[ Just Keep Swimming ]

Pairings: CEO! Gojo Satoru x Florist! Reader ; Lawyer! Naoya Zenin x Florist! Reader

Summary: The worst and best thing that could ever happen to you is falling in love. You were living proof of it. (based on “It Ends With Us”)

| Masterlist |

[ WARING TAGS: Modern!AU, no curse magic,, hurt/comfort, angst, domestic violence, violence, assault, sexual content, manipulation, gaslighting, blood, swearing ]

⛊ ☼ ⛉ ☼ ⛊ ☼ ⛉ ☼ ⛊

You were six the first time you saw it happen. You were ten when you first understood what it meant. You were fifteen when you first begged your mom with tears to leave him. You were eighteen when you decided to leave them.

And now here you were at twenty-five staring at your childhood bedroom , trying your best to not look at any of the family portraits that adorned the walls.

This was no happy home. You wouldn’t even call it a home to begin with. Not when the halls had echoed your mother’s terrified screeches as the walls tainted red. Not as your father’s fist painted your mother’s porcelain skin yellow, purple, red and green. How you hated those colors and despised this place.

You couldn’t wait to leave once again.

“It’s nice to have you back, honey”

You sighed. Your mother’s voice was as always soft and sweet; you hated how soft it sounded, as if she expected to get hit if she were to be louder.

Your eyes glanced around before stopping on an old music box, one a certain crystal blue-eyed boy had given you once upon a time. A small smile faintly appears on your face as you gaze at it, before being wiped off by the rest of your memories.

Clearing your throat, you turn towards your mother with a steady gaze. She smiled at you softly.

And you hated it. You hated that you remember how she had chosen him over you, again and again. You hated how you had begged, even gotten on your knees, for her to leave with you.

You hated that no matter how many times she chose him, he never stopped the cracks from deepening.

“Have you decided on what to say?” She asks slowly, “You could just recall a memory… maybe just state three things that he ever did to make you smile or…”

“Mom” you interrupted her, hating how as she spoke images of her being brutally hurt appeared in her mind, “I’ll figure it out”

She doesn’t seem convinced, but she still nods.

Sighing, you turn to look out your window straight at the three-story mansion in front of your own. Memories of joyous laughter and snow white hair.

Closing your eyes, you turn around. You had a funeral to get ready for and an eulogy to lie in.

The flowers on the roof of your building had always been your home away from home. Especially when you didn’t actually have somewhere that felt as home yet. You had lost that a long time ago.

You keep on cutting off the dead limbs, lost in your thoughts, when the door snaps open loudly and a crash startle you.

Turning around you are met with the sight of a blond man in a suit panting over a broken empty flower pot. You would’ve already screamed at him about the mess if it wasn’t for the tears streaming down his face.

He turns, eyes meeting yours. E/C meeting brown. His pants slow down and what appears to be shame shines through his face.

“I-I’ll pay for it”

“Seems like it was asking for it so no worries” you joke trying to make him feel at ease.

Why? You’re not sure. There was just something about seeing someone so powerful looking being vulnerable that made you sympathize.

He lets out a giant laugh full of relief and you find yourself smiling at it.

“You did all this?” He points at the many flowers al over the roof.

You nod, “Yeah, it’s my hobby… although maybe you could consider it my job too?”

“Huh? Really?”

“Hopefully, yeah” you nod, continuing your job, “You?”

“I’m, uh, a layer”

“A lawyer?” You ask ironically. He didn’t seem that confident to be one.

“I don’t look the part?”

“Not really”

He laughs again, louder this time, and you find yourself smiling. Again.

When was the last time you had smiled?

“You don’t look like a florist either”

“Makes sense, I didn’t actually study to become one” you smirk, “I just decided to become it”

“What did you study then?”

“Oh, wouldn’t you like to know?”

He smiles, “Actually, I would. Along with your name”

“Sorry, I’m married”

His face pales, “Oh! I’m so sorry! I didn’t mean any—”

Your laughter interrupts him. A loud and melodic one. One you hadn’t heard yourself let out in a long time.

It felt… warm.

“You… you’re messing with me”

“I am” your laugh faints, but the smile remains, “Was that too much?”

“When it caused that laugh? Not at all”

Your heart skipped a beat.

“Y/N” you say softly, “That’s my name”

“Nice to meet you, Y/N” he smiles, “I’m Naoya”

You nod at him before turning your attention to your flowers once more, trying to ignore the way your heart had started to increase the rhythm of its beat. You weren’t gonna acknowledge it.

“Why flowers?” He clears his throat, “I mean… you said you chose it so, why?”

“Why not? There’s q certain beauty in them, a familiarity, don’t you think so?”

“Familiarity?”

They’re just like us. When loved, they bloom. When hurt, they rot.

I wanted to say that, yet couldn’t. I had only ever said that to one person before and it felt like a betrayal to say it to somebody else, as insignificant as it seemed.

“Think about it, okay?” You settle for, smiling, “Promise you’ll figure it out”

He laughs faintly, “I take it, because it means we’ll meet again, right?”

“I don’t know about that…”

“You live here, am I wrong? I live here too! It’s meant to be”

You frown with a smile, “Is that your best way to flirt?”

“Only if it’s working”

You shake your head, laughing, “With those looks I thought you were a womanizer but now…”

“Hey! With this looks, what else would I need?”

Both of you share a laugh, a happy one, and for a minute you forget he came here banging doors and breaking pots; you forget you had been cutting dead limbs from flowers hoping it’d cut the ones inside you too.

But reality always sets in and your smile disappears.

He had been violent. Whatever his reason might be, even if it was one that could be understood, sirens loudly came to life inside your head making you move around, you were uncomfortable.

“Anyways… I know I said it probably was asking for it but what exactly did the flower pot do?”

You hate how your voice soften at the start, so you toughen it up by the end. The last thing you ever wanted was to be like your mom.

You’d never be like her.

“Honestly… it wasn’t the pot’s fault. Sadly, it was just collateral damage” he sighs, “I… uh… something happened. It’s kinda personal”

“Oh. Sorry. I-uh… too invasive. I apologize”

“No, no, it’s okay. Understandable. I…” he sighs, “I had this case, kinda can’t talk about it you know, but… it was a tough one. My client was a kid… and I lost”

“Oh”

“Yeah, oh” he laughs bitterly, “My client is a kid that I promised I’d help, that I’d save, and I didn’t. I failed them”

“I’m so sorry” you sigh, “That’s… a good enough reason for the pot’s short lifespan”

He smiles faintly.

You sigh, averting your eyes and playing with your fingers nervously.

“My dad died this past weekend” you blurt out, “Seems like it’s been a shitty last few days”

“Seems like it”

“Kind of a pretty deep conversation for two strangers to have on a roof, don’t you agree?”

“You’re not a stranger” his eyes soften, “You are Y/N, flower enthusiast, trickster, owner of the prettiest smile I’ve ever seen”

Thump. Thump. Thump.

You remind yourself to breathe as you let out an embarrassed laugh, averting your gaze from his soft one. Could your heart calm down? This was not the moment for a crush.

“Since we’re already spilling our dirty little secrets… how about a night of naked truths?”

“Naked truths?”

You hum, nodding, “I wouldn’t mind some company as I finish tending to my flowers and you seem like the last thing you need right now is being alone”

“Probably true. How’d you know I’m alone though?”

“Because we all tend to run to the person that makes us feel accompanied when we’re struggling… yet you’re on the roof, alone. Hitting doors and breaking pots”

“You’re also on the roof in a moment of struggle” he reminds you softly, his eyes filling with understanding.

“Again: I wouldn’t mind some company”

He nods, silently sitting down beside you on the floor and watching you as you tend your plants with care.

“Naked truths?” He reminds you softly.

You nod, “The odds of us ever seeing each other again are low, so it doesn’t matter”

“Kind of like a therapy session?”

“Zero judgement, all humor” you give him a small smile, “Wanna go first?”

“Today’s case… I watched a little boy’s life crumbled before his eyes when I failed him, making him go back to the hell he has lived with his father” he sighs, averting his gaze that had darken, “He’ll never be the same again and now he won’t even find a reason in asking for help”

“I’m sorry about that” you let out a deep breath, “Maybe he’ll figure out a way”

“Maybe… he shouldn’t have to though”

He was right. No kid should ever find a way to survive the hell they’ve been given. A kid should only ever be a kid.

“Your turn”

“I…”

He had been honest. He had been vulnerable. He deserved the same treatment.

“I’m a liar” you blurt out, “I’ve had to be since my father was a politician. But I shouldn’t have had to be it to the degree he made me be it. He… my mother and him fought a lot. And he would get so… so angry whenever they did that some-sometimes he would h-hit her. He’d apologize after. Taking us out, buying her expensive gifts. He knew I hated it when they fought so he’d buy me toys, to make up for it I guess. I didn’t really understand what him hitting her actually was, I was a kid. So… so-sometime-”

Your voice fails you, making you clear your throat as you find yourself admitting this out loud for the first time in years. Your saliva tasted like acid inside your mouth as you tried to find your voice once again.

Naoya waits patiently. Not making a sound and letting you collect yourself calmly.

“Sometimes I… I would find myself hoping they’d fight. Because I knew that if he h-hit her, the next two weeks would be… amazing” had I ever actually ever admitted this out loud?, “I wish he had never touched her. When I understood pain, I wished he’d stop but it was too late. It had become part of their marriage, like a silent norm in our house. So I let them be… I now know that letting it happen, never saying anything, makes me as guilty as him. As a daughter I have love for him, but as a person? I hate him. I have spent most of my life despising him for being such a bad person, but… I’m just as bad. The apple doesn’t fall far from the tree, am I right?”

“No”

The answer is immediate, making you freeze.

His hand stops your fumbling one, warming it on his own as if giving it a home. His gaze is determined, soft.

You couldn’t breathe.

“You’re not a bad person. I don’t think there’s really a thing as bad people” he squeezes my hand, “We’re just… people who sometimes do bad things. We’re humans, it’s inevitable”

I open my mouth but nothing comes out. Was I gonna agree with him just to stop the conversation? Was I gonna try to convince him that I’m bad? What exactly was I gonna say?

People who sometimes do bad things.

You felt yourself lighter after his words, as if the weight pulling you down and making it hard for you to breathe had slightly lifted.

No one is exclusively bad, he was right. Some people just have it harder to be good.

And that’s okay. You just gotta keep trying.

“Your turn”

He looks ready to disagree, but relents anyway.

“I don’t remember my mom” he confesses, “Dad and her divorced when I was four I think. He never let me see her once he won custody… and she didn’t try to either”

“You wish she had tried?”

“When I was a kid” he shrugs, “Not anymore. She made her choice, and now I choose not to wait for someone who didn’t want me”

“What if she wanted but just… couldn’t?”

He scoffs, “Your turn”

The bitterness in his voice stings, but you know it’s not directed at you.

You squeeze his hand trying to give him at least a little of the comfort he gave you moments ago. He smiles faintly.

“I have only ever fallen in love once” you admit, “His name was Satoru, he lived in the house in front of me. I lost my virginity with him until my dad found us and kick him out. Never saw him again after”

“Satoru?” He frowns, “Not a common name”

“Yeah, it isn’t”

“Kinda jealous right now” you frown, “He must have been a hell of a guy if you haven’t dated since”

You remember the blood and its metallic smell. How your throat hurt as you screamed for him to stop. How tears fell down your cheeks as you try to break them up, only to be pushed back. You feared he’d kill him.

“He was” you state softly, “It just couldn’t… we just had to stop seeing each other”

“Had to?”

“Yeah. Had to”

The confession tastes like the metallic smell imprinted in your mind, making it hard to swallow.

He stays silent for a moment.

“Now I really am jealous” he smiles, making you laugh, “You’re the most beautiful girl I’ve ever seen and you’re telling me you’ve only had one boyfriend? And he’s the one that got away?”

“Are you quoting a Katy Perry song?”

“Unimportant”

You laugh out loud. The screams that had muted the surrounding traffic sound quiet down, and the metallic taste disappears.

The one that got a way, you repeat to yourself. Yeah. Satoru definitely was that.

“What are you doing?”

You had been watching quietly so far but you just couldn’t anymore. Why did the heir of Gojo Enterprises look as if he was running away?

“Mind your own business”

“I actually am. You just stomped on my flowers before falling on your face as you ran without looking ahead” you scoff, “Now spill”

He sighs, looking towards his house before scoffing.

“Do you know who I am?”

“Satoru Gojo…? Only heir of the Gojo family, one of the top ten families in the whole country” you recite without a care, “Why does that even matter?”

“You forgot ‘illegitimate son’, princess” he rolls his eyes, “My mom was a maid who Mr. Gojo fucked because he pleased. So I’m leaving”

“Wh-wait! Leaving? Where?” You stop him, “You can’t leave”

“I can and I will”

“Where will you go? Do you even know what leaving on the streets will be like?” You scoff and cross your arms, “You won’t survive, not after living in that place”

“Until I was six, I lived in that place’s basement and was treated as a rat. I think the streets will be fine”

“But you can’t—”

“We’ve been neighbors all our lives and you’ve never once looked at me” he scoffs, “Don’t look at me now”

He turns around as he rolls his eyes, looking ready to ignore whatever else you tried to convince him to not leave home. But you’d never understand what a hell that house was and had always been, not when you had the picture perfect family.

“STAY HERE” you yelled in panic, freezing him on the spot, “We have a small house in our backyard, originally for the house’s help. It’s unoccupied, so you can stay there. Free of charge”

“Why?”

“Cause you look seem like someone who has had many doors closed in his face” you shrugs, averting your gaze shyly, “I want to show you there are others who’ll open it for you”

“Hey” you snap out of your memory from when you where fifteen, “You good? Lost you for a second”

“I’m fine” your voice is softer now, a hint of melancholy in it.

Why had you remembered that right now? Hadn’t that wound already healed?

“It’s gotten late. I-I should go”

You stand up, your head a mess, but his hand in yours stops you. His gaze is curious and slightly desperate.

“Will I see you again?”

“No”

“That stings”

“I’m just honest” you sigh, “That’s how it works”

“I don’t believe it is” he smiles, “So, see you next time, Y/N”

You had indeed seen him again, as if by destiny. He was apparently family of your new part-time worker, Maki. And apparently he knew your best friend, Utahime, whom had help you open your flower shop, Camellia Carnation.

It had taken you back to see him with Utahime, but you had acted indifferent. Then, he had been your first client ever and had buy the bouquet for you. Maki warned him you were off limits.

So you agreed to be friends.

Yet he was always there, and your heart kept on taking his side. One misstep and you found yourself falling.

You hadn’t meant to fall, not after Satoru. But at some point he smiled and you knew it was game over. Suddenly, he had sunk beneath your bones and nurtured this deep familiarity into a love so fierce that you believed this was it, that he was it. After all the pain, and the healing, and the heartbreak, Naoya was it.

Maki said he didn’t date, that he just played around. Naoya himself admitted it to.

Yet he begged you to try with him.

And holy crap were you glad you said yes. When was the last time you had been this happy? Dancing around the kitchen with only the refrigerator light? Playing board games in your bed? Laughing until the sun rose?

You gave him your all and he reciprocated it.

It only made sense that he met your mother when she came to visit you, even when you were a little hesitant about it. He was excited, you wouldn’t stop it.

You hadn’t expected to be frozen in your seat, barely registering what your mom was saying as you both waited for Naoya to come back from the restroom. How could you focus when you had just met your favorite set of crystal blue eyes?

You thought you had it wrong. You had to.

But nothing could compare to those eyes. White hair? People dyed it all the time. Pale skin? No beaches around. But his eyes? No one could even imagine coming close to their unique blue.

It has been years since you saw him, but you’ll never forget what he looked like. It had to be him. You know it was and you believe he recognized you, too, because the second your eyes met… it looked like he’d seen a ghost.

You felt breathless.

It was as if in this moment your soul was whispering to your heart excitedly about him. It was like a gravitational pull, like as if all the universes and all the galaxies were conspiring in his favor.

Snap out of it, you screamed in your head.

Why were you looking at him like that? You couldn’t. You didn’t know him, not anymore at least.

And yet…

You found yourself in the restroom’s, hoping he had recognized you and maybe decided to follow you.

What were you doing? He had left you behind, months before graduating, without a goodbye. He had probably gone to the marines to escape his father… but he had been so well dressed he probably had ended up doing as he was told.

You needed to compose yourself.

You’re snapped out of your thoughts by the door opening behind you. The Baby Breath flower tattoo in your collarbone burning as you meet his gaze, both of you breathless.

He looked healthy. There were so many emotions going through you at the moment but that was what stuck. You were happy he was healthy.

So why did it sting that he never came back for you? That he never looked for you?

“Y/N”

He’s standing at the end of the hallway like a ghost straight out of the past. He’s real, and he’s standing right in front of you.

“Toru”

He smiled and you swore your heart stopped.

“I’m going to make a promise to you. I’ll get out of my father’s cage and make a life of my own. When my life is good enough to deserve you in it, I’ll come find you. But don’t wait for me, okay? It may not happen”

He blows out a quick breath of relief and then takes three huge steps forward. You find yourself doing the same. Meeting in the middle and throwing your arms around each other.

“Holy shit” he breathes, tightening his embrace.

You nod, “Yeah. Holy shit”

He puts his hands on your shoulders and takes a step back to look at you.

“You haven’t change a thing”

Covering your mouth with your hand, still in shock, you give him a once-over. His face looks the same, but he’s no longer the scrawny teenager you remember.

“I can’t say the same for you”

He laughed, “Six years in the military will do that, definitely”

You’re in shock, and so is he, so nothing is said after that. You’re both too busy taking each other in to figure out what to say next. Laughing with disbelief.

Finally, he releases your shoulders and folds his arms over his chest.

“What are you doing here?”

He didn’t remember. You didn’t know if you were disappointed or relieved.

“I live here,” you say, forcing your answer to sound as casual as his question, “I own a flower shop over on Park Plaza”

He smiles knowingly, like it doesn’t at all surprise him.

You glance toward the door, knowing you should get back out there. He notices and then takes another step back. He holds your gaze for a moment, it gets really quiet. Way too quiet.

There’s so much you both have to say but where to start? The smile leaves his eyes for a moment and then he motions toward the door.

“You should probably get back to your company”, he says, “I’ll look you up sometime. You said Park Plaza, right?”

I nod. He nods.

And then you both parted ways.

The rest of your dinner was uneventful. Your gaze sometimes strayed to where Satoru sat surrounded by men in business attire, but came back to Naoya whenever he made your mom laugh.

Naoya is the perfect gentleman. Making your mom laugh, listening to her stories, paying for dinner, insisting on walking her to her car.

So why did you kept glancing at Satoru throughout the night?

“I ordered an Uber so we have approximately…” he checks his phone, “two minutes to make out”

You laugh, wrapping your arms around him. Smiling softly as you feel him kiss your neck lovingly, followed by your cheek.

“Ugh, how I wish I could invite myself over to your apartment, but my client wouldn’t be too happy with me if I did”

You giggle before kissing him back. Relief and disappointment coursing through you at his words.

Why was there relief?

“Grand opening soon, so I need to rest too” you remind him, “When’s your next day off?”

“Never. When’s yours?”

“Never”

You both laugh again, making out a little more before his Uber arrives and he has to leave. You watch until it pulls out of the parking lot.

Why did everything feel so right with him?

You smiled and turned around towards your car, but gasped as soon as your gaze met his covered one.

What the hell was Satoru doing standing at the rear of your car?

“Sorry. Didn’t mean to scare you”

His voice is low, as if tired. You force yourself to not dwell on the motive.

“Well, you did” you lean against the car, three feet away from him.

“Who’s the lucky guy?”

Your eyes widen as you turn to him, but his gaze is set on the road. You clear your throat.

“He’s…” your voice falters. This is weird. Your chest is still constricted and your stomach is flipping, “His name is Naoya. We met about a year ago.”

You force yourself not to wince at the truth once it came out. Maybe you shouldn’t have said you met that long ago. It sounded as if you were in an official long term relationship while you were just… courting each other?

“What about you? Girlfriend? Wife?”

Why were you asking that? Were you genuinely curious or…?

“Girlfriend. Her name is Mei Mei. We’ve been together almost a year now”

Heartburn. You believe you were having a heartburn. You place your hand in your chest.

A year?

“That’s good. You seem happy”

Did he seem happy? You had no clue. You just had to say something. Anything.

“Yeah. Well… I’m really glad I got to see you, Y/N” he turns around to walk away, but then spins and faces you again, his hands shoved in his back pockets, “I will say… I kind of wish this could have happened a year ago”

You wince at his words, trying not to let them get to you. Watching him as he turns and walks back to the restaurant.

Fumbling with your keys, you hit the button to unlock your car and slide in, shutting the door behind you loudly. You grip the steering wheel until your knuckles turn white. You feel a sting on your lower lip as you bite it.

For whatever reason, a tear falls down your cheek. You feel pathetic as you carelessly wipe it before starting your car.

Why were you feeling this much hurt after seeing him?

But it’s good. This happened for a reason. Your heart needed closure so that you could give it to Naoya. Maybe you couldn’t have done that until this happened.

This was good…

Yet you kept on crying.

But it’ll feel better. It’ll be better. This was just human nature, healing an old wound to prepare for a fresh new layer.

Nothing else.

“Knock, knock” you smile, opening the door with a tray in your hands full of food.

Satoru is sleeping on the couch in the help’s house living room and your gaze softens as you see the usual frown you’ve become used to missing.

He is different than you thought.

At school he was all smiles and laughter. But that was just a mask. This was the real him, the human him. One that had a lot of baggage and was slowly trying to get rid of it.

Sighing, you put the tray in the table and move closer to him, kneeling in front of the couch where he is laying.

“Psst… Satoru… wake up”

He frowns and moves slightly, which makes you giggle softly. Was he pouting?

“Come on. Mom and dad left so I brought you breakfast” his eyes open slightly, “I made sure to bring also a piece of strawberry cheesecake”

That makes him sit up quickly. You giggle and shake your head in amusement. You had learned in the last few weeks of him living with you of his sweet tooth, it was adorable.

Except something look out of place.

His usual pale skin was red. And the house had AC so he shouldn’t be sweating that much. Also, why were his eyes bloodshot?

Worried you make your palm touch his forehead, frowning as you feel how hot it feels against your skin. You wanted to call my mother, but how would you explain the situation? What could you do?

He must’ve seen how worried you were, cause he smiled softly at me.

“I’m okay, Y/N”

Your frowned deepened. Without a word you stood up, crossing your backyard to go inside your house and look for some medicine in the cabinet. There was some flu medicine, you weren’t sure if it’d work but you needed to try. Then, you went to the kitchen and made him some ginger tea, which should help if he’s got a sour throat.

When you came back he was curled up in a ball, shivering slightly.

“Seriously, I’m fine”

“Shut up” you scoff, handing him the mug, “Drink the tea, I’ll look for a blanket”

You did as you said and he did as told. After the tea you made him drink the medicine you brought him, and then you help him eat the breakfast you prepared for him.

Throughout it all he watched you with an intense gaze that you didn’t understand, but didn’t mind either.

“Y/N… I think I wanna throw up”

You stop wetting the towels you were preparing for him, jumping to grab the trash can and kneeling down in front of him.

As soon as you set it down, Satoru hunched over it and started throwing up.

You felt your chest tighten. You didn’t want to pity him, but you kinda did. Whatever his home situation had been like, he preferred having no home to call his own and no parents to take care of him than keep on living there. Even when he was this sick.

He only had you now. And you had no clue on how to help him.

After he finished throwing up, you help him drink some water and help him brush his teeth before putting him to bed. He pouted and whined like a child, but you weren’t having any of that.

He was shaking so bad and sweating like crazy from the heat his body expelled, the thought of leaving him alone scared you.

So you didn’t.

You laid down next to him, not minding the possibility of getting sick, and every hour for the next ten hours that he continued to get sick you stayed by his side. You kept on emptying the trash can, wiping his sweat, changing his sheets, wetting his towels, making him soup and helping him eat. You didn’t even think about how gross it was.

He needed you, and you were not fucking failing him.

By the time he regained a little bit of his strength, you were exhausted. You sent him to take a shower and closed your eyes for a little bit.

Why were you so worried about him?

You sighed, too tired to think of an answer. What you did know is that you did care about him, and there was no changing that now.

When he finished showering, you made him seat next to you and covered him up with the blanket, leaning into him slightly as you felt yourself becoming sleepy.

“You should rest” he whispers, “You’ve been taking care of me all day”

“I’m not tired”

“Don’t be stubborn” he coughs, “Just sleep for ten minutes. Please?”

He never said please. You doubted the word was even in his vocabulary, yet he just said it so you would consider resting.

Silently, you close your eyes.

A few minutes later, you felt him lean over a little and press his lips against your collarbone, right between your shoulder and your neck. You stop yourself from shivering as you become breathless. It was a quick kiss. Not even one you could consider as romantic in any way, more like a thank-you kiss.

But it made you feel all kinds of things.

Even when it had already been a few hours since you left him, as you lay awake on your bed, you kept touching that spot with your fingers because you could still feel it.

It was probably one of the worst day of his life. But it had been one of your best.

The next couple of weeks things started changing between you and Satoru. Something had shifted in your dynamic.

Now you held hands. Now you slept some nights in the same bed. Now you both seek the warmth that came from the other. It made you wonder if he still saw you as a naive fifteen year old. He was just two years older, it shouldn’t make that much of a difference right?

You were currently both watching Finding Nemo in the main house’s living room. The part came up where Nemo’s father, Merlin, was looking for Nemo but feeling really defeated and Dory said: ‘When life gets you down do you wanna know what you gotta do? Just keep swimming’.

“Just keep swimming” you whisper to yourself, turning to face him with a soft smile as you grab and squeeze his hand, “Just keep swimming”

You wanted to be the one that helped him swim until he finally got to surface, until he finally could breathe again.

You both were now facing each other and he had a strange look in his eyes.

“When do you turn sixteen?”

“That’s a random question” you softly laughed, “In two more months… when do you turn eighteen?”

“Not until December” he said.

You nodded, wondering if he still saw you as a kid… and if he could ever see you as more.

Maybe when two people are fifteen and seventeen, it might seem a little too far apart. But once you turned sixteen, who would see the difference?

“I need to tell you something”, he said.

You lost your breath. Heart beating fast. Were you maybe too hopeful right now?

“I got in touch with my uncle today. My mom used to live with him in Boston. He told me once he gets back from his work trip I can stay with him”

Oh.

This was good news. This should make you happy. He’d have a home, a family. He’d be okay. So why weren’t you? Why were you feeling sorry for yourself?

“Are you going?” you asked, begging the universe your voice didn’t shake.

He shrugged, “I don’t know. I wanted to talk to you about it first.”

He was so close to you on the couch, so close you could feel the warmth of his breath. He smelled like mint.

You started fiddling with your hands, hoping to shake off the negative feelings surfacing.

“I don’t know what to say” you clear your throat, “I’m happy you have a safe place to stay, but what about school?”

A stupid excuse, but it was something.

“I could finish down there”, he said.

Oh.

He had already made up his mind, hadn’t he? You knew because he had this certain light in his eyes, a light you thought had extinguished.

Who were you to try to stop it from shining?

“When are you leaving?”

The words fled like acid in your throat.

You wondered how far away Boston is. It’s probably a few hours, but that’s a whole world away when you don’t own a car.

“I don’t know for sure that I am.”

“What’s stopping you? Your uncle is offering you a place to stay. That’s good, right?”

He tightened his lips together and nodded. Then he stop your fiddling hands, grabbing them on his own and playing with your fingers. He leaned back and then he did something you weren’t expecting. He moved his fingers to your lips and he touched them.

You felt like dying. How was it possible to feel so much at once? You had to be dying.

He kept his fingers there for a few seconds, and he said, “Thank you, Lily. For everything”

He moved his fingers up and through your hair, and then he leaned forward and planted a kiss on your forehead. Were you even breathing at this point? He looked down at me and you watched as his eyes went right to your mouth.

“Have you ever been kissed, Y/N?”

You shook your head no and tilted your face up to his because you needed him to change that right then and there or you weren’t gonna be able to breathe.

Then, too slow for your liking, he lowered his mouth to yours and just rested it there. You didn’t know what to do next, but you didn’t care. You didn’t care if you just stayed like that all night and never even moved your mouths, it was everything.

His lips closed over yours and you could kind of feel his hand shaking. You did what he was doing and started to move your lips like he was, although a little weird at first. You felt the tip of his tongue brush across your lips once and you thought your eyes were about to roll back in your head. He did it again, and then a third time, so you finally did it, too. When your tongues touched for the first time, you kind of smiled a little, because you had thought about your first kiss a lot. Where it would be, who it would be with. Never in a million years did you imagine it would feel like this.

He pushed you on your back and pressed his hand against your cheek and kept kissing you. It just got better and better as you grew more comfortable. Your favorite moment was when he pulled back for a second and looked down at you, then came back even harder.

You don’t know how long you kissed. A long time. So long, your mouth started to hurt and your eyes couldn’t stay open. By the time you both were too tired to open your eyes, you could still feels his lips ghosting over yours.

“You’re my favorite person”, you whisper, sleep overcoming you slowly.

“Out of how many people?”

His voice sounded alive for some reason. You didn’t dwell on it, too tired to try to open your eyes and see the look on his face.

“All of them”

His arms around you tighten, a small kiss being delivered to the side of your lip.

“You’re my favorite person too, Y/N. By a long shot”

You had to stop remembering the past. Especially now that you had a beautiful present paired with a future to look forward to. Naoya was perfect. He was everything you had wanted when you were a child.

Your chapter with Satoru was over. He was happy now.

You were happy now.

Time can definitely heal all wounds. Or at least most of them.

Life kept going and you buried any thought of Satoru that had come to mind. Things with Naoya became official and you felt on cloud nine every second you spent in his presence.

Especially after having sex. It was a hell of a ride.

You excitedly walked around your flower shop, humming a song under your breath and ignoring the weird looks Utahime and Maki are giving you.

Naoya had just called to say he was taking the day off for you. You had every right to feel giddy.

“Please tell me you’re being safe”

Your roll your eyes at Utahime as Maki fakes puking.

“Please, don’t”, Maki groans, “Still underage here”

“Both of you shush it” you laugh, “Utahime make sure to close. Maki get home safe. I got a dinner to make”

By the time you hear the door open you’re almost finished preparing the casserole mixture. You pour it into the glass pan and don’t turn around when you hear him walk into the kitchen.

You squeal when you feel the sting on your right butt cheek.

“Did you just slap my ass?”

“Don’t blame me, who wouldn’t want to smack that ass?”

You laugh. He raised the wine bottles in his hands with a grin, “It’s vintage”

Vintage,” I say with mock impression. “What’s the special occasion?”

He hands you a glass and says, “I have a smoking hot girlfriend and I have one of the most important trials of my life in a few days”

“What kind of trial?”

You both finish your glasses of wine and he pours you more.

“One that’s gonna be televised around the whole country. Career changing” he says, “A doctor that abused most of his female patients while anesthetized. Gotta put the bastard in jail”

Was it wrong to be turned on by your boyfriend putting trash men in jail?

“How long do you think it’ll take?”, you ask.

“Well, he had more than a hundred victims so… make three days trial if we keep it short”

You hated that people like that existed, but it made you like him more how hard he fought to get rid of them.

He chugs his wine then, “I’m gonna take a shower. Be right back”

He kissed your cheek swiftly before getting out of the kitchen.

You drink more of your wine.

He was on top of her.

They were on the couch and he had his hand around her throat, but his other hand was pulling up her dress. She was trying to fight him off and you just stood there, frozen. She kept begging him to get off her and then he hit her right across the face and told her to shut up.

You’ll never forget his words when he said, “You want attention? I’ll give you some fucking attention”

And that’s when she got real still and stopped fighting him. You heard her crying.

“Please be quiet. Y/N is here”, she sobbed, “Please be quiet”

Please be quiet while you rape me.

Was it possible for a person to feel this much hate? You walked straight to the kitchen and opened the drawer. It was like you weren’t in your own body. You grabbed the biggest knife you could find.

You weren’t planning to used it. You just wanted something that could scare him. But before you could make it out of the kitchen, two arms went around your waist and picked you up from behind. You dropped the know, but your father didn’t heart it. Your mother did.

You locked eyes with her as Satoru carried you back to your bedroom.

When you were back inside my room, you just started hitting him in the chest, trying to get back out there to her. You were crying (when had you started crying?) and doing everything you could to get him out of your way, but he wouldn’t move.

He just wrapped his arms around you tightly.

“Y/N, calm down”, he kept saying over and over.

He held you there for a long time until you accepted that he wasn’t gonna let you go back out there. He wasn’t gonna let you have that knife.

He walked over to the bed and grabbed his jacket and started putting on his shoes.

“We’ll go to the help’s house. We’ll call the police”

The police.

Your mother had warned you not to call the police in the past. She said it could jeopardize your father’s career. But in all honesty, you didn’t care at that point. The only thing you cared about was helping your mother, so you pulled on your jacket and went to the closet for a pair of shoes. When you stepped out of your closet, Satoru was staring at your bedroom door.

It was opening.

Your mother stepped inside and quickly shut it, locking it behind her. You’ll never forget what she looked like. She had blood coming down from her lip. Her eye was already starting to swell, and she had a clump of hair just resting on her shoulder. She looked at Satoru and then at you.

You didn’t even take a moment to feel scared that she had caught you in your room with a boy. You didn’t care about that. You were just worried about her.

You walked over to her and grabbed her hands and walked her to your bed. You brushed the hair off her shoulder and then from her forehead.

“He’s gonna go call the police, mom. Okay?”

Her eyes grew real wide and she started shaking her head.

“No” she said, “You can’t. No”

Satoru was already at your window about to leave, but he stopped and looked at you.

“He’s drunk, Y/N” she said, “He heard your door shut, so he went to our bedroom. He stopped. If you call the police, it’ll just make it worse, believe me. Just let him sleep it off, it’ll be better tomorrow”

But it wouldn’t. It hadn’t been in all these years. This had to be the final straw.

You shook your head and could feel the tears stinging your eyes, “Mom, he was trying to rape you!”

She ducked her head and winced when you said that.

“It’s not like that” she shook her head, “We’re married. And sometimes marriages is… you’re too young to understand”

It got really quiet for a minute.

“I hope to hell I never understand”

That’s when she started to cry. She just held her head in her hands and she started to sob and all you could do was wrap your arms around her and cry with her. You had never seen her this upset. Or this hurt. Or this scared. It broke your heart.

It broke you.

You chug the wine in your hand and pour yourself some more. Tonight was a happy day, a good one. Why were you thinking about that?

You’re on your fourth or fifth glass of wine when Naoya comes back.

“We have dinner reservations tomorrow with Utahime and Maki to celebrate your flower shop” he pours himself another glass, “We’re going to the restaurant we went with your mom. Dory was it called?”

Your heart sinks down your chest.

It’d be impossible to meet Satoru there again, right? It had been a coincidence. Boston was too big to find each other again… right?

“I don’t want to go back there. I didn’t like it. Let’s try something new”

“You’ll be fine,” he says, “Maki is excited to eat there, I told her all about it and for once she didn’t roll her eyes at me”

What are the odds of meeting again at that same place? Maybe you should just let it be.

“Speaking of food, I’m starving”

The casserole!

“Oh shit!” You say, laughing. You were definitely tipsy.

Naoya rushes to the kitchen and you stand up and follow him in there. You walk in just as he pulls the oven door open and waves away the smoke. Ruined.

You got dizzy all of a sudden from standing up too fast after having that many glasses of wine. So you grabbed the counter beside him to steady yourself, just as he reached in to pull the burnt casserole out.

“Wait, Naoya! You need a…”

“Shit!” he yells.

“Pot holder”

The casserole falls from his hand and lands on the floor, shattering everywhere. You lift up your feet to avoid broken glass and mushroom chicken splatter. You start laughing as soon as you realize he didn’t even think to use a pot holder.

Must be the wine. It was a seriously strong wine.

He slams the oven shut and moves to the faucet, shoving his hand under the cold water, muttering curse words. You’re trying to suppress your laughter, but the wine and the ridiculousness of the last few seconds are making it hard. You look at the floor, at the mess you’re both about to have to clean up, and the laughter bursts from you. You’re still laughing as you lean over to get a look at Naoya’s hand.

You hope he didn’t hurt it too bad.

Suddenly you’re not laughing anymore. You’re on the floor, your hand pressed against the corner of your eye.

In a matter of one second, Naoya’s arm came out of nowhere and slammed against you, knocking you backwards. There was enough force behind it to know you off balance. When you lost your footing, you hit your face on one of the cabinet door handles as you came down.

Pain shoots through the corner of your eye, right near your temple.

And then you feel the weight.

Heaviness follows and it presses down on every part of you. So much gravity, pushing down on your emotions. Everything shatters.

Your tears, your heart, your laughter, your happiness, your soul. Shattered like broken glass raining down around you.

You wrap your arms over your head and try to wish away the last ten seconds.

Was that all it took for everything to shatter? Only ten seconds?

“Shit, Y/N” you hear him groan, “It’s not funny. It fucking hurts”

You don’t look up.

His voice doesn’t penetrate your body this time. It feels like it’s stabbing you now; that sharpness of his words coming at you like swords.

And then his hands are on your back, rubbing it.

“Y/N. Oh, shit, Y/N” he tries to pull your arms away from your head, but you refuse.

You shake your head. Begging for the last seconds to go away. Ten seconds. That’s all it took for a person to completely change everything about themselves.

Ten seconds that you’ll never get back.

He pulled you against him and started kissing the top of your head.

“I’m so sorry. I just… I burned my hand. I panicked. You were laughing and… I’m so sorry, it all happened so fast. I didn’t mean to push you, Y/N. I’m sorry”

But you couldn’t hear Naoya, you only heard your father.

“I’m sorry, Y/M/N. It was an accident. I’m so sorry”

“I’m sorry, Y/N. It was an accident. I’m so sorry”

You wanted him away from you.

Using every ounce of strength still in you, you pushed him away from you. He falls backward, onto his hands. His eyes are full of genuine sorrow, but then they’re full of something else.

Worry? Panic?

He slowly pulls up his right hand and it’s covered in blood. Blood is trickling out of his palm, down his wrist. You look at the floor, at the shattered pieces of glass from the casserole dish. His hand. You just pushed him onto glass.

He turns around and pulls himself up. He sticks his hand under the stream of water and starts rinsing away the blood. You stand up, shaking, just as he pulls a sliver of glass out of his palm and tosses it on the counter.

You’re full of so much anger, but somehow, concern for his hand still finds its way out. You grab a towel and shove it into his fist. There’s so much blood.

You try to help stop the bleeding, but you’re shaking too bad, “Naoya, your hand.”

He pulls the hand away and, with his good hand, he lifts my chin.

“Fuck the hand, Y/N. I don’t care about my hand. Are you okay?”

He’s looking back and forth between your eyes frantically as he assesses the cut on your face.

Your shoulders begin to shake and huge, hurt-filled tears spill down your cheeks.

“No” you’re sure he can hear your heart breaking with just that one word, because you can feel it in every part of you, “Oh my God. You pushed me, Naoya. You…”

The realization of what has just happened hurts worse than the actual action.

Naoya wraps his arm around your neck and desperately holds you against him, “I’m so sorry, Lily. God, I’m so sorry”, he buries his face against your hair, squeezing you with every emotion inside of him, “Please don’t hate me. Please”

His voice slowly starts to become his own voice again, and you feel it in your stomach, in your toes. He’s not even worried about his hand, which is still bleeding. That means something right?

There’s too much happening. The smoke, the wine, the broken glass, the food splattered everywhere, the blood, the anger, the apologies, it’s too much.

“I’m so sorry” he says again

You pull back and his eyes are red and you’ve never seen him look so sad.

“I panicked. I didn’t mean to push you away, I just panicked. All I could think about was my hand and… I’m so sorry”

He presses his mouth to your and breathes you in.

He’s not like your father. He can’t be. He’s nothing like that uncaring bastard.

You’re both upset and kissing and confused and sad. You’ve never felt anything like this moment, so ugly and painful. But somehow the only thing that eases the hurt just caused by this man is this man. Your tears are soothed by his sorrow, your emotions soothed with his mouth against yours, his hand gripping yours like he never wants to let go.

Naoya isn’t like your father. He’s nothing like him.

He can’t be.

part two [coming soon]

[angelwings-crossbowstrings]

Series Masterlist

Chapter 1

Chapter warnings: Allusions to drug use, allusions to prostitution, violence (man on woman)

(All chapters going forward will be Y/N)

“I ain’t so sure ‘bout this, man.” Daryl pushed open the door and climbed out of the small sedan. He had to take a moment to stretch, his joints popping and cracking in protest. He just wasn’t made for cars. If he couldn’t have a bike, he’d even take a truck.  He gathered his crossbow out of the backseat and strapped it across his back, the familiar weight of a gun on one hip and a knife on the other. 

“What choice do we have?” Rick checked his own gun and placed it back in the holster, briefly meeting the archer’s skeptical gaze. With a nod, he closed the door and made his way across the street with Daryl not far behind. 

The building appeared to be an old strip joint if the broken signs and tinted windows were anything to go by. It wasn’t the sort of place Rick would have gone before the world went to shit, much less after. Daryl, on the other hand, had been to his fair share. His brother only enjoyed one thing more than his drugs and that was women. It was a ritual to end his night with his head buzzing and a woman on his lap. Unfortunately, that usually meant Daryl had to come along. 

“Just find out whatcha need to know so we can get the hell outta here.” The bowman snapped as he checked out the sides of the building, ensuring there were no surprises in case a quick getaway was needed. He had no desire to stay longer than necessary. The hum of a generator was muted behind the walls, thankfully quiet enough to not draw any walkers. The former sheriff nodded and pounded a fist against the door once Daryl had joined him. 

A small window opened. It reminded Daryl of the ones at the drive up tobacco shops or the local McDonalds. A burly man, shorter than both Daryl and Rick, leaned into view. The area behind him was pitch black and silent. The archer had a bad feeling. 

“What can I do you for, boys?” 

“We heard that the man running this place has had run-ins with the Governor.” Rick spoke quietly, standing too close to the opening and would be in Daryl’s way for a clean shot should things go south. With practiced ease, the bowman sidestepped to the ex-sheriff’s right. 

“And if he has? What of it?” The fellow narrowed his eyes in wait of an answer, spitting tobacco juice right in front of Daryl’s boot. The archer curled his lip. 

“Look, man, he either has or he hasn’t.” 

“Daryl.” Rick looked over this shoulder with a raised hand. “We’re just trying to look out for our own. If we could just talk—”

“Wait here.” The window slammed shut. Rick stared at it for a moment with raised brows before turning to Daryl. 

The archer shrugged and pulled a cigarette from the pocket of his vest. It was down to the filter by the time the door opened, the same little man waddling backwards to allow them inside. The cigarette was flicked away before Daryl fell in behind Rick, the outside door closing to shroud the three of them in darkness. It was eerily quiet. That alone made Daryl’s teeth itch. 

He opened his mouth as light and sound filtered through the door opening in front of them. A lot of light and sound. The place had been soundproofed. 

Much to their surprise, it actually was a strip club inside. Scantily clad women were dancing, some on tables. Some on the bar. Some on the stage. There wasn’t much money to be seen, but the tables and floor were littered with ammo, pill bottles, and food. Given the positions and lack of clothing of some of clientele, a lot more than dancing was being offered.  

The man led them inside and pointed to the bar. “You wait here.” He barked at Daryl. “You, come with me.”

“Nuh uh, he ain’t—”

“It’s alright, Daryl.” Rick nodded. 

“Whatever.” He grunted, leaning on the bar. He had to admit that he was shocked their weapons hadn’t been confiscated but with another look around, it appeared that was the going currency. 

“What can I get for ya?” The man behind the bar admittedly startled the archer, but he waved him off with barely a flinch. 

Daryl felt oddly comfortable in the place, probably from his escapades with his brother. He never really partook unless a lap dance was offered to keep him busy so Merle could shoot up or do a few lines with the entertainment. This was never his thing. 

“Hey, tall, dark, and dirty. The name’s Roxxy. Why don’t you and I—”

“No.” Daryl didn’t even spare her a glance. Putting her hands up with a sneer, she walked away, on to the next potential client. Regardless of the familiarity, he began to feel antsy the longer Rick took, itching to go through the doors he saw them lead the former sheriff through in search of the man. To curb his anxiety, he picked up a coaster from the bar and turned it over repeatedly. Just something to keep his hands moving. 

“Hey, um—”

A featherlight light touch on his bicep had him spinning, throwing his arm out to deflect the person. Wild blue eyes searched the space he turned to, finding no one standing, but the small, curled up form of a woman on the floor. Shit. 

He hadn’t meant to knock her down; should probably help her up and apologize. He had taken no more than a step toward her when a large man appeared from behind the curtain that was draped at the back of the bar. He wasn’t dressed fancy by any means but his button up and slacks were clean. He wasn’t the type to usually get his hands dirty. 

“What have I told you about touching the customers without asking?” He shouted at the woman, roughly yanking her to her feet by her upper arm. She barely made a sound and kept her head down, obviously accustomed to the treatment. 

“Hey, man, she—” Daryl tried but was cut off by the sound of the man’s hand connecting with her face, sending her right back to the floor. The archer stared, wide-eyed, hearing Rick’s voice somewhere nearby and the placating tone of the man who had just leveled that poor woman. What they were saying was lost to him, his entire focus zeroed in on the jagged scars covering her back, buttocks, and thighs. 

“Daryl.”

The music and voices came back at an alarming volume, causing Daryl to flinch out of Rick’s gentle hold. “What?”

“We got what we came for.” Rick shot a distasteful glare at the other gentleman. “Let’s get outta here.”

Daryl nodded slowly, beginning to absently follow his friend toward the door when another man dragged that same woman up by her hair. She was trying so hard to shield her face, to make herself small. No one was looking twice. No one was batting an eye. No one seemed to care. The other women, they seemed happy to be there. Whether it was a well played act or not, they seemed to be enjoying themselves. But not her. It would most likely bite him in the ass later but god help him, he needed to know why. 

Just as the little man from before reached for the door, Daryl stalked back toward the scene. 

“Hey!” All eyes fell on him, and he felt his sudden bravado slipping. “How much for her?”

“Daryl.” Rick said carefully from the door. 

“For a dance, it’ll be—”

“Don’t want no dance. How much for her?” The archer corrected them with an almost growl. He felt Rick’s hand on his shoulder and shrugged it off. 

“Brother, let’s talk about this.”

Daryl ignored him. 

“You don’t want her. She obviously needs some more training.”

“Want her.” He stated matter-of-factly. The girl in question was still hiding her face behind her hands and a curtain of long, disheveled hair. Yer bein’ a idiot, Dixon. Wha’ the hell are ya doing?

The two men shared a look, the shorter one— the one Rick had been meeting with— nodding. 

“What are you offering?” 

Daryl licked his suddenly dry lips, knowing Rick was going to have a stroke. He pulled his gun from the holster and placed it on the bar. 

“Daryl.”

“What else?” Tall dickhead asked with a smirk. 

Daryl’s eye twitched, as much as he tried to maintain stoicism. He pulled the clips of ammo from each back pocket and placed them next to the gun. The man raised an eyebrow, obviously expecting more. 

“Daryl.” There was a clear warning in that one but the archer pressed on. 

His knife was next. When it was clear that still wasn’t enough, he ran his fingers over the strap of his crossbow, eyes flickering over to the trembling form between the two men. 

Fuck.

He pulled the car keys from his front pocket, but was barely clear of his hip when he felt his friend snag his wrist. 

“What the hell are you doing?” Rick hissed in his ear. Daryl paused for a moment, gaze sliding over to Rick’s worried face and then back again. He snatched his arm away and tossed the keys onto the bar. 

“Car’s outside. S’got half a tank.” 

The two men looked at one another again before shoving the small creature unceremoniously into Daryl. “Sold.”

What the hell had he just done?

[holylulusworld]

Big girls don't cry (3)

Summary: You are no stranger to heartbreak.

Pairing: CEO!Steve Rogers x Plussized!Reader

Warnings: heavy angst, strong reader, mentions of former heartbreak, arguments, regret

Big girls don’t cry masterlist

Part 2

“What do you want here?” you put your hands on your hips to stare down at Steve. He sits in front of your door, a bouquet of roses in his hands. “I told you to stay away from me and my home.”

“Doll, please listen to me. I quit my job. I gave up everything that meant the world to me before I met you,” Steve scrambles to his feet when you try to unlock your door. “Give me five minutes. What I said to Bucky and Sam was a lie. I was head over heels for you the moment I met you.”

You shake your head, and huff. “Steve, I believe you.” He smiles and nods. Steve tries to hand you the roses, but you cross your arms over your chest. 

“That’s good. You know now that I love you, and that this was just a stupid mistake. I promise to make things up to you. I’ll be the man you want.”

“Steve,” you get a little louder. “I said that I know that you lied. But this doesn’t mean that I will forgive you. Bucky and Sam are your best friends, and you made them believe that our relationship means nothing to you. That you only fuck me to get close to my grandma.”

“Baby, I’m sorry. I didn’t think,” he sniffs. “Please. I already told them that I lied. Please give me the chance to prove that I can be the man you deserve.”

“I’ve got enough,” you size Steve up. “I met enough people judging me, pushing me around, and using me. There are too many people who believe that my size means I’m less worthy than a slim woman. It would be nice if my value was not measured by my size for once. Especially not by the man I love. The one I believed is the one I will spend the rest of my life with.”

“Y/N, doll…I would never do such a thing,” Steve pales as the realization hits him right in the face. “Oh my god.” He drops the roses and falls to his knees. “Do you believe I lied to Bucky and Sam because of your appearance? Fuck. Baby. I love everything about you. You’re beautiful in any way.”

“I wish—” your voice cracks, and you struggle to push the tears away. “I wish this was true, and that I can believe you. But I can’t.” You step onto the roses, crushing them with your heels. “I won’t let you hurt me again.”

“Baby…” Steve looks at the broken roses on the ground. He sniffs and tries to fathom that you believed he lied to his friends because of your size…

Steve paces his friend’s living room. He stops and shakes his head before pacing again.

“Steve, calm the fuck down,” Bucky grunts. “What has gotten into you? You quit your job and attacked your boss. I’m worried about you, man. Be honest, are you on drugs?”

Steve doesn’t listen. He stares out of the window and sighs deeply.

“Buck, you don’t understand. Y/N believes I said the things I said because of her size. How can she believe that I’d judge her appearance? She’s so beautiful and I love her.” 

“Wait-“ Bucky wrinkles his nose. “This is about your girlfriend. Uh-is she still mad at you? I mean, I get it. You fucked up big time. But usually, you only need to use your puppy dog eyes and smile and they are all over you again.”

“She’s different,” Steve looks over his shoulder. “Y/N didn’t tell me about people treating her badly. She’s always kind, and cheerful. I never thought that anyone hurt such a kind soul.”

“Shit, you are head over heels and butterflies in the stomach in love with that woman, huh?” Bucky grins. “I will so tease the shit out of you when you are a wreck before your wedding.”

“There will be no wedding. She never wants to see me again, Buck. I get it now. The moment I said those stupid things because I wanted you to leave me alone, I broke her trust in me. I don’t think there is a way to fix this. How can you fix broken trust?”

“Leave this to Bucky,” the brunette grins. “I’m your man when it comes to the ladies.” He winks at Steve, earning an eye-roll. “I’ve got you, Stevie.”

“Wait! Please—” Bucky dodges your attack right before the baseball bat can hit his head. “HEY! Don’t kill the messenger. I only tried to tell you that Steve is not a bad guy. He’s an idiot…and he doesn’t know what to say to a woman sometimes…but he loves you.”

“Get out of my sight,” you poke the baseball bat in Bucky’s chest. He’s much taller than you and beefy, but you are not scared of him. If you must, you’ll smash his skull. “I don’t want to have anything to do with you or him.”

“What about the wedding?” Raising his hands Bucky looks at you. “He asked you to marry him. Right? He showed my sister the ring weeks ago.”

“Ring?” You furrow your brows. “What do you mean?”

“Uh-oh…crap. I assume he wanted us to leave to ask the big question,” Bucky winces. “We fucked things up for Stevie.”

“He wanted to marry me?”

“Yeah. I mean…that’s what Rebecca said. She almost punched my nose for messing with you and Stevie.” Bucky offers a cracked smile. “Steve gets nervous and shy when it comes to talking about feelings.”

“Why?” 

“You see, he was a small, awkward, and sick boy. Most of the guys and even girls made fun of him. Once he told a girl he likes her, and everyone laughed about him because she told the whole class about it.”

Bucky watches you wring your hands. Steve never told you about all of this. He had a tough past too, and you didn’t know about it.

“I don’t believe you. I bet he was the quarterback, and all the girls were all over him. Don’t try to bullshit me, Barnes.”

“Wait…I got pictures…” Bucky gets his phone out. “Here…”

You snatch the phone out of Bucky’s hands. It’s true. The boy in the pictures looks small and weak. But he has Steve’s eyes and his smile.

“He was a cute lil fucker, right?” Bucky snickers. “The girls should’ve loved him, not make fun of his appearance. He was smart, kind, and funny. If only one of them would’ve given him a chance.”

“Yeah. He was cute,” you grin. “Look at that bastard. He could’ve broken all the girls’ hearts.”

“So…will you give him a chance,” Bucky hopefully asks. “I know he fucked shit up. But—he’s so in love with you.”

“I…I don’t know. He hurt me deeply. All of my insecurities resurfaced because of the things he said. Even if he didn’t mean it, Steve still said it. I need time to think about it.”

“Okay…uh…but remember lil Stevie is still that insecure and awkward boy. He only tried to hide his true feelings to make sure no one would laugh about him again…”

Part 4

Tags in reblog.

[cozzzynook]

I'm in a spooky but wholesome mood so I bring a little monster Starbee Au :3

Starscream wasn't sure how long he had well...dead or why he was stuck in this mortal realm and not rotting in the Pits along side his fellow Decepticons who fell in the last battle. All the seeker knew knew now was that he was what the earthlings call a 'ghost' if his non-physical frame gave that away, but it was fun to float between walls and floors of buildings it was like flying with little effort. Only down side no one seem to notice him...all except one yellow bot.

Starscream carefully drifted down the long winding hallways of what was left of the Autobot base still being careful not to accidently float off course towards the hab he was familiar with. He had barley made it half way when he heard a sharp pained yelp, this made Starscream go from lazily floating to dashing through the walls to find what was wrong. The ghostly seeker let out a gasp when he saw the sorry state the hab was in, tables and chairs were flipped upside down while soft plush seats had long deep claw marks running along them while broken glass laid next to them with half finished energon.

"Bee?" The seeker called as he began to search the wreck for the yellow mech. "Bumblebee are you here?"

A soft growl answered Starscream's question making the seeker whip around and come face to face with two bright oddly coloured optics. The ghostly seeker had to squint to see the small but familiar frame in the dim lights as it slowly crept closer still softly growling.

"Bee, there you are!" Starscream let out a sigh "I was worried someone had tried to assassinate you...but it seems you threw a little temper tantrum instead"

"St-ar?" A crackled and strained voice spoke as Bumblebee slowly crept out of the shadows and clump of furniture. "I-is it...you?"

Starscream's smile was quickly whipped off his face when he finally saw of what became of the yellow mech. Long tendrils with sharp pointed edges dragged behind Bee while long talons and fangs glimmered in the soft lighting. All clear signs of one thing that all Cybertaions feared...a sparkeater.

"Oh...my little bug. How long have you been hiding something like that away?" Being thankful for being a ghost for once meant he didn't have to worry about being eaten or getting sick. Slowly and carefully he kneeled in front of Bumblebee trying to look the shorter bot in the optic.

"It sta-rted a few weeks ago...I didn't wa-nt anyone to worry" Bumblebee shyly looked down at his pedes finding it rather difficult to look at the seeker. "I was hop-ing...to wait it out. I still have some sense of self" His voice cracked as his voice box strained to make glyphs.

"Then let me stay here and wait with you my little bug" Starscream smiled as he sat down as close as he could without passing right through Bumblebee. "I have all eternity now after all"

A soft purr escaped the smaller mech as he huddled closer to the seeker. Bee then slowly wrapped the tendrils around himself as a little make shift blanket before gazing back up at Starscream. "Thank you..."

The seekers wings fluttered as small light pink blush filled Starscreams face. "Uh y-you're welcome little bug" This was going to be a long night.

Bee 🥺🥺🥺 how did he become a sparkeater?

[joelswritingmistress]

You Scare Me, Professor: Chapter 54

Summary: The reader is taking graduate classes at a local university in the wooded upstate New York. She is drawn to her professor, Dr. Joel Miller, though she is also inherently aware that he has something dark about him that she can't quite put her finger on. As the reader's attraction grows deeper, she has to decide whether to endure the danger or run away as fast as possible. 

Pairing: Professor Joel Miller x f!reader 

Dr. Miller’s castle - my home. It felt like a fortress away from the rest of the world. Neither of us had unpacked. We didn't sit or turn on the television or even a light. We just stood there in this lost, new world we were unwillingly thrust into.

My mind and body, alike, were tired. I didn't think I could accurately answer another question after the time I had spent with the police and investigators, and even a few stray reporters. I knew law enforcement needed every detail to assure Will would remain behind bars for the rest of his days, but I was spent; done.

Word had hit our area. The Lady Killer had been caught. The only thing that made me smile was the mention of James’s name. He had been the catalyst that led to Will’s reveal. We at least had backup from the local police surrounding Woodbridge, and it had to mean something for our testimonies.

“What's going to happen?” I asked quietly. I knew the question was vague, but I meant it in every single sense. Would Carol be okay? Would Chas’s injuries leave him with lingering health issues? Would Dr. Miller and I grow stronger from this or would we drift apart?

Dr. Miller walked up to me and touched my face in the way he always did. Without a word he left a single, gentle kiss on my lips.

“We take it day by day.”

I nodded and looked down. “I don't know what to do.”

“What do you mean?”

“How do we move forward from this? How do we ever get back to normal? Poor Carol..” I shook my head and allowed him to pull me into an embrace.

“Things are broken,” he spoke quietly near my ear. “We have to try to mend them - together.” Dr. Miller hesitated before pulling back and looking me in the eyes.

He appeared as if he was going to speak and then took a deep breath and flicked on a small lantern lamp beside his decanter of bourbon.

“Do you, uh..” Dr. Miller motioned to the liquor but I shook my head and sat down in a chair in the formal living room - the one where we shared our first glass of champagne together on my first night in the castle. I hadn't spent much time in here since.

He poured himself a small glass and sat across from me in an oversized, leather chair. Dr. Miller took another deep breath and leaned forward, swirling the bourbon around in circles in the glass. He took a sip and drew a hand across mouth before looking back up to meet my gaze.

“I killed Ace Deerfield.”

Deep down I knew that. I felt it from the second he had begun talking about his relationship with the dying, old man; but hearing him say it out loud was weighted differently. It made it real.

“Lou asked me to and then took the fall for it. He left me all of this in exchange for it.”

My eyes never left Dr. Miller’s; his never left mine. I responded honestly. “I know.” 

“You know?”

“The possibility crossed my mind,” I admitted with a nod as tears welded up in my eyes. They sat comfortably there for a few seconds before falling. “I was never going to ask.”

“That's what my ex-wife was talking about. She kept my secrets but she couldn't handle being around me because of them.” His Adam's apple leaped in his throat and then settled back in place.

“Can you answer a question for me?” My voice never cracked.

Dr. Miller gave a solemn nod.

“I need to know,” I said quietly with an accompanied deep breath. “Where did you go that one night? The time when we slept in the bedroom with the glass ceiling and I got locked in? You were gone half the night and I had seen someone pull up in a car. They gave you an envelope-”

Dr. Miller glanced down and back up. “Someone paid me to kill Alec Pryor.”

“Alec Pryor..” It took me a second but the light bulb went off. “The original suspect in the Lady Killer case? But he’s alive.” I added, glancing away for just a second before catching his gaze again. “Right?”

Dr. Miller nodded. “I was all set to do it, too. I was sure it was him. I read the details of his sex crimes and it made me extra angry. So, I took the money. I left that night and I was sitting outside of his house. And then I thought of you. And us. I couldn't do it. I did it once for Lou. I had so many conversations with him and I was forced to type out every single word from that case. Ace was a bad man and not only did he rub it in that he got off for his crimes, but he was going to kill again.”

He took another sip of bourbon and went on.

“You don't have to stay with me,” Dr. Miller said, bowing his head. My bottom lip quivered when I saw tears fall from his eyes to the floor. “You deserve better than this; than me. But just know in this short time, you've made me a better man. Alec Pryor might be the scum of the earth but he didn't kill all those girls.. and he's alive because of you.”

I was speechless. I had nothing to offer back, but I realized this wasn't a conversation. It was a confession.

Dr. Miller couldn't look at me. He looked at the shadows on the wall behind the lantern and then the ceiling and the floor. He swirled the bourbon in his glass and swigged from it again with a huff of a breath.

After a lengthy period of silence, I rose to my feet. The faint squeak of the leather caused Dr. Miller to glance up for the first time in several minutes. I paced the short distance across the room to him and kneeled down before him. He appeared as though he was waiting for me to say something - anything; but I didn't have the words. For the first time in my life I didn't know what I was supposed to feel.

Supposed to feel? I questioned my own thought process and quietly asked myself: What do you feel?

I rested my head on his knees, using my folded arms as a pillow and a tear journeyed silently down my cheek. When Dr. Miller’s hand rested on the top of my head, my eyes closed and more tears fell.

I let out a deep exhale and laid there for a while, until my legs began to ache from the position that I sat. Still, I endured the discomfort. It was nothing in comparison to the internal agony I felt.

What was to come, I didn't know. But in that moment, this is all we could do. As the room grew darker with the fade of the overcast evening, I wasn’t surprised to hear the beginning of a steady rain rapping at the rooftops.

How dreadfully poetic.

CLICK HERE FOR THE NEXT CHAPTER

@untamedheart81 @suttonspuds @cesspitoflove @michilandcof @grogusmum @morallyinept @akah565 @brittmb115 @magpiepills @poodlebae @gobaaby-blog-blog @mermaidgirl30 @mandojojo @shotgun-shelby @itscatrodriguez-thepearl @macaroni676 @smolbeanzzz@bandluvr97

[steddieas-shegoes]

Hello my love! For the headcanon thingy:

“Kintsugi is a Japanese process of fixing broken pots with gold. You’re not broken, my love, you’re lined with gold.”

Obviously feel free to change the wording if you need to ❤️ and feel free to tell me if this is not at all what you mean by headcanon thingy! 😂 but I know I’ll love whatever you do! ❤️

Hello my star ✨ I’m gonna change the wording just a bit but only because I think it works here and I hope you agree

Steve wasn’t always super smart in the ways that everyone else was. He’d come to terms with being smart in his own ways, it was fine.

He mixed up words for things a lot, and Robin was kind enough to blame it on the concussions, but he’d always done it.

Eddie was the first one to not correct him on something, though.

It’s not that everyone was mean, they just weren’t very quiet about it, and it was pretty fucking embarrassing being called out in the middle of a grocery store for saying ‘line of bread’ instead of ‘loaf of bread.’

But Eddie was quiet, usually waited until everyone was gone to correct him gently.

Steve loved him.

But still, once in a while, he felt pretty stupid. Especially when he just flat out forgot a word.

“Dustin, grab the…the…uh.”

“The what?! I can’t read your mind!”

“Um. It’s the thing you use to drain the pasta.”

Steve could feel his face flush as Dustin snorted and everyone stared.

“The colander? The strainer? Either of those would work.”

Eddie stepped in quickly, face red with anger.

“You got what he meant when he described it right?” Dustin gulped and nodded. “Then why the fucking attitude? Why make him feel bad for something he can’t control?”

Steve left before he could hear more.

He loved Eddie for sticking up for him, but he didn’t wanna be there for the fall out and awkward apologies. Not right now.

A few minutes later, Eddie knocked on his bedroom door.

Steve let him come in once he was assured no one was with him.

He sat down next to him and stayed silent for a few minutes, letting his hand rub Steve’s thigh slowly.

“You ever hear about that Japanese thing? Where the gold goes in the cracks of broken pottery?”

“Yeah. It’s like katsugar or something.”

“Kintsugi.”

“Right.”

“I think you’re kind of like that. Like the gold is flowing through all the pieces of you that you think are broken, and I just get to watch you shine.”

“I am broken though. Or I wasn’t made right in the first place.”

“I don’t think anyone’s made right. I think a lot of people think they know what right is and expect everyone to be like that, but they miss the gold in the cracks. They miss the parts that fixed themselves with something beautiful.”

Steve looked at Eddie, taking in his words, processing it all.

“I’ve got a lot of cracks.”

“No, sweetheart. You’ve got a lot of gold.”

[racinginchid3nt]

I’d Probably Still Adore You | Part Five

Y/N x Lance Stroll, Y/N Best Friend x Pierre

Gasly

In which a night at the club and a game of never have I ever turns into something new

Inspired by 505 - Arctic Monkeys

Warnings: Smut ahead, mostly in discussion. Consider this your warning. 18+ only

One | Two | Three | Four | Five | Six

————————————————————————

Lance settled into the booth. Sitting across from you, you locked eyes.

“Uh, Never Have I Ever.” You replied.

“Oh I’m down.” He responded.

With that, Lando cracked open a new bottle, setting the liquor on the center of the table.

“Everyone knows the rules. But if for some reason you don’t, if you have done the thing, take a sip. When it’s your turn, say something you’ve never done. I’d say we should do full shots, but I feel like everyone needs to pace themselves some.” He explained.

The prompts started off easy.

“Never have I ever cheated on a test”

“Never have I ever gotten a speeding ticket.”

“Never have I ever been a professional athlete.”

As the rounds wore on, and the liquor started flowing, the prompts became more and more targeted.

“Never have I ever dated a professional athlete”

“Never have I ever owned a super car”

“Never have I ever lived in Monaco”

And then they began slipping into a more sexual route, as the boys started subtly calling out their friends behavior.

“Never have I ever hooked up in the drivers room”

As you watched everyone reach for the bottle, it became clear you were alone on this one.

It was Pierre’s turn now.

“Never have I ever kissed my best friend”

You and Y/N Best Friend locked eyes. Her nodding at you to go first. The two of you sipped from the bottle before the blonde took a swig.

Eyes darted between you and Y/N Best Friend. You knew what those looks meant. That they were speculating if you’d gone further. If so, how much further. Would you do it again? You had never explicitly told Pierre, but Y/N Best Friend must have shared. He had said that too confidently to not know.

“Never have I ever fucked a driver” Lando prompted. You knew all eyes were on you. You and Y/N Best Friend we’re close, but how close we’re you. Had you shared Pierre?

As you didn’t reach for the bottle, a look of disappointment flashed through Lando’s eyes. That had put an end to his speculation. As you looked forward, your eyes locked with Lance’s. Unlike Lando, his eyes didn’t hold disappointment, they held excitement. A proprietary possessive note flicking through them.

“Never have I ever had sex in public” You stated.

Lance was the sole hand that didn’t reach for the bottle. The two of you the only ones who hadn’t.

As everyone else swallowed the liquor, his eyes locked with yours.

“I don’t share.” He said.

A tense silence settled between you, eyes locked. The moment was soon broken, Carlos taking his turn.

“Never have I ever had a foot fetish.” His joking tone carried through the group.

“Never have I ever had a spit kink.”

“Never have I ever called my partner Sir or Daddy during sex.” Said Pierre.

Your best friend reached for the bottle, taking a sip before passing the bottle directly to you.

“Never have I ever gotten off on pain.” Lance said.

You watched his pupils blow as you finished the last of the liquor.

Silence set in to the table, no one wanting to break the moment to get more alcohol. Max grabbed Kelly’s hand, slipping away from the table. Then Pierre and Y/N Best Friend walked off hand in hand. Stopping only for her to whisper in your ear, “Have fun.”

Carlos and Lando started up a conversation. The silence between you and Lance stretched out. Until you heard the opening notes of one of your favorite songs coming from the speakers. As the night wore into the early hours of the morning, the music had begun to slip from club mixes to something more sensual.

The first line was starting as you stood from your seat and made your way back to the dance floor.

I’m going back to 505

If it’s a seven hour flight or a 45 minute drive

You swayed side to side, running your hands along your body. You felt his eyes on you back, staring at you intently.

In my imagination you’re waiting, laying on your side

With your hands between your thighs

You locked eyes with him, as you ran your hand down your body and in towards the juncture of your thighs. In an instant he was out of the booth and heading towards you.

Stop and wait a sec

His long legs made quick work of the gap between you.

When you look at me like that, my darling what did you expect?

He was standing in front of you. Hands fisted at his sides. You reached forward, bringing them towards you.

I’d probably still adore you with your hands around my neck

You dragged his hand upward, closing it around your throat.

Or I did last time I checked

You sang along to the line. Watching the small shudder run through him while his grip tightened.

As the moment continued on the people around you disappeared. The song faded away. It was just you and him, in the middle of the dance floor. Sitting on the edge of what you both wanted, but who would make the final move.

“We’re leaving.” He said, no room for pushback. It was a command, a statement, he didn’t care what you wanted just then because he knew. He knew you wanted this as much as him.

His grip on your throat tightened, taking your breath away, before it loosened, and slid down your side. He began his walk to the exit, arm wrapped around you possessively. His fingers tucked under the edge of the exposed back of your dress, hand curling dangerously close to your breasts. You hadn’t been able to wear a bra, the dip too big. You knew he noticed it, his hand gripping slightly tighter when his finger grazed the edge of your breast. You heard his inhale, and felt as his fingertips began to dig in, there would be bruises tomorrow, but you didn’t care.

As you exited the club, he curled his body around yours, trying to hide you from the flashing cameras and the yelling fans. Opening the back door to a black sedan, he guided you into the seat, before closing the door. Seconds later he slid in through the opposite side. As soon as the door shut the car was off. You didn’t know if he had called for a car or if he just kept someone on standby but at the moment you didn’t care. All you could focus on was the hand tracing a pattern along the top of your thigh.

Before you knew it the car had come to a stop outside of a hotel. He ushered you out of the car and through the doors, practically dragging you on to the elevator and impatiently hitting the up arrow.

When the doors opened, his hand found its way to your back, pushing you into the lift. He hit a button for his floor and you began moving.

His hand came up to your jaw and tilted your lips up to meet his. Lost in the fact that you were actually kissing him, you missed the beep of the doors opening. He broke this kiss, dragging you to the end of the hall, before touching his keycard to the door.

As he pulled you inside, you caught a glimpse of the room number, 505.

————————————————————————

A/N: The original plan was to end it after the next part. However, my brain is starting think of all the other possibilities the store could lead to and I’m wondering if maybe there needs to be more? Idk

[ask-emily-em-emmy]

A Return to Something Like Normal

Sometime during her break, Emily had decided that her apartment, which had previously been meant for one, needed to be updated to meet the requirements of three. She had ordered a few pieces of furniture, including an art desk, foldable tv trays and a new tank with accessories to reunite Ass with her tiny black ball python, Venom. Another exciting purchase, the seraph had ordered a comfy outdoor couch that fit the three of them so they could all sit and watch the sunrise together, although there were several night spent on it as well, watching the stars and sharing their love however they could.

Emily didn’t want to leave her apartment. She’d essentially spent the last few weeks of her vacation nesting with her lovers and the idea of leaving the safety and comfort was not a pleasant one. Of course, they had gone out a few times together, (Shamira had even gone out on her own once) however this was different.

This would mark the first time she was truly separated from Ass since Sera had tried to unmake her.

Hindsight being 20x20, things had worked out for the best in the end! She wouldn’t trade her golden guardian for the world now! But, the fear that perhaps Sera would try again was never far from her mind and the chances of them being as lucky the second time was… slim at best.

And so, despite knowing it would make her a bit late, she spent a few extra minutes that morning on the balcony with her two warriors. A warm cocoon of wings and strong arms enveloping her as they softly spoke, laughing about nothing in particular, all of them trying to pretend they weren’t about to miss each other for the first time since they began.

But all good things must be ruined by career, as one winner had put it a little over a hundred years ago. It hadn’t made much sense at the time considering her career was everything to her then, but it made perfect sense now.

She finished getting ready, final soft kisses given freely to her guardian with a hand on her cheek and hungrier kisses for her flame ending with a light smack to Ass’s rear. Waving goodbye, she opened a portal to just outside the Joy Team™️ office building. She could have placed the portal inside, but something about that felt wrong after her leave of absence.

What she expected to walk into was a pristine office space, probably more well kept than she had left it considering the way that Penelope had assured her she had nothing to worry about. Emily really wasn’t sure how to describe the feeling in her chest knowing that things were running smoothly without her. Something like anxiety or fear that she might be replaced.

(But would that be so bad? A change of career?)

She was not prepared for charred walls, cracked furniture, broken windows and Penelope sitting forlorn at her desk with her head in her hands.

Emily blinked as she looked around at the mess. “Hey Pen, how’s it been… uh… going?” She took cautious steps forward, trying to avoid stepping on debris or tripping over metal reusable bottles.

The winner had a lot of mouse-like features, large rounded ears, a nose that pointed up just a bit past where it did in her mortal life and a tail she generally kept wrapped around her waist like a belt until she got too worked up, when it would end up in her hand as she worried the end. Penelope’s face as she looked up at Emily was very reminiscent of the human she once was though. Her mouth pressed tightly together, her eyebrows scrunched together, her chin dimpled as she did her best not to grind her teeth that sometimes felt too large for her mouth. Tear tracks down her cheeks darkening the short, light fur her heavenly form had given her.

“I lied to you, and if you fire me, I won’t blame you. I thank you for your time and never ending support thus far… please forgive me, Joy Bringer. I am… a failure.” She hung her head low and clamped her hands behind her neck, waiting for Emily to drop the guillotine.

Despite herself, Emily laughed. She threw her head back, not cruelly, but joyously. Maybe Adina was an awful Joy Bringer, but she definitely brought Emily some in that moment.

“I’m not gonna fire you, Penelope. You’ve been a very valuable member of this team and I don’t think I’d ever be able to find someone else with your attention to detail.” Penelope looked up hopefully a smile working its way onto her face at the praise. Emily grinned to encourage it, placing a hand on her shoulder. “Now, where’s everyone else? We need to get this place cleaned up!”

Right on cue, the door to the break room burst open and Maple, spraying a fire extinguisher into the room she entered from, appeared.

“Don’t worry, I found the fire extinguisher!” Her antlers held a fire retardant blanket and the fire extinguisher in her hands (which was not one owned by Joy Team™️ last Emily knew) had some of the foam still hanging out of the end of the tube.

“Well! That’s great news! Thank you, Maple!”

Before Emily could say anything more, the break room was alight once more as Terry sneezed. Maple jumped, her little wings flapping high as she let loose the fire extinguisher. “BEGONE HELLFIRE!!!”

To Emily’s eternal amusement and shock, the ceiling decided in that moment to give way, dropping Ellen, Duckton and Chad to the ground, their card game spilling across the floor.

“Emily’s back!!! Is it Monday already?” Ellen laughed nervously as she brushed dust off herself. “We uh, we missed you! Please make sure Adina and Joyer don’t find me pleasepleaseplease…”

“I-”

“Emily! It’s so good to see you! We’re all glad that you’re ba… ba… ahCHOO!!!” Terry’s sneeze lit the corner of Penelope’s cubicle and motivational puppy calendar, the last clean and orderly part of the room, perhaps even the whole building.

With a vicious spray, Maple stopped the fire, coating Penelope and her cubicle.

“Penelope?”

“Yes, Emily?”

“Take the day off.”

“Thank you.”

…

It was long work, but with Emily back at the helm, the remaining crew returned the office to its former glory.

And Emily planned a workshop on safety.

[isleofair]

Since you have excellent taste in fanfiction (both as an author and as a reader), can you recommend some Taibani fanfictions? ♡

Oh my goodness! 😳 Thank you so much, this is such an incredibly nice thing to say!!! 🥺🥺🥺💙💙💙 I have to admit, especially since I started writing myself, I have not been reading as much as I should, or would like to, and there are many amazing stories out there I haven't managed to get to yet. But I will do my best! 💪

First of all, I saw that you just reblogged this, but I just can't not include @nicoroni's home is where the heart is (and my heart beats in your chest). (Barnaby/Kotetsu, M, 8K) What initially seems like a relatively light-hearted sequence of increasingly-funny ways Barnaby tries to confess to Kotetsu will, before it's done, grab your heart and squeeze and never, ever let go. This will live rent-free in my head forever.

Then we have My Bunny Valentine by @exquisitefrogprince (Barnaby/Kotetsu, T, 10K) which utterly captivated me and made me shake with the tension and the emotion, and has both an incredibly beautiful, almost ethereal interlude featuring Nathan and a gorgeous, precious, spun-sugar ending.

your eyes become a paradise by @hearjessroar (Barnaby/Kotetsu, T, 2K) manages to fit in such a small space an amazing, very human study of Kotetsu, and Barnaby, and Barnaby through Kotetsu's eyes, and Kotetsu reflected in Barnaby's eyes; and a small, but fundamental brave leap into a new, soft beginning for them together.

Some Things Are Worth the Wait by @mad-madam-m (Barnaby/Kotetsu, T, 2K + 1K) is a small series filled with soft, quiet love, respect, and the importance to both take some first steps, and wait patiently at the end of the path for what is most precious to come to you.

Now, in case you meant, as I hope, Taibani-as-in-the-fandom, and not just as the pairing... *rubs hands in glee*

First, a small detour into GoldenRose land:

The Nearness of You by @mad-madam-m (Ryan/Karina, T, 2K) is funny and adorable and features Karina being absolutely done, Ryan being a hopeless giant muffin, and a kick-ass tiny old lady. What more could you want?

Good Golly Miss Molly by @captaindeadpoet (Ryan/Karina, T, 9K) has Karina falling into domesticity, co-parenting Molly, and love with Ryan, in approximately but possibly not quite that order. It also contains one of my favorite atypical declarations of love.

And finally, because I always like to leave my favorite treat for last... FireSky, my absolute most beloved! ❤️💜

My Valentine, my demise by @gusutianzixiao (Keith/Nathan, T, 2K) pulled at my heart so freaking hard and I could not get enough. Nathan hides away from Keith on Valentine's Day to avoid having her heart broken. But of course her heart, instead of getting hurt, shows up on her doorstep, as giving and trusting and forgiving and caring as he ever is.

Hindsight is 20/20 by @saltedpin and Apathy (Keith/Nathan, T, 12K) features, uh... a Sky High photo shoot gone wrong. Very wrong. Or very, very right, depending on your, erm, perspective. And how much you enjoy what probably has to be one of Nathan's top 3 sights in the entire world. In any case, this is hilarious, but also tender and bold and with both Keith and Nathan being the absolute most.

second crack by @seaofolives (Keith/Nathan, T, 24K) is an actual FireSky coffee shop AU and if that isn't enough to entice you, it is also a fantastic, gripping view into heartbreak and slowly, consciously, gradually healing from it, with the help of a soft, bright hope for something new and fresh and absolutely beautiful, with someone who finally, unexpectedly fully gets you.

(Dear Tiger & Bunny fandom: please, feel free to add on to this! Let's spread the love to more stories and more authors!)

[angelxd-3303]

Could we see Professor E Gadd and Luigi father son bonding (I think Luigi deserves it) 👉👈

E Gadd couldn't see anywhere he'd rather be; his lab was a cozy paradise of scientific discovery! As he tinkered away at his latest invention, hours could pass without his knowledge.

Tightening a screw, E Gadd shrieked as his phone went off. He grumbled, pulling off his gloves and picking up the device. Seeing that it was a call from Luigi, the professor found himself smiling.

"Ah, Luigi!" He exclaimed, answering the call.

"How are you, my bo-"

"Gadd, help!" The breathless exclamation had E Gadd jumping from his seat.

"What's wrong, my boy? Where are you?" A few tearful pants, then Luigi answered.

"I...I'm at home... Bowser's out of town. I can't find Kamek, Mario doesn't have his phone, I can't-" Luigi sobbed. E Gadd sighed, he understood. Luigi hated being alone; nothing made him panic more.

"Alright, I'm on my way. Stay right there."

"Don't hang up, please!" Luigi pleaded. Gadd threw on his coat, rushing out of his house.

"Of course not, Luigi. I'm still here. I won't hang up. I'll be there lickety-split!" As promised, he rushed to Bowser's castle, where a Paratroopa met him.

"He's locked himself in his room, no one can get to him." The captain explained. "The King has been notified; he's on his way."

"Good, good." E Gadd replied. The large iron door was shut tight, and the professor knocked gently.

"Luigi? I'm here, can you open up?" There was a moment of silence, then the door opened a crack. The professor was pulled in quickly, and Luigi promptly slammed the door behind him.

The man looked a mess; hair tangled, eyes red with tears, and the boy was shaking. Blue eyes locked with Gadd's, and the professor pulled Luigi into his arms. The man all but collapsed, sobbing uncontrollably.

"That's it, that's it. It's alright. Gadd's got you." E Gadd whispered, holding Luigi for several minutes. He tried to make sense of the panicked mumblings, but eventually gave up. Finally, Luigi seemed to calm down. In the meantime, E Gadd had guided him down to sit on the floor.

"I'm sorry..." Luigi mumbled. "I dunno what happened. I just...I woke up to see Bowser gone, the kids are at their Aunt's, Kamek is...I dunno where he is...I just..." His voice was broken by a sob.

"i don't wanna be alone! I couldn't get an answer from Mario, you...you're the only one who picked up... I think..." He pulled back, wiping his eyes.

"I think I just panicked because I was alone. I'm sorry, this is ridiculous!" Gadd shook his head. He knew a little bit about Mario and Luigi's past(enough to want to wring their parents' necks!), and certainly enough to understand this.

"No, it's not ridiculous, my boy. You were abandoned as a child; these kinds of fears are normal."

"But I'm fine now!" Luigi exclaimed.

"Why am I freaking out when I'm ok??"

"It's because when you were a little boy, you were focused on survival. You were focused on staying safe, and keeping your brother close. Now? Now you're brain doesn't have all those stresses to worry about, so it focuses on the fears. It focuses on the abandonment itself. You don't have the constant survival instinct distracting you, so now your brain focuses on the fear. It's more common than you think." Luigi seemed to ponder his words, sighing.

"I hate this..." E Gadd pulled him close again, sighing.

"I know. I know, but remember! You're safe now. You've got a husband who would fight the world for you, a brother who HAS fought the world for you, and you've got me!" E Gadd adjusted his glasses, shooting Luigi a goofy grin.

"A crazy old man who'll kick anyone's butt for you." Luigi gave a wet laugh.

"I mean it, you're safe now. Everything is ok." Luigi nodded, the last of the tears wiped away by the old man.

"Thanks, Da-" Gadd stared at the now red Luigi.

"Did you-"

"GADD, I MEANT GADD! ANYWAY, THANKS FOR COMING, LETS GO HAVE, UH...DINNER? YEAH DINNER, SOUNDS GOOD!" Luigi jumped up, mumbling to himself as he helped E Gadd up and scurried to the door. The old man stared at him for a moment, then smiled.

Huh, interesting...