#like. I’m buying *one ticket* of course I’m gonna have empty seats next to me??

[penultimatestalematewithdeath]

Fighting for my life trying to get a single ticket for the Dan and Phil live show in LA really makes me understand how all the Swifties felt getting Eras tickets. Like. What do you mean I was on the site at noon and they were already sold out of all VIP tickets???

[mostlycompetentwriter]

Domesticated Drabble

Pairing: Bang Chan x Y/N

Genre: Marriage AU; Sequel; Drabble

Warnings: So. Much. Fluff. (small smut scene at the beginning); language

Request: 

A/N: Finally finished this one! Please enjoy another taste of my favorite AU!

5 Years Later

“We’ve got five minutes,” I whispered against the pulse point on Chan’s neck, the throbbing vein pumping hard as he panted for breath from above me, eyes shut tight together as he moaned.

“I’ll blow at any second,” Chan cursed, laying sloppy kisses wherever he could reach while fucking me hard and fast.

“Your cock feels amazing,” I practically purred, digging sharp nails into the milky white skin of his back, legs closing in around his waist to keep him close. 

“Oh, sweetie, you’re laying it on thick this morning, aren’t you?”

I clenched a vice-grip around the length pumping inside me in response, sending Chan’s hips stuttering against my own. “I’ve got kids in the next room who can wake-up at any second. Excuse me for trying to inflate your ego.”

“That’s not the only thing inflating,” Chan gasped, curling his fingers through mine.

“You’re gross,” I huffed, closing my eyes and throwing back my neck as best as I could in this position: laid out under my husband, orgasm approaching at a meteoric-level speed, and sweat coating my skin in a delightful sheen as the muscles around my abdomen worked overtime to milk Chan for everything that he had before the moment was ruined by my kids. 

I half-expected them to burst into the room unannounced at any second, oblivious to their parents fucking in much of the same way that created them in the first place. Locked together with limbs intertwining, sucking in each other’s air, and kisses rough and demanding. 

Fuck it had been far too long since Chan and I had last done anything even remotely this intimate, and it was still necessary for us to go at it as fast as possible to prevent unwanted eyes from accidentally catching us at the height of our passion. 

I couldn’t help but glance at the clock, realizing that we had been fucking for almost ten minutes, and the alarm had been set for 7:00 AM so that I could somehow wrestle my kids together for their first day of school. 

Damn, this is gonna turn out to be a very long day.

“Are you close?” I asked Chan, connecting our lips for a sweet kiss since I personally knew that they were a weakness of his.

“Yeah,” he said, features collapsing into a look of pure concentration as a guttural moan found its way crawling up his throat to release itself at the same moment when I could feel his release emptying into the condom separating us from complete skin-to-skin by a thin layer of latex.

But I insisted on wearing them now.

“You’ll cum too, sweetie,” Chan whispered, laving his tongue across the pad of his thumb before reaching down to connect with my clitoris, drawing rough circles in random patterns to snap the physical breaking point: holding my tongue to prevent myself from screaming as I rode the waves of pleasure until nothing was left but a delicate haze and the sensation of Chan’s cock still stuffed inside my spent pussy.

As it turns out, aftercare with Chan was the equivalent of my husband spewing my praises while insisting on letting his cock soften completely before pulling out: cock warming at its finest.

“Do you plan to pull out?” I asked him, smirking when he whined and buried his face into the side of my neck.

“It’s been a while since we’ve been like this,” Chan remarked.

“The kids need to get up soon,” I said, although there was a sleepy pull weighing down my eyelids. A good fuck tended to wear me out. “They’ve got their first day.”

“Yeah,” Chan agreed, but he made no effort to separate us. In fact, I could imagine us both easily falling back to sleep.

“You’re coming right?” I asked around a yawn. “To their Kindergarten orientation or whatever the hell they call it.”

“Of course,” Chan said, and he finally lifted his head from my shoulder, gaze soft as he took his time to explore my features. “I can’t miss that.”

“What? Watching the teachers drag them away for the first day of the education system they’ll be stuck in for the next thirteen years?”

“You have a way with words, sweetie.”

I grinned. “Maybe I’m just using words to deny the weirdness of my kids starting school and making me feel like I’m 100 years old.”

“It feels like they were just born,” Chan agreed, and he slowly rose himself into a sitting position, climbing out of bed to give me the best view of his naked ass.

“Your ass looks great by the way.”

“Thanks,” Chan snorted, reaching for a pair of black slacks from the floor. “I’m taking a shower.”

“Fine,” I groaned. “I guess I’ll go awaken the sleeping monsters.”

“Let the chaos begin,” Chan announced, closing the bathroom door behind him as I reached down deep into the reserves to muster enough energy to finally get out of bed.

At the risk of sounding too long-winded, the best way I could describe my twins was with a touch of irony. Because, despite looking identical to one another, my girls couldn’t be more opposite in terms of personality. 

Leah, the eldest by one minute, was boisterous, loud, and unapologetic when it came to being herself. She was the epitome of a social butterfly, jumping from one person to the next and asking questions that occasionally raised a few eyebrows because of their brazenness.

Her sister, Rose, was nothing like that. In fact, Rose hardly spoke at all, choosing to listen instead, and offer her voice only when she truly felt the need to include it. Of course, side-by-side, they were another thing altogether, far too energetic for me to handle.

This morning was no exception, chasing Leah around the house because she refused to change out of her pajamas, questioning me relentlessly on why it mattered that she had to change.

“I should wear what I want!” she insisted, and I had nearly lost my patience with her until Chan entered the room, and he was one of the only people who could talk through to Leah.

Him and Felix, of course.

Before Felix moved out, he and Leah were practically inseparable, and I could see her uncle’s influence in a lot of different ways.

“You want to look your best to make new friends, right?” Chan asked her, and after a laughable look of concentration, Leah nodded and allowed me to change her into a much more suitable dress.

“There,” I grumbled, turning my attention to Rose who was more willing to be dressed.

“Let’s go have breakfast, yeah?” Chan whispered to Leah, and she smiled and giggled at her father as he took her hand and led her into the kitchen. 

I scoffed at how easy he was able to manage her, glancing at Rose who was even more quiet than usual. “Aren’t you excited for your first day?”

She shrugged, looking down at her hands. “I don’t want to leave you.”

I could feel my heart breaking at her sweet words, cupping her face between my hands as I tried to reassure her that she would still see me in the afternoons and evenings. “It’s just a little break,” I said, but I knew that Rose was harder to convince.

In the meantime, Chan and I worked together to have both twins fed and ready to leave the house, packing them lunches for school before ushering everyone out the door because we were teetering on the edge of being too late. 

At least Chan had the wherewithal to warm-up the car, and it gave us more time to fasten everyone into their car-seats before pulling out onto the main road, speeding into the downtown district with the clock ticking away. “Well, at least the other parents will think we’re irresponsible.”

“I’ve got this,” Chan said, and I shivered as he toed the gas and grazed just going over too fast. 

“At the risk of getting a ticket-”

“Relax, sweetie,” Chan interrupted, reaching over to take my hand. “I’ll handle everything.”

“Uh-huh,” I murmured, glancing up into the rearview mirror to see Leah and Rose engaged in their learning tablets. Even if they were a few minutes late, my kids would still be the smartest. I had made sure of that, spending countless hours with them reading as many books as I could buy, digging out paper and pencils to practice their names and alphabet letters, and reading tons of online articles about the best methods to ensure your child’s early learning set them up for the most success.

Right? So what if we were a little late.

“Mommy? Why can’t you both stay with us at school?” Rose suddenly inquired from the backseat.

I sighed, turning around to face her. “Mommy and Daddy both have to go to work, okay? We’ve already had our turn at school.”

“Our turn?” Chan chuckled, and I pivoted in my seat to glare at him.

“That’s the kind of language we should be using with them!”

“Did you read that from an online expert?”

“As a matter of fact, I did!” I huffed, and I caught his smile, letting me know that he was just messing around.

“I just want them to do well,” I whispered, and his expression instantly softened at the sound of my tone.

“You’ve done so well, sweetie,” Chan reassured me, squeezing my hand even tighter as he turned into the school’s parking lot, finding an empty spot near the back.

Immediately, I was at the back door, reaching inside to help Rose out of her seat, spinning her around to help her with her brand new bookbag. “There,” I said, once her attention was on me again. “You’re ready.”

“I don’t know...” Rose trailed off, and her eyes held all the uncertainty of a five-year-old who was used to staying at home with her parents and uncle. Not the unfamiliar presences of her peers. 

“Hey,” I said, kneeling down to meet her gaze straight-on. “I know it seems scary, but I promise that you’ll really love it. I was the same way too on my first day, but my mom gave me the same advice, and guess what? She was right. I ended up loving school, and if there’s a little piece of me in you, then I know that you’ll have so much fun that you’ll forget all about your mommy and daddy.”

Rose’s eyes grew bigger, shaking her head in a manner that was quite endearing. “I won’t ever forget you.”

“I know, sweetheart,” I said, pulling her close for a hug as Chan and Leah emerged from the other side.

“Everything okay?” Chan asked, looking between me and his daughter.

“Just fine,” I said, ruffling Rose’s hair before standing tall again. “Let’s go inside.”

The classroom was already full of students, and I was glad to see some parents lingering, which meant we weren’t as late as I had thought.

“Told ya,” Chan snickered, and I gave him a playful glare before turning my attention to the approaching teacher: an older gentleman with a head of pepper and salt colored hair and kind eyes.

“Hello,” he said, addressing me first. “I’m Mr. Park.”

“Hi,” I said, accepting his handshake. “These are my daughters: Leah and Rose Bang.”

“Ah!” Mr. Park remarked, glancing down. “I’m excited for our twin students! Please, have a seat wherever you’d like.”

“Go on,” I encouraged them when I caught their matching looks of insecurity. “You have each other,” I added, reaching down to wrap their fingers together, giving them one last smile before Leah bravely led her sister further into the room, selecting an empty table near the back.

“Well, it’s so nice to meet you,” Mr. Park said, and I noticed that he had grown a little too close, gaze lingering for far too long. 

“Yes,” I agreed, “And this is my-”

“I’m Chan,” my husband interrupted, inserting himself between me and Mr. Park with a brusque movement. “The father.”

I rolled my eyes at his tone, watching as Mr. Park hesitated before nodding and shaking Chan’s outstretched hand. “Nice to meet you.”

I smirked, waiting until Mr. Park had moved on before leaning in to Chan. “What was that, dear?”

Chan scoffed, searching the room for a moment. “He was flirting with you, sweetie. What did you expect me to do?”

“Well, it could be from our morning romp, but it kinda turned me on.”

Chan raised a suggestive brow at my comment, but I gave him a cheeky smile in response before walking in the direction of Leah and Rose’s table. “Look at you two,” I remarked. “I think you made a good choice.”

“I like seeing outside,” Leah said, and I nodded and tucked away a wayward strand of hair. 

“You’ll both stay together, right?”

I received synchronous nods in response, and there was a lot of relief on my end knowing that my girls would be just fine. 

“We’ll be here to pick you up at 2:00,” Chan said, pointing to the analog clock above the door. “Okay?”

Two more nods. “Remember to have fun. You’re gonna learn so much, and maybe you’ll even be smarter than daddy.”

I managed to elicit two laughs in response to that, and Chan chuckled as he wrapped an arm around my waist. “Be good, alright?”

“Yes, daddy,” Leah replied diligently while Rose nodded her head, attention drifting to a book sitting at the edge of the table.

I smiled knowing that she was showing interest, and then I realized that there was a deeper part of me that was having just as much trouble leaving the girls as they were having with leaving me and Chan. But the other parents were starting to leave the room, and with one more exchange of our goodbyes, Chan and I were walking away from our girls, keeping our own hands locked together as the door closed behind us.

“Woah,” I sighed once we were outside in the hallway. “That was harder than I expected.”

“It’s a big step,” Chan said, and he wrapped an arm around my waist to pull me closer. “But they’ll be okay because they’re ours.”

“Oh,” I laughed. “Is that so?”

“Of course,” Chan said, giving me a perfectly serious look before a smile overtook his features, and any previous doubts were vanquished by the sincerity in that smile, and I knew that as long as I had Chan, then nothing would ever be too difficult to overcome. 

[myelocin]

here to there | oikawa t.

synopsis: between the question of “what if i go?” and “what if i stay?” oikawa’s answer always is the same.

genre: fluff, domestic fluff | wc: 1200+

characters: oikawa tooru

a/n: this is a commissioned piece by @starlightte <33 girl tenk u sa patience omgjkfgh

commissions | ko-fi 

“You’re a little stressed, and that’s okay,” Oikawa hums, taking the empty seat beside you and leaning close.

You roll your eyes, slumping your shoulders as you lean forward on your elbows. “You say that because you’ve got your whole route planned out.”

“Says who?” he questions.

“Says the sponsorship offer you have waiting for you in Argentina when we get out of here.”

“What if I don’t take it?” he retorts, resting his chin on your shoulder.

For a second, you let yourself sit still and ponder over his words. If you were being honest, the possibility’s always been poking at the back of your head. There’s a different ending waiting to be found, and a different story waiting to be lived between “what if he stays,” and “what if he goes?”

“What if I stay?” he asks you, as his first question, so you sit still and keep your silence, waiting for him to continue.

Oikawa looks at you in the way that says he already knows the thoughts that are running through your head, but still, he doesn’t say anything. The way he quirks his brow isn’t unfamiliar to you, and you smile, realizing that at this point of your relationship, you both really have a way of communicating without words.

Oikawa smiles, and you know he means to say that his thoughts are just a what if. There’s still a one way ticket to Argentina waiting for him after graduation, while there’s an acceptance letter from the university you’ve been pining for in your drawer.

When he presses his cheek against the slope of your shoulder as you sit back on your chair and exhale, you know it means that he’s proud of you.

So you smile, because you are too.

A touch to his hand, from yours is enough to tell him just that. When he leans in, the smell of your perfume is what reminds him that he’s grounded, and home, and that love, is this.

Love, as your name, and the smile you give him that has his heart feeling more than full. “I believe in you, Tooru,” from the way your eyes scrunch into crescents when you smile, while his “I believe in you, Klaire,” is told through cheeky smiles and glimmering eyes.

Brown like hazel in the sun—while every shade of the sunset swirl within them as if the sun sets and rises every day just to be reflected in your eyes.

But it’s “What if I stay?” that he asks you again, and you only squeeze his hand and nod your head once, because you know the message will always be received before it’s even sent.

“If you stay, I’m still here,” he catches, and he knows you mean it.

“What if you stay?” you return the question to him, craning your head to catch a peek of him.

Oikawa huffs his cheeks, but humors you anyway, blinking a couple of times to think about your question.

“If I stay, then I’ll probably be bothering you every three minutes in class.”

“I’m studying Psych, Tooru.”

“I can study that too,” he rebuts.

You smirk, reaching over to pinch his cheek. “Would you be happy?”

He relaxes, shoulders slumping in time right as you shift your position, turning to watch right as he leans back against his seat, closing his eyes. A few beats of silence passes right before he eventually cracks one eye open, peeking at you. “Of course I would,” he mumbles, the lilt in his tone telling you that he means the truth he says.

“I think we’ll always be happy together, Tooru, but would you be happy when you’re alone in your room and writing a paper about Sigmund Freud for sixth time that semester?”

“So you’re saying you’re not gonna help me?”

“I’m saying,” you laugh, “I want to see you at your happiest.”

He’s quick to soften at your words. Saying that you want to see him at his happiest has been your always truth, and Oikawa’s known that much. Goals and hopes about the future was everything that you are, and even if he knows he’s the kind to get side tracked sometimes—because love can be that too—he does so unafraid because he’s always steady with the assurance that you’ll drag him back to his path in less than a day.

“I’m at my happiest when I’m with you, though,” he tells you anyway, just because.

“There’s a different kind of happiness when you’re with someone and when you’re by yourself,” you tell him, folding one arm over the other as you lean forward and focus on the framed photos on your desk.

The first is you with Oikawa. He’s smiling, as you are—the kind that reminds you that the love you’ve shared with him has always been true.

“When I’m with you, I’m at my happiest. I like it when you hold my hand, and remember the kind of ice cream I like even if I barely mention that kinda stuff,” you tell him. “Happiness like that.”

Oikawa smiles.

Your eyes shift to look at the second photograph: a solo portrait of you, after your high school graduation. Diploma in hand, tassel finally in the place where it’s meant to be flipped to, and a smile on your face.

Oikawa’s smiling before you even have time to react, because he knows you’re just as happy in that photo as you are in the one beside him.

“And when you’re with your own company, you’re at your happiest too,” he says, for you. “I know you love your café dates alone sometimes, and your self care routine, because you know you best.”

You smile.

“—and I love you even more, because of that,” Oikawa says, meeting your eyes halfway with a smile.

“It’s the same as when I see you at court,” you smile. “You’re at your happiest then, so when opportunities come like these, I always want you to chase what helps you grow the most.”

“Even when we’re apart?” he grins, already knowing your answer.

“Are we ever really apart?” you counter anyway.

We aren’t, he means to say, but stays quiet instead. The message reaches you, none the less, because it’s not just the sentiment that has you believing in his words, but rather the little roots he’s scattered throughout the different foundations of your life. He’s the first contact on speed dial, and the first face that calls you every morning—even if the sun will be setting in his end of the world.

Tooru’s the face you see when you think of love, as the number two, and the concept of home as something that can be shared outside of what you just have.

The smile he wears is the same, because he knows that in time, it’ll be your toothbrush next to his in the bathroom, and your perfume beside his aftershave in the cabinet. He’ll have to start buying the kind of coffee that you like, and learn exactly how you like yours done, and set another time on his alarm in case you like to wake up earlier.

“And what if I go?” he asks, thinking of the second question that counters the first.

You smile, and hold his hand—squeezing tight.

“We both do our own thing but come home to each other after it anyway,” you exhale, the answer rolling off of your tongue easy.

“Yeah,” Oikawa nods. “Home.”

[quirklessidiot]

Title: coward :: coming clean Pairing: Y/N x Miya Atsumu Genre: angst, romance, and very slow burn [ex to lovers au] Warnings: Cursing, alchohol, mentions of unprotected sex, unplanned pregnancy, and mentions of abortion

Synopsis: You try to push him away from you but he isn’t taking any of it, the much long-awaited confrontation is there but you’re still finding a way out.

notes:

have yall seen the new season?? mY FUCKING HEART MAN NSNDNND it got me so stoked i literally wrote something about kita after that trailer skdjjdm kita is so underrated. I love him.

also, a huge thank you for the 200+ followers. Ma’am i literally only had this tumbler a month ago and im already celebrating a lot of milestones, hence i present you a more angsty chapter! I hope you’ll love it <3

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“You’re on gossip sites.” 

“Tsum-tsum, why are you so close to L/N-san? I thought you hated her.”

“Riku-chan’s calling me-”

“Everyone shut up.” The setter throws the ball on the ground, “It’s not what it fucking looked like.”

“Can we talk, ‘tsumu?” Osamu’s voice resonates the most and Miya Atsumu knows where this is going already by the sound of it.  He was surprised to see his brother come by today but when he sees why, he takes it back.

No wonder.

He follows him to the quieter side of the gym, he notices the tense air between them and he knows what's about to follow. He hopes that Osamu does this quickly, he has to practice well since he needs to impress those brats when the game comes up and try to let them have their eyes on him and not on Tobio and Shoyo.

“What the hell are you thinking?” His brother growls, “You have a fucking girlfriend. Y/N has kids and is very much in love with the dead guy who isn’t yo-”

“Why the fuck are you all getting up my ass when its about Y/N?” he suddenly cuts his brother off, eyes narrowed and jaw clenched, “It's been that way since you met her eight years ago. Just tell me that you didn’t like her from the start. You didn’t like her because she was different.”

“I didn’t like her because she wasn’t good for you.” the grey-haired twin barked back in reply, “In case ya don’t remember, You were a fucking mess after she left, Atsumu. You were almost not able to make it into the jackals because of what she did!”

Osamu wasn’t calling him by his nickname anymore, it seemed that the weight of the situation was too serious for him.

“Well, I’m here now aren’t I?”

“And you’re getting involved with her again. Can’t you give it a fucking rest already?” 

“No.”

“Miya Atsumu.” He glowered, grabbing his brother by the collar of his jersey, “Don’t throw a good woman and your career away for someone like her.”

“I’m not throwing shit, ‘samu.” He hissed, slapping his hand away but before he could walk out, the younger twin grabs him and yanks him back, swinging a fist right at his face. The team members of the black jackals are immediately thrown into panic and chaos with what’s happening. Hinata and Bokuto grabs onto Osamu restraining him from damaging the setter even more while Shion and Meian hold back the blonde setter from throwing a punch, “Stop acting like a fuckin’ brat, ‘tsumu.” The twin yelled while Atsumu flipped him off with a middle finger, clearly showing no signs of restraint. 

Sakusa remains far from them and snorts underneath his breath, completely indifferent,  “Fuckin’ idiots.”

The twins end up at the infirmary right after, Atsumu lets out a heavy sigh as he recalls the feeling of his brothers fist. They’ve never fought this bad since high school and Osamu was never one to be triggered easily.

This just showed how grave the situation was.

A curtain separates them both as they lay on their separate beds, “You’re stupid, ‘tsumu.” Osamu calls out his twin as he lays on the bed of the infirmary, a patch on his forehead and a bandaged hand. Atsumu, on the other hand, has a busted lip and swollen cheek.

“I’m not fucking five, ‘samu and whatever you saw in that picture wasn’t what it looked like.”

“But you still love her very much.” 

Silence ensued between the pair and Osamu breaks it off with a long sigh, “Ya gonna be some scrub that chases after her again or something? Break off with your girlfriend right now who looks and acts better than her-”

“Stop.” Atsumu cuts his brother off, sitting up to open the curtain to face him head on, “so, so what if I still like her? So what if I want to break off with Riku and be with her and try to take that bastards place?”

“Yer outta your mind.”

“It’s my fuckin’ life.”

“It is but I’m not watching you throw yourself away for that woman.” Osamu paused, “Just what the fuck do you see in her? She feels nothing for ya, even when you dated-”

“Now that’s a fucking lie.” Atsumu defended you, eyes glowering right at his twin, “You didn’t see how Y/N would take care of me whenever we were alone. You don’t see how selfless she was most of the time and how she doesn’t expect me to be some character that everyone expects, shit,  you don’t even see how she’d patiently sit down and just listen me babble off about how bad my day was when I didn’t even know she was from a fucking bad family with a bad life back then!”

Atsumu is panting from that long explanation and he’s shaking because why couldn’t they see it? Why couldn’t they see how much you tried back then? How relationships were so out of your comfort zone but you force yourself to try it because he asked you too. He feels sick, he feels sick that they couldn’t see. That they could only see the tip of the iceberg.

“Yet she doesn’t feel the same for you.” Osamu points out,  “Not anymore. So stop clinging onto her with those past memories of yours and move on, ‘tsumu. Fuckin’ suck it up, life isn’t fair.”

“Nope, don’t wanna.”

“ ‘tsumu-”

“I-I’m breaking up with Riku. I want Y/N back in my life, I want her. I-I’ve never wanted anything so badly since volleyball, ‘samu. If I have to wait again, shit, I-I don’t fucking mind.”

Osamu sees the glint of conviction in his eyes and lets out another hefty sigh, god, he feels like he’s aging faster because of his twin, “I know you won’t listen to me.” he settled, he knew that if Atsumu wanted something, he wouldn’t stop until he got it, “Just know that I fucking told you so.”

You’re wary.

After that little stint your mother had pulled, she kept calling you and bothering you. It also didn’t help that you ended up on tabloids because someone had caught wind of that little moment you and Atsumu had. If it weren’t for your kids' over-excitement on Atsumu’s promise, you wouldn’t be here, “...Y/N-san? Are you alright?” Sugawara asks, tilting his head in curiosity as you enter the arena.

Some people seemed to have recognized you and the kids that you had to hold onto them tightly in case anyone did try to approach you.

“I’m good.” 

“Kaasan, kaasan, I saw a super big picture of Hinata-san!” Youta called out, pointing at a rather big banner of the orange-haired blocker.

“I think I saw Kageyama-san buying milk, can I follow him, kaasan?” Yuuto adds, blinking innocently as he looked at one of the stalls.

Sugawara is absolutely in awe by your calmness in this situation, he knows that you’re probably feeling far from alright after all those gossip articles came out. Atsumu, of course, tries to lessen your burden by letting out a public statement that you were his good friend back in college but it didn’t really help since someone tweeted a picture of the both of you back in college with the caption that you were exes.

“Could you do me a favor, Sugawara-san?” you turn to the man, “Do you mind switching seats with me? Stay with the boys in front while I just stay at your seat?”

“Sure but wouldn’t Atsumu be-”

“Please.” You frowned, giving your ticket to him, “I’ll take the kids right after the match.”

The boys looked at you in complete wonderment when you didn’t follow them to the front row. You maintained a good distance as the game started, the players being introduced on the big screen. Your eyes narrow when Atsumu gets out of the dugout and gazes at your kids in confusion then around the crowd as if he was looking for someone.

“Don’t be silly.What feelings would there be but hatred?”

“It’s anything but that, L/N-san.” 

You felt your fists clench as soon as the game started, you wanted to direct your focus to the game but Inunaki’s words kept bothering you and pestering you throughout the whole thing. Why did Atsumu like doing this to himself? Was this some sort of premonition? Were you going to have to tell him?

What if it ended up like your parents?

Would your kids end up like you?

Cold, untrusting, and anxious?

Would you end up like your mother?

A borderline alcoholic, desperate for a man’s love?

Would Atsumu wake up and realize one day that this was all a mistake and call you one too? Blaming you for every single bad thing in his life?

You held your doll tightly on your hands as you held your breath behind the pillar, you had just come home from Daiki’s house as you heard the loud voices of your parents arguing again. For the past years, it seemed to have worsened and you spent more time around your friend’s house rather than this cold and big empty place you called home.

“...are you doing? It's the middle of the day! Stop drinking!” you hear your father bellow.

“What’s it to you? Shouldn’t you be around with that young woman? That whore you proudly call your business associate?” 

You flinch as you hear those harsh words and the sound of a bottle breaking, it seemed like the argument was particularly bad today. You shakily make your way up to your room, wanting to avoid this ordeal and skip dinner but fate wasn’t on your side today. 

Despite your light footsteps, they seem to have noticed your presence.

Your father’s eyes soften just a bit while your mother’s remain cold. As much as possible, you grew up wanting to avoid those scary and expressionless eyes. At the young age of five, you feared your mother and loathed your father at the same time but that didn’t stop the fleeting feeling of wanting them to change. Wanting to feel the warmth and youth that every child craved for.

You suck in a deep breath, “I-I’m home, okaasan, otosan.”

“You’re always out these days, Y/N.” her voice is cold, far from the warmth that a mother should have.

“I-I was out with Daiki.”

“With that boy again?” a frown immediately paints her features, a small tsk under her breath to signal how disappointed she was of you yet again, “Aren’t you supposed to be studying? You said you wanted to skip a grade this year.”

“I-I am.” you replied, “B-but Daiki-”

“All you need to do is study and get good grades, Y/N.” she cuts you off, walking close to you, the smell of alcohol growing stronger, “Is that something too hard to do? Are you being ungrateful now?”

You turn to your father for help but he remains unmoved, was he really going to watch your mother do this to you? You hold onto your doll tightly, trying to control yourself. You shouldn’t cry, especially not in front of them. 

“N-No, okaasan…”

“Then why are you crying, Y/N?”

Your eyes widen as you feel the wet substance flowing down. No, no-

“Answer me.” she repeats, you feel the tears flowing down faster, “Why are you crying, Y/N? Are you feeling ungrateful? Is that how it is-”

“(M/N) That’s enough!” Your father finally says but your mother continues to ignore your father.

“Don’t you think we should tell her that she shouldn’t feel sad?” she expressed, telling your father as if you weren’t standing there, “After all, we didn’t have her aborted, she should be grateful we let her live well with three meals a day and expensive clothes and belongings. Even if she was a mistake.”

You're shaking so hard at the moment, you didn’t like where this was going at all. Your father can’t respond to your mother’s blank tone, did he agree too? Were you, were you really just a mistake? Countless questions flooded your head as she walked close to you, her cold presence looming over you even more so today. With the same blank and expressionless tone, she says, "if you probably hadn't been born, we would've been happier. We'd have better lives, Y/N. So don't go around and cry and think you got it bad, you hear me? Your sadness is nothing compared to ours. It's nothing, Y/N. So stop being ungrateful."

You watch as the game comes to an end. You had zone out for the most part, the fleeting memory of your past and your anxiety bubbling up couldn’t keep you still. You texted Sugawara that you’d meet him and the boys at the front.

You were about to leave your seat when you saw the blonde approach the kids after the game, ruffling their hairs and pinching their cheeks with a huge smile. Why couldn’t you be as open as Atsumu? Why couldn’t you express yourself well? 

You shut your eyes tight and turn to the exit, right, you were a coward. You didn’t face things like this head-on, you ran from them because in all your life, the only thing you knew was fear from people you expected love from.

“Y/N…” 

You turn to find Atsumu standing there, still in his jersey and a towel hung on his shoulder like he had just ran out to chase you. Where was Sugawara and the kids? Why weren’t they here yet? What is he even doing here? You grab his wrist and immediately pull him towards a private area.

“Are you out of your mind? What are you doing? You have a girlfrie-”

“We broke up.” he cuts you off.

“W-what?” 

“We broke up.” He repeats, “I couldn’t stay with her anymore, Y/N.”

You clenched your fists, what was he even thinking? Wouldn’t the rumors worsen if he broke up with her now?

“I-I can’t let you go again.” Atsumu confessed, throwing all his pride out the window again for you because damn it all, you are worth it,  “I can’t keep pretending that I’ve moved on when I’m clearly hung up on you.”

“What are you doing?” You spat, anger slowly creeping in, all the pent up emotion towards him being released, “Why would you do that?”

Atsumu notices the change of emotion, you’re getting angry. It’s a complete contrast to what he was expecting, he’d expect the calm and cool exterior, even expected you to cooly reject him like the past but this, this was new, “Why can’t I?”

“Are you out of your mind?” You exclaimed, “I left you! I have kids from another man-”

“So?” He asks, walking closer to you. The familiar smell of perfume and sweat invaded your senses, something you were accustomed to when you were dating him back then. He traps you between the wall and him. You can see the busted lip, what happened to him? Did he got into a fight? You feel like your mind was turning blank by the sudden events. You want to say something, anything but he’s rendering you speechless again, “What if I tell you I don’t care? What if I tell you that I still feel the same even after all this time?”

“Y-You're insane...I-I’m in love with someone else-” you tried to lie but you remember this is Miya Atsumu, he doesn’t give two shits and was willing to work as hard as he could to get what he wanted.

“Y/N, your kids told me that the bastard left. Why didn’t you tell me?” he cuts you off, this time, his voice seemed disappointed and angry yet you didn't know if it was towards you.

“W-what would you have done then?”

“If you’d come back to me then,” he paused, voice turning soft, “I would’ve helped you. I would’ve been there to stand in as a father if you even needed one.”

You’re trembling at his confession, were those words really from the heart? 

“Y/N, I don’t know what happened between you and that guy.” he laughs, he didn’t expect it to be like this, that even after six years he’d still be pinning over the same woman who repeatedly broke his heart, “I don’t know what happened between you and your fucked-up family. All I do know is that I’m still in love with you and I’m willing to wait here until you’re ready. I won’t ever leave, Y/N. I-I don’t think I ever will.”

“You’re crazy.” You shakily point out, you’re in a fit of rage. You’re angry at him, you’re angry that he still lowers himself to you when he could do so much better, you’re angry that he still feels the same after all the shit you put him through, most of all, you’re angry at yourself because you couldn’t own up and tell him about everything.

Atsumu slowly holds up his hands, wanting to cup your cheeks but it is immediately swatted away. He notices that you’re trembling now, your facade, slowly crumbling.

“What made you think that I’d come back to you?” Your voice was trying to maintain it’s cold and emptiness tone yet your eyes showed the complete opposite, “Please be selfish for once, Miya-san. Just because you give your all to me, does not mean I’ll return it. I hope I really don’t see you again.”

taglist [taglists are sadly closed now, thanks guys <3]

@fortheloveofiwaizumi ;  @svtbitch  ; @kiyoomile ; @lovedanii ; @juno-multifandom ; @gyubit17 ; @saeranoppa ; @nixxona ; @kyomihann @shorttstackk ; @intoomuchfandoms ; @yammmers ; @mx-minxx @itsmattsunshinehere ; @missingmystogan ; @volleybloop ; @imcravingyou ; @yams-wants-that-booty ; @liathachcapricious ; @pinknugget @seikamuzu ; @marigoldthoughts ; @sillykittt ; @baejinoffcl ; @alluring-akaashi ; @bnhasstuff  ; @intheawks ; @bokuakadaily ; @agaassi ; @yams046  ; @dope-squish ; @chrisrue15 ; @vermillionwaves ; @demursv1ogs ; @just-snog-already ; @angmarwitch ; @angmarwitch ; @simpingonothers ; @woo-youngs ; @cowward​ ; @chaelysian ; @sempiternal-amour ; @jungshookmeup ; @jovialnoise ; @karlitabi-rrito ; @iwaizluv ; @sugarandsoft​ ; @tspice283​ ; @ohshirabu​

@misosamu  @Etherynaw  @ryaaaax @differentballooncollection @keniloveshaikyuu @allysasteaparty   @syzygymai [hi, i can’t seem to tag u guys, i think you need to open your tags uwu]

[tundrainafrica]

Title: Lovebug (9/12)

Summary:  

“It might be a bug.”

“A bug?”

“Sometimes the developers of this application make mistakes. This is our first time meeting I’m sure so…Isn’t it a bit weird that we just met for the first time and it rings like this? And for two strangers to coincidentally ring each other’s alarms?“

Levi is the developer of the Love Alarm App and Hange is married to Zeke.

Link to cross-postings: AO3

Other Chapters: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9

Notes: Sorry for taking my sweet time posting this. We had no wifi for a while, transpo issue and I was dead asleep as soon as I got home two nights in a row lmfao. 

Anyway, feedback is very much appreciated :D

Levi might have felt a little guilty about letting loose just that evening but his conservative mind was finding all the ways to justify it.

Maybe the justifications held some weight. After all, taking the midnight train out of the city wasn’t the strangest thing to do. Hange and Levi weren’t the only ones at the ticket gate then they weren’t the only ones waiting on the platform. On the train, Levi could count the number of empty seats more easily than the occupied ones.

He started to relax as soon as he settled on one of the seats. He convinced himself that in the end, he had been overreacting. There was nothing at all odd with rushing to her home then to his, packing two overnight bags and buying two last minute tickets to the northernmost station of their country.

To Pemberley. Levi didn’t have the time to load the book into his reader again. He instead downloaded the pdf file to his phone.

He had willed himself to make sense of the black on the bright white screen before deciding, it was too late at night to read. Instead he propped his elbows on the windowsill and leaned his chin on his hand. He snuck a glance at Hange who sat in front of him, leaning on the window in that same way.

A long day behind them, they were both exhausted. On the bright side, if Levi closed his eyes and let the train rock to whatever rhythm it was most comfortable with, he was sure that in a split second, they would have arrived at their destination.

Sleep could have lasted less than a second. Next thing Levi knew, he was fighting to open his eyes. The sun rose without warning, the only thing between them just an empty glass that did nothing to protect him from the first rays of morning.

Levi quickly adjusted his view, making sure he wasn’t directly staring at the sky like a while ago. He craned his head back, instead focusing on the rolling hills and the countryside.

It wasn’t the British countryside in the book. It didn’t seem at all like a Pemberley or a Rosings Park or Longbourn. Still, he delved into the passing green and foraged for whatever similarities his sleep muddled mind could come up with.

One thing Levi dared to note, despite his limited experience traveling, the view from an interregional highway, or an interregional train, the rolling hills that passed by, the clusters of trees that varied in density and the plains that dotted the view were all the same regardless of location. Despite the variety nature could offer, nature still had unifying characteristics. While at the same time, nature was distinct from everything non-nature.

And when it wasn’t unwillingly tamed, paved over, forced to coexist with concrete, buildings and humans, it was a sight to behold.

It was enough to take his breath away, enough to make him almost regretful that the train was moving too fast for him to stare for just a second longer at a changing landscape or canopies that blurred amongst one another.

Eventually, regret at not appreciating nature had him exhausted. He turned in front of him to see Hange’s eyes were fixed at whatever passing objects caught her eye outside the window. Her head bobbed, her eyes darted from left to right and her mouth was half open and she didn’t seem at all in a hurry to close them.

“I’m sure this isn’t your first time seeing this much nature,” Levi said, a humble start to light conversation.

Hange seemed comfortable going along with it. “It isn’t. We had the country club,” she said. There was a nonchalant look on her face as if she saw the ‘country club’ as more of a consolation.

Levi couldn’t help but agree. Golf courses were all green, the mini forests that lined the paths from the golf courses, to the beaches to the summer houses were all nature. Yet they were of a type of nature, trained not to bite any unsuspecting visitors.

When Levi leaned back on his chair, turning his head out of the window, he appreciated the raw green for a second longer. Then he concluded, there was novelty in seeing nature at its most candid form.

Hange spoke up. “You know, I haven’t been able to leave the city since we left the country club. And not traveling in months... This feels new.”

“But you’ve travelled before,” Levi responded.

“Of course I have,” Hange said. “Zeke would always take me out to the best gardens, the best parks, the best hiking trails… He knows I like nature.”

“So he took you to ‘Pemberley?’ Then to ‘Rosing Park then Longborn?” Most were likely fictional places but at that point, Hange may have had her own idea of what fictional was.

“No, not to my Pemberley,” Hange said, like it was the most unimportant thing in the world. “Never.”

“So this was supposed to be your first time going together?” Levi asked. He noted that they never did get to sit down and map the route to Hange’s dream destinations. Hell, he didn’t even know where they were.

He opened his phone, then the map of the northernmost region.

The capital of the northern region had city buses, a small subway system, nothing like what they had back home. Levi traced the blue and the green, pondering for himself which had the most rolling hills, the most ‘gardens.’ Obviously, over a very zoomed out map and a few hundred mile radius, it would be difficult to tell so he consulted Hange. “We could take an unlimited bus ticket… or a two day all you can ride train---”

“No. We rent a car,” Hange said.

“Wait, but if we don’t know the land--.” There were too many excuses he could have brought up. The excuse he was most hesitant to even fathom seemed most pressing then. Levi didn’t know how to drive.

Hange probably saw through it. “I’ll drive.” The cheeky grin on her face was enough of a hint, she was more than ready for adventure.

Levi closed the maps application and pocketed his phone. “So I’m assuming you’ll be doing the navigation.”

Hange only nodded, her smug smile getting wider by the second.

***

Hange surprisingly knew how to navigate the complexities of building an itinerary. What the hell she was doing, how the hell she was doing it and what the hell her plan was, Levi couldn’t be too sure.

Thirty minutes into arriving at the regional train station, they had rented a car and secured a pocket wifi. Thirty five minutes into it, Hange was pulling out of the station in a rented sedan.

The train station was situated in the middle of the city and in the car, Levi had to subdue the panic which came with going out of the city then seeing the scenery slowly shift from five story buildings to two story houses then finally to the peaceful green offered by the city outskirts. He wondered why they had even taken a train station to town if they were going back into countryside landscapes anyway.

“Do you know where we’re going?” Levi asked. Levi knew that Hange had been there once before. Just the idea that someone could actually easily navigate expressways and exits without a phone on the dock and a guide seemed almost unnerving.

“Ish,” Hange said, her eyes fixed straight ahead.

“We have wifi, we could use a maps application to navigate?” Levi never drove, he wouldn’t know but, it couldn’t hurt to be just a little more careful.

“Maybe later. I’ve been here more than enough times,” Hange said. They rode in silence for a minute or so more before she turned to him. “We’re gonna be on the road for a while and driving on the freeway gets boring.”

Levi glanced up at her questioningly.

Hange caught his eye “Tell me a story.”

“About what?”

“How was your date with Petra?” The question came out of nowhere and Hange had said it too casually and too abruptly and that had Levi choking on his own saliva.

He recovered quickly, clearing his throat. “Excuse me?”

“Your date with Petra? Didn’t you tell me you would be going on one?”

“I did,” Levi admitted. “Because you asked me to,” he added, a second later.

“I suggested it.” Hange clarified. “And how did it feel?”

“Good.” His response was automatic.

One hand on the steering wheel, Hange pulled her phone from her lap, unlocked it and turned on her modified emotions alarm. “Turn yours on.”

Levi only saw one reason why she’d do all that. “Why? You don’t trust me?”

“Well, you went through all the trouble of making the gift right? Let’s make use of it.”

Levi could have fought. He only needed five seconds to see reason in her order. Besides, if she turned hers on, it would turn out to be a fair trade. He turned on his phone scrolled through the home screens and opened the application.

“So how did it feel?” Hange asked. She set her phone on the stand and hovered one finger over the activate button.

“It felt good,” Levi willed himself to say it with the same conviction as a second ago, firm and straightforward but just a little shaky underneath.

Still too shaky to deceive his own application. A yellow spot just under the words ‘happy’ would have been nice. After all, ‘good’ was a word that generally implied that something was good, something made me happy. The alarm flashed with green and Levi had half the mind to fling his phone over the backseat of the car.

“Happy sad? Or sad happy?” Hange asked, there was a laugh in her voice.

Was she mocking me? It felt like a much better argument to quote her, mock her maybe. He glared at her. You told me love is a choice right? By some allusion, Levi attempted to put it all together. “I’m making the choice to say it was a good and productive date. We tried to pick out a good present for you.”

“And in the end, you decided to make an application,” Hange said. “Did Petra suggest anything?”

“Tea, a wallet, a pencil case…”

“I would have enjoyed those,” Hange said.

“It didn’t seem like that to me,” Levi admitted. He studied her features as he spoke.

Hange’s face was unchanging, her eyes still looking straight ahead. Levi was almost amazed she managed to keep some of her focus in conversation. Hange turned the car, swerving towards one exit.

Levi winced at the white that flashed in front of him for a split second. “How do you feel?” He asked.

“About what?”

“About the date?” He answered. Levi gave Hange a good once over, ending with her hand on the clutch. Her hand wasn’t shaking, but she held it like she was going to pull it out of its place any second now.

Hange paused. She had hovered her hand over the alarm but she never did activate it.

Levi subtly turned towards the phone then back at her. “Happy?” At that point, maybe a mischievous side of him had taken over. He wanted to provoke her.

Hange poked the active button on her phone, much harder than necessary, hard enough for Levi to wonder if it had reduced the phone’s lifespan by even just a year or so.

Her phone flashed once again with a purple dot.

Levi noticed her eyes widen for a second then a flash of pink flowered on her cheeks before she looked away. “Angry sad or sad angry?” He asked, deliberately mimicking Hange’s old tone of a while ago. It came out more of a growl than whatever naturally sing songy voice Hange managed everyday. Either way it had been a satisfying set of motions.

“Angry sad… Or maybe sad angry?” Hange murmured. Then she hummed for a second longer, the car slowed down with it and she turned back to him. “I feel...purple,” she said.

Purple isn’t a feeling. Levi glanced accusingly at her. Hange though wasn’t looking back at him. If she saw anything through her peripherals, she didn’t make it obvious.

With her own series of gestures, Hange had given one message. She didn’t want to be bothered.

Yet, she had asked him about Petra for a reason.

Levi couldn’t tell how much he saw was a trick of the light or a clear hint. Hange’s jaw had tightened, her eyes narrowed ahead. She didn’t talk much after the word ‘purple’ that softened to a whisper mid word.

For the first time, she wasn’t being completely transparent

Levi then felt less obligated to open up. “If you’re feeling purple, then I’m feeling green,” he said.

They didn’t talk for a while after that.

The car exited the main road to a road half its size. Although the car always rattled, it was particularly more obvious then and as Levi looked out the window and back at her, he realized that maybe it was because she was slowing down.

Slowing down, or maybe vacillating the best course of action.

“You okay?” he asked.

“I’m fine. Just trying to remember the way around here,” Hange said. She looked behind her, then forward again.

“What are we doing here?”

“I’m gonna use this birthday weekend of mine to take a trip down memory lane, reflect on stuff.”

“If that’s how you want to celebrate your birthday…” Levi checked his phone once more before pocketing it.

“Thanks for coming with me,” Hange said, her tone more serious. “Going on these types of treks, they really help. More than you probably think they do.”

Levi could at least try to understand it, if he just focused on how far apart the houses were, the notable manicured green of his surroundings and every single tree, flower, root and bush that just seemed to have a place. All acting prim and proper as if they were doing the gardens a favor.

There must be some appeal at least. “It’s quiet,” Levi noted as the car slowed to a stop to the side of the road.

“Most of the houses here aren’t occupied,” Hange answered. “Who actually wants to live in the middle of nowhere all year round.”

Levi turned around once, scanning his surroundings for a second longer. The houses were too far apart, he counted five just by doing a 360 but he knew if he squinted and took in the other shapes far past the downhill slope he could count more. “From the looks of the houses here, rich people,” Levi said.

“During the summer maybe or during the winter vacation. Every other time of the year most people will stay out in the city so they’re nearer to work,” Hange said. “Zeke owns this house.” She didn't have to point far, Hange only had to casually brush her thumb over to her side for Levi to follow her gaze.

Of course Zeke would own one. When Levi looked behind him again, then looked to the far left and the far right, he had to admit Zeke had one of the grandest ones, a wide two story mansion situated at the top of a hill.

“This is my Rosings Park,” Hange said. She walked towards the small pedestrian gate, pulled a key from her pocket and with a quick flick of movements--- as if she had done it so many times before--- she unlocked then pushed the metal gate open with a creak.

The view behind the black bars was only more beautiful. They climbed the hill and slowly but surely, Levi was getting a much better view of the house on top. He noted that the house gleamed with a type of beauty that could take one’s breath away. He had been a little self conscious though and he found himself willing his mouth shut, letting his breaths come out with a more rehearsed rhythm.

“Did you ever continue the book?” Hange asked, her eyes fixed ahead.

It was easy to tell which book she had been talking about. “Since you spoiled me? No,” he admitted.

“Then I don’t think you’ve read far enough into the book if you still think Elizabeth ended up with Mr. Wickham,” Hange said. “You probably won’t appreciate Rosings park then.”

“You still remember…” Levi could have sworn it had been months since he told her about the book.

“The book means a lot to me,” Hange said. Her words were a bit more careful that time, but she was starting to climb the hill, a little faster as if whatever scenes were running through her head then had injected in her, enough energy for adventure.

Levi brushed away a rush of guilt and he followed behind her. “Go spoil,” he said. I’m sorry about being angry. He didn’t say those last two words, awe, exhaustion or maybe a combination of both had him opting to stay quiet. Maybe he chose to reflect and as he followed behind, he started to wonder why he had been angry about her spoiling in the first place.

Hange seemed surprisingly eager to spoil him. The first words out of her mouth came out unimpeded. “Rosings Park is where Mr. Darcy first proposed to Elizabeth.”

First proposed. “So she rejected him?” Levi asked.

Hange turned back to him and nodded, a strange smile on her face. “And why do you think Elizabeth would reject Mr. Darcy?”

“He was an asshole right?”

“According to Elizabeth that is…” Hange looked at him expectantly but Levi for the life of him couldn’t tell what she wanted. She didn’t give him time to answer. She ran straight ahead towards the side of the house.

Levi was left with no choice but to follow. After all, the grounds were much larger than Levi had expected. From his view at the bottom of the hill, the house had seemed small, only composed of the front porch. As Hange went behind the house, disappearing in the corner, Levi started to suspect that the summer house was larger.

Consequently, Levi was occupying himself over the wealth of Zeke.

Again. The view didn’t do anything to help. The corner opened up to manicured gardens, clean cut hedges and flowers that could have been arranged by some invisible hand. Or maybe they were arranged artificially. It probably wasn’t beyond Zeke and his money to find ways to grow flowers so they were evenly spaced, further accentuating the fiery orange and bright red on the simple green.

Hange followed the stone path that lined the large house, slowly balancing on the pebbled line that cut between the cobbled stone path like it was a tightrope. She had the balance, maybe the eagerness to look straight ahead, and Levi couldn't really follow her gaze or be certain of where she was staring.

She didn’t look particularly entranced at anything as if she had seen it so many times before.

“This is one of Jaeger summer houses,” Hange said. She stopped by the fork of the path, one side circled the house, the other went straight into the garden. “He has others all over the country, others abroad. Too many to count and I don’t even think I’ve been to all of them.”

“Okay.” Levi had felt pressured to say something. As the awkward silence dragged on, Levi realized that might have not been the best thing to say.

What else was there to say though?

Wow the garden is so nice. It seemed like an appropriate thing to say but it didn’t feel like something he would have liked to admit to Hange.

Wow your husband is so rich. What else would that do but reiterate what Levi already knew?

Wow, I wish I was your husband. That last one felt like a mind fart. Something that had seemed natural to think but as Levi pondered it for a second longer, he realized just thinking that exact phrase seemed all the more inappropriate.

“Does it seem artificial?” Hange asked.

“Yes, it does.” That answer came out easier definitely, especially when it wasn’t a begrudging compliment. Especially when in the back of his mind, he could remind himself, those weren’t his words, those were Hange’s.

Hange continued to indulge him. “Gaudy?”

“Very tacky, incredibly tacky.” Maybe those words had seemed more for him than for anyone else. A hint of guilt settled at his chest but then he remembered, the Jaeger family had more than enough money. He could spare a few unkind words. He looked at Hange, trying his best, to keep his eyes away from the garden in front of him, before he started to doubt the reliability of his own words.

Despite the ‘gaudiness,’ Hange walked ahead, following the stony path and Levi followed behind. Beyond the shiny manicured hedges were benches, a gazebo and Hange sat one of the ones closest to the top, just before the steep incline fell. It was a good vantage point for a comprehensive view of the garden.

At the highest point, the green expanded in all directions. He could pick out how the sun kissed the lawn, the trees and how they shone with something seemingly unnatural. The more Levi stared, the more easily it became to pick out what gaudiness Hange had been talking about.

With his eyes looking out for the right glimmers, he soon figured for himself, they shone like plastic. It soon became apparent to Levi, there was something artificial and tacky about manicured lawns, well trimmed hedges and carefully positioned flowers. The guilt assuaged and Levi felt all the more confident to look back at Hange. “Why do you like it here then?”

“It’s still Rosings park to me,” Hange said matter-of-factly.

“And what’s so special about Mr. Darcy’s first proposal?”

“Read the book,” Hange said as if that were the easiest thing to do then.

The book was loaded into his phone. It was just a few clicks away, reading was an entirely different process and Levi found it tempting to overlook that order---or that friendly suggestion altogether.

“Just spoil me. You spoiled me already before,” Levi said.

“Mr. Darcy first proposed here.”

You said that already. “And? What’s so special about that?”

Hange didn't reply to him immediately. For a long few seconds, she stared at nothing in particular then turned to him, a defiant look on her face. “You know, you remind me of Mister Darcy.” A backhanded insult maybe, enough to have Levi looking away as blood rushed to his face.

Anger, it was definitely anger. “How do I remind you of Mister Darcy?” Levi challenged.

“Read---”

“Don’t.” Levi looked away.. “Tell me to read the book.”

“And there you are again.” Hange waved one hand at him, as if making a point.

A point Levi could only grip weakly. “You think I’m an asshole?” One realization dawned on him, maybe he had been pressing a little too much at her points.

“Not an asshole. A well intentioned man with a very abrasive manner of speaking.”

“Abrasive?” Levi asked. When he realized he put a little too much lip into the ‘br’ and too much throat into that last last syllable that Hange might have just been right, but only just. “What makes you think I’m abrasive?” He added, a second later, just making his manner of saying the word ‘abrasive,’ softer and tamer.

Hange looked pointedly at him. She stood up, right in front of the gazebo. And she stood there for a second longer, as if she expected him to follow.

It was awkward to sit alone on a bench, in a garden he wasn’t familiar with, especially when the partner of the owner was standing seemingly uncomfortable by the gazebo. He stood up and walked towards her.

“Was I at least tolerable?” Hange asked with a very distinct tone, a hint of a mock accent in her voice.

Tolerable, but not handsome enough to tempt me. For some reason, those words had stuck with him. “Why the hell are you citing the book?”

“Oh, so you noticed. I wanna play a bit,” Hange said.

“Play what?”

“Just play a bit with the man who reminds me so much of Mister Darcy,” Hange said. The insult still poked at Levi at his most irritable and he was tempted to walk away.

Hange put one hand out and the most natural movement was to look back. “What do you want?” Levi asked. Two parts of him were grappling for control, one with the intention to walk away and one tempted to take her hand. “Why are you putting your hand out?”

She’s married. She’s married. She’s married.

“May I have this dance?” Hange asked.

No, you cannot dance with a married person. People go to balls because they’re single. His conscience wasn’t screaming but it had grumbled it with utmost authority.

Holding hands was off limits. Holding hands with a married person in one of the summer houses of her billionaire husband was very much off limits. What the hell was Hange thinking? His head started to spin, there was a hitch of breath and Levi didn’t even think confusion could have sent a prickle in his eyes.

The hand quickly disappeared from in front of him. Levi looked up to see Hange had pulled that hand back and it fell to her side. Still, Hange was moving it, as if it was still very much fair game. “See, you’re a softie at heart,” she said.

“What are you trying to prove?” Levi asked.

“That you’re like Mr. Darcy?” Hange was getting more and more smug. “Mr. Darcy didn’t wanna dance either.”

“We’re not in a ball,” Levi said, blood rushing to his cheeks. Suddenly everything seemed like an insult. Darcy was an asshole yet a big softie. Two descriptions on two different ends of the spectrum. Levi started to reflect. Which description was more insulting?

Hange leaned back on the gazebo. ”Let me enjoy this, I met a guy who reminds me of mister Darcy. Then when we first met, I thought you hated me, if not hated me, I thought you just hated the world,” she said.

"How can you assume that from our first meeting?" Levi asked.

Hange sighed. "You sat too far away from me, you acted like my being there was an inconvenience and you weren't too happy to be answering all my questions."

"I was being professional."

"I have met sales people nicer than that."

Levi wasn’t a salesman. That much, he could admit. "And just because I was a little abrasive, you'll assume I hate you?"

"What can I say, that's my prejudice," Hange said. She didn't look like she would have bothered to hear much about his explanation.

"And what are you going to say now? My own abrasiveness is pride?" Levi challenged. Really, he was in no mood for a challenge then, a challenge he didn’t himself understand. He sighed and turned back to the bench. From the mischievous glint in Hange’s eyes, it was obvious there were way more things he still didn’t understand. “Give me time to finish the book,” he said.

He stretched his legs out, unlocked his phone and opened the ebook file.

He didn't remember the last words where he stopped but he did remember one particular passage that seemed a little bolder, the ink darker particularly on the bright white of his phone screen.

You could not make me happy, and I am convinced that I am the last woman in the world who could make you so.

Then comprehension came quickly after that. Levi scanned through the next page, until reaching a point where he knew there was new information.

Back to that asshole Darcy. At that point, Levi was in less of a mood to reflect. Hange had called him Darcy, he still considered that one character to be a total asshole and he found himself torn between denying and accepting his sad fate.

Hange continued to move, a flicker at his peripherals. He felt it clearly, she sat beside him again. He heard the click as she unlocked her phone. Then the all too familiar sound as the love alarm activated. Love alarm or Emotion alarm?

Levi cursed himself for reusing that damn sound. He glanced quickly, just to search for some flash in the color. He couldn't really tell the contents of her phone from his angle. And when he had gathered up the courage to look, Hange had already pocketed it.

“Peaceful isn’t it?” Hange started.

“How do you feel today?” Levi asked. He kept his voice disconnected, not looking at all at Hange.

“Happy,” she said.

Levi had turned on his own application almost surreptitiously, making the conscious effort to silence it just a second ago.

The alarm flashed before him again. A very familiar yellow, with the words happy on top.

“Good for you then,” Levi finally responded.

He made another conscious effort, a quick sanity check, just to make sure the smile wasn’t apparent in his tone.

The house wasn't empty.

As Levi soon found out as they made their way back out to the gate, there were housekeepers, gardeners. And they seemed fond of Hange, fond enough to even remember her birthday. Some had even been friendly enough to ask who the man with her was.

Friendly. Or suspicious. For a while longer, Levi was self conscious.

But there was nothing to hide. He and Hange after all had just gotten friendly over the months.

“This is Levi, he’s a developer helping me work on my PhD,” Hange explained it like it was just the truth.. “And I thought I’d show him around the estate. If you don’t mind…” And it was the stone cold truth and as she spoke, Levi couldn’t help but be fascinated at how feelings of sadness, guilt and relief mixed so easily together inside him.

The housekeeper shook her head. “No, we don’t mind at all. Do you two need lodging? We could prepare---”

Hange put her hands up in front of her. “No, that would be too much. We’re only here for the night and I think I wanna go further up north.”

“Just like last time?” Worry flashed across the housekeeper’s face for just a second. “You know it gets dangerous nearer to the mountains…”

“We’ll only be there for a while, just long enough to see it again. And we’ll be careful about it.” Hange looked like she was saying too much. But she always talked so it shouldn’t have been such an odd thing to think. Maybe because Hange spoke with a little more tension, her words came out of her much faster, sometimes stilted and Levi found himself staring, then avoided her gaze as he realized he couldn’t even control what he was feeling.

The quick exchange eventually ended and he was following Hange out of the house. Her strides were much harder to keep up with.

“Sorry about that,” Hange said. “I get nervous when I visit the Jaeger estate alone.”

“You’re married to Zeke, you have every right to be there.”

“I married Zeke, not his money. I don’t wanna play the partner that just suddenly enjoys all the richest and powers of my husband. That’s why I didn’t even take his name. I’m not a gold digger. I’m not a Jaeger, we just so happened to get married.” She got into the car and closed the door with a louder slam than usual.” I’d feel much better staying over if Zeke was with me.”

“You didn’t have to take me here either if you were uncomfortable.”

“I wanted to show you my Rosing Park,” Hange said. She placed her hand on the clutch and started the car. “And next, we go to ‘Pemberley.’ It’s a few hours away from here so buckle up.”

The car pulled out from the driveway and soon they were out on the road again.

A few minutes of silence later, Levi started to get a little restless. “This book really means a lot to you huh?” He asked.

Hange nodded then she was quiet for a while longer and Levi thought it proper to just let her navigate her way through. The car continued to whirr and if Levi looked closely, he even noticed his body was shaking with it. If he read for a while longer, he could end up with his head spinning and his eyes crossing. He increased the font size and willed himself to read again.

“You know,” Hange’s voice was ringing in the silence and it pulled him out of his semi concentrated state.

Levi looked up at her, and just behind her, he saw they arrived back in the free way.

Hange continued. “One thing about Pride and Prejudice, the author doesn’t spend too much time talking about how the landscapes look like. The appearance of the houses and gardens are up for interpretation.”

Levi recalled, Hange was a very inquisitive person. Enough to hyperfixate on landscape? He was doubting. “Then why did you imagine Zeke’s manor as Rosings?” He asked.

Hange shrugged. “If you read the book, you’d see, it was the home of Lady Catherine, an incredibly tacky place and if you remember the gardens behind the house, they’re very green but they seem…. Artificial? Rehearsed?” She gave a pained look.

“Then why do you care enough to look at them if you hate the gardens that much?”

Hange shook her head. “I don’t hate them but the novel, it made me reflect on a lot of things and sometimes, when I allow myself to look at the landscapes, I’m able to think about what happened in the book, and about love and---”

“So Mr. Darcy proposed to Elizabeth,” Levi interrupted. “Then what happened?”

“She turned him down,” Hange said.

“Why?”

“To put it simply, because she thought Darcy was an asshole.”

“It’s only natural that people wouldn’t want to marry an asshole right?” Levi asked. “Books should be teaching those types of things.”

Hange spared him a long glare. “Well, here’s the thing. Mr. Darcy isn’t an asshole. He’s misunderstood.”

“And what do romance novels do but romanticize every single ‘misunderstood’ man.”

Hange hummed and stared back again at the front. The car continued to move at a steady pace. A long pause followed. Then she spoke up again. “What if I told you Pride and Prejudice is not really a romance?”

“When it follows a couple and the development of a relationship, I think it counts.”

Hange patted the steering wheel. “Well sure, the novel tackles love and marriage but the approach is… cold, calculating. If you notice, they spend more time discussing money, properties, duty. It takes into account money, status, upbringing… so it seems more like a social commentary to me. ”

You could not make me happy, and I am convinced that I am the last woman in the world who could make you so.

“Then how did this book shape your idea of love?” Levi asked.

Hange put her finger to her chin. She had a far off look. “I like the idea of approaching love as something to calculate and to think about. Like Elizabeth and Darcy, they explored it, they thought long and hard about it..”

“Oh?” Levi asked, one eyebrow raised. “Is this where your ‘love is a choice’ schtick comes from?”

Hange bit her lip. “Not just that definitely. There’s a lot to learn about being hasty, about having to think long and deep about love and marriage. They didn’t fall in love at first, they were prideful. They had their prejudices but they made it work… And I thought to myself, maybe these are what love and marriage are? Maybe they're calculating like a science, maybe we should consider everything from reputation, money, family and convenience when we deal with something like love and marriage and it’s okay to approach life that way.”

For some reason, that tirade only made Levi heavier and heavier the more he continued. "The main character… she turned down Mr. Collins proposal and that was because she didn't love him right? Emotions play a part too," Levi said.

"I'm not denying it," Hange said. "But ask yourself, how much of a part are emotions supposed to play?"

That question, Levi couldn't answer. Somehow, that should have been something someone a little more experienced like Hange should have answered for him. Instead, she kept quiet, her eyes looking straight ahead, but she blinked a little faster the next few times as if she was struggling with something he couldn't see.

It could have been uncharacteristic. It was an odd set of emotions to play with but Levi was suddenly more and more compelled to break the silence himself. With nothing much else to say, he let his emotions speak for him. "If I were a little cold before, I didn't mean that."

"No offense taken," Hange grinned at him knowingly. "You seem tense." She was studying him for that glimmer of a second before she started to fiddle with her phone with her free hand. "I have the audiobook for Pride and Prejudice. You wanna listen?"

***

"They gradually ascended for half a mile, and then found themselves at the top of a considerable eminence, where the wood ceased, and the eye was instantly caught by Pemberley House, situated on the opposite side of a valley, into which the road with some abruptness wound.

"This is supposed to be my Pemberley," Hange said. She had been hyping it up since a while ago that it seemed almost anticlimactic then. With the tone Hange was giving, he was sure she had been a little disappointed too. "Believe me, it looks nicer on good days," she added.

It had been a good day until a while ago. He could have sworn the sky had been blue for at least half the trip. Grey clouds were a strange things, part of the clouds were grey from afar but never looked too menacing until they was looming directly above them. Only when it was nearer did it have the tendency to just blanket everything in a very dull and unbearable grey.

Any color would look grey with the right level of dimness. He wondered for a while longer why Hange was still continuing the trek. The longer they walked, the farther they got from the car.

Levi’s worry, his nervousness only increased threefold, fourfold then he lost count. After all, they had stopped on what could have been the middle of nowhere. He couldn't tell where they were. Any inkling of sense laid out in front of them was in the form of a dirt road, just stretched out from the freeway with no buildings for miles, no pit stops.

And if it actually started to rain? Levi imagined it for a second before shaking his head. He tried to focus on other things like the ease of walking, his manageable energy levels.

The meagre late lunch of a drive-through burger meal was more than enough for a quick hike. Levi found himself pondering whether energy should have even been expended for something so grey.

The color grey just didn't seem worth the hike to see. "Why are we here?" Levi asked.

"Let's just stay long enough to climb the hill." Hange seemed persistent. Her back was on him and he couldn't tell the face she was making then. “It might look better on the other side.”

They were near enough at least that Levi had to crane his neck to see the top and he consoled himself. Maybe it was worth the hike. Maybe Hange was more privy to weather patterns and she at least calculated the quick hike and the awe that it would be worth.

Then Levi reminded himself, it was her birthday. Whether it did leave him as in awe as she was was irrelevant. That was a consolation Hange afforded herself. He was merely a companion. There should be things to get out of the conversation at least. “Tell me about your Pemberley,” Levi said.

“You’re gonna continue reading right? Do you really want to know?” Hange asked, seeming suddenly careful with her words.

After spoiling me the rest of the way? Levi would have wanted to ask.

“You seemed invested,” Hange said. It was a sufficient answer to his silent question. “I’d rather you read it on your own. Especially the part about Pemberley and the scene in Rosing’s.”

“Why? After spoiling me this much?” His abrasiveness, the irritation had made his legs lighten under him and he moved a little faster catching up to Hange.

Hange seemed concentrated, looking ahead, not hesitating even as the incline presented itself right in front of them. It was getting steeper and Levi felt it as an ache in his legs as he climbed but Hange, admirably or begrudgingly, seemed unfazed

Levi was a few inches shorter and maybe he was at a disadvantage. He didn’t have the same investment either but he stepped forward, going at the steeper incline with wider strides while maintaining speed. He looked to Hange who was right next to him. She continued to look ahead, she craned her head back, her hastily tied hair fell behind her and she was whispering something.

If Hange hadn’t seemed hypnotized yet disturbed, if the fat cold droplets didn’t settle on his arms, getting stronger and more numerous by the second, maybe he would have let her climb and climb. He would have obediently followed behind.

It had been everything at once. Maybe confusion at everything had been that one final nail on the coffin. Irritation welled quickly, then anger. Hange hadn’t been speaking in any straightforward manner for a while already so he forced it out of her.

“Why the hell does Pemberley mean so much to you?” Levi raised his voice. Just in case that hadn’t been enough, hell, that had actually been enough, he pulled her from behind.

The rain accumulated on the dirt road quickly and when Hange turned to answer, she fell backward rapidly. Right on top of him.

It was a quick and terrifying sequence or movements, Levi found himself sandwiched, Hange in front of him, his behind buried in mud and dirt, blades of grass were brushing heavily past him. But he didn't stop.

They didn't stop. Gravity had them moving down, naturally quickly and violently down the steep incline and Levi could only be thankful that the grass had been kind, absent of anything that could have snagged at any part them.

A few long seconds later, by some miracle, they were unharmed, still very much alive.

It didn’t change the fact that at the bottom, they were both fucking dirty. And he was a little--- scratch that--- very rattled. And Hange was on top of him, her hair clung close to her, her glasses had fallen to her mouth and she seemed just a little disconcerted.

Hange pushed herself up. “I’m sorry, are you okay?” She put one hand on his cheek, one filthy hand.

Instinctively, Levi pushed it away. She was disgusting. They were both disgusting. He could taste a hint of dirt at his lips and he closed his nose and shut his mouth before he could taste anymore.

It was disgusting. And in that state, he was recalling how pleasant almost drowning seemed when he was covered in mud, the rain only continued to pour. He would rather have been drinking salt water then.

When he noticed that a minute passed under the rain, he started to observe then search for signs on how Hange might have been feeling. They had left their phones in the car. He was thankful they weren’t casualties but he was a little regretful that he couldn’t read her then.

Purple. He made a guess. That was the only reading she had given then. Sad angry? Or angry sad?

But when he looked for sadness, angriness, he saw it in those wide eyes in the red just under her eyes. Or he could have been projecting. It could have also been a placebo affect.

"I'm sorry. I shouldn't have. I got so fucking worked up over this. Let's go back." Hange's voice was stilted, alarmingly cold.

"You've done this before right?"

The rain wasn't stopping anytime soon. In fact, it came down hard and Levi could have felt like he was drowning again.

The storm had proven to be a worse adversary. The wind was almost as menacing as waves.

He struggled to his feet. Hange had held out her hand, wrapped one arm around his shoulder and standing up became a small feat.

"Hey, are you okay?" Hange asked again, her voice a whisper that brushed at his neck. She was close enough to even overwhelm the pouring rain just outside their small bubble.

He hadn't answered her earlier. He didn't even know how she had been able to get the message to him in spite of the wind blowing at their face, the thunder and the patter of the rain on the dirt road.

When they were close enough, shoulders and arms touching, her lips almost brushing against his ear. He thought it close enough that she would probably hear if he whispered. Maybe it was worth just opening his mouth to speak. Two words or maybe four. Just long enough so she won’t have to speak again the whole trek back to the car.

“Let’s just go back.”

***

Adrenaline, exhaustion and the shaken state eventually gave way to irritation once again.

It was a slow process but Hange was silent. She had been driving much slower and with the peace, the slow rhythm of the whirring of the car, Levi had time and space to contemplate.

Levi was contemplating the expenses of cleaning a rented car. When the mud started to dry and harden, when they caked at his skin, they only aggravated the at first, silent irritation. It was silent but it was irritating altogether. He angrily wiped his hands on the dashboard of the car, and reached for his phone next to the clutch.

“Levi, I can pay for cleaning up the car," Hange said.

Levi kept quiet. For one, he didn’t want to entertain the idea of making her pay for all of it. A part of him though, the stingy part, would have rather she did.

“Levi, are you angry at me?” Hange asked a minute later.

And that phrase always had that magic of making most people angrier than they were already. Levi was no exception.

Still, he did try to be just a little nicer. “You’re driving aimlessly on the road. We’re a mess in the car. We’re both covered in mud, my legs and my arms hurt. Hange, think.”

“Think?”

“Who wouldn’t be at least a little angry?” His tone betrayed his words. Hange had been responding in questions since a while ago and it only served to further aggravate it.

“I told you, I’m sorry.” She did say 'sorry' a while ago but he wasn't in the mood to accept it then. So it slipped his mind.

“Well, finally you’re being more direct but you know, it would have been helpful if you’ve been more open since a while ago.”

“More open about what?”

Levi smacked his hand on the dashboard. “There you are again, you ask questions but you never fucking answer. And if you answer you’re fucking vague, or you fucking digress.”

“Any... question you wanna ask?” Hange asked hesitantly.

“Why does Pemberley mean so much to you? Why does this damn book mean so much to you? You’re a scientist, a researcher. Why are you getting so worked up over a fucking social commentary?”

Hange gave him a wounded look, and she stared for a long time. Levi only noticed then, that that had been the longest stare she had been giving him in a while. The fiasco of a while ago was enough of an evidence that Hange did get worked up over it and Levi held it like a memento, just in case Hange decided to play oblivious.

She didn’t. “You’re right. I’m sorry. I got emotional.” But she still wasn’t answering questions.

“Why does Pemberley mean so much to you?” Levi asked again. He kept this voice hard, stone cold and firm. He enunciated every syllable and every word like they were separate from one another.

Hange avoided his gaze. “Well, I really like the relationship between Elizabeth and Darcy---”

“Why do you like it so much?”

“It’s because I would have wanted the same for myself---”

“Would have?” And Levi caught it, two words that had hovered in the air for a second.

Hange clamped her mouth shut.

“Would have?” Levi repeated again in the silence. And the irritation, the discomfort and the fury from being caked from head to toe with semi dried mud had somehow been released with two words.

“I have the same for myself,” Hange clarified.

“Would?”

“It’s a slip of the tongue,” Hange said. She didn’t look back and it didn’t look like she would be prodding that topic anymore.

So Levi brought up another question. “What about Elizabeth and Darcy’s relationship do you like?”

“It’s... “ Hange was hesitating. “It’s in the small details…” She seemed more concentrated on the road ahead of her.

“Go on.” Levi gripped on the seat cushion underneath him. Somehow, the car was starting to move in time to the patter of the rain.

“You might even think I’m crazy for looking at them…” Hange continued.

“But…” Levi turned to Hange, he looked closely as her lips parted as if she was about to say something.

Then her voice filled the cramped space inside the car for only a split second, before the squeak of tires, the spray of water and the burst of sensations that came with the dizzying experience of his body lurching forward in his seat.

For a second, Levi could have sworn he was dead.

***

They weren’t the only ones who decided to call it a day. It turned out there were numerous people who had been wandering around that side of the country and it looked like that particular motel had been the only one for miles around.

The first warning should have been the fact that it had taken Levi and Hange minutes to navigate a pretty small parking lot, just to find a place to fit the car. The second warning should have been the amount of lit up windows.

At that point, they were both exhausted and Levi had focused too clearly on the ‘open’ sign.

Open 24 hours.

So he didn’t waste any time. Hange didn’t either. It was cold, it was raining and Levi could forget that it was too early in September for him to have been shivering, for white fog to be accompanying his shuddering breath.

It was his first time up north, autumn came much earlier. That didn’t stop him from grumbling silently about why autumn rains had to be so cruel.

It was barely even autumn. Shitting on the weather proved to be an adequate consolation for their very uncomfortable state.

Hange seemed unsure and maybe she had heard his grumbles, maybe she had assumed it was about her. “I’ll check if they have any rooms,” Hange said, an apologetic smile on her face. She looked down towards his elbow. “And I’ll ask for a first aid kit, so we could do something about that.”

His body had been a conglomeration of discomforts since a while ago and the bleeding scrape on his elbow had been a terrible surprise. Not so terrible actually as he looked closer, he barely even felt it.

Before he could stop her, Hange had went ahead to the reception, covered in mud and all. Levi was grateful at least that they both had cleaned their shoes on the way in. The headache would be left to whoever would be cleaning their car.

The man at the counter was apologetic, a little too nice and he spoke to Hange like he was talking to some higher figure. It was a simple back and forth.

They were guests, he worked in hospitality. It was a natural exchange.

Maybe Levi had just been a little perceptive because everyone seemed to approach Hange with some unique form of respect. After a brief back and forth, Hange turned back to Levi, a flash of uncertainty on her face.

Just a flash. Before Levi could perceive more, it disappeared.

Levi still saw that as a cue to follow behind. “What?”

“So there is only one room left, towards the back...” Hange started.

“Apologies about this…” The receptionist bowed his head. “The roads get slippery… And it’s dangerous to go out so many people….” He was babbling at that point and all Levi wanted him to do was get to the point.

Hange let out a sigh then dropped her credit card on the table. “We’ll take it.”

“You managed to get a room, why is he apologizing?” Levi asked, turning to the comparably more coherent Hange Zoe.

“Well, there’s only one room left,” Hange responded.

“And?”

“There’s only one bed.” Hange had said that part with a straight face. She huffed and put one muddy finger up in front of him. “But you know, I really think we can make this work...” 

[fiddlepickdouglas]

Viva Las Vegas, Pt. 5 - The Stratosphere

Summary: Sunset Curve Alive AU, Willex, where will they go?, 2.7k

@trevor-wilson-covington​ is the bestie who makes these lovely edits, we stan supportive friends

Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4

“So, I was thinking,” Luke was saying to Julie once everyone was back in the green room, chatting lightly as they packed up their gear. “Maybe I could visit your mom in the hospital and play some songs for her. Cheer her up, you know?”

Julie looked so touched. Willie still didn’t know their whole story, but they seemed like a good fit. He had offered to help Alex load up his drums, but apparently there were people paid to do that here. Alex was just supervising it because he wanted to make sure they were handled right. It was a pity this place was full of techs and ushers and security because it was so tempting for Willie to try a few tricks on his board in there.

He’d finally gotten a proper introduction to everyone, and it turned out that all of Alex’s friends were great. The guys were all super chill, and he couldn’t thank Julie and Flynn enough for letting him be there to begin with. They seemed almost like a family. If he didn’t think about it too long, then he could ignore how badly he wanted to stay around all of them for as long as he could. Willie couldn’t remember anywhere that had felt so warm and open. He ran his fingers over the new bandage that he’d gotten on his hand.

Alex sat beside him, gear all stashed away.

“So, what’s your plan?” he asked.

“It’s a surprise,” Willie teased. “But it’s close.”

Alex looked around the room and then back at him with wonder in his eyes, raising the corners of his lips.

“Just the two of us though,” Willie added.

“Of course,” Alex nodded, stuffing his hands in his pockets.

“Hey, guys,” Luke spoke to the entire room. Flynn, Reggie, and Bobby stopped the silly hand clapping game they were in the middle of and all turned their heads to face him.

“Julie and I just came up with a super cool plan,” Luke continued. Julie stood with him, and Luke immediately stood back to let her speak.

“I told you guys that my mom’s cancer is back. She’s given a lot to me, and I don’t think I could ever give back everything. But it would be really neat if we all gave her a private mini concert.”

Cheers went around the room, making Julie beam with happiness.

“I know it’s short notice,” she went on. “But I want to try to do it once we’re all back in California.”

“But what about your shows in the next couple of days?” Flynn questioned.

“I’m gonna see if I can reschedule them. I know it isn’t an ideal thing to do but with my mom’s condition, I’ve gotta do what I can.”

Willie sat quietly. He would’ve been happy to be involved, but was too aware that he was staying here in Vegas. That same feeling of wrongness crept along his skin, making him fold his arms and rub his thumb where it rested. He wasn’t sure when he’d picked up the habit, but he was doing it a lot more often recently.

“Uh…” he started. “I’m gonna catch up with you guys later, if that's okay.” He glanced over at Willie in a subtle but giddy manner.

The group finished discussing plans about getting together for a quick practice and what kind of songs they would do for Julie’s mom. When Willie suggested Yellow Submarine, Alex advocated for it as well, and he was happy to have made at least some contribution to their ideas. Once all that was put together, everyone got ready to go their separate ways. All the guys shuffled toward their van and Alex hung behind for a moment.

The guys all looked mildly surprised, but ultimately shrugged.

“Catch you later, Alex,” Luke said, giving him a wink. Reggie was singing Yellow Submarine under his breath as they drove away, to which Willie giggled quietly.

“You ready?” he turned to Alex, noticing his hands were free from clutching the strap of his fanny pack this time.

“I guess I am,” Alex said, smiling through his nerves.

Willie took his hand tightly and carried his board with the other. Alex's smile only grew wider as they hurried out to the street. The goofy jerking between their hands only made them squeeze harder to keep contact. He could hear the delighted chuckle being released behind him as he guided Alex across the city. He felt his lungs let forth a youthful yell from his throat, and he felt like Peter Pan crowing as he flew through the stars.

People darted out of their way as they rushed onward. Willie eventually saw his target, the Stratosphere, and didn't even bother pausing before he pulled Alex through the entrance. The elevator was just being emptied and before anyone could stop them, he tugged Alex inside and pressed the buttons to get them to the highest floor. The doors shut and they felt the jolt of being lifted from the ground pull them downward.

"Aren't we supposed to pay for tickets?" Alex panted, laughing between breaths.

Willie, also doubled over in laughter, just shook his head.

"Capitalism sucks, man! Don't buy into it!"

Alex only wheezed, leaning into the wall for support. Eventually, they both sat on the floor and after a few more bouts of laughter were able to calm down and breathe normally.

"When you said you had your ways I didn't know you literally meant you could just walk in anywhere," Alex thought aloud.

"The concert was luck," Willie smiled. "Here, it's just practice."

Alex shook his head incredulously. They both sighed, feeling that strange tension that had been there back in the diner, except Willie felt it in his fingertips. He eyed Alex’s hand lying inches away, and imagined himself reaching through and lacing their fingers together.

"How's that relaxing going, by the way?" he wondered.

"Hard to tell with you around," Alex stated, sarcasm not to be missed.

"I'll take the compliment."

Their long ride inside the elevator was near the end, and they stood up as the numbers got closer. Willie felt Alex's pinkie reach for his and he was happily surprised at the feeling of skin twining with skin. It was like they didn’t have to say anything - they just felt the same things. The door opened to the fresh evening breeze and revealed the wonderful sight before them.

"Whoa," Alex breathed, immediately drawn to the view on the observation deck. The lights from below sparkled in his eyes and Willie followed as they came right up to the railing. Both of them sat in awed silence, watching everything blink and glitter beneath them. The mountains in the distance bordered everything in a gentle, majestic manner. Willie had been up here so many times and somehow never noticed the odd sense of being folded in angels' wings before.

“I’ve been an idiot,” Alex started saying. Willie turned his head in confusion. Their hands slipped apart as Alex began gesturing to emphasize his words. “I’ve been thinking all day about how everything goes wrong and expecting everything to go wrong. I haven’t been enjoying anything nearly as much as I should be right now.”

Willie didn’t reply just yet. He just looked at Alex, watching how tense he was still, almost as if he could see the lion in the cage inside his head. All he wanted was to set it free. He looked around, and while there were a couple people on the other side of the observation deck, they seemed likely to just take pictures and then head back down.

“You know what I love about being up here besides the view?” he asked Alex.

“What?”

Willie gripped the railing as hard as he could, took in a deep breath, and screamed out into the darkness. Alex looked around nervously, but only watched the other people on the deck make their way back to the elevator.

“You gotta try it,” Willie urged.

Alex braced himself against the barrier and gave a nice little yelp.

“Oh, are you a puppy up for adoption?” Willie joked, tugging on Alex’s jacket. “Your whole body needs to let go.”

Alex looked back at him with an intense focus, and then turned back to the railing. Filling his lungs to the brim, he yelled viciously over the top of it. Willie joined him and they both staggered between screaming and taking moments to breathe. Something about it said words beyond what they had spoken. Willie heard a unique sort of agony as Alex belted everything to the night. He wondered if his pain came through as well.

Alex finally sighed as he finished his last shout and then looked up at the sky and closed his eyes.

“I did enjoy that,” he said. “Thank you.” He dropped his posture and Willie smiled at seeing him finally loosen up.

“Didn’t know you had so much pent up rage,” he commented.

“I guess I didn’t either,” Alex said, chuckling darkly. He sat on the ground and looked up at Willie to follow suit. Taking a seat across from him, Willie eyed him curiously.

“Now what?” he asked.

“Staring contest,” Alex said plainly.

Unfortunately, Willie blinked immediately. Probably ten times in succession, actually. This time, Alex got to laugh.

“Okay, not an actual staring contest,” he said. “ But I’ve tried this with all the guys in the band. We look into each other’s eyes for a few minutes, no speaking, and we just....know each other better. Bobby’s the one who started it.”

Willie only nodded as they got into comfortable positions before locking eyes. He tried to silence any impulses for his mind to focus on anything else and channeled everything into looking at Alex. Even in the dim light, he picked up the green color staring back at him. The stillness outside rivaled the storm within them.

Slowly, the storm softened into waves of caring kindness. They were powerful, but low, as if Willie were wading in shallow water and letting them crash over him. Each wake broke upon him in just the way he wanted to collide with them. This wasn’t a tide where he would get lost in the danger of the deep. The current was pushing him back to the shore, toward safe ground. 

The image in his mind suddenly morphed, and he was transported from calming waves to a rickety road. Fields passed by as he found himself looking out a window. His vision steered to his left, and an older man with a jovial smile sat at the wheel, turning to him as if they’d been passing jokes between them. The man’s familiar laugh echoed in his head.

 Absent-mindedly, Willie grabbed Alex’s hand. Pulled out of his trance, Alex looked at him with concern.

“I just remembered something,” Willie said, sounding like he’d received divine communication. It almost felt like he had. That image was supposed to be locked away, he’d been told. Never to be known again.

“What, like you left the stove on or something?” Alex asked in confusion.

Willie shook his head seriously. His hand was still squeezing Alex’s but he couldn’t get it to loosen its grip. It wasn’t because the memory had scared him, but fear was present anyway.

“No.” His eyes had trouble focusing on Alex’s face, now. “I think I remembered my dad. Like we were driving together. I remembered him.”

Alex dipped his head lower as he tried to figure out what Willie meant.

Willie bit his lip and looked at him apprehensively. This wasn’t the intended topic of discussion tonight. It wasn’t a subject he was usually allowed to speak of to begin with. He opened his mouth and clamped it shut, and then opened it again.

“I have retrograde amnesia,” he confessed.

Alex’s jaw slacked and hung open for a minute. Willie wasn’t sure how long he could handle this gorgeous boy blinking at him in disbelief before Alex closed it again.

“Oh my god, Willie,” he started, still sounding unsure but remaining gentle.

“I’m sorry, that’s sort of a really big thing to just drop on somebody,” Willie started.

“No, no, you don’t need to be sorry,” Alex soothed. “But, oh my god, you just remembered something.”

Willie ran his hands through his hair and took a deep breath.

“Yeah… I did,” he said, just realizing the significance of that himself. His past wasn’t entirely under lock and key. That...brought a lot of emotions with it.

“Wait, so how long have you been like this?” Alex asked.

“About a year and a half,” Willie told him solemnly. “Caleb told me I was hit by a car when I was out skating. I even have a scar.” He lifted his hair and turned his head so Alex could get a look. Alex grimaced and shook his head, clearly not liking the visual he’d received in his mind.

“You’re lucky you’re not dead,” he said.

“Yeah, Caleb said that too.”

“Wait, who’s Caleb?” Alex blurted.

“Oh,” Willie looked downcast. “He’s my legal guardian. And my boss. You saw him this morning, remember?”

“That’s your legal guardian?” Alex said, sounding slightly upset. “Guy gave me the creeps.”

“That’s fair,” Alex said, sounding a little unconvinced of his own statement. He sat quietly for a minute. Willie studied him, worried about how he would respond next. Any fun had been sucked out of the air due to his own personal business.

“Yeah, well,” Willie shrugged. “He does that. But, what can I do, you know?”

“So, for the past year and a half,” Alex started. “You’ve had nobody except your boss?”

Wow, that hit him right in between the eyes. Willie hadn’t actually considered that before. He blinked momentarily and then looked directly into Alex’s eyes as pain slowly took over. Then hot tears welled up, causing him to look away.

“I guess not,” he said quietly, his voice already trembling. Before he could huddle into a little ball, Alex’s arms were around him, pressing his head to his chest. Heaving a sigh, he let the tears fall as quietly as he dared to be. His hand crept up to hold onto Alex’s shoulder and gripped tightly. A funny weight was felt on the top of his head, and he realized Alex was running his fingers through his hair. It was so soothing, so...sweet. Willie didn’t realize that was something he missed from his many forgotten memories.

Soon, he straightened up and wiped his eyes.

“Thank you,” he said to Alex, knowing he couldn’t possibly convey how grateful he truly was.

“Of course,” Alex assured him, still gazing upon him tenderly.

“I guess I killed the mood, huh?” Willie attempted to joke. Alex simply smirked and shook his head.

“For what it’s worth, I was totally lost in your eyes, so I needed to come back to reality.”

Willie couldn’t help but smile, raising his eyebrows suggestively.

“That was for free,” he said, already getting back into step with his sense of humor. “I charge everyone else.”

Alex quietly entered the hotel and slipped into the door of their room. The guys had thankfully left it ajar so he wouldn’t be locked out. Luke was already lightly snoring on the couch, and he saw that Reggie and Bobby had both taken the larger bed. Carefully pulling his fanny pack over his head and setting it on the side table, he kicked off his shoes.

“Hey, Alex,” he heard Reggie whispering. Dammit. “How’d it go?”

The entire night replayed on fast forward in his mind, and he couldn’t get over the beauty of it all. The weight of it all.

“It was good, Reg,” he whispered back. He quickly changed and climbed into the bed that came down from the wall. Too many thoughts and feelings swirled in his mind like a cajun soup. Willie was amazing. There was nothing else to it except smaller details that attested to the same fact. Today had been all he would have of him, though. His mind paused on that thought as silence filled his ears.

“Did you kiss him?” Reggie whispered out of the blue in curiosity.

“Hey, bigger spoon,” Bobby mumbled groggily. “Be quiet.”

Alex didn’t answer, but smiled quietly to himself. He should have kissed him.

[vintagedolan]

sweet creature (egd)

ethan hates when he has to leave you for even a few days, so when he gets back, he has a little surprise planned

word count: 4.3k

warnings/tags: fluff, and then some smut to round it out WOO we goin through it today ladies and gents, harry styles (music) is involved :) 

dedicated to my bruna bby ( @ethanhes​ ) who is so strong and the sweetest girly I know. I love you!!

feel free to send in requests! and check out my masterlist if you wanna :)

Like hell you were gonna make another trip - you slid the last grocery bag onto your arm, ignoring how they were digging into your skin as you started your walk into the house. If anyone had watched you try to navigate your way in the door, it probably would have been quite the sight. But you succeeded, emerging into an empty kitchen, heaving the heavy bags up onto the counter.

Usually, you’d yell down the hall, summon the boys to help you unpack. But it would be futile - no one was home. Not even Sterling was around - the three of them were off on Wakeheart business, at the factory in Arizona where everything was actually produced so they could approve all the candle production.

You’d gotten a few pictures from the trip - bright colorful sunsets, Grayson and Sterling smiling from across the table at breakfast. But your favorites were the stupid little selfies he kept sending. Your phone buzzed in your pocket as if on cue.

Another snapchat from Ethan, this time of him with a metal straw trapped between his teeth and big smile on his face. Adorable, as always. 

cold brew mood. miss you x was the caption that flitted across the screen. You screenshotted it just in time. The next buzz was a text from him.

:(

why you screenshot

cause you looked cute

send me one back, I miss you

You rolled your eyes at that, deciding to make him wait for a minute while you started to put the groceries away. You’d only unpacked two bags before your phone buzzed again.

hey

show me ur face

omg gimme a minute 😂

im putting away the obscene amount of oat milk I just bought

DID THEY HAVE THE GOOD KIND

yep. bought three cartons

holy shit I love you

gray says he loves you too 

but I love you more

You sent him a quick snapchat to appease him, unsurprised when you got the notification that he’d screenshotted it. He always got like this when he was away - even more clingy than usual, constantly wanting to communicate with you somehow. You had to admit, you loved the idea that you were always on his mind when he wasn’t with you, even if it did mean you felt like you were constantly on your phone.

what else are you doing today?

idk might lay out by the pool for a while

without me? 😔

you should go shopping

You frowned at your phone, looking at the few boxes of pasta you had left to put away before you typed back with a huff.

I literally just got back from the grocery what do u mean

not that kind of shopping

fun shopping. like for clothes

The thought was tempting - with everything going on, you hadn’t gotten anything new in months. To be fair though, you hadn’t really needed anything new - you were just hanging around the house anyways. 

do you want me to go so I’ll stop wearing all your clothes

yes

kidding baby you know I don’t care. but you should get some new stuff, you deserve it! just use my card

I hate using your card

It wasn’t a lie. Ethan had gotten you a credit card linked to his personal account for emergencies almost six months ago, and you’d only used it a handful of times when he insisted. You never wanted him to ever think that you cared about him for his money. 

I’d be buying whatever you find if I was there, it’s the same thing

You grinned to yourself, plan already hatching. He didn’t say what you had to buy. You’d just get something small - a pack of socks, or a basic tee - with his card, and pay for the rest of it yourself. 

alright alright, fine

But his next text had you rolling your eyes. He knew you too well.

and you have buy real clothes. like at least one dress

Even though he wasn’t there to see it, your eyes squinted in accusation. 

why a dress?

you’re being sus what’s this about

you’re so stubborn holy shit. I was gonna buy you dresses for the harry concert so I want you to pick some out for yourself

Damn. You’d almost forgotten that the concert was supposed to be that night. Ethan had bought the two of you tickets back when they went on presale, using his connections to get the two of you amazing seats. E had been almost as bummed as you when it got postponed, disappointed that the night he’d had planned for you had fallen through.

it got rescheduled to august baby, we can go shopping then!

i’m impatient

omg really? I had no idea 

just go buy some dresses and send me pictures. we’re back at the factory, gotta go. I love you!

love you too!

Knowing that if you sat down you probably wouldn’t get back up, you turned back to the door with a sigh, grabbing your keys and wallet from where you’d just stowed them, heading back out to the car.

You climbed into Ethan’s Tesla, hitting your preset button on the door so the seat moved forward to where you could reach the pedals. He always insisted you take his car if he couldn’t drive you, always wanting you to be the safest you could be. It was still a bit intimidating to drive something so expensive, but you did it anyways, heading to the mall that housed most of your favorite stores with your mask on.

It turned out to be one of those days where nothing caught your eye. You really looked, scoured through the racks, hoping to find anything that looked remotely appealing or like your style. You even tried on a few that you had hopes for, but they were a bust. 

Feeling defeated you stopped for a while and got some coffee, sitting and people watching as everyone passed in their masks. Your eyes wandered to another store, one you rarely went into - it catered to your style perfectly, but everything was far out of your price range. 

But looking couldn’t hurt. Right?

That backfired as soon as you walked in, smelled that perfect fragrance that seemed to dust all the soft fabrics in the place. 

Before you knew what you’d done, you had so many options thrown over your arm that it was starting to ache. 

You stopped looking, headed to a dressing room to try and narrow down your search. Some of them were automatic no’s, the cut not flattering or the color clashing with the undertones in your skin.

But there were three winners - a tight green one that hugged your curves, a casual denim overall number that would look adorable with the right shirt, and a blue sundress that tied into a bow at the back, the fabric brushing your upper thighs.

You snapped pictures in each one, knowing Ethan would help you decide. Your bet was on the green one - he was a man, after all. But his response just made you roll your eyes.

you look hot as fuck

buy all three

no

yes

they’re expensive

I didn’t ask how much they cost. You like them all. therefore, you buy them all

it’s simple really

ethan

y/n

just tell me which one is your favorite please

if you don’t buy all three i’m just gonna go back and buy them for you later

or I’ll order them and have them shipped to the house

stop

getting online now 😌

stop it

placing an order 😌 😌

ethan grant

last chance

fine

im sticking my tongue out at you. you can’t see it but I am

ouch, im hurt

are you headed home after you buy them?

well I’m sure as hell not spending anymore money, so yeah. why?

just wondering where my girl’s gonna be. drive safe. you took the tesla right?

of course I did.

good. hurry home. but don’t hurry too much. safety first

You quirked an eyebrow at the last text - he was being so odd. He’d only been gone for two days, usually it wasn’t this bad for him. Who knew what he’d be like tomorrow before he got home.

Changing back into your clothes in a hurry, you put your rejects out on the return rack and carried your three choices to the register, trying not to listen to the total before you put Ethan’s card in the reader. 

You left the mall swiftly after that, trying to ignore the eyes on you. In reality, no one was probably looking at you, but you felt like everyone was staring as you carried your expensive bag and got in a fucking tesla. You never understood how Gray and E could walk around with such expensive things and not be fazed in the slightest. 

The drive home took longer than you would have liked considering the traffic you got caught in, but you just turned your music up, humming along as you crawled down the road towards your exit. When you finally got there you let the tesla take over, pulling you off the interstate and starting down the smaller roads that led to the house. 

Your first clue was when the song changed. At first you didn’t think much of it - you had every Harry song saved to your library, it wasn’t unusual for one to come up. 

But then, one verse into Fine Line, it skipped, the intro of Two Ghosts starting. 30 seconds later? Falling started to play through the car. 

“What the fuck?” You muttered, quickly switching off autopilot, afraid that the car may be glitching. It was only a few more minutes until you got to the house, and in that time the song switched again twice, all Harry songs. 

When you pulled into the driveway and put the car in park, your phone buzzed with your second clue.

welcome home baby

omg are you watching the cameras? that’s creepy as fuck

also the tesla just got super weird but I swear I didn’t fuck up your car

just come inside

You obliged, grabbing your bag and heading into the house.

Clue number three was that the pasta boxes you’d left on the counter were gone, put away no doubt on the shelf that you couldn’t reach. You froze.

Someone was in the house.

You only had a moment to be scared before Ethan appeared around the corner, your favorite grin adorning his face.

“Boo.”

You dropped the bag, running the few steps it took to get to him before you threw your arms around him, breathing him in as he hugged you to him tightly. 

“You guys weren’t supposed to be home until tomorrow!”

“Caught an early flight so I could surprise my girl. Gray and Ster are still in Arizona.” He leaned back so you could look at him, shrugging as if it was no big deal that he’d cut his trip short just to come home to see you.

“Didn’t you have stuff you needed to do?” 

“No, we knocked it out today.”

“Then why didn’t Grayson come ba-”

His lips were on yours then, catching your words as he kissed you hard, a hand coming up to your cheek, thumb running over your cheekbone. “Are you gonna keep asking me questions, or are you gonna let me actually surprise you.”

“There’s more?” The butterflies that only he could bring fluttered in your stomach, and you bit your lip, looking up at him. He leaned down past you, reaching for the bag you’d dropped, placing it back in your hands.

“Maybe. Go put on one of your new dresses, then come out back.” He pressed a quick kiss to your lips before he let go. “Hurry.”

“Okay!” You were practically giddy as you hurried back to Ethan’s room, laying the dresses out on the comforter and trying to decide on one. It took a few minutes, a few switches of holding them up to you in the mirror before you settled on the blue sundress, situating the big sewed bow in the middle of your back. It had a built in bra that was surprisingly comfortable, making it the easiest choice.

Shoving your dresses back in the bag, you didn’t even bother with shoes. You just headed straight for the backyard - but you froze in the living room, taking in the sight through the doors.

The sun was setting on the horizon, painting the sky a baby purple, the clouds a pop of pink as they floated, scattered around. The city was starting to light up below you, and the moon hung high above it. But your eyes were on something - someone - entirely different. 

Ethan was standing in the grass, wearing one of his nice pairs of shorts and a short sleeve patterned button down - you hadn’t even noticed his outfit earlier, you’d been too excited to see him. He was holding a bouquet of sunflowers in his hands, the petals bright yellow even in the dim light.  

He caught sight of you through the glass and immediately hid the flowers behind his back as he stood up straight and smiled like a guy coming to the front door to pick you up for prom.

You pulled the door open, stepping out into the cool California air. It felt almost cold against your flushed cheeks as Ethan looked you up and down, letting out a low whistle.

You just laughed, stopping a few steps in front of him and waiting for whatever he had planned. 

He whipped the flowers around with a grin, holding them out for you with one hand, leaving his other arm tucked behind him. “Happy concert night!”

What you didn’t see was the remote in his other hand. He clicked it with his thumb, and the whole back yard lit up. There were twinkling christmas lights lining the roof and wrapping around the tree to the side of the house. He’d brought out Grayson’s projector and pointed it at a white sheet he’d hung up - you watched it for a moment, laughing when you realized it was projecting a slideshow of the pictures you two had taken together over the last year. And finally, you noticed the speakers had turned on, starting to play one of your favorite songs. Sweet Creature.

“E-”

“I know it got rescheduled, and we’ll have so much fun when we go. But, I still wanted to make tonight special. So, it’s kinda just date night, but... Harry Styles edition?” 

Closing the gap with a few steps you threw your arms around his neck, flowers and all, so you could kiss him. 

“I love you so much,” were the only words you could find, and you hoped he knew how much you truly meant them.

“Love me enough to dance with me?” 

You froze at that - you weren’t much of a slow dancer, and Ethan had even less experience than you did. But the thought of staying so close to him made your heart flutter, so you nodded, letting go for a moment so you could sit the flowers down safely in the grass.

He pulled you back into his arms, hands settling on your waist as yours went around his neck. His fingertips ghosted over the bare skin on your back below the bow, sending shivers up your spine. 

It didn’t matter that Sweet Creature was a tiny bit fast for a slow dance - the two of you weren’t doing more than swaying back and forth anyways, foreheads touching, totally lost in each other. 

He spun you a few times, even throwing in a little dip that made you both laugh before he kissed you, leaving you a bit breathless when he pulled you back up to standing. 

“You bring me home,” he sang, slightly off pitch and so quiet you could barely hear, but it was so sweet that it even brought a few tears to your eyes. You blinked them away so you could see his face as you both smiled. 

The energy picked up a bit as the songs continued to shuffle, Carolina coming on next. You both jumped around hand in hand, looking like total idiots you were sure, stomachs sore from laughing at and with each other by the end. You paused a few times throughout the next songs to watch the slideshow, laughing at some of the pictures he’d chosen, remembering the stories behind them.  

When Sunflower came on, Ethan opened his arms again for a dance and you quirked an eyebrow.

“You know, Mr. Styles doesn’t have as many romantic songs as I thought he did. This one’s not bad though,” Ethan mumbled as the two of you swayed back and forth quickly, spinning around and around.

“This song isn’t even romantic, it’s about him missing his ex,” you explained.

“You analyzed those lyrics hard huh.”

“Oh don’t act like you haven’t dissected every Cudi song five times over.” You squinted your eyes at him in accusation and he just laughed.

“Touché, touché. Maybe the sunflowers weren’t the best Harry related gesture then huh.”

“I still think they’re beautiful,” you reassured him. 

“Thought it would kinda be weird to give you a watermelon. Though, I guess that would have sent a much clearer message.” 

The mischief in his eyes told you he knew exactly what that song was about.

“A little on the nose, don’t yah think?” You scrunched up your nose at him as if to prove your point. He reached out for your hand and you laced your fingers with his.

“Never.” 

And then he was walking, half pulling half guiding you back into the house, through the glass doors, down the hallway, into the bedroom. Your skin was hot, partially from the change in temperature, partially from the hands that were wandering over your skin as soon as the door was closed.

Ethan’s hands traced down your arms, fingertips over skin, then over fabric when he got to your waist, further down to your thighs and then you were gasping as he found his way under your skirt. His hands spread out, large and commanding over your ass, resting there for a moment, squeezing before he moved north, fingers hooking into your panties, guiding them down until they fell off and you could step out of them. 

Your fingers found the buttons of his shirt, blindly undoing them as he kissed you. You found yourself pausing, hands tracing over the new yet familiar skin that revealed itself with each one you managed to loosen until finally, finally it was open and you could push it off his shoulders. 

His hand found the bow, roughly starting to tug until you reached back and caught him.

“Baby don’t pull. It’s sewed, it doesn’t come undone,” you cautioned, barely pulling back, unwilling to put any space between the two of you. 

“Stupid,” he grumbled, pouting a bit until he realized that he could pull the fabric off your shoulders, freeing your chest. He hummed a bit in satisfaction, hands moving to squeeze your tits, and then he was kissing them, sinking lower, lower until his knees hit the floor.

“Oh fuck,” you squeaked, knowing exactly what was about to happen. 

Ethan looked up at you from his knees with a teasing grin and a quirked eyebrow, waiting for your permission. You nodded, trying to breathe as his hands ghosted up your thighs, up to your hips. 

And then he ducked his head so he could get under the fabric of your skirt, ready to get to work.

Your knees buckled as soon as you felt him, tongue warm and flat against you. One of his hands came down, tracing over your skin until he got to your calf, lifting it just barely and pushing it out to widen your stance.

You whimpered as he sped up, his satisfied hums adding to the sensation in a way that had your legs starting to shake already. Your hands dropped to his head, and you pushed the fabric off the top of it so you could get to his hair, tugging. It just made him go harder, burying himself deeper. You folded forward, bracing on his shoulders, overwhelmed as you alternated holding you breathe and gasping for air, squirming.

“E, Ethan stop, my legs are gonna give out, wait,” you gasped, pulling on his hair. 

He paused, ducking out from under your dress and smiling up at you, lips swollen and pride booming.

“That’s the best compliment you’ve ever given me I think. But I’m not done yet, lay down.” 

You did as he said, turning around and climbing onto the middle of the bed before collapsing onto your back, rolling over and looking for him. Ethan was one second behind you, crawling above you to hover over you then duck down to kiss you hard yet somehow sweet at the same time.

It was instinct to reach down to his waist, let your fingers ghost over his waistband, tuck underneath it in a blind search. He sucked in a breath through his teeth when you wrapped your fingers around the tip. He shook his head at you, making you pout.

“Tonights about you, not me.”

“But I want to.”

“Raincheck. Best fucking raincheck ever, but raincheck. Just lemme take care of you.” 

He kisses you until you forget your argument - you’re putty in his hands as his lips trail back down. He pushes all the fabric of your dress together so it’s just a band around your tummy and then he picked up where he left off.

“Fuck E, just like that, oh god.” You were squirming again in a matter of moments, his stubble rough against your thighs as he worked you over. He felt your body tense up under his hold, smiling as he gave it all he had, giving that extra little push that sent you tumbling, clenching, writhing over the edge. 

He peppered kisses to your thighs as you caught your breath, and then he reached up, fists closing around all the fabric of your dress.

“Lift your hips up,” he instructed, waiting for you to bridge up so he could wiggle the dress off over your hips. He tossed it towards the closet, moving back up towards your face, bed dipping down with his weight.

“No fair,” you pouted, reaching down to tug at his shorts and boxers. 

“And I’m the impatient one.” 

He stood back up off the bed, quickly shoving down the clothing he had left and stepping out of it. 

“Much better.” You grinned wide when you saw he was blushing at your words. “C’mere.” 

He happily listened, crawling back above you and dropping a bit of his weight down as he sunk to his forearms. 

“So missionary is the way to your heart huh? So vanilla.” He bumped his nose against yours.

“You have a pretty face, sue me,” you laughed, bringing your hands up to his neck and pulling him down for a kiss as he dropped his hips, searching for just a moment before he pushed inside. 

You’d lost count of how many times the two of you had been just like this, intertwined and enthralled with each other, but you knew you’d never get tired of it as long as you lived.

“I love you.” It came out as a breath when he bottomed out, his lips resting on your shoulder, back curled up at an angle that let you feel every muscle, every ridge of his body. 

“I love you. You’re my dream, you know that?” He started to rock his hips, unwilling to go too far from you as you clung to his back, relishing in the feeling of him on you, in you, all around you. 

This would always be your favorite way to be with him - sweet and soft, just your bodies together, nothing else. You couldn’t think of anything better.

He shifted just barely, thrusting in at a different angle. You knew he was searching, and you gasped when he brushed against your g spot, your whole body shuddering.

“There she is,” he whispered, a prideful grin on his face as he hit it over and over. Watching you come undone below him would always be one of his favorite views. “Look at me baby, I wanna see you.” 

You did your best in your blissed out state to listen to him, turning your head from where it had fallen against the pillow to look at him while he picked up pace. Your legs curled around his back, holding him to you, urging him as deep as he could go as you chased the orgasm that was building in your gut.

He stared at you for a few moments, and then as if he couldn’t help it he ducked down to kiss you, open mouthed and rough as he pulled his hips back, thrusting forward with more force than he’d used yet. 

“Oh fuck Ethan, fuck,” you moaned, holding onto him for dear life. When he snaked one hand between the two of you to find your clit, you were done for. 

His breath caught in his throat as you clenched around him and you heard the whimpers through your cloudy haze, mixtures of pleasure and your name as he came undone, hip stuttering and then stopping when he finally hit his high. 

Once he’s caught his breath he rolls the both of you over so you’re resting on his chest, listening to his heart rate settle back down under your ear. 

“I’m so glad you came home early,” you sighed, hugging his bare torso as he chuckled.

“Me too baby. Me too.”

[redbeansoups]

Time

Kirishima Eijirou x Reader

In which you and Kirishima have one last week together.

*

It is Monday morning when you buy the ticket. You request to be put on the last train.

The conductor eyes you suspiciously when you ask. He doesn’t seem to be much older than you are, though you don’t miss the near-fatherly concern in his look. “You’re sure?” he says, thumb flicking over the mouse. His cursor hovers over the available seats on the monitor; it’s an odd time to travel, it seems, because most of them appear to be unoccupied. “It’s quite a late journey–”

“I'm sure,” you affirm; he hums in response, but doesn’t question it again. The ticket is secured and printed in a matter of moments, and he slides the slip over to you. It’s printed on a slick, waterproof material, and it squeaks against your skin as your fingers take hold of it. “Thank you,” you say, giving him a curt bow.

“Of course,” the man says, and mirrors your actions as you move away.

You have until Sunday night.

*

It is Tuesday night when you come home to a warm hug. Kirishima’s arms are strong and wrap firmly around you, pulling your head towards his chest. He smells of something warm and cool all at once; like a winter night in the woods.

“I’m home,” you manage to mutter, your lips hardly moving against his chest. He pulls you closer and laughs at the muffled protests you make; the noise rumbles against you.

When he releases you, he’s grinning, teeth bared all at once. “I’ve got a surprise for you,” he says; you can tell he’s trying to restrain his excitement, because although his voice is low and casual, there’s something in his eyes that is positively glimmering.

“Really?” you say, playing along. “What could it be, I wonder?”

He chuckles, and his fingers entwine with yours. “I’ll show you!” he exclaims. In an instant, your bags are on the ground, your shoes lying long-forgotten by the door. He pulls you through the hallways and into the living room.

The lights are off; the room is lit only by a huddle of mismatched candles at the centre, each of them smelling vaguely of something sweet and spiced–cinnamon, vanilla, nutmeg. The couch is littered in pillows, the majority of them stolen from the bedroom; a large, fluffy blanket sits at the center of it all, already unfurled.

On the coffee table is a bottle of wine and a collection of DVDs, each of them an old childhood favorite.

“I figured you’d need a break,” he says offhandedly, not waiting for your reaction. He beams at the setup, lips upturned at the sight. Then, his face falls into a pout. “I was gonna make a blanket fort, but Katsuki told me it’d be a fire hazard with the candles, which sucks, because that would’ve been awesome..”

You watch his expression contort in a mock disappointment, and laugh.

“It’s perfect,” you say, tiptoeing to press a kiss to his chin.

There’s a lopsided smirk on his face that you want to remember forever.

*

It is Wednesday afternoon when he brings you out on a date.

He says to keep it casual, and you do; since he does the same, you opt for something light and airy. You’re shocked, though, when he brings his bike out from the hallway closet. It’s an older model, its paint a deep maroon shade with a metal basket fastened at the front of it; it’s been quite some time since you’ve last seen it.

When he notices the way your jaw goes slack in confusion, he offers a sheepish grin. “Thought it’d be fun,” he tells you. “Like when we were little.” He clambers onto the seat, and pats the spot behind him.

The action is all-too familiar. You seat yourself behind him, and wrap your arms around his waist. The nighttime breeze blows through your hair as he begins to pedal, the bike shifting and building up to a solid pace.

Your face is warm against his back.

After some time, the bike comes to a gentle halt.

You don’t recognize your surroundings at first; you glance around, disoriented. You seem to be in a small neighborhood; the houses around you are on the older side, quaint with overgrown gardens. There’s a large red postbox by the corner with a tabby cat curled up atop it.

It’s only when you catch sight of the cafe down the road that your face lights up. “We’re near school,” you say, and he smiles. He parks the bike, and leads you inside.

The elderly woman by the counter lights up as you two enter, the bell chime ringing familiarly in your ears. “I haven’t seen you two in forever,” she says, the crows’ feet by her eyes crinkling upward as she welcomes you two with a smile. The two of you bow deeply to her, exchanging old greetings. She brings you to the table farthest from the door, the one just by the little windowsill. “The usual?”

“Yes, please,” Kirishima pipes, and the woman smiles, staggering away.

She emerges again with two plates in hand; she sets down a portion of curry for the both of you. “It’s good to see you two,” she says, before moving back to sit behind the counter.

The cafe is empty save for you both.

“Just like highschool,” Kirishima says, grinning.

Just like highschool, butterflies and all.

*

It is Thursday morning when you emerge from the closet with a stack of collapsed cardboard boxes cradled against your chest.

“Already, huh?” Kirishima says, watching as you lay them out onto the kitchen table and begin folding them one by one. He pulls out the chair beside you and seats himself, grabbing one to work on for himself; they smell faintly of something old and wet, and his nose crinkles.

“Yeah,” you say, somewhat wistfully. When you finish folding one, you throw it into a pile with the others; there’s a growing pool by the dining table that is threatening to spill into the living room. “The movers will be here in the morning.”

Kirishima lets out a sigh, long and drawn-out. It’s a rare sound for him; you’re used to hearty laughter and cheery snickers. He’s looking around your shared flat, as if to take in every detail; the potted plants by the windowsill, the books on the shelves, your framed paintings and pictures on the walls.

“Last-minute, huh?” he teases, though you can’t find it in yourself to meet his eyes.

“Nothing new,” you tell him, and continue working.

That night, as you pack away everything you’ve known, you can’t help but sigh along with him.

The flat looks to have lost its soul.

*

It is Friday night when Kirishima invites all your friends over for dinner. Bakugo, his self-declared best mate, is the first to arrive. He hangs his coat up on the stand by the door.

“Heard about the promotion,” is the first thing he says by way of greeting, voice gruff as per usual. “Quite a job,” he says, and you figure he’s congratulating you, so you thank him with a smile.

Jirou arrives next, dragging a shivering Kaminari along behind her. “He forgot his coat,” she explains easily, her fingers moving to unbutton her own. The man in question is pale-faced, but he offers you the best of a greeting he can, teeth chattering all the while; Kirishima bursts out laughing at the sight.

Sero and Ashido are the last to appear, the two of them donning matching suits. “Fashionably late,” Ashido tells you, flashing you her signature grin. She’s brought a bottle of something–you think it’s champagne.

“Fashionably stupid,” is Bakugo’s retort. It’s a poor comeback, but everyone laughs nonetheless.

You usher them all inside, and soon dinner is served. The champagne bottle is popped open.

It is only after dinner that Jirou pops the question.

“You two will be alright, won’t you?”

Kirishima’s eyes flit to yours. You give him a weak smile. “Yeah,” he tells her.

She doesn't look convinced, but lets the conversation drop.

*

It is Saturday morning when he wakes you up with a kiss to your forehead. The sun has still barely risen, the warm yellow just beginning to break through the horizon.

The room smells of something sweet; Kirishima has a tray in his arms.

“French toast,” he says, smiling as you slowly arise from your slumber and sit groggily up. He sets the tray down at the foot of the bed, and crawls gently in, so that he can sit cross-legged beside you.

He’s brought two plates in, with a glass of cold milk each. The french toast—a thick slice on each plate, just as he likes it–is perfectly square and golden-brown, the syrup poured delicately over the top. With each serving comes a handful of freshly-washed strawberries, their skin bright red and glistening.

You’re sure your grin looks crooked and dumb, but you can’t find it in yourself to care.

“You’re the best,” you tell him. He looks proudly down at you.

“You know it,” he says, and presses another kiss to your forehead. “There’s more where that came from, too. Wait until you see what’s for lunch.”

“Pasta?” you say, eyes shining up at him. You’ve already started to eat; the french toast is fluffy and soft and sweet, and you can’t help but let out a sigh.

He chuckles. “You’ll see.”

That day, you savor every bite of his cooking.

*

It is Sunday night when you bite back a sob at the platform.

He’s pressed a letter and a small box into your hands. “The box first,” he whispers, moving your fingers so that they close around them, “and the letter last.” You nod and bring the gifts to your coat pocket, careful not to let your tears fall around them.

And then his hand is on your face, thumb stroking your cheeks gently. He wipes away the tears that fall, rubbing them into your skin. You want to stay there, and take it all in; his callouses, the dips between his fingers, the way he slides over your cheekbones, the lingering smell of warm wood–

There’s a ring, followed by an automated message.

The train will depart soon.

“You’ll be okay, won’t you?” you manage to say.

“Yeah,” he croaks. He doesn’t make any attempt to hide the wince that follows.

“Eiji..”

Before you can speak again, he raises his chin, eyes looking straight into yours. You don’t fail to notice the liquid pooling in his eyes. “I’ll be okay,” he says, firmer this time.

You don’t believe him, but, after a moment, you nod anyway.

“Okay,” you breathe, allowing your hand to fall to your side. He presses one last kiss to your lips, and then does the same.

All too quickly, the warmth of his skin vanishes.

You board the train, and watch as he blurs into a splatter of red.

*

When the tears no longer blur your vision, you pull out the contents of your pocket, and lay them out onto your lap.

The box is a deep crimson, shiny and smooth to the touch. You lift its lid gingerly.

There’s a silver necklace within it; you lift it up, the thin metal chain cool against your skin. A small hourglass hangs at the end of it. You fasten it around your neck, shivering as it slides over your nape.

You open the letter next, sliding the cardstock out of the envelope. It’s a little thing, and far from the obnoxious cards he usually sends; you’ve long become accustomed to his cheesy, slapstick greeting cards. This, though, is something else entirely; plain and simple, an off-white, creamy toned paper.

His handwriting is neat, constrained.

I wish we’d had more time.

[gemstoneconstellations]

Request: Two Nerds for the Price of One

Summary: What do you do when you have two crushes? By Bakugo’s logic, find a way to date them both of course. (Bakugo/Reader/Midoriya)

Wordcount: 2142

A/N: this is a request from AO3. I hope this okay. I don't generally write poly fics cause I primarily write only about things that I have experienced or been in a similar situation, and I never been in a poly relationship so how it works is still something I'm learning about.

You ran as fast as you possibly could down the hall to class 3-A, slamming the door open harder than you intended. But you couldn’t help it! “Izuku! Izuku! Look at this!” You hopped over to Izuku’s desk, holding a flier out in front of you, unable to hold still.

“I can’t read it when you’re jumping all over the place ___chan,”  Izuku giggled at you as he grabbed a hold of the paper. He gasped when he read it and started vibrating in his seat as well.

You plopped yourself at the empty desk in front of Izuku, resting your chin in your hands on his desk. “There is a sale of limited first generation hero merch with a chance of winning free tickets to the grand opening of the Hero History Museum! We have an opportunity to learn about some of the first vigilantes that changed our society and created the hero occupation! These are the people that inspired heroes who inspired heroes that inspired us!”

You grabbed both of Izuku’s hands in the air, your fingers interlacing. He smiled back at you, just as excited. “The first quirks to be recorded in history! Laws we have now were shaped by them!”

“The vintage costumes!” You squealed.

Izuku nodded with you and both of you yelled out happily, “New heroes to learn about!”

The two of you were kindred spirits. In first year, you took one look at his hero costume and knew instantly who he was inspired by. As a fellow fan of All Might and his amazing costumes, it was your duty to intervene when Hatsume tried to change the looks of his costume. That girl may be a genius when it comes to inventions, but as a designer she just threw things together. When she made Izuku new arm supports, you jumped in to adding some All Might esthetics. 

Izuku was so thankful, it led to the two of you talking and finding out that the both of you were major hero otakus. It was so nice to have someone come over to your dorm room and not instantly judge you for the amount of hero memborbila you had. 

You continued to gush. “Soon, you’ll have merch for sale and a museum with all the great things you’re going to do! I’m going to buy all of them! I’m your number one fan!”

“___!” He tried to pull his hands away to hide his blushing face, but you locked your fingers with his.

“Nope, no hiding Izuku! Take my compliments like the hero you are!” you laugh happily, making Izuku turn into an adorable strawberry, not noticing the eyes watching the two of you intently.

“There’s two of them,” Bakugo mumbled, leaning against Kirishima’s desk as he watched you and Deku gush about some hero nerd crap. “Two fucking nerdy ass Dekus.”

Kirishima chuckled to himself as he finished the assignment he’d forgotten was due next period. Thankfully, Bakugo is more lenient when it comes to helping with homework now. “Midoriya has really come out of his shell. He’s made some good friends outside of our class now.”

Bakugo starred as the two of you got up to walk out of the classroom. He tilted his head to get a better view. “I want to bite his ass.”

“Kats-”

“Her’s too.”

“Ew. Here, take my drink since you're so thirsty.” Kaminari thrusted an unopened juice into Bakugo’s chest jokingly.

Bakugo hummed, crossing his arms. “I’ve decided.” 

Kirishima and Kaminari looked up at him, waiting for him to explain further as Bakugo paused to take a sip of the drink. “I want them both.”

Kaminari burst into a fit of laughter, holding his stomach, while Kirishima looked at him in horror. “What? No!” What the hell does his bro have planned?!

“I'm gonna make them both mine.” The ash-blonde just nodded in affirmation.

“Katsuki, no.”

The bell rang; the break was over and Kirishima hadn’t finished his homework! “Shitty Hair, I’m doing it. One way or another, their asses are mine.” Bakugo quickly wrote down the answer to the last question on the assignment before making his way to his seat, a suspicious-looking grin on his face.

“Well at least we know Bakugo has a type.” Kaminari leaned back in his chair, grinning as Kirishima sighed, giving up on trying to contain the chaos that is Bakugo Katsuki.

~

You groaned, completely depressed. Izuku and you had had a lot of fun at the hero merch sale; you’d both been able to buy so many items you never seen before. Of course Izuku bought everything All Might there. But when you two went up to the cashier, you were sadly informed that there were no more tickets. The museum was also sold out; you’d found out too late about the event. You lazily sketch out a new hero costume design for a first-year that needed more complex material for their quirk when a shadow hovered over you.

You looked up in time for a hand to slam down on the table and a body leaned in close to you. As you clutched your pencil to your chest, Bakugo smirked a few inches from your face. “Hey Nerd Number 2. What’s got you fucking moping?”

“Uh...I um…” You were completely tongue tied, heart pounding in your chest.

He just chuckled at you; you weren’t sure if it was a good sign or if you were about to be murdered. “I assume it has to do something about this?” 

Two yellow strips of paper were thrusted into your face, “Hero Origins Exhibit” written on them. You gasp and reach out for it to see if it was real. He rudely dangled them above your head, out of reach. 

“How’d you get that?!” You shouted. How on earth did he get two when you couldn't even get one?!

“I have my ways. I’ll give you them if you want...,” you nodded excitedly. “...but there is a price.”

Your eyes were locked on those tickets. Whatever it is, be it some gear or money, you’ll do it. If it means you and Izuku can go together to the museum. “What is it?”

He grabbed your chin with one hand, making you look at him. “You go on a date with me to the museum.”

Your breath hitched for a second as your brain translated what he’d just said. Date?! “Huh? Me and you? But I promised that I’d go with Izuku…”

Bakugo leaned in more, his nose grazing against your cheek as his lips made their way to your ear, and huskily whispered, “Then don’t tell him. How about if you agree, I’ll make sure Deku and you can go to the museum together. He’ll never have to know.” He bit at your lobe and then kissed the sensitive skin underneath. A shiver went down your back as he kissed your neck between words. “You want to see him happy, right?”

“Just one date?” You were completely melting in the palm of his hand.

He hummed, nuzzling your hair. “Sure.”

“Okay…” You dreamily whispered. If this is how he treats you, maybe it won’t be that bad...

The moment you agreed, he let go of your face. You blinked at his receding back, awakened from the dream-like state his warmth had put you in. “Good. I’ll text you the details later. And don’t be fucking late.” He threw you one more smirk over his shoulder before leaving the Support Course classroom. What….what just happened?! The shocked look on your classmates’ faces was all the evidence you needed to prove that, yes, that did just happen.

~

“Kacchan, I can’t believe you got these! You’re amazing!” Izuku was practically squealing on the common room couch, holding the tickets in his hands. Bakugo was sitting beside him, an arm resting on the back of the couch behind the smaller boy,  bodies pressed right up against each other. 

Bakugo had been casually instigating more physical contact over the past year so Izuku didn't even bat an eyelash as he leaned in closer. “I know. Now about the price for them….” Bakugo pulled the tickets from Deku’s hands gently as he whispered into the nerd’s ear, making him blush deeply.

“Kacchan! You want what?! But I promised…” Izuku fidgets with his hands in his lap, mumbling and slowly falling into the depths of his mind.

Smirking, Bakugo firmly wraps his arm around Izuku’s shoulders, practically pulling the other boy into his lap. “Don’t worry, I know about your little nerd best friend. I got connections and I could get you two to the museum. If you make it worth my while, Nerd.”

Bakugo tried not to chuckle when he felt the nerd shiver; gotcha. Izuku held up a pinky to Bakugo shyly. “Okay, if you promise?”

“Of course. I’m not a fucking liar, Deku.” He links their pinkies together, pulling their hands to his face to kiss Izuku’s. 

He heard the nerd loudly swallow before launching to his feet. “Okay…okay. Deal, Kacchan! Thank you for this!” Bakugo watched his nerd escape to his dorm room with an amused and triumphant smile on his face.

Kaminari and Kirishima watched the entire situation play out, in complete disbelief. They walked over to Bakugo as he texted on his phone. Kaminari flipped himself onto the couch to sit beside the other blonde, looking to see he was texting you where to meet up on Saturday. “This can’t possibly go well.” Kirishima sighed from behind the couch, leaning on his elbows as he read the text as well. When did he become the voice of reason in this group?

“It’ll be fucking fine, Hair-For-Brains,” Bakugo snorted, waving a heart filled text from you up, bragging as Bakugo does.

Kaminari laughed, actually enjoying watching his bro finally make a move. Leaning back with his arms behind his head, the electric blonded asked, “How did you even manage to get tickets and they didn’t?”

“Easy. Bribe the cashier to tell them that they didn’t have any more tickets while I bought three.”

“So glad you are on the heroes’ side.”

~

You waited in front of the museum, messing with your hair and clothes every five seconds while looking at your reflection in a shop window. The girls in your dorm had helped you decide on your outfit. In fact, you’d pretty much had a miniature fashion show in your room. You sigh to yourself, mumbling, “What are you doing ___?” Going on a date with Bakugo Katsuki was not what you had planned.

If there was anyone you were more likely to go on  a date with, you’d expected it to be Izuku. Oh Izuku…he’s so sweet and the two of you can geek out on a whole other level together. You wish he was going to the museum with you. But Bakugo did promise that he’d make sure that you guys got to go together for going on this date….maybe it won't be so bad.

“___?”

Your head whipped over to the side. “Izuku?”

Izuku came over to you, wearing skinny jeans that you’d bought him and an open flannel shirt over one of his regular shirts that said, “t-shirt”. You swear one of these days, you are going to burn all those shirts and buy him a whole new wardrobe. “What are you doing here?”

“Simple, I invited you both here.” Bakugo strolled up to the two of you, smirking with his hands in his pockets. You and Izuku look back at each other, confused.

“Uh…but I thought….” You fiddled with your hands, not sure how to say it in front of Izuku. This is so embarrassing.

Izuku didn't hesitate though. “Isn’t this a date?”

Bakugo just smiled proudly. “You are right, this is a date. All three of us.”

“Huh?!” you both yelled in shock. 

He sighed, leaning in as he placed a hand on each of your shoulders. “Really, do I have to fucking spell it out? I like both your nerdy asses.”

“Kacchan, you should have just asked one of us out at a time if you were confused about—”

“Not confused. I just don't half-ass.” He spun both of you around, his arms resting around your shoulders as he steered all three of you towards the museum entrance. You were completely at a loss as Izuku looked like he was going to continue to protest. 

“If I chose one then I would only be able to give the relationship half of my attention since I’d still like the other. So I’m gonna sweep both of you off your nerdy-ass feet.” Bakugo left no room for argument. 

You looked back at Izuku, his face was as red as your face was hot. Both speechless, you were only able to go with the flow of Bakugo Katsuki.

[lilacyennefer]

a winter's tale

Anon asked: “You’re gonna regret that, sweetheart” with Benny pls ❤️

A/N: I might got a little carried away, but I really love how this one turned out, and I hope you guys think the same. There's a lowkey Garrett easter egg hidden in there and I'm curious if anyone will know what is it 👀

TW: some smut

Growing up in the English countryside, one of your favourite things to do was going outside to a long walk when it was snowing, enjoying the beautiful snowy landscape. 

You missed this a lot when you moved to the States to study, you originally planned to stay for 2 years, but two years became 4 when you met Ben Miller. 

Oh, Benny Miller. 

Knowing Benny now, you’ve met with him in the most unlikely place to ever meet with someone like Ben, in a book shop. 

You loved to read, this was something what your grandmother, who raised you, taught you, to read as much as you can. So it was really common for you to spend days in bookstores, looking for something new to read. 

It was Saturday afternoon on a rainy day when you met with Ben. You were in the mentioned bookstore, flipping through a new fantasy novel what just came out when you sensed someone stepping next to you, and a second later that person started talking.

“Excuse me, Miss, sorry to bother you, could you please help me?” The tall man with bright blue eyes, and a baseball cap asked you in such a deep voice you swear you could feel it resonate in your bones. 

You smiled at him politely, telling him you’re not working here.

“I know, I just thought you could help me, you know. The staff being busy and all.” 

“This makes sense.” You nod. It really did.

“I’m Ben, by the way.” The tall stranger introduced himself.

“I’m Y/N. Nice to meet you, Ben!” You shake his hand “What are you looking for?”

“Something scientific. It will be for my older brother’s birthday.”

“I see. Well, let’s go and see what we can get for your brother.” You tell him, and you walk towards the science part of the bookstore. 

After choosing the right book for his brother, Will, you paid for your chosen book, and Ben paid for the birthday gift, and the two of you headed to a coffee shop. During your time in the bookstore, Ben asked you if you’d like to drink a coffee with him after this as his way of saying thank you. And of course, you said yes, not just because you loved coffee, especially in this weather, but you really liked Ben. He was charming and funny, and despite your first impression, he was really intelligent and actually nice. 

There was a lovely coffee shop nearby, and just like the bookstore, it was pretty empty when you arrived. 

“What would you like?” Ben asks you, and looks at you in a way what makes you melt. 

“A caramel latte please.” Ben nods.

“Take a seat, I’ll get our orders.”

You sit down in a boot, and just watch the people on the streets as the raindrops race down the window. 

After a little while, Ben sits down in front of you after he placed your coffee in front of you, immediately wrapping your hands around the warm liquid, warming your cold hand up. 

“I have a confession to make.” Ben says sheepishly.

“Oh?” You look at him seriously.

Ben licks his lips before he says anything, shiver runs down your spine, but this time not from the cold. 

“I actually asked you to help me because you’re the most beautiful woman I’ve ever seen.” His compliment surprises you, and you can feel yourself blush as you look down to your coffee.

“I figured.” You said in a small voice “The bookstore was almost empty so the stuff didn’t have a lot to do.” 

Ben smiles at you, and you think he has the most beautiful smile you’ve ever seen. You like it, you think, and you definitely like Ben. 

You spent hours in the coffee shop just talking. Conversation with Ben was easy, he talked about his life, he told you that he’s an MMA fighter who picks up all kinds of odd jobs between fights, but previously he was in the Special Forces. 

You told him about your life, that you grew up in England in the countryside, and that your grandmother raised you. 

This was 2 years ago, 2 years since you met Benny and since the two of you fell madly in love. 

Because, you were madly in love. 

That kind of love what’s written in the stars, the love poets and musicians wrote about, that passion what makes you do absolutely anything for your partner. 

And you think it’s beautiful. 

It’s beautiful how much you love each other. 

Ever since you arrived to the States, you didn’t go back home, and after 4 years you started missing it more than anything, and Benny knew this. Seeing you become sadder and sadder because you missed your home and your grandmother broke Benny’s heart, and he just had to do something about it. 

So, Benny picked up more jobs and more fights, so he could save money for the plane tickets so he could surprise you and travel home with you. 

Two weeks left until Christmas, and you’re sitting on the couch in your pjs, watching tv when Benny storms into the apartment the two of you share. 

“I finally got it!” He screamed, making you jump.

“Jesus, Benny, what the hell?” You turn towards him.

“I got it, Y/N!” He says excitedly. You get up from the couch and walk up to him.

“You got what?” Ben takes a deep breath to calm himself down. He really is like an excited puppy. 

“An early Christmas gift.” He explains “Y/N, I couldn’t watch you being so sad, I had to do something. So I worked harder than ever to be able to buy this, because who the fuck knew plane tickets were this expensive honestly, but I finally got it!” He hands you an envelope “Two plane tickets to England so you can go home to your grandma. And hopefully, you don’t mind me coming with you.” He says somehow nervously, watching your reaction. 

You open the envelope and see two plane tickets, to England and back, with your and Ben’s name on it. You feel a lump in your throat and you swallow hard, trying to keep your tears from falling, but you fail as emotions rush over you.

“Why are you crying? Did I fuck it up? Please say something!” Benny begs, and you look up at him.

“No, you big dummy! This is the most beautiful thing anyone ever did to me!” You wrap your arms around him, pulling him close as you cry from the happiness.

“You really did this for me? Letting people beat you stupid just I could go home?”

“Hey, I won almost all of those fights, otherwise I wouldn’t have the tickets now.” 

You always said that Benny was a dummy with a heart of gold, he wasn’t the sharpest, but the way how he loved and how he’d do absolutely anything for you made up for it. 

“Thank you.” You sob “Just thank you. You have no idea how much this means to me.”

You’re still hugging Benny, and he leans down to place a tender kiss on your forehead.

“I’d do anything to make you happy.”

“I know.” You look up at him, chin resting on his chest “But you should’ve spent all this money on yourself.”

Ben doesn't let you finish it as he starts speaking.

“I did this for you, and us. This makes me just us happy as it makes you. Seeing you happy makes me happy.” Another kiss on your forehead. 

“Besides, I want to meet with that grandma of yours who I heard so much about.” You let out a small laugh from Benny’s words.

During the time you’re together with Benny, you told him a lot about your grandma, and Benny has this idea that your grandmother is probably the coolest person ever. 

You told him how she was at Woodstock, and traveled around America in a hippy van when she was younger, knew some of the biggest icons of the Beat Generation, and after her adventures in America she returned to England where she met with your grandfather who she married after 2 weeks of knowing each other, then they went and traveled Europe as their honeymoon.

You told the stories you heard from your grandmother to Benny, who was in awe the whole time and he decided your grandma is the coolest person ever. 

“She’ll be really happy, I can’t wait for you to meet with her.” 

The next week, you were on your way to England with Benny by your side. You were actually nervous about the whole trip, especially about flying for many hours, but Benny made sure that you’re distracted or asleep, he even suggested to have sex in the small bathroom of the plane, and you gave him a look what silenced him for a little bit, but a few minutes later you leaned closer to him and whispered “Maybe on our way back.” and you winked at him. 

When you arrived at the airport, your grandmother was already waiting for you and Benny, and in the moment you saw her you started running towards her, jumping in her arms and hugging her. You spent minutes just hugging and telling each other how much you missed each other, and after you’re done, you finally introduced Benny to your grandma. Thankfully, your grandmother really loved Benny, and Benny really loved your grandmother, but they already had a small, not serious argument when Ben wanted to drive even though he didn’t know where your grandmother lived, or how to drive on the left side, and it took you a long time to convince him to give up.

“I know you love driving, Benny, but this is not the time.”

“Fine, fine.” he finally gave up and took his place in the backseat of the car, meanwhile you were by your grandmother’s side.

Your first few days were about relaxing and fighting jetlag, but after like the third day both of you were okay, and you finally could show Benny the small town you grew up in, you were walking hand in hand, drinking hot chocolate. 

The next week, just before Christmas, there was a huge snowstorm, making you all excited about the snow, and Benny was just as excited as you. 

The next morning after breakfast, your grandma went over to her friend, leaving you and Benny alone for the first time since you came to England. 

“Let’s go outside and play in the snow.” you say excitedly, and without hesitating, Benny agreed. So, you dressed up in warm clothes and you went outside to enjoy the snow, and you even built a snowman. 

“You look so fucking cute, all flushed.” you tell Benny. He indeed looked fucking cute how his cheeks and nose turned all rosey from the cold, a few snowflakes are sitting on his long lashes. 

“Is that so?” he murmurs in his deep voice as he pulled you closer by your hips. “I have an idea how to make you all flushed too.” Benny cooed before he leaned down to kiss you sweetly on the lips. 

“You have to catch me first.” you announce when you pull away and you start running away from Ben, but he’s close behind you. 

You hide behind a tree and squat down to collect some snow in your hands and quickly form a snowball, and when Benny is close enough to you, you throw the snowball at him, and you watch it land on his chest. 

You giggle when you see Benny’s stunned expression, but you start running again when he’s chasing you again, but this time, he caught you, lifting you up in his arms.

“You’re gonna regret that, sweetheart” Benny tells you as he carries you back to the house, you know he means it, but all you can do is giggle.

“I can’t wait.” you murmur, placing a hot kiss on his exposed neck, making him groan. 

When you’re back in the house, Benny puts you down and you kick your shoes off, and take your jacket and hat off while Benny does the same. 

You grab his hand and stand on your tiptoes to kiss him, hot and delicious, making your abdomen clench with want. 

“We should take a bath, since we’re both cold.” you whisper against his lips, and Benny’s face immediately breaks into a huge grin.

“Oh, yes, baby.” and he’s already pushing your body towards your room.

Benny and You always wanted to have sex in a bathtub, but you never had the chance to do it since none of your apartments had a bathtub, but the small bathroom in your room has one, although it’s equally small. 

“How are we gonna fit into this?” you ask Ben as you’re standing in the bathroom with him.

“We will make it work.” he mutters into your skin as his lips are all over your neck, kissing it tenderly. 

And just like that, Benny and you quickly undressed each other while the hot water was filling the bathtub, and the scent of your favourite bubble bath surrounds you.

When the tub is filled with water and bubbles for your liking, Ben helps you into the water, and you carefully sink down in the burning hot water, letting it relax your muscles and warm you up. You move a little bit, giving Ben some space so he can sit behind you. He carefully maneuvers his big body into the small bathtub what already has you in it, and some water. 

Somehow he managed to sit behind you, wrapping his strong arms around you.

“This is really nice.” Ben whispers into your ear, and you nod, agreeing. “But I know a way how this could be even more enjoyable.” He nips your earlobe the same time he brushes his hand over one of your breasts, taking your nipple between his fingers, and gently pulling it, making you moan. 

You pull away from him to turn around and sit in his lap, Benny immediately wrapping his arms around you, pulling you back close. 

“Please, love me.” you whisper against Ben’s lips, and you see him soften before you kiss him, slipping your tongue into his mouth, massaging. 

You sit like that for minutes, in the hot, bubbly water, tangled together as you make out until you don’t know where you end and where Benny starts.

Still kissing, you feel Benny sneak a hand between your hot bodies, finding your slit and running his long, agile fingers over your folds, making you moan as his fingers press against your clit, massaging it the way you like it. 

You break the kiss and press your forehead to Ben’s shoulders, meanwhile he peppers your shoulder, neck, and chest with soft, gentle kisses as his fingers are pleasuring you, touching you the way how he knows you love it.

“You’re so soaked.” he groans when his fingers are circling your opening before he pushes a finger inside of you, making you let out a whining sound. 

“Please, Ben. I need you.”

“You have me.” he whispers against your skin. 

You grab his hand what’s between your legs and gently pull it away as you lift your hips up just a tiny bit, so you can take his already hard cock in your hands and place it where you need him the most, then agonisingly slowly, you sink down on him, making both of you throw your head back with a moan. 

You just sit there, completely still as you let yourself adjust to his size, and when you’re finally feeling ready, you started rocking your hips against Ben’s. 

Your times with Ben were almost always fast and hard, let’s just say you were fucking most of the time, but not right now as you moved slowly together. 

This was about your hearts and souls connecting, but also about the pleasure of your bodies as you made love with each other. 

“Benny.” you moan into his neck, Ben’s arms tighten around you as you push yourself closer and closer to the edge until you shatter, and fall, pulsating, moaning Ben’s name. 

You slowly ride your orgasm out, panting against Ben’s skin while his hands are soothingly caress the skin on your back, his soft lips are pressing equally soft kisses where he can reach. 

When you feel like you caught your breath, you sit straight back up, but Benny’s lips never leave your skin as it goes lover and lover, until his mouth is on your breaths, taking one of you nipples into his mouth, sucking the sensitive nub, then circling it with his tongue. You sigh and close your eyes from the calming pleasure Ben is causing you as he lick and suck your sensitive nipples, you wrap your arms around his neck and face, leaning your head on the top of his, closing your eyes and just enjoy how soft Ben’s lips feel on your skin, and how good they make you feel, while his rock hard cock is still buried deep inside of you. 

“Hmmm, as much as I’m enjoying this, the water is getting cold.” you whisper, and Ben lets your nipple go.

Benny carefully lifts you off of him, making you wince from the sudden emptiness, and he stands up and steps out of the bathtub, wrapping a towel around his hips, and holding your fluffy towel out for you, and you get out of the tub, letting Ben wrap you up in the soft towel. 

Again, he’s wrapping his strong arms around you to pull you close, kissing you, making you melt.

“I should take care of you now.” you tell Ben. You don’t have to specify what you mean, he knows exactly.

“I’m not done with you yet.” he shakes his head, and he lifts you up in bridal style and carries you to the bed, gently placing you down on it. 

He takes the towel from your body and drops it on the floor, and he does the same with his, making your mouth water as he reveals his throbbing erection to you. He pulls you closer to the edge of the bed, spreading your legs for him as he kneels down in front of you, between your legs.

Benny peppers your inner thighs with tender kisses, moving closer to your core as he watches your chest rise and fall quicker as he gets closer to your soaked folds, and your breath hitches when he softly runs his tongue over your folds, carefully to not cause you any discomfort since you’re still sensitive from your orgasm.

So, he first just caresses your inner fold with his tongue, lapping your wetness, and dipping his tongue into your hole, curling it inside of you. 

Benny can read you like an open book, every move, every moan of you, he knows what he should do to give you the most pleasure he can, so he exactly knows when you’re ready for him to touch your clit, and when he finally does he makes your whole body shake, and moan his name. 

Still somehow sensitive from your orgasm, your legs shake violently every time Benny touches or sucks your clit, but gosh, it feels so sinfully good, and it doesn’t take you long until you fall over the edge again, and cum hard on Ben’s tongue. 

“Holy shit.” you mutter and Ben lets out a laugh.  

“Are you okay? Wanna take a break?” he asks you as he stands up, wrapping his hand around his cock, pumping.

You shake your head “No, I need your cock, Benny.” you say in your most seductive voice, and he answers with a groan. 

Ben steps between your legs, taking them in his hands and pushing them back until your knees touch the bed, leaving you wide open for him. 

“You’re so fucking beautiful. All wet and spread out for me.” he praises, making you even wetter than before. 

“Please, Benny.”

He doesn’t say anything as he places his cock against your opening, and with one fierce move, he’s back inside of you, not giving you time now to adjust, he starts moving hard and fast. 

With every move, every time Ben smashes his hips against yours, your tits are bouncing, to Benny’s pleasure. You know he has a hell of a view at you, he can see his cock disappear inside of you every time, and the same time he sees your tits moving and the pleasure written all over your face. 

“Ben!” you scream as the fire in your belly is growing stronger second by second, and after two earth shattering orgasm, your third one is approaching rapidly.

Benny groans loudly and he growls “Y/N, cum for me.” and your body obeyed him, as you came for the third time, harder than ever. 

You’re drowning in your own pleasure, your heart is pounding in your ears, but you can hear Ben letting out an animalistic groan before he pulls out of you, and pumps his dick a few times before he spills himself all over your stomach and chest, marking you as his. 

After he made sure every drop landen on your skin, he tiredly crashed down next to you on the bed. 

You take that small drop of cum on your chest and you make sure Benny is watching you when you take it to your mouth, licking his cum off of your finger.

“Fuck.” Benny groans as he saw every move of yours “You’re so good. So fucking good.” he praises, and you smile at him.

You carefully turn to place a kiss on his cheek before you get up and take one of the towels from the floor and wipe yourself clean. 

While Benny is watching you, he can’t stop thinking about how lucky he is to have you, the most wonderful woman he could ever wish for, and seeing you happy here, in your home, worth every fucking fight and suffering with shitty jobs. And little did you know that he not only bought the plane tickets, but there’s also a ring resting deep in his suitcase, waiting for Christmas Eve to ask you to marry him. And he can only hope you’ll say yes.

Tags: @innerpaperexpertcloud​ @agirllovespasta​ @lady-evans​ @oldstuffnewstuff​ @keithseabrook27​ @alexa-rae-dreamz​ @minnicelli​ @woahitslucyylu​ @de-profundis-ad-astra​ @mylifeliterally​ @happyhenners​

[bordeleaubeau]

when worlds collide - ryder donovan

chapter two wc: 6868

you pull the black sweatshirt over your body, the duluth east logo spread across the front, along with hounds hockey’ written across it. you swapped your black leggings for a pair of dark washed jeans, deciding you look decent enough for ryder’s game. you keep your hair down, running your fingers through it before grabbing your phone out of your pocket to send a mirror photo to ryder.

y/n: attachment: 1 image

how do i look?

rydes dono: rydes dono loved an image incredible

y/n: sorry, i’m probably messing up your pregame stuff, aren’t i?

rydes dono: not at all. i only just got to the rink, i’m not even in the locker room yet, no worries y/n/n

y/n: good, because i thought you also deserved to see a photo of our girl. i figured we could use it in our scrapbook thingy

attachment: 1 image

you send ryder a photo you had taken of saylor, where you grabbed an old hat you had from one of your american girl dolls and placed it on saylor’s head, along with a little button up jacket.

rydes dono: she almost looks as good as her mama

y/n: oh shush, donovan. don’t you have a hockey game to warm up for?

rydes dono: okay okay fine, i’ll let you go since you’re so eager to. sit as close to the glass as you can on the visiting side, and then i’ll meet you in the lobby after the game got that?

y/n: sounds perfect to me. see you after donovan:)

rydes dono: see you y/n

y/n:  oh, and try to go easy on my dad, will you?

rydes dono: no promises;)

you find yourself smiling at your phone. your dad had already left about an hour ago, and all you were waiting for now was for josie to tell you she was here with kennedy. once you got that text from her, you were grabbing your lanyard and your baby carrier with saylor in it. william was long gone as well, along with your mother, leaving you the last to leave the house.

“there’s our favorite future donovan!” josie yells out her driver’s side window as soon as you step out of the house. you shake your head with a smile trying to hide your blush as you go to get into the back seat. 

“oh come on, y/n. you gotta give us more details. because i’ve been on the edge of my seat since you told us about class today,” kennedy says, looking over her shoulder at you as josie pulls out of your driveway. of course, the second you had told kennedy about the little incident - or moment, rather - in child development, kennedy went insane. as predicted.

you heave out an exaggerated sigh, grabbing your phone from the pocket of ryder’s sweatshirt and opening it to your messages thread with him, then handing your phone to kennedy. as soon as she sees the name at the top her eyes are lighting up. 

she starts mumbling the texts you guys were sending back and forth, and a gasp falls from her lips. “y/n m/n!” kennedy screeches, whipping around in her seat to shove your phone in your face, as if you didn’t already know what the text messages say. you have a shy smile on your face. “he likes you, you big idiot!”

“i wanna know!” josie yells, stopping at a stop light. “gimme her phone, i wanna see!” kennedy hands josie your phone, and josie starts yelling just as loud as ken had been. “kennedy’s right! i don’t know why you’re saying he doesn’t!”

“okay, okay, gimme my phone,” you giggle holding your hand out for josie to give you your phone as the light turns from red to green. you see ryder had snapped you, so you open up snapchat and see ryder along with logan and ricky. ryder is in the middle of laughing, ricky is smirking and logan is grinning like a fool. you can’t help but screenshot the photo. “look at our boys!” you give your phone right back to kennedy who begins to squeal.

“look at logan!” she gushes, and from the backseat you can see the grin on the blonde’s face. 

josie pulls into the parking lot of the duluth heritage sports center, looking over her shoulder at you with a smile. “ready to see your baby daddy?”

“shut up!” you laugh, reaching forward to hit josie’s arm. the three of you get out of the car, you reaching over to grab saylor’s carrier. you walk into the arena with the girls by your side, already earning a few weird looks from people in the lobby. “i knew this was gonna happen.” you grumble. 

josie sighs, “they’re just judgemental people, y/n. don’t worry about it. it’s not like the baby is real or anything.”

“ryder likes to think so,” you roll your eyes at the thought, following the girls to the ticket booth to buy your tickets for the east game. once all three of you have your tickets you walk into the rink that’s still fairly empty, going straight towards the front row behind east’s net. 

“i know dono wanted us by denfeld, but, that’s not gonna happen,” kennedy sighs, getting comfortable in the seat to the left of you and pulling out her phone, smiling when she saw that logan had snapped her. “look!”

you and josie both giggle at the blonde's reaction, watching her blushing cheeks as she fumbled to unlock her phone. she opens the snap and her smile widens, angling her phone towards you to see the photo of ryder and logan. “smile!” kennedy says, and you do so before she snaps the photo and sends it to logan. 

“i wouldn’t plan on him answering you, kenny. boys got a pregame schedule, you know that,” you advise her and kennedy nods, knowing exactly what you meant. kennedy wasn’t exactly a stranger when it came to hockey boys. 

“yeah, he sent me that ten minutes ago. they’re probably gonna get ready to- never mind!” kennedy starts to giggle as the red box appears next to logan’s name, and then you feel your phone buzz in your hand. 

rydes dono:

tell kennedy she’s throwing my boy off, he can’t stop smiling at his phone

you laugh out loud, quickly typing a response. 

y/n: as if i’m not throwing you off yours? ryder donovan aren’t you supposed to be warming up soon?

rydes dono: been thrown off since you sent me that photo an hour ago, not gonna lie y/n/n

rydes dono: and only gonna be more thrown off when we come out to warm up, that im sure of

“would you look at that! ryder donovan, flirting with you in plain sight. come on, y/n. even a blind person would be able to see that,” josie says as she reads your texts from over your shoulder, a smug smirk on her face. “god, you’re both goners.”

y/n: don’t blow it, dono. it’s a big game for you guys. 

it’s only a matter of time before the rink starts to really fill up. you’re minding your own business, looking down at your phone before kennedy starts to repeatedly hit your arm. “y/n, y/n, y/n, y/n!” she squeals, pointing up towards the walk way the teams normally warm up on. 

sure enough, ryder is leading his team out to start their warm ups and logan is right behind him. you watch as ryder slowly starts to scan the home section, and once his eyes land on you you watch as a smile crosses his lips. he stops dead in his tracks causing logan to run into his back, and then logan shoves ryder to get him moving. you watch their lips move, but of course you can’t hear what they’re saying, but ryder shakes his head and laughs as he begins to lead the boys in leg stretches.

“okay, that was adorable,” josie smiles over at you. “he’s got it bad, y/n. and i’m the first one to call it.”

kennedy’s mouth drops open and she leans forward to look at josie, “nu uh! i was. cool it, jose. i called the first shot.” kennedy pouts, her arms crossing over her chest. but regardless of how annoyed she is, her eyes are trained on logan and there’s a smile forming on her face. 

“y/n!” you hear the voice of the girl you expected to be here, but hoped to god she wouldn’t be. her hand rests on your shoulder and you turn around to face her. “love the sweatshirt. surprised ryder would actually let you wear it, you know, he doesn’t give his sweatshirts to just anyone. i think i would know.” 

your eyes narrow at the brunette girl, “someone’s jealous she’s never worn dono’s sweatshirt, isn’t she?” you ask keira, and besides her one of her friends has to hold back her laugh. 

“yeah, no. dono’s not exactly my speed… anymore.” keira rolls her eyes before sitting back in her seat allowing you to face forward once again. 

“just ignore her, y/n. chances are she’s lying,” kennedy mumbles next to you, low enough that keira can’t hear you. “plus, would ryder even go for a girl like her? i highly doubt it. you’re much better than her, and i don’t think i’m biased.” kennedy’s nose is turned up, a sweet smile on her face.

“thank you ken, i love you.”

“love you too, y/n/n.”

you smile at kennedy, looking down at your phone as you feel a buzz.

rydes dono: was keira giving you any trouble?

y/n: what do you mean? and you’re not supposed to be on your phone right now

rydes dono: i saw her talking to you. just let me know if she says anything to you alright? i’ll deal with her

y/n: got it. talk to you after the game, rydes. and good luck:)

rydes dono:  thank you y/n. i’ll see you after, and that sweatshirt still better be on.

you can feel the presence of your two best friends looking over both of your shoulders. “you’re delusional, y/n. i swear.” josie shakes her head, arms crossing over her chest as she stares out towards the ice where the boys were bound to come out at any moment.

“do you guys not realize how flirty ryder is? he’s like this with everyone. at this point you guys are really just getting my hopes up.”

“y/n that boy took one glance at you and he fell head over heels - should i say skates? for you.”

“kenny, you’re the one with a little bit of inside knowledge, why don’t you spill?” josie asks, leaning forward to look at the blonde. kennedy looks like a deer caught in the headlights, eyes wide and frozen in place. she had been caught. “kennedy ann. if you don’t tell us all the information you have right now i’m not buying you caribou on monday.”

kennedy’s eyes glane around, her eyes lighting up when she thinks of an excuse. “i have to go to the bathroom!” she announces rather loudly in the rink, rising from her seat. you grab the fabric of her sweatshirt and yank her back down in the seat. 

“kenny if you leave now you’ll miss logs come out for warm ups. you don’t want that, do you?” you cock your head to the side, waiting for kennedy’s reaction. she lets out a sigh, sinking into her seat, folding her arms in her chest. “that’s what i thought.”

“yeah yeah, whatever,” the blonde grumbles under her breath, eyes glued to where the boys would eventually come out for their warm ups. “but just so you know? my lips are sealed.” kennedy puts her thumb and index finger to her lips, mimicking a zipper across her lips before folding her arms across her chest once more.

“so, big sister. did our boy william give his jersey to any lucky girl tonight?” josie asks, and as if it would help, you turn around in your seat into the sea or black and red. everyone pretty much looks the same, and you suck in a breath.

“yeah, i dunno, actually. i’d assume he’d tell me, but, who really knows? will doesn’t really like giving his jerseys out, it’s a superstition type of thing i guess you could call it.” before josie could respond, because obviously kennedy wouldn’t be, you hear saylor start to cry at your feet. 

“duty calls, mama,” josie smirks as you reach down to pick up the baby. you let out a sigh, and as if the timing couldn’t be any more perfect, that’s the moment the boys run out to the ice. 

you rock the doll in your arms as you grab the set of colored keys, grabbing the blue one for food and holding it up to the doll's chest. you look up at the ice, eyes glued to the number 22 for a few seconds, but your attention then goes back to saylor who’s still crying. you then grab the yellow key for a diaper change, and just like that she stops crying. 

you place her back in the carrier, and when you look back up, ryder is skating by, eyes glued to you as he does so. “look, look, look, look!” kennedy squeals from beside you, her hands repeatedly slapping your fabric covered arms. “look at logan!” her cheeks flush pink as she watches the dirty blonde skate right behind ryder, a smile mirrored to ryder’s on her face.

“thought your lips were sealed, kennedy?” you ask smugly, and as soon as kennedy realizes she had said something she lets out a groan, her head falling back in her seat. 

“did we really think it was going to last that long, y/n/n?” josie has an amused smile on her face, clearly entertained at the fact kennedy didn’t even last a full five minutes. you shake your head, eyes scanning the ice for the number 17, and when you spot william, of course he’s glued to ryder’s hip as they sit in the neutral zone to do stretches together. 

“look at him,” you pout, pointing to where the two boys are, and it isn’t too long before logan skates up right next to them making sure to cover them in snow. 

“look at him!” kennedy mimics you, her eyes doe like as she stares at the boy she fancied for nearly two years now. ken lets out a blissed sigh, like she always did, and keeps her eyes trained on logan. but you can’t blame her, because you’re doing the exact same thing for ryder.

you watch the boys as they warmed up, going through their normal sequence of doing shooting drills, their own stick handling, and stretches. ryder ends up right in front of you behind the net with a pile of pucks, passing them out to the two lines the boys formed to do one timers. 

ryder starts to skate slowly, his eyes scanning over their side of the eyes spending a few seconds looking over his team. that doesn’t last too long, however, as ryder is looking to the right and logan comes up from the left, hitting ryder into the boards right in front of where you and the girls are sitting. the two boys laugh, both of their heads turning to look at you and kennedy. your eyes meet ryder’s and he gives you a soft smile, gloved hand raising off his stick to wave at you. you give your own shy wave to ryder before he gives you one last smile and skates away with logan behind him.

william is the next of the pack to make his appearance, a huge smile on his face as he skates past making sure to wave at the three of you. he stops besides logan and ryder, the three of them talking before william skates off to garrett.

eventually, warm ups end and both teams leave the ice so they can zam it. you watch your dad walk off the visitor’s bench and into the locker room, already knowing this game wasn’t going to end well. you hear kennedy sigh, “gosh, our boys are so cute.”

“your boy is so cute,” you correct her, earning a pout from kennedy. “what? i’m not wrong. logan’s your boy.”

“and ryder is yours whether you like that or not,” josie points out and you glare at her. “what? i’m not wrong?” she mocks you. “come on. ryder would not interact with you like that if he didn’t have some feelings towards you.”

you let out a frustrated sigh. “i’ll believe it when he tells me. and he wont.” you say, giving the brunette a pointed look before you feel your phone vibrate in your hand.

rydes dono: that picture didnt do you any justice y/n

y/n: what’s that supposed to mean? and ryder, get off your phone, i’m serious. you are not going to get in trouble because of me.

rydes dono: you look better in person than the photo. and dont worry about me

y/n:  too late i am. i’ll text will to get you off your phone

rydes dono: okay fine i’m going i’m going! bye y/n, i’ll see you after the game.

y/n:  see you ryder

“oh come on, you have that smile on your face and you’re trying to tell us you don’t like him and that he doesn’t like you? that’s bull, y/n.” josie grabs your phone out of your hand, scrolling to look at your messages, stopping at the ones from earlier again. “seriously, y/n.” with a shake of her head josie locks your phone and hands it back to you. 

“he’s telling you without telling you. he isn’t upfront with his emotions, so this is his way of saying it,” kennedy says, trying her best to get through to you. “being friends with logan has its perks, you know. i know more about ryder than you think i do.”

“guys can we please not talk about this right now? at least not when i’m here. i’ll be back, i’m just gonna go grab a drink i guess.” without another word you get up from your seat, exit your row and start up towards the stairs that lead out to the main concourse.

no part of you wants to believe ryder actually likes you. because you know in the end, chances are you’d get hurt. that’s the type of guy you thought ryder was - pure happiness in the moment but it would only be a matter of time. 

you let out a sigh walking up to the snack stand, scanning the options as if you hadn’t already memorized them and couldn’t recite them like the back of your hand. out of the corner of your eye you can see a brunette girl that can’t be any older than fourteen staring at you. you try to ignore her to the best of your ability, but you ultimately fail when you look over at her. 

“who are you?” she asks, her eyebrows furrowing in confusion as she glances to the number on the sleeve of ryder’s sweatshirt.

you give the girl a skeptical look, glancing towards the line as it slowly moves forward. “who are you?” you retort. 

“i asked you first.” 

since she glanced to the number, you figured she at least knew who ryder was seeing as that was her main focus. “i’m y/n. i’m ryder donovan’s-”

she cuts you off with a gasp, her eyes widening. “you’re y/n! ryder’s partner for that baby thing!” she exclaims, and as soon as the words leave her lips you can feel the heat on your cheeks. 

“and who are you?” 

she smiles, “clara. ryder’s little sister.”

yeah, not exactly how you planned to meet - part of - ryder’s family. 

“well it’s nice to meet you clara. i know it’s only a little project we’re doing together, but it’s still nice to meet at least one of ryder’s siblings,” you give her a smile, taking a step forward as the line moves forward once again. “do you want anything?” you ask, gesturing towards the snack stand. she’s hesitant. “come on, clara. it’s the least i can do.” 

clara lets out a sigh with a smile on her face. “i’ll make sure ryder pays you back, okay? but an icee sounds really good right now.” 

“good choice, girlfriend. that’s exactly what i was gonna get,” you smile down at the young girl. “what flavor?”

“blue raspberry please. if you like any other flavor you’re insane,” she jokes and you can’t help but let out a laugh.

you step forward since you’re ready to order, ordering you and clara both medium sized icees and handing the cashier a five dollar bill. you drop the change into the tip jar and it only takes a few seconds before you’re handed the icees and you give one to clara. 

“thank you, y/n,” she smiles gratefully at you and you nod. “you know, i’m a little shocked he gave you this.” clara gestures towards your sweatshirt and you can’t help but let out a laugh as the two of you walk through the concourse. 

“you know, that’s what everyone has been saying.” 

clara shrugs as she sips on her icee, the brims of her mouth already starting to turn a vibrant blue. “it’s the truth. ryder doesn’t let anyone wear his hockey clothes. he doesn’t even let me! and between you and me, i’m his favorite.”

“clara i like you already,” you laugh, nudging the girl in her ribs gently. “i’ll walk you to where you’re sitting okay?” 

clara nods and you do exactly as she says, waving to the small brunette that resembled ryder in an uncanny way. you walk back to your seat, not even noticing the grin on your face until kennedy pointed it out. 

“what’s got you so smiley, y/n/n? because ryder wasn’t out there.” kennedy teases. you had been gone so long they already cut the ice and the boys were out waiting for the opening face off. 

“yeah, your smile is kinda freaking me out. not gonna lie,” josie mumbles, stealing a sip of your icee. “still cannot understand how you drink blue raspberry.” 

you ignore josie’s comment, “i met ryder’s little sister. and she’s the sweetest thing ever.” you smile, eyes trained on ryder as he goes to take the opening faceoff. your two best friends both gasp and you grin. “so that happened.”

“did she know who you were?” kennedy asks as the game goes officially underway. the three of you keep your eyes on the ice, but still focused on each other. 

“that’s the thing,” you smile to yourself. “she saw the sweatshirt. so i said my name and i started to say how i was ryder’s partner, but she already knew that. so either all he did was talk about the project to his family or he actually talked about me.”

“it’s also not uncommon to know you, y/n/n. you’re will’s sister. instead of people ging up to will and saying, ‘you’re y/n’s little brother!’ you get, ‘you’re will’s older sister!’” you laugh at josie because she was absolutely 100% right. will was on pace for a sixty point season - as a freshman. in high school.

your eyes go to the number 17, watching as will skates up to hit a player on denfeld - and will isn’t the smallest either, so you watch as the boy in white falls to the ice. when he falls, it seems like all of east’s student section is on their feet cheering for will as he receives a pass from logan. you and the girls are banging on the boards, a wide smile on your face.

“that’s my baby brother!” you laugh, unable to contain your smile. you look over to the bench, seeing your dad shaking his head with a soft smile on his face. only one that you or will would be able to tell was a smile, though. because to anyone else it would look like a frown. 

logan stops quickly, dropping his pass to will who skates behind denfeld’s net and quickly banks the pass to ryder. will scrambles to get in front of the net, battling it out with one of denfeld’s defensemen as ryder takes the slapshot. will jumps to try and get out of the way of ryder’s shot, but his stick tips it right over shawn easty’s right shoulder and into the net. 

“will!” you jump up in excitement, everyone along the boards banging on the glass as ryder throws his arms around your younger brother who’s almost as tall as him on skates. 

“that’s goal number, what. twenty-five on the season?” josie asks from besides you, her eyes glistening. you turn back to face the ice, watching william go through the handshakes on the bench before the second line goes out. you look to your dad, his shoulders dropping as he lets out a sigh, hand going up to run down his face. 

“goal twenty-five of the season.” you confirm before sitting back down in your seat with a smug smile on your face. “ryder wasn’t joking when he said they were going down tonight.”

kennedy lets out a giggle, “c’mon, y/n. has that kid ever even had a bad game a day in his life? it’s ryder freaking donovan for crying out loud!”

the first period ends, you having to tend to saylor only once or twice, luckily making you miss the goal denfeld scored to tie the game up at one a piece. but there was still thirty-four minutes of hockey to play, and you had complete faith in ryder and your boys.

just like normal, you and the girls talk amongst each other and scroll through your phones. if the boys were able, you’d text will and ryder about how they both played an amazing first period. but since they wouldn’t be able to, you sit through what feels like an eternity of the girls teasing you.

the second period doesn’t exactly go as planned.

halfway through the second period, denfeld ends up scoring a goal, making them lead 2-1. ryder slams the blade of his stick on the bench out of frustration, his head shaking and you can see him yell a few colorful words before he jumps over the bench. you couldn’t blame him - the defense had been struggling that night. 

“they’ve got time, y/n. plenty of time,” josie reassures you, placing her hand on top of yours and giving you a quick smile. you nod, knowing she’s right. but every minute that goes by, the chances of the boys winning dwindle down. even with there being twenty minutes after the third period - denfeld would have most of the momentum to try and finish it off.

you just pray will doesn’t get into his own head. if he did that, he wouldn’t be able to live up to his potential and his normal game. and this was the game he really needed it, because you knew that boy wanted to show your dad in the worst way what he was capable of - and if it had to be against his own team, so what? makes even more of a statement. if there was anything one needed to know about william, it was that he loved making statements. 

when the boys come out for the third period, ryder makes his quick one lap around their side of the ice. when he he passes by you he gives you a soft smile, before once again, going to take the opening faceoff for the period. a clean win for ryder and he passes it back to logan, who then attempts a pass to ryan but it gets intercepted by a denfeld forward who then breaks away towards lukan. 

lukan is in position, shuffling along and following where cole olson was skating. but lukan isn’t enough for cole, who’s release is quicker than he originally anticipated. the puck flies over his shoulder, and at the opposite side of the rink denfeld’s student section goes wild.

“it’s over.” 

“kennedy don’t say that!” you sigh, but you can’t help think of it yourself. the boys are exhausted from rushing from each side of the ice, and you weren’t sure if they’d be able to keep up for the remaining seven minutes of the period.

coach randolph shakes his head and his hand rubs over his mouth before he calls for a time out. surprisingly enough, he doesn’t yell at his team and quickly draws out a game plan for them. when the ref blows the whistle, ryder’s line goes out for a center ice draw. 

ryder takes a quick little turn around center ice before he sets up for the face off. he loses it, denfeld’s center passing it back to a defenseman. will ends up pickpocketing him, passing the puck to logan and letting logan enter the offensive zone. he dekes the defenseman and fakes his shot to the right of the goalie, but tucks it in on the left.

“that’s my boy!” kennedy squeals, her arms wrapping around you out of excitement as she jumps up and down. “he said he was gonna score for me tonight. and he did!” 

you laugh, pulling away from the blonde. “he did,” you confirm, glancing up to the scoreboard. there were two minutes left and east was only down by one. so if they were able to pull this off, you’d go to overtime and hopefully finish the job. but anything can happen. 

“they’re gonna do this, they have to,” josie mumbles to herself seeming as if she’s trying to convince herself more than anything. you grab her hand as ricky’s line goes out, squeezing it hard.

the clock continues to tick down, the puck seeming to stay more in the neutral zone more than anything, but once the boys are able to get it into denfeld’s zone it’s like they’re trying anything and anything. but easty is able to stop and block mostly all the pucks that he faces - until ricky tucks the puck in his five hole.

“did he just score?” kennedy asks in disbelief, her eyes staying on the ice before she finally pulls them away to look at you and josie who mirrored her expression. but judging by ricky’s celly, he had most definitely scored, and the refs weren’t calling it off.

“holy shit.”

the clock ticks down until the end of regulation leaving for what would for sure be an end-of-your seat worthy overtime period. randolph of course starts out with ryder, will, and grant as their starting three. right away, denfeld is starting down towards lukan, but he makes a quick glove save allowing a quick little rest for the boys. ryder wins the faceoff, passes it to grant before grant is starting down the ice. he passes the puck to will, who goes to pass to ryder, but then will gets tripped and slides right into easty in front of you. the whistle blows, but one of denfeld’s players immediately goes to roughhouse with will.

“he didn’t do anything!” kennedy screams as if the boys could hear her through the glass. “god you’re a fucking idiot, aren’t you?”

you shake your head at kennedy, but your eyes then go to ryder who yanks the denfeld player off will. he doesn’t hesitate to cross check the kid and exchange a few words with, and for a split second you were worried ryder would actually end up fighting the kid. but he was smarter than that. 

the ref breaks the two of them up and points ryder in the direction to the penalty box. you read ryder’s lips, who lets out an, “are you fucking kidding me?” before taking his helmet off and running his hand through his hair.

yeah, it was a sight. 

“look at him,” josie sighs, and you look over at her with furrowed eyebrows.

“please, jose. back off my baby daddy.” 

kennedy and josie both let out ear piercing screeches and you shake your head with a smile at the two of them, surely not doubting the fact your cheeks were surely flaming red. you bite back your smile, your attention going to the game unfolding in front of you. a majority of the overtime period is spent in denfeld’s end, but none of the shots seem to go past easty. the time on ryder’s penalty ticks down, and you watch as the puck gets taken back into east’s zone. just as the boys kill the penalty, will gets a hold of the puck and shoots it over to ryder who sprints down the ice on the breakaway.

he’s skating right towards the net, right where you and the girls are sitting, a look of pure determination on his face. he dekes out easty, puck going over his shoulder and into the net. you jump up, a grin on your face as ryder spins around, his hand lifting off his stick to point to you. you bang on the boards as he skates over, his back hitting the boards as will and grant tackle him in a hug. 

will gives you a little wave as your student section goes crazy before the boys all go to high five the bench. then they do post game handshakes, and then you, kennedy, and josie are headed out to the lobby where you told the boys you’d meet them.

“that was crazy! did you see that move, y/n! the hands on that kid, wow, i just-”

you cut kennedy off in the middle of her excitement by placing a hand on her arm. “kenny, breathe. but yes, that was an absolute gorgeous goal. i mean come on, it’s ryder.”

“i wouldn’t expect anything less from the kid, honestly. he pulled through when he needed to,” josie shrugs her shoulders and there’s a smile on her face. “and not to mention ricky’s tying goal.”

“so all three of our boys scored tonight, i see that as a win,” you smile, and of course that’s when saylor starts to cry. you sigh, setting her down on the bench along the wall in the lobby to rock her before grabbing the keys. you fumble with them, grabbing the blue one for food, and she immediately stops crying. “and now, it’s a waiting game.”

like normal, it takes about twenty minutes until the boys slowly start to come out into the lobby to find their friends and family waiting for them. your eyes stay trained to the door, and when you see the blonde haired boy followed by your little brother, you can’t help the grin on your face.

“there’s my superstar,” you smile sheepishly at ryder, who tries to hide his smile by biting his lip.

“i’m not the superstar, willy is,” ryder shakes his head slightly with a smile, logan and ricky both following after him. ryder somewhat shocks you by wrapping his arms around your body, and in turn you wrap your arms around his neck. 

before you end up doing something stupid, you pull away from him. “yeah right, says you. you had the game winner. you don’t need to be humble about it rydes.”

ryder rolls his eyes, “i’m serious, y/n. your brother was the star of the show tonight.” he says while running a hand through his still damp hair from his shower. 

“both of you were.”

ryder shakes his head and you scowl at him, “nope, all willy. speaking of, you should probably go talk to him and your dad.”

“but rydes,” you pout, your hand fumbling with the fabric of his dress shirt. you ignore the looks you’re sure your friends are giving the both of you, and ryder smiles down at you, hand reaching to brush a strand of hair behind your ear, lingering there for a few more seconds than either of you anticipated.

“sweets, it’s okay. i have to go talk to my family. we’ll meet back here in five minutes, okay?” you still pout, but your cheeks blushing pink at the nickname. ryder’s eyes look over your shoulder where you assume his family is still waiting for him.

“five minutes tops, dono, you got that?” you ask, your pointer finger jammed right on his chest as you look up at him with the most stern look you can muster. but it’s ryder, and he looks right through that. 

ryder smiles, his hand wrapping around your wrist to set it back at your side. “okay, y/n/n.”

“okay, i’ll see you in a few.”

“yes you will, and take ken with you. i don’t need logan making googly eyes are her while trying to talk to his family.”

you glance over to kennedy and logan. kennedy is a blushing mess as she talks to logan, and being completely honest? logan doesn’t look that much better either. you smile and then turn back to ryder, “i will, she’ll want to see her superstar anyway. oh and rydes? try not to miss me too much.”

ryder pouts, “i thought i was your superstar. and don’t worry, you’re always on my mind, baby mama.”

you can feel your heart flutter in your chest. “you’re my superstar. meaning you’re only mine. but i share willy.” you say with blushing cheeks. “and don’t try to flatter me, dono.”

“you’re right, i am all yours. and it’s not flattery if it’s the truth, l/n.” 

with that, ryder sends you a wink before walking towards his family. “ken, c’mon, we’re gonna go talk to will really quickly.” you call, taking kennedy’s attention away from logan. she pouts, but you raise your eyebrows at her. 

“okay, okay! i’ll be right back, log.” she presses a quick kiss to logan’s cheek before she walks over to you. “did you see that, did you see that?” she giggles like a school girl that had her first kiss. “but y/n, you’re coming with us to old chicago by the way. ryder was gonna ask you to go.”

you smile, trying to bite your lip. “got it.” you reach your family, and just like you had suspected there’s a bit of tension. but that doesn’t mean you hesitate on throwing your arms aroun your little brother. “willy you played so good buddy.”

will laughs in your arms, wrapping his own around you. “thanks, y/n/n. it was a great game to play in.”

when the two of you pull away you allow kennedy to hug your brother while you hug your dad. “sorry daddy. you guys had your moment.” you joke with him and he gives you a half hearted smile.

“it’s okay, honey. win some you lose some. but do you have any plans after or are you gonna go home with us?” your dad asks, and you look over at kennedy hoping your parents wouldn’t see your blushing cheeks.

“oh lord,” your mother sighs, but nonetheless there’s a smile on your face. “what’s that look for?”

“jose, ken and i are gonna go out to eat i think, right ken?” you ask and kennedy nods. “of course if that’s okay with you guys.”

you mom shrugs before she looks over at your dad. “i don’t see why not. just make sure you’re home by midnight okay?”

you’re nodding right away. “okay momma. i’ll see you guys later. bye, i love yous!” you blow a kiss to your family and kennedy says her goodbyes before heading back over to the group where the boys all came back from talking to their families. logan nudges ryder and he looks up, a smile on his lips when he sees you.

“i’d like to let you know, y/n/n, you took five minutes and ten seconds.” ryder says, half smirking as he puts his phone into the back pocket of his dress pants.

you roll your eyes with a smile as you reclaim your spot right next to him. “oh shut up rydes.”

“i’m just saying.” ryder puts his hands up in defense, and you shake your head laughing at him before you look up at him with a smile. 

“but i’m here now, and that’s what matters right?”

“right.”

“that’s what i thought rydey,” you can’t even get the nickname out without blushing, and you watch as ryder’s face turns pink as he smiles.

“let’s just go get food.” he shakes his head laughing. “and i hope that’s okay with you, because we’re forcing you to come with.”

you shake your head, “it’s not force if i wanna go, is it rydes?”

ryder chuckles, his cheeks turning an even darker shade of pink. “well then why aren’t we in my car already?”

“what are you waiting for, dono? lets go.”

chapter three

[clownsgobeepbeep]

🎠 uwu Perhaps Ula to your choice

Mmmm, part 2 uwu

“Cordelia and your boyfriends should be coming back soon. They went on a rollercoaster and Schrader just texted me that they just got off.” Jelly explained after having attacked her daughter with her own affections. “I also bought some funnel cakes for everyone. But of course, I got you a waffle with all your favorite toppings Ula.”

“Thanks mom, I appreciate it.” Ula hugged her mother one more time, still having Mana stick close to her side as his tail wagged rapidly. No doubt he was going to stick to her for a good while, as would Davey.

“Do you want to eat it right now?”

“Oh, I’ll eat when the guys and Cordie get here.” Ula told Jelly as she now scanned the carnival. “The carnival’s really lovely this year. So many more lights.”

“It’s almost like they were welcoming you.” Davey smiled as he snuggled next to Ula.

“Hm, maybe they were.” she ruffled her brother’s hair. “So, what is it you were doing before I got here?”

“I was winning you that axolotl.” Davey gave the plush toy a bit of a squeeze. “I mean, there was another toy I wanted but then I saw you. And then the guy was being a bit of an ass.”

“Davey D’Vitt.”Jelly sternly spoke to Davey who quietly snickered, hiding himself behind Ula.

“An ass, huh? Well, how about we go and get you that prize?” Ula suggested, looking back at Mana who lifted his head. “You wanna come with us Mana? You wanna come win a prize?”

Mana jumped off the bench with thrill, jumping around and running in circles, ready to follow Ula wherever she went.

“Come on then! Davey, lead the way.~”

“We’ll be back in a bit mom, dads.” Ula slightly waved to the adults as Davey slid off the bench after Ula did, taking her over to the shooting game booth that was once again pretty empty.

“Little boy! Have you come back for more?”

“I said I’m gonna win that horse, so I’m gonna get it.” Davey slammed a handful of tickets onto the counter.

“If you say so.~” the employee repeated his phrase from before, eyes already eyeing Ula. “Is this lovely lady going to be playing, or will it be you?”

“I’m playing.” Davey sat on his stool from before, Ula taking a seat beside him as Mana planted himself next to Ula. He, however, decided to hop up so that his front legs and head were on Ula’s lap as she continued to pet him.

“What are you trying to get?” Ula whispered before Davey pointed at the round horse plush. “That’s so cute.~”

“Five tries. Thirty seconds. Four ducks. Tiny one.”

“Tiny one?” Ula questioned as she watched the little duck targets move around.

“There’s a tiny duck I have to hit to get the biggest prize.”

“Got it.” Ula continued to watch before Davey quickly shot down four of the ducks, using his leftover time to shoot the tiniest ducks. “How did you get so good at aiming?”

“I’m...I just did.” Davey had to think about it, frustrated that the little duck hadn’t appeared yet. “Where is it?”

“The little duck just appears when it wants to.” the employee gave a shrug as he leaned against the stand. “Looks like your time’s running out. Better just shoot whatever you can at this point.”

Davey grumbled to himself before getting ready to shoot a random duck, but he soon saw the tiny duck.

“Got it!” he exclaimed after taking a shot at it.

“No ya didn’t.”

“I did!”

“Nope. That counter says you’ve only hit four ducks.” the employee smugly pointed to the numbers in front of Davey. “Sorry, you only get a medium prize.”

“He hit the duck, I saw it.” Ula added with a furrow of her eyebrows. “That should have counted.”

“The counter doesn’t lie.” the employee offered nothing but a shrug. “Now, do you wanna pick your prize and take another shot?”

“How much does the horse cost?” Ula pitched in. “I’ll buy it right now. Just name your price.”

“No can do sweetheart. You gotta play to get that horse.”

Ula’s eyebrows furrowed even deeper, probably deeper than Davey’s as he clenched his little fists.

“Fine. I’ll play this time.” Ula took some of the tickets Jelly had given her earlier, slamming them down on the counter. She was then handed the gun and darts, but she set the gun down and readied the darts in her hand instead.

“Hey, hey. That’s not allowed!” the employee exclaimed before a pebble hit him square in forehead, this obviously coming from Davey.

“Shut up.” Davey stuck his tongue out before Ula did as she wished, aiming at the ducks and taking four down just as Davey did. This time, she actually managed to get the smallest of the ducks, not that Davey couldn’t have. Damn rigged carnival games.

“What does your stupid counter say now?” Ula tapped her long fingernails on the surface, everybody seeing that the counter now read “BONUS!”.

“I’ll...get your horse.” the employee grumbled as he no longer wanted anything to escalate.

Ula was then handed the round horse which made her smile, but this smile was meant for her little brother who accepted the horse.

“Actually…” he started, slightly giving the horse back. “I was trying to get this for you…”

“Oh.” Ula blinked a few times.

“I thought, since you love carousels so much. I thought you’d like it if I won this for you. But, I didn’t.”

“But you did.” Ula wrapped an arm around Davey as if to hug him from the side. “And I am so grateful for your precious gift that I will forever treasure. Hopefully Peaches doesn’t get to it!”

“Yeah, hopefully.” Davey laughed as he hugged his sister back. “Do you want to go on the carousel?”

“I thought you’d never ask.” Ula kissed Davey’s cheeks, turning on her heel as Mana followed after the siblings. But they were soon stopped by the employee from the booth.

“Hey, hey wait!”

“What do you want now?” Ula gave him a sour look.

“I just...I like your moxie...Do you have a boyfriend?”

“A boyfriend?” Ula repeated in total disbelief.

“She does.” Davey growled at the man, the latter taking notice of three new figures that came into view.

“Two, in fact.” one of them said, making the first trio turn around to face them.

“Uuuula!”

“Cordie!” Ula screamed before she felt a strong impact from her younger sister that pounced on her, hugging her with all the strength she could muster. “Cordie, you’re killing me!”

“Nooo! You just came back! I can’t kill you!” Cordelia loosened her grip as Ula laughed and held her sister up, giving her a kiss on the forehead.

“So glad to see you back babe.” Schrader kissed the top of Ula’s head. “I would love to embrace you but first I feel like I need to...kick butt.”

“Kick some ass Schrader!” Cordelia demanded, Mana barking along in agreement despite not understanding what Cordelia said.

“Maybe you can kick this loser’s ass later. Because I want to drown both of my boyfriend’s first.” Ula fluttered her eyelashes at both Schrader and Atlas.

“Can I watch Schrader kick ass later?” Cordelia asked as Ula ruffled her hair.

“Later.”

“Yeeessss!”

“Come on Davey.” Ula took her brother’s hand after putting Cordelia down. “Cordie, did you grow while I was away?”

“Maaaybe!”

“You’re gonna be taller than all of us soon enough!”

Davey watched as his little sister rambled on about her height and outgrowing every single family member, their grandpa Stripes included. But he remained quiet, instead opting to hold his sister’s hand as he brought himself closer to her.

[hetacakes]

hitchhiking.

miya twins x fem! reader

snow white au, aka me making fanfics about my own fanfic

in which reader leaves her home in the big apple, the busy city, the whatever you'd like to call it, and takes a trip to a forest, the literal opposite of home. in fact, the two places are so different that in order to get there, a plane ride is preferable over a road trip. after a week, it's time to go home, with souvenirs, of course. leaving with a heavier bag is to be expected, but the empty backpack meant for said souvenirs was a bit too heavy, suspiciously heavy

aka reader just wants to relax and ends up bringing two hitchhiker foxes home

the others aren't included in this one, sorry :( one certain bluebird will make a guest appearance but other than that the storyline is in no way connected to snow white (though i made a few ~allusions~ for the Drama) anyway, i hope you love these annoying foxes as much as i do <3

also this is borderline abo but in my defense i wanted to make them seem more animal-like since they're technically wild animals

warning for cussing because life is hard and osamu hates atsumu

word count: 9,505

   You grew up in the suburbs, always just a half hour away from the big, bustling city, where everything is fast paced with streams of people working and struggling to make their dreams come true. So it was no surprise that when you were old enough to move out, you immediately made a home in a rundown, shitty apartment, taking the typical "small apartment, big dreams" approach to life. And it was true, you did have a dream, a big dream. While you could have been anything else: a doctor, a lawyer, a profession that would make your parents happy and keep you reliably comfortable your whole life, you could never picture forcing yourself to work through something that made you unhappy, and so you decided to take the writer path.

   It was as if you were meant to be part of the busy metropolis, meant to be the same as everyone else in the crowd: broke, fresh out of uni, and barely paying the rent for a small, crappy apartment. You soon learned that dreaming to reach your dream job, a job where working hours weren't physically and mentally draining but were rather hours of doing what you loved, would only become more than just a dream at the price of your blood, sweat, and tears, just like it did for everyone else.

   But after working your ass off and putting two books on store shelves, you were able to end your contract with the sketchy landlord in the shady part of town and move into a nicer, actually livable apartment in a better building with a better landlord in a better neighborhood.

   Now when you stepped out of your complex, you were greeted with the refreshing sight of people passing by, the sky a clear blue, with a soft breeze you could feel underneath your windbreaker as it ruffled your hair and rustled your sleeves, the bright red, blue, and yellow fabric almost as bright as the sun overhead. Birds chirped in nearby trees, and if you walked around and looked for a while, you could find a few cats hanging around the sidewalk or hiding behind dumpsters.

   It was all you could have ever asked for and more.

   But sometimes, city life can be a distraction, and sometimes, you really, really need a change of pace and scenery.

   Which brought you to the present, sitting with your legs underneath you on your soft couch, squishing the plush grey throw pillows and balancing your laptop on your thighs. The money you got from your newest releases was in no means enough to call you rich, but it was comfortable enough that costs weren't one of your concerns as you typed a quick Google search. An airline website was open on your screen, and you were browsing through the available tickets, looking for one that would take you to a nice getaway, a small break from the nonstop chaos of your city, which had finally begun to wear you out from the endless stress and sleepless nights.

   "Seven day long camp resort in one of the country's most beautiful and idyllic forests," said the advertisement that popped up on the side of your browser. Clicking on it, it took you to a pretty convincing website about Inari Lodge, a tourist attraction in the middle of a forest you had never heard of before. Lists upon lists of hiking trails, forest tours, and crafted souvenir shops caught your eye, and before you knew it you were booking a week's stay in one of their cabins. Sealing the deal and buying your ticket, you sat back and sighed, ready for a vacation.

   Two weeks later, it was a few hours before your flight, so obviously you had already packed. Not. You called a friend over to help and keep you company while you packed, and ten minutes later, a familiar brunet walked through the door, ruffling his chocolate brown locks.

   "It's nice to see you, Tooru," you greeted, padding closer to him as he opened his arms for a hug. "Your hugs are the best, as always," you smiled up at him, before taking a step back.

   "You would have seen me either way; I was just on my way to bother you," he said. "You're taking a trip without me? How will I survive without you?"

   "Don't be dramatic, Ruru," you chided, pulling your suitcase onto your bed. "I know for a fact that the week I'm gone is the same week the team you're coaching has tournaments."

   "Ugh, don't remind me. They're good kids, but they suck ass," Tooru groaned, flopping next to your suitcase. "Do you have everything you need?"

   "You tell me. Check things off," you answered while looking through your closet.

   "Oooh, do I get to see your clothes?" Tooru asked suggestively, wiggling his eyebrows.

   You rolled your eyes at him. "My shirts and pants, yeah. Everything under that has been packed into this," you said, holding up a medium sized makeup pouch. 

   "Bummer. Oh well, there's always next time."

   "Ruru, stop being dirty."

   He grumbled something underneath his breath, low enough that you missed it. "Well, how long is the stay?"

   "A week."

   "So you need seven sets of clothes?"

   "Yeah, assuming I don't pee my pants," you smiled over your shoulder, watching as Oikawa held back a laugh with his hand, a wide smile spread across his face.

   "Haha, you got the whole squad laughing. How cold is it there?"

   "It's pretty cold, apparently. I'm not surprised, it's farther north than where we live, and it gets pretty chilly here sometimes," you answered, pulling a few sweaters out of your closet, pairing it with random pairs of jeans you grabbed, and passed them to Tooru, who folded and put them in your suitcase.

   "Aww, aren't I such husband material? Wait here wifey, I'm gonna get your stuff from the bath," Oikawa winked, throwing up a peace sign at you before he turned and disappeared behind the white door.

   "Can you get my toothbrush stuff too? Thank you~," you called after him in a sweet singsong voice. 

   You glanced at your bookbag, still on your couch, just where you left it. You looked at the scarf in your hands, a large white scarf too bulky to wear, and decided to throw it in there, along with your laptop and charger. You put an extra pair of comfortable boots in a reusable bag, neatly settling it between your clothes. Tooru handed you another bag, and a peek inside showed you your bath and bathroom essentials. You flashed a grateful smile at him, before turning and grabbing the last few items to throw in your bookbag-turned-carry-on, which included your notebook full of your messy brainstorming, a pack of pens, and your phone charger. Zipping your suitcase closed, you pulled up the handle and hung your bag around it.

   "Okay, I'm ready. I've got everything, except you," you winked mischievously at Tooru.

   "You're flirting! It's not fair," he complained, hand grabbing at his heart, the other draped dramatically over his forehead.

   "Guilty as charged," you winked, throwing up a finger heart. "Drive me to the airport?"

   "Of course, babe."

   You had already checked in your suitcase, got your ticket safely in your hand, and all that was left for you to do was wait an hour or so until boarding. You turned to Tooru, giving him one last hug. "I'm gonna miss you and the others, Ruru," you whispered softly, even though you were only leaving for a week.

   Tooru hugged you back, holding you tightly against his chest. He let you go, before taking a step back and pulling his hoodie over his head, his shirt riding up a bit, showing some skin for a split second. "Here, wear this," he said, handing it over to you.

   You brightened, smiling like a thousand suns before slipping it on. It was huge on you, and you were almost drowning in the soft, teal blue fabric. He gave you a fond look, his eyes shining in such pure, unadulterated love that it took your breath away for a moment.

   "Thank you, Tooru."

   "Keep it warm for me, okay?"

   "I know, I know, I promise you'll see it when I come back."

   He gave you one last hug, short and sweet, before walking away, turning to look back at you one last time. You stood there until the doors slid closed behind his back, a soft smile on your face, before you turned away and walked to your terminal, hoping to kill time either shopping, eating, or sleeping.

  You could finally lean back and relax once you were secured in your seat, miles in the air. Boarding and finding your aisle wasn't much of a hassle, thank the gods, and the glass of the plane window was refreshingly cool against the tip of your nose as you peered down at the clouds passing by. You held your bookbag against your chest, looking inside at the empty space in between the few items you did pack into it. Your laptop was safely zipped up in its designated pouch, along with its charger and your notebook, and the pack of pens that had somehow opened inside the pocket, which you had found out earlier as you tried to fish one out but instead pulled the empty cardboard packaging. Your phone charger was the only thing laying on the scarf you threw in there, a makeshift nest for nothing. Well, nothing yet.

   You were excited to spend a week in a completely different environment, surrounded by lush forestry and the coos and calls of whatever animals lived there, a place where you're never truly alone, but in a good way. It was a stark contrast from the car fumes in the city air, with the only plant life in a park square and the only sounds are the constant chatter and hum of people and cars finding their destinations. There never once was an hour of silence, and while you had been able to enjoy it as your background noise while writing, it wasn't long until you finally got tired of it. You could've sworn that the city had gotten louder on purpose just to exhaust and stress you out every night, so you were more than ready to finally be able to clear your head and maybe even flesh out an idea or two.

   The sound of the intercoms crackling to life made you jolt, holding a hand to the cold imprint on your cheek left from sleeping against the window. The pilot announced that the plane was descending, and you gathered your bag and Tooru's hoodie, bundling them both in your arms.

   Truth be told, you were glad to step off the plane. You felt the chill of the outside while walking off the plane through the passenger boarding bridge and stood for a second to put the hoodie back on, humming slightly at Tooru's smell still on the cloth, a nice, sweet but not too sweet scent that made you smile to yourself.

   You got lost in thought, so your body was on autopilot when you went to pick up your luggage and almost picked up the wrong suitcase, until the actual owner picked it up first, eyeing you weirdly. With guilty, heated cheeks, you grabbed your suitcase, checked it once, then twice, then three times, and finally hopped into an Uber as fast as you could, hoping that you wouldn't be starting your first day on vacation dying of embarrassment.

   You hurriedly thanked the driver for dropping you off, then made your way into a wooden building, the wood a warm oak with a little golden bell that chimed as you walked in. A woman behind the desk smiled at you, and you sighed, happy to have nothing to worry about, now that you were finally there.

   "Hello, welcome to Inari Lodge! Is there something I can help you with?"

   "Yes, please," you said, pulling your luggage close to you. "I reserved a cabin, and I need the keys, right?"

   "Of course," she smiled at you, and for a quick second, you thought that she resembled a cat, with black hair and upturned eyes.

   "Um, I'm sorry if I'm being intrusive, but are you a mom?"

   "Haha, don't worry, you're fine! Yes I am, my name is Kozume Sakura, and I have a son," she answered kindly, and you couldn't help but feel relieved to finally have a good thing to improve your currently-going-badly day.

   "Ah, it's just that you seemed familiar to someone I've seen around campus."

   "Ah, that would most likely be my son," she said, a sweet smile spreading across her face. "Anyway, here are your keys, and I've written the directions to your cabin right here. Don't hesitate to come and ask me for anything, okay?"

   "Yeah, okay," you nodded gratefully, making sure to wave goodbye as you walked out the doors, looking at the map in your hands.

   "I can not believe how hard it was to find you," you said to the cabin as you flopped on the bed, tired of having such a conflicting day. You sat up quickly, slapping your cheeks, "No, I won't let a few fuck ups ruin everything for me."

   Grabbing your phone, you slipped it into your hoodie pocket as you walked out the door, set on exploring the area.

   You decided not to take an official trail, preferring to save them for later, which brought you to an ordinary worn dirt path as you walked aimlessly, taking rights and lefts as you pleased.

   A rustling in the bushes lining the trail caught your attention. Just as you walked closer to separate the branches and peek through, a fox fell out of the leaves, as if something had pushed it out. The fox seemed to scowl at whatever had shoved it, before it turned its attention to you.

   Before you could think better, you crouched on the ground as you cooed, resting your cheek in your palm. "Hello, cutie fox, how are you?"

   The fox stared at you, which was good, because if it started speaking you would've booked it right then and there, but also bad, because you didn't know if it was irritated by your presence. It seemed to look warily at you, not ready to attack, but not fully trusting either.

   "Come here, I want to pet you," you crooned, holding out the end of your sentence as you leaned forward against your better judgement, shifting your legs from against your chest to underneath you. Before it could make a decision, however, another fox jumped out of the bushes and straight into your arms, settling happily in your lap. Caught by surprise, you stared, while the first fox yipped at it, jumping forward and pushing it out of your lap. You watched as they tumbled to the ground, rolling as they fought and wrestled.

   "Um, okay… I think I'll just go now, bye!" You quipped before turning around and walking steadily back to where you came from, not wanting to get caught up in a wild animal fight.

   "Look at what ya did 'Tsumu, why do ya always mess everything up?"

   "Me? Me?! You were the one that jumped me!"

   "'Cause I didn't recall inviting you to our conversation, dumbass!"

   "Yer a fuckin' fox, you can't talk! You're just jealous!"

   "So are you! We're twins, shithead!"

   And they kept arguing, voices carrying throughout the forest, even as they walked along the path the pretty, perfect, kind, and amazing love of their li— , ahem, the completely normal girl from earlier took, leading to the all too familiar lodge situated at the edge of their forest.

   "That was close," you whispered to yourself as you leaned against the door, as if the foxes would be strong enough to bust it open. They hadn't even followed you, as you didn't hear them, and when you glanced behind you, nobody was there.

   "Anyway, I guess I should plan out what I'm gonna do here, I don't want this trip to be a waste," you said, opening your suitcase and putting your clothes in the drawers, setting your bathroom essentials on top of it. You grabbed your bookbag from where you had thrown it on the bed and set it on a glass table. You pulled out your notebook and flipped to a blank page, cringing as you passed by page after page of chicken scratch.

   "The only reason I can read my own handwriting is because I'm there when it's written," you muttered to yourself as you rummaged for a pen, finding one out of the set of five. You wrote down the days of the week you'd be staying there, with your first official day starting tomorrow, on Tuesday. Your flight back was scheduled for a week later, on Monday. You hummed happily, glad that your timetable worked out so neatly as you wrote down the days of the week, leaving enough space for a bullet list underneath.

   On your last day at the lodge, you made sure to make a note to leave at noon at the latest, since your flight was at six in the afternoon, and you wanted to be extra, extra, extra sure that you would not miss it. Ideally, you would be all packed up Sunday night, but knowing you and your procrastinating self, you wrote it down for the day before, even though you knew you would probably be packing the day of, just as you did before.

   You made sure to set Saturday as souvenir hunting day, hoping to bring back something for Tooru, a thank you for the help and hoodie.

   The foxes you met earlier crossed your mind, but the grumbling of your stomach reminded you to get some dinner and wrap up your day. Holding the map out in front of you, you memorized the directions to a cafe not too far from your cabin, and went on your way.

   "Hello, can I get the sandwich of the day with a cinnamon hot chocolate and a slice of pumpkin bread?"

   "Of course! Here's your total."

   The worker you were pleasantly talking to gave you a small smile before glancing to the side, as if something caught his eye. He pulled a face at whatever he was looking at, and you followed his annoyed gaze to the two foxes you met earlier, playing next to one of the bean bag chairs next to the door, near the window wall of the cafe.

   You laughed awkwardly, "Haha, um, is there something wrong?"

   He seemed to snap out of giving them the stink eye, profusely apologizing to you as he provided an explanation, "No, no, it's fine, it's just that those two foxes are some of the forest animals that walk around the lodge, except they're the only ones that are more annoying than cute. Some cats and birds and such come by and usually will just sit next to the register, you know, like nice and normal animals, but these foxes seem hellbent on walking around and biting at people's ankles and fighting and making huge messes that they can't clean up because they're damn foxes."

   You laughed again, though this time it was genuine. "You seem to have very strong feelings about their mischief," you joked, watching as he relaxed.

   "Yeah, but at the end of the day, they're still just foxes, and we make sure all the animals of the forest are safe and sound."

   And if the foxes decided to cause more trouble than usual, that was their business, their decision, and not in any way related to the slight dislike of the barista, which was in turn totally not because you got along well with him.

   After paying, you made your way to a table in the corner of the windows where the glass met the wall, looking absentmindedly at the visitors and workers walking past, occasionally with a rabbit or bird or other critter.

   "I have your hot chocolate and sandwich, and your bread will be in just a moment. Unfortunately, I also brought these two," the barista you were talking to said as he set your food and drink on the table, before glancing at the floor. Just as you were about to lean over and see, two foxes jumped up on the seat across from you, settling themselves on the table, curled up like cats.

   You waved him off with a grin, "Oh it's fine, I have a feeling they'll behave."

   You took a sip out of your hot chocolate, savoring the warmth it gave you after being in the outside chill. You picked up your sandwich and took a bite, before speaking, "Are you done fighting?"

   Both foxes stared at you, and if they were people, you were sure their mouths would be hanging open, dumbfounded and mildly offended as you nonchalantly took another bite, not waiting for them to respond or react.

   You reached a hand out while they were frozen and pet the head of the fox nearest to you. It lowered its head slightly, shyly accepting your affection.

   "Aww, you're so cute. What's your name?"

   Of course, it couldn't speak, but it batted your hand with its left paw. "So cute," you crooned, "Come here?"

   Just like before, when the fox was about to walk towards you, the other one jumped at you, and you hurried to wrap your arms around it. You stared at it in your arms, tummy up like a baby.

   You rubbed its stomach. "What about you? What's your name?"

   He happily raised his right paw, and you held it gently before putting him back on the table, which was good, because the left paw fox was a second away from pouncing on it again. The fox you set down scrambled onto the tabletop, and watched with what you would call betrayed eyes as you carried the other fox into your lap, petting its head lightly.

   "It's not your turn," you quipped, focusing your attention on the fox in your lap. "You're so cute, so cute, please be my baby~."

   The fox you dumped on the table yipped indignantly at you, and you decided to mess with him. "Oh, you're still here? Well, I guess you're okay…" you trailed off, struggling to keep a poker face as he looked at you with puppy eyes, while the other fox barked out high pitched laughs, which made him get up and get ready to jump.

   You pet him between his ears. "I'm just joking. Jeez, you're always at each other's necks," you complained, sitting back and continuing to eat your sandwich.

   As if to prove you wrong, the fox in your lap jumped on the table and curled up with the other fox, both of them leaning against each other like close brothers. Coincidentally, the waiter walked by with your pumpkin bread, watching in amazement.

   "How did you do that?" he asked, and you just shrugged in response, your attention mostly on your sandwich.

   When you finished it, you took another sip of your drink before you tore off two pieces of your bread. You offered it to them as a reward, for finally behaving themselves. They yipped happily in response, content with spending the rest of your time together eating in comfortable silence.

   You pulled yourself out of bed, rubbing the sleep out of your eyes. Embarrassingly, jet lag made you sleep in on Tuesday, your first official day at the lodge, and by the time you woke up, you had nothing to do but eat and jot down some story ideas, none of which stuck to you.

   So you made sure to wake up nice and early the next day, dead set on going on at least one trail. You showered and changed into a new pair of jeans and a knit grey sweater. You stood for a moment, debating if you should wear a jacket or Tooru's hoodie over it, but decided against it and deemed the sweater good enough.

   Thankfully, it was one of the warmer, sunnier days. You looked down at your map, making your way towards the open lodge outlet, taking note of the small clusters of people milling about, a familiar sight, albeit on a smaller, calmer scale. You looked up at the wooden signs pointing towards various shops, restaurants, and forest attractions. You finally found the one you were looking for, pointing to your right with the word "birdwatch" carved across. When you followed its directions, you came to a small gift shop at the start of a wide, dirt path, imprints of boots and footsteps all over the light brown ground. Walking inside, a small wind chime announced your arrival, twinkling like bird chirps, and the person behind the counter looked up.

   "Oh, it's you!" she exclaimed, recognizing your face.

   "Hello again! I thought you worked at the reception desk?"

   "I'm covering for someone's shift right now, they had finals to take. Are you here for a birdwatch?"

   "Spot on," you answered, bringing a hand up to rub the back of your head with a meek smile. Kozume winked at you, before taking out two binoculars from under the desk.

   "Well then, let's go!"

   "You know, some of these birds remind me of the ones that live near my apartment building," you mentioned, picturing the large cherry blossom tree that stretched its branches past your window. "The birds here are so much more interesting though," you lamented. "The city just has crows and small birds, but here there's robins and warblers and so many more species, with great diversity. It's like the bird version of the people back home."

   "I can imagine not many birds want to live near so many humans, but these have all of the forest to themselves. Look, the bird over there, with the blue mohawk, is called an Asian Paradise Flycatcher, and…" she trailed off, continuing your tour of one of the forest trails, before whipping an arm in front of you, exclaiming, "Watch your step!"

   You froze with your foot still in the air, watching as the fox you narrowly missed stepping on darted in front of you.

   "I'm sorry, he's not really supposed to be here, he has his own trail," Kozume frantically apologized while glaring at the fox, before sighing in relief when you responded with a small laugh.

   "It's fine, I've met him before," you reassured while looking around, searching for a certain somebody. "And I learned that he never walks alone…"

   To prove your point, the other fox you were well acquainted with joined his brother, running around in front of you.

   "Well, the next part of our trail is basically a circle back, so hopefully they run off to where they belong, I don't want you to get in trouble for messing with the animals because of them," Kozume said as you made a left, walking back to the start of the trail.

   When you opened the door to the gift shop, two furry animals zipped past your feet, and you already knew who they were before you even saw them.

   "Kozume, is it normal for these guys to always hang around here?" you asked, picking up both foxes in your arms, resting them comfortably in your arms.

   Kozume turned around to look at you, her hands still in midair, putting away your binoculars. "Actually, no, they do come by once or twice but they never hang around, and we just assumed they don't like people very much since they really only hang out with each other. They've never let anyone pet them…" she stopped mid-sentence as she watched you pet their heads and stomachs with no resistance from the two.

   You glanced up. "Huh? Oh, I don't really have a lot of experience with animals, but they're just so cute," you said, before snapping your head up, eyes wide in realization. "Hey, do you have some ribbon or something?"

   "Yes! We use them to identify specific birds we keep tabs on, especially ones we just recently nursed back to health," she explained, pulling out a box of ribbons, offering it to you. You set the foxes on the counter, watching Kozume hesitantly reach a hand out to them from the corner of your eye. They protested, but allowed her to pet them when you eyed them. Looking into the box, you fished out two ribbons, one a golden yellow, and the other a nice warm grey.

   "May I?" you asked, directing the question to Kozume. The foxes, however, decided you were talking to them and excitedly sat in front of you, pulling each ribbon towards them with their paw.

   "I think they said yes," Kozume chuckled, and you took that as your permission to put ribbons on their, er, the forest's foxes. You cooed at them, asking which one would go first. The fox with the yellow ribbon in his mouth nudged your hand with his face, making you smile.

   "Which are you, left or right?"

   The fox raised its right paw and rubbed his face as your answer, and you kept that in mind while you tied the ribbon around his neck, finishing it off with a nice bow. You did the same to the other fox, who voluntarily shook your hand with his left paw, just in case you forgot. By the time you were done, both foxes were playing on the counter, ribboned bows securely on their necks.

   "What if you started working here? The way you can interact with the animals so easily is honestly amazing," Kozume asked, springing the question on you out of the blue.

   You jumped, before you began rubbing the back of your head sheepishly, "Ah, I would love to, honestly, but I work as an author, and it's best if I stay relatively close to my publishing company."

   Kozume smiled understandingly, "Yeah, I figured. Well, just know that me and the foxes will be missing you hundreds of miles away." Then she brightened, pulling out her phone, "Put your number in, so we can stay in touch, and so I can keep an eye on my son," she winked cheekily as you accepted her offer.

   While the two of you were occupied, focused on your conversation, the two foxes stopped playing, standing abruptly and whipping their faces towards you.

   Loud crying made you turn away from Kozume and look for the source of the high-pitched whining, popping the question "who's making those crying puppy sounds?" into the air.

   Your eyes landed on the foxes, both of which were crying and walking towards you, tugging at your sleeve and rubbing their heads against your arms. Your heart melted, and you turned to Kozume, pity written across your face.

   "When I said they would miss you, I didn't think it would be this much…"

   "No, you can't come in here! I'll be kicked out if I let you guys in!"

   The foxes, still with the ribbons tied perfectly and safely around their necks, were looping around your legs, blocking your entrance to the cabin you've rented. They both looked up at you and cried, their whines catching the attention of some workers and visitors nearby.

   "Okay, fine! If I get in trouble, it's your fault," you relented, turning the knob and carefully opening the door, watching as they slipped in, leaving you to shut the smooth oak door quietly behind you as you flipped on the light switch.

   The second you let electric light flood the cabin, you realized the foxes were nowhere to be seen. Only mildly worried, since you knew they were at least somewhere inside, you shrugged it off and walked to the dresser, pulling out Tooru's hoodie and some sweatpants, before making your way to the bathroom.

   Out of nowhere, a fox came zooming at your feet, eager to come inside with you. This time, you were firm as you said, "I'm going to shower, so you can back off and play around while I'm in the bathroom, alone, with no perverts!"

   The grey fox started laughing at the peeping fox, which you realized was the yellow ribboned one. As expected, he launched at his brother, and you took the distraction as an opportunity to step inside the bathroom and shut the door behind you, locking it just to make sure.

   Freshly showered, with your comfortable, warm clothes on, you shuffled out of the bathroom, already expecting the foxes right there, having to step over them to make your way to the bed. They jumped up with you, but once the grey fox came close enough to sniff your hoodie, it barked indignantly, biting at the hoodie.

   "Hey! This isn't mine, it's Tooru's, so I can't let you destroy it!" you chided, pulling your sleeve away. Apparently you had said the wrong thing, because both foxes started pulling your sleeves together, before you yanked your arms out of their grips.

   "Tooru doesn't even smell bad, he smells nice," you said, pulling the hoodie up to smell the familiar scent, the aromas of chocolates and sweets in fresh air, reminding you of the skies back at the city: the smells of bakeries and cafes wafting through the air and birds chirping above you every time you walked down a street. Still, when the foxes continued growling, you reluctantly tugged the sweater off and stayed in just a white t-shirt, an old, stretched out shirt with the print on the front long since faded and gone.

   When you plopped back on the bed, the foxes crowded towards you, close enough that if you didn't know better, you'd think that they were trying to get you to forget about Tooru and focus on them. Subconsciously taking a breath, you caught the smell of a forest clearing or meadow, a smell of fresh grass and fresh air and petrichor, which you would expect from foxes that were supposed to stay and play in the forest, but you also noticed slight variations in the scent, obviously coming from either fox.

   Yellow ribbon had a scent like honey, with a strong undertone of a woodsy musk, which made you picture drinking tea sweetened with the golden syrup right outside your cabin. 

   Grey ribbon had a strong campfire scent, the smell of crackling wood and fire and melting chocolate. A scene under a clear night sky surrounding a fire with the aroma of cinnamon in the air came to mind, and you let yourself get lost in thought, your senses being occupied with new scents, sights, and imagery.

   If the foxes were human, their faces would surely have the widest, shit-eating grins, smug and satisfied at having you distracted from the minor annoyance from earlier and focused on them, just as they wanted.

   You snapped out of it. "You little—, you just want me to give you attention and affection and baby you," you accused, pushing them away from your face. They didn't protest or bark at you, and you figured it was because they knew they were guilty as charged. "Jeez, you're acting like Tooru is a threat or something…"

   You heard two big sighs, and blinked in surprise at the foxes as they settled onto the plush white covers. Maybe it was because they were so human-like and made you honestly contemplate whether they could understand you or not, or maybe it was because the only animal you've heard sigh is your mom's dog back at your family home, but whatever it was, it made you think, for a split second, that the foxes were humans turned animals, kind of like the frog prince. But that was stupid, so you shook your head, got up and turned off the lights, opening the curtains but keeping the blinds closed, and settled back into bed as slats of moonlight came from the spaces between the blinds.

   The foxes climbed into your arms, and you held them close to you as you fell asleep, telling yourself it was only because you had crossed the line earlier, even though deep down you knew that wasn't the real reason.

   You pulled the two fluffy sources of heat closer to you, unwilling to open your eyes and start the day. It's only when the heaters started licking your face that you panicked and freaked out.

   High pitched yips made the events of yesterday evening rush back to you, and you rubbed the sleep out of your eyes tiredly, surprised that you had a good night's sleep with two, technically, wild animals.

   You scooped the drowsy foxes into your arms before making your way to the big wooden door and pushing it open, setting the foxes on the ground.

   "You weren't even supposed to be in there, you know," you said as the foxes tried to get back in, pawing at the door. You shivered, the chill in the air numbing your exposed skin and wrapping around your bare arms, and you hurriedly shooed them away before retreating back inside the warmth of the cabin.

   Safely bundled in a sweater from your university under a hoodie, one of your own this time, you joined a group going for the fox trail, wondering if you'd see yours.

   Pointedly ignoring how you immediately thought of them as "your" foxes, you listened to the tour guide, an employee you hadn't met yet, talk about how the foxes don't always show on the trail.

   "That's a shame, let's just hope for the best," other visitors and families whispered around you, with some of them saying they didn't see that many foxes yesterday, only a few odd ones out here and there. Knowing where they actually were the day before, you stifled a laugh, even as your ears turned red with guilt and embarrassment, before following at the back of the group as they started the trail.

   Luckily, you saw a few grey and brown foxes, who seemed like actual normal foxes and not borderline sentient, but around the middle of the trail it was basically deserted.

   "Let me try to call them," the guide offered, bringing his hands up to cup his mouth and whistle loudly.

   Silence answered, with no signs of anything coming to visit. 

   The tour guide encouraged the group to call out and whistle, and various whistles and voices rose from the group.

   Not wanting to draw attention to yourself, you crouched low, at eye-level with the bushes, and softly called out for two specific foxes, your hello muffled by the rest of the crowd.

   You gave up, feeling stupid and unconvinced that your almost-whisper would carry over the noise of the crowd, and sat on the ground, legs folded under you, deciding to wait until the group either got tired or another fox actually showed up for them. Just then, the bushes in front of you started to rustle, and your lovely grey ribboned fox jumped out, immediately crawling into your lap to nuzzle your face.

   The people closest to you turned at the noise and noticed you cuddling with him on the ground, and word started spreading throughout the group that someone had successfully lured out a fox.

   "Look! There's one running this way!" the ones at the front of the group called, and you looked just in time to see your other fox running towards you, straight past the tour guide and the rest of the group. You smiled fondly at them, before lowering your face to let both of them rub their cheeks against yours.

   "Ma'am, could you please not touch the animals?" the tour guide told you timidly, obviously not wanting to reprimand you for being able to actually call out foxes on the designated fox trail, but you understood it was mostly so others didn't start getting any ideas, thinking they had permission.

   You nodded sheepishly, lightly putting them on the floor before standing up, wiping the dust off your knees. However, the whole group watched as the foxes looped around your feet, even going so far as to jump up and paw at your thighs.

   "Do you work here? You're so good with animals!" a mom in the crowd asked, and you looked at the actual worker, unsure of what to say. He stared back at you with just as much confusion, before shrugging, leaving you to make up a convincing story on the spot.

   "Actually, these foxes used to live near me, but I live in a city, so I brought them here so they'd be safer than on the streets," you fibbed, though you gave yourself a pat on the back for how reliable the story was. If anyone really did have to ask, yes, you did live in a city, and yes, you would one hundred percent bring foxes and other animals to a forest or wildlife lodge. Did that really happen? No, but could it? The answer was yes, and you sighed in relief when the mom turned, accepting your answer. You giggled when the tour guide released a breath he didn't even know he was holding, and he continued the trail, sending a discreet wink your way.

   You didn't notice the way your foxes growled at that, and if someone had asked you why you had two foxes right at your heels, walking next to you protectively like a pair of guard dogs, you'd blink in confusion, oblivious to the reality of their words.

   Before you knew it, it was Saturday, souvenir shopping day. You slung on your bookbag, ready to put some weight in it.

   At the lodge's shopping centre, you saw gift shops, clothing shops, and random trinket shops alike. In the gift shop, you found crystal figurines of animals in and around the lodge, and a cute little bird the color of a clear sky caught your eye. For some reason, it reminded you of Tooru, and you couldn't stop yourself from buying it and watching as the cashier wrapped it in paper before setting it in a white velvet box, cushioned and safe. Huh, crystal bird, blue, bluebird. You may have found another nickname for Ruru. You absentmindedly slipped it into your bag, happy to have found what you were looking for so fast and a new nickname.

   But stores weren't anything if not eye-catching, and the shelf of plush animals distracted you. The fox plushies, specifically, were so similar to actual foxes that they'd be perfect replacement cuddle buddies for when you went back home to your big city.

   But then you felt incredibly embarrassed and childish for that, so you shook your head as you walked out of the shop, ignoring the way that thought stuck in your head like a moth to a lamp.

   Still, you found yourself walking through store after store after store. Once you finally snapped out of it, you had just stepped out of the birdwatching souvenir store, all too aware of the set of postcards themed after the various birds you could spot on the trail. You told yourself that the blue mohawk bird on the front was a great reminder of both the trail and Kozume, and made a mental note to get her to write something before you left, lessening your guilt over having bought something almost useless.

   By the time you came back to the cabin, your wallet felt significantly lighter while your bookbag was very obviously heavier. You had stuffed the velvet box, postcard deck, two maroon sweaters with "Inari Lodge" printed across the front with the forest's logo, and a large and heavy book about spirits and legendary deities that guard and dwell in the forest. According to the summary on the back, the book was basically a collection of the myths and legends surrounding the forest, including one about people that could transform from animal to person and back again. The cover of the book immediately made you think "grimoire", and you were set on buying it, if not for the stories, then for the aesthetic.

   You wondered briefly if it was real as you unclasped the leather string binding the book shut and flipped through yellowed pages with torn edges, looking at all the pictures that looked believable hand drawn and writing in a language you could only understand when you squinted your eyes.

   You had wrapped everything in the two sweaters, and then in the white scarf, making sure they were safe and at no risk of being crushed or damaged, especially the crystalline figure.

   "Are ya sure she isn't coming back?"

   "Yes, 'Tsumu, last I checked she was dropping off her keys to Kozume."

   "But she'll be back soon?"

   "Yeah no shit, genius, that's why you either get in here with me or stay behind."

   "Hey, I'm just makin' sure you're prepared for this y'know, in case you start crying for momma or somethin'."

   "Shut yer face and die."

   "What do we do now?"

   "I don't wanna pay for a ticket, 'Samu."

   "Me neither, but we can't hitch a ride in her carry-on anymore, it's going through TSA."

   They both leaned against the wall, realizing that they were both stupid and their plan was stupid squared.

   Atsumu looked up, the ribbon around his neck moving with him, and he watched you walk into the bathroom, leaving your luggage outside the door. He nudged Osamu, pointing at the bathroom door.

   "Nice," he praised.

   And if people saw two foxes crawling into a bookbag? It's the airport at three in the alternate airport timeline, who cares.

   "My bag is so heavy," you complained, flopping into your assigned seat. It was another window seat, and the view of the land underneath becoming smaller and smaller until it was covered by a sea of clouds made you feel a little better. Still, how did your bag get that heavy? When it was empty, it was literally lightweight, and when you were still shopping, it wasn't that hard to carry it as you went from store to store. You groaned, rolling your shoulder from the pain of carrying the boulder of a bag.

   "That's what I get for buying so much," you berated yourself, opening the flap and looking inside. Surprisingly, two fluffy foxes were curled up in there, resting comfortably on your white scarf. For a moment, you thought your foxes had hitched a ride and were coming home with you, but you'd obviously notice that, right? And besides, you did see the stuffed animals in the gift shop.

   "I can't believe I actually bought the stuffed foxes just because I'll miss the real ones," you huffed, blushing slightly, as if the foxes were there and could hear you. But the foxes were not there, you had left them at the lodge, so you settled for stroking the faux fur of the stuffed foxes, the silky smooth strands so lifelike that if you didn't know better, you'd think it was real.

   "Finally," you gasped, face planting into the soft fluffy white of your blanket. You tugged off Tooru's sweater and folded it neatly, walking out and placing it on your counter, ready to return. You rummaged through your bag, that you had dropped to the floor as soon as you opened the door to your room, and tugged out the scarf from underneath your very suspiciously heavy fox plushies. 

   You unwrapped the bundle, pulling all your souvenirs out before bunching up the scarf and throwing it into your laundry basket. You set the book and postcard deck on your bookshelf, next to other various books and collectibles you've found over the years, and grabbed the velvet box, feeling its smooth texture against the palm of your hand. You set it on top of the teal hoodie, before changing out of your jeans and shirt into shorts and an oversized tee, boyfriend style.

   Ugh, a boyfriend. You've been single for way too long.

   "Please let me wake up to a miracle," you prayed, closing your eyes and pulling a serene face, before immediately flopping over and falling asleep.

   Of course, you do not expect to wake up cuddled up to a warm chest while listening to someone messing around in your bathroom, the shutting of cupboards and a phone call drifting from the white door.

   You laid there, relishing the comfort that came from being flush against someone's side, tucked under their arm.

   That's when it hit you that strangers were in your house.

   You bolted up, using your hand to choke back the scream bubbling from your throat, not wanting to let either person know you were awake.

   You looked down, realizing that you had just left the side of a very handsome and very shirtless man, his eyes slowly opening when he felt the absence of your warmth, showing you his beautiful light brown eyes, getting lost in the gold specs like stars.

   You ripped your gaze away from him and moved to swing your legs over the edge of the bed. Unfortunately for you, the mystery man reached up and tugged you back down to him, holding a finger up to his very pink and very kissable and very attract— , wait, no. He held his finger against his lips, shushing you.

   "Wait, he's coming out. Stay beside me."

   Just as you opened your mouth to retaliate, he had already thrown your white covers over the both of you and looped an arm around you, his hand resting at your waist.

   The door to the bathroom opened, and yet another stranger walked out, though it was only him, making the total number of intruders two. He had the same eyes and lips, which were the definition of picture perfect, and he was also lacking in the shirt department. His brows furrowed, and you could already feel the argument starting.

   "What the hell do ya think yer doin'?!"

   "She prefers me."

   "No she doesn't!"

   "It's true, right doll?"

   Both pairs of identical eyes stared at you, and you started panicking under the pressure.

   "I don't even know you! This is literally stranger danger!" you yelled, jumping out of the warmth of both the blanket and the guy in your bed, dodging as his hand reached out to pull you back in.

   You pressed your back against the wall, staying as far away from them as possible. You then realized what you were wearing, and tugged your shirt down even further, mentally slapping yourself for wearing shorts that left almost nothing to imagination with a shirt that reached your thighs, which would put you at a disadvantage if you had to fight or flight.

   The stranger finally got out of your bed and walked next to the other, but it was only once they were next to each other that you realized they were twins, identical twins. Both had dyed hair, but one was blond while the other had grey hair. Their bangs were parted to opposite sides, so they kind of mirrored each other, which made you shiver.

   "Don't ya remember us?"

   "Yeah, you liked me better."

   As they started bickering, as almost all siblings do, you noticed the two sweaters you bought sitting on the edge of the bed. Snatching them and balling them up in either fist, you threw them at them.

   "At least wear these!"

   "Those sweaters would eat me alive, but they fit you so well," you sighed, sitting on your legs on your bed, the two still standing in front of you.

   As they pulled the cloth over their head, you noticed the ribbons tied around their neck as they popped free from the neckline. You felt your heart sink to your stomach when you realized they were grey and yellow ribbons.

   "'s not like we've never slept with you before," yellow ribbon said.

   "You even asked me to be your baby," grey ribbon added, catching his twin's elbow in his hand.

   "I haven't even been in the city for the past week! I was at the lodge forest thing."

   "So were we."

   "Yeah, we came from there."

   "Then how did you end up here?!"

   "We came with ya," yellow ribbon said matter-of-factly while the other shrugged in agreement.

   Your breath got caught in your throat as you flipped the flap of your bookbag over, looking at the empty space in dismay.

   "Where are my foxes?"

   "That's us!" they chorused, identical smirks of pride on their faces, as if being yours was something to show off or brag about. 

   "They were plushies! People cannot be plushies!"

   "No, they were real foxes, and we're real foxes, 'cause they were us."

   "Where the hell would I get real foxes?!"

   They saw the moment you pieced two and two together, your face turning from one of anxious anger to acceptance as you realized what they were trying to say.

   The ribbons. Their colors. The plushies that felt a little too real. That one night in your cabin. The day you fed them in that one cafe.

   They were your foxes.

   "Yup," grey ribbon nodded his head, and you shut your mouth, not wanting to accidentally say what you were thinking again.

   "Why did you come here? You belong in the forest!"

   "No, we're your foxes," they said in unison.

   "No you aren't," you groaned, covering your face with both your hands.

   The two of them had attached themselves to your side, and when you said that, they seemed to get even more annoyed, and so they snuggled even closer to you, an arm slung around your shoulders and around your waist.

   "What are your names?" you finally relented, relaxing in their grip.

   "Miya Osamu," the one with the grey ribbon said, pulling you closer from the waist.

   "Miya Atsumu, the better twin," the one with the yellow ribbon retorted, tugging you back with the arm around your shoulder.

   "Stop pushing me around! We barely know each other!"

   "Can you stop with that already?" Osamu said, though he had no actual anger or malice behind his words.

   "Or do we have to remind you who you belong to?" Atsumu said suggestively, and you braced yourself for whatever mischief he had planned.

   In one moment, you were sitting normally in the middle of your bed. In the next, you were back against your headboard, your head on your pillows. And you became a pillow, as Osamu tucked his face in your neck and Atsumu rested his head on your chest.

   "We're taking a nap together again whether you like it or not," Osamu said decisively, and you could tell that was that, no arguing.

   "At least let me pull those off, it's embarrassing," you complained, your hand drifting up to Atsumu's ribbons.

   "No," he said, catching your hand warningly. Something in his voice made you obey immediately. "That's mine."

   "Well this is mine too!" you replied heatedly, bringing a hand up and cradling Osamu's head against you. But instead of doing anything or acting out like any normal person would, Osamu started purring, a satisfied grin on his face while you had a look of dismay, your cheeks reddening. 

   Atsumu glared at him, moving your hand so your arm was wrapped around him, pulling him closer as well. You got the hint and raised your other hand to run your fingers through his hair, leaving you to deal with two purring fox-shifting idiots.

   "Fine, you're both mine, I guess," you gave up, fighting back a blush and pretending that statement didn't warm your heart as much as it did.

   "And your ours," they chorused happily, and you didn't even try to hide the pink spreading across your cheeks when they rubbed their faces against yours.

   "Okay," you said quietly, accepting the fact that them being yours and you being theirs made you feel something happy and content in your chest, something that was dangerously close to love. If you were like them, you were one hundred percent sure you'd start purring, too.

   I mean, you did say you wanted a boyfriend, and the universe was kind enough to give you more than what you bargained for.

   The sun dipped below the horizon, painting the sky with yellow and red while the blues and purples of night crept closer. The clouds were fluffy and lined with silver, their normal white reflecting pink hues.

   The last rays of sunlight filtered through a sheer peach curtain, coating everything in gold lighting.

   Three people were sleeping soundly on a bed, the white blanket thrown over their tangled legs, breaths even and in sync. Dyed grey hair peeked out from under a chin, and blond hair tickled a collarbone. Natural hair was sprawled out on the white stuffed pillows.

   Osamu opened an eye, before raising his head and pressing a soft kiss to the sleeping beauty's lips.

   And if he raised a finger to his lips? Well, I can't say what happened next, because my lips are sealed.

oh my GOD did this take forever between writing this and school and the fanart of this (which i’ll post later) i took way longer than i normally would

that being said, i hope you still like it <3

[sea-side-scribbles]

Fanfiction: Sympathy For A Downer

Link: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22737214/chapters/68223810

Chapter 40

The next morning, Norbert was shaken awake, much too ungently for his taste. "Norrie", his lover whispered softly, so he figured he didn't miss anything important, because the other boy would've been more strictly in that case. He sluggishly turned arount to look at the clock, figured that it was way too early in the morning to stand up, moaned and curled himself back into the blanket. "Norrie, hey," Morrie hissed louder and shook him again. "I know you're awake." "I wasn't," Norbert murmurned grumpily. "Why do you hate sleep so much?" Morrie crouched closer to him and whispered into his ear: "Today it's our day off." It meant they didn't have a concert tonight. It was actually another good reason to sleep in, Norbert thought.

"So let's stay in bed," he proposed with already closed eyes. Morrie fell silent after that and for a while Norbert thought he considered the idea. But then he said: "I thought we go out for a walk. It looks like it's gonna be a lovely day." Norbert opened his eyes again but didn't move yet. "Sure. Just get some more sleep in advance, okay?" Now Morrie moaned loudly. "You know they won't leave us alone when they see us outside in the middle of the day!" Sluggishly, Norbert pondered. "You think so?" "Of course I think so!", Morrie urged him. "You must've noticed how they follow us! Fans, reporters, critics...all that rabble! Run after us, stare at us, fancy themselves invisible...I want none of that!"

Norbert turned to Morrie while he let out his rant and watched him closely. It was unlikely for his lover to get into such a fret, but it confirmed what Norbert was thinking for a while now. Morrie was the one who had the hardest time getting used to their new life. Everything bothered him, not the concerts, but everything else. "We are interesting now. That's a good sign," he tried, but Morrie countered: "Nonsense, they don't care about us, all they want is a big story! If they cared, they wouldn't ask such shitty questions! As if anyone would want to read about my underwear!" "Right, that's only my business," Norbert said and smiled at him. "They frantically search for something to write, and everything they come up with is this utter rubbish! I hope not all our fans are such idiots!" Norbert sat up. There was no chance of sleeping anyway.

"You know, If there's something you want them to write, you should tell them. After all, they pick up everything you say, so you can lead them a bit," he explained calmly. "I don't want to tell them anything", Morrie hissed. "At least not today. God, you're thick as a brick this morning." Norbert shrank a few inches and fell quiet. Morrie silenced too and they continued to sit on the bed without anyone moving.

"I'm sorry...I shouldn't have yelled at you...", Morrie broke their silence. "I'm just so...confused about all this...I just want to spend time with you, without all the fuss." Norbert lifted his head, closed in and rested his head on Morrie's shoulder. "It's okay...I'm sorry I didn't cotton on right away. I was tired." Morrie's hand stroked his cheek. "Of course...", he whispered, carefully fondling his lover. "Would you still go out with me?" "Sure," Norbert whispered and poked him into the side. "I'll get the leash." "Oh, I thought I'll trust you this time." They chuckled. Morrie cupped Norbert's head and turned him around to face him. "You're so cute, Norrie", he sighed. "You're my sunshine. I never want to ruin your mood again." "Morrie, I love you. You can't ruin my mood at all." After some eagerly kisses they finally left the bed.

Walking through the empty corridors of their hotel, Morrie already ejoyed the calm and quiet. Moments like these were precious. When they stepped out into the fresh morning air, Norbert took a deep breath and stretched himself. His fatique had vanished and he was looking forward to some quality time. "Where are we going?", he asked, curiously looking around. They currently lived in Lud's Holm, the district that was known for it's elaborate beautification, with colorful facades and carefully selected plants decorating windows and gardens. Even the streets were painted in bright colors at some places.

"As far away as possible," Morrie urged him. "Out of the town." Norbert gave him a confused look. "How do you plan to get over the bridge?" "Not that far away, dummy. I mean the coast or something." "Oh, right...sure..." He looked around, furrowing his brows. "Do you know where the station is?" "Follow me." Morrie led the way at a quick pace, to get off the street fast. Norbert followed and they soon reached the entrance to the underground. It seemed that nobody was following them when they went into the tunnel. They also met nobody at the platform. Approaching the ticket office, Morrie said: "Leave the talking to me, okay?  And keep a low profile." "Alright, alright." Norbert fell back behind him.

When Morrie asked for two tickets to the farthest station, the salesman was curious. "What do you want in that godforsaken place?" "You know, watching birds," Morrie said in all seriousness. "Oh, really?" "Yeah, there are the most interesting specimen out there, you'd be astounded." He held out the coins and the man took them, not without eyeing him suspiciously, and then Norbert. "Hey,...I think I've seen you before." Norbert made an innocent face. "Me?...Well, it's not the first time I'm buying tickets here so..." "No, not like that," the man interrupted him. "I mean...on TV. Yeah, now I remember." "No, no, you must be mistaken. He was never on TV, I would know that," Morrie tried to wave him off. Norbert was eagerly nodding behind him. "Can we have our tickets now, please?"

The salesman wasn't satisfyed yet. He pointed at Morrie. "You've been there, too." "Pardon?" "You two, you're from this band..." He must've noticed their expressions, because he changed the tone: "Hey, don't worry. You can go wherever you want, it's none of my business. But you can't fool me." He said the last words with a self-contented grin. "Alright, if it's none of your business, you can let us pass, right?", Morrie urged him again. "Oh, sure." Finally, he handed out the tickets . "Bon voyage!" Morrie only made a face and went. Then he had to turn around again to see that Norbert was still standing there and talking to the man.

"We're only careful, you know, we keep being recognised and followed around," he explained. "I'll be as silent as a grave," the salesman assured him. They bandied some more nice words before they finally parted. "What was that supposed to be?", Morrie asked when they met again. "You know we're in a hurry." "Doesn't hurt to be a bit nicer. He recognised us - so what? Didn't make him bite our heads off." "What did you tell him?" "Nothing. Do you take me for an idiot again?" Morrie gave a loud sigh and shook his head. "No."

In silence, they waited for the train that seemed to be extra late today. Morrie kept his distance to Norbert, not because he was angry at him, but because he was afraid they would look suspicious if they stood closely together. This feeling was growing stronger since people had started to watch them. He instead watched other men who traveled together, had a chat, and observed their behaviour. The fact that he saw so many of them could've calmed him down, told him that him and Norbert didn't look any special in public. But that one question kept pestering him, if it was visible that they were different, that their glimpses and smiles and shoulder pats had another meaning. That was why he avoided Norbert now, he only peeked at him from time to time.

Norbert assumed that his lover was under stress and needed comfort as soon as possible. But even he thought that hugging him right there on the platform was a bad idea. So he had to wait and resign to his fate for now. However, he noticed that Morrie gave him a shy look from time to time. When their eyes suddenly met, Norbert used the opportunity to wink at him. Morrie's heart missed a beat at that and he almost turned as red as a beetroot. 'Heaven's sake, Norrie', he thought to himself while his heart was pounding wildly. Finally, the damn train arrived.

Inside, Norbert sat down right next to him. "Hold on, my love, we're almost there.", he whispered to him, quietly enough that no one else could hear him. Morrie nodded. Still, he said: "It's gonna be a long ride." "Maybe not. The train is moving fast, you see, we'll be there in no time. Don't worry", Norbert let his soft voice soothe Morrie, who wished he could be as optimistic as his lover. But in fact, the ride would be over eventually, so he tried to comfort himself with that. Shortly after, it bothered him how the train was trudging from station to station and more people entered. It didn't take long until someone sat down nearby and Morrie had the unsettling feeling that he stared at him.

"Don't look," he hissed at Norbert who was about to turn to the suspicious passenger. "He's watching us," he explained quietly. "Perhaps we're lucky and he doesn't remember who we are." "Morrie, come on, he doesn't even look at us." "Don't look," he hissed again with emphasis. "Okay...just calm down. I bet he's not interested." Promptly, the man left his seat and approached them. Norbert saw how Morrie froze and turned to the man who probably only wanted to ask where the train was going.

"I'm sorry, aren't you Nick Lightbearer and Morrie Memento? You look just like them, you know...", he instead asked and Norbert, because lying hadn't worked, decided to say the truth. "You've got us there. Right, Morrie?" "Indeed," Morrie said without showing any feelings. Except maybe that he wished to be very far away. "Oh, man." The passenger, who looked like a fan, became excited. "Seeing you here, it's just..." Shortly, he was out of words. "Could you give me a signature, so I can prove that I've seen you?" He held out a piece of paper. "Sure," Norbert said and brought out a pen he was recently keeping for occasions like these. "What's your name?" Norbert eyed the passenger. "Oh, my name is John...and my wife's name is Martha...could you mention her too? She'll freak out." Norbert wrote in curved letters "For Martha and John", noted the date and signed just as neatly, before he gave the page to Morrie. Morrie's signature was a bit more cornered, but still as neat.

While they were busy giving the autograph, they didn't notice that more people gathered around them, curious about what was going on. It didn't take long until a female voice gasped: "Oh my god, it's Nick Lightbearer and Morrie Memento!" The crowd came closer, battering the two musicians with questions. Norbert managed to give the page back to John, before the others edged him away. Then he tried to quieten them down. "Hey, there, calm down, everyone. One after the other, we can't talk to so many people at once..." Suddenly, Morrie pulled him under the seat. "What are you doing?", Norbert asked his lover who was crouching next to him. "Did you drop something?" "Don't ask, just follow me." While crawling, he noticed that it was the only way to get past the crowd of fans, that was beginning to follow them. "Quick, to the door," Morrie demanded and they ran as fast as they could. They were lucky, because the door already opened to welcome them to a new station. More people went in, and they squeezed through them. This way they escaped from their fans. In a dirty, empty hallway they caught their breath.

"That was close," Norbert gasped. He added in a more amused way: "They didn't want us to leave at all." "It's getting worse," Morrie said less amused. "And we're still five stations away. How are we supposed to get there?" "With the next train?" "You want to take that risk again? If they get us in one train, they can get us in the other." "What if we politely ask them to leave us alone? They are only normal people after all." "Norbert!," Morrie said firmly. Then he took a breath. "I don't want to be seen at all." "Well," Norbert thought about it. Walking all the way thought the town was also out of the question.

Pondering, his gaze wandered around the hallway, until he suddenly found a door. "Hey, what about that?" He gestured towards it. "Workers use that to follow the track." Morrie sceptically eyed the door. "If so, then it's only allowed for workers." "But Morrie, this is an emergency. We have no other choice." "And how are we supposed to get in there?" Norbert tried the doorknob first, but of course it was locked. "You don't happen to use hair pins, don't you?", he asked Morrie. "No, not even tie pins." "What a shame. There must be another way. The workers carry the keys with them, right?" "I think so, but they aren't here right now." Norbert started to walk along the way, searching. Morrie followed. "And even if we meet one of them, they won't give us a key."

Suddenly, Norbert came to a halt. He examined a pipe that ran along the wall. It looked very clapped-out. "What happens, if...", he muttered. A second later he kicked the pipe with all the strength he had. It broke, and the motilene that bursted out damaged it even more. "Are you crazy?", Morrie shouted against the noise that the dying pipe produced, but Norbert put a finger on his lips and shoved him further. They hid in a corner and Norbert eyed the hallway, waiting. "What do you expect from this?", his lover hissed. "Sssh, just wait and see." Soon, they heard voices and three workers appeared, loudly cussing and complaining, looking at the mess. "A motilene pipe, again!" "I told that stupid department a thousand times now, that stuff is eating through the metal. But those bloody surveyors insist it's all peachy. Damn office-sitters! I never see them down here and fixing this shit!"

During all their tirades, Norbert crawled out of this hideout to reach out for the keys that were dangling from one of the men's belt. Morrie watched in shock how one of them them apruptly turned around and found Norbert. Then all of them looked at him. He quickly got up, wiped the dirt from his suit and said casually: "Good day gentlemen...I've heard the noise and I thought...uh...you might need some help." They continued their staring. "No? Uh...okay, so I'll be on my way..." He set himself in motion, praying that also Morrie would find a way around them, when one of them said: "Wait a minute. Aren't you Nick Lightbearer?" As if it was the cue, Norbert threw himself into a pose. "Yeah, man, that's me. Why do you ask?" Then also the others became interested. The damaged pipe was forgotten, and Norbert had to listen to a lot of stories and answer their questions, until they remembered what they were there for. Norbert would've walked back to their hiding spot, if he hadn't seen Morrie on the other side of the hallway, waving at him.

"What a flop," he muttered when they were together again. His eyes widened when Morrie held out the keys to him. "Don't make me do that again," he said quietly. "We don't even know if the right key is among them." "Morrie, you're amazing!", Norbert blurted out and the other boy turned pink while he shrugged. They tried one key after the other and the fourth one actually worked. As a reward, they were greeted by an even smaller and dirtier tunnel that was dimly lit, but didn't ruin Norbert's mood at all. "Freedom, we're coming!", he said strutting into the tunnel. A rather doubtful Morrie accompanied him. "I hope so." "If not, we still had fun, didn't we?", Norbert countered. "And best of all, we're alone here." With one arm, he pulled Morrie closer to give him a smooch on the cheek. Morrie lost all inhibitions and deeply kissed him back. "Thank you," he then said. "I feel much better now." "Me too." Norbert beamed at him. "Let's go, pretty boy, the coast is waiting."

It was rather tiresome to walk past all five stations. The wish to get out grew bigger in Morrie's guts. The darkness and the smell supported it. Thinking of their comfortable hotel room, he wondered if it had been a mistake to go outside. Then he remembered their trips in the past, their old life in that empty house, and thought there had to be a way to get it back. He needed it. And he would find out if Norbert needed it too.

When he was already wondering if they had missed the exit and wandered all the way thought the canal under Britannia Bridge, they reached the door to their destination. Of course it was locked, too. Norbert tried the same key and it worked again. Quietly, he opened a tiny crack and peered outside, before he signified Morrie that everything was alright. "Finally," Morrie sighed, stepping out into the hallway. On the way to the exit they didn't meet anyone, but on the last few steps to freedom Norbert said: "Wait..." and walked back down. "Where are you going?", Morrie forced himself to stay calm. "Just go ahead, I'll be there in a minute," was the weird answer, before Norbert walked around a corner.

Morrie shortly hesitated, then he hurried after him. Around the corner, he searched for Norbert, but couldn't find him. His heart skipped a beat, when he pictured the most drastic scenes in his head. Norbert threatened, kidnapped, hurt...Breathing heavily, he told himself to calm down. If he ran away head over heels, Norbert wouldn't find him. So he walked back to where he came from, very slowly, up the stairs and placed himself in front of the exit. He was presented a panorama that he couldn't have imagined any more beautiful. It was exactly what he needed. This and Norbert. Where was he? Why did he have to go? He jumped when he heard a loud gasp right next to him. His lover appeared, out of the blue. "That was worth it," he commented the sight with wide eyes. "What did you do?" "I don't know about you, but I'm hungry, that's why I got us sandwiches. I couldn't get coffee, but at least some lemonade." He lifted up a bag that was carrying their picnic and Morrie didn't know if he wanted to kiss or punch him. "Of course you risked everything for that!" "You don't have to eat anything, but I will."

They continued to squabble while walking away, but when they had left the station and all signs of that noisy town behind them they soon stopped. At the coast they rested on a rock, since they had been walking a long way already. Then Morrie was glad that Norbert had brought some food, and all they needed to do was relaxing and watching the waves roll. After eating up, Morrie laid his head on Norbert's shoulder and closed his eyes. "Are you sleeping?", Norbert asked him after he hadn't moved for a while. "Almost," he sighed. Norbert kissed his forehead. "This is exactly what I wanted. This solitude, only you and me..." Norbert leaned his head on Morrie's. "Yeah...it's beautiful."

"Norrie, can't we life somewhere else other than these noisy hotels?" "Don't tell me you want to pitch a tent out here." Norbert was half joking, half worried. "No...But didnt Virgil say we could live in a house one day? I'm sure we have enough money now to give our old home a beautification? I miss it." "These old rooms?" "No, they would be new, and they would be ours. And we could protect them, so fans and reporters can't bother us anymore. Wouldn't that be nice?" "Everyone would know where we live." "They know that now, too. They only need to look up where our tour is going and search the best hotels there. There aren't too many options." Norbert had to agree with that. "And in our own house, we would have no uninvited guests. What do you think?"

Norbert had mixed feelings. He'd love to spend time with Morrie whenever he wanted, without anyone bothering them. But he had to admit he liked the luxuious life in a hotel. He didn't know if he could go back to an ordinary home after this. No service, no buffets, no bars, no one interrupting his daily routine to tell him how much he adored Nick Lightbearer... The others wouldn't give it up so easily. They enjoyed their new life to the fullest, without regrets. That was something Norbert envied them for. "We have to ask the others," he only said, while he watched the waves crash against the shore, loudly rushing, not caring about anything around them. Norbert wished he could be more like the waves.

[airis-paris14]

Human Nature 3

Summary: He has a secret and he’s tired of loving her in secret.

Warnings: None

A/N: Here’s part three of the short story. I hope you enjoy! I also tried out a new banner graphic.

1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6

See that girl, she knows I'm watching

She likes the way I stare...

I like livin' this way

I like lovin' this way

- Michael Jackson “Human Nature”

T’Challa grinned as his car pulled into the driveway. He grabbed his suitcase and prepared to surprise Naomi. He’d purposely not called her back this morning and instead flew the first jet he could get his hands on over here. Though he had taken Okoye’s advice and asked one of the pilots to fly him due to his lack of sleep. He took out his keys, and smiled as he heard the bass line of a song bouncing through the house. He turned the key and pushed open his door, grateful that the music would hide his presence for a few seconds more. He shut the white door quietly and left his suitcases by the doors. He slipped off his shoes and tiptoed into the kitchen.

The previous song had ended and he heard her sing along to the intro of the new one. “I am a single QUEEN!,” the king laughed, recognizing the track from one of her recent obsessions. “Oh so you’re single now,” T’Challa teased, giving away his presence. “T’Challa!” Her whole face lit up once it registered that he was standing in front of her. She ran over to him and he scooped her up in his arms. She grinned as he covered her face with kisses. “Hey baby,” he finally replied, placing her back on her own feet. 

“Hi, you weren’t supposed to be back until tomorrow.” 

“I know, I finished my work early and I wanted to surprise you,” the king smiled then cleared his throat, “there’s also something I need to talk to you about, but it can’t wait for a little while longer.”

Naomi’s smile fell, “Okay. I was cooking some leftovers from dinner last night, you want some?” Naomi walked back into the kitchen. T’Challa nodded and simply drank the sight of her in. Her hair was pulled into a large puff and she wore sweats and a t-shirt. She looked absolutely stunning. The new king took a seat and watched as she filled a bowl with pasta for him. Once she was done filling her own bowl. She turned off the oven and walked both dishes over to the island. She took a seat next to him and smiled. 

“How was work?” She asked. 

“It was great actually,” T’Challa twirled some of the pasta around his fork. “I actually got a promotion that I can’t wait to tell you about, later.” Naomi smiled. That's amazing baby! I can’t wait to hear all about it.”

Somehow I doubt that the king thought to himself. “What about you?” he asked his wife. “It was good, I finished up that really big wedding I was telling you about. It was really sweet and surprisingly went off with very few problems.”

 T’Challa grabbed his wife’s hand and kissed it. “You do it every time baby.” Naomi blushed and it caused the man to chuckle. “I also worked with the girls on our wedding,” Naomi revealed. 

“How’d that go? Did you have a venue that you liked?”

“Yeah we narrowed it down to two, I wanted to make the final decision with you though. I’ll pull the profile on them and we can decide now if you want.” 

“Let’s save that for later,” T’Challa smiled.

 “Okay,” Naomi sat back down. “I wanted to ask you though, do you think that I could go on your next work trip with you? I know I probably can’t go work with you. But I could buy my own ticket and I could explore the city and just hang out with you whenever you have free time.”

“I am so glad that you said that. I’m going back home and I want you to come with me,” the king revealed. He knew that this was not the way to address the problem but it felt so much easier than telling the truth. His heart broke a little more as he watched a grin spread across his lover’s face. He needed to start telling the truth soon, or he’d be in too deep. 

“Speaking of home-” Naomi started, “I wanted to know if you wanted to have your family at the wedding. We could start putting away some money for their plane tickets, and I wanted to include your little sister in the wedding party if they were gonna be there. She’s my family too now you know.” Naomi looked up expectantly but T’Challa’s heart was exploding. That right there was why he married this woman. She was intelligent, funny, goofy, and unbelievably caring and generous. He knew that now was the time for him to start telling the truth. He pushed his now empty plate back off the counter.

“That’s actually one of the things that we need to talk about,” the king started. He grabbed him and Naomi’s now empty bowls. T’challa rinsed and placed them in the sink. All the while he felt the heaviness of his statement and Naomi’s eyes following him. “Let’s go in the living room eh?” He grabbed his wife’s hands and pulled her into the living room. 

Once they were settled he took a deep breath. “Baby what’s wrong?” the king felt her hand lightly lift his chin. “This is not easy for me to tell you Nay, but I already regret that we got married and I haven’t told you the truth. I didn’t tell you everything from the jump for selfish reasons, but I am getting ahead of myself.”

Naomi frowned. 

“I do work with the United Nations, that much is true. Every time I told you I was on a work trip I was telling the truth. I was at a United Nations meeting every time. Except this last one. I am not a united nation’s ambassador, I am a leader baby. A nation leader. I am the Leader of the nation of Wakanda.” Naomi’s face took on shock then amusement, “Stop it,” Naomi laughed before realizing he wasn’t laughing with her. 

“What do you mean you are the leader of the Nation of Wakanda T’Challa. Wakanda is a monarchy, you told me so. Or were you lying about that too?”

T’Challa frowned, “When you met me at Essence Fest baby, I was Prince T’Challa Udaku of Wakanda, heir to the throne. I was there with my sister Shuri. Princess Shuri.”

“So when you say you got a promotion-”

“My father passed away, which is why I had to go off for business. I am king now.” 

Naomi let her head fall into her hands. She dragged them down her face as she stood up. “You expect me to believe that I married the prince, no king, of fucking Wakanda! Not to mention that your father, whom you said you hadn’t seen in years passed away and you didn’t tell me, your wife!” The woman fumed. Her hand now covering her mouth in anger and disbelief. “I was supposed to be there for you T’Challa. Comfort you!”

T’Challa watched, guilt taking over as she tried to come to terms with everything. “So you waltzed home early to tell me that surprise you’re a fucking KING and your father DIED and that what I’m a queen?!” 

T’Challa was at a crossroads. Accepting that any response, including no response, would elicit more anger, he cut his losses. “In a more complicated way, but yes. Naomi, I’m so sorry.”

“Don’t you dare ‘I’m sorry me’ T’Challa Udaku, I am pissed. Pissed because I don’t know my husband. The man I fucking promised the rest of my life to. I gave my life to you, and the life I thought we were going to have was half-lie, and the other half just went up in smoke. I mean, we are getting ‘married’ next year. If your father hadn’t died would you even be telling me this? You’d just let us build a life together, me thinking you haven’t seen your family in years. Do you know how hurt I am and for what? Why would you not tell me who you are T’Challa? I told you everything. I married you. I became your wife. I’m going to give you children one day and you wouldn’t have told me that they were in line for a throne halfway across the world.”

“I don’t know what to say, Naomi. I didn’t tell you because I enjoyed not being the prince of Wakanda for once. We had fun that weekend, you didn’t know who I was and I enjoyed just getting to be T’Challa. Wakanda was still pretty closed off so I knew that most people wouldn’t know who I was and tell you. It was selfish and I am so sorry for building this life on a lie, but I am not a lie. The man you fell in love with is still here. Should it matter that I have this title?”

“The title isn’t the problem T’Challa,” Naomi dropped back on to the couch next to her husband, tears running down her face, “the problem is that you lied to me, and now there’s this position that I am going to have to fill that I had no idea about. And, I’m guessing the king can’t live in a different country?”

T’Challa’s face said it all. “That’s where the trip comes in. This week is coronation week in Wakanda. The festival starts tomorrow and I want you to come with me. The decision is yours though, if you want a divorce, we are not ‘legally married’ in Wakanda, so if you do not want to stay with me I understand.

“T’Challa, are you stupid, or are you dumb?” The king and his wife chuckled lightly, “I signed up for better or for worse. Richer and poorer. I’m coming with you, I just don’t like all of the lies that are unraveling right now.” 

“I promise that, that is all of them. Now I just have to explain this to my family and friends back home. I am sure they will adore you, but everyone is going to be very upset with me. I needed you to know first though. We needed to be in this together. You deserved to know first.” 

Naomi nodded and sighed. She leaned her head on his shoulder and breathed in his scent. “I’m pissed, but I love you T’Challa Udaku.”

“I am glad. That you love me Naomi Udaku. I am head over heels in love with you too.” The king kissed the crown of her head. She patted his thigh, “Help me pack,” she groaned standing up off the couch. “Of course my love,” he stood and followed her into their room. 

taglist: @almostpurelysmut​ @blackbypurpose @nyneebee @hutchj @tchoking @sisterwifeudaku @wikiwakanda @royallyprincesslilly @90sinspiredgirl @strictlyashley @afraiddreamingandloving @thedelightfulone @autumn242 @purple-apricots @kumkaniudaku @queertrex @kaciidubs @halfrican-heat @skysynclair19 @dramaqueenamby @gorjiss @leahnicole1219 @kreolemami @mzbritt @yoyolovesbucky @derangedcupcake @builtalongthewayside @ilcb7 @chaneajoyyy​ @lalapalooza718​ @ororowrites​ @leahnicole1219​ @dopegalkk @sarcastic-sunshines​ @sarahboseman​ @shesakillerkween @waitingonafriend​ @faatassbitch

[vixensheart]

Butter or No?

.

.

.

Sticky ass tables are the worst. 

Katsuki scrubs the offending mystery sticky shit with a worn, threadbare washrag. It’s not coming off, and he grits his teeth and growls. Fucking shitty ass parents, not watching their damn kids. Somehow, Katsuki knows it’s the kids’ fault, here. It’s always the kids that make a mess in the theater. It doesn’t even matter where, either- in the auditorium, the mini arcade, the fucking lobby- kids are little shits that cause chaos wherever they go. 

He huffs a sigh and sprays more soapy disinfectant shit onto the mess to let it soak a bit. Then he scrubs again, harder this time. The little round table rattles a bit under the force, but the sticky shit’s coming off so Katsuki doesn’t stop until it's gone. 

“Damn, dude, you good over there?” 

Katsuki’s head whips up. Across from him, some dude’s watching him with raised brows and a wry grin. He glowers. “M’fine.” It takes a bit of restraint to keep from flipping the dude off, but Katsuki really doesn’t feel like getting bitched at again by Iida. So he bites the inside of his cheek and attempts to resume scrubbing. Except mister fucking chatterbox has apparently decided to ignore Katsuki’s rather blatant cold shoulder. 

“You sure? You kind of look like you’re about to break that table.” 

His temple throbs. Fucking hell. Is it too damn much to ask to just be left alone? Katsuki grits his teeth and huffs again and decides fuck it, it’s clean enough anyway. He stalks off without another word, because any other words used would definitely have curses in them, and as Iida constantly wails at him, it’s apparently frowned upon to use such words. 

“Well, bye, then…” mister dumbass mumbles, and Katsuki stops. Fucking asshole, what, did he want a fight? He tosses a glare over his shoulder, snark at the ready, only to pause. And stare. Because oh. Oh, fuck. Dumbass mcLoudmouth is...actually kind of really hot. 

Even slouched in his chair, Katsuki can tell he’s built as fuck, with arms muscular enough that he could probably crush his head open with his biceps and Katsuki would thank him. He’s got a nice jawline, wide, pretty eyes, and a head of ridiculously styled, firetruck red hair. It’s all spiked up with some sort of gel, and would look atrocious, yet this dude’s somehow pulling it off. It almost pisses Katsuki off. 

Almost. 

He sighs and turns to the table beside him, giving it a squirt from his disinfectant bottle. “Why’re you sitting out here by your damn self, anyway?” Katsuki asks, voice low. The guy perks up. 

“Oh. Well, uh, I’m meeting someone! Or, I was supposed to…” He deflates, and looks at his phone. “I guess they’re running late... They were supposed to be here twenty minutes ago.” Hot guy looks absolutely miserable, and Katsuki feels something twist in his chest at the sight. Fuck. Katsuki doesn’t even know this guy’s name, and he’s already ready to punch someone in the face, just for causing that frown. 

What the fuck even. 

“Well, why don’t you call them, or whatever?” he mutters, as he swipes the rag haphazardly over the already cleaned table. That he wiped down ten minutes ago. It’s fine. Fuck off. 

Hot guy chuckles, but it’s hollow. “I would, but uh. I don’t have their number? It’s a date…” He rubs the back of his neck, rueful, and sighs. “I met them on a dating app my friends made me try. And, well. I guess I’m a bit nervous?” 

Katsuki bites his lip. Of course he’d be here for a date. The dude’s hot. And as much as Katsuki is loath to admit it, he can’t entirely quell the bubbles of disappointment in his chest. Which is stupid. He’s wearing a shitty-ass red polo that reeks of popcorn butter and sweat, and he’s cleaning tables. What chance in hell would he even have to begin with? So, Katsuki swipes at the too clean table and grunts. “The fuck’re you nervous about? It’s just a date. Buy them popcorn and hold their hand and shit.” 

Hot guy laughs, real and genuine this time, and goddamn, is it a pretty sound. Katsuki’s no poet, but fuck, it’s like all the mushy shit they talk about in the cheesy-ass romcoms they play every summer. Gross. He hates how much he likes it, how much he already wants to hear it again. Katsuki flushes and tries to hide the fact with a scowl. 

“Thanks, dude. I’ll, uh, try, I guess.” He beams at Katsuki, as if his beautiful laugh didn’t already strike arrows through his heart. “Oh, I’m Kirishima, by the way,” he says. “Thanks for humoring me.” 

Katsuki throws the towel up onto his shoulder and shrugs. “S’whatever.” He turns to stalk off again, because he’s at work, dammit, only to pause again. “Bakugou,” he mutters over his shoulder. Out of the corner of his eye, Kirishima perks up. 

“Huh?” 

He scoffs. Fucking dumbass. “My name, shitty hair,” he says. He doesn’t really wait for a response, this time, and storms off instead, face heated. Katsuki feels like he’s got a bunch of stinging nettles rattling around in his stomach, and it’s fucking embarrassing how much he wamts to turn back around and try to fumble his way through asking Kirishima out. But he’s working, and Kirishima’s here for a date with someone else anyway. 

So Katsuki stomps his way back to the supply closet and trades his rag and spray bottle for a damn broom and dustpan. 

Time to sweep some fucking auditoriums. 

~

Forty-five minutes and two cleaned auditoriums later, and Katsuki’s trudging his way back to the lobby, bent broom in hand. 

“Iida’s gonna kill you for breaking the broom. Again.” Jirou snaps her gum, gaze glued to her phone as she trails behind him. Katsuki huffs. He has half a mind to chuck said broom at her, but it’d be a waste of effort. 

“S’not my fault guests are fucking gross,” he says. It’s the truth. There was so much goddamn popcorn on the floors and under the seats, it’s like no one actually ate the damn stuff. So of course he had to sweep that shit up. And it’s pretty fucking hard to get the broom under the chairs so. He bent his broom. 

Again. 

“Put mine away too, and I won’t say anything,” Jirou says, holding hers out to him. She doesn’t even look up from her phone, the bitch. Katsuki grinds his teeth. He wants to tell her to shove it, but this is the twelfth broom he’s bent while sweeping, and Iida really gets up in his damn business about that sort of shit. So, Katsuki swipes it from her with a growl. Jirou looks up at him from beneath her thick, purple bangs and grins. “Thanks.” She pops a bubble and turns on her heel, leaving Katsuki alone in front of the damn supply closet. 

Stupid fucking coworkers, being lazy and shit. He knows she’s texting her damn boyfriend and girlfriend in their weird little group chat instead of actually working. She does it all the damn time. But her girlfriend is friends with Iida, so she gets away with that shit. Which. Is bullshit. 

Katsuki yanks open the door and tosses both sets of brooms and their dustpans inside, hardly caring if the contents spill out or not. He can always blame fucking Mineta, if he has to. Damn pervy asshole is always getting on everyone’s nerves anyway. He slams the door shut and drags his way back to the lobby.

It’s quiet, now.   

He can hear the tinkering of the soft classical music Iida insists on playing, claiming that it’s “professional” and “calming”, or some shit. Katsuki doesn’t really buy it- he’s been yelled at enough by one too many angry guests over dumb shit like popcorn. If the music was as calming as he claimed, that sort of bullshit wouldn’t happen. 

Katsuki sighs, gaze sweeping across the many empty tables, checking for any garbage, when a blaze of red hair snags his focus. His brows furrow, and he whips his phone out to check the time. 

Eight o’fucking clock. And Kirishima’s still here…? Katsuki frowns. He thought the guy had a date. Why the hell is he slouched over the table like he’s asleep? Unless… 

Something dark twists in his chest, and Katsuki finds himself striding over towards shitty haired-muscle boy before he can stop himself. Kirishima doesn’t seem to notice his approach. He’s sprawled across the tabletop, cheek squished into it, phone laying face up beside his nose. There’s a soft snore accompanying the rise and fall of his shoulders; he’s really asleep. Damn. Katsuki clasps his shoulder and gives him a shake. “Hey, shitty hair.” 

Kirishima groans, face scrunching cutely. He blinks awake and shifts, sitting up. “Bakugou?” And, oh. His voice is rough, making Katsuki’s heart thud in his chest. He gulps. 

“You fell asleep.” 

Kirishima’s eyes go wide at that. “Oh!” He taps his phone with a frown that only deepens as he gazes down at it. “Oh.” His shoulders slump. “I...I guess they’re not coming, huh?” 

And fuck. Katsuki stares as Kirishima droops, that painful twisting ratcheting up a few notches. Kirishima runs a hand through his hair and huffs a pained laugh. “I guess it’s a good thing I waited to buy tickets, huh?” he asks, voice wobbling. The next chuckle is wet, sad, and Kirishima reaches up to scrub at his face. “Otherwise...I-it would have been a waste…” 

It’s instinct that has him reaching out, again. Katsuki grazes his fingers on his shoulder once more in some vain attempt to comfort. Which. Hell, Katsuki is bad at this sort of shit. But there’s a burning need to try that he can’t quite explain. 

His gaze darts back up to the digitized showtime board. There’s another showing of...some dumbass action movie in like. Ten minutes. An idea, a stupid, weird, dumb idea blossoms in Katsuki’s mind, and he grabs Kirishima by the wrist and tugs. “C’mere,” he says. He tugs again, and Kirishima fumbles to his feet and lets Katsuki drag him over to the ticket counter.

“Hey, earphones!” 

Jirou looks up at him from the stool she’s perched on, brow raised. “What?” She snaps her gum, looking very unimpressed. 

“I...I need two courtesy tickets or whatever to the next showing of…” He trails off and squints up at the board. “Cars and Explosions.”

He’s met with an incredulous look. “You can’t be serious right now.” 

“Does it fucking look like I’m joking?” Katsuki snaps. He sighs. “Look, I’m off in ten minutes, anyway.” Which is the fucking truth, and Jirou knows it. She looks from Katsuki to Kirishima, who’s lingering behind him like a lost puppy, arm limp in Katsuki’s grasp. He’s not sure what Jirou sees, but something in her expression softens, and she shrugs. 

“Whatever. Just make sure you clock out on time.” There’s a bit of typing, and then she’s thrusting two tickets at him with a sigh. Katsuki takes them and drags Kirishima away, muttering his thanks under his breath. He knows she hears it, because she doesn’t try to give him shit. Which. 

Thank fuck. Because Katsuki kind of has no idea what he’s doing. 

“Uh...dude?” Kirishima tugs his arm a bit. “What’re we doing?” They’ve stopped at concessions, and Katsuki turns to peer at his unwitting companion. Kirishima’s brows are notched, bottom lip poking out in a pout- he looks cute, and Katsuki wants to scream. He huffs and gestures to the snacks. 

“Pick something.” 

Kirishima looks from him to the snacks, and back again. “Um…popcorn, I guess? But, dude-” 

Katsuki jumps the counter. Yeah, sure, maybe it’s dramatic, but hey. He didn’t feel like walking around, and he sure as fuck doesn’t want to figure out where Koda is. Besides, if you want shit done, you’ve gotta do it yourself, or whatever. So, he grabs a popcorn bag and starts scooping some into it.

“Bakugou, dude!” Kirishima’s gawking at him with wide eyes. “Seriously, what are you doing?” 

“The fuck does it look like?” Katsuki says. He makes a point to scoop an egregiously large shovel full of popcorn and stuffs it into the bag. “Butter or no?” 

Kirishima just chews on his lip and looks around. “Is this even allowed?” He looks a bit like a kid caught with a hand in the cookie jar, which is both adorable and irritating. Because like, fucking hell. He’s not doing anything wrong. Neither of them are. 

“You didn’t answer my question, dumbass.” Katsuki sighs, and tosses the scoop back into its cradle. His gaze lingers over Kirishima’s flushed face, and he sighs again. “I’m not a damn delinquent, I am paying for this shit. Now tell me what you want or I’m just gonna dowse it in butter.” 

“Y-yeah, uh, butter is great.” 

Thank fuck. Katsuki can’t stand assholes that insist on no butter. Like, that’s the whole damn point of popcorn. No butter means the salt isn’t going to stick, and while heavy salt is gross, Katsuki needs some flavor on that shit. So, he pumps some butter into the popcorn and expertly sprinkles in some salt. “You want any drinks or whatever?” He glances at Kirishima, who just shakes his head. Katsuki shrugs. “Suit yourself.” He swipes a small cup and fills it with some coke, because he’s tired as fuck, sue him. 

One quick transaction later, and Katsuki’s dragging Kirishima to the theater. Or, pushing him. It’s pretty fucking empty, too, with a single couple in the middle and some dude in one of the front few rows. Katsuki leads Kirishima all the way to the top, right beneath the projector, because that’s the best spot. Fuck off. He flops down into the cushioned chair, Kirishima settling in beside him. 

“You...you didn’t have to do this, ya’ know.” 

Kirishima’s voice is soft, quiet enough that Katsuki almost misses him speak. He pointedly trains his focus on the cheesy pre-show scrolling across the screen, face heating up. “Just sit down and watch the movie,” he mutters. Kirishima hums, but doesn’t say anything. His gaze lingers, though, and Katsuki can feel the warmth of it. He shifts a bit, blushing even harder. 

“I wanted to,” he says then, after a moment. 

“Why?” 

It’s the million dollar question of the night. Why the fuck does he even care? But then he looks at Kirishima, and his heart stutters in his chest, and he jerks his gaze away again for fear of a heart attack or some shit. “Your sad mug was pissing me off.” It’s a safe answer, but the sharp breath tells Katsuki that Kirishima understood what he meant. 

I wanted to make you smile. 

The lights darken and the movie starts. There’s a gentle touch on his hand, and Katsuki’s gaze jerks to see Kirishima sliding their hands together. And, oh, shit. His heart pounds, and an unsteady smile warms his lips. 

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END