#jotting tired thoughts down here super quick

[rebelquilled]

📱- for the morning thoughts:

was xayah the first ever redeemed sg? no one else seems to have heard of one prior to her… and maybe her redemption is what gave zoe and syndra the belief they could get harp, since there wasn’t much of an indication they were looking for her prior to the invasion.

i wonder if xayah learning to balance her good and corruption will be a guide for guardians going forward that you can balance light and darkness.

[dharma-divine]

Recording In Progress

Happy Holidays, besties! I haven't posted in a while (been working on some super exciting projects ;-)), so here's a quick one shot to get me back in the groove!

Thank you @gardenvanfleet for helping me edit, ilysm <3

Pairing: Jake x (Female) Reader

Word Count: ~5,000

WARNINGS: 18+!!! Explicit sexual content

Summary: Joining the boys for a prolonged practice session, your boredom leads you to make a move Jake, sneaking away with him into a vacant recording booth.

“Yeah, that’s good,” you hear Jake murmur to no one in particular, his voice traveling from across the spacious room of the studio.

You flick your eyes from your twiddling thumbs to watch as he leans over in his chair, reaching over the guitar rested in his lap to grab a pencil and jot something down in the notebook in front of him. A freshly lit cigarette hangs from his mouth, his lips pursed around it as he takes a long drag.

Your eyes linger on him for a moment, before glancing over to each of the three other boys scattered across the room. They’ve been practicing for hours, trying to get as much work done as possible before you all head home for holiday break. You happily joined their practice after Jake extended an invite this morning, shooting you a text while you were in line for your morning coffee. You’re always so excited to see them work on their music — to see their amazing talents come to life.

You arrived at the studio around noon with a drink carrier full of coffee cups, dispersing them to each of the boys. They’re alone today, their manager and other co-writers out for the holidays already. It’s just the five of you, sitting around in the live room, various instruments and equipment sprawled out as they work on their own expertise.

You put your coffee cup to your lips and cringe at the cold liquid that hits your tongue. You check the clock on your phone, and it reads a quarter till three. You sigh.

The first few hours were exciting, but you are admittedly getting bored as the afternoon lulls by. You’ve been here longer than you ever have in past visits, long enough to have lunch delivered, the empty pizza boxes now stacked on the ottoman of the couch you're lounged on.

You’re thoroughly impressed by how focused the boys are, even this late in the day, the mixture of instruments and Josh’s vocals still filling the aural space. You know you could leave whenever you’d like, but you don’t want to be rude. Plus, your favorite part of joining their practice sessions is always going out for drinks afterwards, and you do not want to miss the invite for that.

Your eyes go back to Jake, watching as he takes the cigarette from his lips between two fingers, a cloud of smoke promptly billowing from his mouth. They’re not supposed to be smoking in here of course, but they always do when they’re alone. You can still smell the hint of weed lingering in their air from Josh’s joint he had lit much earlier.

Jake places the cigarette back in his mouth and continues working intently at his beloved acoustic. You’ll never get tired of watching him play, entirely enthralled in the way the muscles in his arm flex with every thrum of its strings, and how his fingers curve to press firmly into the fretboard. You love how he licks his lips when he’s super concentrated, his eyes full of thought as he immerses himself in his music. You usually refrain from letting your thoughts wander too far, but with your painful boredom, you can’t help it now.

There’s always been something between you and Jake, but neither of you have had the courage to act on it. Everyone around you has clearly caught on to it though, his brothers constantly making jokes about the two of you being a couple. You admittedly fantasize about being his girlfriend, about following them on tour and experiencing the glamorous side of rockstar life firsthand, but something always stops you from making the commitment. Perhaps you’re scared that it won’t be as exciting as you dream it to be, and that being around Jake for more than just the time that he’s home will make the spark you have with him dim, or worse, you’ll fuck up and lose the friendship that you’ve spent so long building.

Or, maybe it’s because you like the idea of letting this tension simmer for as long as possible, because it isn’t like you’ve never caught on to how his eyes linger on you too, and how his husky voice goes soft and sweet when he speaks to you. He seems just as hesitant to pursue something, if not more so, as you are, which only adds to your nerves. But the tension is bound to spill over eventually, and you see it happening soon.

You didn’t want to hover over him the entire time and be a distraction, so you made yourself comfortable on the couch, a book and a spare notepad that you’re using to doodle beside you, just for when you got tired of scrolling through your phone.

But even the notebook has bored you now. You continue to stare at him, your cheeks growing warm as you watch his thick, calloused fingers work their magic.

You’re so entranced by him, aimlessly chewing at the end of your fingernail as you rake up his body, that you flinch when he suddenly stops playing. You fix your wandering eyes to find him staring right back at you, his eyebrow raised, a smirk curving the side of his full lips. You feel your face flush even warmer at the fact that you’ve been caught.

You bite at your lip to try to hide a flustered smile, but you know it’s not hidden. You pick up the notebook and pencil from your side, flipping it open to draw random doodles as you try your hardest to calm your clambering heartbeat.

You know your attempt at being aloof is making you look even guiltier.

To your relief though, the strumming starts again, and after a while you dare to glance back up at him. His head is down, but you can tell by the way his grin perks up again that he’s watching you from his peripherals.

You consider going back to keeping yourself busy, to ignore the teasing, but you decide to finally gather the courage and do something about your yearning desire for him.

You get up from the couch and quietly pad over to Jake. He lifts his head when he notices you approaching, halting the strings with a spread hand.

“Hey,” he smiles, a playful giggle skirting his voice as he bends down to extinguish his cigarette in his ashtray out of courtesy, though he knows you don’t mind the smell.

“Hi,” you reply sweetly, pulling over a nearby chair and positioning it next to him. “How’s it going?”

“Great,” he breathes, looking down at his fingers as they tap against the hollow curve of the guitar’s body. “We’ll probably be wrapping up soon.”

He seems just as nervous as you feel, but his eyes begin to rake up your frame, eventually meeting your gaze again. A smirk forms his lips, his eyelids low with amusement.

“I saw you watching me over there, I was waiting for you to come over here.”

“Oh, were you?” you smile, tilting your head bashfully.

“Mhm,” he hums.

You’re tired of dancing around your intentions with him. You glance over your shoulder at his brothers and Danny, who are all still working intently at their respective instruments, before leaning in close enough to Jake that you hear him take in a sharp breath.

“I was just watching your hands…” you remark, running one of yours gently up the neck of his guitar, feeling the ribbed texture of the strings glide against your fingers.

He raises his eyebrows, catching on to your deviance, looking past you to give a glance at his bandmates also.

“Yeah, you like that?” he quips when he confirms that they’re preoccupied.

You catch his eyes dart to your mouth for a moment, something he always does when he’s being flirtatious.

His hand meets yours at the base of the guitar’s neck, turning it over as an invitation for you to touch it. You take it into yours, feeling the soft, warm flesh of his palm.

“I do,” you answer, twisting his wrist so you can splay your fingers flat against his and compare sizes.

They extend just past the tips of yours, but the width of them are clearly much fuller, his knuckles peeking from the sides.

“Guitar players amaze me,” you continue playing coy. “How you move so quickly, and precisely…”

You slide your fingers back down his palm, continuing to study its features.

“You must be really good at –”

You only pretend to be surprised by the slip of thought, though you still feel yourself blush when you look up to catch his reaction.

His brows raise again, and he swipes his tongue between his lips. You glance down at them, knowing he’s watching you do so. They’re so full, and plump, and pink. You want to kiss them, but you don’t.

Not here, not yet.

“What was that?” he asks, clearly riveted by your boldness.

“Oh, nothing,” you bluff, suddenly letting go of his hand. “It’s nothing. Anyway, what song were you-”

“No, no,” he prides, and you stifle a giggle when he laces his fingers around the leg of your chair, its feet squeaking against the wood as he pulls you closer to him. “What were you going to say?”

You hold your breath for a moment, trying to decide how you want to pursue.

You decide to grab his hand again from the chair leg, lifting it gingerly and placing it against the expanse of your thigh, his touch warm over the fabric of your leggings.

“I just think those fingers can work more than just a guitar,” you lean in to whisper in his ear as you guide him further up your leg, until he’s gripping the side of your hip. “They’d probably feel so good in between my–”

You’re scared you’ve overstepped your boundaries when Jake suddenly jumps out of his seat, his guitar nearly crashing to the floor if not for the strap looped around his back. The clammer causes his bandmates to look up from their concentration, quizzical expressions on all of their faces.

“I- uh,” Jake stutters, looking down at you as you try to stifle a laugh.

Only you can see the bulge in his jeans, pressed against the back of the guitar that’s still laced around him.

“I left my Les Paul in one of the booths, can- can you help me look for it?” he asks you desperately, his cheeks bright red.

His eyes tell you to go along with it, so you do, even though you know his explanation is far from convincing as the other boys eye you suspiciously.

“Please, like you’d be careless enough to do that,” Sam scoffs, shaking his head from where he’s lounged by the riser.

“About time,” you think you hear Danny mumble from behind the drum kit, followed by both of their cackles.

“I cannot believe you would do something so careless,” Josh scolds facetiously, standing up from his seat on the rug and waving his hand dramatically towards the door. “You two better hurry, I’d hate for something to happen to it.”

“Yeah, actually now that you mention it…” you chime, lifting from your seat and walking towards the studio door. “I think I saw it down the hall…”

“Fuck all of you,” Jake rolls his eyes, being sure to face away from his bandmates as he slides off his guitar and props it against his chair.

He scolds you through gritted teeth once he’s caught up with you, but his eyes dance with excitement.

“Especially you.”

You think you hear Josh say something else, but you don’t catch it as you open the door and pull Jake into the vacant hall, pushing him to the wall once it’s shut.

“You made me look ridiculous,” Jake chides through a blushed smile.

His hands are hesitant to rest at your waist.

“I made you?” you repeat, running your fingers around his wrists and up his forearms. “I didn’t make you do anything. You made it a scene.”

You look up at him through the wispy fan of your lashes, batting them innocently when you can tell he doesn’t have a rebuttal. “But you know, I really like you, Jake.”

He just smiles at you for a moment, seeming relieved to finally hear your confession.

“I like you too,” he answers as he scans your face, and you hear his breath hitch when you lean in closer to him. “I just, I didn’t think you’d be interested in something more…”

“Yeah,” you interrupt as you take a strand of his hair and push it behind his ear. “I’ve thought about it a lot, and I think I do.”

Your hand travels down the length of his hair and onto the bare chest that peeks between his open shirt. His skin is warm, and you can feel the thud of his frantic heartbeat. Yours is going just as fast, but you try to suppress your nerves. You’ve obviously taken the reins here, and you want to keep the momentum going.

“Can I kiss you?” you ask, your fingers wandering up from his chest to his neck, wrapping around its nape.

“You don’t have to ask me that,” he answers, honey dripping from his voice as he pulls you into him, your lips pressing together.

The kiss starts soft, but quickly grows deep and passionate. You can taste the cigarette on his tongue as it laps against yours, and you moan as he squeezes at your hips. He pulls away.

“If you’re gonna make noise, maybe we should go somewhere to contain it…” he smirks, before grabbing your hand to lead you down the empty hall.

The entire building is empty except for the rest of the boys you just left, but you like his idea anyway. Jake opens the door to one of the recording studios a few doors down, guiding you in with an arm laced around your waist. You pull him in with you, blindly reaching for his face once he closes the door behind him. You backpedal, your lips locked, until your ass runs into the control panel that protrudes from the opposite wall. You accidentally hit one of the buttons when you brace yourself against it, and a sharp ringing comes from the speaker above you, causing you to jump. Jake chuckles, reaching past you to flick a switch, and the noise abruptly stops.

“Sorry,” you say, glancing down at the expanse of knobs and buttons, not knowing what a single one means.

“Don’t worry about it,” he assures, his teeth glowing in the soft purple light coming from the panel. “Nothing’s set up in here anyway.”

He lifts you off the board and walks over to the door of the isolation booth, pulling it open and guiding you in.

“But this should be more comfortable.”

You find a large leather loveseat in the center of the booth, a singular mic stand pushed over to the side with some other cases and gear. As your eyes begin to adjust with the darkness, you see that the walls are covered in a plush looking foam.

“Much better,” you grin, and you can tell by the way the reverb of your voice instantly dies that there’s no way anyone will hear you in here.

You pull Jake back into you, your lips locking once again as you begin to fumble with his belt. Once it’s unlooped and you’ve undone his fly, your hand sinks down to rub him through the fabric of his boxers.

“Is this okay?” you ask as you drop to your knees in front of him.

“It’s perfect,” he answers, his words laced with a smile.

He runs his hand through your hair as you finally pull him free, his length rock-hard and throbbing from being constricted since you were in the live room.

“I bet that feels good, doesn’t it?” you remark as you stroke him.

He gives only a moan as a response, his arm reaching back to brace himself against the chair behind him.

“You can sit down, Jakey,” you purr as you push against his hips, letting him fall into the seat. “Relax, let me do the work.”

You hear him chuckle as you continue to stroke him, slicking your hand in your own spit so he glides with ease against the skin of your palm.

His fingers rake deeper through your hair when you lean in closer to him, your lips hovering just over the tip of his head. You bat your eyes up at him for a few moments, reveling in the power trip of having him so vulnerable. You press a gentle kiss against his head, and begin trailing the kisses all along his shaft, your tongue licking a stripe back up his length once you’ve reached the base.

You finally sink him further past your lips, a breathy moan escaping him as he plummets down your throat. You bob along his length a few times, sending him deeper until he threatens your gag reflex. You pause for a moment when your lips manage to touch his base, your eyes pricking with tears, though the discomfort is worth it when you glance up to his bottom lip pulled between his teeth, his eyelids fluttering with pleasure. You finally slide him out with a lewd slurp, a silver string of saliva left between you. You wipe your lips clean with your thumb, your other hand continuing along his slickend shaft.

“This feels incredible,” he pants through strained breaths.

You decide to give your throat a break for a moment by swirling your tongue around his head, tasting the precum that’s started to dribble from it, before sucking him a few more times just to hear his desperate, pathetic moans.

“Come here, now,” he eventually tries to command as you feel him begin to pulsate in your mouth, but he still sounds so submissive with the way his breaths envelope each word.

“Are you sure?” you enchant, batting your lashes at him. “I haven’t made you come yet.”

“Please,” he implores, and you smile at his desperation, snaking up his body and planting yourself on his bare lap.

He places wet kisses on your neck once he can reach it, hooking his fingers underneath your sweater, your arms lifting over your head so he can swiftly pull it off. His lips move to lock onto your collarbone once it’s discarded onto the floor, and you take no time to reach behind you to unhook your bra, your skin prickling with goosebumps once it’s gone too. You massage your freed breasts, pinching at your perked nipples. Jake’s hands follow suit, cupping them gently. You lace your fingers through his hair as he bends down to kiss one, sucking at your nipple.

“Keep doing that,” you moan softly, the tingly sensation traveling to between your thighs.

You can feel his hard length through your leggings. The chair is wide enough for you to straddle your folded legs on either side of him, your hips grinding against his length. You push down harder when he moans against your skin.

“Please, just take these off,” Jake prides, sliding his fingers under your waistband.

You promptly lift off of him, standing up to push them, along with your soaked panties, down your legs as he works to unbutton the rest of his shirt. You remain standing in front of him, your fully naked body being a surprise once his eyes meet you again.

“You’re stunning,” he blushes, reaching out to grab your hand once his shirt hits the floor.

You expect to fall back into his lap, but you’re caught off guard when he stands too, pushing you into the chair instead.

He’s the one to crouch in front of you now, your mouth agape as he grabs your knees, spreading your legs open and kneeling between them.

“You wanted to see what else my fingers can do, didn’t you?” he asks with a raise of his eyebrow.

He reaches forward to laces his hand around the side of your neck to pull you forward, using his middle and ring fingers of his opposite hand to coax your lips apart.

“Open up.”

You moan as he slips his fingers into your mouth, the lingering metallic taste of guitar strings hitting your tongue.

He pulls them from your pursed lips once they’re coated, keeping your gaze as his hand lingers down to your heat. He just barely brushes against you at first, making you shiver. You buck your hips towards him, desperate for more, but he pulls his hand away.

“Two can play at this game, princess,” he teases, the pet name warming your cheeks.

You have to stifle a whine, stubborn to keep the dominance, but you melt when he finally does touch you again. His fingertips twirl against your swollen clit, massaging the bud between two of them as your chest heaves.

You fall back into the seat, and he follows, lifting himself off the floor so he can kiss you and give his wrist the right angle to finally push a finger into your entrance. You moan into his mouth, glancing down as the digit pumps in and out of you. He uses his free hand to pull your hips to the edge of the cushion before working another one in, your legs draped over his shoulders as he picks up pace. Your wetness squelches against him in the otherwise silent space, your body folded into him in a way that would be uncomfortable if his fingers weren’t fucking you senseless.

You let out another hopeless moan as you feel your core tightening, gripping the arms of the chair as you brace yourself for your climax. It crashes into you, every muscle in your body clenching in a series of shudders as you cry out, your nails digging into the leather. You go limp as the waves die, practically sliding out of the seat, but Jake catches before you can hit the floor.

He maneuvers your body so he can sit back down into the chair, with you once again in his lap.

“Are you ready for more?” he asks as your breathing steadies, and you smirk, turning so you can face him.

“Absolutely, I am.”

“I don’t have a condom,” he adds as you begin to make yourself comfortable again. “I clearly wasn’t expecting to be doing this here.”

“Don’t worry about it,” you whisper into his ear, placing a gentle kiss just underneath it. “I want to feel all of you.”

You continue where you left off with him, your now bare, throbbing heat grinding against him. You reach down and guide him through your slit, sliding him along to tease yourself. Your skin tingles with the craving for another orgasm, and your teeth sink down into his bottom lip and you finally push his head into your entrance. You slowly lower yourself onto him, your legs folded, knees pressed against his hips. You place your hand against the back of the seat to steady yourself as you begin riding yourself along his length, your breasts bouncing as the motion picks up speed, the skin of your thighs slapping lewdly against his. Your moans stagger each time you land, and he bends forward to kiss at your breasts, squeezing at the other. You lift your hands from the chair to use his shoulders to brace yourself instead, your nails pressing into his skin. You savor the feeling of having your bodies connected, reveling in the release of all tension that was built between the two of you for so long.

Sweat is dripping down your body as you feel your core tightening again, and you struggle to maintain your rhythm, a string of expletives escaping your mouth as it falls apart. Jake pulls you towards him, your face falling into the crook of his neck as he takes the lead, sending deep thrusts into you.

“I’m gonna come again,” you announce, clamping your eyes together as the pressure continues to build, your forehead pressed into his shoulder.

“Me too,” you hear him breathe. “Should I-?”

“No,” you cut, promptly lifting your head to face him.

You appreciate his willingness to pull out, but you don’t want to kill the momentum. Your hand laces around the side of his jaw, tipping his chin back so his ravishing eyes are forced to look at you, his mouth slated open as he continues his thrusts.

“Don’t.”

It hits you just as you get the word out, jolts of pleasure coursing through your every muscle. Jake’s thrusts halt entirely a moment later as he reaches his peak, and you feel him fill you up, wetness seeping down your thighs. You rock your hips into him to savor the moment, riding out your highs before lifting off of him and slumping back into his lap.

“This chair is fucked,” you joke once your desperate breaths have steadied, feeling how wet the cushion is against your thighs.

“Yeah,” Jake breathes, running a hand through his hair as he cradles you with his other. “We should go find a towel or something.”

You agree, though you don’t think just a towel will save it, your shaky legs struggling to balance your weight as you climb off of him. You search for your clothes in the dark, pulling each garment back on as Jake looks for his.

He’s the first one to leave the isolation booth, padding over to the door to the hallway. The bright light casts a glow into the dark room as he gently pulls it open and walks through, but he pauses under its frame.

“What?” you ask nervously as you quickly pull on your sweater and catch up to him, scared that perhaps his manager just showed up and caught the two of you.

“Was that on the whole time?” he asks as he points up to the ceiling above the door.

You look up to see the ‘RECORDING’ sign lit in its red glow.

“No, I don’t think so. What does that mean, though?” you ask as Jake walks back over to the sound panel inside, sitting in the office chair that’s pushed in front of it. “I thought the mic wasn’t set up.”

He doesn’t say anything back, but when he switches on one of the buttons on the panel, you’re given all the answers you need.

It’s a bit muffled and distant, but you hear the familiar sounds of your own moans and screams, relayed from just a few moments ago through the speaker above you.

“No fucking way,” you breathe, your cheeks burning hot as you cup a hand over your mouth.

You quickly shut the door behind you, flicking a switch beside it that turns on the dim overhead light, Jake getting comfortable as he continues messing with the buttons. A few clicks later, the sounds come from the opposite speaker, this time much clearer, and much louder.

Jake spins around in his chair to face you, his expression beaming.

“It was on,” he grins. “It was fucking on. You must’ve switched it on when you bumped into it earlier, and I didn’t notice. I only heard the reverb from the amp.”

You blush at the fateful mishap, the moans still spilling from the speakers. You trust him enough to know he wouldn’t knowingly record you without your permission, but you can see the impish glimmer in his eyes as he continues listening to it.

“Are you gonna delete it?” you ask, even though you already know the answer.

“No,” he says, but his eyes widen when he quickly decides to correct himself. “I mean, not unless you want me to.”

“No, it’s okay,” you assure, though you slit your eyes at him suspiciously. “What are you going to do with it, though?”

He pauses, his cheeks turning pink.

“I mean, I can distort it a bit,” he explains. “And make it not so obvious that it’s, you know, sex sounds…”

He swivels back to face the panel, turning a knob that makes the sound go down several octaves, the deep tone making your chest vibrate. He turns another which adds a raspiness to it, your moans sounding more like a garish guitar riff than anything now.

You grin as he continues playing with it, quickly accepting the fact that you won’t be meeting the rest of the boys for drinks tonight. You make a mental note to have dinner delivered here for the two of you eventually — and to perhaps stop by the pharmacy on the way home, feeling the contingent wetness between your legs threaten to spill as you remain standing.

“Well, be sure to add me to the credits of your next album then,” you jest, pulling the door open to go search for something to clean up the mess still left in the booth.

“I’m excited to hear my musical debut.”

[witch-hazels-musings]

Riding in a Car

Includes: Diluc, Zhongli, Childe, Kaeya, Albedo, Razor, Venti, Scaramouche

Warnings -> none  |  Anthology

Synopsis: Riding in a Car

Okay, so i drove for SO MANY HOURS today, and as I was coming back home I had some silly thoughts about how the Genshin boys would react to my driving - I grew up on country roads (super twisty, sudden sharp turns, steep hills) and I drive pretty fast on them. 

Idk if these will make you laugh like they made me - might just be delusional, i’m so sleepy.

Diluc

He’d hate it 

Absolutely does not want to be in the car anymore  

It would be hilariously evil to see him gripping onto the safety handles, grasping each one so tightly he’d nearly break them 

He’d feel way to out of control 

Without being able to expect what was going to happen next because he wasn’t the one making the decisions would make him lose it, and he’d just, “Pull over, pull over, pull over!” 

Zhongli 

He’d come to like the drives 

He probably wouldn’t be too fond of how fast it’d be moving - especially around the sharpest bends

Calmly he’d voice his disapproval, “that last turn was a bit fast, let’s take the next one slower.” 

Even if he didn’t really like how reckless the driving seemed, he’d enjoy the sensation 

It would remind him of the times he flew through the sky as a dragon, moving so fast everything came and went in a flash, the water droplets forming on his scales, and the sensation of wind surrounding him

He may even indulge in sticking his hand out the window and feel the breeze battle against him - he did miss the vastness of the sky 

Childe

He’d fucking LOVE the car 

He’d want to go fast, super fast 

If there was a sunroof in the car, best believe he’d stick his body out the top and scream into the wind 

“THIS IS AWESOME!” he’d yell down into the cabin 

This would be such a new thrill to him that’d he’d want to do it as often as he could, that is until he’d eventually want to take control himself

“Teach me,” he’d command, his hands on either side of your head, blocking you from entering the vehicle 

Kaeya

He’d tolerate it 

He wouldn’t necessarily love how, in his mind, reckless the drive was, however he couldn’t deny the skillset

“Impressive skill you have,” he’d point out, his tone sweet with praise, while one hand braced himself against the car door 

What he’d find the most enjoyable about the car was how intimate it could become 

After showing him some of the features, especially the seat features, did he get some pretty exciting ideas in his head 

“How remote can this place take someone?” He’d inquire, his hands twirling through your hair as he sits in the passenger seat 

Albedo

He’d be more interested in the techniques of the driver - and 100% the function of the car - than the drive itself 

“Tell me, how does this k-ar know when to slow down and when to speed up? Is there a hidden mechanism somewhere?”

“Would changing the visibility of this window (the windshield) change how one could operate the machine?” 

He wouldn’t flinch at all no matter how you took a turn, or how close an oncoming car would get - instead he’d attempt to take a few notes here and there

If you inquired about his experience he’d mention something about needing to find another way to jot down his research findings, for some reason he didn’t feel well after writing even a few quick sentences 

Razor

This boy would be so unsteady and unsure in the car 

Seriously, imagine trying to look at the things passing by at ridiculous speeds and bonk his head against the window because he didn’t prepare for the upcoming turn 

How he’d comment on the the speed: “I never been this fast,” he’d say as he looked out over the dashboard 

He’d enjoy the ride enough, but it was a challenge to keep him in his seat, he just wanted to look at the world zipping by 

You’d be afraid of rolling down the windows  

Venti

He’d like the rides, a lot 

You may have to constantly remind him to wear a seatbelt and stay seated; he very well may lean his upper body outside of the passenger window

Not only did being in the car allow him to be close to the wind he loved so much, but he’d like it because he got to spend quality time with just the two of you

He dug the radio, “You’re telling me this little thing plays any song I could ever want?” 

He’d ask to go on another one just so you two could roll down the windows and sing songs together for hours 

Scaramouche

Nope

Didn’t like it - hated it - all cars must burn 

He’d hate the sensation of moving so quickly, jerking suddenly to the side without his permission, the feeling of his stomach dropping on the steep hills 

“What happened to my car!?” you’d scream once you found the tires torn to shreds, the windows busted out, and smoke coming from the engine 

“Freak accident it looks like, shame really.” he’d say whistling to himself and playing with a knife

[mxvladdy]

I can't stress enough 'wows' in tve way you write along with the fact that it's you first few posts (i think? Pls correct me) can you do luci mammon and satan with a reader who takes naps bc of overthinking? They just tug their sleeves and shot them a tired look, while looking down shying away. Also, have a nice day and take the time to be yourself!

Aw thanks fam! I am fairly new to posting my works, I tried twice before this with two different writing blogs but I deleted them both bc I felt discouraged. I’m older now and I feel a lot better about my writing, so third time the charm and all that lol! I’m so glad you like my writing! I know I need some work on grammar and expanding my vocabulary.  

This was a super cute prompt ;.; I hope I did it justice!

Lucifer

He is a mix of jealous and pissed. He wishes he could fall asleep so easily when he gets inundated with too many things at once. But also- just don’t do that? Where were your manners?

He starts noticing your little peculiarity in class. Specifically that you tend to nod off in advance alchemy and rune scripting. You were being so studious, jotting down notes, ask great questions. Next thing he knows you're out like a light.

He is shocked for a moment before he will wake you up. Your wide doe-eyed frown does nothing to him. JK his hearts clench at your wounded look.

He makes the other brothers report to him about your behavior and odd sleep habit. Were you ill? Was this just something humans did? Devils, was Belphie rubbing off on you?

They all say the same thing. One moment you are working hard or talking to them about a topic you are passionate about, and the next you are yawning hard enough to pop your jaw and shyly asking to lay down.

Well-he can’t have that.

If you are going to fall asleep around anyone it’s going to be him.

He sets up remedial lessons with you after dinner to make up for the work slept through. You sit by him at his long ornate desk while he tutors you on what you missed.

You weren't having any problems,  you even finished a few pages. He is proud and then-

“I can almost hear those gears slowing my dear.” Lucifer interrupts himself mid-explanation of Zosimos of Panopolis and Maria the Prophetess's theories of alchemy in human medicine.

You jerk awake and turn to him blinking owlishly. "Yeah, I just need to lay down." You admit.

Lucifer eyes you critically. This was sudden, were you ill? You had been fine moments ago, bright-eyed and enthusiastic. He cups your face, turning it from side to side. "So suddenly? We haven't even discussed the properties of mercury yet." You hum letting your eyes droop. He was always so warm.

"Hour nap break? Please?" His stern gaze softens at how your nose scrunches up cutely as you yawn.

“Very well.” He relents letting you slick over to his couch. You flop over face first with a grunt of satisfaction. You toss and turn for a while, moving his pillows around unsatisfied.

“Luci-” You call in defeat. He ignores you at first. If you wanted to nap fine, he would get some work done in the meantime. “Luci~” You say again. You could see his brow twitching. “Lu-”

“My dear,” He shoots you a withering look. “You are treading a thin line. If you have the energy to call for me you have the energy to study.” You say nothing at his brisk tone, instead of opening your arms to him to join you. “You tempt me.” He purrs hiding his smile behind his paperwork.

“Learned from the best.” Lucifer shakes his head laughing at your smug reply. He glances over you to his grandfather clock. Hmmm-perhaps he could spare a few minutes. He rises elegantly discarding his tie and waistcoat to his abandoned chair. Running a hand through his hair he snorts at your little whistle.

“Move.” He commands. You shake your head patting your belly. “I will crush you.” He laughs but lays over you regardless.

“Good-you’re warm.” You say muffled in his shirt. Wrapping your arms around his middle you drift off. Lucifer holds you close, running a still gloved hand up and down your side. Perhaps he should bring out some more complex topics next time. If this was the outcome-

Mammon

He noticed you get drowsy before in class. Your cute little head jerks as you nod off, hands rubbing at your face as you fight to stay awake before giving in to the need to sleep. It was adorable- not that he was watching you because of that! He was just doing his job of looking out for you

Ye-that was all.

Honestly, he thought you were just like him. He never cared for the books being forced on him in class. Boring useless crap in his opinion. He much rather sleep through a lecture on stats too.

Now books on photography? That's where it's at. He has a legitimate passion for it.

He likes being behind the camera just as much as he likes being in front of it. Though he doesn't snap photos often.

He doesn't need more beratement from his brothers than he already gets. Sides, he just feels like they would look down at this like everything else he does.

He'll share his hobby with you though. You at least seem interested in it. He'll show you his collection of vintage to high-tech cameras and talk your ear off about the makes, models, and features.

You nod along and ask questions from time to time, smiling along with Mammon while he prattles on about color theory next to you on the floor.

He was just getting to Auguste Lumiére when he feels a gentle bump on his shoulder.

"O-oi!" Mammon starts, shaking his shoulder to rouse you. You look up at him, blinking the sleep from your eyes. "Was...was I that boring?" He deflates a little, all previous excitement gone in a flash. You had seemed so interested...

"What? Oh, no. No Mammon I'm sorry. It's really all fascinating," You grab for his sleeve so he couldn't run away. "It was just a lot of information all at once. I just got a bit overwhelmed."

"So you fall asleep?" He raises a brow not believing you for a second. Who falls asleep when something is interesting? He'll admit he's fallen asleep while listening to Levi talk about a new anime or Asmo with a make-up release.  But that's because it had been boring. "Is that like a human thing?"

You shrug snuggling closer. "I don't know- but it's a me thing. Give me five? I'd love to hear you talk more about your collection, promise."

Mammon glows scarlet at your words. "Of course you do!" He puffs out his chest excitedly. “I got great taste.” You nod into his shirt before drifting off again. He tilts his head slightly to look at you chuckling internally when your breathing and heartbeat slow down. Damn, out in seconds. Well, better get comfortable.

Uncrossing his long legs he picks up the camera he had been showing you. The old Polaroid lens reflects his face back at him. He remembered the day Land had debuted this marvel of engineering. He just had had to get his hands on one. It was useless now, he had much better quality cameras than this old thing, but he remembered you reminiscing about your human friends and their portable camera. Would you take some pictures with him too? He would take one now, but the sound of the flash would definitely wake you up.

He fiddles with it for a few more minutes, opening and closing the film canister and checking for any parts that needed fixing as he waits. You stir at his side a few minutes later with a little mew of satisfaction. Mammon hears your joints creak and pop as you stretch. "Morning." He says sarcastically, earning himself a light punch to his shoulder. "Ready to continue?"

You nod eagerly, perky and aware. At least for the moment.

Satan

He didn't really notice at first the pattern of your behavior.

You would come over for book club. Which was really just him reading his current novel and you picking something at random to gain a little random knowledge.

You would find a comfortable position on his bed, curl up nice and small and read. Then after a bit yawn and start to snooze.

He first thought it was the atmosphere of his room. It was quiet, warm, and the sound of flickering candles and the rustle of paper sometimes caused him to doze too.

But when it starts happening outside of class he notices.

Hmmm….this is new.

He looks it up in his human anatomy books and finds nothing.

He's not particularly worried about you per se. You always bounce back quickly after a quick snooze.

Then you start dozing when he is talking… >:(

Like his brother/dad he is a little miffed at first but then your behavior reminds him a cat and he loves you 10x harder now

Satan stops in his pacing of the back gardens. His book of poetry hanging limply in his hand. He had been reciting some of the most fascinating lines of work from Lord Byron's later works and wanted a human's perspective. He had thought you were interested. You never complained before when he asked you out here. Perhaps you were just being polite all those times before. Anything to soothe wrath. He snaps his book shut sharply, take some perverse satisfaction in the way you start out of your light sleep at the noise.

"Why'd you stop?" You ask wiping at your face.

"No point talking to someone that doesn't wish to listen." He snaps tersely.

"Oh-Satan, no I was listening. It...it just got to be so much so fast." You flush. “You had some great points going, I just needed a minute.” He watches your eyes grow heavy again, and it dawns on him.

"Do you just sleep when overwhelmed?" He asks incredulously. In all his years with humans, this was new. You shrug making grabby hands for him to move closer. He scoffs but moves into your space. You grab at the hem of his shirt and pull him down to sit next to you. He goes willingly getting comfortable by your side. You eye his lap longingly, hands clutching around his coat sleeve. “Fine-” He rolls his eyes. “Come here you odd thing.” You smile in triumph and crawl into his lap. Once settled you nuzzle into his warm chest.

“Wake me up in ten? I want to hear more about your conversations with Byron.”

“I’ll hold you to it.” He kisses the top of your forehead, opening his book to read again with one hand. You hum at his soft kiss, returning it sleepily with one of your own before passing out again. Ten minutes go by in an instant and Satan looks down at your peaceful face. He smiles to himself, perhaps he’ll let you sleep for a little while longer. You’d need it for his next point.  

[hyrule-kingdom-updates]

Zelda burst into the room, arms full of metal plates, gears, and screws. Astor just sighed. 

“What is it you want this time?”

“I have an idea!” The young princess let her items drop onto the old carpet with a thud. 

“Another one?”

“Mmhm!” She quickly ran up to the windowsill, eyeing one of the hanging gyrospheres. “Can I have that? I want more metal. Pleaaaase?”

“Sure.” He didn’t even look to see what she was pointing to.

Zelda hopped up on the windowsill, jumping to try and reach the device, but to no avail. It seems time has not granted her that much advancement in height. She turned back to Astor.

“Can you grab it for—?”

“No.”

“Uggggggh.” Zelda hopped back down, going back to her pile of scrap. “Fine, but I’m stealing one of your journals.” She plucked one of the tattered blank books from the floor, and started jotting notes inside of it.

Astor clicked his tongue. “I’m not here to be your source of raw materials.”

“I’ll have you know that this stuff was procured by a third party!”

“That Sheikah bard you mean?”

“Yeeep!” Zelda started sorting through her belongings, mumbling stuff about legs and swords.

After a few minutes of concerning whistles, whirrs, and clangs, Astor finally looked behind him.

“Alright, this isn’t a workshop, what is it you’re doing? What exactly is this ‘idea’ you had in mind?”

Zelda held up what she was working on, a metal husk in an ovular egg shape. “I’m gonna make a time machine!”

He raised an eyebrow. “Oh?”

“I’m gonna access a universe where the Calamity is defeated! Then, we’ll ask the people there to help save us!”

Astor studied her up and down for a long moment, before giving another tired sigh and turning back to his papers. “That’s not gonna work.”

“Sure it will!”

“With that cannon scrap? Please. At the very least you should be using Sheikah technology.”

Zelda stopped fusing some metal plates together for a moment, looking up at him. “Well? What’s the difference? They seem sorta similar.”

“Difference? Tsk.” The seer kept sketching, a bit more roughly this time. “Well what you have there is some metal scrap, old armour plates, and forgotten canon ball pieces.All made by our generation, our ignorance. Sheikah technology is infinitely more advanced, with millions of years of advancement behind it. And out of the two, it would be the more probable one to have the capabilities to power such an impossible device.”

“Really what does it run on?” Zelda bounded up to Astor’s desk to see what he was working on. She didn’t need to stand on her toes to see, and he seemed to be less guarded about it around her in recent weeks. 

He was sketching some weird device, a circular orb, with jagged discs around it like gears. It sort of looked like an astrolabe, or a gyrosphere, but also…

“Is that a Giant Ancient Core?” Zelda asked. “This why you stan Sheikah technology?”

“Stan?”

“It’s a word that that old orator guy told me once. Before the whole jail thing.”

Astor turned his head and locked eyes with her for a moment, though he didn’t say anything immediately.

“What?”

He just shook his head. “Yes, it’s an Ancient Core. A special one.” He pointed to the further end of his desk near the wall. There sat the very device he was sketching, and Zelda’s eyes glittered in awe.

“Can I have it??? That’d be super cool for me to pow—”

“NO!” Astor suddenly rose from his desk, snatching the astrolabe into his arms. He started pacing around the room with it. “This isn’t for children to mess with! This is important. I have to keep it safe. I have to act quickly now if I want to prove it true. I have to—” He turned back around to Zelda, who had slowly been backing away from his sudden outburst. 

She worriedly looked him up and down for a moment, and the seer then took a shaky breath. He set the astrolabe down on a high shelf. “....Sorry. You can’t have it. It’s technically not mine.”

Zelda was quiet for a moment longer, before she dared to speak. “You���re both a lot nicer, and a lot meaner now, you know that? It’s really weird. Ever since...” She trailed off.

Astor felt his shoulders slump, before quickly shaking his head and scowling. “Well I’m not your friend. So I’m not partial to your opinions of me.” He turned back around, taking up his old sketch of the astrolabe. Zelda was able to catch a few handwritten notes about “mulice” and “soils,” although she wasn’t sure she could read his handwriting that clearly. 

“...Mr. Astor…?” Zelda asked.

“Mm. What.”

“I just wanna say that...I’m sorry I always bother you.” She looked down, fiddling with the loose threads on her sleeves. “I know that….you’re always working...because I’m not a good princess...you’re always working  on finding a way to stop the Calamity, like me.” She then clapped her hands together. “Soooo, that’s why we should work together now!”

Astor cleaned up the rest of his desk before giving another long sigh. “I’m not stopping the Calamity, Princess.”

“Whaaa? Then what are you doing?”

“I’m accepting it. I’m seeing what options there are within the destruction. And you should too.” Astor shoved some rolls of parchment into his pocket. 

“You should come with me, Zelda.”

She scratched her head. “Hm? Why’s that? You going somewhere?”

“I…” He paused for a moment. “I found an option, but it’s more than that, I…” He looked at the ceiling, clicking his tongue, before he settled on his words. “There’s a lot of things wrong, around us, that the Calamity can actually get rid of. So, I’m going to go help steer things in the direction I desire.”

Zelda pouted. “I like my plan a lot better. My plan has an egg! Plus, it doesn’t involve leaving the castle and my friends and family.”

“Mm, well, I suppose that’s our key difference then.” Astor paused, pushing his hair behind his ears. “It’s as simple as this, Zelda. You either adapt and grow smarter, changing for how the world is and always will be,” He locked eyes with her. “Or you keep trying to cling to your impossible dreams, and you die.”

Zelda didn’t even bother entertaining the dilemma. She simply flopped back to her metal trinkets. “Well, the world didn’t seem so permanent and unchangeable when it came to technology, did it?”

He opened and closed his mouth for a moment, before grimacing, and heading for the door, taking the astrolabe with him. “I don’t know why I bother, childhood naivety is too powerful these days.” He put a hand on the doorknob.

“So where aaare you going, Mr. Astor?”

The seer turned the knob, but didn’t pull. He turned once more to the young princess, a grim expression on his face. “I can’t say. But are you sure you don’t…?” He trailed off, before seeming to answer the question himself. “Nevermind, it’s impossible. I had just hoped I wouldn’t have to…” He glanced back at Zelda’s metal egg. He let out a huff.

“When you inevitably pursue your doomed plan, make sure you research into Sheikah Technology, understand?”

The princess suddenly skipped across the room, beaming. “Sure thing! But wait, I can come with you, actually, if it’s just a quick trip—”

“No. I hate children. I hate you. And I hate your parents. Haven’t you used your ears around these parts? I’m despicable and unpleasant, and you’re a true fool for even hanging out in this wretched place.” 

The princess bit her tongue, rocking back and forth on her heels. Finally, after just a second or two of thought, she cocked her head to the side. “I don’t think you’re that mean!”

Silence. The liar opens the door.

Astor gave her a final frown. “Well you’re wrong. Hopefully, I’ll make you see that someday.”

[meigh-day]

Trapped [Bakugo x F!Reader] - Part 5

———————————————————–

Title: Trapped

Pairing: Bakugo x F!Reader

Includes: Swearing

Status: In Progress

Word Count: 1.7k

Previous Next

———————————————————–

Getting to Know You

You had survived your first day at U.A., in fact you had survived several days at U.A. Each day you became more familiar with the school, your teachers and your classmates. Since the first day you and Mina had become fast friends and one by one you had started to form friendships with several others including Kirishima, Kaminari and Jiro to name a few. Almost everyone was super friendly, even Bakugo was kind of alright, despite being a huge asshole the first day... and pretty well everyday since then. You had to admit he had an incredible quirk and it wasn't hard to tell just how hard he had worked to gain such an amazing control over it already. You had also worked really hard and maybe if you were more egotistical,  you too could be a giant, cocky, jerk.

"Hey Y/N!" You glance up and offer Mina a smile as she moves across the classroom, coming to a stop at your desk.

"Morning Mina!" She leans against the desk to your right as she starts to tell you about what she had done after school yesterday. You had been invited to come along and hang out, she had invited most of the class to come too, but you'd had to decline. Mr. Okuda had you scheduled for work almost every night after school and somewhere in between your shifts at the store, training and keeping up with school, you were going to be hard pressed to find time to hang out with friends.

"Wow sounds like you guys had fun! I'm bummed I missed it." You offer her a playful pout as you lean back in your seat. Honestly, if becoming a pro meant having to give up on after school hangouts with friends, it would be worth it. There would be time for that someday but for now you needed to make sure you focused on supporting yourself and training hard.

The day passed by quickly and before you knew it you were hurrying off to catch the train home. If you ran from the station to your apartment you might have time to eat dinner before you had to go to work tonight. As you took the familiar path from school to the station, your headphones blasting music into your ears, you catch sight of a familiar head of ash blonde hair up ahead. As luck would have it, you and Bakugo took the same train to and from school every day. You had noticed it on your way home from school the first day and each day after that you couldn't help but notice him as you stood waiting for the train. The two of you never spoke during this time, there was just something about him that screamed 'Fuck Off'.

The two of you weren't really close, definitely not friends, but Bakugo didn't seem to be super close with anyone in class except for maybe Kirishima. Your mind wandered as you continued to make your way along the street, eyes casually peering at the back of his figure. What was he like outside of school? Was he always so pissed off? Did he have an indoor voice? Was he actually really nice and only pretended to be irritated all the time? Did he know how to smile? What would he look like IF he smiled? Hm...

With those questions pinging around in your head, a spontaneous decision was made.

"Hey Bakugo!" You jogged up beside him, offering a friendly smile as you matched his stride, your head phones resting around your neck.

"Huh? What do you want?!" He glanced over at you, a look of annoyance on his face.

"Want? Uh, nothing. I just noticed we were walking the same way sooo figured we could walk together."

"No." And with that short refusal he stepped away from you and increased his pace until he had put a fair distance between the two of you.

You'd made it all the easier for him as your own pace had slowed with the abrupt and immediate refusal he'd snapped at you. Wow. He was an even bigger jerk than you had thought. With that your mind was made up. There was no way he could possibly be nice and absolutely no way he knew how to smile. In fact you were certain he'd probably look terrifying if he tried. Well that was a waste of a whole minute. With a shake of your head, you pull your headphones back over your ears and continue the walk in silence, avoiding looking too far ahead lest you catch sight of him.

------------

"L/N." Mr. Okuda's voice sounded through the phone you had pressed between your cheek and shoulder. You stood behind the counter at work, the end of your shift nearing, a pit forming in your stomach as you listened to him speak. He never called just to check in, it was always with a demand and never a request.

"Taichi is going to be late. You have to stay until he shows up."

"Oh, uhm, do you know how long he will be?" This wasn't going to be good. Last time Taichi was late he hadn't bothered to show up until there was only an hour of his shift left.

"No." -Click-

"Mr. Okuda? .... Mr. Okuda?!" You let out a low growl as you slam the phone back onto the receiver in frustration. This was so fucking irritating! Yes, you needed the money but you were getting tired of him just dumping these extra hours on you without even asking. There was nothing you could do about it and you were suddenly thankful you had brought your homework with you. At least you would be prepared for school tomorrow. As you start to pull out one of your books you hear the tell tale jingle of the door, a customer has entered the store. You lift your eyes to the doors, your customer service smile forced onto your lips, ready to greet the customer, only to find the greeting stuck in your throat as the customer comes into view.

Bakugo. BAKUGO?! Whyyyyyyyyyyy???? What are the odds? Did he even live around here? Probably just came in here to be rude some more. Whatever. As long as he didn't destroy the store it honestly didn't matter, your mood wasn't going to lift anytime soon. So, with some force, you manage to keep the smile on your lips and offer him a tiny bow.

"Good evening. Is there anything I can help you with?" Now, normally when you greet customers you are very sweet and warm but right now it was taking everything you had just to get the greeting out. So instead it came out monotoned and a tiny bit irritated.

He turned to you, surprise taking over his expression. He wasn't expecting to hear or see anyone familiar when he stopped into some random convenience store, so when he saw you he was a little taken aback, though the cold tone in your voice didn't help.

"What are you doing here?!" He sputters out.

You blink at him a few times, his question rolling around your mind. What am I doing here.... You quirk a brow and glance down at your apron then back up at him.

"Really?"

"What did you say you damn loser?!" He hollers at you, tiny explosions already coming from his hands.

"I work here! Geez...don't burn the place down." You let out a sigh, not willing to keep up the attitude any longer. Partly for fear of him blowing the whole place up and partly because you just didn't have the energy to waste on being annoyed at him. Instead you pick up your textbook and flip open your notebook so you can start to take jot down some notes as you scan over the pages.

"Tch...whatever." Bakugo grumbles as he moves further into the store in search of a drink.

Several minutes later he appears at the counter and, with more force than necessary, deposits the drink on the counter before you. You pause your note taking and look up at him then to the drink.

"That'll be--"

"Here!" He tosses some change onto the counter then, before you can count it, swipes the bottle off the counter and leaves.

"Hey!" What's his problem?! You feel yourself grow all the more irked as you stare at the door he had disappeared through. That boy was just asking to get punched in the face. Lucky for him, he had left enough money for his stupid drink so you didn't have to call the cops on him. Not that you were likely to do that even if he had underpaid.

-----------

One by one the hours passed until you were blearily staring ahead at the empty store certain that Taichi was never coming in. You glanced up at the clock to find it read 3:27AM. Your shift had ended almost 6 hours ago and IF Taichi came in right now you might get to go home and catch a quick nap before you had to get ready for school. Homework was done, in fact you had taken some extra time to read ahead. The store was probably cleaner that it had been when Mr. Okuda first opened it, hell you had gone through the aisles and turned every item so it was front facing. It was a retail dream to look at but you were bored out of your mind without any more energy or brain power to do more than just stand behind the counter.

Suddenly, the sound of the door jangling had your eyes opening with anticipation, was it merely a customer or had Taichi finally managed to get his stupid lazy ass to work. Thankfully, the universe had taken a small amount of pity on you and granted you the second option. You couldn't help the cold, annoyed, look you gave him as he strolled into the store.

"Sorry I'm late..." He said but didn't look or sound the least bit sorry, not caring one bit about the look you were casting his way, too busy looking at his phone to give you any of his precious attention.

"Mhm...here." You shove the register keys into his hand, haul your apron off and hurry out of the store.

[out-of-jams]

Airplane Mode || Track 05: Moving On | jhs

Summary: Inspired by Love at First Touch by bagelswrites.

In a world where a bruise marks the first touch of your soulmate, time is the only thing that matters. The marks take hours to appear, sometimes even days if you're really unlucky. Once First Touch is initiated, both parties only have a few weeks to find the other. From then on, the body begins to reject any form of sustenance other than the touch of the other. If one fails to find their soulmate in time, they starve to death. 

So what happens when your soulmate is a world famous idol?

And you're just one fan in a sea of many who can't even speak the same language?

Pairing: Hoseok x Fem Character

Word Count: 4.7k

Genre: Fluff. Angst. Idol!au. Smut. Soulmate!au. Explicit language.

Warnings: Language. 

Words written like this are spoken in Korean. 

              Previous | Next | | Track List | Masterlist |

Eunjae glared at the screen displaying boarding times like it was responsible for all of her life problems. Though in this instance, it kind of was.

With water dripping down her hand from the sweating plastic cup filled with coffee she held, Eunjae took a deep breath to stop herself from getting arrested by security for assaulting airport property. She’d already gotten lost multiple times in the obnoxiously large airport. And then once she finally found her gate to check in, the staff working at the desk politely informed her that the flight to Seoul was completely full. Therefore she would need to check her carry-on suitcase in with the rest of her bags because there wouldn't "be enough room in the overhead compartment."

Eunjae had been so tired up to that point, from the emotional farewell with her best friend to the long lines and early hours of the morning. She’d never been an early riser. In fact, the only way to even get her out of bed before eleven was if you bribed her with caffeine. And seeing as how her flight was supposed to leave at 6:54 am, she’d been wandering around half-awake like a zombie. After Eunjae'd gotten turned around in the airport for the third time, she finally caved and bought a ridiculously expensive iced coffee. Even though the side effects of First Touch turned the normally delicious drink into trash.

Taking another sip out of her rapidly draining cup, Eunjae tried not to grimace at the taste. If she was being completely honest, it tasted like she licked the walls of a dirty alleyway. But caffeine was caffeine and she would at least try to drink it while she could still stomach food. With a sigh, Eunjae slipped her vibrating phone out of the back pocket of her pants to read over the latest text from Hoseok. She’d sent a message off to him once she passed through security check to let him know that she would be on her way soon.

Well, she would have been.

Green straw pressed between her lips, Eunjae’s freshly manicured fingers flew across the keyboard. She wasn’t one to get her nails done routinely, since it would just get ruined when she worked on a new clothing piece. But Miles had forced her into getting a mani-pedi with him. Something about not letting her meet Bangtan with busted nails or whatever, but he’d volunteered to pay so she’d acquiesced.

A ding alerted her to a new text and she sent off a reply as she reluctantly trudged her way back to her gate.

Eunjae’s stupid flight had gotten delayed by almost six hours because of some storm raging in the middle of the ocean. She didn’t know if she was more angry at the fact that she now had so much time to fill, or that she could have still been asleep.

What the hell am I supposed to do for that long? She thought angrily as she slipped her phone back in her pocket. Hiding her glare behind the protective lenses of her sunglasses, she grumbled to herself.

Six hours and almost a season of Parks and Rec later, the call for her flight to start boarding came over the loudspeaker. WIth a final glance at the blank notification screen of her phone, Eunjae gathered her red mini backpack and boarded the plane. Hoseok had yet to respond to her last message, so she just assumed that he was super busy with his schedule for the day.

Settling into her roomy seat on the giant plane, Eunjae silently thanked Big Hit for getting her a first class ticket on a non-stop flight. Her seat was separated from the one next to her by a wall that rose over the top of her head. There was a small table right underneath the movie screen in front of her and she dropped her backpack on it before reclining in her chair.

As the flight attendant at the front of the plane began to read off safety instructions, Eunjae leaned her head back against the headrest and hoped that she’d at least be able to get some sleep.

With dark red nails tapping impatiently on the countertop of the help desk, Eunjae watched through tired eyes as the staff member manning it clicked away at her computer. The rest of the baggage claim was completely devoid of people and the notes of some slow song playing over the loudspeaker echoed hauntingly.

Eyes hooded with exhaustion, Eunjae spared a quick glance out one of the floor-to-ceiling windows lining the wall in baggage claim. It was too dark to see anything properly so her hunched over reflection greeted her through the glass. With a sigh, she ran a hand through her hair and straightened the hem of her cut-off black hoodie. The material fell right underneath her bellybutton and the top of her black joggers prevented any chance of seeing skin. Eunjae toed the tile floor with the tip of her white, platform Puma sneakers and sighed.

The bad luck of the day (days?) was apparently never ending. After falling into a weird, fever like sleep on the plane where she woke up confusedly every hour, Eunjae was greeted after landing in Incheon International Airport by the news of the airline losing her bags. It was almost three in the morning and she couldn’t even call Sejin to let him know the issue since her American phone didn’t operate in South Korea. The man was probably wondering where the hell she was.

“Ah,” the voice of the female staff member drew Eunjae’s attention. The middle aged woman looked up from her computer with an apologetic smile. “Your bags are currently in Beijing.”

Eunjae could only respond with a slow blink as her tired brain tried to process the information. She’d been lucky that the woman at the counter could speak English. She didn’t even want to imagine how the conversation would go with a round of charades.

“Beijing?” She parroted back stupidly. Her voice was still a little groggy from her attempt at sleep.

“Yes.” The woman bobbed her head, her brunette hair brushing her shoulders with the motion. “We are terribly sorry for the inconvenience."

Eunjae just nodded slowly. “When can they get here?”

“In about three days or so. If you write down the address of where you’re staying, we could have them send your belongings straight to you.”

Eunjae filled out the slip of paper robotically, pen jotting down her new address quickly. Luckily she’d memorized it from the amount of times she’d had to write it down on boxes to ship out. None of those boxes, unfortunately, carried any of her clothes. Eunjae hadn’t sent any out until two days ago. The rest of her clothing was in the bags lost somewhere in Beijing.

She silently cursed her past self for being so stupid. But she’d needed clothes to wear back at home, damnit!

The rest of the interaction passed by in a blur and Eunjae walked out of baggage claim with only her mini backpack and a copy of the form she filled out. Luckily, the signs in the airport were labeled in both Engilsh and Korean, so she had no trouble finding her way out.

As she went through the empty queue at immigration and rode the escalator down to the main floor and entrance, Eunjae gently slapped her cheeks to wake herself up. She’d been on the receiving end of one too many stares on the journey and couldn’t wait for the bruises to heal. Stepping off at the ground floor, Eunjae immediately spotted Sejin pacing back and forth near the escalators. His hands were stuffed deep in the pockets of his thick brown coat and a white face mask was pulled down to his chin. Eunjae shifted her backpack higher on her shoulder and cleared her throat.

“Hey.” She didn’t need to raise her voice since the airport was empty anyway.

Sejin’s head snapped up from where he’d been staring intently at his shoes, and a look of relief twisted his features. Stepping closer, his tense shoulders relaxed. “You’re here. I was starting to worry.”

“Yeah, sorry about the wait.” A large yawn interrupted Eunjae mid sentence and she covered her mouth with a sweater paw. “They lost my bags.”

“Ah.” Sejin frowned. “How long until they ship them to you?”

Eunjae waved the flimsy paper in her hands, the edges fluttering with the movement. “Three days. So please excuse my homeless-chic appearance until then. What I’m wearing is all I have.”

Sejin shook his head and gestured for her to follow him to the door. “We’d initially planned for you to meet Bang PD-nim and the rest of the members tomorrow morning--well now this morning. But we can arrange for someone to take you shopping first.”

The automatic doors swished open and Eunjae frowned at the cold wind that bit across her cheeks. Hands shoving into the pouch of her hoodie, she looked around the empty passenger pick-up area. The bright lights from inside the airport’s floor-to-ceiling windows gave them plenty of light to see by as she followed the man down the wide pathway.

“I don’t really have a lot of money to spend on clothes.” Eunjae’s words puffed a white cloud into the winter air. Unfortunately for her, it was just as cold in Korea as it was in New York. She could already feel her cheeks starting to freeze.

Sejin sent her a weird look as they crossed the empty street towards an even more deserted part of the pick-up zone. Eunjae could just barely make out a parked van through the darkness. “You wouldn’t be paying.”

Eunjae snorted in amusement through her slowly reddening nose and joked, “less than an hour here and you’re already planning a robbery on some poor clothing store. Shaking my head, Sejin. You’re a bad influence.”

The lack of sleep was beginning to get to her.

Rolling his eyes in good humor, Sejin gave a fake, put-upon sigh. “You’re going to fit in with the boys great.”

She simply raised an eyebrow at him and watched as he slid a keyring out of the pocket of his jeans. The van was close and Eunjae picked up her pace a little at the thought of gaining solace from the freezing wind. Her short legs had to work almost double time to keep up with tall Sejin.

“Like I said before,” he began, clicking a button on the keyring to unlock the vehicle; its lights flashed twice. “Big Hit will cover all of your expenses while you're here. That includes anything and everything you might need.”

Eunjae grimaced. She really didn’t like the thought of being dependant on someone for so long. Even if that someone was a millionaire like Bang PD. “I don’t want to just be given things without working for it. That doesn't sit right with me.”

The tall man paused in his steps, causing her to stop as well. Staring down at her seriously, he held the keys in his hand tighter. “You’ve just moved out here to a completely different country; you’ve given up a lot and we recognize that. So let us at least try and make up for it.”

All Eunjae could do was blink at his statement. Sejin patted her shoulder twice and stepped off again leaving Eunjae with no choice but to follow in silence. They were at the van now and she stepped up next to Sejin as he slid the backdoor open for her. Why he didn’t want her to sit in the passenger seat, she had no idea. But the question answered itself as soon she slid inside and the door closed behind her.

Leaning against the opposite door of the row’s seats sat Jung Hoseok. The hood of his chalk grey coat was pulled up over his dark, wavy hair and a small gold chain hid beneath his neckline. With the silver zipper pulled halfway down his chest, the soft cotton of his charcoal covered shirt stretched across his chest. Hoseok had on his own pair of black joggers and Eunjae silently wondered if always accidently matching clothes was a soulmate thing, or if they just had the same taste in fashion.

The second the door closed, Hoseok pulled down the black face mask covering the bottom half of his face and gave her a smile so big that the tiny dimples on his cherub cheeks popped into existence. His dark eyes turned into adorable half moons as he spread his arms wide open with flapping hands. “You’re here!”

Eunjae just about died on the spot. From the scent of his masculine cologne in the air, to the sudden warmth of escaping the biting wind, to his cute accented voice. Her tired brain was beginning to short circuit from all of the input.

Returning his smile with one of her own, she responded, “I’m here.”

As she slid the backpack from her shoulders, Hoseok tilted his head to the side in confusion and sent a glance back towards the still empty trunk of the van. Turning back to her, he waved a hand at the backpack between her feet.

“No more?” His brows pinched together in bewilderment.

The driver side door opened then, and Sejin slipped inside and started the van quickly, likely wanting to warm up just as much as she did. The car rumbled to life and the vents perched on the ceiling of the vehicle flooded the space with lukewarm air.

Shaking her head at Hoseok’s question, Eunjae answered him as the automatic door lights shut off and plunged them all in darkness. A soft glow from the center console at the front cast his face in shadow as Sejin finally pulled away from the curb. “My bags are somewhere in Beijing right now.”

Hoseok’s eyes widened comically as he seemed to grasp the gist of what she was saying. He leaned closer and Eunjae had to almost physically stop herself from reaching out to touch him. Soulmate or not, they were still strangers and Eunjae wasn’t comfortable enough with him to invade his personal space. So no matter how much his body called out to hers, how much the blood in her veins sang out for him, she shoved the feeling of longing deep into the recesses of her mind.

“What? Why?”

Eunjae had never been so grateful for her ability to retain information that she crammed into her brain last minute as she easily translated Hoseok’s Korean. Miles had been giving her random pop quizzes at all times of the day to try and help. Even though he had no idea what he was saying and ended up pronouncing half of the words wrong anyway. Scrunching her nose in thought, Eunjae pulled up the virtual dictionary floating through her exhausted brain. She didn’t know a lot of Korean vocabulary and the rules of sentence structure confused the hell out of her. So she wasn’t confident in how coherent her response was.

“They lost them.”

Eunjae wasn’t sure if Hoseok’s reaction was because of what she said or the fact that she’d spoken it in his language. Heart shaped lips spreading into another smile, his long fingers came up to frame either side of his face. “Your Korean is good!”

“Ah, I don’t know a lot.” A pout formed unconsciously on her face as she shrugged non-committedly.

“Still.” Hoseok beamed. One of his hands moved as if he were going to touch her before he seemingly thought better of it and dropped it on the seat between them.

A few beats of silence overtook the car that hovered over the soft music playing from the speakers. It wasn’t quite awkward, but it wasn’t comfortable either. It was the kind of silence that reared its head when two people didn’t know what else to say. Maybe it was because they were both tired, or perhaps it stemmed from the fact that they barely spoke each other’s language. But the invisible barrier between them appeared more solid without the ability to communicate via texted emoji.

“We still have a long drive ahead of us.” Sejin finally broke through the quiet from up front. “If the two of you want to get some rest, now would probably be a good time. Today’s schedule starts early.”

He repeated his suggestion in Korean so that Hoseok could understand and Eunjae felt her fatigued body scream out at the thought of another early morning. She instantly felt guilty, however, as she glanced over at Hoseok. Even in the lack of light she could see how worn out he was, even though he was trying his best to scrape up whatever energy he could find for her. The fact that he’d even chose to come pick her up when he could have been sleeping spoke about what kind of person he was.

Whatever exhaustion she was feeling after a day and a half didn’t even hold a candle to the years that he’d felt the same way. With a frown pulling at her lips, Eunjae slowly reached out to gently pat the hand lying on the seat between them. She tried to ignore the instantaneous reaction as the electrifying energy buzzing between their skin warmed her veins. Hoseok’s hand twitched under hers and Eunjae had to stop herself from curling her small fingers around his longer ones. It wasn’t in a romantic sense. Her body was just reacting to whatever science it was that drew soulmates together, so not all of her reactions were completely in her control.

“Sleep.”

Hoseok’s tired eyes peered at her through the dark as he sent her a grateful smile. He flipped the palm of his hand over to softly squeeze hers and Eunjae was almost surprised when the static the gesture sent through her wasn’t visible in the air between them.

“You too.”

As the van drove down the virtually empty highway, a strip of light from the streetlamps lining the road flashed through the tinted windows of the van. Hoseok’s eyes were already closed, his long eyelashes brushing against the apples of his cheeks. How he’d managed to fall asleep so fast, Eunjae didn’t know. But what she did know, was that his hand was still holding onto hers in the warmth of the voiceless, dark car.

The sound of a car door shutting forced Eunjae’s eyes open. It was either that, or the sudden rush of cold air brushing against her skin. When her eyes had fallen shut in the first place, she wasn’t sure. But as the overhead car lights flickered off, they drifted closed again. The comfortable heat pressing against her side threatened to drag her back into unconsciousness.

And it would have if the door to the backseat of the van hadn’t slid open. Eunjae groaned as the cold coaxed goosebumps from her covered flesh. The soft material her face was pressed into shifted as if sensing her annoyance. Stuck somewhere between the land of dreams and that of the conscious, Eunjae wasn’t sure if the warm breath that brushed the top of her head was real or not.

A light chuckle breached through the darkness of her closed eyelids. “Wake up you two. We’re here.”

The lights on the ceiling of the van were getting harder and harder to ignore. Slowly, the weight that she’d barely processed over her shoulders shifted as her pillow mumbled incoherently. The deep, sleep filled voice set off familiar bells in her head, and Eunjae peeled her eyes open with the speed of a sloth. It always took her at least twenty minutes after waking to fully fall into consciousness.

Her eyes blinked leisurely as her brain tried to process what was going on. The first thing she noticed was that she was confusedly on the other side of the car than the one she’d been sitting on. The next was that she’d somehow grown four legs, two of which were larger than hers. It could have taken her two minutes or two hours for her brain to process it, she wasn’t sure.

However, it wasn’t until she lifted her head from where it’d been comfortably pressed into Hoseok’s side that she finally came to the realization. Sometime, somehow, over the course of the drive her body had acted on its own accord and snuggled itself into his side. He had one arm thrown across her shoulders while his other hand sleepily rubbed through the wavy hair under his hood. Hoseok’s eyes were half lidded as his lips parted in a wide yawn. Both of their bodies, it seemed, had answered the other’s call while they were unconscious.

It be ‘ya own body. Eunjae thought half drunkenly, resisting the urge to ignore everything and go back to sleep. Turning her head to the side, she saw the light washed figure of Sejin standing at the open van door.

“You guys going to stay in there all night? Or are you going to come out?”

While she couldn’t make out his expression, Sejin sounded very amused. Eunjae knew enough Korean to be able to get the gist of what he’d said, or at least she hoped she did.

“Mmm. Yeah.” Hoseok grumbled, lifting the arm from around her shoulders to rub at his face. If he was at all phased by how he woke up, he didn’t show it. His voice was deeper than normal, vocal cords still coated with sleep.

Eunjae was still barely processing what was going on around her, but she was awake enough to slide across the seats and scoop up her bag. Sejin moved out of the way as she swung her legs out the door, pausing a moment to blink rapidly from the bright lights overhead. It appeared like they were in some underground parking garage. The frigid air pulled a small whimper from her throat as she hopped out. The garage wasn’t super huge and it looked like Sejin had pulled the van around to park in a darkened corner. By the way it was just pulled to the side and not in a parking space, Eunjae figured that this wasn’t his final destination.

At the sound of Hoseok’s shoes hitting the concrete behind her, Eunjae shuffled out of the way so that he wouldn’t fall over her as he got out. As he stretched his arms above his head, she quickly averted her eyes as the hem of both his coat and shirt raised to reveal a strip of golden skin.

God, what K-drama is this? Eunjae just barely resisted rolling her eyes at the universe. I think we’ve hit just about every cliche by now.

“I’ll show you to your apartment.” Sejin spoke, his voice echoing off the walls of the empty garage. Eunjae looked up at him and narrowed her eyes at the bags under his. The man looked completely and utterly drained. Like he was two blinks away from falling asleep standing up.

“Just tell me the code and how to get there, I’ll find it.” Stuffing her hands into her hoodie pouch, she rocked back and forth on her feet in an attempt at warming up. The winter air was slowly starting to shock her body into becoming more and more awake. “You look like you need some sleep too.”

Chuckling, Sejin ran a hand down his face. “I’m not going to have you wandering the halls. It won’t take long.”

Eunjae refused to back down, however. With a head jerk at a yawning Hoseok, who looked like he wasn’t even trying to follow the conversation, she asked, “does Hobi know the way?”

At the sound of his name, Hoseok turned from where he was closing the van door and shuffled over to them. Hunched against the cold, his hands were shoved deep into the pockets of his now fully zipped coat.

“Yes.” Sejin admitted.

“And the door code?”

The taller man let out a deep sigh, his warm breath puffing into the air. “Yes.”

With a smile of victory brightening her sleepy face, Eunjae rocked back onto her heels with a nod. “Cool. Then he can show me, right? And you can go home and sleep?”

Sejin’s narrowed eyes lacked heat as he finally relinquished. “You’re stubborn. But fine.”

The man reluctantly translated for Hoseok, who’s lips twitched as he sent Eunjae what looked to be a thankful glance. His response went completely through one of Eunjae’s ears and out the other, his deep voice causing her tired eyes to fall shut momentarily. She was always a sucker for the groggy voices of men who were still half asleep and the sound made her yearn for her bed.

“Someone will come grab you in the morning to take you shopping for some clothes.” The statement was directed at Eunjae and she nodded in acknowledgement of Sejin’s words. With one last glance back at the pair, the taller man made his way back to the van and slipped inside.

The brush of Hoseok’s fingers against the middle of her back brought her attention back to him. With a nod towards the elevators in the middle of the garage, he let his hand drop. “This way.”

The ride up to the eighth floor passed in silence. It was more comfortable than the one in the car and it seemed that whatever skinship they shared in the van chipped away a little at the invisible barrier between them. It was still standing strong, but Eunjae didn’t feel quite as awkward as before. Maybe it was because she was half conscious, or perhaps it was because she’d been snuggled up to his side less than ten minutes ago. Whatever it was, she wasn’t going to complain.

With a quiet ding the elevator doors slid open and Eunjae followed Hoseok as he walked straight down the hallway. The beige colored walls and carpeted floor passed them by and at the end of the hall was a T-shaped intersection. Hoseok peeled left, but slowed down as he pointed a thumb in the opposite direction.

“Bangtan’s that way.” Eunjae turned as she glanced at where he was pointing with a hum. He stopped a few feet down in front of a white door with the numbers 821 embedded in a small plaque above it. Hand fluttering at the door, Hoseok spoke again.

“This is you.” With a glance down at her, Hobi made sure that she was watching as he slid up the code panel and slowly typed in a five digit code. The light above the numbers flashed green and a gently beep sounded as he twisted down the handle. He pointed from the panel to her, and back and tilted his head with a small smile. “You understand?”

“Yeah.” If she was going to be on the receiving end of his eye smile every time she spoke Korean, then she was going to find herself fluent, and soon.

Hoseok stood in the doorway with his back propping the door open. He didn’t enter, seemingly not wanting to invade her space. As she brushed past him to step through the threshold, the soft call of her name caused her to turn back towards him mid-step.

“Call if you..,” He trailed off, lips pursed as he searched for the correct words. The hood had fallen off his head sometime from getting out of the car until now and Hoseok reached up a hand to run through his wavy locks.

“I will.” Eunjae smiled at him reassuringly and he sent her back a grateful smile. “Thank you, Hobi.”

Beaming at her once again, Hoseok reached out and gently ruffled the top of her head, unintentionally sending tingles running a path down her spine. “You’re welcome! See you tomorrow, okay? Goodnight.”

"Goodnight." Her voice followed him softly as the door closed behind him, taking both the scent of him and his warmth. Eunjae pressed her forehead against the cool wall closest to her. The apartment behind her was still shrouded in shadow as she sighed into the paint. Tomorrow she was going to meet both Bang PD-nim and the rest of the members of Bangtan.

“No biggie.” Her voice muttered sarcastically into the dark, silent apartment. “No biggie at all.”

[erintoknow]

a little victimless crime

Spiraling - A Fallen Hero: Rebirth Fan-fiction

Nothing like combining business and pleasure. [Do It All The Time] Originally: [bigger than the sound]

[Read on AO3]

It is as if you’re fighting with one arm behind your back.

When you originally conceived of this plan, you figured you’d use the villain suit sparingly. When infiltration as either Jane or some other possessed stooge wouldn’t cut it. Maneuver people into positions where you could plant suggestions, instill compulsions, weave a web of threads over the city with yourself at the center.

Argent’s possession has entered into your regular stable of nightmares. If that wasn’t enough, she’s hounding you at every turn, ensuring you can’t forget. Even pushing the mental commands, is starting to fray at you. Are you really any better than The Directive if you don’t let people think for themselves?

As long as they go down, does it matter?

“Ugh.”

Dr. Mortum frowns from across the table. “Is everything okay, mon amie?”

“Oh, sorry.” Jane grimaces as she looks up from the day planner in front of her. “I’m just trying to figure out how to – to fit all this shit into one week.”

“Mm.” She picks up her wine glass, eyes scanning the night’s crowd at Joes. “Your boss is running you ragged these days.”

“Tell me about it. Oh, that reminds me, I need to put in another order for more of that black 2.0 paint.” Jane groans, one hand holding her forehead as she scans the week for an open time slot. “Can’t believe how high-maintenance that damn suit is.”

“A problem with my work?”

“No, no, it’s the damn paint. The slightest scratch ruins the effect. And of course, I have to route the money to pay for it, through like, three shell companies.” She chews at the end of her pen, circles an open slot and jots the reminder in. “There, hope that’s enough time.”

How many lives are you living at this point? Jane with Mortum, Jane dating Ortega, Jane as criminal fixer, Ghost, Ariadne the retired vigilante, and whatever the hell is going on between Ariadne and Ortega… to say nothing of keeping both bodies fed and healthy, or skimming enough cash to pay for everything.

“Do not forget to put aside time to sleep, mon amie.”

Jane puts her planner to one side and looks up at Mortum with a hopeless smile. “Personally, I think that’s a feature, not a bug.”

That does nothing to ease the look of concern on the doctor’s face. “Trouble sleeping?”

“It’s nothing. It’s fine.” Jane sighs, waving the concern away. “Don’t worry about it.”

“Mon amie–”

“I said don’t worry.” It’s touching, almost, how concerned Dr. Mortum has started to get over Jane’s wellbeing. Haven’t figured out what exactly her angle there is. “Look…” Jane trails off as you try to find the right words, a way to thread the needle. “I… appreciate your concern but I’m fine. Seriously.”

“If you say so.”

“I do. Say so. Look, I’m not even working the frontlines anymore. No more being blown up, you know? I promised.”

Mortum does not look convinced. “Spying on the ex-marshal does not count as ‘front lines’ to you, mon amie?”

Jane scoffs, “What’s she gonna do, give me the tingler?” Actually...

No! Stay focused!

Mortum gives her a tired expression. “Charge is a craftier woman than you’re giving her credit, mon amie.”

Loud, brash Ortega? The woman whose smile makes Jane feel like she’s lighter than air? She shakes her head. “I don’t see it.”

“Well, that’s rather the idea now, is it not?” Mortum’s smile is grim and she holds out her hands, palms up. “We all play up particular roles so that others might overlook the parts we wish them too.”

That gets a raised eyebrow, “And are you hiding something from me, doc?”

“But of course, mon amie. As I assume you are from me. This is how people are. Can anyone ever truly know another?”

“I thought your thing was science, not philosophy.”

“In my prefered field? The distinction between the two can get terribly blurry.”

It’s hard to argue with her. And that alone is enough to make you nervous. Is Ortega up to something? How much does she know about Ghost and how much does she just suspect? You thought she was just trying to reconnect with Ariadne out of sentimentality, but what if she’s trying to keep tabs? The thought is enough to make Jane frown.

You have to face facts and admit that cutting ties with Ortega completely is the safest move. Jane’s the one with the relationship, the one making a connection. Ariadne’s a ghost from the past, a hanger-on. She’s got no business making eyes at Ortega.

Being around her… being forced to confront face-to-face with the impossibility of what you can never have… it’s painful. Ortega would hate her, if she knew the truth about Ariadne; what she was, what she’d done.

You can’t go back. It’s unthinkable. So, if you can’t work yourself up to dying then there’s no choice. You’re stuck on this path. You can’t unring the bell.

“–mon amie?”

Jane blinks, jerking her head up from her planner. “S–sorry, what?”

Dr. Mortum watches her from across the table, concern knitting her brow. “Penny for your thoughts?”

“Oh, ah.” Jane winces, an apologetic smile. “Sorry, I got lost in my head there.”

“It is the lack of sleep mon amie.” She smiles.

“Maybe.” Jane mirrors the smile back. “Still – there’s no rest in sight for this bad girl.” With a sigh, she snaps her planning shut and tucks it away in her purse. “I’ve got another, very exciting meeting tonight.”

“Be careful, mon amie.”

Jane flashes a smile and downs the rest of her drink before leaving a twenty on the table. “You know me, I always am.”

–––

“Thanks for coming with me,” Ortega whispers from the corner of her mouth.

“Of course, thanks for inviting me.” A smile flits across Jane’s face as she studies the mess of an abstract portrait hanging on the wall in front of them. “Hopefully no super villains crash this party.”

Ortega laughs, uneasy, as she rubs the back of her neck. “Anyone that does is going to regret it.”

Jane arches an eyebrow as you try to keep her from smiling. In the aftermath of the Gala fiasco, security has tripled in order to keep the city’s elite feeling safe. The Mayor’s Guardian force was milling around here somewhere, ready to jump into duty in a split second. For the Rangers, beside Ortega, Jane has seen Herald milling around somewhere and it wouldn’t surprise you if either Argent, or Steel, or both had been bullied into attending.

The Mayor needs to prove to her benefactors she was worth keeping in office. The Rangers needed to prove they were worth keeping in Los Diablos.

Lucky for you then, Ortega still owed Jane a second date.

No explosives this time. No dramatic fights, or burning buildings. No terrible mistakes with people screaming and blood everywhere and emergency rooms filling up. Going to do this right. Going to do this quiet. The bastards won’t realize the damage until it’s too late.

“Charge! How are you holding up?”

Jane and Ortega turn together to find Herald walking towards them. It’s a little strange seeming him in a tuxedo again. All crisp angles and sharp features. He raises an arm to wave and you think Jane spies a glimpse of blue sleeve from a Ranger skinsuit underneath. Well, that confirms what you suspected from the Gala. Wonderbread really is ready to throw-down at a moment’s notice.

Is Ortega? She’s in a suit this time instead of a dress. Easier to fight in?

Ortega waves back at Herald with a smile. “Haven’t throttled anyone yet, how about you?”

Herald takes Ortega’s hand and pulls her into a quick hug. “Oh, this is old hat to me. I just focus on the art, and see how many fancy hors d’oeuvres I can sneak before anyone notices.” Ortega laughs and Jane politely covers her mouth to hide the smile. He shifts his gaze down to Jane and his eyebrows shoot up in surprise. “Sides–?” He flinches and shakes his head. “Wait, no?”

Jane keeps her face blank. Sidestep? Sidestep who? Never heard of the bitch.

There is a tense silence and then Ortega breaks it with a forced laugh. “Sorry, this is my friend Jane I was telling you about.” She gestures towards you and then from you to Herald. “And Jane, this is Herald, but you probably already knew that.” More forced laughter.

Friend?

“Sorry,” Herald rubs at his knee, “you just reminded me of someone.” He shoots Ortega a curious look.

Was it too late now to go back and dye Jane’s hair? You idiot. You stupid vain idiot. All the more reason to keep the two lives separated. Why did you have to go and get Jane involved with Ortega?

Moron. Fool. Buffoon.

Jane keeps her face a careful blank. “It’s… nice to meet you too, Mr. …?”

Herald smiles, awkward. “Just Herald is fine. Nice to meet you, Jane.” He doesn’t offer a hand to shake.

When Ortega and Herald descend into small talk Jane breathes a sigh of relief and politely detaches herself from the conversation. A few tense moments, but it had at least bought you some needed freedom from Ortega.

Time to get to work then.

“Excuse me, folks, I’m just gonna duck into the restroom real quick.”

Ortega nods, “You know where it is?”

“I’ll figure it out. I’ll see you at the shrimp bar, sweetie.” Jane winks at Ortega, a smirk spreading across her face at the slight color on her hero’s face. Still got her.

Your sense of direction as Jane isn’t as strong as Ariadne’s but enough time spent studying floor plans makes up for it. Weave through the crowd, past the buffet table. The further from the food and the booze Jane gets the less people in ritzy outfights milling around being offensively rich.

There, next to the restrooms, a side entrance for the gallery. A very bored looking cop stands next to the door, watching the guests.

Mustering up all the elitist disdain she can muster, Jane approaches the door and gives the cop a dismissive glance, adding some gravel to her voice. “I’m taking a smoke break.” The man frowns but otherwise doesn’t stop Jane as she steps through the door, pretending to fish through her purse. Perfect.

Outside, the street gives a clear view to the Hero Museum just down the block. Once again closed for renovation and repair. The dumb bastards. Maybe you’ll trash the next grand opening too. Keep it up until they get the idea.

It doesn’t take long to spot her. The woman pacing back and forth down the sidewalk, staring anxiously at her phone, purse hanging loose in the crook of her arm. Jane whispers to get her attention and when that doesn’t work progressively raises her voice. “Hey! Ochoa!”

She looks up, sags in relief and hurries over to Jane, her movements stiff and awkward in the tight black and gold floral dress. “Finally! I was about to call the whole thing off.”

“Do you want your dirt or not?” Jane hisses.

“Please, Jane.” Mia Ochoa’s frowns, “I’m an investigative journalist, not a tabloid columnist.”

“Sure, whatever.” Jane glances up and down the street. She keeps a hand in her purse, fingering the gadget from Dr. Mortum that should be disrupting the video cameras. How long did the charge last for again? Five minutes? “Sit tight, I need to get the pig out of the way first.”

“You’re not going to–?”

Jane snorts, “I’m not going to hurt anybody. I’m not stupid.” She tilts her head, thinking. “Well. I’m probably not going to hurt anybody.” She shakes her head and holds up a hand. “Whatever, wait here. This’ll only take a second.”

“Ugh,” Jane contorts her face into a visage of barely contained fury as she steps back inside. “I can’t believe some people.”

The cop sighs, “There a problem, Ma’am?”

A short bark of a laugh. “Problem?” Jane glowers down the hallway. “Yeah, there’s a fucking problem.”

Eyes flicker to Jane’s nametag. “There’s no need for that kind of language, Miss Smith.”

Jane snarls, “Tell that to the asshole who can’t keep his hands to himself.”

That gets the cop’s attention. “Again, is there something I can help you with, Ma’am.”

Jane holds her breath. You’re about to do something really shitty. Oh well. Sorry Kieth, it’s for the greater good. “Yeah, alright.” Jane sighs, avoiding the cop’s gaze. “someone ought to teach that damn waiter at the cocktail bar some manners. I’m not the only woman either he’s harassed tonight. The ass.”

The man’s eyes narrow. “I’ll see someone talks to him.” He puts a hand up to the walkie-talkie strapped to his breast pocket. Presses the button. Jane holds her breath. “Hey, Sam? I got a woman here reporting a problem with one of the help.”

The cop frowns as no one answers.

“Sam? You there?” No response. “Kim? José?”

Jane crosses her arms, and taps her foot. “I thought you said you’d take care of it.”

He shakes his head, “Something’s wrong with my damn walkie.” He taps it one more time and shakes his head. “Goddamn this garbage keeps busting. Sorry miss, I’ll have to find my superior.” He shoots Jane a glance, eyeing her up and down. “In the meantime, use some common sense.”

Jane huffs, as the cop walks off, grumbling about equipment.

Honestly, you half-expected that not to work. Thank you, Dr. Mortum.

A quick glance around to check for any other eyes and you step back to hold the door open. “Alright Ochoa, you’re in.”

“Finally.” The reporter quickly steps inside and you let the door close. “I can’t believe I’m really doing this.”

Jane frowns as she digs through her purse again. “Yeah, well, if you want the real meat you gotta go where they don’t want you to be.”

“Oh believe me, I know.”

“Ah, here we go.” Jane pulls out a small laminated pin, holds it up for Ochoa’s inspection. “Your own name pin. It’s like you were supposed to be here all along.”

“Oh!” The woman takes it from Jane’s hand with a look of surprise. “You thought of everything.”

“Don’t jinx it.”

As the two of you walk down the hallway to rejoin the main event Ochoa pins the name tag to her chest and smoothes out her dress. “Alright, well, thanks for getting me in. I can take it from here.”

“Just don’t forget our deal. You owe now.”

The smile fades from Ochoa’s face. “Of course.”

Jane scans the room as the two of you step in. There’s Ortega and Herald still talking in the far corner, and then there’s… “Actually,” a tight smile crosses Jane’s face, “how do you feel about an introduction to the Mayor’s right-hand man?”

Ochoa’s eyes light up, “I’d love it.” She frowns, “But do you think he’ll talk?”

“I think you might be surprised.” Jane grabs Ochoa’s hand, pulling her through the crowd. There we go. Jane raises her free hand in greeting, “Professor Vanderpoel, it’s a pleasure to see you again.”

The balding clerk turns with startled surprise towards Jane, as the other two men in his group stop talking, watching the two approaching women with mild interest. “I’m sorry… do I know you?”

Jane laughs, a bright smile on her face. “Don’t tell me you forgot me already? Tell me you at least remember the linden trees?”

A cascade of color rockets up the man’s face. “That– that was a very different time in my life.”

One of Vanderpoel’s companions laughs and elbows him in the side. “You never told me you used to teach!”

Vanderpoel flinches, “I haven’t for eight years.”

Jane nods, knowingly. “Such a shame what happened! Still, I’m so happy to see you’ve bounced back without any problems.”

“Well…”

“Anyway,” Jane cuts him off without mercy, “I was just catching up with my good friend Mia,” Jane tugs Mia forward by the arm. “When I saw you over here.”

One of Vanderpoel’s friends tilts his head, “Mia…? You look familiar.”

Ochoa’s smile is strained. “I’m a reporter for LD Confidential.”

Jane laughs, “Don’t worry, she’s not working today.”

Vanderpoel’s two friends laugh with Jane, but Vanderpoel himself has a thoughtful look in his eye. Encouraging. Ghost’s bridge-side chat with the man has been sinking in after all.

The man on the right claps Vanderpoel on the back. “You know some lovely ladies man, I can’t believe you’ve been holding out on us!” A strange look crosses across Vanderpoel’s face and the three men make room for the two of you to join their conversation. You can’t stop the smirk on Jane’s face. You’ve got them.

S u c k e r s.

Not every bomb needs to be literal.

A few more minutes of smalltalk to help work Ochoa into the conversation and then Jane politely excuses herself from the group. She’s got a date to rejoin after all.

Ortega perks up as Jane crosses the room, a glass of wine in each hand. She doesn’t wait to ask before offering Jane one of them. “I was beginning to think you might have ditched me.”

Jane smiles, laughs, as she takes the wine glass. “Sorry, sorry, I saw some people I knew and got distracted.”

“Oh?” Ortega’s focus zeros in on Jane, “Anyone I’d know?”

“Oh, I doubt it.” Jane shakes her head and waves a hand to dismiss the idea. “Just some old college friends. “ She glances about the room, “Herald still around?”

Ortega laughs, “He’s around somewhere. Why?”

“No reason. Just wondering.” Jane sips from her glass. “You have a lot of attractive friends.”

Wait, fuck what? Why did you say that? What the fuck? What happened to that masterclass of infiltration?

Ortega blinks, surprised, then laughs. “I hadn’t pegged you for being into men too.”

Jane glowers up at her. “So what?”

“Hey, it’s fine. I’m bi too.” Ortega smiles, pats Jane on the shoulder, then lets her hand run down the arm.

“You are?” Jane winces, “Ugh, what am I saying, of course you are. Sorry, I’ve apparently lost my mind tonight.”

“I suppose my love life is pretty well documented at this point.” There’s a bitter tinge to Ortega’s voice that catches you by surprise.

“I’m surprised we haven’t shown up in a tabloid yet,” Jane admits.

“Ghost’s debut kind of took over the headlines for awhile, didn’t it?.” Ortega laughs, “It’s just as well. I don’t get the kind of media attention that I used to.”

“Miss it any?”

“God no.” Ortega smiles widely, and then the smile quickly fades. “Sometimes I wonder how many relationships it cost me.”

Huh. “Was it that bad?”

“You got out for dinner with one guy and suddenly they’re your boyfriend. After awhile I just kind of embraced it. Especially once I became Marshal. At least I could take some ownership over it that way, you know?”

“I’m… sorry, that sounds pretty rough actually.”

“It’s in the past now.”

Silence threatens to stretch out between you two. Jane coughs, “So… when did you figure out you liked women, then?”

Ortega rubs her neck, “When I figured it out…? Hrm.”

“You don’t have to tell me.”

“No, I’m just… it feels like so long ago now.” Ortega sighs. “I guess… there was this vigilante…”

Jane holds her breath. No– It couldn’t be, could it? “A vigilante?”

“Well, I had just joined the Rangers properly.” Oh. “This vigilante, Axel. She was this speed boost that worked in the south end of the city. She was Latina too, and we just… kind of hit it off.”

“Wow,” Jane says. You try to wrack you memory for anything about an ‘Axel.’ It’s not ringing a bell. “What ended up happening?”

“It wasn’t easy trying to keep it out of the press. Eventually it got to be too much and we just kind of… mutually broke it off. She retired not long after. Or moved, maybe?” Ortega crosses her arms, thinking. “That’s it, she moved down further south. I haven’t heard from her since.”

“She didn’t want to go public?”

Ortega sighs. “This was like the early aughts. Things were starting to change but…”

Jane frowns. “There would have been consequences.”

“Yeah. I think…” Ortega stares at the floor between the two of you, lost in memory or maybe regret. “I think maybe I had been too pushy. I was under a lot of pressure at the time. The new face of the Rangers. They told me I needed a relationship to look ‘normal.’”

“Human.” Jane prompts, unbidden.

“Yeah,” Ortega laughs, bitter. “That too, I guess. Not that it was an excuse, mind.”

“Would a relationship with a woman really work for that though?”

“Well, we’ll never know now. I wanted to try but…”

“But?”

“I don’t think I gave her the space to really process what coming out would mean. We just fought about it. A lot.”

Jane rocks back and forth on her heels, avoids looking at Ortega. “That’s rough, I’m sorry.” Ortega never shared this with you – with Ariadne. You’re not sure what that means. How to feel about it.

“Well, hey,” Ortega looks up, catches Jane’s eye. “I learned from it. Eventually.” She smiles, and Jane smiles back. “Well, I told you my story, what’s yours?”

Jane blinks, bites her lip. “Oh! Uh. Hrm.”

“Sore subject for you too?”

“Uh… not exactly…” Jane laughs while panic runs through your head. “Like… when I figured out I liked guys…?”

“I was more thinking women? Society kind of expects the male interest.”

Jane forces a laugh. “I guess that’s true. I’ve never actually dated a guy though.”

Ortega shrugs, “Doesn’t make you any less bi. Nothing wrong with that.”

“Is it still bi if you don’t want to date guys though?” Jane frowns, looking away. Floor, artwork, the crowd. Anywhere else.

“Oh. Hrm,” Ortega pauses, “I guess that’s up to you? I’m not the sexuality police.” She laughs and Jane finds herself joining in.

“Oh good. I’m safe then. I mean… guys can be… attractive, I guess.” Jane shrugs helplessly, “But… I don’t know. I guess I’m kind of afraid of them?”

“Jane…?” There’s a note of concern in Ortega’s voice, and Jane cringes. This conversation is getting too real.

“This isn’t really the place to talk about it.”

“Okay. I get that. Are you alright?”

“I’m fine.” Jane sighs. That is absolutely not a subject you want Ortega to chew on. You need something to distract her. “ As far as women go, well..” You need to think of a story quickly. “There was this… girl I worked with in – in… college.”

“You know,” There’s an impish grin on Ortega’s face, “they say you should never date a coworker.”

Jane scowls, “Oh believe me, no dating was involved.”

Ortega puts a hand over her mouth. “Oh no! You just pined from afar?”

“Uh… more like, right next to her. For five years.”

“Ouch. She never caught on?”

The pained expression on Jane’s face matches the one in your heart. “I… have no idea?” Shesighs and downs the rest of her wine glass in one go. “Honestly, I didn’t really… understand what it was I was feeling until years later. And then… it was too late.” She shrugs and looks away. Can’t believe this conversation is happening. Have you lost your goddamn mind?

Ortega is shaking her head, equal parts amused and pitying. “I never would have pegged you for the shy type.”

“Hey!” Jane crosses her arms, “not shy enough to keep from kissing you.”

Ortega laughs again, “I’ve noticed.”

“I learned from my mistakes too,” Jane lies.

[ofhvney]

he’s been here before. he’ll be here again, he’s sure, at some point in his lifetime. you can take the boy out of the mob, but you can’t take the mob out of the boy, or something like that. either way, his shoes tread the same path they have plenty of times before, skipping stairs on the way up to the police department door. he’s ten minutes late, iced coffee in hand, and he nods to the secretary at the front desk like they’re old friends. “ let ‘em know i’m here ? ” he requests, flashing her a smile, and she picks up the phone. elaine grant and michael forrester emerge not long after, greeted by the sight of a murder suspect draped haphazardly over three chairs in the waiting room. 

“ alright, ” he sighs dramatically, sitting up and snagging his coffee off the table next to him. he glances between the two officers, as if they need his approval to carry this charade out. “ let’s get this show on the road. ”

A MESS, FEATURING: @the-great-and-wonderful-oz, @bclthczcros, @ofcelesticls, @figurchead, @rosaliamorais.

part one ( you )

do you have any criminal history ? anything big or small that you want to make us aware of ?

“ y’all have a file. can’t you read ? ” he’s off to a great start, petulant look on his face as he waits for an answer. the only thing he gets in response is a prompt to answer the question, cooperate, blah blah blah. boring. he’d liked it better when he’d been able to drunkenly joke around with the beat cops back in the holding cell.

“ public drunkenness, drunk & disorderly, and assault. ” he offers them a grin, then, all sharp white teeth, the wolf greeting little red riding hood. “ but all charges have been dropped. so do with that what you will. elaine, go ahead and jot it down, i know you want to. ” he leans forward, tipping his chin as if trying to spy on her notepad. “ say, would you mind using a sharpie or something ? that pen’s too light for me to see. i kinda felt like this could be a group project, you know ? collaboration. ” he purses his lips at the silence he gets in response, then sits back once more. “ damn, never mind. solo it is. ”

how have you spent the few weeks back at college ? what have they been like ?

“ does this question ever go over well ? this feels like the kind of question that doesn’t go over well. ” he rolls his eyes, crossing his arms over his chest. “ it’s been shitty. i was minding my own business, trying to start my senior year off, actually attempting to go to class for once. but daisey rutherford just had to go and get herself killed. now we’re all huddled up in our rooms from dusk ‘til dawn, trying our very best not to put targets on our foreheads. ” he raised one brow. “ ain’t college a dream ? ”

part two ( daisey )

how did you know miss. rutherford ? what was the nature of your relationship ? 

“ not good, which i’m sure is why you dragged my ass in here. ” he sighs, tipping his chair back on its two back legs. “ she stole from me freshman year. some... really important documents, things that weren’t the type of thing i’d appreciate anyone touching, much less someone i barely knew. i was pissed, obviously, since she stole from me. classic rich girl move, you know ? she’s got all the fucking money in the world— stop looking at me like that, we’re all adults here, i can fucking curse. anyway. sorry, she had all the money in the world, and she still decided to poke around and pilfer my shit. i was rightfully angry, and we’ve never gotten along since. i generally tried to avoid her, but this campus is small, so i’d still see her sometimes. i mostly just talked shit if i ever ran into her. ” honey watches elaine’s pen move across her notepad, and he can practically see MOTIVE flashing across the paper like a neon sign. which, he feels, is catastrophically unfair. even in death, daisey’s making his life harder. 

do you remember where you were the night daisey went missing ? if so, where were you ? what were you doing ? who were you with ?

honey sucks his teeth for a moment, knowing the answer but not quite wanting to admit to it. his eyes dart between the two officers, their eyebrows raised expectantly, and he lets out a sigh. “ well, i sure hope this is a no-judgement zone, ” he says dryly, folding his hands in front of him on the table. “ i was at oz lamar’s party, same as i’m sure most people were. i spent the beginning of the night chatting with some classmates, playing some drinking games, that sort of thing. i then went to the upstairs bathroom and hooked up with my boyfriend — well, he wasn’t my boyfriend at the time, but anyway — zar ros. balthazar. we came back downstairs separately, and a little while later i headed back upstairs with my best friend, kiki kibler. kiera. ” 

their gazes continue to bore into him, as if to say and what did you do up there ? 

“ i hooked up with her, too, alright ? jeez. can’t a guy get laid in peace ? ” honey rolled his eyes, leaning back in his chair once more. “ we came back down about an hour later, and i spent the rest of the night with kiki. i left at around 2:30. ”

did you notice anything strange about daisey’s behavior the night she went missing ? did you notice anything suspicious about anyone else you ran into that night ? 

he’s about to answer, say some bullshit about what am i, her keeper ? when he remembers the interaction they’d had that night. though it’s been a while since the party, he can recall the look on her face as clear as day. “ yeah, actually. she was being all... paranoid and weird, ” honey says, frowning. “ i don’t know why, i mean— like i told you, we sure as hell weren’t friends. but she seemed super freaked out about something. she even asked me to switch jackets with her, which was... so fucking weird. obviously her shit didn’t fit me, so i just tied it around my waist. i looked like a fucking dork, but whatever. i didn’t even think to say no, you know ? i was kind of caught off guard by the fact that she seemed so different than usual. even when i’d talk shit to her face, she was usually pretty composed. kind of a bitch. but that night she seemed... freaked out. like she was looking over her shoulder for something. so... that was definitely strange. ” he thinks for another moment, searching his brain. “ other than that, not really. daisey was the only one i saw acting odd. ”

where were you the night daisey’s body was recovered ?

“ at home, high as a fucking kite. my roommate was probably around somewhere. otto ballantyne ? ” he stares at them for a long moment, as if he’s playing some strange game of chicken. honey’s the one to break first, laughing loudly in the small room. it echoes off the walls. “ i’m joking. jesus, can you imagine ? i don’t do drugs, officers, ” he says sweetly, and it’s clear that he’s lying, but what does he care ? “ i was at home, though. i got pizza delivered. meat lovers. you can double check me on that. ” a jab at zar, for ignoring him the entire day after he’d left that voicemail. it feels stupid, now. 

how familiar are you with the ashmont woods ? have you been there often ? have you recently ventured out here ? if so, why ?

“ familiar enough. ” he shrugs, as if the answer is obvious. until nate’s body had been found there, it’d been as innocuous a place as any to him. “ i mean, they’re right there. there’s some nice paths to take a walk or run on, if you’re into that sort of thing. i go there sometimes to clear my head, but i haven’t been there recently — other than to participate in the search party. ”

part three ( the investigation )

do you have feelings towards the investigation ? any comments ?

he shrugs again, indifference clear in the lines of his expression. “ no offense, but i don’t really care, ” he answers, reaching out for his coffee. he takes a long, slow sip, pushing the limits of the officers’ annoyance just for the sake of annoying them. “ like, i’m glad you’ve got something exciting to do for once, but i just want to, like, live my fucking life. not being able to go out past 7 makes me feel like a goddamn mormon or something. and they’re extinct. ” he shakes his head, seemingly indifferent to the matching, confused looks on their faces. “ i hope you catch the dude or whatever, but do it quick. i’m tired of this already. ”

do you have any people you feel the police should look into ? please, let us know who and why.

his first thought is: the boyfriend usually did it, but his own fucking roommate is— was— daisey’s fiancé. he doesn’t think otto’s capable of this, not even for the drama of it all. “ i have no idea, ” he says, and it rings true. “ i’d say maybe an ex of some kind, but... beyond being antagonistic toward each other, i didn’t really know daisey. i don’t want to point fingers at people in her life without really knowing what was going on. ”

part four ( weekly events — search party )

were you part of the search party in the woods on october 15th to 17th ? if yes, what did you find ? 

“ i was. ” that answer is simple. the next, not so much. what did you find. honey loses focus for a moment, his mind blurring the lines between every time he’s found something like he did that day in the woods. he snatches at wisps of bodies, some more battered than others, some more... unrecognizable than others. finally, his mind catches on the feeling of his hand on alice’s shoulder, warm and solid, and he startles back to the present. “ nate ballantyne, ” he answers, clearing his throat. “ i found nate ballantyne’s dead fucking body. i already answered questions about that. look at your goddamn file if you want more details. ”

in the week that the four students were missing, did anyone’s behaviour strike you as odd or suspicious?

he settles them with a look, impatient now that his iced coffee is gone. “ i’ve been too busy being locked up in my apartment for half the day to really interact with my classmates all that much. i didn’t notice anything amiss, but i wasn’t really spending a lot of time out and about. i was mostly at home with my boyfriend. ”

what is your connection to the four missing students ?

their faces flash through his mind: libby’s, danny’s, nate’s... one of them dead. his thoughts only stop once they reach rosa, picturing the way she rolls her eyes at him, goodnatured and usually followed by an exasperated smile. he can’t help the selfish flash of gratitude that she came out of this ordeal alive. “ i’m good friends with rosa morais. rosalia. but the other three... ” he trails off, shaking his head. “ i didn’t know them well. acquaintances at best. ”

do you know of anyone ( or anything ) that could lend to the motive of the person who killed  nathaniel ballantyne?

“ no, ” he says, and it’s the truth. daisey had much more obvious answers — she had plenty of enemies, himself included. but nate ? sure, he’d been... kind of pretentious, but honey had never gotten the impression that anyone truly disliked or hated him for it. “ sorry, i didn’t know him too well. that’s probably a better question for oz lamar. they were close. ” 

his eyes dart back and forth between them, and he waits for another question that never comes. elaine is still writing on her damn notepad.

“ are we done here ? ” he says, breaking the silence. “ i think we’re done here. ” he pushes back his chair abruptly and turns to leave, abandoning his coffee cup. they can clean up after him, for all he cares. all he wants right now is to go the fuck home.

[qveenpoppy]

kingsman the golden circle: a review

so, i kinda just jotted stuff down as my reactions during the movie, so i’m just gonna copy that over here and have that be my review. figured that’d be more authentic and i also just kinda did it for fun. i mean, it made my viewing a lot longer than it should have been but hey, i had the time, so why not? enjoy, my friends. i’ll add some overall thoughts and a score at the tail end. (i’ll bold it, for anyone who wants to jump right to that.)

Gosh that opening action sequence was BONKERS, so high-energy and kinda unrealistic that Eggsy would survive that but incredible to watch nonetheless. And it's been so long since I watched the first film in full, I've forgotten about my love for the theme/score. It's so gorgeous and epic.

I made a mistake starting this before dinner, and that first scene at Poppy's dinner was one of the most disturbing things I ever saw. I find these characters so interesting but the violence in these films is a little too much for me. I tried closing my eyes during the scene but I did so too early and then opened them back up during That part. I gotta make sure to keep them closed if something like that happens again (which I'm guessing it might).

The transitions in this movie are phenomenal, I love continuity with shapes that tie each scene to the following ones.

Because I'm watching this two years late, I saw some spoilers for the movie online. Like,  a while ago. Like, back when it first came out. I was curious and only moderately liked the first movie (it was visually great but as I said, not one for R-rated violence). That being said, the scene in which Harry gets his memories back is WAY better viewed in context. Whether you think of Harry and Eggsy as an item or not, it's very good. Eggsy knew EXACTLY what would bring Harry's memories back, and I adored their hug after Harry calmed down. (The height difference!!! Eggsy went on his toes!!!) Also, I hope Harry got to keep the puppy after that and named him Mr. Pickles Jr.

Anyone else get super hyped when they hear Colin Firth say, "Manners maketh man"? It's like you just Know shit is about to go down when those words are said in these films. I hope the prequel next year gives us an origin of that line being a battle call. Also, I heard Pedro Pascal did some rope training for this film but holy wowness, it's so good! Yeah, it's enhanced with CG effects and probably some switch-ins with stunt doubles, but it still makes for an incredible action sequence! I hope Pedro gets to show off some of these skills somehow next year in Wonder Woman 1984 or Mandalorian s2. (Can't believe I slept on him for so long as an action star, what a talent!)

You know, I can kind of see where this president is coming from? I mean, as his female aid reminds him, it's a gray area, considering those who experiment with drugs or self-medicate or teens/kids, but I can also see how taking out those who use illegal drugs kinda ends the whole "war on drugs". There's logic to it but considering those mentioned parties, it's got a devious, ignorant edge to it. I can at least say I like this movie having a little bit more of a political edge to it than the first one. I wonder if anyone had a debate like this while/after watching the movie, whether they agree with this president's stance or not. I would guess the red tie he wears points to him being a Republican, so you know most Democrats would be quick to disagree, given the climate of the country following the 2016 election (aka, more divided than ever).

Also why is Charlie hotter in this movie than he was in the first one? Is it because he's evil? The shaved head? The robot arm? (I mean, being a legit villain isn't a good thing, but he's not as psychotic as Poppy and kinda has a foot in both sides, at least since he's English and now his girlfriend is infected with Poppy's disease. I wonder if he'll change sides at some point, or just die at the hands of the Kingsman, considering what he knows about them.)

(Oh wait, nevermind, he gave her the antidote. But maybe he went behind Poppy's back to do so? Or it's a placebo version and he'll wind up turning on Poppy??? Also does he know his girlfriend got fingered by Eggsy?)

(Yeah, think I can kiss that redemption arc goodbye. Eh, at least there will be fanfics for that. Or at least ones where he and Eggsy have hot hate sex.)

Oh shit, Whiskey made Eggsy drop the antidote. But at least Eggsy and Harry are okay. But how the fuck are they gonna save the day now?

Was Harry seeing butterflies as part of the delusion stage of Poppy's virus? Did the Statesmen unknowingly treat him with one of the drugs she infected? Is he gonna die AGAIN?! (Oh wait, I saw the spoilers, he'll be fine. But they might have to use the antidote on him.)

Okay I also knew from spoilers that Whiskey wasn't gonna survive the movie but delusional Harry took him out?! Why?! Will he be revived by the Statesmen like Harry was? (Whiskey's just too cool a character to lose in one movie.)

Nevermind about the agreement thing, this president is one sick motherfucker.

Sorry this commentary is becoming much briefer and summary-esque, but Whiskey (aka Jack; they did that on purpose, didn't they?) is back. But I still don't think he'll make it till the end of the film. Is he gonna try and take Harry out? Is he actually a double agent? 

You know, with them bringing Harry back, it kinda lowers the stakes of these movies. Like, is anyone ever fully dead? 'Cause this movie especially seems to keep bringing people back, at least with that Statesman tech. So it's hard to be all that sad about Merlin's death. I mean, obviously him fucking BLOWING UP seems like a pretty permanent way to die, but I thought I saw - again, around the time this came out - behind the scenes photos of Mark with some sort of green motion capture pants, as if they'd given him some metal robot legs like I guess Gazelle's in the first film. Like he just got knocked back by the blast and could no longer use his legs, if revived. But apparently it didn't make the final cut. Still, wouldn't be surprised if they used that footage for the third film as a way to bring him back. 'Cause clearly Merlin, Eggsy, and Harry are the main trio in this franchise. (Sorry, Roxy fans.)

Ohhh, look at Elton getting in on the action sequences. Yes, Sir!!!

I love when action sequences are set to more creative choices of music :)

Harry & Elton, huh? I ship it

Oh, Whiskey is actually a bad guy. Damn. Take back all the praise I had for him. Pedro, I love you, but fuck Whiskey.

Thank god I covered my eyes this time when That happened. Ugh, gross.

Ohhh, an impeachment and removal from office. If only life could imitate art... (But only in that way, nothing else from this movie should happen in real life.)

Tequila works for Kingsman now?!

overall thoughts: a suitable sequel for this franchise. obviously pretty similar tone-wise with the humor and language and violence. i always forget that these films aren’t exactly my taste. kinda triggered my anxiety with all that violence and the whole drug-triggered virus (not that i’ll be experimenting with any illegal drugs anytime soon, but my paranoid brain will definitely keep me even further away from them now.) like, they’re well-shot and i like the characters, and i mostly wanted to watch this for some explanation of how harry was brought back from the dead, but i’m at least glad i chose to watch this at home and on my laptop/tablet. it would not have been good for me to see this on the big screen. (and i managed to watch both movies for free, and completely legally. first on xfinity on demand, this on a free rental from fandago. go me!)

as i said, the political aspects did at least make for some cool thought-provoking moments and debate. i do love when movies make you think like that. mindless action movies are the absolute worst (i’m looking at you, marvel and transformers franchises). 

i’m at least curious about that third film, how they’ll handle the loss of so many significant characters, or if they’ll magically be brought back to life, again. yeah, as cool as it was, bringing harry back may have been a mistake for this franchise. but i understand that it’s the main relationship of the series, even if eggsy is now married to that swedish princess, tilda or whatever. (meh.)

rating: 7/10. it’s hard for me to give a film any lower than that, unless i turned it off or got particularly tired/bored while watching it, so. good action, good characters, fun humor, smidge too violent. 

till next time, my dudes!

[sneegsnitties]

Creatures of the Light, Run From the Night Ch 3. Finality

[AO3 LINK] @tazbang​

Rating: T

Characters/Ships: blupcretia, taagnus, davenchurch, the light, the voidfish

tags: The Adventure Bang 2019, blood, transformation, alternate universe - canon divergence, character death, canon compliant, canonical character death, temporary character death, body horror, stolen century era, established relationship, we know nothing abt the light yall, angst, the light fucks everyone up? kinda, touch starved, alternate universe - creatures and monsters, other additional tags to be added, crying, slight religious themes,

Summary:The Light Of Creation has always been one of a mystery. It has the power to create, that obvious. But what else does it do? No one knows. This is what the seven birds are trying to figure out, why it’s so important to the hunger? what is the extent of its abilities? What else can it do? These questions will be answered, but not in the way that either of them were expecting. The light of creation has its reasons for doing what it did. A reason that is not quite understood. But whatever it did? It was definitely not what they signed up for. Not even close.

Chapter summary: Lup and Magnus let off some steam, Barry and Lucretia watch over Taako, and as for Taako? well it looks like hes fully embraced his fate.

Lup is exhausted, stressed and fucking pissed. The past few days she’s been trying to dig deeper into the light, further than they’ve already dug in the past 49 years they’ve been doing this. In the cycles where they’ve found the light of course. But no luck so far, she’s unable to find anything new.

She can’t fucking find anything. Not even Barry can, well not what they’ve already found out.

No matter how hard they dig deep into the inner machinations of the light, it always seems like something is preventing them from doing so.

It’s frustrating, especially now, it’s like there’s somebody out there who doesn’t want them to know. Making this a pain in the ass to figure out.

That may be a possibility but whoever the fuck is doing it will get an ass-kicking from Lup as soon as she finds out how and who.

But that can wait, sort of. Not really. It can’t wait. Because Taako is running out of time. It won’t be long until he’s fully crystalized

That little escapade he took out onto the deck of the ship the other night? It only made it spread more. All that moving around he did only made it worse for himself. It has completely devastated Magnus because now he has less time to spend with his boyfriend before his time is up.

It goes for Lup, too. Even though they’re only halfway through the cycle now, it’ll still be too long for them to wait until he’s back.

Honestly, she can’t imagine how Magnus is feeling about all of this. But Lup? She hates it. A lot. The elf wanders the ships as she tries to cool down from the frustration she feels at the moment. She could just scream at the top of her lungs on the deck of the ship or beat up some of Mangus’s training dummies. Or set some random shit on fire.

Anything to get her mind off of this.

“Lup?” she hears Magnus say, pulling her out of her thoughts. Speak of the devil. “Want- want to go for a walk or something?” he asks sheepishly. Lup is quick to notice that he looks so, so tired.

“Yeah.” she smiles, “I think a walk would be good for both of us.”

Magnus returns that smile. But it doesn’t reach his eyes like his signature smiles usually do. But in this situation? It’s understandable.

“How… how are you doing with all of this?” she asks, though she can already guess the answer.

“I don’t- I don’t know. It’s just so fucking bad Lup.” the fighter says, focused on the ground in front of him. His fists clenched as he holds back tears that threatened to fall.

Gods. it’s just so easy to forget that Magnus was just a kid, barely even an adult, when the mission first started. So was Lucretia. This isn’t anything anyone should go through.

“He was in so much pain when he woke up again, I just couldn’t handle it.”

Lup winces, “where’s it spread to now?”

“Half of his face, most of his chest, left arm,” he pauses, “just basically his entire left side now.”

The elven woman nods with a frown on her face, “I’m not finding anything new with The Light either. No matter how hard I try? There’s always something preventing me, somehow, from going deeper.”

Magnus gives her a confused look, “what do you mean? This is like some magical bullshit right?”

“I mean probably?” she shrugs. “But fantasy Jesus Christ, it’s so fucking frustrating!”

“Everything about this is, in a way. I just want him to be fine and back to normal.” he sniffs, “did it feel this bad when he caught that plague back in 14?” a tear glistens in his eye when he turns to look at her.

“I-I don’t know, I’d say this feels worse, so much worse.” she rubbed his shoulder in an attempt of reassurance, but finds herself tearing up too. “Because that time? I didn’t have to see him suffer for very long?” Lup holds back a sob.

Magnus nods, now tears are streaming down his face. “We’ll- we’ll get through this,” he says with the most sincere voice he can muster.

“Don’t we always?” she says with a watery laugh.

“The best we can.”

Lup looks away and up towards the sky through her tears. The sun has begun to set, bathing the sky in a beautiful pinkish purple. It reminds her of home. The sunsets were amazingly beautiful back home, but these are enough to rival. “I guess… this walk wasn’t as relaxing as you would have hoped?”

“No, not exactly.” he chuckles slightly, “but it got us away from the ship.” he wipes his nose with his sleeve.

The duo walk more in silence, enjoying the silence and scenery. Soon, they reach a clearing with a lake. The sunset reflects off of the still waters and luckily, there isn’t anyone around. It’s a good distance from the ship. So she lets out a scream, accidentally startling Magnus next to her who grins and follows her example.

They take turns screaming a few more times before heading back to the ship, seeing as the sun has gotten lower in the sky and it will be night soon. She hopes that their screaming didn’t raise any alarms from any nearby villages from all of their yelling.

“I should take Lucretia and Barry to that lake,” she hums, “Luce would love it.”

“She would,” Magnus says with a small smile. ~ It hasn’t been long since Taako had woken back up again after he was put under another sleep spell, waking up from this one isn’t as painful as the last time. Lup and Magnus have returned from their walk to blow off steam in the training room. Leaving Lucretia and Barry to watch over Taako.

Not that he minds or anything, he gets to spend time with one of his girlfriends. One he hasn’t had the opportunity to have enough alone time with. If you could call this alone time.

But Lucretia has been writing furiously in her journal about all the events that have transpired the past few days, even with one hand.

Moving to another page, she begins to sketch the mostly crystallized form of Taako. He’s impressed. He wishes he could draw that good.

Taako lets out a pained noise, breaking the silence that was hanging in the room. Making Lucretia look up with a look of concern.

He’s getting closer and closer to being fully crystallized now. Even with the process slowed significantly with him being restricted to his bed. Not like he has a choice in the matter.

The human woman gives him a look of concern, “won’t be long now.” she whispers and chews on her bottom lip.

“Y-yeah,” he whispers back, wrapping an arm around her waist, “should- should we call the others?”

“I think we still have time, too early to tell how long it will take exactly.”

“Love that you two lovebirds are talking about me like I’m not even here.” the elf speaks up through a pained voice, “really, how insensitive can you be?” he jokes.

“Sorry Taako, would… would you like to see my drawing?” she asks, almost hesitantly

“Hell yeah, show me.” he says with a smile, or the best smile he can do, “oh wow, that’s me ain’t it?” Taako goes silent. Barry realizes that Taako hasn’t looked at himself in a mirror in a while and doesn’t know what he looks like.

“Yeah, I shouldn’t have shown it to you, I’m sorry.” she shrinks into herself slightly.

“No, Creesh it was super good, I liked it,” he reassures sincerely.

“Yeah, it’s good,” Barry confirms and kisses the side of her head.

Lucretia smiles sheepishly, then continues working on her sketch.

The room falls silent again before Taako speaks up again, “do- do you guys know what kind of gemstone slash crystal is covering me?”

“Nope, not a clue.” he shrugs, “that might be a question for Merle.”

“I mean, definitely amethyst, right? Not opaque enough.” the chronicler supplies, not looking up from her drawing, “there are also streaks of various shades of purple in it too.”

“Well, what other types of gems are purple?” the elf asks.

“I can’t think of many off the top of my head.”

Taako then makes a pained noise again as the crystal spreads further down his leg and completely covers it. Now only a portion of his torso is uncovered and the rest of his face.

“Might be spreading faster than we thought,” he whispers to Lucretia again but disguises it as another kiss to her head.

She nods, jots something down in her journal, faster than Barry can process, then turns the page to a clean one and writes something else. She shows him the page which says ‘could be moving faster because talking could equal movement. Should call in the others when its spread over his torso.’

“So soon?” he asks in the most hushed whisper he can manage. “How long do you think he has now?”

She nods and scribbles something else down before presenting it to him again, ‘I don’t know. I hope he lasts through the night.’

The blue-jean clad man exhales sharply. Taako is approaching his end of the cycle rather quickly. But hopefully? Hopefully, he lasts until tomorrow. He has a feeling that Lucretia feels the same way. ~ It did, it held off, allowing Taako to make it through the night.

Last night felt excruciatingly long for Magnus. He could not stay asleep because he was worried about his boyfriend. The thoughts kept on swimming in his brain, making him toss and turn. Needless to say, he had gotten little to no sleep that night. Thoughts on when Taako was going to die.

That time was now, the moment the whole crew was dreading.

Taako almost fully crystallizing.

His torso was covered entirely by the time Merle had come and checked on him that morning.

It was hard not to hear the panic written within the cleric’s voice as he announced over the intercom as the rest of the crew was eating breakfast.

The crystal had - albeit conveniently - only left a portion of Taako’s face uncovered by the time that everyone had filtered into the elf’s room

“I managed to calm him down with calm emotions, so that’s why he’s unnaturally calm,” Merle explains, giving the fighter a look of sympathy.

Magnus ignores the look the dwarf gave him and immediately moves to his boyfriend’s side, “Taako?” he whispers and feels a hand on his shoulder and immediately knows its Lup without even looking.

“Hey babe,” Taako says through a strained voice and a half-smile, “I guess it’s time, huh?”

The fighter nods, tears are already streaming down his face. He doesn’t want to lose his boyfriend this cycle. It isn’t fair.

“Hey, don’t cry over me.” he says reassuringly, “I won’t be gone long, just a couple months. That goes for you too, lulu, don’t cry over me, okay?”

Lup lets out a sob, but nods as the crystal spreads over his remaining eye.

“I- I love you Taako,” Magnus says through his tears

“Love you too, big guy,” the elf smiles, “how about one last kiss for me?” the crystal spreads over his remaining eye completely and he smiles.

The fighter leans down and kisses his boyfriend for the last time this cycle. It takes some effort considering the crystal covering a good majority of his mouth.

“Taako, I-I don’t know why we don’t say this more and only in situations like this but, I love you.” she lets out another sob, “promise me we will? I can’t- fuck!” she buries her face into Barry’s shoulder.

“I promise.” the crystal grows slightly.

Now everyone in the room is crying. Surely, this is one of the worst deaths that has happened on this ship and in this damned journey. With how slow, yet so fast it had taken.

“And Lup?” he barely hears his boyfriend over his tears.

She makes a noise of acknowledgment, looking up from her boyfriend’s shoulder.

“Love you too.” and with that, the crystal finally spreads over the rest of his mouth.

The room goes silent, just for a moment, then Lup breaks down into tears again. Barry acts quickly and ushers her out of the room, his glasses clutched in his hand, not to get the tear stains on them, Lucretia follows closely behind them.

Magnus doesn’t move from his spot, he… he can’t bring himself to.

“Kid?” Merle comes over to place a hand on the fighter’s leg, his worn copy of the bible of Pan is in the other. Right, they have to do that prayer thing. None of them are all that religious aside from Merle, but it’s become a sort of a tradition whenever someone dies. “Would you like to do the honors?”

Davenport appears on his other side and the gnome takes the much larger hand of Magnus into his own.

The cleric directs him to the right page, he’s heard this same prayer many times before. He takes a deep breath and begins to recite. “Dearly beloved, we are here in honor of pan, who we are praying to today.” he wipes a tear away from his face before he continues.

~

“I love you too.” Taako says as the crystal covers his mouth completely and the dark purple world goes black.

‘This will only take a moment’ The Light says somewhere deep within his mind. ‘I just need to connect your new body to your mind.’  

[espship18]

Kpop ship for quentin anon

Howdy doody everyone! hah, we’re getting creative with intros now lol. Today, I have a ship for an anon who goes by quentin. If you are reading this quentin, 1) hello! and 2) I hope you enjoy <3 PS, I missed y’all :( 

Based off of your request, I gathered these facts about you; 

You are 5′6 and have brown hair and hazel eyes

You’re kind of introverted

But you like to let loose and have fun 

You’re friendly 

You have a monotone/expressionless expression not a bad thing!

You take no bs and always stands up for what’s right 

You love to laugh and you can be loud sometimes

You also love making others laugh

Your interests/hobbies are: drawing, writing, and dancing 

In your request you have been asked to be shipped with Day6, Got7, NCT, and VIXX! Let’s go shippin(I’m so sorry lol) 

Day6: Jae

The first thought I had for you and Jae was the famous ‘American Gothic’ painting by Grant Wood. Visually, you’d both have that expressionless look on your faces but in reality, you’re actually a happy sunshine couple. As I was thinking about how you two met, I thought you starting out as roommates would be so cute and clever. You would be new in the city, and the only apartment you could afford was Jae’s and he needed a roommate. The pieces all fit together perfectly. Based on first impressions, seeing all his amps and guitars and other musical items would be a little over-whelming, but he would assure you that you would never need to mess with anything or help him- he’s a big boy. Band practice would be a little hit and miss, sometimes they would be there, sometimes they wouldn’t, then if they were, you would leave so you can get a piece of mind. The first six months of living together would be awkward and you wouldn’t talk much. However, one rainy day when both your and Jae’s plans got canceled, you would start to bond, and you two would develop a relationship. As you two would get to know each other, you two would see each others humors, and you’d see the best and worst in each other. You both would be so blunt with each other in the funniest ways, you would never take comments seriously. Slowly, as time would go on, your friendship would slowly transform into romantic feelings. Jae would be very soft for you, and you admired Jae in a way you could never fully explain, so eventually you two said you were together. You fit together like two peas in a pod and when you became official, it was very liberating. Your friends and Jae’s friends weren’t surprised, since you two fit together so well, it was a matter of time before they called it- they were all happy for you regardless. You two would also be a very domestic couple btw. Hear me out, cause this’ll sound crazy but, Jae is the best worst housewife ever. When Jae would try to do household stuff he would fail but if he wouldn’t try he would succeed. He wouldn’t be the best at cooking, but would be a really good baker. That means a lot of sugar which means a lot of random decisions, like teaching you how to play guitar. There would be a lot of screaming singing followed by that by the way. Pillow talk would be huge for your two as well! Lastly, I would like to talk PDA/affection. A LOT of hand holding. He would love the softness of your hands. He also would love to droop his arm over your shoulder, then you would hold it, you would look so comfortable, and adorable, like the king and queen you are.

Got7: Jinyoung

Much like my last ship went, there will be a lowkey theme to this ship: domestication. I don't know why I’ve been into themes recently, but it’s here. You two would be a soft couple that would love to admire one another. You two would also be an artsy couple. Rooting from a college type of au, Jinyoung’s art would be photography while your art would be writing, writing to your hearts content. Being the artsy couple you are, you two would spend so much quality time together! You two would also have your fair share of going out and being active and staying at the apartment together. Staying home isn’t always a bad thing either. You two are still equally as giggly and peppy with each other, so you two never have a dull moment and there are smiles and sunshine all around. I want to touch on quiet time real quick because I love the thought of it. Quiet time would include a lot of snuggles. Any kind of snuggles you can think of where you’re either laying on top of each other, or he’s snuggled to you, or you’re snuggled to him, SNUGGLES. Quiet time also includes you two working on your interests. While Jinyoung is on his laptop editing some pictures for his portfolio, you are right by him, jotting down the thoughts in your head, coming up with new ideas, or continuing another idea- the world is your oyster. Moving right along is date night. Park Jinyoung on date night is the best boyfriend material ever. If you’re at home, he sets up fairy lights all over the apartment, he cooks, and he gets a little dressed up. He wants to look clean for you, and just imagine forehead Jinyoung in this scenario #yesmama. Also, a little thing Jinyoung would love to do is slow dance with you. Then when you two go out, you got to so many different places- basically til you get tired and want to take a nap lol. Personally, Jinyoung would like to take you to your favorite places such as to eat or do an activity with. He would LOVE going out for karaoke, so of course you two would go out and do the stuff he enjoys too. You also have an amazing food taste, so who could argue with that, right? A lot of dinner topics include deep talks about what you want to accomplish separately and together, and you also love to talk about your futures together, a fan favorite. Then when you would get home, some major pillow talk sessions. These sessions would be more playful like small debates over how to toilet paper roll should go, a lot of giggles and smiles. Lastly more PDA. Gentle hands holding yours, he would handle you like you were made of glass. So many forehead kisses, and the sweetest eye smiles you’ll ever see.

NCT: Jaehyun

You and Jaehyun yet again scream such a soft puppy like love aesthetic and it’s hard not to uwu over it. Jaehyun is your sunshine while you are his flower, like, you to need each other. Jaehyun would be absolutely head over heels in love with you tbh, like this bub is going to FALL. You two are that type of couple that is a get and go type of couple, and the world is your oyster. Traveling would be your thing, Jaehyun would want to take you everywhere he possibly could. With his occupation being a huge help in your wishes to travel, you would get to tag along on trips and such, and you and Jaehyun would travel anytime he got free time tbh. And this is super cute, listen up. So, you two would keep EVERYTHING you would get from traveling. Whether it’s plane/bus tickets, post cards, souvenirs, and of course your pictures, everything gets saved. Everything that can be put in a scrap book goes in a scrap book. It would be super cute if you two would have little books dedicated to every trip, and you’d keep them nicely organized on a ship by date or by location. Keeping those scrap books are great for always reliving the memories you two shared. Then, if you two aren’t out and about traveling or on a date, Sunday’s are your golden days- specifically if they’re rainy or it’s winter. Those Sunday’s are your time to relax and cuddle, and you also take those Sunday’s to work on your scrap books! Jae is also the type of boyfriend that loves to take great interest in your interests. Another one of those Sunday’s include making cute little stories together. Jae would love to collab on little stories with you! Again, those rainy days are full of endless possibilities, so, if you or Jae have an idea, you best believe that you two are coming up with a full out plot and characters, and even getting as far as getting a chapter or two written down. And a lot of the time, those little stories get tossed into a notebook, and it’s always fun to forget about it then come back at a later time and find it again. Moving on, you and Jae wouldn’t necessarily have date nights. You two spend so much time together, that every time you’re together is like date night. Of course Jae will take you out on special occasions like anniversaries or birthdays, but making homemade pizza or take out it the best way for you two to go. And omg so many game nights! Card games are your shit, and tbh, UNO would get crazy. Lastly PDA wise, Jae is all about that hand holding and cheek and lip kisses. He also loves to hug you, all the time, so prepared to have a koala bear attached to you.  

VIXX: Hakyeon 

When I think of you and Hakyeon, you two would be the perfect wild and mild couple. Joking and cracking jokes is always a must by the way. You two have interesting senses of humor so, you two always are playfully picking on each other and being playfully sarcastic to each other. Part of that playful sarcastic antics you two would do is being overly-sensitive with each other. I know that sounds weird but hear me out. It’s super cute when you two pick at each other. Hakyeon would like to pick at your quirks- mostly because your quirks is what makes you unique and your quirks is also one of the many reasons why he loves you. When you playfully roll your eyes as he picks, Hakyeon would just smile at you and he would say “I love you”. It’s actually super soft at the end of the day tbh. And overall, Hakyeon is very considerate of you. Hakyeon is also a very protective boyfriend, and he will always make sure you know that as well. And he isn’t sorry about it either and you don’t mind it either, it helps you feel safe and wanted. Dancing together is your everything by the way. From Hakyeon teaching you a new dance to even learning new dance styles together, you two dance so much. Filming your dances together is also always a thing, you have a camera that is specifically for dancing. And it’s always fun to go back and watch those videos and seeing how much progress you’ve made since you started learning a specific dance. Also, you two are the king and queen of practice room antics. Teasing each other, pinching each others tushies(to be specific) is only the beginning. And of course, anytime you get to dance with Hakyeon’s fellow group members, you all stay in the practice for literally hours just dancing and goofing off. Learning the choreo and the boys love to pick at you, and then if you’re doing the choreo better than one of the members, you can see a roast fest in your future. Moving onto date night, date night is always a surprise with Hakyeon. Double or triple dates with your friends, or cute little pop-up dates like carnivals or little shopping trips- curtesy by your lovely boyfriend. Spoiling you is one of his specialties, he loves it so much. You’re his number one, so of course he would want to treat you like a number one. And, you are also as protective of him like he is to you. And tbh, Hakyeon would love that you are protective over him, you’re his little fire cracker. Lastly, PDA. He’s very hands on, he loves to have a hand holding something, he loves to know that you are around him. Back hugs, and forehead kisses, especially quick pecks, it’s a cute little detail enough to make an impact, because it would leave you in a flush. 

~STA

[socksparrow]

Late Night Story Train

Author’s Note: So here’s a quick explanation for what I’m doing. Besides doing #latelatewritingsprint, I am also doing something I like to call a “Story Train.” Basically, I choose a bunch of different prompts, and I write a story using the prompts. But after I’m finished with one, I select have to use a randomly generated prompt, and I have to try and connect the new prompt with the previous passage I just wrote. I’m not sure if this really makes sense but it’s late, and it seems like a kind of fun idea. So here we go.

Okay so I just finished and that was super fun?? Like for once I had a genius idea because Story Trains are now my favorite. Like if you’re a writer I suggest it. And I actually really want to write more on these characters. Also lowkey Liam and Steve are a ship. I’ll probably continue writing about them because it seems like I could have lots of fun with them.

Warnings: Some language, maybe a bit of gore but not really??

Word Count: 1365 (Holy shirt what?? I can write more than 500 words)

Prompt One: You’re trapped in your house with a serial killer but all your lights are clappers.

   “How the hell did I even get into this situation again?” I question myself. I mean seriously, who gets stuck in their own house with a serial killer? Me, apparently.

   “What’s even worse is I got stuck in here with you,” My closest friend, Ryan said, “You absolute dumbass.”

   “Look, Ryan,” I say, turning towards them, “ Now’s not really the time to be mocking me, especially when we’re about to be murdered.”

   “Maybe we’d have a better time surviving if you shut the-”

   Clap, clap.

   Ryan and I go silent as the lights turn on in the hallway. We turn our heads to the entryway, and there he is. The serial killer. He suddenly starts stalking forward, making his way over to the end of the hall, knife in hand, in the normal ‘you-about-to-get-stabbed’ position. Ryan and I huddle closer together, and we know this is it. We’re about to be stabbed. The man lunges forward-

   -he fails wildly, socks sliding across the hardwood floor, trying to keep balance. And he falls. I stare at him, wide-eyes pried open in shock. Apparently, we’re all dumbasses. Who takes their shoes off at the front door when completing a murder?

Ryan yanks me from my thoughts by grabbing my hand, and we both leap over the fallen man, as he struggles to get back up.

   Suddenly it becomes a game of cat and mouse with him chasing us all around my house, clapping on and off the lights as we enter and exit a room. Huh, eco-friendly, too. He’d almost be a nice guy if he weren’t trying to murder us.

   We go from room to room until Ryan and I get cornered in my bathroom. There’s no way that this guy would fall twice, especially in this confined of a space. Glancing at Ryan, I can see they’ve made the same realization. Tears well in my eyes, as the situation finally sinks in.

   I’m going to die.

   I grasp Ryan’s and I feel it shaking with fear. The man rounds the corner, and he stands in the entryway, just staring at us. Then he finally claps and says, “Lights out.”

   And the world goes dark.

Prompt Two: " I didn't mean to answer the call."

   I didn’t mean for this to happen. I didn’t even mean to answer the call in the first place.

   It was the middle of the night, and normally I wouldn’t even be awake at this time, but I was finishing up some paperwork for my company since we were going to be transferring buildings soon. As the light from my desk lamp burned my retinas, I squeezed my eyes close, trying to shake off the fatigue and soreness that was covering my body.

   That’s when I took a moment to stretch out a bit and look at something other than paper when I noticed my phone was getting a call from an unknown number. I debated if I should even answer it or not, and I was about to ignore it when the idea occurred to me that it could have been a call from the new building.

   So, I picked up my phone, gave out a tired ‘hi’ when suddenly a man said, “This isn’t the number of my usual hitman.”

   And I knew I should have hung up especially when he said the word ‘hitman,’ but shock overtook me. I gave out a confused, “What?”

   Then this man was threatening me. Saying if I knew what was good for me I’d do as he said, or something really bad would happen to me. And while I certainly don’t have the best life, I’m rather fond of it.

   So I listened to the man ramble on about what I was supposed to do, and there I was in the apartment of some strangers house, about to kill these two college kids. Who, by the way, was clearly doing pretty well for themselves, considering they had clap on lights. I mean, I’m not sure how much they cost, but they gotta cost more than a normal switch, right?

   The situation itself was ridiculous, each time entering and exiting a room, clapping the lights on and off. And I tripped. Who trips when they’re about to murder someone?

   But as soon as it started, it was done just as fast. I had murdered two people. And it was all because of a call I never meant to answer.

Prompt Three: Someone must have seen him because the police were at his door

   Liam figured someone must have seen him leave the kids’ apartment because suddenly the police were at his door, and he could give them no explanation.

   “Hello sir,” The police looked at him, and then scanned their eyes across his living room, “We have some questions for you.”

   Liam could feel sweat dripping down the back of his neck, but he knew he needed to keep cool if he wanted to make it out of this situation a free man.

   “Come on in then, gentlemen,” Liam said, guiding them to his kitchen table. Both the police officers pulled out the wooden chairs, and they took a seat.

   “Where were you this past June 17th, around approximately three in the morning?” One of the police officers, Liam believed his name tag read ‘Dave,’ asked him.

   “I was just doing some paperwork for my company, that’s about it,” Liam said. Richard, as Liam had learned with a quick glance at the other man’s badge, started jotting down some notes.

   “Around what time did you finish this action, and what did you do after it?” Dave was staring straight into his eyes as if searching into Liam’s soul, but Liam tried to act unbothered by that.

   “I can't quite recall what time I finished but after that I-”

   -a crash sounded from his living room, and the police officers jumped up, with their guns out. Liam stood up and peered around them, seeing a strange man holding what was looked like some sort of sword, but what kind, Liam couldn’t figure out.

   Before the policemen could even dream of calling for backup, the man rushed forward and skewered the two with his sword.

   “When I called you the other night asking for you to murder those two for me, I didn’t expect for you to be such an incompetent murder,” The man said while wiping the blood off of his weapon, “I mean, your DNA was literally everywhere.”

   “I-I,” Liam stuttered over his words for a few reasons. Firstly, what would you say in a moment like this? ‘Hey, thanks for ruining my life, asshole!’ didn’t seem that appropriate for someone who just saved his life.

   Secondly, it took Liam a good second to realize it, but after the shock had worn off, he found himself thinking, Woah, he’s unfairly cute for a psychopath.

   “Look, since I didn’t pay you for the job,” The man paused, turning back towards Liam, “which you did terrible at by the way,”

   “I-”

   “-yes I know you had no experience. Anyways, I figured since I didn’t pay you, I could at least help you not get into jail. So, you’re coming with me.”

   “Wait a minute!” Liam exclaimed, furiously, “I didn’t want any of this. You’re the one who ruined my life!”

   “And now I’m saving it,” The man took his hand, “Come on let’s go.”

   Liam stood his ground.

   The man rolled his eyes exasperatedly, and gazed into Liam’s eyes, “Look, man, you can’t possibly expect your life to just go completely back to normal after you murdered two people. That’s just not how it works.”

   Liam sighed because he knew he was right, “Fine, let’s go.”

   The man muttered a quick ‘thank god’ and led him over to the broken window, “By the way, since we’ll be working and living together now, I figure you ought to know my name. I’m Steve.”

   “Liam.”

   Together they climbed out the window, and Liam was surprisingly excited of what was to come. After all, this all happened because of a random call.

[azlyrics85]

Dylan, Springsteen, Joni, Petty, More And Their Best Song Lyrics And The Greatest Rock Song Lyrics Of All Time

How do you pay attention song? Do you hear tune or lyrics first? both are vital glaringly for a amazing track. but for plenty humans, there is some thing about a notable line, approximately that lyric that speaks to them. AZlyrics

For me, who studied literature and writing in school, it is always been lyrics first. And others absolutely sense the same as the sector is filled with fanatics who tattoo their favourite song lyrics. Hell, I posted the question of preferred tune lyric on social media and got 60 something responses at last remember. but what is the best music lyric ever? That perfect line that dazzles, makes you cry or swoon or shake your head in disbelief? all the proper giants of songwriting have at least one signature line and in the case of the top of songwriters selecting best one line is an not possible project. As a person who studied phrases and who has interviewed tremendous songwriters from Paul Simon, Pete Townshend and Jackson Browne to Patti Smith and Dolly Parton, I decided to address the Herculean challenge of selecting the best strains from the best songwriters as well as the best lyric and best lyricsal tune of all time. For this listing I caught solely to the rock genre and sure, there are a number of notable songwriters omitted. I recognise, but I stand via this list of songs from 21 brilliant songwriters. And for a laugh I threw in some of the solutions from different people. study on for the excellent strains and the fine lyric and the greatest lyrical tune of all time. Joseph Arthur, "within the sun"(best line) Sunday verbal exchange: Alice Cooper is going back To His Detroit Roots On New Album Sunday verbal exchange: Stevie Nicks On Why Her New single turned into A Premonition, John Lennon And extra Neil Patrick Harris On His Partnership With Baileys Deliciously mild, ‘It’s A Sin’ And incredible Powers "I realize i would make an apology if I ought to see your eyes/purpose, you understand, whilst you showed me myself, I have become someone else" The exceptional relationships — whether friends, romantic, running or even that fleeting one night hold — trade us, make us better, make us develop. And in two lines Arthur summed up that as profoundly as Shakespeare himself may want to have. "while you confirmed me myself, I have become a person else." in case you were studying that line in a book or a poem you'll forestall lifeless to your tracks in awe. right here it is part of a perfect tune, a tune so properly, Michael Stipe, on my own, and with Chris Martin, and Peter Gabriel have blanketed it. "within the solar," which i'd also argue no longer simplest has the first-rate lyric, but is arguably the best rock music of the twenty-first century, rings a bell in my memory a notable deal of Lou Reed's "best Day" and Reed and the Velvet Underground's "faded Blue Eyes." similar to the ones  masterpieces do, "within the solar" tells a vivid tale that feels as just like a short film as it does a song. in the course of the track they delivery you into any other global.  If you could sum up the whole of human life in a couplet it makes for the finest tune lyric of all time. Tom Waits, "Take It With Me" "it is were given to be greater than flesh and bone/All that you've loved is all that you own" My preference for the best music from the finest songwriter, "Take It With Me" is, like Arthur's "within the solar," a tune so effective it basically sums up all of human life in 5 mins. This meditation on existence is so entire it could be played at both weddings or funerals and be equally applicable and transferring. And this line, which Waits credit in an interview to his spouse and co-author Kathleen Brennan, is the heart and soul of this best song. Paul Westerberg, "matters" "things i might by no means inform you, down the line someday/you may be a tune I sing, a element I supply away" The Replacements, "unfortunately lovely" "infant needs a today's set of eyes/cause the ones you purchased now see most effective goodbye" To me, Westerberg delivers that wow issue as lots as any songwriter. the line from "matters" is a notable summation on the complete artistic method, that every courting and interplay is in the long run fodder for the artist. And within the context of the complete track, a laundry list of things in the relationship, like, "things i am certain to tell you/Like that dress appears super on you/I could use some breathing room/however i'm still in love with you," the line approximately being a thing I provide away is even more magnificent. And the Replacements line simply speaks for itself. AZlyrics Maria McKee, "My Girlhood the various Outlaws" "So right here we are, and i do not know what we call it/cause love is any such funny promise/dedication is impossible, all the time is a lie/that still leaves you and i" the former vocalist for Lone Justice became solo artist, Mckee is, to me, as underrated as any artist we have visible in the ultimate 30 years. And that is a reminder why. now not best is she one of the high-quality voices in rock, an artist so proficient a singer she worked and toured with the likes of Bob Dylan, U2, Robbie Robertson and Tom Petty, she is a notable songwriter. this is my favored McKee line, however check out "Panic seaside, "nobody's infant," "to miss someone" and Lone Justice's "Wheels" for more of her tremendous songwriting. John Lennon, "lovely Boy (Darling Boy)" "existence is what happens to you even as you are busy making other plans" From "In My lifestyles" to "Love" and "God," no songwriter ever captured the profound simplicity of life more eloquently and without a doubt than John Lennon. he is the master at taking the word all people thinks, "Why didn't I write that?" and actually bringing it to life. All of "believe" appears like a children's story almost, but simplest Lennon concept to jot down "imagine all the people residing existence in peace." but that is the brilliance of Lennon, he makes the genius look so smooth you sense like you could do it too. but there has been most effective one John Lennon ever. And this "looking The Wheels" line is profound, smart, philosophical, approachable, available, clever and shifting. In quick it's miles the whole lot that makes Lennon in the pinnacle 5 songwriters of all time.   hole, "Gutless" "I don't definitely miss god/however I certain omit Santa Claus" Come on, is there a better line to encapsulate misplaced innocence and the yearning for the sensation of childhood? Nope, now not that i'm able to think of. Tom Petty, "Crawling back To You" "i am so uninterested in being tired/sure as night will comply with day/most matters I fear about/in no way appear besides" Tom Petty elderly as gracefully in his songwriting as any artist. simply have a look at the beauty and beauty of songs like "The excellent Of the whole lot" and the name tune to "Wildflowers." but this specific line, from my favorite Petty music of all time, shows the information he gained with age. this is a philosophy and mantra for life. Joni Mitchell, "A Case Of You" "Oh, i am a lonely painter/I stay in a field of paints/i am fearful through the satan/And i am drawn to the ones ones that aren't afraid" Like fellow Canadian Leonard Cohen, Mitchell is a real poet, one whose words can stand on their own apart from the song. The entire Blue album stands as one of the two best singer/songwriter albums of all time, subsequent to Bob Dylan's Blood on the Tracks. And any tune from Blue must be required in any grasp class on songwriting. not to mention though it is clean now to take without any consideration the brilliance of "both sides Now" due to the fact we have lived with it for greater than 50 years, that is one of those songs, like "Blowing in the Wind" and "imagine" that we ought to don't forget a person nevertheless needed to write it. even though it appears like it is now part of the universe, Mitchell nevertheless needed to sit down and write it. So choosing one Mitchell line or tune might seem an impossible project, however if you take a look at all of the artists which have protected "A Case Of You" it just shows what a great track that is and why i'd argue it's far the second one great written song of all time. Bob Dylan, "if you See Her Say howdy" "And although our separation/It pierced me to the heart/She still lives interior of me/we've in no way been apart" "not darkish but" "I ain't search for not anything in every person's eyes/every so often my burden is extra than i'm able to bear" Of path volumes may be written at the lyrics of Dylan, the most effective songwriter to ever win the Nobel Prize for Literature. Even paring the alternatives down to lyrics is like pulling a sword from a stone. but these , written more than two decades apart, show Dylan at his first-class. the first, from 1975's masterful Blood at the Tracks series, is excellent for the vulnerability and openness it conveys. though the complete record is characterized by that honesty, however in no way extra so than on the achingly lovely love letter, "if you See Her, Say whats up." And the second one, from 1997's Grammy-triumphing time out Of mind, is feature of the magnificence of day trip Of thoughts, one of the greatest albums ever about growing old and mortality. Fleetwood Mac, "Landslide" "however time makes you bolder/kids become old/And i'm getting old too" occasionally a cliche is a cliche for a reason. If a tune is ideal sufficient for both the Chicks and the Smashing Pumpkins to cowl, there is probably a motive why. "Landslide" is on that brief listing of ideal songs. And this iconic chorus from one of the most beautiful rock songs ever written is beautiful, timeless and immediately identifiable.   Jackson Browne, "That lady ought to Sing" "She coulda became out to be nearly all and sundry, almost anybody/With the feasible exception of who I wanted her to be" there are so many selections from Browne, who many considered, with James Taylor, the dean of the '70s singer/songwriter movement. And there are actually a dozen alternatives simply from the seminal late For The Sky album. however something approximately this tune, and this line, specifically have usually resonated so deeply with me. The pleasant songwriting is popular and in writing a private tale, Browne stocks a feeling of longing and emptiness that everyone of their life has felt at some point. Afghan Whigs, "What jail Is Like" "Infatuated with a lunatic and cornered through the muse" although maximum of the Afghan Whigs exceptional gentlemen album is characterised by way of the brutal candor of frontman Greg Dulli's lyrics, maximum of which have been improvised in the studio he as soon as advised me, the genius wordplay of this phrase just stands out. Billy Joel, "Honesty" "when i'm deep inside of me/don't be too involved/I might not ask for nothin' at the same time as i'm gone" Billy Joel is in both the Rock And Roll and Songwriter's hall Of fame and he's still underrated as a songwriter. As i have written approximately earlier than with Joel because of his pop achievement he isn't idea of within the same pantheon as the fantastic American songwriters. however quick of maybe Dylan, Paul Simon and some others, Joel's catalogue ranks proper alongside any American tunesmith. And this line, from one among his greatest songs, has usually stuck with me for its rawness. The national, "gradual show" "I leaned on the wall and the wall leaned away" countrywide frontman Matt Berninger has taken the mantle as the most literate lyricist in tune the previous few years. creative and smart wordplay like this suggests why. Neil younger, "Powderfinger" "consider me as one you'd in no way figured" certain, young has extra famous lyrics, none extra so than "it is higher to burn out than fade away" from "good day howdy, My My." but has any creator ever crafted a greater perfectly autobiographical line than considered one of rock's best rebels? younger has observed his personal policies his entire career and he tells us on this best line, intentionally or no longer, this is who he's.   Paul Simon, "An American song" "I do not know a soul who's now not been battered/don't have a pal who feels comfy/don't know a dream it really is not been shattered/Or driven to its knees" If Dylan is the consensus greatest American songwriter, Paul Simon is a totally near second. The body of work and the flexibility is outstanding. There were some of songs I should have selected, as Don Henley, himself one of the first rate American songwriters, as soon as informed me "The Boxer" changed into the tune he needed he ought to have written. however the easy beauty of this music and the profound message that is as relevant almost 50 years later make it so unique. Bruce Springsteen, "Downbound educate" "Now I paintings down at the carwash wherein all it ever does is rain" "Johnny ninety nine" "And if you can take a man's lifestyles for the mind it really is in his head/Then may not you take a seat returned in that chair and suppose it over choose one more time?/And permit 'em shave off my hair and positioned me on that execution line" firstly I desired to go along with "Is a dream a lie if it do not come actual/Or is it something worse" from "The River." however, as a author all you could do is observe that "Downbound educate" line and shake your head in admiration and jealousy. that is extraordinary literature. As a writer you study that and pass, "rattling, how did he provide you with that?" And the hole line of that "Johnny ninety nine" passage is equally brilliant in its personal way.   Carole King, "it is Too overdue" AZlyrics "It was once so clean dwelling here with you/You have been light and breezy and i knew simply what to do/Now you look so sad and that i sense like a fool" it's humorous due to the fact on King's seminal Tapestry album, on "to this point Away," she wrote, "One extra tune approximately movin' along the highway/cannot say much of something that's new." but "it is Too overdue" is a breakup music, perhaps even more cliche than the lifestyles at the motorway track. however King does it perfectly. From pinnacle to bottom this song does an top notch job of detailing the stop of a courting. it's painful and beautiful and as properly a breakup tune as any there has ever been. Warren Zevon, "accidentally Like A Martyr" "by no means thought i would ever be so lonely/After this type of lengthy, long time/day trip of mind" any other of the most underrated songwriters of all time, Zevon was loved and revered by means of a few of the better-acknowledged names in this list, together with his buddies Browne, Springsteen and Dylan. From the humor of "Werewolves Of London" and "Excitable Boy" to the aching beauty of this music, Zevon may want to do all of it. And this line receives the nod for inspiring the Dylan album name, day trip Of thoughts. whilst you inspire Dylan this is special. Smashing Pumpkins, "Muzzle" "My existence has been terrific/Blessed and cursed and gained" Of the opportunity-generation songwriters, Billy Corgan is in a position to talk the ones commonplace truths better than all and sundry to me. And this couplet, one of many that could have been selected from the incredible lyrics of the Pumpkins' Melon Collie And The countless disappointment, has a unique resonance and splendor for me. Leonard Cohen, "Hallelujah" (exceptional written tune ever) "properly, perhaps there is a God above/As for me all i have ever learned from love/Is a way to shoot anyone who outdrew you/but it is no longer a cry that you hear at night time/it is now not some pilgrim who claims to have visible the light/No, it's a cold and it's a very damaged Hallelujah" You actually should choose any line from this music and there would be no argument. And this is why, to me, this is the greatest written tune inside the rock generation. Is it the greatest music of all time? maybe, perhaps now not. however strictly from a writing standpoint there's no greater literate, poetic, beautiful or haunting track from begin to complete than Cohen's "Hallelujah." this is pure poetry or even if Cohen isn't the finest songwriter of all time or the most effective musician to win the Nobel Prize for Literature he is taking the prize for the best lyrical music of all time. From others: Foo warring parties, "My Hero" "he's my hero, he is ordinary" hollow, "movie star skin" "it's too early for that dress" Lumineers, "Angela" "whilst you left this town with the home windows down and the desert inside." Fall Out Boy, "Disloyal Order Of Water Buffaloes," "Pitching myself for leads in different humans’s goals” Warren Zevon, "Desperadoes beneath The Eaves" "i was sitting inside the Hollywood Hawaiian inn/i used to be being attentive to the air conditioner hum/It went mm, mm, mm, mm" Leonard Cohen, "Anthem" "forget about your perfect offering. there may be a crack in everything .it's how the light gets in." Simon & Garfunkel, "the us" "i'm empty and aching and that i don't know whyy" Ani DiFranco, "Dilate" “So i will stroll the plank/And i will bounce with a grin/If i am gonna cross down i'm gonna do it with fashion/and also you may not see me give up, you won't pay attention me confess 'cuz you've left me with not anything/however i've labored with much less” seaside Boys, "desirable Vibrations" "I do not know where, but she sends me there" Bob Dylan, "tangled up In Blue" "all of the human beings we used to realize, they are an phantasm to me now/a few are mathematicians, a few are carpenters wives, don’t recognize the way it all got started out/I don’t know what they do with their lives/but me, I’m still on the street heading for every other joint/We continually did experience the identical we just saw it from a one-of-a-kind factor of view.” Rolling Stones, "Wild Horses," "religion has been broken/Tears ought to be cried/allow's do some living/after we die” Leonard Cohen, "Suzanne" "And you already know that you can believe her / For she's touched your best frame with her thoughts" R.E.M. "do not move returned To Rockville" “Going where nobody says hiya, they do not talk to every body they don't know…” Glen Campbell, "Wichita Lineman" “and i want you greater than want you, and i want you all the time.” The Who, "cut My Hair" "Why do I have to pass with a crowd/of youngsters that hardly ever word i'm around/I work myself to loss of life just to healthy in" Beatles, "Golden Slumbers" "And in the long run, the love you take is same to the affection you're making" The Hollies, "He Ain't Heavy, he's My Brother" "however i'm sturdy/robust enough to hold him/He ain't heavy, he's my brother" Bob Dylan, "Like A Rolling Stone" "you are invisible now, you got no secrets and techniques to hide" David Bowie, "existence In Mars" "Sailors fighting in the dance hall/Oh guy, observe those cavemen cross/it's the freakiest show/test the lawman/Beating up the wrong man/Oh man, marvel if he will ever know/he is inside the nice promoting show/Is there life on Mars?" The Who, "in the back of Blue Eyes" "but my goals they are not as empty/As my conscience seems to be/i've hours, only lonely/My love is vengeance/that's never free" AZlyrics

[theartofbeinganerd]

I am so pumped that you said you're writing a bunch this summer!! could you write fs slowly falling for each other, in whatever universe you like? thanks so much!!

Awww yay! I’m really excited about it too!! Thanks for the prompt! :D

Okay, I’m super late posting tonight because apparently, the words ‘slowly falling in love’ were a signal to my brain to write 5k words of Academy AU so um...oops??

(Ao3)

-

“Was there a particular station you wanted, or…?” Fitztrailed off, rubbing the back of his neck uncomfortably as he gestured towardthe pair of desks in the lab Agent Weaver had given them permission to use.

“Oh, um…” Jemma glanced at the two desks, but found nothingparticularly special about either of them. “No, you choose first.”

Fitz hesitated, then asked once more, “Are you sure? Becauseif you wanted a certain one –”

“It’s a desk,Fitz,” Jemma reminded him, a touch of fond exasperation in her tone, but shetried to tone down on the frustration she’d normally be feeling in thissituation – after all, it was only a week ago that Fitz had decided to stopcompeting with her and instead work withher. She still worried sometimes that if she said the wrong thing, it wouldcause his dislike of her to return with a vengeance, and Jemma wasn’t sure shecould handle that; Fitz was the only other student at SHIELD Academy that washer age, not to mention on her intellectual level, and none of the otherstudents had seemed too keen on befriending the seventeen-year-old prodigies.“Just go ahead and sit down at one, and I promise you that I won’t care whichit is.”

He studied her a moment longer, clearly gauging the honestyof her statement, then he nodded and plopped his backpack and stack of booksdown at the nearest desk, allowing Jemma to set her things down on the one oppositehis. They spent a few minutes getting things settled, but then as she wasshrugging into her lab coat, she turned to face Fitz.

“What do you want to do first?” she asked curiously,absently tying her hair up in a ponytail and tugging her safety goggles down ontoher face.

Fitz paused in the process of pulling on his own lab coat,then smiled a bit shyly and admitted, “Well, I’ve actually jotted down a coupleof ideas for projects.”

Jemma’s eyebrows rose in interest, and she walked around theside of their desks to stand beside Fitz at his. As he slowly pushed an opennotebook toward her, she noticed his cheeks turning a bit pink, and it had herlips quirking up at the corners. When he began to turn to her, however, shehastily dropped her eyes, scanning the list in his cramped, messy handwriting.

“Fitz,” shegasped, glancing up at him with wide eyes that were surely shining withdelight. “These are brilliant!”

“They are?” Fitz asked in pleasant surprise.

Jemma nodded, tapping the first item on the list. “Especiallythese drones – calibrated specially for forensics; it’s genius, really! I can’twait to get started.”

A grin spread across Fitz’s face, making his eyes light upin a way that Jemma hadn’t yet been witness to. He had a very nice smile, she decided; she was goingto do whatever she could to see it as often as possible. “Yeah, me too,” heagreed quickly, hurriedly pulling his safety goggles down over his eyes.

Over the next few hours, they worked tirelessly on figuringout a starting point and mapping out their plans for the drones, of which therewould be seven, and by the time they left the lab that night, Jemma wasabsolutely stunned. She’d known, ofcourse, that they’d get on if they’d just stop competing with one another, andthat he was likely the only one on the entire campus that would be able to keepup with her.

However, she hadn’t had a clue that they’d work so well together. In fact, the way theyautomatically seemed to be having the same thoughts in the same exact moments,allowing them to finish each other’s sentences, the harmonious way that theyworked together and around each other was something she’d never experiencedbefore.

It was then that Jemma knew, whatever it was she and Fitzhad, it was special.

-

“Alright, we’ve got blankets, popcorn, and plenty of othersnacks to tide you over; I think we’re all set,” Jemma listed as she set thebag she was carrying down. Darting a quick glance at her watch to check thetime, she began to spread the blankets out across the little section of theroof of her dorm they’d chosen as Fitz knelt down and began digging through herbag for said snacks.

“What did you bring?” he asked curiously, but Jemma slappedhis hand away, throwing him a reprimanding look as she sat down beside him.

“They’ve got to last you all night, and we just had dinner!You can have a snack in a little bit, alright?” Fitz frowned petulantly, butwordlessly complied (though not without a little huff as he crossed his armsover his chest). After the past month and a half of their friendship, she’dcome to realize rather quickly that, if allowed, Fitz would spend an entire dayjust absently snacking on whatever was available if left unchecked.

Fortunately, Jemma was alwayschecking.

“D’you think it’llstart soon?” Fitz asked, tilting his head back to squint up at the sky, wherethere would soon be meteors streaking past the stars.

Jemma checked the time again, then admitted, “Not foranother hour or so.”

He turned to her, gaping in disbelief. “Well then why did you insist on rushing up hereright after dinner? You barely allowed me the time to grab an extra jumper!”

“I wanted to make sure we were ready on time!” she defendedherself. “You can never be too early, only too late.”

Fitz grumbled under his breath, hunching in on himself a bitas he rolled his eyes. “Okay, so we’ve got an hour to the meteor shower, youwon’t let me have a snack; what are we supposed to do to pass the time?”

Jemma mulled over his admittedly very good question, butafter a moment she let out an excited gasp. “Oh! Do you see that there?” sheasked, pointing up above them.

He tilted his head back once more, peering up at the sky inconcentration. “What? You mean the Big Dipper?”

“Or Ursa Major, yes.” She folded her legs up against herbody, wrapping her arms around them. “Do you know the story of Ursa Major?”

Fitz thought a moment, pursing his lips, but then he shookhis head and admitted, “No, actually, I don’t think I do.”

A slow smile curved Jemma’s lips as she began reciting thestory her father had told her many years ago to Fitz, followed by the storiesof Perseus and Andromeda, Cassiopeia, and Orion. After awhile though, sheabruptly cut herself off, feeling her cool cheeks sting a bit as heat filledthem. “I’m boring you, aren’t I?” Wincing as she uncomfortably hooked her handsaround her neck, she told him, “You could’ve told me to stop at any time, Ididn’t mean to ramble on…”

“No!” Startled by Fitz’s sudden shout, Jemma whirled aroundto look at him, and found him staring at her with wide, worried eyes. “I’mlistening. I want to hear more, please?”

Somehow, Jemma’s blush only grew in intensity at his words,and she could feel the warmth spreading all the way down to her toes, even inthe chilly autumn night air. “Okay,” she said slowly, hesitating another momentbefore she went on, pointing out constellations to him and reciting theirstories.

It continued on long into the night, even as meteors burnedtrails across the sky above them, and Jemma had never felt more overwhelminglyas though she was safe being truly herself around another person before – itwas like she could be completely open and honest, and connect with Fitz in away she couldn’t even with her parents, no matter how much they’d always tried.

She didn’t quite know what it was about Fitz, but somehow,she was beginning to find that she couldn’t remember what her life had beenlike before he was it in, nor did she really want to remember.

-

“Oh quit beingsuch a child about this, Fitz!” Jemma groaned in exasperation, dropping herhead back against the headboard of his bed, where she sat beside him with herbiology text in her lap.

“I’m not being childish;I just don’t see why it’s necessary to take a class about something as gross asbiology when I’m engineering major!”Fitz cried defensively, making a face and pointedly looking away from thefull-color, detailed illustrations on the pages of the text.

“Look, I don’t make the rules, Fitz! All I’m trying to do ishelp you to pass the class, squeamishness or no.” Jemma heaved a tired sigh,tilting the book back to face Fitz. “Just…suck it up for a few hours every now andthen, take the tests, and then you’ll never have to deal with ‘gross biology’again.”

Fitz heaved a put-upon sigh, taking the book back from her,though his disgusted expression only grew in intensity as he laid eyes on thepictures once more. “Alright, fine, but I betternot have to, or I’m holding you personally responsible, Simmons.”

“Oh, I’m sure you will.” Rolling her eyes, she beganattempting to break down the chapters they were being tested on the followingday to him once more, hopefully without interruption this time.

They spent the next couple of hours going back overeverything, and Jemma even went as far as to make flash cards, quizzing him onevery possible bit of information that may show up on the exam. By the time thesun was dipping low in the sky, causing shadows to creep along the floor of hisdorm room, they’d ended up stretched out side-by-side on his bed.

“Alright, what’s…” Jemma lifted her gaze as she raised thenext flashcard between them, but the remaining sunlight was hitting him justright and she couldn’t remember if he’d been that close this whole time and wow how had she never noticed how bluehis eyes were?

All of a sudden, the room felt at least ten degrees warmer,and Jemma’s stomach gave an odd little roll, making her feel as though she wasabout to throw up. Strange, shethought to herself, quickly dropping her gaze once more and taking deep, evenbreaths to try and calm her tumultuous stomach. Was she sick? Had she caught abug somewhere?

“Jemma?” Fitz prompted worriedly. “Are you alright?”

Her palms were clammy and her heart was racing and Jemma really didn’t want to vomit on her onlyfriend, so without meeting his searching gaze, she scrambled up from the bedand hastily collected her things. “I’m sorry Fitz, I have to go now. Lots ofum…things to do, and…all that, so…” With an awkward little wave, she left poor,confused Fitz alone in his room and rushed down the hall to the nearestbathroom.

However, almost as soon as she was alone, Jemma’s symptomsdisappeared almost as quickly as she had from Fitz’s room, as though they’dnever been there in the first place.

What was going onwith her?

-

“I’m not so sure about this, Simmons,” Fitz admitted,grimacing down at his feet, looking quite concerned.

“Nonsense, it’ll be fun once you get the hang of it,” Jemmapromised as she finished securing the rollerblades she’d rented from theskating rink not far from the Academy campus. She’d been meaning to take Fitzall year, but now that it was the final day before they both returned home forthe summer, she’d insisted on spending it teaching Fitz how to rollerblade.

Fitz inhaled, then released a deep breath before he noddedonce firmly. “Alright, I’m trusting you, then.” Using the table they weresitting at for help, he shakily got to his feet. Almost immediately, however,he began slipping on the wheels of his skates, and Jemma hurried to lend himsome support.

Together, they managed to get him actually out onto the floor, but for the firsthalf-hour he would only cling desperately to the bar along the wall. “See?You’re doing great,” Jemma encouraged as he made another pass around the rink.“Now, why don’t you try to next step and come away from the wall?”

Fitz shot a glance out at the others skating past them, theflashing lights and the pounding music, and shook his head. “I don’t think so.”

Jemma released a frustrated groan, gesturing widely to thegroup of elementary school children currently breezing past them. “Fitz! There are children who are bigger risk-takers than you! In order to develop askill, you actually have to put in some effort.”

“I am putting ineffort; it’s the effort not to fall flat on my ass like an idiot,” he repliedtightly, focusing on slowly inching his way forward with the help of the bar.

“C’mon Fitz, please?I promise you it’ll be fun, even if you’re falling flat on your ass – that’sjust something that comes hand-in-hand with learning to rollerblade.” When Fitzglanced up, she put on her best pout, clasping her hands together beneath herchin.

It was another moment before his expression collapsed and helet out a low groan. “Oh fine, youget your way, as always. But, if atany point I fall, you’re buying dinner.”

“Deal!” With that, Jemma grasped Fitz’s hand, helping him toslowly come away from the wall so that she could take his other as well,skating slowly backwards as she helped him forward. They only made it a shortdistance away before his feet began to stumble beneath him and he couldn’tregain his balance – and when he went down, he took Jemma with him.

For a beat, neither of them moved or said a word, simplylaid there in a tangle of aching limbs. Then, suddenly, Jemma couldn’t help thegiggles building up in her chest and tickling at her throat. It wasn’t longbefore Fitz had joined in, and it took a bit of time before they could gettheir laughter under control enough to struggle back to their feet.

The rest of the day ended up going much the same, with Fitzconsistently tripping and falling, almost always managing to take Jemmastraight down with him. She still held up her end of the bargain, though, andbought their dinner before they headed back to the campus.

Even though they were both sore beyond belief and werelikely to be absolutely covered in bruises within the next few days, Jemmacouldn’t remember a day where she’d laughed more since she was very young. And,as they were parting ways to return to their dorms for one more night, and Fitzwas playfully griping about his aching muscles, an overpowering warmth washedover Jemma, making her feel almost lightheaded. All of a sudden, she didn’t want to say goodbye to him; she wantedto stay with him and spend more time just laughing and having fun and being theteenager she’d never had the chance to be.

But, with a bit of effort, she managed to shake off thestrange feeling, said her goodnights to him, and returned to her dorm.

Unfortunately, saying goodbye to Fitz the next day for a wholesummer was, in fact, much harder than saying goodnight after the lovely daythey’d had together. As she got settled on her plane back home, Jemma had theoddest feeling that she’d forgotten something at the Academy, something important, like a limb or one of herorgans – but that couldn’t possibly be right.

The feeling only seemed to stronger the more the summermonths dragged on, until Jemma could barely concentrate on anything, and shecould see the worried looks herparents were constantly exchanging, but she had no idea what was wrong with her.

It was only once she’d returned to the Academy in the fall,and laid eyes on Fitz for the first time in months, all curly hair and pastyskin and blue eyes, that she felt she was complete again, that she couldfinally breathe without difficulty once more.

Jemma simply chalked it up to being back at the Academy, thefirst place she’d ever felt she truly belonged.

-

“Can you believe it? Perfect scores! Well, I mean, as ifthere was any doubt in my mind,” Jemma added, turning to throw a brilliant grinover her shoulder at Fitz. “And they say mid-terms are supposed to be challenging.”

“Well Simmons, they are for the normal folk, remember. Don’twanna get too high and mighty,” Fitz reminded her teasingly, and she pointedlyrolled her eyes at him.

“Oh hush, Fitz; as if the gathering of the most brilliantminds could possibly be called ‘normal folk’.” As she pushed open the door ofthe building and stepped out into the daylight, Jemma let out a surprised gasp.“Oh Fitz! It must’ve snowed while we were taking our exams!”

The whole campus was covered in a layer of fluffy whitesnow, sparkling in the mid-day sun. It was so fresh, it was even still clingingto the bare trees, painting a rather beautiful picture. “Oh, would you look atthat,” Fitz commented a bit disinterestedly. “Hey, you wanna go get lunch?”

“In a minute; first, I want to make snow angels,” Jemma saidabruptly, eyeing a patch of undisturbed snow not far away. When Fitz made adisbelieving noise, she turned to him and insisted, “It hasn’t snowed at allyet this year and we’ve had such goodday; please Fitz?”

He stayed firm for only another moment, then he heaved asigh of surrender, allowing Jemma to tug him down beside her into the freezingcold snow. It wasn’t long before they’d finished their respective snow angels,and as her limbs slowed to a stop, she turned her head to face him and teasedthrough her grin, “See Fitz, wasn’t that fun?”

Fitz didn’t respond at first, simply staring at her withwide eyes, blinking owlishly as though he was taken aback by something, thoughshe hadn’t the faintest clue what that could be. When she opened her mouth toprompt him once more, he cleared his throat and said simply, “Uh, yeah.”

Frowning, Jemma sat up and cautiously stood up and away fromher snow angel, holding out her hands to help a shivering Fitz up as well. Shesqueezed his hands with her own numb fingers, and concerned that he was actingstrange because she’d made him do something he hadn’t wanted to do, sheoffered, “For being such a good sport, I’ll buy you a hot chocolate.”

“You better,” he replied, but his voice sounded slightly offto her, and she frowned, glancing worriedly at him. But, then he gave her asmall smile and added, “And there had better be extra marshmellows,” and Jemmaquickly forgot about it completely.

-

“Fitz?”

Jemma waited a moment, but there was no response to herprompt.

“Fitz?” she triedagain, but once more, there was no response.

Letting out a quiet sigh, Jemma craned her head to glance atwhere Fitz’s weight was resting heavily against her side. Sure enough, he wasfast asleep, his head lolled to the side and lying right on her shoulder.

Of course.

Before they’d started their customary Friday night DoctorWho marathon, she’d made him promisethat he wasn’t going to fall asleep this time. She believed, actually, that hisexact words had been ‘I won’t fall asleep on you Simmons, I swear!’.

Unable to help herself, Jemma had to let out a soft snort atthe irony. Of course, she couldn’t really be too upset with him this time; he’dbeen keeping odd hours lately, up late into the night trying to complete hisfinal project for his engineering course, which was due in just a few weeks.

Jemma figured that she’d let it pass just this once, sincehe undoubtedly needed the sleep.

However, that didn’t solve the problem of how exactly shewas going to free herself without waking him up, so that she could return toher own room to get some much-needed sleep as well.

Carefully, she shifted until she could glance down at him,sleeping so soundly against her shoulder, even though it no doubt wasuncomfortable – he made it lookpretty darn comfortable, though.

Well, Jemma supposed, she could wait a little while longerand watch a couple more episodes, see if he ended up shifting away to find anew position on his own.

But, even though she was trying her level best to payattention to what was happening on the screen in front of her, Jemma keptfinding herself glancing down at Fitz (who hadn’t moved an inch, of course). Hejust looked so peaceful and innocent, and his adorable little snores keptbringing fond smiles to her lips. As she dropped her gaze once more, studyingthe way his eyelashes fanned out beneath his closed eyelids and the slight partof his lips as he released a quiet breath, Jemma felt her fingers shift againsther leg.

They twitched closer and closer to Fitz, and she had tofight the sudden, desperate urge to stroke them over his cheek and brush themthrough his hair. It was then, with a sudden burst of clarity, that Jemma knew that whatever it was she felt forFitz, it was far more than friendship.

-

The weeks following Jemma’s late night revelation weresimultaneously the best and worst of her life. It was absolutely freeing toknow, quite abruptly, that she had feelings for her best friend, to haveeverything that had never made much sense suddenly crystal clear to her. Sheunderstood now the strange, warm, almost tingly feeling that washed over herwhenever Fitz smiled at her, or she found herself getting lost in his beautifulblue eyes or he said something so utterly thoughtful and Fitz that she was caught off-guard by it.

But, it was also tortuousto be able to put a name to the depth of pure, unadulterated feeling inside ofher, to have it begin to grow and grow once she’d acknowledged its existence.Each day, she only seemed to fall deeper and deeper for Fitz, and she knew itwas nothing but trouble for her; after all, there was only one of two ways lifewould go after they graduated.

Either they would continue on as partners, as Agent Weaverhad told them was highly likely, due to their effortless ability to worktogether and create revolutionary projects, and she’d have to struggle with herfeelings in silence for many years to come; or, they’d be separated and sent todifferent SHIELD locations, and she’d never see Fitz again.

But, of course, no matter how much it hurt, Jemma wouldspend every single day for the rest of her life struggling to keep her feelingshidden and under control – as long as she had Fitz in her life. Even if itwasn’t exactly ideal for her, sheknew that any situation that kept them together was one she wanted to be in.

It wasn’t until the day of graduation, actually, that AgentWeaver pulled them aside, and finally informed them that they were beingassigned to a Sci-Ops facility – together,as partners.

Consumed by relief as she was, Jemma barely noticed as AgentWeaver left them to prepare for the ceremony. She turned to Fitz, giving him awide, breathless smile. “Oh Fitz, this is wonderful.I was so worried!” She wasn’t going to have to live without Fitz, and dealing withhiding her feelings for him truly was a small price to pay for such a gift.

“Yeah, me too,” Fitz admitted, giving her a smile in return,though it was rather dim in comparison to hers. “Look, Jemma, I…I told myselfthat I’d be honest with you if we ended up being assigned together.”

Jemma frowned at the rare use of her first name; somethingwas very wrong with Fitz. “What isit?” she asked in concern, reaching out to place a comforting hand on hisshoulder. “Fitz, you can tell me anything, you know that.”

He released a harsh breath, nodding. “I know, I know. I’mjust…I’m scared that it’s going to ruin our friendship or change things, andyou know I don’t do well with change.”

For a brief moment, Jemma had the sudden, horrifying thoughtthat he’d somehow figured out how she felt about him, that he was about to tellher that he didn’t feel the same and he was worried that the rejection wouldruin their friendship. “Fitz, nothingyou could say would ever hurt our friendship, alright? I promise you that.”

The promise seemed to calm him just enough, and he took asteadying breath, then stumbled out the confession, “Lately I’ve been… I don’tknow where… I didn’t mean for…it’sjust that you…and I… What I mean is…” Obviously seeing Jemma’s bewilderedexpression, he rolled his eyes at himself and finally just blurted out, “I’m inlove with you, Jemma. And you don’t have to say anything, I just –”

That was as far as he got before Jemma surged forward towrap her arms around his neck, finding his lips with hers as they met in themiddle. She felt more than heard the startled noise he let out against hermouth, but within moments his fumbling hands had found her waist to pull hercloser, and she couldn’t even begin to stop the ridiculous smile currentlytugging at her lips.

Eventually, they were both smiling so much that they had topull away from the kiss, and Jemma found Fitz watching her in the same awe thatshe knew must’ve been written in her own eyes. “I had no idea you felt this waytoo,” she admitted, absently sliding her fingers through his hair and strokingthe back of his neck; now that she was allowed to touch him freely, she wasn’tsure she’d ever be able to stop. “How long have you…?”

“I’m not really sure how long,” Fitz admitted, giving alittle shrug and blushing lightly. “But I realized it the day of our mid-terms,when you made me lay down in a snow pileand make a bloody snow angel.”

“Really?” Jemmaasked in utter disbelief. Nothing about that moment stood out to her as overly romantic– though, now that she thought about it, she could remember his strangebehavior immediately following said event.

“Yeah.” He gave her a shy little smile, idly tracing theshape of her waist and the curve of her spine with his fingertips as he explained,“You had turned to smile at me, with snowflakes clinging to your hair and yourcheeks all rosy and it just took my breath away and I well…I dunno, I just knewthat I’d do anything to make you smile like that.”

Jemma bit her lip to hold back on the giddy little grin thatwas currently trying to break across her face. “Oh,” she said simply.

“And…um…what about you?” he asked, seeming a bituncomfortable as he dropped his gaze from hers. “Was it just now, or…are younot really sure…?”

“Oh no, I’m sure,” she promised, leaning in to rest herforehead against his so that she could find his gaze with hers once more; she refusedto let him think for even a moment that she didn’t truly feel the same. “It wasa couple of weeks ago, during that Doctor Who marathon; you know, when youpromised not to fall asleep.” He smiled a bit sheepishly at the reminder. “You,of course, did end up falling asleep,only it was right on my shoulder and I just…couldn’t seem to look away – youwere adorable, of course – and I wanted to sit there all night long watchingyou sleep and it just…became clear, I suppose.”

“Because I fell asleepon you?” Fitz asked incredulously. “That’s it?”

“Well you realized it because I smiled at you!” Jemma reminded him indignantly.

He made a face, then gave her waist a little squeeze. “Ohalright, I suppose they’re both rather simple. But the important thing is, theyhappened, yeah?”

“Yeah,” she agreed, “and now I get to do this.” She tiltedher head, closing her eyes as her lips found his once more and her armstightened around his neck. As he gave a surprised moan, she deepened the kiss,burying her fingers in his hair to keep him right where she wanted him.

It was a long, wonderfully dizzying moment before theyparted this time, and Fitz had to blink a couple of times to focus as hemurmured, “A very important benefit, yes.”

Just then, Jemma heard a call of, “Fitzsimmons!” and sheleaned back from Fitz to find one of their classmates a ways away, waving atthem. “Ceremony’s about to start!”

“We’ll be right there!” Jemma called, but as she turned backto Fitz, something of great importance suddenly occurred to her. Urgently, shetold him, “Fitz, we have to promise that no matter what happens, we won’t letSHIELD split us up – Section Seventeen be damned.”

“Of course,” he promised immediately, his grip on her hipstightening just slightly. “We’re better together, and SHIELD knows that. Ifthey’re as smart as they claim to be, they won’t split us up over something assimple as…y’know…being in love.”

Jemma released a shaky breath, nodding in agreement.“Right.” Still, she tugged Fitz back into her embrace, burying her face in hisshoulder and soaking up his warm, breathing in his familiar scent. “Becausethat’s where we belong; together.”

“Always,” Fitz agreed softly, the words whispered againsther temple as he placed a kiss there.

Jemma knew then that, no matter where life took them fromthere, whether it was with SHIELD or otherwise, she and Fitz would be togetherthrough it all. Together truly was where they belonged –even when they hadn’tbe able to see it for what it was, together was where they’d always belonged.

[lenin-it-to-win-it]

“Once I believed love poems were foolish, yet now I do nothing but dream about love”

Summary: after a single drunken kiss blossoms into a wonderful relationship, Chuuya reflects on how his love for Akutagawa has grown since the day they first met. 

Notes: okay so the beginning part of this is kind of a direct sequel to my first chuuaku fic, but if you havent read that, all you really need to know is that Chuuya got drunk and spent the night at Akutagawa’s apartment and they kissed, and Akutagawa is pining after him because he doesn’t think Chuuya really cares about him. also this was meant for rarepair week day five, so sorry this is a day late, ive been super busy and wasn’t able to finish on time oops! still, its here now and I hope you all enjoy it!

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It had been almost a week since Akutagawa had let Chuuya spend the night in his apartment. Akutagawa had hoped the memories would burn less brightly in time, that, swept up in the endless deluge of missions that characterized mafia life, he wouldn’t have time to recall how gentle Chuuya’s hands been, the warmth of his small body under the blankets, or the sweet sensation of those soft lips on his.

To the contrary, Akutagawa found himself thinking of Chuuya more and more as the days passed. He began drifting off mid-mission with a finger pressed to his lips, forgetting where he was for a moment as he pictured Chuuya sitting on his counter, laughing and drinking hot chocolate. Even when Akutagawa returned to the present and destroyed his enemies, he did so with a look of dreamy distraction on his usually taciturn face.

At home, he was even quieter than usual, staring in silence at the couch, the counter, the sink Chuuya had touched. Akutagawa laid in his bed for hours, wondering how it was possible to feel so cold when mere days ago he had felt so warm when he laid beside Chuuya. He buried his nose in the sheets and sniffed deeply, but he found only his own empty scent. Missing Chuuya, Akutagawa thought, felt rather like mourning someone who was still alive.

If Gin noticed a change in Akutagawa, she didn’t say. However, she did take to bringing him cups of tea when he was lying in bed, always giving his hand a quick squeeze before leaving without a word. The tea grew cold on the bedside table, untouched, until Gin swept in with another cup, beginning the cycle anew.

Then, one day-

“Executive Nakahara-san.”

Akutagawa glanced up from the papers he had been pretending to read so quickly he almost gave himself whiplash. He, along with the other members of the Black Lizard Squad, were gathered in a mafia warehouse going over the briefing of their latest mission, when Hirotsu called attention to the little executive leaning in the doorway.

Chuuya’s pose in the doorway- an arm raised above his head, back slightly arched, one slender leg thrust out, hips slung to the side- was so seductive that Akutagawa could not help but wonder if Chuuya had practiced it ahead of time. The thought of Chuuya rehearsing in a doorway at home, scowling and jotting down notes about whether or not his arm was raised high enough to lift the bottom of his shirt just enough to expose a glimpse of his smooth yet muscled torso, would almost have made Akutagawa smile if the mere sight of Chuuya hadn’t sent his heart into a panic.

“So, Black Lizard Squad, eh? Long time, no see.” Chuuya looked around the room, his eyes seeming to skip over Akutagawa. “Well, I’ve got some good news for you- your mission for the day’s been taken care of.”

Akutagawa stared at Chuuya with wide, hungry eyes shining with desperation. Fortunately, Chuuya seemed to be looking at anything but Akutagawa’s face. Akutagawa clenched his hands into fists, not even noticing the slight sting as his fingernails bit into his palms. Why wasn’t Chuuya looking at him? Was he embarrassed? Akutagawa’s heart sank. Of course he was embarrassed; that’s all their kiss was to Chuuya- an embarrassment, a mistake, a moment of drunken indiscretion.

“You’re all free to go for the day,” said Chuuya with a careless wave of one gloved hand. Suddenly, his eyes latched onto Akutagawa, and a small smirk crossed his face. “Except for you, Akutagawa,” he said, his voice a low, sultry purr. “I have a special mission for you.”

The other members of the Black Lizard filed out in silence. Gin flashed a quick glance at Akutagawa over her shoulder. Even though she was wearing a mask, Akutagawa could tell she was smiling. He glared at Gin, but she just raised an eyebrow at him and left.

Once everyone else had gone, Chuuya crossed the room, slowly at first, his footsteps falling in time with Akutagawa’s pounding heartbeat. Then, without warning, Chuuya threw himself the last couple steps, leaping at Akutagawa and pinning him against the wall, plastering kisses on every inch of his face. “Damn it, Aku,” he breathed between kisses. “I’ve missed you these past few days.”

Akutagawa was too stunned to react. When he finally found his voice, it was breathless and faint. “You- you missed me?”

Chuuya laughed, incredulous. “Missed you? You’re all I’ve been able to think about! Every time I remember how you I felt when you held me, I-” Chuuya cut himself off, blushing. He offered Akutagawa a small, almost shy smile. “Yeah, I missed you.”

Akutagawa thought he had never seen Chuuya look as beautiful as he did in that moment, a soft smile on his face, cheeks slightly flushed, blue eyes shining with a clean, pure radiance as they drank in Akutagawa’s face. Looking Chuuya in the eyes was like staring at the sun: Akutagawa could only manage short bursts and sideways glances before his eyes started watering. It was too much, too strange to be the focus of such warm, luminous eyes. Akutagawa didn’t know what Chuuya saw in him, but he knew there was nothing within him worthy of such light.

“Aku, what’s the matter?” Chuuya asked. He lifted one hand to stroke Akutagawa’s cheek, then let it fall, taking a step back. “It seemed like you were into me before. But, then again,” he added, grimacing. “I was drunk off my ass and could’ve misread the hell out of the situation.” He clenched and unclenched his hands. “This might not have been the best idea,” he admitted. Pause. “This might have actually been a really fucking stupid idea.” Chuuya sighed, staring at the ground. “Shit, Aku, I’m sorr-”

Akutagawa stepped forward and pulled Chuuya into a crushing embrace. “Don’t apologize.” Without meaning to, the words came out as a snarl. He paused and took a deep breath, hoping Chuuya couldn’t feel his heart pounding. “I-” Akutagawa swallowed, then coughed. “I-I liked it when you were kissing me,” he whispered, his words pouring out in a rush.

Chuuya’s face blossomed into a smile so wide Akutagawa wondered if his cheeks hurt. “Great, then we proceed as planned!” Chuuya took Akutagawa’s hand and pulled him forward, practically sprinting out the door. “C’mon, let’s go!”

“Where are we going?” Akutagawa asked, as if the answer would have changed anything. Chuuya could have led Akutagawa into a pit of poisonous vipers and he would have followed gladly as long as they were holding hands.

“Oh, you’ll see,” Chuuya replied with a cryptic smile, whipping car keys out of his pocket and spinning them around his finger.

After a particularly enthusiastic twirl, the keys slid off Chuuya’s finger, but with a slight motion of his hand, they came flying back as if tethered to him by an invisible string. Akutagawa’s breath caught in his throat as he watched the keys soaring through the air, tracing a graceful arc as fluid and elegant as the brushstrokes of a master calligrapher. Even Chuuya’s ability was so beautiful. . .

Akutagawa coughed, using his free hand to cover his mouth. “Your ability, Nakahara-san,” he began, glancing at Chuuya’s face momentarily before dropping his gaze, embarrassed. “It’s very. . . efficient.”

Chuuya smirked. “Thanks.” He gave Akutagawa’s hand a quick squeeze. “You’re looking really efficent today yourself, Aku.”

Akutagawa blushed and scowled at the ground. “I look the way I always do.”

“Gorgeous?” Chuuya suggested. “Stunning? Breath-taking? The most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen in my life?”

The blush on Akutagawa’s cheeks darkened. “Don’t- don’t say things like that.”

“Babe, you’re blushing.” Chuuya smiled, caressing Akutagawa’s cheek. “I’m gonna keep saying things like that until the end of time,” he promised. Chuuya held Akutagawa’s face in his hands and tilted his head to the side for a moment, studying Akutagawa’s eyes. Before Akutagawa knew what had happened, soft lips pressed against his, pulling away almost as quickly. Far too quickly. “I’ll tell you how beautiful you are over and over,” Chuuya whispered, taking Akutagawa’s hands and squeezing them. “I’ll tell you so many times, you’ll get sick of hearing it.”

Akutagawa gazed into Chuuya’s eyes, blue and sparkling with infinite possibilities, like the clear sky above the haze of the city. What Chuuya saw in his ashen eyes, Akutagawa would never know. All Akutagawa knew was that, no matter how many times he heard of it, he could never get tired of Chuuya calling him beautiful.

***

Akutagawa was breathtaking.

They had been dating for months, but Chuuya still couldn’t seem to get over it, especially when Akutagawa seemed to grow more beautiful by the day. Akutagawa’s eyes never failed to captivate Chuuya; the softness that stole into them when he thought no one was looking melted Chuuya’s heart, and he never tired of realizing how his eyes were gray, not as steel is gray- firm and cold, unrelenting- but gray as mist is gray in the mornings, delicate and ephemeral. Akutagawa had always struck Chuuya that way, as if he could vanish at any moment.

Chuuya could still remember the first day they met. Dazai, of course, had dragged that poor boy straight to mafia headquarters without so much as offering him a change of clothes- he was still wearing an assortment of rags collected on the streets, as well as Dazai’s own black coat- or a bite to eat, and Akutagawa trembled with every step. Chuuya imagined the boy’s bones rattling beneath his skin, collapsing in on themselves whenever he stood still. The boy hardly spared a glance at Chuuya, enraptured with Dazai as he was, but for the brief moment their eyes met, Chuuya saw a flash of the helpless creature he had been before Kouyou had taken him in, mired in a burning, feral anger.

Dazai had seen that anger, too, Chuuya knew, and he would mold it into a weapon. He would turn the fractured pieces of this boy’s shattered-glass heart into knives, into shrapnel, and the fragile boy struggling to stay on his feet would become a ticking time bomb, living only to destroy.

And so Chuuya waited for him. He loitered outside headquarters long after Kouyou was expecting him home, until Dazai strode through the doors- cocky bastard, always strutting around like he owned the place- with his new protege lagging several paces behind him, coughing hard enough to make Chuuya wince in sympathy. Chuuya marched up to Dazai, glaring. “Where are you taking him?”

Dazai’s visible eye widened. “Who?” He glanced at the boy, dismissing the idea that he could matter in any way with a wave of his hand. “Oh, him.”

“Does he have a name?” Chuuya asked, crossing his arms.

Dazai stared at the boy for a moment and shrugged. “Do you, boy?”

The boy’s face fell; Chuuya gathered that he had probably told Dazai his name earlier, and the bastard was pretending to have forgotten. Chuuya’s full lips pressed together in a thin line, and he decided to go especially hard on Dazai the next time they were training together. Chuuya was so caught up in ways he would punish Dazai that he almost didn’t hear the boy’s name.

“Akutagawa.”

“Akutagawa-kun,” Chuuya said, smiling. “Nice to meet you, I’m Nakahara Chuuya.”

Akutagawa did not reply; he kept his gray eyes fixated on Dazai’s back.

“So, where are you taking Akutagawa-kun?” Chuuya asked a second time.

“Nowhere.” Dazai gave a careless shrug. “I don’t know why he’s following me, anyway,” he added, raising his voice slightly. “Mori-san said he could join the mafia; he’s on his own now.” Dazai turned to Akutagawa with a sickly sweet smile and made his voice mockingly warm. “You’re a big boy now, aren’t you, Akutagawa-kun?” he cooed. “Or do you need me to be your mommy?” he asked, his voice snapping right back into its usual coldness.

“Well, whose subordinate is he?” Chuuya asked, his voice rising. “I’m sure whoever’s in charge of him would-” “Mine.” Dazai studied his grotesquely long fingers. “He’s mine.”

“And you don’t even have a place for him to stay the night?” Chuuya cried, scandalized. “If I had subordinates, I’d at least try to take care of them!”

“That’s why precisely why you don’t have subordinates, Chuuya,” Dazai cut in coldly. “And why you never will.” Dazai swept off, leaving his partner and his new subordinate behind in the looming shadow of mafia headquarters.

After shouting a few choice curses at Dazai’s retreating figure, Chuuya turned to Akutagawa. “Sorry about that, Akutagawa-kun,” he sighed, running a hand through his hair “He’s my partner, and kind of an asshole, as you’ve probably figured out for yourself.”

Akutagawa coughed, saying nothing.

Chuuya extended a hand to Akutagawa. “You can stay with me for the next couple days, until you figure this whole thing out,” he said with a welcoming smile. “I’m sure Ane-san won’t mind.”

Akutagawa’s eyes narrowed. “Your sister?”

Chuuya nodded. “Yeah. I haven’t talked to her yet, but once I explain the situation, she’ll let you stay.”

“I have a sister, too.” Akutagawa spoke so quietly, Chuuya had to lean in to hear what he was saying. “I would not mind sleeping on the streets a few nights longer, but if a space in your home could be spared for her-”

Chuuya put his hand on Akutagawa’s shoulder. “Don’t worry about it,” he said, giving Akutagawa his most reassuring smile. “I’ll take good care of you.” Akutagawa coughed, neither agreeing or disagreeing, but his eyes were clouded with doubt. Still, he turned to a nearby bush and nodded, and an equally thin and ragged child rolled out of the foilage, holding a twig like a knife. “Gin,” said Akutagawa. “He’s letting us spend the night with him.”

Gin nodded in silence, giving no response when Chuuya tried to introduce himself.

“Tough crowd,” Chuuya muttered, shoving his hands in his pockets and leading the way to Kouyou’s apartment.

Kouyou was less than pleased when Chuuya returned home more than an hour late with a couple of street orphans in a tow, but, just as Chuuya had predicted, she did not turn them away and, somewhat grudgingly, said they could stay for up to a week.

Chuuya had the next day off, and Akutagawa would not be given his first mission until evening, so they had an entire day to spend together. Although Akutagawa seemed content to lie in bed until his meeting with Dazai, Chuuya had other plans.

Chuuya had gotten up far earlier than usual to cook up a simple breakfast, making sure to set a plate aside for Kouyou; she had already left, but perhaps she would be hungry when she returned. Chuuya carried plates to each of the Akutagawa siblings. Gin woke up the moment she smelled food, devouring everything without pausing to taste a bite, but Akutagawa merely scowled and turned over, trying to go back to sleep.

Chuuya put a firm hand on Akutagawa’s bony shoulder. “Hey, you should eat something,” he said, setting the plate on the ground.

“I don’t need your charity,” Akutagawa snarled over his rumbling stomach.

Chuuya bristled. “And I don’t need your bitch-ass attitude, but I’m getting it anyway. Besides,” he added, inspired. “How do you think your meeting with Dazai’s gonna go if you collapse with hunger on the way there?” Akutagawa’s eyes widened at the mention of Dazai, and he began grudgingly picking at the food Chuuya had prepared for him.

“Thank you,” Gin murmured to Chuuya once Akutagawa left to go to the bathroom. “And Ryuu says thanks, too, but he won’t say it out loud.”

“That’s okay,” said Chuuya, feeling the beginnings of a smile on his face. “I’m not doing this because I want to be thanked.”

Later that day, Chuuya took Akutagawa shopping, convincing him that Dazai would much prefer it if he arrived at their meeting in actual clothes rather than rags when Akutagawa tried to protest. Akutagawa sulked as Chuuya presented him with various outfits, denying all of them seemingly out of spite, until finally settling on a white dress shirt with ruffles on the bottom. Then, catching sight of Chuuya smiling in the dressing room mirror, glowered at his reflection.

“I don’t like this shirt,” Akutagawa declared as they approached the register, clutching the shirt close to his chest. “But I dislike shopping with you even more. I’m only doing this to keep you from prolonging my suffering.”

Chuuya just laughed and paid for the shirt, as well as a pair of black pants and matching black dress shoes. At the last minute, after noting how Akutagawa took to the ruffled shirt, he threw a white cravat onto the pile as well.

They returned to Kouyou’s apartment so Akutagawa could change before his meeting with Dazai, and when he stepped out of the room, dressed in the clothes Chuuya had bought for him as well as Dazai’s black jacket, Chuuya’s breath caught in his throat.

“You look-”

Akutagawa glared at Chuuya, daring him to finish that statement.

Chuuya blushed “-warm. You look- you look really warm in those clothes. A lot warmer than you did in that old stuff, anyway.”

Beautiful.

That was what Chuuya wanted to say, what he meant from the bottom of his heart, and Akutagawa’s beauty only increased when he held still long enough for Chuuya to straighten the cravat around his neck, stiffening when Chuuya’s fingertips brushed against his skin. Akutagawa gasped slightly, then tried to cover it up with a cough.

Chuuya had found Akutagawa beautiful from the day they met, back when he was a ragged, rageful boy full of bitterness. He had seen the softness in his eyes when he spoke of his sister, the shadow of a smile in his face when he first put on that ruffled shirt, heard his gasp when Chuuya first touched him- he wasn’t used to being touched so gently, to hands meeting his skin with anything other than cruel intentions- and saw beauty.

Chuuya never could have predicted how deeply he would grow to love Akutagawa; now, he could never imagine who he would be if he didn’t love Akutagawa. Chuuya loved Akutagawa with all of his heart, and he was determined to shower Akutagawa in affection, to drown him in love until he had no choice but to accept that he was worthy of it. He wanted Akutagawa to know a love as faithful and constant as sunrise, so that a gentle touch did not startle him but felt natural, so that he no longer stiffened under Chuuya’s touch, but melted into it.

Chuuya wanted to love Akutagawa until he felt as beautiful as he was.

And now, Akutagawa was beautiful because he allowed himself to be. Akutagawa allowed Chuuya to brush his hair until it was soft as silk and shone like starlight, allowed Chuuya to gently massage lotion into his dry, aching hands, allowed Chuuya to cook not only breakfast for him but to offer food whenever he was hungry, always making an effort to stomach at least a couple bites of whatever Chuuya had made. Akutagawa allowed himself to be cared for, and his willingness to be loved made him more beautiful still.

***

“Ryuu. . .” said Chuuya, sing-song, as he held Akutagawa’s face in his hands. Akutagawa had not reacted when Chuuya crawled on top of him, but he gasped when Chuuya nuzzled his face into Akutagawa’s neck and left a trail of soft kisses leading to his collarbone. “Has anyone ever told you how beautiful you are?”

“Yes, you. Every day.”

Chuuya laughed, pulling back for a moment just so he could lean down and kiss Akutagawa again. “That’s good, baby. You deserve it.”