#like six hours long so we'll see
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looking back on the rerecording of style, i can say this (with my limited knowledge of music production):
it's literally the EXACT SAME MIX but the bass is a little louder, and that little gleaming synth in the back during the chorus is a little louder. Taylor is a little further back in the mix than she was on the original, which is i think why i've heard her performance called 'phoned in,' and she doesn't clip the top of the audio during the 'OH it's been a while...' anymore. personally, i like the mix on the rerecording better, because as i always say, more bass can fix basically anything. if you don't believe me, just go listen to it in a car with good speakers and the bass turned up a bit, you'll see what i'm getting at.
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cinnabeat · 4 months ago
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i am free of note taking for the week.......hallelujah
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rudamaruda520 · 7 months ago
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imagine jegulus where James so desperately trying to put them in those painfully obvious "get together" scenarios but fails every bloody time
[in a motel]
James: so there's only one room available so we'll have to share... I sure hope it has two separate beds *crossing fingers*
Regulus: *opening the door* oh yeah, it does, don't you worry 😌
James: 🥲
[in a car]
James: a six-hour trip and just the two of us... I sure hope we don't bond over the long conversation that is ahead of us...
James: Right Reggie?
James: Reggie?
James: *looks at the passenger seat and sees Regulus sleeping with headphones in his ears*
James: 🥲
[in a club]
James: *hires a guy who is going to start aggressively hitting on Regulus so that he can swoop in like a knight on a white horse and save him from trouble*
James: *watches as Regulus flirts back and leaves with a guy hired by James (he probably shouldn't hire Barty for that)*
James: 🥲
[in a small space they "accidentally" locked themselves in]
James: Blimey... it could be hours before someone finds us here...
Regulus: Just a moment... aaaand I managed to unlock the door 🤓
James: Of course you did... 🥲
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ronearoundblindly · 5 months ago
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Big Pharma
Steve Rogers x doctor!Reader
Written for @stargazingfangirl18's Birthday Bonenanza--HAPPY BDAY, SIRI!--using the scenario prompt ~quick, frantic, secret sex in an almost public place + babe's hand over your mouth to keep you quiet~ and the dialogue prompt "goddamnit, will you just f***ing let me do this for you?" with free use kink for good measure. Why not?
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Summary: The extreme drug cocktail you devise to save Steve Rogers has one major side effect.
Warnings for smut 🥴, sorta dub-con because it's like sex pollen, F E E L S, Steve being the most chivalrous gentleman while railing you (do it for your country, babes 🫡), completely unintentional dirty talk from Steve but 😮‍💨 we'll allow it, Tony being Tony, and--as always-- terrible puns. (There are no mentions of any medical instruments, except an IV, which is not used.) MINORS DNI. This is a mature gift work; see my Light Masterlist for all-age fanfic that is fine for minors. WC 2k
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The constant photoflash burns into your retinas obnoxiously, and you’re not even the subject of the paparazzi.
Captain America is alive—all thanks to you—though he could easily have been six-feet under by now. The mysterious infection was so bad and spread so far, the drug regimen you administered constitutes one of the Avengers’ biggest Hail Marys to date, but it’s working. That’s all that matters…to the world. Behind the scenes is a different story.
As Captain Rogers turns to the next hand he must shake, his sharp blue eyes find you, twinged with a familiar fear.
This stupid event scheduled by Stark to boost morale, to show Cap is just fine and back in fighting form, has gone on too long. It’s happening again.
You worried Rogers might not make it when suddenly Stark showed up hours earlier than the initial, planned press conference—because, of course, there’s meet-and-greets, quick interviews, and these damn handshakes. He’s only gone so long between treatments for the last week.
You nod at Cap and make your way in the small crowd back to Stark. You tell him you’ll need a room, somewhere private to put in the IV, and at least thirty minutes to administer the huge dose. Rogers’s super-metabolism makes it necessary to use approximately forty times the prescription average for antibiotics and steroids. In theory, the side effects are well worth his speedy recovery.
Well, the only side effect.
Stark looks horrendously annoyed. “Can’t you just shoot him up with it and be done?” He doesn’t need your lecture repeated though. “Fine, there’s a greenroom thing over there, but you’ve got fifteen minutes at most, you hear me?”
“Twenty-five, Mr. Stark. He’s not a water balloon.”
“Twenty or he can wheel the damn thing around with him.”
You gulp in nervousness, but the problem isn’t Stark’s attitude. Rogers isn’t going to like rushing this. He feels shame enough already.
“I’ll make it work,” you assure the stubborn playboy. If he only knew…
“Good. A team player. We value that here.”
You have no fucking idea how ironic that is, you scream internally, but you follow him to a door off a back hallway, a room that shares a wall with the space all those people are gathered, and thank Stark.
“Oh good, he’s heard the dog-whistle of treat time,” Tony quips, and you swivel to see Cap trailing behind you.
He’s already made his excuses to step away, too. It must be bad.
You’re sure to pull out your props of a saline drip and tubing from your bag while Tony can still see, but you drop the act the instant the door clicks shut.
Cap take one step forward to flip the lock, immediately unzipping the fly of his iconic leather suit.
See, the only side effect of the drugs is Rogers gets hard, often, and can’t find relief from his efforts alone. Through trial-and-error, the clear solution has been help—discretely—from the only medical professional allowed around him until his condition improved.
Of course, he fought it. Of course, you wanted to preserve his dignity. Of course, you tried to keep it as perfunctory, methodical, and uninspired as possible, but the thing is, that didn’t last.
The more distant and cold the experience, the faster he became desperate and wanting again, and now you have just twenty minutes to make sure Captain America can hold out for hours.
Steve, you remind yourself. He prefers you not use respectful address when engaging is what he deems entirely disrespectful behavior. 
You need to get him off in essentially no time at all, so you’ve decided: go big or go home.
Bag tossed to the floor, you unbutton your pants and shimmy out of everything from shoes to panties, letting the longer tail of your dress shirt barely cover your modesty.
Steve looks dumbfounded. It’s bad enough he has to run to you for a handy every few hours, but this?
“Doc, no,” he breaths.
“I understand the procedure,” you say calmly, echoing his harrowing consent from that first night he needed you.
Steve’s brow furrows in strain. “We shouldn’t…”
‘We’ are way past ‘shouldn’t,’ buddy.
“Can’t ask you to…“ but he also knows time’s a wasting.
He’s already fisting himself, struggling to be the gentleman he never stopped being, which at the moment is a huge problem because both of you need to get through the day—you without losing your job and him without popping a boner on national television.
It’s your job to break him and break him right now.
“Goddamnit, will you just fucking let me do this for you?”
There’s a flat smack on the door.
“Do whatever the lady wants and then get back out here,” Tony yells from the other side. “Put us all out of our misery,” he ends with a grumble.
That is by far the most helpful thing Stark has said in the last week, so you mouth “see” and begin undoing your blouse from the bottom, giving Steve his first peek of you. His hand speeds along his length, adam’s apple bobbing in concentration.
“Here, I’ll make it easy for you,” you whisper. You walk to the far corner of the room, put your hands up, shirt rising over your bare ass, and face the wall. Your voice is soothing, pleading even. “Just take what you need.”
In some ways, you feel responsible for his predicament. You are the prescribing doctor, he isn’t in a relationship where a partner could assist, and he insists no one else know. He doesn’t deserve to be poked and prodded more than necessary, and you can’t give him any other meds in combination. None of it is his fault same as none of it is yours. You only intended to heal him.
Truthfully though, none of this is just about his release anymore, much as you’d like to dismiss your feelings.
You can’t deny, however, that each time the air gets a little thicker with tension, the body language a little more intimate. Steve has kept his eyes open, clutched your free hand to his chest, rolled his hips open, and thrust up into your fist. The greater the satisfaction of his climax, the longer he retains control.
“When this is over…I swear,” he grits out, getting closer word by word until his deep voice is right by your ear.
He tugs your shirt up to dip his fingers between your legs. “Been smelling you for two days. Can’t do anything until—” Steve growls, feeling how slick you’ve become in anticipation “—you’re ready for me.” 
His concern washes away when two fingers easily breech you to the knuckle and are immediately replaced by the blunt head of his cock dragging between your folds.
You didn’t expect him to give in so fast. You didn’t expect him to have known this aroused you. The idea he might want to continue, to go further, races down your spine, following the opposite path of Steve leaning into you. His forehead presses your occipital as yours presses the wall. The heat of him makes you arch in luxurious proximity.
Steve fucking forward to enter you in one smooth motion makes you forget to be quiet, but before the whole shout of ecstasy escapes, his hand covers your mouth.
“Shhh, Doc,” he breathes at the base of your neck. “Be good for me.”
That only gets you moaning into the seam of his gloves.
His hips start a staccato rhythm, a second of loud friction for each second of silent, fulfilling pressure.
Steve slips his still wet fingers under your shirt and beneath the cup of your bra to swirl a smooth pattern over your nipple. Instead of voicing your approval, you shove yourself back into him faster.
You notice the muffled chatting of Tony and someone else outside while your eyes roll. The slap of your skin against the Cap suit becomes the loudest thing in the room, but that’s not what Steve minds.
He pulls out and spins you around, pausing to see the cream you’ve created at the base of him drip to the carpet below.
Deep sea eyes meet yours through golden lashes.
“If I can’t hear you…” Steve hoists you up to his waist, threading one arm through the bend in your knee, spreading you wide and diving in swiftly.
Your body curls forward automatically to grasp at him and smother yourself in the leather of his shoulder pad. This pace is much faster, purposeful, utterly unravelling you. The position delivers more range of motion, all of the buildup and less of the noise, with the added benefit of his tool belt nudging your clit repeatedly.
Tony pounds on the door. “‘Bout done in there, guys? Let’s go.” How apt, the unknowing jester.
Steve pants, open-mouthed, against your temple.
You smile but can’t stop your own ruin.
A groan gets buried in your disheveled hair. “Are you…close?” His hips snap brutally. “Are you—“ he sounds wrecked “—you gonna…come on my—uungh.”
You tip over the edge, clutching him tight and fluttering for him in every way. The detonation of your orgasm burns red behind your eyelids like camera flashes, a dirty snapshot for you alone.
“Mercy,” Steve begs, gripping your ass to rut into you, desperate to join. His neck tenses as he spills inside you, pulse throbbing in time with his cock. 
He leans against you and the wall, his steady weight stilling your shaky legs. Slowly, your feet are guided to the floor and Steve steps away to wipe away any evidence of his ‘therapeutic treatment.’ His breathing settles much faster than yours, and by the time he’s tucked back in with his suit righted, you’re simply sliding down the wall to catch up.
He hurries over to the small vanity and mini fridge—usually ‘guests’ for speaking (or interrogating) wait here—to bring you supplies.
A box of tissues is set by your side.
“So…” he hands you a bottle of water “…maybe…dinner tonight?” 
You set the water down in favor of cleaning yourself, glancing up to offer a reassuring dismissal. “This morning was your last dose,” you remind him. “It should be over soon.”
Steve may not need this anymore, may never need you again, but he doesn’t miss a single beat.
“I’d like—I want to take you some place nice, but…” He chugs his whole water then quickly unclasps the glove on his left hand, rolling up his sleeve, veins jumping over a thick forearm.
“I don’t know what food you enjoy.”
Arguably, he knows a few other things that you enjoy.
There’s another impatient bang at the door.
“I—“ Your heart soars with the soft sincerity of his face, no trace of fear left behind, no hesitation. “I’m gonna need a minute.”
Steve stands, smoothing a hand over his hair. “I’ll lock it behind me…and, um, thank you, Doc.”
It’s the first time he hasn’t apologized this whole week.
“You’re welcome, sir.”
Steve flashes you a dopey smile and shakes his head. “See you out there,” he chuckles.
You can’t be seen when the door opens just enough for Steve to step out, but he makes a show of rolling the suit’s sleeve back down like he really did have an IV infusion, selling the lie like a pro. He keeps Tony talking while shutting you back into your debauched bubble.
Through the wall, you still hear “could you have gone any slower?” followed by a curt, “yes,” and have to stifle a laugh.
“What’d you do, blow a vein?”
You’re picturing an incredibly ironic look on Captain Rogers’ face.
“Just be grateful she puts up with us, Tony…” and their voices disappear down the hall.
His treatment may be finished, but Steve wants you to stick around. He wants you.
Would having dinner with that man really be so terrible? No. Not at all. Even the ‘worst’ of this situation has been a great fucking experience. You don’t want to give that up yet.
It seems you’re both addicted now.
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[Main Masterlist; Steve Rogers One-Shots; Ko-Fi]
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smilesatdawnmain · 12 days ago
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Taken Back (Part one)
“Take. Him. Home.” Macaque’s voice was sharp over the phone.
Wukong ducked his head a little, “I did. We did. We are there right now.” he says, yet at the same time, was walking out of the gates to leave said location.
“I can hear you Wukong. You are walking away.”
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“I took him home!” Wukong disagreed, one hand holding a phone up to his ear, the other holding the hand of a small little cub. They walked side by side, swinging their arms a little. Behind them was a run-down, horribly smelling, poor excuse of an establishment.
It also just so happened to be the little one’s home.
“Wukong-”
“I was telling him about Xiaoxiao, and he asked if he could meet him and well- he wasn’t busy, we aren’t busy- Play date!” Wukong says with a grin. Below him, the child, a little fella named “MK” looked up with an excited smile.
With chubby cheeks, large round eyes, and the most adorable little nose, it was no surprise that Wukong's heart was being stolen.
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“Mihou,” he says before his mate could say more, “If you could just see him. Just look at him for a moment…” he exhaled. Wukong had only seen him once and it was like he was under a spell ever since. He couldn’t seem to let the child out of his sight, to stop holding this little hand- afraid to let go.
Macaque sighed heavily on the other end of the line. "Wukong, I know you mean well, but you can't just take the boy whenever you please. He has a home and a family-”
“He lives in an…!” Wukong paused, whispering, “Orphanage.” Wukong's heart clenched at the thought of returning MK to that dismal place. He looked down at the little cub, who gazed back up at him with those big, trusting eyes.
“Ah-” Macaque didn’t finish. He seemed to be debating. "Wukong, he’s human.” he says when nothing else came to mind. A human in their world was at greater risk.
"I know, I know," Wukong said, his voice softening. "But just for today, hmm? A play date. Xiaotian is always looking for more friends.”
There was a long pause on the other end of the line. Finally, Macaque spoke, his tone resigned. "Fine. But just for a few hours, Wukong. Then you need to take him back."
Wukong grinned triumphantly. "You got it, Mihou. We'll have him back before sunset." He ended the call and turned his full attention to MK, who was practically bouncing with excitement. "Ready to meet my little monkey?" Wukong asked, ruffling the boy's hair affectionately.
MK nodded eagerly, his eyes shining. "Yeah! Let's go, let's go!" he jumped up and down, swinging his hand against Monkey King’s. His hero- everything he thought he would be.
MK was afraid that he would bore the Monkey King with all his endless questions. He was used to being ignored or told to be quiet by the caretakers at the orphanage if he talked too much. But the Monkey King was different. He listened attentively, never getting tired of MK's chatter. And chatter MK did when allowed. “We’re you talking to the Six Eared Macaque just now??” MK asked. “L-Liu’er Mihou. That is his other name in the book! I drew pictures of him too-” he paused, and pulled out his sketchbook to show. “The book says he is pretty with 6 ears, but it never said what else he looked like.”
Wukong tilted his head, curious if the boy had somehow heard their conversation. “That was him, yeah. He’s my mate.”
“Your boyfriend?” MK asked.
“Mate,” Wukong corrects. The child looked confused so Wukong changed the word, “Husband.”
“Ooh!” MK nodded, understanding now. “And you’re the wife??”
Wukong choked a little. He sputtered and coughed, caught off guard by MK's innocent question. "No, no, I'm not the wife," he managed to say between coughs, a warmth to his ears. "We're both husbands."
MK looked up at him, his brow furrowed in confusion. "But in the stories, there's always a husband and a wife. He is the husband and you-" he drawled out, giving Wukong a look that CLEARLY meant he was the wife.
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Wukong shook his head, and stammered, kneeling before the boy with a slight grouch, "I am not a wife! Sometimes there can be two husbands or two wives. Love is love, no matter who it's between."
MK considered this for a moment. “So then can there be a husband, wife and husband again?”
Wukong blinked, “Um…”
“What about a wife, wife and husband?” MK continued.
Wukong scratched his cheek, “I-I guess? I mean-”
“Love is love, no matter who it’s between.” MK copied Wukong’s words, as if something in this world was finally clicking for him.
Wukong laughed sheepishly. This kid certainly had a lot of questions. But it was nice that he wanted to learn and see the world. As they walked, he watched MK open his sketch book, trying to flip to a certain page with just one hand. Wukong peered down at the sketchbook MK proudly held up, his eyes widening with surprise and delight. On the page was a drawing of Macaque, with his six ears prominently featured. While the details were a bit childlike, the likeness was undeniable.
"Wow, MK, this is amazing!" Wukong exclaimed, gently taking the sketchbook for a closer look. "You've captured Mihou perfectly. I bet he'd be flattered to see this."
MK beamed at the praise, his cheeks flushed. “Hehe.” he giggled.
Wukong mused, touching the picture lightly. He nailed his ears, his fur, his eyes… In a childish doodle, yes, but… how did MK know what color Macaque’s ears were? One orange, one yellow and one purple? Did it say that in the book? Did it say Macaque skin tone, fur color… did it explain the little dimple he had when he smiled?
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Wukong didn’t know, as he had never really read the Journey to the West himself. Kind of pointless when it was something he physically was there for.
MK's drawing was remarkably accurate, considering he had never met Macaque in person. Wukong turned to the boy, his curiosity piqued. "MK, how did you know what Mihou looks like? Did the book describe him in such detail?"
MK shook his head, his eyes wide and earnest. "No, not really. The book just said he had six ears and was pretty. Was I close?” he asked, hoping he was.
Wukong paused, studying the drawing again. "You were more than close, MK. This is exactly what he looks like. It's almost as if you've seen him before."
MK's eyes sparkled with excitement. "Really? Wow, I can't believe I got it right!" He bounced on his toes, thrilled that his artistic instincts had been so accurate. Sometimes he liked to imagine when the Six Eared Macaque looked like in his dreams too. Silky fur, kind auburn eyes, and a sweet smile. Calling to him- “Moon Drop.” Though, sometimes the vision is fuzzy and like splots of color. His dreams are so strange.
Wukong stared at the piece of paper in wonder. There were no lies in MK’s words. No deceit in his presence�� Actually, in contrast, MK had a very lack of presence. He couldn’t really smell him, or sense him, even with him right next to him.
He considered investigating this further, but they were starting to gather some eyes with them just standing in the street like this. Wukong hadn’t put on a glamor either, so the appearance of The Monkey King was definitely raising some eye brows.
Leaving this for later, he handed MK back his journal to put in his backpack again. “Well, let’s get going. Don’t wanna lose too much daylight,” Wukong chuckled and led the way, MK's small hand clutched firmly in his own. As they walked, Wukong pointed out various sights - a colorful butterfly flitting by, and a funny-shaped cloud in the sky. MK absorbed it all with wide-eyed wonder. Eventually, Wukong lifted the boy onto his shoulders, leaping up to the roof above.
MK squealed with delight, hugging his head tightly as he held on. Making some spitting noises, "Hair!" his face planted right into the Monkey's King's heap of orange fur.
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Wukong laughed, "Sorry, a bit of a mess up there." The two shared a laugh before Wukong asked, “Afraid of heights?” he asked.
MK shook his head no. Such towering things never bothered him before. With that said, Wukong summoned his cloud, allowing it to rest before them as he settled MK on top of it. MK’s eyes were wide like saucers as he sunk into the plushness of the cloud, nearly disappearing in it’s fluff.
Wukong peered over with a wag of his tail when MK giggled.
Wukong hopped onto the cloud beside MK, the billowy surface dipping slightly under his weight. "Hold on tight, little one," he said with a mischievous grin. "We're going for a ride!"
MK's tiny hands gripped the cloud's fluffy edges as Wukong willed it forward, the magical conveyance gliding effortlessly through the air. The city below them grew smaller and smaller until the buildings looked like colorful toy blocks dotting the landscape.
"Whoaaaa!" MK exclaimed, his voice carried away by the rushing winds. Looking down, the city seemed so small and insignificant. Like a distant dream. Was this itself a dream?
Leaning against the Monkey King he clung to the man’s side, feeling secure and safe. The Monkey King smelled like peaches and sunlight- MK dind’t realize how much he loved that smell until now.
As the magical cloud soared higher, MK's initial excitement gave way to a peaceful contentment. Snuggled against Wukong's side, he felt a warmth and comfort he had never known before. The orphanage, with its cold, bare walls and strict caretakers, seemed a world away.
Wukong glanced down at the little boy, his heart swelling with affection. In such a short time, MK had captured a piece of his soul. He rubbed the boy’s back as they took the journey back home. As city turned to valleys, which turned into mountainy landscapes, a moment of lava covered lands, and then the jungle soon followed.
“My home,” Wukong says as Flower Fruit Mountain came into view beyond the lush canopy. His Home. Mihou’s. The tribes. His Son’s…
Maybe…
If he wanted, it could be this little Cub’s too…
As the cloud descended towards a clearing near the mountain's base, the tribe could be seen eagerly following after its descent. They chirped in greeting to their king, and curiosity to the little one clinging to his side.
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Amid the group, a flash of bright white fur caught their eye. A tiny figure appeared, enthusiastically waving at me. It was Xiaotian, Wukong's energetic little monkey offspring, bouncing up and down in excitement, "Baba! Baba!" Xiaotian called out to warn Macaque, his high-pitched voice ringing through the jungle. "Daddy is back!" Throwing his arms up, he seemed to still when the cloud lowered enough to view. His Father upon it- but also someone else.
Someone…
XIaotian lowered his hands slowly, a strange sensation coming over him. He was alert, eyes wide. To anyone else it might seem that he was just taking in the account of a stranger coming into their midsts.
Yet, something far deeper was clicking in Xiaotian’s little head. Something he hadn’t prepared for- and didn’t know how to comprehend. It froze him in place, stiffening his joints.
Behind him, from the shadows, his Baba emerged, arm cross and staring at his husband. “He certainly is, Sun spot.” he sighed, settling his hand on his baby’s head. He glanced down when Xiaotian seemed tense, curiously brushing his hand to the child’s cheek. XIaotian subconsciously turned into the comfort, but his eyes never left his Father- or more correctly, the child his Father brought with him.
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The cloud settled gently onto the ground, dissipating into wisps as Wukong stepped off with MK. The little boy clung to Wukong's hand, his eyes darting around nervously at the unfamiliar surroundings and the curious faces of monkey’s peering at him. They sniffed, but could get no scent from the child.
"Welcome to Flower Fruit Mountain, MK," Wukong said, giving the boy's hand a reassuring squeeze. "This is my home, and my family." he mused when MK half hid behind his leg. MK’s eyes were moving wildly, taking in every sight. The monkeys, the trees, the man with six ears who, as the stories had said, was very beautiful. And then…
MK's eyes landed on Xiaotian, who continued to look at him with a difficult-to-describe expression.
Whole
MK jolted, his knuckles turning white as he grasped onto Wukong’s pant leg.
MK and Xiaotian stared at each other, transfixed, as if the rest of the world had fallen away. The parents were speaking above them, some banter and slight annoyance on Mihou’s part. A nervous chuckle from Wukong.
All of it was distant, even to MK’s incredibly good hearing.
All that mattered, instead, was this boy. Like a memory from a dream.
He had never seen this boy before and yet, he recognized his eyes. Recognized the snow white fur of his arms. Recognized the butterfly marking on his face, and the dimple on his cheek. A fluff tail that seemed to move on it’s own agenda. He knew this boy.
Xiaotian tilted his head, mirroring MK's entranced expression. He took a tentative step forward, then another, slowly approaching the human boy as if drawn by an invisible force. There was a moment of tense silence as the two children regarded each other, the jungle itself seeming to hold its breath.
Above them, the adults were in the midst of a small chat- Whatever annoyance MIhou had, he held his tongue about, giving only a grumpy look. Wukong smiled sheepishly, but had no doubt his mate would understand once he had a chance to just talk to MK. When they finally looked back down the children, they saw a strange sight of two in complete awe of each other.
Yet, what happened next, Wukong didn’t know if he would ever truly understand. He expected his son, Xiaotian, to be curious of this new little boy. He expected Xiaotian to perhaps be nervous, or over eccentric. To ask a million questions on who MK was and why he was here.
What Wukong didn't expect was for Xiaotian to suddenly burst into tears, his small body shaking with sobs.
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Macaque was reacting immediately, dropping to his knee in concern for their son.
“Sun spot??” he panicked, gently touching the boy’s back. They worried perhaps he was in pain, that his illness was flaring, uncertain as Xiaotian rubbed the tears on his chubby cheeks.
The pitiful cries sounded so pained. He couldn’t speak, even as much as he tried, wheezing and extending his hand out. Holding it out feebly to the one that he didn’t know the name of, but had been so desperately seeking for so his entire existence.
Wukong thought Xiaotian was reaching for him and was about to rush to his child- when MK reacted first.
He was running.
MK eyes had be wide when Xiaotian dissolved into tears, the little monkey's cries echoing through the jungle. Without hesitation, MK stepped forward, his own small hand reaching out to meet Xiaotian's.
Their fingers touched, and in that moment, a strange sensation passed between them - a flicker of recognition, of familiarity, as if their souls had known each other long before this meeting.
They felt whole. Complete.
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MK was never a child who cried. Perhaps once, like any child would, he was prone to little tears and whines. His time at the orphanage had taught him quick enough that he couldn’t allow himself to cry. There was no comfort in his tears, nor did it bring any rescue from his pain.
Still… Perhaps if he was older, and his heart was more hardened, even this moment would not bring those emotions forward. He was not older however. He was not someone grown.
He was just a little boy. A little boy who had been so alone, so lost, until this very instant.
MK's own eyes welled with tears as he grasped Xiaotian's hand tightly, as if afraid to let go. A sob escaped his throat, and then another, until he too was crying openly, mirroring Xiaotian's heartfelt display of emotion.
Wukong and Macaque watched in stunned silence as their son and this human child, strangers mere moments ago, embraced each other like long-lost brothers. Xiaotian's sobs gradually quieted, replaced by soft hiccups as he buried his face in MK’s shoulder.
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To start the new year, I give you the first part of
TAKEN BACK
I'll most likely make more parts, though I do not know If I will also make art to go with it. We shall see. But for now, the boys are reunited and home~
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mintmatcha · 2 months ago
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I am so soft for father figure Shinsou, thank you for giving me something I didn’t know I needed. Just doing everyday things with him and him being soft towards you child is giving me life.
Casual. That's the word you used to describe what the meeting should be. Casual.
"He's a good boy, for the most part." Your bag is already stuffed full of toys and towels and other miscellaneous things that Shinso can't imagine you'll need. "His dad spoils him, so he might be a little bratty at first- we're working on it. Well, I'm working on it. His dad is--"
You kneel down and start rummaging through your things.
"Uh, don't let him guilt you into buying him snacks, please. He's got a severe nut and seed allergy and it's just easier if I take care of it all. There's snacks in here, along with two epipens. There's two more in the red cabinet in the kitchen, just in case we ever need them. "
Somehow, you manage to wiggle out the sunscreen for your bag without collapsing the whole pile. You dollop a bit on your fingers.
"Once they get here, we'll go straight to the park and hang out there for just a little bit. The book says the first meeting should be short and we should give him other things to focus out so he doesn't stress out." Your shoulders are bunched by your ears. "It'll be super casual. Easy. No stress."
Shinso kneels down next to you and dips a finger in the sunscreen.
"No stress," Shinso repeats back, dotting the sunscreen on your nose. It's enough to urge a smile out of you.
"Sorry, I know I'm--" You toss your hands in the air, frazzled, but with a smile. "This is a big deal."
"I know it is."
"We've only been dating for eight months," you say/ "What if we're jumping the gun? I don't want to put him through this if-"
"I'm not planning on breaking up with you." Ever. Shinso wouldn't have agreed to this if he wasn't completely sure that you were the one for him. It's not that he doesn't like children, it's that he's never spent time with any. Only child, no cousins: he doesn't know anything about kids other than the fact he used to be one.
You reach other and dot Shinso's nose with sunscreen. Now, you're matching.
"You might break up with me after you see what I'm dealing with."
Shinso takes your hand. "I'm not going to leave because you have a kid."
"I was talking about his father," you heave out a sigh. "They'll probably be late, by the way."
-
They are late.
Significantly.
It's six hours past the allotted time, filled with weak excuses from you. The television has rolled into the second season of some trashy show, but neither of you are really watching.
"He always loses track of time," you repeat for the twentieth time, trying to hide the disappointment in your voice. Shinso is long past disappointed, well into the area of 'pissed'. Mostly at your ex, partially at you, for letting it happen.
"He's still not calling you back?"
"No," you say, just like you've said before. "It's my fault. I shouldn't have let him know about you, he's just-- I dunno. Playing games with me again."
It contextualizes a lot of your behaviors, actually. The anxiety about getting home, the days you go radio silent, the dates where you suddenly have to run off and collect your child: he imagines there's a lot of bullshit games that happen between you two.
"You let him treat you like this?"
"He's my baby's father. I can't just..."
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ghostofhyuck · 2 months ago
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NCT Dream and failed first dates.
Mark Lee
"Are you okay?" that was the fifth time Mark asked you over the past few minutes, and you never get tired of saying that you're fine even though you've been standing on your feet for almost an hour. Mark couldn't help but to blame himself, but he didn't know that the line for that trending coffee shop will be long for a Thursday afternoon. He wanted to take you to somewhere you'll love as a first date but he didn't expect that you two will line up for an hour, and despite him suggesting to just go to another place, you convinced him that you're fine with waiting. "I just hope the food's good," you blurted out while waiting, making Mark laugh nervously. "I hope so too."
Huang Renjun
"No, no, no! There's no way!" you're still catching your breathe when you heard Renjun's panicked voice. "It's close!" he shouted, "Damn it, I thought we'll make it." You only looked up to the huge museum where visitors are slowly leaving, then your eyes shifted to a frustrated Renjun. You glanced at your watch and it was five minutes passed six. Today, you and Renjun were supposed to go to the museum but due to traffic, you two spent hours on the road. You two even raced towards the entrance, hoping that you two can make it, but sadly didn't. "Sorry to disappoint you," Renjun apologized, but you only smiled. "It's no worries, you know, we can always go back next time."
Lee Jeno
"I'm really, really sorry Jeno," you mumbled as you let your boyfriend inside. You felt a pang of guilt seeing him all dressed-up for your first date while you're still in your pajamas. "It's alright, it was an emergency after all." he smiled, glancing at the kid who's sitting on the sofa. You were excited about today's date especially when it's your first date with Jeno, but an emergency came up with your family, making your sister drop her child for you to babysit. You love your niece but today's not the right time. "There's always next time, how about an indoor date instead?" your boyfriend suggested, and before you could say anything, Jeno approaches your niece who seems to be strucked at your boyfriend.
Lee Donghyuck
"What are you doing here?" Haechan asked, surprised. "Visiting you, duh," you rolled your eyes but made your way inside his room. You can only pity his poor state. All cuddled inside the warm blanket, he looks so cute. But whenever he coughs, you were reminded of how today is supposedly your first date, but because of that damn flu, looks like you two will rescheduled it. "Thank you," and for the past few minutes of nothing but bickers, that's the first time Haechan said something genuinely. "I'll make it up to you to our real first date." and you only smiled as you handed him a glass of lukewarm water. "You don't have to Hyuckie, I wanted to take care of you too."
Na Jaemin
"Fuck," Jaemin mumbled, pressing the gas pedal harder. He tried to revive the engine, harshly gripping against the keys as his feet stomps on the pedal. "Fuck, why today?" he mumbled, while you look at him confused. "Is everything okay?" you okay. "Yeah just a minute ---" and no matter how hard he press, his car won't start. "This is so embarrassing," Jaemin could only say as he lets out a deep sigh. "No it's not," you only laughed, patting his shoulders lightly. "Come on, let's just commute, you know they say it's more romantic to commute on a date," Jaemin stares at you for a good minute before breaking into a smile. "You always know what to say princess."
Zhong Chenle
"What do you mean?" Chenle asked, his tone raised a little bit higher. "I'm sorry sir, but we didn't received any reservation for Zhong Chenle," the host said, looking at her clipboard as she tries to look for it once again. "No, that can't be, I called yesterday and even confirmed it early this morning, how is it that it wasn't reserved?" "I'm really sorry sir ---" "Can you please check it again?" but no matter how hard Chenle fought, due to a system error, his reservation was canceled. You don't know what to do as Chenle approaches you with a pissed expression. "I was really looking forward to have a hotpot with you," he pouts, which made you smile a bit. "Let's do it next time then, how about we go for burgers instead? I saw a really good place on the way."
Park Jisung
Jisung could only pout as he stares at the window of his room. Today was supposedly your first date with him, you two already planned to have a picnic lunch near Han river and then ride bikes afterwards. But it seems like the weather has other plans. Jisung has been wishing since early in the morning for the rain to stop but it just continued to pour that he's pretty damn sure that it's flooding outside. He apologizes to you through phone call but you assured him that it's fine. "How about a discord call instead? Let's just play some games," you suggested, making your boyfriend smile. "That would be nice."
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ssahotchnerr · 1 year ago
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could we maybe get some momfriend!reader and jack dynamics, maybe from before her and Aaron were even together?
something special
<333 cw; fem!bau!reader, very tiny blood description (& yes i know you're supposed to wash a paper cut right away but for the sake of the setting and aaron being cute i didn't include that step 😭), mentions of haley, mutual pining
"whatcha drawing?" you asked mid-writing, your pen flying across your paper but still finding the opportunity to peek over.
"spiderman and superman." jack replied happily, switching from a red to a blue crayon. "see, they're teaming up to fight the bad guy because he keeps doin' crimes."
about an hour or so ago, jessica had dropped off jack at the bau. long story short; she was called into work urgently and with aaron in a meeting, you were quick to volunteer yourself to keep him company. rather than cramming into the small space of your desk, and jack potentially hearing conversations or details not fit for a six year old, you've made home in the roundtable room. you could work, jack could color.
you had also fired off a quick text to aaron; letting him know jack was with you, a brief synopsis of the situation and where he could find you both once his meeting concluded. it had, and he was about to join, but found himself pausing outside the door, listening to your easy, lighthearted conversation for just a moment.
when it came to you and jack, there was just something about it. something extraordinarily special.
"i see," you nodded along to jack's words, an encouraging smile on your face. "that's really good. since when did you become an artist?"
"since always." jack grinned proudly.
"then you have to promise you'll make me a drawing soon. my desk is pretty boring, i need something to brighten it up." you held out your pinky, eyebrows raised. "promise?"
"i promise." jack linked his pinky with yours, and turned back to his masterpiece with renewed vigor.
a sense of warmth filled aaron's chest, the ends of his lips turning upwards into a faint smile at the natural bond you and jack had developed so quickly, over the course of a few weeks. deciding it was as good a time as ever to join, aaron reached out to fully open the door when a wince-gasp came from jack, stopping him.
"oh no," your head turned. "paper cut?"
jack nodded meekly, grimacing as his gaze shifted to you. his big, sweet eyes were tearful, "it stings."
"can i see?" he offered his hand limply, hanging downwards at the wrist. you cradled his small hand in yours; it was just a tiny cut - no more than a few centimeters, a faint line of red gradually seeping to the surface.
"hm, well," you huffed a breath, turning his hand face-up face-down - vaguely exaggerating the examination. you got up to retrieve the first-aid kit stationed in the room, aaron sidestepping a bit to keep out of potential view. "i think luck was on your side today, i don't think we'll have to amputate this time." you spoke with an airy tone, quick to bring light to the situation. it worked, jack stifling a laugh as you retook your seat. "nothing a bandaid can't fix."
there was the click of kit opening, a slight shuffle of what sounded like paper.
"and don't tell anyone i told you this," you applied a bit of ointment onto the bandaid before wrapping it onto his finger - not too tight or too loose, all to avoid cutting off circulation and to let the wound breathe. "we gotta keep extra band aids around because your dad always seems to get one himself."
"dad gets paper cuts? really?" jack's eyes widened in surprise.
just as his son, a breathless chuckle exited aaron; that wasn't necessarily true, but your intentions were clear: cheering jack up.
in addition, the last time he had heard someone talking to or interacting with jack like this - empathetically, attentively, motherly, was, well... haley.
it touched the usually unattended part of his heart that had been vastly empty since the divorce. since that one, horrible day. while the emptiness still lingered, you had made a pull at it. for a moment, you had healed it, even.
again, there was just something special about you. and again, the only way aaron could describe it was extraordinary.
"really." you nodded convincingly, tossing the little plastic scraps into the nearby trash bin, giving top of jack's hand a consoling pat. "it happens all the time."
aaron mentally rolled his eyes at that, a smile itching at his lips.
jack picked up his brown crayon, pain forgotten, eager to get back to his drawing. "i'm gonna draw daddy and put a bandaid on him. he's a superhero too, y'know?"
"yeah," your smile was rather bashful, your tone of voice so admirable it caused a blush to rise in aaron's cheek. "i know."
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grandline-fics · 17 days ago
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Immune To Your Charms
DESCRIPTION: Soulmates are incapable of harming the other in any way. Normally that would be a good thing but not when you're meant to be enemies.
WARNINGS: It's Doflamingo so that's it's own warning if you don't like reading fics featuring him. Soulmate! AU, Enemies to Lovers. Some descriptions of illness and death
CHARACTERS: Doflamingo
WORDS: 3,907
A/N: The next part is here and we've got some soft Doffy and in denial Doffy because lets face it the man isn't going to admit his feelings so easily. I hope you all like how this chapter turned out. I think this might be the longest chapter yet. Hopefully the next one won't have as long a wait
*REQUESTS ARE OPEN*
DIRECTORY | PROMPT LIST
Chapter One | Chapter Two | Chapter Three | Chapter Four | Chapter Five | Chapter Six | Chapter Seven | Chapter Eight | Chapter Nine | Chapter Ten | Chapter Eleven(here) | Chapter Twelve | Chapter Thirteen (coming soon)
——————
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Once again being soulmates had yielded unforeseen benefits- for a lack of a better term- with the way Doflamingo’s touch meant your body was incapable of feeling pain from your sickness. Doflamingo watched silently as one of the doctors approached to conduct their morning observations of your condition. The doctor, highly aware of his ruler’s intense stare, flinched when they lifted your hand into their’s, already braced and expecting your expression to contort into one of pain. He only relaxed when you continued to sleep, unbothered by the touch that would have caused you to audibly cry out in pain just hours prior. 
With a shaky breath, the doctor became a little braver and pressed their fingers against your wrist to measure your pulse. The night before, when they were first summoned to your chambers after being alerted to your illness this was something they couldn’t properly measure because of the extreme pain you were in. Now he and his colleagues could breathe a little easier, selfishly relieved their lives weren’t entirely endangered when it came to treating you now. 
“Any change?” The doctor jumped suddenly at Doflamingo’s deep voice breaking through the unbearable, tense silence.
“Uh their heart rate is still increased as we’re expecting to be the case for now. But it’s a good sign it hasn’t worsened.” They explained, swallowing the lump in their throat. Even though he was confident in his and the abilities of his colleagues, there was just no predicting how Doflamingo would take any of their statements. He could lash out quite easily and without any remorse or hesitation simply because he wanted to or because their phrasing didn’t fit with what he wanted to hear. “This long period of uninterrupted sleep has made a clear difference. When they wake we'll attempt them with something to eat-something light like broth- and if they can stomach that we’ll begin the first round of medication.”
The seconds ticked by heavily as the doctor waited for Doflamingo to make a comment on the proposed next course of action. He knew better than to prod or say anything that could be seen as forcing a response. So the doctor could only wait and continue to check over you, gently settling your hand against your body before doing another read of your temperature, knowing to monitor your fluctuating fever and chills. Still you didn’t even so much as twitch, the doctor didn't think he’d ever get used to seeing how the power of a soulmate could defy what he knew as a medical professional. “When you’ve finished, discuss an appropriate menu with the cooks and have them begin to prepare it.” 
Taking no further encouragement at his King’s finally uttered words, the doctor completed his checks and updated his notes before bowing and leaving quickly. Silently they were happy their next shift to check on your wouldn’t be until the next morning. Alone again, Doflamingo looked down at your sleeping form. With Doflamingo sitting up against the headrest, you were propped up too but sleeping soundly and unmoved since the second he pulled you into his hold. He clicked his tongue in annoyance. Annoyance that he’d acted in the moment without thinking. The image of your twisted in extreme distress flashed in his head and he turned his head away to scowl, refusing to consider the implications of his actions anymore than he’d already begun to. 
Thankfully you broke his attention by shifting in your sleep, a long lazy groan breaking from your lips as you stirred and forced your eyes to open. Doflamingo noted how exhausted you still looked but the sleep you’d managed to get without feeling pain had helped in some capacity. As you stared blankly in front of you the haze of sleep fell, confusion began to take over. Then panic. Sluggishly you tried to push the covers away and sit up fully. “Late…I’m late.” You croaked out, voice thick with tiredness and trembling with the infection still coursing through you. “Captain’s going…to kill me.”
Doflamingo tilted his head to the side curiously, you didn’t seem to realise he was there and from your sickly rambling it seemed you didn’t even know where you were. With how warm your skin felt he saw the spike in your fever was leaving you confused. He watched your feeble attempt to fight against the covers and listened to you mumble about morning drills for another few seconds before he acted. With ease he pulled the cover back to its original place and lean in so his chest was against your back a little more so he could tell you softly. “You’re on shore leave remember?”
At his voice you stopped and numbly nodded with a small hum of acknowledgement. Slowly you rolled over and slumped to lie down again, your back against his side and head resting on his bicep. While you weren’t conscious enough to know being in his hold prevented your body to feel pain, it seemed like your body now knew out of instinct that this was the only surefire solution for relief. Already your breathing had evened out to signal you were asleep but still Doflamingo could hear the tightened wheeze preventing you from taking calmer, deeper breaths like you normally would. Doflamingo glanced at the clock on the wall, already aware of the doctors’ routine with checking on you. The next would be arriving in twenty minutes, and if the previous doctor had obeyed his order then a servant would be bringing something for you to eat as well. 
In the meantime Doflamingo used his strings to pull the morning’s paper from the table into his waiting hand. Bored and in need of something to occupy his time, he slowly leafed through the pages, taking in the reports from around the world. Some stories about skirmishes made him grin, knowing he was behind the reason both sides had so much weaponry at their disposal and the bloodshed was increasing as he’d expected it to. Other stories of other pirates causing trouble and increasing their bounties made him roll his eyes at the numbers. No doubt the weaklings thought this made them big-shots in the New World but it would only be a matter of time before they ran into someone of real power to knock them down to the harsh reality of these seas. Doflamingo turned the page and paused to see a full story dedicated to the illness you were afflicted with, claiming more lives on the island you’d caught it at. His grin lessened and the vein in his head throbbed as he read through the claims that the island’s best doctors and with the aid of neighbouring islands were administering the treatments needed but for so many it was too late.
‘The cruelty of the illness is so severe to the afflicted that they physically cannot bear to be touched long enough to be treated. Meaning that so many of those that could be saved are unable to endure help from their saviours. These poor souls are meant to spend the last days of life in constant pain while also being too weakened with internal ailments to take matters into their own hands. The only saving grace in this poor report is that thankfully the illness’ source has been dealt with and the island will not suffer more of its populace to fall victim to this calamity. The island’s ruler-thankfully one of those not infected- was quoted to say “We mourn the tragic loss of life but our island will recover.”’ Doflamingo clicked his tongue harshly and discarded the paper.
————
“Just try some please.” You screwed up your face in exhausted distaste at the bowl on the tray. Your eyes stung, even with them being half-opened felt so heavy. Even blinking felt like a massive effort and you had no energy. You just wanted to sleep but the servant and doctor in front of you kept insisting on coaxing you to eat so they could give you medicine. Your gaze dropped to the vial of dark green liquid on the tray and you felt yourself gag, already anticipating the foul taste. “Just a spoonful?”
“No thank you.” You croaked out, turning your head away slightly in case they tried to force it into your mouth. You spotted the fear in their eyes at your refusal to even take a drop of the broth made specifically for you. Even with your mind clouded with the illness you knew they were doing everything they could to avoid the stare of the man you were leaning against. You knew that the reason Doflamingo was in your bed and had your body propped against him, his arm around your waist had been explained but honestly you were too weakened and drained to have really processed what the doctor had told you. All you could really retain was because he was your soulmate and that it was somehow helping. Which only left you more confused about everything. You could feel how tense Doflamingo was, impatient and silently angry. You weren’t in the mood to deal with his tantrums and taking any frustration out on a servant and doctor so you sighed.“Just leave it to the side. I’ll try later.”
While that seemed to relieve the two in front of you, your words only brought an extra note of silent displeasure from the Warlord. If you had the power to roll your eyes you would have. Instead you blankly watched the tray get moved to your bedside table. The servant retreated to the wall closest to the door, silently waiting for permission to leave while the doctor began to check over your condition. Already you were sick of being poked, prodded, and pestered like this and fussed over so intently. “Everything is about the same from the last recordings taken. I don't think we’ll see any real change until the treatment properly begins.”
“Subtle.” You remarked dryly, feeling like a child being lectured for not eating their vegetables.
“Please try to take some before the next check.” You gave no further response to the doctor, watching him and the servant finally leave. The second the door clicked closed you felt movement behind you and glared weakly as the tray as pulled back onto the bed beside you.
“I said I’d-”
“I know what you said.” Doflamingo noted far too evenly for your liking. “I also know that you lied when you said you’d try later. You’d really hurt their feelings by lying?”
“Rather their feelings get hurt than you hurt them physically.” You uttered before breaking out into a cough. Thankfully this time you felt no pain or brought up any blood but the tightness in your chest and constant action left your wheezing and breathless. When you’d recovered you glowered at Doflamingo as he adjusted you to recline back and hold a spoon of broth out to you. “Why are you doing this?”
“Because you’re too weak and stubborn to feed yourself.”
“No. This.” You barely managed to tap his arm around your waist. “Why insist I get better? Why help? This could kill me if we do nothing.” Doflamingo felt his jaw tighten as he fought to keep his expression unreadable to you. Thankfully your usual perception was dulled considerably and you failed to notice how your words got under his skin him and made him bristle. Instead he brought the spoon a little closer to divert your attention away from the question. Unfortunately your stubbornness and deep—seated need to defy him was still very much in tact. “Tell me.”
“Well I didn’t infect you did I?” Doflamingo asked smoothly, deciding to opt for an easier explanation for his actions, more for his own benefit than yours. “It’d be the same as having someone else kill you and that’s not going to happen. Happy?”
“Ecstatic.” You grumbled as you eyed the spoon hesitantly. If you gave in and tried the broth then it meant you were doing what Doflamingo wanted. Not wanting to lose to him in the strange sense of point scoring you both had you slowly looked at him, already seeing his grin appear when he could tell you were contemplating giving in and eating. Spurned on you pursed your lips slightly. “Say please first.”
“You’ve got to be joking.” Doflamingo ground out. Why did he expect that being sick would make you more agreeable. “Isn’t me holding you so you can sleep and spoon-feeding you enough?”
“You did that on your own.” You remarked with a pout, refusing to comment on how truthfully comfortable and reassured you felt against him. “You want me to eat? Say please.”
Doflamingo stared you down for what felt like an eternity. He was once a Celestial Dragon. Anything he wanted he took. Even now as Dressrosa’s king that was still the case. His every whim and wish was granted when he opened his mouth. Not once had he ever said please, or had to genuinely ask for something. Harshly he bit the inside of his mouth at the sheer absurdity of it all. Suddenly you began to cough again, this time more persistent that the previous bout that racked through your body. He glared at the sound of your worsened wheeze, no doubt because of the amount of talking and effort it was having on your body. Unwillingly he recalled the doctors telling him that your readings hadn’t changed and that  your body needed the balance of rest and nutrients to even be able to fight off the infection. Just because being in his hold meant you didn’t feel pain, it didn’t free you from the infection itself still coursing through your body and getting stronger. As you caught your breath, Doflamingo gnashed his teeth together and forced out a simple but audible. “Please.”
Surprise managed to bring a small amount of light to your eyes. Quite honestly you had expected Doflamingo to force your mouth open before even letting that one little word break from his own. Still you weren’t one to go back on your word and now having the knowledge that you made the Doflamingo Donquixote say please, made the fact you had to be spoon-fed like a baby less humiliating. Taking a breath you nodded and parted your lips, accepting the food reluctantly. 
For the entire process you were surprised to find Doflamingo didn’t rush you, simply waiting in silence for you to attempt the next spoonful offered. Even more surprising was that he seemed to know you’d reached your limit before you had to say so. The bowl was set aside and you let out a tired sigh of relief. Your relief was short-lived because immediately Doflamingo lifted the small vial of medicine and removed the topper and brought it closer. “You already used your ‘please’ so no absurd requests for this one.” 
“It’s fine…” You mumbled, more for yourself than anything else. “I’ve had awful shots in worse bars in the past…I can do this.” Doflamingo chuckled and helped tip the contents of the vial into your mouth, watching you force it down and tense as the full taste hit you. You winced and let out a shuddering breath. It wasn’t the worst thing you’d tasted in your life but even with the doctors making a clear attempt to make the experience more tolerable for you, it was clear it was medicine and nothing to be entirely enjoyed. You gratefully took a sip of water when it was offered to you and already felt the strange numbing warmth begin to spread through you from the medicine. You shifted to get comfortable and curled up, a yawn building in your chest that didn’t feel as tight as it had just a few moments ago. “You don’ have to stay…”
“Oh? You got someone else lined up to sneak in here if I go?” Doflamingo asked with a chuckle. You’d unknowingly moved your arm over his chest at the same time you told him he could go.
“Mhm…” You nodded, mind already hazy and eyes closed. “Don’ be jealous…’kay?”
“Oh I already told you I don’t get jealous, remember?” Doflamingo smirked as you sleepily laughed and forced your eyes open to briefly look at him.
“You also never said please before. First time…for everything hm?” Your sleepy triumphant smile was so endearing that Doflamingo couldn’t even get annoyed at your reminder of your getting the upper hand over him. Even if he did, you wouldn’t have heard anything because you were promptly asleep.
———
You were completely knocked out and in the deepest sleep when the doctors came by for their next check on you. They informed Doflamingo that your response to the first dose of medication was a promising sign. They explained that they’d ensured there was a good balance to assist your immune system to fight the infection, relax your airways, regulate your temperature, manage pain relief, and protect the vital organs. Doflamingo nodded in satisfaction at the report. “My King, there is something we’d like to test while they’re sleeping.” The doctor requested glancing briefly to your sleeping form still against Doflamingo’s chest. “Can you move them out of your touch? I’d like to ensure the pain relief is correct for them? We don’t want to risk them being under or over medicated in that respect.”
Doflamingo hesitated for the briefest second but relented, settling his arms around you and shifting to pass you down to lie against the pillows and climbed out of the bed. He watched silently and hands tensed, to use his strings and stop the doctor if need be. It seemed the doctor was nervous, already remembering what almost happened to her colleague the first night they tended to you. Experimentally her hand settled against yours, sighing in relief to see your fingers twitch at the contact but you gave no other reaction. your expression was kept at its calm, relaxed state as it had been while you slept in Doflamingo’s arms. “That’s promising. My King, you can leave them while they’re sleeping now should you wish? Stretch your legs or even attend to other business. They shouldn’t wake for another few hours if our assumptions are correct.” 
He nodded and offered you another glance. Immediately he felt reluctant to leave you and for that reason he forced himself to leave your quarters, needing desperately to clear his head and get away from your presence. He needed something recognisable, routine. Doflamingo headed straight for his own room and into his personal bathroom. The strong heat and stream of water from the shower helped to loosen the knots in his body and unravel some of the tension that had built in him over the course of the last few days. Between rushing home to Dressrosa from the Marine base until this moment he hadn’t let you out of his sight and had practically ignored everything else. When he was dried and changed, he made his way to the dining room, deciding to actually spend time with his family and eat while making sure to not give you a second thought, out of sheer determination to prove to himself he wasn’t in anyway concerned about you. 
“Doffy what do you think?” Doflamingo blinked in the middle of the meal, only now realising that he’d been absently looking at the time on the clock. Had he been unconsciously checking how long was left until you woke? No. He couldn’t have. He was just tired, he didn’t sleep at the best of times and the shower he had and wine he was drinking was just making him sleepy. 
“About what Diamanté?”
“We were just saying how funny the whole thing with that island is.” His elite officer said. “It’s further proof that you two are soulmates.”
“How so?” Doflamingo asked, not understanding how you getting sick was proof. Then again he’d not been listening to the first part of the conversation, a point no one at the table would point out. Doflamingo couldn’t help but think you would though. The second he slipped on anything, you would promptly call him out on it. Sharply he shoved that thought out of his head and focused on Diamanté who spoke, unfazed at having to no doubt repeat himself. 
“Well it was just a nothing little island, with nothing little criminals storing weapons for us. None of us were meant to even go there for the hand over.” He explained with an amused smile. “If I recall right we were going to send one of the middle tier pirate crews under your command to go. You decided last minute to go. If you hadn’t then you never would have encountered them and brought them here to then be treated by the doctors for that deadly infection. It’s interesting how it all played out isn’t it?”
Interesting certainly was one way of putting it and it was something Doflamingo couldn’t help but continue to consider it after dinner. He remembered now. It was just how Diamanté reminded him. A crew similar to Bellamy’s was instructed to collect the weapons and ammunition being stored at the warehouse. Then a tip came through from one of his other Marine informants that a unit was stationed at the island, waiting to strike and interfere with the operation without knowing it was his business they were sticking their noses into. He hadn’t gotten any names or further information about you or the unit. It was the vaguest report but still, Doflamingo had immediately made the decision to go there and deal with the unit himself. At the time had it been interpreted as something to entertain him. Had he been simply bored or had fate made him go? To inadvertently save your life from the sickness that was already in your system and incubating without anyone knowing? 
Harshly he rubbed his head as he walked down the halls, feeling a migraine coming on. Doflamingo reached for the doorhandles and pushed them open, stopping abruptly when he saw he’d made his way to your room instead of his own. Muttering a curse under his breath he closed the doors and stepped further inside. Silently he told himself he was only doing this until you were a little better and didn’t need the medicine. Pulling back the covers he got back into the bed and lay down beside you but knowing you were still sound asleep with the medicine in your system mean he didn’t need to touch you. Letting out a long groan, he closed his eyes and lifted his hand to press his thumb and finger against his temples. 
The slight sound of shifting fabric caught his attention, signalling him that you were shifting in your sleep. Doflamingo was caught by surprise when your body pressed against him, your head tucking into the crook of his neck. He could tell you were still fast asleep, your deep breathing the clearest sign. Everything in your movements was purely instinct, including when one of your hands lifted you lay over his head, your fingers settling over the point of his headache that immediately began to subside. As he felt himself drift asleep he began to consider that it was only fair you both benefited from the affects that being soulmates brought.
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heavyhitterheaux · 20 days ago
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Good Intentions
See Me Through You Fic
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Synopsis: An argument between you and your twin ultimately leads to an argument between you and your fiancé who calls you out about your actions and tells you how being overprotective isn't a good thing
Pairing: Fiancé!Joe Burrow x Fiancée!Reader
Series Masterlist
Requested by: by boo @hoodharlow 💕
Please Do Not Repost My Content Anywhere
AN: This takes place during Ja'Marr's rookie season. You are still at LSU and taking summer classes
The last thing your twin ever wanted to do was hurt your feelings, but all in all he had had enough and had reached his limit when it came to you being overprotective.
At this point, it was honestly suffocating.
It had been this way since the two of you were born and although Ja'Marr was grateful to be able to get along with his sibling since he knew not everyone did, something had to give. Yes, the two of you would talk to each other multiple times a day, but it seemed as if his phone had been ringing nonstop since he landed in Cincinnati.
As soon as he was going to text you and tell you that he wanted to talk about the situation, his phone was ringing indicating that it was you….
Again.
Taking a deep breath, Ja'Marr answered.
“Yes, Pebbles?”
“Bam Bam! Are you okay? How's everything going? I miss you. Did you eat breakfast already and take your vitamins?”
“I'm fine. I was fine when you called me two hours ago too…. at six in the morning. I miss you too. And yes to both of those questions.”
“It's just so weird not having you here and I hate it. I'm so proud of you, though. I always knew you would make it to the NFL because I saw your potential and how good you were. What do you have planned for today?” You asked as you were currently at the nail salon trying to decide on the color that you wanted.
You would be reunited with both your brother and fiancé in three weeks and you had been counting down until the last minute.
“Same plan that I had two hours ago. Just trying to get settled. Go explore the city a little bit.”
“Okay, well I guess I'll let you do that. I like how you're still getting an early start.” You told him as it was still barely eight in the morning.
“Wait, Pebbles can we talk?”
“We'll talk later when I call you back. I'm at the nail salon. Give me like an hour or two. They're ready for me. Love you!”
“Love you too.” Ja'Marr quietly said before the two of you hung up and he quickly looked up at Joe who was sitting across from him and half asleep himself since you had requested once again for him to head over to Ja'Marr's to check on him.
“You have got to tell her because this is insane. I feel like I've seen you more in the past week than I did my whole two years at LSU.” Joe told him as he shook his head.
“I just… I don't want to make her feel bad because I know she means well.” 
“But this cannot keep happening. I'm surprised she hasn't told me to make you move in with me so I can keep an eye on you. That's probably going to happen by the end of the day.”
“I'll talk to her once she calls me back later.” Ja'Marr replied, but if he was being honest he was actually dreading this conversation.
“You mean in five minutes?” Joe asked and Ja'Marr couldn't help but to laugh.
“I should time it and see how long it takes for her to actually do it.”
“Well in the meantime, I'm going back to sleep. But I know I won't be able to sleep for long before she's calling me back too.” Joe said as he got up and grabbed his keys making his way towards the door.
“I just hope she doesn't take it the wrong way.”
“I think everything will die down once she's actually here in person.”
When you had finally gotten out of the nail salon after admiring them and taking multiple pictures and had got settled in your car, you called Joe to see what he was up to and to also check on your brother. It was hard not being able to be with your brother as well as your fiancé since you had gotten accustomed to having both of them. 
You were taking a few summer classes which delayed you spending time with him in Cincinnati. Luckily, you only had a few weeks left until you would be able to.
“Hi baby! My nails are pink! I took a picture and sent it to you.” You proudly told Joe as he had you on speaker and was looking at the picture as you were telling him.
“I love them. Can't wait to feel them scratching down my back.”
“I… behave yourself!”
“I am behaving! I can't help that I miss my girl.”
“Aww, I miss you too. I just wanted to take this class so it will lessen my load come next semester. Anyway, babe, can you go and check on Ja'Marr?” You sweetly asked and Joe couldn't help but to roll his eyes and was thankful that it wasn't a facetime call. He knew that it was only a matter of time.
“Baby, I was literally just over there three hours ago. I'm not going over there again.” Joe told you as he was trying to make himself a smoothie and started to get ingredients out of the fridge.
“But I have to know if he's okay!”
“Y/N, are you going to let him be an adult or…?”
“He's my baby brother! And you told me that you would look out for him once he got to Cincy. And since when is he an adult?! He is still three in my eyes!”
“Princess, I am looking out for him, but you are being extremely overprotective and Ja'Marr is scared to say anything because he doesn't want to hurt your feelings. How long are you going to try and hold his hand for? And he became an adult the minute that he turned eighteen.”
“If he had a problem with me calling him so much, he would tell me. He tells me everything.” You said and Joe scoffed.
“Uh? What was that sound for? See, you're the youngest so you probably don't understand! I have been looking out for him since forever! I have so many responsibilities on my shoulders being the oldest.”
“Older by three minutes. And you need to calm down and let him be. You are in the wrong here, but won't admit it. Nothing wrong with checking on him, but babe this is borderline obsessive.” Joe explained to you as he was now cutting up the fruit he wanted to put in his smoothie.
“Joey, what the hell!? He's the only sibling I have.”
“I'm your fiancé and I'm always going to be honest with you. I don't care if it's something you don't want to hear or agree with.” 
“There is literally nothing wrong with what I'm doing.” 
Joe couldn't help but to roll his eyes once more. 
“Okay, baby. Since you don't think it's bothering him, hang up and call him. Then call me back and tell me what he says.”
“Fine, you’ll see.” You said as you shrugged even though Joe couldn't see you.
Once you hung up with him, you called your twin and he didn't even give you a proper greeting before he started to go off on you.
“Y/N, what could you possibly ask me about now?”
“Whoa, what's the attitude for? And I thought you wanted to talk to me? You always want to talk to me.”  You asked as you were caught off guard.
“Don't you have class, or practice, or SOMETHING that you can occupy your time with instead of calling me every five minutes?”
“I… Ja'Marr I just want to make sure you’re okay. You're my baby brother and my twin. Only one I have.”
“Yes, I know and you will NOT let me fucking breathe. Like got damn. I've only been here a damn week and all of my calls are basically from you every two minutes. Yes, Joe is checking on me and making sure I'm good. But I don't need a babysitter. He's also getting annoyed because you tell him to come and check on me ten times a day!” Ja'Marr told you unable to hold back any longer. 
“But… you turned your location off. I need to know where you are. You never turn it off. What's up with that?”
“NO YOU DON'T. I'm good, that's all you need to know. All you have been doing ever since I got drafted was be extremely overprotective! Mom and dad aren't even this bad.” He told you as he was being completely honest.
It was quiet for a few seconds before you decided to say anything, obviously hurt by his reaction.
“If I'm bothering you, I'll stop. I just miss you is all. But I can see that I'm causing more harm than good. So I'll hang up now.” You said with tears threatening to fall from your eyes. 
“Wait, Pebbles, I just…” Now Ja'Marr was regretting his approach because he now knew for a fact that he had hurt your feelings which he was trying to avoid doing.
“Bye, have a good rest of your day.” 
You didn't give him a chance to finish as you quickly hung up and wiped away the tears that did end up falling. Figuring that you were also probably bothering your fiancé just as Ja'Marr mentioned, you decided to send him a text instead of calling him again.
You- I'll stop asking for you to check on him
Joey- Baby, I don't mind checking on him. Just tone it down a little bit. I promise you that he's okay. If he wasn’t, you would be the first person I told.
You- No, I'm not asking anymore at all. If he wants to talk to me, he will and I'll leave it at that. I guess I'm bothering you too so I'll let you be. Talk to you whenever.
Joey- Princess, stop being ridiculous. You aren't bothering me.
You- Ja'Marr said otherwise so goodnight
“Shit.” Joe muttered underneath his breath before typing a response back to you.
Joey- It is literally 11 in the morning and you're being petty
You- I can tell time, goodnight like I said
For the rest of the day, your phone had been blown up by Joe but you weren't budging. Ja’Marr had been eerily quiet, but you definitely weren't about to say anything to him.
He wanted space so that was what he was going to get. 
If he felt like you were being extremely overprotective and also bothering Joe with your antics, you were simply going to keep your distance.
About a week had passed and Ja'Marr honestly felt weird.
He hadn't talked to his big sister and since it was out of the ordinary, when certain things happened he didn't have anyone he would immediately run and tell about it.
That person had been you.
He had been leaving you messages here and there with no response from you.
Joe wasn't any better and you would be sending him one word answers to his text messages while declining his facetime calls despite him wanting to call a truce.
He came to the conclusion that you were obviously still hurt by the argument that had taken place, but he needed to fix this before you came to see him in two weeks.
Well, if you still wanted to see him, that is. 
Because as of right now he wasn't so sure. 
It was now around six in the evening when you and Erin had just gotten back from going shopping and you had begun to put away your clothes in your closet when you heard Erin's phone ring as she was sitting on your bed.
“Oh no.” She breathed out and you looked at her in confusion.
“What?”
“Your baby daddy is calling me.” She told you and you quickly rolled your eyes.
One thing about Joe is if he knew you were mad at him, nine times out of ten he's calling Erin to check on you because he knows that you'll keep ignoring him.
“I'm not talking to him right now.”
“Wait, didn’t you tell him goodnight at 11 in the morning the other day?” She asked while laughing.
“Yes, and I meant it.”
“Let’s see what he wants.” Erin replied as you quickly shook your head no before exclaiming it.
“NO!”
“Too late. Hi Joey!” Erin said as she waved at him with you quickly rolling your eyes.
Great, it was a facetime call too.
“Hey Erin, where's Y/N?”
“In front of me and I told her to call you so that the two of you could make up but she's being stubborn.” She told him and you promptly rolled your eyes.
“Can you pass her the phone?” He politely asked and she quickly nodded. 
“Sure.”
It took a minute for you to take the phone from her, but once you did, you didn't greet your fiancé but simply stared at him.
“Baby….”
“What? What do you want?”
“Lose the attitude. And I’m just checking on you, have you talked to your twin at all?”
“Nope, and I don't plan on it. He asked me if I had something to occupy my time with instead of bothering him and here we are. And I thought I told you goodnight already?”
“Princess, he wants to talk to you and apologize but you wouldn't know that since apparently you've been ignoring him. And you told me that damn near a week ago. We communicate with each other in this relationship and this needs to end tonight.”
“Okay, can I get back to watching my shows now?” You asked as you had now moved from your room to the living room and turned on Netflix with Erin behind you.
“No, talk to him first and then we need to talk.”
“Well I don't know how that's going to happen because I'm not calling him.” 
“There's no need to, he's right here.” Joe told you and quickly passed the phone to Ja'Marr.
“Wait, what?”
“Pebbles….”
“Wow, the minute I say I'm going to stop calling you, look who decides to come crawling back?” You told him and Ja'Marr quickly rolled his eyes.
“You need to shut your petty ass up so I can apologize.”
“I will jump through this phone and tackle you. Fuck a D-line.” You shot back and he let out a deep sigh.
“Like I was saying because I am ignoring that last statement. I never meant to hurt your feelings and it did come out kind of harsh.”
“Kind of? That's putting it lightly.” You muttered as you were deciding which show you wanted to catch up on.
“Y/N!”
“I'm just telling it like it is.”
“Anyway, I'm sorry but we have got to come to a compromise because we can't keep doing this.”
You sighed before answering him, but quickly nodded in agreement.
“I'm sorry too, but the only way I'm forgiving you is if you door dash me some food.”
“Already done. Honey old bay wings, all flats. Should be there in the next ten minutes.”
“Oh, you are definitely trying to get back on my good side. But on a serious note, I promise to give you more space and I never want you to feel like I'm suffocating you. I just… it's kinda lonely here now. I do have Erin and Alisha but…. I have literally never been away from you.” You confessed as Ja'Marr nodded.
“I know and it's going to take some time for us to adjust. But we'll get there. We good now?”
“Yes, we're good.”
“Now stop being a petty ass fiancée to my best friend.” Ja'Marr said as he eyed you and handed Joe back the phone.
“Babe?”
“Yes, princess?”
“I'm sorry and you know I love you. And yes I need to work on my communication when it comes to you and stop shutting you out.” You told him while you got up off the couch to grab a drink from the fridge.
“I don't know how many times that I have to remind you that I'm not him. I care about how you feel and am always willing to meet you halfway. I asked you to marry me for a reason. I love you too.” 
“Sometimes I swear I don't deserve you.” You whispered and Joe simply shook his head.
“We deserve each other and we're going to continue to make our relationship stronger because once I slip that ring on your finger next summer, that's it. You're mine forever and whatever problems may arise, we simply have to figure it out together. We're a team, okay?”
“Okay.” You quietly said as you smiled at him.
"See you in two weeks, princess?” Joe asked with excitement dripping from his voice.
“Two weeks and not a day more.”
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taesanluv3r · 29 days ago
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nicest guy.
kim woonhak x reader
inspired by bnd's MAMA performance! the hyungs getting their baby ready for prom night! taesan's a menace and yn's dad is hard-headed, also woonhak has his license in this. lowercase intended. cuss words, kiss scene. pls ignore any spelling mistakes or grammatical errors. enjoyy
wc: 3,810
⋆౨ৎ˚⟡˖
"you're going to prom in that?!"
with the way jaehyun was staring at him, you'd think kim woonhak had showed up in a jersey and sweats. "what?" the young boy asks before taking in a deep gulp, an uneasy feeling sprouting up his body at the way his hyungs eyed him down. "it's not bad is it? i mean it's a suit...?" he questions, eyebrows curling into a pose of doubt. to be fair, he wasn't wrong, it was a suit...a suit that belonged to his dad way before his time, that is.
"i mean...apart from the fact that it's a billion years out of style and like- three sizes too big on you...i guess it is a suit!" taesan chuckles, prompting riwoo, who stood beside him, to do the same. "yeah! i mean i wouldn't be caught dead in that, but a suit's a suit...i guess..." the backhanded statements made the youngest boy roll his eyes, whining as he slumped down onto the couch in the boys' shared dormitory.
"hyung, what do i do? i mean in a couple hours i have to go pick the yn ln up from her house and then i'm supposed to give her the best prom experience in the world and i can't even pick the right outfit?! i mean, how do i expect her to say yes to being my girlfriend if i can't get anything right?! i'm such a loser!" the older guy's looked at the boy with sympathy, watching as he ran his hands through his hair in frustration.
"woonhak..." sungho starts, taking a seat beside him. "don't say that...you're more than just a loser" - "yeah, cause he's a huge loser!" taesan butts in, "dude, can't you see the kid's stressing? leave him alone!" leehan says, striking the menacing one upside his head. "don't listen to him, broski...i mean, yn did say yes to your prom-posal, didn't she? that's something!" woonhak nods along to the word's of his older friends, beginning to gain back the confidence he had lost just a moment ago.
"yeah! and besides, the outfit isn't that big a deal...we'll just have to fix some things..." jaehyun says, "mhm, and we can help you with all of that. we are, after all, your beloved hyungs" riwoo smiles, pressing a hand onto the boy's back in reassurance. "now come on..." he continues, beginning to pull woonhak up from the couch.
"...if you're planning to confess your love to yn tonight, then we got some serious work to do!"
"operation: turn loser woonhak into gentlemanly woonhak so that he can win over his long time crush who's lowkey out of his league, is a go- ow! quit hitting me!"
⋆౨ৎ˚⟡˖
"hm..." leehan squints, his pointer finger pressed against his lips. "try the red one again..." woonhak rolls his eyes, taking off the tie around his neck for what felt like the billionth time. "how about the blue-" - "hyung, seriously? i've tried the blue one on like- four times already!" leehan laughs at the boy's annoyance. "okay fine, at least try on the purple one, please?" the younger of the two obliges, throwing the last of the ties on. "oh, gross! red it is...use the red tie" woonhak almost throws a tantrum, "seriously?! all that work for you to pick the first one i put on? she better love this tie or i'm gonna crash out" leehan smiles with his eyes, leaning over to pinch the other's cheeks.
"beauty takes time, baby"
"bro, stay still!" sungho exclaims, holding their maknae down by his shoulders. "i'm trying to but you plus a giant curling iron is kind of freaking me out!" the older one scoffs, "don't be such a baby, it's not like i'm gonna burn you! and how do you expect me to fix this mop on your head if you keep moving, huh?" woonhak sighs, giving up on fighting back; he wasn't going to win anyways.
"now hand me the hairspray..."
"and five, six, seven, eight and- no, no, no!" riwoo shakes his head and slaps a hand onto his forehead. "what? what am i doing wrong? those are literally the right moves!" poor woonhak, his head's just moments away from exploding. "it's the beat, dude! you need to stay on beat! how do you expect to win this girl over if you can't dance on beat? start over from the top" riwoo claps his hands, bending down to rewind the song on his phone.
"and five, six, seven, eight..."
"uh...hey...um-" - "stop, stop, stop!" taesan shoves a palm in front of woonhak's face. "you really like this girl and you're about to ask her to be your girlfriend. this is something you've been waiting for your whole life and you start with...uh...hey?" the other boys laugh at his spot-on impression of their youngest, "c'mon woonhak, you know you can do better than that! here, i'll show you an example" jaehyun chimes in, asking sungho to stand in front of him. "pretend sungho is the girl, okay?" woonhak nods, watching closely like it were lesson worth half his semester grade.
"first, you want to get her alone, somewhere nice so that it's just the two of you. hey sungho, follow me..." jae begins, reaching a hand out for sungho to take. "then, you want to give her something that shows you care, say...a rose-" the guy is interrupted, "she prefers tulips though" woonhak states, making the others smile. "fine, then give her a tulip..." jaehyun continues, picking up a pen from the coffee table to use as a prop. "here, this is for you..." he says, handing the "flower" over to sungho who gasps comically, sending the group of guys into a fit of laughter.
"guys, shut up, this last part is the most important. you gotta remember this, woonhak"
the maknae nods, beginning to take mental notes. "you have to speak from your heart" woonhak's eyebrows furrow in confusion, "what do you mean?" leehan pats his back from beside him, "he means this is the point where you have to confess to her!" jaehyun nods, "yup! and we mean really confess. tell her how you feel, why you feel that way, really sell it to her" taesan butts in again, "you gotta show her that being with you is worthwhile" sungho agrees, "vulnerability helps! ask her to give you a chance, tell her how much she means to you" riwoo joins in finally, "and then, when she says yes, kiss her under the moonlight- for a bit of romance, of course"
woonhak sighs, taking all the information in. "if she says yes..." the older boys watched as doubt took over his complexion. "hey, don't say that!" jaehyun says, clicking his tongue. "yeah, bro...i know i keep calling you a loser and all, but that's just part of your charm- i mean, you're a nice guy, woonhak. and once you add our advice to the mix, she'll be yours in no time!" taesan's words are sincere, though his stoic expression said otherwise but that's just how he looks.
"if you say so..." the boy trails off, breathing deeply as he began to stand up again. "i have to go pick her up now...wish me luck, please" his hyungs shoot him big smiles, almost tearing up (jaehyun fully cried) at the sight of their youngest all grown up and ready to take on his first prom. making sure his tie was on straight and fixing the loose strands of his hair, they finally send him out the door, watching as he gets into the car and begins to drive away.
"goodluck, woonbaby! we love you!"
"fighting! go get her!"
"make hyung proud, woonhak!"
⋆౨ৎ˚⟡˖
'this is it woonhak...it's time to face her...and her parents...shit i completely forgot about her parents...fuck...well, don't just stand there, woonhak! ring the doorbell!'
ding dong!
the boy could hear a quiet rustling noise coming from behind the door. he waited patiently for an answer, fixing his posture and checking his reflection in the window in the meantime. he closes his eyes and takes a couple more deep breaths before the creak of an opening door brings him back to reality.
a man, who was the spitting image of his crush, stood before him, yn's dad. woonhak clears his throat before bowing slightly, "hello sir, my name is kim woonhak and i'm here to pick your daughter up for prom" the lack of answer freaks the boy out as he reaches a trembling hand out for the man to shake. "s...sir?" he squeaks out, voice raising by a couple octaves.
"honey, who is it at the door?" a sweet female voice breaks the awkward - and fearful - silence. "is that yn's date?" she asks before emerging from behind the man at the door. if woonhak thought yn's dad was the spitting image of her, well then her mom must've been her twin! "oh- uh, hello mrs ln, i'm woonhak! your daughter's date...i'm here to pick her up!" the boy stutters a bit but manages to finish his sentence. the tension in his body slowly began to exit out when the woman laughs happily, grabbing his shaking hand and inviting him right into their home.
"sorry about my husband, sweetie, he's just a bit of a hard-head and he just isn't quite set on the idea of his baby princess already going to her first prom! sorry if he gave you a hard time" mrs ln was kind, she spoke in a way that made the air-conditioned room start to get warm. "oh, not at all...you have a lovely home, by the way" woonhak started to feel comfortable, gratefully taking the cup of tea he was offered. "well aren't you just the sweetest, yn's still getting ready- you know how us girls are! i'm just gonna pop in up there and let her know you're waiting, okay?" the boy smiles as he nods, "thank you"
the next ten or so minutes felt like hours as the boy awkwardly tried to make small conversation with his date's dad in the living room. "so...uh...do you like baseball...sir?" he stutters as he makes eye contact with the framed baseball jersey that hung on one of the walls. mr ln nods, "yup, i dabble. do you?" his monotonous tone paired with his expression-less face made poor woonhak's heart beat out of his chest. "yeah...yeah i love baseball, used to be my biggest dream to be a baseball player" the man laughs, scaring the boy a bit, but he tries to play it cool. "a scrawny kid like you? baseball? right..." he wasn't gonna lie, that did hurt his ego a little, and if it weren't for the fact that he was the father of the girl he loved so much, kim woonhak would've lost it right then and there.
the sound of footsteps emerging from up the stairs interrupted the two guys from their conversation - if you can even call it that. "and now i present to you..." mrs ln begins, standing at the top of the steps. "princess yn!" she announced, a familiar giggle following as a figure appeared beside her. "mom! i told you to stop calling me that!"
there she was. woonhak's mouth fell agape as he got up from his seat, almost stumbling from the sight before him. she had on the prettiest dress, embellished with all kinds of tiny silver jewels. it hugged her body just right, her hair flowing off of her head so effortlessly, as if she just woke up like this. yn ln looked perfect, just...
"beautiful"
"you don't look too bad yourself" her honey-like voice shakes the boy out of his thoughts. "huh? oh! um, hey" the girl giggles, her nose scrunching in the process. "i like your dress" woonhak smiles, feeling nervous from the sudden close proximity; when did she get from the top of the stairs to standing right in front of him? "thanks, i like your tie- the red looks good with the suit" yn's compliment makes him blush and he makes a mental note to thank leehan later.
"oh, aren't you two just adorable? come here, let me get some pictures for facebook!" mrs ln beckons, tilting her head to direct the pair over to one side of the room. "okay...one more...and...done! aw, aren't they just lovely? right, honey?" mr ln grunts, "i guess so..." another tense silence submerges the space. yn clears her throat, "well! we'd love to stay and chat but i think woonhak and i should get going now!" her date nods, "mhm! yup! it was so nice meeting you guys, thank you for the tea and for letting me take your daughter to prom- it really means a lot" the man and woman nod along to the boy's words, "of course, sweetie. you two stay safe!" mrs ln speaks as she follows them out the door.
"we will! love you guys, i'll see you later! and dad? please stop staring at him like a psycho, thank you"
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"you good?" woonhak asks, watching as yn strapped her seatbelt on. she smiles sweetly, "mhm, are you? sorry my dad's such a weirdo" he laughs, finally starting to feel less nervous. "he called me a scrawny kid...what does that even mean?" she giggled, "well, that's dad for you...don't let it get to your head, hakie..." her usual nickname for him made his heart skip a few beats, "and if it's any consolation, i think you're perfect!...now let's go, i'm itching to get on the dance floor" woonhak tries to ignore the compliment, not wanting it to distract him from driving safely to their prom venue - aka their high-school gymnasium.
and off they went.
the drive didn't take much time at all, being that the ln household was only eight minutes away from the school. upon arriving, woonhak parks his car amongst the others in the lot. he gets out first, scrambling to make it to the passenger's side in time to open up the door for yn and help her down.
she giggles, beginning to step out of the vehicle as he takes her hand in his softly. "thank you. when did you get so gentlemanly?" the boy sticks his chest out with pride, "i kinda took a gentleman crash course before picking you up, honestly" yn laughs, "just for me?" woonhak wiggles his eyebrows before dramatically bowing, "all for you, princess yn" the girl playfully pushes him to the side, "you meeting my parents might've been the worst thing ever!" the boy rolls his eyes, "at least we got that out of the way, right?" she nods, "c'mon! party time!"
the prom was just like what they've always dreamed of. drunk on non-alcoholic beverages, people sweating their make-up off on the dance floor, and of course, sharing stupid smiles with their friends and their dates. as the time passed by the music went from ballads to clean versions of the latest pop releases, and the buffet of food prepared on every corner of the gym had slowly decreased. students were having the time of their lives, some had left to make-out in the hallways, other's had decided to leave the campus completely.
woonhak watches from beside the bowl of fruit punch as his date stuffed her face with all sorts of cheeses from the charcuterie board. how'd she look so cute just doing whatever? that can't be legal. somewhere amidst his staring, the boy felt a presence on his shoulders - or rather, he felt five very familiar presences on his shoulders.
"pssttt, woonhak!" the imaginary voice, that sounded eerily similar to myung jaehyun, calls. the boy's face contorts in confusion. huh? he thought before another voice spoke. "it's time! remember what we taught you!" that one sounded an awful lot like riwoo. "go shoot your shot, woohak! fighting!" a third voice that was a mix of leehan's and taesan's finished. before he could even gather any of his thoughts, an invisible force pushes him straight towards yn.
"hakie! you have to try this...it's gouda with herbs! i fucking love cheese...hey...you okay?" the last of her sentence came off worried, her eyebrows tilted upwards. "yeah...um...i think i just need some air, come with me to the football field?" the girl agrees without hesitating, grabbing one last slice of the creamy dairy concoction before beginning to walk towards the back exit of the gym. woonhak follows close behind, sneakily snatching one of the tulips from the vase at the very end of the buffet table.
step 1: get her alone...done.
"wow...the sun's setting already!" yn twirls around happily as they entered the empty field, the cool air hitting their skin and causing goosebumps to emerge. woonhak smiled, he always found himself smiling at her. "hey..." she called, starting to walk towards the boy. "you sure you okay?" he shakes his head but quickly switches to nodding, very rapidly. "mhm! yeah, i'm fine...uh...here!" he suddenly exclaims, pulling the stolen flower out from behind his back. she jumps in shock at the sudden gesture but giggles sweetly as she retrieves the single tulip.
"did you steal this from the buffet?" yn questions, sticking an eyebrow up jokingly. "um...no...?" woonhak lies, though the dumb grin on his face said otherwise. "well, thanks anyways...tulips are my favourite" she stares at the pink plant lovingly, finding it fascinating the way the setting sun began to illuminate against it's petals. "i know they are" they share another smile, and he watches as she tucks the flower into a loop on her dress, right by her hip.
step 2: a gift to show you care...done.
the first two steps to his hyungs' three step guide had been successful. the boy felt a little more confident now, just one last step left...the hardest of them all, it's time to confess.
"hey, hakie" - "hey, yn" the pair speak in unison, both abruptly pausing. "you first" they jinx again, laughing softly. "you first, hakie" yn says, to which woonhak nods. the boy takes a deep breath before taking one step closer to her, "yn..." he trails off, grabbing both her hands in his. his chest in pounding, he swears she could feel his heartbeat through his wrists. "what is it?" she asks, a tone of genuine worry laced within her words.
'speak from your heart...tell her how you really feel'
"listen yn, i like you. i like you a lot! you make me really happy and you make me laugh and sometimes you make me really really nervous" the girl's mouth opens to speak but he doesn't let her, not yet. "i think i've honestly liked you for like ever! i mean how could i not? you're awesome- er- i mean, you're amazing and cool and just ah! you're perfect and- wait, wait, let me finish first and then you can react" she giggles at the obvious excitement underlining his nerves, nodding and allowing him to speak. "and i know that i can be a huge loser sometimes, and totally un-cool, and i can't even be twenty percent sure that you like me in any way but..."
woonhak pauses to think - and to catch his breath.
'show her that being with you is worthwhile'
"yn, if you gave me a chance, i swear i will be the nicest guy you'll ever know - i mean, i'll treat you right and i'll cherish you with my whole heart literally for the rest of my life. yn, i...i love you and...i might melt and scream and cry if you ever felt even a smidgen this way for me..." the boy straightens his back up as he breathes in once more, "yn ln...would you...maybe, possibly...would you like to be my girlfriend?"
he didn't know when or how, but somewhere amidst his monologue-like confession his eyes had started to well up in tears, a single droplet slipping down his cheek. "you...you can react now, yn" the girl only smiles, letting go of one of his hands to graze her own against his face, wiping away that single tear.
"oh, hakie..." she prolongs, focusing on the way his lips quivered in hope and in slight fear. "first of all, you don't need to swear on anything! i know for a fact that you're the nicest guy in the whole world..." the expression on his face softens as her hand moves back to holding his. "you know, it would've saved you a lot of time if you had skipped the whole speech and just asked me straight-forward" he's confused now, his mind is all over the place and he can't seem to understand what's going on. "why...why's that?" he musters under his breath; his breath that only got heavier. "cause..."
"i'd love to be your girlfriend, loser"
the boy's eyes widened, was he hearing her right? was this really happening? finding the look on his face ever so amusing, yn breaks into a fit of loud and happy laughter. it felt as though a mass production of fireworks had just erupted around them and the empty field held the same warmth as the gymnasium that swarmed with people. the pair are frozen, she doesn't know what to do next and he's searching his brain for an answer.
'when she says yes, kiss her under the moonlight'
with his heart full and beating straight out of it's socket, woonhak uses light force to pull yn closer, pressing a passionate kiss on her lips. it takes a second for her to register the gesture, just a second before she had completely melted into the moment. the couple smiled into the kiss, letting out bashful giggles as they held each other tight - youthful and happy right under the moonlight.
"hey, what were you gonna say before? like- before you told me to talk first?" the boy spoke, their lips still in contact. "mmm...i don't know, it was probably not important, whatever...kiss me" he laughs, ridding of any extra space between them.
step 3: tell her how you really feel...done...and kiss her under the moonlight...ongoing.
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"and then the gym teacher caught us kissing on the field and told us not to so we decided to get in the car and end the night there and...yeah! that's it"
the five older boys cheered as their maknae recalled the fresh sequence of events. "well done, woonhak! i knew you had it in you" sungho says, patting the boy on his shoulder. "yeah, me too...i never doubted you for a second!" taesan followed, causing everyone to roll their eyes and sigh.
kim woonhak giggled almost manically, screaming as he flopped onto his back on the carpeted floor. "wah! i can't believe i'm officially dating the yn ln...pinch me, i must be dreaming!" - "don't actually pinch him, taesan"
the end.
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WAAAAA first loooooooongggg fic in a while!!! cant believe i actually finished this. i wrote for 4 hours straight lololol been thinking of this since MAMA so!!!!! hope u guys enjoyed it, ill try to write more soon. love, kona.
perm taglist:
@en-dream @candycane-lemonade
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thissying · 16 days ago
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interview with Richard Pex about Max's go-karting days Formule1 magazine, The Year of Max 2024
"At some point I knew Jos and Sophie from the go-kart track in Genk. I was there, riding with my two eldest sons. But with Stan who was four years old then, too. At some point Sophie came up to me together with Max and said: 'Max wants me to ask you how old Stan is.' I said four and then Max said: 'See. I'm five already and I still have to wait until I'm six.' Jos wanted him to wait until he was six but I asked Max: 'Would you like to drive?' Sophie didn't really want that but we did it anyway."
A few innocent laps with great consequences, Richard realises more than twenty years later. "A couple of days later Jos called me. 'Yes, thank you very much', he said. 'Now I have to buy Max a kart.' That's how it started. We agreed then to go karting together more often. Sparring and training. I raced too but I couldn't keep up with Jos. 'Well, you have a better engine', I said to him. 'Okay', Jos said then, 'then I'll fix this engine for you before the Dutch Championship in Amsterdam.' I went like a rocket during practices but at some point I thought: is that Jos over there? He'd been curious about how things were going and had come to Amsterdam for that. 'Can I spend the night in the trailer? Because I'd like to see the race tomorrow', he asked. Typical Jos: pure passion. We clicked and that's how our friendship started."
Verstappen's go-kart team was run by Frans [ed. Max's grandpa]. Because Jos was still active in F1 and couldn't be there for everything. On top of that, Frans and Jos were busy with the boys that drove for the team and sometimes that was at the expense of Max. "In Genk the mini's were allowed on track for fifteen minutes of every hour. Then Max came over and said: 'Daddy, I want to drive too.' At some point Jos was done with it. He said: 'This isn't right. I'm constantly busy with others and then when my son comes and asks me to drive, I don't have time. You know what I'm going to do? I will quit the team. From now on I'm only going to focus on Max. He really wants it, wants to drive so badly. Do you want to do this together with me?'"
Richard didn't need to think about it for long. "My sons were driving as well, so that sounded good to me. 'Okay, then we'll buy a van and we'll do it together', Jos said then. From that moment on we were together almost day and night, at the go-kart track or the business in Maasbracht. There, in that factory hall, we set up a workshop and from there we started working. I think I've been at all Max's go-kart races. It was an incredible time. Very hard work but wonderful. Jos was busy every day, from morning until night. Max went to school, (laughing) sometimes not, but after that he was always there. To tinker or drive. Often they were eighteen hour days because I still had my own company as well. But we had a lot of succes. Jorrit became world champion [ed. in 2006] in Portimão. Jos was his mechanic. Max was there, Stan, our wives. I still get goosebumps now. Especially that look from Max to Jorrit in that moment. You could see the passion in Max's eyes, the will to achieve the same. I can still see Jos caressing his little head, telling him: 'Your time will come.' Unforgettable." That Max had the talent and gift to go far in the racing world became clear very quickly. But everything that happened behind the scenes and what was needed to facilitate young Max optimally is rather underexposed. Richard was there from day one and got sucked in. "The brakes were off with Jos. Everything had to move out of the way for the higher goal. Jos always said: 'Max just has to perform, then everything else will follow.' He made it as difficult as possible for Max; he raised the bar a little every time. Jos felt Max should race with older boys. He had the luck he could often spar with Jorrit, who is five years older. What Max didn't know, was that sometimes Jos added lead to his go-kart and wasn't satisfied until he was as fast as everyone else. Every Wednesday afternoon we went to Genk. I picked up Jorrit and then we took the van to Maaseik to pick up Max from school. He was always the first one to run onto the playground to get in, rain or shine. I think we must have been in Genk 48 Wednesdays out of the 52. Going on holiday was another thing. We always took the van because we'd go on holiday near go-kart tracks. The deal was: one day at the beach and the other day the boys were allowed to kart. That quickly turned into karting every day. Often at unknown tracks and then Jos would say: 'Lap 8 will be pole-position time. Not lap 25 because then you boys will know the track already', That's how it went."
Max was fast right away, showed his famed ruthlessness already at a young age and could match the absolute top of the world in karting. That didn't happen without a fight. The competition watched with disbelief which lead to plenty of speculation that cheating was involved. Jealousy reared its head but not with the person that should have been bothered the most: Jorrit Pex. "Jos and I also often watched in disbelief at how fast Max was. Jos would then compare Max's data to Jorrit's and point out the mistakes he made. Max would often get into a discussion, did not hide away and would then talk to Jorrit. Recently, in an interview, he said: 'I learned a lot from Jorrit.' I liked that." Jealousy wasn't an issue because Jorrit is so different from Max, character-wise. "Jorrit also said: 'give Max the best material. He must become world champion.' That's what he was like. Jorrit didn't have any issues with that. He wanted that for Max. I also noticed Jorrit was more of a homebody. He enjoys going away but mostly he really enjoys being home a lot. Because he'd already said he wanted to run the company with [brother] Yard, the choice was clear. There never was any envy. Not from me either. I was there for everything, been through it all and it was fantastic."
That Max had just that little bit extra, Richard and Jos discovered empirically. "Jorrit and Max were sparring with equal karts. Engines that ran equally fast, same weight, no difference whatsoever. And yet, on the straight Max went just that bit faster every time. If you didn't know better, you'd think: he's got a better engine. Even I started having doubts and Jos too wanted to know now. 'You know what?' Jos said, 'We're going to exchanges the engines.' Nothing changed. Max was a tad faster again. It meant that Max came out of the corner with more speed and therefore was at top-speed more quickly. How he does it, I don't know either. That's pure talent. You can still see it with him now, in Formula1 as well. Max had a good engine but not a better one than the competition. It was purely Max. He had and still has that little bit extra. Tire management, technique of taking corners, attack, defend - Max mastered it down to the last detail. He had good equipment but he did not become European and world champion because he had the best material."
The straightforwardness of the Verstappens is not appreciated all around. In F1, with all its egos, disagreement is never far away. Conflicts lurk in a world where the competition is razor-sharp. Jos was (is) extremely black and white. Max will occasionally accept a shade of grey but only if he's being utterly convinced he's wrong. How did Richard Pex manage to never let those powder kegs explode? The Limburger laughs. "I read or hear stories that make me go: how do they come up with that? Yes, Jos was tough but I've never seen Jos box Max's ear. And I was there for everything. Me and Jos click. We're true friends, through thick and thin. We've been through all the ups and downs and talked about everything. We slept in the van together, were together 24/7 most of the time. Of course I wondered sometimes: how will we manage this? Jos wasn't the easiest person but we always talked things through and turned out okay. And we're both proud of that. We've got, I think, rather the same character: honest, straightforward. We didn't always agree but that was also to up the pressure. I'd say: 'Jos what you're working on now, won't work.' 'Oh yeah?' he say then, and start working like a madman to prove the opposite.
[…]
Max mediated to have Richard and his best friend Stan as a guest in Abu Dhabi in 2021 for the heroic grand finale of the battle between Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen. "Now I have to be careful otherwise I'll become very emotional. Nothing will ever be more beautiful than that. That I got to be there for that… Pfff. Max said before that: 'You and Stan are coming with us to Abu Dhabi.' Yeah, that's something you'll never forget. Together in the car on the way to the track. Talking about go-karting and the past. On the day of the race Max said: 'Richard, this is the big day. I'm going for it fully. It's going to be difficult but you never know. And then it happens. That last lap, I knew: now he's going to get it. Afterwards tears flow. "I saw everything again. Max on that crate, Jos kneeling before him. The look between those two. I saw those icy cold little hands again, the tears in his eyes when Jos had sent him back on track in the rain and cold in Genk again. Unfortunately we don't see Max a lot any more, but that will change again. I'm certain he still thinks the karting days were the best time of his life and not the present. When the helmet is on, he's the driver but he doesn't give a damn about the whole circus around it in F1."
[…]
Richard Pex has been there for all of it. Nobody that - except for dad Jos of course - knows Max Verstappen better than this Limburger. "Even in karting I already said: it's Max who makes the difference and when he gets to F1 and he's got equal equipment, it will be: start, away and done. That's how it was and still is."
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kurokawaia · 4 months ago
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❛ NEW START ❜
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PostWar!Uchiha Sasuke X Fem!Reader
WC; 1.6k+ | !MDNI! | TW/CW;
⋆·˚ ༘ *𝑅𝐸𝒬𝒰𝐸𝒮𝒯 :: (filled request) hi again!! im the one who requested for the domestic sasuke fic! so for the domestic fic i was thinking either marriage domestic fic or a post-war fic like hospital visits or catching up?? 💗 - ANON
m.list | naruto/boruto m.list | uchiha m.list
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You and Sasuke were kids, perhaps six or seven, fooling around the training grounds that bordered the Uchiha compound. Both of you were panting and panting it out after playing tag for a couple of hours or so, on occasion with Itachi showing up to give you both something to drink. Every match you did, Sasuke won them all. Always faster, always a step in front of you, but you never minded that. It was fun being around him, catching the rare smiles and hearing the carefree laughs. You plopped yourself down in the grass, small chest heaving as you struggled to catch your breath. Sasuke sat beside you, his face flushed from running, but his expression calm as always. The two of you stared up at the sky, watching as the first stars started to appear. "I'm going to be the strongest shinobi," Sasuke told you with confident delicacy, as if he had decided upon it long ago. You nodded, smiling softly. "I'll be strong too… and I'll always be with you." Sasuke looked at you, his dark eyes gleaming with a rare softness. "Always?" he repeated. You nodded again this time more determinate. "Always." Then out of nowhere, you blurted, "When we grow up, we are going to get married." Sasuke blinked, clearly taken aback. "Married?" he repeated as if to wrap his head around such a concept, not truly knowing of the meaning, but he liked the notion, being with you all of the time! "Yeah," you replied though you have absolutely no idea what marriage entails. You just knew that you wanted to remain by his side, whatever it took. "That way, we'll always be together, whatever happens." Sasuke was quiet a moment longer, before giving you the barest of smiles, one that was over so fast if you had blinked, you would have missed it. "Alright," he said low enough so that his voice was barely audible above a whisper. "We're getting married." By that time, you didn't realise it, but that harmless promise promised became something you would cling to for so many years later. The only thing that brought you to believe that Sasuke will come back to the village was that he kept his promise, to be with you for all time, to marry you.
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Years went by, and that innocent childhood promise was dulled when Sasuke never came back, but then, the war happened. The war had torn so much apart, but Sasuke did come back.  It had leapt in your chest when you first heard Sasuke had been brought back, injured but alive. Running to the hospital, the hope of seeing him overwhelmed your sense of caution. But getting there, he'd been asleep, unconscious from the toll the battle had taken from his body. You look at his left arm, which was now gone. What an idiot. His face was pale, his dark hair fanned out on the pillow, his arm bandaged heavily. A sight of him like that vulnerable, worn down made your heart ache. You stood at the edge of his bed, unsure what to say, your hand reaching out and stopping just shy of touching him. "I'm here, Sasuke," you whispered, even though you knew he couldn't hear you. "I never stopped waiting for you." There wasn't an answer, just the steady rise and fall of his chest as he breathed. You watched him for what felt like hours, hoping maybe, just maybe, he would wake up and you could tell him everything
He didn't.
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The next time you see him, the situation is quite interesting, you had asked Kakashi were Sasuke was as he wasn't in the hospital and you were told he was... elsewhere. Sasuke has been taken into custody by the Interrogation and Torture Division due to his crimes. 
They were dealing with his fate, and though they had villagers both within his support, against him, and everywhere in between, you know it wasn't going to go easy on him. You wished to see him, and with some reluctance, they allowed you to have a small visitation with him. Down the corridors of highly guarded cells, they took you, stopping at the one that housed Sasuke. 
There was that loud creaking of the opening door, and there he sat, hands bound in chakra-suppressing restraints, his head turned away from the door, he could feel it was you, it was obvious even if his eyes and arm were bound. "Sasuke." Your voice was weak, almost quivering, as you took a step closer toward him.  At first, he said nothing, hi head was angled to the ground, not waiting to face you. Then softly, almost to himself inaudibly, he added, "I'm so sorry." It took you a moment to process the words coming from his lips, as Sasuke rarely, if ever, apologized, let alone something huge as what he had pulled. You swallowed, kneeling down in front of him as your hand reached out to touch his despite the restraints. "Sasuke..." you started, your voice on the verge of breaking. "I am," he cut in, his voice now grating but still with that edge of emotion. "I need to apologize. For everything. For leaving, for hurting you, for what I've done… You could read in his posture, the weight of what he was doing and what he had done, he had hurt you so much, that he tried to kill you three times. It wasn't about the war, nor the village, literally everything, every decision he made that further distanced him from the promise you made as children. "I don't care about anything else," you said, steadiness, with the well of tears brimming in your eyes. "I care about you. You came back, Sasuke. That's all that matters." "I don't deserve it," he muttered incoherently. "That's not for you to decide," you said, your hand clenching hard around his. "We were supposed to be together, remember? No matter what. You can't just decide you don't deserve that." Then Sasuke exhaled the softest of sighs, his head bowing slightly. "I'm sorry," he said again, yet it sounded different this time, less for his guilt, more for what he had lost, for what he yet could keep.
You reached up and carefully lifted his chin so he'd look up at you, though his eyes were covered, at least his face was angled towards your own now. "I'm not going anywhere," you whispered, your thumb brushing against his cheek. "We'll figure this out. Together."
Sasukes head fell to your shoulder. "Thank you," he whispered so quietly you would have missed it if there was sound in the room.
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when you two are married >.<
The sun peeks through the thin curtains of your shared bedroom. You stir slightly, your body wrapped up in the cocoon of blankets and tangled up in Sasuke. You turn your head slightly, your eyes barely open, to see him beside you. His face is relaxed in sleep, the furrow in his brow smoothed out. Sasuke peaceful, unruffled-in the home you've built together. You'd never imagined living like this, not back then, not when things were still so tenuous. His breathing evens out into a rhythm and you spend several more minutes doing nothing except staring at him. He is forever unreachable, even when he is right beside you, yet here with just the two of you, it's not quite so much the case. With you, Sasuke can be himself. You reach out, your fingertips brushing against his cheek gently, and he stirs. His eyes flicker open, revealing those eyes you've grown so accustomed to-only now, of course, with that new rinnegan you're still getting used to. For a moment, he looks disoriented-like he doesn't remember where he is-but then his gaze reaches yours and mellows out. A giggle almost slipped past your lips at the sigh as he was so cute. "Morning," you whisper, barely heard. He grunts in return-the sort of sound that makes one smile. So like him. After all this time, together, he still manages to remain the same in small ways. Sasuke isn't a morning person, at least, not when words are involved. You prop yourself up on your elbow, the blankets pooling around your waist as you lean down to press a soft kiss to his lips. Are you hungry?" you ask, your fingers brushing through his dark hair, still slightly tousled from sleep. He grunts again, but you can see the ghost of a smile tugging on one corner of his lips. "I'll make something," you say softly, though a part of you wants to stay in bed with him a little while longer. Before you can pull away, Sasuke's fingers wrap around your wrist in a light but firm grasp. "Stay," he mutters, his tone husky with residual sleep. You can't help but smile at the uncharacteristic plea as you settle back into the bed beside him, tucking your body close to his as he pulls you near. His arm wraps around your waist as his forehead presses against yours and the two of you are still, tangled up in one another. The silence between you is comfortable; neither of you has to say anything. Sasuke's hand moves in a languid pattern up and down your back. "I was thinking." you start off softly, breaking the silence, "perhaps we could go visit Naruto and Hinata later. It's been some time since we've seen them." Sasuke is silent for several moments, his body showing only the barest hint of tension at mention of his old comrade. Things have eased some since the war was over, but there is still a distance between them-something faint and lingering and awkward, which neither of them can quite chase away. "Maybe," he says at last, his voice low and small, not unkind. You smile, knowing that's as close to a yes as you're going to get. Progress, you tell yourself silently as you feel a surge of gratitude that Sasuke's at least willing to make the effort. It's more than you could've hoped for a few years ago. His hand resting on your back stops moving, and he shifts slightly, his lips coming into contact with your forehead. "I'll go," he says softly, which takes you a bit by surprise. You lean back just a bit to look up at him, the ghost of a teasing smile tugging at your lips. "Is this Sasuke Uchiha actually agreeing to willingly spend time with Naruto? He rolls his eyes at the teasing, but the barest hint of a smile tugs at his lips. "Don't push it," he mutters, the words devoid of any real bite. You chuckle softly, pressing a kiss to his cheek. Sasuke doesn't respond to your laugh, but the way his hand tightens around your waist says enough.
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Do not copy, steal, modify, etc. Relogs and like are appreciated.
m.list | naruto/boruto m.list | uchiha m.list
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taglist :: @enouche @lovelyandproblematic
@sugu-love @why-are-you-still-awake
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stayteezdreams · 28 days ago
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White Elephant
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Plot: Your friends decided to switch up the rules to your game of White Elephant. Instead of winning a mystery gift. You go on a date with someone else in the circle.
Pairing: Chwe Hansol | Vernon x Gn!Reader
Note: White Elephant is a game you play by using gifts (each player usually brings one, so only you know what is inside). Whoever goes first (however order is decided) picks a present, each following person has the choice to either steal someone else's present, or pick a new one. Whoever's present is stolen can then either pick a new one, or steal one. Each present can only be stolen three times. Whichever present you end up with at the end of the game is the one you get. *rules may change depending on how you want to play, these are just the ones I know.
A/N: I loved the idea I had for this, but I kind of hate how it came out, especially the ending. But I hope you enjoy it nonetheless!
Words: ~3.5k
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As you said goodbye to a few of your friends as they left, you thought to yourself when a good moment for you to excuse yourself for the night would come. You had been at your friends’ party for a few hours now and you could feel the exhaustion starting to sink in.
You had your fill of Christmas themed food, desserts and drinks. Sang along to an obnoxious amount of Christmas songs, and even won second place in the ugly sweater competition.
You were thoroughly Christmas-ed out.
"Okay! One more game!!" The host called out, and you let out a soft sigh, you had waited a bit too long. You guess you would leave after this game, whatever it might be.
"Since we had a couple-centered game earlier, now is time for the singles game!"
'Actually, maybe I should leave now.'
You and one of your closest friends Vernon shared a look across the room. This would be something neither of you would enjoy and you knew it.
Raising your hand, your friend acknowledged you as you spoke with an amused, yet meek tone. "Can I be excused?"
She frowned and shook her head, "Nope."
You sighed as you hung your head, earning laughs from everyone around you. But your ears only really noticed Vernon's familiar chuckle.
She clapped her hands as she started to pass out identical note cards. "Write your name and then fold it three times."
You frowned, but did as you were told, wondering more and more about what she had planned as she walked around with a hat to collect the names.
"Though the game might sound familiar, the results will be different. White Elephant."
There were murmurs and questions throughout the room. There would be a total of 12 people playing.
"We'll play it like a normal game of White Elephant, but instead of presents, it’s your names."
"And what happens with the name we get?" Your friend Joshua spoke up.
Your friend grinned and you felt your chest tighten. "You must go on a date with the person you have written on your card at the end of the night!"
Your mouth fell open as others laughed, protested, gasped, or even gagged jokingly.
As they quieted down, your friend continued. "Unless two people end up getting each other's names, which is very unlikely, you have the chance to go on two dates! With the person whose name you choose, and the person who chooses you! And who knows, you might find your soulmate!" Her voice had a sing-song tone to it as she spoke.
"What if we end up with our own name?"
"Then I will buy you an expensive gift!" She said quickly, which earns some 'oohs' from the crowd. Quickly she added on, "And if you don't take the person you choose on a date... you have to buy them an expensive gift!"
Looking over at Vernon, he seemed to sense your gaze as he met your eyes. He raised his brow and you both seemed to know what the other was feeling. This could get very awkward.
Out of the twelve people playing, you were friends with six, the other five were strangers. And out of the other eleven people, there was only one you could see yourself wanting to date, and that was Vernon himself.
You had been friends for ages and had feelings for him for nearly as long. And those feelings were something you had become an expert in repressing. But something that helped was that he never had any lasting relationships. You wanted him to be happy, but you couldn't deny the hurt and jealousy you felt whenever he dated someone. So as guilty as it made you, you couldn't help but feel relief when the relationships ended.
But now, with this game, you had to see Vernon go on a date with two people. Luckily for you, the chances of him getting one of his best friends was decently high. But there was also the small chance he could end up with your name, or you could end up with his.
The thought made your ears grow hot, so you quickly shooed the thought away.
As the game began, you ended up going fourth in line. Instead of stealing, you decided to choose a new name from the hat. As you refiled through them, you waited until you felt you had a good pick.
Sitting back down, you had a weird feeling that you needed to keep your card. Though you figured it was just your sense of challenge piquing at the idea that someone might steal it from you.
While the game went on, your original pick was stolen twice, one more time and it couldn't be taken any more. You feared someone else might take it before you, but luckily, your final turn came, and you took back the original note you picked from the hat.
When Vernon's turn came, he decided to remain with his choice, one he decided early on to take from Jun after his own was stolen. When someone took it from him, he took it back, seemingly feeling as though it was the one he was meant to have as well.
When the game was over, people murmured nervously, as everyone began to reveal the names on their notes. Mingyu ended up with the name of one of the people you didn't know, while Hoshi ended up with Mingyu's name. Something only one of them was excited about.
Jun ended up with the name of someone in the circle you knew he had a crush on, and you silently cheered him on while sharing knowing looks with Vernon and Joshua.
When it was your turn, you nervously opened the note, hoping if anyone it was one of your friends. That was you wouldn't have to go on a date with a stranger.
Opening the note, so the name was facing the crowd, just as the others did. Joshua laughed with something akin to excitement, before you looked at the note.
'Vernon'
"Oh-" You looked up and met Vernon's gaze, he looked shocked but happy as he repressed a grin.
You let out a soft laugh, playing along with everyone's disappointment that you got your best friend’s name. Picking up on a "But they hang out all the time already!" From a familiar voice nearby.
No one except a couple of people, Joshua included, knew about your long-hidden feelings.
Vernon gave you a thumbs up and you rolled your eyes at him, both glad and uneasy that you picked his name. If anything, to avoid the subtle heartbreak that would fill you, you could just call your "date" a hang-out. Just like you usually do.
You purposefully avoided looking at Joshua, knowing he would give you a look that would just make you more nervous.
As the others revealed their names, you couldn't seem to focus, as you held your own paper tightly in your hands. How was it that the paper you seemed so determined to keep, that felt like it was supposed to be the one you got, was Vernon's?
"Alright Vernon, your turn!"
Your eyes shot up as you came back to reality, your heart racing as your chest tightened. You weren't paying attention, had someone already gotten your name? There were only a few people left after Vernon. You had been worried about who Vernon would be going out with that you forgot about your own risk in this.
As he opened his note, facing himself first, you saw his lips tug up into a smile before he let out a chuckle. Turning the paper around, you saw your familiar handwriting. You sat up in shock as others got overly excited about the coincidence.
Joshua covered his mouth with his hand as he repressed the biggest grin he could make. Vernon looked at you and gave you an exaggerated look with another thumbs up.
"It must be fate!" Your friend called out, unknowingly making your heartbeat increase as you felt a bit uneasy.
Was it fate? A cruel joke? Just a coincidence? Either way, you were sure if you should he happy or upset. Now you had to go on two dates with Vernon? Or was it still just one? Or would you just buy each other gifts and call it even?
Getting lost in your thoughts again, you weren't aware the game ended until people started standing and walking over to speak with the people they got as their mystery date.
Seeing Hoshi chase after Mingyu as he ran away, you let out a soft scoff before spotting Vernon moving to sit beside you. Your chest tightened as you put on your best smile, trying not to show him how the stupid game affected you.
"So." He said as he sat down, and you eyed him with a smile.
"So?" You repeated in a similar tone.
"What shall we do for our dates?"
You really hoped the way his question affected you didn't show on your face as you forced out a chuckle.
"What, you don't want me to buy you an expensive gift instead?"
He smiled but shook his head as he leaned back on the couch. "Nah, I'd rather go do something fun."
'Just another hang out' You told yourself.
"Like what?"
He hummed, "I don't know yet. How about we combine out two dates into one, and you pick something for us to do in the morning and I'll pick something for the evening."
Your heart was pounding as you nodded your head, the word 'date' continuously repeating in your head.
You nodded softly as you rose, "Okay."
He furrowed his brow, "Are you leaving?"
You nodded, trying to repress a yawn. "Yeah, I wanna leave before she starts another game."
Thinking about it for a second, Vernon nodded in agreement as he rose as well. "Good idea."
After turning down Vernon's offer to escort you back home, you waited together for your Uber. Seeing him frown at his phone you smiled softly. "What are you looking at?"
He spoke softly without looking up. "Date ideas."
You laughed but felt your chest clench. "You don't have to keep calling it a date."
Vernon looked up and you missed the look on his face as your Uber pulled in. As you waited for them to pull up to you, you looked back at Vernon, "Let me know what day you want to hang out okay?"
As you climbed in, Vernon grabbed the door, leaning in to speak to you. "Why do you call it a hang out?"
"Huh?" Your heart skipped a beat, "Well, I figured- I mean- what, do you actually want it to be a date?"
He nodded as if it was the most obvious thing in the world. "Yeah. We're going on a date."
"Like an actual date?" You forced a laugh as you tried to keep yourself collected, confusion overwhelming you.
Vernon grinned at your perplexed look as he nodded again. "Yes. We're going on an actual date Y/n."
As you were about to protest and question him more, he smiled at the Uber driver before winking at you and closing the door.
"But-" you muttered to yourself, heart pounding as you tried to figure out what was happening.
Why did he want to make it a date? Just to appease the game results? Or did he actually want to go on a date with you?
You sighed as you leaned your head back, clenching your eyes shut as you tried to make sense of your muddled thoughts. Should you text him? Find out how he was feeling?
As if reading your mind, your phone buzzed with a message from Vernon.
Opening it, you held your breath.
'Let's do our date on Saturday, okay? That should give us enough time to plan something each.'
Another buzz
'And yes, it's an actual date in case you were still wondering. I've been wanting to ask you for a while but kept chickening out. But I guess it was meant to happen with or without me manning up.'
You stared down at your phone stunned, mouth agape. Your mind seemed to be in a fog for the rest of the evening. Mixtures of confusion, panic, elation and anxiety came over you again and again.
What you thought was going to be a normal hang out was turning into an actual first date.
It seemed surreal. Vernon had been wanting to ask you out?? For a while?? How had you never noticed his feelings were the same as yours? Did your own feelings make you blind to his? Did he have any idea how you felt?
Sleep refused to take you as your thoughts raced all night. You had never replied to Vernon, let alone thought of a date idea.
Those panicked thoughts would come the next day. But for now, you were too busy staring up at your ceiling, wondering how things changed so quickly.
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You let out a long breath as you stared out at the streets around you. Since the night of the Christmas party, it had snowed a few times, leaving the outdoors blanketed in soft snow.
It was the day of your date with Vernon and your nerves were almost unbearable.
Over the last few days, you and Vernon had talked through text only, and he had teased you almost relentlessly for your constant confusion of actually going on a date together.
Giving in and deciding to go with it, accepting whatever was going to come. You picked the arcade as your first part of the date. Something Vernon agreed happily too.
It was one of the first things you did together after you met. You had met through Josh and become close after hanging out at an arcade as a group, it seemed to bond the two of you, and you had been nearly inseparable since. It seemed fitting that you go to the same arcade years later, on your first date.
It was decided you would have lunch afterwards, and then you would go to Vernon's chosen activity, ice skating, which you hadn't done in a long time. Your main hope was to not embarrass yourself.
Lost in thought you didn't notice Vernon getting out of an Uber nearby and creeping up to you. He had a wide smile on his face as he jumped forward, grabbing you with a "Boo!!" making you gasp and jump back.
You groaned as you rolled your eyes as Vernon laughed. Reaching out and smacking his shoulder, you almost forgot you had been nervous, up until you met his gaze and noticed his smile, it seemed softer than usual.
You swallowed nervously as you shoved your hands into your pockets. Vernon could see your new reservation around him, and he repressed a smile.
He was afraid, no matter how much he insisted he wanted to go on an actual date with you, that part of you thought he was joking. He needed to make sure you understood what was happening.
Your breath caught in your throat as Vernon reached out, grabbing you gently by the shoulders and pulling you forward. Wrapping his arms around you, he hugged you tightly, leaning his head against yours.
Stunned, you hesitated in hugging him in return, but gently rested your hands on his back.
Vernon smiled as he spoke, "Let's get this out of the way. I don't want you thinking all day that this is some cruel joke or something." Pulling back, he looked at you with a soft gaze. "I like you. I have for a while, probably even longer than I realize. No matter how much I wanted to ask you out, I kept talking myself out of it. But I won’t anymore, not when the chance was practically handed to me."
You swallowed nervously as your heart pounded and butterflies filled your stomach. "You like me?"
He nodded and you let out a soft scoff, unknowingly causing Vernon's chest to clench in panic. Up until you smiled brightly at him, "I like you too."
"You do?"
You nodded and he chuckled, shaking his head and sighing before he pulled you into a hug again making you let out a soft laugh. "I guess we have a lot to make up for then, huh?"
The next couple hours felt like a dream. The anxiety you felt leading up to your date seemed to vanish. Being with Vernon felt like breathing, it was the most natural thing in the world. And it turned out, being a couple was too.
There was no reservation, or discomfort when he hugged you from behind after you pouted about losing a game to him. Or when he spun you around in a hug after you won a game you had always lost, it felt normal, it felt right.
When he gently removed an eyelash from your cheek, the flushing of your cheeks only encouraged him to lean in and press a kiss on your cheek.
Nothing felt so natural to Vernon than the way his fingers intertwined with yours. Holding your hand felt so familiar, and perfect, he was disappointed he had to wait so long to do it.
The day seemed to fly by as you sat on the bench with your pair of rented ice skates.
You looked out nervously at the rink as a sense of nostalgia rushed over you.
"It's been a while since you've skated right?"
You nodded, "Wonder if I'll be any good anymore."
"I hope not, I don't want to be the only one to embarrass myself out there."
You chuckled as you began putting your skates on, stopping as Vernon kneeled down and helped tie them. You smiled as you watched him, butterflies fluttering through your stomach.
Tapping your leg when he was done, he quickly put his own skates on before you both nervously made your way out onto the ice.
Though your legs felt like a newborn fawn's the first few minutes, you slowly leaned into the familiarity of the motions. Soon enough you were gliding around with ease. All the while Vernon was gliding slightly hunched over and bow-legged behind you.
Looking back, you almost lost your balance from the laugh that escaped. Turning to stop, Vernon grimaced as he came to a rough stop, grabbing your arms for support as he did.
"Are you sure you're having fun?"
He nodded. "I'm just getting used to it still, I'm good."
You chuckled again as you took his hands and began gliding, dragging him along with you to help him get his "sea legs". It definitely helped, as after a few minutes he was no longer hunched over, and his legs were much straighter.
"Yeah! There you go!" You laughed as you let him go, as both of you skated side by side.
He had a wide grin on his face that made your heart flutter.
Skating around the rink, you slowly got more and more confident with your skills, as did Vernon.
Spotting Vernon across the rink, leaning against the wall watching you, he waved, and you grinned at him before making your way to him.
As you got closer, Vernon reached out his arms to help you glide to a stop, rather than slamming into the wall. As he wrapped his arms around you, hugging you as you skidded to a stop, you looked into his eyes with a giggle and grin that made his heart flutter.
Your eyes remained locked as held you, before he brought his gloved hand to your face and gently cupped your cheek. As he began leaning closer, you held your breath.
"I'm sorry it took so long for this to happen."
Before you could reply, his lips met yours. The kiss was still for a second as he waited for you to kiss him in return, afraid he might have done it too soon.
Grabbing the collar of his jacket, you leaned in to react, leading Vernon to pull you a bit closer and deepen the kiss even more.
As he pulled away a few moments later, you grinned at each other in bashful amusement. As he adjusted your hat, he let out a soft laugh before he met your eyes.
"Just to make sure. We are dating now, right?"
You laughed before you nodded happily. "Yes, we are dating now Vernon."
He nodded, "Good." Cupping the back of your head, he pulled you into another kiss with a renewed excitement as you wrapped your arms around his neck in return.
Both of you knew this was truly meant to be, and there was no longer any point in wishing it had happened sooner. Because it was happening now, and it was perfect.
xx End xx
I hate ending stories, it's so haaard.
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jetblack4realz · 5 months ago
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lake days i - jake "hangman" seresin x reader
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summary - when you and jake get stationed in your hometown, you decide to drag him with you to a lake day with your family - it taking a much different turn than expected.
!split into parts & takes place years and years before the uranium mission!
pt ii , pt iii , pt iv , pt v
warnings - none
word count - 5.7k
______________________________________________________________
the hawaii mission wasn't the first time you'd met jake seresin, but it was certainly the first time he caught your attention.
you both had been put in a position to compete for the mission, but in a surprise turn of events they just threw you both in. jake led, which he never let you forget, but your captain had decided that he needed you as a wingman, which you never let him forget. you knew his reputation and you'd seen it firsthand, but he was a surprisingly good partner to you. the mission was a success, of course, and you both finished out the last four months of assignment together. as your six months finished out, you found yourself hoping to be stationed with him again.
and you were.
admiral hensley called you both to his office when giving you new orders for the next 18 months and you couldn't help the small smile pulling at your lips. when you exited, hangman pulled you into his side with a laugh.
"excited to be my wingman again, sweetheart?" he asked.
"i think this time you'll find it's the other way around," you answered, winking as you laughed and pulled out of his grasp.
"we'll see about that," he said, smirking.
you both arrived in fort worth, texas with wide grins on your mouths.
"home sweet home," jake said. you hauled your bags onto your shoulders, striding off the runway and towards base. you began to walk towards the office, phone in your hand as you began typing in a local number.
"bronco," the man called with furrowed brows. "you not going to the bunks?"
"this is my home base," you replied. "i've got a place just a half hour out of here."
"how are you getting there?" he asked, quirking a brow with a simple smirk. "your boyfriend picking you up?"
you laughed, shaking your head. "don't got one. don't have time for one. my dad and brothers are coming, i haven't seen some of 'em in almost two years."
"glad you get to now," he told you with a surprisingly genuine smile. you nodded, smiling back.
"yeah, me too," you said. he nodded once before turning again, presumably to his room on base. "hey, hangman."
he turned, eyebrow raised in question.
"aren't you from texas too? anywhere around here?"
"odessa," he answered. he breathed a laugh. "so, no."
you watched each other for a few moments as you very openly debated something in your head. you breathed out slowly before finally just throwing it out there. "you like boating?"
your question caught him off guard. "boating?"
"yeah," you nodded. you quirked a brow, smirking slightly. "you ever been?"
"well, yeah," he nodded slowly. "like, twice."
"twice?" you exclaimed, shaking your head. "that's no good hangman. you should come with us this weekend. my family's property is just 45 minutes off of eagle mountain lake and we were gonna head over saturday. if you don't already have plans, we'd love to have you."
it was memorial day weekend, and your family always spent it on the lake. in light of your fresh transfer, your new admiral had granted you and jake both the monday off and you were definitely taking advantage of the three day weekend.
"you sure?" he asked, raising a brow. "i don't want to intrude. you haven't seen them in so long and i-"
"hangman, if you don't get to see your family, at least come see mine," you answered with a small smile. "they're very welcoming."
he debated for a few moments before huffing a breath. "you're very kind, bronco."
"so, that's a yes?" you asked, grinning. before he could answer, you began walking backwards to enter the office. "i'll take you back with me after shift friday! see you tomorrow!"
you mock-saluted him before turning on your heel and throwing open the door, slipping through it with an excited blush on your cheeks. hangman laughed to himself, shaking his head as he turned to make his way to the bunks. he couldn't believe you'd just invited him back to your family's house - but he couldn't say he wasn't glad you did.
"ready?" you asked, hand on your hip with a grin as jake approached you with his small dufflebag thrown over his shoulder. he nodded.
"as i'll ever be," he answered. "where you parked?"
you led him outside to a beat up brown subaru, pulling the driver's side door open. he quirked a brow as he examined the car, fingers running over the chipping paint.
"didn't imagine you a subaru gal, bronco," he mused, restraining a laugh. you rolled your eyes, shaking your head.
"i'm not. it's my mom's, she's letting me borrow it while i'm here," you answered.
"we gotta get you something better than that," he laughed. "for one, your mom outta want her car back and for two, i can't be seen in a - what year is it?"
"2005," you muttered.
"in a 2005, brown subaru outback," he said, clicking his tongue against his teeth thrice.
"oh, you can't be seen in it? i have to drive this thing to a naval airbase every day of my life," you laughed.
"we'll find you something better. with all this driving you're doing, you definitely need it," he told you. you rolled your eyes again.
"just get in the car, hangman," you said, slipping into the driver's side.
he laughed, tossing his bag in the backseat. "alright, alright."
the drive went smoothly, conversation with jake was never real difficult. as you pulled down a dirt road, passing under a large metal overhead sign announcing that it was the l/n residence jake watched it, a smile pulling at his lips.
"now before we get there, i've gotta warn you," you started, glancing at the man next to you. "all my brothers are in town for this and so are their wives and kids. it'll be a mad house, but it's all love i promise you. just, be prepared for a barrage of questions and kids wanting your attention."
"how many brothers do you have?" he asked.
"three older brothers - logan who's married to brynlee, barrett who's married to alice, and gideon who's thriving single, and two younger brothers - joshua who's married to kyrie, and darren who's 17 so he's single. and all in all, i think i have four, no five nieces and nephews. oh, but alice is pregnant with their first, so like five and a half," you answered, breathing in deeply after the long-winded explanation. you glanced at him with a nervous chuckle. "i told you, it's a lot."
he was smiling widely, shaking his head. "it sounds wonderful. really. i've got a big family too, just all sisters and brother-in-laws. i'm excited to have all those people around again."
your nervous smile softened and you nodded, pulling into the driveway. "i'm glad."
you both climbed out of the car, jake moving to grab his duffle from the back but you shook your head. "leave it, we'll take it back to mine after dinner."
"oh, right," he answered, forgetting entirely that you had your own place and that he was staying there, with you, alone. he trailed after you as you approached the beautiful oak front door.
you turned to him with a grin, hand gripping the door handle. "brace yourself, hangman."
with that, you threw the door open with a yell of, "honey, i'm home!" jake laughed as he watched three kids instantly attach themselves to your legs, the oldest little boy looking about five.
"oh my gosh, you guys are hug!" you exclaimed.
the little boy looked up at jake, his head cocked to the side in evident interest.
"auntie y/n, who's that?" he asked. just as you opened your mouth to answer, a teenager walked in with a teasing grin and answered for her.
"that's her boyfriend," he said in a sing-song tone. you rolled your eyes, whacking him in the shoulder.
"shut up, darren," you said. you picked up the five year old, turning to jake with a smile. "finn, this is jake. jake, this is logan's oldest, finn. he's five."
jake smiled, offering him a little wave. "hey, finn."
you gestured to a little girl at your feet. "and this is leila, finn's little sister. she's three." there was another girl next to leila. "and everleigh, also three. but, she's josh's." you whacked your little brother in the shoulder again, a wry smile on your lips as you tried to not laugh at his dramatic outburst of pain. "and my little brother, darren."
"hi," jake laughed. darren stretched a hand forward, grinning widely.
"welcome to the family," he teased as jake shook the boy's hand. jake laughed heartily.
"thanks, glad to be here."
introductions with the rest of the family continued in the dining room, the remaining two nephews sitting in their dad's lap.
"y/n!" the family chorused.
"hey guys," you grinned. you turned to let jake step forward, your brothers smirking at you as he did so. "everybody, this is jake seresin, my wingman on my last mission." he looked at you with raised brows and a breathy laugh, shaking his head slightly. you concealed your laughing with a slim grin, continuing. "he's gonna be spending the weekend with us."
your mother approached with a sweet smile on her face. "jake, how wonderful to meet you. y/n's told us so much."
"oh has she?" jake asked with a grin in your direction. he shook her hand gently, a small smile directed at the older woman.
"enough for us to be glad to have you," your dad chimed in. "we hear you're competitive. you good at water sports?"
"can't say i've tried any," jake laughed sheepishly. you exchanged grins with your brothers. you patted his arm.
"don't worry, we'll change that," you told him. you turned your attention back to your family. you took your time to point out each brother and sister-in-law, and your remaining two twin one year old nephews, brigham and beckham, who were josh's.
everyone was very welcoming towards him and he found his heart swelling at the experience of being with so much family. as they all conversed and ate, he began to realize where you had gotten all of your snark and sarcasm - he supposed that's what growing up with five brothers got you. but, as he watched the way your mother treated everyone and how your father ensured the teasing never reached a tipping point, he also began to understand how you tended to know the balances of things and always be cordial to others. it was a talent that slipped his mind some of the time, but in the presence of such kind people he made sure to do.
darren had taken an extreme liking to the 30-year-old, asking him all sorts of questions about what he flew, how he flew, what missions he'd been on (which he obviously couldn't tell him), and everything about the navy. this got finn excited too, the little one climbing on your lap just to lean over to jake to catch his attention.
"you do realize that i'm in the navy too, right?" you asked darren with a raised brow, pulling finn back to keep him from slipping off your knee as he held onto jake's arm. "everything he's done, i've done. you've never asked me before."
"you're not as cool, y/n," gideon teased you in response, darren laughing and nodding in agreement.
"i'd have to agree," jake said, winking at you as your brothers laughed.
"so, where are you from, jake?" your mom asked with a smile.
"odessa," he answered, matching her smile. "born and raised texan."
"good," your dad nodded. "your family still back there?"
"yes sir," jake said. "mom and sisters at least. dad died a few years back."
"sorry to hear that, son," your dad said, giving him a small nod.
"odessa," your mom hummed. "what did you say your last name was again, honey?"
"seresin," jake answered politely.
"your mom's maiden name?" she furthered. jake laughed, glancing at you momentarily.
"sorry, mom grew up in odessa," you told him with a short laugh, shooting your mom a look to stop interrogating him. "sure she's just trying to make connections."
"oh, it's fine," jake said. it was a common occurrence in texas. "she was a gilbert."
"gilbert," she repeated again. her eyes lit up. "alyssa gilbert?"
"yeah," he laughed. "you know her?"
"we went to high school together!" she cheered. "how about that? we're friends on facebook but haven't talked in years. i'll have to tell her i've got you over here, maybe they can come over sometime! have a barbeque, go to the lake. you got a lot of siblings, jake?"
"four sisters," he nodded, smiling at her enthusiasm.
"oh, wonderful! that would be so fun, wouldn't that be so wonderful y/n?" she asked, turning to you. from next to her alice and kyrie were about to burst into laughter, barrett winking at you. you pulled a thin smile, trying to avoid estranging jake because of your overly-enthusiastic mother.
"yeah, that'd be something, ma," you answered, returning your attention to the potato salad on your plate.
"i'm sure they'd love that," jake said, appeasing your mom.
after a few hours and several slices of pie, you were leading jake back out to your car. darren followed you to the door, grinning widely.
"drive safe!" he called as you threw yourself into your seat. "no fun allowed tonight! i mean it!"
you slammed your door shut, flipping him off through the window, though he could barely see it with the dim light in the car. jake laughed loudly, getting in his seat as darren returned inside. as soon as his door was shut you let out a breathy laugh.
"well, that was fun," you said. "i think they like you."
"i think they do too," he said with a small smile. "i really like them, y/n."
"i'm glad. they're my favorite people," you told him.
you reached around to buckle and he followed your lead as you backed out of the driveway.
"so, where's your place at?" he asked as you turned onto the dirt road, continuing further into the property.
"just a few minutes down the road," you answered. "my parents promised each of us some land if we wanted to build on it. the only one who doesn't have a place out here is gideon, he lives in houston. says he doesn't need it because he isn't planning on getting married and having a family anytime soon."
"oh," jake said, looking at you intently. "but, you've got a place out here."
"yeah, so what?"
"are you planning on a family anytime soon?"
you glanced at him, furrowing your brows slightly. "i was. saved up for my place since high school, got some of my dad's buddies to give me discounts, designed it, helped build it when i could while going to college. then, well, my plans changed. i dropped out of college and went into the navy, got shipped out two years later. my house was finished though, so i kept it."
he thought on your answer for a few moments. "you didn't answer my question."
"the answer is i don't know," you sighed, pulling into your garage. "would i like to have a family? sure. is it gonna happen for me? probably not. and hey, i have things to do, i love my job... life's okay for me."
you laughed shortly, looking back at your fellow aviator.
"what?" he asked.
"wasn't expecting to talk to you about that today. don't really tell people things like that."
"then why'd you tell me?"
"why'd you ask?"
you both paused, a small smile pulling at your lips before you turned away, pulling your door open. he followed suit, grabbing his bag and following you into the two-story farmhouse. it was beautiful, he had to admit.
"you designed this?" he asked, looking up at it while you turned the key.
"yep," you answered. "my pride and joy."
"that's such a texas thing," he laughed, following you inside. "you built your own house? if a girl i met at the bar said she built her own house i might just marry her right then and there."
"that's a weird thing to admit, seresin," you laughed, gesturing for him to follow you upstairs.
"what? i like a blue collar woman," he shrugged. he grinned widely. "they're usually way sexier too."
you rolled your eyes, sighing, "there's the hangman i know."
you approached the first door to your right, pushing it open. "this is you. there's a bathroom attached and you can keep your things in the dresser if you'd like. i'm just down the hall here."
he entered the room, tossing his bag on the white comforter. he looked around with a nod. "thanks bronco. i owe you one."
"you don't owe me anything," you said with a shake of your head. "well, except for a promise to try everything i tell you to tomorrow."
he laughed. "deal."
"you're in for it," you promised. "we need to meet at mom and dad's at 7, so be up by 6:30. i'll come and knock to make sure you're up."
"sounds good," he answered.
you smiled, nodding slowly as you stayed leaning in the doorway for a few moments. "i'll, uh, i'll see you in the morning. goodnight, jake."
"goodnight, y/n," he said. "thanks again. i'm excited."
"me too." you disappeared from his sight, the man leaning to watch you walk back to your room. he smiled slightly before turning back to his bag, beginning to unpack the few contents into the dresser next to the bed.
it was 6:35 when you finally rolled out of bed, rubbing the sleep out of your eyes. you knew you had to get up, you just desperately didn't want to.
you pulled yourself out from under the covers, walking slowly to your closet. you grabbed the navy blue swimsuit you'd set out the night before: a longline bikini top that you knew would stay secure during water sports and matching high-waisted bottoms. you pulled a pair of denim shorts over, not bothering with a shirt.
you pulled open your door and then walked into the extremely bright hallway. with a hand blocking the light from your eyes, you approached jake's door, knocking slowly.
it was swung open quickly to reveal an all ready hangman, clad in dark blue swim shorts and a white tee shirt you were sure would be coming off as soon as water was in sight. that's how he was anytime you and the crew would lounge the beaches of hawaii and you were confident it wouldn't be any different here.
he eyed your swimsuit and you eyed his, both letting out short laughs.
"looks like we'll be twinning out there, darlin'," he teased. you shrugged.
"makes for cuter pictures," you answered, smirking. "grab your things, i'll be down in a sec."
he nodded and you turned back to grab your sunscreen, sunglasses, and hat before jogging down the stairs to find jake sitting on your counter.
"ready?" you asked. he nodded, hopping down and following you out the door and to your car.
when you pulled up to the house, darren was quick to comment on the swimsuit situation.
"and you say you aren't a couple," he said with a smirk.
"well, we're not. it's just a coincidence," you said with a roll of your eyes, pushing past him to get to where your dad was loading up the jetski and canopies.
"ouch," darren said with a laugh, turning his attention to jake. "she's in a bad mood."
jake shrugged. "it was just a coincidence."
he followed your lead and took some camping chairs from your mother, smiling graciously as he loaded them into the back of the truck. as you finished strapping down the jetski, logan pulled up with a beautiful white and blue surfboat.
you were shaken out of whatever mood darren's comment had put you in as you shook jake's arm and ran to where logan parked, jake following you with furrowed brows.
"jake," you said with a grandiose expression. "this is my pride and joy, my beautiful bluey."
"bluey?" he laughed. "you named your boat?"
"technically, it's our boat," logan corrected.
"right, but still," you shrugged. "a beautiful, 2014 cobalt surf boat, one of the first they've ever made. way better than the crappy mastercraft we used to have."
"what's wrong with a mastercraft?" jake asked, realizing very quickly that he was incredibly out of his element. logan laughed, shrugging.
"it's the honda of boats," he answered.
"ah," jake said, understanding as he nodded his head.
"alright everyone, pack it up!" your mom yelled.
as everyone piled into the two trucks and one ford explorer, jake looked at you, wondering where to go.
"there's some more seats in josh's," your mom told you, but you shrugged.
"too cramped," you answered, instead stepping onto logan's back tire and sitting down in the bed of the truck. jake grinned, following quickly and plopping down next to you.
"we got some nice privacy back here," he mused, winking at you jokingly.
you laughed, rolling your eyes. "oh yeah, take advantage of it, seresin."
"i might just," he said.
when you all pulled up to the lake, you and jake hopped out of the back.
"i'm gonna drive the boat out," you told him, "as logan backs it into the water. do you wanna just get in with me?"
"sure," he agreed, walking with you a few steps until you were at the back. "need a hand?"
you were, in fact, slightly too short to be able to get on it while it was still on the trailer. you nodded. "that'd be great, actually."
he held his hands down and boosted you up as you stepped on them, the man quickly following.
"shoes off," you instructed, slipping off your sandals and throwing them under one of the seats, jake following your lead. as you stood in front of the seat, you slid the key in and gestured for logan to back it up into the water fully.
jake watched in awe as you worked the boat expertly, yelling instructions and giving hand signals to direct your brother as far back as you needed, eventually having jake jump out to unstrap the sides and give you a little push off until you were able to turn the boat and blower on and push it out yourself. as he pulled himself back in and came up behind you, he watched the way your hands worked the steering and throttle.
"impressed, hangman?" you laughed, glancing back at him. "i'm surprised - i fly planes for a living, you think i can't drive my own boat?"
"no, i'd be disappointed if you couldn't," he laughed, sitting in the passenger seat as you pulled off the ramp and started towards your previously decided beach spot. darren was on the jetski, following you from a distance.
"just wait until we really get going," you told him with a grin. "you can be impressed then."
"counting on it, darlin'," he said.
when you found your family you let logan grab the larger anchor and tie the boat to the beach as you and jake exited the boat, your shorts and his shirt coming off before you dropped in the water.
you glanced at him before slipping into the water, refusing to blush at your friend's abs. you knew he was attractive and you knew he was toned - you'd been to the beach with him before. but still, you couldn't deny that jake seresin was a sight to see.
on the flip side, he couldn't deny that you looked good. like, really good. he'd seen you in a swimsuit before too, but he always found it difficult to keep his eyes off. you were drop dead gorgeous, he'd admit that to anyone, any day of the week - except for your family, right this moment.
not that they needed to ask. they could tell. or at least, a few of them could.
"how do you spend time with him and not just fall in love?" kyrie asked you in a hushed whisper as you dropped into a camp chair next to her. you laughed.
"he's... hangman. he's just hangman. we're friends," you shrugged.
"any chance you want to be more?" brynlee asked, wiggling her brows as alice and kyrie giggled.
"oh, keep to your own lives," you said, leaning back in your chair.
"our lives are boring, we've already got our men - you're still working on yours," kyrie said.
"i think you've already found him," alice said with a small smile. she nodded to where darren was punching around with jake, jake finally shoving him into the water where the boy tripped back and soaked himself. jake laughed loudly before getting attacked from behind by finn, turning to pretend fight the boy off.
"aw, he's so sweet y/n," brynlee said, grabbing your arm with a smile, effectively shaking you out of your trance. he had been so good with your family so far, you wondered if this was how he was normally - without all the bravado required for aviation.
"yeah, i guess he is," you mumbled. you cleared your throat, looking back at your sister-in-laws. "he's usually a lot louder and cockier than this. you'll see later while we're playing around. he's a tease."
"i think you're the tease right now," kyrie laughed. "you didn't see the way he was looking at you when you were walking up to the beach. you looked hot and he knew it honey."
"no way," you said with a shake of your head. "we're just friends."
"you might've started the weekend that way," brynlee said, standing up with a teasing smile. "but you won't end it that way."
your mouth fell open in shock as she walked to logan, scooping leila up in her arms and laughing as the three year old did. you shook your head, turning your attention to the other girls.
"she's right, you know," alice said. "don't look behind you."
and so you didn't, instead watching as the grins on their faces grew and grew until someone had grabbed your chair, lifting it from behind and making you stand. you landed on your feet, turning quickly to find jake with a grin.
"what?" you asked.
"come one, your dad's decided that me and you are going first," he told you.
"on what?" you asked. he paused.
"don't know. just, come on," he said, grabbing your hand and dragging you over to where your brothers and dad had made a group.
"what am i doing?" you asked with a laugh as you approached them.
"kneeboarding," josh answered. "easy."
and "easy" is what you told jake when you were in the middle of the lake, life jackets on, with kneeboards in your hands, just finished with giving him instructions.
"yeah," he nodded. "i got this. easy."
"you got this," you agreed with a laugh.
"but, when do i pull up on it?" he asked.
"after the boat starts going but before it gets up to speed. just - i'll tell you when," you told him, earning a nod in return.
the look on jake's face as you yelled "ready!" to logan was priceless. he was focused - so focused. maybe even more focused than you'd seen him in a jet. and as logan began moving, his face only hardened that much more.
"okay, pull yourself up!" you yelled, sliding your knees onto the back of the board and shimmying your way all the way up. you strapped the velcro strap over your thighs, settling in as the boat pulled you along before looking over at jake.
his entire board was shaking as he tried to move his knees up, his hands clutching the side desperately. eventually, he managed to get up, leaning back with a sigh and finagling with the strap.
"got it?" you called.
"yeah!" he called back as he secured it. you leaned forward, hands gripping the wide handle. before you pulled it off its knob that kept you attached to the boat, you looked at jake for affirmation. he nodded, grabbing his own and watching you as you pulled yours off, leaving just your hands on the rope keeping you to the boat.
"lean back! relax!" you said over the sound of the water, laughing as he leaned back, causing his board to twist a little and his eyes to widen as he regained balance. "good!"
he looked at you with a grin, holding his hand up in the 'hell yeah' sign, or really just 'aloha' surfer sign. you laughed and did it back. you leaned to the side, skidding up next to him.
"wanna try some tricks?" you asked.
"yeah, you go first," he said, nodding at you. you grinned.
"alright, first we'll get you to go out of the wake," you told him. "you just gotta get some momentum and lean hard. don't twist your board, just lean. watch, and if i wipe out just let go, k?"
you leaned back to your side, your board catching speed and exiting the wake. you did his little hand signal back to him with a laugh, hanging out of the wake for a while. the waves were a bit choppy that day, but you decided to still attempt what you've been wanting to since you knew you were going kneeboarding.
"watch!" you yelled, but jake's eyes had been on you the whole time anyways. you moved one hand to the side of the handle before quickly leaning, flipping around and reaching around the back to grab the handle again.
your brothers whooped in the boat as you grinned, leaning back in to enter the wake.
"pretty cool, huh?" you asked.
"i bet i could do that," he said with a shrug. "easy."
"alright then, go for it," you said teasingly. you were sure he wasn't gonna get it.
but, as he leaned out and successfully got out of the wake, which was a struggle for first-timers normally, your confidence faltered. he slid his hands to the side like you did and turned sharply, then again, and suddenly he had accomplished the goal it took you three summers as a kid to achieve.
"screw you," you laughed as he came back in next to you.
"got anything else?" he asked with a smirk.
"jump the wake," you said, nodding to the side. "get some height, seresin."
"do it at the same time," he replied.
you agreed and you both broke for opposite directions. you tried to get as much speed as you could, but just as you reached the break of the wake, your board caught and you were down.
you found the surface with a cough, glaring at the boat as it turned around to come get you. a little ways away jake was holding his board, a cocky grin on his lips as he waved at you. you rolled your eyes, grabbing your board and trying to not let him see your smile as it formed.
"what was that y/n?" josh laughed as they pulled up next to you, grabbing your board.
"i'm out of practice, okay?" you answered, pulling yourself up onto the surf deck on the back. gideon grabbed jake's board as he swam over to you.
"yeah, well he's had no practice and he still got it," your brother laughed as he set the board next to yours. jake pulled himself up next to you, grinning at you.
"you okay, sweetheart?" he asked.
"you got it?" you asked with raised brows.
"i thought you said it was hard?" he asked. your eyes widened and you searched for words, causing the man next to you to bust up laughing, as well as gideon.
"who's next?" your dad asked.
"me!" darren cheered as he jumped into the water. josh laughed and followed him in. you laughed at the boys before standing, pulling off your lifejacket and hanging the dripping wet thing off the side of the boat, gesturing for jake to give you his own. when you had buckled them to the side, you offered jake a hand which he took, letting you drag him up and to the bow of the boat. you sat back on the front, facing jake as he took the seat opposite to where brynlee was laying out with full intention of tanning. you tucked your legs by his to keep out of her way, but the man didn't look bothered.
you grabbed a towel from the compartment behind you, wiping your arms and hair before tossing it to jake. he dried his chest before balling it up and leaning on it like a pillow, laying out like brynlee.
you sat there for a few moments before standing and approaching the glove box, grabbing yours and jake's hats and glasses. you walked back up, dropping his glasses in his lap and pulling his hat down backwards on his head.
he grinned at you as you sat back down, tucking your legs to the side of him again. you pulled your hat on backwards too with a teasing grin his way.
"twins, right?" you asked. he laughed as you leaned back, settling your glasses on the bridge of your nose.
afterwards, you stared at him, eyebrows furrowing after several moments. he quirked a brow at you, finally asking, "what?"
"your glasses are cooler than mine are," you told him, jokingly pouting like finn whenever you didn't give him his goldfish crackers. you both had basic black glasses on, but his were cool, classy aviators that he definitely spent more that $15 on as opposed to your walmart ones.
this caused him to smile and he leaned forward. "here, sweetheart."
he pulled your glasses off your nose as he pulled his own off, dropping yours in his lap for a moment so he could situate his 'cool' sunglasses on your face. he pulled yours on and leaned back again, patting your leg. "better?"
"much," you laughed. out of the corner of your eye, brynlee was smirking at you both, turning back to grin at her husband when neither of you would look at her.
she pulled her phone from the cupholder next to her, flipping to the camera. she waved her hand at you guys. "scoot in, i wanna get the glasses."
you rolled your eyes with a smile, scooting from your position at the front to be perpendicular to where jake was laying, the man moving to the side to let you in before leaning towards you, an arm wrapping around your torso so as to give you more room. you looked at him briefly, his wide grin with your slightly girly glasses on his face making you laugh, your smile more legitimate than it had been before as you looked at brynlee. he rested his cheek on your head after a moment, your smile unintentionally widening again.
when she lowered her phone, you leaned over to see the picture - and it actually was really cute. the only pictures you had with jake were in your flight suits or decently drunk at a pool table, so you were kinda glad to have one normal, decently cute one now. even though you were just friends, of course.
"send that to me," you told her with a smile. you slid back to your original place, pushing jake's legs out of the way to give yourself space. he rolled his eyes at you, scoffing, but you knew he was just teasing.
you pretended not to notice how jake's hand fell back onto your leg, instead just letting the wind blow your hair around with a smile as you watched your brothers get on the kneeboards. you also pretended not to notice how the entire time they did so, jake's eyes never once travelled back to them, instead resting on you.
this was gonna be one fun trip.
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libraryofgage · 4 months ago
Text
Meddling Kids
Part of: Steve Deserves Good Parents, Actually
Debbie and Fester Addams One | Two | Three | Four | Five | Six Rick and Evelyn O'Connell One | Two | Three Harley Quinn One | Two | Three 10th Doctor and Rose One | Two Scooby Gang One (you're here!) Jedidiah and Octavius (from Night at the Museum) One | Two Queen Clarisse Renaldi One | Two | Three Leverage Crew One
From the girl that brought you that silly little Spicy Six Scooby Movie post (I've been thinking of making that post into one of those social media series things on Tumblr but imma let that cook a little longer actually lmao) is a brand new Stranger Things and Scooby Doo crossover
Anyway, we're here for good vibes and fluffy Scooby gang, so definitely don't point out any typos hfjkds
Have fun reading!
---------
People coming.
Steve freezes, looking at the possum that's scurried into the room and sidled up next to him. He takes a deep breath and forces his shoulders to relax. People have come to explore the abandoned lab before; usually, it's just older kids daring each other to stand inside for a few minutes. There's been that lady recently who likes dressing up as a weird rat-thing, but she hasn't bothered Steve or his friends. Actually, she may not even realize Steve is here.
"Is it the lady again?" he asks, his voice low as he places a hand on the possum's head. He feels its nerves flow through his palm, and it pushes its head against him, snout nuzzling against the 004 on his arm.
No. Four big ones and a beast.
Four adults and a dog, probably. Steve frowns slightly and gets up, carefully making his way across the dirty floor toward the window. He lifts the corner of the curtain and stares at the bright blue, green, and orange van parked in front of the building. Four adults are standing around with a big dog, which isn't looking too happy about being near the place. Steve can't blame it.
He slowly pushes the window open a crack, straining his ears to hear one of the adults say, "Okay, gang. Daphne, Velma, and I will look around downstairs. Shag, you and Scooby will take the second floor. We'll meet back in the lobby in an hour."
"Can't we just, like, not explore the creepy abandoned lab for once?"
Steve assumes this is the one called Shag, and he hopes the other man agrees to just leave. That would make his life so much easier. He hears the dog, Scooby, agree with the sentiment and hopes the other people can understand him, too.
Unfortunately, one of the women says, "C'mon, guys, the monster isn't real. Here, I'll give you some Scooby Snacks for the road."
And that seems to be the end of that. The man and dog accept the snacks, the people enter the building, and Steve resigns himself to hiding for however long they stick around.
He bunkers down, leaning against the wall beneath the window, and goes back to coloring the floor with markers. This entire room is covered in drawings that reach only a few feet up the wall. Steve isn't tall enough to go any higher.
Right now, he's drawing all the animals in the building. There are the ones that were there to begin with (mostly rats and rabbits) and the ones that moved in after the bad people left (possums and raccoons and cats and more rats). He doodles them marching across the floor, a relaxed smile tugging at his lips as he colors a cat purple.
He's putting the finishing touches on the final animal in the line (the very same possum that came to warn him about the people) when he hears a scream from down the hall. Steve blinks, looking up just in time to see Shag and Scooby throw open the door, slide into the room, and slam it behind them.
They lean against it, sinking to the ground, and finally notice Steve sitting against the opposite wall. "Like, Scooby, please tell me I'm imagining that kid over there," Shag says, his voice wavering and cracking near the end.
Scooby starts out looking as scared as Shag, but then he tilts his head. He hesitates for a few seconds before dropping low to the floor and slowly moving toward Steve. "Scoob, what are you doing?" Shag asks.
Not a ghost, Shaggy!
"Not a rhost, Raggy!"
Steve blinks, frowning in confusion. Scooby talked. Like, actually talked. He talked out loud and Shaggy (it makes as little sense as Shag in Steve's opinion) understood him. "There, like, can't be a kid here!"
By the time he says this, Scooby has reached Steve, looking up at him from the floor with hopeful eyes and an eagerly wagging tail. Steve holds himself back for all of two seconds before reaching out and scratching behind Scooby's ear.
The dog lights up and tries to squeeze into Steve's lap, licking his cheeks and covering him in slobber. Steve laughs, trying to evade Scooby's tongue and utterly failing. "Stop, stop!" he shouts breathlessly, still giggling even when Scooby finally gives him a break.
"Oh, man," Shaggy says, slowly moving from the door to approach Steve. When he's a few steps away, he stops and crouches. "What are you doing here, little guy?"
Steve blinks, glancing at Shaggy before turning his attention back to Scooby. He reaches up, scratching under Scooby's chin and trying to ignore his nerves about talking to another human after being alone for so long. "This is my home," he says.
Your home?
"Your rome?"
"Like, man, this is not a good home," Shaggy says, looking around at the dust and the cobwebs and the possum in the corner of the room. "Don't you have, like, parents or something?"
"Not really."
Can we keep him, Shaggy?
"Can re keep him, Raggy?" Scooby asks, his tail wagging hopefully as he looks at Shaggy over his shoulder.
"Gee, Scoob, I don't know," Shaggy says, frowning slightly as he finally sits down on the floor and hunches over. "A kid's a lotta responsibility, man. We gotta feed him and clothe him and, like, make sure he doesn't get sick."
Steve looks between the two and can't help a slight smile. Shaggy is nice, and Scooby is a dog, which automatically makes him good to Steve. He doesn't mind helping them out a little. "You're here about that lady, right?" he asks.
Lady?
"Rady?"
"Like, what do you mean lady?" Shaggy asks.
"The one dressing like a rat," Steve says, wondering how they didn't make that connection themselves. Haven't they already realized it's not a real rat-thing?
"Oh, man, I guess Velma was right," Shaggy says, a relieved laugh bubbling out of him as he slumps even more. "We gotta tell the gang, right, Scoob?"
Yeah, yeah!
"Reah, reah!"
"Are you trying to catch her?" Steve asks, looking between the two once more.
"Well, like, the rest of the gang's gonna want to."
"I can help with that," Steve offers, smiling reassuringly at the concerned looks that Shaggy and Scooby give him in return.
------------------------------------
Hawkins is supposed to be a vacation. Sort of. There's a possible mystery in the town, but even Velma couldn't confirm for sure, and Daphne had encouraged them to just relax.
Steve is inclined to agree with her, especially when she buys them a house with a pool that Scooby immediately launched himself into.
Still, he can tell that Velma won't relax unless she gets a chance to look around, so he finds her to go on a grocery run. "Oh, you're right," she says when he points out the lack of food in the house. "We'd better get something before Shaggy and Scooby start chewing on the walls."
"We'll set up the bedrooms while you get groceries," Fred says, grinning at them from across the living room. He digs in his pocket and pulls out the keys to the Mystery Machine. After making sure Steve is ready, he tosses them over.
"Please just don't put me in that plaid room," Steve tells him, catching the keys and passing them to Velma.
"I think that would count as cruel and unusual punishment, Steve," Daphne calls, her voice coming from down the hall where she's no doubt started setting up her room. She pokes her head into the hall, smiles at him, and adds, "Don't worry. We'll put Shaggy and Scooby in that one."
"Knowing them, they'd like it," Velma says.
As if he was just waiting for his queue, Shaggy leans over the second-floor railing and shouts, "Dibs on the plaid room! It looks groovy!"
Steve snorts as Velma rolls her eyes with an amused smile. "Come on, Steve, let's get going."
The drive to the grocery store is quiet, with Steve paying more attention to the town around him and Velma focusing on driving. He notes anything that looks weird, like the lack of people walking around. They pass other cars, of course, but even when they drive past what could be called Downtown Hawkins, he doesn't see anyone walking around.
He tucks that away for later, seeing nothing else of note until they park near a pile of bikes at the grocery store. "They're not locked," he says, nodding to them.
"It's a small town, Steve," Velma says, unbuckling as she turns the radio down so their ears aren't blasted when they get back. "They probably don't feel the need to."
"I guess," Steve mumbles, hopping out of the van and waiting for Velma to round the front. He walks next to her and holds the door open when they reach it. "Maybe we can get sandwich stuff."
"We'll have to wipe out their entire deli section," Velma says, sighing as she grabs a cart and pushes it towards the produce aisle. "At least we never have to worry about food waste."
Steve hums in agreement, easily falling into their normal routine of Velma calling out items and him grabbing at least five of them if there's enough in stock. "What do you think about that mystery?" he asks, placing a bag of apples in the cart.
"I think that forest out there is prime real estate," she replies, leaning on the cart's push bar. "Get a watermelon, too, Steve. Anyway, demon dogs aren't the weirdest we've run across."
"They were demodogs. Not demon dogs."
"I still think that was just a typo. Either way, I'm sure we can walk around the forest later and, you know, learn what the squirrels have seen."
Steve crinkles his nose, glancing at her as they make their way towards the deli. "You know the squirrels are too flighty. We're better off with the raccoons. Or, like, the sparrows."
He looks over to see her smirking and realizes she was just teasing him. Steve huffs and grabs as many sandwich meats as he can, getting everything but ham since Velma can't eat it and it gives Daphne migraines.
"Well, whichever animals you interrogate, I'm sure they'll clear up this mystery in no time."
Steve hums in agreement, follows Velma into the cereal aisle, and is about to say they should consider focusing on field mice when a voice from the other side of the shelf says, "Dude, spray cheese isn't gonna help us against the demodogs."
He blinks, pauses, and looks at Velma. She tilts her head, holds a finger up to her lips, and waves off the smirk he gives her at being right about demodogs not being a typo. "Yeah, I know," another voice says, followed by the clatter of grabbing a few cans, "but I want Cheez-Whiz."
"That stuff is gross," a girl's voice says, her tone flat in a way that Steve almost recognizes. He frowns slightly, tilting his head as he silently places a few cereal boxes in the cart. "It tastes fake."
"That's the point, El."
"Shouldn't we focus on lighters and hairspray?"
"I mean, this is technically a spray, right?"
Steve glances at Velma, raising an eyebrow before gesturing to the end of the aisle. She nods once and starts pushing the cart in that direction, huffing in amusement when Steve drops in a few more boxes along the way. "You'd think we're feeding an army," she says, tone dry.
"We might as well be," Steve replies, feelings his shoulders relax at the routine exchange.
They round the corner to see three kids down the aisle, two boys and one girl. One of the boys has curly hair and a baseball cap while the other is wearing a basketball jersey, and the girl has short hair that falls to her shoulders. They're all looking at the shelf, but the girl glances over when Velma and Steve enter the aisle.
She meets Steve's eyes, and he wonders if he's met her before. Her eyes narrow slightly, more in confusion than anything else, and her gaze travels down. He feels it on his arm as she lands on the 004, and her eyes widen as she steps away from the shelf.
Steve glances down at her arm in turn, sees the 011, and feels like his breath has been punched out of him. "Eleven," he whispers.
Next to him, Velma shifts closer, placing a hand on Steve's shoulder. "I'm here," she says, her voice low and more reassuring than she'll ever know.
"Four," Eleven says, walking up to him without another glance at her companions. "Are you here to hurt me or my friends?"
Steve blinks. "What?"
"Are you violent? Kali, Eight, was violent. And angry. Are you angry?"
As she talks, the two boys move to flank her, looking between Steve and Velma with something between suspicion and confusion. "Is this one of your siblings, El?" Basketball Jersey asks.
"Yes. Four. He was...transferred a year before the Upside Down. Four, these are my friends Dustin and Lucas"
"I go by Steve now. And, uh, no, not violent. We're grocery shopping," Steve says, awkwardly gesturing to their cart.
"Steve? You can name yourself and you choose Steve?" Dustin asks.
Steve blinks and frowns. "I didn't name myself. I asked the smartest rat I knew to name me."
The two boys blink as El nods in understanding. "The rat chose well," she says.
"Dude, how many people are you feeding?" Lucas asks, seeming to finally notice the shopping cart.
"Well, one of them is a Great Dane," Velma says. "Hello, El. I'm Velma, one of Steve's...guardians, I suppose. How would you like to come by for dinner? El and Steve can catch up, and you can tell us about those demodogs you mentioned."
"Were you spying on us?" Lucas asks.
"You weren't exactly being quiet," Velma tells them.
Before Lucas or Dustin can start arguing, El cuts them off, "We will come by for dinner. I am glad we met again, Steve."
"Yeah. Me, too," Steve replies, smiling at El and wondering if they'll have to explain how Scooby can talk.
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