#my teenage ass could’ve never believed I’d see it in my life
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aivarizhtml · 2 months ago
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“I am the dirt under your nails, cupcake,
nothing’s gonna clean me out”
Those lesbian confessions be going crazy…. straights could never
These are my pics from 2022, the sweetness of them is so soft
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wherearemyspectacles · 2 years ago
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Why I can’t hate pandemic?
In my experience, pandemic was the best and worst thing that has happened to me.
Pandemic may have tortured me emotionally and tormented my mental health but I wouldn’t trade it off anything especially now that I realized that there’s this new relationship I have created with my mom during the lockdown. Our relationship has evolved in a way that I never expected it to be.
A little back story, I have been physically away from my family for years. I would only take breaks and go home during the holidays. Vacation for me would usually last only for 3 days to a week and then I’ll be back to my regular programming which is work (or in the earlier days, school). I was comfortably living alone by myself for years. Being independent at an early age is such a liberating feeling. Teenage was fun for me, I guess. For years that I was too comfortable in my own space, the pandemic brought me back home.
Pandemic has also made me realize that:
“Ah yes, I forgot how to co-exist with my mom anymore.”
That is why we would constantly clash. What else should I expect? I would honestly say that it has taken a toll on both of us, especially her. I was such a pain in the ass. I am always rational and logical even if the situation never asks for it. I could’ve been more sensitive to her feelings.
On a different note, regardless of the countless times we argued and fight especially in 2021, I think it has only made us closer to each other. We learned more about each other everyday (we still are). I also accepted the fact that the person she was in 2012 has flourished to a better person that she is now. And I’m slowly letting her see though me as well.
Having said that, I’d like to believe that for the entire duration of lockdown I was able to respectfully tear her guards down. I was mindful of her feelings and emotions. I looked out for her. I made sure that I won’t trigger her in any way. In such a circumstance, I have created a safe space for her so she can finally open up about the tragic event in the past. There is so much joy in my heart when she finally trusted me enough to share “her story” word-for-word.
I am so proud of her as my mom and as a person especially now that she started to speak up. She has gone through so much in her life. She lost both of her parents, husband, older sister and her loving mother-in-law, who practically adopted her when she lost her parents. She basically lost all of the people close to her heart. I understand why she just chose to kind of shut up/shut people down and disconnect.
In my childhood days, I would catch her crying at the most randomest times. I knew the reason. She never knew that I knew. She protected us against it. I have the slightest idea of what had happened in the past but I never forced her to share the stuff that she’s dealing with. I would just try my best to comfort her and give a glass of water but I could only do so much as a kid. We never talked about it, I just wish she did. She would brush it off every time and then move on with her day. I trusted her pace. I would wait for so long for her to open up, but the moment never came. It definitely remained as the elephant in the room for sure. It was honestly hard to grow up with a functional depressive mother. As an offspring of a parent who’s dealing with PTSD, that shit fucks me up too.
Last night, I FINALLY got the heart-to-heart talk with my mom. I waited for my entire life for this to happen.
Although it took her more than 30 years long to open up about the past events in her life... at least I know now that she’s healing. Obviously, she had a meltdown again last night as she tried explain it to me in vivid details as best as she could. Tears came running down her face. She was having flashbacks for sure. Traumatizing it was. I cannot even begin to comprehend it. It’s just genuinely hard for me to wrap my mind around it. As an emphatic, I was crying with her as well.
I love her so much. The respect I have for her goes beyond not just as a mom, but as a woman and as a person. I couldn’t even make sense of how she’s still able to exude calm and peacefulness around the house even if she has a troubled mind.
Now I understand why she would sometimes get random brain fog. She’d forget our names and be a completely different person. Sometimes it would last 30mins to an hour. I read that trauma causes it. It’s a trauma response. No one knew about this, only us her kids, our dad, and her new life partner.
Strong is an understatement and for lack of a better word, I think she’s a superhero.
I love this woman so much!
Interesting fact: Today is the Death Anniversary of both of mom’s parents (my grandparents)
Mom, I wish I have your patience of a saint. You are, if not always, most of the time, calm and composed. You are kind. You are super down to earth that it would sometimes annoy me because you’d let other people step on you. You are humble and I love you for that. It taught me to ALWAYS ground myself as well. I love you. I don’t want you to grow old and see your hair turn grey. Please please stay youthful.
Love,
Bebs (your middle child)
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creepereyes · 2 years ago
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I can’t believe antis are still spouting the ‘Billy was a violent racist how can you like him?!’ argument.
One vague line doesn’t prove anything, and I guarantee you Billy would’ve reacted the exact same way if it had been Mike, Will or Dustin pestering Max in those scenes.
Even if Dacre himself confirmed that Billy WAS a little racist, people can change. Racism can be unlearned, and I’m going to make a Stranger Things/The Walking Dead comparison post that might give antis an aneurysm.
You don’t have to be familiar with The Walking Dead to understand this post, but I’d say it’s worth a read especially if you like both shows.
This post is going to get long so I’m inserting a read more.
Billy is not an irredeemable monster. He never uses racist slurs and never hate crimes Lucas. Pushing someone against the wall and scolding them is not attempted murder. Lastly, he’s a teenager. It’s not like he’s a dude in his 40′s bullying an 8th grader.
All these Billy antis need to watch The Walking Dead, specifically the first three seasons. Why, you ask? Because that show had a racist character who was on the track to changing his ways and becoming a better person.
In TWD season 1 episode 2 we meet Merle Dixon, older brother of series favorite Daryl Dixon. Merle is a violent, unapologetic racist who, shortly after being introduced, provokes a black man into attacking him so he has an ‘excuse’ to beat him up. He’s a terrible person. (Though early series Daryl is no saint either, he’s quick to violence and is often hostile to other members of the group).
After Merle saws his own hand off to escape a bad situation, he goes missing for over a season. When he comes back, he’s different. He’s still an asshole and while he still drops a racial slur, he doesn’t sling the n-word anymore and shows the odd moment of compassion. As the season progresses, we start to understand why Merle is the way he is and that he has more layers than expected. Much like Billy, he has sides to him that other people rarely see, and that really shines when he interacts with Herschel, the one person who shows him kindness.
As unpredictable as Merle is, he does the right thing in the end. And guess who really gets through to him and convinces him to do the right thing?
Michonne, a black woman.
Just like Billy, Merle sacrifices his own life and dies to protect a group of people who don’t give a shit about him, and is then mourned only by a younger sibling with whom he had a very complicated relationship.
Don’t get me wrong, there’s no justifying or excusing his hateful actions in season 1. We as viewers are supposed to have conflicting feelings about Merle. He starts off as a racist asshole, but he turns out to be more complex than he seems, and if he lived past season 3 I’m confident he could’ve really changed for the better. In my opinion, Merle is a great character because despite his heinous past actions, he’s complex, layered and interesting. His interactions with other characters are fantastic and his actor, Michael Rooker, did a great job giving more depth to a character that could’ve easily been a one-note villain. (Sound familiar?)
My point? Anyone can change. If a 50 year old violent racist can begin changing his ways, so can a teenage boy.
If Billy had survived season 3 and gotten away from his abusive father, he would’ve changed too. It would take time and he’d need support, but it would’ve happened. He could’ve formed healthy relationships. He could’ve teamed up with Steve, Robin, Eddie and Nancy to kick Vecna’s crusty ass. 
Antis blatantly refuse to admit it, but Billy would’ve changed and flourished if he got out of his toxic home and had people believe in him. 
They just can’t handle a character with layers.
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erythrum · 3 years ago
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𝑭𝒊𝒏𝒂𝒍 𝑺𝒖𝒎𝒎𝒆𝒓
𝘗𝘢𝘳𝘵 𝘖𝘯𝘦
𝙋𝙖𝙞𝙧𝙞𝙣𝙜: 𝘙𝘢𝘧𝘦 𝘊𝘢𝘮𝘦𝘳𝘰𝘯 𝘹 𝘧𝘦𝘮!𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘥𝘦𝘳
𝙒𝙖𝙧𝙣𝙞𝙣𝙜: 𝘴𝘸𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘪𝘯𝘨,𝘴𝘰𝘮𝘦 𝘧𝘭𝘶𝘧𝘧,𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘢𝘵 𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘤𝘢𝘯𝘰𝘯 𝘙𝘢𝘧𝘦,𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘴 𝘰𝘧 𝘴𝘦𝘹,𝘴𝘦𝘹𝘶𝘢𝘭 𝘪𝘯𝘯𝘶𝘦𝘯𝘥𝘰𝘴,𝘶𝘯𝘥𝘦𝘳𝘢𝘨𝘦 𝘥𝘳𝘪𝘯𝘬𝘪𝘯𝘨
𝙖/𝙣: 𝘪𝘮 𝘴𝘰𝘳𝘳𝘺
𝙒𝙤𝙧𝙙 𝘾𝙤𝙪𝙣𝙩: 1.9𝘬 +
𝙎𝙪𝙢𝙢𝙖𝙧𝙮: 𝘢𝘧𝘵𝘦𝘳 𝘢 𝘯𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵 𝘤𝘶𝘵 𝘴𝘩𝘰𝘳𝘵 𝘢𝘵 𝘵𝘨𝘦 𝘣𝘰𝘯𝘦𝘺𝘢𝘳𝘥, 𝘺/𝘯 𝘩𝘢𝘴 𝘢𝘯 𝘪𝘮𝘱𝘰𝘳𝘵𝘢𝘯𝘵 𝘲𝘶𝘦𝘴𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘣𝘦𝘴𝘵 𝘧𝘳𝘪𝘦𝘯𝘥 𝘙𝘢𝘧𝘦
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The boneyard was a melting pot, pogues, tourons, and kooks unalike all gathering for one of the last kegger's of summer. This mash together of kids from all over Kildare and the mainland always ended in chaos, it was just a matter of time before shit went down tonight.
Rafe had his arm thrown around my shoulders as we walked down the path to the boneyard. I could faintly see Topper and Kelce downing the cups of pogue provided beer. Didn’t matter whether or not the kooks or pogues could get along, as long as it was on the cut and alcohol was provided, the teens could get along for a limited amount of time.
“Hey y/n! What are you doing here? I thought you were leaving for college this week?” It was Sarah who yelled out to me, running up to her brother and I in her floral printed dress. Rafe’s arm dropped to his side as she came with Topper not far behind.
“Oh I just couldn’t miss my last kegger before leaving, Duke can wait on me one more day.” The two of us embraced in one of those hugs that has you shifting your weight from side to side. I guess she didn’t realize I wouldn’t leave for college for another month, but I was sure she was already too drunk for me to explain it to her that she was not thinking of the right month.
As Sarah was hanging onto me probably a little too tight, Topper was giving Rafe one of those looks that said everything but also nothing at the same time. Like prior knowledge had to be known to understand the context. I of course did not, those two always had some stupid shit planned and I can almost guarantee it had to do with messing up the pogues’ little party.
The sun hung low on the horizon after I had finished my third cup, the colors illuminating the sky so brilliantly it felt like a fantasy. I stripped off my top and headed for the water, the pinks and purples of the sky reflected in its crashing waters. It was so cold, the temperature sent shivers up my body and a familiar rush in my energy. Almost waist deep now, I submerged my body completely under the water. It was always how I remembered it, calm and refreshing.
“C’mon Rafe! Don’t be a little bitch and get in there, I see the way you look at her,” Topper spewed, pushing his friend to have a little courage.
“Man what the fuck are you even talking about?” Deny everything Rafe thought.
“Oh come on dude, you’ve been making please love me eyes at her since the sixth grade, and please fuck me eyes at her since the tenth, when are you gonna do something about it for once? You’ve got a month to make a move, or regret it your entire life,” Topper continued his monologue as Rafe tuned him out, too distracted by the girl, his girl, staring out into the Atlantic like it was calling to her.
His heart was pounding as he made a B-line for the water, a light jog, but not so fast someone would think he’s crazy, or just madly in love. He swiftly pulled his polo over and off his head before plunging into the chilly water. Topper clearly knew whatever he'd said had worked.
I heard him before I saw him, Rafe approached and submerged himself just as I had a few minutes before.
“If we get hypothermia I'm sending you my hospital bills.” He laughed, wading around in the shallow water.
“Oh shock! Rafe Cameron threatening his medical bill payments? I never could’ve guessed!” We enjoyed our few minutes of peace before talking again.
“But it’s basically impossible anyways, you get use to it after awhile, maybe it’ll calm your hot-headed ass down,” I giggled and prepared for what always came next. Rafe pickup me up around my waist, lifting me over his shoulder before attempting to sprint as fast as he could deeper into the water. His hands had been wrapped around the back of my knees for a few moments until he threw himself and I down into the deeper water, both of us completely submerged beneath the surface.
The sun was dipping below the horizon now, and the deep blue of the sky was beginning to envelop the boneyard. We had come up for air, and I began splashing him with the water around us, payback for his antics. Theres no way in hell I’d be able to throw him down into the water too, this was the best I could come up with. The two of us were laughing before Rafe grabbed my arms and twisted me around so my back was flesh against his front. I gave up on trying to fight him off. Instead I just rested against him in an attempt to catch my breath.
“Hey Rafe, can we talk about something?” Oh fuck she knows, he thought. This was gonna be it, it’s going to fuck up his entire plan.
“Yeah, uh sure, like here?” He questioned.
“Maybe not here, I think we’ve got as audience,” he knew she was referring to Topper and Kelce, they were watching from the beach.
"The truck then?" I nodded my head, not at all prepared for the favor I needed to ask of him.
The sand stuck to my feet as we headed back to where his truck was, the chilly air wrapping around my body. Rafe opened the backseat door and pulled out a towel for me, always prepared. He pulled the passenger side door and I slid into the seat, the heat of his car pumping through the interior. My heart was pounding, but I wasn’t sure if his was too. We made it about halfway to tannyhill before speaking.
“Soooo,” he said.
“You’re going to think I’m absolutely crazy, Rafe," I laughed in an attempt to hide my nervousness.
"First of all, you're already crazy, and second of all, I'm pretty sure I know exactly what you're going to say," his hands were clenching the steering wheel harder now.
""Oh really? You already knew that I was going to ask you to take my virginity?" I don't know why, but I just blurted it out.
His car came to a screeching halt on the side of the road, lunging me forward as he stared in disbelief at the road infront of him.
"Im sorry, what did you just say?"
"That I want you to take my virginity? V-card? Cherry? Damn Rafe how else am I supposed to say it?"
"And," there was a pause in his voice like he didn't believe me, "your being serious, correct?"
“Correct.”
“And, come again? I need to hear that one more time.”
“Jesus fuck Rafe, I’m being dead serious, I want you to take my virginity, what about that is so hard to explain?” It came out as more of a yell than a scream, he took a long sigh and ran his fingers through his hair. He was thinking long and hard, I knew because he always had something to say, and now he wasn’t saying anything at all. It felt like hours had past before he spoke again.
“Why?”
It was my turn for a long sigh.
“Well, I guess I’ve been thinking about it for awhile, and I want to do it, but whenever I think about it in my head the only person I can see doing it with is you. You’re the only person I trust enough with my own body, I mean shit,” I had to think for a long time before admitting what came next.
“Whenever someone, you know like Scarlet or whoever, asks about who I’m interested in or whatever it may be, not a single person ever comes to mind except you, it’s like all I see when I look at you is you, everything else is like blurred around you and whenever I think about who the love of my life will be, I always think of you, not some mystery guy that I haven’t met yet.” I didn’t plan for this to be a full confession on how I feel about him, but here I am spilling everything I’ve been holding in my heart for the last three years.
“And I know that sounds fucking stupid I know, I mean we’re still teenagers for crying out loud, but when I’m with you it always feels like I’m home.” I was nearly crying at this point, struggling to get the words out of my chest that had been waiting for so long. He was listening, deadly quiet, and I had no idea what he was thinking for once in my life.
“You know what? Just forget about it, can you take me home please?” I was definitely crying now, it felt like I’d ripped my own heart to shreds. Theres no way he could ever feel the same way about me, he protected me like I was his own blood, not like he was in love with me. My face was nestled into the sleeve of my hoodie as the tears came out. His hands had moved back to the steering wheel now, gripping onto it so tight I thought it might break. The muscles in his forearms almost looked like they were twitching, but he still had the car in park.
He wanted to just grab her and kiss her right now, the girl he'd been in love with since the sixth grade sitting in his passenger seat, her seat, confessing her feelings to him. Rafe knew it was alot for her to ask, but it meant even more to him everything that she had said after her original question. And there was no way in hell he was going to let her get away again.
Rafe reached his hand over to hold onto her tear stained cheek.
"y/n," The bother of them were breathing heavily.
"I'm in love with you," it slipped from my mouth and he leaned in to kiss me. It felt like I had a wave of electricity coursing through my body. His hand grasping onto my face as he leaned over the center console. My hand reaching for his chest, his lips on mine as we intertwined with one another. It felt like everything in my life was complete, and the tension has been released. His fingers tangled in my hair.
It was over before I realized it, and Rafe was driving me home. My breathing hadn't normalized in any way, it was like I needed to throw up my heart to get the knot out. I couldn't stop thinking about the way his had felt on me, the way his lips felt on mine, the way it felt for once in my life like I was loved.
"i'll think about it," his voice cracked.
I leapt out of his car as fast as I could with tears streaming down my face. Did he feel the same? Did he not? My brain was spinning so fast I barely made it inside my bedroom door before collapsing. I wrapped myself up in the thick comforter, a heart full of ache and a body exhauster with sleep.
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papergirllife · 3 years ago
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First Love
Lucas Wong / Yukhei
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"They say first love is a special experience that one would always hold a special place in your heart. Wong Yukhei was your first love in high school, but along the way, you had to say goodbye to him in order for him to achieve his dream of becoming a star in Korea. Yet fate and destiny plays its role in paving the two of you an intersection once more, will the two of you and up together at the very end?"
Warnings : smut, unprotected sex, mild angst, a child (pregnancy not described), tooth rotting fluff (all in that order, kinda)
A/N : this is one of my most heavily devoted works I've ever written, so please, of you're comfortable, drop a feedback to tell me if you guys like this writing style, thank you!
Lucas Wong of NCT and most importantly his own fixed unit, Wayv, the man who garners attention and love wherever he goes, that dazzling smile is sure to be captured by numerous cameras of awaiting fans.
But to you, Lucas was never Lucas, to you he was Yukhei, and more significantly, your ex from high school. Yukhei was your first love, you remember when the two of you had first met in Year 9, Yukhei was known for being a class clown and more of a klutz, girls would always have a soft spot for him even if they didn't like him in that way.
Yukhei was your desk mate for Year 10, the thing got you on your nerves about him was that he never took group assignments seriously, and was never at school on time, his uniform was wrinkly from rushing out of his house to catch the bus and always had a stationary missing, which means he had to borrow yours.
You never hated him, hate is a strong word, things were very neutral with him, most times, he unintentionally annoys you, but he'd always make up to you by bringing you a small bottle of apple juice the next day. The only time the two of you really fought was when he had not spoken up when his friends snatched your book away from yours to copy you off, brushing it off as a small matter.
You were quite an immature person back then, and no one can blame you, you were just a teenager, and being said that, you had refused to lend Yukhei a ruler when the math teacher did a pop quiz, so he had to use the dust pan as no one, other than you that is, brings an extra ruler.
It's not your fault, you thought back then, he shouldn't have depended on you to bring his share of stationaries. The next day, you walked into class to see his group of friends waiting at your desk to apologize to you, and as for Yukhei, he had yet again brought you a bottle of apple juice, with the addition of your favourite bar of Cadbury.
It was only in Year 11 when Yukhei had confessed to you, saying that all those annoying things he did to you were just to catch your attention, of all the girls he could've liked, he chose the one who was the most unattainable, go figure.
The next year, when the two of you were looking to apply to the same college, Yukhei broke the news to you that he'd be packing his bags for Korea, that the audition he had joined just for fun accepted him as a trainee in a large entertainment company in Korea that everyone in Hong Kong knows, SM.
At first you didn't approve of his decision, that his education was important as well, that he had a life here, with you. But Yukhei had given very valid reasons to you, that he wouldn't have passed the college entrance exams if it weren't for your tuitions until late at night in the public library, that he didn't really have an interest in studying. His most valid reason was that he didn't want to take a toll on you when you’re in college, he can't have you sacrifice your sleep and attention for him just to have him attain passing grades.
So you let him go, saying your last farewell to him at the airport as his girlfriend and ex girlfriend.
That was the last time you saw him, choosing to not stay in contact with him as you poured your soul into university life, studying like your life depends on it, you had a few boyfriends here and there, nothing serious, nothing that made you felt like your first love. Maybe you had trouble moving on, or maybe it was just stress, you thought back then, shrugging the thought off casually before diverting your attention else where, this cycle carried on until you came out to work.
Fast forwarding to March of 2019, you had unintentionally came across of a news online that Yukhei had finally been placed in his own fixed unit that would be promoting and performing in Chinese, which isn’t surprising, even the Thai member, Ten, was of Chinese heritage. What made your eyes widen was the fact that they were coming to Hong Kong.
At the day of the fan meet, you had took the day off from your boring low paying job at the law firm, so much for studying your ass off for bar exams, you’re just filing on a daily basis.
Before the day of the fan meet, you had lived off of instant cup noodles for a few weeks just to buy the album and their light stick. When you first listened to the album, you were proud of Yukhei’s rapping skills, you still recall the days when he’d struggle with his mandarin oral tests, the teachers there must be much better than you for him to improve so much, smiling fondly at the old memories.
You waved the light stick and sang along just like the other fans beside you, mesmerised by the performance that the boys are putting up, but your eyes were mostly on Yukhei, you would’ve never thought the once clumsy giant like him would dance as fluidly, executing the moves just as well as the other smaller sized members.
You watch as Yukhei introduces himself and his non Cantonese members in his mother tongue, a feeling of familiarity settling into your mind.
You are quite a confident person, but queuing up to the long table where Yukhei sat at the corner was nerve wrecking to you, what would he say to you? Would he recognise you? It hasn't been that long, but the two of you had done some changes to your looks.
The other members had greeted you with a friendly smile and a few casual questions like have you eaten, but they seem a bit taken aback by the lack of fan girl attitude that most of the fans in front of you had.
When you had got to Yukhei, he had dropped his marker on the floor, his head ducked out of sight to retrieve it, but when he came up to apologise, the words were stuck in his throat, as his eyes opened as wide as saucers. He coughed to mask the surprise on his face.
“Hi, how are you?” He asked as he took your album into his hands, scribbling something down.
“Good, how have you been?” although his hair is coloured, his eyes had contacts, and he wasn't in his messy uniform, the smile on his face never changed.
“Great, it's nice to see you,” to other fans and the staff beside him, they might think it's just one of the standard answers, but you knew Yukhei like the back of your hand, registering the twinkle in his eyes.
Soon, he had placed the album back into your hands, your fingers grazing gently as tiny sparks flew up your tips, eyes never breaking contact until the staff tells you to leave.
When you had sat down at a nearby cafe to get a cup of coffee, you took out your album and flipped to the page where Lucas had written something.
‘Hilton hotel, 9pm,' and his number under it.
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At nine sharp, you waited by the hotel’s sitting area, not many people at that time as usually stores in Hong Kong open rather late, patiently you waited for Yukhei. Just as you were scrolling through posts on Instagram, a tall figure approached you.
A call of your name rolled off his tongue naturally, a wave of nostalgia hitting the both of you.
“I bought you a little something before I got here,” you said as you stood up, letting him guide you to the elevators.
“What is it?” Yukhei lets out a flustered laugh, scratching the back of his nape when he realised he didn't get you anything in return.
“Roast goose and Cha Siew, are they still your favourite?” you asked, hoping his taste hasn’t changed over the years.
“Yeah, man, I remember how we'd always get quarter of both after school at Uncle Chan’s,” Yukhei said, remembering how the boss of the restaurant had hung a photo of two of you on the wall, deeming the two of you his most loyal lovebirds.
“This is from Uncle Chan’s,” you told him as you followed him into his room, looking around, expecting him to be rooming with someone.
“Don't worry, I told Yang Yang to sleep with Ten for the night,” Yukhei said when he saw you looking for someone.
“Oh, that's really nice of him,” you said as you set out the food, the smell of Hong Kong's famous delicacies wafting in the air.
“Man, I really missed this,” Yukhei said as he pulls the arm chair that was a few feet away close to the desk, directing you into it and situating himself in the not so comfortable wooden chair.
“I missed this too,” you said mindlessly, eyes avoiding his before you ate a piece of meat.
“I missed you too,” Lucas confessed, yes there are many pretty girls in his industry, and Korea itself, but no one would be able to replace you, you were his rock all his life, other than his family of course, it's hard to build a connection with someone just as strong when things between the two of you never really ended, in a way.
Leaving on too good terms and without much closure for both of you kept one another thinking of each other. The two of you know, that after tonight, things would go back to normal, Yukhei would be Wayv’s Lucas, and you’d remain as his past, there would never be an outcome from whatever happens tonight.
So when the two of you were recalling memories and troubles the two of you got in school on the oh so comfortable bed, you couldn't help it, hooking a leg over Yukhei’s waist, just like how it started at the night of the graduation party, the night where the two of you lost your virginities to each other.
“I’d be gone tomorrow, we shouldn’t, I shouldn't do this to you,” Yukhei said, a firm believer that it's always the girl that is on the losing side, like he's taking an advantage of you, ever the gentleman.
“I want this for myself, Yukhei, it's not like it's our first time,” you said, trying to convince him.
“I still feel guilty about our first time, I left a few months later after that night, and tomorrow would be the same, I'll be leaving you once more,” Yukhei said as his big hands caressed your cheeks, eyes wide like a puppy, pupils reflecting an image of you, a perfect representation of his universe, you.
“I don't care, I’ve moved on from you as your girlfriend all those years ago, moving on from you after tonight won't be a challenge for me,” you said in a firm tone, one that Yukhei knows all too well, he knows you won't give up when you sound like this.
He could possibly break two hearts if he chooses to act on his impulses, but he missed this, he missed you, and so he threw all caution out of the window when he smashed his lips desperately against yours, chewing on your bottom lip with little force, it was something that would easily get you worked up back then, and to his delight, it still worked, letting him dominate the kiss easily, he let his tongue slid in your mouth, tasting the beer the two of you had just now with a mixture of strawberry lip gloss, you were still using the Nivea one you used all those years ago, this only fuelled his desire for you, his hands leaving your cheeks to locate your waist, pulling you closer to him.
When you were out of air, you broke off the kiss, reaching the hem of your shirt to pull it off, then waiting a few seconds for Yukhei to admire the red lace on your skin before unclasping your bra, letting your blossoms free, all the while as Yukhei looks on, like he was in a trance.
“I missed these,” he commented before taking a mound into his mouth, sucking on your nipple diligently while his other hand comes up to roll it in between the pads of his fingers, the pleasure from the action making you throw your head back, a slip of his name in between your whimpers.
You let Yukhei push you back, letting you fall onto his bed, you felt his hands wander up your skirt, his huge hands around your thighs, squeezing the flesh in his palms, feeling you, but stopped when he reached the hem of your panties, detaching himself from your chest, looking at you for confirmation.
You nodded at him, putting your hand over his to guide him higher, stopping at the curve of your cheek, pushing his hand beneath the clothe, dangerously close to your core, heck he could even feel your arousal already, eyes rolling back at the thought of getting you so worked up.
“Take it off, but you can leave the skirt, for old time’s sake,” you said.
Yukhei looked at you, confused at what you’re trying to say, until he realised you were wearing a pleated checkered skirt, just like the ones you wore back in high school, memories of the two of you sneaking around, having a quickie with your skirt flipped up immediately made blood rush southwards at the thought.
“Fuck, you expected this to happen?” Yukhei asked, shaking his head in disbelief, he was always the troublemaker at school, but oh how the tables have turned now.
“Didn't you?” you asked before getting up to put yourself in a doggy position, shaking your butt, taunting him.
Yukhei chuckled to himself before doing as you say, taking off your panties to reveal your slick covered pussy, dripping wet for him on display.
Yukhei spreads you open by pulling your cheeks apart to lick a stripe up your slit, making you shudder at the warm muscle that was intruding but very much welcomed.
Yukhei allowed himself to fully stuff his face there, inserting his tongue into your core, thrusting the wet muscle at a moderate pace before adding a finger to the mix, then two, stretching you open to let his tongue delve deeper inside, he then adds a third finger, the fullness finally hitting you, soon he did a come hither movement once he had located your sweet spot, his tongue and fingers rubbing against the roof of your walls deliciously, you would’ve lost your balance if it weren't for his hand supporting you by your left hip.
The constant pleasure that Yukhei so willingly inflicted upon you would've soon come to an euphoric end if he hadn’t halted all movement, pulling out his tongue and his fingers, which made you whine his name pathetically, something you wouldn't have done if it weren't for the fact that your mind was reduced to a ball full of cotton.
“Chill, I worked you up so I wouldn't hurt you with my dick,” Yukhei said as he positions himself at your entrance, his hand coming up to your face to tilt your head to his direction, zeroing on your lust filled eyes and the plump of your lips, swollen because of him.
“Are you sure you want this?” Yukhei asks you one last time.
“Yes, please,” you said, pushing yourself back to lightly grind on his length, a little bit of your arousal getting onto his cock, his dick getting so hard it's starting to hurt.
“Ever so eager, aren't you?” Lucas said before biting his lip at the sight.
“Just put it in!” you whined, tired of his teasing.
“Okay, okay,” Yukhei said before bracing himself for your tight walls, he's never nervous when it comes to others, but you? You always held a special place in his heart.
Yukhei spreads your cheeks once more before aligning himself to slip in an inch, eyebrows furrowing at how tight you were, he could tell you were clenching up, just like you did the first time when you were nervous.
So he bends down to your back, placing gentle kisses along your right shoulder blade.
“Don’t tense up, there’s nothing to be nervous about, we did this before remember?” Yukhei said in his most gentle tone ever, you nodded your head at his words, adjusting yourself to let yourself lose in the comfort of his touch, reminding yourself that although it's been a long time since you had someone as big as him, you’ll be fine in his hands.
Once Yukhei felt yourself unclench, he pushes in furthermore, you felt yourself arching your back to allow him to fit himself easier, before he comes to a halt, you felt so full, you haven't felt this way in such a long time, it was somewhat overwhelming, but it's the most complete feeling ever, a feeling you've never felt with any other.
The initial stretch was slightly painful of course, but the pain soon turned into pleasure, and being the gentleman Yukhei is, waited for you despite the huge urge to move, waiting for your green light.
When you told him he could move, he felt like the gates of heaven just opened, pulling out slightly to give you a shallow thrust, just to test the waters.
Even with that experimental thrust, you felt like you had a taste of heaven, eager to drown yourself in this new found pleasure that you were once so familiar with.
Yukhei grasped his large hands onto your hips, setting a moderate pace, still restraining himself from snapping his hips, but from how much slick you were dripping, soon you'd be begging for more.
Once you felt yourself familiarise with his big cock, the pace that Yukhei had set wasn’t enough, you wanted him to let loose, you wanted him to rail you, be damned if you can’t walk tomorrow.
So in the midst of all the pleasure, you let out two desperate words breathlessly, “ruin me”.
Yukhei had to do a double take, pausing his movements entirely just to check if that was his mind messing with him or it was really you, but one look at your desperate face, revealed to him that was in fact your words.
Yukhei allowed the animalistic side of him to take over, holding onto your hips that would sure leave bruises the next day, but you didn’t mind, not when you felt a sudden surge of pleasure coursing through your body. He angled your body higher, arching your back for easier access, thrusting harder and faster.
You could only submit yourself to him as your toes curled and your fingers dig into the linen sheets, you’re sure if his members were next door, they'd be able to hear every single sound you make, the sound of your ass cheeks clapping against Yukhei’s hips and your high pitched moans were flowing freely, but you didn't care, not when this could be the last time you'd ever be with Yukhei.
Soon, you could feel yourself getting closer to the edge, your legs were trying their best not to fail you, and you could tell your arms were getting sore from propping yourself up as the cord in your abdomen threatened to snap, you panted out the word ‘close’, and Yukhei immediately understood, fucking into you at an inhuman pace, you could feel yourself losing your mind as spit drips from your mouth, sanity slowly slipping away from you as you felt your impending orgasm, it started from the tip of your toes, your body convulsing as you screamed his name, succumbing into the pleasure, your core bursting, the strongest orgasm you've ever felt, making your whole body sag in defeat as you let Yukhei help you ride out your orgasm.
Just when you thought it was all over, Yukhei gently flipped you over, and that’s when you realised he hasn’t cum, so you lifted your legs higher to let him enter you once again, he was using you like his personal doll, and you love it a little bit too much to be considered normal, you struggled to keep your eyes open as you fought through the slight pain from the overstimulation, hearing Yukhei’s mumble of appreciation and endearments.
“Can you give me one more, babe? Just one more,” Yukhei said before circling his fingers around your clit, making your eyes snap open when you realise he wants you to cum once more, your hands coming up to push his hand away, but his other hand grasped onto yours.
“Just one more, please,” Yukhei begged with those puppy eyes of his, and how could you say no?
So you stopped struggling, nodding your head at his request before he quickens the pace of his hips and the ministrations on your clit.
Soon, you could feel Yukhei’s cock swelling inside you before he let out a groan of your name, thrusting in one last hard thrust before he painted your walls white, his lips capturing yours to silent you as you came once more, your nails digging into his shoulders, your eyes fluttering shut as you felt Yukhei ride out both your highs.
Once he was done, Yukhei crashed onto the bed beside you, his arms wrapping around yours, kissing your lips to distract you as he pulled out, hopping into the attached bathroom to bring out two towels, taking off your skirt before he gently cleans you up, when he was done he wiped the juices you left on him, your eyes growing big when you knew it was from when you squirted on him.
“Sorry, I didn’t realise I squirted,” you mumbled behind the hands that you had covering your embarrassed face.
Yukhei laughed at the cute sight, throwing the towel aside before climbing into bed again, removing your hands away from your face, kissing you deeply before looking at you in the eye.
“I loved it,” he said before pulling you closer, and almost instantly, you were lulled to sleep by the beating of his heart.
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When you woke up, Yukhei was still snoring beside you, sleeping like a baby, you gently removed his hand from your waist, stepping out of the bed before gathering your clothes, putting them on, smoothing out the creases of your skirt.
Walking to the door, you glanced around once more at the sight of him, your heavy heart begging you to stay, to talk, and so you walked over to the night stand, ripping a piece of paper of the note pad and grabbing the pen next to it.
‘Goodbye and thank you for everything.’
You placed the piece of paper beside him on his pillow before kissing his forehead as a parting gift, closing the door as softly as you could when you left.
You knew this was the right thing to do, you made this decision once when he left for Korea the first time, you can't be in his way this time around, not when he's this far into his career, you can’t be selfish, he belongs on this path, he deserves it and you’re not going to take it away from him, you've stood on the side-lines all this time, he shed the limelight on you for one night, and that's all you should have, he's better off without you.
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Yukhei felt himself grow cold when he couldn't feel the warmth of your body, jerking up to check if you were in the bathroom, only to find the door wide open, the room empty.
That's when he had spotted the piece of paper with your goodbye message, his heart clenching in pain, crashing onto the bed once more.
He didn't know what to expect, you had sent him off once, and now you left him without saying goodbye. He thought he could at least say goodbye.
Pushing his thoughts away, he gathered his things, packing up to leave for Korea.
His members could tell something was terribly off, they thought he was just in it for a casual hook up, but his expression tells otherwise.
The usual cheerful Yukhei was nowhere to be found, which meant Yang Yang and Hendery had to keep the mood light throughout the journey home, everyone knew to not say anything, only speaking when crucial.
It took Yukhei quite a while for him to get back to his goofy self, but even then, Kun, being the most observant one, saw a tightness in his smile, a faraway look in his eyes, whoever he had seen that night must've meant a lot to him, but he dare not to press, he knows Yukhei would open up when he's ready.
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It was a normal Tuesday night when he had received a request to face time from you, without thinking much of it, excited to hear from you, he accepted, your beautiful face coming into view as he got comfortable on his bed.
“Hey, this is unexpected,” Yukhei said, not knowing what else to say.
“Yukhei, there’s something I need to tell you,” you said, eyes avoiding his.
“Yeah, what's up?” he asked, rubbing his nape, a habit he does whenever he's nervous.
“I'm um, I’m pregnant,” you said, choosing to not beat around the bush.
You could see Yukhei's face pale when he processed your words. Is it his? It's definitely his, it's almost a month since the two of you slept together, unless you slept with someone else?
“It's mine?” a dumb question, but he needs to know for sure.
“Yeah,” you said before the two of you come to a piercing silence.
“You could get an abortion, maybe?” Yukhei suggested after contemplating in his head, there’s no way he could be in the child’s life, and that's the best option for your sake, raising a child in Hong Kong is the most expensive thing to do, equivalent to buying a house there.
“I decided to keep it, Yukhei,” you said, glancing up to see the disbelief on his face.
“You can’t, you know I can't be there for you and you’re still so new in your job, you can't risk your life for this!” Yukhei said, not comprehending on why you'd do this to yourself.
“I already decided, Yukhei, and I don't expect you to take responsibility, this is my choice,” you said as tears threatened to flow.
“That isn't fair, it's not fair for the child! A child needs its father! You don't know what you're doing! Being a single mum is next to impossible in Hong Kong! You're putting the child in a horrible situation just for your selfishness!” Yukhei said before pushing his hair back, the feeling of an impending headache forming.
“How dare you say that?! I’ll raise this child perfectly on my own, I was just calling you to inform you of it, but since you don't want anything to do with it or me, I guess this is goodbye and don't call me anymore, I won't change my mind,” you said before your face disappeared from his phone screen.
Yukhei tried calling you immediately after, a day later, several weeks later, but you never picked up. Then he started stressing about his career, what would happen if someone were to find out? But he knows you as a person, and being a tell-tale is not one of your characteristics, yeah, he can just act like nothing happened, like he had never received this call.
He knows he's running away from his problems, but what other choice does he have?
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Fast forwarding to July of 2021, Yukhei is home after his filming of the popular Chinese reality show in China, Keep Running, he feels at ease when he sees his family, finally reuniting with them, but only for a short two weeks time, before he has to leave for Korea once more.
It was a Friday night when his friends from home took him out for a drink, he was not so familiar with the clubbing scene in Hong Kong, but with the knowledge he has of this area, he knows many rich and young people often here, just like the girl kissing up his neck now, her soft hands running up the expanse of his thigh, getting dangerously close to where he wants her to be.
Yet Yukhei doesn’t remember her name, was it Candy? Apple? Some sort of name that had to do with food, he just remembered that she told him that she was an up and coming model, or trying to be anyways.
Just as she suggested to go to some hotel, Yukhei suggested for a quickie in the bathroom first, and so here he is now, being pushed to the door of a stall, her hands trying to unbuckle his belt.
Yukhei reached the back of his pocket for his wallet, opening it, looking for the condom he had placed there, but cursed when he realised he must've dropped it when he paid for drinks.
He told her to go back out and wait for him to get some, leaving the club and the musky smoke filled place behind him, the summer breeze blowing his hair all over, he brings the hood of his jacket up as he scans for a nearby convenience store, locating one at the street across.
When he got in, the scent of curry immediately greeted him, it was your favourite food, everyday after school, no doubt you'll drag him into one of these shops, just to share a bowl of curry fish balls, one of the most famous snacks here in Hong Kong.
He pushed the thought away, trudging to the aisle that was on the most right, where the condoms were at, hidden away from children. He took a box and made his way to the counter, opening his wallet to take out a few notes.
The cashier turned her back from stocking the cigarette shelf, scanning the box wordlessly.
“That would be 30,” she said when she looked up, but her hand immediately dropped the box when she saw who it was, and that's when Yukhei truly opened his eyes to see who it was, at first he was just miffed not knowing why the cashier froze, then he sees you, in the worn out 7 Eleven uniform, was you, the last person he’d be expecting.
“Why are you here? What happened to your job at the law firm? Why...” Yukhei didn't know how to ask, he didn't know if he deserved the right to ask, yet there's so many questions he had swarming in his head. Where is his child? Did you abort it in the end? Did you give it up for adoption? Were you fired from your job because of it?
“It's my shift right now, and you seem to be getting lucky tonight,” you said stiffly, holding up the box for him to see, sliding it across the counter
“It's for my friend actually,” Yukhei said, eyes avoiding yours, but immediately looking at you straight in the eyes, remembering how you use to be able to see right through him whenever he didn't do the revision work you've given him.
“Right,” you said, resisting to roll your eyes.
“You haven't answered me, why are you working here instead of the law firm?” Yukhei pressed.
You sigh at his persistence, not knowing what to say to humour him, so you didn't say anything, getting back to rearranging the shelves.
Yukhei bit his lip, not knowing what to say to you, but a million questions in his head, desperate for answers.
“Please leave if you're done with your purchases,” you said, you had a long day, and the thought of entertaining him was not something you want to add on your plate.
Yukhei looked around the store once more, grabbing a bowl of instant noodles from the shelf before making his way once more to the cashier.
“I’d like to have this here,” Yukhei said before pulling out some spare change from just now.
“Yukhei, what are you trying to do?” you asked in an exasperated tone, there's no point making small talk when there's no way the two of you would ever cross in each other’s lives ever again.
“I'm hungry, I want to eat noodles,” which wasn’t really a lie, all the alcohol he drank before gave him an appetite.
You sighed, turning your back to him, soundlessly waited for the water to boil before pouring it into the cup, sealing the top for it to cook. As you worked, Yukhei was having déjà vu, this was an all too familiar sight, nights at the convenience store studying till late at night in groups, you'd always share noodles with him as you taught him some dumb math formula that no one uses in their life after school.
He takes his bowl of noodles, opting to sit at the place closest to the counter, just looking at you, eating as slow as humanly possible.
When it was around three, you received a call.
“Hello?”
“...”
“You think you have a stomach ache? Celine jia is asleep? Okay, mama’s coming home okay?” you said frantically before shutting off the stove of the food at the counter, running to the back for a pack of meds, depositing some money into the register. You looked at Yukhei, frozen at his seat, cursing at yourself for not going into the back room before picking up the call.
“You need to go, I have something to deal with,” you said as you grabbed your bag, turning off all the switches in one go, making the place pitch black other than the lights from the lamp posts outside.
“Is that my child?” Yukhei asked, he can't allow himself to act like it never happened before, he ran away once, it's time to man up and shoulder on his responsibilities.
“No I fucked another guy before you and it's his child,” you deadpanned.
You walked down the street to flag for a taxi that is always parked there to get their club goer customers, Yukhei hot on your heels, you turned back to look at him questioningly.
“This is none of your concern, don’t follow me,” you said in a rather seething tone, you didn't mean to sound like that, but if he's going to be in the way of your child, then he’s not a friend.
“That's my child too, I want to know how they are, I have a right to do so, you studied law, you should know,” Yukhei retorted in the most friendly way possible, he knows he's in the wrong, but he wants to ensure his child’s safety.
“For fuck’s sake,” you cursed aloud before stepping into the taxi, leaving the door open for him.
You told the driver your address, sitting back to think of what's the problem, the kindergarten shouldn't be the culprit, it's a school with a good reputation, which also burns a hole in your wallet, but you don't mind, and it's not like you have much of a choice, education is deadly expensive here.
About 20 minutes later, you've reached home.
“That'll be 150, miss,” the driver said.
“What?!”
“Fares are different after midnight, miss,” the driver reminded you.
Before you could check if you had enough money on you, Yukhei paid for it wordlessly.
You got out of the car, rushing into the building and running up the stairs as quick as you can, unlocking the door, jabbing the keys into the rusty lock.
Taking off your shoes before you made your way to your room, spotting your son crouched in the corner of your bed, hands around his stomach.
“Hey, mama's home, I'll get you a glass of water to take your medicine okay?” you said before hurrying out, Yukhei passing you a glass of water at the kitchen.
“Thanks,” you mumbled before making your way back inside.
You open the package and passed you son a tablet, but looking at the size, you knew he’d panic to swallow something this big, so you broke it in half, telling him to drink a big gulp of water to wash it down and it'll be fine.
All the while, Yukhei was watching with wonder leaning by the door frame, even in the dim lights and the fact that he's still quite young, he could still identify his eyes on his son, the strong genes in his family, his father and brother all had those eyes, this boy is most definitely his.
The boy diligently does as you told him, taking a big gulp of water, so obedient, and from the way the two of you communicate, very mature for his age, nothing like the usual three year old.
When he was done, he noticed Yukhei’s presence, tugging your sleeve to whisper into your ear, eyes trained on him.
“That's a friend of mine, love, be polite, say hi to Yukhei gogo,” you urged.
Yukhei took this as a sign to get closer to his son, squatting down to meet his eye.
“You’re a handsome boy, what's your name? I’m Yukhei and I’m 22 this year, how about you?” Yukhei asked as he reached out his hand for the little boy to shake.
“I’m Wenghei, 3 years old. Why have I never seen you before gogo?” the child asks, looking at him with curious eyes, he's met some of your friends, but he's definitely haven't met him before, most people aren't as tall here, or not in his mother's circle anyways.
“Get some rest, love,” you said, tucking him into bed.
“Okay,” he said, a yawn coming out from his mouth.
You closed the door behind you, directing Yukhei to the small living room area, serving him a glass of water.
You walked to the trash bin, opening the lid to check its contents, a scowl on your face when you saw the root of your son’s stomach ache when you spot the plastic container that contained the two day old pizza from the freezer. Your roommate, Celine, must’ve gave him some as dinner, usually you'd leave some money for Celine to buy him dinner, but she must've been tight on money again, trying to find ways to squeeze in some spare change, you've warned her of her spending habits, always splurging on albums of her favourite stars, which reminds you.
“You have to go, I’m living with a roommate and I'm sure she's going to recognise you,” you said, a hand gesturing at the door.
“Wait, did you find out why he had a stomach ache?” Yukhei asked.
“Yeah, he ate something he shouldn't have for dinner, you have to go, I need some rest for tomorrow,” you said, struggling to keep your eyes open.
“Do you have anything on tomorrow? Can I see you, perhaps?” Yukhei asked, he didn't know what he wanted to talk about, but he just had to see you again.
“I’m tutoring a student at a coffee shop tomorrow, you can come right after,” you said, thinking that he just wants to know more about his son.
“Okay, goodnight then,” Yukhei said awkwardly as he walks towards the door.
“Goodnight,” you said, feeling a weight on your chest, dreading tomorrow’s meeting.
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When Yukhei arrived at the café, he could see you sitting at the way back, a teenage girl sitting in front of you, back facing him, he sipped on his latte, observing you silently.
Your hair is much longer than it had been in high school, the bag hung by your chair very much worn out, and your eye bags were heavier than on days where Yukhei would stay up to prepare for promotions.
Soon, the student was packing up, leaving the table, Yukhei took this as a sign to move to your table. You had stood up to greet him, and that's when he saw, you had lost lots of weight, and he's not meaning it in a fitness way, he recognised the jeans you are wearing, you had these even back then, they used to be a perfect fit for you, that's why they were your favourite, but now, you were wearing a belt to hold it together, and still he could see how loose it was.
“Hey, you didn't order anything?” Yukhei asked, noting that the cup of coffee he saw just now belonged to your student.
“I got a coffee in my flask, cheaper that way,” you said as you packed up your stationaries.
“What did you have for breakfast? How about I order you a piece of cake?” Yukhei suggested, looking back to see what they have today.
“It's alright, I'm not hungry, why don't we get straight to the point? What is it you want to ask about Wenghei?” you asked, noting the time on your watch, you have to leave around noon to fetch your son from pre school.
“I, how about you? Why did you leave the firm? And how’s your parents?” Yukhei started off.
“Well, they said I would’ve been an embarrassment to the firm, you know, pregnant and unmarried, so they told me to leave, it's not like filing could be done with a big weight in my stomach, so I did as they said. Now I tutor kids English and work the night shift at the convenience store, and as for my parents, they kicked me out,” you said, laying down the cards, no point avoiding his questions, especially not when you're in a hurry.
Yukhei nodded at your words, registering the fact that he had a fault in ruining your hot shot lawyer dreams and completely destroyed your sensitive relationship with your parents, how is he ever going to forgive himself?
“I’m sorry,” Yukhei said, he didn't know what else to say, how could he make it up to you and your son? Will you let him even if he could?
“Don't be, this is on the both of us, are you going to ask about the share custody stuff? If so, I don't think we should continue this conversation, Wenghei doesn’t know who you are, and maybe that's the best case scenario, what point would be made if he knew you were his father but you're not in our lives? It'll break his heart. You've seen him now, maybe you can reconnect with him when he's older, I think you should just say goodbye before you go, if you want,” you said, saying these harsh words aloud wasn’t easy, you’re not entirely a cold hearted bitch, but it's for the best that your son didn’t know about his father, no one wants to know the fact that their father abandoned them twice, some truths are better to be untold.
“Can I see him one last time, maybe tonight? For dinner? I'm leaving in two days,” Yukhei said in a defeated tone.
“Yeah, sure, I'll take the shift off tonight,” you said, eyes avoiding his, you could just tell he’d have those sad puppy eyes on his face right now, you don't need anymore guilt in your heart.
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“Hey man, where were you?” Jackson asked Yukhei, who was waiting for him at the harbour, they were going to Macau for a day trip today, his friend isn't late for the boat, but they did schedule to meet 15 minutes earlier.
“Something came up, and I need to head back around 7, there’s some people I need to see,” Yukhei said as they boarded the boat.
“So that leaves us 5 hours, should be enough,” Jackson said, checking his watch.
“I’m sorry about this, man, it just came up suddenly,” Yukhei said as they took their seats, apologetic because they have been talking about this trip for a long time now.
“It's okay, dude, but what's up? You look really stressed,” Jackson asked, taking in Yukhei's clenched jaw and furrowed brows, a stark contrast from his usually carefree expression.
“It's a long story,” Yukhei said as he mindlessly watches the sea from the little window of his seat.
“Well, if you don't mind, this is a 45 minutes journey, maybe we'll be able to find a solution together, what are friends for am I right?” Jackson offered, he wouldn't press his friend if he didn't want to tell him about it, but the two of them have been close ever since going on knowing brothers, coming from the same home country and everything.
And so Yukhei, for the first time, told his friend his long love story.
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“You know, I think I have a solution for you, but let me ask you one thing first, do you still love her?” Jackson asked as he ate his pork chop bun, Macau’s famous local snack.
Yukhei pondered over his friend’s question, yes the two of you agreed to break up, but all the girls he dated after you, all had similar features or personality traits to you, he had dismissed it as just a type, but now that he had seen you again, he realised that the hole in his heart was always emptied for you, you were the missing puzzle piece all along.
“You don't even have to answer me, your face tells all man,” Jackson said, an oily finger wagging at the direction of his face.
“Yeah, I think I do,” Yukhei said with a sigh, “but even if I still love her, that doesn’t mean she loves me back, and what if we do love each other? We're living oceans apart,” Yukhei said in a defeated tone.
“Now here comes my solution, so you said she got fired from her law firm and is now tutoring kids and doing the night shift at 7 E, and got kicked out by her shitty parents, so she really doesn't have anything else here for her other than her son, why don't you suggest get to move with you? To Korea? It'll be way easier for the two of you to raise your son, even if the two of you don't get back together, I mean, at least you'll be able to financially support them, that is what you're willing to do right?” Jackson asked, hoping that his friend would uptake his part of the child support.
“Yeah, of course I want that, I just don't know what she'll say, or if she'd be willing, she doesn't speak the language and it's an entirely different environment,” Yukhei said, thinking back the days where he had a tough time adjusting.
“From what you told me, she sounds like a tough nut, but of course, this is all up to you, but just so you know, I would really like to be his godfather, and as for your doubts of her love towards you, she did name him after you, isn't it the same Hei?” Jackson said with a hearty chuckle, he could just imagine the fun they'll have together, he was always fond of children.
“Yeah, I’ll persuade her on this,” Yukhei said, he could already feel himself getting nervous for tonight’s dinner, it can’t be that much of a coincidence that his son’s last name resembled his right? Or is he and Jackson just being delusional?
“Now that's my buddy, now come on, finish your food so that we’ll make it in time for the next batch of Portuguese egg tarts, I remember they have a fresh batch around 4,” Jackson said, mouth salivating at the thought of more food.
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When you arrived at the restaurant, it was fancier than what you had expected, feeling underdressed among the rich elite of Hong Kong in your old dress that you wear for every special occasion.
You asked if there was a reservation under your name, since Yukhei said he had it booked under you, and almost immediately, since not that many people can afford places like these, the waiter led you in.
“Mama, what is this place? We've never ate here before,” your son asked you.
“It's a French cuisine restaurant, we’re meeting gogo here, remember him? Or were you too sick that day?” you said as you placed him on the baby chair you had requested for.
“Yeah, I remember,” your son said as he looks around in awe, registering the pretty chandeliers that look so sparkly.
When the waiter handed you a menu, someone had joined your table, his hoodie pulled up so no one would recognise him, pulling it down when he saw that there wasn't any other customers around.
“Sorry, am I late?” Yukhei asked with a sheepish smile, a hand lifting up to check the time.
“No, we’re just early, say hi to Yukhei gogo, love,” you directed the last part to your son, patting his little hand to get his attention, smiling immediately when he lands on the tall figure.
“Gogo, you're here,” your son said excitedly, making grabby hands at him, letting his father carry him with a large smile on his face.
“Hey, buddy, don't you look excited to see me?” Yukhei said before blowing raspberry at his neck, making the young boy giggle.
What you didn't expect was to see someone coming up behind Yukhei, a little bit shorter and smaller in built, but when he pulled his hoodie down, you instantly recognised who it was.
“Jackson Wang?” you asked, blinking your eyes a few times to see if you were hallucinating.
“Hey, it’s nice to finally meet you, you look lovely tonight, and you must be little Wenghei, aren't you adorable, how about Jackson gogo take you out to buy toys, huh? I saw a big toy store just across the street, but only if your ma says yes of course,” Jackson said, giving you a side eye to Yukhei.
“Yeah, sure,” you said, it's not like the Jackson Wang is going to kidnap your son right?
“Don’t worry, I’ll watch him with my life,” Jackson said as Yukhei passes his son over to him, leaving the restaurant with his hood up once more.
“Is there something you'd like to say?” you asked Yukhei after he had taken the seat across you his hands were shaking slightly as he holds up the menu.
“I... I still love you. And I know I must sound like a jerk to you, hell I’d go back in time just to hit myself for running away, I'm really sorry for that. What I did was inexcusable, my career just stabilised at that time, and I was under immense stress from SM, you have every right to be mad at me, but I want to be apart of your life again, apart of Wenghei’s life as well, if you could let me have this second chance, I'll do anything to make the both of you happy,” Yukhei said in one breath, reciting what he had practised over and over again with Jackson in the car.
“Yukhei, I,” you were lost for words, you thought you were saying goodbye once more, that Yukhei and you would always end up in goodbyes, but now here he is, saying he loves you.
“Yukhei, you can't just say you love me for the sake of our son, and neither would you need to take responsibility for him, I chose to have him, and as for love, we can never be together, you’re an international super star now, and you're living in Korea, I don't think I have the energy to be in a long distance relationship with you, that would take a toll on Wenghei too, how am I going to explain to him that his father is in another country? He’ll always question your love for him and I don't want that,” you said, trying to hold in the tears that had built up in your eyes, your throat closing up, the cold facade you built for yourself crumbling down before his eyes.
“You can move to Korea, both of you, we can be a family,” Yukhei pleaded, his hands reaching forward to hold yours, his eyes searching yours.
“We can’t, what if we break up? What if your so called love for me, is just something you feel as a result of our child? You can't uproot the two of us when there's so many uncertainties, especially our emotions,” you said, you don't want either of you to be stuck in a relationship for the sake of raising a child, no one would be happy in the end.
“Love, you don't understand, I've never had a serious relationship after you, I tried, I really did, but I’d always think of you instead, how badly I wanted you instead of someone who reminds me of you, the thing is, I’ve always loved you, and I think you still love me too, or you wouldn't have named our son after me, am I right?” Yukhei hoped, why else would you come up with that name right?
Damn it, you thought to yourself, he saw right through you, maybe you shouldn't have named your son after him.
You looked at him and looked away, darn those puppy eyes, you’re sure you’re crying now, and Yukhei reaching over to wipe away your tears just confirmed it.
“I love you, it's always been you, only you,” Yukhei confessed.
“I, I love you too, Yukhei, and I was never mad at you for running away from us, I know how tough that industry is, but what if your fans find out about us?” you asked, slightly worried that he might lose it like last time.
“Then so be it, true fans would stay,” he said in an affirmative tone, reassuring you.
“You promise?” you asked, holding out your pinky, it would’ve been a funny sight to see if anyone saw the two of you now, crying and smiling at the same time.
“I promise,” Yukhei said before hooking his own pinky to connect with yours.
“If you leave us, Wong Yukhei, I’ll murder you in your sleep,” you said as threatening as you could sound.
“I plan to see our son grow up, so I'll value my life,” Yukhei said in utmost sincerity before grabbing a napkin to wipe away all your tears, you’re glad that you didn't wear any mascara today.
Just when Yukhei wiped away the tears in his eyes, Jackson was back with your bubbly child, his arm had bags digging into his flesh.
“Oh my god, that's too much, Wenghei why did you get so many, this is Jackson gogo’s hard earned money,” you said, lecturing your son.
“It's okay, he's an angel, this was all on me, and I guess things went well?” Jackson asked, eyes darting to your connected hands.
“Yeah,” you said, the biggest smile you had on your face.
“That's great to hear, I always wanted to be an uncle, now if you’ll excuse me, I don't think I should crash this family reunion any longer,” Jackson said giving his best friend a hug before leaving.
“So... What do you like to eat Wenghei? How about we get crème brulé,” Yukhei asked, pointing at the menu with childlike eyes, reminding you of the days where he’d get ice cream with you, splitting it on half for you to share.
“Sounds delicious.”
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You let Yukhei order everything, sharing between the three of you while the three of you talked, Yukhei mostly directed the questions at his child, asking about his interests, his favourites of everything, ranging from colour to ice cream, eager to make up for loss time.
“How about we talk about where you'll be staying?” Yukhei asked after ordering dessert.
“Oh, I don't know what I'll be able to afford, I'll probably get another convenience store job again, so the rent can't be too high,” you said, dreading the thought of needing to learn a new language quickly for a job.
“Hey, you don't need to work anymore, nor pay rent, I already looked it up, there's an empty unit in our condo, the soundproofing might be a bit lacking, but that wouldn't be a problem if you don't sing in the shower like Dejun, we had a few noise complaints because of him,” Yukhei said, laughing at the fond times he had at the dorms.
“Yukhei, I know housing is really expensive there, are you sure you want to do this?” you asked once more, you don't want him to resent the financial burden the two of you would add onto him.
“What did I say to you just now? I said what I meant, I want the two of you to be in my life, forever. And don't worry about money, I saved up plenty and there’s many more jobs coming up for me, and moving out of the dorms would be the next step of adulthood to me, and we’ll get to spend so much more time together, right Wenghei?” Yukhei asked, pinching your son’s chubby cheeks teasingly.
“We’ll be living together, Yukhei gogo?” your son asked, a confused expression on his face, he had his attention trained on some pink fong video, something about dinosaurs.
“Yeah, Wenghei, we’ll be moving out of our little room, are you excited? We're going to a new country. Remember the dramas I watched with you? Korea has that big outdoor theme park you said you always wanted to go, and snow, you'll get to make snowmen during the winter,” you persuaded, hoping he won’t fuss too much about the move.
“Really? There’s snow in Korea?” your son asked, excited about the winter scene he’ll get finally see in real life.
“Yeah, real snow, not the bubbles in Disney land, are you excited?”
“Yeah, is Jackson gogo going to stay with us too?” your son asked, eyes darting to his new goodies before looking at you expectantly.
“Well, Jackson gogo has his own house and we have ours, but we can always visit him,” Yukhei explained.
“Hehe, okay,” your son said before getting distracted by the crème brulé set in front of him, digging in immediately.
“When do you want us to make the move?” you asked, thinking of all the things you have to pack, which isn't a lot, but you might have to courier some of your clothes over first.
“Whenever you want, I'll get our home ready as soon as possible, is there anything you need in the house? Other than the basics of course,” Yukhei asked, uncertain of any needs you have as a woman or maybe for your son.
“Can we have a study room for Wenghei? With a desk and shelves? We love to read, and he'll need a proper desk when he's older,” you asked, hoping it wasn't too much.
“Yeah, sure, I'll be sure to get it done,” Yukhei said, noting it down into his phone.
“But it's no rush on the study room part, he's just three after all, before I go, I have to apply visas for both of us,” you said, dreading the thought of filling up paperwork, you haven't done much of that ever since you left the law firm.
“Call me if you need any help on that, I'm sure my manager knows how to,” Yukhei said.
“You’re going to tell your company about us?” you asked, knowing how strict Korean entertainment companies are.
“They can't let me go just because of having my own family, they didn't let Jongdae, my senior, go, so we’ll be fine, I promise,” Yukhei said, reaching a hand over to hold yours reassuringly, his eyes looking into yours, filled with love and adoration.
“Okay, now how about we walk around the complex until 10? Wenghei doesn't have school tomorrow,” you suggested.
“Yeah, sure, we could even stay out later if you want,” Yukhei said enthusiastically, getting up slightly to call for the bill.
“You have a flight to catch tomorrow,” you reminded him in your motherly voice, which you regretted almost instantly, cursing yourself, reminding yourself to act more like an actual 22 year old, but Yukhei didn't say anything about it, hiding his smile by nodding deeply, almost like a bow.
“Okay, I just wanted to spend more time with the two of you,” Yukhei said, stopping when he saw the waiter coming back with the credit card machine, paying with just a glance at the bill.
The three of you spent your remaining time shopping and at the arcade, playing games with your son, Yukhei had insisted on getting you a new pair of sneakers, but you shot him down when he wanted to buy more stuff, especially toys for Wenghei.
“You can buy him toys when we’re there, it'll cost even more to ship more stuff over, and there's a risk of damaging the toys as well,” you said.
But of course your son threw a fit at the shop, all for some legos.
“Hey, buddy, I'll buy you lots the next time I see you, okay? I'll buy you one that's even bigger than this,” Yukhei said, squatting down next to his son, and even then he wasn't eye level with him, sometimes you forget how tall Yukhei actually is until you see a scene like this, or when you stand really close to him.
When it was 10pm, painful goodbyes were exchanged with a promise of face timing everyday, your son cried, and held onto his father dearly, and you haven't even told him Yukhei was his dad, but their bond is evident.
Yukhei held onto you and your son until his taxi came, and you waved until you couldn't see the taillights.
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It's been a month since that fateful reunion, and Yukhei has squeezed in face times, calls, and texts in between schedules, giving you and your son time despite his busy career.
His company wasn’t too happy about it of course, but was somewhat glad that you weren't one to babble your business to gossip outlets.
You're now packing your things, one last time, you've been to the post office multiple times before to courier out your stuff to Korea, and every time a box reached his address, Yukhei would take a photo of it, telling you the stuff arrived safely.
Progress on your new home was quick, since it was already a fully furnished unit, Yukhei only needed to buy some furniture and things that cater to your son’s needs, he even picked out a pre school that teaches mandarin, perfect for your son’s adjustment in such a foreign country.
Tomorrow you'd be flying to Korea, a new country, a new start, but there was something clouding your mind, something you've been dreading, but today is the day you’ll tell him.
“Wenghei, can you come to mama for a second?” you asked, soon hearing your son’s tiny footsteps nearing you.
“Yes, mama?” your son asked, a hand around his precious teddy.
“There's something I need to tell you,” you said holding him close to you, letting him sit onto your lap.
“Remember how you asked me why you didn't have a baba while all your other classmates did?” you asked, trying to word it as nicely as possible.
“You said my baba had a really big responsibility, that he couldn't see us because of it, that he'll come back when he's free,” your son answered you, struggling to remember more details.
“Yes, good job, Wenghei, your memorising skills are getting better. Well, your baba is actually Yukhei gogo, he’s back now, and we can finally be a family again,” you said before holding in a breath, not knowing how he’ll react.
“Baba is Yukhei gogo? That's why we’re going to Korea?” your son asked, confusion written on his face.
“Yeah, do you like that he's your baba?” you asked, this could be the most important question ever.
“Yeah, mama, do you love baba? Does baba love you as much as I do?” your son asked, which very much surprised you, but expecting this sort of maturity from him.
“Yes, we love each other, and both of us love you as much too,” you said with a pinch of his chubby cheeks.
“Do we ever have to be separated from baba again?” your son asked, scared of losing his newfound father.
“No, never again, and can you do me one favour, Wenghei? I think the next time when you see your baba, you should run up to him and say hi baba, he’ll be very happy to hear you call him that,” you suggested, imagining the look on Yukhei’s face.
Your son giggled at the thought of making his father happy, agreeing immediately.
“Okay, now go to sleep, it's going to be your first time flying tomorrow,” you said, ushering him onto the bed.
“Okay, goodnight, mama,” your son said to you, just like he did every other night, he seemed to have accepted it very easily, maybe it was due to his age, but some day he might ask his father about his departure personally when he understands more, but that’s a hardship that’s reserved for another day.
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The flight was relatively short, though it was rather hard for Wenghei at the start because of the pressure he had experienced in his ears, the crying and whining got you plenty of dirty looks from passengers around you, but you paid no mind to it, you’ve been through worst so this is nothing that can faze you.
When you got there, you saw a lady holding up a plaque with your name on it, her phone in her hand, checking all the moms who came out of the same lane as you.
She had a friendly smile on her face when she saw you, introducing herself in mandarin, being one of Wayv’s staff, a trusted one, according to Yukhei.
She talked to you about Yukhei in general, even giving your son a bar of mini KitKat, praising him for being brave on the flight after she had asked you how was your flight.
Around half an hour later, you've reached your new home, a nice looking condominium that looked about a few years old.
Unloading took quite some time, even with the help of the staff, but what surprised you was the person who was waiting for you inside the lobby.
“You're here!” you said surprised at the sight of the giant.
“Yeah, I am, wanted to give you a surprise, sorry I couldn't be outside, some crazy fans camp outside, can’t let them bring you and Wenghei any harm,” Yukhei said as he carried Wenghei, spinning in a small circle, looking at him with full of love.
“I understand, don't worry, I'm not a teenager girl anymore,” you said as you checked out the place, the sitting area had a couch set and free WiFi, this is a 180 from the living conditions in Hong Kong.
“Baba, did you miss me?” your son asked when he had stopped giggling from his father’s spins, which instantly ceased to a halt, eyes growing as wide as saucers.
“What did you call me? Say it again,” Yukhei said with the biggest smile on his face, all of his teeth were showing.
“Mama said you were my Baba,” Wenghei said like it was as simple as two plus two.
“Yeah... I am your baba, and you're my son,” Yukhei said before holding his son even closer, you could even see the tears at the corner of his eyes.
“Why don't we go see our new home Wenghei?” you suggested, seeing that some people have came out from the lifts, typical going to work hours.
You walked a feet away from Yukhei, not wanting to draw attention, holding onto the lift for Yukhei to bring all your luggage in.
Once you were at your level, you started loosening up, noticing that no one was around.
“This is my members’ unit,” Yukhei said pointing at a door, “And this is ours,” Yukhei said before opening the door for you, welcoming you into a warmly decorated home, every piece of furniture was placed and chose to accommodate your child, all the corners were covered with this e rubber safety stickers.
He showed you into Wenghei's room where the bed had all his favourite characters in the form of a plushie, his bed was soft when you sat down on it, and the blanket he had picked out was a soft fleece material, perfect for the cold weather.
Your son was going around every corner, awing at everything his father had gotten him, especially the Lego sets that were on his desk.
“Thank you, it's beautiful, his room,” you said when Yukhei wrapped an arm around your waist, bringing you closer to him, god how much you've missed his warmth.
“Go take a look at your room,” Yukhei said before pulling your hand into the direction of the master bedroom, welcoming you into a room with a king size bed and silk linen sheets, an aesthetic looking vanity that you've always wanted as a teenager, now as well of course, and a little reading corner just for you by the window.
“It's all I've ever wanted,” you said in disbelief, not knowing how could Yukhei pull this off in such a short time.
“You like it? I got some help from my members, especially Kun for the kitchen, you should check it out afterwards, you always wanted a big kitchen area,” Yukhei said as you laid on the bed, giving your stiff body a rest from the journey.
“Lay down with me for a while, I’m a bit tired from the flight,” you said, making grabby hands at him.
“Nah, I shouldn’t, this is your bed,” Yukhei said, looking flustered.
“Wong Yukhei, I’ve had your child and now you're acting all innocent?” you asked in an accusing tone, playing with him, which made him lay down next to you immediately, he didn't like getting you angry, thinking back all those days when you had lectured him just like that when he forgot to do his homework.
“You want me to sleep here?” Yukhei asked carefully, observing your expressions.
“This is our bedroom, where else do you want to sleep?” you asked, but was promptly cut off by Yukhei's lips on yours, smiling as he kissed you, gentle but expressing all his love for you, a hand lingering on your back, guiding you closer than him.
Many mistakes that had to be made had guided you here, but you've never regretted, for if it wasn't for the hardships and the crossroads, you wouldn't have found a home with the man you'll cross oceans for.
The end.
225 notes · View notes
ashdumpsterpile · 4 years ago
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Ohmygod YES Susan Pevensie is awesome please talk to me about Susan i want to know everything you have to say
Literally THANK YOU for asking me this bc Susan Pevensie is a character I never get asked about and I have So Many Opinions.
I'm going to start by saying that Susan used to be my least favorite character in the series. This goes for the books and the movies. Some of it was for personal reasons--she reminds me of a couple of annoying ppl I know irl--but it was also bc I watched Prince Caspian which shoehorned her into a relationship with Caspian which I hated.
HOWEVER. I ended up rethinking this position after interacting with Susan fans and realizing that there are so many wonderful things to love about her!
(putting under the cut bc this got long)
Things Ash Loves About Susan Pevensie
Aight I'm not going to do a formal analysis yet on her, but instead rant about some of the unrelated things I adore about Susan Pevensie.
Susan the Archer
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Look we all love archery here. I don't have anything more to say.
Okay, I actually do have more to say. I love the fact that Susan is a complete badass with the bow. You get the general impression that she's one of the royals in charge of public relations, traditions, foreign policy, etc. and yet she's the most competent archer in the series. One of the few things I liked about the movies is how they didn't downplay this. They actually let her be a badass and show off her skills.
Also the part where she kicks Trumpkin's ass was awesome.
Susan the Gentle
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Susan being the most passive Pevensie was something I definitely underappreciated as a teenager. I think my non-ability to see past "I'm not like other girls" narrative and the combination of Susan being described as the most traditionally feminine woman in the Narnia series is what initially turned me off from her.
HOWEVER, now it's one of my favorite attributes! I love that Susan is a badass and the most beautiful woman in Narnia. She has hair down to her feet, every man and woman in the kingdom want to fuck her, and she's still a fucking badass who will not hesitate to kick your ass.
Susan the Sister
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Most of my thoughts of Susan as an older sister mostly stem from my own personal headcanons, but she is an awesome sister to her siblings. She's Peter's voice of reason, Edmund's sass partner, and Lucy's big sister.
Susan the Mom-Friend
She is a literal mother-figure for Corin.
"[...] the most beautiful lady he had ever seen rose from her place and threw her arms round him and kissed him, saying: "Oh Corin, Corin, how could you? And thou and I such close friends ever since thy mother died. [...]"
-The Horse and His Boy, 33-34
Most everything I have to say about this ventures into headcanon territory, but I love the idea of Susan basically adopting Corin after his mom dies. The way she trusts Cor--who she thinks is Corin in this chapter--is really sweet and I wish we could've seen more of that relationship.
Susan the Flawed
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Something I notice from the fandom is a lot of people who hate Susan tend to because of her flaws. On the other hand, most Susan stans like to wave away these flaws and blame C.S. Lewis for being misogynistic or Aslan for being a "cruel god" and ignore the fact that she is a deeply flawed person.
Susan gets something of a "reverse redemption arc" in The Chronicles of Narnia. This makes her not only a fascinating foil to Edmund--as both are analytical, logical people--but an interesting character by herself.
She starts out in TWW as very skeptical of Narnia and it's whole deal and also very condescending to Lucy throughout. She ultimately does admit that Lucy was right and does get on board with the whole prophecy at the same time Peter does, and ends the book being crowned "the Gentle Queen."
In The Horse and His Boy, she has a very interesting dynamic with Edmund and in even more interesting relationship with Rabadash. They don't even interact on-page with each other, but it's highly implied that she was interested in him when he was a guest in Narnia. His behavior obviously changed when she visited him in Tashbaan, but you have to wonder what their dynamic was like before for her to travel all the way to his home when relations between the countries were strained at best.
Prince Caspian is where the cracks start showing through. Susan has lived an entire life as an adult in Narnia, gets thrown back to England with her siblings, and is yet again in Narnia as a child. This book is what really emphasizes her one fatal flaw: convenience.
(Put a pin in that thought, I'll get back to it.)
Susan denies once again that Lucy saw something that the rest of them can't seen. She continues this narrative until every other sibling finally acknowledges Lucy in the right and only then does she apologize.
The last mention of Susan is in The Last Battle, where all of her flaws rise up against her in the worst way possible. I have a lot of controversial opinions on this that I'm going to address later, but I just want to say that Susan's reverse-redemption arc is something I actually like about her.
(There is also evidence that Susan does get a full redemption arc, just as Edmund and Eustace did, but C.S. Lewis was pretty much done with The Chronicles of Narnia at the point and instead encouraged fans to write their own version of how that went down.)
Okay, back to convenience being Susan's fatal flaw. So the one thing that comes up time and time again in the series is that Susan is very focused on material comforts. I believe it's implied that she's vain, and it's canonical that her own personal comfort spurs her to make decisions.
"[...] I really believed it was him — he, I mean — yesterday. When he warned us not to go down to the fir wood. And I really believed it was him tonight, when you woke us up. I mean, deep down inside. Or I could have, if I'd let myself. But I just wanted to get out of the woods and — and — oh, I don't know [...]"
Prince Caspian, 81
Prince Caspian has the strongest examples of Susan doing this, but certainly there's evidence elsewhere. There are a lot of fans who are distressed by this, claiming that Aslan and the others are too hard on her and shouldn't judge.
Honestly, I like that she's written with this flaw. Not only is it very relatable--(my own personal comfort and convenience is something I highly prioritize too)--but it humanizes a character who otherwise is ridiculously op and basically the Helen of Troy of the series. It may sound like I'm using this as an excuse to rant, but I really wouldn't have her any other way.
Susan As Portrayed by Anna Popplewell
Movie!Susan is a fucking delight.
She's sarcastic and badass and awesome and I could spend hours heaping praise on Anna's acting and her portrayal of Susan, but I can already tell that this post is going to be long so, I'll just stop here.
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(10/10 want to be stabbed by her tho.)
Personal Headcanons
Let's talk about my fanon thoughts. I have many.
Susan is Aro
There's canonical evidence for this! Susan is a character who is heavily pursued by suitors everywhere, and even lets herself be courted by many of them, but chooses not to settle down. Even when she gets back to England and is described as only having interest in parties and material things, boys aren't mentioned.
I like to think that in The Horse in His Boy Susan was interested in Rabadash at first because he was a brilliant conversationalist. Nothing she says about him implies romantic interest, before and after she realizes the truth of his intentions.
Susan and Edmund Were Best Friends
This might be my love for The Horse and His Boy showing itself, but I think Susan and Edmund were thrown into circumstances where they interacted the most with each other.
Edmund is the ruler in charge of politics. Susan is the ruler in charge of Cair Paravel's public image. I imagine they spent time as ambassadors to other countries and planning royal functions.
They're also the most level-headed and logical out of their siblings, so they probably found a lot in common.
Susan Fancast
I literally just said I loved Anna's potrayal of Susan's (and I love what they gave us of older Susan too in LWW!), but I read the books in 2008 and my parents didn't let me see the movies bc I was like...nine years old and they thought it would be too scary.
So I had to headcanon my own interpretations.
Queen Susan the Gentle:
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For some reason Merlin wasn't too scary for me to watch and I fell in love with Katie McGrath in like. Two episodes so. (On an unrelated note, I also fancast Bradley James as Peter at the time.)
Anyway, fanon Susan is basically Morgana Pendragon pre-evil arc. Sassy as hell, hot as fuck, and can kick your ass.
Unpopular Opinions
Yeah, feel free to skip this part if having controversial fandom opinions is a deal breaker for you.
The Problem With Susan Isn't Actually A Problem
I'm about to start so much discourse in the Narnia fandom, but C.S. Lewis's choices with her in The Last Battle weren't misogynistic. Bear in mind, I'm not saying that all of his writing choices in the series were A++ or excusing away certain racist/sexiest bits, but it's honestly baffling to me that people are so up in arms over Susan's exclusion in the final book.
So the part that everyone loses their shit over is as follows:
"My sister Susan," answered Peter shortly and gravely, "is no longer a friend of Narnia."
"Yes," said Eustace, "and whenever you've tried to get her to come and talk about Narnia or do anything about Narnia, she says 'What wonderful memories you have! Fancy your still thinking about all those funny games we used to play when we were children.'"
"Oh Susan!" said Jill, "she's interested in nothing now-a-days except nylons and lipstick and invitations. She always was a jolly sight too keen on being grown-up."
"Grown-up, indeed," said the Lady Polly. "I wish she would grow up. She wasted all her school time wanting to be the age she is now, and she'll waste all the rest of her life trying to stay that age. Her whole idea is to race on to the silliest time of one's life as quick as she can and then stop there as long as she can."
The Last Battle, 83-84
There's a lot to unpack here and I first want to say that everyone's opinion on this part, no matter how different than mine, is valid. I'm going to be quoting some other ppl's opinions on here and by no means am I bashing them. I just want to address my feelings on the matter and the best way to do that is to cite the thoughts of ppl who have opposing ideas.
Here are some arguments on Tumblr I've heard regarding "The Problem of Susan":
"How about we talk about what might have happened if Narnia hadn't deserted Susan? [...] What if we didn't tell Susan she had to go grow up in her own world and then shame and punish her for doing just that? She was told to walk away and she went. She did not try to stay a child all her life, wishing for something she had been told she couldn't have again."
"Narnia is filled with metaphors (often not very subtle ones) that are supposed to teach us how to be, and the most glaring one for any young girl to absorb is that it's okay to be a girl like Lucy, unthreatening and cheerful and valiant and faithful, but to be a girl like Susan gets you punished - in fact, you aren't just punished, you're destroyed."
"why do we call it ‘the problem’ where’s the problem about a young woman dealing with her trauma and choosing her own path, actively making the choice to keep living and to stay and to carve a life out in England when her siblings couldn’t? what is the problem about susan forgetting to somehow cope with what she’s experienced? why is it ‘the problem of susan’ that she recontextualised her faith?"
And then there's JK Rowling who said this:
There comes a point where Susan, who was the older girl, is lost to Narnia because she becomes interested in lipstick. She's become irreligious basically because she found sex. I have a big problem with that.
It's weird how I'm still finding new ways to hate JKR in the year 2021. Again, there is absolutely zero implication that Susan had sex when she came back to England. ZERO. Did she actually read the books? IDK. If someone shares this opinion pls reply with actual canonical evidence.
Back on topic, I'm a firm believer of death of the author and interpreting art via your own experiences. Which is why I'm also going to share my own interpretation by saying y'all are wrong.
Susan Pevensie was not abandoned by Narnia. She was not barred from Narnia because she is traditionally feminine or because she "owned her sexuality" (another opinion I didn't have time to condense down for this post) or because she recontextualized her faith or even because she deserved to be punished.
I also fail to see how Susan recontexualized her faith, as the entire point of it all is that she has none. Bringing this back to Susan's fatal flaw (personal convenience/material comforts), her prioritizing herself over her own faith is the reason she is "no longer a friend of Narnia." Not...whatever fanon y'all are imposing on her character.
Susan is not being punished for liking lipstick and looking pretty. Susan's not even being punished. Y'all read Neil Gaiman's The Problem of Susan and forgot it wasn't canon.
There are many reasons Susan is not in Aslan's Country (one of them being that she's not actually dead yet), but the main one has to do with this:
"[...] But there I have another name. You must learn to know me by that name. This was the very reason why you were brought to Narnia, that by knowing me here for a little, you may know me better there.”
Voyage of the Dawn Treader, 215-216
Yeah, okay that's why Susan is no longer a friend of Narnia. The implication when the Pevensies are told that they can no longer enter Narnia is that they are to find Aslan in other places. Susan doesn't do this, instead choosing to focus her life on material things. It isn't the lipstick, it's that she only wants the lipstick.
Susan Had Sex In The Books
Oh and not in the context y'all are thinking. (Again, there are no implications that Susan was barred from Narnia for having sex or that she had sex when she came back to England.)
So there's actual canonical evidence that Susan and Rabadash had a sexual relationship. Sort of.
"What think you? We have been in this city fully three weeks. Have you yet settled in your mind whether you will marry this dark-faced lover of yours, this Prince Rabadash, or no?"
-The Horse and His Boy, 35
Edmund calls Rabadash her lover. Not her suitor. I don't know if the word had a different meaning in 1954, but it feels like C.S. Lewis is saying that they're fucking. I'm not really happy with the idea of Susan sleeping with an abuser, but really proud of her for Getting Some as a woman born in a time period where having premarital sex was a big no-no.
This also invalidates the weird opinion going on that Susan was barred from Narnia because she had sex.
Suspian Is The Worst
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I haven't really talked about Movie!Susan much, but as long as we're talking unpopular opinions, it's worth noting that I hate Suspian. Some of it is the "Susan is Aro" headcanon screaming inside of me, but it's also the fact that it's written poorly, does nothing interesting for either character and generally comes across as awkward.
I feel like they were trying to make Prince Caspian sexy and relevant to teens. It came across as super heteronormative and unnecessary.
It also gets really really weird bc the next movie then gives Caspian and Edmund mad chemistry and we're all just like........ok.
Final Thoughts
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Susan may not be my favorite character in the series, but she's grown on me over the years. I have many issues with fanon interpretations of her--which definately fueled some of my disdain for her initally--and I don't identify as a Susan Apologist.
I do however adore Susan and have many headcanons for her not mentioned here. I love reading fanfic, writing fanfic and meta, and generally having conversations about her and would love to talk more about it.
I welcome criticism (CONSTRUCTIVE) and conversation on all of my opinions and observations. Please drop into my inbox. <3
75 notes · View notes
kuroopaisen · 4 years ago
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tiny love || iii
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➵ as tooru’s younger sister, falling in love with iwaizumi hajime is easy. your feelings aren’t ignored, either. but is it worth the complications it could cause? iwaizumi made a decision for you. but, life goes on. 
warnings: f!reader, Emotions 
wc: 4.6k (i’m so sorry we had a lot of ground to cover)
m.list | ch. 2 ↞ ch. 3 ↠ ch. 4 
last time...
“Look, I…” He sighed, running a hand through his hair. “I think it’s best if we pretend this never happened.”
The world shuttered to a stop. The mild afternoon sun was now searing your skin.
✧ ✧ ✧
“He disgusts me,” Amaya shivered, angrily shoving a spoonful of strawberry kakigori into her mouth. “Piece of—”
“It was ages ago,” you sighed, picking at the mountain of flavoured ice in front of you. “It’s not that important…”
“Yes, it is,” Amaya leant forward across the table. “It’s his fault, right? He kissed you.”
You bit your lip, giving your friend a pitiful look.
To say it was ages ago wasn’t quite a lie. It was finally the summer holidays, and it’d be a few months since that fateful afternoon.
You hadn’t wanted to spend your summer break thinking about this sort of thing. It felt like a waste of emotional energy.
But you just couldn’t get it out of your head.
You kept replaying the same few moments over and over in your mind – the kiss, the morning after it, the conversation…
“In my humble opinion,” Amaya sighed, preparing herself another scoop of kakigori, “I think he should answer for what he’s done.”
“Please don’t say anything,” you whined, reaching across the table and grabbing her wrist. “Don’t do anything, either. I don’t want to cause a mess.”
“He’s the one who caused a mess,” Amaya huffed, dropping her spoon into the kakigori bowl. “You have a right to be pissed.”
“I am pissed,” you sighed. “It’s just… I kind of get where he was coming from, you know?”
“No.”
“Well, like—” You squeezed your eyes shut for a moment, trying to clear your mind. “If we’d broken up, that’d make things really awkward.”
“Isn’t it already awkward?”
“I… yeah…”
“I just think he could’ve gone about it better,” she shrugged. “That’s all.”
You bit the inside of your cheek, twirling your spoon between your fingers. “You’re right about that, at least…”
Amaya watched you for a moment, pursing her lips together. You knew what she was thinking. That was reason enough to fear any potential advice.
“Date someone else,” she suggested. “Maybe that’ll help you get over him.”
You grimaced, cursing her for being able to read your mind. “No thanks.”
“Why not?” Amaya asked, raising an eyebrow at you. “Yahaba seems to be into you.”
You shook your head vehemently. “Ew, no! He’s on my brother’s team.”
“And?”
You shot your friend a dithering look. “That’s the problem, Maya,” you scoffed. “If Iwaizumi’s not ‘good enough’, then I doubt anyone else on the team is.”
“Did your brother say that?” Amaya gaped.
You shrugged. “I don’t know. But that’s what Iwaizumi implied.”
Amaya scoffed, screwing up her nose. “Men aren’t worth it.”
You laugh, shaking your head. “That’s true…”
“And men,” she said, pointing a finger directly at you, “don’t deserve you.”
“You know what?” You grinned, tilting your head at her. “You’re right.”
“I always am,” she replied, waving a hand at you.
You sighed, stretching your arms above your head. “Besides, if I end up going to America, I don’t want to deal with a long-distance relationship,” you grimaced. “Sounds tough.”
“What, you wouldn’t fight for love?” Amaya teased, fishing her phone out of her pocket.
You stuck your tongue out at her, screwing up your nose. “Shut up.”
Amaya giggled, looking down at her phone screen.
You took the opportunity to treat yourself to some of the kakogiri. The two of you had barely made a dent in it.
Amaya dropped her phone back into her pocket, tilting her head at you. “Hey, aren’t those qualifiers coming up soon or something?”
“Hm?”
“For your brother’s volleyball,” she shrugged. “You said something about going to nationals?”
“Oh, right!” You perked up, nodding. “If they win these preliminaries, they’ll finally get to go to nationals.”
“This is your brother’s last chance, right?”
Your stomach sank a little. “Yeah. He’s… he’s been working really hard.”
“Really hard?” She raised an eyebrow. “Or too hard?”
“What do you think?”
She sighed, placing her hands in her lap. “Right.”
You pressed your lips together, frowning.
“Hey, hey,” Amaya hummed, leaning over to flick your forehead. “Try not to think too much, okay? We’re supposed to be having fun.”
You smiled at her weakly.
“No more talk of boys,” she decreed, waving her spoon at you. “They’re a waste of time anyway.”
✧ ✧ ✧
There might be a thousand other places you’d rather be than outside Seijoh’s gym. But, you’d come to the conclusion that God hated you, and therefore would take any opportunity to submit you to some kind of punishment.
Tonight, it was this – standing outside a gym where a mass of sweaty teenage boys congregated, one of which was your brother, and another the Iwaizumi Hajime.
Tooru had always finished practice late, but this was just ridiculous.
Initially, you’d been content with walking yourself home after class, asserting that you were grown up enough to trawl the streets of Miyagi without a chaperone.
But recently, you’d signed up for the student council. You were surprised they let you in so late in the year,
Your parents had been chuffed with that, proclaiming that you were “finally showing some initiative” and that it was “a great way to teach you some responsibility.”
You hadn’t told them that the real reason you’d joined was because you were worried about Tooru.
You peeked inside the gym, eyes scanning the brightly lit hardwood for any sign of your brother.
You didn’t bother to check your watch. It was far too late in the evening for that anyway.
The boys were scrambling around on the court, jumping and spiking and all that volleyball stuff. You managed to catch sight of your brother, who, by your observation, was very much in the zone.
Perhaps maybe it would be okay for you to sit in on—
A flash of spikey hair was enough to make you recede, drawing yourself back into the dark.
You sighed, turning around and slumping yourself against the wall. Somehow, you felt even more exhausted than before.
Fuck this.
Fuck school and all it’s damn responsibilities.
Fuck your brother’s determination to overwork himself until he’s falling apart at the seams.
And fuck Iwaizumi Hajime.
Maybe you should just head home. Tooru would come home eventually, and…
No. That defeated the point.
You’d just have to wait it out, Iwaizumi Hajime be damned.
A few more minutes passed. You heard who you believed to be the coach call out an end to practice, followed by a resounding “Yes!”
You sighed, checking your watch. Seven o’clock. Even that would be considered a late practice.
Usually Tooru would usually wave the rest of the team out, spending the next hour on his own.
But not tonight.
You scampered through the gym doors, making a beeline for your disaster of a brother.
“Hey, Oika-chan!” A voice called out, making you stumble in your approach.
Ah, Matsukawa.
“Hey,” you waved absentmindedly, unsure of how exactly to process that nickname. It didn’t exactly roll off the tongue
“Stop calling her that!” Tooru yelled from the other side of the gym. “It doesn’t even sound cute!”
“You’re just jealous,” you shot back instinctively. “You just wish you were me.”
Tooru scoffed, ready to launch into a new tirade.
But you weren’t listening to him. Against your best efforts, your eyes sought out Iwaizumi. He wasn’t even looking at you.
Ouch.
Sure, you’d be avoiding him as best you could; finding excuses to be in your room or out with your friends whenever he was round at your house, always positioning Tooru between the two of you whenever you were forced to spend time with him... But, that didn’t stop it hurting. 
You shook off the disappointment and continued your route to Tooru.
“Oi,” you barked, jabbing a finger at him. “Hurry up. I’m making dinner tonight and you’re going to enjoy it.”
Tooru screwed his nose up at you, grimacing. “But I still need to practice.”
You came to a stop in front of him, grabbing his elbow. “Too bad.”
“Aw, don’t complain,” Matsukawa grinned, suddenly appearing and looping his arm around Tooru’s shoulders. “We don’t all have a cute girl vying to cook us dinner.”
“Ew!” Tooru shrieked, shrugging off Matsukawa’s arm. “Don’t be gross that’s my sister!”
“I slave over the countertop for you and you don’t even have the decency to respect my efforts,” you scoffed, deciding to ignore Matsukawa’s half-compliment. You weren’t going to make the same mistake twice.
“Just stick it in the fridge,” Tooru sighed. “I’ll heat it up when I get home.”
Agitation brewed in your stomach, your mouth turning dry.
If he stayed here, he’d just overwork himself like he always did. And he’d come home sore and exhausted, bandages on his fingers and bags under his eyes.
But the prefecturals were so soon. If he wore himself out now, he wouldn’t be able to play to the best of his ability.
“Tooru, that’s not fair and you know it,” you whined. “Please.”
He tutted at you, shaking his head. “Now, now, as the older sibling, it’s natural law that I know be—”
“Hurry up, Shittykawa,” Iwaizumi grumbled, coming up behind Tooru and kneeing him in the back.
Tooru yelped, stumbling forward and out of your grasp. “Iwa!”
“We’ll clean up just fine without you,” Iwaizumi muttered, stepping away from your brother.
He caught your eye.
Your breath caught in your throat. Was he going to speak to you? Acknowledge you? Make you feel like things weren’t as weird as they were?
He just gave you an almost imperceptible nod.
You gave him a small smile in response despite the sinking feeling in your stomach.
Of course, Iwaizumi understood. He probably understood better than you did.
“Come on,” you whined, grabbing Tooru’s elbow and yanking him towards you. “Or I’ll kick your ass.”
“I’d like to see you try.”
You stuck your tongue out at him, dragging him towards the door. After a small scuffle he grabbed his bag, whining about how he was still in his sweaty gym clothes.
You waved off his concerns, telling him it was his own fault. Mustering all your strength you managed to push him outside, reprimanding him for wasting so much of your time.
You glanced over your shoulder one last time as you left. You weren’t quite sure why.
But Iwaizumi met your gaze for just a moment, his jaw tense.
That look stuck in your mind for the rest of the evening.
✧ ✧ ✧
The last thwack of a ball on the court.
Your brother, body half-twisted and arms outstretched, fighting to the very final second.
Everything the team had worked so hard for, gone. Crushed.
All those hours, all those late nights spent practicing, all the sweat and grief and band-aids.
All meaningless.
It was written on their faces. Regret, disappointment, shock.
And Iwaizumi. Poor steadfast, honourable Iwaizumi.
You’d never seen him cry. Never. But there he stood on the court, doing everything he could to hold back the tears.
You couldn’t even guess at what was going through his mind: probably some guilt about letting everyone down, for not being the best version of himself for the team.
You hoped, for his sake, that nobody else was paying attention to him.
Tooru patted him on the back. A firm, solid slap.
Even you could tell how much meaning was in that one gesture.
You gripped the barrier tightly, your knuckles beginning to ache. You watched with bitterness on your tongue, ready to cry the tears that Tooru refused to.
By the time you meet the team outside, you knew he didn’t want a hug. Even if you wanted desperately to give him one, he wouldn’t accept it.
He’s too angry for that.
You don’t know what to say; he’s worked so hard for this.
They all have.
And now they have to walk away from it all, no real victory to their name. Oikawa Tooru – destined for greatness, but yet unknown outside of Miyagi. He never did make it to nationals.
You bit your lip, regret and frustration and sympathy twisting in your stomach. There’s nothing you could’ve done, but by God you wished you’d done more.
Something. Anything.
But you’re just his little sister, a girl with nothing to offer. You hadn’t even stepped into the manager role when he’d asked you to in your first year. You’d been so distant from this world of his, a distance you’d only widened since that little hiccup with Iwaizumi.
You turned to the team, racking your brain for the appropriate thing to say.
You bowed. “Thank you for all your hard work.”
It felt empty, but you meant it. You knew that most of all, Tooru was proud of the team. Proud of what they’d built together.
It’d been three years of pain, but they’d done it together. And you knew, deep in your heart, that they’d given their all for him. That, at least, you were grateful.
You didn’t say goodbye.
Your fists are clenched at your sides as you exit the building, rushing home on aching thighs. You hadn’t even realised you’d been tensing so hard during the game.
Thoughts stumbled through your mind on the walk, trying to sort themselves out.
Should you have said something to Iwaizumi? Offered him some comfort?
He was obviously shaken by what’d happened. But perhaps that would’ve been stepping over a line. Maybe it would’ve made him uncomfortable.
And yet, you regretted not addressing him. He, more than anyone else, had given everything for Tooru.
His time, his sweat, his heart.
He couldn’t give anything to you because…
You swallowed, shaking your head. Now wasn’t the time to feel bitter.
Once you walked through the front door, you raced to the kitchen and rifled through your cupboards.
Bread flour, yeast, sugar…
A peek in the fridge.
Milk, butter, eggs.
You set everything on the counter, clattering around in your cupboards until you find a bowl, a whisk, a wooden spoon and a baking pan.
Your next few hours are a flurry of measuring ingredients, kneading dough with aching thumbs, checking oven temperatures and waiting.
You did all sorts of things to distract yourself during the waiting period: cleaning, reading, homework, laundry. But you could only do them in spurts, little five-to-ten-minute blocks until your anxiety returned.
You’d have to sleep this off.
By the time the oven finally pinged, letting you know you were finally free of your baking duties, you were exhausted.
But you rushed back over to the oven and took out your loaf, inspecting it once over. It looked okay – not as good at Kaori’s, but passable. Hopefully it tasted alright. You didn’t have the guts to check.
You let it cool as you grabbed a scrap of paper and scribbled out a little note.
“Good job today, you asswipe. You inspire me to work harder and go farther.
I’m so proud of you.”
You bit your lip, looking it over once. Is it sensitive enough? Is it too sensitive? Would it bring him comfort? Would it piss him off?
Hard to say.
You sighed, folding it over so it could prop up like a tent.
You cut off a third of the loaf, still hot, and plopped it on a plate. You wrapped the rest of the loaf up and placed it in the bread holder. Perhaps you’d have some tomorrow.
Tooru’s room, usually a place that was very out of bounds, was the next stop on your anxious little trip around the house. You placed the plate on his bedside table, propping the note up next to it. Hopefully this would make him smile, even if just by a little.
But you didn’t want to wait up to see.
The comfort of your own bed was calling you, coaxing you into an early night’s sleep.
You laid down with a sigh, unsure of whether or not you could be bothered to have a bath.
A little suggestion crawled through your mind, dragging itself along by it’s fingernails.
You tried to shoo it away. It was a terrible idea, really. One that was bound to end with you feeling quite shitty.  
But tonight wasn’t about you. It wasn’t about your feelings.
You sighed, picking up your phone from the bedside table.
Hey, you typed.
[YOU] 7:31 PM: I hope you don’t mind me texting you like this, but thanks for looking after Tooru so well.
You bit the inside of your cheek as you stared at the name “Iwaizumi Hajime” at the top of your screen. Taking a deep breath, you tapped the blue arrow.
The message slipped into the grey space above, into the train of messages that hadn’t moved in months.
You stared at it a moment longer, fingers flitting anxiously around your screen.
Oh, fuck it.
[YOU] 7:33 PM: And thanks for being the best Ace he could’ve asked for.
It’s not what you wanted to say. It’s not what you feel like you should’ve said. There’s so much more, so much left unsaid.
But tonight isn’t about me, you reminded yourself. It’s about him. About them. About all they’ve been through together.
You waited a few minutes, heart hammering in your chest.
A response.
[Iwaizumi] 7:37 PM: Thank you.
[Iwaizumi] 7:37 PM: I’m sorry it wasn’t enough.
✧ ✧ ✧
“Argentina?” You hissed. “But that’s—”
“On the other side of the world,” Tooru shrugged. “What are you so mad for? You’re the one who wants to go to America.”
You had nothing to say to that. The two of you were sat at the breakfast table, your pieces of toast left untouched.
When Tooru had told you he wanted to talk to you this morning, you hadn’t expected this.
“When do you leave?” You asked, a lump forming in your throat.
“Soon,” he sighed. “I’m just trying to work out boarding and whatnot.”
“So… you’ll leave as soon as that’s sorted out?”
“That’s the plan.”
“It’s like you’re rushing out of here,” you mumbled, picking at your nails.
“Don’t be so dramatic,” he grinned. “I’ve just got to make sure I can get ahead. The sooner I start, the better.”
You looked up at him, frowning.
He wasn’t the little boy curled up in the bathtub anymore. He’s a young man with the tenacity to form his own destiny, circumstances be damned.
This day was bound to come.
But that didn’t make it any easier to swallow.
✧ ✧ ✧
A week passed. And then a month.
The year ended before you knew it. The festivities rolled on, but not without a hint of melancholy.
Each New Years celebration was tainted with the realisation that, after he left, chances were you wouldn’t see Tooru again until the same time next year.
You returned to school for the third semester and everything seemed like it was moving in fast forward.
It’s well and truly changing.
Student council swallowed you up, your family made a point of spending as much time with Tooru as they could, and life plodded on.
And before you knew it, you were standing at the airport at five in the morning, your parents to one side and Iwaizumi to the other. Your older sister, Kaori, was also there, hand-in-hand with your nephew.
For a farewell, it was quite the turn-out.
“Well,” Tooru took a deep breath, looking between the small crowd of faces in front of him. “You all better miss me.”
“Don’t push your luck, Tooru,” Kaori teased.
“What’s that supposed to mean?” Tooru tutted. “Almost sounds like you’re glad to be rid of me.”
“I am,” your nephew piped up.
“Takeru!” Your mother chided. “Don’t say things like that.”
“It’s fine,” Tooru grinned. “He obviously just doesn’t know what else to say.”
Takeru simply stuck his tongue out at your brother, who just laughed as he stepped forward to ruffle his hair.
Tooru turned to you, grinning. “It’s now your job to take him to volleyball practice.”
You rolled your eyes at him. “Really, that’s all you’ve got to say to me?”
“Of course not!” He laughed, hopping towards you and wrapping his arms around your shoulders. “You be good, okay?”
“Always am,” you mumbled into his chest, wrapping your arms around his waist.
“Study hard,” he hummed. “And don’t talk to boys.”
“Tooru!”
“I’m serious!”
“Don’t worry about me,” you huffed. “Worry about yourself.”
“I’ll be fine,” he chuckled, pulling back. “Stop being such a worry-wort.”
You pouted at him. “Stay hydrated or I’ll kill you.”
“You know I will,” he tsked. “Which one of us is the athlete?”
“And don’t overwork yourself,” you continued, “or I’ll crawl out of the TV like Sadako and drag you back to Japan.”
“You know what?” Tooru grinned, letting you go. “I fully believe you’re capable of that.”
“Be afraid.”
He ruffled your hair; a sure signal that your conversation was over. You bit your lip as he moved over to talk to Iwaizumi. You tottered around to where your sister was, wrapping your arms around her waist – partly to give Tooru and Iwaizumi some privacy, partly to seek out some comfort.
She chuckled, standing on her tiptoes and propping her chin on the top of your head. “It’ll be okay.”
“Hm?” You blinked. “Oh, I’m not sad. Not at all.”
“You sure about that?” Kaori chuckled.
“Mhm,” you nodded. “Glad to be rid of him, actually. It’s my turn to get the biggest bedroom.”
“Sure,” she grinned. “If you need anything, don’t be afraid to text me, okay?”
“Thanks,” you smiled.
“And visit me more often!” Kaori chided. “I feel like I don’t see you enough.”
“I’m sorry,” you whined.
Kaori was right about that, at least. You’d spent the past few months focusing on Tooru, and before that, you’d been moping about Iwaizumi.
Some sister you were.
You peeked out the corner of your eye at the two boys you’d just fled from.
They were fist-bumping. Why they couldn’t just get over it and hug one another, you’d never know.
Especially seeing as this would likely be the last time they saw each other in a very long while.
Even if this was what Tooru wanted, even if this was a decision made on his own merit, something about it still felt off.
You want to be happy for him. You want to celebrate this new chance, this opportunity to make a name for himself outside of this tiny prefecture. But the melancholy wouldn’t budge; it’s like it’s rooted itself deep amongst the marrow of your ribcage.
You take a deep breath, trying to ground yourself.
You needed to be happy for him. And if you couldn’t, you needed to fake it.
“Alright,” Tooru sighed, addressing all of you as he stepped back and grabbed the handle of his suitcase. “I’m off!”
“Call us when you get there!” Your mother called after him, her eyes glassier than they were moments earlier.
“Will do,” Tooru called back, waving a hand over his head but not turning back.
“Make sure you eat well,” Kaori yelled. “Like I taught you!”
“I will, don’t worry!” Tooru called, ever more distant.
You wondered if there was anything you could shout out, anything you could implore him to do. But nothing came to mind that you hadn’t already said. But even that didn’t feel like enough.
Tooru passed through the gate, turning around to give you all one last wave.
He was so bright, so brilliant.
He always had been. But it was as if passing through that airport gate had freed him of the roots twisted around his ankles, finally allowing him to fly.
You frowned. What a stupid thought.
Once he was out of sight, your parents sighed.
“Alright, everyone,” your father yawned. “Time to go.”
You shuffled out of the airport in silence, your eyes cast to the ground. You lagged a few steps behind your family as you let your thoughts consume you.
How was this all going to work out?
It wasn’t like Tooru was just leaving for university. If it was just for education, there’d be a time frame. But he hadn’t given your family any of that.
He was just… going to Argentina. For how long, he couldn’t say. Would he be gone one year? Five? Ten?
Was that really for the best?
But he seemed optimistic. Maybe this would be the opportunity he needs. Maybe this would change everything.
“He’ll be fine.”
A voice over your shoulder made you jump. You turned to see Iwaizumi, a look of genuine concern on his face. You hadn’t even noticed him come up behind you.
“He always finds a way to land on his feet,” he said, digging his hands in his pockets.
“I know, I just…” You sighed, running a hand through your hair. “I’m worried about him.”
Worried about his safety, worried about his health, worried about his tendency to overwork, worried about the possibility he could be lonely, worried about his sense of self, worried—
“But, if he’d just stayed here, he’d never be satisfied.”
You paused, looking up at him. Iwaizumi was staring ahead at the early morning sky, something relaxed in his features.
“He’s got to keep pushing forward, no matter what,” he continued, looking at you. You caught your breath, but you didn’t look away. “If he didn’t, he wouldn’t be able to forgive himself for his losses.”
You stared at him for a long moment.
He was right. Iwaizumi was always right when it came to Tooru.
And you were grateful. Of course you were.
But a nugget of regret was buried deep in your heart.
Iwaizumi wasn’t worried about Tooru at all. He believed in him, trust him to go forward.
And yet you don’t feel the same. You can’t.
You can’t have the same faith in your brother because you don’t know him well enough.
Maybe you never would.
✧ ✧ ✧
More time passed.
Your holidays ebbed by in a haze, a flurry of friends, family, serious conversations about your future, and a little bit of snow.
You were trudging home in the waning afternoon after a day out with friends when you saw him. He was coming back from the opposite direction, bundled up in a jacket, with a scarf slung haphazardly around his neck and beanie pulled low over his hair.
You wondered if he’d bothered spiking it up this morning.
“Hey.” Iwaizumi raised a hand at you in some paltry greeting.
“Hi,” you nodded, slowing to a stop in front of your house.
He looked at you for a moment, something unreadable in his eyes. Admittedly, that was usually how he looked at you.  
“How are you?” It was a simple question, but you were more curious about it than you’d like to admit. The two of you hadn’t spoken since Tooru left, your interactions limited to brief nods and hellos if you ever happened to bump into each other in public. Nothing deeper than that.
“Good,” he said, finally breaking eye contact as his gaze flitted to the ground. “I, uh… I leave for uni tomorrow.”
Your heart stopped in your chest.
Iwaizumi was leaving too, huh?
Not that there was much of a friendship for you to miss. But something about him leaving really solidified it all.
Tooru had left to pursue opportunities much bigger than those offered to him in Japan, and now Iwaizumi was off on his own journey.
Your stomach swelled, a quiet nausea rattling through your body.
“Oh,” was all you managed to say. “Well, good luck.” There was a long, painful pause.
He was looking at you again, something else in his eyes. Did he want you to say something else? Ask more questions?
“You’ll do great,” is all you managed to say, a tight smile stretched across your lips.
“Thanks,” he breathed, something between a sigh and a chuckle.
You hurried through your front door, a strange anxiety prickling over your skin.
Whenever you spoke to Iwaizumi, it never felt like enough. Like there was more to say, more to admit.
But regardless of what had happened, regardless of your regrets, you had to move on.
You should’ve done so months ago.
✧ ✧ ✧
a/n: this is SLOPPY but please forgive me! a lot of ground to cover,,, a lot of feelings to unpack,,, 
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dumdumsun · 4 years ago
Text
Of Starlight
A/N: Alright, this entire story has officially been written ❤️
Warnings: none that I’m aware of
Word Count: 3067
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Chapter 5: Extra Ordinary
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Five years ago, Vanya Hargreeves began writing her autobiography, “Extra Ordinary: My Life as Number Seven”, less than two weeks before her sister’s novel, “One-Sided”, was announced in the papers. Those around who enjoyed her writing were buzzing with excitement, for it was the second book of her trilogy. (Y/N) was thrilled, herself, to be publishing her novel within the next month. Finally sharing her work with the world would have taken a tremendous weight off her shoulders, leaving her with only the weight on her bladder. While working herself nearly to death with her writing, she was with child for the second time, which added to her stress. Thankfully, she had a very supportive husband at the time to assist in anything she requested. It was in those times in which (Y/N) was grateful she decided to make something of herself rather than letting her past as Number Eight define her.
Once “One-Sided” was published, (Y/N) sent two copies out; one to Allison, one to Vanya. She figured her brothers wouldn’t want to read her romantic fantasy as much as her sisters, so she didn’t bother asking. Allison seemed ecstatic for the new addition, but she wasn’t too sure about Vanya, supposing it wouldn’t hurt to send it. If she didn’t want to read it, that was her decision. What she didn’t expect, however, was Vanya’s novel sent to her. After Jada was born, (Y/N) had taken time to read her sister’s autobiography. While Anthony was at work during the day, she’d multitask by reading and taking care of her newborn. She would quietly gasp at certain parts of the book before checking to make sure she hadn’t woken her daughter up. (Y/N) couldn’t believe some of the things her sister dared to put in that book. Some things she wrote were blatantly about (Y/N)’s own insecurities that she had trusted Vanya with knowing. Insecurities about her powers, her capability of being a suitable member of the Umbrella Academy. Vanya had compared it to her own doubts, stating that (Y/N) had no right to complain to her, of all people. Looking back now, (Y/N) could admit that it was a bit selfish to do that to her sister. Regardless, those had been personal and it was unloyal of Vanya to share that with anyone willing to read. Despite this, (Y/N) saw to promote “Extra Ordinary” along with her own work. Someone had to be the bigger person in this situation.
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Nostalgia wasn’t exactly what (Y/N) was overcome with when awaking in her childhood bed. In fact, she’d much rather have opened her eyes to the empty side of her king-sized mattress at home instead. She debated closing her eyes and pretending she had never drifted into consciousness, but sat up when remembering everything Five had told her the day before. If she remembered correctly, there were six remaining days leading up to the end of the world. She had promised Five to assist in preventing the apocalypse, and her drowsiness was not going to hold her back. So, she dragged herself out of bed and began looking for Five. She figured the first place to begin was his bedroom, so she stopped in front of his door and knocked. Hearing rustling on the other side, she asked, “Five, are you decent?”
“Decent enough. You can come in,” He called out, the door opening and (Y/N) stepping inside. He glanced at her over his shoulder as he fixed his white button up. “I take it you had a difficult time sleeping?”
“What makes you say that?” Her hand slid down her face, sarcasm in her tone. She didn’t need a mirror to know she had bags under her eyes. Five chuckled and moved to his vest and jacket, finishing with dressing himself. As he zipped his duffle bag closed, he glanced out the window.
“You tagging along today?”
“I plan to. I… suppose I have nothing to do.”
“Nothing, huh?” Suspicion hid amongst his words as he picked up his bag. “What is it you decided to do with your life, (Y/N)?” The question was simple, genuine, but the weight of it was suffocating. She really couldn’t go back to her normal, beautiful life after all.
“I… found my mother,” She slowly started out, carefully watching as Five curiously glanced up at her under his dark brows. “I became an author… and a mother.”
Suddenly, Five couldn’t breathe. He had anticipated this conversation, prepared himself for everything (Y/N) had accomplished while he was gone. But nothing could have prepared him for the stab in the heart at the mention of her having children. Children with someone who wasn’t him. It was stupidly selfish, he knew, to expect her to wait for him, to do anything else with her life except for the things he longed to do with her. Past the pain, however, he was happy for her. Something in him knew that (Y/N) would one day make a wonderful mother. She was patient, selfless, caring, and oh, how he wished he could’ve been the one. He didn’t even want to ask about the individual she had trusted enough to raise children with her.
His hesitancy to respond worried (Y/N) and suddenly she wanted to apologize. But for what? Her success, her marriage, her children? She had every right to those and she shouldn’t have to apologize. Her concern washed away when Five raised his brows in acknowledgement, opening the window. “Really? A mother? That’s great, Starlight…” God, that nickname… She thought. Why does everything feel so complicated now? Her feet moved her to follow him out of the window and down the fire escape. She thought it was best to not continue the conversation for now.
“Dammit, where’s Dad’s stuff?” The two heard an irritated groan on their way down. (Y/N) craned her neck to see Klaus digging through the dumpster. “Shut up! I’m trying to find whatever… priceless crap was in that priceless box so that Pogo will get off my ass!”
“I’d ask what you’re up to, Klaus, but then it occurred to me…,” Five turned to his brother. “I don’t care.” His useless comment earned an eye roll from (Y/N). Klaus glanced up at the two with a small laugh.
“Hey! You know there are easier ways out of the house, buddy? And bringing little (Y/N) along, too? Whatever could you two be up to?”
“This way of leaving involved the least amount of talking,” Five hopped off the ladder, helping (Y/N) down afterwards. “Or so I thought.”
“Klaus,” The eighth Hargreeves made her way closer to the dumpster. “Is Ben there?”
“Yes, dear, he says hi.” His hand waved in Ben’s supposed direction, (Y/N) softly smiling at her ghost brother. “So, hey, you two need any more company today? I could, uh… clear my schedule.” His eyes shifted to Five as he took a drink from his flask.
“Looks like you’ve got your hands full.” The boy falsely smiled.
“Oh, this? No, no. I can do this whenever. I’m just- I just misplaced something. That’s all.” He then fell into the trash as (Y/N) joined her traveling companion at his side. After a few seconds, Klaus reappeared with a bagel. “Oh! Found it! Thank god!” (Y/N) nearly gagged as he began to chew on it, muffling a ‘delicious’ in forced content.
“I’m done funding your drug habit.” Five spit out before walking away. She followed him and waved at Klaus, barely listening to him yelling after them as they climbed into a plumbing van.
“Why are we stealing a van?”
“Shush.”
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Once again, the two teenagers found themselves in front of Meritech Prosthetics. (Y/N) watched as Lance entered the building before sighing. “We’re really gonna sit here and spy on the man?”
“You got a better idea?” Five only kept his stare on him.
“I guess not… What’s the bag for, then?”
Five immediately turned his attention to the duffle bag he brought with them. “Oh, shit,” He muttered before unzipping it. “Hey,” He softly greeted before handing a bottle of alcohol to (Y/N). She blinked once, twice, thrice when he brought out the top half of a bald mannequin and set it between them. “Sorry you were in there for so long, Delores.”
“Wait,” (Y/N) choked. “That’s Delores?! The one you were with for over thirty years?!”
“Well, obviously,” Five frowned before turning back to ‘Delores’. “This is (Y/N), Delores. You know… the one I told you about.”
“You… talk about me to the mannequin? Should I be flattered or weirded out?”
“Oh, be quiet,” Five sighed and turned away. (Y/N) suddenly felt silly for being jealous last night. “No, I’m not drunk.”
“What?” (Y/N) frowned at the boy, who shook his head.
“Talking to Delores. She thinks I’m- Yes, it’s about the eye thing. This is the place it was made. Or… will be made,” His eyes moved up to his human friend. “We just have to wait…”
He’s actually talking to the mannequin, (Y/N) thought as she turned forward, eyes wide. So, that was what the apocalypse had done to him. She felt bad for him now. Initially, her heart warmed at the thought of Five finding someone to love, but knowing that his mind had gone somewhere far away enough for him to turn to a mannequin for comfort…
“So, (Y/N),” He started, his gaze once again trained on the building before them. “Your children… tell me about them.” Truth be told, Five wanted to know how much they had gotten from their mother. Were they just as humorous? Just as passionate? As wonderful? (Y/N) let out a heartfelt laugh as she closed her eyes.
“Where do I even begin? Michael, he’s… so intelligent. He has the highest reading level in his class and they’re thinking of letting him skip the first grade. He’s such a big help at home with his little sister… I swear, he’s a little man. He’s always trying to test my knowledge. Tries to get me to solve his ‘really hard’ math homework problems…,” She chuckled, Five looking at her with an unreadable expression. “And Jada… she’s such a character. No matter how many times I teach her the days of the week, she always gets them wrong… She wakes me up every morning, trying to guess. I say ‘Jada, if yesterday was Wednesday, what is today?’ and she just starts listing off every wrong answer… She’s a performer, too. I enrolled her into dance classes. Oh, it’s her favorite thing to do… And I’ll admit, she’s good at it. Don’t know where she got that from. Definitely not from me or her dad...”
Five tilted his head thoughtfully. “They sound… just like you. They think they know everything,” He joked with a small smile, (Y/N) playfully glaring at him. “Really, though… They sound like great kids… I’d like to meet them one day.”
“Yeah,” She smiled down at her lap. “I’d love for them to meet you… But I need to be an actual adult before I can face them again. Until then… It’s just checking up every once and awhile…”
“(Y/N), I’m so sorry,” Five frowned as he sat forward. “I- I’m going to figure this out. I promise.”
“I know you will,” She breathed and closed her eyes, her world slowly crashing down on her yet again. “Sorry, I need some air.” And with that, Five was in the car alone. Well, save for Delores. Outside, (Y/N) didn’t have much time to really be with her own thoughts before she heard Luther and Klaus’s voices nearing her. Turning to her right, she spotted the two walking side-by-side towards the van. Upon seeing her, Luther raised a hand.
“(Y/N), you need to get back to the Academy. We found something… and Grace might’ve had something to do with Dad’s death.” He gruffly explained, the young girl straightening to attention.
“Wait, what-”
“I can explain at the house, but we need both you and Five there for the family meeting. Is he in there?” He pointed to the vehicle their brother sat in.
“Yeah, but-”
“Great. Be right back.” Luther’s massive body brushed past her to get to Five, Klaus following behind to get in the back. Not waiting a second longer, she followed her junkie brother inside. When she entered the van again, Luther was trying his hardest to fit his body into the passenger seat as Klaus grabbed Delores, smirking at (Y/N) as he began to dance with the mannequin. She only watched him in disinterest. Once Luther was finally in, he turned to Five. “You okay?”
“You shouldn’t be… How did you find me?” Five’s question was answered when Luther turned to Klaus. With everyone’s attention on him, he looked up from Delores and dropped his smile.
“Hey, a little privacy, guys. We’re really hitting it off back here.” He began to caress Delores’s cheek before screaming when Five threw an object at him, Klaus using the mannequin to block. (Y/N) shook her head and moved closer to Five and Luther, the former fuming.
“Get out! You can’t be here! I’m in the middle of something.”
“Oh, but (Y/N) can be here?”
“Yes! We’re in the middle of something!” Five turned forward as Klaus joined (Y/N) at her side, poking her cheek gently.
“Any luck with your one-eyed man?” He asked her, receiving a head shake. Five sighed and turned to Luther.
“What do you want, Luther?”
Turning his attention away from the conversation between the two, Luther answered Five, “Um… So, Grace might’ve had something to do with Dad’s death. So I need you to come back to the Academy, alright? It’s important.” His request was met with silence for a split second before the time traveller shook his head.
“‘It’s important’. You have no concept of what’s important-”
“Hey!” Klaus interrupted, holding his sister at his side. “Did I ever tell you guys about the time I waxed my ass with chocolate pudding?”
And that was when (Y/N) tuned out the entire conversation between her family. She left Klaus’s side and pressed her back against the back of Luther’s seat, closing her eyes. She knew Five wasn’t going with Luther and Klaus to the house, and she didn’t need to listen to the bickering that would’ve led to that outcome. Her attention was eventually brought to Klaus swinging the back door open, huffing as he got out. She watched him slam the door closed and make his way towards the store across the street. Not trusting him in the slightest, she sent a clone after Klaus, telling it to “watch over him”. At this point, she was waiting for Luther to leave so her growing headache would subside, but it seemed the man wanted to talk some more.
“What the hell are you up to, Five?”
“Believe me, you wouldn’t understand.”
“Try me. Last I checked, I’m still the leader of this family.”
“Well, last I checked, I’m twenty-eight years older than you.” Five tightly smiled before (Y/N) snorted with laughter. The boy rolled his eyes and smiled fondly at her before Luther pulled his attention away.
“You know what your problem is?”
“Really hoping you’ll tell me.”
“You think you’re better than us,” Luther’s words wiped that sarcastic smile right off Five’s face. “You always have. Even when we were kids. But the truth is, you’re just as messed up as the rest of us. We’re all you have… and you know it.” Luther stared at his brother, as the boy slowly inhaled.
“I don’t think that I’m better than you, Number One. I know I am,” He hissed, Luther only chuckling. “I’ve done unimaginable things, things you couldn’t even comprehend.”
“Right...”
“Just to get back here and save you all…” Five stared out the window. (Y/N) sighed and grabbed Delores.
“Luther, out.” She ordered, her “big” brother turning to her with an offended look. “Five’s clearly not going with us. No use arguing with him either. So, just go and I’ll catch up-” She was cut off by the sound of a voice whooping in excitement. The three looked across the street to see Klaus running out of the store, arms full of stolen snacks, the clone following close behind.
“Hey, bitches!” He shouted as a cop chased after them, blowing his whistle. The clone turned to the officer and pushed him away with great force as Klaus was nearly hit by a car. Five’s head followed Klaus’s movement.
“I’m starting to wonder if that was the wisest decision…”
After Luther was sent out of the van, (Y/N) took over the passenger seat once again and set Delores down between them, Five quietly thanking her. “So… I’m going with the guys.”
“What? Why are you wasting your time, I thought you wanted to help me?”
“I do, and I will… But I don’t trust Luther to make decisions right now… I mean, if Mom really did have something to do with Dad’s death… Who knows what he’ll do? The least I can do is try to talk him out of it. I promise, when I’m done, I’ll come and find you.” She softly smiled, gently patting his hand. Five shook his head at her.
“You don’t have to promise me anything… I’m the one who owes you.”
“All you owe me is this,” She gently squeezed his hand. “You being here… That’s what I’ve wanted for so long. Now I have it. So, your debt is paid.” She chuckled. Five rested the back of his head against the seat as his eyes searched her face, trying to find anything that should worry him about her. But all he found was her warm smile and eyes that shone with affection. It suddenly felt inappropriate to have Delores around right now.
“Well, then, you should get going… You’ve gotta catch up with those idiots.”
“Alright. Don’t be out here forever, okay?” (Y/N) leaned in and pecked his cheek before getting out of the car and rushing after her brothers. As he watched her speed away, he tried to regulate his breathing, heartbeat increasing.
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Taglist: @melinda-hargreeves @43sparrows @sapphicsyn @m00n-sh @starcurrent @alexander-hamilhoe @youcandalekmyballs @wonderlandfandomkingdom @yrdadjstcallsmekatya
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kikilefangirl · 4 years ago
Text
Old Ties
Oscar “Spooky” Diaz x Reader
(Word Count: 1629)
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This was your first time back from school since Christmas, and you missed home. You had elected to stay in an apartment near campus for the summer and rarely went back.
This was your birthday weekend, and you had to see your family and old friends after going so long without. Sometimes your mom joked you were too slippery to answer the phone, let alone stay on for long. It was true, with one notable exception: your baby brother Jamal.
“Y/N!” He hollered excitedly. You laughed when you pulled up because he had a fake neck brace on as his injury of the month. And his friends were there, all grown up.
“‘Mal! It’s so good to see you.”
“What about me?” Ruby asked incredulously.
“You too, Ruby. Monsé, look at you!” You praised. Then you were one off your count.
“Where’s Cesar?”
He was the only one missing from the group. Each kid had different emotions flash across their faces. Oh. You knew the feeling.
“Well get in, we’re going to get him.” You declared. They let out a chorus of protests and excuses, but you had already started the car.
“A seat has some of my bags in it, so one of y’all sitting in the middle.” You added.
You hadn’t been home five minutes and were already on your way to him. Indirectly, of course. All three kids piled in, and you drove off after a moan from Ruby about sitting in the middle seat.
“How do you know the way there?” Jamal asked skeptically. You gave him some throwaway response and put on some lip gloss.
You knew damn well why you expertly made the short drive to Spooky’s house, but they didn’t need to know that. Sooner that you were prepared to, you pulled up and hopped out.
You never once broke your stride past Santos and hynas. You heard your car doors slam, so the others were behind you, but you pressed on without soaring them a glance.
The music blasted along with the roar of engines and laughs from partygoers and clinking bottles. Your breath caught in your throat as you headed farther back in the driveway.
There he was, sitting down smoking a blunt next to him was Cesar. Damn, the kids had gotten older.
“Never thought I’d see you here.” Oscar said, finally.
He exhaled, and stood up not two feet away from you. Plump lips, intense brown eyes, no. You were never able to turn away from him.
Oscar was still fine as hell and you were losing focus.
“I came here to get Cesar.”
Not you.
The unsaid words were heavy between the two of you. Everyone who wasn’t drunk or oblivious could see the battle of wills going on. Even Cesar looked confused, and it was technically about him.
“He goes.” Oscar started, bringing a hand to your cheek, “You stay.”
Closure, you decided, was some bullshit because after two years of heartbreak and your determination to stay away...You accepted his trade.
Jamal, of course had heart palpitations the second a yes flew out your mouth. Ruby paled at the idea, and Monsé was staring at Cesar.
As soon as they left, it gave you some peace watching the four of them go off like they used to. Oscar struggled with the worst hand he could’ve been dealt, but his brother didn’t have to go through the same. Cesar was a different kid; Cesar was still somewhat allowed to be a kid.
Oscar put out his blunt and brought you inside.
You filled your eyes at the hoots and whistles from outside as you shut the screen door and then the real one.
You and Oscar were truly alone, now.
“How long before you’re gone, again.” He lamented, pulling out two beers from the fridge.
You winced at his words.
“The weekend.” You admitted. Spooky scoffed at you as he popped the top off of either bottle. He slid one over to you as you tapped your nails on the counter.
“Got over your little cholo phase and dipped, huh.” He spat out. You slammed your hand on the counter. Your palm stung from the impact, but your anger was more pressing.
“You know good and goddamn well that wasn’t it. Do I look like some white girl who took the wrong bus and got lost!” You roared at him.
He made it seem like an easy choice for you. That it was easy leaving everyone and everything for a whole new world you’d never even really seen before.
You flared your nostrils at Oscar, mostly to keep the tears at bay.
“I told myself I wasn’t gonna do this shit, Osc. You gonna keep doing your Santo shit, and I’m supposed to what? Sit here popping out your babies so twenty years from now they supposed to do the same shit? You go down, and I don’t got nothing to stand on? No.”
You shook your head violently. No. No, no, no. You spied where he kept his good liquor and grabbed it. You guzzled as much as you could in one pass.
Oscar stood there watching you with a look you couldn’t care to decipher.
Modesty wasn’t exactly a priority between you two. You and Oscar dealt in the raw, honest truth. It was what cooled the two of you, and it was doing so now. You knew it and he knew it.
“You messing with anyone up there?” He asked. Oscar was steady in his slow, rolling voice. Never tentative, always patient.
“Nothing serious.” You admitted. There was a fling that lasted a couple weeks in May, a failed date or two, and a car hookup once. In short, no one was ever him.
“You?” You stared intently at him, searching his eyes for any hint he was holding back.
Oscar’s list of names was shorter than yours. And to your surprise, you let out a sigh of relief.
He smirked and put his hand over yours, squeezing it for reassurance.
“We’re okay.” He said and against all reason you believed him.
He leaned in closer, and pulled you into a hug.
But like the ass he was, Oscar chose a less romantic course. His breath fanned your neck, and you short circuited. You always went blank when Oscar was so close to you and he took full advantage.
You had the willpower of a goldfish.
You hopped up on the counter, the two of you exchanging hungry, passionate kisses, desperate to make up for lost time and old grievances.
...
You stayed at the house well into the night.
You sweated out your edges, smudged your makeup, and damn near limped back to your car. By the time you left, the party had gone somewhere else and the lot was quiet. Not even Cesar had returned.
You sat in your car and Oscar leaned into the window.
“Happy Birthday.” He said. You smiled and gave him a long kiss, savoring the memory of him. When you pulled away, you deflated.
“I’m going back to school on Monday.” You said softly. You drummed on the steering wheel.
“Then come back tomorrow.” He suggested. It wasn’t the same anymore. You two weren’t teenagers sneaking away during football games. His life was as real as yours, if not more. You held in the tears threatening to spill over.
“I’m sorry, Osc. That doesn’t seem like a good idea.”
The silence that came next was deafening. You stared straight ahead and let the tears stream down your face with no abandon. A gentle hand wiped them away.
“No crying. You gotta go see the world for the both of us, ‘kay.” He told you. There was no bitterness or sadness in his eyes. Just love. Love for you, for him, and for everything the two of you went through together.
You let your forehead rest on his.
“I promise.” You whispered to him. At that, Oscar stepped back and you saw him in full view.
He nodded one last time, and you pulled off into the night.
...
“Oh. My. God. Is that a hickey? That’s a hickey. You let Spooky give you that! You could be infected with all kinds of diseases that will haunt you for the rest of your life!”
Jamal’s freakout made you crack a smile. He had only seen Oscar as the Santo Spooky, Cesar’s scary ass older brother. But you had known him since you were twelve and had been with him since you were fifteen.
“We had history, it’s over now. Chill out.” You replied.
“Damn it, Y/N you know I can’t fight, why would you put me in this position!” He barked out. You smiled.
“Oh I know you can’t fight, you know being a D1 athlete and all.” You teased. You knew he’d eventually work up the nerve to tell your parents the truth, but it was fun messing with him in the meantime.
“Okay seriously, are you and Spooky gonna keep--ew, I can’t say it.” He rambled. You put your hands on his shoulders.
“Jamal, listen. I love Oscar and I always will. But we’ve outgrown each other. We grew up here, this our home, but you and I have stability and a way out that Oscar never had. Neighborhood will drag you back in and I can’t afford to do that. Grown decisions, ‘Mal.”
You plopped down on your bed, and stared at nothing. It really was over.
Jamal hugged you tightly, and you hugged him back. You hoped Cesar wouldn’t share his brother’s path. You had given up hope a long time ago that Oscar would. He couldn’t.
And it was cruel of you to hold onto him any longer, so you didn’t.
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porcelain-soupspoon4 · 4 years ago
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You’re Not So Bad (Isaac Foster x Reader)
A/N: I finished Angels of Death a few weeks back, and it was so good! I just had to write a short story about it. I’m not the best writer, but hopefully my first writing of this anime is somewhat close to Zack’s character.  
Warnings: Cussing, Blood Mention (it’s Zack)
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You never expected to meet someone like Zack until he arrived on Floor B2. You assisted Reverend Gray, acting as another guardian of B2 after he took you in when he found you as a homeless teen, sleeping on the outside steps of his building. He wasn’t the best father figure you could’ve had, but he still treated you better than the streets did. When hearing the elevator on your floor ding, you wanted to see who was there, but Reverend Gray stopped you, warning you to be careful of the people you may meet. When you asked why, he described the people that held the names Isaac Foster and Rachel Gardner. In all honesty, you didn’t think they were actually as bad as he made them sound, considering that he over exaggerates his descriptions of people to you to keep you safe. Also considering the other psychotic people he had as guardians on the other floors, you could trust your own gut when you met the duo. You stayed hidden in the background while you watched Reverend Gray journey with Rachel to Dr. Danny’s floor. Watching them leave from the end of the hall, you saw a man in a dark brown hoodie and a scythe laying on the ground. That must be Isaac Foster. You could tell that he was bleeding out badly, a pang of guilt and empathy coursing through you. You were hesitant to approach him, remembering that the Reverend said he was dangerous to meddle with and there was a high chance he could react violently to you if you dared to try and talk. But seeing him looking on the verge of death, you couldn’t help but walk slowly toward him. It may seem unreasonable to walk right into danger, but you knew you could take care of yourself. Reverend Gray provided you with a weapon of your own, a basket-hilted sword. He helped you to perfect every swing and stab. Not only that, but you weren’t too bad at fighting hand-to-hand either. Luckily, Isaac Foster appears to be too injured to try and fight back anyway. I honestly don’t think my sword would be able to block his scythe well, I hope he doesn’t use it on me, you thought. As you got closer and closer to the strange man, he fidgeted a bit. You paused your movements, clutching the handle of your sword in its scabbard. He weakly turned his head towards you, his eyes opening slowly. 
“Who the fuck are you? You gonna try and kill me?” he questioned, a sharp tone in his voice. You noticed he made no effort to reach for his scythe, so you let go of your sword’s handle. 
“No.....I wouldn’t try to kill someone if they’re already dying,” you responded. He let out a dry laugh. 
“I hate to break it to ya sweetheart, but I’m not dying any time soon. Monsters are hard to kill. Besides, good ‘ol Rachel’s gonna fix me up. But enough of the chitter chatter, you didn’t answer my first question. Who the fuck ARE you? I thought there’s only one guardian on each floor, unless Reverend Shithead cheated,” he spat. You let out a small chuckle, finding his way of talking a throwback to when you were a teen. Although, he seemed to be around the same age as you, twenty or twenty-two years old. His bandaged face looked confused to your lighthearted reaction. He scowled, “Hey, what’s all that laughing for? I didn’t even say anything funny.” 
“Oh nothing, just thinking of my teenage days. But to answer your first question, I am another guardian of this floor. My job is assisting Reverend Gray on this floor, though I’m not really allowed to interact with the people who come here. But I uh, couldn’t help feeling a bit bad for you, seeing you bleed out like that,” you finally confessed. Letting out another dry laugh, he looked at you with a smirk. 
“Feeling bad for me, huh? Not the best decision. Don’t know if you can already tell, but I’m a cold-blooded serial killer. If I wasn’t feeling shitty at the moment, I’d cut that pretty head of yours off. Seeing you this calm around someone like me really pisses me off,” he said. You only let out another small chuckle, which irked him even more. 
“I’m sure you would, Isaac Foster. Although, I don’t think a fight between the two of us would end so quick. My weapon may be smaller than yours, but I can hold my own very well. If I could survive majority of my childhood and teen years being alone in the streets, I think I could survive you,” you calmly said. His temper apparently sky-rocketed because the next moment, he was yelling. 
“The name’s Zack, you bitch! Don’t go being so confident in yourself, it’s sickening to watch. I bet my ass could ruin all that confidence with just one land of my scythe. I’ll have you begging for your life, just you wait ‘til I’m in a better state to kill ya. Ugh, now I have two bitches to kill!” he groaned, then coughed loudly, more blood oozing out of his wound. You felt guilty again, wanting to at least stop the bleeding for a little while. 
“I carry some bandages and patches with me in case there’s a time I ever need to fix myself. If you need some I can-”
“Just leave it alone, will ya? I already got Rachel getting shit for me back on the other floor, I don’t need your damn help! Why the hell does everyone wanna help me?” 
“M’kay, but you’re bleeding pretty badly, by the time she comes back, you’ll most likely be passed out-”
“I said leave it alone! Stop tryna play nurse, your stuff probably won’t even do shit.” 
“But it’s better to stop the bleeding as soon as-”
“Will you shut up? You’re gonna make me go into shock.”
“I just wanna help-” 
“I said I don’t want any damn help!” 
“Well you won’t be much of a monster by bleeding out all over this damn floor! If you wanna at least live long enough to kill that girl Rachel, you could at least be somewhat decent and let me patch you up before you go all out, getting your own self killed instead! Now shut the fuck up and let me help! Geez! How does that blonde girl deal with you?” you shouted. Your yelling got him to close his mouth and shut up, surprised that he got someone as calm as you to get angry. How can I get her angry, but not scared shitless? It’s like she wasn’t even phased by my damn appearance, he thought. There was a short silence in the hallway, until Zack finally spoke up. “Didn’t know you had all that anger in ya. Heh, to be honest you even got my crazy self startled. I have no clue how Rachel deals with me, but all I know is her messed up head wants me to kill her. So I’ll do it. If I want to keep my promise to her.....I guess you should do what ya want. But don’t be a pervert about it.”
A small smile formed on your face as you took out your supplies in the small medical bag you carried around. 
“How the hell are you smiling after all that? Sheesh, I’m starting to think you’re even weirder than Rachel is,” Zack let out noises of disgust. You scoffed, rolling your eyes at his childlike behavior. 
“Tell me something.....,” he began to say, “why haven’t ya mentioned anything about my appearance? I’m literally covered in bandages and burnt underneath. Don’t I freak you out at all? Why aren’t ya scared?” 
“Well, I’ve seen crazier. I also don’t like to make a judgement about someone based on only their appearance. Sure you’re not ordinary looking, but I know there’s more about you than what I see on the outside,” you replied. Everything that you needed to help him was taken out. You didn’t have any type of alcohol or a sewing needle and thread to fully cover what you believed to be a deep gash in his abdomen, but it was all that could be done for now until Rachel got back. You reached over towards his wound, but hesitated. You looked him in the eyes, as if you were silently asking for permission. He nodded slightly, his breathing hitching a bit when he saw the look your eyes held. You looked so genuine, not one hint of fear in you. Was that.....kindness? No, it couldn’t be. Why would anyone show kindness to him? You unzipped his hoodie, a faint blush on your face. Sure he was an asshole, but it still felt.....somewhat intimate? Not in an inappropriate way, just in a trustworthy way. The fact he had so much trust in one stranger to help him like this.....it was odd. You undid the bandages already on him that were worn out. His wound was revealed, and so was his skin. Wow....is all of him burned? You shook your thoughts away. You grabbed a bunch of gauze sponges you had and grouped them together, beginning to apply pressure to his wound. Zack hissed at the pain, saying almost every curse word you think is in the dictionary. You let out a soft “Sorry” as you continued to clean up the big amount of blood on his body. Once you began to bandage him up tightly, Zack started up another conversation. 
“You’re different from the other guardians.....why aren’t ya trying to kill me? Isn’t that what you guardians do?” he asked curiously. You showed him another small smile. That damn smile, why does she smile so easily at me? It’s not like Rachel’s forced ass smile. What’s up with this bitch? Why is her smile so.....familiar? 
“Well, like I said before, I just assist Reverend Gray on this floor. He’s the main guardian. I’m just someone he happened to take in after he found me sleeping on the steps of this building. Heh, teenager me. Homeless after my parents abandoned me as a toddler. I’m not sure what made Reverend Gray want to keep me. Sometimes he acts like a father, but then I remember how self praising he is,” you sighed, “I know the people on the other floors kill so you expect me to be the same, but I don’t want to kill someone if they aren’t totally out of their mind.” 
“So is that why you didn’t try to kill me? Cause ya think I’m not totally out of my mind? Heh, well I’m pretty sure me killing people for fun isn’t sane either. I hate seeing people happy, sooooo I kill ‘em. What’s not psycho about that?” Zack stated. 
“Well for starters, I didn’t try to kill you because you were already injured, so it wouldn’t have been fair. And you can’t be totally out of your mind if you let me help you with your injury.” Zack scowled at your reply, knowing you were right. Even as a serial killer, he had morals. He hated lying, and he himself would never tell a lie. 
“You remind me of him too much,” he grumbled. Your head perked up. 
“Did you say something?”
“I said you talk too much.” 
“No, you definitely said something else.” 
“No I said you talk too much.” 
“Doubt it, tell me what ya really said.” 
“That is what I really said.” 
“No.”
“Yes.”
“Zack.” 
“Ugh, I said you remind me of him too much,” he said softly. 
“Him?” you questioned. Zack sighed. “There was this man I met when I was younger, a blind man. He let me stay at his place for a couple days. Even after I told him I killed a guy, he still had that dumb smile on his face. He always had that smile on his face around me. It was annoying, him being so calm around someone like me. Pissed me off, but I didn’t kill him. He fed me and everything. I mean he already died cause of something else, but it doesn’t matter anyway. Are ya done with my bandages yet? It feels like it’s been hours!” 
You rolled your eyes at his commentary. “Well, whoever that man is, he had quite the patience with you.” 
“Hey! I was giving you a compliment! Geez, way to be rude!” Zack crossed his arms, turning away from you. You only chuckled once more. You finally finished wrapping enough bandages as you could, making sure it was snug enough. 
“Happy now, angry boy? I’m done. They’ll still get bloody, but at least the bandages are fresh and not worn out,” you said, giving him another smile just to annoy him. 
“Thanks,” he mumbled. “I never caught your name. Since I told ya mine, it’s only fair you tell me yours.” 
“It’s (Y/N),” you said. 
“Well (Y/N),” Zack rubbed the back of his head. “You’re not so bad.....maybe I’ll keep ya alive.” 
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all-my-love-for-harry · 4 years ago
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Watching Twilight with Harry.
summary: y/n forces harry to join her in her Twilight marathon.
word count: 1.5k
warnings: none! just tons of fluff
a/n: alright, folks. here’s the result of me going through my Twilight phase again. Enjoy! also, i should turn into a series watching tv with harry lmao
You can find the rest of my masterlist here
*:・゚✧ ✧゚・: *:・゚✧ ✧゚・:
Life was full with guilty pleasures. It could be a movie, a TV show, a food, even a celebrity. Y/N’s guilty pleasure was Twilight. She wasn’t sure why, but there was something about those movies that made her feel all blissful and excited, like she was a teenager all over again. And she enjoyed that.
Enjoyable things was exactly what she needed in order to not lose her mind during lockdown. Two months in and Y/N thought there was nothing else she could do that she hasn’t done already, so it was safe to say she was starting to feel a little trapped
One afternoon, Harry was out getting groceries and some other things they needed for the house and Y/N was just chilling in the living room, waiting for him to come back. As she scrolled down her instagram, she received a message from one of her cousins. It was just an inside joke about how they thought vampires were so cool when they were younger, and as she giggled, her brain clicked.
I wanna watch twilight. She thought.
Without giving it a second thought, Y/N turned on the TV and searched for the movies on Netflix. Deciding she’d watch the first one, she got comfortable on the couch before pressing play.
You see, everybody would agree the first movie of the saga was poorly edited and overall not that great, and although she’d cringe a lot during it, it was hilarious to watch years after it went out.
Y/N was so into the movie, almost drooling over Robert Pattinson, that she didn’t even hear Harry open the front door. “Babe?! I’m home!”
Harry’s voice snapped her out of her focus on the movie. “In the living room!” she answered. The curly-haired man gave her a dimpled smile before running upstairs to take a quick shower. Every time one of them went out of the house, they’d strip out of their clothes and take a shower in one of the guest bathrooms as a precaution.
He came back around twenty minutes later to put the groceries away and after doing so, he went to the couch and left himself fall next to his girlfriend making a ‘plop’ noise. “What are you watching?”
“Twilight.” She said, not taking her eyes off the screen but moving closer to Harry. He wrapped an arm around her shoulders, letting her fingers play with his hand without paying much attention.
“The one about the vampires?” He chuckled.
“Yeah, did you ever watch it?” she finally turned to look at him. For a split second he thought about teasing her about watching cringy 2008 cliché movies, but he noticed the way her eyes were light up with excitement, so he decided to shut up.
“I watched the first one, but because of Gemma.” He said. “But never watched the other ones. There’s other ones, right?”
“There’s five of them, and we’re watching them all.”
“Are we now?” He asked, squeezing her a little.
“You just said you’ve never watched the rest, you bet your ass we’ll watch them now.”
“Ugh, fine. Just because I love you.” He cupped her face with his free hand, forcing her to look at him. He planted a sweet kiss on the top of her nose before letting her eyes focus on the screen again.
To be honest, Harry couldn’t care less about what they were watching, but what he did love was the comments Y/N would make during it. She’d throw jokes, make fun of the character’s choices or mannerisms and while some people find it annoying when a person couldn’t shut up during movies, Harry happened to love that about her. He thought that without those little comments here and there, he’d die of boredom.
“Edwards is so cute!” She nearly squealed. “I swear to god he was like, the love of my life when I was fourteen.”
“I think I like the Jacob guy better.” He stated.
“No, you don’t. He gets annoying in the next ones so be prepared.” They kept watching in silence, until Y/N’s favorite scene came out. “God, this was such a cultural reset.”
“Babe, they’re playing… baseball.”
“Iconic.”
Harry couldn’t help but laugh at the last scene of Bella and Edwards dancing at prom. “Holy shit, that’s awkward babe.”
The first movie ended and Y/N was quick to put the second one and this time, Harry paid a little more attention because he hasn’t seen it before.
“Oh my god, why would he throw her to the freaking wall when he could’ve just pushed the other dude out of the way.” He said.
“Am I right? That was so dramatic.”
They reached the scene where Edward leaves Bella alone in the woods after he told her he didn’t want her anymore. “But he was lying right?”
“Yeah, he did it so she’d forget about him.” She said. “But homegirl was depressed. I swear there’s nothing more Twilight than having life changing conversations in the middle of the woods.”
Y/N cuddled closer to Harry, wrapping one of her arms around his torso. She had to admit New Moon wasn’t her favorite out of the whole saga, but it was just because she didn’t get to see Edward enough, and God knows how much Y/N loves some Edward Cullen screen time. However, Harry was pretty much enjoying himself.
“Of course she went with my man Jacob.” He smirked and wiggled his eyebrows when Y/N looked up at him.
“Oh my god.” She snorted. “I hate that he’s a minor and Bella is already 18.”
“The vampire is like, a hundred years older than her.”
“That’s hot.”
Harry let out a big belly laugh, having a hard time to catch his breath. Now, he couldn’t be jealous of her little teenage crush, and he actually found it quite adorable and hilarious at the same time.
“So she’s trying to get herself killed or something?”
“She’s trying to see Edward.”
“Why?! He felt her alone in the middle of the woods!”
“He thought he was doing the right thing!” She defended. “You know, I actually cried in the theater when I went to watch it. My sister doesn’t let that die.”
“Should I send a video to Molly when you start crying?” He teased.
“Don’t be mean.” She pouted. Harry copied her before pressing his lips on hers gently.
“Look, the vampires are back, yay.”
She giggled but turned back to the television anyway. It was the scene were Alice went back looking for Bella, then there was the scene were Jacob and Bella were alone in the kitchen and the phone rang.
“I hate this part.” She said, clinging into Harry’s arm.
“He made him believe she was dead.” Harry’s lips went into an ‘o’ shape, surprised. “Is he going to kill himself?”
“That’s his plan. Keep watching.” She told him. “God, poor Edward looked so bad.”
“Ooh, I like that car.” Harry pointed at the yellow Ferrari Alice stole in Italy. “Should we get a car like that?”
“To keep it in the garage until we can go out again?”
“I won’t be needing your services after all, gentlemen.” They heard Edward said.
“He says that like he was ordering his own murder on postmates.” Y/N scoffed, making her boyfriend laugh.
“Oh my god, he flies.” Harry said when the vampires started fighting and Edward was sent to the other side of the room.
They were reaching the end of the movie, were Bella made the Cullens vote to see if she’d become a vampire or not.
“If I were a vampire, would you turn into one for me?” Harry asked suddenly.
“Why are you the vampire? I have the most knowledge.”
“Baby, Twilight knowledge is not vampire knowledge.” He pinched her cheek.
“Whatever.” She scoffed. “And of course I’d do it. You’d be a pretty grumpy vampire if I wasn’t with you.” She gave him a playful smile.
“True.”
It was the last scene. Bella, Jacob and Edward were in to woods again, and the two men were going to start a fight.
“… Don’t make me choose, because it’ll be him. Is always been him.”
“Girl, same.” Y/N said.
“Heeeey.” Harry furrowed his eyebrows playfully.
Y/N put her hand on Harry’s thigh, knowing what was coming next.
“He’s gonna do it.” She squealed.
“Do what?”
“I have one condition, if you want me to do it myself. And then forever. Marry me, Bella.”
“Hell yes.”
“It ends like that?” He asked.
“Yep. Imagine having to wait another year to watch the next one.”
“Didn’t you read the books? You knew what’s gonna happen.”
“I mean, yeah. But what’s the fun in it if I can’t see Robert Pattinson’s face?”
“Alright, that’s enough for today.” He took the remote from her hands and hid it behind his back.
“Give it back, we have to watch the next one!”
“All I’m seeing is my girlfriend thirsting over a bloody vampire!”
“C’mon, I’m thirsty over you too.” She rolled her eyes.
“Now we’re talking.” Harry came closer to her so their faces were only inches away. He looked down to her lips then back to her eyes, smirking when he noticed her blushing. “You’re not too bad yourself, love.”
“Gee, thanks.”
He chuckled, giving her back the remote but not without stealing a little kiss from her. He went out of the couch and Y/N protested immediately. “Lemme go to the bathroom first, woman!”
“Don’t take too long, we still have work to do!”
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clandestine-j · 3 years ago
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GOSSIP GIRL, EP. 5 REACTION & REVIEW
alright
this episode was pretty good, i'm here for this vibe if they continue with it. lots of shit happened, i have feelings about it so lets go!
(this episode also helped me discover i really am a horrible person lol)
ADULTS:
NICK X KATE: Nope! Full stop, don't want it. Bitch you nasty for being friendly with him while posting about his daughter. Nick x Davis is the true otp.
JORDAN & CO: JAIL. Plain and simple, ya'll enjoying this too much. Jail. Please. I beg. Ya'll are sick. A gun in a school and you're Bruce Wayne? Bitch.
KATE: As stated above and addition, I started to be cool with you. You still have to go jail but after serving time, I might be cool with you afterwards. Then you flip flop again went back to doing the worst. Limiting the comments doesn't help. Raggedy.
RAFA: PRISON. And let me tell you, my boy, Aki, he got Fox News in the back of his pocket so, step the fuck back. That's why Max figured yo ass out. GO TO PRISON. PRISON. And he tried to play him for a fool at the end. Prison isn't enough, vanish.
KIKI: SIS! You gotta get it together for your daughter. She can't be the more but, I feel you. Do better, be better. It's not as easy as just saying it but if you have family you can rely on, start to rely. You're daughter her habits from you.
OUR KIDS:
JULIEN: BIG SISTER ENGERY THIS EPISODE. I'M LOVING IT AND LOVING IT. I think she can stop trying a bit now and but I'm here for the connection, I'm here for it all. Quick thinker, knew the circle wasn't tight. She wasn't really there for Audrey but she has been, I think she just got caught up. Since Zoya moved there, they haven't had the chance to just be sisters, to just love each other without any drama. They have not only the past month to make up for but years and she wants to do right by Zoya. I'm glad she realized at the end that, she needed to be there for Audrey but I'm not upset because I get it. I also LOVE that she finally, stood up to Monet and say and get wit it or get it out. Boom. I've been waiting.
OBIE: I wanna ride hard for you because people keep talking about your hair line. I think you need to learn that relationships will have ups and downs and it won't be perfect all of the time. I feel like Obie is chasing perfection, no fights, no problems, just coasting and it won't happen, it'll never happen. Do better. That being said, I'm glad we got something from Obie. I'm glad we got to see him being the Prince of New York. It's hella shady that you didn't just come out with the truth and you wanted to do a song and dance but Obie is doing more and using that name so yes, give me character stuff.
MONET: BYE. No, but really. Amazing one liners as always. I liked the little fight with Julien, I felt a bit of distress, I'm into it. While I did expect her to cross Julien, I didn't expect her to cross Luna and all her hard work, that was dirty but you moving the story and shit so what can I say? I don't think Monet will go for the crown but I could see her finding someone to prop up. I want more of her parents, maybe she has a very bad relationship with her mom? Also, sis, Julien is right, you can't keep jumping clients when they want to change and do up their image. No sis, no. (And you almost tanked Julien's career soooooooooooo)
AUDREY: SIS U WERE SINKING. Okay, so Audrey isn't a character I feel that connected too. She's bitchy, a little less than Lunet but still. So, I have a hard time caring but objectively, you should break up with Aki. You know him by now and maybe it's comfort or you really want to have something. It's okay, break up with him because he's a friend and not the boyfriend you need. You want someone who will let you vent, not solve. Not see. Go live with Julien. The fight with your mom is understandable (And realize that forcing people on her won't work.) because you shouldn't have to be the back bone of the family. The dad line was a low blow, the airport thing was a low blow but you're a teenage girl and what can I say? Nothing, just don't become the woman you hate even though parents are the models. That being said, if I had seen her interacting with her dad more, the line wouldn't have been as low. But I can't tell that he loves her, we don't even get a phone conversation. Do better writers. And I think at the party, she got a chance to see how her mom felt. I don't know what happened to move but I think it has something to do with her meds. Audrey, be a boss. Break up, tell him that ya'll are better as friends because it won't go has bad as you think it will. Move in with Julien (I just want to see it happen.)
ZOYA: I don't even have much to say. My sis was popping off this episode. I got sass, I got questioning her relationship with Obie. Yes, talk about how you feel about him with the girls and go girl stuff. I really felt her when she said she wanted her own friend, writers please give her, her own friends. PLEASE. I'M BEGGING. Simon, you dirty dog. I'm glad Obie got it out but he could've said something to her. I'm sick. I'm more upset that he wasn't a new friend or a love interest. Just ugh. But I liked Zoya this episode, she could worry about normal teenage stuff for the most part without having to worry about being attacked by Monet and Luna.
LUNA: MY GOOD SIS. Just like I didn't expect Monet to turn on her, I didn't expect her to not stand by Monet. I know she was enjoying the Zoya vibe and thought it was cute, she was becoming a bit more friendly sure but I wow, yas. Go off girl. I want to see more of fashion stylist Luna, a Luna sponsored fashion show where Aki models and drama happens? I'd be here for it, I am here for it.
MAX: I was ready to box. Listen. I was ready to fight this point as much as I felt for him. So, the feeling for him. He honestly, believes that Rafa is good for him. And he was catching feelings? He thought Rafa needed him in his life because he had no family, he also has no family in a sense to him at least. So, he's really caught up in this man. And I feel so bad that he said he's sober when he's with him or something along those lines. That's heartbreaking. I'm glad that talk in the end pulled him out of it, I'm glad he realized that he had a hand to play in his friends not wanting to be around him or deal with him. I'm glad he followed them and was in on the hug. Wonderful. Now my dude, you do not deserve Aki, not as a romantic partner or a friend. My boy was seriously worried, and you blew down on him WHILE using a nickname for his nickname....sick. I was ready to throw hands, like. My spirit was not right. That was so low. I keep seeing people say that because Max wasn't in a relationship, Audrey shouldn't feel some type of way and Aki is just letting his hurt roll off because he's worried but while you didn't have a duty in the relationship, you had a duty as a friend, to both of them. You ghost for a week and say nothing, no talking about the blow up or the outing and you running with this little stanky thing, you try to ease back into the group, no. And you still don't deserve Aki's time. Like. My dude did not hit you up after the kiss, he was not checking for you on that dating app, he was interested in other mens, you sat between the couple. Okay. He had been checking on you from jump. Just no. I'm sick of the shit. Never step to my boy like that again.
AKI: MY boy. Lemme get this out the way. You need to listen, not solve or give perspective. Like, she doesn't need it. I get your friends in danger but express how serious you think this is to her. I get that a long-distance relationship might not bother you and you think things will work out because there are bigger problems but talk to her. Re-assure her. Or break up with her her. As I said before, ya'll will not hate each other if you break up. And learn to just, even, pretend or something but you struggle in this aspect. Do better. That being said, Aki, episode MVP. He said, something is off, take him down. My perfect himbo man, said not my watch. And listen, you can't be as pushy because people don't respond but I'm glad you were on it. You knew. You said, I'mma run up on this man and you did. Yes. That being said, stand up for yourself, this boy does not deserve your energy. I get it. You might have a crush, this is bestie but bestie has not been treating you right for a while. And this was a new love. You're too loving, let some of that going at Rafa energy pop out around the friend group. But you a king and you care so much, just re-focus for now. Find you a cute lil thang and make the boy jelly. I need this resolved before I can accept anything canon, fanfics is where I'll be. But overall, Aki was making moves, you gotta learn something from the right wing media mogul.
GROUP: I finally feel like I talk about them as a whole. I wish they would've shown the others being upset by Max's ghosting because ya'll acting lowkey outta pocket and I didn't see anyone but Audrey and Aki check for this boy. Like, do you really care? But he fit into the group hug at the end. I know Monet saw a rising star in Zoya at the bar place, you make this a powerful DUO. YOU KNOW YOU WERE FEELING HER. Luna and Monet roll their eyes Audrey but ya'll bet not play like the three of ya'll don't enjoy gossip, fashion, talking about people and lowkey making fun of Zoya's newbie-ness together. Honestly, I'm happy we got more group interactions and little moments, I can start to kind of see how they were friends for a while even if all of them aren't close.
Random Thoughts:
how was your son missing for two weeks on and off and there isn't more panic, you different but oh no heartbreak
aki is so loving towards everyone's parents, i love it
i also love that he assumed max was with aki
audrey as the child as it worse but her kiki's acting makes me feel for her more lol
the two girls were a bit of fun, i'd like to see monet take them down or build them up for fun
"i'm chuck bass" + the lil pull was great
i feel like max was already thinking about them becoming more when he mentioned audrey pushing him out but i'll take crumbs so he was probs just thinking about sex or the group as a whole
kate get out of nick's life, nick keep her out
zoya stop talking to that woman
jordan eww no, you can have kate
i'll ship obie and aki to get aki with someone that likes him and loves him, they talk, they have do something, i'll take it, whatever
i want throuple and i want akimax but not like this, i can't take the threesome scene unless max say's sorry and aki ducks him for half the episode if it's not that, i don't want it
maybe it's the start of a dream and it ends
(i do really want the ship but i don't trust the writers or the characters)
SIMON, I WAS ROOTING FOR YOU
who or what was max suppose to be?
why am i getting teachers and not family, i've seen jordan just one too many times
rafa prison
obie had shit to do this episode, use the money, i wanna see it
when will a student or random party gain control of gossip girl, give me that
rafa prison
i also think i’m a horrible person because i care more about stopping rafa than audrey’s home life so i was rooting for aki
overall, solid episode, maybe the footing has been found? i'm here for it and ep 6 looks like it's about to pop off
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seriousfic · 3 years ago
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No Time To Die is a long movie. Here’s the short version (spoilers)
Bond: Madeline, I was just ambushed at Vesper’s grave! You must’ve sold me out!
Madeline: No, it’s not true!
Bond: What are the other possibilities? That Blofeld has a small army of assassins waiting at Vesper’s grave, ready to take me out at a moment’s notice if I ever show up there? Just hanging out, year in and year out, just in case?
That: *is literally what happened*
Madeline: Hold on a minute, I’m getting a suspicious phone call.
Blofeld: Madeline, I’d just like to congratulate you on being loyal to Spectre all this time and betraying Bond and sacrificing yourself to kill him too. (You probably could’ve just shot him while he was sleeping or something, since you’re totally a double agent, but you didn’t and I respect your choice.)
Bond: Wow. I should probably check out how Blofeld is clearly still commanding Spectre despite me putting him in prison. That’s not something I should just forget about for the next five years.
Madeline: James, please, you must believe me, he’s lying!
Bond: Well, he is completely untrustworthy, he did clearly try to kill you in SPECTRE. You also saved my life in that movie and blew half of Blofeld’s face off. And that phone call sounded like the most transparent attempt at a frame-up imaginable. How should I, a grown-ass man and veteran superspy—not a hormonal teenager—respond to this?
Madeline: Well, you should probably gather evidence, weigh it, calmly and rationally think through the events of the day…
Bond: I HATE YOU I HATE YOU I NEVER WANT TO SEE YOU AGAIN!!!
Five Years: *later*
M: I think we should get Madeline Swan to work for us.
Moneypenny: The girl that Bond told us was totally untrustworthy and quite likely a double agent?
M: Yes, sounds like a great hire.
Moneypenny: Because she seems untrustworthy and quite likely a double agent to me.
M: I suppose, but she’s the only one Blofeld will talk to.
Moneypenny: …why do we want Blofeld to talk to someone who’s untrustworthy and possibly a double agent?
M: So we can get information out of him! Blofeld is the best intelligence asset we have! (direct quote from movie)
Moneypenny: Okay, if he’s sharing valuable intelligence with us…
M: Oh, no, he’s a gibbering maniac who spends all day talking nonsense to himself.
Moneypenny: Then… he’s not giving us intelligence…?
M: He is.
Moneypenny: But you just said he’s a raving lunatic.
M: Yup!
Moneypenny: Why do we want intelligence from him if we think he’s crazy?
M: Look, you’re going to have to accept I’m shitty at my job. For instance, I accepted an annoying comic relief defector who is racist and put him to work designing DNA-targeting nanomachines. Think of it: a weapon that targets only the exact person you want to kill, with no collateral damage… except everyone in their family.
Moneypenny: So how would we get the DNA of the person we want to kill in the first place? If we can get close enough to some terrorist to get a DNA sample from him, can’t we just shoot him instead?
M: Oh yeah, sure, the new 007 is a skinny broad who weights maybe a hundred pounds soaking wet. I’ll just bet she can beat up Dave Bautista on her way to shoot up Spectre headquarters. Virus me!
Moneypenny: Whatever. I’m going to get a coffee, you want anything? …why the fuck did these movies reintroduce me if all I do is get dialogue bounced off me in exposition scenes? I could be replaced with a Funko Pop toy and no one would notice the difference.
Meanwhile, Bond has retired until Felix Leiter shows up to get him back in the game.
Felix: Hey, Bond, old buddy, old pal, ready for another crazy adventure? We’ve sure had some good times together, haven’t we? Let’s get back to work, brother, it’ll be just like the old days!
Bond: Oh, you’re so dead, aren’t you?
Felix: What are the chances that I would die on this, the final mission I do with you before I retire to spend more time with my fam—oh shit, yeah, I’m done for.
Ash: Bond, Felix, hey, it’s me, the new guy, Ash! I know I seem like a totally pointless character and that my role in the story could easily be performed by Felix on his own and that I’m played by a pretty big name for such a small, minor character, but don’t you worry about me, I’m gonna love helping you out on your adventures!
Bond: And you’re totally a traitor, aren’t you?
Ash: Ha, fooled you! It’s actually that cute Ana de Armas! After she charms her way into your heart with a fun action sequence, it’ll extra sting when she betrays you!
Bond: Really?
Ash: No, it’s totally me, and she’s just gonna disappear from the movie after being in one scene. You don’t even get to bed her.
Bond: Oh, right, we’re doing that MCU thing where everyone is physically perfect and shows off their hot bodies in form-fitting clothes, but no one is actually attracted to each other.
Ash: Yeah, any kind of sexuality other than veiled lesbianism from strong female characters will get you canceled these days, so you’re basically saving it for marriage now. Anyway, we’d better get on with the plot, this movie is nearly three hours and we still don’t elaborate on the villain’s motivation beyond him literally claiming to hate freedom.
Plot: *happens*
Bond: This seems like a good time for me to have a bunch of relationship drama with my ex, touch base with all the sundry side characters at MI-6, and let the screenwriters pat themselves on the back for making ‘the new 007’ a black woman even though they take that back like immediately.
Plot: *grinds to a halt*
Blofeld: Ah, James, you made it. You’re aware, of course, of how in Skyfall, the filmmakers brutally ripped off the Joker, right down to having Silva let himself be caught as part of his dastardly master plan?
Bond: Yes, it was incredibly unoriginal and groan-inducing and didn’t make much sense.
Blofeld: Well, now we’re going to recreate the ‘Clarice consults with Hannibal’ scene from a million other movies. Even Austin Powers did it in his third movie.
Bond: Right, right, you’re going to taunt my about my angsty past, I’m going to lose my cool and smack you, that sorta thing?
Blofeld: Precisely. I should also let you know that Madeline has a huge, important, mind-blowing, insane, earth-shaking, completely unbelievable secret that will change absolutely everything and make you shit yourself!
Bond: Yeah, because she met Sassafras in the opening scene, I take it they have an incredibly important relationship and she holds some penetrating insight into his goals and psyche?
Blofeld: Oh, no, nothing like that, you knocked her up and she has your kid.
Bond: …wow, have I been having unprotected sex this entire time? I know parodies love to joke about me racking up STDs and bastard children, but I really haven’t been so much as wearing a condom?
Blofeld: Oh, also, Sassafras is obsessed with Madeline, even though they just met as adults for the first time like fifteen minutes ago.
Bond: How convenient. Well, I’d better go see her. I guess we need to wrap up your character, so could you die or something?
Blofeld: Gak!
Bond: Thanks. Wow, who knew that the revenge of Blofeld, my greatest enemy, would be a minor footnote in Sassafras’s master plan to, uhh… err… hate freedom or whatever.
Bond hurries off to see Madeline, who is still living in the house where her mother was brutally murdered in front of her, you know, like a weirdo.
Bond: I have a daughter?
Madeline: She’s not yours. (beat) Yes she is. (beat) Please ignore how insanely cruel it would be in real life for someone to make no effort whatsoever to let a man know he’s become a father and his child is growing up without him.
Bond: That’s okay, I was more thinking how contrived it is that I’ve been in love with you for the past five years, but also decided never to reach out to you or double-check your apparent betrayal at all, which might give you a chance to tell me I’m a father. And also none of my besties at MI-6 realized you were pregnant and considered I might be the baby daddy.
Madeline: Oh, James, promise me that my baby and I won’t get taken hostage again in some clichéd damsel in distress plot when the exact same thing happened to me in the very last movie? And everyone’s spent like six months hyping this movie up by talking about how woke it is.
Bond: Don’t worry, you’ll manage to save yourself, which is by this point equally as clichéd as you being held hostage in the first place. Oh, and I guess Sassafras will just let the kid go.
Madeline: That sounds impressively half-baked.
Bond: You think that’s contrived, wait until you see all the reinforcements I bring with me to raid Sassafras’s fortress and take down his private army.
Madeline: Is it just going to be you and that other 007?
Bond: Yup.
Bond and Not!Bond fly off to confront Sassafras on his private island, even though we just had one of those in Skyfall. But this time Bond can’t summon up a dozen attack helicopters to come with him, For Reasons.
Bond: Okay, Sassafras, it’s time to talk!
Sassafras: Blah blah oblivion! Blah blah playing God!
Bond: Yeah, yeah, you’re the villain, we get it. I need to know what I’m even trying to stop you from doing!? There are boats coming here to… pick up the virus? And take it somewhere?
Sassafras: Blah blah eradicate people! Blah blah tragic hero…
Bond: Your entire backstory and motivation was to get revenge on Spectre, but you did that a quarter of the way through the movie, when every single person in the organization gathered together to throw a birthday party for Blofeld, who wasn’t even there.
Sassafras: Blah blah contrived!
Bond: What are you trying to do NOW? What are the stakes? What is your goal? Shit, I don’t need much to go on here! Are you just a greedy asshole who wants to get rich? That would be enough for me, I just need SOMETHING, not for your objective to be so vague it’s completely meaningless.
Sassafras: Blah blah making the world a better place!
Bond: Christ, if this is some greater good Thanos shit, I’m just skip ahead to shooting everyone.
Bond: *shoots everyone*
Sassafras: Ha ha, joke’s on you, Bond! I’ve injected you with my nanobots! If you ever touch Madeline or her daughter again, they’ll die!
Bond: Oh. Okay. I guess I’ll just stay away from them until Q finds a cure, like reprogramming the nanobots or something. I mean, the guy hacked an eyeball thirty minutes ago, so…
Sassafras: N… no… that won’t work… the nanobots will spread from you to anyone you touch until they eventually reach Madeline! So there!
Bond: Okay, I guess I’ll just live in isolation until Q finds a cure. That seemed like what I was doing after the credits sequence anyway and I was pretty happy.
Sassafras: But you have to make sure that my bioweapon factory gets blown up too!
Bond: Okay, I’ll tell the British warships to abort their missile strike, then launch another one when I get clear.
Sassafras: Nuh-uh! The boats are almost there!
Bond: Won’t it take them a while to load up all the nanobots? It’s not like plugging in a USB drive. I’ll just have MI-6 intercept the boats. They’re boats. We can sink them or board them or whatever.
Sassafras: But that could create an international incident with Russia and Japan!
Bond: Wouldn’t Great Britain blasting the shit out of a disputed island do that anyway?
Sassafras: Look, we’re operating on Admiral Holdo logic here. This plan will go off without a hitch despite how nonsensical it is, but only if you sacrifice yourself. It’s a movie, the audience won’t accept you sacrificing yourself for nothing, so as long as you die, whatever you wanted to happen happens.
Bond: So I guess I’ll just stand around and wait to get blown up?
Sassafras: That’d be best, yeah.
Bond: You know, everyone KNOWS we’re facing a biothreat here. Wouldn’t Q have some equipment ready to quarantine me, just in case this exact thing happened?
Sassafras: Just shut up and exchange a tearful goodbye with Madeline already. God! You’re probably too shot up to get away from the blast anyway.
Bond: Well then, isn’t my sacrifice pretty meaningless? It’s not my choice, I’m dead either way.
Sassafras: RRRAAGGGHHHH!
Bond: In fact, me facing death with dignity would probably be a better ending than me just giving up—
Sassafras: It doesn’t matter one way or the other! Either way, Eon is about to reboot the series with a new actor playing Bond! The next movie will be exactly the same whether or not you die! It’s completely pointless except as a naked attempt to tug at the audience’s heartstrings and give Daniel Craig an Oscar clip moment, because everyone knows they’re not going to stop making Bond movies! You might as well regenerate like a fucking Time Lord!
Bond: Oh no, no way I’m risking getting turned into Jodie Whittaker!
Bond: *gets blown up*
Sassafras: Fucking finally. I was worried my evil organization was going to have time to ask why they’re all loyal to me and how I’m paying them. Gak!
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the-final-sif · 5 years ago
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BNHA Venom!AU (set in the US for ease of writing) where Izuku is a baby symbiote who accidentally ended up on earth. He ended up lucking into a host, an 8 year old Katsuki who’d been backpacking through the woods nearby where he landed.
Katsuki was always a bit of a weird kid. He didn’t get along well with any of the kids he knew, and his parents were rather distant, being high-end fashion designers meant they were always off across the world doing other things. As a result, when this weird alien attaches itself to him, he’s annoyed for sure, but he doesn’t panic, or call the police, or really do any of the normal things that a child should do in that situation.
He just kinda,,, puts up with Izuku. Sure, he’s pissed off and he tells Izuku to go away for awhile, but soon enough he learns to accept this weird alien that’s a part of his life.
Quickly, both he and Izuku discover that Izuku can help him do some pretty cool things, and Izuku needs lots of chocolate to stay healthy. Both things are just fine by Katsuki, and he ends up deciding that Izuku is actually alright in his books.
Some government agents snoop around, at least somewhat aware of an alien being in the area, and Katsuki quickly learns to hide Izuku from anyone else. He doesn’t want them to take his new friend and hurt him like they described. Katsuki manages to escape suspicion as not even his own parents know about his backpacking/hiking hobbies, and nobody really thinks a spoiled 8 year old kid of two fashion designers would be 10 miles out in the woods.
After that, life keeps going for Izuku and Katsuki. They learn to live together, how to adapt to all the various quirks of sharing a body, how to use the powers Izuku can give Katsuki, and how to keep Izuku well hidden.
It’s all going great, right up until Katsuki makes it into an extremely prestigious boarding school; UA. It’s his dream high school, but it’s so much harder to hide the fact he’s got an alien living in his body when he’s living with other teenagers, and the security at the school is much higher than what he’s used to. For fuck’s sake, the vice president’s kid goes to this school! There’s no way they aren’t getting caught.
Still, Izuku doesn’t want Katsuki to give up on his dream and encourages him, so Katsuki reluctantly goes to UA anyways, trying his best to keep Izuku hidden.
But there are... incidents. Not ones where anyone dies, but people seem intent on harassing Katsuki, from fellow classmates to muggers outside the school, and Izuku is very protective by nature. After a few of these ‘incidents’, a certain underground branch of the government starts getting suspicious again, launching an investigation into the school.
Meanwhile, Aizawa, Katsuki’s primary teacher, has started noticing lots of weird things about Katsuki. Like how he always has two columns in his notebooks, with one side full of carefully written notes and the other side filled with random excited musings in rushed handwriting. Or how sometimes he'll seem to become a different person for a moment, or how he seems to vanish at odd moments.
Weirdest of all is his homework/essays, where Aizawa would swear half the time it's a different person writing them (he only knows for a fact it's Katsuki doing both, since he's watched the kid write most of his essays at various stages in the library). The core ideals themselves seem to change between essays, and that’s what bothers him the most since he’s never seen that in a student before.
Being the good concerned teacher he is, Aizawa considered all the evidence before he called Katsuki into his office. Katsuki and Izuku are sure they've been caught.
Then Aizawa asks Katsuki if he's ever been tested to having multiple personalities.
And listen, Katsuki does not believe in faking mental disorders. But by this point, he's really worried that the government is gonna get Izuku, so when he sees the chance to excuse all his weird behaviors he latches on with everything he’s got.
So Katsuki explained, while trying to lie as little as possible, that he's never formally been tested (and he doesn't want to be), but there is another person living in his body named Izuku. Izuku is very shy though, and would prefer to not be mentioned/brought attention to. As such he asked Aizawa to not tell anyone else about him. Aizawa agreed easily, after all he doesn’t see any real risk from Izuku, and he’s happy that Katsuki was honest with him about the situation. He tells both of them that they can come talk to him any time if they need help, Katsuki agreed to that, and for a little while Izuku & Katsuki were safe.
I dunno exactly how the class finds out about Izuku, but I do know that Iida is one of the first ones during a tense situation. As a result, Katsuki and Izuku get to watch as straight laced goody two shoes Iida looks a government agent right in the eyes and lies his ass off to him to protect Izuku.
 For this AU, the ‘Kidnapping’ happens when the government managed to catch onto Katsuki. They’re sure they’ve finally found the alien, and they move in to capture Katsuki.
Only, Katsuki gets wind of this ahead of time, so in a quick moment of desperation, he forces a weakened Izuku to transfer off of him and onto Shouto, since Enji is like the vice president in this AU and that makes Shouto much, much harder for a government agency to fuck with. Shouto is somewhat aware of what Izuku is, and he agrees to take the other to safety.
Poor Izuku can only watch as Katsuki is captured, while Shouto forces him to stay hidden for all their safety.
It's okay though, because the four people who know about Izuku and what happened (Shouto, Kirishima, Iida, and Momo) decide to break into the government base to get Katsuki back, with Izuku's help obviously.
They get most of the way through their super secret infiltration mission, but something goes wrong and they’re almost caught. 
Until while they're hiding and the people search for them are a hair away from discovering them, an absolutely furious Aizawa just fucking waltzes in with the fucking president (All-Might for this AU) to demand his student back.
Now at this point, the agency has no actual proof of alien life. They have half connected incidents and eyewitness reports, but nothing definitive. When they took Katsuki into custody, they’d tested him immediately, sure that they were going to get their proof that way, but since Katsuki no longer has Izuku, the tests all came back negative. As such they have no real justification for having basically kidnapped him.
The agent guy or whoever has been chasing them tries to justify themselves by offering proof of 'Izuku' existence, specifically recordings of Katsuki talking to himself and referring to an ‘Izuku’ as well as written notes. Aizawa's responds that he was already aware of Izuku, that Katsuki had already discussed the other with him, and that he cannot believe they've detained a 16 year old on account of him having multiple personalities. All-Might backs Aizawa up, and shuts down the entire thing as there’s no evidence they’ve done anything but harass Katsuki.
That leaves the agents shit out of luck, so they have to let Katsuki go. The other kids sneak out the way they came in, before quietly joining Aizawa and Katsuki. Aizawa waits until everyone is outside and out of range of any cameras, and then he just turns on the entire group.
"Okay, so first of all, I'm extremely disappointed that you four decided to break into a government agency with armed guards before so much as texting me."
"I'm so sorry sir."
"We could've thought that through a little better, I'll admit."
"Katsuki was in trouble, but yeah, I guess we could've asked for help."
"I stand by what I did and I'd do it again."
Aizawa, actively chooses to ignore Shouto's comment for right now, but does still glare at him for it.
"Second of all, that man may be a fool, but I am not. Where's the alien?”
Everyone's quiet for a tense moment before Izuku makes his choice and pokes his head out from Shouto, introducing himself politely.
After getting a full explanation on what happened, Aizawa gives Katsuki a Look (tm) to which Katsuki defends himself.
“Listen, I did not lie, I just purposefully omitted that the person living in my body is also an actual alien from outer space.”
And Aizawa can’t really argue with that, so he just accepts that his class has an extra student in it from now on.
They let the rest of class 1-A in on the Izuku secret, since a lot of them had been coming close to figuring it out anyways, and so the entire class slowly adjusts to having an alien as one of them. It’s surprisingly easy to come to terms with, and as Izuku slowly starts coming out of his shell (ie hiding inside Katsuki whenever someone tries to talk to him), the entire class discovers he’s a total sweetheart & adore him.
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inkstaineddove · 3 years ago
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Man as Mirror
Ships: PruAus if you wish; background PruHun and FraAus
Characters: Roderich, Gilbert; mentioned Erzsi + Francis
Summary: Arriving home early from Paris, Roderich encounters a shirtless Gilbert in his kitchen, leading them to have a conversation Roderich could've gone without.
Vienna, 1774.
Once his carriage safely rolled to a stop, Austria stepped out of it and stretched. While even he could not deny the beauty of Paris, nothing pleased the heart quite like home. Servants rushed about him, ushering in his extensive luggage. Sidestepping away from them, he gazed up at the early-morning sky and allowed himself the luxury of taking it all in. The fading purple of night, the sun shyly poking its face out through his hedges, and the birds singing their daily hymns. Truly, there was nowhere quite like home.
Feeling sufficiently uplifted, he entered the home and mindlessly made his way up the stairs. He froze once his hand hovered above the doorknob to his bedroom. He had been burned once before doing this and while, thankfully, all other parties had been asleep, the event had caused him enough mental anguish to power him through another three decades. Still, the desire to change out of his travel clothes was nigh impossible to dismiss. Leaning an ear against the door, his decision was made for him when he heard something like a moan come from Erzsébet. Changing could wait.
All remnants of his good mood dissipated as he silently grumbled to himself about their guest. While it certainly came as no surprise – Erzsébet did this every time he was out of town and, honestly, Roderich had grown to expect it – but hearing them was different. Sure, he was no fool and they made no effort to pretend but having indisputable proof of their trysts was another. Roderich was cursed to have found a spouse and enemy full of cunning. He noted that, if the two of them ever put their powers to good use, he’d have to compliment them for it. For now, while he was their target, any appreciation was out of the question.
He felt his body yearning for caffeine and knew what the next item on his agenda must be. Still lost in his thoughts, he was completely caught off guard at the sight of a bare-chested Gilbert standing over the kitchen counter. It was comical, really, watching such a brutish man delicately pour cream into two dainty mugs, mentally measuring out the right amounts. Roderich stood back and watched the whole performance in domesticity, studying the man before him as he never had before. The way his back and shoulder muscles shifted with each movement; how he never slouched even when it would be far more comfortable to; how the whole time, he never stopped humming marches to himself.
This scene felt too intimate and Roderich understood that he was not its intended audience. What he needed most from his rival now was hostility and not misguided fantasies of marital bliss. He cleared his throat and stepped into Gilbert’s line of sight. “For me? How sweet of you.” He snatched the mug closest to him and added in his usual five spoonsful of sugar. He held up a finger when he felt Gilbert gearing up to protest. “She’s still asleep. Besides, no one likes waking up to cold coffee. It sets such a tone for the day.”
They settled into a tense silence, neither one wanting to acknowledge the other. It was childish, Roderich understood, but failing to will the other out of his existence was better than devolving into petty insults or a physical altercation. And, if he ignored all rational thoughts, he didn’t even care. When around each other, what else were they but ancient children? There was no reason for them to speak, why invent one?
“Paris again? How many times have you been there over the last three months?” There almost appeared to be a hint of affectionate teasing in Gilbert’s words.
Roderich turned to face him and was surprised to find Gilbert already observing him with mild interest. What a strange morning, one he wished he could find some escape in by returning to bed but felt certain would provide him with no real escape. If anything, the pair would wake him up and demand he leave his own damn bed for another room, that’s how selfish they were. Against his will, he felt himself noticing the strength in Gilbert’s body, all broad shoulders and muscle, the physique of the ideal warrior. All suddenly clicked on why Roderich always found himself flat on his ass whenever they’d begin to trade blows. His arrogance had blinded him to the fact that imperial power mattered little when they weren’t trying to kill each other on the battlefield. With biceps like that, his only chance to get the upper hand would be a swift kick to the groin, which even at his worst he was too principled to resort to.
He was brought back to reality when Gilbert began snapping his fingers in his face. “Jesus, has anyone ever told you how creepy that staring thing you do is? Like you were trying to undress me with your eyes.” He straightened up and shivered. “Commission a portrait, it’ll last longer.”
“Please, don’t be so crass. This,” Roderich flippantly pointed to Gilbert’s outfit, “is already enough. If I imagined you in any less, I’d be ill for at least a month.”
Gilbert smirked as he took a sip. “Funny, most people have the opposite reaction.” He leaned his hips back against the counter and crossed his arms over his chest. “Now, how much more stalling can you do? What’s kept you in Paris so much? I don’t recall most treaties taking that much time to…hammer out.” He bit his lip, trying to suppress his snickering.
“It’s rude to talk work at breakfast.” Austria couldn’t be bothered to mask his irritation. Things such as ‘politeness’ and ‘civility’ always seemed to go to waste on Prussia. “And, if you’re fishing for what’s in our agreement, you’ll have no such luck from me. You’re wasting your time.”
“You think I give a damn about what’s on a fucking piece of paper? As if I’d be wasting my time on that. I don’t know who blabs more for the right price, your officials or France’s.” Gilbert’s demeanor was too casual. “Most of the time, we don’t have to go to those damn meetings anyways. We’re little more than decorations, the bureaucrats have everything written before they even breathe a word to us. We know that, they know that. There are always ulterior motives for our little business trips. Whenever I come here, I tell my current minder I’ll be off doing a diplomatic something-or-other in Vienna for a week, don’t wait up.  They buy it even though they know the real reason I come to this shrine of gaudy antiques.”
“Your point, Gilbert?”
“My point is that you’re no different. Sure, you tell everyone that you’re renegotiating this or that little detail and maybe your officials believe it. And you tell it to Erzsi, and she believes it since it’s easier than thinking the husband she loathes so much is just as miserable as her. And maybe you believe it too because you have to lie to yourself first to lie to everyone else. But you can’t fool me.”
The whole time he spoke, Roderich was staring down into the contents of his mug. When all was quiet between them was when he finally looked up, laughing. “You must be desperate if you’re begging to get a morsel of gossip on me from me.”
Gilbert scoffed. “I’m not fishing for gossip. If I was, I would’ve gone through your letters while you were gone. And, before you ask, I’ve never done that. Not for lack of trying, I’m just not good at picking locks.”
The vein behind Roderich’s left eye began pulsating. He rubbed his temple gingerly, wincing. “I think I prefer it when you act like you can’t stand to be in the same room with me. Why the annoying younger brother schtick?”
“Maybe I’m making up for lost time.” For added emphasis, Gilbert made sure to loudly schlurp down a sip. Roderich’s wince at such a noise caused him to snort some coffee out his nose. Wiping it away, he grinned. “Or maybe I just want you to stop thinking you’re any better than me. Get you when you’re unguarded.”
“There’s a glaring hole in your plan. You’ve forgotten that I would never allow myself to be so vulnerable around you, no matter what time of day it is.” He mockingly shook his head, tutting. “I understand that, for now, we’re officially getting along just fine, but don’t mistake that for camaraderie. The first chance either of us gets, we’ll be back to stabbing each other in the back for sport. It’s who we are.”
“Well, aren’t you a pessimist.”
“Hardly. I simply know our natures too well,” Roderich sighed, growing weary at this line of conversation. “So, if this is only temporary, why should I feign tolerance towards you? Quite honestly, you’re not important enough to me for that sort of performance. Even if you were, you would see right through it. No, my energy is better spent on nobler pursuits.”
Gilbert had set his mug down, now drumming his fingers on the countertop. “I’m not asking for friendship; I’m asking for honesty.” He rolled his eyes with the temperament of a teenager. “Whatever. You got me sidetracked. It’s pointless anyways; you’re too delusional.”
“Excuse me?” That was quite the accusation from an unusual source. “At this point, you may as well come right out and say it.”
“If you insist,” Gilbert’s tone lilted up, songlike and jeering. “What you won’t admit is what I started this whole conversation with. All these trips to Paris, they’re not about work or diplomacy or any of your other shitty excuses. I know and you know that the only purpose is to blow a load in Francis’ ass and get away from your miserable life.”
Roderich set his mug down gently. There was no need for it to spill, to make a mess all over the clean marble. “For a moment, I’m going to ignore the vulgar insinuation you’ve made about my relationship with Francis.” He looked up, not breaking eye contact with Gilbert. “You know nothing about my life and my contentment with it. I understand that you are a deeply unhappy and wretched creature and why shouldn’t you be? There is nothing for you to go home and boast about, no shining accomplishments of yours not bathed in the blood of an innocent people, but do not project your misery onto me. For all your crowing to the contrary, we have never been, nor will we ever be, the same.”
Gilbert scoffed. “And everything you’ve ever done, there was only glory to be found there? All the princes you absorbed into your own lands, they were willing? The Bohemians, the Hungarians, they love your rulers? Are you pretending that only Russia and I invaded Poland because I remember seeing you at the table, carving out portions for yourself.”
“I’m not so naïve to believe I haven’t picked up the sword before. And, if necessary, I would again. You’d be wise to remember that.” Roderich straightened up, pulling his shoulders back. “But I’ve achieved just as much without force as with. The home we’re currently standing is a monument to such.”
“Please. It’s a monument to other people’s power and what it can get you. We don’t impact change, we just ride the waves of it,” Gilbert sneered. “This house is a prison for all who come in it. A golden cage is still a cage, Roderich, even for the largest bird.”
Roderich sighed with a roll of his eyes. “Mixing your metaphors doesn’t make you sound wiser, I’ve told you this before.” Needing caffeine for his growing headache, he took a sip. “I assume you’re including yourself among the captives.”
“To a degree. I can leave whenever I want – as you love to point out, I do have my own house – but where would one of us be without the other two? We are the protagonists of our own tragedy.”
“I sincerely regret that old king of yours got you into theater. Next you’ll be telling me how all the world’s a stage and we are but merely players.” When Gilbert opened his mouth to comment on that, Roderich held up his hand. “That wasn’t an invitation for your Shakespearean theories!” He rubbed the bridge between his nose, his prior weariness intensifying. “Why does it matter to you so much? Why must I parade my discontent as you and Erzsébet do? If you make your life’s purpose revenge against an unjust world – there you go! I admit it’s unjust! – you are sure to become more miserable than ever before. Perhaps you should learn that before it destroys you like one of your dear tragedies.”
“It matters because you act like you’re superior to us in every way when, really, you’re no different. And I don’t think I’ll ever understand that,” Gilbert’s voice softened with something akin to regret.
Something in his tone of voice, in his posturing, lit a fire within Roderich. His eyes hardened and he pressed his lips into a scowl. “Understanding is what you want? If it’ll get the defiling power of your pity off me, then so be it! I am better than you in every conceivable way. If I am to you but a mirror, peer close and you’ll realize it too. Where you feel trapped by the circumstances life has thrown us in, with a life that can never truly be our own, I’ve taken what you’ve failed to grasp. While you were slaughtering pagan Easterners in your little bog, I was here, accumulating wealth and power you’ve only fantasized about. I am the seat of an empire that you only have access to through Brandenburg.
“But those are meaningless things, aren’t they? Because here’s what really matters to you – the only thing, isn’t it? I’ve seen how you stare; I know that look – I’ve got what a childhood spent pining among the monks prevented you from getting. Did you ever mention it to them? How young love made that vow of celibacy torturous? How close did you come to breaking it? How many Hail Mary’s did they make you perform for every impure thought? Do you wonder what they’d think of you now, going through all this because you’re in love with your brother’s wife? Phrased just so, they would burn you at the stake again. Ah, but the hellfire is familiar, isn’t it?” Roderich glanced at the clock hanging behind Gilbert’s shoulder. “Erzsébet should be waking now. Go play domestic and bring my wife some coffee.”
Roderich forced himself away from Gilbert, who was left crestfallen with his wide eyes and gaping mouth. He had said enough, gloating would be overkill. He entered his study and locked the door. If there would be consequences for his monologue, let them come later.
The day was still new. Roderich stared out the window. Despite checking the clock, his adrenaline had made him forget the time. He approximated it was no more than nine. He began pouring himself a glass of brandy, but stopped, preferring to drink from the bottle. He gazed around the vast emptiness of the room beyond its sole occupant. He raised the bottle for a toast:
“To the prison of my own making. There is no place quite like home.”
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pikemoreno · 4 years ago
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a lovely night
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pairing: cassian andor x gn!reader
word count: 2k
warnings: nothing at all
a/n: really really excited to finally write for my main man cassian andor. this takes place before the events of rogue one, obviously, i’d say multiple years before. and it’s loosely inspired by the song ‘a lovely night’ from la la land, feel free to listen to that before or as you read for the ~vibes~.
wanna join a taglist? | masterlist 
You hated this planet already.
Well, not the planet necessarily. 
Alderaan’s title of “the planet of beauty” was well-deserved. You’d spent the better part of the day traipsing through the Alderaanian wilderness in pursuit of an Imperial arms dealer who supposedly had a secret store in the Isatabith rain forest, but to call it all “wilderness” seemed too unruly a word. Even the mossy trees and rocky slopes had a certain elegance about them. The waterfalls fell in gorgeous curtains and the trees formed natural, breathtaking rooves above the forest floor.
Now, the cities, you were finding, were just as breath-taking. Here in the capital of Aldera the landscape remained unspoiled-- industry and nature working in harmony, growing together. The water that completely surrounded it shone with all of the colors of a sunset as the golden light fell behind the great peaks on the horizon.
No, you loved the planet, It was the company that was the problem. You looked to your left at the aforementioned offender as he checked you into the beautiful silver-towered hotel you were staying at-- a gift from the Alderaanian government in return for you helping them weed out the Imperials. His dark hair was wind-tossed from the long day in the mountains. His eyes were tired but still crinkled at the edges as he gave his most friendly smile to the person at the front desk
Captain Cassian Andor. 
To say you hated him was an overstatement. You didn’t. His gruff demeanor and barking orders when in “Captain Mode” did not tend to win him any favors in the friend department for anyone, but he wasn’t a terrible person. In fact, you’d been friends as children, though that fact didn’t necessarily help his cause. He was so annoying back then, so loud. He was always bothering you and getting you into trouble-- and yet there came the paradox that you continued to seek out his companionship until you split ways as teenagers. You had been fond of the skinny little kid, filled to his very brim with fierce energy.
He’d come back into your life two years ago when you formally joined the rebellion. He had mellowed out an insane amount since then. However, he was just as much of a nuisance in your eyes now as he had been as children-- just in a different way. Now he would contradict everything you say. Any thought, any stance you had, he seemed to automatically take the opposite approach. You would often catch him smiling as he did so, making it more than clear that he was only doing it to get a rise out of you.
At least for the sake of missions, you couldn’t complain. He was a more-than-competent partner. Frankly, he was really good at what he did and there wasn’t anyone else you could think of who you’d prefer from a strategy standpoint. 
So, no, you didn’t completely hate him. You just hated it here. With him. 
It all could’ve been such a dream: a half-mission, half-romantic getaway with the elegance and beauty of the planet’s scenery and culture inspiring a wanna-be couple to take leaps and bounds forward in their blossoming relationship.
But you were here with your local nuisance, the man who frustrated you more than anyone else in the galaxy.
You’d have to come back with someone else. 
Cassian’s hand on your shoulder brought you out of your musings as you appeared to him to simply be looking thoughtfully at a hand-sculpted stone pillar’s delicate flower design. 
“Ready to go up?” 
You nodded, hoisting the small bag of your personal effects up onto your shoulder. “More like ready to collapse.” 
“What? You’re not going to stay up and party?” Cassian supplied with a distinct tone of sarcasm as you stepped onto the elevator.
“A party?”
“They just warned me about some big “Founder’s Day” party that’s happening throughout the city tonight and said they hoped it wouldn’t bother us. That’s all.”
“I see. Well, if it bothers me enough, I might just have to go out then,” you teased. “Are you joining me?” He had never been the type. Never. You had been forced to drag him to the last party celebrating a huge win against the Empire-- a party that was mostly to celebrate his accomplishment.
“Of course not. I’m with you. It’s been a long day.” 
“Did you just agree with me?” You added a fake gasp for effect. “You? Captain Cassian Andor, Rebel Intelligence heard me say something and agreed with it?”
“Yeah, yeah, don’t get used to it,” he muttered with a crooked smile, his hand hovering at your back as you stepped off the elevator and into your designated room directly across from it.
The Alderaanian government was far too kind. The suite was beyond luxurious, looking more like an expensive apartment than a hotel room. It had a full kitchen and living space, all decorated to the nines. Chandeliers were hung throughout; there was a water feature in the middle of the space for kriff’s sake! But your focus was on the view directly ahead. On the far side of the living space, the wall was made up of floor to ceiling windows leading out to a balcony. The purples and pinks and oranges of dusk filled your vision and you momentarily forgot your tiredness, walking in a near daze to open the door to the balcony and step out. You felt Cassian’s presence beside you as you reached the railing and looked to the streets below, filled with color and exquisitely decorated people like you’d never seen before.
“Not much to look at huh?” Cassian deadpanned.
“I’ve seen better.” You shrugged. Yet you both stood there awed at the celebrations happening around you underneath a sky that seemed to celebrate in swirling hues of its own. A moment later you murmured before you could even realize what you’d said, 
“‘s so romantic.”
“What?” The word was breathy with a laugh, but his body language was as if he had bristled-- back-stepping feet, shoulders squared to you.
“It’s romantic. It’s just too bad I’m here with you,” you teased, sticking your tongue out at him. He visibly relaxed, crossing his arms. 
“Is that so? I have to say I agree. I’ll have to remember this for… Future romantic endeavors.”
You scoffed. “You? Romantic endeavors?”
“Is that so hard to believe?” 
“I can’t say you seem like much of a romantic Mr. Married To The Rebellion.” 
“Perhaps you don’t know me as well as you think you do.”
“Perhaps not,” you conceded.
“And what about you, hmm? You seemed very adamant about being here with someone else.” 
You smiled, giving an over dramatic sigh.
“It’s a shame really. I could’ve been here with that new pilot. But instead I’m here with the life-long pain in my ass.”
“Kenan? That new pilot?” 
“Yeah.” Cassian matched your earlier scoff and you turned to face him, matching his crossed arms. “What? What’s wrong with Kenan?” 
“He’s a hot-shot,” you rolled your eyes turning back to face the party below as he spoke, “He never listens to orders. He’s arrogant. And a notorious flirt. And--,” you see him shake his head out of the corner of your eye, “He’s just not good enough for you.”
You shrugged simply in return. His surprisingly scathing response had caught you severely off guard.
“It was just a joke,” you offered after a moment, “I’m not interested in Kenan. At all.” He nodded, but didn’t respond further.
The silence that followed was interrupted as blue and silver fireworks suddenly bursted into the air above you. You held your breath, watching the sparks rain back down and disappear into the darkening sky. The music grew louder to keep up with the controlled explosions fighting for airspace, an up-tempo, fiery melody that made your fingers tap on the ivory colored rail. 
A hand came to rest on yours, stopping the movement. You froze, looking over to Cassian who offered no hint as to what he was going to do next. He readjusted his light grip so that his hand was under yours, gently lifting it and leading you in closer.
“What are you doing?” you asked as calmly as you could though your voice shook with sudden nerves.
“Dancing,” he said simply, “We used to dance all the time as kids. Remember?”
“I do,” you grinned as both of your hands followed muscle memory to their proper placement: hands joined out to the side, a hand gently holding your waist, and your left hand resting on his shoulder. He grinned back at you as he started to move. He led you in a way that felt so natural, twirling you, laughing with you, trying to bring back to memory all of the little tricks you could do, just like it always was. It was so normal, yet so new. You’d truly danced about a hundred times before, but this was something different entirely. 
It was, in a word: romantic. The view, the elegant suite inside, the music, the… The companionship. It sent your heart aflutter in a way that was entirely unexpected and absolutely annoying. 
“It’s just Cassian!” You yelled at the butterflies in your stomach. 
But there was something about it all that wasn’t “just.” It hadn’t been “just” since you reconnected with him two years ago, though you had previously been reluctant to admit it.
You’re not quite sure how long you danced; you didn’t stop until the music did. All of the partiers below now paused their movements to watch the finale of the fireworks. You both likewise dropped the hands that been clasped together at shoulder height, but the hand on his shoulder and the one on your waist remained, keeping you close as you watched new colors and shapes rise and fall in the now-starry sky. 
“That was fun,” you whispered, giving his shoulder a light squeeze and gazing out to the mountains. “You do continue to surprise me, Cassian Andor.” You saw him look over to you in your peripheral and you turned to meet his gaze. The sparks bursting overhead reflected in his dark eyes so they shined, highlighting their mischievous glint. You were almost too close now, it would only take you leaning in to- 
“You questioned my romantic abilities; I had to prove myself,” Cassian explained with an unmistakable confidence. His thumb drew the smallest of circles where it rested on your waist. It seemed to be an unconscious action, but you’d be a liar if you said you wanted him to stop doing it. 
“Point made. But you never have to prove yourself to me. I knew you during your ‘Kade Genti, Master of Section Nine’ phase and I’m still here aren’t I?” 
“Oh not the cartoons phase,” he groaned, but his eyes were bright with memories.
“The cartoons were fine. It was the ‘never taking off the costume’ part.” 
“I remember Sura Tik making fun of me for it.”
“And I made her eat dirt for making fun of you,” you smirked.
“Yeah, you did.” A beat. “You were always there.” 
“I tried.”
There you stood in front of the bursting sky and just looked at each other-- at your old friend. You weren’t speaking, but the moment was anything but silent, thoughts from both sides equally loud. 
Maybe it’s been always been you.
It only took him making the smallest of glances towards your lips for you to close the fragile gap that remained between you, an action which he did not hesitate to return, a hand moving to rest against your cheek.
Thank goodness for that grounding hand, you thought, or else you might just have collapsed. For there in your midst were fireworks: louder and brighter than any on Alderaan.
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