#joey grinning like an idiot

[livelovecaliforniadreams]

Favorite Pacey/Joey Moments Per Episode: 5x17 Highway to Hell (Part 4)

[ellswritings]

Hiii love! I was wondering if u could u could do a c bing imagine where the reader and him are best friends but then chandler gets feelings for her and thinks about confessing but she gets a boyfriend then her boyfriend breaks up with her then chandler tells her how she feels and lotss of fluffy thx alot!

I took some creative liberties with this, but I do hope it lives up to your expectations 🫶🫶

We Can’t Be Friends

Chandler Bing x reader

TW: Idiots in love, Chandler pining, angsty fluff, reader is oblivious.

            »»————-　⚜　————-««

“Is there a reason you’re standing on a ladder in the middle of my apartment building, or is this just a regular Wednesday afternoon for you?” Chandler Bing’s sarcastic voice rings out as he sets the groceries down on his kitchen table.

He finds the scene in front of him highly amusing. His best friend, Y/N L/N, on a seven foot ladder, arms outstretched in the air with a lightbulb in her mouth. She freezes at the sound of his voice, her eyes widening which only makes her position much more funny. Chandler chuckles at her ‘deer in the headlights’ look.

She stops what she’s doing, removing the bulb from her mouth, “Joey said you had a messed up light bulb. I thought I could come and replace it for you guys,” she answers like it’s not a big deal.

Chandler smiles, walking over to her. He cranes his neck up as she’s still pretty high above him, “And what would you have done if said ladder would’ve toppled over and neither of us were home?”

“Called for Monica,” Y/N shrugs. “She says her ears are permanently equipped to hear my voice because I’ve been talking her ear off since the day we met in the second grade,” she says with a devilish grin.

“Why don’t you let me do that?” He holds his hand out for her to come down. “It is my apartment.”

“No,” Y/N replies stubbornly, turning back to the task at hand. “I came over here to do this before either of you would get home. It was supposed to be a surprise, but you coming home early ruined it.”

“I’m sorry my presence is such a burden,” he places a hand on his chest in mock offense.

“If I was a couple steps lower, I’d kick you.”

Chandler smirked, shaking his head. "You're impossible, you know that?"

"Impossible in a 'thank you for replacing our lightbulb' way or a 'please get off the ladder before you break your neck' way?" Y/N quipped, expertly twisting the new bulb into place.

"Somewhere in between," Chandler muttered, stepping back as she climbed down the ladder with practiced ease.

Y/N hopped off the last rung and turned to face him, a triumphant grin lighting up her face. "See? No neck-breaking required. Light’s fixed, and you didn’t even have to lift a finger. You’re welcome."

Chandler let out a soft laugh, folding his arms across his chest. "Thank you, Florence Nightingale of home maintenance. How can I ever repay you? I mean, the heroism it must’ve taken to risk your life for our dim kitchen—truly inspiring."

"You're welcome," she replied, her grin turning devilish. "And as for payment, I’ll take a lifetime supply of sarcasm. Oh, wait—you’ve already got me covered there."

"Touché," Chandler said, a mock-serious expression on his face. "But really, how does someone like you even know how to change a lightbulb? This feels suspiciously like you’re trying to one-up me."

"Someone like me?" Y/N raised an eyebrow, leaning slightly toward him. "What’s that supposed to mean?"

"Someone who claims they can’t even put furniture together without an emotional breakdown," he teased, tilting his head.

"That’s different," she argued, her tone playful. "Furniture comes with instructions that read like a secret code. Lightbulbs? They’re simple. Unscrew the bad, screw in the good. Even Joey could manage it."

"Low bar," Chandler said, chuckling.

Y/N rolled her eyes but couldn’t hide her smile. "Anyway, maybe I’m just full of surprises. Ever think of that?"

Chandler’s smile faltered slightly, his gaze softening. "Yeah," he said quietly. "You definitely are."

Y/N didn’t notice the sudden change in his tone, too busy gathering her bag from the counter. But Chandler noticed. He always noticed. It was part of the problem.

She wasn’t just full of surprises. She was full of life. Full of little quirks and moments that made his chest tighten in the best—and worst—way. Like the way she scrunched her nose when she laughed at one of her own jokes or how her eyes lit up when she talked about something she loved.

And it wasn’t just her quirks. It was the way she made him feel like the most important person in the room, even when she was just teasing him about his bad hair days or his overuse of sarcasm. With Y/N, he didn’t have to try to be someone else. She just got him.

But she’d never see him as more than her goofy best friend. Why would she? She was Y/N—gorgeous, funny, brilliant Y/N. And he was just... Chandler.

He shook the thought away as she turned back to him, her expression teasing.

"Alright, Mr. Bing, I’m off to save the world one lightbulb at a time," she said, slinging her bag over her shoulder.

"Don’t let the fame go to your head," he replied, smirking.

"Too late." She paused, her eyes narrowing playfully as she looked at him. "You’re staring at me again. Should I be concerned?"

Chandler blinked, startled. "What? No, I wasn’t staring. I was, uh... admiring your ladder-climbing technique. Very professional."

"Uh-huh," she said, clearly not buying it. "Well, if you need anything else fixed, you know who to call."

"Yeah, I’ll just dial 1-800-WONDER-WOMAN," he joked.

"Exactly," she said with a wink before heading for the door.

Chandler watched her go, his heart doing that annoying flutter thing it always did when she was around. It wasn’t fair. She didn’t even have to try, and she had him completely undone.

As the door clicked shut behind her, Chandler sank onto the couch with a heavy sigh.

She made his heart race. Every look, every smile, every sarcastic jab—it all sent his mind spinning. And it wasn’t just physical, though he’d be lying if he said he didn’t notice how beautiful she was. It was everything about her.

The way she always remembered the little things, like his favorite kind of coffee or the exact way he liked his popcorn during a movie night. The way she could make him laugh even when he felt like the world was falling apart. The way she believed in him, even when he couldn’t believe in himself.

And then there was the way she flirted with him—or at least, what he thought might be flirting. He wasn’t sure. She could just be naturally charming. Either way, it drove him crazy.

"You’re impossible," he muttered under his breath, echoing his earlier words.

But the truth was, he didn’t want her to change. He loved her just the way she was—completely impossible and entirely unforgettable.

He just wished she’d see him the way he saw her.

            »»————-　⚜　————-««

Chandler was lounging on his recliner, flipping through a magazine without much interest, when the door to the apartment burst open. Y/N strolled in, her face practically glowing with excitement.

"Guess what!" she announced, practically bouncing on her heels.

Chandler glanced up lazily. "You’ve finally realized that standing on a ladder unsupervised was reckless and are here to formally apologize?"

She rolled her eyes, dropping her bag onto the counter. "Nope. Try again."

He arched an eyebrow. "You’ve decided to give up your lifelong dream of replacing lightbulbs professionally?"

"Wrong again," Y/N said, plopping down onto the couch with a grin so wide it made Chandler’s stomach twist in a way he tried to ignore. "I have a date tonight!"

The words hit Chandler like a bucket of ice water. His mouth went dry, and his grip tightened on the magazine. He forced a smile, though it felt more like a grimace. "Oh," he said, his voice slightly higher than usual. "That’s... great."

Y/N, oblivious as always, missed the strain in his voice. She tucked her legs under her and beamed at him. "I know, right? I met him at the coffee shop yesterday while I was waiting for Rachel. He was ahead of me in line, and we started chatting because he noticed I was humming along to the music playing. Turns out, he’s a fan of musicals too!"

"Musicals," Chandler repeated, his tone laced with a sarcasm she didn’t catch. "Sounds like Prince Charming."

"Doesn’t he?" she said, her eyes lighting up. "And get this—he didn’t just know Les Misérables and Phantom of the Opera. He brought up Funny Girl! Like, how many guys know Funny Girl?"

"Well, I guess he’s a real unicorn," Chandler muttered under his breath, glancing toward Joey for backup.

Joey, seated at the kitchen counter eating a sandwich, shot Chandler a wide-eyed look that clearly said, What is happening right now? But he stayed quiet, watching the scene unfold like it was the latest episode of a drama he couldn’t look away from.

Y/N kept talking, oblivious to the growing tension in Chandler’s posture. "We ended up talking for like twenty minutes! His name’s Ryan, and he’s a graphic designer. He’s super funny and really easy to talk to. Oh, and he loves coffee almost as much as I do, so that’s already a win."

Chandler forced another smile, though it felt more like a grimace. "Wow. Coffee, musicals, and he’s funny. Did you also find out if he rescues puppies in his free time?"

Y/N laughed, missing the bitterness beneath his words. "I don’t know about puppies, but he did mention volunteering at a local art center. How cool is that?"

"Very cool," Chandler said through gritted teeth, staring down at his magazine like it might offer some kind of distraction.

Y/N leaned forward, resting her chin in her hand. "I mean, I know it’s just one date, but he seems... different, you know? Like, maybe he could actually be someone worth getting to know."

Chandler swallowed hard, the knot in his chest tightening with every word she said. He hated how much he cared. Hated how his chest ached at the thought of her with someone else. But most of all, he hated how obvious it probably was to everyone but her.

"Well, I hope he’s everything you’re looking for," Chandler said, his voice dripping with forced cheerfulness.

"Thanks, Chan," Y/N said, smiling at him. "I’ll let you know how it goes. I’m meeting him at that little Italian place down the street. You know, the one with the candles and the live music? It’s so cute!"

Chandler nodded, barely listening now. His mind was too busy imagining this Ryan guy sitting across from Y/N, making her laugh, holding her hand. The thought made his stomach churn.

Y/N glanced at the clock and jumped up. "I should get going if I want to change and do something with my hair before tonight. Wish me luck!"

"Good luck," Chandler said, his voice flat.

"Not too much luck," Joey added with a grin, trying to lighten the mood.

Y/N laughed and waved them off before heading out the door, leaving the apartment far too quiet in her absence.

As soon as the door clicked shut, Joey turned to Chandler, his eyebrows raised. "Really, dude?"

"What?" Chandler snapped, tossing the magazine onto the coffee table.

"That was brutal," Joey said, shaking his head. "You looked like you were gonna explode every time she said his name."

"I did not," Chandler argued, though his flushed face said otherwise.

Joey pointed a finger at him. "You like her."

Chandler’s jaw tightened. "I do not like her. She’s my best friend. I’m happy for her."

"Yeah, sure," Joey said, leaning back in his chair. "That’s why you were practically growling every time she talked about this Ryan guy."

Chandler groaned, running a hand through his hair. "Okay, fine. Maybe I do like her. But what am I supposed to do? She’s already going on a date with this... graphic designer, coffee-drinking, musical-loving saint."

"Tell her how you feel," Joey said simply.

"Yeah, because that’s worked out so well for me in the past," Chandler muttered.

Joey shrugged. "What’s the worst that could happen? She doesn’t feel the same way? At least you’d know instead of sitting here, torturing yourself."

Chandler sighed, slumping back in his chair. "Yeah, well, I think I’ll stick with torturing myself for now. Thanks for the advice, Dr. Phil."

Joey rolled his eyes, but the conversation ended there. Chandler’s thoughts, however, were far from over.

He didn’t know how long he could keep pretending he didn’t care. But for now, he’d fake a smile and hope she didn’t notice the cracks forming underneath.

            »»————-　⚜　————-««

Chandler stood frozen, his jaw clenched as the laughter from the kitchen spilled into the living room. Rachel and Joey exchanged looks, both of them clearly bracing for the inevitable fallout.

"Seriously, dude," Joey whispered, leaning closer. "You gotta get it together. You’re about one snarky comment away from making things weird."

Chandler ignored him, glaring at the kitchen door like it had personally offended him. When Y/N returned, her date trailing behind her, Chandler’s fake smile reappeared.

"Well, Ryan," he said, crossing his arms, "looks like you’ve survived the first outing with the Great and Wonderful Y/N. How’s it feel? Like scaling Everest?"

Ryan blinked, clearly unsure if that was a joke or not. "Uh... it was great, actually. She’s amazing."

Chandler’s jaw tightened further, but he forced a laugh. "Amazing, right. Of course, she is."

Y/N frowned, catching the edge in his tone. "What’s your problem, Chandler?"

"My problem?" Chandler said, raising his eyebrows in mock innocence. "Oh, I don’t have a problem. I’m thrilled. Ecstatic. Overjoyed that you’ve found someone who appreciates your encyclopedic knowledge of musicals."

Ryan chuckled nervously, glancing between them. "Um... maybe I should—"

"No, you’re fine," Y/N interrupted, turning her glare back to Chandler. "Chandler’s just being... Chandler."

"Yep," Chandler said, his voice tight. "That’s me. Just being me. The guy who’s always here. Always around. Always—"

"Chandler," Rachel hissed from the couch, cutting him off.

Ryan took a cautious step back. "I think I should probably head out. It’s getting late, and..." He gestured vaguely toward the door.

Y/N sighed, her frustration with Chandler momentarily giving way to an apologetic smile for Ryan. "I’ll walk you out."

As soon as the door closed behind them, Rachel smacked Chandler’s arm. "What is wrong with you?"

"I don’t know what you’re talking about," Chandler said, feigning nonchalance.

Joey snorted. "Dude, you basically growled at the guy. You’re acting like a jealous ex-boyfriend, except you’ve never even dated her."

Before Chandler could respond, the door opened again, and Y/N stormed back in.

"Okay, what the hell was that?" she demanded, hands on her hips.

Chandler threw up his hands. "What was what? I was perfectly polite."

"Polite?" Y/N repeated, her voice rising. "You were rude, Chandler. Snarky and rude for no reason!"

"I wasn’t being rude," he argued, though even he didn’t sound convinced. "I was just... making conversation."

"Right," she said, narrowing her eyes. "Because making someone feel uncomfortable in my home is your version of small talk?"

"Well, excuse me for not rolling out the red carpet for Mr. Perfect Coffee Shop Guy!" Chandler snapped, his frustration bubbling over.

Y/N froze, staring at him in disbelief. "Are you serious right now? What is your problem with Ryan?"

"I don’t have a problem with him!" Chandler shot back. "I have a problem with... this whole thing!"

She blinked, clearly taken aback. "What thing?"

"This thing where you meet some random guy, and suddenly he’s all you can talk about, like he’s God’s gift to humanity, and—and—" Chandler faltered, running a hand through his hair.

"And what, Chandler?" Y/N demanded, her voice softer now but no less intense. "What are you trying to say?"

Chandler hesitated, the words caught in his throat. He wanted to tell her. Wanted to lay it all out there, to finally say how he felt. But the fear of ruining everything—of losing her—was too strong.

"Nothing," he said finally, his voice flat. "It’s nothing."

Y/N scoffed, throwing her hands in the air. "Unbelievable. You’re acting like a child, Chandler. A jealous, immature child."

"Jealous?" he said, laughing bitterly. "I’m not jealous. I just think maybe you should be a little more careful about who you bring into your life."

Her eyes narrowed, and her voice turned icy. "Thanks for the unsolicited advice, Dad. I think I can handle my own life."

"Fine," Chandler snapped. "Then go ahead. Date him. Marry him. Have his stupid little musical-loving babies. See if I care!"

Y/N’s face flushed with anger. "You know what, Chandler? Forget it. I don’t have the energy for this." She turned on her heel and stormed toward her bedroom, slamming the door behind her.

The apartment was silent for a moment before Rachel let out a low whistle. "Wow. That was... something."

Chandler groaned, collapsing onto the couch. "I blew it, didn’t I?"

Joey nodded solemnly. "Oh yeah. Big time."

Rachel rolled her eyes. "You are such an idiot, Chandler. Why didn’t you just tell her how you feel?"

"Because it’s not that simple!" he protested.

"Actually, it kind of is," Joey said. "You like her. She likes you. But instead of saying something, you just make everything awkward."

"She doesn’t like me," Chandler said, his voice defeated.

"How do you know?" Rachel challenged.

"Because she’s out there, dating other people!"

Rachel sighed, sitting next to him. "Chandler, she’s dating other people because she doesn’t think you’re interested. You hide behind sarcasm and jokes, but she’s not a mind reader. If you don’t tell her, how is she supposed to know?"

Joey nodded. "She’s not gonna wait around forever, man."

Chandler leaned back, closing his eyes. He knew they were right, but that didn’t make it any easier. He’d spent so long convincing himself that Y/N could never feel the same way, and now he didn’t know how to undo it.

"Maybe tomorrow," he said finally.

Rachel rolled her eyes. "You keep saying that, and one day, tomorrow’s going to be too late."

But Chandler didn’t respond. Instead, he stared at Y/N’s closed door, wishing he had the courage to knock and finally tell her the truth.

            »»————-　⚜　————-««

The apartment was quiet except for the hum of the TV, where Joey was flipping through channels aimlessly. Chandler sat slouched in his recliner, arms crossed, looking miserable.

Y/N stood outside the door, clutching a tin of cookies to her chest. She had spent hours baking them—a peace offering after their blowout argument last week. It wasn’t like her to let things fester, especially with Chandler. But every time she thought about his weird behavior and the biting sarcasm that had set her off, she’d hesitated.

Finally, though, she decided enough was enough. Taking a deep breath, Y/N pushed the door open and stepped inside. She opened her mouth to announce her arrival but froze when she heard Chandler’s voice.

"You know, Joey, I really screwed this up," Chandler was saying, his voice low and defeated.

Joey glanced up from the TV, alarm flashing across his face when he saw Y/N by the door. He gestured wildly, trying to signal Chandler, but Chandler was too lost in his thoughts to notice.

"I mean, what was I supposed to do?" Chandler continued, throwing up his hands. "She comes in here, all perfect and funny and amazing, and I just... freak out. I can’t be around her without feeling like my heart’s going to explode. And then she goes on a date, and I act like a total jerk because I’m—" He stopped, groaning. "Because I’m in love with her. There, I said it. I’m in love with her, and it’s the absolute worst."

Y/N’s breath caught in her throat, her grip tightening on the tin of cookies.

Joey, still frantically gesturing, tried again. "Uh, dude—"

"What, Joey?" Chandler snapped, glancing over.

Joey’s eyes widened even further, darting toward Y/N.

It clicked. Chandler’s face drained of color, his expression twisting in horror. "She’s right behind me, isn’t she?"

Joey nodded rapidly.

Chandler turned slowly, like a man bracing for impact. When his eyes landed on Y/N, who stood frozen in the doorway, her cheeks flushed and her eyes wide, he let out a weak laugh. "Uh... surprise?"

Y/N stepped closer, her lips pressed into a thin line. "You’re in love with me?"

Chandler’s mouth opened and closed like a fish gasping for air. "I, uh... okay, yes. But before you say anything, let me just explain—"

"Explain what, Chandler?" she interrupted, her voice surprisingly soft. "That you’ve been acting weird because you have feelings for me?"

"Yes! Exactly!" he said, seizing on her words like a lifeline. "I’ve been avoiding you because I didn’t want to mess things up, and then you started dating Ryan, and I lost it, and—"

Y/N didn’t let him finish.

She closed the distance between them in two quick strides, grabbed his face with both hands, and kissed him.

For a moment, Chandler was too stunned to respond. But then, as the realization hit, he melted into the kiss, his hands hesitantly coming up to rest on her waist.

When they finally broke apart, Y/N smirked up at him. "You know," she said, her voice teasing, "we could’ve saved a lot of time and effort if you’d just told me this sooner."

Chandler blinked at her, still trying to process what had just happened. "Yeah, ditto."

From the couch, Joey let out an enthusiastic clap. "Finally!"

Chandler and Y/N turned to glare at him in unison.

"Shut up, Joey," they said together before bursting into laughter.

Chandler rested his forehead against Y/N’s, his smile soft and genuine. "So, you’re not mad?"

"Mad?" Y/N asked, raising an eyebrow. "Chandler, I’ve been waiting for you to say something for months. Do you have any idea how many times I almost kissed you first?"

"You almost kissed me?" Chandler repeated, his eyes wide. "When?"

"Remember the night we stayed up watching bad horror movies, and you let me fall asleep on your shoulder?"

Chandler nodded, a grin spreading across his face. "Wait—you wanted to kiss me then?"

Y/N shrugged, feigning nonchalance. "Maybe."

He laughed, pulling her closer. "Well, I guess I’ll have to make up for lost time."

Y/N smiled, leaning into him. "You better."

Joey cleared his throat loudly, reminding them he was still there. "So, uh, are we gonna talk about how you’ve been in love with each other this whole time, or...?"

Chandler groaned, burying his face in Y/N’s shoulder. "Why is he like this?"

Y/N chuckled, wrapping an arm around him. "He’s got a point."

"Of course he does," Chandler mumbled.

"Thanks, man!" Joey said brightly.

Y/N shook her head, looking up at Chandler. "So, now what?"

Chandler grinned. "Now, I stop being an idiot and take you out on a real date."

She raised an eyebrow. "Does this real date involve cookies?"

He glanced at the tin still sitting on the counter. "It does now."

Joey stood, clapping them both on the shoulder. "I’m proud of you, man. And just so you know, I called dibs on being your best man at the wedding."

"Joey!" Chandler said, his face turning red.

Y/N just laughed, lacing her fingers through Chandler’s. "One step at a time."

Chandler smiled down at her, feeling a warmth he hadn’t felt in a long time. "Yeah. One step at a time."

As they sat on the couch together, sharing cookies and teasing Joey, Chandler realized that for the first time in months, everything felt right

[bluecollarmcandtf]

Typical Day For a Bouncer

I'm Joey, a security guard at a night club down the street. I got the job because I'm a big ex-rugby player, but I've kept it for so long because I'm good at handling people. I can't tell you how many underage idiots try to sneak in here. It takes patience, grit, and a keen eye to keep the troublemakers out!

Like any other Friday night, the club is packed tight and a line of impatient patrons stretches down the street. I've gotten good at telling people "no," in a way that makes them listen, so they have no choice but to calmly wait until I feel like checking their ID and letting them in.

Every now and again, I'll have some fools try to sweet talk their way in. Girls try to flirt, guys try to bribe, but the biggest assholes make a scene. It's nothing I can't handle.

Just last week, I had this entitled brat come up to me and demand I let him in. The boy couldn't have thought I'd believe he was twenty-one. He wasn't even in line! I don't remember what I did to get him to shut up, but he kept hammering on and on about his skills with hypnosis. I remember listening to that kid ramble about the voodoo of the mind for what felt like forever.

I don't remember kicking him to the curb, though. He probably got tired and went home.

"Hey, buddy!" a familiar voice squeaks over the music. I roll my eyes, preparing myself to say no yet again.

"Oh, it's you," my deep voice catches in my throat. The kid from last week is standing in front of me once more, ignoring the line of adults to his left. In his ratty sweatshirt and baseball cap, he doesn't look any older than eighteen. Still, the sight of him unlocks a memory I somehow had forgotten. "Hello, sir!" I call back, remembering him as my closest and most respected friend. How could I've forgotten that this boy was my best friend I call sir?

"You gonna let me in, big guy?" A devious grin spreads across his boyish face.

"Of course, sir."

There are a few angry comments from the people waiting in line. I can't imagine they're happy to see this guy ushered into the club before them. Normally, I have a strict policy against VIP treatment. I think everyone should have to wait in line like equals, but sir is great. He can come and go whenever he wants!

"Hey, why don't you take a break from the front and buy me some beers," the boy yells over the roar of the music.

I leave the entrance and start pushing my way through the crowd in the direction of the bar. I probably should've warned the other bouncer that I was taking a break, but my feet were carrying me away before I knew what was happening. The other guard knows what he's doing, but he's still pretty new here. I'm sure he'll be fine.

The bartender gives me a can of light beer, and I hustle it back to the boy on the dance floor. People tend to get out of the way when they see a giant security guard coming through, but the place is so jammed packed that I have to press against several sweaty partiers on the way over.

"Your beer, sir," I say, flinching at the meekness in my voice.

"What the hell is this?" he whines when he sees the drink, "This is crap. Get me the good stuff, and buy a lot of it!" The kid tossed the open can at my broad chest, and the cheap beer splashes across my uniform.

"Yes, sir."

I march back to the bar with a clenched fist, and grab a tray, ordering the barback to fill it up with the more expensive bottles of beer. He glances at my soaked shirt and pants, but averts his eyes the second he sees my less-than-friendly face.

That boy is my best friend. I respect him greatly, but goddamn is he infuriating. How did I even become close to someone so immature? I pacify myself, and carry the tray back over to the kid.

"That's better," he snorts and takes a sip of the premium drink while I stand there to make sure he likes it this time.

"Alright, sir," I begin, thinking about the twenty minute break I've been taking, "I need to get back to work."

"No you don't!" the boy interjects.

"I..." the words fumble in my mouth, "...well, I don't need to, but I should, sir."

"Tell your boss you're done for the night. Then go wait by my car. You can guard it!"

"Yes, sir," the words come out before I even know what I've agreed to.

Before I know it, I'm marching into the back office and calmly telling the club owner that I'm taking the night off. He's pissed, but I'm his most reliable employee, so he doesn't fire me. I can tell he's not happy, though. He looks like he'd take a swing at me if I weren't two feet taller than him and a hundred pounds heavier.

"You make a great watchdog!" the teenager laughs as he comes stumbling out of the club.

Something about him brings a scowl to my face. It might be the way he referred to me as an animal, or it might be the way he's staring at me like I am an animal. Maybe I'm just irritated from standing by this parked car in the cold for the last two hours, but this boy is getting on my nerves.

"No one has bothered your car, sir," I report.

"Good, boy," he slurs and then reaches a gangly arm to pat the top of my head. I can smell the distinct earthiness of the beer I'd bought wafting out with his breath.

Every muscle in my body tenses up, as I try my best to restrain myself. Sir is my best friend. I respect him. I do what he says. I shouldn't get this worked up by him making a little joke at my expense. It's perfectly fine for him to tease me a little since I trust him completely. I know all this.

"Still think hypnosis is fake?" he asks, bringing his wet lips uncomfortably close to my own.

"Sir?" my brow furrows, unsure why he's bringing up that crap again.

"Well, it's real, and you're hypnotized."

I stifle a groan, "Sir, you've had a lot to drink..."

"The only thing I'm drunk on is power!" he yells, smashing a bottle on the sidewalk for effect, "I've got you like a trained dog; that's how good of a hypnotist I am! Let me prove it."

I was pissed. I was livid. Sir had mocked and insulted me repeatedly. It was a bad idea for anyone to pick on me, especially someone a third of my size! Nevertheless, the boy has all my faith, so I kept my mouth clamped shut.

He told me to kneel, and I grunted, "Yes, sir." I already had beer all over my clothes, so what's a little mud on the knees of my pants? It was better to just keep him happy, but that didn't mean he had hypnotized me.

"Keep your arms raised, like you're worshipping me," he went on.

"Yes, sir."

My arms went up. I'll admit this was a bit more strange, but I still trust and respect the teenager enough to comply. That doesn't say anything about my state of mind.

"Alright, now stay like that until I come back," he laughs, "I'm going to get a snack, but if anyone walks by, I want you to bark at them like the hypnotized guard dog you are!"

"Yes, sir," I answer, hearing the hoarseness in my voice.

As the boy stumbles away, I find myself stuck in the position he'd left me in: on my knees, in the cold, with my arms raised in compliance. I'm doing this willingly, right?

Time creeps by uncomfortably slow as I silently wait next to his car. Suddenly, I hear footsteps nearby. A wave of barks burst out of my throat, and I find myself growling like a territorial mutt in the direction of the pedestrians.

Now I'm acting like a dog!

Sir doesn't come back for another hour, which leaves me to viciously snap at numerous other passerby. They seem terrified, which makes sense. They probably think I'm insane! I'm beginning to wonder if I'm insane too.

I respect that boy more than anyone even if I only met him once, a week ago. I really would do anything he told me too. Is that strange? It's not like me to be so...obedient. I'm the kind of guy that normally tells people what to do, so why am I doing this?

There's no way...it's not possible...I can't actually be hypnotized, right?

"Good, boy," he pulls off my cap and ruffles my hair, "Now, be a good dog and drive me to your house. I might fall asleep on the way there, so you'll have to carry me inside to your bed. If you do good, I'll give you a special treat." He licks his lips and reaches a scrawny hand out to squeeze my tired pec.

"Yes, sir," I answer, jumping up to do his bidding, but I can feel that the words aren't really mine.

Shit. I think he's right. I think I am hypnotized.

[nicxl333]

MEINE LIEBE, MEINE SCHÖNHEIT, MEINE LIEBE— MICHAEL KAISER X READER

warnings: suggestive content, fluff, implied sex

cross posted on wattpad

i actually don’t know why it’s taken me this long to write about kaiser, i fucking love this man *moans*

love was a concept kaiser could not understand nor wished to get involved with. he believed love clashed with his ideals to escape from noel noa's shadow therefore dissociating from the norm that he is second best where noa is concerned. in other words;

love would only hold him back.

well, at least that's what he thought before you came along.

—

it all started when he was out shopping with ness, picking out over expensive items he did not necessarily need but bought anyways to feed into his swelling ego as well as affirming within himself that if 'he can he will'.

he had chanced upon a clothing shop with a shirt that caught his eye, wanting to look at it briefly at a closer angle. while the shirt wasn't over appealing to him, he had no reason to not buy it, considering how rich he is. he started filtering through, selecting the right size, giving it to ness to hold and heading towards the counter. just as they was approaching the queue, he lightly clashed into something in front of him, looking down with increasing displeasure at whoever weren't looking at where the fuck they were going, seeing an extremely beautiful woman rubbing her shoulder. he didn't speak at first, allowing his anger to simmer. he didn't need to anyways, not when ness was present and apparently feeling more offended than kaiser himself who was actually hit.

"oi, watch where you're going you idiot. you just hit the Michael Kaiser!"

what they didn't anticipate however was you having the ability to stand up for yourself.

you took an airpod out of your ear, giving the most aggravated side eye both football players had ever seen.

"first off, i would watch who the fuck you're talking to. i don't care if his name is michael or fucking joey, i will not be disrespected by a pair of strangers when i clearly bumped into you by accident. you didn't even give me time to breathe, let alone apologise, which i won't be doing now for the record."

although stunned, kaiser was somewhat intrigued at your reaction. although he likes annoying people and baiting reactions, this was truly one of the few times he had actually been knocked down a peg in retaliation. he wanted to know more about you.

"damn. feisty."

"i'll show you fucking feisty if you want."

ness stood there, solemnly humbled and out of commission to spout any other bullshit from his mouth, while kaiser was stunned into temporal silence.

"whatever, leave me alone you freaks."

you turned to walk up to the cashier desk, letting the sales assistant scan your clothes items. they gave you the price and you reached into your purse to take your card. a hand beat you to it however, a beep resounding from the card machine. you looked up to see a tattooed hand retracing back to the owner's side, holding a black card. he looked to you with a sly grin.

"what, am i supposed to be impressed?" you quizzed with a raised brow.

well damn.

it was clear to kaiser that you were different from other women, who were always easily impressed by money.

"just an apology for how my friend acted towards you, meine liebe."

you ignored him and took the now bagged clothes from the sales assistant, muttering a word of thanks while turning back to the duo, opening your wallet.

"i don't wanna owe you anything, so how much was it? i didn't see the price."

"aht, aht, that's between me and my bank account now. although if you truly must repay me, how about dinner tonight?"

ness' eyes nearly popped out of his head with seething jealousy that kaiser was diverting his attention elsewhere. he wouldn't say that to him though, he valued his life and would prefer to not be embarrassingly degraded in public again.

you gave a calculated stare at kaiser in slight shock, not expecting the once hostile environment to transition towards one of romance.

you pinched the bridge of your nose, slowly inhaling before opening your eyes.

"if it'll get you to leave me alone then fine."

you held your hand out for his phone, which he placed in your palm, quickly typing in your number and saving a name. you promptly returned it back to him, to which he looked at the details.

hot girl from store

he looked back up, only seeing where you previously stood, now vacated. he smirked to himself in amusement.

• six months later •

it's safe to say in the time he had gotten to know you, he swiftly became enamoured. although you protested countless of times, he would make sure to take you to upscale restaurants, don you with high end clothing. jewels, diamonds, shoes, dresses, you name it, he bought it. you only had to be remotely interested in the item you were looking at to find it at your doorstep the next day. and don't get you started on the way he loved you during the night. he always made sure you were satisfied before he was.

it's safe to say you had him wrapped around your finger. don't think that's it's a bad thing, but what really had kaiser keening for you was the interest you had for him as a person, not for who he was. you were probably the only person who treated him as a human being and not just a notorious football player. you allowed him to be himself around you. and he valued you immensely for that.

in the six months you had been dating each of you treated the other equally as well. although you requested for the relationship to stay secret for the meantime, he never gave you less of his love. it got to the stage where he couldn't imagine doing anything without you.

it just so happened that one night while watching a movie on his couch he couldn't hold himself back anymore.

you head was laid on his lap, stroking his thigh while he stroked your hip. your face was illuminated by the soft glow emanating from the tv and you just looked so damn beautiful.

he didn't intend for it to happen, but he couldn't stop the words from slipping out.

"i love you."

your head rose slightly, making sure you weren't tweaking and he actually professed his love to you.

his face was alarmingly red and he was looking anywhere but you in the moment, having grown shy. you sat up from his lap opting to sit on him instead, wrapping your legs and arms around him, placing your head in the crook of his neck and giving a light peck, moving to whisper in his ear.

"i love you too handsome."

he turned his head catching your lips in a heated passionate kiss, quickly incorporating his tongue into the mix, tasting the salt from the chips you were eating during the movie. it quickly escalated, your hands threading into his blonde and blue locks, gripping them and pulling slightly, to which he moaned into your mouth.

he reached his limit, and so did you . he lifted your body and lay you down on the couch, taking off his shirt and caging you in with his arms.

"i'm about to show you how much i love you meine schönheit."

[auspicioustidings]

Ae Fond Kiss - Part 7

My Heart's in the Highlands

Summary: You speak with your kid and establish a new normal. A conversation is had with Johnny. Words: 2.6k TWs: mention of miscarriage

Parts: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7

The drive home was silent. Your mind was a mess but you tried to slow down your racing thoughts and put your parent head on. It was so hard right now to be a parent when you felt like an out of control child. You tried to run through a script in your mind, a way to explain what was going on to Joey without bringing your own bitterness into it. 

The kid in question seemed no more willing to have the conversation than you were. He was staring out the window. He seemed exhausted. You could understand that, the emotional gauntlet he had been going through with his parents not even there to help… God you felt awful. 

“...let’s get the mega-ultra sundae” you decided, indicating to turn off towards the ice-cream parlour.

“That’s for like 20 people. Luna from school said her brothers tried to eat it all and they threw up.”

“How many brothers does she have again?”

“Four. One of them does football at uni, two are on the high school team and the last one just won a boxing competition.”

“Well I guess we’re about to embarrass Luna’s brothers.”

You glanced over to him and he looked to you, both with tentative smiles. This was still your kid, you were still his mother, and you were going to eat enough ice-cream that you’d both spend the evening curled up on the sofa feeling sick and watching bad movies. You didn’t know how you ever got so lucky. You could strangle both of his dads, but you could never not appreciate the hand they had in this brilliant boy. 

While you immediately knew the mega-ultra sundae was a mistake when the server struggled to put it on the table due to the weight, you both grinned anyway. The first few spoonfuls you just took the time to think about what to say. 

“Did you really think he was dead?” Joe asked, carefully digging for marshmallows.

“We both did, me and your dad. I think… I think uncle John might have known he wasn’t and I’m very angry with him over it” you answered, aiming for complete honesty. 

“Was the stuff you said about him true?”

You thought on that while you took a mouthful of what you had thought was mostly ice cream but was almost 100% whipped cream. You had told Joe all about Johnny even if you lied about just what he was to him. You had told him how brave he was, how loving. How when he got really excited you and Simon could barely understand half the words that came out of his mouth. You’d told him about his temper, how he would explode and then after need to nap it off before profusely apologising. And God was he clever even if he seemed like a big dumb idiot sometimes. He could make an explosive out of anything and on New Years he usually did. 

“Yeah. We never lied about the kind of man he was, just… it felt scary to tell you he was your father. We should have told you. We shouldn’t have hidden it because we were scared about what you might think.”

“What would I think?”

You could still hear Johnny yelling in your head. You were afraid Joe would think what he did, that you loving Simon even when you thought he was dead was a betrayal. Although now you knew that you had been betrayed it felt like such a stupid fear.

“I didn’t want you to think of your dad differently because he wasn’t your birth father. And I… for some people me falling in love with Johnny’s best friend after he died was wrong. I just didn’t want you to think that.”

Joey thought on that for a while as he kept working on the sundae which didn’t seem like it had decreased in volume at all. You hated putting all of this on a 9 year old. He should be telling you all about the football game and explaining again how he could build a computer in Minecraft, not considering how he felt about finding out a war hero whose death was faked by the military was his father. God you hoped Kyle hadn’t known.

“I think it’s ok” he said eventually as he chewed through a chunk of meringue. 

“Yeah?”

“Yeah. It’s pretty cool that I have another dad. Does he always sound like that? Did he really take on a whole town of bad guys and win with dad?”

You shoved another spoonful in your mouth even though you were feeling a little nauseous because if you didn’t try and distract yourself with something you’d cry. He was supposed to yell at you, he was supposed to be mad and turn off his hearing aids so he couldn’t listen to your apologies. But that wasn’t the kid you and Simon had raised. Yeah he could get angry, but he was so good at cooling off and moving on and fixing the issue. 

So you told him all about Johnny but this time in present tense, you both gave the mega-ultra sundae your best shot and then you ran to the bathroom as soon as you got home to throw up which your kid did not let you live down as you watched a bunch of superhero movies. 

–

You didn’t think anyone but you three could pull it off, but somehow life went on. Simon and Johnny arranged a meeting with you and it was decided who would do what. School runs were completely off your plate, they’d share that between them and it seemed like a good way to have J be able to get to know his biological father in small, casual chunks. 

You did offer to let them stay in the guest room, but Simon could read you well enough to know that right now you really did not want to be around them and you were offering for the sake of keeping the peace, so he said no. He was staying in an airbnb nearby and Johnny to your surprise outright bought himself a flat the second week. Not really your business, but part of you felt your heart break that he had just accepted so quickly that you’d be separate for the rest of your lives. 

You never asked about what was going on with the two of them. Maybe it was cowardly, but you didn’t want to know. If they were together, then it would feel like you were always just the second choice and now they would be happy without you. If they weren’t, then it would feel like they were only holding back out of their love and respect for you which was no doubt making them miserable. Did you want them to be miserable? You didn’t know, the answer changed depending on the time of day.

You’d had a dream this morning of the two of them together, had woken up wet and needy and had let your hand wander between your legs to finish yourself off to the fantasy of it. Afterwards you promptly threw up and spent the rest of the day in bed feeling awful until J got back from football practice. Johnny had taken him and they were laughing together. He had taken one look at you and invited himself in, saying he’d order take away and get Joe to bed after dinner so you should just relax. You felt too ill and exhausted to really argue.

Joe was in bed and you were tidying away the leftovers when Johnny came back downstairs into the kitchen. It was the first time the two of you had been alone together. 

“Sorry, you used tae love cashews” he said.

“I still do. The place is usually really good as well, just really couldn’t stomach them today” you replied, frowning at the container as you put it away because it really had been sort of gross but Joey had tried some and said he’d eat the leftovers. 

“I can go grab something from the shops if ye want? Ye didnae eat an awful lot.”

You closed the fridge and raised an eyebrow at him. 

“..I’m naw Senga’ing!” he protested, knowing that raised eyebrow well.

“You’re Senga’ing a little.”

“Naw I’m not!”

“I dunno Johnny, if it worries like a Senga and fusses like a Senga…”

He threw a tea towel at you and you laughed. Senga was your old neighbour's very moody hen who treated the two of you like unruly chicks whenever you were out the back garden. It was sort of comforting to know the old Johnny from nearly a decade ago was still here, but bittersweet that he wasn’t yours anymore. 

“I…” you started, but trailed off because you didn’t know what you wanted to say.

You had spent weeks with the anger at finding out what had happened being difficult to predict. Sometimes you felt it so intensely, sometimes it faded away. It was all so long ago now. You were a different person. You all were. 

“I shouldnae have… well let’s be honest there’s a hunner things I shouldnae have done, but just going for recently I shouldnae ever have tried tae say it was wrong of ye to marry Simon. Especially naw when I knew myself that he…” he trailed off.

“That he’s easy to fall in love with” you finished for him, hearing almost a tone of commiseration in your voice. 

“Is easy the word?”

“Fair enough. I hated him at the start. Considered breaking things off with you more than once just so I didn’t have to be around him anymore.”

“I broke two of my fingers trying tae break his nose the first month on the task force.”

You gave a dramatic gasp and pointed accusingly at him. 

“And you never told me?! How did I not know this?”

“Cause it’s a pure riddy. Tried tae punch him with his mask on and he didnae feel a fucking thing. Didnae even try get me intae trouble for it either, just ordered me tae go to medical like a pure dick.”

You could imagine how mad that would have made Johnny and you could absolutely imagine how smug Simon would have been about the whole thing. One regret you had was the times you avoided going out with Johnny’s friends because you sort of wished now you had seen them together more. At the time you were young and so sure that Simon Riley was just a misogynistic tosser that you avoided him and you knew now you had probably missed out on so much. Maybe you’d have noticed how they felt about one another had you given him a chance. 

“I wanted to strangle him so much at the start. No clue how it turned into what it did. He didn’t even propose with a ring, just asked if I wanted to get married in the kitchen on a whim.”

Johnny looked horrified on your behalf.

“Absolute roaster! How in the fuck did both of us fall for such a wanker?”

The two of you took a beat to decide how you felt about this all being out in the open and then laughed together until you cried. God it was nice to just laugh about it. You’d never get over what the two of them did a decade ago, not really, but you didn’t want it to turn you bitter. You didn’t want to forget all the good things. And you wanted them both in Joseph’s life, you wanted him to get all of the love and support you knew these men were capable of. 

You wiped away a tear and sighed, leaning on the counter and looking at Johnny with a sort of sad smile. 

“I wish you had just told me how you felt about him. It’s not that you fell in love with him that hurt, it was that you didn’t trust me enough to tell me.”

Fuck, you guessed you knew how Joe felt now. Too scared to tell him the truth because you had imagined the worst of his reaction. 

“I was a shite husband. Naw even just what happened with Si, but all of it. Should never have taken that job without talking tae ye first. All well and good saying it was for your protection, but I should have trusted that ye wouldnae have told anyone, that ye’d have done your part if ye’d agreed tae it. Should never have taken that choice off of you.”

“Why the change of heart now?”

“Guess I’ve done some growing up. Over the last 9 years it’s naw been the soldiers that have been saving the world most of the time, it’s been the civilians. I used tae think I was some big hero just because I wore the uniform, but I was just being an arrogant prick. I hate that I treated ye like ye were less capable of making decisions because ye didnae have a set of fucking epaulettes. Never really deserved ye.”

“I’m sorry that you took it all on yourself. It must have been awful being alone all this time in enemy territory. Look, I’m pissed that you took the job, Price has been laying low because he knows I’m going to boot him in the balls next time I see him, but I know you did it to help people. And for what it’s worth, I’m sorry I never told you about… about that night with Simon.”

“I’m so so fucking sorry ye went through that bonnie, I cannae imagine” he said, and you knew he was sincere with the moisture gathering in his eyes. 

It was an old wound for you now, but this was new for him you realised. He hadn’t know until a few weeks ago that Joey may have had an older sibling. Remembering how painful it had been back then before time had healed you, you felt the sudden urge to hug him knowing there was a good chance this was still so raw for him. So you did.

He held you tight and buried his face in your hair like he used to. He smelled almost the same, although there was something a little less wild about him now. How long had it been since he had just been held? 9 years on mission, 9 years of the world on his shoulders. Fuck you almost wished Simon had known, then at least he would have had him to come back to without the complication of the lie between them. 

You stayed like that for a while, just clinging to one another in the kitchen. God you had missed him so damn much. You were just so angry that he had been alive all this time. So much time wasted. So many choices that could have changed things. If he had told you back then how he felt about Simon, what would you have done? If you had told him about the miscarriage, would it have changed things? But it was too late for any of that now. 

So when you broke apart and you took a breath to ask if he’d like to stay over, he beat you to it and said he’d best get going. Probably for the best.

“Why did you buy the place anyway? I thought you hated it down here, heart in the highlands and all that.”

“My heart’s in the highlands, but the highlands was never really about the place, it was about the person there in it with me. But the flat’s also close tae the uni Joe said he wants tae go to. I ken that he’s only little now so he might change his mind, but I wanted it tae be there for him just incase and it’s naw like I cannae buy another place for him if he goes somewhere else.”

You shoved him out of the door before you could go against your own best interests and kiss him.

[astoryshark]

The pharaohs Guardian - Chapter 1

This is the first chapter of my Yugioh x f! reader fanfiction! It starts after the events of duelist kingdom and will follow the timeline and story roughly.

The fanfiction will focus mostly on Yami Yugi / Seto Kaiba x reader, but I titled it as a general Yugioh ff because there will be also interactions with other characters :^).

Enjoy!

The Door swung open and revealed a defeated and angry duellist 

“This can't be.. lost against a girl..” he muttered under his breath and walked away, hands in his pockets.

“There goes another one, I wonder if that new Duellist is really that strong”

“Yeah and there may be a chance that she is cute”

Tea sighed “Is that all you can think of Tristan?” 

“Tea is right Tristan, why are you only thinking about that one topic” , Duke added with a small grin. It made the young brunette furious.

“Don't make this look like u didn't think about that as well! You are worse than I am” 

“Says who?!” 

The black haired boy countered and they both were ready to fight each other “Stop it you two idiots!” Joey shouted and held both teenagers away from each other 

“Who cares about her looks! When I am done with her there will be no one that talks about her anymore anyway! Because they will all talk about me, Joey Wheeler and what a great and talented Duellist I am!” His eyes were sparkling at the thought of beating that new Duellist. He would be in the spotlight of the Duel Community and have all the fangirls follow him.

But this thought vanished rather quickly as Tea slapped him back to reality. The smaller boy with the very uncommon Hair just laughed at the sight of his friends. He also kept thinking about that new Duellist that everyone was talking about. It all started a few weeks ago, when a lot of players kept losing against the new girl that suddenly showed up. People said that she was new in Domino City and others said that she has always lived here but was away for quite a long time. Whether it's true or not, she must be a good Duellist.

The group of friends walked through the door of the most popular Community Place for Duel Monsters in Domino City. Everyone comes here to duel, meet friends, new people or to simply watch the games of others. Because of the mysterious new player, the Place was fuller than ever. Everyone wants to play against her to test their skills. Naturally, the place belongs to the famous Kaiba Corporation. The continually growing popularity is good for the numbers. The CEO, Seto Kaiba, has immediately been informed about the newcomer and all the talking about her supposingly strong abilities as a duelist. So he wants to check for himself. Kaiba doesn't like it when somebody else claims themselves as the best. Yet his hectic work schedule won't allow him to follow the idea of a duel right away.

“Hey guys, I think I found her” 

Yugi said and looked directly at the girl, gaining all the attention of his friends who followed his trail of sight. She was dueling against another player, and he was losing like everyone else.  

“No way! I lost?!” he shouted, nearly screamed in anger, his opponent simply smiled

“It looks like you did but hey, you really had some good moves”

“I don't need your stupid pity!” the Player stormed out of the building in anger.

The girl just sighed and got of the Platform

What's wrong with these people..it's just a game. Why are they all so angry?  she thought and decided to sit on a chair that was right next to the Duel Platform.

“Well Tristan its seems like you were right about her being cute”

Duke simply said with a smirk on his face

“Yeah right” Tristan agreed

“Its not all about looks you two” Tea nagged at the two boys who didn't even listen to her because they were discussing about the Girl. She seemed to be a few years older than them. Joey already ran to her to challenge her to a game of duel monsters.

“Hey you!” he spoke with a bright smile, Yugi sighed a bit but had to smile typical Joe

The young Woman looked up to him

“Hm? Do you want to duel?” she asked with a light hint of annoyance in her voice

“That's right and I guarantee you that I will win!” the blonde-haired male was full of confidence, it made her a bit excited.

“We will see about that" she answers and goes up to the platform.

“LETS DUEL” they both said at the same time, starting their game. 

“Why does Wheeler even try to play against her? Even if she is not that good, he will lose anyway because of his lack of skill and of brain.” said the brown-haired CEO to himself as he watches the Duel through the cameras. They show the whole building.

“Hey Seto!” a cheerful voice echoes through the office, it was the younger one of the Kaiba Brothers, Mokuba.

“What are you doing? Are you watching the newcomer duel?” he walks to his brother and looks at the screen.

"Yes, since the talk about her seems to be never ending, I wanted to see her skills myself. If she really has any"

The younger one needs to laugh a bit “She is nowhere near your skills Seto! Since you are simply the best!” hearing those compliments from his younger brother starts to push his Ego even more.

His Loss against Yugi still nags at him, but he labeled it as luck and not as a win of skill. “When will you play against her?” Mokuba asked

“I'm busy with the company at the moment ...that means my win must wait. Now.. let's watch how Wheeler loses his Match” 

It was the first Turn of the female Duellist “Let the Party begin…” she said with a smile and started the round with a strong opener. Two trap cards (Metalmorph & Chasm of Spikes) and a 1400 ATK monster in attack position.

Joey grinned confidently "Let me show you how the great Joey Wheeler does this!" he exclaims before he draws a card and continues his turn. Yugi is quick to notice that they both play similar decks, focused on warrior type monsters. However, she uses her cards in a more strategic way than his best friend does. She knows well when to defend and attack, which gives it a feeling of a game of chess.

After a tricky move from Joey, the young woman takes a deep breath to gather her thoughts. Her best trap cards have already been used. She takes a good look over the field and the cards in her hands

Doesn't look too good..I need to find a way around his Thousand Dragon

She draws her next card, not showing any sign to her opponent. Giving away information about the cards is the worst a duelist can do. Her behavior is making Joey nervous

"Ya done anytime soon?" he asks and tries to get something out of her.

The young woman over to him, a small smirk on her lips

"I activate my Spell card: Doppleganger"

Yugi's Eyes widen "That's one of Pegasus cards! Joey, watch out!" he shouts over to his best friend. How can she have that card? he asks himself, his gaze turning worried. Tea gets a bad feeling about all of this "Joey.." she mumbles quietly. She then looks down to her friend Yugi

"If she has one of his cards she probably is in connection to him.." she says with a worried tone. Yugi takes a deep breath "We don't know that yet but Joey has to be careful. Doppelganger is a real trickster card, it can take on any form of a card that has been sent to the graveyard."

Kaiba growls behind the screen at the sight of the card "Pegasus.." he mumbles annoyed, remembering the events of Duelist Kingdom painfully well.

Joey gulps and looks nervously at the field and then at his opponent.

"And? What do ya want with that? My Thousand Dragon is way too strong!"

The young woman needs to chuckle a bit "It is indeed a strong monster, but my spell card will help me with that" she adds and continues her turn.

She activates the effect of Doppelganger, gets herself a card from the graveyard and destroys Joey's Dragon with it. His field is now empty

"Unfair!" Joey exclaims but doesn't give up so easily. The Duel continued a few more rounds and Joey had some good tricks up his sleeve. But, in the end, the new one in town won. Both players get down from the platform, the young woman goes over to Joey and shakes his hand.

“Thank you for the Duel, I had a lot of fun, and I must say you're not that bad” she comments with a warm smile.

“I can only give that back” he answered with his typical bright smile. His friends walk over to him.

"You did great Joey, it was very close!" Yugi cheers and smiles up at his best friend. Tristan and Tea agree.

The Girl sat down on the chair she was sitting on before and looked over to the group.

“So, you guys know Pegasus?" she asks carefully, not wanting to seem pushy "Oh and Im Y/N by the way, nice to meet you"

Joey grins at her "I'm Joey! And these are my friends Tristan, Tea and Yugi" he says, pointing at one after the other. Y/N nods and looks at Yugi for a second

"Oh wait, I know you! You won the duelist Kingdom Tournament, right? You are that Yugi Muto" she exclaims, surprised. The boy in questions, smiles nervously and scratches the back of his neck

"Y-Yeah, I guess that's me" he answers carefully "It's nice to meet you too, Y/N! The duel was great to watch" he adds quickly and with a hint of nervousness. The young woman smiles "Thanks! Joey is a great opponent"

Joey clears his throat "Ehem! I am the second place of duelist Kingdom, Joey Wheeler! The one and only" Tristan sighs and shakes his head, Tea can only chuckle. Y/N only smiles.

"To get back to your first question" Yugi starts and tells her about their experiences.

Seto closed his Laptop the moment the duel was over

“As I thought, Wheeler lost. But her using one of Pegasus cards can only mean that she has a deeper Connection to him. Else he would never give her such a spell card.” He said to his brother with annoyance in his Voice.

“Yeah it's obvious that you hate Pegasus after what he did but you must admit that she truly is a strong Duellist!” the younger one said

“Well.. she dueled against Wheeler which does not provide any challenge." the CEO answered with a rough and cold Tone. “If you say so” his brother answered as cheerful as always, he is used to the harsh personality of the company Boss.

“And as I said, I must make an impression myself before I can say if she is good or not. I don't care about other people's opinions, especially not from these dweebs.” and with that said, he left the office leaving Mokuba on his own. The younger Kaiba sighs "Typical Seto”

[anawrites3]

@blackbeanbao asked about Fae Dick and Fae Slade for wip ask game 💕

Fae Dick is a story where Slade gets captured by Dick, who heard about this powerful mercenary and wanted to see him for himself. Dick quickly took a liking to him and decided that he wanted to keep Slade 👀💕

Edit: I forgot to link it earlier but I actually shared a snippet some time ago right here

A snippet;

Slade grit his teeth and tried his best to move again. It was an awful feeling, one that was hard to simply describe with words – it was like being under a giant rock that was crushing you, pressing at you with such strenght you weren't able to move an inch but at the same time you were barely able to feel his body at all. He was faintly aware of where his each limb laid but the only parts of his body that he could really feel were the ones that the boy on top of him was touching. The kid was still strocking along his face, tracing Slade's cheeks and his jaw as if he wanted to memorize his every curve. Crave it into memory. He kept stroking the arch of Slade's brow, the one above his missing eye. It was then that Slade realized that his eyepatch was gone.

He didn't mind the fact that the boy was able to see it, he couldn't give less of a fuck about that but it annoyed him that he didn't even notice it was gone in the first place. Whatever that little brat gave him was strong as hell, enough so that his healing factor didn't burn it through right away. "Who are you?" Slade demanded again. The boy hummed. "That's not a very specific question. You can try again." Slade growled, making the kid smile again. He fought again against the invisible binds that restrained his body and this time he felt it give, just a little bit. Fingers of his left hand moved against the bed he was laid on and he struggled to subtly curl it into a fist. Not subtly enough. The boy noticed it immediately and his brow furrowed into displeased frown. "Oh no, none of that now." He cooed before placing his gentle hand on Slade's wrist and just like that, Slade was pinned in place again. All breath left Slade's lungs in a painful whoosh. He stared at the boy with something that, he could admit only to himself, was creeping close to being a fear. "You-" He started faintly, feeling the way the hand on his throat tightened. "What are you?" The kid grinned, this time in a way that showed all his teeth. "A more specific question, that's more like it!" He praised, placing his hands on Slade's chest again and leaning over him, so close that Slade could feel his breath on his lips. It felt like a leaf brushing against his skin. "I'm a fae, Slade Wilson. One your kind calls an 'elf', I believe." "That's..." Not possible, Slade wasn't able to say. Mystical creatures like that were a tale for children, a figment of someone's imagination, something only complete idiots actually believed in. They were a part of movies or books and not... not real life. But when he looked at the boy again he could see a pair of pointy ears sticking out from between the black strands of his hair. "I heard so much about you, Slade Wilson." The boy – no, no, it wasn't a boy. The creature looked him over again, slowly and carefully as if he was seeing him for the very first time. "You're such an unique case. A human but stronger than any of them. More powerful. I had such high expectations of you and yet you already managed to surprise me!"

And Fae Slade is a story where fae Joey and human Dick become friends and Slade decides that he wants to meet the human that managed to befriend his son, see for himself who he is and whether he'd bring Joey any harm. So he invites Dick for dinner :3

Dick doesn't know any rules of fae world (maybe Joey gave him a few advices but he doesn't know much about human wolrd either so he has no idea what could harm Dick) and so Dick is just trying to survive there

And if Slade decides he likes the human? Well, maybe he'll keep him

A lil snippet for this one as well;

Dick stared uncertainly at the wine Slade poured into his glass. The liquid was as red as blood, even as it smelled of fruit, sweet and tempting. “Is something wrong?” The fae asked pleasantly, taking his seat across from Dick. His lips were curled into a smile but his gaze was so intense it felt like a physical weight on him. Dick wasn’t sure whether it was a good feeling or not. “N-no, everything is perfect.” Dick made himself smile. “I’m just… not sure whether I should be drinking.” Slade’s smile turned into more of a smirk as he lifted his own wine glass and brought it to his lips. Dick watched him take a few sips and despite knowing it only looked like blood, for a moment he expected to see the red smeared on his lips. “Despite the different way our races age,” Slade started and Dick tore his eyes away from the fae’s lips with a blush. “I’m quite certain you’re old enough to have a little drink.” “Well, yes but-” “Then I don’t see the problem.” Slade drawled, amusement clear in his gray eye. “I’m not trying to get you drunk, Richard, no need to worry. I simply think you would appreciate the taste.” Dick ran his tongue over his lips to wet them. Slade kept smiling at him, simply waiting for him to make a decision and… just a sip won’t hurt, right? He didn’t want to be rude, mostly because he knew how dangerous an angry fae could be. He reached for the glass, not noticing the way Slade’s eye gleamed.

You can ask me about my wips right here

[sparklygraves]

what if Xandra & Larry decide to go on vacation & Theo asks if Boris can come too & Xandra’s like uuuuuuugh ya ok whatev & Larry’s like— whatever Xandra says goes! so it’s offical— Xandra, Larry, Theo, Popchyk & Boris are going on vacation! to… Cape Cod!

“Seriously, Potter? Cape??” Boris protests when Theo tells him about it. “Is so lame! Have heard of this! Is all seagulls & motels— worse than desert!”

“Fine, whatever—stay here then,” Theo grumbles, rolling away from Boris on their bed.

“No—“ Boris touches a hand to Theo’s shoulder. “Potter. Potter,” he repeats when Theo doesn’t budge. “Am not saying no.”

Theo turns. “So you’re just being dick for no reason then?”

Boris grins. “Is my number one quality.”

“Best quality.”

“So you agree!”

Theo rolls his eyes. “Fuck off.”

so they go to the Cape! Xandra & Larry are in one room, & Theo, Boris & Popchyk are in another. it is as boring as Boris said, but they still have fun being touristy idiots. they buy garish swim trunks & Boris goes on a rant about capitalism when he sees a sea shell store (“Can pick them up on beach but idiot Americans are giving dollars for this?!?”).

they spend their days in the motel hot tub, stealing candy & peanuts from the local drug store, & watching Friends in their bedroom.

“Chandler & Joey are cute couple,” Boris muses one day, sucking on a Twizzler.

Theo nearly gags on a handful of Skittles.

“What?” Boris asks.

“They are not a couple!”

Boris counts down on his fingers: “Live together, buy matching chairs together, have pet…”

“Those things do not make them a couple! WE have a pet & basically live together, but we are not a couple!”

“Hm,” Boris muses. “We must get chairs then… Come, Potter!”

“What the mother fuck, Boris?!”

so they go to a tourist shop & Boris finds some summery rainbow beach chairs he deems perfect ;P I dunno y’all I’ve got a cold & I’m kinda high off cough meds rn ;)

[rose-lizzzy]

Shrub woke up in a wolves den.

A large wolf slept beside her, the other wolves of hers surrounding them.

"What.." she stammered, waking the large wolf, who nuzzled her.

"Oh! Hello!" She lets out a laugh and pats the mother wolf.

It felt...nice. No thinking about corruption, destruction, just peace for now.

They didn't care that she was corrupted. That she hurt and killed and destroyed.

It was nice, until reality set in.

She needed to get moving.

"I gotta go." She says to the mother wolf, and sets off on her way. She can regroup back at the Undergrove, and then continue on her destruction.

When she arrived, something was very different. Specifically the eye that was watching her.

She knew what it meant. What he was trying to tell her. He was watching her, and she needed to fall in line.

Well she didn't want to. She shot an arrow at the eyeball and continued on.

Gathering more resources from her chest, she heard shuffling outside, some squabbling too.

"Ouch! Will you stop that?" Joey exclaims.

"Haha sorry!" Sausage responds.

Shrub sighs and opens her door to reveal the two right there, about to knock.

"Oh! Heyyy Shrub! We just came to chat!" Sausage grins

"About what?" She asks suspiciously, not even bothering with her friendly act anymore.

That's when Joey suddenly butt in. "What's your deal with Xornoth, huh? Do I need to be worried about you and my hubby?"

Shrub gags, face wrinkling "Ew! No way!"

"Good." Joey retreats, allowing Sausage to take the reins

Shrub steps outside, shutting the door behind her so they weren't just standing in her doorway, while Sausage started.

"So...you're the mysterious third ally we'd heard so much about." He says simply, and Shrub sighs

"Well yeah. I don't know how you didn't figure it out sooner. I literally brought him here. I had the most connection with him."

"Well you seemed so sweet and innocent." Sausage defends their intelligence

"I was putting on an act you idiots! So the others would trust me! Now why are you here?"

Joey rolls his eyes "Xornoth told us we had to like talk and plan with you or whatever."

"He wants you to work with us now instead of on your own like before." Sausage adds.

Shrub chuckles a bit "Yeah no, not happening. I've been working on my own all this time, it's been working out fine. So I think I'm good."

Joey gets in her face, upset. "He said it was an order! That you had to! So you have to listen!"

Shrub glares at him, eyes gleaming dangerously, and the wolves appear around her, snarling and growling at the two men.

"I said no. Now get out."

They retreat, but not before Joey barks out one last "We'll be back! He's your master too!"

And Shrub rolls her eyes, because she would be ready.

[fictionisthebetterreality]

What a goddamn idiot.

Rook’s opinion of the Marshall is made certain the moment he walks up to the front desk of the jailhouse, coughs loudly, and announces, “US Marshall Cameron Burke, here to see Earl Whitehorse.”

His chest is puffed out more than a pissed off skunk in heat, and she’s sure he expects them to lose their tiny backcountry minds at the statement. Nancy is on the phone to Ms Pearl (for the fourth time that week, which makes it one less than Rook needs to win her bet with Staci), so the Marshall looks to Rook instead, frowning when she doesn’t scramble to his needs like some rocker-boy’s fangirl.

She gives it a minute before stubbing out her smoke, making sure it’s good and out before reaching behind her to close the window she’d been sneaking it out of. Nancy hates the smell, which is why Rook makes sure to do it as often as she can.

“That’ll be Sheriff Whitehorse, then?” she asks. The Marshall opens his mouth, sure to spill a bunch of new bullshit, so she takes a breath and shouts.

“SHERIFF! GOT THAT MARSHALL HERE FOR YOU.”

Nancy stutters over the phone, jumping slightly in her chair before clearing her throat and apologising to Ms Pearl about the bad line. The Marshall’s eyes dart to the walkie on Rook’s hip as his face slowly starts to flush, and she doesn’t bother to hide her shit-eating grin.

“Rook, how many times I gotta tell you not to smoke in here? You know Nance doesn’t like it.”

The Sheriff enters the room before the Marshall can take up the red rag thrown at his feet, so he shoots a glare at her and steps over it, waiting until Whitehorse reaches him before extending his hand.

“Cameron Burke, US Marshall,” he repeats, turning his back to Rook so that the US MARSHALL emblazoned on the back jumps out at her. He wears the kit like it’s his own personal merch, and Rook snorts slightly as the Sheriff nods and steps back.

“Yeah, I see that. You got here in one piece, then?”

The Marshall makes a noise of scorn, his chin jutting out as he inflates with his own importance.

“Those sheep don’t have the balls to attack a federal convoy,” he says, and Rook bristles, stepping away from the wall. Most everyone in Hope County has lost someone to the cult by now. Joey’s little brother took off last month, left a note with fuckin’ Nancy of all people to tell her where he’d gone. Staci’s girlfriend was three months pregnant – closer to five, by now – said he’d be welcome to join her if he atones. Whitehorse’s fishin’ buddy, Larry – more of a brother to him than his own flesh and blood – he’d disappeared at the end of last summer. They’d sent out patrols, thought they’d find him dead in a creek, but then an officer up in the Henbane had radioed in and said they’d seen him at the Eastwing Farm, healthy as a horse and teaching bible class.

“Those are still our people out there, Marshall,” Whitehorse says, his tone hard.

“Exactly, Sheriff,” the Marshall replies, hardly missing a beat, and Rook has a bad, bad feeling even before he finishes the sentence.

“That’s why we’re going to arrest Joseph Seed and bring his whole regime crashing down around him. Tonight.”

[livelovecaliforniadreams]

Favorite Pacey/Joey Moments Per Episode: 6x22 Joey Potter and the Capeside Redemption (Part 2)

[icallhimjoey]

Girl I immediately sat when I received your post notification, I read it so fast that after the “we all won” bit I took a minute to elaborate the whole thing. I was grinning like a complete idiot from beginning to end, giggling my way throughout the chapter but also very in my feels, just like at the end of every five parter of yours.

Joe was extremely soft but also not, he was the right blend of the classic soft joey™️ with a tinge of assertiveness that made him just perfect for that set-up.

I wasn’t very far off in regards to the feelings surrounding the week of favours, but boy was I silly for being worried about its end.

Falling asleep together squished in each others arms made it for me, I’m a sucker for whatever that was. And the almost touches had me FERAL, those brief skin brushes and nose nudges were just perfect. It was so Intimate, changing the scenery gave them some sort of comfort, and mostly privacy which helped a tonne <33

YOU'RE ALWAYS TOO KIND i never know what to DO with myself

[coffieolore]

Chapter Four

The End of Everything

The gate squeaks as Ama shoulders it. She saunters onto the open compound, a bag of water sachets drooping from each hand.

Music thumps from inside the house ahead, shadows in the windows twisting and swaying to the beat. And on the porch, a handful of Ama’s classmates drink and talk in pairs or small groups. Some of them still have their graduation gowns on.

Ama shed hers hours ago for the red dress underneath, right after the ceremony was over. Gone are the heels as well. The left one snapped off during her errand, and in her frustration, she had kicked them off to proceed barefoot. Whatever, they were cheap things anyway. Her friends had been begging her to let them replace them for years.

As Ama arrives at the porch, a classmate offers to help her with the bags.

“I’m fine, thanks,” she says, climbing up the front steps. Another classmate helps by opening the door.

Ama winces as the lights and sound hit her. It was dark outside, and she is not delighted by the sudden invasion of flashing colors. She can feel the bass of blaring Afrobeats music in her bones. Weaving between writhing guests and gyrating couples, she makes her way to the kitchen, where Joey is waiting for her.

Joey sighs with relief when he sees the bags. “You’re everything, you know that? Whoa, be careful!”

Ama is lifting the bags onto the counter, and one of them bursts when it lands too heavily on the linoleum. Water sachets tumble out and slide all over the counter top. Thankfully, none of them break.

“Sorry,” Ama says.

“You and your gorilla strength.”

“I thought we agreed to call it Herculean. Gorilla? Don’t make me smack you.”

“With those hands? I fear for my life. Seriously though,” he says with a grin, “thank you. I really need to keep these idiots hydrated. There’s beer everywhere, and I don’t even know where it’s coming from. Last thing I need is an army of blind-drunk graduates tearing my house apart.”

“Don’t mention it,” says Ama. “Thanks again for being so cool about Chi. There really is no one to watch her at home. I’d have had to skip this if you hadn’t let me bring her with me.”

He grins, running a hand through his kinky twists. “You don’t have to explain yourself. Chichi is my little sister too as far as I’m concerned. This party is just as much hers as it is ours.”

“Someone should tell that to them,” Ama says, nodding at the couple just outside the kitchen door. She and Joey watch for an awkward moment as their distinguished colleague twerks with spirited vigor all over her dance partner’s groin.

“Yeah,” Ama says, “bringing Chi was not a great idea, was it?”

Joey laughs. “On second thought.”

“Where is Chi anyway?”

There is a flash of mild panic in Joey’s eyes. “Um, Edem was watching her. Wait, here she is.”

It isn’t Chichi, but Edem who is walking through the door, emptying a beer bottle.

“Where’s Ama’s sister?” he asks before Ama can.

Edem burps. “Upstairs. She was getting sleepy so I put her in your bedroom.”

Ama frowns. “It is getting pretty late. I should find her before some horny couple tries to use the room for you know…hanky-panky. She’s already living through one trauma, she doesn’t need another.”

“Hanky-panky?” Joey looks like he might die of amusement. “What’re you, eighty?”

“You know what I mean, shut up.”

“Wait, I’ll come with you.”

Joey follows Ama back into the crowd. As they climb the stairs, he says, “You know I’ve been meaning to talk to you about something.” The music is so loud here, he’s practically barking straight down her ear.

“Oh? What?”

They reach the upper floor, where the volume is a few notches below auditory torture, before he continues, “So we’ve been friends since primary school, right?”

“Class Four,” Ama says.

He nods. “Right. And we know each other pretty well. I mean, I like you, you like me.”

“Wow, you’ve really nailed the fundamentals of friendship, eh? You should start a podcast,” she teases.

He ignores the jab, suddenly looking nervous. “I’m saying we really like each other, and I’ve always admired you. I mean, to me you’ve always been all kinds of amazing, you know?”

Ama stops walking, as it dawns on her where this is going. She feels immediately self-conscious. “Joey—” she mumbles.

“No, please let me finish.” His laugh is awkward, as though he can already sense the situation going down in flames. “If I’m going to embarrass myself, I might as well do it right. I-I really like you Ama. Like, like you like you.”

Ama can’t look him in the eye as she lets him finish.

“I was wondering if sometime later this week, we could catch a movie. But not as just friends,” he says. “As…more.”

Ama struggles to lift her eyes off the floor, and by the time she does, he can’t look at her either. The sliver of hope with which he started this conversation has already faded. She killed it with unspoken words alone, and now, she attempts a few spoken ones. “Joey, I’m sorry—”

“No, I’m sorry. This was stupid. I don’t know what I was thinking.”

“No, no, it’s not you. It’s just, I’m sort of seeing someone right now.”

This takes Joey by surprise. “What? Someone else? Who? Wait, how? How long?”

“You don’t know him. It’s been a little over a year.”

Joey is incredulous. “How could I possibly not know him? Ama, we go to the same school, and I spend almost every waking hour with you. Where did you meet him?”

Ama sighs. “I can’t really say. It’s complicated.”

“I’ll bet it is.”

“Hey!”

“If you’re going to reject me, the least you can do is be honest with me, leave me with some dignity. But lying about some mystery guy? That’s insulting.”

“I’m not lying,” Ama snaps, annoyed now. “But you obviously have. How long have you felt this way? All this time I thought things were fine between us—”

“They were, they are!”

“But you’ve been harboring all these mushy feelings for me, and now I’m supposed to—”

“Mushy feelings? Oh, that’s really mature,” Joey says as Ama talks over him.

“—stop my world for you because now you have feelings?” Ama finishes, tears welling up in her eyes. “That’s not fair!”

Her last words are loud, and a girl walking by keeps her head down and tries to get away from them as quickly as she can. Joey looks away, and so does Ama.

“I…” Joey finally utters. “I should go down and check the water situation.” His anger has already melted away, as it is inclined to do, leaving behind a quiet sort of sadness that breaks Ama’s heart, in spite of her own ire.

Still, her tone is edged in ice when she answers, “You do that.”

She doesn’t look in his direction till a few seconds later, and by then she is standing alone. Their angry words bounce around in her head, only hurting so much more because she told him the truth.

Joey is more than just her best friend. He is the One, in a sense. The one with whom she shares her favorite jokes. The one she talks to when she’s had a hard day. The one around whom she plans most of her weekends. To top it off, Joey is one of the kindest people in her life. She knows in her heart that, were it not for Selasi—and the indisputable fact that she is in love with him—she might have considered Joey’s confession. That Joey thinks she would lie to him just to get out of giving ‘them’ a chance?

Ama stews in her wretched feelings for a moment longer, before storming down the corridor to Joey’s bedroom.

“Chi? You asleep?” she calls as she steps in. She freezes in the doorway.

There was movement in the darkness when she opened the door: a flitting of something small and slight, from the bed where Chichi is sleeping to the pocket of darkness in the farthest left corner of the room, just beyond the window. It looked like a cat. But that was no cat; the sunsum is all wrong.

Ama steps into the room, and gently closes the door behind her.

“I would step out if I were you,” Ama says, in the severest tone she can muster. “It may be the difference between whether or not you leave this place with your limbs attached.”

A moment passes. And then, the figure steps into the light from the window. She is a silhouette against the meager light, but Ama recognizes the lissome frame in its high-waisted, flower patterned kaba, and the dark hair tightly bound into twin buns, small and round like bofrot.

“Hemmaa?” Ama says.

Hemmaa is a member of Mama Wu’s inner circle of beyifo; the five exceptional warrior witches who accompany her on dangerous assignments like hired bodyguards. After Selasi, she seems to be Mama Wu’s favorite; or she gets the most attention anyway. Ama met her a handful of times during her training.

“Hello Ama,” Hemmaa says.

“Hi,” says Amma. “Long time.”

“Yes, it has.”

Ama waits.

“Oh yes,” Hemmaa says, as if only just remembering why she is here. “I was sent to ask you about something.”

“Oh? Mama Wu sent you?”

Hemmaa’s head bobs yes.

“I’ve been hoping to see her in person,” Ama says. “She still owes me, you know?”

“Owes you?”

“A cure?” Ama says.

Hemmaa is silent.

“For Chichi’s illness?” Ama pushes.

“Ah yes,” Hemmaa says, snapping her fingers. “That’s actually what I’m here to talk to you about.”

“Is that right?” Ama says.

“Yes, yes. I was sent to tell you the cure is on its way. She’s almost done. She eh, she can’t wait.”

“Wow. Thank you for telling me that. I appreciate it.”

Ama can’t see Hemmaa’s smile, but she can hear it forced in her next words: “Of course.”

Ama nods. “Good.”

Hemmaa nods back. “Awesome.”

Silence.

“So,” Hemmaa says, throwing a cavalier glance in Chichi’s direction. “I guess I’ll just head out then.”

“Alright. Thanks for stopping by.”

Hemmaa turns to slip back into the shadows. As she takes her first step, Ama says, “Hey, one quick question before you go.”

Hemmaa stops mid-step. “Yes?”

“If you’re only here to deliver a message,” Ama says, “then why is your aura cloaked?”

Time stops in the small pocket of semi-darkness.

Hemmaa flashes towards Chichi, and in the half-second it takes her to reach the bed, Ama flies across the room and crashes into her.

They smash through the window, surrounded by a splash of twinkling shards, flailing through free fall, the night sky swiveling around them, the concrete below swinging up towards them…

They hit the ground.

Ama breaks her neck.

OOO

Ama wakes up to the sound of her own neck snapping back into place. She lets out a sharp, guttural cry, as the broken femur in her left leg mends with a crackle, and then a pained gasp when the ball in her right shoulder thuds back into its socket. She scrambles to sit up, trying to shake the haze out of her head. Her sight is blurry, but slowly clearing up. Her hearing is muffled for the first five seconds, and then everything comes rushing in.

Her classmates are pouring out of the house, and there’s screaming. Some stare aghast from the porch, more spill onto the compound. A few are coming over to help her.

“No, stay back!” Ama screams, as she staggers to her feet. She is barefoot, and broken glass crunches underneath her feet. She can feel the flesh in her soles healing around the jagged pieces. They will be a chore to remove later.

Hemmaa is already back on her feet. Unlike Ama, she has no cuts and bruises to heal. Mama Wu’s beyifo are well-adept at self-fortifications and impact absorption patterns. She is built of tougher stuff, literally.

“What the hell?” Ama spits. “You came here to kill her?”

“Sorry, Ama,” Hemmaa says, as champagne wisps of light engulf her. There are gasps and screams from their audience, as the light twists and bends her bones, warps and reshapes her flesh, coating her in tan-brown fur. In two blinks, she is a hulking lioness the size of an SUV. “This isn’t about you,” Hemmaa snarls through the creature’s maw. “But if you make it, I’m happy to oblige.”

“This has to be some mistake,” Ama says. “I want to speak with Mama Wu. Let me speak with her first. Please!”

“Get out of my way, Ama.”

“Are you listening to me?” Ama’s frustration is boiling into anger. “You are not touching my sister!”

There is a flash of red light, and another round of gasps and screams from Ama’s classmates. Ama looks down to see her fingers firmly wrapped around the handle of her double-ended staff. She summoned her own witch-arm without even realizing it.

“Ama?” Chichi calls above her.

Ama looks up to see her sister leaning carefully through the broken window with frightened eyes.

“Baby, stay there!” Ama calls back.

When Ama looks back at Hemmaa, the lioness is springing towards her. Ama jumps back, narrowly avoiding two wild swipes at her face, the curved claws carving the air with glints of light.

Ama’s head is giddy with adrenalin, her muscles tensed into stone, as she and Hemmaa circle each other. Hemmaa snarls, her tail flicking left, right, and about. Ama rotates her wrists, spreads her feet apart, and settles into a fighting stance, ready for Hemmaa to pounce.

But the lioness suddenly buckles, her back lifting, her spinal column jutting up and out against her furry skin. Her throat begins to constrict and ripple, as her eyes bulge and her ears flatten back against her head. She hacks and shivers, as though on the verge of throwing up.

Ama looks disgusted. “What the fu…”

A spasmodic heave, a shudder that lifts its fur in a wave from muzzle to rump, a blaze of her eyes; Hemmaa belches out a shockwave. The stream of sound blows out Ama’s eardrums and catches her in the chest at the same time, pitching her across the compound and into the border wall. Juddering, vicious pain wracks Ama’s body as she spits up blood.

This time, their onlookers erupt into all-out pandemonium and scatter like terrified ants. Not that Ama can hear any of it.

Before Ama can react, Hemmaa retches and spews another sonic boom. Ama is already in so much pain, she barely feels this one; it is a dull, flashing sensation that spreads through her chest, sloshing darkness across her vision like flung water. The wall crumbles around Ama, as the thunderous force of Hemmaa’s beyie sends her tumbling into the middle of the road outside.

As Ama’s eardrums pop back into mint condition, she is assaulted by the sound of her own bones fixing themselves, healing. The cracking has always made her nauseous. Ama tries to sit up, shaking from the shock, gasping for air.

Hemmaa bounds through the jagged hole in the wall, and as she saunters towards Ama, tail whishing behind her, she growls, “How are you still alive?”

Ama grits her bloody teeth. “I can regenerate, genius.”

“None of us heal that fast,” Hemmaa snaps, and launches herself at Ama.

Ama rolls backwards and out of the beast’s reach. Using the momentum, she pushes off the ground and onto her feet, and wills her witch-arm to return. From somewhere on the street, it flings itself to her. Ama catches its movement out of the corner of her eye, and snatches it out of the air just in time to deflect another of Hemmaa’s vicious swipes in a burst of sparks.

Ama twists about to deliver a kick to Hemmaa’s flank so powerful, the air snaps with the sound of caving ribs. Hemmaa snarls in pain and loses her footing against the gravel for a frantic second, before throwing herself at Ama again. Razor-sharp claws whistle uselessly over Ama’s head, as she rolls over, and jabs her witch-arm hard into the lioness’s side.

Hemmaa roars furiously. Ama sinks the weapon deeper into fur and flesh. But with Ama’s iron grip, all it takes Hemmaa is a wild tumble onto her back, a lithe twist, a violent turn, and Ama loses her balance. This time when Hemmaa lunges, her powerful jaws find Ama’s shoulder.

Ama screams and swears. Wrenching the witch-arm free, she kicks at the lioness to let go. The force is enough to separate them, but not before Hemmaa has already ripped out a generous chunk of her. Blood sprays the air.

Hemmaa throws her head back, and with an eager decisive snap, swallows her bite of Ama whole.

Ama is revolted. “Girl, just…why?” she says, even as her shoulder mends itself.

“I warned you, brat.” Hemaa is speaking in a tone, a manner, that Ama has never heard her use till now. She sounds old. Almost elderly. “I will remove you. Piece by piece, if I have to.”

Shaken, Ama reassumes her stance. She is poised to strike when a stream of wind, focused into a savage cyclone, blasts all five hundred pounds of Hemmaa off her feet and sends her hurtling down the street like a crash dummy.

Ama spins in the direction of the attack. A few yards away is a girl, about sixteen, with shoulder length twists, a wax print jacket over a tank top, and blue jeans. The fact that she is wrapped in bright blazing blue sunsum doesn’t stop Ama from immediately recognizing her cousin.

“Mansa?” she says in disbelief.

Mansa’s hands are outstretched, and she looks a little startled by what she has just done. “Hi Ama,” she says meekly.

Ama is bewildered, but also too desperate to overthink this moment. Pointing in the general direction of Hemmaa’s fall, she asks, “Can you keep her occupied?”

Mansa nods. “Go get Chichi.”

Her head swimming with questions, Ama rips her skirt up to her knees. She tosses the bothersome fabric away, and dashes back into Joey’s compound, bounding through the break in the wall. The power is out, and the place is deserted. No one stuck around for the rest of the show.

Ama finds Joey on the front porch and stops. He is just standing there in the darkness, staring petrified into the distance, until he notices Ama in front of him. Then he’s like a computer booting up. “Ama!”

“What are you still doing here? Are you crazy? Chi!” Ama cries, walking past him into the house and heading for the stairs. “Come out, Chi! We’re getting out of here!”

“Ama, wait!” Joey follows after her, yelling, “What’s going on? Who’s that other woman? How did you survive getting thrown through a friggin’ wall? What the hell is going on?”

He grabs her at the top of the stairs and forces her around. There is weak light here from the emergency solar lights in the ceiling, and he notices the witch-arm in Ama’s hand for the first time. “What the—” He backs away, releasing a string of stuttered swearing.

“Are you,” he stammers, eying the weapon. “Are you…?” He whispers the last word. “An alien?”

“Joey, listen to me carefully,” Ama says. “You have to get out of here. It’s not safe. Do you understand me?”

He just stares back, confused. So Ama walks away, and to her frustration, he follows her to his bedroom.

“Chi!” Ama calls.

“I’m in here!” Chi’s small voice comes from the closet in the wall.

Ama throws the doors to the closet open to find her little sister curled up in the corner, partly obstructed by a row of hanging jackets. “Come to me, baby,” she says, even as Chichi leaps into her arms.

Their embrace lasts two seconds. Then, Ama is pulling her along, out of the bedroom and down the stairs.

“If we’re running, we should take one of the cars,” Joey says, behind Ama every step.

Ama whirls around. “Can we really?” she asks, wide eyed with desperate gratitude.

“Of course,” he says, running past her to the bottom. He goes into the living room. “The keys to the minivan should be around here somewhere.” He is like a flustered animal, scurrying from the center table, to the sofas, to the cabinets.

As he searches, Ama moves to a window to peep through the curtains. She can feel Hemmaa’s aura coming from somewhere over the wall, intensifying steadily for a few seconds, before stabilizing into a steady fire.

The aura is heading towards the house.

“Dammit Mansa,” Ama whispers, too afraid to imagine what happened to her. She spins back around. “We have to go now!”

Chichi is right behind her, and the sight of her terrified face lodges a lump in Ama’s throat.

“We’ll be fine,” Ama whispers.

“I found them! Let’s go!” Joey says, striding towards the girls with the car keys dangling from his fingers.

Ama takes them from him.

“I thought I was going to drive,” he says.

“You want to leave that to me, trust me,” Ama says, as they run to the door.

Ama opens the door to see Hemmaa, back in her human form, walking through the broken wall, swathed in roaring lemon-yellow sunsum.

Ama slams the door shut. “Please tell me there’s a way to the garage from inside the house.”

“You know there isn’t.”

“Hide! Just hide!” Ama says, pointing to the kitchen.

As Joey runs into the kitchen, Ama pulls Chichi with her to the farthest corner of the living room, where heavy curtains cover a row of windows. They slip behind the drapery, and closing her eyes, Ama concentrates as hard as she can to hide her aura.

She slows her breathing, and then her heart till it is almost still. Within herself, within her soul, she finds the core sun that radiates her sunsum and she douses its flames. Her body temperature plummets in response. She might as well be a corpse.

The light of Hemmaa’s sunsum is visible through the curtain, but it isn’t long after it enters the house that it fades. And then Hemmaa’s aura wanes and disappears with it.

They are both hidden now. A game of hide and seek.

Ama listens to Hemmaa moving around the room. Her attempt at stealth is thwarted by her unfamiliarity with her surroundings. Every now and again, Ama will hear the cloth of her kaba brushing against furniture, inaudible to an ordinary ear but harmattan wind and static to Ama’s.

She knows Hemmaa can hear Joey and Chichi too; their heavy breathing, their thrashing heartbeats. Despite the fact that the two are in separate rooms, Hemmaa seems to be moving ever so carefully towards her and Chichi’s location. Why Hemmaa has chosen to track Chichi’s sounds over Joey’s, Ama isn’t sure. Can she tell the difference between their heartbeats, or did she make a lucky guess?

Ama’s grip on her witch-arm is so tight, her fingers are numb. Now she can hear Hemmaa’s feet on the carpet. She is treading with all the delicacy of a feather, but the crunch of synthetic fiber is subtle.

Ama considers rushing Hemmaa now in the hopes that she catches her unaware. But there is a risk of putting Chichi in the path of a counterattack. Hemmaa’s steps sound more certain now, and if Hemmaa was initially worried that this was a trap, she clearly isn’t anymore. Ama wishes this were a trap. That would have been smarter.

Hemmaa is only three paces away.

Ama decides to make the only choice available. She readies to attack.

It is his heartbeat that she hears first. Ama’s ears were so trained on Hemmaa that she drowned out every other sound. But his rhythmic thumping cuts through the silence. Ama knows the sound of her best friend’s heart.

And she realizes what he is trying to do.

“Joey, no—!”

The explosion of sound is deafening, the sonic boom ripping through the air. The thunder swallows Ama’s anguished cry, and quakes the entire house, shattering every inch of glass in the room—the television, the center table, the cabinets, the windows. The sound of broken shards, like raining pocket change.

Ama tumbles out of the curtains, screaming Joey’s name in wild anguish. Hemmaa’s back is turned, and as she spins around in surprise, Ama runs the piercing end of her staff into her, lifting her inches off the floor with the force of the attack. They stagger backwards until Ama has her pinned against a wall. Hemmaa’s face ripples, her arms expanding and then retracting, her transformation failing in the wake of the pain. Instead, she scratches at the shaft of the staff, helpless, panicked, trembling. Their eyes lock as Ama leans in with the full weight of her body, pushing her witch-arm all the way through Hemmaa’s body and into the wall behind her.

Then Ama leaves her there to find Joey. Her vision is blurry with panicked tears, and her ears ring with a high-pitched whine. As she stumbles through the living room, her hearing begins to clear, and she spots a body on the floor.

“Joey,” Ama whispers, dropping next to him. “Can you hear me?”

Silence. Then a strained groan. “Ama?”

Ama almost cries with relief. She can see better now, and her breath catches in her throat when she makes out the twisted mess that is his chest. She isn’t sure if she can touch him, how she could touch him. She settles for placing a tentative hand on his cheek. The muscles in his face tremble and twitch. Ama’s do the same, but for different reasons, and with the added stinging of freshly forming tears.

“Hey,” Joey breaths. His eyes are half open. “What’s wrong?”

Ama’s tears drip onto his forehead. “You’re going to be alright,” she croaks. “I promise.”

“I-It doesn’t even hurt.”

Ama fights back a sob, and drops her head to plant her lips on his forehead, keeping them there for a lingering moment.

“But,” Joey murmurs. “I’m a little cold. D-do you mind?”

Ama sniffs, nods, and gathers him into her arms.

He sighs and stirs. “That feels better,” he whispers.

Ama nods, releasing measured, shuddering breaths. There is a gurgle coming from somewhere inside him that Ama really, really wishes she couldn’t hear. In that moment, she hates her abilities. She hates her life. She asks herself if she is just radioactive. A decaying isotope of suffering and death, afflicting everyone around her. And then, she hates herself more for revolving this moment around her own pain.

She finds his hand with hers, and trails her fingers up and down his open palm. The fear of breaking down into hysterical sobs is stark.

Joey’s eyes roll around weakly and then settle on Ama again. “Hey,” he breathes. “You…you should go.”

Ama shakes her head, even though she knows he’s right. She can’t stay here. She has to get Chichi as far away from here as she can. But what kind of monster leaves their best friend behind to die?

“I…called an ambulance…already.”

Ama wonders when, and then figures it must have been after she fell out of the window.

“I’ll be alright,” Joey says. “Go.”

Tears pour down Ama’s face as she kisses his sweaty brow again. “Don’t die,” she mumbles against his lukewarm flesh. “Do you hear me? You die, and I will hunt you down in the afterlife and kick you right in the balls.”

Joey’s lips twitch in an attempt at a smile. “D-don’t,” he whispers, “let the aliens win.”

Ama wipes her eyes and nods. “Chichi, come out! We’re leaving.” She stands as her sister runs out from behind the curtains. She throws one last glance at Joey. “See you soon.”

As Ama leads Chichi out of the house, she covers her little sister’s eyes to keep her from seeing Hemmaa’s skewered body.

Hemmaa lets out a gurgling chuckle as the sisters pass her by, blood dripping down to her chin. “This isn’t over,” she rasps. “She will pay for Saanga.”

Ama doesn’t know who or what ‘Saanga’ is, but there isn’t enough time to care. With a wave of her hand, Ama summons her witch-arm back. The staff dislodges itself from Hemmaa’s body, whipping across the room to fit itself into her hand while Hemmaa slumps to the floor.

The car keys Joey gave Ama are to a purple minivan, parked beside a luxury sedan in the garage. Chichi gets into the passenger seat as Ama starts the engine; then she lurches them backwards into the compound, swings them through a tight one-eighty degrees, and drives through the gap in the wall.

“Come on Mansa, where are you?” Ama mutters, scanning the street. “Oh thank god.”

Mansa is lying unconscious on the shoulder of the road a few yards away. Ama pulls up next to her and yanks on the handbrake. “Open the door to the backseat,” she says to Chichi over her shoulder, hopping out of the minivan.

As Chichi complies, Ama throws Mansa over her shoulder.

When Mansa is lying in the backseat, Ama floors the pedal.

They pass three speeding police cars and an ambulance on their way out of the neighborhood.

 

[bluejaysandblackbats]

An Oyster's Pearl

Fandom: DC Comics

Summary: Shortly after moving in with Joseph Wilson, Grant Wilson makes friends with a fellow pledge for a fraternity. During this time, Grant grapples with realizations about his childhood trauma, his sexuality, and his relationships with his father and siblings.

Chapters: 3/?

Characters: Grant Wilson, Joseph Wilson, Rose Wilson, Dick Grayson, Slade Wilson, William Randolph Wintergreen, Original Character(s)

Relationships: Grant Wilson/Original Character, DickJoey

Additional Tags: University AU, No Capes AU, Angst, Deaf Joseph Wilson, Fluff and Angst, Romance, Grant Wilson has a Sexuality Crisis, Frat Boy Grant Wilson

Chapter Three: Hatching Day

Joey stayed in the apartment most of the day, except for lunch when he went out with his boyfriend. It gave me time to make dinner. Swedish meatballs on egg noodles with roasted potatoes and carrots. That was his favorite meal. Swedish meatballs were the only thing I ever cooked for him that came out right. I made it all the time when we were kids. The doorbell rang, pulling me out of my nostalgic moment, and I ran to the door, hoping it wasn't Joey getting home early from his date.

To my shock, it was Rose. She showed up with decorations practically spilling out of a shopping bag. I didn't expect her to be on time, let alone early. "Dinner smells great," Rose complimented, "Mind if I—?"

"Go ahead. I'm just finishing up in the kitchen. Did you get the candles?" I asked.

"Did I get the candles?" Rose mocked me. "Yes, I got the candles. Jesus, do you think I'm an idiot or something?"

I chuckled. That was one thing we all had in common. We're all insufferable assholes when we get together. Rose definitely had me beat, though. She put up the decorations and joined me in the kitchen to sneak a meatball or two while my back was turned. I expected it, though, so I cooked enough for her to snag a few before Joey came home. "Promise me you're not gonna try to fight Joey's boyfriend and ruin his entire birthday dinner," Rose commanded.

"Now, why would I do that?" I asked.

"Just promise me, okay?" Rose replied.

"You've got my word. Besides, I can't let all this food go to waste," I half-joked. Rose grinned.

"He's got like twenty gifts on the table," Rose exaggerated, "How much you wanna bet he's gonna cry?"

"I bet you twenty he cries before the cake even comes out," I snickered.

She smirked and nodded confidently. "Oh, you're on," Rose chuckled.

It wasn't long after that that Joey came in holding hands with the guy I fought outside of a bar two years ago. Still, I promised Rose I wouldn't ruin dinner, so I shook his hand and invited him to stay for dinner. There was a time and a place for settling scores, but Joey's birthday dinner was neither the time nor the place. Ha. Maybe living with Joey was rubbing off on me.

I made everyone's plates, and we sat down at the table. Joey loved dinner as he always did. "What'd you guys do today?" Rose asked.

"We had lunch at the park, and then went to the movies... That was terrible, actually," Joey explained. He hated going to the movies. Even before everything happened, he hated the movie theater. "The drinks were good, though."

"What movie?" I asked. I figured there wasn't much harm in indulging my brother on his birthday.

"Is that a hint of interest I detect?" Joey asked sarcastically. I chuckled and nodded. "It was a terrible action movie... I think it was a remake of something from the 80s."

"Sounds like my kind of movie," I replied. My phone buzzed.

"You know the rules," Joey reminded me. There was a rule about text messages at the dinner table. We kept it when we moved in together. If one of us got a text message during dinner, they had to read it.

I sighed and unlocked my phone. "Hope your brother has a happy birthday... Looking forward to seeing you at formal rush," I read out loud.

"The rush party guy?" Joey asked.

"Chill, it's not like that... You know it's not like that," I replied. Joey cocked his head, and I shook my head. "It's not."

"Am I missing something, or is that guy flirting with Grant?" Rose asked.

"Come on," I replied, "He's not flirting with me. I'd know if he was flirting with me. Wouldn't I?"

"I think so," Dick replied. I was shocked to see him take my side. "You're pledging?"

"I wasn't planning on it, but Tau Psi seemed like a cool frat," I replied, "So, yeah. I think so." Joey lit up. He'd been trying to get me more involved in school stuff outside of football.

Rose snuck a few potatoes off his plate while he was distracted. I didn't say anything about it because I thought it was funny. "You'll get in," Joey reassured me. I smiled and finished eating. I took my plate to the sink and washed it before getting the cake from the fridge and lighting the candles. I took one hand and flickered the lights while I held the cake with the other. Joey teared up, and Rose took my twenty out of her purse.

I let him blow out the candles and cut the cake, and Dick had a slice before leaving early. He kissed Joey on the cheek, leaving the three of us Wilsons to enjoy the rest of Joey's birthday alone. Joey opened his gifts and put them away while Rose and I cleaned up, and the three of us lay on the couch, eating cake and drinking beers. Well, not Rose. She was seventeen-ish at the time, and it seemed weird to let our teenage sister drink alcohol. We knew she smoked cigarettes and had a drink from time to time, but that wasn't any of our business. With us, she had juice and ginger ale.

"Have you guys ever noticed we don't speak to each other?" Rose questioned.

"I asked you if you wanted some orange juice to go with your ginger ale before the movie started," I replied. Joey laughed. Having a sister was weird, and she always found ways to remind us.

Her phone rang, and our smiles faded. "Don't do that," Rose whispered.

"Do what? Have an adverse reaction to a call from the enemy?" I asked before getting up to look for something harder to drink.

"Well, I've gotta take this. I live with Dad, remember?" Rose replied. I threw my hand up in the air.

"Fine with me," I replied. Joey sank down into the couch, nursing his beer. "Do you want a Tom Collins?"

"What?" Joey asked, finally looking up from his beer.

"Tom Collins. Do you want one?" I repeated. Joey nodded and finished his beer.

Rose answered the phone. "Hi, Daddy," Rose whispered as she turned her back to us. "Yeah, Joey's here... Yeah, I'll tell him... I'll tell Grant too..." She glanced over at me, and I could see she wanted reassurance that I wasn't mad at her, but I couldn't give it. I love my sister. Don't get me wrong.

I couldn't wrap my head around her loving Slade so much. I turned my back to her while I made drinks and brought them back to the table. Joey downed his drink quickly, and I finished mine right after. "Love you too, Daddy. I'll be home in an hour," Rose whispered before hanging up.

"Did he know whose birthday it was?" Joey asked.

"Screw him, Joey. If he did know, would it change anything?" I asked. I blamed Slade for what happened to Joey. He took so much from Joey and never thought to apologize for it. I hated him for that more than anything he'd ever done while I was there. Joey had a good heart, though. As mad as he was at Slade, he looked for any sign of change in Slade so he could forgive him. Rose plopped down on the couch between us, and we didn't say anything else. I playfully pushed her head to show her I wasn't mad. "Want another Caprisun for the road?" I teased.

"Screw you and your old man drinks," Rose laughed.

Joey loosened up a little and went to the kitchen to get the gin. He drank until it was time for Rose to go home. Rose leaned over the back of the couch to give us both a kiss on the cheek. I wiped my face, and Joey messed up her hair. "Drive safe, Rose," Joey smiled softly. I could tell he was drunker than he let on. He'd emptied most of the bottle and didn't stand up to walk Rose out like he usually did.

I didn't say anything about it in front of Rose, though. I walked her to the door and watched until she got to the end of the hall, just like Joey would've. Once she was out of my sight, I shut the door and looked Joey over. "You good?" I asked. I knew the answer to the question before I even asked. Joey nodded. He lied to me. "Stand up, then."

"You were so drunk you nearly jumped off a bookcase last night," Joey replied.

"Yeah, because I'm an idiot, Joey. You didn't start drinking like that until after Rose talked to Slade," I replied. Joey shrugged. "That's all you got for me?" Joey nodded.

"You don't like to talk about him. This is me not talking," Joey explained as he reached for the bottle.

"Well, I'd rather you just make me uncomfortable than do this," I stated. I knew things were tense when it came to Slade, but I didn't think it bothered him that much.

"Don't you want to be a family again?" Joey asked with tears in his eyes.

"You're my family... And I'm getting there with Rose. Isn't it enough that I care about the ones that matter the most?" I replied.

"I'm mad at him too, Grant, but I still want him to be part of our life. It doesn't feel fair—."

"He took our childhood from us, Joe. He took our peace, our happiness—. Hell, Joey, he took your hearing, for Christ's sake!" I yelled at him. Joey wiped away his tears.

"Grant, please—."

I waved my hand at him. "And look at what he did to Rose. Her mom is dead because of him—."

"All of that happened because of his job, Grant. We can't put everything on him. It wouldn't be fair," Joey justified. I wasn't ready to hear him out.

"I'm not telling you that you can't forgive him. I want you to do what's best for you. I'm just asking that you respect the fact that I hate him," I replied. Before Joey could say anything else, I took the bottle and went to my room.

[bruiscdmouth]

"why are you asking it like it's a question?" theo reaches out to press his finger tip to joey's raised eyebrow. like it's annoying him. "i am pretty no denying that." theo shakes his head. he takes too much time on his hair. whatever, sue him! "course i wanna please you idiot we're married. sometimes you're so dumb." he deadpans before that wide grin spreads over his mouth. "guy has a simple, very normal, christ-like praise kink and this guy won't let it go. it's not my whole thing!" theo protests. he's just very driven by praise. loves to hear it from joey's mouth. he used to be so fickle with it.

"don't know if it would have had the same flavour." theo waves the idea off. he's a big believe of fate. he always tells joey they had to go through all of that bullshit for a reason. he leans into the touch and shrugs. like it's not a big deal. he steadies himself by wrapping his hand around joseph's wrist. keep him there. "i do it because i know that. you're clearly catching on. becoming sentient."

"you've always worn the pants?" he questions with a raised brow. "i think you're living in la la land, bud, cause you have definitely not always worn the pants in the relationship. pretty sure i have. my pretty baby likes to please me, doesn't he?" reaching out, he strokes his cheek before letting out a laugh. "i'm just fucking with you dude, although it does seem like you love listening like a good boy, hmm?" although, if theo decided one day he wanted to take charge - joey would go along with it (after some resistance at first, of course, because he'd always be stubborn regardless of the situation.)

"maybe i would have joined you and then we would have skipped all the bullshit we went through." most likely not true though, because although he fucked around with the guys, he had never been that open. not with theo, at least. "so what you're saying is that you want an audience." he teases, reaching out to lightly shove theo, careful not to push too hard so he doesn't topple over. joseph had made his drink strong and he had already down more than half of it. "you shouldn't be tempting me right now. you know how much of a slut i can be when i've been drinking."

[paceyjoeydaily]

pacey + being joey’s biggest cheerleader/fan