#im updating the tag so people know i know i fucked that small part up but seeing as many people got what i meant im gunna leave as is

[ileftherbackhome]

Something that annoys me to no end is when terfs rewrite history and claim that woman was "always" defined as adult female human because no it fucking wasn't.

You dumb ass bitches have never spoken to a black American woman and it fucking shows.

Btw, "womanhood" was originally defined by both race and gender in America.

No matter how hard you cry about it, it doesn't change the fact that black women were excluded from womanhood based on their skin color and the fact that slavery was genetically passed down through the mother.

In short, black women were literally defined as slaves and not "true women," and to pretend like woman has always been defined in one way is fucking racist and factually inaccurate.

Changing the definition to mean a woman is whoever identifies as one removes third parties coming in and doing that again to black or queer women. It gives women self-advocacy in part because of the racist history between the word woman u dumb cunts.

[fratboycipher]

obligatory welcome guide for redditors

A lot of the guides I've seen don't actually seem to understand how reddit works in comparison to tumblr so

your blog is basically your own small subreddit. some people curate this heavily to fit a theme, like a sub, most people don't

reblogs are culturally equivilant to upvotes but functionally equvilant to crossposting

there is an algorithm. it sucks and nobody uses it. turn it off in settings. everything is generally chronological

likes are functionally equivilant to saving a post

you've probably already seen this but change your icon and put something in your bio or people WILL assume you're a bot. personal info not required

generally, anything you would put as a comment on a thread should go in the tags or the replies of a post. only add comments in reblogs if you want it to become part of the base post

tags are mostly equivilant to flairs, used for organization and commentary

your dashboard is an aggregation of everyone you follow

there is an r/all equivilant(trending page) but it sucks and nobody uses it

our search also sucks. your best bet is using tumblr.com/tagged/[TAG] and not /search

there are no mods

by extension, reporting something doesn't put it in front of the mods, it sends it to staff, who may or may not do anything(usually they don't)

there is no karma, there are no karma limits. anyone can reblog anything, comment/reply to anything, or post in any tag

"reposting"(reblogging) old content doesn't matter. people can and will reblog the same post multiple times, including in a row

CAVEAT. reposting someones art(NOT reblogging, making a new post) is a dick move. i know this is commonplace on fandom subs but its not necessary here. everything you post should be [OC] unless you are reblogging. or posting shitty memes

we have our own sitelore, you'll pick it up

(though im not opposed to bringing some over from reddit)

our app also sucks. we do not have third party apps and any that claim to be are scams. sorry

for desktop, most people use the XKit Rewritten extension for QoL improvements and to revert shitty aesthetic updates, much like old.reddit

we have no idea where the porn rules are at either. add a mature content flag to anything you'd get fired for looking at at work, that's about it

finally, from the bottom of my heart, fuck u/spez

[aaaaaaaaaaaa-hey-its-jude-or-bee]

Main page;

Welcome, be respectful and kind towards everyone here, if you don't like anything I have, you can leave kindly, I am using photos of cats to make each part seperated.

Jake is going to make me lose my marbles.

The pollen(newer people!);

🦇 anon

The honey(;

@spooky-bunnys & @demonic-spooky-bunny (they're so lovely so you can go look at them!! Same person!!), (ok I got the ok for tagging Sirius guys let's GOOO!!!!!!) @cupiddoves they're here to read, 🫚 anon now as well omg

Introduction,,

Update; Bee's carrd omg!!?!?!

Yhhhhfhghg goodnight I'm going insane

HiHihI my name is Bee//Cedric//Brian

My pronouns are

He/His/Him

🏳️‍⚧️trans man🏳️‍⚧️

I'm 🇨🇦Canadian indigenous🤍💛♥️🖤🇨🇦

I will write HCs, small stories and other things.

Let's get into the bigger shit

What I won't write

Female readers.. YOU HAVE OTHER WRITERS WHO WILL WRITE THAT.

Noncon/Con-Noncon(BC it feels icky,,)

Rape

Pedophile shit

Incest

Child/adult

Ageplay

Any kinks that have liquid other than cum

Domestic abuse

Abuse

Pregnancy kinks or just pregnancy in general

Giving BIRTH???

Nothing to do with child birth.

Im not writing fucking sexual assault.

In between

Age difference (Not a fresh adult BC ....creepy) I'll write like only readers 25 years of age to whatever age the other character is at.

A/O/B verse stuff /this is a yes.

What I will write

Fluff & wholesomeness

Smut and angst

Natural kinks

A little bit of choking but not full on choking.

Small TINY knife play if you're interested in that, but I'm not writing characters stabbing you or you stabbing them.

Bondage is ok

For the smut I might go full if you want or just small if I'm not feeling up to writing a lot of smut(depends on the character too)

MLM and TMLM yes I'll write for.

Some hybrid and monster au stuff

A lot of fluff and just sweet stuff.

Ok I come back to add Omegaverse I will genuinely write for that too now.

I’ll add cum and tears because it’s normal, other than that no weird stuff guys.

Ion mind anything!! But beware that some people will send smut asks so!!

Fandoms;

Stardew valley (+Expanded)!!

Dead by daylight!!

Slashers

TF2 (I'm trying to know all characters pls bare with me for this one)

Left4dead (+2)!!

Call of Duty and Cold war!!(I love sims and Adler from cold war,,, and I LOVE Gaz sm from modern warfare,,)

Marble hornets

Animal crossing new horizons as well

DC

Movie fandoms.

OCTONAUTS!!!!!

stranger things

The walking dead.

Sweet tooth

Titans (with Dick Grayson and Rachel ykyk?? Not like the anime, I never seen that)

Black summer

The rain

TAU

The mist

[littlefroginthegarden]

Sold to Heartsteel 1/24

its a liiiittle bit late but whatever... im trying to write an advents calendar fic, theres some buffer but ill write during the month so im also open to input if you have any good ideas :)

hope you enjoy!

Tags: semi-ironic adaptation of 'sold to one direction' trope so yeah theres obv selling involved, angst, fluff, friendship, romance, maybe smut, mlm, transmasc character, some transphobia but mostly just parents being shit but nothing explicit or slurs or stuff, yeah i think thats about it, ill update this if anything changes xoxo

Part 1

Hi, my name is Hwei and I’m a misunderstood artist. Well, that’s not exactly true. My Parents hate my art and they think it’s just a waste of time. But under the name DemonBrush I’m known all around the world, my art account just recently hit two million followers. Which didn’t help me at all in my real life. I’ve been 18 now for a few months but my parents still act like I’m 16. I haven’t finished school yet and I can’t move out because my anxiety has made working impossible so far. My parents don’t allow me to get therapy or meds and I’m on their insurance so there’s nothing I can do. I sigh and try to think about something else but looking out my small window into the dark December morning isn’t helping. I go and pull the curtains, turn on my fairy lights and sit at my small desk that is crammed between the bed and the heavy wooden dresser. 

My reflection stares at me in the mirror, dark shadows under my amethyst eyes, a sign that I slept terribly, once again. The nightmares wouldn’t leave me alone. I sigh and start doing my makeup, nothing bright, just some smudged dark eyeshadow and black eyeliner on my waterline. My mom was probably gonna complain again but I don’t care. Last week she told me “People might think you’re gay!” Yeah, sure mom. I mean, why do you think I have all these Heartsteel posters hanging in my room? Because I love their one song so much? But when she says "gay" she means "lesbian". She would have an aneurysm if I tried to explain to her that I’m trans. And then she would probably throw me out. As if she could read my thoughts, I hear her shouting from downstairs “Come down immediately, Hwa! I can hear that you’re up.”

Ugh.

I throw on a black oversized hoodie that matches my skinny jeans (also black) and put my dark juniper green hair in a messy bun before I run downstairs as quick as I can. Better not make mom wait, she’s awful enough as is.

When I enter the kitchen, I almost bump into a large man in a suit that is standing next to my mom.

“Oh fuck, sorry!” I quickly say, getting a death stare from my mom but for once she doesn’t even berate me for swearing. She just looks between me and this dude, who was wearing dark sunglasses (in December!) for some fucking reason.

“Who is this?” I ask after a few moments of awkward silence.

“My name is Mr. Mundo, nice to meet you, Hwa.” His voice fits his impressive stature perfectly.

My mother steps forward and puts her hand on my shoulder, looking at me more seriously than I have ever seen her. “You know that we haven’t had the easiest time since dad lost his job. And since you refuse to work and pay your share, we had no other choice.”

“What do you mean? What choice?” I ask, slowly starting to panic.

“You’ll go with Mr. Mundo, he has a job for you where you’ll work for six months. You’ll get a room and food and the money goes to pay back all the debt you owe us.”

“Debt? What do I owe you?”

“Darling, you've been living and eating here for free for 18 years!”

“This is insane!” I yell at her. “You’re selling me? You are a monster!”

“Selling? It’s just temporary honey, and it’s a decent job, don’t make it sound worse than it is!”

“You can’t do that, I’m an adult, you can’t force me!” At this point I’m full on panicking. This can’t be happening, it should just be another nightmare. But I know it’s real. My nightmares are way different.

“You are right and nobody is forcing you. But think about this, it would give you the perfect opportunity to get some good job experiences while at the same time helping out your family! Also –” she adds “if you don’t take this offer then you’ll have to pack your bags, we can’t pay for you any longer.”

“If you stayed off the booze you could.” I press through my teeth, anger winning over panic.

She just ignores it and tells me “Please Honey, think about it. If you go with Mr. Mundo at least you’ll have a roof and food. We just want what’s best for you! You’ll thank us in a few years, mark my words.” With this she turns around and leaves me alone in the kitchen with this absolute hunk of a man.

“Go pack your stuff, we leave in an hour.” He hands me a big suitcase before sinking down onto the washed-out red leather couch in the living room, turning the TV on, unfazed by all of this as if it was his daily job. Which it probably was.

Still in shock, I go back to my room and just stare at the mirror for a solid minute. I still haven’t processed what just happened but I start throwing my most important stuff into the suitcase. I have a lot of clothes but most of them are from my parents and I hate wearing them. So it’s not too difficult to fit all my favorite pieces into the suitcase, some skinny jeans, flowy tops and hoodies and of course accessories, I can’t leave my choker collection here. Then I go to my bed and from under the mattress I pull my binder. I put it under all the other things so it won’t be visible if my mom checks my suitcase. She would freak out. I gather the rest of the stuff, making sure I have my laptop, makeup and favorite books, and check the time. I still have 15 minutes left but at this point, the quicker I’m gone the better. I grab the heavy suitcase and try to carry it down the stairs. Two steps in I nearly slip and the suitcase crashes onto the step with a loud Thud. Before I’m even up I can hear heavy steps on the stairs.

Mr. Mundo grabs the suitcase without saying a word and carries it down. I awkwardly follow him, hoping my mom is distracted and hasn’t noticed the commotion. For once I seem to be lucky, she’s nowhere to be seen. At the door, Mr. Mundo turns around and asks me “Are you sure that you have everything? You won’t be able to come back here anytime soon.”

“Yeah I’m not planning on doing that anyways. Can we go?” I ask impatiently.

He doesn’t answer and just opens the door and walks down the driveway towards the black car with darkened windows that is waiting at the end of it. He puts my suitcase in the back of it with ease and opens the door in the back, gesturing for me to get in. I hesitate for a second, but when I can hear the front door of the house open again, I quickly get in before I can hear whatever my mother wants to tell me. He slams the door behind me and gets into the driver’s seat, which I can’t even see from back here because there’s a divider between the front and the back of the car. Like in a limousine. Or a cop car. It feels more like the latter, like I’m a prisoner.

The car rumbles to life and even though the windows are heavily tinted, I can see the shadows of trees racing past us. Where are we going?

[bubsub69]

Entry 2

14/05/2023 22:47

Well might as well start all entries with how my sleep schedule is, i had an afternoon nap so i might not sleep enough tonight but better than being up at 4am because i tried going to sleep at like 11pm and it went horribly wrong.

Reason for writing today? well while before looking at cute couple stuff like hugging and cuddling would make me cry now a porn video that wasnt even my first time watching made me cry because the couple seemed really happy and having a good time even though the girl was probably laughing cause she ruined the dudes orgasm on his face (video: https://www.redgifs.com/watch/quaintelderlyvireo#rel=tag%3Aruined-orgasm%2Cchastity%2Ca;order=trending)

I guess i should start with yesterday, with the blessing of the folders/briefcases whatever, it was as bad as expected so at least not worse than expectations, a very late start as a lot of people expected followed by a walk a queue to sit down, a small sermon and then speeches from each course. The worst part honestly might have just been the sun, it was blazing hot and i think i got sick from it, my nose was extremely fucked last night and still kinda is. After that we went to have lunch at a crisp 3pm and the food arrived at like 4, thank god my body has a high hunger resistance or i mightve killed someone, i spent a lot of time at the restaurant but at least i got to be with my cousin so it was actually pleasant, at the end we went to the lake garden to take some pictures for some reason and then went home (the for some reason comes from the fact we already had like 40 photos on the camera alone and went to take more).

idk why i wanted to write down what happened yesterday this was supposed to be more about emotions than story but oh well who can stop an autist from rambling.

But going to aforementioned (wow that was the word whos spelling i really had to look up, why am i spellchecking a personal diary? cause fuck you i want to, anyway another autistic rambling aside) emotions, those ribbons made me feel kinda weird when i reread them cause everyone was saying congrats on the hard work and for beating this challenge but i feel like its undeserved cause its not like i put a huge amount of effort studying, i barely passed some stuff which is definetly something im not proud of but yeah i feel like i slacked off most of the year even though ive never missed classes or failed to deliver a project, i guess im just associated with the studying part of school instead of this which is better honestly, even if i get stressed like now where i have a shit ton of stuff to do and am over procastinating as usual, but yeah, a lot of good jobs for a meh performance feels kinda weird.

But enough about school heres an update on D, today is sunday which matches the same day as the day of the call so how was her availability? well she gave me a maybe and then said that apparently her visa is expiring and shes super stressed out, well that seems like something way too complex for an excuse/lie so i believe her more but yeah her moving again is definetely going to make her busy again so i guess no calls for me.

Really feeling like a piece of shit that thats all the care i can muster for it, shes like about to get formally deported and im out here complaining shes too busy for me, and the worst is i decided to get a keyholder on chaster just to satisfy me, it feels like cheating i dont know why, we had some mild texting and a call and ive already like fallen in love and feel like a traitor, but i guess im tired of waiting and it might be for the best to move on if she just wants to stay an acquaintance (well new record for biggest spelling blunder), but yeah i feel like im giving up too soon cause i really liked her and just moving on feels really bad but what can i do when she doesnt show any interest, i mean not only does she not text back she also hasnt asked anything about me, which i guess is kinda fair for most boring person in the world whos hobbies are gaming and youtube, yippy, i guess ill wait again, this time im gonna do a week of no texting to see if she ever sends me something, she will be busy with the moving so she probably wont but oh well whatcha gonna do, not like shed say yes to a call in these circumstances either, i still wish i could help her but i dont think i can just ask dad if he has a contact with the visa man to hurry her process, but i did imagine that cenario

I guess switching to a different type of emotion to put some variety in this yesterday i fucked up the gamepads usb port out of anger but i think i tricked my parents by saying i saved the computer from falling, and on other hardware problem news theres a screw that i think broke the plastic around it so know the case keeps disconnecting from the rest. This was a shitty story but at least its not all about being sad and lonely

Well a bit of a blunder of an ending but oh well heres entry two, if the lady i messaged to be my keyholder replies the update will be here:

[love-strawberry]

crestfallen on the landing

summary : he was really grateful that she didn't ask anything of him, but one day, she finally does.

pairing : kaz brekker x reader

warnings : language, angst

author's note : HIIIIIIII!! im so fucking sorry everyone for being so inactive on updating here, i really am. but im here now!! i'll try my best to be on here more regularly :'),,, so kaz might be a bit ooc here and this is pure angst okay?? let me know if u want a part ii,, love u a sm <3 requests are open!!!

tagged : @xhanthexzoria @ateliefloresdaprimavera @ell0ra-br3kk3r @slut4benbarnes @0oolookitsme

masterlist

navigation

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y/n y/l/n had her fair share of regrets in her life.

she had made mistakes—some of which she could never come back from but in the end, if someone were to ask her if she was happy, she wouldn't have thought twice about saying yes.

she hadn't had the perfect life, but in the rundown building, full of life with her closest friends—family was a better word; she knew that it wouldn't get better than this.

but then kaz came along.

it wasn't as if he wasn't there before—he was, but he was just kaz then. kaz brekker, bastard of the barrel, dirtyhands, owner of the crow club, leader of the dregs—an asshole to the ones close to him.

but now, he was kaz.

the love of her life, the man who could talk hours on the hand about the most complex and near impossible heist and she would consider it music. the man whom she had loved more than she had ever loved anything, the one who made the dark alleys of the barrel seem like her home and it was.

her home was wherever he was.

he made the small rundown building with a crooked structure and broken staircase feel like home. just like he made the four walls of his office appear like a paradise to her.

their relationship hadn't really been a surprise to the crows, but still, it was a pretty big deal. curses were thrown around, people were threatened and money was made but the crows had never been happier with these two.

their relationship at first was stolen glances, half quirked lips, small nods and feather like touches on the shoulders. it was searching of the other's eye in a room full of people and it was staying awake till three in the morning, waiting for your other half to come back from a job.

then, it was calm. it was catching your lover's eyes from across the room and feeling your heartbeat slow down. it was looking over your shoulder and knowing that they had your back. it was finding your favourite coffee on the dining table in the morning when you woke up late and it was having your favourite thing for lunch at your desk without asking.

and now, y/n hoped it would be eyes that spoke a thousand words, meaningful glances and a lifelong aggreement on the roof where they had first met.

she hoped it would a lifetime of happiness.

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if there was one thing kaz brekker liked about y/n y/l/n, it was that she never asked anything of him.

she never complained about lack of physical contact, she never disagreed with him on the topic of his job and she never asked him to push more than he could.

she understood and he swore that for a moment, he believed that he could love her.

never in a million years to come, he would've been able to guess that he'd have someone. someone he could truly call his own.

in his mind, his relationship was pretty simple. it wasn't kisses in the dark and hands on her waist, it was small whispers in the alleys before a job and it was the slight touch of his gloves on her hands before he went off on a job.

they were great together, kaz knew that much. and they didn't really have problems in their relationship except for the occasional fight about changing the wallpaper in his office and decorating the slat—something both jesper and nina backed her up on.

which is why, he was surprised when she asked him to meet her on the rooftop where they had first met.

and he was even more surprised to see her sitting with her back to the railing, fiddling with her fingers and tapping her foot rhythmically.

"y/n?" kaz called out, his voice a rasp from the december cold. he was wearing his usual attire but regretted not wearing more layers when y/n told him to.

"kaz—hi!" y/n stood up from her place on the ground swiftly and made her way to where he was standing near the exit with her satchel clutched tightly in her hands.

"you wanted to meet me here?" kaz questioned, trying his absolute best not to let his voice come out all cold and demanding but he knew that y/n wouldn't make anything if it.

"oh, yes—" y/n trailed away and for a moment, kaz thought he saw panic and fear in her eyes but she quickly turned away and kaz decided that it was just a trick of the moonlight. "—one second, it's here. please, saints, don't tell me i forgot it—"

kaz watched her with slightly upturned lips as she looked through her satchel and shook his head to remain more serious.

"what is it?"

"have patience, i almost found it."

"found wha—"

his voice trailed away as y/n sighed with relief and turned to him with something in her hand and kaz almost wished that the moon was tricking him and that it was just a play of light.

"it's a ring?" kaz swallowed as he felt the world grew hot and held his cane a bit tighter.

"it's an antique ring," y/n corrected.

"and—" kaz struggled to say the next words, praying to all the saints that inej believed in that she would just say that she had brought it to show it to him. that's all. "—why do you have it?"

y/n's smile had faded a bit but she she shook her head, smiling more brightly than she was before and held out her hand, a good few inches away from kaz, holding the ring up so that he could see it.

"it's—uh," y/n spoke in a whisper, her eyes flickering across kaz's face in uncertainty, "it's for you."

kaz sucked in a sharp breath and looked down. when he looked up, there was not trace of a smile on y/n's face.

"i—" kaz stopped as he tried to string sentences together in his mind in a way that sounded the least harsh, "don't know what to say."

"you and not knowing what to say?" y/n laughed sadly and kaz wanted nothing more than to take back what had already escaped his mouth and make it right. "i mean—deep down i knew this was a possibility but i—i ruled it out. my mistake, right there."

"y/n—" kaz started but she help you her hand and he grew quiet.

"why—i mean, i know that we're still young but we're almost in our late twenties and i know that our lifestyle is not ideal for having a life full of domesticity but we don't have to do that—" y/n spoke rapidly, sounding like it hurt to speak, "—we can be kaz and y/n, stealing from the rich and living in the slat. why, kaz? why?"

kaz brekker didn't have a reason.

he didn't have a reason as to why he couldn't say yes to her. he didn't have a have a reason why it was so hard for him to finally accept something good and something pure and not tainted in life.

but because he was kaz brekker, he always had to get in the last world but this time, he almost wished saints cut his tongue cause nothing would ever make him forget the look on her face as he spoke.

"because in order to marry someone, you actually have to love them. we don't have that."

it had been a blur after that. there was a door slammed and he could practically hear inej sharping her knives to kill him. it had started raining but kaz took no notice.

guilt blossomed in his chest, regret was wrapping like poison ivy around him and cutting off his breath till he was was choking in the blood of the love that he may had killed.

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for y/n, it had been months since she was not able to tell the difference between the rain and her tears.

she made her way threw the narrow alleys, her dagger out and positioned in her hand like it was meant to kill and on a night like this, it was.

she quickly reached the slat and made her way up the stairs to her room, just wanting to lay in bed and add another regret to her list.

she had just finished changing from her wet clothes when a knock sounded at the door—a rhythmic pattern that she herself had taught the sharpshooter.

"jes, i really don't wanna talk right now," y/n called out weakly, her voice giving out halfway between and she cursed as she knew that he would definitely come in now. "just—close the door."

"hey," jesper peeked out from behind the door, taking in her tear stained cheeks and frowned. "what happened?"

"uh—i," y/n's voiced cracked and jesper instantly took a seat beside her on her bed and placed a hand on her should, "i messed it all up."

"don't say that," jesper protested as he wiped her tears. "no, whatever happened, we'll figure it out. what did he say?"

"he didn't have to say anything for me to know that it was 'no' from him," y/n said as she sniffled, the ring feeling so heavy in her pocket. "it's about what he said after."

"oh no, what'd he say?" jesper's face dropped and y/n almost wanted to smile at how horror struck he looked.

"he said that in order for people to marry, they have to love eachother and him and i don't have that," y/n said and her eyes instantly started to sting as his voice played on a loop over and over again in her head.

"okay, wow," jesper scoffed as he looked away. "i—i cannot be—"

his voice muffled after that as y/n pulled out the ring from her pocket and stared at the initials she had gotten engraved. a small 'k' for kaz and a crow next to it.

she looked over it in her hand and wondered that if that ring was so ugly that it made kaz say no.

"—and to say that—"

"is the ring ugly?" y/n interrupted jesper from his rant as she shoved the ring in his face.

"...what?"

"the ring. is it ugly?" y/n repeated slowly.

"uh—no, it's not," jesper spoke, although a bit confused.

"am i ugly?"

"what?! no, of course not, y/n/n," jesper said seriously, looking at her through crazed eyes. "what made you think that?"

"is there something wrong with me then?" y/n ignored his questions, her head running wild.

"no! no. no, listen to me," jesper started as took the ring out of her hand and placed it on her bedside table, "there's nothing wrong with you. you're perfect and anyone would so lucky to have you. kaz is an idiot who doesn't know what's in front of him and i'm telling you, he's gonna regret it—letting you go, that is.

"now, chin up and get some rest," jesper finished with a soothing smile as he stood up. "saints know you need."

"i'll tell the others in the morning," y/n nodded, moving the stacks of papers on her bed to the floor, "yeah, that sounds good."

"okay," jesper agreed, "but don't feel compelled to do so, alright? tell everyone else on your own accord."

"i will," y/n smiled at her friend gratefully before getting up and hugging him. "thank you, jes. i honestly don't know what i would do without you."

"you won't have to ever find out," jesper said, hugging her just as tightly, "i promise. i'll be here, forever and a day after that."

y/n couldn't say anything but with the way she hugged him with everything in her and whispered a 'thank you', she knew that jesper understood everything she wanted to say.

the two parted for the night and y/n returned to her bed, and stared at the ring in silence.

a moment passed and then another one and before she could stare any longer, she quickly placed the ring in one of the many drawers and turned off the lamp.

sighing heavily, she stared at the ceiling and before she even knew, she was clutching her stomach, and her hand was on her mouth, muffling the heart shattering sobs that slipped out like red wine and tainted her pillow.

her whole body shook as she drew in shaking breathes—or at least tried to. before she could even inhale properly, another sob made its way out of her chest and it hurt all over again.

she felt the pain in her chest, in the stomach and in her head. it was excruciating and painful and the worst of it all was that she believed that it was fine.

it was fine because that was how she had expected it be—loving kaz.

she knew that she'd never have the that love that nina and matthias had or jesper and wylan and she was fine with it.

she had always thought that in that end, it'd be silencing screams and painful words and barbed wired voices. but she never would've thought that it'd be a muted decison, ragged breaths and silences that felt deafening.

as she drew in another shaky breath, she swore that for a moment, she wondered if this was what the poets meant by death by a broken heart.

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[whatstruthgottodowithit]

Lonely In A Crowded Room [Part Three]

Fandom: American Actor, RPF, Elvis Movie RPF

Pairing: Elvis Presley x Female Reader

Characters: Elvis Presley, Female Reader, Reader, Red West, Billy Smith Marty Lacker, Original Female Characters, Memphis Mafia, Austin!Elvis

Word Count: 3557 // Rating: Explicit

Summary: Have you ever felt alone in a room full of people?

Tags/ Warnings: Established Relationship, Marriage, Graceland, Living at Graceland, Kisses, Anxiety, Nudity, Memphis Mafia, Austin!Elvis, Elvis Movie, Horse-riding,  Kissing, Fingering, Birthdays, Birthday Party, Romantic Getaways, Loneliness, Migraines, Football, Elvis Playing Football is so hot I cant, Presents, Reader Can be Priscilla if you want, Arguing, Fighting, Flashing, Birthday Party, Security, Reader Dress Inspo, Reader Necklace Inspo, Smut, Vaginal Fingering, Vaginal Sex, Oral Sex, Face Sitting, Unprotected Sex, Cabin Inspo

Notes: im obsessed with graceland at the moment but the idea of so many people coming and going in my house is my idea of hell. So i thought I’d write about it lolol

Final part. I liked writing E like this simultaneously cute af and hot as fuck

UPDATED 8/23

PART ONE // PART TWO // PART THREE

As the city skyline started to disappear into more rural surroundings and the radio became the most notable sound in the car Elvis spoke. 

‘I shouldn’t have eaten all of that,’ he said with a sound of relief. He shifted in his seat and looked at me. I was looking at him now after spending most of the journey pouting and staring out the window, ‘you not talking to me?’ ‘I don’t know are you going to tell me what’s going on or are we just going to make small talk,’ I said raising an eyebrow. ‘I enjoy talking about anything with you honey,’ he challenged chuckling as my pout melted a little, ‘look I will explain but I wanna show you rather than tell you is that too much to ask?’ ‘So it’s nothing bad?’ I asked ‘Bad? Why the hell would you think it would be bad?’ he said his brow furrowed. ‘You said those nut jobs were around the house and Red and Sonny seemed amped. Then you and Jerry are being all secretive. What am I supposed to think?’ ‘Oh baby I’m sorry,’ he said, ‘I didn’t mean to worry you. I can promise it’s nothing bad.’ ‘Sorry,’ I mumbled, ‘I guess I put two and two together and got five.’ ‘Don’t worry I understand,’ he said falling quiet for a moment before he continued, ‘did you enjoy your birthday?’

The corner of my mouth turned up in a smile as I watched him glance at me every so often. ‘I did,’ I said, ‘you were right though I ate too much too.’ ‘That’s the problem with Lombardi’s it’s too good,’ he chuckled, ‘you like your cake?’ ‘Definitely, though I forgot to ask them to save some to bring back to the house.’ ‘I’m sure it’ll make its way back somehow. And I don’t know if we’ll have enough room for cake with all your presents,’ he smiled. ‘I’m a lucky girl what can I say,’ I smirked. ‘You deserve every single one,’ he smiled, ‘speaking of presents…’

He turned away from me as he glanced at a sign on the side of the road. It directed towards a long lane which he turned down and we started down a long winding dirt road which was lined by dense woodland. It was dark enough that I couldn’t see through the trees and the only thing illuminated was the short space in front of us as Elvis continued driving. Despite the unnerving outside Elvis seemed nonplussed as he hummed along to the music, his fingers tapping the top of the steering wheel. Eventually, the long lane broke into an open space which housed a cabin. He pulled up and parked beside it smirking at me as he climbed out without a word. I climbed out and found him hauling bags out of the trunk. 

As he walked up onto the deck, I took in my surroundings. The cabin seemed to be the only thing around for miles and it had a back deck that flowed into a long yard that was cut through by what I assumed was an offshoot of the Mississippi. It was dim and the only light was the stars and a solitary lamp that was on at the front door. I didn’t have time to take it in properly though as I heard the jangle of keys and the door opening and turned to find Elvis ducking inside the cabin. I followed him watching as he flipped on the lights. 

The cabin wasn’t too big. The main room was split into two providing a kitchen and living area. A large door at the back of it gave a glance at what I assumed was a bedroom. Elvis had dumped the bags by the door and was now standing in the middle of the living room, his arms spread wide as he grinned at me. 

‘Ta da,’ he said. ‘What-’ I started as I walked towards him but he cut me off. He swooped in and wrapped his arms around me looking down at me with a smile.  ‘Do you like it?’ he asked excitedly.  ‘I do but…what is it?’ I asked making him chuckle.  ‘It’s your present,’ he said as if it were obvious, ‘you said yesterday that you were sick of us never getting a moment alone so…here we are.’ ‘You rented us a cabin for the night?’ I said with a smile. ‘Honey, I bought you a cabin,’ he corrected laughing as my eyes went wide. He pulled out of our embrace and sat down on the couch pulling me with him as my eyes roved over every inch of the room. 

‘I can’t believe you did this,’ I mumbled. ‘I don’t know,’ he said moving a hair off of my face, ‘it seems like just the sort of thing I would do.’ ‘Well you’ve never been one to miss out on extravagance,’ I giggled. ‘Understated is for the boring,’ he smiled.  ‘But how?’ I said, ‘I mean I only told you all of that last night.’ ‘I called Jer early this morning. That’s why I had to go out. He rang round and found me a place and we drove up this afternoon and I bought it then and there.’ ‘It was like this when you came up here?’ I said noting the furniture that was already inside. ‘It looked a little worse for wear but Jer stayed here all day and made sure everything was as we wanted it,’ he said, ‘he’s the only one who knows we’re here too.’ ‘But Red-’ ‘Would never have agreed to letting us go somewhere without any supervision. Security blah blah,’ he said. ‘I bet his face was a picture when he realised you’d took off,’ I giggled.  ‘Oh no doubt,’ Elvis chuckled, ‘but Jer’s under strict instruction that he is not allowed to tell anyone where we are unless I tell him he can. So Red will just have to sit and stew.’  ‘Poor Jer,’ I said thinking of the grilling he was sure to be getting right now.  ‘Hey it’ll teach Red not to barge in when people are changing,’ Elvis murmured. I smiled to myself. I knew I’d hit a nerve. Then he leaned in and kissed my jaw and down my neck, his hand caressing my side gently. 

‘So…’ I said, ‘we’re alone?’ ‘Completely,’ Elvis murmured as he continued planting kisses against my skin. ‘No interruptions?’  ‘None,’ he breathed against my neck. ‘No one needing you?’ I asked stroking my fingers through his hair. ‘Just you,’ he said pulling back with a smirk.  ‘Well Mr Presley,’ I said leaning in so we were an inch apart, ‘let me show you just how much I do.’ 

Elvis smiled and crashed his lips to mine. My hands fumbled with his shirt buttons as his tongue ran across my bottom lip begging me to let him in. As I let him a moan emitted from his lips causing the damp heat to worsen in my core.  His mouth moved off of mine, back to my neck, nipping and kissing its way down as I worked his shirt off. His hands were all over me now, caressing every inch of me through the silky fabric that kept us from one another. Once his shirt was off he stood, pulling me off the couch and back to him so he could kiss me once more. His hands held my face as he kissed me deeply. We stayed there for a moment, enjoying each other before I pulled back and said breathlessly, ‘bedroom?’

‘Definitely,’ he said with a glint in his eye. I turned to walk towards it but he came up behind me, ensnaring me from behind and kissing my neck as we walked slowly to our destination. As we got inside he unzipped my dress, his lips following down my back as he yanked it off, leaving me in just my underwear in front of him. I heard a fumble of clothing and when he walked around me I noticed he was now nude, his erection resting against his stomach. He was a sight to behold. His hair was out of place from where I’d run my fingers through it, his lips were swollen from kissing me and his pupils were blown making his blue eyes look almost black. 

‘So beautiful,’ he said as he sat down on the bed and his fingers ghosted down my arm before he hooked my underwear in his fingers and pulled it down. As I stepped out of them he grabbed my hand in his and pulled me onto his lap. I wrapped my arms around his neck and kissed him again as his fingers undid my bra. I pulled back and shimmied it off moaning as his mouth captured my nipple as soon as it could. 

‘That’s it baby,’ he said as he took the other between his fingers and pinched it gently. ‘Feels so good E,’ I moaned feeling my pussy throb with anticipation.  ‘Gonna make you feel so good baby,’ he said as he moved back on the bed. Then without warning, he flopped down. I was sitting on his thighs, eyes closed, but I opened them as he disappeared. My hand reached down to touch his cock but he stopped me, his fingers around my wrist as he leant up on his elbow. Spotting my confusion he chuckled, ‘not yet honey.’ ‘But-’ ‘Let me make you feel good first. Bring that pretty ass up here,’ he cooed reaching up to stroke my cheek. I nodded.

I clambered towards him, my knees on either side of his head, hovering above him expectantly. I heard him chuckle at my eagerness and then I felt him kissing up my thighs until he planted one on my pussy. He didn’t start though, instead, his fingers teased through my slickened folds. 

‘You’re soaked, honey. I haven’t even touched you yet,’ he said, ‘so eager for me.’ ‘Need you E,’ I said as a shock ran through me as his finger traced around my clit.  ‘You’ve got me, baby,’ he said and then he buried his face in me. His tongue lapped at every inch of me, his nose nudging against my clit, causing pleasure to amp up in my core. I groaned as I rode his face, our movements soon becoming synchronised.  ‘E,’ I groaned, ‘oh fuck.’

I was near coming undone. A whimpering mess above him as he alternated his movements between focusing on my clit and fucking my hole with his tongue. His arms were wrapped around my thighs, keeping me in place, and forcing me to do as he wanted.  ‘I’m gonna cum,’ I whimpered receiving a hearty hum from him, ‘fuck, fuck, fuck, fuuuuuuuuuuck.’

I said as white hot pleasure ran through me causing my legs to shake and me to fall forward. He lapped at me a little more and then lessened his hold allowing me to fall down onto the bed. He was at my side in an instant, hovering over me, his chin glistening with my juices. 

‘E,’ I panted, reaching up to stroke his face.  ‘Did I make you feel good baby?’ he said laughing as I barely managed to nod. The feeling was only just returning to my legs and I could feel my heartbeat in my ears but I didn’t care. He watched me with adoration. ‘Just need a minute,’ I said leaning up to kiss him. He kissed me back gently and for a moment neither of us spoke as we enjoyed the other. 

Once the strength had returned back to my body I rolled him onto his back with gusto. He watched as I shimmied down so I was straddling his thighs smiling as I heard his breath hitch with anticipation. I grasped his cock and pumped him gently in my hand. I moved my hand up and down his shaft gently, enjoying the way his head fell back against the bed with a groan. 

Then I shifted forward, running his tip through my folds before I lined him up against my entrance. 

‘Do it baby,’ he said watching me as I inched him in slowly. ‘Fuck E,’ I said as he bottomed out earning a groan in reply. I moved up and down slowly until I settled into a rhythm. I was lost in the moment, my eyes closed as I caressed my own chest, playing with my nipples. He took control then, his fingers holding me in place so he could pound up into me.  ‘Touch yourself,’ he ordered pulling me out of my haze. I obliged and my fingers teased around my clit, matching his rhythm and speed. ‘E,’ I panted as that second wave crept up on me. ‘Not without me mama,’ he said and I nodded. ‘Need it,’ I panted. ‘I’m with you baby,’ he said, ‘cum with me okay?’  ‘Okay,’ I whimpered. ‘Three…two…one,’ he said the last word coming out strangled as he shot inside me. My walls fluttered around him milking him for all he was worth. His hips faltered until they slowed and I pulled off of him, falling beside him exhausted. 

As we caught our breath he pulled me into him and we lay in bliss for a moment before he spoke, ‘well, that’s put an end to that question.’ ‘What?’ I said with a small yawn. ‘You said unless we were alone we would have to quiet,’ he mused. I felt another blush creep up on me. ‘I was kinda loud huh?’ I giggled.  ‘Hey I’m here for it,’ he said, ‘though I think if you did that at home they’d be able to hear you at the gate.’ ‘Maybe it might drive them away,’ I chuckled.  ‘Maybe,’ he said kissing my temple, ‘we might have to try it.’ I nodded and yawned again.  ‘Tired birthday girl?’ he asked and I nodded, ‘how about we shower and get you into bed?’ ‘Sounds like a good idea to me,’ I said. ‘Guess I’m just full of them today huh?’ he said.  ‘You can say that again,’ I smiled earning myself an eye roll from him. I didn’t care. My boy had done good today. 

✵✵✵

I woke late the next morning. The sun had long been out but had only just started to breach through the bedroom window as I stirred. I shifted realising that Elvis was pressed against me, his arm wrapped around me, clutching the chiffon of the nightdress I had changed into after our shower. 

‘Mmm,’ he mumbled as I nestled against him. I shifted so I was now on my back and watched him as his eyes opened slowly.  ‘Morning,’ I said watching him with a smile.  ‘Morning,’ he mumbled, pressing a sleepy kiss onto my cheek before his eyes opened properly, ‘what time is it?’  ‘A little after eleven,’ I said as I reached for his watch which was on my nightstand. ‘Woah,’ he mumbled, ‘don’t think I’ve slept that well in years.’ ‘Me either. The wonder of a bit of quiet,’ I sighed happily. Elvis nodded and leaned in to kiss me.

His hand cupped my jaw as he kissed me gently. We lay there for a moment until he pulled back watching me with a smile. I could feel him excited against my thigh and I reached down to touch him gently. He groaned and buried his head in my shoulder as I coaxed him to full length.

‘God damn Y/N,’ he whimpered, and then he rolled me onto my side and came up behind me. His fingers teased my hole before he shoved two of them inside me. I was slick but there was definitely a sting as he fucked me gently getting me ready for him. I bit my lip to keep from whimpering as removed his fingers and replaced them with his cock. He buried himself in me and though there was a little pain at the start it soon devolved to pleasure.

‘Oh fuck baby,’ he said. ‘E,’ I cried. ‘You feel amazing,’ he said kissing along my shoulders, ‘taking me so good.’ ‘Always,’ I breathed. He held one of my hands under the pillow as his other caressed down my body until he was teasing my clit slowly in match with his thrusts inside me. I was coming undone quicker than ever.  ‘Oh Y/N,’ he whimpered as his orgasm hit us both by surprise.  ‘Oh E,’ I whimpered. ‘That’s it baby girl,’ he panted as my climax washed over me. As I came down from my high he pulled out kissing just below my ear.  ‘I love you,’ I mumbled, leaning back against him.  ‘I love you too baby,’ he said kissing my shoulder. 

I lay there for a moment. In my bubble of contentment. I didn’t want to move from here. Ever. 

✵✵✵

‘Got everything?’ Elvis said as he stood by the door. I mentally ran through everything in my head and then nodded heading to the door. He grabbed the bag I was holding and headed out onto the porch. He placed the bags down and then waited for me to step out so he could lock the door. As he went to the car and started to load up I wandered over onto the back deck and looked out at the view.

It looked amazing. I hadn’t been able to appreciate it yesterday in the darkness of the night but in the evening sunset, it looked divine. The backyard was a neat patch of grass that devolved into trees and dense woodland on either side of it. Yellow and orange leaves had just started to hem the edges of the green lawn as the winter months drew in and at the edge of the garden it sloped off down to the river which was now yellow and purple on its surface as it reflected the ever sinking sun. 

I watched as the river rippled past, slow and lazy. This would be a perfect family vacation spot. The perfect place for us to have friends and family over for a barbecue, as we did at Graceland. But as soon as that thought came into my head I shook it out. I didn’t want that. I liked the idea that we were the only people in the world who knew we were here. It felt better this way, more special. 

I loved being married to Elvis. I loved my life. But I had meant what I said. I was done with being uncomfortable in my own space. Done with sharing him with the world. I wanted more. I wanted to be a married couple. Normal. 

I needed to tell him. 

As that last thought slipped from my mind I felt Elvis’ arms wrap around me as he pulled me close.  ‘Damn that’s some view,’ he whistled.  ‘I know,’ I said turning around, ‘I’m so lucky you found it.’ ‘Gotta thank Jer for that one honey,’ he chuckled. ‘I’ll make sure to thank him when we get back,’ I said.  ‘Just not the way you thanked me last night okay?’ he chuckled making me roll my eyes. We fell quiet for a moment, the both of us looking out at the sunset and enjoying our last few simple moments together.

‘Seriously though,’ I said after a minute causing him to look at me, ‘thank you for this. It’s just what I needed.’ ‘I’m glad,’ he said, ‘I’d do anything for you you know that.’ ‘I know,’ I said quietly. ‘But?’ he said immediately catching there was something more behind my expression. ‘But I need you to promise me something?’ ‘What is it?’ he asked a furrow in his brow. ‘That this isn’t a one time thing,’ I said biting my lip. ‘Baby we bought a house,’ he chuckled, ‘not like I can forget that in a hurry.’ ‘I know, I know, I just…I want you to promise me that we’ll come back. Just the two of us. Anytime we need to. This can be like-’ ‘A fortress of solitude?’ he said with an excited expression as he explained to my confused one, ‘Batman has one.’ ‘Yeah, like that. I want us to be able to get away from everything if we need to. From everyone,’ I said. ‘It’s between you and me…and Jer,’ he chuckled. ‘Well I suppose I can’t argue with that,’ I smiled.  ‘But you have to promise me something too.’ ‘What?’  ‘That you’ll tell me,’ he said looking at me with his piercing blue eyes, ‘when things are tough. Promise you’ll tell me that you need a lil space. I hate fightin’ with you, and I hate to see you unhappy.’ ‘I’m always happy when I’m with you,’ I reasoned. ‘Just all them other folks around huh?’ he chuckled hugging me close and kissing the top of my head.  ‘They’re part of you,’ I said. It was easier to be more truthful now he wasn’t staring at me, ‘and I’ll always understand that. But sometimes I just get a lil lonely even in a room full of people.’ He pulled back and smiled sadly at me for a moment before he said, ‘you don’t ever have to feel lonely again. You got me.’ ‘Promise?’ ‘Promise,’ he said.

[gamerwoo]

[Tales from the Pack] Joshua: Second Chance (Part One)

Characters: Joshua x female reader

Genre/warnings: werewolf au, fantasy, angst, possible character death, a little bit of fluff but it’s like angsty fluff

Word count: 1,837

Summary: After his mate died, Joshua always blamed himself and never wanted to imprint again. However, fate has other ideas when he meets you: a young, energetic werecoyote that’s quite the opposite of him. He insists he doesn’t want a new mate – nobody’s even sure if he’s ready for a new one – but he can’t ignore his instincts.

Next | Second Chance Masterlist

a/n: things in bold are in english. BUT MOST IMPORTANTLY!!!! hi i know everyone has been awaiting this series from tftp in particular. and while i wish i could say im updating this regularly,,,,,i cannot. there’s no definite update schedule, im just doing it when i can. i wanted to wait until i had all the parts written but im impatient. but i hope you’ll enjoy this series even with the slow updates, and i hope it lives up to expectations 💜

“Where’re we going?” Joshua grumbled as he followed slightly behind Hansol and Kyung, the younger boy’s hand wrapped around hers.

Joshua was going with them to the doctor without actually knowing. Kyung knew better than to tell him before they left because she figured the grumpy werewolf would just tell her no, not really caring whether he was unable to heal or not -- even though that was very clearly a bad sign that he had overexerted himself.

Kyung thought maybe Joshua would be a little less...angry all the time once she got to know him, but Joshua was stubborn well before he’d even met her -- he was just bad at shoving his stubbornness and anger down.

“I promised I’d get my back fixed if Kyung decided to stay, and you said you’d go if I went, didn’t you?” Hansol reminded his brother with a smirk over his shoulder. “We’re gonna go see that doctor we were told about. What was her name again?”

“Minjee,” Kyung replied. “Not to sound rude but...Josh, why don’t you want to see a doctor?”

“I don’t really care if I can heal or not either way,” he replied flatly, “but I said I’d get help if Hansol did. So...here we are.”

“Here we are...” she repeated in a mumble.

Joshua simply followed the mated couple in silence as the alpha led them to Minjee’s, being the first to knock on the door. It was a girl -- as expected -- that opened the door, bowing politely to the group before smiling brightly at the darker skinned girl in front of them.

“Kyung!” she exclaimed as she gestured the three of them in. “I haven’t seen you in so long -- I suppose that’s a good thing, though. How’ve you been? Your pack hasn’t mentioned you.”

“I’m not actually in that pack anymore,” Kyung told her with a shrug, her ‘cool’ exterior coming back in the presence of an old friend. “I’m an alpha of my mate’s pack now.”

Minjee seemed impressed, eyebrows raising with a smile, “Wow, look at you. How’d the sudden change happen? Jiung must be proud.”

“He’s actually...passed away.”

The doctor’s face fell, placing a comforting hand on your upper arm, “I’m sorry for the loss of your brother.”

Kyung nodded, “I’ve been grieving, but it’s been easier with my mate. Minjee, this is Hansol, and his brother -- er, our brother, I guess -- Joshua.”

“It’s nice to meet you,” Hansol said as he nodded to her. “Our brother, Soonyoung came in before with a human girl to talk about fixing us -- I’ve got silver burned into my back, and Joshua’s the healer that can’t heal anymore.”

“Ah, yes, the healer!” Minjee’s eyes lit up as she nodded excitedly. She looked to Joshua now. “Your power still hasn’t come back?”

“No,” he replied. “I thought just resting would help but...nothing.”

“I see,” she hummed, eyeing him over before looking back at Kyung like she was their mother that took them to the doctor’s office. “I’ll do a quick look over and then see what I can do. It’s almost time for me to close up, and I have to go out of town for a few days. I won’t be able to do anything until about a week from now, but they’ll be fine until then if they’ve been fine this long.”

“That’s okay,” Hansol shrugged as Joshua replied, “No worries.”

“Alright,” Minjee breathed with a warm smile, grabbing some gloves from nearby, “then let’s get started and see what’s going on.”

-

Even though you were never careful, you wanted to blame this on shitty luck. You were too carefree and excitable, so you ran and ran and didn’t see the trap. So with you trapped under a net with little prickles that you were sure were laced with wolfsbane from how fucking awful you felt -- that was an understatement -- all you could do was wait for hunters to come find you before death took you itself. Honestly, you hoped the latter would come first.

You faintly heard footsteps coming toward you as your vision went out of focus, your eyelids becoming too heavy to keep up. You sensed a presence beside you, the body crouching down to get a better look at you.

“What do we have here?” a female-sounding voice asked, but it sounded far away and muffled to you. “Is this another werewolf?”

“I can’t tell,” another female voice replied in a sigh. “Sura, do you have any ideas?”

“Doesn’t smell like werewolf to me,” a male voice said. “It definitely is some kind of were-creature, though. This thing wreaks of wolfsbane and it’s clearly affecting her. I’d say...coyote, maybe?”

One of the women sucked in a breath between their teeth before saying, “Prajya, help me get this net off of her -- it’ll be heavy but I’m afraid to let Sura touch it.”

Slowly, you felt the weight of the net being lifted off of you. You could also feel every little barb stuck in you being pulled out, and you whimpered softly from the stinging pain that covered your body.

“Minjee, will she make it?” the second girl asked as you were lifted into warm arms.

“No,” the male replied, “probably not.”

“The house isn’t far from here,” the first girl insisted. “We just have to hurry.”

But you were out cold before they even took the first step.

-

Josh and Hansol weren’t really sure why so many people wanted to go with them into town that night for them to finally get fixed. Suvi was understandable since she just enjoyed going into town, and Soomin made sense since she was basically their resident know-it-all when it came to werewolves. However, Wonwoo wanting to tag along was weird because Wonwoo didn’t like leaving the house, much less going into town. They figured maybe it was because he wanted to make sure Soomin would be alright, but she was already going to be with two werewolves and a girl who had gone into town plenty of times. She was in good hands, but whatever made Wonwoo happy.

“Are you nervous?” Suvi wondered, looking up between Hansol and Joshua as she walked.

“I don’t know how they’re going to fix my back, so that’s a little concerning,” Hansol decided, “but I’m more excited.”

Joshua just shrugged, “Eh, not really.”

“Try not to be so excited, huh,” Wonwoo commented.

Joshua did like his power. He liked that he was able to help people with it. However, it didn’t benefit him -- as in, it didn’t make his own personal healing any better than anybody else’s in the pack -- and it wouldn’t be needed if his pack wasn’t so stupid and got themselves hurt. It wasn’t fun like Seokmin’s or Chan’s or Kyung’s, and it wasn’t interesting like Jihoon’s or Soonyoung’s or Hansol’s or Minghao’s. It was boring -- kind of like Wonwoo’s or Seungcheol’s.

Suvi was the first up to the door, knocking before she took a step back to wait. The door was answered by Minjee -- as always -- who greeted them with an almost pained smile.

“Hello,” she greeted them. “Before you come in, I’d like to apologize. My partners and I have just gotten home, and one of our patients... Well, she won’t make it.”

Now that she’d mentioned it, the wolves could just barely hear the faint, slowing heartbeat from inside the house. But they could also smell that it wasn’t the typical werewolf. It was something they’d never smelled before, but it still wasn’t completely human.

Joshua also picked up on a scent that was very familiar but also so very different from anything he’d smelled before.

“We’re just trying to ease her pain until she passes,” Minjee continued, letting the small group into the house. She turned to look at somebody else who was helping with the aforementioned girl. “Sura, could you put a curtain up around her? Prajya, I’ll need you to help me with--”

Minjee stopped when she noticed Joshua stop in the doorway, his body going rigid. His golden eyes were spotting red and locked on you, hands balled into fists.

You were dying; his mate was dying. Again.

“Josh...?” Wonwoo spoke up, placing a hand on the older boy’s shoulder.

Joshua’s thoughts and opinions on re-imprinting were out the window when it registered that the girl quickly losing her life was his mate. The only thing he could focus on was you and saving you -- but he only knew one way how.

“She’s not dying,” he stated, walking straight through the small crowd and over to you where your pulse was just a moment away from completely dying out.

“What?” Minjee asked, watching him as he approached you with a set jaw and narrowed eyes.

“I’m not going to let her die,” he said louder, letting his hands hover above your body.

Joshua was too focused on trying to somehow get his powers to come back to him that he wasn’t paying any attention to Hansol and Wonwoo’s conversation over their surprise of their brother imprinting for a second time. Truthfully, nobody thought anybody would come after Lilly since Josh was so against it. But then again, imprinting wasn’t something any werewolf could control. 

Joshua mumbled to himself as he tried to will his power back. He was concentrating so hard but nothing was happening. No faint glow from his palms, no color coming back to your face, and your heartbeat was still rapidly decreasing by the second. It wouldn’t be long until it was gone all together, and then there would be nothing he could do.

“C’mon...c’mon...” he grumbled, closing his eyes as his eyebrows creased together in concentration.

“Your powers won’t suddenly work,” Minjee spoke up, watching from where she stood by his pack, wanting to give the werewolf space -- especially since she was preparing for him to be grieving for the mate he’d lose before actually having her.

“They have to!” he snapped.

He refused to lose you. If he lost two mates -- even if he didn’t properly meet or know you -- he was sure he wouldn’t be able to take it.

With his last bit of energy he had in his body, his palms faintly glowed to life, spreading a tingling warmth across your body. His healing power was starting to cleanse the wolfsbane from your system, and your heartbeat was starting to become stronger and more stable. Hearing your heartbeat louder in his ears made Josh want to cry. But he didn’t have the energy for it.

As you let out a cough and a girl with brown skin rushed over to sit you up so you could empty your system, Joshua collapsed onto the floor, knowing you were alive and would hopefully stay alive. He put his everything into saving you, and he didn’t know if that would kill him, but he knew it was worth it.

[atlabeth]

neighborly things - sokka x fem!reader

summary: reader can’t make things for shit. thankfully, she has a cute and crafty neighbor willing to help her. 

a/n: im so sorry lmao. i have requests and i have 2 series that havent been updated in like a month but sometimes i just need to write a stupid little oneshot to get back in the writing mood. i did this in an hour 

im not a screwdriver expert so dont come at me if some of this info is wrong lmao 

wc: 1.6k 

warning(s): some cursing but otherwise pure fluff. also i didnt proofread im SORRY im pretty sure they laugh grin and smile like 200 times 

-

“Dammit!” 

 Anyone unfortunate enough to have a place near you during this time would have heard the phrase on more than twenty occasions, and it wasn’t even noon yet. You had gotten the parts in the mail to put together a new dresser a couple days ago, and had finally decided to take on the task. You didn’t know if it was because you were inexperienced with furniture or just lacked basic comprehension skills, but it was proving to be no less than Herculean. 

 You threw the screwdriver at the wall and fell back to the floor as you let your arms sprawl out above you. You had been trying to screw in a part for no less than thirty minutes, and if a miracle didn’t happen right about now, you were going to lose your mind. 

Your head snapped towards the door when she heard a knock, and your brows creased. “God?” You muttered as you got up, wondering if you had actually thought a miracle into existence. 

 You weren’t greeted by a deity when you opened the door, but the man standing in front of you was pretty damn close. With ocean blue eyes, hair pulled back in a ponytail with shaved sides, and toned arms, he was a sight to behold. But you had no idea why he was in front of your door. 

 “Hey, are you okay?” He questioned, genuine concern in his tone. 

 “Um, yeah, why?” You were trying to rack your brain for any memory of this guy — because you knew you would remember him if you had seen him before — but to no avail. “Also, who are you and why are you here?”

 “Right,” he chuckled. “My name’s Sokka. I’m your neighbor; I live—” he gestured at the door just next to your place, “—over there. Moved in a couple weeks ago, so that’s probably why you don’t know me. I’ve just been hearing a lot of cursing and loud noises coming from your place, so I figured I would stop in and see what was going on.” 

 “Oh. That’s.. very considerate of you, Sokka. I’m just…” you sighed and chuckled at the ridiculousness of it all. “I’m just trying to put together a dresser, and it’s not going well at all. That latest sound you heard was the culmination of my rage. I threw a screwdriver at the wall.” 

 “Yeah, that’ll do it,” he laughed. “Listen. I don’t wanna intrude on you or anything, but I happen to be pretty good at putting things together. I had to do a lot of furniture construction when I first moved in, plus I’m the one all my friends call when they need help with putting anything together. I could probably help you with whatever’s troubling you.”  

 “Are you serious?” 

 “Oh, no. I just go door to door joking around with people, asking if they need help with their furniture, sometimes I ask if their refrigerator is running? It really gets a kick out of them.” 

 You rolled your eyes goodnaturedly and stepped aside so he could enter your apartment. “Thank you so much, Sokka. I’ve read the instructions a million times, I seriously don’t know what I’m doing wrong.” 

 He crouched down and picked up the manual, turning to a dog-eared page and skimming over the instructions. He pointed at the screwdriver you had thrown against the wall and glanced back at you. “Is that the one you’ve been using?” 

 You closed and locked the door behind him then walked over to the wall, picking up the unfortunate victim of your anger and spinning it in your hands. “Yeah, why?” 

 “Do you know what kind it is?” 

 “Um.. maybe? God, I don’t know. I think it’s a Phillip’s head?” 

 Sokka laughed and shook his head, holding up the manual so you could see it. “That’s where you’re going wrong. You need a Pozidriv for these screws — they’re similar enough that anyone can make a mistake.”

 You stared at Sokka in complete amazement — apparently, your savior lived next door, and he came in the form of a handsome guy with basic knowledge on putting furniture together. “You’ve gotta be fucking kidding me,” you said as you walked over and took the booklet from himl. You flipped through it a couple times and read over the part, shaking your head in disbelief. 

 “You’ve gotta be fucking kidding me!” you repeated, louder this time. “Do you know how long I’ve been trying to get that thing to- to work, to screw, to— whatever you call it?” 

 “It’s actually to—”

 “Thirty minutes!” You interrupted, earning a small chuckle from Sokka. “Thirty damn minutes that I have been trying to get that screw in, and it’s all because I was using the wrong screwdriver. Why would they make screwdrivers that are so similar but aren’t interchangeable?!” 

 He shrugged and held up his hands. “Don’t ask me — I don’t make the rules, I just follow them. But like I said; this dresser might fall apart if you keep using this thing. I actually have a Pozidriv back at my place, I can go get it and we can finish this up together.” 

 “God, that would be the biggest help,” you admitted. “But I don’t wanna take up your time — I don’t know how I would even repay you.” 

 “I’m doing this because I want to help you,” he said. “You don’t have to repay me. Think of it as… as a neighborly thing.” 

 “A neighborly thing?” you repeated with a laugh. “Well, if you’re offering, I’m definitely not going to refuse.” 

 “I am offering,” Sokka winked. “And unless you want to be at this for another three days, I think you should take that offer.” 

 You pretended to deliberate over it before letting out an exaggerated sigh. “I guess I’ll let you help me. I mean, really you should be thanking me for this brilliant opportunity to, um.. hone your skills.” 

 He laughed, a brilliant sound that made your heart sing, and nodded as he went back to the door. “Thank you so much for letting me put together this dresser. Truly, it’s all I’ve ever wanted.”

 “Then I’m happy to be of assistance.” 

 Sokka grinned then unlocked and opened the door. “I’ll be right back, then we can get started.”

 -

 Once he got back, the two of you got to work. The next three hours passed so quickly as you and Sokka talked about everything from the work you did to people in your lives (no girlfriend, thankfully), to exchanging stories — even the silence, though rare, was comfortable. 

 Sokka pushed the last drawer into its place then clapped his hands as he stood up, admiring the fruits of your labor. “And that’s it! We’re done.”

 “Wait, we’re done? Already?” You set down the instruction manual and stood up as well, backing up to Sokka’s position to see what he saw. “Wow, that looks.. that looks just like the picture. We are good at this! Well, you’re really good at this, I’m good at keeping you entertained. But still!” 

 You held your hand up for a high five and he laughed, but not without meeting it with a satisfying clap. 

 “It does look pretty good,” he admitted. “And not only do you have a brand new, fully functioning dresser, you also had the priceless experience of spending three hours with the neighbor you know nothing about.” 

 “That’s not true,” you countered. “I know that you’re really good at putting things together, you’re a genius when it comes to anything math or science, and you hate blueberries.” 

 Sokka snickered and brushed his hands off on his jeans. “That’s everything there is to know.” 

 “I dunno, Sokka. You seem like a pretty interesting guy.”

 “Really?”

 “Yeah. It’s not every day that someone offers to put together a whole dresser just because they feel bad.”

 “Well—” he tore off a blank part of the instruction manual and picked up a spare pen from the counter, then put it up against the wall as he scribbled something on it. Sokka put the pen down and handed the slip of paper to you with a smile. “If you ever need any more help with furniture, then call me.” 

 You could feel your cheeks heat up as you took the paper. Your fingers brushed ever so slightly as you took the slip of paper, and you decided to just go for it. You bit back a grin and tried to sound as innocuous as possible. “And if I want to get to know you beyond the blueberries?” 

 Sokka laughed and leaned against the doorframe. “Definitely call me.”  

 “Great.” 

 The two of you smiled at each other like idiots for way too long before a notification from his phone broke the silence. He jumped from the sudden noise and dug his phone out of his pocket, giving you an apologetic look. “Sorry, my sister just texted me and I gotta get over to her place.” Sokka started towards the door then paused and turned around. “I actually had a lot of fun doing this, though. I’ll see you around, yeah?” 

 “Yeah.” You knew you had that same smile on your face, but it just wouldn’t go away. His energy was contagious. “Definitely.” 

 “Great.” He winked at you one last time then left, closing the door behind him, and finally snapping you out of your spell. 

 You leaned against the dresser and stared at the slip of paper in your hands, committing the number to memory. 

 You were definitely going to take him up on that offer. 

-

perm tag list: @dv0412 @siriuslyslyslytherin​

[morizoras-cave]

Delicate (Request)

Marvel Cast x gn!teen!co-star!reader

Genre: fluff

Request Description: Hey I have a request. People think because I'm a small(5'3") girl I'm a "Delicate flower" and I'm really the complete opposite. So Marvel Cast x Teen!Reader. Reader was a hardcore stunt double(jumping off buildings,in simulated car accidents, fight scenes, ect.)before she got into acting,but because she's so young they try to prevent her from doing her job. (I'm evil so have her do one of the most risky stunts and nail it)

Warnings: stunt, violence (kind of), language, concerned costars :)

(A/N): hey yall im gonna update hopefully twice today or twice tomorrow? it’s because im going to BERLIN with my SCHOOL on sunday, so i dont expect to be able to write a lot. i already feel kind of guilty, since i havent even written that much this week? it can just be really exhausting you know? anyway i know none of you guys mind, its just what i keep worrying about, but anyway hope you all enjoy this :D

“Y/n, can’t you please reconsider this?” 

“No, I’m doing the stunt!” 

It was getting annoying at this point. You and the cast had been filming the newest Marvel movie for the past 4 months, and finally came the day, where your stunts were filmed. You only had this one scene (and one or two others with a bit of action) in the entire movie that included stunts, and you, being an experienced stunt double before turning into an actor, were excited. In fact, you were pretty sure that your experience as a stunt double, was what had gotten you the job in the first place. 

You expected that your co-stars would know this, but none of them did, and you found it hard to bring it up, without feeling like you were bragging or something, so you just didn’t tell them. But that was turning out to be a bad idea, as they were getting increasingly worried. 

During the first couple of months, it was mostly light chuckles and small remarks. 

“That’s gonna be tough, huh?”

But as the set was built and the day came closer, the remarks turned into a worried demands. 

“Y/n, that is way too dangerous! Tell the director that you want a stunt double!” Anthony had told you firmly and worryingly, as you came onto the set, wearing your costume. You furrowed your brows and tilted your head up to look at him.

“No, Anthony. I already told you,” you mumbled. Sebastian, Chris (Evans), Scarlett, and Tom (Hiddleston) looked over and a flurry of sighs came. The argument was starting again. 

“Look, maybe you should just listen to us - that stuff is really dangerous, and you’re just too young,” Chris told you, giving you those worried blue eyes. 

“I mean, look at you! You’re.. You know!” Sebastian knew immediately he shouldn’t have begun that sentence when he saw the narrow-eyed glare you sent his way.

“I’m what?” 

“You know... Delicate..” 

You rolled your eyes, intending to walk to a different part of set, where you wouldn’t be ridiculed, but Scarlett’s voice interrupted you. “Alright,” she said, “I’m gonna go ask Joe to give you a stunt double-” 

Just before you could retort, because, boy, was it annoying, a set worker yelled across set, running busily across set. “Guys! You’re on now!” 

You smirked cartoonishly, knowing you’d get to do the stunt, and set off to your starting position. Your coworkers watched you triumphantly getting ready, and exchanged deflated glances. They, reluctantly, got into position as well. 

“Action!”

You felt a power surge as you started, almost immediately jumping into the action. You did it just as it was written in the script, ducking beneath flying fists, taking fake punches, delivering soft blows and jumping and flipping in the air like it was nothing. 

As you dashed across the set, you glanced at Tom and Sebastian. They were both doing their own thing, but you found that their attention had been drifted slightly from the fight and onto you. Their mouths stood slightly agape.

You suppressed your grin, and climbed to the area of which you’d be jumping into a fairly narrow safety pad. You glance down and felt both anxiety and excitement tingling in your stomach. God, you’d really missed being a stunt double. 

You saw Anthony and Scarlett frowning, and then Chris glancing at the director, probably to signal yo get you down from there, but both directors were looking solely at you. 

The ground crunched beneath you, as you turned, pretending to look at approaching enemies coming up to the ledge from behind you. Then you looked down the jump and bit your lip, acting scared. 

“Welp, I guess I’m doing this,” you said as scripted, and then let yourself fall. Just as your body fell between the gap, you grabbed onto a small branch, placed there very purposefully. Your body bounced violently at the motion, and your arm tugged at the weight of your own body. 

You heard the actors playing the villains trample above you in confusion. 

“They probably jumped over! Let’s go!” they hissed, and the ledge thundered and small stones fell, as they all left you in the gap. You looked, once more just like in the script, at the ledge, the branch, and then beneath you. 

“God, bad day..” you mumbled, and comically you let yourself fall. You landed, rather gracefully in your opinion, on the pad, and fell onto safety. 

The set exploded in applause. The directors, set workers, actors and actresses, everyone was seemingly impressed, and you smiled with pride. 

“Woah, holy shit, holy fucking shit, Y/n! When’d you learn to do that?!” Chris asked excitedly, everyone running over as you stood up. 

“I was a stunt double for years. I love this kind of stuff,” you explained and watched them roll their eyes and smile in disbelief. 

“Why didn’t you say so, you dumbass?” Anthony tried to be angry, but he couldn’t hide how impressed he was. “But, for real, damn that was cool.”

“I don’t know, I didn’t know how to bring it up. Anyway-” 

“STOP CELEBRATING, WE’RE NOT DONE!” One of the directors had a megaphone and he made big eyes, as he fussed you all along. The cast laughed at him.

“Alright, but, uh- Next time, just tell us, Y/n. You gave me a fucking heart attack.” Scarlett cursed at you, booped your nose, and then jogged back to her place. You laughed and nodded.

“Tell me too!” Tom hissed, glancing at everyone waiting for the cast to stop fooling around, booped your nose once more (a very boopable surface, if you will), and ran to his position as well. 

Everyone traveled back to their places, and then you would work the scene over and over, and at the end of the day, you all went out to celebrate because, as the cast liked to phrase it, you were ‘inexplicably cool’. 

You enjoyed the food and the glory, and all was good. Looks like you weren’t so delicate after all. 

___________________________

Tag List:

@hera-the-writer @marvel-madness @40srogcrs @whatthefuckimbisexual @snarky–starky @garbage-potato @lozzypoz321 @allthecreativeonesaretaken @missamericana713 @rororo06 @shady80smusicsingercolor @ireadfanficforfun @deephideoutmilkshake @rae-is-typing @sophs-library @herecomesthewriterwitch @alicedanganh @eviemarvel @idk123906​ @xiumin-girl99​ @frostedgiant @tamayakii​

[fandom-puff]

Playing the Part

Pairing: Michael gray x reader

Requested by: @champagneholland

Prompts: 5 (look at us, we’re basically a couple already) , 9 (you couldn’t handle me even if I came with instructions) and 15 (we’re more than friends and you know it!) from fluff prompts

Summary: there’s always a catch when accompanying a Peaky Blinder to an event...

AN: so... this is a little angsty but I promise there’s fluff too!! ALSO: on the tag list, some of your names aren’t coming up, so if you’ve changed your username, let me know so I can update the tag list 💕💕

Warnings: angst, arguing, swearing, sexual harassment.

You rolled your eyes and lit the cigarette that Michael had offered you. “Right. You’ve either done something wrong, or you’re after something. Spit it out,” you said, taking a drag.

“Well, you see, YN,” he said. He had on his business voice, and you knew there was no point in arguing with him. “Tommy wants me to go to some event. It’s legal business, don’t worry. I need a date to sweeten up the benefactor...”

“And you want me to come and play at being a ditzy whore?” you said bluntly, drawing the attention of the Shelby brothers who were playing cards in the other side of the snug. “Fine. If you want me dressing up posh, you’re paying. And I’m telling you now, Michael, I will not go home with a toff, nor will I let one feel me up,” you said firmly.

Michael groaned. “YN... we need you to play nice with them...if a toff wants to cop a feel, just let him. We’ll intervene if-“

“Will you shite!” You exclaimed, stubbing our your cigarette angrily. “ You’ll be too focused snorting snow of some girls tits! Fuck it. If you want someone to act like a whore for you, pay for one. Lord knows, you know plenty. I am not one of them. I’m your friend, for fucks sake!” You got up and began storming out.

“YN! Wait! We’re more than friends and you know it!” Michael called after you. You froze for a moment.

“Fucking act like it then,” you hissed, slamming the door shut behind you.

“More ‘n friends, eh?” Arthur grinned. “Something you’re not telling us, Michael?”

***

A few weeks passed, and with some coaxing from Michael and Polly, you were waiting in the living room of 6 watery lane, where you, Michael, Tommy and Arthur had agreed to meet. You were dressed in a gorgeous evening gown, looking much more beautiful than you felt in your long cream coloured gown. You shifted nervously by the fireplace, waiting for the three men to arrive, growing increasingly antsy.

“Wow...”

You turned around to see Michael stood in the doorway, mouth hanging open as he took you in, looking like a deer caught in the headlights before he composed himself. You smiled shyly fiddling with your earring for a moment. Pretty soon, Michael was leading you to the car, helping you into the back seat and sitting next to you. “Look at you, you’re basically a couple already,” Arthur grinned from the passenger seat as tommy began driving.

“Piss off arthur,” you both said at the same time. After a short drive, you arrived at some Toff’s house. Michael helped you out of the car, and you stumbled slightly. He grabbed your waist and steadied you, smiling gently at you.

“Oi. You two. You can fuck later. Remember, our aim is to butter up a few benefactors. Mention the horses, recommend the Gin... and for the love of god, YN, don’t kick a toff in the balls,”

“Yeah, love, jusg point out the ones with wondering hands and we’ll get them into a quiet corridor,” Arthur winked and you smiled slightly, before putting on your mask of the perfect, innocent, ditzy date with the big posh men, letting Michael lead you to the reception. Almost instantly, Tommy and Arthur were swept off to talk business, and you and Michael found a loveseat to settle on with a glass of champagne as he pointed out particular people.

Soon enough, a slower song began playing and one of the men Michael had pointed out sauntered over. “Mr gray,” he said offering his hand for Michael to shake. Almost instantly, you disliked him. He looked down his nose at you both, and his eyes glinted with wolffish hunger as he openly stared at your body. “A pleasure to see you again. I’m sure we can discuss business very soon... however, may I ask your lady for a dance? It’d be very selfish to keep such a pretty little thing all to yourself,”

You made a big show of looking down demurely and looking up at him through your lashes as you waited for Michael’s ‘permission’. He nodded and you let yourself be dragged to the dance floor as the man- Nicholas, he introduced himself as- cupped your hip and began dancing with you.

You swayed along, eyes darting around the room as you made polite small talk with Nicholas, giggling at his jokes and saying nothing about the hand that was slowly moving lower than was decent. You needed to butter him up after all, put him in a good mood for when the Shelby’s wanted to speak with him. “Now... I don’t see a ring on those pretty hands, Miss YLN...” he leaned down to say, and you almost shuddered in disgust at the feeling of his hot breath on your exposed neck.

“O-oh!” You said, pretending to be flustered. “N-no, sir. No ring,”

He grinned and pulled you closer to his body, clearly pressing your breasts against him as you ‘danced’. You wriggled uncomfortably, but he kept you comfortable. “So you aren’t spoken for then? Shame, pretty thing like you. Must have all the boys chasing you, eh?”

You gulped. “I-Im actually... I’m here with Michael, Mr Smith,” you whispered, voice catching as he grabbed your arse tightly. You let out a terrified squeak, looking for Michael, or Tommy, or Arthur... they were nowhere to be seen.

“Aye, but Michael is but a boy, YN... he wouldn’t know the first thing to do with you,” he said, openly kneading your arse. No one seemed to notice, and he moved to cup your breast, right in the middle of the dance floor, still keeping you tight to his body. You tried to wriggle away again, but he stilled you, leaning down to mutter into your ear “if you keep wriggling like that, you little whore, I will take you against the mantelpiece, in front of all these people and your precious Michael,”

You gasped out as he began dragging you through the room, intent on taking you somewhere secluded and having his way with you-

“Mr Smith,” it was tommy. Smith froze on the spot and slowly turned around, looking thunderous.

“Shelby. It can wait,” he hissed, his grip on your wrist tightening. You looked at tommy, who was flanked by Arthur and Michael, pleadingly.

“Actually,” he said slowly. “Yes it can. It can wait for you to unhand YN, and for you to meet with us in our office next Monday, seeing as you’re so busy trying to fuck young girls,”

“I’ll fuck this little whore if I want to, Shelby,” he growled. Your lower lip trembled, and this seemed to stir something in Michael’s chest.

“You’ll take your dirty fucking hands off her, or we’ll cut them off you,” he said lowly, dangerously.

Smith pursed his lips and shoved you towards them. For the second time that night, you tumbled into Michael’s arms and this time, you cling right, afraid to let go. Not looking back, he guided you to the car. Once the door shut behind him, your tears fell and you sobbed into his chest, your makeup running.

“YN, I’m so sorry,” he murmured, rubbing your back as you cried, half expecting you to push him off.

“I-I’m Sorry!” You gasped. “I messed it u-up for the b-business,” he shushed you, insisting you did perfectly fine, that you were so brave, that he should’ve let you kick the toff, that he shouldn’t have paraded you like that, that they didn’t want Smith’s dirty money.

Tommy and Arthur returned a half hour later, having ironed out some business (and broken Nicholas Smith’s nose). They found you asleep against Michael’s shoulder as he stroked your hair gently, his long coat wrapped around you. “She’s alright,” he murmured softly so as not to wake you as you began the drive home.

“You really care for her, don’t you Michael, boy?” Arthur said after a while. “Just ask her to the pictures or a restaurant or something. Or kick us out of the snug for a while and tell her how you feel. I reckon you’d do alright, you know. Pol’s always said there’s something between you two,” he rambled on, and your eyes slowly fluttered open. “And if she doesn’t fancy it... well... I’m sure you could handle her temper if she turned it on you,”

“Please,” you mumbled, swinging your legs up onto michael’s lap and wrapping your arms around his neck, nuzzling your face into his warmth. “He couldn’t handle me if I came with instructions,”

Tag List: @the-makingsofgreatness @peakyswritings @haphazardhufflepuff @diksy1112 @zodiyack @soleil-dor @hiddensapphic @fckingpeakyblinders @snugleo @alittlebirds @satanxklaus @glamsaturn @thegirlwithoutaname87 @queenofmankind @awkwardretro @captivatedbycillianmurphy @xshinytrashcanx @hanster1998 @cheekypeakyblinders @champagneholland @moonlover-tobefree @beccibooboo @theendlessdays

[tooruluv]

Tobio Kageyama x F!Reader ( part 3 )

❝ goodbyes hurt when the story is not finished, but the book is closed. tell me, have we started a new one? ❞

description: it had been years since you and kageyama broke up. it had been years since the two of you left each other, hatred brewing. fate works in funny ways, you thought, as you caught his eye across the café. love works in funny ways, you thought, as you woke up in his bed the next morning, his fiance calling his phone.

genre: forbidden love, cheating, ex lovers, (all characters are aged up)

word count: 1,724

warnings/notes: strong language, cheating, lowkey toxic relationship. but what else is new? this one doesn’t have anything crazy

tag list: @kara-grayson04​​ @sadhwstudent​​ @unlikelytigerqueen​ @kageyamavibes​

prev | next

“You’ve got to be fucking kidding me.”

Tobio Kageyama stood there, only in sweats, and shrugged. He shrugged. You were about to throw something, hit him with anything, when he spoke. This wasn’t the worst fight the two of you had ever been in, but it was definitely up there.

Because this time, it was you doing most of the yelling. “Hana? Out of everyone? Out of everyone? Are you fucking serious?”

The day you told Kageyama that you were leaving. That day had been the last time you and Kageyama talked. Or, rather, he talked.

It was something you knew for a really long time. Your parents had received a job in the states and you had held off telling him that you were going for as long as you could. Until you couldn’t anymore.

Makeup running down your face, hot tears streaming down your cheeks. And he stood in front of you.

“Why didn’t you tell me before?”

Because you couldn’t bare the thought of telling him. Because you couldn’t look at his face when you said you were going to be gone. Because you didn’t know how he would react. Because you didn’t want to go.

But, despite all of those reasons, you said, “I was scared.”

“You were scared to tell me?”

“Yeah.”

You were literally standing at the airport. In front of the door, your plane ready to take off in two hours. When you said you waited until last second, you truly did.

“You were scared? You waited months. Months.”

“I know I did.” You reached forward but he stepped back. More tears fell down your face. “I just… I just couldn’t think of a way to tell you. I love you so much and I… I didn’t want to say goodbye.”

“How’s this for goodbye,” Kageyama barely blinked. “I hate you.”

Your body seized. Hana, who stood beside you, took your hand but you didn’t feel it. Your entire being fell numb.

“You let me believe we had more time. You let me stay with you, fall in love with you, all when you knew. You knew that you were leaving. And you didn’t tell me for months. I hate you.”

“I hate you.” You would hate him, too, if it was the other way around.

“Babe!”

You stood at the door to the gym, a bag of food for your boyfriend. He had been so preoccupied trying to master this move for volleyball and hadn’t spent much time with him, so you figured you would leave him some food for that break he takes between practice ending and his own practice (which means several hours with Hinata after everyone left).

The entire team turned to face you. Tobio Kageyama’s face flushed.

He rushed to you, long strides pulling him across the gym. Over his shoulder, two of the boys followed.

“Hey, uh,” Kageyama was awkward. It made you giggle. “What’re you doing here?”

“I brought you some food.” You handed him the bag, and a bottle of water just in case. “You didn’t eat lunch today and I wanted to make sure you at least had a little bit.”

“Kageyama, who is this?” one of the boys, the shorter one, asked as the other one, the tall bald one, said “You didn’t tell us you had a girlfriend!”

“Hi!” you smiled and waved at them.

The team introduced themselves, and you smiled at all of them. Kageyama may have been your boyfriend, but he wasn’t one to introduce you to friends. Or, rather, teammates. Daichi, the captain, even started to lecture your boyfriend on his lack of eating.

“I had milk…” he mumbled.

“Listen, it isn’t what you think.” Is all Kageyama said. Of course it was all he said.

“It isn’t what I think?” you scoffed, looking to the ceiling. “We broke up and you’re marrying my best friend. It’s exactly what I think.”

“Your best friend that you haven’t talked to in five years.”

“Two.”

“What?”

“Two years. I haven’t talked to her in two years.” You were pissed. Maybe a good old catch up with Hana would make things up, maybe punching her in her stupid perfect teeth would make the nausea in your stomach go away. “And it’s because she stopped talking to me.”

“I don’t get why you’re mad at me.” He was just as pissed, and he probably had way more pent up anger at you. “Maybe if you actually put effort into things, you wouldn’t be in this position.”

“Maybe if I put an effort into things? You’re fucking ridiculous.”

“Yes, if you put an effort into things. Maybe if you fucking talked to people, maybe if you stayed, maybe if you…”

“You know what? I don’t want to hear you tell me what to do or what I should’ve done when you’re the one who cheated on your fiancé.”

“Crazy how you’re this mad when you’re the mistress.”

You grabbed a couch pillow and threw it at him. It was the closest thing you could grab. You wanted a glass, or a plate. Maybe that fake potted plant in the corner will go next.

“You’re such a dick!” you yelled, getting ready to throw another pillow.

Somehow, he reached you before you could throw it. He caught your hands with his wrists, stopping you. You were breathing heavy.

“You know, I thought running into you would give some closure.” Kageyama said. His voice was low, calm, collected. “I thought that maybe, this was it and it was one final time to get the last of the feelings out of my system.”

“Yeah, me too.” You stared into his eyes. They were just as blue as when you left. “Guess we were both wrong.”

You ripped your arms out of his grasp. He let you.

“Marrying Hana. My best friend.” You were standing further away, but you could still feel his breath. “That’s probably lower than anything I’ve ever done to you.”

And you left. You turned around, snatched your bag, and left. As the elevator closed, you watched him watch you.

Hana was the one who hugged you before you left. She was the last one, other than your family, to see you. She held your head, pulled you to her body, let you cry on her shoulder until they called your plane.

She was your best friend.

While you were in the states, she would facetime you. Call you. Text you updates.

The day you left, she texted you. She kept her end of the deal, too.

hana <3: told tsuki today hana <3: we kissed!! basically i was nervous for no reason lol

you: omg omg omg congrats! at least one of us is having a good time hfksbfsksl

hana <3: don’t worry ab boys. ur gonna have so much fun and meet new people. im always here 4 u.

“I’m on my way over.” You spoke into the phone, hands still shaking with withheld anger.

“You sound pissed. Can’t wait.”

The first time you and Kageyama kissed was a little bit into the relationship. It was a couple of months in, and he asked you to go for a walk with him.

“A walk?” you asked, looking around your room for a fitting outfit. “It’s early. And it’s Saturday.”

“I know. I’m outside of your house. Meet me outside whenever you’re ready.”

“You’re insane. Give me five.”

That week, you spent time with Oikawa. Your stomach flipped with the idea that Kageyama had finally had enough of you hanging out with him, or maybe he was going to tell you that he was jealous again. You didn’t know, but an early morning walk with your boyfriend didn’t sound very relaxing.

Cautiously, you met him on your porch. He greeted you with a simple nod, hands in his pockets.

“Um, before we begin, can I say something?” he asked.

You nodded. A jolt through your entire body.

“I know that I complain a lot. And I know that I… I know that I’m not very good with feelings.” He was talking slowly. Practiced. “But I want you to know that even though you spend time with Oikawa, I know that he’s your best friend and I just get jealous. And I want you to know that I know you’re mine.”

“I’m yours.” You confirmed.

“So, I wanted to do this before we started walking.”

And, with that, he leaned down and kissed you. It was a small kiss, a peck to your lips, and he had to bend down to do so. But you felt everything lift off of your shoulders. You were flying.

When he pulled back, he smiled. Genuinely. You did, too.

“Now, I think a walk is in order.” You looped your arm through where he still held his in his pockets.

Oikawa opened the door, tilting his head at the sight of you. You stood in his doorway, very obviously stressed out and face red with both tears and yelling. You had your hood up, hair still messy from the night.

“You look like you just got done having the best dick ever.” He joked.

You rushed forward, capturing his lips with yours. He staggered back, gripping your hips as you closed the door with your ankle. He didn’t hesitate to kiss you back. You were chest to chest, your hands on his shoulders and standing on your toes.

He pulled away to ask, “So we’re doing this again?”

“I’m pissed off.” You kissed him again. Your hands held the waistband of his jeans. “I’m in dire need of a very big distraction.”

“I’m not complaining.” Oikawa grabbed your jaw and pulled you in again.

[sckyie]

song: streetcar by daniel caesar

word count: 2.6k

genre + warnings: angst to fluff; reminiscing in past heartbreak, breakdowns, timeskips, swearing, someone gets slapped

pronouns used: she/her

a/n: here's part 2 to driver's license,, i hope this was okay >~< i had to include a new song to the mix (its going into the playlist) soooo enjoy :) also my ratio for angst to fluff is TERRIBLE im sorry

Ever since you had confessed your feelings to your best friend, you had became so distant from everyone. Knowing you might've ruined one of the best friendships shook you. Lately you'd been driving around past curfew just to keep your mind off him. Passing all the street lights just felt like you were driving down memories. 

That flickering light at the corner where Oikawa had helped you after crashing your bike into a pole. Or that bright cool light by the park where you, Iwa, and Oikawa first started playing volleyball. Or that one littered with stickers where you told both the boys that they better remember you when they were famous. 

Apathy overcame your entire being. Nothing seemed to matter anymore, who knew heartbreak could have this effect on a person? It was hard going to school, avoiding Oikawa in every hall, dodging Iwaizumi on your way out, and even trying to ignore Kasumi was too much. It hurt like hell but you didn't want to know what Oikawa had to say. More so, you didn't want to hear what he was going to say, you knew what he'd tell you.

Two months until graduation.

It had been a over a month since that confession. The bright girl everyone used to know dulled out. No one knew why nor how it happened. It only stung between you and the boy you knew you could never love. Oikawa and Kasumi remained together despite the lingering thought of those words you said to him. 

"I- You- Ugh! Just go away, I don't want to see you!" The crack in your voice shook those hidden feelings within you.

"Why not!" Oikawa held onto your forearm, restricting you from running away.

"Because I fucking loved you idiot!" You screamed as hot tears rolled down your cheeks. Oikawa froze at your words, unable to process them.

"You...loved me?" He asked.

"I still fucking love you! God, I hate you- I just- Let go!" You shoved him away from you. "I'm leaving. If you try to stop me, I'm never speaking to you again."

Yet, you never spoke to him regardless. The sudden break between you two effected Iwaizumi as well. Although he had no part in the situation, he was torn who's side to take. He knew your secret but he couldn't betray both his best friends. Seeing you two spilt was like watching glass break. It's sudden, scattered, irreplaceable but if you tried to fix it, you could cut yourself or ruin the glass even more.

Oikawa took your last words as your goodbye. What was worse was that, he couldn't bring himself to find the right words to say to you. How could his best friend love him and never tell him? He never did end up telling Kasumi that he loved her. He began to question his feelings about her and well, you. 

One more month until graduation.

"Hey Y/n, are you going to the third year dance?" Hanamaki taps your shoulder as you doodle on your notes. You shook your head, knowing well enough how you'd have to see Oikawa and Kasumi together. "Come on, we're all going."

"No thanks," You smiled. A sudden ache in your chest hit you as you looked back at your notes. "I don't like dances."

"Liar," Matsukawa joins into the conversation. "What happened to you?"

"Hm?" You looked up, tilting your head at him.

"Just come along, we'll drive," He suggests. "You don't need a date. Just tag along with he boys and Kasumi."

"Again no thanks," You turned him down. "I'm not on good terms with Oikawa right now. I don't want to see him."

"Well, then let's all four go together then. Me, you, Mattsun, and Iwa," Makki says. "We lowkey miss having you around."

"Yeah, come on, we don't have to go with them," Matsukawa agreed.

"Promise we won't hang around them?" You ask solemnly. They nod at you, prompting you to let out a long sigh. "Fine. I don't have a dress, do you guys want to come with to find one?" 

Two weeks until graduation.

You stood in line with the three boys to get inside the ballroom for the dance. You carefully adjusted Matsukawa's corsage that matched your dress. Kasumi and Oikawa had came later, waiting farther back in line. He rests his hand on her waist as he examined the people in line when he spots you. This was the first time in forever since he could see you clearly. He had only caught glimpses of you through the halls, never seeing your face.

Was that the reason the guys didn't want to ride with him? For you? It hit a bit knowing they chose you over him but he knew how you haven't hung out with anyone lately. Always avoiding people, never trying to talk to anyone. 

Inside the ballroom, you and the boys sat together at your assigned table. The songs seemed redundant, leaving you four to occasionally get up to dance. It wasn't until a slow song that caught your attention. You had your head leaning against Iwaizumi's shoulder when you spotted Oikawa and Kasumi walking center stage.

"I'm gonna go outside for some fresh air," You say, standing up. You adjusted your dress before walking away to the outside patio. The muffled sound of the slow song was heard as you rested your arms on the railing. You closed your eyes, trying to focus on the sounds of the streets nearby. It was hard to drown out the feelings of Oikawa after seeing him with Kasumi. You feel the pain well up, trying your best to resist crying.

You open your eyes as you feel something being placed on your shoulders. "You'll get sick out here," Iwaizumi says, standing beside you. "You're thinking of him aren't you?"

"Can we not talk about him?" You breathed, tears slowly rolling down your face. "I just don't want to think about how bad I fucked up."

"Well," Iwaizumi looked down at the ground. "Will you dance with me?" You turned to see him holding out his hand for you. Taking his offer, Iwa holds you close as the music played. He let you cry in his arms, knowing well enough that you needed this. Having held all your pain behind driving, you couldn't show how much you were in pain. 

"Thank you Iwa," You sniffled into his chest. 

"I'm always here for you," He smiled. "You're like a little sister to me...It pains me to see you all dull and hurt...When Makki asked you to come out with us, I didn't expect you to agree but I'm glad you did." 

"Can I tell you something?" You panted for air through your tears.

Oikawa held Kasumi close, carefully swaying back and forth together. With her head resting on his chest, he was able to see through the patio window. He spots you and Iwaizumi dancing but for some reason it stung in his chest to see that. Why is he hurt? He's with Kasumi and he loves her, right?

Graduation day.

A group of cheers goes around the ceremony as your final day in high school is finally over. You greet your old classmates one more time, saving your close friends for last. For some reason, all the pain you previously carried had faded away. You approach the gate to meet with your friends for the last time before you go off your separate paths. Makki and Mattsun agreed to text you more to keep up with each other.

Iwaizumi had hugged you once last time, telling you to do your best. You smiled for the first time in a while. It was strange but Iwa was glad to see you starting to move on. You and him agreed to update each other on your mental healths and to hang out whenever you'd visit. Then it was the one you dreaded.

Saying goodbye to Oikawa, it'll be the last time you'll see him. You waited patiently for him as he was caught up by some fans and Kasumi. When he did manage to leave the underclassmen, he spotted you waiting. "Hey babe, can you go on ahead? I want to talk to Y/n," He says to his girlfriend. She nods happily, walking by you as she left. 

"Hey," He stops a few feet away from you, scared to step any closer.

"Hi," You said. "I have a few words for you." You let out a small chuckle, leading him to believe it was something good.

"Good or bad?" He laughed.

"Well," You started. "I just wanted to say goodbye for the last time...It was nice being your friend and I know how rough it turned out in the end...I'm sorry for not telling you before how I felt. I just thought I wasn't good enough for you and that you'd fall for someone else. Kasumi is a great girl and you two are amazing together...I really wish you guys the best...I know you'll do outstanding in volleyball like the king you are. You better not forget us when you're famous..Listen, I have to go before I'm late, so this is...it...Goodbye Tooru." You wiped a tear from your cheek, smiling at him. You quickly turned around, disappearing into the city. 

"Wait! Y/n!" He rushes after you, only to get lost in the crowd of third years saying their goodbyes. Oikawa felt tears well up in his eyes as he desperately looked around for you. "You didn't let me say..." He whispered to himself.

A week later, Oikawa and Iwaizumi join each other to lunch at your favorite restaurant. Iwa scrolls on his phone waiting for the food while Oikawa looked at the booth you two would always get. "Hey Iwa-chan?" He asks. "Do you know where Y/n decided to go after graduation?" Iwaizumi stopped scrolling to think back at the third year dance.

"Can I tell you something?" You panted for air through your tears.

"Anything," Iwa replied.

"I'm moving away from Miyagi immediately after graduation," You sniffled. "Remember when we were kids and we said we wanted to live in Tokyo or Kyoto?"

"Y-yeah," He was a little shaken up hearing that you'll be leaving so soon. 

"My uncle just moved to Kyoto and he offer me a room there...and I said yes," You started to trace circles on his back. "It's by that college I wanted to go to and they have good jobs there and-"

"You don't have to explain yourself. You'll do amazing out there," Iwa chuckled. "Just promise you'll visit sometime?" He knew how much you needed to be away from Miyagi. Although it pained him, he knew it was only for the best.

"No," Iwa lied. "I haven't seen her. She hasn't texted in a while.

Three months after graduation.

You got into a cab on your way to your new job at a café. You stared out the window, admiring the new city you live in. Learning to adjust and work around the city was tough. The feeling of calling Kyoto home was strange, knowing that it wasn't. 

Ever since you had said goodbye to Oikawa, things in his life changed. He believed losing you wasn't fair, not knowing where you'd gone always haunted him. He had broken up with Kasumi over the guilt held over his head. Always thinking about you when he was with her wasn't right. With you being gone, his only priority became volleyball. 

You however, had let go of those old feelings you held onto. That last goodbye satisfied you, letting you sleep at night and allowed you to love yourself more. You've grown so much from dull slump you were stuck in for weeks. Though living in a different environment made it feel like you weren't even there.

Oikawa roamed the streets slowly approaching different shops along the sidewalk. He had some free time before the practice match he had, so it wouldn't hurt to explore, right?

That's when it happened.

You closed the door to your cab, turning towards the café's direction. Your eyes lock onto a set of familiar pupils. Frozen in time, the two of you never exchanged a word yet, suddenly a rush of emotions filled you both.

Pain, anger, fear, regret, almost everything you felt in the past came back to you seeing him. Standing before you, the man you once loved. The man you might still love.

You snapped out of your thoughts, walking towards him, stopping a few feet away from him. "Y/n what-" You raised your hand, harshly impacting Oikawa's cheek. His hand flies up to his face, holding the spot you smacked.

"You seriously broke up with Kasumi for me?" You growled. "Y-you're an idiot y'know? She was good to you too! Also ignoring Iwa for volleyball? I told you not to-"

"You kept track of me?" He whispered, a slight smile creeping on his face.

"W-Well obviously! I ask Iwa about you from time to time," You muttered. You looked up to Oikawa and saw him grin down at you.

Before you could say anything else, Oikawa puts his two hands on the sides of your cheeks. He pulls your face close to his, crashing his lips against yours. You tense at the action, gripping his wrists. He doesn't pull away until you settle into the kiss.

Your hands melt away from his wrists and reach for his torso. Your lips moved together in sync, almost as if it were a familiar feeling. He pulls away from you, pressing his forehead against yours. "You never let me say my goodbye," Oikawa snickered. "You said goodbye to me then disappeared without a trace."

"Sorry," You blushed. His hands move to your waist, still holding you close to him.

"I wanted to tell you that..." He took a deep breath before continuing. "I love you too. I'm sorry I'm so late in telling you and I'm sorry for being caught up with Kasumi. I didn't know what I was doing and I couldn't talk to you...I fucked up for not seeing how much you- well how much I loved you...I know this is all late and you probably don't want to hear any of this but-"

You tiptoed and kissed his nose, making him stop. "How'd you find out you loved me?" You looked at him curiously.

"I was driving down your street and all the old streets we'd walk through," He started. "It reminded me of you and then I saw that white streetcar. The one that is always parked by the laundromat? It made me realize how much you meant to me."

"Seriously? That old junk car?" You laughed.

"Hey, it reminded me of you okay, just seeing it whenever we hungout and passed it," Oikawa squeezed your hip, making you chuckle at him. "Will you ever forgive me?"

Your laughter ceases as you look up at him. "I had to learn how to drive on the highway on my own, jerk," You brought up.

"Is that a yes?" He smirked.

"...No...Maybe," You squinted your eyes at him. "You owe me ramen."

"Wait how'd you know how I've been these last few months?" Oikawa pulls away from your hold.

"Oh Iwa was the first to know I was moving, I asked him to check on you every now and then. I just wanted to make sure your pretty face doesn't do anything stupid. You did by the way, you did some stupid shit," You grinned. "Hey are you hungry? I can get you something from the café for free." You turned away from him, heading to your job.

"Hey you can't just insult me then leave, come here," He runs after you stopping you a few steps away from work. Oikawa plants a rough kiss on your lips before looking down at you. "The only stupid thing I did was not tell you I loved you sooner."

taglist: @amillionfandoms-onlyoneme @d0llpie @elianetsantana @joy-laufeyson @kac-chowsballs

[solesurvivorpaigeargot]

HOLY HELLO, friends and followers! It's once again that time, time for...

SKETCHY SATURDAY!

This week, we're bringing back one of my favorite types of prompt-- the Quote prompt!

This one is pretty simple, but I still gotta lay down the rules. Follow me past the read-more if you're wanting to participate this week!

This week is all about the dialog-- requesters may select a character and a quote to send in, after which I'll do the rest. If you're an old hand at this event, this is exactly the same as previous quotation prompts, just with an updated quote list.... buuuuut you can still validate my time spent writing the guidelines every week by reading them anyway XD

For the rest of ye, ONWARDS!

To send a VALID request for this week's Sketchy Saturday, send an ASK to my ASKBOX containing the following:

The CHARACTER you'd like sketched ---- Canon? Yep! OC? Hell yes! Everybody's welcome so long as they're from the Fallout Universe! ---- One character per ask ---- Sending an OC? Send your request ask FIRST, and THEN send reference info to my Tumblr IM ---- Don't have a reference image? Text description is fine! Going from text lets me flex my character design muscles!

The NUMBER of your selected quote ---- Numbers help me find things faster, but you can transcribe the quote, too, if you wanna. ---- Got more than one favorite? List up to three, in order of preference. If someone else has used your first choice, I'll move on to your second [or third]. ---- Still can't choose? Send me 'Dealer's Choice!' and I'll pick one... or maybe make up something new on the spot ;3

As always, I'd like to remind everyone that the artist is a singular human, managing this event to try and give people some joy during a time when there seems to be a dwindling supply. Please remember to be polite, say please and thanks, reblog the art after it's finished, make 'oooo' noises in the tags, all that good shit.

Kay? M'kay.

And with that all outta the way... THE QUOTES!

CW for a lot of colorful language, implied violence, and general vulgarity XD

“Excellence knows no age.”

"Whoa, whoa, calm down-- my metaphorical dick can only get so hard."

"Like... a broken clock is right twice a day, but I feel like I'm insulting the clock with that comparison."

"You know, people in this town have a habit of getting in over their heads... like at the bottom of the ocean."

"What the fuck is that look for?"

"Shhhhh.... the adults are talking."

"I did NOT just spend six days in a hole to NOT get drunk at the first opportunity."

"And whether you believe that... or you're correct, it makes a nice hot take."

“Goddamnit, we fought a revolution so we wouldn’t have to pay any attention to the FUCKING British!

“We plan ahead; that way, we don’t do anything right now."

"If you don't stop smirking at me like that, I'm gonna have to kiss you."

"Shenanigans! I'm calling Shenanigans!!"

"Fuck you guys, I'm going home."

"That would imply some kind of agency-- I assure you, I did not CHOOSE this in any capacity."

"On a scale of one to ten, I think I'm hanging out somewhere in the concept of infinity."

"Got the short end of the stick, so I started beating people with it."

"That was so low on the list of things I expected to happen, it was in another state."

"BALLS TO THE WALL, BOYS!"

“You put a whole new shine on the word overkill.”

"Above my paygrade."

"I'm surrounded by assholes..."

"Besides-- in my professional opinion, the change is an improvement."

"A lifetime of preparation... and I end up a REFUGEE?"

".... are you not wearing pants right now?"

“I want a man with a tattoo on his dick! Have I got the right man?”

“I’m short for my height.”

"This isn't a joke, you shit-sucking asshole!"

"Count to... ten."

"Well that's just recockulous."

“So where the hell is the goddamn golden oldie coming from?”

"I always take my own advice under advisement-- you, on the other hand, should pay a little more goddamn attention."

"Listen, babe-- we've been attacked, chased, shot at, poisoned, and blown up! HOW could it get any WORSE?!"

“It will get colder and colder until we all have to go to hell just to warm up.”

“Broke into the wrong goddamn rec-room, didn’t you, you bastard?!”

“When you need it, and don’t have it, you sing a different tune.”

“I only speak two languages; English and Bad English!”

"[sigh]... 'Yer face' is NOT a numerical value."

“Nothing is impossible, only mathematically improbable.”

“I mean, [insert your faction of choice] offers to give you anything you want and you ask for just two cases of dynamite?”

“People keep giving me rings, but I really think a small death ray would be more practical.”

“Or, or, and this is the really important part, we might not die.”

"Tch, amateurs."

"Violence isn't the answer, it's the question-- and the answer is yes."

As always, this will be going online just as I'm crashing for the night, but the askbox is open and ready to collect requests right now! So get yours in, and I'll see ya in the morning when I start arting things up! :D

-Loor

[midnightsnyx]

Consequences - Matthew Tkachuk: part 4

summary: you absolutely hate Matthew Tkachuk so it’s just your luck when you wind up pregnant with his child.

a/n: i’ve been sooo excited to post this part because we’re finally getting some REAL drama. there are notes i wanna make but I don’t want to spoil what happens so maybe I’ll mention them in the notes for part 5 .Also if you didn’t see, i’ll be posting an update every sunday! let me know if you’d like to be tagged in a tag list. anyways, i hope you guys enjoy!! also im going to mention warnings in the story. i should’ve done it before but it didn’t cross my mind.

thank you all SO SO SO much for the lovely messages and love on this story so far!! you guys have no idea how much it means to me :)

warnings: a LOT of swearing, lil tiny bit of fluff and lots of angst (just the way i like it :))

word count: 2.2k

consequences masterpost here

Part 4

17 weeks

There are a few things that you’ve learned about Matthew Tkachuk since spending so much time with him.

He’s a terrible cook except when it comes to breakfast and he makes the best scrambled eggs you have ever eaten. He’s an early riser because there’s always a good morning text when you wake up and you try to play it off but it really does make you happy to wake up to them. It takes him at least half an hour to choose a movie so ninety percent of the time the two of you watch something, you end up picking it. He always eats all the popcorn without realizing and then apologizes and makes more for you, but he eats all that too.

He’s also a worrywart because whenever he’s on the road, he texts you multiple times a day to check in on you. His mom told you that he often messages her and asks how you are because you refuse to tell him the details about your morning dates with the toilet no matter how many times he asks (though they are not as often these days).

You’ve also learned that his ideas for a name are light years away from yours.

“Joey?”

You scrunch up your face at Matt’s suggestion and shake your head.

“Makes me think of this kid I knew when I was young. He was a dickhead.” You say. “What about Grayson?”

Matt shakes his head. “No. What about Cooper?”

“Like Bradley Cooper?” I ask dryly and he frowns.

“Well I didn’t think of that until now.” He says and then his eyes drop to your stomach which has become more noticeable, forcing you to start telling people. The two of you wanted to keep it as quiet as possible for as long as you could because you weren’t sure who could trust not to tell. But the two of you mutually agreed to tell family and friends when you were 15 weeks.

Matt is wanting to announce to fans now but you’re nervous about it, terrified of how some might react. It’s possible you can tell people the two of you had been quietly dating instead of telling them that the two of you drunkenly hooked up and you got knocked up. If they find out the truth however, you could face a lot of backlash.

So you’re terrified as fuck.

“Can I?” Matt asks, bringing you back to reality. You look at him and he gesturing to your bump. He never touches you without asking first and you’re grateful for it but there’s that small part in the back of your mind that wishes this was real, and the two were a couple who planned the pregnancy and he would touch your bump whenever he wanted to without fear of you reacting badly.

“Yeah, of course.” You say quietly, watching as he lays a hand on your stomach and his reaction is always the same - he looks at it in awe (you never notice when he looks at you like that much to his disappointment).

“How’re you feeling?” He asks for the fifth time since he came to your apartment. It makes you roll your eyes and laugh.

“I feel the exact same as when you asked me an hour ago.” You tell him, still watching as he rubs his thumb in small circles on your stomach. It tickles a little but you don’t want to tell him to stop. Besides, it’s unfairly cute when he starts whispering things to the baby.

When he read that at week 17, the baby can start to hear things, he wouldn’t shut up. You swore that he spoke to your stomach more than he did to you but you were oddly okay with it because you’re still getting used to seeing this side of Matthew.

The gentle, caring part that must have been buried down deep. So you’re enjoying every minute of it.

You still like getting under his skin sometimes so a thought pops in to your head and it makes you smirk.

“Hey, what do you think about the name Zack?” You tease and the look Matt gives you could kill.

Needless to say, he didn’t speak to you for the rest of the night.

. . .

19 weeks

He promised he would be here.

He promised.

You stare at the front doors of the clinic and every minute that passes makes you want to throw up and it has absolutely nothing to do with morning sickness. You want to throw up because Matthew isn’t here and it’s your second ultrasound and he promised that although he went out drinking last night with some friends, he would show up to your ultrasound at 8 o’clock in the morning.

You also feel sick thinking about the picture you saw of Matt last night with some girl all over him.

Anger was the first thing you felt when you saw the picture. You were absolutely furious. But that’s when confusion set in because you didn’t understand why you were so mad. It’s not like you and Matt are dating so you couldn’t understand your reaction to seeing him with another girl. You suppose it’s because you’re so used to being one of the only things that are important in his life right now that it hurt seeing him with a random girl from the bar.

So you did your best to put that in the back of your mind and focus on this ultrasound but when he didn’t pick you up at your apartment when he said he would, you drove yourself because you would be late if you were to wait any longer.

You thought maybe he was hungover and running late, or maybe he forgot that he was supposed to pick you up so you expected him to be waiting at the clinic.

But he isn’t. And he fucking promised you that he would be here.

The door opens and your heart leaps but it’s not Matt, it’s a couple who look happy and it breaks your heart wondering if that’s how you and Matt looked when you came in for your first ultrasound.

“Y/N?” The receptionist calls and you can see the pity in her eyes and you hate it but she probably sees this all the time so you try not to take it personally.

“The doctor is ready for you, hun.”

You look at the doors one last time before you force a smile and follow her in to the exam room.

. . .

Matt rushes into the clinic, ignoring the strange looks he’s getting and runs straight towards the front desk. The receptionist gives him a flat glare that’s definitely unprofessional but he knows he deserves it.

“I slept in.”

“Clearly.” She says dryly and he has to force himself to stay calm because he knows causing a scene would do more harm than good.

“Can I go in?”

She purses her lips like she’s considering it but shakes her head. “I can’t. It’s against regulation.”

“Regulation?” Matt exclaims, “Are you joking? She’s expecting me to be in there! I promised her!”

“I understand that but I can’t break the rules because you slept in. I’m going to have to ask you to sit down or step outside.” She says firmly.

Matt scrubs his hands over his face and takes a deep breath before storming out the doors. His eyes scan the parking lot until he finds Y/N’s car and walks there to wait for her. He’s dreading seeing the disappointment in her eyes, knowing it will make him feel like shit.

It’s only five minutes before Y/N walks out of the clinic and she looks happy but when she sees him, her expression goes stone cold. He can see her jaw clench and she walks slowly towards him.

“Move.” She says lowly and Matt realizes that he’s leaning against the drivers door of her car. He should listen and move, but he needs to find a way to explain why he wasn’t there even though he knows that no explanation will be enough.

“I’m so sorry, Y/N. I-”

“I don’t want your shitty excuses Matthew.” She snaps. “Get out of my way.”

“Listen-”

“I said, move!” She shouts, gaining the attention of some pedestrians nearby. They look a little concerned and he tries to give them a somewhat reassuring smile but he knows that if Y/N doesn’t calm down, there will be trouble.

“Please just hear me out.” He begs and she laughs dryly.

“Let me guess… you slept in?”

“I-”

“Did that hot blonde keep you up all night?” She bites out and Matthew’s eyes widen. How did she-

“God, I hope our child never googles your name and looks at pictures because he’ll see what a lying asshole his father is.”

Matt would normally be a little insulted by her words but he feels like he’s been punched in the stomach when he hears the word he.

“It’s a boy?”

“Yeah,” Y/N snaps, shoving something in his hands. “Surprise! You’d know if you didn’t miss the appointment because you went out and got wasted and took some girl home.”

He’s in enough shock from the news that Y/N is able to push him out of the way.

“Go home and don’t even think about showing up at my apartment.” She says, opening the door of her car and giving him one last glare. “And cover up that hickey, you’re not a fucking teenager.”

Matt is still standing in the same spot, staring at the sonogram Y/N threw at him when she drives away.

. . .

“I can punch him?” Johnny offers. “I still haven’t gotten the chance.”

You sniffle and shake your head, accepting the warm cup of hot chocolate Becca hands you. She sits on the couch beside you and rubs your back gently. It’s nice, but it just reminds you of Matt.

You miss the look that Becca gives Johnny but notice when he quietly leaves the room.

“Can I ask you something?” She questions softly.

You shrug, feeling too tired and numb to give a verbal answer.

“I understand why you’re angry that he didn’t show up to the ultrasound, and you have every right to.” She hesitates but continues when you look at her. “But you’re upset about that girl. Why?”

It’s a valid question because you’re still trying to figure that out yourself. Why did you get so upset that he slept with that girl? You’re not dating but it still felt like he cheated on you and you can’t understand why.

So you shrug again and Becca sighs softly.

“I think I know why.”

“Why?” You finally mumble.

“You like him.” She says and you scoff, laughing dryly.

“Quite the opposite, actually. I hate him.”

She shakes her head. “Y/N, I haven’t heard you say you hate him in months. You’ve been talking about how great he actually is.”

“Clearly I was wrong.” You say, wanting to deny her words that might have truth to them.

Were your feelings for Matt starting to change? You admit that you started to realize that he wasn’t as bad as you were making him out to be. Yes, he was an asshole and a pest quite frequently but you also got to see the side of him that you guessed only his family and close friends got to see.

You thought he was going to be someone you could trust and rely on but last night and today proved you wrong.

“I’m tired, Becca.” You say, wanting to get out of this conversation. She smiles softy and hugs you before you go to get ready for bed.

Once you’re finally in bed, you turn your phone on that you had turned off when you got home.

There’s eleven missed calls and a bunch of texts from Matt. You only read the last one.

Matty: I am so sorry. I swear I never meant to hurt you.

You stare at the text before turning your phone off again and closing your eyes, trying to forget Matthew Tkachuk even exists.

[themusicplayedherlife]

Unrequited (Part 5)

pairing: bucky barnes x reader characters: bucky barnes, reader, steve rogers, natasha romanoff, tony stark, pietro maximoff, crystal amaquelin, clint barton, sam wilson, sharon carter,  word count: 7k+ warnings: curse words, flirty bucky, flirty tony, angst, sad friends summary: things are changing and its startng to get hard to keep up a/n: hi, welcome to the slowest update and slowest burn story ever, but its here now--and let me tell you, this chapter is NOT how i planned... still like the outcome and really, it just means that the next ch is going to be just as long (im also looking for someone to beta future chapters ;o; so if youre interested, lemme know)

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“Natasha?” you call out, entering the eerily quiet apartment. The lights are off, the television quiet and dark, everything you used for breakfast is still in the sink, none of it put away—she hates seeing a full sink, but hates washing dishes in the morning even more, preferring to do them when she gets home when it’s her turn.

You call out for her again, your footsteps echoing as you make your way to her bedroom. Knocking, you wait for a beat before opening the door, and just like the rest of your shared home, her room is dark—even the neon lights she likes leaving on occasionally are turned off. 

Where could she be?

There’s a note on the island counter that has you frowning—Out for the day. It reads in Natasha’s cursive writing. I’ll be home for dinner.

You don’t share any classes with Natasha, today. In fact, you don’t have any classes Tuesdays, something you’re grateful for because having classes everyday last year really stressed you out, and while you’re still stressed having three classes on three days of the week, you have more days to relax and study if need be. 

Your free days also give you the chance to spend time with Natasha, something you both take seriously. Afterall, you made a promise to one another senior year of highschool that you’d always carve out a little bit of time for each other and that you’d always tell one another what was on your mind, never letting it fester.

It feels… weird knowing something is wrong and not knowing what it could be. But you just have to give her space and wait for her to tell you on her own, just as she gives you space when you need it.

Doesn’t mean you like it, though.

With a loud sigh, you leave your apartment.

You shoot him a quick text to let him know you’re here, and he replies by giving you the code for the building and his floor and apartment number. 

Seriously, Bucky? Why is he making you go up?

Grumbling, you take the elevator to the fourth floor and knock on his door, ready to rip him a new one for having you meet at his place rather than somewhere else when it opens to reveal… not Bucky?

Naked torso and bright blue eyes greet you, and widen in surprise as a small squeak escapes your lips. You try to ignore the heat clawing its way up your neck and to your face, desperately hoping he wouldn’t notice.

He says your name breathlessly and you return the gesture with another squeal, head lightheaded and you’re pretty sure it’s not healthy to have all your blood rush to your face like this.

“Steve!” You avert your eyes and focus on the wooden door and the gold numbers 404 instead of his pretty, hairless chest. But it’s kind of hard to keep your focus on something else when your eyes keep wanting to move his way! “Bucky told me to meet him here?”

As if he was waiting for his name, his head pops over Steve’s shoulder, a small smirk on his face—has it always been this punchable? Because your fingers are itching to clock him and wipe that smug look off of his face—that’s becoming a thing isn’t it?

“You’re finally here!” He pushes Steve aside and opens the door wide for you, ignoring the protests of his best friend. He latches onto your wrist, not allowing you a chance to look over the open spaced apartment and pulls you along with him towards the elevator. “I’m taking the car! And put a shirt on!”

You chance a glance over your shoulder to find Steve staring after you both with raised eyebrows and slightly parted lips. Fuck.

“What the hell, Bucky?” you ask as soon as you’re in the privacy of the elevator. 

“You’re welcome,” he says, pressing the button for B—basement you’re assuming.

“You’re welcome?” You repeat incredulously. “For what?”

“What do you mean for what? You got to see a shirtless Steve thanks to me!”

He has a point, the little voice in your head says, but you refuse to listen. Pursing your lips, you turn your eyes away to stare at the blinking numbers over the sliding doors. “I’m not thanking you for that.”

He pouts and it’s so uncharastically Bucky, or at least it's uncharacteristic for the Bucky you thought you knew, that it throws you off guard for a moment. You clear your throat and try to recover. “Come on! I did good! You saw a shirtless, Steve! What are the odds of that happening?”

“Literally none.” He grins at your deadpan words. “Still don’t appreciate it, Bucky! That was embarrassing, for him and me.”

He sighs, slouching back into the elevator wall like a little kid having been scolded for stealing a piece of chocolate. “Okay, I get it. I get it, no more tricking you into seeing a shirtless Steve.”

You resist the urge to sigh heavily at his words. “I hate you.”

He grins toothily.

You watch him as he smiles at the poor girl behind the register ringing him up for a pair of sunglasses. She ducks her head shyly, curling a lock of her hair behind her ear as does her best to quell the blushing on her cheek. 

He had told you to keep an eye on them, watch him as he tries to win over the cashier with his charm, but from where you’re standing? You’re not seeing shit.

He thanks her with another smile, taking his card that she hands back to him before making his way to you. 

You quickly look away when her eyes begin to drift from him to you.

“Did you see?” he asks as he settles into step with you to lead you to another store.

You nod and cock an eyebrow. “What exactly was I supposed to learn from that?”

He makes a face—nose scrunched and eyebrows furrowed. “How easy it is to flirt?”

“I saw none of that,” you deadpan.

He sighs deeply as if completely disappointed in your lack of attention and you have to resist the urge to smack him and roll your eyes. “Did you not see how I—you know what. Never mind.” Before you can even question him, he continues on: “We’re not just here to teach you how to flirt, we’re also here because you need an outfit for the party. Two birds,” two fingers lift into the air and then one finger goes down, “one stone.”

You do a double take, blinking slowly and letting his words process. “I need an—no, I don’t!”

“Oh, yeah?” He raises an eyebrow as he opens the door. “What were you thinking about wearing, then?”

“I don’t know?” You reply indignantly. What exactly is he getting at? “Some jeans and a shirt? You know, like casual clothes.”

When you don’t make a move to enter, he grabs your arm and pulls you along with an eye roll. “That’d be fine for any other party, but this is a Stark party. People dress up to impress, and those that don’t, stick out like a sore thumb.”

Great.

“Come on, sourpuss.”

That’s rich coming from him.

But then again, he hasn’t been much of a sourpuss with you anymore has he? 

“What about this?” he asks, amusement laced in his words as he grins stupidly at you. In his hands is a short and skimpy dress that you would never wear out of fear of what you might accidentally end up flaunting.

A glare is all he gets as a response and he laughs loudly. “I’m joking!”

You miss sourpuss Bucky.

He has you searching the floor for something—anything, he deems acceptable for Stark’s party, but you honestly don’t understand why you can’t just wear casual clothes. And when you voice it, he keeps emphasizing the whole “sticking out like a sore thumb” bit. As if he knew you liked blending with the crowd rather than stand out. You relent, allowing him to help you pick something out, too, but you still don’t like the idea of dressing up for a College party.

A blue romper is suddenly shoved in your line of vision and you took a step back to follow the arm attached to the shimmery romper. “Pretty, right?”

You wrinkle your nose involuntarily. It is a pretty romper (better than the first one), with a low open back and a sweetheart neckline. You’d wear it, but it looks more suitable for clubbing than a college party.

“I think it’ll look good on you!”

You reluctantly grab it from his thrusting hand. “Isn’t it too much?” You check the tag. “Besides, not my size.”

“It’s perfect for Tony’s party,” he muses as he ushers you towards the rack where he found the romper, encouraging you to find your correct size. “And it’s actually pretty tame compared to what you’ll see others wearing.”

“You know, you’ve been really making me dread going to this party,” you grumble, pulling out a romper that’s in your size. “You keep making it sound like it’s the event of the year.”

He nudges you towards the changing rooms. “It might as well be. A lot of people look forward to his parties, use it as a chance to completely unwind without any rules binding them to the usual frat party rules.”

Which would make sense as to why Natasha is looking forward to it, especially when she seems to be stressed from outside factors.

“That still doesn’t make me feel better.”

He rolls his eyes. “Stop being a baby.”

The dressing room attendant allows you both in with a smile, pointing to a stall you may use, and you both thank her.

The music is a little louder in the dressing room area than it was on the floor, Dua Lipa’s New Rules blasting loudly, enough to make you drum your finger against the hanger.

“Besides,” he starts from the other side of the door. Through the crack, you can see him with his back turned towards you and waiting. “Going to this party will be your chance to open flirty dialogue with Steve, show him you’re actually interested in him.”

You take your time undressing. “None of what I’ve seen so far will help, Bucky. Smiling and touching someone isn’t flirting.”

“It will!” he assures you over the music. “It’s part of the basics on how to flirt.”

“Okay? But what else?” You were really hoping for more. He made teaching you how to flirt seem like such a big deal the other day. 

He doesn’t answer you.

“Bucky?” When he doesn’t answer again, you quickly scramble to put on the romper, not bothering to check yourself in the mirror. You call his name again. No answer. Again. “Are you—“ You open the door to your dressing room and to your surprise, Bucky is still standing outside of your dressing room, closer to the one next to yours. “Why weren’t you answering?”

He leans against the door with his shoulder, hands in his pockets and stormy eyes meet yours when you poke your head out. “Well? Aren’t you gonna show me?” Your forehead creases as your eyebrows curve inward. He motions to the side with his head as if asking you to step out. 

With a reluctant step, you come out of hiding, showing him the outfit with a ducked head.

His eyes sweep over you and his hands come out of his pockets, a lopsided grin appearing on his lips. “Wow—you look—you look great, doll.” 

Doll? You don’t question it even though you’re curious about the sudden pet name, besides, you’re a little flustered at the genuinity in his voice “You think so?”

“It’s gonna be hard for anyone to look away from you,” he says, eyes twinkling with some kind of emotion that you can’t read. Mischief, maybe?

You pause, the heat that had been gathering in your cheeks suddenly cools as the hair on your arms stand awkwardly. You can’t help the small shiver that runs down your spine, or the small noise of disgruntlement that escapes your lips. What was wrong with him? “What are you doing?”

“What do you mean?” he asks, reaching for a lock of your hair and you jerked away. 

Your eyes narrow as you watch the smile on his face grow, but soon they widen as the realization hit you. “Are you—are you trying to flirt with me?”

His smile drops and it’s your turn for your smile to grow, a laugh escaping your lips. His lips form a pout and he groans. “Why are you laughing? This isn’t funny. I’m teaching you how to flirt!”

“By giving me chills?”

He leans away from you, in shock that you’d think he’d ever do such a thing! “I did not give you chills!”

“You did!” you assert as you lift your arm to show him the bumps and awkwardly standing arm hair.

“There’s no way I caused that!”

You shove your arm further into his direction. “You totally did!”

He stares at you unblinkingly, your words processing in his head and taking in your form, until finally, he groans loudly, gaining the attention of the attendant. “But my flirting has never failed!”

You laugh, stepping away from him. “Well, your mom did say you seem to be under a dry spell.”

“Hey!” He sputters. “Just get changed!”

You shake your head with a smile and head back into the changing room to change out of the romper and back into your regular clothes.

After paying for the romper and walking around aimlessly, you two find yourself at the food court sitting across from one another with ice creams in hand. 

“Since—apparently—showing you wasn't the best way to reach you how to flirt, telling you might be,” he says after a spoonful of his strawberry cheesecake ice cream. “Flirting isn’t rocket science, doll. Everyone can do it.”

“Not everyone.”

He rolls his eyes. “You’re not giving yourself enough credit. Flirting is all about conversation and being confident while doing it,” he says, straightening his back. “A lot of people have this… idea, that you have to be coy and charming to flirt, but you don’t have to be. Sometimes it’s all about compliments, other times it’s about subtle touching, or most of the time—both.”

You close your lips around your spoon, narrowing your eyes at him.

“Try it on me.”

Your spoon almost drops from your hands at his words. “What?”

“Try flirting with me.”

“Bucky—“

“You’ve seen me flirt twice—“

“I learned nothing from either time.” 

He blatantly ignores you and you can’t help but laugh under your breath. “So, you have an idea of what you should do when flirting with someone.”

“I don’t know—“

“Just compliment me, talk to me, reach for my hand or something.” He smiles. “You’ve got this.”

You take a deep breath and finally relent. Placing your spoon back into the cup with your melting ice cream, your eyes meet his expectant gaze.

Sweeping over his eager gaze, your eyes fall on the red beaded bracelet wrapped around his wrist. It’s homemade, a little worn out by the look of the scratches on some of the beads. But it’s cute, reminds you of something you would’ve made when you were in middle school for Natasha, or something your younger brother would’ve made for you. Did one of his sisters make it for him? Shyly, and nervously, you reach for the beaded bracelet, gently running your index finger over the small beads. 

“I like your bracelet.”

“Yeah?” He asks with a wide grin, stormy eyes watching you carefully and you can’t help the heat licking at your skin—god, this is embarrassing!

“Yeah, it’s cute… looks good on you,” you mutter, hooking a finger under the bracelet and flashing your eyes up at him from under your lashes, still feeling hot and embarrassed, and if you cry, holy shit you’re going to die. You can’t even read Bucky’s expression, there’s a smile on his face but his eyes are pretty neutral. Fuck. What if you’re messing up? What if you’re only making a fool out of yourself? “No!” You gasp softly, extracting your finger from his bracelet and covering your face with both hands. “No, I can’t do it!”

“Come on,” he drawls and gently takes hold of your wrists to coax your hands away from your face. “You were doing great!”

You let him pull down your hands and purse your lips, not completely believing him, but he sounds genuine enough. “Was I really?” 

“Yes, you were!” he says, patting your hands in his. “You complimented something on me and me, found an excuse to touch me and kept eye contact for most of it! That’s pretty fucking amazing.”

You slip your hands from his to cup your jaw and groan. “I wish I could believe you.”

“All you really had to do was ask questions, prolong the conversation, make me think you’re interested in knowing more about me,” he advises softly. “If you do something similar like this to Steve? He’ll be putty in your hands.”

Giddiness bubbles in your stomach as you think of Steve flirting back, but… “But what if I get too nervous? Or fail?”

“Then you breathe, remind yourself you’re having a conversation to get to know him outside of what you already do know.” He waits for a beat, eyes searching your face for a moment and sighs. “Some people like to lay it on thick with the charm because that’s what they’re good at. You? You’re just… you. Doe-eyed, a little awkward, more than a little blunt sometimes. So use that to your advantage.”

You don’t fully believe him, but he sounds so sure of himself that you can’t help but agree to try it. “All right. Okay, I’ll do my best.” 

“That’s all you need.” He grins and tilts his head towards one of the many entrances of the mall. “Want to head home?”

You look down at the ice cream pooling in your cup and decide to throw it out along with Bucky’s empty cup. “Mind if I check out the Disney store before we go?”

He remains seated, thanking you as you take his trash with yours. “Was afraid you wouldn’t ask.”

Throwing the two cups, you look at Bucky over your shoulder, ignoring the family of four that cuts between you to occupy a table. “You like Disney?”

He scoffs, offended that you even thought of asking such a heinous question. “Of course, I do.”

You shrug, laughing under your breath as you wipe the imaginary dust from your hands. “Most guys hide their affinity for Disney.”

Without thinking much of it, Bucky grabs the bag carrying your romper from the empty chair. When you make a grab for it, he tells you he’s got it and begins to lead you towards the Disney store. You follow after him, thankful. “I’m not most guys,” he quips back. “But… uh… does Natasha not like guys that like Disney?”

You blink, processing his shy inquiry and then throw your head back in laughter. 

“Hey! It’s a legit question, if she doesn’t—“

You fall into step with him, smothering your laughter with the back of your hand. “What? Are you going to hide your love for the mouse from her if she doesn’t?”

“Maybe?”

You roll your eyes. “I suggest you don’t, Bucky. Natasha… she likes authenticity.” He knows this! But he’s really gung-ho on changing himself for her, isn’t he?

“It’s not like I’m going to lie about it! I’ll just be… omitting the truth.”

“That is lying,” you say with a bit of whine and drawl in your voice. “Lying by omission.”

 “Whatever gets her attention.” His lips turn down and his eyes sweep down at you with a semi glazed look before staring forward. “That’s the whole point of this, right? Getting their attention?”

You try to hide the wince and find that you can’t bring yourself to refute him.

Your eyes meet your own in your mirror’s reflection, and with a deep breath, you leave your bedroom.

Natasha is on her phone, fingers tapping away at the screen barely acknowledging you other than a, “Finally!”

“Sorry,” you start as you make a beeline to the fridge for water. “I’m just a little unsure of what I’m wearing.”

She looks up, twisting in her seat to take a look at you and she lets out a strange noise that sounds akin to excitement. “Where have you been hiding this little number?”

You purse your lips. “It’s okay?”

“Are you kidding me?” She stands and makes her way over to you, smirking wickedly, hand to her chest as she buckles her knees. “I am in love!”

You gently push her away and she cackles. “God, you’re so weird.”

“You love me!”

“Yeah, yeah!”

Pietro: bruh, i am in awe

Pietro: i shit you not, you’re going to be fucking blown away when you guys get here

You: His place that nice?

Pietro: what do you think?

Attached to the message is a picture of Pietro making a face at a large chocolate fountain in the middle of who knows where and you honestly can’t believe it. You really fucking can’t. Who fucking owns a chocolate fountain other than a fictional character?

“Are you seeing this?” you ask Natasha, who sits beside you in the moving taxi, staring incredulously at your phone screen as you receive another message from Pietro, but this time of him sticking a marshmallow into the fountain with a stick.

She hums. “Seeing what?”

“What Pietro just sent—group chat?”

“Oh,” she says. “No.”

Sighing, you put away your phone, ignoring the incoming text from Pietro most likely asking how far away you are. “Who do you keep texting?”

“Huh?” She looks up at you after a moment of silence. “Oh, a friend—hey, you don’t mind if I invited them to tag along, right?”

A friend? You try to keep yourself from frowning, keeping a more neutral, curious expression. “I don’t mind, but, who did you invite?” You’re pretty sure you know everyone she knows or at least know of the people she deems worthy enough to call friends—which aren’t many (and are literally the same people you call friends).

“He’s one of the guards at the center,” she says, returning her attention to her phone, a smile appearing on her lips as she types out another message. “I had trouble on the first day and he helped me.”

“Wait, you had trouble?” Why didn’t she tell you that? She had only mentioned that it went well, but the kids could be a bit too much if she wasn’t stern enough.

She waves her hand dismissively. “Yeah, got lost. Not a big deal.”

She got lost and made a friend on her first day and it’s no big deal? “Right.”

She raises her head to look at you once more, eyebrow cocked and ready to say or ask something, but the driver pulling up slowly and saying, “Here we are,” distracts you both, stealing your attention for a moment and making you both glance out the window.

“Wow,” is all you can manage to say as you stare up at the modern home—mansion, really—as you push open the car door to step out, Natasha right behind you. You knew Tony was rich, but this, this is crazy rich.

The chocolate fountain now makes sense.

You both thank your driver and the man nods, wishing you both a fun night before driving off.

“And I thought your parent’s home was big,” you tell Natasha.

She chuckles, clapping your back before beginning to lead you towards the main entrance and closer to the loud music playing indoors. “Pietro and Crystal are already here, right?”

“Yep. They might be by the chocolate fountain, wherever that is.”

“Cool, I’m going to look for my friend,” she says, pushing open the door and allowing the music to escape from the enclosed space—“Meet you there?”

She’s seriously not thinking of leaving you—oh my god, she is. She’s really leaving you!

Before you can even begin to protest, she’s become one with the sea of bodies occupying the open space and you can no longer see your friend among the masses.

Great. Now what?

You frown and when a person knocks into you by accident, giving you a hasty apology as they keep moving, you can’t help but sigh. Why did you even decide to come?

You pull out your phone and read the message Pietro sent you earlier, and reply telling him that you’ve arrived. In a matter of seconds, you receive a message from him saying he’s still by the chocolate fountain and to hurry the fuck up.

Well, at least you still have Pietro. 

Just as you’re about to put your phone away, it vibrates with a text notification, your text tone completely drowned out by the music.

James Bucky: How’s the party?

You: Just got here

James Bucky: Barely?

The music is loud around you as you push through the crowd, people not really caring if you bump into them, all of them in their own little world as the bass reverberates through their bones. 

You: Wasnt super keen on the romper.

You: Jumped around a lot of outfits

James Bucky: But I thought you looked great! 

James Bucky: You ARE wearing it, right?

You: yes, zazu gosh

James Bucky: wait

James Bucky: Zazu from the Lion King?

James Bucky: are you calling me an overbearing bird?

You: 🤷🏻‍♀️ 

You: if the shoe fits

James Bucky: listen, if I’m anyone from the movie, I’m Simba

You snort as you reply back: Sure you are

James Bucky: Rude!

James Bucky: Have you seen Steve, yet?

You: no. 

You: Looking for Pietro and his girlfriend first

James Bucky: All right

James Bucky: Guess I’ll let you go

James Bucky: just remember to relax! You’ve got this!

Yeah! You do got this!

Thanks, Bucky.

Your search for the fountain leads you outside to a small courtyard where it’s a little less crowded, but just as noisy with the music and talking. In the middle of it all is the glorious chocolate fountain and in front of it a long table of fruits and other assortments that could be dipped into the chocolate. 

“What do you think?” A voice suddenly says next to your ear and you can’t help but let out a surprised squeal as you jump around to face the culprit. “Cool right?”

“Tony! What the hell?”

He chuckles and looks you over, his eyes still obscured by his dark glasses. “You look good.” He sounds sincere enough, but you can’t help but raise your eyebrow in suspicion.

“Thanks?”

He grins. “You’re welcome.” He looks around you. “Came alone?”

“Ah, no, I came with Natasha, but she went searching for someone.”

“And you?” He asks, removing his eyewear and hooking it’s leg into the collar of his shirt. “You’re not searching for anyone?”

“I am…” you say, a little hesitant, unsure of what his question is meant to mean. “My friend Pietro.”

He tilts his head to the side. “You mean silver haired kid over there?”

You follow his line of vision, head twisting to look over your shoulder where Pietro and his girlfriend are sitting on a wooden bench, gorging on strawberries covered in chocolate. “Thanks.”

“Buckaroo didn’t come with you?” he asks, stopping you from making your way over to Pietro and Crystal.

“Uh, no. Said he didn’t feel like it.”

Tony snorts, he sounds a little bitter. “Of course, he did.”

Curious. “Did you want him to come?”

He presses his lips thinly, before smiling wickedly. “I’d like for someone else to come.”

“Seriously?”

He grins, head ducking and glasses slipping off the bridge of his nose, but he does nothing to stop them. “Sorry, bad joke.” He doesn’t sound sorry at all.

“Do you usually do that?”

He catches your gaze over the rim of his glasses. “What? Make bad jokes?” He shrugs. “Probably.”

“No,” you start slowly, pausing for a moment to search his eyes, study him as much as possible before he can grow offended by your next words, words that you probably wouldn’t say to a stranger and shouldn’t say to a stranger, but still do. “Do you usually deflect when someone goes into uncharted territory?”

He tenses, eyes narrowing and jaw clenching, it only lasts for a second, but you catch it. And that’s enough for you to know you’re right. He lets out a dramatic sigh and looks away from you, pushing his glasses back up. “Ah, and here I thought you’d be more fun than most of these people.”

You purse your lips, ready to retort, but before you can, a hand lands on your shoulder, pulling you away from Tony and to a muscular body—Pietro.

“Is he bothering you?” Pietro asks, eyes locked on to Tony, not even bothering to look down at you. It’s the big brother act.

“Pietro!” You scold him, pushing him away from you and  from confronting Tony. “It’s fine. We were just talking.”

“And now we’re not,” Tony announces, eyes moving from Pietro to you. “Have fun, gorgeous.”

“What was that about?” Pietro mutters, confused as you both stare after Tony. And you can’t help but watch as he joins a group, laughing and smiling with them for only a moment before moving on to the next one. Never staying in one place.

“I don’t know,” you admit, a small frown making a home on your features.

You can never truly tell what the hell is going on with Pietro and Crystal. One moment they’re both laughing and having the time of their life and the next they’re arguing about the little things—this time the little thing being, well, you.

You’ve always known that Crystal wasn’t and isn’t particularly fond of you and Natasha, sometimes seeing both of you as some kind of threat or rivals for Pietro’s love, but you and Natasha usually pay her no mind. This time, however, it’s a little hard to ignore them when she’s whining about the fact you’re third wheeling their date, forgetting the fact that you and Natasha had invited Pietro in the first place, and he had decided to bring his girlfriend along. 

Where’s Natasha when you need her?

Why did you decide to come anyway? Bucky wasn’t joking when he said a Stark party wasn’t a place for striking up conversation, yet somehow he encouraged you to come and said it would be the perfect opportunity to flirt with Steve. Who, by the way, you haven’t seen since you arrived! Granted, you haven’t moved from your spot in the courtyard, but you aren’t so sure going around specifically looking for Steve would be such a good idea. What if you do start dating Steve and you one day tell him that you frantically looked around for him at a Stark party, actively avoiding everyone just to be able to talk to him? He’d most likely freak and call you a freak, and you’d much rather avoid that.

“Then go,” you hear Pietro snap, pulling you from your rambling thoughts to look at him and Crystal, both of them practically in each other’s faces.

His blonde girlfriend with wide blue eyes falters, eyes drifting from him to you and back, and you watch as her bottom lip wobbles for dramatic effect before throwing her hands up in the air and pushing Pietro away from her. “Fine! I didn’t even want to come to this stupid party anyway!”

Pietro sighs heavily as she storms off.

“You sure letting her leave like that is a good idea?”

“Yeah,” he says through a grimace, falling back down onto the bench he and Crystal has been occupying. “It’s fine. We’ll work it out tomorrow. We always do.”

You have no doubt they’ll work it out, because he’s right, they always do. But you still can’t help but worry. How much more fighting and arguing can they take before they break? “Okay. Do you want me to get you a drink?”

He shakes his head and reaches for the red plastic cup by his feet. “I’m good, thank you.” He scoots over and pats the seat next to him. 

You flash him a small smile and drop yourself down next to him, taking the chocolate strawberry he offers you before pressing his own strawberry against yours and scarfing it down.

“What’s with the doom and gloom?” Natasha finally joins you, finding you and Pietro sitting on the wooden bench, gorging on chocolate covered fruit. “It’s a party!”

You and Pietro don’t bother reacting to her shimmy of the arms, you instead cock an eyebrow. “Did you find your friend?”

She nods, smiling, looking over her shoulder and making a come here motion with her hand—and who exactly she motions over isn’t who you were expecting.

Not only is it Steve, but it’s Steve. Handsome, blue eyes, pretty Steve, who flashes you a bright smile even after you’ve seen him half naked.

Your mouth falls open in surprise. Steve? Why would it be Steve? As far as you knew, Steve doesn’t work as a security guard. Not at campus, not at the accounting firm he’s interning, and definitely not at a recreational center! He would’ve mentioned it, right? You look at Natasha, but she’s not looking at you, and she’s not looking at Steve either, you note.

She’s looking at someone behind him, someone shorter with darker hair—dirtier, and darker blue eyes—“Clint?”

All eyes snap in your direction, but you pay them no mind, you’re completely transfixed by the man wearing a purple hoodie and acid wash jeans, who immediately recognizes you and smiles cheekily.

“You know each other?” Natasha asks and it's Clint who explains with a nod.

“She’s a regular at the museum, usually comes in during my shift.”

“Huh.” Natasha huffs out a breath. “Small world.”

Steve chuckles and that sound would usually cause your heart to flutter, but you’re currently very much in awe of the fact that Natasha has adopted Clint as her friend. “Guess that makes it easier with the introductions.”

“Uh, excuse you. I don’t know who he is. Hi, I’m Pietro. And you are?”

“Clint Barton, security guard extraordinaire.”

Natasha smiles in Clint’s direction and leans against him, surprisingly enough—which is putting it lightly. You’re more than surprised, you’re absolutely floored, Pietro is too because he turns to you with wide eyes and mouths “what the fuck?”

What the fuck indeed.

Natasha isn't the type to be so… hands on or touchy with strangers (well, then again, Clint isn’t exactly a stranger). It took months—half a year to be exact—for her to be comfortable with touching Pietro, and being touched by him. But here she is, having known Clint for a couple of weeks—BARELY—and is already using Clint as a resting post.

Yeah.

It’s official.

Bucky is screwed.

A Stark party is a sensitive overload, if you’re being honest. 

Here you are being rewarded with Steve looking mighty fine in a yellow button down and dark, regular jeans, but you’re somehow distracted by the way your best friend refuses to leave Clint’s side.  

She’s smiling, chuckling that soft, genuine chuckle of hers when he cracks a joke or tells a funny story. There’s a spark in her smile and eyes that you haven’t seen in such a long time—not since high school. 

You’re happy for her…. but…

This is going to hurt Bucky, isn’t it?

“Hey,” Steve’s warm voice reaches your ears and your body reacts without a minute to waste. Heat crawling up your neck as you practically rip your eyes from them to him.

“Steve, hey.”

“You look beautiful.” Your heart practically beats out of your chest, eyes widening at his sincere compliment and how he studies you with a warm gaze. It takes all of your energy to stay upright, even when the blood rushes to your head and your knees buckle.

He called you beautiful. Steve. Steve freaking Rogers!

Breathe and relax, doll. Flirting is simple conversation. Not an art. “Thank you.” Your voice is quiet, but still managing to be heard over the music if the tick of his lips is anything to go by. “You do too. Yellow is a good color on you.”

What? What kind of compliment is that?! Every color is a good color on Steve!

He chuckles, his eyes slipping down to the button down he’s wearing. “Thanks. This is actually Bucky’s. Told me I should wear it for tonight.” He fixes the collar of his shirt as the first button comes undone, and you can’t help but avert your gaze shyly. What the fuck is wrong with you? It’s just some skin, you dumbass! “You wouldn’t think so, but Bucky actually has an eye for picking out clothes,” he says fondly, proud of his best friend. “It’s one of his hidden talents.”

You return your gaze to him, but this time focus on his eyes, smiling when his own gaze meets yours. “I actually believe you. He helped pick out this romper for me.”

His eyes brows quirk upward. “Bucky did? Really?

“Uh, yeah, actually.” Did you say the wrong thing?

You almost grow worried when the silence between the two of you stretches for a moment longer until he smiles again, eyes softening. “I’m glad you’ve become Bucky’s friend.”

You’re not so sure you and Bucky ARE friends, especially not after he reiterated why you're both talking and helping eachother, but under Steve’s sincere gaze you can’t help the, “I’m glad too,” that slips from your lips. And you definitely don’t regret it when his smile widens.

“Ah, listen, I want to apologize about the other day,” he says, his cheeks red as he rubs the side of his neck and eyes drifting shyly off to the side. “I don’t usually open the door shirtless, but Bucky was hurrying me… and…”

Of course he was. God damn that Bucky! “No, no, it’s your home. You’re allowed to be comfortable. I’m sorry I was so awkward about it. I just--I have never seen that.” Steve’s eyes snap up in your direction and for a moment, you replay your words—have never seen that—what the hell is wrong with you? “I mean, I have. I definitely have seen a shirtless man before. Who hasn’t? I meant to say I have never seen you—you know what? I’m just going to shut up now.”

He blinks slowly and without warning he lets out a loud laugh that takes you off guard, but it fills your chest with warmth. You recognize this laugh; it’s his genuine laugh. The one that makes him throw his head back, hand clutching his chest, and laugh without any inhibitions. And you caused it. You.

You can’t help but chuckle along with him.

And when Steve finally calms down, he glances down at you with crescent eyes and a genuine smile. “You’re cute.”

Heat crawls to your neck and you can’t believe it’s possible to even get this hot and embarrassed. “Thank you?” you squeak.

This is good right? Steve across from you, drink in his hand and smiling down at you as if you’re the only people in the room. And you might as well be, because the music sounds so distant and Pietro’s laughter is muffled. 

This is your chance.

This is where you put a hand on his shoulder; lean into his space a little and flash him your doe eyes that Bucky mentioned. This is it! This is where you hint at your feelings, this is—

“Steve!”

Damn it, Sam! 

“Look who I found!”

The smile on his face drops and you can't help the way your body jerks when he mumbles the name, “Sharon,” so breathless.

You’re no longer the only two people in the room. The world spins and tilts, and it moves faster than you thought possible—all noise and music coming back to life and deafening you as Steve doesn’t spare you a glance to walk towards the beautiful blonde with kind brown eyes smiling at him.

You push through the crowd, needing to get away from whatever the fuck is going on inside. Steve barely even glanced at you after Sharon had appeared, which shouldn’t be surprising, really. His ex-girlfriend is beautiful and the two didn’t exactly break up on bad terms. They had decided that while she studied abroad at Cambridge for the year, it would be best for them to break up. 

So really, you should’ve known that the moment she would showed up, you wouldn’t have a chance.

Not like you had a chance before. But you had hoped with all of your heart that maybe you could have a chance.

You were wrong. Bucky was wrong.

The fresh, cool air hits you as soon as you’re out on the front porch, and you release an exhale.

“Tough night, gorgeous?”

Your eyes snap to Tony, who sits on one of the porch chairs, legs kicked up on the small rounded table, and a cigarette in his hands. “You could say that.”

Tony puts out the cigarette by smashing the tip into the ashtray by his feet.

“Why aren’t you inside playing host?”

A smirk lifts his lips. “Taking a break. Hosting is a lot of work.”

You snort. “I’m sure.”

“Why aren’t you inside?” You shrug and watch as he stands up and moves to the chair over, pointedly looking at the now empty one as if inviting you to sit with him. You do. “Saw you getting chummy with Steve earlier. Didn’t know you had it in you, gorgeous. Bucky and Steve?”

You freeze, eyes widening as you sputter. “What? Bucky and I are just friends and Steve… Steve… is just a friend too.”

He chuckles. “So not gaga over Buckaroo, but definitely deep in the feels for golden boy. Got it.”

“That’s not what I said.”

“Sure it isn’t.” He grins, but there’s no malice in his teasing and for some strange reason, you don’t mind it.

The music is muffled, even with the loud volume it’s set on. But you can make out Ariana Grande’s voice as she sings thank u, next.

“So, were you rejected by golden boy? Is that why you’re out here?”

“Rejected would imply I had a chance.”

“Why wouldn’t you have a chance?” he asks, genuinely curious.

“Sharon.”

“Ah, the ex girlfriend.” He tilts his head back against the headrest. “Is she back? I heard she was back. But you know how rumors are.” Is he alluding to himself? 

You watch him and he all does is lift his lips into a smirk that has you shaking your head. Best not to dwell on it. Turning away from him to pull out your phone, you notice you have messages from Bucky and Pietro, but you don’t read either of them, instead going into the Uber app to get a ride home. “Guess so.” 

He leans closer to you, peeking at your screen for a second before pulling back. “Ordering yourself a ride?”

You nod, watching as the screen changes when you confirm the addresses and the arrival time and map show up. In a couple of mins you’ll be on your way home. Thank god. “Yeah. I’m just—I’m just really tired.”

“Mind if I come with you?” he jokes, lopsided grin in his face.

You put your phone away once your ride is confirmed and find him no longer staring at you, but instead watching the empty streets, the occasional night drifter passing by. “For someone who likes throwing parties, you don’t seem to like being in yours.”

He chuckles. “Would you believe me if I told you I get tired?”

“Why throw them?”

He shrugs, but doesn’t answer and again, you don’t push him to either. You barely know him, and you have a feeling he’s told you more than he’s told anyone else in one seating. 

“Okay,” you murmur and his eyes flicker in your direction before nodding and returning his gaze to the streets.

The two of you remain that way until your uber comes to pick you up. He walks you to the car door and opens the door for you, wishing you a goodnight and waiting until you’re far enough to head back inside.

Tony is an enigma, isn’t he? Everyone thinks they have him figured out, but you’re not so sure Tony even knows who he is himself. 

Does Bucky?

You’re about ready to drop dead on your feet as you push open the front door and flick on the light to your apartment, your phone in hand as you mindlessly reading Pietro’s “where’d you go?” text. Honestly, you have half a mind to drop yourself on the sofa instead of your bed, even if your bedroom is only a few steps away from the sofa. 

Just as you’re about to close the door behind you and are about to click on your text message thread with Bucky, the creaking of wooden flooring meets your ears and your eyes whip up, finding an unfamiliar woman standing next to your dining table with a hesitant smile and wide, green eyes.

“Who the fuck are you?”