#like I’m currently watching wheels on the bus

[silverglimse-productions]

I’m currently rewatching Criminal Minds and there’s something so special to me about Rossi being the resident gamer of the group

[theonottsbxtch]

FOREVER AND ALWAYS | MV1

an: military au go reeeee, my friend is currently talking to a marine so it makes this funnier, anyway this is a request and be prepared for how much im about to post, im posting all my wips so i can start a new

wc: 3.8k

THE LAST MORNING MAX spent in town was unseasonably warm for late September, but she still wore his old hoodie over her dress. It swallowed her, the cuffs rolled up clumsily so her fingers could peek through. Max liked seeing her in it; she made it look softer than it ever felt to him. They sat on the hood of his truck by the edge of the lake, the same spot they always went to when something big needed to be said.

“You’ll write, right?” she asked, her voice steadier than the fingers twisting the hem of his sleeve.

Max didn’t answer right away. He hated promises. He hated making them and breaking them even more. But he wasn’t going to break this one. “Every day,” he said, his voice a little rough. “I mean it, okay? You’ll be sick of me by Christmas.”

“I could never,” she said, and the words felt too small for how much she meant them.

The sun caught in her hair, and Max felt the ache of leaving settle deeper in his chest. He should’ve been relieved—one last night in this town, in that house—but all he could think about was how hard it was going to be to drive away from her in the morning.

“I’ll write back every time,” she promised, her eyes locked on his like she could hold him here through sheer willpower. “Don’t you dare stop.”

“I won’t.”

It was the closest thing to forever they’d ever said to each other, and Max wanted to believe it could be.

He didn’t sleep much that night. Max stayed parked outside her house long after walking her to the door, watching the glow of her bedroom light until it finally went dark. He told himself he’d leave when she was asleep, but his hands stayed glued to the steering wheel, his heart beating louder than the crickets outside.

Morning came too fast. He stood on her porch in his pressed uniform, his duffel slung over his shoulder. Her dad answered the door, grunted something about “too early for this,” and disappeared back into the house. Max heard her footsteps upstairs, quick and light, and then there she was, rushing down to meet him, already wearing a smile he didn’t deserve.

“You’re really doing it,” she said, her voice tight with something caught between pride and fear.

“I am.”

She stepped closer, her fingers brushing the crisp fabric of his sleeve. “You’re going to be okay, right?”

Max didn’t know how to answer that. He could handle the yelling, the rules, the miles of running. But leaving her? That felt like the first real battle.

“You’re the toughest guy I know,” she added softly, filling the silence.

“Tough’s not the same as okay,” he admitted, his voice low.

“Then I’ll be okay for both of us.”

The words hit him harder than he expected, wrapping around something fragile in his chest. He leaned down and kissed her, quick and desperate, like he could steal a little of her steadiness to take with him.

When they finally broke apart, she laughed softly, her forehead still resting against his. “You’re coming back, Max. Don’t forget that.”

“I won’t,” he said.

He didn’t know if it was a promise or a prayer.

The bus station was quiet that early in the morning, just a couple of strangers milling around with their heads down and coffee in hand. Max stood off to the side with her, his duffel at his feet and his hands shoved deep into his pockets to keep from grabbing hers. She said she couldn’t come, but watching him walk back to the truck made her call in sick for work and follow him in. 

“You should go sit,” he said, nodding toward the bench near the car park.

She gave him a look, one eyebrow raised in challenge. “I’m not leaving this spot until you’re on that bus.”

A faint smile tugged at his lips. Of course she wouldn’t. She was stubborn like that, always had been. He loved her for it, even if it made saying goodbye harder.

The bus pulled up, its brakes hissing as it rolled to a stop. Max felt the weight of the moment settle on his shoulders, heavier than the duffel. This was it.

He turned to her, unsure of what to say. Every word that came to mind felt too big or too small.

“Write me first,” she said, breaking the silence. Her voice was soft, but her eyes burned with determination. “As soon as you get there. Don’t wait for me to start.”

“I will,” he said, nodding. “Every day, remember?”

She smiled at that, but it didn’t quite reach her eyes. She stepped forward and wrapped her arms around him, holding on so tightly it felt like she was trying to anchor him there.

He let himself hold her back, burying his face in her hair for just a moment. He wasn’t going to cry. He wouldn’t let himself.

“I’ll see you after training,” she whispered against his chest, her voice shaking just a little. “I’ll be there, Max.”

He pulled back, cupping her face in his hands. “You promise?”

“I promise.”

The driver called for boarding, and Max grabbed his bag. He didn’t look back as he stepped onto the bus. He couldn’t. If he did, he might not get on at all.

But as the bus pulled away, he glanced out the window. She was still standing there, exactly where he left her, her hand raised in a wave he couldn’t return.

He pressed his forehead against the glass, the weight of her promise settling in his chest. She would be there. He had to believe it.

Training was relentless.

The early mornings were the worst—before the sun even thought about rising, before his body remembered how to move. They ran until their legs felt like they’d snap beneath them, did push-ups until their arms gave out, and marched under the weight of packs that felt heavier with every mile. The shouting never stopped, every mistake earning a punishment meant to break them down and rebuild them into something sharper, stronger.

But it was nothing compared to what Max had already endured.

At home, the yelling was never meant to make him stronger. The bruises weren’t badges of discipline—they were reminders of how small he was made to feel. Every time he hit the ground during training, his drill sergeant barking at him to get up, Max thought of how often he’d done the same thing in that house. He got up then, and he got up now.

The other guys complained at night, lying on their bunks and licking their wounds, but Max didn’t join in. They didn’t know how lucky they were—how much easier it was to run ten miles when there wasn’t a door slamming behind you or fists flying to match.

And then there were the letters.

Her first one came the day after he arrived, folded neatly into an envelope with her handwriting scrawled across the front. The sight of it made his chest ache, and he didn’t even wait to get back to the barracks to read it.

Hey, tough guy. I hope this gets to you quick. Are they making you run as much as I think they are? Do you miss me? I miss you. It’s been one day and this town already feels different without you. Keep writing, okay? I’ll keep writing too. Just don’t let them make you forget who you are, Max. I love you.

The letters became his lifeline. Every night, after lights-out, he’d sit on the edge of his bunk with a flashlight and write her back. He told her about the blisters on his feet, the meals that barely qualified as food, the drill sergeant who could make a grown man cry with a single word. But he also told her how he was getting stronger, faster, better—how he thought about her every time things got too hard.

She didn’t just write about missing him. Her letters were full of details—what their friends were up to, how the leaves were starting to change by the lake, what songs were playing on the radio. She made him feel like he wasn’t missing everything. Like she was keeping his place for him.

The days blurred together after a while, a constant cycle of exhaustion and repetition. But then, one morning, everything felt different.

It was the last day of training.

Max stood in formation with the others, the sun rising behind them as their drill sergeant paced in front of the line. They’d been through hell together—guys who had started as strangers now felt like brothers. But Max wasn’t thinking about them.

He was thinking about her.

He scanned the crowd of families waiting just beyond the training field, his heart pounding harder than it ever had during a run. She had said she’d be here. She promised.

And then he saw her.

She was standing near the back, craning her neck to see over the heads of taller people in front of her. When their eyes met, she smiled so brightly that for a second, everything else—the noise, the exhaustion, the fear—fell away.

Max’s throat tightened, but he forced himself to focus. One last task. One last push. He would finish this, and then he’d go to her.

And this time, he wouldn’t have to leave too soon.

Max’s heart hammered as the ceremony came to a close. The drill sergeant dismissed them with a sharp bark, and the tension that had held the recruits in place finally broke. Families surged forward, cheers and hugs filling the air. Max stood frozen for a moment, scanning the crowd again until he saw her pushing through the mass of people, her face a mix of determination and joy.

She was exactly how he remembered her, but somehow even better. Her hair bounced as she hurried toward him, and the familiar tilt of her smile made his chest ache. And yet, as soon as she stopped a few feet in front of him, she planted her hands on her hips like she had all the time in the world.

“Well, well,” she said, eyes sparkling with mischief. “Hey there, tough guy.”

Max swallowed hard, trying to keep his composure. But her teasing grin made the corner of his mouth twitch, threatening to break into a smile he wasn’t supposed to give just yet.

From behind her, one of his barrack mates, Danny came up and watched her as she eyed up Max. When she noticed him, he nodded at her. “Ma’am.”

She snorted, shaking her head. “Don’t ‘ma’am’ me, I’m only young.” She stepped closer, looking at Max once more, her expression shifting to exaggerated awe. “That’s a whole lot of muscles you’ve got there now. What’ve they been feeding you?”

Max tried not to laugh, but he couldn’t stop his lips from curving upward.

“You’re not supposed to touch the recruits until they’ve been tapped out,” Danny said, his voice low, playful.

She raised an eyebrow, clearly unimpressed by Max’s attempt at staying serious. “Is that so? Guess I’ll have to keep my hands to myself for a minute longer, huh?”

He held her gaze, the tension building between them until it was almost unbearable. She took another step forward, her smile softening into something sweeter, something he’d missed so much it hurt.

“Max,” she said quietly, her voice just loud enough for him to hear over the noise around them.

And then, finally, she reached out and tapped his shoulder.

That was all it took. Max didn’t hesitate—he dropped his duffel to the ground and swept her into his arms, lifting her clean off the ground. She laughed, but it broke halfway through, and then she was crying, her face buried in his shoulder.

“I missed you,” she said, her voice muffled against his uniform.

Max held her tighter, his eyes stinging as he pressed his cheek against her hair. “I missed you too,” he murmured, his voice thick.

For a moment, neither of them moved. She clung to him like she was afraid he might disappear, and Max let himself soak in the feel of her in his arms—the warmth, the softness, the familiarity he’d craved every single day he was gone.

When she finally pulled back, her hands stayed on his shoulders, her fingers brushing against the hard muscle beneath his uniform. She tilted her head, a teasing smile breaking through her tears. “Seriously, Max. What’s with these muscles? You didn’t look like this when you left.”

He chuckled, the sound low and rough, and shook his head. “Had to give you something to brag about, didn’t I?”

She laughed, swiping at her cheeks with the sleeve of her sweater. “Oh, I’m definitely bragging. You’re not going anywhere without me showing you off first.”

“Not going anywhere without you at all,” Max said softly.

Her smile faltered for just a second, her eyes filling again. “Good,” she whispered. “Because I’m not letting you go.”

He cupped her face gently, leaning in until their foreheads touched. “You’re stuck with me now.”

“Always,” she said, and for the first time in months, Max felt like he was finally home.

As they were about to kiss, a cough disrupted them. Danny. “Are you done?”

“Leave me alone Danny, I’ve seen enough of you.” Max laughed, pulling her in closer. 

“I’m heading out, my girl’s at the car but I’ll see you soon, yeah?” Danny asked, taking off his hat and running his hand through it.

“Yeah you will. See you soon Dan.”

The desert heat was unrelenting, the sun beating down on Max and Danny as they sat outside their barracks during a rare moment of downtime. Max leaned against a wall, his cap pulled low over his eyes, but it wasn’t enough to shield him from Danny’s relentless teasing.

“You’ve been staring at that box for five minutes, man,” Danny said, smirking as he leaned back in his chair. “You sure you don’t want me to take it off your hands? I’d do a solid job proposing to her, you know.”

Max shot him a look, his jaw tightening, though there was no real heat behind it. “Touch it, and I’ll bury you in the sand.”

Danny snorted, tossing a rock lazily across the dusty ground. “Relax, lover boy. I’m just saying—you’ve had that ring for months. You’ve got the whole speech planned, don’t you? ‘I’ve loved you since we were kids, you’re my whole world,’ blah, blah, blah. Bet you even practiced in the mirror.”

Max rolled his eyes, but he couldn’t help the faint smile tugging at his lips. He reached into his pocket and pulled out the small velvet box, flipping it open to reveal the simple but elegant ring inside. He didn’t need anything flashy—she wouldn’t want that. The ring was perfect: timeless, just like her.

“I don’t need a speech,” Max said quietly, running his thumb along the edge of the box. “She already knows. She’s known since before I left the first time.”

Danny’s teasing grin softened into something more genuine. “She’s a lucky girl, you know. Not everyone would stick around through all this.”

“She’s not sticking around,” Max corrected, his voice firm. “She’s living her life—uni, friends, everything she’s always wanted. She’s just...waiting for me to come back, too.”

Danny whistled low. “Well, when you put it like that, I guess you’re the lucky one.”

Max didn’t argue. He thought about her every day—her laugh, the way she scribbled little doodles in the corners of her letters, the photo she’d sent him of her sitting on the quad with her textbooks spread out around her. She looked happy, and that was what mattered most to him.

But God, he missed her.

“I’ll ask her when we’re off duty,” Max said, snapping the box shut and tucking it safely back into his pocket. “The next time I get to see her, I’m not waiting. I’m not wasting another minute.”

Danny grinned, tipping his chair back on two legs. “You’re gonna make me cry, man. I’m just glad I’ll be there to see it.”

“You’re not invited.”

“Like hell I’m not.”

They both laughed, the kind of laugh that felt rare in a place like this. For a moment, the heaviness of deployment lifted, replaced by something lighter—hope.

But when the laughter faded, Max’s mind drifted back to her. He pictured her sitting in a lecture hall, twirling a pen between her fingers, her hair catching the sunlight. She’d promised him that first day he left that she’d always be there waiting for him, and she had never broken that promise.

And soon—so soon—he’d finally get to make one to her.

The cab pulled up to her apartment building, a modest brick complex tucked onto a quiet street just off campus. Max stared out the window, his heart thundering in his chest. It didn’t matter that he’d seen her a year ago on leave or that they’d talked just last week on a grainy video call. Being here, knowing she was just a flight of stairs away, made it all feel brand new.

Danny’s words echoed in his head as he grabbed his bag and climbed out. Don’t mess this up, man. She’s been waiting long enough.

The door to her unit opened before he could even knock. There she was, framed in the doorway, wearing an oversized sweater and leggings, her hair falling loose around her shoulders. She broke into a smile so bright it felt like the sun had come out, and before he could say a word, she threw her arms around his neck.

“Max!” she breathed, holding onto him like she never wanted to let go.

He dropped his bag and wrapped her up, burying his face in her hair. She smelled like home, like everything he’d missed.

“Hey,” he said softly, his voice catching.

She pulled back just enough to look at him, her hands sliding to his shoulders. “You’re here. You’re actually here.”

“I’m here.”

She laughed, the sound a little shaky, and grabbed his hand, tugging him inside. “Come on, I made dinner. It’s probably cold by now, but I didn’t want to risk leaving the kitchen in case—”

She didn’t get to finish.

Max stopped dead in the small kitchen, his eyes scanning the space—the mismatched dishes on the counter, the vase of sunflowers he recognised from her letters, the magnets on the fridge holding up her class schedule and pictures of them together. It was perfect.

And suddenly, he couldn’t wait.

“This wasn’t how I planned it,” he muttered, mostly to himself.

“What?” She turned, confusion flickering in her eyes.

Max dropped to one knee right there in the middle of the kitchen, pulling the velvet box from his pocket. He saw her gasp, her hands flying to her mouth, but he was too focused to stop now.

“I wasn’t going to do it like this,” he said, the words tumbling out. “I had a whole plan—something big and romantic—but I don’t care about plans anymore. I just...I love you. I’ve loved you for as long as I can remember, and I don’t want to wait another second to ask.” He opened the box, his hands steady despite the chaos in his chest. “Will you marry me?”

She froze, her wide eyes locked on his. The silence stretched, and Max felt a flicker of panic.

“So?” he said, his voice cracking slightly.

That broke her. She let out a choked laugh, tears spilling down her cheeks as she dropped to her knees in front of him. “I’m sorry! I’m just—yes! Of course, yes!”

Her arms went around his neck, and she kissed him fiercely, her tears wetting his face. Max held her close, the ring box forgotten on the floor as he kissed her back, pouring every bit of love and relief into the moment.

When they finally broke apart, she laughed through her tears, her fingers tracing the line of his jaw. “You really couldn’t wait, huh?”

“Not for this,” he said, his voice low and raw.

She smiled and kissed him again, slower this time, her hands sliding down to rest against his chest. Max stood, lifting her with him effortlessly, and set her on the edge of the counter.

“Max,” she murmured, her hands slipping beneath the collar of his shirt.

“Yeah?” he said, his forehead resting against hers.

“Welcome home.”

He smiled against her lips, capturing them in another kiss, and for the first time in what felt like forever, Max let himself feel it all—the love, the relief, the joy of knowing he was exactly where he was meant to be.

Dinner had been a blur, both of them too giddy and caught up in the moment to care that the food was lukewarm and hastily reheated. They laughed, talked, and stole kisses between bites, the kind of easy affection that felt like they’d never been apart.

Now, hours later, they were tangled together in her bed. The room was dark save for the soft glow of the streetlight filtering through the blinds. She lay draped across his chest, her fingers tracing lazy patterns on his skin, her eyes fixed on the ring now resting snugly on her finger.

“How are we going to do this?” she asked quietly, her voice thoughtful but tinged with uncertainty.

Max’s hand came up to stroke her back, his thumb brushing along her shoulder blade. He let out a soft sigh. “I leave in three months.”

She stilled for a moment, her finger pausing mid-trace.

“But,” he added, his voice warm and steady, “until then, we live the happy life. All of it. You, me, late-night takeout, bad movies, everything.”

She tilted her head up to look at him, her brow furrowing slightly. “Three months isn’t that long, Max. And I’m still at uni. I’ve got two more years. How—”

“We’ve made it work for two years while I’m away,” he interrupted gently, cupping her cheek with one hand. “We can do two more. You’ve been with me through everything—every deployment, every letter, every call. This won’t be any different. Except now,” he added, his lips quirking into a small smile, “you’ll be my fiancée.”

Her lips trembled, and she leaned up to kiss him, slow and deliberate, her hand slipping over his to hold it against her cheek. When she finally pulled back, her eyes shone with determination.

“You’re really bad at letting me be dramatic, you know that?” she teased softly.

“Someone’s gotta keep you in check,” he said with a smirk.

She laughed quietly, settling back against his chest, and Max tightened his arms around her. They lay there in silence for a while, her fingers once again toying with the ring as if she couldn’t quite believe it was real.

He was engaged.

He was happy.

And he was going to marry the love of his life.

the end.

[write-here-n-now]

What to do when you've crossed a line?

C.(S). Jeonghan x Reader | WC. 1031 | G. Angst| Pt. 5/? | *Jeonghan's POV*

Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 6 | Part 7

“Wait Y/N!”

He watches you run away. He couldn’t let you get away for a second time.

His feet are stuck once again to the floor of campus hallway, everyone staring at him, as he stands unmoving and staring at your receding figure.

It’s not until Seungcheol literally slaps his back that he snaps out of the trance of tracking your disappearance.

“GO! What are you waiting for?”

His brain finally decides to comprehend the situation and instead of shutting down, his feet get the memo to follow your steps, picking up the pace as he races down the hall.

He reaches outside and sees you in the distance getting onto the local bus—well timed for your getaway.

He has a clue as to where you might be heading so he turns around to go find Seungcheol again, he had to catch up to you and he couldn’t afford to make the same mistake a third time.

He finds Seungcheol in the same hallway talking to some people, but he lifts his head to see Jeonghan fast approaching him.

“Did you chicken out again?” Seungcheol, despite only being a few months older always had a way to make Jeonghan feel like he was being scolded by a parent.

“I need your keys!”

“What?”

Jeonghan, in a clear immediate rush, starts to pat down Seungcheol trying to locate the keys to the car.

“Hold on hold on, stop frisking me!” Seungcheol swats away Jeonghan’s hands.

Reaching into the front right pocket of his jeans, he pulls out the keys but before he can even begin to offer them, Jeonghan’s hand snatches them out of his hand and dashes, without Seungcheol even able to fully comprehend the scene.

“AT LEAST SAY ‘THANK YOU’!” Seungcheol shouts after the already long-gone Jeonghan.

He doesn’t think he’s ever run so fast in his life; he knows his destination is too far otherwise he may have just run after the bus you were currently seated in.

It takes him a bit to locate the whereabouts of Seungcheol’s car, running down the aisles to locate the familiar silver hood of his friend’s car, finally choosing to click the automatic lock button before hearing its beeps coming from his far-left side.

There is a rush in every action, fumbling with the seatbelt as he enters the driver’s seat and reverses at record speed. If he was even a little bit of a bad driver, the way in which he had reversed surely would have dinged a few cars, but muscle memory was hard to let go, even in a rush.

Speeding out of the parking lot, his patience wears thin at the sheer amount of stop signs littered to simply get off the campus grounds, but he can’t risk being ticketed just because he can’t wait a few seconds.

He has a clear image of his destination, a route he knows by heart—praying he gets to you as quickly as humanly possible.

Drumming his fingers on top of the steering wheel, he waits for the main road signal to change colours, the jittering inside his body can’t seem to rest even for a moment, the idea of sprinting to you still lingering in his mind.

Luckily the light changes before he can bolt out of the car.

He needed a distraction, something to take his mind off how long it was taking to get to his destination. Turning the dial of the volume, the radio turns on and he adjusts the radio dial until it reaches the preferred station.

“This next song is a beloved, blah blah blah”

He pays no mind to the DJ’s explanation, busy trying to turn his brain away from the anxiety of missing his chance to explain himself to you and the fear of not getting to you as soon as possible.

The dialogue is a blur, but he feels his stomach flutter as he hears the familiar tune of the guitar, your favourite song.

“Wise men say…”

“Only fools rush in…”

“But I can’t help”

“Falling in love with you…”

--------

“Jeonghan come on, let me play a song”

“I’m driving so I get to choose”

“Please please please please please please please”

His eyes roll at your consistency, unable to deny your demands as your lips turn into a pout and eyes widen like a puppy.

“...fine.”

You waste no time connecting your phone and starting your favourite song.

The stereo plays out a familiar guitar strumming before Elvis’ deep voice sounds through the speakers.

“WISE MEN SAY~”

You couldn’t contain yourself whenever the song played, eager to immerse yourself in the feeling of being in love and giddiness that the smooth love song filled in your stomach.

Turning your body, you sing to Jeonghan, giggling when he looks forward uninterested in your antics and ignoring your private concert.

When you sing louder, he attempts to stick his hand over your mouth but you’re quicker and dodge, turning away from him laughing out loud, eyes closed, attempting to compose yourself enough to continue the sing-along.

The car comes to a halt at a red light as you reach the bridge. Singing your heart out, you use Jeonghan’s right arm and hand as a microphone, moving it along serenading the surrounding traffic audience.

Turning his head, he feels that darn tug. He couldn’t help the grin that carved itself onto his lips.  

He thinks that life couldn’t be any better, listening to you belt your favourite love song as if nothing mattered more, and nothing did.

The honk from a behind , snaps him out of his daydream. Turning his attention back to the road and you finish off the song with some personal adlibs.

--------

“..For I…can’t help”

“Falling in love with you…”

He looks ahead, his heart fluttering at the familiar memory but how he wishes you were here next to him, singing the song.

He shakes his head ridding the memory, trying to focus on the road ahead and the path to his destination. He turns off the radio letting the silence consume the car, he can’t dwell further on what he should’ve done before, only on what he had to do now.

TAG LIST: @jjeongddol

[rwylm-things]

Author’s note : I’m lowkey geeking that I just wrote that !! Ok ok sorry I’m dramatic and cringe. Basically I would just like to preface a few things. This fic is very unfinished, I wrote it a while ago and don’t know if I’ll ever finish. I’ve always wanted to dip my toe into creative writing but always been to scared of…..sucking? This definitely sucks though.

Despite that I read someone say on here that your first writing is going to be bad. So here it is; my god awful Jason fic. What better way to start my journey of writing than fan fiction (please be nice I’m sensitive)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

BLOW-POPS

Jason Todd x reader

Warnings : suggestive language

Word Count : 763

Tick.

Tick.

Tick.

Tick.

Finally,

You immediately braced your legs for the jump out of your seat. The ancient wheels on the chair create an uncomfortable squeak. You don’t pause to cringe at the awful sound, instead waving bye to your co-workers and making your way out the door. It had been a long day. Slow, but long. You had been laser focused on the minuscule arm that counted the final hour of the shift. As your legs hurriedly moved towards the car you could feel the tiredness seep through your bones. This particular shift had started in the earliest hours of the morning, as you start the engine your eyes drift up to the colors in the sky meshing together to create an orange hue. You let a hefty sigh leave your lips. The more thought put into it, the more excitement your mind created surrounding the prospect of taking a hot shower, watching some trash tv, and falling asleep on the couch. Smiling contently to yourself, you rush home.

Well. That was the plan. It really was.

You just may have forgotten to calculate for one important factor.

Red Hood.

Red Hood, who you may or may not have started a situationship with after he had saved your life last year. Your vehicle had been in the shop and you narrowly missed the bus for that night. Despite the fact that you’d been living in Gotham for up to a year at that point, you still took your chance and walked home from work. However, luck had never really been on your side. This was an event he would continuously criticize over the next year.

‘no concept of personal security’

‘no awareness about what's going on around you’

‘if I hadn’t been there…’

‘blah blah blah blah blah’

On one hand, you found it annoying that he really believed you couldn't take care of yourself. On the other hand, the delusional part, you relished in the thought of him giving a shit about what happens to you. To be frank, maybe situationship was the wrong word. Although you two were definitely not in a relationship. If you ever did come up with some miraculous courage, you would question the status between the two of you.

You seriously doubted that he would ever commit to a relationship. While he never specifically stated it, you knew. Despite the moments of softness he would spare, ones you would deny sent a fuzzy warmth into your head. Still, it was clear what he wanted from you.

You couldn't say friends with benefits either, that would insinuate that you two were friends. That would insinuate that you know more about him other than, he likes to be on top and has daddy issues.

Anyway, not the point.

Red Hood.

Red Hood, who was casually leaning against the marble countertops when you twisted the doorknob and stepped in. His helmet hung from his fingertips, leaving his face covered in only a black domino mask.

Red Hood.

Red Hood, who currently had you pressed deeply into the couch, leaving no room between your bodies. His full lips pressed harshly against your own, his tongue seeking entrance into your mouth. Once you slightly parted your lips, his tongue began dancing with yours, fighting for dominance.

He always won.

“You taste like cherry.”

This was the first he spoke since you had entered the apartment.

“I-” you paused as he began suckling on your neck,

“I ate a blow for lunch. Well actually I ate like six. This nice old lady I helped today gave me a jumbo bag. Don’t ask me why she just carried that around because I don’t know and I wasn’t about to ask. I know that I'm not supposed to be taking candy from strangers but like she was really nice and I was starving. Now that I think about it, I probably ate like ten.”

You rambled quickly, sounding almost breathless from his lips on your neck. You swear you felt him smile against your skin.

Meeting with him always gave you a rush of adrenaline. Meeting with him always created a very specific feeling you swore you could feel run through your veins. Knowing the hands that were gently caressing your upper torso were the same that ruthlessly pummeled the worst of Gotham. Maybe you were messed up, but hey, maybe that's what drew you two together.

That being said, you were tired.

As he moved to kiss further into the crook of your neck, you rested your eyes for a split second.

[madsworld15]

Snippet from You Can't Start a Fire Without a Spark Chapter 4: Justin

I know it's been 2.5 months since I updated this fic, but I'm back at work. Here is a bit of development between Brian and Justin I wanted to share. ENJOY! (Let me know of your excitement below)

--

A black Jeep pulled up to the curb with a squeal from the brakes. Justin shook his head and hid a smile at the thought of Brian having little regard for gently parking his vehicle. Justin from two months ago would’ve seen Brian’s driving, immediately ran back into his home, and preferred to brave the bus. However, knowing that Brian is kind, gentle, and considerate helped him to hike his bag higher up on his shoulder and climb aboard without a second thought.

“Thank you,” Justin mumbled, taking one of his earbuds out but refusing to turn off the audiobook completely. Yes, he felt more comfortable with Brian than most people, but he still needed to listen to his comfort book to keep his mind from spiraling for the second time in an hour. 

“No problem,” Brian said briefly before signaling the blinker and pulling away from the curb. Justin didn’t look at him but could feel his gaze fall on him from time to time as they drove across town.

After a few minutes of silence between them, Justin could feel a shift in the atmosphere. Sure enough, moments later, Brian spoke up and asked Justin a question that couldn’t be answered with a simple one-word response.

“So, why do you always listen to Street Lamp of Destiny?” Brian didn’t look at Justin, and his tone was carefree and genuinely curious.

“It’s my favorite book. Something about the plot puts my mind at ease and helps me fully immerse myself in my art.” Justin bit his lip and hit pause on his audiobook, knowing that this was only the start of their conversation.

Justin watched as Brian thought over Justin’s response, rubbing his hand across his mouth while his other hand stayed on the steering wheel. Then, Brian nodded in either agreement or understanding, Justin wasn’t sure which without further clarification.

“I mean, of all the books in that series, why the first one?” Brian seemed nervous, though he hid it well, which confused Justin.

“You know about the Destiny of Love series?” Justin turned his full attention to Brian so quickly that he even surprised himself. This mysterious man was becoming even more intriguing every time they spoke. “Wait, are you a secret romance fanatic?”

Brian was silent for a bit before he explained himself. “I’m an author. Of course, I know about current books that everyone is reading.”

Justin squinted at Brian. Something about his response didn’t feel completely honest. But the young blond wasn’t about to call him on it. That would require a much steadier confidence level than he presently contained. A comfortable silence fell between them as Justin allowed himself to immerse his mind in the world of Andy and Neil once more.

“So, why the first one?” Brian’s voice was earnest but kind. Justin felt like Brian truly wanted to understand who Justin was beyond the obvious layers he presented to the world. It was the first time in over a decade that someone genuinely wanted to know more about him.

Justin bit back a smile as he paused the audiobook once more. “I like the whole series, don’t get me wrong, but there is something happier about the first one. Not to mention, it focuses on the relationship between Neil and Andy more than the other two do. In the other two, the story centers on what Neil has to go through, all while making Andy an afterthought. I prefer the romance.”

Brian seemed to let Justin’s opinion sink in before he responded. “So, you’d prefer a romance that doesn’t have any struggle or strife?”

Justin glanced out the window and watched as Liberty Avenue passed by. They were getting closer to the gallery and the end of their conversation. Normally, Justin would be breathing a sigh of relief at that prospect, but today he found himself dreading it.

He pinched his fingers over his closed eyes and tried to better articulate himself. “No. Think about it, Street Lamp of Destiny has plenty of strife, what with Andy being attacked not long after he meets Neil. But, at least in that novel the pair seem to be in their struggles together. When we get to Love Lost, the story centers completely on Neil having cancer and shutting Andy out of his life completely. So much so that Andy ends up finding a new boyfriend while also wanting to be there for Neil.” 

Justin pauses briefly to catch his breath and then continues. “Then, I thought with Destiny Redeemed we would get a reunification that stuck, but instead, it was more of the same from Love Lost. Neil and Andy get back together, but Neil’s ego gets in the way, and he starts pushing Andy to the side more and more as Neil builds up his own advertising business.”

Brian caught Justin’s eye as they pulled up behind the Sidney Bloom Gallery. He smirked, but it wasn’t in malice or negative in any way. No, Brian was truly amused by Justin’s thoughts. That was new for the young blond. He hadn’t had someone show amusement toward him since before his bashing. 

“Sorry, I shouldn’t have dumped all that on you.” Justin’s subconscious got the better of him as he shrank within himself and hoped Brian would let him get out of the car and away from this conversation. His anxiety was ramping up just as Brian reached out a steadying hand and gripped Justin’s shaking hand in his own.

“Don’t apologize. I asked for your opinion, and you gave it to me.” Brian paused, his gaze swept from Justin to the view outside his windshield – a bunch of nondescript buildings from the block behind the gallery. “I appreciate your candor. But maybe you just misunderstood. Perhaps, Neil and Andy don’t seem prevalent in the books because the struggles are too massive to truly see the love they have for one another under the surface.”

Justin looked at Brian incredulously. “You’ve read them?!”

Brian coughed and pulled his hand away from Justin. The older man seemed to shrink a bit more within himself at Justin’s comment. Then, he turned the key, quieting the Jeep, and got out of the vehicle completely without another word. Justin could tell the conversation was officially squashed. But he wanted to fight to keep it alive. So, he jumped out of the Jeep and quickly caught up to the older man who was already halfway across the parking lot.

“I’m not judging. It’s just. You have no idea how much I love these books. I don’t have much of a social circle, as I’m sure you’ve noticed, so I never get to talk about them with others. If I came on too strong, I apologize.”

Brian stopped in his tracks and turned to face Justin, who almost ran into him the movement was so abrupt. 

The older brunet rubbed his hands over his knitted cap. Then with a sigh, he finally answered, “Stop doing that. You don’t need to apologize for everything. Sometimes people just don’t have an answer.”

Justin dropped his head and stared at his feet. The urge to apologize again bubbled just under the surface. He fought the urge to let the tears stinging the back of his eyes show. Just as he sniffed and rubbed his hand along his nose, Brian gave a sigh of his own.

“That was harsh. You didn’t deserve it. I, um, let’s just say I know the books very well.” Brian gave Justin’s feet a gentle nudge with his own.

“You do?” Justin’s voice was quiet, and he squeaked at the end. He mentally kicked himself for sounding so vulnerable.

“I do.” Brian nodded. Can I ask you one more question about them? Then we can end this conversation. You can go do your art, and I will go bother Lindsay.”

“Um, sure.” Justin shrugged his shoulders up. His breathing was slow and calculated to prevent an anxiety attack.

“Who’s your favorite character?” Brian gave a mischievous grin as Justin looked up in shock. That wasn’t what he’d expected.

“That’s what you want to know? Why?” Justin started walking toward the gallery once more. He really couldn’t figure Brian out. One minute he could be kind and considerate, the next short and snippy, and then moments later, back to kind. He acted aloof and unwilling to connect but then asked questions about Justin’s motivations and what he loved.

“You don’t talk much. But when I asked you about the book series, you lit up. Maybe, part of me wanted to see that in you a little bit more.” Brian shrugged, then dropped his hands into his pockets as he slowly walked alongside Justin.

“Andy. In the first book he gets attacked on the street for being gay. I really connect with that.” Justin shrugged, not making eye contact with Brian. He knew that Lindsay knew about his history. But he didn’t know if Brian did.

Brian nodded as they both kept walking. It wasn’t until they reached the door that Brian finally added his two cents. “Your mom mentioned you were attacked, which is why you don’t trust others. I can see why you’d like Andy.”

It seemed as though Brian wanted to say more but didn’t know how. Justin glanced at him inquisitively. Brian gave him a small smile in return and held the door open. The two entered the building from the back, which was only a few feet from Justin’s studio space. Justin walked past Brian and immediately got to work. He needed to organize his space and get started on the planning stages of his next series. While he wanted to continue to talk to Brian, he also didn’t have the confidence to request their conversation continue. So, it was no surprise when Brian left him at his studio and ventured further toward the front to find Lindsay.

[giggly-squiggily]

Oooo okay!! I’m so excited for your starters to be open!!! Can I get “don’t you even think about it” with lee!rin?? Any pairing you’d prefer is welcome!! Thank you if you do write it 🥰🥰

{Puffs are now CLOSED!}

*puts on sunglasses as I grab the wheel* All aboard the Rarepair bus, y'all- it's HioRin's time to SHINE!! You're so sweet anon! Thank you :3

“Don’t even think about it.”

“Think about what?” Hiori asked in that kansai accent of his, sending tingles across Rin’s skin. “I haven't even said anything yet.”

“You didn’t need to. I can see it in your face.” He dared a peek, narrowing his eyes at the other’s sweet smile. “You talked to Isagi.”

“So I did.”

“He told you.”

“Perhaps.”

“....Hiori, I swear-” Rin scooted back out of the other boy’s reach, just barely making it. “Don’t even try it!”

“You act as if I’m gonna attack you! How rude- I was just going to brush some dirt off your side.” Hiori giggled as he reached out quickly, faking a prod and watching Rin jerk out of reach. “You’re so jumpy!”

“I’m not.” Rin tried to stay still to prove his point, but another false grab at his ribs made him gasp and fall back on his elbows. “Stop being so weird!”

“Hehe, okay okay. I won’t tease you.” Good. Rin sighed and closed his eyes.

“I’m just gonna getcha for real.”

Shit! “Hiori-” Rin didn’t get a chance to react before the cyan haired boy jumped him, pushing him flat on his back as he tickled his sides. “Gah! N-No! Dohohon’t!”

“Oo, it’s just as he said! Isagi mentioned you’d try to fight it!” Hiori giggled, keeping his touch light as he scratched at his sides. Rin was a twitching mess beneath him, arms pressed tightly against his torso as he stubbornly bit his lip to keep from laughing. “Don’t hurt yourself now- just let it out. I wanna hear you laugh!”

That was so unfair- why’d he have to go and say it like that? Rin felt his defenses crumble some, a few reluctant giggles escaping. Those grew into proper laughter when hands moved to the backs of his ribs, pinching along the worst bits. “Hihihhiihiori! Gehahahahahha- thehehehre, yohoohu gohoohot mehehehe! Ehehehehehe, now stahahhahap!”

“Aww, and I was just getting started too!” With a mock sigh, Hiori did as asked, pulling his hands back and sitting politely while Rin gasped for air. “That’s fine. I’ll just have to get you again sometime.”

“Agahahin?” Rin couldn’t tell if he was happy to hear that or not. Was it suddenly hot in here?

“Yeah! I like your laugh. It’s really nice to listen to.” Hiori nodded. Then he froze, face burning a vibrant red at the accidental slip. “Oh- uh-I..I gotta go! Isagi told me he needed-er-something! Bye Rin!”

With that, he was gone. Rin would have called after him if he wasn’t currently short-circuiting. The words Hiori let slip replayed several times in his mind, making his heart do funny things and his face a semi-permanent shade of red.

“Damn. You got it bad.” The redhead from Isagi’s old team mused from out of nowhere.

He didn’t have it in him to argue.

[scullysexual]

a continuation of this. @today-in-fic

mentions of emotional/physical abuse.

“No, Mommy!” Emily cries, trying to squirm away from Dana’s hand. They are in the bathroom of a Walmart, a wet paper towel sits in Dana’s hand as she attempts to wash the dirt and grime of the past few days from her daughter’s face. The five year old has none of it.

“I have to clean your face, baby,” Dana says quietly. Truthfully, she doesn’t have the energy to fight with Emily today. She was exhausted; the stresses of her living situation catching with her.

Last night they had camped in the parking lot of the Walmart whose bathroom they were currently using. It was another cold night and Dana had barely slept. Despite the overnight parking sign, Dana had still been worried somebody would come along and throw them out even if she deliberately parked in the corner furthest away. That, however, had also come with its own issues: no streetlights. So while one half of her had worried about getting kicked out, the other half worried about getting her car broken into while they slept.

Emily, thankfully, had had no issues falling asleep. It was the daytime she struggled with. Unsimulated, bored, Emily’s tantrums had been getting worse lately. So far Emily had ripped one of her books apart and the corner of her tablet had a crack in it from when Emily had thrown it onto the parking lot’s tarmac. Dana tried not to get angry at her child, she was probably feeling the stress too now.

“Why can’t I go home and have a proper bath?” Emily asks.

Home. Every day Emily asked to go home. Every day Dana told her they couldn’t.

“Home isn’t safe anymore,” Dana tells her again.

“Daddy puts bubbles in my bath and let’s me play with as many ducks as I want.” Emily’s head lifts, almost challenging Dana to compete with her precious daddy. She hears what Emily doesn’t say. You keep me in a car all day and try to wash my face in stinky toilets.

Dana knows this already. She would listen as Ethan bathed Emily hours after a fight, like nothing had happened, meanwhile Dana would clean up the mess left behind.

She doesn’t tell Emily the other things Ethan does or says like how angry he becomes when he drinks or how she and Emily are the reason his life is so shit.

Well, they were out of his life now, Dana wonders if it was going any better for him.

Dana tosses the paper towel into the trashcan. She brushes her teeth and then disappears into the cubical to pee. She gets Emily to sing a song with her so Dana knows she still there and it’s during this time that something catches her eye. A leaflet sticks halfway out of the sanitary bin. Dana yanks it out as the lyrics to Wheels On The Bus trail off from her lips. Emily stops singing, too.

“Mommy, where did you go?” Emily cries.

“I’m still on the toilet, baby,” Dana answers though she is distracted looking at the leaflet. It’s a job ad; some time of nanny agency. Babysitting, Dana thinks. There’s a number on the bottom. An ideal striking, Dana gets off the toilet. When she opens the cubical, the leaflet still in her hand, Emily looks at her with relief.

“You took too long,” she says accusatory.

“I’m sorry,” Dana apologises. She shoves the leaflet into her bag and washes her hands.

“Can we go home now?” Emily asks.

“Soon.” Dana helps Emily off the counter and she takes hold of her hand, leading her out of the bathroom.

…

Dana listens as the phone rings, Finding Nemo plays in the background, Emily’s little laughter escaping her mouth as she watches. The phone rings five times and Dana is sure nobody is going to pick up. She’s about to give up when the ringing stops, there’s a slight pause, and then a woman’s voice rings through.

“Happy Nest Nurseries, Ellie speaking, how can I help?”

The voice on the other end takes Dana back a bit and she stutters slightly before she speaks.

“Hi, um…I’m Dana Scully. I was wondering if you had any positions available?” She bites her lip with trepidation, watching Emily through the rear-view mirror.

Ellie sighs. “I’m sorry, we don’t have any places, right now.” Dana’s heart sinks. Ellie goes quiet again and Dana hears the hustle of the phone being moved. There’s a conversation happening between Ellie and somebody else but Dana can’t quite catch the words. Finally, Ellie’s voice sounds through again.

“Actually, Monica says she might have something. Could you come in today?”

Dana smiles, happy and wide. “Yes! Yes, I can.”

“Great,” says Ellie. “I will see you then.”

They exchanges goodbyes and Dana starts putting the car into gear. The sound of the engine coming to life causes Emily to look up from her tablet.

“Are we going home now?” she asks.

“Not quite. Mommy has somewhere she needs to be.”

…

It’s only when she gets to the offices- the address listed on the leaflet and confirmed during a quick phone call to Ellie again- that Dana realises her appearance doesn’t exactly scream interview ready. She looks as tired as she feels, has aged about 10 years in three days. When she untangles her hair from the hair tie it falls down mattered and greasy, in need of a good wash, her curls in need of a reset (or a pair of straighteners) She finger combs through the ends, yanks out a giant knot with a wince, then reties her hair, this time into a ponytail. Then she pulls open the glove compartment in the hopes of finding a stray lip gloss tube in there. After rummaging around she finds not only the lip gloss but mascara, too, along with that a broken comb, couple of random receipts, a lighter, half a pack of cigarettes, Ethan’s ‘lost’ driver’s license- the memory of the day he lost that forever burned into her mind- and a teething toy from when Emily was a baby. Suffice to say, just about everything was in this glove compartment.

Dana shoves everything put the lip gloss and mascara away, she’ll deal with that junk another day. The uses the sun shield mirror and applies the products, immediately looking and feeling better about herself. She turns to Emily then.

“Emily?”

Emily remains half engrossed still by her tablet. “Hmm?”

“I’m about to speak to some very important people. I need you to be on your best behaviour, okay?”

“Can I bring my tablet?”

Dana sighs. When she was pregnant with Emily she didn’t want to become that parent who handed their child a phone screen to keep them quiet. In fact, she had been very against the idea, upholding it whenever she could. It was Ethan who ruined that one. When Emily was two years old he handed her his phone and it had been that way ever since. It wasn’t the first time Dana tried to implement rules and restrictions that would get thrown out the window by Ethan a few hours later. Bubble baths and unlimited ducks one of them. There was a reason Daddy was the favoured one because he gave whatever Emily wished, Mommy was just mean.

“Yes but you’ll have to put on your headphones.”

Emily pulls the headphones out of her bag and puts them on, forgetting to plug the wire into the tablet. Dana laughs and climbs out, reaching back into the car to unbuckle Emily and plug the wire in. Dana guiding a screen-hypnotised Emily, they both walk into the office building.

…

She meets Ellie at one of the desks. The girl wearily eyes Dana and Emily before smiling that fake customer facing smile.

“Maria will be in her office. Follow me.” And Dana does, following Ellie to the end of the hall. Two knocks and when a voice on the other side of the door bids them entry, Ellie opens it.

“Dana Scully is here to see you,” says Ellie.

“Send her in,” says the voice.

Ellie opens the door wider and Dana walks into the room.

“You can go now, Ellie.” And Ellie does so, closing the door behind her.

The woman- Monica- does a once over of Dana.

“I’m sorry,” Dana says immediately. Between the looks Ellie gave her and now the looks Monica is giving her, she knows she isn’t making a great first impression appearance wise. “I just didn’t intend on coming here today.”

“That’s okay,” says Monica. “Who is this?” she asks with interest and a big smile at the sight of Emily.

“My daughter, Emily—” Emily is oblivious, her eyes still glued to the screen. Dana looks wearily towards the other woman.

“You know, a lot of our clients don’t like giving screens to children,” Monica says in a tone that is gentle but still conveys a certain amount of warning.

“I know. And I don’t usually like it either but she’s so restless, she’d only be pilfering through your stuff, she’s very curious. The screen gives her something to focus on, it keeps her quiet, it…” Dana trails off. She knows she isn’t making much of an effort to defend herself, coming up with excuses here and there. “I just needed her to be quiet for now,” Dana says honestly. “I try to restrict her screen time.” A half lie, she did try when she lived with Ethan.

“Sit,” says Monica. “Let’s have a little chat.”

The woman guides the two of them over to the chairs at her desk. Dana helps Emily onto her seat before sitting down herself. Monica watches, beady eyed. When everyone is settled, Monica speaks.

“I don’t often do this but we’ve had a client seeking a nanny recently,” explains Monica and Dana hangs on to every word. “She’s desperate, almost, and we’re fully booked. Or we were, until you called. Now, we will have to do background checks, make sure you’re legit, it’ll take about three days but if everything comes back clean, which in most cases it does, the job is yours. Would you like it?”

Dana can barely believe it. She smiles brightly and nods.

“Yes, of course.”

Monica smiles back. “Great. Let me get you a form.” She wanders over to a filing cabinet and pulls the top drawer open. Dana takes her chance.

“Um…I wondered if I could also get a proof of employment in those three days as well. I’m hoping to get onto a housing list.”

Monica pauses and sighs. “Unfortunately Dana, you have to pass your probation before we can give you anything like that.”

Dana’s heart sinks once more. “And how long is the probation?”

“Three months.”

Dana gawks. Three months! She can’t live in her car for three months. She looks away, willing herself not to cry.

“I also have to ask what you intend to do with Emily when you’re at work. We’re you intending on taking her along too or do you have somewhere to put her, someone she can stay with?”

“Would she be allowed to come with me?”

Monica sighs again. “It’s not advised. You’re protected under insurance if anything was to happen to you while at the house. Emily, however, would not be. It is a risk.”

Dana looks at Emily then. Who knows what type of person this client could be. She could be risking Emily’s safety taking her with her. But where else could she go? To go back home would mean seeing Ethan. Family is…tricky. Melissa isn’t cut out for caring for a child- not to mention if she’d be in any state to even do so- she hasn’t spoken to her parents since Emily’s fifth birthday and that ended in an argument between her and her father, Ethan’s mother despises her and while she loves Emily she’ll only accept Emily if Ethan is the one dropping her off. There was one last person, the only one who has actually offered any support for Dana in the five years she’s been a mother but she too comes at a risk.

But, depending on hours, a risk Dana was willing to make.

“Yeah,” she says. “I have someone she can stay with.”

“Brilliant,” says Monica. She hands the form to Dana. “Fill this in as quickly as possible.”

…

Diana Fowley is the name of the woman who’s kids she’ll be looking after. Two boys: William who was the same age as Emily and Arthur who was three. Simple. Easy. She can do this.

Diana is a lawyer and, according to Monica, going through a divorce. It’s messy, the father’s contact with the boys is limited to weekends or whatever reason and originally, he was the stay at home dead while she was the breadwinner. Now this divorce has meant Diana has to look at other options.

Dana can’t help but compare this father to Ethan. She could never imagine Ethan as a stay at home parent- that was relegated to her- for pride mostly but also for controlling reasons. If Dana has no income herself then she can never leave, forever dependant on Ethan for a home, for financial support. She wishes she could see his face now. I got a job, Ethan. Turns out I’m not as stupid as you made me think.

Not that she was ever stupid. She has a quarter of a physics degree, had a direct path into medicine. A doctor she was going to be, a heart surgeon of all things. She was Emily’s age when she decided that that was what her career was going to be. She had it all worked out: married at 30, a kid two years later. Only the marriage never came, the kid nine years too early.

Dana doesn’t regret Emily, she doesn’t blame Emily for how her life has turned out. Emily is her entire world, Dana just wishes she hadn’t been 21.

“What do you want to be when you grow up, Emily?” Dana asks as they drive down a suburb.

The tablet is still on, now playing Ratatouille.

“A chef!”

This would be wonderful news if, when Dana asked her a few days ago, Emily hadn’t replied with dentist because she was watching Finding Nemo. She expects her daughter’s answer would’ve been a superhero if she’d been watching The Incredibles. But whatever path her daughter choices, Dana just hopes she’s able to become whatever she wants.

Her stomach twists as the house looms in front of her. Bill’s house she thinks as her hands squeeze the steering wheel. No, Tara’s, Dana corrects. If she stays it’s Tara’s house then it is a lot less daunting.

“Where are we, Mommy?”

“You’re going to spend the day with Auntie Tara, baby.”

Emily recoils.

“I hate Auntie Tara!”

“Emily!” Dana admonishes, spinning around. “You don’t hate anyone. Auntie Tara loves you. She wants to see you.”

Tears come to Emily’s eyes as she furiously shakes her head.

“I don’t want to!” the child cries. “I don’t like Auntie Tara. I want to go home! I want Daddy! Why won’t you let me see Daddy?!”

Dana sighs preparing herself for another Emily tantrum.

“Take me to Daddy!” Emily’s foot kicks the back of Dana’s chair. “I want to see Daddy!” Kick. Daddy. Kick. Daddy. Kick. Daddy.

Dana closes her eyes, focuses on her breath, breathing in and out, in and out. She reopens her eyes.

“Emily,” she says quietly, not rising to her daughter’s level. “I need Tara to look after you today.”

“Why can’t Daddy?”

“Daddy’s busy.”

“But I haven’t seen him in years!”

She reminds herself that it’s only been a week.

“I know and we will see Daddy soon but for now, I need you to go with Auntie Tara until Mommy gets back, okay?”

“Where are you going?”

“I told you, Mommy has to go to work.”

The concept was baffling to the child.

“But you stay at home…” Emily says with a frown.

Dana smiles. “Not anymore. We need to find a house—”

“We have a house- Daddy’s house.”

Dana unbuckles her seatbelt and climbs out of the car. She opens Emily’s door, unbuckles Emily, and kneels down in front of her.

“I need you to listen to me, Emily. Daddy is a bad person. Do you know what a bad person is?”

Emily nods. “They hurt you.”

Dana nods in return. “They do. That’s what Daddy did- he hurt me. He almost hurt you.” She wipes a stray tear from her child’s face. “So I got us out of there. That is why we can’t go back home, we can’t go back to Daddy. I’m gonna get us a new house where nobody can hurt us but I need you to stay with Tara so I can do that. Do you think you can do that?”

Emily pauses, thinking it over hard as if she had any choice in the matter.

“Daddy was shouting and you were crying.” Emily frowns as if trying to remember. “And something hitted my head.”

Dana nods again, tears now coming to her own eyes. She thought maybe Emily would have forgotten that night. Clearly not. “It was a glass cup, baby. Daddy threw a glass cup and it almost hit you.”

Emily’s eyes widen. “Why? Did I do something wrong? Do I make Daddy angry?”

Dana’s heart breaks a million times over, the gravel currently cutting into her knees didn’t hurt as much as this. She gathers Emily into her embrace.

“No, baby girl…” She breaths in her unique Emily scent. “You don’t make anybody angry. Daddy meant to…” She stops herself. Daddy meant to throw it at me she almost says. “He didn’t mean to throw it at you. But it did get you so that’s why we had to leave.”

“Daddy let’s me have bubbles and ducks in the bath.”

Dana smiles despite having nothing to smile about. How difficult to must be to understand that the Daddy who gives Emily bubbles and ducks is the same Daddy who screamed at Mommy, made her cry, and threw a glass cup.

“I’ll tell you what,” Dana proposes, pulling away and looking at Emily once more. “If you stay with Tara now, when we get our new house, you can have all the bubbles and ducks you want.”

“I want a duck bedroom. Painted yellow. With little ducks like Quacky.”

Dana sniffles, giggling through her tears. “You can have that as well. You can have anything you want.”

Emily smiles, tears and tantrums over. Another tear falls from Dana’s own eyes and Emily reaches forward, wiping one away.

“Don’t cry, Mommy. You can have bubbles and ducks, too.”

In that moment, every single thing Dana has endured feels 100% worth it if it meant Emily got to be here. She pulls Emily back into a hug.

“I love you, baby girl. So, so much.”

“I love you, too, Mommy.”

Dana presses little kisses all over Emily face until the child laughs and squirms away. Then she stands and Emily resumes watching her movie. Dana knocks on Tara’s front door.

[atths--twice]

It Will Be Alright

Separated on a case, Scully is involved in an accident. Mulder will not rest until he knows she is alright.

February 2017

“There’s been an accident.”

That was all Skinner had said and Mulder had been ready to run out of the building and continue on until he reached Scully. 

But instead he had excused himself, not caring to hear anything further, and left in his car, driving thirty minutes to Scully’s current location. 

An accident. Another one that happened while they had been forced to work on separate cases. He shook his head as he gripped the steering wheel and changed lanes. 

Of course she had been injured when she was with him, numerous times over the years in fact, but it was never because he had not attempted to keep her safe. When they were separated, it seemed she always ended up in the hospital. 

As he drove in silence, the sound of the radio causing his anxiety to rise, he could not help but recall the moment when he believed he was looking at her burned and dead body lying on Ruskin Dam. 

He swallowed and then clenched his jaw, as he remembered the feeling of observing through blinds, what he thought would be her dead body, his heart racing and palms sweating. 

It’s not her. 

It was not then and it would not be now. She was okay. 

She had to be. 

_________

He had to park blocks away, running the rest of the distance. Flashing his badge, he gained access under the tape and began searching for her. 

His phone rang and he took it from his pocket to see that Skinner was calling him. 

“Mulder,” he said, walking past police and rescue workers, people crying as they held each other, and groups of children standing with worried adults. That puzzled him, until he turned the corner and saw a school bus on its side and his heart sank. 

“Did you find her?” Skinner asked brusquely, but Mulder heard the worry in his voice. 

“Not yet. It appears to be a multi-car accident. A bus on its side.” 

“Empty?” 

“Judging by the amount of children I’ve seen, it’s not likely.” 

“Fuck,” Skinner seethed. “Injuries?” 

“Can’t say for sure at the moment, but I’d say it’s more than likely.” 

“Let me know when you find her,” Skinner said and Mulder nodded. 

“I will,” he said and then the line went dead. Putting his phone back into his pocket, he took a second to look around. 

Fire trucks and ambulances were pulled as close to the bus as they could get and men and women were tending to children sitting on stretchers. As he watched a police officer bringing teddy bears to the children, he saw Scully crawling out of the back of the bus and carefully sliding down the door. 

He was on his way to her before her feet touched the ground. 

“There are two more in there with the EMT’s,” she was saying to the officer standing by the door. “Once the other ambulance gets here, they will transport them. They-” She caught sight of Mulder and he watched her shoulders drop. “They should be here in a few minutes.”

Now that he was closer, he saw that she had dark red blood on her forehead and her left cheek was very pink. She was also favoring her left arm and he highly suspected it was either sprained or broken. 

“The kids all get out?” he asked and she nodded. 

“All except the last two, like I was just saying,” she said and he nodded, staring at the laceration on her forehead and the abrasions that ran down to her neck. 

“Have the paramedics looked at you yet?” 

“They’ve seen me, if that’s what you mean,” she said, grimacing as she moved her arm. 

“It’s not what I mean and you know it.”

“Then no, they haven’t. There were others hurt worse and I-” 

“Then let me help,” he said with a nod. “You go see them and I’ll take over here.”

“I’m okay.” 

“Bullshit. Have you seen your face? And I’m sure your arm is broken.” 

“I can wait, they’re busy.” 

“Then let me help you,” he said, stepping to her right side and turning her toward an ambulance. “I can at least clean you up a little. Get that blood off of your face and cover that laceration.”

“Mulder,” she said softly and he shook his head. 

“I’m not asking, Scully,” he said, equally as soft, but firmly resolute. “I know you want to keep helping, but you need help too.” 

“Okay,” she agreed and he nodded, leading her to the ambulance. 

The paramedic inside, who was opening and closing drawers and taking out needed supplies, took one look at Scully and she paused with a deep sigh. 

“If you give me the items I would need to help her,” Mulder said. “I can take care of her. I know you’re busy with the others.” 

“I’ve been trying to get her looked at since we pulled up,” the paramedic said, looking at Scully. “You have a laceration above your eyebrow and those abrasions from the air bag need treatment before they start to really hurt.” 

“I know,” Scully said. “But I-” 

“Wanted the children seen to first, I know. And I understand,” the paramedic said. “But you’re injured too. I can leave some things here unless you want me to do it before I-” 

“No,” Scully said. “Agent Mulder can do it. He’s had training.” 

“I’ll get you what you need.” 

Mulder helped Scully into the ambulance after the paramedic had left, the supplies lying on the small padded bench.

“Sit down, Scully,” Mulder said and she lowered herself down slowly, groaning as she did. He took his suit jacket off, laid it beside her, and rolled up his sleeves. “Okay, let’s get the cut taken care of first.”

“I think it might need a stitch,” she said, closing her eyes as he sat down next to her. 

“Well, we’ll do what we can here for now.” He began to ready what he would need, glancing at her often, and shaking his head. “What happened?” 

“We were following the suspect and he got spooked. He started speeding and we gave chase, calling the police to inform them of the potential danger,” she said, her voice sounding hoarse and tired. “There was traffic piling up and he jumped to the other side of the street. I knew it would be bad, but I didn’t think…” She drew in a sharp breath and he put his hand on her leg, gently squeezing her thigh. 

“It’s okay. Let me do this and then you can tell me more, if you want.” He brushed her hair back, tucking it behind her ear and she opened her eyes. They were full of tears and he leaned forward, kissing her temple softly. 

“The children were screaming,” she whispered. “That’s what I remember most, the sounds of their screaming.” 

“It’s alright,” he whispered back, kissing her temple again. 

“I don’t even remember getting into the accident,” she said. “We hit someone or they hit us, I don’t know which. But I heard the children screaming and crying. Calling for their mothers and I…” She began to cry and he pulled her to him, mindful of her arm, closing his eyes as he held her. “I kept… kept thinking of William and if he… what would happen if it was him? If we still had him and he… I kept thinking that I just wanted you here with me so badly.” 

“It’s alright,” he said again, feeling her shaking as she cried. “I’m here now. I’m here, Scully.” 

“Mulder, those poor children,” she cried and he exhaled, holding her close. 

“You were here for them, Scully,” he said into her hair. “They may not know how much it means right now, or for a long time, but they will realize it one day, and they will be very grateful for you.” He felt her nod against his shoulder even as she choked back a sob. “And… if it was William… if we had him… I would hope that someone like you was there for him when he needed it most.” 

“Mulder, please,” she cried, clinging to him as she let the tears fall, no longer holding them back. 

“It’s alright, honey. It’s okay,” he murmured, waiting for her to calm before he pulled back slightly, kissing her temple again. 

“Thank you,” she whispered, her right palm resting on his heart. “Thank you for being here. For knowing that I… that I needed you.” 

“Always,” he whispered, pulling back further and looking at her face. “Now, let me clean you up and then you need to speak to Agent… shit, I don’t remember his name, but we’ll tell him we’re going to the hospital. You need to get an x-ray of your arm.” 

“When I know all the children are okay,” she agreed with a small nod. “Then, I’ll go.” 

“Alright,” he said, knowing that she would stick to her word and wait to be sure every child was safe.

He cleaned up her cut, which now that he saw it closely, he knew it was definitely going to need a stitch or two. But for now, three carefully placed butterfly closures would be enough. An antibiotic cream was gently applied to her face, her eyes closed as she winced occasionally and he apologized each time. 

“There,” he whispered when he was finished and she opened her eyes with a sigh. 

“Thank you. It feels better than it did.” 

“Good.” He gathered up the trash, threw it away, and then picked up his jacket. “You’re going to be sore for a while. Stand up slowly, or I could give you a hand.” 

“Yes, please,” she said, holding out her right hand and he grasped it, holding it tightly as she stood up. “You’re right, I ache all over.” 

“I’m sure you do. Come on, let’s go.” 

He helped her out of the ambulance, offering his jacket when he saw her shivering. 

“No, I’m okay. But thank you,” she said and he put his jacket on, keeping an eye on her should she need it, or anything else. 

When the last child had been accounted for, taken home or to the hospital, and the tow trucks came to pick up all of the broken vehicles, Scully met his eyes and nodded. 

As they walked to his car, she called Skinner and updated him on what had happened and where they would be for the foreseeable time frame. 

She fell asleep in the car on the way to the hospital, waking in a panic and jarring her arm with a cry of pain. 

“I’m almost certain it’s broken, it's throbbing like crazy,” she said, as they walked to the hospital. “Looks like you’ll be stuck with the paperwork.” 

“Nah,” he said, opening the door. “You can type with one hand. It’ll be slow going, but that’s okay.” 

She gave him a tired smile, continuing to the check in desk as he searched for two chairs together. 

When they finally left, after what felt like hours, she had three stitches above her eyebrow, her fractured wrist in a cast, and antibiotic cream reapplied to her abrasions. 

They stopped at the pharmacy to pick up the prescriptions the doctor had ordered for her and then he drove Scully to her apartment. 

He made sure she was comfortable and had all she needed within reach, adding a large bottle of ice water to her nightstand, before saying goodnight. 

“You’re leaving?” she asked, her eyes opening tiredly. “Do you have to go?”

“Well, I don’t have any clothes here or anything else for that matter, so…” 

“Your go bag is in the trunk, isn’t it? 

“No. I took it out the other day.”

“Oh, well… I have… a couple of your shirts here… if you… Whoa,  I think those pain pills are starting to hit me.” 

“Then you should sleep,” he said, bending to kiss her head. 

“Stay with me,,” she breathed. “Please don’t… don’t leave.” 

Hesitating for only a moment, he walked to her closet to search for one of his old shirts, as she exhaled his name in her sleep. 

He would not be leaving. 

[tzuyusluv]

❥ All I Want

genre -> fluff

pairing -> enhypen x reader

warnings -> cursing, mc is drunk in heeseung’s

word count -> 0.8k

summary -> this request right here <3

Heeseung

Heeseung watches on fondly as you stumble around. “Sweetheart, do you need some help maybe?” He asks despite knowing the answer. You grumpily mumble about something but Heeseung doesn’t know what. “Come on sweetie, get on my back.” Heeseung kneels down and waits for you to come closer so he can pick you up. “There you go love,” once he manages to pull you onto his back. “It’s about time we go home now, yeah?”

Jay

“Jagi, please.” Jay never begged. It was something that he had never done around you. So when he was on his knees, begging to give you a piggyback ride, it was certainly a sight to see. “Jay, not now! People are staring.” You shout whispered at him. “I’ll get up if you let me give you a piggyback ride!” Rolling your eyes, you admit defeat. Jay smiled before turning around to allow you on his back. Holding back a grin, you get on and let him carry you down the street. Though he never had to know that you only admitted ‘defeat’ to see him smile.

Jake

After getting off the ferris wheel, Jake wordlessly offered to carry you on his back when he noticed you were starting to get tired. “It’ll be ok baby, I’ll just carry you to the bus and then we’ll go home and cuddle, ok?” Jake gave you his best puppy dog eyes, knowing that they were your weakness. When you accept his offer, his smile goes up to his eyes. Picking you up, he starts to walk towards the boarding location. Feeling your arms wrap a little tighter around his neck to not fall, he gently leaves a kiss to assure you that nothing bad would ever happen to you if he was around.

Sunghoon

Sunghoon and you were currently stuck in a stare off. “Come one please, just watch me for a minute!” Sunghoon whined. “As much as I love you, I know me watching you is going to give you more of an ego.” Sunghoon whined even more at that. “Please I just wanna show you how cool I am!” “I already know how cool you are sweetheart.” Sunghoon rolled his eyes before whispering something under his breath. Rolling your eyes, you decide to just give in so that way you could leave faster. “Alright whatever, I’ll watch you for a minute.” At the end of your sentence, Sunghoon picked you up and placed you on his back before starting to do his squats. “Sunghoon what the fuck are you doing?!” “Just doing my work out sweetheart.” “I thought your work out had you using dumbbells!” “I decided to change it up for my special audience.”

Sunoo

“Sunoo I told you that if I do something for you, you don’t have to repay me! I like doing things for you!” Sunoo pouted even more at that. “But I want to repay you! Pleaseeeeeee.” “Sun, I already said no.” “Fine then I just won’t be giving you any more of my photocards then.” Sunoo crosses his arms before turning his nose up. Relenting, you just sigh and say that you’ll let him give you a piggyback ride. “Yes! Thank you, thank you!” Kissing you cheek, Sunoo then bends at his knees and allows you to get on. He barely made it down the hallway before exclaiming, “I see why you like doing this with me, but I think I like being the one carried more.”

Jungwon

“My love. You need to go to the doctor.” Jungwon just rolls his eyes when you whine from underneath the blanket. “Come on. If you don’t come out in 10 seconds, then I’m just going to have to carry you.” He counts down to one and when you still haven’t made an appearance, he drags the blanket off of ou before lifting you and maneuvering you to his back. “This wouldn’t have happened if you just listened to me from the start.” He teases. You just smile against his neck knowing that he would do anything for you.

Niki

“I bet I’m stronger than Sunghoon!” You tuned out the seven boys arguing in the background. “Babe!” You glance up at Niki. “What’s up?” “Can you come here for a minute, I need to prove something.” Despite being suspicious, you decided to place your trust in your boyfriend. Walking over to him, you waited to hear what he needed you for. “Alright, can you sit on both mine and Sunghoon’s back and then we’ll decide who’s stronger.” “Why didn’t you ask the other boys?” “We did, they just rejected us, but I’ll buy you dinner if you do this.” You accept the deal. “Alright, Sunghoon, you go first.” Going towards Sunghoon, he lets you sit on his back. He had barely made it thirty seconds before Niki came over and started to attack his sides, making him drop you. “Alright your turns over! My turn!” Niki completely tuned out Sunghoon’s whines of him being unfair. Getting onto Niki’s back, laughing whenever he would dodge Sunghoon’s attacks, not noticing his giant smile when he hears it.

©️ tzuyuluvs | please don’t translate, rewrite or blatantly steal any of my content.

[klcthebookworm]

WIP Wednesday

Hannah decides on a course of action once she, Chuck, Milly, and Meryl were sent to the Command Room for safety.

Chuck had heard what Doc said about Vash being their only hope and scowled at his sister stroking the computer keyboard. “We need to help Vash and you’re drooling over new tech!”

“I’m not drooling! I’m looking—” Her face brightened. “Found it. Pass me the bike’s data cord.”

Chuck pulled the end of it free from the crankcase and Hannah plugged it into the keyboard’s port she had found. “How is this gonna help Vash?”

“Can’t decide on a battle plan without data.” She sat in the keyboard’s chair. “Helmet please.” Chuck passed that to her, and she turned on her faceshield after she put it on. “Okay, time to see the data in formats I know. Power levels.”

Chuck turned on his faceshield. “Show me too.” Colored bars labeled 1 - 4 appeared on his faceshield but he didn’t know what they meant. They all were almost the same height.

“And usage?” Hannah asked. “Label the systems.”

The bars shifted from vertical to horizontal labeled with words he couldn’t read yet. He recognized “cold” on the second longest line.

“Any other power sources? Batteries?” Hannah asked.

The bike answered by typing on the faceshields. “No.”

“Shit,” Hannah whispered.

“What does this mean?” Chuck asked.

“This whole ship is only running on plant power. The biggest draw is for propulsion, staying up here, followed by the cold storage. The wrenchheads are targeting the plant bulbs and if Vash and Preacher Man can’t stop them—”

“Splat on the ground?”

“Yeah. And it is really irresponsible for them to run like this without any reserves.”

Chuck looked down at the bike’s gas tank. “Is it my fault we’re gonna crash?”

“What?”

“Mom says Dad and the uncles can’t fly spaceships.”

Hannah put her hand on his back. “That’s not because they’re mice; it’s because their skills on wheels do not transfer to flying. The ones at fault are the wrenchheads trying to hurt the plant angels. You got that?”

“Yeah.” He said softly. Hannah patted his back before pulling her hand back. He looked over at her. “So how can we help Vash stop the wrenchheads?”

“Vash put us on civilian protection duty.”

“Boring. Should we shove them into lifeboats?”

The bike took away the graph to type, “Life pod capacity does not meet the mobile population.”

“I was afraid of that. So nobody can get off this bus….” Hannah’s voice trailed off and she had on her thinking face. Then she switched to Martian. “{Bike, find the landing program and input current situation variables into the calculation of safest landing outcome.}”

“Calculation made. Landing possible 75 miles for New Oregon. Human input is required.”

That was a lot of words Chuck didn’t know but Hannah didn’t stop to explain them as she continued in Martian to the bike. “{From this terminal?}”

“Yes.”

“{Firewall landing program and this terminal and then boot up.}”

Chuck looked back at the crowd, but they were all focused on what Mr. Wolfwood was yelling at more puppets and not equipment turning on. That was sneaky good. But he needed to remind Hannah of something. “{They didn’t want to go down, Hannah.}”

“{Tough. Vash doesn’t want them to die and I don’t want to crash. They are outvoted.}”

Chuck wasn’t sure if that was how voting worked, but he didn’t want to crash either. The keyboard turned on along with the smaller screen attached to it. Hannah focused on the tech and Chuck turned sideways on the motorcycle’s seat to watch her back, just like if they had to take over some of Karbunkle’s tech back in Chicago.

“{Bike, keep the power going to cold storage and propulsion. We do not need them waking up in the middle of all this going on.}”

“Yes.”

Chuck turned back to watch Hannah type on the keyboard and stare intently at the screen. “{I hope you didn’t get Dad’s ability to crash spaceships,}” Chuck told her in Martian.

“{He never taught me how to drive a spaceship, so we should be good!}” She hunched over the keyboard in her concentrating posture.

Chuck snapped his mouth shut and turned back to the crowd so he could warn Hannah if they got mad. They were all still concentrating on the screen Doc had showing the wrenchheads and Vash and Mr. Wolfwood without any visuals. Didn’t they have cameras anywhere? Limburger always installed cameras when he had to rebuild his Tower.

“What is that?” Doc asked with rapid typing. “What? How are we moving? This room?”

The crowd of ship citizens mostly asked what Doc was talking about, but Meryl-ma’am and Milly-ma’am both whirled around. Meryl-ma’am’s eyes widened when she saw the lit keyboard and she stepped toward them. “Hannah.”

Chuck shook his head. “Don’t distract the driver.”

The crowd split as Doc twisted in his seat so he had a clear view of Chuck and Hannah. “What are you doing, child?”

“Shooting the hostage,” Hannah said.

“We’re doing the Speed battle plan!” They never had a chance to do that one. Chuck thrust both his arms up. “Aoooow!”

[alyjojo]

Love Reading 🦥 - September 2023 - Aquarius

Singles:

Overall energy: 2 Wands

How you will meet: 4 Pentacles & 5 Wands

How they will treat you: 3 Cups

Long-term Potential: The Sun, Ace of Swords, Knight of Wands

Oracle:

Sword and Rose 🗡️🌹

- Clarity & truth

- Revelations

- Honor & protection

- Determination

Phoenix 🔥

- New phase & rekindle

- Renew & growth

- Changed mind

- Rise from ashes

You already know this person, I get they’re probably a friend, they’re someone you have positive nostalgic memories with, you could have known them a long time. They’re going through something painful that you’re sitting on the sidelines, watching them go through. Could be a breakup or a divorce, and you’re just keeping quiet initially, waiting for this other person to get out of your way 😆 Plotting and planning with 2 Wands, how you’re going to approach them, ask them out, what/how to say what you want to say. You protect your energy while they’re in the thick of some upset in their life, there’s fighting and competition, a lot of drama, you expect there to be a painful ending that’s probably deserved, and you’ll just wait for that to come. Not getting your hands dirty (smart thinking).

How they treat you is like a friend, but celebrating with you, getting together. You could actually be asking them out, and they’re happy to have a chance to reconnect with you. Initially it’s probably some venting and defensive energy about what they’re going through, they trust you enough to let it ALL out, whatever they’re feeling. And you’re being 100% transparent with your intentions, you like them but you’re a supportive friend first & foremost, over here like “yeah fk that person, why I outta…” 😆 This is cute.

Long term, eventually you’ll come out with the feelings of passion & desire, you really like them, really want them, things will heat up and you’ll shoot your shot. Maybe a little impulsively, spontaneously, or they could too. Or it could start that way, one of you wants to take it to the next level, and will. 4 Wands clarifying is a stable connection, they feel safe with you, that’s your intention, and it’s a beautiful thing. Whatever your connection is, 4 Wands would be “the next step”, and that’s what you’re focused on with 2 Wands, one step at a time with this one 🧡

Messages -

Their side:

- You’re everything I’ve ever dreamed of.

- I’m always thinking about our memories.

Your side:

- Mama’s Boy / Daddy’s Girl

- Obsessed with YOU 😳

Signs you may be dealing with:

Heavy Leo, Aries, Cancer & Gemini

Couples:

Overall energy: Queen of Cups

Current: Ace of Pentacles

Challenge: Knight of Wands rev

How they feel about you: Page of Swords

How you feel about them: Wheel of Fortune

Outcome: 3 Pentacles

Wow this is complicated. Okay so, either you’re in a kinky threesome sort of situation, because one night stand comes up in the oracles…being fluid and sleeping with a couple? Or you’re loosely interested in a married/coupled up person and having to deal with an upset ex. If this is a throuple arrangement, you could’ve been paid for it, sex work?, or you could all literally be dating each other, because in that case, I’m not sure WHO is actually “your person” here. For example, if a woman is flipping out about her man, I get you kinda chuckling to yourself because no, you’re actually into HER, not him 😆

Or this Queen is in the midst of a divorce/break-up, her person is really into you, and if so this is like…the very beginning. They feel you’re a backstabber, betrayer, home wrecker, you’ve been devising evil schemes and just want their money, their life, I mean the worst of the worst. You’re going to have to talk to this person. The challenge is dealing with erratic behavior and overcoming this successfully, by being nice. Possibly giving them money, a gift, or giving them something that’s equal, and fair. Maybe a car? Or money for a car, helping to fix one, could be plane tickets, bus tickets, you’re helping them in some practical & tangible way when they want to put your head on a spike. I keep hearing a song I’ll put at the end of this, over and over.

For the actual relationship, this person sees you as someone they like to talk to, they find you very interesting and are turned on by your brain, probably how they got you, they like the way you think and communicate. And they think you’re really hot & want to mess around too - Ace of Wands. Again, there could’ve just been a sexual arrangement or something, I keep getting “an arrangement” and they feel like they’ve been honest with that, or you have. Y’all are why “it’s complicated” exists. How you feel is that things are constantly changing and you don’t really have any expectations or “plans” for where this goes. Karma can be being shown, maybe being afraid of hurting others and it coming back on you. You seem to be trying to be kind and understand where this erratic person is coming from. King of Cups follows, relating to “your person” (I assume), and you’re taking it reaaaally slow, not rushing anything. You’re kinda just handing them the reins to decide whether or not they’re going to handle their person & this situation correctly, because you’re not interested in that, though you’re being nice when it’s necessary. Outcome for mid-Oct, everyone is cooperating with each other as best as possible considering the situation being whatever this is…if there’s split custody or something, everyone is working together. If you’re into the Queen, you’re telling her that like “calm down”. Soothing her nerves, being loving to everyone involved, and letting the chips fall however they fall. The World shows a natural ending of a cycle, the best kind, hopefully everyone is on the same page going forward regarding any conflict & craziness.

For a more…normal story I’m also getting, there could be an outside family member or friend in trouble, and you or your person is stepping in to help. If that’s the case, your person could be the one feeling defensive over you impulsively or suddenly running off to “save” someone, or give them money, and you’re like “get over it”, but everyone will end up working together and getting along by the end of this 🧡 Doesn’t feel like the main story, what’s normal?

Messages -

Their side:

- Married

- I need a BREAK from this

Your side:

- Soothing presence 😌

- I’ve never met anyone like you.

Oracles -

Key on a Ring 🔑

- Many options

- Unconventional

- One night stand

- String along

Coffin ⚰️

- New beginnings

- Liberation

- Reborn & transition

- Tragic endings

Signs you may be dealing with:

Cancer, Leo, Taurus, Capricorn, Gemini & Sagittarius

[thebearcathideout]

My Rite of Passage: Taking My Road Test

Today, I took a road test! Here are the trials and tribulations it took for me to get there, and how it went.

Me on the bus. I’m holding a reference sheet for driving, and my “Pre-licensing Certificate” that is required for the road test.

I woke up at 8:39 AM. My mom woke up around the same time as me as part of her daily routine, and we had agreed to take the same bus ride she takes to go to work.

The night before, my brother and I had set up a reference sheet full of driving info. My brother had taken his road test four days ago, and while he didn’t pass, he was eager and willing to share what he remembered from his experience with me. The reference sheet contained info on parallel parking, three-point turns, speed limits, stop signs, and left- and right-turns. All of this was information I already knew, but it was to jog my memory on the day of the test (that’s what reviewing is).

Everyone needs to take their road test eventually. It’s required for one to get their driver’s license. Well, I hadn’t successfully passed mine yet. I’d taken a road test once before, but I’ll get to that later.

My road test would start at 1 PM, but my driving instructor arranged to take me in his car to the site at Kissena at 9:30 AM. That’s why we took the bus to Main Street. There, my mom and I bought breakfast, and I could hang out at her workplace while I ate.

The place where we bought breakfast.

For breakfast, I ate two steamed pork buns, stir-fried flat rice noodles, and a cup of hot milk tea. The instructor then updated me that he was picking me up at 11 AM, so to pass the time, I watched a YouTube reading of My Immortal (wow, it’s crazy how many times they screw in this fanfic).

At 10:41 AM, I headed out to meet my instructor where his car was parked. He was part of a driving school, and I'd been taking driving lessons from him for the past few weeks.

The instructor, and two other guys from the driving school. He's on the right, while the ones on the left are students that were also taking the road test with me. (The three of them gave me permission to use this photo.)

There were two others in the car with me, both of them were students of the driving school, all taking the road test the same day I was. They were roughly older than me, and all of them primarily spoke Chinese.

The reason this was the second road test I was going to, was because I failed my first one due to failing to SEE A STOP SIGN. What a blunder! That road test I had taken with a different driving school, but my current one was different.

The road test site at Kissena.

When everyone was ready, we drove to the road test site. Unfortunately, I wasn’t allowed to take any photos during my road test, so I can’t show any for that. Hm, not being allowed to take photos? You know, courtrooms don’t allow journalists to take photos during court trials. That’s why they have “courtroom sketches,” where artists are brought in to sketch what they see. I wonder if there could be something like a “courtroom sketch” for what I saw at my road test today.

A “courtroom sketch” for what I saw at my road test today. The instructor is visible in the reflection on the dashboard, wearing a reflective vest and holding a pen and clipboard. My hand is on the steering wheel, the dashboard is behind it and the rearview mirror is visible above, and the road is ahead of me. (This is totally not traced over an existing photo.)

Huh. Well that’s handy.

Unfortunately, while I did do better than my 1st time, I ultimately didn’t pass the road test. I won’t bore you with listing off all the mistakes I made, although I told them to my instructor and the other students with me, and they agreed that what I was telling them were mistakes. Viewing my result online at 6 PM all but solidified that.

One of the notable locations during my road test: I stopped too hard at this stop sign.

So if you’ve taken your road test before (or you’ve taken more than one) what were your thoughts on it? Do you have stories of embarrassing mistakes you made during a road test that are so ridiculous you want to make sure no one makes them again?

[futfemfantasies]

Zone Breaker \\ mapi león x reader

Request: Can I request a fic where Mapi is ussualy trying to get into the zone on the bus and not really talking to people but then she lets the new signing (reader) fall asleep on her shoulder and the team is really schoked

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

This is it. Your first day at your dream club, FC Barcelona. You have spent your entire childhood watching short clips of both the male and female teams since you didn’t get the live games due to living in Australia. Since you got transferred from your current, well now former club San Diego Wave, your teammate and best friend Alex is kindly dropping you off at the airport. You hear a knock on the door and you know it’s her. You quickly open the door and let Alex in, along with Charlie, before checking the apartment for anything you might have missed.

“You go away auntie Y/N/N?” Charlie asks.

“Only for a little bit Charlie bear” You bend down to tell the 2 year old.

“Oh” Charlie’s face went from happy to sad in a flash. You pick up Charlie and she holds onto you tightly.

“You ready to go?” Alex asks. You nod and pick up your backpack from the ground. Alex grabs your suitcase since you’re holding Charlie.

Once all the suitcases and backpacks are in the trunk, you clip Charlie in and move to the passenger seat. You turn around and see Charlie about to cry. You reach back and she holds your hand the best she can. You stay in the awkward position for 40 minutes until you reach the airport. You get out and Alex gets Charlie out of her seat. You open the trunk and put your backpack on before getting out your two big suitcases. You close the trunk and see a whimpering Charlie clinging onto Alex’s thigh. You bend down and the little girl runs the short distance to hug you tightly. After promising regular video calls and a visit over the Christmas/new year break. Next, Alex hugs you tightly and you promise to call once you get organised in Barcelona. One last kiss to Charlie’s forehead and you start wheeling your life into San Diego International Airport.

“BYE AUNTIE Y/N/N!” You hear Charlie yell. You turn back and wave to her.

After checking your overweight bags in, you get through security and get a message from your good friend, Lucy Bronze.

hey girl! Keira and I will be at the airport to pick you up. Love ya!

You reply to Lucy before waiting at the gate for your 15 hour flight. After a delayed stopover, you finally made it to your new city of Barcelona. You collect your bags and see your two former teammates. You drive to their house where they said you can crash until you find your own place. A few days later, Lucy and Keira have to go to training so you decided to tag along, with your boots just in case. You all arrive at the training ground and someone else pulls up at the same time you do. You see her step out of the car and you breath is taken away.

“Who’s that?” You ask the couple.

“That’s Maria but she likes being called Mapi” You hum in response and subtly check out the tatted blonde.

You all walk in and Jonatan spots you and pulls you aside. He explains how training days work and if you weren’t too jet lagged, you can join in on the session. Jonatan walks you to the locker room and tells you there’s a kit for you to wear along with some other things. When he leaves, you feel a hand on your shoulder. You look up and see Lucy.

“Come on, I’ll introduce you to the girls that’s in there”

You both walk in and to your surprise, only one is in there. You recognise it’s Mapi from the car park.

“Hey Maps, I want to introduce you to someone” Mapi walks over and sports the most beautiful smile you’ve ever seen.

“Hi, I’m Y/N” You hold out your hand for Mapi to shake but she pulls you into a hug instead.

“Hola, I’m Mapi but this one has probably told you that” You nod and hug her back.

“I’ll get changed and meet you out there?” Lucy nods and walks out.

You grab your kit and quickly get changed in the bathroom. When you walk out you see Mapi sitting there on her phone.

“I thought you would be warming up already” Mapi jumps at the sound of your voice.

“I didn’t want you to get lost to the field”

You smile and quickly put on your socks before grabbing your shoes and start the short journey to the training fields. As you are both walking, Mapi notices that you’re holding your boots.

“You’re not wearing your boots now?” Mapi questions.

“No I don’t put them on until I’m on grass. I know it’s sounds stupid but it’s a good luck thing I have, for training and games”

Mapi and you make small talk on the way to the field and subtly flirting with each other. Once you arrive to the group, Jonatan introduces you to everyone and then explains what the drills for today are going to be. Once Jonatan finishes, you quickly slip on your boots and start the training session. You found yourself with Mapi for nearly every drill until Alexia claimed she was “hogging the newbie” so you went with Alexia for a few.

Over the next few weeks, you have busy exploring Barcelona with either Lucy and Keira, Mapi, Alexia or small groups from the team. You felt extremely lucky to have such a nice group of teammates and now friends. Throughout those few weeks came many training sessions, proving to Jonatan why you are one of the best on the Matildas, but yet still no game time.

It’s game day and everyone had to arrive at the training grounds by 10am. You, Lucy and Keira pull up and you’re all one of the last players there. You walk over to everyone and say your hello’s before being ushered onto the bus by Jonatan. You notice that Mapi is being very quiet and closed off. You shrug it off and hop onto the bus to find your usual seat up the back. Alexia and Jenni sit in front of you and you tap Alexia on the shoulder.

“Is Mapi okay?” You ask.

“She gets like this before every game. She’s in the zone” Alexia says with a weird hand movement.

“Right okay”

You sit back and put your earphones in and talk to one of your best friends from the Matildas, Sam Kerr. You both talk about everything for a few hours until she has to go to training. You both promise to catch up when the international friendlies are on, that Australia isn’t partaking in for some reason. You put your phone and earphones away and decide to go see Mapi. You walk down the aisle of the bus and sit next to Mapi. You intertwine your hands together and Mapi looks down and smiles when she sees your tattoo on your hand. She wraps her arm around your waist and pulls you into her. You yawn slightly and Mapi looks at you with a frown on her face.

“Are you tired?”

“A little. I was talking with my parents last night and didn’t get to bed until 11” You reply.

“Go to sleep. I’ll wake you when we get there” You nod and Mapi intertwines your other hand with hers.

All around the bus everyone is shocked that Mapi is even letting you sit next to her let alone sleep on her. The different friendship groups talk amongst themselves about how you’ve broken Mapi’s ‘zone’. A few hours later, you feel a kiss on your cheek and someone whispering something in your ear.

“Hey there sleepy head, we’re here”

You open your eyes and notice the bus stopped moving and most of the girls are off already. You do a little stretch and fix your hair before moving back down the bus to grab your bag. When you turn back around, Mapi’s gone. You walk off the bus and follow the girls into the locker room to get prepared for the match. Just before heading out to start, you pull Mapi aside.

“Hey, is everything okay?”

“Everything is perfect hermosa” Mapi replies with a kiss to your cheek.

You start on the bench for this game and Mapi is starting. As the game goes on, you feel Pina nudging you slightly when she catches you staring at Mapi.

“Ask her out, she stares at you too”

You think about what Pina has said until Jonatan calls you up to be put in for your debut at Barcelona. You see Oshoala run towards you and you high five her before running into position. By the 89th minute the scores are levelled. Barcelona need to win this to move to the semi finals of the Copa de Reina cup. Sandra kicks a short goal kick to Mapi, who dribbles it for a little before passing it to Lucy. You run up a little, still keeping onside, and Lucy does a chip pass to you. You run rings around the defenders and kick the ball into the top right corner, making the score 3-2. Your teammates run and jump on you and Mapi gives you a quick hug and a kiss on the forehead.

“I’m so proud of you”

You thank her and run back to your starting position. Thankfully the ref only adds 2 minutes of injury time which is enough for you and your teammates to hold off. When the ref blows the whistle, you shake hands with the other team and try to find Mapi instantly. You see her talking to Alexia and Pina so you decide to jump on her back to surprise her. You kiss her cheek and she looks at you with an added sparkle in her eye. You jump down and she gives you a tight hug. Alexia and Pina move away to give you two some privacy.

You both look in each other’s eyes as your arms wrap around Mapi’s neck and hers around your waist. You keep looking at her lips and she does the same with yours.

“Kiss me” You whisper in Spanish. Mapi wastes no time in connecting her lips to yours. You both pull away quite quickly as there’s lots of fans with cameras.

“Will you go on a date with me?” Mapi asks shyly.

“I thought you’d never ask”

[harmonictechnicality]

Eddie discovers his ability to control dreams by mistake. All he wanted was to sleep off the shadows and storm clouds. Close his eyes and take a breath because he doesn’t breathe anymore. He doesn’t need to.

Something else keeps him alive now and he can hear it moving throughout him. Sloshing in his bloodstream and stealing his humanity. If he looks close enough, he can see black pulses underneath his wrists, right where his veins use to be.

Sleep never finds him, but nightmares do. They’re never his nightmares either - they belong to his friends. Some of them, like Dustin, have memory fueled nightmares: haunting events that are similar to ones that occurred in the Upside Down.

But others, like Lucas, have premonition-based nightmares: Max flatlining in a hospital bed or his sister getting mindflayed.

Neither form of nightmare is less torturous than the other.

Eddie hates consuming their trauma in a dreamlike state. They can’t even rest properly because of all this monster bullshit. It’s not fair. And it’s not fair that he can only spend time with them in such an intruding way. Like he’s infiltrating their darkest secrets and watching their struggles as a fucking audience member.

It’s daytime and he only has one friend who sleeps while the sun is up: Steve Harrington. Eddie shuts his eyes and searches for the familiar face.

Steve’s nightmares are driven by his greatest fears. Rejection. Dying alone. Total isolation. The settings are always so eerily normal. A Hawkins classroom. The bathroom of a house party. Driving his car. Sitting in his own bedroom.

In this current dream, Steve is waiting at a bus stop. He sticks a cigarette between his lips and fumbles through his pockets, searching for a lighter.

“Here you go.” A nearby voice says. “You can borrow mine.”

Eddie is next to him on the bench now, offering Steve a black lighter case. But it’s not the real Eddie.

It’s the nightmare version of Eddie.

Steve casually thanks Nightmare Eddie and takes the lighter. The flame is black as well, but Steve seems unfazed by this detail. He just inhales the cigarette and stares at the empty road in front of him.

“I don’t usually see you at this bus stop,” Nightmare Eddie is monotone. Stoic.

Steve let’s out the smoke, watches it fade. “My car broke down.”

“No it didn’t.” Nightmare Eddie is sneering and his voice is almost an octave deeper than it normally is.

“Yes it did.”

“Why are you lying, Steve?”

“I’m not!” Steve starts to raise his voice.

“You shouldn’t be here!” Nightmare Eddie matches Steve’s volume.

“What?”

“You don’t belong here!”

“How do you know?”

Nightmare Eddie points at the Bus Stop sign. “Because this stop is the last one.”

The sign’s letters change to read: It’s Over.

“This route takes you to the last stop of your life.” Nightmare Eddie pauses. Waits for Steve to respond. “Is that what you want, Steve?”

Steve is quiet when he says it:

“I don’t know.”

“You don’t know?”

“No.” Steve stands up from the bench. “I don’t know what I want!”

Nightmare Eddie peers down the road and looks back at Steve. “Well you better figure out what you want. Because here comes our ride.”

The bus screeches down the road, clunky awful noises. Steve continues to stare straight ahead. Barely reacting to anything.

As the brakes halt in front of the bench, Nightmare Eddie skips onto the bus with no hesitation. Steve glances at the wheels before he brings his gaze up to the open door. He takes a step forward and stops again. A few more moments go by before the bus driver honks impatiently, which shocks Steve into a rash decision. He takes another few steps towards the bus and that’s when it happens.

“Steve, stop!” Eddie runs into the road. Real Eddie.

It works. Steve stops walking, so Eddie hurries over to him. He takes Steve’s hand, determined to ground him and his thoughts into staying. Never letting him leave on that damn bus.

“Eddie?” Steve blinks hard.

“It’s me.” Eddie doesn’t blink. Can’t look away from Steve’s conflicted expression. “I’m right here.”

The bus drivers lays down the horn again.

“Oh, fuck off!” Eddie yells, broadly waving his hand in front of the headlights. As he does this, the bus disappears.

Interesting.

He tries waving again, this time, at the sign. Gradually, the sign turns into floating particles that eventually disappear as well.

Eddie is making all the bad go away. Eddie can stop the nightmares.

“Please let me help, Steve.” Eddie loosens his grip around Steve’s fingers, but doesn’t let go completely.

“How?” There’s so much fear and agony in Steve’s eyes.

“I have an idea.”

There's a shared memory from their past that Eddie can use as dream setting, visualizing it in his own mind before offering into Steve's subconscious mind.

It's from their sixth grade class field trip. Eddie and Steve were in the same tour group - it was the first time they spent the whole day together.

"The aquarium?" Steve is awestruck. Closely watching the tanks of mellow waves of water. Eyes shifting to each colorful fish that flutters by his gaze. It's the first time Eddie has seen Steve calm in weeks.

"Do you remember this day?" Eddie rubs Steve’s back. The physical comfort he gives to Steve is equally for himself as well. He's so miserably lonely in this place.

Steve nods, never looking away from the exhibits. "I remember."

Underneath the shades of moving blues, Steve's complexion looks ethereal. An aquatic angel. His halo is cracked and Eddie wants to minimize the damage. Make him glow again.

"We sat in this exact spot for over an hour." Eddie motions for Steve to join him on the floor. They're facing a wall-sized tank. The fish look prehistoric, larger than life and swimming slowly. "I'll always remember what you told me that day."

"What did I say?" Steve finally looks at him.

The memory is visceral for Eddie. He could play it in his mind like a video tape, fast-forwarding to the good parts.

"You told me how much you loved swimming. How it made you feel like Superman. You said, ‘Humans don’t get to fly like superheroes. They get to swim instead.’ Which is pretty profound for an eleven year old.” Eddie nudges him and Steve almost smiles. Almost.

“I wish…” Steve trails off. “I wish you were still alive.”

Eddie places his hand over his heart. Thinks about it pumping toxins now instead of blood. “Yeah. Me too.”

"I can't believe you remembered what I told you years ago." Steve scoots his hand closer to Eddie's, ghosting his pinky finger over his open palm. The warmth of the touch almost feels like this is reality and not a dream. Like Eddie is back in Hawkins and not this stormy hellscape.

"You're hard to forget, Steve Harrington." Eddie lets his fingers close over top of Steve's pinky. Lets this moment feel tangible.

“Seeing you again is nice.”

“It is?”

“Really nice.”

Steve finally smiles. No more traces of the nightmare are left in his sleep realm. Eddie was able to give him a serene moment, however brief that may be. Steve is finally dreaming peacefully.

“Then I’ll stay until you wake up.” Eddie says quietly. He already knows that Steve is in the waking up process; the scenery around them is fading away into rays of light. He won't remember this place - this stage stuck between awake and asleep.

“Wake up?”

“Yes.” Now Eddie and Steve are fading away too. “And I’ll see you in your next dream too.”

“Promise?” Steve’s voice is distant.

"Promise."

The bright light takes over Eddie’s vision, forcing him to open his eyes quickly. Steve is officially awake.

This changes everything. Eddie can manipulate nightmares and turn them into lovely dreams. He can speak to his friends. He can tell his uncle he loves him. He can hug everyone that he cares about.

It’s not as satisfying as actual communication and affection. But until Eddie can find a way to return back to Hawkins, he can protect his friends from their bad dreams.

He can shield them from their own worst nightmares.

[pablotorresgf]

backseat rider- pablo gavi

in which you and gavi are childhood friends, but even all those years of friendship couldn’t stop you guys drifting apart.

warnings: angst w no happy ending! first time writing on tumblr so excuse the bad layout… (english isn’t my first language.)

Pablo and you have been best friends, ever since that day where you met him at the bus stop. You guys ended up sitting side by side, the whole bus ride consist of you guys introducing each other.

From that day on Pablo and you became inseparable. Wherever you were he was there; viceversa. You saw Pablo grow up and become the great player he was now. You vowed to him that you would always be there for him no matter the circumstances. He did the same for you, promising you that no matter how many people knew his name he would never forget the person that was there for him when no one knew who he was.

Today was the day Pablo would finally be getting his own car! He had been asking for rides from you and Pedri, ever since training would start but now he would finally be able to go wherever he pleased. Pablo had called you weeks ago letting you know that once you were back from your summer vacation you two would spend the day catching up. The day had finally arrived, you were finally back in Barcelona. You were beyond jet lagged just wanting to see Gavi and sleep. You waited outside the airport Gavi was taking longer than expected, just as you were about to text him to see where he was a car honked in front of you causing you to jump up in surprise. You looked up and saw Gavi’s face. “Hola nena, necesitáis ir a un lugar?” A smile appeared on your face as headed towards him but before heading to the other side of the vehicle you noticed an unknown blonde girl in the passenger seat. Gavi noticed your confused facial expression and looked beside him and a realization hit him. “Ah! t/n, esta es Dafne.” You gave Dafne a light smile heading towards the back seat.

Five weeks had passed since you were back in Barcelona. Ever since the awkward encounter at the airport, you thought you and gavi would spend more time together; just you both. But that didn’t happen every time you suggested something he either had training or Dafne would be there too, that was until today. You were currently sitting next to Gavi on your couch watching a movie, before Gavi broke the silence. “I’m bored do you want to go get ice cream?” You nodded in agreement and both of you went to go freshen up before heading outside. “Pablito open the door! It’s hot as hell outside.” Gavi turned towards you with an awkward chuckle. “Actually y/n can you uhm sit in the back, I’m going to pick up Dafne along the way.” You nodded your head not in the mood to reject his order. You were now in the backseat listening to Dafne and gavi laugh about a new movie that had just came out. You sighed and thought back at the times gavi and you would do the same. When you would drive him to his training and talk about the movie you two had watched the night prior, you missed those times now all you felt like was a third wheel. Dafne was stealing your best friend and you were tired of it. You couldn’t spend no time with him because Dafne this and Dafne that. Gavi was yours first, but now it felt like he wasn’t yours at all.

Gavi had dropped you off hours ago but you were here in your bed thinking about what went wrong. You guys were drifting apart so bad it physically hurt you. It hurt knowing your best friend was turning into just another person in your life. You tired so hard to talk to him about it but there just wasn’t any time where it would be you and him alone. Dafne was always in the picture now. Maybe all this was your fault. Yes it was your fault you could’ve tried so much more harder to talk to him during your summer break. Days would go by and you would forget that gavi even existed, now karmas biting your ass and doing the same to you. Gavi was forgetting your existence. You sighed and stood up. You looked around your room, you noticed that more than half of the things didn’t even belong to you. They were gavi’s belongings but now that gavi wasn’t yours anymore you took everything and shoved it into a box.

This was it it took you so long to realize the tears coming out of your eyes and you knew that you weren’t crying because you were drifting apart from your best friend. You were crying because boy you fell in love with, is in love with someone else. That night you cried so much,you cried because there was no more gavi and y/n, you cried because all those years would be lost in memory lane, you cried because you realized your feelings so so late.

The next morning you texted gavi to see if he had time to come over because you needed to talk to him. He replied with a “of course. Me and Dafne will be there:)!” You had to explain to him that it was a you and him thing and Dafne couldn’t be present. It pained you that he couldn’t even hang out with you without needing her presence. Hours passed by when you heard a knock on the front door. You opened the door to reveal gavi, he flashed his smile at me with a worried look on his face. “Perdón. I would’ve been here much earlier but uhm you know training.” Liar. Pedri had texted me earlier saying they had a day off. “Just come in Pablo.” You sighed not mentally ready for what was about to happen. “I’m not going to waste your time I know Dafne must be waiting for you to return home, so I’m just going to get this over with.” He look at me with a perplexed look. “It feels like your breaking up with me” he giggled. But seeing your serious face he became silent. “We can’t be friends anymore Pablo.” “Que? De donde viene esto?” He looked almost mad. You sighed and decided to let everything out. “Gavi we don’t even spend time together anymore without Dafne being there. At first I was fine with it I stayed quite but now I just can’t take it anymore, I feel like I’m third wheeling all the fucking time! And when we do hang out she’s all you talk about.”

“You’re jealous of her.” He stated with a scoff. “Yes I am I’m fucking jealous of her because she stole my best friend!” You yelled out. “Just because your jealous of her doesn’t mean we have to stop being friends just get over it and everything will go back to normal.” You looked at him in disbelief he couldn’t be bloody serious. “Gavi you don’t get it. I can’t stand seeing you being with her because I’m fucking in love with you! It hurts seeing you in love with someone else!” Suddenly everything went quiet, gavi looked at you with a surprised expression a gasp leaving his mouth. “Why didn’t you tell me before.” “I tried to i really did but every time she was there 24/7. It pains me that you can’t live without her presence because before you used to be like that with me and seeing someone else fill in that part of your life hurts.” At this point you couldn’t help it, tears were streaming down your face. Gavi quickly towards you hugging you, he felt so bad he never wanted to make you feel like this. He promised you that he would protect you from people that made you feel this way but turns out he was the one making you feel this. His hands touched your face softly and turnt it upwards to meet each others eyes. “I’m so sorry y/n/n. I always promised to make you happy but recently I haven’t, we can work this out. Maybe it’s your emotions getting the best of you but you’re not in love with me. You just miss me! Yeah that’s what it is you have to understand that.” As those words left his mouth you sighed, in that moment you knew that she wouldn’t be leaving the picture and at the end of the day it would be you drowning in your own self pity.

You shook your head towards gavi not trusting your voice. “Don’t say no, you know I’m right cmon let’s just sleep on this. We don’t have to end our friendship. It’s us against the world y/n/n!” You hugged Pablo one last time knowing that after this he would choose her over you and it was the sad reality. “You don’t love me how I love you gavi and that’s okay. But I can’t do this I can’t lie to myself anymore. There is no us, there never was.”

And just like that all those years of memories, laughter, tears, awkwardness, love were long lost memories. He was never yours to begin with.

[katsu28]

frayed

pairing: Isaac Lahey x reader

summary: basically just a reader insert into 3x05 where Y/N is the one to calm Isaac down instead of Scott

warnings: mentions of blood, some fighting

a/n: I still wholeheartedly believe that the writers not bringing back Isaac for at least a few more episodes is a goddamn crime 😤 I miss my broken white boy

add yourself to my taglist! (i'll shut up about it soon i promise) no i won't lmao :D

“Remind me what we’re following the track team to their meet?” You sighed, slumping against the headrest in the backseat of Allison's car. You’d been unwillingly looped into an impromptu road trip with Allison and Lydia, currently in the middle of nowhere and following the ugly yellow school bus down the dusty highway.

“After what happened last night, I’m not letting Scott out of my sight.” Allison huffed, her grip tightening on the steering wheel. She caught your skeptical eyebrow raise in the rear-view mirror and shot you a pointed look. “I’m not being overprotective, Y/N. I’m just…a concerned friend.”

“Right, because concerned friends lie to their dad and follow their ex-boyfriends to another city to make sure they’re okay. Not overprotective at all, got it.”

“Hey, don’t complain, Y/N,” Lydia twisted around in the front seat, a playfully smile gracing her lips. “Now you get to see Isaac.” She sing-songed, winking at you. You flipped her off, eliciting a snicker from your two best friends.

“Yeah, what’s the deal with you two anyways?” Allison chimed in.

“What deal? There’s no deal.” You crossed your arms over your chest, looking out the window.

“Oh please, everyone knows you two are into each other.”

“The bus is pulling over.” You grumbled.

“Don’t try to change the subject—”

“No, Al, the bus is actually pulling over!” You exclaimed, leaning forward between the two front seats and pointing at the school bus, which was indeed pulling off the highway into a rest area. Allison swore, jerking the wheel to veer off the road and into the parking lot.

The three of you climbed out of the car as the track team unloaded off the bus, and you immediately saw Scott and Stiles stumbling towards you. Stiles was more or less supporting all of his best friend’s body weight, Scott’s head beginning to droop like he’d run out of the energy to hold himself upright.

“His Alpha claw marks aren’t healing like they should be.” Stiles panted, letting out a sigh of relief when Lydia looped Scott’s other arm around her shoulders to help.

“We need to stitch them up.” You blurted, drawing nods from everyone.

Allison tossed her keys at you, jerking her head towards her car. “I can do it. Get him to the bathroom. Y/N, go grab my bag from the car, I’ve got a small first-aid kit in there.”

You all went your separate ways, and by the time you got the bag to them, people were already starting to get back on the bus.

“Guys, Coach is loading people back onto the bus, we need to work fast.” You informed them, eyes widening at the sight of Scott nodding off on the floor. “Stiles, can you go stall?”

“You say that like I talk too much,” Stiles huffed, but sobered up immediately when you glared at him. “Yeah, okay, fine. I’ll figure something out. C’mon, Lydia.” The two of them disappeared outside while you and Allison crouched over a nearly unconscious Scott. You watched as her hands shook so badly that she couldn’t thread the needle.

“I—I can’t—” She spluttered, shaking her head.

“Hey, look at me.” You said firmly. She turned to you with wide eyes. “You can do this, okay? You know what to do, I know you do, because I’ve seen you do it before. This? This is light work. You got this.” Allison nodded, taking a deep breath and steadying her hands. The needle threaded on the first try, and she set to work sewing up Scott’s wound.

Footsteps echoed through the bathroom, and a panicked looking Stiles stumbled around the corner. “Y/N, we have a slight situation.” He blurted. You scrambled to your feet, assuring Allison that you’d get the situation under control before hurrying outside alongside Stiles.

Over by the school bus, there were students crowded around in a circle, yelling and jeering at something you couldn’t see until you pushed through to the center.

Isaac was knelt over Ethan Steiner, delivering blow after blow to his face with no remorse, just punch after punch, after punch, until Ethan’s face was bloody and he couldn’t fight back anymore.

“Isaac!” You exclaimed, grabbing Isaac’s raised fist and tugging on it. Probably a really bad idea, seeing as when he looked up at you, his face was set into a fanged snarl, eyes blazing yellow. “You need to calm down. Right now.”

You didn't know if it was something in your voice, but whatever it was had Isaac’s eyes fading back to their normal clear blue, and he let you pull him off Ethan. Danny rushed to the other boy’s side, propping him up with an appalled look at Isaac.

“What the hell were you thinking, Lahey?” Coach Finstock yelled, throwing his arms up in exasperation. Isaac ignored him, wrenching his arm out of your grip and stalking away with his hands lodged into his hair. “Where’s he going?”

“I got him, Coach.” You muttered, not waiting for a response before jogging after the blond boy.

Had you been listening, you would’ve heard the older man wonder aloud where the hell you’d come from.

Isaac stopped at a bench a little ways away, slumping onto it with his head buried in his hands. You approached him tentatively, taking a seat at the other end of the wooden bench, giving him his space but still being close enough to have a conversation.

“Are you okay?” You asked gently.

There was a terse silence before Isaac answered. “No,” He mumbled, not looking up from his dust streaked boots. “I’m not okay.” You put a hand on his shoulder, and although his muscles tensed up for a second, he didn’t pull away.

“Do you wanna talk about it?” Isaac let out a long breath through his nose, finally meeting with your eyes with what had to be one of the most guilt filled looks you’d ever seen, and it made your heart lurch.

“If I hadn’t called Derek and told him that Scott was meeting with Deucalion, he wouldn’t have been there last night. And he’d still be alive.”

“That wasn’t your fault, Isaac.” You said softly, sliding across the bench and lacing your fingers with his comfortingly. “If Derek hadn’t been there, you and Scott could’ve died. And if you’re gonna blame anyone, blame Deucalion and his pack, not yourself.”

“Ethan and his brother are part of Deucalion’s pack.”

“Oh. Why doesn’t anyone ever tell me these things?” You huffed, squinting at him. Isaac let out a shaky chuckle, the beginnings of a smile blooming on his face. “Then I’m sorry for pulling you off him.”

“No, no, you were right to,” He sighed, looking down at your entwined hands. “I probably would’ve killed him if you hadn’t stepped in, so…thank you. I just—I can’t wrap my mind around the fact that Derek’s really gone, and I saw Ethan being all happy with Danny, and I guess I just…I snapped. Why does he get to be happy after what he and his pack did yesterday? How can he just pretend like nothing happened?”

“I don’t know, Isaac. Life just has a funny way of working like that.” You bumped his shoulder with yours lightly, to which he finally let himself smile fully at you. It made your heartbeat quicken in your chest, and his ears picked up on it, using your reaction to him to gain the courage to do what he did next. “But don’t worry. They’ll get what’s coming—”

You were cut off by Isaac’s lips pressing against yours suddenly, taking you by complete surprise. Your eyes went wide, but fluttered shut immediately as you kissed him back, subconsciously looping your arms around his neck to pull him closer.

When you pulled away from each other after a while, Isaac couldn’t help the dopey grin that spread across his face when his eyes opened and he saw you in front of him with a light blush dusting your cheeks.

“If I’d known that all I had to do was beat a guy up to get you to kiss me, I would’ve done it a lot sooner.” He breathed, reaching out and tucking a wayward strand of hair behind your ear.

“Yeah, let’s try not to do that anymore,” You chuckled, to which he merely shrugged, leaning forward to kiss you again.

“Ahem.” You heard Stiles clear his throat from in front of the two of you, and you glanced at him to see him standing a few feet away, waving awkwardly. “Hi, yeah—look, I’m all for you guys finally getting together, because honestly it was about time, and I hate to break this up—but Coach says we have to go now. So…I’ll see you on the bus?”

“We’ll be there soon,” Isaac grumbled, glaring daggers at the other boy, who held his hands up in defense. “Go away.”

“Yeah, okay, I’m going!” He huffed, turning on his heel and hurrying away, but not before throwing a “Everyone’s watching you two, y’know! Be safe!” over his shoulder.