#like i can’t find the fucking file anymore …uhh’

[acidpeaches]

really old alenoah doodles i just uncovered. ah something about them…

[raxistaicho]

Edelgard suggested she might be wrong, though!

Eeeyyy, Strikes (that’s her nickname and it’s a lot shorter than butwhatifidothis, sorry) doesn’t usually make arguments anymore! This’ll be a nice break from Fantasy Invader.

Maybe.

Hopefully.

Spoilers for Trails in the Sky a ways under the cut

And uhh, that’s not an argument I’ve ever heard before, honestly, it must be a super old one. Good thing it got dropped, it’s weak.

So because Edelgard said,

It means the devs are saying, “you did wrong, tho.”

So I guess when Dimitri says he’s a monster who deserves death it means we need to ram him into something that can kill him, accept the game over, and start a new file of Three Houses?

When Joshua Bright said he was a broken person with a broken heart, it meant Estelle should have immediately given up on him?

When Velvet Crowe said she was monster and claimed she ate Seres just ‘cause, that meant she retconned reality and changed the circumstances under which she ate her?

It’s almost like sometimes people with trauma and a poor self-image say self-deprecating things that aren’t actually true.

“Which doesn’t mean Byleth is defying destiny by walking at Edelgard’s side. No sir.”

Again, the devs only said Silver Snow was the route that was made first to explore the world, not that the worldbuilding suits SS specifically. Otherwise, what the fuck is Azure Moon there for? I’ve seen it argued that White Clouds best suits Azure Moon because of Lonato and Miklan (setting aside that their respective issues were not about Dimitri’s personal tragedy but the broken state of Fodlan society), but with Strikes’ argument Azure Moon can’t possibly mesh with White Clouds because White Clouds only supports Silver Snow, according to her!

I mean... Azure Moon doesn’t mesh at all with White Clouds anyways, but that’s for very very different reasons.

I’m on to you, you red-headed, red-caped bastard.

I won’t let you invade Nohr, Ryoma >:(

Also, correct me if I’m wrong, but Byleth’s side, whichever side that is, does plenty of mowing down in all routes.

Damn, Fodlan is doomed.

Those poor celebrating commoners.

Oh no, is this Crushed Nugget again?

Now we’re delving straight into, I believe, Crushed Nugget’s Everyone is Miserable in CF set of posts, which is something I’d reeeeeaaaaaally like to dig into sometime, because it’s just a lot of petty and trivial ways to try to demonstrate everybody as being unhappy or less-fulfilled characters in CF.

These can range from the ever-popular “Lysithea doesn’t want to destroy the Empire in CF”, to “Yuri feels overworked in CF”, to “Raphael is irresponsible and happy in CF”, to “Ingrid is sadge in CF”. Yeah, being happy is bad if in CF and being unhappy is also bad if in CF.

It’s basically just her plucking at literally anything she can find to say that CF is bad in that exact moment without any regard for consistent standards. Ignatz’s is especially amazing given you know if the paintings he drew were reversed she’d instead say VW Ignatz is good for wanting to immortalize the horror of war so we never forget what war takes from us while CF Ignatz is bad for trying to cover up the pain with pretty pictures of something.

If you looked at red flags through pink lenses, wouldn’t they still look red?

Hey, you’re the one who said,

Because even the lord of the route is trying to tell the player that uhhh Byleth doesn't belong here, they're supposed to be on the other routes. Which checks with how the devs said that SS is the route the world-building is based on, and how within the game itself CF directly goes against SS' world-building. 

Don’t blame me for arguments you made!

She’s missing the point. It’s not argued that you don’t get to choose SS. The argument is that you do have to choose CF. You can’t default onto CF the way you can SS.

Another important point is how riddled with But Thou Musts SS is.

Who’s in charge of the army here, Seteth!?

So... going CF isn’t about tearing Byleth away from their proper place in SS?

If Byleth is meant to go SS, as Strikes said above, then CF is about defying fate.

If CF isn’t about defying fate, then Byleth isn’t meant to go SS.

So suddenly Byleth is more than a self-insert for the player to glom onto? That’s a bit contradictory to the usual Edelcrit line, but okay.

Since Byleth is now their own character and not a self-insert to represent the player, then Edelgard isn’t trying to date the player and the player demographics have no bearing on whether or not she’s bi, nor does her "gap moe” have any bearing on whether or not CF is a valid choice, because maybe Byleth doesn’t care about all that. Maybe they’re into MILFs.

Technically no, there’s a sequence of options that can have Byleth making no positive choice regarding which side to take.

Miss the coronation entirely, then you have a “I must kill Edelgard,” and “...” option at the Holy Tomb.

Indeed, you can spend basically all of SS being dragged around expressing discontent, and getting But Thou Must’ed into following along with the plot.

Also, again, the argument is not that Byleth can’t choose SS. It’s that they have to choose CF.

Hey, speak for yourself, I usually marry Dorothea.

Strikes is getting real fuckin’ philosophical all of a sudden about the concept of player character agency in a narrative-driven video game.

For real, this is some Bioshock/Undertale-level shit.

You know, I never considered that maybe Corvo would rather just stay in his cell and accept execution as penance for his failure to protect the Empress. He can’t speak in Dishonored 1, how do I know what his thoughts on the subject are? Am I puppetting him to commit mass murder like some kind of revenge-loving cordyceps!?

I am so sorry, Corvo :(

But actually, Strikes, how do you know that Byleth wants to fight Edelgard? Maybe they want to pick Black Eagles every time? Are you perhaps denying their agency every time you join your beloved Golden Deer? (I’m just assuming GD is her favorite route since she professes to love Claude). Are you denying their agency when you click on, “I must kill Edelgard”?

How could you do such an awful thing?

Bonus round time!

Why is she continuing her arguments in the tags??? That sounds annoying as hell.

Also, uhh,

Look at that fucking smug grin. Is that the face of an expressionless killing machine?

I have no idea where this, “Byleth reverts to being the Ashen Demon in CF” argument came from. I guess because they’re killing people the Edelgard detractors would rather they not kill, they have to be doing it heartlessly? That’s assuming a lot.

That’s... more or less exactly what it is, actually.

I know Strikes doesn’t like Edelgard being portrayed as a sad, tragic figure, but uhh... she is. Edge of Dawn is right there, it’s about Edelgard’s sorrow thinking about the future.

[marithlizard]

I liked “Exes and Ohs” much better than “Seeing Stars”, even though I have a few complaints about the plot; it feels like season two is starting to hit its stride. We needed to put Stolas and his relationship with Blitzo on the back burner for a bit and get some time with the imps. 

Live reaction-notes:

- The backgrounds of the IMP office raise so many questions.  Blitzo why did you make a transphobic horse OC?   How did you get a bust of yourself made?

(Immediate theory:  A sinner who was a sculptor in life offered to make it as part of their payment.  It makes sense that IMP would accept barter because sinners don't always have a lot of cash, especially when they're new.  That would explain why we see new art around the office all the time.)  

- Moxxie. My dude.  MOXXIE. Loona does not think you are fat.  She just knows it upsets you.  There is no way you can logically disprove her bullying. Do not let her stress you into an eating disorder or keep you from enjoying food.

- Millie WTF?  Did a human beat you in combat?  That hasn't happened since back in episode 1.  I want to know what has you so mad but I'm also now invested in the relationship drama going on over on that whiteboard.  King Slut is going to get what's coming to him and Blue Cheese needs better taste in side hoes.

- Wouldn't it be funny if Millie's ex was - Nahhhh.

- What are those photos spilling out of the filing cabinet?  Does IMP have a sideline in PI-style snooping?  Is that...normal for furry cosplay sex?    

-Oh, it's just Blitzo's porn stash.  I'm sure Stolas would be into using those costumes and quite possibly they have, but I don't really wanna imagine it. But I do want to imagine M&M  trying to alphabetize the collection.

- As most of us guessed,  IMP was a regular hell-side hitman outfit before they got the book.  It's interesting that Blitzo doesn't seem interested in taking local jobs anymore.  Surely they could use the money.  

- C for Crimson on the driver's cap, but no recognition on Moxxie's face yet.  And we're goin'  back to the Greed ring!    (Moxxie said he was raised in Wrath, though, I thought. So he lies about his past.)

- Blitzo is still obsessing about M&M, but he's gone several episodes now without a single abusive rant at Moxxie. He is seriously trying to do better after "Truth Seekers".  

- Loona really doesn't belong at this company, does she.   Nobody acknowledged her existence except Moxxie this whole episode.  I hope we see her find a place that suits her better soon.

- "Elevator Hangar 03".  So even flights between Rings take the elevators. That suggests helicopters are what gets used, rather than planes that can't hover.

- Fizzarolli's adult clown look was modeled after Mammon, wasn't it?  

- Uhh..is that demonstrative violence, or is it actually pretty hard to permanently kill an imp?  Hmmmmmmm.

- You might wanna ask questions when the guy who was raised here has an immediate panic attack and starts yelling "No no no" as soon as you arrive, guys?  Blitzo, how have you lived this long being this vulnerable to flattery and this unable to recognize danger signals?

- All the trophies on the walls reminding us of the murder family.  (Are those little hearts between the succubus wings the ends of their tails?) Blitzo's "please do not ask me details about my lucrative circus career" expression.

- WHAT? CALLED IT I CALLED IT OMG  wow he's an idiot he's just stepped in the door and I want him dead already.  Did you just say "two big sex reunions"?  Excuse me those claws do not look practical even if most demons are into pain play. If you were really a sex god you’d have a couple of them trimmed all the way down.

- Blitzo erupting in jealousy.  Yes, there's someone who's fucked both of them and it was not you.  At least you haven't also slept with Chaz (although I am putting that down to chance and not any kind of good taste on your part).  

- Huge-eyed baby Moxxie!  Mom in shadow, what is she holding? flowers?  Blitzo how can you possibly be this slow on the uptake?

- I am distracted from the cute grenade moment by the aesthetic atrocity that is Chaz's tail.  What. How do you put on pants.      It does seem to have been an actual relationship, though, or at least a fling.    Moxxie get that nostalgic smile off your face oh my GOD that wasn't nostalgia.

- "Draw me like one of your French imps", huh?  oh. Oh dear.  Millie is 1000% better than this dirtbag in every possible way, why are you regretting him at all?

- HI BLITZO! Huh, they let him keep his boots in jail.  Loona surely does not have a babysitter. Was he that overprotective?  Or was he bullshitting? If so, it worked, you can see Moxxie’s face change at the idea of this guy as a loving dad. (Which he is! It just...works better if people imagine Loona is a young kid.)

- I thought that might be what Moxxie sees in Blitzo.  Someone who gave him a way out of his old life, someone who's proven trustworthy despite his flaws. Not quite sure how to interpret Blitzo's expression on hearing this.   A mixture of touched and regretful?

- Yeah, you fuck him up, MillWHOA that is a level of rage I did not expect.  What did Chaz do to HER?  

- PFFT  Blitzo reverses it because "horseless friendfucker" is what Chaz is as far as he's concerned.  

- Is Blitzo thinking:  I don't talk about my dick like that.  Do I? Please tell me I'm not this fucking obnoxious.   Oh god keep this guy FAR away from Stolas.

- What the FUCK, Crimson.  Homophobia, contempt, abuse, you're clearly the whole package, but you redecorated with neon dicks to insult your son?

- At least someone's happy.

- We're consistently not seeing mom's face and it is weirding me out.  ohno.  Not hard to tell where this is going.  oh NO.  

- Moxxie's tenderheartedness in "Murder Family" isn't so funny anymore is it.  Burn the fucking mansion down, Moxxie.  Millie will help and I doubt Blitzo will be opposed.   I didn't see them confiscate your phones, so text  them.

- Chaz you are making Blitzo look modest and tasteful.

- I completely forgot we hadn't had a musical number yet.  Can we - can we skip it this once?

- BLITZO

- Did he just say "chill the fuck out?" Is he not having fun over there because I really hope he is not.  I hope this is the worst lay of your life, Blitzo.

- Well, he doesn't look like he had fun.  At all.  Was this a ploy?  No, he’s just an opportunistic chaos gremlin.

- Uh. Moxxie I admire your spine here, but not your brains. How are you going to keep him from cutting bits off Millie until you give in?  I certainly hope you did something useful with that phone earlier.  (Spoiler: He did not.)  

- Oh! Blitzo's feet are just shaped like heeled boots.  Wacky.

- Now THAT'S more the musical number I wanted.  

- Millie. 10/10 no notes.  Perfection.   I'm not even gonna ask how they had enough time to repaint the banner and retrieve Blitzo's clothes (you know he'll be back in his own coat next episode).  

[from-a-reckless-writer]

dove down my rabbit hole of wips and one of my wips isnt a wip anymore! so here, have some gay shit....

“Kelly wants to get married in the woods, I want to get married in Midvale. So, apparently, our wedding will just happen via Zoom. Her in the woods, me at the beach. Ain’t that just fucking grand?”

Alex comes through the door like a hurricane covered in leather. Her helmet lands on Kara’s counter loudly. Her keys haphazardly thrown somewhere in the general direction of the bowl by the door.

“Then have two weddings.”

Alex follows the voice and her eyes zero in on her sister’s best friend.

Lena is sitting on the floor of Kara’s apartment, wearing an oversized sweater. Her dark hair spilling down her shoulders softly. A hand wrapping around a wine glass, the other typing on her laptop, not even jumping in the slightest at the commotion that is Alex’s entrance.

Alex plops down on the couch sighing loudly, not even batting an eye at this utterly domestic scene that is her sister washing the dishes with Lena Luthor on the floor of her apartment.

Lena doesn’t comment at the Danvers’ Sisters antics and Alex doesn’t call them out on the ridiculousness that Lena and Kara are still keen on keeping up.

The three of them already well desensitized to one another’s preferred brand of bullshitery.

“You know, sometimes I forget you're a rich-ass bitch and then you say shit like that and suddenly, I remember,” Alex says, smoothly snatching the wine from Lena’s hand.

She finishes the entire glass in one gulp and Lena rolls her eyes. Alex had finally proposed to Kelly the other week and well, that meant this week all of them had fallen victim to the Olsen-Danvers wedding debacle. It seems today isn’t the day that that whole dilemma is going to stop.

The wedding, of course, was still a few months away, but both parties were stressing about it as if it was going to happen immediately the next day.

Kara swoops in then, mussing up Alex’s hair, earning her an annoyed Hey stop it! before putting down another wine glass and pouring for Lena. Her arms are still wet from washing the dishes.

Lena murmurs her thanks and continues what she was saying, “Well, since you’ve finally remembered that I’m a billionaire. Let me pay for two weddings.”

Alex chokes on the wine.

“What? You’re kidding me, right?”

Lena continues typing, ignoring Alex’s shock, you’d think she didn’t just offer to pay for a wedding.

“Well, I mean, I’m never gonna get married,” Lena explains, “but if you let me do this, I can brag around that I’ve paid for two weddings. Not to mention I’m gonna make two brides very, very happy.”

“Or,” Kara interjects, lowering herself on the opposite side of the couch, perfect for Lena to lean back between Kara’s legs and lay her head on the side of her thigh. “You can just wait for Kelly to get here,” Kara says, pointedly. “Talk it out like normal adults and reach a compromise.”

Kara’s hands start to snake their way from Lena’s hair to Lena’s shoulders, massaging, all too aware that Lena won’t stop whatever it is she’s working on on her laptop till everybody gets here.

Lena lets herself melt and closes her eyes, sighing as Kara’s fingers dip at the junction of her neck and shoulder with just the right amount of pressure.

“I don’t wanna get married in the woods, Kara.”

Lena opens one eye to take a peek at Alex, who looks exasperated, her eyes pleading, gulping down another glass of wine.

“Don’t tell me,” Kara replies. “Tell Kelly.”

“The bugs, Kara,” Alex moans. “Imagine the bugs, and the moss and the ughhh.”

She dramatically thumps the back of her head on the couch.

“Imagine the soil. Clumpy wet soil. Eurgh. Ew. What if I fall face first in that? What if I trip over a stupid tree root in my heels? In my wedding dress?!”

“Alex, you don’t even have a dress yet,” Kara deadpans.

“I thought you were gonna wear a suit,” Lena adds.

“You two suck.” Alex pouts.

****

The rest of their friends arrive and Kara finally succeeds in prying Lena’s work laptop away from her. Alex was already teasing the line from tipsy to drunk by the time Kelly comes through the door.

“Let’s get married in Vegas!!!!” Is how Alex decides to greet her fiance.

Kelly laughs, gives her a peck then answers, “As much as that sounds like a very convenient wedding, I don’t think Eliza would appreciate that, baby.”

Alex frowns at being rejected, sags against the couch and crosses her arms. Why does Kelly always have to be right?

“How much has she had to drink?” Kelly turns to Kara.

“Uhh ask Lena. She made her switch to whiskey.”

Lena—who Kelly thinks was way too busy nuzzling against Kara’s neck to even answer her question—mumbles something that sounds like “S’was just two glasses.”

Kelly just shakes her head, makes Alex drink a glass of water. Her ring making a clink against the glass.

“Alright, what if,” Nia sing-songs, eyes sparkling with mischief, “we just settle this whole wedding thing with Charades?”

Nia claps her hands together like some gameshow host and Kelly takes a deep breath through the nose.

She’s been to enough Game Nights to know where this is headed.

Everybody else was intoxicated enough to accept the suggestion as a grand idea, not at all even thinking that: Hey, isn’t this something we should all take seriously?? Maybe ask the brides what they want, maybe???

Kara nods enthusiastically, agreeing immediately, “Oh!! That’s a great idea! Fun and fair at the same time!”

“Olsen vs. Danvers. Brides get to pick their teams.”

Nia pulls a white board out of nowhere, uncaps a marker and writes “Team Danvers”, “Team Olsen” separated by a neat line in the middle.

“Are we really letting Nia take charge of our wedding venue?" She hears Alex whisper from where she has her tucked at the crook of her neck.

Kelly sneaks a glance at the chaos happening before their eyes; Brainy already claiming to be on Kelly’s team, J’onn shaking his head opting to be the game scorer instead and refusing to participate, somebody’s shouting about: NIA, DREAM PROJECTIONS AT CHARADES IS CHEATING!!!!

Guess this is their life now.

Kelly smirks, boops Alex on the nose and says, “Scared you’ll lose, Danvers?”

****

Alex loses by three points.

“How was I supposed to know you were gesturing 'Transformers'!?!” She barks at Kara, throwing her hands in exasperation.

“I pointed at Nia!” Kara huffs, incredulous at the fact that her sister is blaming her.

Nia lost them a point too!

“What does Nia even have to do with it???” Alex’s voice grows higher in pitch. Her brows furrow in a mix of confusion and frustration.

“Trans, Alex. Trans.”

“Oh my God,” Alex groans. “How are you this dumb?”

And that was the story of how Kelly got her dream wedding.

****

The frenzy finally dies down, some time between Nia making up another drinking game and J’onn making her sit back down. A movie that none of them were watching provides a background noise to the almost lazy atmosphere. Kelly and Alex were pressed close on the far end of the couch, enjoying the temporary quiet.

“Guess we’re getting married in the woods, huh?” Alex murmurs.

“I guess we are,” Kelly whispers back. Alex beams at her, grinning dopily at the thought of finally getting the ending they deserve. It would be the perfect day, she has no doubt about that. No matter where they are. It would be perfect because they got there together.

Alex can’t wait.

“What? Why are you looking at me like that?”

“Nothing.”

Alex continues to smile stupidly, nudges her nose to Kelly’s.

“Just— I don’t really care where we get married, I guess.”

“Oh yeah?” Kelly raises an amused brow at her.

“Mm-hm. So long as you’re the one walking down the aisle.”

Alex presses their lips together, breathes Kelly in deep and for the first time that night, she feels that the future isn’t so scary, even though there is still a very large possibility that she might trip over a tree root on her wedding day.

Somebody interrupts their kiss.

“She’s only saying that ‘cos she lost.”

“Shut up, Luthor.”

****

“Text me when you get home!”

Lena hears Kara call loudly after her sister, before closing the door. Game Night has officially ended and as usual she’s still here. She’ll always be here, she thinks for a brief moment. The thought holding more depth than it should.

Kara didn’t even question her when everybody began filing out and Lena just started picking up the discarded dirty plates and walking them to the sink. They’re well past the point of asking each other if the other would stay over.

It was already some unspoken rule.

Already well past the point of Lena wanting to ask Kara what the hell it is they’re doing.

She’s bent over the sink, scrubbing—Kara doesn’t own a dishwasher for the sole reason that she finds doing the dishes therapeutic—when Lena takes a glance over her shoulder.

Kara is sitting on a high stool near the counter, casually flicking through her phone. It was Lena’s turn to do the dishes tonight. Once upon a time her doing the dishes would have resulted in a fight. “I can superspeed the dishes. Why would you even want to do them?” A statement that would be met with an eye roll.

Kara has learned not to fight her on it again, after around the 7th time that Lena had stubbornly insisted and Supergirl got doused with dishwashing liquid.

And now, it’s become some sort of routine, Kara does the dishes after lunch and Lena does the dishes after dinner. Oh, how the paparazzi would kill for this—Lena Luthor Knows What A Sponge Is?

“Is it true when you told Alex you’re never going to get married?”

Kara decides to break their quiet.

“Yeah, pretty certain about that one, why?” Lena turns around, cocks a curious brow. If she’s being honest she’s beyond certain that she’s not going to get married. She always jokes about how she’s married to L-Corp but it isn’t till now that she realizes how true that is, and...how lonely.

“I don’t know,” Kara murmurs, not meeting Lena’s eyes. “I just like the idea of you getting married, I guess.”

“What?” Lena chuckles at that; genuinely confused but still curious.

“Well, I mean—” Kara wobbles through her words.

“I guess, I just— I like the idea of you walking down the aisle...in a white dress,” Kara muses.

Then, “Or a suit!!” she quickly amends. “If you wanna wear a suit, that is. That can totally be arranged, you know?” Kara waves her hand around and it’s like now that she’s started, she can’t stop.

And Lena’s just standing there, water still dripping from her elbow, unsure of how to feel about Kara imagining her getting married. Quite an incredulous scene isn’t it? Her getting married? What a crazy thing to say, an even crazier scenario to imagine!

She snaps out of it, realizing Kara’s still rambling.

“I have no objections whatsoever with that, if you wanna wear a suit. And yeah, you know? I just— I like that idea. I like the idea of you dancing to your wedding song. The idea of you exchanging your vows, the idea of you-”

“Kara,” Lena decides to put a stop to it, since it’s clearly evident Kara won’t be stopping any time soon. And Lena's feeling way too many things that she doesn’t want to feel at the moment. She’s sure that she’s going to feel more, if she doesn’t put a stop to it herself.

“I’m well aware that it’s the best friend’s job to help with the bride’s wedding,” She says, “but, darling don’t you think you’re putting just a bit too much effort into this? Certainly seems like you’ve thought about it a lot.”

At that, Kara’s cheeks turn a light pink, squirming sheepishly under Lena’s questioning gaze.

Shouldn’t Kara be thinking about her own wedding? How beautiful she would look walking down the aisle. How her blonde hair would look so nicely with her dress. How happy she would finally be after finding someone she could share her life with. Not that Lena's been thinking about those kinds of things. No, of course not. That’d be hypocritical of her at this point. Why would she even— Why were they even talking about this again???

Lena tries to rein in it, tries to focus on Kara again; hands finally finding a dry towel, hesitantly walking into Kara’s space to hear the blonde more clearly.

“Well, I mean- Like I said, I do really like the idea of you getting married,” Kara repeats herself slowly.

And before Lena can come any closer, “Like the idea of you getting married…to me. More specifically,” Kara adds more quietly.

“What?”

Lena stands frozen.

“I’m sorry, I don’t think I heard y- Kara, did you just?”

Lena’s heart is pounding away in her chest. Did she hear her right? Did Kara really just—

Lena’s a step away from her and Kara uses this to her advantage. She pulls Lena closer, tugging at her wrist, the towel dropping from Lena’s hands. Kara summons enough willpower to stare into Lena’s eyes.

“I like the idea of you getting married to me, Lena Luthor.”

“Kara, I’m sorry- What?” Lena jerks away from her, the words finally landing.

“Is that a no?”

Kara lets her go. She can’t focus on Lena’s heartbeat to assess the situation more. Kara’s own heart is betraying her, drumming so loudly in her ears.

“Uh- no, that's definitely not a no?” says Lena hesitantly, eyes wide, breathing nervously. She turns away from Kara for a minute to take a breath, hands fidgeting about.

She whirls around again to face, mutters, “You do realize marriages are for people who are—”

She pauses.

How do you exactly phrase that wedding proposals are for people who are actually in some kind of romantic relationship? And not for people who casually stay over every goddamn Thursday without fail?And okay, maybe sometimes, in a much different reality, would willingly commit fratricide to save the other? And in an also much different reality, willingly expose a secret identity to save the other?

Lena can’t find the right words.

“Oh, I don’t know, Kara,” Lena scoffs, shaking her head disbelievingly. “Marriage is for people who are actually dating each other.”

Kara takes her sarcasm as a good sign and pulls her in again.

“Well,” Kara begins. She can hear Lena’s heart thumping erratically, now that Kara’s gotten her bearings.

“We can always have our first date after the wedding, right?”

Aren’t they well past the point of dating anyway?

She’s got Lena standing between her legs now, her hands wrapping around her waist.

“First date and honeymoon all in one. That sounds great, doesn’t it? I can fly you wherever you want, Paris, Maldives, hell I even have a Fortress in the Arctic, if you’re into that.”

Lena stares at her, blinks once, twice; shakes her head and lets out a noise between a laugh and a scoff.

“Kara Zor-El, you are one ridiculous woman,” She breathes, putting a hand on Kara’s cheek. Because what else is there to say? This whole conversation really is ridiculous. But at the same time Lena feels like she’s floating? Like this may be the best moment of her life, and of course, it’s going to be ridiculous. This is Kara she’s dealing with, after all.

She doesn’t know what she’s going to do if Kara reveals this to be just some sort of joke.

But the way her blue eyes are piercing through Lena’s, so earnest and so warm, argues otherwise.

“So, what do you say? Wanna get married?”

“Are you serious right now?” Lena asks, still unbelieving. This is beyond crazy. They’ve fought aliens and monsters and traveled through time but this? This is just beyond crazy.

“Lena, do I look like I’m joking? And besides, you’d already offered to pay for two weddings, why not pay for our two weddings, instead?”

She shakes her head again, let’s herself fall closer to Kara, lets out a laugh against her neck.

“Mm. You want a Kryptonian ceremony too?”

“Yeah.” Kara’s voice turns shy. “If that’s alright by you.”

“Of course, that’s alright by me. I’d be honored.”

Her heart feels more than full at the thought of Kara wanting to share that part of her with Lena. She’s always had some doubts whenever the topic of Kara’s Kryptonian heritage arises, always half-afraid she’s overstepped on something that isn’t hers.

But looks like there was nothing to fear all along.

“So, we’re getting married, huh?” Kara wiggles her brows, her face breaking into a wide grin.

“Yes. Mm-hm,” Lena hums against her. “I do. I’d marry you. Let’s get married.”

“Seal it with a kiss?"

****

“Hi.”

Lena blearily opens her eyes, follows the soft voice, her bare back being caressed by the sun filtering through Kara’s curtains.

“Hi,” She whispers back. All this feels much too like a fever dream. She’s half-tempted to pinch herself just to check. She’s woken up beside Kara a million times before but she’ll never get used to the sight of soft golden hair and sleepy blue eyes.

Kara gives her a soft peck and the feel of her lips sends Lena reeling.

The previous night was a whirlwind in her mind’s eye. The moment Lena murmured her 'Yes, please.', Kara kissed her passionately. Once they broke away, Kara had zipped around the apartment, Lena too dazed to even ask what it was Kara was looking for.

She watched as Kara tore off a keychain from one of her bags, curled the keyring to fit Lena’s finger and whispered, “This’ll do. For now.”

Kara had kissed her knuckles reverently, her lips making Lena’s blood sing in her veins. The feel of mangled metal fitted just for her left hand is an imprint on her soul. A promise of more to come.

They didn’t make it out of the kitchen the first time. Kara had lifted her by the waist and set her down on the kitchen counter. Which was a good thing, because Lena couldn’t feel her legs after.

They didn’t make it to the bedroom the second time either. She had tackled Kara onto the couch, pinning her wrists together, licking at the shell of Kara’s ear. “My turn now,” Lena had whispered. The way Kara shivered underneath her was enough of a reward. How long had they been waiting for this?

Flashes of last night had her hips bucking slightly unto Kara’s leg sandwiched between her own, but before it could escalate further...

“I have exciting news to share,” Kara tells her.

“Really?”

“Mm-hmm,” Kara hums, now nosing at Lena’s hair.

“What is it?” Lena asks.

“I’m getting married.”

“Oh you are?” Lena plays along.

“Yes. I’m getting married to my best friend,” whispers Kara, almost conspiratorially. “How cool is that?”

Kara looks giddy with excitement and Lena knows she’s mirroring that exact same expression right now.

“Mm. Very cool, darling.”

Kara giggles and they trade more lazy kisses before Lena breaks away to breathe.

“Quite a coincidence though,” Lena husks out against Kara’s lips.

“Oh really? Why?” Kara asks, tries to keep a serious neutral face despite her nose scrunching up in that cute smile that Lena can’t resist

“I’m also getting married,” Lena confides, “To my best friend," she adds, eyes flashing. "Isn’t that great?”

“Very great.” Kara nods slowly, blonde hair falling into her face, a hand running through dark tresses.

“I love you,” Lena whispers, her lips brushing Kara’s softly.

“I love you, too.” Kara kisses her harder then, her hands lazily wandering along Lena’s skin.

They lie there quietly for a few moments, basking in the morning glow and then, “Alex will kill us.”

Lena snorts, twists in the sheets and says, “I think your sister is too busy planning her wedding to even think about plotting our murder.”

read follow-up here.

[scapegrace74-blog]

New Ways of Turning into Stone, Chapter 6

A/N Where does the time go?  I lugged my laptop 7,000km round trip with the sole intention of working on this fic, but that apparently didn’t happen.  For those who found the last chapter hard to bear, I apologize in advance.  I am not quite finished being cruel.  With that said, trigger warning for character death, childhood disease, suicide ideation.  The chapter title is Sleeping in the Clouds.

The first five chapters are available on my AO3 page.

Five Months Later

A persistent mechanical bleating lifted Claire from the indeterminate depths of medicated sleep.  The emergency contact number she provided to all her patients was programmed to forward to her mobile, where a particularly aggravating ringtone ensured she would never miss a call.  Even at one am on a Tuesday night.

Fumbling for the device, she glanced at the unfamiliar number before answering.

“Doctor Beauchamp speaking.”  Her voice was gritty and rough.  She reached for a half-filled tumbler of water while waiting for the caller to identify themselves.  Over the line she could make out muted traffic noise, and perhaps a distant foghorn, but no-one spoke.

“Hello?” she inquired, torn between concern that a patient needed her and frustration that she might have been woken by a misdialed number.

“If you’re one of my patients, you need to talk to me so that I can help you.”

There was an intake of breath, a weepy sniffle, and then the click of the call being terminated.  A prickle of gooseflesh washed over her.  She couldn’t say exactly how, but she knew who had called, and that he needed her.

One of the grim perks of her job was that she had backdoor access to reverse look-up for telephone numbers, in cases where there was a threat of self-harm or harm to others.  As Claire hastily donned socks and grabbed a winter coat, she waited on hold for the PSAP operator to provide an address.

“We’re in luck, Doctor Beauchamp.  It wasna a mobile number.  In fact, tis a telephone booth.  Gote Lane, in Queensferry.  Down near the... umm, next tae the bridge.”

Without so much as a thank you, she hung up and frantically punched the app for an Uber.

Fifteen nail biting minutes and an excessive tip later, she stood in front of an empty phone booth.  Predictably, the directory had been torn out, leaving only a thin metal cord and car-key graffiti inside the cramped interior.  But on top of the phone itself she found a familiar ecru business card, her name and credentials embossed in black font.

“Damn it, Jamie,” she muttered to herself, palming the card.

If he’d hung up and started walking towards the bridge, she might be able to catch him if she ran all out, but something called her towards the nearby shore instead.

The tide was out, leaving a narrow strip of beach and sharp, slimy rocks exposed to the heavy air.  Her nostrils were assaulted by the briny vegetative rot of the retreating sea.

On a weathered bench facing the river, encircled by a cone of foggy streetlight, sat a man, his eyes trained on the smudgy lights of the Queensferry bridge hovering high above.  Even bundled in a heavy black jacket and watch cap, she would recognize his long limbs and the set of his shoulders anywhere.  She let out a long breath of relief.

She approached the bench cautiously, not certain if her presence would be welcome.  Instead of turning to greet her footsteps, Jamie addressed the bridge.

“Maggie passed t’day.  I called ‘cause I wanted ye tae know, but then I couldna find the words tae tell ye.”  Despite his refusal to look at her, his words were calm and without a hint of the bitterness she’d expected.

“Oh, Jamie.  I’m so terribly sorry.  I didn’t know her well, but she was a very special little girl who loved you dearly.”

He nodded in acknowledgement of her words, but didn’t reply.  She shifted uncomfortably from one foot to the other, suddenly aware that she was still wearing her pajamas, her hair doubtless a veritable cumulus of tangled curls.

“Is there anything I can do?” she asked.  “I still have some contacts at the hospital, I could...” she broke off, knowing it was ridiculous to offer professional assistance when she’d been the one to sever their relationship.

“Would ye, if it’s no’ too much tae ask, would ye mind jus’ sittin’ here with me fer a bit?”

He finally turned to look at her, and she could see the spider web of red veins that surrounded his irises, testimony to his heartbreak.  His mouth, usually such an accurate barometer of his mood, was strangely inert.  She nodded, unable to deny him such a simple request.

It was the time of night when the daytime symphony of the city broke into its component parts, every passing car, every lapping wave a single instrument singing its own plaintive song.  They sat in silence for long enough that she could feel the damp creeping up the legs of her pajamas.

“Maggie loved tae cross that bridge,” Jamie said at last.  “She’d lower her window, rain or shine, and stick her wee arm out, sayin’ it felt like she was flyin’.”

Claire smiled at the image, trying to picture the little girl with the giant imagination.

“What colour was her hair, Jamie?” she asked.  “Was it red, like yours?”

“Nah, dark, like Jenny’s and our Da.  But wi’ curls like mine and my Ma’s.  A little like yours, actually, Sassenach.  That is, before the chemo took it away.”

She grimaced, not knowing what topic to choose that wouldn’t lead Jamie on a path directly back to his grief.

“She fought sae hard,” he continued before she could attempt another distraction, “but the cancer wouldna let her win.”  Tears were rolling down his cheeks, glinting in the sodium light like stars, but he didn’t seem to notice or care.  “She was the best person I knew.  Sounds strange tae say of a wee lass, but she truly was.  An’ it made me a better person tae love her.  What the fuck am I gonna do now?”

Jamie was looking straight at her, as though he truly expected her to offer useful guidance.  All her training, her professional distance, fell away in the face of one broken man.  She swallowed, searching for words that weren’t a platitude.

“You’re going to go on living, because she can’t.  Because your happiness, when you are ready to feel it again, will be a gift to her memory.”

Jamie sniffed, then wiped his sleeve across his face.  He placed his hand on the bench between them.  Without allowing herself to think, Claire reached for it, finding his skin surprisingly warm.  There was an agonizing fermata, when all the instruments held their breath, and then he turned his palm upwards to meet her own.  Beneath the fog the river slipped by, blending endlessly into the sea.

"Look, Jamie, I know it’s not the right time, but I want to tell you that I’m sorry.  For the way I treated you, and ended things, and...”

“Nay, Sassenach, it’s me who should apologize.  I had no right tae throw my diagnosis at ye like some kinda weapon.  An’ when I think of how I heedlessly brought up yer becoming a mother.  I, of all people.  Weel, suffice it tae say I’ve spent many an hour regretin’ my words an’ actions.”

She squeezed his hand, wordlessly declaring them equal in remorse.

“How have ye been?” he inquired, peering at her as though trying to read her state of mind on the planes of her face.  She chuckled, looking away when the intensity of his gaze became too much.

“About the same, I suppose.  Better some days than others.  Geillis has started ordering my lunches for me, so I no longer have any excuse not to eat.”  Jamie nodded, seemingly pleased with this news.

“And you?  Are you still seeing Dr. Rafferty?  I... uhh, I know his office requested your file.”

In fact, Giles Rafferty had called her the week after her confrontation with Jamie, wondering why his new patient’s record of treatment contained no more than his biographical details and the time and date of each of his appointments.  She told him the same thing she’d told Geillis when she asked the same question in significantly cruder terms: that her weekly interactions with Jamie had never led to a professional diagnosis or a recommended course of treatment.

“Aye. He’s a good man, although tragically immune tae my charms.  Unlike some.”

“Don’t flatter yourself, Fraser,” she warned, although his rakish grin warmed her from the inside out.

“I’ll be darkening his doorway wi’ some frequency, after t’day,” he continued with a return to solemnity.

And yet you called me, Claire wanted to say, but didn’t.  When his beloved niece had slipped away, hers had been the number he had dialed, despite everything.  The very idea made her thoughts flit about like fireflies.

“I missed ye, Sassenach,” he confessed quietly after a time.

“I missed you too, Jamie.”

They sat together through the thin hours of the night, talking, sharing memories of Maggie, but mostly in silent companionship.  As dawn brightened the eastern sky, the fog began to lift, revealing an overcast sky.  The lights of the bridge blinked out, and the city’s music began anew.  Claire wished futilely that day would never break, knowing that it would bring them both the pain of two very different kinds of goodbye.

Her hand, when Jamie finally let it go, felt strange, as though it had been separated from its source.  She tucked it quickly into her pocket.

“I.. errr, I need tae be goin’,” Jamie said by way of apology.  “Ian and Jenn will be needin’ me.”

“Yes, of course.  I’ll just, um, call myself an Uber.”

They were both standing, neither seemingly knowing how to part.

Jamie opened his mouth, paused, shook his head in frustration, then looked away.  Her traitorous hand escaped her pocket and found its way to his chest.

“I’ll be thinking of you.  All of you.  If there’s anything, anything at all..”

“How long until your no’ my doctor anymore?  Ethically speakin’.”  He was looking at her in a way that made the fireflies whirlpool about.

“What?” she asked to buy herself some time to breath.

“Before I go an’ face everything that is wrong about t’day, I want tae ken, how long must I wait before I can kiss ye again wi’out riskin’ yer reputation?”

“There’s no written timetable,” she stalled.  “It’s a question of a doctor exerting undue influence or the exploitation of the patient’s trust, and there’s really...”

“Those rules are meant tae protect the patient, aye?  So I should be allowed tae waive them, no’?”

“Jamie...”

“Fine, let me rephrase my question.  Doctor Claire Beauchamp, when can I, James Fraser, ask ye tae look upon me as a potential suitor and no’ a former patient?  Six months?  A year?  Two years?”

“You really are the most infuriatingly stubborn man,” she huffed.

“Aye, I ken.  Sae, two years?  Do we have an agreement, Sassenach?”

“Fine, yes, two years, but Jamie, I don’t expect you to...”

A finger was placed across her lips, silencing her protests.

“Two years are naught if I can kiss ye again once they have passed.  Until then, Claire, please take care of yerself.”

She stood by the bench long after Jamie was gone, staring out across the river.  A flock of geese flew by in formation, broad wings nearly touching the surface of the water as it reflected the steel gray clouds above.  She thought of little Maggie, and her birdhouse surrounded by clouds.  A sob wrestled its way up her throat, surprising in its urgency.  And then, she allowed herself to cry.

[seoafin]

tbh,, i havent read the raws of the interview yet, only the translated ver from fan-translator and b4 i start, i think that this will be just me talking in circle and in no particular order AND a real mess (my brain does weird things after exams) but uhh here we go

gojou collects talented people, and by doing so he finds the people he can most probably relate to, except that he can't, not really, because something in the universe shifted when he was born. and it makes me think of how he's always known it, that he is special, and he's proven it, time and time again— he wants to take in talented ppl and he does, but there rly isn't much he can do for them. for they are talented, more talented than the world can understand,,

but they aren't gojou satoru

gojou took in megumi, bc he knew megumi was strong, and would grow up to be someone even stronger, but gojou can't facilitate or encourage his growth, bc for all they're similar, they are so fundamentally different. ALSO,, while geto was in his life, gojou rly judged everything according to his understanding of geto’s moral compass. gojou wears a human suit and geto is how he learnt to wear it well 🏃

the dragonfly analogy regarding to geto’s response to gojo, who was shown wearing a dragonfly patterned yukata in HI arc,, i’m trying to not think abt the fact that dragonfly symbolized victory in jpn....pain. i quoted from a web here for more explanation : In Japan the dragonfly is known as the "victory insect", or kachimushi, because of its hunting prowess and also because it is known to never retreat. Dragonflies are agile and fast fliers and can even hover, but never fly backwards

and bringing this up again, matricide and patricide are 2 of the 5 worst act to commit in buddhism, and it was said that if u commit one of those act u’re going to spend a real long time in the deepest pit of hell before continuing the samsaric cycle (higher chances to be born as an animal after that probs)— this might be geto’s divine retribution. held no power over his own body and could be considered that he’s the same as those “monkeys” 💀

ALSO the fact that sukuna's interest is "eating" rly drives home his hedonistic philosophy of seeking pleasure for himself. and he’s a cannibal...makes me think if he’ll just chomp on ppl with the mouth on his stomach

randomly, to date i think he hasn't really called himself a human, shaman, or a curse, and has held himself apart from all 3, and we've also the intro of the cursed wombs so i wonder if he’s trying to become, or is, a different entity altogether

so onmyoji got mentioned in the interview and what they practice is called onmyodo and abe no seimei and kano no yasunori were the notable practitioners,, and the kamo in jjk is the same as irl who served the imperial court back then

maybe i was right when i said that the relation between the govt. and jujutsu elders are similar to how the shogunate and imperial court work (ie, the former holds the actual power) but... lets see later,,

and i cant believe that i actually nailed it on the analogy of jujutsu practices by religion,,, so mahayana buddhism, shintoism, and taoism is present in jjk along with their respective jujutsu practices...but between the 3, it shld (?) be taoism > shintoism > mahayana buddhism (which could took a path to pure land buddhism)

it’s weird that the number of curses are supposedly higher in jpn comparable to other countries when taoism was brought from china....tengen sus

so the zenin family tree is sth like :

brothers: [toji's dad] ; naobito ; ougi

so toji, naoya, and maki & mai are cousins of the same generation

[toji's dad] → jinichi (probs) ; toji → megumi

naobito → other brothers, naoya

ougi → maki, mai

but yea i’d call anyone who’s within/close or below my age range as cousins and others above 30 as uncles/ aunts LMFAO,, i dont rly memorize my own family tree 😭😭 especially since most call the other by honorifics instead of names : aunt, uncles etc or attaching said honorifics at the end of a name for an older sibling figure/ older cousins [but like ppl in my country also call the other who are older with sibling honorific even if we’re strangers,,, rly similar to korea’s hyung/oppa—eonnie(unnie)/noona but some uses more genderless honorific] (1)

tw // topic of incest, mentions of abuse

if anyone got the wrong idea when reading this : i am not glorifying/ romanticising incest(uous themes),, i’m looking at this with absolutely no lenses of bias even tho im rly against it

初恋 = literally : first love, or puppy love

恋 = romantic love/ deep longing

i literally don't know how else to put this...🧍and with language barrier...using a western interpretation of the eng word "love" to explain a jpnese term is not quite that simple, unfortunately

that thread omg,, i rly do understand how exactly someone could associated kindness with love bc of my upbringing, it was when i was slightly older that i was just...oh so its not like that orz,,, so the most plausible explanation would be that

but the problem is that,, akutami never specify when exactly she had a crush on them,, and when megumi answered todo’s question she had a “♡” reaction 😶,, uhmmm there’s rly no way to look past this if its this way or be in denial

i’ve seen some of "why wouldn't mai react that way after hearing megumi say he'd like someone who's compassionate when she's surrounded by men like naoya",, well I MEAN,,, that, but also mai probs admires that megumi grew up so well out of the clan, regardless of the fact that he had the foundation (10 shadows) to do so. imo she seems happy for him the way she can't be for maki, bc maki ultimately had to leave her behind

hate to say it but yea,, the 3 clans most likely still practice inbreeding in order to preserve their power and presumably their wealth too 😀

i had an idle thought abt it at first but i filed it deep in the back of my mind asap,, bc i ont wanna jump to conclusion abt this out of all things too early. it’s probably not even in jjk, but all those elite clans in other ani/mangas that produce powerful heirs and whatnot also do the same,,, but this way of (my personal) thinking was influenced when i first got into tsukihime (type-moon),,, i read abt the nanaya family background and found out that they practice that in order to keep their bloodline “pure” (to keep it short : they have an optical power),, and i had this kind of assumption ever since so there’s that

i’m,, convinced the zenins' inbreeding made it more difficult for them to get powerful shamans bc they got 2 jujutsu technique-less children with heavenly restrictions in the same generation: toji & maki

even more convinced that maki might be a bit stronger than toji bc toji could see curses without aid while maki can't so the pay-off must be higher,,, SJJASN IDK ,,, plus naoya sort of implies his older brothers are nothing compared to him, and idk if we should take that as his arrogance or that his older brothers rly are weak/powerless. it would make sense as to why naobito had a lot of sons, ig, as head of clan

i feel so bad that if one of the factors that can caused heavenly restriction is inbreeding,, toji and maki and mai had no say in how they wanted to be born but are scorned for it,, typical asian families projecting their traumas and ideals onto their kids but get mad when they realize that those ideals are ugly...😁😁😁

since the zenin are conservative,, i wonder if they still hold onto old jpnese dining traditions. where in ancient jpn, hierarchical relationships were made readily apparent even within families. a dining table where everybody sat down and ate as equals would be unheard of. rather, each individual is given their own table that indicates their status,,, someone who is not considered “strong” according to the zenin’s views most likely have no place at the table, and probs eat when those who are “strong” finished/ serve them when they are eating

if toji was tossed into a swarm of curses,, i dont think abuse during said time is below them,,,

the zenin clan was already great, but they further amassed power and strength by, what i assume to be, marrying and adopting powerful individuals into the clan 🤔 ,,, i imagine they're like the hiiragi but without doing what they did to shinya (ons reference)

BUT after all that, i like to think that since akutami’s a big horror fan, jjk might be an outlet to explore said topics or even darker ones, so i wouldnt be that surpised abt it. given that there’s more than enough “red flags” before this was dropped : a reference to “tale of hikaru genji” when a grown woman asked for gojou’s number in HI arc (out of all things); granny who transformed into the man’s daughter, sat on his lap and man just touched her waist; mei mei and ui ui ; and...this (incestous theme is in the novel btw)

lets not start with whatever the fuck in kubo’s head in the interview otherwise i’m writing paragraphs with every curse words possible,, those big 3 mangakas are so— UGH,, a planet w out (cis) men like him sounds real good rn 😌 if one of yall out there decide to do it,, pls hmu rly cant do this shit anymore

akutami said i like my men pretty and i like women who will step on my neck and spit in my face (I REMEMBERED TATSUKI FUJIMOTO’S INTERVIEW WHEN HE WAS ASKED ABT MAKIMA AND IT WAS SO 😭😭😭😭) but ykw,, love that for both of them <3

when i said 3 : one piece, bleach, naruto. aside from the blatant depiction/ characterize of women in those 3,, idk if some ppl arent aware yet but oda is friends with two (2) convicted pedos,, man...the major disappointment and disgust when i first find out abt it

anyways this is just my 2 cents (which i think rightfully belong to the trash can) so pls just take this w a lil to no grain of salt - 🐱

YEAH THE ♡ LMFAO I THOUGHT IT WAS JUST A “good answer ♡“ heart BUT NOW IM RE-EXAMINING?????

honestly i wouldn’t be surprised if the three clans practiced inbreeding. but ik people are going to be  😡😡😡😡😡 about it when the queen of fucking england is literally married to her (something) cousin. i’m not justifying it but like....love the double standards, just as always with the west 😍

DON’T EVEN GET ME STARTED ON THAT FUCKING PED* LIST THEY SHOULD ALL BE IN JAIL. JAILLLLL. it’s all so gross. that’s why i fucking hate when people look towards manga for positive representation because the chances of that are super slim to zero, especially since the industry is saturated with misogyny and ped******* and a lot of other gross stuff.

i think ppl forget jjk is a horror manga LOL so obviously it’s going to confront darker themes. the question is whether it’s going to be done tastefully or not......

[mythykl]

UNSPOKEN,, *todoroki x (f) reader

Genre : fanfic, smut *aged up* (shoto is imagined to be 21yo or something,, and reader as 19yo)

rating : explicit, NSFW, 17+

Warning : fingering, oral?? todo is pretty horny overall. starts w a pretty intense bg story, so you gotta read through all that to get to the good stuff. cool.

words?? idk, it’s pretty lengthy tho.

our todoboi is a pretty lovin’ bf in here.

————————-

“I’m really sorry for yesterday, Y/N. I-I did’n-”

You clench your fists as you sit on the couch beside him, and interrupt, “Whatever it is- save it, I don’t blame you to begin with. I-I’m just mad. I’d spent almost a week for that chapter, to give justice and bring perfection in what I wanted to put across to the readers. Well- its not even about the time; I had thought through it so much, and atlas thought of typing it out yesterday- I mean- whatever crap that I had even written, I was proud of that- until,, your ignorant ass decided to show up in the room and fuckin’ switched off the computer assuming it’s already logged off, o-or whatever. You could’ve at-at least- fuck-” yup ya ass is livin’ in the worst nightmare of a writer, stay steady

You of course cried, and even threw a tantrum for an hour or so once you realized what had happened. But primarily, you were just mad- mad at yourself for not saving that damn file, and even at him cuz ofc. 

Todoroki certainly didn’t take it well, since he is sad at present, and can’t even look in your eyes. He apologized multiple times since last night and had even prepared a breakfast for you before leaving for work; on the other hand, you haven’t even answered to his appeals yet with clarity.

Out of the blue you just cup his cheeks, making him instantly look up- at you, and then get up with an audible sigh, “Go get ready, I’ll prepare our dinner by then.” That gesture somehow took him aback. 

He gets up instantly and blurts out in confusion, “I d-didn’t expect you to prepare a dinner for me, and on top of it- wait for me so we can have it together. You should’ve ate already, it’s almost midnight.”

You turn back to him, walking towards him to hold his hands, "I honestly don’t know what to reply. My heart- just thought it is the right thing to do that; one mistake isn’t enough to just hate you all of a sudden, Shoto. Moreover we are talking about this, it’s not like you’re being arrogant or things are left unsaid- and you’re genuinely sorry. I can see that in your eyes. I’m just- I don’t know. I’m depressed a bit- yes, but it can’t be helped now. I need some time to think, maybe.” 

Little did you know that your kind words pricked him like thousands of tiny needles against his skin. He loves you, and however seemingly ‘small’ mistake this might be, he hates himself for hurting you- the person he loves so dearly. He thinks of his mother, his complicated family life- which had made him seemingly unemotional. You were one of the people to break through that forged cold wall. He had finally accepted you as his reality than his mere escapism and live with you, but here he is- bringing tears and fueling anger in you, like a good for nothing- just like his father.

After a slight pause, he just busts his arms open and pull you close to him, in his warm embrace, “What did I possibly do to deserve such an angel?” He almost whispers in his beautiful voice.

An angel? 

“So talented, pretty, wonderful, real and warm. Remember. I love you. No matter what. I always will. And I respect you- your passion, interests, talent, likes and dislikes, freedom, strengths-weakness, your work, happiness- everything. Throw all the tantrums you want and cry all you want- more than just agreeing and being there for you- I’ll always make sure I understand you first. I’m sorry for being so ignorant lately.”

It may seem as if he’s crying, but he’s not. He said all that with a tough stance and gratefulness in his tone, a faint disbelief of having you as his significant other. While you just stood there, in surprise. You aren’t oblivious to his past and his journey through it. Is he blaming himself? or Is he again thinking that he doesn’t deserve happiness?- you’re at the loss of words and a mind fumbling all over the place. You simply subside the chaos, and hug him back. 

“We’re definitely working, Todoroki. Understanding each other more than just being in love- something that many fail to do. Isn’t this great?” You at last blurt out.

“Yes. I guess,” he says as he detaches himself from you, “I’ll be right back- until then, read what I’ll send you as you have dinner. Gonna sound stupid of me- but I already had dinner at office. I assumed that you’d not prepare a meal for me and- would be asleep by now as well.”

“Wow icyhot, I’m mad at you even more now,” you say playfully as you walk towards the kitchen.

“I-”

“Save it. You would be saying that for the millionth time now,” you chuckle as you grab your phone, lying on the dinner table.

Before serving your food, you decide to see the text, only to find an attachment with a rather strange message- ‘Hey, here’s an headcanon for chapter 37, that I wrote. Enjoy.’

Wait-

Headcanon??

Wait did he- read your wattpad book? And moreover, came up with a theory to what might happen in the ne- next chapter.

Nice. jk. Ofc you lost your shit

For the sake of getting back to senses, you legit do the deep breathing shit- which your therapist always recommended you to do.

Now what?

You serve yourself some noodles instantly, since you don’t feel hungry anymore, rush to the dining table and start chomping on the cold noodles as you open the attachment.

What made you almost throw up was that the mention of word counts. Which is 3k by the way, though no where near how much you usually write.

Shoto is definitely not the kinda guy to have read any wattpad books, or more specifically even have come across the word 'headcanon’.

He probably noticed how you mention it as well at the end, but decided to put it in the beginning,, for god knows what reason?? Or, he did decide to go through the fanons- which your readers’ posts on tumblr. This eases your nervousness, you clearly urge for more.

You swipe down, reading furiously fast, yet scanning every word and sentence- atleast twice. The chapter, honestly, was mediocre. He had ideas but couldn’t put them across- with excessive repetition of words, but he is almost close to-

“Honey, are you done?” Todoroki’s voice almost scares you. You look at your bowl ready to grab another bite- but you had already finished the meal.

“Earth to Y/N. Don’t tell me my words were that mesmerizing,” he says with a smile as he rubs his hair with a towel.

“Let’s be honest, though you don’t have the talent of a writer, your idea was- kinda similar to mine. What I’m sayin is that you almost. GOT. IT. RIGHT. Well, kuro did spy on KAORI’S house that unfaithful night, and he didn’t have any sources as such, which does mean that he is hiding his real quirk- but, no- I’m not telling you more than that.”

“Since you already know that I read all your chapters, and did like the book- I certainly can’t wait to understand why KURO would possibly do that.”

You just smirk off his curiosity; “You gotta wait boy,” you say as you as you walk back to kitchen counter with your bowl. Todoroki marches behind you to grab the cleaning cloth to clean the table, as you do the dishes.

“Put that towel in the washing machine, please.”

“Yup,” you almost feel an ounce of happiness in his reply. After he closes the machine’s door, you at last ask, "So what are your thoughts?“ It has never been one of you expectations for the people to you read your books or even, praise you for writing, but a review wouldn’t hurt, would it?

"Uhh- well, I love how everything is now just coming together, as one can foreshadow that the book’s gonna end. The use of words was elegant, and the plot is bewitching. Has been a while since I even read anything in thriller, that too- this good. Fuck. Reading kaori’s point of view just the day before the murder was- unbelievable. And characters, they all are just great.”

That is indeed a Todoroki kinda explanation. 

“Wow you did read all of tha-” but before you could complete your statement, shoto just grabbed your hips and stood tall behind you, now speaking in an extremely low tone, “And not to mention- the first sex between Kaori and Braun, it literally was like the depiction of ours. Except, they were awkward and slow, we weren’t.”

You pause. what took over him all of a sudden?

He continues, “That gave me a whole another perspective to what sex really means, and moreover what intimacy mean to you. It was.. surreal. Reading it, was as if- I’m living through that afternoon again, but with more emotions, and a bit more of you.”

“It’s not like I’ve explored much to actually wri-”

 “Oh, is that so?”

“I’m not complaining, of course, but these are the moments I believe must be left to cherish and our intimate times just feel more- sacred to me like this??” Sigh, “Ugh. Now, how do I explain?” Well, that is true, even though Todo and you’ve dated for almost two years now, it was just four months ago that you lost your virginity with him, on your nineteenth birthday. 

He had already lost his with the previous girl he was with. Though he never implied, it felt as if you were obliged to do it for him, due to your own insecurities. Once he got to know that, his reaction was nothing as what you had thought. He said that he loved you, and such things are nothing related to love; that sex is overrated, and continued on saying dorky yet adorable stuff like- cuddling was much better and what not. Since then, you had sex with him just thrice. None of you were really against this unspoken agreement, to not have-

Wait, an unspoken agreement?

Unspoken.

You instantly feel like an hypocrite, since you had just claimed to have nothing unspoken between you both.

Sudden a sharp pain in the skin of your neck brings you back to reality. Shoto is sucking on your skin, kissing ever so lightly. As if marking you.

An audible morn escape your parted lips as the bowl just falls on the kitchen sink. Todoroki leans forward and simply closes the tap and whispers, “So you do like to be 'submissive’, don’t you? Had this discovery while reading one of your books, 'Starless nights’.”

The exact book for which you had to watch vintage porn to make the chapters with intercourses more sensual and intresting.

Again, taking you by surprise, he simply turns you around as you continue stare at the ground with your hands wet, in front of you like dog’s pow.

“So I assume you liked my headcanon.”

“Yup; was much better than the crap I write, let’s go to-” but you’re interrupted-

“Now baby, we both know you’re the better writer, and that you just lied.”

“That was sarcas-” but he just pulls you closer and spanks you hard. You hiss as the pain spreads all over your butt cheeks.

“Never interfere, Y/N.” Wait wut-

Your immediate reaction was biting your lips- is he saying the words from the book? Not exactly inacting them but attempting to set a similar atmosphere, which you lowkey craved for in your wildest dreams.

“Since I’ve anyways taken this unspoken, unofficial oath of keeping you happy and stuff, now why not help you with some satisfaction- with all those juices flowing down your-”

You suddenly push him back and blurt while blushing hard, “Stop with this teasing and aw- awkward co- conversations todoroki! Fuckin’ juices, seriously? I’m not co- comfortable with-”

But then, you notice his right hand in your shorts. Or more like the sheer coldness against you clit, almost like there’s ice against it. When did his hand go in there? You end up clenching his T-shirt, as you jolt up on your toes.

“You. Clearly. Want. This. Don’t. You.” Suddenly, he pulls his hand out as he grabs your ass tight as he pulls you even further. Then, he brings his hand up to the height of you face and simply starts stares at the dampness on his fingers, “Wetter than I suspected." 

Now behold the unbelievable.

He keeps staring at his fingers, opens his mouth as he places his fingers into them and suck it as you watch this piece of art in awe.

"Can’t believe that I had you like- just thrice before this. You do live up to what I usually call you, honey.” He continues, “I hope you’ve noticed my creativity as well, as i used my coldness to.. nudge it.”

“You’re being quite quirky today, aren’t you?” This statement just makes him go still, and the next second he’s found laughing. His deep voice, almost reverberating in the silent room. He steps back, brings one hand to his face as he looks down and continues to laugh. The mere sight of him in this way gives you so much warmth, this is the moment you realize that this is the true home. With him.

When he finally looks up, the mere sight of you blushing so hard makes him lose his composure again, but this time it’s a nervous laugh. 

Approaching closer, you set your hands on his torso and continue, “That was quite execrable pun to chortle at, we were doing excellent just now-” but in reply, he simply cups his hand around your cheeks and say, “Shit y/n. You’re going to be the death to me,” and continues grinning like an airhead.

Why is he being annoying now? After so much sexual tension, how can he stop? In midst of you cursing yourself in your head, he leans at your height and kisses you.

Finally being out of patience, you look at the ground and stutter, “Ca-can we do i-it al-alrea-”

“Quite frankly, I’d like if you stay quiet, you shall take what I’ll give you, right?”

You look up immediately into his beautiful heterochromic eyes and say without any further doubts with a smirk, “Go ahead, Shoto, who am I to deny?”

“Sedective. umm, I like that.” he smirks too.

“Know that I love you,” and that’s it. Within one second, his hands are in your hair and his face is buried in your neck, digging deeper into you, as if uprooting releasing your soul from your body.

Skin glistening on your collar bone now and colours warming up on your cheeks, you whimper under his dominance, as he squeezes your waist and lightly nips against your shoulder. You shiver, with pretty evident  goosebumps, in spite of the heat you both bear at this point. 

Your breath gets hitched in your throat as he moves inwards below your collarbones. while his hands rest on your waist. You involuntarily climb a bit on him, intending to close the gap, but more to feel his manhood against you. Your hands firmly on his shoulders, almost pushing him back- maybe because it’s too much pleasure to feel at once. 

At another rise of your hips, Todoroki places his hand on your waist and pushes you back down, “Easy, easy princess,” he mummers before getting back to fiercely kissing me. You run your fingers through his hair, as you body slowly commences to accept an indeed new experience bombarded at you. 

Suddenly, you remember something. In heist, you shove him back and say, “Wait! We need to wash our hands- I- I mean we have just did chores. Well, at least partially and I need to wash myself- I mean I’m clean,” but then you stop to look at him just to find him in utter shock. 

“Shoto! I mean I want this but hygiene is impor- fuck. I’m. Such. A. Boner. Killer. Ain’t I?”

“Point made.” Todoroki picks you up in bridal style and rushes towards the bathroom.  for some reason i thought of adding this,, lmao

“Wait what-?”

“No time to waste.”

This makes you giggle a bit. You wash yourself while he as well washes his hands, and you practically pull him out of the bathroom, grab him by his collar and kiss him deeply as his hands slowly move up and down, feeling your torso- flesh untouched due to s mere knit. 

His hand unapologetically moves to the hem of your sweater, and further inside; but within one move of his, you stood there shivering, exposed. 

Immediately, you move forward in order to close the distance between you and shoto out of nervousness. His eyes drop down to your heaving chest and you’re painfully aware of that.

“Don’t. Don’t hide,” he mutters, grabbing a hold of your hands and locking them behind with one of his own for you to stay still; as he slides his other in your shorts. You feel his gentle hand running down the slit.

“Honey you’re dripping wet, what have i done to this innocence?” It seems that he expected a reply, but you didn’t. You just couldn’t. He then pulls the other hand to you face, diving in for yet another passionate kiss- accompanied by a battle of tongues this time. You are going breathless, but he refuses to move away.

The creasing in your folds level up to three fingers now,. He isn’t generous anymore, with aggressive circles in there, he finally commands, “Say my name.” 

“Sho-shoto.” Your moans only fuel in his lust and desires, his want, an indeed selfish want to have you all for himself, to offer the utmost satisfaction.

He pushes a finger into you as you instinctively let out a small breath hold his busy arm with both of your hands. This makes him push you against the wall with his free hand.

“M-my legs, it’s going numb,” on hearing this, he removes his own shirt and slightly repositions himself, with one hand now on the waist and the other back in there. He kisses your forehead as you look down, unable to keep up with his pace.

That’s when the coldness returns.

 “I- ah- can we ge-get to the bed first?” Your stuttered words only results in a widened smile from him. He is enjoying the sight, clearly in love with the effect he has on you. His head shakes, further sliding another finger inside you, “You can do it baby. You’re taking it all in without questioning.”

You nod quickly, as you start climb up a bit again. In return, he slowly curls his fingers- more and more with each passing second making you almost cry out this time, “Please n-no, this is too intense for me.”

“Yet my princess didn’t make Braun stop after that, I read in somewhere that Kaori secretly wished for him to not stop even if she said so. Just go on.”

You didn’t know how to come back at it, because it is true. You want your Shoto to push those limits you’ve set for himself, and you’d as well be fine if he simply throws off you cliff at this point. 

“Now now, spread your legs y/n.” 

Did he say something? You couldn’t listen. With eyes rolled back, you can’t comprehend anything to begin with.

“SPREAD YOU LEGS or else I won’t play nicely.” You’re eyes shoot up, and find his already searching for yours; before leaning in and gently kissing you. Your legs not being shut anymore, todo takes the opportunity, making his finger get stuffed deeper. His two digits start moving faster and harder, pounding against your walls- all while he feels you squirm to slow down.

“You can take it hun’,” he definitely knows what he’s doing, and you’re totally in for it. “Y-yes,” you moan softly. This is when he slides in a third finger, now really making you scream.

You attempt to gasp and struggle to stand, but then he says,”Stay,” as you unknowingly slide down the wall. Your nails dig in the skin of his back as you try to stable your stance on your tip toes yet eventually, your legs give out on you.

Suddenly, you feel him hit a spot which just pulls something inside your stomach. Todoroki on the other hand, notices your unusual hitched breath and starts hitting the SAME. EXACT. SPOT.

His free hand goes to the back and around your waist, holding you evermore tightly so that you won’t hurt yourself.

“I feel- like that- again-,” you manage to blurt.

“Like what?”

“Like pe-peeing, b-but different. Just like th-the last time we-”

He simply smirks, “We what?” He sighs and growls in your ear, “Is princess gonna squirt for me?”

Your body shudders against him as you moan his name, again and again, “Shoto, I-I-”

“That’s it. Squirt for me y/n,” with that he removes his hand entirely for one second, only to push two digits inside again, now thirsting harder and curling tighter; with his thumb against you slit. His hand grows even more colder, almost stinging down there, making you restless. 

“Now.”

He watches you open your mouth and moan loudly, as his hand only gets wetter, feeling you squirt against his hand. You shake hard in his hold. He doesn’t let you go. A tear escapes you eyes, but simply doesn’t seem to care,”Shoto, for some reason I-I feel s-so great wi-with yo-,” but you are interrupted as he shoves you further against the wall , sliding down your shorts and undergarment, again with three fingers in.

“That’s my good girl,” he praises you while curling those fingers inside and then removing them together. He further continues, “seems like you’re ready,“ as he rubs the wetness inside the slit, giving special attention to your clit.

Saying that, he kneels down, now facing lower abdomen and plants a kiss over there. You simply look down at him, still struggling to balance, searching for even a slightest hint to know what is there to come.

Maybe he’ll stand up an carry you to the bed? or How about making him feel better this time?

But then, his face smashes his face on your dampness; almost attempting to bury in it as he holds you up and pushes. your legs apart. You clearly know where this is going, todoroki will be showing no mercy whatsoever.

"That wasn’t even the start honey,” he confesses in midst of you moans and begs for him to go slow. It doesn’t hurt anymore as much as it gives an unbearable form of pleasure.

You moan and whimper, yet he continues to suck in your clit. You can feel a finger inside, or maybe two, as they go in and out. Practically shattering you all at once while fusing you once for all.

Your hand travel its way to his hair. Ruffled enough to make the red and the white parts almost indistinguishable.

Oh dear.

Though your eyes are close, hands are fumbling around for support and legs are strictly held in place by Shoto, yet you can feel his tongue moving. As if in patterns, not that you could figure out. It either went in for an eight or just licked off entirely as one does while eating an icecream. You moan his name again and again, the same sensation building up block by block as he paves deeper and denser.

“I can’t take this anymor-”

“What makes you think that’s gonna stop me from eating this pussy.”

Little do you know that shoto can’t hold back anymore, it’s not just that he is in control but he has lost control. At the sight of your dark flushed red cheeks, delicacy and vulnerability, he only gets faster and tougher on you. His other fingers reach around and grips your ass, with his fingers slightly grazing across your unused hole.

That’s it, that was enough for you to go stagnant again, in your mind atleast. Your legs start shaking, with your mouth parted yet again. Shoto quickly stands up, with fingers still inside, to help you stay stood up. You feel yourself about to pass out, but in actuality are fully awake and aware. He kisses you, now moaning with you as well, as he fingers you until you cum.

His teeth take in your lower lip as your eyes flicker up at his unmatched ones.

Shoto, with one hand against the wall, halts for a minute. He stands tall in front of you, while holding you as you struggle to stand.

In midst of huffed breaths, you manage to say, “I- I, I mean- can I make you feel good as well?” On listening thise words, he goes still, “Baby, you can barely stand.”

“Still-” but again, before you could say anything, he picks you up in bridal style and dropping you on the bed; letting you lay back while he removed his left over garments.

This is when his erect manhood is finally exposed, refilling your memories of your first time when you had simply wondered how would you take all of that in. You did, though it was painful. But this time you refuse to be scared by the length, you know this is going to feel the best and you’re willing to take him in, deep inside you.

Shoto sighs and walks to the bed, “No-”

“Shoto?”

“Tonight is about you. Let ME explore you.”

“I wa-wanna hug you,” you blurt out.

He giggles, “sure, all that my y/n wants shall come true.”

But when you attempt to get up, your legs just fail to response. Even the slightest movement feels like a bolt of electricity run through you. At the sight of you falling back on the bed, Shoto simply smirks and says, “By the looks of it, I think I did a pretty good job at pushing your limits.”

“Don’t- I can’t even walk.”

“Wait,” he climbs on the bed beside you, sitting with back against the headboard while you lie against him, still breathless, still attempting to move.

“Don’t move princess,” saying this, he carefully pulls you up, with your head on his thigh. He helps you sit up slowly, while embracing your body against him, and finally hugs you, like a child clenching onto his teddy favourite bear.

“You are so beautiful,” he says as he gets up, while eyes glued on you. He moves to the end of the bed and pulls you towards him as he climbs in again. His two digits reenter your dampness, almost making you hiss at first but it’s soon replaced with moans.

Your back arcs as you mumble, “Sho-shoto, I’m very sensitive ri-right n-now. ah-”

While on his part, he receives it as a signal to level up to the next stage. He slowly penetrates in, soon pacing up. Warmth filled in your hearts and sweat glinting the lustre. He repostions you both a couple of times, giving you different forms of pleasures with each go. 

You as well witness his fire quirk leaking out at times. He kisses you deeply and claims you as his own as he repeats the words, “I’ll never let you go.”

Now it’s past 3am, as your exhausted bodies lay next to each other; that’s when he whispers, “I love you.” Maybe he thinks you are already asleep, but you are not. He clearly can’t leave anything unspoken.

i hope this has left you baffled 

[your-local-bnha-writer]

Hello ur my favorite account😭! Can I request a HC with Tanaka, Noya, Tsuki, & Kageyama where u guys are dating but at a tournament, u run into ur ex boyfriend ( who is a huge douchebag) and is saying a bunch of garbage about u? How would they react? , how would it impact their playing style cause get this- karasuno is playing against ur ex boyfriends team🤭🤭🤭🤭

jealous bfs tanaka, noya, tsukki kags,

hey I’m gonna mash these two requests! I hope you enjoy this was a lot of fun to write!

also favourite account?? me?? 🥺🥺

➣ characters included : tanaka, noya, tsukki, kageyama (separately) x fem!reader

➣ headcannons

➣ warning : a lot of swearing 😳 like there’s a lot, your jerk ex talking crap, scary bfs

ryūnosuke tanaka

- karasuno had made it to the nationals, and right before their game against Tsubakihara, lil ol Tanaka had to use the bathroom

- a horrible decision really, just ask hinata

- he walks in and hears your trash ex talking crap abt you

“Yeah, can you believe it? I saw my ex here, Y/n. I think she’s the manager for her team? Karasuno. Is she really that desperate for attention from other guys?”

- Tanaka is p i s s e d like, no one gets to talk about his precious love without experiencing the wrath from Ryūnosuke Tanaka

- So mans just straight up walks to your ex, “gently” taps him on the shoulder to get his attention, and starts defending your honour

“Y/n? Y/n L/n? The most beautiful, gorgeous, precious girl in the world? That Y/n?”

“Uh, yeah? Who are y—”

“Hi I’m the new boyfriend, and let me just tell you...”

- Tanaka goes oFF he’s not letting this douche bag of an ex get his way, he straight up just goes on a 2 hours speech about how perfect you were

- and how much of a douche your ex was

- Eventually, Hinata finds Tanaka in the bathroom (since his stomach was actin up lol) and goes to alert the other guys + you

- So, the whole gang is here, Daichi and Suga have to drAG Tanaka away from your ex while Noya hypes him up

- You have to calm him down and ask him why the hell he was yelling at someone in the bathroom

“Your ex was talking shit about you, I’m not just gonna let them do that”

- You’re immediately like 🥺🥺 Tanakaaaa you didn’t have to do that omg I love you sm

- When it’s finally time play these guys Tanaka is surprisingly calm, like it’s actually terrifying

- Oh and you bet Tanaka’s going all out he is on fire, he’s landing every spike and you can practically hear the impact on it

- Right after he lands a spike he celebrates with his team and stares directly at your ex who’s shooketh 😳

“Yeah take that! You regret breaking up with Y/n now?”

“Tanaka stOoOoP omg—”

- After Karasuno wins he gives you the most passionate kiss, in front of your ex and you pull away blushing

- Your ex just rolls his eyes and goes to pack up with his team while Tanaka’s looking all smug and Noya’s hyPED

yuu nishinoya

- The boys were getting ready for the match against Johzenji, and were just doing some basic warmups

- You had to help Kyoko and Yachi with something so you weren’t in the gym at the moment

- But your asshole of an ex was talking shit about you, very loudly 😳 and very obnoxiously too

- This mf, instead of practicing and doing fricken warmups, he’s talking crap abt you, and you weren’t even in the vicinity!

- But your boyfriend was, oh and he heard everything, every single word that came out of you ex’s mouth

“Pfft yeah she’s still annoying as ever, not surprised she’s dating the dude that’s 5’2”

- Ohh big mistake bud, not only did you insult his perfect Gf, but his height as well? Like dang pick one or the other dude

- So, Noya can’t take it anymore he’s been holding back bc he’s supposed to be warming up for the game but at this point he just couldn’t

- He straight up runs over to the other side of the gym to knock some sense into the jerk

- Tanaka follows not to stop him (although he is a bit worried 😳) but to hype him up bc that’s his best friend’s gf you don’t get to do that

- Asahi is scared shitless so Ennoshita has to keep the horny tornado in check, while Suga is conflicted

“What the hell did you say? Don’t you dare insult Y/n again! This is why she left your sorry ass! Who are you talk shit about my beautiful girlfriend I’ll fight you right now—”

- Ahem well, as you can see he’s very pissed off and uh he ends up getting scolded by coach Ukai

- except at the very end of him scolding he gives noya a few pointers on how to defend your gf without showing bad sportsmanship

- You witness the whole thing and just go up to Noya to calm him down a little

“Thank you, but you didn’t have to go off like that,”

“Yeah I did, Im not letting that douche talk shit about my crazy hot girlfriend”

- noya stop this isn’t the time 😳🥵

- During the game he is extremely focused and there’s this terrifying aura that’s escaping him

- Like Asahi might actually shit his pants just standing next to him

- Karasuno absolutely destroys Johzenji bc Noya is not letting that ball drop on their side of the court

- After the game, like Tanaka Noya straight up kisses you in front of your ex, leaving you a blushing mess as Noya gives him a smug look

kei tsukishima

- aHEM um, alright get ready folks bc this is a scary one

- So it’s Kagugawa vs Karasuno and Yamaguchi is sort of wandering around with Hinata right before the game probably to try and cool their nerves 💀💀

- When they hear your someone talking abt you

“My ex is here we’re vs her team, I know yeah, she’s probably so annoying”

- Dude Yamaguchi and Hinata have never ran faster in their entire lives, they immediately go to tsukki and it’s just a scream fest

“TSUKKI THERES SOMEONE TALKING ABT Y/N!”

“yeAH!! and he was all like ‘she’s probably so annoying’”

“mHM AND—”

“okay I think I got it, where are they?”

- shits about to go down, when Tsukki gets mad, he doesn’t lose is cool, instead he keeps a level head and strategize on how to completely destroy his opponent

- so Yams and Hinata drag him to where your ex was and point him out, and he’s stILL on the phone

“Mhm, yeah she’s super annoying”

- Oh Tsukki is pissed off, he has this intimidating aura coming from him as he approaches the dude that’s shitting on you

“You’re the ex? Yikes...😬”

- Tsukki will wait for what he has to say and the whole time he just has the biggest smirk on his face, like it’s about to go down

- Yams and Sho are hyped uP but they’re waiting behind the door bc they’re babies and they’re scared

- Mm Tsukki does not hold back, he straight up roasts this dudes ass, mans just releases all the salt that’s stored in him

“Mhm yeah, that’s pretty pathetic”

“Heh lame”

“Wow...I can’t believe she really dated you”

- Yeah that’s not that much salt

- Tanaka find the three of them in the bathroom and as much as he wants Tsukki to keep going, they have to get ready for the game

- During the game, your ex tries to spike and he’s instantly shut down my Tsukki and his 6’3 ass, It’s quite hilarious 😌

- Anyways, Tsukki blocks your ex every single time wiTH A SMIRK, mans is not holding back on this bitch

- He says it’s bc he was predictable

- Later, Karasuno beats Kagugawa and Tsukki hardcore glares at your ex like it’s pretty scary since Tsukki is one to act all sassy rather than mad when he gets irritated

“You don’t talk shit about her, ever”

- SUDHDJD DAMN TSUKKI CHILLL

- You watch all of this happen and you immediately ask your boyfriend if something was wrong bc you’re a tad bit worried

“We just had a disagreement that’s all”

“uHH YEAH RIGHT TSUKKI WENT OFF EARLIER IN THE BATHROOM—”

tobio kageyama

- Um another scary bitch please do not talk trash about his gf when he’s around

- He’s probably filing his nails away from his team bc he needs his peace and quiet and doesn’t wanna get bullied by Hinata and Tsukki

- When he hears a guy talking very loudly to his friend, now usually he’d ignore them or move spots but like this dude is talking abt you

- So, he stays for a bit and listens to what he has to say. Who even is this dude? Why does he know you? Why is talking to loud like please shut the f—

“Pfft yeah my ex is here with her volleyball team, I talked to her earlier and oh my god she’s exactly the same when I first dated her”

- I’m not sure if that’s a roast sorry I’m bad at these

- Oh now Kags is pissed, see he was already a little irked that this jerk was your ex but he was also talking trash abt you? Nahh

- He throws his nail file on the ground and stomps right up to this douche to smack some sense in him

“Yeah she’s hella annoy—”

“Why don’t you shut the fuck up?”

“Who tf—”

- So Kageyama is also unusually “calm” about the whole situation which makes it even more terrifying

- Kageyama will most likely go off and tell this dude that he has no business talking abt his gf like that

- he’ll focus more on dissing the dude and let me tell you this dude’s roasts h u r t

- like his insults are like 90% swear words

“goblin lookin ass”

“long titty no nipple lookin ass”

“get outta here you abominable fuck waffle”

- Imagine this scary ass dude coming up to you, telling you to shut the fuck up, then realizing this is Tobio Kageyama, The King of the Court, the incredible setter that has precise aim, the 2nd half of the freak duo, going off on how you should stfu abt his gf

- oh and you’re facing him on your next game

- and he absolutely obliterates your sorry ass

- his sets are perfect, he blocks every single fuckin spike you make, and when you think he’s going setting to #10 think again bc he will do a setter dump

- basically he’s on fire and tear the other team to shreds it’s kind of scary actually, hinata was sweating buckets when kageyama served since he looked so terrifying at the moment

- after the game, kageyama would want to leave immediately he doesn’t want to see your ex anymore

“You doing okie? Did something happen with you and him before the game?”

“Yep, but it’s nothing don’t worry about it”

- kags you have that creepy smile again stop you’re scaring y/n

[myownworstenemyyy]

All I Wanted - Part 7

a Javier Peña x Reader series

Word count: 5.3k (gif from @pedroispunk)

Warnings: hospital/medical lingo; umm mentions of licking (NOT the sexy kind); mentions of blood/gore/stabbing; tickles 

S/O: the beautiful Sarinaaa @captainclod my lovely tumblr wiiife

A/N: this goes back and forth in POV, but it’s mostly the Reader’s perspective; i kind of struggled with this one cuz I kept going back and forth between tragedy/happiness lol hope you guys like it! 😚💕 (translations at the end | masterlist in bio)

Part 7 – The Only Exception

You’re standing in front of a blue house you’ve never seen before, the dark wooden door being the only thing separating you from what’s within. You don’t remember how you got here, but somehow you know - you feel - that this is your home. 

You reach for the doorknob and find it locked, but as you let your arm fall to the side you hear something clink on the wooden porch below your feet - a key. You bend down to pick it up and place it into the keyhole, feeling the lock shift and click open as you turn the doorknob. When you push the door open, a bright light beams in your face and you have to cover your eyes with your arm to block it out. 

Suddenly you’re standing in a hallway, the cream-colored walls on each side of you are covered in picture frames of various shapes, but the photos are all blurry so you can’t make the images out. You reach out to touch one but you’re quickly startled by a high-pitched scream coming from somewhere in the house. You instinctively reach for the gun in your holster but when you reach back all you feel is the material of your shirt. That’s weird, you think to yourself, I practically sleep with that thing on.

You hear another scream and your adrenaline spikes as you sprint down the hallway to find the screaming person and help them, but your feet skid to a stop when you reach what looks like the living room of the house. The borders of the room appear fuzzy, almost fluid-like, and you see shadows moving in the middle of the space. You take a cautious step forward and then–

“Mommy!” a small child is crashing into you, wrapping their small arms around your middle. You look down at the child - a little girl, no older than five - as you pick her up and squeeze her close to your chest, planting a kiss on her cheek. Somehow, you know that this is your daughter, but you can’t seem to remember her name. When she leans back from your embrace, you notice she wears a necklace with the letter M on it - this must be the first letter of her name. 

“Hello, my love. What are you doing up so late?” the words fall out of your mouth like you’ve said them a million times before, as you rub your nose against hers, making M giggle. She begins to speak but is interrupted by another voice coming from the middle of the room, “Mommy’s home!” as another child - a little boy, appearing to be the same age as M - runs to your side and latches onto your leg, resting his cheek against your thigh when he looks up at you - your son. He also wears a necklace, but with the letter P on it. You set M back on the ground, bending at the waist, and reach for P to pull him into an embrace, “And you, sweet boy. What are you both still doing awake?” You can’t help but notice how much he looks like–

“Uhh, that might be my fault - actually,” a deep voice comes from above. Placing your hands on your hips, you stand up to your full height and shake your head at Javier, “Mhmm, and why exactly is it your fault that our children are still awake at this hour?” you ask with an amused smirk when he bites his lip like he’s trying to come up with a good explanation.

The twins giggle amongst themselves as they look from you to Javier. He walks forward, closing the gap between the two of you, “Well, it’s kind of a funny story–” he starts when P speaks over him excitedly, “We were having a tickle fight!” and he and M burst out laughing, the high-pitched sound resembling the screams you had heard when you first entered the house.

You look back at Javier with mock horror, “A tickle fight?! Without me?!” you say as you reach for the two little ones and pull them towards your body, tickling their tummies as you hold them close. They’re combined laughter makes your body shake as well, or maybe that’s from your own laughter bubbling to the surface. Javi stands back with his arms crossed, chuckling to himself and just watching you play with the children. 

You meet his eyes and find yourself smiling just as wide as he is, saying, “Don’t think I’ve forgotten just how ticklish you are, Daddy,” you say with a laugh as the children gasp at one another like they’ve just discovered a long-lost treasure. Releasing the twins with a wink, you waltz your way over to Javier, innocent as can be. He watches you with hungry eyes, and something much softer - a mixture of awe and devotion. You wrap your arms around his waist and lean forward like you’re going to kiss his lips and then–

“GET HIM!” you shout as you lock your arms around him, holding him in place while the children run and jump on the both of you, sending the four of you crashing to the ground with a soft thump.

“Tickle Daddy!” P exclaims to his sister as he goes to sit on Javi’s lap and tickles his ribs and stomach. Javi’s rumbling laughter is so contagious, you find yourself falling back onto the floor, unable to control your own laughter. You turn and find his laughing eyes watching you as you say, “I think it’s safe to say you’ve lost this fight, Javi,” you chuckle.

“My Javi!” M shouts as she bellyflops onto Javi’s chest, wrapping her arms around his neck. He clutches her to his chest in a bear hug, “That’s right, mi amor - I’m all yours,” he says as he kisses the top of your daughter’s head. 

P comes around to your side and jumps onto your chest the same way M leapt onto her father’s and says, “My Mommy!” you wrap your arms around him and squeeze tight, brushing the (Y/H/C) hair back from his face, “Sweet boy, Mommy loves you SO much,” you kiss his cheek and let him rest his head against your chest as you turn back to Javi.

He brings a finger to his lips, gesturing for her to not make any noise, and points down toward M, who’s now snoring as she sleeps peacefully on Javier’s chest. You feel P’s breathing even out as well and you know he’s fast asleep. Your heart feels completely full in that moment, as you gaze into Javier’s eyes, which are swirling with emotions similar to your own.

You mouth, “My Javi,” with a silent chuckle and a roll of your eyes. Javi grins and lifts his eyebrows as if to say hey, what can you do? You shake your head lightly at him, your smile growing wider. 

You stare at each other for a while, listening to the children breathe as they sleep, then Javi mouths, “I love you.” You’re about to mouth the words back when suddenly you feel a stabbing pain in the left side of your chest.

You look up and gasp harshly, trying to pull air into your lungs but you feel like you’re drowning. You look back to Javi for help but he isn’t looking at you anymore. He’s staring up at the ceiling, a blank look in his eyes. The children have disappeared as well and you feel an icy chill run down your spine to the tips of your fingers and toes. Then your body is being thrown into a metal chair that appears out of nowhere. Still struggling to breathe, you look down at Javier and that’s when you notice the blood spilling from his mouth, his eyes half-lidded and empty. 

You feel tears fall down your cheeks, but they’re cold as ice and they freeze painfully to your skin as you start to hyperventilate. There’s another pain in your side and when you look down towards the area, you see a large blade sticking out of your chest. Your eyes trail up the arm of the person holding the knife until you reach his face and they collide with the tall, lanky man. 

He’s smiling down at you - his teeth jagged and sharp -  as his tongue, like that of a snake, slithers out and licks the side of your face. He pulls the knife from your chest and you try to scream but nothing comes out. 

The last thing you see is Javier’s lifeless body being devoured by a river of blood before the monster slices his blade across your throat. 

~~~~~~~~~

“What happened?! Why is she-” Javier cries out in desperation as a couple nurses proceed to push him back towards the door.

“Lo siento, señor. Tiene que esperar afuera mientras atendemos a la paciente,” one of the nurses tells him as they close the door in his face. He rushes over to his left, trying to see anything through the small window of your room, but the curtain around your bed is blocking his view and all he can see is the silhouettes of the doctors and nurses frantically moving about.

Will someone just tell me what the fuck is going on? Javier thinks as he runs both hands through his hair, tugging harshly from the frustration of being separated from you - again.

One minute he’d been flying high from the thought of you dreaming about him, and the next minute - everything went to shit. 

“Javier - what’s wrong?” he turns at the sound of his partner approaching, holding a bouquet of flowers Javi assumes were meant for your bedside table. Steve looks confused and grows more concerned with every second that passes without Javier responding.

“I - I don’t know. She was fine - I mean, she’s in a coma - but she was stable and then–” Javier stops abruptly when the door to the room opens and several nurses begin to file out, all wearing faces of exhaustion. Javi spots the nurse who he was speaking with before all the chaos and he implores, “What happened? She’s - is she–” he swallows hard, unable to voice his biggest fear.

The nurse gives him a sympathetic smile and says, “One of her fractured ribs punctured her left lung, causing it to collapse and the doctors had to - uh, no sé cómo decirlo en Inglés,” the nurse offers apologetically. 

“Intubate?” Steve asks, familiar with the medical lingo thanks to his wife.

“Eso - yes, that. The doctors had to intu-bate her, so she could breathe. She’s stable now, but still very fragile. You can go back in if you like, but be very gentle,” the woman tells them, keeping her eyes on Javier. She gets called away by one of the other nurses, but before she walks off, she reaches for Javi’s hand saying, “Ay muchachito - veo que tú la quieres mucho. Estamos haciendo todo lo que podemos por ella, pero también tienes que tener fe. Dios sabe lo que hace y estoy segura que Él no la tomará antes de que ella sepa todo lo que sientes por ella.” She rests her other hand on Javi’s cheek for a brief moment before walking away towards the nurse’s station. 

The woman reminds him so much of his mother - the way she used to touch his cheek when he was sad or scared, offering him words of comfort. To this day, the sweet sound of her voice echoes through the hallways of his mind.

Tienes que tener fe - his mother would assure him as she lay dying from a sickness he didn’t understand as a boy. Easier said than done, mamá, he thinks as he turns to enter your room, preparing himself for the worst.

You look the same as you did just before he was forced out of your room, save for the giant tube taped to your mouth and snaking down your throat. He takes a few steps closer to your bedside as he hears Steve walk in behind him, inhaling sharply. This is the first time he’s seen you in the hospital, so it doesn’t surprise Javi when Steve stops in his tracks.

“There’s - she’s - fuck, why does she need so many machines?” Steve asks, placing the flowers he was holding onto the foot of the bed. 

Several seconds pass before Javi whispers “she’s dying,” as he gently places his hand over yours and leans back in the chair at your bedside. He settles in, prepared to stay the whole night, the next day - the whole fucking month if he has to - until you wake up and he can hold you in his arms again.

~~~~~~~~~~

4 days later

The first thing you notice when you wake up is the annoying beeping sound coming from your left. You squint your eyes open, blinking several times to adjust to the bright letters being displayed on the heart monitor. 

Heart monitor? 

You open your eyes a bit wider to get a better look at your surroundings. I’m in a hospital bed, you reason to yourself as you look down and see an IV port sticking out of your left arm. Your tired eyes scan across the room until they land on Javier - Javi - who’s lightly snoring as he sleeps in the chair next to you. That’s when you notice for the first time since you woke up that he’s holding your hand in his, resting them both on the right side of the bed. 

Javi, you try to say but your throat feels like you’ve been guzzling dry sand for days - how long have I been out? When your voice fails, you grip Javi’s hand as tight as you can, causing him to stir in his sleep.

Without opening his eyes he mumbles, “Ya te dije, señora - I’m not leaving until she - wakes up,” he yawns as he speaks. You dig your nails into his skin, urging him to wake up and look at you. Hello, genius, I am awake, you think with a small grin when he finally starts to open his eyes. 

They widen instantly when they make contact with yours and Javier bolts forward in his seat, “You’re - Dios mio, you’re awake,” he laughs to himself, his breaths coming in fast. Still holding your hand in his own, he runs the other through his hair while he struggles for words. With a voice full of awe and incredulity, he says, “I - fuck, I can’t believe - I was so scare– wait, how do you feel? Are you in any pain?” he scoots his body closer to you, his ass nearly falling off the edge of his seat. You shake your head and you feel butterflies soar in your stomach at seeing him so concerned for you.

“I’m OK,” you rasp out, bringing your other hand to your throat as you swallow dryly. Javi instantly stands up and reaches over you to the table on the other side of the bed, the scent of soap and everything Javi follows him. After a few seconds, he sits back down, holding a small styrofoam cup with a straw in it.

“Here, drink this,” he says quietly as he brings the straw to your lips, careful not to spill water on you. He keeps his eyes on yours, barely blinking for fear of losing even a second of seeing you, eyes wide and full of life. You drink slowly, wincing the first couple times until you feel your throat becoming less dry. “Better?” Javi whispers when you stop drinking, neither of you looking away from the other person. You nod in response and take a deep breath as he sets the empty cup on the bedside table closest to him.  

The silence in the room feels heavy, but not in an awkward way. No - it’s heavy with words being left unsaid, each of you afraid to voice the emotions rooted deep within. Your heart is racing and you hope he doesn’t notice the beeping of your heart monitor speed up as you continue to stare at one another. Javi gently strokes his thumb over the top of your hand still being held in his comforting grip as he whispers, “I thought I’d lost you, hermosa - when I saw you tied to that chair, I just - I thought–” he swallows and looks away for a moment, his eyes haunted. 

You lean forward slightly while biting your lip to keep from crying out as pain shoots up your left side. Lifting your free hand to rest on his cheek, you gently turn his head to bring his gaze back to you - to bring him back to you. 

“You didn’t lose me, Javi,” you whisper as you caress his skin, “I’m right here - a little bruised and sore, but I’m alive - because of you,” your words become almost inaudible because of the lump forming in your throat from all the emotions rising to the surface, “You saved me and–” you pause to take an unsteady breath as Javier hangs on your every word, his eyes never wavering from yours.

You swallow hard, the words on the tip of your tongue as you start, “And I lo–” just as the nurse walks in with a gasp, unintentionally speaking over you, “Dios mio - you’re awake!” she exclaims with a wide smile. She aims her smile towards Javier, who returns it with a small, but genuine one of his own. He squeezes your hand in reassurance when the nurse walks over to you and places a hand on your thigh, “Ay señorita, no sabe la alegría que tengo a verle despierta - estábamos todos preocupados por usted,” her smile turns more playful when she leans in and continues, “Sabe, su prometido no se ha ido de su lado en todo este tiempo,” she breathes a dramatic sigh, “i hope my husband takes care of me like that - bueno, si es que algo grave me pasaría a mi.” She nods to herself as she walks out of the room, presumably to go grab the doctor to come check on you.

Once the nurse is out of earshot, you turn to Javier, “‘Prometido’? You told them we were engaged?” and he looks anywhere else but your eyes. There’s a slight tinge of pink on his cheeks, the same shade you think yours must be as well. 

“Technically, Connie’s the one that told them that. I just - went along with it,” he says with an innocent look on his face as he shrugs. You shake your head lightly as a grin starts to form on your lips, “Wow, Peña, one night with me and you’re already hearing wedding bells,” you joke, relishing the familiar feeling of playfulness between you.

Then Javi aims an intense stare your way and the air in the room seems to shift, “I don’t know about wedding bells, but,” his eyes turn a darker shade as he leans forward, his voice rich and deep, “that sure was one unforgettable night.” His gaze falls to your mouth and you instinctively lick your lips, pulling your bottom lip between your teeth. His lips are only a couple inches away from yours, but he might as well be across the room with your limited mobility, thanks to your injuries. 

Javier realizes your predicament a moment later and he looks into your eyes as if asking for permission, not wanting to hurt you in your fragile state. You nod your head subtly, unable to find your voice because you’re so focused on his closeness. 

And when his lips finally meet yours, your skin erupts into flames that feel both blazing hot and ice cold all at the same time. You think Javi feels it too when he responds with a moan that shoots straight to your core. You bring your other hand to the lapel of his leather jacket and tug him closer, ignoring the sharp pain in your side from the sudden movement. The kiss starts out fierce and hungry - like coming up for air after being underwater for hours  - and you open up for him instantly, sucking on his tongue. He puts a hand on your inner thigh and squeezes with the slightest pressure that sends a shiver through your whole body, making you moan.

But your movements slow and the kiss morphs into something softer, more gentle, yet it still makes your toes curl under the bed sheets. When you pull away from each other to catch your breath moments later, he leans his forehead against yours, looking up at you through his lashes. You feel those damn butterflies fluttering around in your stomach again and you smile when you feel how fast his heart beats under the palm you’re resting on his chest. 

Javi reaches for your hand and brings your palm to his lips, kissing it lightly as he closes his eyes, “I’ve never felt so scared in my life - and everything you must’ve gone through, I - I am so, so, sorry, mi amor.” He opens his eyes to find yours filled with tears threatening to fall at any moment. A look of concern washes over his face but then a small smile tugs at your lips as you whisper, “Mi amor?” repeating what you’d said before - well, before you passed out and woke up in a hospital bed.

He brings his hand to your cheek, wiping away the tears that fell as you smiled, “SÍ, mi amor - that’s what you are to me - because,” his heart is pounding in his chest as he bears his soul to you, “fuck, because I love you, hermosa. I’m in love with you and - the thought of losing you,” he pauses, releasing a shaky breath. “I don’t think I could survive that,” he whispers.

You fall silent as his words sink in - into your mind, into your soul, into your very being - clutching your heart like a vice. “Javi,” you breathe just before crashing your lips unto his, letting your emotions take over. Every part of you calls out to him, begging to be shattered just so he could put you back together again with his words, his touch, his love. It’s all-consuming and unprohibited and you think he must know how you feel with the way you pour all of yourself into that kiss. But you can’t risk another moment passing without saying the words yourself.

You break away from him, both of you gasping for air as you cradle his face in your hands, his eyes glassy from unshed tears. You feel his warm breath drying your own tears and you smile as you breathe, “I love you so much, Javi. When I was in that room, all I could think about was you - how I might never see you again,” you rest your forehead against his as you continue, “how I’d never get the chance to tell you that–,” you sniffle, the words caught in your throat. Javi gently places his hands on each of your wrists, his thumbs rubbing soothing circles on your skin. You release a shaky breath and meet his warm brown eyes, whispering, “I never should have left that night. I should’ve stayed in bed - with you - then maybe none of this would have happened.” You drop your hands and look away as fresh tears fall on your cheeks.

But Javi is right there, wiping them away before they can even reach your jawline, “No, mi amor, don’t do that to yourself - none of this is your fault. You couldn’t have known any of this was gonna happen. Please tell me you know that?” Javi pleads as he takes your hands in his. You can’t bring yourself to look at him, too lost in your own thoughts. One of his hands touches your cheek, gently turning your face towards him - much like you did to him just minutes before.

“Hey, look at me. You did nothing wrong. Do you hear me, hermosa - nothing wrong,” he leans forward and kisses your forehead, then pulls back again to look into your eyes, “and I am so fucking grateful that you’re alive and okay and that I can look into those beautiful eyes of yours - and tell you that I love you. OK?” His gaze is steady, determined to make you believe that every word he says is true. 

You swallow and release the breath you were holding as you nod at him, though you’re not totally convinced that you don’t have some fault in this. But for now, you’ll allow yourself time to process everything - and to lose yourself in everything Javier’s just admitted to you.

With a small smile you go to intertwine your fingers with his, but your smile turns into a gasp when you notice for the first time that his hand is wrapped in bandages, “Javi, what happened to your hand?” your words laced with concern. 

He simply shrugs, saying, “Ah, this is nothing - you should see the other guy,” he chuckles dryly but you see something in his eyes that gives him away - like he’s remembering something he would prefer to forget. And then you remember the day that Javi found you - and how the lanky man with the blade - ‘Serpiente’ I think green button-up called him - was lying dead on the floor next to you, his face beaten to a pulp and a bullet between his eyes. 

“It was him, wasn’t it?” you ask quietly, your eyes level with his. He stares at you for a moment and clenches his jaw before he says, “Yeah,” in a voice that’s just above a whisper. He takes a deep breath as if he’s trying to calm himself and you instantly regret bringing it up - forcing him to remember what must have been an awful experience for him. 

You bring his hand up to your lips and kiss each of his knuckles over the bandages, ending with a soft kiss to his palm. He watches each of your movements with such affection that you have to close your eyes to keep yourself from tearing up again. 

“All better,” you say softly as you hold his hand in your lap. He offers a small smile but it doesn’t quite reach his eyes. You notice how tired he looks, with dark circles under his bloodshot eyes. “When’s the last time you slept in a bed, Javi?” you ask, though really you want to ask when’s the last time you slept at all?

He looks up towards the ceiling like he’s calculating the numbers in his head, “Probably about six days ago?” he answers, though his expression makes you think it could be longer than that, but he doesn’t want to tell you. Regardless, that’s about five days too many for you to be comfortable with his response. 

“Six days?! Wait - how long have I been unconscious?” you look around the hospital room for a calendar or something that will give you a sense of what day or time it is. The look in Javi’s eyes becomes weary when he mumbles, “almost five days” and your eyes practically fly out of their sockets.

“Five da–I was in a coma?!” you ask, feeling a sudden wave of nausea. Seeing the queasy look on your face, Javi quickly gets to his feet and walks around the bed, and refills the styrofoam cup with water. He sits on the edge of the bed carefully, so as to avoid squashing your leg or any of the numerous wires you’re hooked up to, and brings the cup with a straw to your lips again. 

He sighs and says, “Yeah, that was pretty much my reaction, too - when Connie told me.” His eyes land on the screens of the various monitors by your bed, though the distant look on his face makes you think he’s not really seeing them. His expression becomes more distressed the longer he stares.

You take the cup from his hand, making him look at you, “Hey, I’m OK, remember? I’m right here and I’m not going anywhere - well, metaphorically at least. I do eventually wanna leave this lumpy-ass bed,” you look down, gesturing to said lumpy-ass bed and pulling a chuckle from the man slowly coming back to life in front of you.

You place the half-empty cup back on the bedside table with a small wince and when Javi reaches forward to offer you a hand, you wave him off, “I’m fine, I’m fine, but–,” you bite your lip, looking off to the side with a coy glint in your eye. “Can we maybe - make out some more - pretty please? I think it’s improving my health immensely,” you nod to yourself and blink your eyes innocently.

Javi gnaws the inside of his cheek and squints his eyes like he’s trying to decide if you’re tricking him or not, but you know you’ve got him when he scoots his ass up the bed, closer to you. He leans forward, placing his hands on either side of you, and just before he connects his lips with yours he whispers, “Only because you said ‘pretty please’.” You slide your arms under his jacket to wrap them around his middle and pull him closer, moaning when he plunges his tongue in your mouth. 

You’re so lost in each other, neither of you realize when the doctor walks in. He quickly averts his eyes and clears his throat, saying, “Eh - um - perdón - vine a revisar a la paciente,” you lean back immediately, breathing heavy as your cheeks get warmer by the second. You look towards the foot of the bed where a short, balding man in a white coat stands, glancing back at the door as if planning his escape.

You hear what sounds like a choking noise and turn back to Javier who’s trying his best to keep a straight face but you see his lips twitching as he struggles to keep from laughing. You pinch his forearm and widen your eyes at him like you’re two school children sitting in the principal’s office. 

“Sorry,” you mumble to the doctor, his face red as a tomato. “Eh, señor,” he looks at Javier, “¿Puede esperar afuera por favor?”

Javier instantly stiffens and looks at you, his eyes full of uncertainty. Your heart aches at the concern etched in his features, but you don’t want to worry him anymore than he already is, so you offer him a reassuring smile as you squeeze his hand, “Why don’t you go get a coffee or something to eat? I’ll be fine.” He gnaws his bottom lip as he considers your words, eventually nodding his head in agreement. He bends down to place a kiss on your forehead, then leans his own against yours, promising, “I’ll be right back - I love you,” he whispers slowly, drawing out the last three words as if he’s tasting every syllable and savoring the sound of each one. 

Your stomach flips from the look of devotion in his eyes and the sincerity in his voice. You bite your lip to keep from smiling wide like a love-stricken idiot, bringing your hand to his cheek and lightly kissing him on the lips, assuring, “I love you - I’ll be right here.” He closes his eyes - letting your words soothe him - as he nods his head, which is still connected to yours so it makes your head bob in time with his. You laugh softly, the sound bringing a smile to his lips as he stands to his full height and starts backing up towards the foot of the bed. 

You watch Javi turn and nod towards the doctor, who offers a tight-lipped smile in response, but Javi doesn’t seem to notice as he struts out the door, fishing for something in his pocket. You continue watching him through the window, and just before he slides his aviators over his eyes he meets your stare and winks at you, biting his lip to contain his smile. 

You chuckle to yourself, feeling lighter than you’ve ever felt in your life. 

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

Translations:

Lo siento, señor. Tiene que esperar afuera mientras atendemos a la paciente - I’m sorry, sir. You have to wait outside while we tend to the patient.

no sé cómo decirlo en Inglés - I don’t know how to say it in English

Ay muchachito, veo que tú la quieres mucho. Estamos haciendo todo lo que podemos por ella, pero también tienes que tener fe. - (muchachito literally means “little boy” but it’s used as a term of affection for a young man) I see that you love her very much. We’re doing everything we can for her, but you have to have faith.

Dios sabe lo que hace y estoy segura que Él no la tomará antes de que ella sepa todo lo que sientes por ella. - God knows what he does (what he’s doing) and I’m sure He won’t take her until she knows everything that you feel for her.

Ya te dije, señora - I already told you, ma’am (he’s referring to the nurse from earlier)

Ay señorita, no sabe la alegría que tengo a verle despierta - estábamos todos preocupados por usted - Oh Miss, you don’t know how happy it makes me to see you awake - we were all worried about you

Sabe, su prometido no se ha ido de su lado en todo este tiempo. - You know, your fiancè hasn’t left your side this whole time

bueno, si es que algo grave me pasaría a mi - that is, if something were to happen to me.

perdón - vine a revisar a la paciente - excuse me, I came to check on/examine the patient

¿Puede esperar afuera por favor? - Could you wait outside, please?

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

What did you guys think?? i decided to give y’all a break from the cliffhangers lol but I reeeeaally hope you enjoyed this one 😊 thanks for reading 💜

tag list: (let me know if you wanna be added/removed)

@captainclod @stevieharrrr @zeldasayer @cptnbvcks @spacegayofficial @themandjalorian @hiscyarika @mandoispunk @madadlorian @pedrolorians​ @forever-rogue​ @longitud-de-onda​ @certifiedskywalker​ @dindjarindiaries​ @no-droids-allowed​ @aerynwrites​ @buckyodinson​ @lannister-slings-and-arrows​ @gooddaykate​ @fanfiction-trashpile​ @arrowswithwifi​ @letaliabane​ @thinemineours​ @ham4arrow​ @kaelyn-lobrutto24​ @thisainttheway​ @bluemoon-glen​ @katialvi​ @theforceofdarkandlight​ @24kgolden​ @livasaurasrex​ @c-ly-g​ @womp-ratt​ @fangirl-and-stuff​ @mrsparknuts​ @and-i-swear-we-are-infinte​ @behindmyeyes-insidemyhead​ @kimljn​ @kristalhi​ @fatbottomedcurls​ @auty-ren​ @rzrcrst​

[valkyriesryde]

Adore You

Pairing: Bucky Barnes x Female!Reader

Summary: Bucky is always asking you for favours, how can you say no to those eyes and that smile? 

Word Count: 1,600

Warnings: Swearing, mad Tony and dumbasses

A/N: Requested by Anon thanks boo I love this song so much oml. This is a pretty open ending obviously but it just felt right you know?

Masterlist

~~~

Walk in your rainbow paradise Strawberry lipstick state of mind I get so lost inside your eyes Would you believe it? You don't have to say you love me You don't have to say nothing You don't have to say you're mine

Life is good when Bucky is around. He has this aura that surrounds him, that radiates calmness. Or maybe it’s just for you. Maybe he just does that for you. But being around Bucky is paradise. 

Sitting next to him at breakfast you get lost in listening to him laugh and joke around with the others. You sit there listening to them all talk and chatter, lost in your own world when he turns and taps your arm. Bucky holds up a strawberry for you, no words as he hands you the fruit and gives you a smile so wide his eyes crinkle. His eyes an ice blue and you find yourself getting lost in them so easily. 

He winks before turning back to the others at the table. He doesn’t have to say anything for you to be wrapped around his finger most times. He’s never told you he loves you, never even suggested such a thing. Yet here you are, looking at him like he puts the sun in the sky each morning while he says nothing. You’d think it’d make you said but...he’s still in your life. That has to count for something.

Honey I'd walk through fire for you Just let me adore you Oh honey I'd walk through fire for you Just let me adore you

“Can you do me a favour?”

“Hey, I was wondering if you could do this little thing?”

“Are you able to help me out?”

“Of course Bucky.” I’d walk through fire for you.

“You’re a doll.”

“You’re the best.”

“You’re such a good friend.”

He’s always asking things of you. Small favours. You like to think it’s because he trusts you with those things, that he doesn’t want to go to anyone else for them. Maybe it’s just because you’re a tech specialist. Maybe it’s because you deal with the data of all comm recordings and communication from missions. Which means you’re able to download the footage of Steve face-planting from a few weeks ago for him or delete the half an hour of dialogue between he and Sam “no questions asked and it's confidential”, and just like every other time...you did as he asked. 

Tony had stormed into the kitchen while you made your usual mid-morning coffee. He mumbled something about needing to go back through the records “maybe Friday missed it, could you have a look for me?”

“What, sorry Tony I was in my head,” you replied shaking yourself out of your thoughts.

“There’s a chunk of dialogue missing from the last mission I need you to try and find it, it can’t of gone too far,” he pleaded. 

Now he stood over you in your office. His face was a deep red and you were pretty sure there was literal fire in his eyes. “WHY WOULD YOU DELETE IT?!” He’d gone through the files himself after you told him you couldn’t find anything “it’s probably gone now” you had told him “probably a glitch” but he wanted to be sure. Now he was fuming, you’d forgotten to delete your footprint in the database and he’d figured it out, although you refused to tell him why. “YOU KNOW WHAT?! TELL ME ON MONDAY! FOR NOW, you’re suspended.”

“I’M WHAT!” 

“Oh, so that got a reaction? Go home. You’re lucky I don’t fire you on the spot right now but the data you deleted didn’t have anything to do with the mission, I don’t know why but you can explain it to me next week.” and then he walked out. 

You couldn’t tell him Bucky had asked you, first of all, that would make you look like a pushover. Secondly, whatever was in that recording Bucky obviously didn’t want anyone to hear and he didn’t want it to be on the record. You couldn’t say no to him. 

Your wonder, under summer skies Brown skin and lemon over ice Would you believe it? You don't have to say you love me I just wanna tell you something Lately you've been on my mind

“Hey, where are you going?” Bucky caught up to you at the elevator, he thought it weird that you were leaving so early and on a Wednesday? “Are you not feeling well? I can give you a lift home if you want?”

“I’m fine Bucky.” You adjusted your strap and stepped in when the doors opened. Giving him a tight-lipped nod and wave before the doors closed between you. But not before he waved back, worry on his mind, you hadn’t looked fine to him. 

The entire way home you couldn’t help but kick yourself for not telling him what had happened. He’ll probably find out. This is stupid. Hiding behind gestures, hiding behind friendship and false smiles. You sighed, leaning against your door once you’d made it home and sinking to the floor. You were going to get fired from working with the Avengers and all because you had a crush. 

You should just tell the truth you thought. Get it out. He doesn’t have to love you back, he doesn’t have to say anything. Just tell him that you love him. Tell him. 

~~~

“You SUSPENDED HER??? You can’t just go and do that without me, Tony!” Steve yelled into the hallway. He’d gone to your office needing help and when he hadn’t found you at your desk a quick text exchange and you’d told him what Tony said. 

“She deleted vital evidence, Steve!”

“It was half an hour of comms recording what could it have been?” It was a stupid thing to do, Steve had to admit that. But the principle here was that Tony hadn’t consulted him about it before suspending you. That’s why he was angry. 

“I don’t know! She wouldn’t say! That’s why she’s suspended and not fired.” Tony sighed, he pinched the bridge of his nose and tried to rack his brain around this all. 

“FIRED! You’re not firing her.” 

Bucky’s eyes went wide as he listened from the hallway, he wasn’t sure who ‘her’ was but he had a feeling that it was you and it had something to do with you leaving so early this morning.

“She needs to explain herself.”

“What’s going on?” Bucky cut Tony off as he rounded the corner, his arms crossed and ready to defend you. 

“Tony suspended Y/N for doing her job,” Steve breathed out, throwing his hands up in frustration. Tony threw his folder with his findings at Steve’s chest with a groan.

“IT’S NOT HER JOB TO DELETE COMM RECORDINGS AND HIDE IT FROM ME!” 

Oh no, Bucky thought. This was his fault. But she hadn’t told Tony anything, why not just tell him that it was him that asked you to do it? Why would you risk getting suspended, fired even, just for a small favour for Bucky? 

“I asked her to.”

Honey I'd walk through fire for you Just let me adore you Oh honey I'd walk through fire for you Just let me adore you Like it's the only thing I'll ever do

“I’m sorry you what now?” Tony stared at Bucky gobsmacked by the audacity of the super-soldier. 

“Bucky what the hell?” Steve was close to banging his head against the nearest wall. Can he not catch a break with this lot?

“I asked her to delete a tiny bit of the transcript with no questions asked…and asked her not listen or read any of it. So she has no idea why or what she deleted. At least I hope so.”

“What did you do that you needed to be deleted?” Steve rolled his eyes, preparing himself for the stupidity.

“It was Sam!” There was the stupidity. 

“Right, you’re going to go to Y/N’s and tell her that this is your fault and she’s not suspended anymore but I want to talk to her tomorrow. AND BEFORE YOU SAY ANYTHING TONY I DON’T WANT TO HEAR IT!” With that, Steve stormed off. Tony gave Bucky a pointed look and walked in the opposite direction. 

~~~

Bucky sat on your couch with a coffee in his hands as you sat opposite him waiting for him to speak. He took a deep breath, ran his hands through his hair and over his face. 

“I have good news and bad news,” he started and she almost dropped her mug as she placed it on the table. 

“Tony is firing me, isn’t he? Oh god, I knew this was going to happen.” her head falls into her hands and she lets out a groan.

“What?! No! You’re not fired! You are not suspended anymore either that’s the good news!” 

“Oh...so what’s the bad news?” 

“I uhh I got suspended...well I got grounded from missions for like a month,” 

“Oh...you deserve it,” she says with a smirk and he throws a pillow at her in retaliation. 

“Yeah well, I didn’t really think I’m sorry. I didn’t realise how much trouble you’d get in doing that for me. Thank you for not ratting me out, by the way,  you didn’t have to do that.” Bucky’s sincere and you’re lost in him for a moment. 

“Of course I did,” she swallows the lump in her throat, “we’re friends,” she chokes out. Friends. 

“Yea we are, good friends.” Bucky nods, friends. 

~~~

The recording:

Sam: So when you propose to Y/N what’s your colour scheme for the wedding going to be?

Bucky: It’s bad enough you have to give me shit at home but on a mission?... We’re not even dating

Sam: Yea what’s up with that?

Bucky: Do we have to talk about this now?

Wanda: I’d say focus on the mission but...Sam has a point. Why haven’t you asked Y/N out yet?

Sam: Because he’s a chicken

Bucky: I’ll shoot you out of the sky birdbrain

Sam: Try me

5 minutes later

Sam: Hey so I just realised something

Bucky: You’re an idiot?

Sam: Y/N is the data analyst right...so she gets all the transcripts from missions...WHAT THE FUCK BUCKY YOU SHOT AT ME

Bucky: WHAT DO YOU MEAN TRANSCRIPTS?!?!?!

Sam: She analyses them to see if there’s any noteworthy shit I don’t know...STOP SHOOTING ME!

Bucky: You brought up my crush on Y/N knowing she was going to get the transcript I’ll shoot you all I damn want!

Sam: Is it a crush or are you more hopelessly in love with he- OKAY DAMN I’LL STOP

Wanda: Are you two done?...I mean, this is probably the only way she was going to find out

Bucky: I’ll shoot you too Maximoff

Wanda: I’ll fuck you up Sarge

Bucky: Can we drop this? I gotta figure out a way to stop her from finding this…

[lovehugsandcandy]

One-on-One: Rematch (Part 4)

A/N:  Thank you all for reading and leaving such nice notes-they totally inspire me and keep me going! You all are the best. Last part (there might be some smaller one-shots in the future but, for now, this finishes the posting binge, apologies for clogging your feed). (Part 1, Part 2, Part 3)

Pairing: Colt x MC, ROD

Length: ~3,700 words

Rating: R (Swearing. References to a fight.)

Summary: When Langston made it to Nationals, Ellie planned on spending the entire time studying in her room. It didn’t end up quite as planned.

Ellie told herself she would not think about it.

She would study, cram, finally understand the driving force between enthalpically-driven reactions, and get her entire life back on track.

At least that’s what she told herself.

But somehow time passed and she moped and she never truly understood organic chemistry. Instead, she could only recall a different type of chemistry, far removed from textbooks and lecture halls. However, like during labs, if the reactants went bad or if she made one wrong move, it all exploded, flames bursting out of flasks and bunsen burners until she had to leap back, fire licking at her eyebrows.

But this explosion was worse. Instead of singed hair, everything ached, with the gaping hole in her heart worst of all, throbbing incessantly, pain making it impossible to study or sleep or think.

Even during team practice, her limbs were unsteady, heavy. She didn’t look like someone who was preparing for an appearance on national television. She didn’t feel like someone who was practicing for the biggest halftime show of her life.

She felt like someone who had no clue what way was up... or which way her life was going.

She knew she shouldn’t look for him before the final game but, regardless of how hard she tried to stay focused on anything else, her eyes found the court, searching every single red-and-gold jersey running by or shooting layups. None were him.

The stadium was filling, fans filing into the seats, chatter and excitement echoing off the parquet floor. She tuned it out and stretched, getting ready for the start of the game and the most important performance of her life; the plod of feet and squeak of sneakers made their way over, stopping at her side. Ellie didn’t look up at the shadow that fell over her outstretched leg. Her quads were tight, and she needed to-

“What happened, Ellie?”

She glanced up and gasped. “What the hell happened to you?”

“What does it look like?” Logan’s smile was chagrined, a stark comparison to the massive shiner that darkened the skin around his left eye. “Kaneko’s violence-free streak ended.”

“He punched you?!?”

“We had a... disagreement.”

“Are you kidding me?”

“Hey, I gave as good as I got.”

“He needs freaking anger management.”

“Ha. He’s in anger management. Coach has had him going since he started with the team.” Logan dropped to the ground next to her, wincing as his weight fell on his hand before sinking fully to the court. “You were doing a hell of a lot better than the clowns in there, though.”

She studied the floor. Colt wasn’t her problem anymore.

“You guys break up?”

“We were never together. We were…” She took a deep breath. “We were just hooking up.”

“Ha. Really.”

“Yeah,” she chided. “Really” 

“That’s bullshit and you know it. Colt doesn’t do anything by half. It’s never ‘just’ with him.”

“It was never gonna work. I know how you basketball players are-”

“Hey!”

She continued as if he had never spoken, talking fast as if speed of speech directly correlated with the strength of conviction. “We were hooking up... and now we’re not.”

“Why?”

“What?”

“Why aren’t you hooking up anymore?” Logan looked curious, sprawled next to her.

“Jesus, is this really everyone’s business?”

“I’m-”

“Why does it even matter?!? He’s some massive basketball talent who is gonna move to Utah and what about me then?”

“Uhh, ok. ... what about you then?”

“I’m not fucking moving to Utah! I’m top of my class and I want to go to grad school and it was never gonna work anyway so there’s no point in dragging it out-”

“Uhh…” Logan’s mouth dropped, shocked and befuddled and concerned, but she was too far gone to stop now.

“And all you basketball players are the same-”

“Hey! I resent-”

“So this meant nothing to him and I’m sure he can find another fan to hookup with and I think...”

A heavy hand on her shoulder made her stop; she blinked the world back into focus. “You done?”

“I can keep going.”

“Dear God, please don’t,” he begged. She chuckled despite herself as Logan exhaled deeply through pursed lips. “There is so much to unpack there that I don’t even know where to begin. How the hell- did he talk to you about the Jazz?”

She inspected her hands. “No. I... the scout was in the box at the semifinals.”

“Yeah... Colt hates that guy. We both do, actually, one of the very few things in this world we agree on. There is no way in hell he’s signing with the Jazz. I don’t think he’s signing with anyone right now.”

“No?” She blinked at him.

“I mean, his mom is on his ass to finish school but... isn’t this something you should talk to him about?”

She shrugged. “It didn’t seem worth it. The entire thing meant nothing, so, why bother?”

“Ellie, he gave you his box ticket. He never has anyone cheering for him up there.”

She narrowed her eyes.

“No, really,” he protested. “I mean, you know the guy. I’m not sure his antisocial behavior has given him a rabid fan base.” She looked down at the ground, turning Ingrid’s warning and Logan’s words over in her head. Finally, he interrupted her seizing brain. “But what do you want?”

“Huh?” She blinked at him.

“You’ve gone on and on about Utah and him being some big name basketball star but you never really said anything about what you want.”

She blinked again. What was he talking about? “I want... I have a plan.” She gnawed on a thumbnail. “I’m going to graduate summa cum laude, hell, valedictorian unless Ingrid beats me. I’m gonna get into the best PhD program in the US and I’m gonna complete my post-doc in the new mechanics lab that is gonna open up back home and-”

“I’m hearing a lot about what you’re gonna do.” He stood, lifting a long arm over his head to stretch his trapezius. “But I’m not hearing anything about what you want to do.”

“I…” She squinted through the arena lights to stare at him. “I…”

“I also don’t know where in your plan it says you can’t date. That sounds ridiculous.” He shook out his arms, and she watched intently, cataloguing the motion while her mind whirled. What did she want? She wanted to be valedictorian. She wanted to get her PhD. She also wanted to wake up next to a confrontational basketball player who threw himself into everything he did with a fire that only tempered with her. “You’re smart and something tells me you fight like hell to get what you want. Why can’t you have both?”

“You know what, Logan?” 

“What? You gonna tell me I’m right?”

“No, I’m gonna tell you that the pain in your left hand is from an undiagnosed sprain in your pronator quadratus and you need a wrist brace.”

“What the-?” She didn’t answer, only stood and stormed away, leaving him staring at his wrist in shock.

But when she flounced into her seat on the sidelines, she couldn’t stop turning his words over and over in her head.

~~~~~

“Let’s go, Langston,” Ellie shouted, cheering perfectly in time with her teammates, “let’s go!” She waved her pompoms in the air with a practiced grin, completing their timeout routine perfectly even though her mind was miles away.

She tried to focus on the game to distract herself from Logan’s words, but it was impossible. Besides, the game wasn’t much to focus on anyway: it was a catastrophe. She glanced at the scoreboard again, wincing as it showed Langston was winning by 11, and then immediately berated herself. She was a Langston cheerleader, for crying out loud; she wanted Langston to win. Didn’t she?

Her eyes cut to Colt, and she felt her gaze soften. He was having the worst game she had ever seen. He had scored two points all half, missing at least seven easy layups, and turning over the ball so many times even Ingrid wondered aloud who he wanted to win. And then, the worse he played, the angrier he got, earning a technical foul for a chippy elbow and getting into a furious argument with his Coach on the sidelines.

He did not look like a future pro. 

He looked like someone who was having the shittiest day of his life.

Ellie swallowed as the clock counted down to halftime. It wasn’t like she was having an exceptional day either.

When both teams stood to head to their respective locker rooms, she tried to catch his eye as she walked to half court for her cheer performance. He pointedly avoided looking her way, head down dejectedly.

Her heart cracked open in her chest. What did she want?

This routine would be broadcast nationally. Her dad was watching, eyes peeled for a shot of her on live tv; Riya and Darius were probably doing the same at university. This was the biggest show she would likely ever perform in.

And she barely registered a flip. 

As soon as her sneakers hit the sideline, she took off, pleading with the coach for a break, and then booked it, flying down hallways and flashing her cheer pass to security until she found the locker room. The door was closed but there was yelling, bitter screaming, the Coach shrill and loud, trying to rein in the shouts. She could just make out Logan and Colt, hollering over each other, the slam of a locker, a massive thump, and the door flew open, Logan and Colt grappling as they pushed through into the silent hall.

“Maybe if you got your head in the game-“

“Maybe if you got your head out of your ass-“

Logan saw her first, shoulders dropping in relief. “Oh thank God, you’re here. You deal with him.”

“What are you-” Colt spun and his jaw dropped as he saw her. Her heart fell; the fury on his face, paired with the bruise angry against his jawline, was intimidating, foreboding. “The fuck do you want?”

“I wanted to talk to you.”

“I think you’ve done enough talking.” He turned to follow Logan back into the locker room and she couldn’t, she had to-

“Wait,” she pleaded, wringing her hands in front of her. “Please, just wait.”

He stopped, turning back around to study her with guarded eyes. “What?”

“I…” She had to glance away, unable to bear the coldness in his stare. “I’m sorry.”

“Great-”

“No. Let me…” Tears were pricking at her eyes and she blinked furiously, willing them back. “I got into my head that this meant nothing, that we meant nothing, and-”

“We mean nothing, ok, so-”

“Let me talk!” She finally looked at him, trying to keep the tears from her eyes, tremor from her pleading. “Please,” she lowered her voice. “Let me talk.”

“... Fine.”

“I thought... You have a freaking ESPN bio and there’s talk of you going pro and I... I figured that this was a fling. That... that you just wanted to hook up. And, at first, I was ok with it; I’m focused on school and I guess I didn’t want to even entertain the hope that it was something more. But then your friend convinced me I should consider what I wanted, not what I assumed.”

“What? Who? What friend?”

“... Logan?”

“What?” Colt’s jaw dropped in disgust. “We aren’t friends! Logan is a goddamn idiot who-”

“I think you’re missing the point.”

He stopped mid spiel to cross his arms over his chest. “What’s the point?”

“That I never stopped to think about what I wanted. I was only following my plan, and doing what I was supposed to do, and I never really thought about what I wanted… or who I wanted. Colt, I don’t want to follow my old plan. I don’t want to go back to my life the way it was before.”

“Well, what do you want?”

“You.”

“Ha.” He scoffed, rolling his eyes. “Doesn’t seem like it.”

“I do.” She took a deep breath. “Colt. You’re tough. You don’t take my shit. You have high expectations of others, but you expect perfection from yourself. You’re smart and you don’t let anyone stand in your way.” She held her breath.

“... You sound like a fucking fortune cookie.” He ducked his head, but she could barely see the hint of an abashed smile. She exhaled as her lips spread into her own grin. “I thought you were too busy for me.”

“I ran down here after the biggest show of my cheer season. I can make time for you.” She stepped closer. “Logan convinced me that maybe I can have what I want, too. Maybe I can have both...”

“I’m not going to fucking thank him.”

“I would definitely not expect you to.”

He smirked, rocking back on his heels. “So how’s this gonna work?”

“I have a phone.” Her lips twitched, breaking further into a smile that she couldn’t quash. “We’re only two hours apart.”

“I dunno.” She felt her heart drop until she caught the way his eyes shone in the hallway light. “You dumped me, remember?”

“What-”

“You’re gonna have to make it up to me.” He shrugged.

“Oh, for crying out, l-”

“I’m thinking post-game massages, nude, of course.” He contemplated the ceiling, considering. “Some really good incentives for solid play and, when we win, definitely some-”

She didn’t let him finish his inane list, jumping across the hall to throw her hands around his neck and kiss him, desperately, their lips meeting eagerly as she sighed relief and joy into the curve of his smile. His hands traced the waistband of her skirt until they reached the small of her back, pulling her forward so they were even closer, bodies colliding, his fingertips catching under her blue-and-white uniform while her fingers twined into red-and-gold. Just when her lungs ached for breath, he pulled back.

“I knew you liked me.”

She swatted his chest and groaned. “Oh my god, does your narcissism know no bounds?”

“Am I wrong?”

She gazed up at him. “Not wrong.”

She was about to kiss him again when the door to the locker room burst open again, slam echoing down the dull concrete walls as Logan ducked his head out. “Yo, Kaneko, we need you in here. Coach is drawing up some insane new play where he is relying on Toby to shoot threes out of a pick-and-roll.”

“Oh Lord. I gotta-”

“Wait,” she interjected, pulling Colt closer by his jersey. “You wanted to impress me, right?”

“As if the week when you were holed up in my room didn’t-”

“Shut up. You want to impress me?”

His eyes softened, fingers tracing the strip of bare skin above her skirt. “Always.”

“Win,” she said. “Win Nationals. Win.”

He ducked his head to kiss her again, greedily stealing breath from her lungs before he pulled away, turning towards the door. “Done.” And with that, he was gone.

~~~~~

It was a different game, a different universe, when the whistle blew again.

Whereas Langston owned the first half, draining shot after shot, the tide had turned. Colt had seemingly stolen the magic from them-he was everywhere, stealing a pass off the fingertips of one player, blocking a three-pointer from another. 

She watched, incredulous, as they started coming back, slowly, Langston growing weary and tired as the game continued, Colt only playing harder as the third quarter melted into the fourth and his team battled back, carving away at the Langston lead until they were only down by one point with less than a minute to play.

Ingrid shook next to her, nerves and excitement vibrating the pom-poms in her hands, but Ellie could only think in terms of numbers. They needed two more points, one more basket to take the lead, and then they could run out the clock and win. She bit her lip as Logan in-bounded the ball to Colt and he breezed down the court, rubber of his soles squeaking against the court as he passed half court.

She bounced on her toes. This is it.

She watched, transfixed, as the ball moved like lightning around the court-Colt flipped it to Logan, a foot outside the paint, but a sea of blue jerseys met him head-on. He bounced it back to Colt and her breath caught as he leapt, ball cradled in outstretched arms for a jump shot, feet leaving the parquet and eyes trained on the rim. 

He hung, suspended in midair, as the arena collectively gasped; right as the ball was about to leave his fingertips, a blue jersey slammed into him, arms flailing, chest flying, both players slamming to the floor as whistles screamed and the crowd started shouting.

Oh my God.

Colt went down like a rock, so hard he bounced, landing on his side twice. Ellie winced, but he was up like a shot: she just caught the fury in his eyes before he spun at his opponent, hands balling into fists.

No. She glanced at the clock. They were still down by one with 5 seconds on the clock and if Colt got a technical foul now? No no no no.

He stepped closer to the Langston player, shoulders tensing. She saw his fingers tighten, bicep tense, fist cock back in slow motion; she leapt to her feet. “Stop!” she screeched, praying he made out her voice over the yelling, the hungry crowd screaming for a fight. “Colt, STOP!”

Miraculously, he froze, arm hanging in the air, hand clenched; she let out the breath she was holding as he dropped his fist and spun to look across the court, eyes finding hers. She shook her head frantically, pointing at the scoreboard, and it was almost like he heard her silent prayer. He took a breath, then another, eyes locked with her the entire time, and then her legs buckled and she slid to the ground. It was enough. His teammates had arrived, rushing over to interrupt the fight, a sea of red jerseys swarming him, pulling him away from the Langston blues and the brewing brawl.

“What… Ellie, what are you doing? Wrong team!” Ingrid hissed.

Ellie exhaled, his eyes still locked on him, her gaze following him as he was pulled to the free throw line. She didn’t even respond, only watched, pom-poms hiding her crossed fingers, as he stood at the line, dribbling slowly. The entire arena was frozen, waiting, holding their breath. Closing her eyes, she gave a silent plea to any deity that was listening. 

She heard motion, Ingrid’s gasp, the swish of the net, a raucous cheer from the stands. He made the shot. One point. She opened her eyes with a smile. “Come on, Colt!” she shouted, flinching when Ingrid elbowed her.

“Wait a minute! Was that… You two? Seriously?!?” Ingrid gaped.

“Come on, Ingrid. Shut up.”

Colt looked over to their sideline, ball securely in his hands, waiting for his second shot. She stared back, mouthing ‘Good luck!’ He only raised his eyebrows, waiting for something; she groaned, shoulders falling when she realized what he wanted. He waited. 

She raised a pom-pom halfheartedly. 

He shook his head.

She groaned again, catching the smile on his face before she raised her hand higher and yelled, “Go Colt!” 

Finally appeased, he winked, then pursed his lips in a quick kiss her way before turning back to the hoop, 15 feet from him.

Ellie desperately wanted to shut her eyes but she couldn’t, wouldn’t look away. He bounced the ball, twice, echo thundering in the silent arena, eerie with only the flash of hundreds of cameras, aiming right at him. Every single seat filled but silent, every single person waiting, desperately.

Ellie couldn’t breathe.

He bounced the ball again, one last thundering knock, and he raised his hands, exactly how he taught her. Knees bent, aiming at the front of the rim, pushing the ball off his fingertips, following through with his right hand. The ball soared in a graceful, gentle arc, before falling through the netting.

She leapt to her feet, screaming. Ingrid pulled at her legs, trying to get her to sit, but she didn’t care; she couldn’t stop the high-pitched noise, the howl, the deafening screech being pulled from her lungs.

Langston in-bounded the ball, but there wasn’t much time, passing it up up-court. They didn’t even make it halfway, timer ticking down, only one second to go, and their center heaved the ball but it didn’t even matter because it bounced harmlessly into the crowd and she was sprinting onto the court as fast as her cheer shoes would carry her.

Fans were streaming down the bleachers, screaming and bouncing, camera crews grappling for the best shot, but it didn’t matter as she jumped into Colt’s arms, giddy laughter mushed into his cheek as he spun her around.

“You won!! Ohmygod, you actually won!”

He carefully lowered her so she touched the floor.

“I know.”

“Holy crap!”

“Well…” He smirked. “Did I impress you?”

“Oh, for crying out loud.” She wanted to punch the smirk off his face but contented herself in reaching up to brush a stray piece of confetti off his eyebrow. 

“What? Do I get that kiss now?”

“Oh my God! Just shut up and kiss me.”

And, with the roaring of the crowd in her ears, the confetti falling into her hair, the pulse of flashing cameras lighting up her face, he did.

.

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[the-fiction-witch]

Love Locked Up P1

TV SHOW: ACCUSED COUPLE: JAKE X READER RATING: SWEET AF

Spoiler/notes : this is bases after the events of the show Spoilers if you haven't seen it but also why not because the full epp is available on youtube but in the show, Jake (TBS) does get 12 years it is in another episode that he is set free and told to run before he can enter the prison, But this is bases as if that didn't happen and he did, in fact, go to prison.

I laid on my bunk staring up at the bed above me thinking about everything and nothing. The cluttering noises of people moving about in the other cells, the sound of the birds coming back and forth to care for the baby birds in the nest lodged up in the guttering, The sink tap slightly dripping onto the basin. 

I heard a creak as Mike climbed off his bunk and leaned on the sink running some water going to start to shave 

"You'd 'ave gone mad by the time you get outta 'ere" he laughs

"What?" I asked him as he woke me out if whatever I was thinking

"You sit on your own all bloody day, the only thing anybody Sees you doing is reading your goddamn books, your gonna go nuts" he laughs

"Well… what do you suggest?" I asked him "I've got another ten years in here"

"Get in good with some people… they'll treat you nice when you get out" he smirked 

"No thanks, a gang got me into his mess I'm staying away from all that" I explain

"Ain't you got any visitors to look forward to?' he asks 

"No, my mum and gran are the only family I've got and they went in for there sentence a couple of months ago" I explain

"Why don't you do an education program your what nineteen? Get a fucking law degree or something you've got ten years to do it" he explained 

"I've asked them to put me on the waiting list for the programs but… I don't think I'll see any of it" I sighed 

"Why don't you join the writing program?" He suggested

"The what?"

"The writing program, get got lists and lists of people Willing to chat they write you some letters write some back it's something to do Murray, better than sitting here thinking for the next ten years" he explained "who knows maybe you'll meet someone nice" he explained 

"Like who?" I asked 

"Well it's how I met monica" he says grabbing something from the wall where his mattress was handing it to me it was a photo of a fairly nice looking girl in a little pink dress 

"She seems nice" I shrug giving it back to him 

"Met her though the program, she sends me letters, photos, hell she comes to visit me sometimes"

"She does?" 

"Not always sometimes she's busy, she even visits for special ones if you know what I mean" he winked 

"Oohh.. that's nice" I laughed 

"What you got to loose" he laughs

"I guess" I shrug.

I sat at the table while everyone was having leisure time a few guys fighting about something, I was almost sure some odd things going down but I didn't much care I just focused on my book till I spotted a guard coming around out the corner of my eye with a handful of letters, I made a mental note of it and carried on reading as he read out names giving people letters 

"Murray Jake, ohh popular this week" he says dropping two letters in front of me I was a little confused but nodded to him and took them shutting my book one was from my mum and gran telling me how things where for them so I did a quick one back explaining how things were for me too. As soon as I was done I grabbed the other one it looked strange a handwriting I didn't recognize but it had my name, my inmate number even the prison address in perfect blue letters so I opened it 

"Dear Jake Murray, I hope this letter finds you well. I don't know why I wrote it that way I guess it just sounded epic and cool way to start I suppose I mean your not allowed to leave and I'll just throw this in the post box down my road I mean neither of us have any control over weather or not this letter with arrive to you let alone the state it will be in. That'll be up to royal mail I guess.

Ohh I'm sorry I'm bad at introductions." 

It made me laugh for the first time in a good while 

"Anyway, my name's y/n and I live not far from the prison, in fact just the next town over and I'll admit I'm not the best socially Incase you couldn't already tell. I've struggled making friends my whole life and now I'm out of education and working I find it harder and harder, people don't like to talk with me they always tend to run away from me. But I thought maybe there's someone in there as lonely as me so I wrote in asking to be part of the program and they sent me you, please don't feel you have to respond if you don't want to. I was just curious, but still I hope to perhaps hear from you soon."

Then her name and address,

I rather liked her letter. I don't know why but I felt like she was sweet and kind, like I could tell her anything. 

"Dear Y/n, it's alright I rather liked the epic introduction it was sweet I know how you feel it's not exactly easy with the people in here either but I did sign up to the program for the off chance if just honestly getting to talk with someone else, and I'd love getting to talk with you that is if you wanted to talk with me, I'd like to hear from you again soon" 

I sat on my bed trying to read my book when I saw one of the guards come around with some letters "hey Murray you got another one" he says handing me a letter through the bars 

"Ohh thanks" I smiled happily taking it sitting on my bed and opening the letter it was from y/n we had been sending letters back and forth every week for about six months now and I adored every moment of it 

"Dear Jake, I hope your doing okay in there I get worried about you sometimes, I don't know why just sometimes when I'm alone or at work I think about you in there and I worry a little bit about you, works been alright the comic book store hasn't been busy very much lately, how are things for you? Ohh I sent you a present it should be in the envelope"

 I looked in the envelope and saw a little square of clear resin with a rose inside 

"It sounds stupid I know but I made it for you, it reminded me of you in some ways something so beautiful trapped but still able to he admired"

"Awww y/n" I smiled 

"I also included another little present for you I know you said in your last letter you were curious what I looked like so I sent you a picture, I hope you write back soon Jake X"

I got the little polaroid out the envelope. She was sitting on a wall by a river in a beautiful blue sundress, she was the most beautiful girl I'd ever seen.

I instantly grabbed some paper and instantly started writing back. 

"Dear Y/n, your presents are beautiful there, amazing. I can't believe the flower. I can't believe you made that for me it's so sweet of you. I worry about you in that little comic shop all the time I sometimes get worried about you all alone as well. Im always overjoyed to get your letters they're the sweet rainbow in the stormy rain of life in here, your photo is amazing, your even more beautiful then I imagined you to be you look so beautiful and amazing, y/n I know we haven't been talking to long but I was wondering if maybe one of these days you could come up for visiting, I'd really like to meet you in person if you wanted to of course, I hope you respond soon"

I sat on my bed while everyone had already headed off to the showers and such as it was visiting today but I didn't have anyone coming so I didn't bother I just stayed in my cell reading my books until I heard a guard coming around 

"Oi, murray what are you still doing here?" He asked 

"It's visiting, figured I'd stay here" I shrug 

"Why? Figured you'd be washing like a madman getting ready" he laughs leaning on the cell 

"Why?" I asked 

"You have a visitor, she's down in the waiting room with the rest of them" he laughs

"A visitor?" I asked a little confused it couldn't be my mum or my gran then it hit me and I grabbed the poleriod y/n sent me in her last letter that I had since blue tacked to the wall next to my bed "does she look like this?" I asked handing him it he looked at the picture before handing it to me 

"Yeah looks like her" he says I instantly put my picture back grabbed my stuff and ran off to the showers excitedly, I can't believe I'm going to meet her, and that she didn't tell me first, maybe she did and the letter just hasn't got here yet. I scrubbed more then I think I had ever scrubbed in my life getting dressed into the best clothes I had even if they weren't that great. Heading down with the other guys 

"What are you down here for? Thought you weren't getting visitors anymore" Mike says as he fixed his shirt 

"Yeah uhh y/n is here to see me" I blushed 

"Who's y/n?" He asks 

"The girl I've been writing? Who I have been talking to for like six months? And sends me letter's atleast once a week? And that I haven't stopped talking about?"

"Oohh… got yourself a little girlfriend Murray?" He laughs

"What no!" I argued even if I blushed "she's my friend"

"Yeah, your friend who's picture you lay next to" he smirked 

"Shut up" I sighed as I didn't have an excuse they let us in and sat each of us at a numbered little table, I saw sat by the barred window looking out across the yard, suddenly I felt a werid rumble in my stomach, my head didn't feel right 

"You alright?" Mike asks as he was in the table to the side of me across the walkway 

"Yeah just uhhh I suddenly don't feel too well" I admit moving my hands off the table noticing how much I had sweat as there where not handprints in the table which I quickly used my sleave to clean and he laughs at me 

"It's called butterflies murray just relax" he laughs as I saw the doors open, I kept my head down not wanting to look to… overexcited I guess. As people filed in sitting at the numbered tables they had been given often greeting them with hugs and kisses, I fiddled with my fingers on my lap looking out the window as I heard little steps.

"Jake?" A voice asked I looked and it was y/n but she was even more beautiful then her photo, in little blue heels and black tights a blue and white spotted dress and a white cardigan over her shoulders, her hair in loose curls that made her look so sweet she had a rather large black bag and red lipstick she looked...like an angel, the most beautiful girl I'd seen in my life 

"Y/n" I smiled but as I did my voice cracked making me put my hand over my mouth in shock what the hell! My voice hasn't cracked since I was fifteen it made her giggle I got up a little nevously and she smiled up at me as I was a little taller the her "uuuuhh hi" I smiled 

"Hi" she replied

[ddaengyoonmin]

Chapter 3

Pairing: Jungkook x reader, Taehyung x reader, eventual Ot7 x reader in later chapters

Genre: fluff (not really in this chapter), angst, uhh maybe smut eventually??

Theme: Based kinda on sword art online a lot of similar ideas and themes kinda combining the idea of them trapped in the game, but the world is closer to ALFheim online

Word count : 1.9k

Warnings: Swearing?..I swear a lot it can’t be contained. Mentions of death, Panic attacks,

a/n : I realize in this chapter I’m taking a lot from the plot of SAO, I feel like I have to explain it more than I’d like to, most people probably already know what happens in SAO ( I did try to make some changes) but for the sake of people that may not know, and the characters and their personal feelings and reactions to what happens I’m gonna go into detail about it all.  I swear I’m gonna deviate a bit in later chapters and make it my own.  I just gotta set the scene for all of this and it’s taking longer than I wanted lmao, its my first fic okay, of course I got in over my head lmaooo

next -> Chapter 4

 ------------------------------------

“I’ll show you the way” he said with a grin.  But something seemed off about that grin, there was worry hidden behind it.  You didn't like this at all..

Kookie had taken your hand and led you to the town square that the emergency notice had instructed everyone meet at. It was a quiet walk that took about 30 long, worrisome minutes.  Neither of you exchanging many words besides an “It’ll be okay” from Kookie a few times when he’d glance at your nervous face.

When you arrived there were thousands of others filing in.  The golden colored stone courtyard in the middle of the town was more than big enough to space everyone, yet you found your anxiety growing bigger and bigger as more people flooded through the walkways leading into the town.

     You had been fine when it was just you and Kookie, you’d started to think maybe you really did like being around people.  This crowd was not to your liking though, it only heightened all the panic you were already starting to feel.

Maybe it was that fear, or maybe it was the fear that you had no idea why you couldn't log out of this game, but something pushed you to grab Kookie’s arm and hold it tight.

He didn’t seem to mind, he didn’t look at you though. His eyes scanning the crowd of other worried faces, turning his head to try and listen in to others’ conversations”

“I tried to contact support but there's no button for it!” A large fairy with wolf ears and gray wings complained

“I’m sure my mom will just turn the thing off soon and i’ll snap out of it! Dammit! they told me not to be on past 8”  a small red winged fairy whined.

“This is so stupid, you’d think with all the money I spent on this they’d have fixed this all by now” someone Kookie couldn’t quite see sounded out from behind you both.

Kookie sighed and puts a hand over one of your hands that gripped his arm.  Finally looking at you he tried to assure another “It’ll be okay” and that one was the most insincere sounding one yet.

His own fear starting to break the calm and relaxed composure he was trying to maintain for your sake. You wished you could maintain your own calm and relaxed facade. You’ve had to be brave before for many things and you’d always handled it pretty well.  

But this, felt different.  The whole aura here was off in a way that made you feel slightly sick to your stomach and if it weren’t for the fact that this is where you’d met your new friend Kookie, the first friend you’ve had in years...you feel that you would wish you’d never even opened the box for this damn game.

A loud noise resembling a gong interrupted your train of thought.  Causing gasps and many jumps and various noises from the crowd of thousands.

A bolt of lightning slowly shot through the now somewhat darkened ,red sky and the crowd shifted its attention to that direction.

A dark smoke started to creep from all over and assemble into a figure in the spot where everyone was focused.  The figure had to be about 100 feet tall, hovering in the sky above the square.  It was only a silhouette, but you could distinctly make out that it had the head of a wolf and the body of a human, with a long flowing cloak that sat on its shoulders, extending far past its feet.

Your grip on Kookie’s arm tightened even more at the appearance of this mysterious floating wolf in the sky.

“Good evening” Its voice boomed out “I am Fenrir, head game maker.  And ruler in this world,” it paused only briefly, “I suppose you are all wondering why the log out button seems to have disappeared from your menu screen.  I can assure you it is not a glitch, it is completely intentional”

A series of shocked noises rumbled over the crowd as they all took in the information that was just stated.  You looked over at Kookie with wide eyes.  He was focused intensely on the floating figure, brow furrowed and anger clear on his face.

“To explain further, this is how I designed the game.  None of you can log out and if anyone from the real world attempts to remove or disconnect your headsets the high density microwave transceivers that have made this world feel like a reality” another erie pause, “Will fry your brain stem and end your reality here and in real life.  You will die.”

The crowd erupts into even louder discussions and irritated banter with one another.  You hear someone not to far from where you and Kookie stand yell out “Yeah fucking right man, I call bullshit freaky floating wolf man”

As if he heard that cry, or maybe it was the cries of many similar outbursts that had followed that he had heard, he spoke again, “If you don’t believe me, I’d like to inform you that though I put out a warning on public broadcast, some player’s families also doubted my message and tried to remove their loved one’s headsets.  I’d like to inform you all that this new game I’ve created contained 12,000 players when I removed your option to leave, now it only contains 11,856.  144 players have been eliminated from the game...and from real life”

As he spoke that last sentence he waved a hand and the horrific proof appeared all over the sky.  On at least 10 different screens floating in the sky were news broadcasts from all over the world.  Stating exactly what he had said. Images and videos of families sobbing, and of people being interviewed in front of the office of the game creators of the full dive technology. Headlines reading:

“144 Dead in tragic gaming incident, 11,856 players still trapped in the game”

“Families grieve the loss of loved ones in horrific gaming incident, head game maker and CEO of new full dive technology missing”

“Faerie Realm traps 12,000 players in a deadly game”

You tore your eyes away, tears formed and your body started to shake.  Your hands slipped from Kookie’s arm and traveled to your face holding your cheeks in horror.  

Kookie was frozen staring at the screens, perhaps searching to see if he knew anyone who had died?

The screens disappeared and the dark figure spoke loudly again.  You tried to focus your attention back on him but the ringing that had started in your ears made it difficult.  You missed the majority of what he said, but managed to collect yourself only slightly enough to make out the last part.

“To put it more simply, you will now feel pain.  And if you die here in the game, you die in real life, good luck to you all” Then the smokey figure evaporated.

You fell to your knees, hands on the stone floor of the courtyard, unable to contain your panic anymore.   Tears fell in intense streams down your face as your body shook in a way it never had before.  While struggling to catch your breath, two arms wrapped around you and pulled you up, Kookie held you tightly and close to his chest.  “Shh..sh”  he whispered while stroking your hair.  In any other situation this intimate moment would feel totally inappropriate considering you'd only just met this man today.  But you welcomed his touch as it really did seem to calm you down from the sheer panic you felt.

He took you by the shoulders and brought you where you could see his face.  He was trying to mask it, and he definitely had been doing a decent job at it, but he was just as terrified as you were.

“We need to find my roommate” he said in a soft voice suddenly, “my...friend...my best friend...he should be here too...we came in together but decided to do our own thing...he's gotta be...no one would’ve been in our house to take off his headset so...he's gotta be...here…” His cracking voice let on to the panic he was feeling.

Your heart broke for him, you could tell his thoughts were racing faster than he could sanely handle, as he wondered if his friend could be among the already dead.

“Of course” you nod “go find him”

“I don’t think it’s best for me leave you alone, lets stick together okay?” he said, not really giving you an option as he grabbed your hand and franticly started dragging you through the crowd, looking over every face he passed by.

He came to a dead stop and yelled in pure overwhelming relief “TAEHYUNG!”

A seemingly tall, attractive man about your age with mint green hair, and shimmering emerald wings sticking out from his back was sat on a bench about 10 feet away, eyes glazed over and un-moving with his hands in his lap.

Kookie rushed over to the man and kneeled down to his level, “Hey man, holy shit, I was so worried,” The green haired man, Taehyung, you assumed, snapped out of his trance with a small shake of his head and stared at Kookie.  “Jungkook...what...what the fuck is happening?” his face forming into an expression of terror.  

Kookie, well...actually Jungkook as you’d just learned, embraced Taehyung in a quick hug and pulled him up off the bench.

“We gotta make some kind of a game plan dude, the game maker said the only way out of here alive was to beat the game, so shits probably about to get pretty crazy.  When you complete a quest, boss challenge, or defeat a animal that’s on the list of required tasks to clear each level it disappears for good, and once all of them on each floor are taken out you can move on to the next level.  100 levels may take a long time to beat.  Our best chance is to move quick.  It’s going to be tough with people going around trying to snag all the best and easy loot and experience points once they realize that getting as strong as possible, as quick as possible, is the best strategy to stay alive” he rambled,

Taehyung nodded at Jungkook’s words but Jungkook could tell he didn’t fully understand what was being implied.

“I think we need to leave. Now. The longer we just stay camped out here wondering what’s going on like everyone else is right now, the less of a chance we have to be the ones to get the best chance of survival”  

It clicks for Taehyung, his voice wavers

“Kook...Wouldn’t that...be kind of a dick move? Snagging up all of the best stuff before anyone else can get to it? If that’s the best way to survive shouldn’t we let everyone know?”

Jungkook shook his head sternly, “No. I only care about us making it out of here at this point.” he nodded his head towards you and then to Taehyung.

Did he really just say he didn’t care if anyone else died?

You studied Jungkook for a second, his mannerisms were changed from the charming, friendly, smiling man who showed you around the forest earlier today, he was stiffer and more rigid in his stance.  You couldn’t even see panic on his face anymore, instead there was a strong look of determination.  

You weren’t sure if you liked this Jungkook you were seeing now, but you couldn’t fully blame him for the drastic switch, people can change when they are thrown into survival mode, and this...was now life and death.

[buckthegrump]

Hands of Fate - 6

Summary: You have a secret. It’s a secret that you’ve been able to keep hidden from the world for years (with the help of one other person). But after a run-in with a group of HYDRA agents, you find yourself at the Avengers compound. And it’s proving harder and harder to keep your secret especially with one particularly observant supersoldier who doesn’t seem to trust you.

Word Count: 1076

Warnings: Some violence, angst (kind of), swearing

Pairing: Bucky x Fem!Reader (Eventually)

A/n: Y'all there’s only 4 more parts left. tag list is closed only because there are so few parts left and i’ll probably post them pretty soon

 Previous parts on my masterlist

You had no proof. That was your biggest problem, that and if he was his name would’ve been amongst the files that Natasha leaked a few years ago. But it made sense to you. You couldn’t explain why you felt so strongly about it but you did.

You wanted to tell someone but you didn’t know who to tell or how to tell them you knew.

So the next day when they were all talking about the accords you paced in the hallway. You couldn’t keep this to yourself and you had no way of contacting Fury, he was always the one to find you.

You heard the door open and close again and you turned to find Bucky standing there arms crossed.

“What is your problem?” He asked.

You could tell him, he seemed understanding and kinder yesterday when you told him about what you found in the accords. But his current stature was causing you to pause.

“Y/n, you are outside the room pacing like you have something you need to tell us, so tell someone,” he said.

“Never mind it’s nothing,” you said and walked away.

/

Bucky went back to looking like he didn’t trust you after that. Which on his behalf was a solid choice because you were acting real shifty since the day Ross came.

Months passed and everyone was still unsure about how to proceed with the accords. It was very evident that Ross was getting impatient but no one in the tower seemed to care.

Bucky, Steve, and Sam were all in the gym when you walked in. Steve and Sam were sparing and paused to greet you and Bucky, who was once again shirtless punching away at the bags, glared at you once he caught sight of you.

You almost turned around walked out when Sam stopped you.

“Y/n, Steve and I need you to settle a debate we’re having,” he said.

“If it’s who’s the most attractive I hate to break it to you but it Barton,” you said and they both looked shocked at your words.

“Excuse me?” Sam asked.

“Barton? I have permanent abs,” Steve joked but you shrugged.

“He’s got that serious dad vibe going on and it’s working for me. Shows that he’s reliable,” you smirked at the two men.

“I don’t even remember what our debate was,” Sam admitted.

“Barton?” Steve asked again.

“It was who would make the better spy,” Bucky chimed in.

“Oh yeah,” Sam said and looked to you, “Who would make the better spy Steve or me?”

“I can’t think with your shirts on you should take them off,” you said.

“You’re so funny,” Steve said blankly.

“Y/n this is no time for jokes, answer the question,” Sam said seriously.

“God, ok,” you shifted your weight to your left leg and stared at them. “Sam is less well known and could probably get away with being a spy for longer, but Steve has super-human abilities that could benefit him in getting away with things.”

“Are you saying it’s a tie?” Steve sighed.

“No, I’m just thinking out loud. Ok. There’s also the added bonus that Steve doesn’t really age -”

“I’m black,” Sam said, “I also don’t age.”

“Fair,” you nodded, “Ok I’ve made my choice.”

Just as you were about to tell them who you thought would make the better spy, the remixed ‘What are you doing in my swamp’ blasted throughout the compound and red lights started flashing.

It gave you a heart attack.

“What the fuck is happening?” Bucky said loud enough for everyone to hear.

You and Sam looked at each other.

“Oh fuck,” you said simultaneously and ran out of the gym.

Bucky and Steve followed after sharing a look. They caught up with you and Sam in no time.

“What happened? What’s that noise?” Bucky asked.

“Uhh,” Sam said.

“Sam thought it would be funny to change the alarm so when someone broke in the compound, which we didn’t think would happen, so now it’s playing ‘What are you doing in my swamp,” you said trying your best not to sound too winded.

“So we’re under attack?” Steve said.

“It would appear so,” Sam said not sounding like running and talking bothered him at all, asshole.

“Bucky take Y/n and keep her away from the action,” Steve ordered.

“What?” You asked at the same time Bucky said,

“Ok.”

Bucky grabbed your arm and lead you down a different hallway. You slowed to a walk and Bucky looked at you.

“What’s wrong?” He asked.

“I can’t run anymore,” you answered.

“Jesus,” he muttered.

The two of you walked down a dark hallway the alarm still sounding off. Bucky didn’t say anything and he didn’t need to. You stayed close to him. He kept looking back at you to make sure you were there.

You were so focused on Bucky and the sound of the alarm you didn’t notice the man that had come up behind you until he had one arm wrapped around your neck and the other hand held a gun to your head.

“Bucky,” you said and he turned around.

He held up his hands. He made eye contact with you briefly and he must’ve seen the fear in your eyes because he gave you a reassuring nod.

“Let her go,” he ordered looking at the man who held you.

The man didn’t acknowledge Bucky, he just tightened his grip on you.

“Let her go,” he ordered again.

The guy hummed in your ear and cocked the gun. You took a ragged breath. Bucky looked at you again, only this time the fear was evident in his eyes. That’s when you realized that if this guy pulled the trigger there was nothing he could do and he knew that. He wouldn’t be able to make it to you in time.

And you had about 5 seconds to decide if keeping your secret was worth your life. Fury was going to be pissed.

You took a deep breath and started to pull the air from his lungs. His grip loosened on your neck and you no longer felt the barrel of the gun on your temple. Bucky’s face twisted into confusion. You stepped out of the man’s grasp and turned to him. Once he was limp on the floor you stopped.

“What the hell was that?” Bucky asked from behind you.

Fury was going to be so incredibly pissed.

[hazusreaderinserts]

Legacy [Naruto Reader-Insert]

You’re definitely a Yamanaka, aren’t you?

Family and Village secrets run rampant. All you wanna do is survive long enough to see Naruto become Hokage and to find out who you really are.

[Fem! Reader x Various]

Warnings: Long plot. Slow-burn. The slowest of the burn.

Crossposted on Wattpad and Quotev. Masterlist

Chapter 9 Trouble in Paradise

A/N: Gave up on formatting.

You wake up to the sensation of several somethings hitting and tickling a few parts of your face. You grunt and try to brush whatever that's hitting your face away but they just kept bouncing back to tickle you.

Then you hear someone groan beside you. It is a very familiar voice, with a particular timbre to it that you recognize. Hound? Your mind went into overdrive. What is he doing here? Where am I?

You quickly roused to consciousness and your bleary eyes finally recognized the room that you're in. There's no mistake. It's Brother's hospital room.

Hound's head lolls onto your shoulder and from your angle you could see a peek of his features underneath his mask. He definitely looks younger when he's sleeping.

Your opinion of his features have not changed since 3 years ago, you still think he's quite attractive despite half of his face and eyes are hidden by a face-cloth (mask? You didn't really know what to call it anymore). You still don't know why he hides his face.

To be honest, he still has that sort of child-like purity about him, but only while he is asleep.

You reach out with your fingers to brush his hair out from his eye but he stops you.

You jump in your seat.

"Uhh. Good morning?" You say with a hint of nervousness in your voice.

"Mm. Morning." Hound looks up at you with bleary eyes. You don't think his brain is functioning yet

He's speaking in that 'super-sexy-i-just-woke-up-drawl'. It sends small shivers down your spine and you don't really know why that elicits a reaction out of you. 

Maybe you had a thing for deep voices.

"Move, your hair is tickling me." You nudge his head back to the opposite side of his chair. Hound's head rolls back and he just makes some noncommittal grunts when he realizes that it's just you. Pushing his head away. Like he is a pest or something (yes, yes he is).

You've never gotten this intimate with anyone before. Or at least been in this intimate position where you wake up to see someone else's face the first thing in the morning. Mother or Brother hasn't slept beside you ever since you were two or three.

The thought is kinda nice, waking up to someone you like but uh. Hound is much, much older than you and he'd be considered a cradle robber (also not family, not age appropriate)

You actually have looked through his files after you vowed to investigate Brother's chaperone. In one of the bingo books the Yamanaka got from a nin from Kiri, they call him Konoha's Loyal Dog ( Seems pretty fitting since his handle is Hound and he handles hounds (ninja-dogs)). You snigger softly at your own joke.

You also refuse to call him by his actual name, at least for now.

You think it's ironic. Dog summoner with a dog-like ANBU handle, who is also suitably monikered as Konoha's Loyal Dog, with capitals. Capitals! The bingo books from other Hidden Villages aren't a joke.

And he's probably going to be assigned to you as your guard dog. Hah!

You hope not. He got pulled out of ANBU to do teaching gigs as a Jounin but he hasn't passed any of his teams yet ( or so you read, in his dossier. Also yes the Yamanaka's keep dossiers on everyone. His is particularly thick.).

He half-opens his eye to give you a tired look and adjusted his body to a more comfortable position. And promptly fell back asleep. You're half laughing internally and half nervous as hell at the absurdity of the situation.

But one question, how on earth is he so comfortable with sleeping in room that has so many vulnerable spots? Then something hits you. This is his home village, he should be able to just relax. Just because he's one of the strongest ninja, doesn't mean he has to be on guard all the time.

This is something that you needed more time ponder on.

You slide out of the chair and give Brother a kiss on the forehead, whispering a soft good morning against his cold skin and ran as fast as you could to the Nara compound.

It's barely dawn so you think you can make it before he wakes up. He's an early sleeper and an early riser, but you think he just likes procrastinating on the bed with his favourite novel before sleeping and he likes the feeling of lying down in bed for a while to watch the clouds and the sky as the sun rises.                                                             ____

Shikamaru gets startled awake by a dull thud by his window. Even though he likes sleeping a lot, he's kinda a light sleeper. He's only pretending to sleep in the academy, what he's really doing with his eyes closed is thinking about random things (and Ino, sometimes).

He grabs the kunai he keeps his pillow and angled it defensively. Unfortunately, he's also quite prepared for situations ( read, paranoid).

The thought that this is a Shinobi village doesn't really cross his mind so the only thing this protects him from is you. And rogue ninja, but he trusts Konoha security. So mostly just you.

He sees you tumbling through his window in a less than graceful way. You land on your feet noiselessly and you strike a pose, like nobody is looking at you. Nobody would if Shikamaru is still asleep. 

He isn't. He's wide awake.

You stare at the Nara boy with widened eyes, looking like he's just caught you staring at one of the older Uchiha boys (back when they were a thing, they are certainly not a thing anymore because you know, Itachi) with an expression of curiosity and infatuation.

In your defense, Uchiha boys are all quite handsome in a traditional way.

And Shikamaru stares back, with an equally shocked expression.

"Uhh, I thought you were asleep." You deadpan, still frozen in that silly pose you decided to strike when you rolled in.

Shikamaru lowers his kunai and gives you the stinkiest eyes he can muster with his half-asleep cognitive functions, "You're really something, you know that mouse? Why didn't you come over to talk yesterday? Choji and I had a big fucking bribe, which you don't get now by the way, laid out for you to make you talk."

"Yeah. Yeah, of course," Your voice got all choked up. "Sorry I couldn't make it, I caught a cold and had to stay in."

It feels nice when your friends worry about you and heck, Shikamaru is a worrier. The biggest worrier you know. And a complainer. You appreciate everything he says because he tells it to you straight. When he's not being the laziest person around.

What you really mean is that you got cornered into a room filled with oppressive people and they had to Intimidate you into reciting the oath under some sort of influence. Mind, body and soul. The same mantra that the Yamanaka Shinobi recite when they're learning how to transfer their soul into someone else via Shintenshin.

Was that the essence of what they wanted to do with the oath and the drink? Hokage's Balls.

Your mind, body and soul belongs to the Yamanaka now since you accepted the oath and you'd have to swear another blood oath to the village once you graduate and become genin.

You were basically trapped into something you couldn't refuse. You can't tell Shikamaru anything though, it's an oath of silence and besides, Keirai probably had someone watching you day and night.

Maybe he is watching you right now.

Shikamaru rolls his eyes and voices out his usual complaint, "Ugh how troublesome. You know I can tell when you're lying right?" Yes he totally can, but he doesn't call you out on it unless it is important. And this is important.

You 'hm'ed and give him a noncommittal shrug, plopping yourself on the foot of Shikamaru's bed. Sometimes you think that the Nara boy would prefer the futon since he has pretty traditional tastes but then again he got a really cushy mattress and it's much more thicker than the fluffiest futon.

You like the futon better. It reminds you not to get complacent and you like sleeping on hard-ish ground.

Shikamaru swings out of his covers in his cotton jammies with little clouds printed on them and sits up. You give him a pointed look and raise an eyebrow, to which he responds with red on his cheeks and an indignant half-shout, "They're my favourite okay? They're really comfy."

You didn't doubt that, but still. An amused giggle escapes from your lips before you know it and he turns bright red again.

"Hey, what did you wanna tell me?" You make yourself comfy on the bed, pulling both your legs up to cross them. The obi sits a little tight on your waist, but you didn't mind.

"Choji and I are worried about you, you idiot mouse. We know something happened all those years ago and you seemed like you were fine until recently when everything friggin' crashed and burned for you like a fireball jutsu gone wrong." He looks at you with those eyes that make you think he is begging you to wake up and see that you can rely on him.

You can. But you don't really wanna talk about how you are being watched 24/7 like you have a camera following your every move and listening to your every word.

The Nara clan has always traditionally been the head of the the Shinobi Counter Intelligence and with Shikamaru's father actually being the head, you don't want to take any chances. See, the difference between the T&I Bureau and SCI is that T&I is mostly an internal affair and SCI handles everything that is external to the village, although both of them will send teams outside to collect intelligence (SCI collects and prevents).

You remember what Shisui had said. Your chakra is different. Noticeable. Every sensor in a 100 mile radius of Konoha will be able to find you. Good for you that you're stuck in a clan specializing in sensors.

You feel really bitter about the whole thing.

"I uh, don't want to talk about it." You look at your lap with sheepish smile.

Shikamaru continues like he didn't hear you say that you don't want to talk about it. "And then Ino comes to me, crying about what you said to her and that's not very nice of you."

It's no secret between Choji and you that Shikamaru has a soft spot for Ino. Maybe a bit more than a soft spot but it's not really a secret anymore. It's been an unrequited crush for more than three years and Ino only has Sasuke Uchiha in her eyes. So uhh. An impasse. Ino doesn't know about Shikamaru's feelings.

You roll your eyes. You're still a little upset at Ino about how insensitive she's been. Just like Father. Mother practically lives at the hospital now. You know that Father has something to do with that. Isolate you, so you don't have anyone to talk to about this.

"I'll deal with her when I've calmed down. Don't you think I deserve some slack after the things that actually happened to me?" You say, plainly. You really didn't come here to be yelled at. Shikamaru will always take Ino's side. He always does.

Would it kill him to take your side sometimes?

Shikamaru sees the expression on your face and he bites back whatever he is going to say next. You look like you are about to cry. 

The sun is about to rise and he's still in his cloud jammies. He throws the covers over you completely, "What a drag, you should stay in there until you apologize to Ino." Shikamaru scratches the back of his head.

"Get out. I'm going to change and I don't want you in the room when I do." Shikamaru finally says after like five minutes of continuous scratching. You're not deaf, you can hear perfectly fine under the blanket.

"Yeah. Yeah, I should go. I'll see you in class, maybe." Your voice comes out a little more choked than you'd like and you proceed to throw the covers over him entirely and focusing your chakra to bring you to the place you haven't visited in two years.

                                                           ____

It's a blur of colours again and you land on your feet in a clearing near the Naka River. You've gotten used to Shisui's brand of Shunshin and you finally figure out how it actually works.

The afterimage is actually a chakra shell the shape of you. As in, you flicker forward so fast that it leaves a thin chakra shell that has your likeness and that's probably how Shisui has the illusion of moving so fast that he is able to make 'clones' of himself.

You slowly trudge towards the roundest rock in the cleaning, a ray of light filtering through the grassy canopy of trees that seem to function as a soft spotlight shining directly over it. It's the only reason why you picked that spot.

You hop up to sit on it, eyes closed to enjoy the gentle warmth that the ray of light brings.

"Hey, Shisui. It's been a while. I know I haven't visited you in a year..." You whisper under your breath and you start talking about the various things that happened to you so far. Like your initiation. And how you don't know how to bring up the Uchiha Massacre to Sasuke.

You had read that he had thrown himself into the Naka River, but his body was never found. You think it's a fitting spot to make a honorary grave for him. youtrynottothinkaboutthefactthattheydidntfindabodythereisnobodyhecouldbealivesomewherehesstillalivethereisnobody

Sasuke became really withdrawn and more broody after the incident to the point where you couldn't say he is fully sane anymore. Sometimes he trains himself so hard that he's on the verge of killing himself.

You know him well enough that every action of his leads up to a singular conclusion. And it's very disconcerting. It honestly worries you a lot. He was broken for a long period of time but that grief turned into anger. He doesn't talk about it nor does he want to.

That was his coping mechanism and you don't know if it's healthy or not (not that your own way of coping is healthy either, but you didn't want to kill yourself constantly. Wait, maybe you did).

You don't expect him to be okay really, his entire family was killed by his brother and he saw. He saw Itachi drive the sword into his mother's body. He saw the bloodthirsty expression Itachi had as he did it. And something in him changed. But mostly, you just want to talk to him about it to really understand what he's thinking about.

You tell Shisui that you really miss him. Even this little glade reminds you of him. You miss the way he smiles at you when you finally got something right. The way his eyes crinkle when you show him some inane thing that you did just because. The way he says your name when he wants to wake you up from a nap.

Yeah, those things you missed. And you couldn't see them anymore.

You're also confused by what Itachi did that night, he was loyal to the Village, loyal to Hound and loyal to the Hokage. His motives confounded you and kept you up at nights mostly. And in those late hours of the night, you see Sasuke ambling around with that look on his face. You know that face that he has when he's brooding.

You spend half your morning catching Shisui up with everything recent about your life and you end up being late to class, which Iruka-sensei doesn't find particularly amusing.

[n-jadaddy]

Streetcar

Erik Killmonger x Black!Reader

This is my first time at this rodeo so go easy on me,teehee. The song that inspired me to write this is called StreetCar by Daniel Caesar. Enjoy!

Let me know

Do I still got time to grow?

Things ain't always set in stone

That be known let me know

“Welcome to New York City!” Sounds of the bus coming to a halt echo through the terminal causing you to jolt awake from your nap. “Damn, we here already?” You shield your eyes and stretch your arms wide as the bright overhead lights flickered on. “Watch your step, don’t forget your to grab your luggage from under the bus, and have a safe night.” With that, the driver stepped off the bus and assisted passengers with their bags. You continue to gather your book bag and black pea coat as the lasting passengers file off the bus, once together you stand and follow behind them. The winds were surprisingly brisk, nothing you weren’t use to but  you should’ve brought a bigger coat. ‘I should get somewhere warm.’ You thought buttoning your coat as far as it goes and rushing into the station, past the judgemental eyes of travelers wondering why you were wearing a thin coat in 20 degree weather. Reaching for your phone you press the home button, once, twice, nothing. Just the battery low symbol reminding you that you let your phone die before you left the city,you’d rather not be in contact with anyone. “Guess I’m doing this the old fashioned way” You walked through the revolving door of the station into the cold night air again, this time closing your coat tighter around you to conceal some warmth. Holding your thumb outward patiently waiting for a taxi to pull over your way but they all stopped the people either a few blocks ahead or a few blocks behind you. “Prejudice as hell” you mumbled it under your breath, just as you’re about to give up, a taxi pull up in front of you. Thank god. Anymore time out there you'd be frozen to death.

“Thank you so much, I’ve been waiting forever. I thought I’d never get a ride.” you chuckle sliding into the cab placing your bag next to you.

“No problem, you looked cold as hell in that itty bitty ass coat” the driver laughed. His voice was surprised you, it was musky, deep, and warm enough to make you forget about the weather outside the car. Looking up from your seat belt to get a better look at your driver, you were in shock. From what you could see through the rear view mirror, the man was handsome, his eyes dark and his dreads were well kept braided to the back. If only you could see the rest of his face, yo hoped the rest of it lived up to your expectations.

“Where to?”

“Huh?” you were so distracted you didn’t even realize he asked you a question.

“If you can ‘huh’ you can hear, damn ma, you deaf or somethin’ I asked you where you going” he was becoming frustrated, he adjusted his mirror to see somewhat of your eyes in the darkness of the car.

“Oh, uhh” you hadn't really thought about where you were going specifically, just that you didn't want to be where you were. “I dont know”

“Huh?” he questioned, eyebrows scrunched up in confusion.

“If you can ‘huh’ you can hear” you used his words against him.

“Ma, get the hell out of my car” clearly irritated he unlocked the door.

“Wait! I'm not from around here, I dont really know where to go” you protested, hoping he'd reconsider and let you stay.

“I should’ve known, you wearin that small ass coat.” he locked the doors again and pulled away from the bustation taking off down the street. “How about I give you a lil tour then and we’ll see where things go from there” he smirked. You could see a dimple form on the side of his face. ‘Adorable’ you thought to yourself. “Yeah,that sounds great” you smiled and leaned against the window, it’ll be one hell of a cab fair but seeing the city would be worth it in the end, you’ll probably find a hotel while he drove you around.

“Oh yeah, Im YN. YN LN” how rude of you to ask him his name before getting into the car.

“Erik. Erik Stevens” he returned plainly.

  You took a moment to admire the interior of the car, it was clean. Really clean, unlike other taxies you’ve been in, there was a faint smell of cologne, not too strong or soft, it was just right. There was hardly any decorations in the car, just a chain with a ring on the end hanging from the rear view mirror, as a rosary would, you could sense it was important but you didn’t want to question it. It didn’t seem like any of your business.

Seems like street lights, glowing, happen to be

Just like moments passing in front of me

So I hopped in the cab and I paid my fare

A faint sound of music coming from the radio to kill the awkward silence. However, that wasn’t enough for him. “So, where you from” Erik looked toward you through the mirror. “Oh, I’m from Chicago” you glanced back. “Aw, word? That’s surprising, I’d  think you’d know better that to wear that thin ass coat outside then, it’s cold as fuck out there. Got you on the street shakin like a stripper in church.” You rolled your eyes, you could sworn you heard him smack his teeth at your action but you chose to ignore it. “It’s alright, I didn’t want anything weighing me down”  hence why you only have your backpack with you, and that only contains your portable easel, some brushes, and your Macbook. “Hm, so how long you stayin?” “Uh, I don’t really know” “You just all over the place, huh ma.” “Well I know but I don’t. I’ll just be here until my feet take me somewhere else. could be days, weeks, years, even hours. I know where I’m supposed to be, I’ll know once I get there. You know?” You stare outside the window, the streets were surprisingly empty for a city that never sleeps. The lights reflecting off of the buildings were intense,mesmerizing, and inspiring. They focused themselves on the taxi as it moved through the night, like a spot light it made you feel as if  you two were supposed to be the only ones in existence. “Yeah, I know” he agreed. “But I’d rather have a plan. Something I can sit with for a while and perfect it until it’s foolproof. I know where I’m going too but I just can’t base that shit on feeling tho, sometimes they can be deceiving and lead you to a dead end rather than your destination. I get you though ma, I’d rather be on the move than sittin in these streets.” he was right, you should’ve thought about this before you left the city. You couldn’t keep doing this every time something went wrong, and if you were to do it again, at least book a hotel first.

“You right” you admitted something you didn't do often

“Damn right i'm right I can't remember a time I was wrong.” he turned the car down another street full of colorful lights and giant lit up billboards with random advertisements. “Since you a tourist, I should show you some tourist shit, this is Times Square don't nobody really come here but tourist who most likely get finessed.” Erik pointed at each building and tried to explain them the best he could, he didn’t know what most of them were called. He just identified them as ‘the one with the big ass lights’ or ‘ the one with the little ass lights.

“You not from here are you?” you asked, trying to look at him the best you could, through your teary eyes from laughing too hard, it’s been awhile since you’ve done that.

“Nah, I’m from Oakland. I moved here after I had a run in with my cousin a couple years back” you weren't going to ask why, you knew your limits and it seemed as if he wasn't going to answer them if you asked anyway, and you didn't want to ruin the moment. You just readjusted yourself and looked out the window.

“What about you, why you here?”

You didn't know how you felt telling a stranger about your personal information but since he shared a little bit about him you'd share the bare minimum with him. “Some stuff back home happened and I decided to remove myself from the situation and come here, it was last minute but I needed to leave.” you couldn't go into detail otherwise you'd cry again, you’ve been strong for weeks now it was time to stop crying and move on, no matter how much you loved him he would want you to. You just couldn’t stop thinking about what you were suppose to do together, get married, have kids. But he had to  fight, what did he have to prove? He was already an amazing boxer as is, he just had to fight in that match. And now he’s gone.

Life just ain't fair

Erik could sense the tension grow inside the car and he changed the subject. “Let's go get something to eat, I’m buyin. You've been out and about and I’m sure you're starving”

“Yeah, thank you.” you blink back your tears and smile.

Erik pulled into the parking lot of a 24 hour pizza parlor because he sworn up and down that Chicago’s pizza was trash compared to New York’s. He pulls into the parking lot and stops the car. He gets out the car and walks toward the doors, “let's go princess!” he calls out you rush out and jog to catch up behind him.  Erik was taller than you thought, and swole as hell. He remind you of someone.

“I’m not a princess.” you stated crossing your arms and dropping your hip. He turns around fully facing you for the first time since you met and you were at lost for words. “Then what are you, princess?”

‘Adonis?’ you uncross your arms and stepped closer to him. This is impossible, Donnie died after in match a month ago but Erik looked so similar to him, everything down to the slightest detail, minus the dreads and the scruffy beard. You both looked into each others eyes, it was like you were lost in time, like you're supposed to be there for the rest of your life. You reach up to touch his face just in case it was your imagination but he grabs your hand, it feels just like his. “ you good, YN? You look like you're about to cry” you stepped back away from Erik and wiped a stray tear away. “Yeah, let's go eat.” you smile up at him.

See I know my destination, I'm just not there