#it's to the point where I fucking forgot it was nighttime and I saw a discord timestamp saying 11pm and I was like ''wait what.'' bc I was

[sayurifellfrost]

Ill-suited

Twenty-Fourth Sun of the Sixth Astral Moon, 10 Seventh Astral Era - Nighttime

She had barely moved the entire sun, even if S’yahmhi had been called away a few bells ago. S’vexrha kept to her solitude beneath the tree, her mind finally having begun to settle after the rude awakening she had had. But it was a state seemingly not meant to be, as her ears twitched faintly at the sound of yet another set of footsteps - these marching with purpose, making her sigh out faintly and shove herself up on her feet to meet whoever they belonged to standing.

“Once again, you are being incredibly disrespectful to Khenna, Vexrha.”

S’vexrha’s eyes rolled up and around as S’vakih’s voice emit, head slowly turning to stare in his direction.

“.. I haven’t done shit.” She muttered.

“No? You were scheduled for training, and didn’t bother to show up.” S’vakih’s voice held an admonishing tone to it. “Why are you so incredibly keen on frustrating Khenna?”

“.. I forgot.”

“Do not lie to me, Vexrha.”

“.. I am many things, a fucking liar isn’t one of them.” S’vexrha snapped. “I forgot, alright? Get off my fucking back.”

S’vakih’s features drew into a stern scowl, his patience just as thin with S’vexrha as hers was with him.

“I should not need to send you a bloody escort just to make you follow your own schedule, Vexrha.”

Discomfort lodged itself in S’vexrha’s chest as he spoke her name, once again in a tone all too similar to how the slavers had. She pinned her ears back, meeting him with bared fangs.

“I never asked for a schedule.” She hissed.

“Well you have one. You need some structure in your life, Vexrha.”

“... No, I don’t.”

“You do.”

“... Do both S’khenna and myself a favour and take me off her hands. I don’t want the position anymore.”

“No.” S’vakih uttered sternly. “You will not quit this. You will go to Khenna, do as she says and proceed with your training.”

A small flicker of embers curled at S’vexrha’s jaw, making the Nunh’s expression harden.

“I am not afraid of your fire, Vexrha-”

“MY NAME IS VEX.” She snapped. “-VEX-.”

S’vakih found himself taken aback, watching as the flames danced across her frame much more intensely. Her chest shifted with a laboured breath, a hand lifting to settle it atop her own chest as she could feel her heartbeat increase to the point she physically felt discomfort.

He slowly reached for her, to which she immediately staggered several steps back with a defensive snarl, her slitted pupils thinning further to a nigh feral look.

“I am trying to help you.” He frowned.

“It’s not– fucking– helping!”

She raised her hands to cup the sides of her own head as she paced back and forth, not uttering a single word outwardly.

.. I don’t want to be here anymore. I don’t belong here..

”Nothing says you have to remain. You owe them nothing.”

Azrathar’s words resonated with her, making her release her own head and let her hands fall down to her sides, moving to simply walk past S’vakih, who swiftly reached for her wrist, forcing her to a halt.

“Do not walk away from me.”

“I walk away from whoever I fucking please. And currently? That’s -YOU-.”

“I am your Nunh, show some res-”

“Respect? I didn’t respect my other supposed fucking leader, either. Your rank, that you pride yourself on being? Means FUCK ALL to me.” She tore her wrist from his grasp and began to storm down the path. “You want respect, you fucking earn it like the rest!”

“Vexrha!”

He yelled after her, the tone in his voice suggesting he wasn’t done with their conversation, even if she certainly was. She hurried down into the village and shifted in between the huts, continuing her path towards the hut she had stayed in with her family.

It wasn’t her home, no.

She was an outsider, and she did not belong here.

Her steps saw her inside the hut, wandering over to the space she had shared with her sister, letting a frown take to her features as she glanced down at the bedding she had been given. She shook her head faintly to herself and moved over to where she had left her scythe, grabbing a hold of it and moving it to the straps on her back, ensuring it was stuck there before moving into the middle of the tent.

She knew she was about to break her family’s heart all over again, but she couldn’t tell them she was leaving - knowing they would stop her. She could leave no letter, due to her inability to write. She took a final look around, setting it to memory before exiting the hut - her steps immediately bringing her towards the edge of the village, returning to the tree she had stormed off from beforehand.

She stared quietly, feeling the tears sting behind her eyes. For once she simply let them well over and run down her cheeks freely.

”Vexrha..”

Azrathar’s voice was soft, making her swallow harshly against the lump in her throat.

.. I’m fine.

”I know you better than that, child.”

S’vexrha huffed faintly and shook her head, ears swivelling atop her head at a yell from the village.

“Vexrha?!”

She bit down, recognising it as her mother’s worried voice, likely having been accosted by S’vakih at this point when he himself struggled to find her.

“.. I’m sorry, mom.” She whispered.

”Let us leave.”

She nodded faintly and began to move anew, raising a hand to dry the tears before biting back her sorrow as she made her way towards the edge of the territory, with every intention to leave the tribe behind.

[itsdappleagain]

ALRIGHT EVERYBODY LETS GET GUSSIED UP FOR THE LUCKY CAT CAPER!!!!

this is SUCH a solid episode. i love this one as well- the outfits, the slapstick, the action. all really good!! alrighty

today's post title pictures are some of my own, from my trip to san fran a few years back!! I'll share some of my favs- I visited or photographed every major caper location on the trip!!

there's me in chinatown, the golden gate bridge, alcatrez, fisherman's wharf and the pier, and good old karl himself!

alrighty- enough pictures. sorry for the long intro! notes under the cut as always :)

YEAHHH THE FLASHBACK TO CARMEN'S FINAL,,, YEAH. i forgot the episode opened like this tbh. i know everyone and their mother has ALSO pointed out that this scene is bathed in red light so i will AGAIN not beat a dead horse but just yes. color theory <3

i love the tiny little oh shit moment on shadowsan's face. like he hadnt quite realized how good she was

GOD THIS GETS SO BRUTAL he's pawing her around like a cat with a pompom

YEAH THE WAY SHE JUST GETS. DESPERATE AS THE FIGHT GOES

her waking up from the nightmare with that culmination of stress. the timer going off correlating with the phone. still being half in the dream when she talks to player and then realizing when he starts talking to her...

this is such a human moment for carmen i love it so so much. she's failed. she is tired, having nightmares, maybe has a headache. she's making mistakes and she's a little bit out of it, she's stiff from sleeping....she's a PERSON and i LOVE IT SO MUCH

or in much less eloquent terms SLEEBY CARMEN <3333

i love the setup for next episode here. its not overbearing; it doesnt feel like a setup episode but it IS and it hints at shadowsan's true motives almost right off the bat

the sigh and "i don't know" is weirdly smooth animation i love it

that pickpocket is soo smooottthh

also i have to know what carmen was doing in san francisco the night before that a. gave her a headache when she woke up and b. made her so tired that she just dropped her pants on the floor and passed out. because it seems to me like carmen sandiego got drunk and had a great time last night.

also. she has just woken up and is picking an outfit for a NIGHTTIME CHARITY GALA. SHE SLEPT IN SO LATE HEHHSHAHJ their sleep schedules are all so bad

carmen looks great in that shot where she opens the curtains sorry not sorry

carmen's hotel is just outside the transamerica pyramid!

in fact it is quite reasonable to assume that she was staying at the hilton. i have solved the mystery that no one asked me to solve

karl <333

cable cars weren't running when i visited sf </3 i was heartbroken

FREE KARL

i dont know look at her reflection

carmens feet are shaped like shoes and i dont know how to feel about that. why is her heel a heel

this dress was the most spectacular thing they ever put her in and the amount of time she wore it was criminally short

they also should have put her in a white dress shirt more often??? hello??? i see it in the closet??? put her in a fucking suit once in a while....that waitress getup in tsonts was THE SHIT

SHE LOOKS STUNNIIINGGGGGGG IN THAT DRESS

i also love that she's thinking about zack for the car, then player for the stamp. her writing is so good this episode...at the start at least

ten million cents, she chuckles, as if the stamp wouldn't still be worth a hundred thousand dollars

i love how casually she is willing to spend 10 million VILEBucks

i love how they call her the generous lady in red too- like they arent expecting this room to be able to afford a ten million dollar stamp and BID on it

L O O K AT THAT DRESS GOD ITS SO GOOD. THE STRAPLESS THE CHOKER THE ELBOW GLOVES THE CLUTCH PURSE AUGHHH ITS SO GOOD I NEED TO SEE IT MORE

THE CONNECTOR IN THE BACK? THE FANCY COMM EARRINGS? CHEFS KISS

chase and carmen had the exact same smirk when they saw the other in the fog i know it

i love their dynamic actually they are so funny together. egypt in season 4 highlights it so well but also. like here. the teasing the banter chase taking everything way too seriously in comparison to carmen treating him like a joke

its close to the cigarette aesthetic, to be honest, and it does not cause lung cancer. so this tiny flashlight i salute you for being hot

CHASE AND JUST TRYING TO GRAB HER DSJHKJWGD

THE SHOE IS SO FUCKING FUNNY AJHKJDFH IT NEVER FAILS TO MAKE ME LAUGH

poor carmen running around barefoot in the fog now

juliump scare

they stick those where in the world/where on earth references in there every opportunity they can with chase <3

julia is so short wheeze

MIP MIP MIP

that is for sure a bun i am not sure how mime bomb's beret made that shape

this episode is just chase getting jumpscared

he shoes mb away like a stray cat wheeze

the signed/mimed description of carmen is so on point i love mime bomb

go shadowsan go. send tigress <333 i love that he knows carmen so well even now that he knows she would enjoy one-upping tigress on this again

the "betrayed us and took a new name" thing from brunt is. carmen is transgender and brunt is the phobic about it i dont know it reads heavily okay

maelstrom and his democracy

FINE FINE SEND WHOMEVER

brunt has the cleaners on telepathic speed dial damn

the absolute muscles of steel mime bomb must have to sit in midair like that holy fuck

vile's lucky cat. meow. cat girl hand

carmen trying to watch subtly and stay hidden. girlie those are your opposite of strongsuits. weaksuits

mime bomb moves so cartoonishly and i love that. yes this is a cartoon. but. he is more of a cartoon

the music timing with carmen's face as she realizes its a shop FULL of lucky cats is so good

ILL TAKE THE TCHOTCHKE

carmen needs to stop saying "or what? you'll (insert bad thing here)" because the person she's saying that too ALWAYS says "yes exactly that"

luck cat store owner voiced by julia's va beloved. deserved better. glad she got cash in the end even if carmen was an aloof little prick about it and didn't even apologize

WE HAVE OTHERS YOU KNOW im so sorry lucky cat shop lady you deserved better

bait and switch

"keep the change" okay you still destroyed a shitload of her beautiful statues and didn't even help her clean it up. didn't apologize or. look at her. but fine

mime bomb. thats it thats the post

see the comical shifty look around is so fucking funnyyy

MIME BOMB COULD NOT BE MORE SUSPICIOUS IF HE TRIED HE'S SO FUNNY

the running in place gag never gets old

HFDJSFGDS

carmen just being half surprised and half impressed that they arrested mime bomb. yeah

also her just standing blatantly on the rooftop and NO ONE notices her wheeze

JULIA LISTING OFF ALL OF HIS MISHAPS IS SO FUNNY

the graffiti just being giant x's and o's dhfjdasg

mime bomb. is skrunkly

chase thats how you get sued you have to list the miranda rights in murica

julia <333 yes. yes yes yes

i gotta know what mime bomb was signing that made chase interpret "an elephant giving you a pedicure while spreading cheese on a baguette on Bastille day"

julia immediately giving a perfect translation. they are so funny

the expressiveness of chase and mime bomb combined makes for some GOLDEN freeze frames

julia shielding her mouth the wrong way. good job girlie. you tried. he can still see everything youre saying though

chase's neck disconnects from his head!

considering chase and julia never showed any form of identification mime bomb could hypothetically press charges for kidnapping

MIME BOMB OFFERING THE FLOWER AND THEN CHUCKING IT WHEN TIGRESS GETS ANNOYED WITH HIM IS JUST. HIS ANIMATION AND CHARACTER ACTING ARE SO GOOD

all of 26 cents buys mime bomb out

i like julia's little lean on the wharf railing. she's usually just sitting or standing up straight its cool to see her do something

this chase scene is so goood

btw unrelated but this girl is my favorite background extra?? they use her in a TON of bg scenes so. pointing her out to you so that you will notice her forever in other scenes

poor chase. his poor coat. his voice is screaming I LOVED THAT COAT from the future

hehheshgdh carmen is so frustrated that it happened AGAIN with tigress and the stupid thing in the pocket wheeze

HES SO HEARTBROKENKDJSDGFDSG

THE LAMP POST TRANSITIONS BETWEEN EVERYONE RUNNING ARE MY FAAAVORITE I LOVE THOSE

SHE JUST DUMPS THAT GUY OUT OF THE CAR LMAOO

zack using a lil racing metaphor!!! because!! yeah!!!!

this chase scene is so fucking good with all the cars GOD the music and driving through san francisco and everything AUGH

what if the car had just hit chase and he went flying

THIS IS EXACTLY WHY I AM NOT INVITING YOU ALONG! I CANNOT BE SLOWED DOWN BY "CAUTION WORDS"

chase is so funny he really sets himself up to fail

i feel bad for julia in this one though. you can see the buildup to next episode when she finally yells at him. shes fucking tired of this shit and yes she should be

carmen is your mom when you go 5 miles above the speed limit

she's one to talk, obviously, seeing as one of the first things she ever did in zack and ivy's presence was run a red light, almost cause an accident, and then fly into an open construction pit, ruining the car she stole from them

the concern in carmen's voice as she attempts to get zack to not crash into a building in an attempt to go up the wall

PLS CARMEN JUST GOES FLYING WHEN THEY GO OVER THOSE HILLS

the little sideyes the other two faculty give when shadowsan and brunt are squabbling shdshgfsdgh

i got to bike across the golden gate bridge it was super cool

THE WOMAN BEAMS HERSELF FROM A FOUNTAIN PEN, SHE CAN DO ANYTHING. well its some kind of respect women juice. maybe not the right kind though

the terror in julia's tone after watching chase not look at the road for a solid minute

annnnd there he goes

julia being done with his shit is so funny i love her

go sheena. scaling the whole ass bridge with her fingertips alone

carmen again sacrificing politeness and basic human decency for a quip </3 oh well

i love that cs color theory post thats like. the golden gate bridge is the epicenter of carmen's power and tigress was a fool for challenging her there

wow look its carmen becoming distracted and disadvantaged by valuable objects people throw at her again

not sheena showing carmen where she put the stamp too. nice job tigress

this showdown is pretty cool

carmen is SO efficient about it she just slides and boom its over. AND she steals the phone

she does look pretty awesome holding the stamp with two fingers though. god

STEALING THE PHONE WAS SUCH A POWER MOVE I LOVE THAT

plus she outed him in front off the whole faculty which is only funny if you dont know what happens next lmaoo

stamp of approval. laugh

tigress just sadly sitting there is also very funny

AND JULIA DRAGGING CHASE OUT OF THE WATERNDSDV

HERE WE GO TRANSITION SENTENCEEE

GO GET HIM!!!!!

WOW i can't believe this Saturday is already going to be the season finale. I LOVE the french connections caper so I am VERY excited for the next episode!! hopefully I won't get so far behind this time. to be fair I was doing state testing and presentations and shit but hopefully the worst of that is over.

alrighty- until next time for the chase dies and then carmen dies caper!!

[fivelakesinwriting]

Drew starkey x reader where the cast is hanging out and swimming at the lake and it’s night. the cast notice the romantic tension between drew and the reader, they all slowly leave so they can be alone. Finally drew kisses her (can u do smut pls)

Hi, sweetness! I actually love this, so cute. And as a water girl/ lake lover, this is dreams.

Author's Notes: I just want to be friends with these people, so badly and this is basically one of my dream parties. And Drew Starkey can take me night swimming anytime... This one is long, but I think it's fun, it's flirty and I think it's kind of sexy. Please let me know what you think xoxo

Warnings: Swearing, Drinking, Sexual references - sexual innuendos (I didn't do full smut, sorry. But it's still fun! I do have an idea for a potential second part...)

Requested? Heck yes! Requests for OBX are open!

*My work is not to be transferred, copied, translated or reposted to any other sites without my permission. Please see my masterlist for all other works and warnings. Thank you! xoxo

It was the perfect night for a swim. The sky was so clear it was almost as if they could reach up, grab the stars and count them in their palm.

Instead, they all decided it would be the perfect night to have a fire on the beach to accompany their swim. Everyone packed a bag, a cooler and drove down to the beach.

Drew drove her in his truck, just the two of them, down the to beach. His windows down to let the late night summer breeze hit their faces. He smiled over at her quickly when her heard he laugh, her hands pushing her long hair out of her face as the wind created a tunnel in the cab of the truck.

"Windows up next time?" Drew laughed softly as he adjusted his hat on his head then made the turn to the parking lot for the beach. The lot was empty except for the few cars that were waiting for the two of them to arrive.

"No. I like it." She smiled as she twisted her hair and held it to the side while he slowed his truck down, then parked it beside Chase's car.

"Good. I like the whole windblown look on you. It's cute." Drew smiled over at her as he pulled the keys from the ignition and undid his seat belt.

"Says the guy who doesn't have to brush his hair." She replied as she unfastened her own seat belt, then followed his lead and hopped out of the truck.

"You made it!" Madelyn squealed with a slight slur, her arms tossed around her friend's neck, their bodies hitting Drew's truck with a soft thud.

"We were like, five minutes behind you." Drew replied with a laugh as he reached into the back of his truck to pull out her backpack and his cooler. He kicked Chase in the shin as the wavy haired man walked up with raised eyebrows and a cheeky smirk.

"I didn't say anything, asshole." Chase grumbled as he reached down to rub his bruised flesh.

"You thought it." Drew replied under his breath as he lifted their items from the back of his truck and started to walk down from the parking lot towards the beach.

Drew walked next to Chase on the beach, the two watching as Madelyn drunkenly grabbed Her hand, and pulled her down to the shore. An eruption of giggles filled the quiet night air as the cold water of the lake touched the tips of their toes.

"So, you two?" Chase asked as both he and Drew placed their coolers down at the same time. Each man opened the lids of their respective coolers and pulled out either a can, or a bottle of beer.

"Getting there." Drew nodded with a sip of his beer, and another adjustment of his hat on his head. He kept his eyes trained on the shoreline as Madelyn grabbed Her hips and pulled Her down onto the sand.

"Guys! Sorry, we're late. JD forgot that cars need gas in order to function. So, we had to stop." Rudy called from the parking lot, before he came running towards them.

"S'alright." Drew laughed as he hitched at the waist, reached into his cooler and pulled out a beer to hand to the blonde man.

"Are they drunk already?" Rudy asked with a point the girls who wrestled on the beach as he pulled the tab on his beer.

"Madelyn is, yes." Chase laughed as he pushed his hand through his wavy hair.

"Ladies!" Madison yelled as she ran as fast as she could through the sand, stumbling only once, to get to the girls who still wrestled on the beach.

"She's drunk, too. Shotgunned a beer in the gas station parking lot." Rudy snickered while he watched all three women hug on the sand with a raucous of giggles.

"So, we lighting this thing? Or are we going to stand here like creeps all night?" JD asked as he finally made his way over to the rest of his friends and dropped down a pile of fire wood.

The boys took their eyes of the girls, letting them play in the sand for a bit longer, and took to building the fire in the stone pit on the beach. Drew tossed in the match and watched as the flames began to burn up the newspaper used for kindling. He jumped slightly when he felt arms wrapped around his chest from behind.

"Did you bring my bag down?" She asked softly in his ear, the sand from her body falling onto him.

"Yeah. It's right by the cooler. Going for a swim?" He smirked as he turned his body slightly to look at her. If it was possible, her hair was even messier than it had been when the windows were down in his truck.

"Yeah! The waves look like so much fun." She smiled as she ran her hands over his shoulders then made her way over to her backpack and began to rustle through it for her bathing suit.

"First of all, where are you going to change? Second. You're going to freeze your ass off in that water." Rudy replied as he crunched his beer can, tossed it into the garbage bag already full with a few empties courtesy of Madelyn and Chase, then grabbed a full can.

"Question one. I will change in Drew's truck. Question two. You don't know my threshold for cold, Pankow." She replied with a skip in her step as she carried her bikini in one hand towards Drew's truck to change.

Drew flicked a stone at Chase who mouthed a less than quiet "go" at his friend as the woman walked away.

"To help her put on a bathing suit? I'm sure she's fine." Drew replied as he finished off his own beer.

"She might need help tying those strings, Drew." Madelyn stated with a sing-song in her voice, her shoulders shaking from side to side.

"Fuck you, guys." Drew scoffed as he stood up, tossed his empty can then made his way towards the parking lot with his hands in his pockets to sounds of whoops and hollers from his friends.

He walked up to his truck and vaguely saw the shape of her body move around in the back seat of his truck. He bit at his bottom lip, then ran his thumb over it as he leaned against the driver side. It took all his conviction to not steal a peak through the open window.

"Good in there, hon?" He asked softly, his hands still in his pockets as he kept his eyes fixed on JD's license plate across the lot. He would not look at her bare back as she tried to tie up her bikini, one hand holding the triangles of her top to her breasts while the other reached behind her to tie the strings.

"No. I hate these fucking things. Can you help?" She grumbled from the backseat, as she reached to open the back door and shifted in the seat so her back faced him.

"Sure." Drew nodded as his bottom lip made home between his teeth again. He took the large step forward to stand behind her then took hold of the strings to her bikini and pulled them tightly around her chest.

"Thank you." She replied softly as his fingertips brushed over the back of her neck and tied the strings in a knot, his hands lingering over her shoulders for a brief second.

"You're welcome. This is a nice colour on you." Drew stated as he hooked his index finger in the top string of her deep purple bikini.

"Thanks, Drew." She smiled as she sat up on her knees in the backseat and faced him.

"Lady! Are you coming swimming or not?" Madelyn yelled from her spot on the sand, her bathing suit already on which led both Her and Drew to believe Madelyn changed on the beach.

"Yes, Madelyn! I'll be right there!" She laughed while she pushed her hair back from her face.

"Tell Drew to hurry up with your bikini! It's not that difficult!" Madelyn giggled as she took a swig from a wine bottle before she took off back towards the fire pit.

"Don't say anything back. She's more wine than woman at this point. Come swimming with me." She laughed as she reached for his biceps as he held his weight against the door frame of the truck. She pulled her body up close enough for a kiss but didn't give him the satisfaction of pressing her lips to his.

"Alright. I don't need help with my swimsuit, though." Drew grinned as he pushed himself off the truck and walked back towards the fire. He let out a heavy exhale when he knew he was far enough away from her earshot.

Drew, Chase and the girls made their way into the brisk water for a nighttime swim while Rudy and JD chose to stay and tend to the fire. Chase let out a loud yelp as a wave rolled in, cold water reaching up to his chest.

"You're a baby, Stokes!" She laughed as she began to tread water, then make the few front strokes over to Drew.

Drew took hold of her waist then pulled her close to keep her above the rolling waves. Their height difference apparent in the water.

"It's fucking freezing. What are you? A polar bear?" Chase replied, teeth chattered as he wrapped his arms around himself.

"You have to go under! Otherwise you're just two different temperatures." Madison giggled before she dove under the water, her feet splashing water high above everyone's heads.

"No. Fuck that. I'm not drunk enough for this." Chase shivered as he began to make his way out of the water. He raised his eyebrows at Drew as he looked at the woman in his friend's arms, her legs wrapped around his waist.

"I'm coming, too. I need more wine." Madelyn smirked as she swam over to Chase, her own eyebrows raised up at Drew.

"I'm going back up, too. Rudy is ruining that fire." Madison stated quietly as she pushed her long hair back from her face, and made her way towards the shore.

"They're all wimps." She smiled up at Drew, her arms around his neck as they both waded in the water as a large wave rolled over them.

"I don't know, hon. It is kind of cold in here." Drew laughed with his hands on her lower back to keep her close. It was the closest they had ever been, with the least amount of clothes on.

"I think it's nice. And you're warm, so I feel good." She stated softly as she placed her right hand on the back of his neck, her fingertips twirling the hair.

"Don't get me wrong. I'll deal with this cold water if I can have you wrapped around me like this. I really don't mind it." Drew grinned as he wrapped his left arm around her waist securely while his right hand grabbed at her thigh.

The two of them simply waded in the water for a bit, wrapped around each other and in the sexual tension they had created. She kept her hands on the back of Drew's neck, occasionally twisting a bit of hair at the nape.

"Drew?" She asked quietly after a few moments of sweet silence between them.

"Yeah."

"Did you see anything when I was changing in your truck?" She smiled at him as she placed her hands on his shoulders, her eyebrows raised.

"I mean..I may have seen just the side of these." Drew replied as he tilted his head to the side, the hand he had on her thigh reached up to brush the underside of her breast.

"Drew!" She laughed as she tossed her arms around his neck and pulled him close for a hug, her legs tightening around his waist.

"I'm sorry. I couldn't help myself. You're so pretty." Drew smiled while he nuzzled his face into her neck and tightened his grip around her.

"I forgive you." She whispered as he pulled his face from her neck and looked into her eyes, his nose brushed against hers.

Drew muttered a barely audible, "thank you" as his adjusted his hold on her, both his hands on her thighs to keep her around him. He felt her hands in his hair, giving the slightest of pulls and the other shoe finally dropped.

Drew pressed his lips to hers, closing the tiny space between them. He released a sigh of relief through his nostrils while she whined ever so softly in the back of her throat. The kiss between them had been building for weeks.

They finally broke apart, but only for air. Drew gripped at her thighs while he peppered her lips with kisses. Her hands pulled at his hair as she tried to catch her breath again.

"Drew?" She asked between pecks on her lips.

"Yeah, honey?" Drew muttered as he kissed his way from her lips to her neck.

"Do you think I could steal a peak at you in the back of your truck? It seems only fair." She asked as she released a heavy breath, her hands on his shoulders as his lips created a seal on her neck.

"You can have way more than a peak if you want, honey." Drew grunted as he lifted her higher around his waist, he pulled his lips off her neck so he could look at her face.

"Okay. Will you take me back to the truck to get warm?" She asked softly, her eyes downcast to watch as her fingertips caught the beads of water on his chest.

"Thought you'd never ask." Drew grinned as he adjusted her legs around his waist, then began to walk them back towards the shoreline. He placed her back on her feet softly on the sand and gave her backside a nudge towards the parking lot before he ran his hands through his hair.

"Are you guys finally coming back to the fire?" JD asked with a raised eyebrow as he poked the flames.

"In a second, yeah. She's cold, so we're just going to sit in the truck and warm up. Change out of these swimsuits." Drew replied as he shook the water off his fingertips.

"Whatever you say, Drew." Madison grinned as she rolled onto her stomach in front of the fire and cracked open another can of beer.

Drew muttered under his breath as he grabbed Her backpack then made his way through the sand towards his truck - the back door open. He walked to the front end of the truck, dropped the bag then made his way around the open door where his heart began to race.

"You're naked." Drew stated flatly as he looked at the woman sat up in the backseat of his truck without her purple bathing suit, the heat of the truck blasting.

"Can't sit around in a wet bathing suit, and you have my bag." She smiled over at him.

"Yeah, but you're naked in the back of my truck." Drew smirked as he held his weight against the frame of the door, his eyes scanning her body shamelessly.

"Do you want to come be naked in the back of your truck with me, Starkey?" She laughed as she turned to sit up on her knees, facing him.

"Uh huh. Sure do." Drew nodded as he reached down to untie his swimsuit then tugged it down to his ankles. He climbed inside the back with her and shut the door behind him, leaving his swim trunks in the parking lot.

Please let me know what you think if you have a moment Thank you for your support! xoxo

Requests for OBX are open!

[xpeachesncream]

lowkey (jjk) | 02.

⦿ boo’d up in the daytime

⦿ mackin’ & hangin’ in the nighttime

↳ series masterlist

summary: in order to pass organic chemistry and pay off your car damages from an accident, all you have to do is help the nerd, jeon jungkook, with a few things: pretend to be his girlfriend and teach him the ways of dating.

pairing: popular!reader x nerd!jjk

genre: college au, fake dating au, friends (with benefits?) to lovers au | fluff, angst, smut

words: 3.2k

warnings: cussing, implied sexual content/mature language, kissy-kissy koo, mentions of a boner, mention of sex and cum, seokjin’s still toxic

note: posting this chapter a little early since it’s butter weekend, plus the last part of liquid courage should be up sat/sun. still sticking to my schedule in my faq though, srry loves! i’ll do my best to update as soon as i can. 💗

tags: @taegularities​ @jimidol​ @miinoongi​ @bluesharksandfish​ @ggukkieland​ @unicornbabylover​ @thebeebi​ @preciouschimine​ @ladyartemesia​ @moonchild1​ @jikookiekosmos​ @marcoazz2​ @kootaes​ @wearenot7withu​ @codeinebelle​ @bigbootyjoonie​ @thisartemisnevermisses​ @maichiverse​ @ppeachyttae​ @fairysunooo​ @secretlycrazyhummingbird​ @yukiehyukie​

"I heard you were in an accident last night, babe. Are you okay? I'm so sorry I got mad at you yesterday." Seokjin comes towards you, cupping your face to look at every inch, every detail. You move away from his hold, backing up to give yourself some space.

"Seokjin, I told you to stop calling me that. Jesus. I'm fine. Don't need you to check up on me."

"Are you really gonna keep that up? I said I was sorry."

"Okay, and? I heard you."

"Really, that's it? Y/N, why are you being like this? What's the real reason?" He follows after you as you make your way to the library. To say Seokjin was persistent is an understatement— he was persistent for the wrong reasons. Like, keeping you close so he had you to fall on when things went wrong with another chick, his safety net.

"Because this is done, I don't know how many times I have to tell you. I'm tired of you doing this so, please. Just go." You slightly turn towards him as you climb up the stairs.

"I wanna work this out with you. Don't push me away. Let me help." You don't respond. He watches as you adjust your bag strap and wave at Jungkook. Seokjin chuckles and grabs your wrist gently, making Jungkook suddenly hop on defense as he balls his fists. Like he could do shit. Seokjin would probably wreck his ass with those broad shoulders.

Still. He hated how much of an asshole he was to you.

"Wait, what the fuck?" Seokjin laughs his rare, deep laugh that he uses when he's caught off guard. "You're hanging out with nerds, now?"

"And if I was, that would be none of your business." You snatch your arm away while glaring at him. You shake your head and continue walking towards Jungkook, relieved Seokjin finally left you alone today. Probably off to tell Namjoon, Yoongi and his friends how much of a bitch you've been and that you actually left him to hang out with a nerd.

Sunmi knows you're being tutored. However if that wasn't the case, she would question you, but she never take their side on shit. She remained loyal to you, and always supported you through whatever. That's why she's remained your bestfriend until this day. The senior chicks Seokjin and them hung around with though? Questionable. As long as Sunmi was by your side and you by hers, you both didn't care much for getting close to them.

"Hey, sorry you had to see that." You say as you sigh and set your bag down alongside of you on the long table.

"It's alright." Jungkook replies softly. "Are you okay?"

"Yes. Thanks." You give him a tiny, tightlipped smile. "So, should we get right into tutoring, or should we talk about the details of our deal? I have all afternoon." Luckily, it was quite loud in the loud section of the library. No one cared much to listen in to your secret deal with Jungkook, nor did anyone care because it was Jungkook.

"I do too. I guess, whatever works for you?"

"Let's get this tutoring over with first then iron out the rest." He nods.

"Sure." He pulls out his notebook. "Tell me, what are you struggling with?"

"Everything." He does a small head tilt.

"I doubt that. I'm sure you understand some things."

"No, you don't understand Jungkook. I'm legit drowning. I don't know what I'm doing wrong or where I'm lacking." Jungkook simply looks at you, lips pressed together before he nods. You're not lacking anywhere, he thinks. You're really not. The subject is just shitty and the spawn of the devil.

"That's okay. Well, can I go over some basics? Throw in some tips?"

"Yes, please. Lead the way. I need you." You chuckled, but it makes the heat rush to his cheeks. He hopes you don't catch the rosy tint creeping up on them, so he instantly grabs at the whiteboard near your table and starts to go over the very beginning, the very basics of this semester's OChem class. Maybe a bit from last semester, but last semester wasn't entirely that bad compared to this one.

He didn't expect you to be all that engaged for some reason, but he should have known you'd ask questions left and right, taking the black whiteboard marker from his hand to practice what you've learned with him watching and guiding you from your side. You were always focused, always so determined. You were incredibly smart. Incredibly beautiful.

Honestly, Jungkook go on for days.

The both of you hadn't realized it was nearing close to 5PM and neither of you had really eaten much since lunch. You sit, feeling pretty good about your first session with Jungkook. You feel a little bad having kept him for so long over OChem, realizing you still had things to iron out with him.

[sunmi] 4:34pm: hey babe, not gonna be leaving for a bit. i forgot i had to work on this psych project with jennie. you okay with leaving around 6/7?

"Crap."

"What's the matter?" Jungkook glances at you as you continue to stare at your phone and scroll away.

"Sunmi isn't leaving until later. I'll probably be stuck here for a little longer after you leave." You put your phone down, now resting your chin against your palm, nails slightly digging into your cheek.

"I-I can give you a ride, if you'd like? Plus, we still need to talk.. about stuff." He shyly says.

"Jungkook, that's too much to ask for."

"It's really not a big deal. How far do you live from campus?"

"Maybe a 10 minute drive, the next exit off the freeway." He shrugs.

"I'm going in that direction too."

"Are you sure?"

"Positive. We can just talk on the way home."

"Would you be willing to stop by for dinner? We can talk then. Maybe it can be considered our 'first date.'" You joke with a small giggle.

"Oh, sure. Yeah." He gives off a tiny, nervous laugh. "Where did you have in mind?"

"Can we get.. hm—" You hum. "Fire Wings? Down the street?" He almost feels intoxicated watching how your eyes gleam under the light, how they brighten and widen when you mention food. You were cute, and you didn't even know it.

"Only if you tell me what flavors you get." He tries to get smart, which makes you laugh. He made you laugh.

"Is this judgment day? Gonna see if you should call quits on our deal before it even starts?"

"Maybe." He goes along with it.

"Okay. Garlic Parmesan and Dragon." You pack up your things before shooting him a look.

"Okay, solid flavors." He nods. "I guess we can continue on."

"You're funny." You giggle as you both throw your bags onto your backs. You stay in your position until Jungkook comes to your side so you can walk by him. You don't know much about him, but he has a soft demeanor and he makes you feel comfortable. You had only seen him a couple of times across campus, not really noticing him much in class either. You feel a little bad knowing you didn't even try being that he sat behind you, but better late than never I guess? Maybe there was a reason for all of this happening. The way he tutored you today was insane, too— he was super smart, but broke it down perfectly, was patient. He was patient.

No wonder Dr. K loved his ass.

"What about you?" You picked up the conversation.

"I usually go for a dry rub and Garlic Parmesan."

"I haven't tried any dry rubs."

"You can try one of mine later."

"Okay." You suddenly remember to shoot Sunmi a text before she comes looking for you everywhere on campus. Jungkook stays silent beside you, allowing you to do your thing without being too overbearing or nosy.

But, he honestly can't help but glance a few times.

[y/n] 5:11pm: sorry just saw this, hitching a ride with my tutor. don't worry about me! ty ily, have fun working on your project.

[sunmi] 5:13pm: tutor, as in jeon jungkook?

[y/n] 5:15pm: yeah, he offered.

[sunmi] 5:16pm: okay, that was nice of him. if he tries anything tho i'll beat his ass. text me when u get home?

[y/n] 5:17pm: don't worry about him, he won't lol i will.

[sunmi] 5:18pm: kk love u b

"Sorry." You say, tucking your phone into your pocket. "Had to text Sunmi."

"That's okay. You two are really close, right?"

"Yeah, since high school."

"Cool." At this point, Jimin, Taehyung and Hoseok are coming out of the café at the same you two are passing.

"What about you, where are your friends?"

"Um." He sighs, trying to avoid his friends obnoxiously waving and calling him from the distance. You glance over from behind his figure, chuckling a little bit. "That's them."

"Cute. You all are really close, too?"

"Ya, I've known Jimin the longest though." You smile and wave at them, causing them to gasp and whisper amongst each other with huge smiles on their faces.

"I'll need to meet them if we're gonna do this thing for real. Do they know?"

"Yeah kinda."

"That's okay. We should probably work on keeping it between us though." He nods.

"Okay, but. Can we save meeting them for later? They're a bit.. much." You smile.

"Sure."

"D-do I have to meet Sunmi?" You nod.

"If you wanna make this believable, yeah."

"She's kinda scary."

"Jungkook, she's not gonna bite your head off. She just has that look, but I promise she's sweet." That look, that resting bitch face. Really, you could be biased because it's Sunmi. She really only had issues if she felt disrespected. Other than that, she meant well. Same with you— you've been accused of being intimidating and having the same look but you don't mean any harm by it.

"Okay." Jungkook unlocks his black 2016 Honda Civic and pops his bag in the trunk. You do the same, while Jungkook goes to open the passenger door for you.

"Thanks." You smile sweetly at him. He climbs into his seat, hitting the button to start the car and sighs. The music in the background starts to play, and it sounds mellow, soothing— like it came straight out of a fairytale. His eyes widen as he rushes to lower the volume before shyly looking at you.

"Sorry."

"What, no. Don't be. What is this?"

"A Final Fantasy lofi mix." He begins to drive off as you turn the volume back up.

"It's nice. Pretty relaxing."

"Ya, it's nice to listen to after a long day." He pushes his glasses up at the light.

"Do you have family here?" He nods.

"I do. My mom and dad live about an hour away. I'm the only child. What about you?"

"Same. They're probably 30 minutes up north."

"Do you live alone?"

"Yeah, I live in a studio. It's actually my coworker's. She bought the space to rent it out. She lets me rent it for pretty cheap though."

"That's nice."

"You?"

"I live with Jimin. Our parents are close."

"What about your other friends?"

"Hoseok is dorming, and Taehyung would rather live back home with his family and commute. He's close to them. He'll crash at ours or Hoseok's from time to time."

"Are you close to your family?" He nods as he turns into the plaza lot.

"I suppose, yes. I'm just really quiet overall, so they think it's hard to read me sometimes." He parks and you watch as he shuts the car off with the same button. "You?"

"Yeah, I'm really close to my mom. Dad, a little questionable."

"Why, if I may ask?" He comes to open your door again, causing you to give him a small smile.

"He, um. Just got into some stuff." He watches as your body tenses while you fiddle with your fingers waiting in line.

"It's okay, don't think about it. I won't ask again."

"It's okay, Jungkook. Really. Maybe another time?" You look up at him and he nods. He stands way taller than you, almost at Seokjin's height, if not the same. He likes to wear baggy, dark clothing and doesn't do much to fix or style his hair.

He's simple, but in a good way.

You both order your food with Jungkook going first so he can grab a table afterwards. Before he could pay though, you offer to cover him for dinner as your way of thanking him for driving you home. You make your way over to the table he snags, Jungkook silently sitting at the high table with his legs pressed together and his hands clasped tightly on his lap.

"You okay?"

"Ya, why?"

"You look tense."

"Sorry. It's not everyday I have dinner with Y/N." You smile.

"Stop, relax." You watch as he slightly eases up. "So, this deal." He nods. "A month?"

"Yeah, I suppose."

"We have to convince people it's real or else people will know something weird is going on." You look at his hand, now resting on the table. "You're gonna have to hold my hand and kiss me, you know?" He swallows the lump in his throat. Shit, he thinks. Don't know if I can actually pull this off?

A kiss?! Fuck.

"Y-yeah."

"When was your last relationship, Jungkook?"

"8th grade." Your eyes widen.

"O-oh, now I see."

"What's that supposed to mean? It's terrible, I know but I—"

"No, no, no. You're good. It's totally okay, it doesn't matter. I'll just have to teach you to make it look realistic and not.. awkward." You perk up again. "Not saying that you are though, okay."

"I know."

"So, are you.."

"Am I..?" He cocks hid head to the side in confusion.

"Like.."

"Just ask Y/N."

"Are you a virgin?"

"I don't know." You furrow your brows.

"Huh?"

"Look, this is gonna sound really embarrassing and I don't know if I'm even ready to tell my fake girlfriend about it."

"Just say it. We have to know things about each other." He sighs.

"I— ugh." He groans. "I did it with my girlfriend at the time. Or I guess my ex because we had broken up and this was sometime during freshmen year in high school and she came onto me out of nowhere at a mutual friend's pool party. But it was weird because we were just hormonal kids and I was just curious so I slipped myself into her only to slip back out right after because—" He's rambling, but you're doing your best to keep up.

"Because?"

"I-I, ugh. Y/N." He shuts his eyes and pinches the bridge of his nose. "Are you really gonna make me say it?"

"Jungkook." You lean a bit to try and catch eye contact.

"I came right away." He says just as the worker puts down your food and takes the number from your table.

"Ohhhhhhh." You say as you nod slowly. "Okay."

"You can just run now." His head hangs low as he slowly slides his chicken over in front of him, causing you to chuckle.

"I'm not going anywhere. It's okay. Stop that."

"It's pathetic."

"No. Besides, I know you'll get better overall, and you'll find someone who will rock with you till the end. We'll work on this."

"Thanks." He says, feeling comfortable around you. You were quick to reassure him and smile at him, he felt himself melting in his seat. Yeah, you were too good for Seokjin.

"You'll have to come to parties with me. Club events. Events in general. It won't look right if I'm always going without you."

"Okay. Can I bring my friends?"

"Sure." He nods. "What do you do in your free time?"

"Play video games and listen to music. Read comics, manga. Build lego sets with the guys."

"Cute." You smile.

"You?"

"Hang out with Sunmi, or just watch movies on my own at my place. Read. Eat by myself. Explore by myself. I value my alone time."

"It's nice." Jungkook's familiar with it. Even if he had his friends around, he truly liked being in his own peace when allowed. "What about outside of the public eye?"

"Hm?" You hum.

"Do we hang out?"

"Yeah we can." You nod.

"Cool." He smiles.

"Is my car gonna be a lot of work for you?"

"Don't worry about it, it'll be good soon. Just might take a bit cause I need some parts to make it look brand new again."

"I really can't thank you enough." He shrugs.

"Only trying to help my girlfriend out." He boldly says, causing you to laugh.

"Confidence is peeking through already, are you sure you need me?" You joke. The rest of the evening, you continue to talk to Jungkook about pretty surface level shit— what you like, dislike, overall experience in high school and college so far. It was a nice, harmless conversation, one where you were starting to see how warmhearted Jungkook really was. How real and laid back.

None of the shit in Seokjin's group. It was refreshing, a breath of fresh air.

Once dinner had finally finished, Jungkook was on his way to drop you off. He had parked in an empty guest spot, offering to walk you up just to be sure. At the door, he took a peek at how clean your studio was, mainly soft colors of white and cream taking over, with plants scattered around your living room area. The hallway in was sandwiched between your kitchen area and another wall, Jungkook assuming your bed was on the opposite side of it. He awkwardly stands at the door, afraid of overstepping.

"Well, goodnight Y/N. I'll see you tomorrow."

"Hey, wait." You smile and come close to him. He swallows, his mouth suddenly feeling dry when he feels your breasts press against his chest. "First lesson— give me a kiss."

"Right now?"

"Jeon Jungkook, we're doing this tomorrow. People are gonna have to see this at least once while we're together." He nods and presses a quick kiss against your cheek. "Not bad, but a little longer?" He complies and presses another kiss, leaving his pillowy lips against your cheek for a little longer before pulling away. "Perfect. Now here." You point at your lips before crossing your arms.

"Y/N, I—"

"Don't be afraid, just do it. I won't kick you in the balls or anything."

"It's not that. I just don't think I'm a great at this stuff."

"Okay." You tippytoe and gently grab his jaw while you lean towards his face. "Just relax, okay? Don't think too much of it." He stays silent, doe eyes constantly on you as you continue to inch forward.

Sparks. Just sparks everywhere for Jungkook.

He feels your soft lips against his and he relaxes, moreso because he feels like he's lost all senses being this close to you. Taking in your scent. Kissing you.

"There." He stands still, still trying to process the kiss. "Not bad. We'll get better over time, but at least that looks believable. Just—" You put his hands down as they were about to fall onto your hips during the kiss, but they fell short. "Let it happen and hold me, okay?" You smile. "Night Jungkook."

"N-night." He stutters as he watches you close the door. "Fuck." He whispers to himself when he realizes he's now sporting a boner. "Jungkook, what the fuck is this?!" He continues to whisper to himself as he waddles down your hallway.

[storiesforallfandoms]

comparisons ~ machine gun kelly

word count: 2195

request?: yes!

“Can I get a Colson Baker one where you’re dating after him and Megan where you get a bunch of hate and they both defend you against the hate please”

description: when her boyfriend’s ex is one of the most beautiful actresses of this generation, she finds herself being constantly compared to her and receiving hateful messages

pairing: machine gun kelly x female!reader

warnings: swearing, hate messages, insecurities

masterlist (one, two)

There was some sort of assumption that when you start dating someone, you immediately hate their ex. That could not be further from the truth for me and Colson. In fact, Colson’s ex-girlfriend introduced us shortly after their break up, and had constantly pushed for the two of us to get together.

Megan was basically the backbone in our friendship. She pushed me to pursue my dreams in acting (as well as helped you with that since she was so much more famous than you were when you started), then she pushed me to start auditioning for bigger roles. The moment she introduced me to Colson, I knew exactly what was coming next.

“That’s weird, Meg,” I had told her. “Isn’t there, like, a girl code about dating your best friend’s ex?”

“I’m literally shoving you onto him,” she had responded. “I think you’re fine with the girl code.”

A few months after meeting, I finally caved and asked Colson out on a date. Six months later, I was still thanking Megan for giving me that push.

Shortly after making our relationship public, however, the happiness slowly came to a stop. For me, anyways. Colson, bless his heart, was blissfully ignorant to the comments his fanbase started to send me.

“yikes, he really downgraded huh?”

“how do you go from megan fox to...that?”

“guess mgk couldn’t keep up his streak of hot girlfriends”

Hate comes with fame, I knew that. I had my fair share of hate comments ever since the start. It was easy to ignore them when they were just a handful of hate comments here and there, but this was different. This was a bombardment of hate that was so heavy I could barley go online.

Colson was oblivious for a while, until he found out I had deleted all my social media accounts.

“Did you delete your Instagram babe?” he asked the minute he got home the day I had done it.

“Yeah,” I responded, nonchalantly. “I deleted all my social media.”

“Why?”

I shrugged. “I just thought it’d be better for me mentally. They say being so attached to social media is bad for you or whatever.”

“But you weren’t even addicted to social media. You just liked sharing your memories - our memories.”

I shrugged again and turned back to my cooking. I wasn’t about to tell him his fans drove me off the internet. He loved his fans, I couldn’t fuck that up for him, even if what they were saying hurt me so much.

My back was to him as I cooked, so he couldn’t see my reaction when he asked, “Is it because people were comparing you to Megan?”

I froze completely. I could feel his eyes staring into the back of my head, but I just couldn’t convince myself to turn around to face him. I knew that if I did, I’d crack. I had gone too long pretending everything was okay, keeping this secret from Colson, to finally let it slip now. I just had to throw him off of his thought process.

“Where did you get that idea?” I asked, trying to keep my voice light.

He was next to me suddenly, holding his phone up so I could see it. On the screen was a picture of me at a red carpet just below a headline that read “(Y/F/N) deletes social media accounts amid hateful comments from boyfriend Machine Gun Kelly’s fans”.

I sighed in frustration. Of course the tabloid vultures had already written articles about it. I had only done it a few hours earlier, but they always had to be the first ones to write another story about me.

“I didn’t even know I was getting hate,” I said, trying to keep up the lie even though it was pretty obvious I had been found out. “I just decided to delete my accounts, it must be a coincidence.”

“Really? Because this article says you were receiving so much hate that you couldn’t even go into the comments on your pictures or replies on your tweets without seeing a mass amount of hate from my fans.”

I turned off the stove and turned around suddenly, abandoning my cooking completely as I quickly walked out of the kitchen and towards mine and Colson’s room. I felt a lump forming in my throat, and the last thing I wanted was for Colson to see me cry.

I wasn’t shocked to hear his footsteps coming after me. I forgot how much longer his legs were than mine, so it didn’t take long for him to catch up with me and stop me before I could get too far away. He took hold of my arm and turned me around to look at him. The moment my eyes landed on his face, it felt like someone had finally broke the dam holding back my tears.

Colson pulled me in for a hug and held me tightly as I sobbed into his chest. Every ounce of overwhelming feelings I had been bottling up for months was finally starting to come out, and I realized it was long overdue when I eventually began to grow tired from my crying.

I felt Colson pick me up and bring me to his bed. My eyes were starting to grow heavy despite how much I was fighting against them to stay awake. The minute my head hit the pillow, I was out like a light.

I wasn’t sure how long I was asleep, but it was obvious I had needed that rest, because when I woke up again I felt more well rested than I had in a long time.

I opened my eyes to find myself facing the window, which helped me to pinpoint that it was now nighttime as the sky was pitch black. I rolled over, expecting to find Colson asleep next to me only to find that I was alone in his bed. I was confused at first, forgetting the events that happened mere hours earlier.

I could hear a distant voice talking and was able to identify it as Colson’s. I got up from his bed and made my way towards the stairs, hearing it get louder as I stood at the top.

“I wish she would’ve told me,” he was saying. “I don’t know why she would’ve kept this a secret from me.”

“She didn’t want you upset with your fans,” came another voice. This one was distorted like it was coming from a phone. When she spoke again, I realized it was Megan’s voice. “And she’s stubborn. She was probably determined to deal with this by herself.”

“I just hate that she felt that way,” Colson sighed. “I don’t want her believing anything any of those people said to her, but I saw screenshots and fuck...they really did just bombard her with hate.”

“I know, but none of us could’ve predicted this. Your fans were so cool with us dating, I thought they’d love (Y/N) since we’re so similar.”

I sat down on the top of the stairs and peeked down enough that I could see Colson without him seeing me. He was laid out on the couch in just his sweat pants. In his hand he was holding his phone up, the other was slung over the back of his couch. I could see the guilt on his face, which broke my heart to see. I didn’t want Colson feeling guilty for something that was out of his control.

“You think what I posted will do anything?” he asked Megan.

“I don’t know. It’s hard to tell. When people want to hate, they just want to hate.”

Hearing that Colson had posted something made me curious. I felt around my pants for my phone, but realized I had probably left it in the room or downstairs somewhere. I was in too deep now to give myself away, but I really wanted to know what he had posted about the situation.

“Thanks for talking to me about this, Megan,” he said.

“Of course, Colson. Anytime.”

They said their goodbyes and hung up. Colson tossed his phone onto the coffee table and put his arm under his head. “Are you gonna come down babe?”

I wanted to ask how he knew I was there, but instead I stood from my spot and made my way down the stairs. When I entered the living room, Colson just looked up at me for a moment, almost expectantly. I smiled down at him and laid on top of him with my head on his chest. The arm that was over the back of the couch wrapped around me and he gently kissed the top of my head.

“How much did you hear?” he asked.

“Just the last bit,” I admitted. “Something about a post you made.”

Colson hummed, his chest vibrating underneath my ear as he did. “I wanted to address the issue, and I knew you wouldn’t let me do it if you were awake.”

“I still don’t like that you did it now,” I said, half joking. “Can I see the post?”

He moved his head to look down at me. “How do I know you’re not going to delete the post?”

“You don’t,” I responded. “You’ll just have to trust me.”

He smiled and reached over to grab his phone from the coffee table. He opened it and pulled up a post he had made on Instagram: it was your usual white background with text post you saw celebrities make from time to time.

It read:

“I love my fans so much. You guys are my EST family, and I’m so proud of this family that we have built over the last few years. However, it came to my attention today that some of you have been less than nice to my girlfriend to a point where she felt the need to delete her social media accounts. I will admit, I was oblivious to this at first as I am not one to go onto other people’s social media to read comments and replies, and (Y/N) kept this to herself instead of telling me about it. But now that I do know, I have to say I am beyond pissed. (Y/N) is the most beautiful girl I have ever met, inside and out. She is not Megan, and honestly - with all respect to Megan - I’m glad that she’s not. I love Megan as a friend, but truly that’s all she is to me. (Y/N) is my soulmate, the love of my life. These comparisons and jabs at her because she isn’t my ex are absolutely disgusting, especially coming from people who claim they love me as much as you guys do. Please learn how to treat the people in my life with love and respect, or else take my face out of your profile pictures and my name out of your usernames/bios as you are not a true fan of mine. From the bottom of my heart, fuck you to anyone that made my girlfriend feel like shit.”

I scrolled down to see the comments and saw that the top one was from Megan, and was already liked by Colson.

“(Y/N) is not my competition, nor is she my enemy. She is my friend and she has been since before Colson and I were ever together. The fact that people feel the need to pit two women against one another just because they both dated the same person is absolutely appalling to me. I’d like to emphasis Colson’s statement - fuck you to whoever hurt my friend.”

I handed Colson his phone back, not wanting to read any more. I could feel a lump in my throat again, but this one was from happiness. I felt so lucky to have two amazing people in my corner during a time that was otherwise very trying for me.

“I’m sorry I never told you,” I said as I rested against his chest again.

“You shouldn’t be sorry, (Y/N). I’m sorry this happened to you.”

“You don’t have any reason to be sorry either. You can’t control your fans.”

“Then neither of us will be sorry.”

I chuckled at this. For a moment we were both silent, the only sound being Colson’s heart beating under my ear. It was a soothing sound, and combined with his fingers tracing over my back, I was almost lulled back to sleep.

“I love you,” he mumbled against my hair.

I lifted my head to look at him. “What?”

“I said I love you.”

I was speechless. It was the first time he had seriously said those words and he had managed to shock me into silence with them.

He looked at me, his face slowly becoming concerned with my silence.

“I love you, too,” I finally managed.

A smile broke out across Colson’s face as he wrapped his arms around me and held me tightly to him. For the rest of the night, he would whisper those three words to me randomly, and I would whisper back my response every time.

[kenmasangel]

getting back together after years

synopsis : the get back, part 1 “why am i even with you”

characters : sakusa, tsukishima

genre : fluff

warning : cursing, mention of alcohol

an : sorry for any gramma or spelling mistakes, everytime i’d right it was nighttime and i’d be really tired so i wasn’t able to focus 100%. please notice me of any mistakes masterlist

Sakusa Kiyoomi

years have passed since your break up with sakusa, it was a sad but necessary break up for you to move on and finally glow up

you also realized that the only person you truly ever needed was yourself and you worked hard to be the person you are today

“at the end of the day, men are trash,” you would try to cheer your friend who had a fight with her boyfriend in one of the best clubs of tokyo. “so wipe your tears and come move your hips,”

on the professional side you became tokyo's favorite journalist, sports related; not only because of your looks but also your professionalism and personality

every hot athlete you've ever interviewed tried to get with you, but they always got rejected

on the other hand sakusa joined MSBY Black Jackals; a professional volleyball team in japan's v.league, in the top tier of division 1

yes sir period

he never dated someone else, the break up kinda broke his heart but he'll never admit it

he also became more distant with people lowkey

however, one day your manager called you to tell you about who are you going to interview next

as she mentionned the name of a famous volleyball team you couldn’t stop your mind of thinking about your ex who used to play volleyball

little did you know that he was a part of the team

lmao who gon tell you

when you got back home you decided to do some research about that MSBY team or whatever

...

oh to your surprise when you saw sakusa kiyoomi’s face there

“no shit,” you mumbled to yourself lowkey annoyed

after the brake up you grew stronger and more independent as you put in mind that all men are trash, you didn’t want to go through that steretipycal sad phase where your self confidence would be all crushed. you wanted to remain strong and you learned how to truly love yourself without expecting anything from anyone as you had your own self

period boo

anyway, you kinda had numbed all your feelings, and to see him now made all your memories with him comeback; how you first met, your first kiss, your first dates and that fight

so here you were, in your appartement checking out their previous interviews trying to get all the juice you needed yet your mind would still zone out on his face

“just keep it pro, y/n, he probably even forgot about you, just keep it pro,” you told yourself before turning off your pc

the day of the interview, here we finally are. the MSBY team knew they had an interview with the most appreciated journalist of all times so they got ready.

“do y’all think they’re cute ?” asks atsumu, “if they’re cute you better back off guys, i’m sure i’m going to catch their attention anyway,” he cockily adds flipping his bang and flexing his muscles, no one bothered answering him at this point they were used to him

“they’re here,” their manager clapped in his hands. “don’t forget what i told you guys, they are very influent so don’t mess it up and don’t scare them away,” he looked at atsumu and bokuto who just stuck their tongues out

“good morning,” you greeted all of them and bowed, “i’m l/n y/n, the journalist who’ll interview you today,” you looked at all of them with a poker face. saying that sakusa was surprised would be an understatement; he was in shock, his brain forgot how to function correctly. you followed the others who took you to the room where all the staff would chill, offering you coffee, tea and snacks

sakusa couldn’t keep his eyes off you, seeing you after all these years was like a wave of fresh air; he was relieved to see you successful and blooming, what a beautiful sight he thought when he saw you laughing with his teammates as he got in the room. but at the same time his heart ached him as he remembred what made you two go separate ways and the guilt he tried to hide deep inside him all those years started creeping up again in his chest

“c’mon, it’s just an interview,” he sighed before sitting on a chair behind his team

the interview started and it was going fine, sakusa’s teammates were cool and you had a lot of fun interviewing them. you liked their chaotic energy and it happened for you to match it, they immediately liked you

“y/n-chan,” started atsumu getting close to you, ”would you like to go out with me tonight, we could have dinner together or just grab a drink-”

“okay barry b. benson, you’re not my type sorry,” you stopped him as you pinched his cheek making all his teammates laugh, you got a pout from him but he eventually laughed liking your attitude

“y/n-chan, why don’t you come and have dinner with us tonight?” asked bokuto with sparkles in his eyes, “oooh~ say please we’d love to!” joined him hinata with the same sparkles in his eyes

you akwardly chuckle looking at sakusa then bringing your stare back at them, “i don’t kno-”, “please come, it would be nice,” finally adds sakusa what made you look back at him

you kept staring at each other for  moment before you nodded makinf the three balls of chaotic energy; bokuto, hinata and atsumu scream a ‘yes!’ you exchanged numbers and you went back home

well, that wasn’t too bad you thought to yourself once back at you appartement plopping on your couch

for some reason your heart was beating fast and you damned those feelings you tried to hide and not get rid of for coming back

he was looking as handsome as ever, you were not going to lie

and that look in his eyes... was it regret ?

“as he fucking should,” you shook your head thinking about what he’d said in that fight

but you were young, he probably regrets, “stfu stupid heart,”

you got up and got ready for tonight’s dinner

“keep that poker face y/n, you’re doing great” you said to yourself before getting into the restaurant, you quickly saw hands waving at you, spotting the team and you went to the table. there was a place left next to bokuto and sakusa, just great, you tried hard not to roll your eyes and sat

the diner was going well, you were not bothered by sakusa’s presence, he didn’t talk much anyway and you had fun talking to the others who were really funny, the thing is that everyone got drunk; hinata and bokuto were hugging each other singing the yarichin bitch anthem, atsumu kept saying ‘ya like jazz?’ every time the someone would pass by, you and sakusa were the only ones in a good state. you couldn’t help but laugh at them trying to stop them but you’d eventually fail

“atsumu please stop,” you tried to stop him from getting on the table to ask everyone if they liked jazz, “i won’t unless you tell me ya like jazz, honey,” he wiggled his eyebrows as you couldn’t help yourself from laughing, “i do like jazz now sit down,” you finally said

sakusa kept thinking if he should talk to you or not in the mean time, he couldn’t help but to create two imaginary cases in his mind one for that says ‘yes’ and the other one ‘no’, he finally came back to earth when you sat back down after stopping tsumu from performing a jazz song

“but y/n i swear it’s a good jazz song, it is called... Jailhouse Rock by Elvis Presley,” he grins proud of himself, you stare at him trying to hold your laughter and when you were going to anwser you heared sakusa do it first, “no miya, and make the owl and the tangerine stop crying,” atsumu salutes him and goes to talk to the crying duo

“long time no see, l/n,” he finally says making your heart miss a beat

“never thought i’d see you again sakusa,” you answer, finally looking at him

“glad to see you’re doing well,” he adds. “even tho i wish we’d be on good terms,” you sigh turning your head. “gotta admit i am the one to blame,”

“glad to see you are mature enough to admit your wrongs,” you anwser him sipping on your drink

“i’ve always knew that i was the one who fucked up, y/n... maybe back then i just didn’t have the guts to admit it, nor to try keeping you close to me. i just saw how you were doing better off without me, and i thought it was better to let go even if it did hurt me...” he finally admits

all what you wanted to hear, craved to hear when you broke up with him. you felt some type of way, good memories you had with him flooding your mind and the feelings you’ve once had for the pretty germaphobe

what were you gonna say? were you finally ready to forgive him and move on or stay on your positions and just live like you’ve been living since the brake up

“well... we’re grown ups now, it’s all forgiven and forgotten,” you give him a small smile,

“thank you,” it was then quiet for a brief moment before he finally decided to man up, “i missed you,” he looked down at his plate

wow the butterflies in your tummy, heart and brain went off with no warnings, you stared at him with wide eyes trying to comprehend what on god’s green earth did he just say

did you miss him too ? did you hate him ? were you over the fight ? did you really stop loving him or did you just hide those feelings ?

too many questions yet no answers, as he realized you didn’t answer he mumbled few apologies but you stopped him telling it was fine

“it’s just... it’s been so many years and we didn’t end up on good terms,” you explain

“yeah, no, i totally understand that is normal,” you nodd looking down at your lap. “can i hold your hand?”

“pardon me?”

“can i hold your hand? fuck that y/n, can i have another chance? allow treat you right, to love you deeply. that guilt that built up in me kept growing with the years, and now that you’re finally here i just want one thing as i see your face is to make up for everything, even after years.”

oh wow, you were definitely not expecting that; not from sakusa who wasn’t this expressive with his feelings and especially not after all these years

you held his hand and smiled sincerly at him, “it’ll take me time; to figure out how i feel and to trust you again, but i’d like to give it a chance,” he smiled back, hope filling his eyes

after that night you tried to spend a lot of time together

usually he would be the one to initiate it

he did his best to prove you that you can trust him and that he became a better person for you

your heart would melt everytime he told you about a memory of you together or how he still remembered stuff about you

you were on your guards in the beginning but slowly you began to soften

eventually you got back together, but that’s another story

it took several months but you don’t even know how happy he was

oh and let’s just not talk about the media and how powerful you guys were

anyway you were happy and that’s what matters

Tsukishima Kei

ara ara what we have here

do you know how the life works in a weird way sometimes? a compilation of events that happen by sheer luck, fucking coincidences that are just way out of this world that lead you to bump into that one person even if you don’t want to?

no ? aight sorry

anyway, that is lowkey what life had in store for you and salt shaker man

tsukishima had gotten into that college he wanted to attend

he was happy but he would’ve secretely loved if you were there to share his happiness

oh how little did he know that you got into that college too

ahaha *awkward laughter*

homeboy found it out in a special way, not the best way there is but you know he had to know a way or another

he went to that party with his two roomates who actually lowkey forced him ngl

as he was making his way to the kitchen he heard someone laughing, a laugh he’s heard way too many times but he shook it off thinking about how many people may have the same laughter

“oi y/n, you look hot!” a male’s voice shouted

what ?

there was no way you were there and he decided to make sure by checking out by himself

he was CHOKED when he saw you there

“tell me something i don’t know,” you laughed as you approached the boy who called you. “what’s up hot stuff ?” he said as you were finally next to him

hot stuff? tsukki almost gagged at the horrible name you were just given, yet it was not false that you were indeed ‘hot’; you looked as flawless as ever, you did a 180° change

the sweet, soft, innocent y/n was replaced by the baddest bitch in the motherfucking block he almost didn’t recognize you. he wondered if you stayed together would you have gone through this change an didn’t notice you coming his way

“god, don’t stand in the middle of the- tsukishima ?” you stopped when you saw his face. “you attending a party, what a surprise,” you stood there a hand on your hip

“oh y/n, how are you?” homeboy didn’t know how to act at this point, he awkwardly rubbed the back of his neck

“i’m doing great actually, so did you get into here ? the ‘college of your dreams’,” he could feel the sarcasm in your voice, he also noticed how cold you were

“yeah, thankfully. where’d you go ?”

“oh i go here, the same college as you,” you fake a smile, he feels his heart miss a beat.. or two.“you know sometimes i look back, and i can’t help from noticing that being in a committed relationship didn’t stop me from attending one of the best colleges out there and you, on the other hand who didn’t want anything to do with a relationship got here too,” you spat, obviously you didn’t get to tell him how you felt when you broke up. “good thing i’m not in the same major as you though,” you sighed

“y/n i_,”

“no save it tsukishima, there’s no need to say whatever you want to say. at this point i’ve moved on, i just found it funny to see you here after what you’ve said and how i actually also got here; now i know for sure that you were the problem... and i hated myself thinking it was me,” you scoff. “hope i won’t get to see you often, good luck for the rest,” and with that you left, joining a group of friends who waved for you to join them

needless to mention that he was pissed and heartbroken

he was not expecting that from you, he always saw you as this delicate person whose kindness is infinite

now, oh now he didn’t recognize you

even your voice got more.. mature? cold? idk

anyway after your encounter he directly headed back to his dorm

he couldn’t sleep the whole night rethinking about all what those years with you and what you said, you hated yourself as you thought you were the problem

bravo tsukishima they hate you, he thought to himself

uhm lol so the rest of your college ‘journey’ went without the two of you seeing each other

you were both majoring in different stuff, the campus is huge, y’alls schedules didn’t match and you had different friend groups

yet rarely he would find you at the library at 4am, many empty coffee cans on your table, looking all sleepy with your glasses falling off and your hair in a messy bun

“fucking ass why on god’s poluted earth did i ever want to major in that fucking shit of a topic, couldn’t i do something basic like stripper or something ? ugh fml,” he caught you once in the middle of an existencial crisis

he couldn’t help his lips from twitching upwards and he couldn’t stop the memories of the two of you studying together flooding his mind

he never came close to you tho, especially after what you told him in that party

sad </3

you guys graduated from college fucking finally

congrats folks you did it!

and you thought it was the end of your story

how sweet, how naive

uh-uh baby life decided otherwise and you saw each other years later

in the same company 🤪 

“oi tsukishima-san, don’t forget we have a metting with the new manager in 10,”

how could he forget ? everyone has been talking about this manager for a week

tsukki was respected by all his work mates as he was such a good element what made him get the best promotions and claims from his boss

n e way

he got into the conf room where everyone was seated and took his place waiting for the new manager and the boss to come in, he was clearly annoyed and didn’t want to be there; he just wanted to finish his work on go back home

anyway his attention was brought back by his boss entering the room, “good evening everyone, with no longer introduction let me introduce you to y/l/n y/n your new manager,”

tsukki’s head SNAPPED, he almost broke his neck

tsukiskima.exe has stopped working

you were surprised when your eyes landed on him too but you’re a bad bitch and kept it professional

he couldn’t focus for the rest of the meeting, even tho it was just presentations and basic information for the future collaboration

the meeting ended and everyone went back home, except for you as you stayed in late to work on some stuff

you thought you were alone since it was late, but you were wrong since tsukishima had also stayed in late to finish up whatever file he was asked to analize

this is why you were startled when you heard some noise and a tall figure got out of the office ahead of you

“oh my,” you held your chest and relaxed when you noticed it was tsukishima, “i thought i was alone,”

“staying in late on your first day huh, didn’t know you were still here,” he responded, you noticed how his tone didn’t change from when you first met him in highschool, maybe his voice got a bit more deeper tho

you couldn’t help noticing how good he looked in his suit, it fit him really well. his broad shoulders covered by the dark blue vest, the first few buttons of his white vector shirt opened letting you lowkey see his collarbone

“yea well i’m leaving now, good night,” you quickly say and took your leave, seeing him after all this time was weird and you didn’t know how to feel

you still remember what you said the last time you saw him at that party, you were hurt and you said some things you probably regret by now and you thought that he probably hated your guts and as long as you wanted to be at the top in your  new work you still decided to stay away from him

“ugh what a dumbass,” you whined and slapped the back of your head thinking tsukishima was still in the floor you left him in, but he saw you and his lips twitched upwards

everytime he thinks you can’t look any better you prove him wrong, he thought to himself as he went to his car finally heading back home. after all those years life decided to still play with you guys and put you in the same company, i mean, he wasn’t complaining but he wished it wasn’t awkward between the two of you

you guys started working together, a new journey for the both of you started

he thought you still hated him and that is why he was cold with you :(

so you were both distant with each other and if you ever had to talk it was cold, formal and quick

it’s been a few weeks your collegues had noticed the tension between the two of you

they were lowkey sus of something but didn’t want to butt in

it was physically painful to watch

n e way everything was going more or less smoothly until a new face made an appariction in the company

“my god! what are you doing here?” you hugged the good looking man

“i missed you and i thought that i couldn’t live without you, so i am here to cling,” you pull away and playfully slap his chest. “nah more seriously i am here to get that bag boo,”

“as you should hun, so you’re a trainee huh? i’ll ask them to put you under my supervision,” you wink

“say less,” he flirtily gets close to you

“uhm, sorry to interrupt your i bet very educational discussion but y/l/n, here, the file,” tsukishima butts in out of nowhere, his voice colder than usual and his eyes lowkey darker than usual

“oh thank you,” and he left

“well, that was awkward,” your friend cringes

“shut up, yuuji,” you roll your eyes

“wait wasn’t that tsukishami? sushikima? suspicual tall bitch who broke your heart?” the last attempt made you chuckle

“yes, it is,” you sigh, going through the file. “i can’t believe you still remeber that!”

“miss girl, you were not the one listening at your own self sobbing at how some tall, blonde, salt shaker broke your heart and how you’d want to, and i quote “punch his beautiful face then hug him so tight that i’ll squeeze his organs”,”

you narrow your eyes at him then for quite a while, then you scoff, “i am glad you’re here, dickhead,”

“so am i, headass,” he gives you a sincere smile

yuuji’s presence made things complicated even more

tsukishima didn’t appreciate the new flirty, good looking, lowkey smart trainee who was under your supervision

he was more irritable than usual, he knew he had no right to feel like that but still, he couldn’t help it

everytime he saw you two together working, laughing, grabing lunch together or even just being in the same area it made him want to break walls

but he couldn’t

he also saw how yuuji would flirt with other female collegues and it made him furious; you didn’t deserve that!

deserve what tho lol you and yuuji were friends but since tsukki was blinded by his jealousy or whatever he was feeling he assumes you were a thing or soon to be a thing

dumb mf

anyway

your boss had assigned you an important file to work on

all cool and shit until he mentioned that you had to work with tsukishima

ahaha.......... right

you started working the day after

°3°

it was awkward as fuck ngl, y’all would share max up to 3 words in a matter of 20mins

each one of you was sitting in their side

the tension buddy, the tension!!!!!

idk how you survived

day 2: you slapped some sense in yourself and an old relationship that ended in bad terms shouldn’t affect your work years after

so you started talking more, always pro stuff, but still

kei was the same as yesterday but that didn’t surprise you since he was always like that and you weren’t expecting anything from him except contribute effectively to the work, what he did

day 3: work in progress, nothing less

day 4: same as day 3 except that you stayed in later than the previous days

day 5: yuuji bursted in because he had broought you food, he kissed your temple before he left wishing you good luck. tsukki almost gagged, homie was fuming in rage

day 6:

it was late, everyone had left but you and kei still working on that goddamn file, thankfully he had given enough time to finish the work

“y/l/n, the food is here,” tells you tsukishima as he got back into the office

“thanks, i almost died from hunger,” you get up getting what you ordered

you were eating in silence until tall man decided to speak up, “funny, huh?” you looked at him confused. “how we went to the same highschool, same college and now we are working together,”

you just let an “oh” thinking about what you told him in that frat party, “i guess you were right, i was the problem,”

“tsukishima look, it’s been years and it’s all forgotten now okay?” he looks at his food, his mind elswhere

“remember what you told me in that party?”

“tsuki-”

“i mean, now that we’re grown ups we can talk about it, right? i feel like i didn’t get closure, not like i deserve it but still,8

you just nodd and go sit in front of him

“well, i lashed out on you on that party because i didn’t get closure, i was obviously still hurt and petty and immature. Seeing you there was like a slap in the face, i really want to apologize but i feel like what i said was true,”

“and it was true, it took sometime to accept it and realiwe it, but you don’t need to apologize; i didn’t treat you right, so i am sorry,”

you give him a small smile, “i am also sorry, i shouldn’t have talked to you that way it was rude,”

“but true,” he adds and you chuckle

“yeah, it’s all fine now. we can start over again,”

“i mean, i’d like to,” he gives you a small, tiny smile but you could still see it

“y/n?”

“mmh?” you look at him, your mouth full and cheeks about to explode

“i know we just made up and stuff but... please be careful with that new trainee,”

“yuuji? what why?”

“look i’m a man and i know wha another man thinks when i see him in action, and he’s just... not trustworthy i guess,”

“tsukishima kei, tf are trying to say?”

“look, i don’t want you to get hurt! but he is all flirty with other women and it’s just a huge disrespect to you and your relationship,” he explains

you look at him with wide eyes than laugh your ass off, you couldn’t believe what you just heard

“tsukki, yuuji is my bestfriend we’re not dating,” you wipe a tear tha slipped

he just stares at you, “oh” is all what he could say

“thanks for worrying tho,”

“whatever,” he rolls his eyes

as the days went by you and kei got closer

he would tease you and you’d tease him back

“oi, salt shaker, put my stuff on a high shelf again and i’ll pull your highschool pictures when you played vb,”

“as if you still have them” he scoffs

“don’t mess with me!”

“whatever shortie- OW why would you throw the stapler at me?”

“it’s your mouth that i’m gonna staple next time,”

anyway it was all giggles and shit

you enjoyed working together and gaining your complicity back

the due date came, you had to present in front of 3 other CEOs and your own ceo

you did an amazing job, obviously

everyone liked the harmony between the two of you and how neat your work was

“WOHOO here’s my bad bitch,” yuuji hugged you after the deliberation

“stfu we’re not alone,” you laugh. “did i look good?” you ask

he smirks and checks you out, twirling you and wolf whistling, “hotter than ever and thicker than snicker,” you laugh at his remark

“uhm-uhm,” tsukishima came behind you

“hey, sushimika, good job out there,” yuuji gives him a big grin

tsukishima just nodds and his eyes dart to yuuji’s arm around your waist, something he notices

“erm anyway, Vanessa is calling me gotta go,” he kisses your head and leaves

“he’s one of a kind, i gotta admit,” you say pulling him out of his trance

“i mean, y’all are bestfriends so i’m not surprised,” you roll your eyes

“we did a good job out there, i mean i was better but you weren’t too bad yourself,” he smirks

“you’re so annoying,” you laugh. “i guess we make a good duo,”

you lookn at each other for a while before tsukki finally speaks up

“uhm look, i know it’s only been one month since we’re back to normal but... would you maybe like to have dinner with me?” he rubbs the back of his neck

“like a date?”

“you know what i mean y/n,” he rolls his eyes

“uhm sorry i don’t clearly see what you mean,” you grimace

“ugh alright, like on a date, would go with me yes or no ?”

you laugh at his impatience, “pick me up at 7,”

“is that a yes?”

“you know what i mean, tsukki,” you say as you leave

so the date went well

really well

you didn’t want to burn steps so you lowkey took your time in the process of getting back together

going on dates, talking everything out to build a strong base

work together was fun

i mean i’m not gonna talk about the sneaky make out sessions but haha you know 👀 

surely you got back together, even shared an appartement and you are the happiest you’ve ever been

he proposed 3 years after

fin

taglist : @fallingforyuu @ukhyeonn @yeonayona  @terminallyvolatile @bryai003​ @ichigo-post​ @virgyalizu​ 

i truly hope you like it, <3

[whatifyoulivelikethat]

red+white, m | kth, jjk

pairing(s): taehyung x reader x jungkook

summary: On Christmas Eve, you take Kim Taehyung and Jeon Jungkook out on a date and they’re surprised to find out that... it’s actually a real date. At least, until you decide to pull up your dress right in front of them. You are a horny little seductress after all.

warnings: rated M (18+) for language, semi-public sex in the back of a car; intense smut (fem reader, threesome, nipple play, fingering, vibrator use, f-receiving oral, multiple orgasms, overstimulation); fluff; non-idol!AU; noona!reader gets all the attention this time, so sweet of them!

other parts of this series: just kidding + part ii, car ride.

--

You massaged the base of your right thumb, sucking in a tight breath at the pain.

You shouldn’t have played so many League of Legends games last night, but there was an event pass and you had to grind games. Well, you didn’t have to, but you wanted to. League of Legends was probably your longest commitment in your entire life. And it gave you carpal tunnel.

Like all your interests, it was making your life complicated.

You pulled the sleeve of your fur coat over your wrist brace. When you played a lot, you kept it on all the time. It wasn’t the sexiest thing, but you needed your hands after all. For various reasons.

“Excuse me?”

You grinned to yourself before turning around, waving at the smooth, baritone voice of Kim Taehyung.

“Hey, Taehyung!”

Taehyung made his way through the crowd in the busy outdoor mall to stop right in front of you. It was late afternoon on Christmas Eve, when everyone was getting off work, sunny but cold. He looked you up and down, narrowing his dark brown eyes. “What is this?”

White faux fur coat that barely covered your ass, black thigh-high heeled boots, and the outfit completed with a large red fabric bow tied around your neck. You had nabbed it from a package of Christmas cookies you received earlier in the day. Your hair was pinned up, leaving a few strands framing your face. In comparison, Taehyung was wearing a biscuit-brown corduroy jacket with a forest green sweater and white dress shirt underneath, collar poking out. Dark brown hair a bit pushed back, but with most of it falling onto his forehead. Coffee-colored slacks, pointed oxfords.

“But you haven’t seen the best part, Tae!” you quipped, far too cheerful for the suspicious eye Taehyung was giving you. You unsnapped the buttons of your fur coat, revealing the tight, slinky, red silk mini-dress underneath. It clung to your every curve, molding perfectly to your breasts and hips.

Taehyung’s eyes nearly bulged out of his head. He grabbed the sides of your coat and yanked them shut, breath frosting in your face.

“What the FUCK?” he hissed under his breath. “You can’t wear that!”

You blinked at him. “Why not?”

“That’s the kind of clothes you would wear to a club! Not a date!”

“But I don’t go to clubs anymore. I think it’s better to wear what you already own than to buy new ones.”

The look you were giving Taehyung was innocent, but he knew better.

“At least tell me you’re wearing underwear.”

You grinned. “Maaaaaaaybe…”

“Noona,” he growled low in his throat, making you wet already.

“Alright, alright, yes I am.”

Taehyung buttoned your coat, frowning. “Just wait until Jungkook sees you. He’ll be pissed.”

“Pissed about what?”

Jeon Jungkook’s bouncy, energetic voice popped up behind you. You turned around to see him in a big black parka and black jeans with chunky black boots. He grinned, waving a hand, his long black hair half-slicked back as usual. He was wearing leather fingerless gloves. You bit your lower lip, grinning back. Jungkook’s smile faltered, suddenly apprehensive once he saw your expression.

“What’d she do?” Jungkook asked, eyes flickering to Taehyung.

“She–”

“Jungkook,” you cut Taehyung off jovially. “I wore something nice for you two!”

And you popped your coat open once again, ruining Taehyung’s good work of trying to keep you covered. Taehyung threw up his hands as Jungkook’s eyes widened, jaw dropping at the sight of your sinful body wrapped in red silk.

“Noona!” Jungkook scolded, yanking the sides of your coat closed, pressing his body against you. “You can’t wear that!”

“Why not?” you purred, licking your lips. “It’s nearly Christmas.” You pointed to the large red bow on your neck. “I’m festive!”

Jungkook looked aghast, clenching his jaw. “T-That’s not…” He hurriedly re-snapped the buttons on your white fur coat. “You’re going to be cold.”

You shook your head. “This coat is super warm. Plus, I’m wearing panties!”

Jungkook shot Taehyung a pained look. “I’m proud of you…”

“We’re going to be late! Let’s go!”

You grabbed their hands as Taehyung and Jungkook sighed at each other, smiling despite knowing they were already in big trouble.

-

“A… mug café?”

You pointed to the menu. “Not just any mug café, Jungkook. See, you pick a style of mug and then you decorate it with paint. Once you’re done, they cure it for you and then you can eat some snacks as you wait for it to be finished.”

Taehyung tilted his head, reading the instructions. “Looks like you have to make an appointment.”

“I did. It’s almost time,” you said cheerfully. “Look at all these different ceramic colors and paints. I thought it would be fun to do together.”

Taehyung and Jungkook exchanged a look. “You mean… this is an actual date, noona?”

You turned away from the window to frown at them. “Of course, it is. I booked a time and everything!”

Jungkook shifted his eyes. “Uh, well… usually you’re interested in doing other things with us…”

You blinked at them. “What?”

Taehyung clapped a hand over Jungkook’s mouth. “Never mind, never mind. Let’s go in.”

-

“Ah! I’m done!”

You turned your extra-large pale blue mug around, revealing the fluffy white Poro you painted, complete with a tasty cinnamon-bun-looking Poro-Snax biscuit in its mouth. Tiny white and yellow sparkles circled its head like a starry sky.

Taehyung smiled, shaking his head. “Your League of Legends obsession is a little extreme.”

“Oi, Poros are cute. I like cute things. That’s why I like you.”

Taehyung’s tan cheeks turned bright pink as you turned your attention to Jungkook’s masterpiece. He was painting a nighttime forest of evergreen trees on a black mug, with a small cabin and white dotted stars. He had three plates of different colored paints and at least ten small paintbrushes next to him. His pink tongue was in between his lips, holding his breath as he added small details to the trees in different shades of green.

“Wow, that’s intricate,” you admired, scooting your chair closer to him. Your sleeves were rolled up, but you were still bundled in your coat. Somehow, no paint got on the white fur. “You’re so talented, Jungkook.”

He finished the tree he was working on and pulled it back, frowning slightly. “Ah, I don’t know…”

“What are you talking about? That’s the coolest mug I’ve ever seen. I would totally buy that if I saw it at the store,” you protested.

Jungkook smiled sheepishly, picking up another paintbrush covered in white. “Really?”

“Of course. Especially since the artist is so handsome,” you added with a wink.

Jungkook’s ears turned red as you shuffled back to Taehyung to look at his mug. He was painting a small brown bear with a red Santa hat next to a wildly decorated Christmas tree on a light green mug.

“Should I add snow?” Taehyung wondered out loud.

“Maybe on the ground? But I think the tree should be the focus,” you mused. “Will the bear have a little coat?”

Taehyung puffed his cheeks. “Ah, I forgot!”

You scraped your chair back, holding your own Poro masterpiece. “I’m going to have them cure mine first. Be right back,” you chirped cheerfully, walking up to the counter where the jolly-looking man was waiting.

Jungkook watched you go, pursing his lips. “Kind of surprised she hasn’t tried to do anything crazy yet.”

Taehyung squirted out way too much red paint and made a disgruntled noise. “Well, she isn’t a horny seductress all the time. Just most of the time. Also, we’re in public.”

Jungkook went back to his mug as you chatted with the owner. 

“It’s nice, just like this.”

Taehyung paused mid-stroke of red. His eyes flickered to Jungkook’s lowered head, back to being focused and working carefully. Taehyung thought about adding to the conversation, but kept his mouth shut, rubbing his chin instead. Then he went back to the bear and adding the red Santa coat.

You came back with a muffin and hot chocolate.

“Ah, the owner was so nice. He gave me the last blackberry muffin. He said they’re really popular.”

“Oh, can I try some–” Jungkook raised his head as you turned around to place your white fur jacket on your chair. His eyes widened, voice turning into a tight hiss. “Noona!”

You settled back in your seat, facing him as you popped some more muffin in your mouth. “Mmm?”

“Your dress is backless!”

“IT’S WHAT?” Taehyung whispered shrilly, nearly dropping his work of art.

You chewed. “Yeah… so?”

Jungkook jabbed his paintbrush in the air angrily. “So? SO?”

Taehyung craned his head and his jaw dropped. “That’s nearly to your ass!”

You took a sip of hot chocolate. “Yeah… so?”

Jungkook got up suddenly. “I’m going to have my mug cured.”

You blinked at him. “Are you done?”

Jungkook narrowed his eyes at you. “As done as I have focus for.” He walked stiffly to the counter.

You blinked. “What’s his problem?”

Taehyung scraped his chair back loudly, startling you. “I’m also finished.” He also began to shuffle awkwardly to the counter. You tilted your head and went back to your muffin, eating happily. Maybe a little too happily.

Well.

Definitely smugly, that’s for sure.

-

“Ah, should I just put them on the floor like this? Or like this?”

Jungkook and Taehyung were standing behind you as you struggled arranging the nicely wrapped, hand-painted mugs you all had made in the backseat of Taehyung’s car. Meaning that the backseat door was open and you were on your knees, bending down to the floor to arrange said boxes, your thigh-high black boots sticking out, white fur coat riding up your ass and your equally short red dress slowly hiking up your thighs.

Taehyung and Jungkook stood behind your legs, staring at your increasingly exposed butt in the parking lot and blocking the view from passersby.

“You are doing this on purpose,” Taehyung muttered.

“No, I’m not,” you shot back. “I don’t want someone to look in your car and want to steal your Christmas presents. I paid a lot for that appointment!”

You yelped and fell to your elbows, the hem of your dress shooting up your ass and popping against your waist, leaving your thin red thong out in the open. 

“What the fuck?” Taehyung grumbled indignantly, stomping around to the other side of the backseat.

Jungkook rubbed his temples, already expecting it, but still unprepared.

You grinned to yourself, unsurprised as Taehyung ripped the car door open.

“You,” he growled, sliding into the seat and shutting the door sharply. “Are a horny seductress.”

You smiled innocently at him. “Who, me?”

He took the three boxes from you and placed them in the front passenger seat firmly.

“Hey, be careful with those–”

Taehyung grabbed your face and kissed you, pressing his warm lips into yours, silencing your words. You sighed happily, opening your mouth and moaning, enticing him. You felt Jungkook’s fingers on your cold, exposed skin, snapping the string of your thong into your ass and making you whine against Taehyung’s lips. Jungkook grasped your panties and pulled up hard, burying them into your rapidly dripping slit. You bucked, wiggling your hips as Taehyung rubbed his tongue against yours.

“Fuck, noona,” Jungkook breathed. “You’re so fucking sexy.”

He pushed your legs in, forcing you to sit in the center seat and slipped inside, shutting the door.

It was cold outside, but inside the car was so very hot now.

Taehyung broke the kiss, glaring at you. You loved how dark his eyes became, so demanding and lustful, annoyed but also amused with your antics.

“You’re such a bad girl,” he muttered. “But you make me want to fuck you anyway.”

He pushed you into Jungkook’s waiting arms, forcefully turning your head. Your stared into Jungkook’s piercing gaze, his long black hair covering his left eye. He smirked at you, bringing you close to his face as Taehyung unsnapped your coat.

“Can’t even wait until we’re home to cause trouble, can you?” he whispered against your lips.

You tried to kiss him, but Jungkook dodged you, roguish expression on his face. You frowned and grabbed his head, crashing your lips into his as he infuriatingly smiled against them, catching your lower lip in between his teeth and sucking on it. You moaned softly as Taehyung ran his large hands up your hips, all the way up to your breasts. Jungkook’s fingers tangled into your hair, pulling your head back as a needy whine escaped your lips. He shook a finger at you, scooting his body closer, pushing you into Taehyung.

“No, no,” he chided, shushing you. “You want to be so bad and get us into trouble, then you’ll have to face the consequences.”

He placed his leather-covered palm on your cheek, forcing you to face Taehyung as he lowered the shoulders of your coat, exposing the thin straps of your silk dress. Taehyung sucked in a breath, looking down at you hungrily.

“So jealous that someone must have taken you home in this,” he murmured.

You winced a little, biting you lip. “Um… maybe many someones?”

Taehyung’s eyes flickered up to you, dark and dangerous. “You’re insatiable.”

He took one strap and Jungkook took the other, sliding them down your shoulders. Your breasts swelled against the red silk before popping out, black x-shaped pasties covering your nipples. They didn’t need to help you take them off. You reached up with some difficulty and peeled them off yourself, nipples hardening in the cold air.

A part of you was aware that some bystander might witness this and the same part was quite satisfied about that.

Jungkook leaned forward to press his lips against your ear, right hand coming up to knead your right breast. He had removed his gloves, his bare palm rubbing against your hard nipple. Shivers ran through you at his touch.

“Someone’s going to see how naughty you are, noona,” he purred, licking your earlobe. “Someone’s going to watch you get toyed with by Taehyung and I and probably jack off to it tonight.”

You exhaled deeply, feeling Taehyung’s left hand on your left breast, pinching your nipple as he shifted a little to cover your body, leaning his forehead against your temple. You should have been cold, being mostly naked, but you were scorching hot with arousal and the bodies of the two men pressed against you.

“Let them watch,” was your reply, moaning against Taehyung’s lips.

Taehyung scoffed. “Jungkook would probably fuck you out in the open like an animal.”

Jungkook grinned mischievously. “I would.” He sucked on your ear, flicking your nipple as you kissed Taehyung. “And she would be begging for it.”

You spread your legs, whimpering, but they ignored it, Taehyung working his free hand into your hair, ruining all the hairpins, kissing you hard and possessively. You inhaled his heavy, spiced cologne, intoxicated. He released your nipple and reached up to the one end of the red bow, Jungkook playing with the other end.

“I know you said the mug-painting class was our Christmas gift,” Jungkook began, twisting his fingers around the ribbon.

Taehyung broke the kiss, licking your lips lightly as he spoke into your panting mouth.

“But we would have been satisfied with unwrapping just this one.”

And then they both pulled on the red fabric ribbon, slowly untying it, ruining the perfect bow and your common sense, tipping your head as you arched your back. The ends brushed against your chest as Jungkook hooked a finger in the center, fully undoing the tie and exposing your neck. It fell against your elbows, your arms still trapped in your large fur coat.

“Fuck, noona,” Taehyung breathed against your skin. “You’re so pretty, just like this.”

He kissed down your neck, licking down your quivering throat. You had no time to watch though, because Jungkook immediately kissed you, thrusting his tongue into your mouth, making you moan as Taehyung’s lips found your nipples, licking and sucking them while Jungkook sank his fingers into your thigh.

Your panties were drenched, sticking to your folds, leaking down, the strong scent of your arousal filling the car. You suddenly felt Taehyung’s long fingers grip the top of your thong and pull up. You gasped into Jungkook’s mouth and he grinned, fingers trailing up your thigh, so close but so far.

“You want to be touched?” Jungkook taunted, tapping your inner thigh.

“J-Jungkook, please…”

He hummed cheerfully. “I will if hyung lets me.”

You narrowed your eyes at him. Jungkook grinned cheekily back, dark eyes flashing, black hair obscuring his left eye. It was clear that all he wanted to do was deny you, because Jeon Jungkook was a relentless tease.

Well, you had that in common.

Your conversation with Jungkook had distracted you from the fact that Taehyung had removed himself from your chest, reaching into his coat. You jumped as you felt something cold and hard press against your clothed, but still throbbing, wet clit. You whipped your head to Taehyung, who licked his lips, devilish spark in his brown eyes.

“Present for my good girl.”

And then he turned on the bullet vibrator, assaulting your clit.

Your cried out and Jungkook slapped a hand over your mouth, grunting as he held down one leg, preventing you from squirming away as Taehyung pinned the other to the seat, sending intense vibrations straight to your sensitive bundle of nerves. You whined around Jungkook’s palm and he lowered his face to your right breast, taking your nipple into his mouth. Taehyung followed suit with the other.

It was a cramped space, and yet you were already in ecstasy, head forced back, both your nipples being licked and sucked as Taehyung coaxed you to orgasm. Your whole body jerked as you came quickly, unable to cope with the initial harsh, intense vibrations and the sensation of two tongues on you at the same time. Your clit flared with stimulation, thighs trembling. And still Taehyung held you there, barreling you through your first orgasm and pushing for the next, making you scream behind Jungkook’s strong hand, eyes squeezing shut as the wave crashed down again, hips shuddering and spasming with pleasure.

Taehyung removed the vibrator to press it against your wet nipple. You shuddered, clit aching, still wanting more. Jungkook removed his hand and Taehyung kissed you, breathing in your euphoric exhale. You moaned into his mouth, eyes half-lidded, staring into his beautiful lashes, his soft hair brushing against your forehead. You whined and Taehyung broke the kiss, your name floating from his lips, turning off the vibrator for a moment. You wanted to reach up and touch him, slip your hand under his sweater and shirt, but your hands were pinned in place from your jacket.

“Sorry, noona,” he purred in his soul-shakingly deep voice. “Only one of us is getting naked here, and it’s you.”

“B-but, Tae…”

He chuckled, the sound reverberating in his chest. “That’s what you get for teasing us with your sexy body.” He turned away from you, tapping Jungkook who was lazily pushing your nipple around in circles with his tongue, steady pleasure that graced you through your afterglow. Jungkook raised his eyebrows.

“Hm?”

Taehyung pointed to your thong. “Rip it off.”

“Aren’t you going to ask me if I still want those?” you interrupted, amused.

Taehyung cocked an eyebrow. “I have to convince you to keep clothes on in general.”

You nodded knowingly as Jungkook’s fingers danced down your stomach. “You’re right.”

“You don’t have to convince me.”

Jungkook made eye contact with you, lower lip trapped in his teeth. Your lips parted, feeling his fingers close in on the top of your panties. He was smirking playfully, aware of his power over you, watching your eyes tick between his face and his hands. His nail traced your slit, smirk widening as you moaned at his light touch.

“I would let you be naked as much as you want,” Jungkook drawled, slipping a finger under the soaked red fabric, prying it out of your folds. You whimpered softly, lost in his dark brown eyes and his sinful words, his knuckles brushing against your heat as he grasped your thong with his two hands.

“And that’s why I have to wrangle you two,” Taehyung muttered, eyes flickering to the outside world, hoping the owners of the two cars next to you were not going to come back anytime soon. “Otherwise, both of you would be arrested for indecent exposure.”

Jungkook grinned. “Sorry, hyung.”

“Don’t you ‘hyung’ me.”

You gasped as Jungkook ripped your thong apart, turning it into useless scraps of wet red fabric. The strings on the sides snapped as well and it fell off your body. Jungkook swept the shreds from the seat onto the car floor.

Taehyung glared at him. “And I’m supposed to explain that to the car cleaners, how?”

Jungkook shrugged. “Tell them you had a very horny woman you needed to please.”

Taehyung looked up at the sky, exasperated, mouthing silent words before he addressed him again. “I’m first, then you. Then we’ll switch again.”

The younger man grinned. “Okay.”

You blinked as Taehyung handed Jungkook the silver bullet vibrator. “Excuse me,” you said quietly, “I would like to know exactly what you mean by–”

You were abruptly cut off by Taehyung shoving two fingers into you, your words turning into a sharp yelp as your drenched hole was suddenly filled, all the way up to his knuckles. Jungkook lifted you slightly, perching your leg on his so your hips were raised, giving Taehyung a better angle. You felt Taehyung’s lips against your ear as he slowly slid his fingers out, whispering your name.

“We’re going to make you cum so much you can’t stand,” he growled. “And then we’re going to take you home and stuff you so full of cock that you’ll think twice before teasing us like this again.”

Jungkook chuckled, appearing in your vision, speaking in Taehyung’s ear.

“She’s going to take it as encouragement to do more dangerous things.”

Taehyung sighed knowingly, forcefully jamming his fingers back into you. You gasped, pressing yourself against Jungkook’s hard body so you could raise your hips as Taehyung began to pump his fingers into your dripping pussy, wet sloppy squelches accompanying his movement. You could barely register the sound of the vibrator turning on again, but you felt it, sliding down your stomach, skin tingling as you panted.

“D-don’t…” you whimpered, already knowing it was falling onto deaf ears. You were clenching so tightly around Taehyung’s fingers that there was absolutely no way you meant it.

Taehyung smirked. “Jungkook’s allowed to do whatever he wants while I finger you.”

The pulsating vibrations attacked your clit, shooting bolts of pleasure up your torso, hips shaking as Taehyung’s fingers repeatedly rammed into you. Your eyes slid closed, a moan tearing from your lips, Jungkook’s snicker above you, his free hand pinching and rubbing your nipple as he massaged your clit with the bullet vibrator.

“Noona, you’re so fucking hot,” Jungkook praised, breath heavy against your skin. “The most perfectly fuckable body I’ve ever touched.”

You bit your lip hard, pleading noises in your throat, getting wetter at Jungkook’s words, one of your hands clutching Taehyung’s thigh, digging your nails into his pants, indicating you were close. Jungkook changed the setting, increasing the vibrations, and your hips bucked violently, burying your face into Taehyung’s shoulder as you came, screaming into his brown coat.

“A-ah, Taehyung, Jungkook!”

You gasped sharply as Taehyung removed his fingers, moaning as they touched his tongue.

“Fuck, you taste so good.”

Jungkook’s lips pressed against your ear, teasing you. “My turn.”

And then his two fingers slid in, slightly different from Taehyung’s, but just as good, filling you up. He scissored them in you and you lifted your head from Taehyung’s shoulder, panting, watching Jungkook and his sharp jawline, pupils so dilated that his eyes looked black. He seemed to feel your gaze and he turned his head to look at you, the tiny mole underneath his lips flashing as he grinned.

“Who’s a good girl?” Jungkook hummed, tilting his head, pink tongue darting out.

“I-I am…” you breathed, whimpering as you saw his tongue. “I am, Jungkook…”

He cocked his head as the vibrator sounded again, Taehyung pressing it against your swollen nipple, smearing your orgasm all over your tits. You moaned wantonly, leaning back into Taehyung as Jungkook began to finger you roughly, a bruising pace, sliding you up the seat a little with his force.

“What do you think, Taehyung?” Jungkook purred. “Do you agree with her?”

Taehyung chuckled into your hair. “Maybe if she cums for us a few more times, I’ll be convinced.”

He slid the vibrator down, down and you were there again, drowning in copious, sinful pleasure as Taehyung assaulted your sensitive bundle of nerves with relentless vibration and Jungkook fucked you hard and fast with his fingers, your juices sliding down his palm, probably sticking to the seat and your coat, but none of you cared, all three of you chasing your next orgasm, pushing you to the edge, going, going, gone.

It came fast and it came hard, ricocheting through you, so hot, so intense, clit and pussy throbbing together, sucking in Jungkook’s fingers, moaning their names deeply as you rocked your own hips through your orgasm, extending it. You shuddered when Jungkook pulled his fingers out, licking them off noisily as Taehyung pressed the bullet vibrator against your puffy, soaked pussy lips, watching your erotic expression, mouth open, tongue lolling.

“We’re not done, noona.”

Taehyung’s deep voice, warning you, but you couldn’t think, couldn’t believe there was more, more. He turned off the vibrator and switched it for his fingers again, dipping them in, the feeling of his joints and calluses rubbing against your walls, and then he added a third finger. You gasped, throat dry from all your noises as you opened your eyes to see Jungkook’s head lower, pushing your hips down so your knees hit the backs of the front seats, uncomfortably spread wide, ass half-hanging off but feeling so good that you didn’t notice. Didn’t notice until Jungkook’s tongue was on your swollen clit.

Your eyes rolled back into your head.

So fucking good.

Taehyung shoved his fingers into you, fucking you hard and deep as Jungkook lapped at your raw clit, teasing it, nipping at it. It throbbed against the tip of his soft tongue, so sensitive you were a whimpering, moaning mess, even more so as Taehyung’s and Jungkook’s free hands played with your nipples, pinching them as they drove you crazy, ruining you with fingers, lips, and tongue. Your name, coaxing you in heart-shaking baritone, telling you to come in Jungkook’s mouth and all over his hand.

“Aren’t you Taehyungie’s good girl?”

“F-fuck, yes, fuck, Tae, I’m your good girl, oh, fuck–”

Your words tumbled together in a hoarse hiss, hips rutting into Jungkook’s face as you came, liquid gushing everywhere, walls spasming and clamping around Taehyung’s fingers, one of your hands pulling out of your coat and grabbing Jungkook’s head, forcing him down as you rode your high into his mouth, messing up his long hair. Jungkook gave you a muffled groan, twisting your nipple slightly.

Your core was aching with pleasure and overstimulation, never before having been pushed this far, intoxicated by the feeling. You loved every second of Taehyung and Jungkook having their way with you, drunk on the feeling of back-to-back orgasms. Your hand slipped and Jungkook resurfaced, lips shiny with your juices, licking them off slowly as Taehyung sucked on his fingers.

Then Jungkook flexed his right hand at you, tattoos dancing as he did so.

“Round two.”

And then the positions changed, Taehyung’s lips on your inflamed clit, Jungkook’s three fingers knuckle-deep inside you, except Jungkook craned his body to place his lips on your abused right nipple, sucking on it as Taehyung pressed the slippery bullet vibrator against your other nipple, vibrations jarring you right to your heart. Taehyung’s tongue was gentle and firm, still too much as it was paired with Jungkook’s wet muscle teasing you as his fingers thrust into your pussy, slow, deep, hitting your favorite spot. You completely forgot you were in Taehyung’s car in some random parking lot, partly out in the open, lost in the ecstasy and elation.

It took them no time at all since you were already so sensitive that you were the one holding back, trying not to give in, trying to prolong the pleasure, but eventually you lost and the taut coil in your stomach snapped.

“O-oh, Jungkook, Taehyung…”

Your hips jerked into Taehyung’s face, your orgasm leaking onto the floor of his car, fingers curling into his hair, so lovely and soft, wild torrents of pleasure soaring through you. So very, very good. Dirty, deviant, and glorious. Taehyung removed the vibrator from your nipple, turning it off. You moaned softly, coming down from your high, clutching Taehyung’s head, your fingers massaging his scalp as he continued licking you gently. You gazed into Jungkook’s eyes as he slowly removed his lips from your nipple, glassy eyes locking with his.

“You taste so good,” Jungkook murmured, face centimeters from yours. “Smell so good, look so good, feel so good, sound so fucking sexy.” He kissed you, your taste still on his tongue, breathing your name like a caress.

Taehyung finally untangled his head from your hand, panting softly. He came up to your face too, and Jungkook moved to make space, tenderly kissing your cheek and ear.

“Noona,” Taehyung mumbled, smearing your own orgasm onto your chin as he placed a chaste kiss on your lips.

Your voice was raspy and gravelly from all your noises. “W-what?”

“You’re going to spend Christmas with us, right?”

Your lips curved into a mischievous smirk. “Well, I was going to slide down your chimney and–”

Taehyung prodded you as Jungkook laughed heartily. “We don’t have a chimney.”

You shrugged. “Same idea, break in and fuck you both.”

He narrowed his eyes at you. “Santa doesn’t do that.”

“All I’m saying is that Mrs. Claus definitely gets some–”

Taehyung shut you up by kissing you once again.

-

part ii: gold light

--

masterpost

[axoxtxhxh]

Promise Me - Chapter 1 - Water

Summary: Reader and Armin fall out of an air carrier during a training mission and end up in the ocean. They manage to wash ashore but they have no idea where they are. ArminxFem!Reader Content: Death Word Count: ~ 2,900

A/N: Here is the first chapter of my first Armin story. I posted a summary chapter a while back, but actually got around to start writing it. I hope you like it! Also, thank you @luanabonn​ for helping me think of the title :)

The wind shifted and the air carrier lurched sideways sending Armin flying to the other side, near the opening. His light body soared through the air leaving him nothing to grab ahold of. You saw him flying back and dove for him, grabbing his arm just in time as he dropped out the entrance. You held him over the edge, trying to pull him, but the air carrier shifted again as you slid backwards, your arm being strained against the threshold.

“Section Commander!” Armin screamed.

“I’m trying, Armin! Don’t let go!” You reached your other arm up, trying to pull yourself up to get better leverage when suddenly the air carrier swung a third time, sending it shifting the other direction. You had nothing to hold as you footing continued slipping, slowly sending you and Armin out the opening and into the dark ocean below. “Shit!”

You both fell through the air, barely able to see how close or far your impact was. Armin was screaming, holding onto your arm with both hands. You reached over and wrapped your fingers around his metal straps and held on as tightly as you could, bracing yourself for the inevitable crash into the water.

“Arm—” You both hit the water hard. The water hitting your face like needles, ice cold needles.

You couldn’t tell what was up and what was down and you quickly tried to assess your surroundings. You were still holding onto Armin, but he wasn’t holding onto you. He must have either passed out from the impact or from the fall. As you stayed still in the water, you could feel a pull in one direction and you swam that way, kicking until you reached the surface and gasped for air as you pulled Armin’s head above the water.

“Armin.” You shook him a little, trying to see if he was conscious or not. No response. “Armin.”

You shook a little harder and checked his pulse. He was definitely still alive. Setting a finger on his lip, you checked to see if he was breathing, but didn’t feel any air.

“Fuck. Come on, Armin.”

Leaning forward and being careful to not push him in the water more, you brought your lips to his, pinching his nose and breathing into him deeply then pulling back and waiting. Nothing. You did it again. Nothing. You did it again. Nothing.

“Please Armin, please wake up.” You breathed into him again and his body shook, his head lifting up and he started coughing up water.

It didn’t take long after that for him to start screaming again, realizing he was in the open water in near pitch blackness.

“Section Commander!”

“Armin, I’m right here.” You put your hand on his cheek until he calmed down.

“Where are we?” He tried to look around.

“Somewhere in the ocean.”

It was silent while you both worked to stay afloat, neither one of you being an experienced swimmer.

“Section Commander?”

“Yeah?”

“I’m scared.”

“Me too, Armin.”

“Should I titanize?”

“We don’t know how deep this water is. It may not even help.”

The silence was difficult for both of you to hear. The darkness making it even worse. You tightened your grip on Armin’s arm as the sound of the wind picked up. You had no experience in the water, you were both completely out of your element working with the little knowledge some books and the volunteers from Marley were able to provide. Marley.

The mission was to take the air carrier to Marley to survey the area from a distance. You weren’t even sure at this point how close you were to Marley’s shores. The air carrier has left Paradis and moved for quite a while. You never reached Marley, but it’s possible that you could be close enough to swim.

Would that even be safe though? Swimming to enemy territory. It had to be safer than the situation you were in now. Either way, there was nothing you could do but hope you don’t drift too far from shore while waiting for morning. Right now, you just needed to make it until morning.

“Armin, take off your metal straps and boots. I think we need to ditch any extra weight.” You instructed. Armin followed.

Feeling your boots drop from your hands and disappear below you filled your heart with trepidation. The unknown completely surrounded you both. You shook it off. Fear wasn’t going to help either of you now.

“Take off your pants.” You told him and he followed.

You unbuckled your pants and pulled them off, tying the legs and whipping them into the water to build up air. Using your belt, you tightened the waistband, holding the air inside and putting it over your head as a lifejacket.

Armin watched you as best as he could, in awe of how quickly you created a life jacket. He did the same and you both linked arms to stay together. Floating into the darkness and hoping when the sun came up that you’d be able to see some land.

…..

You had both been floating for a several hours. It was hard to tell how much time had passed. You knew it was around ten o’clock when you both fell out of the carrier. If slivers of light weren’t coming from the horizon of any direction, you had to assume it’s been less than seven hours. However, it had to be more than four. What a pointless thing to be thinking about, you thought.

Armin’s head was bobbing as he tried not to fall asleep. You were just as tired. Even with the help of your makeshift life jacket, you were both exhausted.

A couple more hours later, you were doing math in your head again when Armin’s head shot up.

“Did you hear that?” His eyes were still lidding, wanting to sleep more, but forcing himself awake.

“Hear what—”

“Shh… listen.” He leaned his head forward as if getting a couple inches closer to the sound would help. You did the same. His eyes opened wide with excitement. “A seagull.”

“Are you okay?”

“If we can hear a seagull, we have to be close to shore!”

You thought about it. He was right. You could definitely hear birds, but it was still too dark to see which way they were coming from or where you should swim. You both spun around, looking for any light. It would be another hour or so before you should see the sun rise.

“We just have to wait; the sun should come up—”

“There!” Armin shouted and you turned to look. The tiniest amount of light started creeping over the horizon. Armin was smiling at you and you couldn’t help but smile back. The night was over, but you still had to make it to shore, wherever it was.

It took about thirty minutes for there to be enough light to see which direction to go. It was a bittersweet moment when you both spotted land and began swimming as fast as you both could. Armin quickly stopping and looking at you, worry painted on his face.

“If that’s land,” he started, turning to the sun, “and the sun is rising from there… That isn’t Paradis.” You both sighed.

“We’re going to have to make it work. Be careful as we get closer.”

You felt like you were swimming forever. The shoreline getting closer and closer, but the cover of nighttime was no longer there and you now had to swim to shore fully visible. From what you could see, it looked like an empty beach. So maybe luck was on your side a bit.

You pulled Armin’s arm to the direction on the side of the beach. If you had to get there in full daylight, you might as well avoid the middle of the beach.

When you reached the shore, both of you laid down on your backs, panting and you squeezed the sand in your fists.

“We did it.” Armin sighed.

“Let’s go. We shouldn’t hang out here longer than we need to.” You stood up and pulled the lifejacket off, untying it and pulling your pants back on.

“Section Comm—” Armin started.

“Don’t call me that.” You looked over to him as you buttoned your pants. “Not here.”

“Y…Y—Y/N…” he stumbled over your name, “where are we going to go?”

“I’ll think of something. I’m sure there are places to hide.”

“But we don’t—”

“Armin.” You grabbed his arm and he gasped, his eyes wide as he listened to you. “Your discomfort and concern are valid and I understand them, but right now it’s not helpful.”

He nodded, finishing putting his pants back on and you watched the cheerless look on his face and felt guilty.

“I’m sorry.” You sighed.

“It’s okay.” He shrugged but didn’t look up.

“No, I disregarded your concerns too quickly.” You put your hand on his shoulder. “Right now, we only have each other. I want to hear what you have to say.”

Armin looked up at you and smiled and for a short moment, you almost forgot you were stranded. That is until Armin’s smile dropped at something behind you.

“Section Commander.” His whole face dropped, turning white as be brought a shaky finger up to point behind you.

You quickly turned to see what he was pointing to and were immediately met with a man holding a gun facing the both of you. Your first instinct was to stand in front of Armin, but just as you stepped in front, Armin pushed you down.

“Armin!” You yelled, turning around to look at him just as the man shot the gun. Armin’s head flung back and his body hit the sand. You crawled over to him, grabbing the collar of his jacket and shaking him. “Armin!”

His eyes stared blankly at the sky while your eyes filled with tears as you looked up to the small hole in his forehead now pooling with blood.

“Armin…” You shook him again. “Armin, no.”

You sniffled as the tears dropped down onto his chest and you moved your hands to his cheeks, holding them. They were still warm and you dropped your head down to his chest trying to hold the warmth there a bit longer.

“Armin!” You shouted, shooting up from the bed. You looked around the dark room and took deep breaths. You quickly reached next to you for Armin’s body and he sat up.

“Another nightmare?” His voice was raspy with sleep. You nodded, knowing he couldn’t see you and grabbed his face, brushing his hair back and checking his forehead. “I’m fine, Y/N.”

“I know… I just need to check.” You were still panting when he put his hand on your back and rubbed it gently. “It’s fine. Let’s sleep.”

He put his hand on your shoulder and pulled you back down to sleep.

He had asked you enough times before to know better than to ask about it now. You never wanted to talk about your nightmares. He figured they had something to do with him getting hurt because each time you had to check him for an injury that wasn’t there. The first time it was his back, then his stomach, then his throat, tonight it was his forehead. He wrapped his arm around your waist, pulling you closer and quickly falling back asleep.

His snores and the warm air from his breathing hit your ears and you felt an odd comfort from them, knowing he was okay. It had been almost a full month since you both reached the shore. The nightmares only started a couple nights in. They were all the same in one way or another, Armin dying. You took a deep breath, pushing yourself deeper in his arms and closing your eyes until you could fall back asleep.

When you woke up, Armin wasn’t in bed next to you. You looked around and found him standing by the window, looking outside.

He was holding a cup and drinking something warm and you watched the steam swirl out of the top, disappearing the higher it got. Armin brought the cup to his lips, then turned to look at you. His eyes lighting up, noticing you were awake.

“You’re up.” He smiled, walking closer to the bed. It wasn’t actually a bed. You dreamed of the day you could be back home sleeping in your bed. This was more like a bunch blankets on the floor, but it had been doing the job well enough.

“What are you drinking?” You sat up, smoothing your hair out of your face.

“Tea.” He sat down cross-legged in front of you, offering the cup to you. “Have some.”

You took the cup and took a sip, the warm, sharp-tasting liquid glided across your tongue and down your throat. You had never been much of a tea drinker, but you had to admit, it did taste good.

“This is good. Where did you get it?” You handed the cup back to him. “You didn’t go outside to get it, did you?”

“No, I didn’t. I told you I wouldn’t.” He took the cup back and took a sip. “It’s from one of the bags you brought yesterday.”

“Oh, I don’t even remember picking it up.”

Armin took a sip of the tea and watched you staring off at the wall. You had both already gotten thinner in the short time you’ve been there, but he could really see it on you. You had a slightly more muscular build than most women and then the lack of physical activity topped with eating less had slimmed you down quite a bit. He handed you the cup of tea again, but you shook your head.

“I should get going. I already slept too late.” You stood up and grabbed your pants, pulling them on then slipping your shoes on. Armin watched, setting the cup on the floor next to him.

“I was thinking—”

“You’re not coming with.” You turned to look at him, tired of him asking this same question every day.

“Please, Y/N. I’m going insane sitting in here all day.” He stretched his legs in front of him. “I will stay right next to you and do whatever you say.”

“Armin…” You started. You did feel really bad for him. It must be incredibly boring and honestly really exhausting sitting in the building all day. It was too big of a risk for even you to go out, but you needed food.

“I can help.” He sat up, seeing a chance to possibly convince you. “I won’t say anything to anyone. I will just carry stuff. Please?”

It wasn’t too terrible of an idea. It wasn’t that unsafe for him to be outside. You just preferred going alone because it was one less thing for you to have to watch while you were out. Looking at him really had you wanting to say yes. He sat back on his heels and smiled at you, his big blue eyes excited for a ‘yes’.

“What about shoes? You don’t have any to wear.” You pointed out. “These barely fit me.”

Armin stood up so quickly, you thought that maybe he heard something. You watched him run to the area you kept the food and started digging through the bags. He came back with a pair of black tennis shoes and put them on. Your eyes widened then quickly narrowed.

“Where did you get those?”

“I went outside yesterday,” he mumbled, looking down.

“You did what?!”

“I went outside. I can’t stay in here all day by myself.” He was sitting on his heels again, his hands on his thighs and his head lowered. Even in such a submissive position, he was still standing his ground.

“You have to. How irresponsible can you be? You went outside and didn’t even tell me.”

“You wouldn’t have let me go if I asked.” “Armin, we barely know where we are. It’s my job to get us home. We made a plan and we both agreed on it. I would be the one to go out and get information. When I bring it back to you, you figure out what it means.”

“That was a good plan before when we thought we would only be here for a couple days. It’s been weeks.”

“So you’re just changing the plan without talking to me?” You huffed, extremely cross that he disobeyed you, but honestly a tad impressed. Armin was always one to follow what section commanders said and seeing him decide something for himself made you look at him differently.

“I’m not changing the plan. I didn’t even plan to go outside. I saw a man fall down the steps across the street. I went down to help him and he saw that I didn’t have shoes so he gave me an old pair. I came right back up. I promise.”

You took a deep breath turning your back to Armin while you pinched the bridge of your nose. He was right. You had both been here for too long already. Your idealistic plan of making it back to Paradis in a couple days was long gone and it was time to think of a plan B. You turned around to look at him. He was still looking down and you felt bad. Damn it.

“Alright,” you muttered, “you can come with.”

[batarella]

ANDROMEDA - CHAPTER SIX

Jason Todd is lost in an unknown realm light years away from Earth.

With not much hope to find his way back, his only companion is a cruel alien cyborg from the enemy fleet,  one he’ll have to get along with to survive.

A/N: THE FLUFF STARTS HERE

WORDS: 10,270 WARNINGS: VIOLENCE, MENTIONS OF PAST TRAUMA 

MASTERLIST

—–

Allies are not friends.

They don’t have to be fond of each other. Tolerance was most desirable. An annoyance- plausible, though might lead to dangers involving her fist down his neck. Fondness- unnecessary, and highly doubtful to happen.

And it certainly didn’t mean any of them had to put up with unnecessary chatter, small talk, or any of the sort.

Sometimes, when he wasn’t purposely being an irate pest, Jason was alright to be with. That morning, perhaps, was one of those days, as she didn’t awake to babbling or screams, but rather to her own well-rested fulfilment; crusts in her eyes as the hay dug into her flesh from where she laid.

It was a peaceful morning. Fresh air despite the hefty fog, quiet and serene as it often was in her well wishes for each day. She stretched her back, arms, and legs. No one was around but the fleshy horse and the weird ram. Was it noontime? She had no way of knowing. Nighttime lasted three quarters of a whole day here.

Jason was out, it seems. Went on his own around the market like the tourist he claimed not to be. He arrived at the barn with a sack over his shoulders not long after she awakened. “Mornin’ Briar Rose,” he snorted. She did not like that name. “Took you long enough.”

“How long was I out?”

“About twenty hours. You were out cold. And you snore.”

“I barely have any sinuses,” she sneered as she fixed her holster and scabbards, “I don’t snore.”

“I’d have filmed you if I didn’t know you’d beat me to death if I did.”

Smart.

“I was tired,” she said as she outed the foggy disturbance in her mouth. N/N watched him unearth the many trinkets out of his sack of goods. “And where were you this whole time?”

“Went around a few shops. Ten bags for a quarter. You were right about the currency thing being weird.”

In front of her, on the wooden desk she’d cleared of her weapons, Jason threw packets of popcorn kernels: the same she’d downed just that night. Perhaps that was why she slept so soundly despite the whole universe in a chaotic whirlwind.

“You bought more?” she picked one up and felt the unpopped kernels beneath the paper. “We have enough food.”

“Relax. Better too much than too little.”

“But why this?” she asked unknowing.

His shoulders rose as if the answer out of him was too easy to tell, but that easiness didn’t come to be as they fell back into place, mouth parted for that same second before it shut.

“Because you liked them,” he said, and that didn’t sound like it was easy to tell at all.

N/N stopped amid strapping a gun to her leg, but continued after some time, without a thought on what to say, or if she should say anything at all.

Jason settled himself against one of the wooden archways, sat down, and looked up the ceiling. “I found a weapons shop,” he started. She tried hard to recall the time she asked, but the drowsiness hadn't fully departed, and she wasn’t in any mood to yell or be sarcastic. Besides, he bought her popcorn.

“I went in there with just three coins and about fifty bucks in bills, which I don’t think they’d want. Anyway, I was looking around and I found two handguns looking exactly like the ones back at home. Black pistols. Fits perfectly in my holsters, too. Don’t get me wrong; the blasters I took from the Fleet were awesome, but these things look like they’ve been microwaved just before they’d internally combust. So I asked how much the guns were. Didn’t know what he said after. I showed him all the coins I had left but that could only get me one of them. You know what I offered?”

N/N hadn't shut him down yet, which was something. She instead raised her brows as if she were the least bit interested.

“The silver from my belt buckle. Caught his attention like a snare trap. I counteroffered with a rifle and he seemed pretty cool with it.”

She glanced at the now empty sack and the weapons strapped to his hip. “So where are they?”

“Haven’t bought them yet. Told him I’d come back later before we leave. That’ll give me another grenade if the guy’s as desperate as I hope.”

“We’re leaving now,” she monotonously uttered, picked the last of her stuff up as he followed her out the barn. “You should have just bought them.”

“Then I saw they had a cybernetic arm for sale. Costs a fortune but it looked about your size. You planning on doing anything about that soon?” he pointed at the loss of limb. The maniacal imbecile.

“No. I have no credits to my name and I’ve dealt with worse. And in case you forgot, this was your doing.”

“Hey. I would have gotten it with the pistols if I had the coins.”

Suddenly that irritation grew to quietness, then N/N brushed it off and strapped on the last edges of her boot. They flew off the barn with one of Saro’s ziplines and landed on the hangar.

What was waiting for them at the end, however, wasn’t a ship driven out of the repair terminals or a finish that would have told them it was ready for lightyears of flight. Instead, the Dragonfly had on a large tent over its shell to cover it up, with Saro at the base of it talking to one of his men.

“You said it would be ready by now,” N/N startled him without any other greeting. Jason was behind her and was kind enough to at least wave his hand.

‘There is a problem,’ Saro croaked, not being the least bit intimidated by the cyborg. ‘Your fuel cells are incompatible with the ones we have in stock.’

“What do you mean?” she said with her teeth gritted. “Those are the standard.”

‘In some sectors, perhaps. But these were made a long way from the far ends of the galaxy. Standards could only work for so far out of the parsec.’

“Can you do something else? Makeshift the battery terminals?”

She started fidgeting uneasily and didn’t even know it.

‘Not enough to adapt to our cells, it seems, or else your whole ship explodes. Provide me with compatible batteries and I’ll work something out.’

Her mouth was as dry as her fists hurt from clenching. “What kind of batteries?”

‘Something more powerful. Your ship isn’t sustainable enough to make it last half the time it's supposed to.’

“What, you want me to steal a fucking Lantern Power Battery?”

‘That could work.’

“I wasn’t serious,” she growled. “Where do I get these batteries?

‘At the shops.’

“I don’t have any credits left.”

Saro waved them over to a nearby desk that had piles so disorganized she heard Jason flinch when they fell. After rummaging through the sort, he pulled out a flyer: one that crumpled from water damage even with it looking new.

THE SOMI ARENA MATCH

FOR THE BEST FIGHTERS IN THE GALAXY

REWARD: 300,000 CREDITS

Saro needn’t say anything more. N/N stuffed the paper into her pockets and left.

“I take it wasn’t good news?”

The fact that they’re stuck in that smoke-infested planet for another day? Or that they had to make a round trip pitstop at the sister planet millions of kilometers away with no money, no direction, and no idea where to begin?

Her eyes were on the earthling as she held herself from more curses and breathed.

-----

“At least he was nice enough to lend us these.”

Breathers to stick to their noses and filter out the oxygen from the water. Either Saro lends them that, or, knowing what N/N would resort to, risk another instance of high-speed chases and runaway fiascos after she robs a bus or even a whole ship. Thankfully, she hadn't thought of that herself just yet. She might when she reaches the inevitable bridge.

They didn’t have to pay for transport, either. Tourism demanded the amenity to quickly move between Ogawa and Somi, the sister market planets, which they weren’t about to ignore the advantage. Just at the outskirts of the Central, two giant wormholes were stationed with lines of all races, staff members and guides who mediated the whole area, and a port that meets everyone who wishes to enter. One was to take them from Ogawa to Somi, and one for the other way around.

The wormholes resembled boom tubes, though it was much larger, much brighter, and what was so odd: she could see everyone inside it even as they’ve stepped in, so it wasn’t much of a teleportation tube as it was a tube- something that speeds them past the kilometers fast enough for it to take no more than a few minutes.

Suddenly, it was no wonder why the place was littered with outsiders. Obnoxious ones at that.

When they reached the port, and after skillfully slipping into crowds to avoid being asked for identification, N/N pulled up her hood as they stood in line for the first wormhole. Jason was behind her, looking around for more oddities he questionably liked to stare at.

“Give me pointers about this planet before we get there.”

They moved along the line as people stepped into the white threshold. N/N spoke over her shoulder: “You’ve seen it just before we landed.”

“I know. But what’s it like?”

“A lot of its mass is water, so that’s where civilization grew.”

“Underwater cities?” Jason beamed.

“Yes. And when we get there, we find a way to get a battery and leave. No shopping. No detours.”

He held his hands up in defense. “Swear. You lead the way.”

It didn’t take long before it was their turn to walk into the tube. A fabric of light, like a curtain of plasma so easily walked into yet so terrifying to approach. The brightness didn’t blind them, even with it resembling the face of headlights coming straight for you. Still, with the light the same of the most dangerous stars, they shielded their eyes as they took their first step.

Then.

Then they stopped walking.

It was everything else that moved.

The speed of light can only be so comprehensibly fast, not a spectacle for eyes or even scopes of the highest advancements. Light doesn’t appear to move. It resembles a blink or an instant that just suddenly appears sourced from one end to the next. At least, to the eyes of many, it is that very thought. Light isn’t fast to them because it doesn’t look like it’s moving at all.

But the moment one does experience the speed of light, how it travels through space, an empty vacuum, or a smoke-filled jungle, only then could it be understood just how fast light can be.

The tube to Somi wasn’t a teleportation tube at all, but a horizontal elevator that moved faster than any flash or flame.

And instead of a boxed compartment that moved as they stayed put, everything around them was transparent plasma, glass if it weren’t so solid, to shield them from the lack of air. Between the two planets is nothing, as expected, but empty space. And it is that very space they were travelling in- at the speed of light.

And what was most likely the reason for all the tourists could be nothing else but the view.

With how vast the stars were, it seemed to be the same as the speed of an ordinary ship flying from both ends. But they’d never seen it from such a standpoint. Above and around, watching over like eyes stuck on clouds, the billions of lights so miniscule and twinkling smiled down as they heard the cries of admiration, the caws of wonder. Nothing was so silent, even with all the people about. There were more planets at the far ends, galaxies the size of seeds, suns so near it hurt to watch, yet not enough to pry off the awe-struck eyes.

And they weren’t even walking.

They stood motionless as the floor moved for them. At the lightspeed, they tore through what they thought to be the impossible.

But of course, N/N wasn’t marveling over any of it. She looked down at her shoes and not even at the clear glass that allowed them to move, nor the literal abyss that awaited below.

With a grin she hated to see, Jason broke his silence. “N/N. Look up.”

From under her hood, the first thing she looked at was not the stars nor anything out of the otherworldly view. Instead, she scowled at Jason. He didn’t stop his pestering, however, and just pointed at the sky.

In particular, a star cluster just over their heads.

“Stars,” she unenthusiastically muttered. “Okay.”

“Pretty right?.”

N/N pouted, watched as the twinkling drew soft lines at the speed they moved. “They’re alright.”

“They form a ladle.” Jason started drawing invisible lines with the tip of his finger. “And there. I see a tree.”

“Excuse me?”

“Constellations.”

It was then when she thought entrusting so much of her life, as of the now and tomorrow, to this manic, delusional earthling might not be the best idea.

“What the hell are you talking about?”

“When stars form shapes. Look at those three. That’s the trunk. And the ones around it are the branches and leaves.”

It hurt to listen. “I don’t know what you have on Earth, but I definitely don’t name stars after trees or ladles,” she groaned and hoped the demons were there and make her unhear it all.

“Once you see it, it’s all you’ll ever see.”

She wished that wasn’t so.

Because when she did take a glance up, it was true. She did see the tree. It was horribly built with a bent trunk and uneven branches, but a tree. It did none but make her groan.

They reached the port. The plasma walls surrounded them, the staff guiding them in as they neared the planet. Then the stars quickly morphed into sea life, the black space into this cerulean blue and greens that littered in stripes as they entered the planet’s first layer of the atmosphere.

Suddenly, they were underwater, into the civilization that lived for millennia and housed all aquatic races in the near galaxy.

N/N didn’t care for the fish that swam in schools or the algae that floated to the current. Instead, her attention was on the earthling.

She studied his face, watched how his face changed from held-back grins to sighs of wonderment, because if anything was a curiosity she ought to figure out, it was Jason.

There was that darkness in him she often got a glimpse at. He wasn’t all light. He wasn’t this ray of yellow and white and a spirit so pure and untainted that not even the worst atrocities could ruin his worldly views. In fact, it was far from it.

Still, she could tell, there was that push in him: a conscious whisper saying the darkness mustn’t be for so long.

Jason looked amused at the fish with spikes for tails, merfolk that danced like they would to the winds of air, sharks the size of ships, corals of changing colors like the signs of polluted cities, the clear water in place of a sky, floating petals, anemones, and creatures in place of clouds.

Then the city came into the clear. The underwater kingdom, with a Central of its own, sitting at the bed of the ocean like the embodiment of its soul. There was a mountain at the very center, one that marked the heart, and all else that floated about much like the sky city they just left were flying, hovering, with the city not having the level ground to rely on. The shops floated at almost a kilometer above, in uneven rows and columns scattered and disorganized, well-intended chaos. And the people, the merfolk, the humanoids, the fish, and all the other creatures from galaxies afar, swam about the depth of such canvas: the ocean that managed to keep its clarity and untaintedness. A child that stood on the lowest soils darted up to the heights above with no more than the aids of the fins on his arms, and what followed behind were the bubbles that trailed his feet. It was just a child, yet Jason, the six-foot-four earthling with the build of a rock (at earthling standards), gaped at the scene like it was something more.

Then, he faced her, caught her in the midst of her stare.

N/N looked away just before he’d have seen her eyes for a second too long and pretended to be so occupied with her cloak.

In some ways, they were a wonder: the stars, the dust clouds, the ocean, and the fish. She didn’t often go to water planets.

“We’re here,” Jason said, tugging at her cloak. They stepped off the wormhole, into the stable ground below a glass dome that kept out the waters.

No one waited a second before the bustling and excited squeals came into clear. The tour groups and families headed straight for the viewing decks and Center shops. Thankfully, they managed to walk against the current and stood just outside the populous swarms. Against the glass, Jason continued with his gazes at the outside while N/N surveyed the area.

“Do you know where to find the battery?”

“Somewhere far from here. Near the hangars, maybe. But that isn’t the problem.”

“What is?”

Hesitantly, N/N fished out the flyer from her cloak and handed it over to a clueless Jason.

She could feel the drop in his spirits.

“You’re joining an arena match!?” he exclaimed with a hitch in his throat. “With one arm? Are you insane?”

“I’m not joining.” She pointed at the bottom of the flyer. “We are.”

FOR TEAMS OF TWO!

“We don’t have a choice. We have 0 credits and our ship can't leave without a battery.”

Jason resorted to stinging himself by pulling on his hair.

“I know what I said about stealing before, but it sounds like the better option here.”

“Unless a bounty hunter comes along and causes a distraction, I doubt we can steal a coin.” She snatched the flyer from his hands and started for the crowd. “This place is more developed.”

And a lot more commercialized as well.

Just two spaces across them, a Green Lantern merchandise shop with toy rings and fake power batteries welcomed the tourists as they arrived from the wormholes, and they ate it up like starving men. People went out holding stuffed bears with Lantern suits on their backs.

“For an alien planet,” Jason said, “this isn’t any different than what we have on Earth.”

“I think one of the locals is a Lantern. A real famous one, too.”

“No kidding.”

She paved deeper into the crowds, onto the signs that led them to the great Arena. “You got your guns?”

“Don’t you think we should talk about this just a little bit more?”

“No.”

-----

Other than a couple of dirty looks from veterans, it didn’t take too long before the two sat at the waiting chambers. The arena had no rules for admission, no limits to who could or couldn’t sign up to the bloodfest, which meant they were facing species of the dozens, the warriors who traveled parsecs upon lightyears just to get here and shed blood. Some were at the height of their knees but had knives that cut steel like it were flesh and a build thin enough to move at the wind’s will. Some were thrice the size of the average being, with their heads weighing a ton and fists that could crush bone in one slap. Some, if not most, looked not much different from them, save for the neon skin colors and antennas sprouting out their heads, humanoids from all over the galaxy, the best fighters, awaited the countdown.

Jason had calmed, but his arms were stiff and his hands held tightly onto the seat’s ledge. He wouldn’t let his mind stop from the anxious ambling. N/N was quieter, though not as hopeful. She eyed her blade but couldn’t sharpen it without the aid of another arm. With a dull sword and just three limbs, their odds weren’t ones to wish for.

“I didn’t take you for the optimistic kind,” Jason broke the silence. He sounded as uneasy as he looked.

She placed her sword into her scabbard and sighed: “I’m not. But I think you’d know what desperation can make us do.”

“I do. I came here with you, didn’t I?”

She couldn’t let out a snide remark when it was exactly what she thought of as well.

“Can you… be underwater?”

Her homicidal tendencies started to kick in.

“Was that rude?”

She squinted.

“I’ll shut up.”

He distracted himself with the onlooking audience from behind the glass they were sitting across from. Thousands were watching, cheering. Probably not at them, seeing as they were one of the least popular teams in the contenders.

Then she clutched onto the seat as well, her hand right next to Jason’s, then she pulled- just to ease that tightening in her gut.

“I’m waterproof.”

Jason pouted his lips and bowed at her graciously. “Wow…” he gaped, and he didn’t sound as bewildered as she imagined he’d be. Jason went back to the amused staring out the foggy window instead of pitying over her like she would have done. But perhaps that was an earthling thing: thinking that steel for skin was something to mull over.

There was a buzzer, then the crowds stood from their places in an uproar. The current match just ended, and the winning teams scored a point. They could see the scoreboard from where they sat. The team at the top place only had one name, however, which was puzzling. TOS, it read. And they’d won every match they were in.

The screen distorted into the next teams to play. They were at the bottom, without a reputation to keep them up.

N/N-RED HOOD VS ZID-KID

“Zid and Kid?” Jason snorted. “They sound like they’re from a kid’s show.”

Before she could yell at him for possibly jinxing their odds, they were called to the front. The entryway was a door to a chamber, where they’d wait before the countdown strikes and the match begins immediately after the front gates open.

The guard held out his hand and almost broke Jason’s nose if he hadn't stopped in time.

“No guns,” he stammered, low enough to shake even a moth from the ground worsened by the tusks on his mouth.

As if their chances of even living weren’t already so shaky, she couldn’t say anything to the guard, nor to Jason, because that might have been when she realized this was, entirely, a death sentence, and that there might have been better options than this after all.

Jason swallowed hard enough to make his neck shake. He was looking at her the same way she looked at him: utterly horrified for the foreseeable death sentence.

Gap-mouthed, Jason pulled out the guns from his holsters and handed them over to the guard. He let them in. “Just pick out a weapon from the chamber.”

Right. The weapons they had on hand for the contenders. The weapons no one used because these beasts had ones of their own. The weapons that had rotted from the years of use underwater and probably were never cleaned for as long as the games started, which was centuries ago.

“Don’t worry. You don’t have to die to lose.”

If the guard had a neck, N/N would have jumped for it.

They entered the chamber and the door locked. In front of them, another gate, and the pillars at their sides held the tubes that would pour out the water and submerge them before the match starts and they’re welcomed into the arena like a grandmother’s warm embrace.

Jason picked two swords with sharp hilts and thin blades- probably the best out of the bunch he wasn’t even willing to touch. “I’m alright with swords, aren’t I?”

“Hmm.”

Then it was his turn to give her a dirty look.

The water started pouring in, and on their mouths, they stuck the breathers. “Good luck,” he said, just before his lips were concealed.

The chamber was filled, and they were afloat in the cold waters of the unforgiving planet. Perhaps the thought that the water might just be a tad too cold to be in hadn't been conveniently made aware. But as the end of the countdown ended, so did their doubts. No turning back now.

The gates opened. The crowd roared. In front of them, their opponents: Zid and Kid.

She could hear Jason choke himself with what he said about them in a children’s show.

Zid was an eel. That was the easiest way to put it. His length, however, she didn’t want to think about if they wanted at least a string of hope to hold onto. The thing could swallow them both without being an obstruction to its organs and it’ll probably take an hour before they’d reach the other end of its body. With red eyes and fangs stuck to its mouth, things weren’t exactly looking up for them.

Kid, on the other hand, was exactly as he was named. He was a child and nothing more, a humanoid without a weapon. Wouldn’t survive on his own if it weren’t for his partner.

But they weren’t partners. Zid was his pet. Kid sat on a saddle on top of the eel’s back with reins to let him maneuver his body like he would to a horse.

Ready.

Set.

Match.

The eel darted across the current, and they split to let it pass in between. It shifted so swiftly that his length looked nothing more than a blur. Then he stood upright, eyeing them both like measly prey. The rules said they didn’t have to die but doesn’t guarantee that they won't. And with the sight of the kind of fangs the eel had, that chance wasn’t looking too bright.

It rushed for them again with its jaws wide open. N/N swam back, and Jason landed a clean cut on its side, but it was barely enough to even make it bleed or even yelp. It did, however, piss it off, because the eel’s eyes were locked on Jason like boneless meat.

He couldn’t swim away in time, and the eel was spinning around him to create a whirlpool and keep him inside. The current was too strong, and she was brought with it like a helpless, wingless bird in the midst of a storm. She spun to the pool, legs and arm flailing as if already dead. And Jason, holding onto his swords like the poor thing knew what to do with them as much as he’d hoped, swam away just inches from the eel’s jaw snapping at his side.

Then N/N kept her eyes forward, saw a clear shed of scales that looked penetrable enough for a blade. She willed herself closer, fought the currents with whatever might she had, and with just one strike, she sank the sharp tip of the blade at the ridge where the scales met. Despite the water, she could hear it pierce through its innards, with the blood that spurred out the wound. That was when she did hear a cry, and it distracted the eel enough for Jason to stab its nostrils. Deeper she sank it in until the beast finally stopped with its spinning and the kid thrashing with its reins.

N/N pulled herself to its back, running, almost crawling even on her hands just to reach the top. The water, even with its resisting force, couldn’t match with her speed, and she was at the head of the monster that laid still as Jason held its mouth open before his jaw would snap close and severe his head.

The kid was vulnerable, and before he was done fumbling for his seatbelts, N/N cut open the straps and held the child by his collar. He had gills, it looked, which was why he could let annoyingly painful shrieks out into the aquatic void. N/N threw him aside and went for Zid’s head, her blade driving deep down its skull. Jason backed away in time just before it forcibly shut its mouth.

Then, perhaps what he wouldn’t have done if he were dealing with a human and not an animal, Jason stabbed its two eyes with both his thin swords, teeth grit, and elbows shaking at the incredible force. She did the same, twisting her one blade deeper into its head, and at the last of the eel’s cries, its blood spreading everywhere that would have driven a shark mad with hunger, its cries eventually ceased, and the sharp pains that came with the stings of unexpected victory paralyzed them in place as Zid’s limp body sank to the bottom of the ocean floor.

Something grabbed hold of N/N at the back of her head. Reaching over from behind, she held Kid by his shirt up high for the audience to cheer on as the child angrily thrashed his arms.

----

N/N-RED HOOD VS THORLOX SISTERS

A couple matches down. They almost lost their heads at the last one with sling-blade, but they were here. They were alive. She, a one-armed cyborg, and Jason, an earthling. That was enough to draw pitiful stares from the audience. At first, at least, until the doubtful whispers turned to cheers as their names went higher up the scoreboard. They hadn't lost. But if they wanted a shot at winning, they’d have to keep up with their streak and go up against Tos, who still hadn't been rid from the top.

As the chamber filled with water, Jason asked her: “You okay?”

Every fracture in her rods would snap back the moment after it breaks. Of course, she was okay. Why even ask?

But she nodded, asked him the same. He was okay as well.

The gates opened and the buzzers rang. Across them, with breathers of their own stuck to their mouths, two twin humanoid girls with vicious gold eyes wouldn’t wait for the buzzer before they darted past the thick water. They were strong, well-built, had orange skin, and black hair braided down their backs. Their armor mimicked scales, impenetrable just like steel. One had an axe in her hand and the other a large mace.

The latter aimed for N/N. She was stronger, more brute. The former, more precise. The axe swung for Jason’s head and he narrowly ducked just enough for it to miss his hair. Her blade, if it could speak, would be scolding her at how she used it to block a mace’s hilt, with the jolting in her wrists as he held onto the sword like she’d die without it. She pushed her feet against the whipping current and used the surrounding water to help her blow the mace-wielding alien off her front.

Jason held to no advantage and was dodging the axe’s every hit as narrowly as he could have possibly survived. Backing away, being blown by every swing, his feet landed on the sister’s guts just enough to push her off, then with his swords, he cut a string of her skin exposed just at her shoulder.

It only angered her further. Jason always did have a knack for pissing off his opponents.

N/N fought off the mace, ducked before it hit her head. at one point, it struck her arm and dislocated it off her bone, but it snapped right into place just before the mace struck her head. Her sword, as dull as it may be, did a horrific job at blocking the mace from smashing her skull in.

And it was thrown off her grip, to her horror, then she had to hold off another swing of its spiked head with nothing more than just her palm.

N/N pushed it off with the might she could muster before it destroyed her face if even just a slice of her strength falters. Jason was doing no better, moving slower as he couldn’t land another hit with the armor on their backs too strong. The Sister pushed harder, tougher, and from behind the breather on her face, N/N could make out a devious smile that went with the golden eyes.

The breather.

At the whiff of another strong current, she let go of the mace and it narrowly missed her ear. She had a second of a window, and she spared none to take it. With the Sister propelled forward, N/N snatched the breathing mask off her face.

Then the gold eyes stuck to the sky, mortified at the water rushing down her lungs. The Sister dropped her mace, held her neck, screamed at the sudden panic. Visibly, she turned blue, and her arms swung viciously to bring her up the surface, which was nowhere near where they stood.

And her sister, hearing her muffled cries, turned around and screamed horrified at her squirming for air. She pushed Jason off her axe, swam to help her sister reach for air, but N/N had grabbed Jason by the ankle and swung him over in that same direction. As if they’d planned it out, Jason held his two blades and caught up with the enemy, ending the match as he held her stiff body with two blades stuck to her neck just a push away from drawing blood. The buzzer rang, and their sights on the prize money came clearer with each round.

-----

N/N-RED HOOD VS TOS

The water was up to their necks when Jason said what she never thought she wouldn’t mind hearing.

“We’re a good team,” he said, then he put on his breather. She didn’t know how to respond.

Tos. The undefeated champion. They win this round, and the ever dim shadow of light at the end of this black hole comes clearer. The gates opened and in came their last opponent, the one obstacle left to deal with before the prize money was as good as theirs. With one name, he was only one man.

One man with two heads. In technicality, he was two. And that made a team.

And this man was twice their size and had four eyes as white as they were empty. His skin was armor in itself, with the sharp ridges the same as rocks and stone. He had no sword, no shield. Nothing was in his hands.

Dealing with his bare hands? That would have been far too easy.

His fists? His boulders for feet? Nothing they hadn't already succeeded in.

N/N was ready to pounce, drive her sword down its thick throat and show them that stone was no match for her steel.

But Jason held out a hand to stop her. Through his petrified eyes, she could see, Tos’ lack of blades or axe or mace was to no advantage.

As he drew closer, she realized why that was.

From his fists, Tos unearthed the very weapon she swore to never have to encounter for so long as she were alive.

Something all too familiar. Something all too terrifying.

A Green Lantern ring reveled in their horrified stares, and as Tos slipped it into his finger, the chances of them even getting out of that place alive were no longer to their reach.

Before they could do anything about the growing burn both in their heads and their throats, Tos threw two heavy anvils glowing of green for their bodies

It was like a whole kilometer’s drop, even if it wasn’t so. As the anvil’s steel-like finish smashed their ribs, it pummeled them down for the unseeable ground. Their backs hit the ocean floor and it was none but their arms and legs that held to keep it up from crushing their bones.

Green Lanterns were supposed to be the universe’s police force. They arrested people like her. What the hell was this one doing in a fighting match?

She pried the anvil away from her crushing bones with her one arm, forcing it off despite its growing weight that pushed her further into the soil. Her elbow started to bend, so did her knees and thighs that she held above her head so her skull wouldn’t be crushed. She cried from behind the breather on her mouth, and her limbs, trembling from the immense might, cried out to her will as well.

Tos drew nearer. He was struggling, holding his arm with the other as he forced all weight upon the two as much as he could congress. Beside her, Jason didn’t have the advantage of near indestructibility, nor did he have the kind of strength that would have been enough. And if they took long, he’ll die from shattered bones impaling his every organ. Even if she does lift the anvil off her bones, Jason can't.

Will it be enough? Will her strength be enough to get her out of this one?

She switched to hold it up with her back, lifted it from her shoulders down her spine. Her neck, straining from such weight, refused to break even with it pressing into her bone, both organic and steel of which was left beneath her flesh. Higher. Higher. Her feet were on the ground. She was pushing against the blur of the seafloor. Teeth about to shatter, palms slipping from holding it above her neck, her cries were unheard, but with every pull of her might came the greatest sting of pain.

Is she strong enough?

Jason couldn’t, for his own sake, use his arms to keep the weight away from his fragile head. His bones would break, and the fractures would paralyze him for life if he gets out of it at all. His cries, the horrific shrieks clouded by the water, were none from his pushes, but out of fear, callings for what life he must have felt easily slipping away. Behind his back, the soil started to dig in, his muscles taut and tighter as each pound of pressure was laid on his chest.

If his cries were to be heard, they’d know it would have come with tears- from the pain, the loss of life, and the hopeless shrieks for help.

Jason closed his eyes, stopped his screaming, and let it sink to his bones.

Then-

Then-

The weight vanished.

He wasn’t buried alive or floating to the heavens. From his eyes alone when he saw the anvil slowly lift itself higher over his head, his body, up until his face was shone again by the glittering lights. There were the cries still, but no longer of pain. Then when he met N/N’s eyes, all there could be was his awe-struck silence.

The anvil should have weighed a ton or two by then. Maybe even more. With just her arm and her cut elbow, N/N raised the anvil off the ground and stood underneath it to hold it over her neck. Her eyes bled from being so closed shut, and the stings will linger even later if they live to see the next tomorrow. On her back, raised with her bent knees, she screamed for herself to live through, and after Jason had the room to move, swim out of the way, Tos stopped summoning the anvil entirely.

With the weight gone, she should have fallen off her own feet.

But she willed on, swam up to their two-headed opponent with the blade out of her scabbard. Jason was at her side, beaten and weak, but he wasn’t backing down either.

Their swords, swinging at the Lantern who summoned every weapon he knew to exist, couldn’t possibly go against the missiles and nukes he threw at their faces. No gun rule, but a Green Lantern ring was allowed? Fuck this game.

He focused fire on N/N, blocking every bullet he threw at her with just her skin to protect her. It bounced off the steel, missed her flesh as she manipulated her movement in the currents to make them a harder target. With that, Jason dug his sword over his shoulder only for the whole blade to break at the impact.

Shit.

He grabbed Jason by the neck, summoned a rope around his ankle to haul him off his balance. N/N swam to save him, but that couldn’t even be.

No.

As the Lantern held all their limbs with the grips of green ropes tied to his ring, they couldn’t move. She thrashed, struggled, and screamed, but she couldn’t pull herself out of this one.

An unfair game, one they couldn’t win. She should have known they’d play dirty.

The buzzer rang, and their hopes for getting home, reclaiming their names, never truly at their reach.

-----

A Green Lantern worked for honor, willpower, and integrity, had to survive trials and garner enough triumphs, prove to the almighty Guardians that they were worth the ring. They served the galaxies, in all sectors there were in the universe. They were fearless, strong, and most of all, they served for justice.

This two-headed mongrel at Somi’s Central had nothing but a head, or two, up his ass, pride thicker than his neck, stubborn arrogance the density of star, and a cocky enjoyment for the line of his fans waiting for a meet and greet outside his Green Lantern merchandise shop, and that place was absolutely filled with a galaxy’s worth of races. He flexed and showed off all he could do with the ring, summoned barbels, guns, and the largest swords he pretended to wield. And the people ate it up like fine meals after days of hunger. He had the credits and two belts hung over his shoulders, and he waved with his lips made of stone and haughtily exclaimed his victory every chance he got.

N/N was at a far-off corner, one arm shielding her chest. They had nothing. No second-place prize money, no chances of getting a decent battery, no hope for getting out of the planet. It might sink in, eventually, but that won't be for the foreseeable future. Each time the Arena Champion held up his Lantern ring, the crowd cheered, and her spirits darkened.

Jason was at her side, leaning onto his arm against the wall behind her. He was mulling over the same sight, with the hooded eyes, the same pout in his lips. The broadcast called the two the sorest losers to leave the arena, and that was against Kid who threw tantrums at the judge’s table. And what was worse, showing her face for the whole planet to see live wasn’t the brightest idea. By then, someone would have recognized her, called the authorities, or worse, a bounty hunter, and things will go from hopeless to absolute nothingness. They had to leave soon.

“What now?”

She couldn’t answer, and that was more terrifying than having one even with it being the worst.

“Steal from the shops?” he asked.

“Too dangerous. We’re on thin ice.”

“We can't go back empty-handed.”

“We did what we could. Face it,” she scoffed. “It’s over.”

It didn’t help that her tone wasn’t at all hesitant to reveal such truth. She could see Jason’s shoulders tense, then fall. There was that bite in his lip he did when he was thinking, though he’d been doing that for hours, and still, he hadn't thought of anything.

It probably did sink in by then, but her immunity to bullshit had been engrained on her flesh, so much that even the worst happenings in her eventful, adventurous, yet seemingly dull life wouldn’t shake her off her soles.

Then Jason closed his eyes, tight enough that it looked like it hurt. In his grips, he held his hair, pulled that she could see his scalp rise with it. Slowly, as if he counted the seconds himself, he let go of his held breaths. They were shaking, uneasy. The thought of never getting back to his shitty home often did take time to be realized.

And what didn’t happen so often and probably was the first in an excruciatingly long time, she felt bad for him.

And it was because of that she hadn't an idea what to say. She started to, but her words ended up sounding like a muffled breath. She took to her silence instead. Saying nothing probably was best.

Instead, she watched his face to the ground, didn’t even flinch away with it close to her own.

He looked over his shoulder. “Look at the asshole.”

The Green Lantern Power Battery. Tos held it up for everyone to see, then he lent it to a fan for a photo and one of them had the stomach to kiss his cheek.

The floor wouldn’t be able to handle N/N’s acidic vomit, so she held it in.

“The Corps has no idea,” he sneered. “No way they’d let an asshat like that keep a ring.”

Another fan borrowed the Power Battery for a picture, then Tos signed autographs on their arms, necks, and legs. N/N squinted, waited, watched. It took a minute, but as she shot up from being slumped helplessly against the wall, all darkness seemed to part.

She breathed. “I have an idea.”

And it was simple, the idea, the heist she made up as she went.

----

It started with waiting almost an hour in line. With the hood on her head, and Jason holding N/N’s credit device to pass off as a camera phone, they neared the Champion of the Arena with their necks stretched as if ready for another fight.

The next step was a gamble. A child they saw holding a newly bought Green Lantern Power Battery Toy from the gift shop was convinced to join in on the scheme in exchange for coins Jason had left in his pockets. Pretending to be Jason’s ward, they got to the front of the line and the child asked to borrow Tos’ real Power Battery.

It looked enough alike. With his attention too feeble, it was a risk, but an easy one at that.

Tos didn’t even recognize Jason, stood for a quick photo with him and the little boy while N/N switched the toy Power Battery with the real one.

They gave it to Tos, left the area, and as the screams of the two-headed stone monster echoed out to all corners of the city underwater, the allied comrades, a cyborg and an earthling, were well on their way back into the wormhole, with the speed no less than of light.

It will sink in. Soon enough.

That they had a Green Lantern Power Battery in their hands.

That their odds of getting to the end of this infernos venture were higher than it’s ever been.

-----

The earthling was thinking.

At times when it was well into the day, he often was. And when it was dark, it was always. At times devoid of starlight, the clouds that paraded his mind grew thicker, and he’d wish to be alone, be quiet, turn his back from all else but himself. What a day it was, only the second since they landed their ship. It was a lot for even her to take, what more for an earthling who’d only gone through the horrors on Earth and nowhere else?

Jason was outside the barn, kicking his soles onto the wet grass that glowed in neon at the tips of the wilted weeds. The winds were tough that day as well, and from where she stood at the barn’s open porch, Jason’s hair was visibly taken with the wind, dancing on his head. It was long enough to brush his eyes and still, he wouldn’t tuck it away.

She wasn’t the one to go up to people as often as needed, and that wasn’t a lot of times. But amid his loneliness, with his hands tucked deep into his jacket and arms scrunched together, N/N found herself heading for his side.

It surprised him, but he tried not to show it. Even more startling it was when she hadn't a thought to say at all. In silence, she stayed. Jason eventually broke the silence.

“Quite the whirlwind today, huh?”

Nodding, she watched one of the weeds drop a tear to the barren soil. With it slightly uphill to the barn, they overlooked the top of the sky city and the fog that blanketed it.

But his eyes, still, as if enraptured as an eternal slave, were looking up at the star-riddled sky. It was from their view they saw the marble planet of Somi at the far horizon. With it so large, it covered half the night.

“I’ve never met anyone who looks at the sky as much as you do.”

That made him snicker, and not just through a breath out his nose. Jason let out a hearty, soft chuckle from deep in his chest, and it caught more than just her attention.

“If you lived where I did, you’ll understand.”

“I’m starting to,” she sighed. “Isn’t that the tree you saw earlier?”

Indeed, it was. The constellation he made up. It wasn’t as clear then as it did at the wormhole, but it was enough to be recognizable at first glance. The trunk, the leaves, the branches that stuck out to the left. It was there.

“I told you,” he chuckled again, “you can't unsee it.”

Jason walked further downhill just in front of her, and his hair flowed to the wind’s wanting.  

“You lifted a Green Lantern’s creation,” he whispered, much like he didn’t want to hear himself. “Not a lot of people can do that.”

The fog had cleared as the winds proved stronger. With it, the whistling of the glowing grass. The horse from the barn neigh at the sudden cold, but that was the only one to be heard other than their soft, careful voices.

If she could focus on everything else but the voices in her head, the warmth uncalled for, and the cold that came with it, perhaps she wouldn’t notice just how much emptiness there was from her lips.

“I’m not… people,” she said. “I’m a machine. I was built this way.”

There were chimes at the front of the barn. It rang as the air grew even stronger.

His shoulders tensed, and she awaited an answer that would sting the way she’d learned to ignore, or at least tolerate the pain she was used to, but that tension went when he turned around.

Jason stood lower downhill, just a foot away. He drew nearer, closer, until the air no longer could flow much at the distance. And there was nothing else he was looking at but her face, her eyes.

“Machines don’t weaken,” he breathlessly said, “they don’t eat, or sleep, and they don’t feel anger. You have a lot of that.”

Three days ago, she would have reacted differently.

That day, there was not enough of the anger he spoke of.

“How would you know?” she asked, without a second of breaking from his eye’s hold.

Jason spoke as if the answer were so easy to say.

“Because I have that, too.”

She waited for more, anything to make her hate him, fuel the ever-growing pits of rage, make himself more difficult to tolerate, but he didn’t. Craning her head down just as he was looking up, he was close enough to see the smoke out his lips. “Thank you for saving me.”

“I owed you last time,” she breathed, unknowing of the gentleness that wasn’t so often.

“I told you not to worry about it.”

They were whispering. The wind was as well.

“I couldn’t just leave you for dead.” His hair fell to his eyes as she spoke. “Is that not what allies do?”

It was that smile that took her aback.

Did she say something too drastic?

“It is.”

It seemed like it because she’s never seen him smile like that before. It was subtle, not at all cocky. Appreciative, but not prideful.

Jason’s eyes, for a moment, flashed at hers, then he backed away just as quickly, started heading for the barn.

Left alone at the fields, she turned for him.

“You like to star-gaze, earthling?” she said, and that was without much thought.

It was the nickname that ticked him off. Playfully, at least. Tongue pushed to the side of his mouth; Jason turned around.

N/N waved him over to the side of the barn, where a ladder was laid against the wall leading straight up to the roof. They reached the top, at the very height of the hill, where the fog was clearer and the stars the only light there was.

N/N sat at the ledge, legs hanging off the roof, and Jason did the same at her side.

That frustration she saw after they realized their defeat had drifted. Instead, there was that hopeful, kind curve up his lips. It only grew at the sight of the many lights, the string of the Andromeda galaxy in clouds of purple, the constellations, the planets. So much in such a small plane above.

“What should we name it,” he said. “The tree?”

She didn’t insult him, turned to him with genuine curiosity.

“A name?”

“We name our constellations. Big Dipper. Little Dipper. Orion’s Belt. There are thousands of them.”

“You can name it,” she said.

One of the stars on the tree’s branches was brighter than all else in its cluster, like the first fruit borne from a young tree.

“I’ll think of something.”

She laid in stillness, watched as the five moons of the sister planets dotted the already vast sky.

“Now do you think it’s beautiful?” he asked.

Without a lie, she admitted: “I guess.” And it amused him.

It wasn’t so often that she stayed on a planet long enough to be familiar with its oddities or have a place to land after a day’s travel. There was that, and the fact that perhaps until now, she never even took notice of anything. Not the dust on surfaces, the hay that stuck to their feet, the sounds and whistles that lingered in silences. That barn might have been one of the only instances of peace so rarely found in her life.

“Stay here. I have something for you.”

For her?

Jason left the rooftop, came back with a sack over his shoulder- the same sack he’d brought with him to the market that morning.

“I lied,” Jason laughed. “I didn’t get the pistols. I thought you didn’t want it, so I kept it this morning until now. Would have been useful in the arena, but better now than never.”

The cybernetic arm in his hands was exactly her size. Adaptable, too. Would snap into her rods and wires the moment she’d put it on.

But she couldn’t move. Not even seconds after.

To say bewilderment was something she could overcome with pride simply couldn’t be more of a lie. Not at that moment.

“What…” she gaped, “you used your coins?”

Her breath, shaky as she fought it off, still could not contain solidity. She remained motionless yet her voice was trembling so much she could shatter not from anything else but disbelief.

It didn’t even sound like anything to startle him. “And my belt buckle. But yeah. I did.”

“Why?”

Such a question with depth. To her, it wasn’t so much. To him, however, as she could see from his face, it was anything but. Jason was looking into her eyes until right then when he resorted to his hands.

“You needed it.”

This never happened to her before.

“It’s no big deal,” he snorted playfully. “You’d have done the same.”

She wouldn’t have.

Which made it worse.

Slowly, after gaining just a smidge of composure, she faced the right end to her chopped-off arm and held the machinery in place, waited, but nothing happened.

“Here, let me hel-“

She flinched away like she was bitten, eyes stuck in horror. It wasn’t to her doing. Instinct kicked in.

It died down after she saw the blue eyes that struck her with nothing but kindness. Kindness.

But it wasn’t enough to make her give in.

“Don’t… touch…” she swallowed.

“I won't touch you,” he held his hands up for her to see. “I’m sorry.”

Inching away, she tried again, but the arm just wouldn’t stick.

“You have to press on that,” Jason pointed to its side, “and hold it. It takes a while.”

Her hand couldn’t reach, and she’d have to bend it the wrong way if she were to hold it for that long.

Everything was at this slow-moving, heavy beating. And despite the heights, the winds, it wasn’t cold, not even without a fire, there was probably something else out there; something that sang, but there wasn’t. It was just them.

She gave up and dropped the limb on her lap, with Jason trying to keep his careful observance away in case it wasn’t anything she’d like.

But he didn’t have to be afraid of her right then. She won't pounce, not to him right then.

Pride isn’t worth your life, he once told her. She never forgot that.

N/N slowed that beating even further when she handed the limb to Jason.

It wasn’t to what he’d expected, and he was hesitant, but he took it from her.

“I won't go past the shoulder,” he promised.

Even slower. Slower. That beating turned out to be fear. But it’ll slow. She could feel it working.

N/N nodded.

“Nothing beyond the shoulder.”

“I swear. I just want to help.”

His fingers tightened around the girth of her arm, held it in place, and latched the limb onto the broken rods for it to adapt. It wasn’t startling, but she could feel it working. The wires were moving. The steel bones were snapping into place. A piece of her rebuilt, and still, she felt pain.

Never, not even in her nightmares, has she said it out loud.

It must be the pain, confusion, disbelief that pushed her to speak.

“I can feel touch,” she whispered in a single breath.

Jason kept holding the limb in place as he listened to her.

“Texture sensors. Force Feedback. It’s the density of a human’s,” she said, easing the burn with a voice that soothed. “It’s like I have skin, but I don’t.”

An advancement for the Fleet. Steel for flesh, rid it of its life, but retain its ability to feel pain, torture, scratches, and burns.

Jason’s fingers softened. “Did it hurt when I…”

Chopped it off with an explosion at proximity?

She nodded. “It wears off eventually.”

Slowly, the feel of fingers started rewiring itself to her brain. She could move one, two fingers. After some time, all five.

“I’m sorry…”

“Don’t.”

Even with that, she still sounded soft enough for it to be worrisome.

Jason let go of the arm. “That okay?”

It’ll adapt better overnight. A bit uncomfortable at the sides, but manageable. N/N held it up to the sky, stretched her shoulder, eyed the back of her palms, and held it up to the light from one of the moons so it shone between her new fingers.

She should thank him. Again.

She thanked him once when he uncuffed her, another when he saved her life. And now, it seemed, she’d owed him a greater deal than she ever would have let on.

“Don’t thank me,” he said. “It was my fault in the first place.”

Perhaps their alliance was the right decision after all.

The wind had stopped. In front of them, the city rushed for slumber. The shops floated out the central, the homes settling to clearer skies. People disappeared behind doors and with the lights that shut and the voices dying down, the Central looked nothing like it would have at day.

N/N caught him smiling at her when she unconsciously faced him. She didn’t smile back and instead looked to the stars.

“I have a name for the constellation,” Jason said.

N/N’s eyes were on its fruit, the brightest one that showed past the smoke. “What?”

“Newton’s Apple,” he said. “Because the fruit looks like it’s falling.

She had no idea what he was talking about, but he sounded happy with it.

“What do you think?” he chuckled.

“I think you earthlings are ridiculous.”

He let out another of that gentle, humming laughter that bore no pride and instead, exuded enjoyment and peace. It was so soft that it just couldn’t help but make her aware of it.

“You know what I think, Tiger?”

Tiger?

She scowled at the new name but couldn’t bark back when Jason drew his face closer to a whisper.

“I think you’re not so bad after all.”

Like he knew she’d have a lot to say, he left the rooftop without giving her a chance for a response.

But as it turns out, she couldn’t think of even one.

Instead, she was lost.

Too lost in her clouds and mists, blurring her every sense.

With it being the first from many years, something no one had seen since the dawn of her beginnings, N/N looked down at the glowing grass from above the barn,

And smiled.

 -----

MASTERLIST

—–

TAGLIST

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[joyful-soul-collector]

I’ve never known a kid like you to stay down for long

By @joyful-soul-collector for @pookiethefrickinbunn

@friendly-neighborhood-exchange

Relationships: Tony & Peter

Characters: Tony, Peter, Friday, Karen

Summary: Peter runs away after his identity is revealed, and is just trying to get by

It took longer than you’d think it would to find a roof that normal people couldn’t climb easily onto. Most places had some sort of roof access point, and Peter had been chased off them enough times to look for one that he literally couldn’t be kicked off of.

Though he was seriously considering leaving this one despite how safe it was. He was on a pretty tall building, tall enough that most people didn’t see him, and it didn’t have a roof access point either. But this seemingly perfect safe haven of a building was right next to a restaurant.

And Peter hadn’t eaten in days.

Peter pressed his hands to his belly as it rumbled for what must’ve been the millionth time that day. The smell of the food wafting through the air was practically torturous, making his mouth water so much he had to lift his mask up and wipe drool off his face at least every five minutes.

He was so hungry he’d spent the last half hour just sitting on the edge of the roof, inhaling the scent of food deeply and listening to his stomach growl.

But eventually he knew he had to leave. He’d already spent a week on this roof, and as safe as it was, nowhere was safe for very long. Not when everyone was trying to hunt you down for something you didn’t do.

It’d been a couple weeks after his identity was revealed that a video surfaced of Spider-Man supposedly beating up an unarmed, defenseless man. What the video didn’t show was the man dragging a screaming little boy into an alleyway, and Peter saving him. Videos like this had actually happened before, usually edited to make him look like the bad guy by The Daily Bugle. But this was the first time people had an address to attack. And because of that, the video stuck around, circulating around New York, until suddenly he didn’t feel safe anywhere at all.

And not only was he in danger, his friends and family were starting to be accused of supporting a horrible villain, and Aunt May had even considered moving. Even Mr. Stark had been pressured to fire Peter from the Stark Industries Internship Program. He didn’t, but the damage was done. Rather than put everyone through the pain of being his friend, his family, Peter left, with a vague plan to head west.

The hardest part was actually taking the tracker out of his suit. He knew how upset Mr. Stark would be that he broke his trust. Again.

That was two weeks ago, and now the only problem was the health alert in the suit. The health alert sent out a signal of Peter’s location if he were to lose consciousness while out on patrol. Peter had to take off the suit to sleep without having the alert go out (which really sucked, as the heater would’ve been nice on cold nights) but he also had to make sure he never fainted, passed out from blood loss, got knocked out, or straight up forgot to take off the suit before going to bed. Or, roof.

Which was easier said than done when you’re exhausted and starving and freezing to death. And unfortunately the health alert was too complex to remove without compromising the rest of the suit, possibly rendering it completely useless.

There was no way he’d survive without his suit.

And even if he didn’t admit it, Peter liked the idea of having a fail-safe in case anything really bad happened. He liked the idea that he might get to see Mr. Stark again.

But until then, he was tired with nowhere to sleep, hungry with nothing to eat, and sad with nobody to comfort him.

Peter sighed, massaging his empty stomach as he stood up shakily. Might as well leave now instead of torturing himself over the food. He walked over to where his backpack sat, and pulled a map out to make sure he was still going the right direction.

Peter’s complete lack of plan for when he arrived at this vague “west” was starting to bother him, but he didn’t have the energy to try and think of a plan now. All he knew was he needed to get some food, and fast. And for food, he needed money. He’d already spent everything he’d brought with him within the first week, and if he didn’t want to starve he needed to find somewhere that’d be willing to pay him for a couple odd jobs.

Like he’d ever be so lucky with his face plastered on every tv screen, the word “menace” echoing in every watcher’s ears.

He wondered if a store would be willing to help him out. Maybe they could pay him to restock some shelves or something, he’d done that plenty of times at Mr. Delmar’s.

Peter’s stomach grumbled loudly at the thought of one of Mr. Delmar’s sandwiches, and he gripped his belly with a hiss of pain. Yep, bad idea thinking about that. But still, a store was a good option. Especially a big one, one where an extra face wouldn’t look too suspicious. He might as well head out and look around now, nighttime was always the best to travel in. A lot less eyes on you.  

Peter slipped off his shoes and pressed the spider emblem on his chest, breathing a small sigh of relief as it well away. Having his shirt and pants on under the suit was always uncomfortable, but it made it so he didn’t have to change into his clothes to sleep. It was warmer too, but he needed to be in street clothes now.

But Peter started shivering almost immediately, his trembling hands having difficulty pulling his hoodie out of his pack and stuffing his suit in to replace it. He quickly forced it on, teeth chattering as he pulled up the hood and rubbed his arms.

He really shouldn’t be this cold. It was springtime, but no matter what he did, Peter was always freezing without the heater in his suit to warm him. It made sleeping practically impossible, but there was no way he would risk Mr. Stark finding him. He couldn’t put everyone through the pain of just… being around him.

When he’d stopped trembling enough to actually get moving, he yanked off his mask, swung on his backpack and slipped back on his shoes. Looking down at himself he grimaced at the splotches of dirt and grime all over his clothes, and the fact that his hoodie pocket was ripping, and his sleeves were stretched too wide, and his shoes were peeling away from the soles.

He actually felt his eyes starting to sting at the sight of himself.

How could things have gotten so bad? All I wanted to do was help people. I just wanted to save people, I was helping, so why am I here? Why am I running away from the people I’m trying to save, sleeping on rooftops and freezing to death and so fucking hungry my belly hurts? Why do I fuck up everything I touch?

Peter sighed and brushed a tear off his face roughly, pushing the thoughts away as best he could. It’s just his Parker Luck, that’s all. Fucks everything over as best it can, as usual.

I just hope it doesn’t get me discovered. I don’t care what happens, as long as Mr. Stark and Aunt May and my friends can’t find me, they’ll be safe, he thought, swinging his leg off the roof and carefully climbing down. Normally he would just web his way down, which is a lot faster, but he didn’t have a lot of web fluid left, and there was no way for him to make more.

The scent of food was growing stronger and stronger as he climbed down, to the point where he felt a bit lightheaded with hunger. Maybe… maybe he could sneak in and grab something. Or not even that, he could just walk in and ask for a table for one. Order and eat, then book it. People dine and dash all the time right? And it looked so warm and cozy there.

He wondered when the last time he actually felt comfortable. His joints and shoulders constantly ached from sleeping on the rooftops, not to mention that food would definitely ease the pain in his belly. But what if they suspected him? Or recognized him from the news? He could still sneak in, and if someone caught him he could beg them not to tell, beg them to keep quiet, beg them for something to eat--

“Oh my god, what am I thinking?” Peter said to himself, finally setting foot on the ground. He couldn’t do that. Any of that. He’s supposed to be the hero, heroes don’t steal food, or dine and dash, or beg people for things.

But when his stomach rumbled loudly again it seemed to be saying “heroes gotta eat too.”

Peter was still weighing his options, staring at the restaurant and rubbing his belly, when he heard a shriek split the air.

“HELP! Help, someone please!”

Peter groaned, for once feeling like he’d rather not be a hero now. If everyone was just gonna turn on him, why should he waste his time trying to save them? Hell, why should he even consider whether or not he should steal food? He wanted to eat dammit, why shouldn’t he just ignore them, and instead go order eight cheeseburgers, and three milkshakes, with a side of five fries?

But when the person screamed again, Peter seemed to snap out of it, suddenly realizing his thoughts.

Shit.  

Peter quickly yanked off his hoodie and shoes and threw his suit back on, gasping at the wave of heat that spread over his skin as the heater started up.

“Karen! Tell me where those screams are coming from!” he said as he frantically pulled on his mask.

“Plotting route now,” she responded, a blue arrow pointing him across the street and into an alleyway. Peter webbed his way there as fast as he could, cursing under his breath.

“Dammit Parker, what the hell is wrong with you? Oh my god if they got hurt--Fuck, man!”

He dropped into the alleyway to see a woman pointing a gun at a man and what must’ve been his son behind him. The man was pleading to her, begging her not to hurt his baby. Peter’s guilt only got heavier as he realized if he’d gotten here sooner then maybe him and his son wouldn’t be so terrified.

“HEY!” Peter shouted, causing all three of them to start and look at him. The woman’s eyes were glassy and drunken, the same look Peter saw on a lot of drivers he saved people from. “Put the gun down! Drop it, you don’t want to hurt them!”

“Spider-Man?” Peter heard the little boy squeak.

“SHUT UP!” The woman screamed shrilly, whipping around to face them again and gripping the gun tighter.

“No! Look at me! Point that at me!” Peter cried, running forward and forcing himself between the gun and pair trapped at the end of the alleyway. The woman seemed to be so stunned at this move that she didn’t even react.

“Eyes on me,” Peter said calmly, staring wide at her. As he went on he slowly began to turn around her, and she instinctively followed him with her eyes and gun. “Everything’s fine, just keep… looking… at… me.”

When she’d made enough of a turn for the boy and his father to run behind her and escape, Peter snatched her arm and yelled “GO!”

The woman tried to turn as the pair took off, the father holding his child to his chest, but Peter held fast, gripping her arm tight enough for her to cry out in pain.

BLAM!

The force of the bullet nearly knocked Peter off his feet, as if the white hot pain wasn’t enough to do that. Every bell and alarm in his head was ringing, his Spidey Sense spiking to the point where the pain made his vision swim in front of him.

If you asked Peter now what he did after that, he wouldn’t be able to tell you. He doesn’t remember webbing the woman to the wall and clutching his shoulder as he stumbled out of the alleyway. He doesn’t remember hearing sirens and dazedly thinking he has to hide before they see him. He doesn’t even remember climbing into a dumpster and falling with a whimper on a pile of black trash bags out of sight.

And he sure doesn’t remember the roar of repulsors just outside his hiding place.

In fact, all he remembers after that is realizing he forgot to take off his suit, and that his shoes, backpack, and hoodie, were still sitting next to the restaurant.

~~~

Tony hadn’t slept since Peter went missing. He spent every minute, every second looking for Peter. Even when Pepper urged him to sleep, even when Rhodey came in to give him another meal to be left uneaten, he didn’t stop. God, all he wanted was for his baby to come home. He knew why Peter left, he knew Peter thought it was the right thing, but sometimes he wondered where the hell he got all the self-sacrifice from.

In the back of Tony’s mind he knew Peter had gotten it from him, but that only made him feel worse. He hated that he may have inspired Peter’s idea to go off on his own, to throw himself at the mercy of the world just to keep people from being inconvenienced.

“Friday scan the latest news articles for sightings of Spider-Man please?” Tony said, drinking what must’ve been his fourth cup of coffee that day.

“There are 32 articles, Boss,” she responded promptly.

“And how many of those are real?”

“None, sir.”

“Right. Awesome.”

Tony set down his coffee, and pulled up a hologram, running his usual searches and scans for Peter. Every day was looking more and more hopeless, and Tony’s last thread to cling to was that someone would spot him and he’d be able to get there in time before Peter slipped out of his grasp. Again.

There was also the possibility of the health alert going off. But for that to happen Peter would have to either get seriously hurt, or happen to fall asleep in the suit, which he seems to be taking very careful steps not to. He’d hate for Peter to get hurt, even if it meant being able to find him.

“Boss!” Friday said suddenly, startling Tony so much he knocked his mug off the counter and it smashed to the floor. But he ignored it, knowing Friday had never used this amount of urgency in her voice before.

“What is it?! Where is he!?”

“His health alert went off, I’m sending coordinates to Mark 42 now!”

Tony rushed to the suit room and stepped into the Mark 42, blasting off of the launchpad and turning the repulsors to full strength, headed straight for Peter’s coordinates.

“Talk to me Fri.”

“Peter has been shot in the shoulder, no major arteries hit, but he is losing blood. He seems to be extremely sleep deprived as well as malnourished, and will lose consciousness soon.”

“God kid, what have you gotten yourself into?” Tony muttered. He was surprised at how close Peter was, he thought in the two weeks he’d been missing he might’ve gone farther, but he seems to have only made it just outside New York City.

“Land here, Boss,” Friday said suddenly. Tony looked down and saw a pitch black alleyway, and quickly descended down, landing a few meters away from a dumpster. But from what Tony could see, nobody was here.

“C’mon Fri, I don’t fucking have time for puzzles--”

“The garbage, Boss,” Friday interrupted. Tony felt his skin go cold as he turned around, staring at the dumpster. He quickly went over and peered inside.

And there he was.

My kid, my Peter.

He was sprawled limply over a mound of trash bags, blood leaking out of a bullet hole in his shoulder. Tony pulled off his mask and took in his pale, thin face and dark circles under his eyes.

“Oh my god--Oh Pete.” He lifted him from the trash, feeling tears of both relief and fear spring to his eyes. “Hey kiddo, we’re gonna get you home now, okay buddy? We just um… we gotta stop this bleeding first.”

“Karen says Peter’s possessions are next to the restaurant across the street, there’s a hoodie there that you can use to stop the bleeding,” Friday said quickly. Tony flew gently to the spot she indicated, and found a discarded hoodie that was nearly threadbare, a pair of shoes that were barely recognizable as shoes, and a ratty old backpack where Peter must’ve kept his extra things in. He almost thought it’s where he kept his food too, but the kid was practically a sack of bones, there’s no way he’s been eating much.

“Okay baby, I’m just gonna set you down so I can get this hoodie tied around you,” he said, knowing Peter couldn’t hear him but feeling too relieved that he could talk to his kid again to stop. “We’re gonna stop the bleeding and get you home okay? It’ll all be okay, I promise Pete.”

Once Tony got the ratty sweater tied around Peter’s shoulder enough to keep constant pressure on it, he quickly shoved the shoes into Peter’s pack and swung it over his shoulder. Then he gingerly picked him up, cradling his head and hoping the metal fingers weren’t too uncomfortable for him.

“Okay Pete, we’re gonna go now okay? We’re gonna go and get you patched up now, you’re safe now alright?”

Tony’s helmet clanked shut and he blasted off, headed straight for the Tower again, still speaking comfortingly to Peter, hoping somehow he could hear.

~~~

Peter woke very slowly, slipping in and out of consciousness for what could’ve been seconds or days. Ultimately what woke him was realizing that he was far more comfortable than he should be. He should be freezing, his shoulders should be aching from the hard rooftop, his face should be sticky and wet with grime.

He shouldn’t feel a familiar warmth in his hand.

Peter finally opened his eyes, the action much harder than it sounds. He was in a hospital. No, not a hospital, it wasn’t quite the same. A medbay. Stark Tower’s medbay.

And the person holding his hand was Mr. Stark himself. He had his head on the hospital bed, snoring softly and holding Peter’s hand firmly, as though terrified if he let go, Peter would simply fade away.

No. No no no no no, I shouldn’t be here, no, oh god--

Peter’s eyes filled with tears and he couldn’t even hold back a sob. His small whimpers were what woke Tony.

“Peter?” he mumbled, lifting his head quickly and blinking sleep away. When he caught sight of Peter’s face his expression softened and he quickly stood up, reaching over and wiping away Peter’s tears. “Oh god, Peter, hey it’s okay, it’s okay baby, you’re okay.”

“No, no, Mr. Stark I can’t be here, they’re gonna--”

“Shh, none of that kiddo--”

“No, no no no I have to leave Mr. Stark, you shouldn’t have taken me here, they’re gonna hurt--”

“Nobody's gonna hurt anybody, baby. I know what you were trying to do, I know you want to keep us safe,” Tony said, pulling the blankets higher up on Peter, and tucking them in. “But you don’t have to run away. I’ve taken care of everything.”

“W-What do you mean you’ve taken care of everything?” Peter said. It was then he noticed he was still absolutely starving, making it much harder to focus as he looked up at Tony.

“I mean I’ve made sure your friends, Ned, MJ, your school, and Aunt May, all of them are protected. If a villain comes anywhere near them, if news reporters bombard them, I’ll know. You don’t have to leave to keep them safe anymore, I’ve taken care of everything, kiddo,” Tony said, squeezing his hand. “Well almost everything. You sir, have not been easy to take care of, as you haven’t even been around for me to care for you.”

Peter looked down, fidgeting with his covers as his face turned bright red.

Mr. Stark had it covered. Of course he did, he’s a billionaire, he can just hire people to keep everyone safe. Why didn’t Peter think of that before?

“I-I’m sorry. I thought it would be better for everyone if I just left, I thought you guys would be happier--”

“Pete, we could never be happy without you,” Tony said, putting a hand on his shoulder. “You’re too nice kid. Always thinking about others and forgetting to think about yourself. You don’t have to help anyone else right now, just let me take care of you okay?”

Peter smiled and nodded, wiping a few stray tears from his eyes.

“Okay,” he said softly. Tony smiled and squeezed his hand again before speaking again.

“You feel comfortable? Is there anything I can get you? Extra pillows or something?”

“Oh um, actually could--”

Peter’s stomach cut him off with a loud rumble, and he could feel it squirming hungrily under his skin. He felt his face flush a deep red and Tony gave a small chuckle.

“Jeez, can’t believe I forgot, you’re starving aren’t you?” Tony said. He patted Peter’s belly, and reached for something below the bed. When he pulled an entire paper bag full of food up Peter thought he might just cry. “How many cheeseburgers do you think you can fit in that tummy of yours?”

Tony helped Peter sit up, careful to keep his injured shoulder still, and gave him a burger. Peter ate like he never had in his life, shoveling mouthfuls of bread and meat and cheese down as fast as he could.

“Woah, kid, you might wanna slow down there,” Tony said after a moment, but Peter wasn’t paying attention. His heart was pounding and his stomach was aching and he couldn’t seem to focus on anything other than eating and swallowing as much food as he could. The guilt of wanting to steal from a restaurant instead of saving that little family seemed to bubble to the surface of his mind, and he quickly distracted himself with more bites of food, hoping to bury the guilt under it all.

“Peter? Hey, Pete, baby you gotta slow down--”

His eyes began to sting, and his breathing soon became hyperventilating, and he tried to ignore it, ignore the horrible feeling in his chest at the sight of the terrified father and his son, hoping it would go away if he just made the ache in his belly stop.

“Peter!”

A hand snatched his wrist and Peter looked up wildly, a desperate whine in the back of his throat. Tears were streaming down his face now, and he swallowed the bite he still had in his mouth. The endless mountain of guilt that had been collecting in his chest since he ran away was finally topped off by the look of worry in Tony’s face.

Why did it remind him so much of the father in the alleyway?

The dams broke, leaving Peter to curl up and sob into his knees.

“Oh no, hey, kiddo, what’s wrong? It’s okay baby, you’re not in trouble I just didn’t want you to hurt yourself, I promise,” Tony said gently. When Peter didn’t answer he crawled up and sat on the bed next to him, wrapping his arms around Peter’s trembling shoulders.

“I-I messed up Mr. Stark,” Peter said in a trembling voice. “I fucked up, I fucked up everything, I ruined it--”

“Woah hey, what’re you talking about? What’s going on?”

Peter turned and clutched Tony, sobbing into his shirt as he explained all about the restaurant and the father and his son, and the woman in the alleyway. How he’d wanted to steal, how he didn’t go to save them right away, how he wanted to just leave them and go inside the warm, cozy looking restaurant and forget it ever happened.

When he eventually finished Tony didn’t say anything for a moment. Instead he just reached into the bag and brought out another cheeseburger, holding it out to Peter. Peter didn’t take it, still feeling guilty for having wanted this instead of wanting to help.

“Eat up kiddo, it’s okay. Just go slower this time.”

“I don’t deserve it.”

“Yes you do. Everyone deserves to eat, and that includes you. You didn’t do anything wrong back there Pete, it was just a moment. Doing the right thing can be… extremely hard sometimes. I’m telling you the truth when I say that most people in that situation would’ve left someone else to take care of it and gone inside without much of a second thought.”

“But I’m not most people Mr. Stark. I’m supposed to be the ‘someone else’, I’m supposed to be the hero. How can I call myself something like that if I didn’t want to help?”

Tony rubbed his hand over Peter’s shoulder, and held the cheeseburger right under Peter’s nose, causing his stomach to growl again. Peter took it with a sigh and started eating again to quell the monster in his belly.

“Like I said kid, it was just a moment. You were cold, tired, starving, and worst of all you felt betrayed. The people you’re trying to save turned against you, so of course you felt less inclined to help them. But the thing about you is, even if you get knocked around, you never think it’s okay to hurt them back. That’s why you changed your mind. You knew that even if they hated you, you couldn’t handle the idea of them being hurt when there was something you could do to stop it. Not everyone is like that kiddo, you’re special. Just because there was one moment where you felt bitter, doesn’t mean you’re not a hero anymore. You still saved that little boy and his dad, you were still a hero. Everyone falters, it’s just a matter of if they stay down.”

He put a hand under Peter’s chin, coaxing him to look up into his eyes.

“I’ve never known a kid like you to stay down for long.”

Peter gave a watery smile and buried his face against Tony’s chest as they clung to each other, each finally feeling like they could relax.

Peter spent the next few days recovering in the medbay, his Aunt having arrived at the Tower only half an hour after he woke up and making him swear never to pull something like that again. His friends also came to visit, and MJ sketched Peter and Ned as they built an Avengers Lego Quinjet together.

It was on his last day in the hospital that he woke up to see Tony slumped in a chair and his Aunt May snoring on his shoulder, and he finally felt at home again.

[loveislattes]

Patience Is Key (Darkiplier/Fem!Reader) Chapter 1

Commission prompt:  Reader only knows that sex is pain, so Dark shows her otherwise...?

Caution! This story does contain mentions of past borderline-abusive relationship and there is one scene that slightly delves into the situation, but it never goes further than pushing and forced kissing.

This chapter is SFW other than some cursing. The next chapter will be the oh so lovely smutty bit. ^^ Chapter 2 will be out next week! 

“Ah, damn it!” 

The curse left my lips the second I finally registered that I had dropped the extremely large box of pots and pans on my toe, and not on the flat floor as intended. Jerking back, I fell into the rickety wooden chair behind me and pulled my injured foot up into my lap with a wince.

“Why am I such a fucking klutz?!” I wheezed through the pulses of pain. 

It took a few minutes of babying my poor toe but eventually, I managed to soothe away the pain and get back onto my feet. Why was it that toe injuries always felt so much worse than other injuries? As I debated that question, as well as the existential existence of pain at all, I got moving about the sparse kitchen once more. The boxes weren’t going to empty themselves after all and I only had the two days until I started my new job to get it all done. 

“Lord knows if I had to take one more extra day off, it’d be the end of the world,” I muttered under my breath.

Working retail had to be one of the worst career choices in the world. Sadly, it was all I could find for the time being and this new house mortgage, low as it was, wouldn’t pay itself; Not to mention that my savings were meager at best and wouldn’t last long if I had to rely on them, thanks to my problematic ex. 

This house was a blessing in disguise and I definitely couldn’t afford to lose it. A beautiful victorian-style two-story home at only four hundred fifty a month, with no real damage other than cosmetic updates needed? Yeah. It was practically impossible. My first thought was that it had a sordid past, whether drug crime or murder related, but that didn’t seem to be the case thankfully. The owners had inherited it and we’re willing to sell it for a steal just to get rid of it so they didn’t have to pay taxes and insurance. Their loss, my gain, apparently. 

I had gotten so lost in my thoughts about work and the house that I was done moving the last of the boxes before too long. Score one for daydreaming! 

I set about organizing my cabinets next, emptying the boxes one by one until they were all barren and tossed to the back of the room.

“That’s a problem for future-me,” I muttered, running a hand through my hair with a huff, “I guess dinner is next on the list. Never a better time to find out what take out they have around here!”

I meandered into the living room and plopped down on the worn couch, pulling my laptop into my lap. While waiting for the screen to wake up, I grabbed the TV remote from the coffee table and turned it on as well, needing the background noise with how silent the old home was. I’d definitely have to keep an eye on that or else I’d find myself creeped out even without anything happening. A random cartoon filled the large screen and jaunty music spilled from the speakers as the characters conversed. Shrugging, I tossed the remote back down on the table and returned to my laptop.

After logging in, a quick google search led me to a page full of restaurants both familiar and new to me. Moving to a big city definitely had its perks! 

“Now the question is which one,” I sighed. 

It took a few minutes of debating but I finally settled on ordering from a highly rated Chinese restaurant across town. I was promised my food in about twenty-five minutes and a delivery tracker popped up on the screen right after.

“That’s nifty!”

Setting the laptop back onto the table with the dimmed screen facing my direction, I let myself be pulled into the ridiculous antics of the cartoon characters on TV until a commercial came on. My eyes instinctively drifted over to the laptop to check on the tracker. The red line was about halfway across, indicating they would be leaving the store soon. Nice! Unfortunately, I also caught my reflection on the screen and couldn’t help but take a moment to fix my hair out of reflex. As I adjusted my top to look less wrinkled, I suddenly noticed a black shape in the background, near what would be the corner of the room behind the couch. I froze, heart pounding in my throat as my eyes widened.

“No way,” I whispered. 

Leaning in closer, I focused on the shadow. Too afraid to actually turn around and look, I hoped I could debunk it from this angle alone. I was just about convinced it was actually a part of the LCD going out in that one spot- when suddenly it moved!

“FUCK!”

An uncontrollable screech left my lips as I leaped up from the couch. Spinning to face the shadow, I reflexively snagged up the throw pillow on the couch and tossed it full force in that direction while trying to move away. Unfortunately, I forgot exactly where I was standing in the new layout and the fact that the table was behind me. I was reminded painfully of that fact as my calf muscle slammed hard into the solid wood and I went careening backward. I frantically tried to catch myself but only succeeded in slamming my elbow into the edge of the table and whacking my fingers against the floor in a way that made me see stars.  

Tears pricked behind my eyelids as I hissed through the urge to cry. I was about to lie in a puddle of agonizing defeat until I remembered the whole reason I fell. With a curse, I rolled over to my hands and knees, panting as I looked toward the offending part of the room. There was nothing there. No shadow and no reason I should have ever seen one there; no coat rack, no bookshelf, nothing. Just a bare wall. 

“What the hell was that?!” I groaned.

Now that there was no impending, visible, threat, I spent a good few minutes taking all my injuries into account. Sore calf, elbow, and fingers. Bruises were likely in each spot, unfortunately. Thankfully it didn’t get any worse than that. With my luck, I was surprised I didn’t crack my head open on the floor instead. It was with a heavy, defeated sigh, that I succumbed to the need to lay flat on the floor and catch my breath. 

“I’m losing it. That has to be it. All the stress of the move and being alone just got to me,” I assured myself quietly. 

I wasn’t sure how long I wallowed there in self-pity, but it couldn’t have been as long as it felt because I was soon roused by the sound of someone knocking at the door.

“Foooood!” 

Collecting my fallen pride and battle wounds, I scrambled up off the floor and rushed to the front door, snagging my wallet from my purse on the way. The delivery driver was nice enough and we made small talk as we exchanged food and money. I thanked him after he mentioned their loyalty program then shut the door before hesitantly making my way back into the living room. As I scanned the rather empty space, I was relieved to find it just as it was before; no shadows in sight. 

“I’m probably gonna have nightmares from that shit too,” I muttered, plopping onto the couch and popping open the box.

With a little shake of my head to clear my thoughts, I returned to the show and let the thoughts from the day slowly melt away with every mouth full of delicious food. 

…

It took two months of living in the new house to finally feel more at home. Most everything was put away and decorations filled the walls, warming up the once empty and creepy place. I no longer felt like an uncomfortably unwelcome stranger. The thought of that shadow did, unfortunately, still linger in the back of my mind every night though. I’d be fine all day until it was nighttime and dark in the house. Once the sun was down, it was like my gorgeous home was a totally different place. I didn’t see that moving shadow anymore, but I swore I saw things out of the corner of my eye and it constantly felt like I wasn’t alone. 

One particularly rough night left me searching the entire house for hidden cameras and trapped doors because I could have sworn I was being watched. Of course, I found nothing of the sort, but it didn’t lessen the fear by much. I even started making myself go to bed earlier than usual just to avoid being alone with my paranoid thoughts. Something had to give before I went crazy! 

I was even to the point of considering making new friends; Something to break up the monotony and constant feeling of being alone. Maybe inviting another person into the house would make the eerie feeling go away? One could hope! I wasn’t in the habit of bringing home people, due to my ex, but it was getting to the point where it might be necessary. A person could only take so much alone time!

A rapid knocking on my door tore me out of my lonely thoughts and back to reality with a jolt.

“Who could that be?” I muttered under my breath.

I hadn’t ordered any food and I was pretty sure I hadn’t ordered anything off Amazon recently. Uncurling from my nest of blankets, I hastened to the front door when the visitor knocked again. Impatient buggers weren’t they?

“I’m coming!”

Without thinking to check the peephole first, I pulled the door open and instantly recognized the horrible mistake I had made. I tried slamming the door shut before he could enter but already I was too weak with fear; simply seeing his menacing face leaving me powerless. He was easily able to catch the wood and shove his way in as if I weren’t even there. 

“Heeeey baby.”

I wasn’t even given a breath’s moment to respond. Instantly his hands were on my shoulders and I was slammed into the wall. Pain exploded through my skull and my knees weakened dangerously as I struggled through frustration and fear. 

“You thought ya could just move away and I wouldn’t find ya, baby? Ya outta know better’n that.”

The familiar sensation of bile rose in my throat when his lips smacked against mine. It took all of my resolves to hold it down. It would only add insult to my injury because he wouldn't give a damn and I’d be left worse for wear.

“Aw, come on. Play nice with me, won’t cha? It’s been far too long since I’ve seen ya.”

All I could manage was a timid shake of my head.

Fuck, it was like this any time he was around! Just being in his presence made the littlest of movements hard, like my body just instinctively gave up to avoid more trouble even though my heart told me to fight. If I could fight back, he’d probably back off after a while but I just couldn’t. Flashes of the times he tried to force himself on me, drunk and belligerent, held me back from it. Giving in was just easier, safer, in the long run.

I felt the numbing sensation of acceptance slide through my muscles when his mouth pressed on mine again. Disgust and hatred bubbled in my gut; not only for him but also for myself. So weak, pathetic.

Out of nowhere, the deafening sound of doors slamming rang through the air, causing us both to jump apart. With a Yelp, I clapped my hands over my ears to block out the painful noise as I looked around in shock for the source. To my utter disbelief, I found the cause to my cabinet doors, opening and shutting at breakneck speed. It only lasted for about half a minute before suddenly they stopped, just as abruptly as they had started. My astonishment was cut short by a cry from across the room. 

Having abandoned his pursuit, my ex now stood frozen near the door, ashen white and shaking. Upon closer inspection, I thought I could see a faint shadow around his throat but my line of vision was disrupted when he turned and rocketed out the door. Once the entryway was clear, the door shut calmly behind him. 

It was deadly quiet in the aftermath of whatever the hell happened. The sounds of my heavy breath were the only noises in the air. Scared, but thankful, I hesitantly surveyed the kitchen and the living room for any sign of what had caused the disruption. There was nothing, of course. Not even a hint of the shadow I had spotted months ago. 

Letting out a nervous sigh, I ran a hand through my hair and said, “Thank you… whoever you are."

I didn’t wait for a response before high tailing it to my room and diving under my fluffy comforter, torn between calling my mom or crying until I fell asleep. My body made the decision for me before I could contemplate it for long, shutting down and passing out quicker than anticipated. 

When I woke, it was dark in the room. The radio clock beside my bed read an irritating one thirty am. Despite having slept for six hours, I felt like I hadn’t slept a wink; nightmares resounding in my head like sirens the entire time. 

Rather than trying to force myself back to sleep, I slipped out of the bed, determined to get some hot tea or cocoa to help soothe my inner demons. Unfortunately, I spotted my reflection in my vanity mirror on the way by and I felt compelled to stop. My usually glowing skin looked pallor and lifeless and the bags under my eyes gave the same sentiment.

“Fucking hell,” I muttered, pulling at my bedhead locks in frustration, “I’m not gonna recover from this.”

My outside reflection was only a sliver of the mess that was inside my mind though. And I knew I would get over it in the long run but it always felt so impossible at the start. I just had to turn the sadness into anger. My thoughts were derailed by the sudden feeling of eyes on my back; That familiar itching sensation of being watched sending shivers down my spine. I didn’t see anything in the room around me but when I finally turned back to the mirror I spotted it; an eerily familiar shadow. It was only moments before there was a man suddenly standing behind me in the reflection. 

Although my mouth moved, trying to scream or make any sort of sound, nothing would come out. Scads of questions bombarded my already frazzled sense of sanity as I tried to scream until eventually a worrying sense of calm washed over me in place of the stilted panic.

“I’m not going to hurt you,” he assured me as if reading my mind.

The low timbre of his voice made the rational part of my brain melt but the way it reverberated around the room sent my hairs standing on end. My body instinctively went stiff and still as his arms reached around my sides. Cool fingers rested on my forearms and slowly rubbed the goosebumps away in a soothing manner while he stepped closer. I could hardly meet his eyes in the reflection without feeling as if I were staring a predator head-on.

“How did you get in here?” I finally managed to ask. 

An absolutely devastatingly handsome smirk curled up his lips before he flashed large, sharp, pearly whites down at me. 

Oooh fuck, those were some pointy fangs. 

“I’ve been here the entire time, darling. You’re the one who barged in rather abruptly when you decided to move in.”

I began to question my sanity once more as his form slowly lost color and brightness in the mirror, becoming a barely distinguishable shadow behind me. Though his touch on my skin never diminished, to the eye he was nearly invisible. Just as gradually, he filtered back into view. 

His reasoning was lost to me as I tried to figure out just what was going on until eventually, it clicked.

“You’re the mother fucking shadow that has been driving me insane, aren’t you?!” I shouted, jerking out of his reach and spinning to face him, “Just how in the hell did you do that? Why have you been scaring me? What-”

His hand came up swiftly and I froze immediately, only able to watch as he cupped my jaw. A whimper reflexively slipped out as his thumb pressed against my lips. 

“To answer your questions in order: Yes, I am. Shifting is just one of my many abilities. I have not meant to scare you, well, not these last few weeks anyhow. I’ve become- let’s call it- fascinated. Most would have left by now and yet here you stand, heels dug in like a stubborn mule. You’re intriguing.”

The moment he released his hold, I found myself asking, “What are you?”

“What do you think I am?” he retorted, stepping back and slipping his hands into his pockets.

I simply shrugged. How should I know? Before now, I didn’t believe in anything supernatural, but now I was questioning that stance.  

“A demon? A ghost?” I replied.

He hummed momentarily before cocking his head to the side, eyes narrowing as they burned into mine. 

“Does that scare you?”

So many freaking questions! I scrubbed a hand over my face wearily before slapping my palms against my thighs and mentally admitting defeat.

“Unless you’re going to kill me, no. You were terrifying in that shadow form but now that I’ve seen you face to face, I’m not so scared. Don’t get me wrong, I have a healthy respect for you but it’s also comforting to see that you’re not some decayed-looking ghost who is going to warp my face by looking me in the eyes,” I hesitated as another realization hit me hard then carefully added, “Not to mention, I’m pretty sure you’re what saved my ass earlier… right?”

There was a flurry of emotions across his face as his brows knitted together before he seemed to relax some and amusement showed at last. 

“You are just full of surprises, aren’t you?”

I shrugged in response before finally slipping past him to sit on the bed, the shakiness of my legs becoming too much to bear. I could put on a brave face but my body could give way any second. I had been through too much in the last twenty-four hours. Once seated and more comfortable, I met his gaze again. 

“Am I right? Were you the one that scared him away?”

He hummed and tilted his head once in a positive indication before adding, “Luckily for him, he’s as cowardly and self-concerned as most of you humans. Had that not have worked, I would have been forced to take further measures.”

The way his echo deepened and his fangs flashed in an animalistic snarl sent more goosebumps up my arms and neck. Fucking hell. My emotions were having a hard time keeping up through it all; enamored by his good looks, terrified by his powerful aura, curious about his existence. He was, simply put, overwhelming. 

If it wasn’t for his discoloration, echoing voice, and the fangs, he’d seem like any ordinary human. A very attractive human at that… I had to stop that train of thought right there! I’d be just like me and my horrible taste in men to get a crush on the ghost- demon- thing.

“So, um, you said you were here before me. Are you stuck here, like a ghost or something?” I managed to ask while rubbing my goosebumps away. 

“No. This is merely a residence of convenience. Your closet holds a portal to my realm and it’s the simplest way in and out for me. I choose to stay here when I must remain in the human world for any amount of time. You’re the first person to live here in decades.”

I thought my heart was going to jump out of my chest in bewilderment when he suddenly moved towards the bed at an inhuman speed. A reflexive flinch had me jerking away when he reached out for me but he was quicker, hand snagging my chin to keep my gaze solely on him.

“Your turn to answer a question for me,” he stated without giving any room for argument, “Who was that man from before, and what is his concern with you?”

Eyeing him warily, I chewed on my lip then answered honestly, “My ex. I wouldn’t say he’s necessarily concerned about me. More so he’s concerned about losing his control over me. He was borderline obsessive and abusive.”

“Do you foresee him being a problem in the future?”

That was a hell of a question. Would he be back? I didn’t even really consider that after how fast he’d run away before but it was always a possibility.

“I honestly don’t know. I guess I should invest in some ADT or something, huh?” I half-assed joked, forcing on a weak smile.

The flat line of his lips told me that he didn’t find my statement as funny as I did. However he did, at last, relinquish his hold on me. 

“I will not stand for a brain dead ape damaging my property. If he comes back, he will be taken care of once and for all.”

Some little devious part of my mind dared to question if he was actually talking about the house, or if he was subtly making a claim over me. The domineering air around him made it seem like a slight possibility. I felt the heat flare over my cheeks before I could stop it and quickly wrapped my arms around my chest defensively before sinking back further onto the bed.

As if a private moment were suddenly disrupted, he cleared his throat loudly and stepped back while adjusting his suit jacket.

“I need to be going. It was nice to officially meet you. If it sits well with you, I will be more prominent around the house since I no longer need to avoid you.”

I nodded and awkwardly replied, “Yeah, er, that’s fine. I mean, it’s more your home than mine anyway, right?”

He made a noise of agreement then turned toward the closet, but stopped with his hand on the doorknob. There was an indescribable expression on his face when he turned back; the whites of his eyes darker than before. 

A smirk that could only be read as cruel crossed his lips and he said, “You may call me Dark. If he comes back when I’m not here, simply ask for me and I’ll be here.”

[runningontheloose]

Autumnal asks! Harvest, Amber, Maize. Nighttime Asks! Night, Late, Bat. Answer whenever and whichever you like!

autumnal asks

harvest - what fictional character do you most identify with? Why?

do you want the whole list djkdbdkd

regardless i id with vicky and franziska a lot, nastasia and glados as well. don't have any masculine charas on that list atm

amber - share an unpopular opinion that you may have.

na/rum/itsu is. not good. it's kinda bad actually. i'm really sick of it tbh

maize - share the weirdest encounter you’ve had with a stranger on the street.

i was at a pizza place sitting outside and all of a sudden i see a person walking around the parking lot in a completely black hooded cloak, hood on, doing mystical hand motions and muttering to himself. a couple minutes later i saw a woman crawling around the parking lot and then taking a shopping cart and rolling it into random cars. it was a bizarre afternoon. although the sm/urfs girls might take that throne more than that interaction

nighttime aesthetic asks

Night: how are you?

uh! not great! despite the fact i just got out of surgery and am obviously hurting physically from that (funny enough not from where they cut me open but from my chest and shoulders because as i forgot from the only other time i've gone under, i convulse a Lot when waking up from anaesthesia), i am hurting far more emotionally and psychologically from the fact that they found literally nothing wrong. nothing. no scarring from healed endo, no actual endo, nothing wrong. they said it looked perfect in there. and under normal circumstances i'm sure someone would be absolutely fucking thrilled to hear that, i am. devastated. i heard that and started crying. i literally don't know what to do at this point. i'm back to square 1. that was. like the only option left and we were pretty damn sure it was that. and it wasn't. i'm so heartbroken and quite frankly the emotional and psychological pain is much worse than the physical. i apologize for the ramble but. gods i am so upset

Late: do you consider yourself adventurous?

not really? but i haven't had really any opportunities to see that. i am very curious though

Bat: what superpower do you want?

teleportation for sure. that's the only one i can think of that i want

[psychovigilantewrites]

Odette

Pairing: Jason/Reader

Genre: Drabble Fluff

Wordcount: 2,170

A/N: Hey guys!! I’m finally back! So sorry I’ve been away for so long. Will reply to my asks soon. But for now, here’s a Saturday Drabble :)

I was going to make it a full blown ONLY smut, but for some reason I decided to keep it relatively PG lmaaaooo

Masterlist

Kofi

Jason thought you were kinda spoiled. You had your own little dance studio in the manor. But then again, he couldn't say anything much since there was a goddamn cave dedicated to Batman and all of their nighttime activities down below, after all. 

But what actually annoyed him the most about you was that you'd ask any one of them to sit by the music player and help pause, or fast forward, or rewind, or replay the music while you danced. 

And fuck, did he hate watching you dance. 

Well, not really. 

He just hated the way he reacted while watching you dance. For one, he thought himself as a perverted creep while he watched you. Secondly, he kept on wondering whether the rest of his brothers had the same thoughts and reaction as he did when it was their turn to sit down on the wooden floors pressing buttons. 

The worst part were the mirrors, god. The fucking mirrors. There were mirrors everywhere. 

He sometimes would catch his own reflection, frowning as if in deep thought. Sometimes he caught himself with his mouth slightly ajar. And the worst was when he caught himself with dark, lustful eyes. The mirrors were a blessing as well as a curse. It reminded him to keep it together, to behave. But then it showed him how fucking ugly he looked, his large figure slumping against the mirrored wall behind him as you danced gracefully. 

He watched as your strong muscular thighs rippled and move, your calves contracting as you pointed your toes. 

He was always amazed by you. Your physique looked powerful, toned by all the dancing you did. Yet, you managed to walk and move so gracefully, like a swan floating in a pond. 

Jason could never.  

The first time he saw your feet, he almost gasped. The cuts, bruises, the chipped nails and blisters. Some covered and patched up by normal plasters. 

He then realised every time you put on your pointe shoes, you were in pain.  

The beauty and grace he saw on the outside covered the torturous and endless wounds. 

He couldn't fathom it, why you would put yourself through all of that. And it made him respect you even more. 

But Jason particularly hated it when you stretched. After pointe stretches, you would put on your practice shoes, the battered soles and discolored ribbons that were wrapped around your ankles a contrast to your pretty, pretty skin. 

Then you would stand up and hold the wooden bannister that ran horizontally across the mirrored walls. One foot down on a pointe, you would stretch your other leg slowly, first bringing your knees up towards your chest, then move it sideways, and stretching your whole leg up as high as you could go. 

And you could go pretty fucking high. 

Jason would gulp whenever you did that, the skin tight outfit you wore allowed him to see everything. 

Allowing him to imagine the oh so many different positions he could fuck- no. He couldn't think that. He couldn't allow his mind to wander like that. Especially about you, who were pure and innocent. 

But it still didn't stop his body from reacting. 

Sometimes when it got too much, and he lost control of his body, he would shift there on the floor, bringing his knees up to his chin to hide his raging hard on. 

One day after a particular long stretching session, and an equally long dance practice, you sat in front of him while you took off your shoes. 

He had prayed to whatever deity that his boner would disappear after you were done, but there he was, still hiding it when you started talking to him, legs crossed on the floor opposite him.

“Hey, Jay?” you started. 

“Hmm?” 

“Would you like a ticket to see my performance this Saturday?” you smiled shyly, tucking a stray hair from your messy bun behind your ear. 

“Yeah, sure!” he said,”I’d love to.”

“Thanks,” you beamed at him. 

“Are the others going as well?” 

“Well,” you frowned, biting your lower lip, “I haven't asked.”

“Why not?” 

“I don't know if they're interested,” you explained, “And if they're not, they're going to say yes anyway just to be nice. Then they're going to have to sit there, all bored. I don't want to put them through that.” 

“But you'd put me through that, huh?” he teased. 

“Well, it's different with you,” you avoided his eyes, “You actually watch me, you know? The others would just play with their phones or something. But I noticed that you’re the only one who would actually sit down and watch me dance. That's why I thought you wouldn't mind.”

“I-uh-yeah,” he sputtered, “I think it's great. Talent. Your dancing. Spinning and stuff.” 

He wanted to punch himself in the face, ashamed that he had got caught. Thankfully, you thought that his intentions were innocent. 

Jason was probably being too hard on himself, as Dick would tell him. He did like watching you dance. He appreciated how you were so passionate about the art form. 

So it wasn't just about his goddamn lust. 

“I think the others would be happy to go,” Jason added, “You should ask them.” 

“I don’t know,” you bit your lip. 

“Hey, look at me,” he reached for your chin, tilting it to meet his eyes, “Trust me. They’d appreciate you asking them. Okay?” 

Jason saw your big, puppy eyes change from confusion, to worry, to resolve. 

“Okay,” you answered, “I’ll ask them. Thanks, Jay.” 

***

“W-wait, what? Did you know about this, Todd?” Damian sputtered in front of the ballet poster that showed your face covered in makeup. 

They were at the performing arts theatre, waiting for your performance to start. The warm lights were brightly reflecting on the intricate details of the chandeliers. The theatre was crowded, and your face was everywhere. He was not expecting the show to be big. 

“Know what?” he grunted. 

“That she’s playing both Odette and Odile!” Damian gushed. 

Jason let out a low whistle. He was familiar with Swan Lake- the way he was familiar with most classical literature, plays, and performances. He knew it was rare for one dancer to be playing both the White and Black Swan. 

He wasn’t surprised, though. He watched you dance regularly and he knew how good you were. 

“Is that a big deal?” Dick asked. 

“Grayson, your lack of knowledge confounds even me sometimes,” Damian tutted, “It’s not just a big deal, it’s a very big deal.” 

“That’s amazing,” Tim chimed in, “Who knew, huh?” 

“If you guys actually paid attention to her, you wouldn’t be this surprised,” Jason grumbled. 

All four of them, including Bruce who had remained silent the whole time stared at Jason with eyebrows raised. 

“What?” he snapped. 

“Nothing,” Dick smirked. 

They were then ushered in. In the end, Bruce had paid for box seats, so they were all seated separately from the crowd. The lights dimmed and the dance began. 

Jason blocked the outside world the moment he saw you come on stage. It was Jason’s first time seeing you in full makeup and costume, and he was entranced. 

Hypnotized by your grace, your beauty, your- fuck, your everything- for the next few hours he forgot where he was, who he was, and just watched you. 

Suddenly, he heard a roaring noise in his ear. For some reason people were making noise. He was already annoyed, before he realised that the crowd was in standing ovation.

He hadn’t even realise that it was over. He blinked his eyes when the lights came back on, and saw that you and your fellow dancers were waving and bowing on the stage. You were carrying a large bouquet of roses, and everyone else were throwing flowers at you. 

Jason looked over to Bruce, and he saw the look that he’d been craving for his whole Robin life. 

Pride.

He gulped, and then turned to leave. 

“Where are you going?” he heard Tim ask. 

“See if I can catch her backstage,” he shrugged, and left without waiting for an answer. 

He waited for the applause to die down, for everyone to make their way back home. He thought that you would probably be in your dressing room by then. So he made his way past the other dancers, the racks of costumes. Then, he stopped himself outside the door that had your name plastered on it. 

He raised his hand to knock- but paused right before his knuckles hit the wooden door. He heard noises inside. 

“I’m really grateful for your kind words, but I think you should leave, Phillippe,” he heard your hushed whispers. 

“But baby-” 

“For the thousandth time, I’m not your baby,” you snapped. 

“Everyone else wants me, why not you?” the man whom Jason assumed was Phillippe demanded. 

“I’ve got someone else,” you replied curtly, “Now please leave.” 

“I’ll make you forget him,” Phillippe tried, “I’ll make you want me.” 

“What the hell are you doing?!” you shrieked. 

Jason broke down the door then, to see that the tall blond man who played the Prince earlier had you against your dresser, holding your wrists. 

“This- this room is for dancers only!” Phillippe yelled. 

Jason didn’t give him a warning, didn’t give him any words of threat either. 

Instead, he growled, and then tore the man away from you and hit him straight in the nose, hearing the satisfying crunch. 

Phillippe stumbled back, clutching his bloodied face. “You broke my nose!” he wailed. 

“I’ll break more than just your nose if you ever come close to her again,” he muttered coldly. “Leave. Or else.” 

Phillippe scrambled away pathetically. 

Jason closed his eyes shut and tried to control his breathing, to not let the rage and anger seep in.

“Jason,” your soft voice broke him out of his concentration, but thankfully not in a bad way. 

“I’ll have someone fix your door,” he apologised. 

You were already out of your costume and makeup, and were only wearing your casual clothes. Your hair was still up, with some stray strands framing your face. You were standing close to him. 

“It’s fine,” you dismissed, “I’ll explain it to them.”

“Did he hurt you?” he frowned. 

“Nothing I can’t handle,” you grinned. 

“I’m serious,” he insisted, “If he hurt you in any way I’ll-”

“I’m fine, Jason,” you rolled your eyes, “Really. I could have handled it even if you hadn’t broke down the door.” 

“Fine,” he sighed. 

“So you guys watched the whole thing?” you changed the subject. 

“Nah, I think I saw everyone dozing off,” Jason teased, “Especially Bruce. Did you know he snores?”

“Jason!” you giggled. 

“Yeah, I was the only one paying attention. I tried to wake them up, to no avail.” 

“Oh, did you now?” you smirked. 

Somehow you had gotten even closer to him. He could feel your body heat, and smell your perfume. 

He gulped. 

“Y-yeah,” he stuttered, “You were great. With the spinning. And jumping. And stuff.” 

“Spinning and jumping?” you laughed, “Thanks, Jay.” 

“I think-” Jason took a deep breath. And another. And another. 

“You think..?” you prompted. 

“Ithinki’minlovewithyou,” he spilled. 

“You’re only realising this now?” you said, “You dumbass.” 

“W-what?”

“You’ve been staring at me dancing with your mouth open for a year and a half, Jason,” you rolled your eyes, “And it took you a full blown national ballet event to figure it out?”

Jason blinked. 

“It’s okay,” you reached out your hand and caressed his cheek, “I know how you’re emotionally constipated and all that.” 

“Emotionally-” Jason started. 

“And don’t worry, I know how much my warm up routines affect you,” you winked, “You don’t have to explain a single thing.” 

“Warm up..?” he repeated, until he realised what you were saying. He felt his cheeks heat up furiously. 

“Your warm up routines affect me too,” you bit your lip. “Your pull ups, and push ups, and sit ups, and whatever ups.” 

“You’ve been checking me out?” Jason’s eyebrows shot up. 

“Duh,” you rolled your eyes again. You closed in on him, and pressed yourself against his body, wrapping your arms around his neck. “Jason.” 

“Yeah?” he whispered back, feeling the light brushes of his lips against yours. 

“Kiss me.” 

“Okay.” 

He pressed his chapped, dry lips against your soft, plump ones and groaned at the relief of just having you, feeling you. He wanted to kiss you slow and sweet, but you had other ideas. 

You pried open his lips with your own and forced your tongue inside his mouth to explore, all the while gripping his shirt and pulling him closer to you, grinding your front against his, getting him excited in too short a time. 

“Woah, woah,” he stopped you, “Not that I didn’t enjoy that, but the door is broken and can’t be locked. You think this a good idea?” 

You contemplated for a while, and with a pained expression on your face, you groaned out loud. 

“Fine, we’ll take it home.” 

[nanasarea]

M’lady ii I zch

Prompt: You never knew helping an old woman would give you the responsibility quiet this big, but it’s a good thing you don’t have to share it alone. 

Genre: crack fluff

Pairing: ladybug!reader x chat noir!chenle

Word count: 2.5k (literally the longest i’ve ever written omg)

a/n: slight spoiler for miraculous ladybug if you haven’t seen the finale yet haha also this is so long overdue and not proofread i apologize also pollen and hyuck’s interaction where he’s like “fuck that bitch up” is @jaemallow​ ‘s idea so thank you so much, moonie, i love you! 

prequel to M’lady  (kinda)

Indent + italic = flashback

“When I first got here, you hated me!” Chenle said “What? No, I didn’t!” You tried convincing him, to which he only gave you a “don’t bullshit me” look. “Fine, maybe a little.” 

“Who is he anyway?” You asked, the disgust in your voice very noticeable, which is what your friend, Ryujin mentioned first when answering.

“Woah, don’t get too excited.” She said, laughing.

“His name is Zhong Chenle. He recently started attending this school. He use to be home schooled but his parents finally let him come to public school. I heard everyone is surprised that he’s not going to a private school, since his family is so wealthy.” Ryujin explained as your attention stayed on the tall boy sitting in the 3rd row. 

“Why now?” You asked.

“Ask him, why don’t you.” She winked before going to sit on her seat.

All day, all you heard was Chenle, Chenle, Chenle, it’s all people talked about.

Sure, he was cute, and wealthy, and he might have wowed everyone with his piano skills while you waited for your music professor to come to class, but what you couldn’t understand was why. 

“A little?” He asked, laughing. 

“I did think you were cute if that helps.” You joked. 

“Now, I know we’re not suppose to say too much but when did you get the box?” He asked. 

You kept thinking about Chenle, all day. So much so that you got distracted on your walk home and didn’t even notice the old lady almost being run over by a  motorcyclist.

Fortunately, you snapped back into reality at the right moment, so you could help her out. 

You ran towards her as fast as you could and tried to guide her away from the motorcycle before it could run her over. 

“Are you okay, ma’am?” You asked, concerned for her safety. 

“Oh, why thank you, young lady.” She thanked you warmly before she turned to face you. 

“You seem very kind.” She added.

“No problem! I would like to think everyone would have helped in my situation.” You nervously said.

She took your hand and said “One would like to hope, but not everyone is as kind as you.” She smiled before giving you her goodbyes and leaving your side. 

“Ma’am, you forgot th-” “I assure you, I never forget anything.” She cut you off before you could ask her about the box she left in your hand. 

It was a small red oval wooden box with black dots all around. You decided to put it in your bag and open it once you got home, which you did.

You stared at it for half an hour, wondering what it could be and if you should actually open it or not. You finally got the courage and opened it.

“Hi, y/n! My name’s Tikki!” The small being greeted, which caused you to fall back along with your chair.

You let out a scream before asking “What are you? Who are you? Why do you know my name?” You asked. 

“I’m a kwami, as I said, my name’s Tikki-” “A k-kwami? What’s that?” You asked. 

“Kwamis are divine, sprite-like beings who embody "abstract" concepts. They give certain powers to people with Miraculouses, transforming them into animal-themed super beings!” She explained as you continued to stare at her in confusion. 

After she finished explaining how the old lady was the guardian of the miraculous and when she met you, she knew she had to give you the miraculous of creation.

She also explained that when you say “Tikki, spots on.”, you transform into a ladybug-themed superhero and to switch back, you just have to say “Tikki, spots off”.

On top of it all, she explained the powers of the lucky charm and so much more.

“But why me? How could I posses the power of creation?” You asked. 

“No worries, y/n, master Dupain-Cheng makes no mistakes! I would know, I was her kwami when she was your age!” Tikki smiled before telling you the story of how her previous master was the same as you. 

“What about you?” You asked, wondering how his first encounter with Plagg went.

“He was a handful, he kept asking for cheese.” He laughed

He was making his way to the car when he saw an old lady almost trip and fall but he thankfully got to the elderly in time to save her.

“Are you alright, ma’am?” he asked “Yes, I’m fine, young man, you are very kind.” She smiled as she put a hand on his bag.

“My apologize, at my age, you don’t really have your balance anymore.” She laughed.

“Do you need help with anything?” He asked, smiling.

“No thank you! I’ll manage, kind sir. Have a good day!” She said quickly before making her way back home.

“Chenle?” His assistant asked, to which he quickly ran towards the car.

Once he got to his room, he threw his bag onto his desk, only to find a box flying out of it.

“That’s...strange...I don’t remember owning such a box.” He said to himself before taking the box into his hand and staring at it.

“When did you get in my bag?” He asked before opening the box and seeing a small flying creature staring at him.

“Hey, you’re cool! Like a genie in a bottle or something.” Chenle excitedly said

“Yeah yeah, I met him once, he’s a big show off. I’m way better. The name’s Plagg. Nice to meet you! Do you have any food? I’m starving!” and with that, Plagg started flying across Chenle’s room.

“Hey! Hold on! What even are you?” Chenle asked .

“I’m a kwami, I grant powers, yours is destruction, understand?” Plagg asked.

“Not quite.” Chenle answered.

“Good, now where’s the camembert?” He asked before searching the room.

“D-did you not hear me?” Chenle asked.

“Camembert and then we talk!” Plagg commanded.

After getting him his precious cheese, Plagg started explaining. Not that it mattered, since it made no sense, but Chenle at least learned about the guardian and his powers.

“Let me get this straight. All I have to do to transform is say Plagg, claws out?” Chenle asked to which Plagg nodded before Chenle felt his transformation starting.

“Woah, awesome!” Chenle yelled before running to the nearest mirror.

“I do look very cool and handsome if I do say so myself.” he commented as he continued to check himself out in the mirror.

“I have to admit, the first time I met you, or ladybug, to be specific. I thought you were cute too.” Chenle replied, blushing and looking down at his iced chocolate. 

After the day you met Tikki, you had done some research on kwamis and Miraculouses, when you weren’t obsessively questioning everyone’s liking to a certain new classmate.

This day, you were hanging out at your friend’s place. It was suppose to be her brother’s birthday party but you couldn’t help but read the book you downloaded on your phone on the history of Ladybugs. 

“No offence, but you are going to have to put down your phone and enjoy. If not, I’ll be sad.” The brother said as he sat down next to you. 

“Sorry, Jeno. I was just doing some research.” You apologized. 

“What on?” He asked, causing you to panic, as you had no time to come up with an excuse “Sorry, rude to pry.” Jeno added before you could answer. 

“No worries.” You chuckled before saying “Nice guitar” as you saw him moving forward to grab it.

“Wanna hear me play?” He asked “Of course!” You replied, smiling at him. 

“What does she even see in him?” Chenle asked on the other side of the room.

 “Maybe the fact that he actually talks to her?” Jisung laughed at his best friend’s pout 

“You know what? Who even asked you.” Chenle scuffed as he took a sip from his drink.

With the nighttime approaching, Chenle’s annoyance grew, but so did Jeno.

You see, if Jeno hated anything, it was people calling him unfunny. Yes, it was a joke most of the time, but it hurt.

When his friends called him unfunny, he just laughed along, but once other classmates, who only see him at school did it, he got mad. It got to the point where you noticed a purple butterfly fly towards his guitar.

“ Oh no.” You whispered to yourself.

“Jeno watch out! There’s an akuma flying straight to your guitar!” You yelled but before you knew it, it had already made contact with his guitar, causing his whole body and guitar to be covered in a purple substance before he transformed.

This caused everyone to run away from him, including you and including Chenle. 

“So, I’m guessing this is the part where I have to transform and do my thing?” You asked the floating kwami, to which Tikki nodded happily. 

“Tikki, spots on!” You yelled as you felt your clothes changing. 

“Plagg, claws out!” Chenle yelled in the bathroom, unknowingly not so far away from you. 

You ran out to catch up with Jeno, or his akumatized self. 

“Meow, who are you?” The sudden comment stopped you in your track, causing you to turn around and see a tall boy in a black catsuit. 

“I’m guessing your the infamous Chat Noir, who’s going to accompany me in taking down Hawkmoth?” You asked, to which he just stared in confusion. 

“Hawk what now?” He asked.

 “Did your kwami not tell you anything?” You asked, chuckling at the confused boy in front of you.

“Plagg...likes to eat more than he likes to talk.” He nervously admitted before you realized the situation you were in. 

“I would love to give you a history lesson, but we have some people to save, so shall we?” You asked, so he nodded before you started your chase after Jeno.

“And I was super jealous of Jeno.” He added “Why?” You asked.

“You gave him a lot of attention! Plus, he looks like that and he can play guitar! Can you blame me?” Chenle laughed.

“Oh please, you have nothing to be jealous of.” You jokingly winked at the boy.

“At least I didn’t get akumatized that day because of him.” He added.

 “That would have been a disaster.” You agreed. 

“Like that time we had to ask Haechan to help us.” Chenle jokingly scuffed.

 “Oh my god, don’t even.” You sighed. 

It was just another normal day. You were hanging out with Ryujin and some other friends when you heard a loud bang come from the town square. 

“That means ladybug is on her way. Gotta go, need more content for my ladyblog!” Ryujin yelled, to which they all followed. All but you, since you had to convince them you were too scared. 

“Scaredy cat.” Ryujin joked as you quickly excused yourself to “hide.” 

“Y/N, I think you’ll need some help this time.” Tikki commented. 

“But I have Chat.” You reminded.

“More than Chat this time. I’ve heard this sound before and trust me, you’ll need the bee miraculous today.” Tikki explained, to which you just sighed and made your way to master Dupain-Cheng. 

“Master?” You asked as you entered the room. 

“Yes, dear?” She asked.

“Tikki said I might need another miraculous today?” You said, nervously.

“Ah, yes, Pollen. I had a hard time with this one myself.” She giggled, fondly looking at her miracle book before placing it on the floor in front of us.

“Is there anyone you know you can trust with this?” She asked as she gave you the box.

 “A specific person did come to mind actually.” You answered, smiling at the box. 

You quickly arrived at Haechan’s house and knocked on his door. You went to the same school and shared some mutual friends. From what you heard, he does a good job at anything he does, so your mind first went to him. 

“Lee Donghyuck, this is the bee miraculous, which grants you the power to immobilize your opponent. You will use it for the greater good.” You smiled at him once he opened the door, to which he smiled fondly and looked at the box and back at you, as if to ask you for reassurance.

You nodded and moved the box closer to him, which made his smile even wider. 

He opened the box and the small bee kwami started flying around him before stopping and saying “At your service, my king”. 

“You will return your miraculous once the job is done. Can I trust you?” You asked, to which he nodded while placing the hair pin into his hair.

“To transform, just say “Pollen, buzz on.”, my king.” Pollen said as the building next to them exploded. 

“Oh no you didn’t. That’s my best friend’s house.” Haechan angrily sighed. 

“Pollen?” He asked.

“Yes my king?” Pollen asked, to which Haechan scuffed and said “fuck that bitch up” in a smug tone. 

“Pollen, buzz on!”

Once you caught up with Chat Noir, you explained to him that you needed an extra hand today, to which he only scuffed. 

“Who even is he? Besides, I’m the only help you need, m’lady. We’re purrrfect together.” He smiled at you with almost literal heart eyes. 

“Hey, tuna breath, you need me, so buzz off.” Haechan commented before Chenle sighed and rolled his eyes. At the end of the day, he did fuck that bitch up as he promised, but he also annoyed the shit out of Chat Noir so you had to promise him not to ask Haechan for help again.

“I can’t believe I didn’t realize you were my purrfect match sooner, bugaboo.” Chenle said, winking at you before his ears turned into the color of your superhero suit. 

“To be fair, your hair does change slightly when you transform. Mine doesn’t.” You laughed.

“But still, those beautiful eyes don’t change.” He said, to which you only blushed while sipping on your iced chocolate. 

It was nice looking back on your hero adventures with Chenle, who you would never have guessed was Chat Noir.

Tikki even said it’s funny how you developed crushes on both of them but never noticed they were the same person.

If it wasn’t for the ring, you might not have even noticed now. After you both found out that day after school, you both awkwardly decided to ask one another out. 

“Finally! And to think I had to listen to the whole “do I like y/n or do I like ladybug?” rants, ugh.” Plagg complained, to which Tikki and Chenle’s eyes widened while your cheeks heated up. 

“To be fair, I wasn’t so quiet about you either.” You confessed, trying to soften the mood. 

While you placed your drink back on the table, your eyes focused on the tv in the corner of the small cafe. 

“It’s Nadja Chamack! Don't be bemused, it's just the news! Today, we’re reporting live from town square where another civilian has been fallen victim of Hawkmoth’s akumatization!” You heard from the tv and looked at Chenle. 

“I guess that’s our cue.” You laughed before you both ran to the bathrooms to transform.  

[365days365movies]

January 3, 2021: Cliffhanger (1993)

Sylvester Stallone.

The Italian Stallion here is one of the most prominent action movie stars of the ‘80s and ‘90s, coming to prominence with Rocky in 1976. And before we even start this review, here’s the deal: I refuse to make fun of the man’s iconic voice. Yeah, I get it, we’ve all shouted “YOADRIAAAAAAH!” at some point, but his voice and face is due to a botched birth, which pinched a nerve and caused permanent facial paralysis. We all got something, and I’m not gonna target him for it. It’s been done enough.

I also can’t really comment on his acting ability. Why? Well...OK, some confession time. I’ve BARELY seen Stallone in a film. That’s going to be fixed this year, as I’ve added many of his films to the list for 2021. So, what have and haven’t I seen? Let’s start with haven’t, shall we?

I haven’t seen:

Rocky (1976): Sports November

Rocky II (1979): maybe Sports November

First Blood (1982): later this month

Stop! Or My Mom Will Shoot (1992): Please. Please don’t make me.

Cliffhanger (1993): Give it a minute.

Demolition Man (1993): Science Fiction September

Judge Dredd (1995): maybe Science Fiction September

The Expendables (2010): later this month

I have seen:

Tango and Cash (1989): Dumbass buddy cop movie with Stallone and Russell; 2/5.

Antz (1998): Sub-par Dreamworks rip-off of an already kinda sub-par Pixar movie; 2/5

Spy Kids 3: Game Over (2003): Yeah...I saw this in theaters, on my birthday. I saw everything in red and green for, like, an hour afterwards. Worth it. 2/5.

Rocky Balboa (2006): Somehow, this is the only Rocky movie I’ve seen, Creed included. And from what I remember, it was fine. 3/5.

Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 (2017): The ONE good Stallone movie I’ve seen, and it isn’t even a Stallone movie. 5/5.

So, yeah, I haven’t seen any good Stallone movies, sans the one. But now, some of you are probably asking another question: “Why Cliffhanger? You literally haven’t seen any major Stallone movie, so WHY CLIFFHANGER?”

First of all, I think everybody’s kinda slept on this movie. It was a big success back in the day, but people have basically forgotten it at this point. You’ll see in this review that there aren’t even many GIFs from the movie made, and it wasn’t easy to find enough clips to make my own, honestly. Does it deserve to get slept on? I mean, we’ll see, right? 

Secondly, I just watched a Tom Cruise movie where he dangles off of a rope, and I liked that, so why not do that for the next one, I guess! And third...honestly, I saw this on the list, and it kinda just spoke to me. It called to me, like a boxer calling to his love. Hey, look, a reference to a movie I’ve never seen. We’ll get there. We’ll get there. Oh, and SPOILERS from here on out, by the way.

Recap

We start on a cliff. Surprise.

Michael Rooker (y’know, Yondu from Guardians of the Galaxy) is hanging out (HA!) with his girlfriend Sarah on a cliff called the Tower. Y’know, third date kinda stuff. First date is dinner, second date is dinner and a movie, and third date is free-climbing up a cliff to your near death. Well...near is a strong word…

ANYHOOOO, We meet Gabe, played by the big man himself, Sly Stallion, who’s a rescue ranger in the Rocky Mountains. So, Rocky, the Rockies Rescue Ranger is sent to save Yondu and Sarah. Unfortunately...someone forgot to check the equipment before the rescue mission…

Not gonna lie, this scene is actually heart-wrenchingly tense. And the ending...well, if you’ve seen Ace Ventura: When Nature Calls...you know what happens here. And it’s actually somewhat traumatic, for Gabe and for me. Seriously. It’s a roughie.

Cut to almost a year later, and Gabe is...NOT OK. He and his wife, Jessie (who is a pilot for the Rescue Rangers, and was there when Sarah fell), have been separate, and Gabe just can’t do it anymore. And I get it, honestly. That was a hard experience, losing someone and blaming yourself. And no, it wasn’t Gabe’s fault. But to add insult to injury, he has NO SUPPORT SYSTEM. His wife doesn’t seem to understand, his former best friend Yondu hates him (getting GotG Vol. 2 flashbacks), and he’s basically all alone. Geez. You guys are jerks.

Meanwhile, a plot is afoot! And hey, it’s Tripp from CSI: Miami, AKA Rex Linn! I always liked him, so it’s cool to see him in other roles. Turns out, though, that Tripp is working with a group of thugs to steal from the US Treasury. This villainous group of 8 thugs is led by John Lithgow, AKA Lord Farquaad from Shrek, who is channeling Hans Gruber from Die Hard, and trying super-hard on that British accent. Anyway, after a pretty great mid-flight action sequence, the group of thugs loses 3 suitcases of money, amounting to millions. In the process, they also lose Expendable Thugs #1 and #2. This will be a trend. 

The thugs crash their plane into the mountain, killing Expendable Thug #3 in the process. They stage a rescue situation to get some expert mountain climbers to help them find the money. Jessie, after having just told her hubby to suck it up like a big boy (I don’t really like Jessie, by the way), begs him to help find these people. Reluctantly, he agrees, and has a tension filled reunion with his former best friend, who blames him (unfairly, in my opinion). That animosity disappears as soon as they find themselves held hostage by the thugs. And so, the money hunt begins!

First suitcase is on a cliffside, and Stallone goes to get it. Some shenanigans quickly ensure, and the thugs shoot at him. An avalanche occurs because these dumbasses have never seen a movie, and in the process, we lose a suitcase of money, Expendable Thug #4 goes the way of Sarah, and Gabe is presumed dead. Farquaad tells Yondu to tell his coworkers that everything is fine, and he’s gonna stay on the mountain to ride out the storm. Which is #5 in the list of “moments in this movie where I would 100% die” I grew up in a warm climate, this is not a comfortable hypothetical situation for me.

Anyway, our intrepid team of criminals takes Yondu to find the next suitcase, while Jessie and Gabe separately make their way to the cabin that Yondu was talking about. They catch each other up, and they can’t contact the main office because...Jessie’s radio died in the cold? You...you work amongst mountains as a rescue officer for stranded hikers. That’s the best excuse the writers came up with? Why the hell didn’t she bring a better radio? They HAD to have spares, right? RIGHT? Geez, no wonder you needed Gabe’s help.

The tracker, with its marvelously outdated computer graphics technology (IT’S A UNIX SYSTEM IKNOWTHIS), leads the thugs to the next package, but not before Gabe and Jesse get there! Gabe leaves a ransom note for the money, holding it hostage. This eventually leads to a nighttime chase in the snow, leading to Expendable Thug #5 going The Way of Sarah.

By the way, it’s also at this point that I notice that it is VERY bright...for being in the middle of the mountains at night. And I get it, you can’t exactly have your movie be shot in darkness, but...look at this.

Like...wow. That’s the fakest outdoor shot I’ve ever seen. I guess I’m glad it isn’t a day-for-night shot, but...yeah. Wow.

Jesse and Gabe find themselves in a cave full of the cutest goddamn bats I’ve ever seen. This is supposed to be a harrowing experience, but simply makes me jealous. They’re fruit bats, by the way, and they’re also WAY too high up, altitude-wise. At least, that’s what I assume. I’m a bird-guy, not a bat-guy. Eventually, they make it out of the cave after Stallone does some free-climbing...loudly. Loud enough for the super-violent, sociopathic, knife-and-gun-loving Expendable Thug #6 to hear them. And that’s when Gabe ICE-PICKS HIM IN THE LEG DAMN

Understandably pissed, and not as understandably still walking around without crying (#6 in that list of me-dying moments), the thug finds and beats the SHIT out of Gabe, handily.  But then, he calls Jessie a bitch, and Gabe is, above all things a feminist. Which leads to him, and read this CLOSELY:

This leads to Stallone, bloodied and beaten, PICKING THE THUG UP OVER HIS HEAD, AND IMPALING HIM ONTO A STALACTITE. Not a stalagmite, a STALACTITE. HOLY SHIT!.

Well, Expendable Thug #6 is dead, there’s a bomb on the mountaintop, Jesse almost goes The Way of Sarah, and Frank (another guy who works with them, don’t know if I mentioned him) gets lured into a trap where he gets killed. An “Aww” moment from me; I liked Frank, he seemed like a really nice guy. This eventually leads to Farquaad and Tripp out-crazy-ing each other, and Farquaad winning by killing Expendable Thug #7, who does not go The Way of Sarah (blessed be her fall).

Gabe finds the remaining money, while Tripp, Yondu, and Expendable Thug #7 get there just after. Tripp leaves, and Yondu then delivers my favorite line of the movie:

Oh, sorry, no, it’s, “In a minute, I’ll be dead. You will always be an asshole.” Thug #7 beats the shit out of Yondu, I get flashbacks to GotG 2, and Thug #8 goes THE WAY OF SARAH, BLESSED BE HER FALL. Tripp finds the tracker without the money, and officially loses it, outing himself and Farquaad to the government officials who FINALLY get here.

Tripp finds Gabe, they make their way to a frozen mountain lake, and Gabe SHOOTS TRIPP FROM UNDERNEATH THE ICE. That shouldn’t have worked for many reasons, but that was cool, so fuck it. Now, it’s just Farquaad, BUT HE HAS JESSIE! OH NOOOOOOOooooooo.

This whole thing culminates in a tense, cool chase sequence between Gabe and Farquad in the helicopter. The helicopter crashes into the mountainside, and the two fight while on the helicopter, which is now hanging from the cliff.

Oh. Oh, I get it.

This inevitably leads to Farquaad and the helicopter going, of course, The Way of Sarah. Blessed Be Her Fall. #BBHF. 

And that’s it. Our three heroes are, themselves, rescued by the government agents, and we pan away from the cliffside, as the credits roll. Boom. Cliffhanger.

Stay tuned for the epilogue, which contains the review!

[awellboiledicicle]

i was tagged by @magneticmage for this and promptly forgot i saw it and am doing this now bc im in a Sal mood

Would your OC ever accessorize with a cape?

No, if only because they’re 100% sure it’d get stuck on something.

If they were to encounter a bear, what would they do?

Depends on the bear species, but they’re not particularly prone to going out in nature so probs just backing up slowly.

Your OC has the chance to either grab pepper spray, a baseball bat, a knife or a shoe, which one would they grab?

Bat, of course

It’s a sunny day outside, what is their reaction?

If they don’t have work, they’re going to sit outside on their balcony and bask. 

Have they ever swam with sharks before?

No, and they’re 90% sure if they tried that the sharks would be, like, secretly mutants.

Oh no, your oc is hungry and no money, what do they do?

The cafe can’t charge meals from your paycheck if you just make sandwiches when the staff is asleep.

If they had the chance to kill someone without being caught, would they? If so, who would it be?

Probably not before Racoon City went pearshaped, but after? Every Umbrella exec tbh. All of them, even if the ones after the first were v much outside said opportunity.

What gif describes their life?

the one where someone is patting a person with a broom while they’re slumped over a toilet. 

What would their username be on tumblr?

SqueakyClean

What is their 3rd favourite colour?

Periwinkle

Would they much rather own a three headed dog or a two headed cat?

The cat, if only bc if it turns evil its easier to yeet 

Can they do the splits?

No

If they knew the only way to get the chocolate cake was do murder the guard, guarding it, would they?

No

Do they know which way east is?

Yes

Have they ever been kicked in the knee caps before?

Yes

If they had the chance to go in a hot air balloon, would they?

Ye

Would they much rather ride horse back or on a camel?

Horse

How many different knots can they tie?

Probably about five, but if you asked them they’d say like 2

Would they stop to look at pretty flowers?

When they have time

If they saw a zebra, what would their reaction be?

be happy bc its probably at the zoo

If they had to hike up a mountain, what would their attitude be going up?

Probably hype to see the view from the top

Would they ever make a sock puppet?

Yes

Would they much rather banter back and forth with friends or talk about philosophy?

Banter

They have acquired a lion, a peanut butter sandwich and a purple rock, what is their next move?

Wondering what the fuck the scientists had planned for all three of those things to have them cross their path at one time. 

They see a magical wand, do they touch it?

ye

If a skeleton talked to them, would they be scared?

Unnerved a bit, ye, because they took biology at some point

If they entered a restaurant and saw a floating beach ball, what would they do?

assume it was a balloon

It’s nighttime and the zombies are everywhere, your oc is on the corner of a crowded city block all alone, how do they get off the street?

Getting up a fire escape or breaking into someplace that they can block behind them

An alligator jumps out of the water and starts to talk to your oc about the economy, what does your oc do?

“Cool, cool, who put a person in an alligator? That’s supposed to be on the cleaning form.”

Your oc is scuba diving and comes across a mermaid, what happens next?

They get out of the water bc their initial assumption is that it’s a mutant.

What is your OC’s go to dance move?

wigglin

Your OC has access to a boat and 5 million dollars, now what?

how many tiny ceramic cats can they obtain while destroying umbrella 

Your OC accidentally dyed their hair purple, now what?

“accidentally”

What would your OC’s reaction be if there was a giant dog that came to them with a huge bone as the dog wags their tail in excitement?

Assume its an escaped experiment, give it a pet and page security

A frog appears out of nowhere and starts to critize their life choices, what does your OC do?

starts hazmat proceedures bc obviously they’re hallucinating. unless they’re not, in which case something got out and while smart frogs aren’t terrible, it could also expload or something