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waywardxwords · 1 year ago

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Chapter 6 - Demons, Spirits and Angels, Oh My! (Taking Chances)

Summary: After a random encounter introduces you to Dean Winchester, you can't shake the magnetic pull you feel towards him. For years, you've felt like everything in your life is under control--a promising career, financial stability and no real responsibilities. Dean's a hunter; it's his life and job. But somehow when you meet, your worlds are flipped upside down and you have to decide if it's a chance worth taking.

Chapter Warnings: Some angst, language,

Pairing: Dean Winchester x female!reader

Word Count: ~3.1k

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Whiplash. It was the only way you knew how to describe going from having (what you would describe) as the best night of your life, to spiraling down to the worst feeling you had ever felt.

Jen was the only person you knew to call—she knew you and knew how boring your life was (and how long it had been since you had even looked at a man, let alone slept with one).

“This feels really, really dangerous,” you could tell by her tone that she really didn’t know what to say.

“No shit, Sherlock,” you wanted to cry but you couldn’t even get tears to fall. You had never been in shock before, but you assumed it might feel something like this. “What do I do? Call one of those police departments? The FBI? …Homeland Security?” The thoughts were racing.

“Take a breath,” you heard her take one at the same time, and you followed suit. “He didn’t hurt you, right? Force you to sleep with him?”

“God, no,” you plopped down on the uncomfortable mattress and rubbed your temple. “I practically threw myself at him. It was…” your mouth couldn’t say what you felt. It had been amazing, ‘best night of your life’ material. But you couldn’t say that now. Not after what you had read.

“Maybe the articles are wrong? Maybe there’s more to it than what you’re reading. Oh! Maybe he’s in the witness protection program?” She tried to rationalize. But you had already done that before you called her.

“He wouldn’t have used his old name, Jen,” your words were so soft, you weren’t sure if she heard them.

“Shit, you’re right,” she took a sip of her coffee. “Listen. Just go to the airport, block his number and fly home. We will work through this together. Don’t call anyone yet. This sounds like something you don’t want to get mixed up in, babe.”

You nodded at her words and felt the first wrench of emotion in the back of your throat. “I’m worried I already have.”

Three days had passed since you flew home from Kansas. You had blocked Dean’s number, but you had gotten calls from other numbers you hadn’t recognized with all different area codes. You didn’t answer. It was then that you remembered Dean’s voicemail when you had called previously: “This is Dean’s other, other cell…”. Your stomach dropped when you connected the dots.

The next step you took was removing yourself from the project that took you to Kansas. Your boss had warned you that you were making a terrible mistake, and you probably were (from a career standpoint, anyway). But it didn’t matter. You never wanted to step foot anywhere near Kansas again.

Even knowing what you knew from the articles (which you had barely read; Jen did most of the reading and kept you informed on a need-to-know basis. Which was basically Jen just saying: “You’re gonna have to forget this one, friend.”)—your heart hurt. You felt immense pain being away from Dean, and trying to shove the memories from that night out. You Googled how to disassociate, or how to build walls around memories. But so far, nothing had worked.

Jen encouraged you to do the most normal thing you could on a Friday night—have a dinner and movie night with her. So now, you stood in your kitchen over a pot of spaghetti watching the water boil. Normal, boring life.

You couldn’t help yourself, though. On your kitchen island, your laptop sat opened up to one of the Google searches. Your excuse was that you wanted to run through it all with Jen when she arrived, but in actuality, you were hoping there would be something to prove all of this was a lie, and maybe you (and the police, and the detectives and the FBI) had gotten it all wrong.

As you watched the water bubble in hopes of creating some kind of distraction, there was a loud knock at your front door. Jen wasn’t supposed to be there for another twenty minutes or so, but she also knew you were having a hard time with all of this. As you made your way to the front door, you assumed she wanted to come over and take your mind off of the man you were trying desperately to forget.

A quick swipe of your hands on your dish rag, you pulled the front door wide open in one swoop.

“You’re…early,” your voice trailed off and you thought your eyes might roll out of your head with how wide they were. It wasn’t Jen. It was Dean.

Your brain told you to slam the door and call 911. But Dean was quicker than that. He walked in through the open door in one stride, his brows knitted together as his green eyes searched you. You tried to figure out what he was looking for.

“Are you alright?” His eyes moved as his hands gripped just above your elbows. You completely froze.

“Dean, what are you…how did you find me?” A million questions ran through you as you tried to process. And determine what your next step would be. Could you defend yourself against him? Would you even try?

As much as you knew, seeing him again flooded you with every ounce of feeling you felt while you were with him in Kansas. The smell of his cologne made you shiver.

“I couldn’t get ahold of you,” he removed his hands from you and began to walk around. He was searching your home—window sills, primarily. But what was he looking for? He ran his finger along them and checked. Dust? Something else? He couldn’t be crazy…right? Your internal dialogue mixed with this man you thought you knew even just after a few nights pacing in front of you made your head spin.

From your kitchen island, he turned back towards you. His movements had slowed now and you placed his expression as one of being confused.

“You’re…fine?” He asked slowly.

You tried not to look at the island where your laptop sat opened to images of Dean’s (multiple) mug shots and news articles. You decided to try to reason with him.

“Dean, if you’re worried I’m going to call the police or the FBI, I’m not,” you moved slowly from your spot in the doorway but made a mental note to leave the door open. It was your only immediate escape. You also noted how strange it was that Dean let you leave the door open. Wouldn’t some psycho murderer cover all of his bases? Nothing made sense, and you felt frustrated tears sting in your eyes.

“The what?” He looked completely perplexed now. “I think I missed a chapter here, sweetheart.” His eyes stayed on you until your gaze moved to the island. Shit. His eyes followed and his face fell. “Oh.” ‘Oh’? That’s it? At that moment, you felt like the articles were true. “Listen, I can explain…”

“There’s nothing to explain, Dean!” You said a little too excitedly. “No harm, no foul, right?” You tried to force a chuckle as you slowly side-stepped to keep distance between you.

Even though you thought you knew better, you swore you saw a wave of hurt pass over his face.

“You haven’t committed any crimes here, Dean,” you said slowly. “You can just go and no one needs to know you were here.” You were almost to your kitchen island by now, and your goal was to put it between you and Dean. In your gut, you still found it impossible to believe Dean would lay a hand on you (well, in a negative way). But your head reminded you of the articles.

“Sweetheart, I promise you,” he emphasized as he put his hands up in front of him in a way of showing he meant you no harm. “None of this is what it looks like. And I realize people who commit crimes say that every day…” he trailed off as he tried to get the words out that would show you. “My brother and I, our job is a little bit different.”

Against your better judgment, you continued the conversation with him. “You said you were exterminators…” your words fell off as you processed. “Oh, God. Do you mean exterminating people?!” You hadn’t meant to squeal but you couldn’t help the inflection in your voice. “Are you like Dexter?!” Your eyes widened at the thought.

“What? No! We don’t kill people,” Dean was exasperated as he tried to explain all of this to you. “Dammit, this is not how I wanted to tell you this.” Those words were almost muttered under his breath as he ran the palm of his hand over his mouth. “Listen to me, I know this is going to sound crazy…” literally everything you’ve learned in the last three days has sounded crazy, you thought. You nodded him on to continue, again against any judgment you had. “Just give me a few minutes to explain. We kill monsters.”

Come again? You didn’t have the courage to ask. But Dean just stared at you, waiting for some kind of reaction.

“Monsters? What does that even mean?” You folded your arms across your chest protectively.

“Like spirits and demons. That,” he pointed to the screen of your laptop. “Isn’t me.” There was a CCTV still shot of Dean with a gun aimed at people in a bank robbery turned hostage situation turned murder. Jen hadn’t given you the details on that one; you had to find it for yourself. “That’s a shapeshifter.”

Your mouth ran dry. You couldn’t even swallow if you wanted to. “Jesus, you actually believe that’s real,” you muttered as you ran your fingers through your hair. You realized at that point you were shaking. You focused on just trying to breathe.

Dean pinched the bridge of his nose and his eyes squeezed shut for a moment before he spoke again. “I swear to you, I know it sounds crazy, but it’s the truth.”

“Dean, if you truly mean me no harm, please leave,” you had never felt so conflicted before in your lifetime. The frustrated tears were back. You had truly thought Dean was different—amazing, even. But now you were second-guessing everything, your judgment included.

It looked like Dean wanted to say something, but he stopped himself with a single nod. He put his head down and stared at the tile below his feet for a moment before he looked up again. “I’m really, truly, sorry,” he said, and it felt like he meant it. “I respect that. I’ll leave you alone.”

After one more glance at you, he moved to where the front door was still ajar and walked through, closing it behind him.

Your eyes stayed glued on the door for a few moments in bewilderment. He had left easier than you thought he would. But your brain reminded you to move after a few seconds. You hurried to the door and bolted it, and locked the door knob. Your fingers still trembled as you touched the metal.

About ten minutes later, Jen arrived. The knock at the door made your heart stumble a bit. You could feel your heartbeat in your throat. This time, you checked the peephole on your door before opening it.

“Jen,” you sighed in relief when you pulled the door open. “God, am I glad to see you.” You had gone back and forth on whether or not to tell Jen that Dean had come to see you. He had left without incident, and you really didn’t understand how you were feeling at that moment. You knew he was crazy; demons? Spirits? And what the hell was a shapeshifter? But at the same time, he didn’t try to hurt you. And it seemed as though he wouldn’t even think of hurting you.

“Have you heard from Dean lately?” Jen’s question hung in the air as you poured each of you a glass of wine. Something about her seemed a little off tonight, but it had been a long week and you hadn’t really gotten the chance to connect with her as often lately.

“Nope,” you popped the sound of the ‘p’ as you slid her glass over to her and ignored her gaze. You could feel her staring as you turned so she was at your back and you scooped pasta onto a plate. “I mean, I’ve gotten some random numbers again, but that’s about it.”

As you scooped, you heard Jen ‘tsk, tsk, tsk’. “I didn’t think you were a liar. Especially to the person you call your best friend.”

It seemed a little bit odd, so you turned to face her with your eyebrows pulled together in confusion. “What are you talking about?”

“I’m talking about you being a liar,” her words nipped as her eyes bore into yours. And then, they flashed black—complete, solid black. Your eyes widened and you backed up so you were pressed up against the oven.

“What the hell?” Your gaze moved back and forth between her eyes as you tried to figure out what was happening.

“We aren’t there yet, hun,” her eyes returned to normal and a twisted smirk pulled up a corner of her lips. She took slow steps as she moved towards the end of the island. For every step she took, you took one as well. You still weren’t sure what was happening, but as it was with Dean, you wanted to keep this island between you. “I’m gonna need you to call your friend Dean and ask him to come back, sound good?”

“Jen, what are you talking about?” At this point, your brain was swimming.

“Jen’s not here right now, but you can leave a message if you’d like,” her eyes flashed black again and the palm of her hand outstretched to you. Suddenly, you were moving backwards rapidly. Your toes barely scraped the ground and as hard as you tried to push back against whatever force was moving you, you couldn’t.

“The name’s Meg, nice to meet ya,” Jen/Meg pushed herself up onto the island so her feet dangled as she continued to just smirk at you. Your back was pressed against the wall of your kitchen, you couldn’t even lift your head if you tried. You were about a foot off of the ground and it felt difficult to breathe. “Your friend Dean and I, we go way back. But lately, he hasn’t wanted to talk to me on my terms. He can be a real pain in the ass, can’t he?”

The force that held you to the wall had constricted your throat. It took everything in you to mutter, “Dean’s not my friend.”

“Does he know that?” she laughed as she hopped down off of the island and sauntered over to where your cell phone was placed on the counter top. While her back was to you, you tried to push against the invisible weight that held you. Still nothing. Your mind tried to think of every rational explanation, but there were none. “Something tells me if you give him a call and tell him I’ve stopped by, he may change his tune on having a little chat."

Suddenly, the hold she had over you was gone and you clambered to the floor. You weren’t expecting it, so you landed on your hands and knees, knowing well that it was going to leave a bruise. As you stood back up and rubbed your palms, you eyed the block of steak knives on the counter top. She followed your gaze.

“Now, now,” she hummed. “I know you’re new to this whole demon thing, so I’ll throw you a bone. Anything you do to this body,” she waved her hands around Jen’s body. “Can and will hurt your bff, got it?”

You nodded once and reached out to take your cell phone from her. Your fingers were trembling again. You tried to brush it off as you hurriedly clicked through to unblock Dean’s number. Once it was unblocked, you pressed his name and hit ‘Call’.

After just two rings, you heard his voice say your name. Even after everything you had learned of Dean Winchester after the last few days, there was a flutter of relief in the pit of your stomach when you heard his voice.

“Dean, there’s someone here who wants to talk to you,” you wished your voice sounded stronger, but it didn’t. Your hands shook as you handed the phone over to the woman (thing? Demon?) who looked like your friend.

She took the phone with an accomplished smile that made you taste bile. All you could think about was what you had gotten yourself into.

“Hi-ya, Dean-o, it’s Meg,” she continued to grin into the phone. Her eyes found yours as she sucked on her teeth. “Up for a chat?”

Dean hadn’t gone far after he left your house, unbeknownst to you. There was a feeling in the pit of his stomach he couldn’t shake and he just felt like he shouldn't leave. But also, he couldn’t. He had thought things with you could be so different.

“We should go, Dean,” Sam had said once you had welcomed your friend in and closed the door. Dean couldn’t shake the feeling of seeing your face contort when you saw him. You were afraid of him.

“I can’t,” Dean muttered as his eyes stayed fixated on the front of your home.

Sam didn’t say anything in response to that. Dean was just thankful his brother was there. When he couldn’t reach you from his phone over the last few days, his heart sank. And then when he realized his number had been blocked, he was confused. But now it all made sense.

“I should’ve just told her,” he cursed under his breath, his knuckles whitened as they tightened against the steering wheel of his rental car. “I shouldn’t have let it go this far without telling her.”

“Dean, she would’ve reacted the exact same way,” Sam tried to reassure him. “It’s why we’ve never been able to have a relationship with someone who isn’t a hunter or who hasn’t seen this stuff for themselves.”

He wasn’t wrong, but it didn’t make Dean feel any better.

But then his phone started to vibrate, and it was you. He hit the button to answer and pulled it to his ear, relieved that maybe you had changed your mind.

But you hadn’t, and you were in trouble. “Goddammit, Meg.” He practically growled into the receiver of the phone as he shoved open the driver’s side door. Sam followed suit, and Dean filled him in as they jogged the few yards to your home.

A/N - Do you hate me yet? (Please don't hate me lol). So many of you asked for me to fix it after the last chapter. While we aren't quite there yet, we're getting there!! So sorry for another cliffhanger-ish (BUT I feel like it's not as bad as the last chapter's cliffhanger? lol).

Thank you for reading, liking, reblogging, or commenting (or all of the above!). I appreciate you all and hope you enjoyed this chapter!

Chapter 7 may be posted early, but no promises! If not, it'll post on Thursday, 4/11!

Chapter 7 Preview:

Moments after Meg hung up the phone, your front door swung open. He looks pissed, and a little bit concerned, as his eyes move over you.

“You alright?” He asks gruffly as his eyes do a sweep down your body, subsequently looking for any injuries. You nod, unable to speak out loud from the confusion and terror coursing through you. His eyes return to yours with a look that reads as sympathetic, like he’s sorry.

Before he can move again, Meg returns her hold on you with a nod of her head. Your feet leave the ground once more, and you can’t stop the scream that comes up from your belly as you’re pressed against the wall once more.

“Dammit, Meg!” Dean cursed. He took a step towards you and Meg stopped him in his tracks.

“Uh, uh, uh,” she wagged her finger. “Not another step, Dean.”

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dmwrites · 2 years ago

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It was… quiet. Unusually quiet, Joel decided, as he buffed a bit of gold on his sky kingdom bridge. True, the harsh wind of Upper Stratos usually blocked out most noise, but Joel could also see into other kingdoms from up here, and it all looked so still. Scott’s kingdom, silly Chromia, was closest, and he couldn’t see the colorful man, or any of his strangely intelligent llamas anywhere.

Flying into Chromia, Joel could tell that something was off. The air felt stale here, still and gritty. Joel strode through the land, calling out for Scott, but there was no answer. Similar were the other kingdoms, quiet and silent, like a tomb. Animals were dull-eyed, buildings seemed less vibrant then usual. Joel called out the name of every friend he had, but there was no one.

Joel flew back to Stratos with his chest squeezing in an uncomfortable kind of way. They must all be somewhere together, Joel decided, and forgotten to invite him. It was a sad reach, but still possible. More possible then the deep paranoia that was clawing it’s way up Joel’s chest, screaming that something was very, very wrong.

“Joel? Joel!”

“Sausage?” Joel almost fell out of the sky, catching sight of a handsome, muscular man, dressed in dusty greens and yellows. Hermes stood beside him, looking at the fountain. Joel landed beside them, a wave of relief flooding his body.

“Joel! I brought Hermes by!” Sausage was smiling. “We wanted to say hi.”

“Sausage. Hermes. Oh my god, you’re both… here.” Joel smiled shakily. He’d been wrong, it was all okay. Everything was okay.

“Yep! We’ve been so busy…” Sausage began going on and on about his adventures with Hermes, but Joel wasn’t listening. Pure relief and adoration for his son was all he could comprehend. “…and of course I’m using a gold pickaxe, as the sexy king of the server demands.” Sausage winked at him.

“Glad to see you obeying.” Joel joked back.

“Oh yeah, and this thing is efficiency five, look-” Sausage swung the pick through the air and accidentally broke a block off the fountain. Water seeped out onto Hermes, and suddenly, there was someone else standing in Hermes’ place.

It looked like Jimmy, almost, small and doll-like, but with a painted-on face, black splotches for eyes, and a dash of red for a mouth.

“You guys are terrible parents.” It said in a mocking, squeaky voice. The creature- Joel couldn’t even begin to think of the thing as his son- flew off, vanishing into the horizon.

“Well, I guess that’s that plot point done.” Sausage turned to Joel with a neutral half-smile, and dissolved into red sand before his eyes.

“What?” Joel asked the open air, taking a step back, staring down in horror at the sand, which was picked up by the wind and scattered.

“You know what they said about the king of Mezalea.” There was a colorful man standing on the fountain before him, picking at something under his nails. “They said he died of sadness. All alone. Kind of pathetic, when you think about it.”

“Scott?” Joel asked, but even as he spoke the name, he knew it wasn’t true. The man who looked at him had dark brown hair and a golden crown. And his face looked… warped. Like the very air around him was melting away. “What’s going on? Who are you?”

“Who do you think I am, stupid demigod?” The man asked, glancing up at him in clear irritation before going back to his nails.

“You’re the King of Mezalea.” Joel guessed. “You’re talking about in the third person for some reason. You died of sadness from being alone, and now you’re here to what, to haunt me? Jealous of my muscles and hordes of adoring followers?”

“Oh please, Joel. I’m clearly talking about you. How you have died from sadness. From being alone. And how it’s happening again. I’m here because you can’t seem to escape this stupid fate, and if anyone’s going to torment you about it, it’s going to be you. Me. Whatever.”

“That’s not me, fella, that’s you you’re talking about!”

“Is it?” Asked the man in a bored drawl. “You know who I am, Joel. I’m you.”

And Joel did know, he could see his own face reflecting back at him.

“Well, maybe you- me of the past- died of sadness, but I am not sad. I am loved, you miserable ghost.”

The king of Mezalea’s eyes flashed in anger. “Loved by who? By the child who preferred the peaceful protector to the absent god? By the other rulers who batted their eyes for a quick hookup? By the citizens who looked up to the sky at a god who never answered their prayers unless they lied? Where are they all, Joel? Where are those who you claim love you?”

Joel reeled back. “They’re- I am loved, I am!”

“Then where are they all? Huh?” The king laughed. It was a cruel, barking laugh. “You’re no god, Joel. You walk among the lands, gold and quartz embellishing your every step, and yet, and yet, you have nothing but a graveyard of a kingdom to show for it. And it’s the end. You know that, don’t you?”

Joel looked around, at Lower Stratos below him, at the dulling Chromia. “This can’t be real. I- we’ve all been having so much fun. It’s not the end- you’re trying to trick me into thinking… something else.” Joel finished lamely. “And I am a god, more powerful then a king!” He added, trying to sound triumphant.

The king of Mezalea snorted. “If you’re really a god, then you don’t need these wings to fly. If this isn’t real, then jumping off of here will mean nothing. Let’s find out if you’re a god, if you’re going to live forever, wandering a land that never loved you. And if you’re not…” the king chuckled. “Well, you won’t need to worry about anything anymore.”

Joel shucked off his elytra with a brevity he did not feel inside. “I will figure out who is trying to trick me, and I will kill them. You go and tell your master, whenever created you, that I will not fall for this stupid plot. I know I am happy and loved and not alone. I will fall, and I will wake up and it’ll all be fine!” His voice broke on the last word, and he gritted his teeth to keep any fear from forcing its way out of his mouth.

“What’s worse?” The king of Mezalea asked, coming to stand beside him, looking out over the still and silent world. “Thinking that this might be all in your head… or knowing that this is all very, very real?”

Joel stood beside his past, looking down at the ground. The king of Mezalea wasn’t laughing anymore- he was crying, and it was that miserable howl that Joel heard as he jumped.

#idk if this makes any sense to anyone but me #but #anyway #smallishbeans #esmp 2 #long post

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secretly-a-catamount · 10 months ago

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Malcabel WIP I guess

(They’re all horribly out of character in this, but I want them to be happy, god dam it! And I almost certainly misspelled Tavy’s name, but that’s just dyslexia for you. @lescahiersdesable)

It was all Catarina Loss’s fault really.

“Honestly, Malcolm,” the sky blue warlock had told Annabel’s husband when he’d called her positively panicking about being in charge of her (many times removed) nieces and nephews for a day, “why don’t you and Annabel just take the kids to the beach?”

Trusting his friend’s judgment more than his own had been a rather terrible idea, Annabel thought amusingly as she watched the blond warlock race down the shoreline, waving his arms like a mad man, shouting that under no circumstances were the children to poke at that beached jellyfish with a stick, yes, Tiberius, even if it was already dead.

After some whining (the children) and some poorly concealed begging (Malcom), the Blackthorn kids dispersed into the water and across the sand.

Malcolm trudged back up the beach, and stood at the edge of the shade thrown by the umbrella stabbed into the ground.

Annabel looked up from her drawing pad, her black brows furrowing in irritation at the shadow her husband had abruptly cast over her sketchbook. “You’re blocking my light.”

His pale skin flushed a delicious raspberry red as he stammered out an “Oh, right, sorry” and moved to sit beside her on the blanket, smiling sheepishly. After a moment of comfortable silence, Malcolm absentmindedly ran his hand down her arm, stopping only to trace the black lines, curves, and whorls of her Runes. His touch was soft and light as a feather. “What are you drawing?”

“You obviously.”

“Obviously.” A pastel sketch of Malcolm in his striped bathing suit, looking tall and thin and almost frail, with softness to his frame and features that matched his disposition. A feint, salmon-pink sunburn on was his face and shoulders, and his lips were cracked (Annabel would solve that one way or another, either by the gifting him the tube of chapstick she’d squirreled away in her purse or by kissing him until he couldn’t breathe).

“The kids.” Ty and Livvy and some golden-haired Mundane boy that Annabel didn’t know chasing a seagull. Mark and Helen teaching Tavy how to build a sandcastle. Dru, Julian, and a different golden-haired child that Annabel didn’t know, this one a Shadowhunter girl with a spill of bright curls and a practice training sword, diving into the ocean and swimming around in the shallows.

“Church.” The fat, blue feline crouched down in the dunes, fluffy tail held erect, eyes focused on a mouse in front of him, mere seconds away from a pounce that Annabel knew would end in failure.

“The L.A. Institute.” An imposing building that Annabel didn’t think could ever have the ability to look homely.

“Home.” A snapshot of their living room, a Polaroid pinned with a paper-clip for reference, Malcolm’s latest draft of the Codex — her illustrations not yet accompanying his neat, meticulous writing — spilling off the end table onto the soft, red couch, one of Annabel’s favorite mugs (which would always be filled with tea, Annabel and Malcolm both hating the taste of coffee) filled with paint-streaked paint brushes and colored pencils.

“And my first love, the sea.” Cerulean and cobalt-blue waves crashing to the shore.

“Should I be jealous?” Malcolm had moved from her arm to her hand, gently interlacing their fingers together.

“Oh, immensely. Definitely.”

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dameronology · 3 years ago

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scenes from a modern romance (tasm!peter parker)

summary: everyone has stupid arguments, but it's hard to stay mad at peter parker

warnings: language, mild angst. this is honestly just a catharsis for the stress of being in ur 20s.

this is based on the song therapy from tick, tick...boom! which stars the wonderful beautiful talented andrew garfield, hence, this is for his peter parker. spoiler free, of course. enjoy

- jazz xx

New York was a tiring place. No matter where you went or how fast you walked, you couldn't escape the people. They were everywhere; on the streets, in the bank, blocking the aisles of every goddamn shop and oozing out the subway. Nobody moved to the city with the intention of it being an open and peaceful space but man. After a long day of work at a diner - filled with spilled coffee, angry customers and the clogged-up air of heat fryers and grills - the last thing you wanted was to deal with that. With people. So many fucking people.

Even the hallways of your apartment building were filled with them. Your elderly neighbour was dragging her five dogs out for a walk (it explained the smell in the hall, at least) and there was a group of teenagers smoking something much stronger than tobacco in the stair-well. Your grocery bag ripping a few feet from your front door was the final straw.

"Peter!" you let out an exasperated sigh as you kicked open the door. "Did you not hear me calling from the hall?"

"Huh?"

Your boyfriend stuck his head up from the sofa, soft tufts of hair sticking up in a million directions and brown eyes tired with sleep. You'd clearly ruined his nap - not that you had much sympathy for him. More like jealousy.

"My bag..." you trailed off, deciding it wasn't worth it. "Don't worry. Can you just help me unpack the shopping?"

"Yeah, of course," Peter hopped up, over to the kitchen in a flash. "Man, am I happy to see you."

He wrapped his arms around you, pulling you back against his chest. You didn't mean to ignore his affection, but you just wanted to get shit done and pass out on the sofa. You could be all over him then. That meant for now, if he wanted hug you, he'd have to awkwardly shuffle around the kitchen whilst attached to you. To no-one's surprise, that was exactly what he did.

Peter pressed a kiss to the back of your head. "The oven broke again by the way."

"Seriously?" you groaned. "That's gonna take ten years for maintenance to fix."

The only thing worse than the crowds in New York was the housing. Unless you were a millionaire, there wasn't much on offer. The estate agent had called your apartment a steal, but with its terrible lighting and thin walls, you had to disagree. It had been the first place you and Peter had got together after high school and it felt like home now. That didn't mean the real estate gods didn't test you every now and then by blowing up an appliance or bursting a pipe.

"It's okay, we can use the microwave."

"Yeah," you forced a smile. "Did you send off the cheque for the gas bill?"

You felt Peter tense up behind you. That was a no.

"Peter," you groaned, turning around to face him. Despite you attempts to elbow him off of you, he stayed pretty stuck. "I asked you to do it three days ago."

"I forgot. I'm sorry-"

" - so the oven probably isn't broken," you cut him off. "The gas company have cut us off, most likely. And no gas means no oven."

"I'll do it tomorrow," he gave you a goofy smile. "I promise."

"Yeah, okay," you let out a small sigh of defeat. He was hard to argue with.

You felt bad nagging him; you didn't want to sound like his Aunt May, but you could have sworn the boy had undiagnosed ADHD. He worked his ass off at night to protect New York, but his day-job as a freelance photographer had dried up. That meant most of the financial burden fell on your shoulders, which had been fine when it was just a temporary thing. Temporary had lasted almost six months by that point and Peter forgetting basic things you asked him to do was starting to get to you. Coming home to empty take out boxes and piles of washing up after a ten hour shift wasn't fun.

Your eyes landed on a strewn pizza box half way across the room. You let out a groan. It had flies on it.

"Pete," you sighed. "How old is that?"

"Oh, like two days," he pressed a kiss to your nose. "The one I got today is - I mean, I didn't order one today-"

"- Peter!" you groaned.

Spiderman needed to be fed. You got that. What Spiderman didn't need to do was order another fucking pizza when there was enough food in the fridge.

"I was hungry!"

"There's food in the fridge," you reminded him.

"You sound like my Aunt May," he muttered.

"And you're acting like the teenage boy that used to live with her," you shot back. "You're twenty four now, Pete."

"Thank you, I think?"

You rolled your eyes. "I mean you can cook for yourself. I'm not working fifty hour weeks to make ends meet just so you can spend it all on-"

"- I'm finding work," he cut you off. "There's just a lotta crime right now! You know how I feel about crime."

"We all feel that way about crime," you grumbled. "I'm just tired is all. Spiderman is great but it doesn't pay the bills."

Peter blinked in surprise. "I thought you liked Spiderman."

"Why are we talking about him like he's a third person in our relationship?" you huffed. "What I mean is that you need to start balancing this life with that one, because you can find a job and help old ladies cross the goddamn road!"

He almost reeled backwards, finally releasing you from his grip. Okay so yeah, that had been a low blow on your part. He did a lot more than just help get cats outta trees. He'd saved New York like...multiple times. It was just that this whole thing was either an issue of Peter being too tired from Spiderman-ing to have a life in the day, or he was using it as an excuse. You didn't know what worse, but you did know that you were tired.

You'd been in love since you were teenagers and sometimes, you still argued like kids. Maturing into an adult relationship was a learning curve.

"Yeah, well maybe we wouldn't need to worry so much about money if you hadn't spent four years at a fancy art school for a useless degree!"

Maybe you deserved that. At the very least, you had to admit you'd thrown the first punch.

"At least I went to college!" you snapped. "How's the self-employment going, huh? The last gig you had was taking pictures for our school newspaper!"

"I took photos at your cousin's wedding, remember?"

"Only because my mum got you the gig!" you snorted.

"God, you're starting to sound like her-"

"- don't bring my mother into this!"

"You brought her into this!" Peter waved his hands in the air. "So hah! I win!"

"You have pizza on your chin," you grimaced. "I don't think you do win, babe."

"At least I'm doing something I enjoy," he continued. "I'm not working at a soulless job doing work that I hate. Spiderman might not pay but hey, at least it counts for something more than wasting my time in a hospitality job!"

Peter regretted the words as soon as they left his mouth. He could practically see them float from his mind and into the air - he wanted to swat them away, catch them with a net, shove them back in to his stupidly loud gob. He knew he'd fucked up. The seething look on your face confirmed it.

"Oh my god," he murmured. "I didn't mean that. I did not mean that. I am so, so sorry. You are the light of my life and I love you and I do not think-"

"- fuck you, Parker."

The next few seconds were a blur of your angry face. a middle finger, and the slam of your bedroom door.

Your apartment might have been shitty, but hell, at least it had a bath tub.

Once you'd soaked in there for an hour and washed off the smell of chip grease, you felt a lot better. You put on an old hoodie of Peter's and some pyjama shorts; you might have been angry at him but his clothes were comfy as hell. Maybe the fact they smelt like him was nice too.

It was hard to avoid him in such a small space, but you found an old book and curled up in the old sofa by your window. It was a nice place to sit and stew - not that you had much to think about. What you said - however insultingly - was true. You were more scared that Peter's words were as well. He knew how lost you'd been since finishing college. It felt like all your friends were going off and getting high paying jobs in their fields; starting families and buying houses. Meanwhile, you'd been at the Moondance Diner since you were nineteen years old. Your apartment had the structural integrity of a piece of lasagne and you really had no idea where your life was going. The only good thing in it was Peter - even if he had a tendency to run his fucking mouth.

After a few hours, there was a knock on the door.

"Heeeey," Peter's voice came from the other side. "Can I come in?"

"That depends," you called back. "Are you gonna slag off any more of my life choices?"

The door creaked open and Peter stuck his head around. "No."

"Then please," you gestured to the bed. "Do enter, Lord Parker. I hope being in the presence of a petty little food server such as myself won't harm you, permitting that you even let me breathe the same fucking air as you-"

"- okay, enough!" he groaned (but you could see him fighting back a smile).

He made his way over to the chair, kneeling down in front of you. He took your book out your hands and took them in his. It seemed like a good sign that you didn't stop him.

"I did not mean a single word that I said," Peter softly said. "I just knew that you were right about everything and apparently, I'd rather be a complete asshole than admit it."

You gave him a little smile. "I hate my job, Pete. I'm terrified I'll be stuck there forever. I don't know what I'm doing with my life and it freaks me out when you make comments like that."

"I know, baby," he murmured, giving your hands a squeeze. "I'm proud of you, whatever happens. Whether you wanna wait tables for the rest of your life or become a busker on the subway, I will support you. I promise."

"There's still the issue of money," you reminded him. "I didn't word it the best, but-"

"- I need to get off my ass, I know," he said. "I think I've worked out a way to get money."

Your eyebrows shot up. "You have?"

"I just sold like fifty Spiderman selfies to The Daily Bugle for $2000 bucks," he gave you a lopsided grin. "I can't say my ego is in tact but that's our rent made for the month."

"Oh my god," you dropped your head against his shoulder, letting out a groan. "Please don't turn Spiderman into a social media star just for my sake."

"I'm not, I promise," he chuckled. "I can get some more...dignified photos and sell them to legit papers. It'll put my name out there to other news sites and it'll get me more gigs."

"That's amazing," you smiled and pressed a kiss to his cheek. "That's a job."

"We'll see," Peter stood up. He pulled you up from the chair and pulled back the covers of the bed.

You both climbed underneath them - he did an awkward shuffle dance for a moment as he kicked off his shirt and jeans. Part of you half expected him to pull out the Spiderman suit in their place. He had been going out every night recently.

"So, are we good?" Peter gently asked. He rolled over to face you, pressing his forehead to yours. "I never want to go to sleep knowing we're not good."

"Yeah," you nodded. "We are."

"Perfect."

"Aren't you going out tonight?"

"Nope," Peter pressed a soft kiss to your lips. "M'very happy here with you."

You didn't know what you wanted to do with your life, but there was thing you were sure of - as long as you had the absolute fool that was Peter Parker by your side, you'd be absolutely fine.

#peter parker x reader #peter parker imagine #peter parker imagines #peter parker reader insert #peter parker x you #peter parker x y/n #tasm! peter #andrew garfield characters #spiderman imagines #spiderman x you #spiderman imagine #spiderman x reader #peter parker angst #peter parker fluff #spiderman angst #marvel imagines

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am-i-obsessed---maybe · 3 years ago

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Flirt With A Goon To Make You Swoon

First prompt request from @swimmingpainterhandsfreak with my favorite Jason

Prompts:

1) “Wait a minute. Are you jealous?”

5) “I’ve seen the way you look at me when you think I don’t notice.”

16) "you are a terrible influence"

30) “Can I kiss you?”

31) “God, I love you.”

Three minutes, that's how long it took for Jason to stomp over and take over your interrogation.

"What the hell hood? I had it." You told him, arms crossed over your chest.

"Well I did it faster, now we've got a lead to catch right? Come on" Jason said and walked off to his bike. It had been a long time since the two of you had worked together in costume, the Red Hood and the Ghost, two of Gotham's most morally grey vigilantes.

You'd known each other since Jason's street days. Then again as Robin when he found out you became a small time vigilante in the narrows protecting street kids, it was his death that helped you realize Batman's ways were far from the only option.

The two of you arrived at the docs to investigate a new drug ring that popped up, some low life has been kidnapping homeless teens and having them spread his product among the homeless of Gotham.

You adjusted your mask as Jason parked his bike.

"So what's the plan- and don't you dare say go in guns blazing" You asked.

"I was just gonna go in the front door but-" You cut him off. "Are you an idiot? That's gonna turn into a hostage situation faster than you can say hand me the crowbar"

"Low blow" he grumbled and you smiled.

"What can I say, you are a terrible influence" You joked and pointed to some windows under the roof of the warehouse.

"We sneak in from there and take out as many goons as we can without alerting the boss. This guy's growing but he's not big, he'll be in the building" You explained and you could practically feel Jason roll his eyes under his mask.

"Whatever you say boss" Jason retorted and the two of you grappled up to the roof. One by one you took care of the goons on watch before meeting up with Jason.

"My section's all clear, you?" He asked and you nodded.

"Taken care of, you make sure all the kids are here while I find our low life" You instructed and even though you could hear an argument in Jason's throat it stayed there and he jumped down to check on the kids.

You adjusted your hold on your knives as you kicked the door down.

"Alright asshole, jigs up!" You yelled and immediately rolled onto the floor when he started shooting.

"Okay asshole- wait Dean?" You asked once you got a clear look at the man.

"Guilty as charged, but I can't let you get in my way this time S/N" He said and you smiled.

"Has that ever stopped me before?" You asked as you charged punching, stabbing, slashing and blocking.

"Gotta say, the freelance thing doesn't suit you Dean, I just can't see you as the big boss" You quipped as he swept your legs from under you and you rolled back into a fighting stance as he charged you again.

"What can I say? I guess I'll just have to show you" He tried to hit the back of your neck with the butt of his gun but you disarmed him and flipped him on his back.

"Awe, you still got a soft spot for me Deedee" You joked and he kicked you as you tried to restrain him.

"What can I say? I appreciate a funny guy in spandex, doesn't hurt that he's damn good lookin" Dean said and you managed to restrain his hands and cuff him.

"good lookin huh?" you smirked at the sentiment when Jason's hand met the back of Dean's neck and knocked him out.

"The hell Jay?" You asked as you stood up to meet jason.

"You're welcome" He said and walked back out to the warehouse but you grabbed him by the shoulder.

"The hell is wrong with you? First the guy I interrogated earlier now Dean? I can handle myself." you reminded him and Jason crossed his arms.

"Not my fault you flirt with every goon you meet" he said and you scowled.

"It's called banter and sue me if I wanna have some fun and pretend I'm not bashing in bad guy skulls as a full time job" You retorted, "Besides since when are you the fun police?"

"Since it got in the way of a mission."

You looked at Jason intently, even with his mask on you've known Jason for most of your life and you could read him like a book.

"Wait a minute. Are you jealous?" You asked as soon as the words left your mouth you smirked.

"What- No!" Jason tried to say but you burst out laughing. "Oh my god, you sound so stupid with your damn voice modulator in that thing!" You laugh and you can hear the hiss of his helmet coming off.

"I am not jealous of some low life you decide to waste your time on." Jason said and you shook your head, still unconvinced.

"No way. You're jealous. You wish I flirted with you like I flirt with Deedee over there" You said and casually pointed at the unconscious Dean. Jason's lips twitched and you didn't need any more confirmation.

"Like I said-" He tried but you were having none of it.

"Oh bullshit. I've seen the way you look at me when you think I don't notice. You forget Jay I've known you since we were toddlers, I can see what no one else sees on you and I've noticed." You said and with every word you stepped closer and closer to Jason.

"I'm not-" "If you try to tell me you're not gay I'm going to smack you."

Jason didn't say anything else, he just looked into your eyes. You never knew the reason he left Gotham to go outlaw-ing around the world with his friends a few years ago but it was you. When Jason finally realized his feelings for you he was terrified. He's been with people before but you were his best friend, his original best friend. You'd known each other since you were in diapers and even if your friendship changed over the years he didn't wanna take the chance that his feelings would ruin it. But here you were, inches from his face and saying you knew about all of it.

"Can I kiss you?" You asked and you waited until you saw the doubt leave Jason's beautiful teal eyes and his head move as he nodded before you brought your lips to his.

Your hands on Jason's waist and his around your hips, the culmination of years of feelings.

When you both broke apart you gazed into his eyes again and smiled.

"God, I love you" Jason said and you brought your lips to his for another yet chaste kiss.

"I've waited so long to hear those words from you Jayjay" You said, leaning your forehead to his. "And I love you too"

#jason todd #jason todd x reader #batfam #reader insert #dc x reader #male yn #male reader #jason todd x male reader #red hood x male reader #red hood x reader #prompt fic

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iwadori · 4 years ago

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Why you and the haikyu boys broke up (Atsumu,Oikawa,Kageyama,Kenma,Akaashi,Sugawara)

Part two: Osamu, Iwaizumi, Daichi, Ushijima

Genre:angst

masterlist

Atsumu: “god yer so clingy and annoying”

You and Atsumu have been dating for years and every year was worse then the last. Atsumu became more distant and standoffish as your relationship progressed.

“‘Tsumu, where were you said that you’d be back by-“

“Gosh Y/N, just leave me alone, I don’t need you doting all over me like your my mum or something” he said harshly making you flinch

“Well I wouldn’t keep acting like your mum if you weren’t being such a child, you dick”

“God Y/N, yer so cling and annoying”

That was the last thing he said to you, well the last thing you heard, since after that you were gone. You definitely didn’t care for Atsumu anymore and you definitely didn’t care about his mutiple messages and calls asking begging you to talk to him.

You were done and you silently asked yourself the question “who’s the clingy and annoying one now ‘tsumu”

Oikawa: “If only you supported me like she did then..”

You and Oikawa, the classic ‘highschool sweethearts,’ with him being the athletic trailblazer with you at his side through it all, always known as “Oikawa’s girlfriend”

Being known as that, at first you didn’t mind, since being attached to the Oikawa name in any aspect was something to brag about (especially when you’re a teenage girl.)

But as you got older you didn’t want to be just somebody’s “girlfriend,” you wanted to be Y/N The doctor or Y/N the lawyer, journalist or whatever.

And Oikawa wasn’t particularly fond of the idea.

As the time went on, with you now studying and preparing for your new found dream job (which you were over the moon about.) Oikawa became unbearable, late nights out, always hiding his phone when you were about, he had this odd scent about him one that was different to usual.

He was cheating on you. You knew it, but since there was no physical proof and because you loved him so much accusing him of such a thing could ruin everything.

You didn’t need too though. Since one night, when Oikawa was supposedly meant to be at an away game. He was away, but in someone else’s pants... in your bedroom.

After being caught he pleaded for you to hear him out and when you wouldn’t he said “if only you supported me like she did then I wouldn’t be cheating on you”

That was definitely the final straw, you became the best doctor that Japan had ever seen, and you didn’t know what happen to Oikawa and that girl.

You may of heard through the grapevine that she definitely cheated on him a month into their relationship, but what do you care anyways.

Kenma: “gosh y/n I’m not your therapist”

Kenma and you were childhood friends before you started dating. You were two peas in a pods.

You worked perfectly as you being the talkative one always talked and him being quiet just always listened.

That’s how you worked and it was fine, right?

Well of course it wasn’t, well at least till when you were a few years into your relationship it wasn’t. Kenma was obviously a popular gamer and kind of a businessman, he wasn’t as free as he used to be and neither were you and you both knew that.

So when you did have time to hang out you most certainly made the most of it, doing what you normally did: you talk, he ‘listens.’

Even though Kenma wasn’t listening anymore, who knows when he stopped listening but he probably hasn’t heard nor cared for a thing you’ve said since you were 5.

“Gosh Y/N I’m not your therapist” he said after you were telling him about a terrible day you had “ I don’t even know why we’re still together, or together at all... “

“Fine, if that’s how you feel I’m gone”

“Wait Y/N I didn’t mea-“

You slam the door blocking out the rest of speech which you didn’t need to hear since obviously ‘you aren’t his therapist.’

Akaashi: you’re just too much of an idiot too understand.

When you and Akaashi met, it was in one of your classes, and you first noticed him when he was answering in a question in class.

Hot and smart was what you thought when you first laid eyes on him

What you didn’t know by the time you got together was that ‘hot and smart’ translates to the biggest patronising mansplainer ever.

Akaashi has a way of belittling you and dumbing you down, you didn’t know why he was doing it. Heck, you didn’t know he was actually doing it until he actually said “you’re just too much of an idiot to understand.”

The other times it was subtle, but obvious enough to leave you sad and uncomfortable afterwards questioning every aspect of yourself.

One night, you don’t tell him what your doing, you pack up your crap leave the rest of the months rent on the kitchen counter along with a note saying ‘I’m breaking up with you,’

You knew that sooner or later that day you’d get a text from him and you did which read:

Akaashi: what do you mean I’m breaking up with. Why ?

Y/N: oh I guess you’re too much of an idiot to understand.

Kageyama: you don’t work hard enough Y/N

You were dating the best setter in Japan. It always felt surreal when you said that to yourself, or when someone said that to you.

Since ‘how could you’ get ‘someone like that.’

That was the question that many people asked, since of course ‘Tobio Kageyama was only worth the best of the best,’ and to them you most certainly wasn’t that.

You got comments like that all the time online, but you didn’t care but one time you were scrolling through Twitter and so a post about you and the comments were all talking about your body.

This crushed your heart, as the comments they were making were vile so this definitely hit a tough spot.

When Kageyama came home and saw your distressed state he rushed to your side to see if he could help. However once you showed him what you were crying over, his tone of voice changed as he said,

“They aren’t wrong Y/N, ever since we got together you’ve definitely not really been looking after yourself lately”

“What is that supposed to mean” you retort

“ I mean, you don’t work hard Y/N, you don’t work at all... as of lately you’ve just been bitching and complaining and mooching off of my success whilst you let yourself go.”

Ouch.

“If that’s how you see me, then so be it” you say gracefully standing up and exciting the building. You were done with Kageyama and you both knew that, there was no going back after what he said, especially since you could tell he was thinking that for a while now.

Sugawara: your not the girl I fell in love with

Sugawara and you were described as the “perfect couple” by people that didn’t know you. Which you always faked a smile a compliment, knowing certainly well you weren’t.

You’ve loved sugawara ever since you met him in your first year. But you knew, you always knew he didn’t love you back.

Kiyoko Shimuzu, her name was. A pretty name for a pretty girl. All the boys were in love with her (some more vocal about it then others) but sugawara even though he wasn’t shouting his love from the rooftops, you caught the looks of adoration he gave her when she was simply walking by.

You dated him anyways, maybe he could sense your desperation or maybe he needed a distraction. You didn’t know why he decided to ask you out and you didn’t care, he was yours and you finally ‘won.’

Well you were winning up till you got a certain invite in the Mail:

You are invited to the wedding of Tanka Ryunnsoke and Kiyoko Shimuzu.

Even though sugawara looked happy at the idea of his two dearest friends marrying, you could tell he was heartbroken. And he knew that you knew.

That is why, on the day before the wedding as you were packing your bags to go, it turns out he was packing his bags too. But for a completely different reason.

“I’m leaving” was all he said at first heading for the door.

“Where? Why?” You aksed

“You know why Y/N, you’ve always known why And itll do more harm then good if we keep this charade up any longer”

“But I love you” you cried latching on to him

“And I love you, but you were not the girl I fell in love with and I don’t think that love will ever stop”

You knew he was right and you let him go, crying over your one true love.

An: I kinda heavily like this one, (maybe because it’s hard to write on my phone and this style is definitely not what I’m used too so I’m appreciating my efforts.) what do you guys think ??

ALSO MY PHONE WONT LET ME DO READ ORE AND ONCE MY LAPTOP WORKS TOMMOROW I WILL DO IT SO SORRY!!

Taglist[bold can’t be tagged]: @sakuxxi @iimoonii @hamdehlesmis @Shoyosupremacy @meadowsinjapan @iambashfulperson

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chateautae · 4 years ago

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flirt | pjm. (m)

➵ summary : park jimin is a notorious flirt, but so are you. when you both meet at a party after weeks of back and forth, it’s a matter of time before somebody gives in

➵ pairing : jimin x reader

➵ genre : college!au, sexual tension, smut, pwp

➵ rating : 18+

➵ word count : 4k

➵ warnings : super suggestive flirting, alcohol consumption (both parties able to consent), swearing, light dom and sub themes, soft dom!jimin, brat!reader, little bit of brat-handling, dirty talk, praising but also degradation? it’s hot i promise, use of slut, slight body worshipping, mentions of oral, jimin is hot and yes that’s a warning in itself, breast play, unprotected sex, penetrative + rough sex, bit of angsty sex, creampie cause i seem to not like it any other way

➵ a/n : and my first jimin fic is here!! dear god i love this boy to the moon and back so i got a bit carried with him lmao, hopefully this isn’t terrible cause i still need to edit it but your support and feedback are always appreciated!! <3

2 hours.

2 hours since you first came to this party. You’ve bumped into at least a hundred people, danced your legs numb, God knew how many and what concoction of drinks were inebriating your system and still, you hadn’t seen Park Jimin the whole night.

The only reason you even dragged yourself to this party was because of him. You were initially bailing on the annual ‘one-last-hurrah-before-midterms’ party because you, like everyone else here had midterms haunting them Monday. It was Friday night and as the ever diligent student, you were planning to study over the weekend.

Though your nagging best friend Hoseok had other plans, threatening you to come with every piece of dirt he had on you until he finally sprinkled Jimin’s name into the mix. You couldn’t lie, it was the only reason you decided to hell with your education, wiggled into a barely-there dress and waltzed in with Hoseok ready to take the night on.

But when you hadn’t seen Jimin at all, you were left annoyed, pissed off and with a headache raking your brain.

Seeing him was a selfish desire, one you’d develop after realizing you had met your match when you first encountered Jimin. You were always fairly notorious for your flirtatious habits and touchiness, a sort of trademark of yours and the same was always said about a ‘Park Jimin’ unknown to you, sometimes described to be an even bigger flirt.

It automatically intrigued you, curious of what kind of rival you secretly harbored until one day, you chanced upon Hoseok who just so happened to be with Jimin.

At first, you didn't think Jimin could be a daring flirt. He had this sweet smile and disciplined way of speaking that screamed innocent to you, his mannerisms and demeanor shy and introverted. He didn’t make big moves and so you wrote him off as just that.

But it wasn’t until you started seeing him outside your class’ building, alone, and multiple times after that, enough for you to realize he was anything but shy or innocent.

You ended up observing that a) he was sex on legs, b) easily flipped between the persona of an angel and a demon and c) anything he did could seem flirting.

You two hit it off without a hitch, your flirtatious tendencies meeting to form a relationship of mutual interest. It was clear as day, both your actions almost always held some sort of unknown intentions behind them, your every saying a double meaning.

It became the norm between you two, anytime you met turning into a conversation riddled with innuendos, suggestive lip-biting or eyes that couldn’t help but wander. And you weren't stupid, you could tell he wanted you just as much as you wanted him. You two were dangerous, testing the limits of either’s control, hoping someone would give in and only left disappointed when nobody did.

So when Hoseok mentioned this party, and graciously added Park Jimin’s name to it, you knew this was your chance. A party with buzzing bodies, loud music and copious amounts of alcohol was bound to set him off, especially if you were dressed scandalously and felt bolder with liquid courage pumping through your system.

But it’d been 2 hours, and you hadn’t seen him all night. You were taking another shot in the kitchen, sulking by yourself and reflecting on the fact that you’d been duped by Hoseok. This party became useless to you, a mere waste of your time as you quickly discarded your cup and began stomping out of the kitchen.

You ventured further into the house to look for Hoseok’s 5’10 ass, tell him he’s the worst best friend for lying to you and that you were leaving this disappointment of a party.

You stepped around people mindfully, dodging them until you rammed smack dab into someone’s back, scrambling for an apology before looking at the unaffected victim.

Park fucking Jimin.

“Y/N!” Jimin beamed, holding a drink in his hand as he smiled widely.

“Jimin, hey! I thought you didn’t come tonight.” You attempted biting back your smile from finally finding him, shouting over the bass of the music as you met him on the dance floor.

“I just ran late. You know me, of course I’d be here!” Jimin raised his drink to his plump lips and sipped, stepping side-to-side in rhythm with the music.

You couldn’t make him out that well, the disco lights of whatever lights system the only means of seeing him in the dark, but you swear the smirky grin on his face as he scanned you over wasn’t just a figment of your imagination, ecstatic that you already seemed to be reeling him in. “Do you want a drink?”

“No, I already had-” You didn’t get to finish your sentence as someone’s raging body stumbled into yours suddenly, sending you off balance until Jimin reached out for you cautiously.

“Woah, easy there.” Jimin’s arms quickly held you, flashing a scolding look at the person who bumped into you and pulling you towards himself. “Are you here with someone tonight?”

“Yeah, Hoseok! I was looking for him.”

“Why’s that?”

“I.. wasn’t having fun, so I wanted to leave with him.” You swiftly masked the real truth, your voice becoming less of a shout as Jimin encased you, just a few centimeters between your bodies as you peered up at him, cheeks flushed with heat and alcohol.

“Leave with him? Damn, didn’t know you two were like that.” Jimin flashed you a suggestive look, raising his eyebrows.

“Shut up, you know we’re just best friends.” You both erupted into a fit of chuckles as you hit his chest, your hand smacking against his jacket and now that you were close, registered what a meal he looked like tonight; ripped black jeans, plain white t-shirt underneath a distressed jean jacket, all pulled together sexily by his tousled hair, small hoop earrings and a Chanel necklace decorating his neck.

Dear God, how many times you’ve ached to kiss that pretty, pretty neck.

You internally groaned, habitually drawing closer to him as you enjoyed the warmth of his body, nostrils filling with the familiar scent of his intoxicating cologne.

“So I hear you wanna have some fun.” Jimin perked up, eyes amused and hands smoothing over your sides slowly after faltering from your arms.

“Are you suggesting I’ll have fun with you?”

“Of course, gorgeous, but up to you how we do that.” Jimin stepped dangerously closer to you as his voice lowered, your face tucked into his chest as his body blocked other people from touching you.

Excitement shot to your center at his use of a pet name, a common occurrence during your exchanges though his choices of which always an added thrill.

“And what if I just want to leave and eat at a diner instead?”

“Then I’d definitely take you, food and you? A win in my book.”

You cocked an eyebrow, crossing your arms. “Adding me to the mix suddenly makes it a win? I’m not the one on the menu, Park.”

Jimin’s eyes seem to blow out, leaning down as his plushy lips ghosted your ear as he spoke, tone darkened, “We can change that, princess.”

A thrill shot throughout your body, hyper aware of his lips mere inches from your face as your heart began to race, turning towards him expectantly.

You began advancing slowly to decrease the gap between your mouths, feeling him inch forward in response, letting him hover just above your lips for a tease before you stopped, “I’d like to see you try, Park.”

Then you abruptly turned out of his hold and walked away, making it through a few people into a hallway, allowing yourself to breathe. You loved teasing Jimin, it was an incredibly entertaining pass time but dear God, did it knock the fucking wind out of you.

You were mentally recuperating from the fact that he almost let you kiss him, distracted as you stepped away until someone suddenly snatched your arm and pinned you against the nearest wall. You were honestly shocked to see Jimin, surprised he actually took your bait and stayed on your trail to stop you. His dancing eyes held nothing but greed, evident even in the darkness of the party.

“You know just how to test people, don’t you?” Jimin warned as he narrowed his dangerous eyes at you, holding your hot-skinned wrists against the cool wall.

“Of course I do, it makes things fun and last time I checked,” You brought your face to his and left only an inch between you two, “that’s just what I want.”

Jimin visibly grew less tamed, glancing down towards your lips as he tried breathing controllably, “Careful what you wish for, princess. It might come true.”

“And if that’s what I want?” You titled your head expectantly, licking your lips as you watched Jimin bite his own. He eyed you the whole time, making it a statement to drink you in every inch of you.

You could smell the alcohol on him, assuming liquor was the only driving force behind his actions but then contemplated his level-headedness, his coherent speech and clear judgment in this moment.

Jimin was choosing to chase after you, choosing to not let you go after weeks of incessant back and fourth and you knew you were finally getting closer to exactly what you wanted.

Park Jimin giving in.

“You’re fucking hot.” Jimin commented, eyes eating you up hungrily.

“You’re hotter.” You grinned and leaned back against the wall, cleavage unintentionally popping out for him and Jimin’s look immediately shifted, bringing his body closer against yours.

“You look submissive as hell right now, is that what you like? To be dominated?”

“Only if you like to dominate.”

Jimin could feel the reigns on his control snapping, biting down to contain his raw desire to fuck you. He’s been holding himself back, knowing you seemed willing on your end of the interactions but never wanting to take the leap in case it was all just an act.

But as he watched you go along with his every comment, staring back at him with the same devious eyes and practically offering yourself to him in his hold, he knew you weren’t acting at all.

“You talk a big game, but can you put your money where your mouth is?” Jimin leaned his hips against yours, ensuring you could feel his growing hardness.

“My mouth can do a lot of fucking things, Park.” You jutted your hips into his.

Jimin shut his eyes frustratedly before he re-opened them, a downright obsidian colour taking them over.

“Go the fuck upstairs.”

“Wh-”

“I said, go the fuck upstairs.” Jimin demanded, looking at you with conviction so searing you in fact did become submissive.

“W-which room-” You didn’t complete your question as Jimin’s deft hands encased you and lifted you off the ground, bridal-style.

“Jimin-!” You exclaimed.

“Say another word and I’ll make sure you feel me in your throat.”

You immediately swallowed your mouth shut as Jimin cluthed you to him, core alighting with desire as he carried you up the stairs. Jimin arrived at the second floor and rushed towards the first room with an ajar door, shutting it with your feet after entering.

He made towards the bed and practically threw you onto it, stepping away to lock the door before leaning against it, arms crossed and serious.

“You sure you want this?” His voice came out considerate, no haste or pressure.

“Yes, Jimin.”

“You’re completely sure?”

You nodded incessantly.

“I need your words, Y/N.”

“Yes.” You affirmed, unintentionally becoming submissive as you awaited him, and Jimin couldn't resist you, not any longer. He made towards your smaller figure on the bed and immediately crashed his lips onto yours, knee sinking into the mattress as he leaned over you, splaying you onto the bed.

He held your wrists against the sheets, kissing you open as his plump lips worked tirelessly against your mouth. He continued to swallow you, opening up to catch all of you as he sank further downwards to feel your body arch into his.

His wet tongue glided over your lips and you welcomed him in lightspeed, letting his muscle entangle with yours hastily and you instantly loved the taste of him.

Jimin’s kisses began deepening, exploring your mouth like he was dehydrated and your mouth was fresh water. His thigh began pressing against your core and you moaned into his mouth as Jimin disconnected from you, panting for air.

“Don’t fucking do that.” He voiced frustratedly, his full lips swollen and pink as he tried to contain himself.

“Do what?”

“Fucking moan, it does shit to me.”

“Sucks for you, I’m responsive as fuck.” You snipped as his sudden confession made you hot, squishing your thighs together. Jimin took notice and he flashed a look at your core.

“Responsive, huh?” Jimin let go of your wrist, sliding his hand down your body before pressing his fingers to your heat through your dress. You instantly gasped, arching as you felt your walls clench around absolutely nothing.

“J-Jimin.” you warned him weakly.

“Mm?” Jimin paid no attention as he lowered himself to your neck and began kissing, tonguing, sucking at a spot that had you cowering and squirming underneath him.

You groaned as your free hand tangled into his hair, hugging him to your neck as you basked in the glory of his plush lips devouring you. He was laving and nibbling at your skin, continuously kissing the area of your carotid all while rubbing his hand against your clothed cunt. Jimin began rutting his body against yours, the tip of his cock prodding you the more he moved.

“Fuck you, Jimin. This isn’t fair.” You moaned breathlessly

“As fair as it gets, princess. You wanted to see my try, yeah?” Jimin suddenly stopped his movements on your core and slid his hand up your bare thigh, only to shift your stained panties to the side and glide his fingers all over your bare pussy. You gasped Jimin’s name and tugged at his hair harshly, the alcohol hazing everything over with sensitivity and trying to sustain the sheer amount of pleasure he was rewarding you.

“N-nothing’s fair about this.”

Jimin smoothed the pads of his fingers over your slick core, eliciting your incessant gasps, “Fuck with my ego and I fuck with you, baby.”

He was leaving purple marks all along your neck and chest, moving down to the valley of your breasts and you whined headily, hating that he had such an advantage in this position.

You immediately grew bold enough to push him off by his chest, detaching him as Jimin looked at you confused. “Y/N, what the fu-” was all Jimin could get out before you stood up and gripped his cock through his pants, his breath immediately hitching. He looked at you with surprised eyes, growing weaker in your hold as you walked him back against a vanity in the room.

You had no clue who this room belonged to, but you could care less when you were minutes away from getting fucked by Park Jimin.

He let out breathy little moans as you palmed him, shutting his eyes in bliss as he turned harder by the second, leaning back against the counter. You planted your lips to his neck and mouthed fervently, making sure you embellished his skin with your desire for him. “F-fuck. Y/N, this isn’t fair.”

“Fuck with my ego and I fuck with you, baby.” You mocked him and began rubbing at his shaft, sucking hickies onto his pretty neck and licking over the areas your teeth grazed. Jimin continued groaning, hugging you close to him as he fisted his hands against your body, trying everything to cherish the pleasure he felt.

The person he’s been desiring ever since he heard about you, his every nerve thrilled by your ability to counter him, match his energy of constant flirting and testing the waters, venturing further than him sometimes.

You were just so tempting and Jimin wanted every last bit of you.

That sentiment increased when he felt your hands snake towards the belt of his jeans, unbuckling harshly with need so apparent he wanted nothing but to stuff your walls, now.

“No, fuck off, getting inside you first.” Jimin denied your hands, capturing them in his hold.

You instantly whined, “But Jimin, want you to fuck my face.” You pouted into his neck, kissing along his collar bones as you rutted against him.

“Fucking God, I’m destroying you for that.” Jimin wrapped you up in his arms and switched the positions, shoving you against the vanity, your ass on the edge of the counter as Jimin stood in between your spread out legs, lips meeting yours again.

Jimin lifted the skirt of your dress up and over your backside, pooling around your waist as his hands slid over your fleshy thighs to the band of your panties. He pulled only to snap them back against your skin, the contact making you gasp.

“Why the fuck are you still wearing these?”

“And why the fuck are you still wearing clothes?” You chastised, hands greedily shoving his jacket off him even with your mouth attached to his.

Jimin didn’t allow the action to compromise your kiss either, practically ripping his jacket off and breathing hard against you as he threw it away. He then pulled his t-shirt over himself, revealing his toned, lean body underneath and only leaving his Chanel necklace hanging over his bare chest. You licked your lips at the sight of his smooth and pretty body, the outline of his abs like a work of art.

You reached out to touch him, his face and skin flushed with lust as he watched you. “You’re so hot, Jimin, so pretty.” You praised, eyes ogling him.

Jimin smirked proudly before speaking, “Your turn.”

He searched for the zipper of your dress and unzipped hastily, peeling away the top to reveal your naked breasts and now it was his turn to ogle at you.

“Fuck me, you’re prettier.” He huffed out, eyes blown out entirely.

“Probably not as pretty as your cock, let me suck.” You pouted playfully and pulled him closer to you with the back of your shins, hands greedily feeling up his bare chest.

“Only good girls get to suck my dick.”

“Excuse me?”

“You heard me, you’re a fucking brat and a half.” Jimin started kneading your breasts, licking his lips as he watched you spread your legs wider for him and lean your head back out of pure bliss.

“I am not a brat, you just fucking take 10 years to get it on.” You snapped back, moaning in between at the way he groped your breasts, rolling the buds of your nipples with his fingertips.

“Sorry I was a fucking gentleman, didn’t know you were such a cock-hungry slut.” Jimin bit as he planted his thick lips to your perched nipple, eliciting curses from you as his tongue began swirling around, sucking teasingly.

“You just can’t fuck, isn’t it? All bark and no bite?”

Jimin scoffed darkly at that, sucking harder on your sensitive nipples before letting go with a pop. “I’ll fucking break you is why I kept holding off, you’ll regret this, princess.”

“Break me then, Jimin, please. Fuck me like you say you will, I need you.” Your arousal became unbearable as you grew hornier, rocking your hips against him for friction while he laved at either of your nipples.

“I will, baby. Get these off and I’ll fuck you so good.” Jimin tugged at your panties and you lifted your ass for him to discard them.

You unhooked Jimin’s belt and shoved into his pants, pulling his boxers and jeans down until you finally freed his leaking length, thick and throbbing to be treated.

What you always thought was right, his cock was pretty just like him. You graciously pumped him, spreading his pre-cum over the head as you watched him lean his head back, kissing under his jaw.

“So pretty, Jimin, just like you.”

Jimin stopped caring about any and everything and instantly grabbed one of your legs, spreading you wide open for him and situated himself before your entrance.

He brought a hand over yours pumping his member and moved you quicker against his hot flesh, looking down at the lewd scene and your pretty pussy aching for him.

“Look at you soaking, baby, so much prettier.”

You moaned needily, the back of your shins urging Jimin closer to you again as you whined. “Jimin..”

“Raw?” he breathed impatiently.

“Fuck yes, birth control.”

Jimin didn’t even take a millisecond before he was pushing against your hole, placing the hand that was pumping his member now against your pelvic bone, pressing down to feel himself sink inside of you.

You instantly careened, moaning out so loud that if there wasn’t music blaring in the house, everyone would know how stuffed Jimin made you feel.

“Fuck-Jimin! Stop doing that, it feels too fucking good..!” You nearly cried, the pressure of Jimin’s hand making you feel any and every ridge, vein and hardness of his thick cock, your walls drinking him in.

“Fuck you, this is what you get.” Jimin blurted as he buried himself to the hilt, groaning satisfyingly at your warm walls hugging him before plunging to make out with you.

Jimin began fucking you with conviction, determination to drive you insane for him as he spread you open. He thrusted fast and hard from the get-go, neglecting to set a pace knowing how much of a cock-loving brat you were. His thumb resting just above your clit dipped down to lightly play with your bud, tease it, all the while licking into your mouth and thrusting into you.

You gasped hard, so much that Jimin’s name was the only thing coherent within them and he swallowed all your sounds with his lips. Your body was on fire at the drag of his cock, shocked at how wet you were when he hadn’t even fingered or eaten you out, his cock doing all the work, leaving you only thinking of Park Jimin’s sheer power.

You wanted all of him so badly, wanted him to ruin you, destroy you like he said he would, fuck you open like he always insinuated he would.

“Jimin, please, harder! Fuck me like the brat I am, teach me a fucking lesson.”

“Princess likes it hard, huh? Want me to fuck this pussy up? Make it all mine?” Jimin’s words were so filthy they had you clutching onto him tightly, arousal gushing from you as Jimin impaled you harder, snapping into you.

His thumb continued its onslaught, your walls convulsing to his every stroke as you gripped his shoulders and kissed him, biting his plushy bottom lip as he fucked you harder.

“Mm, Jimin, fuck!” Your tits bounced as he pounded into you, taking his every thrust like a champ and he damn well shook the entire vanity, continuously drilling your hole as he gave no room for mercy. Your hands snaked into his hair and tugged, making him groan in approval and he only pushed you open wider in response.

“You pretty brat, look at you getting what you want. Fucked like the cock-loving princess you are.” Jimin breathed against your mouth, his skin slicking with sweat as he worked tirelessly against your opening, battering your pussy with an unforgiving speed.

“You would’ve gotten your dick sucked, but apparently-” you shuddered breathily, “I w-wasn’t a good girl.” You felt weak from his repeated onslaught, the bubbling pleasure in your gut keeping you going.

“Yeah, so fucking behave and maybe I’ll let you choke on my dick.”

“Y-you stop playing games and maybe I’ll let you eat my pussy.”

Jimin only ticked his head to the side as he chuckled darkly, starting to propel his thick cock into your gut and raging at your clit so roughly, you gasped as you carved your pleasure into his skin. Jimin did the same as he bore his fingers into you, a hand squeezing your thigh harshly as he held your leg and your walls fluttered around him, moans growing higher in pitch.

“Jimin! I’m gonna-“ you didn’t even complete your sentence as your walls clamped around him, orgasm washing over you so quickly you barely realized it came. You clenched him like a vice and panted hard against his mouth, Jimin finally coming undone as well, spurts of cum painting your insides and filling you to the brim, certain he’d leak out of you for hours.

You felt stuffed, so full of him you were hazed over with post-orgasm bliss, mind unwinding from any trifling matter on Earth. Your forehead slacked against his shoulder as you both panted for air, sweating as Jimin held your weak body in his arms.

His cock remained shoved inside you, the throbbing letting up on both of you as your highs settled down.

“You..” Jimin swallowed dryly, breathing. “took me like a good girl. Maybe you can suck me off next time.”

“Next time?” You breathed labourly, turning your face towards his.

Jimin peered down at you resting against him, biting back a grin. “Of course, there’s always a next time with flirts like us.”

#thebtswritersclub #jimin x reader #jimin smut #park jimin x reader #bts smut #jimin scenario #jimin fanfiction #park jimin #park jimin college au #bangtanhq

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thewriterowl · 3 years ago

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The series about Boba Fett came out really, let's say, not very well, I adore Boba, but this is really the same character about whom it was not worth making a whole series, Boba is good in his sudden appearance in the universe, his series in The Mandalorian is the best after the finale with Luke , according to ratings! This is a man of mystery that you look at and think *God, what's on his mind, he's really unpredictable and cruel*, and in the end we get a very soft and even a little funny pensioner. They shot only episodes 5 and 6, and even then, not with their plot, but just *god what nostalgia, Ahsoka is talking about a family friend 😭 Luke teaches Grogu like Yoda 😭 you look like a father 😭 poor father misses his son 😭 and so on .. .

The last episode once again shows us that Disney and his directors still have their any hobby left, slandering Luke from head to toe, showing us that this person has not learned anything and makes the same mistakes as his teachers. And in order for the series not to lose its ratings at all * they wanted the best duet of son and father to be together again, on ... choke! , and the fact that Luke did not bother to see Grogu off himself can be explained very simply ... Disney is greedy, to the point of madness, everything is very simple! Everything is very banal to be honest and it makes me very sad.

Although there is still something funny, our Skywalker boys are really terrible fathers, both of them!

One cuts off his son's hand, the other sends the tiny creature of one across the universe, perhaps to the most dangerous planet, even with R2))

Luke and Anakin/Vader are two sides of the same coin, and this is probably the exact truth! Although Luke will be a little smarter than his father.

I'm just gonna say it, and this may be an unpopular opinion:

Din should've NEVER been brought into the show.

This isn't just me being a Luke-fan, but for the sake of the story of Boba Fett. Things weren't amazing with the story but there were a lot of strong points (really the big crime was the treatment of the Tuskens and getting the teeny-bop-ranger gang) that made things compelling. The moment Din came in, it was over. He was the main focus. The story just lost control.

Episode 5 should've been the first episode of season 3, hands down. We should've never left Boba or Tatooine. We should've gotten Cobb earlier, Boba reaching out to Cobb and there be nods to Din and his story, and get Cad Bane at this time as well. A message could've been sent to Din and maybe he showed up at this final episode...but honestly, he shouldn't have been involved. This needed away from the plot of the Mandalorian.

It is through the shoehorning of Din that, oh, well now we need to see fan-favorite Grogu! And if we see Grogu, well, gotta see Luke...and then everything was far too rushed. I got an image of our Luke...but because they had to rush back to the story of Boba (last episode of all times) they just say "oh yeah, Luke just sent him off alone without coming to help".

Now, I'v been around the block with adoring certain characters and then poor writing comes in to brush them to the side and not really allow their depth or growth or self to shine...or sometimes just being used to cause problems that make no sense (Hello my beloved Haruno Sakura from Naruto) so, I got a bit thick skin with it. It pains me to ultimate agony they did my baby Luke like this (Especially with all the build up) but I know i have fanfiction and some parts of Tumblr, but may not get on the dinluke tag for a bit as I have seen people bashing Luke and using the tag to platform other pairings.

I am still gonna watch Season 3 and still hella gonna be into dinluke and Luke Skywalker. I am just so curious why so many at Lucasfilm (not saying it is Dave and/or Jon as I don't know their affection on Luke--i know a strange amount of people at Lucasfilm do not like Luke or the OT)

So, I'm just gonna write a little fix-it fic, go back to watching the Mandalorian, picture my beloved Luke, and just enjoy time with my fellow dinluke/luke staning friends and just do as the Jedi do and let it go.

But, you hear me Dave & Jon, you come for my boy again and I will unleash the wrath of an anxious filled-grad student and I WILL write a Luke novel. I will write one hell of a Luke novel and I will fight tooth and nail to get it published and make people adore Luke. You hear me?? I will start working on it now if necessary.

#owl inbox #dinluke #luke skywalker #the book of boba fett spoilers

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mayyourshipsbewithyou · 4 years ago

Text

Things I loved about In the Heights

-The sounds of the city are part of the music of the opening song

-The frame story is the only way this story should be told; the story only works if it shows the results of Usnavi's decision to stay

-Anthony and Lin shaking hands

-Yay to random mixed race couple asking for directions

-“I hope you’re writing this down I’m gonna test you later” only makes sense with kids

-Showing different residents of Washington Heights provides scale

-I’m not sure about the decision to cut Camila, but if it means less Nina drama, then I love it

-I love how Usnavi has his friends’ orders all ready to go

-LOVE how Usnavi announces Benny’s entrance

-Everything about Vanessa in this movie is perfect=> she’s given so much more depth, her beauty is downplayed, she’s kind of a nerd, but has a beautiful smile

-Nina’s heels=> metaphor for her reaching for the stars

-I love the actress that plays Nina; she’s the right age and her singing voice is so sweet

-Nina’s hair is straight when she’s at school; as soon as she comes home, it’s curly=>she can be herself at home

-When Nina turns around and sees the crowd of people counting on her=> I felt that

-I love seeing Nina get her acceptance letter; I remember what that was like for my brother

-Camila must have died while Nina was at college in this version; Nina lost her mother recently which helps explain her different reason for dropping out; she feels lost

-I don’t know why Sonny is using this deep voice, but I love it!

-Whoever decided to have 96,000 take place at the pool is a genius

-The graphics at the beginning of 96,000 are good for helping regular people understand the rap

-Pete just put his arm around Sonny=> are they dating?

-Sonny yelling 96,000 as he enters the pool=> the sound design

-Pete nodding along to Usnavi=> sucking up to the family

-Usnavi is such a proud cousin-uncle during Sonny’s part in 96,000

-Vanessa making her “I'll be downtown” walk down a ramp

-The dancer doing flips is now a diver doing spins into the pool

-On stage, the lighting was dark; in the movie, it’s underwater

-The circles of people in the pool reflect the zeros in 96,000

-Lin and Chris being rivals is perfect; their bromance is everything

-Nina and Benny being together before the events of the movie means they are the beta couple and have less drama than Usnavi/Vanessa which is how it should be

-Benny joins in during “on that fire escape”=> like West Side Story

-Benny’s “Let me in” against the fence is hilarious

-Nina and Benny are FUN, not angsty like in the original

-Nina following the little girl=> following herself, following her dreams which eventually lead her to the sea; all of this is done while she’s talking about her past

-Nina and Benny instrumental™ part 1 in the middle of “When You’re Home”, Benny interrupts=> their story isn't complete yet

-Benny says he believes in her without discounting her feelings

-Everyone loving Nina=> I finally get it

-Nina is home geographically and with people who love her

-Benny is Nina’s home

-In the Heights is about how dreams are great, but the life you have now can be so beautiful

-Nina’s hair during the dinner/club scene is great

-Usnavi is wearing his dad’s hat for his date with Vanessa; he knows that she is to him what his mom was for his dad

-Family dinners are the same in every culture

-Awkwardness of long-time friends going on a date

-Vanessa offers Usnavi his first drink of the night; he thinks that’s what she wants; because why would she want him and only him?

-Usnavi whispering in Vanessa’s ear is so sexy

-Love that Benny is on Nina’s side instead of being mad at her

-I wonder if they thought 5 years of Benny working for Kevin was too much or too little since they changed that line to "all these years"

-Benny’s reactions to Vanessa dancing at the club are hilarious

-Vanessa laughing at Usnavi dancing with someone else

-Nina is always smiling and laughing at the things going on around her; not as self centered

-Nina and Benny dancing at the club=> all of the yeses

-Usnavi is too nervous about being alone with Vanessa that he un-dated himself; he wasn’t quite ready

-Love that they consciously cut all the “Usnavi, help me” parts=> Vanessa is not a victim

-Fireworks are a romantic setting for Sonny and Pete, just saying

-Usnavi/Benny/Nina talking about the fourth member of their square gives me feelings; I need more of these four in fanfic, my dreams

-“I got to wait for Vanessa”=> the stuff dreams are made of

-Benny is such a good person; he’s even better than the original which is what he deserves

-Usnavi is relieved to have Vanessa call his name

-“Don’t walk away from us tonight”=> great addition

-To give Usnavi and Vanessa some of Nina and Benny’s original lines is to see the face of God

-The first time I saw this, I’m ashamed to admit, I thought Benny was going to steal money from the dispatch; I was a fool

-Dancer with fireworks on his shoes

-Benny is smart and good; he isn’t doing this for Kevin or Nina but for the people of New York

-Abuela was able to see stars again on the last night of her life

-I’m sad Blackout isn’t exactly the same but the orchestral parts that cover up what is unsaid is so beautiful it makes up for it

-Abuela’s family is her “fireworks”; they are what light up the Heights

-Sonny came to Usnavi instead of being with his dad during the blackout; his real family

-Abuela’s smile as she looks at her family while reflecting on her childhood is the most beautiful thing there will ever be

-Paciencia y Fe as a dream sequence is how it was meant to be

-The transition on the subway from reality to memory

-Paciencia y Fe is a mixture of cultures; like Abuela’s memories

-“Wide awake”=> stepping off the subway

-The same actress played Abuela on Broadway and in the movie

-Abuela may be in a musical, but she’s still an old woman

-“As I feed these birds”=> back to the present

-Calor means heat in Spanish but in English it sounds like color

-Abuela dying during the night of the blackout is perfect

-Usnavi saying “she was just here” twice: when she was literally just there and many years, maybe a decade, after the fact

-Usnavi’s daughter is the life that goes on after Abuela is gone

-Usnavi and Nina crying together

-Those closest to Abuela are inside and everyone else is outside

-Iris was sitting on the outside and now she’s in the middle; needed comfort from her friends

-“Should we take a break?”=> we’re past the point of an intermission

-“No daddy, keep going”=> does this look like a stage production to you? It’s a fucking movie

-There isn’t a clear point for an intermission; the action stays strong over where the intermission should be; this is a movie, not a play, and movies don’t have intermissions

-Everyone’s holding candles; like the stars Abuela loved so much

-Iris called Usnavi Daddy for the first time because that was the point in the story where he needed to hear that the most

-“I thought about the people I care about the most, I thought about you”

-Anthony makes Usnavi sexy in a way Lin never could

-So many people love Vanessa, but no one better than Usnavi

-Abuela paid to have Camila's napkins cleaned after all

-Usnavi is the kind of parent that doesn’t sugarcoat life

-Vanessa listed no emergency contacts even though she had people

-“That’s senorita to you”=> yes girl, get it

-Love Daniela for getting everyone out of their asses

-“Tonteria” means foolishness=> the more you know

-How fast Carla says no to “ask me why” shows how quickly she wants to please her love

-Usnavi’s Nueva York t-shirt=> I need it

-Daniela’s first effect being on a woman whose hair is terrible

-Carla pushing that man away from her woman with a bullshit excuse

-My friend was laughing at the parts that were meant to be jokes

-Usnavi’s entrance being announced in Carnaval del Barrio; just like Benny in the opening song

-“There’s nothing holding me down”=> assuming he was rejected

-The different communities dancing with their flags

-Nina being part of Carnaval del Barrio is great

-Even Kevin, kind of an old man, can get down

-Since Nina and Benny sex scene wasn’t shown on screen (praise Jesus), I have to assume Nina told Daniela even though she knows she’s a huge gossip

-Everyone stops because Sonny, a kid, starts singing

-Vanessa and Sonny are so powerful together

-Vanessa’s hand on Sonny’s shoulder

-A kid providing Usnavi with the “flag I’ve got in my hand”

-Usnavi and Vanessa dancing together is muy romantico

-Everything about Nina’s appearance in “When the Sun Goes Down”

-“Let me just listen to my block”=> peak Nina

-Abuela wrote “for Usnavi” on her lotto ticket 😭

-They cut so many songs but kept Champagne=>I love their priorities

-The pause before “you outta stay”

-Everyone has such great chemistry; especially Usnavi and Vanessa

-The choreography in Champagne is what I’ve always imagined

-Usnavi didn’t have time to cash in because Vanessa came over

-Vanessa and Pete friendship for the win

-“Best days of my life” is said thrice=> good things come in threes

-Usnavi staring at the room where Vanessa kissed him

-Iris knows he stayed; she loves her dad so much

-Usnavi looking out his window in Washington Heights and seeing his friends on his dad’s beach

-When Usnavi talks about Kevin at the dispatch, the camera flashes to an abandoned building

-“Vanessa at the salon”=> Usnavi sheds a tear

-Vanessa being front and center during Usnavi’s decision to stay

-Hearing the sounds of the beach during the unveiling

-It’s all about Vanessa=> perfection

-Lin being at the ending is perfect no matter the context

-“Say it so it doesn’t disappear”=> the sad reality is your neighborhood probably will disappear

-Usnavi telling his daughter “you’re it” is everything

-Iris understanding all of the little details of her father’s store now that she knows his story

-Iris is the goddess of the rainbow like the light that appears when water appears on a sunlit day

-“Man, you talk forever”=> that’s so “How I Met Your Mother”

-Iris has a necklace of seashells, like the islands

-Vanessa would sooner get wet than let go of Usnavi’s hand

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thesunicarusfellfor · 4 years ago

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Safe With Me (Yandere!Plat!C!Ranboo x F!Reader) 2/???

TW: Yandere, blood, canon lives lost, mention of painkillers, kiddnapping, swearing

Part One

Over the next few days, he practically begged you to come to live with him in the Snowchester mansion, claiming that you could be much safer there, and closer to him. A.k.a, away, FAR away from Technoblade.

While you liked the thought, you explained to him that you liked your home and wanted to wait a bit before moving in. Ranboo was a little upset but quickly went back to smiling and saying he understood... He couldn't be mad at you... This was life changing for ender's sake.

Then your last day at his home came quicker than he would have liked.. but that's not the only reason he hated that day...

Maybe the voices took over?

Or maybe he was of his own free will when he did it..?

He never fully got the answer out of you and he never understood what happened... He never understood why that damned man decided to take everything from him that day...

You had walked out the door a few minutes ago with a smile on your face and a travel cup full of whatever hot drink you had made before leaving... Then he heard an ear-piercing scream.

Stumbling over his own long and lanky legs, he ran out the door as fast as he could, crashing and tripping over furniture before reaching his front door. He threw it open with a cry of your name and saw the scene he feared the most...

Every single one of his fears had come true.

You were laying lifelessly on the stark white snow, eyes and mouth wide open with dull terror as your clothes were covered in an almost beautiful ruby red liquid seeping from a hole in your chest. Your once shiny (e/c) eyes were glazed over like the glass eyes of a doll, your skin rapidly losing any sort of beautiful hue he had once studied.

Ranboo couldn't stop the scream of bloody murder that escaped his throat as he stumbled through the snow and collapsed to his knees beside your colourless corpse. His hands quickly became covered in the red liquid as it seeped into the snow, flowing freely from the wound that had been created by the man he has once respected.

He knew you were already gone by the time he came out, but he still kept trying to get you to wake up. His colourless hands gently shaking you, holding your face in between his stained hands, trying anything to keep the life from leaving your body, but obviously failing.

"She has one more life left. You're overreacting." His pink-haired neighbour growled softly as your body began to break apart into particles. Despite the piglin's words, the other hybrid sobbed hysterically with his head thrown back to the sky, ignoring the tears burning into his skin.

"I'll kill you."

"Heh?"

"I'll kill you for this, Technoblade." Ranboo tilted his head back down as the black part of his skin began to seep into the white part. His green eye turned into an amethyst-coloured purple and his mouth began to split open.

The next few days to him were a blur... Or that was his memory getting worse...

He'll never really know...

He just knew that you weren't safe without him... You were on your last canon life! You had to be protected...

Even if that meant you couldn't leave...

He had a few more days before you woke up from your respawn, so he set to work quickly. Ranboo began to build an obsidian building, reminding him very much of his panic room, but he couldn't focus on the fact for very long. He had to build something only he could get into. Something that would protect you. Something that couldn't be destroyed.

It was difficult and took longer than he would've liked... But it was safe and out of the way. No one would find it, but that was what he wanted. It was for your safety! And so he could remember you forever! He couldn't complain even if he was tired and his hands were covered in blisters from mining for so long...

Carrying your momentarily lifeless body through L'Manberg was stressful enough, with the emotional and mental pain of carrying the person he held closest to him, but with everyone quickly running up and asking what happen... He found himself unable to say anything other than, "Technoblade..." before brushing past them as quickly as possible, trying to get you to your new home.

There was an almost disgustingly familiar throbbing in your head that awoke you a few days later. You couldn't place where you had felt the headache before, but didn't think too much about it as you just decided to get up and start your day, "I wonder if Ranboo wants to hang out again, I mean... Then again, we've spent an entire week together. Mans is probably sick of me by now..." You laughed a bit to yourself, trying to hide the little stab of self-deprivation that filled your body.

Pushing yourself out of bed, you looked around and sighed, seeing nothing out of the ordinary, "At least I unpacked before I passed out... Now, where did I put the stupid painkillers...?" You walked out of your room, cringing at the cold wooden oak floors and sight of the darkened windows, "Ooookay. Slept less or longer than I thought... Maybe social interaction is more draining than I would like..."

You shuffled around your house and lit a few of the lanterns in your kitchen, digging through the cupboards to find something to alleviate the throbbing pain behind your eyes, "Oh! I went shopping before I passed out? Huh... Maybe I got a bit tipsy or something? Wait... I didn't buy painkillers? Dammit! I always need something I didn't buy..."

Groaning, you put your hand to your head before grabbing a sweater to put over the clothes you slept in, which were the clothes you left Ranboo's house in, before slipping on your shoes. Once you looked at yourself in the mirror, you deemed yourself ready to go outside and head by the store, so you opened the door...

Only to walk into a solid black wall.

"H-huh?" You whispered, gently reaching up and touching the cold material blocking your exit, "Ob...Obsidian? What on earth?... What kind of prank is Tommy pulling now?!" You huffed angrily and walked over to a window... Only to realize it wasn't dark... Every exit was covered in obsidian. "Okay, okay, what the- oh, wait I have tools! Ha ha Tommy, suck a pickaxe."

Walking over to your storage room and opened the chest that held your tools and materials to make tools, only to find it completely empty. Your armour was gone too! This... Was an elaborate prank... Maybe Tommy got help with it. You pushed yourself up and walked over to your enderchest, only to find it completely gone!

Dammit, Tommy definitely got help with this...

Realizing that they wanted you to panic, you huffed and sat down on your bed, crossing your arms in thought, "This... Ah, just gotta wait it out I guess..." You mumbled angrily, flopping onto your couch, groaning in annoyance as the action irritated your headache. Maybe you could sleep it off? Yeah, that was your best bet.

You weren't exactly sure how much time had past to be completely honest? Maybe a few days? Or a few hours? There wasn't much to really do during this horrible prank, you couldn't even enchant your tools or even make any! You didn't even have knives for cooking dammit! Plus... You were beginning to run low on food...

This time you woke up to something different. It sounded like Redstone activating and pistons sliding against each other before the door creaked open. The prank was finally over! Thank god! You shot up from your bed and walked towards the front door, only to see Ranboo standing there with bags filled with groceries dangling off his arms and tail. With a sigh, he decided to put them on the kitchen counter before looking around, only to completely light up at the sight of you, "(Y/n)! Hello!"

"Ranboo..." You smiled, your voice a bit hoarse from the lack of use, "Please tell me Tommy's terrible prank is over and I can go outside and touch grass again.

The hybrid's expression didn't change, "You can't go."

Your smile faltered a bit and you grit your teeth. This prank was still going on? How annoying. Turning quickly towards your door, you huffed as you saw it blocked off by obsidian again, "Boo... Please let me out... I'm not enjoying this prank anymore. I don't even have a clock-"

"Oh? Did I forget to build you a clock when I built this place? My bad, I'll make you one tonight so I can give it to you tomorrow." He continued to smile, beginning to put away your groceries for you... Somehow having the exact brands you always bought... And... Knowing exactly where they went, "But, you can't leave."

"This... This isn't funny anymore, Ranboo." You spoke firmly, but your voice wavered a small bit in realization as your face drained slightly of colour, "Built... This place? You put me here?"

The tone of voice, while still not lessening his smile, caught his attention, "Oh... You're looking pale... Here, let's get you to bed. You aren't looking too good and I don't want you getting sick." He walked over and put his hands on your shoulders, trying to get you to head into your room, but you wouldn't budge, "(Y/n), come on, I'm just doing what's best for your health and safety. We don't want you to lose your final life, especially to an easily preventable sickness, do we?"

"Final... Life...?" You were going to be sick... Quickly lifting your arm into view, you realized he was right. There was only one black line left. There were two when you visited Ranboo... What...? "I'm-I'm not tired... Ranboo, what happened?!"

"I'm not going to taint your memories with something so horrifying..." His voice, while sounding sickly sweet, sounded disgustingly morbid, "That's why you're in here! So I can keep you completely safe from the dangers of the outside world and remember you forever!" He was still wearing that damned smile...

He took you away from your life...

And he was fucking smiling...

GENERAL TAGLIST: Empty

'SAFE WITH ME' TAGLIST: @kylobensgirl

#ranboo #ranboo x reader #ranboo female reader #ranboolive #mcyt #mcyt x reader #ranboo mcyt #yandere x reader #yandere ranboo #ranboo dsmp #dsmp #mcyt x y/n #mcyt x you #dream smp x reader #dream smp x you #dream smp x y/n #ranboo x you #c!ranboo

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spideykaiparker · 4 years ago

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Field Trip Gone Wrong

Peter Parker x Avenger!Reader

Warnings : slight angst, some fluff, terrible fight scene🤩

summary : Peter's Decathlon team was going on a Field Trip, on the way there, they encountered some trouble, leading to Peter revealing both of yours identities.

a/n : I'm so sorry this is really bad:( i kinda gave up on this halfway writing it, but decided to continue it. i promise i will come up with better fics than this one! also sorry for the horrible superhero name, i didn't know what else to name with the superpowers. English is not my first language, i apologize for any grammar or spelling mistakes.

Happy Reading! ^_^

Peter's decathlon team was going on a field trip to some museum, Peter didn't really want to go, he didn't want to leave you alone, he wanted to stay with you, go on missions with you, but instead he's going on this field trip without you.

You were an avenger, you have telekenesis, pyrokinesis, and hydrokinesis. Tony recruited you after he found out that there was a new vigilante in queens. You have quite a bit of a reputation, and when he found out that you were around peter's age, he asked peter to convince you to join the avengers.

you were a bit reluctant at first, not really wanting to work with a team, much more comfortable with working alone, but after a bit of negotiating, you eventually agreed. Tony designed a new suit for you, it was similar to Black Widow's but yours is black, with some dark blue accents on the middle and on your arms, like this.

you usually go on missions with Peter, the both of you were quite the dream team, many people think that you both looked cute together, seeing you guys head to the crime scenes together is absolutely iconic, with peter swinging around buildings and you flying with your telekinesis.

shortly after you were recruited as an avenger, you and peter got closer to each other, then eventually leading him to ask you on a date, and from there bloomed a beautiful relationship.

"alright everyone, onto the bus!" Mr. Harrington said loudly clapping his hands. one by one, Peter's teammates filed into the school bus, with Peter and Ned following behind.

"dude! are you wearing your suit underneath?" Ned whisper-shouted when he saw something red poking out from underneath of his collar.

peter quickly moved to cover the exposed part, "shh! yes, I'm wearing it, just in case, i got this weird feeling when i was getting ready this morning." he explained quietly.

"oh you mean your peter tingle?" Ned asked as they moved to the back seats of the bus.

"please don't call it that" he exasperated, "but yes, my spidey-sense" he continued, shuffling inside the school bus.

"Awesome!" Ned exclaimed excitedly.

"no, not awesome, something could seriously go wrong today!" Peter whisper-shouted, throwing his hands to the air.

"okay okay, we'll keep a lookout for anything suspicious" Ned put his hands on peter's shoulder in an act of comfort.

peter sighed and slid down in his seat, wishing that this field trip will end quickly even though it has only barely begun.

throwing his head back on the seats, he decided to call you to check how you're doing and also maybe because he may or may not have missed you already.

Pulling out his phone, he searched through his contacts, eventually stopping on your name, 'Y/N💖' and your profile picture, a picture of you and peter cuddling on the couch, your face buried in his chest and his head resting on top of yours, while your arms wrapped tightly around each other.

He pressed the call icon, waiting for you to answer, after a few rings, you finally answered.

"hey pete, what's wrong?" he sighed in content when he heard your voice, wishing you were here by his side.

"nothing's wrong, i-i just... missed you" he stuttered out, feeling a bit embarrassed that he already missed you even if he just saw you more or less an hour ago.

"awee pete, you just saw me an hour ago" you cooed but really, you missed him too.

"i-i know, I'm sorry"

"noo don't say sorry, you don't have anything to be sorry for, i missed you too, pete" you sighed out.

"t-that's great then" he hummed.

"but is there seriously nothing wrong?"

"well no, at least for now, but i got a weird feeling earlier, me and ned are on a lookout for anything suspicious" he explained, sitting back on his seat.

"okay, if anything happens, call me, okay?"

"yeah, of course" running a hand through his curly locks, his phone was suddenly snatched harshly by none other than Flash.

"what's up parker? you talking to your imaginary girlfriend?" he taunted, looking at the screen seeing your name and profile picture.

"give it back Flash" he stood up, making a move to grab his phone back, but Flash dodged his attempts.

"who's Y/N huh? did you pay someone to pretend to be your girlfriend?"

"what the fuck, Flash? that doesn't even makes sense, why would i do that?" peter exasperated, throwing his hands to the air.

"well i don't know, you're the one that did it, maybe you did it to make yourself look like less of a nerd" Flash continued taunting him.

"—peter? you there?" your voice rang out.

Flash pressed the phone against his ear, "hey! are you really peter's girlfriend?" he asked.

"uh.. yeah? why are you asking?" you were confused now, but then putting the pieces together, concluding that this was Flash, the guy who bullied peter all throughout highschool.

"did he pay you to say that?"

"what? no! why do you even care about peter so much— you're like, obsessed with him dude, are you sure you don't have a crush on him?" you retaliated back.

"ew! why would anyone even like him, I'm so much better than him—" he started, but got cut off by you.

"Oh really? what? you think just because you have money, you're much better than peter? what do you have besides money that makes you better than peter? oh right, nothing. and you bullying him doesn't make you even better. peter is so much better than you ever will be, he's smart, handsome, kind, and much more that I can't even count on my fingers. just because you have money, doesn't makes you better than anyone else." you spat, fed up by his behaviors towards peter, someone has to put him in his place.

Flash froze, his mouth opening and closing like a fish, eyes wide, he's glad that he didn't put the call on loudspeaker or else that would make the situation even more embarrassing than it already is.

peter, because of his superhearing, heard every word that came out of your mouth, he's awestruck because of the fact that you defended him form Flash like that.

"w-whatever, peter is still a nerd anyway" he replied, not knowing what else to say, then quickly giving peter his phone back, going back to his seat, while you laughed wholeheartedly.

"oh my god, Y/N, that was awesome!" he beamed with a bright smile on his face.

"yeah, yeah i know I'm awesome"

he was about to reply, but turns out his senses were right, because suddenly, the school bus was forced to come to a halt. The bus was stopped by a group of men, three in total, each wearing masks that covers their whole face.

"—pete? you there?" you questioned, wondering why he suddenly got quiet.

"yeah, Y/N, i think my feeling was right, something did happen..." he trailed off.

"what's wrong pete?!" you demanded.

"i don't know, these guys just showed up out of nowhere, can you come here? i think i might need some help" he explained, scanning the situation.

"yeah, okay, I'll tell Mr. Stark too, okay? but i think he'll arrive a bit longer, i heard he had a business trip"

"okay, just get here as fast as you can" then he hung up, quickly texting you the address where they're at, then turning off his phone, because one of the guys climbed onto the bus and demanded that they got off the bus and followed them, pointing a gun at them.

slowly, he and his teammates got off the bus, leaving their stuff in the bus, they were at an empty road, they were guided to a large field not too far from the road.

the three men ordered them to kneel on the ground with their hands behind their backs.

peter was contemplating on what to do, if he tries to do something now, then his identity will be revealed, but at the same time, if he didn't do anything, his teammates are in great danger, he could wait for you to come, but who knows what will happen while waiting for you, and besides, they were pretty far away from the compound, so it will take a while for you to arrive.

one of the guys pointed a gun at Mr. Harrington and all of them gasped simultaneously, while the other two went back to the bus to grab their phones.

the two guys came back with the phones, but before they could dial anyone, peter suddenly stood up slowly, with his hands in the air. the guys immediately pointed their guns towards him.

his teammates looked at him like he was crazy, there's no way peter could do anything in this situation, but actually they're wrong, peter can do something, he doesn't care if it will reveal his identity, what's important is to protect his teammates.

'what are you doing?' ned mouthed to him, eyes wide, not actually thinking peter is going to do what he's thinking. But peter only replied by giving him a determined look.

"hey man... look we can talk this out, just put down the gun..." he trailed off, his middle and ring finger slowly coming down to press the buttons on his palms, his webshooters ready to shoot.

"hey! stand down! or else I'm going to shoot!" one of the guys commanded.

when peter didn't listen, the guy puts his finger on the trigger, ready to shoot.

just as he was about to pull the trigger, peter quickly shot his webs at two of the guys, taking their guns, while he kicked the other guy in the face, successfully knocking him out, peter webbed the guy to the ground so he doesn't get away when he wakes up.

his teammates gasped, seeing the webs, and how peter kicked, putting the pieces together, realizing that peter was spider-man.

the two guys immediately attacked peter but peter easily blocked their attacks, one of the guys aimed to punch his face, but peter ducked down, sliding his legs under the guy, so he tripped and fell down.

the guy who was tripped got back up and continued attacking peter, while the other guy sneaked up behind him, but before he could do any damage, you flew over and attacked the guy who was sneaking up behind peter, you picked up a rather large rock with your telekinesis, and threw it at the guy.

"hey! it's Kinetic-Girl!" one of peter's decathlon teammates exclaimed, while the other's just gasped, shocked to see another avenger so upclose.

"peter?!" you exclaimed, still fighting with the guy from before, as you saw peter fighting with the bad guys without his suit on.

"Y/N! oh my god I'm so glad you're here, i know you have a bunch of questions right now, but now is really not a good time" he said as he continued dodging and attacking the bad guy.

when peter successfully knocked the guy for a second, he quickly removed his clothes, revealing his suit underneath, his mask coming up to cover his face.

peter's teammates gasped as they watched the scene unfold infront of them, they could see what other people were talking about when they saw you and peter fighting together, both of you were absolutely iconic.

just as you finished taking out the guy you were fighting with, two other guys appeared out of nowhere and started attacking you, but this time you could feel that they were a lot more stronger than the other guys, you thought maybe they were enhanced as well.

peter came to you when he also finished defeating the guy he was fighting with and continued fighting with one of the new guys.

"hey! where did they came from?" he questioned as he dodged an attack.

"i don't know! they appeared out of nowhere!"

turns out, the guy you were fighting with had a knife in his jacket, he tried stabbing you, and you tried to use your telekinesis to throw the knife away, but it seems like the guy had an iron grip on the knife, because all it did was pulled his hand away from you for a second and then continued attacking you.

as you were fighting the guy, unfortunately you didn't notice another guy sneaking up behind you, which led to you getting stabbed from behind, right below your ribs.

"Y/N!" peter shouted when he saw you get stabbed, with a new found determination, he didn't hold back and fought the guy with all his might, punching and kicking him until he passed out, quickly webbing him to the ground and running over to you.

you gasped, as you looked back to your wound, carefully pulling out the knife, even though you know you're not supposed to do that, but you couldn't fight with a knife sticking out your back.

you continued to fight with the guy the best you can, but somehow the guy managed to stab you once again near your ribs, and once again, you pulled it out and continued fighting the guy, not wanting to stop until he's passed out.

peter also attacked the guy, but is seems like the guy was even stronger than the one he was fighting before, so it took a while for you two to successfully knock him out.

you used your pyrokinesis to light his clothes on fire, which caused him to stagger back a little, but that didn't stop him for good, as he stood back up and charged towards you.

but luckily peter was behind the guy, so he kicked the guy on the head, causing the guy to fall down, to which peter quickly sprayed him with a ton of webs so he couldn't go anywhere.

as soon as he was done with that, he quickly ran over to you, who was now feeling the effects of the stab wounds. you staggered a little, going over to peter.

his masked opened up, revealing his concerned face, then out of nowhere you lost your balance, to which peter thankfully caught you, due to his incredible reflexes.

both of you fell to the ground with peter cradling you on his lap, he removed your mask so you could breathe easier, removing the hair out of your face, then proceeding to caress your face, lightly tapping you cheeks to make you stay awake. he took his clothes that he took off earlier, then used it to gently press it against your wound to prevent any more blood loss.

"Y/N? c'mon Y/N please stay awake, please don't leave me, I'm gonna call Mr. Stark, okay? stay with me please" he pleaded desperately, his eyes tearing up.

his teammates watched with sorrow as peter desperately tried to make you stay awake, they felt the pain from peter's cries, they wanted to help him, but not knowing what to do.

"peter?... I'm sleepy..." you trailed off, your one of your hand coming up to put it on top of peter's, which was holding the cloth on your wound.

"no! Y/N, please, stay awake...!" he cried. his mask came up again to cover his face, he frantically ordered Karen to call Mr. Stark so he would get here quickly.

"Karen? call Mr. Stark please" his voice groggy, from crying.

"alright peter" came her reply.

after a few rings, Tony finally picked up.

"hey kid, what's up?" his voice rang out.

"Mr. Stark! please you have to come here quickly, Y/N! sh-she's... she's—" he choked out a sob, cutting off his words.

"what happened to Y/N, peter?!" Tony's worried voice rang out.

"sh-she got stabbed, please Mr. Stark, come here quickly" he pleaded in between his sobs.

"alright kid, I'm already on my way, okay? keep her awake"

"o-okay.." Tony hung up the phone.

his mask opened again, looking down at you, your eyes having a difficulty to stay open.

"Y/N?" he whispered.

"hm?..."

"please stay awake, i can't lose you" he whispered, leaning down to rest his forehead against yours.

"I'm not going anywhere, pete, though i do kinda feel sleepy, I'll just take a quick nap, okay?" you slurred out, eyes drooping, your breathing slowing down.

"no! please... don't close your eyes!" he desperately pleaded, holding you close to him.

just as your eyelids were about to give up, Iron Man suddenly flew by and landed right next to you and peter.

his masked opened up revealing his concerned face, he knelt beside you, gently taking you from peter's arms, carrying you bridal style.

"kid?" he said softly.

"Mr. Stark?" came your reply, your voice sounded so weak that he almost flinched.

"Mr. Stark! please hurry and save her!" peter butted in.

"right, uh, I'll see you in the compound, okay kid?" he said, beginning to fly away.

"o-okay Mr. Stark, please help her"

then Tony flew away, leaving peter with his wide-eyed decathlon teammates. They were all gaping at him, as if waiting for an explanation.

"uh..." peter trailed off.

then all of a sudden they began bombarding him with questions.

"since when were you Spider-man?!"

"was that your girlfriend?!"

"how did you became Spider-man?!"

"what?!"

the questions goes on and on, making peter overwhelmed by all of the shouting.

"hey!" the shouting stopped, "uh.. i would like to answer all of your questions, but not now, i really gotta check on my girlfriend, so please hold onto your questions for monday, until then, please don't tell anyone about this, or else Mr. Stark is going to do something, so for the sake of all of us, please keep your mouths shut about this" Peter explained to his teammates. "oh yeah, the cops will be here soon too, so don't worry about the bad guys, okay?" he added.

when he got a nod from one of them, he immediately took off, not forgetting to close his mask, then continued to shoot a web to a nearby building, swinging away from them, leaving his teammates with their mouths agape.

when he arrived at the compound, he immediately ran to the infirmary as fast as he could.

when he saw you laying down on one of the beds, he immediately thought the worse.

"Y/N!" he shouted, grabbing a few of attentions from the nurses there.

"shh!" someone suddenly appeared besides him. "calm down, she's just sleeping, luckily i got here on time, so it wasn't that bad" Tony explained to him, slightly calming him down.

"oh.. thank god" he released a relieved sigh, smiling while making his way to you. when he arrived besides you, he sat down on a chair next to your bed, gently taking your hands into his.

"oh yeah... i think i accidentally revealed mine and Y/N's identities to my decathlon teammates...?" it comes out as a question, not the way he intended it to be.

Tony raised an eyebrow, "what do you mean by you accidentally?" he asked, though he already knew what he meant, i mean it's pretty self explanatory.

"I'm sorry! i didn't mean to! i didn't know what else to do, i didn't want to risk my friends life just because i wanted to protect my identity, their life is much more important than my identity. And Y/N was having a difficult time breathing so i had to take of her mask" he explained, a sigh falling out from his parted lips, placing his elbows on your bed, running his hands down his face.

"well, what's done is done, i mean, you both were going to reveal your identities when you graduate highschool anyways, right? it's not too long from now, so for now they could sign NDA'S, and you wont be too burdened by it for long, because it's not too long until you graduate." Tony gives a solution, standing besides him, patting his shoulder.

"okay..." he felt slightly relieved, at least not too many people knew, he wished his teammates will keep their words and not tell anyone about it.

"I'm proud of you kid, you did the right thing, don't think about it too much, okay?" Tony patted his shoulder once again, then went out of the room.

"okay..." he mumbled, even though he knew Tony wouldn't hear him.

he averted his eyes to you, staring at you, admiring you, he thought you looked so peaceful while sleeping, not being burdened by missions and the responsibility of being an avenger.

"staring is creepy you know" you suddenly muttered out, your eyes still closed, but feeling an intense stare at you.

"Y/N!" he gasped, "i was so worried about you, i thought you were going to leave me" he whimpered out, pressing a kiss onto your hands.

"hey, you can't get rid of me that easily you know" you joked, but inside you were feeling horrible, you should've been more careful, what kind of superhero are you? can't even dodge a knife.

peter laughed slightly, but still looking concerned. "how are you feeling?"

"like shit" you replied, a smirk forming on your lips.

you both laughed, but you couldn't help letting the thoughts back in, your laughter fading.

"hey, what's wrong?"

"nothing, i-i just— i was so bad out there, i couldn't even defend myself, letting myself getting stabbed two times, what kind of superhero i am, if i can't even defend myself, how can i even help other people like that, pete?" you exasperated, looking dejected.

"hey, hey, that wasn't your fault, you tried to defend yourself, but the guy was enhanced, you, couldn't do anything about it, and besides, you still helped my teammates back there, you know? you also helped me a lot, if you didn't show up, i don't know how I would've handled that" he gently took your face in his hands, wiping the tears that you didn't even know were there.

"thank you, i don't know what i would do without you" you managed to let out, too overwhelmed by the emotions you're feeling.

"anything for you, baby" he pressed a kiss onto your forehead.

"i love you"

"and i love you, Y/N"

you ushered him to hop on the bed with you, desperately wanting to cuddle with him, want to feel his warmth.

"are you sure?"

"yess, now get your ass here"

"geez, okay boss" rolling his eyes, he gently got on the bed, snuggling up besides you, wrapping his arm around your shoulder, not wanting to touch your wound, in return, you wrapped your arms around his waist, resting your head on his chest.

"oh yeah... i think i also accidentally revealed your identity to my teammates," he started, just as you were about to get mad, he continued, "—But! don't worry about it, i already talked to Mr. Stark, and he will have it sorted, they're going to sign NDA'S, and besides we're going to reveal our identity after i graduated highschool, so it's not too much of a burden" he continued his explanation.

you sighed, silently agreeing with him, because there's nothing you could even do, so you just accepted it, and continued cuddling up to him.

not long after, you both fell asleep in each other's arms.

monday came by, and peter was already dreading it, he didn't want to deal with his teammates shenanigans, but he has to do it unless he wanted his and yours identities revealed. his teammates already signed the NDA'S, right when they were back at school from the horrible field trip, but still, Peter was a little paranoid.

during school hours, his teammates just looked at him, like they're expecting something, sure it was annoying, but peter learned to get over it.

then finally, school was over, and it was time for Decathlon.

when he stepped foot into the room, he immediately got bombarded with a ton of questions from his teammates.

"woah woah! okay! one at a time!" he exclaimed, raising his hands in a defensive manner.

"okay, anyone who has questions, raise your hands" almost immediately, everyone except Ned and MJ raised their hands.

"umm, you there, with the glasses" he pointed to a random student.

"how did you become Spider-man?"

"uh.. i got bit by a radioactive spider on the field trip to oscorp, and no, the spider is not alive." he answered.

"alright, next question, you" he pointed to another student.

"is Kinetic-Girl your girlfriend?"

hearing the question, a blush immediately formed on his cheeks, but he answered it nonetheless.

"uh.. yeah..." he answered shyly, rubbing his cheeks to somehow calm down his blushing.

"does the webs come out from you?"

"no, i made them"

"how long have you been dating Kinetic-Girl?"

"it's about to be two years next month"

"so do you really have an internship at Stark Industries?"

"well at first it was a cover up for... Spider-man, but then Mr. Stark actually made me his personal intern"

and the questions goes on and on, but peter answered every single one of them, not really minding it at all.

"uhm.. okay, that's all for the questions, once again, please don't tell anyone about this, you've all signed the NDA'S so you can't talk about this to anyone, keep it to yourselves, okay?" he ended the sudden QnA with that, hoping that his teammates will keep their words and not tell anyone.

"and please don't treat me any different, just treat like you always do, like the nerd i am." he finished.

his teammates agreed with him, and with that, they continued the decathlon meet like any other day, the fact that peter is Spider-man, pushed away to the back of their minds, but some still shocked about the newfound information i.e Flash.

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rostovs-lover · 4 years ago

Text

dalí on tuesday

charlie dalton x reader | cursing, smoking, brief mentions of sexual things, charlie (probably) has daddy issues, cameron | she/her pronouns | fluff | wc.2562

i am in love with charlie, this is now a charlie dalton centric blog, also ignore how terrible the title is please

anon : Hi!! I love your blog! can I request a charlie Dalton x reader fluff where reader is an artist and he visits them while they're painting? (maybe they end up wiping paint on his face?) I don't know, something really sweet at cute <33333

Charlie Dalton had been resigned to relish in small pleasures to keep himself sane at school, never did he think the library would be one of those. More specifically, the painter tucked into the basement of the library.

───☮︎───

Charlie Dalton was a connoisseur of many things. Pretty girls, expensive wine, shitty poetry, and hand rolled cigarettes - to name a few. His imprisonment at Wellington made only one of those things readily available. So he settled - boxes of cheap smokes bought through upperclassmen, bottles of grocery store wine someone would sneak in from a party, and the two girls that occasionally came with Knox. The shitty poetry was always on deck, he had that at least. It was a tragedy to be resigned to such a bland life, there was absolutely no carpe diem-ing happening in a school that held adolescent boys to uniforms.

It was miserable, truly, but Charlie scrapped by on the thought that soon enough there would be no more stuffy Catholic school and he could finally have a taste of freedom. In the meantime, he would have what little fun he could. The meets in the cave were always the highlight of the week. A place where he could talk and people would listen, and not because they had to but because they enjoyed it. They enjoyed his words and thoughts and presence. No one else had ever really seemed to enjoy Charlie’s presence. They could tolerate it, handle it, but they always had more pressing matters. A business meeting to attend, a bill to pay, a dinner to go to. Always something just a little bit more important and never quite enough time for Charlie. But the other Dead Poets, they valued him. He wasn’t just a kid, a college tuition to pay and a life to layout. He was a person, with interests and hobbies.

It had been there, in the safe haven of the cave, that the idea for the library first came up. Meeks had already talked Pitts into coming, Neil didn’t take much convincing at all, Todd was also easy to lure, Cameron groaned about leaving school grounds but refused to be left out, and Knox agreed to go but only if Nuwanda came too. Charlie had already started to cover what there was to do at a library, read?

Meeks dove into the technical manuals and Pitts followed tentatively, cradling their science project in his arms. Todd had followed Neil to the S authors, Cameron was trying to chat up the woman at the register, and God only knew what Knox was doing. He had been stranded with few options. He could find the geniuses and be talked over for the next hour or third wheel Neil but that guaranteed intruding on something he probably shouldn’t. The polite thing to do would be to rescue Cameron from making a complete fool of himself, throwing bad pick up lines at a clearly uninterested college student, but it was amusing to watch.

Charlie settled on trying to find Knox, at least then he could have some company. Said company was absolutely nowhere to be found. The rows of shelves wound in a confusing maze and Charlie was lost before he could even begin to look. Weaving around he did come face-to-face with a rather large picture of Charles Dickens that made him recoil. It was perched just at eye level above a short staircase and it seemed to judge his every movement. Charlie followed the carpeted stairs down to escape Mister Dickens’ strange little beard and beady black eyes.

The further down the steps Charlie descended the brighter it appeared. The lower level was the children’s section. Considerably more fun than science books or Shakespeare. The big oak counter was abandoned but the lights were still on. He was alone, still.

Charlie sighed, sitting down in one of the bright red wooden chairs. He was much too big for it but it held well under his weight. A sad stuffed bear stared dully into him from the green glossy table.

“Well hello,” He mumbled, picking it up under the arms, “And you must be?” He cleared his throat to take on a gruff baritone, “Mister... Bearington,” Charlie sighed, that was bad. He dropped the bear into his lap, “This is so stupid,”

“Bearington?”

Charlie shot around in the chair, tipping himself off center and stumbling to his feet, bear still clutched in his arms, “Where the hell did you come from?”

“A few blocks over, walked here actually.” You turned back to your work. A painting. Not just a painting, Charlie realized, a mural. It stretched the length of the wall, roughly sketched in pencil and waiting to be finished.

He blinked, “That’s good. The wall I mean,”

“Thank you,” Your face flustered and Charlie took notice, “It’s not much of anything yet, just an outline. It’ll look better painted.”

He took a few steps closer, sidling up to you, “What’s it supposed to be?”

“A forest,” You pointed to a rotund blob perched on a long line, “That’s an owl, and there’s going to be a fox somewhere down in the grass,”

Charlie grinned, “That’s an owl?”

“That-” you tapped the blob, “Is a shape, objectively. Subjectively, it’s an owl.”

His brow creased, “Subjectively it’s an owl? That's like saying Mister Bearington is a rabbit, subjectively,”

You stared at him, baffled. It was almost irritating that he could so casually come down to your domain and invade your creative bubble. And it was even worse that he talked to himself as a stuffed bear but now he was challenging your judgment on what was and was not subjectively an owl. But he had a wonderful smile and it lessened the intrusion. Plus, you had never seen a teenage boy develop an attachment to a stuffed bear as quickly as he had, “What’s your name?”

“Nuwanda,” He grinned, setting his chin atop his bear’s plush head.

“Nuwanda?” You blinked at him, “That’s… neat. I’ve never heard that before.”

“What can I say? The only Nuwanda this side of Vermont. What’s your name?”

As you opened your mouth to answer several sets of footsteps thundered down the stairs. Knox spun around the corner first, closely followed by Pitts and Meeks.

“Charlie!” Knox called, “We gotta go before Cameron proposes to the clerk.”

You looked at the boy in front of you, “Is Charlie short for Nuwanda, or just a nickname?”

He shrugged, “I’m Nuwanda, subjectively. It was truly a pleasure meeting you. Can’t wait to see your thing DaVinci!” He set the stuffed bear back on the table as he made his way out of the room. With Charlie’s energy gone it became much quieter and you were plunged back into the impressionistic outline of your artwork.

The next time a library trip was suggested Charlie didn’t completely dread it. Yes, it was still numbingly boring because it was a library and he didn’t have clerks to fall in love with, people to write love letters to, anyone to kiss in the aisles, or a spaceship to build, but he did have his own personal Van Gough to torment.

The lower level was the first place he went, not even hanging his coat on the rack inside the big double doors. He made his way past Cameron’s preoccupied receptionist and under Dickens’ hard glower. Halfway down the steps, the smell hit Charlie. Wet paint.

You had just picked out a brush when he pulled one of the wooden chairs next to your station. He sat in it backwards, holding Mister Bearington out in front of him, “Never got your name Monet,”

“Well, it's not that. Or Da Vinci.” You stroked the brush up the grassy outline.

“Do you want me to guess?”

You had yet to look at him, “Nope,”

“Are you gonna tell me?”

“Should I?”

“Obviously, I told you my name.”

You set the brush down and turned to face him, “(Name).”

“Pretty,”

Charlie Dalton liked many things and the musty old library uptown had never been one of them. It had ancient red carpets and gaudy gold ceilings and it was trying too hard to look regal. So it was a sheer shock when he began to leap at the suggestion of going and even more so when he chose to go by himself one afternoon. Naturally, the other poets followed him, they had to.

Charlie didn’t dally upstairs, waving hi to the clerk and rushing down to the children’s section. A sign was posted outside the entrance warning of wet paint but he stepped around it.

“You’re making progress Picasso!” He set his hands on his hips and took in the wall.

You turned back to look at him, “Did you not see the caution: wet paint, do not enter sign?”

“Oh no I saw it,” He pushed his sunglasses up on top of his head, “It's bright orange, hard to miss, really,”

“So you just chose to ignore it?”

He nodded, making his way over to sit by you on the ground, “I choose to ignore lots of things, it really makes life easier,”

You shook your head, “Are you just going to sit here and bother me?”

“Yes, that's actually the whole reason I came today, believe it or not.”

You blubbered in vague disbelief, “Please tell me you’re not serious,”

“Dead serious,” Charlie grinned, leaning closer, “I had to see how your weird owl was going. And also make sure you hadn’t gone mad and cut your own ear off yet,”

“You’ve already used the Van Gogh joke, Charles,”

“Maybe I want your ear,”

You paused, “You… what?”

Charlie’s confidence cracked, “That was bad. Shit, that wasn’t supposed to sound that way. It was like, a bad pickup line? Because Van Gogh cut his ear off to send to his girlfriend,” He sighed, shaking his head, “Sorry,”

“I mean if I had to pick someone to give my ear too I guess you would be my first choice?”

Charlie looked at you, eyebrows pinched together, “Why?”

You shrugged, “No one else has asked, first come first serve.” You dipped your brush back into the blue paint and went to work on a patch of flowers.

“Huh, well I do appreciate it,” Charlie scooted closer, leaning over your shoulder. He was close, very close. When you took a breath you could smell his cologne and whatever it was he used in his hair and you could feel the edge of his sunglasses brush your ear. He brought an arm around to dip his finger into the soft sky colour on your palette. And then he wiped it on your nose.

You gasped sharply at the foreign feeling, snapping your head to the side to glare at him, “Why?!”

Charlie snickered, leaning back, “The opportunity presented itself, how could I just let that pass?”

You reached back, squirting a touch of purple paint over the palm of your hand, “That was truly a horrible idea,”

Charlie shot up just as you did, stumbling backwards, “I’m sorry-” He stuck his hands up in surrender, “I regret my actions and if I could take them back I would,”

“Hmm, but you can’t” You took a step closer, “Surrender now and it doesn’t have to get any messier than this,”

He pointed towards your paint coated hand, “Do not,”

You grinned, “I might,”

“I’m begging,”

“Fine-” You offered him your other hand, “Truce?”

Charlie mulled it over for a moment, “Fine, truce,” He grabbed your clean hand and you used it to pull him towards you.

“Why on earth would you trust me?” You tugged him even closer as he shrieked and smeared your hand down his cheek, “There, now we’re even,”

Getting distracted by your triumph gave Charlie the upper hand. He pulled you to him the same you had done to him and pressed his cheek flush to yours. The paint was cold against your skin and you jolted back, away from him.

“Vile,” You hissed, “You are vile and evil. That's so cold. You will pay, I hope you know that.”

Charlie snorted, “Oh please, what’re you gonna do?”

“You underestimate me, you ass, I’ll figure something out,”

“Will you?” Charlie grinned, “I will be waiting in anticipation,”

“You better be,”

Meeks elbowed back into Cameron’s ribs, “You’re going to knock me over,”

Cameron craned his neck further to peek around the corner into the children’s section, “I just want to see, let me look,”

“Nothing is happening-” Meeks snipped, “They’re just talking now and I might be able to hear if you could can it!”

Cameron rolled his eyes, “Of course, whatever you say,”

“Will you shut up?” Knox batted at Cameron’s shoulder, “They’ll see us, we’re not super well hidden,”

“If you don’t stop talking they’ll realize we’re here,” Pitts mumbled, rolling his eyes. Cameron started to rebuttal, turning to look at Gerard but the motion knocked Meeks out of place and he gasped, stumbling forwards. This did indeed draw Charlie’s attention.

“Meeks, what the hell?” Charlie snapped. He was in a state, sunglasses askew in his hair, paint smeared from his cheekbone down to the corner of his mouth, and his shirt was wrinkled away from his collarbone.

Meeks stared, “Hi Charlie. Are there any textbooks down here, uh… the science ones?”

Knox groaned, stepping out from behind the wall as well, “We wanted to see why you came here on a Tuesday afternoon by yourself,”

Charlie blubbered, “Did you all come? Is Keating there too?”

“He could be,” Meeks shrugged.

Charlie rolled his eyes, “Will you leave, I’ll be upstairs in a second,” The other poets nodded, scampering up the steps to the first level.

“Assholes, should have known they’d come,” Charlie sighed, adjusting the sunglasses atop his head, “I need to go before they decide to intrude again. I’ll see you soon though, anxiously anticipating payback,”

He was almost out the door when you bucked up the courage to call out to him, “Charlie, wait.” You let him turn back to you before continuing, “Could I have your phone number?”

He clicked his teeth, “Don’t have one, private school. But I’ll find the library number in the books and try to shoot you a call sometime,” He winked and started back up to his friends.

Knox was waiting at the landing with a handful of tissues, which he shoved into Charlie’s hands, “So you’re gonna read your stupid poem about tits at a Dead Poets meet and then not tell us you’ve got a girlfriend?”

Charlie grabbed the tissues, “Not my girlfriend, I meet her like two weeks ago,”

“Didn’t stop Knox,” Neil elbowed him.

Charlie wiped at his face, “Well I’m not Knox. I like her painting, she's good.”

“It looks like she was painting you,” Cameron slapped at Charlie’s chest and he threw the tissues at him in retaliation.

“Shut up, at least my library worker actually talks to me,”

Cameron fumbled with the dirty material, batting it away from his chest, “You dick!”

Charlie grinned, pulling his glasses down and starting towards the door. Something about it was thrilling, having this to himself. A little secret that he and you shared. His personal Salvador Dalí, something to look forwards to besides bad tobacco and Keating’s eccentric lectures. It was bright and exciting and he felt seen. He felt important. The blue paint he had stolen from your tray was still on the tip of his pointer finger and he wondered how long it would be until he could see you again.

( @interwebseriesfan24 )

#dead poets society #charlie dalton #charlie dalton x reader #charlie dalton imagine #dead poets society x reader #dead poets society imagine #its the way this tried to crash my computer #also peep the new format #dedicated to everyone who said theyd read if i posted dps #enjoy!#dps #lennie writes

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tiramisiyu · 4 years ago

Video

youtube

Tears of Themis: Xia Yan/Luke 【昼夜余想】 Wishes Between Day and Night - Date Translation

Translation Masterlist | Xia Yan Masterlist | Unsubbed Video

Transcript below cut:

✼ ┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈ ✼

Part 1

Empire

On the empty, desolate street, only the night wind whistled past my ears.

MC: …

I walked forward carefully. Plates full of food had been placed similarly in front of the tightly-shut doors of the residences.

MC: … I hope nothing goes wrong.

It was the Wag Festival tonight.

According to the legends, the spirits who were venerated by their families would make their way towards the afterlife, while the spirits who had no one to remember them could only go around begging.

*Note: This festival did indeed exist in Ancient Egypt, and was dedicated to the death of Osiris.

Thus, kindly members of the populace would place offerings at their doorways, dedicated to the lonely dead. This was originally a holiday of commemoration, but things weren’t so peaceful recently…

Several people had disappeared strangely during the night. People said that terrible curses brought by the dead were spreading all over the town…

✼ ┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈ ✼

Discussion Hall

Not long ago, I had reported this issue to the pharaoh.

But as he sat upright in his high seat, he merely looked indifferently ahead, his mood hard to discern.

Pharaoh: A curse…

Pharaoh: As the respected oracle priestess of the dynasty, you only need to convey the will of the gods. Just observe for any other situational changes for now.

MC: But Pharaoh… more and more people keep disappearing these days, and the people are very panicked. The temple keeps receiving more prayers every day.

MC: If this really is the work of evil magic, the legends in the future will include a Wag Festival plagued by wandering spirits, and we’ll find ourselves with even more victims…

The pharaoh merely waved his hand at my suggestion that came from a spurt of courage.

Pharaoh: I have my own ways of dealing with this.

✼ ┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈ ✼

Though the pharaoh had said that he had ways to deal with this, I couldn’t just sit around and watch.

As the oracle priestess, listening to the prayers of the people, maintaining order, and protecting the empire were my duties, to begin with.

Thus, I decided to act secretly at night.

MC: (Based on the rumours… the ones who disappeared before last appeared at night, on the streets…)

MC: …

I grasped tight at the amulet in my hands. The golden scarab beetle shone with a cold luster under the bright moonlight.

Feeling reinvigorated, I walked deeper into the street. Right then…

Unknown Man: Aaahhh—

MC: !!!

After freezing momentarily, I immediately sprinted towards the source of the shrieks.

Unknown Man: Save me! Someone save…

Suddenly, the cries for help stopped.

In the small, dusky alley, just a few steps away, a man was lying motionlessly on the floor.

MC: Are you alright?!

I rushed over, preparing to check his body for injuries. However…

MC: !!!

A frigid aura emanated from behind me. I instinctively stopped moving.

MC: (Wait… I think someone else is here…)

I looked towards the shadows in the corner.

MC: !!!

???: …

The moment our gazes met, the person stopped hiding and walked out slowly.

In the dead silence, I held my breath.

???: Sometimes, being too sharp isn’t a good thing.

The owner of the voice held a dagger as he looked from a distance at me.

Half of his face had been covered by a black jackal mask, and the slender eye slits were full of a crimson colour.

As I faced this person who was dressed strikingly like an assassin, I couldn’t help feeling the slightest bit of apprehension and surprise.

MC: A person…

MC: (Wait…)

I thought back on those disappearance rumours from before, and suddenly came up with a bold guess after connecting them to the scene before my eyes…

MC: (Does this mean that he’s the one behind all the disappearances in the city…)

???: Piece of advice: you shouldn’t be zoning out at a time like this.

Without giving me a chance to think more, the person in front of me spoke again.

He glanced at the talisman in my hand. His voice was relaxed, as if this were a normal, everyday conversation.

???: … So you believe in the gods, huh.

???: Too bad, though – it doesn’t seem like the gods will be protecting you.

I hadn’t even reacted when I saw him close in on me rapidly.

???: …

Time seemed to stagnate.

At a close distance, he muttered ponderously to himself, and the dagger he was holding stopped a few centimetres away.

???: You’re…

He seemed to be staring at me through the slits of the mask.

I could smell a faint aroma, and despite the urgent situation, it left me unexpectedly mesmerized.

MC: (Is this some sort of perfume’s scent? I think it’s coming from him…)

After I calmed down, I lifted my head and met his gaze.

MC: … It sounds like you recognize me?

He paused for a moment, then spoke.

???: Based on your appearance… if I’m not mistaken, you must be the oracle priestess of Ayana Temple?

MC: I am…

???: If so, then it can’t be helped.

He retracted his dagger, seeming to have given up.

I let out a long sigh, relieved from being released from my dangerous situation. But when I saw him walk towards the corner where the collapsed man was, I grew agitated again.

>Stay and observe >Try to save the man

MC: (I shouldn’t do anything foolish if I haven’t confirmed that it’s safe.)

Bearing this thought in mind, I carefully tried to talk to him.

MC: What are you planning to do with him? Is he still… alive?

???: Worry about yourself before concerning yourself with others.

MC: … What do you mean?

???: You’re more likely to run into someone wicked than a dead spirit, wandering around town in the middle of the night.

???: On your return, make sure to watch your back.

>Stay and observe >Try to save the man

MC: (Maybe he still can be saved…)

The moment he turned around, I silently picked up a wooden baton used for the vendors’ stands.

After making up my mind, I closed in and brought it down on his head-

MC: !!!

He hadn’t turned around, yet he was able to precisely grab the baton and yank it forward, ripping it out of my hands.

???: I think it’s best that you do not worry about saving others while your hands are full.

???: Otherwise, you might not even be able to return yourself.

✼ ┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈ ✼

I couldn’t help shivering from his words.

MC: …

???: Why aren’t you talking?

???: You’ve probably already guessed, but…

???: I hope you’ll be able to keep your mouth shut when you get back, just like now.

I stared at him wordlessly without reacting. He paid no attention to that, instead glancing back at me meaningfully.

???: This is for your own good, too. After all, no one will listen to you, no matter who you tell.

MC: Why…

He hoisted up the man before I’d even finished speaking, walking into the depths of the alley. Even my doubts were taken into the soundless darkness.

After, I attempted holding an audience with the pharaoh again… But each time, he avoided me with various excuses. Even my submitted documentation received no response.

I also secretly ordered people to investigate the masked man, but due to us lacking in manpower, we never received any results.

At the same time, more and more people kept disappearing, and the people’s panic grew worse every day…

✼ ┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈ ✼

Ayana Temple

Person A: When will the curse issue be solved?! Are you just going to watch as we all die off?!

Person B: Exactly! A neighbour of mine disappeared in the past few days… where’s the high priestess?! I want to see the high priestess!

On the day of prayer, it was even more chaotic than I had imagined on the temple courtyards.

The people who had come to pray had crowded together, such that the temple bodyguards had to block them to maintain some control over the riot.

MC: People of Ayana Empire…

Person A: It’s the high priestess!

As if they were grabbing onto their final chance of salvation, the jostling crowd all swarmed in around me after I entered the courtyard.

Right when the guards were on the verge of being broken through, a familiar voice suddenly came from above.

???: Chief Guard, how long are you planning to watch this go on?

Part 2

Ayana Temple

???: Chief Guard, how long are you planning to watch this go on?

The originally panicky crowd stopped their steps forward for a moment.

Like them, I turned my gaze to the heights of the building behind us. Though the owner of the voice was hidden, there was no way I’d mistaken who it was.

MC: (The one from that night…)

He had just spoken when a troop of fully-armed soldiers burst into the temple courtyard.

Based on their clothing, they were the Pharaoh’s trusted Imperial Army.

Chief Guard: Silence!

After the commander handled the crowd control, the chief guard in front held up the documents in his hand and stood in the center.

Chief Guard: People of the Empire, fear not. I speak on the Pharaoh’s behalf with this oracle-

Chief Guard: “In seven days, I shall personally preside over a prayer ritual, where all curses will be broken.”

MC: (Breaking the curses…)

When the pharaoh said that he had ways to deal with this, was he talking about this prayer ritual?

But based on what I had seen that night, the man who’d disappeared had been attacked and taken away, and the curses didn’t exist at all…

Right when I was about to refute these words, the chief guard swept his gaze over, his expression solemn.

Chief Guard: The high priestess will also play a major role in this ritual.

Chief Guard: So, please come with us.

MC: ???

Person A: That’s great! If the high priestess is there, everything will be fine…

Person B: Indeed, the high priestess is sure to protect us and Ayana Empire!

MC: (… I haven’t heard about this at all.)

Confused, I looked at the crowd, jubilant as they were in their relief.

Seeing my motionlessness, the chief guard ordered his men to come “help me along”.

MC: What are you doing?!

I instinctively retreated one step.

Simultaneously, a dagger flew past the tips of their ears, embedding itself on the ground.

???: No need to trouble yourselves. Leave that to me.

The chief guard lifted his gaze towards the building behind us, looking at the corner that was blocked by a colonnade.

After a several-minute stalemate, he finally gave in, gesturing for me to head to the high platform.

Chief Guard: Please make your way over then, high priestess.

MC: Understood…

✼ ┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈ ✼

The temple was built on the heights of the empire, as the place that was closest to the sky and the sun god.

Birds – the messengers of the gods – flew under the blazing sun, distracting me from the silhouette hidden in the shadows.

MC: What exactly are you aiming for…

The pitch-black jackal mask had been casually placed on the ground. The assassin who’d taken off his disguise stared off into the distance against the wall, looking utterly unperturbed by my arrival.

He looked calmly at me, even smiling a bit.

???: My aim is very simple. Per the pharaoh’s orders, I am to bring the high priestess to the desert shrine and carry out the final preparations for the ritual.

???: For convenience, just call me Luke.

MC: Luke?

I looked carefully over his face.

In stark contrast to the fiendish appearance I had imagined, his features were clean and delicate, his eyes clear and captivating.

Luke: Are you staring at me because you think I look weird?

MC: No, you just look a bit different from what I imagined.

He frowned slightly in response.

Luke: Never relax your guard just because you’ve judged a book by its cover.

Luke: If I wanted to, I could have you decapitated and scattered right now for seeing my true face.

He waved the dagger in his hand slightly. I met his gaze, refusing to concede.

MC: You wouldn’t dare.

MC: If you really do obey the pharaoh, you wouldn’t do anything to me – just like that night.

Luke: …

Unlike the confrontation he had earlier with the chief guard, this time, he quickly ceded, then smiled again.

Luke: Yep, you’re right. I wouldn’t actually do anything to you.

Luke: It’s just that it’s rare for me to get looked down on, so I wanted to mess with you a little…

Luke stood up and walked towards the temple interior.

He walked slowly up to me, but due to the presence of the Imperial Army, the guards outside the temple didn’t dare do anything foolish to him.

Luke: High priestess, do you know why I told you that no one would listen if you told them about the truth of the “curse”?

MC: …

Luke: Because he knows better than anyone where those who have gone missing are…

Luke: Adorning them with charges based on nothing and having them executed were his orders, to begin with.

MC: No way… the pharaoh has no reason to do this sort of thing.

Luke: Is that what you think?

Luke shook his head, in apparent exasperation at my stubbornness.

But I couldn’t understand at all, because my impression of the pharaoh was that he was a benevolent person, one who cared for the people.

Ordering the execution of innocent civilians, causing panic-inducing rumours… it really was hard for me to believe if I only heard one side of the story.

MC: I must go see the pharaoh.

Luke: He won’t see you.

MC: Why?

Luke: …

His only response to my direct questioning was silence. Thus, I could only change my question.

MC: Based on the oracle just now, the pharaoh will be personally presiding over the ritual in seven days, right?

Luke: Correct.

MC: Will the so-called “curses” really disappear after the ritual?

Luke: Yes.

MC: If so, I’ll personally verify all this on the day of the ritual with the pharaoh.

Luke: You mean, you’re still willing to go with me under these suspicious circumstances?

Luke frowned slightly, his mood hard to discern.

Though I knew nothing of the ceremony, I could only nod at him in consideration of the situation’s severity.

MC: The people are all looking forward to the ceremony.

MC: Regardless of the curse’s veracity, this is the only way to contain the panic in the town…

MC: Now that the pharaoh’s oracle is out, no one will believe me if I say what I saw without evidence.

MC: Sometimes, the truth won’t be able to change anything, and as the empire’s priestess, I have to prioritize how the people feel.

Luke sighed after he heard me.

Luke: Can’t be helped, then.

Right then, a maidservant came in with perfect timing. She placed a cup of fine wine on the table.

Maidservant: High priestess, please have the sacrament wine.

Luke: Wine?

MC: Sacrament wine is part of our typical rites. The pharaoh says that we need this to reach a higher level of consciousness and build a connection with the gods.

Luke: The pharaoh again.

He muttered in discontent, then poured the precious wine on the ground when the maidservant left.

MC: You…!

Luke: These sorts of things are bad for you. Plus, you’re better off not drinking wine during a critical time like this.

Luke: I haven’t prepared any fancy carriage for you, after all, so you’ll have to walk with me to the shrine.

MC: W-walk?

✼ ┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈ ✼

The market in the afternoon was as bustling as ever, with the sounds of hawking mixed in with the joyful laughs of children, creating a ruckus that was completely different from the night.

I followed behind Xia Yan, hurriedly replying to the enthusiastic greetings of the people.

Person A: The high priestess! I can’t believe I was able to see the high priestess in the market!

Person B: Hello, priestess! Hope you have a great day…

Facing the surprised reactions from the crowd, Luke looked back at me curiously.

Luke: Have you never come out before?

MC: Yes… These are the temple rules. Aside from the necessary trips during typical sacrificial rites, that time on the Wag Festival was my first.

Luke: No wonder.

He smiled, looking up at the circling birds in the sky, and suddenly asked me a question.

Luke: Do you know why we worship the birds?

MC: Because they can fly freely to the world of the gods?

Luke: Yes. So, high priestess, the one who boasts the title of gods’ messenger – why do you shut yourself up in a little cage?

Luke: To me, you should be able to go to more, greater places without any worries.

Luke looked seriously at me, his voice earnest.

He was smiling slightly, so unlike the coldness he displayed on our first meeting…

His eyes reflected the vast sky behind me, seeming to contain so many things I had never considered before.

MC: ???

His expression left me somewhat confounded…

MC: (Why is he asking this…)

MC: (I don’t think anyone has ever asked me this…)

During my moment of distraction, my stomach, which hadn’t received food ever since the morning, made its complaint.

MC: …

Luke: Haha, can’t be helped – in reward for walking so far with me, I’ll treat you to something.

A few minutes later, Luke held out some biscuit-like things placed on leaves in front of me.

Luke: Here, try them. They’re freshly-fried bean balls.

MC: Huh?

I looked bewilderedly at the fried things in front of me.

The food and drink in the temple had always been light, so it was my first time dealing with food like this.

Meanwhile, he seemed to have misunderstood what I meant…

Luke: Sorry, I almost forgot.

Luke: As the high priestess, you probably had maidservants helping you with your clothes and food in the temple…

Luke: But I don’t have this sort of experience, so could you just put up with it?

Luke stuck a toothpick in the fried bean ball and carefully held it up in front of my mouth.

MC: It’s not because of this…

Luke: Is it because of the rules again?

Luke: This isn’t the temple, so doing some improper things should be alright…

Luke: If the gods truly were to lay blame onto someone, then don’t I deserve even more blame for this sin, as the one who encouraged you to do this?

He took on all the guilt, candidly stating a bold and reckless proposal.

MC: (Blame for this sin…)

Merely tasting a snack in the city didn’t seem to be bad enough to be called a “sin”.

MC: … The gods wouldn’t be that petty.

Luke: If so, then it’s fine.

MC: …

I stared up close into those perpetually unfathomable eyes, and vaguely felt for a moment that he meant something else.

Luke: … Here, open your mouth.

A tempting aroma wafted from the food near my mouth. I couldn’t help gulping as he patiently guided me.

Finally, I couldn’t resist taking a bite.

MC: Whoa… it’s really delicious!

The bean-made food and the vegetables had been mixed in with a perfectly-adjusted spice, and was fragrant and crispy from frying.

Luke: See, I knew you’d like it.

Luke: …Slow down, don’t burn yourself.

As he looked at me amusedly, I took several bites.

MC: (So delicious…)

MC: ???

Strangely, though this was the first time I’d tried this, the taste in my mouth made me feel faintly wistful…

Part 3

Outer Edges of Empire

Under Luke’s lead, we made our intermittently-halting trip onwards, approaching the shrine outside the city.

MC: (That should be our target destination…)

My field of vision gradually expanded. I could faintly see the ancient buildings towering amid the boundless golden sand.

Unlike the market, there were mostly caravans outside the city.

Apparently, their wares were specialties from various different towns – some were even foreign goods.

MC: It smells really nice…

I looked all around as I walked, stopping when I stepped by a little mobile stand.

MC: …

Luke: What’s the matter?

Luke keenly noticed that I’d stopped and followed my gaze.

Luke: Go check it out if you’re interested.

MC: Huh? No, it’s already getting late, so we should probably head on our way instead…

Luke: It’s fine – we’re almost there anyways.

Luke: You probably won’t be getting much of these chances after the ritual, so how about you take it as a chance to make a memory?

He walked up to the stand as he spoke, and I rushed to catch up.

Exquisite incense boxes of various kinds of workmanship were piled densely on the wooden car, glittering so vividly under the sun that they looked like they’d been divinely blessed.

Stand Owner: Whoa, the high priestess, aren’t you! I just heard that you’d appeared in the market for once, but I sure didn’t expect to run into you myself.

Stand Owner: Go ahead, look to your heart’s content. Tell me if there’s a scent that you prefer – I’ll help you pick it out!

In consideration of this rarely-experienced kindness, I looked down at the dazzling lineup of incense boxes.

MC: A scent I prefer…

The rites in the temple were specific and set, and all of the incenses used had never once changed in years.

Over time, I didn’t bother with considering my own “preferences”…

If I had to come up with something now, the only one I could remember, the freshest memory of a scent that I had was…

✼ ┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈ ✼

[Flashback]

He seemed to be staring at me through the slits of his mask.

I could smell a faint aroma, and despite the urgent situation, it left me unexpectedly mesmerized.

MC: (Is this some sort of perfume’s scent? I think it’s coming from him…)

[Flashback end]

✼ ┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈ ✼

But thanks to how serious the situation had been back then, I couldn’t really remember it all too well anymore.

Both the elegant scent of water lilies and the rich fragrance of roses didn’t seem to quite match up with it.

Luke: What’s the matter? What are you thinking about now?

Apparently having noticed my hesitation, Luke rushed to comfort me.

Luke: Don’t worry, just pick as you wish. No need to worry about anything.

MC: Okay…

I nodded in response.

MC: (But… how do I figure out what that scent was…)

>Get close and sniff >Ask him directly

MC: Excuse me, I just want to confirm…

I grabbed his wrist and took a light sniff of it.

Luke: !!!

Luke: W-what are you doing…

For once, he looked at a loss from my sudden actions.

MC: I don’t know what I like, so I want to buy an incense that’s like the scent on your body.

Luke: … No, stop smelling it. What’s so good about being like me?

He anxiously withdrew his hand, covering his face with his arm to hide his expression.

>Get close and sniff >Ask him directly

MC: Then, boss, could I get an incense that smells like the scent on his body?

Luke: The scent on my body?

Luke quickly recovered from his surprise, looking at me seriously before the stand owner could speak.

Luke: No. You can’t just say something like that on whim…

MC: Why?

Luke: … No reason.

Luke: Stop staring at me…

He retreated away from me, a slight blush appearing on his face as he dodged my gaze.

✼ ┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈ ✼

Seeing him look so unexpectedly helpless, I couldn’t help feeling surprised, and immediately apologized with my head lowered.

MC: I’m sorry…

Luke: You don’t need to apologize. It’s got nothing to do with you…

He withdrew several steps as he spoke, increasing the distance between us.

Seeing how awkward things had become, the shop owner helpfully started to market his wares to me.

Stand Owner: If you aren’t sure which to get, high priestess, how about trying this incense called Kyphi?

Stand Owner: It uses sixteen ingredients, including cinnamon and muskroot, and is made after soaking it in high-quality honey and grape wine…

MC: Kyphi?

Stand Owner: Indeed. This name even has a special meaning – “welcome to a place beside the gods”.

Stand Owner: This scent best suits the people of Ayana, who live in the state protected by the pharaoh, the incarnation of the gods.

✼ ┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈ ✼

Welcome to a place beside the gods…

With the incense called Kyphi in my hands, I slowly walked with Luke through the desert, towards those majestic ruins.

MC: (Everyone says that Ayana Empire is protected by the gods…)

MC: (But if Luke is telling the truth, the pharaoh had those missing people executed…)

MC: (As the incarnation of the gods, is the pharaoh truly protecting this place?)

MC: !!!

This sudden, absurd thought left me somewhat astonished.

But before I could think further, I heard a shout approaching behind us-

Worn-out Man: People… people over there, wait…

Worn-out Man: Could… could you give me some water… I’m in a hurry, and I can’t hold on anymore…

The owner of the voice was a man in ragged clothes, covered in sand. His skin had been severely tanned after years spent working under the sun.

He staggered up to us, looking like he was on the verge of collapsing.

MC: Are you alright?!

I was almost about to run up and support him when Luke held me back.

Luke: Don’t. I’ll deal with it.

MC: Huh?

Luke looked the man up and down. After pausing for several seconds, he threw over the water pouch he was holding.

Luke: Here.

Worn-out Man: Th-thank you!

The man took several loud gulps of water, finally calming down somewhat.

Luke remained on guard the whole time, watching the man’s movements closely.

Doubts gradually popped up in my head as I followed his gaze.

MC: (Why is he alone in the desert… and why does he look so worn-out…)

MC: (Is he a refugee? But… there haven’t been any battles under this dynasty for a long while. We should be in the middle of an age of prosperity…)

Right as I went over my suspicions, I heard Luke’s voice again, sounding pressing this time.

Luke: Are you almost done?

Worn-out Man: Yes, th-thank you both! I’ll be off…

Luke: … Hold on.

Luke frigidly called that man to a halt as he was about to make his hasty departure.

The moment he took his water pouch, he yanked at the man’s wrist and pressed him onto the ground.

Worn-out Man: Aaaaahhh- w-what are you doing?!

Luke: Rather than leaving, shouldn’t you be returning to where you should be?

Luke: Based on your clothes and condition, you must be a construction worker for the pyramids. Why are you here?

MC: …Worker?

Worn-out Man: No! I won’t go back… I won’t go back! I want to go home!

Worn-out Man: I beg you, great sun god, please save me!

As the man prayed to the sun, I looked towards the edges of the desert that I hadn’t noticed before.

Several unfinished pyramids rose from the ground on the horizon. Many antlike, black dots surrounded the area, toting stone blocks around.

A shiver ran down my back under the blazing sun.

MC: Can’t we let him go?

Luke: He’ll get caught soon even if we do.

Luke: He’s better off submitting obediently – he’ll still be able to live, at least.

Just as he said, supervisors on their way to catch him soon came running over.

After a respectful salute to Luke, they immediately dragged the man roughly back to the barren-looking pyramids.

MC: Does the will of the pharaoh also include building pyramids all over the place…

These were a display of the pharaoh’s power and the structure that would connect him to the heavens for immortality after he passed away. It should have been an incomparably holy thing.

And yet, I couldn’t help shivering as I looked at them.

Luke: They’re living people, yet they’re busy all day with death-related work. High priestess, don’t you find this quite ironic?

MC: …

Luke looked seriously at me in silence.

MC: I…

Before I could respond, he changed the topic, his expression changing along with it.

Luke: Remember, this is a reverse example.

MC: ???

Luke: … Before escaping, make sure to deal with all the threats behind you, or else all of your efforts will go up in smoke eventually.

MC: Why are you telling me this?

Luke: To make sure you don’t waste your efforts in the future, of course.

I didn’t understand what he meant at this critical moment.

Only as we gradually approached the desert shrine did I gain a faint understanding of his meaning.

Part 4

Desert Shrine

Luke: Have something to eat.

Luke closed the stone door shut and walked slowly up to me, leaned down, and smiled resignedly.

Warmth still emanated from the dish full of fried bean balls, but I had no appetite whatsoever.

MC: …

One day had already passed since we entered this place.

No matter how much I was unwilling to believe it all, I gradually found myself noticing lots of abnormalities. This location, where the prayer ritual was to be, wasn’t situated in the heights closest to the gods. Rather, it was buried deep underground… The interior of the dark shrine was cold and hollow and had no sacrificial tools whatsoever – only weak candlelights that flickered discomfortingly.

I looked at Luke, recalling what he had told me when we had first entered this desert shrine again-

✼ ┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈ ✼

[Flashback]

Luke: Here’s our destination.

MC: Destination… so this is where the prayer ritual will be held?

Luke: Yes. Rest first and get used to your surroundings. I’ve prepared all your daily necessities for the next few days…

Luke: I’ll tell you everything about the ritual after.

Luke: Because you’ll be completely severed from the outside world from now on, starting from when you enter this place.

[Flashback end]

✼ ┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈ ✼

MC: Is this ritual really a “curse”-dispelling prayer ritual?

Luke: Based on the results, you could say that.

Luke held up the container he’d just brought over, set down a cup, and poured a cup of water for me.

Luke: But its true purpose isn’t that simple.

Luke: The pharaoh wants to use this ritual to win over the people and solidify his authority.

MC: …

I received the cup of water, setting it aside on a stone table, as I didn’t feel thirsty at all.

MC: What do you mean by solidify his authority?

Luke: The current pharaoh did not receive his position through inheritance, like it would be usually. The process that this happened in is pretty complex…

Luke: Such that even though the people trust that the pharaoh is the gods’ incarnation, his prestige is far below that of you, the high priestess.

Luke: These conditions are disadvantageous for long-term authority. Plus, the people are starting to question things, with the increasingly burdensome work they do…

Luke: Which is why the pharaoh urgently needs this ritual to strengthen the trust that everyone has in him.

MC: !!!

My back broke into a cold sweat, hearing his low voice resounding off the cold, hollow stone.

Luke: The pharaoh’s methods are very simple…

Luke: First, use fear to force the people into submission, then save them himself, and finally, give them some far-fetched hope.

Luke: In this process, the “fear” is the curse, the “saving” is this curse-dispelling ritual, and the final “hope”…

Luke: Is you.

MC: Me?

Luke: Correct. You, the high priestess who is deeply revered by the people, who is a major threat to the pharaoh.

Luke: He will bestow you the right to enter Aaru* before the populace, and vow that this honour will be given hereafter to the most faithful of followers.

*Note: Aaru literally means “Field of Reeds”, which is what the Chinese text says.

MC: Aaru…

In the myths, the deceased would enter “The House of Osiris” after judgment. That lush, leafy heaven was called Aaru.

Though I had a faint hunch already, I still asked my question…

MC: What must be done to enter Aaru?

Luke stared at me, a sliver of pity in his eyes.

Luke: Come with me.

✼ ┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈ ✼

Luke brought me through a winding corridor to the underground shrine.

Luke: Aside from the terrible missions I do for the pharaoh, this is also one of my duties.

MC: This is…

As we got deeper, a familiar scent grew stronger. It was the scent I had smelled before from Luke, but its source was different this time.

Luke: You seemed to like this scent a lot before…

A bed carved from alabaster had been placed in the middle of the massive room.

The scent came from the containers on the nearby round table, from which the incense I had been so curious about probably came from.

But…

Luke: But will you still feel the same after this?

Luke walked up to the round table. On it, aside from the incense, there was a row of sharp tools.

Luke: The legends say that the soul will remain attached to the body after death. If the proper antiseptic preservation methods are performed, they can come back to life one day…

Luke: This is how one enters Aaru.

MC: Mummies…

This was the tradition handed down from the ancient times of the dynasty.

As the procedure was cumbersome, only the pharaoh or the royal family would receive this honour, and also…

MC: Typically, this is only done after the person has died…

Luke: Yes. So, for the pharaoh, the other purpose of this ritual is to get rid of you.

MC: … Get rid of me?

I instinctively shook my head.

MC: No – according to the legends, the dead can reach the afterlife under the guidance of their patron god Anubis…

MC: I don’t think there’s anything that different compared to when they’re alive…

Luke: Is that what you really think?

Luke held up the chisel on the table. I shouldn’t have been scared, with my enduring belief in the gods, but my body couldn’t help trembling.

Luke: This process is not as simple as you think.

He gripped my wrist and stuffed the chisel into my hand, pointing it at his forehead.

Luke: First in the antiseptic procedure… this will be scooped out.

As if he was trying to make me experience all of this…

He ignored the pale red marks, watching me seriously with his unfathomable eyes. The tip of the chisel glided over his skin, down his nose, neck, chest, and abdomen.

Luke: Next, the other organs in the body are taken out from the cut on the abdomen.

Luke: All that is left in the end is the heart…

Luke: As everyone generally considers the heart to be the symbol of intelligence, and that it is needed on the path to the afterlife.

As Luke went on with his slow narration, an overwhelming fear grew like a whirlpool in my heart.

Ding-

My hand had released the chisel, and it clattered on the floor.

MC: …

I opened my mouth, but I had no idea what to say.

Finally, he held up my hand, slowly placing it over his heart.

Luke: But after all these procedures end and the heart is left, do you think that it could ever beat again?

Luke: The afterlife, Aaru, the gods… do these truly exist?

Luke: Do you believe in them?

The warmth and the forceful beats – everything that I felt under my palm – were the greatest proof of life.

After this, Luke released me.

I lowered my hand slowly, feeling nothing but a biting coldness and an infinite emptiness.

Luke: High priestess, though you have no way out anymore…

Luke: I hope that you can at least see all this clearly in your remaining time.

✼ ┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈ ✼

For as far as I could remember, I lived in Ayana Temple and worshipped the gods piously.

Even if I had my doubts now, what could I even do at this point?

I tossed and turned for a long time that night…

Amid my never-ending unease, I dreamed – something that I had not done in a long while.

✼ ┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈ ✼

[Flashback]

In the resplendent Ayana Temple, the pharaoh, in place of the former priest who had died from illness, kindly bestowed the title of succession on me.

He then handed the splendid cup full of sacrament wine to me.

Pharaoh: Gods bless you.

I held my hand out to accept it, but the cup suddenly fell to the ground. There was now no one in the sacrificial room.

Only a boy dressed in finery stood behind the curtain, speaking earnestly-

Boy: If you want to live, then run.

[Flashback end]

✼ ┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈ ✼

MC: !!!

I suddenly woke right when he finished speaking.

The incense box placed at the headboard fell off the stone bed from my movements, making a clinking sound in the silent, empty room.

MC: This dream is…

I leaned down and picked up that incense box, and was suddenly reminded of what that stand owner outside the town had told me.

✼ ┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈ ✼

[Flashback]

Stand Owner: Oh right, one other thing…

Stand Owner: This Kyphi incense was once used in various rituals.

Stand Owner: So, these complicated ingredients include some that have slight anaesthetic and hallucinogenic effects…

Stand Owner: High priestess, be careful that you do not overuse or ingest it when using it.

[Flashback end]

✼ ┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈ ✼

The leftover fried bean balls were placed beside the bed.

Though I felt that it tasted completely different from before no matter how much I tried it…

But another serving would be sent tomorrow, assuming nothing went wrong…

MC: If so…

I clenched the incense box in my hand and made up my mind.

MC: Just like he said before…

✼ ┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈ ✼

[Flashback]

Luke: Remember, this is a reverse example.

Luke: … Before escaping, make sure to deal with all the threats behind you, or else all of your efforts will go up in smoke eventually.

[Flashback end]

Part 5

Desert Shrine

As expected, Luke had people send over freshly fried bean balls the next day.

While no one was around, I added some of the incense source from the box into its filling.

After, I coaxed Luke to eat them, and he did so without any hesitation or doubt.

Luke: …

The anesthetic aspect soon took effect.

I heard his quiet, low groans as he held his forehead, his eyes gradually becoming hazier.

MC: Are you alright?

Luke: … Huh? You…!

I snatched the moment he fell into a daze…

Bam-

After pushing Luke down onto the ground, I rapidly grabbed the cloth strips behind me that I’d made from the bedding, tying his hands up tight.

After ensuring that I was safe, I lowered my body and stared at him.

Maybe it was because of the effects of the incense, or maybe because his current, troubled state left him flustered…

Luke’s breathing in his tied-up state was rapid and his chest heaved violently, almost as if I could hear his heartbeat.

Luke: You… don’t get so close…

MC: Are you scared? I was also scared before… and those innocent, victimized people probably were too.

MC: Do you now know what it feels like?

Luke: …

His eyes no longer shifted away. Instead, they met mine directly.

I looked into those crystalline, penetrating eyes, and to my surprise, I saw a trace of evident apology in them.

Luke: … I’m sorry.

Luke: I know it must not have been easy for you to do this much…

His voice was gentle. Despite his current situation, I couldn’t hear the slightest bit of resentment.

This sudden consolation left me frozen for a moment.

But before I could soften, I forced myself to stay on guard, in case he was planning to escape.

MC: Pretty words won’t help you. I won’t let you go.

Luke: I wasn’t asking for you to let me go.

MC: Back on topic – where is the key to the door? How do I get out?

Luke: There is no key.

MC: If you won’t tell the truth, I really won’t hold back…

I slowly got closer to him, trying to display a threatening sort of pressure.

And his breathing did indeed become panicky again.

Luke: … I’m telling the truth.

Luke: Those doors don’t have locks, and they don’t even have guards set there. You only don’t know because you never tried.

MC: !!!

Just like he said, I had never thought of escaping, as if I had been bound here.

But things were different now…

Right when I was planning to get up, he called out to me.

Luke: Wait.

Luke: I told you before - make sure to deal with all the threats behind you, or else all of your efforts will go up in smoke eventually.

Luke: So… aren’t you going to do anything?

Luke looked at me searchingly, his expression calm.

He was bound up, yet I felt like he was in the active position right now, dominating the entire situation.

MC: … No need. That would only cause a greater commotion. Either way, the guards won’t find you for now, so I have enough time to escape.

MC: After this, someone will punish you for your mistake.

Luke: Is that so…

He smiled faintly at me as if he were moved, the emotion in his eyes indescribable.

Luke: After you escape, remember to not be so softhearted ever again.

MC: …

I suppressed the mixed feelings in my heart, getting up without replying to him.

✼ ┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈ ✼

Everything became quiet again as the footsteps faded off, leaving only the faint sounds of the flickering candles.

Luke did not call for help. He applied a slight force with his wrists, easily breaking free of his bindings.

He stood up by supporting himself against the wall, then released a gratified sigh towards the direction that the girl had vanished in.

Luke: As it should be…

✼ ┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈ ✼

After I was fortunately able to leave that underground shrine through a secret path, I had originally prepared myself to have to rough it…

But, beyond my expectations, this death-escaping journey was much smoother than I’d expected.

As I wandered aimlessly, a caravan headed for foreign lands suddenly appeared in the desolate desert, just like a mirage.

They said that they were going to the oasis country across the sea…

Where resources and people abounded, where it was as overflowing with culture as it was here – a fertile land that drew many to it.

In the night, the salty, wet sea wind blew in my face, making me feel as if everything I’d experienced was an entire lifetime ago.

Caravan Member: Get ready to board the boat – we’re about to set off.

MC: Mhmm…

I looked at the merchant boat floating beside the shore. For some reason, I felt an inexplicable restlessness.

Caravan Member: Don’t worry, young lady. We’re honorable businesspeople – no human trafficking whatsoever.

Caravan Member: And since you’ve promised to help us with miscellaneous work, it’s a transaction where both sides benefit, so you don’t need to feel like you owe us…

Caravan Member: If you’re still worried, I’ve got a self-defense dagger here for you. You can keep it on you at all times on the trip.

MC: … Thank you.

I took the dagger that he held out to me, but that feeling of distress still didn’t dispel.

Seeing that the sailors were beginning to retrieve the anchor, I could only follow him onto the wooden board that connected the shore to the merchant boat.

But right before I boarded…

MC: !!!

MC: He’s…

Right when I was halfway there, I suddenly saw a familiar silhouette on deck.

Though we didn’t know each other, I remembered his face clearly, because on that night…

✼ ┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈ ✼

[Flashback]

In the little, dusky alley, just a few steps away, a man was lying motionlessly on the floor.

MC: Are you alright?!

I rushed over, preparing to check his body for injuries. However…

MC: !!!

A frigid aura emanated from behind me. I instinctively stopped moving.

???: Sometimes, being too sharp isn’t a good thing.

[Flashback end]

✼ ┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈ ✼

MC: (Shouldn’t he already be…)

MC: (Plus, isn’t it way too coincidental for him to be boarding the same merchant boat that’s escaping across the sea as me…)

I finally seemed to have sorted through my originally messy emotions…

Right then, I recalled the various minor details that I had ignored before.

✼ ┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈ ✼

[Flashback]

Luke: Do you know why we worship the birds?

MC: Because they can fly freely to the world of the gods?

Luke: Yes. So, high priestess, the one who boasts the title of the gods’ messenger – why do you shut yourself up in a little cage?

Luke: In my opinion, you should be able to go to more, greater places without any worries.

✼ ┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈ ✼

Luke: This isn’t the temple, so doing some improper things should be alright…

Luke: If the gods truly were to lay blame onto someone, then don’t I deserve even more blame for this sin, as the one who encouraged you to do this?

[Flashback end]

✼ ┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈ ✼

Encouraged… I repeated this word in my head.

Those strange emotions, those inexplicable words – the answer seemed to be within reach after I painstakingly pondered over them.

Nearby, the sailors were urging people onboard. There was no more time for me to speak with that man on the deck.

Caravan Member: Get aboard, young lady! Get aboard!

All I had left were these final seconds.

I knew right then that this was a critical decision in changing my fate. I should have gone for the more reliable option, but…

“After you escape, remember to not be so softhearted ever again.”

But this time, I wouldn’t do as he wanted.

MC: (There must be a better way to solve this than doing nothing and escaping alone…)

The waves surged in the night wind. Finally, I ended up returning to the shore, against the blowing wind.

I returned to that shrine one day later.

The ritual was imminent. I gripped the dagger that the caravan member had given me and carefully made my way through the winding secret path…

In the former grand hall, there now stood another person aside from Luke.

✼ ┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈ ✼

Chief Guard: So you really were playing little tricks.

Chief Guard: I specifically had people investigate after that day – the so-called grave pile doesn’t have any skeletons at all.

Chief Guard: Where exactly did the people that the pharaoh had you deal with go?

I held my breath, lying low silently in the corner.

The chief guard was a devoted follower of the pharaoh. He was as hostile as he had been that day, pointing his sword straight at Luke.

Chief Guard: And the high priestess – where is she?

Luke was completely unarmed, seeming like he’d lost his will to live as he lowered his neck to the sword blade.

Luke: None of your business.

Chief Guard: If you’re going to be so pigheaded, then on behalf of the pharaoh…

When I saw the chief guard swing his sword, I sprinted out and stabbed him in the back-

MC: !!!

I thought that I’d landed the mark… But he reacted with shocking speed, changing his direction of force as he backhandedly parried my attack.

With the clinking of metal, the dagger was sent flying into the corner.

Luke: Careful!!!

I heard Luke shout anxiously. Right then, my mind was completely blank as my ability to think evaporated.

Time seemed to stagnate. I watched wide-eyed as the chief guard swung his sword at me…

MC: …

But right after, my body spontaneously reacted.

A fierce wind blasted in my face as I saw the blade sweep past my hair. I instinctively retreated one step, rolling to the altar as I dodged the slash.

Chief Guard: !!!

Under the chief guard’s astonished stare, I got up and grabbed the two chisels on the round table. Then, I threw one of them at him before he could react…

Clang-

Using the moment that he deflected it with his sword, I sped forward. After this feint, I met his shocked, widened eyes as I adjusted my center of gravity, stabbing him at his weak point on his side-

Bang!

When I came back to my senses, the chief guard had already fallen.

The sharp chisel was embedded in his back waist as a crimson liquid flowed out unceasingly from the wound, dyeing the ground in red.

✼ ┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈ ✼

Luke: Are you alright?!

Luke ran staggeringly over to me. Only when I had indicated that I was fine did he release a breath.

After he wiped the stains off the back of my hand, he blocked my view of the chief guard.

Luke: Don’t worry, he’s still alive… just leave the rest to me.

MC: I… I…

The crisis had been averted and my rationality had returned, yet a greater fear flooded over me.

MC: H-how did that happen… just now… my movements…

I had always lived in the temple, praying daily to the gods.

But the memories that were growing clearer in my mind told me that both the instinctive fighting skills just now and the scene before my eyes…

Were not my first encounter with them.

Part 6

Ayana Temple

I could vaguely remember seeing these brutal scenes often, back during candidate training.

I once snuck into the temple and prayed to the gods, not as a priestess, but as a pathetic seeker of help.

Boy: I finally get to see you again. I thought you weren’t going to ever return.

Boy: Are these things on the altar… the offerings you brought?

“Yes, these are the leftover fried bean balls from what the uncle in the city was selling… please try some.”

Boy: You look like you’ve been injured again… does it hurt? Come over – I’ll apply some medicine for you.

“I’m alright – at least I still can feel things. But there are some children who couldn’t hold on, who won’t ever get up again after lying down.”

“So, esteemed high priest, there is something that I would like to request you help me bring to God…”

“… I have prayed for a long time, but it seems like he has always ignored my wish.”

Boy: I’m still learning from my teacher, so I’m not an official priest yet.

Boy: But since you chat with me all the time, and because of the fried bean balls you brought, I’ll do my best to help you.

Boy: Tell me, what’s your wish?

“I don’t want to do things for the new pharaoh. I only want to… continue living peacefully…”

Boy: … I got it.

Boy: If you want to live, then escape.

“But they run much faster than I do. I’m sure they’d catch me instantly…”

Boy: They won’t.

“Why?”

Boy: Because God just told me that he heard your wish, so he will protect you.

Boy: Plus… he also wants you to live on peacefully.

✼ ┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈ ✼

That night, I mustered the courage to leave the empire.

I didn’t dare stop running until I was thoroughly exhausted, in fear of the chasing soldiers behind me.

Finally, I collapsed in the desert. When I woke again, I was in the temple.

✼ ┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈ ✼

The high priest sat on the bedside, stroking my head gently.

Former Priest: From now onwards, this will be your residence. You can study here with me without worry.

I asked him “why” many times, but the only answer I ever received was a sigh, as well as those never-changing words-

Former Priest: Because the gods favor you.

The gods favor me…

But after that, I never saw that boy in the temple, and the high priest never said a word about him.

I continued praying devoutly to the gods, praying that I would be able to see him again.

During those days of prayer, I even suspected that the one person who had heard my wish might have been a god himself.

After the aged high priest passed away, the pharaoh gave me sacrament wine during the succession ceremony.

This was the only way to reach higher levels of consciousness and build a connection with the gods.

Gradually, I forgot what my goal in all this was.

Amid the never-ending prayers, only a deep belief in the gods became rooted firmly in my heart.

✼ ┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈ ✼

Desert Shrine

MC: Luke…

After dealing with the unconscious chief guard’s wound, Luke looked back at me from his place in a hard-to-detect corner.

He looked completely worn-out, yet he looked extremely similar to that finely-dressed, holy boy of my memories.

MC: The pharaoh messed with the sacrament wine… at the temple before, did you knock it over on purpose?

MC: I did forget what happened, but you’ve always remembered…

After a moment of dumbfoundedness, Luke smiled resignedly.

Luke: Before, I thought that forgetting the past and starting anew was a good thing.

Luke: But now, I feel that it’s better to remember some things, such as… a past desire to live.

MC: …

Only then did I completely understand that the so-called gods had never favored me.

It was Luke… he was supposed to be the empire’s oracle priest revered by the populace, and he traded his fate with me.

MC: … But why did you help me?

Luke: Because I stopped believing in the gods, starting from that day.

Luke swept calmly past the protective Anubis statues on the two sides.

To him, those probably weren’t the revered ancient gods at all – instead, they were two worthless rocks.

Finally, his gaze fell on me, his mood hard to describe.

Luke: I couldn’t understand – if the gods truly existed, why did they never help you despite all of your many prayers?

Luke: Were you not sincere enough, or were they not benevolent enough? Or – maybe the gods don’t exist at all.

Luke: I deliberated over this unsolvable problem many times, and ultimately made a decision.

Luke: Regardless if they had heard your wish, I, at least, had heard it. So I would be the one to fulfill it.

✼ ┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈ ✼

[Flashback]

Former Priest: You want to save her, but how will you do so?

Former Priest: Those children were selected by the pharaoh from many places. Though it is difficult to distinguish who they are from the masks that they typically wear…

Former Priest: But the numbers are rigorously counted every day. They’ll know instantly if one is missing.

Boy: Then I’ll replace her.

Boy: Our ages are similar, and even if our genders are different, there are several hundred candidates. No one will care that much.

Former Priest: …Ridiculous! I did not train you for this sort of purpose!

Boy: But, high priest…

Boy: If I leave this alone and she really does die from injury in training one day…

Boy: Not only would I stop believing in the gods – I’d even start hating them… in that case, I would not be able to serve as your successor.

Boy: So, I beg you…

[Flashback end]

✼ ┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈ ✼

Luke smiled lightly after his explanation.

Luke: Maybe because I was very fit with particular talent…

Luke: Though I started training late, I still was able to hold on until the end, thanks to a surpassing will to live.

He spoke so simply about a process that must have nearly killed him many times.

I faced him, a bitterness that I couldn’t swallow in my throat.

MC: Will to live… then why were you willing to be defeated by the chief guard?

Luke: …

Luke: If I knew that I’d be able to see you again, I would have definitely resisted.

Luke let out a deep sigh, then looked back at me seriously.

Luke: There is still some time until the ritual, so run now. Hide by the seashore for the next while, and wait for the next…

MC: I won’t run.

Luke: Don’t joke around! You…

He was just about to admonish me when the sounds of footsteps sounded from the far end of the corridor.

Luke picked up the chisel that had just been taken off the chief guard’s body in response.

Luke: I’ll deal with this.

MC: Wait. Don’t make a big ruckus out of this.

I grabbed his hand, wiping the red stains on his body with my clothes.

Luke understood my intentions quickly.

He frowned, knowing that time was tight, and could only pull aside the curtain before the altar as I wanted…

✼ ┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈ ✼

The moment I reclined on the altar, the reporting guard also rushed in, a few steps away from us behind the curtain.

Guard: The pharaoh will be here soon – may I ask how much longer you need…

Luke: … I’m already preparing.

Guard: The high priestess…

The guard stepped up to check on the situation as he spoke…

Luke: The high priestess has already gone to rest. Do not disturb her.

Right after, Luke threw the chisel he was holding past the curtain, embedding it beside his foot.

The curtain fluttered gently, revealing half of my hanging arm.

Guard: Y-yes…

Startled by Luke’s angry sullenness, the guard retreated from the stone room.

When everything quieted down again, he released a breath, planning to help me up from the altar…

While he was off-guard, I reached up, pulling him down by the nape of his neck.

This sudden action gave him no time to react, and with his unstable center of gravity, he could only prop himself up in front of me…

Luke: What are you doing…!

His breathing grew panicked from my movements.

He could’ve easily broken free, but he let me approach his ear as I placed my head in the hollow of his neck.

Luke: … Stop smelling it. Don’t you find it dirty?

Luke: I already told you that this incense’s scent comes from my antiseptic work…

MC: It’s not dirty at all. I like your scent a lot.

I inhaled gently. My exhale blew over his ear and neck, trembling slightly.

MC: You ensure that the souls of the deceased can rest peacefully, and you give living people new chances.

MC: You’ve saved so many people, including me… to me, you are more worthy of reverence than those imaginary gods.

MC: So, Luke, let’s find a way that can save both others and ourselves this time.

Luke: Do you mean…

MC: Fake it until the end, just like earlier – then, deal with the pharaoh using the ritual.

If only Luke made a move, he was sure to be executed after being charged with severe crimes.

But if I, who was thought to have gone to “Aaru” already, suddenly “resurrected” and imposed punishment on the pharaoh for the “gods”…

We might gain the trust of the people and have a chance at living.

Luke: This is too risky for you…

Luke: I’m worried…

He seemed to have realized that I wouldn’t change my mind, powerlessly lowering his head as he spoke, his trembling voice full of worry and distress.

MC: Based on our customs, the priest will write protective incantations on papyrus paper and place it in the tomb of the deceased, to bless them so that they will live peacefully in the afterlife.

MC: If you’re worried, Luke, write some prayers for me too.

Luke: … That’s bad luck. You’re still alive.

MC: The blessing intent remains the same, though.

Unable to persuade me, Luke could only hum an affirmative.

Luke: I’ve already thought of what to write. I’ll do it in a moment.

MC: What is it?

Luke: I’ll tell you after it ends, so… you must get out of this safe and sound.

We plotted a plan that was basically blasphemy against the gods, clinging together on the holy altar.

Before he finished carefully preparing my body as if for a corpse and covered me with a blanket… he kissed my forehead, as if in blessing.

In the faintly flickering candlelight, I looked into those perfectly clear eyes, praying reverently that the lights in them would never be extinguished…

… Simultaneously, giving that kiss a more fervent response.

Finally, this curse-dispelling, empire-stirring prayer ritual came to an end with the death of the pharaoh.

Opinions varied on the entire course of events, leaving a heavy, bright mark on the history of the dynasty.

✼ ┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈ ✼

Palace

One month after the new pharaoh succeeded to the throne.

Chief Guard: I will bring the young pharaoh back then, high priestess. There is still much that he must study – if he hadn’t been clamoring about coming to the temple…

Chief Guard: Ah, forget it.

I nodded, preparing to rise and send him off.

Before he left, I couldn’t resist calling out to that eternally straight-backed chief guard, who was intimidating even when he merely stood there.

MC: Even if the people believed my words that day, you must have known the reason behind it all, chief guard…

MC: You have always only obeyed the pharaoh, so why have you still not made a move?

Chief Guard: High priestess, I don’t understand what you mean.

Chief Guard: I still obey to the “pharaoh” – otherwise, I would not have brought him to you today to play.

MC: … That is true.

Chief Guard: If you are trusted as the will of the people, then the reason why the former pharaoh – the incarnation of the gods – died so easily, may have been the will of the heavens.

Chief Guard: This isn’t something I can do anything about… especially since the true offender has long died in prison, so there is nothing to go over seriously about.

Chief Guard: As time is tight, I will head off first.

MC: Take care.

Just as the chief guard said, the person who dealt the lethal blow to the pharaoh and cut off his head was not me, but Luke.

He was subsequently imprisoned… although…

Luke: Ugh, that chief guard really sounds satisfied with my “death in prison”.

Luke popped in through the window, sighing annoyedly.

MC: On the other hand, that’s a good thing – if even the chief guard believes that, no one will probably suspect anything…

MC: … Sorry that this was the only way to let you let you escape unscathed.

Luke: It’s alright – I’m perfectly fine, right? Just that…

Luke: You should deal less with that chief guard and that ignorant, incompetent little pharaoh from now on.

Luke: Who knows when they might come up with crooked ideas to set you up…

MC: It’s alright – you’re here, after all.

Luke: That’s true. Then, remember to rely on me more in the future, like right now…

MC: !!!

Luke embraced me from behind, bringing me to recline together on the long couch.

Luke: You’ve been dealing with the messes left by the former pharaoh for all of last night. You didn’t even get a wink of sleep.

Luke: Take an afternoon nap, now that you have time for once… I’ll be with you.

MC: … Okay.

I was just about to close my eyes when a sudden breeze blew in from the window, blowing the papyrus scrolls on the table onto the ground.

MC: Ah!

Luke: Don’t move… I’ll pick those scrolls up in a moment. Let them do whatever for now.

MC: They’re not documents, though. They’re what you wrote for me…

Realizing that Luke wasn’t going to let go, I could only mumble an explanation, burying my head in embarrassment into his chest.

Those papyrus scrolls were the prayers that he had written for me before that prayer ceremony.

Luke: … I didn’t think you’d keep them.

MC: Of course I did.

Luke still didn’t let me go, instead reclining his head on my shoulder. Like the hair coiling around my neck, I heard a few comfortable hums, making me feel slightly tingly.

He then spoke.

Luke: When everything settles down, let’s go to a country across the sea where no one recognizes us.

MC: Mhmm, okay.

Perhaps that oasis country across the sea was my true “Aaru”.

Embracing a hope for the future, a sleepiness gradually descended on me…

As I fell asleep, I seemed to hear him gently reciting that prayer written on the papyrus scrolls by my ear-

Luke: “I pray that you will continue to live bravely onwards, as you had described.”

Luke: “When you are exhausted, I too will cease, and sink with you into an eternal slumber.”

Aftertalk

Done with work? Looks like I finally have the chance to be with you alone.

>Intimate interactions >Fried bean balls…

>Select ankh

MC: (According to the legends, this is a possession of the gods with disaster- and illness-preventing effects. It represents the repeating nature of life, rebirth, and eternity.)

Luke: You’ve been staring at my chest for a while. Are you curious about the pendant?

MC: A little… if I recall correctly, you don’t believe in this stuff, so why would you wear an amulet like that?

Luke: I don’t use this to protect myself – I only wore it before as part of the prayers for the deceased, and then I just got used to it.

Luke: Although, it’s pretty pointless at this point. Maybe I should take it off…

MC: Huh? Don’t take it off… I think it looks pretty good as normal jewelry. Just keep it on.

Luke: Is that so? If you like seeing me wear it, then I won’t take it off.

>Select upper-left

MC: (The new pharaoh is still young and requires a lot of support from the temple…)

MC: (This place has been receiving an endless stream of guests all day recently. It’s so rare for me to have time to talk to Luke.)

>Select head

MC: Luke, have you been wearing that mask these days?

Luke: Sometimes I wear it when going out, so my face doesn’t get seen… although, that’s not necessary with you.

MC: Indeed – I can’t see your expression when you’re wearing a mask. This is much better.

>Intimate interactions >Fried bean balls…

MC: Weird, these fried bean balls have a distinct taste compared to the ones we ate before…

Luke: I knew that I couldn’t hide this from you. I made this secretly in the kitchen while no one was there.

Luke: Since I can’t appear in the market now under my current conditions – it would be bad if my identity were exposed.

MC: Is that so….

MC: (Before, I announced that Luke had died in prison. Though he was able to avoid execution thanks to this, his freedom is still limited.)

Luke: What’s the matter? Based on your expression… does it taste bad?

MC: Not at all! It doesn’t taste bad! I’m just worried that you might find your lifestyle right now really boring…

MC: If you want, you can leave the empire for a while, so you wouldn’t need to be so careful.

Luke: I don’t want that, because… not only do I not find it boring, but I also feel like this isn’t too bad, the way things are.

MC: Really?

Luke: Yep, really. Since no one knows that I’m alive, I don’t have to bother with some unnecessary dealings too.

Luke: Plus, it’s because that I’m alone that you’ll worry about me from time to time, just like now, right?

Luke: No matter where you are or who you’re talking to, you’ll remember that I’m waiting for you. That’s enough to satisfy me.

MC: Luke, don’t be so easily satisfied…

MC: Even if we go elsewhere in the future where you don’t need to conceal yourself, I’ll always be thinking of you.

Luke: Then, when time comes, I’ll be able to monopolize you openly… and beat off anyone who bothers us.

MC: Pfft, isn’t that a little too childish?

Luke: I’ve been holding back for so long, so it should be justifiable for me to be a bit childish…

Luke: Plus, I’m also hoping that after you shed the responsibility you bear, you can be more childish and reckless in front of me, okay?

MC: Okay… I’ll try.

#Tears of Themis #tears of themis translations #xia yan #luke pearce #tot spoilers #未定事件簿 #tot luke #finallyyyyyyyy wow this was a whole project

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