#oh who am i to write this. i know precisely everything that's bothering me

[savagewildnerness]

OK!  Thoughts on S2E2, Do you know what it means to be loved by death?

I love the gold (Pegasus?) statue Louis and Claudia sit upon at the start of the episode

“We’ve been together 77 years Daniel.” …”44 more than he did with Lestat.” LOL Armand (I agree with Daniel: “Keep selling it!” !!!!)

LOL @ Louis’ Parisian neck scarf

The fashion plates Claudia has cut out and stuck inside her bed… my heart

Louis looks so good in the red darkroom light, oh my!

Claudia asking Louis who he is reminded me of my thoughts the other day (a very brief summary):

Louis is afraid to look deeply within himself at who he is, in case he is not perfect, as he needs to believe he is.  But he does believe he deserves love.

Conversely, Lestat knows himself - for his evil especially, and despite it all, he still likes himself mainly. But he is afraid he is utterly unloveable.

Claudia talking about a new brain in her head and Armand a new body for her brain… are they *really* going to go there?  It is seeming like it?

I like Madeleine from the wee bit we saw, and I love Claudia’s dress

“It’s just Rashid” LOL

The first meeting of Armand and Louis:

Armand is like a poem made into the form of a being - the way Assad’s Armand speaks, how he looks, how he looks at Louis: he radiates a quiet peace, calm & poetic gentleness, which gave me shivers and goosebumps. Like the beautific gaze of an angel. All added to by Daniel Hart’s divine score, reflecting exactly the same emotions. This is how Armand is often described in the books (until he’s not), but because of the extremes Armand can go to, I don’t often think of this calm, angelic, almost innocent side to him so much… but oh how I felt it

I love how the lamp lights flicker.  It’s like a fairytale romance and everything about it: down to “I will not harm you” is exactly as Louis would wish to hear

SANTIAGO!  I love Ben Daniels.  I love Santiago’s outfit and his eyes and his theatricality and his evident cleverness.

Interesting how dilapidated the Theatre des Vampires is.  Seems like it hasn’t been updated since the ’20’s - half empty; broken bulbs… I am sure we have more to hear on this in the show…

Love how Armand brought cinema into the plays

The plays though have such a tawdry, distasteful feel.  I would agree with Louis’ and Lestat’s visceral dislike of them, even before the human sacrifice.  Though I do like the Brecht vibes.  But it is such a contrast to S1 Lestat and Louis at the Opera…

LOL @ Louis’ face seeing the portrait of Lestat!  And “They’ve got a shrine to him!” Hahaha

Whaaatttt @ Santiago and star charts!! Hahahahaha??!?!?!

Claudia on Loumand… I guess we have our answer now as to whether the vampires really are having actual sex and exactly how!  Cheers Claudia!!!

Roget knowing about Lestat potentially sleeping… interesting…

I’ll copy and paste from elsewhere my thoughts on the Loustat scene…

“Do not waist life…” - Oh Lestat, the illiterate boy & young man you were; so desperate to learn & be good, with a Mother for whom knowledge & escape through books was her only solace… who couldn’t even be bothered to teach you the alphabet.  Now, with your preternatural skills, you can read & write & do any thing you wish… but of course - it makes sense that you would never have entirely learned how to spell, or at least that there’d be the odd, common words you didn’t know. (Occurence, too.) Little details, breaking my heart even more. Thank you everyone for caring so much, you thought about the spelling of Lestat’s letter. I noticed. I care about every tiny detail like this & feel it, like love: deep in my soul.

Also: is Dreamstat *really* going to make me cry in every single episode of season 2, even when he’s barely in the episode for a breath?! (1 min 40 seconds to be precise!) He made me cry in episode 1, and here he made me cry too. 

Oh Louis: to read this letter & all your internal pain & shame & sorrow & guilt & love to deepen, I’m sure even more. Oh Sam, how you spoke the letter. Oh Lestat’s outfit, from their first “date”….

Another link to the episode title here -  Do you know what it means to be loved by death? too

For anyone who’s like the full text of the letter:

“My Louis

In the event you are reading this, something dreadful has occured, which is not my own death, but rather the fact that we now both exist (e?) in two different worlds.

Do not waist life seeking revenge on the person or persons responsible. Do not give them the satisfaction of the hunt. Let their treachery eat them from within and instead…”

(Continued as spoken…)

“And you… you go carry on with your living. Know only this, Mon Cher, you are the only being I trust and whom I love, above and beyond myself.

All my love belongs to you. You are its keeper. A veil will now forever separate our union. But it is a thin veil… and I am always on the other side, my face pressed up against your longing.

Lestat de Lioncourt”

Alice truly doesn’t exist, does she?  Armand: what *have* you done to Daniel!?!  Is all of his life a lie? Is Daniel's shaking here evidence that Armand's mind-altering has had physical impact on Daniel too?  And Louis clearly knows some of it too… though I presume not the love part…. And THEY MUST LOVE EACH OTHER like Devil’s Minion which always makes me sob. (Or maybe Alice does exist, but Armand is why she wouldn’t marry Daniel?)

Oh Claudia - your GLEE at Murder mansion

“I like how you withhold” - Armand providing your next chat up line - you’re welcome!

OMG we’re going to actually see Nicolas play violin!  I am SO SCARED!  I hope I’ll adore it and I have faith in the show makers. But, I have also seen so much terrible violin miming (it makes me wonder, when people play surgeons, is what they are doing this annoyingly unrealistic too and I just have no idea!?!) and it is particularly noticeable, as usually piano miming is very good!  Anyway, I know it is such a minor thing in the greater scheme of things, but I know I will be so irritated if it doesn’t look like Nicki is playing the violin.  And it’s only that telly violin miming is so notoriously bad.  Oh, please - let me believe in it!  I BEG!

[goalsongspinkthongs]

The Worst Story You Have Ever Read.

what happens what a boy tells you he knows your best kept secret?

tz x little!sisters!best!friend!

a/n: ive been writing for a while and just started a series that i might actually like, so lets hope someone else likes it too (also my writing style was heavily inspired by lemony snicket for this (idk either))

I would like to start this tale by saying, for the record, that nothing good ever happens when your best friend’s older brother is involved. It’s a truth I had learned over time, but was tragically reminded of one afternoon, in the late summer when the air was sticky and the light fell just wrong, like everything was about to fall apart, but hadn’t yet.

I am a rather ordinary girl, if you can disregard the fact that I have loved a boy—Trevor, Ava’s older brother—for as long as I can remember. It’s not that Trevor is a bad person, no. He’s the kind of person who can make you feel both invisible and incredibly visible at the same time, which is an exhausting combination when you’re a person who only wants to be invisible most of the time. I had convinced myself, long ago, that Trevor didn’t know about my feelings. And why would he? I was, after all, Ava’s best friend, a position I had never in a thousand years thought would be accompanied by such... complications.

Ava and I, we had grown up together, like two characters in a very dull and unremarkable book, one that no one would bother to read except for those with an unhealthy amount of free time. And then there was Trevor, who seemed to glide through the chapters of our lives with such effortless confidence, like some sort of heroic figure whose story had been written in a much more interesting book, one of those books you’re too afraid to open because you know once you do, the whole thing will be about how the hero burns the world down and doesn’t even care.

On this particular afternoon, however, my life—and my carefully curated collection of secrets—was about to be tossed into a volcano of very real emotions and terrible consequences. Ava, in a moment that could only be described as an act of betrayal on the grandest scale, decided to leave me alone with Trevor. Yes, alone. In a room. With no immediate escape route. It was as if she’d handed me a ticking time bomb, said "Good luck," and then casually walked out of the room, whistling as if everything were fine.

Trevor was sitting at the kitchen counter, peeling an apple with such deliberate precision that it made me feel like I was the one who was being peeled, layer by layer, with each stroke of his knife. I tried to make myself small, as I often did when the world seemed too big and too full of people who could read your every thought with just one glance. But of course, Trevor wasn’t looking at me. He was looking at the apple, and I was both grateful and horrified by this, because it meant he had no idea how loudly my heart was beating, or how my palms were sweating, or how my mind had somehow frozen into a solid block of incoherence.

And then he spoke.

“You know,” he said, casually, as if this were a perfectly normal thing to say to your best friend’s little sister, “Ava’s been talking about how much you like... well, how much you like me.”

And there it was. The unthinkable, the unspoken, the thing that I had tried so very hard to pretend wasn’t true. Ava. Ava had said something. To Trevor. About me. About how I felt.

I couldn’t remember how to breathe, which is not an exaggeration. I forgot all the things you’re supposed to say when you’re caught in a moment like this—things like "Oh, no, I don’t know what you’re talking about," or "Ava’s just joking." Instead, I blurted the only thing I could think of: “I—uh—don’t think you should listen to her. She says a lot of stuff. You know how she is.”

Trevor raised an eyebrow. It was the sort of eyebrow-raising that should have been reserved for situations in which you were confronted with a mystery that didn’t make sense, like finding a cat wearing a bow tie in the middle of the road. His gaze shifted from the apple to me. He didn’t laugh. He didn’t look embarrassed. He just looked... interested.

“I don’t think she was joking, Honey,” he said, his voice suddenly lower, smoother, like the sound of rain on pavement. “And I think you might be lying to yourself about something.”

Now, at this point, I should have done what any self-respecting person would do in this situation: run. Run as fast and as far as possible, preferably to the nearest forest where I could hide for the next hundred years. But instead, I stood there, paralyzed, and watched Trevor put down the apple, wipe his hands on a towel, and take a step closer to me.

I felt the heat of his presence before I saw it. It was a dangerous thing, this heat. It made the air feel thicker, and it made everything inside me go taut, as if I were a string being pulled so tight that at any moment I might snap. He was too close now. Too close to my fragile, ridiculous heart.

“I think,” he said, with that smile of his—half mischief, half something else that I couldn’t quite place—“that I should probably kiss you now, shouldn’t I?”

For the record, if you ever find yourself in a situation where someone says this to you, I would advise you to take a moment. A long, long moment. A moment to process the fact that the world is, quite possibly, coming to an end.

But I didn’t have a moment. I barely had time to comprehend the words, let alone how to respond to them, before Trevor was leaning in and, just like that, the world became something else entirely.

And yes, I kissed him back.

I kissed him back like my life depended on it, which, in retrospect, was probably true. And when it was over, when everything in the universe had shifted into something new and completely terrifying, I pulled away and found myself thinking—of all things—that the entire thing was utterly predictable. It was always going to happen this way, wasn’t it?

No one ever warns you about what happens next.

There’s a part of me that will forever wonder whether I could have handled it differently—whether I could have taken the long, awkward road of friendship instead of charging straight into the storm. But that’s a question with no answer, much like the one about what happens when a girl falls in love with her best friend’s older brother.

And honestly, I don’t think I want to know.

But I think Ava might, which is a problem I’m not sure I’m ready to deal with yet.

[gold-rhine]

Hsr update was a thing that happened... I'm just wondering what is HAPPENING with the writing?? Like it was never good imo but they know how to write in a few companion quests. Like belebog are y'all okay?? I've unistalled the game temporarily so I can have space for my other games but am wondering if I should even bother going back (I probably will for Like a character design I like or for nanook or yaoshi or xipe) the story just keeps getting more confusing in terms of direction. Like what are they trying to show here? Even the game play can't keep my attention long.

Anywhoo I think this can all be fixed if they just give the people what they want

Nanook

right???? like idk whats happening on luofu bc they don't tell you shit and i'm not piecing together drama from expedition clues, thank you very much.

but for belobog its like. hsr spoilers btw. first we gonna lie to ppl that the tyrant that segregated half of them in underground mines without ever letting them see the sun and sent the other half to senseless wars with monsters is a hero actually. so they don't lose hope and bronya gets to conveniently step into position of tyrant herself, which everyone is like yeah she's the best option, shes so great!

then space amazon shows up and demands that they own the entire planet to cover 700 yold debt. they promise to solve ecological catastrophe, but everyone is gonna be amazon slave now. which ok, i can believe space amazon is this scummy, sure. but then instead of fighting it, instead of finding out precisely whats gonna happen to people, asking success rate, which methods are gonna be used, you know, asking ANYTHING. bronya reads letter from amazon union breaker executive whos like "my planet was bad too, and then we were sold to amazon and everything is a-okay now, so amazon's slavery is good actually:) you should trust me:)"

bronya is like hhm she sounds trustworthy:) then she asks opinion of like. 10 ppl. and is ready to sign ALL OF HER PLANET TO AMAZON SLAVERY

then himeko shows up like hey so i googled it, and amazon terraforming only succeeds in 60% of cases, otherwise you guys might die. bronya is like wow no slavery then >:\

and then she wins over amazon executive corporat by showing like. the giant engine first tyrant ordered to make. and union breaker, who btw took control of all robots and already sent them against local military AND fought main character directly, is like oh wow! your planet has strong leaders which my planet didn't, so your planet can stay free :)

like... the implications... bc "strong leaders" are literal tyrants... who, again, locked half of ppl into underground mines... and last tyrant was ready to destroy the whole planet... that these tyrants are the reason belobog is special from "weak" planets who can't survive by themselves and need to be owned by amazon... like what the actual fuck hoyo

oh and then we're supposed to feel sorry for amazon corporat bc she got demoted one rank :( boohoo i hope she gets shot, like?? are you kidding me??

its like if nahida didn't took akasha down, and instead dottorre demanded she has to let him use all the power of akasha and energy from sumeru's ppl minds as payment for akademiya debts. and she convinced him not to with power of friendship (but she kept exploiting ppl's dreams with akasha). and then we see a scene where dotorre is reprimanded by tsaritsa and we're supposed to be sad for him. like lol. lmao even.

also, i think plot expects me to fight nanook in the end. which like. no. i hope yall are getting crushed by his giant gold titties.

[lcs-library]

hi :) i had a bad day, a few days ago there was some problem in my family. can you write omi, tsumugi, chikage (if you feel like just one of them that's also ok) comforting their s/o who has run away from home due to family problems? thank you

Hello!! That seems terrible, and I hope your situation gets better :(. In the meantime, I hope you can find comfort in my writing, and I’m actually honored you’d come to me with such a personal request. So, with everything I’ve got, please enjoy these!!

Request rules

Omi

📷It was just a hard day for you. You wanted nothing more than to just relax a bit in a space away from it all. Away from all the people who had hurt you.

📷 For you, that meant holing up in your room with a video game. Not that it did you any good.

📷The tears still flowed, the pain in your chest didn’t go away, and you still wanted an escape.

📷That was, until there was a knock at the door.

📷”Hey, you’ve been in there for a while. You okay?”

📷A familiar voice rang through the door. Omi’s, to be precise.

📷The second you heard it, you tried to clean yourself up a bit before answering.

📷”’M fine.”

📷”Mind if I come in?” He asked gently, noticing the tone of your voice.

📷”Go ahead.”

📷When he entered, he found a wet, crinkled mess of a person.

📷”Oh.” Omi’s voice softened along with his expression as he shut the door and made his way over to you.

📷”Did something happen?”

📷You shook your head, hesitated, contemplating, then nodded.

📷”Wanna talk about it?”

📷”I guess. Just some issues that led me here are coming up again. It’s a long story.”

📷”I can settle in.”

📷And so you tearfully recounted your tale as Omi rubbed your back, not saying a word.

📷After a while, all he could come up with was “I see.”

📷There was a bit more silence before he spoke again.

📷”I can’t say I know exactly what you went through, but I had a similar experience when my mom died. The family fell apart, leaving me in charge, and running away led me down a pretty dark path. Hell, I lost my best friend down there. But I found my way here. And it’s all I could have ever hoped for. So, I hope you’ll find that place too, if you haven’t already. Either way, I’ll be there the whole time. No matter what. I’ve got you, and all I want is your safety.”

📷His sentiment was sweet, even for one who didn’t bother with flowery language much.

📷And yet, it made the already overflowing emotions run even more rampant, leading him to hold you close.

📷”I’ve got you. You won’t have to worry anymore. I promise.”

📷No matter what he did, he wanted you to feel safe, even if just for a bit.

📷And you couldn’t be any more grateful.

Tsumugi

🥚After moving in with Tsumugi, you finally decide to reveal something huge to him about your situation.

🥚Through tears and stammers, you somehow manage to explain why you ultimately rushed moving in with him.

🥚During your entire speech, he made sure to keep quiet, allowing you to get all of your words out, no matter how hard it was.

🥚Once he was entirely sure you were finished talking, he finally spoke up in the softest voice he could muster.

🥚”Though I can’t say I know what that’s like, I do want to let you know that I’m here for you, no matter what. I’ll do anything I can to help you, whether that be resolution or avoidance, just let me know what’s safer. But for now, let’s not focus on that. Let’s just sit here for a bit, okay? We don’t have to do anything if you don’t want to. Is it alright if I touch you?”

🥚You nod, and he pulls you into a hug.

🥚”There we go. You mind if I stroke your hair?”

🥚Another nod.

🥚”Alright. Just know you’re not alone anymore, alright? I’ll always be here, and even when it seems like nobody’s on your side, I am. You don’t deserve to be alone.”

🥚Somehow, his words made your tears flow even more, and you buried your head into his shoulder.

🥚Tsumugi made a sort of “aw” noise as he felt your body shake in his arms before murmuring sweet affirmations against the top of your head until you cried yourself to sleep.

🥚But just before you could fall asleep, he gave you a soft kiss to the forehead.

🥚”I love you. And don’t worry, I’ll be here whenever you need me.”

Chikage

🌶️”You know, we’ve never talked about how you joined the company, Chikage,” was what you decided to bring up in the Mankai dorm’s common room after an exhausting practice.

🌶️”How I joined? I used the process the rest of the company did: ask, audition, join. Why are you so curious all of a sudden?”

🌶️”Mm. Just thinking about it.”

🌶️”Well,” he replied with a sly smile, “How about I flip the question right back at you? How did you join?”

🌶️”Same process.”

🌶️”Why did you join, then? Why here?” Chikage asked, sitting beside you, hoping to toy with you a bit.

🌶️The intention didn’t quite reach, however.

🌶️It was as if the question was a gunshot.

🌶️Tears quickly pricked your eyes, and your voice became choppy.

🌶️After finding your words, you explained why and how you ran away only to find this place before your body crumpled against the couch.

🌶️Chikage’s demeanor immediately changed. His eyes widened a bit, and it was as if some sort of mask had slipped. He was hit with a flood of memories and a sense of kinship.

🌶️He remained silent for a bit before finally speaking up, eyes focused on his hands held on his knees.

🌶️”I did the same thing, you know. Not that this was the first place it led me. It actually led me to a pretty dangerous place at first. There, I found a family, then lost it. It broke me, but it led me here, and, despite what I did when I first came here, I found a home and a family. Listen, what I’m trying to say here is that,” he sighs, finally looking over at you, his expression having lost all signs of deception, “I hope that happens to you too. You’ll be happy and safe by the end of this alright?”

🌶️And for the first time since you’d met him, his smile wasn’t fake.

🌶️You finally looked up at him, and, though blurry, he looked so strangely serene in that moment.

🌶️Though you felt it may have been a bad idea, you draped your arms around him to place your head into the crook of his neck, your body shaking as you cried.

🌶️Hesitantly, he returned the action, awkwardly hugging you.

🌶️”You’ll be safe. I’ll make sure of it.”

🌶️You know he’s serious, right? Like he’ll probably commit crimes to make sure you’re safe.

[negativezeros]

Dissolved girl

Hey so I’m kinda new to this site. Not too sure how to use it but I was looking for some places to share my writing. The excerpt below is one of the three chapters I’ve currently written, hope yall like it :)

Maisie Barret is a interesting woman. First of all, it isn't Maisie, it's Maze. At least to most people it is. She never really was a fan of the name Maisie, so she just tells everyone to call her Maze. Second, she never learned how to drive a car, not officially at least, not even ever having a permit. Why then she is currently parked on the side of the road, alone, with no one around for miles? That's a bit of a long story.

Maze is struggling to read a map that she found in the glovebox of the car. All she can tell is that she is on some interstate in southern Pennsylvania, which one? No clue. "Aren't there supposed to be signs on roads?" She grumbled to herself. Sinking back in the seat of the car and letting out a groan of frustration. Saying she grew up sheltered would be a understatement, living in the middle of bumfuck nowhere for most of the 23 years she's been on earth. She was about ready to start cursing out that, when she heard the sound of a car engine approaching, far behind her. She turned around to look out the back window and breathed a sigh of relief, "Finally, someone might be able to help. But as the car rolled into view, it showed itself as a police officers car. This caused Maze to stiffen up, reaching under the seat and feeling for something. She touches it, a gun, a pistol to be more precise. What kind of pistol? Hell if she knows. A bullet comes out all the same. After confirming it’s still there, she doesn't grab it and looks back out the window. Seeing the car is getting closer, she steps out in hopes to grab the drivers attention.

She is able to, as the officers vehicle pulls over behind hers. The man steps out, walking over to her with a confused look on his face. "What seems to be the problem her ma'am." The officer asks her in a kind voice. Maze unfolds the map she has in response, turning it towards the man. "Oh I'm just a bit lost out here, all these empty roads kinda look the same." She responds. "I was hoping someone could tell me where I am, and point me in the direction of civilization." The officer stares at the map for a few moments before pointing at I-70, turning it back around to Maze. "You're here." He says, running his finger along the map to the nearest town. "Nearest place is Anghull, not much there except the railways. You got family or something?" The cop asks. "Not there, but I just need to find a place to stay for the night." Maze responds, looking down at the map, and refolding it back up. "Thank you sir." The cop nods, studying her for a second. "Well you’re welcome, if that's everything, safe travels." He returns back to his car. Getting back in and starting it. Maze just watches as he drives off.

Once the officers car is out of sight, Maze puts the map in the drivers seat, and walks around to the back, popping open the trunk. A stench immediately hit Maze like a truck, inside is the body of a man, with a bullet hole in his forehead. He's only been dead for a few hours at this point, but the smell isn't coming from him rotting already. Maze picks the body up, holding her breath, and walks further away from the road. Throwing the body down in the grass. She's not bothered about hiding it, "I mean, who's going to be paying attention enough to see it. Plus my face is going to be plastered everywhere anyway if they’re looking for me." She thought to herself as she walked back to the car. Sitting back down and sighing. She reopened the map and looked over it again, her eyes following the line to the town the officer mentioned, Angull. Satisfied, she closes the map up again. Starting the car and driving off towards it. 

[very-grownup]

'How charming, this meeting of minds. So you hate one another?'

'Please don't misunderstand me,' said Morcerf. 'If Mademoiselle Danglars were the sort of woman to sympathize with the torments I am not enduring on her behalf and to recompense me outside the provisions of the marriage contract drawn up between our two families, I should be delighted with the arrangement. In short, I think Mademoiselle Danglars would make a charming mistress, but as a wife, good God!'

'So that's how you envisage your future?' Monte Cristo said with a laugh.

'Yes. When all's said and done, it is. Slightly brutal, I realize, but accurate. But, since this dream can never come true and since, for me to reach a particular goal, Mademoiselle Danglars must become my wife -- that is to say, live with me, think beside me, sing near me, write verses and make music a few yards away from me, and all this for the rest of my life -- then I am appalled at the prospect. You can leave a mistress, Count, but a wife ... Huh! That's a different matter entirely: a wife is for eternity, whether close by or at a distance. The idea of having Mademoiselle Danglars for ever is terrifying -- even at a distance.'

'You're fussy, Viscount.'

'Yes, because I dream of something impossible.'

'Which is?'

'Finding a wife for myself like the one my father found.'

The colour drained from Monte Cristo's cheeks and he watched Albert, while toying with some magnificent pistols, rapidly cocking them, then releasing the springs.

'So, your father has been a happy man,' he said.

'You know how I feel about my mother, Count: she is an angel, still beautiful, still witty, finer than ever. I have just come back from Le Treport. Now, for any other son, just imagine: travelling with his mother would be an act of kindness or an unavoidable burden. Yet I have just spent four days with mine in Le Treport and I can tell you they were more satisfying, more relaxing and more poetical than if I had been with Queen Mab or Titania.'

'Anyone would despair of rivalling such perfection. You will make anyone who hears you wish seriously to remain a bachelor.'

'Which is precisely why, knowing that there is one accomplished woman in the world, I'm not anxious to marry Mademoiselle Danglars. Have you noticed how our egoism paints everything that belongs to us in brilliant hues? The diamond that sparkled in the windows of Marle or Fossin becomes much lovelier once it is our diamond; but if circumstances force you to acknowledge that there is a still finer one and you are condemned for ever to wear the diamond which is inferior to the other, do you understand what torture that is?'

'Snob!' the count muttered.

'And that's why I shall be jumping for joy on the day when Mademoiselle Eugenie notices that I am only a puny little atom possessing hardly as many hundreds of thousands of francs as she has millions.'

Monte Cristo smiled.

'I did have another idea,' Albert went on. 'Franz likes odd things, so I tried to make him fall in love with Mademoiselle Danglars, in spite of himself. I wrote him four letters in the most enticing of styles, but he always gave me the same answer: "I may be eccentric, it's true, but my eccentricity does not extend to breaking my word once I have given it."'

'Now, that's what I call true friendship: giving another person as wife the woman one only wants for oneself as a mistress.'

Albert smiled. 'Incidentally,' he said, 'dear Franz is on his way home; but that doesn't bother you. You don't like him, do you?'

'What! My dear Viscount, whatever told you that I don't like Monsieur Franz? I like everybody.'

'I am included in everybody. Thank you.'

'Oh, don't misunderstand me,' said Monte Cristo. 'I like everybody in the way that God ordered us to love our neighbours, that is, in Christian charity. I only bestow true hatred on certain people. But to get back to Franz d'Epinay: he is coming home, you say?'

'Yes, on the instructions of Monsieur de Villefort, who is as mad keen to marry off Mademoiselle Valentine, apparently, as Monsieur Danglars is to marry off Mademoiselle Eugenie. It really does appear that being the father of grown-up girls is one of the most exhausting states. As far as I can see, their temperature soars and their pulses beat ninety to the minute until they have disposed of them.'

- The Count of Monte Cristo, Alexandre Dumas

[noxtivagus]

getting back into a lot of my old interests again lately hehe

[yandere-daze]

Man, all these self aware/isekai enstars asks got me thinking about how each characters would specifically interact with you. Like I can’t begin to imagine having brain power to hold a conversation—what if it was Leo? Bright in the morning, clock hasn’t indicated anywhere near 9 am, and there’s only solace in the taste of bitter coffee on your tongue. Your eyelids feel heavy, but the babbling doesn’t stop. Leo is too overly excited, but he knows not to be pushy—err, well at least he thinks he is. You just think he’s compensating the physical aspect by clamouring all over you with words. After 10 minutes of it, somehow, you manage to excuse yourself. Maybe sit it out in the bathroom stall to let the tears well up in your eyes. Asking the tense murmur of your heart, what ever went wrong because all you feel is desperation, but for what? To get out of here? Or are you just desperate to force yourself to get used to it? You don’t know, and the fact that you don’t, makes the coffee wear off for the second time and you’re already contemplating another round of one.

By the time you turn a corner, another one is already there ready to feed off of your attention. You don’t bother to register who it is. Would it be Wataru? Someone like him is always ready with a sonnet to recite, expressing his heart to you. Maybe someone like Mayoi, the one boy who’d always kiss the floor you walk upon, then his voice would quiver if you even spared a passing glance. What about Eichi himself? He’d be presentable, tolerable. He’d talk smooth and careful, each words precise like his stature. But both of you, mainly him, know better when he lets his gaze linger a little too long on your face and wander too far. Whoever would it be, would it change a thing? You doubt it, because there’s someone always there.

And scene…lmao sorry if I rambled too much…

Ahh don´t please don´t apologize!! This was super fun to read and you did a really awesome job with it, too! Thank you for sending in this little scenario☺️💕

gn reader

tw yandere, obsession, stalking, non-consensual touching, implied kidnapping

I think it´s really accurate for them too, Leo definitely is the kind of person that would talk your ear off for possibly hours on end if you don´t manage to excuse yourself somehow, and then claps himself on the shoulder for not having jumped into your arms as soon as he saw you for once. See, he´s being really considerate and taking your words to heart so he´s trying his best to not overwhelm you too much! Isn´t he doing a great job?

Wataru is super dramatic about everything he does and he would probably be no different when it comes to you. Watch him literally write an entire script and then act out the entire play by himself right in front of you to show you how much he adores you. I would literally die, methinks💀 And right after you just managed to evade Leo too! When will you ever be able to rest in this school?

It looks like never because oh boy, of course, Mayoi followed you through the vents and is already watching you from the corner as soon as you finally fended off Wataru. At least he´s less obnoxious and loud as the former two as he mostly keeps to himself but he still gives you the creeps. The way he stares at you so reverently and with a bright blush on his face but the second you turn to look at him he squeaks like a mouse and apologizes for being so dirty as if he hadn´t just so blatantly stared at you without a shred of decency. It´s unnerving and you swear you had seen his shadow once when you woke up in the middle of the night. Mayoi might be a timid and harmless one for the most part but that doesn´t mean you necessarily like being with him more than the others.

And then, to make matters worse, you come across Eichi. Eichi, who is always so put together and knows how to word things to get his way. He doesn´t seem very different when he is with you, he speaks very calmly and you´d like to say that it´s a welcome change of pace but you can´t help but think that there´s something off about him nonetheless. The way he always smiles at you no matter what and how his gaze lingers a bit longer than it should, the way he nonchalantly lays a hand on your shoulder to gently guide you to come with him. How the grip on your shoulder tightens ever so slightly and his elegant smile strains whenever the both of you pass someone else in the hallway. The knowledge that Eichi has all the money and influence one would need to make you disappear forever and have no one search for you.

It´s scary and you don´t know how much longer you can put up with this.

[shingia]

hopefullyy this inspires u to write,,, can i request hc's of the boys getting jealous seeing their s/o work well with another person on a team/club? like good chemistry with a dance partner for example! (u can choose who u write but can it include iwa!!) <33

✗ HQ BOYS GETTING JEALOUS SEEING YOU WORK WELL WITH ANOTHER PERSON ✗

a/n : kdjfkdjdkdj i love this request omg ty ! i did half hc/half scenarios bc i thought the request fitted this format <3

-> iwaizumi, osamu, kuroo, suna, tsukishima

-> warnings : kuroo’s a bit suggestive (tbh i don’t know about the rest. it’s just... kinda hot? (tsukki’s only fluff tho<3))

-> reblogs are >>>>

— IWAIZUMI

• iwa’s jealousy was practically non existent until he actually saw you interact with your partner

• don’t get me wrong, he absolutely loves your smile - but he especially loves to be the one who caused it

• he tends to get physically very protective of you, so expect his arm to stay wrapped around your shoulders most of the time. because to him it’s the easiest way to show the world (but especially your partner) that you’re his

• he also not-so-subtly offers you to wear his clothes on days when you have practice. and he secretly hopes that someone will ask you who they belong to...

« it’s cold outside. you should wear this ». iwa’s low and unannounced voice makes you turn around in surprise. leaned against the bathroom’s doorframe, he’s holding your favorite jacket in his hand - the one with his name written on the back, and you suspect that this might not be a coincidence... with a chuckle, you agree to put it on, noticing the proud spark in his eyes. « you know, i’m pretty sure everyone already knows i’m dating you » you tease him with a wink, all while also admiring the way his name takes up the whole width of your back. « oh yeah ? » he asks, a smirk tugging at his lips as he leans forward to rest his hands on the sink behind you. trapped between his outstretched arms, you watch his smirk grow just a little bit bigger as he lets out, very quietly, « well this is just a reminder... it better be the last ». his green eyes locked with yours could almost make you forget about his arm snaking around your waist at a painfully slow pace. almost.

— OSAMU

• look, he’s very happy for you. no doubt about it. but he’s so used to see people fawn over his brother that he can’t help but get a little protective from time to time

• since gifts are his #1 love language, he might buy you a workout-friendly piece of jewelry that you can wear during your practice

• he also insists on dropping you off and picking you up as often as his busy schedule allows it. especially since he learned that your partner was willing to give you a ride home...

• it’s not that he doesn’t trust you, obviously. he just doesn’t trust them yet

• and that’s why his kisses - and pda in general - are a bit more « intense » than usual

leg bouncing up and down, osamu is (very) anxiously for your conversation with your teammate to end. because after watching the entirety of your practice, he needs a little reminder that you two also have incredible chemistry together... a better one, even. so as soon as he sees you wave your teammate goodbye, he stands up straight, arms open just wide enough to welcome you against his chest. but instead of the chaste kiss you expected to get, you’re actually greeted by his left hand grabbing your sides while his right meets your lower back. disconcerted, you don’t even have time to say a word that his mouth crashes onto yours so eagerly that you have to lean back a few inches. « wh-what was that for ? » you pant as soon as his warm lips have left yours. « nothing. i love ya, that’s all » he smiles innocently, glad that you didn’t notice the cocky look he just gave your teammate who witnessed everything from afar... exactly as planned.

— KUROO

• passive agressive™️

• he would insist on properly meeting your partner but oh god they better brace themselves,,,

• because kuroo’s the kind of boyfriend that will shake their hand hard enough to make them yelp, all while having an angelic smile plastered on his face

• oh and you can forget being called by your name : he’s going to demonstrate the entire variety of nicknames he has for you. he might even come up with new ones just because he’s feeling « inspired »

• every single thing he says to your partner has to be a reminder that you two are dating. like « oh yeah they told me about this yesterday.. during our date ». just to make sure that there’s no misunderstanding.

« well... speak of the devil », kuroo hears you chuckle, your voice almost drowned out by his heavy breathing. he’s obviously planing on apologizing for being late... but not now. there’s something he wants to do first. still very aware of your partner’s presence right in front of you, he decides to securely yet eagerly wrap his arms around your waist before spinning you around proudly. « so... you guys were talking about me ? » he asks, glad to know that he’s the reason behind your giggles. « we were, actually » you answer a bit more seriously as he finally puts you down, still keeping both his hands on your waist. « well, i am your boyfriend after all... » he starts, interrupting himself to place a loud peck on your jawline. the only thing you can think is about is how awful this situation must be for your partner... kuroo, on the other hand, doesn’t seem bothered at all, as shown by the way one of his hands discreetly makes its way under the fabric of your t-shirt to rest directly on your skin. « hands off, kuroo » you order him with a slap on the back of his hand. an offended gasp leaves his lips, yet he complies reluctantly, thinking that your partner probably already knows everything that needs to be known about him.

— SUNA

• he doesn’t really mind it... as long as you’re willing to cuddle once you get back from practice. if you’re not, then he’s gonna start to worry

• because cuddling is probably his favorite ‘boyfriend privilege’ and he doesn’t want it to be taken away from him

• his schedule is pretty tight so he might not be able to attend any of your practices, but he asks you to record it as much as you possibly can so that he can watch the videos with you afterwards

• and seeing how smoothly you and your partner move together definitely doesn’t help with his worrying

it’s been thirty minutes now, and suna’s still not done watching the videos you took today. he loves to share these moments with you, snuggled up against each other the bed ; but most importantly, he has someone to keep his eye on... « babe- are you 100% sure that this was part of the choreography? » he suddenly speaks up, his eyes leaving the screen for the first time. you quirk a curious eyebrow, more surprised by his unusually suspicious tone rather than by the question itself. « oh, the hand on my waist ? yes, rin. it was ». at your words, his lips press into a thin line, he’s obviously far from being convinced. but you know your boyfriend well and you’re quick to reassure him : « you know, his hand might have been on my waist but you’re the one laying in my bed right now ». the frown on his face disappears almost immediately - much faster than you would’ve thought, replaced by a much more confident expression as his hands start to gently stroke your sides up and down. « mmh, i guess you’re right.... i mean, at the end of the day, only i get to have ‘all of this’ for myself » he smirks, playfully eyeing you up and down until he can’t resist the temptation of your slightly parted lips anymore.

— TSUKISHIMA

• tsukki’s not jealous, he’s just... well.. cautious. or at least that’s what he tells you

• but, deep down, he knows that simple cautiousness wouldn’t make spend his days and nights stressing about this new partner of yours...

• so, after a few weeks, his impassible facade starts to crumble a little bit. nothing too extreme, but just enough to let your partner know that you’re taken.

• and he knows he doesn’t need to do much : one of his signature scornful looks is more than enough. especially when he’s staring at your partner dead in the eyes while you’re greeting him with a hug and a kiss after your practice

« tsukishima kei, i’m waiting for an explanation ». with a sigh, your boyfriend drops his book on the table, turning his chair around to face you. « i don’t have one, i already told you. you told me to introduce myself, and i did. end of story ». you both know that tsukki did not just ‘introduce himself’ like any other human being would have done. and that’s precisely what you’re trying to make him admit - because your partner looked genuinely scared during practice today. « wha- no, i didn’t look down on him. it’s not my fault he’s so short... » he mumbles under his breath, trying his best to avoid any eye contact with you. but you know that only a slight tilt of his chin upwards is enough to make his eyes lock with yours - and that this is enough to have him admit anything. « you’re jealous, kei. and it’s painfully obvious by the way... » you smirk - but this smirk disappears in a split second as he slowly gets up from his chair, towering over you like he usually does. « ok, maybe i am. but i just wanted to make sure that he knew his place. and especially mine » he finally admits, his lips spreading in a scornful smirk that would be terrifying if his eyes weren’t filled with the infinite tenderness he has always felt for you.

✔️taglist : @toworuu @catwithangerissues @miyumiya @livy384 @k0u-minamo2 @fullsundear @hsjvwq @mochi-marie @hiraeth-z @velvetvirgos @kirishimas-manly-eyeliner @47meow @japanesevenom @geektastic84 @noir-blanches-blog @idontlikeyourjob @seiri-ami @atiny-grl-with-luv @admiringlove @nachotrash @kellesvt @aintyourholy @Moonlaeli @catchmewiddershins @duhsies @devilgirlcrybabiey @crystal-lilac

[nebel-ist-fur-alle-da]

I am on fire, years of writer's block and all I needed was a week away from my family and a new hyperfixation.

I hope you guys liked the first part, even with some errors (English grammar is not my strong suit) 🥲

(Imma try some more editing this time)

Also, I think these characters have started to do as they please, so this might become a little bit longer than I anticipated.

Genre: angst, hints of comedy, mutual pining, slow burn.

(Sorry, also no beta this time, I tend to upload and write in very funny and strange hours, and also if I think too much about what I write I will delete everything because I am my worst enemy and I self criticize to te extreme)

"Can you hear me say your name forever"

Doctor Octavius x Reader

Summary: you've been kidnapped by doc ock to be his new assistant. You had a crush on him, when he was a professor and married, but then life happened, for both of you; today, you are not sure he is the same man you once knew... or is he?

Special guests: the actuators! In my story they are very much sentient and sassy, and also occasionally ✨evil✨

PART 1: here

*****

The next morning your brain wills you into existence, sending distress signals: something is poking you.

An eye opens, followed by the other, the lazy one. One of the actuators is gently poking your leg. When it notices you staring, it stares back, tilting slightly its little head.

"Wake up, I do not pay you to sleep late"

The grumpy voice of the man who is supposed to be your kidnapper reaches you. You huff slightly, pushing your legs out of bed and feeling the familiar pain in your back. Slowly, you begin to stretch your muscles, hearing loud pops. You sound like an old lady, for odin's sake. Also, you apparently fell asleep in your clothes: what a day. You decide that is a good thing, you are ready. You notice some flip flops, and proceeded to wore them with your socks on, because that place is super cold. You are wondering If somehow the actuators keep Otto's body temperature stable.

Your mind is on track, and from there it procedes to escalate. By the time you had found the kitchen, you were set on proving your theory, not realizing that those ideas come from your sleep deprived and slightly confused brain.

Doctor Octavius is there, sipping some coffee and reading the news, while his other four arms were cleaning. Your coffee was waiting you on the table, with some biscuits.

"If you had woken up twenty minutes ago, your coffee would've been hot" He turns a page "I suggest you consume it before it begins to taste like the oil for my actuators"

You sit at the counter with a sigh.

"You don't pay me well enough, doc"

He darts you a look.

"If I remember it correctly, I paid you in advance"

Oh no, you were not ready to front this like a responsible adult. Let it go.

Let it go.

"If I remember it correctly, you told me I am your prisoner, and something about life in the palm of someone's hand" you don't even bother looking up. You know he is pissed. You crossed him at eight in the morning. Great.

The paper rustles, tossed in a corner. The four actuators are watching you. No, incorrect. They are aiming at you, like hounds.

"Do. Not. Cross. Me. Little girl" he manages to say, almost choking. One of his four arms reaching for your chin, grabbing it in a steel touch. You would've been surprised of the precision of those things, but now all you can think about is the dangerous looming rage behind Otto's eyes. Rage and... something else you cannot comprehend yet. Those eyes are scary, but you don't feel completely blocked by fear.

He stares you down one more minute, before forcefully turn your head to one side and the other, looking at the bandages covering it. Then, without a word, he lets you go, and leave you there.

You swallow, throat dry. You don't know why you are so willingly playing with fire. Otto remembers you, but he said himself that he is not the same person anymore. Who knows what he is thinking, what those actuators are thinking.

++++

'I like she' Harry stated.

'Her' Flo corrected.

'How dare she talk back at our master. Must punish' Moe, as always, the evil mastermind.

'Our master thought of a punishment earlier' Larry gets on board with Moe.

Otto blushes violently at this last comment. Fortunately, the computer can't tell the subtle difference between pain and pleasure.

'Yes, he is thinking it right now. Is gonna be appropriate'

'Do not SCAN MY THOUGHTS' Otto is furious and embarrassed at the same time. He must meditate to clear his mind, and assess his dominance once more over his children.

And put his minion to work.

++++

You finish your coffee and biscuits, taking your sweet time, until you hear the doctor at the door. His voice was just a whisper, but it instantly gave you goosebumps.

"Go assembling the machine"

Simple words. You rose up, the chair almost falling down. Instantly, your hand is near your forehead.

"Yesssir"

Ottavius scoffs, and simply leaves. You are sure you heard a soft laugh.

You spend all morning assembling scraps, connecting electrical resistors and generally trying not to complain about your back, aching because you slept in a strange position. It felt like a hundred pins were inserted in your spine during the morning. By 12,30, your stomach growled. You looked at Otto's angle, all you could see was his broad bare back, with the steel spine fused with his flash: a shiver rolled down your spine thinking about the pain he felt, and was probably feeling right now. You were lost in these thought and you didn't notice one of the actuators staring at you.

Moments later, a pair of brown eyes was staring at you.

"Like what you see?" He said, in a harsh tone.

The silence lingered for a moment.

"Must have hurt a lot" you comment. Your mind couldn't come up with something else, too much absorbed by your back. You tried not to think about it, but you couldn't even turn around, you had to use the chair to look at him.

He scoffed, and turned back to his thoughts.

And then, in the silence of the abandoned lab, your stomach growled.

It was loud, but you hoped Otto didn't heard that.

Of course he heard.

He chuckled, turning back again, while you felt your face turning red. You lowered your eyes.

"Hungry?" An amusement tone. You were glad to hear that, despite everything.

He rose from his chair, heading for the kitchen. You tried to follow him, but your body required a certain level of care, and in the past days you didn't pay it much attention. With a chocked huff, you stood up, heading to the kitchen yourself, trying to stay as much straight as possible.

You were almost there, a few steps, but in that very moment Otto decided to come looking for you and your loud stomach, bumping into you right at the door.

That's it, you lost your balance and in a few milliseconds your back will hit the floor, and it will hurt as hell. You shut your eyes.

Except, the floor doesn't arrive. You slowly open your eyes, feeling something holding you. You watch frantically around, seeing Otto's actuators holding you, and Otto's very hand on your arm. You finally let go your breath, not realizing you were holding it.

"Thank you doc. I was coming, what's the rush?" You joked.

He must've realized he was still holding your arm, and let go of it like it burned.

Bad move.

You shifted all your weight on the actuators, collapsing under the pain. You let go a sharp half breath and some muttered blasphemy. It all happened in seconds.

You falling on your back, again, the actuators trying to holding your back, Otto looking at this and not understanding. By some miracle you don't end up on the floor, but the metal arms are pressing on your spine, and your couldn't held it anymore.

You scream.

Otto looses all the color on his face. You can feel his other two actuators trying to lift you up with the utmost care. In the back of your mind, you ask yourself if you really are a prisoner, or if your time has come because you are imperfect, and therefore not useful.

"What is happening?" The doctor's voice is far, all you can hear is a high whistle.

"My back" you manage to explain. "I have a bad back" you use your hands to find a grip on the actuators, and finally you find the floor with your feet.

++++

'Why is she screaming'

'I didn't do anything, I swear'

'Don't look at me, this time it wasn't me'

'please focus, don't hurt her' Otto screamed in his mind, all of this happening in a millisecond.

The doctor is maneuvering his four extra arms, not knowing what was doing wrong. Why was she screaming? He didn't when thought about her punishment yet. He was gonna order her to eat on the floor, like a dog.

'Not the smartest punishment, my master' Harry commented.

He rolled his eyes, finally seeing her on her feet, although she wasn't standing right. She babbled something about her back, but he didn't thought it was this severe.

'Must do a massage, master' Moe offered.

'Yes, I concord' Flo intervened.

'Are you the same AI that made me rob a bank last week?' Otto was sarcastic, but also preoccupied: his actuators weren't never this calm, and never EVER liked any human, except him, and they didn't get well all the time. The thought of a massage crossed his mind, but he proceeded to suppress it before it was too late.

++++

Your face was hot, and you were painfully aware that your color wasn't natural. The doctor was watching you with a strange look, not knowing were to start. You decided to put him out of his misery.

"I started working at the docks weeks after I left college. I needed to do as much money as possible to pay my scholarship, that I didn't even use, by the way. I was clearly not fit to work in that environment, so I put in extra effort every day, doing extra hours. After four months, they started, but I didn't paid them much attention, until a day I couldn't wake up. Literally stuck in bed. On top of all this, my doctor didn't want to prescribe me any opioid, because of my mom. So, in the end, every morning I have to do half hour of exercises to warm up my back muscles, or else I suffer every day. Of course, this morning I completely forgot to do them"

Otto looked at you like you were an alien. His look was a mystery, and you hadn't had the time nor the patience to unravel it. After a quick last look, you headed to the stove, starving.

"I'm sorry I hurt you"

It was a whisper, but you didn't lack in hearing. You smiled.

You were falling for that man, hard. You couldn't do anything about it. And you knew it would have hurt much more than some back pain. He is a villain, sometimes controlled by his very metal arms, with the sole purpose to rebuild his failed experiment, literally willing to kidnap a person to reach his goal. Your rational part know he is kind to you because he needs a pair of extra hands, but you can't help it.

***

You eaten in silence, and the afternoon flew away like the morning, except for the doctor sometimes checking on you. He never turned his head, but used his actuators to scan your health. He thought he was somehow stealth, but your senses were heightened by your situation and your anxiety, so you heard the little noise they did, and the light buzzing of the Bio scan.

Night finally had fallen, and you were exhausted. Still, better than work on the docks, except for all the kidnapping thing. Nonetheless, you were feeling more confident about Dr Octavius's behavior: if he wanted to hurt you in any way, he would've simply done so. Right?

You shake away that strange thought (Stockholm syndrome and all that), and you start to walk towards him, wanting to at least say good night.

You never get close.

You were almost there, almost touching his broad bare shoulder ('what if he is cold?') when an actuator grabs you by your waist, shoving you away. The edge of a steel table was waiting for your hip. Fortunately, it didn't throw your helpless body across the room, but the pain. Why it was always pain there?

The noise didn't wake Otto up: he was sleeping, mumbling and slightly shifting on his chair. His metal arms where protecting him.

You decide for another method, not wanting to be defeated by some mobile sticks with two positronic brain cells. You limp to a chair and grab an old cover you were using earlier, because that place is so damn cold, and you know that cold preserves your skin, bud honestly you would've preferred being hot, and, very slowly, try a new approach.

The actuators, now four of them, watch you with a suspicious metal grin. You watch them directly, each one, where you think their eyes are (did you attended any college at all? Your thoughts sound so dumb that they hurt your mind), and, a step behind the other, you arrive at your destination.

You realize you don't know this man. Yes, he looks like Otto, he has memories of Otto, but it's not the same man. Somehow, any person on this planet changes during their life, but you fail to notice sometimes because they don't have four appendices sprouting from their lower spine, intruding every thought you ever conceive. Must be tough, must be scary.

His shoulders were broad and pale, somehow during the evening he managed to take off his shirt, and fallen asleep. You didn't want to wake him up, the actuators still carefully watching you, so you gently placed the cover on him, slowly getting closer. You could hear his raggedy breath, and some little jump: he was probably having an unpleasant dream, but it was none of your busyness. You draped the blanket on his shoulders and arms, covering also his neck. He had rested his head on his arms, and his face was facing towards you. He skipped a day of shaving, his air were up and about, sprayed in all directions.

He had a gorgeous nose. You didn't noticed it before, because someone tends to notice when he is watched. It was big, but with his features it was just perfect. Little breaths escaped his mouth, slightly opened.

Suddenly, an arm gently but firmly grabbed your arm, pulling you away.

You realized soon enough they were the jealous type.

[babymilkawa]

Sorry if this has already been rone but- could I get Bakugou, Todoroki, Denki and Izuku (separately) with a non-binary s/o who’s quirk is based off of a hyena? They have splotches of lighter skintone on them, freckles, laugh like a hyena, have sharp teeth and eyes like them? And a tail + ears? S/o is really chaotic, they live by the motto “I’ll try anything once,” and are overall very likable yet funky? Extra points if the boys see them in their hero outfit (which is something a little showey💕

-🧸

this is rly interesting anon!!

hyena quirk headcanons with:

bakugou katsuki, todoroki shoto, midoriya izuku, kaminari denki

gn!reader :)

bakugou katsuki

so at first he was definitely ticked off by how different u were

tbh u kinda reminded him of Mina with ur personality

But he thought ur appearance was very cool

later on in ur relationship, you’d always feel him tracing the shapes of the splotches on ur skin, or softly scratching the space behind ur ears

he thought u looked so badass with those teeth though

u were wild but you weren’t careless

your attacks were precise and carefully planned during practice and he definitely noticed

even before u guys started dating, bakugou had already known almost everything about you just by observing

he noticed how your ears perked up easily

whether it’s excitement or during training

he loved watching how your pupils would dilate and how completely focused you’d look when on the battle field but if you’re just chilling?

your whole body is relaxed

oh and his favorite, favorite part is that if he teases you about things and you deny it, your tail will give it away

like your first kiss for example

he pulled away and with the smuggest grin he said, “not bad, right?”

you had rolled your eyes and looked away, unaware that the tip of your tail was rapidly moving side to side

Usually he’ll point you out

but after that kiss, he was dazed himself, so caught up on the feeling of ur lips, he didn’t even bother telling u that ur tail was betraying its owner

and the first time he saw ur hero costume? oh my g a w d man had to look away

cos damn what r u looking so good for 

literally has to slap himself when no one’s watching so he can focus on the task

todoroki shoto

so your personality is very different than his

knowing this, you sometimes try to catch him off guard by like fake pouncing on him 

but he never flinches or anything

never does

he prolly already knows ur planning this on the other side of the room smh

todoroki generally doesn’t have a playful side to him but when he’s noticing that you’re being more jumpy than usual he’ll join you cuz why not

but ofc it’s awkward at first

he doesn’t know how to have fun fun

he doesn’t understand ur impulsive decisions which happens a lot

for example, if you’ve accidentally had one sip of caffeine at 6 in the evening, you’re wide awake at 2 am and preparing to rearrange the furniture in ur dorm

he’s right below you, luckily, so he’ll hear all the noise and show up to ur dorm like “why?”

and you’ve got the same answer each time, “why not?”

he figures that he won’t be able to go back to sleep anyways so he helps you move the furniture

one thing that’s great is that he can instantly read your emotion or energy level from your tail

like if you’ve still got to move your night stand, but your tail is starting to droop, he’ll just drag you to bed

he’s tired too and he loves your cuddles even if ur ears tickle his chin a little excuse to be little spoon? I think yes

midoriya Izuku

your energy s c a r e s him sometimes

being ur partner during training will literally keep him fully alert, for you

but you’re a great partner, you can just be a little reckless sometimes

he soon learns that even if you dive right into the action, you don’t act without thinking

before you guys are even together, he’s already got your whole quirk analysis down in his notebook 

he’ll ask you questions about whether your tail gets in the way or whether your ears help during training and all

sometimes if you guys are just chilling, you’ll catch him staring at you

one day you ask him and he just goes like “no you just look really cool. I hope I'm not being weird though! I don’t mean to!”

“you’re my bf you can stare at me all you want Izuku”

one time, you were sitting down with your friends playing a card game and he was walking by behind you

but suddenly your tail just unconsciously swept the floor and he stepped on it, making you cry out in pain

he felt soooo bad

oml

doesn’t know how to help make it better so he just keeps on apologizing

if it was anybody else, you would’ve pounced on them but he looks genuinely guilty

so lets not make it worse :)

at first, seeing you smile would give him mixed emotions

like you’d go up to his face and flash your teeth and he’d start sweating buckets

you looked adorable don’t get me wrong

but you also looked a little...menacing

kinda like himiko

after a while he got used to it, knowing that you were a really kind person at heart

but since you can be a little wild and you like to have fun, you'll just graze his shoulder or neck with your skin to feel him shiver

you won’t put any pressure that’ll draw blood but it’s fun to hear him whimper 👀

the first time he saw ur hero costume, he start stuttering random nonsense lmAo

“y-y-y/n, wow, uhhh” sweat sweat sweat

yea he’s prolly not gonna get used to that hahHha

kaminari denki

this boy matches your energy

your always paired up with him during training cos you guys make the best team

like you’re there to keep him from making irrational decisions but you also ignite the fire and make sure the two of you make the most out of the time

even if you guys fail the mission sometime, you always come out laughing and developing new inside jokes

sometimes if you’re laughing, he’ll just turn to look at you with the biggest smile

and admires your tail wagging like a little pup and your teeth glistening under the ceiling lights

he is all up for your impulsive decision making

your #1 supporter

“oh? you wanna have fireworks in the field? me too! let’s go!”

pulls out 20 packs from under his bed

you two hold the best parties ever

and sometimes Iida gets on ur nerves but denki’s there to politely ask him to not be a party pooper and that the door is wide open 👀🚪

y’all get in trouble with Aizawa all the time 

like by now, he’s sick of y'all LMAOOO

someone told him that there’s a hole in the vending machine?

“y/n, Kaminari, come here”

but they weren’t even snitching on you two but it’s sooo obvious who did it hahaha

a lot of running around in the hallways and chasing each other

your so much faster than he is but he loves hearing your laugh echo the place

he clings on to you a lot cos ur soft

he’s usually the little spoon change my mind no u can't but when ur exhausted and all out of energy, he’s there to scratch your back or behind your ears, loving the way your tail wags in your sleep

you guys growl at each other

like playfully but it happens a lot

Midoriya walked in one time and lowk thought a fight was about to break down, tryna separate the two of you

you have an actual growl and a fake cute one, guess which one he likes ;))

a/n: aaah this was so fun to write!! thank you for requesting <33

bnha masterlist

[allycryz]

Idk if this is canon, if this will become something larger, I'm just in my Hades and Nerys post EW feelings and wanted to write something

Big ol spoilers for 6.0

Fresh air. She needs fresh air and the sun of her face and what comes out of the cracked window right now isn't enough. 

She needs to move.

She needs somewhere she can think and process everything. Not here in this still room with its white walls and high white ceiling and white molding. 

At least now she is conscious enough to think. Just yesterday she still drifted in and out of sleep, nothing but a holding cell for exhaustion. 

Nerys eases herself into sitting position. Tears prick her eyes--healing magic can only do so much when you're on the brink of death. The act raising herself is agony. But once she stands-

-well, it's still awful. But less awful. She reconsiders her plan to jump down--even with her dragoon training, the landing is going to kill her when she's in this state. 

If there isn't someone standing outside her door, one of the servants will be posted in the hall. No doubt under orders from Ameliance and the medics to keep her where she is. 

No jumping. Gentle scaling down it is. 

Putting on trousers beneath her nightgown is more complicated than it should be, especially with the garments needing to go over bandages. She feels slightly lightheaded once she takes off the nightgown and presses a hand to the wall. 

Maybe no scaling all the way down. Maybe she will simply climb out onto one of the roofs and sit in the fresh air. Nerys manages into a thin robe and doesnt bother with an undershirt. Her breastband will suffice. It will have to suffice. 

Nerys perches on the window sill, her feet find the ledge just below. The door opens behind her. 

"Absolutely not," says Hades. He does not move, nor does he snap her into bed. It is both kind (letting her make the choice) and patronizing (expecting that of course she will go back to bed.)

"Hades."

"Hero."

Nerys drops, leaning her head against the windowfrane. "I just want to sit outside for a little while. Please."

He makes a noise. "You could have asked."

"Please?" She looks back at him. "Oh great and esteemed Eme-"

This time he does snap. They are on the roof with her cradled in his lap, her cheek against the fabric of his jacket and ruffled shirt. The Sharlayan fashions agree with him though he rather dislikes their lack of embellishment or panache. 

She looks up, about to ask to be left there for a while. That had been part of it after all, the chance at solitude in a new location. But his grip is tight and the way he looks at her-

Worry, beneath the mask of annoyance with her. 

What she remembers most of waking up on the Ragnorak is Alisaie crying. How badly the sound broke her heart. But she also remembers the utter helplessness in Hades' eyes. Something about Ultima Thule severely limited his creation magic and he hadn't been able to snap her to safety as he'd wanted. 

It had wrecked them all, her friends and lovers on that ship. But Hades wasn't used to feeling powerless. Even his death at her hand had been at the height of his prowess and ability. 

"Thank you," she mumbles into his chest. The breeze stirs at her limp curls, the sleeves of her robe. 

"You're ashen," he tells her. One hand lifts into the air to conjure a grimoire almost coalescing purple smoke and aether. "How were you going to get back into your room?"

"I was going to figure that out when it came time," she says. "No one's confiscated my linkpearl yet."

"Yes well, it's for if you need assistance." He says with pointed expression. His magic washes over her in cooling, gentle waves. "And Thancred has permission to …confront anyone who uses it to ask you for an errand."

"You're all too much." She hides her smile against him.

"My dear you like me precisely because I am too much." He closes his arms around her, carefully, tenderly as the magic continues oothing her. "You would not change a hair on my perfect head."

"I don't know," she says. "I also liked the hair you wore when I met you in the past."

"If you're good, perhaps I might let you witness me in such a style again." 

"I have been very good."

"Try telling me that when I haven't just caught you halfway out a window."

She laughs and falls silent with a smile, soaking up the sun, the wind, the fresh air, the scent of Hades and spring. 

[mel-the-fangirl]

Toss A Coin to Your Witcher

Henry Cavill x Reader

Words: 2,362

I am so so so nervous to post this because this is my first time writing a Henry fic and I know that the Henry Cavill fandom is such a tightknit family, I hope you guys have room for one more hopeless Henry stan. I know this isn’t even half as good as the other Henry fics out there but I had this idea stuck in my head for a very long time.

Please like and reblog or leave me some replies if I should do a second part! Thank you!

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The makeup brush swept precisely along your cheekbone, covering it in a subtle shimmer. Production staff milled around behind you, testing sound, testing lights. Being an actor, these things were nothing new. 

"Now remember, say it with me," 

"Don't say or do anything stupid." you recited with your long time agent and friend, Marge.

You thanked the makeup artist and made your way to the set. 

"When have I ever said or done anything stupid though?" you asked

Marge looked at you appraisingly before replying, 

"There's always a time for everything. Now go on." 

The vibe on set dialled to a hundred when you stepped on. It was really flattering how they cheered as you plonked your butt down on the wooden chair, a red tarp was set up behind you and the studio lights surrounded the area.

"Ready when you are Y/N!" the producer aka the ring leader of this whole operation flashed you a thumbs up

You nodded, feeling the nervousness bubble up your throat. 

Surprise, surprise. You still got nervous in front of the camera. It wasn't hard to handle though, you took a couple of deep breaths and you were good to go. 

"Hey guys, gals, and non-binary pals! I'm Y/N Y/L/N. I'm here with Buzzfeed and we're gonna be playing Twenty Questions." you winked at the camera with your arms wrapped around the little jar that had your questions in it

 "Let's get started, shall we?" 

Eager to begin, you stuck your hand into the jar without a second thought. 

"I freaking love Buzzfeed, really. Especially Tasty, I mean, I don't cook. But," you shrugged, wiggling your fingers, hearing the tiny bits of folded paper move around in the jar. "I love watching people cook. Then I love eating."

Scattered chuckles broke out through the crew. 

After a few minutes of rustling around, you figured you’d just come clean, "Okay. Small problem." 

You lifted your hand, the jar coming along with it. The pieces of folded paper crowding around your encased wrist as you waved your arm. 

Another round of shocked giggles started up as a couple of assistants rushed to you and tried to yank the jar off. 

"This is too good," the producer chortled, "Mind if we keep this in?"

"Fine by me!" you watched intently as Marge rolled up your sleeve so one assistant could pour oil all over it. Eagle eyed, she watched as a drop of oil landed on the bottom hem of your sweater.

"Great job, Y/N. This sweater was a gift from that designer you met last week, he said he made it just for you." she scolded, taking charge by grabbing the jar with two hands

"It was an accident, Marge. It's not like I planned on getting my hand stuck in a jar today!"

With a tug and a pop, your hand was free and slick with olive oil. Marge landed on her butt on the floor.

"Marge!" you howled with laughter, helping her up

She straightened her blouse, all business but her cheeks were stained red with embarrassment. 

"Can someone help Y/N wash the oil off her hands? Let's get this show on the road, people!" she barked marching orders at the staff, clapping her hands as she went. She wasn't in charge here but no one dared to question her. 

You chuckled, knowing that this was a cute little anecdote you’d be sharing with anyone who was willing to listen.

A few minutes later, you were back in your chair, having a laugh with everyone. The jar incident already stripped away the majority of your anxiety so you were ready to go.

"Okay! First question!" you squinted at the strip of paper, "What is the most expensive thing you’ve stolen from any set you’ve been on?" 

“Well!” you widened your eyes at the camera, “Bold of you all to assume that I’ve ever stolen anything!”

Marge scoffed rather audibly, making everyone raise their eyebrows at you.

“Okay, fine!” you held up your hand. The stunning ring you had on sparkled underneath the lights, nearly blinding anyone who looked.

“I did a period movie a while back and they had these drop dead gorgeous, and I mean gorgeous pieces of jewelry. I wore this piece,” you gazed down at the ring fondly, “for the whole of the film and I just pinched it after we wrapped, I couldn’t part with it, okay? I’m like a fricking magpie, I love shiny things.”

The crew burst into fits of laughter, making you laugh along with them.

“To clarify! This is the replica the props department had made, a very expensive replica. I can see you freaking out, Marge. And no, you don’t have to call the insurance company.”

You were a big hit, to say the least. You had them in stitches every time you opened your mouth but all good things had to come to an end, right?

It didn’t matter how carefully you dipped your hand into the question jar, this next one was going to make things very messy for you. 

"What do you like to do in your free time?" you read out loud, tapping a finger against your chin

"There hasn't been much free time lately,” you chuckled, “Let’s see… I play video games, yeah. I am so obsessed with the Witcher, it's borderline unhealthy. I’ve read all the books and played the games so many times." 

"What do you think of Henry Cavill as Geralt?" the producer asked you

Henry Cavill.

Just hearing that man's name was enough to make the blood rush to your cheeks. You brushed an imaginary hair out of your face. From behind the camera, Marge raised a knowing brow.

"Well," you cleared your throat and sat up straighter

"To be honest, at first I was really skeptical about his casting. I mean, he is way too good looking. Like way. Way. Too good looking. But…"

"But?"

Your mind drifted to the first time you saw a picture of Henry Cavill in full costume. The white hair, the golden cat eyes, the intense gaze and all that leather? It definitely made you feel… Certain things.

You cleared your throat, propping yourself on the table with your arms. To be honest, your head was still in a Henry Cavill haze so you had zero control of what came out of your mouth next.

"I'd definitely toss all my coins to that Witcher. Toss a few other things as well."

Everyone in the room ooh'ed and whistled, delighted by your saucy reply. The ruckus snapped you out of it and your hand immediately flew to your mouth.

“Please tell me I didn’t just say that out loud.”

“You did.” Marge mouthed at you, trying but failing to contain her laughter

"So you enjoyed his performance as Geralt?" the producer pressed on, hoping to get more audience-raking answers

How many times were you going to blush during this interview?

"Oh, well, about that, I haven't really gotten around to actually watching it.” you admitted sheepishly, “But I've seen photos and some clips. Very impressed by what I've seen so far."

"You will watch it though, right?" 

"Oh, absolutely. No way I’d miss out on that! Henry Cavill is an incredibly wonderful, talented actor. I think he’s also a fan of the franchise so I have no doubt that he played Geralt to perfection as with all his other roles." you nodded solemnly, putting a hand to your heart

Everyone in the room with you caught on that you were gushing over the actor, the sly looks they all exchanged with one another were a dead giveaway. Too bad you didn’t notice before you could try and play it cool.

“Alright! I think it’s time for the next question!” you declared, swiftly plucking another question out of the jar

By the time it was all over, you had convinced yourself that your little crush-related blunder wasn’t even a big deal, it would probably just be a little footnote in that video. No biggie.

But, Jesus Christ were you wrong.

The video took a couple of weeks to edit and in that time, you were busier than ever. A movie you had just done was getting a lot of attention, your performance in particular had critics singing your praises. At that point, you were definitely getting noticed a lot more when you stepped out for coffee.

So, the timing was just perfect.

The second the video went live, your phone was going off non stop. Twitter mentions, Instagram tags, and articles. A few notable entries being:

“WATCH: RISING STAR Y/N Y/L/N GUSHES ABOUT HENRY CAVILL IN CHARMING BUZZFEED VIDEO”

“@geraskier-rights: Y/N Y/L/N REALLY SAID SHE’D TOSS ALL HER COINS TO HENRY CAVILL’S GERALT AND WE ALL KNOW WHAT THAT MEANS”

“@geralt-of-vengerberg: Y/N The Fond™ is showing👀👀👀”

Marge sat on your sofa with your phone in hand, absolutely thrilled while reading tweets out loud. You scheduled a panic session with her over lunch once everything blew up.

“Oh my God.” you groaned, massaging your temples. “Marge, what do I do?”

“About what?” she didn’t even bother to look up at you

You plopped yourself down next to her, laying your head in her lap, “All that. It’s everywhere.”

“And? There’s nothing wrong with it, they all think you’re charming and funny. A true Relatable Queen.”

Was it your sanity slipping through your fingers? Or the overpowering embarrassment? You had no idea but whatever it was, it had you laughing until your stomach hurt.

Marge tugged at your hair, “Get it together, bitch. Jeez.”

“What are you so worried about anyway?” she asked, placing your phone on your stomach

You swiped through your emails absentmindedly, “I’m not worried about anything, it’s just that what if…”

You left the words hanging in the air, you might as well have been dangling from a cliff from how much colour drained from your face.

“What if what?” 

Marge shoveled some pasta into her mouth before noticing that you essentially turned into a statue right next to her.

“Y/N!” she shook your arm with a grip you were sure would leave some bruises. “What’s the matter?”

Wordlessly, you passed your phone to her, the comment from a certain verified account displayed prominently on Buzzfeed’s Instagram post of a little snippet from your video, the “I’d toss all my coins to that Witcher” part, naturally.

“@henrycavill: Dear Y/N, how many coins are we talking about here? Let’s talk about my reward.”

It was all Marge could do to not throw your phone across the room. Her eyes went wide, following your every move as you paced back and forth, a thumbnail in your mouth.

“That did not just happen, I did not just see that right now. I didn’t.” you babbled, your heart beating thunderously in your chest

There it went. Your very own ticking time bomb finally went off. Number of casualties? Just one. You.

“Okay. Just calm down, Y/N.” Marge caught you mid-pace, squeezing your arms

“Maybe it was a fan account. Tell me it was a fan account, Marge. Henry Cavill did not just hear me imply what I implied.” you grasped at her hand with your clammy one

“Well if he has a fan account that’s verified and has fourteen point five million followers?”

“Oh god.” you groaned, sinking to the floor and hugging your knees

“Oh, Christ.”

Marge hauled you to your feet and thrust your phone in your hand. She looked you hard in the eye, “Stop your whining and answer him. You’re Y/N fucking Y/L/N, one of the hottest people on the planet, start acting like it.”

You stared at her, eyes wide. Your chest rose and fell rapidly. Marge’s words started to make sense in your mind and adrenaline started surging through your veins. You nodded fervently, psyching yourself up.

“Fuck yeah.” you breathed, clicking ‘Reply’

“@yourinstagram: @henrycavill I know you take orens, crowns, and florens but maybe we should discuss further?”

Before you could even stop yourself (did you even want to?), your fingers already landed on the blue paper plane.

“I did it.” you exhaled, staring as the likes and overly enthusiastic replies started pouring in

“Fuck yeah, you did. Now, come on. Leave your phone. We’re getting drunk.”

More weeks passed and you actually ended up forgetting about that little reply you left Henry Cavill. You were busier than ever. Guestings, endorsement deals, and awards shows left and right. So, when you finally had a couple of days free, you decided you would set up camp on your sofa and finally watch Henry Cavill as Geralt of Rivia.

You even threw on your Superman pyjamas, “What the hell.” you shrugged

If you were going down this road, you might as well do it right. Maybe you would even watch the Man from U.N.C.L.E after or would it be Night Hunter? The decision would have to wait.

You watched, absolutely riveted as the White Wolf battled against the kikimora, his silver sword hacked at the creature with unmatched expertise. You were only a few minutes in but you already knew you’d be stuck on that sofa for hours.

When the kikimora had Geralt pinned underwater with his trusty sword just beyond arm’s reach, you found yourself on the edge of your seat, one of your cushions in a chokehold.

“Come on, come on, come on.” you muttered as Geralt reached for his sword

You wouldn’t find out if he got it or not. A knock on your door literally made you fall off the sofa.

“Fuck!” you exclaimed, your hip was already smarting from the impact

Whoever that asshole was, you swore you were going to give him a piece of your mind. You stomped to your front door just as that idiot started knocking again.

You huffed and threw the door open then your mind immediately went blank.

“I am so sorry. Are you alright? I think I heard you fall?”

Oh yeah. You were definitely falling.

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You can find the second part here!

[startanewdream]

Hi! Could you write Harry’s first words or something with baby or toddler harry? I love your fics with lily and James, <33

Thank you so much for this prompt! Baby Harry is the cutest thing in the world and I was so happy to write something about him!

Now, a needed disclaimer to warn that I’m no expert on babies and this below may be wrong, but it’s fluffy so please bear with me :)

____________

First word(s)

Harry is staring at him with pure innocence in his green eyes, not at all looking like he had just thrown in the floor the first bowl of food James had prepared for him. It’s a prankster, his son.

‘Now, come on, Harry, again it’s just you and me’, he says, offering his son the soup that Harry accepts, still somehow managing to mess all his mouth despite James’ careful precision. ‘Say “Dada”’.

Harry babbles unintelligibly. 

‘“Dada”’. James opens his mouth, which Harry repeats. ‘Daaaaaah’.

But Harry just keeps opening his mouth, looking at the spoon in James’ hand.

‘I will exchange one spoonful for just one syllable, come on, Harry. Daaaaah!’.

Another happy babble. Harry clearly thinks he is just playing with him. James gives up for the moment. He’s been trying incessantly to get Harry to say “dada” for the past six days, but no luck so far.

After he finishes feeding Harry, he takes his son to the living room, sitting with him on the carpet where Harry’s plush toys are all tousled. Harry crawls immediately to take his stuffed deer, ignoring the other three animals around him, which always makes James feel a bit smug.

‘Yeah, see!’, he takes the deer, raising in Harry’s direction. ‘It’s like me! Dada!’.

‘Dah!’, Harry cries, taking the deer from James’ hand. He blinks at his son.

‘What? Say it again’.

Harry hugs his deer, ignoring him, and James picks him up.

‘Here, Harry. What’s this?’, he points to the deer. Harry babbles again, but his small hands let the deer fall to the ground.

‘Oh’, he looks surprised, looking at his bare hands and then for James’ arms, obviously in search of his toy. Then he opens his mouth. ‘Daaaaaaaahdaaaaaah’.

There is a hopeful smile on James’ face now.

‘What do you want?’

‘Daaaaahda!’

‘You said “Dada”? Yeah?’

‘Dada!’, Harry cries loudly now, his face close to crying, and James picks up hurriedly the deer on the floor. Harry beams right away, hugging the stuffed deer with fondness. ‘Dada’, he murmurs now, much happier.

James blinks fastly, feeling some tears in the corner of his eyes.

‘That’s right, Harry, that’s Dada too’, he whispers, kissing the top of his head, and taking Harry upstairs. ‘Lily!’, he sings. ‘You won’t believe what Harry’s first word is!’

____________

Three days earlier

‘Twinkle, twinkle, little star’, Lily sings softly, cradling Harry to make him sleep. 

It’s the fifth lullaby she sings, but Harry doesn’t seem like he wants to sleep, despite being late in the night and that, in the past weeks, he had started following a sleeping schedule. 

He is not crying, just watching her with those eyes that are a copy of hers. Lily tried everything. Feeding him, changing his diapers, singing every song he enjoys, and yet Harry keeps his eyes wide open.

Perhaps he can sense their stress lately. They’ve been locked inside the house for so long now; she loves their cottage, but if she was honest, she can’t stand its walls anymore. And James - poor James - is suffering even more. Her husband was made for open air, she knows, though he never complains to her.

They both know what’s at stake here and, looking at her peaceful son, Lily thinks it’s a fair price.

‘Why are you not sleeping, Harry?’, she asks in a soft voice. He usually sleeps easily when she rocks him. ‘Something bothering you?’

He just blinks at her. Lily wonders how much he understands of everything that’s going on.

‘You don’t have to worry. Mama is here for you. Mama will always protect you’. He puts his thumb on his mouth and Lily takes it as a sign that maybe sleep is coming for him. ‘Mama loves you’.

He takes out his thumb, raising his fat fists in the direction of her face. Lily allows him to grab her hair, despite knowing she will probably regret it when he refuses to let it go later.

‘Mama’, Harry whispers, smiling, and Lily stops, bewildered. Harry doesn’t look in the mood of saying anything else, because he closes his eyes lazily, still grabbing strands of her hair.

But Lily knows what she heard without a doubt. She was not as anxious for Harry to call her as much as James had been in the last three days, or even Sirius that insisted he should get Harry’s first word as his godfather, but there is something beautiful and amazing in the fact that Harry just called her.

It’s probably silly, but Harry knows who she is and this notion feels her heart with contentment and even more love for her precious baby.

She turns, already thinking of going to their room to tell James what Harry has just said, but she stops. James is really trying to get Harry to call him; he deserves this small moment of joy. And all Lily hopes is that Harry gets to call them Mom and Dad for many more years.

It’s not a competition of what word he says first.

So she puts Harry carefully on his cribble, arranging his blanket around him, and caresses softly his dark messy hair.

‘Sleep well, Harry. Mama is here’.

______________

Six days earlier

‘So, this is it, Harry, let’s talk seriously’.

Harry is sitting now, a feat he has improved since Sirius’ visit two weeks ago, watching him quietly.

‘I read this book about babies, you know’, Sirius continues, and Harry stares at him as if he can understand every word. ‘And it says that babies can start talking at ten months. And you are a smart kid, aren’t you?’.

Harry lets out a happy cry that’s more bubbles on his mouth than anything. Sirius takes it as a yes.

‘Now, most babies say silly things like calling their parents. Boooh! Boring. You are smarter than that! So I’m going to teach you a word much more important. Padfoot!’

Harry’s attention is diverted, not interested, and he crawls to pick up his toys. Sirius runs to give him the stuffed black dog.

‘Here!, take this. This is me, you see?’

Harry accepts the dog, though his eyes keep turning to the stag that Sirius knows is his favourite. 

‘You really are Prongs’ son, aren’t you? But just between us, dogs are much cooler!’

And to prove his point, he turns briefly into his dog version, watching gladly as Harry babbles happily, his hands extended asking for him. Sirius allows Harry to feel his black fur before turning back.

Harry looks from him to the stuffed dog in his hands until he drops the stuffed dog.

‘Daw!’, he says, pointing to Sirius. ‘Daw!’

Sirius frowns, uncertainly. That sounds like a word, right? 

‘You want to see Padfoot again?’

‘Daw!’

He turns again into the dog, laying down at Harry’s side, and Harry beams as he grabs the black fur.

‘Daw’, he cries, giggling, now coming on top of the dog to rest there as he enjoys doing.

A few seconds later, Sirius hears footsteps.

‘You know you’re wagging your tail, right, Padfoot?’, James calls him amusedly. Sirius indicates Harry with his head, and James picks his son up.

Sirius turns into a human again, a grin on his face.

‘James! You won’t believe it! He knows I am a dog! He called me a dog!’

‘You are more of a mongrel’, James says distractedly, teasingly, as he plays with Harry.

‘I am telling you! He just said his first word - dog!’

‘Dog? Why would he say it?’

‘It’s clearly his favourite word, duh’.

‘I will believe it when I hear it’, James rolls his eyes, and picks up the stuffed dog. ‘What’s this, Harry?’

Harry says a profusion on syllables, none of them clear.

‘He said it, I swear!’

‘Dog? D-O-G?’

‘Well. Not exactly, it’s more of a “daw”’.

‘Dah? He was probably trying to call me’.

‘No, daw!’.

‘Nice try, Padfoot’, says James, unworried and a little bit complacent. ‘But his first word will be “Dad”’.

‘It’s too late for that first word, I am telling you’.

‘Nah. He will call me, you’ll see’. James turns to Harry, tickling him until Harry giggles. ‘Now, Harry, say it. Daaaaaaahda’.

[let-them-read-fics]

Yours Truly (Pt. 2)

Requested By: Some of you!

Pairing: Jisoo x Fem!Reader

AU: College

Word Count: Part 1 -> 9,786 // Part 2 -> 7,433

Warnings / Misc. -- Angst, Pining, Fluff

Disclaimer: This writing is a work of fiction, and no disrespect is meant for those mentioned herein.

A/N: Here's the second and final part of the imagine, gang. I hope you enjoy the adventures I wrote for you! Let me know about your fav part(s)!

♡ Happy Reading ♡

Part 1 -- Click Here

🖤🖤🖤🖤🖤🖤🖤🖤🖤🖤🖤🖤🖤

5.) Epiphanies

A Week Later

"Yuqi, why the hell did you drag me here? I'd so much rather be writing…" you shove your hands further into the pockets of your hoodie and look at her with a scowl. Rows of people fill the bleachers around you, everyone excited for the football game that's scheduled to start soon. Happy couples sit together all around the stadium, and the sight only works to remind you of how weird things are with Jisoo right now.

"One: it's a Friday night and you need to let loose, and two: I wanted to come, so you have to tag along by default. The rules of friendship are very simple, Y/N," she trails off, tilting her head at you with a smile. 

"Well I am gonna go get some food," you imitate her, "Do you want anything?" You stand from the bench and look down at her, noticing how her permed hair sticks up in a few different places. You smooth it out for her as she answers, "Nachos, please." 

"Alright, dork. I'm sure the line's kinda long, but come look for me if I'm not back in 20." She pats your butt as you leave, and you just shake your head with a smile. 

"--I know! Did you hear about Lee's new girlfriend? I heard she got in a fight with his ex last ni--"

"I'm fucking starving bro."

"Yeah, they totally hooked up at Jackson's party!"

Various conversations work their way to your ears as you walk towards the back of the line, but you attempt to not get too invested in the gossip. As welcoming as your school tends to be, even it has its fair share of scandals and drama. You've never been one to care about rumors though, and you don't plan to start now.

"I heard that Jisoo likes someone." 

Funny how plans can change in an instant, don't you think? 

You can't find it in yourself to ignore the childish desire to eavesdrop, so you listen in as the line slowly shifts forward with each new customer served, doing your best to be inconspicuous. 

"Supposedly she's been into them for a while but they don't know about it. I guess Lisa is planning to get them together tonight or something, I don't know." You recognize the brunette speaking as Seulgi, a dance major that you share a couple classes with. She's talking to Yeri, whom you've seen a few times in passing. 

That must be why she was defensive about the kiss; she has feelings for someone else. 

"Ooh, that'll be interesting. I can't say that I'm not disappointed, though; now Jisoo's gonna be off the market." The shorter girl frowns, basically reading your mind with her statement. You've never fooled yourself into believing you have a chance with Jisoo, but knowing that she'll be whisked away by some lucky classmate of yours definitely isn't an easy pill to swallow. 

You pass the remaining wait time by imagining who that person may be. Jisoo has a lot of friends, but you've never seen her around campus with any particular love interest; she always puts her studies first, deciding that her education is far more important than any potential relationship.

You remain lost in your thoughts until it's your turn to order.

"Hey Y/N, what can I get for you?" The cashier greets, resetting the register as she grins at you. 

"Hi Yeji," you smile back, happy to see your old friend again after what feels like forever. Your busy schedules have kept you from hanging out much lately, but seeing her now is something you're grateful for. "I'll take two waters, a medium nacho, and 1 hot dog, please." 

"You want everything on it?" She asks in reference to your last request, assuming you still stick with the order you used to go with in your childhood. 

"You know it. And make sure to--"

"--spread the toppings out well. I remember, girl." She says with a wink, turning around to get started on your order. The familiar interaction warms your heart, aided by the idea that some things never change. After she packages your things up in a convenient little container, you thank her and pay, walking away with a promise to meet up at the school's café next week.

About halfway back to your seat, something unexpected happens.

"Rosie, we can't buy out the whole place. This is the 4th trip we've taken back here and the game hasn't even started yet!" You freeze as you round the corner, almost dropping your food as Jisoo's low voice sounds off nearby. 

"Unnie, I didn't even get to eat much of the other stuff at all! Lisa and Jennie stole it and shared it with everyone else," the artist pouts, rolling her hands into fists at her sides like a toddler. 

"Fine. But this is the last trip I'm taking." She warns, rolling her eyes when the Australian attacks her with a flurry of kisses. "Yah! Let's go before we miss something." She says, pushing her off of her with a smile on her face. 

Even her voice makes your heart ache, and it reminds you of what her kiss felt like against your lips. It was short, no doubt, and barely there; but the sparks remain, waiting to be reignited anytime she's around. Maybe you're just destined to pine.

----

"There you are! I was literally about to go steal some food from Shuhua because you were taking so long." 

"Yeah, yeah," you say, sitting down beside Yuqi with the cardboard box in your hands. "You're lucky I love you enough to pay for this. Now I'll have to survive on 3 grains of rice and ramen for the next few weeks." 

"Oh, the struggles of being a broke college student." She says woefully, clutching her hands together in front of her chest to add to the effect. 

"Precisely," you agree, scooting closer to offer her some nachos. When she tries to greedily take the whole tray of them, you're quick to stop her. 

"Ah, ah, ah," you warn, pulling her wrist back down. "We're sharing, chica." She huffs, but eventually settles down and decides to shove her face full instead of protesting anymore. 

Now, with your best friend happily eating, you relax and begin to prepare yourself for the match. 

--

"LET'S GO!" You shout with Yuqi, chanting together as your school's anthem echoes throughout the stadium. The rival team has been behind the entire game, but they closed the gap in the last few minutes and now it's neck and neck. Your band plays loudly to encourage your team, and it seems to be working; they manage to repeatedly hold the others off and keep them from scoring. 

It's the start of the fourth quarter now -- the home stretch. With their spirits still high, your team continues to keep victory out of their opponents hands. The black paint underneath their eyes is really streaked now, showing all the effort and sweat that they've put into the game so far. A beautiful sunset just previously gave way to a rapidly darkening evening sky, allowing some stars to peek out now.

"My high school team sucked; this is epic!" Yuqi says, making you laugh. You tear your eyes away from the heated game to say something to her, but all thoughts soon disappear from your mind and you stop mid-sentence. 

She notices your sudden silence and looks at you, only realizing what's happening once she follows your line of sight. Jeong is standing against the metal fence that borders the track, mingling with everyone at the bottom of the bleachers. That doesn't bother you, but what you see next certainly does; you spot Jisoo beside him, giggling at something he said as he tucks a piece of hair behind her ear. 

"Oh shit," Yuqi breathes out, fully grasping the weight of the situation now. She doesn't even attempt to give him the benefit of the doubt, because he knows how in love you are with Jisoo and yet there he is, flirting away. He's the only other person besides Yuqi who knows of your feelings for the brunette, and you really trusted him with it. Clearly that was a mistake. You blink a few times and set your jaw, quickly looking away as he moves closer to whisper something in her ear over the noise of the crowd. 

"I'm gonna head out to the car. Just let me know who wins," you mumble, brushing past her on your way toward the exit. You know there's no way you'd be able to focus on the game anymore after seeing that, so going is your best option. She catches your arm before you can slip away, and says, "Wait, I'm coming with you. And don't even try to tell me no; I can always watch highlights later. I'm not gonna let you be alone right now." 

Knowing it's pointless to argue anymore, you nod once and wait for her to gather up her trash and coat. "Let's go," she says, taking your hand after tossing her garbage in the can conveniently placed at the end of your row. She squeezes it a few times for reassurance, and a bittersweet smile works onto your lips at the gesture. 

You don't notice how Jisoo's eyes follow you, every fiber of her being yelling at her to go after you. She hates seeing you sad, and although she isn't 100% sure of the reason for it now, all she wants is to cheer you up. 

"So, Jisoo. Do you have any plans after the game?" Jeong smirks, quirking a brow suggestively at his own question. Jisoo grimaces, saying, "Yeah, I do. I have to study." She tries to find you in the crowd again, but it seems that you've already slipped away. 

"We're throwing a party tonight, you should come." He leans a little closer to her, but she takes a step back. The only reason she's even talking to him right now is because Lisa introduced them, and it would be impolite not to. She turns him down, yet again sneaking a glance around the stadium. 

"No wonder Y/N's too chicken to ask you out; you're hard to get, but I don't mind a challenge." Her head whips around at his statement, heart regaining that familiar uptick at the mention of you. "What?" She blinks, not believing her ears. Surely she was just hearing things. 

"I said I don't mind a challenge," his words come out slightly slurred, and the effects of the alcohol he's been drinking are beginning to show themselves in all the wrong ways. The more he talks, the less Jisoo can stand him. "Look, Jeong -- I'm not interested. I'm sure there are other girls here that would love to get to know you, but I'm not one of them. Now, if you'll excuse me," she says, turning her body to the side to maneuver around him and get to the stairs. He lets her go without another word, his pride too bruised to come up with a more fitting response than a muttered insult. 

She makes quick work of getting to the parking lot, where she spots you approaching Yuqi's car, head hanging a bit. Seeing you upset saddens her, and she's determined to find out what's wrong. 

"Y/N! Wait up!" The shout catches your attention, and you slowly spin around. Jisoo begins to jog out to you, and a scoff slips past your lips (though you don't put much effort into stopping it). You're hurt, and half of the reason for your pain is staring right back at you like nothing happened. 

"What do you want, Jisoo?" You sigh, not looking forward to where this conversation will most certainly go.

"I want to talk, Y/N." She's in front of you now, scanning her eyes between yours to gauge your reaction. 

"What is there to say? Just go back to talking to Jeong; you looked like you were enjoying yourself." She can hear the jealousy laced in your tone, and things finally -- finally -- begin to click for her. 

"Is that what this is about?" She asks in reference to your sadness. The question isn't accusatory at all; she's genuinely trying to piece things together. 

A disbelieving laugh leaves you at that. How is she still so oblivious? "Yes, Jisoo, it is. I just had to witness someone who I thought was my friend flirt with my crush. So yeah, that's what this is about." Sensing that she doesn't know what to say, you decide to conclude things for her. This is already pitiful enough, and you'd rather spare the both of you from having the "it's not you, it's me" talk. 

"Look, I get it. You don't like me back, and you were only trying to be friendly by inviting me to the rehearsal that night. Just please, for the both of us, forget it even happened. Forget all of this. It was a mistake, and I won't do it again."

Jisoo hates that you're jumping to conclusions without even knowing her true feelings; you automatically think that she couldn't possibly feel the same, and you use her moment of silence as a form of evidence to prove that. The complete opposite is true, though you'd never give her enough time to straighten out her jumbled thoughts and tell you that. 

She finds her voice when you turn away, and she reaches out to touch your hand. "Stop, you've got it all wrong." Your eyes glance down to your intertwined hands, but you wiggle out of her grip with a heavy sigh. Over your shoulder, you shakily say, "You don't have to pretend for me, Jisoo. I'll be alright. If he makes you happy, then so be it." 

With that, you get in Yuqi's car and tell her to drive away, leaving Jisoo to deal with the sinking feeling in her chest that worsens as the car's tail lights grow dimmer and dimmer in the distance. You're gone, and she really has no idea how to come back from this. 

6.) Broken Hearted

The next few weeks were hell. You avoided Jisoo as much as possible, too embarrassed to face her after what happened and too weak to be close to her again. You'd surely fall even harder if you allowed yourself to grow any closer, so you didn't take the risk. How could you? Falling alone isn't an enjoyable experience, and you've been teetering on the edge of no return ever since that afternoon at the daycare. 

It was hard enough to escape her hold -- her face was everywhere, plastered on ads and bulletin boards all throughout campus, on reminders and sign ups for student council. You used your sick days in order to hide away in your dorm and block out the world, only being comforted by Ryujin when she wasn't busy with her own life or Yuqi when she could spare a few hours. They always made sure to care for you as much as they could, knowing first hand how tough heartbreak can be -- especially with the added stress of schoolwork. 

One person you thought about often was Jeong. Every time he'd cross your mind, dirtying up your brainwaves with the mere notion of himself, you'd grimace. He didn't deserve the attention, and yet you couldn't help but question why he did that to you. He hadn't reached out since that night, likely due to Yuqi giving him a piece of her mind after the game. He made it clear that he wasn't sorry, and that if given the chance, he'd play his cards even better and hopefully score a date with Jisoo. 

Maybe that was the worst part of it all. Hearing that it hadn't just been a stupid thing he did because he was drunk; he realized the weight of his actions, and he'd do it again, over and over, without caring about how you fit into the equation. That football game was simply a turning point, hidden in plain sight as an unassuming night for you to hang out with Yuqi. But you learned more then than you had ever intended to; Jeong's selfish, and he probably never even cared for you in the first place. The idea of that makes you feel dirty -- like you wasted so much of your time with such a horrible person, sticking up for him and defending his name when he wasn't around when he never even deserved that in the first place. You wish you would've known who he really was back then; you would've stayed away. 

Unbeknownst to you, Jisoo was struggling much like you -- minus the whole "betrayed by a best friend" situation. Every time that she showed up in class, she hoped with every piece of herself that you'd walk through the door and grace the room with your presence. You seldom ever did, though -- but when you ran out of free days of absence and were forced to attend class in order to keep your grades up, you never even uttered a word to her. She'd make it a point to ask questions in class, hoping that hearing her voice would bring something out of you, as yours did to her. She longed to talk to you again, if only for a minute; but your resolve remained strong, and her determination grew weaker as the days went by. 

Being the person she is, though, she knew giving up wasn't an option. After a few weeks of that cycle, greeting stands were placed at the front doors of each complex on campus, manned by different members of the council. She came up with a story for the administration on the fly, using her people skills to convince them that it would be good for student morale and getting more people to join clubs. It was a great effort, but she underestimated your avoidance skills; you thwarted her plans again, slipping right through her strategically linked fingers. 

Eventually, she lost hope. She exhausted every option she knew to try, and the girls ran out of new ones as well. Seeing their unnie so upset saddened them, and they did all they could to cheer her up in any and every way they knew how. 

7.) Premiere Night

"Y/N, get up. You're gonna shower and get dressed if I have to force you to do it myself." Yuqi commands, blasting into your room and flipping on the overhead light that shines far too bright for your liking. 

"Mmm," you groan in protest, not even bothering to roll over. 

"I mean it; don't test me, you know I'm true to my word."

"Why, Yuqi?"

"Because we're going to the performance tonight. The big show that everyone has been going on about is premiering, and you're coming with me to see it."

"I can't do that." You say, her words sobering you up from your sleepy stupor.

"I know who the lead is," she informs, already knowing about your reasons for being hesitant, "and that's precisely why we're going. You can't keep living like this, so either go get your girl, or agree to be friends with her and work past what you're dealing with." 

"You sound like a mom at the end of an 80s movie."

"80s movie moms are valid, so I'll take that as a compliment. Now go!" She shouts, shoving you off the bed. You tumble to the floor in a heap of blankets and pillows, still managing to hit your funny bone as you let out a pained groan. 

"Remind me to slap her later, Ryujin." 

"Will do." She salutes, reaching a hand down to help you up. With one last glare at an annoyingly bubbly Yuqi, you head to the bathroom to shower. 

----

"How do I look?" You ask, looking yourself up and down in the skinny mirror attached to the wall. 

"Is it gay if I say I'd ask you out?" Yuqi asks with a smile, fanning herself animatedly when you strike a pose. 

"Very much so, yes." 

"Well, hand me the rainbow suspenders, then." 

You push her over with a laugh -- the first real one you've shared in a while -- and wrap her in a hug. 

"Thank you, for real. I don't know where I'd be if I didn't have you." You say against her shoulder, pulling back to look at your roommate and add, "Either of you." The three of you settle in for a group hug and tell a few more jokes before Yuqi finally drags you out of the dorm. 

----

"How does it feel to be back in society?" Yuqi whispers, leaning in close to you to read the seat numbers printed on your tickets. 

"As lame as ever." You add, amusingly unenthused. 

"You're never gonna convince Jisoo to date your dumbass with that attitude." She retorts, feeling a little guilty when she sees your expression change upon hearing her name. You're afraid to see where the two of you will stand at the end of the night, so saying it's still a sore subject is the understatement of the year. 

"I'm messing with you, dude. If she doesn't want to be with you, then it's her loss; but I highly doubt that's the case. I've heard she misses you a lot." For once, Yuqi's words are halfway encouraging to hear, and you let out a light smile. 

"Well I'm prepared to worry about that whole situation later. For now, let's find our seats and enjoy the show." Your best friend quickly agrees, and the two of you squeeze through the crowds in the aisles to get to your row. 

----

"Jisoo, I promise you'll do well. You've been practicing for months; you've got this," Soo-hyun says, rubbing his co-lead's back in reassuring circles. The certainty in his deep voice gives Jisoo some semblance of security, and she stands to look at him with one final, nervous sigh. Stage fright has never been this big of an issue for her, but the size of the crowd and the idea that you might be out there scare the hell out of her. She wants you to be there with all of her heart, but she doesn't know if she'll be able to handle watching you walk away again. The past few weeks have been torture, and she misses your presence and witty remarks more than she ever thought possible. 

"Thank you, Soo-hyun. I'll meet you out there in a couple minutes, just let me collect myself."

He nods and says, "Take your time. I'll let Mrs. Choi know," before leaving and shutting the door behind himself. Now alone again, Jisoo digs through her personal bag that lays neatly on the small futon of the dressing room. When her fingers come in contact with that familiar material she's spent hours staring at, she bites the inside of her cheek and unfolds it for the millionth time. Multiple poems and blurbs litter the page, accompanied by cute doodles and cartoons here and there that give it a personal feel. She's spent the time away from you methodically working through the different writings, restraining herself from reading all of them in one setting so that she can have new content from time to time. 

She's down to the last one, now, and a surprising sort of realization hits her when she reads it. It instills within her a sense of determination -- determination to get you back and set things right, one way or another. She makes a plan to find you after the performance.

-- After The Performance -- 

It was even more spectacular than you ever imagined it could be. The school spared no expense in getting the best props, employing the most skilled technicians on hand, and recruiting the best artists that the school had to paint the backdrops. Everyone behind the scenes worked tirelessly to produce the best show possible, and their efforts really paid off. 

And, of course, you can't forget the actors. 

The entire cast was incredible, their talent matching some of the world's most sought-after stars. Every part was played to perfection; even the smaller, supporting roles were acted with passion, really bringing the piece together as a whole. The production left you wanting more, too inspired and awestruck by the amazing performances to be content with just seeing it once. So, after numerous calls for an encore, the cast returned to run through a few of their key scenes. 

---

As the cast takes their final bow, large cannons placed on either side of the stage shoot out bursts of colorful confetti, and you watch it flutter down around them. Some try to catch a piece or two to add to their scrapbooks, wanting to have a trinket from their college years, while others just hug each other and twirl around with content smiles on their faces. The crowd continues its loud cheering, and eventually you find the courage to sneak a glance at Jisoo.

To your surprise, she's looking right back. 

Her eyes hold a mixed softness; she's proud of herself and glad that you came to support her on such a big night, but part of her wants to escape the busyness of it all and tell you everything she's been feeling. She'd be content with looking at you forever, she realizes, as she studies you. You're the true star in her eyes, always shining so bright and making everyone feel at home whenever they're around you. She hopes you know how special you are. 

Mrs. Choi approaches the cast from stage right, gathering their attention to congratulate them and commend them for their performances. Jisoo reluctantly looks away from you, unsure if it's the last time she'll be seeing you tonight. The thought upsets her, but there isn't much she can do about it right now; so, she gives her attention to her professor and flashes that smile that makes everyone weak in the knees. 

You knew it was just a matter of time before she'd be pulled away and immersed in some conversation about the show, but the selfish side of you never wanted her to look away. No matter how confusing things may be because of all of your unresolved issues, she still looks at you like she always had before -- her gaze is kind, albeit bittersweet, but it's full of care. Seeing her like that makes you feel like even more of an asshole than you already do -- maybe you should have just listened to her at the game. Running away was an immature choice, rooted entirely in your own sadness in that moment as you deprived yourself of any explanation she could've offered, though you can't judge yourself too harshly. The situation is complicated, and you still don't know whether to hate yourself for running or go easy on yourself in light of what happened. 

When Yuqi sees you stand up and shuffle towards the end of your row, she sends you a warning look. 

"Dude, I'm not gonna run away. I'm literally just gonna step outside for some fresh air, I promise." She visibly relaxes, no longer having to prepare herself to wrangle you back into the seat. 

"Fine. But if you aren't back in 15 minutes I'm coming to track you down. You really need to talk to her." 

You sigh, nodding in agreement. "I know, trust me. Just let me get my thoughts together first." She sends you off to do just that, but not until the two of you complete the special handshake you made up all those months ago. 

---

Brisk air rushes over your skin in waves the moment you exit the side door of the building, automatically sending goosebumps to raise in its wake. It feels nice, though; it grounds you, and works to cool off your heated skin. The atmosphere inside was thick with the tension you've been feeling ever since what happened that night at the game, and its effects were only heightened by the raw performances of the evening. Passion and longing were the driving factors of the play, ironically, and many of the scenes drew eerie parallels to your current situation. So, it's no wonder that you're thankful to step away from it all for a bit.

You greet a few stray audience members that're puttering around outside as well, opting to walk down a little further away from them and lean against the building. The wall's brick material feels rough against your back, lightly scratching it whenever you shift your weight from one foot to the other. You don't mind it, though; it's oddly nostalgic, somehow. 

When you hear the door open again, you think nothing of it. The metal hinges latch just the same as they had for you, so there's really no reason for you to even look up. However, that all changes when you feel someone's eyes on you.

Unprepared is leaps and bounds away from being a fitting statement to describe how you feel in that moment; Jisoo stands merely 10 feet away from you at most, right next to the stage door that she just came out of. Her hands fiddle with the drawstrings of her costume, seemingly always needing to be occupied when she's nervous or unsure of herself; it's a habit you've picked up on after seeing it so many times. 

The longer you look at her, the more you want to look away; she's so beautiful it hurts, and the silence is eating away at you. You can't blame her, though; neither of you know what to say or do, and the only thing you seem capable of is staring at each other. When you break the intense eye contact you were sharing to turn away, only intending to take a minute to collect yourself, Jisoo is suddenly set in motion. 

She's afraid you'll leave again, and she's prepared to fight even harder for you this time.

I love you as the stars love the night sky

A fateful, cyclic romance

A game of eager greetings and reluctant goodbyes

Those words -- ones that you remember penning one day in class while completely entranced by Jisoo -- roll from her lips effortlessly, as if she had spent time committing them to memory. She had, in fact; whenever days passed without her even catching a glimpse of you, she always found herself unfolding that note again, tracing a finger over the curve of your unique letters as she reread the poem. It always brought her comfort to think that you were in just as deep as her, and a similar sense of hope blossoms in her chest now when she spots an unbelieving smile tug at the corner of your lips as you slowly turn to face her again. 

You're still into her, and she's falling even deeper at the realization. Maybe she didn't lose you after all. 

She takes calculated steps towards you and breathes a sigh of relief when you stay put, not showing any signs of running. The wheels in your head are going into overdrive now, turning and churning as you process her little recital, and she prays with all of her heart that you won't be upset once you put two and two together. 

"How did you…"

"You dropped it one day, and I picked it up. I meant to give it back to you, but I guess I just never got around to it." She feels a little guilty for keeping it as long as she has, but it's served as a way of keeping you close during your time apart. Those bits and pieces of you, scattered around on that page, encapsulated by the annotations and doodles you so kindly left behind, have stayed in her heart. Ever since she discovered it all that time ago, it's never been very far from her; she cherishes it more than you'll ever know. 

"You didn't show it to anyone, right?" Your voice is laced with worry, lowered a bit to keep others from overhearing. 

"No, no! Of course not. I just… kept it for myself. You're really talented; I couldn't stop reading your stuff." 

"Thank, I guess?" You awkwardly chuckle, still a bit rusty on how to interact with her after everything. Plus, to be fair, having your crush read one of the love letters you wrote about her is a bit unheard of. Newfound territory, you think to yourself.

"How long?" You ask after a minute of silence, only realizing how loaded your question is after it slips past your lips, turning into a puff of steam in the chilly atmosphere. "How long have you… felt that way about me?" You quickly add, "Assuming that you feel what the poem says, of course." 

An amused smile tweaks her lips at how cute you are. "I do, Y/N. I always have; ever since that afternoon at the daycare." 

"Really?" The question is quiet, full of childlike disbelief. 

"Really. It was always you." She says it freely now: unafraid.

The sentiment is sweet, but memories of the football game come flooding back and you're reminded that as much as you want to skip this next part, you still have things to discuss. 

"What about Jeong?" 

"What about him?"

"Did you ever like him?"

"No. The girls thought so, but it was just a misunderstanding. That's why Lisa introduced us at the game; she thought I had a crush on him, but I told her that you were always the one I was looking at. I told all of the girls that, after that night." 

Her confession renders you speechless -- only capable of listening and nodding every now and then. She takes advantage of your silence to finally explain herself and tell you everything she's been dying to. 

"I didn't know you felt the same until our talk in the parking lot. I mean, I was hopeful after some of the moments we had, but I didn't know for sure until then. I wanted to beg you to stay and hear me out, but you left before I had the chance."

You blink a few times as the reality of her words begin to sink in. "I had no idea…"

"Yeah, well…" she trails off, unsure of what to say next. She's forgiven you for walking away, knowing you were just hurt, but the whole situation still left a bad taste in her mouth. So much pain could've been avoided for the both of you if you had just listened.

"How did they take it?"

"They yelled at me for waiting so long to tell them, but then they tried to help me get you back. Remember those student council booths?" She leans in a little closer to ask that last line, her lips pulling to the side in that iconic smirk of hers. 

You audibly gasp and point at her animatedly. "I knew that was you!"

"Mhm, pulled some fancy-sounding excuse out of my ass to convince the board, and boom; 20 brand new tables set up the next day. I still can't believe you managed to slip past them, though. I mean, c'mon, have you seen how talkative those kids can be?" 

"Trust me, it wasn't easy," you laugh with her. "I had to sneak to the back entrances like a drug dealer." 

"I can totally see that." 

"I'm dedicated, what can I say?" The stupid hair flip you do makes her laugh even harder, clutching her stomach as those beautiful sounds slip past her lips. 

As your shared laughter eventually turns into soft chuckles, she smiles at you, saying, "I really missed this. I missed you, so so much." 

"I've been a wreck without you, Jisoo. It's honestly embarrassing." 

She looks at you with something new shining in her eyes, and she carefully contemplates what she's about to admit. "Can I tell you a secret?"

"Of course." 

"I rarely cry, Y/N, but I did over you. So you have no reason to be embarrassed. It seems like both of us were pretty bad off." She looks down after saying that, scuffing her foot against the concrete of the sidewalk. Being vulnerable isn't usually easy for her, and she never really lets people see that side of her -- not even the girls. She feels like she has to stay strong for them to keep things running smoothly, but she fails to realize how important her own feelings are. You're different, though; she feels like her entire collection of secrets would be safe with you, and you make her feel secure enough to be open like that. 

When she feels you step closer and hook two fingers underneath her chin, her eyes dart up to yours and her heart speeds up. Your other arm hesitantly wraps around her waist, giving her plenty of time to step away and deny you. You've spent so much time convincing yourself that she couldn't possibly want someone like you that you're genuinely surprised when she steps further into your embrace, pulling your arm tighter around herself. 

Her right arm comes to rest loosely on your shoulder as her other hand caresses your forearm, rubbing various patterns against your smooth skin. "I tried so hard to get you to pick up on my flirting," she starts, playing with the baby hairs at the nape of your neck as she holds you close. "Every touch," she runs a finger down your arm, leaving a trail of electricity in its wake. "Every look," she moves her hand from your neck to your cheek, cupping it sweetly as she gazes into your eyes. She strokes your skin with the pad of her thumb, smiling beautifully when she feels you nuzzle into her hold even more. 

"And that kiss…" she says, sounding breathless at the mere thought of it. "I wanted it to last forever." 

"Why didn't you tell me that, then?" You ask, not even a trace of anger in your tone. You're determined to let go of all the hurt and fear that your misunderstandings have caused, opting instead to finally get the answers you've wanted for so long. "After I came back from putting Aera to bed you were just… different. And then when you said it was just a part of the script--"

"I know. I was afraid that if I let myself have you like that -- if I let you in all the way -- there'd be no going back." When she sees the confusion building in your eyes, she continues on. "I don't usually let myself get distracted; I can't afford it. You know how seriously I take my studies." You nod, recalling the numerous times you've found her in the library until it closed, studying hard for the exams everyone knew she'd ace. "But you wiggled your way past every line of defense I ever put up. You became my favorite distraction." A dopey grin tugs at your lips at receiving that title, and you subconsciously hold your head a little higher.

"But I wasn't prepared for that. You make me feel things that I've never felt before, and I really didn't think I could afford to let myself have you. Not fully, anyway. I could deal with a crush; I told myself I could keep you close enough that I wouldn't miss you, but far enough that I could keep myself protected."

"What changed?" You ask, smoothing your hands over the small of her back, feeling the heat radiate from her skin. They've worked their way under the hem of her shirt during your conversation, subconsciously seeking to share her warmth, and Jisoo has been acutely aware of it the entire time. 

"When I saw you walk away like that I didn't know what to do with myself. I've had people leave before, so it's not a new thing; but I never missed them like I've missed you."

A bittersweet, melancholic look settles on your face at that; she deserves every good thing that the world has to offer, so knowing that you played a part in her sadness -- whether it be direct or indirect -- disheartens you a bit. 

"But you're here now, and that's all that matters." She says, leaning her forehead against yours. 

"And I'm not going anywhere," you affirm, holding her even closer than before. She brushes her nose against yours with a quiet sigh, relieved to be in your arms, caught safely in your warm embrace. If falling feels like this, she's more than okay with it. 

"Can I?" You ask, glancing down to the heart shaped pillows you've dreamt of having against yours again. 

She nods, uttering a soft, "Please", as she tilts her head to the side in expectancy. You close the remaining distance, bending your knees slightly to tighten your hold on her waist and pull her flush up against yourself. Both of her arms wrap around your neck now, occasionally coming down to tilt your head and allow her better access, or run her fingers through your hair. It's sensual and meaningful, but an air of urgency hangs in the air, thickening it the longer her lips are on you. Both of you are making up for lost time, so it's no wonder you're so eager. 

She takes your bottom lip between her teeth as she backs you up, pressing you against the brick wall that you had migrated a few steps away from during your conversation. If she were kissing anyone else, perhaps she'd care about the strangers staring, or what they might say; but as she stands here, feeling your hands explore her body in the ways that she's dreamed of and your lips kiss her senseless, that's the furthest thought from her mind. Her hands grab at the collar of your shirt, balling the material up in her palms as she pushes her lips against yours from a new angle. 

When you eventually pull back for air, you can't help but say the phrase that's been sitting on your mind for weeks. "I love you." 

Her heart speeds up to match yours, both of them racing as you look at each other with giant smiles on your faces. "I love you, too. If you hadn't already guessed that," she chuckles, leaning up to kiss you again. This one's more innocent, though -- full of giddiness as you replay each other's declaration in your minds. 

"Y/N L/N IF YOU AREN'T OUT HERE--"

Yuqi bellows loudly, blasting through the side door and out into the chilly night air. The metal smacks against the wall from the force she exerted, and you physically cringe at the sound. Jisoo does the same, quickly pulling away to find out what's going on. 

When Yuqi's line of sight settles on the two of you, her eyebrows raise and a smirk lands on her lips. "Well, well, well. Looks like my work here is done," she says, cocking her head to the side self-assuredly when she sees how swollen both of your lips are and how mussed your clothing is. You send her a look that she registers as "Get lost", and she retreats back into the performance hall with her hands raised in surrender.

"Idiot," you mutter under your breath, shaking your head as you watch the door close behind her, its poor hinges still recovering from her assault. Jisoo's giggle makes you turn back to her, finding a breathtaking smile forming on her lips. "You're so cute," she coos, poking your cheek, "especially when you blush like that." 

You fight the bashfulness that attempts to take over, managing to cock a brow at her and say, "Hey, watch it -- I might not be so kind in my next poem if you don't stop teasing me." 

"Aww, don't be like that, baby." 

She tenses up after realizing she let that pet name slip out at the end, but your smile only widens. 

"Say that again."

"Baby," she drawls in her signature sultry tone, stepping closer to you again. 

"Mmm, I could get used to that." You hum against her lips, pressing yours to them at the end of your statement. 

"Good, because there's more where that came from." 

"Oh yeah?"

"Mhm," she settles into your arms again, looking into your eyes with so much love you nearly swoon. "This is only the beginning for us." 

[flowerpowelltales]

Until You Hate Me (Liam x MC)

PART THREE - THE BEGINNING

A/N: Yes, I do feel ashamed I forgot about this series for TWO years. I also am aware most of you, who have been tagged, dont even remember ever reading this series. If you’d like to be taken off the taglist just let me know because I don’t want to bother anyone. If you want a refresher - it’s the series where Regina pays Riley to be the worst suitor ever so that in two weeks, Liam would have to marry someone Regina picked for him. Previous parts are on my masterlist. Shoutout to the Nonny who motivated me to write this part. Hope y’all enjoy! Characters belong to PB. 

Rating: G

Word count: 1692

Tagging: @gardeningourmet @delightfullypinkglitter @blackcatkita @badchoicesposts @jared2612 @princess-geek @desiree-pow-35-1986​ @emichelle​ @ao719​ @cordoniantrash @kinggliam @needalittlerain @flyawayboo @nazariortega @jlpplays1 @kimmiedoo5 @annekebbphotography​ @ladyangel70​ @eadanga​ @kingliam2019​ @nz1091​ @emceesynonymroll @texaskitten30 @mskaneko​ @custaroonie @drakesensworld​ @janezillow @ritachacha​ @lodberg​ @msjr0119​ @gkittylove99​ @sweatyrysconnoisseur​ @dcbbw​ @potter1-7harry​

“Welcome to Cordonia,” Liam said when the Royal Jet finally landed. He looked at Riley warily as she took in the sights. The flight was a total disaster and made him rethink his whole life. If he hadn’t known better he’d think she wanted to sabotage his mission.

“Looks sick,” she said and Liam sighed.

“Liam, Riley, the car is here. Come before anyone spots us.” Regina nodded towards their driver.

“Whoa, we have our own driver? That’s mad!”

Regina raised an eyebrow in a ‘do-not-overdo-it’ manner but Riley ignored it. For her it was either go hard or go home. Literally, because if she failed she’d go home with no money.

The ride from the private airport to the palace was silent; Riley was admiring the views, Liam was thinking if he made the right choice and Regina was already planning Liam’s wedding to Madeleine.

When they arrived, Regina excused herself and went straight into her office.

“What do you think?” Liam asked politely when they were the only two left.

“It looks so… majestic. Like something I’d expect a palace look like but at the same time like something I wouldn’t expect. It’s gorgeous.”

Liam turned to her stunned by her words. What happened to “sick” and “mad”? Maybe it wouldn’t be that bad, after all.

“Come inside,” he said and extended his hands towards her. She took it and then gasped at the interior.

“It’s so regal and so big and oof—” Riley was almost knocked out by a small, fluffy ball that jumped at her.

“Ah, this is Chance, Maxwell’s dog. He must feel you’re a good person because he is never that happy about strangers.” Liam smiled as he leaned to take her coat. She handed it to him and when Liam walked away to hang it, she bent over to Chance. 

“Hey, buddy! I’m super flattered you like me but can you please bite me or start barking at me so Liam doesn’t think I’m good?” She asked and Chance titled his head in confusion. “You see,” she lowered her voice, “I have a mission to complete.”

When Chace still couldn’t understand, Riley tried to speak his language.

“Woof woof woof woof,” she barked at Chance in low voice.

“Um… is everything okay, lady Riley?” Liam asked, suddenly appearing behind her. Shoot.

“Mhm. Just talking to that cute little muffin. And please, call me Riley. I’m no lady.”

“If you insist. Would you like to see your room?”

“Sure! Does it have a mini fridge? I bet it’s totally dope!”

Liam shook his head in disbelief. Riley changed her mood every few minutes. He couldn’t figure her out. Sometimes she was serious and really fun to talk to but then she changed again and acted like a spoiled teenager.

“Here we are.” Liam motioned the room when they finally reached the guest chamber. “It doesn’t have a mini fridge but you can call any of the staff members to ask for whatever you’d like, anytime.”

“Cool.”

“Ah, Liam! Riley! I am so glad to see you both here!” Regina exclaimed with a smiled on her face. “We have a dinner today with a few of our friends. Liam, please help lady Riley to prepare for it.”

“Of course, Regina. Who are we expecting?” Liam asked.

“Duchess Olivia Nevrakis, Lord Neville, Duchess Adelaide, her daughter and Duke Godfrey, lady Hana Lee and her parents, and a few of the court members.”

Liam nodded politely but started to panic internally. Lord Neville, Godfrey and Adelaide weren’t exactly the first people he wanted Riley to be introduced to. He knew too well how they treated commoners and how awful they could be. He had only about two hours before the dinner to go through the royal protocol, table manners, dress code and how to address who. When he looked up at Riley he noticed she was already studying him.

“Everything’s alright?”

“Yes, it is. I just thought we would have more time before your debut.”

“Oh, don’t worry about that! I was born ready!” she said reassuringly, which, ironically, made Liam even less reassured.

~~~~

“So when I see Hana Lee’s dad I should say ‘ni hao’, right?”

“Correct! And can you please repeat how you would address Duchess Olivia?”

“Your Grace,” Riley replied.

“Exactly. And Lord Neville?”

“…Also your Grace?”

“Yes. How would you address me, then?”

“Your Majesty?”

“No, Majesty is used for Kings and Queens. I’m not a King yet so I ought to be addressed ‘your Highness’.”

“So Regina is her Majesty?” Riley asked.

“Precisely. Now, what is my title?”

“Prince?”

“Full title.”

“Prince Louis of Cordonia.”

“Ye—What? What Louis?”

“Your name isn’t Louis?”

“No,” he shook his head. “It’s Liam.”

“Oh, right! Sorry, I’ve always had a problem with remembering names.”

Liam smiled but wanted to scream. Remembering names was probably one of the most important things Riley had to learn. And she forgot even his.

“Let me get this straight, when I talk to you I always have to use ‘your highness’?”

“When we’re with nobility, yes. It shows respect. When there’s only me and you, or friends and family, you can call me by my name,” he explained.

“Which is Louis!”

“Liam,” he corrected. Again.

“Sorry! Sorry!” Riley apologized. “I’ll just need something to associate you with… Oh! I know! I used to listen to One Direction a lot and Liam was the name of one of the singers! I liked him a lot!”

“Whatever works for you.” Liam smiled, feeling less and less enthusiastic about his mission.

~~~~

Two hours and three braincell losses later, Riley was walking arm in arm with Liam, into the ballroom. She was wearing a very expensive dress, more expensive than everything she owned altogether. She was very stressed and started to regret coming here. Pretending to be the worst suitor in front of Liam was one thing, but pretending to be the worst suitor in front of all Cordonian nobility was a completely different thing.

“Look, there’s Xinghai, he’s coming here,” Liam whispered and Riley nodded as the man approached them. Liam nudged Riley.

Okay. Show time.

“Hey hoe!” She yelled, making everyone freeze.

I hate myself.

“Riley!” Liam hissed, pinching her arm.

“Excuse me?” Xinghai asked as if not believing his ears.

“I think Riley tried to say ‘ni hao’, is that right?” Liam raised his eyebrows and Riley felt sick.

“Yes! Ni hao! I’m so sorry, I’m very bad at languages!”

Xinghai shook his head. “If you say so.”

“Hi, I’m Hana! And this is my mother, Lorelai.” A girl with a very friendly face extended her hand as if she hadn’t noticed that huge faux-pas. Her mom barely smiled at her.

“Nice to meet you.”

“Your Highness.” A man approached them and raised a glass. “I feel deeply honored to be invited here today. Her Majesty mentioned you would bring an American suitor, is this that lovely lady?”

Riley didn’t know who it was but she sure hated him already. She looked at Liam and realized she wasn’t the only one thinking so.

“Lord Neville. I am very happy you could join us. Yes, this is lady Riley, my suitor. Lady Riley, this is Lord Neville.”

“Lord? Like Lord of the Rings? Is that even a real title?” she asked.

“Excuse me?” Neville was confused and Liam embarrassed. From the corner of her eye, Riley could see Regina smiling at the sight.

At least someone is happy with what I’m doing.

“I believe we haven’t met.” A blond woman interrupted them, holding a glass of champagne in one hand and a very unhappy man in the other.

“This is Duchess Adelaide, Duke Godfrey and their daughter, Countess Madeleine. And this lovely woman by my side is lady Riley.”

“Hi y’all! Louis told me so much about you!” She heard Liam sighing.

“Hmph” was all Godfrey said. The rest of the family looked confused.

“Who’s Louis?” Adelaide asked.

“What happened to One Direction association?” Liam whispered to her when the family wasn’t looking.

“I forgot Louis was in the band, too,” she replied.

“If you excuse us,” Liam turned to Adelaide, “but we need to say hello to Duchess Olivia. Thank you for coming.”

He quickly led Riley far from Adelaide and Godfrey, avoiding other court members on the way. He couldn’t do this. At least not today. Riley clearly wasn’t ready.

“Why hello there,” a lady with red hair and a matching dress greeted them.

“Olivia. Hello. How are you?” Liam started a small talk and Riley noticed he was more relaxed talking to her than he was talking to other people. She must be a friend, she thought.

“I’m great. Haven’t been to a party that is as much fun as this one. And it’s all thanks to you. I’m Olivia.”

“Riley. You’re the Ice Queen?” Riley asked remembering Lythikos was a winter wonderland. She hoped Olivia would be offended just like the others but to her surprise the Duchess burst out laughing.

“Ice Queen! I like her already,” she said as she wiped a tear from her eye. “Absolutely loved when she questioned Neville’s title. The man’s pain in the ass.”

“I’m glad you find it funny,” Liam said firmly. Olivia shrugged and turned to take another glass of wine.

“I’m really sorry I embarrassed you, Louis.”

“Liam,” he corrected.

“Liam,” Riley repeated. “I’ve just came to Cordonia and had only two hours to take it all in. I’ll be better in time.” Not sure how better at making you hate me I can get though.

“It’s fine. Listen, it’s me who should be apologizing. As you said, you just came here and within a few hours you had to learn things I learned throughout the years.”

Riley’s eyes widened. She embarrassed him, she humiliated him and he still apologized? She felt awful.

“I still feel bad. I promise I won’t let you down,” she lied and Liam smiled.

“I’m happy to hear that because we’re visiting our apple orchard tomorrow and the press will be there to meet you, too.”

Riley gulped as she smiled at Liam.

That only meant she had to try even harder.