#ma���am I’m talking the first train to leave the station

[justabtsblog]

The Journey From Platform 9 ¾ Jungkook's P.O.V So I’m doing a rewrite of an old Harry Potter AU I did. This is one of the chapters. If you like it the rest is on Wattpad but is still very much under editing and unfinished sooo . . . ENJOY! 💜

I’ve been up since five o’clock this morning and was too excited and nervous to go back to sleep. I put on jeans because I don’t think it would be such a good idea to walk into the station in wizard's robes – I can change on the train. I check my Hogwarts list yet again to make sure I have everything that I need, and make sure that Bam is shut safely in his crate and then pace the room, waiting for my family to get up.

Two hours later, the huge, heavy trunk is loaded into our small electric car. We reach King's Cross at half past ten. Ma placed my trunk on to a trolley and wheeled it into the station for me. It’s heavier than I had anticipated.

"Well, here you are, kookie. Platform nine – platform ten. Your platform should be somewhere in the middle, but they don't seem  to have built it yet, do they? I’m sure you’ll find it but I have to be at work in 20 minutes — gosh I’m already running behind. Have a good term, I’ll miss you very much until the holidays. Love you sweetie!” With a kiss to my head she was gone. What am I to do now?

Ma is right. There is a big plastic number nine over one platform and a big plastic number ten over the one next to it, and in the middle, nothing at all. I feel the panic start to set in. I’m starting to attract a lot of funny looks, because of Bam. I’m going to ask someone. I try to ask a passing guard, but he has never heard of Hogwarts and when I couldn’t even tell him what part of the country it is in, he started to get annoyed, as though I’m being stupid on purpose.

Getting desperate, I ask for the train that leaves at eleven o’clock, but the guard says there isn't one. In the end he walks away, muttering about time-wasters.I have no idea what to do, I think about calling ma but my phone is in the bottom of my trunk.

According to the large clock over the arrivals board, I have ten minutes left to get on the train to Hogwarts but I have absolutely no idea how to do it. I’m just stuck here, stranded in the middle of a station with a trunk that I can hardly lift, a pocket full of wizard money and a large dog. In her rush Ma must have forgotten to tell me something I have to do, like tapping the third brick on the left to get into Diagon Alley.

I wondered if I should get out my wand and start tapping the ticket box between the two platforms. At that moment a group of people pass just behind me and I’m able to catch some of the words of their conversation.

"– packed with Muggles, of course –" and in the sea of voices their words make sense, Korean. (Ma has been hounding me about improving my English lately) I turn around quickly. Maybe I can ask this person for directions.

The speaker is a thin woman who is talking to four children. Two of the boys at the head of the group are pushing a trunk like mine in front of them– and they have cats like the ones I see in Diagon Alley. Heart hammering, I push my trolley after them. They stop and so do I, just near enough to hear what we are saying.

"Now, what's the platform number?" asks another woman who must be the boys' grandmother.

"Nine and three-quarters!" pipes a small girl, who is holding her hand.

"Ma, can’t I go ..." the young girl begs tugging at her Grandmother’s dress

"You aren’t old enough, Eun-jin, now be quiet. All right, Jimin, you go first."

A boy with hair an awkward looking shade of brown marches towards platforms nine and ten. I watch, careful not to blink in case I miss it – but just as the boy reaches the divide between the two platforms, a large crowd of tourists comes swarming in front of him, and by the time the last rucksack has cleared away, the boy has vanished.

“Tae-Tae, you're next," the woman says.

A tall, gangly boy with lavender purple hair passes in front of me while I try to watch, he stumbles a little and touches his face in surprise.

He turns to the woman walking beside him, “Ma, I’ve lost my glasses again."

"Oh, Namjoon." the woman sighs, she takes out a wand but the boy, Namjoon, stops her.

“Can I do it? Pleaseee!”

“Jonnie dear, that's underage magic. It isn't allowed” she mutters something under her breath and something comes whizzing by almost hitting me in the face. “Here are your glasses, Joonie, now go before you miss the train!”

The boy puts on the glasses and off he goes. His mother calls after him to hurry up and follow her and he must have done it, because a second later, they are both gone – but how did they do it? Now the other boy is walking briskly towards the ticket barrier – he is almost there – and then, quite suddenly, he isn't anywhere. I squeak belatedly, still a bit shocked from the glasses almost taking my nose off.

The woman and the boy turn to face me. The woman smiles warmly  “Hello, dear,” she says. "First time at Hogwarts? Tae's new, too." She points to the taller of the two boys who is slim but not skinny.

"Yes," I answered honestly. "The thing is – the thing is, I don’t know how to –"

"How to get on to the platform?" She says, it's clear he's done this before, and I nod helplessly.

"Not to worry," she says. "All you have to do is walk straight at the barrier between platforms nine and ten. Don’t stop and don’t be scared you'll crash into it, that's very important. Best do it at a bit of a run if you're nervous. Go on, go now before Taehyung."

"OK!" I say. Eh, why not, not like I have any other options. I push the trolley round and stare at the unyielding barrier. Finally an excuse to run into a wall on purpose! Before I can change my mind I break into a run. I’m a foot away and I brace myself for the crash but It doesn’t come

When I open my eyes. A scarlet steam engine is waiting next to a platform packed with people. A sign overhead naming the train the Hogwarts Express, leaving at 11 o’clock. I look behind me and see a wrought-iron archway where the ticket box has been, with the words Platform Nine and Three-Quarters on it. I’ve done it! Smoke from the engine drifts over the heads of the chattering crowd, while cats of every colour wind here and there between our legs. dogs hooted to each other in a disgruntled sort of way over the babble and the scraping of heavy trunks.

The first few carriages already seem packed with students, some hanging out of the window to talk to our families, some fighting over seats. I push my trolley off down the platform in search of an empty seat. A boy with red tips to his dark hair is surrounded by a small crowd.

"Give us a look, Lee, go on." The boy lifts the lid of a box in his arms and the people around him shriek and yell as something inside pokes out a long, hairy leg.

“Tae, Taehyung, Kim Taehyung!” the boy who had come through first shouts, he looks worried. Muttering under his breath, “Where is he? He should be here by now?”

Soon I hear a commotion behind me, “Jiminie! There's my mini mochi. '' Taehyung tries to hug the boy called Jimin but the shorter boy pushes him away playfully. I begin to feel, with alarming suddenness and intensity, my aloneness.

I press on through the crowd until I find an empty compartment near the end of the train. I put Bam inside first and then started to shove and heave my trunk towards the train door. I try to lift it up the steps but can hardly raise one end. It drops painfully on my foot.

"Want a hand?” A boy peeks out of the train car, he looks a few years older than me with a long neck and broad shoulders.

“Yes, please," I pant, my foot still in pain.

“I'm Kim Seokjin by the way” With Seokjin's help, my trunk is at last tucked away in a corner of the compartment. "Thanks, Seokjin" I say, pushing my sweaty hair out of his eyes.

“No problem, call me Jin”

The train begins to move. I see Taehyung's mother waving and his sister and brother, half laughing, half crying, running to keep up with the train until it gathers too much speed; then they fall back and wave. I watch the children and their mother disappear as the train rounds the corner. Houses flash past the window. I feel a great leap of excitement. The door of the compartment slides open and the two boys, Taehyung and Jimin come in.

"Anyone sitting there?" he asks, pointing at the seat opposite me. "Everywhere else is full." I shake my head and the boys sit down.

"Hey Taehyung." It is Jin again. "Listen, we're going down the middle of the train – Lee Know’s got a giant tarantula down there."

"Okay, see you later hyung," Taehyung waves Jin off, turning back to me.

“Did we introduce ourselves? Kim Taehyung but you can call me Tae and ” the second boy speaks up, finishing the sentence “I"m Park Jimin”.

"Is that boy who just left your brother, are all your family wizards?" I ask, they don't look related but they seem close.

“No but he may as well be, he’s a distant cousin. And yes my family is all wizards," says Taehyung.

“Cool! So you must know loads of magic already." The Kim's are clearly one of those old wizarding families dad occasionally mentioned.

"Are you a muggle born?" asks Tae. "What are they like, muggles?"

I don’t know what to say at first “I just moved here from Korea actually and back home they were pretty normal so I guess it’s the same here. I’m a halfblood. My dad is a wizard, but we don"t use much magic around the house. Muggles are pretty normal I guess – well, not all of them, some are kind of mental. My dad works as a farmer and says we should keep a low profile. I bet I'll be the worst in the class.” I sigh sadly

Jimin smiles, "You won't be. There's loads of people who come from Muggle families and they learn quick enough."

The train speeds past fields full of cows and sheep. We’re quiet for a time, watching the fields and lanes flick past. Around half past twelve a smiling, dimpled woman slided back our door and asks:

"Anything off the trolley, dears?" I, who skipped breakfast out of excitement this morning, leap to my feet. Maybe she would have banana milk but the woman doesn’t have banana milk. What he does have are Bertie Bott's Every-Flavour Beans, Drooble's Best Blowing Gum, Chocolate Frogs, Pumpkin Pasties, Cauldron Cakes, Liquorice Wands and a number of other strange things I have never seen in my life. Not wanting to miss anything, I get some of everything and pay the woman eleven silver Sickles and seven bronze Knuts.

Tae and Jimin look wide eyed as I bring it all back into the compartment "Hungry, are you?" Jimin says

“Starving, I skipped breakfast. Plus, I’ve never had wizard candy before” I explain, taking a large bite out of a pumpkin pasty. "What are these?" I ask Tae, holding up a pack of something labelled: Chocolate Frogs. "They’re not really frogs, are they?" It’s only been a month since I’ve been truly introduced to the wizarding world but I don’t think anything can surprise me anymore.

"No, just candy. Some are milk chocolate, some are dark." He answers. "But see what the card is, I'm missing Agrippa."

"What?" I’m confused, “What’s an Agrippa?”

"Who, not what.” Jimin corrects, then softens his tone, “oh, of course, you wouldn’t know, sorry.”

“It’s okay. Tell me, I want to know everything.”

“Chocolate Frogs have cards inside them, you know, to collect – Famous Witches and Wizards. I have about five hundred, Minnie and I collect together, but I haven't got Agrippa or Ptolemy."

I unwrap one of the Chocolate Frog and pick up the card. It shows a man's face. He’s wearing half-moon glasses, has a long crooked nose and flowing silver hair, beard and moustache. Underneath the picture is the name Albus Dumbledore.

“So this is Dumbledoree!" I say.

"Don't tell me you'd never hear of Dumbledoree!" says Jimin.

“My dad did mention he was important in wizard politics but other than that no, not really.”

"Can I have a frog? I might get Agrippa – thanks –" Tae asks

I turn the card to the back and read:

Albus Dumbledoree, currently Headmaster of Hogwarts. Considered by many the greatest wizard of modern times, Professor Dumbledoree is particularly famous for his defeat of the dark wizard Grindelwald in 1945, for the discovery of the twelve uses of dragon's blood and his work on alchemy with his partner, Nicolas Flamel. Professor Dumbledoree enjoys chamber music and tenpin bdoging.

When I turn the card back over I see, to my astonishment, that Dumbledoree's face has disappeared.

"He's gone!"

"Well, you can 't expect him to hang around all day." says Tae.

"He'll be back.” Jimin reassures me.

“No, I"ve got Morgana again and I"ve got about six of her ... do you want it? You can start collecting." Tae hands me the card and I take it eagerly reading the back.

I push the rest of the frogs to the middle so we can all reach them. "Help yourself," I say. "But in, you know, the Muggle world, people just stay put in photos."

"Do they?” Tae looks genuinely shocked.

“What, they don't move at all?" Jimin sounds amazed as well

"Weird!" Tae finishes the thought

“Hey, you guys finish each other's sentences a lot.”

“Oh.” Jimin giggles, wrapping his arm around Tae’s shoulder and pulling the taller boy closer. “Yeah.”

“We’re soulmates.” Tae finishes Jimin’s sentence again as an explanation.

“Soulmates? Is that like a wizard thing?”

“No, anybody can have a soulmate.”

“Oh okay, so how did you know that you’re soulmates?”

“We just . . . knew.” They say the words at the same time.

“Oh, so you two are a couple, that’s nice.”

“Oh, no we’re just friends, basically brothers at this point.”

I nod, their bond confuses me a little but they seem really nice. I think that I may have just made a friend, two of them. In my first hour. YAY!

I stare at the Chocolate Frog Card as Dumbledoree ambles back into the picture, I smile back. This year is going to be great. Soon I’ve collected not only Dumbledoree and Morgana, but Hengist of Woodcroft, Alberic Grunnion, Circe, Paracelsus, Cliodna, and Merlin.

I eye the bag of Bertie Bott's Every-Flavor Beans suspiciously.

"You want to be careful with those," Tae warns

“Why? Are they bad?”

“Depends.” Jimin says drawing an odd multi-coloured bean carefully out of the bag.

“On what?”

"When they say every flavour, they mean every flavour – you know, you get all the ordinary ones like chocolate and peppermint and marmalade, but then you can get spinach and liver and tripe. Dad always tells he has a bogey-flavoured one once, he likes to joke but honestly I believe him" Tae explains.

“You first?” Jimin gives Tae a daring look

Frowning, Tae picks up a green bean, looks at it carefully and bites into a corner.

"Bleurgh – see? Sprouts." We spend a while eating the Every-Flavour Beans. I get  toast, coconut, baked bean, strawberry, curry, grass, coffee, sardine and I’m brave enough to nibble the end of a funny grey one Taehyung refuses to touch, which turns out to be pepper. The countryside now flying past the window is becoming wilder. The neat fields are gone. Replaced by thick woods, twisting rivers and dark green hills.

There is a knock on the door of our compartment and the tall clumsy boy with purple hair who blocked my view on platform nine and three quarters comes in. He looks panicked.

“Sorry," he says in English, "but have you seen my glasses, they’re round with black rims and I need them to see?"

“I haven’t but I’m sure that they'll turn up," I say reassuring him as best as I can in the foreign language

"Yes," says the boy miserably. "Well, if you see them..." He leaves.

Tae turns back to me, “I tried to make Jimin taller yesterday but the spell doesn’t work. I’ll show you, look ..." He rummages around in his trunk and pulls out his wand. He’s just raised his wand when the compartment door slid open again. The clumsy boy is back, but this time he has another boy with him, who's already wearing his Hogwarts robes. His are black like the ones I bought. Only they have a yellow patch on the breast reading "Hufflepuff".

"Has anyone seen Namjoon's glasses?" he says. He has a cheerful voice and hair dyed a shade of blazing red. The lift in the atmosphere is almost palpable as he sits down next to me

"We've already told him we haven't seen them." says Tae, speaking perfect English.

They turn to leave the boy with purple hair ushering the other one out of the compartment, but the red head boy isn’t listening, he is looking at the wand in Tae’s hand.

"Oh, are you doing magic? Can we see?" He sits down again. Tae startles a bit then straightens up as if trying to look taller in front of these older boys. "Er – all right." He cleared his throat.

“Bigger, shorter, taller, smaller, make Park Jimin taller." He waved his wand, but nothing happened. Jimin stays the same height, and shoves Tae into the floor of the compartment.

"Are you sure that's a real spell?" the purple hair boy asks, raising an eyebrow. He isn't judging, merely curious. “I"ve learnt all our set books by heart and that isn’t in any of them besides, we don"t start human transfiguration until year 7, it very tricky stuff” he says a matter of factly

“And a nasty business if you get it wrong too” adds the robed boy still smiling.

“And you are?” Tae questions from the floor.

“I"m your hope, your my hope, I’m J-Hope. Third year.” he says with an even bigger smile

“No, he means your real name” Jimin clarifies, the boy calling himself J-Hope is unfazed.

Breaking the silence Namjoon says, “I"m Kim Namjoon, third year as well. Who are you?" He asks, shy now that his rant is over.

“I"m Kim Taehyung, first year" Taehyung says still stunned, “Park Jimin, first year as well”

I follow their example “Jeon Jungkook, I"m a first year too.”

“Wait, Namjoon? Do you know Kim Seokjin?”

“Yeah, we’re friends.”

“Oh yeah, Jin’s mentioned you two. Please don’t tell him I actually tried the spell, I knew he was joking of course. But you know no harm in trying right.” He looks directly at Jimin. “Jimin here needs all the help he can get.”

Jimin glares and Tae barely manages to dodge his foot. “Yah! Respect your elders.”

“It’s 2 months and 17 days, shut up!”

The older boys, J-Hope and Namjoon laugh and so do I.

“We won’t tell.” Namjoon promises.

J-Hope nods to promise his silence too. “We'd better go and look for Namjoon's glasses.” And he leaves, taking Namjoon with him.

As the compartment door shut I hear a voice calling down the train “Joon, Hoba” and the two boys follow it down the hall, and they're gone.

"Do either of you know what house you'll be in? I am even more curious now that I’ve met a Hufflepuff, and I’m thankful that my dad took the time to explain houses to me.

Tae finally get off the floor and Jimin welcomes him into his lap.

“Whatever house I'm in I hope he's in it, he seems like such a fun person” Tae throws his wand back into his trunk.

“He must be muggle born.” I say using my newfound terminology

“Why do you say that?” asks Tae, now it’s his turn to be confused.

“That's the type of name that muggle rappers have”

“Wrappers? Like on the candies?” Jimin looks at me like I’ve just said that the sky is green.

“No not w-r-a-p, it’s -r-a-p.” I spell the word out for the confused boys, “It's a type of muggle music, where people talk really fast using rhyming words.”

“Yeah but that’s still an odd name.” Tae says

“I wonder if he gets teased a lot.” Jimin wonders

“He seemed pretty confident, I don’t think he cares.”

“Well he's lucky! My mum made me dye my hair back to brown before school.” Jimin says gloomily.

“Yeah, I was over when it happened. She made me help because she has no idea how to work muggle hair dye.” Tae laughs and Jimin gives him a small shove threatening to tumble him into the floor again. Suddenly the ugly shade of brown makes sense.

“There’s no spell for that?”

“My mum doesn’t like hair dye, so she never learnt them if there is any. She thinks boys shouldn’t do that type of thing because it’s for girls and trashy girls at that. Tae and I actually had to sneak to dye it.”

“His mum was so mad I thought she would explode.” Tae is bent over laughing.

“She was literally pinker than my hair.” Jimin says between laughs, “I thought she would dye it back right then but Tae’s mum convinced her that we’d already spent the time and money so we should keep it.”

“That’s fair. What shade was it?”

“Pastel pink.” Jimin sighs again

“Speaking of pink,” Tae says eagerly, “ did you hear Min Yoongi is in his third year at Hogwarts this year? I heard from some 3rd years on the train. He's mental!”

“How is that speaking of pink!?” Jimin and I both ask.

“I don"t know, it just is”

“Yeah, don’t worry Kook you"ll learn Tae-Tae language soon enough” Jimin says turning to Tae, “anyway your friends are probably just trying to prank you back for revenge on what we did to them this summer”

“Oh yeah, that was epic. But I’m telling you it's true”

“I guess, I mean he would be just only a year or two older than us now wouldn’t he?”

“Wait, wait, wait guys! Who's Min Yoongi” I ask

They both turn to look at me like I’m crazy. “Who's Min Yoongi?” Tae and Jimin repeated. Tae nearly spits out the pumpkin pasties that he just started munching on.

“Your dad never told you?” Jimin doesn’t sound judgy, just shocked.

“No” I say shyly, feeling bad about missing this crucial information.

“Well, he's only the boy who defeated” Tae drops to a whisper “Voldemort”

“You’re so bad Tae, don"t say his name”

“Who's Voldemort?”

“Don’t say it” says Jimin but he looks kind of impressed.

“I’m not trying to be bad I just never knew you shouldn’t, see I have so much to learn”

“Wow, you really are clueless” Tae looks almost offended at my lack of knowledge

“He doesn’t mean to be rude” Jimin assures me

“Yeah, I hardly know anything about the wizarding world and until you two told me, I doesn’t know anything about being a wizard or about my parents or Voldemort –”

“Stop saying the name!” Jimin shushed me putting his hand over my face, “We have to call him He-who-must-not-be-named”

“Why?”

“I don"t know, it's just what everyone else does” Jimin shrugs

“personally I think it's stupid” says Tae, “anywho, he's the baddest wizard of all time”

“Baddest isn't a word Tae”

“Shut up Jimin, why are you so angry all the time is it because you're short. Short people don"t have the right to be angry. It's okay you'll get bigger someday” He mocks and Jimin shoves him into the floor again.

“He is the worst" Jimin emphasises the last word, “dark wizard that there ever has been. He killed a lot of people, wizards, half bloods, and muggles too. It is awful. People say he has no soul and nobody thought he would ever stop until one day” Jimin pauses dramatically, “he disappeared. All because of one little boy . . . Min Yoongi. He is the one person that He-who-must-not-be-named couldn’t kill.”

“Wow!” I say, because I’m at a loss for words longer than one syllable.

“And he was just a baby, nobody knows why it happened” Tae continues the story

“Where is he now? He-who-must not be named I mean.” I ask

“Nobody knows” Jimin says finishing the story.

We’re quiet for a while then I ask “So how do we put you in houses anyway, is there like an IQ test or something?”

“No. I hear that Dumbledoor himself sorts the students” Tae says

“Your guess is as good as ours Kook, my mum doesn’t want to spoil it by telling me. But I think Tae will be in hufflepuff or raven claw.” Jimin says

"Mum and Dad are in it, too.” Tae explains “I don’t suppose Ravenclaw would be too bad, but imagine if I was put into slytherin.”

"That's the house You-Know-Who was in?” Jimin looks thoughtful for a moment, “and Min Yoongi.”

"Yeah," says Taehyung. He flops back into his seat, looking depressed. "You know, I think Jimin's hair got a bit longer," I say, trying to take everyone's mind off house placement

Then something occurs to me “So what do your parents do, I bet they have really cool wizard jobs”

Jimin answers first “My mum is a healer at St. Mungos, the wizard hospital and my dad works at gringotts as an bank advisor”

“So does mine. That's how Jimin and I know eachother. My Ma is head of news media and owl post affairs at the ministry of magic.”

“That's like the wizard government if you didn’t know” Jimin explains before I have to ask.

I'm surprised they sound like normal enough jobs, “I never really thought about it, but guess it makes sense that wizards have to have a government too.”

“Yeah, the wizard population in London alone is huge.” Jimin makes a fanning motion with his arms as if to show the size of London.

Tae turns suddenly to Jimin “Do you remember what our parents were saying the other day in Diagon Alley? Someone tried to rob a high security vault."

I can’t suppress my curiosity "Really? What happened to them?"

"Nothing, that's why it's such big news. They haven't been caught. My dad say must’ve been a powerful Dark wizard to get through Gringotts security, but they don’t think that they even took anything, that's what's odd.” Jimin explains

"Everyone gets scared when something like this happens in case You-Know-Who's behind it." Tae elaborates

I turn this news over in my mind, starting to get a prickle of fear every time You-Know-Who is mentioned. He supposed this is all part of entering the magical world, but it has been a lot more comfortable saying "Voldemort" without worrying.

"What's your Quidditch team?" Taehyung asks.

"Er – I don"t know any," I confess.

“That’s fine, Tae knows lots.” Jiumin says, sounding exasperated. I can’t imagine why.

“Oh, I guess that makes sense. It’s the best game in the world –"

A few minutes later I understand Jimin's exasperation. If I wasn’t so curious about all of this Tae rant would surely be annoying, but I do find it fascinating so it's okay.  He carefully explains all about the four balls and the positions of the seven players, describing famous games he's been to with his brothers and the broomstick he'd like to get if his parents would allow him. He is just taking me through the finer points of the game when the compartment door slides open yet again, but it isn't Namjoon the glassesless boy or J-Hope this time.

Three boys entered and I recognised the middle one at once: it’s the pale boy from Madam Malkin's robe shop.

“I’m Choi Soobin, this is Choi Yeonjun, Choi Beomgyu, Kang Taehyun and Huening Kai. Are you all first years as well?” He says in English and I am actually surprised that I can understand. I guess ma's forcing it down my throat has paid off.

"Yes," I reply.

“Cool, maybe we can be friends”

“Sure.” I say, they wave good-bye as they leave the compartment.

Before long the compartment door opens again. A boy with a mean looking sneer.

“My name's Park, Park Jin-young." Tae gives a slight cough, which might have been hiding a snigger. Jin-young looks at him. "Think my name's funny, do you? No need to ask who you are. You're that long-necked squibb's little cousin" He turns back to me. "You must not know alot if you’re hanging out with this one but, you’ll soon find out some wizarding families are much better than others. You don’t want to go making friends with the wrong sort.” When I don’t answer he just shrugs.

“Your loss but, I'd be careful if I were you, kid," he says his voice clearly patronising.

Jimin and I both get up. “Leave us alone!” Jimin says.

"Oh, you're going to fight us, are you?" Jin-young sneers.

"Unless you get out now," I say, suprining myself when my voice doesn’t shake the way I thought it would. Jin-young is alot bigger than and older.

"But I don't feel like leaving, I've eaten all my food and you still seem to have some." He reaches towards the Chocolate Frogs next to me – Taehyung leaps forward, but before he’s so much as touched Jin-young, Jin-young let out a horrible yell. A small black and white puppy is hanging off his leg, sharp little teeth sunk deep into Jin-young calf. He tries to shake Yeontan off and when he finally does the pup hits the window, and Park Jin-young goes off running screaming “Bye gaylords!” as he runs

“We’re not even dating!” Taehyung screams back

“BITCH” I think he’s finished but he starts up again opening the compartment door and leaning out of it, “HOE, DICKWAD, ASSFACE–” Jimin screams and is about to keep going when Taehyung pats his shoulder and tells him to sit down.

“Min, a prefect is coming.”

“Crap!”

“Crap, really Min. Crap, after all that.”

“Shut up!” Jimin says, grabbing a book from his bag and flipping to a random page as if to pretend he’s reading.

A blond boy, older than us, wearing a silver badge who must be said ‘prefect’ knocks on the door of our compartment. Taehyung opens it slowly. I see that the blond boy is already in his robes as well and his robes have a green patch reading ‘Slytherin’. I feel an involuntary prickle of fear and I hate it, he looks so nice.

“Is everything alright here?”

“Oh yes, everything is just fine.” Tae says.

“Really, because I just saw Park Jin-young running for his life from here.” His face shifts into a smile.

“Oh um, we, well we just–”

The prefect shakes his head, “I don’t need to know. But good on you guys, Park Jin-young is a jerk. He’s in 5th year.”

“Fith!?” We all say, shocked at the same time.

“Yes, he’s a small minded coward, don’t pay him any mind and stay out of trouble okay. Good luck. If you need anything, myself and any of the other prefects are here to help you.”

“Channie!” A voice drifts down the corridor.

“Well I have to go, stay safe.”

“Bye.” The perfect leaves and I turn back to Tae and Jimin.

Tae jumps up and down in his seat. “Wow! That was epic. You speak English so well for someone who’s just moved here.”

“Thanks, it's really because of my mother I wouldn’t have bothered if he hadn’t practically beat me every time I said it’s useless.”

“Well I guess it wasn’t.” Jimin smiles, giving me a thumbs up.

"I’ve heard of his family, Jin-young I mean" says Tae darkly. "They were some of the first to come back to our side after You-Know-Who disappeared. says They had been bewitched. My dad doesn't believe it. He says Park's father didn’t need an excuse to go over to the Dark Side."

We’re all silent after that.

I look out of the window. It’s getting dark and I can see mountains and forests under the deep-purple sky. The train does seem to be slowing down. We all take off our jackets and pull on our long black robes. I try to imagine which patch will be on mine, but I can’t.

A voice echoes through the train: "We will be reaching Hogwarts in five minutes time. Please leave your luggage on the train, it will be taken to the school separately." My stomach lurches with nerves as we pack up the sweets into our bags and join the crowd in the corridor.

I see J-Hope and Namjoon and the prefect as well as Jin-young. We keep our distance.The train slows right down and finally stops. People push their way towards the door and out onto a tiny, dark platform. The cold air makes me shiver.

Then a lamp came bobbing over all of our heads, suspended in the air as if by magic, then I remember it is, and I hear a loud voice: "First years! First years over here! I’m Professor Bang. Come on, follow me – any more first years? Mind your step, now! First years follow me!"

“Yo! Bang PD-nim.” An older student shouts

He high-fives the boy and smiles, “Join your year Mr. Lee.”

Slipping and stumbling, we follow Mr. Bang down a small path through some trees. Everyone is quiet except for the occasional whisper. There is a loud "Oooooh!" from the group as a large majestic building comes into view. The building must be the school but looks more like a castle and stands over a great lake, its windows sparkling in the starry sky.

“No more than four to a boat!" Mr. Bang calls, pointing to a fleet of little boats sitting in the water by the shore. Jimin Tae and I are followed into our boat by Soobin.

"Everyone in?" shouts Mr. Bang, who has a boat to himself, "Right then – FORWARD!" And the fleet of little boats moves off all at once, gliding across the black surface of the lake,

From afar you can tell the school is big but as we get closer it only seems to grown in size.

We all duck as we pass through a curtain of ivy and a previously hidden opening in the cliff face. After a while we reach a dock and Tae helps me clamber out of the boats.

We follow Mr. Bang's lamp, down a dark passageway, coming out at last on to smooth, damp grass right in the shadow of the castle.

[nexttrickanvils]

ryukita 10

10. A hello/good-bye kiss that is given without thinking - where neither person thinks twice about it.

---------

Despite Yusuke’s best attempts, he could not convince his husband to come to Hokkaido with him for his new art show.

“Man, you remembered what happened last time…”

“And I will tell you the same thing I told you last time, you are my partner and inspiration and if others-”

“”-Can not see that then perhaps it is best that they merely pass by my art” Babe, of course I remember. But you deserve to have a night where ya don’t gotta worry about me all night. I’ll be fine, you go have fun and talk about like abstraction and complementary colors and…”

“Perhaps it would be best for me to go alone if only to not hear you further butcher the language of art.”

“Aw come on man, I was TRYING!”

The two laughed at their obvious jokes and slowly embraced

“Very well, please do take care of everything while I am gone.”

“Yeah, yeah I will. And you promise me that you’ll let me know when you’re heading back. I wanna be right there at the train station.”

Yusuke smiles at the memory as he watches out the train window, waiting for the moment when Tokyo comes into view.

The art show went well, it was good to speak to fellow artists again and some of his pieces started some quite interesting conversations.

He could already feel inspiration for new works flowing through him though Yusuke just knew that Ryuji would demand he rest before setting up another canvas.

“Attention passengers, we will be arriving in Shibuya, Tokyo in five minutes. I repeat we will be arriving in Shibuya, Tokyo in five minutes.”

As the train’s loudspeaker reminded its passengers to gather their belongings, Yusuke pulled out his phone and opened up the messenger app. He had informed Ryuji he was on his way a while ago and Ryuji responded with his usual energy along with the promise of a surprise.

Suffice to say Yusuke was in high spirits as he gathered his things and prepared himself to leave the train.

It didn’t take long for him to spot Ryuji among the small crowd.

Yusuke smiled as he walked toward Ryuji. It looked like Ryuji was about to say something but as soon as Yusuke reached him, he dropped his luggage and pulled his husband into a deep kiss. Despite a brief moment of shock, Ryuji enthusiastically returned the kiss and though Yusuke wished this could last till their final breaths, the two needed to separate.

“I… uh… w-welcome home.” Ryuji stuttered

“You have no idea how much I missed this.” Yusuke replied with a hand on his love’s cheek

“Y-you… man… Oh geez, I almost forgot about the surprise. Ma and I wanted to congratulate ya on the show, we’re all heading to that gyoza place you like.”

Almost as if on cue, the two could hear a growling noise from Yusuke’s stomach.

“Well, I suppose we shouldn’t be keeping your mother waiting should we?” Yusuke said with a small chuckle

“We gotta drop your stuff off first! I’m not carrying all that to the restaurant!” Ryuji replied, also laughing

It was good to be home.

[dakotacrisis]

Topsy Turvy (2)

Welp, I guess I am expanding on this. I may have already been planning to write a part 2 but I wasn’t expecting to do it this quickly. While I am doing my own thing with the content initially inspired by the previous comic I did steal one of Plagg’s lines from their continuation comic cause it was too funny to be ignored.

So anyhoo! Here’s a part two!

---

“Geez, you would think Hawkmoth would give us one morning off,” Alya groaned. Marinette, Nino, and Alya had been heading towards the station to meet Adrien when that giant robot akuma came out of nowhere.

Now the girls returned to a worried looking Nino who embraced Alya happily. Marinette lingered a bit away from them looking pale and sweaty. Alya sighed and went back to comfort her. “Don’t worry, girl, I’m sure things with Adrien will work out.”

“Yeah...about that…”

The train slid into the station. The doors opened and people started flooding out. Marinette grabbed Alya’s arm and pulled her down to whisper in her ear. “I freaked out seeing Adrien while I was Ladybug and might have, sort of, asked him out to the movies.”

“As Ladybug?”

“Yeah.”

“What is wrong with you! That wasn’t the plan! You were going to do that only if he rejected you as Marinette!”

“I know but I didn’t want to get rejected so I jumped the gun. Do you think this will mess things up?”

“I don’t know! We don’t know what his reply is gonna be. What did he say after you asked him out?”

“Nothing. I left before he could answer.”

“I love you but I am going to kill you.” Alya pinched the bridge of her nose.

“Heads up,” Nino called for the girls’ attention, “I can see Adrien.”

“I’m gonna make a run for it.” Marinette took two steps before Alya pounced on her and forced her back.

“You dug this grave, now lie in it.” Alya grabbed her arm and pulled her down the platform towards Adrien.

Adrien was walking in a dazed state and his face was beet red. He almost walked completely past them before Nino hooked an arm around his shoulders. "Hey dude! It's great to have you back."

"Oh hi, Nino," Adrien snapped out of his daze, "You didn't have to come meet me."

"Sure we did," the three of them started walking back out of the station. Adrien clung close to Nino as he told them about his trip. His gaze kept flickering down to Marinette who walked in step with Alya. Nino would have found it funny if it wasn’t for the fact that Marinette looked like she wanted to melt into the ground.

After their initial phone call two weeks ago Adrien had been really quiet about the whole confession thing. He sent lots of pictures from his trip and talked to him but anything having to do with Marinette was nonexistent. He figured he was working through his feelings on his own. It may have been because Marinette was his friend or Alya’s aggressive shipping of the two but he hoped Adrien chose her. They really were made for each other.

The girls left early and Nino invited Adrien back to his place to hang out. "I'm glad you had fun on your trip. You must have had a lot on your mind regardless."

"A lot on my mind?"

"We were gonna have to talk about it at some point," Nino collapsed into a beanbag chair, "About Marinette?"

Adrien went rigid. "Ma-Marinette? What about Marinette?"

Nino looked at him deadpanned. "Dude, she confessed to you? Remember?"

"Yeah," Adrien sat down next to him, "I remember."

"So did you come to a decision while you were away?" Nino asked.

"Not really, I keep flip-flopping about it. I know being with Marinette would be the easier option and she's great. I would be lucky to call her my girlfriend."

"But?"

"I still really love Ladybug and after what happened today…"

"What happened today?"

Adrien recounted to Nino about the akuma and how Ladybug and Rena Rouge saved him. Then how Ladybug had asked him out to see a movie.

"HOLY CRAP!" Nino gaped, "Ladybug asked you out? Why didn’t you lead with that?"

"I guess because I was still processing it happened." Adrien leaned back so he was staring up at the ceiling, "It feels like I'm dreaming. I'm happy but it also confused me more."

"I wouldn't blame you for being confused. Having a friend confess to you and then your crush asking you out...it's a lot to think of."

"I feel like the answer should be obvious. But it doesn't feel that way anymore."

“So what are you gonna do?”

“I don’t know. Marinette said she wasn’t expecting an answer but I still owe her something. I don’t even know how serious Ladybug was with her invitation. She could have just been messing with me but I don’t really see casual flirting as something she would do.” Adrien pondered it some more. Nino could see the gears turning in his head.

“I’d like to see you and Marinette together but I can’t force you to be with her. If it turns out Ladybug is who you really want then that’s okay too. Marinette’s strong and for the most part it sounds like she just wanted to let you know she had feelings for you. You don’t have to feel guilty about either option. I hope you know that.”

“You’re so sagely. It’s throwing me off,” Adrien laughed, “Go back to saying dude and talking through a mouth full of hot cheetos please. But seriously though, thanks for talking with me about this. It helps.”

“I’m always here for you, brother,” Nino tossed him a controller, “Now let me whip your butt in Mario Kart.”

---

Adrien returned home after a few rounds of Mario Kart with Nino. He was already pushing things with his father by going off with his friends earlier instead of heading straight home. He received a cool welcome from his father when he walked inside the mansion before he was gone again. At least he had deigned to greet him when he got home. That’s more than what he expected out of him.

He climbed the stairs to his room. “Alright, you can come out now,” Adrien told Plagg.

“You couldn’t have snuck me some cheetos while you were hanging out with your friend?” Plagg whined, “I’m starving!”

“There were three full camembert tins as well as an emergency string cheese in my bag. How are you starving?”

“I ate those on the ride back to Paris. Now I’m hungry again!” Plagg crawled across Adrien’s bed, “I’m so weak, Adrien. I can hardly move. Everything around me is going dark. I can hear the angels singing.”

“You are a menace.” Adrien picked him up and tossed him into his cheese cabinet. “Happy?”

“I feel rejuvenated!” Plagg cackled as he dove head first into a new tin of camembert. Adrien rolled his eyes and closed the cabinet door.

He went to the window and looked out over the lights of the city. He couldn’t wait to be back running across that skyline. Two weeks without being Chat Noir had been torture. Ladybug assured him that she and Rena had things covered when he told her he was going away for a bit. Still, it didn’t stop him from feeling guilty about it.

Maybe he could tear Plagg away from his cheese hoard for a quick jaunt around town. Maybe he’d even see Ladybug.

Oh Ladybug. All this time he had been trying and failing to woo her as Chat Noir and then without any prompting she asked Adrien out. He still wasn’t sure if she was serious. How badly he hoped that she was though. He wanted it to be real. He wanted Ladybug to love him. Now it looked like he had a chance at that but there was only one snag. Marinette.

Sweet and wonderful Marinette. He already broke her heart as Chat Noir. Could he stand to do it again as Adrien? He really didn’t want to but neither did he want to leave her in suspense of an answer. He wished things could be simpler.

He thought back to what Plagg said on the train and scoffed. “Monogamy is a concept invented by humans.” he repeated it back to himself, “As much as I would love to be in the middle of a Ladybug/Marinette sandwich I don’t think that’s an option. I think I would combust at the mere possibility.”

He pressed his head to the cool window and sighed. His eyes fluttered close. He should just go to bed at this point. He would stay up all night worrying himself into knots about what to do at this rate. He opened his eyes once more and fell back with a startled yelp.

“Oops, sorry,” Ladybug waved at him upside down through the glass, “I didn’t mean to startle you.”

“Oh no, no you’re fine.” Adrien shot to his feet, “What are you doing here?”

“Well,” she righted herself and perched on top of his open window, “I wanted to come by and talk to you. I realize I kind of gave you a shock today during the akuma attack. The whole asking you to go to a movie thing.”

“Right, yeah, I was certainly surprised.” Adrien rubbed the back of his neck. Ladybug was in his room! Okay, she was sitting on his window but that was still in his room. “I gotta know, were you being serious or were you just fooling with me? I won’t be mad if you were but I just wanna know.”

“Yeah, about that,” he could swear he saw Ladybug blushing. Ladybug was blushing around him! “I did mean what I said. I think you’re a nice guy and I know that we haven’t ever interacted that much but I like you. I have no idea what you think of me but now you know what I think of you. So...thoughts?”

“I think you’re amazing.” Adrien answered without hesitation. His feet brought him closer to the window so he could better gaze up at her. Her head was silhouetted in moonlight casting a bright white halo around her dark hair. Her eyes sparkled like stars as she gazed stared back at him. Her lips slightly parted and her cheeks pink.

Adrien cleared his throat and spoke again. “I’ve actually had a crush on you for ages. I had trouble believing anything would come of it though.”

“Oh really?” Ladybug smirked, “Ages you say?”

Adrien’s mouth went dry. He nodded his head.

“Well if that ain’t a kick in the head,” she chuckled softly, “I’ve had a crush on you too.”

Wait. Hold up! Ladybug had a crush on him? He knew that she liked him but a crush? For how long? Adrien’s mind flashed back to when Ladybug told him she was in love with someone else. Was the someone else Adrien? Had he been getting rejected all this time because Ladybug was already in love with him?

“Adrien?” Ladybug waved a hand in front of his face, “Did I lose you? Was that too forward? I’m sorry if it was.”

“No! I’m just really happy!” Adrien blurted out. “I...I uh…if you still want I would like to go to that movie with you.”

Ladybug smiled. “Great. Are you free tomorrow?”

“I will be,” he would move the heavens themselves in order to be free if so needed.

“Awesome. They’re doing a classic movie night at the theater tomorrow. We could see the original La Belle et la Bete or Citizen Kane or Roman Holiday.”

“Aren’t they playing Psycho as well?”

“A horror movie?” Ladybug’s eyes widened. “I mean if that’s what you want to see...well um…”

“Wait,” Adrien said, “Are you--are you scared of horror movies?”

“Yeah, I know, big bad hero Ladybug gets scared watching horror movies. Laugh it up.” she shook her head.

“I wasn’t laughing. I wasn’t!” Adrien couldn’t help but smile though. He learned something new about her. “La Belle et la Bete sounds nice. I don’t think I’ve ever seen the original. I’ve only seen the Disney version and the live action remake they did back in 2014.”

 “Well then,” Ladybug twisted her yo-yo around in her hands. “I guess I’ll see you tomorrow evening for our date.”

“Can’t wait.” Adrien was smiling like a fool. Ladybug gave him another wave goodbye before leaping off into the night. Adrien watched from the open window with a dreamy smile on his face. He had a date with Ladybug!

Then his heart sunk. He was gonna have to reject Marinette now. He hoped she wouldn’t take it too hard.

---

“I have a date with Adrien! I have a date with Adrien!” Marinette danced around her room. The kwamis were all out and celebrating with her. Alya sat on the chaise with a knowing smile. This wasn’t what Alya had planned but it looked like it worked out in the end. She had never seen Marinette so happy.

“Oh no,” Marinette stopped abruptly. “I have a date with Adrien!”

She ran to her closet and started pulling out clothes. “What am I gonna wear? It’s a movie date so it shouldn’t be anything too fancy but I don’t want to look like a slob. Should I wear something warm if the theatre is cold? But with all that body heat it’s bound to be warm so should I dress lighter? Alya, what do you think?”

“I think that you’re going as Ladybug so what you have on under your costume won’t make much of a difference.” Alya was trying not to laugh.

“Oh right,” Marinette threw her clothes back down, “Forgot about that part.”

“And you’re okay with dating Adrien as Ladybug? You don’t think that’s gonna cause any problems down the road? If you want this relationship to go anywhere in the future you’ll need to tell him who you are.”

“I know, but that isn’t for a good long while. I’ll cross that bridge when I get to it.”

The words of a fool in love. Alya decided to let her have her moment and not say anything. Tomorrow night would be interesting indeed.

---

(Previous) (Next)

[spookysmujer]

No Más, O.Diaz

Summary: Oscars sends you away for the weekend to handle some business, but things seem a little out of place.

warnings: a n g s t

A/N: Ok but I feel like if Spooky has a gf she would be a ride or die type of girl and that’s giving me major ‘03 Bonnie & Clyde vibesss. Thank you for all the love! ❤️ Just hit +750 followers, I’m honored!! Again, I appreciate you taking your time to read my comment. Please don’t forget to: follow, heart, comment. reblog and turn on the notifs for alerts when I post, thank you so much!

(gif belongs to @merakiaes 🦋)

“It’s all about the Valentina, bebe.”

Oscar grabs the hot sauce that you had just placed in the shopping cart a few seconds ago. You let out a tsk as he placed it back on the shelf, reaching higher to grab the biggest bottle of extra hot Valentina.

He lets out a breathy laugh, shaking his head as he continues on through the isle. Shopping trips with Oscar always consist of him ‘teaching’ you about the do’s and don’t’s of food/cooking. Which is why you don’t know why you bother joining him half the time.

“Must you run my life in the kitchen too? You already do that in the bedroom.” You pass him as he catches up to you, setting his hands on the bar of the cart besides yours which has your trapped. “And don’t you forget it, mamas. Trust me, Valentina on the raw oysters, as you say, chef’s kiss.”

You face defeat and nod in agreement. The shopping trip being better than usual. Oscar is playing around with you, making you laugh. It would’ve been a perfect trip if Oscar didn’t get a call mere seconds after checking out. Business, per usual. If it wasn’t you he was on the phone with, then it’s most likely gang related.

“Gracias.” He ends the call and unlocks the trunk of the infamous cherry red impala. You both load the car together, you keeping to yourself. The car ride back to his place quiet though he does rest his hand on your thigh, you high-key loving when he does that.

The both of you unloading the groceries and putting them away. Your mouth watering as you seen all the goodness that will be on the grill tonight. A night for just you two, you’ve been looking forward to it all week long.

“Sorry, bebe. I got some business to take care of with Cuchillos. I’ll make it up to you, promise.” Oscar’s voice sounds from behind you as you were gathering all the spices and ingredients he’d need.

You hold back letting out a sigh as you start to set back things in their places. He walks over to you and places his hands on your arms, planting a kiss to your shoulder. Oscar is no fool, he knows you’ve been looking forward to tonight but when Cuchillos calls, he goes no questions asked. Though lately he has been tired of her bullshit.

“I’ll order you some pizza, don’t wait up for me. I love you.”

He kisses your cheek as you keep quiet. He does wait a moment though for any response from you before leaving. When you hear the door close, you look around the empty kitchen, finally releasing the sigh you’ve held in. Though frustrated you didn’t want to escalate the situation, not when things have been going well between the two of you.

After blinking away the tears that began to pool, you put away everything and go for a shower. Oscar did indeed order you some pizza and after managing almost half of it, you turn in for the night.

When you wake the next morning Oscar is sleeping soundly besides you. A sleeping Oscar always makes you smile no matter what the circumstances. You lean over and kiss his cheek and get out of the bed to get your busy weekend cleaning started. It’s the Santo house, it’s never clean for more than 5 minutes.

As you start the day you make sure to make breakfast for Oscar and Cesar for when they wake. It’s rare to see Oscar sleep in but the meeting with Cuchillos must have been a serious one, considering the clock is close to 9:30 am. By the time the morning sun had approached its morning peak, Oscar and Cesar join you in the kitchen and get to grubbin’.

“Mano, let me talk with Y/N.” You hear Oscar say as you clean the counter-top. It didn’t sound like the normal ‘bounce foo’ that he’d tell his brother when he wanted just you and him time. But you carry on with your chores until you feel Oscar beside you.

You rinse the rag and lay it out to dry, turning to face Oscar who is now leaned with his lower back against the counter and arms crossed over his chest.

“Everything go okay with last night?”

“I need you to lay low for the next few days”.

You both say at the same time. You hear his words clearly and your face contorts as you replay what he said in your head and then out loud.

“Lay low?”

Oscar simply nods at you. You cock your head and switch your weight onto your other leg as you look at him for which he still hasn’t look at you yet. There is a moment of silence as you move around the kitchen again before speaking, “Why do I need to lay low? Something going down?”

From the beginning of your relationship you understood that for him, as the leader, the gang comes first and foremost. And so when things like carne asada gets postponed, you try your best to show little to no irritation or displeasure. You knew what you are in for. And yes, he never got you involved with his business, but for him to openly tell you something such as this meant something else.

“You don’t need to know, I just need you to lay low for a bit. Off the streets, maybe stay with Geny and Ruben for a bit. Or it’d be a good time to go visit your moms for the weekend.”

Oscar keeps his eyes trained on beyond you as you stand across him, leaning against the other counter. Eyebrows knitted, he finally looks you in the eyes. He sees the confusion in them, the desperation to know. It gives him the urge to smile a little because in the beginning of dating, you were so clingy to him like a Koala to a tree. You loved being with him, you would whine when you weren’t with him and he can see the worry in your eyes on why he wants you to lay low.

“Why would I need to go out of town this weekend? Oscar, what’s going on, hm? Is everything good with you and the Santos?” You ask stepping closer, still a couple of arms length away.

He purses his lips into a thin line, face contorting to irritation, “You don’t need to know like I’ve said. Can you just give me your word you’ll go?”

Your head tilts to the side as you try to read his face for any signs of anything. Something to tell you more than his words are but he holds the irritation, the one that you know all too well. Your chest rises and falls heavily as you nod, “I’ll go.”

He nods and wipes his hand over his mouth, looking around the almost clean kitchen. Oscar takes the rag and wets it before walking over the dining table to wipe down. It’s not that he never cleans but it takes more than just a desire to clean for him to do so, it takes nerves. It’s more of a distraction for him. 

“I’ll go call my mom and book a bus ticket.” You announce walking over to get your laptop and phone, Oscar continues to clean as you head to sit on the couch and proceed with your sudden weekend trip. Despite your less than thrilled mood about this, your mother is thrilled to be having you. 

When she asks if Oscar will be joining, you sigh and sadly reply it’s just you. As Oscar puts away the last of breakfast he eavesdrops on your phone call.

He can hear the sadness in your voice when you tell your mom that it’ll be just you heading out. His shoulders slump and his breath hitches in his throat. But he is uncertain what the next few days will bring and your safety has been one of his top priorities since the beginning of your relationship. So he shakes any emotions that could get in the way. Sending you off is best.

Unfortunately, the weekend has approached at speed lighting. Oscar parks his car across from the bus station, the two of you exiting the car and he being the kind gentlemen to carry your bag for you. It’s mostly quiet as you head over to the kiosk to print your bus pass. The 4 hour ride mocking you as stated on the ticket. 

The bus is set to arrive in the next 15 minutes or so, though you were smart enough to pack some snacks and drinks, Oscar heads over to the food vendor to get you a breakfast sandwich and a smoothie. 

Again, radio silence as you sit on the bench near the designated spot where your bus should arrive soon, “You sure you got everything?”

“Yup, though really I do have some clothes at ma’s so it was unnecessary for me to pack all this stuff. The only thing I do really need is your flannel so I thank you for that donation.” You giggle as you lean into him and kiss his cheek. You can feel his cheeks rise as you do so. “Which leads me to ask one more time... Is everything okay?”

He moves his arm from behind you and leans forward to rest his elbows on his knees, wringing his hands together. A knack of his when he has a hard time putting words together. The only other times you’ve seen him do it is when you both waited for time to move as the pregnancy test loading to determine your results, which was negative, and when he waited in the lobby of the hospital for one of his homies to get out of surgery.

You don’t push for an answer, you give him his space because you can really see how much he didn’t want you to go either. He had to put authority in his voice when he first asked you to lay low. For you, you know that there is more to this than he is leading on. For him, he’s sending you away because he doesn’t where this could all go and in the case that something should happen, you won’t be alone nor will you have to deal with any repercussions.

“It’s all good. Just got some shit to deal with and I don’t need you in the crossfire of it all. It’s the Santos and 19th street, too much to keep up with and the last thing I need is for you to get in the middle of it all. So you heading out of Freeridge will put my mind at ease.” He finally looks over his shoulder and at you, you watch him intently. You rub the back of his head where your hand rests at the nape of his neck,

The buzzing of your phone pulls your attention from him. Though you didn’t want to focus on anything or anyone else at the moment. It’s your mom calling, probably to check in on you if you’ve made it to the bus station alright and are ready for the lengthy commute, “Hey Ma...” You step away and pace talking to her. 

After a quick chat, you hang up and sigh shoving your phone in the back pocket on your jeans. It takes all the strength you had to turn back around to face your boyfriend as you hear the bus approaching. God, this sucks. Oscar stands and holds your backpack in his hands, waiting for you to put it on. You do so and turn around, looking at him and studying his features, reaching out to feel his face. 

“I love you.” Your voice but a whisper as he slides his hands over your hips and onto the top of your ass. The two of you with your bodies pressed together for a moment where everything around you melts away. You aren’t standing in a crowd of people, there are no buses or rancid smell of exhaust. It’s just the two of you. Oscar leans down just as you lean up to connect your lips. Even after many kisses you’ve shared you always smile into it as his facial hair pokes at you.

The chaste kiss is held as you want this moment to last forever, all you want to hear is him to tell you to stay. Fuck all this and stay. Or even forget all this and let’s run away together. Oscar has thought of that one too many times but you can’t run from your problems, it’ll only create more. So you kiss each other and forget that you have to board a bus for just a second longer. You have your hands pressed to the sides of his neck.

He sighs as your lips break apart, his eyes filled with tears. And for this moment he doesn’t even try to hide that he is crying. That only adds to your worries.”I love you, bebecita. Mi vida y mi alma. With everything, mamas. I’ll see you soon okay, first in your dreams and then soon after.”

Your cheeks hurt with how hard you’re smiling. One more chaste kiss and he walks you to the entrance of the bus, you take step up and look back at him. He gives you a side smile as you ascend up the last few steps and the doors close together. It feels like a goodbye, a real one. The one that meant it’s the last goodbye. But you tell yourself to stop thinking the worst as you see him get smaller and smaller when the bus begins its trek.

The cool air gives you chills almost immediately when you settle into your seat. The next stop isn’t for another hour and a half, with the lack of people, there is no body heat making it colder than it would be if more were on. Thankful you took on his flannels so you reach in your bag to get it when your heart stops. The long pause before it takes it next beat. 

His cross chain. 

In all your time knowing Oscar he has always had it on. It’s almost as if it were apart of him. He didn’t even take it off when you, him and Cesar would go to the beach. Or when he’d shower yet here it is in your bag headed 4 hours away from him. You hold it to your lips and close your eyes. 

“What are you doing, babe?” You whisper to yourself.

It takes all your will power, all your self preservation to not ask the driver to stop the bus. To not call Oscar and frantically demand him to tell you what the hell is going on that he needed to send you away with his chain. This just confirms that something is going down, something big. 

Of course, Oscar is a smart man. He knows what he is doing. Hell, he’s been in this lifestyle since he was a young boy. And he has the Santos. This is the same man that walked into Prophet$ territory with 200k to trade for his brothers life. Even then he wasn’t certain he or Cesar would walk out alive. But he did it. 

But he didn’t ask you to lay low then, so what the hell is he doing that he had to ask you to this time?

You take your chances and ring Cesar. Though you are certain that either his brother has told him to keep quiet of the situation or he’s already learned that the rucas shouldn’t be involved. The echo of the ringing is haunting.

“Y/N! Have you left already? Sorry I haven’t been home the last couple of days.” He answers cheerfully, you miss the kid already.

The ease in his voice allows to you ease into your seat, “I did, just left the station awhile ago. I know I shouldn’t being asking, but do you know what’s going on with your brother? He’s told me very little, which again I know it’s how it is but.. should I be worried?”

“Oscar is fine, everything is fine, Y/N. Just as it always is. No need to be worrying.” He reassures you, you body beginning to relax more as you looking down to your hand that is holding the gold and silver chain.

Perhaps Oscar left it with you because he knows how worried you are about him. This being a way to have him with you always even though the little spooky tattoo that rest below your left breast is a permanent reminder of him. You clutch the chain a little tighter, bringing it to your chest.

“Okay, I’ll try to. Just be careful, please? The both of you, okay? I’m trying not to bother him so can you tell him thank you for his chain, it’ll be nice to have with me while I’m at my moms.” 

But Cesar doesn’t reply or laugh and Cesar is the type to be engaged in conversation. As you sit there with the phone pressed to your ear and no response from him, you shoot up from your seat. Your heart begins to race. “Cesar? Wha- why aren’t you saying anything? What?”

“His chain? He gave it to you?” He asks you.

Now your heart is beating triple time, “Uh yeah, well he didn’t hand it to me. He must of slipped it into my bag while we were at the station. I didn’t even notice he didn’t have it on when we kissed goodbye... Cesar, please tell me again that I have nothing to worry about.”

“Just trust that I’ll handle it. I’ll make sure that he is fine, he has me. And the Santos won’t let him get into something he can’t handle. Don’t worry, o-okay?” And for mere second you hadn’t but when he’s voice cracked. You knew that you couldn’t go,you couldn’t leave him.

“Stop the bus!”

taglist: @clemmingstylins0n​ @fairygardenss​ @firebenderwolf​ @spookysnena​ @princesstiffxoxo​

[bkfics]

VI.

[Back to your pov]

After seeing Ryota off you go back home as a sigh leaves your mouth remembering what he mouthed towards you.

‘Okāsan, are we going to ‘pa and ‘ma.?’ Kisara asks you referring to their grandparents.

You let out another sigh as you recall your conversation on the phone with Sakusa a few days ago, saying that you were gonna take the kids to your parents in Tokyo ‘cuz they miss them.

— Flashback —

‘What can I do for you, Sakusa-san?’ You asked him.

‘San? I, hmm.. can we talk about this in person?’

‘Sure. I’m free tomorrow morning, is that okay?’

‘Well.. I’m in Tokyo right now.. I don’t know when i’ll be coming back to Osaka.. but I really need to talk to you about it.’

Not knowing what to say, you stayed silent and he did too.

‘Aish, whatever. I’m just gonna ask you now-‘ he broke the awkward silent and you could hear his anxiousness and frustration by the tone of his voice.

You started being uneasy about this phone call, but you’re not the type of person to not help people when they need some, maybe he had something important to tell you, so you cut him off.

‘Is it important?’ You asked him while he was taking deep breathes.

‘Yes.’ He says as he continues his deep breathes.

‘Look, I’m coming to Tokyo in three days, I’m taking the kids to my parents, however i’ll be staying for a day, maybe we can meet then.’

‘A-alright! That’s perfect! I’ll see you then, thank you!’ He said with a relief tone.

— End of flashback —

You’re now checking if you’ve packed everything the twins need for the next 3 weeks.

‘Okāsan, why can’t you stay with us in Tokyo?’ Kazuhiko asks while he’s pulling down the edge of your t-shirt.

‘I already took a lot of time away from work honey. If i take more time, i’ll get fired. So, promise to behave and have a lot of fun even if Okāsan isn’t there, okay?’

He nods and starts sulking as he walks off to Kisara.  

‘Are you guys ready?’ Let’s go.’ You say taking their hands and making your way to take the Shinkansen in the station.

After a few minutes the train set off, the kids are already sleeping. You start looking out the window and can’t help thinking about what Sakusa wanted to talk about.

‘Is it really that important he needs to tell me in person?’ ‘Maybe he wants to apologize properly when he broke up with me.’ ‘What if he’s getting married and wants to invite me?’ ‘I don’t really think that i’m ready to see him settle down.’ ‘Should i just call him back to tell him that i can’t meet him?’ You start murmuring without noticing that Kisara is awake and calling you.

‘Okāsan, who are you talking to?’

‘Huh? No one baby, do you need something?’ You ask her after snapping out from your thoughts.

‘I want to do sport like nii-chan.’ She tells you after getting on your lap.

‘That’s great honey, do you also want to play baske-‘

‘No..’ she cuts you off with a sad tone.

‘What’s wrong honey?’ You cup her cheeks and make her look at you.

‘I know Otōsan and nii-chan play basketball-‘

She starts looking away from you and you wait for her to finish what she wants to say.

‘I like basketball.. but then i saw that cool Ojīsan in black uniform last time.. the way he looks at the ball and smiles at it.. i want to play volleyball, Okāsan.’ She looks at you determined and her eyes start watering.

‘It’s good that you know what you want to do, did you think that i’d be against it?’

She nods.

‘No baby, i’d never force you to do something you don’t want, we’ll look for a cool volleyball club later, okay?’

She nods a lot with a big smile stamped on her face and she hugs you.

A few minutes later, you arrive in Tokyo and you find your parents at the exit of the station and the kids start running towards them.

‘MAAA, PAAA!!’ They shout as they get picked up by them.

You smile at the sight of your happy family.

‘Welcome back home, my princess.’ Your dad hugs you.

‘Dad, I can’t breathe. I-I’m not a kid anymore, please.’ You tell him as he tightens his hug.

‘But you’ll always be a kid for us.’ Your mom denies your statement as she joins your family hug.

‘Let’s go home and play before lunch, i know you’re full of energy.’ She tells the kids with a smile.

‘Actually, i have to meet someone, so go head before me, i’ll see you at home.’

‘Someone? Wait.. Is it “him”?’ Your father intuitively asks you and you nod avoiding his gaze.

‘We actually met him a few days ago, he passed by, i know you guys have a lot to talk about.’ Your mom joins the conversation.

‘What did he do there..?’ You ask puzzled about his actions.

‘He went to the tre-‘ She’s about to tell everything, but she stops herself mid sentence.

‘Nothing! He just passed to greet us. Just go, before you get late at your meeting, don’t make him wait.’ You look at her suspiciously.

Sus. F*cking sus.

After saying bye, you walk towards the taxis and get on one. You tell the driver the address of your meeting place with Sakusa. The taxi passes a few blocks and you arrive at the destination, after getting off the taxi you realize that the café in front of you is the same place where you had some dates with him. After thanking and paying the driver, you make your way inside only to find him already seated in the usual same spot waving at you.

You freeze on your feet, almost having a panic attack, but you encourage yourself not to be nervous and starts walking again towards him. ‘It’s gonna be okay.’ You assure yourself.

‘Good morning, Sakusa-san.’ You greet him with a smile and confidently as you sit.

‘Good morning too, thanks for coming.’

There’s an awkward silence that’s slowly becoming tension that could be cut with a knife.

‘So’ You start to talk to break the silence.

‘Let’s- I’m sorry, go ahead-’ He says at the same time.

‘No no, it’s fine. I also cut you off, I’m sorry.’

He starts giggling that becomes a laugh. That laugh, you never knew how you missed it and without noticing it, you’re laughing along with him.

‘Kiyoomi.’ He says after laughing and you look at him confused.

‘Call me Kiyoomi again, Y/N.’

You start feeling shy, so you just nod as you avoid his gaze.

‘Let’s order something first, okay?’ Again, you just nod at him and take the menu from the waiter.

As your orders have been taken, he starts talking to you again.

‘It’s been so long since we came to this café, do you still remember?’

‘Yeah.. how could I forget about it? This is exactly the place that you covered my face with facemasks before coming in, so that the-‘

‘The other boys wouldn’t look at your face, hahaha’ You start blushing as he laughs and looks into your eyes.

‘You also took my jacket so that-‘ he starts.

‘The girls knew you were already with someone.’ This time you’re the one that finished his sentence and your face turned red as a tomato.

‘Hmm. So, how have you been?’ He asks turning away his face so that you can’t see him blush.

‘I’ve been very busy, but I’m living a happy life. So, you actually became a pro, like as you said back then. That’s nice!’ You tell him with an honest smile.

‘Yeah.. and.. you actually became a mother..’ He says looking straight in your eyes, with a feint sadness in it, but mostly a serious stare.

‘Yeah..’

Just as he’s about to say something, the waiter comes with your orders, you both thank him and start eating. You just keep eating, not even trying to look at him and you can feel that he’s watching you while he eats his pie.

He might not have notice it at first but he’s smart enough to put 2+2 together, by your reaction he probably guessed correctly that he’s related to the twins, but he still wants to hear it from you.

After finishing your coffees, your hand starts trembling and he immediately notices it, so he puts his hand on yours.

‘Hey, it’s okay.. let’s go in a quieter place, alright? Let’s go the park near the bus stop.’

Feeling his touch again makes you really calm, so you decide in your mind ‘It’s time to tell him.’, he needs to know the truth, he can be mad or disappointed but he has the rights to know and it’ll be up to him to believe you or not. You stand up from your seat and start following him after paying the bill.

After a few minutes of walking, you’re now at the park and you both sit on a bench under a cherry blossom.

‘A-actually, I have something to tell you.’ You say without losing time.

‘Me too, but you go first.’

‘Well, it’d be rude of me. You’re the one that invited me to talk. So, you should go first.’ You tell him with a feint smile.

‘It’s a question, actually. I need you to be honest.’

You nod and look at him, you suddenly feel a little breeze.

‘Am I the twins’ father?’ He asks with no hesitation and straight to the point.

Your eyes widened after hearing him, you can’t even utter a single word. ‘How did he come up a with a question like that?’ you ask yourself.

‘Why didn’t you tell me?’

‘I.. it’s because..’ You look down on the ground and after a few seconds you finally look into his eyes.

‘You didn’t want someone to hold you back, right?’

He’s now the one that stays silent, not being able to utter a word, so you continue.

‘You’d probably think of me as crazy girlfriend if I told you back then, that I was only inventing excuses only to make you stay with me.’

‘I still deserve to know that, they’re my kids.’ He gets up and starts raising his voice a little.

‘For four years I didn’t know their existence, I could’ve been there for them! For you! But you hid them from me! How selfish of you!’

‘Selfish? Me? Who’s the one that broke up with someone just to pursue their career after promising that they’ll be together no matter what happened? It ain’t me. Also, what would’ve happen if told you then? You already decided to break up with me, but knowing about the twins, it would’ve been a responsibility for you. You’d probably just stay because of them, because you’re the father. If that had been the case, then yes. I’d be selfish as much as I want. I don’t want someone to stay because of a responsibility that they can’t take back, I wanted you to stay for me and them, but you choose your career, right? Well, since you’re living your dream, congratulations.’ You also stand up as your blood starts rushing to your head and your eyes starts watering.

‘If you don’t want to be held back, just go and pretend that you never knew about it. I raised them for four years and still can raise them even if i’m alone.’ Your make up is getting messy as your tears keep falling, but you’re serious about raising them alone if he doesn’t want anything to do with you three.

‘I would’ve stayed because I still loved you! I know it was a stupid idea, but the more I stayed with you, the more I get distracted during matches and practices. I was a jerk. I regretted it and still regret it. But! After what happened at the match, I still care about you, it was right there that I knew that I want you back! Now I want to meet and know the twins too.. so please. Can we start all over again and become a family? I know it’s gonna be hard for the kids to understand.. but.. don’t you feel anything for me?’ He tells you as he kneels down in front of you.

‘Feel anything for you? The moment I saw you after four long years, I still had butterflies in my stomach, you baka.’ You say in your head.

‘I don’t know about that yet. You can start being there for the kids, I’m not sure If they’ll see you as their father.. give me some time to think about.. us two.’ You tell him as you drag him to stand up.

‘I understand.. can I see them right now?’ He asks after wiping some tears from his eyes.

You nod and think that it’s also time for the twins to know who their real father is, you hope that they at least acknowledge that he’s their real dad.

You know you love Kiyoomi. You still love him. But not as much as before.. you try to love him more like you used to.. but there’s a feeling that it pains your heart when you try your hardest to give your entire being to him.. you’re getting confused ideas about why you can’t fully commit to it. Ahh, It’s Ryota. Yep, now you remember what he mouthed to you at the airport and what you heard him say that night. For him, you and the kids are his home.

masterpost | V. | VII.

FACTS: 

The one that inspired Kazuhiko to play basketball was Ryota. 

The night that Ryota confessed his feelings while you were sleeping, you were actually awake and you also cried. 

@rrroadkill @samwise-though @lola2001 @velociraptorenthusiast @mjade1321 @farmertoshi @kurosiee @googiembul @hohoshiumi @floralkawa @miwtze @crapimahuman @setsukobb

if your name have “—” it’s because i can’t seem to tag you. i’m sorry! :((

[ajbwasntwriting]

Daughter!Reader x Negan, Reader x Daryl: Chapter 3. Shorts Fired

First | Previous | Next

This chapter originally contained Daryl...Then I remembered that conflicted with Canon and changed it, but he’ll appear soon. Additionally, I got a request to start a tag list so if you wish to be added to the tag list please dm me

Also in the event that the link’s don’t work I’ve started adding a hashtag to this series: AJ’s Negan’s Daughter AU

I’ll only post more chapters if previous chapters get a good reaction so if you enjoy this please heart it, reblog it, and/or reply to it. Interaction inspires. 

“This is what we found sir,” Simon said, his team depositing a bag, a bow, a quiver of arrows, and a knife with your name engraved on the side. Negan picked up the knife, eyeing at the dry blood on the blade.

“She put up a fight” he commented, a smirk on his face. “That’s my girl.” He looked back at Simon from his seat in the meeting room. “We’ll find her” Simon’s men looked at each other nervously. Simon found his mouth dry and had to clear his throat to keep talking.

“Sir...We found her...she”

“Then where the hell is she?” your father asked, interrupting Simon as you would interrupt him. The room went incredibly quiet.

“She turned, sir.” Simon spoke. Negan froze for a moment before falling back into his chair. “We...captured her... if you’d like to see.” Wordlessly Negan rose from his seat and rushed towards the exit, specifically to the van Simon had been out in.

The shutter raised and low and behold, there stood a walker. Her face had been devoured but she was wearing your clothes, right down to the military boots you never took off, despite how many nice clothes and shoes he’d find for you. ‘Just encase’ you said.

Looking at the walker growl and reach for him, Negan felt numb. He now realised he hadn’t dropped your knife. “Gimme a minute” he ordered, climbing into the van and closing the door behind him.

Now it was just Negan and the walker, he began to tear up. “I’m sorry y/n.” he whispered before reaching behind and destroying her brain. It fell and he cradled her in his arms as he wept. “I’m so sorry. I tried to keep you safe, princess.” he rocked back and forth gently, stroking it’s hair as he mumbled to himself “I’m so sorry”

The night of your escape you broke into a thrift store to get some new clothes, though it’d hardly count as breaking in as whoever owned it was probably dead. You found some old khakis, a tie-dye shirt, and a black sweatshirt that had seen better days. It wasn’t much but it was warm. If only they had socks. You pulled on a pair of trainers and ran, wanting as much distance between you and Sanctuary as possible before your old man got back.

From there it wasn’t easy. Food was gone, ammunition didn’t exist, and the closest thing you had to a bed was a car with the doors closed. Anyone else would crack under these circumstances, but not you. You had experienced stuff arguably worse than this. You were a trained soldier with experience on foreign battlefields, so a few undead going bump in the night wouldn’t stop you from sleeping. What did keep you awake was the memories.

“You shouldn’t take those with booze, ma” you interjected, your mother just gave you a filthy look from over the edge of her bourbon glass. “I am the mother, you are the child. Remember your place.” was the usual reply, and that was the reply you preferred. It meant she’d spend the night cursing you out, picking apart your flaws, and blaming you for your old man’s fooling around. The words were easier to deal with than dodging a flying glass.

You were 15 when your mother got diagnosed with pancreatic cancer and your world went from sunshine and rainbows to cleaning up after your mother passed out so she wouldn’t be embarrassed in the morning and letting your dad in at 4 in the morning so the neighbours didn’t see him. In the morning your mother would make you pancakes to say sorry, even though any movement would hurt her. Your father would slip you twenty bucks for ‘being a team sport’.

You had accepted that your mother just didn’t have the nerve to confront your father on all his cheating because she was worried she’d leave him, and your father was an idiot that was more bothered by the parents at the school he teaches at finding out that he screwed around then what he was doing to your family. You accepted it. You understood it. That didn’t mean you forgave them. It also didn’t mean you wouldn’t call them every chance, that you wouldn’t send a hundred letters to them every year, that you wouldn’t kiss their cheeks while declaring ‘I love you’ to all that heard.

Every morning you woke at what you believed to be 6 am. It had been hardwired into you from your service. You’d start walking in the same direction, trying to get as far from Sanctuary as possible, though your speed was slow and you often stopped at towns or houses to scavenge. Now and then you’d stumble into houses that had gardens or farms that had been overrun. Usually, there were more walkers than food but you had secured a rather sharp knife to replace the arrow you’d been using to bring down walkers quietly. You also carried your things in a child’s school bag, being the most together bag you could find at the thrift shop. The bright pink glitter didn’t go with your desire to stay low but sacrifices had to be made, such as hygiene.

Your form was weak from a strong lack of food, your feet were raw from the constant walking, you were constantly exhausted. Taking down walkers with the kitchen knife had become muscle memory. Hand on chest, knife in head, hand on chest, knife in head, and so on. You felt more dead than alive when a gunshot fired somewhere behind you. You swirled around to see a clearly a few steps right of you and a walker being downed. You put the math together and knelt into the foileage. “Sasha what are you doing?” you heard a lady call from far off. A moment later you noticed your sleeve feeling more and more damp. A quick glance confirmed blood, making you curse under your breath.

The gun shot attracted more of the biters out of the forest and into the clearing to see this Sasha character, but three were more interested in the smell of your blood. You cursed again, jumping back and taking steps away from the clearly. You reached for your gun on instinct before realising it would probably attract the people, and you didn’t want that. To make matters worse your shot arm was your stabbing arm. Flexing the arm caused the blood to start pouring so you took the kitchen knife in your other hand, the walkers approaching you. Having little time to react you kicked one back, sending it into a bush while another lunged at you. You narrowly sunk the knife into its skull, though the combination of it falling on you and your lack of good footing sent you backward, banging your head off a tree. Your head began ringing when the third reached for you over the lunger, giving you enough space to swing your arm and shove it through it’s temple.

You turned to get the two corpses off you, settling into a squat against the tree as the first offending walker got to its feet. You flipped the knife in your hand as it wandered towards you, using the tree to stand up quickly and stabbing up through its neck. The last one fell and you heard more shuffling through the woods. “I’m coming with you”. Crap it was those people. You ducked behind your support tree, the sudden exertion making your arm bleed. You clasped a hand over it as you bit your lip, watching from behind the tree. Three women walked by, two following another with a large rifle. ‘Are they from an outpost?’ you thought. You waited a while for them to pass with short breath, not wanting to risk them looking for you.

When you were sure you were in the clear you ran, making note not to run in the direction they came from or were heading. You ran and ran until you found a gas station. There were a couple of walkers in there but you needed something to dress your wound. You took a step back and shot through the glass at the first, getting the second with your knife when it stumbled through the shattered window.

Walking in you noticed it was a treasure trove. Most of the shelves still had their goods and the first aid pack was still there. Taking off your shirt you were relieved to find the bullet had only grazed you and the bleeding was slowing. Still, you cleaned and dressed the wound, popping a lollipop in your mouth for good measure.

You only got a few bottles of water and some stale chips in your bag when a car pulled up. You dove behind the counter without thinking, pulling the walker you shot over your body. Cracking glass signaling they had walked in.

“I thought this place was locked up” a man’s voice spoke out.

“It was” another man’s voice replied.  “Whoever broke in didn’t clear it. Come on”. You heard shuffling, then felt someone kick your leg.

“Anything behind there?” the woman called.

“Nah, just a couple of dead ones.” you tried to maintain your stillness when what you assumed was one of the men, stepped on the back of the walker, and pushed the air out of you. It took everything to maintain your quiet when he reached for your bag, cutting it off your shoulder. You stole a look to see a man with long messy hair, a button-up opened over a t-shirt, and a sheriff’s hat rustling through your stuff.

“This one had a first aid pack,” he called, pulling everything from your bag into his own. You made a mental note to kill this man the next time you saw him.

You lay as still and as silent as you could until you heard the car drive off again. You pushed the dead off you and dived for your bag, looking through it just to confirm what you already knew. He took everything. Your bullets, your food, everything. You threw the bag across the floor cursing. You sat on the ground, your head in your hands. You stared at nothing until an old map caught you. You slowly pulled it out of the hole it had been shoved in between the counter and the register and unraveled it, wanting something to look at other than your distinct lack of supplies. The map must’ve been used by the previous manager, because your current location was clearly marked and the DC city limits weren’t that far out. Your eyes lit up

‘The only place left with stuff would be the city. They had a refugee centre.’ you thought. You sat there a moment longer, soaking in your helplessness. Standing up from behind the counter you realised how badly they’d empty the place. The shelves didn’t even have the dust on them anymore. You took off your shirt, using it to pick up a piece of shattered glass, then walked over to one of the walkers to start carving it open. If you were to brave DC without weapons you’d need a disguise.

After soaking yourself in undead guts you repurposed the walker’s shirt to hold your make-shift blade. The walk into the city was short once you cut through the woods. As expected the road was lined with cars and walkers, non paying you any attention. You walked into an abandoned RV to check your wound, making sure no infection had seeped in. Once you opened the door some walkers lunged at you, making you step in quicker. Immediately your nose filled with a vile stench, causing you to vomit into the entryway. In your new position, bending over with your hands on the floor sitting in your vomit, you could see the cause of the smell from the corner of your eye.

You walked over slowly to the back of the rv in case they turned, but also to clarify the image as the bodies had been decaying for so long. The blood spatter confirmed a gunshot. It looked like a woman in a summer dress and two young children. Pinned to a board above the bed were some pictures. Smiling children, older people with drinks in hand, and a happy family on the beach; A mother, a father, and two children barely out of their toddler years. You looked up and down the alley, no sight of a fourth family member.

“Coward ran” you mumbled to yourself. The covers lay at the bottom of the bed. You grabbed them and pulled them over the family.

A little bit of scavenging brought you a new ruck-sack in a dirty green colour, two bottles of water, some painkillers, and a pair of socks. You celebrated silently before you put them on, already feeling the old trainers rub your feet raw. As you closed the presses something in the bathroom cubby began to move. Clawing at the door but not sure how to get out. If he couldn’t get out then only one thing came to mind.

“Guess you weren’t a coward.”

You opened the door, the walker falling out and quickly meeting your glass, it breaking off in his head. You picked him up and laid him down with the family, noticing he was wearing the same shirt as in the picture above the bed. You felt jealous of the family, but you pushed it down. Now wasn’t the time. As luck would have it the walker was keeping a hunting rifle with a low power scope in his cubicle, along with five bullets. You picked it up, looking it over. You hadn’t used one of these before the world went to shit but what time better than the end of the world to get a refresher lesson.

Getting into the city was relatively easy, finding your way through the crowd, down an alley, on top of a garbage can, and in through an old apartment window into a complex with only a couple of the dead following you. They groaned and reached into the higher window, but you were safe in someone else’s sitting room. You jumped up when another walker strutted in from another apartment room. All you had were two guns and firing either one of them would drag too much attention.

You looked around for anything to use but it was on you before you could act, pushing you back towards the window. Pinned to the breaking frame by the undead and more of them reaching for you from the back you pushed against it with all your strength, its jaw snapping at you. You took in a deep breath and pushed back with all you had, sending it to the ground running to the other side of the common space. It rose confidently from behind the couch looking around there was a tv to your left and a dead potted plant to your right.

It walked around and lunged at you just as you got the potted plant off the floor, swinging it around and knocking it to the ground. Before it could get up again you dropped the plant on its head, followed shortly by the tv for good measure. You leaned against the wall, causing it to crumble and collapse, sending you back into a child’s bedroom. You coughed as the dust fell on you, pulling yourself into a sitting position. Looking into the sitting room you now noticed it featured a kitchen area, complete with a full block of knives staring right back at you.

You gathered up the knives and went up a floor, wanting some distance between the dead and yourself. It seemed the complex had been cleared, but that made sense since it was the city. You found an apartment with a street view and made your camp, pulling an old mattress from the bedroom into the common room to keep watch. You opened a window to clear a little of the dust from the room. You’d sleep here tonight then move more in the city later. You found some books in the apartment. ‘Jane Eyre’, ‘Little Women’, ‘Get Slime in 40 days’. It painted the image of some sad spinster trying to better herself to get back at the world. ‘The Woman’s Guide to Single Life’ added a frame to that image.

“Come on!” you heard a man yell, followed by a gunshot. You fell to the ground instantly, crouched over, and crawled to the window. Peering out there was a sight to behold. It was the same hat-sporting man, no a boy, and an older man with a beard with a herd on their heels. They’d be at your window. You loaded a bullet in the chamber of your hunting rifle, using the scope you had it on the older man’s head in moments since he had a larger bag on his back. All you had to do was squeeze the trigger and he’d be down, dropping his stuff and maybe the other would be eaten and you could take your stuff too. All you had to do was squeeze that trigger.

“Dad!” The boy screamed out when a dead grabbed his bag, your scope moved in a moment and the walker was downed. They looked around wildly while running. You made a rash decision and stuck your head out the window and yelled to them as you reloaded the gun.

“Hey you two, round the corner there’s a busted window! Get to it!”. They seemed to understand and began sprinting. You took down one behind the man that had gotten too close, then another. You heard a thump downstairs just as you ran out of ammo.

You walked out of your apartment just as they came up the stairs, you pointed the gun at them in defense. “Stay right there”

The two stood with their hands up. They glanced at each other and then you. The older man began to speak. “Thank you for-”

“If you wanna thank me, give me back my shit” you cut him short.

“We didn’t take anything from you.” the boy in the hat replied.

“Three bottles of water, two packets of chips, and the first aid kit.” you retorted, noticing the shock in the man's eyes. You motioned the gun to the boy “You cut the bag off my arm back at the gas station. The pink glitter thing.”

The man swallowed hard “We can’t. That stuff. We have people that need it-”

“I could have fucking killed you. Is that not worth shit?” The silence that followed made it all worse.

“Listen, I’m Rick Grimes, This is my son, Carl” He motioned to the boy behind him “We come from a place. A safe place with walls. If you let us keep your stuff you can come back with us. We can give you a safe place to live.” The rest of his words turned into white noise after you heard his name.

“Alexandria?” You questioned, a sad smile coming to your face. “You’re not gathering stuff for your own people, are you?” you lowered your gun a little.

“You know these people?” the boy asked, getting angry. You nodded solemnly.

“Look, I’m not going back with you, but I’ll offer you a deal. Give me the first aid kit and I’ll give you this gun” you said, holding up the rifle to further your point.

“We need it,” Carl argued.

“So do I.” You rose your short sleeve to show the bandage. “Some asshole nearly shot out there.” Carl reached into the older man’s bag, Rick immediately telling him not to.

“She saved us,” he argued, pulling out the red plastic pack.

“One good turn deserves another,” he stood up and went to hand it to you before you raised the rifle again, shaking your head no. You motioned to the ground, where he put it down. You once again motioned to the ground and he kicked it over. You knelt down, placed down the rifle, and snatched up the kit before diving back into your room, slamming the door shut.

You rushed over to your bag, grabbing it and shoving the kit in. “This is empty!” you heard Rick yell as you dove out the window onto the fire escape and descending back to the streets.

Tag list

@softsebastian​

[lostonehero]

Surprise the nerd isn't a nerd

Contains swearing, minor sexual themes, redneck characters, mentions of child endangerment, threats of violence and violence. Trans character.

Archie held the black box in his hand, he was so nervous, but he was confident in what he wanted. It was just as he was a he. After the whole legend fiasco, Maxie and him grew close, and two years later Archie was head over heals for the red head. He even got input from Courtney and Tabitha for the ring, all that was left was meeting Maxie's family.

Archie knew Maxie had a large family from the limited information he had, five older siblings, parents, and his grandmother was still around. The now combined magma and aqua base had more then enough room to house everyone for the holidays. His family was also coming, and he knew Maxie would have the occasional pirate jab, but his parents did like the red head enough. Hopefully there combined families will get along.

He stuffed the black box in his pocket as he headed back to the base. Steven gave them the holidays off, and gave them extra time after Archie told his plan. Steven could be a hardass sometimes but he was weak when it came to romance. Only one more week and he will be meeting Maxie's family, and proposing. Archie couldn't be any happier.

.....

"Y'ain't coming here with no guns, I ain't gettin more legal troubles." Maxie huffs. "Ma use a cane not your Betsy."

Archie couldn't help but overhear Maxie's conversation. Sure he knew Maxie was from the country, but he just assumed a small farm town, he had a funny feeling that wasn't the case anymore.

Maxie sighs. "Yah Ma will do, love ya too." He hangs up and looks over to Archie. "Ma is bringing some food over I told her it wasn't a potluck."

"Let your mom cook Maxie it's not the end of the world."

"Grandma Archie, we just call her Ma, mom is my mother."

"Oh uh ok, that's fine let the old woman cook." Archie rubs the back of his neck.

"I do miss her Chili. Anyhow you were watching me on the phone." He gets a little red. "Sorry my accent does come out talking to family."

"Its cute Maxie don't worry about it, I like that your a bit country."

"A bit?"

"Yeah you grew up in a small town right?"

"Yes and no, I grew up on a farm Archie by a small town."

"Ah...."

"Yeah don't worry my family isn't like a stereotype with being transphobic or homophobic."

Archie frowns kind of forgetting that glaring fact about the two. "Are you sure?"

"My Ma clocked me for gay before I turned 10, and one of my sisters is trans. Ma did nearly kill one of my uncles for misgendering her though." He pauses. "I got to tell mom to keep Ma from bringing Betsy."

Archie suddenly gets a bad feeling. "Your grandma nearly killed your uncle?"

"Well not nearly she missed her shot on purpose it was a warning."

"Maxie guns are illegal."

"Oh yeah.... never stopped us before."

Archie's bad feeling becomes a bad omen in his mind.

......

Tabitha looks Archie dead in the eye digesting what he was telling them. "So let me get this straight, you invited Maxie's family out for the holidays?"

Archie nods

Matt looks down at Tabitha sitting in his lap. "Why's that such a big deal again? Isn't family a good thing, I'm sure that nerd's family is as stuffy as him."

Tabitha covers his face. "I've only met one of Maxie's brothers and well Maxie only looks like a nerd. I don't like speaking poorly of Maxie but that man is a redneck, hick, a country boy of every type."

Archie begins to chuckle. "Sure he has his temper and the accent when he lets it slip but it isn't that bad."

"A hick? Tabby what are you talking about?" Matt hums

"Let me make this clear with an example of something Maxie told us." Tabitha sighs. "Maxie didn't get his first pair of glasses till he was 16."

Archie gets that bad feeling again but shrugs it off. "Isn't he legally blind without his glasses? Why did it take so long?"

Tabitha frowns. "To quote Maxie 'I'm a better shot without the glasses."

Matt pauses. "Shot? Do you mean gun?"

Tabitha nods. "He got his first gun at 13."

Archie pales and so does Matt.

Archie loves Maxie but as he learns more information he is slowly starting to fear the man.

.....

Archie smiles seeing a old woman alone, and of course he goes over to help the scowling woman. "Are you lost ma'am?"

The woman looks up and her glare sends daggers through Archie as she slams her cane down. "I am looking for my grandson, not his boy." Her accent is thick

Archie kind of freezes and stutters. "I uh"

"Straighten your back I can walk on my own." She continues foward. "Don't keep me waiting boy."

"Y-yes ma'am." Archie nods following behind her.

Archie sighs in relief spotting Maxie.

"Ma you're early I told ya wait at the train station." Maxie smiles giving the old woman a hug.

"Nonesense my baby boy doesn't need to come on out for little old me." She smiles then frowns looking back at Archie.

"Ma that's Archie he is my partner." Macie smiles softly moving to hold his hand.

"He better be worth your effort Max." She sighs

Maxie sighs. "Yes Ma he is. Do you need help with your bags?"

"Thank you kindly for you asking but I ain't that weak." She smiles "just show me to my room darling."

Maxie nods and leaves Archie to show his grandma to her room.

.....

Archie has a newfound fear of Maxie listening to stories about Maxie growing up. He is more so shocked that the man isn't dead yet, also how many guns has he hidden in the base, and why can't Archie find a single one.

"As I was saying this little prick decided to run into the camerupt pen, eight years old he goes in and runs out with an egg biggest smile on his face screaming 'I found my partner.' " his oldest sister was holding back laughter. "The brat was covered head to toe in mud so happy with himself."

Archie just looks at Maxie wide eyes. "You weren't trampled to death?"

Maxie red faced. "What no why would I be?"

"Maxie you were eight years old surrounded by camerupt." Archie looks at him wide eyed.

"Pssh wasn't the dumbest thing I did growing up." Maxie chuckles the red leaving his face his accent in full force.

"Fucker shot fireworks off the roof git jessabell to light them. That hellhound only liked him." One of Maxie's brothers snickered.

"You're the one who got the fireworks Henry." Maxie scoffed

"Yeah and? You lit them up." Henry sticks his tongue out.

Archie just nods as the stories continued, Maxie wasn't just a nerd no that was a cover, Maxie is a full redneck. He was too in love to back out now.

......

The food was way too spicy for Archie, but desert was the beat thing he had ever eaten. Granted his nerves were getting the best of him, and Maxie's grandmother was glaring at him because he refused anymore food. He took out the black box from his pocket and turned to Maxie.

"Archie?" Maxie looked back at him.

"Maxie I love you more then anything you know that right?" Archie smiles getting down on one knee. "And we've done our worst but also our best together, and I wanted that to continue, like the land needs the sea I need you Maxie." He takes a deep breath "will you marry me?"

Maxie covers his mouth and nods. "Archie is that why you asked my family out here?" He looks around then back at Archie and pulls the man into a kiss letting Archie put on the ring. "Of course I'll marry you."

Ma gives a look Archie can't decipher. "You better teach him right Max."

"Yes Ma." Maxie smiles and whispers to Archie. "She likes you."

Archie looks back to the glaring woman not being able to comprehend that fact.

[captainjimothycarter]

I DIE for pregnant Peggy and Cap Steve where they don’t know one another.

New York traffic has always been a bitch and Peggy regrets her decision of thinking the subway would be better than the bus, but it seems her bad choices follow her even underground where they’ve been stalled for an hour in a stifling train.

She denies the need to sit down from a broad blonde whose wearing sunglasses despite they’re underground and a baseball cap that’s pulled low over his face. Despite how she can’t see his eyes too well, she can see he doesn’t agree with her choices but respects them none the less.

And why should he? She’s eight months pregnant and it shows with her rounder-than-life belly and all the wonderful side effects of carrying a pregnancy this far along.

“How long do you think we’ll be here?” She asks the stranger. He’s the only one closest to her and he seems nearly as on edge as she is with the antsty people. She’s lucky its not packed to the brim, all the seats are just taken and a few stragglers stand.

“Given it’s already been...” He sighed and looked at his watch for a second too long, as if he’s struggling to tell the time. There’s something familiar in his voice, but it could be the exhaustion in the same manner it is the Brooklyn accent she’s growing used to. “Half an hour and knowing the system it could be a whole another two hours. You sure you don’t want to sit? I don’t mind standing.”

“I’ve been laying down all morning, I need to stretch.” Her backs aching, but what else is new? She’s stubborn, but not to the point of self punishment. She needs to stretch it out at any rate. If the pain gets worst, she will. “Knowing the system...Crikey, I hope not. I don’t need to miss another appointment.”

He winces in sympathy and it tugs a smile on her lips. “I’m sure the doctor will understand - its New York. You can’t predict these things. Or anything for that matter. Sure has changed lots.”

There’s a whimsical note to his voice, like he’s longing for something, for the past maybe. For a life beforetime that she doesn’t know, it’s hard to tell without seeing his eyes. She tries to imagine what’s behind those glasses, but doesn’t try too hard. Surprises are plentiful in life. 

They make small talk for a few and she learns more about this stranger who pauses a few times to pick a kid’s toy up and hand it back, open a stiff window when they won’t budge and even the emergency hatch to let fresh air in. She learns he works with a team - leads them actually and he seems proud of that. He learns she’s new to the country and recently gotten a job working in the library. He talks about his time spent in the library growing up and now and its almost lost on him, the need for something in his voice that craves a balm to the pain that edges it. 

She wants to understand so much but she’s not liable to. This isn’t her place.

It’s the pain that makes her pause first, a familiar sensation of the contractions that have been happening more and more as of late. What surprises her is the fact she feels wetness between her thighs before there’s a clear sound of liquid hitting the floor. Her eyes widen and she looks to the stranger, not for help, but confirmation that her water just broke.

He’s all action and not taking no for an answer as he he takes off the coat and lays her back on it. Hat and glasses go next. That’s when she knows him. Captain America, she’s seen him on TV quite a few times. All uniform and smiles despite the pain he had to be in. She doesn’t even have time to be in shock when the next contraction hits. This baby is coming and it’s coming out now.

“Look at me - it’s Peggy, right?” he breathes, holding her hand as tight as she is. “It’s going to be okay. I’ve helped my ma deliver several babies. I called a few people, a team is going to meet us at the next station. They’re getting whatever is keeping us up taken care of right away.”

“Oh that’s comforting,” Peggy growns, brow knitting in pain. She hates the worried look on his face, but he hides it well with ordering people around. Give her room. Water. Someone gives them a blanket. 

“You’re going to need to push,” he tells her in a voice that shouldn’t be calm when she’s understandably panicking. “It can’t wait. It’ll hurt you and the baby in the long run.”

She doesn’t want to push, not here, not without medical help, but he’s right and his voice is far too calm for her to ignore. She tries just to focus on his crystal clear blue eyes. She focuses on the specs of green, the freckles on his nose. How he smiles with a lopsided grin and encourages her through another painful contraction.

She’s out of her mind with pain and delusion, sweat burning her eyes. Someones wiping at her face while he holds her hand, still between her legs. She’s not even sure what she’s saying, maybe she’s cursing him out, maybe she’s asking to stop, she can’t focus enough. The pains fogged her mind, all she knows is to push. The instinct drives her to do so, a final scream leaves her lips, followed by another. 

A heavy scream of an infant whose gasping for air, her first breaths of a long life. Peggy isn’t even aware she’s sobbing when Steve cleans the baby up best he can and lays her in her arms, against her chest. She’s even unaware when he cuts the cord [with her permission]. 

It’s a long few hours that fade in her mind before she’s fully aware she’s in the hospital. Steve was there the whole time, she knows. Covered in her mess, but still that boyish, lopsided grin on his lips the entire time. Pride radiating in his eyes. 

The hospital says the baby is doing amazing and she latched on like it was nothing, suckling from her with a hunger that rivals her own. Steve still stays, calmly talking to her, talking to doctors and nurses for her. Someone asks if that’s his baby or if she’s with him but he denies it. 

“There’ll be news about this tomorrow,” Peggy says weakly, thanking Steve when he lowers the straw from her lips. “Captain America helps a stranger give birth.”

“They’ll also speculate that it’s my kid and I’m an ass for making you stand, not having you give birth in Avengers Tower, and so forth,” he huffed, rolling his eyes. “Though, I’d be proud to call your little one my kid. She about busted my ear with screaming.”

“Yes, how terribly rude of you. I could’ve given birth in a plush bed instead of the dirty subway floor.” Her nose wrinkles when his ears turn a shade of pink, laughing softly. “She gets it from me. Still, thank you Steve. You didn’t have to stay.”

“I got nowhere to be and you need someone. No one should go through that alone.” His hand had returned to hers, a comfortable presence in the last few hours. “Have you thought of any names yet? No need to rush.”

Peggy’s silent, because she has, her entire pregnancy she’s thought of names but none seem to quite match the honor it is to carry her. Her eyes fall to the sleeping baby, knowing the nurses will take her soon. She has soft, downy brown curls. Her eyes are green, a soft shade that make her heart drop straight to her gut. There’s a powerful life in those eyes that challenges everyone she looks at. As if to dare them to try to take it.

“What was your mother’s name again? Sarah?”

Steve blinks beside her, his mouth formed into a perfect O. “Pegs, you don’t...have to name your daughter after my ma - she would be honored, yes but if you’re doing it to honor me...”

“Your mother raised a fine son whose done a lot for this world, she helped many people, including my family if history serves me right during the first war. It would be an honor to name her after Sarah after your mother.”

She’s sure Steve’s eyes are wet, but she looks away, giving him privacy as he lets go of her hand to clean his face up and looks down on the baby. 

“Sarah it is, then. Hello, little one.”

Peggy’s lips forms into a small, exhausted smile, the wave of exhaustion washing over her. She hasn’t napped, but she wants to. She’s also afraid to sleep, if she wakes up and Steve or Sarah isn’t here... 

“Go to sleep,” Steve tells her, his hand back in hers. The other tenderly strokes a curl from her face. “I think you deserve a nap or two. I’ll be here - Tony has made it clear with the staff that I am not to leave unless you kick me out. I’ll make sure little Sarah is safe.”

“Thank you, Steve,” she sighs once again, laying back into the cushion. Her eyes are struggling to stay open, its a struggle to keep them away, but she’s glad that Steve’s presence is there beside her.

[mopeytropey]

a beer buds series: chapter 8

author’s note: happy, sappy Lexa hath arrived

available on AO3: here or below the cut

Timeline: just after Lexa returns from her holidays in New York, Clarke is bombarded with work at Dockside; Lincoln keeps her company over the weekend as Lexa relays the events of her Friday spent with Clarke (chapter 7 of 'apu')

Beer: Frequency KÖLSCH-INSPIRED GERMAN ALE

Clean and bright. Pleasingly malty with a touch of noble hop. Crisp and sharp with a subtle malt sweetness on the finish

ABV 5.0%

Frequency: Winter Hill Brewing (Somerville, MA)

:::

Lexa cannot stop smiling.

She hasn’t been able to curb the small grins and outright smiles that keep spreading across her lips at random intervals since leaving Clarke’s house on Friday morning.

She doesn’t stop them when her thoughts drift to the sound of Clarke’s voice and the looks they shared in her kitchen over coffee and bagels. And, she can’t keep her lips from curving when remembering their dinner Friday night, the way Clarke’s eyes would gleam and her cheeks would blush when Lexa would say something purposefully flirtatious. She has more-or-less lost all power over the muscles in her face and the control Clarke has on her overall good mood.

She hasn’t allowed herself this much visible happiness in ages. It feels both incredibly unnatural and like enormous relief.

And, because she is smiling into her phone while reading a recent text from Clarke, riddled with profanity about being stuck at work, she doesn’t notice Lincoln approaching.  

“Hey, I’ve missed that smile.”

Lexa’s head snaps up at the sound of his voice, and her smile remains. She’s missed him too.

“Hey.”

They clumsily exchange a hug while Lexa is sat on a wicker bar stool and Lincoln stands beside her at a bright grey bar counter made from swirled marble. The sun streams through the front windows of an upscale restaurant known for their brunch menu, woodfired pizzas, and signature cocktails.

Lexa had, in fact, intended to ask Clarke to brunch at this very establishment. She has been eager to resume their mutual exploration of the attraction that’s been brimming between them since early June. Friday had been a glimpse, a negligible fraction of what Lexa knows they are bound to discover over time. She thinks of her fingers tangling between Clarke’s or the physical distances between them that are gradually vanishing. Her head buzzes with all their potential in the days and weeks to come.

Lincoln unbundles from his wool peacoat and unwinds a striped scarf from around his neck to reveal his thick cable knit sweater beneath. “I just saw the girls,” he announces.

Lexa swallows, torn abruptly from the places her mind had been wandering. “Did you?”

“Yeah, they’re slammed down there.” Lincoln takes his seat and then angles himself comically in Lexa’s direction as if he plans to interrogate her. “So, Clarke says hi.”

Lexa’s chest balloons and her smile expands beyond her control. “Oh. Okay. Thanks.”

“I assume this means you two are on speaking terms again?”

The burn in Lexa’s cheeks is so severe, she’s forced to look away to the sounds of Lincoln’s delighted laughter. He playfully jabs a finger into her bicep while she fails miserably to keep her cool.

“We started talking before I left for New York.” Lexa clears her throat, hoping it will reduce the heat of her embarrassment. “She dropped me at the train station, actually.”

“Yeah, I know. Octavia told me,” Lincoln admits. Lexa backhands him across his chest and attempts to scowl. “Sorry, I had to mess with you a little bit. I haven’t seen you in forever!”

“That’s your one free one.” Empty threats, and they both know it.

“Yeah, sure. Okay,” Lincoln plays along, nevertheless slinging an arm around the back of Lexa’s stool.

The bartender approaches before Lexa can respond, and Lincoln reaches across the bar to slap her hand in a familiar exchange. “What’s good, Lincoln?”

“Hey, what’s up, Taylor?”

“What are you drinking?” she asks him while sliding a coaster in front of him.

He nods to Lexa’s pint of beer. “What’s this?”

“It’s that kölsch-inspired one from Winter Hill,” Lexa answers. “It’s really smooth.”

“Okay, cool. I’ll do the same. Thanks.”

“You guys eating?”

“Yeah, I’d love to see a menu,” Lexa tells her.

Taylor nods, reaching for two rolls of cutlery from beneath the bar. “You got it. I’ll be right back.”

“Okay, so: what happened? What’s happening? Tell me everything. How was your Christmas?”

Lexa can’t help but laugh at Lincoln’s eager requests, rattled off with palpable excitement. She takes a deep breath. “Christmas was definitely interesting.”  

“Oh yeah?”

Taylor returns with Lincoln’s beer and two menus. She mumbles something quick and low in Spanish to Lincoln that makes him laugh.

“She’s got some real pretentious dicks on the other side of the bar,” Lincoln informs her once Taylor has left them to tend to her other customers. Because the bar is circular, Lincoln attempts to scope out the situation on the other side of the bar by peering through the rows of bottles, glassware, and flatscreen TVs that create a barrier between both sides.

“Think we should bounce them out of here?”

Lincoln laughs into his first sip of beer. “Let me have another pint and I’ll let you know.” He finishes another long sip before sliding his glass back onto the bar. “Alright, let’s hear it.”

“What do you want to know?”

“I want to know why Clarke is suddenly in such a supremely good mood despite working her second double in a row, and why you haven’t been able to wipe that idiot grin off your face since I walked in. Wait—also, what did Anya get you for Christmas?”

Lexa rolls her eyes, hoisting up with disdain an article of outerwear from the stool beside her. “Stupid hat.”

Lincoln swallows his mouthful of beer and laughs, nodding approvingly. “Classic An. Okay so, what exactly happened while you were at home?”

Lexa watches her fingers trace the darker patterns that thread the marble bar top. “For one, Costia and I met for coffee after Christmas and finally had that long overdue conversation I’ve been avoiding.”

“Hey, you weren’t the only one avoiding,” Lincoln reminds her.

“Yeah, I know.”

“And so, it’s over?”

Lexa exhales, reaching again for her pint of beer and taking a low sip. “I think it’d been over for a while, but: yes. In an official capacity, we ended it.”

“And, how are you and Costia? Okay?”

“Yeah, we’re good. We’d been such good friends anyway—I honestly think that was a huge part of what complicated things for us for so long.”

Lincoln hedges his reaction. “I want to be really happy for you right now because you basically look like you just dropped this huge weight around your neck, but … are you okay with everything?”  

“I am.” She looks up to meet his eye as if to prove herself. “It felt right. And, I’m—” Her traitorous lips, already pulling at their edges in a smile, will give her away every time. “I’m really good actually.”

“Good because I’m so happy for you, buddy.” Lincoln squeezes her shoulder with the hand resting on her stool. “Okay so, I know you and Clarke are talking again—and, believe me, we’re all relieved as hell about that—but, what exactly have you told her?”

“You mean about Costia?”

Lincoln finishes his sip of beer, pinning her with a look he must have learned from Anya because Lexa feels absolutely transparent. “I mean, I think Costia is just the tip of a pretty substantial iceberg, but sure. Let’s start there.”

At his candid retort, Lexa exhales a laugh and grasps her beer. “I’m fairly certain Clarke knows that my feelings for her aren’t entirely platonic, if that’s what you mean.” Her mind flashes briefly to the lighting and warmth of Clarke’s kitchen, the scent of toasted bagels and freshly ground coffee.

Lincoln claps his hands, as he so often does in moments of triumph, and smiles broadly. “I can’t tell you how glad I am that we are finally having this conversation.”

“I know. Me too.” In spite of her nerves constantly bubbling to the surface, Lexa is also flooded with the acute relief of authenticity.

“Have you seen her since you’ve been back?”

“We spent some time together on Friday.” Lexa ineffectually bites at her lip to keep from smiling. She thinks of slow hugs, soft hand-holding, and timid admissions amid charged goodbyes. Their interactions thus far have been so buffered by innocence, Lexa cannot believe the way her stomach swoops at her memory of them. “I brought her bagels.”

“Suave.”

“Listen, she—I wasn’t attempting to be romantic.”

Lincoln doesn’t miss a beat. “Liar.”

“Clarke has been living her entire life under the misguided assumption that a small, newly established bagel shop in northern Massachusetts is on par with legitimate New York bagels, Lincoln.” The severity in Lexa’s tone has him visibly amused. “I felt it my sacred duty to correct this misconception.”

“You brought her Bergen’s, didn’t you?”

Lexa looks offended at the ask. “Like I would offer her anything less.”

“And, where are my Christmas bagels?”

She rolls her eyes, reaching for her nearby pint. “Linc—”

“Okay, I see how it is. Too hung up on impressing Clarke to remember one of your oldest friends.” He is nodding, self-righteously.

Like a loveable idiot.

“I’m beginning to second-guess your request to hang out today,” she tells him while averting her eyes to the paper menu in front of her.

Lincoln laughs at her stern tone, knowing it’s a bluff, and returns his arm to rest along the back of her stool.

“How are you actually feeling about this?”

“Sharing an afternoon drink with you? I’m of two minds at the moment.”

“Now who’s being a jackass?” Lincoln grins. “So, you’re scared out of your mind about Clarke then?”

Yes. Absolutely. The nervous uncertainty is all-consuming.

Lexa shrugs, ignoring her inner anxieties and recites aloud the mantra of useless facts she’s been telling herself for days.

“Clarke and I have been close for quite awhile. She knows me, maybe better than most people. Despite any potential uncertainties, we’re operating on the foundation of a very sound friendship.”

Lincoln watches her like she’s come entirely unhinged. “Okay, yeah. Do you have any idea how incredibly shook I was at the prospect of kissing my friend Octavia?”

At the thought of kissing Clarke—images painted vividly by her traitorous mind—a breath lodges in her chest, and Lexa must return to her beer for fear of passing out.

“Is this supposed to make me feel better?”

“I’m just trying to get you to be honest with yourself. And me, for that matter. I mean, I’m just assuming—knowing how much you overthink every goddamn thing to death—that you haven’t slept with her yet.”

“Jesus, Lincoln.” Lexa swallows her embarrassment through multiple sips of beer.

“For that matter, you probably haven’t even kissed her yet.”

“I can’t think about … that yet,” she manages to say without her voice croaking from the strain.

“Kudos to you for being able to think about anything else.”

“I have, obviously, considered the prospect. I just—more than anything I keep thinking about how I want to be around her all the time.”

“No offense, because I mean this genuinely and supportively as your friend, but are you just now figuring that out?”

“Shut up,” Lexa laughs.

:::

The food, as it turns out, is notable.

Lexa orders chicken fried steak and eggs with chorizo gravy and griddled potatoes, immediately lulled into a state of happy sedation as she clears her plate.

Lincoln groans his satisfaction as well, leaning back into his stool when he’s finished. “Damn. That was so good.”

“I might nap on this stool. Your friend would be okay with that, right?”

“Yeah, obviously.” Lincoln stretches his arms over his head and folds his hands behind the base of his neck. “A good bartender is always looking to have her guests fall asleep at the bar.”

“Okay good,” Lexa answers with a sleepy smile and suppresses an actual yawn with the back of her hand.

“What are you up to for the rest of your day?”

“This meal has completely erased any prior motivation to workout. My couch sounds pretty nice right now.”

The sun is setting and the streetlamps have begun to flicker on along the cobblestreet outside the restaurant windows.

“Not gonna go lurking outside Dockside until Clarke gets out of work?” Lincoln prompts with a teasing wink.

“Why do I feel like this was an actual tactic used on Octavia?”

“An effective tactic, you might say.”

“No,” Lexa laughs. “I’m not planning to stalk Clarke at her place of business, you creep.”

“Suit yourself,” Lincoln shrugs. “If you need any tips, I’m just sayin’.”

Lexa’s laughter is more of a cackle, lost in the increasing din of the Sunday evening bar crowd. “I think I’m all set. Thanks.”

“Oh okay, here we go—two beers later, she is confidence personified.”

Taylor returns to collect their empty plates, and Lincoln, practically gleeful, seizes on an opportunity to embarrass Lexa in a public setting.

“Taylor, help me out here—first kisses with relative strangers versus first kisses with a friend-turned-something-more. Generally speaking, which one makes you more nervous?”  

“Why?” Taylor grins, bracing herself across from them with both hands grasping to the edge of the bar top. “Is one of you about to ask me to makeout?”

Lexa smothers a mortified oh-my-god against the palms of her hands where she has covered her face.

“No, no,” Lincoln laughs while shaking his head. “Like I would ever do anything to get Toni on my bad side—your girlfriend might be more intimidating than Octavia.”

“She’s gonna love hearing that,” Taylor smiles.

“The thing is, Lexa here—”

“Would love the check,” Lexa interjects, pinning Lincoln with her most threatening glare while her cheeks still burn warmly. “And, for reasons yet unclear to me, I’ll take Lincoln’s too. You can put us on the same tab.”  

“You got it,” Taylor chuckles, and strides off to the kitchen with their empty dishes.

As Lexa signs the tab, leaving an exorbitant tip to somehow assuage her own embarrassment as well as fulfill an unspoken creed between service industry workers, Lincoln warmly grabs her shoulder.

“Thanks. This was a great way to spend my otherwise very boring Sunday while O is stuck at work.”  

“Lucky for you, my Sunday plans were also foiled.”

“So glad we could be each other’s second fiddle,” Lincoln grins.

Lexa returns his familiar smile. “Anytime.”

They bundle back into their coats and hats and gloves before Lincoln waves and shouts a quick farewell to Taylor from across the bar. As they push through the front entryway back out into the cold and wind and lightly dusted snowy sidewalk, Lincoln wraps an arm around Lexa’s shoulder and hugs her closer.

“Thanks again—you didn’t have to pick up the tab, buddy.”

“Think of it as your belated Christmas present. Besides, you basically always pay whenever we hang out. I owe you.”

For the drinks and food, yes. But, Lexa also feels indebted to Lincoln’s unending kindness and patient listening as everything between she and Clarke has unfolded.

“You don’t owe me anything, but that food does make for a great belated Christmas present.”

“Well, it’s not pumpernickel bagels and pimento cream cheese, but,” Lexa shrugs, looking up to catch Lincoln’s eye just as his expression creases painfully.

“Aw man, did you have to bring up the pimento cream cheese?!”

Lexa laughs and savors the warmth of Lincoln’s broad frame close beside her.

:::

Sometime between the distance of Lincoln’s apartment, where they had parted after a smothering hug, and Lexa’s front entryway, her phone buzzes from within her coat pocket. When she sees Clarke’s name as the incoming call, she removes a glove with her teeth and swipes to answer.

“Hey.” It’s so cold now that the sun has set, her breath is frozen in puffs, but the anticipation of hearing Clarke’s voice builds a warmth deep in her stomach. “How are you?”

“Oh my god, I’m so tired,” Clarke whimpers.

Always so dramatic.

Still, she has sympathy for Clarke’s long and tiresome hours of unexpected work over the weekend. Lexa shuffles across an empty crosswalk, hurrying towards her street as other pedestrians bustle past in bulky winter wear. “Sorry you’ve been stuck there for two days.”

“I was prepared for Saturday. Today has kicked my ass. Where are you? It sounds windy. Oh my god, please tell me you aren’t running in this weather.”

Lexa laughs as she reaches her apartment and searches for her keys while keeping her phone pinned against her shoulder. “I’m walking home from grabbing food and drinks with Lincoln.”  

“Oh, that’s right. Sorry, my brain is fried. Drinks and food sound so nice right now,” Clarke practically whines.

Lexa pushes into the warmth of the stairwell and begins to take the stairs to her apartment. “Seeing Lincoln was really nice, although it was you I was hoping to share a meal with today.”

“Were you?”

She can hear Clarke better now as she unlatches the locks of her apartment’s front door and steps inside a quiet, darkened room. She smiles shyly at Clarke’s surprised delight and lightly clears her throat.

“Yes.”

“And what did these plans entail?”

Lexa used to wonder constantly about Clarke’s intentions—whether or not she was consciously aware of the provocative ring to her voice. Presently, Lexa requires no translation: Clarke’s flirtation is unmistakable.

“I wanted to take you out for brunch.”

“I would have loved that.” Clarke sounds beyond charmed, and Lexa’s entire face warms.

“That’s—that’s good to know,” she responds, exhaling shakily at Clarke’s belated acceptance to a date they never got to have.

“I had brunch plans for us today too!”

“Oh yeah?” Lexa’s intrigue instantly distracts from her spike of nerves.

“Yes! They involved homemade waffles and really nice prosecco I absconded with the last time I left my mom’s and, most importantly, not being at work for over nine hours.”

Lexa clicks on a nearby lamp and shuffles out of her coat but does not bother to remove her absurd winter hat. The idea of Clarke making plans for them—specifically plans that involve home-cooked meals and sharing bubbly wine in Clarke’s home—sets Lexa’s stomach fluttering as she collapses onto her sofa.

“Well, for future reference, I’d be up for drinking prosecco with you any time, appropriated or otherwise.”

“This is good information to have.”

Lexa cozies into the couch cushions at the sound of Clarke’s laugh, wishing desperately that they were sat side by side, filling each other in on their day. She might weave her fingers into Clarke’s hair to help her relax or pull Clarke’s legs into her lap to massage her calf muscles after a long shift at the bar.

“How was your afternoon with Lincoln?”

“He was very upset about being excluded from the New York bagel delivery.”

More of Clarke’s laughter broadens the small smile on Lexa’s mouth. “They were indeed very enviable bagels.”

“I’m glad you liked them. We’ll have to get more sometime.”

A pregnant beat in which Clarke doesn’t immediately respond has Lexa’s heart racing. “In New York?”

The insinuation of taking Clarke to Brooklyn is lightyears ahead of asking her to brunch, and Lexa scrambles to backtrack her overzealous suggestion while pulling her stupid hat over her eyes. “I, um—I didn’t mean—”

“Lexa, I’m sorry—ugh,” Clarke grunts in frustration. “I have to go help one of our servers with something.”

“Oh, uh, yeah, of course. I’ll let you go,” Lexa fumbles to say, grateful that Clarke’s endless string of responsibilities has saved her from more useless stuttering.

“Can I call you when I’m finished here? If it’s not too late?”

Lexa sits up and finally removes her hat. “Call me whenever.”

“Okay.” Lexa can hear the grin in Clarke’s response and indulges in one of her own. “Oh, and if the invitation still stands, I would go with you to New York any time, with or without the promise of bagels.”

Lexa cannot stop smiling. She doesn’t even try.

:::

[celestias-right-hoof-mas-au]

WARNING: Although this particular chapter does not depict violence or cursing, future installments will. As this story is based on an adult parody of MLP called The Mentally Advanced Series. I would encourage that if you had not watched it to do so to get a grasp of the world in which this takes place. Many of the jokes, lore, and otherwise are in reference to MAS, not just simply My Little Pony. I have also made a supercut that includes every reference and appearance of Celestia in the series. In case watching the entire MAS series maybe too time consuming. If you find Celestia, or other canon characters, used in crude and unpleasant depictions offensive, this is your warning. However, I would appreciate that you take a look anyway with an open mind. Celestia Supercut Link

Next > 

   The morning sun shimmered through Valiance Ascalon’s window. The large pale horse finished packing her briefcase and donned her metallic purple and gold armor. Her parents, a large albino shire and a dusty unicorn, awaited her along with the whole town of Salo at its entrance for Valiance’s departure.

   “... And remember to mind your manners, she is generous, but easily disrespected.” Valiance’s mother, the unicorn, warned as she stood on her back legs to give her daughter one final hug.

   “I know, Ma. You’ve told me several times.” Valiance replied warmly, returning the hug.

   “Don’t you forget about us either, write to us when you get the chance.” her father, the shire, said gruffly.

   “Yes, Pa, I knooow.” Valiance teasingly replied as she also gave him one more hug, “I’ll be sure to write to you as soon as I get settled.”

   “Hey, Valiance!” called a young colt who squeezed his way through the crowd, “I heard you’re going to Canterlot to work for Celestia. You better be nice, or she’ll have ya flailed!”

   “Junior!” the colt’s mother barked, slapping him in the back of the head.

   “Ow! What’d I do?! I was only telling her the truth!” the colt yelped, rubbing his head.

   Valiance chuckled, adjusting her helmet on before kneeling to the colt, “Thanks for the warning, but I think I’ll be ok.” She gave his mane a good ruffling before rising to her hooves. Within a few short strides, all she ever knew was behind her. Then, for one last time, she looked back to the town and proudly declared, “Hail Celestia!”

   “Hail Celestia!” cheered the villagers as they watched Valiance make her leave and waved goodbye.

   The town of Salo was located on the dryer half of the Hayseed Swamps where its residents lived in relative isolation for generations. Its closest neighbor was Dodge Junction, and even then, the walk Valiance had traversed, had taken from dawn to the early afternoon. It wasn’t the first time she had visited the junction for its train station, however, this time was different. Whether it was with her parents, with her classmates, or helping any of the local farmers deliver goods, Valiance had seen her fair share of mainland Equestria, if but briefly and never alone.

   Butterflies aggressively fluttered in her chest once she sat down in her seat on the train. The pony adjacent to her only quickly flipped through his paper as she attempted to gain his attention.

   “Sorry,” Valiance blurted out, “I’m quite nervous, it’s the first time I’m riding the train alone, heh, what about you?”

   The business pony shot her a look with half opened eyes, “Lady, it’s my job.” He flipped his paper to shield himself from the bizarre mare, yet her striking size and armor left his curiosity to be satisfied. Closing his eyes and taking in a sharp sigh, he threw his paper to his side and asked, “So what's your story?”

   Though the stallion could not see her face underneath her helmet, a gleam in Valiance’s eyes shimmered and a smile grew on her lips, “Oh! I am on my way to Canterlot to serve no other than Princess Celestia herself!”    “That explains the getup, but why would you wanna do something like that?”

   “Why wouldn’t I? What could be more meaningful in life than serving Celestia herself?”

   The stallion paused for a moment before lightly chuckling, “I get it now. You’re one of those cultists, aren’t you?”

   Valiance gasped, “I-I beg your pardon? A cultist?”

   “Yeah, every couple of years some loons come outta the woodwork sacrificing foals in the name of Celestia. It makes sense too, since you’re here at Dodge Junction. You probably swam outta the Hayseed Swamps, didn’t you?”

   “Well… yes. But I assure you, we’re not cultists. And we don’t sacrifice fillies. How could you say that to someone you just met?”

   “Hey, don’t worry about it.” He smiled while patting her shoulder, “I’m a cultist too. There’s a bunch of freaks and weirdos like us in the city. You’ll feel right at home.”

   Valiance sunk deep into her seat, regretting opening her mouth. As the stallion returned to his paper with a comforted smile, Valiance hoped her new acquaintance's words were exaggerated.

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

   It was late afternoon when the train had finally reached Canterlot. The cultist gave a friendly wave as Valiance rushed off trying not to look back. She quickly looked towards the station’s clock and noted, ‘I better grab a room so I can hurry to the military signup office before it closes.’ She briskly booked a room in the closest hotel she came across and rushed to the castle. With five minutes to spare, Valiance slammed the door open to the enlistment office.

   “Excuse me, there’s no need to cause a ruckus.” the front desk pony insisted as he shuffled a stack of papers, “How can I help you?”

   “I’m so sorry, but I didn’t want to wait until tomorrow to sign up.” Valiance panted, removing her helmet.

   “Eager to enlist? Never heard of that before. Well, here’s the papers, be sure to read thoroughly and don’t pretend like we didn’t warn you.” the secretary grunted as he handed Valiance a stack of documents.

   Valiance thought to herself aloud, “Wow, who would’ve thought it was so easy.”

   “That’s what they all say.” the secretary winked, “Let me know how it goes in a month. They always beg to get out.”

   Valiance’s signature sealed her fate in every document and with a smile stamped across her face, no less. Her stomach was tingling in excitement as the secretary looked over her papers.

   “Welcome to the royal army, soldier.” the secretary remarked while stamping her documents, “You’re in luck, the next boot camp starts up in a few days. Here’s a card of where it will be and what time. Don’t be late, cause we’ll find you if you are.”

   Valiance took the card while she giggled and jumped in place. Just that morning, she was back at home, and now she was working for the God Princess herself. Suddenly, she stopped, “Won’t I need a physical and mental examination of some sort?”

   “Sure. But that’ll come when boot camp starts. Not to mention, you look healthy enough. But between you and me, everypony gets accepted. Where do you think the masked guards come from?” the secretary asked as he leaned in closer, “Just don’t ask them about that. In fact, don’t ask them anything, ever. Don’t talk to them.”

   Valiance tightened her lips, “Thank you. I’ll, uh, be sure to keep that in mind.” Slowly she backed out of the office, wishing the secretary a goodnight, and into the evening air. With the amber glow of her magic, she wrapped her mane up as tightly as she could before placing her helmet back on. Despite the secretary’s warnings, Valiance didn’t feel any less enthusiastic about her success. She stretched and cracked her neck, wanting nothing more than to grab a quick bite to eat before heading back to her hotel room for some much needed rest. Thinking back to past field trips as a filly, she recalled the castle garden also led to the entrance and began to make her way through there as a shortcut.

   Inside, beautiful plants of nearly every kind flourished. Contrastly, horribly disfigured marble statues with faces of pure fear and agony drew the eye from every direction. ‘I don't remember the sculptures in the garden being so… what was it? Avant-garde?’ Valiance thought as she looked at a statue of a goblin-like creature mooning her, a lone pigeon sitting right on its exposed bottom.

   "They say that my work inspired the art of Jeffrey Dahmare." A low voice echoed from behind. Valiance froze at the sound and slowly turned to face the source. Towering over even her, hair glistening in the colors of day, stood the God Princess, Celestia. A confident smirk graced her lips, “Do you like it, Pale One?”

   Before Valiance’s knees could buckle from Celestia’s poise, she kneeled and lowered her head, “Your majesty, it’s an honor to be in your presence.”

   “I couldn’t help but be drawn towards your armor. It’s a vintage design. Where do you come from?”

   “The village of Salo, ma’am.”

   “Salo, you say? My, it has been a long time since someone mentioned that name. One of the few populations I needed not show force for their cooperation. Your people’s naivete is amusing, however, your innocence is admirable to an extent.”

   Valiance held her breath, unsure of the princess’ intentions behind her statement. Yet, after a moment, she replied with slight shakiness, “Much obliged, your majesty.”

   “Tell me, why are you here, Pale One?” Celestia asked.

   “As you said, our devotion to you is as strong today as when Salo was founded. To serve and to die for you would be my greatest honor.” Valiance replied humbly, “Today, I signed up for the royal army, in hopes of bringing glory to you, and the ponies of Salo.”

   Celestia’s eyes narrowed and her grin grew wider. After a few moments of silence, Celestia turned away towards the castle. As she departed she called back to Valiance, “I expect nothing but the best from my soldiers.”

   When Celestia left the premise, Valiance sprinted out of the castle grounds, heart pounding, and mind racing. Rushing to her hotel room, she threw off her armor, leapt onto her bed, and screamed into her pillow. Not a more perfect day could’ve existed for Valiance and in a few days her dream of servitude would begin.

   Before then, Valiance pulled out a pen and paper and began a letter to home about her first day in Canterlot.

[bigfootwrites]

A Jewel Beneath The Moonlight [Reposted Anniversary]

One

Two

Three

Four

Five

AO3

@today-in-fic @mypanicface @improlificinsarcasm @enigmaticxbee Please let me know if you’d like to be tagged in this

- - - 

CHAPTER SIX

Embarrassed, anger swirling through her, Scully storms out of the pool, throwing open the doors on her way out. She ignores the looks she gets for her actions, for the way the doors bounce off the walls and startle a woman nearby. She doesn’t care, she just needs to get far enough away from Mulder and all things first class. She barely acknowledges the crewman passing who barks at her to get back to her own deck, Scully gladly goes, climbing over the now locked gate.

She’s done. Done with all of it; the dinners, the people, Mulder. He can live in his sad fake world with his sad fake fiancé. In a few days time, she’ll get off this boat and never the two shall meet again.

His words still ring in her ears. His words, his father’s words, whoever’s words- she doesn’t care, they’re all the same- the same closed minded people who don’t give a shit about anything other than themselves.

But Mulder wasn’t.

She pushes that thought away, ignoring the truth and forcing herself to mould Mulder to be like everyone else. If he did care about her he wouldn’t be worried about what his father thinks.

Why did it always have to come down to what father’s thought of their children?

She finds herself in the galley before she realises, a room completely crowded with people doing nothing with their lives and it angers Scully even more, this whole ship does, every person on it. She’s sick of crowded rooms, of seeing the same people every day.

The novelty of things wears off eventually.

She spies Charlie in the corner, happy, laughing with a group of boys he’s befriended. This journey had given him the freedom to just be a kid, to not have to worry about finding a job or the constant response of “No, you can’t work here”, “No, we haven’t got any jobs free for you”, “No, you need more experience”. He hadn’t won much in the terms of a job, either.

Seeing him now, Scully is envious. Despite the hardships, he was still free to be a child, they could go home and Ma wouldn’t push him to find a job and here, he could laugh with as many people as he wanted, hopelessly flirt with as many girls as he wanted and there would be no consequences, no rules or hearts broken because of a stupid mistake.

Not in the mood for company, Scully leaves the galley, about to head into her room and shut the world away for the rest of the trip before a familiar little voice stops her.

“Dana!”

Scully turns to see a little girl, blonde curls bouncing behind her, bound towards her.

A smile passes across Scully’s face at the presence of Agnes, momentarily forgetting her sadness and anger, she kneels to the girl’s height.

“Hello,” Scully says. “Are you feeling better now?”

Agnes nods her head, her blue eyes bright and cheeks rosy with colour, so much better than the day before.

“You helped me be better,” the girl says. In her hands she holds a brown box and extends it forward towards Scully. “I wanted to give this to you, to say tack sjalv…That means thank you in Swedish.”

Scully takes the box from Agnes, her thumbs slipping under the lid and opening it. A dancer dressed in traditional Swedish clothing appears spinning around as music plays from the box.

A music box.

Scully smiles, warmed by the girl’s gesture of thank you. She looks from the music box to Agnes, the girl’s smile radiating happiness, proud of her gift.

“Are you sure?” Scully asks, thankful for the gift but also having first-hand knowledge that they didn’t carry much and what they did carry was something extremely special to them.

Agnes nods. “It was Mama’s but Papa said we couldn’t keep it anymore, it’s too much space.” Her smile falters at that and Scully knows that it was either to be given away or sold to a stranger.

“I’ll take it Agnes,” says Scully and the girl instantly cheers up. “I’ll look after it and won’t let anything happen to it.”

Agnes happily nods and gives Scully and hug before running off back down the corridor.

The music box in one hand, Scully opens the door and sets the box on the table, a wee bit happier than she was before.

 It’s strange how yesterday she was sat in a great big hall surrounded by shallow-minded people, eating food she could barely pronounce and today she is sat on the end of the bench eating mash and beef.

Well, eating being the desired action, she more than just picks at it.

She should probably eat it. All those times when she was younger, when she just wished there had been a slice of bread in the house remind her that she should eat food when she can, and eat all of it because who knows when the next one would be?

Her mood had lightened up with Agnes’ present but it hadn’t taken long for it to fall back down when she was alone. Maybe isolating herself wasn’t the best idea.

She can’t decide why this whole Mulder thing had gotten to her so. A similar thing had happened before, Scully had got in too deep with someone she shouldn’t and they had left her standing at a train station all night, never showing up themselves.

Whilst it had hurt to be humiliated, to walk back home with her tail tucked between her legs, she’d gotten over that situation fairly quickly and she’d done more than just dance with the man.

Scully tries not to think about the reasons, she was supposed to be blocking Mulder from her mind anyway, no dwelling on him.

“Decided dinner with your own kind is better then?”

Scully looks up to find Charlie opposite her, a smile plastered across his face from his ‘joke’. Sure, hilarious.

He sits down on the bench across from her. “I found your wee English fella before,” he tells her. “Well, he found me actually, jumped over the gate and all,” Charlie finishes with a smile at the memory.

Scully just frowns, why would a man who told her mere hours ago that he wanted nothing more to do with her go out of his way to talk to her younger brother?

“What did he want?”

“He just asked if I’d seen you, which I replied I hadn’t since the party and whatever glimpse I’d gotten of you before you ran out this morning.”

“I was with Agnes.”

Really, Scully doubts she’d spent no more than ten minutes with the lass but she wasn’t about to admit to her brother than she’d been lying in her bed depressed all day.

“Anyway, he said if I saw you to tell you to meet him by the mass at dinner time, he’ll be there.”

Scully thinks for a moment, calming the butterflies that fly in her stomach. Just what was Mulder playing at?

“He also said that you didn’t have to go if you didn’t want to, but something told him you will.” Charlie frowns, staring at her for a moment and Scully feels incredibly awkward.

“What happened between you two? You were getting along at that party last night.” His frown chances into a sly, knowing smile.

Emboldened, Scully pushes her bowl out of the way, leaning forward so her face was mere inches away from her brother’s.

“You can wipe that smile off ye face cause ye don’t know anything.”

She pushes herself away, standing up from the bench.

“You’re gonna go?” Charlie asks, leaning back also.

Scully nods.

“Can I have your food?”

Without a word, she pushes the bowl in Charlie’s direction. Curiosity and nerves blooming, she disappears off to find out what games Mulder wants to play.

 A chilly breeze blows across the deck, the sun almost setting in the distance. It looks beautiful, the orange and purples that paint the sky. It’s clear, the islands just off in distance visible. There’s no one out, every one off in the halls eating dinner, a perfect time Mulder chose.

Scully sees him near the mass just like he said, hunched over and leaning against the rails. At first she thought he’d be sitting on them, not unlike their first meeting. Despite her confusion, her curiosity, and the slight annoyance at his ever changing mind, she smiles at the memory.

“Are you always so moody, then?”

At the sound of her voice he turns, almost surprised to see her there.

“You came?” he asks.

Scully nods, “I did. I almost had second thoughts leaving the dinner hall but I thought I’d give you the benefit of the doubt.” She walks closer to him then, shivering in the slight chill, a mischievous smile flittering across her face. “So long as I’m not distracting you,” she almost whispers.

And while she smiles he does not, instead pain and regret etched on his face as he looks down at his feet.

“I shouldn’t have said that,” he apologises. “I just…I feel bad for everyone involved in this, even Phoebe, she…she’s a lot but she doesn’t really deserve this.”

There’s a moment when Scully wonders if they’ll ever be able to have a conversation that doesn’t include Phoebe’s name in it but she thinks back to Mulder’s earlier words, how their relationship was complicated, so no, she doubts they ever will.

“What are you trying to say, Mulder?”

He looks up at her then, almost shy. “I guess I’m trying to say that I want to do this. You and me. Us. If that’s what you want?”

Is it? Her anger at him casting her aside, at choosing his family over her, they weren’t friendly feelings. The need to see him today, the speak to him and spend time with him, that went beyond friendship, too. She’s known him less than three days and even in that short time span she can’t think of the moment when they overstepped the friends line.

She doesn’t think he knows either.

“You tried to kiss me when I walked you to the gate yesterday. Did you mean it?”

“I did,” he admits. “I wanted to but you stopped me so I thought maybe you didn’t and then…then before you said we were just friends so why the change?”

“Because you pissed me off,” she tells him, if they’re going to tell the truth they may as well both be truthful. “Because your father is right, I am a distraction.” She walks that little bit closer, now only a foot or so away from them both being in each other’s personal space.

“Does that bother you?”

Scully thinks about that. ‘Distraction’ maybe isn’t the nicest word to use for someone but in this moment she doesn’t care what some little person who seems as far away as the islands around them are, thinks she is.

“No,” she finally answers.

Mulder smiles and slowly outstretches his hand towards her.

“I want to show you something, Distraction.”

Scully smiles at the little nickname and takes his hand. Mulder leads her to the rails, places her where he was just standing.

“Step up onto the rails,”

Scully looks at him cautiously. “What? Are you planning on us both jumping off together or something?”

Mulder ignores her joke. “Just do it,” he says softly.

Grasping the heaviness of the situation she does as she’s told, stepping up on the first rail. She lets go of his hand to grasp hold of the mass, holding onto it for dear life as her feet wobble on the rail. With both of Mulder’s hands freed, she feels him take hold of her waist, holding her in place and instantly she feels a bit more secured.

“Are you sure we won’t get into trouble for this?” Scully asks, suddenly feeling cautious about any eyes that could be watching them.

“Why would we?” Mulder asks, incredibly close to her ear. “We’re not doing anything wrong.”

Correction: this whole step they’re taking is incredibly wrong but Scully decides not to dwell on that, instead basking it in, in the thrill of doing something that she shouldn’t be once more.

“So what am I supposed to be seeing?” she asks, turning towards him.

“Hang on a second.” He takes one of his hands off her side and uses it to cling onto the hand-rail, pulling himself up onto the bottom rail Scully stands on. She can feel every inch of his warm body pressed up against her, and still in her light and playful mood, she pretends to adjust herself so her entire body brushes against his. In response, the hand holding onto her clutches her tighter.

“Stop it,” he tells her, less lightly than before and Scully stops, allowing herself to just lean about into him.

“Look down at the water,” he tells her and she does so.

At first there’s nothing, just the waves caused by the ship as it ploughs on to their destination but then she sees it, a little speck of grey that appears in the air and disappears again. And another one. And a third.

“I see it!” she shouts, as three dolphins jump in and out of the water one after the other.

A smile passes across her face in happiness and delight, watching the creatures appear and disappear. This is what he wanted to show her and it doesn’t matter that she’s seen dolphins before, doesn’t bother her that it isn’t something more special, this is enough, just watching them jump in and out of the water, the cold chill of the wind against the front but the warmth of Mulder behind her, it’s all she can ask for. Slowly, everything fades away; the presence of people tucked behind walls, the view around her and the sun that continues setting in the distance, the ship, and its rails that she stands on and finally even Mulder disappears. Her eyes close and she’s warm and happy, free of all worries and stress. There’s no start or destination, it’s just her and the wind and the warmth.

Her surroundings come back soon, Mulder being the first thing to return to her. Scully opens her eyes again and looks down to the sea, the dolphins having gone. The spell broken and she misses their presence.

Weightless and carefree, she turns around in Mulder’s arms, taking her cold hands away from the mass and rail and presses them against Mulder’s warm chest, warming them up.

“Happy?” he asks quietly.

Scully nods. She looks up from her hands to find Mulder’s face inches away from hers. There’s a bit of a height difference between them like this and she steps onto her tip toes, clutching onto to Mulder to hold onto to as she presses her lips against his, once again her surroundings floating away around her.

She’s glad this is their first kiss. The one on the way to the gate would have been drunk and rough but this is sweet and perfect and much, much nicer.

It doesn’t go beyond that, as much as she wants it to be further it’s fine as it is, there’s more time for that later, anyway.

She pulls away, eyeing him nervously but something else catches his eyes. Frowning, his hands climb to her neck, slipping inside her collar to pull out her cross.

She looks at it from where he holds it between them.

“My mammy gave me it,” Scully explains. “My older brother tried to sell it one time but I didn’t let him. Instead I hid it and told everyone I lost it, until it was time to leave and I started wearing it again.” She unclasps it, handing it to Mulder to look at it. “I don’t know why I wouldn’t let them have it,” she wonders almost to herself.

“It’s yours. It means something to you.” She watches as he runs his thumb over the slim lines of the cross.

“I guess,” Scully agrees, staring at it. “It would have fed us, though.”

She watches him continue staring at it and it’s almost like he’s disappeared inside himself, frowning and thinking as he continues to stroke and hold the necklace.

He looks to her, his eyes searching hers and an almost pleading look on his face.

“You can say no,” he begins, before stopping to swallow nervously. Scully waits, interested in what he’s about to ask her. “Can…can I draw you wearing this?” She’s about to answer with a yes before he cuts her off. “Just wearing this?”

[ladyideal]

Sunny Georgia

Pairing: Leonard McCoy x Reader

Word Count: 1523+ (It’s short I’m sorry)

Warnings: Language, whole lot of fluff

Summary: Shore leave back home.  You find happiness and content, with the hope of something more one day.

A/n: Whew, first pic went off with a blast. It looks like I’ll be making a masterlist soon, if I’m not too careful. 

Shore leave.

Glorious shore leave. 

It had been two years in space, and now Starfleet Command, finally, finally approved of a two weeks break back home, a rarity. . The crew cheered as the ship docked back onto Spacedock, and many packed their bags, sent out their well wishes, and hurried to take the next shuttle back down to the station. 

Unfortunately for Spock and you though, there were still the matter of briefing the Admiralty on your latest adventures out in the unknown. So, Leonard hefted both his and your duffle bags, filled with equal parts of PADDs and clothes, and followed after Spock and Nyota to a recently docked shuttle heading back down to dirtside.

“Two weeks of sunshine, concrete, and grass. What do you say?” You glanced over at your boyfriend, doing your absolute best to distract him from the ride. “Could go ride the waves, visit your mom and Joanna, maybe even see if we can squeeze in time for a carnival here?”

You looked over a brochure, detailing the rides and food of a carnival not far from HQ. Grinning inwardly, you knew you were going to have a blast, especially now that you were back home. 

“Sweetheart,” He groaned, squeezing his eyes shut. “How about we just stick with just two places?”

“Come on, Len!” You placed a hand on his shoulder, comforting him through the shuttle ride. “We might as well have a date at the carnival, that’s something we haven’t done before.”

As the train pulled into the station, Leonard released a relieved sigh. “Thank god,” he muttered as the rest quickly became lost under his breath.

“Hopefully this goes fast. I’ll see you at noon,” You embraced him quickly, enjoying the warmth and love that he reciprocated. With a quick grin, you followed after Spock towards the headquarters.

It was not fast, much to your dismay.

“My god, Spock, that took ages,” You complained, crossing your arms as you descended down the stairs with him. “I swear they just wanted to know every damn minute of what we did. It’s supposed to be shore leave, not spend the entire day at headquarters leave.”

‘Certainly Captain, logically speaking, Admiral Smythe would want to know the details of our mission. However, it is illogical to assume that-.”

“If Smythe had his way, we wouldn’t be out of there till near evening,” You frowned at the thought of that. Having adventures was the upside of being Captain, but was also the source reports as high as mountain. There was also the same glaring report that was still on your PADD, thrown away carelessly to the side of your luggage. Oh no, you didn’t even want to picture it, much less think of more work you have to finish soon.

“Admiral Smythe is correct in his findings, but-,” Spock added on.

“Nyota! Leonard!” You interrupted him, waving back when the two mentioned waved at you from the entrance of the academy. 

“We survived the briefing though, and that’s what matters the most. God knows it would’ve been much much longer if Admiral Owens didn’t cut in, and helped move the conversation along,” You returned back to the conversation at hand. “Talking about him-.”

“We should get going soon. Ma is expecting us for dinner tonight,” Leonard wrapped an arm around your shoulders.

“As should we, our plane departs in an hour to visit my parents,” Nyota added on, smiling softly up at Spock. 

“Already?” You squinted at the chrom. How long did the briefing take?

“Yes, darlin’,” Your boyfriend rolled his eyes, as though he couldn’t believe that you didn’t notice that the sun was well past the midpoint of the sky.

“Oh,” You mumbled, and grinned back at Nyota and Spock. “Take some pictures for us? I would love to see what it’s like over there.”

“Of course,” Nyota hugged you, and you responded back.

“See y'all soon.”

And that’s exactly how you spent your first week and a half at Georgia. Elenor was a godsend, making the most delectable soul food you could ever imagine on a day by day basis. Honestly, you were beginning to grow worried that you were becoming fat with the more you eat, but you didn’t care. Joanna, or Jojo that Leonard affectionately called her, was an absolute delight to have around. And secretly, you would love to have her as your step daughter.

 Every day was planned differently. A day at the library, a day at the lake - that Leonard was not too happy about -, and a day meant to spoil her and your dear boyfriend all together. As a teenager, she fully understood what was going on around her, and embraced it. But for the most part, you stood in the background, letting the father daughter duo catch up with one another. 

While you weren’t with Joanna, you spent hours swapping stories with Leonard’s sister, Donna. With having no other siblings, it was refreshing to have someone that could understand what you were going through as Leonard’s girlfriend in a small rural town. As the day darkened into the evening sky, you leaned against the stairs.

“It’s good to be back here. I’ve missed this place,” You sigh in content, watching the stars above twinkle in the unpolluted night sky.

“How long do ya still have out there?” Donna curiously asked.

“Another three years, I’m afraid,” You closed your eyes, wanting to feel the cool wind breathe across your sun tanned skin. “And I owe practically my life to the little brother of yours after all we’ve gone through. Everything up there can change in just a blink of an eye. It’s not easy, I’ll tell you that. Any moment I could lose him or myself or both of us.”

His sister hummed quietly. “He knows right?”

You opened an eye to peek over at her. “We have, but we’re taking it one day at a time; see what the universe has in store for us,” but you understood her underlying implication. “I don’t wanna push him. As long as he’s happy, I’m happy too.”

She continued observing you, sensing that you have more to say. 

“I just want the best for him after that chaotic break up with Jocelyn. Donna, I’m satisfied with where I am in life now. I get to captain my ship, have a loving boyfriend. There is nothing in this galaxy that I could want anymore, except for happiness.” 

“Donna! Y/N! Time for dinner!” Elenor exclaimed from the kitchen, moving to go climb the staircase to wake her son and granddaughter. 

“Knowing my brother,” Donna mulled over her words slowly. “I would say, he would want the same for you. All I see from him is affection and love, nothing less. I think, deep down he knows you are different from Jocelyn, that you and him aren’t the same as when him and her were together back then. He sees a future with you in it. It’s a surprise, but it’s not unwelcomed. Without him being pushed out into space, he would never have had the opportunity to meet you. Lenoard sees it simply, happiness. And after such a long time, he has found it with you.”

She held your gaze, a serious look on her face. 

“You think so?” You asked quietly. 

“I know so,” Leonard’s sister stood up, extending a hand out to help you up also. “C’me on, let’s go before ma yells again.”

After yet another wonderful dinner, and being shooed away from washing dishes again for the third night in a row, you found yourself leaning on Leonard’s shoulder on the porch steps, observing the clear night sky above again.

“I’m glad we came back home for leave,” you sipped on your iced tea at ease.

“I am too, sweetheart, we both needed this,” The doctor agreed, hugging you ever more tightly to him.

“Y’know Len, I’ve been thinking,” You thought out loud, keeping your eyes up at the stars. “Hopefully next time, we can get a place of our own. Renovate it and stuff to make it ours. Maybe a ranch or something, and get away from Starfleet when we can. One day we can have little pebbles of our own, Joanna be the big sister to them all, and be one big happy family.”

There was silence for a long moment.

“Um, Leonard?” You prompted, suddenly worried that you’d said too much too early in the current stage of your relationship with him. You turned to face him, finding that he was staring back at you the entire time, eyes glittering with love and affection.

“Do you mean that?” He managed out.

“Of course, I do, Len,” You smiled warmly at him.

Gently, his lips touched yours, sealing the deal. As long as you were with him by his side, everything and anything would be possible. Yes, he could definitely see you in his foreseeable future. His other hand stuck into his pocket, where it met a particular hard object. A small velvety hard box in particular, something he’d been sleeping on for the last couple of days. For a moment, he affectionately observed you from the side. Yes, it will be soon.

Tags: @cuddlememerrick @mapachefaerie @floreatetona (if you want to be tagged in future fics, please let me know.)

[savedbystyle]

cruel summer (b.b)

pairing: highschool!bucky barnes x reader

warning: angst, death of major character

summary: falling in love was scary, but thrilling especially when it was with bucky barnes

a/n: this is the second part to the lover series!!! i have received such positive feedback about i forgot that you existed and OMG it makes me incredibly happy:) also i know that during the times bucky went to high school it was all white students BUT that would suggest a white reader, and my aim is to make the reader as fitting to YOU as possible. I get it i’m indian and the pain, but yeah so were just gonna pretend were in those times but with todays diversity:)

song: cruel summer by taylor swift 

gif credits to original creator

****

Fever dream high In the quiet of the night You know that I caught it

You were walking through the halls with your friends June and Sara, careful not to bump into anyone. “I can’t believe that you and Connor are going out Sara” June said with a big smile on her face. “Oh for lord’s sake June, calm down its not that big of a deal” “Oh Sara darling, it IS! I mean Connor is one of the most well known boys in school plus he’s as cute as a bug’s ear” 

You laugh at the banter between June and Sara when you accidentally bump into someone.You bend down to pick up your books, but not before someone does it for you. You stand up and look at the attractive man standing in front of you. Your eyes meet the steel blue eyes in front of you. “I’m sorry doll, didn’t mean to hurt ya there. I’m Bucky” you smiled at him “I know, Bucky. My name is y/n, thanks for helping me” You smiled at the attractive man in front of you and made your way back to your gaping friends. “That was-” June paused “Bucky Barnes” Sara completed for her friend. “Oh stop it you’re gonna get flies in your mouth. He’s just a boy, now come on we gotta get to our class” What you didn’t notice was Bucky staring at you and your friends, a small smile etched onto his face. 

Bad, bad boys Shiny toy with a price You know that I bought it

Throughout the week, you never saw Bucky again. It didn’t bother you, but you didn’t mind seeing that gorgeous face of his. Your class had just ended and it was time to go home. You were walking home when you heard someone shout behind you. You turned around to see Bucky, running towards you with a smile on his face. “Hey there doll” he said panting, trying to catch his breath. “Hello James, what is it?” He raised his eyebrow when you called him James, but excused it. “You’re such a pretty dame you know that” He said, smiling even bigger when he saw the blush take over your face. 

“Thank you James, but you’re not here to tell me that are you?” “No doll, uh, I was wondering if you’d let me take you out sometime?” Your heart skipped a beat, but you doubted the words considering you’ve never talked to him before. “This ain’t a joke, is it James cause that wouldn’t be very nice” “No, I promise doll. Let me take you out” You looked up at his face and noticed the genuine look “Fine. This Friday after class, alright? I got Miss Jamie last” You left him on the side of the road, continuing your walk home, smiling and excited about your date.   

Killing me slow, out the window I'm always waiting for you to be waiting below

It was Friday, and you were tapping your foot anxiously, waiting for the bell to ring out. “Remember, you all have to read Act 3 Scene 1 of the Great Gatsby by Monday’s class!” Miss Jamie told your class as the bell rang. Your heart was racing as you got your books in your arms and waited to get out the door. When you got out you could see Bucky’s head perk up, noticing you. He smiled, and you returned it with a shy one. “Hey doll, you ready?” He asked, holding out his hand for you to take. “Yeah James, lets go” 

The two of you walked to the diner all the couples in high school went to, and sat down at a booth. The waiter approached your table and asked what the two of you would like “Can we have an all the way please” “Sure, that’ll be right out” You smiled at Bucky, but hesitating to ask the questions you’ve been dying to know. “James, can I ask why me? I mean you’ve never talked to me before” “Y/n, you’re the first person who didn’t go out of their way to talk to me. It gets tiring you know? But I can tell you’re a special one” You smiled at him and you two talked the day into the night, and the waiter could tell that the twi of you were already in love. 

Devils roll the dice, angels roll their eyes What doesn't kill me makes me want you more

After that date, you and Bucky went on many more. Even during school Bucky would hold you by your waist, or when you’re going to your next class he’d sneak up on you and sneak a kiss leaving you blushing. You even met Bucky’s best friend, Steve Rogers, who was one of the most honest and kindhearted men you ever met. You met Steve’s dame as well, Peggy Carter, and the four of you quickly became a close knit group, doing everything together. Of course, you would ask to bring your best friends along, who quickly approved of Bucky seeing as he made you happy. 

You went home that day and decided to tell your parents about your new partner. You opened the door and saw your mother sitting on the couch watching some television and your father who had come home early reading the day’s newspaper. “Hi darling, how was your day?” your mother asked approaching you and kissing your forehead. “It was great ma, hi papa” Your father said hi and smiled at you, patting the now empty seat besides him signaling for you to come sit. “Uh, ma, papa? I’ve been meaning to tell y’all something. I’m going out with James Barnes now” Your mom had a smile on her face, while your dad’s expression didn’t change. “Papa?” You asked, your voice quiet “I will not allow it, you’re still too young y/n” “Nonsense y/f/n, we met each other at the same time” Your mother butted in “I said I won’t allow it” He met your eyes, and you rushed out the door trying to get to Bucky’s as fast as you can. When you found him, you started crying and pulled him close to your chest. “Doll, hey, what’s wrong?” He asked, comforting you “My papa, he doesn’t want me seeing you. Say’s i’m too young to see people” you say in between tears. “I just wanted him to like you, James” “Hey doll, it gonna be alright. We’ll make it work, alright? I’d do anything for ya” You looked up at him, and pulled him down to meet your lips.

And it's new The shape of your body, it's blue The feeling I've got And it's ooh, whoa oh It's a cruel summer  

Your school year had ended, meaning that the both of you were about to go to university now. You had gotten into Columbia considering both your parents were alumni, but Bucky on the other hand decided to enlist in the army. “Bucky, I swear you’re nuts” you walked across his room back and forth “Why would you do that? Why would you enlist in the army James?” Bucky winced. You had stopped calling him James, but rather Bucky so when you called him James he knew he was in trouble. “Doll, I thought you’d be more supportive of me” He said, dropping his head. 

You fell silent, and went to sit beside him “I am proud of you Bucky, honest” “Then what is it, doll?” he asked voice breaking. You replied eyes full of tears for the unknown “I’m scared that one day, someone is gonna come knockin on my door and tell me that the last time I saw you was truly the last time. I’m scared that you’re gonna get shot and hurt, and you will spend the rest of your life upset over it. I’m scared that when I kiss you goodbye at the train station, its the last time i’ll ever kiss you and see you Buck. I’m just scared of loosin you” you admitted, tears streaming down your face. Bucky was crying as well know. He lifted your face to meet your eyes, and kissed you with as much vigor as he could. “Doll, no matter what, I will always come back home to you” You kissed him, not letting him go. And that night ended up with you two sleeping in each other’s arms.

It's cool That's what I tell 'em, no rules In breakable Heaven but Ooh, whoa oh It's a cruel summer With you

That entire summer, the both of you spent almost all of it together. Day after day, Bucky would take you out on a date sometimes with Steve and Peggy, but most times just the two of you. You enjoyed every moment you had with the love of your life, refusing to thing about when he get’s deployed. You enjoyed strawberry sundaes, and ferris wheels at the fair. You even went to the Stark Expo, where the both of you had the time of your lives. You had later found out from Steve that he had secretly enlisted in the army as well and got in. That night, you and Bucky yelled at Steve but later pulled him into a hug. “I swear to god punk if you hurt yourself” “I will personally come over and kill you Steve” you said jokingly. Steve chuckled “I promise I will be alright” 

When Steve went home, Bucky and you went to the roof of his apartment and laid down watching the stars. “Darling, i’m leaving next week for the army” You got up and looked at Bucky “Buck, I thought it was the end of the summer?” “They needed us to do some extra training for the war darlin. I promise I will write to you everyday, not a chance i’d miss it” You scooted closer to him and put your head on his chest. “I’m countin on it James” 

I'm drunk in the back of the car And I cried like a baby coming home from the bar (oh) Said, "I'm fine", but it wasn't true I don't wanna keep secrets just to keep you And I, snuck in through the garden gate Every night that summer just to seal my fate (oh) And I screamed, "For whatever it's worth" "I love you, ain't that the worst thing you ever heard?"

It was the week after you dropped Bucky off at the train station, and you missed him so much. He sent his first letter two days back, sending his dog tag along with it. He wrote, 

Hi Doll,

     Every night I lie awake thinkin of you darlin. There isn’t a day that goes by where you don’t cross my mind. I remember the first time we met, and I now know that that was the first day I fell in love with you. I fell in love with the strong, independent woman you are. I fell in love with kindhearted woman you are. I fell in love with you. I love you y/n y/l/n and I hope you love me too. I am giving you one of my dog tags so you always have something of mine to wear. I promise you when I come back, i’m marrying you doll. I know I should be telling you this in person but I feel the need to tell you know. I hope you have a great day doll. I miss you a lot. 

Yours truly, 

James (Bucky) Barnes

You felt a tear trail down your cheek as you held the dog tag close to your heart. It felt as if he was still there with you, and you murmured “I love you, Bucky Barnes” The two of you wrote for months on end, until one day an officer knocks on your door telling you that him and his regiment were captured by the opposing side. They called it Hydra. But you didn’t care for the name, you cried for Bucky and his safety. You missed him. You had also found out that Steve was injected with the serum and became plenty rugged. Meanwhile, you were at school continuing your studies like you know Bucky would’ve wanted you to do.  

It's cool That's what I tell 'em, no rules In breakable Heaven but Ooh, whoa oh It's a cruel summer With you

You heard a knock on your door and went to open it. Standing in all his glory was the love of your life. You flung your arms around Bucky, smelling his cologne you grew to love. “Bucky, oh lord, I thought you died” you sobbed into his shoulder and pulled away to see his face. He smiled, caressing your face pulling you into a kiss. “Steve saved us, doll. I’m alright” “I love you Bucky, and whenever you choose to I will marry you” He smiled kissing you again as if it was the last time he could. The two of you spent the entire night surrounded by the others naked body, memorizing each and every curve and scar. When Bucky left again, you had a little more hope this time that he would come back to you. The letters never ended, until they did one day. 

You heard a knock on your door, letting the person know you were coming. You opened the door to see a shattered looking Steve holding Bucky’s uniform. “Bucky, uh, fell off a train during a mission. Y/n, I tried to catch him but I couldn’t” Steve was sobbing, and you put a hand on your mouth not believing this cruel joke the universe played on you. “Oh Steve” The both of you held on to each other, the last piece of Bucky both of you had. Both of you mourned for the loss of a best friend, the loss of the love of your life. 

A couple of weeks later, you went to the place Steve was at to surprise him. You saw Peggy and went over to her. “Hey Pegs, have you seen Steve” Her eyes started watering and she sighed before gaining her composure. “Captain Steve Rogers went down in the Arctic last week. I had assumed you had found out, but i’m sorry y/n. Steve’s gone” You were numb, you felt no pain. First the love of your life, and now your best friend. You went home that day and cried for the loss of America’s heroes. You mumbled to yourself, “It’s been a cruel summer with you, Bucky Barnes”.  

slang used: 

all the way: chocolate or fudge cake with ice cream

cute as a bug’s ear: very cute

doll and dame: a woman

nuts: crazy

[suffering-and-happy-about-it]

Mount Everest Ain't Got Shit On Us (Fezco X Fem!reader, Part 15.) - The Final Problem, Part 1.

Description: You were always told that your life will be as you wish it to be if you’ll study enough. That it will pay off if you work hard. And some people were given you like a scary example of what will happen when you don’t obey. But sometimes it feels good to disobey.

A/N: Inspired by the song I Mean It by G-Eazy and Remo.

Warnings: Really important character arc and development surrounding Fran.

Word count: 2 K

Read the rest here, babe:  PART 1  PART 2  PART 3  PART 4  PART 5  PART 6  PART 7  PART 8  PART 9  PART 10  PART 11  PART 12  PART 13  PART 14

Masterlist and declaration: H E R E

Tagging: @charmed-asylum, @jeyramarie, @pantherxrogers, @analia-analia-analia​

You know... I should tell you something. I feel like it's appropriate. It's time. I may have told you in the first place, but fuck me. I'm not perfect. Neither is anybody around me. Neither is you.

I'm you. I'm the part of your head which still believes in the better days. The one who keeps telling you to survive the end until the end, until the last ringing, until the last minute of your work time. I'm the part of you who tries to warn you about things that are coming and that will be bad for you.

But you know, baby. These things happen. I can't predict the future. Neither can you, neither can your sis or bro, neither can your mom. So when the rollercoaster goes downhill, I'm basically helpless and my hands are tied. We failed. And I can't save the situation. And trust me, it's the worst feeling on the planet, seeing you suffer.

But sometimes even I can't help you.

A knock on your window could be heard just five minutes after midnight. You weren't asleep at the time, only listening to some songs with a melancholic smile on your lips.

But that knock had wakened you up completely. It wasn't swift nor easy, so it wasn't Fezco or Rue. Instead of them, you found Fran there, not even able to stand on her own feet. You watched her and gulped, listening to the quiet house. She was drunk again. You closed her eyes and exhaled, opening the window slowly and helping her crawl into your room.

You listened to the house a bit in case you've wakened up your parents, but the house was totally quiet as Fran laid down on your bed. You watched her and prayed for her not to do any particular bullshit at that time. You loved her, you did, but you didn't like drunk Fran a bit.

She was like a random machine, she could do anything, she was feeling invincible like a Superman and you couldn't tell her otherwise.

You lived through many of her phases, either drunk or sober, drugged or almost clinically dead. You knew what your older sister was capable of when she was drunk as fuck. Maybe even high. Maybe both. You watched her in silence with a furrow on your face.

"Come 'ere, shithead." - She opened up her arms and invited you to cuddle with her. You did, but you could feel her intense stench. She smelled like vodka and cigarettes combined with some weed. - "Ugh, I love to cuddle yo, yo so soft." - Fran hummed into your hair and smiled. Parents never saw her shitfaced like that.

You were keeping her drunk ass out of trouble, keeping her low and quiet. That's what you needed to do that time as well.

"Fran, you're saying that because you're drunk." - You hugged her back and cuddled to her side.

"Also I heard somethin' funny, yo wouldn't believe." - She raised on her elbow, playing with your hair. If only you could tell what shit train just arrived at the station.

"Okay. Surprise me. What's that?" - You rose your eyebrows and let her hand caress your hair.

"I heard dat... Oh, dis is funny, sis. I heard dat there's a youn' girl smugglin' for Fez. Would ya believe?" - Fran smiled silently. Your eyes shut open and your face froze when you watched in visible confusion. Slowly, you sat up, furrowing at her. How could she know? How could she hear that? - "I heard dat the girl is somethin' like his drug princess or what."

Yeah, you did that just to try it and to help your boyfriend in something similar to an existential crisis, but that was all. You tried some drugs with Fezco, that was true as well, but you weren't a junkie. What the fuck? How could she find out? Did somebody saw you and Rue? Bullshit.

But who told her then?

In one way or another, you hated her gaze. She was looking at you like she was the better one. Like she knew better. Fucking Fran.

"I don't have a clue what you're talking about, Fran. Lay down and sleep, you're drunk. I won't tell parents." - You stood up from the bed intending to throw up in your small bathroom. Your head felt dizzy as your pressure got higher. That was a fucking nightmare.

"I don't fuckin' care. You can tell 'em, but just take a look at yo own ass, sis." - She sat up and watched her down. You were gripping one of the cabinets so you could remain on your own feet. - "Fezco ain't any good news for yo, sis. Yo better get yo ass far away from him."

"Listen up. We've been here many times, Fran. It's just you and your godlike fucking complex again. Leave me the fuck out of it." - You pointed your finger at her. Yeah. Fran was talking you down on shit daily. She just did that.

She had the feeling that she has the upper moral hand over - since she fucked herself up, she tried you to be better than her. But you were sick of that. Fran just told you what you can do or can't do. And that was the moment when you just snapped.

Fran was a fucked-up person. And you knew that for a long time now. But you loved her even through that. At least you tried to love her.

Weed addiction? Her fault, not yours. Her alcohol addiction? Her fault, not yours. The feeling in her head that told you she needs to fuck her consciousness off the boundaries until she lies in her own vomit without even having an idea what's happening around her? Her need to take hardcore drugs? To be high on LSD or coke? Again, her fault - not hers.

Yeah, you weren't the saint either - you started to smoke weed with Fez from time to time, sometimes he brought you a little hallucinogenic surprise to take your fucking on a whole another level - but you didn't shove any of it into her fucking face or tried to tell her that she can't do it.

You would never do that. Those were your own little addictions, your own little failures which you learned from. Not hers.

Fran needed to learn where the boundaries laid. And you were just sick of her basically directing your life. You learned a lot of fucked-up through your relationship with Fez. You had a lot on your own mind. She didn't need to add up even more.

"I fucking have done that. I snuggled a package. And why the fuck should you care about any of that in the first place? It's been the worst thing I've ever done and I told Ash and Fez that I'm never ever doing that again." - You whisper-shouted at her, ready to scream at her at any given moment.

You didn't fucking care that you will wake your parents up. You didn't care that they'll see Fran in her current state and that they'll be extremely upset after her four months on rehab. Or that she would probably go there again. For a much longer time because she definitely had some drugs in her blood flow.

"Do you even know how much and how long I was arguing with Fez after that? We could barely talk to each other for three weeks after that." - You took your pillow and threw it on the ground. You needed to throw something around and you didn't want to make too much noise or worse, broke something.

"But guess fucking what. You're going to laugh now, okay?" - You came to her and looked her in the face. Fran sat there, her mouth open and she hadn't got any words for you. She just didn't know what the fuck should she tell you.

"I am not you, sis. I know where is the line between addiction and relaxation. I can stop myself after one try. I am not a fucking junkie like you are, Fran. I am not you." - Great. Now tears were streaming down your cheeks because Fran was crying too. Your words seriously hurt her like nothing else could. - "And because I'm not you, can you just stop pretending you understand everything way better than I can? Can you stop telling me what should I do and what shouldn't I? Because guess what, Fran. It's fucking annoying the living shit from me."

You didn't know what happened at all, your consciousness probably turned off when Fran pushes your body with all the strength she had and you fell down on the cabinet. With whining, you sat back up and felt as the hot blood streamed down from your temple. You started to cough as you sat up and it felt like you're really about to vomit.

Fran stood there with hands over her mouth, tears were streaming down her cheeks as she started to kneel down to nurse you. She was whispering apologies. She has done that. She fucking hurt her baby sister for telling her the truth she already knew.

But you pushed her off of you and then you both looked at the door. Your mom tried to come in, but your door was locked again - so she politely knocked on it. Fran froze down from fear and looked at you, begging you not to say anything. She knew what would happen after that - doctors, your parents being angry, four walls of the rehab center, therapeutics, group sessions, pills.

"Are you okay, honey? I heard a loud bang." - Your mom asked though the door as she yawned.

You should tell her what happened in that room that night. You should. But you loved Fran. And you didn't want her to be hurt so much.

"I'm... I'm fine. I just went to the bathroom and slipped on a t-shirt which I forgot to pick up. Sorry for waking you up, ma!" - You answered loudly and Fran started to cry even more, but still quietly, as you picked your ass up from the floor.

"I told you that you should clean up your room. Love you, goodnight." - She said with a smile in her voice and left your door as you started to put on your clothes. Some sweats and a sweatshirt should do, you told yourself.

"Love you, goodnight!" - You screamed back and put on the old Vans shoes from the time you thought that you're a big skateboard wizard and which you kept under the bed since you started to creep out from your window.

"Where the fuck are you goin'?" - Fran asked as she watched you opening the window leading into your garden. - “I tell ya that it’s freezin’ outside and it’s gonna get worse asshat.”

"I don't know yet. Maybe Rue's, maybe Jules's and maybe Fezco's. I'll see how I feel on the way." - You crawled into the window and let your feet hang from it. - "Stay in my bed until the morning. Then we'll talk. Shut up and they won't find you." - You gave her a piece of advice and left, taking your bike and riding into the downtown.

You already knew where you're going. You drove to that place without even thinking about the road in front of you. Your crying hasn't changed anything, you knew every hill, every bump and every tree alongside the road.

Of course, it was Fezco's place.

Only if you knew that there won’t be any morning in which you two could actually talk it through.

[iknowthekoolaidflavor]

Only Human

Part 7

“Do you think they’ll see you coming?”, Herc asked

“Once we cross the state line, it’s inevitable”, Lafayette responded as he finished packing his bag, “I’m sorry we have to leave you behind ma moitié”

“I know, I know. You don’t want me to get hurt. If Thomas’s father was human, I would have kicked his ass by now”

“My love”, he grinned as he looked for his socks, “Are you growing a soft spot for Thomas?”

“If (Y/N) can do it, so can I. He’s a little rough around the edges, but he doesn’t deserve any of this. No one does”

Lafayette crossed their room, pulling Herc into a kiss. They had no idea what would happen once they crossed the state line. Your father and Peter had people every where.

“Just come back to me, okay?”

Herc knew that when Lafayette kissed him again, he only did so to avoid responding. There was no way of knowing if they would all make it back. So many things about this trip could not go in their favor.

He held Hercules a little tighter that night. When morning eventually comes, he would silently slip out of bed after kissing Herc for what he thought may be the last time.

You paced back and forth as you went over the plan in your head. It seemed simple enough, but knowing your father, anything could happen.

You just needed to make it home and hope that Peter hasn't gotten to him before you could. When you turned around again, Thomas was standing right in front of you. At this point, it didn't even frighten you anymore.

"Why aren't you sleeping?", he questioned

"How am I supposed to sleep? There so much to worry about. He's not the most understanding man. You’ve met him before"

"That's true but last time you dealt with him all on your own. You have Laf now and you also have me. He has to listen"

"A part of me believes he won't"

"Peter tried to harm you more than once", he scoffed, "Unless he's like my dad, I don't think you have anything to worry about. He actually cares about you"

Thomas pulled you into a hug and squeezed you. You allowed him to comfort you for once.

"Can you just stay here?", you found yourself asking, "I really need a friend right now"

"Me too"

You climbed into bed with Thomas, holding each other tight.

As you reached the state line, you felt yourself growing more anxious than ever. You tried distracting yourself by talking to Laf about school and Herc, but whenever you brought up his boyfriend he changed the subject. 

You knew he was worried too. You all were. 

“Dammit”, Thomas cursed as he rubbed his arms

“Why didn’t you bring jacket”, Laf smirked

“I had a jacket, but it was torn because of Peter. Now I don’t even know where it is”

“(Y/N) had it last. She...sorry”, he smirked again as he looked at you

Thomas turned in your direction, waiting for you to continue with a cocked eyebrow. You dug opened your bag and first thing you saw was Thomas’s favorite jacket. You knew how much he loved it. You placed it in his hands, taking in his shocked expression.

“You learned another spell?”

“No, this one is all me, see?”, you pointed to the threading that was still a little visible 

Thomas sat in silence. No one has ever done anything like this for him before. He didn’t know how to respond. It appeared to be such a simple gesture, but it was more than that. He felt a tear slip down his cheek.

“My sewing skills aren’t that bad”

Thomas let out a laugh as he pulled you into a hug. It was becoming a common occurrence between the two of you. He whispered a thank you before putting on his jacket. 

The train station was a thirty minute drive from your house. In thirty minutes you would be face to face with your father and possibly Peter. Thomas may believe that your father is on your side, but you felt the complete opposite. For years, he made you feel like you were weak and didn’t matter, yet in the same breath would destroy anyone before they could even have a foul thought about you. It was as if he was the only one that could make you feel like shit and no one else could.

The three of you waited outside for your Lyft. It was only six minutes away.

“Are we ready for this?”, you asked

“It’s a little too late for--”

You heard Laf and looked in his direction. He was no where to be found. No trace of his belongings. Just an empty spot next to you.

“Thomas--”, you panicked more as you realized he was gone as well

They would never leave you to do this on your own. Your heart raced as a familiar black car pulled into the parking lot. The driver got out and opened the door. The man you had come to see sat comfortably in the backseat.

“Hello sweetheart”, your father sighed, “Now why would you bring those wizards with you if all you wanted to do was talk?”

You stood there feet frozen to the ground. Everything screamed for you to run and find Thomas and Laf, but deep down you already knew.

“Come on (Y/N)”, he said as he patted the empty seat next to him, “Let’s have a chat”

[bquiett]

Beach life-in-Death-

Last night I drove to Harper's Ferry and I thought about you There were signs on the road that warned me of stop signs The speed limit kept decreasing by ten As we entered a town about halfway there It was almost raining at the train station We put our hoods on our heads at the train station We threw rocks into the river The river underneath the train tracks And when the train came it was so big and powerful When it came into the little station I wanted to put my arms around it But the conductor looked at me funny So we had to say goodbye and leave The monopoly board still in the backseat Took that nightmare left turn to get out of town Ran into the decreasing speed limits again What should I do? (Eat breakfast) What should I do? (Each lunch) What should I do? (Each dinner) What should I do? (Go to bed) Where can I go? (Go to the store) Where can I go? (Apply for jobs) Where can I go? (Go to a friend's) Where can I go? (Go to bed) I wrote "Beach Death" when I thought you were taken I wrote "Beach Funeral" when I knew you were taken I wrote "Beach Fagz"—well it wasn't about you But it could've been, well no it couldn't have I spent a week in Ocean City And came back to find you were gone I spent a week in Illinois And came back to find you were still gone I pretended I was drunk when I came out to my friends I never came out to my friends We were all on Skype And I laughed and changed the subject She said "what's with this dog motif" I said "do you have something against dogs" I am almost completely soulless I am incapable of being human I am incapable of being inhuman I am living uncontrollably It should be anti-depression As a friend of mine suggested Because it's not the sadness that hurts you It's the brain's reaction against it It's not enough to love the unreal I am inseparable from the impossible I want gravity to stop for me My soul yearns for a fugitive from The laws of nature I want a cut scene I want a cut from your face to my face I want a cut I want The next related video I don't want to go insane I don't want to have schizophrenia The ocean washed over your grave The ocean washed over your grave Last night I dreamed he was trying to kill you I woke up and I was trying to kill you It's been a year since we first met I don't if we're boyfriends yet Do you have any crimes that We can use to pass the time I'm Running out of drugs to try We said we hated humans We wanted to be humans Get more groceries get eaten Get more groceries get eaten Get more groceries get eaten A book of Aubrey Beardsley art Corrupted me in youth Now I'm trapped inside my youth And you're in love with last-stage youth Thank god for the little things and and Fuck god that they're little things I am Running out of prayers to sing and I And pretty soon you'll find some nice young Satanist with braces and one Capital o significant Other And you can take him home to your mother and Say ma, this is my brother We said we hated humans We wanted to be humans Get more groceries get eaten Get more groceries get eaten Get more groceries Get eaten by the one you love When they put their lips around you You can feel their smile from the inside Last night I dreamed he was trying to kill you I woke up and I was trying to kill you Your ears perked up I perked up when your ears perked up You were all looking around And I hoped it was for me I hoped you were using your sonar systems for me The ancients saw it coming You can see that they tried to warn them In the tales that they told their children But they fell out of their heads in the morning They said sex can be frightening But the children were not listening And the children cut out everything Except for the kissing and the singing When they finally found their home At Walt Disney studios And then everyone grew up With their fundamental schemes fucked But there are lots of fish left in the sea There are lots of fish in business suits That talk and walk on human feet And visit doctors, have weak knees Oh please let me join your cult I'll paint my face in your colors You have a real nice face I had an early death The ocean washed over your grave The ocean washed open your grave (how's your face? How's your body?) (We're too scared to do shit)