#if you think im gonna water her down or make her more tame you have NO FUCKING IDEA WHATS COMING.

[snekdood]

why do i feel like ppl are gonna get mad at me about how i portray mj bc they've already made a million assumptions about what she's like in spite of me only posting... 15 pages of my comic so far.... lmao......

[gege-wondering-around]

WIP whenever!

i was tagged by my lovely @dontcallpanic and i'm happy to have something to share, given how hard it has been for me to write lately. this comes for the second prompt i got send in, lemme know what you think!

“Dad…” Softly pleaded the boy, quietly letting a tear dilute into the crimson lake trapping him there, trying to forget the man’s lifeless, although he had to put in little effort; consequently, the features shifted as he kept hold of it. The head became Lydia, copper hair and opaque eyes just like his father; Stiles brought her head closer, finding out the spine was still attached and slithering out the cemetery he was still praying on, and shielded her forehead with his chin. The same would do a wolf covering its mate’s neck from attacks, but the boy’s wished lover was already dead. “Stop this!” Stiles shouted to no one, words falling on the blood’s surface, head turning around to see someone to curse at for the pain caused to all those he loved, but found no target; therefore, as the rage got tamed by the suffocating vastness around him, Lydia’s head got hold within the boy’s chest, wishing a beating heart would made her eyelash bat. However, his back began to ache, his own spine felt being pulled out the flesh by a truck, with a robe attached to both ends of the pulling contest; it made him fall back on hands and knees, the chopped off head rolling a few feet away as he whined at the pain. When eyes were able to catch sight of the head once more, it had changed anew. It seemed to look like Derek… The boy was used to his father and Lydia, aware that once awakened they would both be fine, but the wolf was a new entry to the painful circus of the evil fox. Stiles tried to pull, dismissing his detaching spine coming out the flesh, in a desperate attempt to reach the man’s head; a hand extended in the same deed, although it made his whole body fall down on the valley of bones he was then on top. He hadn't noticed the change. Eyelashes fluttered open trying to regain some vision only to see the worst of his nightmares. The Noigstune was back, with its foot on the wolf’s head, whose eyes were of a dying red Stiles couldn’t stand looking at; his hand tried to reach for him once more, but in vain, fingers scratching the air in a faint attempt of reaching the man. He could never reach him. Nevertheless a strangled sound left thin lips, stained by the bloody femoris his mouth was near to, blocking the word from reaching the wolf’s deaf ears. “Not him…” Dragging his body and leaving his spine behind, the boy crawled a path to reach Derek’s head, with his own spine functioning in nervous movements behind the Nogistune’s foot; the wolf’s fighting manner was everlasting even in the other’s mind. In spite of which the evilness took its own liking of the show, forging a promise to a boy who wanted nothing more than to cradle another head near his aching, torn apart heart. “Maybe I’ll make this one real…” The spirit never ceased to slither further down his core, finding more of his beloved people and promising for each the same daming end; Stiles stopped believing the threat after the second aim being twice at Malia, who was still very well alive, but with the alpha was different.  He couldn’t believe the sinister way the evil creature was smiling down at the head crashed down as if it had won a war before its start… “Please!” The darkness of the room in which he woke up didn’t help.

thanks for the tag @dontcallpanic, and i'm gonna tag you back if you want to share something more as well and im gonna tag with no pressure @patolemus @seaweed-water @demonicfaerie @jadezdominion @hellameyers

@hedwig221b @oldefashioned and just to share a bit of my writing with you im also tagging @sterekloverforever

[atlabeth]

everything happens for a reason part 18 - zuko x fem!reader

Don't speak, I know just what you're thinking

part 17 | masterlist | part 19

a/n: and yn is finally reunited with her friends!!! as much as im sure you all enjoyed yn being constantly sad and depressed in prison i am so glad that i get to write her w the gaang again as well as suki in a more normal situation. those girlies are bonded for life

wc: 9.2k lmao OOPS

warning(s): some angst regarding zuko ofc but pretty tame; minor injuries, fighting, canon stuff from the boiling rock ep

chapter title comes from don't speak by no doubt!

“You’ve got to be kidding me.” 

After a restless night, Y/N was looking forward to meeting with Sokka and Suki again and formulating their plan for escape. Instead, she was met with the sight of not only Zuko, but Zuko in his very own set of prison rags. 

“We, uh—” he glanced down at his outfit, “—we ran into some issues last night.”

“Didn’t take you long to mess up, did it?” she commented as she grabbed a mop from one of the buckets at the corner of the room. “I’m not surprised.” 

“Y/N—” Zuko started, but she shook her head. 

“Save it.” She gestured across the way with the stick of her mop where Suki stood, inconspicuously speaking with Sokka who was still in his guard disguise. Not even bothering to look at Zuko, she started on her way. 

“Hey,” she said, offering nods of greeting to both Sokka and Suki. They returned them, and after ensuring that no actual guards were around to hear them, she turned back to them. “Are you guys okay?” 

“I’m fine,” Suki said, and she smiled at Sokka. “A lot better knowing that you’re here.” 

Y/N smiled inwardly at the faint blush on his cheeks as he spoke up. “We’re good too. Zuko ended up getting caught last night, but they still don’t know about me. But I’ve had a lot of time to polish my idea since I last saw you, and I can make it work in our favor. I think I’ve got a pretty solid plan, guys.” 

“Please, spill,” Y/N said. “I am more than ready to get out of here.” 

“Same,” Suki muttered. 

Sokka looked behind him one last time to ensure that no guards were nearby, and then he ushered them into the corner next to the stairs for maximum privacy. Y/N and Suki set their mops against the wall and the four of them squatted down, Sokka lowering his voice. 

“So, you know how when a firebender misbehaves or uses their bending, they get sent to the coolers?” They all nodded, and Sokka pushed up the visor of his helmet. “Well, I checked them out again — the whole point of them is to keep firebenders contained, which means they’re completely insulated and sealed to keep the cold in. And to keep the cold in, it also has to keep the heat out, right?” 

Suki frowned. “Just get to the point, Sokka.” 

“We’ve clearly been apart for too long,” he sighed, shaking his head. “You have no appreciation for my dramatics anymore.” 

Suki rolled her eyes but couldn’t stifle her smile. “Whatever.” 

He smiled as well as he continued. “Because of its insulation, it’s a perfect boat to get through the boiling water!”

Zuko’s eyes widened. “The cooler as a boat? Are you sure?” 

“I’m telling you,” Sokka said, “it’ll work.” 

Y/N frowned. “What about the guards? They have watchtowers around the perimeter—they’d spot us in a second.” 

Sokka shook his head. “I walked it this morning. There’s a blind spot between two of the guard towers—we can launch the cooler there. The current will take us right through, and as long as we stay quiet, no one will notice a thing. Not until we’re long gone.”

“That sounds great,” Suki said. “But how are you gonna get the cooler out? None of us will be able to help you, and surely you can’t do all that work alone.” 

Sokka opened his mouth to respond, but a different, unfamiliar voice rang out instead. 

“Yeah. How are you going to get the cooler out?” 

Y/N immediately grabbed her mop out of instinct—not that it would do much help if a guard had caught them plotting an escape—but when they all looked up, it was just another prisoner. He hopped down from the railing and landed next to them, ignoring their bewildered expressions. So much for privacy. 

“What?” Sokka immediately started panicking as he tugged at his collar. “We— we didn’t say that!”

Zuko nodded. “Yeah. You heard wrong.” 

His face remained impassive. “I heard you hatching an escape plan. I want in.” 

“There’s nothing to get in on,” Zuko said.

“We’re just having a normal conversation,” Y/N said, her grip on the handle of her mop tightening. “Nothing you need to be involved in.” 

“Yeah,” Sokka spoke up, “the only thing we’re hatching is… an egg.” 

Suki gave him a disappointed look, Zuko groaned, and Y/N just sighed. Sokka was a genius, but he really needed to work on his improv. 

The prisoner shrugged. “Either I come with you, or the warden hears about this egg.” 

The four of them looked at each other, speaking with each other just through minute changes in their expressions, until they finally settled on what they knew they had to do. 

Suki broke away first, relenting with a sigh. “I guess we have no choice.” 

“Fine,” Sokka said, looking at the prisoner, “you’re in. But you follow our lead on everything, or you’re out just as quickly.” 

“As long as you get me off this rock, I don’t care what my part is,” he said. 

Sokka nodded. “Okay. Back to getting the cooler out. Obviously, Suki’s right, and I can’t do it alone, especially from the outside. But,” he looked at Zuko, “we can get someone to unscrew it from the inside.”

It took Zuko a second to understand, but then he nodded. “I can do that.” 

“Good.” Sokka took a wrench out from his back pocket and handed it to Zuko, and he tucked it into his tunic. 

“You’re gonna have to use your firebending,” Suki said. “We see it happen all the time— a guard baits a prisoner into a fight, they use their bending, and they get locked in the cooler for a week for something that isn’t even their fault. If you’re seen blasting at Sokka, you’ll definitely get thrown in.”

Sokka shook his head. “As much as I’d love to fight Zuko, I shouldn’t be seen causing a scene with him again. We were already caught together last night—if that happens again, someone up top might get suspicious.” 

“Zuko and I can fight,” Y/N spoke up. “I know how to dodge his attacks.” And to be honest… she wanted to throw a couple punches at him. She was still angry she had to work with him to get out of here. 

Zuko frowned. “No way. I’m not fighting you for this, and I’m not gonna burn you.”

She snorted. “You had no qualms about doing it before.”

Zuko winced at the barb, and she couldn’t help but feel a sick sort of gratification. He should feel bad about what he did to her. She wasn’t just going to let him off the hook because they needed to work together for a day. 

“Don’t worry, princess. You two don’t have to fight,” the prisoner spoke up, and he looked at Zuko with a smile. “I can get you inside.” 

-

Getting Zuko in trouble turned out to be the easiest thing they’d done during their time here. He and the prisoner—Chit Sang, he finally told them—staged a fight, and the second Zuko sent a blast of firebending, Sokka called for backup and he got taken away. Y/N had to admit—it was nice seeing Zuko get shoved around, even if it was just pretend. 

They were sent back to their cells a few minutes later for “security reasons”, and since then, Y/N had just been playing the waiting game. She sat on the edge of her bed, staring at the blue beads in her hands as she rolled them between her fingers. Thankfully they hadn’t been confiscated after she became a prisoner here, but it had only taken a week for her to remove them from her braids and secure them in the safety of her cell. The last thing Y/N needed was for an even bigger target to be placed on her back, and so she made the difficult decision to take them out. 

But now—tonight—they were escaping. She was going to get her life back. No more hiding who she was. 

Y/N had just finished braiding the beads back into her hair when her cell door opened, and she smiled when the guard flipped up his visor and revealed his blue eyes. 

“Sokka,” she breathed, darting up to her feet, “is everything okay?” 

He nodded. “Everything’s going according to plan. I got Suki and Chit Sang out of their cells a few minutes ago—I’m on the way to get Zuko out of the cooler.” Sokka paused. “Do you want to come with me? 

“No.” 

“Y/N—”

“No, Sokka.” She shook her head. “I told you I would work with him just enough to get out of here. I don’t need to come with you.” 

He stared at her for a moment before relenting with a sigh. “Okay. You know your way down to the shore?” 

“Yeah. I’ll meet them there.” 

“Good. Don’t get caught.” 

Y/N smiled. “Take your own advice.” 

Sokka chuckled as he pulled her in for a hug, stepping away after a good long moment. “I’ll see you on the other side?” 

She nodded. “You know it.” 

-

“Oh, thank Kyoshi you made it.” 

Suki ran over and tackled her into a gopher bear hug the second Y/N emerged from around the building, instantly knocking the air out of her. 

She laughed breathlessly and patted her on the back, extracting herself from Suki’s arms so they could walk back over to where Chit Sang was waiting. “Of course I made it—you think I’m gonna let something go wrong this close to our escape?” 

“I have total faith in you,” Suki said. “It just took you a little longer to get here, and I immediately thought the worst.” 

“It’s true,” Chit Sang spoke up. “She wouldn’t stop pacing.” 

“Well, I’m here now,” Y/N said, “and Sokka’s on the way to get the cooler. Hopefully he’ll be here soon.” 

It was then that she spotted two other people sitting on the rocks near them, a man and a woman. 

“Um,” she said, “who are they?” 

“Oh, yeah.” Chit Sang gestured at them with his head. “That’s my girl and my buddy. They’re coming with us.”  

“What?” Y/N looked at him incredulously. “The deal was that you got to come—this plan’s already risky enough with only the five of us. You don’t get to bring in your own people when you’re only here as a liability.” 

He raised his eyebrows. “This liability is fully willing to tell the warden about your plan. So either they escape with us, or we all get thrown back in the slammer.” 

Y/N glared at him, fire simmering just beneath the surface, only quelled when Suki spoke up. 

“I told him that,” she sighed, “but it should be okay. More people getting out of this place, the better, right?” 

“Fine,” Y/N said, and she looked over at the two, “but you don’t do anything to mess this up, or I’ll throw you into the lake myself—okay?” 

They both nodded, and she felt the slightest bit of gratification at their widened eyes. 

Y/N sighed herself and sat down on a rock next to Suki. Now, all they could really do was wait. 

And wait they did. It was another harrowing, anxious ten minutes until they heard noises—when Y/N looked behind them, they were greeted with the sight of Sokka and Zuko rolling down the cooler. They all immediately rushed up to support them, and with the strength of the five of them combined, it was a far easier effort.

“It’s about time you got here,” Chit Sang said , and he pulled the same thing on Sokka as he did on Y/N. “I brought my girl and my best buddy—they’re coming too.” 

And Sokka reacted the same way she did—annoyance underneath, but cooperation above it. 

“Fine,” he grumbled. “Stop it here.” 

Y/N grimaced as she dug her heels into the rock, and they managed to stop the cooler just before the shore. Together, they turned it around, the edge of it just barely in the boiling water. 

“Get in,” Sokka said. “It’s better we’re out before the guards can realize any of us are gone.” 

Chit Sang’s people nodded and began to get in the cooler, but Y/N’s gaze followed Sokka as he walked over to a large boulder. He picked it up to reveal his Water Tribe clothes, and she was able to see his longing stare as he stood there. 

“Are you sure you want to go?” Zuko asked, folding his arms as he and Suki joined them. “You’re the one that said you wanted to redeem yourself, redeem your honor. Rescuing your dad is your chance.” 

Y/N’s eyes widened as Sokka slipped his sword over his back. “Your father could be here?” 

“They’re getting a new shipment of prisoners in tonight,” Sokka said quietly, staring at the ground. “We overheard the guards talking about it—there are some war prisoners, which means my dad could be one of them.” 

The meaning of it dawned on her—either they left and lost their chance at saving Sokka’s dad, or they stayed and lost their chance of escaping, possibly for nothing. It was an impossible situation, but Y/N knew Sokka—and for someone like him, the answer was obvious. Of course, his version of the answer would be to make the rest of them escape and leave him here alone—if it went wrong, only he would suffer the consequences. But that wasn’t going to happen. 

“If I had just cut my losses at the invasion, maybe we wouldn’t be in this mess.” Sokka looked up at them. “Maybe sometimes it’s just better to call it quits before you fail.” 

“No,” Zuko insisted, “it’s not. You’re going to fail, Sokka, and you’re gonna do it a lot before things work out.”

Sokka stood up from his crouch, frowning as he looked at Zuko. “That’s supposed to make me feel better?” 

“No, it’s not. But it’s reality.” Zuko followed him as Sokka started going towards the coast. “Even though you’ll probably fail over and over and over again—” 

“Seriously,” Sokka grumbled, “not helping.” 

“—You have to try every time. You can’t quit because you’re afraid you might fail.”

“I can’t believe I’m saying this… but I agree with Zuko,” Y/N said. “You can’t leave your dad, Sokka—you don’t even want to, I know that. But whatever happened at the invasion won’t happen again—we’re here to back you up, no matter what.” 

Zuko looked at her in disbelief—whether it was the fact that she actually said his name, agreed with him, or even just entertained his presence, she wasn’t exactly sure—but she glanced away just as quickly. He sighed, and focused back on Sokka. 

“So,” he finished, “what’s your decision?” 

“If you’re all done cuddling back there, can we get a move on?” Chit Sang spoke up, holding the cooler on the coast with his hand. 

Sokka looked out into the boiling lake, then back at Y/N and Suki, and finally at Zuko. He took a deep breath and shook his head. “No. I’m staying.” 

He set the sack holding his clothes on the ground and looked at the three of them. “You guys go—especially you two, Y/N and Suki. You’ve been here long enough. I can’t keep you here for something that might be nothing.” 

“Are you kidding me?” Y/N asked. “We’re not going anywhere, Sokka. Like I said—we’re right beside you.” 

Suki nodded. “I’m not leaving without you, Sokka.” 

“I’m staying too,” Zuko said with a small smile. 

Just once, for Sokka, Y/N managed to bite back her remark. But their moment together was ruined by Chit Sang, who hopped into the cooler along with his friends. 

“Not me,” he said. “I’m out.” 

“We gave up our only chance of escaping.” Sokka sighed as he watched the cooler float away, his throat bobbing as he swallowed hard. “I hope we haven’t just made a huge mistake.” 

“We haven’t,” Y/N said. “I know it.” 

-

Y/N watched the cooler float through the boiling waters, the mostly stagnant lake doing little to help aside from the occasional currents. With the new arrivals coming in at dawn and the fact that they couldn’t go back to their cells, the four of them were left to their own devices on the shore. Sokka and Suki sat together, her head resting on his shoulder with his arm around her waist, talking quietly with each other. Zuko stood a few meters away from them, his attention focused on the sunrise. Y/N was occupying her time by keeping an eye on the cooler and kicking a small rock around with her foot. They’d been there for an hour now, just trying to pass the time until dawn. 

The sun was slowly, slowly rising—she swore that it was purposefully going at a more lethargic pace just to spite them—and she sighed as she kicked the rock into the lake. It sank beneath the boiling water, sizzling the whole way down, and she felt that tightness in her chest again. Spirits, she wished she had her bending. She would’ve been able to get them all out without a second thought—instead, all she could do was sit on the shore, useless. 

Y/N heard footsteps behind her and she glanced over, figuring it was Suki or Sokka—instead, she was met with Zuko sitting down on the ground next to her. 

She rolled her eyes and looked back out onto the lake. “Go away.” 

“I just want to talk.” 

“Well, I don’t.” 

“You don’t have to,” Zuko said. “I just… need to say some things.” 

Y/N kept her attention trained on the horizon, staying silent. There was nothing she could do if Zuko wanted to talk, but that didn’t mean she had to listen. 

“I could tell you how sorry I am again, but… I don’t know how much weight that has. Especially right now, when we’re here. I— I am sorry, more than you could ever possibly know, but you probably don’t want to listen to me wallow. So I’m offering my help instead.” 

She frowned a bit at that, but Zuko continued. 

“Sokka told me you lost your bending. I lost mine too, when I first started helping Aang. It was because, before all of this, for as long as I had been bending, the source of it was my anger. But when I realized I was on the wrong side of it all, that anger went away, and my bending along with it. I had to find a different source for it; find the true meaning of firebending. If you figure out how your source was lost, then you can figure out how to get it back. And I want to help you get it back.” 

Y/N huffed a mirthless laugh. “If that’s the reason I lost my bending, then I think I have a pretty good idea what caused it.” 

“What—” Zuko started to say, but he was interrupted by Sokka.  

“The gondola’s moving,” he said, and Y/N turned around to see him and Suki standing up. He pointed at the line that the gondola rode over to the prison, and sure enough, it was going across. 

“Let’s move,” Y/N said. 

The four of them rushed over to the ledge that went around the walls of the prison—Sokka gave Suki, Y/N, and Zuko a boost up by making a platform with his hands, and then climbed up himself with a little help from Zuko. They edged around the wall, being careful not to lose their balance, when all of a sudden there was a deafening scream from out in the lake. 

Y/N’s eyes darted over and she saw Chit Sang standing up in the cooler, clutching his hand—by the splash next to the cooler, she took it he got a little too close to the boiling water. The distant commands of a guard could be heard as the alarm bell clanged on repeat, and Sokka’s eyes widened. 

“The plan failed,” he said, horrified. “They’re caught!” 

“Keep going,” Suki whispered. 

They continued to edge around the platform together, and Y/N winced as she saw a bolt being fired, and after it caught hold of the cooler it began hauling them back in. 

“Looks like we made the right choice by staying,” Y/N murmured. 

“The gondola’s moving,” Sokka interrupted, and they picked up the pace as they finally reached the edge of the yard. They had a view of the gondola as it finally landed after what felt like an eternity, and they all fell silent, waiting with bated breath. “This is it. If my dad’s not here, then we risked everything for nothing.” 

“We had to,” Suki said, and she squeezed Sokka’s hand. Y/N nodded. 

The doors were opened by one of the guards, and prisoners began filing out. After the first man, Zuko looked over at Sokka. 

“Is that him?” 

Sokka scoffed. “My dad doesn’t have a nose ring.” 

Prisoners continued to walk off the gondola until there were no more left, but not a single one of them looked like Sokka. 

“Is… is that it?” Sokka shook his head. “No— no, that can’t be it. Where is he?” 

“I’m so sorry,” Suki said quietly. 

Sokka screwed his eyes shut as he let himself fall back against the wall. “He’s not here.” 

But then a guard spoke up. 

“Hey, you! Get off the gondola.” 

Sokka’s eyes shot open, and their attention immediately went to the gondola. A man walked out after another moment—his dark brown hair was tied into the same kind of wolf tail Sokka had and Y/N saw every day back in the Northern Tribe, and two braided strands moved in the slight breeze. Sokka let out a haggard breath of relief as his eyes widened, full of hope, and Y/N knew immediately.  

“That’s him,” he whispered. “Dad.” 

-

They were able to sneak their way back without detection by melting back into the crowd of prisoners in the yard, Sokka joining the guards a few minutes after they made themselves scarce. There was a renewed energy in their group, knowing that Sokka’s father was there. It wasn’t all for nothing. 

Zuko, however, wasn’t doing too great at the moment. 

“Mai,” he breathed, his eyes wide as he stared at the girl he had left behind in the Fire Nation. Whereas he was used to seeing her completely emotionless, there was a hardened glint in her eye. It, to be completely honest, terrified him. 

“How did you know I was here?” he asked. 

“Because I know you so well,” she said. 

Zuko frowned. “But, how—” 

“The warden’s my uncle, you idiot,” Mai interrupted as she glanced off to the side. It was hard seeing her like this, seeing her here—now that he’d been reunited with Y/N, it only served to make things more complicated. “He sent a messenger hawk telling me you were here, and Azula intercepted it. You’re lucky I’m the one talking to you now instead of her.” 

Zuko stilled. “Azula’s here?” 

She rolled her eyes. “Of course she is. When you betrayed the whole country, you betrayed her, too. You have a lot to answer for, Zuko.” Mai took a roll of paper out of the folds of her robes and let it unravel in front of him—it was the letter that he wrote her before he left to go join the Avatar. “I guess I don’t know you at all. I mean, all I get is a letter?” She scoffed. “You could’ve at least looked me in the eyes when you ripped out my heart.” 

Zuko felt guilty, hoping that Mai felt the same way about him that he did about her. He loved her—of course he did, she was one of his only friends in the Fire Nation after Y/N had been forced to leave, and they grew closer than ever—but he’d come to realize it was solely platonic. He had no choice but to leave the Fire Nation, but maybe he could’ve broken the news in a lighter way to the girl who’d been by his side since he returned home. 

“I’m sorry,” he murmured. “I… I didn’t want to hurt you. I didn’t mean—” 

“You didn’t mean to what?” Mai interrupted, and he winced. She opened up the scroll with her other hand and walked behind him as she read. “‘Dear Mai, I’m sorry that you have to find out this way, but I’m leaving.’ You might as well have added, good luck dealing with the wrath of my sister alone, hopefully she doesn’t blame you for the fact that I’m gone!” The paper snapped as she shut it and shoved it back into her tunic. “You don’t ever think about anyone other than yourself.” 

“This isn’t about you!” Zuko snapped. “It’s not even about me, Mai! I left the Fire Nation to help the Avatar learn firebending because it’s my destiny to help him on his journey—I did this to save the world, not because I thought it would be fun to— to annoy you. I’m trying to stop my father from hurting anyone else.” He sat up from his hunched over position and looked right at Mai. “You of all people should understand that.” 

“You don’t get to use that line on me,” she fumed. Mai might not have been a bender, but there was a lot of fire simmering just beneath the surface. “It really makes me feel better, knowing that you actually couldn’t have cared less about me.” Her expression sobered slightly and she turned away. “You just wrote a letter and left—I had to fix the mess that you made.” 

“What was I supposed to do?” he defended. “You’re best friends with Azula—you probably would’ve told her what I was planning to do and gotten me thrown in jail.” 

Mai’s eyes flashed with anger. “You can’t seriously believe that.” 

“Why wouldn’t I?” Zuko marveled. “You’ve been attached to her side for as long as I can remember. I mean, you’re here now with her. It’s not that hard to think you’d turn me in.” 

“You really don’t know anything about me,” she murmured.

That caught him off guard. “What?” 

Mai didn’t have the chance to answer him as a guard stopped in front of the cell. “Ma’am, there’s a riot going on. I’m here to protect you.” 

A riot—that must’ve been the distraction Sokka mentioned. It was now or never for him to get out of here; if he didn’t, Zuko was sure his next visitor would be his sister, there to take him back to the Fire Nation in chains. That wasn’t really an option. 

Mai looked over at the guard, her expression once again impassive. “I don’t need any protection.” 

Zuko chuckled. “Believe me; she doesn’t.” 

“I’m sorry, I’m under direct orders from your uncle to make sure nothing happens.” The guard began walking into the cell, and Zuko took it as his chance. 

He shot a blast of fire at the guard’s feet and ran past him and Mai in their shock, and he shut the door just as Mai slammed her fists against the metal. 

“What are you doing?” she yelled. For maybe the third time in Zuko’s life, her eyes were filled with nothing but pure emotion—hatred, anger, confusion, he didn’t know. All he knew was that he had to get to the yard. 

“I’m sorry, Mai,” he murmured. “You’ll understand someday.” 

And Zuko ran. 

-

Once again, Y/N was left to wait in her cell for Sokka. Before they dispersed in the courtyard, he told them he would find his dad first and then get back to them when he figured out a plan. It was tedious, but she didn’t mind it—after today, she would never see the inside of this cell again. 

The door finally slid open, and though she tensed out of instinct at the guard uniform, it dissolved when he opened his visor. 

“Did you find him?” she asked. 

Sokka nodded and smiled. “Yeah. I found my dad and we talked—we have another plan, but… it’s risky.” 

“We don’t have many options that wouldn’t be risky,” she said. “Let’s hear it.” 

“We’re escaping today,” Sokka said, “but… we’re using the gondola.” 

Y/N frowned. “The gondola? How?” 

“We’ll commandeer it, and we’ll take a hostage with us to make sure we can get across without them cutting the line."

She frowned. “It’ll never work. There’s too many guards around the station.” 

“That’s exactly what Suki said!” Sokka exclaimed. “Spirits, we need to get you two out of here—you’ve been spending way too much time together.” 

Y/N smiled. “Keep going with the plan, buddy.” 

“Right,” he nodded. “My dad figured that out—we’ll cause a distraction, a prison riot, so the guards will be occupied and we’ll be able to make it.”

“Even if we can get to the gondola, we’ll never make it across the lake,” Y/N said. “The warden prides himself on being in charge of an inescapable prison so much that he puts it in every speech—he’ll tell them to cut the line no matter what, and then we’re screwed.” 

Sokka grinned. “That’s the thing. We’re gonna take the warden as our prisoner—that way, they’ll have to let us across, and they’ll be too scared to even risk cutting the line.” 

“That is… an insane plan. But I think it might be our only shot.” She chuckled as she shook her head. “You certainly haven’t lost your spark as the plan guy.” 

He laughed. “Like I could ever lose that spark.” 

-

When Y/N’s cell door slid open, she could hardly believe it. Yeah, she trusted Sokka, but this was the beginning of the end. She was really going to get out of this dreaded place—she was going to see Toph, Aang, Katara again. The promise of seeing her friends again was enough to push her through anything this escape would take. 

She joined the flow of prisoners into the courtyard—they had all been released, not just in blocks, so it was easy to blend in. Y/N kept her eyes peeled, and she eventually caught sight of Sokka, his dad, and Suki. 

“You guys made it,” she breathed as she came to a stop in the loose circle, and then she looked up at Sokka’s dad, her eyes widening slightly. “Um, it’s nice to meet you, sir.” 

He smiled. “There’s no need to call me sir—a friend of Sokka’s is a friend of mine. I’m Hakoda.” His eyes fell on the beads in her hair and his smile grew. “Another member of the Water Tribe? Looks like this place can’t keep any of us locked up.” 

She grinned—she definitely saw where Sokka got it all from. “I’m Y/N—I’m from the Northern Tribe. I guess they really can’t.” 

“As fun as it is introducing you to my dad, we’re in the middle of something,” Sokka said pointedly. Y/N just smiled and nodded, letting him continue. “We’re trying to start a prison riot, but apparently the bad guys in here are actually… learning to control their anger. It’s weird. Do you know what to do?” 

Y/N shook her head. “I’ve only managed to get in fights by being really unlucky. Have you tried… yelling?” 

It was at that moment that a gruff voice rang out behind them, a big hand slamming down on Sokka’s shoulder. 

“Hey, you! You’re lucky I didn’t rat you out!” Chit Sang glared down at Sokka, but then he smiled a bit. “My generosity comes with a price, though—I know you’re planning another escape attempt, and I want in.” 

“Can you start a riot?” Y/N spoke up. 

He nodded. “Easily.” 

“Do it, and you’re in,” she said. 

Chit Sang walked forward and grabbed a prisoner by his cuff, lifting him up over his head as he yelled out to the whole yard. “Hey! Riot!” 

To Y/N’s surprise, it actually worked. The prisoners immediately dissolved into chaos, fighting one another, shooting off blasts of fire, and just generally creating a mess as dust from the ruckus created large clouds all over. It was the perfect distraction. 

Hakoda’s eyebrows shot up. “Impressive.” 

They all took refuge by one of the walls, and Y/N looked at Sokka. “We have to get the warden now, right?” 

“Yeah, but—” he looked around anxiously— “we can’t leave without Zuko. What is taking him so long?” 

She resisted the urge to say they could leave him here, but it was imperfect timing, because Zuko showed up right as they mentioned him, fighting off a guard on the way before he settled into their circle. It was a shame.

“Zuko!” Sokka exclaimed. “You’re finally here! Now we can grab the warden and get to the gondolas.”  

“How do we do that?” he asked. 

“I, uh… I’m not sure.” 

Zuko groaned. “I thought you thought this through!” 

“And I thought you told me it’s okay not to think everything through!” 

“Maybe not everything, but don’t you think this is important?” 

“Hey,” Chit Sang spoke up, and he gestured over with his hand, “looks like your girlfriends are taking care of it.” 

When Sokka and Zuko looked where he was pointing, they were both shocked. 

Y/N and Suki ran through the crowd together, effortlessly dodging between the rioting prisoners. When they reached the wall, Y/N laced her fingers together and gave Suki a boost up. She grabbed onto makeshift handholds and footholds from deep grooves and missing pieces of metal in the wall, and when she was secure she reached down for Y/N. She jumped and grabbed one of her hands, and Suki grunted as she pulled her up just enough for her to get her hands on the wall as well. They began scaling it together, moving faster once they found easier purchase on the balcony railings. 

Suki hopped over the rail and Y/N slid under, and together they ran down the pathway. Suki took down the first guard as she kicked him against the wall, but then three more came around the corner poised to fight. 

“Get the warden!” Suki yelled at her. “I’ll take care of them!” 

She nodded and got back up on the railing, the extra height giving her enough air to grab onto the ridge of the arched doorway and continue to climb. She hopped over the railing, and sure enough, the warden was standing at the end of the pathway with a single guard in front of him. 

Y/N used her momentum to slide through the guard’s legs, landing right in front of the warden as she popped up. He tried to throw a punch but she caught his wrist and held it tight, the way Suki had taught her, and allowed herself a smug smile. 

“You wouldn’t dare,” he growled. 

Y/N stared at the man who was responsible for her months of imprisonment, and she couldn’t help but huff a laugh. “Try me.” 

She yanked his arm down and twisted him around, untying the cord cinched around her waist to bind his wrists together. She then pulled down his headband to gag him, letting out her first sigh of relief since the whole plan had begun. 

“Nice work.” She turned around to see Suki catching up to her with a huge smile on her face, the guard from before knocked out on the ground. “Looks like all those makeshift lessons in the courtyard worked out, huh?” 

Y/N grinned. “I guess they did.” 

She slammed the warden against the wall and tightened his bonds, unable to resist mocking him. “Sorry, warden,” she taunted. “Looks like you’re our prisoner now.” 

Behind her, the rest of the guys were finally catching up, their heads hung as they sucked in deep breaths. 

“Took you long enough to join us!” Y/N called, and she gestured to the warden with her head. “I got our hostage.” 

Hakoda shook his head as he looked at them, a proud smile on his face despite being completely out of breath.  “Those are some girls.” 

Sokka and Zuko both spoke in unison. “Tell me about it.” 

-

Chit Sang hauled the warden over his shoulder and they started on the final leg of their sprint. All they had to do was get to the gondola, and they would be home free. 

“We’re almost there!” Y/N yelled, but she had just glanced back at the rest of the group to say it when she heard the sound of fire blasts, her head snapping back to see the guards firebending at her. 

She didn’t even have the chance to move before Zuko shoved her out of the way, jumping in front of them—in front of her—to block the firebending. His movements were smoother, more fluid than the last time she’d seen him bend. Apparently his trip with Aang had done him some good. 

Y/N shook her head. Now wasn’t the time to think about his bending, of all things. Just because he saved her once didn’t make up for anything else. 

“Back off!” Zuko yelled, taking up a defensive position as more guards ran over. He pointed at Chit Sang and the man over his shoulder. “We’ve got the warden!” The guards paused for a moment, but then they cleared the way. “Let’s go!” 

They cautiously walked through all the guards, poised for a fight in case one of them broke, but once they got through them all they began their run again. Suki was the first to make it to the gondola, and she slid the door open. “Everyone in!” 

Y/N filed in after Sokka, but she looked out the window and saw that Zuko was starting the gondola—what in Kuruk’s name was he doing? 

But then he broke the lever off after a few kicks, and he sprinted to the edge of the railing. Zuko jumped, and he was just barely able to make it as Sokka caught his arm and pulled him in through the window. 

“What was that?” she scoffed. 

Zuko shifted under her scrutiny. “I was making it so they couldn’t follow us.” 

“That wasn’t your best idea, genius,” she muttered. “You nearly got left behind.” 

Sokka and Zuko met each other’s eyes, both with the same thought. Sokka covered it up with a cough and patted him on the shoulder. “Way to think ahead.” 

“This is it,” Suki smiled, nudging Y/N’s shoulder. “We’re actually getting out of here.” 

“Wait,” Hakoda interrupted, “who’s that?” 

Y/N, Suki, Sokka, and Zuko all moved to the window to look where he pointed, and she felt her heart drop. 

“Azula,” she whispered. 

“That’s a problem,” Zuko said. “It’s my sister and her friend—Mai said she was here, but now that she’s really here…” He shook his head. “I hope you all are ready for a fight, because that’s the only way we’re getting out of here.” 

Ty Lee hopped onto the cable lines and began running across them with impossible grace, while Azula propelled herself up to them with fire. They were closing in fast. 

“Oh boy,” Sokka lamented. “Guess we’ve got no choice, huh?” 

“I don’t mind,” Suki said, cracking her knuckles. “This is a rematch I’ve been waiting for.” 

“Me too,” Y/N murmured. After all, Azula was the reason why she was here. She willingly signed her death warrant. A rematch was a long time coming. 

“Dad, Chit Sang, stay down here,” Sokka said. “We’ll take care of this.” 

Hakoda nodded. “Be careful, son.” 

The four of them climbed up to the top of the gondola, making it there just as Azula and Ty Lee landed, Suki and Sokka on the side of the chi-blocker leaving Zuko and Y/N to deal with the princess. 

“How lovely to see you both again,” she said mockingly. “It’s just like our childhood all over again, isn’t it?” 

Once again, Y/N wished she had her waterbending—she nearly went to flip open the cap of her waterskin before remembering she had neither the container nor her bending. It was frustrating beyond belief—especially when her enemy was one of the best firebenders in the world and their arena was a shaky gondola a hundred meters above a boiling lake. 

So instead she eased into a grounded stance, the way Suki had taught her, and put her fists up. “Let’s skip the pleasantries.” 

Azula smiled, sickeningly sweet with a glint of danger in her eye. “Gladly.” 

She shot a blast of fire at them and Zuko blocked it, giving Y/N a chance to lunge forward and take a swing. Azula caught her wrist and twisted her arm, but she tore free and kicked her in the chest. Azula stumbled backwards, right on the edge of the gondola—Y/N was about to make a move, but Zuko’s voice stopped her in her tracks. 

“Move!” he shouted, and when Y/N backed out of the way Zuko shot fire at her with both fists. Azula regained her balance at just the right moment and dispersed both blasts by moving her palms in a circle. 

Y/N didn’t wait for Zuko—she was on Azula as soon as the fire cleared, kicking and swinging with all of her might. Her attacks were anything but clean, but it was a constant onslaught of attacks, and she could tell by the way Azula blocked them that she wasn’t as skilled at hand to hand combat as she was at firebending. 

Everything was coming back to her, fueling the anger inside of her—from the cruel jabs at her when she was still a servant in the palace, to killing Aang, to sending her to the Boiling Rock to die. Red colored her vision, and it was what made her swing a little too hard allowing Azula to catch her off guard and knock her down. 

Y/N fell hard, her head slamming into the edge of the gondola’s roof. The top half of her head hung over the open air, and she was just able to haul herself into a sitting position to avoid the certain death that a free fall would provide—now, as Azula stalked towards her, she was only facing almost certain death. 

“I should’ve killed you back in the prisons when I had the chance,” she snarled, and she raised her fist. 

“Yeah,” Y/N grit out, “you really should have.” 

Before Azula got the chance to turn her to ashes, Zuko shot a huge blast of fire at her, knocking her off balance and forcing her back on the defensive. Y/N scrambled away from the edge, her vision still slightly blurred from her fall, but her heart was beating again. That was far too close for comfort. 

“Get away from her,” he growled, and Azula just laughed. 

“Even after all this, you still can’t let go of her. You really are pathetic, Zuko.” 

Even from the ground Y/N could see the fire blazing in Zuko’s eyes, offset completely by the mirth in Azula’s. She saw this as a game—nothing more. 

Suddenly, the gondola swung back and forth, tossing everyone off balance. Y/N grabbed onto one of the metal plates and held on for dear life—in the corner of her vision, she saw Sokka nearly fall off, just barely saved by Zuko catching his hand. 

Ty Lee, from her vantage point at the top of the metal support, yelled down at Azula. “They’re about to cut the line!” 

“Then it’s time to leave,” she said decisively. “Goodbye, Zuko.” 

She blasted herself up with fire as Ty Lee backflipped across to the other gondola, and Y/N was finally granted a moment of respite. Even if they were about to fall to their boiling hot deaths. 

A hand was extended in her vision and she took it without thinking, wincing a little bit as she stood up. 

“Thanks,” she murmured, lifting her free hand to her head. There was no blood, but she wagered she would have a nasty bruise where her head had slammed against the hard edge. 

“Are you okay?” It was Zuko that asked the question, and Zuko that helped her up. She ripped her hand out of his immediately, suddenly more than okay to walk on her own. 

“I’m fine,” she grumbled. 

“You did a good job against Azula,” he said. “We fought really well together.” 

Y/N ignored his attempt at conversation, focusing on the more imminent threat as she swung back into the gondola through the window. Sokka and Suki were already there, and Zuko followed shortly after her. 

“They’re cutting the line,” he said. “The gondola’s about to go.” 

Hakoda blew out a loose sigh. “I hope this thing floats.” 

But the gondola kept moving—no falling to their deaths at all. Y/N squinted as she moved to the window, able to see a distant fight happening but not able to distinguish anything in particular. “What’s going on?” 

“Someone’s fighting the guards,” Sokka marveled. “Who is that?” 

Zuko’s eyes widened. “...It’s Mai.” 

Y/N frowned. “What in Kyoshi’s name is she doing helping us?” 

“I don’t know,” he murmured. 

The rest of the ride was smooth, and before she knew it they had arrived at the other side. They all ran out of the gondola, and Chit Sang tossed the warden back in. 

“Sorry, warden,” Hakoda said. “Your record is officially broken.” 

The rest of the group continued running away, but Y/N couldn’t help but stand there, looking at the prison from a distance. 

“What are you doing?” Sokka questioned urgently, and she turned her head to see him waiting for her. “We need to get out of here before our luck runs out.” 

“I know,” she murmured. “I just… can’t believe we did it.” 

Sokka smiled. “Well, you better believe it, because we did. And now we need to finish the job.” 

Y/N nodded and took Sokka’s extended hand, and the two of them ran to catch up to the rest of the group. 

“Well, we made it out,” Suki said, directing it at Sokka as the two of them came over the hill. “What now?” 

“My sister was on that island,” Zuko said. “That means she had to get here somehow.” 

Sokka’s eyes lit up, and together the three of them crested the volcano. Docked at a landing in the water was the most beautiful thing Y/N had ever seen. 

Zuko smiled as he pointed at the airship. “That’s how we’ll get out of here.” 

-

It was a careful but quick descent down the side of the volcano to reach the airship, and after some firebending from Zuko and navigating between him and Sokka, they were on their way. Y/N took the chance to settle on a cushioned seat, the comfort a luxury she had sorely missed. 

She could still hardly believe she was really free—the last time she was on an airship like this, it was to be transferred to the Boiling Rock. Months of her life had been stolen by the Fire Nation, and she couldn’t wait to see her friends again, to be around nature, to be free. 

Y/N let out a content sigh, and she looked up at the sound of footsteps. Sokka had turned the corner, a folded map in his hands that he quickly stuffed into the folds of his uniform. 

“How are you doing?” he asked. “I saw you take a nasty fall—are you okay?” 

“Yeah,” she nodded, “I’m fine. Once I get back to Katara and she heals it up, I’ll be good to go.” 

“That’s good. Maybe she can also, uh—” Sokka gestured at her black eye using his own face as a guide— “fix that up for you.” 

“Are you saying I don’t look like a super cool warrior with it?” she asked with mock disdain. 

Sokka laughed. “You look like a super cool warrior anyways. Y/N, you did amazing out there. The way you and Suki got the warden, your fighting against Azula—I’ve never seen you like that, except maybe when we fought through the whole Dai Li to talk to the Earth King.” 

She smiled grimly. “That’s what a couple months in this place does to you. Suki’s combat lessons in our yard time didn’t hurt.” 

Sokka went silent, and when Y/N looked over at him she saw that his face had fallen. “Sokka?” 

“I’m so sorry you had to go through all that,” he murmured. “The Fire Nation, and the Boiling Rock, and—” he glanced over his shoulder, “well, Zuko. I can’t even imagine what this has been like for you, and— and I’m sorry, Y/N.”

“You don’t have to do this, Sokka.” Y/N could hardly keep track of how many times Sokka had apologized to her, trying to absolve himself of a deep-rooted guilt that he didn’t deserve to have. “It’s not your fault, and I don’t blame you for it in any way. I mean— you’re the one that got me and Suki out!” 

“I just feel like I should’ve been able to protect you,” he murmured as he crossed his arms, “both of you, then you wouldn’t have been in here in the first place. But I couldn’t.” 

Her eyes softened and she patted the spot next to her. Sokka sat down after a moment’s hesitation, and she pulled up and folded one of her legs on the platform, allowing the other to hang off the side to sit more comfortably. 

“Since we’re baring our souls to each other here, I guess it’s my turn,” she said with a slight laugh before her expression sobered. “Sokka, the honest truth is that I… I honestly thought that I was going to die in there. Princess Azula was the only person that even knew I was at the Boiling Rock, and the way things were, as a weak, non-bending fifteen year old girl who was known for working with the Avatar…” Y/N shook her head. “Let’s just say the warden wouldn’t have been surprised if he suddenly had an empty cell.”

Sokka’s face fell even further, and she took his hand in an effort to lift his spirits. “But I’m not dead,” she said earnestly, “and that’s because of you. Sokka, you risked everything to get us out—you came for your father, and you ended up saving him and Suki and me. You’re a hero, and you should feel like one!”

Y/N squeezed his hand, trying to get all of her emotions across in a simple action. “I love you, Sokka, really. You’re the brother I never had, and I can’t imagine living without you now. So thank you.” She smiled. “I owe you everything. I owe you my life.”

Sokka stared at her with slightly wide eyes for a moment before he moved forward and pulled her into a hug. 

“I know I already said this, but I’m never letting you out of my sight again,” he whispered. “And I think Katara will join me.”

Y/N laughed a bit. “You’re gonna get tired of me before I even think about going somewhere. I’ve been away from you all for way too long.”

Sokka pulled away, his blue eyes shimmering with tears but a grateful smile showing how he really felt. 

“I love you too,” he said. “I’m so glad we found you.”

“So am I,” she whispered. “So am I.”

-

After talking with Suki and Sokka some more and very pointedly avoiding Zuko, Y/N dozed off. The events of the past two days had left her exhausted, and now that she didn’t have to constantly have her guard up, her body practically demanded a break. 

She was woken up when she heard Sokka shouting something about landing, and she rubbed the sleep out of her eyes as she sat up. Normally she would’ve gotten a knot in her back or shoulders from sleeping on the barely padded bed—the airships had small rooms for the guards for overnight trips, and they each chose their own—but after spending so many nights sleeping on concrete, her body had adjusted accordingly. Besides, this bed had a mattress, however thin it might’ve been. After the Boiling Rock, it was the height of luxury. 

She pushed the door open and wandered into the main room, where she saw that the loading deck was open. She could hear Sokka and Zuko talking, while Suki, Hakoda, and Chit Sang waited a few meters behind them. 

“Sokka’s explaining it all to them,” Suki whispered as she stopped next to her. “So they don’t freak out about the giant Fire Nation airship.” 

“Smart,” she said, nodding sagely. 

“—I caught the best meat of all; the meat of friendship and fatherhood.” 

Sokka turned his head and gestured for them to come out, and when Y/N saw her friends she nearly burst into tears. 

Aang had gotten taller since the last time she’d seen him, and he carried himself completely differently. From what Sokka said, he was in the process of mastering firebending—maybe that was why he looked so confident. He was also alive, which meant that a flurry of her worst fears dissolved, lifting a huge weight off her shoulders in the process. 

Toph looked the same, and she was almost thankful for it. She’d always been a grounding presence for Y/N, mirroring her element, and knowing that she hadn’t missed everything made her feel slightly better about it all. 

Katara’s hair was down and her outfit was new, but she had a different air about her, a steelier glint in her eye. But when she saw her father and Y/N, it completely disappeared as they widened in surprise. 

“Dad?” she gasped, her eyes already starting to glimmer with tears. She ran over to him, embracing him tightly as she buried her face in his chest. 

“Hi, Katara,” he smiled, patting her on the back as he pulled her in closer. “It’s so good to see you again.” 

She picked her head up and looked at Y/N, shaking her head in disbelief. “And— and Y/N? You’re alive, a-and you’re here! This is like a dream!” 

Y/N grinned. “I feel— woah!” 

It was her turn to get attacked with love, and she fully welcomed it as her and Katara hugged each other so tight the other could barely breathe. “I feel the same,” she managed to get out, and she closed her eyes in contentment. She had missed them all so much. 

“How did you do this?” she asked, looking over at Sokka. “How are you all here? Where did you go?” 

Sokka smiled bashfully at her, scratching his neck. “We… kind of went to a Fire Nation prison and broke them all out.” 

A laugh bubbled out of Katara, and she let go of Y/N to pull Sokka and her dad into a group hug. “Of course you did.” 

And as Y/N looked at the three of them, then Aang absolutely beaming and Toph’s own smile at the ground, she couldn’t help the tears that welled up in her eyes. But this time, they were tears of joy. 

She was finally home.

-

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[genderless-naper]

zoro x gf!reader

he takes care of his gf who has a bad headache ! lowercase intended !

“i dont feel well”

that was the only sentence you were able to manage out between the pounding of your head and the lightweight of your body. you gripped your head often and stumbled when walking. this immediately caught zoros attention

“y/n are you okay?” he held you to support you up and asked worriedly, which surprised you

“of course i am, i mean im a little seasick.. but nothing to worry about!” you smiled back up at the muscular figure, but realized he isnt giving into your excuses

zoro pulled you along “lets go to chopper, youre not well.”

you tugged on your arm weakly, “i swear im fine zoro”

he still insisted you get checked, and with the pounding getting more rapid you finally gave in

chopper didnt quite understand what was wrong. you repeatedly mentioned it was only seasickness, and nothing to be worried about

the worried doctor shook his head, “i dont know y/n.. ive barely ever seen you seasick, and the symptoms arent like this. you should lay down until i can determine whats wrong”

you sigh and nod. maybe a nap wasnt bad after all

“ill take her to bed” zoro nodded at the doctor but chopper shook his head

“shes having a lot of trouble breathing and needs fresh air. she should lay outside”

zoro nodded and made you follow the doctors advice.

zoro has never believed in following rules in order to get better. he thinks he can train off a sickness and be better, but he will make sure you do anything that could make you feel better. so he made sure you were laying down and comfortable on the deck chairs. he fixed an umbrella above you so the sun didnt have a chance of bothering his sick baby

you giggle at his actions, which only resulted in him lecturing you about why you need to take care of yourself. “boo hoo, youre such a hypocrite zoro” you poked a tongue out and curled up ready to sleep

he sat himself next to your chair with a hand rested on his sword, watching over you. nami giggles to robin while watching zoro, which immediately earned her a hard glare from the swordsman. she rolled her eyes, “im not gonna eat your girlfriend”

he grips a sword, “be quiet. she needs to sleep.” nami once again rolled her eyes while you apologize for zoros actions

“control your guard dog y/n”

a spark lit in zoros eyes as he goes to pull put his sword. you hit his head hard and groan at the sudden movement you had to make in order to tame him, “i need sleep zoro, not you killing people” he nods. for the rest of the day he was on his feet for you

“zoro im really thurs-“ you got a glass of water in your hand

“zoro its really col-“ you got wrapped up in a blanket

“zoro my head hur-“ you got an immediate head massage, which you had to make him stop since his tight grip was only worsening you

you eventually fell asleep, and zoro tasked himself with making sure the crew around were dead silent

you ended up sleeping the whole day; and well into the night. you woke up around 3 am because of the boats sudden rocking, but feeling much better

while stretching and sitting up you noticed a specific marimo still on guard next to your bed

“zoro? whatre you doing up so late?”, no response

you shook his shoulder, still no response

you got up and went around to face him only to witness him asleep while sitting up straight

immediate guilt started tangling in you. you realized it was best to leave him be since he was obviously tired from ‘protecting’ you all day

you managed to lay him down on the grass, and joining beside him. he shifted around while you wrapped the blanket around the both of you

giggling, you look up at his sleep-induced face “thank you for taking care of me zoro..”

cupping his cheek and lightly tracing a finger down his scar. to your surprise youre met with his eyes. he automatically wrapped his arms around your body, still being protective. maybe it was a habit rather than a decision.

yawning in your face and started mumbling, “aho.. take care of yourself..”

all you could was smile widely and kiss his forehead while drifting back to sleep in his embrace💚

hi😏 hope u guys enjoy this as much as i did writing it !! its 2am 😏

[tastyykpop]

𝑆𝑤𝑒𝑒𝑡 𝐶𝑜𝑟𝑟𝑢𝑝𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛

•pairings: enemy, barista and student!jaemin x student and barista!reader

♡𝑠𝑚𝑢𝑡♡

<next>

•warnings: dom!jaemin, brat!reader, brat taming, crying kink, hair pulling, choking, small praising, small size kink, degradation (slut, whore), dumbification (sexual and non sexual use) nanas kinda mean :( but gets a lil nicer :), jaemin refers to himself as nana a lot mostly when they do the dirty, bulging kink, pet names (princess, baby, baby girl, little girl, pretty girl), unprotected sex (please be safe), slight face slapping (he slaps her once), rough sex clearly, some sexual tension, I hope i got everything

You were fuming!

The boy in front of you not even batting an eyelash, just laughing at the mess dripping down your face.

You smelt like an iced americano.

People around you held their hands to their mouths in shock and others tried to hold back their laughter. Some even pointed at you or gave sympathetic looks.

It wasnt like people were surprised anymore. Jaemin always had something up his sleeve for you. But he never went as far as pouring his coffee on you.

"Aw poor baby. Do you need a napkin?" He faked sympathy with a pout and his friends began laughing. You just got up and walk by them, making sure to bump into jaemins shoulder on your way through.

It was almost everyday that Jaemin would do something so uncalled for. It was like he was made to push your buttons. Even as you're walking out of the college building, you can still hear the boy laughing at you. Or maybe it was the other students. Either way, you wanted to kill him.

As you trudged towards your car, a sense of relief washed over you. A great happiness that only comes when you finished your classes and could go home. Only this happiness stayed for a good 2 hours until you have to go to your part time job at the cafe with your favorite person of course. But its not like you can quit. You need the money so you can live and get the education you need, no matter how hard it is being with him.

It was then when you sat in your car and the squishing in the seat made your face curl into a scowl, only made you think of ways to get away with murder. It was gross really. The seats were sticky, plus your hair and clothes were sticking to you like lip gloss. A shower would be perfect right about now.

"Hi y- oh..." Your roommate, jimin, stared at your messy state. Giving you a good up and down before shrugging his shoulders, "jaemin?"

You sighed, walking over to the kitchen to grab a bottle of water, "Who else? Its always him."

Jimin gave you a small smile and came closer as if ready to hug you but didn't because he didn't want to get sticky. "You know, maybe you should quit that job."

"No."

He groaned and snatched the water that you were about to sip, "Why? You'd only see jaemin in school. And you wouldnt have to stick with his bickering in work." He huffed, shaking his head, "Girls are so difficult sometimes."

You tried leaping up to grab the bottle from jimin, but all he did was hold it above his head. You stomped on his foot in return. Jimin huddled over and you snatched the bottle, smirking with victory as you put it to your lips.

"You fucking snake." Jimin hissed in pain.

A laugh fell from your lips as you walked by him, completely ignoring his words and his pain, "Im gonna take a shower."

Once you got to your room, the first thing you did was grab your work clothes, a towel, and underwear and got ready for the warm shower.

After you switched on the water and let it heat up, you stepped in and immediately felt at peace as the water cascaded over your body, cleaning off the almost dried coffee. Your hair felt lighter, like a feather and your fingers could now slip through the strands easily without an issue. The scent of your body wash overpowered the coffee smell and you felt much better. Water, soap, and coffee were beginning to fill the drain as you finished washing up. You rolled your eyes at the sight of the murky water. What a bastard.

For once you were actually happy to wear your work clothes after what had happened earlier. The clothes actually felt comfortable and jimin was becoming more and more confused as to why you were hugging yourself with a huge smile on the couch.

"No one should be that happy after a shower." He started flipping through channels on the t.v.

"Dont tell me how to feel, I dont smell like jaemins coffee anymore." You gushed overdramtically. Jimin could only role his eyes.

"Please...you act like he's a demon of some sort."

You squinted your eyes at jimin and flared your nostrils, "he is. Hes a nasty, dumb, annoying, self centered-"

"Okay okay I get it! You hate jaemin! The funny thing is you can never get his name out of your mouth." Everything stopped and your head snapped in jimins directions.

"What are you saying?" A frown found itself on your face, jimin leaned closer.

"Im saying that maybe you might like him."

You shrieked in disgust, blocking your ears with your hands. Jimin laughed at your reaction. Almost falling off the couch in the process. "Ew! Gross! Why would you even think that!"

"Like I said, you can never get his name out of your mouth. I think its pretty obvious you like him." He was still giggling at you except your face was anything but happy, more grossed out at how he thought you could like such a person

"I can't stand you. I'm leaving for work." You stood up and jimin did nothing to stop you from going. Even though you still had about 15 minutes until you normally leave. "Ill be back at 9." The door slammed behind you, leaving jimin alone with another laughing fit.

You got in the car and drove off to your work, still trying to come up with a reason as to why jimin is saying all this. Sure maybe you talk about jaemin a little lot but that doesn't mean you like him. Its very much the opposite and jimin should know that. It only frustrates you the more you think about it. Liking someone like jaemin? Please. That would be your nightmare.

As you pulled up to the cafe, there were only a few other cars parked. Few were from other workers but the majority were most like customers or people just trying to get a free parking space. Lucky for you, there were many open spaces, unlike when you come later and they're filled. Maybe leaving earlier wasnt such a bad idea. It saved you the 3 minute walk.

"Y/n! You're just on time!" One of your coworkers, irene, called out as you stepped inside the shop. "We need help back here!" You had no time to even begin to say your shift hasn't started yet when irene took you by the hand and dragged you to where the coffee was being made. "We have a bunch of online orders coming in so can you please help us with the coffee and food?" She tossed you a brown apron for you to put on and you nodded, trying to get your brain to speed up with everything in the world.

It was so quiet when you walked in that you never even realized that the back was busy. Coffee cups were filled and put into trays for orders, food was being heated or baked. It was a chaotic place right now and all you could do was help. So as fast as you could, you began with the first order on the screen. A large mocha with extra extra sugar, whipped cream, and chocolate curls. Easy enough you thought as you reached for a cup but a hand beat you to it.

Your eyes looked up at the person in front of you and just when you thought everything was going fine, it wasn't, "What are you doing here so early?" You asked bitterly.

"I always come in early. What are you doing here so early?" Jaemin asked whilst holding a death grip on the cup.

"Just felt like coming early." You muttered, watching as jaemin turned away with a scoff, quickly cutting the conversation short. "Bastard."

Jaemin was busy making what you were originally going to do, so you looked for another order to get ready. It was just two cake pops and a small strawberry banana smoothie. Something you've been craving recently from the lack of sweetness and fruit in your day to day life.

The cake pops and smoothie were quick to make and were soon sent off to the customer. You happily beamed and wished them good day once they left.

After then there was a familiar face with a friend right next to him, he was quite handsome you must say. He was indeed so handsome that he just looked unreal. "Hey jimin. Whose this?" You nodded towards the bright black haired man.

"This is taemin! He wanted some coffee so I brought him- hey stop staring at him!" Jimin snapped you out of your trance and taemin chuckled.

"Its okay shes cute." He eye smiled, showing off his perfectly white teeth. He's definitely not real.

Jimin tsk'd, "Until you get to know her."

"Yeah yeah... whatever." You smiled at him, completely oblivious to what he just said.

They both ordered and took a seat next to the window. You were still staring at taemin with your head in your hand until someone tapped your shoulder, "Who are they?" Jaemins voice rang in your ears, making you stand up straight.

"Thats my roommate, jimin, and his friend taemin." You glanced back at the boys, mainly at taemin and just stared like he was your first crush.

"Quit staring your gonna scare him away." Jaemin said earning himself a chuckle from you.

You stuck your tongue out, "He called me cute."

The boy smirked from ear to ear and leaned in close to your face, "He was lying." You grumbled and pushed him away from you, getting annoyed by his presence very quickly.

"Jaemin and y/n, get back to work we have orders to do!" Irene called out. Both of you quickly returning to your stations and getting things ready.

"Look at him. Hes basically waiting for me to come over to him." Seulgi, another person in this school you dispise, said as she looked at jaemin in the back of the room. She wasn't very quiet either considering you were only a few seats away from him. So it only meant that jaemin could hear her, but chose to ignore it. Typical boy.

"Honestly. He looks so good today too." Sana, her best friend, commented.

"Oh and did you hear what he was planning on doing today to y/n? Apparently he's gonna-"

"Class get back in your seats, we have much to discuss." The professor stood in the front of the class. Everyone shifted and moved to their appropriate places and waited for the teacher to begin. Unlike you, who was wondering what seulgi was going to say next. If its something worse than coffee being poured on your head, you may just have to bury yourself six feet under after this.

As you were taking notes something flung towards your head and hit you on the side, looking over was jaemin with a smirk was he held his fingers in a sling shot shape. A rubber band was laying on your lap. Then another one. One even hit your cheek creating a small smack sound as you winced in pain. Oh you desperately wanted to get out of this seat and punch the boy in the face.

"Excuse me sir!" You called out, raising your head. The whole class looked at you and your cheeks began to heat up. "May i go to the restroom?" The professor nodded and you headed out. Not until you stopped in your tracks from a loud smack to your butt, causing the whole class to turn around again.

Jaemin was enjoying this, the way you stared at him with wide eyes and open mouth, made him just want to do it again. He never thought this reaction from you would be so entertaining and he tried his best not show it, with only a small smirk covering his face.

You rushed out of the room, faster than ever and leaned against the nearest surface you could find. Not only were you questioning reality, but also why jaemin just did that.

"That little bitch." You said to yourself as you paced back and forth in the hallway, staring at the ground.

"Excuse me?" Jaemin voice rang in your ears as you looked up with a angry red face. Steam was even coming out of your ears and nose. "Did you just call nana a bitch?" He put his hands to his chest and pouted, "Little girl you need to learn some manners." Jaemin tilted his head to the side and began walking forward.

"Shut up." You had nothing else to say as you grit your teeth, looking at the ground.

Jaemin didnt like that and grabbed the back of your neck to make you look at him, "What? Did your stupid head stop thinking? Your normally so chatty for nana what happened?"

"Jaemin i-" you cut yourself off as you felt jaemin grip the back of your neck tighter causing you to moan in pain.

"Stupid girl." Jaemin whispered, forcefully pushing you away. It was not strong enough to make you fall but at least stumble.

You glowered, earning yourself a chuckle from him. "What will it take for you to leave me alone!?"

"Bring this to table 15 please! Thanks!" Irene smiled as she handed you a small cup of iced coffee and you took it, taking it to its designated place. What you didn't except was to see taemin again, gleaming up at you.

"Hi y/n." He smiled and you tried to remain calm.

God how is someone so beautiful?

"Hey, I didnt except you to come back." You returned the warm smile and started to play with the apron around your waist.

Taemin giggled, "I actually quite like this place, its cozy." He began to take a sip from the straw, eyes still trained on you. If only you weren't so awkward with him, you wouldve found something to say other than staring at him and indulging in the beauty before you. But lucky for you someone behind the counter called for you, quickly averting your attention back to work.

The next order was a shake, so you grabbed the correct ingredients and began using the blendor, when someone came next to you, doing the same thing "You seem like your having fun flirting around." The unwanted conversation with jaemin began, "makes nana kind of jealous."

"Hm funny." You ignored him and continued blending the ice cream.

Jaemin casually rolled his eyes and glanced down at your nonchalant face before returning back to the blender, "you know you really do piss me off."

You sneered and snickered to yourself, "what are you gonna do about it?"

"I was thinking of fucking you dumb or until you know your place but maybe thats a bit too rewarding."

The cup was removed and set aside from the blender with your hands placed on your hips, "Im sorry what?"

"Did I stutter?" Jaemin raised an eyebrow and also put the cup down. You went silent, not knowing whether or not to just laugh it off or quickly run away. "And I'm still waiting on my apology."

"One, I am not going to apologize to your bitchy ass. Two, even if I did let you, you could never 'fuck me dumb', it just wouldn't happen. Now stop trying to get in my pants."

Jaemin opened then closed his mouth about to say something, but didn't and just put on a sweet smile, "Go take these to table 7 for nana." He said like he was testing yoj.

"Why? You made them."

"Nana told you to do something little girl, now do it." Jaemins sweet smile was still plastered on his face yet it intimidated you enough to do as he said.

Taemin was long gone when you walked out and you were kind of sad as you weren't able to say goodbye before he left. You placed the shake down on the table and was ready to walk away when you heard your name being called.

"Y/n? You work here?" Seulgis voice spoke as you turned around. Both her and sana were looking at you with shit eating grins.

"Doesn't jaemin also work here seulgi?" Sana asked the girl in front of her and seulgi looked as if she got the brightest idea.

"Oh yeah! Y/n can you get jaemin over here? Pretty please?" She asked sweetly yet with a hint of sourness and you listened, not feeling like ignoring her at the moment.

You told jaemin that seulgi and sana were out front looking for him and he nonchalantly went out without question. Leaving you to do some of the work alone, which you didn't mind considering its jaemin, the annoying bastard who won't leave you alone, but he does help you whenever you need it. And right now, it was a bit busy, and you needed it.

After doing 4 more online orders and sending them off through the driveway, jaemin finally came back with a scowl on his face looking ready to beat someone up. "What the hell is wrong with you!?" He raised his voice only loud enough for you to hear. But you were quite confused on what was happening.

"What are you talking about?" You asked, tilting your head to the side like a puppy.

Jaemin groaned, "I knew you were fucking dumb but come on y/n! Why is seulgi covered in the shake i gave you?"

You paused for a moment, unable to answer that. Is he assuming you spilt her shake on her? Why would you even do that in the first place. Yeah you don't like her, but you're not going to stoop to her or his level. "I dont know."

He slammed his hand on the wall near your head, startling you a bit, "You dont know huh?" You shook your head slowly. "Seulgi and sana both said you purposefully spilt the shake on seulgi. Now answer me honestly. Is that true?" You shook your head again, feeling really small and helpless under his strong gaze.

"I-i didnt spill t-the skake." You muttered quietly.

He inhaled sharply, "Then who did huh? Or maybe you don't know because you're so dumb."

"S-stop..." you frowned, looking down at floor, but jaemin had other plans and made you look up at him. A single tear slide down your cheek and you swear you saw a small grin appear on his face.

"Tell nana what happened." His voice became softer as he swiped away the stray tear on your face.

You huffed, still afraid that he'd do something to you although you knew he wouldnt purposely cause you pain. "W-well she asked me to go get you, which I did, a-and her shake was perfectly fine when I left."

"Are you saying she purposely spilt the shake on herself to make me angry at you?"

"Y-yes."

"Ill believe my little girl for now, but if I find out you are lying, you will be in big trouble got that?" Jaemin lifted his hand off the wall and proceeded to walk back out of the room. Leaving you shocked at his words and still frightened by an angry jaemin.

You went to the cash register once jaemin left to get ready to count the bills until you heard jaemin and seulgi arguing. Lucky for them, no one but you and him were working right now. Irene went home earlier and the normal crew always leave around 6:30, leaving just you and jaemin.

"It was only a prank nana. No need to get so worked up. And besides you didn't even prank her today, be glad I did for you." Seulgi said smiling at the boy in front of her.

Jaemin physically cringed when he heard his nickname roll off her tongue, "you didn't have to do that."

You stood there watching, astonished how jaemin was standing up for you. Hes supposed to hate you. Jaemin didn't even bother going with the girls when they offered him a ride, instead he stayed with you and even helped close. Something he normally doesn't do because he leaves before you and gives you all the hard things to do.

"Hurry up and finish." Jaemin spoke. A little bit of anger still laced in his voice.

"Whats your rush?"

He sighed, "I wanna go home. Plus I can't stand this place right now. I'm pissed."

You finished wiping down that last table and walked over to him, "Just go home then."

"Not without you."

You gave him a dirty look, "im not going home with you."

Jaemin leaned down, his face only inches from yours and whispered, "Remember what I said earlier hm? I wanna fuck you dumb." He then grabbed your waist bringing you closer to him, if that was possible, "Can I do that pretty girl? Can nana fuck you so hard you won't even remember anything but my cock?" You were so lost in your mind that everything became a blur. Jaemins words sounded so sweet but were so lewd. And you were so close to kissing him until he put his finger on your lips, "But you have to wait." You frowned and were only getting more angry by the second. You went from not wanting anything to do with jaemin to just about ready to beg him to kiss you. Was it that easy for him to get in your head? Or were you so sex deprived that now jaemin seemed somewhat interesting?

You laid on jaemins bed getting bored with the constant teasing. He never did anything but that. Jaemin would get close to your lips and back away as you chased him. Hed chuckle and coo at you for being so desperate. But that wasn't the point of all the teasing. He really just wanted you to beg him to kiss you. No words will come out of his mouth telling you to beg, he just excepted it to happen sooner or later. But youre too stubborn to do so, so you grabbed the back of his neck and pulled him down to kiss him, catching him by surprise.

Jaemins hands gripped your wrists and pulled them off his face, pinning them to the bed, "You didnt even ask to kiss me." Jaemin pulled away, raising his eyebrow high, "Dont you think thats a bit mean."

"So was teasing me, but I let you continue." You huffed, trying to free your wrists from his death grip but it was no use.

"You dont have a say on whether i continue or not. I'm in charge here and you take what I give you, understand?" You rolled your eyes. It was your intention to make jaemin angry. You wanted to push his buttons.

What you didnt know was that not answering jaemin correctly would earn you a slap to the face. And jaemin was not even fazed by it.

"Dont roll your eyes and answer nana." Jaemin smiled. "Can you say 'yes nana'?"

"Y-yes nana."

"Good girl." Jaemin muttered and began slowly kissing your jawline down to your neck, sucking here and there creating shades of purple and red marks. Oh how he loved the marks he was leaving.

You so desperately wanted to grip onto jaemins hair and pull it but he never budged his hands, only tightening his grasps. As he continued attacking your neck, you began to lift your hips up to get some sort friction. Jaemin noticed and shifted so that his thigh was in between your legs and rubbing against your clothed core. A spew of quiet moans left your lips but you wanted more. Jaemin was going to soft and slow for your liking.

"I thought you were going to fuck me dumb?" You said and jaemin lifted his head to give you a quick kiss on the lips.

"Patience baby. You aren't ready yet." He let go of your wrists and took your shirt off. The cold air made you shiver and jaemin chuckled. "I wanna make you cum at least 2 times before I fuck you."

"Then stop talking and do it." You replied, pushing your hips up to rub against his thigh, but they were pushed back down on the bed.

"Didnt I say to take what I give you?" Your head slowly moved up and down and jaemin smiled, "so why arent you happy with what nana gives you?"

"I want more..." you sighed as he started to slide your pants and panties off, discarding them somewhere in the room. His mouth slowly started kissing your inner thighs and you could feel your heat dripping with anticipation. You whined for more but only got a slap to the thigh telling you to be quiet. Needless to say you didn't listen and continued to try to get him closer to where you needed him most but pulling his hair.

Jaemin groaned grabbing your wrist again and pushed it away roughly. His patience was wearing out. You were more stubborn than he thought, but that doesn't mean he can't still break you. "Next time you do that, I'll flip you over and beat your ass till its purple." Your breath hitched and as much as you were tempted, you wanted to be able to sit for a few days so you stayed put and kept your hands to yourself.

But the desperation was getting to you and you wanted relief which jaemin wasnt giving you until you felt his two fingers circling around your clit. "P-please jaemin." You moaned as he flicked your clit with his middle finger. Then soon enough he stuck two fingers inside you. Your pussy automatically clenching around his digits as he moved at a steady in and out pace.

It felt so good. His fingers felt so good. They made your body twist in pleasure as more moans left your mouth. Jaemin was watching your face closely as it contorted with pleasure. He loved seeing your eyebrows bunched together, so focused on the way his fingers worked inside you.

"My pretty slut. Taking nanas fingers so well." He gushed, still watching your face. Jaemin could feel himself get even more painfully hard but he didn't want to fuck you just yet. He meant it when he said he wanted you to cum 2 times. So he picked up the speed with his fingers, your hands landing on his forearm that was resting on near your hip. "Are you gonna cum for nana princess?"

You frantically nodded your head as a wave of pleasure washed over you. You could feel your cum leak out of you as jaemin leaned down and began eating away at your cunt.

"J-jaemin! So...go-good!" Your head flew back as his tongue sucked on your clit and a loud moan filled the room.

Jaemin smirked against your heat, "I haven't even fucked you yet and your already sounding like a dumb whore. Its so easy to break you princess."

"N-no its j-ju-...." you whimpered as your brain wasnt even trying to help you function right. His tongue was extraordinary. "Mmmm."

"Aw my dumb little princess is so cute." He muttered diving back into lapping at your soaked cunt. It was almost as if on cue and without warning, you were cumming again. Jaemins hasty tongue took it all. Groaning at the taste of you in his mouth.

He sat up over you, grabbing your neck, pulling you into a deep kiss. You tasted yourself on his tongue. Deepening the kiss by grabbing the back of his hair, jaemin couldnt help but moan a bit as his cock brushed against your thigh. He felt big. Bigger than the few guys you've been with and you were ecstatic.

You tugged on jaemins pants and shirt as a way to tell him to take them off and he did after getting off of you and sitting on the edge of the bed. His abs were more defined than you thought and when his cock sprung free, your mouth started watering. Jaemins smirk only grew watching you stare. He was starting to get cocky

"What? You wanna suck my cock?" Jaemin asked sweetly.

"Yes please." You reached over to try and touch him but he didn't allow you. And smacked your hand away. It was a way for him to tease you and you hated it.

"So kind for nana now. Ealier you were so cock hungry that you decided to be a brat. Did nana finally break you?" Jaemin whispered as he moved a piece of hair out of your face, looking at you with fill admiration.

"No you didn't break me. But I wanna suck you off." You whined as jaemin picked you up and sat you just above his cock, the tip teasing at your entrance.

"Too bad. Now I want you to sit." Jaemin said looking into your eyes. You obeyed with a little hesitation. His cock was surely going to hurt you so you took it slowly and started lowering your hips. "Fuck...thats a good girl." Jaemin praised, watching his cock dissappear between your legs and your tummy get full with his cock. "My baby's so tiny you can see my cock in your belly." He said, pushing down on the area where he was imprinted in you.

Slowly you started moving, lifting your hips up and down. You were wet enough that he could easily slide in and out with no problem.

Jaemins head fell back as he sighed with relief, grunting as you picked up the pace, "So tight for nana." He whispered and you moaned back loudly. His cock stretched every inch of you to the point where it felt like you'd split.

"More more more." You whined against jaemins neck, gripping his shoulders tightly. Carefully jaemin flipped you both over so he was on top and continued pounding into your destroyed cunt. He kept a hand around your neck squeezing it every so often as a choked out moan left your throat.

His cock was so deep and fast that you couldn't think straight. You kept blabbering about his cock. Only thing on your mind was how nice he felt inside you. Jaemin bit his lip as he smirked at you, grabbing your hair and bringing your face close to his, "Now will you admit that I fucked you dumb and say your nanas dumb slut?"

"Y-yes, I'm na-nanas dumb sl-slut." You cried, tears falling down your face from how good he felt inside and if you thought jaemin couldn't go any faster, he did. His thrusts were hard and rough, sure enough to hurt your thighs tomorrow as he pounded relentlessly. "So close." Your voice came out choked as your eyes rolled to the back of your head. You held on to jaemins hand that was on your neck as he helped you with your orgasm.

Jaemin wasnt far behind you with his and groaned loudly, "fuck, where do you want it princess?"

"I-inside." You moaned as the feeling of hot cum was shot inside you. Jaemins hips kept moving him through his orgasm until he slowly came to a stop. Both of you panted loudly, there were even a few tears falling down your cheek here and there.

Jaemin slowly pulled out, making sure not to hurt you, and he laid beside you. "You did so well." He kissed your forehead. "Cmon ill carry you to bathroom so we can take a bath." He said picking up your worn out naked figure with so much care. Making you forget he was your enemy.

[koushou]

Could we get uuh,,, Todoroki x f!reader who is insecure abt their looks bc they look more "boyish" than most girls? 😳 As much as I love being an androgynous queen, I get insecure sometimes, esp when it comes to guys liking me

this is my first ask im 😳💕💕

beautiful

pairing : todoroki shoto x f!reader {fluff}

warnings : none really, like the teeniest suggestive ending, just todoroki being like the best bf ugh 😩

a/n : thank you so much for requesting anon!! i tried my best, im so sorry if it isn’t exactly what you wanted but shoutout to all the androgynous queens you’re amazing !! <3 (also can you tell im terrible at titles pls)

shopping mall dates with your friends were always something you looked forward to, shoto knew this well. so why had you come back to the dorms empty-handed?

The familiar ringtone playing from your phone woke you up from your slumber, as bright sunlight shone through your windows where the curtains did poor job of providing you with any coverage. You opened your eyes and would’ve immediately shut them if not for the music still coming from your phone on your nightstand.

Swinging a hand blindly over, you felt the cool screen of your device and brought it close to your face, as an all too familiar contact name displayed on the top of the screen.

Grumbling slightly, you pressed the answer button and brought it up to your ear.

“Y/N!! Are you still sleeping??” You almost wanted to hang up right then and there from the cheery girl’s voice ringing into your ear. 

“Mina, it’s-” You glanced over at your alarm clock on the same nightstand, “-literally 9 in the morning, what do you want-”

“Come on! You remember we have another shopping day today, right??” 

You rubbed your eyes and rolled over in bed on your side, away from the blinding light illuminating through the glass windows.

Shopping dates with your girlfriends in Class 1-A took place almost every weekend, something you always looked forward to. Hero training was stressful, everyone was always striving to further improve and expand their quirks and skill, almost never having time for any sort of break. 

Truthfully, you had forgotten about your planned day with the girls today, since it had been a pretty tough week, with work piling up on top of one another, heck, you were barely keeping up your grades. 

“Oh...right.” You ran your fingers through your somewhat messy, medium-length hair, attempting to comb it slightly and getting rid of the small knots that had been formed in your sleep.

“Hey, don’t tell me you forgot - anyways, we’re meeting up downstairs at 10, so see you later!!” 

“Yeah, alright.” 

Quiet beeps signaling the end of your short call with Mina, you sighed and wondered how the alien girl managed to stay so hyper in the morning, not that you were surprised anymore. 

Sitting up in bed, you let out a yawn and stretched out your body, excited for the day to come. 

On some days, you just wanted to sleep in and have a day all to yourself in the comfort of your small dorm room, but these shopping sprees with the girls always took your mind off any troubles on your mind.

Throwing your blanket to the side lazily, you get up from your bed and groggily made your way to the bathroom, phone still in hand. Flicking on the light switch, you cringed at the sudden brightness.

A notification noise sounded from your phone, a smile spreading across your face as soon as you saw who the sender was - your one and only white and red haired boyfriend.

Unlocking your phone, you were met by a few text messages from your lover.

shouu <33 : good morning love, have you woken up yet?

shouu <33 : you’re going out today with the others right? i wish you could come and be with me, but i hope you have fun.💗

Your heart could not handle this level of cuteness in the morning.

Turning on the water to get ready for your morning shower, you typed out a reply to your boyfriend.

                                                             good morning shouto 🥺 i just woke upp

                      imy so much as well, i promise i’ll be with you when i get back!!💕

You stripped off your clothes and hopped into the shower, the water more on the warm side, exactly how you liked it.

After about 20 minutes, you stepped out with a towel wrapped around your torso, the cool air hitting your legs, making you shiver slightly. You made your way over to your closet in the corner of your room, picking out what clothes to wear.

It was scorching hot out, and you were feeling lazy, so a simple black t-shirt and a pair of jean shorts seemed like a good choice.

The time was about 9:40 when you had finished brushing your teeth and mindlessly slapping on some sunscreen, you didn’t want to become tan, after all.

Internally crying, you shoved your wallet with your credit card inside your small purse you usually brought when you went shopping, making a note to yourself to cut down a bit on your purchases. 

You knew that promise was going to go out the window as soon as you step foot in a store, but hey, you always felt better after coming back to the dorms with bags of clothing in your hands.

Deciding to head down to the common room earlier to grab a quick snack to eat, you received another message from your phone.

shouu <33 : i’ll be waiting for you, love.

shouu <33 : are you sure you don’t want to use my father’s credit card? i don’t think he would really care if it gets maxed out, you know.

You giggled at your boyfriend’s message even though you knew he was being 100% serious.

                                                                                   shou...bby, i cant do that-

shouu <33 : alright then, be safe and text me when you get there, okay?

                                                                                                            i will! ily <33

shouu <33 : i love you too :)

When you reached the common room, you were met by pink, black, green, and brown haired girls.

“Y/N!! Good morning!!”

“Good morning, Y/N.”

“Hey Y/N-chan, ribbit.”

“Oh hey Y/N!”

You smile at your energetic friends, Mina, Momo, Tsu and Uraraka, who were all lounging on the couches. 

“Good morning, guys.”

Mina lets out a whine, “Where is Jirou? That girl is almost always never on time-”

“What’s that, Mina?”

A voice from behind the girls spoke, causing everyone to jump and turn at the same time. 

“O-oh good morning Jirou-”

The purple haired girl stood behind the couches, and your eyes scanned over her outfit. A white, loose short sleeve hung around her shoulders, paired with some black shorts. A simple outfit, yet she made it look so much more appealing.

She charged towards Mina, who was now desperately hiding behind Uraraka. It was then that you finally took notice of the other girls’ outfits, and suddenly became all too aware of your own.

Mina, with a pink shirt tucked into her jeans, a black belt as a finishing touch. Her curves showing perfectly, all in the right places. You would expect her pink hair to be messy and puffy, but it was tamed, neatly brushed, and reminded you of soft cotton candy. 

A cropped maroon top, with black jeans, complementing Momo’s smooth, black hair which was put up in a lower pony tail than usual. Her gentle features sure to attract admirers wherever she went. The way her dark bangs framed her face, the way her smile was bright, genuine - an appearance of a true, proper lady. 

You glanced down at your own outfit, trying to smooth out wrinkles in your own shirt. No genius was required to see that you obviously stood out in your group of feminine friends, you being the only female with short hair and a different style.

It wasn’t that you hated the way you looked, but it made you think sometimes that you weren’t as attractive or liked as much, compared to your friends.

“Well then,” Uraraka clasped her hands together, interrupting your thoughts, and grinned. “Shall we get going?” 

You all cheered, getting up and ready to head to the shopping mall. 

Mina locked her arms in yours and dragged you out of the doors, grinning at you while the other girls trailed behind.

“Come on old ladies! We’re gonna max out our cards!!” She yelled at the sky once you were outside, the hot summer air hitting your skin immediately. 

“Hey, who’re you calling an old lady?!” You smacked Mina’s arm, making her stick her tongue out at you.

“Fine, whoever gets there last is an old lady!!” 

Your pink haired friend takes off toward the mall which was located about 20 minutes away from your school, with you laughing and running after her, followed by your other female friends.

The negative thoughts you had on your mind previously vanished as you all ran after one another, not giving a care in the world to the questioning looks passersby shot your ways. Spending time with your friends always somehow managed to brighten your mood, regardless of whether they knew how you were feeling or not. 

And your love for them could never be put into words.

6 girls arrived at the Misako Mall, panting, out of breath as they bought water from a vending machine.

“Oh-” You pant, fumbling with the buttons on the machine, inserting a few coins in and watching as the bottle falls to the bottom. 

“Ura-ha..ha...Uraraka, you’re an old...ha...lady!” Mina teased the gravity-quirked girl in between breaths.

“Yo-you’re so mean, ha, Mina,” Uraraka coughed, sputtering as she practically shoved the water bottle down her throat, drinking half of the bottle in a few seconds.

“Slow down - ribbit - Ochaco-chan,” Tsu patted the said girl’s back, making sure she didn’t choke.

“Well, guys, where do you want to go first?” Momo spoke up, after you guys rested a bit on the benches in the lobby. 

“I kind of wanted to check out the accessories in that shop we passed earlier,” Jirou scratched the back of her neck awkwardly, nodding towards a shop near the entrance of the mall.

You all turned to look at the store she was talking about, not surprised to see the exterior of the shop decorated in dark, emo-style accessories - exactly Jirou’s style.

“I want to go there too - ribbit,” Tsu nodded in agreement, this time shocking the group, since Tsu had always seemed to be into more cuter accessories. 

“I was actually interested in that one over there,” Momo tapped her chin thoughtfully, gesturing towards a high-class looking store on the second floor of the mall. 

“That looks nice! I really like that white dress they have in the front,” Uraraka stared dreamily at the level above you guys, and an idea popped into your head.

“Why don’t we split into pairs? That way, we can all check out the stores we want to and meet up back here when we’re all done!” Your suggestion earned approving nods from the rest, all of you agreeing to text in the groupchat you had when you were finished in your stores.  

Tsu and Jirou, Momo and Uraraka, and you and Mina walked off into different directions of the mall, chatting excitedly.

You and Mina decided to first go into a casual-styled store filled with jeans, tops, jackets, etc. 

Walking into the store, a friendly cashier at the counter greeted you guys, who you both smiled back at.

Thankful for the cool air conditioner providing a contrast to the burning weather outside, you scanned the racks for anything that caught your eye.

“Oh! Y/N look here!” You turned to where your pink friend had ran to, spotting her a few aisles down.

Making your way towards her, she holds up a light pink, off the shoulder top decorated with small flowers and a lace ribbon in her hands eagerly.

“Do you think this would look good on me? I really like the color!” She beams at you, holding the clothing item up to herself, admiring it in a tall mirror nearby. 

You study it for a second, before smiling back at her and nodding excitedly in agreement.

“It suits your skin color so well too! You should go try it on!”

“You think so??” She grins at you happily as you chuckle back in response. 

“You should pick out some clothes first, then we can go to the changing rooms together!”

“Okay, let me look around a bit more!” You walk off to the other side of the store, studying any clothes that may peak your interest. 

A striped red, orange, and white button-up shirt catches your eye, hanging on one of the racks. You take it and hold it up to your torso, satisfied with the way it looked. 

Keeping it around your arm to try on later, you decide to pick out a few more clothes to try on to avoid making multiple trips to the changing room. Just as you were about to turn around and continue your search for more clothes, you felt a figure approach behind you. 

“Hey, uh, sorry to bother you but I thought you were really pretty, and I was wondering if I could get your number?”

A voice made you turn around, and you were met by a man who looked a bit older than you. 

He was standing right in front of you now, his eyes staring at...the top of your head?

You cleared your throat awkwardly, not expecting the sudden question. 

“Oh! Thank you, but I have a boyfriend already, I’m sorry-”

The man’s eyes finally focus on your face, before laughing at you.

Wait, what?

You furrowed your eyebrows at the still laughing man, who looked down at you like you were a mere piece of dirt below him.

“I’m not talking to you, you’re not even pretty?” He scoffed when you gaped at him. 

“I’m talking to the hottie behind you,” He grinned and stared past you to whoever was standing there.

You slowly turned around, expecting to see some random stranger behind you, but you were met by a puff of familiar pink hair.

“O-oh, Mina...” You mumbled, not wanting to make eye contact with your friend, disheartened from the man’s words.

You were never one to get bothered by anyone’s words, especially not from a stranger, but this one hit you differently.

“What did you say to my friend?! You wanna repeat that, huh?!” Mina yelled at the man, steam almost emitting out of her pink ears. 

“Woah, calm down, pinkie, I just wanted to get your number - I didn’t know she was your friend.” He chuckled, and glanced at you again.

“Just saying, you could do so much better.” It was like bullets, the man’s words, aimed straight at your heart.

Storming up to the man, Mina slapped him directly on his face, leaving both of you in shock.

“Say that again, I dare you!!” You ushered Mina away from the furious man despite her protests of wanting to beat him up.

“Hmph, who does he think he is?!” You stopped walking when you guys were a good distance from the stranger.

You bit your lip, trying to suppress your emotions and not make a fool of yourself in a public space.

“It’s fine, I-I don’t really care,” Sighing, you gave Mina a small unconvincing smile, which she saw right through.

“Are you okay, Y/N? Don’t listen to him! He’s just blind,” She huffed, crossing her arms over her chest. 

You chuckled softly, trying to change the subject, “I’m fine, come on, let’s go try on our clothes.” 

Mina sighed, eyeing the one top you had on your arm. “You only have one shirt? Don’t you want to try on more?” 

You scanned the racks around you guys, randomly picking a pair of black plaid pants, flashing your friend another smile. 

“It’s okay, there’s not much I like here,” You grabbed her arm and led her into the changing rooms, chuckling at her pile of clothes hanging over her arm. 

“You sure got a lot, Mina.”

“Their clothes are really nice!!” 

Mina and you went into rooms besides each other, and you could hear the girl squealing while trying on her clothing.

Instead of trying on your clothes immediately, you slumped against the white door, taking a deep breath, the man’s comments still on your mind.

You’re not even pretty.

You could do so much better.

Wrapping your arms around your torso, you looked in the mirror on the wall across you, taking in your appearance.

There were few things about you that would seem appealing to any man, and you should’ve gotten over the stares people give you wherever you go by now, but it was hard.

It really was.

Of course people would be attracted to Mina first, or anyone in your friend group, for that matter. She was outgoing, kind, bright, and feminine. 

Tears poking at the corners of your eyes, you quickly wiped them away with the back of your hand before they fell. 

Why couldn’t people just accept who you were?

Why couldn’t people accept the fact that you were happy in your own body, and that you loved yourself the way you were?

The common stereotype that all females had to be feminine, had to be proper, you were tired of it.

A loud knock from the other side of the door you were leaning against sounded, and you jumped a little, before hearing your friend’s cheery voice. 

“Y/N! Are you finished? I want to show you the top!”

“Oh- One second!”

Quickly tidying up your appearance to get rid of any hints of your silent breakdown, you unlocked the door and looked over Mina.

You were right.

The light pink color of the top really did complement her skin color well, her slender shoulders were exposed, and the lacey ribbon around the collarbone area of her shirt gave it a finishing touch.

Gasping, you admired how good it looked on her, while she giggled and jumped excitedly in place.

“It looks so beautiful on you Mina!!” You gave her a small hug, giggling along. “It’s like it was made for you!”

“Thanks!! What about your clothes?” She nodded towards your top and pants still sitting in the changing room, untouched.

You coughed, “Oh- uh give me a second, I still need to try on the top,” She nodded and pushed you back into the room eagerly.

“Show me when you’re done!”

You nodded and smiled back at her before walking back into the room and locking the door behind you.

You had already lost all interest in shopping today, but reluctantly changed into the striped button-up shirt, looking at yourself in the mirror. 

It was okay, nothing really special, and you certainly wouldn’t be spared any second glances from anyone. Not that you cared, you were already in a happy and healthy relationship with Shoto.

Shoto.

A thought suddenly popped into your mind. 

What did Shoto think about your appearance? Coming from a rich family, it was only natural that he would be into proper, feminine females. 

Why was he even dating you? Does he actually mean it every time he calls you beautiful?

Maybe you should change your hairstyle. Or the way you dressed. Maybe then, Shoto would love you.

Maybe then, he would think you’re beautiful.

Running your hand through your short strands of hair, you suddenly didn’t want to be here anymore.

You wished you were in the safety of your dorm, under the blankets where no one would have to look at you.

You were probably an eyesore, walking around everyday at school, getting judgmental looks from left to right.

Shaking your head, you tried to push those thoughts to the back of your mind, straightening yourself back up.

Unlocking the door again, wanting to get this day over with, you were met by a excited Mina as she looked over at you. You noticed that she had changed back to her own shirt.

“You look great Y/N!!” She hopped excitedly over to you as she admired your top.

You shrugged, glancing down at your top. “I mean, it’s okay, I guess.” 

She raised her eyebrows at your response, asking worriedly, “Do you not like it?” 

“Not really, it’s kind of plain.” Sighing, you picked at the sleeves and wrinkles of the shirt. 

“Oh,” Mina pursed her lips together, cocking her head to the side. “That’s alright, then. What about the pants?”

Truth was, you had forgotten to try on the pants while you were inside, and you didn’t want to risk purchasing something you weren’t sure would look good on you.

“Oh-uh, I didn’t like that one too much either,” You glanced back at the item still hanging in the changing room.

“Oh no,” Mina pouted. “Are you going to buy anything?”

Biting your lip, you shook your head. “Guess not.”

It wasn’t really that you didn’t want to buy anything, you just thought that at this point, it didn’t matter what you wore.

Because, you weren’t as feminine as other girls.

"Give me a second to change back, and we can go to another store.” She looked like she was about to say something, but decided to close her mouth and nodded instead.

The remaining time you spent with Mina was just her jumping around stores excitedly and you mindlessly staring at clothes you wouldn’t ever buy.

It was about 2 in the afternoon when you all decided to meet back up, ready to head back to school.

You realized that you hadn’t bought a single item in the past 4 hours spent in wandering around the mall. 

“Y/N! Did you not buy anything?” Momo asks worriedly as you and Mina approach the other two pairs in the lobby.

You shook your head at the tall girl, sighing, “Nothing really caught my eye today.”

“Oh, we can walk around a bit more together if you’d like!” Uraraka offers, holding a large bag in her own hands.

You smiled at her words, shaking your head again. “No, it’s alright! I’m sure we’re all tired, let’s head back.” 

“Gosh, this weird man came up to us earlier and had the audacity to call our little Y/N here unattractive??! And then proceeded to ask for my number??” Mina huffed, clenching her fists dramatically at the memory.

You chuckled awkwardly. “Mina, you didn’t have to slap the poor man.”

“Poor man? By the sounds of it, he hasn’t learned his lesson yet.” Jirou speaks up, cracking her knuckles, eyes darkening. “Where is he?”

You laughed. “Jirou-”

“Oh dear, that’s terrible.” Momo patted your shoulder. “You’re very beautiful, Y/N, you know that?” 

You smiled at the kind girl, letting out a deep breath. 

“I understand where he’s coming from, though...” You mumbled quietly.

“Did you say something, Y/N?” Uraraka asks from next to you.

Shaking your head quickly, you link your arms with the brown haired girl, grinning at everyone. “Let’s head back now!”

Pushing open the large glass doors, you were met once again by the humid air, the sun’s rays burning down on your exposed skin.

The girls chattered happily about their new purchases, peeking inside the others’ bags and taking a couple out to show.

Even though you walked in the middle of Uraraka and Momo, you couldn’t help but feel left out, not having any new clothing to wear.

Swallowing the lump in your throat, you nudged Momo, making her turn around and look at you.

“Hey Yaomomo, what’d you get?”

She smiled and opened her bag for you to peek inside, and you almost had to close your eyes from the amount of bling inside,

Bling, meaning dresses decorated in gems, with a few jewelry pieces and other accessories. Of course, there were a couple casual wear on the bottom of the bag.

“Oh, I’m not even surprised anymore,” You pretended to huff at Momo, turning the other way.

“You’re so classy and fancy, Yaomomo, are you trying to flex your class on me?” 

She laughed, slapping your back lightly. “Oh sorry, I just can’t help that I’m so rich and proper.” 

You tensed up at her words. Of course, you knew she was being sarcastic, but her use of words hit the same spot in you again as earlier. 

“Hey guys...” Mina starts, wiggling her eyebrows.

“What?” An ominous feeling settles in all of your stomachs. 

“Last one to the dorms is an old lady!” 

All of you groan, watching as the pink alien girl takes off once again, having no choice but to follow behind.

6 girls arrived back at the dorm building, panting once again. 

“Mina- ha, I swear to - god,” You breathe out, pants coming from all six of you.

Mina just giggles at you as you all arrive back in the common room. Your classmates are sprawled out in different places throughout the room, and their heads all perk up simultaneously at the new arrivals. 

Bakugou were surrounded by Kirishima, Kaminari and Sero, as always, trying his best to swat them away. 

Tokoyami and Aoyama were chatting in the kitchen, while Iida, Midoriya and Shoto hung around the TV, watching whatever movie was put on.

Ojiro, Koda, Shoji, and Sato were nowhere to be seen, you guessed they were up in their own rooms. 

“Oh, hey guys! Welcome back!” A certain red-head’s voice chirped from the middle of the room, flashing you all his big smile.

“Hey Kirishima!” Mina smiled back at the boy before making her way up to her own room to organize her newly bought items. 

Momo, Tsu, Jirou, and Uraraka followed after her, while you made your way over to where your boyfriend was on one of the other couches. 

“Hey, love.” Shoto smiles at you softly as he opens his arms for you to give him a hug. 

“Hey Sho,” You happily accept your place in his arms, tired from the long day you had. “I missed you.” 

“I missed you as well,” He plants a small kiss on the top of your head. He was about to say something else before a realization dawns on him.

“Love, did you not buy anything?” You gulp, afraid that your boyfriend would see through your feelings and ask you what was wrong.

“Oh- uh, I just didn’t feel like anything caught my eye today!” You shrug, hoping that he would accept your answer and move on.

Of course, Shoto could be dense at times, but he is everything but stupid.

He always knew how you adored these little shopping sprees with your girls, and never once had you arrived back empty handed. On top of that, your vibe just seemed a bit...off.

“Can we go to your room and cuddle? I’m a little tired,” You look up at him, to which he responded by giving you a small kiss and chuckling.

“Of course, let’s go, love.” 

After saying goodbye to Iida and Midoriya, you both made your way to Shoto’s dorm, immediately flopping down on the bed after stepping inside.

Shoto laughed softly at your eagerness, wasting no time and following in after, wrapping his arms around your waist and pressing you flush against his chest.

The warmth and vanilla scent of your boyfriend was enough to calm you down and get rid of any past bad thoughts you were having earlier that day.

You felt him bury his face inside your hair, inhaling softly your shampoo from this morning. Normally, you would’ve swooned at the action, but it somehow made you feel uneasy. Insecure.

Shriveling away a little from his body, you were met by a very confused Shoto staring back at you.

“...Love?”

You bit your lip, not sure how to explain why you seemed uncomfortable.

“I-,uh, Shoto?” Your eyes made contact with his as he hummed in response. You decided it was now or never.

“Do you...think I’m pretty?” Biting your lip anxiously as you awaited his answer.

Confusion flashed through your boyfriend’s face. What kind of a question was that?

That was what he wanted to ask, until he noticed the tears forming in your eyes, and worriedly sat up, bringing you with him.

“Of course I think you’re pretty. You’re beautiful, darling.” 

Not convinced, you sniffle before asking again, “Really?”

He furrows his eyebrows together, lifting you up and onto his lap so you were straddling him now, both of you in a sitting position.

“Did something happen, love? Why are you asking me these questions?” He reaches up to wipe a stray tear that had slipped its way through your eyes with his thumb. 

“No reason-” You started, but your boyfriend’s piercing gaze told you he wouldn’t take that as an answer.

Taking a deep breath, you avoided his eyes as you began to speak.

“Today, when we were at the mall, a man came up to me, called me pretty, and asked for my number-”

Shoto raises his eyebrows, to which you wave away quickly.

“-I thought he was talking to me, but turns out he was speaking to Mina, who had been standing behind me. He then called me-” You cleared your throat, a bit anxious for your boyfriend’s reaction. 

“He said that I wasn’t pretty, and that Mina could do so much better than being friends with someone like me...” Your voice trails off as you felt Shoto’s grip on your waist tighten.

“He...what?” You could’ve sworn you saw flames flicker behind Shoto’s eyes, his left and right hands heating and cooling on your sides without thinking, to which you yelped a little, surprised by the temperature change.

His eyes softened, looking down at your waist and rubbing it softly. “Oh- I’m sorry, love, I did not mean to hurt you.”

You shake your head, smiling at him. “You didn’t hurt me at all, Shoto.”

He exhales deeply, looking into your eyes. “Baby, you’re the most beautiful, kind, amazing girl I’ve ever met in my life. Don’t ever listen to what anyone else says, you’re absolutely perfect the way you are.”

Shoto plants a deep kiss on your lips, tears threatening to spill over at his touching words.

When you pull away, there’s still a lingering thought in the back of your mind. 

“Don’t you ever wish - that you had a more...you know...” You rubbed your eyes, sniffling as the first few tears made their ways down your cheeks.

Shoto tilts his head to the side as he pulls you closer to his body, rubbing soothing circles on your lower back. 

“A what, love?”

“You know, a more...feminine...girlfriend?”

You nervously glance at him, waiting for his response. 

There’s silence for a moment, and your heart drops. 

“Who ever said that girls have to be feminine?” 

You directly look into his eyes for the first time that evening, confusion plastered on your face.

Shoto has a soft and loving, but firm expression as he speaks. 

“I don’t care if you dress, or appear differently than other girls. There is no “correct” way to look if you are a certain gender. You’re absolutely beautiful no matter what you do, or wear.” He leans forward to peck your lips once again.

“But...when I look at someone like Yaomomo, she’s just - so much more attractive and proper than someone like me...”

Shoto sighs, tilting your chin down to look at him.

“Proper? What’s not proper about you, Y/N? Your hair? Your clothing choices? Baby, you could wear a trash bag, have long hair - or even shave your head bald, I’d still fall in love with you all over again.” 

You giggle a little, making him chuckle, seeing that he successfully cheered you up a bit.

“I mean it, Y/N. I love you, and I’ll continue loving you, forever. Please don’t ever feel like you have to compare yourself to other girls, because you’ll always be the prettiest girl in my heart.”

Your heart felt like it was on the verge of bursting as you leant forward, kissing your boyfriend deeply. It was like all your emotions were expressed through that kiss. It was almost as if Shoto’s loving words washed away every single insecurity that has ever passed your mind in your whole life.

“Thank you so much, Shoto. I love you, so, so much.” You both grin as you placed your foreheads together, noses brushing against each other. 

“I want you to say it, love. Tell me you love yourself, and that you’re beautiful.” 

Your face heated up from the request, placing your hands on Shoto’s shoulders and trying to push him away, only to have your wrists caught by his strong hands as he leaned closer. 

“Come on, Y/N, I’m waiting,” he smirks at your flustered expression. 

You pouted a bit, before taking a deep breath, embarrassed from Shoto’s intense stare.

“I-uh- I love myself the way I am, and...I’m beautiful.” You squealed and cover your face with your hands after finishing your sentence, not used to those words coming out of your mouth.

A laugh escapes Shoto as he pries your hands away from your face, placing a kiss on your nose. 

“That’s right, love. What do you say we go shopping tomorrow, just me and you?” 

Your eyes brightened at the idea, and Shoto could feel butterflies flooding his stomach. 

“Yes!! I’d love that, Shoto,” You threw your arms around your boyfriend’s neck, burying your face into his hair.

He chuckles in response, leaning back and studying your face for a moment, making you confused.

Then, he takes your arms and pushes you back until your back is pressed against the bed, pinning them above you. His body hovers over yours, as his knee sneakily moves up to place itself between your thighs.

“But right now, let me show you just how beautiful you are, darling.”

[seraphdreams]

lol what do u think the different aot boys cars would be like

imo

Jean keeps his car pretty clean for the most part but has some old receipts, loose change, and other small misc clutter. He definitely has a black ice air freshener though like the little tree one. I feel like he’d have like a juul or something always in the cup holder though lmao.

Erens car has crap all over the place and empty water bottles and take out wrappers and you try to get in the passenger seat and he’s like “oh u can just throw that in the back” and it’s like a pair of his sweaty gym shorts. He has air fresheners too though.

Connies car always smells like loud but he keeps it pretty clean but the backseat is like littered with random clothes of his and old water bottles and monster cans. He would probably have car leds too though like he has the fun car in the group.

Armins car is literally so clean and smells like laundry bc he has those air fresheners that clip on the vents. He also has like spare waters and napkins and plastic bags because he always has to be the designated driver and drunk eren/Jean has booted in the back seat before.

Sasha definitely drives an old like hand me down car from her dad but she makes it look cool. Like steering wheel cover and some sort of fruity air freshener but the car perpetually smells like McDonald’s anyways. She’d have like random goofy bumper stickers too.

Mikasa has a mom car. She also volunteers to be the designated driver sometimes but she’s more chill than armin. She has one of those phone stands like an Uber driver. It’s very clean but in the trunk she has a bunch of random crap that she just keeps there.

-🪱

OMFG OKAY SO I MADE A DRAFT ABOUT THIS BEFORE YOU SENT SO IM GONNA PUT IN SOME OF MY IDEAS

aot characters driving

eren

⁃ ROAD RAGE ASF for like no reason

⁃ someone cuts him off, he’s mad. someone doesn’t use their blinkers, he’s mad

⁃ he can be a bit chiller sometimes

⁃ don’t let jean be in the car either.

⁃ “bro make a left turn”

⁃ “no mf! i said a LEFT TURN”

⁃ dirty ass car

⁃ reeks of weed

levi

⁃ he doesn’t even wanna be bothered with driving

⁃ probably contemplating his life while he’s at the wheel

⁃ he’s good at driving though.

⁃ listens to like jazz or a talk show on the radio with a cup of coffee in his hand

erwin

⁃ he drives like a dad

⁃ i will not elaborate

⁃ probably lip syncs to himself

⁃ or he can be a chill driver with jazz in the back

⁃ his car smells really nice

⁃ like vanilla

jean (he definitely has an all black 2019 charger)

⁃ best driver.

⁃ he does that hot hand thing with the wheel

⁃ prefers driving at night but if he has to drive during the day, he will

⁃ designated driver, unless he’s drunk

⁃ he probably yells at sasha for eating in his car.

⁃ LMAOAOA WAIT CAUSE

⁃ sasha will be eating a snack or something and connie will turn around from the front seat (blocking the rear view) like “AYY LEMME GET ONE”

⁃ and jean’s just mad asf

mikasa

⁃ miss girl is chill

⁃ she doesn’t even get too mad

⁃ like if someone cuts her off or she’s in traffic she’ll just quietly go “oh fuck you”

⁃ when she’s in eren’s car she has to tell him to CHILL OUT

⁃ he’s probably like “mikasa how can you be so chill, do you not see the road?”

⁃ and she’s just like 😐

hange

⁃ OH PLS DONT LET THEM DRIVE

⁃ they’re probably like “hm i wonder what this button does?” and makes the car alarm go off or something

⁃ and levi has to be in the front seat with them

⁃ they drive pretty fast and SWERVE like everywhere

⁃ WHY HANGE??

⁃ everyone knows to put their seatbelts on when being in the car with them

ymir

⁃ she’s a tame eren

⁃ she’ll get mad and probably flip the drivers off

⁃ she carpools historia bc she doesn’t drive

⁃ (not that historia can’t drive, ymir just doesn’t want her to drive)

⁃ her destination is either her place or the mall, no in between

⁃ she definitely starts arguments with random passerby’s

armin

⁃ mikasa and jean combined

⁃ he’s a good, chill driver

⁃ he doesn’t get too upset

⁃ he takes care of his car and he lets people use it if they need

⁃ his only issue is that he gets lost quite frequently

⁃ like he uses the gps and still gets lost

⁃ he goes to the beach a lot, so there’s always sand in his car

connie

⁃ no

⁃ he can’t drive

⁃ he can, but not too good

sasha

⁃ pretty new to driving but is still good

⁃ she goes to new restaurants all the time

⁃ if connie needs a ride, he’ll ask her

⁃ her car smells like food

⁃ like week old food

⁃ jean has to clean it like every week

⁃ save her

[stars-in-my-universe]

Every Lie That You Told Prt.3-Tyler Seguin

Note: Part 3 everyone! I appreciate all of your guy’s feedback so much, I didn’t expect you guys to love this series as much as you guys do! Unfortunately there will be one more part after this and that’ll be a wrap. Please continue with the feedback and the love, you all are great! Im sorry if this is trash, I hope it’s not but if it is feel free to let me know! 

Warnings: Smut and cussing. 

Part 1

Part 2

“Fuck Tyler,” your hips immediately shot up from the bed as he had slide two fingers into you making your thighs shake a bit. You two had been going at it for awhile now, he had invited you over this morning after you had come back from a short graveyard shift. You two had slept for a couple of hours and you had woken up to him kissing your neck and grinding against your ass, hard on very apparent. 

Between the heated kisses and the lingering hands it all lead into him sliding into you and both of you cumming with each other and then him sliding down your body, making you cum again with just his tongue. You were on your third orgasm now as you could feel the pressure in your lower tummy increase.

“Tyler, you’re gonna make me cum.” You were arching your back, trying to get his fingers deeper but also trying to wiggle away, the attention on your sore cunt all too much. 

“That’s the plan baby,”

You risked a look up at him and saw him staring down at where his fingers were disappearing into you, eyebrows raised and the sound of your wetness echoing throughout the room. You could feel it in your body, down your spine all the way to your toes, the warmth of the orgasm spreading through you. It was a slow one, one that spread through your bones and took over making your legs shake and you gasp out gripping onto whatever you can. 

When you reopened your eyes Tyler was laying next to you smiling, both of you panting hard. You smiled back at him, but groaned when you heard the dogs bark outside the door.

“It’s okay, I got it. Take a nap, I’ll come Back up when I’m done letting them out.” You sighed as he leaned over to kiss you and you watched as he got up sliding on a pair of shorts, and leaving the room.You couldn’t help but admire the tattoos on his arms and chest the way his back muscles moved when he put the shorts on made your thighs clench together. You had just cum back to back and yet you still wanted more. He sent you a smirk and made his way out of the room whistling for the dogs to follow him. 

Even though You were still in your post orgasm state  you knew in the back of your mind you should’ve ended this awhile go. After he had came to Your apartment that night after your date, the argument you two had escalating into him going down on you and then proceeding to make you cum on your kitchen table then your couch, then ending up in bed;  he had stayed over and woke you up with breakfast. 

He then proceeded to kiss you goodbye and told you he’d be back later on tonight which he kept his word. You realized this was as close to a relationship You were going to get with him right now and you couldn’t lie, it made you forget about his fear of commitment.

It had only been about two weeks but His phone was also never Blowing up anymore, he would still go out but he was never seen with a girl in his lap and you hadn’t seen the cute Blonde hanging out with him either. He may not have fully Committed to you but you could see the small signs that showed he was at least going to try until maybe he was ready. And you were debating if you should hang on to that a little longer or just leave. 

You were shaken out of your thoughts when the door opened again and cash jumped on the bed, the black lab immediately licking your face and making you squeal. Where as Gerry was Tyler’s favorite no matter what he said, he was, cash and Marshall always had a soft spot for you and you adored both of them to no end, to the point where you made Tyler put cash on a diet so he could lose weight.

“Sorry he beat me up here. For a fat dog he sure can run.”

You pouted at Him.

“Don’t call him fat you’re going to give him a complex.” Tyler laughed and shook his head, sitting down next to you on the bed. Cash laid happily in front of you as you pet the dog’s fur and rubbed his ears. You sighed as you felt Tyler’s finger trace over your bare shoulder and down your back.

“So. There was something I wanted to ask you.” You looked over at Tyler, his curls a mess, his lips a dark Pink and his shirtless chest on display, the tattoos covered in the light layer of sweat from your recent activities.

“Yes?”

“So this Thursday is casino night, for the Stars. I was wondering if you wanted to go with me, as my date?”

You stared at him wide-eyed. This was new; he never really asked you out anywhere, this was a formal event. His teammates and their wives and girlfriends would be there.

“I mean if you don’t work, if you do that’s cool to- it’s fine. I’m just-“ you nodded, you could tell with your lack of answer he was getting nervous. No one ever really said no to Tyler Seguin, and today was no different. 

“Yeah, I’ll go with you.” You watched as smile

Slowly Make its way on his face. His cheeks and ears had a light flush to them making you bite your lip.

“Just text me a time I should be ready by and what color I should wear.” Tyler shook his head.

“Send me your sizes for shoes and dresses and I’ll grab everything else.”

You gave him a weary look. You hated when he bought you stuff.

“It’s just one night and I did invite you. Come on, y/n.” You sighed and nodded, you might as well considering all that he’s put you through.

“Alright fine, you win Seguin. Now move, I  gotta get up and go home. I got work early tomorrow!” You let out a squeal as he grabbed your ankle sliding you to the edge of the bed and without blinking he lifted you onto him, his hands supporting your butt and your arms immediately Going around his neck.

“But if we shower together...we can save water and time.” You rolled your eyes but as you felt the hard on very apparently against you’re thigh how could you say no?

X-x 

“Can I get an upside down iced Machiato please?” You ordered your drink and walked over to the side counter of the Starbucks to wait for your name to be called. 

You didn’t have much plans today, just wanted to grab a quick coffee and maybe go on a target run for the basic necessities. The thing is the universe had a funny way of switching up your plans.

“It’s you.” You turned around when you heard a voice, unsure if they were talking to you or someone else. But as soon as you saw the blonde you knew, she was definitely talking to you. 

“You’re Chelsea.” It wasn’t a question, you remembered the blonde.

“Yeah, you’re y/n. How could I forget?” You winced at her words. Where the hell was your drink? 

You didn’t really Know what to say, you knew Tyler hadn’t called her in awhile, considering he had been with you almost every other night. 

“You think you did it don’t you?” You gave her a curious look.

“Excuse me?” She was angry, the fire in her eyes could not be mistaken for anything else.

“You think you tamed him, that he’s finally ready to settle down. Let me guess, did he go over to your apartment and tell you how he’s not ready for commitment but if he was he’d be in a relationship with you?” You felt your heart drop to your stomach. He had a girlfriend. Fuck boy. You could feel the words sliding in and out of your mind.

“You’re the reason why he called us off though, you’re no different though Y/n. We’re pretty much the same, you want him, I want him. But he’s never going to change and you know that. He’s never going to grow up.” There it was, all the insecurities you had brushed off, all your fears were standing right in front of you in the Starbucks of downtown Dallas, in the form of a cute little blonde.

“I did everything right, I cooked for

Him after his road trips, I took care of the dogs, I did whatever he wanted, and then he shows up

To your apartment begging for you to not end it-“ 

“How do you know that-'' she let out  a sick laugh. The one that you knew people used even though nothing was really funny.

“Oh sweetie, you don’t think he ended it right away did you? He came over after he left you, I could smell someone else’s body spray on him. I begged him to not end it, it didn’t work clearly. But I did get to sleep With him one last time.”

You felt your blood run cold. Not even hours after you two had fucked, he had gone to a different girl and fucked her too. You could feel the air leave your lungs and all you wanted to do was get out of there.

“Let me guess y/n? He’s taking you to casino night, yeah he invited me weeks ago before he broke it off between us.” You wanted to throw up. Chelsea probably saw the disgust on your face because she shook her head and sighed.

“You don’t deserve him, especially because you’re never home. Why do you think he found me, he was single and So are you, but you’re not home enough to give Him the attention he needs. You know Tyler, you know how much he loves the attention and praise. Which is why it blows my Mind that he ended it.” At this point you justed wanted your drink and to get the hell out of there, you could feel your anxiety start to spike and the hurt run through you,

“Let Him go, Y/n. For good. End the arrangement you two have and let him find someone who can fulfill his needs. There’s a reason why he hasn’t settled down with you, if he hasn’t by now, he probably never will.” You could feel the sting of the tears in your eyes and you wanted nothing more then to go Home and never come out again. 

“Y/n!” The barista yelled out your name and without thinking  you grabbed the coffee off the counter and gave a glance back at Chelsea.

“It was nice to meet You again, have a good one Chelsea.”

You didn’t comment on anything she said nor did you give her a second glance as you pushed the door of the coffee shop open and practically sprinted out of there. 

The tears were falling freely now, your chest felt tight and you didn’t know how you were feeling. You were toying between the line of pissed off, embarrassed and hurt.  Your phone blared from your pocket making you jump and pull it out. Glaring at the screen you sent the call to voicemail, placing the phone on silent you knowing Tyler was going to keep calling and you just wanted to think things through before you completely Lost it. 

It was as if the universe thought today would be the day you ran into everyone because as you wiped your eyes trying to pull Yourself Together, you heard your name Being called. You looked up and you felt like you wanted to die. 

“Hey, Josh.” You smiled up at the man you never called back after the first date because you were too busy riding Tyler into next week.

“Hey! You never called me back after the zoo.”

The guilt settled in your stomach and you wanted nothing more for this day to be over. 

“Yeah sorry, I just- I uh, its complicated-“ 

“Wouldn’t have anything to do with the reason why you’re holding your untouched macchiato and crying?” You looked up at him and frowned, were you that obvious? Before you could stop

The tears were leaking out of the corner of your eyes.

“Oh no, hey I’m sorry. I didn’t mean anything by it!” You sniffled a bit and shook Your head.

“It’s just a mess, I’m a mess. I should go.” You went to walk away but stopped when josh reached out and grabbed your wrist.

“Hey, let me take you to your apartment. I can just drop you off or if you want I don’t know I can stick around for a bit, you can tell me about him...as friends.” You looked up at Him, you knew you looked like a mess but the way josh was looking at you, his blue eyes wide with worry and his head cocked to the side a bit. Something about him made you not able to say no.

Which is how you ended up with your phone on your coffee table, the both of you sitting side by side on the couch, Josh listening intently as you spilled everything about Tyler. Every time your phone lit up You knew Tyler was either trying to call you or text you and you still had no desire to look at the texts or call back. 

You had gotten back to the apartment and changed into a sports bra with a tank top and yoga pants, it was your usual go to relaxation outfit. You had offered josh some food or drink which he declined, leaving you to sit next to Him, no distractions or barriers just you, this man you barely Knew and the truth. 

As you told Him everything, you felt stupid and even more embarrassed as to why you let this man run your life. Josh sighed at the end of it and shook His head.

“If you ask Me he doesn’t deserve you, at all. He has a real Good thing in front of him. However, I think your feelings run deeper then just sex and lust for Him.” You closed your eyes and put your head in your hands, you knew he was right.

“I’m sorry Josh, I just needed someone to talk to That didn’t know him, a clean slate to vent to.” He sent you a small smile and shrugged.

“I told You I liked you y/n but I knew neither of us were looking for Something serious. I don’t mind just being your friend, sometimes those are Harder to come By.” You looked up at him and set him a small smile.

“You can either let Him go, or tell him He needs to Make a decision. He can’t keep

Having his cake and eating it too.” You nodded knowing he was right but not really sure how you were willing to let him go, because deep down your feelings ran a lot deeper than even you expected. 

“I’m going to go to the restroom real quick feel free to eat any of my food or anything. It’s the least I can do for making you listen to me for the past two hours.” Josh let out a laugh and shook his head.

“You’re sweet, Y/n. You don’t need to repay in food.” You sent him a small smile and got up to go pee. 

You really did wish you could’ve kept the friendship with Tyler physical, just good sex. But of course your feelings decided why keep it easy?

And for a split second you let yourself imagine what it would be like if Tyler wasn’t in the picture and you had met Josh. Josh was perfect, he was sweet, kind, funny, athletic but in a different way rather than hockey. He knew what he wanted, he was open and willing to even just be your friend. In another life, you two would probably be able to work out. Unfortunately this life was different and nothing was that easy. 

You finished up in the bathroom, making sure to wipe your eyes and make yourself look a little less of a mess. 

“Alright now that you’ve heard my sob story it’s time for yours! Whose the-'' You weren’t prepared to walk into the living room and see Josh standing by the front door, leaning against the door frame looking completely calm and collected while the other body standing in the doorway looked the complete opposite.

Tyler stood there, glaring at Josh who was now looking at you. You could tell Tyler was trying to hold it together, the hockey player never got mad but the look on his face told you he was more than likely pissed the fuck off. You didn’t know what to feel , you were full of emotions but more importantly you could feel the anger, the rage toward Tyler and as to why he was even in your apartment. 

“Who the hell is this guy, Y/n? And why the hell haven’t you been answering your phone.” You glared at him, his gaze finally falling onto you. 

“Josh was just leaving, Tyler.” Josh shook his head and sent you a look.

“I’ll see you later Y/N. Call me if you need anything.” You sent him a grateful smile and watched him push past Tyler without even giving him a second glance. Tyler scoffed and walked fully inside your apartment still waiting for your answer.

“Are you going to tell me who this strange man was in your apartment?” You shook your head.

“He was a friend, but you Tyler. You know all about being friends, or having them if you will.” He looked thoroughly confused. 

“What the hell are you-”

“I ran into Chelsea, yeah Chelsea. You know the blonde friend you ended things with after you slept with me and after you went and stuck your dick in her!” The stinging was starting behind your eyes making them start to water. 

“Fuck, Y/n.” You shook your head.

“How many lies, Tyler? How many lies?” You stared at him, the silence deafening especially because he still hadn’t said anything. How many times were you going to do this to yourself, how many times were you going to believe him?

‘He doesn’t deserve you at all…’ Josh’s voice rang through your head. 

‘You can either let him go or tell him to make a choice.’ 

“Y/n, you have to let me explain all of this, please.” You knew what you needed to do, you knew what you had to say but thinking it and doing it were two completely different things. You could hear Tyler talking still, begging you to hear him out, but you didn’t know how much more your heart could take. Without any warning, you did what you had to, you took a breath and the next words that left your mouth surprised you but from the look on his face, you knew it surprised  him more.

“I’m sorry, Tyler. I can’t do this anymore.” He had stopped talking and was looking at you, wide eyed and desperate.

“We’re done.”

x-x

@futbolwithahintoftaurus @im-a-motherfuckin-mermaid @meishaabae @marsbleach @ruefulposts @fandom-before-blood66 @jesseswartzwelder

[yourdeepestfathoms]

Quiver Dance

(Read Anne as Courtney!Anne)

it’s eleven at night and im just now finishing this fic (started at three), but!! i gotta say this probably one of my best fics. it’s very smooth and everything, at least to me, flows really well! so i hope y’all enjoy it as much as i do!

Word count: 7010

———————

“I still don’t know why we ALL had to get out of the car for a few pieces of paper.” Jane said with her arms crossed over her chest.

“You didn’t have to come.” Aragon reminded her as she knocked on the apartment’s front door. “You could have stayed in and waited for us.”

“Well,” Jane sighed. “I’m out now. Let’s just hurry so we don’t miss the movie.”

“It won’t take long,” Cathy said, then, a moment later, the door opened.

“Ah! There you guys are!” Joan beamed at them. She was clad in grey sweatpants and a light blue T-shirt with a goat on it that said, “You goat to be kidding me.” Her hair wasn’t as tamed as it usually was, with a cowlick sticking awkwardly from the top of her head, and she also didn’t have any makeup on. Large, round rose gold glasses were set on her nose, possibly to try and distract wandering gazes from the deep, dark hollows under her stormy eyes.

“Come in! Come in!” She beckoned them.

Joan’s apartment was rather simple- there was a small laundry room in the front hallway, then the living and dining room and kitchen just through the same corridor. There were four other doors: an extra room, a guest bathroom, the porch/balcony, and then the master bedroom. Most of the drawers, cabinets, end tables, and shelves were bare of decorations and pictures, rather becoming the podiums for small canvases, potted plants, and wooden carvings. A candle that smelled of vanilla and roasted nuts flickered quietly on the kitchen counter.

“I didn’t know you wore glasses.” Cleves observed.

“Oh,” Joan pushed up her glasses, as if to remind herself that she even still had them on. “Yeah. I guess you haven’t seen them before, huh? I usually wear my contacts when out of the house.”

“Did you make all of these?” Cathy asked, gazing around the apartment. “The statues, I mean.”

Joan looks excited that someone noticed the figurines. Her feet shuffle happily for a moment as a blissful smile grows on her lips. “Yes!” She said. “I usually just carve them out of random branches, but sometimes I’ll buy actual logs. Now THAT makes a mess because of all the chips, but bigger statues come out of them!” She waved at a large carving of a throne with intricate swirls and spirals running down the sides. It must have taken forever to scratch away at to make it look so perfect. “I can also do soap! Anyway, this is my favorite.” She held up a dragon made of pale wood. There were a few strings of beads strewn around the neck and wings. “They’re kinda like my friends, I guess. Nobody to talk to so I make my own! They’re better company than you would think.”

“The papers, Joan.” Jane said, snapping her fingers impatiently.

“We have a movie we got tickets for.” Kitty added, although less demanding as the silver queen’s comment.

“Oh! Right! What movie? Also, do you want tea?” Joan said. “Man, I can finally make tea! I never drink any. Caffeine addiction. Haha. Anyway, what kind do you want? Also what color cup? I can only drink tea out of this light blue cup. Don’t know what’s that about.” She laughed.

“Oh, no thank you,” Aragon said politely.

“We don’t have time, Joan. We told you we have plans.” Jane said a lot less politely.

“Really?” Joan said with a wistful look. “It won’t take long. I even have honey!”

“No, sorry.” Cathy said.

Joan frowned and stopped rooting through her kitchen cabinets. She awkwardly rubbed her palms against her sweatpants.

“Right. Of course. Sorry.” She said. “What was I getting again?”

“The papers!” Kitty snapped exasperatedly.

“Oh yeah! Stay here.”

Joan scampered past them and disappeared into the room next to the guest bathroom. She strangely closes the door behind her, so the queens are left unsupervised in the living area of the flat. Almost instantly, Jane impatiently checked her watch, realized she didn’t wear a watch, then snagged out her phone to check the time on that. Kitty took her phone out, too, to try and entertain herself, as it appeared that Joan would take a few moments since they could all hear her rooting around in the extra room loudly. The other four went to inspect the unique decorations filling the place.

“She really made these?” Aragon said more to herself than to the others. She was delicately running her thumb over the spikes of a wooden hedgehog.

“It’s pretty cool,” Cleves admitted, setting down a craggy oak crown. “I’d never have the patience to have this as a hobby, though.”

“Agreed,” Cathy said.

“Really?” Anne looked over at her. “This is too much, but slaving yourself over a whole book isn’t?”

“Writing is one thing,” Cathy said. “Carving little details into wood is a whole different story. One that I’m not willing to write.”

“Nice one.” Cleves appraised.

“God, what’s taking her so long?” Jane growled.

“You can wait a moment,” Aragon said.

“Yeah, being in here isn’t going to poison you or something.” Anne added. Jane rolled her eyes at her.

“I don’t like being late. Also WHAT IS THAT.”

They all turned to see a patchy black and white cat lazily strolling out of the master bedroom. It looked like it had been run over, dismembered, and then put back together with several other feline parts, but it held itself like it was the most pristine lion to ever walk the earth. It glanced over at the queens, meowed at them, then continued on its stroll to the food as water bowls set up by the back door.

“It’s a cat, dumbass.” Anne said, earning a snort from Aragon and then a glare from Jane.

“It’s not funny.” Aragon said quickly after Jane glared at her, too, but it was obvious she wasn’t threatened by the silver queen at all.

“Tea Cake is a cat,” Jane said, referring to their pet. “THAT is an overgrown street rat.”

“Well, one could assume the same about you, but you don’t see us pointing it out.” Anne said deftly, dodging the livid daggers Jane shoots at her as she walks over to the cat.

“Should have stayed in the car.” Aragon shrugged when Jane gave her a ‘are you going to let her talk to me like that?’ look.

“Can we stop fighting?” Kitty asked. She grabbed Jane’s hand and smiled at the woman, essentially letting her know that SHE didn’t think she was an overgrown street rat. Jane smiled back at her.

“Yes, let’s.” Cathy said. She had been skillfully ignoring the bickering by putting all her attention on a watercolor painting of a flock of sheep in a field of yellow and red tulips.

“We’re not-” Anne began, but she was cut off when the door to the extra room burst open and Joan stumbled out like her foot was caught on something.

“I found them!” Joan shouted, waving a folder in the air.

“Took you long enough,” Jane grumbled, taking it from her.

“Sorry,” Joan gave her a sheepish smile. “Kinda lost them in my things.”

“And here I thought you were all about order and tidiness.” Cleves chuckled.

Joan looked a touch embarrassed. “W-well I—” She opened and closed her fists in the air, like she was grasping for floating words to fill her sentence with. “Sometimes things get messy. Everything gets messy! Anyway. I see you’ve met Whatever!”

“What?” Cathy blinked at her.

Joan padded over to the cat Anne had been petting. It looked up at her and rubbed against her knees when she crouched down.

“This is Whatever! I got her from the pound. Could you believe they were about to put her down? I adopted her just in time.” Joan said. “Oh, and her name is Whatever because I couldn’t think of a name so I asked one of the stagehands and they just said ‘whatever.’ And so! The title was born!” She beamed proudly.

“That’s adorable.” Anne said, which made a bright red blush flame on Joan’s face.

“Oh, yeah, cool.” Jane said. “We gotta go.”

“She’s right,” Cleves nodded, glancing at the time set below the TV. “The movie starts in thirty minutes.”

“And the theater is twenty minutes away.” Jane said ruefully.

“We’ll make it,” Aragon said. “Come on, everyone.”

Joan stood up, watching them all bustle towards the front door. As Anne was pulling on her coat from its hook, she saw her open her mouth to say something, but close it after presumably changing her mind. From her angle, the girl didn’t just look lonely, she also looked very sad.

“I think I’m gonna stay.”

The words came flooding out of her mouth before she could even think about what she was saying. The others looked back at her in confusion.

“What?” Cleves tilted her head.

“I’m gonna stay. With Joan.” Anne said again, this time knowing what she wanted.

“We already bought the tickets.” Jane said.

“My wallet’s in the car,” Anne responded smoothly. “Take some money out and buy any snacks with that. It should be enough to pay back the ticket.”

“I’ll stay, too,” Aragon said, and Anne gave her a pleasantly surprised look. Jane, on the other hand, looks quite ruffled. Kitty seemed a bit upset that her cousin wasn’t going.

“But—” Jane closed her mouth, and Anne was sure she was grinding her teeth. “Oh, fine!”

“I’m gonna make you watch the movie with me when it comes out on Amazon, though,” Kitty said to Anne, who laughed and nodded.

“Sounds like a plan!” Anne said. “Have fun!”

The front door closes. Anne gave Aragon a smile before they both turned to Joan, whose eyes were wide and sparkling. It’s clear she has never been chosen over something else before.

“I’ll make the tea!” She said, scrambling for her kettle.

Aragon and Anne walked over and took a seat at two of the bar stools at the kitchen counter. They watched as Joan hurried about the kitchen, filling a teapot with water and then setting it on the heating stove before rooting around for some cups in one of her cabinets.

“This is so nice of you guys to do,” Her muffled voice said. “I don’t think I’ve ever had visitors stay over. Oh, this will be so fun!”

That made Aragon and Anne exchange looks. They knew Joan was lonely, but surely she had other friends to hang out with...

“Oh, no,” Joan said when she’s asked about that. She doesn’t seem bothered by the question, like she had accepted her isolation a long time ago. “It’s a little hard to make friends. Trust me, I’ve tried. People don’t like when random strangers try to strike up conversation with them at the park or on the street, and everyone at the bar either wants to get in your pants or get free drinks off of you. So, uhh...no. No friends. I mean, aside from my carvings! And Whatever!”

Poor lonely girl, Anne thought with a frown. When she looked at her fellow queen, she saw that she had a matching concerned expression.

“I’m sorry.” Aragon said.

“Don’t apologize,” Joan assured her. “No fault of her own. Peter always told me I wasn’t very likable. Which is weird. Why’d he marry me if I wasn’t likable? Seems like the joke’s on him! Haha!” She suddenly pulled back from the cabinet holding three mugs- one light blue, one yellow, and one black. “I tried to stick with your colors, but I don’t have a green cup for some reason. I’ll have to get one. For if you ever come back!”

“Peter is your husband?” Aragon asked.

“WAS my husband.” Joan said. “But yeah. I don’t know WHY we even got married, though. We hated each other. Always fighting. It was a mess.” She whirled around to the stove before she could see the queen’s reaction to her past marriage issues. “I think the water is almost done. That was fast! See, the others could have had some tea before they had to leave. Oh! I’ll get something for you guys to eat, too!”

Joan was going at a million miles a minute. It was obvious she was nervous about Aragon and Anne leaving, so she was doing her best to be hospitable, but also try to get everything she’s ever wanted to do with other people when they were at her house done.

After digging around in her fridge, she produced a small watermelon, then hobbled over to the pantry with it still in her arms and grabbed some crackers. She set both food items on the counter beside the stove, but then almost instantly changed the position of the crackers to be in front of Aragon and Anne. She added a tin of biscuits to their space, too.

“Does watermelon go with tea?” She asked as she was taking out a cutting board and large knife. “Hm. Hopefully it does. I’ll have to get more tea-appropriate snacks soon.”

“Watermelon is good,” Anne assured her, and Joan shot her a gleeful smile.

“So, what movie were you supposed to go watch?” Joan asked, not stopping her process of chopping and peeling and preparing to look over at her guests. “Sorry for making you miss it.”

“No, it’s alright!” Anne quickly said, noticing Joan’s shoulders droop with guilt. “Remember, we offered to stay. We want to be here. Also, it was Frozen 2.”

“You want to be here. With me.” Joan said quietly to herself. Her smile returned. “I’m glad! And, hey, maybe we can watch a movie if you want?”

“That sounds wonderful, Joan.” Aragon said. Joan beamed again, then scrambled over to the screeching kettle and turned off the stove. She picked up a small glass jar sitting beside the salt and pepper shakers and put three tea leaves in each of the cups, then poured the hot water over them. She set the yellow and black cups in front of Aragon and Anne.

“The honey!” She said gleefully, holding up a white jar. She adds two scoops with a tiny spoon to her cup, then offers it to the queens. For some reason, they were staring strangely at their mugs. “What’s wrong?”

“Joan, baby,” Aragon said gently. “That’s not how you make tea.”

“This is just leaf water.” Anne added.

Joan blinked at them over the cup she had to her lips. She placed it back on the counter.

“Oh.” She said. “THAT’S why it always tasted so leafy.”

Anne and Aragon both burst into laughter. Pink dusted Joan’s already-fuchsia cheeks, but she found herself giggling, too.

“You are just too cute.” Anne said, and pink quickly turned to raging red.

“Let me try again,” Joan said. She gathered the queen’s cups and dumped their contents out in the sink, but kept her own. She took another sip as she walked over to the watermelon to finish preparing it, but stumbled slightly.

“Joan?” Anne called out. She watched as the girl reached one hand out to the counter to seemingly brace herself on. “Joan!!”

The cutting board Joan had placed her hand upon flips and Joan’s elbow buckled. Her knees soon followed; the girl was on the ground, her cup of leaf water shattered and spilled out on the floor beside her and the watermelon pieces splattered on her face and torso.

Anne and Aragon are out of there seats in an instant, so fast that Aragon’s stool even clatters to the ground and sends Whatever sprinting across the apartment in shock at the resounding crash it made.

“Joan? Joan, can you hear me?” Anne said, knelt down next to the girl. On the other side, Aragon is feeling her cheeks and forehead through the mess of watermelon juice dripping from her face.

“I don’t think she’s running a fever...” Aragon said grimly. “I think she fainted.”

“Oh god,” Anne murmured. “How long do you think she’s been like this? Sick, I mean. Why else would she just randomly conk out?”

“I— I don’t know.” Aragon said. She suddenly shot to her feet so fast that Anne was slightly startled and snatched a rag from a drawer after opening a closing a few. She wets it with the hot water from the kettle, seeing as anymore tea wouldn’t be made anytime soon, and returned to the fallen music director’s side.

“What are you doing?” Anne asked. “Actually- Don’t answer that. I know now.”

Aragon snorted lightly as she was gently wiping off the juice on Joan’s face. She took a moment to examine her soft features up close- her porcelain skin, the constellation of freckles over her nose, the rose gold glasses she apparently didn’t like wearing in public, the blue-black bags under her eyes. Joan looked so young beneath her, so vulnerable and helpless.

“I don’t think it’s a bug...” She said. “Maybe over exertion? Or sleep deprivation. Poor thing always looks so tired...”

Anne nodded grimly in agreement. She watched as Aragon wiped down Joan’s face in silence for a moment. When she went to speak up again, their patient stirred from her unconsciousness.

“Joan?” Anne said. “Joan, can you hear me? How many fingers am I holding up?”

“She fainted, dummy.” Aragon said. “She doesn’t have a concussion.”

“She could have hit her head on the way down.” Anne snapped. Then, to Joan, “It was four, by the way.”

Joan moaned weakly in response, a pitiful, dying-baby-lamb sort of noise that wrenched the queen’s heart. Her head lolled back and forth on the floor for a moment, as if she were trying to return feeling in her neck, then her soft, timid, really cute grey eyes fluttered opened. And then she screamed. Aragon and Anne screamed, too.

Joan scuttled backward, her left hand sliding in the pool of leaf water that had accumulated on the floor and just barely missing a sinister shard of light blue glass. She stared at the pair of queens reaching out to her in fear for a moment, then blinked and furrowed her eyebrows. She squinted at them, as if her glasses were suddenly not working.

“Wait— Catherine? Anne?” She looked around. “Am I dreaming still?”

“No, Joan.” Anne said. “You fainted.”

Joan blinked again. She looked at the broken glass and spilled wannabe tea and the leaf floating in that puddle, then at the chunks of watermelon scattered on the floor where she had been laying.

“OH!” She finally said. “Oh right! I was making tea, wasn’t I? Wait, no— I was getting the watermelon!” She cast a mournful glance back at the wasted fruit. “Oh dear. That’s not good.”

“Joan, you fainted.” Aragon said again, this time much more firmly. “Are you alright? Are you sick or hurt?”

“I’m fine.” Joan said. “I mean, my hair is a little messed up, but what else is new? But—yeah. I’m fine. I’m okay.” And yet, she struggles to her feet, so Anne quickly steps over the glass and tea to assist her.

“What happened?” She asked as she was steadying Joan. She swore the girl was trembling slightly beneath her hands.

“Dizzy spell,” Joan said cooly. “They’re normal. I mean— Not normal-normal. They don’t happen every day, 24/7. Just sometimes. Nothing to worry about.”

“That is very worrying.” Anne pointed out.

“Yeah, EXTREMELY worrying!” Aragon added, jumping to her feet.

“Not really.” Joan said. “Do you still want tea?” She turned to the kettle, but Aragon leapt over the sea of glass and leaf water and grabbed her shoulders.

“I want to make sure you’re okay.” Aragon said firmly, shaking Joan slightly. Joan seemed a little dazzled to be touched by the queen and latched onto her elbows for some sort of grounding. She blinked up at her with those sheep eyes of hers.

“I’m okay.” She said. “See? I just made sure for you. So, how do you make tea properly?”

“Joan.” Aragon tried again. She moved her hands to cup Joan’s cheeks- they’re a little sticky beneath her palms from the juice that had been plastered over them. “I know what you’re trying to do, okay? You’re trying to blow off your own health and need to make sure we’re happy. And I want you to stop. If you’re unwell, you need to tell us. We’re not going to run out on you, alright? We’ll help you.”

Joan just stared at her with wide eyes for a long moment, her mouth opening and closing like a fish out of water. Her cheeks heat up slowly beneath Aragon’s palms; she’s clearly flustered about being called out.

“I’m fine.” She finally said. “I told you. I’m okay.” Then, before anyone can say anything else, she hurriedly sputters out, “Please don’t be mad!”

“We’re not mad.” Anne assured her. “Just worried.”

“Yes,” Aragon nodded, although her mind seemed elsewhere. Her arms drop back to her sides. “I’m glad you’re okay. But PLEASE give us a warning about these dizzy spells next time. You scared the heavens out of me!”

“Good going, Joan!” Anne cried. “She’s not Catholic anymore! Who else will make us go to church every Sunday?!”

Joan giggled and Aragon elbowed Anne playfully.

After cleaning up the mess on the floor, Aragon teaches Joan how to properly make tea (“You had tea bags but never thought to ever maybe put them in the kettle instead of leaves?” “I am not as smart as I make myself out to be.”) while Anne watches and secretly takes pictures. When the chamomile tea is done, Joan still adds several scoops of honey to her cup, apparently thinking the leaf water was better than the properly made drink. Aragon and Anne laugh at this, thinking the exact same thing: Cute.

“Oh! Oh!” Joan perked up excitedly. “Before we watch the movie, can I show you guys my art room?”

“Art room?” Anne echoed curiously.

Joan finished off her tea, set the mug in the sink, and then bounded over to the door she had entered earlier to get the folder. She kept bouncing up and down, waving Aragon and Anne over excitedly, and didn’t stop until they were in front of her. Then, she whirled around and threw open the door.

The room was a jungle of colors—literally. The walls were painted to look like a active rain forest- lush, towering trees with vines that wound around their bodies like earthly scarves, birds every color of the rainbow perching on nimble branches, parrot green and sun yellow and sky blue and bright pink flowers sprouting like starbursts across the forest, a group of capybaras frozen in a forever family portrait, there was even a jaguar lounging up in a tree near the ceiling. And, speaking of the ceiling, it was all dressed up, too, painted to look like a night sky full of glittering silver stars.

But it wasn’t just the walls that were done up- the entire room was very artsy.

Art supplies were tucked into every possible nook and cranny: brushes, pencils and markers and pens, all colors of paint, blank papers, clay for sculpting, wood and glass and metal and beads. A desk covered in wood chips (and a single blunt knife) sat against the wall right below a peeping tawny spider monkey—it seemed to be set up to make it seem like the animal was watching whatever was being made or drawn. A loom was in the corner where a tapestry had already been half finished and then presumably abandoned. Clever little wooden figures with beads or tiny balls of colored clay for eyes were sitting on IKEA shelves that had been painted and carved away by Joan to look like branches and brambles to match the jungle environment. In the far corner, furthest away from the wall with the bathroom and exit door, a strange snarl of metalwork lay patiently on the floor (which was permanently stained by paint), waiting to be worked on again. It was made of copper wire and steel strings and what even looked like salvaged barbed wire. A candle that smelled of freshly picked apples was lit at the table.

“Oh my god,” Anne muttered, taking in the sight. Beside her, Aragon was much too awestruck to comment. “Joan, did you paint all of this?”

“Yup!” Joan puffed her chest out proudly, absolutely radiating with glee and excitement. “I have a LOT of time on my hands when I don’t stress over the show. That’s why I started painting the walls in the first place. To get my mind off of my anxiety from being a music director. Sometimes I like to just come in here and lay on the floor and look at the stars.”

Anne felt a swell of happiness inside of her. Joan had found a really healthy way to cope with her anxiety without any help. It made her so proud.

“This is absolutely beautiful,” Aragon finally said. She carefully touched one of the shelves. “You even carved the shelves!”

“Indeed!” Joan grinned. “Okay, so that’s Fearless.” She pointed to the spider monkey over the desk, then to the family of capybaras. “These are Saber and Silver and their lesbian mums, Copper and Strawberry. That iguana up on that branch is Talen-Jei. The birds are Jade, Winter, Onyx, Changbai, Mischief, Mayhem, Boto, Coconut, Thrush, Pyrite, Alba, Arid, Ermine, Dazzling, Princess, Queenie, Quartz, Zebbie, Sora, Luo, AND Bebe!” She spun around to gesture to a kinkajou that had been painted to look like it was standing on the door frame. “That’s Pompeii. And that is Sepia.” She nods as a hulking gorilla near the loom, and then an elephant peering through the thicket. “That’s Tiny. And the jaguar is SheBeast!”

“You named the animals,” Anne said. “That is so cute!”

“What’s that?” Aragon asked, looking at the pile of metal in the corner. Joan’s eyes widened and she snatched a sheet that was bundled under the window. She quickly threw it over the mess.

“Don’t look! It’s not ready yet!” She turned to them after making sure the metal was completely concealed. “It’s going to be a sculpture for the show. To put in the lobby. But that’s all I can tell you!”

Anne and Aragon exchanged smiles.

“I can’t wait,” Aragon said to Joan, who claps her hands happily.

“I’m glad! It’s gonna he super cool, I promise!” She looked around, then grabbed an extra easel she had folded against the wall and set it up next to the one that was already standing. “Wanna paint? Can we paint together?”

“I don’t see why not,” Anne said.

Joan made a happy squealing sound and grabbed three canvases. She set two up on the easels, then picked out a large selection of paints and brushes and placed them on a standup table between the two of them. After picking out a few colors and four brushes for herself, she flopped down onto a beanbag right by the window and immediately got to work. Anne and Aragon observed her for a moment- she almost looked the same way she did when she was doing MD work, but significantly more happy and relaxed.

“I don’t know how you expect us to top any of this,” Aragon said, making a wide gesture to the painted walls with both arms. Joan giggled.

“That’s okay,” She said, then got back to painting.

Anne picked up a random paintbrush- one with a thin tip- then dipped it into the black paint and began to paint...something. She wasn’t quite sure yet. All she knew is that it had a very round head. At least, she thinks the thing now on her canvas was a head.

“How did you do it?” Aragon asked. She was still trying to decide what paintbrush she wanted to use. “Do the walls like this, I mean.”

“Well, first I drew on them with pencil.” Joan said, skillfully talking and painting at the same time without missing a beat. “That took me a few days. Once the sketches were finished, I painted over them. Now THAT took me two weeks. The ceiling only took me a day and several hours into the night only because I had to constantly move around the chair I was on.” She paused. “Spent two hours at the local home department store picking out thirty cans of paint and I didn’t even think to buy a ladder.”

“THIRTY?!” Aragon shot her a wide-eyed look.

Joan laughed. “Yup! I spent my entire work check on supplies. I barely scraped enough left over money to buy food!” She laughed again, but Anne and Aragon just looked concerned at that.

“You have to eat, honey.” Anne said.

Joan sighed heavily and stabbed her brush into a nearby jar of blue paint.

“I know, I know,” She said. “I lost A LOT of weight during that month when I was working on all this. I don’t think I even have it all back...”

“How much do you weigh?” Aragon asked.

“If you tell me your weight, I’ll tell you mine.” Joan said, then laughed. “I’m kidding! I’m kidding. I weighed 104, I think? And I weigh, I dunno, 112, 114 now?” She shrugged as if that was the normal weight for a girl her age.

Anne and Aragon exchanged worried looks over their canvases. Joan didn’t see because she was too invested in whatever she was making on her own.

“Joan,” Anne finally said after they painted in silence for a while. “What was your childhood like?”

Joan looked up, startled. She blinked at the queen for a moment before she realized she was dripping cerulean paint all over her pants. She hissed softly and swiped at the splatters, realized she just made the stains worse by smearing it, then gave up. She looked back up at Anne with a frown.

“Why?” She asked suspiciously.

“Just curious.” Anne holds her hands up, and a blob of green goes flying from her paintbrush. “I knew most of the backgrounds of my workers. But not you.”

Joan was like a locked diary with a missing key, and Anne so desperately wanted to open her up and read through her memories and thoughts and feelings. She knew Aragon would read over her shoulder as she did so.

“I don’t remember the names of my parents.” Joan said, turning her attention back to her canvas. “But they worked for Thomas Cromwell. Can’t remember what they did exactly. It doesn’t matter, though. Like I care about them. They’re just slippery weasels that never gave a shit about me or my brother.”

“What do you mean?” Aragon asked.

“They left.” Joan said bitterly. Her eyes looked very dark when she glanced over the top of her canvas at Aragon. “I was ten? Eleven? Doesn’t matter. They ran off and left me and John alone. Never saw them again.”

“Oh... I’m sorry, Joan.”

“Don’t apologize. You’re not my mum or dad, so I don’t want to hear it from you.” Joan said. “Anyway. John and I wandered the street for a while. We hopped from house to house where other family members lived until I wound up at court.” She shrugged. “It’s not very eventful. None of history remembers it. Hell, I barely do. It’s just—not important.”

A solemn look casts over her eyes, turning them from an ocean grey-green shade to a dark hurricane color. She sighed and shook her head.

“Anyway. Umm. That’s it.” She looked a little uncomfortable all of a sudden. “Like I said, not important.”

Anne and Aragon frowned at each other. Joan noticed it this time because she was washing off her brush to switch colors, but she doesn’t say anything. She simply looked back down at her canvas and started adding small red details with a thin brush.

“What about you?” She spoke again. “Aragon, didn’t you fight a battle while pregnant?”

Aragon smirked, looking pleased with herself. “Indeed I did.” She said. She didn’t get to tell the story, however, because Anne suddenly made a weird, woeful noise in front of her.

Joan set her canvas on the floor and got up to go see what the green queen had done, and Aragon could see that she had painted a ewe with the head of a screaming woman being eaten by wasps. She shivered.

“What’s this?” Joan asked as politely as possible. Aragon joined them in front of Anne’s easel and gawked at the mess of black and green on the canvas.

“Is it a scorpion?” She guessed.

“Monkey?” Joan tried.

“I think it’s supposed to be a cat?” Anne said, scratching her head.

Aragon laughed loudly. “You don’t even know!”

“Okay, Miss I-Know-How-To-Paint! Let’s see what you made!”

“Gladly!”

Aragon led them over to her easel and showed them the crown-wearing lioness she had painted. She smirked proudly.

“Damnit, that is good.” Anne muttered.

“Told you!” Aragon said.

“I guess your only talents aren’t singing and being religious, after all.

“You— Shut up!”

“G-guys...?”

Aragon and Anne stopped their playful bickering to look at Joan, who was suddenly very worryingly pale. She had one hand pressed to her temple and the other outstretched like she was trying to keep her balance. Beads of sweat dotted her forehead. She stumbled backwards and then began to keel forward. Aragon leapt forward as fast as lightning to catch her, and Anne was close behind.

“Joan? Joan, what’s wrong?” Aragon said.

Joan doesn’t answer, just makes a strangled noise. She curled into a tight ball on the floor, clutching at her head.

“Joan?” Anne tried. She set a hand on the girl’s side and realized she was trembling in exhaustion and pain. “Are you alright? Can you hear me?”

“M-my head,” Joan gasped.

“Cathy has headaches sometimes,” Anne said, as if that would help.

“Yeah, but at least she doesn’t fall on the floor like this.” Aragon said. She set one hand on Joan’s head and the other on her shoulder. “Joan, baby? Can we do anything to help?”

Joan didn’t answer, but her hand did shoot out and grab onto one of Anne’s. She laced their fingers together and then pressed them back to her temple, with her hand against the skin. She dug her knuckles in. The position was a little awkward, but she was too deep in a pain-daze to realize and Anne didn’t really care as long as Joan was content with it.

“Joan, it’s Catherine and Anne.” Aragon said, thinking that this may have been some kind of PTSD episode. “There’s nobody here who’s going to hurt you. You’re safe, I promise.”

“No,” Joan wept. Her voice was raspy and watery. “Ow ow ow ow...!”

She writhed for a moment and then balled up even tighter. She pressed her temples harder, like she was trying to hold the headache at bay. A loud sob escaped her lips.

They all sit on the floor for a long time in total helplessness. Aragon and Anne murmur to Joan, trying to reassure her, while she cries against the hardwood floor. Then, all of a sudden, she speaks in the most frail voice the queens have ever heard come out of a human being.

“Anne,” She croaked. “Anne?”

“I’m right here, darling.” Anne squeezed Joan’s hand and gently touched her face with her free one.

“Can you—go make me a cup of coffee?”

Anne is almost startled into laughing. “Joan, this hardly seems like the time for-“

“JUST DO IT!!” Joan shrieked.

Anne and Aragon both jumped, not used to being yelled at, especially by a lady in waiting. Anne nodded quickly, then scrambled out of the room.

Joan takes a few deep breaths, but they do little to aid the state she’s in. She rolled over until she was lying flat on her back and stared up at the ceiling. Her eyes were like arctic pools.

“O-one, t-two, th-three, f-four...”

Aragon realized she was counting the stars painted on the ceiling. She then wondered if this room hadn’t just been made for fun or out of boredom, but for the purpose of being a safe haven for Joan’s anxiety. She also wondered if Joan would lie on the floor before it was finished and just cry herself into unconsciousness or do something else to cope.

“S-seventeen— Why isn’t it working?” Joan sobbed miserably. She pounded her fists against the ground and scrunched her eyes shut. Tears fell in little streams of melted silver down her temples.

“What do you see, Joan?” Aragon asked softly. She lays next to the girl.

“Pain.” Joan answered, just as soft.

“What does that look like?”

“It’s really bright.” Joan whispered. “It just—flashes. In my head. There’s— canvas. Give me a canvas.”

“Joan—”

“GIVE IT TO ME!” Joan howled and Aragon grabbed the closest canvas to her, along with a few paints.

Joan barely had the strength to paint, but the end result is starbursts of silver and needles of black and flashes of white and whorls of jet and stars of stone and streaks of ash and flames of slate all on a charcoal background. It was a mishmash of pure madness, and Aragon swore her own head started to hurt just looking at the mess of a painting.

“It hurts,” Joan forced out through gritted teeth. She dropped her paintbrush and grabbed her head, arching her spine as if she had been struck by lightning. “Think about rain, think about rain, think about rain...”

Aragon laid down next to her again. “Think about rain?” She echoed.

“Th-the rain—it helps me think. I try to put all the voices I hear into each droplet and focus on my own thoughts.” Joan stammered weakly. “I-it’s what I do during the show. I-it’s so loud—I have to! I’m sorry...”

“Shh,” Aragon hushed her gently. “I understand. I’m not offended. Just...think about the rain. Shall I name some things?” Joan nodded. “Alright… The smell of rain, the sound of it hitting the rooftop and windows, droplets blowing in the wind, thunder, lightning…”

“Mist,” Joan whispered.

“Mist, that’s right. Good girl.”

As Aragon began to list things off again, Joan felt the queen slip her hand into one of her own and then heard Anne enter again, but she’s already submerged herself into a midnight rainstorm.

Twenty minutes soon pass. Joan finally opened her eyes (she hadn’t even realized they were open) and took in a shaky breath. Anne and Aragon both look at her.

“Joan?” Anne gently touched her shoulder. “Darling? Are you with us?”

“I-I think so,” Joan whispered weakly. “I’m with you...” She had to close her eyes again, clearly not completely recovered from whatever had washed over her, but soon opened them again and tried to sit up. Aragon assists her. Anne passed her the cup of coffee after she was situated (she even had a fluffy blanket around her shoulders to try and tame the shivers wracking through her body; Anne had grabbed it from the living room when she was making the coffee).

“Joan, I don’t want to push you, baby, but we need to know what just happened.” Aragon said gently.

Joan nodded and stared dejectedly into her cup of coffee. She took a sip, not caring that it was scalding, then began hoarsely, “I thought it had to do with my caffeine addiction at first. If I didn’t drink coffee, then I would get really dizzy and have these bad headaches. But then it started happening even with three cups. I don’t know what it is. It’s not a panic attack—maybe an anxiety attack? I don’t know.”

“Is that why you fainted earlier?” Anne asked.

Joan nodded again. “Yes.” Her face crumpled and fresh tears ran down her cheeks. “I’m s-sorry for lying. I-I didn’t want you guys to l-leave. I know you said you wouldn’t, b-but you never know. I never have visitors. I’m so l-lonely. I-I didn’t want to ruin my chances at f-finally having friends...” She dipped her head and sobbed. “I’m sorry. I don’t know what’s wrong with me. I don’t know why it happens. I-I’m just—messed up.”

At that, Anne and Aragon both leap forward and wrap that crying girl in their arms. She practically melts in their touch, now sobbing harder.

“If you think this is going to make us think any different of you, then you’re wrong,” Aragon said and Anne nodded. “We want to help you. So, whenever you’re ready, tell us more about this. Let us know what to look for and what’s the best way to comfort you.”

“Thank you,” Joan whispered. “Thank you so much...”

It was so sad to know such an amazing girl didn’t regularly get the care she needed, but Anne and Aragon both wanted to change that. That’s why they were there when nobody else was.

It took a few more minutes for Joan to fully calm down, but she was eventually completely relaxed in the arms of two protective queens. She looked up at them blearily and they smiled at her lovingly.

“Pretty girl,” Aragon cooed, pressing a kiss to her temple.

“I do believe we were promised a movie.” Anne said after she kissed Joan’s other temple (and turned the girl into a blushing puddle in their arms).

“Y-you still wanna do that?” Joan asked shyly.

“Of course!” Anne said and Aragon nodded eagerly. Joan smiled.

“I’m— That makes me really happy.” The girl said.

With the help of Anne and Aragon, Joan climbed to her feet. They all walk out of the art room, but not without Anne taking one last look at her canvas and exclaiming, “IT WAS A GREYHOUND!!”

Aragon and Joan burst out into laughter.

[mydearsaddiary]

Speakeasy Tonight fanfic Neil Season 3 Chapter 9- First, do no harm

This is PART 2, here’s part 1: https://mydearsaddiary.tumblr.com/post/627009658293485568/little-curiosity-notes-hey-guys-were-on-chapter

Mostly me, Vince and Donovan fired and fought against the goons. I couldn’t see where Uncle Charlie was, but I could see Cliff and Julius punching some of Adler’s fellas.

In the chaos, I distanced myself from my peers and found myself facing Mayor Adler himself. He pointed his gun at me, and I reciprocated doing the same right back to him. Time was once more still. Weird the things you notice in these moments, sounds of the water played in my ears, the smell of the docks filled my senses. It was a place that was more dangerous than, anyone else who wasn’t part of the mean and crude underworld of the city, would imagine. Trades of alcohol were common, more than one gang fight had happened there. It created and decimated many competitors. Transportation really seemed like a façade.

Now, my future was about to be decided in the same place. In this unlikely face-off between a pregnant mob boss lady and the Mayor of Chicago, a strong tall man who was supposed to be the epitome of righteousness, but instead was worse than any vermin this city possessed

-Well, Miss Granger. Seems like we’re both where we both knew we would eventually end up. Right to killing each other- A sinister smile took over his face

-No. You didn’t know- I replied, glaring at him- You thought you could lock me away forever, and that I’d never escape. Your mistake- I took a few steps towards him- Was thinking I could be tamed easily.

-I never thought that- He said in an angry tone, uncontrolled. The usual smile on his face was gone along with his composure- You’ll learn along with the others that I always win, no matter what

-You’re wrong again- I said- Bailey, Louis, Vera, and now you. I’ll teach you what happens when you try to mess with me or my family.

He was about to pull the trigger, and then an even taller figure ran into him, tackling him to the ground. Both men were now engaged in a fight, trying to overpower one another.

-Neil!-I exclaimed. But soon realized I needed to finish this. I ran to them trying to grab his gun, but with them fighting it was hard.

Adler pushed me away, punched Neil on his nose making it bleed, and got his gun. He then got up, pointing it right at the Doc.

-Don’t you dare!-I pointed my gun at him from the floor- Back away!

It was surprising to me that I could feel Neil wasn’t scared. It made me wander why that was, but at the moment I was too preoccupied with saving his life

-That’s always been your weakness, hasn’t it? You made up a band of brothers in your speakeasy and now none of them are replaceable! I never have that problem

-That’s the truth, Adler. Hired guns means you lose one and another one can quickly take it’s place, no feelings involved- I gripped my revolver tighter- However, when things get tough, none of them will be there to protect you

He took a look around. All of his goons were either defeated or had fled. Vince and Donovan pointed their guns at him, and Cliff held his baseball bat. Julius was by Uncle Charlie, who himself looked stronger than I had ever seen him with a gun in his hand also aimed at the mayor.

-Time you backed away from my niece, Adler.

His expression turned darker. He turned his focus back to me- Oh, I hate you, Ice Box Flapper. I always win.

My heart sank. I knew in that moment that he was about to pull the trigger on Neil. He was the one that kept me going through every problem the Ice Box has ever encountered since I arrived. I suddenly remembered every single vivid detail of the time we spent together.

How rude and condescending Doc Dresner first was, how he took care of me when I fainted, how he slowly softened up his hard edge, let me into his dark and cynical world. How he was the first to say “I love you”.

The possibility of all that being gone with just a single movement from the mayor overtook me in a way that made me lose my mind. In that moment I knew I could shoot someone

So I pulled my trigger before he had a chance to pull his

Right in the middle of his eyebrows a dark circle formed and started to bleed down his nose. His blank expression was haunted, and his body fell backwards into the massive waters in the dock. It tainted it an angry, cursed red. Soon, he was gone as suddenly as he had appeared in our lives.

Until a few months ago I had never had a gun pointed at me before. A sheltered life like the one I possessed meant I was always looking for danger for my own pleasure. However, this was the kind of danger that gave you adrenaline and made you feel alive, but at the same time made you want to scream, pull all your head off and scream until you can’t anymore. The ambiguity of what I had just done created a fight in my mind. This was the first time I had ever seen someone die and I was the perpetrator.

A silence took over. I guessed nobody really knew how to feel or react. But thankfully it ended when I felt the soft touch of the Doc grabbing my arm. My head then turned and my eyes met his. The blue in them made me dizzy, swooned with love. The grace in this moment was amplified. I felt grief for my own innocence, disgusted and somewhat evil, like I’d lost myself. Looking into his eyes, however, I was found. I was loved and alive. I was as disturbed as I was happy to see him again.

-Are you alright?- He said in a whisper

-Yeah...-I said relieved- Yeah, I’m fine. How are you?

-He...-He ignored the question and his hand travelled slowly to my stomach- He’s...?

I nodded, leaning over to hug him tight- Im sorry- It was all I could say

-Never mind that now- He got up, helping me do the same

-Kiddo- Charlie came our way and embraced me. I hugged the old man back. How I had missed him- You alright?

-I’m copacetic! Grangers are tough!- I gave him a soft smile, then looked at all of them now around us

-Gave us a scare- Vince said. It put my heart at ease to see him alive

-Vince, I thought he killed you, what happened?

-He tried to- He shrugged- Two weeks in the hospital was all he got out of me. Besides, now I can let you know.

I smiled softly at him- Guess I should thank all of you for saving my life.

-Where the credit is due, you saved yourself and us along with it- Neil said

-Besides, don’t thank us, fix the three weeks worth of accounts and numbers at the Ice Box and we’re even

I laughed- Yes, I can’t imagine what a horror they must look, no offense, Unc

-Im just glad you’re fine, kid- He pointed at my stomach- Now, what’s this about?

Neil went pale- I’m taking full responsibility for it Charles.

-Well, you better.- He glared at him, but soon smiled- Well, with the wedding I guess it’s fine, we’ll just have to hurry it up a bit. Besides, I was waiting for some grandnephews!

-Besides, who would have thought?- Vince said- Neil’s gonna be a daddy!

-Back off, Moretti- He gave him his angriest expression- Let’s get out of here- Neil said- I’ll take MC to my infirmary and-

-What should we do about her?-Donovan pointed at a scared Vera- I thought she quit town

Oh yeah, I almost forgot about my temporary roomie-Turns out Adler was keeping her hostage, like he did to me- I walked over to Vera- Here’s what we’ll do. Donovan, say you investigated the mayor, found out Vera was being held against her will. You tried to arrest him but he ran away with his goons. Haven’t been seen since. That should discredit him in every way possible- I sighed- And save Vera’s reputation- I said that part less enthusiastically. It meant she’d still be around again to give us a headache

-Crazy mayor locks down own wife, not seen in Chicago, sound good, lassie. Might get me a promotion

-Then I’ll leave- Vera said- For good. I don’t ever want to see this town again

I looked at her surprised and smiled-Works fine by me, Vera- I went back to Neil’s side- I want a hot shower now!- I said stretching.-Hm...-I wandered a little- I need something to lift my spirits. Party at the Ice Box tonight!

In the back of my mind I tried to lock away the fact that I had just killed a man. I was free, Neil was alive, the Ice Box was safe and all was right in the world. I was letting myself celebrate.

_________

Turns out Neil took me to his infirmary after all. He had me laying down in a new fresh set of clothes. He examined the bump and myself in every way he could. It was sweet, but it was unsettling to see him this nervous

-Come here, Neil- I sat up calling him

-I just need to finish-

-Sit!-I pointed at the chair in front of me

He sighed, but obeyed my harsh tone, and then his eyes stared at me. I grabbed the wet cloth on the table, washing off the dried blood on his face

-You get hurt too, so I’m not the only one who needs to be cared for

-I’m not the one who went AWOL for weeks- I spent a few minutes cleaning his nose, and then he gently touched my hand- MC... When you didn’t come back that night I... Well, let’s just say I wasn’t in one of my best moments. And then I saw him pointing that gun at you today... I swore an oath to do no harm, but I was about to commit murder today if it was necessary.

I squeezed his hand- Well, you didn’t need to- I looked down- Because I did- Tears formed in my eyes. In front of him, it was so easy to open up my heart- I don’t regret it, but-

He held my face, getting closer- Hey... MC. You’re a real bearcat, you know that?

I chuckled- Tough as nails

-Nevertheless, you’re done now, alright? I can’t risk you, the both of you, anymore

-Okay, I mean, I can’t stop running the box, but I’ll take it easy on the evil rascals and guns and all that

-Yeah, well, I’ll be tougher on you this time

-Neil, I- I flinched, any will to fight him on that decision suddenly disappeared- Oh my God...- My eyes widened with surprise

-What?! What’s wrong?

I grabbed him hand, putting it back on my stomach- He’s kicking! Feel it, feel it?!

I took a little while but his expression softened, as much as Neil would let it soften-I feel it.

-Oh, there he goes again!

-I feel it too, right there- And back and forth we went. Nothing else mattered in that moment. He gave the unborn child one of his big smiles. In my heart I was scared he wouldn’t want it, or that he would lose his mind. But all I saw was concern mixed with happiness

In that instant, we had a silent agreement. We would forget all the mistakes of the past and focus on the future. With no words, we promised to be there to protect each other, to love and support one another and raise our baby as best as we could. We’d walk side by side...

... Until death do us part.

______

Thank you for reading this chapter! I’ll see you in the next and final chapter of my fanfic: Speakeasy Tonight Neil Season 3

Next Chapter: I do

[luckyspike]

Of Love and Loss - a Good Omens Fanfic

co-author credit to Griffin McElroy

--

The cottage has a den and it is agreed, fairly early on, that while it is technically shared space, it falls slightly more under Crowley’s purview than Aziraphale’s. Oh, certainly, there are a few bookshelves* and a display of antique snuffboxes, and the furniture is comfortable and homey, more suited to the angel’s aesthetic than the demon’s, but aside from those touches it is all Crowley’s: dark paint on the walls, houseplants scattered over every free inch of floor, and sleek technology conspicuously placed. There is a TV on the wall, huge and slim and used for very little aside from streaming. In the corner, there is a desk, with the fastest, most powerful computer money could buy.

For the first six months they live in the cottage, it is mostly untouched.

[* Which hold only modern paperbacks, not first editions, because Aziraphale just can’t trust the good books out in a room he doesn’t supervise as closely.]

For the first six months they live in the cottage, Crowley is busy elsewhere: there are gardens to tame, and a greenhouse to stock, and a widow’s walk with a telescope to be enjoyed. Crowley rarely goes into the den at all, other than to water and menace the plants, for those first six months.

But gradually, winter comes, and he and Aziraphale settle into a routine, and Crowley starts to gravitate toward the den. It’s in spurts at first, just when Aziraphale is at the shop and it’s too cold to do anything else, but it gets more frequent. Longer periods of time.

By nine months, Aziraphale is worried. Crowley is still Crowley, still stalks around his plants and shouts at them, but other than that, he is in the den. He lays on the couch, and sleeps, and watches TV, and sleeps some more.

Aziraphale asks if he’s tired, one day. “You’re sleeping a lot,” he observes. “A lot more than ... than I remember you doing, in London. Is everything alright?”

“Yeah.” And then, because Aziraphale has this look he does that renders Crowley unable to lie, he admits, “I’m bored.”

Aziraphale’s face falls. “Oh. Oh. I see. Yes, not the ... there isn’t the same bustle here as there is in London, is there?”

“No, no, nonono.” Crowley holds up his hands, worried and insistent. “Not what I meant, angel. No, I still get in to London when I drop you off at your shop, that’s plenty. But ...” He shrugs. “I used to have a job. Wiling and tempting and that. But I ... don’t anymore. I used to plan stuff, and spend too much time scheming, and now I don’t ... have a job?” He shifts. “It’s not here. Not living here. I just feel a bit ... useless?” He frowns. “Not the right word. Can’t come up with a word. Do you follow me?”

“You’re missing having a task?” Aziraphale guesses. “A goal or some such, whether you like it or not?” He sets his book aside and sits back in his chair, the better to watch Crowley over steepled fingers. “Yes, I think I understand.”

“Like, you have your shop, same as always. But I only had being a demon. That was my job and it’s what I am. But now I’m ... still a demon, obviously, but an unemployed demon, so ...” He throws up his hands. “Bored.”

Aziraphale nods sympathetically. “Yes. I see. Well ... you could try some different things? Volunteering at the animal shelter -”

“Really? Animals hate me, angel.”

“Ah, yes, that’s right. Volunteering at the school?”

Crowley makes a show of looking at himself. “Not sure that’s really my scene.”

“Volunteering at the -”

Crowley sighs, and sits back, the tip of his considerable nose propped on his knuckles. “I’ll think about it. Find something, I’m sure. Maybe try beachcombing.”

“Maybe,” says Aziraphale, without much confidence. He wonders how he’s going to break to Crowley that most of what you find beachcombing is not, in fact, treasure, but junk. “You could give it a shot.”

“Bah.” Crowley sits back further, slouching deep into the chair, and sprawls his limbs all akimbo. “I’ll sleep on it. Wake me up for dinner?”

“You’re eating tonight?”

“No, but you are.” He tugs the tartan throw off the back of the chair, and wraps it around himself. “I’ll join if you’ll have me.”

“Of course.”

--

Crowley talks to his technology a lot. He doesn’t see well, Aziraphale knows, and these days the technology talks back, makes it easier for the demon to navigate. So when he hears Crowley chatting to something - someone? - in the den one cool night in late spring, he doesn’t pay much mind.

When it happens a second time that week, he wonders, but he doesn’t investigate. Probably just talking to Anathema. He pulls the doors to the library closed, and reads for the rest of the night.

When it continues the next week, curiosity gets the better of him. It’s around nine, and Crowley is talking in the den again, and Aziraphale sighs and sets his book down and goes to investigate.

The demon is sitting at the computer. The screen is massive, and Crowley is looking at it through his dark glasses. He has a controller in his hands, and a set of headphones on, and he is talking into, of all things, a microphone.

Aziraphale blinks. “What’s this, then?”

Crowley jumps, and then says into the microphone, “Ah, yeah, one second, got an old friend here,” before he hits a button and pulls the headphones off. He jumps up out of the chair and moves to the right. Aziraphale notices then, that there is a camera, fixed on where Crowley was sitting. He frowns.

“What are you doing?”

“Working.” Crowley sticks his hands into his pockets and for the first time in nearly a year since they moved, looks inordinately pleased with himself. “Found a thing to do.”

“This isn’t a sex thing, is it?” Aziraphale asks warily. 

“Nah.” He jerks a thumb toward the computer. “Nah it’s ... uh.” He thinks it over. “I have no idea how to explain this to you.” He frowns. “You know video games?”

Aziraphale nods. “... Broadly, yes.”

“Okay. Right. So there’s this website called Twitch. An’ what you do, is you play video games, but while you do that you broadcast your game to other people who want to watch you play. Adam showed it to me.” He waves his hands around, toward the computer. “S’kinda like a reality show? But video games.”

“And other people watch this?”

“Yeah. Got 100 viewers right now.”

“Why?”

“Because I’m hilarious.” He rocks back and forth on his heels and smirks. “Also, they give me money sometimes.”

“Willingly?”

“Yes, of course. I’m retired, remember? Well, from being a demon.” He looks pleased. “Now I’m a Twitch streamer. Part-time.”

The only reason that Aziraphale does not remark that this is a natural progression, as smooth a transition as from shore to sea, is that he does not really understand Twitch. Instead, he nods. “Good. And you’re ... having fun?”

“Oh yeah. Loads.” He glances over his shoulder. “Wanna watch for a bit? You can sit in the background. Really gets the chat going, when stuff happens in the background.”

“It’s not one of those violence games, is it?” But the angel is pulling over a wicker chair and sitting down even as he asks. “With all the killing?”

“Nah. S’pokemon. Like Joshua talks about.” He sits back down, and slides the headphones back on. “Right, what’d you want me to call you? Gotta introduce you.”

“Mr. Fell.”

Crowley gives Aziraphale a long-suffering look. “That’s not what ... never mind. Right, anything you say’ll probably get picked up on the mic, so just watch it, yeah? I’m gonna un-mute it.” He taps a button, and says, “Right, everyone, this is Az Fell. He’s ah, my favorite librarian, my best friend and uh ... my roommate.” Aziraphale blinks. Oh, so that’s what he’d meant. Well ... he wasn’t wrong.

Roommate feels a bit impersonal though. They will discuss it later.

“Right, so anyway, back to the run. Fell, this is ah, s’called a Nuzlocke run, where if your pokemon faints you have to let it go because it’s dead.”

“Oh,” says Aziraphale, who understood exactly none of that sentence.

“I just started. You’ll pick it up as we go.”

To Aziraphale’s surprise, he does. He picks up on the pokemon types, the point of the game, the exploration, and the apparently-bizarre rules Crowley has decided to play to game under. He comes to like the names, and the pokemon, and despite the fact that they are not real, he finds himself getting attached to them.

The first faint, an hour into the game, takes them both by surprise. 

“Fuck!” Crowley glares at the screen. “Fuck! That’s not even a bug-type move!”

Aziraphale raises his hands to his mouth. “So Betty is dead?”

“Betty is dead,” Crowley confirms, morosely. “R I P Betty.”

“Look at all the little tombstones in the chat.” Aziraphale sighs, and wrings his hands. “Oh, dear. We should send her off.”

They do, when the battle ends. Solemnly, Crowley releases Betty the Rattata to the wild, and he and Aziraphale bow their heads while a bagpipe rendition of ‘Amazing Grace’ plays. Aziraphale wipes away a single tear. The chat goes wild.

xxGonnaMunch69xx: omg AJ your boyfriend is crying JamesBuffetsDick: RIP Betty and my feelings KnopeForPresident: omgggg im dead RIP Betty JisforJerg: fuckkkkkkkkkkk i had money on Betty living to the end GisforGreg: omg kiss your boyfriend so he feels better

Crowley sits up straighter as the music fades away. Aziraphale sniffles, blinks a few times and tries to subtly dab his eyes, and nods to Crowley, who returns the gesture before turning back to the screen and fiddling with the controls a little.

“We will fight on in her memory,” he intones, as his avatar on the screen runs in a circle in a patch of tall grass. “We will fight on for Betty. We’re gonna kill the Elite Four, and Betty’s name will be our war cry. For Betty!” 

“For Betty!” Aziraphale nods firmly, and watches the screen intently. Crowley soldiers on, navigating around Kalos, and Aziraphale watches, although his thoughts are with Betty. He wonders what pokemon do after you release them to the wild. Maybe he will ask Joshua next time they see him.

Crowley, recovering from his grief more rapidly, is on one of his monologues, waxing philosophical on the nature of pokemon match-ups, as his character runs around on-screen. “They’re just playing Calvinball with the dragon and fairy types too, since they’re not even real, and who decided that dragons would be weak to fairies? Should be the other way around, if you ask me - oh, shit, I didn’t want to jump off that ledge, fuck.” He grumbles. “We’re gonna have to walk all the way back to town.”

“You’ll run into some wild pokemon on the way though, won’t you?”

“Can’t catch ‘em.” Crowley sighs, as the screen flashes and a Psyduck assails the character. “Already got one off this route.”

“But you can smite them? For experience?”

Crowley laughs. “Yeah, yeah, angel, I can smite them for experience.” He taps a few buttons. “Get ‘em, Blanche.”

“For Betty!” Aziraphale declares, seizing his mug of tea with probably more enthusiasm than necessary.

“Yeah,” Crowley agrees, still laughing. “Yeah! Fuck you, this one’s for Betty!” 

In his chair, Crowley shifts around, spreading his knees and stretching his legs a little. Next to him, and out of view of the camera, Aziraphale’s hand comes to rest on his knee. 

Crowley doesn’t blush; they have been doing this ... whatever it is they’re doing ... publicly long enough that he doesn’t react quite that violently now. But the next few sibilants are a little more hissed than usual, and Crowley shifts in the chair again under the pretense of getting more comfortable, yet somehow ending up a few inches closer to Aziraphale.

k2p2ribbingforherpleasure: fuck yea blanche kill that duck for betty bubbletii: cant wait for them to get to the ocean and catch a magikarp GisforGreg: am i the only one who noticed AJ moved closer to Fell or ... ROOMMATES HUH LIAR JisforJerg: jfc greg shut up and watch the game

[halfgclden]

character meme for cleo;;; brotp meme for: l/katie, l/keaton, chase/ellie, chase/lulu, parker/kerri, parker/faye, jordan/victoria, ime/fizz, cleo/fizz;;;; headcanons: ☆ for chase, ☮for parker/faye, ★ for ime

Cleo

2-4 songs that are probably on their iPod: The Orion Experience - Cult of Dionysus, Chance The Rapper - Cocoa Butter Kisses, San Cisco - The Distance, ABBA - Voulez-Vous (fun fact: Cleo only has two tattoos that are pure text and one reads “VOULEZVOUS” and the other reads “ANGELEYES” because she Knows what’s up)

the one place they sometimes end up falling asleep – where they’re not supposed to: it’d be in the woods or the strawberry fields, but this happens very rarely

the game they’d destroy everyone else at: she loves pool and loves making people think she seems bad at it so that she can bet them lol 

the emoticon they’d use most often: ok it’s between 💕 and the pleading face but that won’t show up on the computer so

what they act like when they haven’t had enough sleep: she gets pretty cranky lol. it’s like when she can’t choose an outfit normally she just figures something out but when she’s tired and can’t pick out an outfit she wants to cry and not get out of the shower until the water runs cold.

their preferred hot beverage on really cold nights. or mornings. or whenever.: she likes chai lattes or mulled wine, depending on the mood

how they like to comfort/care for themselves when they’re in a slump: she likes to take baths but she can’t really do that at camp lol (which makes her extra sad), so she’ll do yoga, light some candles, and then play sad music over her headphone and pretend she’s in a music video as she stares out the window (bonus points if it’s raining and/or she’s on the bus)

what they wanted to be when they grew up: a writer, and then an architect (the second of which she’s actually got a degree in)

their favorite kind of weather: she likes it when it rains, but a warm rain, because it reminds her of home

thoughts on their singing voice (decent? terrible? soprano? alto?): she’s got a pretty good voice that she doesn’t do anything with but sing along to the radio/her playlist (but also get her drunk enough and she’s way down for karaoke)

how/what they like to draw or doodle: she mostly draws plants and things of that nature (ha, get it?)

L/Katie

who steals french fries off the other’s plate: L and every single time she pretends she didn’t do it and then laughs her head off at her own joke

who jokingly moves in for the kiss when someone asks if they’re a couple: gonna ignore this bc ya

who has to bust or bail the other out of jail: i can’t see either of them getting arrested but maybe katie because L went to a protest or something and got caught up in arrests???

who gives the other advice/comfort about dating issues: katie seems like she’d give good advice. she was probably like “L what’s up with you and Blue n Rosie?? stop being a useless lesbian” so ya c:

who shamelessly cheats at games by reaching over to cover the other’s eyes: i feel like katie does this and L just giggles

who immediately calls dibs on the top bunk: ummm they both seem like they’d be like “no, you take what you want” “no, no, i insist, take what you want” lol

who starts and who wins the pillow fights: L starts them and they both get tired rather than anyone winning

who says “your pants would look better on their floor” to the other’s potential crush: omf would either of them??? 

L/Keaton

who steals french fries off the other’s plate: see above lol, but she’d take them from Keaton less often and offer some of her own as well

who jokingly moves in for the kiss when someone asks if they’re a couple: ha neither they’re both like “EW”

who has to bust or bail the other out of jail: keaton is so tame but i can see some unfortunate thing happening that he got caught up in and he calls L all embarrassed bc he’s like “i don’t want rory to worry too much”

who gives the other advice/comfort about dating issues: i think L is the one that gives more advice and comfort!!

who shamelessly cheats at games by reaching over to cover the other’s eyes: L and keaton lets it slide because she’s a goober

who immediately calls dibs on the top bunk: lol L so that keaton can get the bottom bunk with his leg

who starts and who wins the pillow fights: they seem like they’d each throw a pillow and L would flop dramatically and give a death monologue 

who says “your pants would look better on their floor” to the other’s potential crush: neither?? idk

Chase/Ellie

who steals french fries off the other’s plate: chase always and ellie’s like “YOU HAVE UR OWN” and chase is like “YA BUT URS LOOK BETTER”

who has to bust or bail the other out of jail: look ik its always chase in jail but ellie has such a temper i feel like she’d be the one to be arrested lol 

who gives the other advice/comfort about dating issues: umm chase gives comfort, not advice, and he also doesn’t date so i guess that answers that

who shamelessly cheats at games by reaching over to cover the other’s eyes: lol chase?? he’d cheat by changing his card to say what he wanted it to with his powers

who immediately calls dibs on the top bunk: chase says give me top bunk or give me death

who starts and who wins the pillow fights: i feel like chase would start one jokingly and end up yelling “i surrender!!!” over and over again as all the siblings team up against him

who says “your pants would look better on their floor” to the other’s potential crush: omf definitely not chase. i feel like ellie WOULD tho and chase’s hair would turn bright pink 

Chase/Lulu

who steals french fries off the other’s plate: they each steal so many fries from each other that they might as well have eaten their own fries

who jokingly moves in for the kiss when someone asks if they’re a couple: it’d have to be lulu

who has to bust or bail the other out of jail: ok it’d be lulu busting chase out but also the idea of lulu going to jail and then making friends w all the inmates is so funny to me lol

who gives the other advice/comfort about dating issues: they seem like they both wouldn’t?? chase might be like “u have any crushes?? is it carly?? u should do an interpretive dance to her favourite song i bet she’d fall for u then”

who shamelessly cheats at games by reaching over to cover the other’s eyes: lulu and chase is like “oh!! i can not see! i must be blind!”

who immediately calls dibs on the top bunk: i feel like they’d actually race each other for it lol. chase pulls her off as she’s going up the ladder, lulu oils it so he can’t get up, they both have to sleep on the floor

who starts and who wins the pillow fights: lulu starts them, chase is too good at them, but also i can see her and logan and carly all teaming up against him here too

who says “your pants would look better on their floor” to the other’s potential crush: gods why can i 100% see lulu saying this and chase being like “noooooo”

Parker/Kerri

who steals french fries off the other’s plate: parker and kerri is like “why didn’t you get two orders????” and he’s like “bc you got one that i could eat (:”

who jokingly moves in for the kiss when someone asks if they’re a couple: lmao parker and kerri’s like “get ouTTa here valentine”

who has to bust or bail the other out of jail: i can’t imagine why parker would go to jail but it would probably be kerri busting him out lol

who gives the other advice/comfort about dating issues: hmmm kerri bc parker’s not good at advice oR comfort lmao

who shamelessly cheats at games by reaching over to cover the other’s eyes: kerri only did this once when she realized how dumb the move was in chess and just took it back. parker didn’t even realize what her mistake was

who immediately calls dibs on the top bunk: parker would want the bottom bunk tbh

who starts and who wins the pillow fights: kerri and parker’s like “oh so thAt’s how it is???” and she gives up before it gets too intense

who says “your pants would look better on their floor” to the other’s potential crush: omf parker?? but only when he’s in a certain mood and then kerri’s like “you can’t sAy that”

Parker/Faye

who steals french fries off the other’s plate: parker tried once and got one warning. next time he’s getting stabbed

who jokingly moves in for the kiss when someone asks if they’re a couple: neither, faye just gags loudly

who has to bust or bail the other out of jail: lmao parker and he’s like “tsk tsk” and she’s like “not another word”

who gives the other advice/comfort about dating issues: lmao they don’t talk about this stuff with each other

who shamelessly cheats at games by reaching over to cover the other’s eyes: um if parker tried this he Would get stabbed

who immediately calls dibs on the top bunk: faye calls dibs on whatever she wants that day and parker’s like “ugh” and argues for like five minutes just to argue and then lets her have whichever she wants

who starts and who wins the pillow fights: they don’t pillow fight anymore because every time they did it would get too serious lol

who says “your pants would look better on their floor” to the other’s potential crush: um this seems like more of a faye line but would she say this to jack ???

Jordan/Victoria

who steals french fries off the other’s plate: jordan doesn’t get food, he just steals victoria’s fries and then she’s like “vvvvvvv why didn’t you just sAy you wanted friES????”

who has to bust or bail the other out of jail: if jordan ever got caught, victoria. but also if victoria ever got caught doing something w cyrus i doubt she’d call jordan lol

who gives the other advice/comfort about dating issues: umm they Don’t

who shamelessly cheats at games by reaching over to cover the other’s eyes: they shamelessly cheat in other ways lol

who immediately calls dibs on the top bunk: jordan teleports there and sticks his tongue out and she’s like “well i wanted the bottom bunk ANWAY asshole”

who starts and who wins the pillow fights: jordan starts them and nobody wins them bc he runs away but vic counts that as him giving up so she wins lol

who says “your pants would look better on their floor” to the other’s potential crush: both of them are like “ew” but also vic would just to annoy him

Ime/Fizz

who steals french fries off the other’s plate: hmm fizz steals them and ime lets her

who has to bust or bail the other out of jail: ime has to bust fizz out and fizz is like “don’t say it” and ime’s like “u shouldn’t have gotten caught” and fizz is like “i told u not to say it!!!” and then she’s like “ugh just don’t tell alec they’ll cry” and ime’s like “hmmmmmmm… ok”

who gives the other advice/comfort about dating issues: lol ime gives advice and fizz is like “omfg did i ask??”

who shamelessly cheats at games by reaching over to cover the other’s eyes: neither of them need to do this they just play and let their powers go wild

who immediately calls dibs on the top bunk: hmm fizz

who starts and who wins the pillow fights: umm ime starts fizz wins?

who says “your pants would look better on their floor” to the other’s potential crush: ime says this to caine and fizz is like “i’ll kill u”

Cleo/Fizz

who steals french fries off the other’s plate: ummm fizz but cleo would offer anyway

who jokingly moves in for the kiss when someone asks if they’re a couple: lol cleo would

who has to bust or bail the other out of jail: cleo does nOt seem like the person who fizz would call but she’d come get her if she did

who gives the other advice/comfort about dating issues: cleo’s like “ugH i like someone” and fizz is like “can u be a little quieter abt that please that’s gross”

who shamelessly cheats at games by reaching over to cover the other’s eyes: they cheat in other ways thank u v much

who immediately calls dibs on the top bunk: ummm cleo will say she’s fine with either and then fizz chooses the one she wants and cleo sulks lol

who starts and who wins the pillow fights: cleo starts them by accident, fizz wins

who says “your pants would look better on their floor” to the other’s potential crush: fizz?? to make fun of cleo mostly

Chase

☆ - happy headcanon

chase will leave post it notes on his sibling’s doors/on the bathroom door/mirror to remind them to take their vitamins, grab their glasses on the way out the door, or pick up milk (and things like that). it started as a way to remind jesse that he should wear his glasses more but now caspar or ellie will also wake up with a little note on their door with a doodle that’s like “don’t forget an umbrella today! its supposed to rain!!

Parker/Faye

☮ - friendship headcanon

parker loves having a friend that he can be competitive with and also kind of be a total bitch with. he likes the fact that they banter and don’t talk about anything too serious

Ime

★ - sad headcanon

ime’s grandmother died only a few months after they arrived at camp. they were able to go home for the funeral, but they didn’t even know that she’d been sick and feel as though they never had a proper goodbye

[writeyourownname]

Back to Brooklyn

Pre-serum!Steve x Petite!Reader

Summary: You’re a childhood friend who has come back to Brooklyn to escape your father’s attempts at marrying you off. You find yourself happier than ever in your new home.

Word Count: 4,424

Slang: Dish - basically calling someone a snack nowadays. Jive-Bomber - a good dancer.

Note: This is the longest single-standing work that I’ve written on here. It’s not really edited so chill on me. 

“Steve, take a look at that dame.” Bucky said, gesturing over to the woman looking through the hats in the shop they were in.

“Buck, lower your voice,” Steve grumbled, not even glancing toward the woman.

Bucky turned Steve’s head for him, his hands pushing Steve’s cheeks together into a ridiculous face. Steve reluctantly put his gaze on her after a grunt of disapproval for Bucky. 

She was a tiny woman stretching her arm out and standing on her toes to try to reach a snowcap. Her fingers barely brushed the edge of it, and she seemed to huff, bringing her arm back down when she realized her attempts were fruitless. 

Bucky let go of Steve’s face and was quick to go to her aid, dragging Steve with him. She had yet to turn her face to them, but something about her seemed strangely familiar the closer they got to her.

“Why, would you like some assistance miss?” 

The girl turned to Bucky, “Yes, thank- hold on a minute, do my eyes deceive me or is that James Barnes standing before me?”

Bucky looked taken aback a moment and turned wildly to Steve for help. Steve recognized who she was immediately, despite her being grown. It was their neighbor from their childhood, Y/n L/n. She was more beautiful than Steve had remembered her, although a certain playful kindness still danced in her tone. Steve had a big crush on her when they were children, and he could feel those same butterflies flying around his stomach once again, although he wasnt sure they ever left.

She turned her warm eyes on Steve. “Well my Lord, here’s my old pal Steve Rogers, too!”

“Y/n, it’s so good to see you again.” Steve glanced at Bucky, who had realization wash over his features. 

“It’s good to see you, too,” You grinned at him, and he held out his hand to shake yours, but you used it to pull him into a bone-crushing hug. Steve felt the wind nearly knocked out of him, but reciprocated your affections. He was surprised to find that the top of your head only reached his jaw and that your touch sent electricity through his body.

“I see you still aren’t very lady-like.” Bucky grinned from behind you and sent Steve a wink. 

“Well, I never!” You gasped, pulling away from Steve and turning to Bucky. Your mouth quickly turned up in a grin to match Bucky’s though, and you pulled him into a hug. 

“How have you both been?” You asked while you pulled away, glancing between the two men.

“Not too bad doll, though tough guy over here just can’t keep himself out of fights.” Bucky ruffled Steve’s hair. 

“Buck!” Steve shuffled out of his grasp and attempted to tame his hair. 

You giggled at the interaction, your eyes lingering on Steve. He didn't notice your eyes in his haste to fix his hair.

“That’s no surprise.” You smiled warmly at him. 

While Steve finally looked up and made eye contact with you, Bucky took the chance to get the hat down for you. You thanked him quietly, still locked in Steve’s gaze.

Steve was the one to break eye contact, shuffling his feet as he did so. You took the hat from Bucky and placed it on your head. “What do you think?”

Steve looked up, a small smile forming. “Very lovely,”

She gave a nod and walked to the register. Steve and Bucky watched the interaction you had with the cashier.

“Steve, her coming back perfect timing. Now we can go on a nice double date with a dish you’re a little familiar with.” Bucky leaned down to speak near his ear. 

“Don’t call her a ‘dish’, Buck.” Steve said a little disgruntled.

“What do you mean? Look at her. She grew into a mighty fine looking woman, don’t you think?” He grinned earnestly and gave you a little peak out of the corner of his eye for emphasis.

“Yeah, but she would likely call you silly for even suggesting her to be my date. And she probably has a good man back home, anyhow.”

“I don’t know, Steve. I think she was looking at you pretty nicely just a minute ago.”

“Ah, you know that’s not true.”

“What’s not true?” You said, approaching them with a smile. 

Steve shot Bucky a nervous glance. 

“I was just telling Steve that a mighty fine woman such as yourself has got to have a fiancé or something as much by now.”

You rolled your eyes and started walking towards the door. “’Fraid to say I’m a very single lady.” 

Steve raised his brows in surprise as the two of them followed you to the door.

“So, what are you doing back in Brooklyn? Couldn’t get enough of good ol’ Jive-Bomber Buck, huh?” Bucky winked at you and opened the door for you and Steve. 

“Jive-Bomber Buck, huh? How could you be such a good dancer when you can’t get any lady to dance with you?” Your laugh seemed a little forced to your ears, but you knew the boys wouldn't notice it.

“Hey now, you’re forgetting my question,”

“Oh alright, but you need to wait until we’re all alone for me to answer. I don’t want any strangers overhearing.” Your smile was gone as you looked back at him.

He and Steve shared skeptically curious glances. 

“Alright doll, when we’re alone.” Steve gave you a nod of reassurance. 

You shot him a small, thankful smile. 

“Well then, let me lead you to our place.” Bucky took your arm and lead the way. 

Once settled down at the kitchen table, the boys’ expectant stares became nearly unbearable. 

“Well, here goes...

My daddy found me a man, you see. He’s got money and his family is well known around where we’re livin’. Sounds like a good deal, right? Especially for a man like my father,”

The boys shared a glance before nodding.

“Problem is, this is the meanest man I have ever met when you get him alone. He plays respectful in front of Daddy, and then turns around and treats me rough and tells me women are worthless, especially me.”

Steve sat straight in his chair. “What do you mean, ‘treats you rough?’”

You rubbed your wrist absently. “Grips me hard and pushes me around. I’m afraid that he’ll start hitting me if I go through with the marriage. I told my daddy I don’t want him, but he won’t listen, and my ma is even worse. She keeps telling me if I don’t go through with it, they’ll throw me out on the street where I belong..” You couldn’t bring yourself to make eye contact. 

“That’s why I came back here; I was hopin’ to run into someone who could help me.” You wrung your hands underneath the table; praying they were the same men you had remembered.

Steve balled his fists under the table. “Of course we’ll help you as much as we can, y/n. But you mind my asking what this scamp’s name is?” 

You looked up at Steve from across the table, widening your eyes to try to discretely dry your oncoming tears.

“Samuel Joneson,” you replied softly. 

Steve slapped a hand against the table. The action made you jump.

“We’ll find that son of a bitch and give ‘im whats coming,” Steve’s voice was all but a low growl, his eyes narrowed and glinting. 

You were thankful he wanted to help, but truth be told, Steve was still just barely bigger than that small boy you used to know. His face had gotten more handsome, you noticed, even with the anger written across his face.

Bucky reached a hand across the table and you placed your own in it. “You have nothing to worry about now. Steve and I are gonna take good care of you,” He gave you a warm, charming smile. 

During the next week you were in and out of the small apartment. You were looking for a job to help support yourself so you wouldn’t add any more strain on the boys. 

You could hear them talking late at night, arguing over what to do about Samuel, over what to do with you. You knew they meant no harm to you, but they were struggling financially - much like everyone else in the age. 

Your first day at work the following week, the boys met each other during their hour lunch break.

“I’m glad she got this job, I couldn’t stand watching you looking at her with hearts in your eyes much longer. It’s nice having a break.” Bucky elbowed Steve and grinned.

Steve colored and a deep frown set in his features. “I do not,”

Bucky huffed out a laugh. “You’re real sweet on her alright. ‘You did the dishes? Oh y/n, you didn’t have to. Let me next time’ and, ‘I drew a bath for you because I know you’re exhausted’ and let’s not forget when she dropped her gloves in the mud, you said, ‘Let me buy you new ones, some even better than this’ when you know damn well you don’t have the money for that.” 

Steve’s ears were red and blotchy pink covered his neck and cheeks. “So what if I’m sweet on her?” He grumbled. “S’not like she’ll ever be interested in someone like me,”

“Notice the way she smiles at you tonight and tell me that tomorrow.” Bucky pushed himself out of his chair and clapped his hands together.

“Time to get back to work,”

You made it back to the apartment right before dinner. You knew the boys would be home shortly after you, so you started cooking right away. On your way home you had picked up some cabbage so that you could use it and the vegetables you had to make stew. 

You gathered dirty laundry and washed what you could in the bucket outside while the stew cooked. Your hands felt rough from the contrast of the hot water and cold air. You didn’t take notice, though, you were thinking about Steve. You knew he was a fine young man with strong morals - he always had been - but there was something different in the way you were seeing him this time. 

You found yourself staring at him, at his mouth, when he spoke. For some reason you wanted to cover all his bare skin with your mouth. You thought about stopping him sometimes, just so you could pull him close, press your lips to his. Late at night you thought about it, what it would feel like to have him wanting you just the same as you wanted him. You thought about how he would bring your mouth up to meet his, the way his fingers would feel in your hair. Sometimes your thoughts would go farther. Just imagining the feeling of his hand on your thigh, slowly sliding up, up, had your heart pounding and your blood rushing. 

You imagined him coming up behind you while you washed his clothes, brushing your hair back and kissing along your neck. You hummed to yourself.

“Y/n?”

You squeaked and jumped up from where you had been sat. Steve stood in the doorway, a small smile on his face. “Did I spook ya?”

Your face heated and you gave him a flustered smile. “Steve, hi, welcome home,” 

He watched your reaction, eyes closely watching your expression, a part of him making his heart twinge at the thought Bucky might be right, that you did want him.

“Dinner smells good,” Was all he managed to say, eyes flicking away from yours for just a moment. 

“Thank you, I thought stew might sound good, seeing as it’s getting chillier by the day.” You smiled warmly at him, knowing that he must get cold much too often.

“About that,” he started. “We need to get you more blankets. I don’t know if you remember, but Brooklyn winters are harsh. Not to mention we don’t have any heat.” Steve rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly. 

“Don’t you worry about me, as long as you boys let me stay here my main goal is to take care of you and take some stress off your shoulders.” You turned back to your work, but still tried to maintain as much eye-contact as you could.

“I don’t need takin’ care of,” Steve replied indignantly.

“You know I didn’t mean you specifically, honey.” You folded the clean clothes over a clothes line, hoping that the bitter wind that was picking up would dry them quickly. 

Steve sighed softly.

The sound of the front door opening and closing made you pause in your work.

“Hiya, Buck,” You called out behind Steve. 

Bucky appeared in the dorrway with an award-winning smile not a minute after. “Smells awfully good in here, Y/n. What’re you making?” 

“Some stew. Like I told Steve, it’s getting pretty darn cold outside so its as good a time as any to make some,”

“I don’t know how we got by living without you,” Steve blurted.

“With scraps, I assume.” You winked at Steve and laughed. 

A low rumble escaped Bucky’s mouth before turning into a full belly laugh. You looked to Steve, confused. You knew it wasn’t that funny.

Steve was embarrassed. Of course he knew what Bucky was thinking, and of course he made a fool of himself, but he just shrugged to your confused expression. 

When Bucky had finished you shooed them inside, telling them it was too cold to leave the door open. They retreated in, Steve making his way around the kitchen to set the table.

“She winked at you.”

“It was a joke.”

“She barely looked at me when I came in. Too busy looking at you,”

“You were acting weird, she was asking me what was going on,”

“You need me to explain what I was laughing at?”

“No.” The spoon and fork he held clattered on the table as he finally looked up at Bucky. The bastard was grinning from ear to ear. 

“Just keep watching.” Steve huffed and straightened the silverware just as you came back inside. 

“Oh, you didn’t need to do that,” You said, brushing against his arm as you made your way to grab some bowls. You stopped the sweet shiver that came from making physical contact with him. “But thank you,”

You smiled to him, oblivious to the silent conversation Bucky and Steve were having. Bucky was jabbing his thumb in your direction and Steve was vehemently shaking his head. When you turned back around to help set the table, the conversation came to an abrupt halt. 

“Go ahead and sit down.” You passed each of them a bowl and set one down for yourself. You scooped out helpings for each of you and sat down next to Steve, across from Bucky. 

“Will your father or ‘betrothed’” Bucky used air quotations “come looking for you?”

Steve nearly choked. 

“I don’t think so - or at least I hope not. I made it clear to them that I was leaving and not coming back. If one does, it will be because they’re embarrassed of me. Hopefully they are so embarrassed though that they can’t even bare to be seen with me again.” You waved your spoon in the air for emphasis. 

“Why do you ask?” 

“I just want to be prepared if someone does. I mean, what if I ran into your father? What would you want me to say?” You raised your brow at him.

“Nothing, or that I’ve died of something.” 

Steve really did choke this time. You reached behind him and patted his back in the hopes of helping. His eyes went watery before he was able to finally catch his breath again. 

“Don’t jinx yourself into dying, Y/n! We just got you back and we don’t want you going anywhere.” 

Your eyes widened a fraction and your eyebrows raised. “Okay,” You said slowly. 

That night the temperature dropped another twenty degrees. It was below freezing and the wind whistled through the cracks in the apartment. Even with the blankets you had, you were freezing, and the loveseat wasn’t getting any more comfortable the colder you got. 

After almost an hour of contemplation, you dragged yourself off of the couch. With a blanket wrapped around your shoulders, you made your way to Steve’s room. You knocked softly on the door. 

You didn’t wait for an answer. You slowly slipped in and shut the door quietly behind you. 

Steve heard the door open and close as someone came in, but pretended to be asleep. He heard muffled footsteps and a dragging before another thick blanket was thrown over him. He nearly lifted his head up to look, but his own blankets were lifted as someone slipped in next to him. They curled up against the front of his body, facing away from him and tucking their head under his chin.  

Steve cracked his eyes open to make sure he wasn’t dreaming, that you had actually decided to curl up next to him in bed. His heart pounded at the affirmation that it was, indeed, the girl he was just whistfully thinking about sleeping next to only a few minutes prior. 

He took this opportunity to snake his arm around your waist and hold you against him.

“Is this okay?” He whispered into your hair. 

“Yeah,” You whispered back. You pulled his hand further up and laced your fingers together.

Steve stared out into the dark room. Every place where your bodies touched set his skin on fire.

“Steve?” You rolled a bit to face him, untwining your hands. He got up on his elbow. 

“Hm?” He brushed your hair away from your face.

You stared into his eyes, your mind turned off as you reached up to cup his face. You brushed your thumb along his cheekbones and he shivered. 

“I trust you,” You whispered. “I’ve never trusted a man this much before.”

Steve paused. He laid down on his back but turned his head to face yours. “It’s because I’m not big, like the other men, isn’t it?” He sounded completely deflated.

It was your turn to put your weight on your elbow, your other you laid against his chest. “It’s because you’ve never shown me any less respect than the other people you know.” You ran your fingers gently up and down his chest, tracing absently. 

“Well yeah, I know you can take care of yourself.” He said.

You smiled gently at him, tears brimming in your eyes as you thought of your mother and father and your betrothed. “And you seem to want to spend time with me. No one else did back home.” 

Steve stayed quiet, gently pulling your hand into his instead. “You treat me so kindly and I just know you would never hurt me,” 

Steve caught the tears that had started to fall.

“So thank you,” 

“Don’t thank me for treating you the way that you should be treated.” He pulled you down against him and let you cry into his neck. You fell asleep like that, with his arms tightly folded around you and the tears drying against your cheeks. 

The next morning you woke up alone and put it upon yourself to make the bed. Afterwards you took a quick shower which left you with just enough time to get to work. 

Steve and Bucky parted ways at Steve’s work, which was two blocks closer to the apartment. Right before stopping off Bucky turned to Steve with that same shit eating grin he always wore when he wanted to piss Steve off. 

“Sleep well last night?”

“Drop it,”

“I told you so,”

“She was just cold.”

“Uh huh, she was just cold.” A man walking while reading the newspaper bumped into Bucky, making him stumble forward.

“Watch it!” Bucky shouted after him. The man only glanced back and continued walking. 

Steve ran up to him, tapped him on the shoulder, and his fist connected to the stranger’s face. The man stumbled back before throwing his own punch. 

“God damnit,” Bucky grunted, going to drag Steve back away from the stranger. He was so uneccessary sometimes.

“Stupid northerners,” The man spat in a heavy southern accent.

 “What the fuck did you just say to me?” Steve huffed and tried to jump at him again, but Bucky had a firm grip on his upper arms. 

The man was fairly big, and very plain looking. His clothes also didn’t match the weather, since he was only in a suit jacket instead of a coat.

“Who are you to call me stupid?” Steve growled. 

“Samuel Joneson, millionaire, and, looking at your work uniform, I dare say I have every right.” He sneered.

Bucky let go of Steve in shock.

“Samuel Joneson? That’s your name?” Bucky’s wide eyes were mistaken as stupidity by the stranger.

“Yes, are you too dumb to understand what a name is?” Steve and Bucky pushed the man into a neighboring alley.

“What in-”

Bucky and Steve nodded to each other. “You wouldn’t happen to be looking for a little lady now, would you?”

“Y/n, you know where she is?”

Steve and Bucky shared a look. 

Samuel looked between them. “I knew it, that little whore-” 

Steve rammed his knee into the guy’s mouth before he could even finish. 

“Steve, I know we need to get to work, but I think we have a little business to take care of first.”

Your work day was fairly busy, and you were thankful because staying on your feet was the only thing keeping you warm. You were glad when it was time for you to go home. You knew that cooking dinner would keep you cozy and you would be able to wear a blanket over your shoulders.

About halfway through, the front door burst open. In came Steve and Bucky, wearing happy little smiles and laughing with each other. You noticed immediately that there were bandages around Steve’s knuckles, and that Bucky seemed to limp a bit when he walked. 

“Y/n! Y/n!” They called.

You squinted at them, a smile tugging at the corner of your lips. “What did you guys get into this time?”

“We took care of some business,” Steve said, beaming.

Bucky came around and kissed the top of your head. “So you have nothing to worry about.”

You playfully shoved Bucky away and rolled your eyes at their vague-ness. “Well I’m glad you both are safe.”

The men sat at the kitchen table while you continued making dinner. Bucky produced cards so they made idle chat and played until it was time to eat. 

During dinner they both refused to tell you what had happened and who they had gotten into a fight with, so you eventually gave up. You did wearily watch the bandages flex on Steve’s knuckles while he ate, however. 

Steve fell into silence after he ate dinner. He wondered whether you would share his bed again with him again. He told himself it was just to stay warm, but he knew where his thoughts were. 

He excused himself early, electing to take a shower before bed. He was still thinking about you, about slowly running his hand up your thigh, pressing his fingers between them, pressing wet kisses against your neck. He imagined how much you wanted it, how you would cry out his name at the gentlest touches. He hadn’t even gotten to imagining taking his pants off before he was finished. Embarrassment flooded his body and he quickly finished his shower. 

Why would she ever want me like that? I’m stupid for even letting myself imagine it.

Steve dressed and went to bed as usual. He fell asleep, but went into a coughing fit that woke him up soon after. He huffed to himself. He figured his sickness was just another reason to love him. He laid and let his insecurities eat him up until a knock was at his door. 

You walked in, once again wrapped in a blanket to fight off the cold. Steve rolled on his side to face you as you slid yourself in next to him. 

“Bucky told me what happened. Thank you.” 

“I wasn’t going to let him anywhere near you when I could stop it right there.” He frowned.

“That’s what I love about you, you fight for what’s right.” You laid on your back and looked up at him. 

“I really can’t thank you enough,” You wanted to kiss him as a thank you, but you knew he was too polite to ask. 

He cupped your face and smiled. “You really don’t have to. I want to protect you, no matter what.” 

“I’m sorry, that was a little too much, wasn’t it?” Steve chuckled anxiously and began pulling away. His heart started hammering in his chest. 

“No,” You grabbed his hand and brought it back to your face. You noticed that his knuckles no longer had gauze wrapped around them. 

You inspected the scabs over the bruising and felt a heaviness in your chest. He tried to pull his hand away again, but you pulled his knuckles to your lips, pressing feather-light kisses against them.

Steves heart skipped a beat. He brushed his fingers along your cheek to turn and cup your face again. 

“Was that okay?” You asked softly. 

Steve leaned closer, his nose brushing against yours. He waited in anticipation to see if you would resciprocate. He didn’t have to wait long. You pulled him all the way in so his lips met yours. His lips were soft and his kisses hesitant. 

He pulled away after a few seconds, shaking. “I want this more than you will ever know.”

“So please, tell me if this is out of pity or not,” His eyes were squeezed shut, his breaths uneven. 

You pushed yourself up and pressed a kiss to the corner of his mouth. You moved down, continuing to kiss along his jaw and getting wet, and open mouthed as you made your way slowly down his neck. You could feel his pulse flying against your lips. 

“I’ve never wanted anyone more than you,” You whispered against his neck. He shook his head. You pressed another kiss against his jaw. 

“Please, look at me,” 

Steve slowly met your gaze. “There is no other man I would rather have,”

“I’m dreaming,” He murmured, eyes still searching yours. 

“’Fraid not,” Your smile was interrupted when his lips found yours again. 

[rogsclogs]

Some Day One Day (Brian May x Reader); Part 3.

Taglist: @brighter-thanthe-sky @im-a-sheerheartattack @fruityfreddie @discodeacygotmorerhythm (if you want to be added please message me privately)

to read the previous parts, just look up “Some day one day” within my tags :)

Feedback is highly highly appreciated, so I would love it if you could let me know what you think of the story so far! Thank youuuuu

Brian didn't like talking about his personal life, not in general and especially not with his students, mainly because he wanted to keep their relationship as professional and school based as possible, but also because he wasn’t too good at expressing emotions and feelings, and he didn't like when people would try to read him and figure him out regardless.

He wasn't even good at that with his ex wife, who he’d been married to for over ten years before he found her in bed with one of his colleagues on a cold and rainy September evening as he got back home from school. He’d been utterly devastated and his faith in women and people in general had crumbled before him, but he had tried to bottle all of his sadness up and not let anyone else suffer from it. Especially not his daughter, the only good thing to come out of his terrible marriage (it hadn’t always been terrible, of course. The first few years were some of the best of his life and then when Emily had come along he thought it wouldn’t get any better than that, but he didn't like to remember the good times considering how little his ex wife seemed to have cared about them).

Thinking back on it, he probably made a mistake when he proposed to Chrissie, but he really thought they’d be good for each other in the long run and he wanted his parents to be proud of him for once. They had never been, not when he got his PhD in astrophysics, not when he invited them to go see him play with his band and not when he first introduced them to their niece, so he should have just given up from the beginning, but that wasn't like him. They would much rather find something to complain about in everything he did rather than support him and love him like parents should, and because of that he was ready to give his daughter all the love he’d been lacking from his relationship with his parents and his marriage. When Chrissie left them, he had to learn how to be a dad and a mom, he had to learn how to manage his life at home and the one he had at school, how to balance all his duties and how to take care of the most precious creature he’d ever laid his eyes on, but it wasn’t an easy task and it took a toll on him, especially when she was very little, when he didn’t know what to do as she started crying or when she wanted her mommy, and he didn’t know what to tell her, so he just put on a wig and pretended to be a woman to make her laugh and to stop his own heart from aching.  The little girl was like a carbon copy of him and even though his ex wife had turned out to be a cheater, there was no doubt in his mind that Emily was his own flesh and blood, she had the same dark and thick hair that Brian himself didn't know how to tame (and he got upset when she would ask him to braid it for her and he couldn't do it, although she always assured him that it was okay) and the same curiosity as her dad, which got her in trouble every once in a while, but he was so proud and encouraging of her personality so it didn't really matter what anyone else had to say. He really loved the little girl more than he’d ever loved anything in life, so he was trying to learn a healthy way to cope with his emotions, mostly for her sake but also for his own.

So when he found himself in front of a sobbing Y/N, his paternal side came out without him even realizing as he gently sat her down on his chair and offered her a tissue to dry her tears with.

“Hey, hey, it’s fine, no need to cry, everything is okay, I promise” she nodded at him, but still couldn't stop herself from being emotional, she’d been bottling up her frustration for so long and now it was all downing on her.

“I’m sorry I raised my voice at you Y/N, can I get you anything? A glass of water?” He asked as he franticly ran his sweaty hands on his jeans out of nervousness, but she was too busy thinking about how he’d just called her by her first name to notice anything weird about his attitude. Her name sounded so sweet coming from his lips, and she was so used to being Miss Y/L/N that the change felt almost comforting to her in a way.

“No, I’m fine Mr. May, thank you, I’m sorry for being an emotional mess, I didn't mean to break down like this”

“Brian” he softly spoke after letting her wipe away her tears with a napkin he’d given her.

“Excuse me?” 

“You can just call me Brian. I mean, lecture’s over and it’s just me and you so you can call me by my first name. If you want to, of course. Or you can just stick to Mr. May, it’s fine either way” he was getting sorta flustered thinking that he might have suggested something that overstepped a boundary, and it was absolutely adorable for her to watch.

She was perplexed, but loved the idea of being on a first name basis with him, it made her feel special and she wasn't sure if that was a good thing or not, but the crush she’d been developing on him prevented her from thinking completely straight, all she could focus on was how incredibly gorgeous he looked just wearing a plain white shirt and jeans and how lucky she was to be in his presence. 

“Alright Brian, I’m so sorry for causing a scene, I’ll just go now, I have homework to finish, you know” she joked as she stood up from the chair and started collecting her jacket and schoolbag. 

“Wait Y/N, sit back down I’m not done with you” his tone was much light hearted than before but he still needed to talk to her about some serious issues, and he wanted her to understand that. 

“Yeah, right, sorry, go on”

“Stop apologizing Y/N, you’re gonna be just fine” he could tell that she was still on edge around him, so he tried his best to act friendly (not that he could ever be very intimidating, but still) and lower his voice for her.

“So, I have noticed that lately something seems to be up with you, and I’m saying this in the least offensive way possible. I mean you used to ace each test and answer all my questions in class and always have your homework done even before it was due. I literally had to stop you from answering the questions before your classmates had a chance!” They both laughed at the memories of all the times Y/N wanted to show off and get noticed by Brian, knowing the best way to do so was to be impressively smart and raise her hand multiple times during class.

“What is going on? Can you tell me about it? Talk to me, I’m your professor but I’m still a human being and I can try to understand you. We can work through this” His dark brown eyes had grown softer since the beginning of their discussion and she found herself wanting to stare into them for as long as she could, but at the same time it was hard to keep eye contact, she felt ashamed of her actions and didn't want him scrutinizing her.

“I honestly wish I had an answer Brian. I don’t know why I’ve been doing so bad lately, at some point I got lost and started to struggle and couldn't grasp the concepts we were covering in class, but I figured I could get back on track by myself y’know so I never asked for any help”

“Ah, yes, that’s where you went wrong love, you should have talked to me as soon as you noticed that some things I was talking about were not making much sense to you” 

How did he expect her to be fine with him calling her love? Her heart was pretty much beating the living shit out of her ribcage and in that moment she knew she would never crave anything else in life as much as his voice calling her that.

“Did you ever consider getting a tutor?”

She snickered at his words, even the cheapest tutors available were more than she could ever even begin to afford, and there was no way in hell that her parents would help her out.

“Yeah, I did, but while the service offered by the headmaster is cheap, I’m afraid that it’s still more than I can afford. After all, I only work in the weekends and I barely make enough to make ends meet as it is.”

“What about your parents, Y/N? Don't you have someone who could help you with that? It is for your own good after all, and it’s an investment in your future education”��

“I know that very well Brian, but you see, my parents and I don’t really see eye to eye”

Brian was somewhat shocked by her words, he knew that she was a hard working person and a good student, after all he’d gotten to see all her grades from that semester, so he wondered what exactly her parents didn't approve of about her, but he should have known better, he was always in the wrong according to his parents too. 

“They don’t love the idea of me studying astrophysics, I guess they have sorta accepted it at this point because my other option was even less plausible to them, but there's just no way I can ask for their help, they already think they're doing too much to support me and I’d never hear the end of it. Also, if they knew I was struggling I’d be in deep shit” Y/N realized that using that kind of language around Brian was probably not the wisest choice and she wanted to apologize immediately, but he looked deep in thought and unfazed by her words, so she let it go. 

He knew what the girl was talking about, he’d had to go through similar things growing up and he remembered how much those things affected him, especially as a young man who was still unsure of what his place in the world would be.

He recognized the look on her face, he’d seen it in the mirror many times before and he felt compelled to do something for her, something that could restore her faith in adults and remind her that although some days it might feel like the whole world is against you, there's still someone out there willing to believe in you and cheer you up.

“Alright Y/N, I’m about to offer something to you that I have never offered anyone before, at least not since I have started my career, and I’m not quite sure I should even be asking you this, but would you.. maybe like me to help you out?”

“Help me out?” She was confused to say the least, she didn't even know why he was being so secretive about whatever kind of help he was offering, but she was intrigued.

“Yeah, with your coursework and stuff. I could essentially tutor you, free of charge of course” he tried to hide his nerves by offering her a gleaming and charming smile, but he was secretly scared she would call him names and never talk to him again after that, he wouldn't even blame her.

On the other hand, Y/N was quite content with his proposal, her heart dancing around in her chest and doing cartwheels whenever she raised her head to look at him and found his slim figure leaning on the desk with one hand in the back pocket of his jeans and the other one gently scratching his unshaved face. She wished she could reach out and do that too.

“Have I made this uncomfortable? I’m so sorry Y/N just pretend I never said-”

“I’d love it if you could do that for me” she didn't even realize that she’d taken so long to answer although her mind was made up the second he spoke.

“You- really?” A youthful and genuine sparkle in his eye caught her attention and made her smile back at him.

“Yeah, it would be irresponsible for me to give up such an opportunity. It is very kind of you to offer that Brian, thank you”

“You’re very welcome, Y/N, anything to help you gain your interest back, I know you can go far and I fully believe in you, so if I can help you out in any way I’m more than happy to do so”

His words sounded a bit too friendly to be coming from a professor having a regular conversation with one of his students, but Y/N stopped herself before she could read too much into it, knowing that path only led to self destruction and heartbreak. He was just trying to help a student in need, he would have done it with anyone else in her situation.

“Would you like to start on Monday? Maybe take some time this weekend to go through the last few topic we’ve covered and make a list of the things you don’t understand so we can go over them together, okay? We can meet after class in my office, so from 5 to 6, would that work for you?”

“It would work perfectly, thank you again, I really don't know what to say right now”

“No need to say anything, I’m happy to make this work. Just... maybe don't tell too many people about this. I mean, we know there’s nothing sketchy going on, but some people might twist it and-”

“Our little secret is safe with me, my lips are sealed” she teased and grinned at a very flustered Brian, he didn't need to be thinking about her lips right now. She put on her jacket and grabbed her backpack then started walking to the door.

“See you on Monday Mr. May” she found that she missed calling him that after all. She pulled out a cigarette from a pack and looked for the lighter that she always lost in her huge bag filled with books and notes and bobby pins from God only knows how long ago.

“Yeah, I’ll see you on Monday. Oh, and Miss Y/L/N?” She turned around to him with a questioning look as he pulled out a yellow colored lighter from one of his pockets and handed it to her.

“Smoking kills, you should quit”

[sailorshadzter]

im not gonna lie i love thinking about all things hinny

so yeah here’s something i started writing months ago & forgot about n____n 

not sure i love the ending but im sleepy so yeah 

enjoy!!

She was like the blazing, autumn sun; blinding, bleeding streaks of color that brightened even his darkest of days. Everything about her was like a wildfire; raging and strong, beauty in her every movement. She often times blindsided him, with her words, her actions, her very existence. Harry knew that he loved her with his whole being, with every little piece of him did he love her. Through every fight, through every storm did he love her. There wasn't anything in this world he would trade for her and there wasn't anything he wouldn't do to protect her.

Not that she needed protecting.

Even before, when evil had run rampant, Ginny Weasley had never needed his protection. She had always been strong, stronger than any one of them, and was fully capable of protecting herself. He would never forget those days, watching her as she fought back, battle after battle, fight after fight... Her long red hair flying as she moved, wand work dazzling even her enemies, surprising even the most veteran of duelists. Those warm brown eyes would be dark and narrowed, eyes that seemed as if they could see straight to your soul. Those days were gone, but sometimes she'd get that look on her face- when someone frightened her, she would nearly leap from her skin and her eyes would darken as they fell upon the source of her fear. Sometimes, when she didn't think he was watching, she would become that girl she'd used to be, a girl she'd thought she had left behind. They all had ghosts that continued to chase after them, no matter how many years passed them by.

"... Harry?"

He turned towards the voice, offering Hermione an apologetic sort of grin when she frowned at him. "You're hopeless." She sighed, shaking her head as she turned to follow his line of sight, which of course had settled back upon the redhead. She stood a distance from them, broom tucked over her shoulder as she argued with Ron over a play that she had just done. In truth, Ron had been watching Hermione, rather than pay attention to the game, and it'd cost them another fifty points. "And so is he." Hermione turned back to glance his way, frowning again, although her hazel eyes were shimmering in the sunlight. "I'm glad you two are getting a break." She went on, absently brushing a stray lock of hair from her eyes as she turned back just in time to see the bunch of Weasley kids kicking back up into the air. "Ginny is too, I'm sure." Hermione side-eyed him with a grin, one that had Harry choking on the sip he'd taken from his water bottle. "She said you're not sleeping much." She said without missing a beat, recalling the worried look that had been Ginny's expression a week before when she had stayed overnight at her and Ron's place. "She's worries about you, Harry."

Though he didn't speak, Harry turned to look at Hermione, a hand reaching up to run through his messy black hair. "I know." He finally said, saying the only few words that seemed to make sense right then. In the few months that had passed since his promotion to Head of the Auror department, he'd worked tirelessly to ensure the safety of the magical world. Including her, despite her need and ability to always protect herself. Everything he did... it was all for her, after all. "She says I work too hard." His words were lighthearted, true words he had heard her speak time and time again. "That I don't have to keep trying to save the world, one time was enough." Hermione snorted and Harry chuckled, shaking his head as he watched Ginny score another goal on Ron, who cursed so loudly that their mother shouted from across the yard. They all had a laugh at his expense- twenty-three years old and still being yelled at by his mother; some things just would never change.

When the six Weasley children touched down onto the ground after their match was over, it was to cheers and laughter from the children and others that had been watching. Harry loved to watch Ginny as she sailed through the air, slower than all the others, her red hair billowing in the wind as she closed her eyes. There was something he loved about watching her in this element- so lost to the world, thrown so fully into the game, whether it was professional or in her parent's backyard. "Hey," he greeted as she hit the ground, red hair wind swept and wild, much like the eyes she turned to his. "Nice match." He grinned as she reached up in an attempt to tame her long hair,  a laugh bubbling free from her rosy lips. Harry could not stop himself from slinging an arm around her slim waist, drawing her closer to him as they walked towards the others, where her mother was ushering Teddy and Victoire towards their places at the table.

"Thanks," she was breathless, her cheeks full of color as they made their way to the table her brothers had erected earlier that day. "Hey, after dinner... I've got a surprise for you." She slipped free from his grasp then, sashaying around the table to put her arms around her father's shoulders, speaking softly to him, earning a laugh from the older man. For a moment, Harry couldn't help but to stand there, still yet a little ways from the table, and do nothing but watch. He loved moments such as these, moments where the people he truly cared for gathered all around him, reminding him as always that he was the luckiest of men on the planet.

After one too many helpings of treacle tart and birthday cake (on top of the delicious dinner he'd consumed) and a wonderfully terrible rendition of Happy Birthday and more gifts than he deserved, Harry found himself to be happier than he'd been in a long time. Ginny had stayed downstairs, helping her mother and Hermione clean up, though she promised him she'd join him soon enough, for it was nearing midnight and soon his birthday would be over. And so he shed his jeans and tshirt, opting for a clean tshirt and his boxers for bed that night. It felt weird, staying at the Burrow and not bunking with Ron a few floors up. How many summers had he spent here at the Burrow? How many nights had he slept, listening to Ron's snores? Things had only begun to change in the last few years, once Ron and Hermione had married, and then he and Ginny the summer after. Despite being married for three years now, sometimes it still didn't quite feel real to him.

Footsteps in the hall caught his attention as he settled onto the edge of the bed, the door swinging open a few moments later. Ginny was bright-eyed and smiling as she slipped into the room, allowing the door to swing closed behind her. Stripping from her own clothing, she turned to face him in nothing but her underwear, red hair a sharp contrast to her milky white skin."I was afraid you'd be asleep," she giggled as he opened his arms to her, her weight warm and comforting as she settled into place upon his lap. "You had quite a bit to drink." She dipped her forehead against his, his lips brushing against hers as his arms came around her.

"Ron had more," Harry replied, knowing full well he had had too many drinks at dinner and was already beginning to feel the clutch of sleep. "Besides, I wanted this surprise you promised. It must be good." Ginny let out another laugh, the sound like music to his ears, one of his favorite sounds to ever hear. She pulled back from him then, reaching out a hand to run through his messy hair, a look in her eyes he'd never seen before. Startled, he took her hand into his own and gave it a squeeze, brought it to his mouth and pressed the softest of kisses against her palm, relishing in the quiet little sound she made at his every touch. "So... What's this surprise you mentioned?"

To his surprise, when Ginny stood up, it was not to grab a neatly wrapped present from somewhere in the room. Rather, she brought his hand down, placing his palm lightly against the flat plane of her abdomen. For a long moment, there was nothing but confused silence, for Harry could not quite understand what it was she was telling him... But then he raised his eyes towards her face and he could see the radiant smile that was on her lips, her hand sliding into place over his still there on her stomach. And that was when he realized just what it was that she was trying to tell him. With a shout, Harry lept to his feet and took her into his arms, unable to contain the sheer joy pulsating through him. "Are you sure?" He asked a moment later, finally composing himself enough to speak, both of his hands returning to their new home upon her stomach. Her eyes were full of tears this time when she nodded, her smile returning as Harry dropped to his knees, his hands on either side of her hips as he pressed his lips against her stomach. A child of their own... Harry could not believe it. Him... A father? It seemed truly unreal. "When?" He suddenly shot back up, anxiety rushing through him, replacing the joy for just a moment.

"In February," she clarified, watching as relief spread across his features. He still yet had time to prepare himself... Somehow. "Are you happy?" She went on to ask as his arms came around her again, this time burying his face into the curve of her neck, his response just a kiss against her pulse. Weaving her hands into his messy black hair, Ginny could not help but to tip her head back as his hands trailed across her, spreading warmth through her every limb. It was only a few moments later that he'd tugged her down into bed, drawing her as close to him as he dared to do, still yet keeping one gentle hand pressed to her abdomen. "Are you... Harry?" Her voice broke through the darkness and he reached out his other hand, lightly trailing it across the curve of her cheek, smiling to himself as he wondered if their child would be as freckled as its mother. He hoped so.

"Happier than I ever could be, Gin." His honesty cracked her and he could see a single tear slip free from her lashes, streaking the very same cheek he'd just touched. He leaned forwards and pressed one last kiss to her lips, to her forehead, to any inch of her that he could. He wrapped her in his arms and held on long after she'd drifted off to sleep, both fearful and elated over the news he'd just been given. To think... A child of their own. A child born from the love they shared for one another. He could barely believe it. Six years ago he'd not even thought he'd make it past seventeen, let alone to twenty-three. Six years ago, he'd never once thought he'd get to date the girl he had loved for so long, let alone marry her. Six years ago, he'd never given himself the chance to fully love, for at any moment it could have been taken from him. But here he was, twenty-three, married, and more in love than he'd ever thought possible. Funny how the world worked sometimes.

Closing his eyes, Harry tugged her a little bit closer, breathing in her sweet, floral scent, knowing without a doubt there was no one out there luckier than him.

[legolasgoldy]

VI. The Lovers || VIII. Strength || XVIII. The Moon || ★ Seven of Pentacles || ☆* Two of Wands || ◥█̆̈◤ Four of Cups || ━━╋⊂ Three of Swords

Tarot-inspired Prompts

// Phew, sorry this took a few days these questions are so gooddd. It took a lot of typing, I hope its not too much to read!haha XD Thank you so much!!❤  @blind-mutant //

VI. The Lovers - have your character’s heart and mind ever been at odds with one another?

X-men verse: Yes, a few times. When he first started getting his mutation and really struggling to come to terms with it, he was really confused as to what he should do.  It took him a month or two to decide, and ultimately his head chose to leave to spare his family from any problems his mutations would cause even though his heart told him to stay and have their support.

Also with Rhys, there was a lot of his heart telling him something his mind hadnt quite realized yet. It was a very subconscious thing because he knew he loved him, but never thought about in what way. It was obvious to everyone else, he absolutely adored him, loved his smile, his voice, everything about him and spent time always thinking of him. The problem was, it didnt click in his mind right away that all of those feelings were much more than friendship. All he knew, was that being with Rhys made his soul happy. When he did finally realize, everything just seemed to make sense but due to the whole drunken night incident a whole new struggle arose. He didnt think Rhys would feel the same way so that made his head clash with his heart a lot. All of it was a misunderstanding of course

In Mainverse: Phew, Im only going to list one time and make it brief or else we’ll be on this one question forever. When crossing the Helcaraxe, it was nothing but a mind and heart battle. He was constantly aching for comfort but hating everyone for hurting him so badly, but somewhere in his mind he knew he didnt hate them, he loved them and thats why it hurt so bad. It took the whole elven 30 years in the Helcaraxe to finally cope and his mind and heart match as much as it could.

VIII. Strength - is there a moment your character has ever had to fight for something or someone?

X-Men Au: In his usual X-men verse he hasnt had to do anything extremely drastic, but he does defend the people he cares about from judgemental people on several occasions. It sounds awfully tame but I think eventually when on his own and living with Rhys, both of them having jobs, having a happy life. He feels like they did a lot of work to get there too. Finrod helped Rhys through a lot of hard times, and they overcame past demons to live happy and together. Sometimes those demons do resurface but they fight back against that.

He does have a verse where he and a friend were captured, and he protected them from Hydra, and for the sake of not writing a lot of gore, in short theres a lot of biting and fighting. He gets muzzled, his hair cut, tested on, but eventually he gets his friend and they get out but the friend doesnt make it far, the friend supposedly drowns in the river. Key word being supposedly. XD

MainVerse: Yes. There is a lot of war throughout his lifetime that he fights in and a lot of emotional turmoil. He had to fight to be with Maglor the moment they first fell in love. Feanor forbid them to be see each other, Maglor had to marry someone else, etc. That was the least of his problems though, when they all were fleeing Valinor he had to fight to try and keep his cousins/friends from killing each other ( which they did) at the first kinslaying. He also had to fight and struggle to keep his family alive in the Helcaraxe. Then there was just so much fighting in Middle Earth. The only time there wasnt, was in the time of great peace when Morgoth was quiet, and Finrod was free to run his kingdom happily and be with his family and lover, still in secret, but he’d take it. After all that crap, keeping their romance secret wasnt as big of a deal anymore. Thats not to say it didnt bother him sometimes, but there were worse problems.

XVIII. The Moon - what is the most significant secret your character has discovered?

X-men AU: Aside from finding out what happened to Rhys, there isnt much else significant. His life in this au is relatively calm compared to all other aus. Unless you count teenage talk, and secrets swapped between friends. Theres tons of those but none of those are massive secrets.

MainVerse: Probably when Ulmo came to him and gave him a hint of what was to come and what he needed to do to prepare. Any secret from a Vala is  hella significant. Similarly, the most significant secret he ever kept himself, is that he was shagging his half-cousin for centuries and they in fact were kinda secretly married twice XD Also, any events of his foresight telling him something can also count.

★ Seven of Pentacles - what tests your character’s patience more than anything?

Prejudice.The only smidge of patience he has for it, is giving them a chance to educate themselves on the matter and be a better person. He’ll even offer to educate them. If they keep squandering that chance then he has no patience for them. You can lead a horse to water but cant make them drink, if hes gatta just forget them and protect innocent people from them then oh well. He tried. Hes not gonna tolerate someone whos ignorant biased hateful views hurt people.

ー☆* Two of Wands - has your character ever had to make a tough decision between two choices?

X-men AU: This goes along with the first question. Most of his tough decisions were due to his mind and heart saying two different things.  When his mutation started surfacing, not only did he feel like he had to choose between leaving and staying, he felt the need to either keep in touch or break up with his boyfriend. Those were two very very hard decisions. Of course he had only just turned 16, he was such a young boy and in his mind at the time those were his only choices.  He got so afraid that his family would suffer if someone judged him, he wanted them happy. The same with his boyfriend, they had both planned to go to go through highschool together then attend a college of the arts to study music. They had such big dreams that he suddenly didnt think he could do anymore. The thought of trying and failing, then hindering his boyfriend from achieving his dreams was too much, he couldnt find it in himself to risk everyones happiness, and/or safety. Heaven forbid him being a mutant were to effect his parents jobs! Or people pick on his little siblings at their schools. He thought of everything bad that could happen, and in that already stressed/very frightened state he decided to leave. Of course Charles Xavier found him and told him about the institute, and this whole thing was mended but it was devastating at the time.

MainVerse: Whether or not to leave Valinor was a choice that changed his entire life, and set his entire future in motion down the path of doom. It sounds really dramatic and it was. ;-;. When all the Noldor decided to leave when the trees were killed his mother wouldn’t go with them, and he couldnt bear to leave her but he felt the need to go and protect his father and siblings too. So he told her he would take care of them for her. At that time there was no doom of Mandos, and there could have been a way back to see her at some point and time. It wasnt too unreasonable to think seeing as the Valar said they could go, and they hadnt committed any crimes yet.

After the kinslaying he had a choice to turn back with his father and his people, to be forgiven and have the curse of doom lifted off him but he couldnt leave his siblings, cousins, and lover. He had to choose to stay with them, and thus making the decision to never see his parents again until he died. In a way he had no choice, he couldnt let his siblings, cousins, and lover go to middle earth, where the dark lords were,  alone. Theres no way he could so in that aspect it was an easy choice, but hard and heartwrenching all the same.  Another tough choice was to travel through the Helcaraxe but that wasnt his sole decision, its more complicated so I wont mention that one.

◥█̆̈◤ Four of Cups - how indecisive is your character?

Finrod is pretty decisive, the only decisions that are difficult for him are the ones where his heart and mind clash like the other questions asked about. He has such a big heart, he always tries to consider everyone and do whats best but sometimes the situation calls for a lot of thinking rather than acting on emotion. Something that important takes a lot of thought.

━━╋⊂ Three of Swords - what was the worst betrayal of trust your character has ever experienced?

X-men au: I think going back to the tough decision question about his mutation beginning to surface. At the time when that happened, he felt very betrayed by his own body. Everything just started tumbling to pieces in front of him. His body kept changing and his teeth were growing so his mouth was incredibly sore around his canines not to mention accidentally biting himself a lot. His ears, and sense of smell, and taste were malfunctioning from the change so noises that didnt normally bother him hurt sometimes to the point of bleeding ears, things that normally tasted good suddenly tasted bad, he kept smelling things he didnt want to smell. Not to mention his voice started doing really weird things and he suddenly got abnormally strong. Not only was all this suddenly happening to him, his fear of what would happen to everyone else just made him feel betrayed by the world for not accepting him and forcing him between a rock and a hard place. Of course later, things did work out and he realized there were a lot of people who supported mutants too, and that he just had to see it. The longer he had his mutation he felt like it was who he was meant to be, now he wouldnt know what to do without it. Just being so young and everything happening so suddenly did make him feel betrayed for several months.

Mainverse: Hm, well theres several betrayals that he went through although things like the kinslaying wasnt directly to solely him so I wont elaborate on those.  I would say its a pretty good tie between his uncle Feanor refusing to let  Makalaure/Maglor be with him and basically forcing Mags to marry someone else specifically to keep them from ever being married was a pretty bad betrayal at the time. Feanor had always been rough around the edges, but Finrod had never expected that extent of a betrayal.

The biggest betrayal of his entire lifetime I would say is what Curufin and Celegorm did in Nargothrond.  Finrod had been one of the best kings in history, he was sweet, compassionate, loyal, trust worthy, he cared about everyone not just his own subjects. His kingdom thrived and was so happy, he kept it hidden from evil all that time. There was such an immense level of respect between him and his subjects, and Curufin and Celegorm specifically visited Nargothrond to try and undermine that respect and trust. They widdled away at it and planted all kinds of seeds of doubt to the point when Finrod decided to go with Beren to retrieve a silmaril, it was absolute mutiny. Everyone in the entire kingdom turned on him because of what Curufin and Celegorm had done and said to them, only a single handful of people remained loyal to him. A single handful, thats it, out of that entire massive kingdom. Finrod simply took off his crown and tossed it on the floor bc thats all he could do,  it was such a betrayal there was nothing else he could have done.  Finrod went into Angband with only part of that handful of people because no one else would follow him. They all died except for Beren who Finrod died protecting. Luckily his nephew Orodreth got the crown and not Curufin and Celegorm, but much good that did..Not long after Nargothrond fell and Orodreth and his daughter was killed, and most of Nargothronds people were either killed or enslaved. So.. yea. Massive Betrayal. Hugee. Lead to the entire kingdom and its people being dead.